hee was called faithfull and hee that iudgeth and fighteth righteously his face like a flame of fire and vpon his head many Crownes hee had a name written that none knew but himselfe hee was cloathed in a garment dipped in blood and his name was the word of God and the warriers in Heauen followed him vpon white hories these are the Preachers of the Gospell their pure white linnen is the righteousness of Christ out of his mouth wenâ— a sharpe sword that he might smite the Heathen for hee shall rule them with a rodde of Iron for hee it is that treadeth the wine-presse of the fiercenes of Gods wrath and hee hath a name written the King of Kings and Lord of Lords all these figuratiuespeeches haue beene sufficiently declared heeretofore And an Angell cryed to the fowles of Heauen these are the tenne Kings and their armies to gather themselues vnto the supper of the great God to eate the flesh of Kings Captaines and of mighty men and of horses and of them that sit on them and of free-men and of bond-men and of small and of great And the Pope and Kings and Warriours gathered themselues together to make Batraile against Christ that sate vppon the Horse and his Soldiours but the Pope the false Prophet that deceiued them that receiued his marke and worshipped him these were aliue cast into the Lake burning with fire and brimstone and the remnant were slaine with the sword that came out of Christs mouth and all the foules were filled with their flesh that is the tenne Kinges and their Captaines and Soldiours had a most rich and full booty of the destruction and sacking of Rome When Rome was destroyed Saint Iohn heard a great voyce of a great multitude in Heauen saying Halaluiah that is Praise the Lord saluation and glory and honour and power bee to the Lord our God for true and righteous are his iudgements for hee hath condemned the great Whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath auenged the blood of the Saints shed by her hand And againe they said Halaluiah and her smoke rose vp for euermore and the Elders and foure Beasts said Amen Halaluiah Then came a voyce out of the throne saying Praise our God all yee his seruants and a great voyce as of many waters and as thunder said Halaluiah for our Lord God Almighty hath reigned let vs bee glad and reioyce and giue glory to him for the marriage of Christ is come and his wife that is the faithful hath made herselfe ready This sheweth that the Gospel shall flourish more when Rome and the Popedome is destroyed then euer it did And to Christs wife was granted that shee should bee cloathed in pure fine and shining linnen that is in Christs righteousnesse and Saint Iohn was bid to write blessed are they that are called vnto the Lambs supper saying These words are true Saint Iohn was so rauished with the ioy of this vision that hee worshipped the Angell that shewed it but hee forbad him and bad him worship God saying I am but one of your brethren which haue the spirit of Prophesie which is the testimony of Iesus CHAP. 20. IN this Chapter is declared the history of Sathan the Authour of the first tenne persecutions but when as Constantine had ouercome those persecuting Idolaters Saint Iohn seeth in a Vision that God bound the Diuell for a thousand yeares that is from generall martyring and deceiuing of the elect and chosen Children of God Yet in this time Sathan brought in all popish blasphemies Superstitions and Idolatries and grieuously persecuted those that stood to the puritie of the word against Antichrist The Seates that Saint Iohn saw and them that sate vpon them was Christ and the faithfull and gaue Iudgement and condemned the idolatrous and superstitious Papists who these thousand yeares persecuted the faithfull And Saint Iohn saw the soules of them that were persecuted for the witnesse of IESVS and the word of GOD and did not worship the Pope nor had taken his marke on their fore-heads or on their hands and they liued and reigned with Christ To arise from popish errours sinnes and superstitions is the first resurrection on such the second death shall haue no power but they shall bee the priests of God and Christ and reigne with him for euer After the Diuell had bin bound a thousand yeares from the time of Constantine as an Angell in the first Verse had the key of the bottomlesse pit and bound Sathan then the Pope had the key of the bottomlesse pit to loose the Diuell as appeareth in the ninth Chapter and when hee was loose hee went out to deceiue the people in the foure quarters of the earth Gogge and Magogge that is the open and the secret enemies of the faithfull which are in the ninth Chapter shewed to bee the Locusts and their tayles that is the popish Cardinals Bishoppes Abbots Fryers and such like to gather them together to battell against the faithfull and the number of them was infinite as the sands of the Sea but as they compassed the beloued Citie that is the faithfull fire came downe from heauen and deuoured them that is the Lord in his wrath destroyed the popedome and the Diuell that deceiued them and the Pope the false prophet were cast into a Lake of fire and brimstone where they shall bee tormented day and night for euermore After all these things it is prophesied that Christ shall come vnto iudgement sitting vpon a great white throne from whose face fled away both the earth and the Sea and their place were no more found And Saint Iohn saw the dead both great and small before God the Bookes were opened and another Booke was opened which is the Booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the Bookes this is a Vision according to our capacitie for Gods wisedome is his Booke whereby hee alwayes seeth all things that euer were are or shall bee and Death and Hell that is the Diuell the cause of them were cast into the Lake of fire which is the second death and so were all that were not found written in the Booke of life CHAP. 21. IN these two last Chapters is declared how flourishing the Church shall be after the destruction of the Popedome vnto the end of the world This is declared in the tenth Chapter and the second Verse In that Christ is said to set one foote vpon the sea and the other vpon the land that all Countries shall confesse Christ and hee shall haue of his elect in all places As Mahomet rose iust with Antichrist in the yeare 666. so no doubt but the example of the destruction of Rome and the Popedome shall make the Turkes Iewes and them of other Nations to become Christians This is declared likewise in the 19. Chapter Let vs be glad and reioyce for the destruction of Rome because then the Lambs wife shall be made ready and
of the destruction of Antichrist and such like and that whatsoeuer is written by his commandement we may be bold and ought to begge of Christ by prayer and by all meanes seeke for the vnderstanding thereof Saint Iohn his eating of the booke was his certaine vnderstanding of the things contained therein and the knowledge thereof was sweet to him at the first but when hee had well considered how the Diuell should haue such great power to persecure the Saints and to spill their blood in such aboundant manner the knowledge heerof was most bitter vnto him then St. Iohn is commanded of Christ to prophesie againe amongst the people Nations and Tongues and to many Kings according to which in the next Chapter Saint Iohn beginneth a new Reuelation of all things that hath beene reuealed touching Antichrist in a more large and ample manner then in this Reuelation already is declared CHAP. 11. IOseph telleth Pharoah Gen. 41 32. therefore the Dreame was doâ—bled vnto Pharoah the second time because the thing is established before God euen so because the Prophesies in this Reuelation are established and sure to be performed and to make them the more certainely and manifestly of vs to bee vnderstood beleeued all things that haue beene reuealed touching Antichrist are from this Chapter vnto the end of the Booke reuealed againe but farre more amply and plainely delared then in the former but in this is nothing prophisied but the things concerning Antichrist In the 8. Chapter Christ offereth the prayers of the faithfull to God and then filleth the Censor with coales of the Altar and threw them vpon the earth and there fell vpon the earth hayle and fire mingled with blood and it burnt the third part of Trees and greene grasse Wherein I shewed the great peace the Church enioyed by Constantine in which prosperity the Romish Church fell to superstitions and anger'd God wherefore hee gaue them ouer to their owne lustes vntill the Romane Church became the Synagogue of Sathan and Antichrist and they became as colde as hayle in true religion and as hot as fire euen to the shedding of blood to maintaine their superstitions In this Chapter they that trusted only vnto the blood of Christ by an allusion vnto the temple of Salomon are said to be the temple of God and Saint Iohn is commanded to measure them to God and the superstitious Romanes and those that tooke their parts are said to be the Courts because they make a shew of Religion but with superstitions prophane the truth therefore Saint Iohn is commanded to cast them out and not to mete them and these shall tread the holy Citty that is the Children of God vnder their feete 42. moneths this time is likewise set forth in this Chapter to bee 1260. dayes and also 3. dayes and a halfe these times are all one the three dayes and a halfe signifie three yeares and a halfe and in three yeares and a halfe there is iust 42. moneths and in so many moneths at 30. dayes to the Moneth which was the Iewes Computation there is 1260. dayes and it is common with the Holy ghost in Prophesies to set downe a day for a yeare so Antichrist must raigne 1260. yeares The two witnesses are the olde and new Testaments and all that preach and teach them all the time of Antichrist these shall bee two oliue trees spiritually to feede the soules of the Elect and to conuey the oyle of the holy Ghost into them and they shall be two lamps to lighten them in the wayes of saluation and they shall stand before the Pope the God of the earth and if any hurt the Preachers of them the Lord will send plagues from heauen vpon such In that they are said to be cloathed in Sackcloth it sheweth that the Professors of them shall be nothing regarded and shall haue all this time great cause to mourne for the little regard that the Gospell had and for the superstitions and sinnes of the people In the seauenth verse when they haue finished their testimony the Beast out of the bottomlesse pit shall make warre against them and ouercome them and kill them this is after the loosing of Sathan Their corpes shall be dead and vnburied in Rome that is as a dead carcasse long vnburied is noysome to bee seene or smelt euen so noysome was the word of God and the preaching thereof vnto them all the time of their superstitions yet they could not bury their corpes all this while that is they could not quite pur downe the preaching of the word but the Lord still stirred vp some yea though they dyed for it to tell them of their idolatries superstitions murther sorcery fornication and theft It sheweth what great power the Diuel hath ouer the vnregenerate that hee can make them reioyce and bring gifts one to another for ioy that the preaching of the word is supprest and the bookes of the word it selfe as the Papists haue done these many ages reioycing that their meanes of Saluation is taken from them and that they are not hindred from going headlong vnto eternall damnation Rome is called spiritually Zodome because they exceed Zodome in the sinnes therof and it is called Egypt because they haue oppressed the Children of God more then the Egyptians did the Israelites and Christ was slaine in Rome in that Pilate a Romane Iudge condemned him and the Romane officers crucified him That after the 1260. yeares God sent the spirit into the two witnesses wee see the truth of this Prophesie performed and we see them stand vpon their feet and the feare of them is vpon the Pope and all his Clergie and God hath taken them vp into Heauen and exalted and preserued them in the sight of their enemies and the Popedome by them hath beene shaken as with a mighty Earthquake that the tenth part haue become Protestants long agoe and dayly his Kingdome hath decayed and the Protestants increased In that it is said that 7000. were killed with this earthquake and the rest glorified God it sheweth that when Rome shall bee destroyed all the Papists that then remaine shall become Protestants When the seauenth Angell shall blow his trumpet the Pope shall bee quite destroyed and the Kingdomes of the world shall bee our Lord Christs and hee shall raigne for euermore and all in Heauen shal reioyce and say We giue thee thanks Lord God Almighty for thou hast receiued thy great power and obtained thy Kingdome the Gentiles were angry and thy wrath is come and the time that the dead shall bee iudged and that thou shouldest giue reward vnto thy Prophets and Saints and them that feare thy name and that thou shouldest destroy them that destroy the earth In that it is said then the temple of God was open and the Arke of the Couenant was seene and that there were lightenings and voyces thunder and great hayle it sheweth Gods anger against the disobedient to his word that then there shall
is the second starre in the ninth Chapter which is Hildebrand which ioyned the supremacie vnto the Popedome that is temporall iurisdiction ouer the Emperour and the ten Kings to place them and displace them at his pleasure which is manifested in that hee is said to haue two hornes like the Lambe Christ that is to bee King of Kings and Lord of Lords as well as Ruler ouer soules Whereas his Predecessors had the Emperours power and iurisdiction but by permission and fauour hee and his Successors claymed the supremacie of duty giuen vnto them of God alleadging all those places of Scriptures which declareth what supremacie God hath giuen vnto Christ ouer all in heauen and earth for his proofes thereof and so made the image of the first Beast that is like as the first beast had the power of the Emperour but in fauour hee annexed the power and supremacie aboue all Emperours and Kings as an appertinent and duty vnto the Popedome for euer and he spake as presumptuously as the Dragon did execute his power in the Emperors sight that is as not hauing his power from him but from God This Beast did great signes so that hee made fire to descend vpon earth in the sight of men but these signes were done by Nigromancy wherefore after Pope Hildebrand was condēned by a general Councell and for coniuration and dealing with the Diuell many other grieuous offences hee was by the said Councell depriued from being Pope but his Successors vnto this day still maintaine the doctrine of his vsurped Supremacie ouer all Princes And this Beast made a law that whosoeuer would not worship the Image of the Beast should bee slaine The number of the beasts name is 666. this is to shew that at that time the first beast beganne to corrupt the Church with superstitions and false doctrines as is declared in Chap. 8. of the first Starre In that in the fift verse of this Chapter there is a mouth giuen vnto the beast to speak blasphemies 42. moneths which is interpreted Chap. 11. to be 1260. yeares so that iust this time was appointed vnto the People Emperour and Pope and it sheweth that they all this time ioyned together to tread downe the holy Citie the true Church all this while CHAP. 14. NOw Antichrist is reuealed in such liuely colours that none except the diuell blinde his eyes but may see the Pope to bee Antichrist now in this Chapter begins to be declared his destruction Christs standing vpon mount Sion signifieth his presence with his children the 144000. that were with him which were sealed in the 7. Chapter a certaine number for an innumerable number declaring that all the Saints who all this time of 1260. yeares were martyred or persecuted by Antichrist were with him in glory and none of them lost In that the sound of their voices was like the roaring of many waters and like thunder it declareth what a multitude of them there be In that they played vpon harps and sung a new song which none could learne but themselues their harping sheweth how ioyfully they praised God that none can sing such new songs and so much praise God as those which haue suffered for standing faithfully in the truth and haue beene deliuered In that they are commended for not being defiled with women it is not onely meant of their bodily chastity but also of their spirituall chastitie in that Antichrist had not made them commit spirituall fornication by following his idolatrous doctrines but they were virgins that did onely cleaue vnto their Spouse Christ and his word In their mouthes was found no guile they taught onely the truth they were without spot before the throne of God that is in the righteousnesse of Christ Now the 1260. yeares of Antichrist appeare plainely to bee finished in that the Gospell doth so plentifully flourish and in that wee see Christ vpon mount Sion that is defending his Church And here wee haue a promise that this shall be an euerlasting Gospell that is to indure vnto Christs comming as which so great a grace was neuer shewed vnto former ages therfore the Angell that brings vs these glad tidings exhorts vs to feare God giue glory vnto him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worship him that made heauen and earth and the fountaines of water Then is prophesied that Rome shall bee destroyed called by the name of great Babylon because as the Babylonians destroyed the materiall Temple so haue they of Rome the spirituall Temple the faithfull the cause of her destruction followeth Because shee hath made drunken all nations with the wine of the wrath of her fornications that is of her idolatrous and false doctrine Therefore there followes a warning that whosoeuer shall worship the Image of the Beast that is the Pope and receiue the print of his name that is make holinesse in crossing himselfe and in other superstitions hee shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God and bee tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe and the smoake of their torments shall ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night In that the destruction of Antichrist followeth the preaching of the Gospell it declareth that by it Antichrist shall bee destroyed and that the suppression of the preaching of the word was the cause of the growth of it and therefore it is that the diuell puts into the heads of Papists to keepe all people from the reading hearing and preaching of Gods word The voyce from heauen that bad Iohn write Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them ought to incourage vs to preach the Gospell to the beating downe of Antichrist though we suffer neuer so much for our labour After the fall of Antichrist by the preaching of the Gospell and that the Lord hath fulfilled the number of the elect then shall Christ come vpon a white cloud wearing a golden crowne in his hand a sickle and because the haruest of the earth is ripe heeshall thrust in his sickle and the earth shall be reaped that is by an allusion to husbandmen in haruest is declared how Christ shall gather his Saints to him into heauen And by the Angell that with a sharp sickle cut vp the vineyards of the earth because her grapes were ripe and cast them into the great winepresse of the wrath of God the winepresse was trodden without the Citie the bloud or wine of the grapes was vnto the horse bridles by the space of 1600. furlongs By an allusion to grape-gatherers is declared how Gods Angels shall cast the reprobate into eternall torments and in that the winepresse is without the Citie it sheweth that the place of the damned shall be separated from the Elect and in that there was such plenty of grapes that the wine or bloud of them was vp to the horses bridles that trode
approacheth to inlarge and decke with his graces his Spouse the Church which shall bee vpon the destruction of Rome that the number of the elect being fulfilled Christ may come to iudgement and exalt vs vnto his eternall glory And because the more neere the Diuell seeth his time of eternall torments to approach the more hee rageth against Gods Children therefore this flaming starre must certifie vs that euen now the Diuell by his priuie Counsellors the Iesuites is most busily plotting and practising the destruction of all Protestant Kings and Countries and it ought to prouoke vs to earnest prayer vnto our chiefe Captaine Iesus Christ to confound their enterprises and to destroy them in the same suare which they haue laid for others To the Prince of the Kings of the earth that loued vs and washed vs from our finnes and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God to him bee all honour glory and power now and for euermore Amen A REVELATION of the Reuelation CHAP. I. EVen as GOD so much loued faithfull Abraham that hee would not destroy Zodome vntill hee had foretold him thereof and likewise his chosen Children Israell that he would doe nothing but he would foretell them therof by his Prophets Likewise as Christ so loued his Disciples that hee foretould them his Sufferings Death Resurrection Ascension and the comming of the holy Ghost their troubles that they should suffer for his name the successe of the Gospell the destruction of Ierusalem the glory that they the faithful should haue with him in Heauen such immeasurable riches of his loue hath God shewed vnto his faithfull ones in these last ages in shewing vnto them what shall happen vnto his Church from the blessed Ascension of his Sonne Iesus Christ vntill his glorious comming to Iudgement And because he hath exalted Iesus Christ on his right hand and giuen all power vnto him in Heauen and earth and made him the onely saluation of all that are or shal be saued hee hath likewise giuen vnto him this Reuelation and because Angels be his ministring spirits for our saluation Christ hath sent it by an Angell and because the Lord will not vse the ministry of Angells immediatly for our instruction the Angell brought it to Iohn to conuey it to the seauen Churches of Asia and although it is directed of God onely to the seauen Churches of Asia it doth as properly belong to all Churches people of God as vnto them In that it is said to bee of things that shall shortly come to passe a thousand yeares with the Lord is but as one day with vs In that they are pronounced blessed that read heare and keepe the things of this Prophecie it should stirre vs vp neuer to be weary of knocking asking and seeking vntill the true vnderstanding here of be giuen vs and this as the onely meanes S. Iohn by his example commends vnto vs in that hee beginneth with Prayer to the Father Son and holy Ghost for grace and peace for them In that he calleth the holy Ghost which is one Spirit seauen Spirits it is in respect of the seauen folde operation therof in the 7. churches And hauing now seene Iesus Christ in heauen hee cannot passe by him by barely naming him but declareth what hee hath seene of knowne of him That he is a faithfull witnesse the first begotten of the dead Prince of the Kings of the earth that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes with his bloud and made vs Kings Priests vnto God he commeth with clouds and euery eye shall see him yea they that pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wayle before him euen so Amen In that by persecutions hee was faine to leaue his Churches and to saue himselfe in a desolate place he might think that God had forsaken his faithfull Churches and him his faithfull seruant but wee know that all things work for the best for Gods children now euen now in this desolate place he seeth more comfort then euer he did and receiueth the greatest Reuelation that euer was and most beneficiall to the comfort and direction of the Church to the end of the world and fends this vnto his Churches farre passing the comfort of his presence In that the seauen golden Candlestickes which by Christ is interpreted the seauen Churches the gold thereof sheweth the puritie of their Religion without any drosse of humane traditions or Iewish ceremonies The office of a Candlesticke is to hold vp the candle that it may lighten all the place where it is whereby is noted vnto vs their care and loue of the Gospell and the conuersion of others vnto the same by holding vp and maintaining their Ministers to edifie themselues and to bee a light to them that be in darknesse And as Christ walked amongst these golden Candlesticks so wil he neuer be absent from such golden Candlestickes No man as he is flesh and blood can see Christ as he is therefore he appeares vnto S. Iohn by vision and so no doubt hee did vnto S. Stephen when he saw the heauens open and Christ sitting at the right hand of God Christs long garment golden girdle was after the manner of Kings and Priests declareth that he is the King of kings and Lord of lords and the onely Ruler of all things in heauen and earth and our onely high Priest In his haire he resembles auncient Senators which sheweth his wisedome and that he is the first and the last Alpha and Omega hee that was and that is and that is to come His flaming eyes sheweth that hee is the searcher of all reynes and hearts and that nothing is hid from his eyes with whō we haue to doe His brasen feet declare that hee shall stampe the diuell and all his instruments his and our enemies vnder his feet His loud voyce manifesteth that hee shall be heard vnto the end of the world how forcible his Gospel is to conuert the elect how it shall be able to awake to life all that are dead and to make the elect to meet him in the ayre and to follow him vnto glory and to cast the diuell and all the wicked into hell His two-edged Sword out of his mouth sheweth his wrath and indignation vnto the enemies of his Church and their destruction His shining face sheweth his louing fauour vnto his children and assureth them of his saluation In that the Ministers of the seauen Churches are called Stars they are shewed their office euer to bee inlightning those that are in darkenesse with the bright beames of the Gospell and to shew forth their loue vnto God and his children by their good workes that men may glorifie their Father in heauen In that he holds them in his hand whereas hee is said but to be in the middest of the Candlestickes it assureth vs if wee be such Starres he will haue a speciall care ouer vs he will hold vs in his hand and none shall be able to hurt
bee no interruption of the preaching thereof and that the Lord will hinder and punish such as offer to hinder and will not obey it CHAP. 12. AS in the eighth Chapter is a vision of a great Mountaine that fell burning into the Sea which there is interpreted to bee the Emperour taking the part of the superstitious Romanes against the faithfull in Christ Heere the Emperour is called a great red Dragon which sheweth the fiercenesse of his persecution against Gods Children for resisting superstitions The woman that was cloathed with the Sunne and the Moone vnder her feet and vpon her head a Crowne of twelue starres sheweth the flourishing estate of the Church by Constantine the Gospell shined from them as the Sun and Moone and the testimony of the twelue Apostles was their Crowne and reioycing and as twelue starres to direct them her trauelling with child was the increase of the faithfull which the Dragon the Emperour sought by all meanes to deuoure they are called a Man child because Christ the Man-child and they are but all one their taking vp into Heauen sheweth their preseruation of God In that it is saide they shall rule the Nations with a rodde of Iron it is because Christ their head shall doe so for them The Dragons Taile that drew the third part of the starres of heauen and cast them to the earth his taile signifieth his edicts and the executioners therof the starres are the faithfull Children of God which shine like starres in respect of Infidells the third part signifieth all the Popes iurisdiction for he neuer had dominion but in the third part of the World and the Heauen heere is the Church I leaue the interpretation of his 7. heads and ten hornes vnto the 17. Chapter where the Angell interprets them The flying of the woman into the wildernes sheweth what feare the faithfull were put in that they were faine to haue priuate meetings as if it were in a wildernes and this continued 1260. yeares concerning the battell in Heauen Michael and his Angells are Christ and his Preachers against the Diuell and Papists his Soldiers and Christ and his Children gatte the victory in the end and Christ and his shall raigne in inspeakeable glory when as the Diuell and all that tooke his part in resisting the Gospell shall inherit eternall paine and torments When this victory was Saint Iohn heard a loud voyce saying Now is Saluation in Heauen that is the Church and strength and the Kingdome of our God and the power of Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe there was neuer any that so falsly accused the faithfull as the Papists haue and still doe like vnto the Diuell their Captaine which accuseth vs day and night before God but they ouercame him by the bloud of the Lambe and the word of their testimony and they loued not their liues vnto death this certifieth vs who were Christs Angells that fought against the Diuell Reioyce yee Heauens and they that dwell therein meaning the faithfull in the true Church woe to the Inhabitants of the earth and and sea The earth is often interpreted great men and the sea the common people meaning carnall men for the Diuell is come downe vnto you hauing great wrath knowing he hath but a short time this is since the 1000. yeares that the Diuell is let loose When the Dragon saw that hee was cast into the earth that is ouercome hee persecuted the woman but God preserued her as an Eagle saueth her selfe with flying aloft and as one that saueth himselfe by hiding in the wildernes and the Dragon cast out water after the woman like a flood that he might carry her away but the earth helped the woman that is God prouided men of the earth euer all this 1260. yeares to defend and succour his children by the Dragon is meant not only the Emperours but the Popes for since the Emperors power decaid the Popes were as Emperours Then the Dragon made warre with the seed of the woman which keepe the Commandements of God and haue the testimony of Iesus Christ these are the warres that long haue beene and now are betwixt the Papists and the Protestants CHAP. 13. THe two Beasts in the Prophesies of this Chapter are the two starres that the Prophesies are of in the 8. and 9. Chapters and both set out vnto vs the Popes The first Beast is said to arise out of the Sea that is from amongst the lower sort of men which is when Phocas had slaine his Maister Mauritius the Emperour all his Children and made himselfe Emperour he gaue Boniface Bishop of Rome preheminence to be highest aboue all other Bishops and sole ruler of them In that he is said to haue seauen heads and tenne hornes with Crownes vpon them the reason is set downe in the second verse because the Dragon gaue him his vertue and his throne and his great power to enable him to fight against the Children of God In that there was set vpon his head the name of blasphemie is because the Pope taketh to himselfe that which onely belongeth to Christ to haue all power in Heauen and Earth and whatsoeuer prerogatiue the Scripture attributeth to Christ the Pope most blasphemously taketh to himselfe In that he is like the Leopard no Beast is so beautifully spotted as the Leopard is so no Emperour or King was euer so richly or gloriously decked with gold and precious stones as the Popes haue beene In that his clawes are like the clawes of a Beare which hath the strongest pawes of all Beasts to catch and to hold withall it sheweth that neuer any Emperour or any else hath been such an exactor of the riches of all Lands as the Popes haue beene as Ecclesiasticall Histories make mention In that his mouth was as the mouth of a Lyon it sheweth his tyranny cruelty and mercilesnes in deuouring Gods children and well may the holy Ghost stile him a Beast that hath these beastly qualities his head that was wounded to death was the Emperour when Mauritius and his Children were slaine But Hiraclius the Emperour killed Phocas that slew them and restored the Empire againe And the superstitious gloried in the Pope being made so great by the Emperour and worshipped the Dragon that gaue power vnto him and they worshipped the Beast saying Who is like vnto the Beast Who is able to warre with him And the Beast blasphemed God and his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in Heauen that is his faithfull Children and hee warred against the Saints and ouercame them and power was giuen him ouer euery Kingdome and tongue and Nation therefore all that are in the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Booke of life But heere is the benefit of the patience and faith of Saints if any lead into Captiuity he shall be led into Captiuity and whosoeuer killed them by the sword shall bee killed by the sword This second Beast
Rome the great whore that sitteth vpon many waters and sheweth that all Kings and Nations of the earth are drunken with the wine of her fornication In the vision Saint Iohn saw a woman sit vpon a skarlet coloured beast full of names of blasphemy which had seauen heads and tenne hornes and the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet and guilded with gold precious stones and pearles and had a cup of gold in her hand full of abominations and filthines of her fornications and in her forehead was a mystery written Great Babilon the Mother of whoredomes and abhominations and the woman was drunken with the blood of Saints and martyrs of Iesus and he wondred with great maruell then the Angell told Saint Iohn he would shew him the mystery thereof The Beast which thou hast seene was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit and shall be destroyed and all that are not written in the booke of life shall wonder at it that hee being so mighty could be destroyed this Beast is the Emperour which was before the Reuelation it seemeth at the time thereof the Emperour was dead and no other then chosen and the Pope should ascend out of the bottomlesse pitte and be aboue the Emperour and for all his greatnesse yet hee shall goe into perdition The Angell declareth the seauen heads to signifie seauen mountaines wheron the Whore sitteth which plainely sheweth the Citty of Rome to bee that Whore for that is builded vpon seauen Mountaines and so is no other Citty Againe the Angell interpreteth the seauen heads to bee seauen Kings that is seauen kinds of gouernment in Rome of which fiue were fallen and the Idolatrous Emperours did then raigne but Constantine should quite alter the gouernment of Rome from idolatry to Christianity and hee and the Emperours following him was the seauenth King and the Beast in this vision which is the Pope is one of the seauenth gouernment in name because he professeth the name of Christ but indeed he is the eighth gouernment for hee hath quite changed the gouernment of Rome from Christianity to Popery The Angell interpreteth the ten hornes to be ten Kings which at the time of the Reuelation had not receiued a kingdome but shall receiue power at one hower with the Pope and they shall be all of one minde and giue their power and authority to him and fight with Christ but hee shall ouercome them Then the Angell interpreteth the waters where the Whore sitteth to signifie people multitudes Nations and tongues which plainely declareth the Citty of Rome to bee the Whore for no Citty from Christ to this day hath so many Countries and People vnder her dominion as that Citty and in the eighth verse the Angell interpreteth the woman to be the great Citty which at the time of the Reuelation raigned ouer the Kings of the earth and then was the Emperours seate there In that the woman sitteth vpon a scarlet coloured Beast it is because the ordinary attire of the Pope and Cardinalls is scarlet and his fulnesse of names of blasphemy is because most blasphemously he attributes vnto himselfe all Christs names In that Saint Iohn saw the woman so richly arrayed in purple scarlet and guilded with gold and precious stones and pearles thus were the Popes Cardinalls Bishops Prelates Churches and Idolls arrayed and doth most euidently declare that these Prophesies are of Rome The golden Cuppe that she holdeth in her hand is her golden name that shee stileth her selfe withall calling her selfe the Catholique Church but her doctrines which shee teacheth are filthy and abhominable blasphemies Idolatries superstitions which are the wine of her fornication wherewith shee made all Nations of the earth drunken and shee is called the great Whore in that shee is departed her selfe and hath carried so many from Christ our Spowse and from his word and committed fornication with the Diuell and his wicked doctrines and for this cause it is that the mystery Great Babilon is written in her forehead because shee is the mother of whordomes and abominations of the earth as Babilon was If there were no other note wherby it might bee knowne that these Prophefies are of Rome this were sufficiēt to declare the same in that she is said to be drunken with the blood of Saints and Martyrs of Iesus for the Romane Gouernours crucified Christ and the Romane Emperours made the tenne persecutions and the Romane Popes haue slaine more Martyrs Saints of Iesus then euer were slaine in the world before The Angell telleth vs in the 16. verse that the ten Kings which did with one consent giue their Kingdomes vnto the Pope vntill the wordes of God which hee foretold were fulfilled are they that shall hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire and the performance heereof is contained in the two next Chapters CHAP. 18. AN Angell from Heauen cryeth mightily with a loud voyce Babilon that great Citty it is fallen it is fallen and nothing shall inhabite there but Diuels wilde Beasts and foules because all Nations haue drunken of the wine of the wrath of her fornication And there came a voyce from Heauen saying Goe out of her my people that you bee not pertakers of her sinnes and that you receiue not of her plagues rewarde her as shee hath rewarded you giue her double according to her workes because shee hath glorified her selfe and liued in pleasure and saith in her heart I sit being a Queene and am no widdow and shall see no mourning therefore shall her plagues come at one day death and sorrow and famine and she shall be burned with fire for strong is the Lord God which will condemne her And the Kings that haue committed fornication with her and the Merchants that haue beene made rich by her and euery ship Maister and all that occupie ships and ship-men shall stand a farre off for feare of her torments and cry when they see the smoake of her burning saying What Citty was like to this great Citty and they shall cast dust on their foreheads and cry Alas alas the great Citty wherein were made rich all that had ships on the Sea by her costlinesse for in one hower shee is made desolate O heauen reioyce of her and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath giuen your iudgement on her and an Angell tooke a great Mill-stone and cast it into the Sea saying With such violence shall the great Citty Babilon bee cast and bee found no more and there shall bee no more Musicke nor Tradesmen nor Mill heard to grinde nor candle shine nor Bridegroomes voyce bee heard there any more CHAP. 19. IN this Chapter is declared the praysing of God in Heauen and Earth for the finall destruction of Antichrist but I will first make an end of the destruction thereof In the eleuenth verse Saint Iohn saw Heauen open and Christ riding vpon a white horse and