any openly wicked in life or doctrine we must not keepe any priuate companie with him shew him no speciall familiaritie but withdraw our selues from such as burdens to vs. And hast examined them This sharpe dealing of the Church of Ephesus hath 2 parts the first is examination the second cōdemnation of the false Apostles The first part is the discouerie of these false Apostles The second the opposing of her selfe against them being discouered The discouerie of the false Apostles teacheth two points first that God hath giuen to his Church and to the Ministers and members of it speciall grace and wisedome an excellent gift of discerning 1. Cor. 2. 15. 1. Cor. 11. Spirituall men endued with the Spirit of God can discerne of the Lords bodie and bloud betweene bread and wine in the Sacrament and common bread and wine 2. Cor. 13. Proue your selues shewing that the Church and the members thereof haue power and the gift of wisedome to try whether they haue faith or not 1. Ioh. 5. Trie the spirits And here she hath power to discerne of false Apostles and by this gift the Church of God differeth from all other societies of men no societie saue the Church of God hath this gift to iudge betweene good and bad truth and error true Apostles and false Apostles Secondly we gather hence that the Church of God can iudge whether a Church be a true Church or not Some men it pleaseth to call this to question nay to deny that there is any Church in England but call it the synagogue of Satan and say there is no ministerie in it no word no Sacraments Now seeing the Church of God can iudge of vs in England and the churches in Germanie in Scotland other Euangelicall and reformed Churches iudge the Church of England a true Church it is so though they deny it For we must rather stand to the iudgement of one or many particular true churches then of any one priuate or of many men Yea seeing the church of God can iudge of false Apostles it hath also power to iudge of Scriptures to iudge which books be canonicall which are not And that which the church of Rome saith is false that the Church indeed can iudge but as it hath authoritie from their Church This Church of Ephesus had this power long before Rome was in such name nay it was in this time of Iohn of farre greater name then Rome and more famous and excellent The second point in what things this discouerie of false Apostles consisteth in what this iudiciall action standeth which God hath giuen to the Church It standeth in two things first examination of false doctrine and false teachers Secondly condemnation of thē after examination For the first he saith And hast examined for the second and found them lyers To come to this examination the Church of Ephesus had a gift of examination and did examine false Apostles and their doctrine But how may a particular Church examine a false Apostle and his doctrine To do this the man or Church which would do it must first prepare themselues and make them fit to examine and in this preparation must haue an humble heart and lowly spirit for God reuealeth not his will to proud men such as haue high minds in their conceit And in this humbling of himselfe he must cleane renounce his owne wit and reason and in regard of himselfe become a foole in his owne reason if he will be wise in the word of God After this preparation he must make prayers to God in his spirit that the Lord would reueale the thing to him and that he would open his eyes by the meanes vsed to iudge of truth falshood Luk. 11. Iam. 1. 5. In the next place he must labour throughly to know and well to conceiue of their false doctrines he must seek to vnderstand them their grounds the differences betweene them and the truth For it is a fowle fault to propound a mans error and not in that meaning he propounded it or gaue it They must further proue and trie whether the doctrine be of God or men To do this he must come to the word of God which must be iudge in the matter not a dumme letter as the Papists hold but the true iudge in all matters and most sufficient Esa. 8. 19. 20. Ioh. 5. Search the Scriptures Only the Lord must be iudge in his owne matters he must giue sentence and no Angell Saint or man Now this he doth in the written word therefore they must search whether such doctrines be contained in the Scriptures or can by necessarie consequence be collected out of them They must after all this looke to their liues for it is not possible that a false Apostle should lead a good life We must looke on his faith and repentance and the fruites of them for though he may bleare the eyes of the world yet if his life be well sifted it will appeare by his faith and repentance he is but an hypocrite and therefore Mat. 7. Christ biddeth vs trie them by their fruites A bad tree cannot bring good fruite but if a man trie and tast them though they appeare beautifull to the eye yet we shall find them to be but hypocriticall and this is a iudgement of God vpon such that they shal be descryed by this one marke by their liues and conuersations If they teach false doctrine they haue liues answerable they cannot but liue accordingly There was neuer any which was a famous hereticke in the Church but his life was stained with monstrous sinnes as the historie of the Church declareth The second part of the discouerie is condemnation or sentence against them for after she had examined them finding them not that they seemed to be she pronounced them to be false Apostles and lyers Note she calleth them lyers vseth sharp speeches and yet sinneth not seeing Christ commendeth her so Ministers to shew their hatred against vice may vse sharpe speeches not to raile or taunt but only to shew our hatred and misliking of sinne So Iohn Baptist calleth them a generation of vipers Christ called Herod a Foxe Paul the Galatians fooles In that she calleth them lyers it sheweth three things first that they spake falsely and deliuered that which was vntrue secondly that they sinned of knowledge thirdly that they did it of malice to hurt and deceiue the Church for these three be the properties of a liar Againe here we see that which Paul Act. 20. foretold by the spirit of Prophecie to be fulfilled that among the Ephesians should arise lyars on them which professed the Gospell with them Againe if men in the daies of the Apostles they being yet aliue durst so take on thē Apostolical authoritie to cal thēselues Apostles and were none no maruell if the Pope of Rome durst sixe hundred yeares after them take this vpon him and say he is Peters successor to take on him Apostolicall power
seruants in the generall calling of a Christian but in our particular callings For S. Iohn was his seruant not onely in beleeuing in him and obeying him generally but in beleeuing and obeying him in the particular calling of an Apostle So Paule he was the seruant of Christ not only generally but in the speciall calling of the Gospell in preaching the same This example of his and the Apostles must be our direction we must not content our selues with the generall calling of Christians but serue Christ in our particular callings It is not inough to professe Christ in publike assemblies to heare the word receiue the Sacraments but in our particular callings we must serue him at home as the magistrate not onely in his generall calling of Christianitie but in his particular calling as he is a magistrate the Minister as he is a Minister the maister of a familie as he is a maister and so all men in their particular callings must obey Christ. And if the maister of a familie come to the assembly heare the word receiue the Sacraments yet in his familie faile and performe not the duties of a maister he is but an hypocrite he is no true Christian though men accept so of him because he must be obedient to Christ both in generall and particular calling Now followeth the second argument by which Iohn is described namely the effect that he bare record of the word of God Which Iohn bare this record partly by preaching partly by penning the Gospell of Christ. And because the word of God hath two parts the Law and the Gospell he shewes in the next words that he meanes especially the Gospell of Christ adding Of things done and sayd by Christ. And lest any man should call his testimonie into question he saith he testifies that whereof he was an eye witnesse he saw it and therefore could not be deceiued and therefore his testimonie was true The end why he alleageth these words is to shew that he is a faithfull pen-man of this booke that so it might haue more reuerence for he which was faithfull in penning the Gospell of Christ the same also is faithfull in penning this Prophecie of the Church By these words we may gather that to testifie the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles to be the truth of God is a true note of a true Prophet And by these we may distinguish betweene a true Prophet and a false if they bring the doctrine of the Apostles and the Prophets it is true Deut. 13. If they worke wonders and their doctrine be to draw men from the true God they are false Prophets and must be put to death And our Sauiour Christ being asked of his authoritie he alledges Luk. 10. 1. Iohns testimonie and confirmeth Iohns testimonie to be true asking them this question The baptisme of Iohn was it from heauen or of men shewing that Iohn was a true Prophet seeing his Baptisme that is his doctrine was from heauen Hereby we see the difference of a true Prophet and false alledged by the Papists is no true difference for they say If one can worke miracles he is a true Prophet whereas Deut. 13. false Prophets may do that But the true marke of a true Prophet is the doctrine deliuered by the Prophets and Apostles and he which brings this though he can not worke a miracle is a true Prophet Now followeth the sixth argument by which this reuelation is described which is in the manner of propounding and deliuering of it to the Church And this maner and forme of deliuerie of it stands in foure degrees First God the Father giueth it to Christ the Mediator Secondly Christ the Mediatour and head of the Church giueth it to an Angell Thirdly the Angell conueyes it to Iohn the Apostle Fourthly Iohn directed and assisted by the holie Ghost deliuereth it to the Churches Now as this particular booke was so no doubt all the whole Scriptures were conueyed to the Church Now in that the Lord hath so conueyed his Scriptures to man we see his perpetuall care and loue of man and of the members of his Church Also we see the great excellencie and dignitie as also the perfection of these bookes seeing they were deliuered to man by God and by him he deliuers his will to his Church This shewes the blasphemie and sin of the Church of Rome who call the written word of God a dead letter a dumbe iudge they hold that generall Councels be equall to the word that the vniuersall consent of the Church is aboue the Scriptures it giues life and sense to them which otherwise they say of themselues be but an inkie and dumbe word But we see they be farre aboue all these for they be most absolute and perfect and also most excellent seeing they being giuen of God the Father to Christ the mediator and head of the Church and by him conueyed to an Angell who deliuers them to Iohn and he published them to the Church these degrees of the deliuerie of thē shew they be most excellent and perfect Blessed are they which heare c. Here is the seuenth and last argument of this description of the Reuelation which is by the fruite effect and the profite which comes of it being heard or read and ioyned with marking and attention it brings happinesse Blessed That is blessednesse which stands in the fellowship of God and life euerlasting belongs to them which heare and reade this booke and marke it keepe it in memorie remember the things contained in it being a prophecie of the estate of the Church partly present partly to come Blessed is he which reades Here the holy Ghost setteth downe the proper end of the Scriptures of this booke particularly For the ende of this booke and so of all other bookes of the Scriptures is to bring men to happinesse and felicitie and life euerlasting Ioh. 20. last the Scriptures be to make vs beleeue in Christ that so beleeuing we might haue eternall life 1. Ioh. 1. ◠He declared to them the word of Christ that by it they might haue fellowship with God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost which fellowship is true happinesse it selfe Ioh. 5. 39. Search the scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life And in this they differ from all other books and writings of men For mens writings being penned either by the light of nature and so be thence erronious and misse of the end of happinesse and euerlasting life or else they be penned by them which haue light by by the word and so as they agree with the word they be grounded on the word and haue all their truth from it Seeing the end of this booke as of the other bookes of scripture is to bring men to happinesse we see the opinion and practise of the Church of Rome is damnable who barre the people of God from reading and hearing the Scriptures in their vulgar tongue for in barring them of
knowledge wisdome constancie zeale pietie and religion So in the old Testament he deliuered thē to his Prophets not to all but his seruants men of singular gifts and graces and of exceeding holinesse and pietie Indeed the Lord reuealed some particular things to wicked men as to Balaam but they neuer knew them comfortably It is a propertie belonging to the seruants of God to haue a vision reuealed and to know the same Now both these befell S. Iohn he was a man of exceeding holinesse of life for Christ loued him and of singular and rare gifts Now the diuell maketh no such choice but his visions befall men which are heretikes wicked notorious sinners and they haue no rare and speciall gifts as the other so that by this a man may distinguish them by the persons to whom they befall Then we must esteeme of it as a singular gift of God giuen to his owne Apostle S. Iohn After the description of Christ Iohn describes himselfe by many modest tearmes first Your brother that is of them being members all of the mysticall bodie Christ Iesus for the church of God is a familie God the Father is head and housholder Iesus Christ is the elder brother we all are fellow brethren in and by Christ being by him the adopted sonnes of God and brethren to each other By this title first he setteth out his humilitie and great modestie for he was a man at that time aboue all men which liued in regard of his gifts and holinesse of life he was the last Apostle and had apostolicall authoritie being a most true professor yet he calleth himselfe a brother to all true beleeuers maketh himselfe but equall with them though they were farre inferiour to him And so should we esteeme better of all our brethren then of our selues and make our selues inferior to them Secondly by this title we see he had his hart full of brotherly loue to all the members of the church of Christ so we are bound to loue all men as they be of the same flesh with vs but those which be of the same faith religion to these especially should we shew our loue and affection It is good reason that they which haue the same head Christ the same God the same faith hope religion and redemption by Iesus Christ should be so affected to one another and being linked by all these should haue a more neare loue then is between man man But in this world as Esay saith men hate their brethren euen for the profession of the same religion whereby they thinke to be saued If they liue with more conscience then others then they reuile speake ill of and hate them for the name of Christ. The second title Companion or fellow partner compartner in tribulations in the kingdome and in patience He was partner with them in tribulations for two causes first because at that time when he wrote this vision the whole Church was in persecutiō and tribulation vnder that cruell tyrant Domitian about fourescore or an hundred yeares after Christ and so he fled to Pathmos at that time and being mindfull of the afflictions of the Church whereof he was a member he cals himselfe a partner with them in affliction By which he shewes our estate that it is to be vnder the crosse to liue in affliction not to be companions of peace and ease but partakers of affliction and tribulation and therfore those which will be Christs Disciples and follow him they must deny themselues and take vp their crosse dayly and because of this estate the Church in this world is called the militant Church Now seeing the state of the Church is in tribulation we in this land and Church which haue had peace and quietnes so long without persecution we must know that it is giuen vs that now in the time of peace we might prepare our selues against the day of triall and persecution for seeing the estate of the Church is to be vnder affliction and persecution we are bound to looke for it and know that the Lord will come and try his Church for it must increase and grow by triall The Lord hath sent labourers into his haruest a long time which haue gathered much wheate into the Lords barne Now there must come a day when the Lord will take his fan and siue into his hands and will with the fan and siue of persecution try the wheat and winnow the corne from the chaffe that it may appeare who are his true children Then stands it vs in hand to take heed we be found good corne and not chaffe that we may abide the siue that we proue not light corne blowne about with the wind and fit to be cast into the fire to be burnt He cals himselfe their fellow partner in affliction because his pitifull hart was moued with compassion to all his fellow members and partners in affliction when he remembred their persecution and affliction they suffered vnder the cruell tyrant Dominitian Now looke what was in him the same affection should be in vs our hearts should be pitifull full of compassion for the poore afflicted members of Christ seeing they be our fellow members we should haue a fellow feeling with them and shew our compassion in pittying them If the foote be pricked the head stoopes the eye beholds and lookes on it the finger puls it out the hand applies the plaister the other foot is ready to run for help the tongue to aske for counsell and all the members are ready to affoord their mutuall helpe in pittie and fellow feeling so when any members of the Church suffer affliction be pricked with persecution for Christs cause then should we as fellow members of one body be ready to do all the helpe we can to them especially in shewing our fellow-feeling with them In the kingdome of Christ. That is the kingdome of heauen In that he sets first afliction then addes a kingdome he shewes that the afflictions crosse for Christs sake is the ready way to the kingdom of heauen it is the way which is beaten and troden by the Prophets Apostles and the Saints of God as the Apostle saith Through manifold tribulations we must enter into heauen And this momentany affliction causeth to vs an infinite weight of glory not that it deserues or effects it but that it is the path-way to heauen Then we must not thinke it strange when it befalleth vs for it is the meanes to bring wandring sheepe out of the way into the ready and beaten way to heauen nay it is rather to be thought strange when we haue no affliction for then we be gone out of the way seeing the Lord afflicts euery child which is his In patience A vertue whereby we are made able to perseuere in affliction to go on suffering till we come to heauen Afflictions are the beaten way heauen is our ioyfull end patience is the meanes to make vs
propoundeth doctrine to mens consciences to be beleeued vpon paine of eternall death Christ sheweth in the bookes of the old and new Testament that no man can make one article of our beleefe nay he which teacheth any other doctrine then that is accursed Gal. 1. Secondly Christ hath absolute power to prescribe regiment to his Church how and in what maner and also the persons by whom it shall be gouerned So Moses made the tabernacle according to the patterne Christ shewed him Salomon built the Temple according to the forme he saw by reuelation 1. Chron. 28. 12. Thirdly Christ hath authority to prescribe times for his worship to appoint Sabbaths c. And Gen. 1. as he created the Sabbath so hath he power alone to alter it no creature can prescribe a time to Gods seruice to the end of the world but Christ alone Then it is not true that the Church hath power to appoint two Sabbaths in one weeke or one in many weekes for it is Christs honour to prescribe his worship and the time of the same The second part of Christs soueraigne power is to iudge to haue power to determine of his owne will without helpe of any man or Angell And in this regard it belongeth to him to giue sense of the Scriptures he alone gaue them he is the lawgiuer and must expound his owne law Secondly Christ alone must decide questions and controuersies concerning faith Then the Church hath not any such power but from Christ by helpe of the written word by which Christ expoundeth them to vs. The third part of this soueraigntie is that Christ can saue and destroy open and shut he alone hath the keys of heauen and hell he can open that is pardon sinne properly And he alone promiseth this pardon and can performe it being God and as he giueth the pardon for sinne so he giueth also eternall life sauing mens soules Secondly he hath power to shut to cast some into hell and to destroy when men liue in sinnes and dye in thē without repentance he hath power to hold men in sins after to cast them into hell and shut them vp for euer Seeing Christ prescribeth this doctrine to the soule and consciēce to the most secret part of mans soule such doctrine as can saue and destroy we see Christ he is Lord of the Church he is Lord of the most secret wils and affections of the chiefest part of the mind The Papists say that by vertue of this key of Dauid Christ can set vp and depose kings and princes at his pleasure but this they hold craftily to bring in the damned power of the Pope But it will do them no good for Christ as he is Mediator of the Church and gouernour thereof he deposeth none he maketh no king but as he is God so he maketh and pulleth downe at his pleasure being farre aboue all men And hence kings are called Gods because they represent Christ as he is God Christ as he is Mediatour maketh men spirituall kings but he maketh not temporall kings but onely as he is God For if he had such power why did he refuse to deuide the inheritance saying Who made me a Iudge and to punish the adulterous woman confessing he was not a Magistrate From this power is another deriued frō Christ namely the power of the keyes which proceedeth from the power of Christ and by which power the key of Dauid is put in execution Mat. 16. 19. I will giue thee the keyes of heauen Now this power of the keyes is a ministerie granted to the Church of God to open and shut the kingdome of heauen First it is a ministerie that is a seruice and dutie for that which the Ministers do is but a seruice done to the Church and they be but seruants and stewards of Christ in the Church of God in gouerning it So then it is no authoritie but a seruice When Adam fell we all fell in him and he thrust himselfe and all mankind out of Gods kingdome by his sinne closed vp heauen gates against vs. Now since that fall Christ became man and in his manhood dyed for our sinnes and made satisfaction to God for them and this satisfaction of Christ is the thing which properly openeth the kingdome of heauen and nothing else properly Christ alone can open and shut the Church can only reueale and pronounce the will of God then no otherwise she openeth or shutteth but by declaring the same to be open or shut To the Church of God That is to the companie of true beleeuers called to saluation by Christ to them onely is this key giuen Mat. 18. 18. the promise is made onely to the Church and Gods people not to all societies of men The end of it is to open and shut How Christ he knew best Ioh. 20. 23. where he sheweth what is the key and what to open and shut namely to pardon and remit sinnes and no way else can men open and shut Now we must distinguish betweene giuing sentēce pronouncing that sentence The first belongs to Christ alone the second to man who forgiueth sinne not by giuing sentence but pronouncing sentence giuen alreadie by Christ in heauen And to make the church to forgiue sinnes properly is to robbe Christ of a speciall honor due to his Godhead Then the right vse of the power of the keyes is when the church of God vseth them onely in the name of Christ to open and shut first as his seruants and stewards secondly according to his will and word not mans traditions and affections Thirdly to bring sinners to saluation to beget and continue them in repentance They being so vsed haue a promise namely What you bind on earth is bound in heauen c. and it is the means by which Christs power is put in execution Now this power of the keyes giuen to the Church hath two parts first the ministerie of the word secondly spirituall iurisdiction The first Mat. 16. 19. namely the ministerie of the word is set downe and authorised by Christ I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen that is the word of God and whose sinnes thou shalt bind by that word they shall be bound by the cords of their sinnes in heauen c. This ministerie of the word is a key to open and shut two wayes first by teaching expounding the word of God and doctrine of saluation and this is a key Luk. 11. 52. You haue taken away the key of knowledge The key of knowledge is the doctrine of the word of God Secondly the ministerie of the word is a key in men lawfully called in that they apply in the ministerie thereof the curses of the law to them which liue in sinnes and the promises of the Gospell to the repentant heart So it openeth and shutteth the kingdome of heauen for that which the Minister pronounceth by Gods word to be bound on earth is fast bound in heauen
seuen heades do signifie seuen hilles whereon the woman sitteth Now seeing it is euident that the woman signifieth a great Citie we must see where we can find a great Citie builded vpon seuen hilles and that by the interpretation of the Angell is Babylon the See of Antichrist And if we seeke throughout the whole world where shall we find a great Citie builded vpon seuen hils but that great citie in Italie which all Writers Poets Historians Cosmographers with one consent do confesse to be Rome which is builded vpon seuen hilles whose names are these Palatinus Capitolinus Auentinus Exquilinus Viminaelis Quirinalis and Caelius This is so plaine a notation of Rome to be Babylon builded on seuen hilles that the Angell could not more plainely haue expressed Rome though he had named her Nay this is a more euident and certain description of Rome to be the See of Antichrist then if in plaine words he had said Babylon is Rome For it might be that some other citie then that here was meant might haue the name of Rome but no other citie could haue this notation to be builded on seuen hils For Constantinople was afterward called new Rome but Constantinople was not builded vpon seuen hilles like vnto old Rome Therefore this is a plaine and manifest circumlocution of Rome which with no reason can receiue any other exposition For what boy going to the Grammer schoole and reading in Virgils Georgickes this verse Septem quae vna sibi muro circundedit arces That citie saith Virgil which hath compassed seuen hils within her walles What boy I say in the Grammer schoole doth not vnderstand this to be meant of the citie of Rome although the Poet in that place doth not once name Rome With what face therefore will any man denie that the Angell here meaneth any other citie by this Periphrasis and circumlocution then Rome For if any will be so froward to except that the word of hils is not taken in the proper sense but figuratiuely and metaphorically for some other thing as some would seem to interprete seuen hils in this place for seuen kingdoms he shal plainly be conuinced by these reasons first it were absurd that the Angel should repeat one thing twise for in the next clause he sheweth that the seuen heads do signifie kingdoms also but specially we must remember that this is an interpretation of the Angell which must either be plaine and easie to be vnderstood or it deserueth not the name of an interpretation Therefore if the Angell offering to expound the mysterie of the seuen heads giueth this exposition that they signifie seuen hils if hils be not taken in their proper sense to what purpose serueth this exposition For if the name of hils hath need of another exposition he had bene as good to haue left the name of heads vnexpounded And as for the interpretation of hils to signifie Kings is more obscure darke and far fet then that heads should represent Kings for it is more apt by metaphor to call a King an head then to cal him an hill Therefore except we will say that the interpretation of the Angell is vaine yea more darke then the thing that is expounded by him we must needes confesse that hils are taken in their proper sense for hils and then the citie builded vpon seuen hilles without all controuersie is the citie of Rome The fourth and last proofe that I will take out of the holy scripture is the last verse of the same seuenteenth chapter which is yet a more plaine description of Rome if any thing can be more plaine then that hath bene alreadie spoken for there the Angell in plaine words expoundeth that the woman which S. Iohn saw which was the great whoore Babylon is that great Citie which hath dominion ouer the Kings of the earth What brazen face is so impudent to denie that Rome was that great citie which had dominion ouer the Kings of the earth at that time when this was spoken Or what other citie had dominion ouer the Kings of the earth in S. Iohns time but Rome Who is therefore so froward and vntoward that he will not acknowledge Babylon here to be plainly called Rome If I should name the chiefe city of England who would not vnderstand London If I should speake of the chiefest citie of France who would not conceiue Paris And when the Angell named the chiefe citie of the world who could be ignorant liuing in that time or knowing the history of that time that he vnderstood it of the citie of Rome which was the sea of the Empire and from whence we should looke that Antichrist should come according to the former prophesies For it is a shame in this place to flie vnto allegories and further expositions of this Angelicall interpretation which as I said before if it be not cleare plaine and easie to be vnderstood deserueth not the name of an exposition as when one knoweth one vnknowne thing is expounded by another as much or more vnknowne it is vaine superfluous and ridiculous Wherefore whom any bonds of reason will hold in they must be satisfied with the exposition of the Angell that Babylon is Rome For seeing it was necessary for the Church of God to know aswell the place where Antichrist should fit as to be instructed of his craft and crueltie our Sauiour Christ the author of this Reuelation would not suffer his congregation to be ignorant thereof but sent his Angell plainely to interprete and expound the vision of the great whoore that the Church being throughly admonished of her wickednesse and instructed perfectly to know her might more easily take heed of her flie from her and abhor her so that according to my promise I haue sufficiently proued by authoritie of holy Scriptures this first proposition which I tooke in hand that Babylon is Rome But because some are of such obstinate and wilful frowardnes that nothing will satisfie them but they will still grudge and repine carpe and obiect against my interpretations of holy Scriptures for the texts they cannot deny I wish them that are such if they like not these expositions which I haue brought to the defacing of Antichrist and his religion that then they admit and reuerence those expositions which their owne authors bring for the maintenance of the Popes authoritie and his religion of which sort are these God saith Moses in Genesis made two great lights the Sunne to rule the day and the Moone to gouerne the night that is saith the famous Interpreter God ordained the Pope and the Emperour to rule the world By the Sun is meant the Pope and by the Moone the Emperour and looke how much greater and more glorious the Sunne is then the Moone so much greater and more glorious is the Pope then the Emperour And not content with this he counteth by Arithmeticke how much greater the Sunne is in quantitie then the Moone by proportion that it hath to the earth
chiefly Babylon is fallen in credite of her doctrine For besides so many Princes and estates of Christendome that by publike authoritie haue receiued the Gospell and vtterly abolished all Babylonicall doctrine euen in the midst of her tyrannie and persecution great multitudes daily are lightened with the bright beames of the Gospell that for all Inquisitions imprisonments exquisite torments and cruell burnings they neuer a whit diminish but rather increase as God hath prouided that the bloud of the Martyrs should be the seed of the Church And they are more then obstinate if they do not acknowledge that this matter is gouerned from God aboue For if it had bene of men it must needes haue decayed before this time and haue come to nought as Gamaliel said of the doctrine of the Apostles Therefore in fighting against it they shew thēselues but after the maner of the old Gyants to make warre against God Or as it is contained in this Prophecie that Antichrist should gather together the Princes of the earth to make battell against him that sitteth vpon the white Horse whose name is The word of God but all to their vtter confusion and destruction For the word of God must conquer and preuaile in the last age and Antichrist must be consumed by the spirit of the mouth of Christ which is his holy word and vtterly abolished by the glorious brightnesse of his coming to iudgement as S. Paule testifieth in the second Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians Therfore it is vaine that they seeke to vnderprop the doctrine of Babylon by crueltie and tyrannie for all will not serue seeing the time of her final fall approcheth and now already our Sauiour Christ with the spirit of his mouth hath wasted and consumed a great part of that credit estimation in which the doctrine of Babylon of long time hath triumphed And it is our parts to pray that her credit may dayly more and more decrease that the kingdom of Christ may be perfectly established amongst vs and the kingdom of Antichrist overthrowne euen from the foundations that no superfluous relicks of Babylonical religion may remain where the church of Christ is in building but that the doctrin of Babylō may fal altogether Thus I haue declared that Baylon in wealth and substance in power and authoritie in credit estimation of her doctrine is falne and that without hope of recouery for her credit is cracked not onely amongst her enemies the Protestants but euen amongst her best friends and greatest Arch-papists For I suppose there is none in the world so blind so superstitious so deuoutly addict in all points of Popish idolatrie and superstition as they were 30. or 40. yeares past Although they close their eyes neuer so obstinatly against the light of Gods word yet some effect of the beames of force wil pierce euen through their eye-lids And that they thēselues cannot dissemble although they would neuer so faine but that they haue bene deceiued with grosse errors and shameful superstitions their pardons their pilgrimages their legends who is now so blind that seeth not how the world hath bin seduced by them And the simplicitie of the people abused to satisfie their vnsatiable couetousnesse As for the greatest Patrons of Poperie that be learned they cannot denie but that great errors haue bene receiued and taught for truth Yea the Pope himselfe hath acknowledged that many errours haue crept into the church yea euen into the Masse but the reformation of them pertaineth to him alone and the generall Councell But what hope of reformatiō is to be looked for at their hands let it be seene in the decrees of the last Councell of Trent What litle Mise those great mountaines in so many yeares trauell haue brought foorth In fortie or fiftie yeares consultation two great matters reformed One for Pardoners not to be common pedlers another for the Communion in both kinds to those that desire it so they confesse it were as good in one kind and agree with them in all other points of Poperie Yet all was not well they confesse by their correction And as for the greatest Pillars and Proctors they haue if they be pressed neare acknowledge a great deale more As one that landed lately at Yarmouth before witnesse of good credit testified that if he might be satisfied in two points concerning the Popes supremacie and the reall presence for other matters he would not greatly striue So that I will conclude that Babylon is fallen in riches in power in credit of Doctrine not onely with Protestants but euen with Papists themselues But now I know what will be obiected against me That I haue trauelled all in vaine to proue that Babylon is fallen and that Babylon is Rome and that I haue abused the texts of Scripture and sentences of old Doctors to proue the same For whatsoeuer is contained either in the Scripture or in the writings of the auncient Doctors to proue that Babylon is Rome is to be vnderstood of Rome vnder the heathen Emperours and not vnder the Popes and that all this while I haue wrested the Scriptures and enforced the Doctors to affirme that which they neuer thought of Indeed I will confesse that some Prophesies contained in this Reuelation were fulfilled in the heathen Emperours and that the heathen Empire was an introduction vnto Antichrist but that Antichrist the great enemie of the church of Christ and which is principally called Antichrist could not be any of the heathen Monarchie I will make it manifest by plaine demonstrations And first I will retaine this Principle sufficiently proued before that Rome is the See of Antichrist and that by authoritie of Scriptures and consent of auncient Writers we can seeke him no where but in the Romaine Empire And now the controuersie resteth in this whether the heathen Emperors or the Pope be he First S. Paul in the second chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians speaking purposely of Antichrist saith expresly that he shall sit in the Temple of God which is the Church of Christ. But it is manifest that the heathen Emperours did not sit in the Church of God therefore the heathen Emperour is not this Antichrist And by the same reason it is manifest that Mahomet is not that especiall Antichrist because he sitteth without the temple of God as there be diuers that would haue these things to be vnderstood of Mahomet or Ottomanus but it is as cleare as the Sunne at noone dayes for as much as neither the heathen Emperors nor Mahomet nor Ottomanus sitteth in the Temple or Church of God that none of them is that great Antichrist of whom the prophesies of the Scripture are to be expounded And whereas some of them interprete the abhomination of desolation where of Christ speaketh to be meant of Antichrist or at leastwise to be a signe of him that cannot be vnderstood of the heathen Emperours or any other that is without the Church for that
standeth in the holy place which is the temple and signifieth the Church Now the Pope sitteth in the midst of the temple of God and boasteth himself to be God chalenging to himselfe such authoritie as is proper only to God and vsurping such honour as is peculiar onely to God Therfore not in the heathen Emperors but in the Popes is this prophesie accomplished Another reason to proue that Antichrist which in this Reuelation is foreshewed to come into the world cannot be vnderstood to be the heathen Emperours is taken out of the seuenteenth chapter of the same booke for there the Angell interpreting to S. Iohn the mysterie of the beast that beareth the harlot which hath seuen heads signifying seuen hilles he declareth also that they signifie seuen Kings or principall estates or formes of regiment for so the name of King is often taken in the Prophets and specially in Daniel at which prophesie S. Iohn borroweth many phrases Of these seuen heads fiue he saith were fallen the sixt was then presently in authority and the seuenth was not yet come which seuenth was the monstrous beast Antichrist that was both the seuenth and the eight Now it is euident that this could not be vnderstood of the heathen Emperours for Nero the first persecuting Paynim was come and gone and Domitian another persecutor by whose tyrannie S. Iohn was banished into the I le of Pathmos where he saw and receiued this Reuelation was then in authoritie so that of the Monarchie or tyrannie of heathen Emperours this could not be vnderstood and of the Christian Emperours no man will expound it so that it must needs be turned ouer to the Pope for it can rest in no place else and being referred vnto him all the rest haue a very apt exposition For the citie of Rome and the dominions thereof hath had seuen principall states or formes of regiment the first state of Kings the second of Consuls the third of Decemviri the fourth of Dictators the fift of Triumviri the sixt of Caesars or Emperors and the seuenth of Popes Now fiue of these states or formes of regiment were fallen and abolished in Saint Iohns time the sixt which was the Emperours in his time was in place and the seuenth which is the Popes was not yet come which was the very beast it selfe the Romaine Empire reuiued and raised vp from the bottomlesse pit of hell into the vsurped tyrannie of the Pope And this is that beast that sometimes was of wonderfull great power and glory in the dayes of Augustus and some other of his successors but then much decayed as if it had not bene although in some sort it were but should be restored in the vsurped authoritie of the Pope that claimeth all the world to be his Diocesse which power commeth not from God but from the Prince of pride out of the bottomlesse pit But chiefly let vs consider that the beast although he be but one yet in the account he standeth for two for he is that seuenth head and the eight also And remember that the Pope challengeth double authoritie namely the power of both the swords the spirituall and temporall So that in this exposition all things agree most aptly Againe it is manifest in the Scriptures that Antichrist should deceiue the world with false doctrine vnder pretence and colour of true religion and therefore so often times the Scripture warneth men that they be not seduced by him which were needles if any opē professed enemy of Christ shold be that Antichrist For there is no likelihood that an heathen man a Iew or a Turk should deceiue any multitude of true Christians but he that vnder the pretence of the name of Christ seeketh most of all to deface the honour of Christ he is a subtle aduersarie and the very spirit of Antichrist as S. Iohn also in his Epistle doth testifie For in the second chapter speaking of those Antichrists which were the fore-runners of the great Antichrist he sheweth that they went out from the Church And in the fourth chapter he calleth them false Prophets and teacheth men how to know the spirit of Antichrist He that denieth Iesus to be Christ he that denieth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh that is he that derogateth any thing from the honour of Iesus to be Christ and in his flesh to haue performed the ful worke of mans redemption as the Pope doth most blasphemously he is Antichrist and who so teacheth any such doctrine speaketh by the spirit of Antichrist For the testimony of Iesus is the spirit of prophesie Seeing therfore that S. Iohn accounteth Antichrist for one that is gone from the church for a false Prophet it is cleare that Antichrist is no heathē Emperor which was neuer of the Church nor yet a false Prophet that tooke vpon him to teach in the Church The same may be said of Mahomet who neuer professed himselfe to be a Christian nor yet a Prophet in the Church of Christ pretending to vphold the religion of Christ but an open enemie of the Gospel of our Sauior Christ altogether without the Church By these arguments I doubt not but all men may see that seeing Babylon is Rome and that the head of Babylon is Antichrist that he cannot be any of the heathen Emperours but euen the Pope himselfe And therefore I conclude according to my text that Rome is fallen if Babylon be fallen Now remaineth the last part that I promised to intreate of namely the cause of Gods so seuere iudgment against Babylon that he hath decreed her vtter ouerthrow and destruction which the Angel comprehendeth in these words Because she hath made all nations drunke with the wine of the furie of her fornication that is she hath deceiued all the world with false doctrine which he compareth vnto two kinds of vices whereby men are so deceiued that they loose all their right iudgement drunkennesse and fornication for as these two vices do allure men to commit them by coueting of vaine delectation that is in thē euen so Babylon hath inticed all men like another Circe to drink of the cup of her delectable errours and to commit most filthy fornication with her idolatrous religiō For of al other religions to the carnal man none is so pleasant as Poperie is in which be so many kinds of satisfaction to be obtained both in this life and after men be dead that there is no greater securitie for an hypocrite to sleepe in thē in the faire promises of Popery And that causeth so many willingly to embrace it and so loth to depart frō it because they would still continue without checke of true doctrine which calleth men to repentance amendment of life or else threatneth eternall damnation For howsoeuer it pleaseth them to charge the doctrine of the Gospell with cause of securitie it may easily be seene by comparison of it with the doctrine of Poperie whether is cause of securitie that which teacheth no