A Key of Knowledge to Open Revelation, Dedication 4
TO ALL GENEROVS AND NOBLE SPIRITS, THE VAliant Worthies of our DAVID, euen the ſonnes of valour, Martiall men, and louers of Armes, of what degree and place ſo euer, reſolute for Religion, ready to fight for the honour of Chriſt, the ſafety of our King and Countrey, againſt the Popes vſurped iuriſdiction and Antichriſtian power, renowne for euer.
MAy I be bold (you valiant men of warre, and Souldiers of Chriſt) to ſpeake vntounto you? Then prepare your ſelues againſt the Romiſh Midianits, and ſhoute with courage, ſaying; For the Lord, and for our Gideon, at the day appointed: for the time draweth on, to auenge the bloud of the Saints vponupon Babylon, that where of Rome. Behold the progreſſe, and whereto wee now are come, that you may looke for the ruine of that mother of wheredomes, and abominations of the earth. The Angell ſworeChap. 10. 6. ſolemnely, long ſince, that there ſhould be time no longer; and the kingdoms ſince then, are become the kingdomsChap. 11. 15. of our Lord, and of his Chriſt, ſo as he ſhall reigne from this time forth for euer. The Church ſhall floriſh more and more: but the enemies power ſhall be diminiſhed. Wrath is vponupon them, though they ſee it not. For this is the time of the pouring foorth of the vials, the laſt plagues of God, vpō that Antichriſtiā ſtate; and they areChap. 16. to be poured out, by ſuch inſtrumēts of the true Church, as God ſhall raiſe vp. And though I cannot conceit, that this prophecie pointeth at any one particular kingdome, or perſon, to ſay, this is the man, this is the Countrey, that ſhall ſacke Rome: yet when we ſee what hath already fallen out, according to things foretold, and by whom the Lord hath effected the ſame, wee ought to giuegive glorie to God, and alſo acknowledge thoſe his inſtruments raiſed vp, either in other places, or here among our ſelues, to do his will; and by former acts of God done by any of our Nation, wee may (and not without reaſon) coniecture, what may after be effected by vsus, the prophecie it ſelfe ſpeaking rather for, then any way againſt the ſame.
The deſtruction of the Popedome muſt be by degrees, and the ſame effected by the power of God in vsus of the reformed Churches. For the Angels that muſt plague that earthly ſtate, come out of the Temple, the type of the true Church, as is cleere by the prophecie it ſelfe. Theſe,Chap. 15. 6. and 16. 1. all of them, are commanded to poure out their plagues vponupon the Earth, which is the generall tearme giuen to ſet out that worldly and Antichriſtian ſtate. Which commandement they fulfill, and execute the decree of God vponupon the ſeuerall parts thereof, one after another. As firſt, vponupon the Earth of that Earthly ſtate. And in this worke, the Lord employed, as in Bohemia, and elſewhere, others; ſo ſpecially in this our Realme, that valiant Iehu, the renowned King, Henry the eight, who tooke away the lands and poſſeſsions here, from the Antichriſtian Locuſts, diſſoluing Abbeyes, and Moneſtaries, ſending that helliſh rabble packing home againe to their grandſire the Pope, that king of the Locuſts. Then in the next place, wrath is poured out vponupon the Sea of that Earthly ſtate, which is the Eccleſiaſticall part thereof, touching the idolatrous ſeruice, and worſhip of that man of ſinne. And in this thing, the Lord vſed (I exempt not here Gods worke by men in other places) that our bleſſed Ioſias, the noble Prince, Edward the ſixth, renouncing that falſe ſeruice and idolatrous worſhip, establiſhing Gods true worſhip among vsus. In the third place, is the viall of wrath poured vponupon the Riuers and fountaines of that Earthly ſtate, that is, both vponupon the heretical, and traiterous doctrines of that Sea of Rome, full of poyſon, and plots of villanies; and alſo vponupon the Teachers thereof, which come like riuers and fountains from thence, and returne backe to the ſame againe: all tending, to ſeduce people from the truth, to withdraw ſubiects from their allegiance, that the Romiſh ſtate, whoriſh religion, and Sea of Rome might ſtill be maintained. In this the Lord our God ſet on worke, that moſt high and mightie Princeſſe ELISABETH, Semper eandem, a Queene of euerlasting memory, (their name rot, that doe her not honour) a zealous profeſſor, a true defender of the faith, a ſuccour to all her friends and fauourers of religion, a hater of Poperie and Romiſh popelings, enemies of the truth, a myrrour to the world, and a terror to all that bare ill will to Sion, and againſt whom ſhe had to doe; bleſſed be her name for euer. Her Maiesties royall authoritie made theſe Riuers and fountaines, bloud; by cauſing it (and that moſt iustly) to be death for any Ieſuits or Prieſts, to come with their hereſies, and treaſonable purpoſes, into her dominions; and for any of her ſubiects ſo to receiue them, duly executing the lawes vponupon them: who ſo therefore had (as they worthily deſerued, and according to the words of this prophecie)Chap. 16. 5. 6. bloud giuen them to drinke, for ſhedding the bloud of the Saints & Prophets of God. In the fourth place, the wrath of God is poured vponupon the Sunne of that Earthly ſtate; that is, vponupon that, which, as the ſunne in the firmament, is in that ſtate moſt glorious, giuing that luſtre and ſhine vntounto it, as the Sunne vntounto the Earth. And this is the Popes ſupremacie, vponupon which wrath is come, and the viall of contempt is begun to be poured vponupon the ſame. And in this hath our gracious God ſet on worke, the moſt high and mightie Monarch of great Brittaine, our now dread Soueraigne, our wiſe Salomon; whoſe moſt learned penne, in his Maieſties owne Preamble to his reprinted Apologie, hath made knowne to the Christian world (for which I ſay, and all Gods people; O King, liue for euer), that the ſupremacie of the Pope, is a proud vſurpation; that hee hath been (and of due, ſtill ought to be) ſubiect to Emperours and Kings, who are to challenge their right of him, and to take it out of the hands of that Antichriſtian Tyrant, that blaſphemous vſurper of Gods place; who will be as God in the temple of God, yea the moſt great See Morneus his preface to the myſterie of iniquitie.and excellent God on earth, as the ſtile muſt runne of Paul the 3. Horrible blaſphemy! Marueile it was, that the thunder bolt of vengeance ſmote him not dead from heauen. But great is the Lords patience: therefore will theſe monſters of men ſtill exalt themſelues, and Paulus Quintus will euen now be Vice-God; and boaſt of hisLib. Benedicti de Benedictis Bouoniae excuſſ. Anno 1608. power, being called the inuincible Monarch of the Chriſtian Common-wealth, and the moſt valiant Protector of the Pontifical power. But oh! how ſuddenly ſhould he periſh, and come to a fearefull end; if the Lord would make a combination of the hearts of Chriſtian Kings againſt him, and his inuincible Monarchicall power in his pontificality? He would then, like Zidkijah, that falſe Prophet, runne from chamber to chamber, ſeeking where to hide himſelfe. But let him boast, and preſume of his preuailing, till the time come, that the Beaſt be pulled out of his throne, and his kingdome become full of darkneſſe; which indeede is now the next thing, after the viall poured vponupon the Sunne, that muſt come to paſſe. For the fifth viall muſt be poured vponupon the Seate of the Beaſt, which is Rome it ſelfe, for thereChap. 16. 10. the Beaſts ſeate is; as it was before, the ſeate of the Dragon,Chap. 13. 2. which he gaue vntounto the Beaſt.
They are vnderunder, we ſee, now, the fourth viall. The fift therefore is the next, euen Romes ruine. Looke for it, in the due time, (O you valiant hearts). And when the houre commeth, feare not: but, I ſay, as did Ioab to Dauids armie, going to battell againſt the enemies of God, and their King, Be of good courage, and play 2. Sam. 10. 12.the men; let your ſwords then doe ſeruice for God, and his Church: and take heed (you hoſte of God) of that ſaying, which Ieremy pronounceth in the like caſe; Curſed be he, that doth the worke of the Lord negligently, or deceitfully: and curſed be hee that keepeth backe his ſword from bloud. Theſe be the Amalekites, which God hath determined vtterly to roote out. Fight ye therefore valiantly, and with ſtout courages. The cauſe is Gods. Hee will be with you, and vndoubtedly fight for you. Reward her (ſaith the Lord) as ſhe hath rewarded you, and double vntounto her Chap. 18. 6.double, according to her workes: and, in the cup ſhe hath filled, fill to her double; onelyonly, in the Zeale of God, for the cauſe of religion, and hate of Antichriſtianiſme. Let not (you Sonnes of valour) iuſt pietie loſe her perfect worke, for fleſhly and fooliſh pitie. For thus to repay her, is the Lords owne commandement, which may not be tranſgreſſed.
But it may be, you will ſay to me, that you perhaps ſhall not be employed herein. Well, for this, know for your comfort (you that deſire this honor), that this most noble Iland ſhall not hauehave the leaſt hand in this glorious enterpriſe, when the time appointed ſhall come. For what kingdome in all Chriſtendome, hath God made ſo renowned in the cauſe of religion, as this? Was it not our Conſtantine, that made a world of Chriſtians? Our Lucius, that was the firſt Chriſtian Monarch? Who was ſo valiant and powerfull a Champion for Chriſt, in the time of darkneſſe, before him, as our Iohn Wickliffe? You hauehave heard, how the Lord hath ſet on worke, our valiant Henry; our noble Edward; our famous Elizabeth; and now, our moſt learned and renowned King. What Nation gaue euer the Pope, and Spaniſh power, ſuch an ouerthrow, as this did, in the yeere 88? Hath not the Lord hitherto, euer made vsus one, for his name, Church, and people, againſt that Antichriſt? and can you thinke, he will paſſe vsus ouer in the laſt act of the tragicall end of Rome? Are not we one of the ten hornes,Chap. 17. 11. 12. that gaue our kingdome once to the Beaſt? For who went at the Popes commaund, to the holy Land, ſooner then we? Who defended the Pope, more then we? What kingdome, according to the power thereof, enriched the Popes coffers, ſo much as we? What King yeelded vp his Crowne to the Popes Legate, but ours? Thus were wee for him, and ſo ſhall wee be againſt him. And, as theChap. 17. 2. Where made our Kings to louelove her, and to commit fornication with her: ſo hauehave they begun to hate her, andChap. 17. 16. ſtill ſhall, and be with thoſe, as chiefe, that ſhall make her deſolate, and naked, and eate her fleſh, and burne her with fire. Conſider this, you that be wiſe hearted, why aboue all other Nations, they hauehave ſought to inuade vsus: and why they aſſay by vnheard of, and vnmatchable villanies, to roote vsus out from vnderunder heauen, if it were poſsible. Why the Popes Bulls ſo terribly rore againſt vsus. Why thoſe ſpirits of Diuels buſie themſelues ſo much about vsus. Can any other reaſon be giuen, thē this, that the Diuell their Lord, and our deadly foe, ſuggeſteth into them, that wee are, and ſhall be, one of the greateſt meanes, vnderunder God Almightie, to bring an vtter ouerthrow and deſolation to that Antichriſtian ſtate? And doe wee not all know, that there is a miraculous protection of the higheſt, in ſoueraigne authoritie? Who durſt once touch King Henry the 8, who ſhaked that Romane ſtate, and made it to totter? What fiend durſt be-bloudie his murthering hands in Prince Edward, though hee young, did tread popiſh religion vnderunder foote? But wonderfull was the preſeruing hand of God vponupon the late Queene; and no leſſe ouer our now dread Soueraigne, when other hauehave elſewhere been cut off. And ſurely ſo long as we ſoundly maintaine, and vphold the faith, and truth of the Goſpell, not fearing what the man of ſinne can doe againſt vsus, in ſpite of hell and Rome, of the Pope and all his power, we ſhall ſtand ſafe and ſure, vnderunder the Almighties powerfull protection; till gloriouſly, in that day of Romes vtter ruine, we triumph ouer them. Euen ſo, Amen. And till then, for all you, that be readie to draw your ſwords in this quarrell of Christ, for Christ, our King and Countrey, I heartily wiſh, fauour with God, honour with our King, a faithfull and holy reſolution in your ſelues, victorie ouer the enemies, praiſe of the Saints, and after this life, the reward of eternall glorie in heauen, for euer and for euer.
A true honourer of you, in your iuſt attempts, for euer RIC. BERNARD. Batcombe in Somerſetſhire: March, 14.