of all the seuen Monarchies vnto whom from the beginning of time to the end thereof was giuen and granted the charter and commission of blaspheming God corrupting his world as in the thirteenth Chapter following is more particularly discouered the Apostle addeth hauing seuen heads And in regard his power did beate down the power of all nations and made spoile and purchase of all kings kingdomes on earth the Spirit saith he had ten hornes for the hornes signifie kings and kingdomes and the number of ten include all be they neuer so many as all numbers are made of ten and their reduplication be they neuer so infinite And because he came to aduance his head so high by the power of his sword his Leaders and legions the Spirit crowneth his heads with magnificence and diadems saying And on his heads seuen diadems Verse 5. And his taile drew the third part of the starres of heauen and cast them to the earth And the Dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be deliuered that when she had brought forth he might deuoure her sonne THe head of this great red Dragon was his Regall first estate gouerned by Romulus six other successiue kingcoates which Seneca calleth his infancie or nonage wherein he liued swathed and nourished in blood 244 yeares as his owne Historian reporteth The bodie of this great red Dragon was his Consuls second estate which Seneca calleth his full age part Aristocraticall part Democraticall and was therefore stiled Senatus populusque Romanus from whence partly by reason of his ouerweight and fulsome abundance as one of his owne noteth Romana laxitas mundi rerum amplitudo damno fuit and partly for want of enemies abroad to wreake their proud and kingly humours on he fell into the intestine euill of ciuill warres at home which did cast him into his minoritie and wardship again And this his last estate of regiment Imperiall the holy Ghost here calleth his taile which consisteth of a rout of Monarchs seuentie Keysars long who for that they so furiously persecuted and hauocked the blood of the chiefest Saints and seruants of God the Spirit saith that with his cursed taile he drew the third part of the starres of heauen and cast them to the earth And not contented with the slaughter of his fairest lights and starres of his Church proceeded to desolate the whole hoast of heauen euen all the seed of the Spouse named before the Churches child and here her sonne meaning those in whom by the ministery of his fairest starres his seruants the Apostles Christ was now formed and of whom the Church was now ready to be deliuered for so much the Apostle vnfoldeth in these words And the Dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be deliuered that when she should bring forth he might deuoure her sonne Verse 6. But she brought forth a man child who was to gouerne all nations in an iron rod and her son was taken vp to God and to his throne BVt notwithstanding all their furie the Church brought forth her first fruit which for their faith charitie labour and patience the Spirit nameth a man child and because they followed the Lord in the regeneration and ouercame by keeping his words and works vnto the end they receiued the selfe same honour which to their Lord alone and in chiefe belongeth namely that they shall iudge the Tribes of Israel and haue dominion ouer the nations and shall rule them with a rod of iron and breake their glorie like a potters vessell as the Lord hath promised Math. 19. and Apoc. 2. And in remembrance of the tender care and prouidence of God ouer the seed and first fruit of his Church the Spirit concludeth that when they had ended their course they were taken vp to God and to his throne far from the reach and rage of their enemies Verse 7. And the Woman fled into the wildernesse where she had a place prepared of God that there they might feed her a thousand two hundred and sixtie dayes BVt the Church of God here named the woman mother of this faire and primitiue fruit being no longer able to weather out her stormes was enforced to hide her beautie and to retire her selfe into the secret chambers of Gods prouidence and her owne conscience and to take vp her lodging in the desart not that her light was vtterly extinguished as her enemies reproch her for although she were dispersed distressed and enforced to hide her extraordinary and eminent graces yet the beautie of her true repentance and of her liuely faith seconded with a charitable life and patient expectation of better things to come still shined as a candle in a darke place and like a ship preserued in a tempest she remained stil the same of whom the world was not worthy neuer wanting the louing protection of her dearest Lord who in all her troubles was mindfull of her as of Elias his seruant or Israel his first borne carefull to prouide her both of honorable harbour and princely diet Her resting place was restlesse strewed and scattered far and neare ouer the face of the earth for such a lodging did best beseeme her broken and restlesse heart which soiourned in earth but dwelt in heauen and did also best defend her person from the furious inquisitions of her enemies Neither was her Lord lesse louing and prouident concerning her food for he preserued for her diet the two witnesses of his eternall Couenant that from their breast she might sucke the pure and wholesome milke of grace and life that so she might be both nobly harboured and princely fed during the tedious and odious reigne of the great Whore the Church of Rome who during her exile should vsurpe her Chaire and vnder the vizard of her name should persecute her name and generation a thousand two hundred and sixtie yeares here as before mystically deciphered vnder a thousand two hundred and sixtie dayes Verse 8. And there was waged a battell in heauen Michael and his Angels fought with the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels ANd at the same time that the Temple of God was opened in heauen the Apostle also foresaw that great and bloody contention then which since the dayes of heauen was neuer waged greater great in regard of the armies and great in respect of the cause The armies great as well for the greatnesse of the Generals as for the valour and number of their forces The Generall on the one side was the power of God sciphered by Michael the Prince of the Couenant who stood for the children and people of the Highest The Generall on the other side was the power of Satan figured by Ethnicke Rome here as before called the Dragon In their forces are to be considered the Leaders and the souldiers The Leaders and the Captains on the part of Michael were Diuus Petrus Diuus Paulus Diâ—â—â— Iohannes and the rest of that diuine and noble order of Saints
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
memory as that they shall neuer be discharged or forgotten the Spirit inferreth saying who accused them before the sight of our God day night Verse 12. And they ouercame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimonie and they loued not their liues euen vnto the death LAst of all the holy Ghost discouereth the spirituall armour and weapons wherewith the Angels and seruants of Michael obtained this famous victory ouer the Dragon and his sectaries and saith that they were tempered of these two diuine vertues faith and patience For by the shield of faith which the Spirit by a metonymie calleth the blood of the Lamb and with the sword of his two witnesses and by the word of their testimonie they ouerthrew all forces and arguments drawn from reason or reading which the Spirit obserueth in these words And they ouercame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimonie and all such arguments as were drawne from the blocke as fire sword persecution interdiction and such like the children of the Church quenched them with teares prayers patience and martyrdome as their Lord had giuen them charge and left them example which the Spirit vncouereth in saying And they loued not their liues euen vnto the death Verse 13. Therefore reioyce O heauens and you that dwell in them Woe to the earth and to the sea because the diuell is descended to you hauing great wrath knowing that he hath but a little time AS after victory followeth diuision of spoile so the Spirit shuts vp this heauenly conquest with triumph and ioy inuiting thereunto all the Saints and seruants of God which haue from time to time maintained and defended the honour of his name against the Dragon his sorcerers and sorceries And because by their good profession and godly conuersation they testified the glorie of God as doe the heauens by their obedient conuersions the Spirit crowneth them with the name of the heauens saying Therefore reioyce O heauens and you that dwell in them And on the other part pronounceth woe first to all nations and kingdomes accessary to these spirituall whoredomes of the Dragon whom according to their earthly mind he most aptly resembleth to the earth next to the Empire it selfe as the scelerum caput and stable of iniquitie whom for his fearfull power and vnbridled rage the Spirit most elegantly calleth by the name of the Ocean and the sea and concludeth his woe with a reason why because both in one and other the power of Satan had taken such deepe roote that the more the light of the truth did bewray their madnesse the more they stroue and stormed against it and so much the rather because their sinne was now at the highest and that the kingdome of Christ did gather so fast vpon them that of necessity a mutation of their fortunes must needs follow with a subuersion not onely of their Paganisme but also of their power Cesaricall which the Spirit closely foldeth vp in these words Knowing that he hath but a little time which one Apostle also obserueth 2. Thess 2. Verse 14. And when the Dragon saw that he was throwne to the earth he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man child ANd when the raging Romane Empire saw that his maintenance of Iupiter and his idol art of making shrines was to descend for euer as among many voices some euen to this day are heard to crie vengeance vpon his idols inforcing them with shame to resigne their vsurped titles of gods and claime of heauen to the true Lord and owner thereof he took the course of the wicked whose custome is as one of their owne noteth malitia alia aliam trudere and to adde sin to sin as a holy one saith to quench his Deut. 29. thirst with drunkennesse for so proceeded this Beast adding to his blindnesse boldnesse redeeming his blasphemie with rage and persecution and was so far from coming to himselfe and taking vp repentance to wash away his crying sinnes that as the Spirit concludeth he more and more pursued the Church persecuted the woman which brought forth her first borne and primitiue fruit here called for their faith their patience and their godly valour the man child Verse 15. And there was giuen vnto the woman two wings of the great Eagle that she might flie into the desart vnto her place where she was nourished for a time and times and halfe a time from the face of the Serpent BVt the Lord who had so dearly bought his Shunamite was no lesse carefull to preserue and carry her to the place of her rest with a strong and out-stretched prouidence euen vpon his owne two wings whose feathers were made of the truth of his promse sealed and deliuered by the hand of his two witnesses which the Bridegroom of purpose left with his Spouse to accompanie and guide her whensoeuer she remoueth If she trauell by day they are her leading cloud if by night they are her pillar of fire if she flie they lend her wings if she wander they harbour her if she be naked they couer her if in prison they visit her if captiue they redeem her if she be weake they sustaine her if blind they leade her if she be heauie they comfort her if sicke they recouer her if she doubt they resolue her if she erre they direct her if she thirst they giue her to drinke and if she hunger they feed her and make her so strong of constitution that afflictions are reioycings to her banishment a hauen dispersion a friend losse and death aduantage And by these comforts as by hands they conuey her to her solitude and restlesse place of rest as the Spirit discouereth saying But there were giuen to the woman two wings of the great Eagle that she might flie into the desart vnto her resting place where euer since her primitiue dispersion she hath liued strewed and scattered far and neare ouer the face of the earth seene and knowne of her Lord by whom she is protected and of the children of wisedome of whom she is iustified and so doth and must remaine hidden and retired into the priuie chambers of Gods prouidence and her owne conscience during the reigne of Antichrist whose curst and arrogant supremacy was to rise out of the ashes of the Dragons Emperioritie as the holy Ghost prophecied And thus hiding her eminent primitiue graces must closely and silently keep the Lords watch and stand vpon her honorable guard three propheticall yeares and a halfe here as in Daniel determined by a time and times and half a time from the reach and rage of the Serpent his taile and successors Verse 16. And the Serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as it were a flood that he might make her to be carried away with the flood ANd when the Dragons traine of Cesars who for their malice to the truth and seducing the nations are here called by
the name of the ancient enemy and seducer of mankind the Serpent saw that they could no longer hauocke the Church of God by reason of her close sight and secret dispersion they deuised to pursue her with their bloody edicts and sacrilegious constitutions which they breathed out against her in such raging and furious maner as the Spirit therefore resembleth the violence of their barbarous inquisitions and vnprincely rescripts vnto the vnmercifull rage and current of a flood hoping that as by their vnplacable furie they had dispersed and driuen the Spouse to corners so by the due execution of their cruell promulgations they might vtterly consume her generation and blot out all letters of her honorable name for to that white onely they aimed as the Spirit concludeth That he might make her to be caried away of the flood Verse 17. And the earth holp the Woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp the flood which the Dragon cast out of his mouth BVt in reliefe of the Churches pressures and persecutions her Lord gaue charge vnto his handmaide the earth to comfort help and succour her his Spouse and as Moab was charged to hide the chased Israel of God and not bewray him that was fled and escaped but to dwell with him and to giue him couert and protection from the face of the destroyer so here the earth was commanded to reach forth her helping hand and to take in and harbour the Lords exiles in the seret chambers of her desarts mountaines and caues that so she might either affoord her close and quiet saueguard or in witnesse of her faith and proofe of her patience receiue the blood which her cursed brethren spilt which courtesie and tender fauour the Spirit remembreth to the perpetuall praise of the benefactors of the Spouse saying But the earth holp the Woman and opened her mouth and swallowed vp the flood which the Dragon cast out of his mouth Verse 18. And the Dragon was wroth against the Woman and went to make battell with the remnant of her seed which keepe the commandements of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ ANd notwithstanding the Dragon by his taile of Cesars had thus massacred and dispersed the Church yet was he not so satisfied but for very rage fell into a melancholy mood for cause he could not quite consume and roote her honour out as the Spirit discloseth saying And the Dragon was wroth against the Woman And forasmuch as the Churches beautie did most shine in the East Syria Greece Asia where she was borne and bred the Dragon thought it his best in policie which euermore with him was held for chiefest religion to itch and set forward his den and hold his Court further East which purpose of his as close as it was the holy Ghost discouereth in saying And he went and noteth the true end wherefore he went not so much to barricade and stop the floate and incursion of the barbarous enemie as he forsooth pretended as to pursue and consume the dispersed remainder of the Spouse as the Spirit vnfoldeth saying to make battell with the remnant of her seed who for that they were iust of the making and growth of the Churches first and primitiue fruite holding the mysterie of faith in a good conscience as the first borne did the Spirit setteth them forth in the same liuely colours saying which keepe the commandements of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ Verse 19. And he stood vpon the sand of the sea ANd the Dragō remoued his throne and left his ancient seate and citie of Rome where he had now kept court almost a thousand yeares and went and pitched his throne anew in a hauen towne betweene Pontus Euxinus and Propontis in the East of Thracia anciently called Bysance and there erected the new citie of Rome and called it after his owne name Constantinople the citie of Constantine which translation of his residence and chaire of estate one of his owne also noteth Constantinus apud Thraces qua Bosphorus aequor Thracius Euxinis Aegaeū ingurgitat vndis constituit sedem Imperij CHAP. XIII The description of Antichrist and his deuotaries The description of his Cleargie and of his religion The Character of Antichrist The number of his dayes and the end of his reigne Verse 1. And I saw a Beast ascending from the sea hauing seuen heads and ten hornes and vpon his hornes ten diadems and vpon his heads names of blasphemie ANd presently vpon the remoue and translation of the Empire the Apostle espied that wicked one Antichrist man of sinne in saying And I saw who in regard of the tyrannous power and bloody vse of the vnbridled iurisdiction that should be giuen him he is here termed as in holy Scriptures other Monarchs are A Beast that is to say a kind of gouernment kingdome dominion or power exercised and acted by a succession of tyrannous bloody and beastly men And albeit his perfection in euill stood yet aloofe and was very farre off yong and tender as lying in swathing clouts yet the Apostle descrieth him as it were through a chinke in saying coming vp For after the translation of the Empire and that now Ethnicke Rome began to play the Christian he was welnigh a hundred yeares closely creeping and climing vp before he could aduance his cursed head and claime of supereminencie Concerning which ambitious puffe of vaine prioritie so faire and euident mention is made in the monuments of time that the incredible boldnesse of the aduersarie is no lesse maruellous then his incurable blindnesse that hath so long time stumbled at this stone and so often spurred vs by way of vaunting to shew them if we dare or can when this apostacie of Antichrist tooke her rise and first commencement which daring vaunt of theirs the holy Ghost tripping ouer as a thing which is or ought to be knowne vnto vs namely that the horne of Antichrist and his apostacie did then first sprout out when his Church first obtained at the Dragons hand prioritie of place suffrage and censure ouer all For as the tree puls vp the creeping ivie so the primacie of the Church of Rome pulled vp the aspiring supremacie of the Bishop thereof which Church preheminence and prelation after long ruffling and shouldring was first obtained at the hands of Honorius though afterwards vpon greater concertation and daggers drawing it was by other Cesars and Kings confirmed renewed and ampliated who by the aduantage of the weaknesse and death of his elder brother Arcadius hauing obtained power and protectorship East and West subiected the Church of the East Empire which most withstood the West and Romane supremacie with all other Churches whatsoeuer to the Church and Sea of Rome at the instant suit and importunitie of the now Bishop of Rome whose name was then Innocent the first in the first yeare of his creation and in the yeare of Redemption 406. But the holy Ghost I say passing ouer the
punctuall and exact moment of time when the egge of Antichrist and his Apostacie was first laid as otherwhere sufficiently preserued vnto vs proceedeth to detect the place where and from whence he should arise saying that he saw him lift vp his hardy head from the sea meaning by the sea as in the sixteenth of this prophecie the surging tumbling and raging Sea and Citie of Rome where also by a like loquution he calleth all kingdoms subiected to her by the name of riuers And that this Beast should thence arise and there and not elsewhere keep court and residence the Spirit proueth by an argument drawne from the shape and proportion of the Beast for he had the seuen heads and ten hornes of the Dragon meaning that he should sit vpon the Dragons hils and reigne in and ouer the Dragons citie and aray himselfe with the spoiles of the world and hold in subiection the Kings and States on earth as the Dragon did for so much the Spirit intendeth in saying hauing seuen heads and ten hornes And lest the vnwary Reader should mistake this great Antichrist for that great Dragon or this Beasts supremacie and his pestilent succession for that Beasts supereminencie and his execrable taile as many vnwarily haue done the holy Ghost in emblazoning his coate giueth him a most exquisite difference in saying that he wore his diadems not vpon his heads as the Dragon did but vpon his hornes signifying thereby that he should not come to his Crowne and vainglory by the strength of his sword his Leaders and his legions as the Dragon did but by the base and voluntary submission of all such Cesars Kings and Princes as should with one counsell and force deliuer vp their authoritie and power secular to the deuotion and pleasure of the Beast and therefore the Spirit crowneth not his heads but his horns saying and vpon his hornes ten diadems And concluding sheweth euen by his head attire how far vnlike this Dragons High-priest of Rome was and should be to the Lords High-priest of Ierusalem who in stead of hauing his head-attire emblemished with holinesse to the Lord as had his seruant Aaron should haue his head-peece beslubbered with names of blasphemie and vpon his heads names of blasphemie whereof proofe is made in the sixt verse following Verse 2. And the Beast which I saw was like to a Leopard and his feet as a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion and the Dragon gaue him his own force and his throne and great power ANd forasmuch as the Apostle foresaw that this Beast should be a far greater aduersarie and a far longer persecuter of the Church of God then any of the Monarchies which did arise afore him he shapeth him an outside answerable to his inward making framing his parts of the most notable persecuters that euer were as concluding him for his extraordinary wickednesse the odde fellow the totall summe and very accomplishment of all other And first for his presumption in extolling himselfe aboue the Prince of the Couenant defouling his sanctuary desolating his sacrifice burning his statutes and inforcing the humble and meeke to the abnegation of the truth by blood fire strappadoes and such like exquisite torments the Spirit resembleth him to his arch-type Antiochus descended from the Monarch of Greece here as in Daniel deciphered by a Leopard And I saw the Beast like a Leopard Secondly in pride of life in pomp and luxurie the Spirit equalleth him with the Monarch of Persia and likeneth his arrogant and voluptuous gate to her ten Kings here as in Daniel deciphered by a Beare And his feet as of a Beare Thirdly the holy Ghost ascribeth vnto him the proud prophane and cursed mouth of the Mornarch of Babylon in commanding the dwellers on earth vpon paine of fire and fornace to adore his golden idoll which he had dedicated with cornets sackbuts psalteries dulcimers which also the Spirit couereth as Daniel doth vnder the maske of a Lion And his mouth as the mouth of a Lion And last of all lest happily he should be least beholding vnto his Bella Nimpha his dearest Lady and mistris of Rome the holy Ghost saith that the loue of his Patronesse the Dragon was equal to the loue of a father towards his sonne for she made him heire apparent and Lord of her Empire subiecting all things to the feete of his censure and confirming vnto him her throne and pallace of Lateran with all the demefnes and glorie of Latium as one of his owne also noteth Latiumque relinquit Christo Romuleam septem cum collibus vrbem Verse 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were slaine to death but the wound of his death was cured and all the earth was in admiration after the Beast ANd presently after this great Antichrist was risen the Apostle foresaw such a wound giuen to one of his heads that the Beast was in eminent danger to be stricken downe againe and slaine in the very egge for so much the Spirit noteth in saying And I saw one of his heads as it were slaine to death For the better opening of which wouÌ„d we must not onely remember the Beast hath seuen heads but we must also step a little forward and craue the assistance of the seuenteenth Chapter concerning the interpetation of the seuen heads which saith that the seuen heads are seuen hils and they are also seuen kings discouering the true seate and situation of the citie of Rome where Antichrist should keep his court and residence by the seuen hils And by the seuen kings the seuen Monarchies which from the beginning of the world to this day haue successiuely risen and reigned ouer the earth of which seuen the Assyrian monarchie was the first and the Romane the sixt of both which and their pue-fâ—llowes is further reuealed in the seuenteenth Chapter following Meane time we are here to obserue that as the holy Ghost doth therefore call his seuen heads by the name of seuen hils because the seate of Antichrist should be there and not elsewhere placed and planted so he nameth them also seuen kings because the power of Antichrist should be an extraordinarie soueraigntie compounded of such spiritual and temporall claimes and iurisdictions as should be equiualent in presumption and prophanation to all the transgressions of the seuen monarchies which from the beginning hitherunto haue blasphemed God and corrupted his world This foundation layd doth shew that this deadly wound giuen to one of his heads which as after appeareth was the wound of a sword cannot be meant of any one of his heads after the first signification as they are hils but as they are kings and subiect to the sword and so by consequence intendeth that one of his Imperiall heads and namely his faire Adonis his minion lord and master of Rome of whom he had so lately receiued his breath and being was so deadly wounded as that the Beast himselfe thereby was in great danger of
extinctiō Thus hauing found the head let vs look vnto the wound that so we may the better discerne the great danger the Beast was in deliuered in these words as it were slaine to death This deadly wound was giuen and driuen home to the head by the sword and incursion of the West Gothes vnder the leading of Alaricus who in the nineteenth yeare of Cesar Honorius of whom the Beast some foure yeares before had receiued his life entred Italy and gaue such a deadly stroke vnto his powerfull pate that for very feare the Beast lockt himselfe vp in his den at Rauenna while the enemy ript vp the streetes of his Imperiall citie filling them with famine fire and sword which night of woe or rather beginning of her wofull night made an ancient friend of hers to bewaile and bind vp her deadly wounded head with an old Ballad after the tune of the burning of Troy Quis cladem illius noctis quis funera fando explicet Aut possit lachrimis aequare labores Vrbs antiqua ruit multos dominata per annos And hauing thus mortally wounded the head of the Beast in the yeare of saluation 410 and 1157 yeares after Romulus had raised her walls with his brothers blood proceeded to seize vpon the rest of his dignities hauocking and burning his chiefest honours Latium Campania Apulia Lucania Calabria where raging and deuising how to extermine the power of the Empire for euer and to spread his glorie ouer all was by sudden death blotted out leauing his purpose and his armie royall to his wiues brother Ataulphus who in like raging haste and fury returned to Rome with an obstinate intent and resolution to obliterate the ancient name of Rome for euer and to call her in honour of his people Gothia or after his owne name Ataulpha which counsell and purpose of his had it been effected sir Antichrist with all his primacies and supremacies had bid vs good night long ago and all his gainfull enterludes of fides vestra and ne deficiat fides tua and pasce oues and tibi dabo claues and quorum remiseritis with all his pestilent painted traine of succession had been dasht in repeating before euer they had come on stage But to the end this recouery might be the plague-sore of the earth his deadly wound was healed as the Spirit sath but the wound of his death was cured For by the pleasing prayers and subtill intercessions of the Emperours sister Placidia whose beautie and bodie was espoused to Ataulphus for such a time his furie was auerted and his designe dissolued and himselfe not only content at her amorous mediation to grant the citie of Rome pardon for her name but also to leaue her eclipsed and dying honour with all her Italy to her stupified Honorius who for feare was crept into his earth at Rauenna and taking his spouse Placidia with such dower as himselfe listed departed Italy and pitched his tabernacle in France then one of the chiefest prouinces of the West Empire And to this plaister the Spirit pointeth in saying but the wound of his death was cured And the holy Ghost foreseeing the greatnesse of the Beasts power to come which was yet but like vnto his sin and how that Satan his creator who had formed him after the image and perfection of his owne wickednesse should affoord him such letters commendatory to all the world which naturally loueth wicked inuentions that the primacie of his Church and supremacie of his person should ouerspread all and obtaine the praise of the earth concludeth of him in this maner And all the earth was in admiration of the Beast Verse 4 And they adored the Dragon which gaue power to the Beast and they adored the Beast saying Who is like vnto the Beast or who may warre with him ANd the children of misbeliefe ascribed to the Dragon inhibited honours decking his heathenish Christendome with names of holy and most holy titles due to God alone and they adored his execrable inuentions doctrines of diuels worshipping and diuifying his vncircumcised traine of Cesars who had granted vnto Antichrist such power incomparable and vncontrollable iurisdiction which the Spirit anatomiseth in these words And they adored the Dragon which gaue power to the Beast And as in euill there is no meane so these children of vnbeliefe went on and bestowed like titles and magnifications vpon this base and vile Antichrist who as the Prophet long ago foretold vs by Dan 8. policie should prosper and by peace destroy many and strike his adorers with such a spirituall drunkennesse that they should not onely hang their gold but their faith also vpon him and verily beleeue that this vile and despicable Antichrist Delegate to Romulus and Deputie to Cesar was Vicar to the Lamb and Successor to Peter And thus reioycing ouer the error of their owne fantasie should with Pigmalion admire and dote vpon the idoll of their owne caruing and falling downe should adore and crie with that drunken King Great art thou O Bel and in thee is no deceit which occasioneth the Spirit in detestation of their madnesse to disclose their shame saying And they adored the Beast and said Who is like vnto the Beast or who may warre with him Verse 5. And there was giuen to it a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was giuen to it to worke fortie two moneth ANd as the Dragon did bequeath vnto Antichrist his throne and his power in so large and ample maner that his priestly key was in cutting and killing so like the Dragons sword that he that is wise may easily perceiue one craftsman made them both so Satan the master and seducer of them both endowed his Antichrist with mouth and lips so like his owne that whoso heares him open may truly say quam similes habent labra lactucas like lips like lettice at which the Spirit pointeth in saying And there was giuen to it a mouth and proueth it by an argument drawne from the fruit of his lips speaking great things and blasphemies Whereof the Prophet Daniel Dan. 7. also inditeth him foretelling that he should open his execrable mouth and speake words against the most High of which presumptuous magniloquence the holy Ghost arraigneth him more particularly in the verse following And the Prophet also further reporteth that times and lawes and great power Dan. 7. should be giuen into his hand for a time and times and the diuiding of a time butting and bounding his tyrannous reigne and gouernment within the selfesame circle and period as here the Spirit doth by another like propheticall construction saying And power was giuen vnto it to work fortie two moneths Verse 6. And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemie against God to blaspheme his name and tabernacle and those which dwell in heauen IN discouering the blasphemous mouth of Antichrist the holy Ghost doth first and principally challenge him for presuming to lay hand vpon his diuine and 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
those onely that carry his signing fleshmark in their hands or hearts as beasts doe in their fells meaning such as vnder or aboue boord priuatly or in publique are obstinately resolutely deuoted to liue and die as the Beast commandeth which the Spirit vnfoldeth in saying but he that hath the character or are otherwise allied as it were by way of cognomination vnto Antichrist or his Church Catholique and are hereafter cleped Papists or Catholiques reuealed in these words or the name of the Beast or last of all are found to adore within the very verge or lists of his reigne and Empire Pontificial here butted and bounded within the circle and comprehension of these words or the number of his name of which more at large in the verse following Verse 18. Here is wisedome he that hath vnderstanding let him count the number of the Beast for it is the number of a man and his number is six hundred sixtie six THe holy Ghost intending to reueale in this verse the secret counsell and purpose of God concerning the period and finall end of Antichrist and his Church-dominion prepareth his Reader to attention by a little short preface intimating that it is the discouery of a mysterie and point of high vnderstanding saying here is wisedome wherein lest we should ouer-rashly iudge as many haue done the Spirt maketh choise of his auditors and addeth for a barre not he that will but he that can and hath vnderstanding let him audite and count the number of the Beast He that hath vnderstanding let him count the number of the Beast whom lâ—st we should imagine to be a spirit or other creature of strange shape as some haue vainly phantased the Spirit calleth him a man saying for it is the number of a man comprehending by a Synecdoche vnder the word man a successiue state and kingdome of men after the speaking and stile of the Prophets for so the Lord informed his seruant Moses to speake Let my sonne go Exod. 4. that is let my people of Israel depart and so in Daniel vnder the forme and Dan. 7. name of foure singular Beasts are designed foure seuerall Monarchies most of Dan. 8. them containing a long succession of many Monarchs The Ramme which thou sawest are the Kings of the Medes and Persians after which maner of speaking the Spirit speaketh also in this place and vnder the name of a man presenteth vnto vs the whole race and succession of men of sinne whose totall summe is one Antichrist the bounds and limits of whose dominion and tyrannie the holy Ghost impaleth within the circuit of a certaine sure prefixed period and determinate number of yeares saying and the number of him is six hundred sixtie six Wherein many as well ancient as late writers as in the rest they haue vainly imagined that Antichrist is one singular person which must sodainly start vp and after three ciuill yeares and a halfe depart again and that he must be by birth a Iew and of the Tribe of Dan when notwithstanding those cursed scatterbags haue neither Tribe nor shadow of Tribe left amongst them and that he must reigne in Ierusalem of which Citie and Temple there is not any one stone left vpon another and that he must kill Enoch and Elias who are to appeare about the Kalends of Greece with diuers other such legendary phantasies neuer meant nor sent from God so in this point also concerning the number of Antichrist they haue giuen vp an account so farre from the audite of truth as nothing can be more And as men that thought it worth the labour to find a knot in a rush so by a conceited framing and anagramming of letters they haue endeuoured to find out such a name as by characters might expresse the number 666 and withall might something square either with the name nature blasphemie or residence of the Bishops of Rome as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remiith Adonikam filius perditionis c. whereunto also may be added the coniectures of Iohn Wickliffâ— Iohn Bale Francis Iunius men otherwise of good and worthy memory in the Church of God as also the coniectures of others as worthy and honorable as they that haue referred the number of 666 to the time of Antichrists reuealing and yeare of rising when notwithstanding it is a strange voice and not known to the eares of the Scriptures for the word number to be vsed for the beginning and rising of any terme of time limited and predicted by the Prophets but onely for the end period and determination thereof But if it were lawfull to smile in so graue an inquisition amongst all phantasticall charmes and cabalisticall coniectures vpon this word number there is none more ridiculous then that which most pleaseth out Rhetoricall Rhemists who by a rare supputation of characters haue as roundly found out the Beasts number as the Sodomites did the doores of Lot in the name Luderus which in the Almain tongue is the name of Luther and although we are sure they cannot so much as thinke vpon the poore Frier Luther but for very feare they stinke all the world ouer yet this deuice so tickleth the Clergie of Antichrist that they pretend to laugh for ioy But as for their prefixed time of three naturall or ciuil yeares and a halfe which they allot to the reigne and rage of their Antichrist it doth so vneuenly square with Luther or Lutherans continuance that these miserable Serdonians are faine to eate their word and to endure the foolish world to laugh at them whiles as dying they faine would seeme to laugh at it But to leaue these cursed leaders of the cursed blind and returne againe to those that haue thought to calculate find out the mystery of Antichrists number 666 in a word we say they are deceiued and erre not knowing the power and construction of the Scripture For first by the word name deliuered in the former verse in these words or the number of his name is meant the very existence and person of the man of sinne by a proprietie of speech common to holy Scriptures as Acts 1. 15. Apoc. 3. 4. and 11. 13. where by an Hebraisme names signifie men and are conuerted with the parties and persons themselues as the name of God in holy Scripture is often taken for God himselfe and therefore as in the former verse the Scripture calleth it the number of his name so in this verse he calleth it the number of a man vnderstanding by a man as is afore said the total summe of that succession of beastly men which make and constitute the existence and person of one Antichrist and by the word number is meant the fatall end and finall determination of their reigne and gouernment for so the finger of God speaketh to Baltazar God hath numbred thy kingdome that is God hath ended and finished the dayes of thy kingdome so that the number of his name