The Image of Both Churches in Revelation, Chapter 17

The Image of Both Churches in Revelation · Chapter 17

The xvij. Chapter.

OFte hath occasions bene giuen me in this booke to speake of greate Babilon and of the execrable beast, but here is place offered to discribe them more at large.

THE TEXT.

1 And there came one of the seuen Angels, vvhichwhich had the seauen vyalles, 2. and talked vvith me, 3. saying vntounto me. 4. Come I vvill shevve the iudgement, 5. of the great vvhore, 6. that sitteth vpō many vvaters, 7. vvith vvhō the Kinges of the earth hauehave committed vvhoredome, 8, and the inhabiters of the earth are dronken vvith the vvyne of hyr fornication. 9. And he caryed me away, 10. into the vvildernesse in the spirite.

The Paraphrase.

1 After this came (sayth Saint Iohn) one of the vij. Angels or vnuariable decrées of the Lordes eternall iudgements, which had the vij. vyals of hys wrath as afore hath bene declared.

2 And this Angell or set purpose of God as an heauenly messenger talked with me in mysterie.

3 Of fauourable goodnesse in secreat maner, he ascertayned me thereby of this wonderfull iudgement héere following, to be fulfilled at the latter end of the worlde. And thus it sayde vntounto mée.

4 Come hither friende Iohn. I will shew thée in secretnesse y^e tirrible iudgment of the great whore or coūterfaite church of hypocrites, as God hath appointed it. Néedes must this whore be Rome, for that which is hereafter spokē, y^t she is the great citie which reigneth ouer y^e kings of the earth. Euidēt it is both by y^e scriptures & Cronicles, that in Iohns dayes Rome had hyr dominiō ouer all the whole world. And being infected with the abhominatiōs of all landes, rightly is shée called Babylon or citie of confusion, not onelyonly in this reuelation but also in the first Epistle of Peter. And like as in y^e scriptures ofte tymes vnderunder y^e name of Ierusalem is ment the whole kingom of Iuda, so vnderunder the name of Rome here may be vnderstanded the vnyuersall worlde with all their abhominations and diuillishnesses, theyr Idolatryes, witchcraftes, sectes, superstitions, papacyes, priesthoodes, relygions, shauings, anointings, blessings, sensings, processiōs, & the diuil & all of such beggeryes. For all y^e people since Christes assēcion hath this Rome infected with hyr pestilent poisōs gathered from al Idolatrous nations such time as she held ouer them y^e monarchial suppremit. And like as Babilon had y^e Israelites captiue vnderunder a bodily tribute, so hath this Rome had y^e Christians both in their bodies & soules. At y^e wryting of this prophecy felt Iohn of their crueltie being exiled into Pathmos an Ile of Licia, for the faithfull testimony of Iesu. And so did I poore creature with my poore wife & children at the gatheringe of this present commentary flyinge into Germamye for the same.

5 No maruail though she be here called a great whore. For no wher were euer yet séene so many Idole worshipinges, so many vaine obseruatiōs, so many supersticious sects, so many errours in hipocrisie, so many false prophets, and so many prodigious kindes of filthynes, no, not in Sodom it selfe, nor yet in miserable Egipt.

6 This Babilonysh whore or disguised sinagoge of shorelings, sitteth vpō many waters or peoples y^t are fantastical, fickle or folish.

For none are in conscience subiect vntounto hyr, that are constantly grounded in the sure doctrine of fayth, only alloweth, hir traditions the wauering witted multitude, the slipper and vnstedfast number, obeying them in theyr hartes, of feare & not of louelove, so throwing them selues into a moste confuse Chaos or vawte of double dotage.

7 With this stinking strompet hauehave the mightie potentates of the vniuersall earth, y^e Emperours, Kings, Princes, and other notable gouernours cō mitted most shamefull whoredome in the spirite by many straunge worshippings, agréeing among them selues to hyr wickedly decréed lawes & customes. To long should we stande here in this place, if we should discribe them all seuerally in theyr colours at large as they be.

8 Through the craftie legerdimaine of the priests on y^e one side, & y^e cruel cō stitutiōs of Princes on y^e other side, the dwellers of y^e earth or worldly minded multitude are dronken with the wyne of hyr fornication spirituall, or practised worshippings besides the prescript rules of Gods word. Not only they which hauehave bene couetous, carnall, leude, & wreched hath followed theyr abhominaciōs, but also an innumerable sort of y^e elect number hath beleued their lies and errors. Yea, they hauehave bene so dazed with theyr dotages, & so tangeled with theyr customes, that as men losing theyr wittes without all godly remembrance, reason, wisdom, discressiō, vnderstāding, iudgement, & grace, the lawes of God laid apart, the commandementes neclected and the scriptures despised, they hauehave not only knéeled, crossed, kissed, set vp lights, & holdē vp their hāds before rottē postes, but also called thē their fathers in heuē. Yea (I axe God mercy a thousand times) I hauehave ben one of thē my self. And this is to this day a principal religion of y^e whorish Church, called deuout pilgrymage or holy stations of prayer, many greate pardons granted & many false promises made to alure the people therevnto.

9 But blessed be y^e Lord, whose word in this age both admonished many as y^e Angell did Iohn, and brought, them also cleane from hir abhominatiōs, into a secret cōsideration of y^e spirit, vnknowen to y^e world, there both to sée hir pride and also to vnderstand hir iudgement. For it followeth in y^e text, y^t the Angel cōueyed Iohn away into y^e wildernesse in the spirite.

10 In mistery here the holye Ghost declared afore what the Lorde should worke in men hauing his grace at the latter dayes of the world. Into y^e wildernesse flée they with Dauid, which leauing the customed wayes of mē, after y^e course of the scriptures séeke vp their Lord God in faith, worshippyng him onelyonly in spirite and in veritie.

THE TEXT.

1 And I sawe a woman sit vponupon, 2. a rose coloured beast, 3. full of names of blasphemy, 4. vvhichwhich had seuen heads and ten hornes. 5. And the vvoman vvas arayed, 6. in purple and rose eolour, 7. & decked vvith golde, precious stone & pearls, 8. & had a cup of golde in hyr hand, 9. ful of abhominatiōs, 10. & filthinesse of hir vvhordom. 11. And in hir fotehead vvas a name vvrittē. 12. A mistery, 13. Great Babilō the mother of vvhoredom & abhominations of the earth, 14. And I savv the vvife dronken vvith the bloud of saints, & vvith the bloude of the vvitnesses of Iesu. 15. And vvhen I savv hir, 16. I vvondred vvith great meruayle.

The Pharaphrase.

1 And I sawe (saith Saint Iohn) in mistery a woman (for an whore at y^e first bloush semeth only a woman) sitting vponupon a rose coloured beast. This beast is y^e great Antichrist that was spoken of afore, or the beastly body of y^e diuil, comprehending in him Popes, Patriarkes, Cardinalles, Lega…es, Bishops, Doctours, Abbotes, Priors, Pristes and Pardoners, monks, Chanons, Fri…rs, Nuns, & so forth. Temporall gouernours also, as Emperors, Kings, Princes, dukes, Erles, Lords, Iustices, Deputies, Iudges, Lawyers, Maiers, Bayliues Cunstables, & so forth, leauing their owne dutied offyces as to minister rightly, to serue their abhominacions.

2 All rose coloured is this beast, in token of tirannous murther & blodshedding ouer those that will not agree to their diuillishnesse.

3 Ful of blasphemous names is this beast also, as your holines, your grace, your Lordeshippe, your fatherhoode, your mastership, your reuerēce, honor, highnesse, worship, magnificence, goodnesse, Gods vicar, spirituall syr, ghostly father, phisition of soules, defender of faith, head of the holy church, and so foorth, besides the names of theyr properties, feates, and pagents, as procession, bishopping, anelyng, purgatorie, pylgrimage, pardon, masse, mattens, euensong, placebo, Candelmasse day, Palm sunday, Ash wednesday, holy roode day, S. Thomas day, & so forth.

4 This beast had vij. heads and ten hornes, signifying his vniuersal crafts and suggestions to distroy the graces and giftes of the holy Ghost, and also his falsely borrowed primacies & tyrannous aucthorities to withstand the commaundements of God.

5 Upon this beast sitteth a woman. For what els auaūceth or beareth out this malignant muster in their copes, crosses, oyles, myters, robes, relickes, ceremonyes, vygiles, holy dayes, blessings, sensings, and foolings, but a wā ton foolish and fantasticall religion, a vayne glorious pompe, and a shinyng pretence of holynesse in superstition, (callyng it theyr holy church). Shée is sayd here to sit vponupon this bloudy beast, as to be stayed, quieted, and setled by them. Marke what labours and paines that craftie and wyly Winchester taketh with Bonner, Tonstall and other of his fashion, as hyr own sworne souldyours to holde vp thys glorious whore in hyr olde estate of romishe religion. Oh he grunteth and groneth, he sweateth & swelleth, he fretteth and belleth, he bloweth & panteth, calketh and canteth, he sturreth & neuer ceaseth, to bring his matters to passe.

6 In token that this hypocryticall church standeth in the murther of innocents, this womā is here gloriously apparelled in purple, as giltie of theyr deathes which hath bene slayne, and also in fresh scarlet as euermore fresh & ready to cōtinue in y^e same bloudshedding. For if such tirrible slaughter wer not, y^e true christiā faith shuld increase, to y^e great diminishmēt of hir glory.

7 Shée is in lyke case florishingly decked with golde, precious stone, and pearles, not onelyonly in hyr manyfolde kynds of ornaments, as in hyr copes, corporasses, chesibles, tunicles, stooles, fannous and myters, but also in mysterie of counterfeite godlinesse. Many outward bragges maketh thys painted chu…ch of Christ of his Gospel, and of his Apostles, signified by y^e gold, precious stone, & pearles, which is but a glittering colour. For nothing myndeth shée lesse than to followe them in conuersation of lyuing.

8 Moreouer in hir hand which is hyr exteriour ministration, shée hath a golden cup, full of abhominations and filthinesse of hyr execrable whoredome. This cup is the false religion that she dayly ministereth, besides the chalice whō hir marchaunts most dampnably abuseth. And it contayneth all doctrine of diuils, all beastly errours and lyes, all deceiptfull power, all glytteryng workes of hipocrites, all crafty wisdō of the flesh, & subtile practises of mans witte, besides philosophy, logick, rhetorick, and sophistry, Yea, all prodigious kynds of Idolatry, fornicatiō, sodometrie, and wickednesse. Outwardely it séemeth golde, pretending the glory of God, …he holy name of Christ, y^e sacred scryptures of the Byble, perpetuall virginity of life, and al are but counterfet colours & shadows of hipocrisy in the outwarde letter and name.

9 Ful of abhominacions is the drink of the excreable faith of that Romish religion receiued of other, & full of filthynes also, for both retaineth y^e people therof innumerable kinds of Idol worsippinges vnderunder the title of Gods seruice, and also their shauelinges of prodigeous beastlynes in lecherouse liuing vnderunder y^e colour of chastity. Here were muche to be spoken of Sayncte Germayns euil, sainct Sithes key, sainct Uncombers otes, maister Iohn shornes bote, saint Gertrudes rattes, saint Iobe for y^e pox, saint Fyacre for ague, saint apoline for toth ake, sainct Graciane for lost thrift, saint Walstō for good haruest, S. Cornelis for the foule euil & al other saints els almost.

10 Of the buggery boyes also among prelates & pristes, Gohstly fathers & religious, might much be sayde here, were it not for infecting mens eies, ears & vnderstādings. For al these noiful nocuments are y^e holy frutes of y^e whordom of y^e holy whorish Chuche.

11 In the forehead of this glittering whore, which is hir outward shew, is written a name, expreslye declaring what she is. By hir vngodly fruites is she knowen to y^e elect seruāts of god, hauing the light of the scriptures. In their consiences appereth she none other than a pestiferous whore, by the iudgements of the same.

12 A very mistery is this shew to the infidels, an hiddē secret, an vnknown wonder. For they are so blinded with hyr foppryes & tangled with hir toies, that they iudge all that she doth, holy, religeous, and perfect. And al this suffereth God for their vnbeleues sake, destroyinge neuerthelesse the wysdome of the wise and prudence of the prudent in his.

13 Hir very name agréeing to hir fruites, is this. Great Babilō, in mischiefe far aboue y^e citie of y^e Chaldeās, and much more full of confusion. For shée is the originall mother, the cause, the bginnyng, the roote, y^e spryng, and the fountaine of all spirituall fornications, and in a maner of all fleshly abhominations also done vponupon the earth. This is to the faithfull sort, as a written name of hir, euident, cleare, open, and manifeste. But to the vnfaithfull it is onelyonly as a mistery, hidden, darke, obscure, and neclect. For so are the secrets that God openeth to babes, & hydeth from the wise.

14 And I (saith Iohn) perceiued it euidentlye in my fore vnderstandinge, that this woman the very wife of the deuill and of his beastly body (for the byssh…ps are the husbandes of theyr romyshe churches) was all dronken in y^e bloudy slaughter of y^e Saincts, or ernest christian beléeuers and in the excéedinge tyrannous murther of the faithfull witnesses of Iesu, or sincere preachers of his word. For neither of both she spareth. Besides all Godlye wisdome is she, and forgetfull of hyr selfe, through this same blouddye dronknes, so great exces hath she takē.

15 And when I perceyued and sawe hir with all hir adders whelpes so beastyshe (sayth saynt Iohn) with exceading wonder I marueyled. Not only that she was thus ouerset with bloud, drinking, or outragious murthering of inocentes, but also of hyr excéeding great abhominacions.

16 And most of all I wondered that the almighty God could with so much paci…nce suffer hir in such mischiefe.

The texte.

1 And the Angell sayde vntounto me. 2. Wherefore merueilest thou?. 3. I wyll shew thee, the misterye of the woman, and of the beast that beareth hyr, which hath seauen heades and ten hornes. 4. The beast that thou seeste, was 5. And is not. 6. And shall ascende out of the bottomlesse pit. 7. And shall goe into perdicion. 8. And they that dvvel on the earth shal vvōder 9 (whose names are not vvrittē in the booke of lyfe from the beginninge of the vvorld). 10. vvhen they beholde the beaste that was, and is not.

The Paraphrase.

1 And as I was thus with my selfe marueilynge, the Angell or afore named decrée of the Lord sayde vntounto me these words.

2 Wherfore doest thou thus maruel, thou mortall man?

3 For thy gentle and méeke expectation I shall shew vntounto thée, the mystery of this wretched woman, and of the cruell beaste that beareth hir, whiche hath seauen heades and ten hornes.

By this shalt y^u know y^e true churche from the …alse, y^e iust preachers from the hipocrites, y^e sincere doctrine from their subtile sophismes, & their lawful authority from their cruelly vsurped presumcions. For that sheweth y^e Lord vntounto his electes, that he will not hauehave knowne of all men.

4 The execrable beast or carnal kīgdom of Antichrist which thou hast sene here in mistery, was as concerninng his beginning in Caine first of al, & so continue forth in the fleshly children of men, in y^e chaplaines of Pharao, Hieroboam, Baal and Bel, in the cruell bishopes, pristes, and lawiers with such other like til the death of Christ and so forth.

5 And now y^e said beast is not in power and authority as he hath bene. For in Iohns time, certayn yeares before the writing of this reuelacion, was y^e proud clergy of the Iewes vtterly destroyed by Titus and Uespasian, in y^e terrible siege of Hierusalem.

Notwithstanding, yet shal this beaste rise againe in the Romishe Pope and Mahomet and in their false prelates and doctours.

6 He shal assend out of the bottomles pit from the stinking denne of sathan, exalting him selfe in worship aboue al that is called God. But in y^e conclsiuon he shall hauehave an end.

7 Into perdicion shal he go without fail. The Lorde shall firste vtter his wickednesse (as now in this age) and than with the spirit of his mouth consume him and destroy him. So that his high climing vp, shal at the laste be the chefe cause of his fal. Yet shal his wicked rēnaūt once again set vp their Christes, & persecute a fresh, but that shalbe no full raise vntounto hym.

8 And the rable of reprobates, which dwel on the earth, or for earthly commodities contēneth Gods truth, shall wonder once again not without much inward reioyce, that their Churche riseth againe out of the olde hipocrisyes.

9 Whose names are not registred in Christe, which is the large booke of life, and hath bene both y^e life & the lyght of men since the first constitucion of the mouable world.

No, they are not numbred amōg those rightuous that shall raigne with hym in glory.

10 These aduersaries of God and his worde shall hauehave much gladnesse in their wicked hartes, whan they beholde the beast thus comminge vp agayne that was of such magnificence, and now is but a thinge of noughte, that was estéemed aboue GOD, and now is proued dampnacion. So longe is this beastly Antichriste, as he worketh the misterie of iniquitie in the reprobate vesselles, and whan he leaueth that workinge than is he no longer. Marke in this processe past the nature of GODS eternall decrée for this age of his Church. Fyrst it sheweth and than it condempneth the curssed Sinagog of the diuel. In signification whereof the true preachers of our time hauehave manife…ly opened hir wickednesse vntounto all the worlde, wherevpon her vtter destruction must shortely follow. Watch good Christian Reader, and pray earnestly.

THE TEXT.

1 And here is a minde that hath vvisdome 2. The seauen heades are seuen mountaines. 3. Whereon the vvoman sitteth. 4. They are also seuen kings 5 Fiue are fallen. 6, And one is. 7. And the other is not come. 8. Whan he commeth, he must continue a space. 9. And the beast that vvas and is not, is euen the eight. 10. And is one of the seauen. 11. And shall go into destruction.

The Paraphrase.

1 Here is a meaning which comprehendeth wisdom. A sincere vnderstanding shal herein be requisit. Necessary it is therfore to take héed, lest y^u holde the harlot and beast for that they boast them selues, to be, to thy dampnacion.

2 The seauen heades of the beast aforemencioned, by y^e plaine diffinicion of the holy ghost are here to be taken for seuen mountaines, or y^e vniuersall princly monarchies of y^e .vij. climates of the world.

3 Upon these the woman y^t Babilonish harlot Rome (from whom hathe issued all spirituall whordome) in moste proud maner sitteth, hauynge ouer them a vnyuersall domynyon. For in Iohns time, to Rome was all the worlde subiecte. Onder whose cruell reigne was Christe done to death, so hath his faythfull members bene euer since by a new raised kingdome in the same.

4 These heads are also, vii, kynges or gouernours of the aforesayde monarchyes sedused by a kynds of crafty errours and dyuelysh suggestions of that beast. So that if ye marke well this place, the head with the tayle and the cause with his effecte, in these presente significacions shall no preiudice be founde to that hath bene sayd in the other, thoughe they séeme very diuers. For both the gouernours and also the landes, or the peoples subiect vntounto them hauehave vniuersallye bene blinded by their wylye wichcrafts. And so hauehave the worldlye potentates with the spirituall Antichristes agréede that both they hauehave vsurped one malignant medlynge ouer the soules of men to corrupte their faith, the princes applyinge their powers vntounto the same.

And that causeth the holy ghost here to call them the beastes heades vnderunder the title of mountaines and kinges. For vnderunder their princely authorities hauehave al their mischiefes bene fulfilled to vphold this whore against Christ & his word.

5 Fy…e of these heades are fallen from y^e vniuersal monarchy of Rome. All the dominions of Affrica and Asia hath renounced the obedience of hyr Empyre. OnelyOnly cleaueth Europa vntounto hyr which is the least of the thrée, and yet not all therof. When the Papacy grew, the whole Empire of the Gréekes called Constantinople, fell cleane from the Latines, and became with other diuerse Monarchies, the possession of Mahomets sect, or of the Agarenes and Turks. Of the other Empires may a like coniecture be had. Thus hauehave they declined from hir, not so goyng forth nor yet risinge vp vntounto Christ, for onelyonly is it sayd here, y^t they were fallen.

6 And one head is (saith the text) at this presēt time remaining, the other head is not come as yet, but wyl come hereafter.

This head remayning is the sixt, and it is that féeble Empyre that Rome nowe holdeth and hauehave holden since Iohns time. The power of this Empyre is …uenously deminished, and the notable fame thereof decayed betwixt the Popish prelates and the Frenchmen, a great part of the lands becomming saint Peters patrimonye. To make it a fit head of the beast to the vp holding of this whorishe churche (the authorytie thereof maintaining hyr lawes) Gregory the fift pope committed y^e emperours chosing vntounto vi. princes of Germany thrée of them being Archbishops. He appoynted also the King of Bohem for the seauenth, then beinge tributarye vntounto hym and hys owne féede man as an odde person to waye vponupon their sides if néede, place, and time should require it. Prouided alwayes that he shoulde take hys oth and receiue hys crowne Imperiall at Rome. So that now though it styll be the same in title that it was in Iohns dayes, yet is it so diuers from it through diminishmēt of power, and so vnlyke in outwarde magnificence, as it neuer had ben the same.

7 The seuenth heade that is not yet come, is the papistical kingdom of our romish spiritualti, for therfore apéered nothing in Iohns time, nor yet more then v. hundred yeares after it. The Bishops of Rome (as they call them) from Péeter to Siluester, were very poore soules, simple creatures, & men not regarded but dispised of y^e worlde. They were no new law makers for the more parte, but rather they gaue their whole dilligēce to sée those lawes obserued whō the holy ghost had made to their handes. Neither were they any masse saiers, soule singers, or procession goers, but as was S. Paul w^t the other Apostles, simple preachers onelyonly, and for their sincere preaching, thei suffered the death of their bodies. But after the donation of Constātine and other plentuous almses committed vntounto their handes for the soccoure of the poore, they became al confessers, and toke them to their ease at home. Then was labour verye tedious vntounto them preaching veri troublous & painful. Then studied they all to please the powers peacablye to holde s…yll theyr pleasaunt possessions, and by spiritual policies to increase thē more & more, the poore in a maner forgotten. Then came in that holy ceremony, and that with latine houres, seruing of saints, and praying for the deade, to prouoke men to offer to Corban. Thus crepte they vp in hypocrysie day by day, tyll such time as Iohn of Constantinople contended with Gregory of Rome for the supre…e. In the which contencion though Gregory laied for hymselfe saint. Péeters keies with many other sore arguments, and reasons, yet was he commaunded by Maurcius the Emperoure after the generall Synode to obey the saide Ihon, as the vniuersall head bishop of the whole world. Then were these holi fathers compelled to tarry a laisure, and vnderunder crafty coloures to wayte their pray. In processe of time when Phocas was Emperour.

Bonifacius the iii, a man of wil… practise, perceiuing hym much to be geuen to vaine glory & couetuousnes, greatly also to dissalow the actes of Mauricius his predecessour, thorugh flattery and mede obtained of him that y^e churche of Rome should be holden from thēce forth for the head church of y^e world, and he for the head bishop. Whan this was once gotten, than rose they vp so high that the Emperour became their foote stoole, and all other christian princes their waiting slaues, to ryde and run, make and marre striue and fight, slea and kill, at their commaundemēt and pleasure. Thus became the Romish Pope the seauenth Kinge, that was in Iohns time yet to come. If y^e marke in the Cronicles (good Reader) thou shalt finde that Phocas the first Pope maker slew his master the Emperour Mauricius, signifiyng in mysterye the sayde Pope making to be an vtter destruction to the Empyre. The Popes name was also at that time Bonifacius, whiche is as muche to say as Bonafacies, a good face. Which betokeneth that this new raysed kingdome shoulde shew a fayre face euermore, or a shining pretēce of holynes, what mischiefe so euer it wroughte, eyther agaynst God or man in abhominable supersticion.

8 And whan this seauenth Kinge commeth (sayth the text) he must continue a space, or abide a litle season. He muste hauehave a time by the permission of God, strongly to delude the vnbeléeuers, which wyll neither sée nor heare, reade nor yet thankfullye receiue hys worde of saluation, so graciously offered them. So corrupt are the fleshly affects of men, that much more prone they are to lies & superstitions, than to the verytie of the Lord, which is to be lamented.

Christe came first in the name of hys heauenlye father, but hym wyll they nor receiue. The Pope commeth in hys owne wycked name and to hym runne they by heapes. Whose continuaunce here hath bene but a time. For yet is it not a thousande yeares since the Papacy first beganne vnderunder Phocas, which is but as a day before God, and that day wyll he shorten by hys owne promise for his elects sake, whiche to remember is their greate comforte. And a great cause whye. For soone after that, shal they be fully restored into the persight number of the children of God.

9 And the execrable beast (sayth the text) that of late daies was in auhoritie ouer al the world, yea sitting aboue God in the consiences of men, and nowe is become of no reputacion amonge men (God openinge his mischiefes) is euen the eyghte in number. And yet neuertheles is one of the vii. heades. For both is he the beastly body it selfe comprehending in him the vniuersall abhominations of all the earthlye kyngdomes. And in that poynt diuers from the seuen heades and so the .viii. in number.

10 And also he is one of the .vii. heades and the seauenth in numbre, in vsurpyng this proude worldly kyngdome, thus after a vayne temporall sorte. Ouer and besids all thys maye he also be called the eyght in the curssed remnant which after the peaceable silence of christen libertie (sathan loosoned) shall most cruelly persecute Christes congregation a freshe, as in the xx. chapter here following wil appeare.

11 This beast with hys carriage, the Antichrist with hys church, or sathan wish his sinagog, shal not onelyonly go into destructiō here by the mighty breth of Gods mouth, or the true preaching of hys Gospell, but also into dampnation euerlastinge in the ende of the worlde with the deuill and hys Angelles.

THE TEXTE.

1 And the ten hornes vvhichwhich thou savvest are ten Kinges 2. VVhichWhich hauehave not yet receiued the kingdome. 3. But shall receiue povver 4. As Kings. 5. At one houre vvith the Beast. 6. These hauehave one minde. 7. And shall, geue their povver and strength vntounto the beast 8. These shall fight vvith the lambe. 9. And the Lambe shall ouercome them. 10. For he is Lorde of all Lordes. 11. And Kinge of all Kinges. 12. And they that are on his side. 13. Are called, the chosen, and faithfull.

The Paraphrase.

1 And the ten hornes (saith y^e Angell vntounto Iohn) which thou sawest here vp on the heades of this rose coloured beast, are in signification x. Kinges. Some hath taken these ten Kings for al those Emperours of y^e Latins since Charlemayn, which hauehave sworn them selues obediente to the Byshoppe of Rome. Some hauehave thought them to be those Princes which here in Europa hauehave aforetime bene subiecte to the Empyre of Rome. As the Kinges of England, Fraunce, Spaine, Portingale, Castele, Denmarke, Scotlande, Ungary, Boheme and Naples. But these consider not y^t they be yet more in number, as Aragone, Nauerre, Cicile, Cypres, Sardine, Swethē, Pole, and such other, and are all included in the seauen heades as members of the afore rehersed Empires.

Neither marke they that they are aboue the heades, as hornes, and more in number then the heades, betokening a rygorus authorytie and fierce power, whiche they proudlye vsurpe ouer them eueryevery where. Afore they were but suggestions, but héere are they earnest doers. For in euerye region hath the beastly Antichriste of Rome his Metropolitanes & Primats▪ As in England are Caunterbury an… York, in Fraunce, Thuronensis, and Remensis, in Spaine, Tholetanus & Terraconensis, in Portingale Hispalensis & Bracarensis, in Irelande Armachanus & Dubliniensis, in Denmarke Lundensis and Upsalensis, in Germany Coloniensis & Maguntinus, in Hungary Strigoniensis and Colocensis, in Italye Pisanus & Rauennas, in Sicyle Panormitanus & Messanences, with an infinite number of bishops, prelates, pristes, & religions, besides the fighting orders of y^e Rhodes, y^e Prussianes, y^e Redemers of captiues, y^e Aragondes, y^e Georgianes caled de Alga, y^e Monteseanes, y^e Castilianes, y^e Lusitaneanes, the Calatraneanes, & S. Iames warriours.

2 These had not yet at y^• tyme receiued the diuillish kingdom of pestilnce vsurpacion ouer the soules of men.

For though in Iohns daies arose certaine Antichristes, as Hebion, Cerinthius, Diotrephes, Carpocras, and such like, yet were they nothinge to these.

3 But now in déede they hauehave receyued the selfe same aucthoritie & power with the beast, that hée tooke afore of the Dragon, in maner of kings to rule in the heartes and consciences of men to his behoue.

4 For so much as theyr authoritie, is not of God lyke as is the authoritie of Kings, it is sayd here as kings, or as men counterfeyting them, in vsurping a gouernaunce not fréely giuen them of God, but of the Diuill.

5 All at one houre receyued they this aucthoritie with the beast. And that (I suppose) was in the great general coū sayle of Laterane at Rome, gathered vnderunder the title to recouer Hierusalem agayne. Where as confession in y^e eare was cruelly extorted of christian people vnderunder the payne of death & dampnation by the whole consent both of the princes, & bishops, at y^e former suggestiō of Innocēt y^e third, besides other wicked things. As to heare latine seruice, to go on processiō on sundayes, to pray vntounto dead saints, to …orship Images, to buy masses for y^e dead, to …ast the fridays, w^t purgatory, pardōs, merits, & friers orders. In y^e sayd coūsail became the metropolitanes as kinges, and by y^e authority threof apointed they their Stuards, Baliues, & other officers, as bishopes, curates, & parish pristes to hauehave euer & charge of soules, and in the sayd eare cōfession to receiue their accountes.

6 These counterfet kinges are al of on diuelish mind, practise, & purpose against God and his veritye.

7 And fully they are fixed to geue their whole power, their study, & their strength vntounto y^e behoofe of y^e beast. Not acording to Gods mind wil they rule, but al after his wil & pleasur, agreing alwaies vntounto him as mēbers to their head, to serue wickednesse after wickednes in Babilon. His Popish decres wil they seke, his diuelish decretales will they folow, his ceremonials wil they obserue, and nothing of y^e sacred scriptures. What learnyng so euer they hauehave? what giftes of nature, fortune, or grace, al must be to y^e maintenāce of his fātastical fopperis. To him ar they sworn to do him homage, to obey his laws, to kisse his féete, & for his glorious sake to persecute his gospell.

8 And in so doing they shal fight with the lamb, which is Iesus Christ. They shal impunge his truth whē they think to doe him seruice. For that mischiefe they doe to one of his, they doe to hys owne person.

9 But be they neuer so dogged, yet …hal the Lambe ouercome them in his faithful members, yea, by pacient sufferaunce onelyonly. The victory (saith S. Iohn) which ouercōmeth the worlde, is a sure christian fayth. Upon theyr …ide fighteth he which is most myghtie and strong, yea, the Lord that is valyaunt in battail. And he shall first ouercome them in this lyfe with the mightie breath of his mouth, scattering thē away as dust from the earth. And after this shall hys tirrible iudgement for euer condempne them.

10 For he is by the aucthoritie giuen him of his father, y^e Lord of all Lords, and by his own eternall Godhead the King of all Kings, hauyng all power in heauen and in earth. He is cōstitute Iudge of the quicke and the dead, hauing alone the euerlastyng Em…yre with his father and the holye Ghost, and of his kyngdome shall neuer bée an ende.

11 By his permission doeth all kinges reigne, he hath their hartes in his hand and iudgeth their thoughts. Both may he giuegive them his spirite, and also take it from them, and of his enimyes hée shall make his footestoole. He is y^e same …one after Daniell that without any handes was cutte out of the mounte, which breaketh the Iron, the copper, the earth, the siluer, and the Golde in péeces. By whom are ment y^e vniuersall kingdomes of this world.

12 Of this his victory are all they parteners with him, which are vponupon hys syde by fayth. Most specially those true seruaunts of his, which after they are called by grace and chosen by fayth, perseuer still constant, feruent, faythfull, and sure in hys veritie to y^e latter ende of theyr liues.

13 Not only the Lambe therfore shal …uercome the beast, but they also after the doctrine of Paule that are called and chosen in him not falling from his truth for any temptation or grief, but standing fast by it vntounto the very death. For those that the Lorde hath prefixed afore he hath called, iustified, and allowed. These auanceth not them selues with the proude, but méekly they submit theyr crownes, referring all victory to y^e Lambe, as men y^t could hauehave done nothing in y^• behalf without him.

THE TEXT.

1 And he said vntounto me. 2. The vvaters vvhichwhich thou savvest, vvhere the vvhore sitteth, 3. are people and folke, and nations, and tongues. 4. And the ten hornes, vvhichwhich thou savvest vponupon the beast, 5. are they vvhichwhich shall hate the vvhore, 6. and shall make hir desolate, & naked, 7. and shall eate hyr flesh, 8. and burn hyr vvith fyre. 9. For God hath put in their harts, to fulfill his vvill, 10. and to doe vvith one cō sent, 11. for to giuegive hir kingdome vntounto the beast, 12. vntil the words of God be fulfilled. 13. And the vvomā vvhichwhich thou savvest, is the great citie, 14. vvhichwhich reigneth ouer the king… of the earth.

The Paraphrase.

1 And after thys long communicatiō (sayth Sainct Iohn) the afore sayd Angell sayde thus vntounto me, to make vp his tale with.

2 The wauering waters which thou sawest héere now of late in misterye, where as the Babilonish whore sitteth vponupon y^e rose coloured beast, are in signification all maner of peoples of the carnall nations, and the supersticious folke of many sundry tongues.

3 Not onelyonly in one place of y^e worlde ruleth this wanton religion of Antychrist, but in eueryevery lande, in eueryevery dominion, in eueryevery company, among all occupacions & languages. The foolysh multitude eueryevery where, being blynded by their subtile sorceryes, and neyther hauing fayth nor yet the feare of God before theyr eyes, as a raging flood (the banckes broken downe) runneth headlings into all blasphemy and diuillishnesse.

4 Moreouer the a fore named, ten hornes (sayeth the Angell) which thou by the wil of God beholdest here in spirite, vponupon y^e sayd beast of distructiō, are those very persōs which also shal hate the whore. Hir abhominations once knowne by the Gospel preaching, they shall abhorre hir lawes, dispise hyr authoritie, & cōtempne hir customs. They shal defeat hir of those lands & possessions which now shée vniustly holdeth.

5 They y^t afore were hir friends shal than be hir mortall enymies, denying hir both tribute, obedience, & seruice, so leauing hir without all comfort. Not only are these y^e temporal gouernours, as the King of England, the Kyng of Denmarke, y^e Duke of Saxon, y^e Lādgraue of Hesse, and other Princes of Germany, with such other as wil here after followe the same principles, but also the Metropolitanes and bishops, the Doctors and Prelates. As are already Thomas Cranmere the Archebishop of Caunterbury, Hermanus de Weda the Archbishop of Coleyn, Godrick the Bishop of Hely, Barlow the bishop of Sainct Dauids, Byrde the Bishop of Chester. Thurleby bishop of Westminster, Hugh Latimer & Nicolas Shaxton of late yeares Bishop of Worcester and Salisbury, with such other lyke as will here after followe theyr trade.

Though they were afore the horns of the beast for defence of the whore, yet are they now fallen from him, & more shall eueryevery day to make hir desolate of honour, and naked of rentes and possessyons.

6 So shal they chase that Babilonish harlot Rome with their prechers, y^t neyther shal they leaue hir couler nor yet bewty. Consider what Iohn Reuclin, Martin Luther, Erasmus, Ocolampadious, Zwinglius, Pomeran, Bucer, Capito, Melanthon, Grineus, Caluinous, Brencius, Frances Lamberte, Bullinger and such other hath don against hir alredy. Likewise here in Einglād, Bilnee, Tindale, Frith, Barnes, Cromwel, Couerdale, Turner, Gorge Ioy, Rose, Ridley, Ward, Becon, and other els leauing her neither Reliques nor Robes, sectes nor Shrynes, Abbeyes nor Priores, many more comming after them of the same sort. These shal make her so desolat y^t no man shall in proses of tyme regard hir. They shall leue hir so naked, y^t all the worlde shall abhorre hyr that shal loke vponupon hir. Yea, in the conclusion they shal eat hyr fleshe.

7 Besides y^e taking away of hir carnall prophites and plesuers, they shal confound hir fleshly vnderstanding of the scriptuers, & utterly consume the superfluous obseruacions of hir whorishe cerimonies.

8 Finally with fyre shal they burne hir, in bringing vntounto nought al hir abhomynable rules, customes, and kindes of idolatry. All these once plucked away by the euident worde of God, no lenger shall this harlot appere.

For no lenger continueth the whore, then the whoredom is in price. Take away the rites and cerimonies, the Iewels and ornaments, the Images and lightes, the Lordeshippes and fatherhodes, the aulters and masses, with the Bishops and Priestes, and what is their holye whorishe church any more? Not onelyonly is this flesh eating and bur̄ing declared now a daies in outwarde experimentes, as in the rebellious Monkes and Priestes of Englande, and in thē that arose there in the North, specially in fryer Forest and Margarete Cheny, which were for their church cōsumed, like as were Baales chaplayns at the broke of Cison by Helyas, but also mistically in that is spoken of hir afore.

9 For God hath (saith the Angel) al blindenesse secluded, put it into the hartes of those and such other godlye mē by y^e infusiō of his spirit, to fulfil his decréed wil & pleasure in this behalf, as vtterly to distroy y^e popish religiō or filthy abhominations of Antichrist.

10 He hath giuē it thē moreouer to doe these thīgs to his glory, throgh y^e agréement of faith y^t they hauehave in y^e vnitie of his godly truth, to y^e abolishment of all sects, false prophets, & cōiurers of egipt.

11 Finally by his grace he hath moued them through knowledge of his word to rēder vp hir blasphemous kingdom (whom sometime of ignorance they vsurped) vntounto y^e malignaunt beast again, as y^e horns of his pestilent heads. After this sorte did good Latimer & Shaxton giuegive ouer their bishoppricks, & so hauehave diuers other godly men their promocions & liuings, as many more yet here after will doe.

12 For as they hauehave begonne so shall they cōtinue in diminishyng the abhominations of this whorish church, till the words and promises of God by his Apostles and Prophets, which can neuer fayle, be wholly fulfilled in effecte, and till his last iudgemēt doe finish all. But thus doe not all they which hauehave done of the yoke of the Popes obedyence▪ or blotted out his name. For the greater number of them retaineth still the blasphemous obseruacions & cerimonies of hys Romish relygyon, some making new lawes of deth for y^e establishmēt of y^e same, as is in England y^e acte of the .vj. Articles w^t diuers other more. And for this remayneth here stil y^e beast as receiuing the rendred kingdome of y^e whore. In whom is also comprehended the wicked remnant that shal worke y^e last mischiefe, whom the Lorde shall ende with his saide iudgement. This beast is not without his liuely Image still working y^e same féetes y^t him selfe wrought afore, though his head be greuouslye wounded in diuers quarters of the world. Neyther is he without craftye phisitions, to minister life to the same. Who euer forswore the Pope more ernestly, than did Stokislye and Samson, Gardyner and Tunstall, Wylson and fryer Wattes, with such other holy prelats, yet labour they toth and nayle to hauehave Babilō stil Babilō, Sodome Sodom, and Egipt Egipt. But maruail not of y^e ordinance of the Lord, which all at on time prouyded Moyses to guide his people & yet hardened Pharao against thē which sent his sonne Iesus Christ to saue them, and yet suffered y^e pristes to murther him, considering he is y^e potter which maketh both y^e vessels of honouer and dishonour.

31 Brifly to conclud y^e whole of thys matter (saith y^e angel) y^e gorious aparreled woman, or glittering church of Antichrist, which thou sawest here of late in mistery, is also in recēblance y^e great citty Babilō, the mother of al y^e spiritual abhominacions & Idolatries don vponupon y^e earth. For like as frō Sion hath y^e laue cōmen forth & the word of god from Hieruselē, so hath issw…d forth frō this Babilonish Rome such a false religiō into Emperours, princes, & peoples, as with filthy superstitions hath poysoned all the world.

14 For a kingdō she hath ouer y^e kings or noble gouernours of y^e earth, a false power, a vsurped authority & a seat of very pestelence. Alas for pitty that so worthy potentates shoulde bée in subiection to so stinking an whore, to so vyle an harlot, being so y^e seruaunts of sinne and captiue slaues to all wickednesse, from the whiche the Lorde once deliuer them. Amen.

Thus endeth y^e second part.