a 1000. yeres and afterwards he must be loosed for a litle time I answer now in deed he speaketh of time and therfore wheras before it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 season whiles he lay in bands now it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time when he is loosed But how say you shal this be true if Antichrist shal reign 1260 yeres I answer this is not the loosing of Antichrist but of the Divil that his time is short but Antichrists time long who reigneth not onely when the Divil is loosed but also when he is bound as Apoc. 20.3.4 wher the Divil is bound 1000. yeres whiles the Beast in the meane time is despised of the elect but dominiereth over his owne by his Mark and other signes of servitude as upon that place shal be spoken more at large Thirdly you say because as Augustine and Gregorie doo reason except that greevous persecution should be very short many should perish which are not for to perish wherupon our Lord also saith unlesse those dayes were shortned no flesh should be saved Mat. 24.22 I answer this of Matthew agrees not to the persecution of Antichrist but to the affliction of Ierusalem What flight shall ther be under your Antichrist such as there is mentioned when al the world shal plainlie obey him Or what shal the Sabbath hurt Christians that flee Or how shall new false Prophets have place after your great Antichrist who shal come you say a litle before the end of the world how be it after that affliction the Lord foretelleth that such shal come a fresh ver 24. Therfore what names soever you pretend for this interpretation ther is no firmnes in it Moreover if I should grant that this persecution is both Antichrists and short what is this for 3. yeres and a halfe The Spirit said to the Angel of Ephesus unlesse thou repent I wil come against thee shortly Apoc. 2.5 Was that Angel punished within 3. yeres and a halfe Therfore here is no probabilitie of Antichrists durance but this your Demonstration is like your other This also I wil tel you of in as word though it perteyns nothing to the force of the argument that you had rather speak amisse manie should perish which are not to perish then to say with the Scripture that they should deceive if it were possible the verie elect For that which the Lord saith no flesh should be saved he spake of the destruction of the flesh with greevousnes of the slaughter not of the peril of salvation of soules Fourthly you say Christ preached onely three yeres and a halfe therfore it is meet also that Antichrist be permitted to preach no longer I answer you are a notable disputer verilie Wil you have Christ to be a type of Antichrist If it were so appointed the agreement of yeres would perhaps be meet but being as you mind they directly crosse one an other it is rather meet all things should be contrarie namely that Antichrist should reign very lōg because Christ did it opēlie in the world a verie short time So also should Christs glory appear the greater in subduing this enemie the longer that his tyrannie hath continued Enemies doo not set themselves to imitate their enemies and in manie other things they are quite contrarie For as Christ was verie poor so Antichrist is verie rich as Christ was a subiect so Antichrist is a King as Christ patiently suffred al injuries so Antichrist studiously inferreth them as Christ had not where to lay his head so Antichrist aboūdeth with so great wealth as he is also able to carie the whore Wil you require a similitude of yeres in these Fiftly you say because the summ of 1260 yeres which the adversaries doo appoint can no way be applyed unto those words of Daniel and John a time times halfe a time I answer I have often alreadie shewed that we are not much to be trobled about Daniel But what letteth I pray you the applicatiō unto these words of Iohn Because by a time you say without doubt must be understood some one number as one day one week one moneth one yere one five-yeres-tide one Jubilee one hundred-yeres one thousand c. I answer but you without doubt are egregiously deceived neither doo I thing that you wrote these things waking but a sleep or nodding Doo not you see that by this reason you reiect not onelie the yeres of the adversaries but even the daies and moneths which the Angel himselfe setteth A time you say must be doubtlesse some one number as one day one week one moneth c. Be it therfore one day then times shal be two dayes half◠a time halfe a day Now have we the summ of three dayes and a halfe where then shal be the other 1256. dayes and a halfe So let a time be one moneth times wil be two moneths halfe a time 15. dayes al which ioyned togither make three moneths and 15. dayes wil the 42. moneths be brought at length to these But I will not aske too lowd least I be troblesome to your sleepy head I wil whisper to you as low as I can that a time of dayes is not one day but three hundred and sixtie dayes times are twise as manie namely 720 halfe a time 180. Likeweise also a time of yeres is 360. yeres times 720. halfe a time 180. So a time of moneths is 12. moneths times 24. halfe a time six These things when you are awake think on I pray you and in the mean time dream sweetly those 3400. yeree which by your account you have wrung out from your adversaries Sixtly you say the 7. times in Daniel chap. 9. are seven yeres if they should be taken otherweise so manie dayes for so manie yeres Nabuchodonosor had lived without his Kingdome two thousand five hundred fifty and five yeres Therfore one time in Iohn shal be one usual yere and 2. times 2. yeres and so forward I answer it is ridiculous to tie words alwayes unto one signification except where certayn reason and necessity doo constreyn Daniel himselfe is sayd to have fallen on hes knees three times in a day I think you wil not have it that he fell on his knees three yeres in a day Dan. 6.11 And thus now you have disputed of Antichrists three yeres reign as besides the bare names of some mē which are not meet witnesses in this matter you have nothing which may hold eyther you or any other Papist in this opinion yea I may say somewhat more and truly wherof you and al Papists may not wel be ashamed which suffer your selves to be deceyved in so great a matter with such leight and childish toyes God grant the truth be not now also shewd you in vayn as it hath been heretofore Ther remayneth one thing in this chapter to be considered which you answer unto the argument of Illyricus wher you say that in the Scripture ther is found indeed rightly sayd weeks of yeres
first particle is properly of one affirming shewing the certaintie of a thing in which yet maie be understoode the wishing verbe Let it be done or some such like worde For so it is in the end of the booke Yea come Lord Iesus as if he should saie I beseech thee come so as thou hast promised chap. 22.20 It is like that both the particles are used in the same sence otherwise the diversitie both of tongue and signification woulde not note out any coniunction of all people to which end this twofolde proper forme of spech seemes to be used Amen not onely apperteines to one assevering but also supplicating and earnestly striving that the thing maie come to passe as in Ieremy chap. 28.6 Amen so doe it the last expunding the former 9 J am Alpha and Omega Hitherto hath bene the Inscription of the Epistle now he entreth into the narration it selfe where first for the authoritie of the writing undertaken there is set downe a threefold propertie of the person calling the excelling power of creating truth in his promises and exceeding power of governing The power is first declared metaphorically and afterwards in proper wordes For the beginning ending doe expounde what Alpha Omega meane of which that is the first and this the last letter of the Greeke Alphabet by a metaphore they are applyed to any beginning and ending whatsoever The wordes are plainely of a certeine order and relation to the creature In which respect they can not properly note out eternitie which thing is absolute nor in any regard is to be measured according to the creature Therefore I am Alpha and Omega have this meaning to wit the maker of all things and againe the end whereunto all things are to be referred who in the beginning have made all things and that for my owne glory It is the abridgement of that which the wise man saieth the Lord hath wrought all things for himself yea the wicked for the daie of evill Prov. 16.4 The constant veritie of God in his promises is declared by a distribution of a threefolde time as we have shewed out of ver 4. His Allmightines in the end of the verse seemes to appertaine to that excellent power of governing all things according to his will in which there shines no lesse his incomprehensible maiestie then in the first creation of things For this teacheth that his strength was not spent in his first worke but for ever is of force without any lessening which is not tired with any wearines nether oppressed with the weight of busines but remaines infinitely beyond all power of any created spirit in doing all things Such a one is he from whome the commaundement of writing proceedeth a most mightye creatour a most faithfull promiser and the chiefe hovernour of all things 9 I John The person also called hath great weight for credit I John an Apostle a brother and companion in affliction banished into Patmos for the word of God ravished from heaven in the spirit on the Lords day Why should not this man speake most certaine truth ¶ And the patience of Jesus Christ The comon translation hath and the patience in Christ Iesus So also Montanus the interpretour of Aretas by Chr. Iesus Therehy the sence is nothing at all or but litle changed whether any reade it according to the construction as Th. Beza or as these with a preposition All tende hereunto that the communion of the faithfull be it either of affliction or of a Kingdome leane on Christ the alone head as upon the grounde and foundation We must take heede lest with the Iesuite we doe interprete in Christ Jesus for the end for Christ Jesus for so the communion of the Kingdome amongest the faithfull should be established without Christ as if all shoulde not together grow up in him but shoulde as it were be ioined together betwene themselves into some outward thing a part from him Patmos an Iland of the sea Icarium thirtie miles in compasse at this daie it is called Palmosa as the latter Geographers would have it But in Strabo it hath nothing memorable except the name He is wont to mention carefully even the very woodes of Palme trees if there be any much more woulde he have mētioned so great plentie wherby the Iland should be worthie to be renowmed whereupon this name maye iustly be suspected unlesse perhaps the succeeding age caused it to be more happie in fruitfulnes Munster supposeth that Patmos is that Possidium of which Ptolemaeus speakes in his tables of Geography booke 5. chap. 2. but Possidium in the same place is a Promontorie of the Isle Chios not farre of from the city Chios from thence they saile about the Yland and leave it on the right hand Str. book 14. But Patmos lies together with Corasius towards the west of Icaria but this towards the west of Samos Strab. book 10. But thou must observe that Ihon doth not plainely mention his banishement but onely that he was in the Isle soberly bearing his misery not proudely augmenting it by vaine boasting ¶ For the word of God That is for having preacht it not for to preach it For Iohn of his accord went not thither to preach but because he had preached at Ephesus and elswhere in Asia Domitian the tyrant as Ireneus and others record banished him thither The same Isle seemeth to have bin almost desolate and voide of inhabitants considering especially that the neighbour Iland Icaria much more renowmed because of the scarcity of inhabitans as Strabo reportes did bestowe the use and commoditie of their pastures on the soraine Samians 10 And I was ravished in the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was in the Spirit that is I began to be moved in the spirit for to see and understand those things which doe farre surpasse mans capacity as of old the auncient Prophetes being led by the same spirit did pronunce of things to come with no lesse certainty then of things present or past After the same maner Marck speaketh of another kinde of spirit And there was in their Synagogue a man with an uncleane spirit chap. 1.23 And againe there met him a man out of the sepulchres in an uncleane spirit chap. 5.2 but altogether contrarie in the maner of operation not onely in respect of holines or unholines but also of the sweete and quiet motion seing that the agitations with which the most wicked spirits doe tormente men are violent and fearfull whence the Possessed are most comonly depryved either of all their senses or at the least of some of them but those who are filled with the holy Ghost they are more strenghtned in all the faculties of the soule Both have them obediēt to thē whō they doe possesse but the one by gracious inclining the other by cruell constraining as the exemples of the one and of the other doe make it plaine ¶ On a Lords day see of this Th. Bezam It is verie like that
note out onely summarily the excellent dignity of it Christ himselfe represented severally the beautie of every of each one of the members in that figure wherein he was seene of Iohn Chap. 2. VNTO the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write these thinges saith he that holdeth those seaven starres in his right hande which walketh in the middes of the seaven candlestickes 2 I knowe thy workes and thy lahour and thy patience and that thou canst not suffer the wicked and hast tried them which say that they are Apostles and are not and hast found them lyars 3 And thou wast burdened and doest endure and for my name hast laboured and wast not wearied 4 But J have somewhat against thee that thou hast left thy first love 5 Be mindfull therefore from whence thou art fallen and doe the first workes or els I will come against thee shortly and remove thy candlesticke out of his place unlesse thou doest repent 6 But this thou hast that thou hatest the workes of the Nicolaitanes which J also hate 7 Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith to the Churches to him that overcometh J will give to eate of that tree of life which is in the middes of the Paradise of God 8 To the Angell of the Church of Smyrna write these thinges saith he that is the first and last who was dead and is alive 9 J know thy workes and thy affliction and poverty but thou art riche and the blasphemy of them that say they are Jewes and are not but the synagogue of Sathan 10 Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer Beholde it shall come to passe that Sathan shall cast some of you into prisâ—n that you may be tryed and yee shall have affliction ten dayes Be faithfull unto death and I will give thee the crowne of life 11 Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit sayeth to the Churches He that shall overcome shall not be hurt of the second death 12 And to the Angell of the Church of Pergamus write these thinges saith he that hath that sharpe two edgedsword 13 I know thy workes and where thou dwellest to wit where Sathans throne is and that thou keepest my name and hast not denyed my faith yea even in those dayes in which Antipas that my faithfull martyr was slaine among you where Sathan dwelleth 14 But I have a few thinges against thee that thou hast there those that holde the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balack to lay a stumbling blocke before the children of Jsrael that they should eate of those things which were offred to Jdols and that they should commit fornication 15 So also hast thou them which holde the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes which I hate 16 Repent or else J will come against thee quickely and fight with them with that sword of my mouth 17 Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith to the Churches I will giue to him that overcometh to eate of the hidden Manna and J will give him a white stone and a new name written in the stone which no man knoweth but he that receaveth it 18 And to the Angell of the Church of Thyatira write these things saieth the Sonne of God which hath eyes as a flame of fire and whose feete are like fine brasse 19 J know thy workes and love and service and faith and patience and thy workes and thy last are more then the first 20 But I have a fewe things against thee that thou suffrest the woman Iezabell which saith shee is a Prophetisse to teach deceave my servants that they should coÌ„mit fornication eate of things which are offred to Idols 21 And I gave her time to repent of her fornication but she bath not repented 22 Behold I will cast her into a bead them that committe adultery with her into very great affliction unlesse they repent of their workes 23 And I will kill her children with death and all the Churches shall know that I am the searcher of the reines and of hearts I will give to every one of you according to your workes 24 And to you I say and the rest of the Thyatirians whosoever hold not this doctrine who have not known the deepnesses of Sathan as they say I will lay no other burden upon you 25 Yet that which you have keepe till I shall come 26 For if any shall overcome observe my workes unto the end I will give him power over nations 27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron they shall be broken in pieces as earthen vessels as I also have received of my father 28 And I will give him the morning starre 29 Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith to the Churches The Resolution HITHERTO in comon that which perteineth to all the seaveÌ„ Churchches that which is proper to every one foloweth an Epistle being inscribed to every one severally In every one of which there is an InscriptioÌ„ Narration and Conclusion The three first are of the Church falling into a worse estate of Ephesus Smyrna and Pergamum The other fower are of the same returning and so as the three next are opposed to the three first are answerable one to the other the Thyatiren to the Ephesine the Sardinen to the Smyrnen the Philadelphen to the Pergamen Onely Laodicaea hath noe equall wherto she may be compared As touching the Ephesine which holdeth the first place the Inscription is by name to the Angell describing also him that gave the Epistle That he holdeth the seaven starres in his right hand and walketh amids the candlestickes ver 1. The Narration partly respected praise commending their labour patience discipline ver 2. then their unwearied desire ver 3. partly reprehensioÌ„ which sheweth their sinne their first love left ver 4. the remedie which first he propoundeth teaching in what thing it consisteth in a care of their first workes afterward he inciteth them to use it partly by a denuntiation of removing the candlesticke unlesse it be done in time vers 5. partly by a rehearsall of the cause for which they had bin spared hitherto ver 6. The conclusion is both epiphonematicall requiring attention and also remunerant where the reward is the power to eate of the tree of life ver 7. The other Analyses shall follow every one in his place Scholions Languishing Ephesus TO the Angell Every one of the Epistles are inscribed to the Pastours not that they shoul have them privately to themselves but that they should communicate them with the rest of the Church as hath bin said before ch 1.11 Sende to the seaven Churches which are in Asia to Ephesus Smyrna c. and in the end of every one let him heare what the spirit saith not to the Angell alone but to the Churches But they are sent to him by name partly because he is the dispensatour of doctrine exhortatioÌ„ reproofe c.
heaven not so called properly for what hath the Dragon that is the Devill to doe in the heavenly pallace from whēce he is banished for ever but in the heaven which is in earth But this Dragon is not onely the Devill in his owne proper person but also men being the Ministers of his furie especially the Romane Emperours whom from that time in which Iohn wrote persecuted most grievously Christ in his members as Traiane Hadrian Antoninus Pius and Verus Commodus Severus Decius and at lēgth Diocletianus open enemies who make a professed warre are called in this booke Dragons of which sort is at this day the Turke Others who in name are Christians but fight against the truth secretly and by indirect subtilities are called Beasts which doe prey upon men onely for to satisfy their hunger whereas the Dragons forced by noe want of meat are carried to our destruction because of that hatred which is betweene man kinde and them This Dragon was once in heaven as long as the open enemies held the Empire of the world exercising dominion over men named Christiās which wer dispersed through all places of their Empire He is called Great being the highest Prince on earth and red being most furious against Christians wholly red with their blood The seaven heads are seaven hilles and seaven Kinges after chap. 17.9.10 unto which place wee deferre the more full handling of these thinges In the meane time for this matter which is in hand it shal be sufficient to understand that by this circunstāce of wordes the city is noted where he should place the seate of the Empire to wit Rome famous for the seaven hilles and Kings For the Beast receaved the Throne from the Dragon chap 13.2 Therefore if her seat shal be at Rome so shal be his The tenne hornes are so many Kinges or Provinces governed of Pretors like to Kings So Strabo declareth it in the last wordes of his last booke of Geographic That Augustus Cesar devided the whole Romane Empire into two partes the troublous and warlike Provinces of which he tooke to himselfe the other peaceable and quiet ones he gave to the people Who devided theirs in ten Pretories the exterior Spaine and her Ilands The interiour containing Baetica now called Granata and the countrey of Narbon in France even unto Alencem Sardinia with Corsica Sicilia Illyricum Epyrus being adioyned Macedonia Achaia even unto Thessalia Aetolia and Acarninia and certaine nations of Epirus to the borders of Macedonia Creta with Cyrenaica Cyprus Bithynia with Propontide and certaine parts of Pontus Suetonius also maketh mention of the like disposing of the Provinces but telleth not the number to Aug. in chap. 47. Moreover the same Strabo reporteth that Dicharchies doe and alwaies have belonged to the Emperours portion For Cesar held the rest distinguished also in tenne Prouinces to wit Afrike France Britannie Germany Dacie Mysie Thracie Cappadocie Armenie Syrie Palestine Judea and Aegypte And this is the same thing which Cyprian writeth to Successus that Valerianus wrote an answer to the Senate that all belonging to the Emperour whoso ever had confessed before or shall now confesse should be seised upon and bound shoulb be sent enrolled into the Emperours possessions that is into those farre countries which wee spake of belonging to the Romane Empire Therefore whither wee respect the countryes which the Emperour held in his owne possession or those which he yeelded to the people they were the tenne hornes the power and strength of the Dragon in which all his might consisted Yet the number remained alwaies the same but was altered according to the present occasion But it was sufficient for the Spirit to describe the enemy by any certen marke then which there is none more cleare then the largenesse of this dominion and this so notable a decree of the Provinces devided But he beareth the crownes on his heads not on his hornes because the supreme maiesty did abide at Rome to which all the rest of the Provinces submitted their dignities 4 Whose taile drewe Considering that the Dragon is of such a disposition how doth he carry himselfe towards the Church Two effects of him are rehearsed one upon the Starres the other against the woman As touching them he shall cast downe many from the heavenly profession by sharpe persecutions who ought to have shewed light to others For this is to cast the starres of heaven to the earth see Euseb booke 6. chap. 41. See also before in chap. 6.13 ¶ But the Dragon stood before the woman He watched her diligently that noe maintainer of the Christian religion should be borne He rolled every stone for to cut of this hope Add certenly assoone as Maximinus the Dragon sawe Alexander of Mammea to be somewhat favourable to Christiās so as he was thought to have ben instructed in their ordinances he forthwith devoured him Decius also the Dragon did swalowe downe the Philips both the Father and the Sonne he himselfe shortly after being swalowed up in a marsh But the thing is made manifest most clearely in Cōstantine at whome chiefly the Spirit pointed the finger Diocletianus Galerius with whom hee lived being a yong man in the East perceaving his singular towardnes and vertue left nothing untried that they might kill him privily So Eusebius writeth upon his life in his first booke Pomponius Laetus reporteth that he was sent with an army against the people of Sarmatia most fierce nations and accustomed to murders from whom when contrary to the opinion of Galerius he brought backe not death but the victory by the persuasion of the same man under a colour of exercising his valour he fought on the Theatre with a Lion For Galerius sought to destroy the unwarie yōg man as of olde Euristheus did Hercules Neither was ther here an ende of the treacheries Maximian Herculius that red Dragon devoured him almost afterward by snares set to intrappe him But he which laide a snare for an other through the iust iudgement of God perished himselfe in the snare Constantine escaped many other privie assaults not by humane wisdome but by divine revelation from God as Eusebius writeth upon Constantines life in his first booke For the Dragon knewe that it concerned him much that no such a one should arise whēce it is no marveile if he did labour so greatly to devoure this childe assonne as it should be borne 5 And shee brought forth a male childe The event of the persecution at length the Church howsoever the Dragon strove against her with all his might bringeth forth a male and strong defender by instructing Constantine the Great in the Christian faith For he was that male childe who first of all the Romane Emperours tooke upon him the defence of the trueth Wee have made mention of the Philippes both Father and Sonne which were both Christians Although if wee must beleeve Pomponius Laetus fainedly and not truly but onely that they might cover their wickednesses with a honest
hearers sterility of godlines and a gnawing of their bowels then a quenching of their thirst or yeelding of any other fruict The Devill being berest of power to hurt the Saincts did nowe vexe these with all manner of stormes as we have read that it came to passe in the East under Constantine Constantius Valens Iulianus and the rest In part wee have already shewed before what sturres the Devill made among the BISHOPS But it belongeth not to my purpose to prosecute the thing more at large Let him which pleaseth looke into the History and he shall behold wonderfull Tragedies Surely noe Godly man can without great griefe runne over those contentions discords reproches false accusations wherewith they raged one against another Neither doe I doubt but whosoever shall reade their actions will freely confesse these men to have ben moved by the furies of hell they troubled and confounded all things with so mad affection But these were but flea bitings in comparison of the calamities of the West I let passe the civill warres of Constantine and Constans brethren of the new risen tyraÌ„ts Magnetius and Vetranior and others such light evils how great desolation I pray you came from the Barbarians Goths Vandals and the rest of the uncleane persons and at length from the LoÌ„gobards All countries were spoiled in a miserable manner and Italy once the Ladie of countries above the rest With how lamentable songs did Gregorie the great and other writers bewaile the calamities of those times The plague of the Saracens succeeded this which troubled the world with most grievous afflictions for many ages To which if any shall ioyne the monsters of superstitions and errours which followed afterward swarmes of religious men apparitions of Spirits and familiar communing with Devils lying signes monstrous miracles many other things of that kinde it shall not peradventure be hard to define who are those inhabitans of the earth and sea against whom the Devill in this his banishement raged so furiously Especially if any shall cast his eyes upoÌ„ Rome and shall see that the most high Popes who doe boast theÌ„selves to be Christs Vicars all from Sylvester the second to Gregory the seventh about sixteene in number were most wicked Magitians But we have spokeÌ„ sufficiently of this perturbatioÌ„ of things which the Devill brought in being expelled from heaven in chap. 8. and 9. This short denuntiation of calamities is that Prophecy of the trumpets Moreover also that is to be declared more at large in those things which follow in this chapter which is here touched but in a word ¶ As who knoweth that he hath but a little time The Greeke worde signifyeth often fitnes of time which peradventure may better serve to the purpose in this place for there was yet much time which at length after a thousand yeeres should be small chap. 20.3 a short time Where the Spirit seemeth purposely to have used a word for difference sake which noteth more properly a distance of time But the Devill had now but a small oportunity being thrust downe into that prison which before time belonged to his dominion Envy rather delighteth to poure out her poison upon the Saincts then for noe necessity to tormeÌ„t men who are already inough addicted and made subiect to him he would spare this labour gladly and would make triall of it rather in them whoÌ„ he is grieved to have beÌ„ pulled out of his iawes Furthermore the word knowing may be an argument to prove this thing the future moments of times are without doubt hidden from the Devill Especially the last day of all which also the Sonne knewe not But he could not but knowe his present oportunitie This therefore seemeth to be the cause of his fury that being cast out of heaven now he must needes bring forth his rage against his owne citizens when he desired rather to hurt the elect whom he could not touch being driven out from their company which large field of his furie being taken from him he thought that which remained to be but small 13 When therefore the Dragon saw that he was throwne Hitherto the things done in heaven where the sixt seale endeth Nowe follow the subtill workings of the Dragon cast forth into the earth belonging to the same time of the trumpet And first he beginneth a persecution against the woman which brought forth the male childe Which persecution taketh place when the one part sufferreth violence and wrong and is not able to defend it selfe against the iniustice of the enemy But what like thing was to be feared of the woman seing the Devill was now throwne from heaven Can there come any evill from the earth belowe unto heaven But this heaven is not separated from the earth by the distance of places but by the holines of faith maÌ„ners Yâ—t neverthelesse from whence sufferreth she persecution as it were destitute of a defender who lately brought forth a man childe and had Michaell for her most puissant maintainer Surely from hence because the Emperours chiefe care was to expell the open enemies which thing at length having attained they cared not much for other things neither considered they at least so diligently as was meete that the Dragon had many other wayes to hurt which they unawares made more easy by their meanes so farre of was it that they set themselves valiantly against his enterprises From hence therefore the Dragon first sowed privie bitternes of mindes among the Bishops which having sprung up togither with Constantine before the trumpets began to sounde caused a sorowfull perceiving of the future trouble as we have noted at the eight chapter ver 2. For this sparcle grewe in short time to a flame but most of all after they began to contende about the essence of the Sonne In all which debates the trueth was alwayes in worse case But the rage of persecution waxed most fierce when Constance Julian Valens exercised tyranny against the Orthodoxe in an hostile manner Certes Constance Valens differreth nothing from the most cruell tyraÌ„ts except in name onely They were counted Christian Princes but under that name they carryed the cruelty af the Ethnicks Therefore the Dragon graunted noe truce but being expelled from heaven vexed the woman foorthwith by other meanes This persecution is that which wee spake of in the exposition of the first second third trumpet in chap. 8. But see how profitable this repetition is which giveth knowledge of an other coÌ„ioyned cause of those truÌ„pets There we learned that they in the iust iudgement of God were inflicted upon the world because it embraced not the truth with that faith holines and love that was meete and therefore the coales of the altar thrown into the earth raised up that burning flame from hence wee are taught what was the instrument to wit the Dragon himselfe who did cast men headlong into that madnes that by their meanes hee might scourge the woman 14 But to the woman were