Commentary on Revelation, Vision 6 · Chapter 17 · Part 1 · Commentary 3

Commentary on Revelation · Vision 6 · Chapter 17 · Part 1 · Commentary 3

p. 505THE COMMENTARY.

AND the Angell ſaid to mee] Here we have fullfilled the promiſe: hee that ſeeketh findeth: To him that deſireth wiſedome, it ſhall be given. Of old, admiration begate Philoſophy, here it begets propheſie. The Angell obſerving Iohns deſire by his countenance, doth of himſelfe open the myſtery to him.

Why didſt thou marveile?] He blames him not: Mat: 7 8: Iames 2.5Jas 2:5but ſhewes his deſire to reveale the ſecret: as if he ſhould ſay: I ſee thou art aſtoniſhed at the wondrous ſight: but go to, I will open the whole myſtery now unto thee.

The myſtery of the woman] The old Verſion, The ſacrament, which Ribera approveth: becauſe both words ſignifie ſomewhat that is ſecret and lies hid in another thing: And the Church, ſaith he, hath ſeven ſuch Sacraments. But why then do they not alſo reckon the purple and cup of the whore among their ſacraments? And why did they not render alſo foreign Myſtery in ver. 5. by the word Sacrament, that ſo Babylon herſelfe might become a ſacrament unto them?

8. The Beaſt which thou ſaweſt, was, and is not] The Interpretation of the Beaſt followeth: firſt of the whole: ſecondly of the parts, that is, of the ſeven heads and ten hornes: laſtly of the woman, but aenigmatically, touching which perhaps thou maiſt ſay as Ariſtotle ſaid of riddles or deepe ſentences, Gel: lib 20 cap. 4that they are ſo publiſhed, as if they were not at all publiſhed: ſo this Ʋiſion is ſo expounded as if it were not in the leaſt expounded. And ſo it is: neither did it otherwiſe beſeeme the Propheſie. Why the explication of the beaſt is darke.It was enough that the ſpirit did declare the future events by ſuch ſignes as might not provoke the wicked: And by which the godly through continuall ſearching might attaine ſome knowledge of the Myſterie. VntoUnto the wicked the matter ought certainely to remaine obſcure, leaſt foreknowing the events, they might furiouſly preſume to hinder the ſame, and their rage bee the more encreaſed: But as for the godly, the holy Ghoſt would ſtir them up by an aenigmaticall interpretation, to the end they ſhould the more carefully attend to the events and hiſtories of their times: Notwithſtanding all things are not ininvolved with ſuch darke ſentences, but that he doth bewray with Characters evident enough to ſuch as do not willingly ſhut their eyes, both the beaſt, that his ſeven heads are the ſeven hills of the City Rome: and the woman that ſhe is the Romane City and Church. Theſe Characters therefore are as it were the Touchſtone of our interpretation: becauſe they will point out unto us as with the finger, the beaſt and the woman.

To the Beaſt he aſcribes foure conditions or ſtates according to the times: He was, and is not, and ſhall aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit, and ſhall goe into perdition. p. 506The three former, ſeeing they ſo cohere together, doe argue that the beaſt is not ſimple or ſingle, but to be conſidered in a divers reſpect and forme.

Ribera takes this beaſt to be the devill reigning, Riberas opinion of the beaſt falſe.as in Chap. 3. but it is abſurd, for the devill never ceaſeth to reigne in the children of unbeleefe, and even in Iohns time the Apoſtle Peter wrote, that the devill is allwayes going about like a roaring Lyon ſeeking whom he may devoure, and therefore the Angell could not ſay to Iohn, The devill reigning IS NOT. Neither is it of waight what he pretends of Chriſts Victory. Satan indeed is overcome according to his ſpirituall power, that he cannot exerciſe the ſame over the elect: but not according to his civill violence, by which in Iohns time he mightily raged in the Romane Tyrants againſt the godly. And what need was there I pray that Satan (of whoſe continuall rage the holy Ghoſt had ſo often advertiſed us without any figure) ſhould now be repreſented unto Iohn under an obſcure type, as if it were an unknowne Myſtery. This colour is too ſlender to hide the truth; The beaſt therefore is not the devill.

The common opinion of our Interpreters is, The commonopinion of our expoſiters touching the beaſt:That the beaſt is the old Romane Empire, as before Chap. 13.

That WAS] viz. moſt powerfull and largely extended while it was heatheniſh.

AND IS NOT] to remaine ſo, becauſe it ſhall bee deſtroyed by the Vandalls, Goths, and Hunni, which happened under Theodoſius, when Rome in a ſhort ſpace being foure times taken deſtroyed and burnt, the Empire of the Weſt ſeemed whollie as it were overthrowne.

And aſcended out of the bottomleſſe pit] The new Papall Empire which the Pope of Rome by an helliſh ambition erected in the Weſt, ſeditiouſly thruſting the lawfull Emperours of the Eaſt out of Italy: Not as if the Empire of the Weſt were from the Devill (as ſome do wickedly calumninate us) for all Empires are of God: but when Empires are corrupted, which the Pope cauſed in the Weſt, then thoſe corruptions doe not deſcend from Heaven, but aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit.

And ſhall goe into perdition] For by Chriſt comming he ſhall bee caſt into the pit of eternall damnation.

Touching this opinion thus farre it may ſeeme to be imperfect, viz. that it diſtinguiſheth not ſufficiently the Romane Empire from Antichriſt: as alſo that it draweth the ſecond terme, IS NOT, unto the future deſtruction of the Empire: whereas the Angell denyeth that the Beaſt was in his time: laſtly that the third terme HE SHAL ASCEND OƲT OF THE BOTTO MLESSE PIT is moſt properly to be interpreted of Antichriſts riſing.

Brightman ſomewhat varies from the common opinion.Brightmans opinion.

The Beaſt is Antichriſt.

He was] to wit, after publick perſecutions were taken away by Conſtantine.

And is not] to wit, when the Pontificacie was ſo weakned by the incurſions of the Barbarians in Italy, that men might truly ſay, that the Beaſt was no more.

And is to aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit] to wit, when by Iuſtinian and Phocas the pope of Rome was reſtored, and as it were recalled out of Hell, that thence forward with the Empire hee might bee Chiefe Dictator and Ʋniverſall Biſhop.

And ſhall go into perdition] to wit, when the renewed dignity and power of the Pope began to be weakened by the Goſpel, and by little & little conſumed away.

This expoſition in the fourth term is true: How farre true or not true:but in the three former he confounds the times, which the Angell hath accurately diſtinguiſhed, not by ſaying, The beaſt ſhalbe, and ſhall not be, and ſhal againe aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit: But by diſtinguiſhing expreſly the time paſt, preſent, & to come: He was, in the preterperfect tence: is not, in the preſent: And ſhal aſcend, in the future: which differences of time can no more be here confounded, then in v. 10. Five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come, and when he commeth, &c. where the ſaid differences are neceſſarily to be obſerved.

p. 421Notwithſtanding he ſeemes to hold that the beast ſoone after Constantine did aſcend out of the Pit, which agrees not to the Viſions, and Hiſtories: For although the Church, as ſoone as Chriſt left off riding on the red horſe under Conſtantine, began to be blacke with hereſies, and with divers diſeaſes grew miſerablie pale even unto death, nevertheleſſe the Dragon had not as yet with his taile caſt downe that great Starre from Heaven unto the Earth, neither had the ſmoake out of the bottomleſſe pit wholly filled the Church with Antichriſtian Cloudes. That was the time of the ſecret conception & generation of Antichriſt, in the womb of the Romane Church, being about 296. yeeres, In Vita Sylv:namely from Sylveſter on whoſe head Conſtantine (if Platina lie not) ſet a Crowne of gold beſet with moſt pretious Gemmes, untill Gregory I. who as a moſt cleer-ſeeing Prophet, ſhewing as with the finger Antichriſts Birth-day then at hand, ſaid, Lib: 4. Eph: 30.I confidently affirme that whoſoever calleth himſelfe univerſall Prieſt, or deſireth to be ſo called: he in his loftineſſe is the Fore-runner of Antichriſt, becauſe by pride he ſets himſelfe before others: Lib: 4 Eph. 38.And again: The King of pride is neere, and that which is unlawfull to bee uttered, an Army of Priests is prepared for him.

But Antichriſt came forth fully ten yeeres after, when Sabian cauſed the writings of Gregory publickely to be burned, pretending that he affecting popular praiſe, by his munificence and profuſe gifts, had waſted the Patrimony of the Church: but it was indeed out of hatred, becauſe he had declared the Ʋniverſall Priest to be Antichriſt. After him at length Boniface III. having obtained the title of Vniverſall Biſhop from Phocas, manifeſted the Beaſt unto the world.

I will therefore lay downe what the Lord hath ſuggeſted unto mee, The Authors judgement touching the Beaſt.touching this darke matter, not new, neither much contrary to the foreſaid opinions, but yet comming neerer to the ſcope.

I ſhewed before that the Beaſt is Antichriſt, not abſolutely but in reſpect of the three latter ſtates: neither is he ſimple or ſingle, but having two bodies: neither naked, but clothed with the skin of the Romane Empire, armed both with the eccleſiaſticall and imperiall ſword, as ſome ages have ſeen in the Romiſh Popes.

According therefore unto the prodigious and different ſtate of Antichriſt, So he is ſaid prodigiouſly to have bin, and not to be, and to come afterward.

The Beaſt was] or hath bin, viz. formerly, according to the monarchicall and ſecular power, which before Iohns time was in Kings, Conſulls, Decemviri, Dictators, Tribunes, Caeſars, as in verſe 10. for although that power was not then as yet the power of Antichriſt, yet it began afterwards to be his, when he by force tooke the ſame unto himſelfe. And therefore he is ſaid to have bin then, becauſe then ſomething of him was: and hee was then according to that power, although in another reſpect he were not as yet.

And is not] To wit, in this time of the Revelation, when the Romane Biſhops had not yet ſo much as dreamt of a Monarchicall Spirituall or Secular power, but all of them for the ſpace of 300. yeers, untill Melchiades ſuffered Martyrdome for the Name of Chriſt: Although Bellarmine fooliſhly boaſteth, that Clemens received the Eccleſiaſticall Monarchy from Peter.

And is to aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit] To wit, 510. yeeres after the Revelation of this Propheſie, when Sabian attempted to invade the eccleſiaſticall Monarchie, Boniface III. really invaded it, and ſo tranſmitted the ſame unto the Popes his Succeſſours. And about 649 yeers from this Propheſie, Steeven II. alſo laid hold on the ſecular power, who firſt thruſting the Greeke Emperours out of Italy poſſeſſed the chiefe government. He was the firſt that deprived the French King Hildericke of his kingdome: He was the firſt that admitted Pipine (upon whom by his Antichriſtian power he beſtowed not his own, but the kingdome of France) to kiſſe his feet … he firſt would be pontificallie carried with great triumph in the midſt of the people on mens ſhoulders, as it were another Alexander or Iulius, unto the Lateran Palace, which thing hath ever ſince bin very religiouſly obſerved of his Succeſſours, namely being men, as Balaeus recordeth, p. 418not worthy that the Earth ſhould beare. Not long after alſo the beast in Gregory VII. and Boniface VIII. aſcended to the higheſt ſtep of Monarchie, when the Pope ſaid: I AM CAESAR: for he aſcended not in a moment, but by divers degrees, of which ſee Chap. 13.

He ſhall aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit] As Chap. 11.7. or out of the Sea, as Chap. 2: Theſ: 2: 9:13.1. the ſenſe being one: underſtanding foreign either properly of the pit of hell, to denote the procreating cauſe, of which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, that his comming ſhould be after the working of Satan with all deceiveableneſſe of unrighteouſneſſe, and ſignes and lying wonders: or metaphorically of the deep of the Sea, that is, the ſincke of Biſhops in Papall Councills, by which under praetext of eſtabliſhing the faith, and routing out of hereſies, the priviledges of Emperours and kings were overthrowne, the monarchy of the Pope eſtabliſhed, the power of the Clergy augmented and confirmed: the which Julian the Cardinall alledging thereby to allure Pope Eugenius unto the Councill of Baſil: It is a wonderfull thing ſaith he: I find that the power of the Church, and Eccleſiaſticall Libertie hath alwayes bin ſtrengthened, defended, and augmented by Councills, and now doe we feare it ſhould be taken away?

And ſhall goe into perdition] Here I aſſent to Brightman for the clearneſſe therof: for this going of the beaſt into perdition, foretold by the Angell, is by the wonderfull judgement of God begun in our age: and now the beaſt goes on in the way of deſtruction, ſo that he is not now far from his end: And this Bellarmine himſelfe confeſſeth; who thus writeth, From that time you made the Pope to be Antichriſt, his Empire is not onelyonly not encreaſed, but more and more decreaſed. The time therefore is neere at hand, in which the Church of Chriſt ſhall ſing with the reſt of the Heavenly Companies HALLELƲJAH, Salvation, and Honour, and Glory and Power be to the Lord our God, becauſe his judgements are true and righteous. Revelat. 19.1.

And they that dwell on the earth ſhall wonder] Thus much of the fourefold ſtate of the beaſt: his authority followes, which hath largely before been expounded in Chap 13. here it is briefly touched.

Shall wonder] Not at the monſtrous ſight, as Iohn did verſe 6. but ſhall adore and worſhip the woman Queen that rides on the beaſt as a Goddeſſe: ſo Chap. 13. verſe 3.4. And the world wo…dred after the Beaſt and worſhipped him, ſaying, Who is like unto the beaſt? who is able to make war with him? And verſe 8, And power was given him over all kinreds and tongues and Nations, and all the Inhabitants of the earth ſhall worſhip him.

But what then? ſhall none remaine with Chriſt? I anſwer. Leaſt we ſhould thinke ſo, in both places the inhabiters of the earth are onelyonly comprehended in this number: Whoſe Names are not written in the Booke of life from the foundation of the World: by which limitation is intimated, firſt, the chiefe cauſe of this great madneſſe of men, to worſhip ſo monſtrous and execrable a thing: it is becauſe they ſhall be children of the earth and not of God: Reprobates, not Elect: ſecondly, the Elect are freed from the Impoſtures of the beaſt, for it is impoſſible they ſhould be ſeduced. Mat. 24.24.

Whoſe Names are not written] See Chap. 13.8.

Beholding the beaſt that was and is not] He reckons up ſome titles of the beaſt, and not in vaine: for it ſhall bee one cauſe of the worlds wonderment, that the beaſt having divers ſhapes (like unto another Proteus) WAS, AND IS NOT, AND YET IS: Whence the Admirers of him ſhall conceive in their minds ſomething divine touching him. Now theſe things are evident by what wee ſaid before.

Was] viz. before Iohns time, ſo far as concerned the monarchicall ſecular power.

Is not] viz. in Iohns time, becauſe the Romane Biſhops had not aſſumed this, no nor as yet the Eccleſiaſticall monarchy

And yet is] viz. in Iohns time, in reſpect of the Imperiall power, which then p. 419the Caeſars had, and afterwards ſhould be uſurped by the Popes. Thus we muſt reconcile theſe ſeeming contradictions: Is not, and yet is: according to the different ſtate of the beaſt, leaſt we might imagine a repugnancy to be in the words, which to avoid, the old Verſion hath wholly ommitted the words foreign And yet is.

But Andreas and Arethas whom Montanus followes, for foreign reade foreign Is at hand, or is to come, which agrees with the third terme, ſhall aſcend out of the bothomleſſe pit, for he ſaith that he ſhall come, that is, in his time aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit. The fourth terme is not here mentioned, becauſe that ſerved not for admiration, but belongs to the future wayling, of which in Chapter 18.

9 Here is the minde having wiſedome] This is added that none might complaine and ſay, Why are all theſe darke expreſſions? what may be the meaning of the heads and hornes of the beaſt? he cryes out as before, Chap. 13.9. at the riſing of the firſt beaſt. If any one hath eares let him heare. And after the ſecond, verſe 18. Here is wiſedome, let him that hath underſtanding count, &c. ſo now Here is underſtanding, to wit, hid above mans reach. Here, may be underſtood of the divers ſtates of the beaſt euen now mentioned: but I rather referre it to the following matter: Here, for, in theſe things which yet remain to be expounded touching the heads and hornes, greater wiſedome is contained.

Now the words of the Angell conſiſts either of one comma, here is the minde which hath underſtanding, to wit, hid: for, herein is a myſtieall ſenſe that cannot be ſearched out by the mind of man: Or of two commaes, or clauſes, One being, Here is wiſedome: the other, he that hath wiſedome, that is, let him underſtand. And this latter ſeemes to be according to the mind of the Angell, becauſe of the article foreign he that hath: though the ſenſe be all one: viz. that the myſtery of the beaſt is above mans wiſedome, except it be revealed: And therefore the Angell offers himſelfe to declare the ſame: And he ſtirres up our deſire by an exclamation, leſt we ſhould be ſlothfull in taking notice, and ſhunning of the beaſt.

The ſeven heads are ſeven Mountaines] Now he opens the wiſedome which he promiſed by expounding the myſtery of the beaſt according to his ſeverall parts.

Where firſt wee may obſerve, the Metonymicall Phraſe of the ſigne for the thing ſignified, being ordinarily uſed in Sacraments, and therefore are called Sacramentall kind of ſpeeches. The ſeven heads are ſeven Mountaines: Gen: 4: 28 & 17.10by a Metonymia of the ſigne and the thing ſignified, for, the ſeven heads ſignifie ſeven Mountaines: ſo alſo, The ſeven kine are ſeven yeeres, that is ſignifie ſeven yeeres: Ex: 12:11 1 cor 10: 4 Ioh. 1: 32 Ma. 26: 26John 1:32Circumciſion is the Covenant: for the ſigne of the Covenant, as God himſelfe interpreteth it. The Lambe is the Paſſeover, that is, ſignifies the Paſſeover. The Rocke was Chriſt: for it ſignified Chriſt. The Dove was the holy Ghoſt, for it was a ſigne of the Holy Ghoſt. And ſo: The bread is the body of Chriſt broken for us: for: Aug: diſt. 2 de conſec: c: hoc est: contra Adem cap: 12 Luk: 22: 20it ſignifies that the body of Chriſt was broken for us, and is given unto us for food: ſo Auſtin ſaith: The bread is the body of Chriſt not in verity of the thing, but by a ſignificant myſtery: And againe: The Lord doubted not to ſay: This is my body, when he gave the ſigne of his body: So: The Cup is the Now Teſtament: for it is a holy ſigne of the New Teſtament, &c.

Now this I doe the rather ſpeake of, becauſe ſome inconſiderately do contend, that neither in Scriptures nor good Authors any examples are to be found, that the ſigne is put for the thing ſignified, with the copulative Is betwixt. But here they may ſee it: The ſeven heads are ſeven Mountaines: and a little after, They are ſeven Kings. Againe: The ten hornes are ten Kings: The waters are Peoples: the woman is the Great City: what will they have more?

Secondly, that we might not ſeeke theſe Mountaines in the Moone (as they ſay) he addeth. The ſeven heads are ſeven Mountaines on which the woman ſitteth. But the woman verſe 18. is the great City that had dominion over the Kings of the earth in Iohns time, that is, Rome: ſo then the ſenſe is, upon which Mountaine p. 420the woman fitteth; that is, upon which Mountaines Rome is built that rules the world: hence Rome is called foreign ſeven hal'd, ſee Chap. 14.8.

Theſe Hills are called Capitolinus, Palatinus, Caelius, Aventinus, Aeſquilinus, Vnninalis, Quirinalis, in honour whereof was yeerely kept on the third of the Ides of December, the Feſtivitie of the ſeven hills in memory of Romulus the builder: or rather for the three Mountaines that were added by Servius Tullius, that the Citie might ſtand upon ſeven: for that which Romulus before built comprehended but foure Mountaines within the walles. This …ngell therefore doth plainly marke out Rome ſituated on ſeven h…ls as the ſeat of Antichriſt.

Neither can the Ieſuites any longer deay the ſame, The Ieſuits wrangling.but onelyonly by cavelling they would perſwade us that Ancient or heatheneſſe Rome is here meant, ſuch as it was in Iohns time. But themſelves know it is a meere evaſion, for this Propheſie reſpecteth Rome that ſhall be in Antichriſts time. At laſt therefore they confeſſe it is meant of Popiſh Rome: but here they ſeeke out another ſtartinghole: viz. that this Rome ſhall not be the ſeat of Antichriſt, becauſe it is to be burnt before Antichriſt come. But they well know that this is alſo falſe: For why ſhall Rome be burnt? Is it not becauſe of her fornication with the Kings of the Earth, and for being the ſeat of Antichriſt.

They ſay that Rome ſhal apoſtate from the Chriſtian faith unto Heatheniſme: See before chap: 14: 8But what then ſhall the Pope doe in the meane time, will he looke no better to his cure? but a lyar had need have a good memory.

They ſay that Rome ſhall commit fornication with the ten Kings, and for the ſame bee burnt: And yet they ſay, that thoſe ten Kings, or at leaſt ſeven of them ſhall follow Antichriſts Campe: How then can it bee burnt before Antichriſt come?

It is alſo obſerveable, how diverſly the ſeat of the woman is noted. In verſe 1. How the woman ſits upon the waters, upon the beaſt & upon the mountains:ſhe ſits upon many waters: afterward verſe 3. upon the beaſt, and here upon the mountains, the which are the heads of the beaſt. All which things doe well agree. ROME ſits upon many waters: as ſhe beares rule over the Kings and Inhabitants of the Earth. Rome ſits upon the beaſt: as ſhe is born up of the beaſt: and ruled by Antichriſt. Or if the beaſt be the Romane Empire, Rome ſits upon the beaſt, as ſhe ſwayeth the beaſt or Empire: for by ſitting, dominion is noted. Laſtly, Rome ſits upon the heads of the beaſt, which are the ſeven Mountains, as ſitting on them herſelf, and giving them for a dwelling place to Antichriſt.

Obſerve alſo the admirable union and mixture between the beaſt and woman, and the mutuall metaneorphoſis of the one (as it were) into the other, ſo as the one is the other, or a part, and of the eſſence thereof, yea both are one, even the ſame Antichriſt.

The ſeven Mountaines are the heads and ſtrength of the beaſt: and the ſeven Mountaines are the ſeat of the woman, what doth hence follow, but that the heads of the beaſt are the ſtrength and ſeat of the woman, that is, of Antichriſt. Now the Mountaines of the woman are the mountaines of Rome. And if the mountaines of Rome are the heads of Antichriſt, and the woman ſit on the mountaines of Rome: The woman then ſits and reignes upon the heads of Antichriſt: Furthermore, he that reigneth upon the heads of the Beast and the Mountaines of the woman is Antichriſt. The Pope of Rome reigneth on the heads of the beaſt, and the mountaines of the woman, therefore the Pope of Rome is Antichriſt.

But Ribera contendeth, that the beaſt is the devill not Antichriſt: yet he grants that the mountaines of the beaſt are the mountaines of Rome. Now what will he gather hence, but that the mountaines of Rome, and Rome it ſelfe are a part of the devill? yea his ſtrength and dwelling place: which is worſe then the former: See verſe 3.

10. And they are ſeven Kings] Now that wee might not ſticke in the bare Mountaines of Rome: He addeth another myſtery, viz. that the ſeven heads are alſo ſeven Kings: thus of one type he makes two antitypes. But what Kings?

p. 421Ribera, that wee ſhould not ſeeke them at Rome, and ſo perhaps find the Pope amongſt them, ſaith that they are the Kings of the whole earth, This is wonderfull: before he ſaid that the beaſt was the devill: therefore either the whole world is the devill: or elſe theſe are not the Kings of the whole earth: unleſſe perhaps he would rather ſay, that the devill reigneth on his heads the mountaines of Rome, and that Rome rides upon the devill: out for ſhame with ſo vile and wicked a fiction. For whoſe the mountaines are, the ſame are the Kings alſo: but the mountaines are of the woman Rome: therefore the Kings alſo are of the woman Rome. Let this once for all be minded as a ſure poſition.

But who are theſe kings? Wonderfull Riddles are propounded by the Angell: Five are fallen, One is, the other is not yet come, and when he commeth he muſt continue a ſhort ſpace] This is a Gordian knot, and not to bee untyed, had we not the benefit of hiſtories: Now paſſing by the opinion of many, I will record three of the principall: the comparing of which will ſomewhat eaſe us.

Firſt that of Victorinus, whom our Bullinger and Iunius follow: 1: The opinion of Victorinus about the ſeven Kings:that theſe are the ſeven Kings, which reigned at Rome after Nero. Five are fallen] viz. Vitellius, Otto, Galba, Ʋeſpaſianus, Titus. ONE WAS] viz. Domitian who in Iohns time reigned at Rome. The other was not yet come] Namely Nerva his Succeſſour, who, being come, was to remaine a ſhort time, becauſe hee reigned not full two yeeres, Which opinion, howſoever backt with the authority of theſe great men, I cannot follow.Why it is rejected:

First becauſe before Iohn not onelyonly five Caeſars were fallen at Rome, but ſix others beſides: Fulius, Augustus, Tiberius, Caius, Claudius, and Nero: neither can any reaſon be given why theſe ſhould be excluded.

Secondly, becauſe theſe ſeven Kings are not ſingular perſons, otherwiſe thoſe ſeven being dead, all the heads of the beaſt ſhould have periſhed: and the Beast either ſhould have remained without heads, or new heads muſt have growne upon him (as Apollidorus fabulouſly writes of Hydra) or elſe being without heads he ſhould have bin extinct, All which things are contrary to the propheſie, for the beaſt yet lives, and is reſerved unto the laſt judgement.

This Ribera ſaw, and doubted not to affirme, that all Expoſitors, In chap. 17 S. 25except Victorinus, underſtood that in every of theſe ſeven, many were comprehended: although he joynes a fooliſh fable that not the Kings of Rome are meant, but of the whole world, which Fiction we erewhile refuted: Notwithſtanding as if hee forgot himſelfe he affirmeth, and ſtrongly proveth that it is not unuſuall to the Scriptures, that in one king, many like (as it were of the ſame body) are ſignified: which, ſaith he, is carefully to be obſerved: alledging for example the Ramme and Goat in Daniel: of which two the firſt denotes the Kings of the Medes and Perſians: the other all the kings of the Macedonians.

But (good Sir) this; ſay I, is carefully to be obſerved againſt your ſelfe: for by this reaſon of yours, is manifeſtly refuted or wholly weakened your Fiction that Antichriſt ſhall be onelyonly one ſingular perſon, and that becauſe hee is ſaid in the ſingular number to be the man of ſin, the ſon of perdition, the Beast, Falſe Prophet, &c. for behold what followes. If Antichriſt be one of theſe Kings, then verily he ſhall not be one ſingular man, but a king having others ſucceeding him in his kingdome: as had the Kings of Medes, Perſians and Macedonians, in their kingdomes. But thou thy ſelfe makeſt the ſeventh of theſe kings to be Antichriſt: The other, ſaiſt thou, is not yet come, that is, Antichriſt, who ſhall come in the ſeventh age.

Now to come to the ſecond opinion, which is Riberas out of Gagnaeus, viz. 2: Riberas opinion about the beast:that the ſeven kings are the ſeven ages of the world, or ſeven kingdomes adverſarie to the Church.

The firſt age from Kain to Noah. The ſecond from Noah to Abraham. The third from Abraham to David. The fourth from David unto the tranſportation into Babylon. The fift from the tranſportation unto Chriſt. The ſixt from p. 422Chriſt unto Antichriſt. The ſeventh from Antichriſt unto the end.

Of theſe, ſaith he, five are fallen] becauſe five ages were paſt before Chriſts birth.

One was] becauſe the ſixt age of Chriſt did then run on.

One is not yet come] becauſe the ſeventh age of Antichriſt was not as yet.

When he is come he ſhall remaine a ſhort ſpace] becauſe Antichriſt ſhall onelyonly reigne three yeeres and an halfe.

A wonderfull Metamorphoſis of kings into ages. But what reference have the ancient ages unto the heads of the beaſt, that is, unto the mountaines and kings of the Citie Rome? for it cannot be denyed but that the Angell preciſely ſpeaketh of theſe: Theſe kings therefore are not to be ſought any where, but there even where the mountaiues are: becauſe the heads are mountaines and kings: Now the mountaines are at Rome: and therefore the kings are there alſo.

But truely the Ieſuite doth ſubtilly ſend us to Kain, Nimrod, Nebuchadnezzar, &c. The ſubtilty of the Ieſuite.leaſt we ſhould find Antichriſt at Rome. Nay but the kings are to bee ſought in Romes mountaines, for here they ſate, reigned, and at length have alſo born up the woman. I paſſe by that there is no proportion of the ſeventh age with the ſix former. For what are three yeeres and an halfe to the former ages which all of them dured many hundred yeers. By which very thing the fiction of Antichriſts three yeers reigning is refuted.III: Opinion touching the ſeven kings:

Now I come unto the third opinion, viz. of Aretius, Napier, Brightman, and others, to whom the ſeven kings are not ſeven Emperors, nor ſeven ages: but they wil have them to be ſeven kinds of goverment of the Romane Monarchie, ſix whereof Tacitus mentioneth in his firſt booke: Kings ſaith he, at the beginning governed Rome: Libertie and Conſulſhip was ſet up by Brutus: The Dictatorſhip was onelyonly taken up for a time: Neither did the power of the Decemviri laſt above two yeeres: Neither did the Conſulary authority of the Tribunes of Souldiers remaine long. The power of Cinna and Sulla was but ſhort. Pompie and Craſſus ſoone gave place to Caeſar: And Lepid us and Antony to Auguſtus, who received the Empire (all things being confuſed through civill diſcords) under the name of a Prince.

He reckons up, Caſtig: Brightman pag: 110.I ſay, ſix ſorts of government: viz. Kings, Conſuls, Dictators, Decemviri, Tribunes, and Princes or Emperours, neither is there any more, as Eudaemon the Ieſuite cavills againſt Brightman: for betweene the power of Tribunes and Princes, Tacitus puts no ordinary government, ſave onelyonly civill diſcords. The ſeventh he ſaw not, becauſe it came after him.

Now of theſe in Iohns time Five were fallen] to wit, Kings, Conſuls, Dictators, Decemviri, Tribunes: becauſe theſe formes of government were put down at Rome before Iohns time, for the Conſuls which then were, wanted Monarchicall power, and their power was limited within the City.

ONE IS] The ſixt government of Princes or Emperours which then was. Now in this Expoſitours varie.Difference about the ſixt & ſevent kind of goverment.

Some make the ſixt kind of government, which Domitian held in Iohns time, to be of ſuch Caeſars as deſcended of Iulius, that is, home-borne Princes, but the ſeventh of Forraigne Caeſars, which, ſay they, the Angell intendeth in the words, One is not yet come] to wit, Ʋlpius Traianus the Spaniard, after whom thenceforward Forraine Emperors governed Rome. That which followes.

And the Beast is the eight, and is of the ſeven] They underſtand of the French and Germane Emperours at length created by the Pope.

Which opinion unto me ſeemes to have little ground, firſt, in that they divide domeſticke and forraine Emperours into two orders or rankes, ſeeing both held the ſame Empire at Rome. Secondly, that they paſſe by Nerva before Traiane. Laſtly, that they obſerve not, how the eight is the whole Beaſt, or Antichrist, Verſe 10.

Brightman herein conſenteth touching the five that were fallen: but the ſixt hee underſtands of the Emperours, who in Iohns time, and thencefore held the Empire: The other not yet come, that is, the ſeventh, he makes to be the Pope, for howbeit p. 423there was a Biſhop at Rome while Iohn lived: Nevertheleſſe hee did not Lord it, nor take any Papall jurisdiction on him. The Epithite, foreign Other, he underſtands not of the number but quality of the kingdome, becauſe the ſeventh ſhould have a kingdome far divers from the former, who all had been politicall Kings: but this ſhould bee of a mixt kinde, viz. Eccleſiaſticall and Politicall. The following words: When he commeth hee muſt remaine a ſhort ſpace: He thus expoundeth: After that the Popiſh kingdome takes its beginning under Conſtantine, the pontificall authority ſhall remaine in ſafety but a little while, viz. about an hundred yeers: for then Rome by the incurſions of Barbarians ſhall bee taken, and ſo waſted and ruinated, as that it ſhall appeare to bee wholly deſtroyed: The which thing was done by the Gothes, Ʋandals and Hunni.

That which followeth: The beaſt was and is not, even he is the eight, hee thus expoundeth: The beaſt, that is, the Pope, which was the ſeventh king already manifeſted or come (and yet is ſaid, not to be, by reaſon of the diſcomfiture the Barbarians brought upon him) ſhall be the Eight, that is, againe recover himſelf after his overthrow, and attaine his former ſtrength, which, ſaith he, happened in Gregory II. and his next Succeſſours by the helpe of their two hornes Pippine and Charles.

And is of the ſeventh] that is, the Pope the Eight being againe reſtored, will be of the ſame diſpoſition, manners and regiment as he was before his overthrow, while he was the ſeventh: ſo that he makes the ſeventh and Eight to be al one, viz. the Romiſh Pope, with this difference, that the ſeventh ſignifies the Pope before he was diſcomfited by the Barbarians, ſeeming then to have bin wholly extinguiſhed: But the Eight to ſignifie the Pope againe reſtored to his ancient dignity by Pippin and Charles: This (as I take it) is the ſum of his words.

The which things I confeſſe are wittily and probably written according to hiſtories. But yet this hath no ſmall difficulty in it, how the ſame Pope can bee both the ſeventh and Eight, ſeeing Iohn doth diſtinguiſh them as the part and whole: for he names the ſeventh, one of the Beaſts heads: but the Eight the whole beaſt himſelfe. The Beaſt, (ſaith he) which was and is not, he alſo is the eight. Neither can the two ſtates of the beast repeated verſe 11. (which was and is not) be drawne vntounto the riſing and overthrow of the ſeventh head, ſeeing Iohn in verſe 8. makes them to be the ſtates not of one head, but of the whole beaſt.The Authors opinion:

To untie this knot: I underſtand (as before I proved) that the beast is Antichrist: whence it followeth that the ſeventh head is not Antichriſt, becauſe the ſeventh head is not the beaſt, but a part thereof. Now a part of the beast, and the beaſt are not the ſame.

Furthermore, the heads are the ſtrength of the Beaſt. Therefore the ſeven kings are the ſtrength, that is, the Monarchicall power of the beaſt, which before was in the ſeven kings or regiments, but at laſt ſhall be in the beaſt himſelfe, as it were in the eight king or Antichriſt: ſo then the ſeventh king is not the ſame with the eight: becauſe the former is but one head of the beaſt: The other is the beaſt it ſelfe or Antichriſt. But what then?Five Regiments.

Five (kings) are fallen] That is, the five Regiments of kings, Conſulls, Dictators, Decemviri, and Tribunes were already in Johns time put downe from the mountaines of the woman, that is, in Rome.

One is] The ſixt order of Pagane Emperours: which in Iohns time and thenceforward unto Conſtantine, did in Domitian and his ſucceſſours ſway the Scepter on the mountaines of the beast and woman, that is, at Rome.

The other is not yet come] The ſeventh order of Chriſtian Emperours, which was not yet in Iohns time, being to come after in Conſtantine the great.

But it may be ſaid, that theſe held the ſame Empire with the former, The ſixt, viz: of pagan emperours:and had no new Regiment. Theſe therefore are not diſtinguiſhed from the ſixt. I anſwer, The face of the Empire began to be altogether new, and fit for the conception of Antichriſt. For this ſeventh head reigned not as did the former p. 428on the mountaines of the beaſt and woman, Conſtantine the great is the ſeventh.that is, at Rome, but out, or from the ſame, viz. in the Eaſt: when Conſtantine, either becauſe he was hated of the Gentry and Commons of Rome for his Chriſtian Religion, as Baronius feineth, (for what needed he to feare the Citizens, who had blotted out the names of ſo many Tyrants) or to encreaſe the greatneſſe of his name, Why the Empire of Conſtant. is diſtingu… shed from his predeceſſours.leaving Rome, removed to Bizantium, and would have it to be called after his owne Name, Conſtantinople, An. 19. of his Empire, and of his converſion 12, and of Chriſt 324.

Now this is that which the Angell ſaith, When he is come, hee must remaine a ſhort ſpace] that is, he ſhall not reigne long at Rome in the mountaines of the beaſt and woman, but onelyonly nineteen yeeres, not that the ſeventh head was then preſenly to periſh (for then the beast alſo having loſt all his heads muſt have periſhed) but that he was not to remaine in the mountaines of the beaſt and woman, that is, Rome, where the other heads of the beaſt had remained with the Empire 1078. yeers. This expoſition is illuſtrated by the following verſe.

11 And the beaſt that was and is not, the ſame is alſo the Eight] Firſt here I propoſe that this beast is the ſame with the former, verſe 3.8. of which there is no Queſtion, ſeeing the Angell repeats the three ſtates of the beaſt in the ſame words: One, that is, Emphatically declares the third, that it may be made manifeſt. Whence I conclude that this Beaſt is Antichriſt (becauſe the other was Antichriſt) but the ſeventh head was not Antichriſt.

Furthermore let it be obſerved that foreign and, the firſt word of the verſe is not ſimply copulative, but a note of order and opportunity, as Beza renders it almoſt in all the Chapters: foreign, Then I ſaw, then he came, &c. ſo here foreign Then the Beaſt, Let the opportunity (I ſay) be noted, by which the Beaſt came to be the Eight King, that is, uſurped the mountaines of Rome, The beaſt the eight king is Antichrist:and tooke the Monarchicall power of the ſeven heads unto himſelfe, as his owne: for after the ſeventh king Constantine (with his Succeſſours) leaving Rome, had taken up his Seat abroad, The Pope remaining at home upon the mountaines of the Beaſt, that is, at Rome, thought it now a fit time to take this occaſion, How the Pope came to bee the eight king.under the pretext that he was Biſhop of old Rome, the Imperiall Seat. And firſt indeed by reaſon of the ſuperfluous devotion of Emperors, they being allo wearied through the continuall invaſions of Barbarians, he by wonderfull cunning and rapine drew from them great gifts eſpecially from Conſtantine; who becauſe of his unreaſonable prodigality to Biſhops, was commonly called Nepos and Pupillus, as Egnatius witneſſeth: by little and little alſo he begged Kingly priviledges. And not contented to be called Biſhop of the chiefe Seat: a while after he made himſelfe Greateſt, or chiefe Priest, which dignity till then was proper to the Romane Emperours.

For after Auguſtus all the Romane Princes, Lib: 5: Faſtor.who governed the Romaine affaires under the name of Emperors, either took on them (as Onuphrius writeth) the chiefe pontificacie, or elſe ſuffered themſelves to be called Greateſt Prieſts, as Conſtantinus, Conſtantius, Valentinianus, Ʋalens, and Gratianus: Who although they deteſted the Function of Chiefe Prieſthood, being addicted to the Christians: Nevertheleſſe they deſpiſed not, nor rejected the title thereof: Gratianus the Emperour being the firſt (as Zoſimus teacheth) who forbade by proclamation that the title of GREATEST PRIEST ſhould bee given unto him: and ſo that dignity of the Prieſthood firſt failed in the Emperours. Thus he.

Now theſe Augustall titles deſpiſed and condemned by the Emperours, The Pope aſſumeth the Auguſtall title.becauſe of the impiety thereof, the Pope aſſumed unto himſelfe as being the firſt Character of the Empire, and ſo by this prophane title and function made himſelf the greateſt Prieſt, and ſoon after Oecumenicall, Catholick and Ʋniverſall Biſhop, being ſtiled Prince of Prieſts, head of Churches, from whom all the Biſhops of the world were to receive lawes, that is, hee was acknowledged Eccleſiasticall Monarch: Thus was borne the Eight King though not in full growth.

Wherefore not long after the Pope finding an occaſion (when the Lombards p. 429grievouſly diſturbed Italy) as if he had bin deſerted by the Greeke Emperours: (whom he notwithſtanding by his Antichriſtian Anathema thruſt out of Rome and whole Italy, ſeditiouſly ſtirring up the Romanes to thruſt their Governour out of the City, and put out his eyes, and them of Ravenna to kill their Prince or Vice-Roy) he ſent for Pipin with an Army out of France, by whoſe helpe he ſuppreſſed the Lombards, and thruſt the Greeke Magiſtrates out of Ravenna, and all Italy, uſurping the principallity of Ravenna (which at that time did repreſent the ſeventh head or imperiall power in the Weſt) by the gift of Pipine the Conquerour, unto whom in recompence thereof (a thing never heard of before) hee gave the Kingdome of France, thruſting Childericke the lawfull King into a Monastery or C…vent.

Notwithſtanding as yet the Pope ſate not in the mountaines of the Beaſt and woman with full power, Anno 773:wherefore a few yeeres after Charles the ſon and heire of Pipine, comming with an Army out of France ſuppreſſed the Lombards (who againe had raiſed great tumults) confirming and augmenting the Donation of Pippine to Pope Hadrian I. And afterwards the Romanes making inſurrection againſt Leo III. becauſe of his deteſtable pride, the ſaid Charles comming againe with his Army into Italy, and taking knowledge of the cauſe, abſolved the Pope: Hereupon the Pope, not to be ungratefull (out of the fullneſſe of his power) gave unto Charles the Title of the Romane Empire (the which belonged unto the Greekes, and therefore was not his to diſpoſe of) crowning him Emperour of the Weſt: On the other hand, Charles the new Emperour to gratifie the Pope, forced the Citizens of Rome to ſweare fidelity unto Leo, and appointed him Lord of Rome, the which donation Ludowicke ſon of Charles afterwards confirmed and encreaſed. Then was the Beaſt at length fully aſcended out of the earth, and came to be the Eight King: Then Anno 800. the Pope of Rome together with the Eccleſiaſticall Monarchy which he got from Phocas, obtained alſo the ſecular power of the ſeven heads of the Beaſt with the mountaines of the great City: for alwayes from that time the Pope uſurped the power of tranſlating Kingdomes, and caſting downe Kings, and creating Emperours; hereby declaring to the world that hee was the true Beaſt, the Eight King or Antichriſt.

Theſe things thus obſerved, wee may eaſily underſtand, what in verſe 11. is ſpoken of the Beaſt.

And] or Then, when Conſtantine the ſeventh King with his ſucceſſours ſhall place the ſeat of the Empire, not in Rome but otherwhere.

The Beaſt which was] that is, before Iohn the Monarchicall power had bin in Five Kings which were fallen.

And is not] that is, In Johns time neither the ſecular nor the Eccleſiaſticall Monarchie was as yet in the Pope, for the Biſhops of Rome that then were medled not with either of them.

Even he is the Eight] The relative foreign Hee, according to the ſenſe is referred to the antecedent foreign Beaſt: but according to the conſtruction to the following word foreign Eight: hence the Old Ʋerſion hath it: The beast himſelf is the eight king.Beſtia eſt ipſa octava: for, octavus Rex, for in Greeke it is foreign Eight, to wit, foreign KING.

IS] for, is made, or began to be, or ſhall be, as in the following words: Is of the ſeventh] for, ſhall be: Goeth into perdition, for, ſhall goe, by an enallage of the Tence uſuall to Iohn: for he ſpeaketh of the riſing and future deſtruction of the Beaſt the Eight King.

The Eighth King] that is, the eighth Regiment, conſiſting of an Eccleſiaſticall and Politicall Monarchy.

Thus the ſenſe is plaine: Then the Beast ſhall be the Eighth King, that is, the eigth Regiment, or Romane Pontificacie, being Eccleſiaſticall and Politicall much differing herein from the ſeven heads: becauſe they onelyonly had a politicall p. 430Monarchy, which the Pope ſhall joyne with the Eccleſiaſticall, having in his bands the Empire and Pontificacie together: armed with both ſwords, and ſaying: Behold here are two ſwords: EGO SƲM PONTIFEX: EGO SƲM CAESAR: I am the High Prieſt: I am Caeſar. Therefore hee is much unlike to the other Kings: for they all of them were politicall onelyonly: but this is foreign ſpirituall and ſecular, or foreign living and having a twofold originall out of the Earth and Sea, exerc…ng under pretence of Eccleſiaſticall power his ſecular Monarchy, by tranſlating Kingdomes, ſetting up and caſting downe Kings and Emperours at his pleaſure, rightly therefore hee ſhall be named the Eight.

That which is added: And is of the ſeven (for, ſhall be,) is not to bee taken as if the Beaſt were alſo the head, or one of the heads: (which hath deceived ſome Expoſitours) for there is a difference betweene the whole and a part, the Beaſt and the head: but it implies that the Beaſt ſhall himſelf exerciſe the Monarchicall power; which before had bin in the ſeven heads: yet in another forme, and under another title: to wit, by his hornes, touching which it followeth:

And goeth into perdition] for, ſhall goe. In the former member the Angell intimated the three ſtates of the Beaſt before expounded in verſe 8. Firſt, in which he had bin. The ſecond in which he was not. The third in which he came to be the Eight King. Here he addes the fourth, in which he ſhall goe into perdition: Now as he aſcended not all at once out of the bottomleſſe pit, but by degrees, and was almoſt five hundred yeers ere he came to his full height of both Monarchies, ſo he ſhall goe into perdition not on a ſudden, but by little and little. Therefore he ſaith foreign he goeth, not foreign runneth, but ſtep by ſtep, and as it were, by the ſame degrees that he aſcended out of the pit, ſo ſhall he deſcend into the ſame.

The Beaſt began to goe into perdition in the age of our predeceſſours, when the Goſpell being againe reſtored, The beaſt begins to go into perdition.his fraud was manifeſted, and his impoſtures laid open to the view of the world, viz. his lies, as that he is Christs Ʋicar, Peters Succeſſour, Mo…arch, Head, Spouſe of the Church, and the reſt of his proud and fooliſh Titles: when as alſo the waters of Euphrates began to be dryed up, and the Tributes and Revenues of the Romiſh ſpirituall wares were forbidden in Germany, France, England, Scotland, Denmarcke, Sweethland, and Bohemia. And he daily goes forward, the divine judgement preſſing him more and more unto deſtruction, by revealing the light of the Goſpell to divers kingdomes, Provinces, and Cities, who ſhall deteſt the Beaſt, untill he come to his laſt period (the time whereof the LORD knoweth) and ſo ſet his laſt foot into deſtruction.

12 And the ten hornes] We have ſeen the heads of the Beaſt: Now let us view his hornes: Touching which, firſt the falſe opinion is to be refuted: and in the next place the true ſence to be ſought out.

Ribera, In Apoc. Chap. 10.11. Lib. 30 de. p. R. Cap 16.and Bellarmine feine, that towards the end of the world, ten Kings ſhall divide the Romane Empire between them (Woe therefore to our Emperour) and reigne thorowout the whole earth one houre, that is, a very ſhort time before. Antichriſts comming: but that Antichriſt when hee is come ſhall kill three of theſe Kings, viz. of Egypt, Lybia, and Aethiopia, making the other ſeven to yeeld unto him. And leaſt this fiction ſhould not bee beleeved, they labour to prove the ſame by the oracle of Daniel, Chapter 7.24. And the ten bornes out of this kingdome are ten Kings that ſhall ariſe: and another ſhall riſe after them, and hee ſhall bee greater then the firſt, and ſhall ſubdue three Kings. And Chapter 11.43. Hee ſhall have power over the treaſures of gold and ſilver, and over all the pretious things of Egypt, and the Lybians and Aethiopians ſhall be at his ſteps. That theſe things are ſpoken of Antichriſt, they prove by the authority of Jerom, who in his Commentary on that place, ſaith, that all Eccleſiaſticall Writers affirme that neer the end of the world, when the p. 431Kingdome of the Romanes ſhall be deſtroyed, ten Kings ſhall ariſe and divide the Romane World among them: and that an Eleventh a l…tl… out ſhall ſtand up (Antichriſt) who is to overcome three of th… … King… viz. of Egypt, Lybia, Aethiopia, Who beeing overcome the ot… alſo ſ…all ſubmit unto the Conquerour.

But ſurely it is not the propertie of a good Interpreter to expound one darke thing by another, and that as darke as the other: for this is, as the ſaying is, Daniels Oracle most divers from this:to beg the Queſtion. The type in Dan…el is no leſſe obſcure then this of Iohn: what will they then prove by that? Beſides, the Type there is unlike to this in every particular, ſo that we cannot but wonder conſidering the preſent light of doctrine, and helpe of hiſtories at the impudencie of theſe Interpreters.

The Fathers whom they pretend, are to be excuſed though they delivered ſome things amiſſe of matters ſo remote, ſeeing they had not the meanes which wee have now.

The diſſimilitude I ſpake of, appeareth. The diſſimilitude.There the ten hornes are of the fou…h Beaſt, which according to the received opinion was the Romane Empire: according to others, the Aſian kingdome of the Seleucians erected by Sel…cus Nicanor, one of Alexanders foure Princes. Here the ten hornes are of the Beaſt, who according to Ribera is the devill: Now are the hornes of the Romane Empire the hornes of the devill? There between the …n hornes did ariſe a little hor…e. Here nothing is ſpoken of that little horne. There the little horne plucked up three hornes: Here the plucking up of the three …ornes is not mentioned. There the Angell expoundeth that the little horne is a king ariſing from a meane eſtate, who was to ſuppreſſe the other three Kings. Nothing of this in the whole Revelation. But the ſpirit of God would not certainely have paſſed all this by, if any ſuch thing ſhould have happened in the end of the world. There the little horne was Artiochus Epiphanes who expelled Ptolomaeus Philopator, Seleucus and Demetrius, theſe three Kings out of their kingdomes. Here is treated of ſuch Kings as ſhall receive their power from the Beaſt Antichriſt. Their proofe therefore is nothing to the purpoſe.

Neither doth Jerome helpe the matter in applying the Oracle of Daniel to Antichriſt.Ierom helps not the Ieſuits fiction.

For firſt Jerome acknowledgeth that the ſame was in ſome meaſure fullfilled in Antiochus. Now however we will not contend whither or no Antiochus were a Type of Antichriſt, but willingly grant it: becauſe of their likeneſſe in Tyranny: Notwithſtanding it is not neceſſary to apply all things ſtrictly to the antitype which are ſpoken of the type, for if ſo, there would be no difference betwixt the one and the other: Neither is it of neceſſity that ſimilitudes agree in all particulars: Certainely what there is recorded of the three hornes that were plucked up, can with no ſhew of reaſon be applyed unto Antichriſt: becauſe the Angell is ſilent of it, which he would not have omitted, if the ſame ſhould have come to paſſe: For why ſhould Chriſt conceale that from Iohn, which before was revealed to Daniel.

Beſides we may not give credit to Jerome in this without the Teſtimony of Scripture, Lib. 1. contra Iovin. Rom. 8.Rom 8no more then to his argument by which he condemned his own parents in their mariage eſtate: They that are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God: My parents being married are in the fleſh: Therefore they cannot pleaſe God. Or to his inconſiderate depriving of ſuch as are twice married from the Grace of Chriſt, where he ſaith The firſt Adam was once married, The ſecond Adam was unmarried: Let ſuch therefore as are twice married, ſhew a third whom they ſhould follow: what more unworthy ſo great a man?

But he appeales unto the tradition of all Eccleſiaſticall writers: In cap. 23. Mat.the which we have not: and although we had the ſame, yet ought we as the ſaid Jerome otherwhere ſpeaketh, hold to this certain truth, That whatſoever hath not authoritie in the Scripture, may as …aſily be rejected as approved. The which is moſt true p. 432touchching this Fiction: for a is not taken out of the Seriptures, but firſt delivered by one Papia… a man of ſmall parts, (as Enſchius writeth) and afterward with many other uncertain things taken up and divulged by other Fathers as if they were certain.Lib. 3. hiſtor. cap. 39

In ſpeciall that Fiction is very unſavoury, touching the Kings of Egypt, Lybia, and Ethiopia to be ſlain by Antichriſt, for nothing here of is ſpoken by Daniel, but he ſaith that the little horne ſhall ſubdue three Kings. not that he ſhall kill them: neither doth he ſay that they ſhall be the Kings of Egypt, Lybia, and Ethiopia, But thus: be ſhall rule over the treaſures of gold and ſilver of Miſraim: and the Lybians and Ethiopiand ſhall be in his ſteps: as Pagninus renders it: but Tremellius, the Lybians, and Ethiopians ſhall follow his ſteps: which was accompliſhed in Antiochus: for when he had vanquiſhed Egypt, then the Lybians and Ethiopians (neighbouring Nations to Egypt) who before ſerved B…olomaeus Philometor, fell to Antiochus and warred under his banners.

This Fiction being now ſufficiently refuted (which Alcaſar alſo likes not) we come to his opinion no leſſe falſe then the other. Aleaſars fable.The ten hornes, ſaith he, denote the Senatours and chiefe men of the Romane Empire, figured out in the Beaſt himſelfe, namely ten being put for a great multitude, Theſe, as he feineth, were to fight with the Lamb untill Constantines Empire: and then being converted unto the faith they ſhould hate whoriſh Rome, burne her with fire, and root out the heatheneſſe idolatry thereof. Onuphr. Com: in Lib 1 Faſtor:This is a new gloſſe, falſe and repugnant to the Text: for who taught him to make of the Ten kings two hundred Senatours (for ſo many by Romulus were appointed to be choſen out of Romanes and Sabines?) beſides if the Senatours be the Kings, how then could it be ſaid, that they had not yet in Iohns time received their kingdom? Laſtly the lamentation made in the following Chapter, will moſt clearly refute the abſurdity of this Fiction: viz. that the burning of the whore cannot be underſtood of her Converſion to the Faith.

Letting paſſe therefore both theſe Fables: we will now labour to find out the true meaning: And here againe, I propound two undoubted truths. One that the hornes of the beast are not the heads of the beaſt. The other, that the hornes are ſomething growing out of the heads.

The first appeareth: The ten kings are to be diſtinguished from the ſeven former.becauſe the heads and hornes differ in forme and number, hence it followes: that theſe ten Kings are not Chriſtian Emperours, viz. Constantine the Great, with nine of his Succeſſours, as ſome do thinke, for theſe Emperours do neceſſarily belong to the ſixt or to the ſeventh head: becauſe they reigned before the beaſt came to be the Eight King or Antichrist, and they were true Emperours of the Eaſt and Weſt, neither received they their power with the beast: But theſe Ten ſhall receive their power in one houre with the Beaſt: neither ſhall they be ſuch Kings as the heads formerly were, but ſhall be foreign as it were Kings, neither of ſo great, nor of ſo abſolute power: and therefore theſe ten Kings denoted by the hornes, may not be mingled with the ſeven Capitall Kings.

As for the ſecond ſuppoſition, (that the hornes as they are not the heads, ſo they are ſomething, or ſome part of the heads) we know that the horne is an excrementall matter of the creatures ſkull, The hornes ſprang out of the ſeventh head:growing hard into a crooked horne: hence with Priſcian, Cornu a horne, is quaſi curuor crookedneſſe. Theſe hornes therefore did grow out of the heads: yet not out of all, but in my opinion out of the ſeventh: as ſpringing from the Chriſtian Caeſars, in place of whom ſucceeded the Emperours and Kings of the Weſt: for after that the Beaſt had devoured the ſeventh head belonging unto the Chriſtian Emperours, and came to be the Eight King: he reſerved the Prerogative of Monarchicall power unto himſelf, yet not under the title of a Romane Emperour (for this, as Bellarmine confeſſeth, Antichriſt was not to do ſo, Lib. 3. de P. R. …: 15leaſt hereby he ſhould ſeem not to be Chriſts Vicar) but under the Title of Saint Peters Succeſſour, Ʋniverſall Biſhop, Head of the p. 433Catholicke Church, he createth Emperours and Kings, who muſt as his creatures and Vaſſalls compoſe themſelves to his pleaſure, making them the Actors and Miniſters of his Monarchicall power: The firſt Parents of which generation (as Hiſtories manifeſt) were Steven II. and Leo III.

Ten hornes] I do not thinke that we are here preciſely tyed to the number Ten, ſeeing as Bellarmine confeſſeth either 10. 100. 1000. Gen. 31. Num. 14.22.Gen 31Num 14:22or any perfect number in Scripture, may be taken indefinitely. Therefore by Ten is meant ſome certaine number of Kings ariſing out of the Ancient Romane Empire onelyonly: as in theſe expreſſions: He changed my wages ten times: This people hath tempted me ten times: for, many times or often. Now this could not be ſaid of the ſeven former heads, becauſe the Angell did diſtinctly number them.

Thus it cannot be obſcure who theſe Ten Kings are. Vndoubtedly they are all ſuch as hitherto have held the Chriſtian world at the appointment and command of the Romiſh Pope. Of which read Anguſtinus Steuchus touching Conſtantines donation againſt Valla, Sect. 94.97.103. where he maintaines that all kingdoms in Chriſtindome, as Hungarie, Spaine, France, England, &c. are ſubject and tributary to the Pope.

Which have received no kingdome as yet] We have ſhewed who the Ten Kings are: now of their originall, when, and with what ſucceſſe they ſhould reigne. At the time of the Revelation they had not as yet received the kingdome: for hitherto the ſixt head reigned in the Romane tyrants: The ſeventh head alſo was to reign a ſhort ſpace on the mountaines of the woman in Rome: and afterward, ſome while out of theſe mountaines at Conſtantinople in the Chriſtian Emperours: before this alſo the beaſt having ſwallowed up the ſeventh head, was to be made the Eight king. The word therefore foreign not as yet, notes the time from the revealing of this Propheſie, which was Anno 14. of Domitian, and of Chriſt 96. untill the Empire of the Weſt taken from the Greeks by Pope Leo and given to Charles anno 800. being, I ſay 704 yeers.

But receive power] For, ſhall receive, by an ennallage uſuall to Iohn: which the Particle not yet ſheweth: for if they had not then as yet received the ſame, it ſhews that they ſhould receive kingly power afterward. But when?

In one houre with the beaſt] Gr. foreign One houre, and ſo rendred, it ſignifies the little time their kingdom ſhould continue. But the Angell ſheweth not how long their power ſhould continue, but when they ſhould receive the ſame. For what kind of kingdom would that be to continue but one hour? Therfore the old Verſion and Beza do more rightly render it, In one houre, as in Chap. 3.3. foreign what hour I will come, that is, in, or at what houre. And Iohn 4.52. foreign Yeſterday at the ſeventh houre. Now here an houre is not aſtronomically taken for the twelth part of the day, 1. Ioh. 2.181 John 2:18but metaphorically for an indefinite article of time, as Iohn in his Epiſtle: little children it is the laſt houre, that is, the laſt time: ſo here in one houre, is to be underſtood at one and the ſame time they ſhall receive their power with the beast, namely when the beaſt ſhall come to be the Eight king, uſurping the Empire of the Weſt, and armed with both Monarchicall ſwords. Thus undoubtedly the holy Ghoſt points as with the finger vntounto the hiſtory of Leo III. that when he began to create Emperors and Kings, then alſo he began to be the Beaſt and the Eight King.

With the Beaſt] The old Verſion: After the Beaſt, as if it were foreign but it is in the Text foreign with the Beaſt: Neither do I find it otherwiſe in any Copy, though Alcaſar ſaith he hath, but alledgeth no Author. The ſenſe comes much to one: for whither they ſhall receive power one houre after the Beast, or at the ſame houre with the beast, yet ſhall they reigne together: but we are rather to keep to the Greek reading, and ſenſe, They receive power in one houre, that is, at one and the ſame time with the Beast.

They receive] From whom? from the Beaſt? who out of the fullneſſe of his p. 434power ſhall give kingdoms unto them? not ſo, for the Angel ſa…th not from the beaſt, but with the beaſt: for how ſoever they ſhall receive it through the wicked means of the beaſt, yet they receive it from God: to whom onelyonly it appertains to give and transfer kingdomes, and from whom is all power: But the holy Ghoſt thus ſpeaketh, that they are to receive their power with the beaſt, for two cauſes.

Firſt, The kings received power from God.becauſe although the tranſlation of the Empire (under which the welfare of other kingdomes is contained) was brought to paſſe by the raſhneſſe and boldneſſe of the Beaſt: Notwithſtanding God himſelf intending to puniſh the inteſtine diſſentions and other ſins of the Eaſtern nations, did by means of a neceſſary and lawfull war of Charls againſt the Lombards (the deſtroyers of Italy and the Empire) juſtly tranſlate the Imperial ſtate from the Greeks unto the French: ſeeing it is God that ruleth in the kingdoms of men, Dan. 4.25.Dan 4:25and giveth them to whomſoever he will: And therefore the kings here, received their power not from the Beaſt but from God, although the perfidiouſneſſe of the Beaſt came in between; like as in the Schiſme of the ten tribes, notwithſtanding the ſedition of Ieroboam, yet that alteration of the kingdome is aſcribed to God: Return ye every man unto his houſe, becauſe this thing is of Iehovah. 1. kings 12: 2.Therefore by this circumſtance, the ſpirit again points unto the hiſtory of Leo, that when he began to create Emperors and kings, Then alſo he began to be the Beast, and Eight king.

Whence it is manifeſt that when the Romane Pope, boaſteth of the tranſlation of the Empire from the Greeks unto the French and Germanes, he glorieth in nothing but in his owne wickedneſſe and ſeditious perfidiouſneſſe.

Secondly, becauſe the kings were ſo to receive power, as to have the ſame with the Beaſt, that is, to reigne with his favour, they ſhould have it, I ſay for his advantage not without the Beaſt, but with him, that ſo the Beast might reign with them and by them. For the Pope will not be accounted an Emperor or king: but will have with and under him other Emperors and kings of his own inauguration and making, as his vaſſals. Therefore are they ſaid to be foreign As it were kings] which indeed ſhall bear the title and enſignes of kings: yet ſhall they not be abſolute kings, as the ſeven heads were: and therefore Ribera ſaith moſt truly: They ſhall have indeed the name of kings: But in truth Antichrist himſelf ſhall reignt, and they obey him. For they ſhall onelyonly be intruſted by the Pope, and hold their kingdomes from him, evther directly as Fee-Farmes or Coppy-holds: or indirectly as ſworn to the Church of Rome. Thus I rather take the particle foreign As, becauſe of the following matter which confirms this ſenſe, then of the obſcurity of theſe kings, who in compariſon of the former Mouarchy ſhall be but the ſhadows of kings as it were: although this ſenſe be alſo true, and agrees with the former.

Notwithſtanding that which is ſpoken of (one hour) is not ſo to be taken as if all theſe kings received their power together, but with ſome difference of time: for if the laſt hour with Iohn in his Epiſtle includes diverſe ages? why then may not one hour here include certain years? As therefore thoſe kingdomes which were taken from the Romane Empire by the Barbarians, received not the Chriſtian faith together: ſo they received not their power all together with the Beaſt, but ſome before, others after (as it followeth) and ſo gave the ſame unto the Beaſt. viz: Italy, France, Germany and Britany ſooner: Spaine, Poland and the Northern kingdomes, later.

Laſtly it is to be obſerved, as before I noted, that the old verſion (in ſtead of foreign at one houre with the beaſt) hath it in one hour after the beast as if it were foreign. So the ſenſe ſhould be, That theſe kings ſhould reigne a little while after the Beaſt, which is contrary to Riberas fiction that they ſhould reigne a little before. Neither wil his wreſted Gloſſe help him. They ſhall receive power after the beaſt, that is, into the obedience of the Beaſt, becauſe they ſhall obey Antichriſt, as Chap. 13.4. The whole world wondred after the Beast. For p. 435there it is not Meta to Therion, but Opiſo to Therion. Beſides if they ſhall obey Antichriſt (the which thing he confeſſeth) becauſe they ſhall receive power after the Beast, how doth this agree with his former fiction, that the Beaſt here is the devill, and not Antichriſt.

13 Theſe have one minde] We have heard who the Kings are, when, and by whoſe favour and helpe they received the kingdom: Now we ſhall heare their counſells and intentions: Theſe, to wit, Kings have one mind. The old Verſion and Beza, one Counſell. The conſent and great conſpiracy of the kings among themſelves and with the Beaſt, is hereby noted, which is recorded not as a thing praiſe worthy in them, but as wonderfull: For they ſhall be Kings very different in manners, nature, tongues and people, who ordinarily by mutuall diſcord and hatred make great wars each with other: but yet for all this when the Beaſts matter is on foot, laying aſide their hatred, they ſhall have one mind and counſell, as it followeth.

And ſhall give their strength and power to the Beast] that is, vide concil: windeck: in progn: pag. 12. hinc petitum.ſhall conſpire together in defence of the Pope: they ſhall all I ſay, joyning their armes and forces together, mightily labour to uphold the Idolatry and power of the Romiſh Sea: And indeed he muſt be very ignorant in Hiſtories, who knows not that this hath fully, for divers ages, bin accompliſhed: for although ſome Emperours and Kings being provoked by the arrogancy of the Beaſt, have ſometimes taken up arms againſt him: The Pope notwithſtanding by the help of other Princes, and by his Capitoline fulminations hath evermore eaſily ſuppreſſed them: Neither indeed did ſuch oppoſe the Idolatry of the Beaſt, but the flagitiouſneſſe of his perſon, or elſe the perfidious counſells of his Cardinalls, and ſtill reverenced the Monarchicall pontificacie.

Moreover this place plainly ſhews, what kingdomes are ſignified by the hornes.that the Ten hornes do not promiſcuouſly denote all and every of the Kings and kingdoms, which of old belonged to the Romane Empire: but thoſe only which ſhall remain in theſe latter times, in the Weſtern Chriſtian World. And therefore as for other kingdoms of Africa, Aſia, Thracia, Myſia, Greece, Albania and Seruia (which long agoe have bin waſted by the Barbarians, being now under the oppreſſion of Perfians, Turks, and Saracens) are not to be numbred amongſt theſe, the names of any of them being ſcarſe left to Chriſtians. And this is evident, becauſe theſe ten Kings have one mind, imploying their power and ſtrength in defence of the Beast: whereas the Turkes and Barbarians now lords of thoſe kingdomes, have not one mind with theſe Kings, but in a hoſtile manner oppugne both them and the Pope alſo.

14. Theſe ſhall make warre with the Lambe] It followes, for what end they will give their power and strength to the Beaſt: viz. to oppoſe the Lambe, or make warre with him: The Lambe is Chriſt, as formerly we heard. The Beaſt therefore ſhall be the head and Captaine of the warre: The Kings his Auxiliaries and Intruſted ones. But here it may be demaunded whither this war be the ſame with that before ſpoken of in Chap. 16.16. and ſhall follow afterward in Chapter 19.9. or another? And whither theſe be other KINGS, then the kings of the earth there?

A hard Queſtion which can ſcarſely be here reſolved: If it be the ſame war, then how are they ſaid to be here overcome by the Lambe? being to begin their war afterward in Chap. 19. and then to be vanquiſhed by Chriſt? But if it be another, then the queſtion will be what war this is, What that: Again, if they be the ſame Kings, how then is it ſaid v. 16. of this Chap. that they perſecute the woman, and Chap. 18.9. that they ſhall bewaile Babylon, and mourne over her, whom themſelves have burnt with fire? And ſhall again war againſt Chriſt, Chap. 19. And why are they here called Kings onelyonly, but there Kings of the Earth? If they be divers: Who are theſe, and who the other? I will anſwer to both in a few words here: but more fully hereafter.

p. 436In reſpect of the parts and cauſe, Whether the warre here be the ſame with that in chap 19.18.the war is the ſame: for the Beaſt with the Kings his Tenants both here and there, doth fight, and ſhall fight againſt Chriſt in defence of his throne: Nevertheleſſe it is divers, in time and manner. This fight of the Kings againſt the Lambe, began preſently after they had received their power and ſtrength, and given the ſame unto the Beaſt, that is, they have defended the Monarchicall Power, Idolatry, and decrees of the Romiſh Pope above 600. years againſt Chriſt. But the other Battell, unto which were gathered the Armies of the Kings in Hermageddon (and ſo ſhall be fought afterward) was at length begun to be managed after the drying up of the Waters of Euphrates, that is, after the Kings of the Eaſt had diverted the holy Taxes and Treaſures of the Romiſh Jupiter, and this war ſhall be proſecuted with the greateſt fury againſt Chriſt untill the end: yet not altogether by the ſame Kings: for many of thoſe ten Kings who of old fought againſt the Lambe (deſpairing of the Victory) ſhall repent (at leaſt moſt of them) and turne their ſword againſt the whore and burn her with fire, Theſe kings here & the kings of the earth are not the ſame.as is ſaid ver. 16. But ſuch other Kings as remain with the Beaſt, being ſtirred up by the uncleane ſpirits, ſhall at laſt take up armes and with greater fury fight that Fatall Battle, the iſſue whereof ſhall be the Beasts and their utter deſtruction: ſo that the latter properly with their Aſſociates (not theſe) are named Kings of the Earth. Now we return again to the war here treated of.

Where firſt it may be demaunded, how theſe Kings ſhould be guilty of ſo great madneſſe? The Fight of the kings with the Lambe.Shall the Pope and the Kings his Creatures fight with the Lamb? The Angell ſaith yea: But do they not ſtoutly war for the glory of Chriſt? I anſwer, It is true, ſo much indeed they pretend, and are perſwaded of, but they are willingly blinded, and while they ſhed Chriſtian blood for to eſtabliſh the Popes authority, they in very deed make warre against the Lambe: For the Pope doth lie in ſaying he is Chriſts Ʋicar. Now to defend a falſe Vicar of Chriſt, is to oppoſe Chriſt. The victory of the lamb over the kings.But let us hear the ſucceſſe.

The Lambe ſhall overcome them] This is not as yet that laſt Victory: but that wherein the kings ſhall before the end ſubmit to Chriſt: and it is both ſpirituall and civill alſo. The Lambes ſpirituall Victory was of old in his faithfull members, Spirituall victory.whoſe conſtancy could not be overcome by any cruelty of Kings, nor abated by the Popes Excommunications, nor ſhaken by the fraud of Sophiſters. It is alſo in overcoming the Kings themſelves, who being in their conſciences at laſt convinced of the truth of the Reformed Religion according to the word of God, ſhall forſake the whore, lay downe their armes, and joyne to Chriſt, by ſetting up his Throne in their Territories. Thus the Kings have been, and further ſhall be overcome to their own good. There is beſides an externall Victory: Outward Victory.for howſoever the Antichriſtian armies have many times (eſpecially in this our age) ſhed abundance of Chriſtian blood in Germany, Spaine, England, and the Low-Countries, unto the end they might ſuppreſſe the Lambe, and his Goſpell: yet have gained nothing, but rather by this meanes (though unwittingly) ſpread and propagated even that which they accuſe to be hereſie far and neer among divers Nations: waſted and deſtroyed their own Provinces, bringing them under the power of ſtrangers, and been forced to give liberty to the Goſpell: neither have they much oftner obtained bloody victories over the Godly, then they themſelves have miſerably periſhed by the ſword of Chriſt.

For he is Lord of lords] The reaſon of the Victory is added, taken from the Majeſty and Power of the Lambe, in compariſon whereof all the forces of the Beaſt and kings are but vanity: for the Lambes power and majeſty is divine and eternall. 1. Tim: 6: 15That this is ſignified by theſe Titles, the Apoſtle teacheth, in aſcribing the ſame otherwhere unto God alone, bleſſed and only Potentate king of Kings and Lord of Lords, &c. This again Chap. 19.10. is attributed to Chriſt under the perſon of the word of God, comming forth on a white horſe to battell againſt the Kings of the Earth.

p. 437Now as this doth clearly prove the eternall deity of the Lamb Chriſt, XXXV. Arguments of Chr. deity]ſo alſo that he is God-Man in one perſon. For none but One and the eternall God is King of kings and Lord of lords: If Chriſt therefore be King of kings and Lord of lords, then verily he is that One and eternall God with the Father. Furthermore being called a Lamb, is ſignified the Man-hood and Mediatorſhip of Chriſt: Rev. 13.8 1. Tim. 2.6Rev 13:81 Tim 2:6for he is ſaid to be ſlain, becauſe the Man-mediator gave himſelf a ranſome for all men. If therfore the Lamb be King of kings, &c. then verily the Man-Chriſt in unity of perſon is the ſame King of kings, Lord of lords, Eternall God.Explicat: locor. p. 439

Eniedinus the Samoſatenian Hereticke excepteth: If this Title ſhould make him Eternall God, then alſo Artaxerxes and Nebuchadnezzar ſhould be eternall Gods: the one indeed being ſtiled King of kings, Ezr. 7.11. The other Dan. 2.37. and Ezech. 26.7.

But this is an ungodly and vaine Sophiſtry: firſt touching Artaxerxes calling himſelf King of kings in his Epiſtle, ſeing he was ignorant of the true God, it may be ſaid, that it was only of fact, but not of right: yet will we not deny the right to Artaxerxes the Perſian Monarch, which Daniel attributed to Nebuchadnezzer, the Monarch of Babylon, each of them being a King of kings, The lambe is King of kings abſolutely.becauſe to both of them many earthly Kings (yet not all) were tributaries. But the Lamb is not called the King of kings in this ſenſe, for he hath no Kings tributaries here on earth, as they. But is King of kings abſolutely: both in reſpect of his deity, being true God bleſſed for ever, as he is the word, and ſon of God, and ſo more powerfull then all Monarchs and Kings: as alſo in reſpect of his office received from God, not as Cyrus received the Perſian kingdom from God, as the heretick intimates: but as mediator betwixt God and man, and as being God-man the Saviour of mankind, thus he is exalted unto the right hand of God above all principality, and every name that is named in heaven or earth.

In vain alſo the heretick ſeeks a grammaticall ſhift: God, ſaith he, in the Greek is called King of kings, with an article: but the Lamb and Word of God (foreign,) without an article. For the Greeks do not tie themſelves to articles, but ſometimes prefixe them before indefinite words, as Mat, 12.35. foreign, THE good man out of the good treaſure of his heart, &c. Luke 4.4. Man (foreign) ſhall not live by bread onelyonly, &c. Sometimes alſo omit them, even in an excellent and certain thing: as in this propheſie Chriſt is called foreign without an article, C. 5.6. & 13.11. & 14. 1. The devil foreign Dragon without an article Ch. 12. Antichriſt and Rome his Seat foreign without articles, Chap. 13.1. and 14.8. and 17.3. &c. It is enough therefore that the proper attribute of God alone be aſcribed unto the Lamb, whether the article be added or not: Otherwiſe the heretick might as well ſay, that neither the father, nor Chriſt the ſon is truely bleſſed for ever, becauſe as the father Rom. 1.35. ſo the ſon Rom. 9.5. is ſaid to be foreign without article.

And they that are with him are called, elect and faithfull] They alſo ſhall overcome them, which is greatly to comfort the godly in their fight with Antichriſt: For as they are the Lambs Partners in fight, ſo ſhall they alſo participate with the Lamb in victory: And therfore they ſhall neither fight alone, nor without victory: for the Lamb overcomming, they overcome alſo.

That are with him] to wit, in the fight, are called elect and faithfull] By three Epithites he cloſely implies three cauſes of their victory. I. Becauſe they are elect in Chriſt before the foundation of the World. II. 1: Io: 5: 4Becauſe they are called by the Goſpell of ſalvation. III. Becauſe they are faithfull: For this is the Ʋictory that overcommeth the world, even our faith. Here alſo obſerve that election is put after vocation by a gradation from the effect to the cauſe, as 2. Pet. 1.10.

15 And he ſaid to mee] Hitherto of the Beaſt, his heads and hornes: Now followes the interpretation of the whore. I. He declares her Empire. II. Her deſtruction, and the cauſe. III. Her name or ſurname.

p. 438And he ſaid] for, Then, or moreover he ſaid, for foreign And, belongs to the order as alſo in ver. 11. and throwout hitherto.

Where the woman ſitteth] Leaſt Iohn ſhould ſcruple how here the woman ſits on the waters, How the where ſi… …t… … waters upon the beast and peoples.which he ſaw before ſitting on the Beast, the Angell interprets the many waters to be many Peoples: by which he might eaſily reconcile the matter: for to ſit upon Peoples, is a known Phraſe, ſignifying rule or dominion over many People. The ſitting notes the largeneſſe of her Territory. To ſit upon the Beaſt, is to hold the Monarchicall Power of the Empire in ſubjection, or to rule the Empire by the Title of the woman, that is, of the Church, which thing Antichriſt doth.

The Waters are Peoples] By a Metonymicall Phraſe, that is, they repreſent Peoples. The reaſon of the Metonymia is grounded on the ſimilitude, becauſe peoples are like to waters in rage and unconſtancy: for as many waters by their forceable running carry down all things before them lying in the way, So populous kingdoms and great armies waſt and ſubdue all things: And as waters filling ſtill the ſtream with a perpetuall motion are unburdened into the Sea, ſo peoples by continuall ſucceſſion of each other are ſwallowed up one after another by the gulf of death. Ier. 47.2Jer 47:2So ſaith God touching the army of the Chaldeans: Behold waters riſe out of the North. and ſhalbe as an overflowing flood, and ſhall overflow the Land, &c.

Now by many Peoples we underſtand both the mighty Armis and Legions of the Romanes, by which of old they obtained the Empire of the world for themſelves: As alſo the People themſelves brought under their ſubjection. Theſe the Angell diſtinguiſheth into multitudes, nations, and tongues, becauſe of the variety, being of Europe, Aſia, and Africa, very different in Nation, Tongue, Nature and Manners.

Ribera well obſerveth that not onelyonly thoſe Peoples are ſignified which then obeyed the Romanes, but ſuch alſo as ſhall afterward obey Antichriſt. Theſe Peoples therfore are principally ſuch as are ſpiritually ſubject unto the Pope either directly or indirectly, viz. all the Laity of what nation ſoever, and Clergy (who for number are thought not to be leſſe then a third part of the Laity) on whom he hath imprinted the Character of his name.

16 And the ten hornes which thou ſawest on the Beaſt] Now he begins to declare the deſtruction of the whore, which he promiſed to ſhew, ver. 1. The argument or ſcope whereof he will further ſhew in the following Chap. Now he expoundeth by whom it ſhalbe inflicted, how, and the Author thereof.

The ten hornes which thou ſaweſt] that is, the ten kings (which thou heardeſt to be ſignified by the ten hornes ver. 12.) ſhall deſtroy the whore. In the reading it is to be noted, that Montanus in ſtead of foreign on the Beaſt, hath it foreign and the Beast: as if the Beaſt alſo ſhould hate Rome: the which Bellarmin makes great uſe of, denying that Rome ſhall be the Seat of Antichriſt, for if Antichriſt ſhall hate Rome and make it deſolate: how then, ſaith he, ſhall Rome be the Seat of Antichriſt? will Antichriſt make his own Seat deſolate? but he knowes the reading is falſe though he thus dallies: for not the Beast, but the hornes or Kings ſhall hate Rome: as all Copies both Greek and Latine have it, yea the Old Verſion alſo, unto which the Ieſuite is tyed, and this reading the Relative Theſe (to wit Kings) doth require.

And ſo Ribera holds againſt Bellarmine, Ribera againſt Bellar.that the Ten Kings ſhall overthrow Rome: although he addeth, that they ſhall do it before the comming of Antichriſt, which we erewhile proved to be falſe. In the mean while out of Bellarmines reaſoning againſt Ribera, we gather that the Beaſt is Antichrist, according as we truly expounded it, but Ribera applying it to the divel, doth groſly erre.

The Kings therfore ſhall labour to deſtroy the Whore: yet not accompliſh it in a moment, 1but by five degrees.

They ſhall hate her] And therefore they ſhall then ceaſe to commit Whoredome with her: The kings hatred of the whord.But ſhall hate her which is the beginning of p. 439repentance: For to hate ſinne is to avoide the ſame, which is the firſt degree of repentance. Thus in regard of the following matter, I expound this Hatred. The occaſion went before verſe, 14. viz. the Ʋictory of the Lambe, againſt whom theſe Kings had formerly unhappily taken up armes: for they were, and ſhall bee overcome: yet ſo as with a different effect, for ſome ſhall remaine ſtill in their hoſtility: beeing the KINGS of the Earth, who will againe encounter with Chriſt, and ſhall feele his ſharpe ſword, Chapter 19.15. Others beeing overcome and convicted in Conſcience, ſhall give glory to God, open their eyes unto the light of the Goſpell, and oppoſe the Tyranny of the Beast, the Cup of the whore, and Idolatry of the Pope. Thus theſe Kings beeing converted to the Faith of the Goſpell, ſhall hate the Whore, and bid Rome farewell. But others ſhall remain Kings of the Earth. Notwithſtanding the Ten are ſaid to do that, which the moſt of them ſhall do, by a Synecdoche familiar in Scripture.

And ſhall make her deſolate] The ſecond degree and effect of repentance: By deſerting:Leaving Rome, they ſhall with their Kingdoms, Provinces, and Territories turn to Chriſt and reſtore the true worſhip of God, according to the Goſpell.

And naked] This they ſhall doe both by publicke confeſſions and writings, 3By making her naked.in declaring and demonſtrating the filthineſſe of Romes Idolatry, to make her deteſtable, like as an harlot having her whoriſh attire puld off, is odious to the view of all honeſt people: As alſo by taking backe the gold, pearles, and pretious ſtones, Purple, Scarlet, Manours, Poſſeſſions, Territories, Taxes, and Riches, which the Whore had drawne from former Kings their Anceſtours, through ſeeming piety, and with which (like Aeſops Crow) ſhe proudly adorned herſelfe, as with the feathers of another.

Now this they ſhall do not without, but within their owne Territories, doing herein injury to none, nor violently take that which is anothers, but with all right keep that which is committed to their Faith, Cuſtody, and Government, taking care that the ſame may be imployed for the maintenance of Churches, Schools, and Hoſpitals. Out therfore with Sycophants, who calumniate the making naked of the whore, as if it were Sedition and Rebellion againſt Emperors, Kings, and Princes who are ſtill adicted to the Romiſh Religion. Nay verily from this Propheſie it is to be hoped, that as theſe kings have begun already to make the whore naked, ſo they ſhal alſo in due time moſt certainly perfect the ſame.

And ſhall eat her fleſh] Not in love, as ſome have thought, but in hatred. 4By eating her flesh.Now this cannot alſo be underſtood according to the letter: for the kings which ſhal do this work are no Canibals or men-eaters of Braſilia. Therfore moſt expound the fleſh of the whore, not corporally but miſtically of the whores kitching, fat revenues, anuities, vacancies, commendums, tithes, and holy rents hitherto brought to Rome from all parts of Chriſtendom, with which the whore being fatted, grew to ſuch fleſhineſſe and great ſtrength.

This fleſh the kings ſhall eat, by denying theſe revenues to the whore, & appropriating the ſame to their own provinces, kingdoms, churches, ſchools, hoſpitals, and almeſ-houſes. So Bullin. Illyr. Chyt. Artop. Napier and others. This ſenſe agrees with the uncovering of the whore: or certainly it notes the laſt degree of the ſame.

However it be, this phraſe of Scripture doth alſo in other places ſignifie great hatred, perſecution, wounding and killing, Iob 19.22 Pſal. 27: 2Job 19:22Ps 27:2being taken from Beaſts tearing the fleſh of their prey, as in Iob, Why are yee not ſatisfied with my fleſh? When the wicked came upon me to eat my fleſh, they ſtumbled and fell: on which place Auguſtine thus, They eat our fleſh, ſaith he, that perſecute us.

Shall burn her with fire] Rome I ſay, that whoriſh ſeat and neſt they ſhal take, By burningdeſtroy and burne. This prophefie is ſo open and cleare touching the overthrow of Popiſh Rome, as the Ieſuites dare no more deny the ſame. And therefore we here ſee that Papall Rome ſhall be made deſolate, not by the Turkes, but by Chriſtian KINGS, the definite or certaine time thereof we know not: p. 440yet by what goes before it may be gathered without obſcurity that the time is near: for ſome Kings have already begun to hate and forſake the whore, making her naked, and eating her fleſh: ſome of the Ten yet remain with her: into whoſe hearts, what the LORD will put for them to do, himſelf knoweth: Perhaps more ſhall forſake the whore. And though ſome Kings of the Earth may remain to make war ſtill againſt Chriſt: Nevertheleſſe theſe alſo will not ſpare her fleſh no more then others, as the preſent times do witneſſe: for do they not equally gape after the holy Revenues? Neither will they any more fight gratis for the Whore, but ſell their protection of her for filthy lucre, emptying her Purſe as much as they can.

Here by the way to gratifie the Reader, I thinke good to ſet downe a propheſie taken out of an Ancient Munuſcript found in the Houſe of Salezianus, and lately ſent to mee: which every one may credit, ſo far as it likes him. Certainly ſo much of it as concerns the deſtruction of Rome doth not aberre from the preſent Propheſie of his Booke. Now the words are theſe.

There ſhall ariſe a King out of the Nation of the moſt Illuſtrious Lilie, having a long Fore-head, high Brows, great Eyes, and an Eagles Noſe: He ſhall gather a great Army, and deſtroy all the Tyrants of his kingdome: and ſlay all that flye and hide themſelves in Mountaines and Caves from his face. For righteouſneſſe ſhall be joyned unto him, as the Bridegroome to the Bride: with them he ſhall wage warre even unto the fourtieth yeere, bringing into ſubjection the Ilanders, Spaniards, and Italians: Rome and Florence he ſhall deſtroy and burne with fire, ſo as Salt may bee ſowed on that Land. The greatest Clergy-men who have invaded Peters Seat, he ſhall put to death: and in the ſame yeere obtaine a double Crowne. At laſt going over Sea with a great army, he ſhall enter Greece, and be named King of the Greekes. The Turkes and Barbarians hee ſhall ſubdue, making an Edict: that every one ſhall die the death that worſhippeth not the Crucified one. And none ſhall be found able to reſiſt him: becauſe an holy arme from the Lord ſhall allwayes be with him. And he ſhall poſſeſſe the Dominion of the Earth. Theſe things being done, he ſhall be called the reſt of holy Chriſtians, &c. Thus far the Propheſie.

Now to return to the Kings, Whether theſe kings be ten in ſucceſſion.Brightman underſtands by the hornes, Ten Kings: not reigning all at one time in ſo many kingdoms, but ſo many Emperours ſucceeding each other in the Romane Empire: and thinks that Charles V. was the firſt of thoſe, who taking Rome by force Anno 1527. did not a little ſhake it: Foure followed, none of which received their Crown from the Whore after the manner of their Anceſtours, or came to Rome to kiſſe his Holineſſe feet: yea all of them according to their clemency and prudencie gave freedom to publiſh the Goſpell in the Romane Empire: and by their example invited neighbouring Kings to the like clemency. God is to be intreated, that he will further put into their hearts to do what his pleaſure is.

As for the ſucceſſion, the Angell made the ſame moſt plain in the ſeven heads: but of the ſeven hornes not ſo: for theſe Kings ſhall receive power together in one houre with the Beaſt, and ſhall have one minde togither: firſt in defending, afterward in oppoſing the Whore. Therefore they ſhall be together, ſome ſpace of time onelyonly excepted.

Nevertheleſſe Riberas fiction (which before I touched) hath no place of Ten Kings, Riberas fiction is inconſiſtent.who ſuppreſſing the Romane Emperour ſhall reigne thorowout the whole world towards Antichriſts comming, and deſtroy Rome before Antichriſt begin to reigne.

For firſt in this he agrees not with himſelf: in Apocal. 17. Sect. 18: 19.Rev 17When, ſaith he, Antichriſt is riſen, They indeed ſhall have the names of kings, but in truth Antichriſt ſhall reigne, and they ſhall obey him. Here he will have that the Ten kings ſhall obey Antichriſt. And afterward: The devill, ſaith he, and Antichriſt his chiefeſt limb aſſisted with the helpe and power of theſe kings, will be able to doe all the things, which are foretold by p. 441God: Now it cannot be queſtioned but that the things he ſpeakes of are the ſame which the Angell foretold ver. 16. viz. of conſuming the whores fleſh, and her burning by the kings. How therefore ſhould Rome be burnt by the Ten kings before Antichriſts comming, if the Devill and Antichriſt ſhall do this very thing by the helpe and power of the Ten kings? and how doth the fable confiſt, that three of them ſhall be wholly extinguiſhed by him, if all ten ſhall give their faithfull aſſiſtance unto him?

Secondly, it is an aſſertion altogether unprobable, that theſe ten ſhall then rule the whole univerſe: nay rather it is refuted by evident reaſon: For when Antichriſt (whom they expect doth come) certainly there ſhall be ſome Chriſtian Kings to burne the whore. There ſhall alſo be ſome kings of the Earth, who ſhall lament her, and gathering themſelves into Harmageddon, ſhall fight an unhappy Battell againſt Chriſt. But the former and latter ſhal not be the ſame in the leaſt, as Ribera is forced to feine Chap. 18. Sect. 21. and Chap. 19. Sect. 34 becauſe both theſe and the other ſhall never have one and the ſame mind: therefore there ſhall others rule in the world beſide them.

Thirdly, that falſe Fiction hath often bin refuted, viz. of Romes burning before Antichrists comming: for Babylon ſhall not be burnt before Antichriſt come: But Papall Rome is Antichriſt. Therefore Papall Rome ſhall not be burnt before Antichriſts comming. The aſſumption is before proved, neither can it be any longer denyed. The moſt certain proofe of the major is this, viz. Rome is to be burnt not before but after Antichriſts comming.Babylon ſhall be burnt becauſe of her Antichriſtian fornication: but Babylon ſhall not commit fornication before, but after Antichriſts comming: becauſe the Beaſt, which is Antichriſt, & whoſe hornes are the kings committing fornication with the whore, carries her on his back, yea on his ſeven heads, being the Mountaines on which the woman ſitteth: The which carriage or bearing doth ſignifie the monſtrous commixture of both. Therefore Babylon ſhall be burnt not before, but after Antichriſts comming.

Laſtly adde hereunto, that the whore ſhall not be burnt before ſhe ſhall ſit upon the Beast. But the Beaſt is Antichriſt, and ſo Ribera, whether willing or not willing, is forced to confeſſe, Chap. 19.19. Sect. 31. and Chap. 20.10. Sect. 73. The Beaſt, ſaith he, that is, Antichriſt. Therefore the Where Rome ſhall not be burnt before Antichriſts comming.

There is yet one ſcruple, Whether Rome being burnt, Antichriſt shal be abolishedwhether theſe Kings by burning the whore are to aboliſh Antichriſt.

I anſwer, they ſhall not: for it ſhould be contrary to that of the Apoſtle: The LORD ſhall conſume that wicked one with the ſpirit of his mouth, and ſhall destory him with the brightneſſe of his comming: not therefore by the arme of fleſh. Beſides it ſhould be contrary to this Propheſie, the which Chap. 19. affirmeth, 2. Theſ. 22 Thess 2that the Beaſt with the Falſe Prophet, and the kings of the Earth ſhall be cast into the lake burning with fire and brimstone, after that the Beaſt with the falſe Prophet, and kings of the Earth have fought their laſt battell againſt Chriſt. So that the burning of the whore ſhall indeed be very great, yet not the laſt or utter overthrow of Antichriſt. Antichriſts Neſt ſhall be burnt: The ſhop of abominations, fullminations, tyranny, Popiſh Idolatry, and conclave of Cardinalls ſhall be deſtroyed. The Pope himſelfe and falſe Prophet ſhall flee out of Italy unto ſuch kings which yet ſhall adhere unto him, ſuppoſe the Spaniard, Ribera confeſſeth the Pope shal be thruſt out of Rome.or ſome other by whom he may find ſhelter.

Neither doth Ribera deny this, but often confeſſeth that after the deſtruction of Rome, the Pope notwithſtanding ſhall be the Romane Biſhop, although he ſits not at Rome: like as the Emperour of the Germanes is called Romane, howbeit he have not Rome, and as the Popes during the ſeventy years ſciſme were called Romanes, though they ſate at Avinion, and not at Rome. Thus we ſee the guilty confeſſeth the Fact.Ribera Apocal 14 ſect: 48.Rev 14

OnelyOnly herein he ſtaggers, as not knowing where to turne himſelf, for ſometimes p. 442he feineth that theſe kings themſelves, other while that Antichriſt by their aſſiſtance ſhall deſtroy Rome.

But his Fiction is frivolous: for the Kings that are to deſtroy Rome, ſhall not be Antichriſts friends, but his enemies: becauſe they ſhall hate the whore, who as ſhe is the Whore riding on the Beaſt, is one with Antichriſt, yea Antichriſt himſelf, as before we ſhewed. Therefore Antichriſt ſhall then be: nevertheleſſe he ſhall not deſtroy Rome by their helpe.

The Pope therefore or Antichriſt ſhall remaine ſome while after Rome is burnt, yet his ſtrength ſhall be mightily weakned. Now what he will further enterprize, we ſhall hear Chap. 19. viz. that laſt battell unto which he ſhall gather by the three uncleane ſpirits, the Armies of the Kings of the Earth in Harmageddon: the which beeing unhappily fought, hee ſhall bee caſt into the Lake of fire.

17 For God hath put in their hearts] We have heard, by whom, and what the overthrow is that ſhall befall the Romiſh whore: Now thirdly he addes, who is the authour inflicting the ſame: and here the Angell by a certaine Anticipation, bids us to aſcend higher even unto God: For it might be thought a wonderfull thing, how the Kings, having been ſo long obſequious unto the whore, ſhould ſo ſuddenly change their mind, and turn their love into hatred, and ceaſing to oppoſe Chriſt, bend their ſword againſt the whore. Now this ſaith the Angell, happened not at a venture, but by the direction of God, for God gave, or put it into their hearts, that is, moved and bent their wills and counſells ſo to do: For the kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the Rivers of waters: Pro: 21: 1he turneth it whetherſoever hee will.

But what did he put into their hearts? he joyneth three acts of the Kings before mentioned, as ſingular benefits of God.

To doe, or full fill his will] to wit of God, as the Old Ʋerſion rightly hath it, to doe that which is pleaſing unto him. And ſo Beza in his former Edition: but in his latter: to execute his ſentence or mind. The word foreign His, is rather rendred relatively then reciprocally, leaſt in regard of the ambiguity thereof it might be applyed to the will, not of God, but of the Kings. The ſenſe is: that they might execute on the whore the judgement decreed by God, that is, the hatred, deſertion, making naked, eating and burning of the whore, deſcribed in verſe 16. God therefore ſhall overthrow Rome: and the Kings ſhall bee his Miniſters.

To doe one minde] namely their own, that is, to agree together with the Beaſt for to defend the woman, as before ver. 13.

And to give their kingdome unto the Beaſt] that is, to lend all their power unto the Romane Antichriſt, fighting with all their might for his Hierarchicall Empire, as in verſe 13.14.

Ʋntill the words of God ſhall be fulfilled] This limitation is not of the finall conſummation, which is to happen at the ſound of the ſeventh and laſt trumpet, Cha. 10.9. for after the burning of Antichriſts Seat, and the alteration of the counſell of the Kings, he ſhall notwithſtanding remaine and rage ſome while, but with very broken and weake attempts. Now the terme prefixed by God is ſhewed, that is, how long this holy League of the Kings, and Conſpiracy of the Beaſt, and ſo conſequently their oppoſing of the Lambe ſhall endure: which being finiſhed, God put into the hearts of the Kings, that (their love of the whore being turned into hatred) they ſhould execute his judgement upon her.

The ſenſe therefore is, The Kings have thus long conſpired with the Beaſt, and committed fornication with the whore: Ʋntill the words of God] that is, his decree touching the riſing of Antichriſt, revealed in the words of the Prophets and Apoſtles be fulfilled: After the fullfilling whereof, God put into their hearts to hate the Romiſh Strumpet, that is, deteſt Popiſh Idolatry, embrace the Goſpell of Chriſt, forſake, yea and oppoſe the Whore.

p. 443Why therefore ſhould we wonder, that ſo many great Emperours, ſo many religious Kings, of Germany, France, Spaine, England, &c. have with ſuch zeale defended Popiſh Idolatry, the Romiſh Church, and Antichriſt the Pope, almoſt theſe 800. years, in defence of whoſe magnificence and glory, they have made ſo great wars, and ſhed ſo much Chriſtian blood? We hear that God did put it into their hearts, that they ſhould do ſo, and not otherwiſe, ſo that the Angell wills us to riſe from the events and ſecondary means unto the ſecret, yet juſt judgement of God.

Here againe we have cauſe greatly to admire, that after ſo long fornication, ſome of the Kings, as of England, Scotland, Denmarke, Sweethland: Many powerfull Princes alſo of Germany, Bohemia, France, Poland, and Hungary, having laid down their armes againſt the Lambe, and embraced the heavenly Doctrine of ſalvation, brought to light by the Two Witneſſes in the ages of our predeceſſours, do at this day hate the Romiſh Adultreſſe, and make her naked: We have cauſe, I ſay, to admire the Fact, and extoll Gods judgement to Heaven. Certainly the Kings did not repent either raſhly, or by their own underſtanding, God put it into their hearts that they ſhould repent of their whoredome, hate the whore and make her deſolate. The LORD is to be intreated that he will put the ſame into the hearts of the reſt of the KINGS, that is, to take knowledge, ſhun, and hate the Whore, and to give their power no longer unto the Beaſt, but unto the Lambe.

Some Textuall ſcruples do here offer themſelves, which I ſhall explain, after I have opened what yet remains in the Text.

18 The woman which thou ſaweſt is the City] The Angell openeth the whole mysterie of the whore: This woman is popish Rome: ſee chap. 11.8. & 14.8. & 16.19that we might not think the woman ſitting upon the waters to be an Aſian or Ʋtopian Nymph.

It is, ſaith he, that great City] before he often calls it Babylon: Now he ſets it forth by a more remarkeable note.

Having dominion over the Kings of the Earth] Now what is this? Is it the whole multitude of ungodly men in the world, as ſome of the fathers (wanting the experience which we have now) have thought?

Nay it is Rome, yea Popiſh Rome: For the Writers, ſaith Ribera, In cha. 17 ſec. 20.22who have otherwiſe interpreted it, are forced by the truth it ſelfe to yeeld unto us, that Rome is that whoriſh City, to be destroyed and overthrowne: Again: The foregoing words: God put it into their hearts, belong to the deſolation and burning of Rome, for they ſhew the cauſe of ſo great deſolation effected by them, who rather were thought ſhould have proved friends: With this ſenſe which is certainly true, &c. Thus we have the interpretation of one ſworn Ieſuite.

Let us hear another: Lib. de P. R. cap. 2Babylon ſaith BELLARMIN that great City ſtanding on Seven Mountaines, and having dominion over the Kings of the Earth, is ROME. Neither was there any other City which in Johns time had dominion over the Kings of the Earth then ROME, and it is moſt notorious, that ROME is built upon ſeven Mountaines.

Let us hear a third: Veſt: pag. 817This Verſe ſaith ALCASAR cauſeth no ſmall difficulty to them, who expound it otherwiſe then of ANGIENT ROME: But in our expoſition nothing is more cleare. What can we deſire more? The great City is Rome, both becauſe the ſame is built upon ſeven Mountaines: As alſo, becauſe it onelyonly in Iohns time had dominion over the Kings of the Earth. But now perhaps it hath not? yea but it hath: For whatſoever it poſſeſſeth not by force, Quicquid non poſſidet armis. Relligione tenet:it holds by Religion.

Wherefore the two latter Ieſuites do in vain ſeek an evaſion, that not Popiſh but Heatheniſh Rome is this City: for they are confuted by Ribera their own companion, ingeniouſly confeſſing, that Heatheniſh Rome long agoe burnt to aſhes, by the Gothes and Vandalls, hath no place here: but that it is Popiſh Rome that now is: yet notwithſtanding he ſaith, that it is to be burnt before p. 444Antichriſts comming: which latter refutes the former. It remains therefore that the whore ſitting on the Beaſt is Papaſt Rome.

O Rome hearken to Clemanges, De corrup. Eccle: ſtatu Cap: 26What, ſaith he, dost thou thinke of thy Propheſie, to wit. of John in the Revelation? Doſt thou not beleeve that it belongs at least in ſome meaſure unto thee? Thou haſt not ſo lost ſhame and ſenſe to deny theſe things. Wherefore looke on it, and read the damnation of the great whore, ſitting upon many Waters, and there contemplate thy worthy actions, and what ſhall befall thee.

Again therefore we gather this argument: Babylon that Great City, ſtanding on ſeven Mountaines is the Seat of Antichriſt. Popiſh Rome is Babylon that Great City ſtanding on ſeven hills: Therefore Popiſh Rome is the Seat of Antichriſt. Furthermore.

He which ruleth in the Seat of Antichriſt, is Antichriſt. The Pope of Rome ruleth in Antichriſts Seat, Therefore the Pope of Rome is ANTICHRIST.

There remains three ſcruples to be diſcuſſed from ver. 17.

I.

How God puts into the hearts of Kings, that is, worketh in the hearts of men, without impeachment of their liberty.

II.

Seeing God is ſaid to put three things into the hearts of the Kings: One in its owne nature good, viz. The hatred of the Whore. Two things in themſelves evill, viz. Their agreement with the Beaſt, and fight with the Lambe: Whither he puts this after the ſame manner into their hearts: and whither it will not hence follow that hee is the Authour of ſinne?

III.

In granting (which thing ſome maintaine) that theſe Kings were not converted, how then are they ſaid in ſpoiling of the whore to doe the will of God, ſeeing they were ignorant of it: Neither ſpoiled they her ſo much out of affection to piety, as of deſire to the prey.

Now firſt, how God workes in the hearts of men, the liberty of their will remaining.

Of this Queſtion both in the Hypotheſis, and in the Theſis the explication is the ſame, being not a little difficult: For if God workes in the hearts of men, he ſeemeth to determinate or limit their wills to one thing: Now if God limit the wil, then man ſeems not to act freely: ſeeing that is ſaid to be free which is unlimited in reſpect of a thing: Furthermore God ſeems to move and bend the wills of men according to his own will or pleaſure. But that which is moved and bent by anothers will, ſeems not to act freely.

Now the Scripture on the contrary ſaith: The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, he inclineth it to whatſoever he will: So the Holy Ghoſt in this place: God put into the hearts of the Kings that they ſhould do theſe, and not other things,

I ANSWER: Sophiſters do much labour and ſweat to unty this knot touching the concurring of Gods providence, Lib: 5. de C. D. ca. 9and mans free will, but after long toyle, they put (as the ſaying is) the Cart before the Horſe, that is, they ſubject the operation of God to the will of man, the Creator to the creature: and that befalls them (which Auſtin wrote of Cicero) that by making men free, Lib. 4. de Grat. & lib. Arbit: cap: 14they make them ſacrilegious. BELLARMIN doth diverſly torment himſelfe throughout his ſix bookes of Grace and Freewill. And after all he falls with both hands into the ſame mire of blaſphemy. And alledgeth divers opinions touching this Concurring.Caiet. in 1. qu. Art. 4

The firſt is of Caietan: That the concurring or accord of the divine providence and free will is inexplicable, and not to be underſtood in this life. Bellarmine confeſſeth it to be dark, but not inexplicable.

The ſecond he aſcribes to Durand: Duran in 2. diſt. 37 qu. 1.That there is required no concurring of the divine operation unto actions of ſecondary cauſes, but that is enough, if God preſerve the natures and vertues of the ſame. This Bellarmine rejects as falſe, for it is repugnant to Scripture. But whither it be Durands, let himſelf look to it. I have ſought p. 445for it, but find it not. It is abſurd. For how doth God not concurre unto actions, if hee concurre unto their vertues: ſeeing there is no influence of the action, ſave from the influence of the vertue thereof.

The third is of others whom he is afraid to name: That God indeed by his concurrence doth determinaters or limit the will of man, and that in regard of it, Mans will cannot but act, and yet remaines free: either becauſe the concurring of God is not of the things requiſite unto the action of free will: or becauſe the divine determination hinder not the judgement of our reaſon about chooſing or rejecting of objects, which is the root of the liberty in the will.

Againſt this opinion (which is true) hee largely diſputes. Firſt by the ſaying of Siracides, Chapter 15.14. That man is left in the hand of his owne Counſell: which is nothing to the matter, becauſe hee ſpeaketh there of man as hee was firſt created, or before his fall. Secondly, by the authority of the Fathers, which make nothing againſt it. At length by reaſon, viz. That this determination ſhould make God Author of ſin, The wicked excuſable, both being falſe, Scot. in 2. de 37as ſhall appear in the following Queſtion. At laſt he alledgeth two opinions, as he ſaith better, but indeed they are worſe. The former is of Scotus, That the divine cooperation is not of the part of the cauſe, but onelyonly of the part of the effect, that is, that Gods concurrence doth not determinate the will, or imprint any thing in the ſame, but flowes immediately into the effect, and produceth the ſame in the very moment in which it is produced from our will. As when two Porters carry a great burden, which one alone could not do: here neither of them addes ſtrength to the other: but onelyonly both bear the weight.

This opinion pleaſeth him, yet not altogether: for he ſees it is repugnant to the Scripture, which ſaith not, that the divine influence is in the actions, but in the hearts of men. As here God put into their heatts: he ſaith not, into their actions: Again, The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, he inclines it to whatſoever he will: he inclines, I ſay, the heart, and not only the effects of the heart, or of the King. It is repugnant alſo to the prayers and practiſe of the Saints, who fervently deſire of God, to have not onelyonly their actions and wayes directed, but likewiſe to have their minds enlightned and bearts guided by God.

The other opinion is of Thomas, which ſaith he, C. 1: q. 105 art. 5. & Lib. 3. con. Gent. ca. 7 Et qu. 3. de potentia artic. 7.perhaps is more probable (ſo ignorant is hee of that truth, which he undertakes to expound) viz. that the divine cooperation ſo concurres with the will of men, as it gives not onelyonly ſtrength unto, and preſerves the ſame, but alſo mooves and applies it to the worke.

The which opinion beeing candidly taken, differs nothing from the third, and is true. But becauſe the truth pleaſeth not Bellarmine, he ſubtilly pretends that this opinion alſo hath its difficulties, and again by cavelling ſeeks to deceive: For you would thinke him to be ſome Iugler: for being a Thomist he dares not refute his maſter: therefore he ſhuffles by ſubtilty, and at length againſt Thomas hee comes to this: that Gods concurring to the will of man, brings nothing ſave a negative determination, that is, none at all: and that the motion of God remaines ſubject to our will, and is in our power. Thus God and his grace ſhould be ſubject unto us: and ſo againe the Cart drawes the horſe.

Thus I ſay, the Sophiſter to make men free, makes them ſacrilegious. What therefore?

The opinion of Caietane is moſt true, that this concurring of God remaines inexplicable to us in this life: for the divine providence hath a thouſand inexplicable wayes to inſinuate it ſelfe unto us, inwardly to incline, turne, bend, draw, and create our hearts a new, that we by doing what we wil freely, yet do nothing but according to the divine determination and appointment.

But if any thing can bee expounded touching this concurring, then the third and fift opinion muſt bee true: neither is our liberty endangered thereby: for to incline, move, bow, draw, and determinate the heart, is not to force men as p. 446if they were brutiſh or againſt their will: becauſe this inclination, motion, determination is not without the proper judgement of reaſon, and free election of the will. Now nothing but coaction, is repugnant to the liberty of the will.Whether the divine determination be repugnant to the will.

Yea, ſaith he, alſo determination is repugnant. This was the firſt argument: That which acteth determinately to one thing, acts not freely, &c. This is true if determination be put without the judgement and proper choice: otherwiſe it is falſe: for God himſelfe out of perfection of nature, wills that which is good, and hates the evill determinately, yet doth both moſt freely.

Bell armine cannot deny this, But excepteth, that God is determinated from himſelf, Bellar. lib: 3. cap. 7 & lib. cap: 7.and not by any other. What of what? The queſtion is not whether liberty ſtands with this or that determination: but whether with any. If it may ſtand with ſome: he hath beaten the air by a long diſputation. But alſo man determinates himſelf in the act of election, through the laſt judgement of practicall reaſon: for without ſuch a determination the wil and choice of man ſhould be nothing at all. Now howſoever this judgement of practicall reaſon (which the Sophiſters confeſſe is the root of liberty) be ſometimes alſo determinated out of it ſelf, Act: 14.16that is, by God (I ſay ſometimes, not alwayes: for God doth not determinate all acts of the will, but oftentimes leaves men to their own wayes, and ſuffers them to run headlong into deſtruction.) Notwithſtanding this determination is not done without the voluntary judgement of our reaſon and choice of the will, without any coaction, yet in a manner to us indeed inexplicable, but known to God: Who worketh all things after the counſell of his owne will.Ephe. 1.11Eph 1:11

To the ſecond Argument: That which is governed by the divine providence, acts not freely, &c. I ANSWER, it is falſe, unleſſe it be underſtood with the ſame diſtinction: to wit, if it be governed by a providence without our own deliberation and choice. For that which God governeth, ſhewing the object to the underſtanding and efficaciouſly moving the will to chuſe the ſame: that notwithſtanding man doth freely chuſe, although he be inclined by the will of God to whatſoever he pleaſeth. What it is to act freelyFor the creatures freedom in acting, is not to act without the government of any, but with deliberation, and by a voluntary motion of its own will: although this motion be raiſed and ruled by another.

And that I may return unto the determination of the will: It is not repugnant even to morall Philoſophie: For Ariſtotle lib. 3. Ethic. Cap. 5. ſaith, That man is the originall of his own actions, as of his children: and denies not but that in ſome occurrences the will is determinated to one thing, the liberty thereof remaining: ſuppoſe in vitious men, drunkards, and incontinent perſons, who after they have brought a vitious habit upon themſelves, do indeed commit their vices freely, yet alſo neceſſarily and determinately, becauſe their will, by a vitious habit (which they are not able to ſhake off) is determined to vice.

To conclude it is plain from theſe things in the Hypotheſis, that God put into the hearts of the Kings, the liberty of their will remaining, to doe, what they did, determinately: and in the Theſis, that the concurrence of God governing and determinating the will of man, as he pleaſeth, doth not at all take away the liberty of the ſame.

II. Whether God after the ſame manner put good and evill into the hearts of the Kings: and whether hence it will follow that he is the Author of ſin.

Touching the good there is no queſtion about it, for this all that are godly doe willingly grant, viz. that God, as the Scripture ſaith, workes both the will and the deed, without overthrowing the liberty of our will, as before we ſhewed.

Notwithſtanding Pelagius did not grant the ſame: and a Philoſopher will no more grant the determination of the will in vertue, then in vice. But the Philoſopher is anſwered by the doctrine of heathens themſelves, as erewhile wee heard out of Aristotle.

Pelagius, and ſuch as follow him, object the Theologicall knot in evill things p. 447touching the cauſe of ſin. For if God alſo determine the evill of man (as for examples the hearts of the Kings) as touching things evill in their owne nature, as ſuppoſe, to conſpire together with Antichriſt, and to fight againſt the Lambe: hereby God ſeems to be the Author, as it were of their evills, and the Kings excuſable. This indeed Pelagius of old objected to Austin, as at this day the Pelagian Relickes, in pretence to maintaine the righteouſneſſe of God, as if it could not be otherwiſe maintained, but in the ſenſe of bare permiſſion, viz. that God is ſaid to do that, becauſe he permits it to be done.

But firſt the gloſſe of bare permiſſion is a manifeſt abuſing of ſundry places of Scripture, in which it is plainely affirmed, that God did, and that indeed moſt holily, which men have done moſt wickedly.

Joſeph (touching the parricide of his brethren) ſaith Gen. 45.8. It was not you that ſent me hither: but God ſent me hither before you.

Touching the hatred of the Egyptians againſt the Iſraelites, Pſal. 105. verſe 25. God turned their hearts to hate his people, to deale ſubtilly with his ſervants.

Touching Shimeis curſing, 2. Samuel 16.10. The Lord hath ſaid unto him: Curſe David.

Of Abſoloms inceſt, 2. Sam. 12.12. Thou didſt it ſecretly: But I will do this (viz. give thy wives unto thy neighbour) before all Iſrael, and before the ſun.

Of the Rebellion of Jeroboam, and the ten Tribes, 1. Kin. 12.24. This thing is from me. And in the ſame place touching Rehoboams tyrannicall anſwer, ver. 15. Wherfore the King hearkned not unto the people: for the cauſe was from the Lord.

Touching the ſpoiling of the Babylonians, Iſa. 10. ver. 6. I will give him a charge to take the ſpoile, and to take the prey.

Touching the ſeduction of the falſe Prophets, Ezech. 14.9. I the Lord have deceived that Prophet. So of the ſeducement of Ahab by the falſe Prophets and Satan. 1. Kin. 22.20. Who ſhall perſwade Ahab, &c. and the Lord ſaid, Thou ſhalt perſwade them, and prevaile alſo: Goe forth and do ſo.

Of the Rapine of the Arabians, Iob, 1.21. The LORD gave, and the Lord hath taken away.

Touching Chriſts crucifying, Act. 4.27. Herod and Pontius Pilate have done thoſe things which thy hand and counſell determined before to be done.

By theſe and the like places both the evill works of men, and Satan are aſcribed unto God, not abſolutely, but in ſome reſpect, viz. ſo far as God by the ſame accompliſheth his ſecret judgements: not as the authour of mans wicked deeds (God forbid) but as a moſt righteous performer of his judgements in, and by them: for to imagine that God executeth not his judgements, but barely permits them, agrees not with faith and godlineſſe.

Secondly, the gloſſe of bare permiſſion in many places would be blaſphemous: take for example the place in hand: Wilt thou ſay, that God put it into the hearts of the Kings, that is, permitted it to be put? Who then put it into their hearts? Thou wilt ſay, the divell: and hereby thou makeſt the divell to put that into the heart, which the Scripture expreſly ſaith, that God did: wilt thou make the devill to be God? Beſides the divell will never perſwade the kings to oppoſe the whore. Conſider therfore whither this thy gloſſe doth not by an open blaſphemy attribute ſatans work to God, and on the contrary the work of God to the divell.

Thirdly, the gloſſe of bare permiſſion imports hereſie: for under it lies hid the Pelagian denyall of the divine grace and providence: and the eſtabliſhing of humane ſtrength againſt grace. For this gloſſe hath flowed if not primitively, yet chiefly from the School of Pelagius, as may be ſeen in Auſtin, Lib. 5. Cont. Iulian cap: 3:againſt whom Julian the Pelagian diſputes after this manner. As God is to be conſidered about the will in evil, ſo alſo in good, but in the evil will he only works permiſſively, by ſuffering the ſame to ruſh on by its owne motion and deſire, but not by moving the ſame: Otherwiſe he ſhould be the Authour of ſinne. Therefore alſo he workes good in the will onelyonly permiſſively ſuffering the ſame to act by its own ſtrength, p. 448but not by moving the ſame: otherwiſe the liberty thereof ſhould be taken away. This was Pelagius Logicke, the which very thing now a dayes, the Patrons of bare permiſſion, and Prepoſterous Defenders of Gods righteouſneſſe, do unwittingly maintain.

But Auſtin ſhews both the premiſſes of the Pelagian ſubtilty to be falſe.

The Propoſition is falſe, becauſe God workes one way in the good will, another way in the evill. The former he makes good of evill, whereas by nature he finds all to be evill, none good: but being made good by himſelfe, he moves them effectually: yet ſo as their liberty remaineth, as hath bin expounded. The latter he makes not evill, but finds them ſo.

The aſſumption is alſo falſe: for he not onelyonly forſakes and ſuffers the wicked will (which he findeth) to ruſh on whether it pleaſeth, but alſo delivers the ſame over to Satan and their own deſires, yea moving and inclining the ſame how he will, that by doing the evill it wills, it becomes ſubject unto his judgement, ſecret indeed, but never unrighteous, in a manner whither explicable unto us, or inexplicable, as Auſtin ſpeaketh: and as in the fore-alledged examples we have ſeen.

Notwithſtanding he is not the cauſe of ſin, Lib: 5: Cont. Iulican cap. 3for he uſeth the wicked will to execute his judgements moſt holily: neither is he any more the cauſe of the ſin which evill men commit, by executing his judgements by them: then the ungodly are the cauſe of the good which he worketh through them.

Luther againſt Eraſmus doth perſpicuouſly declare the matter by ſimilies: A Rider rideth well though he uſe a lame or halting horſe: De ſer. arb. cap. 148:The Artificer formes of putrefied wood an artificious image: Notwithſtanding there is halting in the riding, not by fault of the Rider, but by the defect of the horſe. In the image is putrefaction, not through fault of the Artificer, but by defect of the wood. So by the ſelling of Ioſeph, the betraying of Iudas, God brought to paſſe unſpeakable good: yet in both wickedneſſe was committed: not indeed on Gods part, but by the perfidiouſneſſe of the brethren, and of Iudas.

But thou wilt ſay, the ſame ſinnes are attributed, as to the wicked, ſo to God: True, if thou conſider the words onelyonly, and not the meaning of the Scripture. Now this is done with great difference. They are aſcribed unto Satan and wicked men in regard of themſelves, and as they are wicked actions committed by them againſt the Law. But to God, ſo far as by accident they ſerve unto his ſecret judgements, which he uſeth to execute moſt righteouſly, even by wicked men doing moſt wickedly.

The reaſon of the diverſity comes partly from the divers end, partly from the forme of actions: The rule of final cauſesfor a different end makes different actions, according to the rule: Finall and impulſive cauſes make the differences of actions. Hence two doing the ſame thing, yet do not the ſame: though both do ſomewhat, which is either good or indifferent, when as they have divers ends differing in morall qualitie.

Gods end is allwayes good: wicked mens evill: in the ſelling of Ioſeph his brethren fulfilled their hatred, againſt the Law; Thou ſhalt not kill. In the oppreſſion of the Iewes, the Babylonians enlarged their Tyranny to the injuring of their neighbours, againſt the Law: Thou ſhalt not ſteale. And therefore both theſe and the other did ſinne. But God to whom both theſe are attributed, Gen. 45.8. & Iſa 10.7.19. had a moſt holy end in both, viz. Ioſephs exalting Gen. 50.20. and his peoples chaſtiſement according to the Law, Iſa 10.6. Therefore he ſinned not. Read the tenth Chapter of Iſaiah touching this diverſity of ends in the ſame worke, and thou ſhalt learne, that what the Chaldeans did moſt evilly, God by them did the ſame moſt righteouſly.

In the forme of actions the diſtinction is more evident: for three things diſtinctly to be conſidered, concurre in thoſe actions of wicked men, which God is ſaid to do. 1. The Motion. 2. foreign or the vitiouſneſſe of the motion, and 3. the p. 449ſecret judgement of God. Motion is a naturall good thing: And therefore it is from God, in whom alſo the wicked live, move, and have their beeing. The ſecret judgements of God, are morally good, even workes of juſtice and mercy: And therefore are of right attributed to God. The foreign or pravitie of the motion prohibited by the Law, makes the motion vitious and ſinfull. This therefore is not of God: but remotely flowes from the devill, and more nearly from the froward will and malice of men: whenſoever therefore the workes of evill men are in Scripture attributed unto God, as affirming that God doth them, or that they are from God. This is not to be underſtood ſimply, but with limitation, that is, not in reſpect of the diſorder and pravity, but firſt in reſpect of the motions, ſo farre as they are naturall motions: ſecondly and chiefly in regard of the ſecret Iudgements, which God executes in, and by the ſame.

But here thou wilt happily demand whether it may not rightly be ſaid, that God doth permit ſins? yea verily: yet with a twofold limitation.

Firſt, that to permit and to grant is not the ſame thing, as if God did permit men to ſin without puniſhing the ſame, like as ſome Magiſtrates permit Brothelhouſes, where fornication is committed without puniſhment. Now God doth not ſo: for his permitting of ſin is not to hinder, but ſuffer that they ſhould be committed through the vitiouſneſſe of men, and concur with his Iudgements.

Secondly, we muſt not underſtand ſuch a bare permiſſion as is a ceſſation altogether of the divine providence in the workes of evill men (which thing onelyonly is in queſtion betwixt us and the Pelagians) but reſtrained unto the vitiouſneſſe of their workes, being repugnant to the nature and Law of God. For herein God himſelfe doth ſomething, ſomething he doeth not, but permits it to be done by men. He permits ſins to be done, as they are ſins, not hindering the doing of the ſame, nor correcting ſinners, that they ſhould not ſin, whereas he could do both. But he doth two things. I. The motions and naturall actions themſelves of evill men, by a generall influence (as the Schools ſpeak) ſometimes alſo by a ſpeciall. II. His Iudgements or events, agreeing to his goodneſſe and juſtice, the which if he did not reſpect, he would never permit ſins to be committed, and this he doth by moderating and effectually directing as the ſins, ſo other means alſo comming in between, to make them ſerve to his judgements and ends, which he intends moſt holily: not only by a generall influence, but alwayes by a ſpeciall. Hence the wiſe man: ſhe alſo reacheth from one end unto another, Wiſd. 8.1Wis 8:1mightily and comely doth ſhe order all things. Theſe things no man will deny unleſſe an Athieſt, who makes God the governour of the world, no other then to be a ſlothfull or brutiſh Idol of Fortune. See Luther touching the ſlaviſh will, Chap. 143.

III. How theſe Kings in eating the fleſh of the whore and burning her, did that which was pleaſing to God.

This Queſtion in regard of our interpretation, is of no weight, for we have proved, that the Kings who before had given their power unto the Beast, and all their aſſiſtance to the whore, did afterward by a certain divine metamorphoſis or change, repent of the ſame. As therefore they hated the whore, according to the revealed will of God: ſo they ſhall rightly and in obedience to God, forſake, make naked, eat her fleſh, and burn her with fire: according to the commandement of the heavenly voice: Goe out of her my people: Render unto her double: thou ſhalt overthrow their Idols: burne their Images with fire.

But put caſe they did not repent, and ſo were not without ſin in ſpoiling & burning the whore, yet herein they did the good pleaſure of God, not as it was their act but accidentally: for in committing the manifeſt wickednes which they intended: they together executed the ſecret judgement of God, which they intended not: Like as the Jews, Herod, Pontius Pilate in condemning Chriſt, did together, Act. 4.8.Acts 4:8howbeit wickedly that which the hand and counſell of God had well decreed ſhould be done by them. But the former opinion is the better.

And thus much touching the Queſtions propounded. Now let us return to the Propheſie.