that by the negligence or pryde of the Teachers And it is manifest frō Hierome that an other kinde of governing was by and by growne in use in stead of those Elders For he mentioneth to Rusticus of the Ecclesiasticalll Senat The Church saith he hath a Senat a company of Elders without whose counsell the Monkes may doe nothing And againe And wee have our Senate of Presbyters Gratian. C. 16. q. 1. The Church But the Senate was become much unlike to the integrity and institution of the first time as wee learned even nowe from Ambrose after whose time age men labour in vaine to finde out this kinde of Elders which he complayneth to have perished and come to nothing before his times Those winges therfore togither with the eyes are those Deacons and Elders Of which what picture more fitte could have ben given In them is required simplicity in these diligence Rom. 12.8 That first is signifyed by the eyes in the wings this second by the wings with eyes From which first is perceyved howe necessary these Offices are in the Church For they are the winges of the Ministers What is a bird without winges Yet this lacke is more dammageable because a bird being destitute of winges perisheth her selfe alone the Pastours being voide of thē the whole flockes are set in daunger of destruction For they are winges of helping as wee have said wherby aide is ministred not so much to the Ministers themselves as to the people And seeing the Apostles had need of Deacons that a more necessary worke might not be left of them could they by themselves observe every on s life without the hinderance of the administration of the word Therefore they tooke to themselves the winges full of eyes which the Beastes have before the Throne and have taught by their owne example howe maimed and lame the Pastors are to whom these winges are wanting Againe wee learne that these Offices are advantages and additions as parts hanging to the Pastours ioyned to them as necessarily as winges to the body from whence they drawe life and by whose benefit they are moved and upholden And that therefore a divorse is not rightly made betweene them as in the common wealth of the Scaphusians where none of the MINISTERS are present in the Consistory but learned men out of the Senate and for the most part some DOCTOR of the Lawes is chosen amonge the Iudges of the Consistory See for this Iosias Simlerus in his treatise of the Common Wealth of the Helvetians Neyther are those excuses of any moment wherby it is pretended that another manner of governing not lesse profitable is used in stead of ELDERS and DEACONS as it is done in Englande Is it not say they provided in a speciall manner for the poore by the statutes of this Kingdome And doe not the Church-Wardens present wicked men unto the Commissaryes What neede is there of other Elders and Deacons especially indeede seeing all that way is wholy severed from all overseeing of the Pastors to whome alone these winges ought to be fastened and not to any other body of Commissaries God give therefore Winges to the Beasts that his people may be holpen all whose holines almost is lost because the Pastors being destitute of their winges full of eyes there is none that with an earnest and true affection of minde will looke into the diseases and sikenesses and fly speedily for to heale them Lastly our brethren are to be intreated that they will speake more modestly of the ordinance of God least giving themselves to reproaches and raylings they be found to open their mouth against heaven it selfe ¶ Day and night without ceasing saying Hitherto hath ben the preparation unto their Office nowe it followeth of what sorte their Office it selfe is which is shewed by their unwearisome diligence in praysing the Lord. Which one thing in deede sheweth sufficiently that these Beasts by their charge and Office are stewards of the Mysteries of God to wit Pastours in whom he hath put the word of recenciliation and whom he hath made his Ambassadours who should intreate and pray the people in CHRIST steade that they would be reconciled unto God It is in deede the duty of every one to prayse God without ceasing Such diligence the Apostle requireth in all Christians saying Pray continually in the first Epistle of the Thessalonians chapter five ver 16. But especially it belongeth to them who ought to give themselves to this study with their whole mindes and thoughts For as Paul councelleth Virgins that they might cleave fast to the Lord without any distraction in the first Epistle to the Corinthes chapter seaven ver 35. That should be the onely care of them that bende themselves with all diligence unto holy things all whose businesse both in the day time and in the night is bestowed in meditating on the things of the Lord You sayth the Psalmist which stand in the house of God every night Psalme 134. ver 1. Were there any prayers before day breake or in the night time as in the Monasteryes of the superstitious Monkes Not at all But this kinde of speaking sheweth that their whole labour was spente in worshipping the Lord Such as then was the study of the Levites and of them especially who departed not from the Temple neither day nor night for the space of the weekes of their course in the second booke of the Kinges 11.5 in Luke chapter first ver 23. And such ought to be the care of all who deale with holy thinges by profession They who are deteyned with the affaires of this life because they have their mindes withdraen from the contemplation of heavenly things worthily may be sayd to leave sometime their care of serving God by cōparisō with the Ministers Seeing then so continuall a paynes is required to the Ministers may they intermeddle with other Politicall and civill affaires Shall they whose mindes ought never to be vacant from holy meditations so farre intangle themselves with earthly cares that they can minde very little divine thinges Christ who alone was fitte for every administration would not be a iudge to divide the inheritance between the disagreeing brethren Which office he refused not for any inability to performe it but onely for our exemple To whom also he hath appointed boundes of our power least by wandring without our limites wee should be unprofitable both to our selves and also to others The Princes saith he of the Gētiles beare rule over them and the Nobles exercise power over them but it shall not be so amonge you Mat. 20.25.26 Of which commandement when the Apostles understood this to be the meaning that they should take upon them nothing that might hinder never so little their holy function they would not suffer so much as that the care of the poore should be layd upō them though most neerly ioyned with godlines that they might not wāder any whit from their duty Therefore the Romish
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
sort Iohn is here instructed of the Elder Neverthelesse it shall appeare from those thinges which follow that the Elder demanded not of the generall innumerable multitude but of one certen kinde conteined in that great company Who yet all are in one apparell and reioyce in one name because they shall cleave one to another both in consent to the same trueth and also by a continuall ioining togither of the times who also shall at length be partakers of the same glory 14 Thou knowest As though he should say I knowe not thou knowest Wherfore this company is not the same which he sawe lying under the altar chap. 6.9 c. For in that place he understood that they were killed for the word of God neither had he any need to be taught againe but as it is a new troupe of the godly whom by his ignorance he declared should be unknowne to the world suspecting nothing lesse ¶ These are they which came out of great tribulation The Elder did aske two thinges Who are these and whence came they Iohn is ignorant of both of thē The Elder therefore teacheth him but answering onely to one that is to say whence they came which yet also should disclose the men themselves It was indeede a great affliction which the Church suffered under Antichrist that whole time wherein the faithfull were knowne onely by the marke printed on them and not that onely but also some ages after as it shal be made manifest afterward Yet I doe not thinke that this is meant in this place but that it is called Great for excellency sake for the greatest of all that ever was since the world was made Which surely Moses will tell us of in his sōg in these wordes For fire was kindled in my wrath which shall burne even unto the bottome of the grave and shall consume the earth and her encrease and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines Vpon the consumed for hunger and wasted with scab and bitter pestilence I will sende also the teeth of beasts with the venome of serpents of the earth The sword shall kill without and in the chambers feare both the young man and the younge woman the suckling with the gray headed Deut. 32.22 Moses sung that these evils should come upō the Iewes for their falling away from God Which albeit they strike a certen horrour into men even by the wordes rehearsed yet they scarse touch the least parte of those calamityes wherewith the most wretched nation is wasted by the space of a thou sand sixe hundred yeeres even to this very day which times I doubt not but Moses hath shewed in those wordes that I may put you in minde of this by the way Who can number by counting howe great evils those auncient Jewes who killed the Lord of life and defiled their handes with the blood of the Apostles suffered in the destruction of the city Noe History sheweth that there was ever made so horrible a slaughter The enemy him selfe refrained not from teares acknowledging the strange murders beyond the cruelty of any warre You might thinke that the whole natiō was here destroyed utterly especially when they who were left in that utter ruine were solde to be slaves were throwne to the wilde Beasts were made mocking stockes in the theaters finally were not exempted from death but reserved unto torment Indeede a fewe yeeres after it seemed to have ben revived but it was to endure newe calamityes like as in the Comedie the heart of Prometheus being eaten was restored often times For Hadrian killing againe this people most miserably forbade them their native soyle and dispersed them into all quarters of the world Since that time they are dispersed vacabondes banished from their owne country land wandring through the whole world without Governour without God for a King yea that I may use the wordes of Terlullian in his Apologet. to whō it is not so much permitted as that according to the right of strangers they may salute their Fathers land with their feete There was never noe calamity of any people eyther for the kinde of punishment so grievous or for the length of time of such continuance there hath not ben any spectacle so cleare of God being offended not any so fearfull exemple of his eternall wrath Neither yet should there belesse trouble a little before that time whē God shall give an ende to this so long misery At that time saith Daniell when there shall be a time of trouble such as hath not ben since it was anation even unto that time which that it is to be understood of the last sharpe assault before the full restoring of the nation wee shall sometime shewe more clearely if God will Therefore whether wee respect the present casting of of this people or that future calamity at their receiving againe into grace this great affliction is proper to the Iewes who togither with the remnants of the Gentiles being revived after the tyranny of Antichrist and with them which shall then first open their eyes to see the truth shall make that great company which noe man could number ver 9. These thinges are confirmed from that happines which followeth in the next wordes which perteineth to this present life on earth not to that future in the Heavens the sound fruition whereof shall not come before that there be made one sheepfolde the elect Iewes being chosen into one Christian people as wee shall shewe at chap. 21.22 From which it is nowe manifest seeing that this indefinite nūber is made partly of the Gentiles partly of the Iewes whose calling ought to be expected a longe time after that sealing which was spoken of before that those definite and sealed ones were not Iewes Furthermore sound peace and all perfite happines shall follow the calling of the Iewes as in the next wordes it is declared briefly but more largely at chap. 21. and 22. But when the sealing was finished there remained yet much of that great affliction All which shall more appeare in the thinges that follow ¶ And have washed their longe robes At length being converted by faith unto Christ and clothed with the imputation of his onely righteousnes holines 15 Therefore they are before the Throne as before in ver 9. chosen into the Church and gathered into the assembly of the faithfull ¶ Day and night without ceasing For then the fallings away shal be ended and they shall cleave constantly to God even to the last ende ¶ Jn his Temple Yet there shal be noe Temple there as chap. 21.22 But in that place is understood the abolishing of the ceremonies which they shall regarde no more for the worshipping of God thereby here is a pilgrimage yet on earth from the Lord where we have neede of the coming between of outward meanes for to worshippe him of which there shal be noe use in the heavens ¶ They shall hunger no more They shall wante nothing neither shall
rivers but for to give them a kind of force and edge wherby they may prick the sharper and peirce the deeper How notable the goodnes of God is in this respect towards these last times ther is no man unlesse he be shamefully unthankfull and envious but doth acknowledge For by the paynes of some very excellent for why may I not so cal those learned men which have so greatly holpen Christian religion with their studies many things are made unto us most easy and playn in which the ages past have been much deceived Neither is this a vayn boasting of our times but a true preaching of the bounty of God Notwithstanding ther shal be a time at lēgth whē the light of the Moone shal be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shal be seven fold like the light of seven dayes in the day that the Lord shall bind up the breach of their wound Isa 30.26 as partly by the things that folow wil appeare more manifest Many things ther are in the Scriptures not yet sufficiently explayned but the neerer we come unto that day the more copiously wil the light increase dayly by the neer beams of the rising Sun That I may tel the very thing Antichrist is in deed layd open now long agoe through the grace of God in marvelous manner but seing in these yeeres wherin now we live and wherunto the order of time hath brought us the wayting men of the seat of Rome have felt nothing heavier then that their Iesuits should be put to death which was the sentēce of the vial next before this burning heat of the Sun is to be expected ere long even some greater perspicuity of the Scriptures wherby the man of sin may be more vehemently scorched His filthines shal be discovered yet more wherupon men will the more hate him which wil drive him and his unto such intemperance that he wil gnash and rage against the Sun which hath manifested to the world his so horrible hiew that himselfe shal not indure to behold the same Wherfore I am to exhort you yee learned men whom God hath adorned above others with a singular facultie of perceiving and illustrating the truth that ye would diligently employ your selves in this noble work for the Church You hear what a garlond God hath reserved for these last times Great is the prayse of our Ancestors which first plucked off Antichrists vizar no lesse will theirs be which shal utterly hysse him and drive off the stage Yea they are wont in special to make the triumphe which doo make an end of the battel This onely conflict seemeth to be left for learned men the more are they to be styrred up to apply their studies That which further dooth remayn fyre and soword shal performe and shall not be accomplished by ynk and pen. ¶ And it was given unto him to torment men by fyre The first event it shall torment men with heat But what men why is nothing here added as the mark of the Beast or some such like wherby we may know unto what flock it perteyneth Shall others also be burned with this Sun besides the houshold of Antichrist verily so it seemeth Hypocrites and all others that ar not indued with true godlines whatsoever religion they professe cannot endure that their wickednes should be manifested and reproved by the light of the heavenly truth Wherupon it is no marvel if many other earthly men also which are not of the Popes profession be molested by this heat of the Sun But the words of the next verse which hath power over these plagues seem to be of those men as I sayd which have felt the former scourges also But to what ende is this added by fire seing the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 burn doth sufficiedtly expresse the burning of the Sun It is that wee may know that the heat wherwith they shall boyle shall not be heavenly but earthly such as is fire to weet envy contention strife and al bitternes of minde For fire is here metaphorical which playnly sheweth that this is not the proper Sun seing it worketh not by it own but by an others vertue Such then shal be the first event that men shall boyl in heat not onely by a secret exacerbation of their mindes but even by open brawles and reproches But shal the Angel of the Sun receave such a reward It had bin better for him to have stopt his vial that it might not distill such trouble unto him But let him not be discouraged God will prepare him a secret place with himselfe to keepe him from the virulence of tongues The same hath been the condition of al the Prophets alway so it is with the holy book that being tasted it is sweet in the mouth as honey but being eaten it maketh the belly bitter chap. 10.9 Wherfore let ungratious men reproch freely so as the manifestation of their wickednes doo move their choler 9 And men boyled with great heat The second effect shal be marvelous unusual vexations when ther shal be no shelter no not in the thickest forrest that men can use to alay their heat Therfore they blaspheme the name of God that hath power over these plagues like the men of Atlas which curse the Sun with al execrations because it parcheth them with too much heat as Herodotus relateth These last words seem to make this plague peculiar unto them that were vexed also with soates and whose fountains were turned into blood Notwithstanding we are not to think that it shal be open blasphemy against God so as his holy name shal be manifestly violated after the manner of the Hethens and them that know not God but that then men doo also commit this wickednes when they difame his truth and use cursed speaking against it such manner of indirect blasphemy it seemeth it shal be ¶ And they repēted not to give him glory A defective speech which is more full in chap. 9.20 as if he should say And they repented not of their workes to give him glory and so after in ver 11. Now therfore see what this greater light and heat shal effect it shal drive men to blasphemy but they shal persist in their wickednes no lesse then before Least perhaps thou shouldst look that they being convicted in conscience should submitt themselves to so manifest truth This therfore take thou knowledge of before that thou be not offended at the obstinacy of men 10 And the fift Angel powred out his vial upon the throne This vial upon the Beasts throne hath for the first event the darkning of his kingdome for the second rage blasphemy darkning of the Beasts brood ver 11. VVho this Angel is we shal see in the next chapter upon ver 17. wher the declaration of this thing is purposed What the Throne is the things that wee have heard before doo sufficiently teach us for it is the City which the Dragon gave to the Beast
yet in a wise master-builder this I trow must needs be required that he make not the portch bigger then the house that is that the type reign not longer then the truth I remember that 390. dayes were given to Ezechiel for a signe of so many yeeres but no where so many yeres to be given unto any for a signe of so many dayes Secondly I answer let Antiochus be the type yet can not one person be from thence coÌ„cluded seing one singular type may as wel note out many persons as many persons one as we see in that row of Levitical Preists who al had relation unto one Christ as unto their proposed end The third place of Daniel is from chap. 12.11.12 wher the Angel saith From the time that the dayly sacrifice shal be taken away and the desolating abominatioÌ„ set up ther shal be a thousand two hundred ninetie dayes Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred five and thirty dayes Of this place you add nothing but rest in some mens interpretation which have applied it unto Antichrist These dayes you would have to be taken properly and therfore that he is one singular person whose reign is defined in so short a time I answer this number perteyneth nothing at al unto Antichrists reign for three yeres and an halfe before the second coming of our Lord. For Daniel asketh when the end shal be of these marvelous things wil you have the answer to be this After the end of 1290. dayes or at most of 1335. before the last end of al things what would such an answer teach If one that is in a farr couÌ„try should ask which way he must goe to Rome and an other should answer when you come at the tenth stone from the city you must turn this way or that to the left hand or to the right might not he wel think himself to be mocked Or if one should ask of any climate how long the day is in that country and answer should be made about half an howr after sun setting would he think himself satisfied Even such an answer doo yee attribute to the Angel whiles ye iudge these to be common dayes and to goe immediatly before the end of al things Farr be it from us to think the holy Angel would so jestingly close up this divine vision and specially the whole Prophesie In none of these places therfore doo we find Antichrist so properly caled much lesse his singular person So much of the fourth Scripture The fift and last is Apoc. 13. 17. Which places you say are meant of Antichrist for so teacheth Jreneus lib. 5. and it is evident by the similitude of Daniels wâ—rds and Iohns who both of them make mention of ten Kings which shal be in the earth when Antichrist reign shal dure three yeeres and an half As Daniel therfore speaketh of one certayn King so dooth John in the Apocalypse I answer Ireneus iudgeth rightly that the Apocalypse in the sayd places dooth treat of Antichrist but you ar wrong that would have such an Antichrist to be meant as is in Daniel I have shewed that these two doo differ many wayes so as the one cannot be the other Those ten hornes in Daniel are not this Beast Answerable in deede they are to the Dragons hornes but the Beast hath not horns common with the Dragon Moreover that time times and part of time in Daniel is not the same space with the like manner of speaking in Iohn There it agreeth to the litle horn here to the Beast which being divers as we have shewed it is not necessary that one and the same space should agree to them both That designation of time in Daniel answereth to that howr momenth yere Apoc. 9.15 al which space is but a little part of this time times and halfe a time in the Apocalypse as is sufficiently proved before VVheras you urge the similitude of the words it is even like as if one would conclude that the Pope is the Turk because both of them be men and have dominion over many Moreover if I should graunt that one thing is handled by them both yet speaketh not Daniel of one certayn King You went about to prove such a matter even now but in vain as we have seen and the thing it selfe openly proclayms the contrary For if the litle horn were a singular person such as by your opinion the other ten must needs also be what manner description of the Roman Empire were this which omitting so manie ages should onely touch the estate of the last three yeres Nay not of one of the three yeres indeede seing you wil have this Empire to be quite destroied before Antichrist come Therfore the Scriptures afford you not one word wherby you may with sound reason conclude that Antichrist shal be a certain man but we have by them most certenly shewed that it is the apostatical seat of those that wil dominier in the Church Your second argument is from the Fathers unto whom how should any give credit when they affirm him to be a certain and singular man seing some of them knew not whither he should be a maÌ„ at al or no Some wil have him to be the Divil some a Divil incarnate some Nero others I know not what And think you that we must beleeve these men if they say he shal be a certain person Moreover seing by the scriptures no such thing but the contrary dooth appear what account should we make of the uncertain coniecture of men who ar bidden not to be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4.6 These therfore I wil leave unmedled with and very wel might I doo the like with your answers unto our men seing they touch none of those things which I have set down concerning this matter yet that you maie perceive your self to be no lesse weak a fenser than you have been a foiner I wil bestow on you a little payns in the examining of your answers You propound three arguments of our men two of Theod. Beza the third of Iohn Calvin First Beza reasoneth thus that Antichrist is not any one man because the mysterie of iniquity wrought even in Pauls time and Antichrist is to be killed at the coming of Christ You answer that Antichrist began to range abroad in the Apostles time not in his owne person but in his forerunners to weet Simon Magus Nero and the like VVherto I say that Theod. Beza and al our men doo confesse the Antichrist properlie so caled was not in the Apostles time but onely his fore runners For that which he sayth Let them shew me some one that continueth alive from Pauls time unto the day of iudgement is spoken after the common manner as by way of large amplification and is to be understood of some one that should come soon after that age And was not he to be born shortly after whose forerunners made such a tumult
and Elias who are yet you say alive and doo live for this that they may set themselves against Antichrist when he cometh and keepe the elect in the faith of Christ and at length convert the Jewes which notwithstanding it is certain is not yet fulfilled In this cause you deal by three arguments first from the Scriptures secondly from Fathers thirdly from reason The scriptures you bring are four Malach. 4.5.6 Ecclesiasticus 48.9.10 and chap. 44.16 Mat. 17.11 Apoc. 17.11 As touching Malachy his words are Behold I wil send you Elias the Prophet before that great day of the Lord shal come and he shal turne the harts of the Fathers unto the children and the harts of the children unto their Fathers which cannot you say be understood of anie Doctors whosoever as of Luther Zwinglius the like For Malachie sayth that the Jewes shal be converted by Elias and for the Jewes he shal chiefly be sent as appeareth by those words I wil send to you and in Ecclesiasticus to restore the Tribes of Jakob but Luther and Zwinglius converted none of the Jewes And neither can they be understood of Iohn Babptist literally but onely of Elias I answer first here is no word of Henoch whose conioyned coming was propounded also Secondly no mention neither is here of Antichrist but that he shal come togither with him that wholly dependeth on a false supposition of which we wil speake in due place This therfore is a notable Demonstration that propounding to it self the coming of three is altogither silent of two of them But let us discusse him whom it speaketh of The Prophesie you say can not be understood of Luther and Zwinglius and the other Ministers of the Gentiles Church which I also readily acknowledge For I doo not thinke it to perteyn unto us which are Gentiles But why may it not be expounded of the Iewes because it agrees not you say unto Iohn the Baptist which is as if you should say eyther it is to be expounded of the Baptist or of none which maymed and unnecessary disiunction no adversarie can grant unto you But to pardon you also this third trespasse why perteyns it not I pray you unto the Baptist Because say you Malachie speaketh of our Lords second coming which shal be for to iudge I answer if we granted that he speaks of the second coming may he not withall speake also of the first Most certayn verily it is that Malachie dooth so for he speaks generally of the Lords coming which comprehēdeth as wel the first as the second And wheras your selfe confesse it of the second neyther doo I deny it of the first we have Christ interpreting the words of the Prophesie where he speaketh of the Baptist this is Elias that should come Mat. 11.14 Seing therfore the words are so behold now how I fetch from hence a true interpretation against that literal of Elias He that speaketh in the same words of two times he as he is to be understood of the one time so is he to be understood of the other But Malachy speaketh of a twofold coming of the Lord and of the first he is to be understood figuratively for so Christ interpreteth it saying that the Baptist is the Elias that was to come Therfore he is to be understood also figuratively of the second and such an Elias is to be looked for as the Baptist was before the first coming But whither he shal be one singular man or no is not so evident it may be ther shal be one chief and excelling amōg the rest although the whole company of Prophets when it shal please God to gather his reiected people shal be so furnished with the plentiful gifts of his Spirit that for the notable godlines and zele wherwith every of them shal be inflamed Elias may wel seem to be alive agayn in every one For these abiding watchmen on the walls of the Citie Ierusalem al the day and al the night continually shal not hold their peace neither shal they that make mention of Iehovah keepe silence nor suffer silence to be of him as saith Esaias chap. 62 8.9 Surely these new preachers of the Gospel shal burn with so great a desire of godlines that as consecrating themselves wholly to the glory of God and salvation of his people they wil doo this one thing onely nothing at al esteeming in respect hereof even the necessarie regard of their body by sleep and rest And what a fervencie shal ther be in the Ministers when among the common people a father mother which hav begotten a son shal strike him through when he is found a false Prophet Zach. 13.2.3 But whither this Elias shal be one singular man or more he shal not be Elias properly but so as the Baptist was as we are taught by this necessarie reason which I have alleged But you insist and contend that this coming in Malachie is the secōd onely although the interpretation of our Lord ought to have stoped your mouth for so say you Malachie saith before the great and terrible day of the Lord come For his first coming is not caled a great and terrible day but an acceptable time and day of salvation Wherupon also ther is added least coming J smite the earth with cursing But in his first coming our Lord came not to judge but to be iudged nor to destroy but to save I answer you have brought nothing which necessarily proveth it the second coming onely the same things which you mention the Iewes and Disciples knew also who neverthelesse did then look for Elias before our Lords rising from the dead And hereunto perteyneth that question when the Lord had made mention of this matter Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come Mat. 17.9 And as for the great and terrible day why doth it not agree unto his first coming Loe saith Malachy the Lord shal come speedily into his Temple And who shal abide the day of his coming and who shal endure when he appeareth for he is like a Finers fyre and like fullers sope Malach. 3.1.2 c. And these things are spoken of his first coming And is not that day terrible wherin the axe is laid to the roote of the trees and they that are unfruitful are cutt down and cast into the fyre How fearful is it to have among them him whose fān is in his hand who wil purge his floor gather his wheat into the barn and burn the chaff with unquenchable fyre Mat. 3.10.12 But he came not to iudge but to be iudged He came not indeed to iudge solemnly in a tribunal seat as he shal doo at length in the last iudgment yet in the meane while the father hath given al iudgement to him Iohn 5.22 which he both exercised of old and dayly now exerciseth upon al contemners of the truth as we may see in the Iewes that crucifyed him upon whom even to this day abideth the longest and
peculiar manner they are attributed in the same place to the Apostles as it may be wee will shewe in an other place And wee have sayd often that the rewards are fitted unto the times and to contayne a Prophesy which is here also to be respected Christ therfore mentioneth the throne which he obtayned after his sacrifice finished on the crosse shewing that the like thinges are to be endured also of his afterward they shal be partakers of his throne Therefore by this making mention of it he lesseneth the affliction and so the consolation of it he setteth himselfe for an example as though he should bidde us looke upon him and not to be overcome of any troubles when wee see that he ascended into his throne of supreme dignity by this way And wee knowe how much this contending for reformation hath cost many excellent men whose sufferings shall not be forgotten although they be not recited of mee Onely let them confort their faintnes of heart with the expectation of his throne What thoug they be trode under foote while they shall see others to flourish with the dignity of Peeres of the Realme Christ hath prepared for them a throne with himselfe Let noe man regarde an earthly chayre as hitherto they have confirmed abundātly that they are farre of from such desire whatsoever ambitious men prate otherwise who doe coniecture of other by themselves 22 Let him that hath an eare heare Nowe therefore thou whosoever hast felt Christ to be thy guest hast tasted agayne of the daintyes of his table left up thyne eates attēd to the thing which the Spirit saith to the Churches Let man goe rest not in him but regarde the conveniency of all things from the beginning to the end And complaine not of the newnes strangenes as though thou wouldest appoint Christ to whom when he should reveale his secrets Wee know that somethings have bin sealed up unto the determined time But if it be needfull that thou confesse it to be a divine truth let us all endevoure earnestly Princes Peeres Angels people that wee may turne away the evill that hangeth over our heades What an horrible thing is it to be vomited out of the mouth of Christ with loathing and abhorring The land vomited our once the Chananites and they were destroyed utterly Shall their punishement be lighter whom not the land but Christ himselfe shall spue out Therefore let us use the remedy seriously Wee have neede of zeale wherby wee may attayne a full reformation Wee hang yet betweene Heaven and Hell The contagious vapour of the Romish marsh doth molest and annoy us our sylver hitherto is foule with drosse our wine is mixt with water Christ will suffer no longer such Angels that are in the middle What if this myne admonition be the last token and signe to thee of bewarring Let us therfore give eare not whet our teeth against the stone that is hurled But let us quake for feare of the hande that threwe it Thou o Christ who tookest lingring Lot by the hande to pull him out of the city open our hearts who are slow and prolonge the tyme that wee may obey thy warnings and exhortatiōs Chap. 4 AFTER I saw and behold a doore was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard as it were of a trumpet talking with mee said come up hither and I will shewe thee what things must be done hereafter 2 Then straight way J was ravished in spirit and loe a throne was set in heaven one sate upon the throne 3 And he that sate was to looke on like a Iasper and a Sardin stone and round about the throne was a rayne bowe in sight like unto an Emerald 4 And round about the Throne were foure and twenty seates and upon the seates I sawe foure and twenty Elders sitting clothed with white rayment and having crownes of golde upon their heads 5 And there proceeded from that Throne lightnings and thunders voyces and seaven lampes of fyre burning before the Throne which are the seaven spirits of God 6 There was also before the THRONE a Sea of glasse like to Chrystall and in the middes of the Throne and which compassed the Throne foure beasts full of eyes before and behinde 7 And the first beast was like unto a Lyon and the second beast like unto a Calfe and the third beast having a face like a Man and the fourth beaste like a flying Eagle 8 And the foure beasts every one of them by themselves had six winges rounde about and within were full of eyes saying day and night without ceasing Holy Holy Holy LORD GOD that almighty one which was and which is and which is to come 9 And when those beasts shall give glory and honour and thankesgiving to him that sitteth upon te throne to him I say that liveth for ever and ever 10 The foure and twenty Elders shall fall downe before him thaat sitteth upon the throne and shall worship him that liveth for ever and shall cast their crownes before the throne saying 11 Worthy art thou o Lord to receave glory and honour and strenght because thou hast created all things end by thy will they are and have bin created Analysis HITHERTO hath ben the Prophesy of particular Churches that of the whole Church followeth which propoundeth first the matter summarily in this chapter afterward specially in the rest of the chapters This conteineth a new calling of Iohn consisting in the thing seen a doore open in heaven in the first voice heard of a trumpet ver 1 and lastly in the effect wherby he was in the Spirit forthwith in the beginning of the second verse and also the universall type of the future Church which is described in the rest of the whole chapter Whose Prince as it were the centre is most glorious by the Throne most delectable in sight shining with heavenly brightnes rounde about ver 2.3 The membres of this centre as it were the circunference are the foure and twenty Elders full of maiesty reverend in their seates age holynes and crownes of golde ver 4. The things accōpanying these persons are partly giftes which God hath bestowed on the holy congregation partly the worship it selfe which the congregation of the faithfull doth yeelde unto him The gifts are first of protection wherby proceede from the throne lightnings thunders and voices for the punishment of the wicked world because of their entreprises against the congregation of the saints ver 5. Secondly of sanctification wherby he presenteth the holy congregation blamesse before him not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing of these the interne are the seaven lampes burning before the throne ver 5. The externe and their instrumental causes are the Sea of glasse the Beasts whose place number eyes of the body the proper countenance of every one and adorning of winges are described in the ver 6.7.8 Afterward their office ver 8. And the worship
evill but light in comparison of his wrath from which they would redeeme themselves with any most grievous dammage whatsoever Diocletian being sent for by the letters of Constantine the great drunke poison for feare Maximianus ended his life with an haltar Gallerius perished of a most fowle disease Maximinus prevented the death that was nigh to him from Licinius by a voluntary death Maxentius tooke for him selfe a denne in the very bottome of the great river Tybris So in divers maners the Tyrants desyred to be hid from the sight of the Lambe Many men from the lykenes of speaking doe thinke that these thinges are to be referred unto the last day But noe man can deny that these same kindes of speaking are applyed of the Prophetes unto other and also unto the last calamityes And they shall come sayth Isaiah into the holes of the rockes and into the caves of the earth for the feare of the Lord chap. 2.19 Likewise Hoseah And they shall sâ—y to the Mountaines cover us and to the hilles fall upon us When yet neverthelesse he speaketh there onely of the carying away into Babylon chap. 10.8 Therefore the likenes of speaking hath small force to effect that which they would have Moreover neither can the consideration of the time suffer that interpretation by any meanes For seeing the time of the Trumpets and Violâ— is of longe continuance as wee shall shewe in the thinges that follow the sixt seale must needs be a great way from the last day especially seeing the first Trumpet shall not beginne to blowe before the seaventh seale be opened This one thing may be sufficient to convince that strange interpretation 17 For that day cometh In which the Lambe would doe that for the soules which they desired ver 11. would take deserved vengeance on the enemyes would breake the yoke of the Tyrants would take away the power of assayling with publike persecutions would set his people at liberty neither would suffer them to he vexed any more for a longe time as after chap. 20.2 of any enemy of this kinde Therefore the Church now could not be withstood by any forces that shee should not get out of trouble and obtaine the soveraignty of things even as the experience of the same times hath shewed plenteously Nowe therefore wee see the wonderfull Prophecy of the sixe Seales in which have ben disclosed the thinges of chiefe moment from the time of the Revelation given unto the raigne begun by Constantine surely in so expresse types and image of the thinges to be done that although peradventure some will accuse the interpretation of novelty yet every syncere and equall iudge will mervayle rather that the same hath not ben observed of others afore time theÌ„ refuse this as strange Yf any desyre to understand more fully touching the sixe Seales let him reade the seaven last bookes of the Ecclesiasticall History of Eusebius which may well serve him in steade of an ample and sufficint Commentary CHAP. 7. AFTER that J sawe foure Angels standing on the foure corners of the earth holding the foure windes of the earth that the winde should not blowe on the Earth neither on the Sea neither on any tree 2 And I saw an other Angell coming up from the East having the seale of the living God who cryed with a lowde voice to the foure Angels to whom power was given to hurt the earth and the sea saying 3 Hurt ye not the earth neither the sea neither the trees till wee have sealed the servaunts of our God in their foreheads 4 And J heard the number of them which were sealed there were sealed an hundreth an foure and forty thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israell 5 Of the tribe of Iuda were sealed twelve thousande of the tribe of Ruben were sealed twelve thousand of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousande of the tribe of Nepthali weâ— sealed twelve thousand of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand of the tribe of Jssachar were sealed twelve thousand of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand 8 Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousande of the tribe of Beniamin were sealed twelve thousand 9 After these thinges I beheld and loe a great multitude which noe man could number of all nations and kinreds and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the LAMBE clothed with longe white robes having Palmes in their handes 10 And they cryed with a lowde voice saying Salvation commeth of our GOD that sitteth upon the Throne and from the Lambe 11 And all the ANGELS stood round about the THRONE and about the ELDERS and the foure Beasts and they fell before the Throne on their faces and worshipped God 12 Saying Amen praise and glory and wisdome and thankes and power and might bee unto our God for ever more Amen 13 Then spake to mee one of those ELDERS saying unto mee who are thâ—se and whence came they which are arayed with longe white robes 14 And I sayd unto him LORD thou knowâ—st And he sayd unto mee These are they which come out of great affliction and have washed their longe robes and have made them white in the blood of the Lambe 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the throne will protect them as in a bowre 26 They shall hunger noe more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them neither any heate 27 For the Lambe which is in the middes of the throne shall feede them and lead them unto the lively fountaines of waters and God shall wipe away all teares froÌ„ their eyes Analysis HITHER To that which is proper to the sixt Seale that which is common followeth that is to say a certen generall pourtraiture of the whole future Church even unto her last ende Which is distinguished into two times The first is in which the true worshippers are defined with a certen number who are called the sealed by a peculiar name the occasion of whose sealing are the foure Angels prepared to shewe rigour against all men standing for this purpose on the foure corners of the earth that they might restraine all provision of food for salvation ver 1. Afterward the Minister of sealing who exempteth the elect out of the multitude of the destroyed coÌ„ming from the East with full power and noe lesse valiantly executing the office committed to him forbidding with a lowde voice that they should not proceed in their intente untill he have sealed certen that were to be taken out ver 2.3 But howe great the number of the sealed is it is shewed generally ver 4. Specially of what Tribes and how many of every one ver 5.6.7.8 And this time belongeth chifly to the
translation and some other Copies and so it seemeth that it should be read both that the greatnes of the evill may be the more perceived and also that those thinges which follow may be understood the more easily this first being set downe which is the chiefe He commeth nowe to the second effect which was hurtfull onely to the wicked the sealed being well defended from the evill of it For saith he they were cast into the Earth which wee have taught to signify Earthly men wholy addicted to the thinges of this life But this showre rained not upon the whole earth but onely upon the third part But he calleth it the third after the common manner the whole being distributed in to three parts Which third part was the East to wit Asia and the bordering places EVROPE and AFRIKE understood it rather by hearing then in very deeded VALENS and VRSATIVS Bishops the one of the city Mursia in the country of Pannonia the other of Singidon a city in the Superior Mysia did endevor and laboured much to fill those parts with this poison But God who is mercifull did in his kindnesse restrayne and represse this mischiefe within the boundes of the third part of the world least that in overwhelming the whole Church it would at length destroy and overthrowe the same utterly ¶ And the third part of the trees was burnt The trees are the foster children of that Earth of which I spake even nowe and those more stronge tall then any of the rest as after in the 7. chap. but the Greene grasse signifyeth the newe borne Infants of the Church and the common multitude But the tēpest seemeth to rage more grievously against the Grasse then against the trees for of these the third part onely is on fire but all the grasse is burnt up But this whole grasse belongeth to that third part onely even as that third part of the trees are all trees of the East from whence the condition of the trees is nothing better then of the grasse These things teach that all of the Christian name as well the highest as the lowest who lived in those countryes of the third part of the world and were not in trueth grounded and built upon Christ should be so miserably smitten with this storme that they should make shipwracke of their salvation But you will say that they were destroyed before that is true doubtlesse in Gods councill yet it often cometh to passe that reprobate men doe flatter themselves for a time with a certaine false hope and doe with very great care delight to followe some outward religion which afterward the time doth prove manifestly to have ben meere hypocrisy and a vaine appearance of holines so those burnt trees grasse should make shipwracke of their counterfait god lines dashing themselves against the rockes of so great ungodlines of the Bishops And howe could it be but all in whose hartes the trueth hath not taken deepe roote either should be carryed into errour or which is worse should contemne all religion should revolte from Christ himselfe should hate the worshippers of him whom they should see to be bent to this onely thing that they may rayse up strifes contentions and troubles Well wrote Constantine in an Epistle to the Councill gathered togither at Tyrus he upbraided the Bishops in that they did nothing else but sowe dissentions and hatreds and those things which did tende to the utter ruine of man kinde Socrat. booke 1. 34. But there needeth noe witnesses in a matter not doubtfull The exceeding great mercy of God is rather to be praysed which kept a fewe safe from this storme 8 Afterward the second Angell blewe the trumpet as it were a burning moūtaine The first effect of the sounding of the trumpet of the second Angel is a great mountaine burning with fire cast into the Sea The second effect is the death of the third part of the creatures that lived in the Sea As touching the first Mountaines in the scriptures are Princes States of a Realme Loftie minded all of that sorte as Isaiah saith that the day of the Lord shal be upon all the high mountaines and upon all the hilles that are lifted up and upon every high tower and upon every stronge wall chap. 2.14.15 From whence it seemeth here to note Kingdomes Principalities Honours Dignities the Pompe of the world and Traine folloing great men and the Ambition of such thinges This Mountaine burneth with fire as Vesuvius or Aetna because the desyre of honour and riches is fervent neither are men wont to be occupyed coldly in getting such thinges It is throwne into the Sea because the ambition of these things is cast into the doctrine a newe decree of the Councill being made touching order and honour of which their Ancesters never had a thought For wee have shewed before the Sea to be the most pure doctrine of the true and heavenly Church chap. 4.6 but of the earthly and false the foule and grosse chap. 7.1 Seeing then that this is the meaning of the words wee shall finde that the second Angell by and by after the first sounded the trumpet among the same Nicene Fathers For after that sentence was given touching the coessentiall nature of the Sonne of celebrating the Easter upon one and the same day of Miletium they turned themselves unto the making of Canons by which the Ecclesiasticall Discipline should be ruled Amonge other Canons they make a Decree touching the Primacy of the Metropolitanes that the Bishop of Alexandria should have authority over all the Churches in Egypt or Lybia and Pentapolis because the Bishop of Rome had the like custome Likewise as in Antioch and the other Provinces let the honour of every Church be reserved And that no man ordained without the will and knowledge of the Metropolitane should be counted a Bishop that honour also be given to the Bishop of Ierusalem and consequently that he may receive honour the dignity neverthelesse proper to the Metropolitane City remaining Surely this burning Mountaine was cast into the Sea when from this beginning there was strife among the Church men about dignity and honour as for the maintenance of religion and their private sustenance Indeede the obscurer Churches were wont in former times to goe to the learned and skilfull Bishops of more famous cityes and to aske their advise if any doubtfull thing had fallen out and to crave their aide to whom the excellency of the place procured more authority but that which they did before of their owne accord nowe must be done necessarily and those whom lately they saluted as their brethren and felowes in office they were now to be acknowledged by higher titles From hence came into the Church exercising of authority and having dominion by which in a short time after all thing were turned up sidowne Constantinople thought that shee was regarded nothing according to her worthines by this Nicene Decree wher fore a fewe yeeres
are kept certenly from the holy place with brasen walles Albeit the discerning now is not so heard as it was in time past while the Church had no place in the publike Read but the writings of our men by the grace of God thine eyes shall waxe cleere to perceive the trueth Mayest thou not worthily suspect the Popes craft restraining thee from buying and selling of our bookes and of all familiarity Yet neverthelesse doe thou strive so much the more to knowe the trueth that thou shalt see the same to be hated of thine through the conscience of their owne deformity ¶ Two and fourty moneths The time wherein the true Spouse should lie hid and the false should rule But how great darkenesse is here And noe marveile in so great blindnesse of mans understanding Wherefore be thou present who hast received these thinges that thou mightest disclose them to thy servants to the ende that by thy guiding I may goe safely For to dispell the obscurity it is to be observed first that there is not signifyed in these two and fourty moneths three common yeeres an half going about I hope that the accord of the things hath proved already that the foure Euphratean Angels in the 9. chapter are the Turkes To whom power being given for one houre and moneth and yeere seeing that the three hundreth yeere is nowe slipt away is there any so obstinate who will yet avouch that these two and fourty Moneths are to be restrained togither within the narrowe limites and straights of their owne and naturall-signification Hereunto is to be added that seeing these moneths pertaine to the Beast chap. 13.5 that the same was not yet borne in the time of the revelation For Iohn sawe her rising up afterward chap. 13.1 which thing no where is either said or can be said of the Romane Empire this is certenly that space in which Antichrist shal be borne shall growe be wounded and recover health againe wherein he shall exercise power over eveâ—y tribe tongue and nation shall make the dwelling place of his tyranny the queene of the whole earth in which finally both he himselfe and also all the Ministers of his pleasures shal be altogither given to exceeding riot as is cleere from chap. 13. and 17. and 18. But can all these thinges be performed in three common yeeres and an halfe Peradventure Therapontigonus Platâ—gidorus shall recover life who conquered the halfe part of all nations well nigh within twenty dayes Alexander of Macedonia is compared to a Leopard which had foure wings on his backe notable tokens of his swiftnes that he should obtaine the Empire of Asia in twelve yeeres all that time dwelling in tents neither giving himselfe to any other thinge Dan. 7.6 But Antichrist should for iust cause ride on the very Sunne to subdue all countries none excepted in three yeeres and an halfe and in the meane while to give up himselfe through idlenes to all delights wretched intemperancie But it is more plaine yet after in the chap. 20.4 Where the enemies of the Beast refusing to be subiect to his governement and raigning with Christ a thousand yeeres on earth to with all that space of time in which the Divell is bound and tyed in chaines and the subiects of Antichrist lie dead before the first resurrection doe proove necessarily that the Beast also Antichrist was through all that time otherwise how were they able to resist him not onely commanding nothing but also not living The same thing also shal be minifest from the person of Antichrist which in his place wee will shewe not to belong to one man alone but to a certen kingdome and succession chap. 17. Secondly seeing this account is not common it is needfull that wee recken these moneths after the manner of the other scriptures for almost all things in the Revelation are expressed after the maner of the auncient types But what is that maner Shall every severall moneth note seaven yeeres as the weekes in Daniell It is wholly without all example and reason to compare the moneths to the weekes Neither will the wordes suffer it by any meanes For the Angell sheweth that every eche day is to be counted from whence he noteth commonly this space sometime by two and fourtie moneths some time by a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes as in the next verse and in chap 12.6 But that way whereby the moneths are brought unto the weekes and there is made the number of two hundred ninetie foure yeeres numbreth not the fourth part of the daies Wee therefore thinke that every one is to be reckened and that so many yeeres are to be assigned as there are dayes in these moneths which agreeth wholly unto the manner of the weekes in Daniell Thirdly that these are not Iulian yeeres For these two and fourty moneths make onely a thousand two hundred threescore dayes But so many Iulian moneths doe effect a thousand two hundred seventie eight dayes more Whereupon there wante of the Iulian foure score dayes and some what more how many yeeres the thousand two hundred and three score dayes doe lacke every one by it selfe being taken for one yeere of the thousand two hundred three score Iulian yeeres What moneths then doeth the Angell use here Not the Lunarie nor Iulian but onely the AegyptiaÌ„ moneths every of whâ—ch consist of thirty dayes He hath shewed that according to the custome of this nation onely wee must recken the moneths because it was it that should kill the Prophets of the Lord and in the streete of whose great city they should lie troden under foote unburied for a mocking stock after in ver 8. After the manner of these moneths wee have limitted by thirty daies every of those five moneths chap. 9. Fourthly that this account is not to be begun either from the passion of the Lord or any other time which went before this writing For as wee have told you divers times these wordes I will shewe thee the things that must be done hereafter in chap 4.1 will not beare it Neither by and by after the giving of the RevelatioÌ„ For next after followeth the dwelling in heaven the cloathing with the Sunne the crowne of twelve starres and the Moone trode under the foote chap 12.1 For with all this glory shined that first most holy Church or else wee can not finde to what times wee may referre it But of what sort I pray you is this space of two and fourty moneths Namely of a most waste wildernesse of sackcloth uncleenes corruption and lamentable deformity As touching that the wordes are expresse that this wonder appeared in heaven where afterward the Dragon warred at length throwne headlong from thence chap. 12.7 c. But what had the Dragon to doe in heaven but that he might lie in waite for the woman travailing with childe From whence also did the woman flee if shee dwelt in the wildernes before the time of her
vilely apparelled were yet notwithstanding armed with a power not to be despised The same is the condition of the rest of the Prophets 6 These have power to shutte heaven He cometh to another very great power and wonderfull wherein they are equall to the olde even the chiefe Prophets Renowmed is Eliah at whose praiers God did shut the heaven so that for three yeeres and sixe moneths the earth was not watered with any showre of raine 1 King 18.1 Luke 4.25 But wee have not reade any such thing done of these Prophets It is true it may be if wee take the wordes properly but if wee transferre them to spirituall things after the manner of other thinges which have ben spoken before how great a proportion shall wee finde That drouth was for three yeeres and sixe moneths at the prayer of Eliah so the time of this power granted to these Prophets should be for so many great yeeres and moneths For two and fourty moneths or a thousand two hundred and three score dayes doe fulfill this distance of yeeres and moneths but great ones as I have said and hath ben already proved sufficiently before not those common ones such as were those of Eliah every one containing three hundred three score common yeeres and the halfe one hundred and foure score yeeres How great drouth and lack of spirituall dewe was there all this time through want of which godlinesse withered in every place But they that bring every thing to the letter and will have the three yeeres and an halfe to be meant of common yeeres doe they dreame also of such a staying of rayne which they must needes doe Surely they get for Antichrist a Kingdome ill favoured hungerstarven every way wretched and unhappy altogither contrary to that excesse wherewith the Spirit saith that he should abounde Neither shall Antichrist have any leasure to carrie about armour to subdue the nations but rather shall leave droves of beasts and cattell to the water as wee read that Ahab did long since But it is no marvell that they fall into many such absurd things who had rather followe their owne conceived opinions then the trueth it selfe ¶ And they have power over waters As Moses who turned the waters of Egypt into blood and as these Prophets have done in very deede when the third part of the Sea became blood chap. 8.8 For all this power was shewed forth in those plagues of which wee heard in chap. 8.9 It is iust with God that all that will not beleeve the trueth should beleeve lies 2 Thes 2.11 Which indeede is noe other thinge then to have their pure and cleare waters turned into blood The next wordes which follow and 10 smite the earth with all maner of plagues as often as they will in a short summe comprehende the other plagues which are not mentioned in this place to wit of the Sunne smitten of Locusts sent and the foure Angels loosed From which power is manifest that which wee have taught in the beginning that this whole Prophecy of the temple measured of the court cast out and of the two Prophets doth apperteine to the same time of the sixe former trūpets which doe recite one after an other the plagues in that order wherein they came to passe But this Prophecy rehearseth the causes to wit the puritie of the Scriptures violated and Gods worship in the assemblies of the faithfull defiled These thinges call forth scourges upon the world and come not either by chance or by fortune These have power to afflict the earth with any kinde of plague whatsoever as often as they will Because God ruleth and governeth the world according to his will revealed in the scriptures and all things for the benefite of the Church In the beginning he delivered the earth unto Adam uncorrupted and now againe he will have all thinges to doe service to his children which are restored in their integrity through Christ 7 But when they have finished their testimony The second limited time as wee have distinguished them in the Analysis taketh his beginning after that of profecying went out to wit in the yeere one thousand five hundreth fourtie sixt Howe farre the thousand two hundred and three score dayes doe extende every ech one being taken for one yeere as wee have said at the second verse and if wee count from the yeere of the Lord three hundred and fourth in which CONSTANTINE tooke unto him the rule of the Empire as Cassiodorus saith prooving that the yeeres of CONSTANTINE should be reckened from thence and as Onuphrius having made a most exact account seemeth to have collected For a thousand two hundred threescore yeeres eighteene being taken out how many the counting of yeeres which the Angell followeth laketh of the Iulian as before at the second verse doe make a thousand two hundred two and fourty Iulian yeeres which from the beginning of the reigne of Constantine doe ende in the sayd yeere 1546. ¶ That Beast which cometh out of the bottomlesse pit So expresse a noting by Articles sheweth that this Beast knowne and declared long since which can be no other then the Angell of the bottomlesse pit of whom wee heard in the ninth Chapter and eleventh verse to wit the Bishop of Rome For wee reade of noe other comming out from the bottomelesse pit when he sent the Locusts out of the pit being opened but that hee rose up long before wee shall understand from the things which follow Therefore he shall not be a Beast onely of three yeeres and an halfe continuance He hath gained 5 moneths mor at the least wherin he should reigne with the Locusts From hence there is an other argument also to confirme this Prophecy to belong to the former trumpets because the Beast with whom the Prophets have to doe in the last course of their time perteineth to the fift trumpet Furthermore also that of the thirteenth chapter belongeth to the same period of the trumpets For this and that is the same beast and both againe is the same Angell of the bottomlesse pit of the nine chapter ¶ Shall make warre against them Shall the Beast now first of all call unto weapons He shall assay to doe violence the whole thousand two hundred threescore dayes chap. 13.5 But this battell which he shall make when that time is finished deserveth before others the name of warre both for the very kinde of preparation and hostile cruelty and also for the notorious slaughter done to the Prophets And the thing it selfe proveth that at this very time there was very little warre For as touching the Scriptures the Councill at Trent began in the yeere 1546 the 7 day of February to wit after those thousand two hundreth and three score dayes were ended in their third session the eight daye of Aprill pierced and murdered them most pittifully For here the Hebrewe and Greeke fountaines were refused and the Latine corrupt translation established for Authentique Here unwritten traditions were
that AlexaÌ„der himselfe never boasted of any such wonder in his Epistles Arianus writeth that usually ther is no way to passe through the sea neer Phaselis but when the North winds blow which blew vehemently when Alexander went that way that they seemed not without Gods power to have yeilded them an easy passage But Strabo book 14 writeth most playnly that the soldiers traveiled al the day even up to the navel in the waters So then Alexander passed through the waters that were shollow and not quite dryed up Neyther doo I think can it be found in any record that such a thing did ever happen to any other people then the Iewes The vanity of writers may feign many things but the Scriptures doo challenge this as peculiar to this nation onely I will say sayth God to the deep be dry and I wil dry up thy flouds Isa 44.27 And againe Art not thou the same which dryed up the sea even the waters of the great deep making the deeps of the Sea to be a way for the redeemed to passe over Isa 51.10 And least some should thinke this miracle was onely for the time passt and not such to be looked for ever after he addeth in the next verse So the redeemed of the Lord shal returne and come with joy into Sion c. And in Isa 63.11 where should he be that brought these up out of the sea with the shepheard of his flock which cleft the waters for thâ—se to make himselfe an everlasting name which led these through the deepe as an horse in the wildernes so that they stumbled not It is no marvel therfore if the peculiar note ensigne of this nation onely be putt for the men themselves But what need there a way to be prepared for them Shal they returne agayn to IerusaleÌ„ Ther is nothing more sure the Prophets playnly confirme it and beat often upon it Yet not to the end that the ceremonial worship should be restored but that the mercy of God may shine unto al the world in giving to a nation now scatered over al the face of the earth dwelling no where but by leave their fathers habitations wherin they shal serve Christ purely and sincerely according to his owne ordinance onely A thing of old commonly spoken of by the ancient Iewes which they understood by the Prophets although but narrowly and through the lattisse Wherupon it was berayed with old wives fables both in ages past and so is now at this day The feighned Esdras saw some sparkles of this truth which he overwhelmed with so many and great fictions that he had need be a wary and attentive reader and one of no mean judgement that would gather gold out of that confused heap They entred in saith he speaking of the ten tribes that were led captives at the narrow passages of the river Euphrates for the most high then shewed them signes and stayed the springs of the river til they were passed over 4. Esdras 13.43.44 A Iewish fable but neerer to the truth is that which there foloweth ver 47. The most high shal hold stil the springs of the river agayn that they may goe through c. which agreeth with this place may both of them be understood metaphorically though nothing letteth why it may not please God agayn to shew his ancient power of drying waters up extraordinarily Seing therfore it is certayn that this nation shal earnestly flock unto the Gospel and that in the last times as Paul teacheth Rom. 11.25 and the last period of things is of the vials it is not likely that such a wonderful matter should have no mention at al in this clear Prophesie unto which also here is added the proper ensigne of this nation for whose onely sake both sea river as we read were dried up I am not altogither unadvised in supposing that this is the onely matter here in hand which must eyther be fouÌ„d in this place or be wholly omitted in this book VVherfore after Rome is overthrown and cut off there shal be a common bruit of this new Christian people at the hearing wherof the Gentiles shal be astonished But what are the Iewes Kings why not seing al Christians are Kings Rev. 1.6 and the fowr and twenty Elders which represente the whole company of the faithful doe all wear crownes chap. 4.4 And this magnificent name doth the Spirit give them because it shal be very honourable after so many ages and so stiff stubbornes of that nation for them to come againe as it were by recovery of law unto the truth and religiously and holily with al observance to honour the same having their incredulous and obstinate harts subdued But besides this the whole East shal obey them that not without cause ar this people caled Kings in respect of their long and large dominion Empire But they seem to be called playnly Kings in Isay 24.21 if we diligently mark the words and meaning of the place And it shal be saith he in that day the Lord wil visit the host of the high in the high place and the Kings of the earth upon the earth And they shal be gathered with a gathering as a prisoner into a pit and shal be closed up in the close-place and after many dayes shal they be visited And the Moon shal be abashed and the Sun ashamed when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Sion and in Ierusalem and shal be glorious before his Ancients the Kings of the earth are al one who after are gathered into the pit after many dayes are visited and at whose deliverance the Moon is abashed c. VVhich last words are certenly meant of the ful restoring of the Iewes wherfore the first words intend also the same VVhom God in heavy indignation because they refused his Son did thrust into the pit or dungeon for many ages togither and kept them closed up in a very hard prison But at length after many dayes he will visit these prisoners and bring them out of the gayl for whose ferveÌ„t zele and singular study of true godlines the Churchches of the Gentiles as the Moon Sun shal be abashed at this greater brightnes They ar caled the host of the high in the high because the Iewes were the peculiar people of the high God and of his Church which is heavenly wherupon they ar often caled in Daniel qaddische hheljonin the Saincts of the high Dan. 7.22 c. But this is inough to find out the meaning of this place I may not now stand longer upon it I have handled it the more at large for to give occasion unto our men to mind these things more diligently These Kings come from the East because the greatest multitude of Iewes is in those countries and these first of all shal see the truth and embrace the study of it But thou wilt say The Temple is shut until the seven plagues be fufilled which we shewed to be
heaviest punishmēt of al that ever were since the first mans fal as it were a visible document of eternal torment in hell This time of grace is acceptable to the elect but to the unbeleeving and disobedient ther is none more hurtful whom the Son of God punisheth daily with blindnes of mind and hardnes of hart untill they have heaped up to themselves the iust measure of wrath in their last and never ending perdition Heb. 10.28.29 Vherfore nothing hindereth why the Prophets words may not be understood both of the first coming and of the second wherby that literal Elias faleth whom you would gather from the same The second place is out of Ecclesiasticus chap. 44.16 Henoch pleased God and was taken away an example of repentance to the generations And cha 48.9.10 which wa st taken up in a whirlewind of fyre in a charret of fyrie horses which wast appointed for reproofs in times that thou mightest pacifie wrath before rage and mightest turn the harts of the Fathers unto the children and set up the tribes of Iakob I answer it was not to be expected of the Demōstratour that he should bring those witnesses whom they against whom he useth them account not of sufficient credit But I wil not lay this blame upon you too severely seing the words conteyn nothing contrarie to the Scriptures But say you they agree not save to those particular persons In deed Henoch was taken away after a particular manner but I doo not find the least signification of his return For as concerning that example of repentance to the generations he is made this by his going away not by coming agayn His taking away cryeth opēly shal cry unto the end how great good things doo in deede abide for them that repent It was also peculiar unto Elias to be taken away in a fyrie whirlewind but to turne the harts of the Fathers unto the children dooth not so agree unto him but it migh as our Lord also taught be applyed unto the Baptist and afterwards unto the like Eliaes that should come in the last time such as the Baptist was Wherfore here is no one syllable nor the least title of his returne in his owne person Which Janson one of your owne men saw at whom you marvel that one of your selves durst utter anie thing sincerely A rare liberty in deed it is among you who are wont not to serch the truth out of the Scriptures so much as the maintenance of your errour The third Scripture is from Mat. 17.11 Elias in deede shall come and shall restore all things Therfore say you the true Elias not John who was already come and could not be said that he was to come I answer The Disciples in the former verse had made mētion of Elias to come whose speech Christ taking so speaketh as if he should say true in deed it is which you say Elias is to come Are we wont to speak otherweise so oft as we relate the speech of others concerning one to come Further let us suppose that Christ speaketh of some one to come yet shal not he be anie other Elias then Iohn was as the reason before rendred dooth sufficiently convince But you would prove it by two arguments First that the Disciples moving the question by occasion of the transfiguration did speak of the true Elias and therfore Christ answering did speak of the same particular Elias I answer it may be that the Apostles were not yet free from the Iewes common errour about Elias notwithstanding it is not necessarie that the answer should alwayes be made according to the mind of him that asketh the question Which is manifest even in this place when after it is said the Disciples understood that he spake these things unto them of Iohn Baptist ver 13. How understood they it of Iohn if our Lord did speake of the true Elias The second argument is from those words and shal restore all things that say you John did not For to restore al things is to cal againe unto the true faith al Jewes and Heretiks and perhaps manie Catholiks deceived by Antichrist I answer except this restoring of al things did in deed after a sort belong unto Iohn the Disciples which saw no such restoring did misunderstand our Lord to speak of Iohn But a great restoring did he make from whose dayes hitherto sayth the Lord. the Kingdome of heaven suffreth violence and the violent take it by force Mat. 11.12 unto whose Baptisme resorted both al Jerusalem and al Judaea and al the region round about Jordan and many of the Pharisees and Sadducees as Mat. 3.5.7 Although I wil not deny but ther shal be yet a more ful restoring and that of al things properly that al Israel may be saved as the Apostle speaketh of which that restoring by Iohn was as it were a shadow But it is not necessary that the Minister of this restoring should be the true Elias but one so caled by a similitude as is said upon the place of Malachie And this Elias what māner of one so ever he shal be shal not accompany Antichrist but folow after him and shal not shew himselfe before Antichrist be abolished or his kingdom at least be very much darkned as this Apocalyps maketh plain Wherfore we find no foostep in these words of the true Elias properly so caled much lesse in those and if you wil receive it this is Elias which was to come Mat. 11.14 Wher even against your wil you acknowledge that Iohn was the promised Elias not literally but allegorically Which seing it is so and that now by your owne confession we have our Lord him selfe interpreting those words of Malachy allegorically shew you I pray you by what cōpetent author they are to be understood literally which until you doo we wil rest in that one allegorical exposition unto which we dare add no other without some guide against whom no exception can be taken The fourth Scripture is Apocalyps Chapter 11. verse 13. And I will give to my two Prophets and they shall Prophesie one thousand two hundred three score dayes Which are to he understood you say of the singular persons of Henoch and Elias But in sted of answer I aske of you whither also fire shal come out of their mouthes properly which shal devoure their enemies For so it is there sayd in the fift verse of the chapter and ther seemeth to be the same consideration of this fyre and of their persons Which if it be so then Woe to ANTICHRIST for whom such companions are appointed and prepared One may wel marvel how he shal fulfil the three yeeres and a half of his reign and not rather be consumed the very first day by this devouring fyre But if these things doo not satisfy you I have shewed upon that place that the words can in no weise be understood of their singular persons wherof I wil yet give you now a more full confirmation These
yeres before the first resurrection then they that first rise doo reign 1000 yeres as is expressely said ver 6. Therfore these seats and this iudgement which you suppose to be of the last end doo goe before it 2000 yeres at least such a stranger are you in these mysteries Then to that which is alleged out of Dan. 12. Blessed is he that wayteth and cometh unto the 1335 dayes that is say you unto 45 dayes after Antichrists death for then the Lord shal com to iudgment and wil give the crowns of righteousnes to them that overcome I answer as touching this place we are to explain it after chap. 20.11 and it may be one day we wil take in hand the ful handling of it In the meane while let us know that the destruction of Antichrist properly so caled is not here handled nor our Lords coming to the last judgmēt which shall not make al blessed upon whom it cometh whē manie shal desire that they may be covered by the mountains from his sight but the ful caling of the Iewes where Daniel stayeth his Prophesie neither doo anie Prophesies go further Fourthly you come unto Mat. 24. this Gospel of the Kingdome shal be preached in the whole world for a testimonie to al nations and then shal the end be I answer here is no mention of your Antichrist and again the end in this place is the end of the Iewish politie not of the world as I have shewed ch 4. against your first Demonstratiō But you add the words folowing Straightway after the tribulation of those dayes the Sun shal be darkned and the Moon shal not give her light and then shal appeare the sign of the Son of man I answer neyther dooth these make anie thing for Antichrists destruction to be ioyned with the end of al things seing they speak not of him at al. Yet that wee may see the interpretation of the words let us discusse them a litle VVith one consent as I suppose it is applyed unto our Lords last judgment But this Apocalypss teacheth both to think and to speak more distinctly of this thing For from hence we doo understand that the Lords coming which is yet to be hereafter is twofold the one spiritual so named for excellencie in the caling of the Iewes the other corporal at the general iudgment And that coming in Mathew seemeth to be spiritual which is in deed described to be most glorious and powrful by the corporal furniture as that which shal be both a clear resemblance and as it were a certayn pawn therof also no change shal afterward come between which may make the corporal to appear as new And that thus the thing is may easily be perceived if we mind how the Disciples in the beginning of the chapter inquired of the end of the Temple of the Lords coming and the end of the world VVithout doubt under Christs coming they comprehēded the restoring of their nation and therfore after the Lords resurrectiō supposing that this was the coming which he had givē them hope of they aske him agayn Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel Act. 1.6 But Christ answering and by a continued order prosecuting the things to come teacheth first the destruction of Ierusalem and dissipatiō of the Iewes then he annexeth the rest of the course of things neither anie where mentioneth he anie restoring before this his glorious coming Therfore it must eyther be conteyned in this his appearing or ther wil be none which opinion if the Disciples had in mind conceived by this answer surely they would not have nourished any exspectation of a Kingdome afterwards Besides a tribulation next goeth before this coming for so he saith immediatly after the tribulation of those dayes the Sun shal be darkned and then shal appeare the sign of the Sun of man c. But before his corporal coming no such tributation shal goe immediatly before For after the caling of the Iewes and the new constituted Church God wil wipe awaie everie tear from their eies and death shal be no more neither shal mourning nor crying nor sorow be anie more for the former things are passed away Apoc. 21.4 VVherfore that coming is not corporal It may be also that hath some force which he saith that the signe of the Son of man shall appear as if purposely he would distinguish between this spiritual coming and the corporal folowing Hereunto perteyneth that those words All the Tribes shal wail c. Apoc. 1 7. we have there shewed to belong unto the Iewes and that this wailing is of repentance which wil be too late at the corporal coming Thus much breifly touching the meaning of these words which though they help your cause nothing how ever they be taken yet was it not impertinent by the way to seek out the truth that is hidd in them Therfore I answer unto that Thess 2.8 Then shal the wicked man be reveled whom the Lord shal slay with the Spirit of his mouth destroy with the brightnes of his coming ther is the same meaning of this coming that is of that in Mathew At the caling of the Iewes when he shal give a most bright resēblāce of himselfe present in the Church shal Antichrist utterly be destroyed as we made playn in the former chapter For after the throne of the Beast is darkned the way shal be prepared for the Kings of the East that is the Iewes shal be caled straight after Rome is destroyed For shee onely hindreth this ioy Then after the Beast and False Prophet and Dragō are cut off that is after the Bishop of Rome and the Turk be extinct as after shal be shewed more at large the mysterie shal be finished and the ful caling performed Your Pope whom you Bellarmine boast to be the head of the Church shal neither be head nor foot in the holy congregation of the children of God And now see how farr these mountayns are under heaven whose tops you standing a farr off did think were hidden among the starrs The last place is 1 Iohn 2.18 Children it is the last hour and as you have heard that Antichrist cometh even now ther are manie Antichrists wherby wee know that it is the last hour I answer what Iohn here concludeth we easily see and acknowledge he proveth that it is the last hour because then manie Antichrists were come For Antichrist should come in the last hour VVhere is to be observed that Iohn alluding to the parable of the labourers Mat. 20.6 of whom some were hyred about the eleventh hour cōpareth al this age from Christ until his last coming unto this last elevēth hour Then that he saith this noysome age shal be of Antichrist whom he putteth not off unto the last minute of this howr but deferrs him to some indefinite space therof These things dooth Iohn truly holily agreably to his other writings But what must you needs conclude from hence who wil not
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
things ar passed away all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 ¶ For the first heaven and earth were passed away Shal the Church then faile utterly among the Gentiles For heaven noteth out more pure godlinesseâ— as we said even now How this should be abolished it may be doubtfull because of those things which wee have mentioned before As concerning the earth it is not so doubtfull considering that the Spirit hath already taught sufficieÌ„tly that the Pope of Rome with his whole falsely so called Catholique flock shal be rooted out utterly before this day As then touching the reformed Church shal the receiving of the Iewes cause the alienation of the Gentils as before time the casting away of them was the reconciling of the world Rom. 11.15 It may seem so in deed especially considering that the Apostle affirmeth in the same place that a certain fulnesse of the Gentils shal be accomplished as is like at the calling of the Iewes ver 25. but yet notwithstanding in this very chapter the Revelation teacheth otherweise to weet that the Gentils which shal be saved shall walke in the light of it and the Kings of the earth shal bring their glory and honour to the new Ierusalem ver 24. Yea Paul in the place before said plainly avoucheth that the Church shal be very flourishing amoÌ„g the Gentils when the Iewes are called For saith he if the casting away of the Iewes be the reconciling of the world what shall the reconciling be but life from the dead This is as if he should say what shall the receiving be but as it were a general resurrection wherby they that are dead in sinns among all nations comming at length to the truth shal be made partakers of eternall life by faith in Christ From which wee gather that the fulnesse of the GeÌ„tils is not a certaine ende of beleeving at the calling of the Iewes so that faith among the Gentiles afterward should utterly perish eveÌ„ as no more can be powred into a full vessell but a more aboundant accesse of all nations of the earth toward what part soever their countreyes doo extend obeying the Kingdome of Christ according to that saying the Lord shal be King over the whole earth in that day shall ther be one Lord and his name shal be one Zach. 14.9 And the Lord will destroy in this mountaine the figure of this vaile that is spred upon all nations and the cover wherwith all nations are covered he will swallow up death it selfe into victory and the Lord Iehovah shal wipe away the tears from all faces and will take away the reproach of his people out of all the earth Isaiah chap. 25.7.8 For then they that dwell in the wildernesse shall kneele before him and his enemies shall licke the dust The Kings of the Ocean sea and of the Ilands shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts Finally all Kings shall worship him and all nations shall serve him Psal 72.9.10.11 How then in this celebrating shall the new heaven passe away that is the more pure Church among the Gentils Must we distinguish concerning the GeÌ„tils wherof some are yet strangers from Christ othersome are named Christians now by the space of many ages as we of Europe first of all Shal they come to the Chuâ—ch as the Prophecies even now alâ—â—adged declare and many others agreeing with them Shal these depart and fall away as the vision seemeth to shew which these words doo set forth The fiâ—st heaven saith he passed away What other heaven is then among 〈◊〉 according to the sense of this Prophecy then among us of Europe for the most part Certainly the promise made to the Chuâ—ch of Philadelphia increaseth the suspition to weet that it should be a pillar in the temple of God never to be cast forth chap. 3 12. Why is this attributed as proper and peculiar to it if all the rest enioy the same benefit alike It seemeth therfore that as once the unfruitfull fig tree was cut up and the ill husbanded vineyard being taken from the old farmers was let out to other Luke 13.6 Mat. 21.41 So the Church now a long time evill entreated among them of Europe doo purpose to trusse up bag and baggage and to forsake them at length who have long since forsaken the purity and love of it What though now it be called heaven the heaven themselves are impure in the eyes of our God Iob. 15 15. And the more in deed at this time our heaven which rather enioyeth such nam in respect of the Popish infernal gulfe thaÌ„ for any heaveÌ„ly clearenesse of his own But that seemeth to be repugnant to this calamity of Europe that after the first resurrection there are a thousand yeeres of reigne with Christ chap. 20.6 that is ther shal be among those nations to whoÌ„ this resurrection hath befallen a continuance of the truth by the space of so many yeeres from the beginning of the restauration therof But wee know that this was proper to our countreyes But it may be answered that perhaps this reigne shal be such as was that of the thousand yeeres before that resurrection when the Divell was bound chap. 20.4 when the Kingdome was of a few elect in whose hart was the love of the onely salvation-bringing truth howsoever the Antichristian impiety savoured better to all the rest of the multitude Certenly other scriptures seeme to leane more this way threatning that al religion shal be so defiled with so many corruptions that fearce any wholesome footstep of it shall remaine entire And who is so ignorant of things that hath not iust causes inough to feare much especially when he seeth the word of God to be despised every where new errours to spring up daily old to be brought back again from hell al godlinesse to be converted into gaine and ambition Many indeed are the arguments that the glory of God wil depart from us shortly as once from the temple at Ierusalem Ezech. 9.3 Vnlesse peradventure some comfort ariseth from hence that this departure of the first heaveÌ„ and earth may be understood not of the utter decay of the truth among the Europeans but of such a renewing among the Iewes in comparison of the excellency wherof whatsoever was excellent before may be said to have passed and vanished away when the light of the moone shal be as the light of the sunne and the light of the Sunne sevenfold as the light of seven dayes the Sunne shall blush when the Lord shall reigne in Sion as wee have heard out of Isaiah or finally unlesse it hath some weight that the Spirit here speaketh so exquisitely not saying the former heaven and former earth were passed away but the first heaven and the first earth as though these words respected not the Gentiles at all but onely the legall worship which rightly one may call the first heaven ordained at the first of God himselfe But the Christian people
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