Exod. â—â— â—â— expedition with great honour And what they must doe is committed vnto them For one of the d cap. 15.7 foure beasts or Cherubines which beareth vp the throne of God gaue vnto the seuen Angels seuen golden Phials or Censors full e Exod. 10.2 of the hot burning coles of the wrath of God which liueth for euermore as Alpha and Omega to whom is no variablenes nor changing And by their ministerie the temple the profession of the Gospell is as truly sanctified as was the f Exod. 40.34 35. tabernacle which Moses made or the g 1. King 8.10.11 temple which Salomon built when it was filled full of smoke of the glory of God and of his power which there was in Sacrament and Type but here is in deede and truth And as there Moses nor the Priests were able to enter into the tabernacle of the congregation because of the cloude so here the luster of the glory of God doth keepe men h cap. 19.8 N. B. that none can enter into the temple till the seuen plagues of the seuen Angels be fulfilled All things being thus prepared now followeth the effusion of those plagues In the prophecie whereof first is set downe the speciall vocation of these Angels to the effusion and then their powring of them out Their vocation is from the Church the godly which doe sincerely professe the Gospell newly restored and because of the manifold and grieuous persecutions they crie for and daily threaten vengeance vpon all their Antichristian foes For therefore it is said that that I Iohn and those of my spirit i cap. 16.1 heard a great voyce of such which suffered affliction and vnderstoode the word of God crying out of the temple where they worshipped God and saying to the seuen Angell which are the executioners of Gods wrath Goe your wayes and powre out the Phials of the wrath of God vpon such Antichristian enemies as labour to possesse the earth rather than heauen The particular plagues are seuen k cap. 16.2.3.4 8.10.18.17 First Sores secondly death by sea thirdly death by land or riuers fourthly heate of the sunne fifthly the obscuring of the throne and kingdome of the beast sixthly inuasion and slaughter by the kings of the easte seuenthly the declaration of the truth and proceeding accordingly by prayer destruction c. The manner of the opposition of the beast is a cap. 11.18 cap. 16.9.10 21. that the gentiles be angrie gnaw their tongues for sorrow blasphemies c. but cannot mend themselues The speciall plagues shall be shewed in their proper places when their execution beginneth to be accomplished The complement Anno 1492. Alexander the sixth b Guicciard lib. 1. entring his papacie c Jouius hist sui tem lib. 1. the world was quiet and not beaten with any tempests of warres Especially Italy enioyed the best peace that euer it did from the time of Augustus in any mans memorie d Crantz Met. lib. 12 1. p. 814 Diuers men were in great expectation what would bee the successe of things euen many that followed the Pope as e f 262. b. in Pio 3. Volateran c. But the godly foresaw the vengeance to come For besides others elsewhere g Guies 2. p. 82. Sauanorola a man continually exercised for many yeares in the publicke preaching of Gods word at these times when there was in Italy no other appearance in mans reason then of common tranquillitie would in his sermons prophecy of the comming of forreigne armies with so great astonishment of men that neither walles nor campes could withhould them from comming to heare him h Fox Mart. p. 706. He held and preached iustification by faith for the arke of the couenant is seene and also threatned Italy with the wrath and indignation of God and prophecied before vnto them that the land should be ouerthrowne for the pride and wickednesse of the people and for the vntruth and falshood of the Clergie which God would not leaue vnreuenged i Par. Vrsp 437 That Italy was to be purged with the whipes of God for the manifolde sinnes of the Princes both Ecclesiasticall and secular and so bid the Angels powre out f their Phials For besides the sinnes of other Princes the Pope Alexander the sixth was k Jouius lib. 2 a man of too high a witte and that alwaies craftily liberall was elected for his bribes when beaten men were put by For a Guicc 1. p. 4. he brought by the consent and knowledge of euery one partly for money and partly with promises of offices and dignities many voices of the Cardinals who reiecting the instruction of the Gospel were not ashamed to passe to him by sale an authoritie power to make Marchandise of the holy treasures b Volat. 22. But hee was cruellie vngratefull to the Cardinals that elected him Hee chiefely sought by the example of Innocent to aduance his bastards buâ— with farre greater honours He c Moris papatu p. 95. approued the order of the flewes in Paris which was instituted by a Minorit and d Guicc 3. 179 himself liued incestuouslie with Lucreca his bastard daughter who was likewise common to her two bastard brethren And as e Jouius lib. 1. he defiled the Papacie with diuerse corruptions so he greatly troubled the ciuill estate of the Italian affaires And here is powred out the first Phiall The first Phiall f cap. 16.2 The first Angell therfore according to the commination which came out of the Temple went forth and powred out his Phiall vpon the men that sought only the possession of the earth The effect whereof is there fell a * Deut. 28.35 â—aysome and a grieuous sore vpon the men which had the marke of the beast being as superstitious as any of the Gentiles and vpon them that worshipped his image the Pope the very image of the heathen ciuill Monarchie And here is no mention of the number of his name because these vpon whom the plague first fell were not souldiers to the vse of the Papacie but went to gaine the countries to their owne subiection The complement Charles the eighth g Iouius 1. p. 66 king of France made an expedition into Italie to get Naples At Asta in Italy Ludowick Sforee the regent of Millan met him bringing with him his wife and the choicest women of that countrie knowing the young King to be delighted with such There fell vpon him a vehement sicknes of sores and paines which not somely afflicted his face and armes After his sicknes recured he h 2 89. c. 94. 86. marcheth to Rome with great pompe vpon his vowe to visit the temples at Rome and to worship the altars of Peter and Paul for his health and felicitie and so hee hath the marke of the beast As also humbly to adore the Pope which being the image of the beast held the highest dignitie of pietie and
armes This interpretation seemeth to bee most to the purpose For the Cohortes of the Romane legion were e Geneb p. 5. 59 called Numeri So were the f Exempla Plinij orders of Tribunes and the Leaders of a legion g Geneb p. 656 were 666. Namely h Vegetius Polybius c. 600. Decurians 60. Centurians and six Tribunes Yea there is none of the propositions which can bee made by the connexion of this word Number to any part of the sentence where it is mentioned in this prophecie but it may bee iustified by this interpretation For example to bee a souldier for the Pope is a priuiledge to buy and sell and maketh him capable of the greatest grace the Church of Rome can giue It is the number of man It is i cap. 15.2 a number ouer which the victorie may be got And as to be of a legion was peculiar to such as fought for Rome so now these souldiers are for the Church of Rome Lastly as a Vegetius lib. 2. cap. 19 in a Roman legion were schooles which required learned and wittie souldiers for the condition of the whole legion their seruices and Militarie numbers c. or paiements were more diligently written in actes then any other affaires so in poperie Let him that hath wit count the Militarie number of the beast for the seruices done for the honour and aduauncement of that policie are most carefully written vp euen in their Legend or catalogue of saints where none els doth come be he neuer so good Thus is the beast now in his pride furnished with hornes like the Lambe accounted the Vicar of Christ. He spaketh like the Dragon for terror blasphemie and doctrine of diuels he exerciseth the power of the first beast before him playing the part of an Emperor before his face admirable for deceitfull signes and lying miracles done by sorcerie and the power of the diuell Now doth he publish decrees capitall lawes and hath all priueledges of earth Purgatorie and Heauen to bestowe at his pleasure How fearefull then must be his thundrings and how bloodie his warres The Lambe who hitherto as opportunitie serued l cap. 6.2 c. warred against his enemies by the word the sworde famine pestilence c. doth still continue the same kinde of oppositions when it seemes good He also continueth to m cap. 9.13 c vexe the remnant for idolatrie murther theft fornication c. as in former times He further had vexed this Antichristian beast taking possession of the people and soyle by ciuill Princes in whom a cap. 10.3 c. he roared as a Lion as also by his two b cap. 11.3 c witnesses But now as the diuell hath aduanced the malice and greatnes of this beast so the Lambe Christ Iesus doth declare himselfe more mightie in his oppositions The ciuill Princes doe labour to keepe their authoritie and possession doe bring to light the truth of that which the thunders haue spoken deliuer the booke of the word of God to such poore Preachers as doe make a conscience of the same and are ready to suffer for it In the prophecie of discouering the truth of that which the confused and tumultuous thunders haue spoken c cap. 10.4 are these things to be considered First a desire of those of the spirit of Saint Iohn to record them as they were as he saith I was about to write them plainely for euery man to vnderstand Secondly the impediment that hindred the cleare deliuerie which was that all wise men and godly as by a voyce from heauen aduised by reason of the perils of the times to seale vp those things which the seuen thunders haue spoken truely reporting them but couered ouer with parables c. as Prophets doe the visions which are not to be vnderstoode of all Hereupon it is that the histories of these later times doe deliuer the trueth yet in such sort as very fewe can picke it out by them the face of the storie looking one way and the trueth another way Thirdly the Lord Iesus in the person of this Angell presenting the ciuill Magistracie d cap. 10.5.6 sweareth not by Idols nor supposed saints as the idolatrous beast doth but by him that liueth for euer and created all things that the time should neuer more be so perilous as then but that in the dayes of the seuenth Angell that conuerteth Kings to the gospell the mysterie of God in bringing Antichrist into the world shall be finished when it shall be as lawfull for men to preach and write the plaine trueth as euer it was declared by the seruants of God the Prophets As concerning the deliuerie of the booke of Gods word to Preachers first it is said that all godly men perceiuing a better course to consume Antichrist by than to write his storie plaine doe as e cap. 10 8. a voyce from heauen bid those of the spirit of Saint Iohn to leaue the huge volumes of Legends decrees and decretals c. and goe and take the booke of the Scriptures which is open in the Angels hand presenting the Magistracie though it be shut to all others Hereupon godly men which suffered tribulation as Saint Iohn did in Patmos doe by humble petition craue f cap. 10.9 that the Angell standing as proprietarie vpon the sea and earth gouerning people and countries would giue them the little booke of the word of God This petition is graunted but in this manner The Princes bid the Preachers g Ibid. take the booke the Bible and so studie it that they seeme to eate it vp Howbeit such are the times as yet they forewarne that the word though sweete in their mouthes as honey shall be bitter as gall in their bellies h Ezech. 2.8 3.1.14 Ier. 4.19 as to other Prophets For the word is sweete to speake and heare but when the wickednes of the times will not imbrace it but like Lions Panthers Beares c. bloodily persecute it the Preachers haue iust i cap. 11.3 cause to mourne in their bowels The two witnesses haue the courts giuen vnto them by the Angell that is are acknowledged to be the true visible church In those daies the Church is visible in the persecuted and called to preach there by the ciuill Magistrate A holy and sufficient calling in the time of these confusions Neither is it required that they haue the Canonicall admission of the popish Antichristian beast Then is the publike face of Christian religion iustly esteemed the courts of the house of God for their presence there in persecution and not for the soueraigntie of the popish Gentiles The testimonie of these witnesses is giuen a cap. 14.4 c. by innocencie of life and by preaching of their innocencie first it is saide These are they that are not defiled with women by whoredomes adulteries c. As are those which folow the popish beast but do
of diuels and holde of all foule spirits and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird The reasons of this fearefull iudgement are first a cap. 18.3 because she made all nations to drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornications by diuerse interdictions execrations exactions tumults treasons rebellions murthers massacres c bringing greiuous calamities vpon such as refused to bee subiect vnto the idolatrie superstitions and other filthie constitutions of that policicie or citie Secondly because the kings of the earth haue committed fornication with her giuing their power to be executioners of her fornication which is the cause why the holy people depart from the vngodly commaundements of them both Thirdly because the Marchants of the earth are waxed rich of the abundance of such things which were gained by the marchandise of the word of God and of the kingdome of heauen c. which were sold of her pleasures as pleased her to bestow them For now were sold both Sacraments and Church and heauen They doe also abound in pleasures Now because of this abundant riches and fatnes of the great and princely Marchants followeth as a third argument of this riders confidence namely a publike proclamation to all sorts of greedy people to take away the liuings of the popish Clergie be they great or small And to this purpose b cap. 19.17.18 Saint Iohn saith I saw an Angel stand in the sunne that is openly in all mens fight who cryed with a loud voyce by preaching and teaching and saying it is lawfull to all the fowles that did flie by the middest of heauen euen all couetous hungrie and needy persons which were in estimation with Princes c. to gather themselues together vnto the supper of the great God which he had prepared by the hands of the popish prouiders and builders who had cooked their liuings for gentlemens mouthes c. That they may eate the flesh euen the fatte liuings of such as were aduanced in the world as Kings and the flesh of high captaines namely the Cardinals and Abbots c. who now became Generalles of warres c. Contrarily on the other side the deputies of the Dragon the diuel namely c cap. 19.19 the beast the popish policy and the Kings the tenne principalities which inhabited the two third parts of the earth formerly subiect to the Romane Empire and their hast of iudges inquisitors secular arme of familiars executioners and souldiers c. gathered themselues together to make warre against the word of God which sate vpon the horse and against his armie all those faithfull people which did stand for the authority and sense of the Scriptures The successe of this bloudie fight is begun in this chapter but finished afterwards and is that the lambe and they that are on his side though first a cap. 13.10 ouercome yet by patience in the ende doe ouercome the Kings that warre against him For the beast b cap. 19.20 which consisted of the Romane policie the Hierarchie with the Princes their aides was taken so conuicted by the equitie of the cause of innocentes that they were able but onlie to answere like a rauenous beast viz to gnashe vpon the saintes c. With the beast is also taken the false Prophet which deceaued the world with lying reuelations to wit the Friers Monkes Popes which gloried in this kinde of vanitie and all their subtile and scholasticall sophistrie profited not but was sifted and confuted so effectually as that they were not able to make it appeare to be the truth yea that false Prophet is taken which wrought false miracles and lying signes before the beast the Princes whereby he deceiued them that receiued the beasts marke his superstition and armes and deceiued them that worshiped his Image esteeming the Hierarchie as a God All their iugling is knowne and detested The meanes by which the false Prophet is taken is the c cap. 20.1 restraining the diuell the lying spirit in the mouth of wicked prophets and by the setting vp of true iustice according to the word of God In the prophecie of the diuels captiuitie first the person is shewed by whose ministrie it is done who is said to be d cap. 18.1 and 20.1 The Angel that came downe from heauen hauing great power to declare the power of almightie God Secondly are shewed the instruments which he vsed in this waightie worke first The key of the bottomlesse pit namely the true and faithfull opening of the doctrine of hell and damnation as it is set downe in the word of God farre different if not contrarie to the doctrine of hell and purgatorie c. as it is deliuered by Antichrist Secondly he hath a great chaine in his hand that is * Psal 149.8.9 the doctrine of the iudgements of God as it is written different from that which Antichrist doeth teach of binding and loosing Now by these two meanes the Lord togither working mightily a cap. 20.2 he apprehended the Dragon that is manifestly prooued that the superstition of the Gentils brought into the Christian Church by the Popes was abhominable This Dragon was the olde serpent euen the same that by his subtiltie b Gen. 3.1 c. beguiled Eue and now againe by lying signes and reuelations and by sophisticall schoole-learning deceiueth the world Hee is the Diuell and not the spirit of God in the mouthes of popish Prophets and Sathan an aduersarie alwaies an enemie to the good of mankinde especially to the Saints in their prophecie now reuiuing the persecutions which their ancestors the Gentiles and Arians vsed against the truth This wicked spirit of the Antichristian prophets is bound by restraint by the power of God and c cap. 20.3 cast into the bottomlesse pit all men assuring themselues that the spirit of popish prophets is the diuell of hell who now is shut vp and sealed that he should deceiue the people no more but that al the sleights of Antichrist should bee as manifest as was the madnesse of d 2. Tim. 3.8.9 Iannes and Iambres The iudgement also vpon the beast and the false prophet which are the whole bodie of Antichrist is that e cap. 19.20 they both were cast aliue into the lake of fire burning with brimstone not onely knowne to belong to hell but in the meane time seeing plagues like vnto those of Sodome For the Princes henceforth doe beginne to f cap. 17.16 hate the whore for her inuentions wil-worships and idolatries c. and make her desolate forsaking her and naked taking from her her costly ornaments and eate her flesh by taking away her large reuenewes and burne her with fire like Sodom in the end of her iudgements The time of which destruction appeareth by the computation of the raigne of Antichrist namely 1260. yeres from the time of Pelagius the angel of the bottomlesse pit to bee neere the yeare of Christ 1820. As touching the restoring
supper of the Lord vnder one or both kindes Podiebrachius who was next vnto the King was moued by a parasite why he liked not their religion of popery required by the example and authoritie of so many and great Princes rather then the Hussites He answered we doe those sacrifices which we beleeue are pleasing to God neither is it in our owne choyce to beleeue what we list The minde is ouercome with great reasons c. I am perswaded of my ministers religion If I follow thy religion I may perchance deceiue men contrary to my soule I cannot deceiue God which looketh into the hearts of men c. p Bucholcer Par. Vrsp 406. Calistus the third in his second yeere Mahomet with a 150,000 beseeged Belgrade Capistranus a Minorite Frier stoode to encourage the Souldiers But he vsed not any superstitions For crying out he said Iesus looke on vs be present with thy people that suffereth for thee where are thy mercies of old Come and defend thy people least they say among the Gentiles where is now their God c. The Christians got a rich and noble victory In memory whereof the Pope according to his wonted superstition foolishly instituted the feast of the transfiguration of Christ Hunniades who had been a noble victor ouer the Turkes after this his last battaile fell sicke but hee would not haue the Sacrament brought to him as the superstitious manner was but commaunded himselfe to be carried to the Church where after the confession of his sinnes he receiued the Eucharist c. Thus much of the two witnesses and the things which fell out vpon their death and resurrection Thus the remnant giueth to glory to God And now the q cap. 11.14 second woe to the inhabitants of the earth by the Turkes c. seemeth to be past But the third woe will come anon CHAP. XII Of the third a cap. 11.14 woe to the inhabitants of the earth by Kings conuerted to Christ WE are now come to speake of the third woe which shal be inflicted vpon the inhabitants of the earth namely such which doe rather desire to possesse the earth then to inherit heauen And this containeth the abolishing of the kingdome of Antichrist and the victorious reigne and triumph of the word of God That which is spoken hereof is comprehended in the doctrine which came abroad when b cap. 11.15 the seuenth Angell blew the trumpet The summe whereof is manifestly knowne and euidently spoken by all godly men as if there were great voyces in heauen expressing their assurance of the things that are to come to passe And the summe is this that certainelie it can not be but the kings will also be conuerted to the Gospell by whose onely and holy administrations The kingdomes of this world are to be our Lords and his Christs and he shall reigne for euermore Hereupon all godly magistrates and ministers called by the name of the c cap. 11.16 foure and twentie elders which make any consciecne of their places as those which sit before God on their seates First doe humble themselues euen falling on their faces and subiecting themselues to this kind of administration Secondly they doe also leaue the seruice of idols and men and in their places worship God both with praises and administration of iustice As for their praises they do in effect say d cap. 11.17 we giue thee thankes Lord God almightie which art and which wa st and which art to come euen the same God which art euerlasting for that taking the power out of the hands of mortall weake and mutable men who of long time haue trodden thy sanctuarie vnder foote thou hast receiued the entrance and possession of thy great might and hast obtained thy kingdome in due time to bee fully and alone administred by thee As for their sincere administration of iustice they shew that they so regard the faithfull profession of the Gospell that thereupon such which rather professed the vanitie of the Gentiles then Christ euen the Antichristian Papists were a cap. 11.18 angrie The cause of their anger is first that the time is come of the wrath of God to be inflicted vpon whosoeuer shall deserue it without respect of persons Secondly because they see that the time is come of the dead which haue been martyred for the witnes of Iesus that they should be iudged whether they died as innocents or not so that the proceedings against such come to be looked into and examined againe by iustice faithfully which they are angrie should be knowen Thirdly because that God hath raised vp Christian Kings that God by them should giue rewarde vnto his seruants the prophets which doe sincerely speake the truth from the Lord whereas Antichrist did tread them vnder foote Yea because the time was come that he by Princes should giue reward also to the Saints and to them that in deede doe feare his name to small and great whom Antichrist exposed to death and confiscation loading them with reproches c. Fourthly because the time is come that God by Princes should vtterly destroy them which destroy the earth be they Turkes or Papists The aduancement of the godly and destruction of the wicked according to the exact rule of iustice in the word of God being thus drifted by godly Gouernors those of the spirit of Saint Iohn b cap. 15.1 saw another great and marueilous signe in heauen the Church of God Namely that God hath prepared seuen Angels hauing the seuen last plagues which he would inflict vpon his enemies for not by men but by them euen by a diuine hand is now to be fulfilled the wrath of God Of these plagues we are to consider the place whence these Angels doe receiue them and the powring of them forth These plagues are deliuered vnto them in the temple which after the godly doe put on zeale and thankesgiuing is opened Concerning the zeale of the godly first is declared how the true doctrine of Christian baptisme is restored namely that Christians ought to be vndefiled and zealous in the cause of Christ For the lauer of regeneration is now figured a cap. 15.2 by a glassie sea mingled with fire godly Princes and people being baptised b Mat. 3.11 with the holy Ghost and fire whereas hitherto they were baptised vnto repentance with patience Here therefore stand the Boemians which had gotten the victorie ouer the beast the ciuell estate which beareth vp the whore of Babylon and of his image the Ecclesiasticall policie and his marke of superstitious ceremonies and of the number of his name his armies which he sent against them These I say stand constantly at the glassie sea mingled with fire continuing sincere and zealous professors being so farre from being ouercome that contrarily they haue the harpes of God to sing praises vnto their God for their deliuerance from Antichrist And they being deliuered from the kingdome of Antichrist which spiritually