5. Mat. 8. Luc. 13. our Lord Ioh. 15. and 16. Luc. 23. Eb. 9. Of Purgatorie The impudencie of them which would establish Purgatorie is vnspeakable Moyses hath not one syllable that way therefore it can not be in religion They that wrote in Iudah for the Maccabees storie make but two states as resurrection to honor and shame from Dan. 12. Saint Paul professing difference from Scribes but in the incarnation and resurrection of Christ where they hold but Paradise and Gehenna concludeth that he helde no moe places for soules Where Saint Paul handleth a commune place of teachers what doctrine will abide sound what fire of iudgement will consume as stubble they that hence would haue soules fier out of this world little regard Paul He taught nothing but what Moses and the Prophetes taught But no Thalmudiques who best knew their tongue could finde a purgatorie in thē therefore Saint Paul taught it not Of the second of the Maccabees The second of the Maccabees doth the Pope must aestime chap. 12. for sacrifice for the dead but litle considereth the vilenesse of that booke Iewes would tell him that it was Hagada a fable made vpon phrases as where they sacrifice Ezr. 2. and no mention is of fire he feigneth a most ridiculous fable of fire hid by the sacrificers when they were caried to Persia forsooth not Babilon and found by their posteritie turned into a thicke water which when wood and sacrifice was brought Nehemias bade them annoint both with this water and the Sunne shone and kindled a great fire Who would not iudge this to be a most ridiculous fable By what witt could the sacrificers dreame of such matter that fire could be turned into water or by shun-shining kindled please God It must be kept vnquenched The whole consent of Iewes in the chaine of their Cabala saith fire from heauen kindled the sacrifice A man would thinke the whole Nation in a sensible matter should be of more credite then obscure Iason of Cyren Moreouer Zorobabel of Salathiel not Nehemias of Chilkia was gouernor at the returne But iesters vpon phrases in Iarchi make Cyrus and Artax all one because Cyrus end is not recorded So in Iarchi they make Zorobabel and Nehemias to be all one for memorie of phrase that Zorobabels remoning is not recorded They that cannot iudge betwixt a ridiculous fable and a sad storie are in great darknesse So the fable of Ieremias hiding the Tabernacle and the Arke and Altar of Incense in mount Choreb is not heard of in the Thalmud nor agreeable to reason And the Law of the eternall God not to regard Iewes fables heere taketh place and they bee lawlesse that breake that Law This much for the whole booke made one frō fiue of Iason of Cyren that little knew Moses or yet Ierusalems storie Of Iudahs sacrifice In Iudahs sacrifice the Writers speach doteth Iudah doubted not but that they slept in godlinesse Chapter 12. 45. And what foole euer spake so senselesse as this is if hee had not hoped for the resurrection it had beene in vaine to pray for the dead vers 44. Now what sense can bee in that speach that sacrifice should helpe the resurrection The storie durst not touch any ease to the soule for that had strouen with all Talmudiques Maymony sheweth they offred for the dead the heir did in Siphra Col. 31. But no otherwise then as paying a debt which the predecessor should haue payed heere And that when they doubted not of the others saluation but honouring him in paying that which the other should haue payde And Iason of Cyren harped at such a string but could not bring his minde about Now the Popes Purgatorie is holpen nothing hence from a trifling booke and sencelesse speach and wrested beyond all religion of the Iewes Epilogue As the two Prophetes were seene called vp into heauen in vision so all faithfull soules by scripture trueth are to be seene called hence into the ioy of Christ What the Greeke Fathers thought of Purgatorie The Greeke Fathers should bee thought to vnderstand the Greeke Testament better then Latin and none of them could finde Purgatorie there but grant all holy a passage hence to the Kinglie Palaces some staggered at the speach Ebr. chap. xj They without vs were not perfected Saint Paul in all that heauenly Epistle disputeth of the Gospell perfection to the Law and of perfection of Doctrine in this world and he had shewed in the same Chapter That the Fathers desired the heauenly Citie God prepared that for them so they who denie the Fathers perfection by S. Paul marke him not well Basill did once vpon Psal 49. but called himselfe backe vpon Psal 15. and often And Chrysostome who seemed to stagger placed Lazarus and Abraham in the kingdome of heauen 2. Corinth homil 6. Mat. 8. Luc. cap. 13. and the principall Diuines in Theophyl vpon Luc. chap. 23. and vpon the Psalmes and in Photius Librarie Philo in Greekes and Iosephus I haue cited and Azarias who turned into Ebrew Philoes wordes And the Greekes bee greatly iniuried when Limbus Patrum is fastened vpon them Hegesippus and others that wrote the Maccabees martyrdome doubted not but that they went hence to saluation Dan. 12. And it had beene an infinite disgrace to our Greeke Doctores if they could not see so much by the New Testament Now let vs returne to the text And at that houre there was a great earth quake and a tenth part of the Citie fell and there were killed by the earth quake 7000. persons of men and the rest were afraid and gaue glorie to the God of heauen When the Popes persequution came to ripenesse then Princes by warres shake him off as in Germany Englande Zwitzerland and Netherland And Christ heere roareth like a Lion and the 7. thunders tell the thunder of his power In Venice he is now a mockage and hath but Spaine to his strength Queene Maries persequutiō is now turned against the Pope and his stirring Irish to rebell vndid Ireland And now his men the chiefest in learning sticke litle to him and speake to his ouerthrow not much lesse then we doe And now the Dukedome of Cleaue will make him weake in Germanie If Geneueans would leaue their Gehēnean torment and our side prophecie soūdly we should weakē him more by learning then by strength of speare seeing the best learned of his owne side labor for vs as Arias Montanus hath done in much about Plantines great Bible the best learned Papistes reioyce to see Daniel his 7. fold comfort of Nathans house and the certen yere of the Lordes supper to haue no more the body and blood of a Lambe his body and bloud of Couenant but Bread Wine to shew that no more flesh bloud may bee in sacrifice In Ebrew Greek Latin they saw Iewes request answered and were very thankfull in speach and letters and shew that now they would soone cast off the king of
quiet words calmed boysterous preparation of warres But my hast cannot suffer stay And so sayd many strangers at Basil and French were earnest to bring me to their King And what will to my rare honour the state of Basil Zurick and Berne meant I will let them write Now for Iesuites humanity D. Pistorius himself four yeares agoe asked M. Hakewill of Oxford at Friburge of me whether I was alive He said he left me at Francfurt then said he I am hartily glad and gave high good words Now he is dead and I am sory for I hoped to turn him Now two Cardinalls of Rome Caesar Baronius as the Iesuites of Mentz told me and an other whose letters were intercepted at Heidelberge of him I heard no more obteyned of Pope Clement a principall Cardinalship for me and dealt with Mentz Iesuites to perswade me who when they could not Archb. Ioh. Adami would have had me of his court and obteyned that in Chapter saying that he reioyced more for my honouring of him with dedication of my Greeke translation of the Prophetes then for his late election to be Prince of the Empire And he should by order have part of his court Protestantes and he spake of me as not misliking my religion But then Q. E. died and I returned and he died soone after None but shamelesse will denie this Now this is past all deniall that Mentz gaue me leave to print in Greeke my owne Religion That brake the neck of Purgatorie besides other Papistique great poincts Of this the best of Paris wrote to Franckfurt to the Kings agent that of nine hundred yeeres so much was never obteyned of the Pope as that booke obteyned Rome must allow what Mentz alloweth And if Haides have but two places as they graunt Heaven and hell Purgatory must give back all the land that it wan Furthermore when my book of Concent came in Latin Pater Baltasar Ezelius in the hearing of his felowes in their college at Mentz spake as by common consent We allow all that that book hath This I have printed in Latin and I am sure he will not deny it and when we are both dead none may seing in my life time it is not denyed So this much is graunted me of Rome to assure the simplest so far how far the city is sunk And badnes or madnes geveth Nabal for name Nabala for fame to him that will not see how vpon this Rome graunt the comment vpon the Apocalyps is past reply I have turned the Apocalyps into Hebrew and so I would expound it if the Turky merchants would pay the charges If they refuse I will leaue them to try whether strange shipwrack shall revenge them Their agent L. Ed. Barton gave the beginning writing thus If M r. Br. may be brought to Const. that may turne to the common good of Christendome This he sent to M r. Stapers Seing our age fleeth wee should sell all to buy the Pearle of heaven Let the just be just still The summe of the Apocalyps IOhns Apocalyps telleth that Christ shewed the state to come to the ende of the world a vision of himselfe as vnto Daniel chap. 10. this doth hee chap. 1. And in singular sweetnes to the seaven starres in the seaven golden Candlestickes all these partes be applyed with addition against all Arrianes that the Eternall the sonne of God the Creator of the world is he that appeared vnto Daniel So Iohn expoundeth Daniel into Salvation of all Iewes of grace This goeth through chap. 2. 3. in easie facilitie Now for tymes to come this appeareth chap. 4. God on a throne fitteth a iudge like Iasper for Beniamins temple Sardius as Ruben to fight for the tribes And Christians in state Persones are 24. Bishops and besides goodly this in chap. 4. Then the Lambe and Lion openeth the Booke of seaven seales chap. 5. then hee cometh further against Caesares on horse white with plaguing riders vpon red blacke pale For the martyrs who crave to destroy the Empire but are bid to expect Diocletianes persecution Then shall their profane world be rowled vp chap. 6. After that a generall apostasie commeth chap. 7. Howe that falleth out the seaventh seale doth shew Christ standeth at the golden Altar to receive all prayers Rome bendes a policy against all this Therevpon Christ as in Ezekiel casteth fire into the earth and Angels trompetters sound howe haile and fire is mixt with blood by that Popes bee made a mountaine so a mountaine of fire cast into the worlds sea to set all on fire when the starre-Byshop falleth from his heavens to turne the Law-waters into wormewood and to darken the chiefe Sunne Moone and Starres comming vp by falling and by turning the Scriptures into gall soone darkening the third part of the Church that three woes are pronounced chap. 8. By his keies of the pitt whence he fetched the wormwood of his haeresies he bringeth locastes of Monkes to devour all the West and able to make warres and becommeth King of Locusts and maketh warres and so becommeth a firie mountaine to make haile and fire mixt with blood This was one woe He weakned the East Empire to set vp the Saracens and is plagued from Euphrates as his Idolatry and treachery turned away the East chap. 9. Christ reviveth the Gospell when men eate the little booke teaching againe how hee is the Angell of Covenant and Mediator for the faithfull chap. 10. Martyrs bring policies to see what the king of Locusts his Citie or policie is and he falleth and the Gospell is restored and he falleth with worlds ende chap. 11. The same matter is repeated for Caesares and Pope in a dragon of Romane Armes As it was called Egypt chap. 11. and Pharaoh a Dragon Esai 27. The vpper parte of the Dragon is shewed to be the Romane Empire one compiled of the foure in Daniel and the taile is expounded to be the beast arising from the earth chap. 11. or King of Locusts chap. 9. he reuiueth the former empire so that none can live in it without his marke chap. 13. His marke is to force Christians to Idolatrie For which vilanie Romane Babilon is told of a fall chap. 14. By vrging Idolatry he driveth from his Aegypt the Church through a sea of fire and fagot into the wildernesse Where the Tabernacle built hath a smoke of Gods anger and Angels seaven plague him as hee plagued all vnder the seaven Trompets Chapter 16. For that our holy Martyrs calling for vengeance from vnder the Altar rowled vp also the Popes heaven as a booke rowled The Beast revived hath no difference from the former but in bloody color and the daughter Rome riding vpon it all bloody Chapter 17. Rome shall fall as Babilon Tyrus did Chapter 18. It shall fall when all nationes sing Halelu-Iah vpon the destruction of the wicked with vnderstanding Then the WORD of GOD will catch the Beast-false-prophet the whole Dragon revived
of Iohn These be wholy for contempt of this world and cleane contrarie to the Popes doctrine as his Apocalyps Of Iude. Hee in teaching of Iewes fall by the Rebels in the wildernesse by the Angells that fell and by the vncleane Cities brent from heauen warneth not to bragg that the Church cannot erre And where Iewes thought gouernement a tyranny he sheweth from Talmudique vpon Moses Buriall Midras Rabba Aboth Rabbi Nathan and others that MICHAEL the Archangell could not suffer Satan to speak slander of king Moyses So hee will not suffer Popes to blaspheme Kinges But the Popes vnderstand not so much as Iudes text to know MICHAEL to bee IEHOVA but make him a created Spirit such blinde batts they be And thus all the scripture agreeth as harpes to follow the LAMBE whose doctrine the Pope stayneth by idolatrie that none can vnderstand the drift of the Scripture but the hundred forty and foure thousand These be they which haue not beene defiled by women For they bee Virgins This speach is taken from the song of songes which saith O that he would kisse mee with the kisses of his lippes for thy loue is better then wine Thy name is oynctment poured out therefore the Virgins loue thee Draw mee and wee will runne after thee None may thinke that mariage is a pollution But this speach is a trope for the virginitie of the minde free from Idolatry which is spirituall whoordome These follow the LAMBE which way soeuer hee goeth being the first fruite for God and the Lambe and there is no guile found in their mouth for they are syncere before God and the Lambe They follow the warrant of Gods word for euery thing and bee bought from men the first fruites for God and the Lambe which was a small part of the whole and they hold no haeresie but hold them only happy whose sinne is forgiuen and whose iniquitie is couered as Psal 32. be iust before God in the iustice of Christ The Combat of the 144000. And I saw another Angell fleeing in the sky hauing the aeternall Gospell to preach to them that dwell vpon the earth euery nation and tribe and tongue and people Saying with a great voice Feare God and giue him glory for the houre of his iudgment is come worship him which made the heauen and the earth the sea and the fountaines of water In the seuenth chap Martyrdome was shewed but without telling by whom In chap. XI the Persecuter was told and the persecuted were called two prophets and chap. 12. the Persecuter is double the vpper part of the Dragon and the taile and the persecuted is the woman clothed with the sun but the cause of persecution is not told chap. 13. describeth the Dragon by sure state specially in the Empire reuiued by the Pope and how no man could liue in the Empire without his profession Now that it standeth manifestly in Idolatrie that is heere told and persecution is for preaching that God onely must be worshipped and not the Empire or Pope and Idolls For now God will defend his flock which of long tyme he suffred to be deceiued Now he will iudge and defend their cause The Popes Idolatry is in worship to Mary and creatures called saintes and in prayer to them due only to God creator of all things of whose power creatures put vs in minde and he will not our inuention Now of Idolatry the next Angell telleth how God will reuenge the Citie And another Angell followed saying BABYLON the great City is fallen is fallen Because she hath made all nations drinke of the Wine of the anger of her fornication The old BABYLON now had no auctority to force Idolatrie while it was vnder the Greeke Empire or Turke which hateth Idolls But now Rome beareth sway so shaken from tongue of scripture as old Babylon from Adams tongue which remayned in the house of Heber and farre passed the old Babel in Idolatrie Therefore ruyne is spoken to be sure for it as fell by Isaiah 21. and Ierem. 51. vpon the old Babel And a third Angell followed them saying with a great voice if any worship the beast and his Image that is taketh a marke on his forehead or hand he also shall drinke of the Wine of the anger of God the Wine mixed in the cuppe of his anger and shal be tormented in fire and brimston before the holy Angells and before the Lambe and the smoke of their torment ascendeth for euer and euer And they haue no rest day nor night if any worship the beast and his Image that is if any take the marke of his name Heere is the pacience of the saintes tried heere are they tryed which keepe the commandements of God and the faith of IESVS Patience in this sorte heere and faith of the sainctes was equally spoken of in the profane Caesares dayes heere greater terror is set downe and fit warning against the subtile work of Satan by man of sin to deceiue if it were possible the elect One poinct heere is to be noted that Gehenna is on high no lesse then Paradise as in Leui. cha 26. before the angry face of God So the Iewes in Cether Malcuth folio 11. hold that on high place of torment is no lesse then place of ioy They who thinke that soules descend and that the holy were in Hell and after warning hold this should feare the punishment heere described And the reformed Churches as Zurick take the wisest order that destroy all the Popes markes and most straitly looke to scholars cariage twise in the yeare and referre all punishments to the Consul and Synedrion such was the Apostles doctrine and the Synagogues of old Great reuenues are now most needfull to breede learned to deale with Papist and Iewes But Simon Magus Buyshopps should haue no place in the Church following the Buy-shopps of Rome As Ananias the painted wall and Eleazar his sonne in Raba caused Ierusalem to bee destroyed So one like may bring an whole nation vnder curse And I heard a voice from heauen saying to mee write Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from this praesent Euen so saith the Spirit to rest from their labours and their workes follow with them Because in tyme of blindnesse none could buy nor sell in Popes Kingdome but of his profession other were killed heere is a sure comfort to strengthen the martyrs God who knoweth all being the speaker from heauen that praesentlie after death they are fully happy which dy for Gods truth or in faith to rest from the labours of this life and their workes follow with them their open profession that God onely is to be worshipped and their carefull life teaching all to consider still as all must dy so praesently followeth iudgement Comparisons of phrases for holy soules departed When the fift seale was opened chapter 6. Iohn saw the soules of them which were killed for the Word
eyes whereof one shall see more then millions of Papists full of courage readines to be sacrificed as Timotheus at Ephesus and Polycarpus at Smyrna and at Pergamus Antipas and full of wise pleading as Paul to King Agrippa and of high flight into the heavens carying soules thither not as in Campus Martius when for the Caesars funeral a summer house is made and full of spice and in a corner an eagle is and when it is set on fyre the eagle is let out and fleed high and is sayd to cary the Caesars soule to the Gods Herodian lib. 11. These have a true hight and have six wings two to cover their face from looking into Gods counsell aboue reach two to cover their feet that their wayes be not called into sight two to flee in their course as Vzielides expoundeth Es 6. And the whole bent of these tendeth to honour God And by their examples the common congregation acknowledgeth the holy Trinity and the Creator where the heathen have no lamp of grace not the best learned of them not one spirit of seven Their sage as Pythagoras in tongue confessed God to be one But they knew not the trinity and that the Sonne would be manifested in the flesh to come a man looking through our walles and to come a Iudge of all nor that he framed the world for man because he would dwell in a tabernacle in vs. In the heavenly policy of the Gospell this must be proper to true Christians who finding a victory cast down their crownes when they come before God The Scribes confesse all that we cōfesse The trinity of old confessed they as their workes yet shew which might have broken the Arians necks if Greek pride had submitted them to learne Thalmudique studies One errour in the root maketh a million in the branches CHAP. V. The counsel of God is hid how he will vse the prophane Caesars and how man of sin will afterwardes exalt himself in the Temple of God Moyses by Balaam tould but briefly that Italy should afflict Heber be perishing vnto the end Daniel speaketh nothing of the Romans afflicting the faithfull But shewing that the Image and four beastes being cōsumed by our Lords first comming into the world by implication he sheweth that Italy should kill Christ destroy Ierusalem and so breed a new Image of a beast But his pictures end in the Macedonians Our Lord in Math. 24. only toucheth deceit and vexation and S. Paul 2 Thes 2. sheweth that Emperour shall hould on till he be taken away then shall man of sin shew himselfe in the Temple as if he were God Adoni kam a Lord standing sure But how the Emperour should be vsed and Pope come vp and fall that Daniel meddled not withall who dealt most of kingdomes And proclamation that none in heaven nor on the earth could open the book telleth that he medled not with Antichrist nor Caesars punishment Iohns weping that none could open the book telleth that the matter is of great vse that they shall have weeping and gnashing of teeth which contemne the matter Now one of the 24. Bishops hearing the person of a Doctor said to him being in his traunse now as a child that the Lyon of Iuda spoken of through the Prophets and specially Num. 24. how he should vnwall and subdue al the sonnes of Seth and is the roote of David his figure who conquered all resisters set vp religion he will tell what Esay spake of his conquests So Christ standeth at the mids of Gods throne in a playn description a lambe Iohn 1. as one that had been slain Mat. 27. slain by Rome vpon whom the revenge must goe having seven horns of power to revenge Satan with his sevē heads and seven eyes which be seven spirits of his providence sending Angels over the earth as in building Ierusalem Zach. 1. and 2. and 6. And he taketh the book from God as Chap. 1. 1. as Mediatour now though he were in the glory of GOD and held it no robbery to be equall with God and then the rare wightes and 24. Doctours pray him to open the state to come and all creatures shew that they shall serve Christ when Idolaters be destroyed CHAP. VI. The Lyon harted the pacient ox the wise man the high fighted eagle tell how by his martyrs he buildeth the Church and for their prayer the Caesars shall have war stil bloudy warre great famine that corne wil be as deare as spice that a bath choenix a pottle wil be sold for the Romane Denarius about half a french crown though GOD strike not vines and olives but in wrath remembreth mercy Such warre that bloud death famine and pestilence shall make a riddance of the fourth part of men This cometh in revenge of the martyrs In Aboth Rab. Nathan in Moses life all the just soulesly vnder the throne of glory Here the terme Altar teacheth that by Christ the Altar they have justice Neyther Scribes nor Apostles knew purgatory Covetousnes bred the teachers slouth and contempt of truth the beleevers They are told that they must have patience a while till martyrs blood be seed to make a Church of a sufficient number to have a Christian empire Then the prophane policies shall have an earthquake their sun of stately empire shal be turned to blacknes their moone of Princes into blood their starres shall fall as olives shaken their heaven shal be lapped vp as a rowl al Ilands and mountaines shal be changed for them Iohn from Esa 2. and 14 and 34 and Ose 10. seeth a vision fitted to their speches that by considering Iudaes fall the ten tribes fall Assurs fall and Daniels Image we may be sure of the Caesars fall and he expoundeth himself the Prophets That Kings great men rich and Coronelles the mighty shall hide themselves and wish as Samaria that mountaynes might hide them from the anger of the Lamb. And so he teach Iewes that for contempt of Christ their destructions came The five seales are not distinguished in time but in common place of victory war famine and both with plague and martyrdome all these in times come sometimes at once The sixt toucheth Constantines dayes Then an vnspeakable riddance was made after Dioclesians persecution that twelve Augusti and Caesars consume one another till all came to the sonne of our Helena who in the ends of the earth made the possession of Christ cometh to York to Constantius his Father that had Christians his chief men and by him is made his heyr of empire and by them and our nation and the neare in the end is alone the Emperour of the world and leaveth the Rome that crucified by the Gospell and 2. Thes 2. where in 100. yeares the slothfull Popes could not make Caesar good but were caught in their lying that Peter should long sit at Rome who expresly writeth that he kept about Babylon Rome in Italy is hated for Idolatry
Now this false Prophet forging himself taught by the Angel Gabriel taketh Daniels terme in the highest sense Machmad delite it self Rashi telleth that because he humbled himself before GOD in fasting and prayer he was so called But Turk and Pope will have the holynes of Apollo past repentance CHAP. X. Now commeth a most lively description of Christ opening himself from Esa 19. and 54. and Genes 9. and Apoc. 4. Daniel 10. and Exod. 14. and Dan. 12. and Es 31. and Iob for the thunder of his power which is past vnderstanding and shall not be perceived of the Pope till the next trumpetter or common place teacher soundeth and endeth the world Now the Angel biddeth Iohn take from Christ the litle book of the Gospell and to eat it which was sweet in his mouth in preaching but bitter in affliction and to the enemy also as Ezekiels book CHAP. XI Iohn sheweth that the Church shall be built as Ierusalem freed from Babel vnder Zorobabel and Iesus when Zachary seeth an Angel with a reed meating the length breadth So Iohn hath a reed to meat the tēple and altar that is from the litle book to shew the breadth and length and depth and height of the love of God in Christ Christ himself is the temple Therefore to check Thalmudiques which to this day look for a third temple as sheweth Rambam whom vpon Koheleth Salomon the oratour I have cited and translated to check them he sheweth court of sacrificing is geven to the heathen and Ezekiels goodly citie is a city of affliction as Christ was afflicted 42. monethes Zacharies olive trees Zorobabel with Israel and IESVS with Levi and candelstick of Gods fauour Churches Chapter 1. revived Here is a new Elias a new Moyses to call fyer from heaven and to stay all dew of grace and successe and to turne their waters of armies into blood to plague their enemies with all kind of plague The experience followeth The combat of the King of Locusts with the Martyrs When the Martyrs begin to revive the Gospell the city which is called for spiritual vncleannes of religion spiritually Sodoma for cruelty against Israel Aegypt setteth fourth the King of Locustes who commeth with his Locustes winges of chariots and warre horses and fighteth in all nations with these two captaynes of Martyrs and killeth them and their case is playne how they are murthered as if a Crowners quest went vpon the policy that crucified Christ after his preaching 42. moneths or dayes 1260. or yeares three and an half Now as Beda and Carthusianus well note in three yeares and an half all time of preaching Christ in memorie of his preaching so long so the time of their noted death while their ashes may be seen and they are not put in grave is in a proportion called three dayes and an half Now that all may know that two yeare is not proper twise one but as all the returned from Chaldea Babylon be two Zach. Ch. 4. and 5. So the witnesses of truth that leave spirituall Babel all are in that sense called two and the citie which killeth them in peoples tribes tongues and nations is not a building of houses but a building of policie So the two be not two men but two companies and the dwellers in earth would not reioyce and send giftes one to another as Iewes against Haman in Ester for two but for the companies of two sorts rare wightes full of eyes 24. Bishops and the troupes that give glorie to God and the Lambe and pray onely to the Lambe the great God and Saviour these in all nations where the king of Locustes tyranny reacheth are the two Prophets who vexe them whose mindes dwell on earth and cannot see the heavenly policy of Christ In that sense after three dayes an half spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood vp and feare fel vpon their enemies and they heard a great voice from heavē saying vnto them come vp hither and they ascēded vnto heaven in a cloud and their enemies saw it Iohns vision went vpon two and vpon one city one beast But Romes policy the king of pit keyes with his Locustes and the states that write and fight against them must be meant of whom when one is dead an other is alive iump in the same veine as though it were the same man and their enemies see they goe vp to heaven and the beast which is ascended out of Abyssos that is all his corporatiō millions of millions these visions represent corporations and vnder one millions of men be told all Papistes goe from their Abyssos of black ignorance vnto Abyssos Luke 8. and Zohar vpon Genes 1. 2. whither the Divels shall come in their time but are yet in this world to be tormented for ever and ever After this teaching and fighting a great earthquake shaketh a tenth part of the king of Locusts city which crucified Christ and prayeth to the virgin Mary to commaund her sonne the Eternall God by the right of a mother as though she were mother to the godhead because shee was mother to the Person one of two natures And they are very wise who thinke the mother of God in schoole phrase can finde no better speculation in heaven then to listen to the Citie that crucified the Lord of glory Iscariot the traitour confessed his fault yet Christ gave him over to hang him selfe Rome that kild Christ after justifying him sinning so against the holy Ghost and sinning more then if they had kild all the men in the world yet is worse then Iscariot and wil not cōfesse sin but clayme right to rule the world because once they durst crucifie the maker of the world and pray to the Virgin Marie to forgive the Popes holynes the Vicar of Pilate In Elias 7000. bowed not the knee to Baal and live In this Citie 7000. that bow the knee to Baal dye are kild in vision 7000. in storie seaventie millions of thousandes with this 120. yeares of the Gospell revived And full many give glory to God and leave the virgin Mary alone to be happy as other faithfull Bathshebagh Ruth Thamar and Sarah al her mothers and who more in sin yet stayed vpō her sonne who was then in their loynes Thus the second woe is past The Popes fall the seaventh trumpet of common place Since Kingdomes match the Pope in strength and have brought him that he dare not queck but be content to hold his owne An open voice is in kingdomes that whereas the Pope hath been once cast out and now God reigneth wee looke for no chaunge till the resurrection at 6000. by old guesse Hence at 463. For our Lord was borne at 3927. adde 1610. then now Adams soule and dust hath 55 37. at 463. the gesse will shew it self At 3000. the Arke was brought into Salomons Temple at 4000. exactly the Romanes destroyed Zerobabels temple And as the Pope falleth by steppes as he
came vp not all at once so 463. yeares may Spain and Italy holde him vp while Archbishops and Bishops Pastours and Curates have too much stipend and authoritie but litle learning in the holy booke for wisedome vnto life As Agamemnon sayd of Nestor that ten such would soone fel Priamus citie so ten Kinges that would clear the Revelation to Hebrewes Greekes Latines and all tongues might hasten the Iewes calling but I am afrayd none saving our own will performe any promise that way to agree with Iewes that the Arke in the Temple is the holy man which is golden within without and hath the tables of 613. letters to which answer 613. lawes into which all wisedome falleth and none fayleth written in his hart and vpon the mercy seat all of gold stay the Cherubims looke When Christ is seene in his Temple of humanitie thus Papistry fayleth and falleth and from the Church dayly till the end lightening and voices and thundrings and earthquake and great hayle would make Aegypt and Rome to quayle But few desirous of divinitie have maintenance and ambitious in wealth spurne at soules health and kings see how much is spent in vaine and how scholers bend to gaine and so courts fall at Sardis Ch. 3. and the Pope may live yet Hebers yeares this present and 463. That this Trumpet may then speak to Ezekiels dead bones make them arise Ch. 37. as Apo. 20. all arise Thus in seales and Trumpets God hath once shewed all By seavens spirits hornes seales and trumpets to teach the prophane world of resurrection The same shal be repeated in beastes seaven headed and seaven Angells vnto a newe mention of the resurrection CHAP. XII A goodly signe appeared in the heaven The faithfull company is a Woman their abundance of grace of the gift of justice in Christ and regeneration in putting on Christ is a garment of the sun their contempt of all things vnder the sun is an having of the moon vnder her feet their doctrine from the twelve Apostles is a crowne of twelve stars Their desire to teach Christ to other soules is a travelling of child As the Sun is all bright so is the soule iustified in Christ bright as the sunne Cant. 6. though in it selfe it is black Cant. 1. and as the Moone often not all lightened but when it hath the Sunnes full light it appeareth as the morning as faire as any moon Cant. 6. Our crowne is the twelve Apostles doctrine who were all of equall truth though S. Paul laboured more then they all and from Rome wrote enough to have warned that city not to fight against Christ and so much as might teach the world that Peter was never near Rome but kept where God scattered the twelve tribes as the 12. most laboured to call the Iewes to teach the Gentiles This travelling of child teacheth vs what a care wee should have to teach Christ and so first to learne GODS book God is our first Bishop Ioh. 20. 29. in the 70. for El the ebr the Almighty Of men the King should be best learned as King Moses was King Iesus King Samuel King David King Salomon King Ezekias the wealthier by wisedome and greater then many Kings Daniel Belt es-sar that brake out a flame of sorrow to the wicked Chaldean who thought that Bel tas a far Bel held wealth Kings might soone be learned who might learne the holy words of both testamentes in two moneths and the concent of scripture in an houre and might commaund that every sermon should either abridge the whole Bible as S. Paul doth to the revoulting Ebrewes or tell the afflictions of our Lords family as Daniel doth seaven times over or weaknes of Salomons Kinges or how Aharons twelve stones tell the tribes story or the golden chayn of Chronicle and Iubilees or the mysteries of Moyses Ceremonyes or collations of prophecies with event or like revolutions to shew Gods facility in teaching Christ or some whole book in one sermon So Kings without payne might passe all in learning And our Vniversities might be so ruled but that the God of this world doth hinder that our DD. should speak Ebrew and Greek better then English and be readier in the Bible then in any other book or from their first preferment in collegies fast oftener then the Iesuites do for S. Laurence and all the Sainctes in heaven or live without college allowance A Samuel would make a Naioth And an Archbishop worthy of his place would make Daniel plaine in one houre and the Apocalyps in an other It is a wonderfull sinn to give men honour without desert and to be doltish scholers to vnlearned teachers We travel as Esay speaketh but we bring foorth onely a wynd The God of this world being incarnate in the Romans is busy in his generation Pharaoh Esa 27. was not such a Dracon nor the Persian God Dan. 6. to whom onely prayer must be The Goddes borne in Asia as Aeschylus termes them The Dracon whom Babylon worship in the fable Apocryph These were not such Dragons as the Romane Pompey Crassus Iulius Antonius Brutus with Cassius Augustus with the whole Empire till it died and the Empire revived by Pope these seaven heads of the Divel teach vs to know the Churches danger when their whole corporation maketh a great Dracon and their hornes ten be not as they in Daniel then Kings of ten men but ten kingdomes And the tayle the Prophet that telleth lyes Esa 9. draweth the third part of the starres to be wandring starres Iud. v. 13. and cast them into the earth as Daniel 8. Antiochus made Iewes Pharisees and Sadducees When our tongues trauel of Christ the Divel would by Rome devour that But he is taken vp into heaven who wil bruse all nations with an iron rod And the Church fled into the wildernes as Ioseph and Mary with Christ into Aegypt and is nourished as Christ in his half seaven Dan. 9. in his persecutions dayes 1260. Michael who in the forme of God held it no robery to be equall with God Michael who in Dan. 10. is the chief of the chief Princes the holy Angels and defendeth Iudah against the enemies Michael his angels the marryrs overcome Satan the Caesars that the Church shuts thē out of all accompt though Satan still accused them to the ten Persecuters So the Dragons tayle is busy in the Popes But the Church had as Israel Exod. 19. two wings of an Egle to flee from Dracon Pharaoh into the wildernes to be again fed after Christs persecutions a yeare two yeares half a yeare from Pope serpent that the Thebanes borne of this serpents teeth gnash Where was your Church before M. Luthers time when the King of Locusts A bad one Abaddon a new Apollo had from his keyes of the pit brought a smoke to darken sun and ayer And although the cloysters Idolatrous deserved as Israel in Amos to be caryed as with the river of Aegypt
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there and Psal 18. and 2. Sam. 22. and often is GOD only And in Deut. 32. a Prophecie is laid of the Rock a defender against the foure beastes that come out of the sea vpon which Rock the Church stood vntill the SON of Man like in body Dan. 10. to Tharshish or sea-like stone tooke part of their afflictions Now the WORD Eternall that gaue all reason the onely teacher in demaunding teacheth to answere saying Whom do men say that I the Sonne of man Dan 7. by Rabbins generall am The fisher of Galile that heard Daniel often read said from Dan. 9. Thou art CHRIST and holinesse there of all holinesse and therefore Psal 2. The Son of the liuing God Then CHRIST calleth him to Deut. 32. speaking Rock in Iobs Ebrew Vpon this Rock wil I build my Assembly that no courts by terrour of death shal be stronger then it Christ is Ceph thou as all that know him to be the Rock Cepha and as the Sanedrin maketh Doctor saying Take thou authoritie for thy keyes of knowledge to teach which is loose what is bound whom thou teachest that God was in the Rocke reconciling the world to him selfe he hath his sinnes loosed by thee on earth by the Rocke in heauen and who so beleeueth not that thou bindest his sinnes in earth and in heauen This matter is the summe of all and Greekes in Photius tell that Andrew was the Rocke before Symeon was And Cephas answered with all thought as well as hee wherefore all had equall comfort and so all godly And because this new sentence hath no new Diuinitie hee leaueth all after confession of the Rocke as knowing him selfe and Theophilus to haue as good right to the name of Cephas But hee by senioritie was to speake first for all and so the name for all must bee tolde to him that they who builde their house vpon the Rocke shall bee shaken with no Windes stormes waues The Sun is not brighter then this meaning for these wordes Let any who dare trye by a conference of holy Scriptures as I doe Now the Popos Daemon denying that Rome crucified CHRIST as Saint Peter denyed that Christ ought to dye and was termed Sathan for that Hee would haue this beleeued of all that Peter had a praerogatiue aboue all the Apostles and was at Rome and left to the Citie that crucified Christ for their good seruice a successour to pardon or to tye sinnes Fiftlie Hence Landes are giuen by Princes and specially in wast wilde groundes for Monasteries where men before rebelled that Monasteries giuing a chiefe rent and superstitious people being fed with hospitalitie wan much in three hundreth yeares that after Buy-shop Gregorie by Creontophonos Phocas helde Sathans throne and became stronger then the Emperour by this proceeding The Bible must not bee studied in Ebrew The Iewes marred it and in Greeke haeretiques As though there were not most learned Christians that could looke to both And this was pretence to pray still neuer to teach trueth and to giue the people in Latin Niene commandements for Tenne And the Creed with a translation that white was blacke that to goe to Paradise in the Greeke Creed should be translated to descend to hell to Gehenna in olde Chrysologus and that the Fathers were there So the Popes Clyents are the tayle of the great Dragon Moreouer the Lordes prayer for many thousande poundes Landes they might haue but maymed to disgrace all auctoritie of the New Testament But they neuer taught the meaning of the Lordes prayer that when we pray we pray vnto the Father which is in heauen That did Pope Daemon disannul sitting in the Temple of God as if HE were God And he teacheth to pray to all from whose name he could get any lande to Marie though Rome killed her sonne to Peter though Rome by auctoritie made him a martyr farre off to Apostles and other Martyrs that Rome martyred as though Apoc. 6. vnder the fift seale all these did not craue vengeance against the beastes of the earth that killed them Moreouer to busie Princes they say If Popingayes sayd ouer Pater noster so often they should haue so many yeares pardon in a new inuented fierie bath of Purgatorie stinging poore soules like scorpions fiue hundred yeares before their Diuels doctrine was espied About the yeare 600. they tamed East proude Prelates and goe on thus From Leui they will make an order and haue an altar and an Aharon with a cope and holinesse in the forehead and Levites in Linnen and the name Priest and of bread they can make flesh and of wine blood and they breake Abben Ezraes rule praef to Moses allowed of all that nothing must be taken properly which goeth against all sense So they will not have the Lordes death to end all sacrifice by the supper But will make the supper a sacrifice against all witt and learning And the Pope is an Aharon and the Priests lippes will keepe knowledge Mal. 2. where hee tells them they did not but should therefore the Grecians would consume them as stubble Also they are flat Arrians praying to Michael who holdeth it not robbery to be equall with God as if he were a created Angell and not the Eternall Son the Angell standing at the golden Altar of incense his humanitie to receiue in the censor of grace our prayers These and such other treacheries against all the Byble first brought the third part of sunne moone and starres to be darkened in the third part but soone Christ the true sun and all ayer for brightnesse of Scripture And by these degrees Man of sinne became able as now 600. yeares wee finde to stirre haile and fire mixed with blood in the earth missing wholy of Religion and not as Turkes by ignorance but by couetous malice A crie expounding the first trumpets warning of fire and blood by scholars made a mountaine of fire cast into the sea by the star falling from his place a burning torch falling into the waters of scipture and making them bitter to darkening the third part of profession of Christianitie Iohn saw an Angell flying in the middes of the heauen saying wo wo wo to them that dwell in the earth from the voyces of the trumpet of the three Angels whose trumpet shall be heard In the open Church companies of godly were martyred for resisting the Locusts deceyuing of the world nowe leaving the zeale that Ephesus once had and the first Doctores in Italy and following Smirnean Iewes haeresie in apish renuing Leuitiques inflat Atheisme of altar cope linen priest sacrifice reuiuing Pergamus Balamites who for wealth and wantonnesse bred Monasteries ioyned to Nunries when Thyatirean Iezabels are with Baals Priests setting vp a newe Sardian dead wealth in profane riches and contemning Philadelphias true loue to saue soules But reuiuing Laodiceas falling to the manner of the world neither hoat in true zeale nor cold as open contemners but Chananean
locusts if they might haue good maintenance to hold vp better truth and liberall artes that serue trueths honor Of the third woe and last Trumpet The second woe is past behold the third woe commeth And the seuenth Angell sounded the Trumpet and there were great voices in the heauen saying the Kingdomes of the world are now of our God and his Christ And he shall reigne for euer and euer Where the kingdome of the beast Abyssigena bred from the Pit is gone all the Church proclame that CHRIST will haue no more alterations vntill he shew heauen to all his So the speach passeth to the worlds end The Prophets communely passe ouer matters of cōmon state as needlesse to be handled specially and stepp from one thing of plague presently to Messiahs kingdome as notably in Hosea after mention of Israels scattring the kingdom of Messias is ioyned So wen Esay had spoken of Babels fall after Sanecheribs then he steppeth thence to CHRIST his preaching By the voice of a crier in the wildernesse So Daniel telleth of his kingdomes their comming vp their vrging of Idolatrie their chastisement their ouerthrow omitting matters of ordinarie course where the present age would looke to it selfe So Apoca. 6. handleth the prophane Caesares and thence omitteth the Churches sliding away till it come to an absolute fall And then telleth of tyranny and after tyrannies end steppeth to the worldes end The third woe is the plague of the enimies by Kings of good religion continually vnto the end The summe of the Bible Great voices expresse the voice of whole nations and the Kingdome of God Christ the matter of all the Bible Adam had that theme to preach 930. yeares Sem the great by S. Paul and Gamalies likened to the eternal author of iustice peace figured this matter and confirmed Abraham in this 75. year reioyced in Elam troden downe by Abraham And all the large writings breathed by the holy Trinitie teach no other matter but this and punishments for contempt of this and nothing should be suffred in the Church but to this summe In the prayer which our Lord prescribed for a cōmon forme to the whole Congregation this conteyneth all Thy Kingdome come thy will be done on earth as it is in heauen So when Iohn Baptist opened the kingdome of Christ when the Leuiticall policie was to cease and all nations should serue God by Lawes writtē in the heart Rom. 2. Ier. 31. Then the kingdome of heauen is said to come when men humble themselues to receiue the iustice of Christ and to be clothed with the SVN The fulnesse of kingdome cōmeth when the holy soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leaueth this world goeth to God and there reigneth for euer and seeth the Locusts pitt-bred in Haides torment fryed in fire for euer and euer The pitt-bred beasts had sunne and aire much darkened when they knew not whether mans soule ascendeth or descendeth and whither the holy goeth to heauen or to hell This saying Caterchesthaeis haidon is neither more nor lesse then to goe to God when the godly haue a light place of ioye and the godlesse a darke place of torment And this exposition cutteth off at the least fifteene bad opinions direct bad for this article by consequents fifteene score The Kingdome heere spoken off is termed Haides in the Creede and wee may not put Hell for Heauen nor descending for going to God Purgatorie falleth when Haides hath but two partes Heauen and Hell and with it all Poperie Satan entred into many vnthankefull Caytifes that could not suffer the holy soules going into the kingdome to be most eloquentlie spoken in the Greeke Creede if they descend not to Hell as our Lord did in the Creede they shall ascend vp and before Gods throne haue an hell for euer and euer And the 24. Elders which sate on their thrones before God fell vpon their faces and worshipped God saying Wee praise thee O Eternall who is and who was and who will bee that thou takest vpon thee thy great power and doest reigne As the Nations haue kept a stirre thine anger is come and the tyme of the dead to be iudged and to giue rewardes to thy seruants the Prophetes and to the holy and to such as feare thy name The Elders be the Gouernors of Gods people in all offices specially in sage vsage of Scripture on assembly dayes all learned in the scriptures and able to giue faithfull exhortatiō out of it and all borne in wealth are brought vp amisse that are not gronuded in yong yeares to read with delite in the holy Booke Albion seeth who hath opened that way and faithlesse Iewes cōfesse though Atheā pāches for enuy burst These haue thrones before God not Buyshops and Archbuyshops of Papists But chosen of the holy congregation to teach what God telleth but as Moses gaue no commandement of his owne head nor Christ in the flesh but as he taught in Moses so these speake all frō scripture few wordes by old playne warrant and yet in few lines shake of all poperie all errores In number they be 24. as knowing the XII tribes story how the tribe should not depart from Iudah till his childe came and how the XII Apostles gathered the XII tribes to make them the foundation of the heauenly Ierusalem These are not many but 24. yet a resonable good number Many nobles in Albion and others that liue by their owne reuenues studie the Bible with as good dexterity as any feed-men and know it better then some after 42000. Brabant Gilders charges againe 40000 crownes charges such be humble and know Iehouah who is who was who will bee still the same to rule all ages to one summe of saluation in Christ how in him GOD was manifested in the flesh and taken vp in glory and the saluation of all ages Enosh age the flood Babel Ieroboam felt the price of despising this life And after the great saluation begun by the Lord himselfe to be spoken and confirmed by his hearers with all guiftes of the spirit for contempt the world was soone giuen ouer to Arius Pope and Turke yet God sealed a few and at length placeth them in open kingdomes to be seene though stil the greater part in open policy careth but for this life as in Salomons dayes all were of great shew but soone after his death Ephraim turned all but Iuda to worship calues not God So great Constantinus holpe Christians but few of his men cared for God So heere Popes Idols murder of the saincts cause God to shake him to dust as he shoke the Macedonians after Antiochus Epiphanes persequution That the Iewes receiued their owne kingdome vnder the Maccabees and that meanes the psalmes 97. and 99. and others about them howe the power of Christ breaketh Idoll kingdomes that God should take the protection of all into his owne handes So heere Elders shewe Popes strength cast of that others be so
sin should arise Both be heere in one dragon which the profane Caesares and the Popes can not perceiue They who be of the heauenly state they all do see the Dragon is the Diuill or accusar of God the great is the Diuells power by Rome the ruddy bloodie persecution His seauen heades are seauē states of Rome ouer THE FAITHFVL as the Iewes knew their story full well Pompei by Rome was an Emperour in the East But perished neere in the land of Cham. So in Iudah M. Crassus was after him armed ouer Iudah as a King for Rome who robbed the Temple of Salem of Abrahams house but at Abrahams Charan he and his army had a most famous destruction Iulius Caesar made Cleopatra Lady of Iudah who perished in Capitolio for that Brutus Cassius force after was a King for Rome They by Antoni perish Antoni hath the East and marieth Cleopatra and ruleth Iuda and both perish So fiue diademes of the Dragon perish The 6. state is the wholle power which crucified Christ and his members till our Helenaes sonne left Rome and New Troy to be a pillage to Alaricus Giezerichus Theodoricus Totilas for old persecuting of martyrs The seuenth is the Popes wealth getting landes by S. Peters forged supremacy and setting vp the Empire in the West These be the seauen diademes spoken to the Iewes plaine vnderstanding Heathen stories may fitt Romes 7. other states The more fall out fitt as often many do to one speach the more Rome that crucified Christ is condemned when GOD turneth continuall reuolution to haue Rome called into minde Moreouer the allusion is to Daniels foure beastes which had 7. heades The Lion one the Beare one the Leopard foure the fourth beast one The Roman state winning all those contreyes of the East are fitly noted by their armes And specially by the then hornes The Seleucidae by fiue kinges vexed Iudah by warres against Lagidae and Lagidae by so many againe wasted Iuda So that Greeke beast in one parted Kingdome had 10. hornes From that beast the Roman beast hath also ten Kingdomes at the least and vnder Augustus and vnder the Pope rekoned to that number Strabo 17. Steuch contra Vallum Lib. 2. so these matters be all most plaine Of the tayle The prophane Caesares persecution moued few Christians the starres of heauen to fall But the taile of the Empire the false prophet that speaketh lies he as Antiochus Daniel 8. maketh many fall from heauen praetending religion with much praetense and no substance The combat of the Roman Empire with the Church And the Dragon stood before the woman beeing in trauaile that when she bore her childe he might deuour it And she bare a manly sonne which will rule all nations with a sceptre of yron And the child was taken vp to God and to his throne The allusion is from the dayes of Christ borne in Bethleem when Satan by Herodes swords would haue deuoured him but his mother fled with him to Egypt after that Satā hoped to deuour him in the graue he was taken vp into heauē so when Christians soules trauailed to breed Christ the Emperors stormed to deuour that doctrine as Dauid told Ps 2. But they brought forth into the light of the world the SON would bruse all nation-with an yron sceptre as he did bruse the image in Daniel And shewed that his throne is in heauen being taken vp vnto the aeternall King And the Christians fled into the wildernesse as CHRIST did in the tyme of his preaching or halfe seauen Dan. 9. and often handled in the Gospell in Eusebius handled and of Beda who cited the Apoc. allusions M. Scaliger and others that make mo yeares of our Lordes preaching spent ill good houres All tyme of affliction is sweetly termed by our Lords affliction to be as his of dayes 1260. though it were of 300. yer vnder Caesares resistance and 600. vnder Popes enimies to Iohns Apocalyps The speach is full of comfort calling vs vnto the afflictions of Christ himselfe who reckoned all his owne dayes and will haue all our teares in his bottle and pay all dogges and Doegs for Cerberean barking A Commentary vpon the former vision And there was warre in heauen MICHAEL and his Angells made warre with the Dragon and the Dragon and his Angells made warre but held not strength neither was there place found any more for them in the heauen And the great Dragon the old Serpent called the Diuell and Satan who deceiueth the wholle world he was cast out againe I say he was cast and his Angels were cast with him into the earth The state of the faithfull heere is sweetly called hēauen to shew our certeinty of hope for the propre heauen as the word of Law and Gospell is as sure to vs as if we saw the third heauen that aboue the ayer and aboue the starres as S. Paul did at his first calling to a comfort against all his following afflictions so the holy Daniel that in one image made abridge from the end of the old Testament vnto the beginning of the new called the state after abrogation of Moises the Kingome of heauen Iohn Baptist doth begin with his tongue The kinddome of heauen is come And the aeternall WORLD the essentiall WORDE who spake and all was made he confirmeth the same speach to shew that Daniels Image was ended and the GOD of heauen setteth vp a kingdome that cannot be corrupted The obseruation of this speach had kept Daniel in a cleare meaning and not brought the West Empire of Christians for East Greeke Seleuco-Lagides athean Nor tymes after Christ for stories teaching when he would come The termes of the Bible be pearles still beate vpon the open story for noblest matters So Saint Paul Ebrew XI speaking of the Maccabees martyrs famous in the Talmudiques and after his dayes historied by Greeke Iewes saith from Daniels last speaches of double resurrection That they would not be deliuered because they looked for the better resurrection So he sheweth that Antiochus persequutions were the last mentioned in Daniel The Romans hindred not the Iewes holy religion till by the Pharisees they vexed our Lord himselfe when he opened the kingdom of heauen dayes 1260. They who without knowledge of Daniel would know the Gospel are as men that would goe from one Land to another parted by great waters without a shipp All that care for the kingdome of heauen will care for him And my paines in a third commentary an English a Latin a shorter in English came forth by my care and charges By the third milliones of our simple might haue knowen the Prophets whole heart But that Bargulus Illyricus would cast him into the Lions den If Lions rent not his bones I will commende him to the God of Daniel and the firy flames streaming from his throne for his fighting for the dragon against MICAEL and his Angells Of MICAEL Michael and Gabriel are the only holy
milde And S. Paul borne to be a Bishop of Rome in Tarsus free in Rome told the same Rom. 13. as he told from 2 Thes 2. howe thence man of sin would arise If 2 Thes 2. had bene read of all Children since S. Paul wrote aged moo then the Starres of Heauen a million for a Starre had knowen what the Pope is and equall giltie Cardinales And our Archbuyshopps in his canones damned by common Lawes following the light of Gods engrauement in soules All Scholars that will bee ouerruling Ciuill matters vnable to shewe skill in the Lawe of one Iod or Prick as our Lordes speach requireth Mat. 5. and will Archbuishopps be and vrge athean othes and imprison better lettered by many yeares studie then themselues and pine in Prison vnto death full many which hold the trueth of redemtion in trades life better then they are in the Popes Giltinesse heere and speake from the Dragon And are sure to goe with both into aeternall flames The learned know that they to whom I now giue the Anathema Maran Atha will sooner goe to Bantam to fetch pepper then replie And as Ouid. speaketh that while the Romane Empire standeth his fables should stand so while the world standeth our reuiuers of Dracons bloody lawes others to profane God shall stand in this my blame in my defence for our King and nations integritie Si quid habent veri vatum praesagia By what Iudaique cursedly reuiued Ceremonie the chiefe diuinitie D. of Rome bewitched Emperors to giue a spice of countenance that the Pope was aboue the Emperor In Iudah Kinges were annointed with oyle praescribed by God to Moses and it was death to imitate that oyle The Thal. hath a full treatise of that Thence all of witt will fetch it No King was euer annointed with this but Kings in hazard King Moses was not King Iesus was not King Samuel was not Saul not accepted was Dauid not accepted was Salomon in hazard by Adonijah was and Ioash for Athalias stirre was All this God alloweth By the Peoples autoritie wicked Ioachaz two yeares yonger then his brother more wicked Ioakim was all these to auoid dissention So annointment was still the token of a person doubted whether the people should accept him or not Now the Patriarke of Constantine beginning annointement of Emperours as in Iustinius the vncle of Iustinian fame goeth chalenged heerein no superioritie but would haue the Emperores that requested the Churches fauor If they were stayned in open blame to want that good will till open repentance came This had zeale and mans witt but God forbiddeth to imitate Aharons ceremonies namely in oinctments No chest might bee made like the Arke no candlesticke no Table no curtaine no building like the holy Touching our manner in England thinke it began in token of freedome as not vnder the Emperor but equall But seeing Priests were the annointers Locusts NOW in flames aeternall it should with sacrifice Aharons cope Leuites linen and name of Priest be left off If my poore opinion were worthie of accompt if quietly they might otherwise ceremonies of force were broken as in Dauids eating of the shew-bread and beeing deadly for vse as circumcision for Galatians yet in Timothie was repeted So the wicked bookes of the Apocrypha whereof none haue one syllable of Christ though Galatinus would bring Baruc to him In God will bee seene vpon earth because the fables spake of Iewes stories whose trueth heathen denied were receiued for mens weaknesse But when Greeks would make iarring sayinges true diuinitie Iewes told Hagarenes their iudgement was weake and so there the Gospell found contemt since the Pope annointed Emperores of weake autoritie after hee deceiued the Empire For 200. yea warre that weakened West Kinges the oinctment was pleaded for a token of superioritie that the beast comming out the earth might haue two hornes like Christs And he doth great signes that he causeth fire to come downe from heauen into the earth before men and he deceiueth the dwellers on the earth before the beast When Israels state came farre badd holy Elias made fier come downe from heauen In memorie of that storie Iohn saw in his vision fire come downe from heauen betokening thereby any signes Saint Paul told this in proprietie that by false signes wicked Romylus Esai 11. in the Venice Chaldy should deceiue if possible the very elect because they would not receine the loue of the trueth as Salomon warneth Ephraim Prov. 3. the Emperors strife was with the Popes for Auctority litle or nothing for Diuinity where they should haue beene of best iudgement as Charles the great was of great iudgement that the Popes for feare of fall by resisting a learned Emperor decreed for him and his successors as I shewed confirmation of Popes that should serue in Rome Of Papists miracles Neuer any commented vpon any text Bible or Law as the Papists doe vpon their Miracles The Iesuites in the Indianes doe such strange Miracles that Lucian de vera historia would as well seeme true as noble learned Saddeel nippeth Turrianus And at dinners and suppers in stead of the Bible they read the stories of their owne Miracles So the Lady of Hales made Iustus Lipsius of a quicker spirite to his stile as Bacchus made Ennius And creeples come to Hales but goe away leaping So at Colen in a stage play creeples came to S. Laurence and went a way leaping So in Walsingam The Host was caried in Cambrige ouer the market place in a coffer by two strong men and praesently became so heauie that both they could not cary it alone And when they put drakes fresh blood to the wine all but Heretiques may see the very wine liuely blood That men sware by the blood of Hales I heard a man in the ende of true faith and fatherlie cariage Rich. Meneuensis say how his conscience pricked him when to Masse he vsed drakes blood I know not but by confession whether this be true or noe At Mentz townes end Eastward in the brim of the fieldes standeth a lowe crosse of stone That way I walked with two Iesuites and a proselyte whose commendation from the Pope to the Bishop and they then sitting with mee on a greene desired to read from Latin to Ebrew for to plead for a principall Cardinalship Of that stone crosse Pater Nicolaus Serarius said thus Once a man drunke armed with a sword stroke this crosse and it poured out blood and pursuite was made after the man and hee was executed Then said I let the Bishop and all his Canons that be not Lutherans I know they will not try take swordes and strike all the crosse and if it shed one drop to my sight I will accept the Cardinalship offred and be of your faith as I am of Saint Peters faith already and belieue no more then Epiphanius that hee was euer at Rome as he cared no more for Clemens Alexand. then did Patriarch Photius and lesse of
of GOD and for the testimonie which they had he saw them vnder the Altar who is Christ. The Thalmud of Rabbi Nathan in Moyses saith that his soule and all the iust are vnder the throne of God So as Saint Paul saith Rom. chap. 10. The Apostles doctrine is confirmed by Thalmudiques directly in all thinges sauing the Person and office of Messias Chap. 7. The martyrs haue white garments and palmes in their hands they be before the throne of God c. Chap. 11. They are called vp into heauen and their enimies see them going vp in a cloud Hence purgatorie is confuted which hath no ground from the old Testament as any Talmudique did euer expound it For Leuit. 26. telleth that hence men goe to Gods tabernacle to ioy or before his throne to feele aeternall anger Reuenge for Christ his Iustice And I saw and behold a white Cloud and one rode on the Cloud like the SON OF MAN hauing on his head a Crowne of gold and in his hand a sharpe sickle The cloud is Gods chariot Isaiah 19. as I told chap. 1. and this place telleth what Person was there described Heere he hath a crowne of gold as in Psalm 20. a token of victorie by death so chap. 6. In Maym. Poenit. the iust haue Crownes in the World of soules So to Talmudiques the New Testam would bee cleare The sharp sickle in Ioel is Gods vengeance vpon Iudahs enimies Assur the Image yea and the Image of the beast heere For he speaketh of all enimies The roaring like a Lion and the 7. thunders tell the same thing and chapter X. and the earthquake and destroying of them that destroyed the earth Reuenge for the prayers of the Church Another Angell came forth from the Temple crying with a great voice to him that road vpon the Cloud cast fourth thy sickle and reape tyme is come to reape for the haruest of the earth is ripe The Church be the faithfull the Angell is the representer of their state So Nebuchadnezar saw one watchfull and holy Who telleth that his punishment of 7. yer beastlinesse came by the prayers of the iust Spaine perceiued in the Low Coūtries the force of this is like to feele as good at home What shall befall our Buuy-shop that vrgeth better learned to othe then himselfe neuer heard of in Iuda by either Testament and imprisoneth better learned then himselfe that will not profane the name of God pineth vnto death in cruel prison them who deny him to be lawfull Buy-shop and put by Teachers of saluation from their maintenance 400. What shall become of this man from whom the heart of a man hath bene taken 7. yer Nabuchad dyed two yeares after hee came to himselfe so may this man How prayers of the iust be heard the next verse telleth And he that roade vpon the cloud cast forth his sickle into the earth and the earth was reaped So the crye of the poore ascendeth into the eares of the Lord of Hostes Reuenge by the iniuried themselues And an other Angell came out of the Temple which is in heauen hauing also a sharpe sickle The faithfull heere haue equall strength and try combat with Pope as this yeare for Clieue and Iuliaque All the Protestāts against the Pope Oh that our Albion would thrust in the sickle of good Laws against those Popoi lest they be still prickes in our eyes thornes in our sides as they haue bene And an other Angell came forth from the altar hauing authoritie vpon the fire and cried with a great voice to him that had the sharpe sickle saying Cast forth thy sickle cut the clusters of thr earth for her grapes be ripe In Daniel the Angell telleth chap XI that in the first yeere of Darius the Mede chap. 5. hee was a strength and might to him Iacob had a campe of Angells which story Dauid turneth to all faithfull One paid Sanacharib one strengthneth our Lord One saued Peter Act. 12. So heere the liuely speach of the Angell is an open token of assistance from the Angells of Christ as they be all ministring spirites sent foorth to seruice for them that shall inherite saluation Angells rule fire as that which brent Sodom Gen. 19. and Babel in Xenophon compared with Dan. XI And water in S. Pauls voiage So all anger from God is fire and Angells his seruants The sure euent So the Angell did cast his sharpe sickle into the earth and snapt off the Vine of the earth and cast it into the great wine-presse of the anger of God and the wine-presse was troden out of the Citie and the blood came forth from the wine-presse vnto the horse bridles ouer stadia furlongs a thousand six hundred The Citie is the assembly of the holy the place out of it is the dwelling of the faithlesse The stadia or furlongs 1600. are taken from the quantitie of Chanaan which Talmudiques calling to a square make Ris that is Stadion euery way The place I haue cited in my Concent where I abridge the Apocalyps CHAP. XV. A plaine exposition of the Womans fleeing into the wildernesse And I saw another great and maruelous signe seauen Angells hauing seauen the last plagues for in them the wrath of God is finished Chap. 6. expoundeth this and how when the Church hath a seate in the wildernesse and their Citie there they make the wine-presse of Gods anger out of the Citie And I saw as it were a sea of glasse mixed with fire and them which ouercome from the beast and from his image and from his marke and the number of his name standing by the sea of glasse hauing the harpes of God and they sing the song of Moyses the seruant of God and the song of the Lambe saying great and wonderfull are thy workes O ETERNAL the God of Hostes iust and vpright are thy wages O King of saints who would not feare thee O Lord and giue glory vnto thy name for thou only art gratious for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy iudgements are manifested Sea signifieth troubles as Dan. 7. glasse clearly considered of God the allusion is to the Red sea at which Israel was persequuted by Pharaoh The addition by fire is an open distinction for the Popes sea of fire and faggott the song of Moyses Exod. 15. is a thankesgiuening for deliuerance from Pharaoh by the blood of the Lambe and the songe of the Lambe conteyneth all the songes in the Bible But most directly they of his incarnation and soules passage from the body to heauen and resurrection and sitting on the right hand of God The workes of God be great and wonderfull that the wicked whom he hath sett vnto wrath beare sway heere for a tyme but soone come to aeternall flames And they who in short affliction professe his name cary away an aeternall peise of glory wicked Babel worshipping creatures had a great reigne that Gods seruants might
teach there the trueth of saluation That which Ierem. speaketh chap. X. of our Gods prayse against idolls is heere repeated That Egypt and Babel teach the Pope what to look for Thus the holy protest their honor to God and labor to increase the Church that all nations may come and worship him And afterwardes I saw and behold the Temple of the Tabernacle of Couenant was opened in the heauen and the seauen Angells came forth hauing the seauen plagues from the Temple and they were clothed with cleane and pure linen and girded about the breast with golden girdles As Angells help Gods seruants to victories so proper Angells considered with men whom they strengthen may heere be meant Their clothing signifie syncere holinesse which men should desire and the golden girdle about the brest signifieth the binding of the minde in golden syncerity of heart Maymo in Beth Bechira handling Aharons garment citeth traditions from them that saw the high sacrificers manner that Aharon was girded about the brest that sheweth Iohn to speake most learnedly chapter 1. and heere 15. and wiser then any who would forge a booke could doe And one of the foure liue-wights gaue to the seauen Angells seauen golden cupps full of the anger of God who liueth for euer and euer The liuely wight is heere as orator of the whole Church and after the acknowledging of Gods goodnesse by Gods charge the Angells take in hand to poure Gods wrath vpon his enimies visibly by men but vnseene as the armie that guarded Elisaeus So as I told the punishment of Nabuchadnezar Daniel chap. 4. commeth by the decree of the watchfull and the petition of the holy What the Angells desire in reuenge for the Church God appointeth them to help forward in assisting men that be the fighters So millions of millions waite vpon Gods throne to rule the foure beasts that the house of Zorobabell afflicted should know that the heauens ruled and tyrants should soone be tamed by them The Pope should from Dan. 7. learne this and from Apo. chap. 6. where the profane Caesares be destroyed and know that after long angring of God hee must haue full payment Mortall Princes soone fade as a floure But God is euerlasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daniel 7. 9. and liuing for euer Dan cha 12. and Apoc. X. and XV. who because men did not receiue the loue of the trueth to be saued sendeth workfull error that they belieue falshood that all may be condemned which belieue not the trueth but delite in badnesse This Booke was penned in such a style that it openeth not onely it selfe but also teacheth how all the old Testament belongeth to Christ And the Temple was filled with a smoke of the glory of God and of his power and none could goe into the Temple till the seauen plagues of the 7. Angells were finished When the Tabernacle of Moyses and the Temple of Salomon were consecrated then Moyses and the Leuites could not goe in while the glory of God filled them Here a cloud of Gods anger filled with defense the Church in the wildernesse that God will not giue the wicked grace to ioyne with them vntill they be cōsumed the sturdy wicked who fight against open light and be of the 666. sonnes of Adoni-kam which had rather haue 666. talents of Cethem from Ophir then all the knowledge of Iohns Reuelation such that striue against the light shall neither be forgiuen in this world nor in the world to come but heere haue a conscience stinged as by scorpions and in the world of soules death aeternall CHAPTER XVI As the Popes manner of rising plagued the World in a like manner God consumeth him As the Popes arisinge plagued the world vnder Angells Trumpets as 1. The earth 2. The Sea 3. Fountaines of waters 4. The Sun 5. By kingdom of Locusts 6. By raising vp the Turk 7. By earthquake So to him plagues come vnder the same terms but in another signification as 1. His earth hath boyles 2. Sea blood 3. Fountains blood 4. Susnn parching persecution 5. By darkned throne of spoile 6. By Euphrates by Turke 7. By whole earthquake And I heard a great voice from the Temple saying goe poure out the cupps of the anger of God into the earth In the heauen Christ is the Temple and the Church by him By his commandement and the Churches care the Popes world is plagued spirits being Gods messengers inuisiblie men visiblie And the first went and poured his cup into the earth and there came boiles sore and painefull vpon such as hath the marke of the beast and worshipped his image The plague of Egypt vnder Iannes and Iambres resisting Moyses is now vpon the minds of Papists which resist Law and Gospell the discouery of which Idolatry becommeth a sound meanes for Kings that made the beast a King of Locusts to eate vp the flesh of the beast The West Kings made the Pope mighty to ouerthrow the East weakned so that Machmad and Turcke ouerhtrew it And euer since the Pope came to be mighty he became auctor of haile and troubles and brought haile and fire of warre to be mixed with blood So now he looseth many Countreies vpon Martyrs telling that he held Satans throne and vpon diligent scholes detecting him in euery part bringing the Apocalyps to be dayly read and all the eloquent N. Testament in Greeke founteine of heauenly water to baptise the minde by the spirit into the kingdome of heauen And the second Angell poured his cuppe on the sea and it became blood as of the dead euery liuing soule dyed in the sea When the poore father of Rome forging S. Peters being there became by Saint Peters name of low and poore an high mountaine he became fiery and cast himselfe into the sea of Empires that by all his warres a third part of the liuing in one age were kill'd and destroyed Till a thousand yeeres hee became not a full mountaine till then Satan was tyed but in Ierusalems warre he was loose that 200. y. warres turned the third part of politicall sea and shipps into blood and destruction And what warrs haue bene since in Europe which the Pope hath not kindled So he payeth for it so hee looseth whole countreies as Netherland with the blood of 40. yeeres warres and wast of the Spanish nation That scant a third part escaped death in them that could warre for his killing of K. Philips sonne bent to heale the boyles of his religious This did they dead in blindnesse and known to be such And a third Angell poured his Cup into the riuers and fountaines of waters and blood came of it Heere lesser waters are lesse forces that continually he hath bad successe and great losse The yeare 1588. gaue him an open token of wrath in this sort and Flanders 1600. And if he had gone forward Venice had taught the same and Iuliaque will 1610. if he goe forward dayly litle riuers of 700.
so Princes seeing that the former age by the Pope brought in the Turke to the hazard of the West and see that he knoweth not one letter in the LAW and is blinde in euery part of it and cannot make his owne cause good against the Turke or Iew they forsake him the seruant of seruants as God left the Chananites to bee conquered of Dauid So he is Chanaan they be Dauid and in his warre he shall be Iabin and by Sisera fall at Mageddon and bee no more able to resist And the great Citie became into three partes and the Cities of the nations fell and Babylon the Great was remembred before God to giue her the Cup of the Wine of the heate of his anger and euery Iland fled and the mountaines were not found and great haile talent bigge descended from heauen vpon the men and men blasphemed God for the stroke of the haile because the stroke of it was exceeding great By the Citie meane the policie and by three partes great diuision that it hath but a third part because the policies of nations fall from it and God remembred his anger told chap. 14. and as vnder the Caesares Ilands and Mountaines were moued from their place that is into another policy so heere alteration of policie is meant haile of a talent is great ouerthrowes by Gods hand the allusion being taken from plaguing the Chanaanites Ios chapter 10. where haile killed more then sword So the Spanish fleete hath often had great shipwrake by the extraordinarie hand of GOD specially 1588. And what an infinite masse of money and millions of men hath Netherland consumed to him And lately Venice shewed his weaknesse that he durst not goe forward to warre and specially Iuliaque where Leopoldu◠Emperour Spanie Pope wish they had neuer begon Touching the quantity of haile in countreies neere the Alpes wee see this speach to keepe neere propriety without a great hyperbole At Zurick my learned friend M. Caspar Wesserus told me of haile lately there that one stone was brought from a field somewhat farre off to the Consull and must melt in cariage yet beeing weighed it peised a wax pound Chanaan and Egypt haue greater haile that trees and beasts be stricken to destruction by it And in all this the Papists repent not but thinke God to fauor the wicked side and so blaspheme and keepe their old Idolatrie and locusts of all professions as before It is hard for men to repent which will not learne from the word of God how their case standeth Their false ground that Peter was the chiefe Apostle and at Rome and the Rocke and that hee had auctoritie to binde and loose more then others and could leaue that to Doctores of the Citie which crucified Christ as though they best deserued that and the fables of their miracles as though they were true these harden them that they cannot come into the Church till the anger of God consumeth the Pharaohs as chap. 15. vers vlt. told CHAPTER XVII Iohn like Daniel And one of the seauen Angels which had the seauen Cupp◠came and spake with mee saying to mee come I will shew thee the Iudgement of the great Whoore which sitteth vpon many waters with whom the Kings of the earth committed fornication and they which dwelt in the earth were drunke by the Wine of her fornication THe wise God maketh the Cloud of his word light to Israel and darke to Pharaoh That the wicked shall not be ouer busie with it he speaketh to them in Visions that they cannot see whither they tend because they know not the ground Besides commorations seeme vnto them new matter and not a commentarie vpon former So to them that be out of the Church all things are in parables But they that know the grounds shall see all easie Ieremiah taught Israel in the playnest propriety of wordes that might bee Ezekiel sweetneth the same with allegories when both are compared together all is plaine Daniel telleth how Iudah should bee afflicted by enemies likened to the proportion of a mans body fist so generally that heathen would not marke the persecuted But the Iewes knew And if at the first they had bene told of great affliction they would haue gone before captiuitie into Countries of Grecia But when they were in Babel and neere returne their enimies are beasts comming out of the sea and terrible but yet reuenged as the image was by strok from a stone so they by fire But the persecuters and persecuted neither be named In a new vision they are expresly named what the Ram and Buck meane and the persequutour aboue all that should goe before him is plainely described And last of all a proper speach expoundeth the Image expoundeth the sea beastes expoundeth the Land beast That no booke was euer plainer then Daniel Iohn is like him He telleth chapter 6. of great plagues to a state but telleth not to what state Then he telleth of a falling away but telleth not by whose occasion Then he describeth the occasioner vnder seauen trumpets but hideth from the profane world what policie hee would haue marked After this he bringeth the old Caesares and Pope with late into one serpent After this he diuideth the serpent into two beasts with resonable plaine notes and sheweth that the former beast cōming out of the sea should be reuiued by that which came vp out of the Land Now that reuiued beast after his particular doings and suffrings is heere to bee seene with the reuiuer The Angell teacheth Iohn in vision the learned men be Angeli Ecclesiae The great whoore is the great Idolatrous City the many waters the harlot sitteth on be people troupes nations and tongues Kings society in Idolatry is the fornication the dwellers on the earth are the Idolous whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or cariage is not in heauen And he caried me into the wildernesse in the spirit As the Church was driuen into the wildernesse to haue a policie vnmixed with Rome so Iohn sheweth that they must not be of Romes part that will condemne her but absolute free from her In Aegypt God could not giue lawes for Israel but they must be separated from other policies so God brought them into the wildernesse And when God would teach Iuda that Moyses Ceremonies were but poore elements and to praepare them for the rest of Christ he carieth them into the wildernesse of the heathen And when Iohn Baptist praepared a way for the rest of Christ and calling of the heathen who in the dayes of Dauid and Salomon were not circumcised but baptized Rambam Asure Bia. Per. 13. So we must goe into a wildernesse simply iudge by Gods word not by rumors of antiquity and vniuersality what is to be iudged of Rome And I saw a woman sitting vpon a scarlat beast full of names of blasphemy hauing 7. heades and 10. hornes So Satan being incarnate in the Empire of Rome had seauen heades and tenne
kinges without all color of warrant from God shew himselfe in the temple of God as if he were God beeing in all policie sinfull and blaspeming true teachers so he must needes be hated of Princes that euery one will draw from him all that they can That is to eate the flesh of the Idolatrous towne and burning it in the fire For God hath giuen it vnto their heartes to doe his minde and to doe one minde and to giue their kingdom to the beast vntill the wordes of God be brought about Because they did not receiue the loue of the trueth vnto right happinesse to studie the Lawes of God day and night God gaue thē ouer to a foolish minde to pull downe the East Empire and to set vp one in the West and to set the Synagogue of Rome aboue all to rule all Empire and Kingdomes And to this day that cursed blindnesse abideth in men that they thinke it a shame for a King to be learned or for Noble men True Kingdome standeth in knowledge of the kingdome of heauen and Princes of cunning education might know both Testaments in Greek and Hebrew and veine of storie in yong yeeres that their hearts might a thousand times in a day runne ouer the heauenly frame of Gods booke and see their Ancestors from Adam to Noë the pillars of the world Then the noble warrier Abraham King Moses King Iosuah King Samuel King David King Salomon and noble Daniel the mightiest subiect in the world and greatest warrior best learned And his noble Cousins that quenched the fire refusing Idols should haue taught nobles to haue in equal sort hated Babelish idolatrie of cursed Rome that crucified Christ and by the serpents biting pierced his footestepp and handes and would naile fast all feete and handes from walking in Gods wayes and working in his trueth What a shame is it for Kings that they know not the familie of David penned of purpose to make kings wise David Salomō both wise began the glorie Ioakim Ioachin both vnwise ended the glorie all betwixt are a glasse for Kings to see their owne case Againe the pompe of this world is eminēt in Daniels Image afflicting the holy house of Nathā but beatē to pouder for their paines that madnesse of Counsell is expressed in Nebuchadnezars open madnesse His open madnesse of seauen yeres was not so madd as the Persians or Alexander that made themselues Gods and the parted Macedonians are a patron of slauery to Satan Heere in one Image all Greek and Latin to Liuie is cōteyned and Kings might make their teachers to bring such stately matter into commune knowledge to make a Bridge from the fall of Salomons house vnto the setting vp of Nathans Nabuchadnezar honored Daniel to Iudahs good For chiefe heads of this matter Kings further called should further delite in this kinde So for the Image of the beast Apoc. 13. if Kinges had bene happy they had learned from storie what Iohn foretold but because they despised Gods exhortation to read the Booke God gaue it into their hearts to giue their kingdome to the beast if they would make their people learned in this Booke the flesh of the harlot should soone be eaten All true soldiers should be Doctores of Diuinity such all will conquer with small losse as Israel vnder Iosua which studied Moses 40. yer And Dauids Capteins by knowlede of Moses were mighty in battell Doctors in bare title the Popes and ours deserue so much reuerence as so many apes and all that put any trust in them are like vnto them Now commeth a plaine condemnation of Rome The woman which thou sawest is the great Citie which hath the Kingdome ouer the Kings of the earth All be past shame that see not Rome heere damned vnto the end of wrath CHAPTER XVIII The King is Angelus to cause the word to be sounded After this I saw an Angell comming downe from heauen hauing great auctority and the earth was lightned by his glorie and he cried mightily with a great voice saying BABYLON the great City is fallen is fallen and is become a dwelling of Diuells and a prison of euery vncleane spirit and a prison of euery vncleane and hatefull bird because she hath caused all nations to drinke of the wine of the anger of her fornication and the Kings of the earth committed fornication with her and the merchants of the earth became rich by the might of her wealth c. THE like speach is in Ezekiel chap. 47. where the glorie of the Gospell shineth from Christ and waters of doctrine flow with life And the Angels glorie lightned the whole earth cha 10. taught this same matter where Iohn eateth the litle booke And Christ is the Angell he cōmeth downe when he setteth vp the light of his word by which hee shineth ouer the earth Though in vision sundry Angels expresse him And when Ierusalem is builded Babylon must needes fall and where the mighty Gospell is taught of millions there Christ speaketh with a great voice Anabaptistes be the chiefe helpe that the Papists haue to dispute that it is dangerous for the common people to medle with Gods word But a learned officer would with sagenesse soone teach them how they misse burning in fire the obstinat in haeresie Maymo in the treatise Chagigah Perek III. sheweth how the King should read the Law before the people in the feast of Tabernacles and in what sage reuerence A pulpit of wood was made for him in the court where all might come men and women and the synagogue keeper brought forth the booke of the Law gaue it to the Archisynagogue and he to Sagan of the Temple Strategos Act. chap. 4. 1. Chancelor we may terme him he to the high sacrificer and hee to the King and hee read Deuteronomie and of the King he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is The King is Angelus to cause the word of GOD to be sounded If the Iew could thus honor the Law and shew the Kings duty which Iew saw not the true glorie of it by the SON of GOD how much more should wee bring vp our Kings to honor the holy Gospell to read speciall places as the first of Saint Matthew of 1800. yer story and 3. Luke of 3957. or Act. 7. or 2. Thess 2. or some speciall place to stirre nobles a learned reading would be as good as a commentarie And chapters expounding one another and Psalmes might so be chosen that by bare reading great light would come So millions would say that Babylon the great is fallen and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Daemones be all one and Rome is a dwelling of Diuels and Cardinals bee vncleane spirits and Archbuy-shopps be vncleane and hatefull birdes and their keies be keies of the pit and their Idolatry making Peter the Rock against this THERE IS NO ROCK BVT THE ETERNALL had made the Kings of the earth madde in Idols from one error that
in the world now of 900. Chanaans sinne was growing to ripenes Amalek of 1000. came not to Amans pride as Israel bred not Sadducees of 1000. yer nor Rome gate rule to deceiue whole states of a thousand yeres Now the text will be cleare The Pope deceiued not generally till 1000. yerees And I saw thrones on which men sate and iudgement was giuen to them and the soules of them that were beheaded for the testimony of IESVS and for the word of God and which worshipped not the beast nor his Image nor tooke the marke in their forehead or vpon their hand but they liued and reigned with CHRIST the 1000. year The rest of the dead did not reuiue of the 1000. year This is the first resurrection Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection The second death hath no power ouer them but they shal be sacrificers of GOD and CHRIST and reigne with him a 1000. year Heere then be martyrs and holy for 1000. year But the starre-worme-wood and the darkened starres and the locusts they continued in profane heathen lot and the Diuels were in their pit helping them to sett him loose to vex the holy Church for the old Ierusalem which Christ pronunced that it should be Iebus or troden downe for euer And when the thousand yeres are finished Satan shall be let loose out of the Prison and shall goe foorth to deceiue the nations ouer the foure corners of the earth Gog and Magog togather them vnto warres whose nūber is as the sand of the sea The Pope to weaken Princes did set them on to recouer the holy land which God would haue to abide cursed that Iewes might see their sinne killing Christ this would the Pope haue recouered and Rome in a thousand yeeres could not learne this one chapter nor remember old Gog and Magog how the Pope now reuiueth that warre in my Concent I haue shewed the termes meaning Thence the Reader may fetch it The Iewes Ierusalem was holy but now the Christian Church is the beloued Citie and the tents of the holy which to besiege and weaken hee stirred this warres for desolate Ierusalem The Pope weakened the West in superstition prouoking to warre for as he termed it the holy Land And they ascended ouer the breadth of the earth and compassed the Tent of the holy and the beloued Citie All the strength of the West was deceiued by superstition to goe fight in the East for Antioch in the land of Magog and other soiles neere Ierusalem and all the force of Machmad from the East assembled and 200. yea the poore Church was afflicted that afterwards Popes might set Kings vp and down as they would And Machmad still since hath vexed the West and the king of Locusts now hath 300. yeares beeing a new Gog and Magog vexed the Church And a fire came downe from heauen and ate them vp As Satan dealth with Iobs sheepe he dealth with the Popes sheepe to eate them vp with fire Euen thence to the worlds end chap. 19. which matter is heere briefly repeated and in that which followeth The Pope is a Beast of Empire by his might And the Diuell which deceiued them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the Beast and false prophet and they shall be tormented day and night for euer and euer The Pope is a Beast of Empire by his might and so the eight is also the seauenth and hee with his Clergie is also the false prophet Heere Papists may see what shall become of them A liuely description of the latter Iudgement And I saw a great white throne and one sitting vpon it from whose presence the Earth and the Heauen fled and no place was found for them and I saw the dead small and great standing before God and bookes were opened All mens doings are in record before God as written in bookes the like speech is in Daniel chap. 7. And another Booke was opened which is of life and the dead were iudged by the things written in the bookes according to their workes All that put not on Christ are condemned for their works Now the sea had giuen vp her dead and death and the graue had giuen vp her dead And they were iudged euery one according to his workes and death and Haides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death Death and Haides are expounded in Arethas sensible Men which commit matter worthie of death destruction And if any were not found written in the booke of life hee was cast into the lake of fire This sheweth that only the chosen in Christ haue life euerlasting and what there companie is euen the heauenly Ierusalem in this world the chapters folowing doe shew And I saw a new heauen and a new earth for the first heauen and the first earth passed and the sea is no more This speach may well be referred to the new world which for vs to search of what sort it shall bee the Law Deut. 29. to leaue hid things to the Lord our God forbiddeth vs to search curiously Of the heauenly Ierusalem I haue made a treatise in Greeke alone at large which I made turne to other tongues This worke is made to conuict Rome to be damned through all and I hastened in the beginning to that and I would not draw the Readers minde from that The last end may bee handled best seuerally So this paines shall heere haue an end AN EXPLICATION OF THE HEAVENLY IERVSALEM SHEWED APOCAL. CHAPTER 21. AND 22. BEING of larger discourse then the former Commentarie made by the same auctor to shew Romes condemnation and with small strife against Rome and such as Rome will not refuse to reade By H. B r. After the destruction of Babylon Let vs behold the saluation of Sion A Commentary vpon the Apocalyps Chapter 21. and 22. CHAPTER XXI The second discourse of 21. and 22. Chapters And I saw a new heauen and a new earth for the first heauen and the first earth passed away and the sea was no more ISAIAH chap. 66. compareth the Gospell hauing the rest of Christ for the Iewes Ceremonies vnto a new heauen and the earthly heathen state called to the church a new earth as God will make indeed a new world And ioyneth the doctrine of both together So heere after mention of heauen and earth passed the wordes import the new world and praesentlie turne to the Gospell in saying the sea shall be no more that is a troubled state shall be no more For the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding guardeth our heartes in the loue of Christ that no sufferings for him is a griefe or trouble and we read chap. 16. that his Angels haue seauen cups of wrath to poure vpon the helhounds that bite his seruants they shall not care for the sea whence the Romane beast ariseth And I Iohn saw the holy City Ierusalem new comming downe from God
of that in memorie of the difference that the Reader may read it Thus Alpha is as curious in his word as in the frame of the world and requireth due reuerence to it and they are in great danger whose profession of life should be skilfull in it and will deale with it with vnwashed handes Of Iod not contemned The Iewes to shew Gods care ouer euery letter in the Bible bring in the Law cōplayning of loosing Iod with humble cry before God thus O Lord of the world this is thy rule that a Testament which faileth in a letter faileth in all Now in Sarai I had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iod when shee is Sarah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iod is gone the auctority of the Law is lost God answereth thou hast no losse Iod was in the end of a foeminine and I set it in the beginning of a masculine when Hoshea was called Iehoschuah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus they marke narrowly that which our Lord telleth one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iod of the Law shall not perish he that is Aleph and Tau will keepe all the letters from Aleph to Thau More of this is in Thal. Ierusalemie in San fol. 20. Of OMEGA He that nameth himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mega will require that his new Testament shal be regarded in due kinde to defende trueth of Copy elegancy of speach I defended trueth of Copie against Rhemistes translating Act. chap. 13. from the Latin in yeeres not about but after a sort 450. yet a thankfull Pseudographus wrote that I defended the 70. became a scorne none of 1200. yer held the 72. pure Satan was strong in him that would belieue a disputation for sinceritie of their copy and if euer any should bee thought to know the 72. hee that translated the Prophets a new into Greek should be thought to vse all the 72. copies easie to be had But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all vnthankfulnesse would be still cursed in lies The first aduiser of him sped ill Of Greeke stile Because none afore me haue noted Gods counsell in making Greeke common I will often handle that to haue it better vnderstood when God first destroyed Iudahs kingdome and speach hee stirred Greekes first to set vp theirs Then Pisistratus set Homer in honor that children learned him by heart Plato in Timao mentioneth one such Thence of 200. yea all kindes study to make braue Greeke that it came to perfection Then God sendeth Greekes to rule Gog or Gyges land and Magog with all Assiria and 72. kingdomes in the East and North and South to fill all 300. ye with Greek Armies and Colonies That Tully noted in his dayes the Greek to be common ouer all the world Now the Bible was by Iewes translated into Greeke and so read in all nations And the Iewes beeing caryed by the Macedonians into all quarters when the Apostles came to teach granted all saving God in Christ gaue life to all soules that did eate his flesh and drinke his blood feeding continually in soule vpon this and were baptised with the water of the Lawe So the Greeke tongue by O MEGA the ETERNALL taught Iapheth to dwell in the house of Sem. Ierusal in Megilah Midr Rabba ' Gen. 9. And the Iewes confesse in Megilah that no tongue but the Greeke hath words to expound the Hebrew So he that termeth himselfe by the Greeke and Hebrew Alphabet is much despised when Babell banisheth both tongues to a pedlers Latin in so much that the true Latin auctores were out of request Of 4. Dialects in the holy Greeke Of necessitie the Apostles were to speake to heathen in Heathen or Attique Greeke as all that will mooue others speake to their capacitie and they bee ridiculous and citizens of Babel not of the heauenly Ierusalē that will this deny When the Apostles tell stories of Ierusalem to the Church they were to speake in the 72. language And all of wit and conscience would so expound their wordes When disputations are had with Iewes the Talmudiques specially the Iewes schole-phrase doth our Lord vse and his disciples and when none of these three answere the Hebrew fitly then the WORD taketh heathen generall termes to apply vnto speciall Hebrew Reason forced these foure Dialects and they who confound these foure are fitter for Babel then for Ierusalem for confusion then sight of peace Of the Attique Greeke Haides in S. Luke 16. conteyneth the lodge of Abraham in heauen and the lodge of the rich Epicure in Gehenna Saint Luke an Heathen wrote to Prince Theophilus an Heathen And Heathen would iudge whether the Phisition of Antioch of Magog knew Greek in fit sense to teach Gog in Ephesus or Gyges Countrey and Magog in Siria that Christ in their owne language now doth conquer them so farr as to haue the first Christians named of Antiochia and S. Luke to bee the glory aeternall thence though God had no other occasion to honor his enemies towne but to shew that where sinne abounded there grace should once more abound But not often Nicolas the proselyte falling away taught that the towne deserued as much supremacie as Rome that crucified Christ or Alexandria for that Alexander would bee made a God So Haides conteining heauen and hell and nothing els in proprietie Old Chrysologus who placed Abraham in Gehenna and is tossed of Isaack Ben Arama fol. 205. and Purgatory and many opinions moo are confuted If Haides haue but Heauen and Hell Purgatory is gone which maketh a third place so the first Dialect in one word telleth the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let Greeks seeke to Eustathius what meaning is plaine for these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Peter 2. is of heathen Greek in Homers commentary Iliad Of this I spake in Catechizing the modest Archbi Whitg which yeelded and sent M r. Geoffrey King ouer sea to confesse his error I spake generally of Homers commenter and should meane the principall Aristarchus from whom old Didymos made his commentary and Eustathius from both and many moo ancient and though hee were late his commentaries are made from these two and old heathen Two Petifoggers in Greeke would scoph as though I cited Eustathius to be followed of Peter far elder Such Midae bee fitter for Babel then Ierusalem Their further equalling of error to Lybian sandes shew an ill bent Of the Lxxij The Greeke of the 72. commeth often notably Act. 2. in this whom God raised vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disannulling all paines that death brought The matter is taken from Psal 18. And thence would the Sadducees expound S. Peters word to proue him a wicked Sophister if hee had meant more They who proue the second death hence know not O Mega the auctor of speach Of the Thalmudizinge These be Talmudique speaches The dead for the profane often in Zeror once in S. Peter 1 Epi. chap. 4. In S. Paul the dead in sin Eph. 2. such is Gehenna