notwithstanding with the Prophets of God and therefore is called Propheticall as Ezekiel a day for a yeare and Daniels Ezek. 4. 6. Dan. 9. 24. seuentie weekes are weekes of yeares euery weeke containing seuen yeares as throughout this prophecie Also the months are months of yeares to euery month accounting thirtie yeares From whence we conclude Antichrists three yeares and a halfe both here and in Daniel deciphered by a time times and half a time to be yeares of yeares euery yeare containing twelue moneths of yeares which amount to 360 yeares and multiplied by three and a halfe do in the totall amount to 1260 yeares And to the end the world may take better notice of these his two testifiers and preseruers of truth the Lord commendeth the knowledge of the parties by the description of their garments in saying they are cloathed in sackcloth thereby not onely disseuering their testimonies from all the soft and courtly commentaries of flesh and blood which for the most are raised with infected matter and vested with affected stile but also teaching vs that no man can retaine to the Lord before whom they minister vnlesse he serue in the same liuery that they doe and can turne ouer the leaues of his life and pilgrimage in fasting and sackcloth and true repentance as these his seruants the Prophets and Saints haue done Verse 4. These are the two oliue branches and the two candlesticks which stand in the presence of the Lord of the earth ANd these my two Testaments are those two oliue trees saith the Lord described by my Prophet Zechary which stand and fructifie before the Ruler of the earth for euer and euer For their leafe that is to say their word and iudgements shall neither wither nor fade though heauen and earth should perish and melt away And they are also two candlesticks which carry in them the light of my truth and power of my Spirit the great moderator of heauen and earth Verse 5. And if any man will hurt them fire shall come forth of their mouth and deuoure their enemies and if any man shall hurt them so must he be slaine ANd if any man shal wrest their word from the aime intention of their meaning saith the Lord or turne their prophecie out of the way by peruerting or clipping the honour or purpose of their word the fire of my wrath denounced by the mouth of these my two testaments for though they be two yet they haue but one mouth shall surely iudge and execute those louers and makers of lies and for the more assurance of this sentence against them the Lord doth iterate the curse and vengeance of his heauy displeasure saying And if any man will hurt them so must he be slaine meaning I say by hurting all maner diminishing of the words of their testimonie by false blasphemous and lying expositions as some haue done Verse 6. These haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecie and they haue power ouer the waters to turne them into blood and to smite the earth with all maner of plagues so often as they will FOr the Lord hath touched the mouth of these his two Prophets as he did the mouth of Ieremie and the rest of his seruants of whom he saith Behold this day haue I set thee ouer nations and ouer kingdomes to plucke vp roote out destroy and throw downe build and plant and in another place Therefore haue I cut them downe by my Prophets and slaine them by the words of my mouth Such priuiledge the Lord hath giuen to these his two Testaments that if they once shut the heauens that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecie that is to say if they denounce a famine of the bread of life to wit the word and knowledge of God or pronounce a sword to come vpon a nation kingdom or people which the Lord here signifieth by turning waters into blood or if it pleaseth them to prophesie which the Lord here calleth to strike of any pestilence earthquake or other iudgement to come such power is giuen them that if they say the word it is done as it is written Heauen and earth shall perish but the words of their prophecie shall not passe till all be fulfilled Verse 7. And when they shall haue finished their testimonieâ— the Beast which ascendeth from the depth shall wage battell against them and kill them ANd when his seruants the Prophets and Apostles shal haue fulfilled their course and be translated from the land of their labours to the land of rest leauing to the world the inheritance as it were of their ministery sealed vp in the two Testaments of God to preserue the feare of his name and the knowledge of his pleasure among the sonnes of men which the holy Ghost calleth finishing their testimonie Antichrist the Beast whose proper place whence he is and whither he must is here described by the name of the depth shall not onely hurt and wound them by slanderous lying expositions as his Clerks and Assects do but shall set his feet vpon their necks and tread downe their diuine authoritie by the aduancing of his cursed keyes and the beautie of his whorish Church aboue them which the Spirit calleth waging battell inhibiting them to prophecie or teach the words of their testimonie vulgarly And not onely putting them to silence but also reprouing condemning them for corrupters seducers and sowers of heresies among the people which presumptuous blasphemie and murder the Spirit discouereth in saying that he shall ouercome them and kill them Verse 8. And their carkeises shall remaine in the streete of the great Citie which is spiritually called Sodome and Egypt where their Lord also was crucified ANd the letter or text of their testimonie which the Spirit calleth their corps or carkeises shall remaine in their houses Cels Temples hang at their girdles through all the cities and kingdomes where the Beast and his Church is adored which in regard of their number be here named the great Citie so in respect of their execrable worship and adulterous seruice contrary to God and his holy Citie they are here called also spiritually Sodome meaning that as Sodome her sister did forsake the lawfull vse and prescription of nature and wrought filthinesse against nature so these loathing truth and louing lyes should erect strange oblations and propitiations as contrary to the offerings and satisfactions of the Saints as was the sinne of Sodome opposite to nature And the Spirit further calleth them by the name of Egypt for that in blindnes and hardnes of heart they euery way match the presumptuous and indurate Egyptians still pursuing and persecuting the truth as Pharaoh did Israel till the God of Israel destroy them by the Spirit of his mouth as he did Pharaoh and his hoast by water And in further detestation of the cruel murder and immanitie of this Beast and his adherents the holy Ghost layeth the blood
his accomplices against the Church and Spouse of Christ that so the glory of his iustice in their iust condemnation and iudgement may be more bright and manifest CHAP. XII 1. A confirmation of the prophecie following 2. The description of the Church and of her first fruit 4. The Churches first persecution raised by Ethnicke Rome by whose immanitie it came to passe that her beautie was no more seene in her visible and eminent graces but liued here and there dispersed and scattered ouer the face of the earth 8. The great battell betweene Christianisme and Paganisme Christ and his truth ouercommeth Iupiter and his prophanation 18. The Empire remoueth his Throne pretending to stop the floate of the enemie but intending to roote out the dispersed remnant of the Church Verse 1. And the Temple of God was opened in heauen and the Arke of his Couenant was seene in his Temple and there was made lightnings voices thunders earthquakes and great haile THE Apostle hauing drawne in the former part of this prophecie a slight draught as it were and designement of Antichrist doth now in the prophecie following revisit and perfect the discouery of the Beast and hang him vp to the view and discerning of heauen and earth And to the end that this his work of manifestation may carry in it faire and vncontrollable credit the Apostle in this verse assureth vs that he reuealeth no other word concerning the Church her pressours here on earth during the personal absence of her Lord then that which he heard at the Councel table of God which he deliuereth in a maner of speech vsuall with the Prophets And the Temple of God was opened in heauen and the Arke of his couenant was seene in the Temple alluding to the Temple of Ierusalem and signifying thereunder that the words of this his Reuelation are no lesse sooth and true then if he had receiued them from the Oracle of God which spake from ouer the Arke of his testament within the Temple of Ierusalem whose words and answers for their diuinitie maiestie power and glorie are here as elsewhere figured by voices proper to God and not to man as lightnings thunders earthquakes and haile Verse 2. And a great signe appeared in heauen a woman cloathed with the Sunne and the Moone vnder her feete and on her head a crowne of twelue starres BVt before the Spirit takes in hand to discouer the persecuters of the Church it pleaseth him first to describe the Church it selfe that so the barbarous immanitie of her enemies may be more apparent and iustly abhorred being vsed against a creature of such virginal innocent and patient modestie who for her rare and admirable beauty is here called a great signe or heauenly apparition symbolizing her fearfull modest sober and matronlike behauiour with the appellation and qualitie of a woman for so she is in holy Scriptures often called the fairest woman the Kings daughter daughter of Sion daughter of Ierusalem the Spouse of Christ Mother of the iust c. And to the end she may the better be discerned of vs the Apostle describeth her garments and wearing saying she was cloathed with the Sun meaning that she had put on the Lord Iesus Sonne of iustice that is to say her soule was vested with an assurance of the mercie and loue of God in Christ Iesus her Lord which iustice or iustification of the Spouse and her children is called in holy Scripture by way of metaphor the white stone and the wedding garment For as a stoale or garment couereth the shame and nakednes of our vile bodies so the mercy and loue of God insured vs in Christ Iesus our Lord hideth the shame and nakednesse of our sinfull soules And to proue that her garment was truly wouen of the two diuine threds to wit the assurance of mercie the assurance of loue in Christ Iesus her Lord the Spirit giueth in for euidence the fruits of this her liuely and iustificall faith closely hiding her newnesse of life her hatred of sinne and her loue of God as vnder a vaile in these words And the Moone vnder her feet signifying thereby that she had now quite forsaken forgotten her fathers house that is had slaine her naturall sinfull and wonted affections and was reuiued and renewed in mind and with her Lord was now risen and ascended vp as he into the heauen of heauens so she to a new custome and cariage of life far aboue and higher then the Moone for all her study and hearts delight was now in heauen where her hope her loue her life and her dearest Lord liueth reigneth God to be praised for euer and euer Amen Last of all the Spirit setteth forth her head attire whereby her honour and estate was best knowne and wherein she most delighted saying that she wore on her head a crowne made of a mettall much finer then gold for it was made of the doctrine of the twelue Apostles who for that they are the Lords lights and lanternes to guide the feet of sinners when sinne hath benighted them are here called by the names of Starres And on her head a crowne of twelue starres Verse 3. And being great with child she cried trauelling and labouring to be deliuered ANd by the words which her eares receiued her heart conceiued and she was great with feare and godly sorrow trauelling vnder the burthen of her sinnes and restlesse desire to be reconciled to God which anguish and paines of her sorrowful heart and broken spirit the Apostle most excellently compareth to the sorrowes of a woman in trauell In which her spiritual labour and paine she could by no meanes be relieued or eased vntill her Lord were fashioned in her that is vntill her heart were sanctified by faith for no Treacle could heale her miserable wounded soule but the assurance of mercie onely nor any water could quench the burning flames of her restlesse desire but the loue of God onely insured her in Christ Iesus her Lord and written in the fleshly tables of her heart by the finger of God according to his promise his first and last and euerlasting couenant Verse 4. And another signe appeared in heauen for loe a great red Dragon hauing seuen heads and ten hornes and on his heads seuen diadems AS night doth follow day and the shadow the body so must the Crosse follow Christ and affliction his Church whose Sunne could no sooner shine but the enuious man raised vp a mightie storme of persecution to cloud the brightnesse of her beautiful beames which for the extraordinary furie thereof the Apostle calleth a wonder or signe meaning the Churches first and primitiue persecution raised by Ethnik Rome who for his power immanitie and malice to the Church of God is here called a great red Dragon and both for that his Throne and Citie was seated on seuen hils as also for that he was in all impietie pride and prophanation the totall summe and epitome as it were
spirituall sword and to weare the name and title of Vicar to the Lamb which title name and honour is onely due to the Spirit of the Lamb the onely moderator comforter and commander of all the Lambs affaires and forces in heauen and in earth and of this principal blasphemy the Apostle condemneth him in saying And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemie against God Next the Lord challengeth him for presuming to blaspheme the word of God superaduancing his whorish church aboue the diuine eternall testimonie in and by which the Son of God is named and knowne which contumely offered to his most holy word the Lord accounteth as done to himselfe and his most holy name for so the holy Ghost speaking of that Lord that is faithfull and true who with iustice iudgeth and fighteth saith that he was clothed with a garment sprinkled with blood and his name is called The Word of God The pourtraiture of which diuine and essentiall Word is the ingrauen Scripture of his most holy and written word and of this blasphemie the Spirit inditeth him in these words to blaspheme his name Lesse maruell then if like a raging flood downe bearing all before him and ouerflowing all bankes of obedience towards God he dare extol his cursed head aboue all that is called or named God that is to say all magistracie authoritie and power secular which by Gods owne ordinance commandement is the onely true liuely and immediate representation of his owne person iustice and gouernment here on earth in and ouer all temporall causes and persons as well Ecclesiastical as ciuil of which high treason one Apostle also conuinceth him 2. Thess 2. No maruell then if thus daring to blaspheme the Lord of the house and his annointed Deputies he dare blaspheme the house of God wherein his name is honored cursing reuiling and reputing it a house of schismatiques heretiques excommunincates which blasphemous and vndeserued wrong the holy Ghost layeth to his charge in these words and his tabernacle And last of all to shew that there is neither end nor measure in his blacke presumptuous and blasphemous mouth the Spirit further chargeth him with blaspheming the Saints and seruants of God deceased cursing reuiling and condemning their doctrine and yet blessing adoring erecting their shadows sepulchers and shrines for mediators intercessors and reconciliators betweene God and the sinner like their cursed fore-elders the Israelites who boasted in the descent of their father Abraham and yet blasphemed the faith of Abraham their father of which blasphemous and indicible contumely against the Son of God and his most holy Spirit the Apostle condemneth him saying And those that dwell in heauen Verse 7. And it was giuen vnto him to make battell with the Saints and to ouercome them and power was giuen him vpon euery people tribe tongue and nation ANd as after lightning followeth thūder so after Antichrists blasphemie followeth his persecution as the Spirit testifieth saying And it was giuen him to bid battell to the Saints which the Prophet Daniel by way of exposition also plainly setteth forth saying that he should murther and consume the Saints and seruants of the most high And in further amplification of this his carnificious furie the Spirit setteth forth the largenesse of his charter and commission by an excessiue loquution foretelling vs that it should be so large and general that the fire of his prophane and sycophantical keys should take hold vpon euery nation and tribe as if we please to cast an eye vpon the times past and conferre what he had with what he hath we shall easily discerne the meaning of the holy Ghost in these words And power was giuen him vpon euery Tribe people tongue and nation Verse 8. And all that inhabite the earth adored it whose names be not written in the booke of life of the Lamb which was slaine from the beginning of the world THe holy Ghost hauing in the former part of this Chapter discouered the birth place person power blasphemie and persecution of Antichrist descendeth now to the description of his creatures and deuotaries foretelling vs that they should be such onely for vnto such onely the particle all is here restrained as haue their portion and interest in this life whose pietie heauen hope and glorie is here and not elsewhere which kind of out and ouercast Christians the Spirit describeth by a periphrasis most proper to their naturall and inbred disposition saying they are those that inhabite the earth therein discouering them as by a difference diuisiue from such as are the Lords pilgrims and strangers on earth hauing here no permanent abode or place of rest but seeking the things which are aboue attend with patience the reuelation of a life and citie to come not made with hands where their Lord and their Redeemer liueth And the Spirit proceeding sheweth further the supreme hidden and vnperceiuable reason why the adorers of Antichrist thus defiled the ornaments of their calling and why they loued lyes more then truth the Beasts penance more then Gods repentance the Beasts beliefe more then faith towards God the Beasts miserable merits more then the fruits of the Spirit hatred of sin and loue of God because as holy Dauid saith they were not found in the Lords record nor written with the righteous for so much the Spirit vnfoldeth saying whose names be not written in the booke of life of the Lamb which was slaine from the beginning of the world Verse 9. If any man haue an eare let him heare THe Apostle hauing sufficiently deciphered the nature and cariage of Antichrist and his creatures commeth now to discouer his reward and iudgement which howsoeuer it tarry little or long is of necessitie the reward of sinne But before the Spirit draweth out his sword it pleaseth him in his accustomed mercie to awake his Church and her enemies and to moue them to a feare and reuerent attention by a generall summons proclaiming If any man haue an care let him heare Verse 10. He that shall leade into captiuitie goeth into captiuitie and he that shall kill with the sword must be killed with the sword here is the patience and the faith of the Saints THe holy Ghost in this verse calleth Antichrist to the Barre and sets him before the world for the very he on whō the wrath of God and his heauie displeasure is to be executed For he who vnder colour and pretence of weeding out and rooting vp of heretiques hath brought into the Church captiuitie inquisitions tortures and torments to the horrible murther and slaughter of the Saints when in such cases notwithstanding he had neither precept nor example in the life of the Lamb or his Apostles so to do he euen he saith the Lord is that partie against whom this iust iudgement of taliation is laid vp in store to be executed vpon him in that day when the Lord shall bring againe the captiuitie of his Church which for their sins he hath giuen vp to
of the Prince of the Couenant to their charge also as cunningly as they thinke to conuey his murder and post it ouer to Ierusalem For as the Lord doth lay the blood of his seruant Abel to the charge of the Scribes and Pharises of his owne time although hee were slaine long before those Pharises were borne or Ierusalem builded because they were the very image and liuely imitation of his brother that murthered him so the holy Ghost doth here lay the innocent blood of the Lord of glory to the charge of this crucifier and his citizens because they are the children and generation of that high Priest and those murderers which cried Away with him crucifie him crucifie him And that wee should not maruell thereat the holy Ghost in another place goeth further and saith In her shall be found the blood of the Apostles and Prophets also and all that euer for the testimonie of the truth were slaine on earth Verse 9. And there shall of the tribes and people and Gentiles see their dead bodies three dayes and a halfe and shall not suffer their corps to be layed in monuments ANd all nations and kingdoms where the Beast is worshipped whom the holy Ghost for their prophanation in life and religion calleth Gentiles shall haue handle and gaze vpon the letter and corps of his two witnesses three days and a halfe that is to say the time times and halfe a time wherein the Beast shall reigne and persecute euen three propheticall yeares and a halfe accounting as in Ezekiel all dayes for yeares Neither shall they suffer the word of their prophecie to be read opened vnderstood and laid vp in the hearts of the people the true and natural monuments and sepulchers wherein the testimonie of their words ought to be interred Verse 10. And the inhabitants of the earth shall be glad ouer them and shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwell vpon the earth ANd all the worshippers of the Beast here noted for their number by the inhabitants of the earth shall clap their hands ouer their owne inuentions and reioyce in the death of the truth and make merry with bonefires Vigils Festiuals Processions and in token of ioy they shall send as the Spirit saith gifts one to another Kings and Princes and people shal present and endow the Beast and his Church with donations immunities possessions gold and siluer offerings and the Beast on the other side shall requite their kindnesse with titles bels pardons buls and such like and the Spirit yeeldeth a reason of this their wicked and vngodly comfort because they had put out the eyes of his two Prophets that their whoredomes and prophanations might not be reproued then which nothing can be greater torment to the wicked nor more vnsauory to them that perish Verse 11. And after three dayes and a halfe the spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood vpon their feete and great feare fell vpon all that saw them ANd forasmuch as in the death and extermination of Antichrist by way of dependancie consisteth the life and resurrection as it were of the Scriptures the Spirit foresheweth that after the reigne and persecution of the Beast which here as in the ninth verse is determined by three dayes and a half God will raise vp faithfull prudent Priests Shepherds of vnderstanding hearts who shall rightly diuide the words and testimonies of his two witnesses which the holy Ghost signifieth in saying that the spirit of life from God entred into them for as the letter and text of the Scripture is the corps thereof so their true intent and meaning is the spirit and life of them and by the faithfull ministery of such as the Lord shall raise in and about that time and for that purpose the testimonie of his two Prophets shall be restored to their strength and as it were to their walking againe which the Spirit signifieth in saying they stood vpon their feete as well to the terror and astonishment of all lying and stipulous expositors as to the feare and admiration of the children and iustifiers of wisedome as the holy Ghost concludeth saying And great feare fell vpon all that saw them Verse 12. And I heard a loud voice from heauen saying Come vp hither and they went vp into heauen in a cloud and their enemies saw them ANd the restauration of the true meaning of the Scriptures which their enemies so long kept vnder by all vniust and cunning shifts shall be more famously knowne and published then that they may any longer hinder or stop the glorious course of their wonderfull instauration which the Spirit intendeth in saying that he heard a voice from heauen saying Come vp hither meaning that it should be more possible for their enemies to stay Elias chariot from ascending or pull the wind backe from pursuing his point then to resist the wisedome of the same the which shall vindicate the abuse of the Scriptures and by the power of their ministery as in the strength of a cloud shall hold them vp and restore them to their spirituall and heauenly meaning againe and the Beast with all his sorcerers and liers which haue been their long and ancient enemies shall see the glorie of their regeneration and wonder and die Verse 13. And in that houre there was made a great earthquake and the tenth part of the Citie fell and there were slaine in the earthquake names of men seuen thousand and the rest were cast into a feare and gaue glorie to the God of heauen ANd at such time as it pleased God to begin his worke of instauration and to cause the dayspring of his Gospel to shine out of the night of Antichrists darknesse the abominable and desolate prophanation of the Beast which had so long time ouercast the earth was in such sort discouered that the very roote of his throne and vsurped authoritie was dangerously shaken which the holy Ghost closely foldeth vp in saying there was made a great earthquake And further foresheweth that out of this concussion there should arise so great defection that the tenth part of his worshippers should reuolt from him and that this reuolt and defection must cost the liues of many thousand men which the Spirit vttereth in a maner of speech strange to vs but vsuall with the Scriptures calling men names of men as Chap. 3. 4. and meaning by seuen thousand many thousand vsing the determinate number of seuen indefinitely and for a number indeterminate as it is also in Scripture often Which broiles and bloodshed concerning the institution of religion are so sufficiently reported in the Commentaries of Bohemia and Germanie and in the troubles of France and Flanders and other nations as if it were purposely registred in proofe of this prophecie Lastly the Spirit concluding foretelleth that many kingdomes in this defection should quite forsake the Beast and haste them out of Babylon home againe to build
of all the seuen Monarchies vnto whom from the beginning of time to the end thereof was giuen and granted the charter and commission of blaspheming God corrupting his world as in the thirteenth Chapter following is more particularly discouered the Apostle addeth hauing seuen heads And in regard his power did beate down the power of all nations and made spoile and purchase of all kings kingdomes on earth the Spirit saith he had ten hornes for the hornes signifie kings and kingdomes and the number of ten include all be they neuer so many as all numbers are made of ten and their reduplication be they neuer so infinite And because he came to aduance his head so high by the power of his sword his Leaders and legions the Spirit crowneth his heads with magnificence and diadems saying And on his heads seuen diadems Verse 5. And his taile drew the third part of the starres of heauen and cast them to the earth And the Dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be deliuered that when she had brought forth he might deuoure her sonne THe head of this great red Dragon was his Regall first estate gouerned by Romulus six other successiue kingcoates which Seneca calleth his infancie or nonage wherein he liued swathed and nourished in blood 244 yeares as his owne Historian reporteth The bodie of this great red Dragon was his Consuls second estate which Seneca calleth his full age part Aristocraticall part Democraticall and was therefore stiled Senatus populusque Romanus from whence partly by reason of his ouerweight and fulsome abundance as one of his owne noteth Romana laxitas mundi rerum amplitudo damno fuit and partly for want of enemies abroad to wreake their proud and kingly humours on he fell into the intestine euill of ciuill warres at home which did cast him into his minoritie and wardship again And this his last estate of regiment Imperiall the holy Ghost here calleth his taile which consisteth of a rout of Monarchs seuentie Keysars long who for that they so furiously persecuted and hauocked the blood of the chiefest Saints and seruants of God the Spirit saith that with his cursed taile he drew the third part of the starres of heauen and cast them to the earth And not contented with the slaughter of his fairest lights and starres of his Church proceeded to desolate the whole hoast of heauen euen all the seed of the Spouse named before the Churches child and here her sonne meaning those in whom by the ministery of his fairest starres his seruants the Apostles Christ was now formed and of whom the Church was now ready to be deliuered for so much the Apostle vnfoldeth in these words And the Dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be deliuered that when she should bring forth he might deuoure her sonne Verse 6. But she brought forth a man child who was to gouerne all nations in an iron rod and her son was taken vp to God and to his throne BVt notwithstanding all their furie the Church brought forth her first fruit which for their faith charitie labour and patience the Spirit nameth a man child and because they followed the Lord in the regeneration and ouercame by keeping his words and works vnto the end they receiued the selfe same honour which to their Lord alone and in chiefe belongeth namely that they shall iudge the Tribes of Israel and haue dominion ouer the nations and shall rule them with a rod of iron and breake their glorie like a potters vessell as the Lord hath promised Math. 19. and Apoc. 2. And in remembrance of the tender care and prouidence of God ouer the seed and first fruit of his Church the Spirit concludeth that when they had ended their course they were taken vp to God and to his throne far from the reach and rage of their enemies Verse 7. And the Woman fled into the wildernesse where she had a place prepared of God that there they might feed her a thousand two hundred and sixtie dayes BVt the Church of God here named the woman mother of this faire and primitiue fruit being no longer able to weather out her stormes was enforced to hide her beautie and to retire her selfe into the secret chambers of Gods prouidence and her owne conscience and to take vp her lodging in the desart not that her light was vtterly extinguished as her enemies reproch her for although she were dispersed distressed and enforced to hide her extraordinary and eminent graces yet the beautie of her true repentance and of her liuely faith seconded with a charitable life and patient expectation of better things to come still shined as a candle in a darke place and like a ship preserued in a tempest she remained stil the same of whom the world was not worthy neuer wanting the louing protection of her dearest Lord who in all her troubles was mindfull of her as of Elias his seruant or Israel his first borne carefull to prouide her both of honorable harbour and princely diet Her resting place was restlesse strewed and scattered far and neare ouer the face of the earth for such a lodging did best beseeme her broken and restlesse heart which soiourned in earth but dwelt in heauen and did also best defend her person from the furious inquisitions of her enemies Neither was her Lord lesse louing and prouident concerning her food for he preserued for her diet the two witnesses of his eternall Couenant that from their breast she might sucke the pure and wholesome milke of grace and life that so she might be both nobly harboured and princely fed during the tedious and odious reigne of the great Whore the Church of Rome who during her exile should vsurpe her Chaire and vnder the vizard of her name should persecute her name and generation a thousand two hundred and sixtie yeares here as before mystically deciphered vnder a thousand two hundred and sixtie dayes Verse 8. And there was waged a battell in heauen Michael and his Angels fought with the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels ANd at the same time that the Temple of God was opened in heauen the Apostle also foresaw that great and bloody contention then which since the dayes of heauen was neuer waged greater great in regard of the armies and great in respect of the cause The armies great as well for the greatnesse of the Generals as for the valour and number of their forces The Generall on the one side was the power of God sciphered by Michael the Prince of the Couenant who stood for the children and people of the Highest The Generall on the other side was the power of Satan figured by Ethnicke Rome here as before called the Dragon In their forces are to be considered the Leaders and the souldiers The Leaders and the Captains on the part of Michael were Diuus Petrus Diuus Paulus Diâ—â—â— Iohannes and the rest of that diuine and noble order of Saints
And on the Dragons part were Leaders and Chieftaines diuus Tiberius diuus Caligula diuus Claudius diuus Nero and the rest of that most filthy and execrable traine So great was the multitude and number of souldiers that none of what degree sex age or condition soeuer but must be prest for the one side or for the other the valour and vertue of the souldiers exceeded all praise few subdued many the weake ouercame the strong a handfull of Christians a world of infidels The cause was great and higher then the heauens whether God or Belial Christ or Iupiter Christianisme or Paganisme were more venerable for antiquitie maiesticall for amplitude more constant for continuance and in all other respects of wisedome honour and maiestie more worthy to be embraced and adored of the sonnes of men which was for life contended by the Dragon his Angels and assects and was for life withstood and disapproued by Michael and his Angels and their followers The issue of this contention followeth Verse 9. But they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen AS the battell was great so was the victory glorious for though the Dragon with his sapient Senates his prophane Angels and his vncleane abbettors intended all their forces mouing as it is in prouerb heauen and earth to make roome for the abomination of Iupiter and to keepe vnder water the euerlasting Lord and Prince of the Couenant as among the many monuments of time is sufficiently proued and maintained by Orosius and by him to whom he wrote in his booke de Ciuitate Dei yet the Spirit foreseeing the Dragons folly and how in vaine he kickt against the spurre in scorne of his presumption saith But he preuailed not and concluding affirmeth that the possession of heauen so long time vsurped by incestuous murtherers and execrable curtizans gods and goddesses of their owne forgeing must be resigned now to the true Lord and owner of all who hath taken his place at the right hand of the Father and hath deposed for euer from their vsurped titles of deitie all gods and goddesses phantasmes made of wormes created and diuified by the inuentions relations consecrations and canonizations of the Dragon his Taile and successors as the Spirit discouereth in saying Neither the place of them was found any more in heauen Verse 10. And that great Dragon was throwne downe the old Serpent called the Diuell and Satanas which seduceth the whole world and he was cast into the earth and his Angels were throwne downe with him ANd the great and prophane power of the Romane monarchie which had so long time oppressed and corrupted the earth was now at length detected and thereupon disseized of and from her vsurped claime of heauen for euer as the Spirit discouereth in saying And that great Dragon was throwne downe And for that the diuell did corporally dwell as it were in her spreading the beames of his wickednesse at full in all idolatrie impietie and presumption against God and in all oppression iniustice and immanitie towards man the Spirit crowneth her with the cognoments of her sire calling her for her malice to the truth a Serpent for her crimination of the Saints a diuell and for hostilitie to God and his Saints Satanas speaking therein after the maner of the Lord himself who calleth his trecherous steward a diuel thogh he were a man because the fulnesse of Satan did dwel in him filling his heart with such a perfect hatred of his innocent Lord lamentable loue of his guiltie penie that he sold Canaan for Egypt heauen for hell God for siluer And because the impietie of gouernours is not onely their owne decay by euill doing but also by enforcement and euill example the ruine of their people the Spirit layeth the seduction of the whole earth to the charge of the Dragon for the ruling it after the leuell and prescription of Rome saying which seduceth the whole world and thereupon giueth iust iudgement and sentence of death against him namely that as in his beginning he crept out of the earth and by the scale of his wickednesse ascended so high as to presume to thrust his haughtie head into heauen and build his neast aboue the starres as did his antecessors Assur Beltassar Darius Alexander and the rest of their compeeres so by a like power of sword and crueltie he shall shortly returne to his friends again and be made euen with the earth from whence his stocke and first estate was borrowed and the power of his Cesars councell of his Senators sophistrie of his Sorcerers which with such indurate and obstinate mindes stood for the honour and worship of diuels should be no longer able to vphold the reuerence of their Iupiter Capitolinus who was now deteced for a rogue and by the voices of Michaels Angels as by whips and pasports was sent home againe to the place of his birth namely the earth from whence his mortall and vile genealogie was taken and with him also were Cesars vndiuified and for all their Senates proud relations were made to take vp the graue for their latter end and shame for their fame and wormes for their heritage as the Spirit foretelleth saying And he was cast downe vnto the earth and his Angels were throwne downe with him Verse 11. And I heard a great voice in heauen saying Now is made saluation and force and kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ because the accuser of our brethren is cast downe who accused them before the sight of our God day and night NEither was this famous victorie obtained in a corner or spoken in the eare but as the Spirit reporteth so valorously gotten and so audibly proclaimed that all the world heard the report thereof witnesse the records of those times at which the holy Ghost pointeth in these words And I heard a loud voice in heauen saying and sounding the victorie of Christ and Christianisme against the Dragon and his Angels his sorcerers and their prophane and idolatrous paganisme in these deuout diuine notes Now is made saluation and force and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ and yeeldeth a reason of this so pious and triumphant ioy because the folly and fury of the Dragon and his Angels which so continually accused the Saints and seruants of God for pestilent fellowes mouers of sedition maintainers of sects polluters of the Temple teachers of new gods enemies to Cesar wordsowers babblers blasphemers is now vpon setting and going downe for euer Which death and downfall of their spirituall whoredome the holy Ghost discloseth in saying because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth And for the greater comfort of the Church and iudgement of her enemies concludeth that there is a perfect courtroule kept as wel of the sufferings of the Saints as of the slanders of their foes so openly committed in the face of the Court and before a Iudge of so cleare a sight and eternall
memory as that they shall neuer be discharged or forgotten the Spirit inferreth saying who accused them before the sight of our God day night Verse 12. And they ouercame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimonie and they loued not their liues euen vnto the death LAst of all the holy Ghost discouereth the spirituall armour and weapons wherewith the Angels and seruants of Michael obtained this famous victory ouer the Dragon and his sectaries and saith that they were tempered of these two diuine vertues faith and patience For by the shield of faith which the Spirit by a metonymie calleth the blood of the Lamb and with the sword of his two witnesses and by the word of their testimonie they ouerthrew all forces and arguments drawn from reason or reading which the Spirit obserueth in these words And they ouercame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimonie and all such arguments as were drawne from the blocke as fire sword persecution interdiction and such like the children of the Church quenched them with teares prayers patience and martyrdome as their Lord had giuen them charge and left them example which the Spirit vncouereth in saying And they loued not their liues euen vnto the death Verse 13. Therefore reioyce O heauens and you that dwell in them Woe to the earth and to the sea because the diuell is descended to you hauing great wrath knowing that he hath but a little time AS after victory followeth diuision of spoile so the Spirit shuts vp this heauenly conquest with triumph and ioy inuiting thereunto all the Saints and seruants of God which haue from time to time maintained and defended the honour of his name against the Dragon his sorcerers and sorceries And because by their good profession and godly conuersation they testified the glorie of God as doe the heauens by their obedient conuersions the Spirit crowneth them with the name of the heauens saying Therefore reioyce O heauens and you that dwell in them And on the other part pronounceth woe first to all nations and kingdomes accessary to these spirituall whoredomes of the Dragon whom according to their earthly mind he most aptly resembleth to the earth next to the Empire it selfe as the scelerum caput and stable of iniquitie whom for his fearfull power and vnbridled rage the Spirit most elegantly calleth by the name of the Ocean and the sea and concludeth his woe with a reason why because both in one and other the power of Satan had taken such deepe roote that the more the light of the truth did bewray their madnesse the more they stroue and stormed against it and so much the rather because their sinne was now at the highest and that the kingdome of Christ did gather so fast vpon them that of necessity a mutation of their fortunes must needs follow with a subuersion not onely of their Paganisme but also of their power Cesaricall which the Spirit closely foldeth vp in these words Knowing that he hath but a little time which one Apostle also obserueth 2. Thess 2. Verse 14. And when the Dragon saw that he was throwne to the earth he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man child ANd when the raging Romane Empire saw that his maintenance of Iupiter and his idol art of making shrines was to descend for euer as among many voices some euen to this day are heard to crie vengeance vpon his idols inforcing them with shame to resigne their vsurped titles of gods and claime of heauen to the true Lord and owner thereof he took the course of the wicked whose custome is as one of their owne noteth malitia alia aliam trudere and to adde sin to sin as a holy one saith to quench his Deut. 29. thirst with drunkennesse for so proceeded this Beast adding to his blindnesse boldnesse redeeming his blasphemie with rage and persecution and was so far from coming to himselfe and taking vp repentance to wash away his crying sinnes that as the Spirit concludeth he more and more pursued the Church persecuted the woman which brought forth her first borne and primitiue fruit here called for their faith their patience and their godly valour the man child Verse 15. And there was giuen vnto the woman two wings of the great Eagle that she might flie into the desart vnto her place where she was nourished for a time and times and halfe a time from the face of the Serpent BVt the Lord who had so dearly bought his Shunamite was no lesse carefull to preserue and carry her to the place of her rest with a strong and out-stretched prouidence euen vpon his owne two wings whose feathers were made of the truth of his promse sealed and deliuered by the hand of his two witnesses which the Bridegroom of purpose left with his Spouse to accompanie and guide her whensoeuer she remoueth If she trauell by day they are her leading cloud if by night they are her pillar of fire if she flie they lend her wings if she wander they harbour her if she be naked they couer her if in prison they visit her if captiue they redeem her if she be weake they sustaine her if blind they leade her if she be heauie they comfort her if sicke they recouer her if she doubt they resolue her if she erre they direct her if she thirst they giue her to drinke and if she hunger they feed her and make her so strong of constitution that afflictions are reioycings to her banishment a hauen dispersion a friend losse and death aduantage And by these comforts as by hands they conuey her to her solitude and restlesse place of rest as the Spirit discouereth saying But there were giuen to the woman two wings of the great Eagle that she might flie into the desart vnto her resting place where euer since her primitiue dispersion she hath liued strewed and scattered far and neare ouer the face of the earth seene and knowne of her Lord by whom she is protected and of the children of wisedome of whom she is iustified and so doth and must remaine hidden and retired into the priuie chambers of Gods prouidence and her owne conscience during the reigne of Antichrist whose curst and arrogant supremacy was to rise out of the ashes of the Dragons Emperioritie as the holy Ghost prophecied And thus hiding her eminent primitiue graces must closely and silently keep the Lords watch and stand vpon her honorable guard three propheticall yeares and a halfe here as in Daniel determined by a time and times and half a time from the reach and rage of the Serpent his taile and successors Verse 16. And the Serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as it were a flood that he might make her to be carried away with the flood ANd when the Dragons traine of Cesars who for their malice to the truth and seducing the nations are here called by
of his Cesars and maner of the heathen And that we may the better discerne from whom those Proctors of Don Antichrist borrowed this their abominable Church-seruice the Spirit remembreth the repaired wound of their masters creditors pate mentioned in the third verse whose wound of death was cured Verse 13. And he did many signes so that he made fire to come downe from heauen to the earth in the sight of men THe holy Ghost hauing arraigned and condemned the Clergie of Antichrist touching their doctrine proceedeth further to detect their abomination and forgery in seeking to confirme their false doctrine by lying signes and works of wonder condemning therein first their vanitie secondly their presumptioÌ„ For as nothing can be more vaine and vngodly then to seeke by lying signes and wonders to confirme the doctrine of the Lamb and his seruants which is all sufficiently established by their owne magnificent and diuine miracles vnto which the Church of God vpon her allegiance is enioyned to subscribe so nothing can be more presumptuous and wicked then to attempt by signes and wonders the confirmation of any other doctrine then that which the Lamb and his two witnesses haue sealed and deliuered vnto vs according to the statute of God Deut. 13. And though their signes were many as the Spirit reporteth saying And he did many signes yet were they but forgeries and lies not wrought in truth dignitie but in falshood fallacie as our Lord himself and his seruant Paul foretold vs Mat. 24. 2. Thess 2. In which regard the holy Ghost squaring the miracles of these exorcists after the rule of their doctrine which was in shew the Lambs but in truth the diuels calleth also their lying signes heauenly fires saying so that he made fire to come downe from heauen to the earth in the sight of men not that they were in deed and in truth so but that they seemed so to be in the eyes of men because they were wrought by these vagabond exorcists vnder a pretended and colourable imitation of the name of the Lord Iesus who of all heauenly powers and fires is the true Lord and soueraigne commander that so these Clerks of Antichrist might be sutable in their wickednesse that as their doctrine was opposite to the truth of Christ so their wonders might contrary the power of Christ by a colourable imitation of the miracles of Christ and might be a true and perfect deprauation of the same Verse 14. And he seduced the inhabitants on the earth through the signes which were giuen him to do in the sight of the Beast saying vnto them that dwell on the earth that they should make the image of the Beast which had the stroke of the sword and liueth ANd the Spirit further disclosing the happie successe of these vnhappie brokers and slaues of Antichrist touching their mists and miracles foretelleth vs that as the first Elias by the miracles of heauenly fire did induce and draw the good vnto the feare of God so these imposters of Antichrist by the lure of their false and lying fires should seduce and draw all dung-hill and earthly minded men from the feare of God in such sure and deuoted sort as that they should perswade them to make the picture and image of the Beasts religion and to embrace and erect such a Christianisme as should in all points counterfeit and represent the Paganisme of the Dragon attiring and decking Iupiters prophanation with the holy and honorable names of God Iesus Spirit Scriptures Church Sacraments Saints c. like excellent Comedians who decke themselues with Crownes Scepters purples and representations of Kings whenas indeed they are the basest of the people And as the Lord commanded his seruant Moses to erect such a Tabernacle of witnesse here on earth as should be in all points after the Idea modell and platforme of that diuine and eternall Tabernacle which he saw in the mount so Antichrist Lord of misrule commanded his propudious Clergie to cause all people nations and kingdomes to set vp such a Christianity as should in all points answer the Idea modell and platforme of that prophane and execrable heathenisme wherewith he saw the Gentiles enamoured and hereby so strongly seduced the inhabitants on earth that they verily thought the mysterie of Iniquitie to be pure and vndefiled Christianitie and that the abomination of desolation forespoken by Daniel the Prophet is the onely true ancient Catholique and Apostolique religion teaching them that perish by consenting vnto lies that they ought to worship God as the Gentiles did worship Iupiter perswading them that as the Gentiles had their Arae so Christians must haue their Altars and as the heathen had their bloody sacrifices so Christians must haue their vnbloody sacrifices and offer bread and wine to God as the heathen did to Ceres and Bacchus and as the Pagans had their Poutifex maximus so ChristiaÌ„s must haue their Pope and as Ethnicks had their Sacerdotes so must Christians haue their Priests and as the Gentiles had their gods and goddesses so must Christians haue their he Saints and she Saints and as the Dragon had his Pantheon so Antichrist must haue his All Saints and as the heathen had their idols so Christians must haue their images and as the Pagans did consecrate their Temples to Idols so Christians must dedicate their Churches to Saints and as the Ethnicks had their supplications so Christians must haue their processions and as the Gentiles had their lustrations so Christians must haue their holy water and as the Dragon in his Church-seruice had his Cerei so Antichrist in his Church-seruice must haue candles and as the Dragon had his Acerra or Thuribles so Antichrist must haue his Censors and as the Dragon had his Nouendiall sacrifices so must Antichrist haue his Masses of Requiem and as the Dragon had his Hecatombes so Antichrist must haue his Trentals and as the Dâ—agon had his Colledges SodaliuÌ„ and Arvalium fratraÌ„ so must Antichrist haue his Cloisters of Monks and Friers and as the Dragon had his Vestals so Antichrist must haue his Nunnes and Sanctimonials and as the Dragon did celebrate the birth dayes of his Cesars so Antichrist must solemnize the natiuitie of his Saints and as the Dragon had his Annals so must Antichrist haue his Legends and as the Dragon had his secular Spectacles so Antichrist must haue his Iubilees and as the Dragon had his Bacchanals so Antichrist must haue his Carnivals and as the Dragon had his Lupanaries so must Antichrist haue his Stewes and as the Dragon had his inchanters so Antichrist must haue his exorcists and as the Dragon had his Asyla so Antichrist must haue his Sanctuaries and as the Dragon had his Exequies and Parentals so Antichrist must haue his Diriges and his de profundis and as the Dragon had his comitia centariata so Antichrist must haue his Councels oecumenicall and as the Beast had his comitia curiata so Antichrist must haue his