more theÌ„ enough This cry sheweth the manner of Gods iustice which cannot suffer uniust murders unpunished in which sorte the blood of Abell is sayd to have cryed Gen. 4.10 But how great is the patieÌ„ce of our God which is provoked by a cry to punishement before that he prepares to it But whither did the saints beare the former iniuries without speaking neither cryed out before this 5 seale Without doubt they did alwayes sigh under the crosse but nowe first of all mention is made of the crying because the time was not farre of when they should be delivered from those sorrowes For God is wont when he will bestowe any thing upon his children to stirre up their harts to fervent prayers both that they may more esteeme the good thing obtained and also that they may learne howe great a regard he hath of us that call upon him with sincere mindes ¶ How long O Lord which art holy true They set forth God with those titles wherby they may stablish increase their faith as it ought to be done in all right invocation For because he is holy he cannot let goe unpunished the ill deedes of the world especially seeing he is also true hath made large promises touching the blessednes of his people ¶ Doest thou not iudge avenge Iudgement perteineth to the knowledge of a matter vengeance to the performing executing of the thing iudged which signify punishement toward him that doth wronge yet chiefly I thinke the delivering of the innocent party from whence it is construed often with a preposition as in Luke avenge mee of my adversary ch 18.3 Where the widowe doth not so much desire fervently the punishement of the adversary as her owne deliverance So David 1 Sam. 13. and the Lord avenge mee of thee so hath Tremelius I would rather translate the wordes thus the Lord shall deliver mee from thee as also the Greeke Interpreters have it the Lord deliver mee from thee for he doth not wish evill to Saul to his face And such a thing is it which the Soules require to wit that God at length would after so long a tryall deliver the Church from the power tyranny of the enemyes that he would not suffer it to be oppressed alway with the yoke of the wicked That this is the summe of the request it is knowne from the graunt That is not denyed them which they desire earnestly but it is differred to some time which being accomplished they should receive the thing so much desired 11 Then longe white robbes were given to every one Montanus omitteth the white robes readeth it was given to them that they should rest Other copies reade in the singular number thus a white robe was given them so Aretas the coÌ„mon translation there were given to them every one severall white robes The answere made to the soules is evideÌ„t by a signe by a speech by both which is declared what should be the next coÌ„ming coÌ„ditioÌ„ of the saints The robes are giveÌ„ for a signe which are garmeÌ„ts haÌ„ging downe eveÌ„ to the heeles fitte for to hide all deformity in the body as Cyrus of the robe in Xenophon it seemed to hide if any should have any defect in his body Fitte vestemeÌ„ts for the saincts meete for Christ to give them But whereas the robes are white that perteineth to an ornameÌ„t used in time of ioy as wee hav shewed at ch 3.4 But now they ar giveÌ„ to every one not so much for the soules cause theÌ„selves in so much as they enioy gladnes in the heaveÌ„s but for to signify the things to be done on earth For waÌ„ted they robes all that time froÌ„ Traiane to Gallienus Christ promised that he that overcometh shal be clothed in white aray ch 3.5 How long is this promise differred It is not to be doubted but that the race being runne out there is some reward of the labour Therefore these robes are not they of which it was spoken before which ar given by and by after the labour is ended but of an other kinde signifying that the saincts should have merry dayes on earth for a time which they should celebrate as it were with white gownes as is the custome in the time of solemne mirth The answere made by worde cometh to the same ende which both commandeth them to rest and also sâ—tteth downe limits how long it should continue namely a very little time untill their fellow servants were fulfilled which should be killed even as they were In summe a ioyfull rest for a short time is fore shewed which at length a newe slaughter of the faithfull should follow which at length being finished that should come to passe which the holy soules desired The History witnesseth that the thing fell out after the same manner For after Galienus succeeded Claudius Quintilius Aurelianus Tacitus Florianus Probus Carus and his sonnes at length Diocletian through all which space of about fourty yeeres unto the ninetinth yeere of Diocletian there was a time of a white gowne and of ioyfull mirth free from the murders and spoiling of the saints the Emperours theÌ„selves being restrained of God that they might not interrupte and hinder the peace graunted Which calmnes Euseb describeth eloquently in the 8. booke and 1. and 2. chap. of his Hist For being about to write of the sorrowfull time of Diocletians cruelty he prepareth him selfe a way by the remembrance of the former happines He professeth himselfe unable to declare according to the worthines of the thing howe great every where amonge all men was the credit and liberty of the Christian trueth Howe great was the mildnes saith he of the Emperours towards ours to whom they committed authority and rule over the Gentiles whom they suffered without punishemeÌ„t and bouldly to professe their religion held in great estimation loved entirely and counted most trusty to them as that Dorotheus and Gregorius Also the Governours of the Churches founde noe lesse courtesie assemblyes were celebrated with very great coÌ„pany of people the accustomed houses were not able to receive the multitude but it was needfull to build newe and larger Certenly the whole narration casteth a savour of mirth most convenient to these white robes neither is there neede of any other comment and exposition of these garmeÌ„ts and of that rest which the holy soules are commanded to take But this felicity remained uncorrupted untill Diocletian disturbed it For this one onely conflict was remayning to their fellowe servants which at length being past they should enioy the thinge much desired neither should any rage of Tyrants afterward trouble them as before times 12 Afterward I beheld when he had opened the sixt seale and loe there was a great earthquake Neither hath the sixt Seale any Beast to make attention because men were attentive enough by the answere given to the Soules under the former seale For it was sayd that one onely strife remained
of this sermon where he maketh mention onely of the markâ— of his name it is because this badge is common not onely to them who are marked in the forehead but also to them who receive the marke in their hand Wherefore ô yee Papists consider diligently how horrible punishement abideth you unlesse you forsake the Pope of Rome These stinging wordes of Martin Luther were not of a man and of an angry adversary but which the Holy Ghost ministred unto him Ye see that the man was sent from the caÌ„pe of Christ himselfe And thinke not that these threates are dead with him but let your eares ring with the same continually For they live at this day and shall no lesse have their force for ever threatning eternall destruction to every one who doe yet worship that Romish Idoll Yea a more grievous punishement is prepared for men by how much the ungodlines of the Popes chaire is more apparant let every one heare who regardeth his eternall salvation 12 Here is the patience of the Saincts These thinges perteine to consolation which the Angel useth with the same as a conclusion shutting up his sermon Albeit they may be the words of Iohn adding these things after his manner like an acclamation But it skilleth little whose of these two they were The speach is defective for here is the tryall of the patience of the Saincts here is the tryall of them that keepe the commaundements of God For now it should appeare who were endued with true patience and who performed the duties of unfained godlinesse Antichrist should be driven into such rage by the preaching of Luther that it was neddfull for men to be godly indeede that would endure stoutly his assault and yet not forsake their profession Of which furie Germanie is witnesse which from hence did wholly abounde with murders the blood of the godly chap. 11.7 And no lesse our EnglaÌ„d for her part which theÌ„ every wher did burne with the fires of the faithfull VVhat wer the horrible sloughters of France the ashes of Merindoll Cabrieres are a signe of most outragious cruelty Now was there need of vertu without which none could stande And that we may know in how great daÌ„â—er things were we read that the very Captaines staÌ„derd-bearers quaked for feare How timorous was H. MelancthoÌ„ untill Luther raised him up coÌ„forted him The like feare without doubt apaled many men 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven The other consolation is of a voice sent from heaven For to the ende that the Saincts should be more proÌ„pt to undergoe danger it is avouched from heaven that the utmost trouble which the wicked can bring upon the faithfull is present happines to them and that it shall not be in vaine although it seemeth otherwise to the world that they doe throwe themselves into so great perils for the trueths sake for their workes should follow them of which they should receive straightway a most sweete fruit and obtaine at length a most blessed and ample reward Neither is it without cause that there is so expresse mention of the time from this time from now that I may so say the common translation hath from now Theod. Beza thinketh that this member is to be ioined necessarily with blessed to which he addeth next blessed from hence foorth c. But it seemeth that it is not to be put out of the place which the Spirit advisedly giveth to it ioyning it with which die Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from hencefoorth Not but that the dead in former ages also were blessed but because these times required necessarily this speciall comfort As long as they had to doe with the Heathen persecuting Christ in his meÌ„bers professedly no man could doubt but that he ought to spend his life in that cause But in the combate with them who boasted that they alone were true Christians iustly the more simple might doubt whether they should resist unto blood Therefore to the ende that the Spirit might take away this scruple and that the faithfull should not doubt to die in this coÌ„flict he pronounceth them happy who die from hencefoorth as though he should say a crowne of celestiall glory doth remaine no lesse for all those who die in the fight against the Beast then for those who for Christs sake were slaine before time by the Heathens wordes full of confort And so indeede it came to passe in the Church restored after the yeere 1543 after the Parliament of Aquen against them of Merindoll and Cabriers many others having sufferred calamities in Fraunce when a rumour also was spread abroad of the entreprises of the Emperour and of the Pope against religion for then many weake brethren being amazed at the dangers present and expected began to thinke by dissembling their religion to provide for their goods and life Which thing feare persuaded them to be lawfull by the example of Nicodemus Against this great feare a voice sounded from heaven when certeÌ„ writings full of holinesse were published by Iohn Calvin of avoiding superstitions and an excuse to the Nicodemites in which by most strong arguments he disprooveth that weakenes and proveth a necessitie of testifying our religion openly whatsoever daungers shal be neere at hande that the glory of God ought to be more pretious to us then this fraile life which to speake properly is no other thing then a shadow VVhich iudgement other holy men also confirmed by their writings Philip Melancthon Martin Bucer Peter Martyr and the whole Church of Zuriche as wee may see in the Opuscules of Calvin This is that voice from Heaven 14 And J looked and behold a white cloude Thus farre the three Angels fighting by the word now a fact is added and engines are brought forth to beginne the ruine of Babylon VVhich preparatioÌ„ is double the Haâ—vest Vintage The harvest is the gathering of the good according to that saying of Christ the harvest is great but the labourers are fewe pray therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send foorth labourers into his harvest Mat. 9.37 And it is set foorth in three verses the preparation whereof is in two Angels one the Prince ver 14 and the other an Administer ver 15. VVhose labour is ioyned togither as a double thuÌ„der apaling with a double crack one by by following an other afterward followeth the executioÌ„ ver 16. As touching the words a cloude hanging aloft signifyeth a certaine highnesse such as are honours dignities Magistrates Principalities and such like to which an high place is granted among men though not the highest seeing the cloudes doe stay beneath the skie VVhich signification is confirmed by that which was spoken before of the two Prophets who rising from the dead went up into the Heaven by a cloude that is were earryed unto the due height of dignity by the helpe of certaine inferiour Princes chap. 11.12 A white cleare and cheerefull cloude betokeneth
counselled them well And touching Ephesus it can not be uncerten but that this holy rule did holde there seeing Paul taught theire the space of three yeares who gave commaundement to Timotheus touching this matter so diligently and exactly The observation therof was famous in the primitive Church as even Pline testifyeth in an Epistle unto Traian The Christians are wont saith he to ryse betimes in the morning to praise Christ as God for the preserving of their religion to prohibite murthers adulteries avarice cousenage and the like unto those Euseb kook 3. chap. 33. of the Eccles Hist from Tertullian Out of all doubt they did not onely prohibit in word by teaching but also did restraine them by holy discipline And they did determine rightly that Religion could not be preserved otherwise unlesse vices be cut of by this spirituall sworde Iustin testifyeth that no man was admitted to the Sacrament of the supper but he whose life should answer and accord with his profession Apol. 2. But more plainly Tertullian writing thus There are also exhortations corrections and divine censure for it is shewed with great gravitie if anie have offended that he maie be sent awaie from communicating in praier both of the assembly and all holy soâ—iety where all most approved Elders have authoritie having obtained that honour not by money but by good report Apologet. ch 39. Origenes in his 35. treatise on Mat. In the Churches of Christ saith he such a custom hath held that they which are manifest in great sinnes thereof convicted should be cast out froÌ„ comon prayer least a little leaven of such as pray not from their heart should corrupt the whole sprinkling and consent of truth So in Hom. 7. upon Ioshua Him that the third time being admonished refuseth to repent he commandeth to be cut of from the body of the Church by the rulers of the Church where also he sheweth that the Priests sparing one and neglecting their Priestlie severitie doe worke the ruine of the whole Church The Epistles of Cyprian are most cleare witnesses how holilie and regiously he kept it in his Church yea they do prove how purely the discipline abod hitherto at Rome as is cleare by the Epistles of Cyprian to the clergie of Rome and to Cornelius and againe of them to Cyprian It is therefore an excellent praise of that time that conioined togither with the puritie of doctrine sanctity of manners by most holsome discipline ¶ And hast tried them which say thy are Apostles The other part of discipline is toward Ecclesiasticall men who were reproved not onelie for sinne in life but also they did undergoe punishmeÌ„ts meet for their ungodlines if they brought anie new thing and divers from the truth which after lawfull examinatioÌ„ was founde not to agree to the rule of the sanctuarie And great was the courage of the Angell in this matter who was not skared froÌ„ his duty by great names but did bring them backe to a wholy examining who did vaunt that they were Apostles Of which sorte that there were meÌ„ at Ephesus it is cleare from that instruction given unto Timotheus That thou wouldest abyde at Ephesus saith he that thou mayest give warning to some that they teach none other doctrine neither give eare to fables and genealogies being endlesse which doe breed questioÌ„s rather then godly edifying which is by faith 1 Tim. 1.3 And the same Paul warneth the Bishops of Ephesus to take heed to themselves and the whole flocke For I know this that after my departure grievous wolves not sparing the flocke will enter in among you and of your selves shall aryse some which shall speake perverse thinges that they may draw disciples after them Act 20.29.30 But the diligence of the Pastours did plucke the vizzards from the hypocrites and did not suffer their craftes to spread to the destruction of the flock so the Church continued uncorrupted even to the coÌ„ming of Iohn who ruled the same many yeares who at length for a time being removed it staked somewhat of that former care as we shall shew by by Likewise in the fâ—rst church ther was such a troupe of heretiques as scarce hath bin in all other times There arose Simonians Menandrians Ebionites Cerinthians Pseudoapostolins Gnostickes Sabellians Samosatenians Manichees c. Some of which the Apostles themselves did perce through with the dart of trueth Paul delivered Hymeneus and Alexander to Sathan So Phygellus and Hermogenes and as it seemeth Philetus And he taught Titus that he should shunne an hereticall man after once or twice admonition Tit. 3.10 But after they were gone to Christ many other excellent lightes rose up which did dispell diligently all hereticall darknes Among which Agrippa Castor as Eusebius reporteth Iustin Martyr Ireneus Tertulianus Cyprianus c. Who all fought egerly for the truth against couÌ„terfait Apostles Wherfore as both the city that former age were perillous because of the impudency of those who with false titles made a shew that they were Apostles so were they no lesse happy by the faithfulnes and industrie of such defenders who would not be deceaved with a vaine shew but bringing the matter to the touchstone manifested to the whole Church that they were most filâ—hy fellowes who would be counted the principall maisters ¶ And thou wast burdened Hitherto his faithfulnes in executing his office now he rehearseth his vertue against externe evils which were many and great both of that city and of all the Christian world The battailes of Paul against beasts at Ephesus are famous 1 Cor. 15.32 But what tranquillity could be to the Angels following who should have to doe with grievous wolves not sparing the flocke Act. 20.29.30 It was therefore the coÌ„mendation of this Angell that he did susteine and endure calamity stoutly which is declared in a triple degree that he bare the burden that he laboured under the burden and yet was not tyred as though he should say a great weight in deede of trouble did ly upon thee under the burden whereof thou gronedst yet thou wast not discouraged that thou shouldest pluck thy neck from the yoke and betray the trueth It is a manlie fortitude to beare out manfully troubles and torment Many beare the yoke cheerfully as long as they feele but a little griefe But to goe on constantly among the stinges of grief and sorowe is a point of great courage and of heavenly fortitude Such was this Angell such also was the whole Primitive Church Nero and Domitian had greatly persecuted the Church before Iohn wrote these thinges And besides Nero and Domitian it abode patiently under TraiaÌ„ Adrian Antonin Severus Diocletian The times were never more miserable when the EMPEROVRS did let their labour to hire to the Devill for to shed the Christian blood which he doeth alwaies thirst after Yet the faithfull revolted not but coÌ„tinued coÌ„staÌ„tly unto the end becoming at leÌ„gth coÌ„querers setting up the signe of victory against the Devill al foes
is not my purpose to pleade their cause thy beggerlines o Angell is to be reproved of mee which wilt thou nilt thou thou canst not but acknowledge if thou wey the thing with thy selfe in earnest Thou dost aboūde indeede in riches but nothing is more filthy then the way of getting them Shall the begger after he hath filled his purse with asking almes cast away his patched cloake and in silke vaunt him selfe to be rich wealthy What other thing is thy boasting then the bragging of riches which thou hast gathered most dishonestly by begging And yet I doe not speak these things to that end as though the stipend of the godly Pastors who holily both enter into and execute their office should be meere almes For the labourer is worthy of his wages neither can this distribution be sayd to be freely bestowed any more then is any made to one which liveth of his publike office God which made the earth hath so given it to the children of men that he reserveth a portion to himselfe which he hath bestowed on them who earnestly bend themselves to holy things Therefore the Patrones doe not give of their owne when they doe appointe the yearly rents to the Pastours of the Churches for their paines but deliver them to those to whom they are due and of which they have ben the keepers onely Wee speake not I say of such speciall persons but generally of the state of the Clergy the manner of which is so ordained that the Angell manifestly groweth rich by almes and in deede is noe other thing then a Lord Begger There is added to beggery blindenes wherby the evill becometh farre more grievous For what is more pittifull then a blind begger whom necessity constreineth to seeke his living abroade and the want of sight suffereth him not to seeke But this is a blindnes of minde wherby a man being deprived of a witty and prudent minde cannot provide for himself touching things profitable and honest before God and men The Angell then being voide of this wisdome sinneth even so in administring his office as of late he sinned by beggery in the manner of getting And this is the worst kinde of blindnes which for the most part neither acknowledgeth his owne darknes neither can suffer patiently admonition yea doth use the staffe wherby he ought to have tryed the way against him that sheweth him of the danger Yet thou art to be admonished o miserable Angell howe froward and angry soever thou shalt be it may come to passe that at length thou mayst see and be wise if not at least wise I may be without danger of setting a stumbling blocke before the blinde if I have seen the pitte and not shewed it him And that I may deale with thee more favourably I will make thy selfe iudge whether thou be better sighted then I accuse thee although this be unreasonable in on s owne cause wherein thou must needes be twice blinde Call therfore to remembrāce with mee your last constitutions which are wont to be wisest handled in the Convocation at London and published in the yeare 1597. what medecine dost thou make for the Church being sicke First thou decreest that fitte men be admitted unto Ecclesiasticall holy orders and benefices as they call them The title in deede recreated many and very many did iudge thee nowe at length to use thine eyes This kinde of men hath made the Church sad a great while There was hope of remedy when thou shouldst see and acknowledge the disease For of evell manners doe aryse good lawes But howe wisely hast thou met with this evill and satisfyed mens expectation wey well with thy selfe after give sentence Thou knowest that it was ordained in a statute of the Realme that none should be admitted unto holy orders but he that should be foure and twenty yeere olde at least and have brought before the Diocesan the testimony of such men as the Bishop knoweth to be of sounde religion both of his honest life and also of his professing the doctrine of our Church yea have ben able to render a reason of his faith in the latine tongue or at the least hath ben endued with some speciall gifte of preaching Although this were long agoe enacted the Church hath ben greatly troubled with a newe rable of most unworthy men With what cautions then hast thou helped the imbecility of the lawe For wise and quick sighted men are wont when they have perceived the weaknes of the lawe to helpe with more sharpe lawes for that point wherby they see the impudency of men to breake through Thou in deede hast established manie things but I pray what serveth for the worthynes of Ministers That noe man be received to holy orders unlesse at the same time he shall exhibite the presentation of himselfe to some benefice then void or who shall not bring a certificate from some Church wherein he may serve the cure of soules that is where he may play the Curate under some one in reading of prayers or who hath not ben appointed in some College or at least who is not to be admitted of the same Bishop unto some Benefice or to a Cure To what Idiote or any the worst man may not these thinges perteine But thou proceedest and addest other thinges as vayne as these Moreover if he shall be sayest thou of an other Dioces unlesse he shall bring dimissory letters be full foure and twenty yeeres olde and hath taken some degree in the Vniversity which last is required onely in men of another Dioces finally that holy orders be not given except on the Lords day or holy dayes Excellent ordinances in deede for which the reformed Churches may be ashamed What doe these thinges profit at all that a fit man be admitted What that after should be ordayned ministers either more learned or more honest Wilt thou on the H. Spirit crying by Paul who is fit for these thinges obtrude a man with a presentation with a Certificate with Dimissorye letters or who hath ben licenced on the Lords dayes But I will not debate the matter harder onely I appeale to thy conscience What I pray have you provided in this matter who hast covered the wall ready to fall with such foolish plastring What touching plurality of Benefices Thou decreest that it is to be restrayned And well in deede for it is an hainous thinge that one should be a sheapheard of sheepe which he feedeth not or at least should receive any fruite from them which take noe profit from him It were meete therfore that here thou shouldest bring forth whatsoever skill thou hast to cure this evill which not onely the divine oracles but also comon sense cōdemneth of sacrilege What remedy then doest thou apply Namely Let no man enioy this faculty unlesse he be at least a Master of Arts and a publike and fitte preacher of Gods worde A notable Physician in deede What have Maisters of Arts deserved so ill
except Athanasius and Paulinus drunke this deadly poison of the Arians and Emmonians see Hierome against the errours of Iohn Bishop of Hier. Not onely Nilus was turned into bitternes but also the rivers and fountaines of Thracia Hellespont Bithinia and the whole continent region in all which places the Arians expelled out of the Churches all that were of a right iudgement and punished them shamefully Sozom. booke 4. 27. More over the poison was powred forth on all men from the borders of Illyricum even unto Thebais as Basyll cōplayneth in his Epist 69. And what wormewood was at any time more bitter then for Christians to be beaten with stripes to death by Christians to be deprived of their goods and priviledge of the cities to be burned in the fore head with a hotte iron and to be handled with noe lesse cruelty yea rather more cruelty of brethren then before time of most fierce outragious enemies Yet all these thinges and many mo suffered the orthodoxe at the handes of Macedonius of Constantinople and others his fellowes in office not Bishops but fiendes of Hell as Socrates writeth in his second booke chapter 27. This mischiefe vexed and over ruled a longe time that third part both by it owne selfe and also by the unhappy birth of the Macedonians and other wretched ofspring of that sorte neverthelesse whē Valens was dead this flame also decayed the matter of which was consumed as of a lampe which hath noe more oyle Those Wormewood waters did wonderfully provoke the calamity of the haile with which nowe at lenght they mixe themselves and hindred that the burning flame of ambition in the West could not be holpen For nowe the three Trumpets came on with rage togither which molested at the first asunder and mor lightly 11 Therefore the third part of the waters became The Second effect shewing the fruict of the falling starre The Teachers and Bishops almost all of that third part who should be the springs of learning unto others forthwith infected the wholesome waters with the bitternes of that wicked opinion but they made this deadly mixture not onely to themselves but also all which drunke hereof and sufferred themselves to be infected with the same opinions got to themselves destruction as hath ben declared by us before 12 Afterward the fourth Angell blewe the trumpet Here is mentioned one effect onely of the fourth trumpet otherwise then in the former Neither that without cause but for this intent as farre as it seemeth because the former evils came from them of the housholde and that it was therefore needfull not onely that it should be shewed which was done but also the Authours whereunto the first effect perteined especially But this calamity should come altogither from the Enemy and from men that were strangers from the Church any fall of whom there was noe neede to rehearse Wherefore he cometh to declare this trumpet noe otherwise then to the relating of the former calamityes which the spitefull Heathen Tyrants did bring in before time as in chap. 6.12.13 This onely effect smiteth the third part of the Sunne of the Moone of the Starres of the Day and of the Night The Sunne Moone and Starres wee interprete as before to be the chiefe ornaments of the purer and true Chyrch So as that the Sunne should be the Scriptures themselves the fountaines of light The Moone the doctrine borrowed from thence which is compared sometime to the water and also sometime to the light for a divers respect the starres the Ministers the day ioyfulnes and mirth in the Church from the enioying of this Sunne the Night a sorrowfull condition either in regard of affliction or of darkenes and obscurity which is cast upon the trueth or of both whereupon there shall be noe night in the full happines of the Church chap. 21.29 Neither are the Ministers starres because they are servants of the night but because they put away the darknes that is in others themselves in the meane time being inlightned wholly by the light of the Sunne The meaning therefore is that a most grievous calamity common noe lesse to the false then to the true Church shall invade the third part of the world as the History witnesseth it to have come to passe I passe over the tempests of those warres which the most obscure nations Gothes Suevians Hunnes Heruls Vandals and the other confederates of these inferred which scarcely repressed of Constantine the Greate at length when he was taken from the earth overflowed all Europe I thinke that this forth sounding of the trumpet is to be referred especially when Gensericus the Vandal about the yeere after Christ is birth 438. passed over from Spaine into Afrique sent of Bonifacius For what Decius or Diocletian is to be compared with this man in cruelty The divine goodnesse delivered from their iawes Augustine a few dayes before the city Hippo was takē What torments endured not the rest of the saincts The Tyrant commandeth all holy bookes to be burned every one without regarde to be killed that they should not spare the innocent but suckling children being pulled from their mothers brests to be partly dashed against the stones and the grounde partly to be cleaved asunder in the middes from the crowne of the head And they were better dealt with all then the rest which remained alive many Ministers of the word and famous men being laden with huge burdens in steade of Camels and beasts and compelled with goades of iron to hasten their going as often as through wearines they stayed Proclamations from the King ar set forth that all in generall should be destroyed who had holy orders And Victor of Vtica who wrote the History of this persecution maketh mētion that of an hundred and three score Bishops which lately were in Zengetana the provinciall iurisdiction three onely were left alive at what time he wrote these thinges and that one of these three escaped persecution and lived as a banished man at Edessa in Macedonia Verily the third part of the Sunne of the Moone of the starres and of the day was smitten seeing the Africane Church the third part of the world lay wholly quenched as farre as man could iudge Especially when as Hunorichus Nundrus and at length Gilimer made a gleaning with greater cruelty if any thing can be greater then Genserichus used in reaping the first harvest Neither was the Night untouched but the third part of it was likewise smitten that is the whole false Church also which is wont to be more populous then the true and to cover it over with her darkenes was partaker of the same calamity For the Vandals desired to roote out all at once every one of the Christian name farre otherwise then the other barbarous natiōs in Europe which sought onely places to dwell in for themselves and bare noe such hatefull mindes against religion For which cause wee thinke that this fourth sounding of the trumpet doth properly belonge to
a conference with the Angell Gabriell Surely a mighty Key and fit to open the pit of Hell Therefore the respect to the time the greatnes of the matter theagreablenes of all things which shall more appeare in the explication finally the large boundes of this trumpet doe cause that as well Mahomet as the Romish Pope are to be contained under this starre Neither is it an unmeete thing that many persons should be noted by one type whom the likenes doth compose and make to be some one thing 2 Therefore he opened the bottomelesse pit and the smoke ascended Such was the first effect The second sorte of effects doe arise one from another in a certen order For first he openeth the pit from the pit opened smoke ascendeth out of the smoke beside the darkening of the Sunne come Locusts And the Smoke is Heresy in doctrine and superstition in worship For what other thing can breath out of the Hellish pit Before time indeede by many cranyes it sent forth a foule vapour but nowe through the doores opened by the helpe of these men it began to goe out hastily The Sunne and ayre are darkened after that errours growed in use and the light of the trueth was quite put out Neither is it a darkenes of one place onely such as the high rope of some mountaine doth cause but the whole ayre is filled with blacknes differring nothing from the darknes of the night And certenly after once the Primacy was obtained of Phocas Bonifacius the next both in name and order consecrated to all Saincts Pantheon a Temple of Heathenish Idolatry practizing the same ungodlines which the Ethniques did before but under an other something more glorious name Whose holy day also he appointed that the wickednes of worshipping an newe army of Gods might not be Romes alone Theodatus his next successour decreed that the parents who had received even through ignorance their owne children from baptisme should not live togither any more in the society of wedlocke but that there should be a separation made and the woman should receive her dowrie and be married to an other after a yeere A newe kinde of incest by spirituall kindred which God knewe not when he made his lawes of incest and unlawfull marriages Lev. 18. Bonifacius the fift added that wee by Christ are delivered from originall sinne onely that the lawe requireth noe more of us then that which wee are able to perfourme by our owne strength or at least by the helpe of the divine grace Vitalian that all things ought to be done in the Church in the Latine tonge Finally that I may not recken up an infinite thing the matter at length came to this point that all must necessarily submit their neckes to this yoke That every soule that wil be saved must confesse the forme of the Romane tradition and that all her decrees are to be received as if they were stablished by the divine voice of Peter himselfe as Agatho in his Epist among the Acts of the sixt Councill at Constantinople This smoke which at the first opening of the pit was but thinne became every day thicker almost by infinite degrees And the maner of Worshipping God began to be noe lesse corrupted which did consist wholy in Masses Altars Garments Images Chalices Crosses Candlesticks Censers Banners Holy Vessels Holy Water in a multitude of Prayers Pilgrimages Fastings and an exceeding great company of not onely idle but also ungodly ceremonies the most pure ordinance of God forsaken in the meane time and troade under foote Howe longe before and howe farre this smoke spread it selfe in the West one alone Boniface Venofride an Inglishman may be instead of many witnesses who being the Legate and Apostle of Gregorie the second brought into bondage under the Pope the Franckes the Noriques the Boies the Thy rigates The Cattes part of the Saxes the Daces the Sclavonians the Frises How great a multitude of slaves by one mans travell But this was nothing to the whole West covered in a shorte time after with the same smoke For the Princes being made to beleeve that that Church was founded of Peter and this Peter left the keyes and power given him of Christ to his successours at Rome and in no other place in the earth so as he that should cut of himselfe from the Church of Rome should become a banished man from the Christian religion as Adrian in his Epistle to the Spaniards it is noe mervayle if by this darkenes the Sunne was taken away from all Churches every where But this darke night became yet much more thicke when at length the holy Scriptures being wholly layd aside and all good learning being banished sophisticall Theologie was onely in account the unpure Decrees and Decretals held the governance Then the Aegyptian darkenes was not thicker thē that which came upon the whole West The Easterne smoke sent forth by Mahomet was grosser at the very first beginning so as it might be felt with the handes He unto three holy Scriptures as he speaketh that is the Lawe of Moses the Psalmes of David and the Gospell ioyneth his Alfurta an horrible Chaos of all blasphemyes And as if the Easterne people had not received hurt inough frō the dotages of Mahomet Heraclius the Emperour spread also amōg them the errour of the Monothelites So then about these times every man may see aboundance of smoke coming out of the opened pit As touching the wordes instead of a great fornace Aretas the Complutent edition and some others reade a burning fornace peradventure both are to be ioyned togither but the sense is cleare 3 And out of the smoke went Locusts An other effect of the second sorte the procreation of Locusts that is of men who resemble their dispositiō most fitly in their multitude and slouthfulnes The wordes may not be understood of some venimous creatures indeede whose ofspring doth not require à man falling from the trueth of which sorte wee have shewed the starre to be which fell from heaven neither are the true Locusts bred from the smoke of errours but the ofspring must be of the same kinde of which his cause is Wherfore frō this ignorance most grosse errours there came forth in the East the Mahometish Saracens a cōpany of vile persōs by troupes running violently to robberies living not so much of their owne as of others a natiō borne to eate up devoure the goods of other men which hath wasted the whole East in a fewe yeeres afterward spoyled miserably the west our Europe The Westerne Locusts are Monkes Nunnes the yong brethrē the innumerable route of religious the Cardinals with the whole Popish Hierarchy All these beetles sprūg out of the same smoke or dunge of ignorāce errour For after that men did attribute their salvatiō to their workes what measure could there be of newe religiōs newly devised superstitiō Al doe fervētly thirst after salvation which whē they understāde to be in
heaven not so called properly for what hath the Dragon that is the Devill to doe in the heavenly pallace from whēce he is banished for ever but in the heaven which is in earth But this Dragon is not onely the Devill in his owne proper person but also men being the Ministers of his furie especially the Romane Emperours whom from that time in which Iohn wrote persecuted most grievously Christ in his members as Traiane Hadrian Antoninus Pius and Verus Commodus Severus Decius and at lēgth Diocletianus open enemies who make a professed warre are called in this booke Dragons of which sort is at this day the Turke Others who in name are Christians but fight against the truth secretly and by indirect subtilities are called Beasts which doe prey upon men onely for to satisfy their hunger whereas the Dragons forced by noe want of meat are carried to our destruction because of that hatred which is betweene man kinde and them This Dragon was once in heaven as long as the open enemies held the Empire of the world exercising dominion over men named Christiās which wer dispersed through all places of their Empire He is called Great being the highest Prince on earth and red being most furious against Christians wholly red with their blood The seaven heads are seaven hilles and seaven Kinges after chap. 17.9.10 unto which place wee deferre the more full handling of these thinges In the meane time for this matter which is in hand it shal be sufficient to understand that by this circunstāce of wordes the city is noted where he should place the seate of the Empire to wit Rome famous for the seaven hilles and Kings For the Beast receaved the Throne from the Dragon chap 13.2 Therefore if her seat shal be at Rome so shal be his The tenne hornes are so many Kinges or Provinces governed of Pretors like to Kings So Strabo declareth it in the last wordes of his last booke of Geographic That Augustus Cesar devided the whole Romane Empire into two partes the troublous and warlike Provinces of which he tooke to himselfe the other peaceable and quiet ones he gave to the people Who devided theirs in ten Pretories the exterior Spaine and her Ilands The interiour containing Baetica now called Granata and the countrey of Narbon in France even unto Alencem Sardinia with Corsica Sicilia Illyricum Epyrus being adioyned Macedonia Achaia even unto Thessalia Aetolia and Acarninia and certaine nations of Epirus to the borders of Macedonia Creta with Cyrenaica Cyprus Bithynia with Propontide and certaine parts of Pontus Suetonius also maketh mention of the like disposing of the Provinces but telleth not the number to Aug. in chap. 47. Moreover the same Strabo reporteth that Dicharchies doe and alwaies have belonged to the Emperours portion For Cesar held the rest distinguished also in tenne Prouinces to wit Afrike France Britannie Germany Dacie Mysie Thracie Cappadocie Armenie Syrie Palestine Judea and Aegypte And this is the same thing which Cyprian writeth to Successus that Valerianus wrote an answer to the Senate that all belonging to the Emperour whoso ever had confessed before or shall now confesse should be seised upon and bound shoulb be sent enrolled into the Emperours possessions that is into those farre countries which wee spake of belonging to the Romane Empire Therefore whither wee respect the countryes which the Emperour held in his owne possession or those which he yeelded to the people they were the tenne hornes the power and strength of the Dragon in which all his might consisted Yet the number remained alwaies the same but was altered according to the present occasion But it was sufficient for the Spirit to describe the enemy by any certen marke then which there is none more cleare then the largenesse of this dominion and this so notable a decree of the Provinces devided But he beareth the crownes on his heads not on his hornes because the supreme maiesty did abide at Rome to which all the rest of the Provinces submitted their dignities 4 Whose taile drewe Considering that the Dragon is of such a disposition how doth he carry himselfe towards the Church Two effects of him are rehearsed one upon the Starres the other against the woman As touching them he shall cast downe many from the heavenly profession by sharpe persecutions who ought to have shewed light to others For this is to cast the starres of heaven to the earth see Euseb booke 6. chap. 41. See also before in chap. 6.13 ¶ But the Dragon stood before the woman He watched her diligently that noe maintainer of the Christian religion should be borne He rolled every stone for to cut of this hope Add certenly assoone as Maximinus the Dragon sawe Alexander of Mammea to be somewhat favourable to Christiās so as he was thought to have ben instructed in their ordinances he forthwith devoured him Decius also the Dragon did swalowe downe the Philips both the Father and the Sonne he himselfe shortly after being swalowed up in a marsh But the thing is made manifest most clearely in Cōstantine at whome chiefly the Spirit pointed the finger Diocletianus Galerius with whom hee lived being a yong man in the East perceaving his singular towardnes and vertue left nothing untried that they might kill him privily So Eusebius writeth upon his life in his first booke Pomponius Laetus reporteth that he was sent with an army against the people of Sarmatia most fierce nations and accustomed to murders from whom when contrary to the opinion of Galerius he brought backe not death but the victory by the persuasion of the same man under a colour of exercising his valour he fought on the Theatre with a Lion For Galerius sought to destroy the unwarie yōg man as of olde Euristheus did Hercules Neither was ther here an ende of the treacheries Maximian Herculius that red Dragon devoured him almost afterward by snares set to intrappe him But he which laide a snare for an other through the iust iudgement of God perished himselfe in the snare Constantine escaped many other privie assaults not by humane wisdome but by divine revelation from God as Eusebius writeth upon Constantines life in his first booke For the Dragon knewe that it concerned him much that no such a one should arise whēce it is no marveile if he did labour so greatly to devoure this childe assonne as it should be borne 5 And shee brought forth a male childe The event of the persecution at length the Church howsoever the Dragon strove against her with all his might bringeth forth a male and strong defender by instructing Constantine the Great in the Christian faith For he was that male childe who first of all the Romane Emperours tooke upon him the defence of the trueth Wee have made mention of the Philippes both Father and Sonne which were both Christians Although if wee must beleeve Pomponius Laetus fainedly and not truly but onely that they might cover their wickednesses with a honest
the counsels of godly men about the end of the first yere of her raigne she removed many most worthily out of their Prelacies and other ecclesiastical dignities and benefices who glorying onely in the mark of the Beast denyed due obedience to their lawful Prince Among them was the Archbushop of York the B b of London Elie and 14. others besides men of meaner note Deâ—ns Archdeacons Parsons Vicars and the like How needs must men be vehemently burned when they saw their dignities lands fearms faculties honours to bâ— bâ—â—towed on their adversaries and themselves in the meane time to 〈◊〉 desâ—ised and contemned Many could not bear the sorow but flâ—d â—ver sea because therof to sâ—ek so much ease as not to behold it otherâ— at home payning away with greif in secret places al of them sleeing the light and sâ—ght of men whom to behold so merry and joyful was as yll â—s a bitter death And though they changed the aier yet was not their payn asswaged when the Pope himselfe and that whole nation by but hearing it onely were very sorely tormented Which he abundantly testified by his Bulls against our most noble Queen severely commanding all subjects to forsake their allegeance unto their Prince neyther could they be stayed by any religious regard of oath wherof that violatour of al Law both of God and man did discharge them But thanks be to God he yet laboured in vayn wherby his torment is much the more increast For thus sayd he with himselfe as Saul did of old Have ye al conspired against me Js ther none of you that is sory for my sake Wil no man ease my boyle with the blood of that Queen which hath wrought me so much woe Have patience good Pope this is the time of thine ulcer not of thine ease But his sicknes suffreth him not to rest Therfore he rageth felly with venemous libells he incenseth the Kings with al earnestnes to wage warr he privily sendeth Iesuits the bellowes of al seditions to betray their country he secretly suborneth ungracious cut-throats to kil their sacred Prince finally he applyes himselfe by whatsoever means he can to styrr up troubles wherby he may work the utter destruction of the realm and of us all But having tryed all wayes in vayn through the mercy and goodnes of our God these two and fourty yeres both he the Prince and head of mischeefs and his desperate children doo scarce refrayn from tears because they nought worth tears doo see In France about the same time that we may see this soare was universally spred among the Papists when Charles the 9. began his reign and dayly the Papists authority did more and more decay a great part of Nobility joyned themselves to the purer doctrine of the Peers of the realm very many the Queen mother for fear I suppose of her English neighbour was much busied about religion and not obscurely favoured the professours therof or at least feigned it some of the Papists weÌ„t more seldom to their woÌ„ted temples many which stuck more fast to their old opinions kept themselves so within their private wall that they durst scarce be seen in publik meetings For what other disease I pray then for the payn of this ulcer Germany had angred the Thracian stock long before But at the same time the wounds erst inflicted now growing more full of atter were changed into ulcers The decree of Charles as we sayd before was heavy wherin peace and liberty was granted to religion but the lesse hope they had to repele the same the sharper did it prick theÌ„ dayly For Emperour Ferdinandus succeeding his brother thought it best to rest in the former decrees wherto he had consented at Augusta before he was Emperour Maximilian his son did alwayes mislike that manner of propagating Christian religion with armes or compelling any to receive it that were unwilling How untollerable was this moderation to the ulcerous Papists that burned with desire of revenge But now let us see in a word how this ulcer wil not be touched Which the Council of Trent verily shewed in the second session under Pius 4. in the yere 1562. where this busines was committed to some chosen men for to consider of divers censures and books eyther suspected or pernicious that is that by al meanes they should have care ther went out nothing among the people that nipped the Popes authority and Romish superstition in any one word Doubtlesse the ulcer is very egre and virulent that can indure nothing that is rough or hard Therfore whatsoever is layd to it let it be tender and soft For this cause did Pius the 4. set forth an Index of the forbidden books which Sixtus the 5. afterwards augmented and Clemens the 8. lately recognized VVherin it is appointed which books men must quite absteyn from and which one may use so they be corrected Certainly the Pope prescribes a diet for his botchie patients Among other rules of correcting this is one that al things be wel lookt to and attentively noted not onely the things that offer themselves manifestly in the course of the work but if ther be any that secretly doo lurk in the Scholies in the summaries in the margins in the tables of the books in the prefaces or epistles dedicatorie Instruct de correct book D. 2. How suspicious is sicknes Verily this fear of running upon any thing that may offend hath shred off in many late writers whatsoever was in them of soundest iudgment and more free truth But the bookes are in al mens hands wherby they may perceive what it is that payneth these brand-marked persons and where Although one purging Index set forth by Philip the 2. King of Spain in the year 1571. may be in sted of many And least thou mightest think perhaps that they are troubled coÌ„cerning late writers onely or the marginal notes of others they doo violence to the very words of the ancient Fathers For example in a certaine edition of Augustine which Iohn Gibbon an English Iesuite Doctor of Div. Professor at Trevers perused in the disputatioÌ„ about Saincts Thes 207. there these words are no more read yet doo not we constitute temples preisthoods holy things and sacrifices to the Martyrs c. as the ancient true copies have in the 8. book of the City of God chap 17. but contrary thus we doo constitute temples preisthoods holy things and sacrifices to the Martyrs because not they but their God is our God c. O impudent falsers which make Augustine to affirm that which he openly denyeth that I speake not how unapt you feyghn his words to be that sacrifices are to be constituted to the Martyrs because they are not God The Ratts doo perish by their own bewraying Francis Iunius in the yeere 1559 saw at Lions with Trellonius some pages of the true Ambrose cancelled and rased by two Franciscan Friers and other new ones substituted in place of the former after their own wil
touching the place they would wrangle about the time But by this so exact description he taketh away all halting frō them Therfore as touching the Whore her so expresse nothing out by Babylon seven hills seven Kings flourishing power and at length destruction the rest of the world being safe finally by the name of the city used in stead of an interpretation doo most strongly prove that the universall City of the Divill is not meant but some special city and namely Rome and so much the more because this whore is the Throne of the Beast And we know that the Throne of the Divill was attributed to a certain City to weet Pergamus before in the second chapter and thirteenth verse Therfore worthily Bellarmine that opinion being rejected sayth It is better in his iudgement that Rome be understood by the whore as Tertullian expoundeth in his booke against the Iewes and in his third booke against Marcion And Hierome in his 17. Epistle to Marcella and Quaest 11. to Algasia Bellarmine touching the Romane Pope in his third booke and in the thirteenth chapter Here then wee have our adversary confessing What therfore letteth that they should not agree with us about the Antichrist They have invented a double crafty shift for themselves one of the place an other of the time of the place that albeit Rome be the Whore yet is it not the seate of Antichrist but Hierusalem Of the time that Rome was the VVhore when the Heathen Emperours ruled but now shee is not since she became Christian and therfore that shee is not the seate of Antichrist seeing he shall not come but a little before the last iudgement But the Papists are holden with their owne snares for granting Rome to be the whore they must also needs grant the rest First of all that not Hierusalem but shee is the seate of Antichrist For is not this Beast the very Antichrist This also Bellarmine yeeldeth and though he had not yeelded it the truth wil force him to cōfesse it as we shal see But he affirmeth that Antichrist shal hate Rome from v. 16. after wel acknowledging that the Beast is Antichrist but how truly he spoke of hatred wee shal examine at that place From his cōfessiō we have that both the whore is Rome the Beast Antichrist Frō which it is of necessity that Antichrist shal have his denne at Rome seeing he is the very Beast on which the whore is caried Doth not the Spirit shew a very great coniunction nigh familiarity of both of the whore in setting upō of the Beast in bearing Ther is none but he wil say that a man is neerly joyned to the horse on whō he sitteth Certēly if Antichrist was to raigne at Hierusalē Rome being set so farr frō her saddle should walke on foot humble base who had so little aide frō the Emperours after they removed to Byzantiū wher they were not farr Secodly as touching the time how absurd is this distinction that the whore should be Heathenish Rome the first 300 yeeres after Christ but that Antich the Beast should not come ūtil about 3. yeeres an halfe before the last day Shal shee sit on the Beast not yet borne yea not conceived a very long time after For shal the Beast whē he cometh beare the whore being dead so many ages before For the whore shal cease to be 1300. yeeres how much more we know not before Antich shal come These ar dreames wholly mōsters of bearing sitting upō The Spirit hath takē frō you al such subterfuge coupling these 2. things by so ūseparable a band wherby he forbiddeth both to seeke Antichr els wher then at Rome also to think her to be this whore at any other time then when Antichrist should have his seate there Needs ar these two things to be ioyned togither both in place time But when shall this time beginne for this yet hath some doubt Surely when wee shall see the whore to have ben caried on this Beast by his helpe and authority placed in dignity and lifted up on high VVhich though I holde my peace Leo will confesse to have ben done in the 1. sermon of the Nativity of the Apostles when the preheminence came to the Popes and Rome began to excell through the opinion of her religion Rome sayth he being made the head of the world by the sacred Chaire of S. Peter hath more ample authority through divine religion then earthly dominion For although being inlarged by many victories thou hast extended the fraunches of thyne Empire by lād and by sea yet notwithstanding it is lesse that which warrelike labour hath put under thee then that which Christian peace hath subdued Likewise Prosper in his booke de ingratis Rome is of Peter the Seat which in honour Pastoral Is made of the world head what by the right Martial Shee doth not possesse yet shee by religion hold free Therfore this one common type ministreth a necessary argument both of the seat and Kingdome of Antichrist which alone might be sufficient to take away all controversie were it not that men loved themselves more then the truth and would not cesse to barke against it till that their mouthes be altogither stopped VVherfore the Spirit stayeth not here but goeth on yet to clearer things that for whom the morning light is not sufficient they may have the Noone Sunne an helper if peradventure they wil then see The sitting being in such wise declared peculiarly afterward he descendeth to both and first to the Beast which is described by the colour names of blasphemy heads and hornes The colour is of skarlet made readde by the little worme Coccus VVherfore this Beast is honourable shining with the same colour with Kings and no lesse wicked and bloody For this same colour is attibuted to most grievous sines Yf your sinns were as skarlet sayth Isaiah chap. 1.18 Not onely because it is a deep colour which cannot be washed of but cheifly for the cruelty of shedding blood which wickednes among the rest seemeth most horrible VVo seeth not that this Beast is at Rome where the Pope sitteth whose feete Kings doe kisse and who doth most cruelly murder Christians not acknowledging his divine power both in the city and also through all the Dominion But that colour hath not pleased chiefly the Romish Court at all adventures which hath come to passe by the providence of God that the Fathers might set before the world a visible shew of this skarlet coloured Beast Touching which thing see a most fine Epigrame of Theod. Beza Secondly this Beast is full of names of Blasphemy How fruitful an increase of a naughty thing Long agoe the heads did beare the names of blasphemy chap. 13.1 now the whole body is full of the same And first of all the Primacy was chiefely a blasphemy and therfore it was well carried on the head but the time added dayly others the heape whereof
living heads ar cut off he yet remaineth alive or they being cut off other as it were a new Hidra spring up of which yet Iohn made no mētiō But that we may not thinke that those 7. are taken figuratively where are the ten Kings that arose togither with Nerva It must needs be that these were togither with the seventh head in the twelft verse beneath or how when Nerva was dead seemed the Beast not to be especially seing before his death he had adopted Traiane or for what cause wer they rather reprobats that wōdred at Traiā then those former for such is the cōditiō of the seventh head that the followers of him are reprobates before in ver 8. Many things of this sort doo not suffer any peculiar men to be meant Hereunto is added the manner of speaking which is such that it bewrayeth that the Kings are so long the heads of the city as long as the mountains ar Otherwise for some short time perhaps the heads wer both the mountains Kings but to a farre longer time they neither were nor should be if there should be made a separation of the heads which the Spirit ioyneth togither the mountaines onely remaining after the other be dead Therfore the Kings howsoever they al wer not togither as the mountains yet shall obtaine as long continuing a name of heads as those But concerning the person the time shall yeeld a demonstration in the eleventh verse But if the Kings be Dominions of what sorte are they Ribera the Iesuite being privie to himselfe that the thing cannot be touched so lightly but that the soare wil be renewed therewith flyeth unto the seven ages of the world the first of which he maketh from Adam to Noe The second from Noe to Abraham The third to David The fourth to the transmigration into Babylon The fift to the comming of the Lord The sixt from thence to Antichrist The seventh from him even to the day of iudgement Which wit of his bringeth into my remembrance that of the Poe◠If the foolish Painter will conioine unto a mans head The neck of a horse so of birds feathers over spred c. For to see being let in freinds keepe your selves from laughing The Iesuite passeth the Painter who hath framed an head which may be applyed alike to all and every city of the whole world The Spirit would deliver a certaine marke wherby the Throne of the Beast might be known the Iesuite as the houpe faineth the griefe to be in an other place that he may withdrawe from the neast I know notwhither But understand Ribera that the seven mountaines belong to the city of Rome alone But that those seven Kings appertaine to the same city to which the mountaines For the heads are both mountaines and Kings and therefore that these Kings belong to Rome alone so doo we free thee from the great labour of seeking proving by a most certaine argument that he is found at Rome to finde whom thou hast compassed all landes in vaine But the time is spent to no profit in confuting thy toies which yet I could not passe over wholly but would admonish the Papists at least by this small labour that they should not suffer themselves to be deceived any longer by the trisles of the Iesuites The thing it selfe is thus These dominions are proper to that city whereunto belong the mountaines the seven regiments are those by which the citie hath ben no lesse famous then for her seven mountaines And Cornelius Tacitus in the beginning of his history nūbreth these regiments in this wise Kings held the City of Rome at the first L. Brutus instituted freedome the Consulshippe the Dictatourshippes were taken up for a time neither continued the power of the office of the Decemviri above two yeeres nor the Tribunes authority pertaining to Consuls was of force any long time c. The power of Pompey and Crassus went quickly to Cesar By which wordes he declareth plainely that sixe kindes of government had held at Rome from the building of the City even unto his time Kings Consulls Dictatours Decemviri Tribunes of the souldiers Emperours the seventh of Popes he knew not being taken away from the living before he could see it ¶ Five are fallen Kings Consuls Dictatours Decemviri Tribunes For those five kinds of ruling had ceased wholly and vanished away before Iohn his time ¶ One is the sixt kinde of governing by Emperours in whose power was the chiefe rule of things when Iohn lived ¶ And an other is not yet come The seventh King the Pope was not yet a Governour of Rome when the Apostle lived And not without cause hath he shunned the adjective of order for he saith not the seventh is not yet come but an other is not yet come by the same signifying that this seventh shal be very greatly unlike the former All these were Political Kings the seventh should be spiritual or of a mixt kinde unlike to every one before from whence it is manifest that the Christiā Emperours are not the sevēth King For they differred nothing in civill governement from the former onely they tooke unto them the Christian religion And in auncient times new religions were often added the forme of governement in the meane time nothing altered Furthermore the seventh King ought to governe in the same place where the seven mountaines are as hath bene declared in the former verse But the Christian Emperours never had the seate of their Empire at Rome But the whole use of the citie was the Popes from whom alone after the seventh King began her glorie did grow That member is not yet come teacheth that there was a very short time remaining to the cōming of the seventh King For so we are wonte to speake of things that will come not very long after Therefore foolish is Ribera the Iesuite who assigneth the sixt kind of governing after the comming of Christ even unto three yeeres and an halfe more or lesse before the last day and together with him all the Pastists who will not have Antichrist to be expected before that same very time as though the Angel saying is not yet come should speake of a man whom the world yet seeth not after a thousand five hundred yeeres ¶ And when he is come After the seventh Kingdome to weet of the Popes shal be begunne the Dragon being cast out of heaven and Constantine the Great being Emperour ¶ He must tary but a short time About an hundred yeeres after Constantine then to be overwhelmed for a time by the overflowing of the Goths and Vandals who so evil entreated Rome the tower of the new dominion that it might seem to hav perished utterly Gensericus bereaved it wholly of every dweller see Blond in his second book of his first Decad. And Totilas againe brought it to a wildernesse so as neither man nor woman was left in it as the same Blond writeth in his second book of his
but that the Preists as being proud prepared him an armie Vnto this I say that now the matter is past danger the Popish Preists cā not be proud I trow when Antichrist shal come the Preists then wil be either Popish or proud What Shal pride make a new order of Preists Or if this haughtines be required in Antichrists soldiers wil ther be anie natiō under the Sun prouder than Popish Preists Cardinals doo excel Kings Archbishops and Bishops are superiour to Barons and Earls al in their order doo goe before the civil honours neither is ther anie of the basest rowt of shavelings that wil be under the civil Magistrate Let Antichrist therfore seeke him soldjers otherwhere he shal finde none in this lowlie flock of Popish Preists Gregorie notwithstanding verie expressly biddeth that Antichrist be looked for as cheif Captain Emperour of the Preists And other Preists ther are none on earth by their own vaunting besides the Popish Preists By his iudgment therfore the Bishop of Rome should necessarilie be Antichrist and not farr from his time seing by his confession armies were then prepared for him Surely as Gaiphas prophesied that which himselfe knew not so Gregorie semeth unwares to have told the truth not by anie power of his seat but by the mercy of God so governing his tongue that men might take heed by this admonition the wicked world be made inexcusable as is observed Apoc. 8.13 Vayn therfore is that which is affirmed of Antichrist to sit in the temple of Ierusalem and so farr is it off that the Pope is not Antichrist because he continually tarieth at Rome as so much the more he may therupon be concluded to be Antichrist Chapt. 14. Of Antichrists doctrine THE doctrine of Antichrist we togither with the holy Ghost doe teach from the scriptures to be ful of hypocrisie fraud trecherie which may deceiv even the most prudent whom the Spirit inlightneth not with his truth For one had need of singular prudēcy to know this Beast which hath two horns like the Lamb and is a false Prophet seducing the earth Contrariweise the Papists wil have this same doctrine to be so openlie impious and blasphemous that none is so blockish but he may perceive it forthwith and detest it Which that you Bellarmine may make playn you reduce this all unto four heads First that he shal deny Jesus to be the Christ and therupon shal oppugn al our Saviours ordinances as Baptism Confirmation c. and shal teach that Circūcision the Sabbath and other ceremonies of the old law ar not yet ceased Secondly he shal affirme himselfe to be the true Christ promised in the Law and Prophets Thirdly he shal affirme himselfe to be God and wil be honoured as God Lastly he shal say that himselfe is the onely God and shal oppugn al other Gods that is both the true God and also false Gods and Idols And from hence you take four arguments that the Pope is not Antichrist because he denyeth not Iesus to be the Christ neither bringeth he in Circumcision or the Sabbath neither dooth he make himselfe Christ nor God and least of al the onely God but honoureth even Images and dead Saincts Which what force they have for this thing we shal afterwards see in the confirmation which you bring The first point therfor you confirm by this that Antichrist by nation and religion shal be a Jew be received of the Iewes for the Messias wherupon he shal openly oppugn our Christ I answer this foolish opinion of Antichrists stock we have sufficiently refuted before chap. 12. and 13. for he shal sit in the temple of God and not in Ierusalems Temple which Christ foretold should be demolished and never built again but in Christian assemblies as is declared at large and therfore that he shal not be by religion a Iew neither shal restore the ceremonies of the old Law which were tyed to the Temple and had no place out of it And how dooth it agree that Antichrist the general plague of the whole earth should be sent into the world for the syn of one natiō of the Iewes in not receiving the truth as ye would have it Surely it were meet that he which should come for the wickednes of one natiō should be restreyned within the limits of that one nation but ther is no need of new arguments for this matter Secondly you say it is proved from 1 John 2.22 Who is a lyar but he that denyeth Iesus to be the Christ From whence you gather that Antichrist shall surpasse al Heretiks and therfore he shal deny Christ al manner of wayes which is confirmed you say because by Heretiks the Divil is said to work the Mysterie of iniquitie because they privilie doo deny Christ But Antichrists coming is caled a Revelation because he shal openly deny Christ I answer as touching that of Iohn I have shewed before that this denyal which he speaketh of is not open but secret and trecherous to weet by men named Christians which had privily crept in and of whom the faithfull had need to be warned being otherweise in danger to be surprised by them unwares And though Antichrist surpasse al Heretiks yet is it not therfore necessarie that he should deal more openly than the rest seing the cheif reward of wickednes is not to be given to the outward work but to the power of doing hurt For otherweise men should surmount the Divil himselfe who are so foolish in respect of him as they doo that in the light which he dooth most covertly Moreover Antichrists coming is a Revelation but to the elect onely the others which beleev not the truth he shal beguile by his crafty shewes 2 Thes 2.11.12 The Angel requireth no common wisdome to know the Beast and the whores name is mystical as before wee have been taught Thirdly you prove it by the sentences of certain Fathers but no equal judge wil not confesse that they are rather to be heard anie where ells than in the matter of Antichrist Our Lord should consume him with the Spirit of his mouth and by his bright coming wherupon the neerer the Lord should approch the more was this man of syn to be discovered I proceed therfore ūto the ceasing of publik offices and divine sacrifices as you speak which you say shal be in Antichrists time for vehemencie of the persecution and that therfore he shal not deprave Christs doctrine under the name of Christianisme but openly shal oppugn Christs name and Sacraments and bring in Jewish ceremonies as you have shewed in chap. 7. I answer at the same chapter I have proved that all these are most false and that you hav not brought forth any thing which hath so much as any likelihood of truth And therfore that no other ceasing of publik religion is to be looked for thā such as hath been these manie ages to weet from Constantine the Great unto this day in al which time