The Image of Both Churches in Revelation 2, Chapter 17
The .xvij. Chapter.
OFt hath occasyons be geuē me in this boke to speake of great Babylon / and of the exec…able Beast / but here is place offred to describe thē more at large.
The Text.
1 And there came one of the seuen Angels / which had the seuē vyalles. 2. and talked with me. 3. sayenge vntounto me. 4. Come. I will shewe the. the iudgement. 5. of the great whore. 6. that sytteth vponupon manye waters. 7. with whom the kynges of the earthe hauehave commytted whoredome. 8. and the inhabyters of the earthe are dronken with the wyne of her fornicacion. 9. And he caryed me awaye. 10. into the wildernesse in the sprete.
¶The Paraphrase
1 After this came (sayth Saynt Iohan) one of the .vij. Angels or vnuaryable decrees of the lordes eternall iudgemētes / which had the .vij. vyals of his wrathe as afore hath bene declared.
2 And this Angell or sett purpose of God / as an heauēlye massenger talked with me in mysterye.
3 Of fauorable goodnesse in secrete maner he assertayned me therbye of this wō derfull iudgement here folowinge / to be fulfilled at the latter ende of the worlde. And thus yt sayd vntounto me.
4. Come hyther frynde Iohan / I wyll shewe the in secretenesse the terryble iudgement of the great whore or coūterfett churche of Hipocrites / as God hath appoynted yt. Nedes must thys whore b… Rome / for that which ys here after spoken / that she ys the great cyte which re… neth ouer the kynges of the earthe. Euident yt is both by the scripturs and cronycles / that in Iohans dayes Rome had her domynyon ouer all the whole worlde. And beynge infected with the abhominacyons of all landes / ryghtlye ys she called Babylon or cyte of confusion / not onlye in this reuelacyon but a… so in the first Epistle of Peter. And lyke as in the scripturs oft tymes vnderunder the name of Ierusalem ys ment the whole kingedome of Iuda / so vnderunder the name of Rome here maye be vnderstanded the vniuersall worlde with all their abhominacyons ād deuylyshenesses / their Idolatries / withchecraftes / sectes / supe… stycyons / papacyes / presthodes relygyons / shauinges / anoyntings / blessinges / sensings / processions / and the deuyll and all of soche beggeries. For all peples sēs Christes ascencyon hath this Rome infected with her pestylent poysons gathered from all Idolatrouse nacyons soche tyme as she helde ouer thē the monarchyall suppremyte. And lyke as Babylon had the Israelytes captyue vnderunder a bodylye trybute / so hath this Rome had the Christianes both in their bodyes ād sowles. At the writynge of this Prophe…ye felt Iohan of their cruelte beynge exyled into Pathmos an Ile of Lycya for the faythfull testymonye of Iesu. And so ded I poore creature with my poore wyfe and children at the gatheringe of this. present Commentarye / fleynge into Germanye for the same.
5 No maruele though she be here called a great whore. For no where were euer yet seane so manye Idolle wurshyppynges so many vayne obseruacyons so manye superslycyouse sectes / so manye errours in Hipocresye / so manye false Prophetes / and so manye prodygyouse kyndes of fylthynesse / no / not in Sodome yt self nor yet in miserable Egypt.
6 This Babylonyshe whore or disgised Synagoge of shorelynges / sitteth vponupon manye waters or peples that are fantasticall / fyckle or folyshe. For nō are in cō science subiect vntounto her / that are constātlye grounded in the sure doctryne of faythe. Onlye alloweth her tradycyons the wauerynge witted multytude / the slypper and vnstedefast nōbre / obeynge thē in their hartes of feare and not of louelove / so throwynge themselues into a most cōfuse Chaos or vawte, of doubtfull do… rage.
7 With this stynkynge strompett hauehave the myghtye potentates of the vnyuersall earthe / the Emprours / Kynges / Princes / and other notable gouernours commytted most shamefull whoredome in the sprete by manye straūge worship pynges / agreynge amonge themselues to her wyckedlye decreed lawes and customes. To longe shuld we stande here in this place / yf we shuld describe them all seuerallye in their colours at large as they be.
8 Through the craftye legardemayne of the Prestes on the one syde / and the cruell constytucyōs of Princes on the other syde / the dwellers of the earthe or worldlye mynded multytude are dronken with the wyne of her fornycacyon spyrituall / or practysed worshypyynges besydes the prescripte rewles of Gods worde. Not onlye they which hauehave bene couetouse / carnall / lewde / and wretched hath folowed their abhomynacyōs / but also an innumerable sort of the electe nombre hath beleued their lyes and errours. Yea / they hauehave bene so dased with their dottages / and so tangled with their customes / that as menne losynge their wittes without all godlye remembraunce / reason / wysdome / dyscressyon / vnderstandynge / iudgement / and grace / the lawes of God layed a part / the cōmaundemēts neglected and the scripturs despised / they hauehave no… onlye kneled / crossed / kyssed / set vp lyg…tes / and holden vp their handes before rotten postes / but also called them thei… fathers in heauē. Yea (I axe God mercy… a thousande tymes) I hauehave bene one o… them myself. And this ys to thys daye … principall religyō of that whoryshe chu…che / called deuowte pilgrymage or ho…lye stacyons of prayer / manye great pa…dons graunted and manye false promy…ses made to allure the peple thervnto…
9 But blessed be the lorde / whose wo…de in this age both admonyshed many… as the Angell ded Iohan / and brough… them also cleane from her abhominacy…ons / into a secrete consideracyon of th… sprete / vnknowne to the worlde / ther… both to se her pryde and also to vnderunder…stande her iudgemēt. For yt foloweth i… the text / that the angell cōuayed Iohan awaye into the wildernesse in the spret…
10 In mysterye here the holye ghost d…clared afore what the lorde shuld work… in mēne hauynge hys grace / at the latte… dayes of the worlde. Into the wylderne…se flee they with Dauid / which leauy…ge the customed wayes of menne / afte… the course of the scripturs seke vp thei… lorde God in faythe / worshyppinge hym onlye in sprete and in veryte.
The Text.
And I sawe a woman sitt vponupon. 2. a rose coloured Beast. 3. full of names of blasphemye. 4. which had seuen heads and ten hornes. 5. And the woman was …rayed. 6. in purple and rose coloure. 7. and decked with golde / precyouse stone / and pearles. 8. and had a cuppe of golde in her hande. 9. full of abhominacions. 10. and fylthynesse of her whoredome. 11. And in her fore heade was a name written. 12. A mysterye. 13. Greate Babylon the mother of whoredome and abhomynacyons of the earthe. 14. And I sawe the wyfe dronken with the bloude of Sayntes / and with the bloude of the wytnesses of Iesu. 15. And whan I sawe her. 16. I wō dred with great maruayle.
¶The Paraphrase.
1 And I sawe / sayth Saynt Iohan / in mysterye a woman (for an whore at the first blushe semeth onlye a woman) syetynge vponupon a rose coloured Beast. This Beast ys the great Antichrist that was spoken of afore / or the Beastlye bodye of the deuyll / comprehendynge in hym Popes / Patriarkes / Cardynalles / legates / Byshoppes / Doctours / Abbottes / Pryors / Prystes and Pardoners / Mō kes / Chanons / Fryres / Nonnes / and so forth. Temporall gouerners also / as Emprours / Kynges / Princes / Dukes / erles / lordes / iustyces / deputyes / iudges / lawers / mayers / balyues / constables / and so forth / leauynge their owne dewtyed offyces as to mynyster ryghtlye / to serue their abhominacyons.
2 All rose coloured ys thys Beast / in token of tyrannouse murther and bloud shedynge ouer those that wyll not agree to their deuyllyshnesse.
3 Full of blasphemouse names ys this Beast also / as your holynesse / your grace / your lordeshyp / your fatherhode / your mastershyp / your reuerence / honor / hyghnesse / worshyp / magnyficence / goodnesse / Gods vycar / spirituall syr / ghostlye father / phesycyan of sowles / defender of faythe / head of the holye churche / and so forthe / besydes the names of their propyrtees / feates / and pagentes / as processyon / byshoppynge / anelynge / purgatorye / pylgrymage / pardon / Masse / mattens / euēsonge / placebo / candelmasse daye / palme sondaye / ashe wedynsdaye / holye roode daye / Saynt Thomas daye / and so forth.
4 This Beast had .vij. heades and ten hornes / sygnyfyenge his vniuersall craftes and suggestyons to destroye the graces and gyftes of the holye ghost / and also hys falselye borowed primacyes and tyrannouse auctorytees to withstande the commandementes of God.
5 Upon this Beast sitteth a woman. For what els auaunceth or beareth out thys malygnaunt muster▪ in their copes / crosses / oyles / myters / robes / rellyckes / ceremonyes / vygyls / holye dayes / blessynges / sensynges / and folynges / but a wanton folyshe and fantastycall relygyon / a vayne gloryouse pompe / and a shynynge pretence of holynesse in superstycyō callynge yt their holye churche? She ys seyd here to sitt vponupon this bloudye Beast / as to be stayed / quyeted / and satled by them. Marke what labours and peynes that craftye and wylye Winchester taketh with Bōner To…stall and other of hys faccyon / as her owne sworne …ouldy our to holde vp this gloryouse whore in her olde estate of …omyshe religyon. Oh / he grunteth and groueth / he sweteth ād swelleth / he fretteth and belleth / he bloweth and panteth / he calke…s and …āteth / he sturreth ād neuer ceaseth / to brynge hys matters to passe.
6 In token that this hipocriticall churche standeth in the murther of innocentes / thys woman ys here gorgyouslye appareled in purple / as gyltye of their deathes which hath bene slayne / and also in freshe scarlett as euermore freshe and rydye to continue in the same bloud shedyng. For yf soche terrible slaughter were not / the true Christen faythe shuld increase / to the great dymynyshment of her glorye.
7 She ys in lyke case floryhshynglye decked with golde / precyouse stone / and pearles / not onlye in her manyfolde kindes of ornamentes / as in her copes / corporasses / chesybles / tunicles / stooles / fannoms and myters / but also in mysterye of coūterfett godlynesse. Manye outwarde bragges maketh this paynted churche of Christ / of hys gospell / and of hys Apostles / sygnyfyed by the golde / precyouse stone / and pearles / which ys but a glytterynge coloure. For nothynge mindeth she lesse than to folowe them in conuersacyon of lyuinge.
8 More ouer …n her hande which ys hee exteryoure mynistracyon / she hath a golden cuppe / full of abhomynacyons and fylthynesse of her execrable whoredome. This cuppe ys the false relygyon that she daylye mynistreth / besydes the chalyce whom her merchantes most dampnablye abuseth. And yt contayneth all doctryne of deuyls / all Beastlye errours and lyes / all deceytfull power / all glytterynge workes of Hipocrites / all craftye wysdome of the fleshe / and subtyle practyses of mannes wytte / besydes philosophye / logyck / rhetoryck / and sophystry. Yea / all prodygiouse kyndes of Idolatrye / fornicacyon / sodometrye / and wyckednesse. Outwardlye yt semeth golde / pretendynge the glorye of God / the holye name of Christ / the sacred scripturs of the Byble / perpetuall virgynyte of lyfe / and all are but counterfet colours and shaddowes of Hipocresye in the outwarde letter and name.
9 Full of abhominacyons ys the drynke of the execrable faythe of that Romyshe relygiō receyued of other / ād full of fylthynesse also. For both retayneth the peple therof innumerable kindes of Idoll worshippinges vnderunder the tytle of Gods seruyce / and also their shauelyn…ges of prodygyouse beastlynesse in lech…rouse lyuynge vnderunder the coloure of cha…tyte. Here were moche to be spoken o… Saynt Germanes euyll / Saynt Sythe keye / Saynt D…c…mbers ores / maste… Iohan shornes bote / Saynt Gertrude rattes / Saynt Iob for the poxe / Sayn… Fyacre for the ague / Saynt Apolyne fo… tothe…ake / saynt Gracyane for lost thrif… Saynt walstone for good haruest / sayn… Cornelis for the fowle euyll / and all o…ther Sayntes els almost.
10 Of the buggerye boyes also amon…ge prelates and prestes / ghostlye father and relygyouse / might moche be sayde h…re / were yt not for infectynge mēnes e…es / eares & vnderstandynges. For all th… se noyfull nocumentes are the holye fr…res of the whoredome of that holy…whoryshe churche.
11 In the forehead of this glytteryng whore / which ys her outwarde shew… ys wrytten a name / expresselye decla…rynge what she ys. By her vngodlye fr…res ys she knowne to the elect seruan…tes of God / hauynge the lyght of th… Scriptur… ▪ In their consciences aperet… she non other than a postyferouse who…re / by the iudgementes of the same.
12 Averye mis…ye is this shewe to th… infydels / an hydden secrete / an vnkno…ne wōder. For they are so blynded with her foppryes and tangled with her toyes / that they iudge all that she doth / holye / relygyouse / and perfygh…. And all this suffreth God for their vnbeleues sake / destroyenge neuerthelesse the wysdome of the wyse and prudence of the prudent in his.
13 Her verye name agreynge to her frutes / ys thys. Great Babylon / in myschete farre aboue the cyte of the Cha…deanes / and moche more full of confusyon. For she ys the oryginall mother / the cause / the begynninge / the rote / the sprynge / and the fountayne of all spirituall fornyca…yōs / and in a maner of all fleshlye abhominacyons also done vponupon the earth. Thys is to the faythfull sort / as a written name of her / euydent / clere open and manyfest. But to the vnfaythfull yt ys onlye as a mysterye / hyddē / darke / obscure / and neglect. For so are the secretes that God openeth to babes / and hydeth from the wyse.
14 And I (sayth Saynt Iohan) perceyued yt euidentlye in mi fore vnderstādinge / that this woman the verye wyse of the deuyll and of hys beastlye bodye (for the Byshoppes are the husbandes of their Romyshe churches) was all dronken in the bloudye slaughter of the Sayntes / or ernest Christē beleuers / & in the excedinge tyrannouse murther of th… faythfull wytnesses of Iesu or syncere… preachers of hys worde. For neyther o… both she spareth. Besydes all Godly… wysdome ys she / and forgetfull of her self / through this same bloudye dronke…nesse / so great excesse hath she taken.
15 And whan I perseyued and sawe her with all her adders whelpes so beas…ty she (sayth Saynt Iohan) with excedynge wonder I marueled. Not onlye tha… she was thus ouersett with bloud drin…kinge or outragyouse murtherynge o… innocentes / but also of her excedynge great abhomynacyons.
16 And most of all I wondered that the almyghtye God coulde with so moche pa…cyence suffre her in soche myschefe.
The Text.
1 And the Angell sayde vntounto me. 2. wherfor meruaylest thu: 3. I wyll shewe the / the mysterye of the woman / and of the Beast that beareth her / which hath seuen heades and ten hornes. 4. The beast that thu see it / was. 5. and is not. 6. and shall ascende out of the bottomlesse …ytte. 7 and shall go into perdi…yon. 8. And they that dwell on …he earthe shall wondre. 9. whose names are not wryt…en in the boke of lyfe from the …egynnynge of the worlde). 10. whan they beholde the Beast …hat was / and is not.
¶The Paraphrase.
1 And as I was thus wyth my sel… …aruelynge / the Angell or a fore named …ecre of the Lorde sayd vntounto me these wordes.
… Wherfor dost thu thus maruele / thu mortall manne?
For thy gentyll and meke expectacy…n I shall shewe vntounto the / the misterye of this wretched woman / ād of the cru…ll Beast that beareth her / which hath …ij. heades and .x. hornes. By this shal… …hu knowe the true churche from the …alse / the iust preachers from the hypo…rites / the syncere doctrine from theyr subtyle sophysmes / ād their lawfull an… …oryte from their cruellye vsurped presumpcyons. For that sheweth the lorde vntounto his electes / that he wyll not hauehave knowne of all menne.
4 The execrable Beast or carnall kyngedome of Antichrist which thu hast se a…ne here in misterye / was as concerninge his beginninge in Cain first of all / ād so continued forth in the fleshlye chyldren of menne / in the chaplaynes of Pharao / Hiero…oam / Baal / ād Bel / in the cruell byshoppes / prestes / and lawers with soche other lyke tyll the deathe of Chryst and so forthe.
5 And now the sayd Beast is not in power and auc…oryte as he hath bene. For in Iohans tyme / serten years before the wrytinge of this reuelacyon / was the proude clergye of the Iewes vtterlye destroyed by Titus ād Despasiane / in the terrible syege of Hierusalem. Not with…standinge / yet shall this beast ryse agayne in the Romyshe pope and Mahomete / ād in their false prelates & doctours.
6 He shall ascende out of the bottomlesse pytte from the stinkynge denne of Sathan / exaltynge him self in worship aboue all that is called God. But in the conclusion he shall hauehave an ende.
7 Into perdicyon shall he go wythout fayle. The Lorde shall first vtter his wickednesse (as now in this age) and than with the sprete of his mouthe consume him and destroye him. So that his high clymynge vp / shall at the last be the chefe cause of his fall. Yet shall his wicked remnaunt ones agayne sett vp theyr crystes / and persecute a freshe / but that shall …e no full rayse vntounto him.
8 And the rable of reprobates which dwell on the earthe / or for earthlye commodytees contempneth Godes truthe / shall wonder ones agayne not without moche inwarde reioyce / that their churche ryseth agayne out of the olde hypocresyes.
9 Whose names are not regestred in Christ which is the large boke of lyfe / and hath bene both the lyfe ād the lyghe of menne sens the first constitucyon of the moueable worlde. No / they are not nombred amonge those ryghtouse that shall regne with him in glorye.
10 These aduersaryes of God and his worde shall hauehave moche gladnesse in their wycked hartes / whan they beholde the Beast thus commynge vp agayne that was of soche magnificence and now is but a thynge of nowght / that was estemed aboue God / and now is proued dampnacyon. So longe is this beastlye Antychryst / as he worketh the mysterye of iniquite in the reprob…te vessel… / and whan he leueth that workynge than is he no longar. Marke in this processe past the nature of Gods eternall decre for this age of his churche. First it sheweth and than it condempneth the cursed Sinagoge of the deuyll. In significaciō wherof the true preachers of our tyme hath many festly opened her wickednesse vntounto all the worlde / wherupon her vtter destruccyon must shortlye followe. Watche good Christen reader / ād praye ernestlye.
The Text.
1 And here is a mynde that hath wysdome. 2. The seuen heades are .vij. mountaynes. 3 wheron the woman sytteth. 4. They are also seuen kynges. 5. Fyue are fallen. 6. and one is. 7. and the other is not come. 8. Whan he commeth / he must contynue a space. 9. And the Beast that was and is not / is euen the eyght. 10. and is one of the seuen. 11. and shall go into destruccyon.
¶The Paraphrase.
1 Here is a meanynge which comprehendeth wysdome. A syncere vnderstaudynge shall herin be requisyte. Necessarye it is therfor to take hede / least thu holde the harlot and Beast for that they boast them selues to be / to thy dampnacyon.
2 The .vij. heades of the Beast aforemencyoned / by the playne diffinicyon of the holye ghost are here to be taken for vii. mountaynes / or the vniuersall princelye monarchies of the .vij. clymates of the worlde.
3 Upon these the woman / that Babylonyshe harlot Rome (from whome hath yssewed all spirytuall whoredome) in most proude maner sitteth / hauinge ouer them a vniuersall dominyon. For in Iohans tyme / to Rome was all the worlde subiect. Under whose cruell regne was Christ done to deathe / so hath his faythfull members bene ener sens by a newe rayse… kyngedome in the same.
4 These heades are also .vij. kynges or goueunours of the aforesayd monorchyes seduced by all kyndes of craftye errours and deuylyshe suggestyons of that Beast. So that y…y… marke well this place / the head with the tayle and the cause with his effecte / in these present significacyons shall no preiudyce be founde to that hath bene sayd in the other / though they seme verye dyuerse. For both the gouernours and also the landes / or the peples subiect vntounto them hauehave vniuersallye bene blynded by their wylye toytchecraftes. And so hauehave the worldlye porentates wyth the spyrytuall Antychrystes agreed / that both they hauehave vsurped one malygnaūt medlynge ouer the sowles of menne to corrupt their faythe / the prynces applyenge their powers vntounto the same. And that causeth the holye Ghost here to call them the beastes heades vnderunder the tytle of mountaynes and kynges. For vnderunder their princelye auctoritees hath all their myschefes bene fulfylled to vpholde this whoore agaynst Christ and his worde.
5 Fyue of these heades are fallen from the vnyuersall monarchye of Rome. All the dominyons of Affrica and Asia hath renounced the obedyence of her empyre. Onlye cleaueth Europa vntounto her / which is the least of the thre / and yet not all therof. Whan the Papacye grewe / the whole empyre of the Grekes called Constantynople / fell cleane from the la…nes / and became with other dyuerse monarchyes / the possession of Mahometes secte / or of the Agarenes and Turkes. Of the other empyres maye a lyke coniecture be had. Thus hauehave they declyned from her / not so goynge forth nor yet rysynge vp vntounto Christ / for only is it sayd here / that they were fallen.
6 And one head is (sayth the text) at this present tyme remaynynge / the other head is not come as yet / but wyll come her after. This head remayninge is the sixt / and it is that feble empyre that Rome now holdeth / and hauehave holden sens Iohans tyme. The power of this empyre is ruynouslye demynyshed / and the notable fame therof decayed betwixt the Popyshe prelates and the Frenche menne / a great part of the landes becommynge Saynt Peters patrimonye. To make it a fytte head of the Beast to the vpholdynge of this whorishe churche (the auctoryte therof maynteyninge her lawes) Gregorye the fift Pope cō mytted the emprours chosynge vntounto .vi. princes of Germanye .iij. of them beynge Archebyshoppes. He appoynted also the kynge of Bohem for the seuenth / than beynge trybutarye vntounto him and his owne feed man as an odde persons to waye vponupon their sydes / yf nede / place / and tyme shuld requyre yt. Prouyded alwayes that he shuld take his othe and receyue his crowne imperyall at Rome. So that now thowgh it styll be the same in tytle that it was in Iohans dayes / yet is it so dyuerse from it through dimynishment of power / and so vnlyke in outwarde magnifycence / as it neuer had bene the same.
7 The seuenth head that is not yet come / is the Papysticall kyngedome of owr Romyshe spiritualte. For therof apered nothynge in Iohans tyme / nor yet more than .v. hondreth years after it. The Byshoppes of Rome (as they call them) from Peter to Syluester / were verye poore sowles / symple creaturs / and menne not regarded but despysed of the worlde. They were no newe lawe makers for the more part / but rather they gaue their whole dilygence to se those lawes obserued / whom the holye ghost had made to their handes. Neyther were they anye Masse sayers / sowle syngers / or procession goers / but as was Saynt Paule with the other Apostles / symple preachers onlye / and for theyr syncere preachynge / they suffered the deathe of theyr bodyes. But after the Donacyon of Cōstantyne and other plentuouse almesses commytted vntounto theyr handes for the socoure of the poore / they became all confessours / and toke them to their ease at home. Than was laboure verye tedyouse vntounto them / preachynge verye troblouse and peynefull. Than stodyed they all to please the powers / peceablye to holde styll their plesaunt possessions / and by spyrituall polycyes to increase them more and more / the poore in a maner forgottē. Then came in that holye ceremonye and that / with latten howres / seruynge of Sayntes / ād prayenge for the dead / to prouoke men to offer to Corban. Thus crept they vp in hypocrisye daye by daye / tyll soche tyme as Iohan of Constantinople contended with Gregorye of Rome for the supremyte. In the which contencion thowgh Gregorye layed for him self Saynt Peters keyes with manye other sore argumentes and reasons / yet was he commaunded by Mauricius the Emperour after the generall Synode / to obeye the sayd Iohan / as the vnyuersall head bisshop of the whole worlde. Than were these holye fathers compelled to tarrye a layser / and vnderunder craftye colours to wayte their praye. In processe of tyme whan Phocas was Emprour / Bonifacius the thirde a manne of a wylye practyse / perceyuynge him moche geuen to bayne glorye and couetousnesse / greatlye also to dissalowe the actes of Mauricius his predecessour / through flatterye and mede obtayned of him that the churche of Rome shuld be holden from thens forth for the head churche of the worlde / ād he for the head byshop. Whā this was ones gotten / than rose they vp so hygh / that the Emprour became their fore stole / and all other chrysten princes their waytynge …laues / to ryde and ronne / make and marre / stryue and fyght / slee and kyll / at their commaundement and pleasure. Thus became the Romyshe Pope the seuenth kynge / that was in Iohans tyme yet to come. If thu marke in the crouycles good reader / thu shalt fynde that Phocas the first Pope maker slewe his master the Emprour Mauricius / signifyenge in my sterye the sayd Pope makynge to be an vtter destruccyon to the empyre. The Popes name was also at that tyme Bonifacius / which is as moche to saye as bona facies / a good face. Which betokened that this newe raysed kyngedome shuld shewe a fayre face euermore / or a shynynge pretence of holynesse / what myschef so euer it wrought eyther agaynst God or manne in abhominable supersticyon.
8 And whan this seuenth kynge commeth (sayth the text) he must contynue a space / or abyde a lytle season. He must hauehave a tyme by the permyssion of God / strongelye to delude the vnbeleuers / whych wyll neyther se nor heare / reade nor yet thankefullye receyue his worde of saluacyon / so gratyouslye offered them. So corrupt are the fleshelye affectes of menne / that moche more prone they are to lyes and supersticyons / than to the veryte of the lorde / which is to be lamented. Chryst came first in the name of his heauenlye father / but him wyll they not receyue. The Pope commeth in his owne wycked name / and to hym ronne they by heapes. Whose contynuaunce here hath bene but a tyme. For yet is it not a thowsande years sens the Papacye first beganne vnderunder Phocas / which is but as a daye before God / and that daye wyll he shorten by hys owne promes for hys electes sake / whych to remember is their great conforte. And a great cause whye. For sone after that shall they be fullye restored in to the perfyght nombre of the chyldren of God.
9 And the execrable beast (sayth the text) that of late dayes was in auctoryte ouer all the worlde / yea / syttinge aboue God in the conscyences of menne / and now is become of no reputacyon amonge menne (God openinge his myscheffes) is euen the eyght in nōbre. And yet neuer the lesse is one of the .vij. heades. For both is he the beastlye bodye it self comprehendynge in him the vnyuersall abhominacyons of all the earthlye kyngedomes / and in that poynte dyuerse from the seuen heades / and so the .viij. in nombre.
10 And also he is one of the .vij. heades and the seuenth in nombre / in vsurpynge this proude worldlye kyngedome thus after a vayne temporall sort. Ouer & besides all this / maye he also be called the eyght in the cursed remnaunt which after the peceable sylence of christen lyberte (Sathan loosoned) shall most cruellye persecute Chrystes congregacyon a freshe / as in the .xx. chapter here folowynge wyll apere.
11 This Beast with his carryage / the Antichrist with his churche / or Sathan with his Sinagoge / shall not onlye go in to destruccyon here by the mightye breathe of Goddes mouthe / or the true preachinge of his Gospell / but also into dampnacyon euerlastinge in the ende of the worlde with the deuyll & his angels.
The Text.
1 And the ten hornes which thu sawest / are ten kynges. 2. whych hauehave not yet receyued the kyngedome. 3. but shall receyue power. 4. as kynges. 5. at one houre with the Beast. 6. These hauehave one mynde. 7 and shall geue their power & strēgthe vntounto the Beast. 8. These shall fyght with the lambe. 9. and the lambe shall ouercome them. 10. For he is lorde of all lordes. 11. and kynge of all kynges. 12. And they that are on his syde. 13. are called / and chosen / and faythfull.
¶The Paraphrase.
1 And the .x. hornes) sayth the Angell vntounto Iohan) which thu sawest here vponupon the heades of this rose coloured Beast / are in significacyon .x. kynges. Some hath taken these .x. kynges for all those Emprours of the larynes sens Charle mayne / which hauehave sworne them selues obedyent to the Bishop of Rome. Some hauehave thought them to be those prynces which here in Europa hauehave afore tyme bene subiect to the Empyre of Rome. As the kynges of Englande / Fraunce / Spayne / Portyugale / Castele / Denmarke / Scotlande / Dngarye / Goheme / and Napels. But these considre not that they be yet more in nombre / as Aragone / Nauerre / Cycyle / Cypresse / Sardyne / Swethen / Pole / and soche other / and are all included in the seuen heades as members of the afore rehersed empyres. Neyther marke they that they are aboue the heades as hornes / ād more in nombre than the heades / betokenynge a rygorouse auctoryte and ferce power / which they proudelye vsurpe ouer them euerye where. Afore they were but suggestyons / but here are they ernest doers. For in euerye region hath the beastlye Antichrist of Rome his Metropolytanes and primates. As in Englande are Caunterberye and Yorke / in Fraunce / Thuronensis and Remensis / in Spayne Tholetanus and Te…raconēsis / in Portingale Hispalensis ād Bracarensis / in Irelande Armachanus and Dublimensis / in Dennemarke Lundensis and Opsalensis / in Germanye Colon…ensis and Maguntinus / in Hungarye Serigon…ensis and Colocensis / in Italye Pisanus and Rauennas / in Sycyle Panormitanus and Messanensis / with an infynite nombre of byshoppes / prelates / prestes / and religiouse / besydes the fyghtynge orders of the Rhodes / the Prussyanes / the Redemers of captyues / the Aragondes / the Beorgyanes called de alga / the Monteseanes / the Castylyanes / the Lusitaneanes / the Calatraneanes / and Saynt Iames warryours.
2 These had not yet at that tyme receyued the deuylyshe kyngedome of pestilent vsurpacyon ouer the sowles of menne. For though in Iohans dayes arose certen Antichristes / as Hebion / Cerinthus / Diotrephes / Carpocras / and so the lyke / yet were they nothing to these.
3 But now in dede they hauehave receyued the same self auctoryte and power with the Beast / that he toke afore of the Dragon / in maner of kynges to rewle in the hartes and consciences of menne to his behoue.
4 For so moche as their auctoryte is not of God lyke as is the auctorite of kynges / it is sayd here as kynges / or as menne counterfeatynge them / in vsurpynge a gouernaunce not frelye geuen them of God / but of the deuyll.
5 All at one houre receyued they thys auctoryte wyth the Beast. And that (I suppose) was in the generall counsell of Laterane at Rome / gathered vnderunder the tytle to recouer Hierusalem agayne. Where as confession in the eare was cruellye extorted of Christen peple vnderunder peyne of deathe and dampnacion by the whole consent both of the princes / and bishoppes / at the former suggestiō of innocent the thirde / besydes other wicked thinges. As to heare lattyn seruyce / to go procession on Sondayes / to praye vntounto dead Sayntes / to worship Images / to bye Masses for the dead / to fast the fridayes / with purgatorye / pardons / merytes / and fryres orders. In the sayd counsell became the Metropolytanes as kynges / … by the auctorite therof appoynted they that …. Balyues / and other … / as byshoppes Curates / and Pari…he Prestes to hauehave cure and charge of so idle / and in the sayd eare confession to receyue theyr accountes.
6 These counterfett kynges are all of one deuyllishe mynde / practyse / and purpose agaynst God and his▪ veryte.
7 And fullye they are fixed to geue their whole power / their stodye / and theyr strēgthe vntounto the behoue of the Beast▪ Not accordinge to Gods mynde wyll they rewle / but all after his wyll & pleasure / agreynge alwayes vntounto him as mē bers to their heade / to serue wickednesse after wickednesse in Babilō. His popisshe decrees wyll they seke / his deuylishe decretals wyll they folowe / his ceremonials wyll they obserue / & nothynge of the sacred scripturs. What lerning so euer they hauehave / what giftes of nature / fortune / or grace / all must be to the maintenaunce of his fantastycall fopperyes. To hym are they sworne to do hym homage / to obeye his lawes / to kysse hys fete / & for hys gloryes sake to persceut… the Gospell.
10 And in so doynge they shall fygh… with the lambe / which ys Iesus Christ. They shall impugne hys truthe whan they thinke to do hym seruyce. For that myschese they do to one of his / they do to hys owne persone.
9 But be they neuer so dogged / yet shall the lambe ouercome them in hys faythfull members / yea / by pacyent sufferaunce onlye. The vyctorye (sayth Sayn… Iohan) which ouercometh the worlde / is a sure Christen faythe. VponUpon their syde fyghteth he which ys most myghtye ād stronge / yea the lorde that ys valeaune in battayle. And he shall first ouercome them in this lyfe with the myghtye breathe of hys mouthe / scatterynge them awaye as dust from the earthe. And after thys shall hys terryble iudgement for euer condempne them.
10 For he ys by the auctoryte geuen hym of hys father / the lorde of all lordes and by hys owne eternall Godhede the Kynge of all kynges / hauinge all power in heauen and in earthe. He ys constyt…te iudge of the quycke and the dead / hauynge alone the euerlastynge Empyre with his father and the holye ghost / and of his kingedome shall neuer be an ende▪
11 By his permyssion doth all kinges regne / he hath their hertes in his hande and iudgeth their thoughtes. Both maye he geue them hys sprete / and also take yt frō them / and of his enemyes he shall make hys forestole. He ys the same sto…ne after Danyell that without anye ha…des was cut out of the mounte / which breaketh the Irō / the copper / the earthe / the syluer / and the golde in peces. By whome are ment the vnyuersall kyngedomes of this worlde.
12 Of this hys vyctorye are all they pa…tyners with hym / which are vponupon hys sy…de by faythe. Most specyallye those tru… seruauntes of hys / which after they ar… called by grace and chosen by faythe / perseuer styll constaunt / feruent / fayth…full / and sure in his veryte to the latte… ende of their lyues.
13 Not onlye the lambe therfor shall o…uercome the Beast / but they also afte… the doctryne of Paule that are called ād chosen in him / not fallynge from his tr…che for anye temptacyō or grefe / but stā …dinge fast by yt vntounto the verye deathe. For those that the lorde hath prefixed afore / he hath called / iustifyed / and allowed. These auaunceth not themselues with the proude / but mekelye they submit their crownes / referrynge all vyctorye to the lambe / as menne that coulde hauehave done nothinge in that behalfe with out hym.
The Text.
1 And he sayde vntounto me. 2. The waters which thu sawe it / where the whore sitteth. 3. are people / & folke / and nacyons / and tū ges. 4. Ad the tē horns / which thu sawest vponupon the beast. 5. are they which shall hate the whore 6. and shall make her desolate / & naked. 7. ād shall eate her fleshe 8. ād burne her with fyre 9. For God hath putte in their hartes / to f…lfyll hys wyll. 10. and to do w…th one consent. 11. for to geue her kyngdom vntounto the beast 12. vntyll the wordes of God be fulfylled. 13. And the woman which thu sawest / is the greate cytye. 14. which reygneth ouer the Kinges of the earthe.
¶The Paraphrase.
1 And after this longe communicacyō (sayth saynt Iohan) the aforeseyd Angel sayd thus vntounto me / to make vp his tale with.
2 The wauerynge waters which thu sawest here now of late in mysterye / where as the Babylonyshe whore sitteth vponupon the rose coloured Beast / are in sygnyficacyon all maner of peples of the carnall nacyons / and the superstycyouse folke of manye sondrye tonges.
3 Not onlye in one place of the worlde rewleth this wanton relygyon of Antichrist / but in euerye lande / in euerye domynion / in euerye cumpanye / amonge all occupacyons and languages. The folyshe multytude euerye where / beynge blynded by their subtyle sorceryes / & neyther hauynge faythe nor yet the feare of God before their eyes / as a ragynge flood (the bankes broken downe) …o…eth headlynges into all blasphemie and deuyllyshnesse.
4 More ouer the afore named .x. hornes (sayth the Angell) which thu by the will of God beholdest here in sprete / vponupon the seyd Beast of destruccyon / are those verye persones which also shall hate the whore. Her abhominacyons ones knowne by the Gospell preachinge / they shall abhorre her lawes / despyse her auctoryte / and contempne her customes. They shall defeate her of those landes and possessyons which now she vniustlye ho… deth.
5 They that afore were her fryndes shall than be her mortall enemyes / denyenge her both tribute / obedyence / and seruyce / so leauynge her without all co… fort. Not onlye are these the temporall gouernours / as the kynge of Englande / the kynge of Denmarke / the Duke of saron / the Landgraue of hesse / and other Princes of Germanye / with soche other as wyll here after folowe the same pryncyples / but also the Metropolytanes and Byshoppes / the Doctors and Prelates. As are all redye Thomas Crā mere the arche Byshop of Caūterburye / Hermannus de weda the archebyshopp of Coleyne / Godryck the Byshop of Holye / Barlowe the Byshop of Saynt Dauids / Byrde the Byshop of Chestre / Thu…leby byshop of Westmynstre / … tymer and Nicolas Sharton of late years Byshoppes of Worcester and Salysburye / with soche other lyke as wyll here after folowe their trade. Though they were afore the hornes of the Beast for defence of the whore / yet are they now fallen from hym / and more shall euerye daye to make her desolate of honoure ād naked of rentes and possessions.
6 So shall they chace that Babylonyshe harlot Rome with their preachers / that neyther shall they leaue her coloure nor yet bewtye. Considre what Iohā Reuclin / Martyne Luther / Erasmus / Occolampadius / …winglius / Pomeran / Buter / Capito / Melanchton / Grineus / Calninus / Brencyus / Frances Lābert / Bullinger / ād soche other hath done agaynst her alredye. Lyke wyse here in Englande / Bylneye / Cyndale / Frith / Barnes / Cromwell / Couerdale / Turner / George Ioye / Rose / Rydleye / Warde / Becō / ād other els / leauynge her neyther Rellyques nor Rodes / Sectes nor Shrynes / Abbeyes nor Pryoryes / manye more cō mynge after them of the same sort. These shall make her so desolate that no mā ne shall in processe of tyme regarde her. They shall leaue her so naked / that all the worlde shall abhorre her that shall lo… vponupon her. Yea / in the conclusyon they … her fleshe.
7 Besydes the takynge awaye of her carnall profyghtes and pleasurs / they shall confounde her fl…shelye vnderstandinge of the scripturs / and vtterlye consume the superfluouse obseruacyons of her whoryshe c…remonyes.
8 Finallye with fyre shal they burne her / in brynginge vntounto nought all her abhominable rewles / customes / & kyndes of Idolatrye. All these ones plucked awaye by the euydent worde of God / no longar shall this harlot apere. For no lō gar contynueth the whore / than the who redome ys in pryce. Take awaye the rytes and Ceremonies / the Iewels and ornamentes / the Images and lyghtes / the lordeshyppes and fatherhodes / the aulters and Masses / with the Byshoppes and Prestes / and what is their holye whor…she churche any more? Not onlye is this fleshe eatynge and burnynge declared now adayes in outwarde experymentes / as in the rebellyouse Monkes and Prestes of Englande / and in thē that arose there in the Northe / specyallye in fryre forest and Margare… Chenye / which were for their churche consumed / lyke as were Baals chaplaynes at the broke of Cyson by Helyas / but also misticallye in that is spokē of here afore.
9 For God hath (sayth the Angell) all blindenesse secluded / put it into the hartes of those and soche other Godlye menne by the infusyon of his sprete / to fulfyll hys decreed will so pleasure in this behalf / as vtterlye to destroye the Popyshe relygyon or fylthye abhominacyons of Antichrist.
10 He hath geuen yt them more ouer to do these thynges to hys glorye / through the agrement of faythe that they hauehave in the vnyte of his Godlye truthe / to the abolyshment of all Sectes / false Prophetes / and coniurers of Egypte.
11 Fynallye by hys grace he hath moued them / through knowlege of his worde to rendre vp her blasphemouse kyngedome (whom sumtyme of ignoraunce they vsurped) vntounto the malygnaunt Beast agayne / as the hornes of hys pestylēt heades. After this sort ded good Latimer and Shaxton geue ouer their Bysshop-ryckes / and so hath dyuerse other Godlye menne their promocyons and liuinges / as manye more yet here after wyll do.
12 For as they hauehave begonne so shall they contynue in demynyshynge the abhomynacyōs of this whoryshe churche / tyll the wordes and promyses of God by hys Apostles and Prophetes / which can neuer fayle / be whollye fulfilled in effect / and tyll hys last iudgement do fynyshe all. But thus do not all they which hauehave done of the yoke of the Popes obedyence or blotted out hys name. For the greatter nombre of them retayneth styll the blasphemouse obseruacyons and Ceremonies of hys Romyshe relygyon / some makynge newe lawes of deathe for the establyshment of the same / as ys in Englande the acte of the .vi. Artycles with dyuerse other more. And for this remayneth here styll the Beast as receyuynge the rendred kyngedome of the whore. In whome ys also comprehended the wycked rēnaunt that shall worke the last myschefe / whome the lorde shall ende with hys seyd iudgement. This Beast ys not without hys lyuelye Image styll workynge the same feates that hymself wrought afore / though his head be greuouslye wounded in diuerse quarters of the worlde. Neyther ys he without craftye. Phesycyanes / to mynystre lyfe to the same. Who euer forswore the Pope more ernestlye / thā ded Stokyslaye and Sampson / Gardyne… and Tunstall / wylson and fryre wattes / with soche other holye prelates? Yet labour they tothe and nayle to hauehave Babylon styll Babylon / Sodom Sodom / & Egypte Egypte. But maruele not of the ordynaūce of the lorde / which all at one tyme prouyded Moyses to gyde his peple and yet hardened Pharao agaynst them which sent his sonne Iesus Christ to saue them / and yet suffred the Prestes to murther hym / cōsideringe he ys that potter which maketh both the vessels of honoure and dishonoure.
13 Breuelye to conclude the whole of this matter (sayth the Angell) the gorgyouse aparcled womā / or glytteringe churche of ātichrist / which thu sawest here of late in misterye / ys also in resemblaunce the great cyte Babylon / the mother of all the spirituall abhominacyons and Idolatryes done vponupon the earthe. For lyke as from Syon hath the lawe commē forth and the worde of God from Hierusalem / so hath yssewed forth from this Babylonyshe Rome soche a false Relygyon into Emprours / princes / and peples / as with fylthyr superstycyons hath poysoned all the worlde.
14 For a kyngedom she hath ouer the kynges or noble gouernours of the earthe / a false power / a vsurped auctoryte / and a seate of verye pestylence. Alas for pytye that so worthye potentates shuld be in subieccyon to so slynkynge an whore / to so vyle an harlott / beynge so the seruauntes of synne and captyue slaues to all wyckednesse / from the which the lorde ones delyuer them. Amen.
¶Thus endeth the seconde parte.