A Revelation of the Apocalypse — Thomas Brightman

A Revelation of the Apocalypse · Thomas Brightman

Scholions.

1 Then came one of the ſeven Angels: We ſayd in the Analyſis that this cō tinuall declaration which is contained in the chapters following, even unto the concluſion of the whole booke, belongeth onelyonly to the three laſt vials. Which how true it is, the thing it ſelfe will shew. In the meane time it may be demaunded, why the explication of the former is omitted?

The reaſon wherof ſeemeth to be this, becauſe thoſe former partly were before paſt, partly preſent, at what time the vial was powred out upon the throne: and therfore had no neede of a larger expoſition then eyther the late memory or preſent uſe and condition of things ſhould give: but the other to come did need a more ample declaration, and for the ſame cauſe all the labour remayning is converted to that point. Therfore as touching the Angel, one of the ſeven, this is the fift, who ſhall bring calamity to the throne, chap. 18.10. Of which calamity nevertheleſſe there be certaine degrees, ſo as by the labour of ſome, certaine eaſie ſprinklings are made, before that the whole vial is powred forth. Who yet all are reckened in the common name of the fift Angel. VVhichWhich thing appeareth from that chapter, which is wholly ſpent in declaring the damnation of the whore; although her laſt deſtruction is reſerved unto the next. Theſe things ſet downe in this wiſe, let us conſider the matter it ſelfe. Firſt the Angel prepareth himſelfe a way to that which he intendeth, both by inviting Iohn to learne, and alſo by carying him to that place, where he might moſt conveniently beholde the whole matter. He inviteth him partly by compelling, foreign, ſaith he, that is, hither, for foreign come hither, a defective kind of ſpeech among the Greeks: as if Iohn deſired to underſtand the matter, but went not the right way to finde it out. For ſo we are wont to call backe them that are deſirous, and that goe out of their way, to shew them the path, or whether they themſelves deſire to goe, but in vaine: partly by increaſing in him a deſire, the greatneſſe of the thing being rehearſed, ſaying I will ſhew thee the damnation of the great whore. VVhichWhich damnation notwithſtanding is not a preſent deſtruction, but to come by and by after. And foreign properly ſignifyeth iudgement, which ſolemnly being pronounced in this chapter, should a little after be executed: but the damnation of what whore I pray? We have had no where before expreſſe mention of her: ſhee muſt notwithſtanding be known, whoſe iudgement he calleth for to ſee, as being a thing greatly deſired. Certenly shee is that Jezabell, of whom wee heard in the Church of Thyatira, that noble harlot lying ſicke now a long time in her bed, now at the laſt to be punished with death, and to be thrown out of the window, leaſt shee die of a diſeaſe, rather then by punishement, chap. 2.20. Shee is that great Babylon after in verſe 5. of this chapter, whom wee have heard nobilitated the mother of fornications & abhominations of the earth, chap. 14.8. Therfore shee is not any new or late whore, but the olde ſtrumpet, now almoſt ſtale, in a moſt apt abridgment containing whatſoever Sodom and Egipt did note out; without controverſie the ring leader to both ſorts of fornication, both ſpiritual and corporal, chap. 11.8. A breif deſcription of whom the Angel delivereth here to be taſted before, and the manner of the place where shee ſitteth, and of her fornicatours with whom shee had to doo. Her ſeate is upon many waters, that is, upon people, multitudes, nations, and tongues, as after in ver. 15. VVherfore shee is no common harlot that wilbe hired for a farthing, but a Princely whore, worthily called Iezabell & that great one, being of ſo large and ſpatious a juriſdiction. The fornicatours are the Kings of the earth, who conſented to the ſame Idolatry with her. A moſt uſual metaphore in the Scriptures, becauſe ſpiritual adultery is of equal, yea of greater, both filthineſſe and wickednes in departing from the true God. Neither onelyonly did shee commit fornication with the Kings, but alſo with the other inhabitans of the earth, Peeres of the Realme, Earles, Margueſſes, Governours of Cities, (for her luſt refuſed none;) whom shee made drunken with the wine of her fornication, ſo throughly making them fooliſh with the delights of her ſuperſtitions, that being utterly bereft of al ſenſe of true godlineſſe, they ſuffered a certaine unſenſibleneſſe of drunken men. Theſe few things may be ſufficient to manifeſt this whore, and which is the throne of the Beaſt. For is not Rome that great Beaſt? Have we not convinced her before to be Iezabell? Doth ſhee not ſet upon many waters? Hath ſhee not entiſed unto Idolatry by her craft, the Kings & inhabitans of the earth? Such are not in doubt, that iudge the thing i… ſelfe by the trueth, and not by affection. Yet notwithſtanding that there may be left to the adverſaries no place of halting, the Angel reſteth not contented with theſe common markes; but having made him ſelfe this entrance, promiſeth yet more evident ones. As touching the words to be drunken with wine, is an Hebraiſme, as heare this, thou miſerable and drunken, but not with wine, Iſaiah chap. 51.21. Although he ſpeaketh the ſame in an other place without a prepoſition, as they are drunken, but not by wine, chap. 29. After which manner the Grecians ſpeake foreign or foreign.

2 And he caryed mee away into the wildernes: Such was the inviting. Now Iohn is tranſported into that place, wher he may beholde the thing moſt playnely. He is caried into a deſert and wilderneſſe: but thou wilt ſay, what neede was there of a place not inhabited, being already in Pathmos, and in banishment? Iohn here repreſenteth the perſon of the faithfull, the carying of whom into a ſolitary place, ſignifyeth the event: in which reſpect alſo he ſtood before on the ſea ſand, chap. 12.18. VVherby is taught, that the manifeſtation of this throne is to be fetched and received of the faithfull, from ſome men ſet in an obſcure place, as it were in a deſert and wildernes, from whence no ſuch thing was expected. For as once the firſt light of Chriſt aroſe among the people dwelling in darkeneſſe, and ſitting in the regiō and ſhadow of death, Mat. 4 15.16. So the counterfait Vicar, as touching his ſeate, in ſome part should reſēble our Lord herein. Not but that he ſhould be known before to the world in part, but becauſe the wilderneſſe should give yet a clearer light, ſo as he ſcarce should abide to looke upon the faces and countenances of men. We know that the Whore ſome fewe yeeres ſince hath layed ſhame aſide, but there shall come out of the deſert a newe diſhonour, wherby shee shall be conſtrayned to hide her face, unleſſe peradventure shee hath learned to blush. Therfore my brethren ſet upon the whore with a new aſſault: neither let any be diſcouraged becauſe his name is of no eſtimation: God will have ſome light to come out of darkeneſſe.

Neither let any hereafter marvaile, why Antichriſt or the Whore cannot be ſeen at Rome. There was need of a wilderneſſe for this thing. The famouſneſſe of the place and great reſort of people, take away the beholding of the Papiſts. If they deſire to perceive the thing cleerly, let them goe thither, where onelyonly leave is given to ſee.

¶ And J ſaw a woman ſit upon a skarlet coloured Beaſt: Thus farre the preparation, now he entreth into the deſcription, propounding a common type, a woman ſitting upon a Beaſt; which both joyned togither, doo give a certaine and undoubted knowledge of the Throne, which is the onelyonly drift of this chapter. Although according to the proportion of the clearer knowledge of this, neceſſarily alſo will follow a more ample knowledge of the Beaſt, when his denne hath bene examined and viewed narrowly. For the womā and the Beaſt sheweth to us the place; more over the time will declare whē that place is to be counted the Throne. Which two things are neceſſarily required to this matter. And the Spirit proſecute both moſt playnly (as by his helpe wee will open the things,) as it were of ſet purpoſe, meeting with the fraude of the Ieſuits; whom by his moſt wiſe providence he fore ſaw, that being convinced touching the place, they would wrangle about the time. But by this ſo exact deſcription, he taketh away all halting frō them. Therfore as touching the Whore, her ſo expreſſe nothing out by Babylon, ſeven hills, ſeven Kings, flouriſhing power, and at length deſtruction, the reſt of the world being ſafe; finally by the name of the city, uſed in ſtead of an interpretation, doo moſt ſtrongly prove that the univerſall City of the Divill is not meant, but ſome ſpecial city, and namely Rome: and ſo much the more becauſe this whore is the Throne of the Beaſt. And we know that the Throne of the Divill was attributed to a certain City, to weet, Pergamus, before in the ſecond chapter and thirteenth verſe. Therfore worthily Bellarmine, that opinion being rejected, ſayth, It is better in his iudgement, that Rome be underſtood by the whore; as Tertullian expoundeth in his booke againſt the Iewes, and in his third booke againſt Marcion. And Hierome in his 17. Epiſtle to Marcella, and Quaeſt. 11. to Algaſia. Bellarmine touching the Romane Pope, in his third booke, and in the thirteenth chapter. Here then wee have our adverſary confeſsing. What therfore letteth that they should not agree with us about the Antichriſt? They have invented a double crafty ſhift for themſelves, one of the place, an other of the time, of the place, that albeit Rome be the Whore, yet is it not the ſeate of Antichriſt, but Hieruſalem. Of the time, that Rome was the VVhore, when the Heathen Emperours ruled, but now shee is not, ſince she became Chriſtian, and therfore that shee is not the ſeate of Antichriſt, ſeeing he shall not come but a little before the laſt iudgement. But the Papiſts are holden with their owne ſnares; for granting Rome to be the whore, they muſt alſo needs grant the reſt. Firſt of all, that not Hieruſalem, but shee is the ſeate of Antichriſt. For is not this Beaſt the very Antichriſt? This alſo Bellarmine yeeldeth, and though he had not yeelded it, the truth wil force him to cōfeſſe it, as we shal ſee. But he affirmeth that Antichriſt ſhal hate Rome, from v. 16. after, wel acknowledging that the Beaſt is Antichriſt: but how truly he ſpoke of hatred, wee shal examine at that place. From his cō feſsiō we have, that both the whore is Rome, & the Beaſt Antichriſt. Frō which it is of neceſsity, that Antichriſt shal have his denne at Rome, ſeeing he is the very Beaſt, on which the whore is caried. Doth not the Spirit shew a very great coniunction & nigh familiarity of both, of the whore in ſetting upō, & of the Beaſt in bearing? Ther is none but he wil ſay that a man is neerly joyned to the horſe on whō he ſitteth. Certēly if Antichriſt was to raigne at Hieruſalē, Rome being ſet ſo farr frō her ſaddle, should walke on foot humble & baſe, who had ſo little aide frō the Emperours, after they removed to Byzantiū wher they were not farr. Secodly as touching the time, how abſurd is this diſtinction that the whore should be Heatheniſh Rome the firſt 300 yeeres after Chriſt; but that Antich. the Beaſt should not come ū til about 3. yeeres & an halfe before the laſt day. Shal shee ſit on the Beaſt not yet borne, yea not conceived a very long time after. For shal the Beaſt whē he cometh beare the whore, being dead ſo many ages before? For the whore shal ceaſe to be 1300. yeeres, & how much more we know not, before Antich. shal come. Theſe ar dreames & wholly mōſters of bearing & ſitting upō. The Spirit hath takē frō you al ſuch ſubterfuge, coupling theſe 2. things by ſo ūſeparable a band, wherby he forbiddeth both to ſeeke Antichr. els wher then at Rome, & alſo to think her to be this whore at any other time, then when Antichriſt should have his ſeate there. Needs ar theſe two things to be ioyned togither, both in place & time.

But when shall this time beginne? for this yet hath ſome doubt. Surely when wee shall ſee the whore to have ben caried on this Beaſt; & by his helpe, and authority placed in dignity, and lifted up on high VVhichWhich though I holde my peace, Leo will confeſſe to have ben done in the 1. ſermon of the Nativity of the Apoſtles, when the preheminence came to the Popes, and Rome began to excell through the opinion of her religion. Rome, ſayth he, being made the head of the world, by the ſacred Chaire of S. Peter, hath more ample authority through divine religion, then earthly dominion. For although being inlarged by many victories, thou haſt extended the fraunches of thyne Empire by lād and by ſea, yet notwithſtanding it is leſſe, that which warrelike labour hath put under thee, then that which Chriſtian peace hath ſubdued. Likewiſe Proſper in his booke de ingratis:

Rome is of Peter the Seat which in honour Paſtoral

Is made of the world head, what by the right Martial

Shee doth not poſſeſſe, yet ſhee, by religion hold free.

Therfore this one common type miniſtreth a neceſſary argument, both of the ſeat and Kingdome of Antichriſt: which alone might be ſufficient to take away all controverſie; were it not that men loved themſelves more then the truth, and would not ceſſe to barke againſt it, till that their mouthes be altogither ſtopped. VVherfore the Spirit ſtayeth not here, but goeth on yet to clearer things, that for whom the morning light is not ſufficient, they may have the Noone Sunne an helper, if peradventure they wil then ſee. The ſitting being in ſuch wiſe declared peculiarly, afterward he deſcendeth to both, and firſt to the Beaſt, which is deſcribed by the colour, names of blaſphemy, heads, and hornes. The colour is of skarlet, made readde by the little worme Coccus. VVherfore this Beaſt is honourable, shining with the ſame colour with Kings: and no leſſe wicked and bloody. For this ſame colour is attibuted to moſt grievous ſines: Yf your ſinns were as skarlet, ſayth Iſaiah chap. 1.18. Not onelyonly becauſe it is a deep colour which cannot be washed of: but cheifly for the cruelty of ſhedding blood; which wickednes among the reſt ſeemeth moſt horrible. VVo ſeeth not that this Beaſt is at Rome, where the Pope ſitteth, whoſe feete Kings doe kiſſe; and who doth moſt cruelly murder Chriſtians, not acknowledging his divine power both in the city and alſo through all the Dominion? But that colour hath not pleaſed chiefly the Romish Court at all adventures; which hath come to paſſe by the providence of God, that the Fathers might ſet before the world a viſible shew of this skarlet coloured Beaſt. Touching which thing ſee a moſt fine Epigrame of Theod. Beza. Secondly, this Beaſt is full of names of Blaſphemy. How fruitful an increaſe of a naughty thing? Long agoe the heads did beare the names of blaſphemy, chap. 13.1. now the whole body is full of the ſame. And firſt of all the Primacy was chiefely a blaſphemy; and therfore it was well carried on the head, but the time added dayly others, the heape whereof grew every day, until at length they came to the Councill of Trent, and Maſters of controverſies, by whoſe paines now the whole Beaſt is ſo covered with moſt wicked errours (the whol ſea of doctrine being turned into deadly blood, as hath ben ſayd in chap. 16.3.) that thou canſt ſee noe place free from ſome newe blaſphemy. Let an indifferent iudge conſider ſo many horrible errours as in three great volumes Bellarmine deffendeth by the Popes approbation, and let him ſpeak ſincerely, whether every haire almoſt of this Beaſt is not ſpotted with ſom notable blaſphemy. Thirdly he hath ſeven heads and tenne hornes: of which, what is the meaning, the interpretation wil declare, which the Angel will make by and by. In the meane time let it be agreed of, that this Beaſt is the ſame, which wee ſaw in the thirteenth chapter, and to be the former of the two. For of the ſecond are rehearſed onelyonly two hornes, there in the 11. verſe: he maketh mention but of one in this place, becauſe both make but one Antichriſt, as in the chapter even now ſpoken of we have shewed: and of the former onelyonly, becauſe it is his intent to ſet before our eyes whole Antichriſt from his firſt original, of whom the ſecond Beaſt repreſenteth onelyonly the half figure; but now becauſe in the laſt times, in which the Beaſt ſhould be fully diſcovered, Rome the whore should depend more upon the civill authority of the Pope, of which that firſt is the type, then upon the ſpiritual; we ſee at this day, that the patrimony of Peter avayleth more, then the doctrine, which they faine to be Paules; that neither Spaine, nor France, nor others very many have any regard to Rome, but in ſo much as her authority ſerveth for their profit. There is no man but knoweth that Italy deſpiſeth her now a long time at home, howſoever shee hath ben content to ſuffer her to be worshipped of ſtrangers like a God. For theſe cauſes therfore the former Beaſt onelyonly is ſet forth. Frances de Ribera the Ieſuite avoucheth that this Beaſt is not that of the 13. chapter, but a new & new firſt ſeen. Why ſo I pray? becauſe no article, ſaith he, is prefixed before Woman, or Beaſt, as it is wont to be done in things known. Certenly if he should conclude from the new forme, wherein they now firſt appeare, it might have ſome weight which he ſayth; but ſeeing he gathereth that therfore neither of them was ſimply and abſolutely before, becauſe they were not ſeen before in this forme, to which onelyonly thing, the defect of the article hath reſpect; he dealeth either fooliſhly, or fraudulently, after the māner of the Ieſuits. So J ſaw, ſaith Iohn, ond behold a Lambe ſtood upon mount Sion, chap. 14.1. where alſo the article is wanting. Is this therfore a new Lambe? If any should ſay that there was new forme of him ſtanding upon mount Sion, and accompanied with and hundred fourty and foure thouſand, he should ſay nothing contrary to the truth: but it is the ſame Lambe in very truth, of which mē tion was made before, chap. 5. After the ſame manner a new shew is here brought in, not a new perſon, as is manifeſt in the woman; which being called in the firſt verſe a whore, had the emphaſis of the articles, which did manifeſt the olde whore. So now the ſame comming forth in a new decking, wanteth the ſame articles. The woman then and the whore are al one; and this Beaſt is the ſame with that in the thirteenth chapter, having the ſame ſeate, blaſphemy, heads, hornes, worſhip among men, the cauſe of the like eternal deſtruction, and partaker of all his properties: unleſſe that ſome of them should now be more increaſed in proceſſe of time, and all things under this fift vial more evident, then they were when they began. For now he appeareth full of that blaſphemy, which before poſſeſſed the heads onelyonly. And was that former Beaſt Antichriſt; and shal not this be hee, which is more blaſphemous? The wonderers alſo at whom, are no leſſe reprobates, then they that wondered at that? VVhat shal the Ieſuite then gaine, if that former being ſent away to Hieruſalem, he hath left this more pernitious Beaſt at Rome?

5 And the woman was arayed with purple and skarlet: Such is the Beaſt: now of what quality the woman is, whom we shal ſee adorned moſt ſumptuouſly: of which thing Tertullian ſpake wittily: Who hath deſerved the name of an harlot at the Lords hande; ſhee is made equal to her name in her attire. Shee ſitteth verily in purple, with skarlet, and gold, and pretious ſtone, which are curſed, without which a curſed woman and harlot could not be deſcribed. Theſe things ſpake he, but peradventure ſomewhat too ſeverely, in his booke concerning womās apparell.

The attire is altogither Princely, and belonging to triumphes, ſuch as Belſhazzar promiſeth to them that should read the writting, ſaying, He ſhalbe clothed with Purple, with a Chaine of Golde about his necke, and ſhalbe the third Ruler in the Kingdome, Daniell chapter fift verſe ſeventh. Attire ſurely fit for her, which raigneth over the Kings of the earth, as after in the 18. ver. But purple was ſufficient for dignity: To what ende is there alſo skarlet? That it might note out great cruelty ioined togither with it. Shee is of the ſame diſpoſition with the Beaſt redde with the murthers of the faithfull, in the twelve Chapter and third verſe. There are many Cities made famous for their notable cruelty: but togither therewith the dwelling place of Antichriſt ought to flourish in exceeding great Maieſtie, which might be diſcerned from all the reſt. Both which victories even the Ieſuites themſelves cannot deny to be due to Rome.

But there is added alſo Gold, Pretious ſtones and Perles; which beſide the Maieſtie, note alſo moſt exceſsive riot: which is an other token of this woman. And who can recken the infinite coſtes of this City, beſtowed on Tē ples, Theatres, Galleries, hote Bathes, Palaces, Obeliskes, Pillars, Arches belonging to triumphes, Private houſes, and other ornaments? Into this one City, hath bin laid up in ſtore the glory of the whole world, taken from very many other: to let paſſe auncient things, what an huge ſumme of mony beſtowed of late Pope Sixtus the fift, in the yeer one thouſand five hundreth foure ſcore and eight, upon a conduit which he built on the mount Quirinal? It is recorded that two hundred and threeſcore thouſand crounes were ſpent upon this thing. Neither did any neceſsity wring from him this charges, but that the Pope might ſommer the more pleaſantly in that mountaine. The Vaticane Library renewed of the ſame Pope, ſcarſe peradventure ſtood him of leſſe. Yet notwithſtanding the ſame man brought fifty hundred thouſand peeces of Gold into a new treaſury, which he erected in the Caſtle of Sainct Angel, that thou mayeſt underſtand that the Popes are not yet brought to beggerie. But this Gold & pretious ſtones doo not onelyonly ſeeme riots; (for Rome hath bene farre more riotous, and wealty in former times, then at this day: but to what ende should he caſt in her teeth now her immoderate decking, of which he ſpake nothing when it exceeded by many degrees?) but alſo to be tokens, to whoſe riches ſhee should leane in theſe laſt times: for wee shall ſee after in the eighteen chapter and two and twentith verſe, that this Purple, Skarlet, Gold, Pretious ſtones, & Pearles, conſiſt in thoſe wares, wherby Spaine is ſignified.

Therefore let this braverie be to this end, to shew that Rome shal moſt of all glory in the aide of the Spaniards, at what time the vial ſhalbe powred out on the Throne of the Beaſt. Otherwiſe the Spirit would have mē tionned the former ages, when her cloathing was more ſumptuous and exquiſite.

And whither is not SPAINE at this day, and hath not bene alſo ſince CHARLES the fift, the cheife upholder of Rome, leaning as readie to fall?

If any peradventure knoweth not theſe things, let him know at length the things to be ſo by the teſtimony of the Pope Clement the eight, governing at this day the Romish Church, who of late in the yeere one thouſand five hundred and nintie ſixe, being about the creating of ſome newe CARDINALS, proteſted openly before, that although he did this creation of his owne proper motion, yet that he had not ben able to deny this duty to the King of Spaine, but that he ſhould create ſome Spanirads, becauſe he is the ſtay of Catholike religion: to whom in this decrepite age that was not to be denyed, but rather we ought to gratify and content him in this thing, as Ianſonius doth relate en his Italiques. This therfore is the reaſon of the adorning proper to this time, whereat Iohn wondreth, as if it were new, as after in ver. 6.

¶ Shee had a golden cup in her hand:, Now the fowleneſſe of her diſhoneſty is revealed, which is twofold, one which shee uſeth towards men known & more famous, whom shee ſpeaketh to as it were by name, and reacheth thē the cup of her fornication: the other regardeth thoſe that are unknowne, whom shee allureth by the name written in her forehead in the verſe following. For shee deſireth that no man should avoide her ſnares. Shee commeth forth with a cup, as a fit inſtrument of her luſt, as once at Rome everie one carryed a token of that trade which he practiſed. For the Spirit hath made mention before of the wine of her fornication: and drunkeneſſe & gluttony are moſt apt ſtirrers up of luſt. From whence the whore in Salomon extolleth her prepared dainties, Proverb. 7.14. Shee hath therfore this cup in her hand, reached out to moſt famous Kings and Princes, to whom ſhee ſendeth Ambaſſadours, Cardinals, Ieſuits, and other uncleane Spirits of that ſorte, who may draw them in and retaine them in the fellowſhip of the Romiſh Idolatry. In which thing the moſt vehement deſire of Rome is known, which ſpareth no, either labour or coaſt, ſo that shee may by flattery allure them to this wicked ſociety with her. Which that ſhee may be able to doo the more eaſily, the cup is golden, very pretious without, and in the eſtimation of men; the Romiſh impietie being ſet forth with all pōpe of wordes, by conſent, multitude, antiquity, perpetual ſucceſsion, the very Chaire of Peter, and ſuch faire painting, wherby it may ſeeme more pretious then any gold to the unskilfull. But within, this cup is full of abominations, and filthines of fornications, that is, if the doctrine be tryed and examined, and cut to the quicke, nothing is ſo filthy, but the fowleneſſe of this will ſurmount it. For to expreſſe this horrible filthines, the Spirit hath choſen that kinde of diſhoneſty, which blushing ſuffereth not ſpeake. In one word this whore is of this kinde of Heretiques called Borboritae, of whom ſee Epiphanius in Panario, and Oecumenius on Inda.

5 And in her forehead a name written: An other kinde of filthines, wherby shee carrieth written in her forehead moſt impudently, that shee is a common harlot. Shee would not have any man to paſſe by unknown and uncalled, but from the inſcription to know where he may turne into a whore. It can ſcarce be ſpoken of how monſtrous luſt thoſe little ſacring belles, and ſance belles of the ſtewes were inſtruments, which this ſame whore Rome uſed long ſince; as Socrates declareth in book 5. chap. 18. But this name written paſſeth that impudency. For they were ſilent ſome time, and ſufferred the ſenſe to reſt from the foule provoquer: this inſcription giveth no reſt to the eyes, alwayes running upon them and provoking unto diſhoneſty. Therfore apparell is not inough for her to declare her profeſsion, ū leſſe alſo this ſigne on the forehead be joyned with it, which Ivie buſh ſhould make her wine vendible. O impudency! The whores before time were covered with a vaile; thou in thy forehead diſcovereth, & a tittle written upon it manifeſteth thy diſhoneſty. But what is this name? Not this word Myſterie, as it ſeemeth, which Aretas joyneth with the word written, without any diſtinction of a comma in this manner: And upon her forhead a name written a Myſterie: great Babylon &c. As if the word a Myſterie were the abſtract, inſtead of the concrete foreign Myſticall, as though he should ſay, and upon her forehead a myſticall name written, Babylō &c. Surely this ſyntaxe requireth that a noune ioyned with a noune without an article, should paſſe into the place of the predicate, as they ſpeake. As, and in the forehead a name written, which is a myſtery. From which it is manifeſt that the word Myſterie is not to be written with a great letter in the beginning, as if it were a part of the name, and the marke of the forehead, but to be read togither with thoſe thinges, which goe before. But the meaning is all one, teaching that a certaine myſterie lyeth hid in this name, which is otherwiſe to be expounded, then it sheweth outwardly. Wherfore the name written on the forehead is the whole period of theſe words: Babylon that great, that mother of fornications and abominations of the earth. But thou wilt ſay, that no City doth vaunt ſo to be in expreſſe words. Neither doth the Spirit ſay ſo, but declareth that this is her true name, which Iohn ſaw written on her forehead, in ſo many letters and ſyllables, howſoever the true Babylō should have a name writtē on it, which should ſignify this ſame thing in other words by a myſtery, to wit, the Empreſſe Rome, the Pillar of trueth, a looking glaſſe and paterne of all Churches, from whoſe ſtatutes, whatſoever ſhee ordaineth, wee muſt by no meanes departe: Diſtinct. 19. Enimvero. This is that name painted with great letters on the whores forhead: whoſe meaning if thou shalt ſearch diligently, thou shalt ſee that by a myſtery it cometh to the ſame end, to which that did which Iohn ſaw. For whatſoever auncient corruption either hath ben long agoe, or is yet left in theſe our Weſterne and Northerne Churches, all that floweth from Rome: in which reſpect shee vaunteth that shee is the Mother of the Churches or rather the ſtepmother, which hath mixed deadly hemlocke to her daughters. Such then is this name, which yet notwithſtanding remaineth myſtical in this laſt period, as the Spirit sheweth manifeſtly, prefixing before it the word Myſtery. And therfore neither ſhall it now be manifeſt to all men, as wee may ſee in the Papiſts who doo worship this name as Holines to the Lord. The Ieſuits confeſſe by conſtraint, that this Babylon is their Rome, as a little before we have ſeen: yet what windings and turnings in & out doo they ſeeke, wherby the Popiſh turpitude and impiety may vanish away? Bellarmine will have the Heathen Rome to be meant, ſuch as it was once under the Emperours that were enemies to the name of Chriſt. Frā ces de Ribera would rather that a future time ſhould be regarded, when by Antichriſt, as he dreameth, the Pope ſhould be driven from Rome. So are they blinded in this name, which ſoundeth any thing to them, rether then that which the thing is. But we have shewed ſufficiently, that theſe inventions are no leſſe foolish, then pernitious to the embracers of them: and the things that follow in this very chapter, will make it more manifeſt; that no other Babylon is here mentioned then the Rome belonging to the Popes at this preſent time, and as it hath bene for many ages paſt. Did the Heathen Emperours labour to impoſe the Romane Idolatry on the conquered nations? Or if they had ſtrove to doo it, should this impietie have had any myſtery? It was playne that the Heatheniſh ſuperſtition was deteſtable to Chriſtians; but this Babylon should infect Chriſtians by the contagion of her ſuperſtition, which thing cannot belong to any other Rome, then that of the Popes. But let it be to come, and let the Pope be driven from thence, and let all impiety come on with force openly, which ô Ribera thou muſt neceſſarily grant. Where then shalbe this Myſterie. VVho can be ignorant of your great naughtineſſe joyned with impudency? Therefore, that which you imagine, abhorreth all likelyhood of truth.

Therefore Babylon is that ROME, which ſhould deceive her people with an outward ſhewe of godlines, which ſhould be counted a Holy City, and ſhould poſſeſſe the uttermoſt Court, as wee have shewed in the eleventh chapter, verſes firſt and ſecond: which unleſſe it nowe deceived you Papiſts, I should not acknowledge her to be Babylon: but your, either witting or ignorant obſtinacy, maketh the trueth of the Prophecy cleare. Let us take up from hence that which the very words doo yeeld us manifeſtly: That the Whore ſhall not make warre againſt Chriſt openly, but ſhall fight againſt him privily and ſecretly, through a Myſterie. Which thing, what force it hath to finde out Antichriſt, wee shall fee after.

6 And J ſaw that woman drunken with the blood of the Saincts &c. The third property is notable cruelty, wbich did wholly ſwimme with the blood of the Martyrs. Yee shee killed our Lord Jeſus, as before in chap. 11.8. Frō whence the beginning being made, how much Chriſtian blood shed the wicked Emperours afterward? VVhatſoever ſlaughter was any where through the whole world almoſt, that came eyther from her commaundement, or exhortation and approbation. It cannot be ſpoken, how many and how great warres the horrible Popes ſtirred up in the times following, ſetting all the Kings of Europe togither by the eares. And beſide the ſlaughters of publike warres, how many holy men loſt their life, becauſe they agreed not with Rome? VVho were banished as Heretiques, and coſumed with the torments of the flames. Shee continueth at this day in the ſame ſtepps, which not long agoe in the yeere 1595. at length burnt alive a certaine English man for ſmiting to the ground out of the hādes of the Archbishop of Ambronen, their ſacrilegious ſacrifice of the altar, after his right hand cut off, and the reſt of his body, being drawen through the city, was burned by the tormenters in ſundry places with burning torches. Beholde, I pray you ô English men, whither you flee, thither aſſuredly, where ſo great impiety raigneth; that if ſo be there be any ſeed of electjon in you, yee would rather die a thouſand deaths, then beare with it by your ſilence. Is not the ſame Rome at this day the shoppe of rebellions, the place where Chriſtian Princes are tormented? Certenly this aſſembly of furies doth firſt decree the murthers of Princes, and then ſendeth by ſtealt Ieſuites privie murtherers and poiſonners: who execute the ſame after maner that they deſire. It were an infinite thing O Rome, to reckē up all thy butcheries. Thou art drunken ſurely with blood, tumbling thy ſelfe in thy ſurfet, which thou haſt ſpued out through exceeding much devouring. Now then all theſe common properties ioyned togither, doo shew unto us ſuch a whore, to weet, augmented, upheld, by the Beaſt, Princely, rich, gay. that great Mother Citie, and ſpirituall Babylon, the authour of allſuperſtitions, yet deceiving craftily by her vaine ſhewes, and finally a cruell Martyrs-murtherer: which all, if togither they can be found no where elſe, ſaving in Rome alone; let us acknowledge that damnable Citie, and let every one betimes provide, that her ſociety hurt them not. leaſt he perish togither in her deſtruction, that shall come shortly.

¶ And I wondered: Hitherto the typicall deſcription; now he paſſeth unto the interpretation, the occaſiō wherof is related in theſe words. But how doth Iohn wonder, ſeeing this belōgeth to men that are reprobates, after in v. 8. This is an āgry wōdering for ſo great proſperity of the wicked whore, whoſe deſtructiō had bin iuſt in the firſt cōceptiō, or at leaſt in the infācy But the wicked have in admiration and wonder at the ſame woman with a certaine reverence, from an opinion of a certaine excellency, even as they are ſayd to wonder after the Beaſt in chap. 13.3. But whither was he ignorant of the Beaſt which he ſaw in the thirteenth chapter? In no wiſe: neyther is he ſaid to wonder at the Beaſt alone, but at the woman ioyned with it, both which he had not ſeen before in this new forme, and whole apparell. And who would not be abashed at this, that the Dragons throne, which Iohn ſaw after the Dragon was thruſt out, in ſome ſorte become the sheep fold of the Lord, had ben able againe to clime up to this heigh of impiety. But wee may not reſt in the onelyonly perſon of Iohn, who now repreſenteth the common type of the faithfull: but wee muſt underſtand that certaine godly men under the fift vial, conſidering the horrible blaſphemy of Rome, which they are very ſure of, and alſo therewithall minding this her felicity ſuch as it is, wil greatly wonder with themſelues, how ſo great impiety can abide ſo long unpunished. Which admiration did move the Angel to undertake a full declaration of theſe things.

7 Then the Angel ſaid unto me, wherfore marveileſt thou? The interrogation hath a certaine blaming of negligence and unskilfulnes; as though he should ſay, unleſſe men had shamefully deſpiſed the obſervatiō of former times, now they should not have had need to wonder at the Whore, becauſe they ſaw her flourishing in this whatſoever felicity. But the merciful father, who pardoneth all ſinnes to his children for Chriſts ſake, forgiveth alſo this careleſnes. And therfore he ſendeth his Angsl, to make the whol thing moſt plaine. For this is that which followeth, I wil ſhew thee the miſtery &c. yet warning, not darkely, that alſo the interpretation it ſelfe shall not be cleare to all men, but shal remaine yet hidden to all that are hardened, as before at verſe 3. & 5.

8 The Beaſt which thou haſt ſeen: The firſt interpretation is of the Beaſt according to the whole in this verſe, as we have diſtinguished in the Analyſis, wherin is declared his divers condition according to 4. alterations of times, ſuch as at length he should be known to be moſt playnely under this vial. The firſt time wherin he was; the ſecond wherin he is not; the third wherin he aſcendeth out of the bottomleſſe pit; the fourth wherin he ſhal goe into deſtruction. As touching the firſt, it is not to be underſtood of any time which went before the age of Iohn, or this Prophecie given to him. For the Angel avoucheth plainely that this Beaſt was not yet come, ver. 10. that is, that he was not yet, when Iohn received this Prophecy, but ſhould receive power at the ſame houre with the ten Kings, who in Iohns time had not yet received a Kingdome, ver. 11. Therfore this Beaſt is not properly the Devil, as ſome of the auncient Fathers expound it; and the Ieſuite Ribera ſnatcheth it greedily. Of him it could not be ſaid, that he was not yet come, or that he had not yet received power: whoſe Kingdome then both flourished very greatly, and did flourish before Chriſt came in the flesh. Afterward we shall ſee, that the original of this Beaſt is to be ſet at that time, wherein the Dragon was thruſt out of heaven, and gave him his Throne. And ſo there are two and fourty moneths of his cheife power, which ſame is the ſpace of the woman lying hid in the wilderneſſe, and of the two Prophets cloathed in ſackcloth. Theſe chapters 13.5. and 12.6. and 11.2. will challenge the ſame beginning to all theſe. Which wee have shewed to have fallē about the times of the beginning of the raigne of Cōſtantine the Great ſome ages after, that Iohn was dead. After which beginning the firſt part noteth, that there was a time when the Beaſt flourished for a ſeaſon, to weet, at the end of the publike perſecutions by open enemies, whom the proweſſe of Conſtantine put to flight. The ſecond, that after that proſperous tranquility, a new tempeſt aroſe, which afflicted the Beaſt ſo vehemently, that for iuſt cauſe men should ſay, that he was in time paſt, but that now he is not, as whom they should thinke to have perished utterly in thoſe troubles, as it came to paſſe, after that refreshing under ſome fewe Emperours, (in which time the authority of the Biſhop of Rome increaſed marveilouſly,) when the invaſion of the Barbarous people ſpoyled miſerably all Italy; cruelly deſtroyed Rome it ſelfe, the Throne of the Beaſt; and did cut off almoſt to the very roote, the authority of the Pope, growing too rankely. Should not men then have cryed out by right, that the Pope was, but is not: whoſe not onelyonly authority, but alſo ſeate, they might thinke to have ben altogither paſt recovery? This ſecond time was caled the wounded head, in chap. 13.3. which did bring with it, the knowledge of the former, of which there could be no knowledg, until this alteration had befallē. But the Beaſt lay not alway in this deſtruction; he roſe out of it againe, as the third member declareth, he came out of the bottomleſſe pit: which came to paſſe, when he lifted up his head againe, after that Barbarian ſtorme of adverſity was mitigated. This time comprehendeth both the curing of the woūd by Iuſtinian and Phocas; and alſo his riſing out of the earth, or out of the bottomleſſe pit by Gregory the ſecond; of both which in chap. 13.3.11. & 11.7. and 9.2.11. This Gregory exerciſed that power, which his Anceſtours had obtayned of the Emperours, yea a farre greater: not onelyonly as an Vniverſall Bishop, but as the higheſt Dictatour, taking away and giving the Empire to whom he thought good. It is ſufficient in this place to obſerve the firſt beginning of things. Who firſt beſtowed the name of an Emperour upon men in the Weſt part, wee have shewed in an other place. Therfore the Beaſt aſcended then, when the Popes had gotten this terrene power to themſelves, as in chap. 13.11. hath ben ſayd; which earth he called here the bottomleſſe pit; as elſwhere in the Pſalmiſt; and makeſt me to aſcend from the depthes of the earth: Pſal. 71.20. And ſo is the third time. The fourth is, ſhall goe into deſtruction, which declareth that this dignity revived ſhall not remaine for ever; but be diminished by little and little, and leaſurly conſumed, while it be at length utterly abolished: as wee have heard before in the ſecond chapter of Jezabell lying ſicke in her bedde, the paramour of this Beaſt, and languiſhing of an incurable conſumption. Even as at this daie, thankes be to God, wee ſee in Rome, and in the Pope: but the buriall, & funeralls are yet to come: about what time, the Revelation will shew us af…er. Theſe are the foure notable changins, wherby the Beaſt might become known to men being not blind willingly; from which wee have a moſt ſtrong argument to prove both the time, when Rome is the whore, & of the perſon of Antichriſt. For that City is the whore, in which reigneth Antichriſt, to weet, the very Beaſt which was, which is not, which aſcendeth out of the bottomleſſe pit, and goeth into deſtruction. But Rome is the City, in which frō Conſtantine the Great, the Pope hath reigned, which was, which is not, which aſcē deth out of the bottomleſſe pit, and goeth into deſtruction: Therefore Rome ſince Conſtantine is the whore; and the Pope of Rome ſince the very ſame time is the Beaſt, and Antichriſt, in whom wee ſee all theſe alterations at this time, ſo farre as doubtleſſe may be done, the ſame being not wholly takē away: From whence it is not to be doubted, but that he is that adverſary, that man of ſinne, that great Antichriſt, whom all ought to flee and to feare greatly: and to wiſh d…ſtruction to him, and procure it to his power. If any thinketh the Beaſt cā not be knowne before his laſt deſtruction, (which ſurely is to know too late,) let him obſerve that the Angell doth ſtop in the ende of the verſe in the third member, ſeeing, ſaith he, the Beaſt, which was, and is not, and yet is. Whereby he declareth, that a ſure knowledge may be had at this third chaunging.

¶ And the Inhabitans of the earth ſhall wonder: In giving all honour and ſervice to him, being aſtonied with the renowne of his falſe dignity: which before was ſayd, to wonder after the Beaſt, chap. 13.3, Yet notwithſtanding leaſt wee should thinke, that all men should be caryed away into this deſtruction, he numbreth among this cōpany the inhabitans onelyonly of the earth; to weet, the citizens of the falſe Church, whoſe names are not written in the book of life. O good God how much concerneth it you ô yee Papiſts, to deliver your Pope from all likeneſſe to this Beaſt? If he be found covered with his hide, which this chapter will make more cleare then the light at noone tide, you are utterly loſt; unleſſe you ſhall flee very quickly all fellowſhippe with him. I pray you, as you regarde your owne ſalvation, that lying aſide all hatred, preiudice, and bitterneſſe of mindes, you weigh the matter with mee in equal ballances. A great matter is in hande, either the vantage or loſſe of eternall life. See you not that the Pope and the Beaſt, did tread in the ſame ſteppes alwayes, even hitherto? Attend to thoſe things which follow; wee finde both of them to walke in the ſame path, which the Spirit hath marked out, with equall paſes and hand in hand. But you will cry out that this is a new interpretation: yet appointe not the Spirit at your pleaſure; he ſtiſtributeth moſt wiſely, according to his pleaſure, a meaſure of knowledge to every time. Rather regard the conſent of the whole Prophecy, which will yeeld a moſt cleare proofe of the truth; and eſteeme that moſt auncient, which you shall finde true. VVhy doo yee ſuffer your ſelves to be deceived with the names of them, whom the moſt certen event declareth to have bene verie greatly deceived in very many things of this Revelation. This is the notable craft of the Ieſuites to call foorth cheifly thoſe witneſſes, and Interpreters, by whoſe reverend ignorance, they may cover and hid the impiety of the Pope: there was not ſo much danger from him, to thoſe auncient Fathers, living eyther before Antichriſt, or by and by after his beginning.

They underſtood ſufficiently, that which perteined unto them; other things, God would have to be wrapped in darkeneſſe, while the fore appointed time should come, that the reprobat ſeing might not ſee, & a way ſo be made opē for his decree: awake yee therfor at lēgth, & opē your eyes to the ſhining truth, which if yee shall behold gliſtering more clearly, then that it can be obſcured by falſe remote calumnies; remember that thoſe are not written in the booke of life, which have the Beaſt in great admiration: & then take adviſe, according to the greatneſſe of the thing. You alſo my brethrē, (for ſo I eſteeme you, as long as any hope remayneth,) I would admoniſh in a few wordes, who through lightneſſe of minde & deſire of novelty, within two or three dayes ſpace, become Papiſts. It ſeemeth a paſtime to you caſting away the truth, to fall to the Pope, but take heed that in your ſport yee periſh not in earneſt. And willingly wipe your names out of the book of life. You pretēd, that you will be Catholikes, but cōſider that whom you hold for Catholiks, are reprobates, unleſſe they ſhall eſcape at length frō theſe tents, into which yee fly for ſalvation. But theſe pretenſes of ſalvation are toies. I know what grieveth you, eyther want, or diſhonour at home, or a greater reputation of other men. But what gaine shalbe even the moſt ample ſtipend, if yee shall looſe your ſoules?

What diſhonour can be greater, then to be added in the company of caſt awayes? Or who hath not honour inough which is counted the childe of God? Minde, I pray you, theſe things, & ſuch like, and think it not a light matter, forſaking the true God, to aſſociate your ſelves with the Divill. Behold alſo what miſchievous perſons yee doo nourish in your boſome, who gladly doo intertaine the Ieſuits. He which ioyneth you to the friendship of the Pope, procureth unto you certen and undoubted deſtruction. How miſerable a thing is it, with the hazzard of this life, to ſeeke an undoubted loſſe of eternall life? Doo not iudge any longer, a thing of ſo great moment, rather by the painted lies of thoſe men, then by the very manifeſt truth. Neither doo yee deſpiſe my admonition. I am ad adverſary onelyonly to your errours. I deſire from my hart that your ſelves shoul be ſaved by Jeſus Chriſt. Try the things that I ſay; I require not otherwiſe to be beleeved; and when the things are throughly knowen by ſearching, acknowledge the fraud of the Ieſuits; thruſt them out of doores, deteſt theſe peſtiferous men; perceive your owne danger, and if you have any regard of ſalvation, now at length be yee wiſe.

¶ From the foundation of the world: So before was ſhewed the eternall Decree, touching the death of Chriſt, and the force and efficacy thereof in chap. 13.8. Now the ſame kind of ſpeaking noteth out the eternall election of them that shalbe ſaved. Which two things are moſt neerely coupled togither.

¶ Beholding the Beaſt, which was, and which is not, and yet is: Thoſe laſt words, foreign and yet is, ſeeme that they are thus to be read, foreign, and is preſent. The difference is, that thoſe ſignify, that the Beaſt remaineth alive in the very deſtruction, as though he should ſay; although in mens opinion he is not, yet he is: and ſo both members are referred to the ſame time, as before Iohn ſaw one of his heads as it were wounded to death, which yet was not wholly killed in chap. 13. The other reading noteth out more plainely the third time, in which after the hurt endured, the Beaſt should recover; which thing Aretas, the Complutent edition, and other copies diſtinguiſh plainely, which reade foreign, and ſhall be preſent: and as Primaſius tranſlated, ſhall come. Yet that former reading of Theod. Beza may cary the ſame ſence; albeit in mens opiniō, the Beaſt of late was not, yet now he is. In which ſenſe they are to be taken, that they may have reſpect to the Beaſt comming forth from calamity, not continuing in the ſame. For they are anſwerable to the third diſtinct time in the beginning of the verſe, and ſhall aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit, as is cleare from the men admiring the Beaſt, who admire not the ſame contemned and afflicted, (which should be neceſſary, if the words reſpected the ſame time with the member going next before,) but recovering his dignity contrary to mens expectation, and the ſame greater then he had before; as it came to paſſe in his third change, after he was recovered of his wound, chap. 13.3. Wherfore the vulgar Latine reading corruptly, paſſeth over this third member, making men to wonder at the Beaſt when he is not: which is contrary to the truth of the thing. Furthermore, it is certaine, that it is not to be read in the future tence, but in the preſent: becauſe admiration belongeth not to a future, but to a preſent dignity. From which let us obſerve, what wondring, is a token of reprobation, to weet, of a Beaſt reviving after the hurt received, which is the ſecond Beaſt, in chap. 15.11. Even until that time he was not ſo deſperately impious, but that he might eaſily deceive the Saincts: but at length he came to that naughtineſſe, that he muſt be banished from the Kingdome of God, who will acknowledg him to be ſuch an one by admyring, as he profeſſeth himſelfe to be. But wheras the Angel in theſe words, proſecuteth not his variable condition beyond the third time, therby he sheweth, that he ſhalbe openly knowne to the world before his laſt ende ſhall come.

9 Here is the mind: Thus farre the Beaſt hath bin shewed us according to his whole; now he entreth into the interpretation of ſome chiefe parts: wherunto he prepareth himſelfe a way by this Preface. Which yet is uncertaine, whither it is to be referred to that which went before, or to this which followeth: it ſeemeth being ſet in the midſt, to have reſpect to both alike, for to cauſe attention. The ſpeach ſeemeth defective, and to be ſupplyed after the manner of that in chap. 13.18. Here is wiſdome, let him that hath wit, count &c. So here is wit, let him that hath wiſdome underſtand: as in the Epiſtles to the ſeven Churches, let him that hath eares, heare: or it may be a perfit ſentence of it ſelfe, here is the minde that hath wiſdome; as though he should ſay, conſider the foreſaid chaunges: likewiſe conſider the interpretation; the underſtanding of which things is true wiſdome indeede, wherby a man may avoide eternall deſtruction. But theſe are the wordes not onelyonly of exhortation, but alſo of Prophecie, which declare that in the moſt open light, in which the Beaſt shalbe ſet, every one shall not acknowledge him, but they onelyonly who are endued with wiſedome, and have their eyes inlightened of God. The Beaſt is like in this thing to the whore, whoſe name written in her forehead was a myſterie, which ſhould be hidden from very many, no leſſe then ſome obſcure and inexplicable riddle. For Prophecies fulfilled become not manifeſt to all men, as we wil after shew that Bellarmine triſleth, but unto ſome certaine men, to whom it is given to underſtand, the reſt remaining in their former blindnes. Which ſhort admonition, confuteth a threefold errour of the Papiſts, one touching the common name Antichriſt: the other, of the doctrine: the third of the publique perſecution; of which wee will ſpeake more at large, in the refutation at the ende of the Chapter.

¶ The ſeaven heads are ſeaven hilles, upon which the woman ſitteth: as touching the partes, firſt he teacheth what are Heads, both permanent in this verſe, and tranſitory in verſes 10.11. wherby it may be knowne what is this whore, in regard both of the place, and of the time. Thoſe heads are ſeaven moū taines upon which the woman ſitteth, that is, ſeven hilles of the city of Rome, Palatinus, Quirinalis, Aventinus, Caelius, Viminalis, Aeſquilinus, Janicularis: by which this City is renowmed through the whole world; and thereupon called of the Grecians foreign, ſeaven hilled by Varro. And this circumlocution ſeemed fitter for the eloquent kind of ſpeaking of the Poets, then the ſpecifying of a proper name. Virgil in the ſecond of his Georgiques toward the end, hath theſe wordes, to weet Rome is become the moſt beautifull of things, which hath encloſed her ſeaven towers with one wall. Likewiſe Ovid in his firſt book de Triſt. Eleg. 4. ſpeaketh thus of it; But Rome is the Seate of the Empire and of the Gods, which from ſeaven Mountaines vieweth the whole world. And againe in the third book ver. 7. And while Rome the victorious ſhall beholde the ſubdued whole world from her ſeven Mountaines, I ſhall be called Martia. And God would have the thing teſtifyed, not onelyonly by the verſes of Poets, but alſo by a publike feſtivitie. For the Romanes kept the Feſt called Septimontium, becauſe of the ſeventh mountaine ioyned to the city, and Rome become therupon Septicollis, as Plutarch relateth in foreign. Theſe things are ſo manifeſt, that the Papiſts themſelves ar now cō ſtrained will they, nill they, to confeſſe them. We have shewed that Bellarmine preferreth this ſenſe before the reſt, in his 3. book. ch. 13. of the Pope of Rome. Ribera the Ieſuite yeeldeth alſo the ſame, cōfirming it with many words, on the 14. chap. of the Revel. num. 30. frō whēce no cōtroverſie could now remaine of this thing, if onelyonly men were in their right wits: but wee hav touched before their madnes, who doo ſeparate the things which ar ioyned togither by an ūdivided bād. They grāt that the whor is Rome, yet by no means doe they abide her to be the ſeate of Antichriſt: as though they could be ſundred, of which the one ſitteth upō & the other carryed: but if this cōjoyning be too weake, behold a ſtraighter, yea a moſt ſtraight, ſuch as of the head with the body, ſo as they which shal remov the Beaſt to any other place thē to Rome, muſt make him to be without his heads. Frō hēce therfore I thus cōclude demōſtratively: The city where remaine fixed the heads of the Beaſt or of Antichriſt is the ſeat of Antichriſt: Rome is the city wher remaine fixed the heads of Antichriſt: Therfore Rome is the ſeate of Antichriſt. By no meanes can yee giv mee the ſlippe ô ye Papiſts. This argument muſt needs be as firme & ſure as ar the very mountaines of your Rome. Yet what you ar able to obiect againſt it, we wil diſcuſſe by & by in confuting your deviſed Antichriſt.

10 And they are alſo ſeven Kings: Such ar the permanent heads: the tranſitorie, which ar ſeven Kings doo follow. Ther is a double application of this one type, teaching that ther is an inſeparable ioyning togither of the mountains and Kings. From whence is miniſtred an other neceſſary proof of the ſeate of Antichriſt, thus; The ſeate of ſeven Kings is the ſeate of Antichriſt: Rome the citie of 7. mountaines, is the ſeate of 7. Kings, for the heads are both mountaines & Kings: Therfore Rone is the ſeate of Antichriſt. But who ar theſe 7 Kings? not ſo many ſingular perſons, as Victorinus would have it, but ſoveraignties & regimēts. For if every ſeveral head should note out ſingular mē, 5. of which wer fallē in Iohns time; to wit Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Veſpaſianus, Titus: Titus Domitianus the 6. ruled then; Nerva the 7, was to be expected; whom remaining alive but for a little ſpace, should ſucceede ſtraighway Traianus the 8. & togither alſo the 7. If I ſay, the heads ar to be ſo counted; it muſt needs follow that this Beaſt should have ceaſed in his laſt head Traiane, & that the world should not now feare that he should doo any miſchiefe. Vnles perhaps we think, whē all his living heads ar cut off, he yet remaineth alive, or they being cut off, other, as it were a new Hidra, ſpring up, of which yet Iohn made no mētiō. But that we may not thinke that thoſe 7. are taken figuratively; where are the ten Kings that aroſe togither with Nerva? It muſt needs be that theſe were togither with the ſeventh head in the twelft verſe beneath: or how when Nerva was dead, ſeemed the Beaſt not to be; eſpecially ſeing before his death, he had adopted Traiane? or for what cauſe wer they rather reprobats that wōdred at Traiā, then thoſe former: for ſuch is the cōditiō of the ſeventh head, that the followers of him are reprobates, before in ver. 8. Many things of this ſort doo not ſuffer any peculiar men to be meant. Hereunto is added the manner of ſpeaking, which is ſuch, that it bewrayeth that the Kings are ſo long the heads of the city, as long as the mountains ar. Otherwiſe for ſome short time perhaps, the heads wer, both the mountains & Kings, but to a farre longer time, they neither were nor should be; if there should be made a ſeparation of the heads, which the Spirit ioyneth togither, the mountaines onelyonly remaining after the other be dead. Therfore the Kings, howſoever they al wer not togither, as the mountains, yet shall obtaine as long continuing a name of heads, as thoſe.

But concerning the perſon, the time ſhall yeeld a demonſtration in the eleventh verſe. But if the Kings be Dominions of what ſorte are they? Ribera the Ieſuite being privie to himſelfe, that the thing cannot be touched ſo lightly, but that the ſoare wil be renewed therewith, flyeth unto the ſeven ages of the world: the firſt of which he maketh from Adam to Noe: The ſecond from Noe to Abraham: The third to David: The fourth to the tranſmigration into Babylon: The fift to the comming of the Lord: The ſixt from thence to Antichriſt: The ſeventh from him even to the day of iudgement. Which wit of his bringeth into my remembrance, that of the Poe…:

If the fooliſh Painter will conioine unto a mans head,

The neck of a horſe, & ſo of birds feathers over ſpred: &c.

For to ſee being let in, freinds keepe your ſelves from laughing.

The Ieſuite paſſeth the Painter, who hath framed an head, which may be applyed alike to all and every city of the whole world. The Spirit would deliver a certaine marke, wherby the Throne of the Beaſt might be known: the Ieſuite, as the houpe, faineth the griefe to be in an other place, that he may withdrawe from the neaſt, I know notwhither. But underſtand Ribera, that the ſeven mountaines belong to the city of Rome alone: But that thoſe ſeven Kings appertaine to the ſame city, to which the mountaines. For the heads are both mountaines and Kings, and therefore that theſe Kings belong to Rome alone: ſo doo we free thee from the great labour of ſeeking; proving by a moſt certaine argument, that he is found at Rome; to finde whom, thou haſt compaſſed all landes in vaine. But the time is ſpent to no profit in confuting thy toies, which yet I could not paſſe over wholly, but would admoniſh the Papiſts at leaſt by this ſmall labour, that they should not ſuffer themſelves to be deceived any longer by the triſles of the Ieſuites. The thing it ſelfe is thus. Theſe dominions are proper to that city, whereunto belong the mountaines, & the ſeven regiments are thoſe, by which the citie hath ben no leſſe famous, then for her ſeven mountaines. And Cornelius Tacitus in the beginning of his hiſtory nūbreth theſe regiments in this wiſe: Kings held the City of Rome at the firſt: L. Brutus inſtituted freedome, & the Conſulshippe: the Dictatourſhippes were taken up for a time: neither continued the power of the office of the Decemviri, above two yeeres, nor the Tribunes authority pertaining to Conſuls, was of force any long time &c. The power of Pompey and Craſſus went quickly to Ceſar. By which wordes he declareth plainely, that ſixe kindes of government had held at Rome, from the building of the City even unto his time, Kings, Conſulls, Dictatours, Decemviri, Tribunes, of the ſouldiers, Emperours: the ſeventh of Popes he knew not, being taken away from the living before he could ſee it.

¶ Five are fallen: Kings, Conſuls, Dictatours, Decemviri, Tribunes: For thoſe five kinds of ruling had ceaſed wholly and vanished away before Iohn his time.

¶ One is: the ſixt kinde of governing by Emperours, in whoſe power was the chiefe rule of things when Iohn lived,

¶ And an other is not yet come: The ſeventh King, the Pope, was not yet a Governour of Rome, when the Apoſtle lived. And not without cauſe hath he shunned the adjective of order: for he ſaith not, the ſeventh is not yet come, but an other is not yet come, by the ſame ſignifying that this ſeventh ſhalbe very greatly unlike the former. All theſe were Political Kings; the ſeventh should be ſpiritual; or of a mixt kinde, unlike to every one before; from whence it is manifeſt that the Chriſtiā Emperours are not the ſevēth King. For they differred nothing in civill governement from the former, onelyonly they tooke unto them the Chriſtian religion. And in auncient times new religions were often added; the forme of governement in the meane time nothing altered. Furthermore the ſeventh King ought to governe in the ſame place, where the ſeven mountaines are, as hath bene declared in the former verſe. But the Chriſtian Emperours never had the ſeate of their Empire at Rome; But the whole uſe of the citie was the Popes; from whom alone after the ſeventh King began, her glorie did grow. That member is not yet come, teacheth that there was a very short time remaining to the cō ming of the ſeventh King. For ſo we are wonte to ſpeake of things that will come not very long after. Therefore foolish is Ribera the Ieſuite, who aſſigneth the ſixt kind of governing after the comming of Chriſt, even unto three yeeres and an halfe more or leſſe before the laſt day, and together with him all the Paſtiſts, who will not have Antichriſt to be expected before that ſame very time; as though the Angel ſaying is not yet come, should ſpeake of a man, whom the world yet ſeeth not after a thouſand five hundred yeeres.

¶ And when he is come: After the ſeventh Kingdome, to weet of the Popes, ſhalbe begunne, the Dragon being caſt out of heaven, and Conſtantine the Great being Emperour.

¶ He muſt tary but a ſhort time: About an hundred yeeres after Conſtantine, then to be overwhelmed for a time by the overflowing of the Goths and Vandals, who ſo evil entreated Rome, the tower of the new dominion, that it might ſeem to hav perished utterly. Genſericus bereaved it wholly of every dweller, ſee Blond. in his ſecond book of his firſt Decad. And Totilas againe brought it to a wilderneſſe, ſo as neither man nor woman was left in it, as the ſame Blond. writeth in his ſecond book of his firſt Decad. See chap. 13.3.

11 And the Beaſt which was and is not: That is, and that ſeventh King the Pope, which had come, and was as touching the riſing and originall of his power for the ſpace of an hundred yeeres after Conſtantine. And is not, after that time utterly periſhed in mens opinion by the invaſion of the Barbarians: this Beaſt, I ſay, is the eight, and one of thoſe ſeven. Wherby it is to be obſerved that the ſeventh King by himſelfe alone doth obtaine the name of the whole and to be called that Beaſt, whoſe deſcription was in the eight verſe by foure ſucceeding courſes of times. All which chaungins are proper to this one, from whēce now at lenght after the ſecond mutation, wherof he made mention in the former verſe, he addeth a double condition of him in the very words of the firſt deſcription: shewing in the ſame that theſe words, and when he cō meth he muſt continue a ſhort ſpace, are all one with theſe, the Beaſt which was, and is not.

¶ And he is the eight: to wit, King. For here octavus the eight agreeth not in gender with Beſtia, the Beaſt. The common tranſlation tranſlateth amiſſe foreign, the eight Beaſt. For there are not eight Beaſts, but eight Kings, the ſeventh of which is this Beaſt. The pronoune relative foreign hee, ſeemeth in this place to be a demonſtrative, as ſometime alſo elſe where, he is the eight King, that is, the eight King. Alſo the whole antecedent member of the ſentēce maketh the ſuppoſite of the verbe ſubſtātive, as though he should ſay, The Beaſt which was, and is not, is both that eight Kinge and alſo is one of the ſeven. This eight King is the ſame Pope after his dignity recovered from that maine overthrowe which the Barbarians did make, when his wounded head w… c…ed, as in chap. 13.3. or when the Beaſt which is not, did aſcēd from the bottomleſſe pit, as at the 8 verſe of this chapter: or when the ſecond Beaſt aroſ… from the earth, chap. 13.11. When Gregorie the ſecond & his next ſucceſſours did appeare with two hornes, Pipine and Charles the Great. For we have shewed already before, that all theſe things perteined to that third mutation. But from whence then is this eight, hath the Beaſt eight heads, which even now were but ſeven? In no wiſe, but this eight is the ſame with the ſeventh of the ſame nature, purpoſe, ſoveraignty, (wherupon it is added, and is one of thoſe ſeven) onelyonly of a greater impiety, blaſphemy and ſacrilege, wherin he paſſeth the ſeventh. The Popes in their beginning after Conſtantine were not ſo wicked, as after Phocas. But more & leſſe doo not diſtinguiſh the kinde. Therfore the Pope revived is the eight, moſt worthy of all to be pointed at with the finger, and to be ſayd that it is hee.

From which now the reaſon may be apparant, why in chap. 13. one Antichriſt is painted out by a double Beaſt: to wit, becauſe he is the ſeventh King & the eight.

¶ And goeth into deſtruction; To be deſtroyed utterly in his due time; this laſt member is the fourth time of the Beaſt fetched from the general interpretation in ver. 8. And ſo that which there is ſayd was, and is not, and ſhall aſcend out of of the bottomleſſe pit, and ſhall goe into deſtruction, here is expreſſed in words ſome what divers, ſo as to the firſt member theſe are anſwerable, when he ſhall come: to the ſecond, he muſt continue a ſhort ſpace: to the third, and he is the eight King, and one of the ſeaventh: the fourth is the ſame in both places. Wherfore that which was ſpoken generally of the Beaſt, wee may ſee perteineth to the ſpeciall mutation of the ſeventh head. Seing then this Beaſt is the ſeaventh King, who should have the next place after him who bare rule in Iohn his time, and the regiment of the Popes at Rome followed by and by that Heathen Empire, by a ſecond moſt ſure demonſtration wee have found out both Antichriſt himſelfe, and alſo the time wherin he was borne. Which that it may become the clearer, may be proponded after this manner.

The ſeventh King ſucceeded next after the Heathen Emperours who made the ſixt King reigning at that time, when Iohn wrote, ver. 10. Five are fallen, one, that is, the ſixt is. But Antichriſt is the ſeventh King, ver. 10.11. Therfore Antichriſt ſucceeded next the Heathen Emperours: and ſeeing the Pope of Rome after the time of the Heathen Emperours is that ſeventh King, as before we have manifeſted, it followeth alſo neceſſarily that the Pope of Rome from the time of the Heathen EMPEROVRS, is that chiefe Antichriſt, of whom the Scripture forewarne us ſo diligently, and that the City of ROME from the ſame is the whore.

See now yee Ieſuites, from how neceſſary principles the argument proceedeth; apply what engins you can to overthrow the ſame, you ſhall doo more good, then if you ſhould bring ladders to conquer heaven. But your things which you doo treate off concerning the time of Antichriſt, are diviſed, are abſurd, and more fooliſh then any toyes, as wee ſhall after declare.

12 And the tenne hornes which thou ſaweſt, are ten Kings. Thus farre touching the Heads: Now followeth the Hornes, which by their conſent, doo bring yet a more full light of time. For by how much thinges are neerer togither, they are ſo much the more clearer, and the more perceived and obſerved.

Therfore to the end that, that ſeventh head might become knowē by more tokens, and his firſt beginning more undoubted, it is furnished with theſe hornes, as it were with a certen pompe and company of ſervants, by whoſe noiſe, as it were, we should be ſtirred up to regard his comming. The Angel expoundeth theſe hornes to be tenne Kings; which afterward are deſcribed of what ſort they are, both by their Kingdome in this verſe; and mind in verſe 13. and the warre which they ſhall make, verſe 14. Their Kingdome is declared by a double or twofold time, the firſt of it, not yet received; Who, ſayth he, have not yet received a Kingdome. The ſecond of it received, but they ſhall receive power at one houre with the Beaſt. The firſt meeteth with a doubt, wherby ſome body peradventure might thinke, that theſe Kings reigned at the very ſame time, in which Iohn wrote: no, ſaith he, they reigne not yet, but shall reigne ſhortly. For otherwiſe the warning had bene ſuperfluous, if they should not come but about three yeeres and an halfe before the laſt day. The ſecond time exhibiteth yet a clearer knowledge of the thing, by a certaine mutual bewaying, which the hornes and the Beaſt doo one for an other. They ſhall receive power as Kings at one houre with the Beaſt; for ſo I tranſlate foreign in the accuſative caſe; in which theſe words are taken ſome time for the ſpace of time, as, theſe laſt have wrought but one houre, Mat. 20.12. Alſo, watch with me one houre, Mat. 26.40. after the ſame manner in Marcke 14.37. And ſo the beſt Greeke writers every where, thou art in buſines watch …g the whole night: Xenoph. Paediae 2. Sometime they are takē for the terme of time, when, as in the 70. Iterpreters, behold to morrow this very houre, I will ruine a haile: Exod. 9.18. So to morow about this very houre, J will deliver them all wounded: Ioſh. 11.6. In the New Teſtament, yeſterd…y the ſeventh houre the fever left him: Iohn 4.52. The ninth houre of the day, Act. 10.3.30. What houre I will come: Revel. 3.3. It is doubtfull therfore whether the words note the continuing of the power, or the terme of beginning it. The former ſignification containeth the ſecond. For if unto one houre they ſhall receive power with the Beaſt, it muſt needs be, that they receive it both togither at the ſame houre alſo, and not the contrary; ſeing the power of one may be continued longer then of the other; of which both there was altogither the ſame beginning. The Hiſtorie alſo accordeth with the former wonderfully, clearer by a double and more general marke, and giving a greater knowledge of the Beaſt; whom ſeeing the Spirit without doubt would have to be moſt ſurely known, let us iudge of right that there is this onelyonly meaning of the words. The vulgar Latine trāſlateth the following words foreign with the Beaſt, foreign after the Beaſt, againſt the authority of all copies, and contrary to the trueth it ſelfe. For in the riſing of the Beaſt the hornes are reckened in the firſt place, yea alſo before the heads, or any other ſhape of the body; which thing, had not bene done at all, if they should grow up after ward, chapter 13.1. Ribera will have the ſenſe to be all one, whether wee read with the Beaſt, or after the Beaſt, as though to beginne their reigne togither, and after were the ſame time. But he referreth neither of theſe to the time, but unto ſervice. But this alſo is unlike, and abſurd, ſeing to receave power either with or after the Beaſt, cānot be one with to deliver power to the Beaſt. Beda deceived with the vulgar Latine, ſeemeth to expound it ſo. But I require a fit exemple of reaſon. To commit fornication after Idols is to ſerve the ſame: but if to receive power after one, hath the ſame conſideration, doubtleſſe the Pope of Rome ſerveth the Divill, after whom he received power. Seing therfore the words are ſo, from hence let us obſerve a double marke of theſe Kings; one, that together with the Beaſt they rule; the other, that they ſhall enioy this power for a ſhort time onelyonly. For that, a ſhort ſpace in ver. 10. the Angel expoundeth to be one houre. And that which there was ſpoken of the ſeventh King onelyonly, here is attributed in likewiſe to all the ten Kings. Not becauſe having reigned this one houre, they should exerciſe no powr ever after (for how shall the Beaſt, of whom together this is ſpoken, enioy onelyonly one houre of authority, which hath two & fourty moneths to tyranniſe? chap. 13.5. But becauſe the firſt power after a few yeeres ſhould be interrupted with ſome notable hurt for a time; & the ten Kings in their beginning should have tryal of the ſame adverſity with the Beaſt, to the ende that he might be more cleare and manifeſt to all men by this token. Therfore that now we may ſee the very thing, we have ſayd in chap. 13.5. that th…ſe Kings are the firſt Chriſtian Emperours: which now shalbe made plaine by the applying of every thing. Firſt the hornes are Kings, neither of the common and inferiour ſorte, but Monarches and of very great authority, who have crownes, wherin they differ from the hornes of the Dragon as hath bin obſerved in chap. 13.1. He alſo hath tenne hornes, proper to the heads, to wit, the City Rome, where abode the Maieſty of the Higheſt Empire, the other Provinces being ſubiect to this Queene. But now the caſe being altered in the firſt riſing up of Antichriſt, the chiefe Empire should be in an other place, then at Rome, as we know it came to paſſe when the Chriſtian Emperours lived at Byzantium, or Millane, or Ravenna, who retained in their owne power the chiefe ſoveraignty over the whole Chriſtian world. For hetherto they ſpake as Lords, We, becauſe thou art a Chriſtian, have iudged thee worthy of the Biſhoprick of our City, as Conſtantius ſayd to Liberius the Bishop of Rome, Theod. book 2. chap. 16. Yea ſome ages after. In the ſixt Generall Council at Conſtance, Act. 1. Conſtantine himſelfe gave for a gift his Holy, as they ſpake, in theſe words: I give to the Arshbiſhop of our auncient Rome. Which thing alſo the Popes gladly acknowledged. Boniface to the Emperour Honorius in Diſtinct. 97. of the Church: Rome is the City of your gentleneſſe. Gergorie unto Mauritius ſignifyeth his obedience in proclaming his law, though he approoved not the ſentence of the law. As for mee, being ſubiect to your cammaundement, J have cauſed your law to be ſent through many parts of the world, book 2. Epiſt. 61. at the ende. And Agatho ſpeaking of Rome: This is the ſervile citie of your Maieſty. in the Council of Conſt. 6. Act. 4. Where then al this time was the Donation of Conſtantine. Although even the very donation, if a good and lawfull should be granted, would bewray ſufficiently in what place then the Empire was. Secondly theſe Kings are the hornes of the Beaſt, by whoſe means the dignity of the Pope of Rome increaſed, while they drove farre away al the violence of the enemy, which might ſeeme to be able to detract anie thing from it. Neither onelyonly gave they it leave to grow by their warres, but alſo inriched it with exceeding wealth. For although the Papiſts bragge impudently of Conſtantines donation, as wee touched even now; nevertheleſſe it is certen that they adorned both the citie, and Pope with many privileges, and that they which followed, tooke away nothing; but rather to have added to the heape. Thirdly, they are ſayd tenne, becauſe ſo many of the firſt Emperours should be notable for their care, and diligence in ſubduing the enemies of the Romanes. Through which oportunity the Beaſt lately bread, might get ſtrength; and might grow up to his perfect ſtature. And theſe were 1. Conſtantine the Great; 2. Conſtantinus, Conſtās, and Conſtantius his ſonnes; 3. Iulianus; 4. Iovinianus; 5. Valentinianus, and Valens; 6. Gratianus, Valentianus ſecundus, & Theodoſius the Great; 7. Theodoſius with Arcadius and Honorius; 8. Arcadius and Honorius alone; 9. Honorius and Theodoſius Iunior; 10. Theodoſius & Valentinius third. For ſo Hierome, Proſper, Victor the Bishop of Tuniſe, Marcellinus Comes, and al other writers, both Greek & Latine, whom I hav read, doe recken for one the Emperours that reigned togither; for the Romane Empire was but one, though devided in ſtates, & Governours, as alſo the Image in Daniel ch. 2.40. shadowed out one Kingdome by the leggs & feete divided. As long as theſe reigned, the Beaſt riſen up of late flouriſhed; much indeede, and grievouſly afflicted when they were gone; when as ther was no horne for a long ſpace, that was able to keepe away, & remove the enemies from their neckes. Although all the hornes were not certē ly of an equall ſtrength; but the two laſt were weaker, Rome being twice taken under Honorius; Alaricus and Arnulphus being Captaines; and nevertheleſſe the Head of the Beaſt not yet deadly wounded, when as the overthrow was more ignominious then dammageable,) Pompon. Laet. on Honorius,) being repaired by and by againe, when the horne began to exerciſe his, and Honorius to be ſtirred up, the Gothes being expelled out of Italy, and Attalus their King triumphed over Rome; and then after his right hand cut off, by the commaundement of Honorius caryed in to Lipara, Sabel. En. 8. book 1. Doubtleſſe Conſtantius & Aetius employed their endevour valiantly afterward, & nobly delivered the maieſtie of the Empire from all barbarouſnes; howſoever the chiefe rulers Honorius and Valentinianus were ſlouthfull & cowardous. But after theſe tow laſt hornes were fallen, how many & how great calamities were accumulated daily, when ther was no aide either from the Weſt or Eaſt part, that could repreſſe & thruſt away the malepertnes of the enemies running furiouſly upon him? Therefore by the want of his hornes, he came into that ſtate, that men thought he had periſhed and was not, as the ſecond part of his time doth manifeſt, ver. 8. Therefore are they tenne for iuſt cauſe; in which nū ber is contained the defending of the Beaſt, which afterward failed for a time, aſſoone as that number was ended. This is that one houre, for which the Beaſt received power, and not he alone, but thoſe tenne Hornes together with him; which togither alſo fell downe, when as there was afterward no ſtrong or manlie thing in the Weſt for a long time, which was able to reſiſt the fiercenes of the enemies. For the reſt that followed, Avitus, Maioranus, Severianus, Anthemius, Rethimer, Olymbrius, Glicerius, Nepos, Oreſtes, Auguſtulus, to wit the laſt of the Emperours, were of no leſſe continuance, force & power, then they ar at this day of no fame, ſcarce known either from the ſpeach of men, or by Hiſtories. Fourthly the time of the Kingdome not yet received was the time when Iohn lived, and when this Revelation was made. The Heathen Emperours yet kept the ſtage, to wit the very Dragon, while in the meane time the woman not yet ſtrong enough, or in time not yet readie to bring foorth her childe, endured grievous paine in travelling, as in chapter twelve ver. 2. &c. For howſoever in ſome ages next after Iohn there were ſome men a little more enclined toward Chriſtians, yet the Dragō forthwith devoured al the new hope, lying in wait moſt vigilantly for the woman travailing with childe, until the ful time to bring foorth a valiant iſſue should come. Fiftly, the time of receiving power is the ſame houre with the Beaſt. For wee have shewed that the terme alſo of beginning is included in the ſpace of cōtinuing. But ſeeing this is a large houre, in what moment of it was this power givē? Truely in that, wherin the Lambe caſt downe from the Empire Diocletiā, and Maximinian, chap. 6.15. for we shal finde that the Beaſt did appeare at this time, as it is made apparant from the elect then ſealed chap. 7. From the burning mountaine caſt into the Sea a very little after, chap. 8. From the Church going into the inner Temple, while the wicked have ſway in the court, chap. 11. From the ſpace of fourty two moneths, all which ſhe lay hid in the Temple and wildernes, chap. 11.3. & 12.6. From the ſame time of the power given to the Beaſt, & from the Throne, which he received as a gift from the Dragon chap. 13.25. But chiefly from the next ſucceſſion made to the ſixt head, to weet the Heathen Emperours, ver 10. of this chapter. The common terme of all thoſe dependeth from the Dragon his driving out of heaven, when after ſo wonderful a manner, the Emperours reſigned their authority. For what other cauſe is there, why the Church then should be in ſo afflicted ſtate, but for that the Beaſt was riſen up? Therfore the woman trembling more for feare of him then of the Dragon, brought forth, and together fled, that is, after she had procreated the Chriſtian Emperours, among whom Conſtantine obtaineth the firſt and chiefe place, hating the ambitious and fraudulent Popes introducing shadowes and images of godlines, inſtead of a ſolid and expreſſe paterne more then profeſſed enemies, shee hidde her ſelfe in the darke ſtraight way, chap. 12.6. Therfore theſe alone are thoſe hornes, to whō onelyonly all theſe properties agree moſt fitly. The Kings that aroſe after the diſsipation of the Empire, began not together with the Beaſt (as we have given him a riſing like as other men every where, in the yeere 606.) but almoſt two hundred yeere before. For the Suevians, Alanes, Goths, Vandals poſſeſſed Spaine when Honorius reigned. The Vandals alſo held Afrike, the Goths, Burgonians, Francons, obtained France; the Engliſh men Britannie, the Hunnes Pannonia; and others chalenged for their owne other countries. Theſe Kings flouriſhed, the Beaſt in the meane ſeaſon being almoſt conſumed with a moſt grievous woūd. Neither received they power for an houre, as the true hornes, but by ſucceſſion of their heires, the which dignity being once gotten, they hold it cō ſtantly even unto this very day: the glory, I ſay, of the Kingdomes never decayed, howſoever the families peradventure were often changed. Finally, neither ſucceeded they next the ſixt head: but they have the Popes and Chriſtian Emperours placed between, and in the midds. By the ſame arguments all things fall down, which are brought by Ribera the Ieſuite cō cerning the tenne hornes, Revel. 12. num. 11. as may be evident to him that weigheth the thing on both ſides, that I may not ſpend time in refuting his toies. If any obiect that ſome of thoſe Emperours were godly, & holy, let him againe take this anſwer to himſelfe, that the good Princes knew not what monſter they nouriſhed, even as very many learned men, who had no leſſe care to ſet foorth the Beaſt by their writings, then they to defend him by weapons. From whence it is no marvaile, though both ſtrove to their power to adorne him, whoſe counterfait ſhew had a certen maieſtie; but his filthines yet was more hidde, then that it could be ſeen openly. Neither is it needful that al the hornes should be togither, more then the heads, which ſucceeded one after an other. And the Beaſt himſelfe is a rew of Popes, as wee have shewed, which a long order of ſucceſsion cō cludeth, not any one perſon limiteth. Yet theſe firſt Emperours are ſo the hornes, that togither they containe the whole order following, but therefore before the reſt elected, as it were by name, both becauſe the traveile of theſe should be famous, and the firſt in advancing the Pope, who being deſtitute of the ſame for a time, should be contemned: and alſo becauſe the certen, definit, and excellent number of theſe in the very firſt beginnings of iniquity, should leade men ſtraight forth to the extolling of the Beaſt in the ages following; and should more aboundantly inſtruct us for to underſtand this whole myſtery. For theſe hornes which shall eate the fleſh of the whore, and at length burne her with fire, are farre off from the times of the firſt hornes a thouſand two hundred three ſcore yeeres at the leaſt, as appeareth ſufficiently from thoſe things which have ben ſaid before. Neceſſarily therfore is a ſucceſsion to be underſtood, to al which the name of tenne hornes agreeth, becauſe the firſt of this number were notable. Which things now in this wiſe declared, wee have the third demonſtration, of thoſe that are taken out of this chapter, both of the Antichriſt and alſo his comming. For the Beaſt which received power at one houre with the tenne Kings, who had not yet received a Kingdome in Iohns time, but should receive it ſtraightway when the ſixt head was gone and then preſent, is the Antichriſt. But the Pope of Rome is the Beaſt, which a thouſand three hundred yeeres ſince received power at one houre with thoſe tenne Kings, as wee have made it plaine. Therfore a thouſand three hundred yeeres ſince he is Antichriſt. So al things agree moſt fitly with themſelves, and doo marveilouſly levell at the ſame marke.

13 Theſe have one minde: Such was thē the beginning of the Kingdome. The intent of theſe Kings is, with one purpoſe of minde to beſtow their ſtrength & power in maintaining the Beaſt. Which in few wordes, but cleerly inough doo ſhew how the Emperours should be affected towards the Pope of Rome, chiefly for the ſpace of the two & fourty moneths of his flouriſhing tyrā ny. For the defection should not beginne forthwith at this terme: but shortly after the former good wil should decay, and abate ſomewhat by little and little of the former heate. But who may not wonder, at ſo great conſent of mindes, through ſo lōg a ſucceſsion, that all in like wiſe ſhould deſire, that the chiefe dignity, should be in the poſſeſsion of the Pope of Rome, and should let paſſe nothing, that might pertaine to the advancing and making famous the ſame? The thing is manifeſt to every one in the firſt tenne hornes. OnelyOnly Iulianus holpe alſo ſomewhat at leaſt in vanquishing the enemies of the Empire. Neither in the deſtructions of Rome and when the Popedome was almoſt abolished, was ther want in the Emperours of a care to reſerve the former authority to old Rome, when it ſeemed meet to tranſlate the Primacie to Conſtantinople, the ſeate then of the Empire; eſpecially the Bishops of Conſtantinople chalenging to themſelves the ſame with exceeding great contention. Yea at length they reſtrained this ambition of theirs, and commanded them to be ſubiect to the Romane Pope. New Hornes at length aroſe in the VVeſt, Pipine & Charles the Great; they fought farre more fiercely for the Beaſt, then any before, in chap. 13.11. Moreover at length it came to this point, that by an othe of fidelity, the Emperours were bound to the Pope, and should now doo neceſſarily, that which before time they did of their owne accord, and voluntarily. It ſeemed to the Beaſt to ſtand with wiſdome for his greater ſecurity to uſe this marke afterward, as wee have shewed at chapter 14.17, VVhichWhich cuſtome muſt deſcēde to the poſterity, until the words of God ſhould be fulfilled, as after in verſe 17. Some few Emperours indeed had great ſtrife with the Beaſt: but in everie one of them this is to be marveiled at, that they though they had to doo onelyonly with a man, not with the Pope. They hated him peradventure as an enemy: but the Popedome they adorned in the meane time very ſtudiouſly. But neither thē had the Pope need of thoſe hornes, who prevailed ſo much by his owne forces, that he compelled the Emperours ſtruggling with him, to be ſubiect in ſpite of their teeth: and themſelves nowe to undergoe the yoke, by whoſe helpe before he brought others under the yoke. Or graunt that ſome one, who ſawe more then the reſt, hated alſo the Popedome, yet one ſwallow maketh not the ſpring.

As touching the wordes, Montanus readeth in the ende of the verſe foreign doo give in the preſent tence, doo give their power to the Beaſt: as in the beginning of the verſe foreign have, albeit the ſpeach be of that which is to come, but this is uſuall in narrations. Theodorus Beza hath foreign ſhall give.

14 Theſe ſhall fight with the Lambe: Now he declareth the warre of theſe hornes, which they should make againſt the Lambe. But did Conſtantine & the other good Emper. ēdevour any thing againſt the Lord, for whoſe ſake they take up weapons againſt others? Certenly men fight againſt the Lambe, when any thing is defended earneſtly, which is contrary to his ordinances. And if any looketh into that manifold ſuperſtition, which was brought in when even the beſt raigned, by the ſame, if not the authours, yet the favourers thereof; he shall eaſily ſee this battell, although the holy men thought nothing leſſe, (for ſo I may call them, whom God pardoneth for his Sonnes ſake, and ſinning not of purpoſe, but through ignorance,) then to oppugne the Lambe, whom alone they deſired to beare rule. This, I ſay, may be called a battel againſt the Lambe: yet thoſe firſt Emper. were farr from that warre, which was at length to be made with the Saincts after the two and fourty moneths were finiſhed. For ſo wee heard before, when the two witneſſes have finiſhed their teſtimony, the Beaſt that commeth out of the bottomeleſſe pit, ſhall make warre againſt them, and overcome them, Chapter 11.7. VVhichWhich wee shewed to have bene done, partly by the authority of the Pope himſelfe, when at Trent he ſubdued the truth by his purpled company: partly by the weapons of the Emperour Charles the fift, who togither by a moſt lamentable warre, perſecuted the Princes of Germany craving liberty to worship the Lambe; who had begun a little before to shine againe upon the world after long darkeneſſe. The Angel ſpeaketh in the plurall number, as though all the hornes should make warre togither with ioyned forces. But it is no newe thing that it should be ſaid done of all, which is done of any one of the ſame degree. Many were the entrepriſes before againſt the Lambe, but this one deſerveth the name of warre above all.

¶ And the Lambe ſhall overcome them: See how with this warre he ioyneth the victory of the Lambe; which may be underſtood of this alone. But the Emperours got the victory in that warre; that is true indeede, if wee reſpect the very time of darkenes, by the ſpace of which the two witneſſes muſt lie ſlaine and unburied. But after thoſe fewe fore appointed dayes were ended, they which of late triumphed as conquerers; now the caſe being altered, were overcome. Mauritius put to flight the Emperour, and at length compelled him to graunt liberty to true religion, as we ſaid in chapter 11 11.12. This free profeſsion of the trueth is this victory, which the Lambe wrong from the Emperour againſt his will. And not from him alone, but alſo from the reſt which followed; Ferdinandus, Maximilianus, Rodulphus, who ſeeing that they kicked in vaine againſt the pricke, cauſed noe trouble to the reformed religion.

I would to God at lēgth the Emperour would ſet forth the victory of the Lambe, not onelyonly by reſiſting, but alſo by deteſting the Romiſh impoſtures. and by embracing the wholeſome trueth it ſelfe. Why mindeth he not, that he now followeth unwares the Lambes charriot? For it happeneth not by chance, but belongeth to a mighty conquerer, to make great ſtates of a realme favourable to his Church. But whether were it not better, to accompany the triumphant charriot, a fellow and partaker of the victory, then a priſoner and miſerable ſpectacle of the diſconfiture received? God open his eyes, that in rewarding the whore from his vertues: he firſt of the hornes may receive the price of that victory, which if hee shall not regard, nevertheleſſe ſome other shall have it shortly.

¶ And they which are with him, called, and choſen faithfull: The Chriſtian ſauldiers Mauritius, and the armies of the Proteſtants, by which the Lābe got the victory. For it pleaſed him not by ſending fire from heaven to overcome the enemies by his owne power alone, but by the labour of his faithful ſervants. So then we have theſe hornes declared by this warre, no leſſe notable marke toward their ende, then the number of tenne was at their beginning: ſo the beginning and ende being known, here can be noe doubt of the other race that commeth betweene.

15 And he ſayd unto mee, the waters which thou ſaweſt: Hitherto the expoſition of the Beaſt: that of the whore followeth: and firſt in reſpect of the whole dominion, & the ſame flouriſhing in this verſe. Waters which he mentioneth in the firſt verſe he expoundeth to be people, multitudes, nations and tongues, that is, nations of every tongue obeying Rome the Empreſſe. So the Prophets are wonte to ſignify a great multitude of people, as waters doo come up from the North, and become a ſwelling flood, Ier. chap. 47.2. And of right doo they attribute this name unto them, becauſe of the notable varietie, inconſtancy, and often chāging of their opinions, as of waves toſſed with the wind: whoſe troublous motions are greater, then of any arme or ſtraigth of the ſea, as ſaith the Oratour. Theſe therfore are the waters of the whore ruling farre and neere, what kinde of dominion ſhee had once, while her age & favour was flourishing: in the laſt times, when olde age should disfigure her forehead with wrinkles, they should become farre more shallow, & narrower, as followeth in the next verſe.

¶ Where the whore ſitteth: That is, upon which the whore ſitteth, as in the firſt verſe. But nations & tongues are ſaid two for one, as though he should ſay, nations of divers tongues.

16 And the tenne hornes which thou ſaweſt on the Beaſt: Now he commeth to the afflicted condition of the whore; declaring by whom it shalbe brought upon her, and how: to which he addeth a common cauſe, the will of God in the next verſe. As touching the words, in ſtead of upon the Beaſt, the Compl. edition, which Montanus and Plantine followeth, doth reade, and the Beaſt, as if the Beaſt himſelfe at length should hate the whore: contrary unto Aretas reading, the vulgar Latine, and Theod. Beza from the authority of very many copies, and in very deed contrary to the manifeſt trueth: for, by the deſolation of the whore, which he foresheweth here, the Spirit underſtandeth that calamity that shalbe brought upon the Kingdome of the Beaſt, by the vial poured out upon his Throne, chap. 16.10.11. Therefore how can the Beaſt shew himſelfe a helper for to abolish and roote out the whore, as it followeth from the falſe reading, whoſe fall he shall take ſo grievouſly and immoderately, that he ſhall gnawe his tōgue for exceeding great griefe? Furthermore, Iohn ſaw the woman ſitting upon the Beaſt, at what time ſhee commeth forth to condemnation and puniſhment. When then shalbe this ſeparating of company, which they would have, when ſo great a concorde remaineth even to the laſt deſtruction? VVherfore it is a vaine thing, which Bellarmine endevoureth to ſtablish from this place, that Rome is not the ſeate of Antichriſt, becauſe Antichriſt shall hate the whore, which he granteth to be Rome. For he ſhall not hate, ſaith he, his owne ſeate. But the whole aſſumption is manifeſtly falſe, and leaneth upon no other thing, then a corrupt reading. But why dareth he now depart from the vulgar Latine, which with ſo great praiſes hee extolleth elſewhere, and the Councill hath decreed to be authenticall alone? The force of the trueth hath compelled him to ſeeke all corners, which if by any meanes he could avoide, he knew pardon would eaſily be gotten of the Councill. VVherefore they which ſhall hate the whore are the tenne hornes, not the Beaſt together with them. For the relative of the neuter antecedent is maſculine, becauſe by theſe hornes, men are to be underſtood. But as in the warre againſt the Lambe, that was attributed to the tenne Kings, which was done onelyonly by the labour of one, ver. 14. So all are ſaid to hate the whore, and at length to torment her with the laſt ſlaughter, which nevertheleſſe is peradvēture the commendation of one of theſe. For there are not wonte to be many Emperours togither of the ſame dominion. And it may be, that even at the riſing of the Beaſt, the tenne firſt Emperours were famous for good will toward the Pope: ſo contrariwiſe, nigh his ende the tenne laſt ſhalbe for a certaine peculiar hatred to the whore; the laſt whereof shall burne her with fire. But I ſay the laſt, not as though they should ceaſe when the Pope ceaſeth, but becauſe they ſhalbe no longer his hornes, whoſe nowe they are counted: from which it is manifeſt, that the Turke is not hee, by whom Rome ſhall utterly periſh: but one of the Emperours, to whō theſe hornes agree in beginning, progreſſe, and end. Neither indeede would the Turke, if he knew to provide for himſelfe, attempt any thing againſt Rome: as long as shee shal cōtinue ſafe, our armies shall doo him no harme. Take yee an example o Chriſtians, from that victory at Kareſta, a few yeeres ſince, to wit, in the yeere 1596. What was the cauſe that overcomming, ye ranne away headlong by a ſudden terrour? Why when the Turks ſled, and left their campe and tents three whole dayes in the fieldes without any keeper, on the other ſide you should runne with violence into a moſt deſperate flight? Some men in time paſt knew not to uſe doubtfull victory; but after the enemies ſlaine and diſconfited and undoubted victory, for the conquerrers to betake them to their heeles; this exemple, I beleeve, may be the firſt, not ſeen, nor heard before. A thing to be greatly wondered at, but the reaſon wherof is not unknowne. This rodde is not to be burnt, untill both the Idolatry of the Weſt be forſaken by repentance, and Rome the fountaine & beginning of this impiety, be deſtroyed with the laſt puniſhment. The cruel enemy was ſent into the earth for this cauſe, as wee learned from the ende of the ninth chapter. Neither was any other fruit of the Hungary expedition to be expected, when the ſtandart of the chiefe Captaine Archduke Maximilian was marked on the one ſide with the Image of bleſſed Mary, with the inſcription of the Patroneſſe of Hungary. Impiety doubtleſſe drawen from the cup of the fornication of Rome: but learne now by experience, how litle it is to your profit, the true Patrone of heaven and earth being left, to take unto them other Patrones, with exceeding great iniury to the Saincts. Certenly this Patroneſſe made you conquerers to runne away. Be ye wiſe at length, and convert your wrath againſt Rome, which maketh you a pray by this fraude. This cuppe of fornication, and ſhoppe of Idolatry being taken away, there shalbe no need of our armies to punish the cruel Turke: but deſtructiō ſhal come to him frō ſome other place; ſo as he shal cauſe no trouble even after, to the Chriſtian name. Neither doo I ſpeake theſe things of my ſelfe rashly, but partly thoſe things which have ben ſaid before in chap. 16.13. & in other places, partly thoſe things which folow, declare to be moſt certaine. Wherefore, thou moſt High Emperial Maieſty, to whom it shalbe peradventure very profitable to be delivered from this enemy; and you the reſt of the Chriſtian Princes, underſtand at length, by what way you may procure, as to your ſelves honour and tranquility, ſo quietneſſe and ioy to the whole Chriſtiā world. You have failed hitherto in ſetting upon the enemy. Draw your ſwordes againſt Rome; and Conſtantinople shal never procure you any trouble. Burne ye the whore and bring her to ashes; then shall ye ſee the brethren to come from the Eaſt part, whom the world yet litle or nothing mindeth, of which the Turke shalbe punished with the laſt univerſal ſlaughter, for all their abominations and horrible cruelty. The fift and ſixt vial of the former chapter, gave ſome taſt of this thing, of which the firſt declareth the deſolation of Rome, the ſecond, that the caling of the Iewes, shal come by and by after. Which, what it availeth to that thing which I ſpeake of, shall appeare in his places more cleerly. At length, weigh diligently the things that are written. I would not dare, being unknowne, and even at home of no fame, ſpeake unto moſt famous Princes, the lights of the countries, concerning a matter of ſo great moment, unleſſe confidence in the divine trueth had encouraged mee. Which I ſubmit to the cē ſure of all equal iudges. Wherfore if after diligent tryall, ye shal find out that which is brought, to be true & certen, deliver at length, by the name of God the moſt afflicted Eupope, both from the firebrand of civil warre, which this whore carrieth about, and alſo from the moſt iuſt matter of external warre. Addreſſe your ſelves againſt Rome, and deſtroy her, as being a moſt certen deſtruction both of the bodies and ſoules of all thoſe, who are trained up in her wicked ordinances.

¶ Shal hate the whore: Hitherto by whom the whore is to be tormented: now by what meanes; wherof there be five degrees, hatred, forſaking, nakedneſſe, eating, burning. As touching hatred, why should they not worthily deteſt the Sorcereſſe, who hath made the Kings of the earth mad with her Circean cuppe? Which is the butchereſſe of the Saincts, the onelyonly fortreſſe of the Turkes, very Sodome, Aegypt, and the City which crucified Chriſt our Lord? Of all which things this Revelation hath convinced and condē ned her moſt evidently. But they shall make her deſolate and naked; partly by forſaking her, partly by miniſtring no aide againſt the aſſault of the enemy. They ſhall eate her fleſh, by taking cleane away her yeerly revenues, and in prohibiting afterward the Romish markets in th…ir countreys: peradventure alſo by taking againe Romandiola, the countrey Picenum, now called Marca de Ancona, and Sena, commonly called Peters Patrimonie, & the reſt of Italy being of the dominion of the Empire, wherof the Beaſt once wiped the Emperours by fraud and ſubtilty. The Venetians in the diviſion of the Empire were left free, by the conſent of both the Emperours, counted of neither of their iuriſdictions. They of the Citie Bononia, they of Florence, they of Genua, they of Luca, and ſome others, bought their freedome with money; but by what right doth Rome chalenge her territories? Have the Emperours given them unto her?

In ſuch wiſe, as Conſtantine the Great gave to bleſſed Silveſtre and his ſucceſſours his Palace, the Citie of Rome, and all the Provinces, places and Cities of Italy, or of the Countries in the weſt part. But graunt that Pipin & Charles gave them through ignorance; for the weale, as they thought, of Chriſtian piety: but after that it hath bene knowne by experience, that nothing hath redounded more to the deſtruction therof, why may they not take their owne againe, and get frō the whore the wages of her whoredome? But the Princes have no need to be taught what is their right, if onelyonly they would open their eyes, that they might acknowledge the whore ſuch as shee is in very truth. And who ſeeth not that theſe things were begun ever ſince the time of Charles the V. whom I ſuppoſe to be the firſt of theſe tenne laſt hornes; eſpecially from that moment, in which he was overcome of the Lambe by the armes of the Proteſtants? Of him God would have that Rome, though a fewe yeeres before, should be taken, and miſerably ſacked, by the Prince of Borbon, as it were for an example, & pledg of thoſe things, which at length shee should ſuffer at the hands of one of the tenne hornes, of which he leadeth the ranke. Ferdinandus, Maximilianus, Rodulphus, who at this day enioy the Empire; if they have done nothing more grievous againſt Rome, they left her certenly forſaken & naked. Tooke they up weapons for her ſake? Suffered they not frely their ſubiects, the Romish ſuperſtition being reiected, to profeſſe true religiō? But now they shall ſucceede next, who ſhall eate her fleſh, that is, who ſhall not onelyonly ſuffer her to lie naked and forſaken utterly, but alſo ſhall deale with her by violence, and ſhall no longer provide for her profits in their dominions, but shall hold it ſufficient for ſubiects to pay tributes to their lawfull Princes; yea peradventure shal enter an action againſt her, requiring againe the things, that I made mention of even now. And at length shall one riſe up, who shal conſume her with fire, as which cannot be purged with any other nitre; which day commeth with ſpeed, as may be underſtood from the things before ſpoken: but wee shal heare of a nigher term from the things following.

17 For God hath put in their harts: Now he sheweth the fountaine, & wherupon the Emperours should be for ſo long a time, ſo obedient, and why at length they should alter their mindes; both commeth from him, in whoſe hands are the hearts of Kings. He in his iuſt iudgement blindeth whom he will, and beſtoweth the light of trueth on others, whom he will embrace with his trueth. But, which thing is almoſt incredible, that the elect might be more aſſured of this future iudgement, he ſetteth before their eyes the remēberance of the time paſt, ſaying, God hath put into their hearts to give their Kingdome to the Beaſt, until the words of God be fulfilled; as though he should ſay, as ye know for a ſurety that overpaſſed conſent of the Emperours unto humble ſervice, ſo certen is this future alienation of their mindes, and at length that final deſtroying, which I ſpake of: There is one and the ſame authour of both. Neither let us take it grievouſly, if the iudgement ſeeme to ſtay long; the divine wiſdome hath ſet a time, which to accuſe of too much ſlackenes, would be a token of overhaſtie deſire, and importunate wish: for until, ſaith he, the words of God be fulfilled, that is until the decree shalbe ended and accomplished, which by his word he hath foreshewed to be hereafter. VVherby is ſignifyed the time of the fift vial, at the powring out wherof, shalbe fulfilled all thoſe things touching the whore: which wilbe shortly, ſeing our times have reached unto the fourth, as wee have shewed in the former chapter.

18 And the woman which thou ſaweſt: So was the interpretation of the Dominion; now of the Palace: which, all circumſtances omitted, declareth moſt playnely that this woman is the great City, which raigneth over the Kings of the earth. Therfore this Citie is not the whole ſtate of the wicked, whoſe dominion is no more famous over the Kings, then over the multitude of people: but a City in deed wel knowen for her rule over the higheſt among mortal men: and ſo much the more becauſe theſe words are in ſtead of an interpretation; neither is the Spirit wont to give an expoſition darker thē the things that are to be expounded. Therfore it is a city properly ſo called, great indeede, and the Lady of other Princes; there can be no other ſuch Head City in the Chriſtian world then Rome, an abridgement of the whole world; the Queene of the nations, Lady of Kings, and once in warres, now in ſuperſtition the chiefe: to whom, even in this decrepite age, her former large poſſeſsions being greatly minished, the Emperours, Spanish, Frēch. and Polonian Kings yet ſubmit themſelves, beſides other Princes of inferiour degree. Therfore this whore can no longer be hid, shee is found out at length, shee hath ben warned to come to her tryal, shee hath appeared, her cauſe is heard, shee is found guilty, shee is condemned to be burnt. I have exhibited unto you the ſealed writings of the publike actes; neither doo any thing now remaine but the laſt punishement, which is to be left to them, for whom God hath reſerved this glory. So at length wee have now ſeen the true face of the whore and Antichriſt; it remaineth that wee examine in few words what the Papiſts teach concerning theſe things, and eſpecially becauſe if this one cauſe be throughly knowe & tryed, the diſcerning of all other things shalbe eaſie. For if the Pope of Rome be Antichriſt, what need is there to contende about the Church of Rome, about the ſeven Sacraments about free will, about good workes, or about any other point in controverſie? It is evident inough to all men, that the doctrine of Antichriſt is to be ſuſpected, avoided, deteſted. Therfore my brethrē ſtrike at this roote, throw your axes againſt it with al your might. This one controverſie is inough for us. All the branches shalbe cut down togither with the tree, with much labour ſpared; in which reſpect I will not be loth to digreſſe to this point a little while.

A Revelation of the Apocalypse, Chapter 17 · Commentary · Refutation

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A refutation of the Antichrist which Bellarmine deſſcribeth, and confirmeth by ſuch arguments as he can, in his 3. book of the Bp. of Rome.

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