7. Monarchies foure beasts This beast hath the shape of a Beare a Leopard and a Lion because it consisted of three other Empires of the Persians Macedonians and Babilonians before destroyed which by these three beasts were represented This beast had ten hornes and seuen heads the ten hornes are interpreted in the seuenteenth chapter to be ten kings or kingdomes into which the old Empire was to bee diuided after the decay thereof which afterward came to passe the number of ten which is certaine beeing vsed for an vncertaine number according to the maner of the Scriptures The seuen heads chapter seuenteene are interpreted to be seuen hils and seuen kings or orders of supreme Gouernours But Rome hath seuen heades whether you take them for hils or Kings The hils which it was builded vppon are these Capitolinus Palatinus Auentinus Celius Exquilinus Viminalis Quirinalis The orders of Gouernours by whom it was ruled at seuerall times by reason of alterations were Kings Consuls Dictators Decemuiri Triumuiri Emperours of the auncient Nobilitie of Rome and lastly Emperors of strange families Vpon those heads whether yee talke them for hils or Kings were the names of blasphemie for vpon the hils were builded Temples dedicated to Minerua Saturne and heathen gods and the Gouernors or Kings themselues were heathens and worshipped Idols of the Gentiles One of the seuen heads which was the race of the Emperours of the auncient Roman Nobilitie was wounded in the person of Nero which beeing the last of the Family of Iulius flue himselfe after whose death the whole estate of the Empire was in ieopardy by reason of disention among them that did affect the Empire But that deadly wound was healed againe by Vespasran which appeased all strife and himselfe sustained the burden of the Empyre Fiue of those kings saith the Angel are fallen one is the other is yet to come and when he commeth he must continue but a short space Those fiue which were fallen were Kings Consuls Dictators Triumuiri Decemuiri which order of Gouernours were abrogated before S. Iohns time the sixt which was of the Emperours of the auncient Nobilitie of Rome was then remayning when S. Iohn liued Domitian being Emperour the seuenth which was of the Emperors of straunge families was then to come and when it came it continued not long after the departure of Constantine into the East To which hee addeth The beast which was and is not is the eight and is one of the seuen and shall go into destruction By which eight hee meaneth the order of the Popes Of the beast meaning the whole Empire hee speaketh in this manner The beast which thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit meaning that the Empire was it was not In the time of Domitian it was because it stood it was in the power of the Roman Nobility but it was not in the same state in which it was before because from Iulius to Nero it was hereditary and tied vnto one familie but Nero the last of that family being dead it was deuolued to Emperours of an other stocke and kindred and it was to ascend out of the bottomles pit not in the former state vnder the Emperours but in another state vnder the Popes Lastly he sheweth the destruction of the political Antichrist saying If any leade away captiue he must be led into captiuitie if any kill he must be killed Wherefore nowe that hinderance is taken away which Paul speaketh of 2. Thess 2. the Emperors giue place to the popes and the Ecclesiasticall Antichrist is described in this maner I saw another beast with two hornes ascend out of the earth c. This beast with two hornes is all one with the purple harlot Apocal. 17. for both be token the state of the popedome the ecclesiasticall Antichrist This beast ascendeth out of the earth that is it commeth of base parentage hath two horns like like the lambe for Antichrist taketh vpon him to be Christes vicar speaketh like the dragon for he teacheth lies which proceed from the old dragon the deuill which was a liar from the beginning giues life to the image of the first beast for notwithstanding the ancient emperours are deceased the popes haue ordained new emperors in the west which keep the same name and title although being compared with them they be but images or rather shadows And the number of the name of this Antichrist is 666. which number both in Greeke and Hebrew doth agree with the bishops of Rome In the Hebrew name Romijth is the same number for Resh signifieth 200 Vau 6 Mem 40. double Iod 20. Tau 400 which being put together make the number of the beast 666. Likewise the Latine name Romanus written in Hebrue characters maketh the same numbers for Resh signifieth 200. as it did before Mem 40. Gnaiin 70. Nun 50. Vau 6. Schin 300 which make 666. Likewise in Greeke this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which also is the name of the Bishops of Rome by adding to according to the maner of the Greeks in such names as are made Greeke as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Casarea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Nepthalim signifieth 30. α 1. τ 300. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 50. ο 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 200 which make 666. Lastly concerning the place where this Ecclesiasticall Antichrist doth reign that same beast with two horns Which is called the whore Apo. 17 which whore in the same place is interpreted to be a great Citie which reigneth ouer the Kings of the earth sitteth vpon the beast with seuen heads and ten hornes which representeth the Empire of Rome vnder the old Emperors wherein it is manifest that the Ecclesiastical Antichrist succeedeth the politicall and sitteth in the place of the Roman Emperors so that Antichrist further than Rome is not to be sought for Thus haue you heard how all the prophesies concerning the disclosing of Antichrist are fulfilled in the Bishops of Rome and that all those prophesies can not bee verified of any else it is most euident for as much as no other Bishops or secular Princes take vpon them to bee Christs Vicars generall ouer all the world which is to sit as God in the Temple of God No other States ascribe vnto themselues power aboue all powers in heauen and earth which is to exalt themselues aboue God No other States haue set vp Emperours in the West which is to giue life to the image of the beast Finally no States beare sway in a Citie builded vpon seuen hils which Citie reigneth ouer the Kings of the earth but they Therefore I may safely make this conclusion The succession of the Bishops of Rome which hath beene since Boniface the third and continued these nine hundred yeares is that Antichrist which Saint Iohn speaketh of in this place Wherefore seeing the comming of Antichrist is an argument of the latter end of the world and this great and notorious Antichrist hath beene reuealed vnto vs so long agoe what remaineth but that nowe wee lift vp our heads for our Redemption draweth neere and that we looke for a newe Heauen and a new Earth and the holy citie newe Ierusalem comming downe from God out of Heauen prepared as a beide trimmed for her husband Against which comming God grant we may be readie our nakednes being clothed with wedding garments our loynes girded our steps lightned with our Lamps in our hands for the Lambe Christ Iesus his sake to whom with the father and the holy Ghost be ascribed all honour power and glorie both now and euermore Amen FINIS
neuer shut vp because it is nothing else but epistola scripta ad humanum genus a long letter or a large epistle written not to the faithfull onely but to al mankind to all which bee illuminated by the light of nature not such a letter as is sealed vp with his priuie signet Multi vocati pauci Matt. 20 2. Tim. 2. electi many are called and few are chosen and solus deus nouit suos only God knoweth his but his letters patents wherein is written Domini est terra plenitudo eius the Psal 24 Psal 8 earth is the Lordes and all that therein is and Quid est homo quod memor es illius what is man that thou art so mindefull of him alwayes lying open that euery man may read and written in folio that standing a far off they may reade and in great capital letters that running they may reade And vpon more than we can finde written in these two bookes wee may not presume But as for the third booke which is called the booke of life and the booke sealed vp Phil. 4 Dan. 12 Exod. 32 Apoc. 22 Apoc. 5 with seuen seales which is the secrete will of God it is not reuealed to Angels much lesse to men in that booke are written gods secret counsels concerning the election of Iacob and reprobation of Esau the calling of the Gentiles and reiecting of the Iewes which go beyond the capacitie of man and finallie of this last and dreadfull iudgement the time whereof the Apostles desired to knowe but no directer aunswere was giuen them than this Of the day and houre Mat. 24 knoweth no man c And it is not for you to knowe the times and seasons which the Acts 1 Father hath appoynted in his owne power Daniel desired to knowe but it was saide Dan. 12 vnto him But thou O Daniel shut vp the wordes and seale vp the Booke till the ende of the time Nowe out of the booke of nature concerning this time though we cannot discipher vnto you the houre day moneth or yeare because it is not there reuealed yet in that booke we do read that it is very neare For nature beginneth generally to intermit her woonted course the mother Elements of the worlde whereof things in this lower world are made doe loose their qualities and naturall vigour which they had before the Starres and Planets of heauen waxe dimme and olde not so well able to preserue our earthly bodies the celestiall spheres bee almost wearie of their woonted motions and regular volubilitie the prince of the lights of Heauen which Psal 19 before came as a bridegroome trimmed out of his chamber dooth not looke vppon vs with so chearefull an aspect and that giant which before did runne his vnwearied race dooth as it were by a languishing faintnesse beginne to stand and rest himselfe the times and seasons of the yeare doc blend themselues with disordered and confused mixture the windes are in a readinesse to breath out their last gaspe our mother the earth defeated of that aboundance of heauenly influence which at the first shee had is out of heart waxeth barren and dead like the wombe of Sara the herbes and simples which are appointed Gen 11 Rom. 4 for medicines for mans bodie haue almost lost their operation and vertue and man himselfe whom all these things do serue is of lower stature lesse strength shorter life than at the first he was so that there is a generall decay of natures and in euerie leafe of that booke it is written that the frame of that heauenly arch erected ouer our heads must very shortly lose dissolue it selfe In the other booke which is the holy Bible are many prophesies concerning that last houre and all the signes and tokens which in these prophesies are foretold to go any distance of time before the day of iudgment are already come to passe onely one excepted which is the last and generall vocation of the Iewes which when and in how short space it shal be fulfilled the Lord onely in his wisdome knoweth But among all those tokens this is principally to be noted which Christ foretold As the dayes of Noah were so shal the comming of the son of mā be In the daies of Noah I note two things Matt. 24 Gen. 6. first great oppressiō in that there were giants vpon the earth secondly a general corruption of all flesh insomuch that God repented him that he had made man vpō the earth and he was sory in his heart And by that prophesie it is plaine that the sonne of man now standeth knocking at our doores because the like times to the daies of Noah are come againe Touching the first the giants are nowe more in number prouder in heart loftier in their lookes stouter in their gate and pace than they were in the dayes of Noah for almost euery rich man is a gyant in the place where he dwelleth The potters vessell said to the brazen caldron Tua mihi vicinitas non placet soror I will not come nigh thee for feare of a knocke neither dareth the poore man dwell by the rich for feare of a check It is not safe for the poore man to cōtend with the rich though his cause be good no more than it is for the earthen pitcher to iustle with the brazen cauldron swimming down the streame lest it be broken all to potsherds Better it is to lose his right with peace and quietnes Report is made of an Emperor which desired to marry his owne daughter he asked counsell of the lawyers whether the marriage were lawfull or not they aunswered that they knew no law in particular which alloweth a father to marry his daughter but neuerthelesse they had found out a law in generall which would permit the same because euery mighty mā might do what him listed I wish that all men to whō the sword of iustice is committed would remember the prophesie of the poet Chaucer When faith failes in in priests sawes And Lords hests are holden for lawes And robberie is holden purchase And lecherie is holden solace Then shall the lond of Albion Be brought to great confusion We reade of Nimrod which was a great hunter vpon the earth But I feare least in Gen. 10 our dayes in stead of that one we haue many Nimrods which hunt as the Lion did with foxes and asses which when they had taken their prey the Lion beeing able by force to take all to himselfe woulde seeme verie iust and take no more than by right was due vnto him and to impart the rest to his fellow hunters Wherefore because it is a rule Cuius est partitio eius non est electio The same may not bee both a diuider and a chooser he caused the Asse to diuide the spoyle The Asse like a simple animal as an Asse would doe diuided it verie iustly into three equall portions the Lion misliking the diuision tore the
Asse in peeces then he bid the Fox mend the diuision the Foxe allotted the greatest part to the Lion and little or nothing to himselfe whereupon the Fox was commended to be the best geometrician As for the second God may now repent him as he did in the dayes of Noah that hee made man vppon the earth for the prophesie of Christ is fulfilled Charitie waxeth colde Luke 13 Mat. 24 iniquitie doth abound faith is not found vpon the earth There is a ripenesse of sinne Apoc. 14 and what can bee expected but an haruest that the Angell thrust his sharpe sickle on the earth and cutte downe the clusters of the Vineyard and cast them into the great wine fatte of the wrath of God Sinne is not now Peccatum habitans but regnans not making his abode with vs but raigning ouer vs it hath gotten a longer and larger iurisdiction ouer the world than Iulius Caesar had ouer the Senat which obtained Perpetuam Dictaturam An euerlasting Dictatorship the like not heard of before The sinnes which now raigne are so generall that it may well be said Vir bonus est animal rarum He which will find a iust and vpright man vpon the earth must take a candle at noone dayes and seeke in the rushes as it were for a pinne or a needle that is lost and say with Diogenes Quaero hominem I seeke a man And which is more they be Clamantia peccata Crying sinnes because the crie of them ascendeth vp into Gen. 4. heauen as did the bloud of Abell for vengeance against vs and the soules of the martirs vnder the altar vsury simony briberie Apoc. 6 Gen. 3 Psal 32 and contempt of the ministers of God pride which was the first cause of the fal of man The prophet Dauid said beati quorū iniquitates sunt tectae c Blessed are they whose iniquities are couered and to whom the Lord hath imputed no sin but now it is become a prouerbe among vs Happy is that child whose father goeth to the deuill The Iewes which were accounted the extremest vsurers in the world tooke interest only of strangers and not of their owne nation but our countrimen worse than Iewes spare none and which is the greatest hypocrisie no man maketh more account outwardly of them which preach against vsury than doth the vsurer and those which wil hear 3. Sermons in a day thinke thirty pounds interest in the hundred to be too little And howsoeuer they seeme outwarly zealous yet haue they within them that I may vse the speach of the apostle conscientiam cauteriatam a conscience feared with an hot iron 1. Tim. 4 and notwithstanding their diligence in frequenting sermons and reading the Scriptures they forget what is written there that it shall be harder for any rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen than it shal be for a camell to passe through the eie of a Luke 18 needle but that no vsurer shall dwell in the Lords tabernacle nor rest vpō his holy hill Psal 15 William Rufus once king of England is noted for pride which pride in respect of these dayes were great humilitie His chamberlaine brought him in the morning a newe pair of breeches the best that could be gotten the price was foure shillings The king swore no small oath that he would haue a paire which should cost him a marke in siluer no breeches were thē of so high a price the chamberlaine to satisfie the kings mind brought a worse paire then the first affirming that they cost a marke I mary quoth Rufus here are a pair of breeches for a king Four shillings thē sufficed for a pair of breeches for a king but I feare shortly it will be a prouerbe 500. pounds for a paire of pantaples for a subiect Euery man can bee content to goe in soft rayment as they doe in Luke 16 the courts of princes to be clothed with purple as was the rich glutton which is buried in hell euery man can take delight in the Babilonian garmēt which is framed according to the fashiō of this world but few will put on the wedding garment which is Mat. 12 charitie and a good conscience men will be clothed like women and women like men not regarding the curse denounced of the Lord. But as for the girdle of truth the brest Deut. 22 Ephe. 6 plate of righteousnesse the shield of faith the helmet of saluation the sworde of the spirit and the shooes of peace they are layde aside as olde shooes and neuer come within our Wardrops You will not bee clothed as the kings daughter which is glorious Psal 41 within but like painted sepulchres which are faire without and within are full of dead mens bones Offices are commonly solde and therefore it is no maruaile though the officers be corrupt Whosoeuer can bee entertayned in the seruice of a noble man is in reputation for his maisters sake be he neuer so base but the ministers of Gods worde which serue the king of kings and Lord of Lords whose seruice is perfect freedome in whose house it is better to bee a doore keeper than to dwell in the tabernacles of princes euen him whome all other kings and lords ought to serue are despised for their seruice sake be they neuer so nobly discended But I haue text for them Whosoeuer Mat. 10 Iohn 10 Luke 13 Luke 21 heareth you heareth me and whosoeuer despiseth you despiseth me and hee that despiseth me dispiseth him that sent me Our Sauiour Christ tolde his Apostles that they should be hated of all men for his sake and at that time it was no great marvaile because they liued among Iewes and infidels but nowe we are in maner hated of christians most of al of them which make the greatest shew of zeale and profession of religion and are the greatest frequenters of sermons They are as cruell as Pharao of Egypt which Exod. 5 woulde compell the children of Israel in their bondage to make brickes and tyles but denied them straw and morter to work withall so they call vpon vs for hospitalitie but detaine from vs our tithes and commodities which are as due to vs as their lands are to them and without which it is as vnpossible to keepe hospiralitie as it was for the Hebrues to woorke without straw I deny not but in som sort the reuenues of the church are competent but they are in the hands of lay mē to maintain their pride we beare the name and they reape the commodity and yet slander vs because we keepe not hospitalitie Wil. Rufus was wont to say that the Church breade was sweet bread and Iulian the apostata would rob the ministers pretending conscience because so much liuing was a burden vnto them an hinderance vnto their ministerie we haue many as hungry as Wil. Rufus and as conscionable as Iulian the Apostata vpon whom though God doth not presently shew
Downe with it downe with it to the ground Psal 137 Rase it vp rase it vp to the pauement and raise our own houses as high as the wals of Troy or rather if it might be as the tower of Babel seeing that we cannnt inioy them longer than an houre Galen maketh mention of a melancholy man which reading in poets how Atlas supported heauen with his shoulders receiued so deepe an impression of the same in his mind that he was in a bodily feare least Atlas should faint and let heauen fall vpon our heads And shall we which be Christians liue in such carnall security that when we see as it were with our eies and heare dayly with our eares that heauen cracketh haue so little feeling as to think heauē would stand for euer let vs rather with Noah enter into the arke let vs with Lot depart speedily out of Sodom that as Lot himself did which wēt forward not as his wife which looked backe and was turned into a pillar of salt let vs with Ezechias prepare our selues to die and bid the world adue Let vs as Christ willeth vs gird vp our loines haue our lamps lighted in our hands that we may be ready to meete the bride Let vs rather folow the example of sir Tho. More of whom it is said that being offered a petition by a woman as hee went to his execution aunswered Woman I am now going about the kings busines I haue no leysure to read petitions than of Richard the third in Bosworth field who being him selfe as a deadman prepared to execute the L. Standlies son his friends told him it was not then any time to do execution but high time to looke to himselfe I wish that the great Polititians and Wizards of this world who intend as much sacriledge as he did murther would begin to be as wise towards God as they are towards the world and at the last consider that it is nowe no time to cōmit sacriledge but it is high time for them to think on their owne saluation S. Peter putteth them in mind of two godly meditations far more fit for these times and most profitable for the health of their soules Frst saith he Seeing all those things 2. Pet. 3 must be dissolued what maner of persons ought you to be in holy conuersation and godlines looking for hastning to the comming of the day of God by the which the heauens being on fire must be dissolued and the elements shall melt with heat Secondly we must looke for a new heauen and a newe earth according to his promise wherein righteousnes doth dwel land seeing that wee looke for such things wee must bee diligent that we may bee found without spot or blamelesse Some what remaineth to be spoken of the second part which is of the cōming of Antichrist whose cōming the Apostle taketh for a most sure ground to prooue that it is the end of the world where hee saith Yee haue heard that Antichrist shal come euen now there are many Antichrists whereby wee knowe that it is the last houre In my discourse of the comming of Antichrist first because that name hath many significations I will by foure distinctions take away the ambiguitie of the word Secondly I will define what Antichrist is Thirdly I will descend to particulers to discouer vnto you that mā of sinne and to point out who is that Antichrist whom the Apostle meaneth in this place which shal be a sufficiēt proof against our countrimē of Rhemes that his cōming is not now to be expected but that he was 900. yeares since reueled to vs. Such as haue learned the rudiments of Grammer are not ignorant that this proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth these things likenesse and equalitie in which sense no man can be Antichrist because no man can be like him or equal with him any one which is in the place steed of another according to which signification the pope falsly taketh vpon him that he is Antichrist which is Christs deputie or vicar generall ouer his Church contrarietie and so euery one is Antichrist which is an aduersarie vnto Christ of this Antichrist only the Apostle speaketh which maintaineth doctrine contrary to that which our sauiour Christ hath taught and therfore is an aduersarie vnto him And this Antichrist which is Christs aduersary is takē two maner of wayes in the scriptures as Saint Iohn hath distinguished in this place either generally for any aduersary of the truth or more especially for such an enemy as is capital notorious aboue the rest For where he saith Euen now there are many Antichrists he speaketh not of any one person or state or succession or kingdome aboue the rest but generally of all which oppose thēselues against any point of Christs doctrine But where he saith Ye haue heard that Antichrist shal come he speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one which is eminent and notoriously opposeth himselfe not in one point but in the chief questions of Christian religion Againe this famous and notorious Antichrist is either political or ecclesiastical for Apoc. 13 1 Iohn 4. Apoc. 13 Apoc. 17 the old empire of Rome vnder the heathēs which Iohn calleth a beast with seuē heads and ten hornes is the politicall Antichrist which flourished in the Apostles time of which he said he is now alreadie in the world but the ecclesiasticall Antichrist which is called by 3. names as the beast ascēding out of the earth with 2. horns the harlot sitting vpon the first beast and the beast that was is not is the eight is one of the seuen which 3. names signifie one thing that is the state of Popes raigning in the place of the Emperors for that is to sit vpon the beast with seuen heads and they are called a beast for their crueltie a woman for their Ezec 23 Hosea 2 2. Thes 2 pride an harlot for their idolatrie which is spirituall fornication And this Ecclesiasticall Antichrist is taken also two manner of waies by S. Paule either properly or figuratiuely properly for an whole bodie or kingdome or state which is opposite to Christ where he saith There must come a departure or a reuoltment first and the misterie of iniquitie doth alreadie worke In which words he speaketh of a generall Apostacie from sound religion For in Diuinitie contrary to the rules of Logick indefinite propositions in matter contingent are almost vniuersall not to bee vnderstoode of some few but either of all or else of the greatest part as for example Iniquitie shall abound Luke 18 Matt. 24 charitie shall waxe cold faith shal not be found vpon the earth not the iniquitie or faith or charity of a few is to be vnderstood but almost of all the inhabitants of the earth Againe with the whore haue committed fornication Apoc. 17 the inhabitants of the earth the proposition is indefinite yet generally to bee vnderstoode for so it