being conversaÌ„t on earth did seeme the basest among men Asthough he should say feare not at the sight of my glory which is augmented above that you caÌ„ think yet not for your destruction but salvation And as once yee have known me the most humble of all men so in this unmeasurable glory I reteine my former minde doe not despise or neglect you dust and earth Words full of confort but in this sense they were to be changed I am the last and first because the humility did goe before glory neyther now should that be placed in the latter place which hah bin swallowed up of the maiestie coming upon it unlesse peradveÌ„ture they have this sense I am now the first who of late was the last or the order of the wordes being kept I which was the first in the beginning being with God equall to the father at length taking upoÌ„ me the forme of a servant became in the account of the world the last Both which sentences make for the secoÌ„d interpretation make it more probable ¶ And who am alive Specially he maketh mention of his victory over death that he might erect his minde against the greatest feare in life These thinges confirmed that he was Christ that appeared to Iohn Never of any creature is any thing uttered in the person of God without all signification of ministery least peradveÌ„ture men should thinke him to be God and should give that to the creature which is proper to God ¶ Amen This is most certain which I say that I live for ever for confirmation whereof take not onely a naked affirmation but also a solemne word of sealing up Amen The comon translation readeth not Amen which neverthelesse is found in all the Greeke bookes and is found beneath chap. 3.14 To which wee must hearken rather then the Tridentine fathers establishing onely this edition authenticall and of authority ¶ And I have the keyes of hell and of death There is a transposition of the words in Aretas the Complutense and the vulgar and I have the keyes of death and hell And in the conioining of these words hell is wont to be put after death as death and hell did follow him chap. 6. ver 8. so death and hell were cast into the lake chap. 20.14 And so the order of things requireth seing that hell is the last stinge of death But seeing those keyes are as well to open as to shut for because he liveth that was dead he hath power to make others alive from the dead here hell is not of the damned which is wont never to be opened that any should be fetched from thence as neither in ch 20.13 For how can the hell of the damned be cast into a lake of fyre Therefore these two doe seeme thus to be distinguished that death be the very separating and sundring of the soule and body Hell the state and condition in which the body is after the sundring 19 Write those things that thou hast seen and which are c. The commandement of writing is repeated but explaned more at large In the eleventh verse it was commaunded onely write that which thou seest in a booke Now he teacheth wherto that perteined which he saw to wit to things both present and to come For these both ioined together doe expound that what thou hast seene And in every of the Epistles unto which the partes of this visioÌ„ are fitted according to the diverse condition of every one wee shall finde predictions of future things so as those words which thou hast seen can not be restrained to thinges onely present Seeing therfore the seaven Churchches conteine as well future things as things present the whole Prophecy is not rightly distributed into things present and future For these two meÌ„bers come together as after wee shall see in the singular explication and unfolding of the things Let us holde therefore that which the wordes plainly teach that this vision proper to the seaven Churches is touching things both present and future The observation of which small thing hath opened a way to me to understand as I thinke the particular Epistles which I will that the godly iudge 20 The Mystery of the seaven starres In the last place is the interpretation which onely teacheth of two things of the starres and candlestickes Why doth he give no expositioÌ„ of other pointes Because these few were ynough to open his counsell of the whole For after the same maner the rest are to be applyed to the condition of the Church And so will the Spirit helpe our weaknes that he may leave some parts of diligence to us Although the things that remaine of the vision shall easily be made manifest froÌ„ the Epistles which teach by the condition of every one whâ—t meaning the rest have which now are kept in silence as shall be shewed in their places As touching the words Mystery is of the fourth case folowing the verbe Write which is to be repeated asthough he should say write the mystery of the seaven starres And likewise in the member following and write the mystery of the seaven candlestickes For he interpreteth the starres to be the Angels The seaven starres saith he are the seaven Angels of the Churches that is signify the seaven Angels Which let them observe who hold fast as it were with the teeth the letter of the worde in other places Neither are these Angels spirituall substances but men Pastours and Bishops to whoÌ„ the scripture attribute this name as although the Angell of the Lord had come up from Gilgal to Bochim Iudg. 2.1 So in the Prophet Hagg. Then spake Haggai the Lords messenger ch 1.13 And Malachy speaking of the Priests For he is the Angel of the Lord of hostes chap. 2.7 How great therefore is the dignity of true Pastours who both are starres fixed in no other firmament then in the right hand of Christ and also Angels What skilleth it though the wicked skoffe at them with reprochfull names seeing they be in this reckoning and estimation with God ¶ And the seaven candlestickes are seaven Churches Very well compared to a candlestick wherein the everlasting light of trueth shineth kindled of Christ the Priest morning and evening continually This similitude is fetched from the candlestick of the Tabernacle which was made of pure golde of worke beaten with hammar of one shaft and seaven branches The multitude of branches signifieth the multitude of particular Churches as well of Iewes as of Gentiles The comon originall from one shaft the most strait coniunction of particular Churches all which come forth from that one of the Jewes as from the shaft Which shaft was more adorned then the other branches in one bolle knop and floure because as it seemeth the Iewes Church at leÌ„gth shall become more aboundant in the gifts of the spirit then this ours of the Gentiles Exod. 25.31 They are then the candlestickes of the Church but which by their most pretious matter doe
be persuaded that they ar their enemyes For they hide their habergeoÌ„s corselets neither make shew of any hostile thing but lurke as ScorpioÌ„s uÌ„der a stone The lioÌ„s heads of the horses doe note great cruelty wherby the wicked nation was brought to notable infamy above all whoÌ„ wee ever heard of Moreover in this point they passe the Locusts who had lions teeth onely but these have the whole head that unto the hugenesse of their teeth maie be ioined the streÌ„gth of their iawes sternnesse of their coÌ„tenance That which cometh out of their mouth is threefold fire smoke brimstone which three seeme to note one thing to wit the ordinaÌ„ces of warre whose originall was not loÌ„g after the beginning of the Turkes which they use with a more furious affectioÌ„ theÌ„ other men The greatnesse of that gunne was almost incredible which Mâ—chmetes used in assaulting Constantinople to the drawing whereof were used seventy yoke of oxen and two thousande men as sayth Laonic. Chalcocond in his 8. booke of the Turkes affaires And those twelve thousand Ianizarites whom they have to their ordinary gard for the safegarde of their body are all gunners See also if any thing could be spoken more fit to declare the nature of the ordinance First here is mention made of fire but least a coÌ„mon fire should be understood there is adioyned a double differeÌ„ce of smoke brimstone For the fire of the ordinaÌ„ce is notable for an abuÌ„daÌ„ce of smoke which ariseth froÌ„ a suddeÌ„ kindling queÌ„ching as cometh to passe in the noise of discharging ordinaÌ„ce Where the fire burneth continually and with a shining flame there is very little smoke being swallowed up by the flame More over this fire is Brimstone Is not the gunpouder made of salt peter coale and Brimstone The Spirit therefore describeth this enemie to us by those weapons which should take their beginning almost togither with his tyranny But this fire cometh out of their mouth because they doe sende forth this fire as easily as a breath Yf onely that chiefe robber shall commande desolatioÌ„ to be brought upon any countrey most quicke handes are readie which forthwith doe his commande and bring all thinges into a wildernesse 18 Of these three Thus farre of what qualitie the Captaines Souldiers ar nowe he cometh to the event which first is the staying of the third part of men Wee heare o lamentable thing dayly massacres neither is any almost ignorant howe farre and neare their cruelty goeth on with rage But whereas he saith of these three it is to be understood of these three togither For smoke and brimstone asunder have no harme in them He reckeneth three as distinct because the former descriptioÌ„ of fire required such a reckening Although men shall not be consumed by gunnes alone but one kinde of warlike instruments is put for the whole 19 For their power The Complutent edition and the Kings Bible reade thus For their power is in their mouthes and in their tayles Aretas and the CoÌ„mon translation agreeth and so it seemeth that necessarily it ought to be read otherwise the reason which followeth agreeth not with those things that goe before For their tailes c. From hence therefore an other differeÌ„ce betweene these horse men and the Locusts cometh to minde For these did beare their stings in their tayle chieflie that is the dregges of the Saracenes who had noe proper places of their owne to dwell in and did flie about hither and thither seeking habitations and turning others out of all their goods when in the meane time the chiefe Calyphi Scriphes and Sultans followed their pleasure at home in Babylon Persia and in Egypt Soe the Begging Fryars the tailes of all the religious sorte did sting vehemently But here the head and the taile are even like the same destruction cometh from them both The chiefe Turke himselfe the Bassae the Begi and the other Ministers of their tyranny doe all breath forth and exercise the same cruelty More over these very Princes were the causers of the other to tyrannize ministred unto them weapons for their furie ¶ Having heades Wherewith they hurt The tayles also have heades and mouthes by which they sende out the same destruction They are all of them froÌ„ the highest Emperour to the lowest slave serpents with heads at both endes as the most learned Franc. Iunius hath writen very well 20 But the rest of men An other event is the obstinacie of the other men who are nothing moved with those miseries neither gave themselves to any amendement of life But who are those other Are they not Westerne meÌ„ the third part of men being killed loÌ„g since in the East Afrique being so gotten through the invasion of the Saracens that it would yeeld unto the dominion of the Turkes without any bloodshedding But the sinnes which sticke so fast to them are against the first table to wit Idolatry in this verse The exceeding naughtinesse whereof is declared first from the Authour in that it is an humane invention secondly because it is a worshippe done unto Devils thirdly from the wretched and doting affection which appeareth from so manifolde sortes of Idols of golde of silver of brasse of stone and of wood last of all from the notable folly of worshipping thinges void of all sense FroÌ„ all which it is more cleare theÌ„ the Sunne who amoÌ„g the Westerne people are the cause of this most grievous calamity froÌ„ the Turkes For where shall wee finde this Idolatry Surely the Protestants as they call them the reformed Churches have banished away unto hell from whence it first came all worshippe reverence and sacred honour of Images Wherefore shee that boasteth her selfe to be the Catholike Church whose head is the Bishop of Rome whose Temples glister with images of Golde Silver and Brasse yea which hath not refused the worshipping even of those that are of stone and wood shee I say is that other multitude which wresting the Scriptures corrupting the testimonies of the Fathers faining miracles and defending to this very day the Idolatrous worshipping of images by whatsoever force falshood fraude and subtill devises shee can will not be awaked with this most sharpe scourge Doth shee not impudently and stubbornly affirme that Images consecrated unto true names are by noe meanes to be counted amonge Idols But what other speaketh the Spirit of then such which after the third part of men slaine of the Turkes are defended stifly in the Christian world What other doth he call divelish What other worship of Devils The matter is plaine it can not be denied At length therefore o thou Rome cease to seeke out foolish crafty shifts Deceive not thy selfe Thy adoration before the image of the Virgin is as if thou shouldest supplicate unto Venus The worship which thou performest before the graven image of the Father is done to the Devill not to God himselfe The Spirit causeth mee to use this boldnes cry thou
wherby they are quickened and that spirituall life which they effect in others God working togither with them In which respect the like servants of God full of the Spirit and most nimble to dispatch all sortes of businesses committed to them for to doe are named Beasts in Ezech. chap. 1. But if they be Ministers how may I count them among the giftes The faithfull Ministers are of the chiefe giftes of God as he saith of the Levites Beholde I have taken your brethren from among the children of Jsraell they are given you for a gift for the Lord to administer the service of the Tabernacle of the congregation Numb 18.16 c. And Paul Let noe man saith he reioyce in men for all things are yours and Paul and Apollos and Cephas 1 Cor. 3.21 Most clearly to the Ephesians when he ascended up on high he lead captivity captive and gave giftes unto men some Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors and Teachers chap. 4.8.11 These thinges being thus established let us nowe see the propertyes themselves As touching the place they are betweene the throne and which did compasse the throne both in the middes of the throne and round about the throne Not in the very middes in respect of the place where one sate like to a Iasper stone ver 3. nor because they did hold up the throne as the Bulles Salomons brasen sea under which they were put in that manner that their backe partes lay hidden within their fore partes stood out abroade 1 King 7.25 For when the foure Beasts did fall downe howe should not the throne fall togither with them For it is read after that the foure Beasts did fall downe before the Lambe chap. 5.8 But in the middes hath the same force as to be betweene or in some parte as Abraham is called a Prince of God in the middes of the children of Cheth Gen. 23.6 that is among and so every where in other places Wherfore Theod. Beza hath translated it playnly betweene the throne and which did compasse the throne Wherby is signifyed that the Beasts in respect of their office doe come nigher to Gods maiesty then the Elders in some parte to touch that seate which shyneth with Gods glory an evident argument of the administration given to them There is the number of foure according to the state of the Christian ministery augmented For as the Christian congregatioÌ„ is twice so greate as the Legall that coÌ„sisting of foure and twenty Elders this of the twelve Patriarches so there is a double respect of the Ministers of foure Beasts unto the foure and twenty Elders unto the one onely tribe of Levi in regard of the twelve Princes of Israell In respect of the Elders which sit round about the hyghest throne they are foure beames of the two diameters dividing themselves into straight angles by the which the circumference is conioyned every way and equally with the middes of the throne So disposed toward all quarters by the foure chiefe corners that as the river of Paradise divided into foure heades they might be able most coÌ„modiously to water the whole Church These qualityes are yet more remote them of the bodyes winges are more neerly conioyned The first of these are Eyes of which the Beasts are full before and behinde The fulnes noteth the notable quicknes of perceaving a thing and the rich understanding of divine things wherewith they are endued by the gift of the Spirit Such kinde of Ministers Christ requireth as be the light of the world Mat. 5.14 and that they goe before the blinde in the right way least they fall into the pit Mat. 15.14 Which may be able to teach 1 Tim. 3.2 That they be able both to exhorte by wholsome doâ—trine and also to convince them that speake against it yea to stop their mouth Tit. 1.9.11 For the Priests lyppes ought to preserve knowledge and the Lawe is to be sought at his mouth for he is the Angell of the Lord of hostes Malac. 2.7 Therefore they that wante eyes eyther altogither or for the most part what felowship have they with these Beasts What communion have the moules with Argus Let them therefore looke to it who doe set for officers before the Christian people such as have but one eye and such as are blinde what answere they can make to him who requireth such plenty of eyes in Pastors Those that have refused knowledg ar they not refused of the Lord that they should not execute the Priest office to him Hos 4.6 But the eyes both before and behinde is a kind of knowledge wherby they knowe both thinges past and also see things present and resting onely upon the divine oracles doe wisely perceive things before hande The Ministers being altogither like unto a house-holder which bringeth out of his treasure things both newe and olde Mat. 13.52 Such kinde of knowledge both the auncient scriptures Moses the Psalmes the Prophets and also the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles doe minister Out of these fountaynes may aboundantly be drawne that the man of God may be furnished with eyes both behinde and before God in Christ doe account all eyed Pastors who according to the taleÌ„t receyved doe instruct faithfully the people committed unto them howsoever much humane ignorance be in the best 7 And the first Beast was like a Lyon Such is the common property of all the Beasts the proper forme of every one is of a Lyon first the second of a Calfe the third of a Man the fourth of an Eagle Which foure diverse formes almost all the Interpreters doe refferre to the foure Evangelistes And so as according to Aretas the Lyon is Iohn the Eagle Marke according to others the Eagle Iohn Marke the Leon. Augustine will have the Lyon to be Mathewe Marke a man so uncerten are they But wee may not thinke that the Spirit was so ignorant an artificer that there should be neede of his name to be inscribed to whom every picture doth belonge or that otherwise the Lyon the Aygle and the man could not be discerned one from another That of the first verse doth ende the controversy about this point Which must saith he be done hereafter Which wordes doe forbidde to looke backe and to minde that which is past but rather commaundeth to expect some future thinge They seeme therefore to perteine to those giftes wherewith every one of the faithfull Ministers are to be adorned in some parte besides those giftes of knowledge For the eyes ought to be coÌ„mon to all every one ought to be learned the other giftes may be diverse as God hath giveÌ„ to every one privatly for the use necessity of the Church Although noe man can be voide altogither of the other vertues who is indeede partaker of one From whence Ezechiell attributeth these foure faces to every one of the Beasts chap. 1.6 And in deede there ought to beare sway in each one the courage of the Lyon the patience
other not long after of apprehending the Pastors of the Churches and compelling them to sacrifice to Jdoles Here many courageously persevering were not overcome with torments but an infinite sorte of others being astonied a good while before through feare were weakened at the first assault Euseb booke 8.2 by the which he sheweth the sudden fall of many 14 And the heaven departed away The heaven every where in this booke signifyeth the universall purer Church and it properly to be at length her dwelling place in the meane tyme in such sorte by her represented that it hath not any more lively image on earth These thinges therefore prove that the calamity rested not in the Governours alone but that the whole face of the Church was covered with so blacke darkenes that it could be seene almost no where Let the same Euseb be read in the 3 booke ch 3. where he bewayleth the miserable wasting of it with lamentings borrowed from the lamentatioÌ„s of Ieremy chap. 2.1.2 Likewise from Psal 89.39 c. Yet notwithstanding this desolation should be but as the foulding of a booke A booke is not destroyed when it is rolled up but remaineth as great as it was before it becometh indeede lesse evident and apparant in the sight being reduced and brought into a farre straighter roome So likewise the Church should loose nothing of her syncerity howsoever her glory might seeme to be quite abolished But the similitude of a folded booke is taken from the auncient custome wherin bookes were not bound into leaves but were rolled up as little wheeles whence they were called volumes as Aretas hath nored The Hebr saith he did vse rowles that which is books with us in the same sense it is sayd in the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 1.12 and as vesture shall thou folde them up that is thou shalt deface all their glory as of a vesture folded up whose gorgeousnesse and beautie cannot be seene The Hebrewes have for it Tachâ—liphem thou shalt change them Psal 102.27 the which is translated by the Greekes significantly thou shalt folde up seeing the Psalmist speaketh of such a changing as is altogither contrary to the nature of the heavens For the heaven is Râ—qâ—â—hh stretched out spread abroad as a curtaine or as a mortall plate divided but rolled up it ceaseth to be Raqiahh so the Church is made to be spred through all nations aâ—d to impâ—rt to them as the heaven to the earth light warmnes and life it selfe but nowe for a time it should be rolled up neither should any glory of it be seen abroad Where theÌ„ was the visible maiesty of Rome in the meane time when the heaveÌ„ departed away as a booke folded up But they have goodly provided for them selves touching such dangers who have cost of all these thinges unto the last day but howe amisse and wrongfully shal be shewed by and by at ver 16. ¶ And all mountaines and Ilands There is nothing so firme which this tempest should not remoove nothing so farre of whither it should not goe and be spred The word mountaine noteth that and the word Iland this It is a great storme which doth either scatter the little hilles of the earth or which doth rage but in the bordering and lowe places but that which doth either cast and drive away the Mountaines themselves neither stayeth in the continent but also flyeth over the sea into the Ilandes must needes bring extreame destruction Eusebius beginning this boysterous storme at Nicomedia pursued it by the very footesteppes through all Syria Aegypt Cappadocia Cilara and Phrygia booke 8. but being as it were wearie with travayling and loathing so sorrowfull a narration he came not to our Europe although Thracia Italy Spayne France being nigh to them and our Iland Britanny somewhat further of ministred noe lesse plenty of Martyrs although the moderation of Constans caused all things to be more milde in these countries The eight booke of the Ecclesiasticall history of Euseb expoundeth these three verses largely 15 And the Kinges of the earth and the Peeres c. Thus farre is the Epitasis now followeth the Catastrophe ioyned togither with the former troubles For in the middes of the rage and heate of this calamity Christ would shewe forth his divine power from heaven and as it were raysed from his sleâ—pe would appease suddenly the tempest by his word alone as he did in time past being awaked by his disciples First at the sight of him Kinges and the Peeres of the earth should flee away and should hide themselves in most secret dennes For what other thinge drove Diocletian Maximin Hercule that having the soveraigne power of thinges and a most fervent desire to roote out Christians when also they had continued theyr fury unto the second yeere resigned the Empire suddenly and returned to a private life A thing saith Eusebius never heard of to have come to passe at any time booke 8.13 Neither without cause doth Ignatius cry out o wonderfull thing and unknowne till this age that of their owne accord neither old age pressing them neither the weightines of things both brought themselves into order Euseb layeth the cause upon their phrenesy Nicephorus also upon their rage arysing doubt lesse from thence because they sawe that they laboured sore in vayne to destroy the Christians But they touched not the true cause from hence they should have learned this which is it and noe other The Lambe at length shewing himselfe to be the avenger of his Church inwardly and secretly did stinge their mindes with the conscience of their wickednes and feare of vengeance wherby he drove these meÌ„ even against their wills unto this unheard modesty The thing is manifest from Maximianus who after that stinge of conscience waxed somewhat weake it repented him of his fact and left no meanes unattented for to recover the scepter which he had laid downe An other of the Emperours who succeeded those that gave over their place called Gallerius Maximianus exercising tyranny against Christians the same Lambe vanquished by an horrible disease and drove him to recantation an exemple whereof see in Euseb booke 18.17 Maximinus also being made Emperour in the East by Galerius at length against his will acknowledged Christ to be the King and gave free leave to his worshippers to live after his precepts and ordinances Euseb booke 9.9.10 Maxentius that Romane Tyrant striken with feare by the same Lambe fayned himsâ—lfe to be a Christian for a time Sabinus and the other rulers of the Provinces following the authority of the Cesars Augusts desired to winne the Christians favour also by a fayned gentlenes and to hide themselves from the wrath of the Lambe So great a feare of the Lambe came upon all degrees of meÌ„ that every one thought himselfe well provided who could get any corner wherein he might lye hidde in safety 16 And they sayd to the Mountaines It is an argument of exceeding desperation when they esteemed all
placed in equall dignity with the Holy Scriptures Here the Interpretation of the Scriptures was taken away from the Scriptures and made subiect to mens pleasure but chiefly to the Popes Ever since the world began the Holy and Sacred Scriptures were not so much abused both openly and by publique authority ANTIOCHVS in deede a good while since inflicted a grievous wounde in commaunding the Holy Bookes to be burnt in the fire Likewise DIOCLETIAN and other Tyrants But the iniurie of these TRIDENTINE FATHERS is farre more grievous For they were Ethniques enemies stricken with a certen fury and madnes wholly repugnant to all the trueth These alone wil be counted CATHOLIQVES very great and chiefe friends the thing a long time and much consulted of guided by mature and ripe iudgement the very PILLARS and upholders of the TRVETH and upon whom noe spotte of errour can be cast How must it needs be that their act was of no authority and these men of very great neither is there cause why any should obiect Marcion the Eucratites Cataphrygians and such monsters of which some reiected one part of the sacred Scriptures and some another at their pleasure There is very great difference as touching the greatnes of the hurt betweene the dotages of obscure Heretiques and the deliberat actes and Decrees of an gathered Councell especially which chalengeth to it selfe to be credited with out exception It is therefore a thing especially worthy remembrance and worthy that the Church should be put in minde of by so notable a Prophecy The event and time doe consent so wonderfully that every equall arbitratour will easily acknowledge that I have not willfully sought this interpretation but that I have ben lead as it were by the hande to the same by the very order and disposition of the matters As touching the assemblyes of the faithfull which in these last times did first appeare in Germany they were assailed with a most cruell warre the same yeere The same Beast made this warre likewise by the help of the Emperour Charles the fift otherwise a noble man greatly to be cōmāded but obeying the Pope too much through the common errour of the Princes From whence not without cause that is attributed to one which being proceeded from two or more yet notwithstanding is done by one ioint endevour The overthrowe in this warre was received about the two and twentieth day of Aprill in the yeere following to wit 1547 when the armies of the Protestans were put to flight Iohn Frederike Duke of Saxonie himselfe Ernestus of Brunswick the Lātgraves sonne and not very long after the Lantgrave himselfe were taken Which calamity stayed not in these fewe but also afflicted many others both Governours and Cityes which partly yeelded themselves of their owne accord partly were wonne by force In one moment sayth Beza bewayling the misery of that time seemed to be overthrowne whatsoever had ben builded up in so many yeeres and with so great labours and they onely were counted happy of the most part whom sudden death had taken away from these hurlie burlies such are his wordes The remembrance of that time is sorrowfull to all the godly when the holy and wise Princes inflamed with a desire onely to defende the trueth not themselves alone but the Churches togither with them which as newly borne did lament among the weapons came miserably into the power of the enemies But now was the time of darkenesse in which these two Prophets must be killed and made a mocking stock Although wee must reioice in the same adversities which ar a calling to remembrance of the divine Prophecies confirming certenly the confidence and faith of our hope as saith Tertullian in his Apologie 8 And their corpses shall lie There is this difference betweene Antiochus the Romish Beast He in burning up the bookes of the Lawe would not have so much as the karkeises to remaine This sufferred the dead corpses but onely for a mocking stocke and for a greater ignominie The cruell Beast is not satisfyed with blood but desireth some more grievous tormēt For their pierced corpses are cast forth into the streetes of the great city that they might be a spectacle to all men and an ornament to the triumphe of the Romish Beast And what other thing of these Scriptures now remained then a very karkeise wholly without all authoritie power and life when all interpretation was brought to the Apostolique Chaire neither might they mutter any thing at all which the Bishop of Rome should not breath into them The Spirit speaketh so exactly that he may leave them noe tergiversatiō He knew that the Pope of Rome whatsoever he should doe against the truth would boast neverthelesse that to him nothing is better of more account and more inviolable then the Scriptures themselves But that noe man may be deceived with a bare name the Spirit speaketh evidently that after the Tridentine Councill noe Scriptures should be in the possessiō of the Romanes but a dead carkeise of noe strenght and power ¶ In the streetes of the great citie which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt This great City is that whole dominion of which Rome is the mother City in which sense the tenth part of the city falleth after in the 13 verse A street is some part of the Romane dition wherein this spectacle is exhibited to be seene the ioy whereof spreadeth it selfe through the whole Empire But the great citie it selfe togither with her chiefe citie is described in the rest of the verse and that by two expresse names a notable marke also being added least any perhaps should mistake the city And also for a greater assurance wee are admonished that these names are not to be takē properly but spiritually that is aenigmatically figuratively allegorically The first name is Sodom a city once very famous for her filthines nowe for her punishement a most fit exemple of the tower and chiefe habitation of this great citie For is not the city Rome become famous for her horrible lusts above all the whole world In the iudgement of all the Poete Mantuan hath truly songe of her in these wordes Shame get thee to the country townes if they al 's ' doo not use The same corrupted filthines Rome now is all a Stewes Which is no lesse declared by an other taking his leave of Rome thus Rome farre well nowe I have thee seen ynough it is to see I le come againe when bawd I meane knave brothel beast to be But that you may the better acknowledge Sodome heare what a certē man answered to one asking a question touching Rome Say what is Roma Amor Love if backward you it spell Rome loves the male kind Say no more J know thy meaning well Hath not Hieronymus Zeged Mutius declared this plainely in his Cynedicall bookes defending this horrible villany and approved by the Bulles and lettres patents of Iulius the third him selfe With whom Iohannes Casa associated himselfe being
Councell he seemeth not to have ben able to speake more plainely By the same providence of God it come to passe that the Emperours forces were gathered from sundry nations Germanes Hungarians Italians Spaniards and others that the corpses of the Prophets should be set for a thing to be looked on of all meÌ„ as it were in the scaffold of the whole world Sleid. in the yeere 1547. 5 Three dayes and an halfe Some will have this to be the same space with that of two and fourty moneths and a thousand two hundred three score dayes But the wordes doe shewe plainely that they are diverse spaces For this distaÌ„ce of three dayes and an halfe taketh not his beginning before the thousand two hundred and threescore daies be accomplished For so before in ver 7. And when they have finished Afterward these three daies and an halfe the Prophets lay slaine and unburied But that space of a thousand two hundreth and three score daies is a time of Prophecying in sackcloth so as by no meanes they can be referred to the same time Let us therefore give unto them their owne place and set them next to the moneths Which after the likenes of the former dayes doe signify three yeeres and an halfe in which the Papists should reioyce in their owne behalfe for that the Scriptures were vanquished and the Churches subdued as they thought to their Angell of the bottomelesse pit as it came to passe partly at Tridentum and Bonnonia partly in Germany There after the deadly sentence was given against the Scriptures in the yeere 1546 the 8. of Aprill from thence for three whole yeeres and an halfe the Fathers triumphed in the mixed assembly of all nations as if the matter had ben executed manfully and excellently and prepared themselves to suppresse the rest of the trueth untill at length by the death of Paul the third the Conventicle was interrupted Which thing fell on the yeere 1549. the 9. of November that is on the third yeere and an halfe after the Scriptures were trode under foote The very fewe weekes that remaine hinder not the agreement seeing the Spirit thought not good to devide the matter into smaller portions then into three daies and an halfe In Germany the Church which by the confederate armies of the Emperour and Pope seemed to have ben put downe for ever in mens opinion lay as it were halfe dead for the same space to wit from 22. of Aprill in the yeere 1547 unto the first day of October of the yeere 1550. when at Maidenburg it began to lift up the head againe being nothing afraid neither of the Emperours proscription or conspiracie of the Princes or whatsoever any enemies could doe against them Sleid. booke 22. and 23. You may observe further how vaine a thing that is and in noe place agreeing with it selfe which every where is spread abroad concerning the three yeeres reigne of Antichrist For these three daies beginne not before that the two and fourty moneths shall be finished both which spaces yet neverthelesse he shall raigne From whence after their owne account that wee may graunt unto them the moneths to note three ordinary yeeres and an halfe he shall rule seaven yeeres at the least Although this be small also to coÌ„taine so great tyranny as wee before have declared But wee see how almost every word by it selfe doth disproove that invention ¶ And shall not suffer their carkeises to be put in graves They shall deprive them of all common honour which wee owe one to another by the right of humanity And surely when the Ministers of the Ghospell desired earnestly that all things might be done according to the rule of Gods word the Emperour obtrudeth to the world that ungodly Interim the Scriptures commaunded to be silent and not to mutter against it But in what a chafe was the Bishop of Artois when the men of Auspurg Trevers and Basell alledged for their excuse that they had not receaved the forme of doctrine because it disagreeth from the sacred scripture Doe you thinke saith he that the Emperour may not make lawes and prescribe a certen rule as of civill so also of holy thinges Sleid. booke 23. In the very Councell of Trent what in the name of the rest aÌ„swereth Pictavius to the MaÌ„cilane Ambassadours For when they required that the same order might be taken for them which before time was for the Bohemians according to the forme of the decree of Basell That the Scriptures in every controversy might be in stead of a iudge Pictavius obiected to them againe that the Scripture was a vaine and duÌ„be thing as also are the other politique lawes and that unto it must be added the voice of the Iudge that it may be wel understood Sleid. booke 23. He graunteth that the Scripture nowe is nothing but a vaine and dumbe thing that is altogither a carkeise And why should he not so boast being privie to himselfe that it was lately slaine by his labour and of the rest of the Tridentine Fathers But while they deny to give this honour to the Scriptures that they would not suffer them to obtaine that authority which a fewe and contemned worshippers would have given them willingly it was like as if they should forbidde their corpses lately thrust through pitifully to be buried Pilate when Ioseph Nicodemê° asked the body of Christ gave them leav that they should bestowe what cost they would upon it But when the Protestants made humble request that they might at least wise burie the car keises of the Scriptures among themselves although not in any solemne grave but onely under the simple turffe of their cottages the Scarlated Fathers denyed it stiffely The Church was handled in the like manner For after that the Duke of Saxonie and the Lantgrave were taken prisonners the cities put to a fine and very many noble men utterly cast out of favour the Emperour proscribeth the people of Maidenburge by writings spred abroad the sentence whereof after the usuall forme is this let noe man aide them by any meanes whatsoever neither acquaint him selfe with their case they which shall doe otherwise shall put themselves in perill of their goods and life What is this else then that noe man should dare to make the funerals of the wretched Church cruelly murdered Maidenburg was left as a remnant of the poore miserable where assemblies of the faithfull were kept But might noe man helpe this firebrand reserved from the burning without danger of his life Doubtlesse it is apparant seeing they suffered not the duties touching burials to be performed to their slaine carkeises 10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall reioice over them The citizens of the false Church as before chap 7.1 c. These should reioice over them and be glad and should sende gifts one to an other as in common ioy And surely not without cause being nowe freed from the great trouble wherewith the Scriptures and the most
And in deede it might easily be understood that the time was not farre of when an ende should be put unto publike murders seeing all degrees of men did encline with so great gentlenes to the trueth But this Seale hath both some thing proper in the rest of this chapter and also common in chap. 7. That is the last triall of the Seales the first part of which conteineth the going on of the sorrowfull Tragedie and all the former calamityes ver 12.13.14 The secōd the ioyfull isue in subduing the enemyes and appeasing all hurliburlies ver 15.16.17 As touching that Aretas reporteth from the monuments of Andreas that very many sayd that this earthquake was a passage from the persecutions which were brought upon them for Christ his sake unto the time of Antichrist And so the scriptures are wont to call some notable alteration an earthquake as where it is sayd yet once more I will shake the earth Heb. 12.26 It signifyeth the remooving of those thinges that are shaken as Saint Paul declareth And in the olde Testament the going of the children of Jsraell out of Egipt is called an earthquake as Psal 68.9 The earth was moved and the heavens dropped at the presence of God Those Interpreters have touched the point according to the trueth but onely they did misse in this that living under Antichrist they expected him yet to come not knowing that he was come longe a goe Which errour of the auncient Fathers as who being further of from the last event were lesse able to perceive the matter it selfe the Papists snatch to themselves greedily and here they make a very great gaping and distance of time leaping over from the times of Traiane in which they conclude the former Seales unto the last ende of the world which they reserve to their Antichrist as though by this earthquake all iudgement of that which is right had fallen unto them But whether is it likely that a whole thousand and five hundred yeeres and yet to come wee knowe not how many more have bin passed over with silence and that all the rest of the Prophecy was stuffed togither into the narrow straites of 3. yeeres and an halfe as Fraunces of Ribera the Jesuite will have it It is indeede a profitable abridgement and a short way to set free his Lord the Pope from a very great feare For it could not be but as often as he should beholde his face in this glasse he would seeme to himselfe to be Antichrist unlesse the Iesuite now did make it apparant that all that was but a phantasme which made him afraid That nothing is here spoken of the present time neither of that which is past through many ages but that all the speech following is of the time yet to come But wee will put away this smoke mist through Gods his helpe neither will wee suffer that the Pope seeming to himselfe a triksy felow should love himselfe to destruction also will make playne that the Jesuites doe not interprete but moke the scriptures ¶ And the Sunne became blacke These figurative and hyperbolicall speeches doe shewe that there should be a persecution the most fierce of all those which the Church endured at any time from Christs birth till nowe For so the Prophetes are wont to speake when they pointe at any great calamity as Isaiah He will clothe the heavens with blacknes he will make their covering as a sacke cloath chap. 50.3 And Ieremy When I beholde saith he the heavens they have noe light ch 4.23 and the heavens above shal be blacke ver 28. but most playnly in Ezechiell speking of the overthrowe of the Egyptiās When I shall put thee out I will cover the heavens and make the starres thereof darke I will cover the Sunne with a cloude and the moone shall not make her light to shine all the cleare lights in the heaven I will make darke upon thee and bring darkenes upō thy land saith the Lord ch 32.7.8 Many such places doe teach that these speeches are not to be refferred to the last iudgement onely as some doe expounde but also to other times which those auncients did see of whom spake Aretas even now who would have these thinges to be understood of the passing over to Antichrist This blacknes of the Sunne the other disturbance of the creature perteineth to that horrible slaughter wherby those wicked men Diocletian Maximinian endevoured to roote out the Church For wee shall see that the Sūne Moone doth note stably through this booke the chiefe ornaments of the congregation of the faithfull so that the Sunne may signify the Scriptures the Moone that excellent glory of godlines wherby the saincts doe shine after they have borrowed light frō thē That both these should be miserably defyled by this common calamity this seale sheweth it The accomplishement whereof is recited by Eusebe booke 8.2 For when the Emperours in the nineteenth yeere of their reigne ordained by publik decrees that the bookes of the holy scriptures should be committed to the fire in the middes of the marked wee sawe sayth Eusebius with these very eyes that the sacred Scriptures inspired of God were cast in to the fire in the middes of the market place and in the same place a little after the Kinges letters patents did fly to fro in every place wherby it was commaunded to abolish the scriptures So this Sunne as a sacke cloath of haire noteth not onely generally that the publicke ioy should be turned into very great sorrow but also especially that outragiousnes wherby cruelty was exercised against the sacred scriptures Neither could it be otherwise but when the fountaine of light was darkened the Moone which hath her light onely borrowed should fade away into the darke colour of blood as almost alwaye it happeneth when shee is kept from having society with the Sunne 13 And the starres from heaven fell to the earth The starres were Ministers Pastors of the Churches chap. 1.20 In which signification they are used both here in other place afterward Many of thē through feare should revolte from the trueth which is shewed by the falling from heaven to earth Neither that onely after many dangers and divers calamityes wherby being weakened they should yeeld but in the very first assault they should fall downe as greene figges that is with very little adoe even at the first rumour of perill for the figge tree most easily looseth her fruit before maturity neither tarrieth almost for the violence of stormes but with any light blast of winde maketh an untymely birth that I may so say Plin. booke 16.26 Of which thing the Spirit maketh mention in so fine a similitude that the faithfull being forwarned should not be discouraged with the so easy falling away of many Eusebius sheweth that the thing fell out altogither as it was here foreshewed For after that first decree of demolishing the temples burning the scriptures there was added an