efsectuateth this great point To wit by signes and wonders which were permitted him to doe and thereby to deceiue the earth wherein he seemed to match Moses and Elias in master points That whereto by all this deceite hee induceth the earth and men thereof is to make vp the image of the Beast which had the deadly wound and liued Which he worketh so luckily that hee giueth spirit and speech to the Image and obtaineth thereto worship of Nations vnder paine of death and subiection to receiue the Beast his marke in worke or profession as his proper good and and vnder paine of confiscation of goods and interdiction of all humane commerce that all of all estates rankes and conditions should receiue his marke or beare his name or at least be accounted of his number so making vp the whole body and frame of his Kingdome Which in respect of the number of his name comprehending all the sorts of his followers will appeare to any who is not indued with heauenly wisdome to count it so large so faire so perfectly and proportionably builded and stablished as he will vndoubtedly bee ouercome thereby And yet who is wise to count it will find it to be but a man his number and none of God his building And the number to be counted is 666. 4 That these beasts are the state of Rome all sound Interpreters agree But in what time and of what policy there is great disagreement That which hath bred greatest difficulty in accommodation is because that the two Beasts heere set foorth are taken of all men to bee diuers or at least of diuers time and condition whereas they are both one And are heere distinctly and diuersly set downe by the spirit onely for cleere explication as in the deduction shall be made plaine The common opinion that the first Beast is the heathen state of Rome vnder persecuting Emperours and the second the Popedome cannot consist with the cleare notes of this first Beast proper to Popedome The first note is the attire of his heads and hornes Rome in the persecuting Emperours as they were the ministers of Satan his open wrath is noted by seuen heads and tenne hornes of the Dragon but so as the heads onely are crowned The hornes that is the Prouinciall gouernments vnder them and wherein was their strength hauing no Crownes because the roiall and soueraigne gouernment was then onely in the heads of the state so designing the Emperours of that time But this Beast heere hath his hornes Crowned to shew that the proppes of his power are crowned Kings as Chapter 17. is exponed plainely that they are Kings which had not as then receiued a Kingdome Whereby is manifest that the tenne hornes as they are crowned were not in Iohn his time neither this beast as it hath crowned hornes The beast indeed was before in the fiue heads who were fallen he was not in the state heere described for he was to rise out of the bottomlesse pit and yet euen then he was in the state of the sixth head that is the Caesars by curing of whose deadly wound in the Pontificalitie erected the Popedome afterward became the liuely image that is the state of Rome vnder the Popes a liuely image of the state of Rome before And therefore in distinct consideration The Pontificality is the eight head of the Beast and yet one of the seuen And whereas the former heads were crowned now the heads arise to a higher presumption hauing hornes crowned to attire themselues with the name of blasphemy 2. Thess 2. 5 The next note heere proper to the Popedome is that the Dragon hath giuen him his power throne and authority The Dragon in his openrage vsed Emperours but for the Ministers of his furie but the Popes are the Vicars of his power and therefore are properlie the Sonne of perdition King Apollyon and the Angell of the bottomlesse pit whose comming is in all effectuall working of Satan For albeit the Dragon bequeateth not vtterly his Kingdome yet finding that his open rage had not the desteined successe hee substracteth himselfe in a sort and substituteth this viceroy of his kingdome the most effectuall promoouer of darkenesse that euer was Satan offered to Christ this bargen but was repulsed heere he findeth his Merchant who accepteth of it and both himselfe worshippeth and maketh all the world to worshippe the Dragon That the Popes haue Satan his throne in a peculiar manner is plaine by their practise and by their challenge Their practise for that it is not onely as of all the former heads or other tyrants whatsoeuer instruments of Satan his rage to subdue to themselues bodies goods and states of men to dispose thereof at their pleasure but hee further will impire ouer the conscience and all his administration as the proper angell of the bottomlesse pit is to plunge men in darkenesse Wherein the Dragon as almost in all things is an Ape of God his dealing For as God hath giuen to Christ his throne and authority all power in heauen and earth for conquering a kingdome to him so hath the Dragon giuen all his power to his annointed Antichrist the man of sinne for setting forward his kingdome of darkenesse Their challendge also argueth this For albeit great Monarches for the largenesse of their dominion are said to haue the kingdomes of the earth and the Romans to magnifie their Empire would call it Imperium orbis terrarum yet neuer King or Monarch challenged euer any further right then either by apparent iust title hee might claime or by Armes he had subdued But the Pope challengeth right ouer all as whereof hee may dispose at his pleasure And that yee may cleerely discerne the Dragons mouth he onely of all men since the beginning of the world stoutly affirmeth All the Kingdomes of the world are mine and I giue them to whom I will 6 The third note here put is the time of his working 42. mouethes The very time of Antichrist his obtaining place in the visible Church Chap. 11. of the Temple closed and witnesses preaching in Sackcloath and of the womans abode in the wildernesse Chap. 12. An infallible argument that heere Antichrist is described 7 The fourth note is clearest of all For as the description of the Beast his heades and hornes sheweth him to be the Romane state or Kingdome so heere a speciall note is giuen whereby to discerne of what time policy state and condition of Rome this Beast is to bee taken namely in the state of the wounded head cured againe And because this beingshortly touched might be obscure therefore to make it plaine a speciall vision is giuen of the curer and manner of the cure whereby this Beast in this state is made vp so as if it may not be esteemed absolutely the fame which it was before the deadly stroke yet at least it is a liuely image thereof The Curer is a Beast like the Lambe and simply pretending his power in
image of the Beast 18 The third proper note and token is this Beast goeth to destruction For vnder this last head that state and Kingdome must be vndone for euer and shall not bee as in the fall of the former heads when in the next succeeding it held place but this head shall so fall as with him he shall draw that state to eternall ruine In which respect it is said Chapter 19. that the Beast and false Prophet are both taken and cast into the fire Thus for a most cleare opening of all this Prophesie the Holy Ghost heere in this Chapter hath ioined the Beast Head and Whoore and exponed so euidently in a huge wisdome To make vs see that what Chapter 13. hee spake of two beasts what through the booke hee speaketh distinctly of the Beast and the VVhoore Babylon of the Beast and false Prophet is all but for cleare explication of Antichrist VVhat a King hee is of what Kingdome of what time and manner of working cleering the Kingdome by the head and both Kingdome and head by the head City of their power with euident and infallible notes to take vp the right time and condition of all So as the Romans mocking our incertainety as they thinke whether the Beast the VVhoore or the falfe Prophet bee Antichrist bewray but their owne ignorance or malice or both For the Beast is Antichrist but so and then as and when the head is a false Prophet vnder presence of the Lambe his power making Rome the VVhoore and bewitcher of the world In which respect the false Prophet is the Beast the eight head and one of the seuen And thus the Beast is onelie Antichrist as the Beast is the eight head euen the false Prophet And the false Prophet is Antichrist but as he is the Beast that is head of the kingdome of Rome And Rome is the VVhore but as she is borne vp by this Beast the false Prophet How plainely the holy Ghost telleth this take vp in this argument 19 That soueraigne policy ruling in and ouer the City situated one seuen hils and in Iohn his daies bearing rule ouer Nations which in number and order is the eighth head or soueraigne policie after the fiue fallen before Iohn the sixth then ruling and a seuenth to come but soone to euanish which eight head recouereth to the state hee ruleth the luffâ—e estimation and subiection of Prouinces which by a deadly wound in one of the former heades it had losed thus reerecting if not the same properly yet a liuely image of the decaied state and for this respect as he is the eight in course so is hee in a sort one of the seuen heads and is peculiatlie the Beast and which soueraigne pollicie and eight head peculiarly the Beast worketh all as a Porphet and vnder pretence of Christ his power and thus induceth the Kings of the earth voluntary and with free and vnanime consent to submit their Crownes vnto him so procuring to his seat such account and credit as the whole earth drinketh her superstitious and idolarrous worship wherethrough shee becommeth a great and mother harlot And which eight soueragne policy or head shall bee the last head of that kingdome for that in the fall thereof that state shall be destroied for euer That souerainge policy oâ— head is the Antichrist 20 But the Pontificality is the soueraigne policy or head thus for place order and number in succession manner and effect of working heere peculiarly called the Beast and which as hee is from the bottomlesse pit and angell thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so he and with him that state goeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ergo c. Wee speeke not of coniecture but as it is written I beleeued and therefore I spake Wee beleeue and therefore speake 2. Cor. 4. 13. CHAP. XVIII THe great Whore was described in the former Chapter Her iudgement followeth in this shewed by three heauenly voices in each whereof the same is magnifickly amplyfied by the certainty the instant performance greatnesse and equity thereof And peculiarlie in the last by that her ruine is irreparable The first voice is to the 4. verse The second to the 21. And the third to the end 2 In the first voice are the person denouncer and the point denounced The denouncer is an Angell remarkeable for gesture and dignity His gesture is that hee commeth downe from heauen His dignity in that hee hath great authority which is cleared by the effect in that all the earth was lightened with his glorie At the second degree of the out-breake of the light of the Gospell from vnder Antichristian darkenesse Chapt. 14. an Angel denounced the same which this doth but that did flee thorow the midst of heauen that is albeit swiftlie and in the publike view of men yet the cleare perception of what he denounced was farre remoued aboue their reach the preaching of the Gospell not hauing then for cleare euidence the authority which since it hath and daily more and more shall obtaine through the Angel no more fleeing farre aboue as these Chap. 14. in the reuerting and that Chapt. 8 in the last degree of decay of light but now in plenty of glorious light as it were comming downe from the heauen and lightning the earth with a neer and euident sight of that which before was reuealed but farre oft This Angel then is the type of the cleare light and powerfull ministery of the Gospell now in a neere degree both shewing clearely and working powerfully Antichrist his fall The ministers of lightâ— are of Christ the true light called the light of the world and their ministerie is glorious euen glorified as concerning the exceeding glory For how beautifull on the Mountaines are the feete of them that preach good tidings c. The description of this denouncing Angel implyeth not only the certainty of what hee proclaimeth as from heauen and with great authority and euidence but also the instant performance thereof in that he commeth downe in such aboundance of glorious light as Babel can stand no longer no more then could Sodome after the Angel his downe-comming to see iâ— For Babel the glory of Kingdomes shall bee as the destruction of God in Sodome and Gomorrha Therefore the point denounced albeit it bee the same in substance which Chap 14. was threatned yet here it commeth in another degree of cleare manifestation certaine performance in the perswasion of hearers and neere approaching execution God now beeing to passe by her no more for shee is come in remambrance before him 3 Of this denounced point is shewed also the greatnesse and equity The greatnesse in these words and she is become c. So to shew a horrible desolation such as should not onely make her waste and solitarie but also detestable and abominable as are ghostly and Elphrish places full of Panike terror and the ordinarie retrait of all these things which both flee humane society
cure his wound or reuiue any image of that state againe as he did the wound of the sixth head So then taken absolutely this Beast is Antichrist that is the Pontificality raigning ouer Rome or the Kingdom of Rome vnder the eighth head the Pontificality When the Beast and false Prophet are distinguished it is but for explication to shew the state or Kingdome and who is head of it And thus I shew that Chapter 13. were the first and second Beast to bee vnderstood as by this place is euident where the first Beast is onely mentioned and peculiarly called the eighth head who is also one of the seuen and not the seuenth as most part make him for so the spirit had more easily called him the eighth and seuenth then one of the seuen but that hereby hee would lead vs to know which of the seuen hee is said in a sort to be How farre Theodoricus and his wise daughter after him laboured that Rome might both recouer and hold her ancient glory and magnificence albeit hee seldome made refidence there the Stories giue cleare Testimony From the fall of the Gothike Kingdome the growth pompe and estimation of that City hath onely been by the Pontificality bearing it vp and by semblance of the Lambe his hornes procuring to it worshippe of Nations For otherwaies saith Steuchus it had remained foedissima boum porcorumque habitatio So as since that time to make any other the head or King of Rome whereby shee had growth or honour it is ridiculous and against all euidence of story The Grecian Emperours except an idle title neither made any abode in that City neither euer durst openly attempt any further power therin then it pleased the Popes to allow them And such of them as at times did exercise any therein it was not onely by surprise vnder false semblance presence of peace but their dealing also with it was in plaine hostility as strangers So as in effect they were rather spoilers and rifelers then bearers vp of her The French and Germane Emperours aduanced her but as hornes of the Beast who beareth her vppe Who that hee might the better push with them at his pleasure hath ridiculously fed them with idle titles as hee doth his other hornes whom he crowneth and decrowneth as he listeth But hee himselfe is this Beast bearing vp this harlot 12 Thus are his heads The hornes haue many distinct and cleere notes to shew the Beast who and of what time he is Of their number see vpon Chapter 13. Section 8. First then these hornes are crowned Kings that inferiour Rulers as Liuetenants or Presidents of Prouinces bee not heere imagined According to the condition of this Beast vnder the former heads who themselues only were crowned and not their hornes Secondly their time of being is noted that they were not as yet risen but were to come Thirdly they are not so many persons in succession of one Kingdome but so many Kingdomes which all at one time should raigne euen with the Beast vnder the eight head The Beast Daniel 7. with tenne hornes hath no mention of heads For that there the hornes haue the consideration of the heads of that Kingdome wherein successiuely should raigne so many Kings Heere which some Interpreters should haue better obserued this Beast hath both so many heads and besides tenne hornes by allâ—sion to that because heere the hornes are not to bee considered as heads of the state signified by this Beast or soueraigne Kings ruling it Which if the spirit had minded he had not attributed thereto heads also more then to that in Daniel But the soueraigne policies being expressed by heades the hornes are put to expresse the strength of this Kingdome in so many props of her power and that so cleerely is vttered by the Angell as it is wonder what should make men to misse of his meaning while he telleth plainely that they are Kings Which shall receiue a Kingdome at one houre with the Beast Which cannot consist with the making them Kings of that same state which by the Beast is signified so confounding heads and hornes which the holy Ghost hath distinguished so clearely Fourthly their subiection to the Beast should bee voluntary and with vniforme and free consent not inforced by Armes as was the seruitude of Nations to the Empire but by the bewitching power of the cup of fornication and these deceiueable signes and wonders Chapter 13. This is the vnity of the Church of Rome This note also euinceth cleerely that these hornes are kingdomes voluntary subiecting themselues to the pontificality and Roman Kingdome vnder him and not so many successiue Kings of any much lesse of that kingdome to which they gaue their Kingdomes Fiftly they with the Beast should fight against the Lambe But to their owne confusion for two reasons One in the Captaine who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords The other in his Army who are called chosen and faithfull Not that he needeth any army orforces to ouercome these hornes but it is to shew that their fighting against the Lambe should bee in his members Who yet should ouercome in the strength of their King by whom they are effectually called so as their calling confirmeth to them their election and that by true faith wrought in them which is the victory wherewith they ouercome the world resting on their Lord and being faithfull to him euen to the death and this is not repugnant to that which was said Chapter 13 7. For that ouercomming of Saints was not absolute either in degree or time but onely the slaying of their bodies and bearing downe of truth for a space Chap. 11. 14. 12. Which with them notwithstanding reuiued againe not onely to the terrour of their aduersaries but also to their ouerthrow 13 Thus is the Beast bearer vp of the woman Euen the same whereof Chapter 13. but that processe of time in the progresse of iniquity giueth him now two notes somewhat different from that The one is scarlet colour for increase of cruelty wherein by this time hee hath come to such height as for that he hath now the Dragon his owne colour Who before this a space was let loose the thousand yeeres of his restraint being expired so as for bloody rage now this suffragant of his throne â—arst like a Pard is all of a bloody colour and the Whoore is drunke with the blood of Saints The other note is that where first he had but his head busked with the name of blasphemy he is now for growth of impiety and of sacrilegions vsurpation of diuine honour full of names of blasphemy The head which at first was busked therewith both waxing therein and defyling also all the body So as now it is high time to come out of her The Beast was first like a Pard a cruell yet a fraudulent beast and lesse horrible to behold But afterward more violent and raging The Whoore borne vp by this beast
is shewed here first by her great dominion touched in the beginning of this Chapter and heere now interpreted This dominion shee hath through the Beast her bearer Secondly her iudgement is heere summarily foretold which at length is handled in the next Chapter And thirdly in proper and plaine termes is told who shee is Euen The City which ruleth ouer the Kings of the Earth So plaine a circumscription of Rome as the Aduersaries are ashamed to denie it 14 In her iudgement are three things First by whom it is Secondly what it is 3. How it commeth on It is by the hornes of the Beast who shall worke her ouerthrow What it is is shewed by a naturall order They shall hate her they shall leaue her desolate by defection from her vpon sight of her impiety and abominations they shall make her naked pulling from her her ornaments rents and clothing they shall eate her flesh feeding on her spoile as she was facted and growne great with the spoile of Nations lastly they shall burne her with fire Now here we must not imagine that all these kings who haue giuen their Kingdomes to the Beast shall at one instant reuolt many still cleauing to him till his last foile after the Whore is burnt and so made pertakers of his iudgement Chap. 18. and 19. But the holy Ghost will tell vs that her destruction shal be by these same kingdomes and states which haue drunken of her cuppe and had beene the staies of the Beast his kingdome and so of her magnificence And what is done of any of these is said indefinitely of all For her destruction must bee by Westerne Princes that so a way may bee prepared for the East to embrace the Gospell Heereof in no small degrees we see the execut on begunne and well farre aduanced and the last degree is comming on quickely How this so strange a case falleth that who were the hornes of her power and her darlings committing fornication with her should now turne to be her haters and destroiers is shewed that it commeth by God his disposition and all-ruling prouidence who as in his iustice hee gaue ouer these Kingdomes to the efficacy of error to beleeue lies for not beleeuing the truth 2. Thess 2. So in his owne time when his iudgement therein was fulfilled for hir iust destruction who had so bewitched the world hee should turne their hearts to hate her who had so long and vildely abused them Conferre heerewith the 16. Chap. of Ezechiel 15 Lastly as I touched before is told in so plaine termes who this Whoore is that the Romans are forced to confesse it Bellarmine lib. 3. de Pontifice cap. 13. Ribiera vpon this booke The Rhemishe doctours are so straited that seeking shifts they against a cleere light bewray an euill conscience See their annotations on this place 16 So then by all the course of this Prophesie yea and the Romans owne confession this is manifest that Rome is the Whoore. And so by necessary consequence the seat of Antichrist his kingdome Whereby it is that shee is the mother of Whootedomes and Lady of Kingdomes through herexaltation and being borne vp by the Beast Neither shall euer the Iesuites bee able confessing once Rome to be this Whoore but of necessitie to grant also that the Beast must be the kingdome of Rome Whereof many of themselues perceiuing the ineuitable consequence fall next for exepting the Pontificality from this blot to despute of the time Some making Rome vnder the persecuting Emperours to be the Whoore as Bellarmine in the place aboue cited But she is so the Whoore and then the Whoore as and when shee is borne vp by this Beast which foolishly he diuideth Others reiourne this to a future time when as Antichrist arising forsooth shall possibly expell the Pope out of Rome and sit there So forgetting the long boasted priuiledge of Peter his Chaire and while they seeke to escape snaring themselues more by granting that to be possible vpon the alleaged impossibility whereof they long agoe builde al defence But the holy Ghost euidently here spoileth them of all shift by cleare demonstration Whereby as Rome is cleared to be the Whore and the kingdome of Rome to be the Beast so are we led as it were by the hand to the time when and particular state of that kingdome wherein it is to be taken for the Beast heere and Chapter 13. described and that by three infallible tokens First by a full and perfect enumeration of al the heads that is soueraigne sorts of Rulers from the first beginning of that state to the last and vtter fall thereof and therewithall telling vs that in none of the fiue fallen before Iohn his time is that state the Beast as he is heere vnderstood or consequently Rome the whoore neither in the head then ruling namely Caesars neither in the seuenth head which vpon the deadly wound of the Beast in the sixth head should arise and soone euanish But in the eight head arising by cure of the wound and in that respect one of the seuen which was to come out of the bottomlesse pit that kingdome is the beast vnder that head the false Prophet And therefore the Beast heere is peculiarly denominate by that head 17 The second infallible taken is the singular and different manner of working of the Beast and Whoore in that state and head wherein properly the Beast is to bee holden for Antichrist from all the former and so properly competent to the last head as can in no way agree to ame of the other For the hornes in time of that head vnder which that kingdome is peculiarly this Beast are crowed Kings and such as are not subdued by violence or force of Armes but willingly and with one consent giue their Kingdomes to the Beast being bewitched by the cup of fornication and deceiued by lying signes and wonders vnder pretence of the Lambe his hornes Chapter 13. So as then only the kingdome of Rome is to be holden by this beast when it is vnder such a head as by whose domination Rome be commeth the Whoore that is the bewitcher of the world by superstitious and idolatrous worship signes and myracles and pretence of Christian power and holinesse Not hauing or pretending so much a power to slay mens bodies as by poisonable errour to sting and forment their consciences Chap. 9. and bringing Kingdomes in subiection more by feare of conscience then force of Armes Which is properly to be the whoore For vnder al the former heads Rome was rather a murthering furie then an inticing harlot drinking more the superstition of al other Nations thē propining any to them Neither were any people 's subiected to her willingly but by compulsion and Armes But then she became the harlot when vnder pretence of Christ his power and by deceit of the cup of fornication she made Kings voluntarily and with one consent submit their Crownes to her so making vp the
height of impiety and marketh the two pointes of this time with most euident notes of the binding of the Dragon and his lousing againe 13 In Constantine his time that too great and open steppes were laide for Antichrist to mount vp to Sathan his throne is too well knowne And to what a height the mistery of iniquity had wrought on in the Pontificality of Boniface the eighth their owne stories giue cleare testimony recording of him that hee entred like a foxe raigned as a Lion and died as a dogge When by a counterfeit Oracle hee had got himselfe made Pope hee would vpon no condition acknowledge the Emperour except hee did take his title and dignity of him as to whom properly it belonged He excommunicated the French King because hee would not take his Crowne holden of him and impudently and impiously discharged his Subiects of their allegeance He blasphemouslie against the honour of Christ his Crosse instituted the first Iubilie at Rome and put forth this decree that the Bishoppe of Rome ought to be iudged of none although he should carry innumerable soules with him to hell 14 The peruerse mindes of the Romanes here bewray themselues For this time of a thousand yeeres which onely of all the times in this prophesie is to bee taken definitely they will haue to bee indefinite and al the rest to be taken both definitelie and properly And without either example of Scripture or shew of allusion casting it roundly by them they will forsooth haue these thousand yeeres here indefinitely put for all the time from Christ to Antichrist his raigne who shall raigne say they three yeeres and a halfe before the last iudgement But if during these thousand yeeres the speciall honor and chiefe crown of them who liue and raign in them be their refusing to worshippe the Beast whom euen Romans confesse to be Antichrist of necessity his Kingdome must haue beene in vogue these thousand yeeres And this againe sheweth plainely that these times of a 1260. dayes 42. monethes and a time times halfe a time are not properly and definitely put for the iust time of Antichrist his raigne as the Romans would inforce seeing these thousand yeeres hee beareth sway further if these times were definitely and yet not properly to be taken as some of our learned interpreters esteeme I see no reason why here the holy Ghost should haue altered his ordinary stile See Chapters 9. and 11. and 12. 15 Now considering all the course of this prophesie expressing first the state of the Church in the seuen of Asia next comprising the whole future euents in seuen Seales the seuenth whereof affordeth seuen Trumpets and the seuenth of these seuen vials of the last wrath Seeing also that in all this Booke but seuen diuers times are recorded First that of ten dayes Chapter 2. 2. that of halfe an houre Chapter 8. 3. that of fiue monethes Chapter 9. 4. that of an howre day moneth and yeer of the sixth Trumpet Chapter 9. 5. that of 1260. dayes 42. monethes a time times and halfe a time which are but one Chapter 11. and 12. and 13. 6. that of three dayes and a halfe Chapter 11 and now this of a 1000. yeeres is the seuenth in huge proportion exceeding all the former Considering also that this time of a 1000. yeeres is in the course of this Chapter and within short space sixe times recorded and thereafter no time mentioned but euermore Whither in these considerations if this maner of leading implyeth any further mystery I referre it to godly and sober considerations not daring louse the raines to curiosity in so diuine and hid matter wherein yet I am perswaded thongh my weakenesse cannot find it out that nothing is eyther in matter or manner of handling which hath not in it a great depth of wisdom 16 Thus was the dragons first restraint in a certaine degree of time and measure Followeth the second absolute and euerlasting And it is cleared by the fore-going liberty to which hee is loused From the first binding So as all this point is in these two the dragons second liberty and the euent thereof 17 In this his second liberty is the time when and his endeauour beeing loosed The time is at the expiring of the thousand yeeres whereof wee haue spoken His endeauour being loosed is to practise againe that from which by his first taking hee was with-held that is to seduce Nations Which seducing must bee vnderstoode to be of that same kind as heereafter is clearely shewed in that hee brought them to compasse the tents of Saints and beloued City For otherwaies all the time of his restraint from this kind of working hee by the Lieutenant of his power seduced in another kind mightilie The greatnesse of this his endeauour to this end is cleared first by these whom hee seduced and next by their action vpon his instigation In these who are seduced are these circumstances 1 Their habitation 2 Their quality 3 Their number Their habitation is the foure quarters of the earth Whereby is offered to our conception both Satan his earnest and diligent practise in this his last puffe and that all the enemies ouer the whole earth of what state and condition soeuer whom in this his last fury hee bringeth foorth are heere designed Their quality is expressed in the names giuen them of Gog and Magog To shew them detestable for cruell disposition to destroy that by a huge destruction they shall be destroyed and that they are the instruments of Satan his last fury Their number is expressed in two notes One that they ouerspred the plaine of the earth the other that they were as the sand of the Sea for multitude 18 Such are they who are seduced The end whereto the Dragon leadeth them is to compasse the tents of Saints and the beloued City Euen the vtter destruction in their intent of God his true Church heere on earth pitching in Tents as yet in their warfare and absent from their eternall habitation but who notwithstanding are the true Citizens of heauen beloued of God 19 Thus is the Dragons liberty and his endeauour thereupon The euent heereof is double One of them who thus seduced by him were set on so euill a worke that fire came from heauen and deuoured them The other of him who is their leader that hee is now taken and commited to euerlasting fire and torment This his iudgement is cleared by his fellowship therein the Beast and false Prophet 20 This euent is further cleared and declared sure by setting downe the last degree of their destruction in the last iudgement when all enemies being brought vnder death shall bee swallowed vp to victory To shew vs that this second victory ouer Satan and restraint of him from this his last rage shall not bee but onely for a certaine space as was that first or in a speciall respect as that was but it shall be absolute and eternall So as from the time
and becomming Ministers of the Keyes of darkenesse and of Gehenna so great a smoake ouergoeth the whole face of the visible Church as all light therein is eclipsed And out of this darkenesse ariseth that huge mischief of Antichrist in the abominable army hellish head thereof for punishment whereof if so be they could haue beene cured the Mahometan armies are loosed from the East after they had beene a space in God his patience tied vp from their first ranging now againe with Turkish furie to make desolate both by sword and poysonable doctrine the third part of the Earth This sixth euill and second great woe working no repentance but rather further induration in Antichristian workes Chap. 9. A preparation is for Antichrist his full recurelesse certaine and neere approaching ouerthrow Christ in a sort returning with the weapon of his warfare the little booke now open and the bold and powerfull preaching thereof setting thereto fit instruments who by diligent study of scriptures are inablâ—d to preach the Gospell widelie Chap. 10. And being instructed with faculty thereto by assistance of Christ they apply the right rule of examination and thereby find that Antichrist hath long obteined the place and title of the visible Church The true Church all the while larking within the compasse thereof and being secretly intertained with a hid but powerfull dispensation of grace by few vnknowne and albeit afflicted Ministers yet preaching long without great bloodshed till at â—ength Antichrist perceiuing them to apply the rule they are for a space cruelly murthered and barbarously intreated euen with applause thorowout all Antichrist his domination but God stirring vp others in the same spirit who vigorously oppose themselues a visible separation by diuine warrant is made from Antichrist his fellowship and contagion feare taketh him and his followers great commotions ensue thereupon and his Kingdome is in a part weakened This farre preparation and beginnings of his fall hauing wrought on euen in the height of the sixth euill and second great woe vpon men of the Earth then the seuenth Trumpet soundeth to his vtter fall by seuen Vials which it yeeldeth of the last Wrath. The summary effect whereof in a preconceiued ioy vpon the signe giuen is in a gratulatory song of the Church denounced in the end of the 11. Chapter Before the particular explication whereof for more cleering the reason of so huge a ioy of the Church and the equitie of so determinate a iudgement against the enemies according to that cleere sight which the Tabernacle of Testimony now opened in Heauen yeeldeth to God his seruants of the enemies and their dealings a large narration thereof is incerted and thereafter their great and iust destruction summarily aboue denounced is exponed at length Both which parts of story the holy Ghost setteth forth vnder the names of two great signes seene in Heauen The first in the 12. 13. and 14. Chapters the other to the end of the narration The first signe is double in the party assailed and the assailer the assailed party is the Church in her first seed and in her seed of succeeding times The assailing enemy against boâ—h is the Diuell that old Serpent but in different manner Against the Primitiue Church or first seed directly in open rage by his instruments thereof the Roman Emperors first labouring to keepe downe the Church from rising next cruelly persecuting her being raised thirdâ— being restrained from open persecution through that protection the Church got by Constantine the Great Whereby as by wings she was freed from his open rage labouring to drowne her by that inundation of barbarous Nations which neuerthelesse in God his wise disposing prouidence turned to the defacing of that persecuting Empire Yet so as in the time the true Church by degrees passed to the Wildernesse whereto the wings gaue occasion and lurking there was fed as was Israel and Elias no more any true visible face thereof appearing then those three yeeres and an halfe of famin in the daies of Elias or the same space when Antiochus Epiphanes abolished the daily sacrifice and set vp the abomination of desolatioÌ„ in place therof Ch. 12. Satan highly incensed for his misgiuing endeuors against the first seed tak th occasion of this flight of the Church to the Wildernes to bring in roome the Beast of his working and authority by him to make warre against the Church in her seed of succeeding times This Beast is the same kingdom of Rome but vnder the pontificality by lying signes wonders and false pretence of Christ his power so bewitching the world as through voluntary submission of the â—en of the earth thus deceiued the kingdome of Rome vnder it recouereth that ancient glory lustre estimation subiection of Prouinces which it had lost in the deadly wound it got in the fall of Caesars all the earth wondering and following the Beast Chap. 13. All the time of this preuailing euill euen in the greatest height thereof Christ had still his true Church first lurking and albeit not perceptible to the world yet inioying the presence of her head hauing powerfull and plentifull dispensation of grace from him and worshipping him heartily and truly Secondly by degrees breaking out and contesting with Antichrist in great suffering and much bloodshed to the 14. verse of the 14. Chapter Where the Story falling in againe to the same point of time and matter whereat for incerting this interiected narration at blowing of the seuenth Trumpet Chap. 11. it had left off what there in a gratulatory song was summarily denounced the summary execution thereof is here propounded so to bring in the large narration of the effect of the seuenth Trumpet in the seuen Vials thereof to the end of the 14 Chapter This summary proposition is at length handled in the 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. and 20. Chapters and thereupon the gracefull estate of the Church shewed Chap. 21. and 22. And this whole matter is that other great signe seene in heauen hauing the greatnesse of the errand and the disposing of the instruments for execution thereof Chap. 15. The execution in seuen degrees first by discouerie of the filthinesse and hypocrisie of the Beast his characterized followers their persons are despised Secondly their common worship becommeth ahominable Thirdly euen their grounds and chiefe Doctors are seen corrupted deadly and therewith in God his iustice because they had been bloudy murtherers of the Saints they in their course get bloud to drinke Fourthly the still waxing light of the Gospell as the Sunne discouering their darke works burneth them vp with indignation and despite 5. Thus Antichrist his kingdome becommeth contemptible losing much of the wonted lustre and magnificence to the great torment of their minds they euen gnawing their tongues for sorrow Sixthly Peoples tongues and Nations falling from the obedience thereof it is left naked and weake whereby a way is prepared for the Esterne kingdomes and most specially the Iewes sparsed amongst them
this is that prerogatiue which the Lambe hath the third point which I shewed was to bee obserued in the Elder his information in these words Hee hath obtained c. And great reason is there why his slaughter should bee of such merite For the onely begotten sonne of God died and none tooke his life from him but hee willingly gaue it as who had power to lay it downe and take it againe The effect and fruit of his slaughter is our Redemption which is amplified first by that which buying implyeth albeit not put here expresly that is our wretched state from which hee redeemed vs for Redemption of necessity presumeth bondage and miserable was our bondage Secondly to whom wee are redeemed to God Thirdly by what price neither gold nor siluer nor any corruptible thing no bloud of Goates or Bullockes but by his owne that is God his bloud Fourthly is the large extension of his benefit euen to all peoples kindreds tongues and nations not as that of the Paschall Lambe in Egypt to Israel onelie Neither thus for that all of all peoples c find the fruit but the elected of all Therefore it is said thou hast redeemed vs out of all c. The fift and last point amplyfying the effect of the slaughter is to what condition estate wee are redeemed euen to be Kings and Priests to raigne euen here vpon earth where we haue the kingdome of grace vnder hope of that of glory Now by all these consider if his slaughter be not of great worth why hee onely should obtaine to take the booke c. and therefore alone to haue the praise of it In all this song and tenor of it are diuers infallible Arguments that these foure beasts bee no Angels but Saints redeemed as this whole type is euidently of the Church militant and not of any state in heauen 7 Thus was the song of the foure beasts and twenty foure Elders the Angels in course sing the next part in whom are notable three things Their place their number and their song Their place is about the throne beasts and elders for two respects one of protection and defence The Angels of the Lord pitch round about them who feare him as ministring Spirits for the good of the Elect. The other respect is in the Church and by the Church to behold and learne the manifold wisdome of God For they desire to looke in these thinges And this is one maine point of the mysterie of godlines that God in the flesh is seene of Angels To whome the Church for God his wonderfull dispensation in and towards her is the clearest looking glasse of God his infinite wisdome Whereupon that reason is brought by Paul for women their modest carriage in the church For the Angels This should much stirre vs to a carefull beholding of that whereby euen the Angels are made wise and to a deepe consideration of our dignity and care of our wayes whom God hath made looking Glasses to the Angels Their number first is set downe indefinite in the word many Next in a definite but huge number to shew innumerable Angels and God the onely Lord of hostes all set for defence of his Church for both their place and number consider the story of Elisha and his seruant In their Song is shewed their earnest affection to the Lambes praise as which they sing with a loud voice Next is the Lambe his worthinesse to receiue all praise whereof they giue him seuen points as he hath seuen horns and eyes First power or authority for hee hath all in heauen and earth With authority are requisite riches These hee hath as who is abundantly rich towards all that beleeue is the riches of God in vs and onely hath gold tried by fire to enrich the poore Now authority and riches without wisdome are but the weapons of mischiefe in the hands of a foole But hee hath also all wisdome with wisdome strength so as nothing is lacking to him or can let him to performe what him pleaseth therefore of all to bee honoured in all things to haue the glory of all things to report the praise Next to the Angels all Creatures sing their part of whom a perfect enumeration is put as verse 3. and in their song they affirme what the Angels had sung before them This they haue singular that to the Lambe they ioyne him who sitteth on the throne to shew that they are one and their praise one That singing of praise is attributed to vnreasonable and insensible Creatures it is the ordinarie frame of Scripture speech to shew that all things in their owne kind praise God and that not onely for that the glory of God Creator and Administrator of all is in them set forth but also for that after a sort they reioice for the redemption of the sonnes of God hoping therby to bee freede from the vanity whereto they are subiect through the sin of man and vnder which they groan together with vs. The last passage is sung by these who first raised the song wherin as the angels ioined him who sitteth on the throâ—e with the Lambe so these to shew the vnity and that in praising both they praise but that one eternall liuing God they giue all praise to him who liueth for euermore Now in this course and order of singing wee haue to obserue that as the benâ—fite belongeth first and properly to the beasts and elders that is the Church so they beginne the song The Angels who gather matter of praise out of beholding the church succeed in singing Hereupon all Creatures in their kind reioyce for certainely this type hath a true relation the Church lastly closeth the song to shew that as from them it ought to be ginne whereby all the rest may magnifie God so the singing of the rest should serue the Church for a new vpstirring to insist in his praise And truely it is a great shame that all both Angels and other Creatures should ioy at our good and wee remaine senselesse and that the very senslesse creatures should groane vnder the burden of our sinne longing for our full redemption and wee bee nothing moued And a huge sinne is it in place of raising the song of God his praise and stirring all both Angels and other Creatures to the same duty when we marre all that heauenly melody grieue the good spirit of God contrist the Angels who ioy at the conuersion of one sinner and in place of gladnesse make all both senselesse and sâ—ikelesse Creatures to groane for griefe of ingratitude CHAP. VI. THe generall introduction was in the two preceding Chapters hence is the story of speciall euents prophetically foretold and that by proponing the same vnder goodly and conuenient types of all which as they are closed vp from the knowledge of all creatures the sealed book in the right hand of God was the type like as the reuelation
any bloud in the third part of the sea would haue liued become dead in hereticall prauity The verity and accommodation hereof is more then cleare as principally in Arrius so in all the other Arch-heretikes of that time men more learned then holy and more quicke then modest like blazing Comets corrupting the truth of doctrine in a great part And therefore for the full perfection of euill in this kind when not onely the third part but wholy al both earth Sea fountaines shal be burnt turned into bloud and made bitter and al light eclipsed the like type is vsed in the fift Trumpet but with this notable difference that that starre falleth to the earth and so breedeth the mischiefe 9 The fourth Trumpet bringeth a darkenesse in part vpon Sunne Moone Starres day and night A kindlie degree of euill to follow on the former and there withal noting yet a higher degree of Apostasie and aduancement of the mystery of iniquitie as the heauenly lightes are aboue fountaines and riuers This is the type of darke ignorance comming on the world first in a great part The former euils arose more vpon contention pride and bitter despite then vpon ignorance while men either not aduerting or maliciouslie miscarried they tooke place but now together with these commeth also grosse ignorance in a great part darkening all true knowledge Christ is our sunne whom wee behold in the true light of his Gospell whereof when the third part is darkened so farre is our sunne darkened to vs. The Moone and starres are they in whose hearts God so shineth as they are able to make the light of the knowledge of God to shine in the hearts of others in the face of Iesus The day is that light thus ministred from our sunne by these starres wherein we walke who are children of the day and not of the night For starres here must bee considered more as receiuing light from the sunne they dispense it to vs then for that they shine in the night And here the night signifieth that light which naturall men who are not children of the day but of the night yet haue in humane sciences liberall arts in comparison to the light of the Gospell but a night of darkenesse whereof now by this Trumpet came a great decay as in story is more then manifest Now as these euils are said to worke but on the thirde part in each kind to shew that the first degrees came on but in part so as first the loue and life of God abode in the most part of the Church as in the second degree yet the most part worshipped purely and in the third held still the Orthodox faith like as now in the fourth yet continued great measure of learning both in diuine and humane sciences Whereas in the next Trumpet al falleth to the height of euill and a totall and common Apostasie is set downe And therefore for preparation to it a heauie warning is giuen of a triple woe But this warning is by an Angell flying through the middest of heauen and so farre remoued from the perception of earthly men it being so farre and obscurely deliuered as few were capable thereof or aduerted it see Chapter 14. and 18. 1. Diuers learned and godly men of whome this Angell is the type saw the mischiefe comming on through these euils more and more preuailing and gaue warning of it euen Gregory Bishop of Rome saw so much and made him say Rex superbia prope est quod dicinefas est Sacerdotum est paratus exercitus and vbi est ille Antichristus qui appellationem vindicabit vniuersalis Episcopi cui Sacerdotum exercitus paratus est ad assectandum cum prope est in foribus Hee did hit very right for within little more then three yeeres after him his owne successor Boniface the third tooke to himselfe the title of Vniuersalis Episcopus which all the succeeding Bishops retaine and so by sufftage of a most famous Bishop of Rome they are that Antichrist CHAP. IX FOllow the heauier woes denounced in the fourth Trumpet to fall on the earthly sort on whome are all these iudgements from which the sealed ones are exempted Of these three the first is in this fift Trumpet euen that huge mischiefe of Antichrist to which height of iniquity the former euils were al 's many steppes The other two woes following in the 6. and 7. Trumpets are the consequences in God his iust indignation of this great woe the one for punishment to prouoke repentance in the 6. Trumpet which being ineffectuall to conuersion vpon obstinate impenitency verse 20. 21. the seuenth Trumpet bringeth the third great woe and last wrath to Antichrists vtter destruction 2 In this euill are the origine whence it ariseth and the euill it selfe the origine is first and secundarie arising of the first The first is the fall of a great star from heauen to the earth the type of Pastors of great marke falling from being heauenly to becom earthly from the true state of Saints to the state of the world and to the loue thereof from light to darkenesse from the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to the keyes of the bottomlesse pit Now as this fall was not in one instant or point of time nemo repente fit turpissimus but by degrees so is it not to be taken of one man personally but is the generall type of that euill wherein Pastors falling they became ignorant and ministers of darke ignorance out of which arose the mischiefe of Antichrist and his poysonable Armie the euill is the loue of the earth where through cometh this change of Keyes by an Apostasie and falling away of these who had beene starres of heauen and ministers of light as hauing the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to bee the ministers of other Keyes euen these of Gehenna This is that succession and these are the Keyes the Church of Rome and Bishoppes thereof so much bragge of as this whole prophesie euinceth clearely The secundary origine of the euill is darkenesse arising through this fall and change of Keyes and that in a strange degree for this darkenes is not in part as that of the fourth trumpet but it eclipseth all light actiue and passiue sunne and aire Christ is our sunne whose beames lighten our spirituall aire whereby wee both walke in light and draw in a pure breath for intertainement of our spirituall life This by this darkenesse of the bottomlesse pitte which arose through that pastors falling to the loue of earthly things lost the key of knowledge and became Ministers of darkenesse is wholy eclipsed so as all the face of the visible Church is darkened and common life in it corrupted The euill of the third Trumpet was by fall of a great starre but that fell in the fountaines and riuers so making them in a part bitter but here the desire of riches and loue of the earth maketh all erre from the faith 3
on the world which yet the sealed ones escape that by comparing wee may finde what a huge wisdome here in two words is comprised Now in all the story of old no such case occurreth but onely the deluge of Noah in all things semblable to this That was the onely generall plague wherewith euer at one time the whole world was punished and this darkenesse of Antichrist is a spirituall plague ouergoing once all the Christian world In that onely they escaped whom God sealed vp and inclosed in the Arke the type of his true Church here none escape but the sealed ones who are on Mount Sion with the Lambe while all the earth follow the beast That plague ouerwent the earth by opening the fountaines of the great depth Abyssi magnae Tehom Rabbah of the windows of heauen This by fall of a star from heauen opening the bottomles pit smoake bullering out therat ouergoeth all That by degrees grew till at length it ouerwent the highest mountaines fiue times three cubits this by degrees rose to ouerwhelme sunne and aire These waters preuailed ouer the highest mountaines fiue times thirty dayes that is fiue monethes this euill growing by degrees to a height shall haue a time of preuayling and obtaining place ouer all These waters preuailed not still but after an hundred and fifty dayes that is fiue monethes they beganne peece and peece to decrease til at length the earth was dried the Arke opened and the closed and sealed vp ones came forth and replenished the earth This euill after a time of preuailing ouer all shall abate and by the light of the Sunne of righteousnesse and wind of God his mouth by degrees bee consumed as by degrees it did grow and the true Church shall breake forth the Tabernacle of Testimony shall bee opened in heauen and these 144000. hid ones shall become a number innumerable with palmes in hands And as Elizabeth the mother of Iohn Baptist bearing the reproch of barrennes hid her selfe fiue Monethes thereafter to appeare with big bellie so in this preuailing euill of Locusts and their King Abaddon the true Church as barren shall lurke fiue monethes that is for a time to breake forth thereafter big with child Of these who should bee preachers of repentance from Antichristian workes and forerunners of the Lord his last comming as Iohn was of the first Finally as the waters of Noah was such an euill as neuer shall come againe and thereof the Rainebow made a Seale so the darkenesse of Antichrist once dispelled shal neuer againe ouergoe all for hee must goe to destruction And for this it is that agreeably thereto the great Angell comming to his ouerthrow in the next Chapter hath the Rainebow about his head Now weigh what plenty of light and depth of wisdom lye hid in these two words of fiue monethes which the spirit repeateth twice of purpose to waken our negligence to take it vp Of the other times wee shall speake in the owne place 6 This was the generall note of their limitation Now follow the properties of these Locusts whereby they are able to vexe first they are like horses not common horses but prepared to battell lusty fâ—d strong and fierce ouer comming all opponers Hereto they are strengthned by vsurped spirituall authority expressed in Crownes which are neither vpright in forme nor matter With this is ioyned hypocrisie for they look like men who measure their affaires by iudgement as full of reason and humanity For simulate modesty and simplicity and for force of alluring inticements they haue haire like women with faire and flattering speeches deceiuing the hearts of the simple and prouoking to spirituall fornication But vnder this they are cruell deuourers as hauing teeth of Lyons deuouring widdowes houses vnder colour of long prayers whiles within they are rauening Wolfes They are armed against all inuasion hauing priuiledges and immunities from all secular power shaking their tippets on Kings as being onely subiect to their King Abaddon Now al these make their inuasions terrible to the greatest they being therefore like horses and chariots rushing to battell and it is well knowne how the contesting with them hath often brought Princes to the pinche of their estates and their daily treasonable bloody attempts and suggestions against the liues of Princes proue this clearely All this is effectuate by the stings in their railes that is their poisonable doctrine The ancient and honourable man is the head and the false Prophet teaching lies is the tatle Isai 9. 15. 7 Thus is the Armie Their head is described from his state and his name agreeable thereto his state is that he is their King euen setting himselfe vp against the great King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thess 2. the quality of this his Kingdome is shewed in that hee is the Angell of the bottomlesse pitte that is the Diuell his Lieuetenant for to him the Dragon giueth his throne and great authority Chap. 13. Hee is the man of sinne His name fit for such a King is destroyer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both for destroying the faith of others and for that hee goeth to destruction Chapter 17. Paul calleth him accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee goeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chapter 17. 11. It is wonder in so clear consent of scripture how any learned could doubt who here is described Hee is so called both in Hebrew and Greeke to shew that hee shall bee no proper head of Iewes or of Gentiles but a common deceiuer of both Iew and Gentile professing Christianity and whom at length both Iewes conuerted to the faith and Gentiles shall know and call the Antichrist when the place of his foile shall bee called in Hebrew Armageddon for euen in this that hee shall bee so called in Hebrew is implyed a prophesie of the conuersion of the Iewes as in the same sense Chap. 1. with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke is put Amen in Hebrew 8 This is the first great woe now said to bee gone the second to come anone in respect of their description here not that for euent in time this woe was fully past before the beginning of the next as is euident by the end of this Chapter where after the description of the sixt Trumpet the impenitency of men still continuing in Antichristian works is shewed so as the first woe holdeth on all the time of the second and this second woe had his beginning soone after the open beginnings of the first God so punishing sinne by sinne according to the growth and induration of men in the first impietie giuing the more free scope to the second till desperate obstinacie bringeth on the last woe and finall wrath for as the woe is not said to come till the height thereof at least in such degree as wherefore it may iustly bee esteemed the soarest iudgement in the time albeit in some degrees it hath beene working on before so the next woe comming
frō the Prophets with whō it is ordinarily in this sense 7 Now against this woman according to the old warre proclaimed in Paradise is set in apparance a very vnequall match but that Michael fighteth the battell This aduersary is Satan for so the spirit interpreteth verse 9. Hee is a great Dragon for great malice force and subtilty He is red for his cruell and bloudy disposition as who was a murtherer from the beginning Hee hath seuen heades and tenne hornes the armes of Rome because of this the Diuell his fury against the Primitiue Church the Emperours of Rome were the instruments and executors And therefore to shew Rome in that state of persecuting Emperours the heades are crowned for an euident distinction of Rome then from Rome thereafter in the beast The heads and hornes are put in both that we may know what state the spirit designeth but by the different note of these heades and hornes To take vp the different time and condition in time Against the Primitiue Church the Diuell albeit working by Rome is made the direct enemie because then Christianity was directly oppugned and open rage practised against the name of Christ Heathenisme and worship of Diuels plainely maintained From which open dealing and licentious murthering Satan being tyed vp afterwards by power of the Gospell hee dealt more couertly by the beast of his authority vnder name and profession of Christianity and pretence of Christ his power deceiuing men of the world till after a thousand yeeres the reuiued light of the Gospell breaking out a fresh and discouering the deceit of the beast hee is so chafed as hee falleth to murthering of Saints In which respect the Dragon is said to be loosed the second time Chap 20. and thereby the beast falling to open murther becommeth of his colour Chapter 17. Of these heades and hornes see vpon the 13. and 17. Chapters 8 This Dragon then imployeth head and taile that is cruelty and lies for hee was a lier and murtherer from the beginning By his taile that is by his alluring deceit whether effectuall error or deceitfulnesse of honours riches and worldly lusts hee insinuateth himselfe amongst these who seeme shining starres of heauen and draweth them to fall from light and grace and to become earthly such as goe out of the Church that is heauen but were not of it Marke alwaies that Satan his first attempt against the Church is with his taile amongst the starres Thus he stirreth his taile With his heads that is his power and force hee setteth himselfe first against the childe to deuoure him in the bearing Whereby the fury and rage of Satan by the Romane Emperours to keepe the Church of Christ from rising is signified notwithstanding whose malice and cruelty the childe and a man childe alluding to the story of Aegypt and also for that as Christ was in person and as the paschall Lambe and other expiatory sacrifices of the flocke so all Christians in Christ Iesus are consecrated as males for perfection of strength and spirituall vigor is borne that is the Church is brought foorth to the partaking of the honour first proper to Christ and in him to all his members To rule all Nations with a rod of iron Chapt. 2. 27. And not onely thus brought foorth but in euident presence and power of God ruling in and amongst them established here in earth against all Satan his fury and visibly separated to God from the rest of the world becomming Kings and Priests to God in Christ so as according to Christ his owne prediction the sonne of man was seene come in his Kingdome with power by his Church raised in the world The throne as the iron rod is first and properly Christ his right but it is also the honour of the Saints in him to whom hee giueth a Kingdome as he hath receiued one of the father and to whom he giueth to sit in his throne as he ouercame and sitteth in his fathers throne For euen here we sit with him in the highest places So the taking vp of the childe is the erection of the Church amongst men visibly in that same sense that the two Witnesses were bid come vp hither Chap. 11. And the casting of the Dragon from heauen is all one thing with this For the exalting of the childe is the deiecting of the Dragon from heauen and the deiection of the Dragon is the vptaking of the child Satan is said to be in heauen when so by lies and error he hath preuailed in the visible Church as no apparant or very small face thereof is seene Like as the Church is in the earth euen where Satan his throne is when it is so compassed with error and ignorance as it appeareth not till it be said come vp hither that is till God by purity of worship and open profession thereof make his true Church visibly separated from the contagion of the worldy sort And euen in this case Satan is deiected from heauen and sent amongst his owne earthly ones He is said to fight in heauen when by slight and might he laboreth to keepe downe so the true Church as it can not bee discerned from his company and is deiected thence when truth openly in the Church is maintained so as he can haue no place for dominion but amongst the children of disobedience For beeing cast out of men hee goeth madlings in the swine of the world and shut out of God his house he furiously mistrāmeth his owne putting forth his rage where hee may seeing hee cannot where hee would Woe to the Inhabitants of the earth This is it which maketh that where euer the Gospell is purely preached there immediately by Sathan are raised stirres and tempests For while hee brooketh all peaceably hee is at ease but when that stronger commeth who spoileth his house then hee chafeth and becommeth mad in his Instruments This euent Christ in these same words foretelleth so as we need not doubt of the right sense Now is the iudgement of this world now shall the Prince of this world bee cast out And in another place speaking of the effect of the Gospell truely preached I saw Sathan fall from the heauen like lightning 9 This victory is by Michael and his Angels fighting in heauen that is by Christ who is Michael our Prince and the Angels of the Churches Apostles and faithfull Pastors fighting by the powerfull preaching of the Gospell against Sathan his Ministers of darkenes heathen Philosophers heretikes and all such for Christianity is a warfare against Principalities and powers against beasts wherin we must all fight the good fight of faith and striue for that victory which standeth in saluation of the elect from God in Christ and in the foile of Sathan and that by the bloud of the Lambe apprehended by true faith in the word of Iesus his Testimony with perseuerance and a ready offering of liues for his
for discerning the kingdome fiue hauing ere then fallen and two not as yet risen The second beast is put onely for cleare explication of the condition nature quality and working of this last head considered a part and by it selfe and how this great worke of quickning that mortally wounded kingdome or beast is wrought by it so as vnder it the Beastreuiueth and now howsoeuer for discerning the kingdome all the heads be mentioned commeth only to bee considered in that state and respect in which for great diuersity from the former condition before the wound yea and before the the cure this head is in a sort a different beast as hauing this singular in shape that it is like the Lambe in working that it doth by signes and wonders in condition that the beast vnder it is rather an image of the former then the same and yet a liuely image therefore called the eight head and one of the seuen In which respect but seuen heads are attributed to the beast albeit in number there be eight That the first riseth out of the sea and the second out of the earth it is but to note the different manner of rising of the last head and state vnder it from the rising of the Beast in all his former conditions and heades They both in their distinct manner of rising haue this common that they are from below For albeit the earth and sea in degree of account with other creatures as the fountaines sunne moone starres Chap. 9. and. 16. according to the effects wrought in them and that wherof they in these degrees are the types are to bee taken so as agreeth with the course of the mystery as in these places is declared Yet when Sea and Earth are set in opposition to heauen as heer and Chapter 10. when the Angell descending from heauen for ouerthrow of this beast setteth his feet on the sea and earth whence in distinct consideration the beast ariseth And Chapter 12. reioyce O heauens woe to the Inhabitants of sea and earth then things arising from sea and earth must bee taken as Christ speaketh to the Iewes Yee are from below I am from aboue And euen the foure beasts in Daniel whose whole ferity cruelty fraud and destroying power is in this one whom in the beginning of his seuenth Chapter hee seeth rise out of the sea are said in that same chapter verse 17. to arise out of the earth as all one thing except that as the earth sheweth the origine to be earthly and from below so the sea sheweth their rising to bee of the troubles tossings and alterations of the earth whose commotions are compared to the stormy sea and according to this to shew the peaceable and calme estate of the Church vpon vtter destruction of this Beast it is saide Chapter 21. that there was no more sea Then this second Beast is said to rise out of the earth not onely for that it was from below for so is the whole beast first last throught the star falling from the heauen chap. 9 But because this last head howsoeuer the beast or kingdome of Rome considered absolutely riseth out of the sea in the particular consideration thereof by it selfe and apart arose in a farre different manner from all the former which all arose by great commotions and sensible alterations but this last head arose slily subtlely and almost insensibly by slow degrees as things that grow through the earth and so became head of that Kingdome which vnder it is the beast going to destruction See Steuchus against Valla. Paulatim imperare incipiebat religio habenas imperij caperâ— ius suum acquirere nihil subitum nihil tumultuarium Where the second beast is said to worke before the first beast it is not to bee taken for impudent or violent vsurpation but according to the Phrase of Scripture as Iohn Baptist to goe before Christ And this is onely for clearenesse of explication of him and his manner who maketh the Image as trauelling with all sedulous endeauour by lying signes to conciliate authority honour and submission to that state vnder himselfe as head thereof Neither hereupon must wee thinke the second beast working to bee an other from him before whom hee worketh except so farre as the spirit so will distinguish betwixt the Kingdome wholly and absolutely and this last head peculiarly considered in comparison to the former and as after a deadly wound hee quickneth so that state again as hee procureth to it worship of Nations In one word the first beast is the Kingdom of Rome vnder the Pontificality the second beast is the Pontificality wonderfully quickning the wounded beast to that estate therfore Chapter 17 but one beast euen this first is put and called the eighth head so euidently telling vs that both are one and the same except in consideration as I haue said According to this it is that hereafter the beast is distinguished from the false Prophet not that they are two as many fondly imagine but onely to take vp so the State and Kingdome as the false Prophet is heade therof so the false Prophet as he is head of that state See vpon Chapter 17. Sect. 11. 18. and 19. Sect. 27. These two beasts then are to expresse one and the same state euen Antichrist in his Kingdome and in himselfe head thereof both for condition and time For from the Pope his first degree of rising hee neuer got any such crossing as for which it might bee said of him that hee should abide a short space Chapter 17. For euen in the most miserable times of Rome by the Gothes hee not onely retained his old got account but was still labouring to aduance the credite of his Chaire as his supercilious dealings in these selfe times with forrain Churches sufficiently proueth And whatsoeuer hinderance bee had by Gothik tiranny from rising to the height hee after attained to it is too weake a ground to say of him that hee abode a short space thus to make him both the seuenth and eight head against cleare Text which maketh the seuenth to bee soone gone and if such had beene the meaning of the holy Ghost he might much both clearelier and easier haue called him the eight and seuenth then the eight and one of the seuen thus clearely implying which of the seuen hee meaned to wit that whose deadly wound by his arising hee cuâ—ed and made vppe thus so liuely an Image of the beast as hee may iustly therefore be counted one and the same with it that is with the sixth whome for glory account worship of Nations and Monarchike state hee resembleth liuely and the Kingdome vnder him the Kingdome then The mistaking of the seuenth head maketh all the errour and in such light of Storie agreeing fitly with this Prophesie it is wonder that all should haue erred This is certaine that Caesars are the sixth head that which then was and before which fiue Kings Consuls Dictators Decemuirs
and Tribunes had fallen And seeing that in the fall of Caesars that state receiued a deadly wound the curing whereof maketh the beast here and Chapter 17. the eight and one of the seuen out of all doubt the head rising by the wound must bee the seuenth as the Pontificality rising by the cure thereof is the eight and sixt in a sort The seuenth head then of Rome was Theodoricus the Ostrogothe and his Successors who were not yet come and when they came abode but a short space For their kingdome endured not aboue 70. yeeres or thereby from Theodoricus beginning to Teias his fall The inuaders before him were but riflers none setling there a Dominion Odoacer who onely of them all aimed at it yet was neuer fully and solemnly acknowledged But Theodoricus pleaded for his right which by the Emperour his consent and decree of Senate was bequeathed to him and whom accordingly the Romans receiued for their lawfull Prince as before I touched The Emperour Zeno Theodoricum sacro texit velamine in Signum rei ab imperio coucessae saith Sabellicus Enn. 8 2. And as hauing in nothing wronged the Empire hee raigned peaceably ouer Rome and all Italy Sicilie Sardinia Illirium Dalmatia Narbone and Pannonia many yeeres all which time he had both peace friendshippe with the Emperours of the East Zeno Anastasius and Iustinus This beast then is the great Antichrist working forty two monethes in the holy City and Court of the Temple and treading down all true worshippe therein who is the eighth and last head of the Kingdome of Rome or the Kingdom of Rome vnder the last head and in whom and with whom it shall haue an eternall ruine His quality forme and origine is by allusion to the foure Kingdomes troublers of Israel as I shewed Chapter 12. typically expressed Dan. 7. by foure beasts a Lyon a Beare a Leopard and a best with tenne hornes This beast hath a note from each as in whom all is compacted what soeuer was mischieuous in them all to expresse the height of impiety now come to the full euen the man of sinne Men falling from piety and righteousnesse are beasts and most of all Tyrants set ouer great States as hauing most liberty and least restraint from wickednesse A man in honour if hee vnderstand not is like to the beastes that perish 8 As for the number of hornes attributed to this state of Rome both in the Dragon and now in this beast albeit som thing may bee said probably and pretily both for the first state out of Strabo his last booke of Geographes And for this last out of Steuchus making neer this same count as by some learned enterpreters hath been noted yet according as I can take vp the manner of all this Prophesie I acquiesce in this that this number is indefinitely put by allusion to Daniel 7. wherein yet what singular difference is betwixt the hornes here of this beast and of that beast in Daniel See more Chapter 17. They shew the great power of this beast and so much greater as these hornes are not Kings in succession but all raigning together as receiuing a Kingdom at one houre with the beast 9 Wee haue yet to cleare one point of all men widely mistaken wherin yet the holy Ghost placeth wisdom The counting of the number of the beast his name The most receiued opinion hereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so childish an Egypticall toy as I maruell much how euer any solide minde could propound it for a rare point of diuine wisdome the other opinions that I haue heard or seene are in my opinion little or nothing more solide The words mistaken haue led men infinitely aside while they seeke what different things are the Character the name the number and because it is called the number of the name of the beast and the number of a man seeking to finde it in his name they so to finde it out giue to him thereupon a man his name which neither Scripture giueth him neither hee taketh to himselfe and then forsooth to find out this deepe wisdome of the holy Ghost they will picke out of the letters of that name which themselues haue forged this number 666. But why doe they not labour as much to find in the letters of this name his Character as his number seeing the Character is the Character of the name al 's well as the number is the number of the name as is euident Chapter 14. 11. Neither sayeth the Text here that the Beast his name is a man his name but the number of his name is a man his number But thus it is All that follow Antichrist haue his name but in diuers manner Some haue the Character thereof that is the name imprinted and are his proper good as hauing his burne-yron and marke a familiar Phrase from the manner of men Some haue his name yet so as they haue not his Marke who haue not learned the deepenesse of Sathan neither are Antichrists sworne bondmen And yet some haue but the number of his name that is are so farre from being his sworne and marked slaues as they are no otherwise his but in so farre as they are counted to bee so and numbred amongst his For he is such a tyrant as will haue all men in one of these sorts and because within these who haue the number of his name both the former sorts are comprehended the number of his name sheweth the whole body and frame of his Kingdome For albeit many haue his name and moe haue his number which haue not his Charecter yet all that haue either Character or name are of his number The man then to whom God giueth wisdome to count his number that is the whole frame and building of that Antichristian Kingdome by counting of it shall finde it but the number of man and none of God his building As God numbred and weighed Baltasar King of Babell and found him light Now here is wisdome indeed which to finde out the Lord hath left to vs in this prophesie not obscure traces as he ordinarily in Scripture doth of things obscurely deliuered The very next words in the beginning of the 14. Chapter being rightly marked will ridde all the way In them wee haue the Lambe set against the Beast his Character against his a name against the Beast his name and a number against the Beast his number The Character of the Lambe his followers is the Seale of God whereof Chapter 7. The name which they haue is the name of the Lambe his father and the number characterized with this name is 144000. which number herefore may wel bee called the number of the name of God or God his number as 666. is called of the name of the beast or the Beast his number Now these numbers are not set down for the exact count of persons followers of Christ or Antichrist but are taken of the holy Ghost as fit
here a speciall treasure is meaned of the meanes whereby as Antichrist is ouerthrowen and drowned so God his Church is saued And this is the treasure of the pure word of God and power of his spirit mingled therewith For we must all be begotten of the word and of the spirit and be baptized with water and with fire And by this word and spirituall vertue thereof must Antichrist bee foiled As in the red Sea the people of Israel were baptized 1. Cor. 10. wherein Pharao was drowned And as Israel was baptized vnder the cloude which to them was a pillar both of a cloud and of fire of refreshment and light but to the Aegyptians a pillar of darkenesse In which respect the red Sea wherein and the pillar vnder which they were baptized were types of the true word and spirit whereby the true Israel of God are begotten to immortality and the enemies ouerthrowen So by allusion thereto the Churchâ—victorious ouer Antichrist and that great City which spiritnally is called Aegypt is said to stand at a glassie Sea mingled with fire that is in the cleare light of the word mingled with the vertue of the holy Ghost whereby they are victorious and furnished with the harpes of God but Antichrist therein is drowned 2. Thess 2. From this Sea they labor to diuert vs to cisternes of their own digging which are full of bloude But heere is our victory and wisdome whereby to count the number of the Beast his name and so to ouercome him his image his character name and number The Sea of the Fathers in a third part is bloud Chapt. 8. So as thence wee may if wee bee not wise to discerne draw death al 's well as life The Sea againe of the Church of Rome in latter state is all bloudy worsum Chap. 16. This Sea hath this different note from that Chapter 4. that this is mingled with fire The fire is there also but set out in seuen burning lampes distinct from the Sea heere the fire is mingled therewith and that of purpose to leade vs to take vp a great point of wisdome in the diuersity of God his dispensation in this last cleare light of the Gospell for Antichrist his ouerthrow from that first in the Apostolike times for casting the Dragon on the earth At the first going out of the Gospell to conciliat thereto the more credit and to shew plainly whence the vertue accompanying it came there was then a distinct dispensation of the spirit in outward visible signes as clouen tongues and fire extraordinary effects and operations as gifts of tongues healings and working of miracles and by a singular and visible manner of donation as imposition of hands of the Apostles But in this last reuiuing of the Gospell the word should be cleare and pure as at the first and accompanied with the force of the spirit yet the dispensation donation and operation of the holy Ghost should not bee in that manner but should bee mingled with the word the spirit and vertue thereof accompanying the preaching of the Gospell yet so as no visible or distinct symbol thereof should bee as at the first for now the preachers are feated by swallowing of the little booke Chapt. 10. no miraculous operations finallie no donation but such as with the word and by the word preached the spirit should worke in the Saints So as miracles in these last times are no notes of true preachers And this diuersity of dispensation is exceeding wise and requisite for the times At the first the Gospell was not onely to bee opened to the world lying in darkenesse but also confirmed to be from God Now it hath that credit with all but beeing buried in ignorance was to bee cleared Neither must wee take this so as if at first the preaching of the Gospell had wanted that accompanying vertue For euen then it was not in words but in power and was mingled with fire No doubt but Iohn his doctrine and baptisme had with it the vertue of the spirit in those that beleeued for faith is the effect of this fire And out of all question Apollos had the spirit in some good measure when hee knew but the baptisme of Iohn And these Samaritanes who by the preaching of Philip receiued the Gospell and were baptized had the spirit before the downe-comming of Peter and Iohn But at the beginning were ioyned the visible symboles donation and miraculous effects of the holy Ghost to procure reuerence and credit to the Gospell and to shew whence commeth all spirituall vertue to faith or conuersion and the outward healing of diseases to lead vs to know the power of the word and spirit in the quickning and life of the inward man and curing spiritual diseases of the Soule Neither must wee imagine that now the spirite is so tyed to the word as who euer heareth it receiueth necessarily the spirit For many heare whom it profiteth nothing because it is not mixed with faith but the gift of the holy Ghost is now no other way dispensed but by the word preached wee feeling the force thereof but neither seeing whence it commeth nor whither it goeth So whatsoeuer spirit one pretend without the word it is the spirit of errour 5 Now how these Ministers of the last wrath are feated and prepared to this great execution is shewed from the fifth verse to the end And first whence they are 2. How disposed 3. Wherewith instructed and by whom 4. By what power it is that so great a worke is effectuate They come out of the Temple of the Tabernacle of Testimony in heauen now opened that is out of the true Church militant this is implyed in the word Tabernacle now made patent and visible This first note sheweth both what they are and of what time They are members of the true Militant Church who by the light of the Gospell the Church being reformed and opened are stirred to the worke For God turneth the hearts of Kings who earst gaue their Kingdomes to the Beast and were his hornes to hate now the Whore and eate her flesh Chapter 17. For her fall shall not be by Kings of the East or Mahometans but by reformed Christians whereof wee see already good degrees praised be the King of Saints This note also pointeth the time of this execution to be in the dayes of the seuenth Trumpet according to the Oath Chapter 10. Vpon the sounding of which Chapter 11. followed the opening of the Temple in heauen and cleare sight of the Arke of the Testimony and thereupon lightnings thundrings c. Now here these seuen Angels Ministers of God his last wrath come forth of the Temple opened and goe to execution Thus the spirit by cleare notes leadeth vs to couple rightly the course of this Prophesie Which from the beginning hath so plaine a way as all being comprehended in seauen Seales sixe thereof bring the first sorrowes the seuenth opened yeeldeth seuen trumpets
righteousnesse now so shining as in place of glorifying God by repentance and acknowledging of their errors and workes of darkenesse they as the Children of darkenesse and hating the light whereby their workes are reproued boile in despitefull rage and are burnt vp with enuie and malice as were the Pharisies at Christ his cleare doctrine and euident myracles and that Stephen hauing his face like the Sunne And they blaspheme God in blaspheming his truth and true Church speaking euill of the way of righteousnesse their desperate rage still increasing as the light groweth because induration in impenitency is a common effect of all these plagues In that showsoeuer God hath his owne single ones to pull out of that Kingdom yet the body is not reclamable but must goe to destruction Compare this with the fourth Trumpet The light of the Gospel is a plague and torment to the reprobate world as the two witnesses Chapter 11 were a vexation Here the first effect of this Vial is rage the second blasphemy 7 The first is on the throne of the Beast that is on his Kingdom as the next words interpret and as the whole frame of Scripture speech euinceth The throne of Dauid is for his Kingdome The Throne is established for the Kingdome is established Satan his throne Chap. 2. 13. for his kingdome The first effect heere of is their kingdome loseth the glory lustre pompe and wonted estimation and becommeth contemptible Whereupon the secundarie effect followeth in them of desperate sorrow expressed by a gesture of men extremly grieued Gnawing their tongues and obdnration in impenitency and blasphemy theirâ—ores by the light of the sunne being more and more laid open and thereby their sorrow augmented For their workes see Chapter 9. And withall consider what a wise and iust retribution As by falling from heauen to the earth and from being starres of light to become ministers of darkenesse they opened the bottomlesse pit and let out darkenesse by the smoake thereof eclipsing all true light and so erecting the kingdome of darkenesse So heere by the cleere arising light of the sunne of righteousnesse all the earthly and worldly account of their Kingdome becommeth contemtible and is darkened And as by the doctrine of darkenesse they like Scorpions stinging men tormented their consciences so the light opâ—ned and discouering their treachery tormenteth them with anguish and sorrow This effect both first and secondary we see already in great part but shall yet see more For albeit these plagues heere haue their owne degrees for order of working yet still the former hold on with the subsequent till all together in the ende bring finall destruction 8 The sixth viall is notable in many circumstances It is poured on Euphrates the effect is drying the waters thereof This effect is for a speciall end that the way of the Kings of the East may be prepared Against this effect and apparent sequell thereof a great endeauour is shewed and the euent thereof The endeauour is of the principals Dragon Beast and false Prophet by their instruments a pestilent broode and well resembling their origine foule spirits and spirits of Diuels so is their qualitie Their dealing is to goe to the Kings of the Earth strangers from heauen whom they may perswade importunely cronting like frogges night and day in their eares Their force of perswasion is by working signes thus to shew them to bee fase Prophets seducing The ende of this their endeauour is to gather these earthly Kings together in their purpose to vphold their tottering Kingdome now threatning a fall and to impede the apparant effect to which this Viall maketh preparation but which God shall turne to an other fine then they purpose euen to be glorified in their iust destruction as the euent prooueth Now both in respect of the great danger to be deceiued and misled by these frogs and of the great day of God his wrath to come on them so much the more perrilous as it should come like a thiese in the night warning is giuen to watch and hold the true faith whereby putting on Christ and girding him to vs as with a golden girdle we be not found naked and so ashamed but blessed through our garment The euent of all this their busie trauell is expressed in this that they gathered them to a place called in Hebrue Armageddon 9 Now because for the most part the effect and sequels of this Viall are yet to come in seeking the accommodation we must walke warily as the light of holy writ may leade vs. Euphrates properly is that great Riuer whereon Babylon properly so called did stand and wherto it serued for beauty commodity and fortification It was also the march bordering Dauid his kingdome on the East separating and in a manner debarring the Easterne peoples therefrom To both these considerations in this allusion the spirit hath respect In the 51. of Ieremy prophecying the destruction of Babylon hee threatneth that he will dry vp her waters Thence hither to the destruction of the mysticall Babylon the speech is brought In the next Chapter the whore Babylon is said to sit on many waters Which are interpreted Kings Nations Peoples and Tongues To shew in great dominion and authority great dignity and strength The drying vp then of her waters is the decay of her authority dominion glory and power by the substraction of these from her obeience in whom was her strength and fortification Euen that same which Chapter 17. is expressed by eating her flesh and making her naked Thus fitly for this respect and yet more for the second the drying of Euphrates is heere mentioned in a depth of wisdome to shew how that Riuer bordering the kingdome of Dauid on the East and set betwixt the Easterne Kings and the blessed land being dried vp the Kings of the East should therethrough haue easie accesse thereto the debarring impediment being remoued The sense is As Antichrist his rising was the occasion of darknes and defection from the Gospell to Mahometisme in the East and of the obstinate abiding of Iewes who are most part in the East and whom specially heere the spirit pointeth at as the euent cleareth in their infidelity and as the greatnesse and power of Antichrist still debarreth both from embracing the Gospell as Euphrates flowing ouer all his bankes and so letting all free passage to the Kingdome of Dauid both Iewes and Mahometans through the superstition idolatry and corruption of the Romish Church abhorring Christianity so now her waters being with the heat of the sunne of righteousnesse dried vp an open way shall bee prepared for them to receiue the Gospell I know how some from the story of Cyrus and Darius King of the East diuerting the course of Euphrates and so surprising Babylon thinke this allusion taken to shew how mysticall Babylon shall in like manner be destroied by Easterne Kings But the spirit of God fetcheth nothiug from Xenophon or Herodotus but all his allusions
are to holy writ As this speech is plainely from Ieremy And the Prophets who in respect of Media by whose forces specially Babel was taken denounce her ruine from the North shew the weakenesse of that coniâ—cture And this Prophesie cleereth euidently that her destruction shall be by Westerne Kings euen the hornes of the Beast who hauing long drunke of her cup and giuen their Kingdomes to the Beast at last haue their hearts turned by God to hate the Whore eate her flesh make her naked and burne her with fire and so shall make way for the Kings of the East that is whole States that particular persons be not thought heere to bee designed as were the Sages who at the natiuity of Christ vpon sight of his star came from the East to worship him whil Priests and Phariseis abode in blindnesse which by Babels fall the cleare starre of Christ shall bring to bowe vnto him Whereat Herod and all Ierusalem shall bee troubled As their endeauour heereupon well sheweth Now heere a great wisdome and delightfull congruity in the order of God his working is to be obserued and admired By Antichrist his vsurpation and darkenesse preuailing on the fifth trumpet as by the swelling of Euphrates the East was alienated debarred from the Kingdome of Dauid God in his iustice losing thereafter in the sixth Trumpet from Euphrates these Armies of desolation poisoning error So heere in the fifth Viall the kingdome of Antichrist becomming darke and contemptible and in this sixth Viall all beauty strength and fortification being dried vp the East shall come againe to the Gospell and Iewes â—epent from their obstinate blindnesse and induration God thus wonderfully and to the high praise of his wise grace bringing a more ioâ—full effect from Euphrates in Antichrist his fall then hee brought a heauy woe in his rising And consider how wonderfully heereupon the case varieth In the sixth Trumpet out of the mouthes of these destroiers from Euphrates came Three things Fire Brimstone and Smoake By which three the third part of men were destroied Here to disturbe al 's ioifull an effect from the East â—uâ— Of the mouthes of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet three foule spirits euen spirits of Deuils That is men led with the spirit of Satan lyers and murtherers like their Father and accompanied with the effectuall deceiuablenesse of his working authorised by Antichrist his state and in speciall by the false Prophet head thereof are sent abroad as crouting froggs to bestirre themselues Who these are the state of our time and practise of Iesuites and Seminary Priests compassing Sea and Land specially busie about Kings maketh more then manifest They beginne to see their waters drinking in and Euphrates earst so great a riuer now running in a narrow channell and this setteth them madlings a worke Besides their origine they haue a speciall note of distinction whereby to discerne them that they are workers of miracles so to shew them false Prophets to whose begetting authorizing and setting a worke all the power of the kingdome of darkenesse Dragon Beast and false Prophet haue iointly bended all their malice force and intising hypocrisie as to the last puffe of Satan his mouth and of the Vicar of his throne for vnderpropping Babilon But shee can not be cured For the Beast goeth to destruction Heere the Beast and false Prophet are distinguished as the first and second Beast Chap. 13. That heere may bee shewed a ioyned endeauour of the head and whole body of the state See vpon the next Chap. Sect. 11. 18. and vpon the 19. Sect. 27. 10 The vnlucky euent of this their endeauour to themselues and happy to the Church specially these to whom by this viall the way is prepared is shewed in these words that they gathered them to a place called in Ebrew Armageddon Wherein much matter is comprised and offered to our consideration partly in the name of the place but specially in that it is so called in Hebrew The place is Armageddon a word composed of Har a Mountaine and Mageddon a plot of ground in the of lot Manasse famous in Scripture for two notable euents the one of great ioy the other as sorowful The first is in the 5. of Iudges where a great victory is obtained against Iabin and Sisera at the waters of Mageddo when the Kings fought and were swept away This was so noble a victory to the Church as the Psalmist maketh it the measure of his wish against the enemies The other al 's mournfull is when Iosias by Necho is slaine at Mageddo Whereupon to the Iewes insued most bitter mourning To both these euents the spirit heere alludeth yet with this remarkable point of difference that where the first of them was at the waters the second in the valley of Mageddo Heere the place is Armageddon that is the mountaine of Mageddon This difference is purposelie put of the spirit to shew that the enemies heere should bee in some great indeauour against the Church of God in all the old Testament bearing the name of a Mountaine Not onely for God stablishing her against all assailers and for her eminencie but also in respect of her type in Mount Sion and land of promise which is a land of Mountaines and for the Church her abode therein called of Daniel Hartsebikadosh This is the Mountaine of Mountaines wherein the Lord will destroy death and thresh Moab as straw is threshed in Madmena in which the Lord will destroy all that rise against her Heerein then is implied that this great destruction of Antichrist and his aiders by perswasion of the frogges shall bee in a high enterprise against the true Church as God foiled Gog vpon the Mountaines of Israel And the King of the North entring in the pleasant Land and planting the Tabernacles of his Palace in the glorious and holy Mountaine Now as for this their purpose causing their destruction the place is called Har a Mountaine So to expresse a double euent of this their enterprise it is called Megiddon by allusion to the two stories before mentioned To that in the 5. of Iudges to shew that the same shall befall all these enemies assembled by the frogges which did befall Iabin and Sisera at the waters of Megeddo And thereupon such a like song of ioy to the Church as is that of Deborah and Barak To the other story of Iosias slaughter the allusion is to shew that vpon this victory should arise such a mourning and that proper to the Iewes as they had for the slaughter of Iosias in the valley of Mageddo but of a much different kind Euen that mourning whereof Zachary prophecieth in his 12. Chapter When by this victory the way beeing prepared for them to come and see him whom they pearced they shall bee sorry for him as one is sorry for his first borne and when in that day there shall bee a great mourning in Ierusalem as the mourning of
and the sight whereof men most abhorre The speech is from common sense whereby wee esteeme these desolate and foreleited places to be full of foule spirits which resort most in filthy roomes as the damoniake of alegion abode amongst the graues Whether their delight bee in such places or if God in his iustice so confine them or if in such places they appeare most to mooue the more terrour 4 The equity of this great fall is for bringing all the earth into the sin of spirituall fornication so making it guilty of wrath and that so farre as the greatest Kings were besotted with her While shee by couetousnesse and deceitfull efficacy of errour so maketh merchandize of all men as the ministers of her abominations waxed Kings fellowes swimming in all aboundance of wealth and carnall pleasure And therefore it is a iust thing with God that shee who with false semblance drew all the earth after her should bee now no lesse abhorred then is hell the dwelling of Diuels that she who was the darling of Kings committing filthinesse with them should now bee a receptacle of foule and filthie spirits and shee who for frequent resort and multitude of trade was not only her selfe the Lady of Kingdomes but also made all her merchants rich through her superfluous luxury should nowe become so desolate and forsaken as to bee the nesting place of all vncleane and hatefull birds 5 The second voice from heauen amplifieth and cleareth these same points of certaine and instant performance equity and greatnesse of her iudgement that so in the mouthes of two or three witnesses and from heauen the matter may be stable And this is by a threefold exhortation to the Saints 1. To forsake and come out of her proper to such as at this time shall yet be within her So little reason hath she at any time to glory in the number of the Beast his name 2. To repay her with iust recompence And. To reioice of her fall The first are stirred first to come out of her by argument of a manifest perill to the remainers of being infected with the contagion of her sinne and consequently inuolued with her in the same iudgement For society in sinne bringeth fellowship in wrath Secondly they are stirred to do it with diligence both for the greatnesse of the iudgement and present effusion of wrath which can haue no delay in respect her sinne is come to the height shee hauing so still heaped sinne on sinne that her iniquity hath mounted to the heauens so as God who for his patience and long-suffering appeareth often to forget the waies of men is now to poure out on her such a full cup of wrath as shall well witnesse him to remember her sinnes and to bee a iust repayer of iniquitie Thus as the exhortation to come out by a voice from heauen sheweth the certainty of a present fall like that of Sodom when Lot was bid of the Angels to come out of her and that of Babel properly when by the Prophets the people of Israel were exhorted to come out of her and bee as the hee-goats of the flocke so is both the greatnesse of her destruction heerein implyed like that of Sodom where was no remnant and the equity of it is cleare in the degree of her sinne The Angel whose voice Chapt. 14. succeeded the denouncer there of Babels fall gaue sharpe warning not to worshippe the Beast or receiue his character But now absolute deserting of Babel is needfull and euen the name and number are now dangerous Wherefore come out of her and remember Lot his wife 6 The second point whereto the second heauenly voice exhorteth the faithfull specially the ministers of Babels fall is to doe the worke of the Lord diligently for negligence therein is accursed in all which the equity greatnesse and certainety of her fall is shewed For what is more equall then retribution and that euery one receiue according to their worke then as they haue measured that so it bee measured to them againe what more iust then who exalteth her selfe that she bee brought low and that shee who hath wallowed in pleasures and carnall delights receiue torment and sorrow what more equall then who presumptuously glorying in her greatnesse and strength securely promised to her selfe perpetuall stability she finde againe vnexpected destruction Now how great againe shall the fall of Babel be if shee receiue double for her waies and that so much the more as by the hands of these whome shee hath highly wronged therupon stirred in iust disdaine against her if shee be al 's farre pressed downe as shee hath exalted her selfe whose fall shall be like her fall if she receiue torment and sorrow according to her pleasures what torment and griefe shall bee comparable to hers That this her iudgement is ineuitable al 's wel as iust and great is cleare in this that it is God euen that great Lord of heauen and earth that condemneth her and who then shall absolue her wherein as the ineuitable certainety of her iudgement is euident so is implyed the equity For shall the Iudge of the world iudge vnrighteously the greatnesse also for it is a hard thing to fall into the hands of the Lord before whom all Nations are but as the droppe of a Bucket or as the dust of a Trebuschet 7 For more clearing of her presumption and confident glorifying her selfe it is expressed in her owne speeches and her iudgement accordingly set downe I sit being a Queene and am no widdow neither shall I see mourning The word Sit is Emphatike Steuchus against Valla pleading the priuiledge of the Romane seate affirmeth stoutly that all Kings haue by her left vnto them but the vse and administration of their Kingdomes and that the right in property belongeth to her and shee will be holden domina regina Thus while they know not what they speake the tongues and pennes of these Parasites are led to verifie against themselues the truth of this prophesie 8 Her iudgements here specified are such as befall the most distressed in strightest sieges of Townes when mortalitie doole and famine all iointly consume as it may perhaps fall that thus shee bee sacked And these iudgements are amplified as by the measure so also by their manner of comming on as which come inexpected in one day Not that in one instant shee shall fall which were a great relaxation to her griefe but to shew two things One that her fall shall haue no turning but from the time it beginne shee shall fall still till vtter ruine The other is that euen her last and ful destruction shall come farre against her expectation in a day whereof shee shall not know the morning For albeit shee feele already her iudgement begunne and in good degrees aduanced so as they are gnawing their tongues for sorrow yet she is still as Iezabel who vpon the very point of her last fall
Greatnesse that being written as both a sure and permanent name and also exposed to bee read yet none knoweth it but himselfe And what is he not able to doe who seeing and by matchlesse authority ouerruling all yet is set aboue the reach of all his state counsels and wayes being knowne to himselfe onely as whereof no flesh is capable So insearchable are his wayes and his iudgements past finding out according as in consideration of one speciall euent of this his iudging and fighting at this time Paul exclameth and the sealed Booke no creature was able to looke on 18 That none imagine these to be idle Titles in name onely hee is also a practised warriour and now specially come forth to shew how mighty hee is to saue For this his garment is dipt in bloud euen the bloud of his enemies to note a huge slaughter Hee is now to tread the Wine-presse of God his wrath He hath long looked if any would helpe but there was none to helpe none to vphold therefore his owne arme now shall helpe him and his owne wrath sustaine him the day of vengeance is now in his heart and the time of his redeemed is come And accordingly as he who speaketh iustly and is mighty to saue hee is called the word of God Not onely for that hee is that word which was in the beginning with God and was God but also and here specially because hee is that true one who speaketh and performeth as who both speaketh iustly and is mighty to saue For this redde garment and name agreeable to it See Isai 63. and weigh the place 19 Such is the Captaine of the Lord his hoast The inhabitants of the earth following the Beast Chapter 13. Wondered and in wonder exclamed Who is like the beast who is able to fight with him Heere I thinke hee hath his match and more But these earthly ones see not the Heauens and so goe on blindfolded to their owne destruction His army is in his owne Liuery Hee needeth no armie but his army hath need of him For he is their glory their strength their armour their victory and all In his strength they fight and ouer come They are all horsed as who for dignity are Iudges and warriours like their Captaine They are also faithfull and true in and by him They are all kinges and priestes clothed in pure and shining silke This is a blessed Captaine who conformeth all his followers in glory and dignity to himselfe Alexander was foolish to glorie in his Argyraspides here is a Captaine of high note In opposition to the earthly ones on the other party they are called the host of heauen where there conuersation is euen while they are in the world but not of the world 20 The weapon of this great Captaine whereby he worketh and fighteth is the sword of his mouth With it he smiteth the Heathen enemies of his Church treaders downe of the holy City crushing them in peeces with an iron Mace And hee treadeth the winepresse of God almighty Heere now the treaders are troden downe Thus with mouth and hand hee fighteth and with feet downe-trampleth all How so strange effects of bloud-shed and ouerturning the whole state of the earth are attributed to the sword of his mouth is cleare Chapt. 14. 17. 18. where an Angel armed with a sickle commeth out of the Temple and is stirred to cut downe the grapes of the earth by one comming from the Altar hauing power ouer fire And Chapt. 15. where the Angels of the last wrath receiue their Vials from one of the foure Beasts and come to execution out of the Temple like as the voice commanding it is from the Temple By the breath of this Lord his mouth Antichrist must bee consumed 21 This his fighting to the foile of all his foes maketh him yet a name The King of Kings and Lord of Lords This he was at all times And euen from the day of his ascention was alwaies seene of his owne crowâ—ed with glory and honour God hauing exalted him aboue all name that is named so as all knees must bow and euery tongue confesse him to bee the Lord. Yet hee getteth this name at this time in a speciall manner written on his garment and thigh So as now it becommeth manifest to the view of all his power and strength kything clearely in this victory and wonderfull sequels of it This is that same which in the song was said the Lord God almighty hath raigned And Chapt. 11. The kingdomes of the world are our Lord his and his Christs This is his sitting on a white cloude Chap. 114. euen the manifestation of his iudgements Chapt. 15. 4. Rome in great derision when they crucified him set ouer his heade in three Languages This is the King of the Iewes And the Iewes counting it scorne and high disgrace to haue him called their King intreated the alteration of the words in that he so called himself But now by the finall and euerlasting ouerthrow of the Kingdome of Rome and by conuersion of the Iewes to mourne for him whom they pearced hee shall gloriously manifest himselfe and bee acknowledged not onely King of the Iewes but also King of Kings and Lord of Lords This name hee hath written on his garment as great Kings and high Captaines haue their imperiall garments whereby they are discerned On his thigh not so much for that ordinarily the sword weapon of the victory is girded on the thigh but for that in Scripture speech a man his strength is placed commonly in his losnes and thighes now it is his owne strength that helpeth him and therefore it was a token of subiection and seruitude to put the hand vnder the thigh Which custome Aben-Ezra witnesseth to haue continued still amongst the Indians and Ethiopians till his time And therefore his name is also written on his thigh because all the world now haue to put their hands vnder it and sweare him homage This Captaine wrestling with Iacob to make him know he was his Lord and that all his strength was of him hee did strike him with a note of infirmity in the thigh 22 Thus was the description of the great Captaine of the heauenly host in himselfe his armie armour and manner of fighting Now followeth his herauld or trumpet Who is remarkeable for his standing place and for the tenor of his proclamation Hee standeth in the Sunne To note exceeding great light now of the Gospell and preaching therof wherein the preachers should clearely see and confidently proclaime Antichrist his ruine For great measure of light the Apostolike Church in the woman Chapt. 12. was clothed with the Sunne Wee see to the praise of God and euidence of this Prophesie light already growen in great degree as no doubt but for this sight and great effect it shall yet grow more so as the light of the Moone shall bee as the light of the Sunne