The Accomplishment of the Prophecies, Chapter 4

The Accomplishment of the Prophecies · Chapter 4

p. 204THE PROPHECIE CONtained in the 13. Chapter of the Apocalyps. CHAP. 4.

1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea having seaven heads and ten hornes, and vponupon his hornes were ten crownes, and vponupon his head the name of blasphemy.

p. 2052 And the beast which I saw was like a Leopard, and his feete like a beares, and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon: and the dragō gaue him his power and his throne and great authority.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death, but his deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered and followed the beast.

4 And they worshipped the dragō, which gaue power vntounto the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, who is he like vntounto the beast? who is able to warre with him?

5 And there was given vntounto him a mouth, that spake great things and blasphemies, and power was given vntounto him to do 42. moneths.

6 And he opened his mouth vntounto blasphemie against God to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

7 And it was given to him to make warre with the Saints, & to overcome them, and power was given him over every kinred, and tongue, and nation.

8 Therefore al that dwel vponupon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the booke of life of …, which p. 206was slaine from the beginning of the world.

9 If any man hauehave an eare let him hear.

10 If any man lead into captivity, hee shall goe into captivity: If any man kill with a sword, he must be killed by a sword: here is the patience, and the faith of the Saints.

11 And I beheld another beast cōming vp out of the earth, which had two horns like the Lambe, but he spake like the Dragon.

12 And hee did all that the first beast could do before him, and he caused the earth and them which dwell therein, to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13 And he did great wōders, so that he made fire to come downe from heaven on the earth, in the sight of men.

14 And he deceived them that dwel on the earth by the signes which were permitted him to do in the sight of the beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make the image of the beast, which had the wound with a sword, and did liue.

15 And it was permitted vntounto him to giuegive a spirite vntounto the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast should speake, and should cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast, should be killed.

16 And he made all both smal & great, p. 207rich & poore, free & bond, to receiue a marke in their right hand, or in their foreheads.

17 And that no man might buy or sell, saue he that had the marke, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdome. Let him that hath wit, count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundreth threescore and six.

The exposition of this Prophecy.

1 Then I saw the Roman Empire to raise it selfe vp from amongst the people and nations, hauing its seat in the towne which hath 7. hills, and which must be governed with 7. kinds of principal governments, to wit, by kings, by Consuls, by military Tribunes, by Decemvirs, by Dictatours, by Emperours, and last of all by Popes. Which Empire is composed of 10. principall parts, which are so many kingdomes. And this cittie seated vponupon 7. hills bore a wicked, and blasphemous name, to wit, Rome the Euerlasting.

2 And this Empire looked like a Leopard, by reason of the speedy atchieuements of its conquests. And held fast the p. 208substance of the people as a beare, which keeps that which he hath gotten vnderunder his pawes, and devoured the nations as a Lion deuoureth his pray. And the divell (which is the **Ioh. 16.11.John 16:11Prince of this world, and which **Luk. 4.6.Luke 4:6takes vponupon him to dispose of kingdomes at his pleasure, gaue him his power and rule, and great glory.

3 And it came passe that one of these governments, to wit the 6, which is that of the Emperours, was ouerthrowne, then when (the Lombards hauing chased the Lieutenants of the Empire out of Italie) Rome did cease to be vnderunder subiection to the Emperours; wherefore to say truth, the Empyre did euen at that time leaue to bee the Roman Empire. But not long after this mortall blowe by which the Empyre of Rome was layed on the ground, this monarchie began to grow vp afresh, and to reviue againe by the Roman Hierarchie, which did reerect a newe Monarchie at Rome, and raise vp the Empire that was fallen: And all the people submitted themselues vnderunder the gouernement of this Romish church,

4. And did serue Idols; which who so serue, doe serue the divell, the author and p. 209aduancer of this Papall Hierarchie, & did attribute that vntounto this Hierarchie which did appertaine vntounto God, saying who is there that is like vntounto this Empire, & who is able to resist it?

5 And God hath suffered this Empire to take proud and blasphemous titles,1. Cor. 10.…1 Cor 10 and it must endure 1260. yeares.

6 And this papall Hierarchie doth set it selfe to belch forth horrible blasphemies against God, and to wrong his name and his Church, and his Saints.

7 Yea God hath suffered it to persecute the faithfull, and to ouercome them, & power was giuen vntounto it ouer infinite people, and tongues, and nations.

8 In so much that all men shall fall downe to worship it, whose names are not found in the booke of life of Iesus Christ which died for vsus, written before the foū dations of the world were laid.

9 If any man hauehave an vnderstanding to conceaue this, let him conceaue it.

10 For they which persecute, shall be delt with after the same manner▪ whosoever leadeth the faithfull into captiuitie, shall himselfe at length be made a captiue; whosoeuer slayeth them shall bee slaine. p. 210Herein appeareth the faith and patience of the Saints.

11 I saw also a Monarch of another name and fashion then the former Roman Emperours, to wit, the Pope, which wore a miter with two hornes vponupon his head, & which seemed in outward shew to profess Christ, and his doctrine, but whose doctrine indeed was diabolicall.

12 And he tooke all the power of the Roman Empire vponupon him at Rome being the seate of the Empire: and exhorted all people to submit themselues to this Roman Empire, which being destroyed by the Lombards in Italie, was brought to life againe, and reestablished by the Papacy.

13 And this Pope wrought miracles; insomuch that he sent forth the thunderbolts and lightnings of his excommunications against Kings and their people: & caused S. Anthonies fire to come downe from heauen, and made it to thunder and lighten by a miracle.

14 And the people were seduced by the miracles which God gaue him power to effect, for to establish this Roman Papal …, commanding the people to make p. 211vp the image of the ancient Roman Empire againe; that is to say, to serue the Papall Empire with the same manner of obedience as they did the old Roman Empire, which being demolished was built vp againe by the Papacy.

15 And God did suffer him to giuegive force and strength to this Papall Empire, which did resemble the ancient Empire, for the spirituall power that it did vsurpe gaue life & strength to its temporall power. Which Papall Empire being nothing but an imaginarie Empire, and which consisteth only in opinion, neuertheles speaks proudly, and maketh such to be massacred, and burnt, as doe refuse to submit themselues to this imaginarie Empire.

16 And hee made all, both small and great, rich and poore, bond and free, to giuegive him their handes, and take an oath to be faithfull vntounto him, and to bee markt by their actions. And their foreheads were marked with the marke of Confirmation, and they made profession of his religion, which profession of religion is often in the holy scripture, called by the name of a marke in the forehead.

17 And he tooke order that no man p. 212might trafficke nor sell, nor buy, nor exchange benefices: nor bee suffered to purchase an Archbishops Pall, nor hauehave a Licence, nor any pa…t in the Church goods, no nor yet buy an estate, if hee had not the name, and profession of a Papist: and were not of the number of those which are marked with the figures or numbers of the letters of his name.

18 In which nūber they which think themselues the wisest may find some thing worth their search. Whosoever hath vnderstanding let him diligently calculate the summe, to which these greeke cyphers or numbers of the pope of Rome doe amount, for it is an vsuall number amongst men, and therefore easie to be vnderstood. And this number to which the greeke letters of his name do amoūt, is six hundreth sixtie six. For this word (Latin) (which is the ordinary name, by which the Greeke church doth cal those of the Romā church and their head) being written in Greeke and after calculated, makes vp iust 666. Which number also by an admirable occurrence, doth admonish you that 666. yeares after the revealing of this Prophecy, this 2. beast, to wit, the Pope shall begin p. 213to heale the wound of the ancient Empire, and place the Roman Empire againe in its former seat.

The proofe of this exposition.

BEfore wee goe about to proue this exposition, wee are to note fiue things.

1 That all the ancient, and our adversaries themselues doe vnderstand the Roman Empire by the first beast, and Antichrist by the second.

2 That the holy Ghost in this prophecy doth not speake according to custome, but according to the truth; and therefore holds him to be the Roman Emperour which raigneth at Rome, and not him which doth not rule there, howbeit he beare the title thereof.

3 That in the yeare of our Lord 752. the Lieutenancie of the Empire being destroyed by Aistulphus king of the Lombards, the Emperour of Constantinople did vtterly loose all his dominion ouer Italy, & the citie of Rome, so that he could neuer after recouer it: whence it followes that the Emperour of Constantinople, did at that time cease to be the Roman Emperour.

p. 2144 That the holy Ghost in this Prophecy makes the Hierarchicall Roman Empire, to be a continuation of the Romā Empire, as which did succeed in the rome, and vsurp the rights thereof, and makes but one Empire of them both, hauing chā ged the head, that is to say, the forme of governement.

5 That the holy Ghost in this prophecy puts a difference betweene the Roman Hierarchie and the Pope. Seeing that the Pope is but one person at once: but the Hierarchie is the whole body of the Prelates and Clergie, that doe vphold his authoritie.

This being premised for the better opening of the matter in hand, we will now come to proue, and demonstrate the seuerall parts thereof.

The first part of this Prophecie.

1. THen I saw a beast rising out of the sea, hauing seaven heades and tenne hornes, and vponupon his hornes were tenne Crownes, and vponupon his head the name of blasphemy.

p. 215The Exposition of this Prophecy.

1 THen I saw the Roman Empire to raise it selfe vp from amongst the people and nations, hauing its seate in the towne which hath 7 hills, and which must be gouerned with 7 kindes of maine governements, to wit, by kings, by Consuls, by militarie Tribunes, by Decemvirs, by Dictatours, by Emperours, and last of all by Popes. Which Empire is composed of 10. principall partes, which are so many kingdomes. And this citie seated vponupon 7. hils bore a wicked and blasphemous name to wit, Rome the Everlasting.

The proofe of this Exposition.

By the sea, the people and nations are vnderstood; according to the exposition of the Angell in the 17. chap. and 15. verse of this booke. The waters which thou sawest, are people, and multitudes, and nations. A fashion of speech vsed by Daniell, in the 7. chap. and 3. verse; Where in steed of saying that he saw 4 great Empires rise vp from amongst the nations, he saith that 4 great p. 216beasts did rise vp out of the sea. So speakes Esay in his 8. chap. and 7. verse; and David in the Psalmes, 46. verse 4. and 65. verse. 8.

That by the 7. heads, 7. hils are vnderstood, vponupon which the citty of Rome was situate, the Angell witnesseth in the 17. chap. of this booke, and 9. verse. The seaven heads are seavē mountaines whereon the woman sitteth. Afterward he addeth in the 18. verse, That woman which thou sawest is the great citty which raigneth over the kings of the earth. This cannot be vnderstood of any other citty but of Rome, which in the time of S. Iohn raigned over realmes, and was the seate of the Empire, and there was no other citty at that time which had seaven hils, wherfore also it is called in greek foreign, Septicollis. And there was a solemne feast, called Septimontium, in honor of the towne, as **Varro lib. 5 Dies Septimentium no…inatu… ab …is 7. moati… in queis …rbs sita estVarro witnesseth in his 5. booke of the Latin tongue. And **Varro lib. 5 Dies Septimentium no…inatu… ab …is 7. moati… in queis …rbs sita estMartial saith that hee coulde see the 7. hils of Rome from his house: and Propertius in the 10. elegie of his 3. booke,

Septe vrbs alta iugis toti quae prasidetorbi. Also our aduersaries themselues doe not deny but that this citty whereof S. Iohn speaketh is Rome: but they would hauehave it p. 217to be heathnish Rome. We will shew in the 17. chapt. that S. Iohn did speake of Rome also after Paganisme was abolished: but in this chapt. it is sufficient for vsus that by the 7. heads the 7. hils of Rome are vnderstood, taken in that sense as our adversaries would hauehave it.

By these 7. hils we do vnderstand 7. divers successiue governments, which hauehave borne soveraigne rule ouer the citty of Rome: to wit, the Kings, whō the Consuls succeeded, whose forme of governement was interrupted 3 several times by the Militarie Tribunes which were endued with consular authority. Afterward by the Decemvirs; and by the Dictatous, at diuerse times, but most especially vnderunder the Dictatorship of Sylla, and Iulius Caesar. After whom Octavius Augustus established the Monarchicall state of Emperours, whose gouernement ouer Rome and Italie being interrupted by the Herules and Goths, neverthelesse they made a shift a little after to recouer it againe: vntil the Lombards at last hauing destroyed the Empire in Italie, opened a way vntounto the Pope to make himselfe Lord of Rome, & to build vp the Romane Monarchie to that heighth as we see p. 218it is come to at this day. And this exposition is not of our owne inuenting, but groū ded vponupon the 17. of the Revelation the 10. verse, where he saith that the 7. heads are 7. kings (so doth-he call all soueraigne power) fiue of which were fallen, and the 6. was, & the 7. was not yet come. There is nothing so cleere and evident. For at the time when S. Iohn had this Revelation the 5. first of these 7. soueraigne gouernements were abolished, to wit, the kings, the Consuls, the Militarie Tribunes, the Decemvirs, and the Dictatours, the sixth did flourish, to wit, the Emperours, and the 7. to wit, the Popes were not as yet come. I am not ignoraunt that euen then there were Consuls still remaining, and Militarie Tribunes, but they had no soueraignty. The Consulship was a place more of dignity, then any authority, and serued for nothing else but to distinguish the yeares in their Fasti. And the Military Tribunes were but the Captaines of one Legion, which are at this day called the Colonels of a band. It is not therefore an interpretation of our owne inuention, when we say that these 7 heads doe signifie 7. seueral formes of soueraigne gouernment ruling Rome one after an other, and p. 219not all at the same time: seeing that S. Iohn saith that 5. of these 7. heads were fallen, that one was, and that the 7. was not as yet come. This doubtlesse is an admirable exposition, and was suggested to his Maiesty of England by the spirit of God.

S. Iohn doth adde further, that this beast which is the Roman Empire had 10. diademes, or crownes; the meaning is plaine: we vse to say that our King, besides the crowne of Fraunce hath also the crowne of Navarre: and that the kings of England & Spain, are kings of more crownes thē one, that is to say of more Realmes or Provinces; The like is here to be vnderstood. The 10. crownes of the Roman Empire are 10. great Provinces & principall parts, whereof the Empire did as then consist; Italie, Spaine, the Gaules, Germanie, Hungary and Bulgarie, Greece, Natolia or Asia minor, Syria and Assyria, Egypt, and Affricke. The Iles are dependances of the next continēt. And vnderunder eueryevery one of these great partes are comprehended the next small provinces which were kept in subiection by the same armies: as Dacia & Moldavia by the Legions appointed for Hungarie. If there were any other Provinces, as Armenia, & p. 220Arabia, they were neuer held but weakly, and in part, and were often lost, and they are reckoned for dependences of Asia minor, and of Syria.

And although the Romane Emperour be here compared to a beast, yet this doth not deny but that there were some good Roman Emperours: and we may not think it strange that the holy Ghost doth represent this Empire vntounto vsus by a Beast, which was not only gouerned by Neroes, Domitians, and Heliogabales: but by Theodosies also, & Valentinians, Christian and religious Princes. For Empires are called beasts in the Prophecy of Daniel, and in the Apocalyps, because of the manner by which they did first rise and increase, to wit, by violence and crueltie. For no man can deny that the Romans at first were nothing else but theeues, and common robbers, which heretofore hauing nothing but onelyonly one walled towne, had no right ouer Italy lesse yet ouer Greece, ouer the Gaules, ouer Spaine, Africke, or Asia; but it is possible enough to gouerne that with order and equitie, which was first laid hold on by iniustice.

It remains that we see what these names p. 221of blasphemy are, which this citie and Empire of Rome did beare. S. Hierome in the 11. question to Algasia, expounds this place thus. There is (saith S. Iohn in the Revelation,) a name of blasphemy written in the forehead of the queane clad in skarlet, & this name is, Rome The Everlasting. The same citie is likewise called Dea, Goddess, And so doth Iulius Frontinus cal her in his booke of water workes. The queene and Empresse of the world, which is the Goddesse of the earth, and all the nations. And Martial speaketh after the same manner, in the 8. Epigram of his 12 booke.

Terrarum Dea gentium que Roma

Cui par est nihil & nihil secundum.

Queene of the earth, Goddesse of this worlds round,

Whose like or second may no where be found.

The Emperours also were not without **Virg. Ecl. 1. O Melibae… Deus. & paulò pòst, Bissenos cui nostra dies altaria fumant. Martial. Epig. 8. l. 5 Edictum domini dei que nostri. Horat. Epist. 1. l. 2. Praesenti tibi maturos largimur honores, Iurandas que tuum per nomen ponimus aras Codicis lib. 1. tit. 2. de sacrosanctia Ecclesiis, Capitationis modum beneficio nostri nominis sublevandum ▪blasphemous titles. For they were called Gods, not only after their death, but whilst they were liuing too: There were altars built in honor of them, They had sacrifice offered vntounto them; The common fashion of swearing was to sweare by the Genius of the Emperour, their statues were places of refuge for offendours, as for example, p. 222to the servants of Iulius Sabinus, of whom for this fact there is mention made in the 8. chapt. of the 1. booke of Iustinians Institutioos. There offendours might rest more secure then in a Temple, as Philostratus saith in the life of Apollonius; and Tertullian in his Apologeticke oratiō against the heathen affirmeth that it was lesse danger, for a man to sweare falsely by Iupiter, then to periute himselfe by the name of the Prince. And Plinie the younger in the 97. Epistle of his 10. booke saith, that he made al such, as renounced christianity, to kneele downe before the image of the Empeorur, and to offer incense and wine vntounto him for sacrifice. Which impietie beeing abolished by the Christian Emperours, yet neuerthelesse (that this prophecie might be fulfilled, there were still some names of blasphemie abiding, for retaining of which they cannot be excused. In the yeare of our Lord 314. Petronius Arrianus, and Iulian being commaunded to look to the safety of many bishops that were returning into Affricke, & to defraie the charges of their iourney, writ thus to Domitius Celsus the Emperours Lieutenant in Affricke, Many bishops of Affricke p. 223are cōe to the country of the Gauls by the heavenly commandement of our Lord Constantine. And a little after; Following the commandement of the Eternitie of that thrice gratious Prince, as Baronius doth relate it vponupon the 314. yeare of our Lord. The selfe same title is giuen by Symmachus to Valentinian, Theodosius, & Arcadius in the 54 Epistle of the tenth booke. Multa victoriae debet Aeternitas vestra, & adhuc plura debebit. In the second Apologie of Athanasius, there is an Epistle of Colluthas, wherein he saith, that the Godhead of Augustus had taken order for a Church to bee built in the village of Secontaururus with all speed possible, and commands them to fall about it as soone as ever they should receaue the Divine letters patent. Ausonius speakes thus to the Emperour Theodosius in the beginning of his Poems.

Nil dubites authore bono, mortalia quaerunt

Consilium, certus iussa capesse Dei.

and a little after. Non tutum renuisse Deo. According to this manner of speaking did the Emperours vse to call their Institutions, Divine Institutions, and their Edicts, the Edicts of God. In the 1. booke of Iustitinians Code, and 2. title, the Constitutions p. 224of the Emperours are called heavenly Oracles, and divine Sanctions; that is to say the word of God.

The second part of this Prophecy.

2 ANd the beast which I saw was like a Leopard, and his feet like a beares; & his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon; and the Dragon gaue him his power, and his throne, & great authoritie.

The Explication.

2 AND this Empire looked like a Leopard, by reason of the speedy atchieuements of its Conquests. And held fast the substance of the people as a Bear, which keeps that which he hath gotten vnderunder his pawes, and devoured the nations as a Lyon devoureth his pray. And the divell (which is the Ioh 16.11.John 16:11Prince of this world) and which Luk. 4.6.Luke 4:6takes vponupon him to dispose of kingdomes at his pleasure, gaue him his power, and rule, and great ….

p. 225The proofe of this Exposition.

THis interpretation needeth not much proofe; eueryevery man knowes the speedy atchieuements of the Romans conquests, especially after the 2 Punick war. Then (as Florus saith) the conquest of Macedon followed that of Africke, then, that of Greece, & of Syria, & of all the rest in a huddle, carried away by the vnresistable tide, & rushing torrent of Fortune. It is said of Pompey that he ouerran the world by his conquests in lesse time, then one could hauehave run it ouer a foot. And Caesar in the war against Pharnaces doth boast, that hee no sooner came and saw him, but he ouer came him. Whosoeuer shall but consider the exploits of this Empire, will thinke that more then twice the time was imployed about the performance of them.

As for the shedding of bloud, Plutarch in the life of Caesar reporteth, …hat in the conquest but of the Gauls only which was 10 years a working, there were a milliō of men slaine. And Iosephus telleth vsus that in the siege of Ierusalem vndertaken by Titus and Vespasian there died 11000000 men: p. 226and yet neuerthelesse these Princes hauehave beene noted for examples of clemency. What might Marius and Sylla those bloudy minded men doe? and how much blood may we thinke, was shed in all the rest of Europe, Asia, and Africa? The Amphitheater where the people were entertained to passe away the time, where murder was a common sport, where men went to see Lions and Tigers teare men asunder, so to solace themselues, what else was this but a discipline of crueltie, and a means to accustome the people to murder, & to drink in bloud at their eies by way of recreation?

As for the wealth of this Empire, it is an incredible thing: the riches of our Kings are but pouertie being compared to these. Some of the citizens that were enfranchised by the Emperors, hauehave not yeelded to kings in this respect, a great many examples whereof are found noted by Lipsius in his last chap. and 2. booke of the greatnesse of the Roman Empire. Lucullus and Apicius did spend more at one supper, then a Prince does in a month. Caligula in one yeare did consume all that which the couetousnesse of Tiberius had scraped together, p. 227which did amount to six hundreth and fiftie millions, and 4 hundreth fiftie foure thousand crownes, as it is summed vp by Hadrianus Iunius.

These great riches came vponupon them by the robbing and pilling of the Provinces of the Empire, whereby they did sucke away all their substance from the Provincials, and spoiled thē of their goods as much in time of peace, as of warre.

—Referebant navibus altis

Occulta spolia, & plures ex pace triumphos.

Read, to be informed in this, the life of Antonie in Plutarch. He levied two hundreth thousand talents out of Asia yearely, every talent being worth 6 hundreth crowns. But this being not enough to content his greedy mind, he doubled the sum. Wherevpon the people seeing themselues not able to hold out, sent Deputies vntounto him, one amongst which told him. If thou wilt raise a double yearely Tax vponupon vsus, giuegive vsus also double harvests, two summers & two autumes in one yeare. Hence arose the great hatred against Publicans, which is often mentioned in the scripture, and witnessed by Cicero in the first Epistle to his brother Quintus.

p. 228Now albeit some of the Romans did excell in morall vertues, and that we take many examples of iustice, continency, clemency, and sobrietie from them, especially before the time that Attalus bequeathed his mooueables and treasures to the people of Rome, yet so it is that all these did nothing but assist iniustice, and their vpright dealing was like that of theeues, which when they hauehave robbed a man will goe aad divide the pray equally. For what were the Romans, but common robbers, and forragers of all habitable countries? If they did sometimes mannage that with order, or were liberall of that which they did take from others wrongfully, or if out of a theeuish mercy, they did suffer them to liue whom they might hauehave killed, I say that these vertues are no vertues; since they serue to vphold vices, and are imploied either to color iniustice, or to establish tyranny.

Finally, no man may thinke it strange that the holy Ghost saith, that the Diuell gaue this power to the Roman Empire. For howsoeuer Monarchies be of God, & the Roman Empire was established by his providence, for secret reasons reserued to p. 229himselfe, yet it was not he that did vrge on the Roman to invade others countries, but Satan, to whome also they hauehave attributed all the glory of their victories, as Symmachus saith in his 54. Epist. where he brings in the citie of Rome speaking after this manner in favour of the heathenish superstition. This religious service hath brought the world vnderunder my lawes: these sacrifices hauehave driven Hannibal from my walles, and forced the Gaules to remoue their siege from the Capitoll. Whensoeuer a Captaine had slaine another Captaine of the aduerse armie with his owne hands, hee hung vp his armor to Iupiter Feretius. Because the army of the Romans as they were flying away did take courage againe & turne back vponupon their enimies, therefore did Romulus erect a temple to Iupiter Stator. In orat. de aruspice resp.Cicero reporteth that the Captaines of an hoast after a conquest obtained did vse to goe to Pessinunte, there to performe their vowes to the mother of the Gods. And we neuer read that they vndertooke any businesse of moment without consulting their Augurs and Soothsayers, and without obseruing the flying, the eating, the singing, the going of birds. To conclude, Plutarch in a p. 230set tract of his brings in the Fortune of the Romans contesting with their vertue, wherein they dispute whether of the two did conferre more to the founding of this Empire, so that on whether of thē it light, God shall bee sure to goe without his honour.

The third part of this prophecie.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death, but his deadly wound was healed, & all the world wondered and followed the beast.

The Explication.

3 And it came to passe that one of these governments, to wit, the sixth, which is that of the Emperours, was overthrowne, then, whē the Lombards having chased the Lieuetenants of the Empire out of Italie, Rome did cease to be vnderunder subiectiō to the Emperours. Wherefore (to say truth) the Empire did evē at that time leaue to be the Romane Empire: But not long after that mortal blow by which the Empire of Rome was laid on the grounde, this Monarchie began to grow vp a fresh, & p. 231to reviue againe by the Romane Hierarchie, which did reerect a new monarchie at Rome, and raise vp the Empire that was fallen, and all the people submitted themselues vnderunder the government of this Romish Church.

The Proofe.

THere is nothing more agreeable to the event then this interpretation. In the year 752. Aistulphus king of the Lombards destroyed the Exarchat of Ravenna, and put downe the Exarchs, which 200. whole yeares after Narses had beene the Emperours Lieutenants in Italie. This is the deadly wound which the beasts did receaue. Now because Rome was a part of the Exarchat, Aistulphus did pretend that being Lord of the Exarchat, he was also to be Lord over Rome, and began to wast the territories of the Duchy of Rome. Stephen the second was then Pope, who in this extremitie sought to his soveraigne Lord the Emperour for succour, to wit, to the Roman Emperour, but being not able to get any aide from him, because he was weake, and elsewhere occupied, the foresaide Pope had recourse to Pepin king of p. 232Fraunce, which not long before had got to bee king by deposing Childericke his Master and lawfull Soveraihne. At his request Pepin came downe into Italie in the yeare of our Lord .754. And having compelled Aistulphus to receiue conditions of peace, returned into Fraunce. But in the yeare following Aistulphus broke the agreement, & did forrage the Roman territory againe: This drew Pepin the second time into Italie, where having overcome Aistulphus he took the Exarchat frō him, and bestowed it on the bishop of Rome, & made him Lord over Rome, and a great part of Italie, 666. yeares after the time that the Apocalyps was revealed to Saint Iohn. So the Popes became Princes by the inconsiderat liberality of our kings, & began even then, to shew their good wils to cut of Monarchs, to imitate their actions, and to encroach vponupon the rightes of the Roman Empire. Hereby the Church of Rome became to bee Queene over other Churches, and in her Prelats and Hierarchicall orders did reerect the Empire that was fallen: tyrannising over the goods & consciences of men, vsing her temporall riches as a meanes to augment her spirituall p. 333power, and to establish a Monarchie at Rome over the Church, bearing rule over the Temporaltie, and Spiritualty in Christian kingdomes; For how be it the successours of Charlemaine were and are as yet stiled the kings of the Romans, and that the Othons had a Regent at Rome, & handled the Popes as their subiectes, yet this did not last long: and the Pope foūd a meanes so to free himselfe from beeing vnderunder their dominion, that at length hee made them to be his vassals & bondmen, and to receiue their crown by his benefit, & vnderunder his permissiō, till it should please his Holynesse to take it from them, & bestow it on whom hee thought good: to to kisse his feet, to lay downe great sums of gold at his feete for tribute; and even then when the German Emperours did curbe the Popes, yet they did stil acknowledge themselues subiect to the Church of Rome. This once obtained it is no marvell if hee name himselfe a King and Monarch, and call his Bishoprick an Empire, and so hauehave reestablished the Roman Empire in its former seate, as Austin Steuchus the Popes library keeper saith,Pag. 3. in his first booke of Constantines donation, in such p. 234tearmes as may seeme to be made of purpose for the vnfolding of this prophecy. After the destruction of the Roman Empire (saith hee) caused by the lewd liues of the Emperours, if God had not raised vp the Papacy, in which the Roman maiestie did reviue, it would hauehave hapned, that Rome being succoured by no man, had beene inhabitable, or made astinking oxe-stall or pigstie. But in the Pope there arose, if not the greatnes of the Ancient Empire, at least a forme not much vnlike vntounto that, whereby all nations did heretofore obay the Emperours. And this is that which S. Iohn addeth, that all the earth went after the beast wondring. A little after the same Steuchus calleth the Papacie an Empire, and maiesticall Royalty: And so doth Lipsius speake of it, and others formerly cited, all which doe acknowledge, that the Popes are the true possessours of the Empire, and doe hold the place of the ancient Roman Emperours, that is to say, that they are Caesars successours more thē the Apostles. Now by these words of S. Iohn, to wit, that all the earth wondring at the healing of this wound went after the beast, it appears that the woūd which p. 235the Empire did receaue by the Herules, Gothes, Vandals, was not the wound here spoken of: For the healing of this wound by Belisarius and Marses, drewe no people or nations to the obedience of the Empire, no countrie moved with admiration, did for this submit it selfe voluntarily. The fruit of this conquest over the Gothes was the establishment only of the Exarchat in a part of Italie. But the restoring of the Roman Empire by the Roman Hierarchie drew infinit sorts of people to the obedience of this Empire; And wee may say that all the earth moued with admiration, out of a voluntarie respect ran after the beast, which shall bee proved more fully yet by the 12. and 14. verse.

The 4. part of this Prophecie.

4 And they worshipped the dragon which gaue power vntounto the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, who is like vntounto the beast? who is able to warre with him?

The Explication.

4 And did serue Idols; which, who so p. 336serue, doe serue the divell, the Author and advancer of this Papall Hierarchie; and did attribute that that vntounto this Hierarchie which did appertaine vntounto God, saying who is there that is like vntounto this Empire, and who is able to resist it?

The proofe of this exposition.

This is a rare prediction, and such as giues light to this whole prophecie. For here the holy Ghost makes idolatrie to bee borne iust at the same time that the Roman Hierarchie did begin to possesse an earthly Empire, and to imitate the Roman Empire that was decayed. Which was manifestly verified in this, that when the Roman Empire went to ruine in Italie then was the question about the worship of images most hot. To which worship the people of the East did not yeeld then, when the Popes first of all became Monarches at Rome, but they were woon vntounto it by little and little, after the imitatiō, and by the authority of the Church of Rome. The other kind of Idolatrie, to wit, the worshipping the bread of the Eucharist, grounded vponupon transubstantion, began p. 337also to grow vp in the Church iust at the same time that the Pope grew to be a Prince and earthly Monarch; for we may see some small seeds of this in Damascene which liued in the 750 yeare of our Lord, and as this errour did increase by little & little, Bertram a Priest that liued in France vnderunder Charles the bald in the yeare 870. writ an excellent booke in confutation thereof, which is to bee seene at this day. And at the same time Iohn Erigen surnamed the Scot a Monke of S. Benedicts order wrot another booke against the selfe same errour. But the Bishops of Rome which had erected the service of images, did also establish the worship of bread: & condemned the writings of the said Scot, especially Leo the 9. in the yeare 1055 having assembled a Councell at Rome, and another at Verseil in Piemont for the confirmation of this Idolatry, against which many of the faithfull did oppose themselues, and amongst others Berenger Archdeacon of Angers, a man of great knowledge and holy conversation. At last truth was overborne by falsehoode, our kings lending a helping hand to the Pope. And that this prophecy p. 238might be fulfilled in all points, looke how Idolatry did encrease, so did the greatnes of the Roman Hierarchie encrease; in so much that all did dread the power therof, thinking that none was able to resist it. As for the peoples worshipping of this Hierarchie, & giving it that which did appertaine vntounto God, we will speake of this in the verse following.

The fift part of this Prophecie.

5 And there was given vntounto him a mouth that spake great things, and blasphemies; and power was given vntounto him to doe 42 moneths.

6 And he opened his mouth vntounto blasphemie against God to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven,

And it was given vntounto him to make war with the Saints, & to overcome them, and power was given him over every kinred, & tongue, and nation.

8 Therefore all that dwell vponupon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the booke of life of that Lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the

p. 2399 If any man hauehave an eare let him heare.

If any lead into captivitie he shall goe into captivitie, if any man kill with a sword he must be killed by a sword: here is the patience and the faith of the Saints.

The Explication.

5 And God hath suffered this Hierarchie, and Roman Church, to assume prowde, and blasphemous titles, and it must endure 1260 yeares.

6 And this Papal Hierarchy doth set it selfe to belch forth horrible blasphemies against God, and to wrong his name, and his Church and his Saints.

7 Yea God hath suffered it to persecute the faithfull, and to overcome them, and power was given vntounto it over infinit people, & tongues, and nations.

8 In so much that all mē shall fall down to worship it, whose names are not found in the booke of life of Iesus Christ that dyed for vsus, which book was written before the foundations of the world were laid.

9 If any man hauehave an vnderstāding to conceiue this let him conceiue it.

p. 24010 For they which persecute, shall bee dealt with after the same māner; whosoever leadeth the faithfull into captivity shall him selfe at length be made a captiue; whosoever slaieth shall be slaine: herein appeareth the faith and patience of the Saints.

The proofe.

The proofe of this exposition doth cō sist in 5. points.

1 To shew what blasphemous titles the Roman Hierarchie doth assume, and how she doth attribute that vntounto her selfe which doth of right appertain vntounto God.

2 How shee doth blaspheme against the Saints & against the Church of God.

3 To shew how she hath persecuted them and overcome them.

4 To speak of the time that she must last.

5 And of the obedience that the people yeeld vntounto her.

The first point is easie to prooue, whether you respect the heade of this Hierarchie, or else consider the whole body. The head is called God, the Divine Maiestie, the vniversall Bishop, the head & Spowse of the Church, the corner stone, the Lion of Iuda, and Saviour of Sion, the most holy p. 241Father, and his Holynesse, and doth arrogate many more such like prowd titles, as we hauehave formerly shewed by a great nū ber of examples. The body of this Hierarchie vnderunder the name of the Church doeth vsurp that which appertaines to God, saying that the Church cannot erre, and that it is the supreame iudge in matters of religion: And that it is this church which giveth authority to the scripture, & is the only infallible Iudge of the interpretatiō thereof. They cal this Church the Romā-Catholick church, not in that sense as the Ancient did take Catholicke for Orthodox, but by Catholicke they vnderstande vniuersall, exclusiuely to all other churches, as if there were no other church but the Roman. **Leo x in the Bull exurge, which is at the end of the last Lateran coū cell, doth cō demne Luther for saying that the Church or the Pope could not make new articles of faith and the power of adding to the Creed is given to the Pope in the last session of the Councell of Florence.They say that this Church hath authority to make newe articles of faith, and to adde to the Creede: That she is the mother and mistresse of all other Christian Churches: So the French and Spanish Church are become the handemaides of the Roman, and if any one beeing asked of what church he were, should answere, I am of the French church, hee would bee thought ridiculous, or scarce well in his wits, because the Frēch church p. 242is now reckoned for nothing, or for some smal dependance of the Roman. Al which positions, are as so many blasphemies. 1. For, to take vponupon ones selfe not to be able to erre, and to be supreame iudge in matters of religion, is to intrude into Gods place, and to take away this dignitie of being highest Iudge from Gods word. 2. To boast that they giuegive authority to the holy Scripture which is the word of God, this is to exalt themselus aboue the word of God: For hee which giueth authoritie is more great then he which receiveth it. For if we consider well of the matter, wee shal finde that it is not the characters, nor the booke, which are vnderstood by the name of the holy Scripture, but God speaking in his worde: the church of Rome therfore in this doth exalt her selfe aboue God. 3. Likewise the Church of Rome doth make her selfe equall with God, whē shee doeth challenge the authority of giving an infallible interpretation of the scripture, and which shall be of equall authority with the scripture it selfe, for none cā giuegive interpretation of a law, which shal be of equal authority with the law, but only he which made the law: the church of Rome therefore is God, and doth vsurpe p. 243Gods seat, since she giveth interpretatiōs to Gods law, which are of equal authority with the law. Nay, which is more, I say that to interpret the law after this manner, is a great deale more thē to make it, since that the people are not bounde to followe the letter of the law and of Gods word, but the interpretation which the Church of Rome shall giuegive of it. 4. The Church of Rome also doeth make her selfe as God, when in steed of instructing the people to beleeue in the word of God, she teacheth them to beleeue in the Church. For if you aske the simple people why they beleeue this or that, they will answer you because the church beleeues it, and by the Church they vnderstand the Roman Church, as if to beleeue in the Roman Church, and to beleeue in God were all one. Now it is to be noted, that in all these errours by the word Church, the people art not meant, for they are no iudges, they giuegive no authority to the scripture: but by the church the Hierarchie is vnderstood, and the body of Prelats which being dispersed thorough diverse nations doth depend vponupon Rome, that is to say on the Romane consistorie, and the Popes chaire. It was neuer heard of, before the Pope came to rule, p. 244that for to be saved, a man must needes be a Roman, and that the words, Vniversall and Roman were coincident; whereas the Apostle wrote to the Church of the Romanes after the same manner as he did to the Church of the Corinthians, or Ephesians, & gaue her not any title of superiority: without doubt he should hauehave spake thus vntounto them. Although your Church be the Mistresse of all other Churches, and my admonitions may seeme needlesse for you, because ye cānot possibly erre in the faith, and because S. Peter your bishop is the head of the Church, to whō I my selfe also am subiect, yet notwithstanding I thought good to write vntounto you for these and these reasons. Not a word of all this, but in the 11. chap. he threatens thē with being cut off, if they grow to be high minded, or disesteeme the grace of God.

The holy Ghost addeth that this Hierarchie doeth blaspheme against the church of God,2. Point how the Romish Church doth revise the Saints. and against those which dwell in heaven: If by heaven hee vnderstand the Church, as in the 9. chapt. and 1. verse, and in the 12. chapt. and 4. verse, or if the falling away of those which went out of the visible church bee represented p. 245by the starres which fell from heaven, it is easie to prooue how the Church of Rome doth diffame those which did, and stil do, serue God in puritie, fastning odious names vponupon them, and calling them Heretickes, Schismaticks, Infidels, Vaudians, Albigeans, Huguenots, Calvinists: perswading the simpler sort, that wee hold good workes to bee vnprofitable: that wee approue all kinde of dissolutenesse, that wee are enimies of the Virgin Marie and the Saints; that we make God the author of sinne: and such like things as we detest, & which are cleane contrary to our beliefe.

But if by those which are in heaven the Saints in Paradice bee vnderstoode, the Church of Rome doeth wrong these no lesse; For is it not an iniurie to the Saints to change them into Idols? and to make thē the instruments of dishonouring God worshipping and adoring them with a religious kinde of worship that is due onlie to God? who cā doubt but that the Saints do hate such as honor them thus? To omit how the Romish church doth ty the S^ts to a block, imploying thē about base offices, cōmending the keeping of their hogs to one, of their horses to another, the curing p. 246of the scurfe to a thirde; and that the Legends of the Saints do disgrace them, in so much that they make the Virgin Mary to converse with Queanes, and to favour them in their vncleanenesse as wee hauehave shewed aboue.

3. point. that the Church of Rome doth persecute the faithfull.As for the persecutions which this Hirarchie hath raised against the faithfull, & the victories which it hath had over the Church; It is never found that the Orthodox Church did make any massacres of the ancient hereticks. Crueltie is most sutable with falshood. To burne a Christian because he would not obey the Pope, is a thing which had never beene seene: but began after the Pope grewe to bee an earthly Monarch. It is well neere 400. yeares since Innocent the 3. within the space of a few monthes, made more then 200000 of the faithfull to bee slaine, whō they called Albigeans, after the same maner as they doe vsus Hugenots now adaies. It is not aboue a hundred years since, that all Europe did streame with blood, & that the Pope and his adherents thought by slaughter and torments to hauehave rooted vsus out vtterly. In S. Bartholomewes massacre, in the yeare 1572, more then 80000 men p. 247were slaine in cold blood. At Lyons 150. persons put into prison were drawne out all one after another, and stabbed at the gate of the prison. At Orleans 400 persons shut vp in a house (which was called the house with 4 corners) were burnt al together. The Duke of Alua plaied the butcher at Flaunders, and vnderunder the shadow of a Catholike zeale slew millions of mē. In recompence whereof the Pope sent him an holy sword, & consecrated gloues. The punishments of the Inquisition surpasse all crueltie. The bull of Phalaris is nothing in respect of this. A man is carried to prison not knowing wherefore: after he hath beene cubd vp in solitarinesse, and never seene one glympse of light for a whole yeare together, at last there coms one vntounto him, and questions with him about certaine interrogatories; if hee say that he is a good Catholike, and doe renounce his former heresie, hee shall hauehave this favour to die a more gentle death. For recant never so much, the very once being accused of heresie is thought enough to condemne a man. If hee persevere in defence of the truth, and triumph in martyrdome, after a thousond tormēts p. 248endured in private, he is brought forth in publike, wrapt about the head with an ougly coife which they call S. Bennet, having a vizard on his face with a yawning mouth, and a long taile made fast behind at his backe, as they vse to paint the divel; and so burnt by little and little, being put in and taken from the fire I know not how often, to the end he might not die as some doe without feeling that they dy. Tyrannie, which the Turkes and Mahometans (though the sworne enimies of Christs name) doe detest: for they never practised any thing vponupon Christians, that came neere to this crueltie.

We are also to speake of the continuance of time that this Hierarchicall Empire shall endure.The 4. point of the continuance of the Empire. The holy Ghost saith that it shall last 1260. daies, where wee must take each day for a yeare: For this Prophecie doth every where almost borrow the tearmes of Daniel, and vse his fashion of speech, who by a weeke vnderstands 7. yeares, and who foretelleth that from the permission of returning, & building vp Hierusalem againe, (granted by Darius, Nothus) vntill the finall destruction thereof, there should be 70 weekes, p. 249that is to say 70 times 7 yeares, to take a day for a yeare, which make 490 yeares which afterward came to passe; and this wonderfull prophecie was fulfilled at the time appointed. So likewise in Ezechiel in the 4. chap. and 6. verse. Thou shalt beare the iniquitie of the house of Iudah 40 daies: I hauehave appointed thee a day for a yeare. And in the 14 chap. of Numbers .34. verse. After the number of the daies in which ye searched out the land, even 40. daies every day for a yeare, &c. It is no new thing therefore in Scripture to take a day for a yeare; but it is the stile of the prophecies. Now here is a mystery, and an admirable correspondency: for herein the Iewish-christian Church which lay hid 1260 daies, flying the persecution of the heathenish Roman Empire, was a figure of the flight and persecution of the Christian Church vnderunder the Papall Roman Empire, which persecution must last 1260 mistical daies, which amount to so many yeares.

Since it is so that the holy Ghost throughout this whole chap. speakes of the succession and establishment of this Roman Hierarchie, insteed of the Roman Empire, and that we hauehave shewed that the p. 250Pope began to lay the foundations of this temporal Empire in the yeare of our Lord 755. if therevnto yee ad these 1260 yeares of the continuance of this Hierarchicall Empire, it must needes last to the 2015. yeare of our Lord: according to which reckoning it hath 404. yeares yet to continue. Wherevnto if yee ioine the prediction of the Apostle, who hath told vsus that Christ shall abolish this sonne of perdition by the brightnesse of his comming, yee may well neere guesse the time of the cōming of the Lord. Herevnto adde that amongst the Iewes this was an vsuall prophecie, that as the world was made in 6. daies, and after came the day of rest, so the world must endure sixe thousand yeares, & afterwards there shall be an everlasting time of rest: That is to say, that there must be so many thousande yeares in the worldes duration, as there were daies in the creation. For as the Apostle S. 2. Pet. 3.8.2 Pet 3:8Peter saith: One day with the Lord is as a thousand yeares, & a thousand yeares as one day. According to this calculation, this present yeare of our Lord, 1611. being the 5560 year of the world. If the papall Empire must yet continue 404 years, p. 251its end must bee in the 5964. yeare of the world, which is nor farre of from 6000 yeares. Astrologie also doth lend vsus some light in this matter: for in the yeare of the world 3665. Ptolomie Philadelph raigneing in Egypt, some 469 yeares after the building of Rome, there lived one Hipparchus a famous Astrologer, who reports that in his time the star commonly called, stella polaris, which is in the taile of the lesser beare, was 12 degrees & two fifths distant frō the poles of the Equator. This starre from age to age hath insensibly still crept neerer to the Pole, whēce it appeareth that the poles of the Equator are moueable; it is not now past 3 degrees distant from the poles of the Equator: when this starre therefore shall come to touch the Pole there being no farther space left for it to go forward (which may well enough come to passe within fiue or sixe hundreth yeares) it seemes that thē there shall be a great change of things, and that this time is the period which God hath prefixed to nature. All these observations put together make vsus presume that the Romā Hierarchicall Empire must endure till the 2015 yeare of our Lorde. And that this p. 252Empire being abolisht, the Pope yet shall remaine still, but without power & authoritie, til that Iesus Christ shal destroy him by his last comming, which (as it should seeme by the evidēces formerly cited) shal be some one, or two and twentie ages, after our Saviours incarnation, who is God over all, blessed for ever. Yet I would not hauehave any think that I speak this as though I went about to prie into such secrets as God himselfe would hauehave to be hid, or as though I meant to define any thing absolutely concerning the last day, but onlie that I might not seeme to neglect the Revelations which the holy Ghost hath laid open vntounto vsus in this prophecy: seeing that here he telleth vsus how long the Papal Empire shall last, and that S. Paule and Of this place of Daniel see th… 9. Chapt.Daniell in his 7. chap. doe stretch the tearme of time, wherein the son of Perditiō shall last, to the day of iudgement.

Our adversaries goe more boldly to worke. For taking these 1260 daies simply for 3 yeares and a halfe, they say that Antichrist must not raigne aboue 3 years and a halfe, and that 45. daies after the last Iudgement shall be. If this be true, thē the faithfull that shall liue vnderunder the dominion p. 253of Antichrist, shall knowe the day of iudgement exactly, and Christs speech shall not be verified of them, wherein hee saith, Of that day and howre knoweth no mā no not the Angels in heaven, as the king of great Brittaine hath learnedly obserued: who notes also that our Lord Iesus hath foretold that at this time men shall bee eating and drinking, & making merry; which sheweth evidently that this shal be a time of rest, and not of troubles and persecutions, and that the comming of Iesus Christ shall not be lookt for. Besides, that such an Empire, which (as they say) shall subdue all the world, should in 3. yeares & a halfe rise, increase, and fall, is a thing altogether impossible: a man cannot in that time ride over a quarter of the countries in post, how much more time had he need aske to conquer them? Or who can imagin that the mystery of iniquitie should in Saint Paules time begin to prepare the way for the sonne of perdition to enter, and that now, that is to say, some 1550. yeares after, there should bee no preparation at all.5. Point of the religious service done to the Popes seat.

It remaines that we speake of the obedience and religious service which the people shall giuegive to this Roman Hierarchie: p. 254The holy Ghost saith that all mē that inhabit the earth shall adore it: Hee saith, All men, although there bee many countries which never did acknowledge it: for the Scripture lightly speakes after this manner of great Empires, which hold a great number of people and many realms vnderunder their dominion: especially the Prophet Daniel (to whose stile the holy ghost doth conform himselfe in the Apocalyps) in the 2. chap. 37. and 38 verses, speaking to Nabuchadnezar. O King thou art a king of kings, and in all places where the children of men dwell hee hath given them into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all; although hee had nothing at all in Europe, and but little in Affricke. There is the like forme of speech in the 7. chapter, verse 23. So in speaking of the Pope wee vse to say that all the word is vnderunder him, although the Turke and Mores disclaime him: but by so saying wee meane that hee hath a large dominion. And our adversaries themselues doe not deny this, since they are of opinion that the heathenish Romā Empire is meant in this prophecie, which yet notwithstanding, was never absolute cōmander over one fourth part p. 255of the world: And I cannot imagin that there shall or can be such a Monarchie to which all the world (without excepting any place) shall be subiect. It is not three yeares and an halfe, no nor 3 ages that wil be sufficient for the obtaining of such a conquest. And there is not the man to bee found with a braine strong enough, to governe an Empire of this nature. The most politicke head in the world would in the governement of such a state be distracted with the multiplicitie of businesse and fall into shivers.

The dutiful respect therefore and obedience, which the people must yeeld to this Roman Hierarchie, is called Adoration: Not only because the head of this Empire shall cause himselfe to be adored, and make men kisse his feet, but also because of the strange kinde of soveraigntie that the body of this Hierarchie hath attained vntounto. The Cardinals in all their meetings, and solemne feastes, goe, and fit before kings, as we hauehave already 1. Lib. 3. cap.shewed. In Spaine a man may offend the king with lesse daunger then the least of the Inquisition. Frō Gregory the 7. surnamed Hildebrād, which was made Pope, p. 256in the yeare of our Lord 1073, to Leo the 10. who died in the yeare 1521. there are 448. yeares, during which time wee may say that the Papacie was at the height of her power and glory. Then Moncks were highly honoured, and the Popes Legates tooke their places before kings: then the Pope could command all the nobles, and all the men of armes, to come out of Frāce or England, or any other quarter of Europe, and make thē trot from far through I knowe not howe many places to ioine their forces against the Sarrasins, and filled all Fraunce with widdowes and Orphanes: to him that chaunced to die in this warre, the Pope gaue a degree of glory in Paradice aboue the common sort of Saints. Then he which wore the badge of the crosse did cease to bee the kings subiect, and no Magistrate might touch him what offence soever hee had committed, because hee was the Popes souldier. At that time he made kings to be ierkt, and stroke of the Emperours crowne with his foot, and trod vponupon his necke. His power now a daies is much diminished over that it was, and yet even at this time, he makes men come from farre and neere to seek at p. 257Rome for the remission of their sins. And an offence committed against his owne person is a reserved case, whence none in Fraunce may absolue a man, but the least Priest that is, hath authority to pardon a sin cōmitted against the Maiestie of God. Nay which is more, they take vponupon them to make God, and to create their creator with the repeating of certaine words; No mervaile therefore if they be so much honoured and respected. So we hauehave seene this prophecie fulfilled on everie side: whence also wee may assure our selues of the accomplishment of the other part of this prophecie. That they which kill shall be killed, and that they which persecute vsus shall bee dealt withall accordingly. Which yet we do not desire, having learn… of our Savior to blesse those that curse vsus, and to pray for their amendment.

The 6. part of this prophecie.

11 And I beheld an other beast comming vp out of the earth, which had two hornes like the lambe, but hee spake like the Dragon.

12 And hee did all that the first beast p. 258could do before him, & he caused the earth, and thē that dwell therin to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

The Explication.

11 I saw also a Monarch to rise vp frō a low estate, being of another name and nature then the former Roman Emperours, to wit, the Pope, which wore a miter with tvvo hornes vponupon his head, and which seemed in outwarde shew to professe Christ, but whose doctrine was diabolicall.

12 And he tooke all the power of the Roman Empire vpō him, at Rome, being the seate of the Empire, and exhorted al the people to submit themselues to this Roman Empire, which being destroyed by the Lombards in Italie, was brought to life againe, and reestablished by the Papacie.

The proofe.

S. Iohn doth here speake of two beasts, the former of which is the Roman Empire as all confesse, and the prophecy is cleere. This Empire being excluded out of Rome & Italie by the Lombards, was recovered p. 259by little and little, and restored againe by the Roman Hierarchie, which is helde by S. Iohn for the same beast with the Roman Empire, because it is stil one Empire raigning at Rome, though vnderunder an other title. The second beast is a liuely representation of the bishop of Rome.

1 For Saint Iohn saith that this beast came vp out of the earth, that is to say, rose from a small beginning, and meane estate, according as the Latins cal such as get vp from a little, Terrae filios, as mushromes, or toadstooles that growe vp out of the earth in a night: a fashion of speech vsual in Scripture, as in the 2. chapt. of the 1. of Samuell. He raiseth vp the poore out of the dust, that is to say, out of a base condition of life. Now who is there but knows how meane and poore the state of the bishops of Rome was before they came to be earthly Monarchs? Then when they had not one foot of ground, and that the Emperours made them be whipt, emprisoned, & banished them? Then when the Theod. hist. Eccl. l. 2. c. 16 Imperator imperavit Liberium relegari Beroeam quae est in Thracia: Liberi… abeunti misit imperator s… lid…s 500. in s…mptus.Sir 50:2Emperour Constantius having exiled Liberius bishop of Rome, gaue him 500 crownes for pitty sake ro relieue him. As the grain of mustard seed, which our Savior speaks p. 260of Luke the 13. ve. 19. which is but little, brought forth a tree, within which the birds of the aire built their nests, so out of this smalnesse of bishops, did the greatnesse of the Pope arise, within the which infinite companies of beneficed men doe nestle themselues, which liue vnderunder his shaddow.

2 S. Iohn also saith that he shall hauehave hornes like the Lambe, but shall speake like the dragon, as if he should hauehave said, ye wil say when yee see him that hee resembleth Christ Iesus, which is the Lambe of God; and looks like a Christian, but his doctrin is Diabolicall. This also agreeth to the Pope which cals himselfe the Vicar of Iesus Christ, but whose doctrine is contrary to Iesus Christ; for proofe whereof reade my second booke, in that place, where I defend his Maiesties of Englands confession of the faith, It may bee that the two hornes of his ordinary miter, do serue also for the accomplishment of this prophecy.

3 In the third place S. Iohn saith that hee shall exercise the authority of the first beast, which is the Roman Empire, for as much as he shal counterfait the actions, & vsurp the rights of the Roman Empire: p. 261That this also agreeth to the Pope wee may proue by infinite examples. 1. Hee hath taken a crowne hauing cast away his Bishops crosier staffe. 2. He hath taken the Emperours **Eutrop. l. 9 Carausius purpuram sumpsit & paulo post Galerius pur puratus traditur ad vehiculum decurrisse. S. Ambrosius Theodosio dixit purpura imperatorem non sacerdotem facit.habit which was of skarlet, together with shooes of skarlet, which were proper to the Emperours. 3. The Emperours had a Senat clad in skarlet, & hee hath a Senate of Cardinals clad in cloath of the same colour. 4. In the Senate there were Apotheoses, or Canonizations of Gods practised, as there are Canonizations of Saints in the Popes consistorie. 5. The Emperours caused themselues to be adored, and were **Aurel. vict in Diocletiano▪ Passus adorari se appellari que deum Lamprid. idem ait de Heliogabalo in vita Alexandri Severi.called Gods. So the Popes call themselues God, and take vponupon them to be adored. 6. The Emperours brought vp the right of fiefs and other duties to be paid to the Lord Paramont in case that the tenants were changed. In imitation whereof the Pope hath established his Annates, by which all Church livings are made fiefs to the Papall See, and pay the first yeares revenewes in case of a new election. 7. The Emperours did receaue the submissions and acknowledgements of subiection, from forraine Princes by their Embassadours: so the Pope doth receaue the p. 262submissions of kings, and their oathes of fealtie, which are all bound as soone as ever there is a new Pope chosen to send their Embassadours to kisse his feet, and to tender him an oath of allegeance. 8. The Emperours had their Imposts, and Tributes; & the Pope hath his S. Peter pence, levied in many Countries vponupon the head of every particular man: as also petty cōtributions, and a thousand diverse commodities that arise out of dispensations, absolutions, provisions, advouzons, indulgences, erections, derogations, exchange of vowes, matrimoniall causes, &c. which are the tributs, and imposts of this Roman Empire. 9. The Emperours had their civill law, and he hath his Canon law. 10. The Emperours had their Indictions of 15. yeares, and hee hath his Roman Indictions of the like time. 11. The Emperours had their Publicans, & tole-gatherers, which did farme the revenewes of the Empire. So the Pope hath his Dataries and Bullists which rent the commodities of this spirituall merchandise. 12. The Emperours had their Trapezites, or exchangers at Rome: & the Pope hath his Banckers in Lions, and diverse other places of Europe, which will procure p. 263dispensations and absolutions from Rome at a certaine price, and help you to obtain the remission of your sinnes by letters of exchange. 13. The Roman Emperours having conquered a countrie, laboured to plant the Latin tongue in it: in imitation of which policie, the Pope hath so prevailed, that he hath brought all the countries which are vnderunder him to pray to God,Sucton. Caligula ex capturis prostibul…um vectigal instituit, quantum quae que vno concubitis mereret. Lamprid. i… Alexandr… ▪ Severo. Lenonum vecctigal & m… retricum, & exoletorum in sacrum oerarium vetuit inferri & ad ins… rationem theatri, amphitheatri, & Circi deputavit. and say their service in the Latin tongue, and it is not long since that in France the law acts, and publike instruments were made in Latin; in doing this, hee hath stamped the print of his governement vponupon vsus, and made vsus weare the badges of his Empire. 14. The Roman Emperours took an yearly rent to suffer the Stewes; The Pope which did succeed in this Empire, hath also succeeded in the honestie of this action.

4 For to make the matter more cleer, S. Iohn hauing said that this second beast doth resemble the first beast, and exercise his power, addes that it is in the presence of the first beast, & in the very place where the seat of the Roman Empire is, that is to say, at Rome it selfe: or at leastwise in the presence of this Hierarchicall Roman Empire.

p. 264Let the reader therfore put al this together, to wit, that we are foretold of a man 1. which shall rise vp from a meane estate. 2. Which shall be a Christian by profession, but yet shall teach wicked doctrine. 3. Which shall vsurpe the rights, and imitate the actions of the Roman Empire. 4. which shall hauehave his seate in the same place, where the seate of the Empire was. And after that hee hath runne overall histories, and drawed his braines drie with long seeking after another besides the Pope, to whome all these things may agree: yet shall he never be able to shew vsus such another: The verses following will tell vsus of other markes no lesse cleere, and evident.

Neverthelesse (since it appeareth by the 12. verse, that the second beast which wee proue to be the Pope, shall make vse of this healing and reestablishment of the Roman Empire, for the authorising of this Empire reestablished by the Papacie) it is manifest that this wound here spoken of cannot be the death of Iulius Caesar, nor of Domitius Nero, nor yet the stroake receaued by the Herules, and Gothes, because the healing of these wounds did no p. 265way encrease the dignity of the Pope, nor did he gaine any thing by them. Who can imagine that the people were moued to yeeld themselues subiect to the Papacie, by wondring at the Empire which being fallen was set vp againe by Augustus Caesar, or by Vespasian, or by Narses? But wel may it be that the wound receaved by the Lumbards being healed by the advancement of the Roman Hierarchie, the Pope did hereby come to bee an earthly Monarch, and by this meanes advance his spirituall power. So did hee make the people to submit themselues to the Roman Empire that was healed of the deadly wound in as much as the state of the Roman Monarch, which he tooke vponupon him after the destruction of the Roman Empire by the Lombards, made him to be highly respected of the people, and did infinitely exalt his authoritie.

The 6. part of this prophecie.

13 And he did great wonders, so that he made fire to come downe from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.

14 And deceived them that dwell on p. 266the earth by the signes which were permitted him to do in the sight of the beast, saying to thē that dwell on the earth, that they shoulde make the image of the beast which had the wound of a sword, and did liue.

15 And it was permitted to him to giuegive a spirit vntounto the image of the beast; so that the image of the beast shoulde speake, and should cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

The Explication.

13 And this Pope wrought miracles, in so much that he sent forth the lightnings, and thunderbolts of his excommunications against Kings, and their people: and caused S. Anthonies fire to come downe from heavē and made it thunder and lighten by a miracle.

14 And the people vvere seduced because of the miracles which God did suffer him to doe, for the authorizing of this Romane Papal Empire, commanding the people to make vp the image of the ancient Roman Empire again, that is to say, to serue the Roman Papall Empire with the same manner of obedience as they did the ancient Romane p. 267Empire, which being demolished was built vp againe by the Roman Hierarchie.

15 And God did suffer him to giuegive force and strength to this Papall Empire, or Hierarchie, made after the image of the ancient Empire, for the spirituall power that it did vsurpe gaue soule and life to its temporall power. Which Papall Empire being nothing else but an imaginarie Empire, and which consisteth only in the opinion of such as yeelde obedience vntounto it, neverthelesse speakes prowde things, and makes all such to be massacred and burnt, that shall refuse to subiect themselues to this imaginarie Empire, made according to the image of the ancient Roman Empire.

The Proofe of the exposition.

The Holy Ghost giu… one more marke yet to know the … by, to wit, that he shall worke great sig…s, and miracles. As for the miracles of paperie wee hauehave spoken sufficiently of them alreadie. Amongst other signes, S. Iohn saith that p. 268he shall make fire fall downe from heavē. Whether it be that we are to vnderstande this of S. **You hauehave an example of this engraued over the Portall of S. Anthonies Abby were Paris. read also the Legend of S. Anthonie.Anthonies fire which the begging friars in times past made to fall vponupon such as offended them; or whether it be to vnderstood of the divers shrines, and popish reliques, which when a man pul… down, the heaven straight waies is on fire, and there is nothing but raine, and lightning; or whether it be that S. Iohn speakes this of spirituall thunderbolts such as are the Popes excōmunications, vnderunder which Christian realmes some 600 or 700. years since did tremble.

These things are done (saith S. Iohn) by the seconde beast in the presence of the first, that is to say by the Pope in the presēce of the Romā Hierarchical Empire, in the same place where the seate of the Empire is, & for the authorising therof. Which Hierarchical Empire ▪ the holy Ghost by an admirable kinde of speech, and full of waight, cals the image of the first beast: because that although the Roman Hierarchie, be a continuation, and succession of the ancient Roman Monarchie, and is … in this book by the same beast. Neverthelesse, if we consider the point somewhat p. 269better, and looke a little neerer into the matter, wee shall finde that it is rather an image and imitation of the ancient Roman Empire, and a kinde of part that is acted vponupon the seat of the ancient Empire. So the Roman Hierarchie is called the image of the beast, both because it is built in imitation of the Roman Empire, as wee hauehave shewed aboue by 14 examples, as also because it is an imaginarie Empire, which doth consist only in the opinion of the subiects. Since the power therof hurts none but such as feare it. Its dispensations are worth as much, as we esteeme them to be worth; set light by the Popes thunderbolts, and you shall sleepe the better. The price of his holy Graines, Agnus Dei, Beads, holy roses, and consecrated mantles, cōsists only in the opiniō of the buyers. And his trading of late begins not to be so good as it was. Should a Prince or. cōmon wealth but a hundreth years since hauehave done but a quarter of that which the Venetians hauehave within these few years, he (being bound hand and foot) had beene cast downe into hell and given to the Divell without all remission. The Croysade had beene preached against him in al places, p. 270by vertue of which millions of men would hauehave assembled themselues together from all parts of Europe. to fall vponupon the heretickes, that so they might gaine Paradice. But the King of great Brittaine, which hath stript the whore, and laid opē her mysteries, doth even to this day stand still vnexcommunicated. The gunpowder threatnings, are more dangerous then the Popes excommunications.

Now albeit this Hierarchie be an image of the ancient Empire, yet Saint Iohn saith that this image doth liue and speake, and that this second beast which is the Pope, giues life vntounto it, & makes it speak; words wonderfully expresse, and significant. For the temporall power of the Popes Hierarchicall Empire would be nothing else but a dead image of the ancient Roman Empire, were it not that the spirituall power, did quicken the temporall, and giuegive strength vntounto it. For it is his spirituall power, that accumulates such great store of goods, and riches vponupon the temporall; which opens the peoples purses vntounto him which forceth kings necks to bow, which makes his thunderbolts so dreadfull, which compels men to repaire from all p. 271quarters to Rome, for to share of the spirituall liberalities of his Holinesse. Yet he is ever a gainer hereby, and his spirituall power, serues for nothing but to vphold his temporal, as Guicciardine formerly alleaged, affirmeth. It is the same spirituall power, that makes this image of the beast to speake, that is to say, which causeth that this Papall Empire (formed according to the pourtraiture of the Roman Empire) should speake so big, giuegive lawes, pronounce decrees, decide questions of faith with a finall resolution, & command all such to bee put to death as shall refuse to obey him: sounding the trumpet from an high place, thereby to incourage kings and people to exercise crueltie.

This notwithstanding wee are to note one generall doctrine, that as they are not the carvers, nor founders, that make Idols but they which serue them, so also in this place, that the Pope which is the founder of this image, and principall promoter of this Hierarchie resembling the Romā Empire, is not he for all that which hath made it to be an image, but the opinion of the people. Wherefore S. Iohn saith that this second beast, which is the Pope caused p. 272the inhabitants of the earth to make an image of the first beast, and to erect an Empire like to the Roman Empire that was decayed▪ For it is not the subtiltie of the Popes that hath made this Papall Empire, but the stupiditie of the people.

The 7. part of this Prophecie.

16 And hee made all, both small and great rich and poore…, free and bond, to receaue a marke in their right hand or in their foreheads.

17 And that no man might buy or sel saue he that had the marke, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

The Explication.

16 And hee made all both small and great, rich and poore, bond and free, to giuegive him their hāds, & to take an oath to be faithfull vntounto him, and to be markt by their actions. And their foreheads were markt with the marke of confirmation; & they made profession of his religion, which profession of religion is often in holy Scripture, called by the name of a marke in the forehead.

p. 27317 And hee tooke order that no man might trafficke, nor sell, nor buy, nor exchange benefices, nor be suffered to purchase an Archbishops pall, nor hauehave a license, nor any part in the Church goods, no nor yet buy an estate, if he had not the name and profession of a Romanist.

The Proofe.

By the right hande is meant the outward actions. This is a fashion of speech vsuall with the holy Ghost. As in the 144. Psalme, ver. 8. Whose right hand is a right hand of falshood, that is to say, that they are disloyall in their actions. And there is nothing more common in scripture, then by the cleanenesse, or vncleannesse of the hands, to vnderstand the iustice or iniustice of the actions, as Psal. 18. ver. 25. & Psal. 24. ver. 4. By the right hand wee may likewise vnderstand the promise of fidelitie, as S. Paul in the second to the Galath. v. 9. saith that Iames, Peter, and Iohn, foreign, gaue him and Barnabas their right hands. So in the last chap. of the 1. book of Chronicles, all the sonnes of king David, gaue their hands to bee vnderunder king Salomon. p. 274That is to say, tooke an oath of alleagiance to be true subiects vntounto him.

As for the marke in the forehead, the Apocalyps it selfe shews vsus, what the meaning of this is. For in the 9. chap. & 4. ver. the Locusts are commanded, not to hurt the grasse of the earth, neither any greene thing, neither any tree, but only those men which hauehave not the seale of God in their foreheads. And in the 7. cha. God doth marke his faithful servants in their foreheads. As therefore the truely faithfull are not marked in the forehead with any visible mark but this marke in the foreheade is the vnfeigned profession of a true Christian, so likewise the marke of a beast in the forehead of a man, is the profession of beeing faithfull vntounto the beast, as Thomas also doth expound it in the 3. P. of his summes 63. quest. and 3. Art. **Character bestiae intelligi potest vel …bstinata malicia quâ aliqui deputātur ad poenam aeternā vel professio illiciti cult….By the Character of the beast we may vnderstand either an obstinate malice, by reason of which some are adiudged to everlasting punishment, or the profession of an vnlawfull religion. This marke therefore is the profession of Popery. But if any one be desirous rather to know of a marke really imprinted in the forehead, there is the marke of confirmation may p. 275satisfie him, with which the Bishop doeth marke children in the forehead, without which marke the **Can. vt. Ieiune Dist. 5. de consecrat.decrees of the Church of Rome pronoūce that a man is but halfe a Christian.

Without this marke, and profession of Poperie S. Iohn saith that no man is admitted to sell or buy, for all the goods of this Papall Empire are bought and sold. It is nothing else but a bare traffique. Benefices are exchanged vponupon certaine considerations; He that hath but a leane bishopricke layes about him howe hee might scorce it for a fatter. As soone as ever an Abbotship or benefice is vacant, manie may sue, but he shall be sure to carry it away that can bribe best, & giuegive the greatest presents. There are Abbotships conferred vponupon Captaines, and illiterat men, Bishopricks, and Cardinalships bestowed on little children; and sometimes in waie of recompense for vnhonest services. To be briefe it is a most shamefull merchandize. And how should not these things be sold, since that God himselfe is sold, and that we hauehave heard aboue how Pope Pius the 2. complaineth that the holy Ghost is sold at Rome, and the forgiuenesse of sins? p. 276Nowe I am of opinion that it is easier for them to sell him, then to deliuer him after they hauehave sold him.

No man (according to the rules of the Church of Rome) may hauehave a share in the emoluments of this merchandize, but only he which shall professe himselfe to be a Roman, and to be of the church of Rome, & a true subiect to the Pope. The formes of the admission of Bishops, Archbishops Cardinals, Knights of Malta, yea and of kings themselues, hauehave this article inserted expresly in them, of fidelitie and obedience to the Papall See.

The 8. part of this prophecie.

17 And hee tooke order that no man might buy or sell; saue he that had the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdome. Let him that hath wit, count the nūber of the beast: for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

The Explication.

17 And hee tooke order that no man p. 277might trafficke, nor sel, nor buy, nor exchāge benefices, nor bee suffered to purchase an Archbishops Pall, nor hauehave a Licence, nor any part in the Church goods, no nor yet buy an estate, if he had not the name and profession of a Romanist: and were not of the number of those which are marked with the figures, or numbers of the letters of his name.

18 In which number they which think themselues the wisest may finde some thing worth their search. Whosoever hath understanding let him diligently calculate the summe, to which these Greeke Cyphars or numbers of the Pope of Rome doe amount; for it is an vsuall number amongest men, and therefore easie to be vnderstood. And this number to which the Greeke letters of his name doe amount, is 666. For this word, Latin, which is the ordinary name by which the Greeke church doth call those of the Roman Church, and their head) being written in Greeke, and after calculated makes vp iust 666. Which number also by an admirable occurrence, doth admonish you that 666. yeares after the revealing of this prophecie, this 2 beast, to wit the Pope, shall beginne to heale the wound of the ancient Empire, and place the Roman Empire again in its former seat.

p. 278The Proofe.

Of the traffick, and the marke, we hauehave said enough already. But concerning the number of the name of the second beast there is more difficultie: There bee two things that giuegive vsus some light in this matter, the one is, that S. Iohn saith, that the number is the number of a man, that is to say, a number vsuall amongst men; So hee puts vsus out of the labour of seeking after mysticall numbers, as when a day is taken for a yeare. The other is, that since the question is of numbring or cyphring the Letters of this name, this name must of necessity be in a tongue, the letters of which are cyphers or Arithmeticall numbers. Now this is proper to the Greeke and Hebrew tongues, to hauehave no other cyphers but the letters of their Alphabet. But being that S. Iohn wrote in Greeke, & that to the Greeke churches too, this name cannot but be Greeke. S. Irenee following these rules, noted (two hundreth yeares after the birth of our Saviour, that the letters of cyphars of this word …—30 …—1 …—300 …—5 …—10 …—50 …—70 …— 200 666.foreign, that is to say, Latin, being added together make vp iust 666. Now to knowe whether this name bee the true name or p. 279no of the Bishop of Rome, we are not to look to the fashion of speech that is in vse with vsus now adaies in France or Italy, but to the Greeks manner of speaking, seeing that S. Iohn wrote in Greeke and to the Greekes; and into the nature of the thing.

We are therefore to knowe that after the Empire was translated, the Cittie of Constantinople was called new Rome, and the Countrie about commonly called Thracia was called Romania likewise, and is so called to this day. But as for the churches of Italie, France, and Spaine, which are reckoned vnderunder the Roman Patriarchat, the Greekes doe commonly call thē the Latin churches. When the Greeks see a french man or German in their country, they aske him, foreign? Are you a Latin? that is to say, as we vse to speake here with vsus, are you of the Romish Church? So at the end of the Councell of Florence, there is a long list of the names and subscriptions of the Greeke Bishops, and in the second place the subscriptions of the Bishops of the Romish Church, amongst which there bee some French men, and Spaniardes, and Flemmings, and yet neverthelesse over the head of all p. 280these subscriptions is written, Subscriptiones Latinorum patrum; So Nilus Bishop of Thessalonica wrote two books in greek one against Purgatory, the other against the Primacie of the Bishop of Rome, where he speakes (I know not how often) of the Latins, and of the Latin Church, without ever calling it the Romā church. Let this therefore bee taken for certaine, that then when the Bishop of Rome became a Monarch, and erected an earthly Empire at Rome (for this is the time of which S. Iohn doth prophecie) the Roman Church was commonly called the Latin Church, and by a consequent, the head thereof was called Latin.

As for the nature of the thing, there is no name that is more agreeing vntounto it; seeing that the Latin tongue only is received in Popish churches; all their service is said in Latin, the people are taught to pray in Latin; the Buls, and Indulgences, and letters of absolution are all made in Latin, the holy scripture is not allowed of but in Latin, and the Latin translation is preferred before the originall. And it is not long since that in the court of Parliament, and seates of p. 281Iustice, al the decrees, and sentences, acts, and publike instrumentes were set downe in Latin. To conclude, all that is there is Latin. I am verily perswaded that Irenaeus speaking this had no reference to the bishop of Rome, for although he take vp Victor bishop of Rome somewhat short, for his sharpnesse & violence, yet the bishops of Rome in his time were so poore and feeble, that no man could possibly imagin that they shoulde ever hauehave come to this heigth. And indeed Irenaeus was rather led away by the coniecture of other names, where the selfe same number is foūd. But the experience of succeeding ages hath refuted his other coniectures, & ratified this, by which he hath opened a way vntounto vsus to know the truth, which he could not liue to know by experience, as we hauehave.

But if besides this we shew that not only the number of 666. is found within this word Latin: but also that this very number doth point out the time vntounto vsus exactly in which the Pope became to be a Monarch, & began to lift vp the Roman Empire into its former seat, then I hope that they which are most set against this doctrine, p. 282will wonder at this interpretation, and by an amazed silence giuegive the glorie to God.

We must vnderstand therfore, that the first persecution of Christians (raised vp by Nero in the last yeare of his raigne) fell out in the year of our Lord, 69. Fourteene yeares after, that is, in the yeare 83. Domitian began an other persecution, in which S. Iohn was cited to Rome, and thence banished into the Isle of Pathmos, as S. Hierome witnesseth in his **Quartode … anno secundam post Neronē persecutionē movente Domitiano in Patmon insulā relegatus scripsit Apocalypsin.Catalogue. This persecution was more gentle then the others, and the Emperour went not so farre as bloud, as he did afterwardes towardes the ende of his raigne. In this Isle, did this Revelation appeare to S. Iohn, Apoc. 1. ver. 9. which afterward he committed to writing, towards the end of Domitians raigne as Irenaeus witnesseth in his fifth booke. For he remained in this Island vntill the time that Nerva came to rule, which began his raigne in the yeare 97. Seeing therfore that the Pope began to be a commander & temporal Prince in Rome & Italie in the yeare of our Lord, 755. by the indiscreete liberality of Pepin king of Fraunce: if ye go 666. yeares higher, yee p. 283shal light vponupon the yeare of our Lord, 89. In which yeare S. Iohn was yet in the Isle of Pathmos, where he cōtinued some few years after, at what time he had leasure to commit that to writing, which he had received from God by Revelation. It is true that Pepin, and Charles the Great his son, & Lewis the Debonnayre his grand-child which gaue this donation, did yet reserue the right of soveraignty vntounto themselues. But for all this the Pope did not spare to labour the best he could to make himselfe a monarch, and did even at that time lay his proiects for the compassing of a Monarchie, taking vponupon him to bestow the dignitie of a Patrician vponupon Pepin, which none but the Emperours could conferre, & presuming to set the Imperiall Crowne vponupon the head of Charles the Great, and that by a sleight, the said Charles the great not marking so much, and after being angry with him for so doing, and saying as he went out, that if hee had thought the Pope would hauehave vsed him so, he woulde not hauehave come into the Church, as Eginard witnesseth in his history. So the Pope encreasing dayly more and more, did in fine driue the successours of Pepin, and p. 284Charles the great his benefactours out of all Italie: and hath brought them to kisse his feet, and to hold their crownes at his merciemercy and discretion, calling himselfe Lord commander over the Empire, and bragging that he hath receiued the dominion of heaven and earth from God.

Now here I cannot but wonder at the rashnesse of some which dare accuse Irenee for writing this word, foreign, falslie with an foreign, as if a Graecian, and one of the learnedst amongst them, knew not howe to write true orthography in his owne tongue. For although this word bee also written without an Iota, yet they which hauehave any skil in the tongue, do know that the Graecians did vse to write an foreign where the Latins wrote an I. So Nilus, and Epirus, and Mithras, are written in Greeke foreign. Ioseph Scaliger in his notes vponupon Eusebius Chronicle, page 106. markes how the Graecians doe often turne the I, of the Latins into foreign when it is long, & that an N comes after, as in these words, foreign. Not that they did write it so still, for this was left indifferent. Nor will any man wonder here at, which knowes that the Latins did p. 285pronoūce their I long like foreign, whence that inscription Capteiuei of a Comedie in Plautus comes, and the verse of Lucilius cited by Quintilian in the first book of his oratoricall instructions, Iam pueret venere, è postremum facito at que I, for hee helde that it should be written puerei, mendacei, furei. The importunity of our adversaries hauehave forced me to play the schoole boy, and to rub vp my old Grammar learning, in steed of admiring the secrets of the wisdome of God, who vnderunder the transparent vaile of this prophecie, hath made vsus to see, and feele his truth.

But here I am to admonish the reader that when I lay the accomplishment of of these 666. yeares vponupon the 755 year of our Lord, I do not thereby vnderstande that Antichrist did but then begin to be made manifest. He was made knowne before by many effectes, neverthelesse nothing like so manifestly as after when hee came to be an earthly Monarch: For hee had before this time taken the title of Head of the Church vponupon him, vnderunder a shew that in the contention between him and the bishop of Constantinople, the Parricide Phocas had adiudged the Primacie p. 286to the bishop of Rome, iust 666. yeares after that Pompey had taken Ierusalem, and subdued the nation of the Iewes which as then was the only church of God. For Pompey wrought this exploite 61 yeares after the birth of our Saviour in the consulship of Cicero and Antonie, and Phocas gaue the Primacie to Boniface the 3. in the yeare of our Lord, 606. so that to count from this exploite of Pompey there are 666. yeares: By this meanes betweene the subduing of the church of the old Testament by the Roman Empire, and betweene the bondage of the church of the newe Testament by the bishop of Rome there are 666. yeares, which is an excellēt observation, and which his Maiestie of Englād hath faithfully noted. But this 13. chap. speaks not of the time in which Antichrist began to appeare, but of the time in which he began to establish a worldlie Empire, and encroach vponupon the rights, & imitate the actions of the Roman Emperour. Which he began 666. yeares after this Revelation.