gouernours of the aforesayde monarchyes sedused by a kynds of crafty errours and dyuelysh suggestions of that beast So that if ye marke well this place the head with the tayle and the cause with his effecte in these presente significacions shall no preiudice be founde to that hath bene sayd in the other thoughe they séeme very diuers For both the gouernours and also the landes or the peoples subiect vnto them haue vniuersallye bene blinded by their wylye wichcrafts And so haue the worldlye potentates with the spirituall Antichristes agréede that both they haue vsurped one malignant medlynge ouer the soules of men to corrupte their faith the princes applyinge their powers vnto the same And that causeth the holy ghost here to call them the beastes heades vnder the title of mountaines and kinges For vnder their princely authorities haue al their mischiefes bene fulfilled to vphold this whore against Christ his word 5 Fyâ—e of these heades are fallen from the vniuersal monarchy of Rome All the dominions of Affrica and Asia hath renounced the obedience of hyr Empyre Onely cleaueth Europa vnto hyr which is the least of the thrée and yet not all therof When the Papacy grew the whole Empire of the Gréekes called Constantinople fell cleane from the Latines and became with other diuerse Monarchies the possession of Mahomets sect or of the Agarenes and Turks Of the other Empires may a like coniecture be had Thus haue they declined from hir not so goyng forth nor yet risinge vp vnto Christ for onely is it sayd here that they were fallen 6 And one head is saith the text at this preseÌ„t time remaining the other head is not come as yet but wyl come hereafter This head remayning is the sixt and it is that féeble Empyre that Rome nowe holdeth and haue holden since Iohns time The power of this Empyre is â—uenously deminished and the notable fame thereof decayed betwixt the Popish prelates and the Frenchmen a great part of the lands becomming saint Peters patrimonye To make it a fit head of the beast to the vp holding of this whorishe churche the authorytie thereof maintaining hyr lawes Gregory the fift pope committed the emperours chosing vnto vi princes of Germany thrée of them being Archbishops He appoynted also the King of Bohem for the seauenth then beinge tributarye vnto hym and hys owne féede man as an odde person to waye vpon their sides if néede place and time should require it Prouided alwayes that he shoulde take hys oth and receiue hys crowne Imperiall at Rome So that now though it styll be the same in title that it was in Iohns dayes yet is it so diuers from it through diminishmeÌ„t of power and so vnlyke in outwarde magnificence as it neuer had ben the same 7 The seuenth heade that is not yet come is the papistical kingdom of our romish spiritualti for therfore apéered nothing in Iohns time nor yet more then v. hundred yeares after it The Bishops of Rome as they call them from Péeter to Siluester were very poore soules simple creatures men not regarded but dispised of the worlde They were no new law makers for the more parte but rather they gaue their whole dilligeÌ„ce to sée those lawes obserued whoÌ„ the holy ghost had made to their handes Neither were they any masse saiers soule singers or procession goers but as was S. Paul with the other Apostles simple preachers onely and for their sincere preaching thei suffered the death of their bodies But after the donation of ConstaÌ„tine and other plentuous almses committed vnto their handes for the soccoure of the poore they became al confessers and toke them to their ease at home Then was labour verye tedious vnto them preaching veri troublous painful Then studied they all to please the powers peacablye to holde sâ—yll theyr pleasaunt possessions and by spiritual policies to increase theÌ„ more more the poore in a maner forgotten Then came in that holy ceremony and that with latine houres seruing of saints and praying for the deade to prouoke men to offer to Corban Thus crepte they vp in hypocrysie day by day tyll such time as Iohn of Constantinople contended with Gregory of Rome for the supreâ—â—â—e In the which contencion though Gregory laied for hymselfe saint Péeters keies with many other sore arguments and reasons yet was he commaunded by Maurcius the Emperoure after the generall Synode to obey the saide Ihon as the vniuersall head bishop of the whole world Then were these holi fathers compelled to tarry a laisure and vnder crafty coloures to wayte their pray In processe of time when Phocas was Emperour Bonifacius the iii a man of wilâ— practise perceiuing hym much to be geuen to vaine glory couetuousnes greatly also to dissalow the actes of Mauricius his predecessour thorugh flattery and mede obtained of him that the churche of Rome should be holden from theÌ„ce forth for the head church of the world and he for the head bishop Whan this was once gotten than rose they vp so high that the Emperour became their foote stoole and all other christian princes their waiting slaues to ryde and run make and marre striue and fight slea and kill at their commaundemeÌ„t and pleasure Thus became the Romish Pope the seauenth Kinge that was in Iohns time yet to come If the marke in the Cronicles good Reader thou shalt finde that Phocas the first Pope maker slew his master the Emperour Mauricius signifiyng in mysterye the sayde Pope making to be an vtter destruction to the Empyre The Popes name was also at that time Bonifacius whiche is as muche to say as Bonafacies a good face Which betokeneth that this new raysed kingdome shoulde shew a fayre face euermore or a shining preteÌ„ce of holynes what mischiefe so euer it wroughte eyther agaynst God or man in abhominable supersticion 8 And whan this seauenth Kinge commeth sayth the text he must continue a space or abide a litle season He muste haue a time by the permission of God strongly to delude the vnbeléeuers which wyll neither sée nor heare reade nor yet thankfullye receiue hys worde of saluation so graciously offered them So corrupt are the fleshly affects of men that much more prone they are to lies superstitions than to the verytie of the Lord which is to be lamented Christe came first in the name of hys heauenlye father but hym wyll they nor receiue The Pope commeth in hys owne wycked name and to hym runne they by heapes Whose continuaunce here hath bene but a time For yet is it not a thousande yeares since the Papacy first beganne vnder Phocas which is but as a day before God and that day wyll he shorten by hys owne promise for his elects sake whiche to remember is their greate comforte And a great cause whye For soone after that shal they be fully restored into the persight number of the children of God 9 And the execrable beast sayth the text that of late
conclude like as in the body of Christ dwelth the whole fulnesse of the godhed corporally so dwelleth their in this body of Sathan the whole fulnesse of falshoode crafte sutiltye mallice with power to work al maner of mischife effectually really substancially and corporally THE TEXT 1 And I sawe one of his heades as it were wounded to death 2. his deadly wound was healed 3. and all the vvorld vvondered at the beast 4. And they worshipped the Dragon vvhich gaue povver vnto the beast 5. and they vvorshipped the beast 6. saying 7. Who is lyke vnto the beast 8. Who is able to vvarre vvith him The Paraphrase 1 And one of his heads saith Saint Iohn séemed vnto mée as it had béene wounded vnto death And it was not so indéed for his dedly woūd was healed againe Euident it is that in Iohns tyme Rome the mother of all whordome hadde subiecte vnto hir the .vij. clymates or vniuersall parts of the world with all their powers gouernours kinges possessiōs pōpes false worshippinges and such lyke Whom some wryters suppose méete to be takē here for the .vii. heads of this beaste But I finde an other thing in it the body of these .vii heads being but one stil cōtinuing so For though all were at that time vnder hir yet is it not so now yet stil remayneth this beast Therefore I doo take it for one vniuersall Antichrist as I did afore cōprehēding in him so well Mahomet as the Pope so wel the raging tyrant as the stil hipocrite all the wickedly worketh ar of the same body The .vii. heads of the beast may so wel be his presumptuous doings for the .vij ages of the church as any thing els yet no preiudice done to that hath ben said afore What should ayle this woūded head here not to signifie his supremite suppressed his vsurped authoritie power diminished his whole prodigious occupying cōdemned in this latter age of the church I suppose nothing more manifest vnlesse we haue eies will not sée Are not now in may parts of Germany in England also the Popes pardons layed aside His power put downe his name abolished his Purgatorye pilgrimages other peltries vtterly exiled and so lyke to be within short space in other regions also If this be not a deadly wounding of one of the beastes heads I think there is none If this be not an apparent likelihood of his fall there is none to be looked for 2 But the healing againe of this mortall wound is lyke to mar all make the last errour worse than the first In many places where as the Gospell hath béene preached the bishoppe of Rome deposed sectes shrynes sanctuaries destroyed monasteries priories and fryers turned ouer remayneth still theyr poyson with those same instrumentes wherewith they haue wrought all mischiefe Stil cōtinueth their more then Iewish ceremonies their priestybulous priesthoode theyr vowing to haue no wiues and their sodomitical chastitie Stil remineth their sale masses of all abhominations the principall their prodigious sacrifices their sensing of of Idoles their boyesh processions thieir vncōmaunded worshippings their confessiōs in the eare of all trayterie the fountayne with many other strange obseruatiōs whom the scripture of God knoweth not Nothing is brought as yet to Christes instituciō sincere ordinance but all remaineth still as the Antichristes left it Nothing is tryed by gods word but by the aūcient auctority of fathers Now passeth all vnder theyr title Though the olde bishops of Rome were of late yeares proued Antichristes and their names raced out of our bookes yet must they thus properly for old acquaintāce be called still our Fathers If it were naught afore I thinck it is now much worse for nowe are they become laudable cerimonies wheras before time they were but cerimonies alone Now are they become necessary rites godly cōstituciōs séemely vsages ciuill ordinances where as afore they had no such names And he that disobeieth them shall not onely be iudged a fellon and worthy to be hanged by their newe forged lawes but also condemned for a traytour against his king though he neuer in his lyfe hindred but rather to his power hath furthered the common wealth To sée this also with such like put in execucion the Bishoppes haue authoritie euery moneth in the yeare if they list to call a cession to hange and burne at theyr pleasure And this is ratyfied and confirmed by acte of Parliament to stande the more in effect If this be no healing of Antichristes wounded head neuer is lyke to be any Whan men shall defende frée wyll allow theyr popish masse to be a sacrifice satisffactory for the quick and the dead labour they any other thincks you than the healing of this wound He lykewyse that in an open audience mayntayneth our owne workes to iustifie by Dimitte nobis and other not rightly vnderstanded scriptures doth he any other than prepare a salue for the same Nay surely No lesse also dooth he that setteth men to open penāce at Pauls crosse for holy water making for processiō and sensing with other Popetish gauds constrayning them to promise the anauncement of the old fayth of holy church by such fantastical fopperyes as Bonner bishoppe of London dyd now of late to the lawhinge game wonderment of all the world Alas how is the people abused None other doo they but mock Christen Princes with flattery that giue them olde popish titles and blasphemous names of antichrist As to call thē most christen kinges and defenders of the catholike faith meaning the Popes old tradicions to heale the head of the beaste This is surely none other but with the sayde beast to receiue authoritie seate and power of sathan Lette them therefore take héede least they be founde the same antichristes that they haue condemned and so throwe thēselues double vnder the same plage Necessarye it is they beware what they drinke or what titles they take vpon them at their appointmēt least they forgetting them selues be foūde dronken by taking excesse of the Babilonish cup and so perishe with the wicked Marke here diligently thys word head and ye shal well perceyue how wonderfully the story agréeth wyth the mysterie 3 And all the world sayeth Sainct Iohn wondred at the beast All foolishe carnall and worldly people not vnderstanding the wisdome of Gods holy spirit dependeth all vpon theyr beastly baggage thinking all that they doe to be godly meritorious and spirituall They magnifie it prayse it and haue it in most hygh estimation yea they haue it in much more pryce than any thing that is of God In no wyse will they from theyr olde frenesie such is their excéeding blyndenesse For whan they heare tell their customes shall continue their gouernours agréeing to the same they clap their hands for ioye and sing Gaudeamus with the priestes 4 Yea they worship the Dragon which gaue such power to the beast With their hartes they reioyce
trusting vpon longer continuance whan they sée his heade restored agayne in their rulers the godly teachers burned and the preachers put to silence 5 They worship also the beaste so many as worshipped the DragoÌ„ For as they which worship Christ worship his father also so they the worship Antichrist agréeing to his lawes and decrées doth also worship the diuil of whom he receiued his pryde They wonder with the Iewes that séeketh cauilations to coÌ„teÌ„pne Christes doctrine as doth the filthie family of the dotyng dodipolles priestes vnlerned lawyers They worship with the HeatheÌ„ that admitteth their power and alloweth their faces as doeth the foolysh multitude that neuer will be godly wyse None other iudgement remayneth in these dayes to these wonderers and worshippers of the newlye restored head of the beast then did vnto them that with double deuotioÌ„ agréed to the abhominatioÌ„s of Mahomet the pope 6 And this will be their saying as foloweth in the text spoken in the time past for the certaintie of the thing as the maner of the scripture is 7 Who is lyke vnto the beaste in outward glittering workes or in the externo obseruations of counterfayt religion 8 Who is able to war with hir the worldly powers now so déeply maintainiÌ„g hir quarel All seketh the papists that they can in the world imagine to vpholde the glory magnificence and beautie of their holy whorish church or malignauÌ„t muster No cautels nor craftes leaue they vnsought nor vnsearched out to cause the people to estéeme hyr of incoÌ„parable power No small labour tooke standyshe in hand in Whittington College when he made his more theÌ„ foolish booke of reproch against Barnes being dead Nor no lesseÌ„ diligeÌ„ce the wise poet Iohn HuÌ„tiÌ„gtoÌ„ wheÌ„ he registred in his genealogy of heritikes with out grace wit learning the names onely of such godly men as were the Popes enimyes no heretike agaynst God once mentioned No more dyd Thomas Smith Richard Dallison WilliaÌ„ Stawne SteueÌ„ Prowet Fryer AdriaÌ„ Quarrie the Pardoner with suche other blynde Popish Poetes and dyrtye metristes when they vttered theyr shitton rymes and poesies And sure I am that many moe be yet abroade of the same wicked zeale and spirite to the great blasphemie both of God and his trueth now that the beastes wounde is made whole agayne by so many new actes so many new titled Bishops so fresh sale of benifices maisterships and dignities spiritual offices degrées and aucthorities as pleÌ„tuous as euer was in Rome And least we should be depryued of our new pleasaunt Euphrates and so bée compelled by the word of God to follow the Monks Chanons Nunnes and Fryers in theyr banyshments We haue procured certaine actes to be made for our commoditie and those only to be published among the people once in a quarter or so oft as shall please vs to blemishe all Godly preachings of the scriptures Thus séeke we our selues and not God our owne strength and not his our owne glorie and not Iesus Christs But let vs not thynke that he sléepeth with Baall the false God knowyng the most hydden thoughtes of the harte but that he will within shorte space sende foorth his lightnyngs and scater vs brynging our heathenishe deuises to nought For the kyngdome of one faith in vs and the Pope thus manifestly in certayne points deuyded must surely decay THE TEXT 1 And there vvas giueÌ„ vnto him a mouth 2. to speake great things and blasphemies 3. And povver vvas giuen vnto him to doe xlij moneths 4. And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dvvell in heauen 5. And it vvas gyuen vnto him to make vvarre vvith the Sainctes 6. and to ouercom them 7. And povver vvas giuen him ouer all kinreds tongue nacion 8. And all that dvvelt vpon the earth vvorshipped him 9. vvhose names are not vvritteÌ„ in the booke of life 10. of the lambe 11. vvhich vvas killed from the beginning of the vvorld 18. If any man haue an eare let him heare 13. he that leadeth into captiuitie shall goe into captiuitie 14. Hee that killeth vvith a svvearde must be killed vvith a svvearde 15. Heere is the patience and the faith of the sainctes The Paraphrase 1 To this beast saith sainct Iohn was giuen a mouth not of God but of Sathan to speake great mightie things and blasphemies So well is this spoken of the one as the other so many as hath done vpon the Antichrstâ—s liuery title power aucthoritie or name When the veritie of the Lord was opened before them they gaue no thankes for it but became vaine in their thoughts wherfore god gaue them ouer into a leude mynde darkening their hartes So that now thinking them selues wise they appeare more foolish then afore 2 Now speake they great thyngs in their conuocations seanes sermons and all are sore blasphemyes against God his Christ. Now must they serue God by most straite commaundement with olde Romish beggerry though he most highly abhorreth it no scriptures may be reade in the time thereof For the scriptures must onely passe as we wil haue theÌ„ How shuld the beasts hed els be healed again or howe should our church be known els to be his own Image Oh beastly abhominatioÌ„ most hellish decree Now must Christ be takeÌ„ for no sauior at all wtout our deseruiÌ„gs The supper of the lord that was somtime a mutual perticipatioÌ„ of Christes body and bloud must now be a new crucifying of him one traitour playing al parts Iudas Annas Caiphas Herode Pylate the Iews Matrimony must be iudged vncleanes though it be the earnest institutioÌ„ of god No popish vow may be dissolued though it be well knowen a matter so diuilish as hath made an huÌ„dreth thousaÌ„d Sodmites The Eucharisti may not be receiued in both kindes though it be the expresse commaundement of Christ so to bée vsed Without the blynde bussings of a Papist may no sinne be soluted for that is the vpholdyng of their kyngdome with many other lyke blasphemies Certayne other great thyngs are vttered by thys mouth whiche now I passe ouer least I shoulde bée tedious to the reader How be it thys one great blasphemy that is spokeÌ„ I can not leaue vntouched Where as they boast them selues yet still alone to be the holy church by the onely vertue of theyr vnctions and shauings receiued first of the Pope the laitie secluded And vnder thys most falsely vsurped title they will still be taken for the redéemers of mens soules For they say that their masses are satisfactorie sacrifices for the quicke and the deade iustifying reléeuing and sauing them both from dampnation ex opere operato And ouer that abhominable swarme of Antichristes filthie ministers make they nowe their Kyngs the heades most blasphemouslye onely to be by them vpholden now in all their mischiues Truth it is that a king is the politique head supreme gouernour great stay vnder God of the people
wonder For they are so blinded with hyr foppryes tangled with hir toies that they iudge all that she doth holy religeous and perfect And al this suffereth God for their vnbeleues sake destroyinge neuerthelesse the wysdome of the wise and prudence of the prudent in his 13 Hir very name agréeing to hir fruites is this Great BabiloÌ„ in mischiefe far aboue the citie of the ChaldeaÌ„s and much more full of confusion For shée is the originall mother the cause the bginnyng the roote the spryng and the fountaine of all spirituall fornications and in a maner of all fleshly abhominations also done vpon the earth This is to the faithfull sort as a written name of hir euident cleare open and manifeste But to the vnfaithfull it is onely as a mistery hidden darke obscure and neclect For so are the secrets that God openeth to babes hydeth from the wise 14 And I saith Iohn perceiued it euidentlye in my fore vnderstandinge that this woman the very wife of the deuill and of his beastly body for the bysshâ—ps are the husbandes of theyr romyshe churches was all dronken in the bloudy slaughter of the Saincts or ernest christian beléeuers and in the excéedinge tyrannous murther of the faithfull witnesses of Iesu or sincere preachers of his word For neither of both she spareth Besides all Godlye wisdome is she and forgetfull of hyr selfe through this same blouddye dronknes so great exces hath she takeÌ„ 15 And when I perceyued and sawe hir with all hir adders whelpes so beastyshe sayth saynt Iohn with exceading wonder I marueyled Not only that she was thus ouerset with bloud drinking or outragious murthering of inocentes but also of hyr excéeding great abhominacions 16 And most of all I wondered that the almighty God could with so much paciâ—nce suffer hir in such mischiefe The texte 1 And the Angell sayde vnto me 2. Wherefore merueilest thou 3. I wyll shew thee the misterye of the woman and of the beast that beareth hyr which hath seauen heades and ten hornes 4. The beast that thou seeste was 5. And is not 6. And shall ascende out of the bottomlesse pit 7. And shall goe into perdicion 8. And they that dvvel on the earth shal vvoÌ„der 9 whose names are not vvritteÌ„ in the booke of lyfe from the beginninge of the vvorld 10. vvhen they beholde the beaste that was and is not The Paraphrase 1 And as I was thus with my selfe marueilynge the Angell or afore named decrée of the Lord sayde vnto me these words 2 Wherfore doest thou thus maruel thou mortall man 3 For thy gentle and méeke expectation I shall shew vnto thée the mystery of this wretched woman and of the cruell beaste that beareth hir whiche hath seauen heades and ten hornes By this shalt thou know the true churche from the â—alse the iust preachers from the hipocrites the sincere doctrine from their subtile sophismes their lawful authority from their cruelly vsurped presumcions For that sheweth the Lord vnto his electes that he will not haue knowne of all men 4 The execrable beast or carnal kiÌ„gdom of Antichrist which thou hast sene here in mistery was as concerninng his beginning in Caine first of al so continue forth in the fleshly children of men in the chaplaines of Pharao Hieroboam Baal and Bel in the cruell bishopes pristes and lawiers with such other like til the death of Christ and so forth 5 And now the said beast is not in power and authority as he hath bene For in Iohns time certayn yeares before the writing of this reuelacion was the proud clergy of the Iewes vtterly destroyed by Titus and Uespasian in the terrible siege of Hierusalem Notwithstanding yet shal this beaste rise againe in the Romishe Pope and Mahomet and in their false prelates and doctours 6 He shal assend out of the bottomles pit from the stinking denne of sathan exalting him selfe in worship aboue al that is called God But in the conclsiuon he shall haue an end 7 Into perdicion shal he go without fail The Lorde shall firste vtter his wickednesse as now in this age and than with the spirit of his mouth consume him and destroy him So that his high climing vp shal at the laste be the chefe cause of his fal Yet shal his wicked reÌ„nauÌ„t once again set vp their Christes persecute a fresh but that shal be no full raise vnto hym 8 And the rable of reprobates which dwel on the earth or for earthly commodities conteÌ„neth Gods truth shall wonder once again not without much inward reioyce that their Churche riseth againe out of the olde hipocrisyes 9 Whose names are not registred in Christe which is the large booke of life and hath bene both the life the lyght of men since the first constitucion of the mouable world No they are not numbred amoÌ„g those rightuous that shall raigne with hym in glory 10 These aduersaries of God and his worde shall haue much gladnesse in their wicked hartes whan they beholde the beast thus comminge vp agayne that was of such magnificence and now is but a thinge of noughte that was estéemed aboue GOD and now is proued dampnacion So longe is this beastly Antichriste as he worketh the misterie of iniquitie in the reprobate vesselles and whan he leaueth that workinge than is he no longer Marke in this processe past the nature of GODS eternall decrée for this age of his Church Fyrst it sheweth and than it condempneth the curssed Sinagog of the diuel In signification whereof the true preachers of our time haue manifeâ—â—ly opened hir wickednesse vnto all the worlde wherevpon her vtter destruction must shortely follow Watch good Christian Reader and pray earnestly THE TEXT 1 And here is a minde that hath vvisdome 2. The seauen heades are seuen mountaines 3. Whereon the vvoman sitteth 4. They are also seuen kings 5 Fiue are fallen 6 And one is 7. And the other is not come 8. Whan he commeth he must continue a space 9. And the beast that vvas and is not is euen the eight 10. And is one of the seauen 11. And shall go into destruction The Paraphrase 1 Here is a meaning which comprehendeth wisdom A sincere vnderstanding shal herein be requisit Necessary it is therfore to take héed lest thou holde the harlot and beast for that they boast them selues to be to thy dampnacion 2 The seauen heades of the beast aforemencioned by the plaine diffinicion of the holy ghost are here to be taken for seuen mountaines or the vniuersall princly monarchies of the .vij. climates of the world 3 Upon these the woman that Babilonish harlot Rome from whom hathe issued all spirituall whordome in moste proud maner sitteth hauynge ouer them a vnyuersall domynyon For in Iohns time to Rome was all the worlde subiecte Onder whose cruell reigne was Christe done to death so hath his faythfull members bene euer since by a new raised kingdome in the same 4 These heads are also vii kynges or
daies was in auhoritie ouer al the world yea sitting aboue God in the consiences of men and nowe is become of no reputacion amonge men God openinge his mischiefes is euen the eyghte in number And yet neuertheles is one of the vii heades For both is he the beastly body it selfe comprehending in him the vniuersall abhominations of all the earthlye kyngdomes And in that poynt diuers from the seuen heades and so the .viii. in number 10 And also he is one of the .vii. heades and the seauenth in numbre in vsurpyng this proude worldly kyngdome thus after a vayne temporall sorte Ouer and besids all thys maye he also be called the eyght in the curssed remnant which after the peaceable silence of christen libertie sathan loosoned shall most cruelly persecute Christes congregation a freshe as in the xx chapter here following wil appeare 11 This beast with hys carriage the Antichrist with hys church or sathan wish his sinagog shal not onely go into destructioÌ„ here by the mighty breth of Gods mouth or the true preaching of hys Gospell but also into dampnation euerlastinge in the ende of the worlde with the deuill and hys Angelles THE TEXTE 1 And the ten hornes vvhich thou savvest are ten Kinges 2. VVhich haue not yet receiued the kingdome 3. But shall receiue povver 4. As Kings 5. At one houre vvith the Beast 6. These haue one minde 7. And shall geue their povver and strength vnto the beast 8. These shall fight vvith the lambe 9. And the Lambe shall ouercome them 10. For he is Lorde of all Lordes 11. And Kinge of all Kinges 12. And they that are on his side 13. Are called the chosen and faithfull The Paraphrase 1 And the ten hornes saith the Angell vnto Iohn which thou sawest here vp on the heades of this rose coloured beast are in signification x. Kinges Some hath taken these ten Kings for al those Emperours of the Latins since Charlemayn which haue sworn them selues obediente to the Byshoppe of Rome Some haue thought them to be those Princes which here in Europa haue aforetime bene subiecte to the Empyre of Rome As the Kinges of England Fraunce Spaine Portingale Castele Denmarke Scotlande Ungary Boheme and Naples But these consider not that they be yet more in number as Aragone Nauerre Cicile Cypres Sardine SwetheÌ„ Pole and such other and are all included in the seauen heades as members of the afore rehersed Empires Neither marke they that they are aboue the heades as hornes and more in number then the heades betokening a rygorus authorytie and fierce power whiche they proudlye vsurpe ouer them euery where Afore they were but suggestions but héere are they earnest doers For in euerye region hath the beastly Antichriste of Rome his Metropolitanes Primats As in England are Caunterbury anâ— York in Fraunce Thuronensis and Remensis in Spaine Tholetanus Terraconensis in Portingale Hispalensis Bracarensis in Irelande Armachanus Dubliniensis in Denmarke Lundensis and Upsalensis in Germany Coloniensis Maguntinus in Hungary Strigoniensis and Colocensis in Italye Pisanus Rauennas in Sicyle Panormitanus Messanences with an infinite number of bishops prelates pristes religions besides the fighting orders of the Rhodes the Prussianes the Redemers of captiues the Aragondes the Georgianes caled de Alga the Monteseanes the Castilianes the Lusitaneanes the Calatraneanes S. Iames warriours 2 These had not yet at yâ— tyme receiued the diuillish kingdom of pestilnce vsurpacion ouer the soules of men For though in Iohns daies arose certaine Antichristes as Hebion Cerinthius Diotrephes Carpocras and such like yet were they nothinge to these 3 But now in déede they haue receyued the selfe same aucthoritie power with the beast that hée tooke afore of the Dragon in maner of kings to rule in the heartes and consciences of men to his behoue 4 For so much as theyr authoritie is not of God lyke as is the authoritie of Kings it is sayd here as kings or as men counterfeyting them in vsurping a gouernaunce not fréely giuen them of God but of the Diuill 5 All at one houre receyued they this aucthoritie with the beast And that I suppose was in the great general couÌ„sayle of Laterane at Rome gathered vnder the title to recouer Hierusalem agayne Where as confession in the eare was cruelly extorted of christian people vnder the payne of death dampnation by the whole consent both of the princes bishops at the former suggestioÌ„ of InnoceÌ„t the third besides other wicked things As to heare latine seruice to go on processioÌ„ on sundayes to pray vnto dead saints to â—orship Images to buy masses for the dead to â—ast the fridays with purgatory pardoÌ„s merits friers orders In the sayd couÌ„sail became the metropolitanes as kinges and by the authority threof apointed they their Stuards Baliues other officers as bishopes curates parish pristes to haue euer charge of soules and in the sayd eare coÌ„fession to receiue their accountes 6 These counterfet kinges are al of on diuelish mind practise purpose against God and his veritye 7 And fully they are fixed to geue their whole power their study their strength vnto the behoofe of the beast Not acording to Gods mind wil they rule but al after his wil pleasur agreing alwaies vnto him as meÌ„bers to their head to serue wickednesse after wickednes in Babilon His Popish decres wil they seke his diuelish decretales will they folow his ceremonials wil they obserue and nothing of the sacred scriptures What learnyng so euer they haue what giftes of nature fortune or grace al must be to the maintenaÌ„ce of his faÌ„tastical fopperis To him ar they sworn to do him homage to obey his laws to kisse his féete for his glorious sake to persecute his gospell 8 And in so doing they shal fight with the lamb which is Iesus Christ. They shal impunge his truth wheÌ„ they think to doe him seruice For that mischiefe they doe to one of his they doe to hys owne person 9 But be they neuer so dogged yet â—hal the Lambe ouercome them in his faithful members yea by pacient sufferaunce onely The victory saith S. Iohn which ouercoÌ„meth the worlde is a sure christian fayth Upon theyr â—ide fighteth he which is most myghtie and strong yea the Lord that is valyaunt in battail And he shall first ouercome them in this lyfe with the mightie breath of his mouth scattering theÌ„ away as dust from the earth And after this shall hys tirrible iudgement for euer condempne them 10 For he is by the aucthoritie giuen him of his father the Lord of all Lords and by his own eternall Godhead the King of all Kings hauyng all power in heauen and in earth He is coÌ„stitute Iudge of the quicke and the dead hauing alone the euerlastyng Emâ—yre with his father and the holye Ghost and of his kyngdome shall neuer bée an ende 11 By his permission doeth all kinges reigne he
quiet shall hée lyghten them throughlye with his most glorious presence and with him shall they raigne for euer and euer in full felicitie and glory cōtinuing In this life beginneth the kingdome through fayth but there shall it be perfourmed in the perfecte sight of the godhead The proude raigne of tyrauntes is here but for a time the lesse it is to be feared The méeke raign of the rightuous continueth for euer the more it is to be sought for and desired The fruites that are here very harde and sower vnto them shall there bée inestimable swéete gentile beautiful perfecte and pleasaunt hauing theyr full rypenesse No neede shall it be thā to run by sea and lande for the wysedome power and glory of Christ for in that day shal they be with euery one present Here haue they but little pretie beames of the light very small drops of the water and a smel of the fruites a farre of Likelihoodes figures mysteries haue they only now of the beatitude to come But there shall they be sure to haue them in full sight tast and sauer and plentuously to be satisfied with them Scarse is it here in cōparison to that it shal be there as one droppe of water to the whole sea or as an hādful of sād is to the whole earth The texte 1 And he sayd vnto me 2. These sayings are faithfull and true 3. And the Lorde God 4. of the holy Prophets 5. sen◠his Angell to shev◠vnto his seruaunts 6. the things which shortly must be fulfilled 7. Beholde I come shortly 8. Happy is he that kepeth the saying 9. of the prophecie of this booke The Commentary 1 In the conclusion of these most wōderfull reuelations saith sainct Iohn the Angell that communed with mée all this time which was the very spirite of Christ sayde thus vnto me hys poore exyled seruaunt 2 It shall become no man to dispise these wordes nor to reiecte these sayings whome thou hast here séene and harde since the first beginning of thys reuelation For they are most faythfull and true sure and perfect shall without faile at their appoynted times in euery iote be fulfylled for the true churches commoditie and profit This is here spoken for the conseruation of the hygh mysteries of thys booke least any false Antichrist hereafter as many such hath bene in déede should cōdempne them depraue them and as of none aucthoritie reporte them As the most deare treasures of God therfore doth the holy Ghost here wrappe them vp togither to preserue them vnder hys power setteth vnto them the seale of hys owne witnesse that they should euermore be taken for his After this sort did the Prophets vse their prophecies concluding alwayes thus sayeth the Lorde of hostes So did the Lord his selfe whan he sayde Uerely verely I say vnto you we speake that we knowe My doctrine is not myne but his that sent mée Of my selfe I speak not the words that I vtter The father dwellyng in mée perfourmeth the workes I am not come of my self but he that sent me is true with suche other lyke Paule doth also name him selfe the Apostle of Iesus Christ. Not I commaunde this sayth he but the Lorde The gospell that I preache haue I learned of no man but by the shewing of Iesus Christ. The Lorde that is blessed for euer knoweth that I lye not and such like So is the ende of this booke as was the begynnyng sealed with many wonderfull strong sentences of the Lorde as his whole mynde perfect will and purposed decree concernyng hys church héere in earth 3 And the same Lorde God eternall sayeth Christ vnto Iohn which hath diuersly afore tyme spoken in the holy Prophets and fathers hath now laste of all sent the Angel of his euerlasting couenaunt by him to vtter the secrets of his mynde by whom he created the world Him hath he hither dyrected in these latter dayes of the world to shewe cléerely vnto his true seruauntes of whom thou arte in these dayes princypall those wonderfull things in mysterie which must within shorte space effectually come to passe and be fulfilled in déede As the manyfolde persecutions of his churche the prosperous raigne of the beast and his shorlings with the glorious rayse of the one and dampnable fall of the other That whan troublous crosses doe come they may be the more ioyfully taken cōsidering the tyme of them short the rewarde of their sufferaunce euerlasting 4 For none other cause is God héere called the Lord God of the Prophets but that they haue through his spirite truly beleued in him the same spirit declared his mynde and pleasure 5 In the beginning of this reuelation was this Angell sent vnto Iohn alone here is he sent also vnto his other seruauntes in token that the Lord in Iohn respecteth his congregation 6 The things that must shortly follow are his iudgements in rewarding the rightuous and condempning the reprobates For a thousande yeares are but as a day before him as the tyme that is in a maner past Let euery man take héede sayeth the Lorde leaste I come vpon him vnlooked for Let them watch in fayth and pray in spirite and veritie hauing theyr weddyng garmēts with the oyle of Christian loue in their lampes 7 For beholde whan I shall come eyther to the particular ende of anye man or to the latter iugdement I wil come sodainlye neyther the day nor yet the houre of my comming knowne afore least men as they are ill of nature should dryue of till that daye to liue according to faith Of this admonition may the faythfull sorte be glad being here in aduersitie consideryng their deliueraunce is at hande theyr crowne of immortalitie not farre of 8 Happy is that man whatsoeuer he be high or lowe rich or poore learned or vnlearned that obserueth in his cōuersation and lyfe the godly sayings contayned in the prophecie of thys present booke 9 Yea blessed is he that so receyueth the premonishments thereof that neyther false prophet can deceyue him nor yet any cruell Antichrist with terrour dryue him from the righte vnderstanding and followyng of Christes pure doctrine For neyther to dogges nor swine are they here lefte to be neglected or disdayned but vnto his faythful seruauntes to be reuerently followed and had in remembraunce The text 1 I am Iohn 2. which sawe these thinges 3. and haerde them 4. And vvhan I had hearde and seene them 5. I fell dovvne to vvorshippe before the feete of the Angell 6. vvhich shevved me these thinges 7. And he sayde vnto me 8. See thou doe it not 9. For I am thy fellovv seruaunt 10. and the felovv seruaunt of thy brethen the Prophetes 11. and of them vvhich keepe the sayinges of this booke 12. Worship God The Commentary 1 Consequently bicause ye shall not suppose this matter lyght sayth sainct Iohn as many thinketh that whiche hath not the testimony of men besides the aucthoritie of God I