Raylers I leaue them to God his Iudgment whose hand hath bene vpon the most of them Thirdly his Maiesties Confession of faith hath bene so generally approued as it hath conuerted many of their partie And had it not bene as J haue bene informed by diuerse for the Treatise of Antichrist many more would easily haue bene induced to subscribe to all in that Preface Fourthly Kings and Princes haue by his Maiesties Premonition had a more cleare insight and a more perfect discouery into the Iniury offered them by the Pope in the point of their temporall Power then euer they had Jnsomuch as that point was neuer so throughly disputed in Christendome as it hath bene by the occasion of his Maiesties Booke Fiftly and lastly for the point of Antichrist I haue heard many confesse that they neuer saw so much light giuen to that Mysterie neuer descerned so much trewth by the vniforme consent of the Text and strength of Interpretation of places as they haue done by his Maiesties Booke So that though Controuersies be fitter subiects for Schollers ordinarily then for Kings Yet when there was such a necessitie in vndertaking and such a successe being performed I leaue it to the world to iudge whether there were not a speciall hand of GOD in it or no. Now since I haue begunne with this point of Antichrist J will make bolde to proceed a little with his Maiesties Paraphrase vpon the Reuelation wherein that Treatise of Antichrist is principally grounded His Maiesties singular vnderstanding in all points of good Learning is not vnknowne But yet aboue all other things GOD hath giuen him an vnderstanding Heart in the Interpretation of that Booke beyond the measure of other men For this Paraphrase that leades the way to all the rest of his Maiesties Workes was written by his Maiestie before hee was twenty yeeres of aage and therefore iustly in this Volume hath the first place the rest following in order according to the time of their first penning Anciently Kings drempt dreames and saw visions and Prophets expounded them So with King Pharaoh and Ioseph in Egypt So with Nabuchodonosor and Daniel in Babylon Jn this aage Prophets haue written Visions and Kings haue expounded them GOD raised vp Prophets to deliuer his People from a temporall captiuitie in Egypt and Babylon by the Jnterpretation of the one And GOD hath in this aage stirred vp Kings to deliuer his People from a Spirituall Egypt and Babylon by the Interpretation of the other It is an obseruable thing that GOD neuer made his People any great promise but he added vnto his promise a famous Prophecie Three great promises we reade of that runne through all the Scriptures The first of the Messiah the second of the land of Canaan the third of the Kingdome of Heauen To these three promises are reduced all the Prophecies Of the promise of the Messiah prophecied all the Prophets from the fall of the first Adam to the comming of the second Of the promise of the Land of Canaan prophecied Iacob and Ioseph and the rest from the promise made to Abraham to the possessing of it by Iosuah and the children of Israel Of the promise of the Kingdome of Heauen made by our Sauiour CHRIST ' prophecied the Apostles principally S. Paul and S. Iohn in the Reuelation Now though all were to lay hold on the promises yet few were able to vnderstand the Prophecies And surely though all the people of GOD are to lay hold on the promises of that Glorious Kingdome described in that Booke yet few are able to vnderstand the Prophecies therein contained comprehending in them a perfect History and State of the Church euen from the destruction of Ierusalem till the consummation of the whole world Yet this I thinke I may safely say That Kings haue a kinde of interest in that Booke beyond any other for as the execution of the most part of the Prophecies of that Booke is committed vnto them So it may be that the Interpretation of it may more happily be made by them And since they are the principall Instruments that GOD hath described in that Booke to destroy the Kingdome of Antichrist to consume his State and Citie I see not but it may stand with the Wisedome of GOD to inspire their heart to expound it into whose handes hee hath put it to excute vntill the LORD shall consume both him and it with the Spirit of his mouth and shall abolish it with the brightnesse of his comming For from the day that S. Iohn writ the Booke to this present houre I doe not thinke that euer any King tooke such paines or was so perfect in the Reuelation as his Maiestie is which will easily appeare by this Paraphrase by his Maiesties Meditation on the 20. Chap. and his Monitorie Preface Jt was my purpose to haue past through all his Maiesties Books to haue expressed the Argument and the occasion of their writing But I find by that J haue already said I should be ouer tedious vnto you This therefore in generall They are all worthy of a King and to be kept to Posterity For if Ouid could imagine that no time should eate out the memory of his Metamorphoseis which were but fictions J hope no time shall see an end of these Books that carry in them so much diuine trewth and light And as in this first worke of the Paraphrase his Maiestie hath shewed his Piety So in this last Pearle I meane his Maiesties Speach in the Starr-Chamber his Maiestie hath shewed his Policy The first sheweth hee vnderstands the Kingdome of GOD this last that hee as well apprehends the State of his Kingdomes in this World The first sheweth him to haue a large Portion in that of Heauen and this last sheweth him to haue a great Power and experience in these Kingdomes hee hath on earth Therefore let these men that delight so much in Detraction and to vilify him whom GOD hath exalted and to shed his blood whose Soule GOD hath bound vp in the Bundle of life Let them J say write what euer the Subtilty of the olde Serpent can put into their heads or the Malice of Sathan infuse into their hearts Let them speake what the poyson of Aspes is able to put into their lippes they are not all able to make his Maiestie to appeare lesse then he is nor to shew that euer they had of theirs a King so accomplished It is trew that wee haue not had many Kings in this Kingdome of our Profession But for those we haue had this Iland of ours neuer saw the like either for partes of Nature giftes of Learning or Graces of Piety The little time of life that God lent to King Edward must needs lessen his prayses But neuer did there appeare beginnings of more rare perfection then in him The length of Queene Elizabeths dayes together with the felicity of her time was not only a Glory to her owne People but a wonderment to the
enemie shall be abolished from holy Ierusalem for euer 15 And whosoeuers name is not found written in the booke of Life is casten into the Lake of fire for not onely the publike euill doers but euen whosoeuer is not predestinate for saluation shall at that time be casten into hell for there is no midway but whosoeuer gathereth not with Christ he scattereth as I shew before CHAP. XXI ARGVMENT A large and glorious description of the Church Triumphant in Heauen and of all the members of that holy and Eternall Ierusalem NOw the Spirit of God hauing by this last vision made a summe and recapitulation of all the former as yee haue heard he by this following and last vision declareth and gloriously describeth the reward of all them who constantly perseuere vnto the end in the trew seruice of God notwithstanding all the assaults of Sathan which ye haue heard dilated the reward was then to be eternall inheritours of holy Ierusalem as yee shall presently heare 1 For I saw a new heauen and a new earth it is ouer this new heauen and new earth that the faithfull should reigne kings and priests for euer as yee heard before And the first heauen and the first earth went away neither was the sea any more for all shall be burnt with fire at the consummation which fire shall renew them and take away their corruption and mutablitie releeuing them from the seruitude of death to the liberty of the glory of the sonnes of God who notwithstanding shall not dwel there but in heauen 2 And euen I Iohn saw the holy new City Ierusalem comming downe from heauen made ready of God like a bride that is decked for her bridegroome For this holy Church triumphant shal come downe in all shining glorie to meete Christ her husband when hee shall haue iudged the world as ye haue heard before to bee incorporated and ioyned with him for euer 3 And I heard a mighty voyce from heauen saying for confirmation of this happy coniunction Loe the Tabernacle of God and his dwelling place is with men and hee will now dwell with them for euer and they shall be his people and he shall be a God with them and their God 4 And God shall wipe all teares from their eyes for they shall feele no more any sorow as ye haue often heard before and death shall be no more neither shal any sorow crying or dolour euer be in that Church triumphant for the first are gone away and all these things then shall haue an end 5 And then hee that sate vpon the Throne to wit God the Father said Loe I make new or renew all things and he said vnto me Write and leaue in record what thou hast seene for surely these words are faithfull and trew and shall come certainely to passe 6 And he also said vnto me It is done for when these things shall come to passe then is the full accomplishment of all things I am A and Ω to wit the beginning and the ending of all things For as I made the Creation so shall I cause the Consummation And I shall giue to him that thirsteth of the fountaine of water of life freely or for nothing to wit he will grant saluation to all them who cal vpon him for it and that for nothing for it cōmeth of his free mercie and not of any merit in vs How foolish then are they to be accompted who contemning that saluation which they may obtaine for the crauing buie with their siluer a counterfeit saluation from Babylon as ye heard before 7 And he that ouercommeth Satan and his owne flesh shall possesse all to wit he shall be a full inheritour of Gods kingdome and I shall be a God to him and he shall be a sonne to me 8 But for all them who are fearefull and vnbeleeuing not hauing a sure confidence and trust in my promises and for execrable men and murtherers and fornicators and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyers for all these sorts of men I say there is place appointed in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 9 Then there came vnto me one of these seuen Angels which had the seuen phials ful of the seuen last plagues and he sayd vnto me Come and I will shew vnto thee the Bride which is the Wife of the Lambe for this Angel was directed to shewe mee the glorie of this holy Hierusalem the Church triumphant not to satisfie my curiosity therewith but that I might leaue in record to all posterities to come not as a hearer onely but as an Oculatus testis what glorious and eternall reward did abide all the faithfull 10 And so he tooke me vp in the Spirit to a high and great Mountaine for it became well that so glorious a sight should be shewen vpon so eminent a place and there hee did shew mee a great Citie to wit that holy Ierusalem comming downe from heauen and from God as ye heard before 11 And it had the glory of God in it and the light or brightnesse of it was like vnto the glittering of a most pretious stone yea euen like the greene Iasper in flourishing eternitie and like the cleare Cristall in shining brightnesse 12 And this Citie had a great and high wall to hold out all them who had not the marke of the Lambe as ye shall heare after and to protect the Citizens from all blastes of troubles for all teares will then bee wipte from their eyes as ye heard before And this Citie had also twelue gates and in them twelue Angels and their names were written vpon them which were the names of the twelue Tribes of the sonnes of Israel 13 And there were three gates towards the East three towards the West three towards the South and three towards the North to signifie that out of all parts and places of the world and whatsoeuer thy vocation be if thou call to God with an vpright heart thou shalt find that the entrance into the Citie is equally distributed about the same 14 And the wall of the Citie had twelue foundations whereupon were written the twelue names of the Apostles of the Lambe These twelue Angels of the twelue gates and twelue foundations of the wall are the foure and twentie Elders of whom ye heard in the beginning of this my Epistle the twelue Angels of the twelue gates are the twelue Patriarkes who were the first teachers of the way and so the guides to this holy Ierusalem for by the Law which they represent we must first beginne to know the trewth and to know our selues and the twelue foundations are we the twelue Apostles for vpon our doctrine is that wall founded which hedgeth in the Saints in an eternall securitie and debarreth all others 15 And the Angel who spake with me had a golden reed in his hand to measure therewith the Citie and the gates and the walles of the same thereby to signifie the
glory that is in heauen at the receiuing of my Commission contained in the following Visions which I did see of the things present and to come in the generall Church militant CHAP. V. ARGVMENT The description of the Booke wherein was conteined all the Misteries which were reuealed to this Writer Christs opening of them vnder the figure of a Lion and of a Lambe The praises giuen him by the Saints and Angels therefore who offer without any Intercessour euery one his owne thankesgiuing and praises to the Mediatour THen first I did see in the Right hand of him that sate on the Throne Dan. 12.4 a Booke the Booke wherein these mysteries are contained Esay 24 11. and all the Booke was written vpon aswell on the backe as within on the backe was written these Visions that I did see Ezek. 2.10 and am presently to declare vnto you within was written the plaine exposition and the very proper names of all things which these Visions did represent which are inclosed there to signifie that the Lord hath not permitted me to manifest the same to the world for the time thereof is not come yet which Booke was sealed with seuen Seales aswell to keepe euery part thereof vnreuealed to any as also to giue the greater certaintie that these things shall come to passe which are prophesied therein 2 And I saw a strong Angel proclayming with a loud voice Who is worthy to open this Booke and to loose the Seales thereof 3 But there could none be found worthy to doe it neither in heauen nor in earth nor beneath the earth no not to looke on it much lesse to open it for neither Angel nor deuil either knows or dare meddle with the high mysteries of God and things future except so farre as pleaseth him to commit and reueale vnto them 4 Then wept I very sore that none could be found worthy to open and read that Booke no not to looke vpon the same for I was very sorrowfull that I could not haue it reuealed vnto me 5 At last one of the Elders said vnto mee Weepe not Loe the Lion of the Tribe of Iuda hath preuailed to wit he who is come of Iuda and hath admirable force in his flesh deriued from the Tribe of Iuda by which he ouercame Sinne Death and Hell and is the roote of Dauid for Dauid was his figure and fore-beer in the flesh is worthy and onely worthy to open the Booke and loose the Seales thereof 6 And then I tooke heed and behold I did see in the middest of the Throne and the foure beasts a second person of the Trinitie sitting with God and in the middest of the Elders as a man and our brother a Lambe standing like as hee had bene slaine to signifie that once indeed hee was slaine but had risen againe and had seuen Hornes and seuen Eyes representing the innumerable times mighty and holy Spirit of God which after his Resurrection he sent out through the whole earth to direct instruct and rule the same by his prouidence and power 7 This Lambe then came and tooke the Booke out of the Right hand of him that did sit on the Throne 8 And so soone as he had taken the Booke in his hand these foure beasts and these foure and twentie Elders fell vpon their faces before the Lambe and adored him and euery one of them had in his hand Harpes and golden Phials full of sweet odours these are the prayers of the Saints which the foure beasts comprehending all the degrees of Angels and the foure and twentie Elders comprehending the whole Church as well Militant as Triumphant perceiuing that CHRIST is to reueale all the tentations which are to fall vpon the earth and Church before the latter dayes doe powre forth aswel on the Church triumphants part thankesgiuing that by the reuealing or opening of the Booke he armeth the Militant Church to resist all the tentations contained therein as also on the Church Militants part to pray him to hasten the end and dissolution for the hastening whereof all creatures sigh and grone to their Creator Euery one of these beasts and Elders presents their owne praiers vnto him who sits on the Throne to teach vs as he is Mediatour and therefore our prayers must be offered vnto him onely that so there is no Intercessour betweene him and vs but euery one of vs must present our owne prayers before him after the example of the beasts and Elders These prayers were inclosed in harpes to signifie the sweet and pleasing sound that faithfull prayers make in the eares of God they were inclosed in golden Phials to teach vs that acceptable prayers must come from an vndefiled heart and pure as gold and they themselues are called incense because their smell is pleasant and sweet like incense in the nostrils of God Exod. 30.7 This did the incense at the sacrifice in the old Law signifie and figurate and of this incense speakes Dauid in his Psalmes Psal 141.2 9 And they to wit the foure and twenty Elders did sing a new Canticle for the matter of their Canticle to wit the accomplishment of the Mysterie of redemption is new Psal 144. and euer ought to be new and fresh in the hearts of all them that would be accompted thankefull Their song then was this Thou art worthy O Lord to receiue the Booke and open the Seales thereof for thou hast bene slaine though innocent and by thy precious Blood hast redeemed vs to God thy Father and hast chosen vs out of all Tribes tongues people and nations aswell Iewes as Gentiles 10 And thou hast made vs Kings and Priests spiritually to our God And we shall reigne ouer the earth at the last and generall Iudgement and as Kings shall be participant of the glory of the holy and new Citie Ierusalem 11 Then I beheld and heard round about the Throne the beasts and the Elders the voyces of many Angels to the number of many thousand thousands Dan. 7.10 to wit innumerable Legions of them 12 Who said all with a loud voice The Lambe who was slaine is worthy to haue all power riches wisedome strength honour glory and blessing for euer 13 I also heard all creatures in Heauen in earth and beneath the earth and in the seas euen all that are in them I heard saying in one voyce vnto him that sits vpon the Throne and vnto the Lambe be Blessing Glory Honour and Power for euer and euer And the foure beastes said Amen and the foure and twenty Elders fell on their faces and adored him that liues for euer and euer CHAP. VI. ARGVMENT The opening of the first sixe Seales The spreading of the Euangel signified by the white horse in the first seale The great Persecution by the red horse in the second The number of diuers heresies by the blacke in the third The Popedome and Tyrannie thereof by the pale in the fourth The complaint of the Saints
the Father did pray and their blood did cry to heauen and craue at the hands of their Father a iust reuenge of their torments vpon the wicked and therewith a hastening of the generall dissolution for the deliuerie of their brethren who did remaine yet aliue 11 Then white robes were giuen to euery one of them and it was said vnto them and they were willed to rest and haue patience for a short space vnto the time the number of their fellow seruants to God and brethren companions in the Crosse were fulfilled who were also to be slaine as they were already This surely ought to be a wonderfull and inestimable comfort to all the Church militant since by this Seale wee are assured that both the soules of the Martyrs so soone as their bodies are killed shall immediatly be rewarded with perpetuall and bright glory in heauen not going into any other place by the way which is signified by the White robes as also that so soone as their number shall be complete which shall be within a short space God shall then craue a full account at their persecutors hands and then as the one number shall receiue a full and eternall glory in body and soule the other shall receiue a full torment in soule and body to the cleere shining of his Iustice in the one and his mercy in the other 12 Then I tooke heed when he opened the sixt and loe there was a great earthquake Matth. 24.29 and the Sunne-beame blacke like sackecloth made of haire and the Moone became all bloody 13 And the Starres fell from the heauens vpon the earth euen as the figgetree lets her vnripe figges fall being beaten by a mightie winde 14 And the heauen went away like a scrole that is rolled together and all the hilles and Iles were remooued from their places 15 And the Kings of the Earth the Nobles the rich men the Tribunes or commanders of the people the mighty men and all the slaues aswell as free-men did hide themselues in cauerns and vnder rockes of hills Luke 23.30 16 And they said to the hilles and the rocks Fall vpon vs and hide vs from the sight of him that sits vpon the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe 17 For that great day of his wrath is come and who then may stand This is the accomplishment of that dissolution craued and promised in the fift Seale These terrible things mentioned in the sixt Seale are the alterations and signes in the last time the very same did our Master Christ prophesie when he was walking on this Earth CHAP. VII ARGVMENT A proper and comfortable digression interiected of Gods care ouer the Elect in the times of greatest temptations signified by the Visions of the foure Angels the Election and happie estate of the elected BVt lest I or any other should doubt of the safegard and saluation of the Elect thinking that these terrible plagues should haue lighted vpon both good and bad indifferently he represented vnto my sight foure Angels standing on the foure corners of the earth and retayning the foure winds in their hands and stopping them either to blow vpon the earth the sea or any tree 2 And I did see one Angel going vp from the rising of the Sunne hauing the Seale of the liuing God and hee cried with a loud voice to the foure Angels that had power giuen them to harme the earth and the sea 3 Saying Harme not the earth nor the sea nor the trees vntill we haue marked the seruants of God on the forehead These Angels foure in number because they sit vpon the foure corners of the earth ready to execute Gods iudgements vpon euery part of the World although they already had stayed the winds to blow to wit the progresse of the Euangel vpon the earth which is the world vpon the Sea which is the numbers of people vpon the Trees which are the Magistrates Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall Yet one Angel came from the rising of the Sunne to wit 2. Peter 1. Luke 1.7 Malach. 4. directed by CHRIST who is comfortable like the Sunne-rising to his Elect and is that Orient day-spring and Sunne of Righteousnes rising ouer all the faithfull which is mentioned in the Scriptures Who cries and forbids these foure Angels to doe any further temporall harme while first the chosen be sealed on the forehead by that Seale which he beares with him for that effect that these Angels might know them being marked in so eminent a place in the generall destruction and so spare them assuring vs thereby that he hath such a care ouer his Elect as he hath prouided for them before hand euen as he did for Noah and Loth and their families in the time of the deluge and destruction of Sodome 4 And I heard the number of them that were sealed in Israel reckoned to be one hundred fourtie and foure Thousand for twelue thousand were sealed of euery one of the Tribes which makes iustly that number Out of euery one of the Tribes was a certaine number chosen to assure vs that a number of euery one of them shal be saued 9 And that I might be assured that a number aswell of the Gentiles as of the Iewes shal be saued Loe he shewed me a number so great as I could not reckon the same and it was composed of certaine out of euery Nation Tribe people and tongue And they stood before the Throne and in presence of the Lambe clothed with white robes hauing palmes in their hands in token of the victorie they obteined of their longsome battaile 10 And they cried all with one voice saying Our health and our saluation commeth from our God that sits on the Throne and from his Lambe to wit their health came from God the Father by the Mediation of his Sonne 11 Then all the Angels stood round about the Throne the Elders and the foure beastes and bowed themselues downe vpon their faces and adored God with thankesgiuing for his mercy to the chosen both of Iew and Gentile and his Iustice vpon all the rest 12 Saying Amen in allowance of the things done with full confession that Blessing Glory Wisedome Thankesgiuing Honour Vertue and Power belongs only and most iustly to GOD for euer and euer 13 Then one of the Elders spake vnto me and said What are these and from whence are they come who are clothed with white robes 14 And I answered and said Thou knowest my Lord. Then he said vnto me These are they who are preserued and come from that great affliction which was represented to thee in some of the Seales and they haue washed their garments and made them white in the blood of the Lambe for they by vertue of his death are made righteous by imputation whose blood is the onely and full purgation of vs from our sinnes 15 And therefore they are before the Throne of GOD and serue him day and night in his Temple to wit they without any
creatures in the sea was slaine and the third part of the ships therein did perish for after that this former plague shall haue an end and yet the world not turne themselues from their iniquities then the second shall follow which is the corporall plague of persecution signified by the red horse in the second Seale more amply dilated heere This great heape of fiery persecution like a mountaine of fire shall make the third part or a certaine number of people and nations which is signified by the seas or many waters to ouerflow in blood for as it is said of the same in the second Scale they shall slay one another for euen among themselues to wit among the wicked shal be great bloodshed and warres for the third or a certaine number of all sorts of liuing things shall die to wit no sort of men shall be exempted from this trouble But especially a number and not the greatest part of the faithfull shal be persecuted which is signified by the ships for euen as ships on a stormie Sea seeke a hauen so the faithfull among the wicked of the world tossed here and there resisting euery waue striue in despight of many contrarious windes to attaine to that hauen where at last casting their Anchor they are freed from all worldly tempests and dwell there eternally in a perpetuall calmenesse 10 Then the third Angel blew and there fell from heauen a great Starre burning like a torch and it fell vpon the third part of riuers and fountaines of waters and the name of the starre was Wormewood and the third part of the riuers and fountaines were turned into wormewood and many men died for the bitternesse of the waters This is that same plague which is signified by the blacke horse and his rider to wit a cloud of defections and Apostatical heresies here signified by a great starre burning like a torch for it shall haue a great light but like the light of a torch for as the torch and candle-light is false to the eye and makes the colours to appeare otherwise then they are and is made dimme by the brightnes of the Sunne so shall this light of false doctrine maske iniquitie for a space and make it seeme to be the trueth vnto the time the trew light of God obfuscat and blinde it These heresies shall be stronger in deceit then those before for they shall seduce the very pastours and spirituall Magistrates which is signified by the Starres falling in a part of the fountaines of waters for these men are the worldly fountaines whereout the rest of the faithfull by the buckets of their eares draw that spring of heauenly liquor 11 This starre is called Wormewood for as wormewood is a bitter hearbe what greater bitternesse can be to the soule of man then to procure the wrath of the Almightie through such an horrible fall and as it turned a part of the pastours and made them to become of bitter qualitie like it selfe so their bitternesse did slay with the second death a great number of men to wit their disciples and followers 12 Then the fourth Angel blew and the third part of the Sunne the third part of the Moone and third part of the Starres was stricken so that the third part of them to wit of their light was obscured and the third part of the day and the third part of the night was obscured to wit the third part of their light was darkened For after that one part of the pastours shall make horrible defection it shall fall out that the whole Church visible shal be blinded with some errours but not yet make a full defection which is signified by the obscuring of a part of the light of the Sunne Moone and starres to wit of all degrees of spirituall Magistrates so that by their generall weaknesse in some points a part of the meaning of the Gospel shal be falsly interpreted which is meant by the light of the day and of the night for as the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did guide the people of Israel through the desart to the land of Promise so will this light shining both day and night in our soules conduct vs out through the wildernesse of this world to that spirituall land of promise where we with our God shall gloriously reigne in all Eternitie This fourth blast is also a part of the third Seale 13 And I saw and heard an other Angel flying through the middest of heauen and saying with a lowd voice Woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the earth for the harme that shal be done vnto them by the last three blasts of the Angels Trumpets for the last three plagues shall be exceeding great which that I might the better note and take greater heed vnto God wakens me vp and makes me see an Angel flying through the middest of heauen with celeritie aswell to forewarne the holy Angels and Saints of these three plagues so farre in greatnesse aboue the rest as to signifie by his swift flying that they are hastily and within short space to be put in execution And the number of Woes to wit which he cries are answerable to the number of plagues which are hereafter to be declared CHAP. IX ARGVMENT In the fift Trumpet the heresies cause a great blindnesse and ignorance whereof commeth the Ecclesiasticall Papisticall orders signified by the grashoppers breeding out of the smoake and their power and qualities Their King and head the Pope and his style In the next Trumpet the beginning of his decay signified by the loosing of the foure Angels at Euphrates The remedy he vseth for the same by hounding out the Iesuits signified by the horse in the Vision Their qualities signified by their breast-plates The Popes and Turkes his gathering to destroy the Church signified by a great armie of horse The Pope is the plague for breaking of the first Table and the Turke for breaking of the second THen the fift Angel blew and I saw the starre that fell out of heauen vpon earth for it is to be noted that all these plagues did fall out of heauen vpon the earth to teach vs Quòd nullum malum est in ciuitate quod non faciat Dominus by his Iustice permitting Amos 3.6 Esay 45.7 directing ordering and restrayning it I did see it get the key of the bottomlesse pit which was giuen vnto it for this cloud of heresies spoken of in the third Trumpet and third Seale by processe of time did breed this bastard tyrannie whereof I spoke in the fourth Seale and so it brought from hell by the opening of the bottomlesse pit whereof it gate the keyes to wit by the assistance and deuice of Satan it bred such plagues as follow 2 First by opening of the pit came foorth a great smoke like the smoke of a furnace to wit it did breed such a darkenesse and ignorance in the minds of men as the Sunne and the Aire were obscured to
vpon the backe of the Booke It is not lawfull to him to manifest it By foreknowing things to come which is signified by swallowing the booke he is mooued to a great ioy in the instant time but it turneth in great bitternesse to him thereafter THen I saw another strong Angel comming downe from heauen hee was clothed with a cloud and at his head was the raine-bow and his face was like the Sunne and his feet like the pillars of fire This strong Angel was Christ clothed with a cloude for in a cloud hee ascended and in the clouds shall he come againe at the latter day Which cloud was a guide to the people of Israel by day while they trauailed through the wildernesse and out of that cloud hee powres the raine and dew of his graces in abundance vpon his chosen His head was clothed with the rainebow which signifies his couenant he made with his Elect as ye heard before His face was like the Sunne and his feet like pillars of fire yee heard these two described in the beginning of my Epistle 2 And he had in his hand an open Booke this was the Booke of the Euangel or glad tidings And he set his right foote or strongest on the Sea to make stable that liquid Element so vnstable of nature and his left vpon the earth which is sooner made firme by this to shew the power he hath ouer all things contained in them who hath no power to passe the bounds and order which he hath prescribed vnto them and therefore the earth is called his footstoole by Dauid in his Psalmes 3 And he cryed with a mighty voice like a roaring Lyon for they were terrible things and great which hee was to denounce 4 And when he had cryed the seuen thunders spake their voices These were the seuen Spirits of God who by his direction did speake and I was to haue written what they did speake of purpose to haue set it downe with the rest But I heard a voice from heauen saying Seale what the seuen thunders haue spoken but write them not For the holy Spirit hauing declared vnto me by them the exposition of the sixe trumpets the voice of God commands me not to manifest that vnto the world with the rest but by sealing of it to keepe it close vnto the due time 5 And the Angel to wit Christ whom I saw standing on the sea and on the earth lifted vp his hand towards heauen 6 And swore by him that created heauen the earth the sea and all that is in them that the time should be no longer 7 But in the dayes of the seuenth Angels voice when he begins to blow the mysterie of God should be consummate according as he tolde to his seruants the Prophets This oath he made to assure me that the world should end immediatly after the accomplishing of these things mentioned in the sixe Trumpets and that the seuenth declares the things which are to be done at the consummation the forme whereof will be as hee hath declared to his Prophets 8 Then that voice which I heard spake to me from heauen to wit the voice of God the Father spake againe vnto me and said Goe and take that open booke which is in the hand of the Angel who stands on the sea and the earth 9 And so I went vnto the Angel and desired him to giue me the booke and hee answered Take and swallow it and it shall bring a bitternesse vnto thy belly but in thy mouth it shall be as sweete as honie 10 Then I tooke the booke and found that which he said to me of it to be true for indeed I thought it delightfull vnto me to know the mysteries of God by swallowing the booke and so it was sweet in my mouth but so soon as by the digestion hereof I must preach it to the world and for that cause become to be hated contemned and persecuted by the wicked and see but a small increase of my great labours then surely it will be bitter to my belly as it was to Ionas and shall be to all the true preachers thereof thereafter 11 Then he said vnto me Thou must prophesie againe before people nations tongues and many kings for my children in Christ to wit my successours in doctrine who shall be in the time of these plagues shall haue the same commission to teach ouer againe the same Euangel to the saluation of all the beleeuers these shall haue such boldnesse giuen vnto them as they shall constantly declare their commission not only before the people but euen before many kings and shall not be afraid of their faces CHAP. XI ARGVMENT Babylon the Popes Empire is the outward part of the Temple The trew Church is in Sancto Sanctorum but vnder the persecution of these hypocrites for a certaine space Faithfull Pastours are sent from time to time to witnesse the trewth They are persecuted condemned and slaine by Antichrist God raiseth vp at the last stronger preachers who shall describe the Popedome and foretell the destruction thereof In the seuenth Trumpet is the day of Iudgement described ANd then was a long reede like a rod giuen vnto me and the Angel who gaue me the booke stood before me and said Arise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and all them that adore in it with that reede that is giuen thee 2 But the court that is without the Temple exclude thou and measure it not for it is giuen vnto the Gentiles who shall tread down the holy Citie for the space of two and fourtie moneths Now lest I should despaire of any profit which my successors could haue made in doctrine in their time because as it appeareth by the sixt Trumpet the whole world should be subdued to these two Monarchies Christ aswell to assure me some should still remaine pure and vnspotted as also to shew mee and by me to forewarne the Church that this most dangerous Monarch called Apollyon should corporally succeede in the Church and should sit in the Temple of God giues me a reede for that cause and commands me to measure the Temple for he will saue all them that are of the true Church for they are the inward parts of the Temple and the rest by reason of their hypocrisie shal be accounted of as Gentiles and this diuision shal be made by my successours in doctrine of whom I spake already for they by the measure and triall of the word signified by the reede shall separate that holy Sanctum Sanctorum from the rest of the outward Temple of God to wit the hypocriticall and Antichristian Church which shall tread downe and persecute the true Church for the space of two and fourtie moneths or three yeeres and an halfe for it is both one number This space prescribed by Christ alludeth to Daniels prophecie of two times a time and halfe a time for as Daniel meant thereby the halfe of his propheticall weeke so Christ meanes
by this that the persecution of this Destroyer shall last the halfe to wit it shall reigne about the midst of the last aage of this whole weeke which begins at his incarnation and first comming and ends at his last comming againe which because it is the last period it is here compared to a weeke 3 But I shall giue that holy towne to two witnesses of mine who clothed with sackecloth shall prophesie the space of one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes for these my successours he shall raise vp as witnesses to wit a sufficient number of them for out of the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word is confirmed to witnesse that their doctrine is false who persecute the Church which he shal giue vnto them for he shall make them their patrons to defend and feed them by the power of the true word and they shall preach repentance to that counterfeit Church and therefore they are said to be clothed in sackecloth And to assure vs to our great comfort that in all the time of blindnesse God shall euer be raising vp some of these two witnesses against the hypocriticall Destroyer and to comfort and confirme his true Church it is said They shall prophesie the number of dayes that yee haue heard which is correspondent iustly to the moneths before mentioned to wit they shall not leaue off to witnesse all the time of the Antichristian kingdome 4 These witnesnesses are two greene Oliues who anoint the Elect with that holy oyle and two Candlestickes as Christ said to enlighten the world with their brightnesse who are set downe and doe their office in the presence of him who is Lord and ruler of the earth 5 And if any shal presse to harme them fire shall come out of their mouthes and deuoure their enemies for whosoeuer will doe them any hurt himselfe must be slaine so to wit the holy Spirit who is the fire in their mouth shall accuse and cause to be destroyed with the second death all them that either persecute them or will not heare or obey their doctrine 6 These witnesses haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the dayes of their prophesie and they haue power ouer the waters to turne them into blood and to strike the earth with euery kinde of plague so often as they please for hee shall authorize them and their message with as sure testimonies as the shutting of the heauen and stay of the raine was vnto Elias so long as he forespake it should be so and as vnto Moyses the turning of the waters into blood and the striking of the earth of the land of Egypt with diuers and sundry plagues 7 But these shall be witnesses by their death as well as by their life For how soone any of them shall haue runne that course in the earth which God hath appointed them they shall be persecuted ouercome and slaine by that beast the Angel of that bottomlesse pit and king of the locusts and that great towne seat of the Monarchy shal publikely put them down as malefactours 8 So as their dead bodies or carkeises shall lie in the streets thereof And this towne is spiritually called Sodom because of the spirituall adultery to wit Idolatrie that it shall commit and maintaine and spiritually Egypt because it shall oppresse and intollerably burthen the soules of the chosen euen as Egypt captiuated the bodies and burthened the backes of the people of Israel and in that towne also was our Lord crucified for where Christs members are put to death for their Masters cause as this towne and Kings therof shal do there is Christ himselfe crucified in effect and his crucifying shal be as wel imputed to them as to Iudas who betrayed him 9 And men of all tribes peoples tongues and nations shall see their carkeises the space of three dayes and a halfe and they shall not be suffered to be buried in sepulchres 10 And the inhabitants of the earth shall be glad and reioyce for their slaughters and shall send gifts one to another in token of ioy because they are made quit of these two prophets who tormented the indwellers of the earth for the whole world who are not in Sancto Sanctorum shall not onely suffer but allow that these witnesses be not onely slaine but also be so cruelly vsed an contemned as not to be suffered to be buried amongst others And the whole earth shall reioyce at their death because that euen as Achab blamed Elias for troubling of Israel so shall the world thinke these witnesses troublesome vnto them because they discouer vnto them their shamefulnesse and call them to the repentance thereof 11 And thus shall they be contemned for the space of three dayes and a halfe to wit of three yeeres and a halfe which signifies that during the space of the Antichrists reigne they shall be thus vsed but after the space of three dayes and an halfe the Spirit of life comming from God shall enter into them and they shall be set vpon their feete and a great feare shall fall vpon them that did see them before 12 And they heard a great voice from the heauen saying vnto them Come vp bither then they ascended vp into heauen and their enemies saw them doe so for although that during the flourishing of this hereticall and bypocriticall Monarchie the trew Pastours no sooner appeared then they were put to death yet at the last this Monarchie shall begin to decay when the three yeeres or the three dayes and an halfe thereof shall be expired and then shall the Spirit of life from God to wit the holy Spirit sent from God worke mightier in the latter Pastours of these dayes so as in them shall the by-past Martyrs be reuiued and their doctrine shall take roote in the hearts of many and their reasons shal be so pithie as the Antichristian sect and the rest of the world shall know as perfectly that they shall preuaile as if they heard God call them to heauen to reward them there for their victory Neither shall they haue power of their liues for God shall mooue the hearts of many to defend them in such glory and safetie as if they were mounting vp to heauen in a cloud and they not able to hinder them 13 And then at that time shall be a great earthquake to wit great tumults among nations and the tenth part of the citie shall fall This citie is diuided in tenne parts to shew it is the same Monarchie that shall afterwards be described by a beast with ten heads And by the falling of the tenth part thereof is meant that diuers nations shall shake off the yoke of that Monarchie and so a part of the strength of that citie shall decay and there was slaine in that earthquake seuen thousand men to wit a great number of men shal be slaine in these tumults and the rest were afraid and gaue glory vnto the God of Heauen for these tumults
and iudgements of God shall by their terrours reduce some to the knowledge of the trewth 14 The second woe is past for these are the plagues of the sixt Trumpet and loe the third woe comes soone for next followes the declaration of these dayes wherein the consummation shall be first of that Antichristian kingdome and next of the whole earth take therefore good heede vnto the third woe for it is the last 15 Then the seuenth Angel blew and there were great voices in heauen saying The kingdomes of the world are made the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ who shall reigne for euer and euer This ioyfull cry was in heauen because the dayes were come wherein the day of Iudgement should be and so the power was to be taken from the kings of the earth who were enemies to the Saints and Christ was hereafter to be the great sole and immediate King ouer all 16 Then the foure and twentie Elders who sate vpon seats in the sight and presence of God for ioy that the saluation of their brethren was at hand did fall vpon their faces and adored God saying 17 We thanke thee Lord God Almightie who is and who was and who art presently to come againe because now thou art to make thy great power manifest and art to begin thy glorious Kingdome 18 And the Gentiles waxed wrathfull for all the wicked now perceiue that neither their force nor craft can auaile for thy wrath is now come which none may resist and the time of the dead is come for now all the dead are to be iudged and thou art to reward thy seruants the Prophets and all the Saints and all that feare thy Name small or great and thou art to destroy them that destroy the earth by the persecuting of thy Saints and defiling it with euery sort of vice 19 Then the Temple of God was open in heauen that the Arke of his couenant might be seene which was within it God now did shew the Arke of his couenant to assure all the Saints that he would now haue mind of his promise and according thereto would presently send downe Christ to Iudge the earth as was done then in all terrour which is signified by lightning voices thunder and earthquakes which then were made and a great haile which signifies the destruction of the earth as showres of haile of all others are the most harmefull and destroying CHAP. XII ARGVMENT A new vision The deuils malice against Christ and his Church The Church by Gods prouidence escapes his furie Shee is secret and lies hid for a space The deuill raiseth vp heresies and persecutions to destroy her but all that cannot preuaile whereupon he goeth to raise vp her great enemie the Pope NOw as this seuenth Seale wherein these seuen Trumpets were which ye haue presently heard declared was no other thing but the more ample dilating of the sixe former Seales as I did shew before so this vision which I am next to declare vnto you is nothing else but a cleerer setting forth and fore-warning of these times which are most perillous for the Church of all them which are to come after especially of the three last woes 1 And there was a great signe and a woonderfull vision seene in heauen to wit a woman clothed with the Sunne and the Moone was vnder her feete and she had a crowne of twelue starres vpon her head 2 And she was great with childe and shee was so neere her childbirth as she was alreadie crying and was sore pained with the trauell to be deliuered of her childe 3 And there was also another signe and woonder seene in heauen A great red dragon hauing seuen heads and ten hornes and vpon his head seuen diamonds 4 And his taile drew the third part of the starres of heauen with him and did cast them downe to the earth This dragon stood before the woman awaiting to deuoure her birth so soone as shee was deliuered of it 5 But she brought forth a man-childe who was to rule all nations with a rod of yron and her sonne was caught vp to God and his Throne 6 But the woman fled into the wildernesse where she hath a place prepared by God that she might be fedde there the space of one thousand two hundred threescore dayes 7 And there was a great battell stroken in heauen for Michael and his Angels fought against the dragon and his angels 8 And the dragon and his angels could not obtaine the victorie but by the contrary their place was no more found in heauen 9 And so that great dragon to wit that olde serpent who is called the deuill and Satan who seduceth the whole face of the earth was cast downe to the earth and all his angels were cast downe with him 10 And I heard a voice in heauen saying Now is wrought the health the vertue and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe who day and night accused them in the sight of our God 11 For they that fought with him haue ouercome him for the loue they beare vnto the Lambe and his blood and to the word of his Testimonie and haue prodigally giuen their liues euen vnto death for that cause 12 Therefore reioyce ye heauens and yee that dwell therein but woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea for the deuill is come downe to you and he is full of great wrath because he hath but a short space to reigne 13 And when the dragon saw himselfe cast down vpō the earth he pursued the woman who had borne the manchild 14 But there was giuen to the woman two great Eagle wings that shee might flee from the sight of the serpent into the wildernes to the place that was there appointed for her to be nourished for a time times and halfe a time 15 Then the serpent did cast out of his mouth after the woman to ouertake her a water like a great flood to carry her away perforce 16 But the earth helped the woman and opened her mouth and swallowed vp by the way the great flood which the dragon had cast out of his mouth This part of the Vision was to declare vnto me that howsoeuer the Church which is signified here by a woman for she is the spouse of CHRIST who is her head her husband and her glory obeying him with a reuerent loue and yet weake and infirme like to a woman how soone I say the Church shining in all brightnesse and innocencie which is represented by her garment of the Sunne and treading vnder feete and contemning the world and the vanities thereof here signified by the Moone being vnder her feet a Planet that hath no proper but a borrowed light and subiect to all mutabilitie like the world and being crowned with the shining glory of the twelue Patriarches and Prophets and the twelue holy Apostles succeeding them in the vnitie of
doctrine and therefore are called here a Crowne of twelue starres vpon her head How soone I say that she thus arayed did bring forth CHRIST in the flesh who is that man-child who rules the Gentiles with an Iron rod as Dauid saith in his Psalmes That great red and ancient Dragon for in our first forefather he vttered his malice to wit the diuell who is ruler of infinite numbers of men which is signified by his seuen heads and seuen diadems or Crownes vpon them and who hath innumerable meanes and instruments to be executors of his malicious will which is signified by the tenne hornes alluding to Daniel and who is so mighty in deceipt that he doeth not onely allure the infidels to follow him but euen a part of the Pastours and the visible Church to their destruction which is signified by his drawing after him with his taile as followers of his intisements the third part of the Starres of heauen and casting them to the earth This dragon hauing waited to destroy her birth and for earnestnesse gaping for it before it was borne and not able to preuaile but by the contrary seeing CHRITS rising from the dead and then his ascending into heauen which is signified by the Childs pulling vp to GOD and his Throne and seeing the Church to flourish though vnder persecution which is signified by her flying to a place in the wildernesse which God had prepared for her where thereafter she must lurke for the space of the dayes ye heard reckoned to wit the Church shal be vnknowne and as it were vnregarded and no man shall know how it shal be sustained for GOD shall nourish it the space of the Antichrists kingdome which is the number of dayes ye heard counted before The Dragon I say hauing found this that both CHRIST and his Church did escape his hands and not onely that but that himselfe also by the vertue of CHRISTS renewing of vs was no moreable to accuse the Saints of God as he did in time of the old Law since now we are made righteous which is signified by the battell in heauen where GOD to declare that none is like vnto him made CHRIST here called Michael whose name imports Who is like GOD with his Angels to fight and ouercome the diuel and his angels and to cast them on the earth Satan I say finding himselfe thus debarred from further accusing of the Saints hauing found that he should neuer haue place to doe that in any time thereafter as on the one part it reioyced all the Angels and Saints in heauen for their bretherens cause on the earth as is witnessed by the song that the voyce did sing in Heauen praising God therefore and extolling the deed of Michael and his Angels who fought so earnestly for the Saints on earth as if they had bene mortall they would not haue spared their liues in that cause for their sakes whom CHRIST had redeemed with his blood and of whose clection he had borne witnesse to his Father so on the other part it enraged the Dragon so that he became the crueller tempter of men vpon the earth aswell for that his place of accusing in heauen was taken away by the mysterie of the redemption which is signified by this fight as for that he knew within short space he was by CHRISTS second comming to be cast downe from the earth into hell there to be chained in eternall captiuitie and misery euen as by the first comming he was cast from the heauen which is signified by the last part of the Song so as he pursueth the Church with heresie and ciuil powers which both are signified by the floods of waters which he spewed out of his mouth after that the Eagle wings were giuen the woman to flie to that place appointed for her in the wildernes where she must remaine the number of dayes ye haue heard to wit after that God had giuen his Church a sufficient swiftnesse to eschew the rage of Satan and to lurke the space of Antichrists raigne which lasteth three times or three yeeres and a halfe that is a time prefixed by GOD and vnknowne to men as ye haue sundry times heard already But seeing that all this vanisheth as if the earth had swallowed and dried vp that flood suddenly 17 The Dragon therefore or the diuel became more wrathfull and enraged then before against the woman or the Church and went about by some other way to make warre against the rest of the womans seed who kept the Commandements of GOD and had the testimonies of CHRIST to GOD the Father that they were chosen and called for these are onely the true posteritie of the Church to wit the successours in grace faith and trewth 18 And I stood vpon the Sea shore I meane it seemed to me that I stood vpon the Sea shore because I did wait to see come out of it which represented all peoples and nations such powers as Satan would imploy to fight against the Church for the declaring whereof this Vision was shewen vnto me and whereof these two last great wonders were but the introduction that by these things past as the roote I might the better vnderstand the branches which are to bud forth thereof as followeth CHAP. XIII ARGVMENT The Popes arising His description His rising caused by the ruine of the fourth Monarchie the Romane Empire The rising of the false and Papisticall Church her description her conformitie with her Monarch the Pope The great reuerence borne to the Pope by many nations and not onely to him but to his Legates A generall defection so great as there shall not be an other visible Church but the Popedome Of the first Pope who did take to himselfe all their blasphemous and arrogant styles ANd then I saw a beast rising out of the Sea to wit from among the number of Nations and peoples I saw a Monarchie chosen and erected vp by this Dragon the deuil and it had seuen heads and tenne hornes and tenne diadems vpon the tenne hornes the signification of these heads and hornes was declared vnto me by an Angel as ye shall heare in the place conuenient hereafter Chap. 17. and vpon these heads was the name of blasphemie for they by the persecution of the Saints and adoring false gods shall both by word and deed blaspheme the name of the Eternall 2 This beast or Monarchie Daniel 7. is the fourth King or Monarchie wherof Daniel prophesied to wit euen that Monarchie which presently reignes and hath the power of the other three reuiued in it for it is farre greater then they And therefore as that Monarchie of the Leopard gat that name because of the swiftnes of the conquest and that of the Lion because of the mightines and cruelty therof and that of the Beare because of the strength and long standing thereof so this is called like the Leopard to wit in shape whereof commeth her agilitie headed like a Lion because his strength is
in the head as ye heard already and legged like a beare because in the Beares legges consists his greatest strength and durablenesse this proportion signifies that this Monarchie is farre greater then all the rest and all their powers are reuiued in it as I said before 3 And I perceiued that one of the heads of the beast had bene deadly wounded but the wound thereof was healed and the whole earth followed this beast with a great wondering this was to signifie vnto me that it was not of this beast that I was ordained to forewarne you for the worst of this beast is almost past already and this Monarchie shall be within short space destroyed but this beast or Monarchie is shewen vnto me because out of the ruines thereof shall rise in that same Seate where it was that hereticall Monarchie whereof I am to forewarne you which is signified by the deadly wound it gat on the head which was healed againe for as the Phaenix reuiues of her owne ashes as prophane stories make mention so out of the ashes of this Empire shall rise and be reuiued an other which shall grow so mighty that the whole earth that is without Sanctum Sanctorum shall with amasement reuerence obey and follow it as ye heard presently declared 4 And they adored the Dragon who gaue power to the Beast for they shall giue themselues ouer to the workes of darkenes which is to serue and adore the diuel who raised vp this beast to make warre against the seed of the woman Chap. 12. as ye heard before And they also adored the diuel in his instrument by reuerencing that Beast and Monarchie erected by him and they said Who is like vnto the Beast or who may fight with him for this Monarchie shall be so strong in worldly power as the world shall thinke it so farre in strength aboue all other powers that it is impossible to ouercome it especially that the little stone which was cut without hands out of the mountaine mentioned by Daniel Daniel 2. shall euer destroy it which notwithstanding at the last shall bruise it in pieces 5 And there was a mouth giuen vnto it to speake great things and blasphemies It is said in Daniel Daniel 7.11 that his mouth shall speake in magnificencie and vtter words against the Soueraigne to wit this Monarchie and King thereof shall extoll himselfe farre aboue all liuing creatures and shal vsurpe farre higher Styles then euer were heard of before by the which and by his false doctrine together he shall so derogate from the honour of GOD and vsurpe so all power onely proper vnto him as it shall bee great wordes against him and blasphemie of his Name And there was power giuen him to doe to wit GOD shall permit his Tyrannie to encrease and persecute the Saints the space of two and fourtie moneths This space was mentioned vnto me to let me know thereby that this Monarchie risen out of the ruines of the other Chap. 11. is the same which is meant by that Citie whereof ye heard alreadie in the sixt Trumpet which persecuted the two Witnesses for the same space is assigned to her there and consequently it is that same seate and Monarchie which is meant by the angel of the bottomlesse pit Chap. 9. called Apollyon in the fift Trumpet by the Rider on the pale horse Chap. 6. called Death in the fourth Seale and also obscurely meant in the sixt Trumpet by the halfe of that great hoste of horsemen Chap. 9. of the which halfe the armed horse which I saw in the vision was a part of the power whose head and Monarchie was the plague for idolatry as ye heard which Monarchie together with the other of whom yee also heard obscurely in that place as the plague of the sinnes against the second Table to wit this great beast here mentioned and the other reuealed a vowed and open enemie of Christs Church shall both gather their forces to fight against it in that battell of the great day of the Lord Chap. 16. whereof ye shal heare in the owne place Then this beast according to the power which was giuen him opened his mouth in blasphemies against God and spake iniurious words against his Name his Tabernacle to wit his Sanctum Sanctorum which is the Church militant and them that dwell in heauen for his reigne shall be so great that hee shall not onely blaspheme the Name of God in such sort as ye heard alreadie and persecute the members of Christ that shall be on the earth in his dayes but likewise vpbraid with calumnies the soules of the Saints departed 7 And for that effect he was permitted by God to make warre against the Saints and hee gaue him power to ouercome them corporally and to rule ouer all tribes tongues and nations so great shall his Monarchie and power be 8 And so all the in-dwellers of the earth shal adore him to wit a great part of them shall reuerence him whose names are not writen in the booke of life which is the Lambes that was slaine which booke was written before the foundation of the world was laide for these are alwayes excepted from bowing their knees to Baal who were predestinate by Christ to saluation before all beginnings 9 He who hath an eare let him heare and take heede vnto this sentence that followeth to wit 10 If any man leade in captiuitie in captiuitie shall he be led againe if any man slay with the sword with the sword shall hee be slaine againe then since ye are assured that God in his good time shall iustly mete to their tyrannie the same measure that they shall mete to his Church let not your hearts in your affliction through despaire of Gods reuenge because of his long suffering swarue from the bold and plaine professing of his trueth for in this shall the patience and constant faith of the Saints or the chosen be tried 11 And then I saw another beast rise vp vpon the earth and it had two hornes like vnto the Lambe but it spake like the dragon for lest this Monarchie should be taken to be a ruler onely ouer the body and that I might vnderstand the contrary to wit that he was specially a spirituall tyrant ouer the soules and consciences of men this other beast was shewen vnto me which representeth the hereticall kingdome of the grashoppers whereof Apollyon was made King in the fift Trumpet Chap. 9. and it vseth the coloured authoritie of Christ by pretending two swords or two keyes as receiued from Christ which is signified by the two hornes like the Lambes but the end whereof it vseth that authoritie is to get obedience to that false doctrine which it teacheth signified by speaking like the dragon or deuil 12 It is this false and hypocriticall Church then which doeth exercise all the power of the former beast to wit teacheth the Kings of this Monarchy and seat by what
meanes they shall allure and compell the people to obey their commands and this Church shall also entise the earth and the inhabitants of the same to wit all nations which beleeue the false doctrine that it teacheth to adore this other beast whose deadly wound was healed for it shall perswade them that this hereticall Monarchie ought for conscience sake to be obeyed by all persons in whatsoeuer it commandeth as if it could not erre 13 And to perswade men thereof it makes great signes or wonders yea euen causeth fire to fall out of heauen vpon earth in the sight of men vpon whom because they shall swarue from the loue of the trewth to beleeue lies God shall iustly by the meanes of this false Church as his instrument of reuenge send a strong illusion and deceit with great efficacie of miracles and woonders 2. Thess 2. 2. Kings 1. yea as mightie and strong as that of Elias was calling for fire from heauen which here is repeated 14 And all these miracles it did in the presence of the beast to make the beast to be adored therefore by the inhabitants of the earth and it perswades them to make an image of the beast which was wounded by the sword and reuiued againe for not onely shall this hereticall Monarchy haue power in his owne person to command absolutely many nations but euen the nations shall consent by the perswasion of this false Church to obey the absolute command of his Lieutenants Legats and Embassadors in euery countrey so as they shall not onely be exempted from the lawes of euery countrey wherein they liue but shall euen be fellowes and companions in all honours and priuiledges to the princes or kings thereof And this willing consent of nations vnto this by the perswasion of this false Church is signified here by the making of this image at the Churches perswasion 15 And power was giuen vnto it to wit vnto this false Church to quicken this image and to make it speake and to cause that all those who will not adore this image should be slaine corporally for as the consent vnto this authoritie of the image must be giuen by the nations and so they to be the makers thereof so the authoritie which is meant by the quickening of it and making it speake must be giuen it by the working of this false Church whose rage shall be so great as it shall persecute any who will not thinke the commands whatsoeuer of this Monarches embassadours and images to be an infallible Law as well as his owne 16 And so this false Church makes that all small or great rich or poore bond or free in short all men of whatsoeuer degree shall take the Character or seale of this Monarchie into their right hand or into their forehead to wit publikely professe obedience thereto and assist the maintenance thereof and downe-throwing of all resisters 17 And that none may buy and sell except they haue the Character or the name of the beast or the number of his name for this defection shall be so vniuersall and so receiued by all degrees of men as it shall not be possible to any neither shal that hypocriticall church permit any to be partakers of their ciuill societie which is meant here by buying and selling except they be knowen to be of his fellowship in religion which is meant by the character and his name and the number thereof Then since you see that this defection shall be so generall beware of euery one that shall say Lord Lord thereby to deceiue you for you see by this that false prophets shall for a time so triumph as they shall vaunt themselues to be the trew Church because there shall be no other Church visible at that time although there shall euer besome that shall not bow their knee to Baal for the woman shall not be deuoured by the dragon 1. Kings 19. Chap. 12. but hid and nourished in the wildernesse out of sight for a space as ye heard before Retaine well in memorie these words for the time shall come in the latter dayes that this doctrine shall be thornes in the eyes of many 18 Now as to the number of the beast here is wisedome let him that is endued with knowledge number it for the number of the beast or Monarchie is the number of the man to wit of the first Monarch of this seat who shall first vsurpe all these styles of blasphemie and who in the fourth Monarchie shall reuiue a spirituall supremacie and tyrannie and his number to wit the date of yeeres that he shall begin to reigne in reckoning from the time of this Reuelation is sixe hundred sixtie and sixe Benedictus the 2. Platine CHAP. XIIII ARGVMENT The happie estate of the faithfull in the meane time of the Popes Tyrannie His destruction The faithfull onely are all saued NOw so soone as the tyrannicall gouernment of these two beasts to wit the false church and their king had bene declared by this last Vision vnto me euen as before after the denouncing of the fearefullest plagues the happy estate of Christ and his Church was declared to comfort me as ye heard before so now the plagues that are to be wrought by this spirituall Tyrannie being declared the estate of Christ and his followers in the meane time is next set forth as followeth Then I did looke and loe I saw the Lambe standing vpon Mount Sion and with him a hundred fourtie and foure thousand hauing the Name of his Father written vpon their foreheads for in the meane time that this Tyrannie was raging on the earth this Lambe Christ was standing vpon Mount Sion to wit vpon his holy place out of which he promised saluation to the faithfull as Dauid saith and is accompanied with this great number of faithfull which number was composed of twelue thousand of euery Tribe as ye heard before but this number comprehends in this place all the faithfull aswell of Gentiles as of Iewes although it seeme to be vnderstood of the Iewes onely which is done for continuing of the Metaphore because as Sanctum Sanctorum which was a part of the materiall Temple of Ierusalem did signifie before all the faithfull as ye haue heard so now this number of Iewes here signifies the faithfull both of Gentiles and Iewes as I haue said who now are described here making publike profession of Christ by bearing his marke on their forehead an eminent part euen as the wicked beare on their forehead the Character of their king the angel of the bottomlesse pit These faithfull followers of Christ did beare now his Marke to testifie thereby that they were preserued by it euen in the very time that this Tyrannie was raging all the fastest 2 And I heard a voyce from heauen like the sound of many waters in greatnesse and like the roaring of the thunder in terriblenesse And I also heard the voyce of many harpers playing on their harpes 3 And singing
as it were a New-song before the Throne and before the foure Beasts and the Elders and none could learne that Song except these hundred foure and fourtie thousand to wit these who are bought from the earth for they who were bought and redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ from among the rest of the world and so were no more of their number were onely able to learne and vnderstand these voyces for vnto them onely it apperteineth Where first God promised that he should shortly destroy that Tyrannie which voyce of God is here described by resembling it to the sound of many waters as Dauid doeth and to the roaring of the thunder And where next the thankes thereof is giuen by the Saints and Angels in singing the praises of God as earnestly and cheerefully as if it were but a New-song and to represent the harmonie thereof they sing to the concords of the harpes and instruments in the presence of God sitting in his Maiestie and compassed about with the foure Beastes and foure and twentie Elders of whom ye heard mention made before 4 These attendants on the Lambe are these who are not defiled with women to wit not guiltie of spirituall adulterie for they are Virgines as Christ called them in the parable of the Lampes these follow the Lambe whithersoeuer he goeth for they goe not astray from his footsteps neither to the right nor the left hand and those are they who are bought from among men and are the acceptable first fruits vnto their Father and his Lambe 5 And in their mouthes was found no guile for they are inculpable before the Throne of God because the Lambe hath fully payd their debts for them 6 Then I did see another Angel flying through the middest of heauen hauing the Eternall Euangel in his hand that he might preach the same to all the inhabitants of the earth euen to all nations tribes tongues and peoples for euen as ye heard before in the sixt Trumpet of the reuiuing againe of the two Witnesses who were slaine by this tyrannicall and hereticall Monarchie so now the same was declared vnto me by this Angel who when this Tyrannie is in the greatest pride as ye haue heard flies through the middest of heauen to be publikely heard and seene by all hauing with him these eternall glad tidings to preach them to all the earth to wit God shall in the end of this Tyrannie while it is yet triumphing raise vp and send his Angels or messengers who shall publikely teach the trewth and refute the errours of this tyrannie before the eyes of the Sunne and the Moone to the saluation of a part of euery countrey and to double condemnation of the rest through making them inexcusable who wil not turne in time 7 And their exhortation shal be this which then I heard the Angel say with a lowd voyce Feare God and render him all glory for the day of his iudgement comes at hand adore him therefore who made heauen and earth and seas and fountaines of water to wit all things good and euill and the particular applications that these Witnesses shall make of this generall doctrine to the times of corruption that they shall be in shall be this that I heard two Angels folowing declare of whom the first said 8 It is fallen It is fallen Babylon that great City because she gaue to al nations to drinke of the Vine of wrath of her fornication or spiritual adulterie to wit that great Monarchie called Babylon because it leades and keepes the soules of men in spirituall thraldome euen as the Monarchie of Babylon led and kept the people of Israel in a corporall captiuitie that Monarchie I say shall be suddenly destroyed for it is to be noted that as there is no distinction of times in the presence of God but all things are present vnto him so he and his Angels calleth oftentimes that thing done that is shortly and certainly to be done thereafter which forme of speach ye wil sundry times heare thus vsed hereafter That Monarchie I say then shall shortly be destroyed and that iustly because she hath abused a great part of the earth by intising them to be senselesse as if they were drunken and to embrace her errours and idolatries or spirituall whoredome For as men are entised by whores to leaue their owne spouse and enter in to them so shall they perswade the nations to leaue their societie with their spouse IESVS CHRIST and onely settle their saluation vpon her and for the committing of this spirituall whoredome this Monarchie is here called Shee Chap. 17. and afterward the great Whore and the reason that they shall giue why they make this warning shall be in these words which I heard the third Angel proclaime to wit 9 For whosoeuer shall adore this Beast any longer or his image or take his character on his forehead or his hand as ye heard before 10 He shall for his iust reward and punishment drinke of the Wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure and immixed wine thereof powred out in the cup of his wrath And he shal be tormented with fire and brimstone to wit he shall be cast into hell the torments whereof they doe signifie and that in the presence of the holy Angels for they shall beare witnesse against him in the sight of the Lambe for the Lambe shall iudge and condemne him 11 And the smoake of his torments shall mount vp in all worlds to come to wit he shal be vncessantly tormented for euer For all these that adore the Beast and his image and hath the character of his name shall not haue rest day nor night to wit they shal be perpetually tormented without any release or reliefe 12 And in these dayes when the Witnesses shal be making this exhortation in these things shall the constancie of the Saints or faithfull be tried and by this triall shall they be knowne and discerned that obserue and retaine the Commandements of God and the faith of Iesus the Sauiour 13 Then I heard a voice from heauen saying to me Write Blessed are the dead that die for the Lords cause hereafter so sayes the Spirit for they rest from their trauails and their workes follow them This voyce from heauen did by these wordes declare vnto me that these Witnesses who should make this exhortation that ye haue heard should be persecuted therefore by that spirituall Babylon but that these should be happiest who lost their liues for so good a cause for the confirmation whereof the holy Spirit sayes Yea and subioynes the reason to wit because both they rest from these continuall labours and troubles that they were alwayes subiect vnto in the earth and in recompense thereof their workes follow them for as faith is the onely leader of men to heauen and so goes before them so according to the greatnesse and honour of their calling in earth if they discharge it well they are rewarded in heauen
in the aire and there came forth a great voyce from the Temple in heauen euen from the Throne saying It is done 18 Then was heard great sounds and lightnings and thunders and there was a great earthquake and such in greatnesse was neuer seene since men were vpon the face of the earth for euen as the aire was troubled and obscured by smoke of hell out of the which the king of Locustes bred in the first Seale and as Moses made haile in great abundance to fall on Egypt which Meteore doeth breed in the aire so God hauing stricken the battell against Babylon and her followers and hauing ouercome them as ye heard in the sixt Seale now followeth immediatly the last plague of the consummation by the aire for in the aire shall that great noise be heard which is the fore-runner of that Great day most comfortable to the trew Church but most terrible to all the rest of the world which day is proclaimed by the voice of God from his Temple wherein was his Couenant declaring the consummation in these words ye heard and as the great noise signifies the same so in speciall doeth the great earthquake as Christ himselfe prophesying thereof doeth declare 19 And that Citie was rent in sunder in three parts and that iustly because she destroyed the third part of the earth as ye heard in the sixt Trumpet and the Cities of the nations fell because they dranke the cup of her abominations And great Babylon and her sinnes came then in memorie before God for then he was to make her drinke the cup full of his wrath to her vtter destruction 20 And all the Isles fled and the mountaines were no more found for no deepenes of Seas nor inaccessiblenes of mountaines shall haue power to saue the wicked from the fearefull and terrible iudgements of that great and last day This doeth also signifie the latter day as ye heard before 21 And a great haile to the greatnesse of talents fell vpon men but they blasphemed God for the plague of haile for it was exceeding great This great haile signifieth also a great destruction at the latter day as ye heard in the seuenth Trumpet but yet the wicked shall be so stiffenecked as euen at their last breath their malice and obstinacie shall rather encrease then diminish as is declared here by mens blaspheming of God for the plague of the haile CHAP. XVII ARGVMENT The Angel expounded to Iohn this vision of the Pope describes him at large and clearely declares the authors and maner of his destruction BVt because that these plagues and Babylon whereupon they lighted did seeme obscure vnto me therefore one of the seuen Angels who powred forth their phials ful of plagues did say vnto me Here then I will shew vnto thee more plainely the condemnation of this great Whore and what shee is that sitteth vpon many waters 2 With whom the Kings of the earth haue committed spirituall adulterie and with the wine of whose whoredome the inhabitants of the earth to wit a great number of nations who are not of the Elect are made drunke as you heard before 3 Then he bereft me in Spirit as I told you in the beginning of this Epistle to the wildernes which signifies the Gentelisme as saith Esay for she and her followers are Gentiles in effect as ye heard in the sixt Trumpet And as our Master sayes All these that gather not with vs they scatter for no more is there a middest betwixt God and the diuell nor betwixt the rewards thereof heauen and hell and as one of these two Masters we must of necessitie follow so of the same necessitie to one of these two places must we goe And then I saw in the wildernes a woman euen Babylon that whore sitting on a scarlet coloured and bloody beast euen as shee was sitting before in the likenesse of a man vpon a pale horse in the fourth Seale And this beast was full of blasphemie and had seuen heads and tenne hornes as ye heard before 4 And the woman was clothed with purple and scarlet and pretious stones and pearles and had in her hand a golden Cup for this Monarchie and the Monarch thereof shall aswell be corporally clothed with these colours and decked with pretious stones as also these colours which are finest of all others and these pretious stones signifie that this Monarchie and the seat thereof shal be most glorious and glauncing to the eyes of the world as I said before which shall not onely be the trew Church by appearance of outward glory but euen retaine many of the generall points of religion which is signified by her golden Cup but this Cup was full of abhominations and of the vncleannesse of her spirituall whoredomes For albeit in many points she shal retaine the trewth which shall abuse men and allure them to her yet shall she mixe and poyson this trewth with her owne abominable and hereticall inuentions and traditions and with the vncleannesse of her spirituall adulterie whereof ye haue heard before 5 And on her forehead was written a mysterie Babylon the great to wit spirituall Babylon as ye heard before the mother of the whoredomes and the abhominations of the earth for from her shall proceed the greatest and in a maner the onely chiefe abuses and heresies coloured and clothed with the shew and title of Christiantie with the which these who shall outwardly say Lord Lord shall euer be infected with vntill the consummation and as a mother she shall not onely breed but shal be the chiefe nourisher and maintainer of them And this is called a mysterie because although this abuse shall be publike as is signified by being written on her forehead yet none shall consider the abuse thereof but onely such whose eyes it shall please God to illuminate for that effect 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs and witnesses of Iesus the Sauiour to wit she shall greedily and cruelly shed their blood without all measure reason or pitie as yee haue often heard before And when I thus saw her I wondered at her marueilously and I could not coniecture the meaning of the seuen heads and ten hornes that the beast had on whom she sate 7 And the Angel who had now shewen her vnto me as ye now haue heard seeing me thus wonder sayes vnto me Marueile not for I will reueale vnto thee the mysterie of this woman and of the beast shee rideth vpon which hath seuen heads and ten hornes 8 This beast that thou hast seene or Monarchie was for it is the fourth Monarchie which is very great and flourishing and is not for it is now so farre decayed that in a maner it is not and it is to rise againe out of the bottomlesse pit as yee heard in the fift Trumpet how foone the wound of the head shall be healed whereof ye heard before and it shall goe to perdition as ye
often haue heard already and the in-dwellers of the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the booke of life before the foundation of the world was laide of this wondering yee heard before they shall wonder I say at this beast which was to wit in great power and is not to wit in a maner as ye presently heard and yet is I meane doeth stand though farre decayed from the former greatnesse 9 Take good heede vnto this that I declare vnto thee for herein shall the trew wisedome of men be tried to wit in knowing by this my description what particular Empire and Tyrannie I speake of And the seuen heads of this beast signifie aswell seuen materiall hilles whereupon the seate of this Monarchie is situated as also seuen kings or diuers formes of Magistrates that this Empire hath had and is to haue hereafter 10 Fiue of them haue beene alreadie one is presently and makes the sixt another shall follow it and make the seuenth but it is not yet come and when it comes it shall remaine but a very short space 11 And this beast which was to wit so great and is not for now it is decaying as thou presently hast heard it is the eight and yet one of the seuen for this beast which rose out of the ruines of the fourth Monarchie as ye heard before in respect it vseth an hereticall Tyrannie ouer the consciences of men by that new forme of Empire is different from any of the rest and so is the eight and yet because this forme of gouernment shall haue the same seate which the rest had and vse as great Tyrannie and greater vpon the world and shall vse the same forme in ciuill gouernment which one of the seuen vsed therefore because it is so like them I call it one of the seuen 12 And the tenne hornes which thou sawest signifie tenne Kings to wit the great number of subalterne Magistrates in all the Prouinces vnder that Monarchy who haue not yet receiued their kingdome for vnder all the diuers sorts of gouernments that shall be in it except the last and hereticall sort these subalterne powers shall be but in the ranke of subiects but they shall take their kingly power with the beast to wit at the very time that this Apollyon shall rise out of the ashes of the fourth beast or Monarchie the kings of the earth shall become his slaues and subalterne Magistrates whereas the subiects were onely the power of that Monarchie before so as the hornes or powers of this beast were but of subiects before it was wounded but after the healing of it the worldly kings and rulers shall become the powers and hornes of it 13 These shall haue one counsell and shall giue their strength and power to the beast to wit these kings shal all willingly yeeld obedience to Babylon and shall employ their whole forces for the maintenance of that Monarchie and the persecution of the Saints 14 For they shal fight with the Lambe in his members albeit all in vaine for in the end the Lambe shall ouercome them because he is Lord of lords and King of all kings and these that are with him and followeth him are called Chosen and Faithfull 15 He also said vnto me The waters that thou saw this Whore sit vpon are the peoples multitudes nations and tongues that haue subiected themselues to her Empire 16 But as touching these ten hornes thou saw thus farre I foretell vnto thee although that for a time these kings shall be slaues and seruants to Babylon and shall be her instruments to persecute the Saints the time shall come before the consummation that they shall hate the Whore who abused them so strongly and long and shall make her to be alone for they shall withdraw from her their Subiects the nations that were her strength and shall make her naked for they shall discouer the mysterie of her abominations and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire to wit they shall spoile her of her riches power and glory and so destroy her 17 But doe not thou wonder at this for God gaue them in their hearts to wit permitted them to be abused by her for a space that they might doe what pleased her and consent to all her vnlawfull policies and pretences and giue their kingdomes vnto this beast vntill the words of God might be accomplished to wit they shall submit their very Crownes and take the right thereof from her vnto the fulnesse of times here prophecied At what time God shall raise them vp as ye heard to destroy Babylon for the hearts of the greatest kings as well as of the smallest subiects are in the hands of the Lord to be his instruments and to turne them as it shall please him to employ them 18 And this woman or Whore which thou sawest is that great citie and seate of this Beast or Monarchie which beareth rule ouer the kings of the earth as thou hast heard alreadie But although it be one seat yet diuers and a great number of kings or heads thereof shall succeed into it one to another all vpholding an hereticall religion and false worship of God and one forme of gouernment as the fourth Monarchie did out of the which this did spring as ye haue heard CHAP. XVIII ARGVMENT The sorrow of the earth for the destruction of the Popedome The profite that worldly men had by his standing The great riches and wealth of that Church The Pope by his Pardons makes merchandise of the soules of men Heauen and the Saints reioyce at his destruction albeit the earth and the worldlings lament for the same ANd then I saw another Angel comming downe from heauen hauing great power so that the earth shined with his glory for so soone as God by one of the seauen Angels who had the phials had more plainely described vnto mee this woman sitting on the beast then he did before hee now appointeth this other Angel who is Christ to declare vnto me and proclaime to the world as is signified by his comming downe to the earth for that cause the iust condemnation of Babylon according to her sinnes 2 And hee cryed out with a loude voyce saying It is fallen It is fallen Babylon that great Citie and it is made the dwelling place of vncleane spirits and the habitation of all vncleane and hatefull fowles to wit it shall be destroyed and that great Citie the seate of that Monarchie shall be desolate for euer euen as it was prophesied of Ierusalem 3 Because all nations haue drunke of the Vine of her whoredome and the kings of the earth haue committed whoredome with her and the Merchants of the earth are become rich by the great wealth of her delights in so great a worldly glory and pompe did that Monarchie shine 4 And I heard another voyce from heauen to wit the voyce of the holy Spirit saying Goe foorth from her my people to wit all the chosen
that were slaine vpon the earth to wit this plague of destruction shall iustly fall vpon her aswell for that she made her messengers or embassadours who are great in power as yee heard before to bee the sellers of her Pardons Prayers Sacraments Merits and euen of the sinnes and soules of men as ye haue presently heard and so by that meanes and the like bewitched as it were and abused many nations as also for that shee had cruelly persecuted and murthered the Saints so as the blood of all the Saints since Abel who willingly sacrificed their liues for the loue of Gods trewth and for the testimonie of his Sonne shall be layd vpon her head and imputed vnto her in following fulfilling and exceeding the rage of former Tyrants oppressing and persecuting the Church of God CHAP. XIX ARGVMENT The Saints praise God for ioy that the Pope is destroyed The glorious forme of Christes second comming set downe at large The Pope and his Church is condemned for euer THen according to the voyces speaking to the heauen and Prophets and Apostles there to wit that they should reioyce as much for the fall of Babylon as the vnregenerate men did lament therefore as ye haue heard according I say to this exhortation I heard the voyce of a great multitude in heauen saying Hallelu-iah which is if ye interpret it Praise God with a lowde voyce Saluation honour glorie and power is onely with our Lord God 2 For true and iust are his Iudgements and he hath condemned that great Whore who hath defiled the earth with her whoredome and he with his hand hath reuenged vpon her the blood of his seruants 3 Then for the second time they said Hallelu-iah for the smoake of her destruction goeth vp in all worlds to come for she shall neuer rise againe but shal be burned with a perpetuall fire 4 And likewise for thankesgiuing for the same the foure and twentie Elders fell downe vpon their faces before God and adored him and the foure Beasts also adored God sitting vpon his Throne and all the beasts and Elders said with one voyce Amen Hallelu-iah 5 And I heard a voyce come from the Throne to wit from one of the foure beastes that supported it saying Praise our God all ye his Seruants and all ye that feare him small and great 6 And then conformely to that direction I heard as it had bene the sound or voyce of a great multitude and as it had bene the sound of many waters and as the sound of great thunders to wit the voyce of all the Creatures in heauen whose sound in greatnes might be compared to the noise of many waters or to the roaring of the thunder and they said all in one Voyce Hallelu-iah because our Lord God Almightie hath now reigned by destroying Babylon and her followers 7 Let vs therefore reioyce and be glad and render him all glory for the Marriage of the Lambe is come to wit the latter Day is at hand and his wife hath made herselfe ready for him to wit his Church is now purified from among the wicked 8 And it was giuen vnto her to clothe herselfe with pure and bright linnen which is the iustification of the Saints for as fine linnen is a pure bright white and pretious stuffe so are the Saints clothed with that pretious vndefiled and glorious garment of righteousnes through imputation And this our garment of Iustification with the which we shal be clothed at the latter day must onely come of his righteousnesse so as ye presently heard it must be giuen vs by him for as of our selues we cannot thinke a good thought so can we merit nothing but eternall death and when we haue done all the good workes we can we must thinke our selues but improfitable seruants as Christ himselfe said 9 Then the same voyce to wit the voyce of the Angel that shewed me these things said to me Write and leaue in record to all posterities Happie are they that are called to the Supper of the Lambes marriage whereof thou thy selfe heard him speake parabolically for those who are called shall neuer againe be cast off but are chosen for euer And he said vnto me these words of God are trew which I bad thee write to leaue to posteritie that God himselfe hath giuen this comfortable promise which I haue specially willed thee to witnesse to thy Brethren because it will come to passe in the later dayes that this whoring and hereticall Babylon shall diswade all her followers from trusting this promise and so driue men to an vncertaintie of their Election 10 And I fell downe at this Angels feete to haue adored him so all flesh is giuen of it selfe to adore some visible thing which is idolatry such is the corruption of our flesh if it be not holden vp by grace from aboue but he did reproue me and said Beware thou doe it not For although I be a more excellent creature of God then thou art yet am I but thy fellow seruant and so one of thy brethren bearing the testimony of IESVS in heauen to be his seruant and creature as thou doest in earth Adore therefore God onely for no creature must either be prayed to or adored nor no mediation can come but by Christ onely and thinke mee not a God for prophesying thus vnto thee for the witnessing of Christ is the Spirit of prophesie for that gift is common to others aswell as to mee and it is the same Spirit of prophesie albeit not the same gift of it that foretells things to come which giues grace to all the Elect to beare trew and constant record of Christ 11 Then I saw thereafter the forme of the day of Iudgement for I saw the Heauens open and loe a white horse came downe from them of this white horse yee heard in the first Seale and hee that sate vpon him to wit Christ was called faithfull and trew for by giuing Iudgement hee was now to performe his promise and hee was also called Hee that iustly iudgeth and fighteth for hee was presently to iudge the world and to condemne perpetually all the reprobate 12 And his eyes were like the flames of fire as yee heard in the beginning of this Epistle and on his head were many diademes for now he was to reigne eternally ouer all the kingdomes of the earth as the Elders did sing in the seuenth Trumpet and he had a Name written vpon him which no man did know but himselfe for the mysterie of his Name of Redemptor is so profound as no creature is able to comprehend it by wisedome and therefore I heard himselfe say that no Angel no not himselfe in so farre as he is man did foreknow the day of his last comming which shall be the fulfilling of that mysterie 13 And he was clothed with a garment dipt in blood wherewith the garments of the soules of Martyrs are washed as ye heard in the fift Seale and he is named The
their constancie and patience in the time of their persecution they shall as it were reigne ouer the earth and by their Martyrdome be Iudges therof for it is called Christs reigning and the Saints vpon the earth when his word and trew professours thereof shine visibly therein as I haue said and these were they who adored not the beast to wit they are the elect who were predestinate before all beginnings to be preserued from all infections and heresies which is generally represented by this part of them that the beast or Babylon shal raise and maintaine as the greatest and most perillous that euer shall be raised by Satan And the honourable sitting of the Saints and soules of Martyrs was shewed to me to assure me that how soone the soule of any faithfull man is parted from the body it ascendeth immediatly vnto heauen there abiding in all glory the reioyning againe of his glorified body at the latter day coniunctly to possesse all glory in heauen eternally like as by the contrary the reprobate soule how soone it parteth from the body of the wicked goes down immediatly to hell there abiding in all torment the knitting again with his cursed body at the latter day there iointly to be subiect to eternall paine neither is there any resting place by the way for any of them and the rest of the dead to wit all the wicked shal not be reuiued while this space be complete for the wicked shall neither during this space nor at any time thereafter taste of the regeneration which is the first resurrection and second birth as Christ said to Nicodemus and therfore as I said already Blessed and happy are they who are partakers of the first resurrection for the second death to wit hell shall haue no power of them but they shall be Priests of God and Christ and reigne with him these thousand yeeres to wit they shal eternally in heauen offer vp that Eucharisticall Sacrifice of praise to God and so be ioyned in fellowship with the chosen which were vpon the earth in that aforesaid time This first part of this vision is begun alreadie now followeth the next part 7 And when these happy dayes are expired then shal the deuill be loosed out of his prison 8 And he shal go forth with greater liberty to seduce the nations which are in the four airths of the earth to wit he shal not only after the spreding of many heresies cause a general blindnes defection but also make a great persecution vpon the faithful Church by gathering Gog and Magog to battell against them whose number is like the sand of the sea to wit after innumerable troubles at last he shall gather to the great day of the battell of the Lord of the which ye heard in the sixt Trumpet and sixt phiale and last immediately before this Vision Gog and Magog to wit two great seates of Monarchies and Tyrannies ouer the Church who both at one time shall rise in the latter dayes and both at another time shal be destroyed by the blast of Christes breath as ye shall heare whereof the one is the auowed and professed enemie of GOD and his CHRIST but the other is Babylon the hypocriticall and most dangerous aduersary Of these two ye heard in the sixt Trumpet and so these two although pride and enuie shall still keepe a rooted malice betwixt them yet they shall both with innumerable forces make warre against the trew Church as Herod and Pilate did band themselues against Christ notwithstanding the particular dislikes which were betwixt them It is these and their forces that must fight against the Saints at Arma-geddon as ye heard in the sixt phiale and the special drawers on of this battell shal be the three frogs who are the last vermin bred of the smoake of the bottomlesse pit as ye also heard in the said phiale 9 These great forces then went vp vpon the earth for the diuel raised them out of the bottomlesse pit and they spread themselues vpon the breadth of the earth so great was their number and compassed the Tents or dwellings of the Saints and the holy Citie for they were prepared to inuade the trew Church on all sides and by all meanes but the fire came downe from heauen and deuoured them for God by his Almighty power euen when their power was greatest and nothing so like as an apparant rooting out of all the faithfull in rebus desperatis did miraculously confound all the aduersaries of his Church And now comes in the third and last part of this Vision to wit the description of the Consummation 10 For I did see the diuel who seduced these wicked cast into a lake of fire and brimstone to wit in hell out of the which he shall neuer come againe where also the beast and the false prophet were as ye heard before Here now I saw the diuel punished eternally to my greater comfort for troubling the Church where before I saw onely his instruments punished as I said in the beginning of this Vision and he and his instruments shall be tormented there day and night to wit incessantly for euer and euer 11 Then I saw a great white Throne and one sitting thereupon in all glory and brightnesse to wit IESVS CHRIST now comming from heauen to iudge the earth and from his sight fled the earth and the heauen and their place was not found for the whole earth and much of the heauen shall be destroyed and renewed at his last comming 12 And I saw all the dead great and small standing in GOD his sight for then is the resurrection of the dead who at that time must be iudged And the bookes were opened to wit the counsels and secrets of all mens hearts and another booke to wit the booke of Life was opened to the effect that all those whose names were written into it to wit predestinated and elected for saluation before all beginnings might there be selected for eternall Glory And the dead were iudged out of these things which were written in the bookes according to their workes for as God is a Spirit so iudgeth he the thoughts of man and so by faith onely iustifies him which notwithstanding is done according to his workes because they as the fruits of faith cannot be separated from it and beare witnesse of the same to men in the earth 13 And the Sea gaue vp all the dead she had for all the dead must then rise as I haue shewed already And death and hell gaue vp all they had for not onely the bodies but euen the soules of the wicked shal be iudged there and euery one was iudged according to his workes as I presently did shew you 14 And hell and death were casten in the Lake of fire which is the second death to wit hell and death shall then be closed vp for euer within themselues and shall neuer againe come forth to trouble the Saints for death which is the last
made doubt or stop in it but at the first offering it vnto him did freely take it as a thing most lawfull neither meanes of threatening or flatterie being euer vsed vnto him as himselfe can yet beare witnesse And as for the temperature and modification of this Oath except that a reasonable and lawfull matter is there set downe in reasonable and temperate wordes agreeing thereunto I know not what he can meane by quarelling it for that fault For no temperatnesse nor modifications in words therein can iustly be called the Deuils craft when the thing it selfe is so plaine and so plainely interpreted to all them that take it as the onely troublesome thing in it all bee the wordes vsed in the end thereof for eschewing Aequiuocation and Mentall reseruation Which new Catholike doctrine may farre iustlier bee called the Deuils craft then any plaine and temperate wordes in so plaine and cleare a matter But what shall we say of these strange countrey clownes whom of with the Satyre we may iustly complaine that they blow both hote cold out of one mouth For Luther and all our bold and free-speaking Writers are mightily railed vpon by them as hote-brained fellowes and speakers by the Deuils instinct and now if we speake moderately and temperately of them it must be tearmed the Deuils craft And therefore wee may iustly complaine with CHRIST that when we 1 Mat. 11.17 mourne they wil not lament and when we pipe they wil not dance But neither Iohn Baptist his seueritie nor CHRIST his meekenesse and lenitie can please them who build but to their owne Monarchie vpon the ground of their owne Traditions and not to CHRIST vpon the ground of his word and infallible trewth But what can bee meant by alleadging that the craft of the Deuill herein is onely vsed for subuersion of the Catholique Faith and euersion of Saint Peters Primacie had neede bee commented anew by Bellarmine himselfe For in all this Letter of his neuer one word is vsed to prooue that by any part of this Oath the Primacie of Saint Peter is any way medled with except Master Bellarmine his bare alleadging which without proouing it by more cleare demonstration can neuer satisfie the conscience of any reasonable man For for ought that I know heauen and earth are no farther asunder then the profession of a temporall obedience to a temporall King is different from any thing belonging to the Catholique Faith or Supremacie of Saint Peter For as for the Catholique Faith No decision of any point of Religion in the Oath of Allegiance can there be one word found in all that Oath tending or sounding to matter of Religion Doeth he that taketh it promise there to beleeue or not to beleeue any article of Religion Or doeth hee so much as name a trew or false Church there And as for Saint Peters Primacie I know no Apostles name that is therein named except the name of IAMES it being my Christen name though it please him not to deigne to name me in all the Letter albeit the contents thereof concerne mee in the highest degree Neither is there any mention at all made therein either disertis verbis or by any other indirect meanes either of the Hierarchie of the Church of Saint Peters succession of the Sea Apostolike or of any such matter but that the Author of our Letter doeth brauely make mention of Saint Peters succession bringing it in comparison with the succession of Henry the eight Of which vnapt and vnmannerly similitude I wonder he should not be much ashamed For as to King Henries Successour which hee meaneth by mee as I I say neuer did nor will presume to create any Article of Faith or to bee Iudge thereof but to submit my exemplarie obedience vnto them in as great humilitie as the meanest of the land so if the Pope could bee as well able to prooue his either Personall or Doctrinall Succession from Saint Peter as I am able to prooue my lineall descent from the Kings of England and Scotland there had neuer beene so long adoe nor so much sturre kept about this question in Christendome neither had 2 Bellar. de Rom. Pont. li. 4. cap. 6. Ibid. l 2. ca. 12. Master Bellarmine himselfe needed to haue bestowed so many sheetes of paper De summo Pontifice in his great bookes of Controuersies And when all is done to conclude with a morall certitude and a piè credendum bringing in the 3 Idem ibid. lib. 2. cap. 14. Popes that are parties in this cause to be his witnesses and yet their historicall narration must bee no article of Faith And I am without vanterie sure that I doe farre more neerely imitate the worthie actions of my Predecessours then the Popes in our aage can be well proued to be similes Petro especially in cursing of Kings and setting free their Subiects from their Allegiance vnto them But now wee come to his strongest argument which is That he would alledge vpon mee a Panicke terrour as if I were possessed with a needlesse feare The Cardinals weightiest Argument For saith the Cardinall from the beginning of the Churches first infancie euen to this day where was it euer heard that euer a Pope either commaunded to bee killed or allowed the slaughter of any Prince whatsoeuer whether hee were an Hereticke an Ethnicke or Persecutour But first wherefore doeth he here wilfully and of purpose omit the rest of the points mentioned in that Oath for deposing degrading stirring vp of armes or rebelling against them which are as well mentioned in that Oath as the killing of them as beeing all of one consequence against a King no Subiect beeing so scrupulous as that hee will attempt the one and leaue the other vnperformed if hee can And yet surely I cannot blame him for passing it ouer since he could not otherwise haue eschewed the direct belying of himselfe in tearmes which hee now doeth but in substance and effect For 1 Bellarm. de Rom Pont. lib. 5. cap. 8. et lib. 3. cap. 16. as for the Popes deposing and degrading of Kings hee maketh so braue vaunts and bragges of it in his former bookes as he could neuer with ciuill honestie haue denied it here But to returne to the Popes allowing of killing of Kings I know not with what face hee can set so stout a deniall vpon it against his owne knowledge How many Emperours did the Pope raise warre against in their owne bowels Who as they were ouercome in battaile were subiect to haue beene killed therein which I hope the Pope could not but haue allowed when he was so farre inraged at 2 Gotfrid Viterb Helmod Cuspinian Henry the fifth for giuing buriall to his fathers dead corpes after the 3 Paschal 2. Pope had stirred him vp to rebell against his father and procured his ruine But leauing these olde Histories to Bellarmines owne bookes that doe most authentically cite them as I haue already
many and many a time besides his last kisse so did the villaines that buffeted and crucified him and yet I may safely pronounce them accursed that would bestow any worship vpon their reliques yea wee cannot denie but the land of Canaan itselfe whereupon our Lord did dayly tread is so visibly accursed beeing gouerned by faithlesse Turkes full of innumerable sects of hereticall Christians and the very fertilitie thereof so farre degenerated into a pitifull sterilitie as hee must bee accursed that accounteth it blessed Nay when a certaine 2 Luk. 11.28 woman blessed the belly that bare CHRIST and the breastes that gaue him sucke Nay rather saith hee Blessed are those that heare the Word of God and keepe it Except then they could first prooue that CHRIST had resolued to blesse that tree of the Crosse whereupon hee was nailed they can neuer proue that his touching it could giue it any vertue And put the case it had a vertue of doing miracles as Peters shadow had yet doeth it not follow that it is lawful to worship it which Peter would neuer accept of Surely the Prophets that in so many places curse those that worship Images that haue eyes and see not that haue eares and heare not would much more haue cursed them that worship a piece of a sticke that hath not so much as any resemblance or representation of eyes or eares As for Purgatorie and all the * Iubilees Indulgences satisfactions for the dead c. trash depending thereupon it is not worth the talking of Bellarmine cannot finde any ground for it in all the Scriptures Onely I would pray him to tell me If that faire greene Meadow that is in Purgatorie haue a brooke running thorow it Lib. 2 de Purgat cap 7. that in case I come there I may haue hawking vpon it But as for me I am sure there is a Heauen and a Hell praemium poena for the Elect and reprobate How many other roomes there be I am not on God his counsell Iohn 14. Multae sunt mansiones in domo Patris mei saith CHRIST who is the trew Purgatorie for our sinnes But how many chambers and anti-chambers the diuell hath they can best tell that goe to him But in case there were more places for soules to goe to then we know of yet let vs content vs with that which in his Word he hath reuealed vnto vs and not inquire further into his secrets Heauen and Hell are there reuealed to be the eternall home of all mankinde let vs indeauour to winne the one and eschew the other and there is an end Now in all this discourse haue I yet left out the maine Article of the Romish faith and that is the Head of the Church or Peters Primacie for who denieth this denieth fidem Catholicam saith Bellarmine That Bishops ought to be in the Church I euer maintained it as an Apostolique institution and so the ordinance of God contrary to the Puritanes and likewise to 1 Boll lib. 4. de Rom. Pont. cap. 25. Bellarmine who denies that Bishops haue their Iurisdiction immediatly from God But it is no wonder he takes the Puritanes part since Iesuits are nothing but Puritan-papists And as I euer maintained the state of Bishops and the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie for order sake so was I euer an enemie to the confused Anarchie or paritie of the Puritanes as well appeareth in my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heauen is gouerned by order and all the good Angels there nay Hell it selfe could not subsist without some order And the very deuils are diuided into Legions and haue their chiefetaines how can any societie then vpon earth subsist without order and degrees And therefore I cannot enough wonder with what brasen face this Answerer could say That I was a Puritane in Scotland and an enemie to Protestants Page 98. I that was persecuted by Puritanes there not from my birth onely but euen since foure moneths before my birth I that in the yeere of God 84 erected Bishops and depressed all their popular Paritie I then being not 18. yeeres of aage I that in my said Booke to my Sonne doe speake tenne times more bitterly of them nor of the Papists hauing in my second Edition thereof affixed a long Apologetike Preface onely in odium Puritanorum and I that for the space of sixe yeeres before my comming into England laboured nothing so much as to depresse their Paritie and re-erect Bishops againe Nay if the dayly Commentaries of my life and actions in Scotland were written as Iulius Caesars were there would scarcely a moneth passe in all my life since my entring into the 13. yeere of my aage wherein someaccident or other would not conuince the Cardinall of a Lye in this point And surely I giue a faire commendation to the Puritanes in that place of my booke Where I affirme that I haue found greater honestie with the high-land and border theeues then with that sort of people But leauing him to his owne impudence I returne to my purpose Of Bishops and Church Hierarchie I very well allowe as I said before and likewise of Ranks and Degrees amongst Bishops Patriarches I know were in the time of the Primitiue Church and I likewise reuerence that Institution for order sake and amongst them was a contention for the first place And for my selfe if that were yet the question I would with all my heart giue my consent that the Bishop of Rome should haue the first Seate I being a westerne King would goe with the Patriarch of the West And for his temporall Principalitie ouer the Signory of Rome I doe not quarrell it neither let him in God his Name be Primus Episcopus inter omnes Episcopos and Princeps Episcoporum so it be no otherwise but as Peter was Princeps Apostolorum But as I well allow of the Hierarchie of the Church for distinction of orders for so I vnderstand it so I vtterly deny that there is an earthly Monarch thereof whose word must be a Law and who cannot erre in his Sentence by an infallibilitie of Spirit Because carthly Kingdomes must haue earthly Monarches it doeth not follow that the Church must haue a visible Monarch too for the world hath not ONE earthly temporall Monarch CHRIST is his Churches Monarch and the holy Ghost his Deputie Luke 22.25 Reges gentium dominantur eorum vos autem non sic CHRIST did not promise before his ascension to leaue Peter with them to direct and iustruct them in all things Iohn 14.26 but he promised to send the holy Ghost vnto them for that end And as for these two before cited places whereby Bellarmine maketh the Pope to triumph ouer Kings Matth. 18.18 I meane Pasce oues and Tibi dobo claues the Cardinall knowes well enough that the same words of Tibi dabo are in another place spoken by Christ in the plurall number And he likewise knowes what reason the Ancients doe giue
why Christ bade Pater pascere oues and also what a cloude of witnesses there is both of Ancients and euen of late Popish writers yea diuers Cardinals that do all agree that both these speeches vsed to Peter were meant to all the Apostles represenred in his person 1. Cor. 5.4 Otherwise how could Paul direct the Church of Corinth to excommunicate the incestuous person cum spiritu suo whereas he should then haue sayd cum spiritu Petri And how could all the Apostles haue otherwise vsed all their censures onely in Christs Name and neuer a word of his Vicar Peter wee reade did in all the Apostles meetings sit amongst them as one of their number And when chosen men were sent to Antiochia from that great Apostolike Councel at Ierusalem Acts 15. Act. 15.22 23. The text saith It seemed good to the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church to send chosen men but no mention made of the Head thereof and so in their Letters no mention is made of Peter but onely of the Apostles Elders and Brethren And it is a wonder why Paul rebuketh the Church of Corinth for making exception of Persons because some followed Paul some Apollos some Cephas if Peter was their visible Head 1. Cor. 1.12 for then those that followed not Peter or Cephas renounced the Catholike faith But it appeareth well that Paul knew little of our new doctrine since he handleth Peter so rudely Galat. 2. as he not onely compareth but preferreth himselfe vnto him But our Cardinall proues Peters superioritie Galat. 1.18 by Pauls going to visite him Indeed Paul saith hee went to Ierusalem to visite Peter and conferre with him but he should haue added and to kisse his feet To conclude then The trweth is that Peter was both in aage and in the time of CHRISTS calling him one of the first of the Apostles In order the principall of the first twelue and one of the three whom CHRIST for order sake preferred to all the rest And no further did the Bishop of Rome claime for three hundred yeeres after CHRIST Subiect they were to the generall Councels and euen but of late did the Councell of Constance depose three Popes and set vp the fourth And vntill Phocas dayes that murthered his master were they subiect to Emperours But how they are now come to be Christs Vicars nay Gods on earth triple-crowned Kings of heauen earth and hell Iudges of all the world and none to iudge them Heads of the faith Absolute deciders of all Controuersies by the infallibility of their spirit hauing all power both Spirituall and Temporall in their hands the high Bishops Monarches of the whole earth Superiours to all Emperours and Kings yea Supreme Vice-gods who whether they will or not cannot erre how they are now come I say to the toppe of greatnesse I know not but sure I am Wee that are KINGS haue greatest neede to looke vnto it As for me Paul and Peter I know but these men I know not And yet to doubt of this is to denie the Catholique faith Nay the world it selfe must be turned vpside downe Bellar. de Rom. Pont. li. 1. cap. 17. and the order of Nature inuerted making the left hand to haue the place before the Right and the last named to bee the first in honour that this primacie may bee maintained Thus haue I now made a free Confession of my Faith And I hope I haue fully cleared my selfe from being an Apostate and as farre from being an Heretike as one may bee that beleeueth the Scriptures and the three Creedes and acknowledgeth the foure first generall Councels If I bee loath to beleeue too much especially of Nouelties men of greater knowledge may well pitie my weakenesse but I am sure none will condemne me for an Heretike saue such as make the Pope their God and thinke him such aspeaking Scripture as they can define Heresie no otherwise but to bee whatsoeuer Opinion is maintained against the Popes definition of faith And I will sincerely promise that when euer any point of the Religion I professe shal be proued to be new and not Ancient Catholike and Apostolike I meane for matter of Faith I will as soone renounce it closing vp this head with the Maxime of Vincentius Lirinensis Libello adnersus hareses that I will neuer refuse to imbrace any opinion in Diuinity necessary to saluation which the whole Catholike Church With an vnanime consent haue constantly taught and beleeued euen from the Apostles dayes for the space of many aages thereafter without any interruption But in the Cardinals opinion I haue shewed my selfe an Heretike I am sure in playing with the name of Babylon and the Towne vpon seuen hilles as if I would insinuate Rome at this present to be spiritually Babylon And yet that Rome is called Babylon 1. Pet. 5.13 both in Saint Peters Epistle and in the Apocalyps our Answerer freely confesseth As for the definition of the Antichrist I will not vrge so obscure a point as a matter of Faith to bee necessarily beleeued of all Christians but what I thinke herein I will simply declare That there must be an Antichrist and in his time a generall Defection wee all agree But the Time Seat and Person of this Antichrist are the chiefe Questions whereupon wee differ and for that we must search the Scriptures for our resolution 2. Thes 2. As for my opinion I thinke S. Paul in the 2. to the Thessalonians doeth vtter more clearely that which Saint Iohn speaketh more mystically of the Antichrist First that in that place hee meaneth the Antichrist it is plaine since hee saith Verse 3. There must bee first a Defection and that in the Antichrists time onely that eclipse of Defection must fall vpon the Church all the Romish Catholikes are strong enough otherwise their Church must be daily subiect to erre Verse 3 4. which is cleane contrary to their maine doctrine Then describing him hee saith that The man of Sinne Filius perditionis shall exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God But who these be whom of the Psalmist saith Dixi vos Dij estis Psal 82.6 Bellarmine can tell In old Diuinitie it was wont to bee Kings Bellarmine will adde Churchmen Let it bee both It is well enough knowen who now exalteth himselfe aboue both the swords And after that S. Paul hath thus described the Person he next describeth the Seat 2. Thess 2.4 and telleth that He shall sit in the Temple of God that is the bosome of the Church yea in the very heart thereof Now where this Apostolike Seat is I leaue to bee guessed And likewise who it is that sitting there sheweth himselfe to be GOD pardoning sinnes redeeming soules and defining Faith controlling and iudging all men and to be iudged of none Anent the Time S. Paul is plainest of all For hee calleth the Thessalonians to memorie Verse 5. That when hee was with
Thus ye see how shamefully he abuseth CHRISTS words who in three sundry places as I haue said interpreteth the second comming of Elias to be meant by Iohn the Baptist He likewise cauils most dishonestly vpon that word Venturus For CHRIST vseth that word but in the repeating their opinion but interpreting it that he was already come in the person of Iohn Baptist. Matt. 17.11 As if hee had said The prophecie is indeed trew that Elias shall come but I say vnto you that Elias iam venit meaning of Iohn Baptist and so he first repeats the words of the prophecie in the future time as the Prophet spake them and next sheweth them to be now accomplished in the person of Iohn in the present time Malach. 4.5 Matth. 27. Neither can these words of Malachie Dies magnus borribilis falsifie CHRISTS Commentarie vpon him For if that day whereupon the Sauiour of the world suffered when the 1 This obscuring of the Sunne was so extraordinary and fearefull that Dionysius onely led by the light of Nature and humane learning cried out at the sight thereof Aut Deus patitur aut vices patientis dolet Mala. 4.6 Sunne was totally obscured from the sixt houre to the ninth the Vaile of the Temple rent asunder from the top to the bottome and the earth did quake the stones were clouen the graues did open themselues and the dead arose◠If that day I say was not a great and horrible day I know not what to call a horrible day Which day no doubt had destroyed the whole nation of the Iewes without exception by a iust Anatheme if the said Iohn the fore-runner had not first conuerted many by the doctrine of Repentance and by Baptisme But why should I presume any more to interprete Malachie since it is sufficient that CHRIST himselfe hath interpreted him so And since Ipse dixit nay ter dixit per quem facta sunt omnia what mortall man dare interprete him otherwise nay directly contrary Now for that place of Ecclesiasticus Ecclus. 48.8 as the son of Sirach onely borroweth it from Malachie as appeareth by these words of his Mala. 4.6 of conuerting the sonnes hearts to their fathers which are Malachies own words so doth CHRISTS Cōmentary serue as well to interprete the one as the other it being no shame for that mortal Iesus to be commented interpreted by the immortall and trew IESVS though to the shame confusion of the Iesuits heresies herein But Enoch must be ioyned to Elias in this errand onely to beare vp the couples as I thinke For no place of Scripture speaketh of his returning againe onely it is said in Ecclesiasticus the 44. that Enoch pleased GOD and was translated to Paradise vt daret Gentibus sapientiam or poenitentiam Ecclus. 44.16 since they will haue it so And what is this to say marry that Enoch shall returne againe to this world and fight against the Antichrist A prettie large Comment indeed but no right Commentary vpon that Text. When Bellarmine was talking of Elias he insisted That Elias must come to conuert the Iewes principally restituere tribus Iacob But when he speaketh here of Enoch he must dare Gentibus paenitentiam and not a word of Iewes Belike they shall come for sundry errands and not both for one Or like Paul and Peter the one shall be Apostle for the Iewes and the other for the Gentiles What need such wilde racked Commentaries for such three wordes Will not the sense stand well and clearely enough that Enoch pleased GOD and was translated to Paradise that by the example of his reward the Nations might repent and imitate his Holy footsteps For what could more mightily perswade the Nations to repent then by letting them see that holy Man carried quicke vp to Heauen for reward of his vprightnesse whereas all the rest of the people died and went to corruption And where Scripture faileth the Cardinall must helpe himselfe with the Fathers to prooue both that Enoch and Elias are yet aliue and that they shall hereafter die but with the like felicitie as in his alledging of Scriptures to vse his owne words of mee in his 2 Pag. 27. pamphlet For which purpose he citeth fiue Fathers Irenaeus Tertullian Epiphanius Hierome and Augustine Vpon this they all agree in deed that Enoch and Elias are still aliue both which no Christian I hope will denie For Abraham Isaac and Iacob are all still aliue Mart. 22 32. as CHRIST telleth vs for God is Deus viuentium non mortuorum Much more then are Enoch and Elias aliue who neuer tasted of death after the maner of other men But as to the next point that they should die hereafter Lib. 5. his first two witnesses Irenaeus and Tertullian say the direct contrary For Irenaeus saith that they shall remaine in Paradise till the consummation conspicantes incorruptionem Now to remaine there till the consummation and to see incorruption is directly contrary to their returning to the world againe and suffering of death Lib cont Iudeos cap. 2. Tertullian likewise agreeing hereunto saith most clearely That Enoch hath neuer tasted of death vt aeternitatis candidatus now he is ill priuiledged with eternitie if he must die againe As for his places cited out of the other three Fathers they all confirme that first point That they are stil aliue but that they must die again they make no mention But he speaking of the Ancient Fathers let mee take this occasion to forewarne you concerning them That though they mistake and vnderstand not rightly many mysteries in the Apocalyps it is no wonder For the booke thereof 2. Thess 2. was still sealed in their dayes And though the mysterie of iniquitie was already working yet was not the man of Sinne yet reuealed And it is a certaine rule in all darke prophecies That they are neuer clearely vnderstood till they be accomplished And thus hauing answered his two places in the Old Testament by his third in the New Testament conteining Christs owne words which being luce clariora I need speake no more of them I am now to speake of the fourth place of Scripture which is in the xj of the Apocalyps For the two Witnesses forsooth there mentioned Reuelat. 11. must be Enoch and Elias But how this can stand with any point of Diuinitie or likelihood of reason that these two glorified Bodies shall come downe out of heauen or Paradise make it what you will preach and fight against the Antichrist bee slaine by him after many thousand yeeres exempted from the naturall course of death rise againe the third day in imitation of CHRIST and then hauing wrought many wonders to goe vp againe to Heauen making an ordinary Poste betwixt Heauen and Earth how this I say can agree either with Diuinitie or good Reason I confesse it passeth my capacitie And especially that they must be clad in Sackcloth whose bodies I hope
is the former Vision interpreted and expounded and there is the Antichrist represented by a Woman sitting vpon that many-headed Beast because as CHRIST his trew Spouse and Church is represented by a Woman in the twelfth Chapter so here is the Head of his adulterous spouse or false Church represented also by a woman but hauing a cup full of abominations in her hand Verse 4. as her selfe is called a Whoore for her spirituall adulterie Verse 1. hauing seduced the Kings of the earth to be partakers of her Spirituall fornication Verse 2. And yet wonderfull gorgious and glorious was she in outward shew but drunken with the blood of the Saints Verse 6. by a violent persecution of them And that shee may the better bee knowen hee writeth her name vpon her forehead agreeable to her qualities A Mysterie that great Babylon the Mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth A Mysterie is a name that belongeth vnto her two maner of wayes Verse 5. One as shee taketh it to her selfe another as shee deserueth indeed To her selfe shee taketh it in calling her selfe the visible Head of the mysticall Body of CHRIST in professing her selfe to bee the dispenser of the mysteries of GOD and by her onely must they bee expounded This great God in earth and Head of the Faith being a Mystes by his profession that is a Priest And if the obseruation of one be trew that hee had of old the word Mysterie written on his Myter then is this Prophecie very plainely accomplished Now that indeed shee deserues that name the rest of her Title doeth beare witnesse that sheweth her to bee the Mother of all the whoredomes and abominations of the earth Vers 5. and so is she vnder the pretext of holinesse a Mystery indeed of all iniquitie and abominations vnder the maske of pretended feeding of Soules deuouring Kingdomes and making Christendome swimme in blood Now after that this scarlet or bloody Beast and her Rider are described by their shape garments name and qualities the Angel doeth next interprete this vision vnto Iohn expounding vnto him what is signified both by the Beast and her Rider telling him Verse 9. the seuen heads of the Beast are seuen Hilles meaning by the situation of that Citie or seat of Empire and that they are also seuen Kings or formes of gouernment in the said Citie whereof I haue told you my conceit already As for the ten Hornes Verse 12. which hee sheweth to be tenne Kings that shall at one houre receiue their power and kingdome with the Beast I take that number of ten to be Numerus certus pro incerto euen as the number of seuen heads and ten hornes vpon the Dragon the Deuill cannot but be an vncertaine number And that hee also imitates in those ten hornes the ten hornes of the seuen headed Beast in the seuenth of Daniel and therefore I take these ten Kings to signifie all the Christian Kings and free Princes and States in generall euen you whom to I consecrate these my Labours and that of vs all he prophesieth that although our first becomming absolute and free Princes should be in one houre with the Beast for great Christian Kingdomes and Monarches did but rise and receiue their libertie by the ruines of the Ethnicke Romane Empire and at the destruction thereof and at the very time of the beginning of the planting of the Antichrist there Verse 13. and that we should for a long time continue to worship the Beast hauing one Catholike or common consenting minde in obeying her yeelding our power and authoritie vnto her and kissing her feete drinking with her in her cup of Idolatrie Verse 14. and fighting with the Lambe in the persecution of his Saints at her command that gouerneth so many Nations and people yet notwithstanding all this wee shall in the time appointed by GOD Verse 16. hauing thus fought with the Lambe Verse 16. but being ouercome by him that is conuerted by his Word wee shall then I say hate the Whore and make her desolate and make her naked by discouering her hypocrisie and false pretence of zeale and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire And thus shall the way of the Kings of the east bee prepared Reuel 16.12 as ye heard in the sixteenth Chapter And then doeth hee subioyne the reason of this strange change in vs for saith hee GOD hath put it in their hearts to fulfill his will Verse 17. and with one consent to giue their Kingdomes to the Beast till the words of GOD be fulfilled according to that sentence of Solomon That the hearts of Kings are in the handes of GOD Prou. 21.1 to bee turned at his pleasure And hauing thus interpreted the Beast or Empire hee in a word expounds Verse 18. that by the Woman that rode vpon her or Monarch that gouerned her was meant that great Citie that reigned ouer the Kings of the earth by the Scate of the Empire pointing out the qualitie of the persons that should sit and domine there Then is the greatnesse of her fall Chap. 18. and the great lamentation that both the Kings and Merchants of the earth shall make for the same proclaimed by an other Angel in the eighteenth Chapter Verse 9.10 The Kings lamenting her fall because they liued in pleasure with her which no Kings could doe with Ethnicke Rome who conquered them by her sword for shee honoured them with Titles and dispensed with their lustes and vnlawfull marriages Verse 11 15 16 17 18. And the Merchants of the earth and all Shipmasters and traffikers vpon the Sea shall lament the fall of that great Citie which neuer had a fellow for the losse of their riches and traffique which they enioyed by her meanes Verse 12 13. And there he describeth all sorts of rich wares whereof that great Citie was the Staple for indeed shee hath a necessary vse for all such rich and glorious wares as well for ornaments to her Churches and princely Prelates as for garments and ornaments to her woodden Saints for the blessed Virgin must be dayly clothed and decked in the newest and most curious fashion though it should resemble the habit of a Curtizane And of all those rich wares Verse 13. the most precious is last named which is the Soules of men for so much bestowed vpon Masses and so much doted to this or that Cloyster of Monkes or Friers but most of all now to that irregular and incomprehensible order of Iesuites shal both redeeme his owne Soule and all his parents to the hundreth generation from broyling in the fire of Purgatory And I hope it is no small merchandise of Soules when men are so highly deluded by the hopes and promise of Saluation as to make a Frier murther his 1 Henry 3. K. of France Soueraigne a yong knaue attempt the murther of his next 2 Henry 4. Successour
the said Clergie were driuen to sue vnto the Pope for their pardon Bibliotheca Patrum Tom. 3. Hildebert Bishop of Caenomanum vpon the riuer of Sartre liuing vnder the reigne of King Philip the first affirmeth in his Epistles 40. and 75. that Kings are to bee admonished and instructed rather then punished to be dealt with by counsell rather then by command by doctrine and instruction rather then by correction For no such sword belongeth to the Church because the sword of the Church is Ecclesiasticall discipline and nothing else De consider lib. 1. cap. 6. Bernard writeth to Pope Eugenius after this manner Whosoeuer they bee that are of this mind and opinion shall neuer be able to make proofe that any one of the Apostles did euer fit in qualitie of Iudge or Diuider of lands I reade where they haue stood to bee iudged but neuer where they sate downe to giue iudgement Againe Your authoritie stretcheth vnto crimes not vnto possessions because you haue receiued the keies of the kingdome of heauen not in regard of possessions but of crimes to keepe all that pleade by couin or collusion and not lawfull possessors out of the heauenly kingdome A little after These base things of the earth are iudged by the Kings and Princes of this world wherefore doe you thrust your sickle into an others haruest wherefore doe you incroach and intrude vpon an others limits Lib. 2. cap. 6. Elsewhere The Apostles are directly forbid to make themselues Lords and rulers Goe thou then and beeing a Lord vsurpe Apostleship or beeing an Apostle vsurpe Lordship If thou needes wilt haue both doubtlesse thou shalt haue neither Iohannes Maior Doctor of Paris Dist 24. quest 3 The Soueraigne Bishop hath no temporall authoritie ouer Kings The reason Because it followes the contrarie being once granted that Kings are the Popes vassals Now let other men iudge whether he that hath power to dispossesse Kings of all their Temporalties hath not likewise authoritie ouer their Temporalties The same Author Comment in l. 4. Sent. Dist 24 fol. 214. The Pope hath no manner of title ouer the French or Spanish Kings in temporall matters Where it is further added That Pope Innocent 3. hath beene pleased to testifie that Kings of France in Temporall causes doe acknowledge no superiour For so the Pope excused himselfe to a certaine Lord of Montpellier who in stead of suing to the King had petitioned to the Pope for a dispensation for his bastard But perhaps as he speaketh it will be alledged out of the glosse that hee acknowledgeth no superiour by fact and yet ought by right But I tell you the glosse is an Aurelian glosse which marres the text Amongst other arguments Maior brings this for one This opinion ministreth matter vnto Popes to take away an others Empire by force and violence which the Pope shall neuer bring to passe as we reade of Boniface 8. against Philip the Faire Saith besides That from hence proceede warres in time of which many outragious mischiefes are done and that Gerson calls them egregious flatterers by whom such opinion is maintained In the same place Maior denies that Childeric was deposed by Pope Zacharie The word Hee deposed saith Maior is not so to bee vnderstood as it is taken at the first blush or fight but hee deposed is thus expounded in the glosse Hee gaue his consent vnto those by whom he was deposed Iohn of Paris De potest Regia Papali cap. 10. Were it graunted that Christ was armed with Temporall power yet he committed no such power to Peter A little after The power of Kings is the highest power vpon earth in Temporall causes it hath no superiour power aboue it selfe no more then the Pope hath in spirituall matters This author saith indeede the Pope hath power to excommunicate the King but he speaketh not of any power in the Pope to put downe the King from his regall dignity and authority He onely saith When a Prince is once excommunicated hee may accidentally or by occasion be deposed because his precedent excommunication incites the people to disarme him of all secular dignity and power The same Iohn on the other side holdeth opinion that in the Emperour there is inuested a power to depose the Pope in case the Pope shall abuse his power Almainus Doctor of the Sorbonic schoole Almain de potesi Eccl Laica Quest 3. cap. 8. De deminio naturali ciuil Eccl. 5. vlt. pars It is essentiall in the Lay-power to inflict ciuill punishment as death banishment and priuation or losse of goods But according to diuine institution the power Ecclesiasticall can lay no such punishment vpon delinquents nay more not lay in prison as to some Doctors it seemeth probable but stretcheth and reacheth onely to spirituall punishment as namely to excommunication all other punishments inflicted by the spirituall power are meerely by the Lawe positiue If then Ecclesiasticall power by Gods Lawe hath no authoritie to depriue any priuate man of his goods how dares the Pope and his flatterers build their power to depriue Kings of their scepters vpon the word of God The same author in an other place Quaest 1. de potest Eccles laic c. 12. 14 Bee it graunted that Constantine had power to giue the Empire vnto the Pope yet is it not hereupon to bee inferred that Popes haue authority ouer the Kingdome of France because that Kingdome was neuer subiect vnto Constantine For the King of France neuer had any superiour in Temporall matters A little after It is not in any place to bee found that God hath giuen the Pope power to make and vnmake Temporall Kings He maintaineth elsewhere that Zacharie did not depose Childeric Quaest 2. c. 8. sic nond posuit autoruat 〈◊〉 but onely consented to his deposing and so deposed him not as by authoritie In the same booke taking vp the words of Occam whom he styles the Doctor The Emperour is the Popes Lord in things Temporall and the Pope calls him Lord Quae. 3. c. 2. Quaest 11. can Sacerd. as it is witnessed in the body of the Text. The Lord Cardinall hath dissembled and concealed these words of Doctor Almainus with many like places and hath beene pleased to alledge Almainus reciting Occams authoritie in stead of quoting Almainus himselfe in those passages where he speaketh as out of his owne opinion and in his owne words A notable piece of slie and cunning conueiance For what heresie may not be fathered and fastened vpon S. Augustine or S. Hierome if they should be deemed to approoue all the passages which they alledge out of other authors And that is the reason wherefore the L. Cardinall doeth not alledge his testimonies whole and perfect as they are couched in their proper texts but clipt and curtaild Thus he dealeth euen in the first passage or testimonie of Almainus he brings it in mangled and pared he hides and conceales
what purpose Onely to die vpon the points of the Saracens pikes or by the edge of their barbarous courtelasses battle-axes fauchions and other weapons without any benefit and aduantage to themselues or others Then the Nobles were driuen to sell their goodly Mannors and auncient demaines to the Church-men at vnder prises and low rates the very roote from which a great part of the Church and Church-mens reuenewes hath sprung and growne to so great height Then to be short See the Bull of Innoc. 3. at the end of the Lat. ter Conc. his most bountifull Holinesse gaue to any of the riffe-raffe-ranke that would vndertake this expedition into the Holy land a free and full pardon for all his sinnes besides a degree of glory aboue the vulgar in the Celestiall Paradise Military vertue I confesse is commendable and honourable prouided it bee employed for iustice and that generous noblenesse of valiant spirits bee not vnder a colour and shadow of piety fetcht ouer with some casts or deuises of Italian cunning Now let vs obserue the wisedome of the Lord Cardinall through this whole discourse His Lordship is pleased in his Oration to cite certaine few passages of Scripture culls and picks them out for the most gracefull in shewe leaues out of his list whole troupes of honourable witnesses vpon whose testimonie the Popes themselues and their principall adherents doe build his power to depose Kings and to giue order for all Temporall causes Take a sight of their best and most honourable witnesses Peter said to Christ See here two swords and Christ answered It is sufficient Christ said to Peter Put vp thy sword in to thy sheath God said to Ieremie Ier. 1. I haue established thee ouer Nations and Kingdomes 1. Cor. 2. Paul said to the Corinthians The spirituall man discerneth all things Christ said to his Apostles Whatsoeuer yee shall loose vpon earth by which words the Pope hath power forsooth to loose the oath of allegiance Moses said In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth Vpon these passages Pope Boniface 8. Extrauag Vnam Sanctam grapling and tugging with Philip the Faire doth build his Temporall power Other Popes and Papists auouch the like authorities Christ said of himselfe All things are giuen to me of my Father and all power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth The Deuils said If thou cast vs out send vs into this herd of swine Christ said to his Disciples Yee shall finde the colt of an asse bound loose it and bring it vnto me By these places the aduersaries prooue that Christ disposed of Temporall matters and inferre thereupon why not Christs Vicar as well as Christ himselfe The places and testimonies now following are very expresse Psal 45. In stead of thy fathers shall be thy children thou shalt make them Princes through all the earth Item Iesus Christ not onely commaunded Peter to feed his lambs but said also to Peter Arise kill and eat the pleasant glosse the rare inuention of the L. Ioh. 12. Cardinall Baronius Christ said to the people If I were lift vp from the earth I will draw all things vnto me who lets what hinders this place from fitting the Pope Paul said to the Corinthians Know ye not that we shall iudge the Angels how much more then the things that pertaine vnto this life A little after Haue not we power to eate These are the chiefe passages on which as vpon maine arches the roofe of Papall Monarchie concerning Temporall causes hath rested for three or foure aages past And yet his Lordship durst not repose any confidence in their firme standing to beare vp the said roofe of Temporall Monarchie for feare of making his auditors to burst with laughter A wise part without question if his Lordship had not defiled his lips before with a more ridiculous argument drawne from the leprosie and drie scab Let vs now by way of comparison behold Iesus Christ paying tribute vnto Caesar and the Pope making Caesar to pay him tribute Iesus Christ perswading the Iewes to pay tribute vnto an heathen Emperour and the Pope dispensing with subiects for their obedience to Christian Emperours Iesus Christrefusing to arbitrate a controuersie of inheritance partable betweene two priuate parties and the Pope thrusting in himselfe without warrant or Commission to bee absolute Iudge in the deposing of Kings Iesus Christ professing that his Kingdome is not of this world and the Pope establishing himselfe in a terrene Empire In like manner the Apostles forsaking all their goods to followe Christ and the Pope robbing Christians of their goods the Apostles persecuted by Pagan Emperours and the Pope now setting his foote on the very throate of Christian Emperours then proudly treading Imperiall Crownes vnder his feete By this comparison the L. Cardinals allegation of Scripture in fauour of his Master the Pope is but a kind of puppet-play to make Iesus Christ a mocking stocke rather then to satisfie his auditors with any sound precepts and wholefome instructions Hereof he seemeth to giue some inckling himselfe For after he hath beene plentifull in citing authorities of Scripture and of newe Doctors which make for the Popes power to depose Kings at last he comes in with a faire and open confession Pag. 85. that neither by diuine Oracles nor by honourable antiquitie this controuersie hath beene yet determined and so pulls downe in a word with one hand the frame of worke that he had built and set vp before with an other discouering withall the reluctation and priuie checkes of his owne conscience There yet remaineth one obiection the knot whereof the L. Cardinall in a maner sweateth to vntie His words be these Page 84. The champions for the negatiue flie to the analogie of other proceedings and practises in the Church They affirme that priuate persons masters or owners of goods and possessions among the common people are not depriued of their goods for Heresie and consequently that Princes much more should not for the same crime bee depriued of their estates For answere to this reason he brings in the defendants of deposition speaking after this maner In the Kingdome of France the strict execution of lawes decreed in Court against Heretikes is fauourably suspended and stopped for the preseruation of peace and publike tranquilitie He saith elsewhere Conniuence is vsed towards these Heretikes inregard of their multitude because a notable part of the French Nation and State is made all of Heretikes I suppose that out of speciall charitie he would haue those Heretikes of his owne making forewarned what courteous vse and entreaty they are to expect when he affirmeth that execution of the lawes is but suspended For indeed suspensions hold but for a time But in a cause of that nature and importance I dare promise my selfe that my most honoured brother the King of France will make vse of other counsell will rather seeke the amitie of his neighbour Princes and
to reioyce in his owne behalfe and to giue me thanks that I haue done him the honour to enter the lists of Theologicall dispute against his Lordship Howbeit he twitches and carpes at me withall as at one that soweth seeds of dissention and schisme amongst Romane Catholiks And yet he would seeme to qualifie the matter and to make all whole againe by saying That in so doing I am perswaded I doe no more then my duetie requires But now as his Lordship followes the point it standeth neither with godlinesse nor with equity nor with reason that Acts made that Statutes Decrees and Ordinances ratified for the State and Gouernement of England should be thrust for binding Laws vpon the Kingdome of France nor that Catholikes and much lesse that Ecclesiastics to the ende they may liue in safetie and freely enioy their priuiledges or immunities in France should be forced to beleeue and by oath to seale the same points which English Catholikes to the end they may purchase libertie onely to breath nay sorrowfully to sigh rather are constrained to allow and to aduow besides And where as in England There is no small number of Catholikes that lacke not constant and resolute minds to endure all sorts of punishment rather then to take that oath of allegiance will there not be found an other manner of number in France armed with no lesse constancie and Christian resolution There will most honourable Auditors there will without all doubt and we all that are of Episcopall dignity will sooner suffer Martyrdome in the cause Then out of the super-abundance and ouer-weight of his Lordships goodnes he closely coucheth and conuayeth a certaine distastfull opposition betweene mee and his King with praises and thanks to God that his King is not delighted takes no pleasure to make Martyrs All this Artificiall and swelling discourse like vnto puffe-past if it be viewed at a neere distance will be found like a bladder full of wind without any soliditie of substantiall matter For the Deputies of the third Estate were neuer so voide of vnderstanding to beleeue that by prouiding for the life and safety of their King they should thrust him headlong into eternall damnation Their braines were neuer so much blasted so farre benummed to dreame the soule of their King cannot mount vp to heauen except he be dismounted from his Princely Throne vpon earth whensoeuer the Pope shall hold vp his finger And whereas he is bold to pronounce that heretikes of France doe make their benefit and aduantage of this diuision that speech is grounded vpon this proposition That professors of the Christian Religion reformed which is to say purged and cleansed of all Popish dregs are heretikes in fact and ought so to bee reputed in right Which proposition his Lordship will neuer soundly and sufficiently make good before his Holinesse hath compiled an other Gospell or hath forged an other Bible at his Pontificiall anuile The L. Cardinall vndertooke to reade mee a lecture vpon that argument but euer since hath played Mum-budget and hath put himselfe to silence like one at a Non-plus in his enterprise There be three yeeres already gone and past since his Lordship beganne to shape some answere to a certaine writing dispatched by mee in few daies With forming and reforming with filing and polishing with labouring and licking his answere ouer and ouer againe with reiterated extractions and calcinations it may be coniectured that all his Lordships labour and cost is long since evaporated and vanished in the aire Howbeit as well the friendly conference of a King for I will not call it a contention as also the dignitie excellencie and importance of the matter long since deserued and as long since required the publishing of some or other answere His Lordships long silence will neuer be imputed to lacke of capacity wherewith who knoweth not how abundantly he is furnished but rather to well aduised agnition of his owne working and building vpon a weake foundation But let vs returne vnto these heretikes that make so great gaine by the disagreement of Catholikes It is no part of their dutie to aime at sowing of dissentions but rather to intend and attend their faithfull performance of seruice to their King If some be pleased and others offended when so good and loyall duties are sincerely discharged it is for all good subiects to grieue and to be sory that when they speake for the safetie of their King honour of the trewth it is their hard hap to leaue any at all vnsatisfied But suppose the said heretiks were the Authors of this article preferred by the third Estate What need they to conceale their names in that regard What need they to disclaime the credit of such a worthy act Would it not redound to their perpetuall honour to be the onely subiects that kept watch ouer the Kings life and Crowne that stood centinell and walked the rounds for the preseruation of his Princely diademe when all other had no more touch no more feeling thereof then so many stones And what neede the Deputies for the third Estate to receiue instructions from forraine Kingdomes concerning a cause of that nature when there was no want of domesticall examples and the French histories were plentifull in that argument What neede they to gape for this reformed doctrine to come swimming with a fishes tayle out of an Island to the mayne continent when they had before their eyes the murders of two Kings with diuerse ciuill warres and many Arrests of Court all tending to insinuate and suggest the introduction of the same remedy Suggestions are needlesse from abroad when the mischiefe is felt at home it seemes to me that his Lordship in smoothing and tickling the Deputies for the third Estate doth no lesse then wring and wrong their great sufficiencie with contumely and outragious abuse as if they were not furnished with sufficient foresight and with loyall affection towards their King for the preseruation of his life and honour if the remedie were not beaten into their heads by those of the Religion reputed heretikes Touching my selfe ranged by his Lordship in the same ranke with sowers of dissention I take my God to witnes and my owne conscience that I neuer dream'd of any such vnchristian proiect It hath beene hitherto my ordinary course to follow honest counsells and to walke in open waies I neuer wonted my selfe to holes and corners to crafty shifts but euermore to plaine and open designes I neede not hide mine intentions for feare of any mortall man that puffeth breath of life out of his nostrils Nor in any sort doe I purpose to set Iulian the Apostata before mine eyes as a patterne for me to follow Iulian of a Christian became a Pagan I professe the same faith of Christ still which I haue euer professed Iulian went about his designes with crafty conueiances I neuer with any of his captious and cunning sleights Iulian forced his subiects to infidelitie against I