of the celestiall euerlasâ—ing life his force and sting being lost he shal vtterly be abolished To which thing Iudas in his Epistle had respect which saith that this Henoch the seuenth after Adam dyd foretell of the last iudgement Which iudgement is giuen of Elias that he should be a type figure of his owne prophecie And it is said that as Henoch in generation so Elias in coÌ„putation of yeres was the seueÌ„th after Adam For it is reported that next vnto Adam was Methusalah next to Methusalah Sem to Sem Iacob to Iacob Amram to Amram Ahia and to Ahia Elias the Prophet Now if this accompt of Elias be altogether true as many do coniecture there is no doubt but the Lord God would in his wonderfull woorks declared to his Saintes and chosen haue many secret mysteries that in the consideration of them we might be inflamed with desire of the celestiall and most blessed life Here let vs coÌ„sider that before the seuenâ—h thousand yeare we shal be taken vp to meete the Lord in the cloudes euen as Elias by a fâ—rie chariot and horseâ— was lifted vp to heauen Finallie also the Euangelists and Apostles call the tyme from Christes incarnation vntill the ende of the world the laste howre or laste tymes Saint Peter saith Christ was manifested in the laste tymes And to the Hebrewes Paule writeth Christ once was offred in the ende of the world Neither is this tyme of the Apostles therfore called the last bycause that certainly the ende of the world is at hande but because according to Elies distribution it is the laste of the three ages of the world which without all doubte they respected Neither is it to be deemed that this prophecie was vnknowen to them but rather that by reuelation of the holy Ghoste it was singularly renued and therefore in deede they call this last age of two thousande yeeres in the beginning of which all prophecies and visions by Christ were to be fulfilled the laste tymes and howre These nowe be the testimonies and coniectures by which I haue studied to proue and haue satisfied my selfe that this world shall not continue aboue the space of sixe thousande yeeres Nowe followe those things by which I meane to shewe that the sixt thousande yeere shal not be expired That the world shall not endure sixe thousande yeeres NOwe that the sixt thousand yeere shal be shortened it is apparant and maye be prooued for order sake firste by those woordes of Elias the Prophete aboue recited in this manner And for our sinnes which are many and marueylous some yeeres which are wanting shall not be expyred VVhich words do not much disagree froÌ„ those of Christ where he saith And except those dayes were shortned all flesh should perish but for the elects sake they shall be cut of And although there peraduenture the Lorde doth properly talke of the ruine ouerthrowe of Hierusalem as may easely be gathered by the circumstances of that place yet may it seeme that he would speake the same of the vtter destruction of the world because in that place he giueth certaine and moste euident signes thereof of which hereafter more at large and also dooth foretell both of the ouerthrowe of Hierusalem and by a certaine confusion of wordes of the worldes destruction so that for the perfect vnderstanding thereof greate iudgement is to be required And bycause the former is a figure of that which is to followe I perswade my selfe that as well by the woordes of Christ as by the prophecie of Elias it may be gathered that for the electes cause those miserable dayes of the vtter ouerthrowe and ending of this wicked world shal be shortened and cut of Others by probable reason endeuour to proue the same through consideration of the Sabboth daie which is a true figure of the eternall Sabboth For in the Lawe it was prescribed that about the euening of the sixt day the Sabboth should take his beginning And therefore their coniecture is not vnlike to be true which thinke that the eternal superexcelleÌ„t Sabboth of the Lord shal begin not at the end of the last thousande yeere but a litle before Here be some other coniectures brought foorth which willyngly I passe ouer and the rather bycause I know them to be of no great force But those tokens are dilgentlie to be marked which Christ did foretel should goe before the coÌ„summatioÌ„ of the world that by them we may the more certainly thinke and perswade our selues tyme present and tokens foretolde being compared together that the ende of the woâ—lde hangs ouer our neâ—kes Among othâ—r signes in my iudgement the preaching of the Gospell is not the least but moste cheefely to be noted as rhat by which all other tokens both going before and following in those wordes of Christ are knowen to bee true tokens of his comming The wordes of Christ telling vs howe to knowe when the Gospell is preached are these And this Gospell of the kingdome shal be preached through the vniuersall world for a witnes to all nations and then shall the ende come By which words the sonne of God Christ doth playnly teach that about the time of the worlds destruction the true doctrine of Christ should be preached By which is gathered that the same was obscured defaced and almost not spoken of by reason of false prophets before that tyme And Christ saide that in those dayes should arise many false Prophets and by saying themselues to be Christ should seduce many Nowe what is more euident in these our dayes Hath not the true and sincere doctrine of the free pardoning our sinnes by Christ lien hid these many yeeres and vnder the tyrannie of Antichrist maruelouslie been obscured And the Pope arrogantlie vaunted himselfe to bee Christ or at leaste his vicar What promising of pardoning sinnes and redeming soules out of their fained purgatorie by theire wicked Bulies and blasphemous Masse what idolatrie in woorshipping and impietie in receiuing Christ in the sacrament Finally what diuers and diuilish supeâ—stitions haue been practised so well it is knowen vnto all men that I neede not to recken them And nowe againe â—y the vnspeakeable grace and mercie of God we plainlie perceiue such a cleare light of the Gospell to shine ouer the whole world that in spight of the diuell and all his adherentes it castes his bâ—ames ouer all nations And therefore what other things shall we looke for but as Christ did foretel a sodaine downfall of this wretched world For if we reade eyther the holy Byble of God or historicall bookes of prophane men we shall finde that God hath alwayes followed the example of a ryghteous iudge which before he condemne a man for his offences will first accuse by witnesse so God before he send plagues and punishment for our transgression dooth first put vs in minde of our wickednes by preaching of the Gospell and declaring his diuine pleasure
prooued by the Decrees and Decretals of the Popes if any man thinke we say not the truth Heare what his most impudent fauourers on his behalfe haue reported The Pope say they is called as it were wonderful from Pape the Interiection of woondring because he is Christes Vicar and Gods whose the fulnesse of the earth is And Iohn Andr. vpoÌ„ this woord Pope in the Proeme of Clement speaketh thus Papa dictus est quasi pater Patrum c. The Pope is called as it were the father of all fathers hauyng onely the fulnesse of power Also Thomas of Aquine saith that in spirituall matters and temporall he hath the chiefest degree equally to Peter the Apostle At a woord they make hym a Mungrell as partly God and partly man They call hym The Spouse of the Church The mother of the faythfull which cannot erre whose voyce is heauenly euen as Peters was and therfore that he is the chiefest Iudge whose wickednes as the murders of Sampson the spoyles of the Hebrues the adulterie of Iacob are to be iudged of none for there is one and the same seate say they both of God and the Pope The Popes wyl is said to be a heauenly wyll and therfore is of power to chaunge the nature of things to apply that vnto one which belongeth to another and of nothyng to make somewhat Are not these and such like Rules of the Canonistes formally recited marueilous things which with blasphemous and wicked lyppes vnder the Popes pâ—rson accordyng to Daniels Prophesie speake agaynst the God of Gods. And as the Occidentall Empyre of the great Pope in the tyme of Charles the Great was diuided from the Orientall so likewise the Empire at Constantinople which sometyme was called also the Orientall Empire of Rome afterwards was greatly diminished by the great Turke Sarasins whose power afterward increased more and more and that mightily Afterward a litle before the raigne of Carolus Caluus Cousin to Charles the Great the Tartarian Turkes by occasion they were requested to assist the Persians against the Sarasins obteyned all Asia and these embracing the Mathematicall sect at the length came to be of greatest power So that these two wicked and Antichristian kingdomes tooke their beginnyng when the Romane Empire in Phocas tyme and Heraclius was impayred and in the raigne of Charles the Great the Empyre almost subuerted they dayly more and more mightily increased in this weake and diuided kingdome whose feete were become partly of yron and partly of earth Afterward by lyes backslidings and slaughter which are the properties of the Antichristians their rulyng and Religion was confirmed and the Saintes of God by myngling earthly with heauenly things were vexed as Historiographers and the Chronicles of Iohn Auentine euery where do witnesse And therfore both of them by the glorious commyng of the Lord shall be abolished and shal receyue one and the same destruction If therfore to the consolation of all the godly and confirmation of our faith the holy Ghost hath had a great care to dâ—liuer vnto vs by the Prophets certayne foresignes by which might be coniectured when the commyng of Christ in the fleshe was nigh at hand whose commyng should yet before the world be base and very simple and yet of sufficient power to saue our soules froÌ„ the heauy curse and displeasure of God And if the holy Ghost hath been so carefull in giuyng to the Church and the chosen of God certaine signes and tokens of the commyng of Antichrist no doubt he dyd the same that the better they might shun and forsake all his vntrue teachings and blasphemies by the helpe of Gods woord And therfore hath the holy spirit of God been the more diligent to shew to the Church many and manifest signes of the Lords commyng to iudgement that so he might driue vs from all securitie of this lyfe and wake vs out of the deepe slepe of our deadly sinnes least by the speedy commyng of the Lord to iudgement we sodainly perish and that in all afflictions with which the Church is continually vexed we might haue a sure trust and confidence in the mercy of god And therfore the sonne of God him selfe in the last preaching before his death through a great goodwyll gaue vs many signes and earnestly charged vs taking his parable from the Fyg tree that beholding those tokens immineÌ„t we should carefully and readily attend the commyng of our Brydgrome For that commyng to all the godly and chosen of the Lord shal be ioyfull and comfortable In which the Sonne of God shall appeare in power mighty in glory woonderfull and shew hym selfe to his foes terrible to vs comfortable to them seuere gentle to vs to them a Iudge and condemner to vs an Aduocate and Redeemer to them an enemy and destroyer to vs an assured friend and defender so that he shall recompence them with fire continuall among the Diuels but vs he shal reward with his fauour perpetual in the societie of Angels and celestial habitation And therfore doth Ioel cal that day of the Lord a great day and terrible to the wicked when all from the worlds creation shall be made to stand before the tribunall seate of God. Aboue I haue shewed that the chiefest signe of the comming of the sonne of man was the preaching of rhe Gospell which Paule termeth the spirit of the Lords mouth also I haue declared how that signe is euident in these dayes and that Antichrist by the breth of the mouth of the Lord is ouerthrowen and strangled with lynnin as Sebyl Erithraa speaketh that is with interpretations of holy Scripture imprinted in Paper made of linen it is manifest to all godly and men instructed in true religion Now what what other thing remayneth But the consummatâ—on of the world and that glorious comming of the Lord by which that wicked and damned sonne shal be abolished according to Christes woordes Hytherto that coniunction of all Planets which was a litle before the birth of Christ and in the time of Charles the great in the beginning both of the Turkes tyrannicall dominion and rhe Popes Antichristian religion which shal ensue very shortly dooth belong As if the Lorde would say Behold the chiefest signe of my comming according to my promise the preaching of the Gospell is come already you see the power of Antichrist my sworne enemie is greatly weakned now shall you see the very signes in heauen which foretold my former comming in the flesh and the comming of my aduersary by which you may gather my commyng wherby I wil vtterly abolish his vsurped gouernment and abandon him from the godly to that bottomlesse pyt of hell And therefore take you heede and be circumspect for the tyme of your deliuerance is at hand Neither can we doubt sith the Starres are of the Lord God created for signes vnto vs but that marueilous coniunction of the Planets doth foreshew a wonderfull and incredible alteration of all things
the presence the pleasaunt speeche and louing embracings of her beloued And yet most of all it greeues thee to see the shamelesse boldnes of that abhominable strumpet the whore of Babilon which blusheth not to call her selfe the onely spouse of thy Christ and to call thee an harlot to boast of her externall beautie and to cast in thy teeth thy outward deformitie to bragge of her antiquitie fame and glorious estate and to tell thee of thy noueltie pouertie and miserie Hence it commeth that thou art no where in quiet from such taunts and chidings nor thy meÌ„bers any where safe froÌ„ her bloodye persecution Hence it is that before the world which is the Sonne of this naughtie houswife thou art contemned hated and afflicted and she as the Queene of heauen is adored loued and aduaunced with her haue all nations committed fornication and the Kings of the earth haue become frantike with Idolatrous wyne of her poysoned doctrine And hence commeth thy deepe sighes thy mournfull countenaunce and the intolerable vexation of minde which thou art in Hence it is that thou canst not be mery But comfort thy selfe faint not thou beloued of Christ for thy husband for thy sake hath made her naughtines to be knowen and she which was so loued is now hated and was glorious for her externall fairnes is nowe become odious to many for her spiritual filthines Haue pacience therefore but a little whyle and thou shalt see her to be of none accompt for thy louer in whom thou delightest shall bring her to such shame as she shall not be able to showe her head out of hell when thou shalt be in glorye with thy beloued Nowe will I make thee priuie with whom this naughtiepacke which now is many wayes knowen to all the world hath had to do a long whyle since first shee lefte to fauour the and began to fancie the wicked doctrine of the Gentiles her baude thy sworne enemy Iohn a very friende of your huâ—â—andes and most familiar with him Iohn in his Reuelation dyd foretell that immediatly after he had seene an Angell flying thorowe the midst of heauen crying with a loude voyce Woe Woe Woe to the inhabitants of the earthe from the other voyces of those three Angels which were yet to sounde the fift Angell dyd first sounde and he sawe a starre falling vppon the earth which was the fall of the Popes holynes from celestiall to earthly thinges and hauing the keyes not of heauen nor of Peter as he dooth vainely boast but of the bottomlesse pit the pit of hell Which when he had opened there came out great aboundance of Locustes into the earth and had for their King one whose name was in Hebrue Abaddon in Greeke Apollyon To this wicked king did that whoore of Babylon plight her fayth ioyne her selfe and altered the name of the Empire so that at length the flourishing estate of the old Empire vanished and he became the chiefe among al Christian kings But what happened afterward These Locustes to wit that infinite and horrible crewe of idle prelates Priestes and Friers with their abhominable king the Pope of Rome whom Paule dooth call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sonne of perdition ascended from hell and brought with them not the pure doctrine of Gods worde but the poysoned lessons of diuels and so by the filthie smoke of false opinions obscured the Sonne of righteousnes and infected the wholesome ayre of Christes Gospell But now would you haue them better described Forsooth they are for theyr intolerable pride and threatnings lyke vnto horses prepared to the battaile womens heare they haue because they are in dealinges light in behauior wanton Lions teeth for their crueltie shieldes as it were of iron to note their obstinacie â–ª In wordes they seemed courteous and therefore they had the faces of men but in deede they prooued villanous and therefore they had in their tailes the sting of Scorpions These made a noyse as it were of manye winges which noted the fame of the Popes holinesse And these had power to hurt and yet not all thinges but onely men and yet not all men but those which had not the marke of God in their foreheads And yet they could not plague at their pleasure but in certaine monthes and those not in Winter but in Somer So thou seest O daughter of SioÌ„ pure vnspotted Virgin to whom this vile stâ—umpet Rome which according to Sybils prophesie is become Rume that is violence or crueltie hath coupled herselfe with whom she hath played the harlot and is become drunken wyth the bloud of Martyrs sitting vpoÌ„ that seuen headed beast horrible in sight and in deede most cruell Now marke I beseech thee and call into mynde the woordes of thy beloued which gaue his Apostles to vnderstand that before his comming meaning before he celebrates his marriage in the kingdome of his almighty father the sounde of the Gospell as it were by a Trumpet should be heard throughout all the world that so both the number of thy friendes might be greatly multiplyed this child of perdition by the final end of al thingâ— and his famous comming vtterly abolished Which things to thy comfort thou mayst perceaue to be com to passe already euen about the sixt houre or midle of of the sixt day or six thousand yeare of the worldes creation Thou seest how the voyce of the Gospell hath sounded in al quarters of the world thou seest how that son of perditioÌ„ with the whore of Babylon sitting vpoÌ„ a purpled and bloodye beast is by the breath of Gods woorde confounded thou seest also which is most to thy glory and their perpetuall prayse how the Kings of the earth which were sometime the tenne hornes and vpholders of that beast by whom shee receyued both such aucthoritie that shee myght persecute and such titles that shee was honored as a Goddesse and reuerenced as the Queene of heauen thou seest I say whom they did honour as a Queene how they doo hate for a Queane and whom they did reuerence like a Goddesse how they renounce as the greatest enemye to godlines and whom they did by an ignorant zeale enrich with all things that myght cause her to be in the eyes of all meÌ„ glorious how they worthily impouerish endeuour by all meanes to make her odious So that the number is great which know confesse thee to be the true and faythfull spouse of christ Which God graunt as they in mouthes confesse to fauour thee so in manners they may expresse Christianitie and as they speake well so at no tyme they may be seduced either by the vayne pleasures of this world or by suttle snares of the diuel froÌ„ louing thee Wherefore tryumph now thou daughter of Sion reioyce daughter of Hierusalem thou daughter of peace reioyce For behold thy husband the King will come thy sauiour wil come to thee and that certaynly and shortly he will come but not
men liuyng So that all mistrust and vnbeliefe the Quagmyre of all maner of wickednesse in which many men lye tâ— great slumber and sleepe securely may earnestly be cast away true fayth in diuine promises may be râ—ised our hope of attaynyng an happy life and deliuerance from all troubles may be nourished and we the more vigilant least vpon a sodaine that great day of the Lord horrible to the vngodly but to the godly comfortable vnawares oppresse vs and the spouse find vs sober wise and prepared to the feast not without oyle in our Lampes For his commyng in this last age of the world without doubt is not farre and maketh great hast and wyll not as many suppose linger Wherfore in this litle woorke I haue determined by some euident places of the Scripture first to proue that there shal be one day a generall destruction of this world and an vniuersall and last iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God in which all the promises of God shall to the vttermost be fulfilled and his great threates shall take effect Then by the testimonies of holy Scripture we wil shew that the age of this world shall not be more then sixe thousand yeres that the sixt thousand in which we now liue whose tyme is more than halfe past because of intollerable wickednesse and shamelesse securitie of men shall not be fully finished And to this shal be added certaine singuler signes by course of tyme and yeares woonderfully agreeing with the inclinations of the Starres if credit may be geuen to Mathematicians which things notwithstaÌ„ding I referre to the iudgement of the Church and doctors of more discretioÌ„ Last of al certain proofes out of Scripture shal be brought of the maner of Christ his commyng and of the effect of the last iudgement with an exhortation to watchfulnesse for that most ioyful commyng of our bridegrome ¶ That there shal be a destruction of this worlde a resurrection of the fleshe and a generall iudgement of all mankynde ESpecialy setting apart al other darke significations of the world which in holy Scripture are to be founde euerye where in this place talkyng of his destruction we take the same as Aristotle dooth in his booke of the World for a knittyng togeather of celestiall and inferiour bodyes disposed by Arte which dooth containe liuing creatures and all other things which are ingendred and remaine in euery part And because in the same is to be seene a wonderfull shewe therfore doo the Latines very well take his denomination from fayrenes so that they cal the world as the Grecians doo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a goodly shew or ornament from the perfect excellencie therof as Plinie writeth which woonderful peece of woorke as appeareth by the manner of his creation and holy Scripture dooth plainly and sufficiently auouch the same was only to that ende buylded that it should be a house or dwelling place for mankinde For when our most mighty and eternall God by his woord of power had created of nothing all things as wel senslesse as hauyng life at length he made Adam whom he appoynted Lord of al creatures and possessor of Paradise situated in the mydst of this goodly and glorious world and fashioned him also vpright and innocent according to his owne likenesse that the Lord God of him might worthely be worshipped Here the vnspeakeable loue of God towards mankind is most diligently to be considered For if the Lorde God for our sakes hâ—th erected this famous and excellent peece of woorke to be an abiding place for mankynd of which he would gather to hym selfe a perpetual Church howe fayre and glorious shal we thinke that euerlasting Temple to be which he hath prepared for his elect in Christ and for his heauenly and celestial warriours In which place we shall enioy the sight of our euerlasting God and shal knowe hym in maiestie and glory euen as he is Truely no comparison of excellencie betwene these can so much as in imagination be conceyued although the beautie of this world and vniuersitie be such as mans wit cannot sufficiently thinke of the same Because as betwene the creature and the creator there is no equality so great is the oddes betweene visible things created and supercelestiall to vs altogether inuisible where the sonne of God wyth all Sainctes in the circuite of all Angels with God the father hath his eternall seate and continuall abiding But all men through the fall of Adam are become vnworthy of that place which was appoynted for Adam being pure from sinne and vnspotted Neither had the world any more borne him according to this immutable senteÌ„ce of God at what tyme thou shalt eate of the tree of kâ—owâ—ledge of good and euill thou shalt die the death had not that ouer merciful God through his deep secrete counsayle receyued him al the elect into fauor by the promised seed of the woman by Christ the sonne of God which was to come in the flesh And therfore if the world haue hitherto and as yet shall continue it is onely done for their sakes which are chosen in Christ whose number being full the world must of necessitie fayle and fall downe flat for which cause the Lord hath a certayne tyme of the worlds destruction because by the sinne and wickednes of vngodly men being marueilously polluted and accursed it dooth together wyth all other creatures as Saynt Paule sayth subiect to the same corruption desire a deliuerance from euil And therefore that this vniuersall world maye be brought to his former integritie it must of necessitie be consumed and burne with fyre in the comming of the Lord as Esay witnesseth saying Beholde the Lorde wyll come in fire and his chariot shal be like a whyrlewynde that he may render his indignation in heate and his correction in flames of fire because the Lord wyll iudge in fire And S. Peter saith The day of the Lord wyll come like a thiefe at which tyme the heauens with great speede shall vanish the Elementes with that heate shal be dissolued and the earth with all contayned in the same shal be consumed with fire No marueile then though Ethnikes and most famous Philosophers folowing the deuises of their owne braine straungers altogeather and ignorant in Scripture haue had very many prophane cogitations of the world Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers dreameth that the world neuer had beginnyng because as he saith the gods in this infinite eternitie haue not been idle But Plato beyng of another mynde will that the world was made yet he thinketh the same to be Animal immortale A creature which shall not dye but remayne for euer Plinie beleeueth the world to be an eternall and vnmeasurable godhead neither begotten at any tyme nor shal be destroyed Others as Epicures imagine that there is not one world onely but infinite whereof some take place as others auoyde Plato also iestingly sayth that
And what other change may we looke for I pray you But euen the vtter destruction of the world and the triumphant appearing of the lord For the sixe thousand yeere which is the last daye draweth to the euening course of tymes and their foretold agreement declare the end to be at hand the preaching of the Gospell shineth the Pope of Rome by the breath of the Lord perisheth and we are in Religion colde carelesse and contemne his preachers which the Lord God cannot suffer long to go vnpunished Also this fearfull inclination of the Starres the dayly talke of warres the direful ciuill contentions the cruell dissention in Religion the great plagues the miserable hunger the straunge tempestes the woonderfull risings of the Sea and other signes which many tymes haue come after the preaching of the Gospell and dayly do more increase are out of doubt the euident signes of the worldes speedy ouerthrow and hasty commyng of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God to iudge the quicke and the dead ¶ Of the fifteene hundred yeares after the Apostles tyme vntyl the last iudgement THere are besides these many other sweete and verye probable coniectures of the suddaine comming of the Lord to iudgement Which containe many and profitable instructions and will be wonderful and strauÌ„ge perchaunce to many for the small consideratioÌ„ they haue of them which if they were well wayed myght bring vs into a great admiration of Gods prouidence It is well knowen to all the learned and not doubted but that all gouernments according to the Princes of Philosophie Platoes and Aristotles doctrine haue their certaine conclusions and it may be for truth that euery fiue hundred yeares there happen wonderfull alterations both in Religion and common Weales as there appeared three in Moses Kingdome For from the comming out of Egypt vnto Salomon there was about fiue hundred yeares from thence vnto the captiuitie at Babylon other fiue hundred and from the returning vnto the last subuersion fiue hundred moe which last periode doth greatly agree with those seueÌ„ weekes of Daniell because they are in number foure hundred foure score and tenne And therfore by a briefe marking of the tymes and things brought to passe we will make it euident that the last fiue hundred yeares from the Apostles tyme fully shal be expired in this Monarchie of the Pope which now threateneth a great ruine and perchance an vtter downefall about the eightie eyght and ninetie three yeere the former inclinations of the starres and other ensuing foreshewing dyrefull thinges euen vntill the sixe thousand and a hundred yeere Which Monarchie is called of Iohn in his Reuelation the image of the beast by reason of a certaine likenes it hath wyth the olde Monarchie which by a like tyrannie against the Christians and manner of gouernment by their ecclesiasticall Senate and by the secular power as they saye to the satisfying of their myndes in oppressing the Christian veritie through all the world they doo exercise So that by a great and infallible supposition it may be gathered that the noble comming of the Sonne of God is nygh at hande sith the preaching of the Gospell now goeth before by which this Monarchie hauing his aucthoritie from the Dragon at the length ruinous beginneth to stoupe but cannot vtterly be abolished according to Paules doctrine vntyll the Lord come for altogether For by histories we know Iohn the Euangelist to haue lyued longer time than any of the Apostles to haue written his Gospel at Ephesus and afterward when as none of the Apostles were no not many dayes before liuing it is well knowen that he was sent of Domitian into the Iland Pathmos where he committed his Reuelation to writing and that was about the dayes of Traian the Emperour which the hundred yeare from Christs natiuitie beyng adopted by Nerua came to the Imperiall throne from whom for causes ensuing I will begin to recite three notable chaunges and alterations both in Religion and in the Empire which differ one from another according to the true accompt of yeares but fiue hundred yeares a peece Now these hundred yeares from the birth of Christ vnto the tyme of Traian beyng expired so straunge things and myraculous both in the Church and common Weales happened as from the beginning of the worlde such and so great neyther haue neither shall come to passe except onely in the last comming of the Lorde at what tyme he shall call the dead before hys tribunall seate that so the whole vngracious worlde may be brought vnto perpetuall shame and the vertuous to euerlasting glory for first oâ—r Lord and Sauiour Christ was borne of a virgin perfect man the Messias promised to the Patriarches the sonne of one substance with his eternall father by whom God hath made of nothing al things both in heauen aboue and in earth belowe and redeemed mankynd which was fallen from sinne and wickednes for in the behalfe of vs all he hath suffred a most reprochfull death of the Crosse to that ende that death and the Diuell beyng vanquished he myght rid all beleeuers from eternall death and the intolerable yoke of Satan He hath also rysen lyke a conquerour in glory from the dead and ascended into heauen that he myght prepare a waye for vs to his almightie father whose anger by his righteousnes he had appeased and reconciled him vnto vs. Finally also at the feast of Penticost God miraculously and without meane according as it was long before promised by the Prophetes did powre out his holy spirit full of all grace and goodnes vppon his Apostles that in all Nations they myght be able to glorify God and by euery speache declare their message of glad tydings as also Mangre the diuel and his Adherentes the same notwithstaÌ„ding the outragious cruelty of Nero and Diomitian was preached published throughout all the world Lastly what wonderfull things haue happened from the byrth of Christ vnto the hundred yeere after the same at which tyme Traiane fyrst receyued the Emperiall Diâ—deme I mynde not to prosecute euery thing particulerly least by that meanes contrary to my purpose I proceede Amongst other things those woordes forespoken of Christ and the Prophets teaching the ouerthrowe and vtter destruction of the Iewes and Hierusalem take effect and also vnder Traiane the Emperour there happened a great alteration in religion For although the Empyre was of Rome yet was not the Emperour a Romane borne but a Spaniard and adopted to that dignitie of Nerua which was a Romane And therfore by these it plainely doth appeare that the Apostles beyng dead there was now a new face of the Church and that nothing so beautifull as the former and also new state of Empire presignifyed of Iohn in his Reuelation Because that Traian was the eyght from the seuenth who was Nerua which was the seuenth from Nerc the last of the stocke of Caesars from whom Iohn beginneth to number the seuen Kings which
heauenly things should rather seeme to liue without than in the body and rather to God than themselues and be delyghted in him alone But that we may go higher to the manifesting of that which I am about Let vs behold how all things in the world do stand and we shall find them in a certayne order measure and number to be so linked togeather that they cannot be seperated The Heauen the Planets and the Starres keepe their certayne order and tyme and they appoynt the certayne course of euery thing and cause the change and alterations in the bodyes both of men and beasts and in his due time euery hearbe is brought forth Al which things are so apparant in our eyes as of them we can not doubt And yet all these things by the incomprehensible wisedome and prouidence of almighty God are kept in their certaine measure and number For God by a certaine measure as it were hath placed the earth like a round Globe in the myddle so that no way it can fall the which the whole Firmament of heauen dooth compasse and in the space of twenty and foure houres is carryed rounde about the same Also he hath appoynted a certaine and iust number of all things to wyt the foure seasons of the yeare and their monethes dayes the certaine houres of euery day the minutes of euery houre and lastly the certaine endes of tyme by a certaine incomprehensible consent of the Starres and numbers among them selues Not as though the Starres and numbers without the first cause can bring any thing to passe but because in their gouernment and second operation of the Starres they represent before our eyes â—he immeasurable wisedome and eternall prouidence of god Because God is not a God of coâ—fusion that he can doo all things at his pleasure by a certaine inordinate affection as men do but he is a God of order a keeper of order in his things created from which he dooth not rashly digresse although he tyeth nor hym selfe therto that he wyll not or cannot alter it when his glory by his secret counsaile and the safegard of the Church requyre the same For in the staying and goyng backe of the Sonne in the tyme of Iosua and Ezechias kyng of Iuda and by other diuine myracles he sheweth the contrary And yet without all controuersie the eternall prouidence of God and Predestination hath appoynted by a certaine measure and number from the begynnyng of the world to the end of the same as it were by rule certaine termes in the course of the Starres by which great habilitie is gyuen to a skilfull and learned man to iudge of things to come euen as by a Dyall made by a woorkman in proportion and nuÌ„ber things to come are foreseene because Arte as nigh as may be imitateth God and nature Yea and these exceâ—lent felowes Plato and Aristotle doo place all wisedome knowledge aâ—d vertue in the proportion of number for Vertue and Iustice they set in the myddle by which to euery man is gyuen his owne by a double equalitie and is measured by a proportion Arithmetical and Geometrical Now sithence this instant number of the yeares of the world dooth so exacâ—ly comprehâ—nd in it selfe all those things mentioned before as from the beginnyng of things and in this last age in like quantitie and so perfectly dyd neuer appeare as hereafter more plainly we wyll prooue I suppose the Lord God a maker and gouernour of all things by this proportionable agreeing of number wyll as it were by the hand leade vs to a certaine deepe consideration of a perfect expiring and end of all things especially in as much as the direfull Destinies the Starres and damnable Decrees of Popes doo fulfill the whole number of fiue hundred yeares So that I trust that the commyng of the Sonne of God to iudgement wyll shortly ensue in which all impietie lying and dooing of wrong through the tyrannie of Antichrist the Diuell and his members shal be taken awaye and the euerlâ—styng kingdome of Christ in truth and equitiâ— shal be confirmed that so to euery one shal be gyuen his reward either good or bad according to the true Geometricall proportion which is the rule of Iustice in God to whom all beleeuers in Christ are like But that more playnly these things may be vnderstoode it must be knowen what we call Arithmeticall proportion and Geometricall according to iustice and also how these two proportions are perfectlye contayned in this yeere of the .5555 which in the yeere .95 ensuing shal be the the yeres since the worlds foundation Arithmeticall proportion is when as three or moe numbers being set all without any respect of proportions doo differ by equall ods as .1.2.3.4.5 Here continually one number differs from the other but in vnitie as also .2.4.6.8.10 in which one differeth froÌ„ another but the nuÌ„ber of two And therfore we see in the fifth number which is the last an Arithmeticall proportion to be contayned because it hath in it this excellencie that it comprehendeth in it selfe and that fitly all vnities of which all other numbers doo consist be they euen or odde to the which no naturall be he neuer so talkatiue can attayne by numbring This Arithmeticall proportion Aristotle ascribeth to the exchangeable iustice For euen as euery number playnly doth differ from other in equall summe so a great equalitie there must be between the ware and the price least while one is iniured the other by his losse and dammage become riche The Geometrical proportion is when as three or moe summes being set we consider not the difference of numbers but marke the equalities of proportion For euen as fiue referred to .50 hath the proportion of quantitie so hath .50 to .500 and as .50 to .500 so .500 to .5000 all which are in the proportion of tenne But Plato said that this Geometricall proportion can doo much both betweene God and man and that the state of a common weale is then best when it consisteth of a Geometricall equalitie which appointeth persons and ordaineth offices according to the greatnes and worthines of giftes and bestoweth rewardes to worthy persons whereof it is well called of the Philosophers a distributiue iustice For examples sake as in the gouerning of a ship the ruling of the same is not committed to any man but vnto him which is skilfull and for his cunning and well guiding therof he receyueth a better stipend than other which are vnskilful so also to a vertuous cunning iust constant and graue person the administration of the common Weale is to be committed and withall a woorthy honour least by a gouernment which is rude wicked and tyrannicall the common weale be brought to destruction Also in the affaires of priuate persons this Geometricall equalitie is to be obserued For a greater honour and reuerence is due to the Magistrate than to an other man to our parentes than to straungers to an old man than
to a yong to a learned than to an ignorant Also we ought more entirely to loue our wyues and children than other folkes as likewise according to the doctrine of Paul we should more make of and cherish those of the houshold of faith than straungers from the Church But alas we to too well doo know that no equalitie according to the Arithmeticall proportion is kept at all no not of those which are accompted the most holy among the members of Christ and in the same greatly delighting themselues as though then they were the best Christians if they leade a câ—uil and politike lyfe without any publike reprehension The which as it is rare so is it much to be commended because to doo so is the propertie of a good citizen But it followeth not by and by that they are good Christians because they are good Citizens For godlines humanitie bounteousnes fidelitie vprightnes and true religion stretche farder than doth outward behauiour the rule of the lawe and hypocrisie For the true disciple of Christ being of one minde and meaning wyth his master Christ will be so farre from enriching hymself by empouerishing another and hyding that which may hurt his neighbour that by no meanes he wyll preferre his owne priuate prosperitie before the common profit And rather will forgoe life and liuing then doo that which is not seemely for any man much lesse for him which is by calling holy and by professing a Christian. Good God how farre from this mynde and purpose are most of our buiers and sellers estranged For as yet we talke not of those which are well knowen to deceyptfull faithlesse abhominable and common vserers but of such as in the sight of al men seeme and be accompted honest and good Citizens For euen these doo perswade themselues that they deale vprightly if onely they giue true measure for their money not considering at all that to take excessiue gaynes is to doo wrong and altogeather agaynst iustice not considering that it is all one in respect of equalitie from which all iustice dooth spring to set too great a price and to sell by false waightes and measures by which reason the vnequalnes of price and and ware may well be called false measure for if it were demaunded of them whether it were meete to bring him into the right way which is out of the way or to shewe him the ready way which is altogeather ignorant of the same or if he were not much to be blamed which seeing his neighbour goe astraye will without calling him backe let him goe on forward I am sure they wil confesse both him to be a noughty man and this no honest man for his labour And yet forsooth is it a false opinion which we are in when froÌ„ a general propositioÌ„ we come to a particular contrary to their minds in deede it is more agreeable to iustice not to hurt a maÌ„ by the purse or losse of goods than to shew him the ready way which knowes it not But I pray you what is the cause of these sinister opinions sith the reason is alone and nothing more agreeing with iustice Truely selfe loue couetousnes and an ouer great care of this lyfe from which Christ earnestly dooth call vs But let vs thinke that saying of Cicero to be most true Quum quid quispiam sciat c. Iâ— is not the part of a plaine simple ingenious innocent and honest man but rather of a subtile vile wyly deceiptfull malitious craftie and dubble dealer for his owne profit sake to hyde that which he knoweth from any man which should vnderstand the same And moreouer he sayth Si vituperandi sunt qui reticuerunt quid de his existimandum est qui orationis vanitatem adhibuerunt That is If they are to be dispraised which keepe a thing close what shall we thinke of those which haue vsed vaine woordes And therfore sayth Syrach very well As a naile in the wall sticketh fast betweene two stones so dooth sinne sticke betweene the buyer and the seller Likewise much lesse is the Geometrical proportion kept in this wicked world For the wicked vnlearned beyng in face impudent and in behauiour egregious Parasites are exalted to great honour glorious offices when as men famous as well for learning as Religion be eyther in Court coÌ„temned or of Sycophants defaced or vnworthely disgraded for some light offence as happened to Beliserius who by Iustinian lost his eyes For darknes cannot abyde the light and bold ignorance through her marueilous impudencie doth set her selfe against learnyng and knowledge For as Quintilian dooth witnes Quo quisque minus valet hoc se magis attollere et dilatare conatur The least of power the most vaineglorious And againe Quo minus sapiunt minus habent pudoris The more foole the more impudent Nowe therefore sith among the learned or as Plato saith among Philosophers the contrary dooth happen no marueyle if the vnlearned haue them in contempt Yet Plato woulde haue it otherwise in his common Weale where either Philosophers shoulde beare the sway or those which ruled should be learned in Philosophie or which we doo adde at the least haue such about them whose counsaile they might vse and folow Moreouer sith the Lord God for his electes sake for whose cause all things are kept hath created all things it foloweth out of the woorde of God and his diuine Iustice that al things in the world are due vnto the elect and godly not to the wicked and reprobate But it falleth out farre otherwise in the world where the wicked doo flourish in riches and are preferred but the godly doo perish with pouertie and are left as a pray to their enemies Also Christ the onely begotten sonne of the euerlastyng God which is the maker both of heauen and earth and Lord of Lords hath witnessed of hym selfe that in this world he had not where to hyde his head but was before the world a very abiect and made away by a most odious death euen the death of the Crosse Yet notwithstanding his aduersary that sonne of perdition sitteth as God in the temple ruling with two swords flourishing with riches power and glory and is with all reuerence called our Holy father and worshipped as the deputie of Christ him self And therfore by these we plainly perceyue that in this world no Geometricall equalitie according to the distributiue iustice which is the best is any where obserued But yet sith God is iust all kinde of iustice necessarily to all must be extended so that to the worthy all things must be giuen but from the wicked all things which falsely they haue taken to themselues and abused to the molesting of the godly shall vtterly be taken away Wherefore needes must there be another lyfe after this and therfore for those reasons alledged we set downe that the Lorde God dooth foreshowe to the studious by this dubble proportion or
Sonne of God hym selfe receyued a name from the Angell and was called Iesus that is a Lord and Sauiour redeeming the worlde from sinne which afterward receyued a name according to his office â–ª and was called Christ that is Annoynted annoynting vs with his holy spirit that so we might acknowledge him to be our christ Wherfore let it not seeme straunge vnto vs if those letters by the diuine prouidence of God doo containe many and great mysteries within them For the Lorde God by a certaine incomprehensible prouidence not according to mans wisedome or foreknowledge of things to come doth gogouerne the thoughtes and tongues of men that many men and Cities in which the Lord God wyll shewe eyther his singular fauour and marueilous woorkes of mercie or his anger and heauie displeasure should receyue fatall names accordingly And therefore by this reason it came to passe no doubt that king Dauid which signifyeth well beloued should receyue a proper name as also the Prophet Daniell his signifying the iudgement of the Lorde Because in him the Lord God dyd shewe foorth his singular kindnes manye wayes and in this his secrete iudgement concerning the Empyres of the world and their endes and of the two commings of Christ the first vyle in the fleshe the second victorious to iudgement So likewyse Babylon receyued a fit name but in a diuers respect not onely because that in her there was made a confusion of tongues but especially because of the confounding of manners and wickednes of Religion and Idolatry together Wherefore at the length it vtterly came to naught and there is become a meere confusioÌ„ in deed of all beastes and serpents By a contrary ende IerusaleÌ„ tooke her name because she should see the peace of God in Christ which afterward she dyd furiously dispise I haue heard moreouer of Melanthon which also in a certaine booke he dyd publish that that name Emda a towne of the Orientall Frisia and my natiue countrey hath her dâ—riuation from truth and firmenes according to the force of the Hebrew woord Est enim illa vrbs amans veritatis For sayth he that citie is a louer of the truth And howe this name agreeth to that Citie in these our dayes the Lord God hath abundantly declared in this that he hath myraculously kept vs among these so daungerous tempests constant in the true doctrine of hys Gospel against the manifolde subtilâ—ies of the Diuell God graunt we may perseuer to the end in all truth and simplicitie of hart and that this naturall falling may firmely be vpholden and stayed least otherwise it pretend an euill fortune and so we be called no longer Emdani that is constant in the truth but Valdarini â–ª that is Babilonians which thing God of his mercy turne away from vs Sibâ—l also Erithina plainely telleth of Rome that her name doth comprehend many wofull destinies and that in these verses translated out of Greeke into Latin by Castilion Porro quater decies complebis terque trecentos Annos atque octo cum te pertingere metam Tristia fata â–ª tuo completo nomine cogent Thy ende thy name fulfyld and fates shall cause then for to come Of yeares nine hundred fortie eyght When seene shal be the summe Nowe after what sort that Prophesie is fulfylled Castalion shewes in his annotations vppon the same place to which I send the Reader And that Rome els where hath a name according to her nature it is apparant by a certaine answere of Pasquil Roma quid est quod te docuit praeposterus ordo Quid docuit iungas versa elementa scies Roma amor est amor est qualis praeposterus vnde hoc Roma mares Noli dicere plura scio Hereof also in respect of her outward whoordome which is linked oftentymes with the spiritual fornication she is worthely called in holy Scripture an Harlot and Babylon Sodome and Gomorrhe secret malice and a people rebellyng against God. ¶ Of the round and square figure of the Climacterian yeares and of the Golden number IF nowe these and that which folowes be rightly considered and compared together they wyll sufficiently shewe themselues to be neither coÌ„trary to the Scriptures nor impertinent to my purpose but rather such as if they be compared with that before mentioned may well bring vs into the remembraunce of the latter dayes especially sith they doo as it were in colours liuely place before our eyes the perfect end of this world and commyng of the Lord to iudgement As also the fiuefold figure doth not only represent the Greeke letter χ. or being somewhat turned the crosse but also both the squate figure and the round For the crosse by equall distance in the plaine dooth fyll the circle and representes the round forme but the Greeke letter χ. rather betokeneth the quadrangle figure But this I speake by the way if vnto the fiuefolde figure noted by fiue vnities on either side contrary to the myddle number of fiue the foure figures comprehended in the fifth euen to the perfect number were set vnder then these nyne vnites may so by Art be disposed that euery way we may see fifteene as by the figure here vnderneath may appeare  15 15 15 15 15 2 9 4  15 7 5 3  15 6 1 8      15 So that this number of fyue in the threefold according to Arithmetike may seeeme the most perfect and by many figures as it were to represent those three alterations of tyme of which before we made mention whose end in a iust quantitie of numbers perfectly set of God hym selfe ought certainly to be looked for Neither can any doubt but that this figure contaynyng a marueilous equalitie and agreement of numbers in a very great inequalitie as it may seeme doth signifie some great mysteries as well Diuine as Philosophical the which least in these which may perchaÌ„ce seeme more darke then many of Platoes numbers I be ouer tedious to the Reader I leaue to the consideration of the studious But that we may somewhat returne to that we haue in hand although the circular and round figure be of all others in sight most fayre yet as is the whole world is it very vnstable subiect to alteration and full of troubles But the square forme is firme constant and stable and howe soeuer it be placed is alwayes one and the same And therefore dooth Aristotle compare the same to a good and honest man whom he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the which howsoeuer with Aristotle we imagine hym we shall not finde Christ onely the Rocke and true corner stone refused of the buylders and workmen of this world onely excepted but in the lyfe to come wee shall be such with Christ hym selfe And therefore dooth Iohn describe the holy Hierusalem descending from heauen to be foure square in which her perfection constancie and continuance is noted Because by no yll fortune it shal be
heauen let vs contemne all worldly things let euery man cast away securitie and desire of pleasure by whose inticementes the mind is suppressed let euery man frame himselfe to learne what is good and godlines let hym prepare himselfe to the Crosse let hym profit in good woorking in true calling vppyn the name of the Lord and put on the armour of righteousnes that if the aduersarie challenge vs into combate we may by no flaterie by no force by no terrour by no tormentes be drawen and pluckt away from Christ. The almightie God be present with vs continually with his diuine asistance and defende vs euermore agaynst all the inuasions of the diuell by which he would bring vs from our faith driue vs out of hope and so bar vs from our kingdome which is in heauen ¶ Of the manner and effect of the Lordes commyng to iudgement with an exhortation to watchfulnes HEtherto by diuine testimonies it hath ben shewed that certainly the world must be destroyed and also by Oracles and probable reasons and coniectures it hath been proued that the glorious comming of the Lorde is at our doores and cannot be farre of although we knowe not the certaine yeare daye and houre of hys commyng It followeth therefore that both for the edifying of the Churche and refourming of our manners that we alledge testimonies out of holye Scripture both of the manner of the commyng of the Sonne of God to iudgement and of the effect of the same After that the Sonne of God Christ our Lorde and Sauiour by the secrete counsayle of God the Father had determyned for our saluations and satisfying the wrathe of God to suffer death he tooke vppon him the shape of a seruaunt was in the worlde poore and miserable tooke paciently all tauntes and mockes and suffred himself to be condemned though vniustly and shamefully to be crucifyed but in his seconde commyng he shall not onely appeare lyke a chiefe Monarch of thys world but shall shewe hymselfe to be a King since the begynning of the worlde and him which cast the myghtiest from theyr seate of Maiestie and exalted the humble and turned Empyres at hys pleasure Also he shall declare himselfe to be the Sonne of God coequall in dietie wyth God his eternall Father so that then the course of things shall be chaunged for he in that daye shal be iudge and iustly condemne those of whom he was iudged and against all equitie together wyth his members condemned and which haue obstinately and wythout reason persisted in impietie For the wordes of Christ in the .25 of Matthew by which accordyng to the capacitie of man the last iudgement is depainted are these Cum venerit silius hominis in maiestate sua omnes angeli cum eo tunc sedebit super sedem maiestatis suae congregabuntur ante eum omnes gentes Nemo enim qui vnquam vixit est erit hoc iudicio eximetur separabit eos ab iâ—uicem sicut pastor segregat oues ab hoedis statuet oues quidem à dextris suis. Tunc dicet Rex his qui à dextris eius erunt Venite benedicti Patris meâ— possidete paratum vobis regnum à constitutione mundi c. Et his qui à sinistris dicet Discedite à me maledicti in ignem aeternuÌ„ qui paratus est Diabolo Angelis eius That is When the sonne of man shall come in his maiestie and all his Angels with him then shall he sit vppon the throne of his maiestie and all Nations shal be gathered tegether before hm for none which euer was is or shal be from this iudgement shal be exempted and he shall separate them euen as a shepheard doth segregate the sheepe from the goates and shall place the sheepe on his right hand Then shall the King saye vnto those which are on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world c. And to those which are on his left hand he shall say Depart from me ye accursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels Because these haue doone no deedes of charitie but haue continually rebelled against God but these haue doone much better because by reason of their fayth they haue fulfylled all woorkes of mercies and haue been with one minde with God. In which Sermon Christ dooth applie himselfe to mans capacitie and borroweth his similitude from an vpright King and Iudge of this world which dooth pronounce lawfull sentence whether it be of absolution or condemnation according to our woorkes be they good or bad and by and by dooth execute the same Lykewyse Paule dooth shewe the manner how Christ in his last comming shall appeare to al the elect which euer were or shal be in these wordes Hoc enim vobis dicimus in verbo Domini quiae nos qui viuimus quiresidui sumus in aduentu Domini non praeuentemus qui dormierunt Quoniam ipse Dominus in iussu in voce Archangeli in tuba Dei descendet de caelo mortui qui in Chriâ—â—o sunt resurgent primi Deinde nos qui viuimus simul rapiemur cum illis in nubibus obuiam Christo in aera sic semper cum Domino erimus This we say vnto you in the word of the Lord that we which liue and are the remnaunt in the Lordes comming shall not goe before theÌ„ which sleepe Because the Lord himselfe in the coÌ„maundement and voyce of an Archangle and in the trumpet of God shall descend from heauen and they which are dead in Christ shall first arise Afterwarde we which doo liue shall togeather with them be caried in the Cloudes to meete Christ in the the ayre and so shall be with God for euer Also Paule teacheth that in a moment in the twinckeling of an eye in the last sound of the Trumpet the dead shall ryse vncorrupt and those which are liuing shall vppon the suddayne be changed to incorruption and immortalitie Iohn also seeth all the dead standing before the great and whyte Throne in the sight of God and the bookes to bee opened and the dead to be iudged out of that which was written according to their woorkes And he which was not found written in the booke of lyfe was cast into a burning lake But Sybyll Erithraea in in her verses called Acrostichides which were read as it seemeth but not well vnderstoode of Cicero dooth notably depaint the last comming of Christ and destruction of the world Which verses were greatly esteemed of the Fathers as appeareth both out of Eusebius and Augustine For out of these Authors which were before the byrth of Christ as also it is euident in Varro in Virgils 4. Eglog that these Oracles were of great antiquitie in so much as they were accounted as diuine reuelations and therefore wyll wee ioyne those Latine verses vnderneath and
equalitie of numbers a certaine finishing of things with an vtter destruction of this wicked world and withall he vndoubtedly dooth giue vs to vnderstand and signifies the beginning of the building anewe of the eternall kingdome of Christ which with vpright iudgement and by equalitie in euery respect he will establish perpetually and make it endure world without end ¶ Of the number of fiue the fiue-folde forme and of the Greeke letter χ. SIth by that which is vttered we haue showen that euen fyue hundred and euery 50. yeere there doo commonly happen some singular alterations in the Churche and common Weales it followeth very likely that the eightie eyght yeeare nowe at hand which is the yeere of the world .5550 shal be fully perfect to which if but fiue were added it commeth to passe as a little before it is sayd that the whole number in the yeare .93 will be proportionable according to Arithmeticall and Geometricall equalitie And therfore they doo seeme to presage vnto vs a golden world in deede and euerlasting to come in which all the iustice of God shal be fulfilled and haue her full strength and vertue Yet I do not denie but it is my saying that the lowest number of fiue from the first and last doo offer vnto vs many things agreeing very well to our purpose especially sith which hath been sayd so meete in one and many things els both in the Byble and Sibillian Oracles are to be founde lyke vnto them all which we plainly see are grounded in the perpetuall ordinance and prouidence of God not by chaunce Of the number of fiue is termed the fiuefold forme which of all other as Quinctilian recordeth in setting of trees maketh the fayrest Orchard and is such as howsoeuer one behold the same it is direct and and strayte Then is a thing sayd to be fiuefoulde or of fiue manner of wayes when the disposition thereof is such as two partes thereof togeather with the third of another sort opposit to themselues by equall space doo seeme howsoeuer you turne your selfe to haue the forme of fiue or this letter V by which the Latines doo note fiue But if fiue in number were set downe by other figures or by the same in like order vnderneth they doo represent the Greeke letter χ. and the lattine χ which dooth signifie tenne From thence I thought sith in the fore mentioned proportionable number of yeares the number of fiue is lowest and besides dooth represent these two letters from which also by an equalitie of Geometricall proportion it goeth foreward by the distance of tenne I thought I say whether this also did signifie any singular thing worthy to be marked For the Greeke letter χ. is the first letter in the name of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Iohn in the Reuelation by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commaundeth all of vnderstanding to count the comming of the Beast rising from the earth and hauing the two hornes of the Lambe which are .666 yeares so significant are these Greeke letters But in the explications of this place Bullinger teacheth that the account of .666 yeares must begin when Iohn sawe his Reuelation about the ende of the raigne of Domitian which was from the byrth of Christ the .97 yeare so that to the filling of the first hundred yeare from Christes natiuitie three yeeres be wanting If therefore these yeares were added to an hundred and they added to the number of the Beastes name .666 and three yeeres were taken from the first hundred we shall haue the yeare of the Lord to be .763 which was the .13 yeare of Pepines raigne about which tyme Pepine graunted vnto the Pope his chiefe power and aucthoritie contrarie to the minde of Leo Isauriâ—us which the Papistes extremely did hate for casting their images out of his teÌ„ples and therfore they called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or enemie to images Therfore by these letters we know the time of the comming of the beast with two hornes like vnto the Lamb euen as Henry Bullynger dooth prosecute the same more at large and prooueth the same by Sibyls Oracles Moreouer when we count all markes of the letters in this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if as it is in Sibyls verses E. be added we shall plainly finde that in these also the beginning of the tyme when the kingdome of Christ should be preached and also the beginning of the fall of Antichrist also in the former his comming was signifyed All the Greeke letters in this name expresse this number .1485 Now if the yeares which come from that yeare in which Iesus by his resurrection from the dead and ascention into heauen he had declared hym selfe to be Christ the king of the Iewes and the sonne of the eternal God were compared to this tyme when Luther and other learned men did by the pure Euangelicall doctrine of the free remission of sinnes in Iesus Christ driue away the grosse darknes of papisticall ignorance and made the sonne of righteousnesse Iesus Christ our Lord to shine againe we shall euidently perceiue this tyme rightly to be comprehended in these numbers For if to this number .1485 the yeares from the Natiuitie of our Lord to his resurrection which were .33 were added then shall the yeare of our Lord a thousand fiue hundred eighteene arise in which and afterward many learned men began to set them selues against the darknes of Papistes Now because this lowest number of fiue a perfect Arithmeticall to that Geometrical proceeding by a fiuefold and very goodly forme dooth as it were in colours place before our eyes the Greeke Letter χ. which is the first Letter in the name and office of our eternall king and also being a litle turned representeth the Crosse that is the badge and noble signe of Christ whose last letter of the Nominatiue case is X by those things I fall into this consideration that about these tymes foretold the commyng of the Lord to iudgement is presignified by which he shall shew hym selfe to all the world to be Christ the sonne of God promised to the fathers afterward seene of the Iewes whom they dyd abhorre and at length crucifie whose token according to the iudgement of the Fathers and Sibylles prophesies also in the commyng of the Lord to all the faythfull shal be like a comfortable Trumpet but in the sight of the worlde a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or stumblyng blocke to the world That this is no vaine imagination although it be no certaine demonstration many such like reasons and examples cause me to thinke For in many places of the Scripture we often find that the Lord hath been greatly delighted in geuyng them either by plaine wordes or secret prouidence fyt and proper names by whom it hath pleased hym for the glory of his name to bestowe vppon his Church any great benefite Hereof is Abram called of God Abraham and the forerunner of the Sonne of God is called Iohn and the