spirituall sword and to weare the name and title of Vicar to the Lamb which title name and honour is onely due to the Spirit of the Lamb the onely moderator comforter and commander of all the Lambs affaires and forces in heauen and in earth and of this principal blasphemy the Apostle condemneth him in saying And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemie against God Next the Lord challengeth him for presuming to blaspheme the word of God superaduancing his whorish church aboue the diuine eternall testimonie in and by which the Son of God is named and knowne which contumely offered to his most holy word the Lord accounteth as done to himselfe and his most holy name for so the holy Ghost speaking of that Lord that is faithfull and true who with iustice iudgeth and fighteth saith that he was clothed with a garment sprinkled with blood and his name is called The Word of God The pourtraiture of which diuine and essentiall Word is the ingrauen Scripture of his most holy and written word and of this blasphemie the Spirit inditeth him in these words to blaspheme his name Lesse maruell then if like a raging flood downe bearing all before him and ouerflowing all bankes of obedience towards God he dare extol his cursed head aboue all that is called or named God that is to say all magistracie authoritie and power secular which by Gods owne ordinance commandement is the onely true liuely and immediate representation of his owne person iustice and gouernment here on earth in and ouer all temporall causes and persons as well Ecclesiastical as ciuil of which high treason one Apostle also conuinceth him 2. Thess 2. No maruell then if thus daring to blaspheme the Lord of the house and his annointed Deputies he dare blaspheme the house of God wherein his name is honored cursing reuiling and reputing it a house of schismatiques heretiques excommunincates which blasphemous and vndeserued wrong the holy Ghost layeth to his charge in these words and his tabernacle And last of all to shew that there is neither end nor measure in his blacke presumptuous and blasphemous mouth the Spirit further chargeth him with blaspheming the Saints and seruants of God deceased cursing reuiling and condemning their doctrine and yet blessing adoring erecting their shadows sepulchers and shrines for mediators intercessors and reconciliators betweene God and the sinner like their cursed fore-elders the Israelites who boasted in the descent of their father Abraham and yet blasphemed the faith of Abraham their father of which blasphemous and indicible contumely against the Son of God and his most holy Spirit the Apostle condemneth him saying And those that dwell in heauen Verse 7. And it was giuen vnto him to make battell with the Saints and to ouercome them and power was giuen him vpon euery people tribe tongue and nation ANd as after lightning followeth thūder so after Antichrists blasphemie followeth his persecution as the Spirit testifieth saying And it was giuen him to bid battell to the Saints which the Prophet Daniel by way of exposition also plainly setteth forth saying that he should murther and consume the Saints and seruants of the most high And in further amplification of this his carnificious furie the Spirit setteth forth the largenesse of his charter and commission by an excessiue loquution foretelling vs that it should be so large and general that the fire of his prophane and sycophantical keys should take hold vpon euery nation and tribe as if we please to cast an eye vpon the times past and conferre what he had with what he hath we shall easily discerne the meaning of the holy Ghost in these words And power was giuen him vpon euery Tribe people tongue and nation Verse 8. And all that inhabite the earth adored it whose names be not written in the booke of life of the Lamb which was slaine from the beginning of the world THe holy Ghost hauing in the former part of this Chapter discouered the birth place person power blasphemie and persecution of Antichrist descendeth now to the description of his creatures and deuotaries foretelling vs that they should be such onely for vnto such onely the particle all is here restrained as haue their portion and interest in this life whose pietie heauen hope and glorie is here and not elsewhere which kind of out and ouercast Christians the Spirit describeth by a periphrasis most proper to their naturall and inbred disposition saying they are those that inhabite the earth therein discouering them as by a difference diuisiue from such as are the Lords pilgrims and strangers on earth hauing here no permanent abode or place of rest but seeking the things which are aboue attend with patience the reuelation of a life and citie to come not made with hands where their Lord and their Redeemer liueth And the Spirit proceeding sheweth further the supreme hidden and vnperceiuable reason why the adorers of Antichrist thus defiled the ornaments of their calling and why they loued lyes more then truth the Beasts penance more then Gods repentance the Beasts beliefe more then faith towards God the Beasts miserable merits more then the fruits of the Spirit hatred of sin and loue of God because as holy Dauid saith they were not found in the Lords record nor written with the righteous for so much the Spirit vnfoldeth saying whose names be not written in the booke of life of the Lamb which was slaine from the beginning of the world Verse 9. If any man haue an eare let him heare THe Apostle hauing sufficiently deciphered the nature and cariage of Antichrist and his creatures commeth now to discouer his reward and iudgement which howsoeuer it tarry little or long is of necessitie the reward of sinne But before the Spirit draweth out his sword it pleaseth him in his accustomed mercie to awake his Church and her enemies and to moue them to a feare and reuerent attention by a generall summons proclaiming If any man haue an care let him heare Verse 10. He that shall leade into captiuitie goeth into captiuitie and he that shall kill with the sword must be killed with the sword here is the patience and the faith of the Saints THe holy Ghost in this verse calleth Antichrist to the Barre and sets him before the world for the very he on whō the wrath of God and his heauie displeasure is to be executed For he who vnder colour and pretence of weeding out and rooting vp of heretiques hath brought into the Church captiuitie inquisitions tortures and torments to the horrible murther and slaughter of the Saints when in such cases notwithstanding he had neither precept nor example in the life of the Lamb or his Apostles so to do he euen he saith the Lord is that partie against whom this iust iudgement of taliation is laid vp in store to be executed vpon him in that day when the Lord shall bring againe the captiuitie of his Church which for their sins he hath giuen vp to
of the Prince of the Couenant to their charge also as cunningly as they thinke to conuey his murder and post it ouer to Ierusalem For as the Lord doth lay the blood of his seruant Abel to the charge of the Scribes and Pharises of his owne time although hee were slaine long before those Pharises were borne or Ierusalem builded because they were the very image and liuely imitation of his brother that murthered him so the holy Ghost doth here lay the innocent blood of the Lord of glory to the charge of this crucifier and his citizens because they are the children and generation of that high Priest and those murderers which cried Away with him crucifie him crucifie him And that wee should not maruell thereat the holy Ghost in another place goeth further and saith In her shall be found the blood of the Apostles and Prophets also and all that euer for the testimonie of the truth were slaine on earth Verse 9. And there shall of the tribes and people and Gentiles see their dead bodies three dayes and a halfe and shall not suffer their corps to be layed in monuments ANd all nations and kingdoms where the Beast is worshipped whom the holy Ghost for their prophanation in life and religion calleth Gentiles shall haue handle and gaze vpon the letter and corps of his two witnesses three days and a halfe that is to say the time times and halfe a time wherein the Beast shall reigne and persecute euen three propheticall yeares and a halfe accounting as in Ezekiel all dayes for yeares Neither shall they suffer the word of their prophecie to be read opened vnderstood and laid vp in the hearts of the people the true and natural monuments and sepulchers wherein the testimonie of their words ought to be interred Verse 10. And the inhabitants of the earth shall be glad ouer them and shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwell vpon the earth ANd all the worshippers of the Beast here noted for their number by the inhabitants of the earth shall clap their hands ouer their owne inuentions and reioyce in the death of the truth and make merry with bonefires Vigils Festiuals Processions and in token of ioy they shall send as the Spirit saith gifts one to another Kings and Princes and people shal present and endow the Beast and his Church with donations immunities possessions gold and siluer offerings and the Beast on the other side shall requite their kindnesse with titles bels pardons buls and such like and the Spirit yeeldeth a reason of this their wicked and vngodly comfort because they had put out the eyes of his two Prophets that their whoredomes and prophanations might not be reproued then which nothing can be greater torment to the wicked nor more vnsauory to them that perish Verse 11. And after three dayes and a halfe the spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood vpon their feete and great feare fell vpon all that saw them ANd forasmuch as in the death and extermination of Antichrist by way of dependancie consisteth the life and resurrection as it were of the Scriptures the Spirit foresheweth that after the reigne and persecution of the Beast which here as in the ninth verse is determined by three dayes and a half God will raise vp faithfull prudent Priests Shepherds of vnderstanding hearts who shall rightly diuide the words and testimonies of his two witnesses which the holy Ghost signifieth in saying that the spirit of life from God entred into them for as the letter and text of the Scripture is the corps thereof so their true intent and meaning is the spirit and life of them and by the faithfull ministery of such as the Lord shall raise in and about that time and for that purpose the testimonie of his two Prophets shall be restored to their strength and as it were to their walking againe which the Spirit signifieth in saying they stood vpon their feete as well to the terror and astonishment of all lying and stipulous expositors as to the feare and admiration of the children and iustifiers of wisedome as the holy Ghost concludeth saying And great feare fell vpon all that saw them Verse 12. And I heard a loud voice from heauen saying Come vp hither and they went vp into heauen in a cloud and their enemies saw them ANd the restauration of the true meaning of the Scriptures which their enemies so long kept vnder by all vniust and cunning shifts shall be more famously knowne and published then that they may any longer hinder or stop the glorious course of their wonderfull instauration which the Spirit intendeth in saying that he heard a voice from heauen saying Come vp hither meaning that it should be more possible for their enemies to stay Elias chariot from ascending or pull the wind backe from pursuing his point then to resist the wisedome of the same the which shall vindicate the abuse of the Scriptures and by the power of their ministery as in the strength of a cloud shall hold them vp and restore them to their spirituall and heauenly meaning againe and the Beast with all his sorcerers and liers which haue been their long and ancient enemies shall see the glorie of their regeneration and wonder and die Verse 13. And in that houre there was made a great earthquake and the tenth part of the Citie fell and there were slaine in the earthquake names of men seuen thousand and the rest were cast into a feare and gaue glorie to the God of heauen ANd at such time as it pleased God to begin his worke of instauration and to cause the dayspring of his Gospel to shine out of the night of Antichrists darknesse the abominable and desolate prophanation of the Beast which had so long time ouercast the earth was in such sort discouered that the very roote of his throne and vsurped authoritie was dangerously shaken which the holy Ghost closely foldeth vp in saying there was made a great earthquake And further foresheweth that out of this concussion there should arise so great defection that the tenth part of his worshippers should reuolt from him and that this reuolt and defection must cost the liues of many thousand men which the Spirit vttereth in a maner of speech strange to vs but vsuall with the Scriptures calling men names of men as Chap. 3. 4. and meaning by seuen thousand many thousand vsing the determinate number of seuen indefinitely and for a number indeterminate as it is also in Scripture often Which broiles and bloodshed concerning the institution of religion are so sufficiently reported in the Commentaries of Bohemia and Germanie and in the troubles of France and Flanders and other nations as if it were purposely registred in proofe of this prophecie Lastly the Spirit concluding foretelleth that many kingdomes in this defection should quite forsake the Beast and haste them out of Babylon home againe to build
EXPOSITION OF THE XI XII AND XIII CHAPTERS OF THE REVELLATION Wherein most of the matters of greatest moment contained in the booke of the Reuelation are vnfolded By a late Writer whose certaine name is not knowne to the Publisher hereof onely these two letters T. L. are in his Aduertisement to Queene Elizabeth The Contents whereof are in the next Page Printed An. Dom. 1623. The Contents of these three Chapters The estate of the Primitiue Church before her dispersion The Churches first persecution by tâ—â—â—â—athen Emperours The flight of the Church into the wilderness The two Witnesses The rising of Antichrist his seuen heaâ—â— and ten hornes The second Beast and his two hornes The practise of Antichrist and his Clergiâ— against the Church The Image of the Beast The Marke of the Beast The name and number of the Beast The end of the Beast and destruction of hâ—â— Citie And the end of the world The reasons that moued me to publisâ— this same are these two first the hope oâ— good that it may doe to the Church oâ— God in these troublesome times and secondly hoping that it may be a meane to bring forth the rest either from the Author or from some other that may haue it in keeping CHAP. XI 1. The regenerate Christians onely are the Church and heritage of God 3. The residue are outcasts and refused 7. Of the two testifiers and preseruers of truth 13. Antichrist killeth them but the Lord restoreth them life againe 15. Great dissention ariseth thereupon the day of iudgement is foreshewed VERSE 1. And there was giuen me a reed like vnto a mete-yard and the Angell that stood by me said Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that adore therein AS in a common field a good Surveyor doth measure out each intercommoners seuerall by stake or by rod so in the wide and common field of Christians the Lord commandeth his seruant Iohn to survey and apportion out his Church and partage which he seuereth from the residue of carnall Gospellers and such like outcasts in recommending vnto vs their inward frame and renewed graces vnder the appellation and names of the Temple of God the Altar and them that adore therein meaning that as in the Tabernacle of the congregation the holy and most holy places wherein stood the Table of the Shew-bread Candlesticke Altar of incense Arke propitiatory and oracle of God ouercouered within and without with Angell-gold into which places none but the Priests might enter and adore were separated by a vaile from the outer Court where the brazen altar was erected for all the house of Israel to enter and sacrifice and which therefore was called the Court of the people so in the common field and Vniuersitie of Christians they onely are the Church and heritage of God which are sanctified in heart and holy in life and couuersation and separated by the vaile of regeneration that is to say by the teares of true repentance and the assurance of pardon and reconciliation vnto God in Christ Iesus in grauen in the tables of their hearts by the finger of the Spirit from all carnall professors and nominall Christians in whom is but an outward face and protestation of the name of Christ onely Verse 2. But the base Court which is without the Temple cast out and measure not for it is giuen to the Gentiles and the holy Citie shall they tread vnder foot two and fortie months BVt as for those common Catholique Christians here resembled to the base court which is without the Temple because they are but ouercast onely with a profession of my name which heare my word and participate my Sacraments and yet are separated by an vnregenerate heart as by a vaile from those Altars and Priests in whom my name is honored cast forth saith the Lord and measure not for howsoeuer such vnleauened companions seeme to boast in the name of my Church in the protestation of a Christian calling yet they are so farre from belonging to my peculiar saith the Lord as that I haue giuen them vp in reckoning with the reprobate of the Gentiles and they shall iustifie mine account and reiection of them by their like vncircumcised cariage and heathenish conuersation for they shall no lesse defile my holy Citie that is to say they shall no lesse hate accuse persecute and keepe vnder water the true and sanctified Christian then do the heathen and vncircumcised as by ouer-long experience is well knowne to the Church of God which hath been is and shall be till her captiuitie be returned opposed for melancholy mad new factious schismaticall hereticall by Christian Catholiques politicians Atheists carnall Gospellers and such heathenish protestors like to these And that the Church of God may not looke for other or better entertainment at these her intercommoners hands she is here by the predeterminate counsell of God to be troden like a way by these Gentiles and heathenish Christians two and fortie months meaning months of yeares euery month accounting by propheticall supputation thirtie yeares as in the verse following shall be further manifested confounding therein the Remisaries of Rome who sweat to perswade that they are but months of dayes thereby to turne the worlds eye from the great Antichrist that now is to a pettie Antichrist which shall neuer come Verse 3. And I will giue to my two witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and sixtie dayes cloathed in sackcloth DVring which time of the Churches disgrace desolatioÌ„ for the greater comfort of her children and iudgement of her aduersaries I will saith the Lord I by a wonderfull outstretched prouidence will preserue vnto the world the light and power of my two testaments to guide their knowledge and conuersation into the wayes of peace Whereby the Lord manifestly reproueth the grosse and vaine expectation of those that translate his meaning in this place to the coming of Henoch and Elias whereas of Henochs returne either in flesh or in spirit there is no syllable of promise in all the Scriptures and as touching the spirituall returne of Elias promised is already performed as the Lord himselfe Mal. 4. 5. Mat. 11. 14 proueth Now touching the time of their keeping watch while the world sleepeth the Lord voweth it shall be two and fortie months before mentioned which being dissolued into dayes after the Kalender of the Hebrewes whose yeare did driue thirtie dayes to euery month and twelue months to euery yeare amount to the iust number of 1260 dayes here specified which computation of the yeares is obserued throughout the whole Bible Daniel only excepted who counteth after the vse and stile of the Caldeans in whose tongue and amongst whom he wrote and consequently the months being prophetical that is to say months of yeares which to each account thirtie yeares the reigne of Antichrist must needs endure 1260 yeares Which maner of reckoning yeares by dayes though it seeme strange is vsuall
of his Cesars and maner of the heathen And that we may the better discerne from whom those Proctors of Don Antichrist borrowed this their abominable Church-seruice the Spirit remembreth the repaired wound of their masters creditors pate mentioned in the third verse whose wound of death was cured Verse 13. And he did many signes so that he made fire to come downe from heauen to the earth in the sight of men THe holy Ghost hauing arraigned and condemned the Clergie of Antichrist touching their doctrine proceedeth further to detect their abomination and forgery in seeking to confirme their false doctrine by lying signes and works of wonder condemning therein first their vanitie secondly their presumptioÌ„ For as nothing can be more vaine and vngodly then to seeke by lying signes and wonders to confirme the doctrine of the Lamb and his seruants which is all sufficiently established by their owne magnificent and diuine miracles vnto which the Church of God vpon her allegiance is enioyned to subscribe so nothing can be more presumptuous and wicked then to attempt by signes and wonders the confirmation of any other doctrine then that which the Lamb and his two witnesses haue sealed and deliuered vnto vs according to the statute of God Deut. 13. And though their signes were many as the Spirit reporteth saying And he did many signes yet were they but forgeries and lies not wrought in truth dignitie but in falshood fallacie as our Lord himself and his seruant Paul foretold vs Mat. 24. 2. Thess 2. In which regard the holy Ghost squaring the miracles of these exorcists after the rule of their doctrine which was in shew the Lambs but in truth the diuels calleth also their lying signes heauenly fires saying so that he made fire to come downe from heauen to the earth in the sight of men not that they were in deed and in truth so but that they seemed so to be in the eyes of men because they were wrought by these vagabond exorcists vnder a pretended and colourable imitation of the name of the Lord Iesus who of all heauenly powers and fires is the true Lord and soueraigne commander that so these Clerks of Antichrist might be sutable in their wickednesse that as their doctrine was opposite to the truth of Christ so their wonders might contrary the power of Christ by a colourable imitation of the miracles of Christ and might be a true and perfect deprauation of the same Verse 14. And he seduced the inhabitants on the earth through the signes which were giuen him to do in the sight of the Beast saying vnto them that dwell on the earth that they should make the image of the Beast which had the stroke of the sword and liueth ANd the Spirit further disclosing the happie successe of these vnhappie brokers and slaues of Antichrist touching their mists and miracles foretelleth vs that as the first Elias by the miracles of heauenly fire did induce and draw the good vnto the feare of God so these imposters of Antichrist by the lure of their false and lying fires should seduce and draw all dung-hill and earthly minded men from the feare of God in such sure and deuoted sort as that they should perswade them to make the picture and image of the Beasts religion and to embrace and erect such a Christianisme as should in all points counterfeit and represent the Paganisme of the Dragon attiring and decking Iupiters prophanation with the holy and honorable names of God Iesus Spirit Scriptures Church Sacraments Saints c. like excellent Comedians who decke themselues with Crownes Scepters purples and representations of Kings whenas indeed they are the basest of the people And as the Lord commanded his seruant Moses to erect such a Tabernacle of witnesse here on earth as should be in all points after the Idea modell and platforme of that diuine and eternall Tabernacle which he saw in the mount so Antichrist Lord of misrule commanded his propudious Clergie to cause all people nations and kingdomes to set vp such a Christianity as should in all points answer the Idea modell and platforme of that prophane and execrable heathenisme wherewith he saw the Gentiles enamoured and hereby so strongly seduced the inhabitants on earth that they verily thought the mysterie of Iniquitie to be pure and vndefiled Christianitie and that the abomination of desolation forespoken by Daniel the Prophet is the onely true ancient Catholique and Apostolique religion teaching them that perish by consenting vnto lies that they ought to worship God as the Gentiles did worship Iupiter perswading them that as the Gentiles had their Arae so Christians must haue their Altars and as the heathen had their bloody sacrifices so Christians must haue their vnbloody sacrifices and offer bread and wine to God as the heathen did to Ceres and Bacchus and as the Pagans had their Poutifex maximus so ChristiaÌ„s must haue their Pope and as Ethnicks had their Sacerdotes so must Christians haue their Priests and as the Gentiles had their gods and goddesses so must Christians haue their he Saints and she Saints and as the Dragon had his Pantheon so Antichrist must haue his All Saints and as the heathen had their idols so Christians must haue their images and as the Pagans did consecrate their Temples to Idols so Christians must dedicate their Churches to Saints and as the Ethnicks had their supplications so Christians must haue their processions and as the Gentiles had their lustrations so Christians must haue their holy water and as the Dragon in his Church-seruice had his Cerei so Antichrist in his Church-seruice must haue candles and as the Dragon had his Acerra or Thuribles so Antichrist must haue his Censors and as the Dragon had his Nouendiall sacrifices so must Antichrist haue his Masses of Requiem and as the Dragon had his Hecatombes so Antichrist must haue his Trentals and as the Dâ—agon had his Colledges SodaliuÌ„ and Arvalium fratraÌ„ so must Antichrist haue his Cloisters of Monks and Friers and as the Dragon had his Vestals so Antichrist must haue his Nunnes and Sanctimonials and as the Dragon did celebrate the birth dayes of his Cesars so Antichrist must solemnize the natiuitie of his Saints and as the Dragon had his Annals so must Antichrist haue his Legends and as the Dragon had his secular Spectacles so Antichrist must haue his Iubilees and as the Dragon had his Bacchanals so Antichrist must haue his Carnivals and as the Dragon had his Lupanaries so must Antichrist haue his Stewes and as the Dragon had his inchanters so Antichrist must haue his exorcists and as the Dragon had his Asyla so Antichrist must haue his Sanctuaries and as the Dragon had his Exequies and Parentals so Antichrist must haue his Diriges and his de profundis and as the Dragon had his comitia centariata so Antichrist must haue his Councels oecumenicall and as the Beast had his comitia curiata so Antichrist must haue his
Councels prouinciall and as the Dragon did diuifie his Cesars so must Antichrist canonize his Saints and as the Dragon enacted ciuill lawes so Antichrist must enact Canon lawes and as the Dragon had his Imperiall rescripts so Antichrist must haue his Decretall Epistles and as the Dragon had his Tribunitial intercessions so Antichrist must haue his vncontrollable interdictions and as the Dragon had and vsed his prescriptions so Antichrist must haue and vse his excommunications and as that Beast commanded his heathen to please their goddesse Iuno with cane vota libens so this Beast commanded Christians to please their God with vowes and as the Dragon had his Triceps Hecate so Antichrist must haue his triple tiara to signifie his triple pretended iurisdiction and as the Dragon had his Hexaphoron so must Antichrist be carried vp downe briefly as the Dragons priests did teach the heathen to worship Iupiter as God so Antichrists Clergie must teach their Christians to worship God as Iupiter and looke what forme of religion what maner of life the Dragon led the same must Antichrist in his person parallel maintaine And to the end we may vndoubtedly discerne what and of whose image the Apostle speaketh the Spirit remembreth now the third time his recured wound which here speaking more plainly out he calleth the stroke of a sword not that it was the onely stroke for many swords did pierce the Dragon as his had pierced many but the first stroke of a sword which from the beginning and rising of the Dragons Empire and regiment by Cesars did remeasure the fury of the sword vpon his owne head chaire of state as the Spirit noteth saying Which had the stroke of the sword and liueth Verse 15. And it was giuen to him to giue spirit to the image of the Beast and that the image of the Beast should speake and should make that whosoeuer honored not the image of the Beast be slaine ANd such art and perswasible power was giuen to those inchanters and apostates of Antichrist that they infused such a quickning spirit such a life giuing animation into the Ethnicke dead and desolate image of the Dragons religion by gilding it ouer with the reuerend diuine and honorable names of God omnipotent Christ Iesus the righteous his holy Spirit his precious blood his sacred word his blessed Sacraments c. that they easily perswaded the blear-eyd world to think and beleeue that the execrable forme and image of Iupiters abominatiō commanded by the Dragon and his Cesars was the very true worship and seruice of God commanded by the Lamb and his seruants and that the picture of Iupiter Olimpius which their Lord Epiphanes had set vp and placed in Sanctum sanctorum was the very Arke and propitiatory of God set vp and erected by Moses his seruant and their abominable mysticall Masse the sacrifice of an vnbloody Messias made of bread of their owne baking which their fathers the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles neuer heard nor dreamed of is a sacrifice not Eucharisticall but propitiatory and so allsufficient for the attonement and reconciliation of God vnto the sinner as if it were figured and sealed in the precious blood of the Lord of the couenant and that the horrible prophane and detestable supper of Thyestes is the very true holy and comfortable commemoration of the Lords loue in giuing his life for the children of the Church and their thankfull communion and celebration of the same And by these and such like inchantments these Proctors of Antichrist so baffled and blinded the Princes and Protectors of their synagogues that they inzealed them to authorize and erect inquisitions executions and torments against all such as refuse to honour and adore the idol-seruice and desolation of their Antiochus and that all such as doe but mutter against the magnificence of their Church and her worship which all the world adoreth should be accounted as infoelix Lolium weeds Lollards heretiques excommunicates and sonnes of death to the admirable confirmation of the Spirits prediction in this place saying that it was giuen to him to giue such spirit to the image of the Beast that the image of the Beast should speake and make that whosoeuer honored not the image of the Beast be slaine Verse 16. And he should make all little and great rich and poore free and bond to haue a character in their right hand or on their foreheads ANd the power of these prostibulous Clerks was so catholique and vniuersall that they caused all kingdomes and nations figured here by a numeration of their estates conditions and callings little great rich poore bond free to confederate and vnite themselues by a resolute and determinate purpose of beleeuing and liuing after the lawes and prescriptions of Antichrist which league of voluntary and resolute subiection the Spirit calleth the character of the Beast for as vnitie and loue in truth and a resolued purpose to liue after the commandements of God is the character and cognisance of the Lamb so vnitie conspiration and banding against the truth with resolution to liue after the traditions of Antichrist is the crest and character of the Beast Which profession of obedience was so studiously embraced and with such ioy receiued of all the clients and creatures of Antichrist that the Spirit saith they did no lesse pride themselues in their errors and abominations then in the wearing of their bracelets abillements deliuering it in manner of speech vsuall with holy Scripture when it intendeth to expresse an ardent and hearty affection approued both by word and action by practise and profession as Deut. 6. 8. and 11. 18. where the holy Ghost vseth the selfesame phrase in their right hand or on their foreheads Verse 17. And that no man may buy or sell but he that hath the Character or the name of the Beast or the number of his name ANd in further proof that Antichrist and his apostaticall Clergie should driue the naile of their impietie home to the very head the Spirit saith that by them and meanes of their authoritie it should be enacted that none should trade or liue for so much the inhibition of buying and selling doth inferre but such as acknowledge and adore the prerogatiue royall religion and discipline of the Beast and his holy Catholique Church for so by a figuratiue kind of blasphemie she must be called as is confirmed by Antichrist himselfe then named Martin the fift in his Bull directed to the Inquisitors of hereticall prauitie for so it pleaseth him to terme the profession of the truth nec domicilia habeant nec larem foueant nec contractus ineant nec negotiationes mercatur as exerceant nec humanitatis solatia cum Christi fidelibus habeant c. All which their dominering rage or madnesse the holy Ghost by way of prevision most admirably epitomizeth in these words And that no man may buy or sell no one excepted out of the King of Babylons decree saue