difference betweene the Manna of the Pergamen people and that of the Israelites For this every way was spred rond about the tentes that was dispersed peculiarly to every one of the saints who did not dwell so thicke togither in so great number as the Jsraelites in their tentes but in certen rare dennes farre removed froÌ„ the eyes of the world From wheÌ„ce the Manna of these is hidden their 's manifest like to that which was gathered from the comon allowance of the people and by the commandement of God layd up in a golden pot which the people had no power to see afterward Exod. 16.33.34 Heb. 9.4 Which in a more excellent figure did shadow out the heavenly food For the other Manna being kept above one day was full of wormes this abode pure and incorrupt through all ages a lively and expresse image of the immortall foode Therefore this Manna doeth not ly openly about the tents in the waye of every one that will gather it up but is given from the golden pot as much as may be sufficient to maintaine life And certenly unlesse Christ by hidden meanes in those most corrupt times had provided for his they had bin utterly undone as touching their salvation ¶ And J will give him a white stone The second reward Aretas reporteth that such a stone was wont to be given to maister wrastlers striving on the theater But it is not likely that that custome is here regarded For that was onely to the entring of the fight and not to the rewarding of the overcomer In the playes called Olympiques that the champions should not run togither rashly they pulled stones out of a sylver pot and those on which they did fall being marked with the same letter for they wer two by two marked with the same characters were committed in the fight by the iudges neither doe I thinke that there was any other use of stones in playes In iudgements they were used to an other ende to wit to give voices In which thing they were divers according to the sundry lawes of the peoples sometime hollow and bored through by which they did condemne sometime full and solid by which they did absolve Some time also they were distinguished onely by the colour the black condamning the white contrariwise absolving So Vlpian on Demosthenes against Timocrate The stones sometime bored and not bored some time black and white To the same purpose the Scholiâ—ste of Aristophanes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that of Alcibiades is famous who in the iudgement of life and death would not beleeve his mother least peradventure shee unwares should put a black stone for a white Plutarche in Apotheg of the King He doeth allude therefore to that manner of absolving in iudgements But wherfore now is there a second yea a third reward which in the former Churches was but one The use of the godly did so require For because those few and rare faithfull in so great a multitude of the ungodly were hated of all condemned of schisme errour heresy and I know not what wickednes an absolving stone is promised them That although they should be guilty by all mens suffragies on the earth yet they might knowe most surely that they are iudged guiltles before the heavenly tribunall How great a solace is this against the reproches of the world Be of good courage if God iustify who shall condemne Rom. 8.33 ¶ And in the stone a new name written A third reward He persisteth in the same custome of iudgements in some of which their names were written in the stones who came to be iudged Aristides being desired of an unlearned and one that knewe not who he was that he would write to him the name of Aristides in his shell he wrote his name into his owne banishement Plutarch in Apotheg of Aristides Here the like custome is shewed But the new name to be written in the white stone is the childe of God such as the faithfull perceive and acknowledg themselves to be by the testimony of the Spirit Rom. 8.16 Which also avayleth against the railings of the world to whoÌ„ they should be as the filth and ofskowring of all But why dost thou vexe thy selfe with thought of so great contempt seeing thou art with God in the honour of a sonne This name also is unknowne to all except to him that receaveth it For the world knoweth us not 1 Ioh. 3.2 Therfore their testimony is of noe account on what side soever But besides beholde the solitarines of those times wherein the elect were no lesse unknowne to the world then the way of salvation signifyed now by the hidden Manna Analysis Such is the Epistle to the Church of Pergamus Thyatira growing This to the Thyatirens is intituled also to the Angell then he declareth that he that sendeth is the sonne of God with fiery eyes and feete like fine brasse ver 18. The Narration prayseth the increase of Godlines ver 19. but reprehendeth for suffering of Jesabell whose naughtines he describeth first by the kinde of sinne ver 20. secondly by the hardning ver 21. and punishment which is notable both for the nature of the punishment it selfe which is divers according to the maÌ„ner of the delinquents For Iezabell her selfe is punished by the Bed They that committe fornication with her by great affliction ver 22. and her sonnes with death as also by an excellent testimony of all Churches of the iust and severe iudgement of God ver 23. To whom finally he annexed a counsell against this wickednes the way wherto he sheweth by gentle entreatie laying noe other burden upon them ver 24. requyring constancy ver 25. perswading therto by the reward of power over the nations vers 26.27 the morning starre ver 28. The conclusion ver 29. Scholions 18 And to the Angell of the Church of Thyatira Thyatira is so called as it were Thugatera as we have shewed at the first chapter A name well concurring with the thing For the godlines of this Church is growing as a daughter new borne which alway groweth up till shee hath attained to a full maturity In which respect it is opposed to Ephesus which being of full age the very first day or shortly after the further shee proceedeth as hasting to old age became weaker every day while at leÌ„gth the naturall heat being extinguished shee fell into the coldnes of death And here is the first bending from the North to wit Pergamus toward the south but further to the East being distant according to Ptolemy about foure score English miles The Antitype is the time from the yeare 1300. unto 1520. ¶ These things saith the sonne of God Now Christ maketh himselfe knowne by his name eyes feete every one of which doe appeare more clearly froÌ„ the Antitype of what sorte they are As touching the name now first of all it offereth it selfe not expressed before eyther in the things seen or heard in the first chapter
purpose by very small thinges and having a faire colour He would abhorre Idols in words as much as any other and would cry out that the honour which he commaundeth to be given to Jmages is farre from this ungodlines by such wordes deceaving the unskilfull and bringing them into this offence of which the Spirith speaketh 15 So thou hast c. The reddition of the similitude whose proposition is not spoken a word of Thus it should be full As once the Israelites had those that held the doctrine of Balaam so thou hast them that holde the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes In stead of the proposition he attributeth the doctrine of Balaam to the Pergamen Church because it was proper to his Antitype but from whence may be gathered the first part of the similitude But this poison of the Nicolaitanes had infected doubtlesse Pergamus ¶ Which J hate as before the comon translation is repent likewise And so he beginneth the verse following in this sense as I have warned the Ephesine Church so doe I admonish thee But this is weaker then if he did commaund simply repent 16 I will come against thee quickly and fight against them He threatneth a double punishement one against the Church it selfe against which he saith that he wâ—ll come quickly The other against the corrupters against whom he saith he will fight with the sworde of his mouth For wee may not thinke that he will come against the Church onely to take away those plagues destructions of men for this could have no feare but would be a thing to be chiefly wished but shee also must suffer the punishment of her negligence as they of their wickednes Therfore this violent breaking into the Church was a certen chastisement by warre or some such calamity as is manifest in the Antitype whose times were very troublous partly by the overflowing of the Northerne Barbarians partly by the Saracens whom the Devill armed against the seed of the woman after shee fled into the wildernes as we shall shew at the chap. 12. to which times these things perteine but here generally and obscurely shewed because this place suffered not any ampler light The other punishment is against the Balaamites against whoÌ„ he will use the sworde of his mouth For we must observe how he distinguisheth these from the Church of her he sayd I will come against thee then turning his speach to the Balaamites and J will fight saith he against them But what is it to fight with the sworde of his mouth Whether to inflict the punishments which he hath threatned in his word Certenly Paul saith that he had in readines wherewith to punish all contumacy 2 Cor. 10.6 And Ieremy is set of God over the nations and Kingdomes to root out and destroy c. chap. 1.10 For there is no weapon in the whole armory of the world so effectuall on both partes Wherfore seeing by the iudgement hereof all fornications and Idolatries are appointed to a iust punishment worthily may he say that he will fight with that sworde according to the rule whereof the pronounced iudgement is exercised But nowe when in an other place it is sayd of Antichrist that Christ shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth 2 Thes 2.8 which maner of speaking what force it hath we have learned by experience to wit that his errours convinced his lyes detected then his fraude and deceits set in the open light he shal be brought to destruction these wordes seeme to have the same meaning And certenly after that the Church was for a while scourged by those Norther Souther barbariaÌ„s Christ begaÌ„ to vexe those PerganieÌ„ impostours with the light of the truth for about the yeare 1120 arose certeÌ„ godly men which preached openly that Antichrist was come that the holy dayes Ecclesiasticall broken songs prayers for the dead pilgrimages oyle extreem unction the rest of that sorte were superstitious things Worke Trip. Henric. Mon. Thol To these were added in a short time after the Waldenses the Albingenses Parisienses who published a booke of the perils of the Church many other private men FroÌ„ theÌ„ce began this fight which was soft in the beginning terrible rather in the shaking of the sword then in wonding but after coming to a iust full battaile as after we shall see which hath fallen out prosperously to the godly hitherto by the grace of God but most unhappily to them that dwell at Rome in the throne of Sathan 17 He that hath an eare Let every one drowned in the Romish superstitioÌ„s give eare let him attende hearken in what account with God is that unmaried Vicar of Christ of what price is that famous much spoken of Rome that Chaire of Peter the piller of truth mother of the faith of all Churches to wit that chief Prelate that wicked Balaam the very city which is renowmed with the vaine praising of men the gate of heaveÌ„ is the very palace throne of the Devill Neither let any thinke that hatred doth wring these words from a man that is an adversary but let him compare the prophecy the event which if he shall see to agree in all things let him know that he is warned of the daÌ„ger not so much by the words of maÌ„ as by the H. spirit ¶ To him that overcometh I will c. The reward is threefould hiddeÌ„ MaÌ„na a white stone an unknowne name written upon it Every one of which fit the times in a wonderfull manner As for Manna it is the meat of the wildernes ministred froÌ„ God when there was no meanes to have other bread And in this Pergamen state when the company of the Nicolaitanes Balaamiticall ofspring that is Romane Jdolaters possessed all places the Church was conversant in a waste unpleasant terrible wildernes whether wee shall see the woman betake herselfe flying from the Dragon ch 12. But Christ feedeth the same with the meat of the wildernes as once the Israelites For he will not be wanting to his in the most hard times but bestowe aboundaÌ„tly the ioy of the Spirit wherby not onely they may be preserved in life but also be very glad as for the greatest ioyes Therefore this Manna is the same meate with the fruite of the tree of life in Paradise as hath bin observed afore ver 7. but the manner of ministring of it is divers there in a most chast pure and flourishing Church it was the fruit of the tree in the middes of the paradise of God here the truth being despised contemned trode under foot utterly opressed with most thicke darknes it is MaÌ„na the foode of the wildernes this meate should be hiddeÌ„ froÌ„ the world they should suppose theÌ„ famished who had fled into this wildernes as the Egyptians did thinke the Israelites for this cause would perish suddeÌ„ly But God did sustaine his extra ordinarily with this bread of Angels Yet there is this
Antichrist with his Prelates hath ceased long agoe in many ages past to be in the number of these Beasts Howe farre also are our Bishops from them who have forsaken prayers the administration of the word not that they may looke to the poore but that they may handle civill affayres and enioy the honours of this world Whom thou mayest see oftener in the iudgement seat then in the Pulpite and to differre nothing from the Politike Magistrates but onely in name and apparrell Doe they day and night extolle our God with meet prayses of his holines God open their eyes that they may see howe excellent things they leave for thing of no value that at length acknowledging their errour they may returne to better things al trifling lets being cast away The Psalmist telleth openly that they are blessed which dwell in the house of the Lord and that in this respect because they prayse God continually Psal 84.5 What then shall wee chaunge with this office which so great King being destitute of envied that I may so say to others through a godly zeale But too much it may be is already spoken of this matter too much in deede to him that speaketh the trueth but to all that love their errours I doe feare that they will not be enough The office of these Beasts is declared not onely by this care but also by the forme it selfe of the thankesgiving for they cry Holy Holy Holy by which thrise repeated crying togither they prayse the one onely Iehovah seeing in repeating they say one certen thinge which one also they acknowledge to be three in repeating thrise that which they gave to one wherby likewise they esteeme every each one person of equall honour commending each with equall prayse For holines containeth within it all prayse which signifyeth such a purity which is sprinkled and mixed with noe spotte or blemish And this the Beasts doe give to God not onely setting forth the same soe in words but also in making the people holy or at least in using that labour wherby to their utmost power they may make them From whence of all the testimonialls of Gods prayse this chiefly doth sounde and ringe againe in the lyppes of them that serve God Some bookes doe repeate these wordes six times but Aretas agreeth with our copyes and these wordes are in other places of Scripture Isay 6.3 So is the title of holines this the Beasts doe set forth by a double kinde of Power and Trueth wherunto perteineth that distributive nowne which is and which was and which is to come as was declared before chap. 1.4.7 And they mention first of all the Power shewing the incōprehēsible glory of holines which is most hard where one hath liberty to doe what he will He that can doe all thinges and yet in the least thinge abuseth not his power and authority it must needes be that his glory exceedeth the comprehending of every minde Againe howe hard is it to keepe the promise which thou hast made when they to whom thou hast promised doe breake their promise almost every moment O therfore the unmeasurable holinesse of our God whose truth mens infidelity doth not hinder 9 And when those Beasts shall give Hitherto the giftes with which God doth notably adorne his Church nowe the worship is described to which the Beasts and Elders togither doe earnestly bende themselves The māner whereof is such that the Beasts have the chiefe doing in the action and goe before the Elders with their voice as the Ministers are wonte in the assembly of the people For these thinges are spoken according to that order which God hath appointed in his Church wherby all the people doe give worship to God the Minister being the leader But it is to be observed that this action of giving glory doth differ in a respect from that of the former verse For that perteined to private care which is continuall their whole office tending to this onely ende this is proper to their publike function and at certen time as is manifest from those thinges which followe in the next verse As touching the wordes Theod. Beza translateth when they did give and so the other wordes they did fall downe they did cast of by the imperfect tence but the property of the time is to be kept seeing a future thinge is here foreshewed and not a thing past reported 10 The foure and twenty Elders shall fall downe The action of the people governed by the conduct of the Ministers And it consisteth in two thinges in gesture in this verse and in words in the following The gesture is threefolde of casting downe themselves before him that sitteth on the throne of worshipping and casting of their crownes The first signifyeth their cheerfull hast that at the voyce of the Beasts they fall downe by and by The second the iust worshippe given to him to whome alone it is due The third the sincere trueth of their minde in performing this adoration in that putting off their owne dignity they acknowledge themselves his servaunts before whose throne they cast their crownes But how wilt thou say doe the Elders fall downe when the Beasts doe give glory seeing the Beasts are employed in this labour day and night without ceasing Doe the Elders never sit in their thrones but fall downe alwayes prostrate on the groūde Wee must remember that which I said even nowe that the private care of the Beasts is one thing their publike action an other That hath noe intermission this is performed with certen respites to this alone this throwing downe of themselves perteineth From whence there is a double argument that all these thinges belong typically to the Christian assemblyes on earth There are noe set times of worship in the heavens but all that eternity is bestowed about this thing Secondly neither shall there be any neede of leaders and rulers to performe the worshippe For Prophecy shall then cease 1 Cor. 13.8 much more the Ecclesiasticall Policy which is ordayned in respect of this but every one being a Priest thē not onely by right but also in practize shall prayse God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost without the mediation and helpe of any other then himselfe Seeing therfore this type is proper to the Church on earth let every one consider with himselfe earnestly howe greatly it belongeth to them to frequent the publike assemblyes with all diligence that as often as the Beasts give glory to him that sitteth on the throne he may fall downe before the throne and worshippe him that liveth for ever Certenly they that contemptuously sit at home and neglect the congregations of the faints or in the meane time make iourneyes and withdrawe themselves in any other unnecessary manner shewe openly tha they belonge not at all to that most honorable company of the Elders And let not any deceave himselfe by his honours dignityes and excellency as though the publike assemblyes were either of the
more theÌ„ enough This cry sheweth the manner of Gods iustice which cannot suffer uniust murders unpunished in which sorte the blood of Abell is sayd to have cryed Gen. 4.10 But how great is the patieÌ„ce of our God which is provoked by a cry to punishement before that he prepares to it But whither did the saints beare the former iniuries without speaking neither cryed out before this 5 seale Without doubt they did alwayes sigh under the crosse but nowe first of all mention is made of the crying because the time was not farre of when they should be delivered from those sorrowes For God is wont when he will bestowe any thing upon his children to stirre up their harts to fervent prayers both that they may more esteeme the good thing obtained and also that they may learne howe great a regard he hath of us that call upon him with sincere mindes ¶ How long O Lord which art holy true They set forth God with those titles wherby they may stablish increase their faith as it ought to be done in all right invocation For because he is holy he cannot let goe unpunished the ill deedes of the world especially seeing he is also true hath made large promises touching the blessednes of his people ¶ Doest thou not iudge avenge Iudgement perteineth to the knowledge of a matter vengeance to the performing executing of the thing iudged which signify punishement toward him that doth wronge yet chiefly I thinke the delivering of the innocent party from whence it is construed often with a preposition as in Luke avenge mee of my adversary ch 18.3 Where the widowe doth not so much desire fervently the punishement of the adversary as her owne deliverance So David 1 Sam. 13. and the Lord avenge mee of thee so hath Tremelius I would rather translate the wordes thus the Lord shall deliver mee from thee as also the Greeke Interpreters have it the Lord deliver mee from thee for he doth not wish evill to Saul to his face And such a thing is it which the Soules require to wit that God at length would after so long a tryall deliver the Church from the power tyranny of the enemyes that he would not suffer it to be oppressed alway with the yoke of the wicked That this is the summe of the request it is knowne from the graunt That is not denyed them which they desire earnestly but it is differred to some time which being accomplished they should receive the thing so much desired 11 Then longe white robbes were given to every one Montanus omitteth the white robes readeth it was given to them that they should rest Other copies reade in the singular number thus a white robe was given them so Aretas the coÌ„mon translation there were given to them every one severall white robes The answere made to the soules is evideÌ„t by a signe by a speech by both which is declared what should be the next coÌ„ming coÌ„ditioÌ„ of the saints The robes are giveÌ„ for a signe which are garmeÌ„ts haÌ„ging downe eveÌ„ to the heeles fitte for to hide all deformity in the body as Cyrus of the robe in Xenophon it seemed to hide if any should have any defect in his body Fitte vestemeÌ„ts for the saincts meete for Christ to give them But whereas the robes are white that perteineth to an ornameÌ„t used in time of ioy as wee hav shewed at ch 3.4 But now they ar giveÌ„ to every one not so much for the soules cause theÌ„selves in so much as they enioy gladnes in the heaveÌ„s but for to signify the things to be done on earth For waÌ„ted they robes all that time froÌ„ Traiane to Gallienus Christ promised that he that overcometh shal be clothed in white aray ch 3.5 How long is this promise differred It is not to be doubted but that the race being runne out there is some reward of the labour Therefore these robes are not they of which it was spoken before which ar given by and by after the labour is ended but of an other kinde signifying that the saincts should have merry dayes on earth for a time which they should celebrate as it were with white gownes as is the custome in the time of solemne mirth The answere made by worde cometh to the same ende which both commandeth them to rest and also sâ—tteth downe limits how long it should continue namely a very little time untill their fellow servants were fulfilled which should be killed even as they were In summe a ioyfull rest for a short time is fore shewed which at length a newe slaughter of the faithfull should follow which at length being finished that should come to passe which the holy soules desired The History witnesseth that the thing fell out after the same manner For after Galienus succeeded Claudius Quintilius Aurelianus Tacitus Florianus Probus Carus and his sonnes at length Diocletian through all which space of about fourty yeeres unto the ninetinth yeere of Diocletian there was a time of a white gowne and of ioyfull mirth free from the murders and spoiling of the saints the Emperours theÌ„selves being restrained of God that they might not interrupte and hinder the peace graunted Which calmnes Euseb describeth eloquently in the 8. booke and 1. and 2. chap. of his Hist For being about to write of the sorrowfull time of Diocletians cruelty he prepareth him selfe a way by the remembrance of the former happines He professeth himselfe unable to declare according to the worthines of the thing howe great every where amonge all men was the credit and liberty of the Christian trueth Howe great was the mildnes saith he of the Emperours towards ours to whom they committed authority and rule over the Gentiles whom they suffered without punishemeÌ„t and bouldly to professe their religion held in great estimation loved entirely and counted most trusty to them as that Dorotheus and Gregorius Also the Governours of the Churches founde noe lesse courtesie assemblyes were celebrated with very great coÌ„pany of people the accustomed houses were not able to receive the multitude but it was needfull to build newe and larger Certenly the whole narration casteth a savour of mirth most convenient to these white robes neither is there neede of any other comment and exposition of these garmeÌ„ts and of that rest which the holy soules are commanded to take But this felicity remained uncorrupted untill Diocletian disturbed it For this one onely conflict was remayning to their fellowe servants which at length being past they should enioy the thinge much desired neither should any rage of Tyrants afterward trouble them as before times 12 Afterward I beheld when he had opened the sixt seale and loe there was a great earthquake Neither hath the sixt Seale any Beast to make attention because men were attentive enough by the answere given to the Soules under the former seale For it was sayd that one onely strife remained
And in deede it might easily be understood that the time was not farre of when an ende should be put unto publike murders seeing all degrees of men did encline with so great gentlenes to the trueth But this Seale hath both some thing proper in the rest of this chapter and also common in chap. 7. That is the last triall of the Seales the first part of which conteineth the going on of the sorrowfull Tragedie and all the former calamityes ver 12.13.14 The secōd the ioyfull isue in subduing the enemyes and appeasing all hurliburlies ver 15.16.17 As touching that Aretas reporteth from the monuments of Andreas that very many sayd that this earthquake was a passage from the persecutions which were brought upon them for Christ his sake unto the time of Antichrist And so the scriptures are wont to call some notable alteration an earthquake as where it is sayd yet once more I will shake the earth Heb. 12.26 It signifyeth the remooving of those thinges that are shaken as Saint Paul declareth And in the olde Testament the going of the children of Jsraell out of Egipt is called an earthquake as Psal 68.9 The earth was moved and the heavens dropped at the presence of God Those Interpreters have touched the point according to the trueth but onely they did misse in this that living under Antichrist they expected him yet to come not knowing that he was come longe a goe Which errour of the auncient Fathers as who being further of from the last event were lesse able to perceive the matter it selfe the Papists snatch to themselves greedily and here they make a very great gaping and distance of time leaping over from the times of Traiane in which they conclude the former Seales unto the last ende of the world which they reserve to their Antichrist as though by this earthquake all iudgement of that which is right had fallen unto them But whether is it likely that a whole thousand and five hundred yeeres and yet to come wee knowe not how many more have bin passed over with silence and that all the rest of the Prophecy was stuffed togither into the narrow straites of 3. yeeres and an halfe as Fraunces of Ribera the Jesuite will have it It is indeede a profitable abridgement and a short way to set free his Lord the Pope from a very great feare For it could not be but as often as he should beholde his face in this glasse he would seeme to himselfe to be Antichrist unlesse the Iesuite now did make it apparant that all that was but a phantasme which made him afraid That nothing is here spoken of the present time neither of that which is past through many ages but that all the speech following is of the time yet to come But wee will put away this smoke mist through Gods his helpe neither will wee suffer that the Pope seeming to himselfe a triksy felow should love himselfe to destruction also will make playne that the Jesuites doe not interprete but moke the scriptures ¶ And the Sunne became blacke These figurative and hyperbolicall speeches doe shewe that there should be a persecution the most fierce of all those which the Church endured at any time from Christs birth till nowe For so the Prophetes are wont to speake when they pointe at any great calamity as Isaiah He will clothe the heavens with blacknes he will make their covering as a sacke cloath chap. 50.3 And Ieremy When I beholde saith he the heavens they have noe light ch 4.23 and the heavens above shal be blacke ver 28. but most playnly in Ezechiell speking of the overthrowe of the Egyptiās When I shall put thee out I will cover the heavens and make the starres thereof darke I will cover the Sunne with a cloude and the moone shall not make her light to shine all the cleare lights in the heaven I will make darke upon thee and bring darkenes upō thy land saith the Lord ch 32.7.8 Many such places doe teach that these speeches are not to be refferred to the last iudgement onely as some doe expounde but also to other times which those auncients did see of whom spake Aretas even now who would have these thinges to be understood of the passing over to Antichrist This blacknes of the Sunne the other disturbance of the creature perteineth to that horrible slaughter wherby those wicked men Diocletian Maximinian endevoured to roote out the Church For wee shall see that the Sūne Moone doth note stably through this booke the chiefe ornaments of the congregation of the faithfull so that the Sunne may signify the Scriptures the Moone that excellent glory of godlines wherby the saincts doe shine after they have borrowed light frō thē That both these should be miserably defyled by this common calamity this seale sheweth it The accomplishement whereof is recited by Eusebe booke 8.2 For when the Emperours in the nineteenth yeere of their reigne ordained by publik decrees that the bookes of the holy scriptures should be committed to the fire in the middes of the marked wee sawe sayth Eusebius with these very eyes that the sacred Scriptures inspired of God were cast in to the fire in the middes of the market place and in the same place a little after the Kinges letters patents did fly to fro in every place wherby it was commaunded to abolish the scriptures So this Sunne as a sacke cloath of haire noteth not onely generally that the publicke ioy should be turned into very great sorrow but also especially that outragiousnes wherby cruelty was exercised against the sacred scriptures Neither could it be otherwise but when the fountaine of light was darkened the Moone which hath her light onely borrowed should fade away into the darke colour of blood as almost alwaye it happeneth when shee is kept from having society with the Sunne 13 And the starres from heaven fell to the earth The starres were Ministers Pastors of the Churches chap. 1.20 In which signification they are used both here in other place afterward Many of thē through feare should revolte from the trueth which is shewed by the falling from heaven to earth Neither that onely after many dangers and divers calamityes wherby being weakened they should yeeld but in the very first assault they should fall downe as greene figges that is with very little adoe even at the first rumour of perill for the figge tree most easily looseth her fruit before maturity neither tarrieth almost for the violence of stormes but with any light blast of winde maketh an untymely birth that I may so say Plin. booke 16.26 Of which thing the Spirit maketh mention in so fine a similitude that the faithfull being forwarned should not be discouraged with the so easy falling away of many Eusebius sheweth that the thing fell out altogither as it was here foreshewed For after that first decree of demolishing the temples burning the scriptures there was added an
placed in equall dignity with the Holy Scriptures Here the Interpretation of the Scriptures was taken away from the Scriptures and made subiect to mens pleasure but chiefly to the Popes Ever since the world began the Holy and Sacred Scriptures were not so much abused both openly and by publique authority ANTIOCHVS in deede a good while since inflicted a grievous wounde in commaunding the Holy Bookes to be burnt in the fire Likewise DIOCLETIAN and other Tyrants But the iniurie of these TRIDENTINE FATHERS is farre more grievous For they were Ethniques enemies stricken with a certen fury and madnes wholly repugnant to all the trueth These alone wil be counted CATHOLIQVES very great and chiefe friends the thing a long time and much consulted of guided by mature and ripe iudgement the very PILLARS and upholders of the TRVETH and upon whom noe spotte of errour can be cast How must it needs be that their act was of no authority and these men of very great neither is there cause why any should obiect Marcion the Eucratites Cataphrygians and such monsters of which some reiected one part of the sacred Scriptures and some another at their pleasure There is very great difference as touching the greatnes of the hurt betweene the dotages of obscure Heretiques and the deliberat actes and Decrees of an gathered Councell especially which chalengeth to it selfe to be credited with out exception It is therefore a thing especially worthy remembrance and worthy that the Church should be put in minde of by so notable a Prophecy The event and time doe consent so wonderfully that every equall arbitratour will easily acknowledge that I have not willfully sought this interpretation but that I have ben lead as it were by the hande to the same by the very order and disposition of the matters As touching the assemblyes of the faithfull which in these last times did first appeare in Germany they were assailed with a most cruell warre the same yeere The same Beast made this warre likewise by the help of the Emperour Charles the fift otherwise a noble man greatly to be cōmāded but obeying the Pope too much through the common errour of the Princes From whence not without cause that is attributed to one which being proceeded from two or more yet notwithstanding is done by one ioint endevour The overthrowe in this warre was received about the two and twentieth day of Aprill in the yeere following to wit 1547 when the armies of the Protestans were put to flight Iohn Frederike Duke of Saxonie himselfe Ernestus of Brunswick the Lātgraves sonne and not very long after the Lantgrave himselfe were taken Which calamity stayed not in these fewe but also afflicted many others both Governours and Cityes which partly yeelded themselves of their owne accord partly were wonne by force In one moment sayth Beza bewayling the misery of that time seemed to be overthrowne whatsoever had ben builded up in so many yeeres and with so great labours and they onely were counted happy of the most part whom sudden death had taken away from these hurlie burlies such are his wordes The remembrance of that time is sorrowfull to all the godly when the holy and wise Princes inflamed with a desire onely to defende the trueth not themselves alone but the Churches togither with them which as newly borne did lament among the weapons came miserably into the power of the enemies But now was the time of darkenesse in which these two Prophets must be killed and made a mocking stock Although wee must reioice in the same adversities which ar a calling to remembrance of the divine Prophecies confirming certenly the confidence and faith of our hope as saith Tertullian in his Apologie 8 And their corpses shall lie There is this difference betweene Antiochus the Romish Beast He in burning up the bookes of the Lawe would not have so much as the karkeises to remaine This sufferred the dead corpses but onely for a mocking stocke and for a greater ignominie The cruell Beast is not satisfyed with blood but desireth some more grievous tormēt For their pierced corpses are cast forth into the streetes of the great city that they might be a spectacle to all men and an ornament to the triumphe of the Romish Beast And what other thing of these Scriptures now remained then a very karkeise wholly without all authoritie power and life when all interpretation was brought to the Apostolique Chaire neither might they mutter any thing at all which the Bishop of Rome should not breath into them The Spirit speaketh so exactly that he may leave them noe tergiversatiō He knew that the Pope of Rome whatsoever he should doe against the truth would boast neverthelesse that to him nothing is better of more account and more inviolable then the Scriptures themselves But that noe man may be deceived with a bare name the Spirit speaketh evidently that after the Tridentine Councill noe Scriptures should be in the possessiō of the Romanes but a dead carkeise of noe strenght and power ¶ In the streetes of the great citie which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt This great City is that whole dominion of which Rome is the mother City in which sense the tenth part of the city falleth after in the 13 verse A street is some part of the Romane dition wherein this spectacle is exhibited to be seene the ioy whereof spreadeth it selfe through the whole Empire But the great citie it selfe togither with her chiefe citie is described in the rest of the verse and that by two expresse names a notable marke also being added least any perhaps should mistake the city And also for a greater assurance wee are admonished that these names are not to be takē properly but spiritually that is aenigmatically figuratively allegorically The first name is Sodom a city once very famous for her filthines nowe for her punishement a most fit exemple of the tower and chiefe habitation of this great citie For is not the city Rome become famous for her horrible lusts above all the whole world In the iudgement of all the Poete Mantuan hath truly songe of her in these wordes Shame get thee to the country townes if they al 's ' doo not use The same corrupted filthines Rome now is all a Stewes Which is no lesse declared by an other taking his leave of Rome thus Rome farre well nowe I have thee seen ynough it is to see I le come againe when bawd I meane knave brothel beast to be But that you may the better acknowledge Sodome heare what a certē man answered to one asking a question touching Rome Say what is Roma Amor Love if backward you it spell Rome loves the male kind Say no more J know thy meaning well Hath not Hieronymus Zeged Mutius declared this plainely in his Cynedicall bookes defending this horrible villany and approved by the Bulles and lettres patents of Iulius the third him selfe With whom Iohannes Casa associated himselfe being
unlesse yee load him also with the spoiles of Christ himselfe But learne from these that did speake by publike authority in their Generall Councills what was the voice of the whole world In the same route of wonderers are the Iesuites at this day all the Papists Neither can it be otherwise but that they must thinke that he is to be followed in all things and worship him as God whom they judge for a surety to be free from errour hath not the Englis man written justly in his Poetrie that the Pope is the astonishment of the world Especially if one set before his eies the Emperour leading his horse by the bridle and holding the stirrop while the Beast mounteth on horseback 4 And they worshipped the DragoÌ„ That is men acknowledged the power of the Beast to be by right the chiefe because of the auncient majesty of Rome which the Heathen Emperours who are those Dragons procured unto it For was not this to adore and worship the Dragon for his sake to give the supreme dignitie to his successour But this was the first foundatioÌ„ of the Romane Primacy because this Citie was a fore time the head city of the Empire From hence every where in Eusebius and other Ecclesiasticall writers it is called the raigning Citie But most clearly doth the Councill of Chalcedon shew this in the 16. Act. For the Fathers in order gave privilegies to the Seate of olde Rome because of the Empire of that Citie An hundred and fifty Bishops most loving to God and of equall Seate moved with the same intention gave privilegies to the newe Rome iudging according to reason that the Citie adorned with the Empire and Senate should enioy the like privilegies of the auncient Rome and in Ecclefiasticall affaires to have authority as shee and to be the next after her c. Therefore the Empire and Senate did bring forth the Primacy to the elder Rome which being graunted unto her by those first Fathers because of the Heathen Emperours who raigned there afore time the Successours afterward did for the same cause amplify the dignity graunted and prostrate themselves all shamefully before the Dragon worshipping him as the authour of this honour By the same argument the Bishop of Constantinople would have obtained the like dignity But the Dragon sufferred it not who had made the Bishop of Rome his heire of the whole Wherefore the Legates of the Romane Bishop withstood that Decree Neither would Pope Gelasius who in other things approved the Concill of Chalcedon confirme this one Canon concerning the privilege of the Church of CoÌ„stantinople Therefore that Decree was of noe force especially when the same Gelasius to whom the Dragon had committed his power had ordained wisely before and warily that no Act of any Councill whatsoever should be of any force unlesse it were confirmed the Bishop of Rome ¶ And they worshipped the Beast saying who is like to the Beast who can warre with him Such was the worshipping of the Dragon now followed of the Beast which consisteth in the extolling of his power above all that wee may not thinke that adoration is in the gesture onely And was there not iust cause of boasting so highly of the Beasts power Leo Isaurus the Emperour of Constantinople fought unfortunately with Gregory the second excommunicated by the same and put from all the Empire of the West Childericke the King of France was too weake for to encounter with the Pope Zachary wherefore forced by his authority he gave over his Kingdome to Pipine The Longobards not using the Beast well when he was sicke of his wounde at length wheÌ„ he began to be recovered and to waxe well were cast into the jawes of this Leopard by the helpe of Pipine and Charles the Great Neither lost Charles his cost being made Emperour for his labour Great indeede was thy power ô Beast who wert able at thy pleasure to take away and to give againe that which is the highest in meÌ„s affaires Lamentable is the History of Henry the fourth who in the heart of a terrible winter bare foote and fasting from morning to night for the space of three dayes waited for sentence craving pardon before the gates of the Canusine Castell of the Romane Bishop who yet prevayled nothing eyther by his owne or others teares or by the intercession of any Sanct save onely of a certen whore whom the Holy Pope had made his darling The Emperour was deceived who thought that the Pope could be pacifyed by prayers and fasting this God required an other kinde of sacrifices But that is horrible that the Pope drove rhe Sonne of Henry to that wickednesse that he should assault his Father with warre spoiled him of all dignity and at length constrained him to ende his life in extreame miseries Frederike Barbarossa a man of an heroicall disposition hath set foorth greatly the triumph of the Beast being troden upon with his feete while he in the meane time did sing this verse of triumphe Thou shalt walke upon the Aspe and Bisiliske and tread upon the Lion and Dragon What should I rehearse Frederike the second Lodovike of Bavaria contemning indeed at the first the Popes but at length having tried their strength prooving all meanes to winne their favour againe Our England hath affoarded us a sorrowfull exemple of King Iohn From all which may be perceived how unequall a conflict any Prince on earth had with this Beast Therefore Rudulphâ—s Halsbergensis the Emperour when the Princes desired earnestly that he would goe visit Italy not dissembling that he did wholly abhorre this voyage answereth wisely that he was made afraide by all men footsteppâ—s tâ—nding toward it and none backeward from it What was this else but Who shall be able to warre with him 5 And there was a mouth given unto him speaking great things Hitherto the honour of the Beast now followed his power of blaspheming and doing Of which both the power given is first recited afterward the execution of blâ—sphâ—ming in the sixt verse of doing in the seventh verse It is profitable for uâ— to understand that those horrible impietyes doe enter into the world not by any blinâ—e force of fortune but by the most just judgemeÌ„t of God Who doth so puniâ—h naughty acts and especially mens despising of his trueth The power of blaspheming is the freedome from errour which the Romane Pope chalengeth to himselfe and his Seate and that men of a blinde and perverse minde doe willingly graunt unto him What blasphemies may not he proffer to the world every one of whose Decrees are held for Oracles The power of doing is that exempt and most free ability to doe all what one will without rendring a reason to any man Wherein notable is the power of the Romane Pope above all other For such Decrees doe they ordaine No man shall iudge the first Seate desiring to moderate iustice for the Iudge shall be iudged neither of the Emperour neither of all the
Clergie neither of Kings nor of the people Againe God would have the causes of other men to be ended by men Likewise The whole Church through the world knoweth that the holy Romane Church hath right to iudge concerning all men neither may any iudge of her iudgement This is called a power of doing for excellency sake such as indeede belongeth to no Emperours who refuse not to he refrained with the boundes of lawes and all their actions to betried by the rule of equity and justice As touching the wordes Aretas readeth And power was given him to make warre moneths c. In like manner also Montanus and Plantines Edition The Common translation absolutely as also Theodorus Beza and the rest of the Greeke Copies The like use of this word in a like matter in Daniell favoureth this reading He shall cast downe saith he the trueth to the grounde and shall doe and he shall prosper in the eight Chapter the twelve foure and twentiest verse and he shall prosper wonderfully and shall doe So in the eleventh chapter verse twentie eight He shall doe and shall returne to his owne lande In which places is signifyed a certaine free and chiefe power of doing which should not feare the iudgement of any The time of doing are two and fourty monâ—ths the same space wherein the temple remaineth measured the two Prophets mourne and the woman lyeth hid in the wildernes as in the 11 chapter second verse and 12. chapter sixe verse from whence the beginning of all these is to be judged the same At one time the Church is banished the Prophets weare sackecloth and the Beast or Antichrist is borne to wit in that first refreshing after the publike persecutions about the yeer 300 as before hath ben said But shall there be also the same ending Shall the Beast be deprived of all power to doe and the womaÌ„ returne our of the wildernes togither This peradventure is against it that after the two and fourty moneths ended he maketh warre with the two Prophets and overcometh them which is a thing of no small power as wee have shewed in the 11. chapter verse 7. Furthermore there remaineth yet a warre farre a way the most grievous to come long after those moneths as wee shall see after in the 16. chapter Last of all if there be the same ende of the moneths in regard of the Beast which there is of the woman how shall he have power to doe two and fourty moneths seeing some great parte of them did lay sicke yea as it were dead by meanes of his wounded head This space then seemeth to containe the whole tyranny of Antichrist so as that time when the wound was greene be taken away from it But wee have already shewed that this sickly time was ended with the raigne of the Gothes in the 3. ver which continued an hundred and fourty yeeres Therefore if wee take away these yeeres from the moneths of the womaÌ„ lying hid wee shall finde that at the ende of this lurking to with at the yeere 1546. that 37. moneths ten dayes only of the flourishing Kingdome of Antichrist wer past There are wanting therefore to this 5. moneths 20. dayes which if wee shall count from the yeere 1546. the last ende of Antichrist shall come out at the yeere 1686. or there about For so wee shall learne from other scriptures that he shall utterly perish about that time It may be that his destruction shall prevent this terme for neither doe I now reckeÌ„ curiously neither peradventure doe the History-writers nuÌ„ber the yeeres so faithfully as is meete But it shall not be graunted him to proceed further the furthest space being set downe by mee But peradventure these moneths are not the space of time from the first beginning unto the last ende of the Beast but onely the former yeeres of his raigne as many as may suffice to manifest him aboundantly to all men In which respect as they begin togither with the moneths and dayes of the woman and Prophets so also they have an ende togither The mention of the warre with the Sancts beneath in the 17. verse confirmeth this sense which warre wee have declared to have befallen at the ende of these moneths in chap. 11.7 From which exposition the Beast is said to have power to doe two and fourty moneths of the most part of these moneths because that small distance of time in which he should hide himselfe by reason of his wounded head should have a very little reckening made of it in respect of the whole number neither is the power which shal be afterward like to that of former time as the experience of this time proveth sufficiently wherein wee see the Popes forces since that warre was made that is since the Councill of Trent are become a great deale feebler and weaker so that his power is almost nothing to that which it was in former ages This latter is more plaine wherfore it pleaseth mee the more Yet notwithstanding I would not hide any thing as much as in mee lay where I should see the least doubt that either my selfe might finde out the trueth or at least wise might stirre up others to search it out 6 Therefore he opened his mouth to blasphemy Hitherto hath ben the given power now the thing it selfe is performed these two are distinguished because the heigh of impiety should not be looked for the first day but he should come to it by certene degrees and in processe of time But first he prepareth himselfe to blaspheme God and his name afterward his Temple last of all those that dwell in Heaven He blasphemeth God by vaunting himselfe to be God not as other Princes but sacrilegiously beyond the condition of mortall men as to whom power is given in Heaven and in Earth who shall rule from Sea to Sea and from the River to the endes of the world as may be seen in the first booke and 7. chap. of the Ceremonial pontifical And as the Pope Sixtus confirmed openly in these wordes Whosoever accusâ—th the Pope shall never be forgiven because he that sinneth against the Holy Ghost shall never beforgiven neither in this nor in the life to come See the first Tome of Councills in Purgat of Sixtus Thence followeth that which Boniface the eight singeth so loude thus Wee declare define and pronounce to every creature that it is upon necessitie of salvation that they be subiect to the Pope of Rome Extrav of Maiorit obed one holy SecoÌ„dly he opened his mouth against the Tabernacle That is the true Church of God lying hid and being as a stranger on the earth For this Tabernacle is the same that the Temple was in chap. 11.1 the dwelling place of God conversing with his people in the desert which sheweth evidently at what time chiefly he should cast out these blasphemies to wit when the Church should dwell in the wildernesse and should be knowne onely to a fewe obscure
the rest of the world following their wicked and vaine studies The voice which was heard is set foorth by a triple similitude of waters thunders Harpers Which three fold similitude noteth the progresse of the Church The first voice belongeth to the Church declining being confused and not distinct such as is the noise of waters which signifyeth nothing teacheth nothing but beateth the eares with a certen unprofitable roaring For when the woman went first into the wildernes although farre most learned men flourished in the Church as Athanasius Basilius Nazianzene Chrysostome Ambrose Hieronymus Augustine and others whose very learned workes made a great noise through the whole world how notwithstanding was all this doctrine in every place not understood not perceived of many men every one neverthelesse earnestly inclining to their superstitions Yea the teachers themselves did not speake distinctly and plainely sometime preaching righteousnes by Christ onely sometime attributing the same to their own workes sometime taking away free will sometime leaving the same whole in word condemning Idolatry in very deede stablishing it by the invocation of Saincts worshipping of reliques and such wicked superstitions Certenly there was scarce any point of doctrine which they did maintaine constantly alwayes in the same manner Therefore that was a disordered noise which rather oppressed the sense then informed the minde with profitable knowledge For as the wordes of a man giving up the ghost die in his iawes and make no distinct sounde for the understanding of the hearers so the trueth being now readie to die sounded so confusedly in the conflict of contrary opinions that scarce any word of it could be understood Yâ—t notwithstanding in this disordered noise the Saincts learned some thing which avayled to the furthering of their salvation If wee follow this interpretation which the event maketh good you may observe what is the judgement of the Spirit concerning the writers of that age thâ—t pure doctrine can no more be drawen from their writings then any profitable knowledge be gathered from the noise of the dashing together of waves I would have nothing taken away from their prayses for that which they wanted was long of the time not of their learning wit wherein they excelled But I cannot but wonder at the daintinesse of our age that the good corne being found out it would feede againe with akers The second voice is of thunder roaring terrible making a cracking by certaine respites This voice is proper to the Church reviving uttered by the Waldenses the Albingenses VVickliefe and Husse These did thunder vehemently and the world was abashed with the great noise but all feare vanished away togither with the roaring while a newe violent souÌ„d came suddenly upon them as it is in thunder at which men quake no longer then their eares are filled with the noise The voice of Harpers belongeth evidently to the trueth restored immediately before the woman went out of the wildernesse Confessions being made of the Churches everie where the Augustane that of Strasburge of Basile of the Swisers of Saxonie most sweetly consenting all to one trueth Therefore this threefold voice generally setteth before our eyes the whole course of the doctrine from the first lurking of the Church through all that long raigne of Antichrist From which wee see how every latter Prophecy is more cleere theÌ„ the former First the assembly of the faithfull was shewed by the sealing ch 7. Afterward by the covering place in the Temple chap. 11. Thirdly by the flight into the wildernesse chap. 12. Now more fully in this manner that wee have heard and shal be more evident in the particular exposition 3 And which did singe as it were a new song and doe sing by the defect of the article and which did sing for and singing A new song is the praysing of God by Iesus Christ through whom the elect are made children It is called new not because men now first began to be and to be counted the sonnes of God but because in the true Christian Church this grace is communicated to farre moe then in any place else before the coÌ„municating of the Redeemer and confirmed by more plentifull arguments In which manner wee are said to have received the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8.14 not because wee first have received it but because more plentifully then before this time Or there is a double song ever since the first beginning of things an olde and an dewe The first praised God because wee were made sonnes by creation as Adam before his fall the second extolleth God with praises for that wee are made children by redemption This is a new song because it is latter although all the elect have used the same from the beginning It is sunge before the Throne the Beasts and the Elders because chiefly this praysing is done in the publike assembly of the faithfull although this assembly was in the wildernesse and not perceived of the world Or it is sunge before the Throne because whosoever professeth this faith in trueth he belongeth to the assembly of the elect although the difficultie of the times sufferred not publike congregations to be gathered in which they might acknowledge the same thing freely ¶ And no man could learne that Songe Through all the space that the Church lay hid chap. 12.6 For now the multitude of the faithfull was certen definite and that might easily be numbred they being picked out from every Tribe which should sing this new song above in chap. 7 For as once God separated the twelve tribes of Israelites to be his people froÌ„ the rest of the whole world neither could any stranger ioyne himselfe unto that company untill the partition wall was broken downe so nowe hath God disjoined the false worshippers from his by the strong walles of the courts of which these are thrust up into the inward temple as into a certen straight and narrow prison they in the meane time reioycing in their outward and larger court chap. 11.2 VVo could not or at least would not conceive what the Saincts did sing within but with a certaine bastard melodie made a great noise praising God for their adoption but made partly by Christ partly by their owne streÌ„gth shewing by this thicke Sibolâ—th of what kinde they are Iudges 12.6 There should be theÌ„ a very small nuÌ„ber in respect of the other multitude of them that did sing this song for a certaine time Yet after Antichrist should beginne to decrease by little and little the number of the faithfull should increase daylie in so much that at length it could not be numbred chap. 7.9 In this wise is the joy of the Spirit their holines is described in the other words and first that they are bought from the earth that is delivered of God from the false and counterfait Church as it were out of the middes of a burning fire to wit by the woonted signification of the word earth 4 These are they which are not
Heaven but also the throne it selfe the description wherof was in chap. 4.2 The Temple is the dwelling place of the Saincts as we have seen before this Throne is the seat of the highest Maiestie which being placed in midds of the company of the faithfull shineth with the incomprehensible brightes of the most holy Trinity Wherfore this voice commeth immediatly from God in respect of the Ministery of the Church Wherby is signifyed that God under this vial wil in extraordinary manner and almost beyond exspectation provide for his shewing forth his power from heaven for the destruction of al the enemies which were gathered as even now we heard unto the place Armagedon which interpretation we shal see more fully cōfirmed by that which foloweth where a larger explication of this vial is hādled The voice uttered is It is doon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most fitt for the finishing of things as we know it was used in the creating of them Gen. 1. it hath this meaning as if he should say Al things now have bin which I decreed to be doon neyther remayneth any more of my promises the complemēt wherof should be exspected on earth For this same Is doon hath referēce unto that in chap. 10.7 In the dayes of the voice of the seventh Angel when he shal sound the trompet the Mysterie of God shal be finished Now shal ther be an end of al prophesies when both al the enemies are utterly extinguished there is one sheepfold made throughout the earth of al the elect Iewes and Gentiles under the one Pastor Iesus Christ It is certain that this kingdome of Christ thus begunn shal be eternal never to be interrupted agayn and shall at last be translated from earth into heaven But of the time wherin this translation shall fall out which is to be performed at his second coming I find no mention in this book This prophesie proceeds no further then to the last destruction of al the enemies and ful restitution of the Iewish nation the estate of which people so restored and of the whole Church of al nations he telleth shal be most happy but setteth down no moment of time when they shal leav the earth and goe to their heavenly heritage These things shal be made manifest by the interpretation folowing some tast wherof was here to be given least any perhaps too much attending unto the whole order of things should slip into that errour of setting down the certain time of the last day which thing I see some godly and learned men to busy themselves about as if by this vial some very neer moment therof mought be assigned Which thing upon more diligent examination we find to be wholly layd up in exspectation of hope and not at al put in any comhrehension of sense Now the agreement of the seventh vial with the seventh trompet is that in this Christs Kingdome is begunn the enemies being in part abolished as chap. 11.15 wherupon a voice there sayd the Kingdome of the world is become Christs but in the other Christs Kingdome is consumate al enemies being quite taken away wherfore the voice of this is It is doon 18 And there were noyses and lightnings c. Of the second event ther are three branches first by what things the execution of the judgement was doon in this vers secondly upon what in verse 19.20 Thirdly what effects in respect of the reprobates verse 21. Lightnings thonders voices shall come from heaven the earth shal be moved shaken wherby is taught that both heaven earth shal cōspire for vengeance on the impious both which shal powr out whatsoever direful-punishment it hath upō the wicked crew And this not after the usual manner of former times but with such horrible terrour as never was since the world was made For nowe ther shal be a visible semblance of the infernal punishment which it shall feel at length in the last judgement Moreover these kinds of punishmēts doo declare that the enemies shal be destroyed rather by the extraordinary power of God than by any work and endevour of men which after appeareth more clearly in chap. 19.20 and 20.9 19 And the great City was rent into three parts The second branch of the second event upon what this iudgement shal be exercised which partly are places partly men The places be cities nations The cities are three in this verse the great city the cities of the Gentiles Babylon But what is this great City We have heard before that a city signifieth not onely some towne cōpassed with walls which many cityzens dwell in conioyned togither by the bonds of the same lawes and right but also the whole dition empire of any city as the tenth part of Rome fell when Germany withdrew it self from the yoke of the servitude therof chap. 11.13 Is it then the Romane Empire onely In deed so this was caled before the great city chap. 11.8 but forasmuch as in this place the ful destruction of al the wicked is handled for the vial is powred into the aier as we sayd it compriseth whatsoever Dominion and Empire the foes and enemies of the Church have in any place It comprehendeth therfore the Turkish tyranny also which togither with the Romish constituteth this great city as is more evident by the destruction of this city For it is rent into 3. parts proportionable to the three Princes by whom it is ruled namely the Dragon the Beast the False Prophet before in ver 13. Wherfore by this three fold declaration ther falleth togither al the Turkish and Mahumetish tyranny that is the Dragons al the power of the Beast that is of the Caesarean Bishop all the authority of the False Prophet that is of Pope Balaam for this man of syn after the ruine of his throne remayneth even unto this last overthrow The first vial was but a preparative for the warr this seventh is of the last destruction ¶ And the cities of the Gentils fell VVe heard of the universal Empire of the impious But not this onely shall fal in common but also in particular al the confederate cities and provinces both Turkish Mahumetish Popish For Gentils be al they that are aliants from the truth whither they be farther of from the same as the Barbarous nations or neerer as the Papists who by a false title are counted Christians For we have seen before how to the Gentiles was given the Court which was ioyned to the Temple as also to them was given the holy city which were the places of that rowt which boasted to be Christians by a vayne tytle without substance ¶ And that great Babylon The third place which shal utterly perish is that great Babylon But did not that perish before under the fift vial when Rome the Beasts throne did fall verse 10 For so we saw it caled before Fallen Fallen is Babylon the great city chap. 14.8 In deed Rome did perish before but it
living heads ar cut off he yet remaineth alive or they being cut off other as it were a new Hidra spring up of which yet Iohn made no mētiō But that we may not thinke that those 7. are taken figuratively where are the ten Kings that arose togither with Nerva It must needs be that these were togither with the seventh head in the twelft verse beneath or how when Nerva was dead seemed the Beast not to be especially seing before his death he had adopted Traiane or for what cause wer they rather reprobats that wōdred at Traiā then those former for such is the cōditiō of the seventh head that the followers of him are reprobates before in ver 8. Many things of this sort doo not suffer any peculiar men to be meant Hereunto is added the manner of speaking which is such that it bewrayeth that the Kings are so long the heads of the city as long as the mountains ar Otherwise for some short time perhaps the heads wer both the mountains Kings but to a farre longer time they neither were nor should be if there should be made a separation of the heads which the Spirit ioyneth togither the mountaines onely remaining after the other be dead Therfore the Kings howsoever they al wer not togither as the mountains yet shall obtaine as long continuing a name of heads as those But concerning the person the time shall yeeld a demonstration in the eleventh verse But if the Kings be Dominions of what sorte are they Ribera the Iesuite being privie to himselfe that the thing cannot be touched so lightly but that the soare wil be renewed therewith flyeth unto the seven ages of the world the first of which he maketh from Adam to Noe The second from Noe to Abraham The third to David The fourth to the transmigration into Babylon The fift to the comming of the Lord The sixt from thence to Antichrist The seventh from him even to the day of iudgement Which wit of his bringeth into my remembrance that of the Poe◠If the foolish Painter will conioine unto a mans head The neck of a horse so of birds feathers over spred c. For to see being let in freinds keepe your selves from laughing The Iesuite passeth the Painter who hath framed an head which may be applyed alike to all and every city of the whole world The Spirit would deliver a certaine marke wherby the Throne of the Beast might be known the Iesuite as the houpe faineth the griefe to be in an other place that he may withdrawe from the neast I know notwhither But understand Ribera that the seven mountaines belong to the city of Rome alone But that those seven Kings appertaine to the same city to which the mountaines For the heads are both mountaines and Kings and therefore that these Kings belong to Rome alone so doo we free thee from the great labour of seeking proving by a most certaine argument that he is found at Rome to finde whom thou hast compassed all landes in vaine But the time is spent to no profit in confuting thy toies which yet I could not passe over wholly but would admonish the Papists at least by this small labour that they should not suffer themselves to be deceived any longer by the trisles of the Iesuites The thing it selfe is thus These dominions are proper to that city whereunto belong the mountaines the seven regiments are those by which the citie hath ben no lesse famous then for her seven mountaines And Cornelius Tacitus in the beginning of his history nūbreth these regiments in this wise Kings held the City of Rome at the first L. Brutus instituted freedome the Consulshippe the Dictatourshippes were taken up for a time neither continued the power of the office of the Decemviri above two yeeres nor the Tribunes authority pertaining to Consuls was of force any long time c. The power of Pompey and Crassus went quickly to Cesar By which wordes he declareth plainely that sixe kindes of government had held at Rome from the building of the City even unto his time Kings Consulls Dictatours Decemviri Tribunes of the souldiers Emperours the seventh of Popes he knew not being taken away from the living before he could see it ¶ Five are fallen Kings Consuls Dictatours Decemviri Tribunes For those five kinds of ruling had ceased wholly and vanished away before Iohn his time ¶ One is the sixt kinde of governing by Emperours in whose power was the chiefe rule of things when Iohn lived ¶ And an other is not yet come The seventh King the Pope was not yet a Governour of Rome when the Apostle lived And not without cause hath he shunned the adjective of order for he saith not the seventh is not yet come but an other is not yet come by the same signifying that this seventh shal be very greatly unlike the former All these were Political Kings the seventh should be spiritual or of a mixt kinde unlike to every one before from whence it is manifest that the Christiā Emperours are not the sevēth King For they differred nothing in civill governement from the former onely they tooke unto them the Christian religion And in auncient times new religions were often added the forme of governement in the meane time nothing altered Furthermore the seventh King ought to governe in the same place where the seven mountaines are as hath bene declared in the former verse But the Christian Emperours never had the seate of their Empire at Rome But the whole use of the citie was the Popes from whom alone after the seventh King began her glorie did grow That member is not yet come teacheth that there was a very short time remaining to the cōming of the seventh King For so we are wonte to speake of things that will come not very long after Therefore foolish is Ribera the Iesuite who assigneth the sixt kind of governing after the comming of Christ even unto three yeeres and an halfe more or lesse before the last day and together with him all the Pastists who will not have Antichrist to be expected before that same very time as though the Angel saying is not yet come should speake of a man whom the world yet seeth not after a thousand five hundred yeeres ¶ And when he is come After the seventh Kingdome to weet of the Popes shal be begunne the Dragon being cast out of heaven and Constantine the Great being Emperour ¶ He must tary but a short time About an hundred yeeres after Constantine then to be overwhelmed for a time by the overflowing of the Goths and Vandals who so evil entreated Rome the tower of the new dominion that it might seem to hav perished utterly Gensericus bereaved it wholly of every dweller see Blond in his second book of his first Decad. And Totilas againe brought it to a wildernesse so as neither man nor woman was left in it as the same Blond writeth in his second book of his
temporal things then the serpent hath without dust Vnto the second I answer it is as lawful for the Centurie writers exactly to know the yere when the world shal end as it is for your Papists to know the very day Doo not you recken 1335. dayes from the beginning of Antichrists reign unto the last judgment Shal that speech of Christ touching this unknown day have no longer place than til Antichrist cometh Mark 13.32 How then shal it come as a snare upon al that dwel on the face of al the earth Luk. 21.33 Your refutation therfore is nothing We have shewed that that first number is not of his Reigne but of his nam that the other is to be coūted frō the first coming of Antic not from the second But I wil be no longer now about this matter I return agayn to you doo grant that which you strive for Be it that Antichrist was not then first born I ask this onething of you whither was he then or no If you deny him then to be I thus convince it Then was the impediment taken away which onely hindred his coming as Ierom even now affirmed Then al things were doon which were foretold should goe before his coming as Gregorie did avouch Then was ther an Vniversal Priest such as the same Gregory confidently sayth whosoever caleth himselfe or desireth to be caled he is in his pride the forerunner of Antichrist lib. 7. Epist 194. unto Mauricius But if he that desireth such a name be the forerunner of Antichrist what shal we cal him that hath the name Seing therfore Antichrist was at that time now look you how he is not yet come Jn the third place you answer to Chytreus who maketh his birth to be about the same time especially because Gregorie at this time stablished prayer to Saincts and Masses for the dead c. To this you say that Gregory was not the first that taught to pray unto the Saincts and to offer Masses for the dead For al the ancient Fathers taught the same and in sted of al you bring forth one Ambrose which was two hundred yere before Gregorie I answer surely Chytreus erred that though Antichrist to be some yeres yonger then in deede he was He was much more ancient but did so bear his age that as an other Cupid he alwayes seemed to be a childe For the man was deceived by his second rising wherby he revived from the dead and as Aeson of an old man became a yong so he frō youth returned to his cradle Neither should it be strange to have him then accounted first who then seemed to be new But you so deny his birth as you add yeres to Antichrist take none away as if you should require inheritance for a ward and be afraid least he should goe too late out of his wardship Fourthly you come to Luther who makes a double coming of Antichrist one with a spiritual sword after the yere 600. an other with a temporal sword after the yere 1000. You answer that the Popes deposed Emperours and made warrs before the thousand yere I answer therfore thou Luther also wast deceived Antichrist was come before thou supposest Surely you so defend the Popes as if one being charged with theft to avoide the crime should openly crye that that was not the first thing that he had stollen but for many other greater things had he plaid the theef before You feared not as it seemeth that any should afterwards come which would search out the higher origine of Antichrist Fiftly Bullinger so expoundeth that number 666. as to designe the yere of Antichrist coming after the writing of the Apocalypse namely the yere of our Lord 763. To which you answer and rightly that this is the number of Antichrists name not of his time Though from hence your cause have but litle help For although he were not then first born yet he mought be born before which sufficiently sheweth that you falsly doo avouch He was not yet come Sixtly Musculus affirmeth that Antichrist came about the yere 1200. moved hereunto by Bernards authoritie who saith after manie other things wherwith he bewayleth the wickednes of those times Jt remayneth that the man of syn be reveled Serm. 6. of Psal 90. You answer two things first that Bernards suspicion was false as was Cyprians Ieroms Gregories in their times For he suspected by the evils which he saw that Antichrist was neer Secondly that ther were worser Popes without any comparison in the former age than in that I answer to the first you fayrlie contradict the Apostle He teacheth that the Apostasie goeth before Antichrist and that he should come into the world for mens despising the love of the truth declaring therby that ther is no more evident signe both of Antichrist approching reigning than that al kind of hypocritical impietie licenciously rangeth abroad You wil have Bernard to be deceived and that he suspected by the evils which he saw that Antichrist was neer In verie deed he was deceived in that he thought him to be but neer and not present Otherwise he iudged more syncerely of Antichrist than the Iesuites are wont or any other Papists Vnto the second I say seing they were worser in the age before we grāt you that his first birth did not now beginn but having been brought forth long before now onely he was exstant And thus when al comes to al you have disputed this question as if one should contend that the Sun is not risen at noon day though it began to shine in the horison at six a clock in the morning because it neither rose at eight a clock as one affirmed nor at nine as the second nor at ten as the third avouched By the verie like argument you and yours would perswade that Antichrist is not yet come Chapt. 4. Against the first demonstration from the universal preaching of the Gospel THIS question of the time yeildeth great abundance of light illustrating al the rest as the Sun with his beams Wherupon Bellarmine to darken this same hath prepared six thick coverings which he caleth Demonstrations under which he hopeth to be drawn from so many certayne signes as he sayth of Antichrists coming wherof two doo goe before namely 1. the preaching of the Gospel in the whole world 2. and the desolation of the Roman Empire two doo accompany it namely 3. the preaching of Henoch and Elias 4. and a very great and known persecution two doo follow namely 5. the destruction of Antichrist after three yeres and a halfe 6. and the end of the world None of which saith he we see as yet to be performed we wil helpe therfore this blind man if God wil and with a faithful hand wil pul the scales from his eyes if so he wil suffer it For a groundwork of the first demonstration you set down that which is written Mat. 24.14 this Gospel of the Kingdome shal be preached in the whole
with them as you doo dream of Of the three reasons which you bring the first is that the preaching in al the world is a signe Christ saith of the end of the world for so he annexeth then shal come the end But if the Gospel should not be preached in the whole world properly but by comprehension of a part for the whole the signe would be of no value For in that manner the Gospel was preached by the Apostles through al the world in the first twenty yeres I answer wheras from these words you affirme that the preaching in al the world is a signe of the end of the world this is yours Bellarmine not Christs He saith no more but and then shal come the consummation or the end That of the world he addeth not Neither is the end or consummation wherof he speaketh of the world but of the tēple of the Iewish politie the law wherof was abrogated in Christs death but now also by dissipation of the nation the whole use should be taken away For the Disciples inquired of a twofold end ver 3. of the temple of the world Of the first Christ answereth unto the 23. verse of the later in the rest of the chapter under the name of his coming Neither had he satisfied the demaunds unlesse he had comprehended both Wherfore that universal preaching was a signe of Ierusalems destruction the neerer token wherof was the abomination of desolation fore-told by Daniel which being next added may teach of what end the former words doo speake For Christ answereth not so confusedly and intricately as that from the last end of the world he would straightway leap back againe to the Iewes affayres Seing therfore in this place he speaketh of this consummation and not of any other ther is no necessity that the preaching through the whole world should be properly Your second reason is that properly al nations are promised to Christ Psal 71. All nations shal serv him therfore the preaching ought to be general properly I answer I deny not but all nations shal be gathered unto Christ and that by a general preaching properly before he come unto judgement For preaching is that silver trumpet which is appointed for the gathering togither of the elect and I find in the Scriptures a twofold general preaching figurativ and proper as in the end of this chapter I wil more fully declare But what is this to the coming of Antichrist It is shewed that he is com a thousand and three hundred yeres agoe Also his destruction shal be a long space before the last iudgement as shal be shewed after chap. 9. Of the end of the world and in the rest of the enarration of this Apocalypse Therfore that may be before Christs coming which shal folow after Antichrists destruction And in verie deed the general preaching shal not beginn before Antichrist be at an end or at least be ready soon after to dye The times may not be confounded nor that which is proper to one be transferred to an other Your third reason is That the Gospel shal be preached in the whole world for a testimonie to al nations Therfore a general preaching must goe before the general iudgement I answer This argument is one with the former but that it is after a sort distinguished in the subiects That treated of the salvation of the elect this of the iust condemnation of the reprobates But the answer is one For I grant a general preaching must goe before the general judgement but when you shal have proved that the general iudgement and Antichrist are things so conioyned as that which goeth before the one must needs also goe before this other then wil I easily grant you that a general preaching must properly goe before Antichrist And now as if you had put the matter out of al controversie you goe in hād to answer unto Paul concerning those wores Rom. 10.18 Their sound is gone out unto al the earth the interpretation wherof you bring from Augustine Ierom Thomas The summe is that they are to be understood figuratively VVhich you might easily have obteyned without so much a doo Ther is no man but granteth that the like Scriptures fore-alledged are not to be taken properly But if Paul speak figurativelie why maie not Christ likeweise Because it is not absurd you say if we grant that our Lord spake properly and the Apostle figuratively For the reasons wherby we are compelled to take our Lords in a proper signification have not the same force if they be applyed to Pauls words especially seing our Lord spake of a thing to come and Paul of a thing past I answer Seing that end wherof Christ spake was onely of the citie not of the whole earth to weet of Ierusalem not of the world ther is no reason which more compelleth us to take our Lords words in a proper signification then those words of Paul in the Epistle to the Romanes ch 1. verse 8. Coloss 1.6.23 spoken of before For wheras you say that Paul Ro. 10.18 speaketh of a thing past you might have remembred from Augustine that he tooke the time past for that which was to come as David did whose words they are as you wrote a litle before and that so the Prophets are wont to speake almost everie where of things to come as if they wer past In the other Scriptures Paul speaketh of that thing performed which our Lord foretold should be performed This your first demonstration therfore is altogither lame having no certaintie no truth but it is such a signe in the sense that you would have the preaching to be taken of Antichr to come as the Iewes have feighned to themselves of Christ to come namely such as mans bold ignorance hath feighned without anie authoritie of the oracle of God Wherfor seing you have written nothing right of this matter I wil endvour to shew some surer thing as even now I promised wherby the readers maie have what to think concerning this matter Vniversal preaching therfore is twofold as I said figurative and proper The first was given to the Apostles for a signe of the Iewish desolation so likewise should goe before the Antichrist who should not come forth until some ages after al that Politie was utterly extinguished The later which we cal general properlie shal not goe before Antichrist but folow For after he is slayn the Gospel shal be spredd farr and wide even unto those nations which as yet never had the hearing of it For then shal the nations bring their glory and honour unto the new holie citie Apoc. 21.24 Then shal the tree grow amidds the street of the heavenly citie whose leaves shal minister cure and health unto the nations Apoc. 22.2 Then shal the temple be opened into which no forreyner could enter during the seven plagues with which Antichrist is consumed Apoc. 15.8 and chap. 16. Then shal the waters flow out of the temple towards
speake nothing of the other most unworthy wayes wherby the Beast trode under foot the Emperial Maiestie Finally the toes of the foot now divided are holden togither by no common bond of the Emperours name but onely of the whore of Rome For what have Spayn France Venice Florence Naples to doo with the Empire Al these toes cleave togither in the common foundation of the Popes authority which is the onely foot now wherin these al agree and grow togither and not the Empire with which they have in a manner nothing to doo Therfore the Emperours are in deed the Beasts horns but neither the leg of the Romane Empire nor the foot but a toe of the foot or the great toe perhaps whē it please the Pope You Papists with certayn painted titles doo dazel their eyes but they wil at length awake and handle your Rome according to their authoritie The things which you dispute for the Empire and Emperour are vayn Ther remaineth yet you say the succession and name of the Emperour of the Romanes and by Gods marvelous providence when the Empire fayled in the west it remayned safe in the East and when this fayled it was erected agayn in the west I answer the succession of the Empire remayneth not in the Emperour but in the Pope VVhen the sixt head fel the seventh succeded to weet the Pope and not the Christian Emperours who then received a horned dignitie the succession of which dignitie and no other they transferred to their posteritie They have the name of Romane Emperours but it is a title without substance even as the Romane Church is caled Catholik many such like But in refining the truth we must look to the authority of the holy Ghost not to the vayn words and voices of men In deede Gods marvelous providence shined in considering this dignity such as it was both in the East and VVest But this providence is careful no lesse for the horns then for the head that is aswel for these that are caled Emperours as for the Pope Both of them are by his decree which appointed that some of the toes of the foot should be of yron Neither dooth he hinder him you say from being Emperour though he wanted Rome which you prove by the example of Valens Arcadius Theodosius the yonger Charles the Great and his successours then by the dignitie of going before al other Christian Princes moreover by the election of the Romanes and finally by the Lutherans confession I answer to everie of these and to the first that if Valens Arcadius and Theodosius the yonger wanting Rome remained neverthelesse Romane Emperours then the VVesterne Empire fayled not neither doth the Easterne Empire fayl at this day though the VVestern Emperours want Constantinople if right be ynough without possession But the Kingdomes of this world are his that holdeth them and although they be gotten for the most part by wickednes yet God by his just judgement taketh from one and giveth to another Yet dooth not this his administration quitt the robbers of crime but he punished in marvelous manner both by abasing one and contrariweise advancing an other It is therfore somwhat of more weight to want Rome for this that any should be the Roman Emperour than you speake of Vnto the second namely that dignitie of going before al Christian Princes I confesse the Emperour goes before al the rest notwithstanding he that goes before al these comes after the Pope as none is so unskilful but seeth in whom the Maiestie of the Empire truly resideth Vnto the third be it that Charles the Great was created Romane Emperour with consent of the Romanes yet the Apocalyps teacheth that the Romane Empire is tied to the citie of Rome not to the clamour of the Romane people Vnto the fourth the Lutherans boasting that they have three Prince Electours of the Romane Emperour doo rather folow custome of speaking then the truth of the thing or if in deede they so perswade themselves it is through the common errour the meaning of the Apocalypse not being by them as yet ynough perceived Wherfore you gull the Emperours with a deceitful title who whiles the Romane Pope possesseth Rome neither truly are nor shal be Romane Emperours and thus you contending that the Romane Empire dooth yet indure have not found in what place it is whose both head and habitation you are ignorant of From this restored Empire by the Pope doo Luther Illyricus and Chytreus rightly gather that he is that great Antichrist Yet not so much because Charles the Great was declared Empetour by him as for that the Empire did revive in the Pope who being a Bishop in name was made Emperour in deede This is evident by this that the Beast hath a head both wounded healed for both these perteyn to the same Beast Also the Beast which was not whiles the Barbarians prevayled is that verie same which is when they are extinguished Moreover Antichrist is both the seventh King from Constantine unto the Kingdome of the Gothes the eight by a new rising up after the healed head by Iustinian and Phocas the rest folowing as is explayned Apoc. 13.3.11 and 17.10.11 You answer that the healed head is not the Romane Emperour but Antichrist who feighneth himselfe dead and by divelish art shal rise himselfe up againe and that so almost al the ancient Fathers doo expound it Vnto this I say that you doo not rightly disjoyne the Romane Emperour and Antichrist which two if we would speake properly according to the Apocalyps doo make one and the same person Not that he which at this day is caled Emperour is Antichrist but because whatsoever is in this name Emperour it naturally belongeth to the Pope For both Pope and Romane Emperour or Romane Empire were wounded to death by the invasion of the Goths For the seventh head which then seemed to perish was both a hill and a King that is Rome or the Romane Empire and the Pope Apoc. 17.9 It is true therfore which you say that the text it selfe playnly compelleth us by that head of the Beast which was dead and revived to understand not Charles the Great but Antichrist For Charles the Great was not Emperour indeede but howsoever he did not dye and live agayne yet the Romane Emperour or Empire in the Pope did die and live agayn as is sufficiently said before By which also may appear that that which is commonly spoken of Antichrists feighned death and resurrection is a playn fiction a feighned death is in sport and voluntary but Antichrist dyed this death against his wil and with sore payn from which death when he began to come forth very great was the torment of his fresh wound as witnesseth Gregorie the Great by his many mournful lamentations Chapt. 6. Against the third Demonstration from the coming of Henoch and Elias HITHERTO of the signes going before now of them that accompany him and first of the coming of Henoch
have Antichrist to be yet come Even thus and no other way He that shal come in the last howr he is not yet come Antichrist shal come in the last howr therfore he is not yet come I bring it into form that you may see your usual manner of reasoning and be ashamed Your sylogism walks on fowr feet In the major by the last howr you understand some litle space to weet 3. yeres and a halfe before the last end or otherweise if it comprehend al the time from the first coming to the second the proposition is most false In the minor the last howr is taken in the sense that Iohn useth it for the whole time of grace until Christs second coming or if it be taken more strictly for 3. yeres and a halfe it is a foolish begging of the question and Iohns authoritie is pretended in vayn You bring a similitude to illustrate Iohns argumēt namely that he speaketh of Antichrist as one may doo of the Sun whose beams when it ariseth he caleth the Sū and that so his argument is firm Even as one may raison of the last howr of the night the Sun riseth in the last howr of the night the Sun beams doo now lighten the aier therfore this is the last howr of the night I answer the similitude is fitt ynough for the significatiō which the Apostle useth for alwaies in the same howr the Sun beams and the Sun it selfe are seen Wherupon he that maketh al this last age one howr dooth not amisse to mention his fore-runners in the beginning of it But you that make the last howr to be 3 yeres and a halfe what help cā you have by the similitude of the Sun beams For if you part the howr into sixtie minutes Antichrists forre-rūners doe come before him no more than 210. yeres What are these few yeres unto the 1500. yeres in al which you grant Antichrists beams have been cōspicuous and yet hitherto he hath not appeared and when at length he shall appear he shal be to be seen but 3 yeres and a halfe How unlike is he to the Sun And how unlike are his ministers to the beams The beams goe scarcely half an howr before the Sun which straightway arising yeildeth it selfe to be seen 12. houres but these forerunners of Antichrist doe glister 1500. yeres and Antichrist himselfe is not yet appeared and when he shal be come he shal not shine one minute in respect of that space If therfore Antichrist be answerable to his forerunners as the Sun is to his beams he must needs be come now many ages since seing his fore-runners shined in Iohns time Take heed hereafter how you have to doo with the Sun This Delius as his māner is hideth not vices but discloseth them At last from scriptures you descend to the consent of Fathers and the cōfession of adversaries They with their consent wil help you nothing who al of them verily if they were this day alive would with like consent acknowledge that in manie things they erred I confesse also that our men doe think Antichrist shal reign til the worlds end but I pray you let them have place to change their minde when they are taught better In things not yet sufficientlie found out they think it sufficient to insist in the footstepps of other men but when they shal see the truth to whose voice alone they know for to hearken shine from another part being confirmed by most sure arguments and use you shal perceive that they departing from you wil leave you naked of whose confession you now doo boast These things thus finished you come to the insoluble Demonstration fetched partly from Antichrists three yeres reign and partly from the worlds dissolution conioyned with his death Antichrist say you is not yet come neither is the Bishop of Rome he because straight-after Antichrists death the world shal be ended and Antichrist shal not live after he hath appeared and begun to reign but three yeres a halfe And the Pope hath reigned now with both swords in our adversaries iudgement above 500. yeres and yet the world dureth stil I answer I trust I have alreadie sufficientlie manifested that that first point to weet that the world shal end straight after Antichrists death is not with anie cōpetent reason by you cōfirmed but that the scriptures alledged doe speak an other thing farr distant from the last end Then that the second point also viz. that Antichrist shal live but 3 yeres and a halfe after he hath begun to reign is in the former chapter convinced to be most false and to be nothing els but the efficacie of errour to deceive them which beleeve not the truth that at last they may perish in eternal destruction And therfore that which you gather from these rotten foundations viz. that Antichrist is not yet come and that the Pope of Rome is not he is most vayn Seing albeit the Pope hath reigned with both swords abov 500. yeres yea and to yeild you more hath fulfilled 1300. whole yeres yet nothing letteth it him from being the Antichrist nay he is the more convinced by this to be the wicked man as we hav shewed by undoubted reasons groūded on sure and tried principles Ghapt 10. Of Antichrists proper name THE fourth cheif point comprehendeth two disputations one of Antichrists proper name another of his mark His proper name by all mens joint consent is gathered from that number chap. 13.18 And his number is 666. And this we have shewed in handling that place to be no other than Latinos it being plainly confirmed by use and the agreement of al things And surely Irenaeus manie ages agoe whither led by conjecture or that he had so received from others the auditors perhaps of the Apostles wrote that it was verie like to be this name His words hereof are these But the name Latinos also hath the number of 666. and it is very likely because the most true Kingdome hath this title For the Latines are they that now reign but of this we wil not boast Thus writeth he I confesse Irenaeus resteth not in this name but supposeth Titan to be more worthy of credit yet his conjecture of the Latin Kingdome came neerer the mark thā he weened And because you feel your selfe pressed with his authoritie as with a great preiudice you thought it best first to weaken that and therfore his coniecture you say is at this day nothing because the Latines doo not so much reign as the Turks Spaniards Frenchmen I answer this your instance is altogither nothing For it is not needful that the Kingdome of which Antichrist should spring should alwayes be most mightie but it is ynough if it have been so some long time as the Latine was after Irenaeus for many ages Antichrists Kingdome shal be weakned by litle and litle before the absolute and last wasting until at length it be utterly ruinate Wee have heard that Jezabel should be