Councels prouinciall and as the Dragon did diuifie his Cesars so must Antichrist canonize his Saints and as the Dragon enacted ciuill lawes so Antichrist must enact Canon lawes and as the Dragon had his Imperiall rescripts so Antichrist must haue his Decretall Epistles and as the Dragon had his Tribunitial intercessions so Antichrist must haue his vncontrollable interdictions and as the Dragon had and vsed his prescriptions so Antichrist must haue and vse his excommunications and as that Beast commanded his heathen to please their goddesse Iuno with cane vota libens so this Beast commanded Christians to please their God with vowes and as the Dragon had his Triceps Hecate so Antichrist must haue his triple tiara to signifie his triple pretended iurisdiction and as the Dragon had his Hexaphoron so must Antichrist be carried vp downe briefly as the Dragons priests did teach the heathen to worship Iupiter as God so Antichrists Clergie must teach their Christians to worship God as Iupiter and looke what forme of religion what maner of life the Dragon led the same must Antichrist in his person parallel maintaine And to the end we may vndoubtedly discerne what and of whose image the Apostle speaketh the Spirit remembreth now the third time his recured wound which here speaking more plainly out he calleth the stroke of a sword not that it was the onely stroke for many swords did pierce the Dragon as his had pierced many but the first stroke of a sword which from the beginning and rising of the Dragons Empire and regiment by Cesars did remeasure the fury of the sword vpon his owne head chaire of state as the Spirit noteth saying Which had the stroke of the sword and liueth Verse 15. And it was giuen to him to giue spirit to the image of the Beast and that the image of the Beast should speake and should make that whosoeuer honored not the image of the Beast be slaine ANd such art and perswasible power was giuen to those inchanters and apostates of Antichrist that they infused such a quickning spirit such a life giuing animation into the Ethnicke dead and desolate image of the Dragons religion by gilding it ouer with the reuerend diuine and honorable names of God omnipotent Christ Iesus the righteous his holy Spirit his precious blood his sacred word his blessed Sacraments c. that they easily perswaded the blear-eyd world to think and beleeue that the execrable forme and image of Iupiters abominatiō commanded by the Dragon and his Cesars was the very true worship and seruice of God commanded by the Lamb and his seruants and that the picture of Iupiter Olimpius which their Lord Epiphanes had set vp and placed in Sanctum sanctorum was the very Arke and propitiatory of God set vp and erected by Moses his seruant and their abominable mysticall Masse the sacrifice of an vnbloody Messias made of bread of their owne baking which their fathers the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles neuer heard nor dreamed of is a sacrifice not Eucharisticall but propitiatory and so allsufficient for the attonement and reconciliation of God vnto the sinner as if it were figured and sealed in the precious blood of the Lord of the couenant and that the horrible prophane and detestable supper of Thyestes is the very true holy and comfortable commemoration of the Lords loue in giuing his life for the children of the Church and their thankfull communion and celebration of the same And by these and such like inchantments these Proctors of Antichrist so baffled and blinded the Princes and Protectors of their synagogues that they inzealed them to authorize and erect inquisitions executions and torments against all such as refuse to honour and adore the idol-seruice and desolation of their Antiochus and that all such as doe but mutter against the magnificence of their Church and her worship which all the world adoreth should be accounted as infoelix Lolium weeds Lollards heretiques excommunicates and sonnes of death to the admirable confirmation of the Spirits prediction in this place saying that it was giuen to him to giue such spirit to the image of the Beast that the image of the Beast should speake and make that whosoeuer honored not the image of the Beast be slaine Verse 16. And he should make all little and great rich and poore free and bond to haue a character in their right hand or on their foreheads ANd the power of these prostibulous Clerks was so catholique and vniuersall that they caused all kingdomes and nations figured here by a numeration of their estates conditions and callings little great rich poore bond free to confederate and vnite themselues by a resolute and determinate purpose of beleeuing and liuing after the lawes and prescriptions of Antichrist which league of voluntary and resolute subiection the Spirit calleth the character of the Beast for as vnitie and loue in truth and a resolued purpose to liue after the commandements of God is the character and cognisance of the Lamb so vnitie conspiration and banding against the truth with resolution to liue after the traditions of Antichrist is the crest and character of the Beast Which profession of obedience was so studiously embraced and with such ioy receiued of all the clients and creatures of Antichrist that the Spirit saith they did no lesse pride themselues in their errors and abominations then in the wearing of their bracelets abillements deliuering it in manner of speech vsuall with holy Scripture when it intendeth to expresse an ardent and hearty affection approued both by word and action by practise and profession as Deut. 6. 8. and 11. 18. where the holy Ghost vseth the selfesame phrase in their right hand or on their foreheads Verse 17. And that no man may buy or sell but he that hath the Character or the name of the Beast or the number of his name ANd in further proof that Antichrist and his apostaticall Clergie should driue the naile of their impietie home to the very head the Spirit saith that by them and meanes of their authoritie it should be enacted that none should trade or liue for so much the inhibition of buying and selling doth inferre but such as acknowledge and adore the prerogatiue royall religion and discipline of the Beast and his holy Catholique Church for so by a figuratiue kind of blasphemie she must be called as is confirmed by Antichrist himselfe then named Martin the fift in his Bull directed to the Inquisitors of hereticall prauitie for so it pleaseth him to terme the profession of the truth nec domicilia habeant nec larem foueant nec contractus ineant nec negotiationes mercatur as exerceant nec humanitatis solatia cum Christi fidelibus habeant c. All which their dominering rage or madnesse the holy Ghost by way of prevision most admirably epitomizeth in these words And that no man may buy or sell no one excepted out of the King of Babylons decree saue
notwithstanding with the Prophets of God and therefore is called Propheticall as Ezekiel a day for a yeare and Daniels Ezek. 4. 6. Dan. 9. 24. seuentie weekes are weekes of yeares euery weeke containing seuen yeares as throughout this prophecie Also the months are months of yeares to euery month accounting thirtie yeares From whence we conclude Antichrists three yeares and a halfe both here and in Daniel deciphered by a time times and half a time to be yeares of yeares euery yeare containing twelue moneths of yeares which amount to 360 yeares and multiplied by three and a halfe do in the totall amount to 1260 yeares And to the end the world may take better notice of these his two testifiers and preseruers of truth the Lord commendeth the knowledge of the parties by the description of their garments in saying they are cloathed in sackcloth thereby not onely disseuering their testimonies from all the soft and courtly commentaries of flesh and blood which for the most are raised with infected matter and vested with affected stile but also teaching vs that no man can retaine to the Lord before whom they minister vnlesse he serue in the same liuery that they doe and can turne ouer the leaues of his life and pilgrimage in fasting and sackcloth and true repentance as these his seruants the Prophets and Saints haue done Verse 4. These are the two oliue branches and the two candlesticks which stand in the presence of the Lord of the earth ANd these my two Testaments are those two oliue trees saith the Lord described by my Prophet Zechary which stand and fructifie before the Ruler of the earth for euer and euer For their leafe that is to say their word and iudgements shall neither wither nor fade though heauen and earth should perish and melt away And they are also two candlesticks which carry in them the light of my truth and power of my Spirit the great moderator of heauen and earth Verse 5. And if any man will hurt them fire shall come forth of their mouth and deuoure their enemies and if any man shall hurt them so must he be slaine ANd if any man shal wrest their word from the aime intention of their meaning saith the Lord or turne their prophecie out of the way by peruerting or clipping the honour or purpose of their word the fire of my wrath denounced by the mouth of these my two testaments for though they be two yet they haue but one mouth shall surely iudge and execute those louers and makers of lies and for the more assurance of this sentence against them the Lord doth iterate the curse and vengeance of his heauy displeasure saying And if any man will hurt them so must he be slaine meaning I say by hurting all maner diminishing of the words of their testimonie by false blasphemous and lying expositions as some haue done Verse 6. These haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecie and they haue power ouer the waters to turne them into blood and to smite the earth with all maner of plagues so often as they will FOr the Lord hath touched the mouth of these his two Prophets as he did the mouth of Ieremie and the rest of his seruants of whom he saith Behold this day haue I set thee ouer nations and ouer kingdomes to plucke vp roote out destroy and throw downe build and plant and in another place Therefore haue I cut them downe by my Prophets and slaine them by the words of my mouth Such priuiledge the Lord hath giuen to these his two Testaments that if they once shut the heauens that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecie that is to say if they denounce a famine of the bread of life to wit the word and knowledge of God or pronounce a sword to come vpon a nation kingdom or people which the Lord here signifieth by turning waters into blood or if it pleaseth them to prophesie which the Lord here calleth to strike of any pestilence earthquake or other iudgement to come such power is giuen them that if they say the word it is done as it is written Heauen and earth shall perish but the words of their prophecie shall not passe till all be fulfilled Verse 7. And when they shall haue finished their testimonieâ— the Beast which ascendeth from the depth shall wage battell against them and kill them ANd when his seruants the Prophets and Apostles shal haue fulfilled their course and be translated from the land of their labours to the land of rest leauing to the world the inheritance as it were of their ministery sealed vp in the two Testaments of God to preserue the feare of his name and the knowledge of his pleasure among the sonnes of men which the holy Ghost calleth finishing their testimonie Antichrist the Beast whose proper place whence he is and whither he must is here described by the name of the depth shall not onely hurt and wound them by slanderous lying expositions as his Clerks and Assects do but shall set his feet vpon their necks and tread downe their diuine authoritie by the aduancing of his cursed keyes and the beautie of his whorish Church aboue them which the Spirit calleth waging battell inhibiting them to prophecie or teach the words of their testimonie vulgarly And not onely putting them to silence but also reprouing condemning them for corrupters seducers and sowers of heresies among the people which presumptuous blasphemie and murder the Spirit discouereth in saying that he shall ouercome them and kill them Verse 8. And their carkeises shall remaine in the streete of the great Citie which is spiritually called Sodome and Egypt where their Lord also was crucified ANd the letter or text of their testimonie which the Spirit calleth their corps or carkeises shall remaine in their houses Cels Temples hang at their girdles through all the cities and kingdomes where the Beast and his Church is adored which in regard of their number be here named the great Citie so in respect of their execrable worship and adulterous seruice contrary to God and his holy Citie they are here called also spiritually Sodome meaning that as Sodome her sister did forsake the lawfull vse and prescription of nature and wrought filthinesse against nature so these loathing truth and louing lyes should erect strange oblations and propitiations as contrary to the offerings and satisfactions of the Saints as was the sinne of Sodome opposite to nature And the Spirit further calleth them by the name of Egypt for that in blindnes and hardnes of heart they euery way match the presumptuous and indurate Egyptians still pursuing and persecuting the truth as Pharaoh did Israel till the God of Israel destroy them by the Spirit of his mouth as he did Pharaoh and his hoast by water And in further detestation of the cruel murder and immanitie of this Beast and his adherents the holy Ghost layeth the blood
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
the wals of Ierusalem and to restore the morning and the euening sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing as in the former time and in the dayes of old in saying And the rest were cast into a feare and gaue glorie to the God of heauen Verse 14. The second woe is gone and behold the third woe will come quickly THe first woe was the blasphemie of Arianisme which the holy Ghost in the ninth Chapter most aptly resembleth vnto a smoake ascending from the depth saying that the Sunne was darkened and the aire with the smoake of the pit meaby the Sunne the Sonne of God and by the aire the word of his truth by whose onely meane and interposition the obiect of his Deitie was truly discerned and in regard of this first woe which was kindled by Arius wherewith the inhabitants of the earth as the Spirit foretold vs should be tormented fiue moneths meaning moneths of yeares which by propheticall account amounteth to one hundred and fiftie yeares which was the time of the Arian persecution as in the Ecclesiasticall histories more plainly appeareth The holy Ghost I say in regard of this first woe calleth the tragicall reigne of Antichrist the second woe whose long time of tyrannie within this Chapter in a generall maner is declared and in the thirteenth Chapter following more particularly and exactly discouered though at the writing of this prophecie it had his being only in the foreknowledge of God and was not yet begun to be acted much lesse fully ended yet in respect it is here in a generall maner fully reuealed the Lord to whom all things past and to come are present saith the second woe is gone vpon determination whereof the third woe must ensue which for it surpasseth both the former in terror and greatnesse the holy Ghost bringeth it in with a word of audience Behold the third woe will come meaning the great and terrible day of the Lord fore denounced by his seruants the Prophets in the which all nations shall stand as prisoners before him and receiue euery one according to the wayes wherein their heart hath walked And because the day of the Lords coming in glorie and consummation of the world shall not long tarry after the determination and consumption of Antichrist as in the last verse of the thirteenth Chapter following shall be more fully declared the holy Ghost addeth the word quickly as a precise note of his speedie coming which our Lord also in another place confirmeth by a like word immediatly saying And immediatly after the tribulation of those dayes speaking of Math. 24. the tyrannous reigne of the selfe same Antichrist they shall see the Sonne of man coming in the clouds of the aire Verse 15. And the seuenth Angell sounded with a Trumpet and there were made loud voices in heauen saying The kingdomes of this world are made our Lords and his Christs and he shal reigne for euer and euer Amen THe vnderstanding of this verse dependeth vpon the eighth Chapter where it is said And when he had opened the seuenth seale there was made silence in heauen c. and I saw seuen Angels stand in the sight of God and there were giuen them seuen trumpets c. where the holy Ghost meaneth by the Lamb the Sonne of God and by opening the seuenth seale a more particular discouery of all such things as concerne the estate of his Church from his ascension to his comming in maiestie diuided into seuen acts declared by seuen trumpets sounded by seuen Angels of which acts the sixt was the pageant of the desolation of Antichrist the seuenth and last is the coming of the Lord in the clouds of heauen and consummation of the world vttered in these words And the seuenth Angell sounded with a trumpet and with a loud voice proclaimed the kingdome of this world so long time vsurped by Monarks and Antichrists which by right of Lordship and inheritance did euermore belong to the God of heauen and Prince of the Couenant shall now at length be restored to the right Lord and lawfull owner and of his reigne dominion and glorie there shall be no end as the Spirit concludeth saying And he shall reigne for euer and euer Amen Verse 16. And the foure and twenty Elders which sate on their seates in the sight of God fell on their faces and adoring God said We thank thee Lord God omnipotent which art which wast and which shall come because thou hast receiued thy great power and brightnesse BY the foure and twenty Elders is meant the testimonie of Moses and the Prophets who for that they spake by the seuen fold Spirit of maiestie which burneth night and day about the throne of God are here said to sit on their seates in the sight of God And for that their iudgements denounced frō time to time against Antichrist and his worshippers are now iustified vpon them and the euerlasting kingdome of the Lord their God who hath stretched his wings from sea to sea and from the Riuer to the end of lands is now set vp for euermore therefore the Spirit saith that they fell on their faces and adoring the iustification of God brake foorth in praises and thanksgiuing saying We thanke thee Lord God omnipotent c. Verse 17. And the Gentiles were angrie and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead to be iudged and to render reward to thy seruants the Prophets and Saints and to them that feare thy name litle and great and to destroy them that haue corrupted the earth ANd all kingdomes nations and people which haue euill intreated Ierusalem and made a sport of the shame and affliction of Iacob shal now reap the fruit of their sauage heathenish liues and mauger their furie shall endure the wrath and iudgement of him who with iustice iudgeth and fighteth as the Spirit affirmeth saying And the Gentiles were angrie and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead to be iudged And the Spitit further testifieth that the Lord for whose glorie that day is made shall render to euery one their due hire or wages for so the originall importeth commonly interpreted reward first to his Saints and seruants and all that ouercome their hire and wages which by promise and for his owne name sake is due vnto them next to all execrable Atheists blasphemous Catholiques incredulous heathen liers heretiques carnall Gospellers and all other brazen and vnregenerate Christians the hire and wages which to their works and deeds and merits is due as the Spirit concludeth saying And to render reward vnto thy seruants the Prophets and Saints and to them that feare thy name little and great and to destroy them that haue corrupted the earth But concerning this seuenth age wherein the Lord shall come in maiestie to iudge the quicke and the dead the holy Ghost deferreth yet a while to speak more particularly thereof and resumeth more exactly to intreat of the terme and persecution of Antichrist and
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
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