THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE PROPHECIES; OR THE THIRD BOOK IN defence of the Catholic faith, contained in the book of the high & mighty KING JAMES. I. by the grace of God King of Great Britain and Ireland.  
AGAINST THE ALLEGATIONS of R. Bellarmine; and F. N. Coëffeteau & other Doctors of the Romish Church: BY PETER DV MOULIN Minister of the word of God in the Church of Paris.  
Translated into English by I. HEATH, Fellow of New College in Oxford.  
Printed at Oxford by joseph Barnes and are to be sold by john Barnes dwelling near Holborn Conduit. 1613.   

THE PREFACE TO the Reader.  
I wrote my two first books being diversely distracted, & my spirit surseized with fear, foresaw the dismal chance that is now come upon us. The seditious sermons, the impairing of a dutiful respect to the king, the common reports that were spread abroad of his death, before his death, the increase of the jesuits, & by a consequent the establishment of their maxims, made many to suspect shrewdly, & it was no great praise to be a prophet. We have therefore foreseen, & foretold the future calamity that was like to betide us to our great loss, & spoke more true in it, than we could wish to have done; Upon the downfall of this so great a Prince many have powered out the torrents of their eloquence, and have bewailed him with so much art, that nature hath no more left to say. And to speak the truth words are too weak and feeble signs to express such a grief; light afflictions speak, when the greater are dumb, and with the vail of silence cover that which cannot be uttered. O miserable age! The murdering therefore of kings will ere long turn into a custom; and the natural respect that the French were wont to have of their Sovereign be choked by superstition. We see it to our great grief. For whosoever shall hereafter take upon him to attempt the life his king, shall be vnderpropt by many examples, &, which is more, shall not want for rules: and if this growing evil be not by time prevented, it will at last be held a punishment to reign, & the coronation of our kings, shall be as it were a consecration of sacrifices marked out for the slaughter. For howbeit the singular wisdom, and vigilant care of our Queen his majesties spouse hath served us as a prop to sustain our ruinous estate, yet may we say that in him France hath lost the worthiest king it hath had these many years, and the manner of whose death is a fatal example, and a grand caveat to posterity.  
This wound did so smart, that I could never get my fingers of from it, nor for a long time together settle myself about finishing the remainder of this work. Grief which of its own nature is idle, is then so most especially, when the thing grieved at is passed all remedy. Hereunto add that this third book, which entreats of the accomplishment of prophecies, together with the interpretation of them, requires a more composed spirit then the two former did: For as God intending to reveal future events to his prophets, withdrew them aside, and carried them either to the desert, or else to the sea shore, that so having plucked them from amidst the press, he might settle their minds in a quiet repose; So think I, that to dive into their prophecies a man need be free from all cares, & to partake of their rest, that he may partake of the clearness of their spirit. And, indeed, what by reason of the public grief, the greatest part whereof hath fallen upon us, and what by reason of many interruptions, I had never dared to have set upon this matter, had not the excellent spirit of the King of Great Britain enlightened me, and if in the unfolding of these prophecies I had not been assisted by experience, which is the cause, that I have more need of a memory herein, than any extraordinary revelation. God also, whom I here invoke to mine aid, will by his spirit sharpen the dullness of mine, and as he hath given this property to the sea-cards needle to stand firm in the most violent tempests, so is he able to give his servants a piercing wit, and a settled mind amidst this confusion. He reveals his secrets to those which fear him, and makes them to understand his william. Now that no man may accuse me of rashness herein, as though I did too curiously pry into after ages, or presumptuously gave mine own interpretations for rules; the reader shall do well to consider, that it is one thing to prophecy, another thing to speak of the fulfilling of prophecies: the one is done by revelation, the other by experience; for the one we need to be inspired from above, for the other we need nothing but a memory together with some insight in the present times. The Prophets drew their prophecies from the counsel of God, but we find the accomplishment of their prophecies in histories, by conferring the predictions with the events; for the predictions after the events become histories, and the promises performances.  
This is the reason why his Majesty of England saith (and that most truly) that the fathers of the first ages, spoke of this matter but only by conjectures, whereas we speak of it by experience; For the prophecies which foretell of an evil to come, may easily be interpreted by those upon whom it is come. Even as the jews being led captives into Babylon did easily understand the prophecy of jeremy; so Christians held under the second captivity of Babylon, may soon know the meaning of the prophecies in the Revelation, which foretell of it; I would to God we were not the interpreters of our own miseries, and that we had not learned the meaning of these prophecies by experience. Which makes me to wonder at our adversaries who to entangle this point the more, do nothing but quote passages out of the fathers, whenas they speak only but by conjecture, or else say such things as our adversaries themselves do deride, & which experience hath confuted. Lactantius in the 25. chap. of his 7. book saith that the world should not last above 200 years more at the most, and yet notwithstanding it is well near 1300. years passed since Lactantius wrote. Sulpitius Severus in the second book of his history tells us that it was generally thought in his time that Nero was not dead, but that he was cured of the wound that was given him, and that his wound being cured, he is reserved alive for the last day, to the end that he may exercise the mystery of iniquity. S. Austin in the 19 Chap. of the 20. book of the city of God, expounding S. Paul's prophecy, in the 2. Chap. of his 2. Epist. to the Thess. speaks thus, I confess that I understand no thing of all that which he hath said; only I will relate the diverse surmises of men, that I could ever hear of, or read upon this subject; Then he alleages diverse opinions, which he calls conjectures. Compare the book of Antichrist fathered upon S. Austin, with the expositions of Andrew Archbishop of Caesarea, and Beda's, and S. Ieromes Commentaries upon Daniel, & you shall see but little agreement between them. Wherefore the jesuits writing upon this subject are often times troubled about confuting the Father's opinions. If we then speak with more certainty than they, it is not our sufficiency that is the cause thereof, but rather our misfortune to be reserved till the last days, that we might see the execution of the plagues foretold in these prophecies.  
This notwithstanding their praise remains whole unto them still: for he which expounds prophecies not yet accomplished, aught to be more admired, if amongst ten false expositions he hit upon one or two true, then if after they were fulfilled he should expound them all truly. Now the Fathers do happily light upon the true meaning in many of these points, and bring diverse expositions, which the experience of succeeding ages hath confirmed, which we will produce in their place.  
But here before we venture upon this matter, the faithful reader must be advised to avoid two extremes; the one is, that he tie not himself too religiously to these things; the other, that he set not too little by them. As for the former, his Majesty of England plainly affirmeth, that in this doctrine there are obscure things which he would not urge as necessary to salvation for every one. And that with good reason. For I am persuaded that in Christian religion, there is no one article of faith, which may be necessary to salvation at one time, and yet not necessary at another. Now all confess that the understanding of these prophecies was not necessary before they were fulfilled. It follows therefore that even after their accomplishment a man may be saved without the knowledge of them. And I find not that the reading of civil and ecclesiastical histories is recommended unto us in the holy Scriptures as necessary to salvation. But so it is that partly out of them, partly out of the present evils, we draw the meaning of these prophecies. The articles of the doctrine of salvation, are no prophecies, but Commandments, or simple and bare promises; or if it please any one to call the articles of the resurrection of the flesh, and of the life everlasting, by the names of prophecies; yet are they couched in such clear terms, that they have no need of any interpretation. For God which hath covered future events with a thick darkness, doth propose the things simply necessary to salvation with great perspicuity.  
The other extremity, which is the setting too little by these prophecies, hath no less danger. For as when the ruin of jerusalem by Nabuchadnezar did fulfil the Prophecy of jeremy: or when the birth of our Saviour, made the prophecies of jacob, Esay, and Micheas, plain, & perspicuous; if any one were so obstinate that he would not understand these prophecies, he had rejected the grace of God. So now adays when God hath made us to see the accomplishment of matters foretold by Daniel, S. Paul, and S. john, whosoever shall hereupon close his eyes of set purpose, that man doth resist the wisdom of God, and frustrates the holy Ghost of his intent, making (as much as lies in him) these prophecies to be unprofitable. For God revealed these things to his Prophets and Apostles to no other end but to profit us. That so the deliverances, which they foretell of, taking effect, we might not attribute it to our own wisdom or force, but to his providence, and determination, which he declared long before to his Prophets: as also that we might know, that these calamities, being foretold of, come not upon us by hap hazard, but by his fixed counsel, resolved upon from everlasting, and to the end that we might keep ourselves from being amongst the number of those upon whom he will power out the vials of his wrath because of their unbelief. For whosoever shall labour to prevent the judgements of God denounced by his Prophets will never style the study of knowing them, by the name of curiosity. But on the contrary even as the faithful which lived a little before the birth of our Saviour, comforted themselves under the Roman yoke by meditating upon the coming of Christ promised by his Prophets which they called, 
* Luc. 2.  the consolation of Israel, so ought we under this Romish bondage, which tyrannizeth over our consciences, comfort up ourselves by these prophecies, part of which being already finished, assure us that the rest too shall in their due time be put in execution. Otherwise the reproach wherewith the jews were upbraided by jeremy shall also be cast in our teeth, to wit, 
* jerem. 8.7  that the Stork, the Turtle, the Crane and the Swallow knew their seasons, but the people of God knew not theirs. For he justly sends them to the school of beasts, that will not be scholars in the house of God. But if these prophecies be not necessary as articles of our faith, yet at the least are they necessary as God's forewarnings to us ward, which we cannot reject without hurting ourselves, & displeasing him. For is it no fault, trow we, if that after he hath painted out the son of perdition unto us long time before his coming, we will nor know him then when he is come, & when we are within his clumbs? The holy Prophets, should they ever have foreseen these evils so long time before hand, to the end that we should not see them when they arrive? And if we demonstrate, that according to the predictions of the Prophets, that man of sin must needs be already come; what carelessness is it not to hearken out his habitation, and not so much as vouchsafe to look whether it may not be that we ourselves serve him without thinking of it. I omit to tell how the understanding of these prophecies, are of great force to give weight and authority to the Gospel. For the mystery of godliness is made more clear by being opposed to the mystery of iniquity. Because we are soon induced to believe that the Prophets are true in their doctrines, when we find by effect that they speak truth in their prophecies. We do not therefore herein serve our own curiosity, but the good of the Church, and the commandment of God. Let others read the events of things to come in the Stars, or study Chiromancy, or Meteoposcopie; the best Prognosticke that a man can have, is the fear of God, & his word, the best book of predictions, wherein God speaks, as if he did stretch out his finger from heaven, and point out the See of Rome unto us, saying, behold her here of whom my Prophets spoke, & which I marked out unto you in my word.  
It remains that I speak of the subject of this book, & of the end that I proposed to myself therein. I do not here dispute who that Antichrist should be, nor whether the Pope should be so called. And I refrain from doing this for two reasons, The one is, because I would not willingly contest about words, but rather tie myself to the things. For since all the fathers and our adversaries agree with us in this, that in the 2. Chap. of the 2. to the Thessaly. and in the 13. of the Apocal. and other places, Antichrist is pointed out, it shall suffice if we search the meaning of these chapters. For if it be found that they speak of the Pope, the difficulty touching the name will be taken away. We will make the propositions, let who so will draw the conclusion. The other reason is, because this very name doth exasperate the simpler sort who thinking this an odious word, condemn the book for the titles sake. They think that other controversies prick his Holiness at the throat, but that this cuts his wind pipe. To whose acquaint stomachs, and impatient delicacy I thought good to fit myself at this time; being content only to show the meaning of these holy prophecies, and to confirm my exposition with proofs: which I hope to deliver so clearly, and make them so agreeable, that I am persuaded that he which is resolved not to believe any of them, shall at the least wonder by what chance it could come to pass, that so many things foretold by Daniel, by S. Paul, & S. john should all meet jointly together in one man. Or how they could draw a picture so like the Pope, and never think upon him.  
Now, this being a difficult point, and a matter of importance, I must of necessity (to handle it with order and care) speak a great deal more in it then Mounsieur Coeffeteau binds me to do. For seeing he doth but flourish the matter over superficially being content to cast some light difficulties here and there in the way, it had been impossible for me to sound the depth of it in following him. Nevertheless he hath said nothing, to which I do not answer, as it crosseth my course. God, of his mercy, fill us with his grace from above, and after the accomplishment of these prophecies which threaten us, give us the accomplishment of his promises.   

A TABLE OF THE MATters contained in this third book.  

A Preface.  
An exposition of the 4 first verses of the fourth Chapter, of the first Epistle to Timothy. Chap. 1.  
An exposition of the second Chapter of the second to the Thessalonians. Chap. 2.  
An exposition of the 12 Chapter of the Revelation. Chap. 3.  
An exposition of the 13 Chapter of the Revelation. Chap. 4,  
An exposition of the 14 Chapter of the Revelation. Chap. 5.  
An exposition of the 17 Chapter of the Revelation. Chap. 6.  
An exposition of the 18 Chapter of the Revelation. Chap. 7.  
An exposition of the 7 Chapter of Daniel. Chap. 8.  
An exposition of the 11 Chapter of the Revelation. Chap. 9  
The conclusion with the clozure of the king of Great Britain's Preface. Cham 10.    

THE THIRD BOOK OF THE accomplishment of the Prophecies.  
THE PROPHECY OF THE Apostle S. PAUL in the first to TIMOTHY, and fourth Chapter. CHAP. I  
1 Now the spirit speaketh evidently, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, and shall give heed unto spirits of error, and doctrines of Devils.  
2 Which speak lies through hypocrisy, & have their consciences burned with an hot iron.  
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with giving thanks of them which believe and know the truth.  
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing aught to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving, etc.  

The accomplishment of this Prophecy.  
THis prediction of the Apostle, being not wrapped in riddles, nor shadowed under figurative words, need no subtle explication, nor laborious conjectures to be understood, we need not speak by guess, when we feel the evil, & I would to God we saw it less clear than we do.  
The Apostle speaks of an evil that must happen in the last times; these last times be gun from the Apostles times, as he himself tells us in the 10. Chap. of his first epistle to the Corinthians: whence it followeth that these last times are now much nearer, and that this present age is more the last times, then that was wherein S. Paul lived.  
In these last times therefore he foretells of a departing from the faith, of spirits of error, which shall teach the doctrine of devils through hypocrisy against their own conscience.  
This being spoken in general would have a thousand faces, and be subject to diverse interpretations, were it not that the Apostle himself did put his finger upon the evil, and specify some examples thereof; not the worst but the most sensible, not the most wicked, but the most easy to be known. These are the errors. 1. A forbidding to marry. 2. A commanding to abstain from meats. Both which are the errors of Papistry, and the ordinances of the church of Rome, more religiously observed then the commandments of God: We will speak of each of them severally.   

Of the single life of the Clergy, and Monks in the Church of Rome.  
MArriage is an holy bond between man & woman, whereby they are made one body, & one flesh. If antiquity give authority to things? it was from the beginning of the creation? If the author, God did first institute it; If the place where it began? it was established in Paradise; If the witnesses? jesus Christ himself did authorize it by his presence; If sanctity? God compares it to his holy covenant, promising in 
* Hosea. 2.19.20.  O see, that he will marry us unto himself for ever in righteousness and mercy; It is an assistance given unto man; a lenitive of all afflictions, a remedy against in continency; and amongst faithful persons it is a spiritual harmony, to join their prayers, to comfort them up in their miseries, to encourage them on to good works, and in slippery places to reach out their helping hands to each other. This is that which preserves mankind from perishing, it is the seed-plot of the Church, the fountain and original of all kindred and affinity that is in the world; without this men would live dispersed like savage beasts, without making up families, which are the first and principal parts of a Common wealth.  
Where is the man this day living, whose virginity may be compared with Abraham's marriage, in whom all the nations of the world were blest? Whereupon 
* Lib. de bono coniugali cap. 21.  S. Austin also opposeth it to the virginity of S. john. But there is nothing that doth add more authority unto marriage, than that comparison so often 
* Ephes. 5. Psal. 45. Rev. 19  reiterated in the holy Scripture, whereby the union of jesus Christ with his Church is compared unto marriage. The bond whereof is the holy Ghost, the contract the Gospel, the Apostles were the Registers of this contract, and jesus Christ himself sealed it with his blood: the betrothing is here below in the Church, but the wedding itself shall be solemnized in heaven. God clothing this spiritual union with these borrowed terms to the end that no man might condemn marriage, but he should withal despise his covenant. The Prophets, Levits, yea and the High Priests entered this holy course of life, which before the division made by David, were to serve every day at morning and evening sacrifice. But if God had thought that there had been any pollution in marriage, he would have found some other means to continue the succession of his Priests, then by the hereditary succession of children after their fathers. Especially seeing that then in outward things, and bodily cleanness, God required a great deal more purity under the law then he doth now adays. The Apostles also were married: for in the first of S. Mark there is mention made of the mother of S. Peter's wife. And S. Ambrose upon the 11. Chap. of the 2. to the Corinthians, All the Apostles, saith he, except john and Paul had wives. Ignatius in his Epistle to the Philadelphians, doth not except Saint Paul; but saith, that Peter and Paul, & the other Apostles were married. And Clemens Alexandrinus in the 3. book of his Stromes, after a long reprehension of those which despise marriage under the show of a more strict sanctititie, addeth. Do they reject the Apostles? For Peter and Philip begat children. Philip married his daughters to husbands, and Paul sticks not to speak unto his wife in one of his Epistles. Now it is to be noted that in these places, the Fathers speak of marriage as it is a remedy against incontinency, and as it was thought by some to be less holy than virginity; to the end that none should think that they thought the Apostles had wives, but never lay with them. They tell Christ truly in the 9 Chap. of S. Matthew, Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee, And jesus answers them; Whosoever shall forsake houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, he shall receive an hundredth fold more, and shall inherit everlasting life. But we must know that this promise is made unto all the faithful, and not only to the Pastors of the Church. For he saith Whosoever shall leave etc. and yet nevertheless no man would infer out of this place that all the faithful must abstain from their wives, or forsake their children for Christ's sake; only our Saviour would that all the faithful should leave all that is most near and dear unto them, when it shall hinder them from following him, & when it cannot stand together with the profession of the Gospel. Moreover Christ here placeth the wife, and the children, & the lands, and the houses in the same rank. If a Bishop therefore may be suffered to enjoy his lands, or houses, in the same fashion that he did enjoy them before he was a Bishop or Priest, what reason is there but that he should enjoy his wife in the same manner that he did before he was a Priest? And if a father that is afterwards made a Priest shall not for all this be lesle a father than he was before, why should he become less an husband? Especially seeing that there is an express commandment of our Lord in the 19 of S. Matt. which doth not permit a man to leave his wife for any other cause but adultery. And which saith, that they are no more too but one flesh, Let no man therefore put that asunder which God hath coupled together; Now it is manifest that the separation which he speaks of, is a separation of the bed, seeing that he opposeth it against that conjunction by which man and woman are made one body.  
This doctrine being sound divinity, and built upon the word of God, as we will show it yet more manifestly; it is not without just cause that the contrary doctrine is called the doctrine of Devils. The first that ever spoke against marriage were the Tatians, Marcionites, & Manichees, after whom Papistry succeeded, a religion patched up together out of the diverse shrids of ancient heresies. For the Popes have set themselves directly to contradict the Apostles St 
* 1. Tim. 3.2.4.  Paul who saith, that a Bishop should be unreprovable, the husband of one wife, having his children under obedience with all honesty. On the contrary Pope Pelagius in the 61. Distinction commands, that there should be no bishop chosen, but such a one that hath neither wife, nor children, nor any other crime contrary to the canons. There is nothing more opposite. But yet in this contrariety there is no question to be made, but of the two the Pope must rather be believed, since that in his 
* Tit. 80 the concessione praebendarum.  Canons he vaunts that he can dispense above the law. And that the glosses of the Church of Rome tell us hereupon, that he can dispense against the Apostle, & that he doth dispense with the gospel in giving it what interpretation he please, and that the Apostle had nothing else but certain Revelations; marry his holiness 
* Can. licet Tit. 2. de constit. in Sexto.  brags that he hath all the law close locked up within the closet of his breast. We have therefore plainly seen the accomplishment of this prophecy.  
It is true that our adversaries to obscure this truth, say that S. Paul speaks of heretics which forbade marriage not only to clarks and Ministers, but to the lay people too, and that as a wicked and unclean thing in its own nature; That the Church of Rome forbids marriage only to clarks, and Monks, and such as have made a vow of continency, and forbids it them not as an unclean thing, but as a counsel of perfection, and as a more strict & sanctified profession.  
1 I answer that they delude themselves in seeking to delude us. For the Apostle calleth those false teachers in general that forbid marriage without specifying any cause for which they forbid it: the rule being general, it is not for us to put in I know not what exceptions which the word of God shall not put in. By divers lines we may well come to the same point, and by divers ways run to the same precipice. The self same error is form in the spirit of men by divers reasons, yet all the causes of error, and contrary to the holy Scriptures.  
2 Besides I say that they deceive themselves if they think that the Manichees for bad marriage unto all, they forbade it them only whom they called their chosen or elect; For so did they name their pastors, & such as made profession of a more exact & sanctified kind of life amongst them. S. Austin is a witness fit to be believed for this, because himself was a Manichee at first for a long time: who in the second book, of the manners of the Church, and the Manichees, & 18. Chapt. brings in the Manichees speaking as our adversaries do at this day. Here, saith he, I know that you will exclaim for to make us odious, that you do not forbid marriage at all, since that is not forbidden to your hearers (which are in the 2 rank amongst you) to marry, and to have wives. And in his 74. Epist. They which are called the hearers amongst them, eat flesh, plough their fields, and have wives too if they will, none of which are done by those whom they call their elect. Whence it also appears that they did not take marriage to be simply bad, since they did permit it to their people. No more true is that which our adversaries say that the Church of Rome doth not maintain that marriage is a wicked and unclean thing in its own nature. For see how the Popes speak of it. Pope Innocent in his 82. Distinction, doth forbid 
* Can. Proposuit.  that they which dwell with their wives should be received to any holy charge, because it is written, Be ye holy as I am holy, saith the Lord. This Pope it seems thought that marriage could not stand together with sanctity. And by consequence that it was a profane thing. And note the abuse; For when God saith, Be ye holy, he speaks to all men: but if by this commandment God did require that men should abstain from their wives, what remains there more but that there should no man be married? To the same purpose doth he produce the passage of the Apostle to Titus Chap. 1. Unto the pure all things are pure, but to them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure. Upon this place doth he ground the single life of Priests to the end they may be pure, otherwise he thinks them defiled and vnbeleiuing. Also wickedly wresting that saying of the Apostle Rom. 8. v 8.9. against married persons. He speaks thus to the Clarks. They which are in the flesh cannot please God; Now ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit. Could he more disgrace married men then to say they cannot please God. For note that the Apostle in this place speaks to all the faithful in general.  
Pope Syricius in the same Distinction speaks yet more disgracefully of marriage; for first he ranks the Priests which beget children upon their own wives, with those that commit adultery. We have understood, saith he, that many Priests and Deacons, have a long time after their consecration, gotten children both in marriage, as also by fornication; A little after he speaks unto them both equally; Let them which are given to fornication, & which teach these sins tell me etc. And we have heard above how Pope Pelagius accounts the marriage of Clerks for a sin. So in the 31. Cause, 1. Quest. Canon. Hac ratione, the Romish decree saith, that howbeit the Apostle S. Paul have commanded second marriages, yet according to truth, and in reason it is fornication. And the vow of single life is by them called the vow of chastity, as though there were no chastity in marriage. Bellarmine in his 34. Ch. of the book of Monks, styles the marriage of Clerks and Monks by the name of sacrilege, and affirms that they sin less which commit fornication, after they have once taken a vow, than they do which marry. And in the 19 Chap. of the 1. book of Clerks, he saith that the marriage of Saints is not without some pollution & uncleanness. And indeed should this people hold their peace, yet experience would tell as much. For who is there but knows, that to see a Priest keep a pretty wench in his house, or to go into a Stews, is thought but a laughing matter, and held to be a venial slip? But if a Priest should be married in the sight of the Church, this would be held for a prodigy; They would say that this were the cause of the plague or the dearth that lay upon them; that the eclipse of the sun did prognosticate this: & out of question it should be recorded in their Chronicles. The former is but simple fornication, but the other is sacrilege. For 500 public brothel▪ house's to be in the city of Rome is thought nothing so heinous a crime, as that one of the Cordiliers should be seen to be married. Moses, Samuel, the Prophet Esay, and the Apostle S. Peter, which were all married, would be thought monsters now a days; & a man might get money by leading them about to be seen for strange sights. By this therefore we see that this prophecy is fulfilled every kind of way.  
They excuse it by their vow, and say that the marriage of clarks and monks is therefore sacrilege because in being married they break their vow. To which I answer that if the marriage of clarcks were therefore only to be condemned, they should call it by the name of faithlessness only, or infidelity, and not of pollution as Pope Syricius doth; nor yet of sacrilege as Bellarmine. And in truth why is it that before they receive any to be clarckes they exact this vow of them so severely without any exception, but that they think that marriage in itself is not lawful for them although they took no vow.  
As for the necessity of keeping vows, I say, that the first vows when they are good and necessary, may not be broken by those we take after, & I am persuaded they will grant me this. But a clerk before ever he were a clerk did he not make a vow and promise to God to keep his commandments? This is that which we all promise at our first entrance into the Church, and although we did not promise it, yet for all that were we bound to keep it. Now amongst the commandments of God this is one. 
* Hieron. ad Eustochium.  To avoid fornication, let every man have his wife, & every woman her husband. If therefore any Monk be lustful, and it fare with him as it did with S. Jerome, who after all his prayers and fastings, did yet still dream of women and burn with incontinency, I demand to which vow he is most bound, either to that which he made to obey God, who commands all such to marry, or to that which he made to the Church that he would never marry? Can they without impiety affirm that he must rather keep the vow made to the Church whereunto he is not tied by God, then that which he made to God, & which he were bound to keep although he had not made it? Especially seeing that 
* Tho. in 22. qu. 88 art. 2.  Tho. Aquinas, and Cardinal 
* Bell. lib. de Clericis. c. 18  Bellarmine confess that the single life of Priests is but by the law of man, but to abstain from fornication, is enjoined by the law of God, why then is the law of man observed more religiously than the law of God? Why are human institutions more strictly kept than Gods commandments? insomuch that a Priest which shall commit fornication against the law of God, is thought to have sinned a great deal less than if he were married against the promise made to the Church without the commandment of God? the one being called but fornication, but the other held to be sacrilege. To abstain from fornication is nothing but to obey the law of God, but never to marry is a counsel of perfection, and a work of supererogation▪ which sets the Monks in Paradise in a far higher degree of glory, than Abraham, Moses, and all the Prophets that were married could ever attain unto.  
But I would yet further be informed, if when a man take upon him to be a Monk and promise to live chastened, whether by this promise he do not withal promise to abstain from fornication: they would blush to deny this. It follows therefore that he sins far more in committing fornication then in marrying, seeing that by fornication (besides the violating of the general vow which all men are bound to make to God, he also breaketh his very monastical vow which he took upon him over and above the commandment of God. To all these things our adversaries never answer directly, nor speak they ought to the purpose. They make digressions in the praise of Virginity; But this concerns not us, who acknowledge that virginity is the most commodious state of life to serve God in without straying, that marriage hath its discommodities, and as the Apostle saith, 1. Cor. 7. troubles in the flesh, especially in time of persecution. But these praises agree only to chaste virginity, which doth not consist only in keeping the body from uncleanness, but in withholding the mind too from lust. Whosoever hath this perfection, & beside hath discretion enough to guide his family, that man doth wisely to live single. But if he be set upon by wicked desires, and yet notwithstanding doth still affect a single life, he provoketh God, exposeth himself to temptations, ensnares his conscience, and digs a pit for himself to fall in. chaste marriage will never be liable to so many discommodities as incontinent virginity, for what do they which live in this state, but chew the bit it secret, thinking that condition of life most sweet and happy which they are denied to live, desiring that which they fly, having their thoughts defiled with unchaste imaginations, and yet notwithstanding all this resolved not to follow the counsel of God, and to abstain from using the remedies which he hath prescribed. This is a vice for which Philosophy could never find a name, to burn with lust, and whilst we are in this taking, to vow to God that we will fly from the remedies that he hath ordained against it; which is all one as if a man were sick, and should promise God that he would take no Physic, there is rashness in this mixed together with obdurate superstition.  
To urge this yet further we ask if this continent virginity be the gift of God, or whether it be in our own power, Bellarmine answers that it is truly the gift of God and yet nevertheless that it is in our own power. 
Lib. 2. de Mon. cap. 31  Which is a plain contradiction; for if God give it us than is it not in our power, seeing that we do not carry the key of his gifts, and that his goods are not at our disposal. It is true indeed that we ask the grace of God freely; & use it with out constraint, but it is God that maketh us disposed to ask it, and gives us the will to use it. 
* Phil. 2.13.  It is he which worketh both the will and deed in us, even of his good pleasure. Seeing then it is the gift of God, when any man doth ask the gift of continuing in a single life without desire of marrying, doth God still hear him? And where is then the promise that God will hear him as concerning this. For confidence of prayer must be grounded on some promise of God. Bellarmine cannot produce any promise, only he brings us, as his fashion is, a ridiculous distinction; 
* Cap. 34. lib. 2. de Mon.  saying, that God gives all men a possibility of containing themselves, but that he gives not unto all men actually to contain themselves, but only to such as he thinks good. As who should say, that God gave one power to be an Emperor, but yet did not grant that he should be an Emperor; that God gave a man power to be wise, but yet did not grant that he should be wise. But to what end serves that power, that is never reduced in to act? For our question was not, whether God gave the power or the act; but whether he gave the act of being continent to all men? He confesseth therefore that he gives not this but to some particulars; and that to be actually continent is a gift of god that is not given to all. If then there be a Monk, to whom God hath not given the gift of continency, and which burns with inward lust, who shall tell you himself, that after so many Pater Nosters said, and often fastings, he is yet still tempted with the spirit of fornication; I would know whether such a one be to follow the Apostles counsel, that is to marry, or else to continue in his former incontinency? But it ill befits these fellows to talk of such things. For as it ill beseems a slave to discourse of liberty, or a man with his belly full to preach fasting & penance: so also is it ill beseeming these squires that live so unchastely, to dispute of chastity. For their lives speak against them, & their rules are refuted by their actions. Hardly would a man believe them since they do not believe themselves, and since they make a vow of chastity, that so they may live the more dissolutely. They speak against nature, whilst they are most given to nature; (to say nothing of their pleasures contrary to nature.) Let them therefore first learn to live, before they go about to dispute; and let the Covent go no more to the Stews, nor the Stews be kept any more in the Covent, if they would not have us believe that continency is a gift, which God gives not to such as correct his word. Or if every one may have it that will, the more to blame they for refusing it, since it was in their power to have had it.  
Nor let them speak any more to us of these vows, which are a yoke of iron, and a snare to entangle weak souls. For they omit the first point, which is, that they should know before they take any vow, whether it be good and lawful; seeing that if it be not lawful to make, it is unlawful to keep. Things which are bad to promise, are worse yet to perform. Virginity is a good thing, & honest, but for a man to tie himself thereto, is a token of rashness & ignorance of his own infirmity.  
For vows are then good when they have these 3 conditions, 1. If the things vowed be good. 2. If they be such as we know to be in our own power. 3. If we vow them willingly and wittingly. None of all which are found in the vows of chastity which the monks and clarks take; For to live single is good, but not for all, but only for such as have the gift of continency: it is good, but not in that degree of goodness as they would have it, making it a kind of perfection above the law, and a work of supererogation whereby we tender God more than we owe him. It is hard that that which is the occasion of so much uncleanness should be a work of more worth than to love God with all our hearts. Or that that should be a work of supererogation, which if every one kept, the church would ere long be abolished from the face of the earth, 2. That it is not in our power we have showed already, & their lives which make this vow, show their unableness to perform it. 3. The monastical vow is not always made wittingly, and willingly. Many there be that enter into it through choler, some through despair, and others out of ignorance, and in their tender age when they do not know what the motions of lust mean. A father will say, how shall I marry all my daughters, how shall I divide my goods amongst so many sons? I must needs place my lame son in a monastery, & since he is fit for no other calling, make him a man of the church. It is a rare thing and seldom seen to offer a lamb without spot to God. And these poor children being come to years they find themselves taken in the net, into which they entered at first as it were rejoicing, but live therein sorrowing, seeing themselves caught, with out all hope of ever being set at liberty.  
Seeing then it is better for the government of our life to follow sacred and sure rules, then rash and indiscreet vows; and not so much to keep that to which we have bound ourselves, as that to which we are bound by God, we will conclude this discourse, with the rule of the Apostle. 1. Tim. chap. 3. Let a bishop therefore be unreprovable, the husband of one wife, ruling his own house honestly, having his children under obedience with all reverence.  
The common evasion is, that S. Paul means only that a Bishop must not have had but one wife before his election into that charge, but that after his election he is to have none. Hierome a professed enemy of marriage understands it thus. They interpret these words therefore, Let a Bishop be, by these, Let a Bishop have been. By their reckoning the Apostle should speak thus. Let such a one be chosen to be a Bishop that hath been irreproveable, the husbunde of one wife, watching, temperate, modest; or, but let him now be so no longer; so do they make the Apostle the teacher of vices, and the entrance into a Bishopric to be a ceasing from virtue. But though it were hard for S. Paul to foresee that any should wrist his words so strangely, yet, as it seems, he meant purposely to put the matter out of controversy, by that which he annexeth in the 12 verse. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, and such as can rule their children well, and their own households; where these words Let them be, go immediately before, and are joined only to the word, husbands. And, which is more, in the 11. verse, he ordaineth that their wives be honest, not evil speakers, but sober, and faithful in all things. Who would think that S. Paul did instruct the women that had been the wives of Bishops, but not such as were▪ His meaning therefore is that Bishops, and Deacons should not be Digamists, & that they should neither in former times have had, nor at the present have but one wife at once; because than it was the custom that man and wife were often separated by divorce for other causes besides adultery, & upon light occasions, and afterward married again as they thought best, which the Apostle S. Paul doth forbid, not only to Bishops and Deacons, but to such 
* 1. Tim. 5 9  widows also as served in the church, to the end no man might say that they had two husbands, the one with them, and the other divorced.  
Wherein the truth is so clear, and the liberty of expounding being, by having been, so intolerable, that Bellarmine himself, (howsoever he threaten as though he would contest) is fain to yield unto it, in the 21. chap. of his 1. book of Clerckes, in these words, chrysostom and the other fathers upon this place teach that Paul made no law that bishops should have wives, but only that they should not have, nor have had but one. Agreeable to Pope Leos exposition in his 85. Epistle. The Apostle bids us t● choose a bishop that is known to have been married, or to be married but to one wife.  
This so manifest a truth, and so forcible an evidence, hath by force extorted confessions from our adversaries which are inserted in the Romish decrees. In the 23. Distinction about the government of Clerckes, it is said, Let them labour to preserve the chastity of their bodies inviolable, or at the most let them marry but once; and in the 26. cause quaest. 2. The marriage of Priests, and of cousins, is forbidden neither by the Legal, nor Evangelical, nor apostolical authority, nevertheless it is absolutely forbidden by the authority of the Church. Where by the Church he understands the Romish church. For in the Aethiopian Church, which contains 17. realms, the monks are married, and are labouring and handy craft's men; and in the Greek Church the Priests and Deacons are married once. Witness the Canon Aliter in the 32. Distinction. The tradition of the East church is diverse from this of the church of Rome. For their Priests, Deacons, and Subdeacons' are married: But in this church no priest from a subdeacon to a bishop hath any liberty to marry. In the very same Distinction is the judgement of the council of Nice set down in these words, concerning the resistance made by Paphnutius bishop of Thebais. Now Paphnutius the confessor withstood this, showing that marriage was honourable, and saying that it was chastity for a man to live with his own wife. Wherefore he advised the council not to establish such a law; affirming that it was a matter of importance, and that it would be an occasion either to them or their wives of fornication. And this was Paphnutius his opinion although himself were not married, whose advice was approved of by the Synod. The like is reported by Socrates in his 1. book and 8. Chap. & by Sozomene in his 1. book 23. Chap. & by Nicephorus Callistus in the 8. book of his history, Chap. 19 and by the acts of the council of Nice written by Gelasius Cysicensus, all which do not only speak of suffering Priests to have wives, but grant them the enjoining of the marriage bed, as honest and lawful. Which I have therefore the longer insisted upon, because there be some that have marred this history, and that tell it otherwise. In the 56. Distinction, in the Canon Osius, there is a great bedroll of bishops reckoned up, which were the sons of bishops, Priests, or Deacons; And lest a man should think that they were begotten before their fathers had taken holy orders, a little after in the same Distinction, the exposition is annexed in these words. When we read above that Priest's children have been made Popes, we must not think that they were begot by fornication, but by lawful marriage, which, before this prohibition, was permitted unto all, and is at this day (as all know) suffered in the East Church.  
Hence come these Canons of the ancient Counsels. The 4 Canon of the counsel of Gangres is this. If any one shall put a difference between a Priest that is married, as though it were not lawful to receive the sacrament at his hands when he shall serve it, Let him be an Anathema. A Canon which Bellarmine hath falsified in the 21. Chap. of his first book of Clerks, having turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by Qui uxorem habuit, which had a wife, whereas it signifieth, Qui uxorem duxit, which hath married a wife, that is as much to say, which is married. Witness the vulgar translation allowed of by the Council of Trent, which translates the 10. verse of the 7. Chap. of the 1 to the Corinthians; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, iis autem qui matrionio iuncti sunt, to those which are married, and not as Bellarmine, jis qui uxorem habuerunt, to those which have been married.  
The 6. General council assembled at Trulla to make Canons hath an express ordinance hereupon in the 13. Canon in these words. For as much as we have understood, that it hath been ordained for a rule in the Church of Rome, that whosoever will be a Deacon or Priect, must first protest that he will never any more after that have to do with his wife: we, following the Apostolical order & discipline, will that the lawful marriages of Clergy men be for ever available, by no means separating them from their wives, nor forbidding them to come together at convenient times. Wherefore if any one shall be thought worthy to be chosen a subdeacon, deacon, or a Priest, let him not be hindered from mounting to this degree because he dwells together with his lawful wife, and let it not be exacted of him in the day of his election to renounce the company of his lawful spouse. Lest by this we be constrained to disgrace marriage, which was first instituted by God, and blessed by his presence, seeing that the Gospel cries out that no man should separate that which God hath joined together; This, under the pain of excommunication & deposition: and all against the Church of Rome, expressly named in the Canon. It is true indeed that Bellarmine incensed against the Council, calls it profane, in his 1. book of Clerks 19 Chap. so defaming and disgracing these ancient counsels as often as they shall speak against the Church of Rome. But he did not mark how withal he condemned Pope Adrian, which allows of this 6. Council together with all the Canons thereof: which approbation is inserted in the Decretals in the third Distinction of Consecration.  
To this council doth justinian's constitution agree in the Code, & 2. law De Episcopis & Clericis: the words whereof are these. Let not clergy men be compelled to find post horses, nor carts for common carriages, and let not their goods and substance be taxed for this purpose. Let all Clarcks enjoy this privilege, so that neither their wives nor their children be subject to this burden.  
We have heard a multitude of ancient authors hereupon, which teach that the Apostles were married. If we believe Platina in the life of Cletus the 1. S. Luke was married, and had his wife in Bythynia. Athanasius towards the end of his epistle to Dracontius, shows the custom in his days. Many bishops, saith he, are not married, on the contrary there be monks that are the fathers of children; as on the other side we have known bishops that have had children, and Monks that have had none: as who should say, that in this there was no law nor necessity imposed.  
Socrates in the 22. chap. of his 5. book. Many (saith he) St. Gregory of Nysse, brother to Basilius, was married; of whom Nicephorus speaks thus in the 11. Chap. of his 11. book. Although he had a wife, in other things he was not inferior to his brother. Sozomene in the 11. Chap. of his 1. book speaks thus of Saint Spiridion. He was a plain man having wife and children, but this made him never the worse for his divine function. Mantuan speaks after this manner of S. Hilary in the first book of his Fasti.  
Non nocuit tibi progenies, non obstitit uxor  
Legitimo coniuncta thoro, non horruit illa  
Tempestate Deus thalamos, cunabula, taedas  
Thy children did not mar thy course of life,  
Nor wast thou made the worse for thy wife,  
God liked the marriage bed well till of late,  
But what he then did like, he now doth hate  
And Synesius Bishop of Cyrene, was admitted Bishop, although he told them plainly that he would not therefore depart from his wife, and would have as many children by her as he could. S. Hierome himself a mortal enemy of marriage, yet nevertheless (when he is out of collar against jovinian) allows of the marriage of Bishops. For in his Epistle to Oceanus, he defends Carterius a Bishop of Spain which had a second wife, against a certain lewd fellow, which being a fornicator spoke i'll of Carterius his marriage. He saith therefore. Carterius hath desired to have children by his wife; but thou by giving thy body to a quean hast destroyed thy race. He hid himself in the secret corners of his chamber, whilst he served nature, and the blessing of God, saying, increase and multiply, & fill the earth; but thou serving thy beastly lust in open places wert detested by the beholders. He concealed a lawful action by an honest modesty; but thou hast exposed thy unlawful actions to the sight of all men. For him it is written, that marriage is honourable, and the bed undefiled; but for thee, that God shall judge fornicators and adulterers. And the same Hierome against jovinian, where he speaketh so disgracefully of marriage, doth yet acknowledge that in his time Priests were married. If it be said (saith he) that Samuel, which was brought up at the Tabernacle, had a wife, how doth this prejudice virginity? As if there were not at this day many Priests that are married: seeing that the Apostle describes a Bishop to be the husband of one wife, etc. Leo the 1. Bishop of Rome in his 85. Epistle speaking of the Apostles Commandment of choosing a Bishop, which either is, or hath been the husband but of one wife, saith that this Commandment was always observed so religiously that the same condition was held fit to be kept in choosing the wife of a Priest.  
Yet (notwithstanding all this) I do not deny, but that many holy men in times past, have devoted themselves to a single life; thinking marriage a state of life not so agreeable with a Bishops calling as virginity. We may see many examples for this in chrysostom, Epiphanius, Hierome, and Ambrose. And which is more, Origen that he might live chastened did utterly disable himself for being fit for the act of generation; whether it were that he did geld himself, or use some other means to mortify his members. And indeed, as the Counsels before mentioned do permit a Priest to take a wife, and to enjoy her as he did before he was a Priest; so I confess it was the most usual custom for Priests to marry before they took orders, it being the common fashion at this day in Greece for their Priests to take wives some few days before their ordination, and those once dead, never to marry again; but to be married after their ordination this was unusual. Until at last the Council of Neocaesarea which is but provincial, did in the 1. Canon forbid Priests ever to marry after their admission. These were yet but the seeds of error; to which, that they might not increase, the Counsels held in the East, have made Canons clean contrary. But in the West, that is to say, in the Latin Church, which is called the Roman, the Romish Bishops having found by experience, that virginity was the fittest state for the preserving of Church goods, & of maintaining their authority over the Clergy, did willingly admit of it, and by all means seek to uphold it. And this evil, being increased amongst the Gauls, Salvian a Bishop of Marsilia, which lived in the time of Clowis as then an heathen, complaineth much of it, towards the later end of his 5. book of providence; where he speaks after this wise unto such as did refrain from marriage that they might enter into some holy order of religion. This is a new kind of change. They do not that which they may, and do that which they may not. They abstain from marrying, but do not abstain from rapine. O foolish persuasion! what dost thou? God hath forbidden sins, & not marriages.  
Gregory the 1. bishop of Rome did maintain this error to the utmost of his power, about the year of our Lord, 600. and yet notwithstanding in Boniface his questions, and 4 book of dialogues, 11. chap. he speaks of Priests wives whom he calleth Presbyteras, and makes mention of a Priest of Narsia, that did abstain from lying with his wife, For (saith Gregory) holy men have this property, sometimes to abstain from lawful things, that so they may always estrange themselves from the things that are unlawful. In his judgement therefore, if this priest had dwelled with his wife, he had done no more than what he might do lawfully.  
To be short, what care and diligence so ever the bishops of Rome and their substitutes did use, they could not effect what they intended, but slowly: there being not as yet above 500 years past, since that Priests were married in France, England & Germany. For the proof whereof I could produce many good witnesses, which report of the great oppositions that the Popes have had in this matter, and the general outcries of the whole clergy.  
It remains that we make good this clause of the Apostles prophecy, wherein he foretelleth us that lying spirits shall teach this error through hypocrisy, having cauterized consciences, that is to say, having lost all sense and feeling of conscience, as a tooth or other part of the body that is seared with an hot iron to dead it.  
Now that this doctrine was first planted by the Doctors of the Romish church even against their own consciences it is easy to prove by unanswerable arguments.  
1 For they call marriage a sacrament, and yet they say that in Monks & Priests it is sacrilege. Can they possibly imagine that one and the self-same action should be a sacrament in one, and sacrilege in an other? Or that any one may be said to commit sacrilege in using a sacrament?  
2 Again, this is against their conscience, when they feign that they establish this decree of virginity for no other end but that Clerks should be the more holy, when the true cause thereof indeed, is the preservation of church goods, for fear a bishop or Priest should pair away some thing from them, and employ it to the use of his wife and children; as Pope Gregory witnesseth in the 28. Distinction, & Canon De Syracusanis, where he saith that the reason why he did refuse to admit of a certain bishop, was, because he had a wife, & children, by whom the church goods do use to be endangered. And yet notwithstanding, at the urgent request of the people of Syracuse he did receive him, on condition that his wife and children should not meddle at all with the church revenues.  
3 It is also against their own conscience, that having once confessed, that the single life of priests and monks, is not by the commandment of God, but only by the law of man; yet they labour to prove it out of the scripture. For if their proofs be good, then is it by the law of God.  
4 It is likewise against their conscience, that after they have acknowledged that fornication is unlawful by the law of God, and that the single life of priests is established only by the law of man, yet notwithstanding they maintain that it is a less sin for a Priest to commit fornication, then to marry.  
5 It is not with a good conscience that whilst they exact a vow of chastity of their priests, they should in the mean space excuse their lasciviousness, as the * Canonists do, which have made this gloss on the Decree in the 11. cause quest. 3. But if a priest embrace a woman, it is to be presumed that he doth it to no other end, but to give her a fatherly benediction.  
6 They go against their conscience, when they say, that they do not forbid marriage, and yet will not suffer a priest, that is a known fornicator, to be married.  
7 They speak against their conscience, when they say that they are no enemies of such marriages as are approved of in the Scripture, and yet never the less in their Decrees (which are the laws of the church of Rome) they suffer 
* Can. hac ratione cause 31. quaest. 1. ᵒ a.  Canons to be, which say that S. Paul commanding such as are widows to marry again, spoke against truth and reason, seeing that such marriage is fornication.  
8 With the like dissimulation they speak of chastity, and yet for all this, suffer unchaste laws and Canons in their decrees. As in the Canon. Is qui, in the 34. Distinction. Where of behold the inscription. He that hath no wife, let him in steed of a wife have a concubine. The Canon following is not much better. It is not lawful for a Christian to have. I do not say many wives, but not so much as two wives, but only one wife, or in defect thereof a Concubine. Likewise the Canon, Dilectissimis in the 12. cause, & 1 quest. which doth commend and approve Plato's opinion the wisest amongst the Greekes▪ which saith that all things should be common amongst friends, now under this name of all things (saith this Canon) questionless men's, wives too are comprehended.  
9 It cannot be with a good conscience that they exact the vow of continency, and yet take away the remedy against incontinency: that they tie men to chastity and yet wink at fornication: forbidding marriage, and opening the Stews: whereby they say that they avoid a greater evil, contrary to the rule of the 
* Rom. 1.  Apostle, who bids us that we should not do evil that good may come thereby. And yet let a man but note how this is a remedy against other evils. For there are many towns where true religion is established, where there are no Stews, and yet fornication is not frequently practised, nor the name of Sodomy scarce known. But the Pope by establishing Stews in Rome, hath he thereby extinguished the sin of Sodomy, or diminished the number of adulterers?  
10 This is also against their conscience that confessing many of the Apostles to have been married, they do yet call the forbidding of marriage an Apostolical tradition.  
11 Finally to know what subtle devises the Pope hath used in these matters of marriage, we are to understand that he hath removed all causes concerning matrimony from the secular Courts of Princes, and taken order for them to be decided at Rome. Now to the end that he might hereby tyrannize over men's consciences, he hath invente● a thousand scruples. He hath found o●● new degrees of spiritual kindred: forbidding marriage between Godfathers, and Godmothers, or their children. Also, the 
* Leu. 18.20  word of God not forbidding marriage any further than between the Uncle and the niece, or the Nephew and the Aunt, which are in the first or second degree, the Pope going lower hath forbidden it between cozen germane, and their children, and those which are remote even to the fourth degree. He hath likewise made it unlawful to marry in Lent. For look how many the more prohibitions there are, so many the more dispensations must there be, which are bought at a dear rate, and by so much the more is he repaired unto. And note that he doth not only dispense with prohibitions of his own making, but with those which God hath made too; suffering Uncles to marry their Nieces, especially in the families of Princes: to the end that the children borne of such that are thus married, should for their own ease be glad to uphold his authority. The counting book of the fees belonging to the Romish court of Chancery, imprinted at Paris by Tousains Denis, in S. james his street, near S. Yuoes. in the year 1520. hath these words. The penitentiary may dispense with the first degree of affinity in the Court of conscience, & such a dispensation is sold for 9 Ducats and six groats. That is to say, that the Pope may give permission to a woman to marry the brother of her dead husband, or to a man to marry his dead wives sister, a thing forbidden by the word of God. Levit. 18. 16. and 20.21.  
We have therefore in this point also plainly seen the Apostles prophecy fulfilled.   

The second part of this prophecy, concerning the forbidding of meats.  
THe Apostle S. Peter commanding us to watch, and be sober presupposeth that sobriety is a help to vigilancy. For it is hard to watch with a full belly: one that is drunk is no fit man to be a sentinel. This watchfulness is requisite to foresee the assaults of Satan, and to avoid his temptations, and to make us lift up our hearts directly unto God. For as a man cannot well study in the kitchen, so neither can one easily meditate of heavenly things whilst his delight is set upon meat. The belly must hold his peace, when the spirit speaks to God, and the desire of eating be as it were mortified by this spiritual hunger, whereof our Saviour speaks in the 4. of john, saying, My meat is to do the will of my father that sent me; hardly can the love of God live together with the pampering of the body. Hardly can a man ever imprint any mark of godliness in his heart, whose palate is more skilful than his understanding: or which enthralleth his mind to his belly, nourishing this not so much for necessity, as curiosity: but if this evil be pernicious at all times, it follows that sobriety is always necessary, and that a Christians life ought to be a continual fast; yea, I dare affirm, that in this, piety may learn of superstition: For if the superstitious do fast the evens of holy days, why should not we fast all our life long, since it is nothing else but the vigil of that great holiday which is the everlasting sabbaoth?  
Fasting therefore is an holy exercise, & in the word of God ordinarily joined together with prayer. So our Lord jesus in the 17. chap. of S. Matthew and 21 verse, speaks of certain stubborn spirits, that could not be cast out but by prayer & fasting. And S. Paul in the 1. to the Corinthians, & 7. chap. Defraud not one an other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer. For they knew that there was a mutual accord between prayer and fasting. Fasting inflames prayer, and prayer sanctifies fasting; Fasting removes negligence from prayer, and prayer removes pride and superstition from fasting. For as prayer without fasting is but slow, so fasting without prayer is but a bodily diet, and no spiritual exercise. God is more angry then pleased with this service, if that whilst a man hath an empty stomach, he be drunken with wrath, or glutted with lewd lusts. For he reckons of both alike, both of the surfeits of the wicked, and the fasts of hypocrites, which change virtue into foolery, and christian sobriety into a distinction of meats, and into scrupulous observations, with (I know not) what opinion of merit, and satisfaction. As though fasting could satisfy God, or as though he were bound more to pleasure him which hath lost his dinner. For true fasting is to make us more fit for to serve God, but not for to merit any thing at his hands, or for to lay down a payment for our sins, for which jesus Christ hath already fully satisfied.  
But it is not so now a days; so hath superstition overrun true devotion, and marred this holy exercise. This abuse began in the Apostles time; and is reprehended by the Apostle S. Paul in the 2. chap. of his Epistle to the Colossians, where he rebukes those which said, taste not, touch not, handle not, doing this, not because they thought any kind of meat more unclean than other, but (saith he) by a voluntary religion, and humbleness of mind, that they might not spare their bodies, nor have any regard to pampering of their flesh. Some 150 years after came the Tatians and Montanists, them the Manichees, and after them Eustacius bishop of Sebastia (whom Sozomen takes to be the author of the Asceticks of Basil) taught certain superstitious fasts and distinctions of meats; all which were condemned for heretical by the ancient Church.  
Last of all came the Church of Rome, which now is so far transported with this error, that the greatest part of their religion consisteth in these petty observations of days, and distinctions of meats, which are so many in number, that the bondage of the legal Ceremonies might be called liberty in respect of these; For whosoever will reckon up all their fasting days in a year, shall find that they come to more than 5 months yearly. In some of these days flesh only is forbidden; in others butter also and eggs. In Spain they are suffered on fasting days to eat the inwards of calves, and sheep, which they call morsilloes and menudillos. A good and religious christian is now a days discerned by this, to wit, if he keep Lent, and the four Ember weeks, and the vigils of Festival days; that which was craftily imposed at first. For in taking away the holy scripture from the people, and giving them divine service in an unknown tongue, he must needs think on some think to busy their bodies withal, whilst he did blind their minds, & give them some corporal exercise, whilst he rob them of spiritual instruction. Hence comes it that the poor people do to a day know all the fasting days exactly, and how many holy day evens there be to be fasted; but know nothing at all in the scripture. Hence also comes it that the priest in confession doth carefully inquire of the sinner, whether he hath kept Lent or no, and the 4 fasts: but never asketh if he have confirmed his faith in the promises of the gospel, if he be instructed in the holy scripture, if he understand the mysteries of our redemption: if he love God with all his heart, and his neighbour as himself: But if it be found that the sinner have broken the ordinance of the Church by eating flesh in Lent, especially in the week which they call, the holy week; the Priest than hath no power to absolve him, but sends him to the penitentiary. As for murder, & adultery, and other less sins which are but against the law of God, the Priest can easily absolve him from such crimes; On the contrary, if he have fulfilled the commandment of the Church, and fasted according to the laws thereof, why, this is a meritorious work, not only for his sins that shall thus have fasted, but for the sins of others too. And this fasting is not measured by the quantity of meat, but he is said to keep Lent, that eateth no flesh, nor eggs, although he drink that which is better, and feed on the best fish that can be got: for as for their after-suppers of comfits, and dry suckats, they are not reckoned, because they take these as Physic, & for to follow the Apostles counsel who advised Timothy to comfort himself by drinking wine against the weakness of the stomach. So have they been more careful to fulfil the Apostles prophecy then the commandment of God.  
Their ordinary excuse is, that S. Paul in this prophecy speaketh of the Montanists and Manichees, which held some meats to be unclean & profane: But that the Church of Rome thinks no meat unclean, but only forbids certain kinds thereof for some few days, to take down the flesh by using it the more coarsely, and by withholding such meats from the body, as do most provoke lust.  
1 But against this, we have seen above, how the Apostle S. Paul in his Epistle to the colossians, condemneth those by name which by refraining from set kinds of meat (being led thereunto by a voluntary religion and humbleness of mind, thought to use their bodies hardly, & had no regard to the pampering of their flesh. And he speaks not to the jews, for the jews did not abstain from certain kinds of meats for to subdue their bodies, but to obey Moses' law. Besides S. Paul calleth these observations the commandments of men, but the jews kept theirs as the commandments of God. Hereunto add that the Apostle speaketh of such who besides the error of distinguishing of meats did worship Angels withal. An error wherewith as then the jews were not branded.  
2 Moreover the Apostle speaks generally, and reckons the forbidding of meat, amongst the errors and doctrines of Devils, without specifying any reason for which it is done; The Church of Rome doth do that which heretics do, although it be for another reason.  
3 But what matter is it whether we know for what cause they of the Church of Rome do abstain from certain meats, since in effect they make a conscience to eat of them, & that the Apostle doth forbid us to make a conscience of this; For behold his words in the 10. of the 1. to the Corinthians. If any of them which believe not, call you to a feast, and if you will go, what soever is set before you, eat, ask no question for conscience sake. This rule likes not the Church of Rome, the people whereof are instructed, when they shall be invited by such as they call heretics and infidels, to make a conscience of not eating all things indifferently that are set before them. Behold therefore a forbidding of meats condemned by the Apostle, and by consequence the fulfilling of this prophecy.  
But what if we show that the Church of Rome doth count flesh and the like meats to be unclean in their own nature? For if it forbid the eating of flesh for no other reason but only because it provokes to lust, it should far rather have forbidden, wine, and sauce, and sweet meats, which inflame the blood, and do far more provoke lust then any thing else whatsoever. 2 But what means that custom of carrying their meat after Lent to the Priest for him to say his exorcisms over it, and bless it, if they did not think that some wicked spirits lay lurking in it all the Lent long, and that it had some pollution whereof it had need to be purged? For if it were otherwise, and if that the intent of the Priest were only to bless the meat, as we do ours usually at meals before we feed upon it, this blessing would be as good at any other times, as after Lent, and there would need no conjuration. This is likewise confirmed by this, that the religious which make profession of a greater sanctity than others, as the Benedictins, and Chartrians, do altogether abstain from flesh all their life long, and eschew the touching or tasting of it, as of a profane thing: Doing in this worse than they whom the Apostle condemns in the 2. to the colossians which say, taste not, touch not, being moved thereunto only with a voluntary religion, for to humble themselves & bring down the flesh. But if you read the disputations of our school Doctors, as of Durandus, and Alensis, & others, you shall find that the reasons which they give, why flesh is forbidden and not fish, do presuppose some uncleanness in flesh. For there be some of them say, that the reason is, because the creatures of flesh were cursed and drowned in the general deluge, & not the fish: by which reason it should follow, that neither ducks, nor any other water fowl should be forbidden to be eaten in Lent. Others of them there be that say that the reason is, because jesus Christ never did eat any thing but fish after his resurrection. They cannot deny but that he did eat his part of the paschal lamb the last week in Lent before Easter: but I imagine these Masters will presuppose that he did dispense with his own sanctity in this. Finally if of two impure actions committed by any one, the one be more grievously punished then the other, is it not because it is more impure? When therefore the Church of Rome doth inflict a greater punishment on him that doth eat flesh in Lent, then on him that hath committed fornication; doth it not thereby show that it takes flesh in Lent to be more unclean than fornication?  
Nevertheless, for to pleasure them, let us suppose that the forbidding of certain meats in the Church of Rome, be not built upon any impurity conceited to be in the meat; and having granted them this, let us see, if herein our adversaries differ from ancient heretics. Sozomene in his 3. book, and 31. Chapter. witnesseth that Eustacius Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia, was the first that ever brought the monastical profession into Armenia, Pontus, and Paphlagonia, putting a difference between meats, and inventing a strange kind of habits, & other absurd things contrary to the ordinance of the Church. He tells us also how that many women being ruled by the Disciples of that sect, shaved their heads under the show of religion: that the Council of Gangres declared them to be cut of from the Church, if they did not renounce their opinions. In this Council Sozomene saith that Eustacius protested how he did not bring up this as a necessary doctrine, but only for discipline sake, or as a devout exercise and acceptable unto God. This at that time was the excuse of heretics, whereby they did excuse their forbidding of meats, just after the same manner that the Church of Rome doth now adays.  
The Montanists likewise were generally condemned by the ancient church because they forbade flesh to be eaten. Whether they did this out of an opinion they had, that flesh was defiled and polluted, or for exercise sake, to beat down the flesh, and curb in their lust, no man can better resolve us then Tertullian, the captain of that band; who himself was stained with this heresy, and hath purposely written a book of this matter, entitled, Adversus Psychicos, against fleshly men: For so is it his pleasure to style the catholics. Whose objections against the Montanists, he produceth in the second chapter, which are all one with ours against the church of Rome. For in the 2. chap. the Catholics tell the Montanists. That the law and the prophets lasted but till john, after what time men fasted as they thought best, not for that they were so commanded by the imposition of a new discipline, but accordingly as every man saw his occasion. That the Apostles used to do thus, imposing no other burden of solemn and set fasts. They do yet farther allege the saying of the Apostle rebuking the 
* Gal 4. v. 10  Galathians, because they observed days and months. They do also object that God himself in the 58 of Esay approves not of that fast that is an abstaining from meat, but of that which is an exercise of the works of righteousness. And that jesus Christ hath in a word answered all these scrupulous observations of eating and drinking, by saying, That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man, 
Mat. 15. v. 11  but that which cometh out of the mouth, that defileth the man. Wherefore he himself made no scruple to eat & drink, till at last he was reprehended for it, and called a glutton. That the Apostle teacheth that it is not meat that maketh us the more acceptable unto God, etc. To be brief, the faithful in times past did dispute against the Montanists as we do now a days against the church of Rome, & the Montanists likewise did defend themselves by the same shifts and excuses that the Church of Rome now doth. For see how they answer in the 15. chap. of the same book. The Apostle, say they, condemneth such, as did command men to refrain from meat; But the holy Ghost by his prescience, condemned such heretics, before they came, as should enjoin a perpetual fast, for to destroy and vilify the works of the Creator. Hereunto add, that this error of refusing Gods creatures, may well be found amongst the Marcionites, Talians, and Pythagoreans but not in the school of Montanus, which he calleth the Paraclet. And a little after; we abstain from meats, which we do not reject, but only forbear to use them for a time. And a few lines above. The Apostles intent was, to reprehend such as did abstain from meat, out of a kind of loathing disdainfulness, and not out of duty, that is to say, out of a voluntary devotion. So did these heretics excuse themselves, whose forbearing of meat; was not yet left unreckoned amongst their heresies, what protestations soever they made, that they did not think them to be unclean or unlawful in their own nature. Whence it also appears that 
* Ep. 1. Herald.  Epiphanius knew not their tenant, when he accuseth them for mainetaining, that certain meats were unclean and profane.  
Now although the ancient church began to increase the number of fasts, yet were they nothing like those which are now a days practised in the church of Rome. For they did abstain not only from flesh, but also from wine, and all other delicacies. Witness S. Austin in the 1. book of the customs of the church 33. chap. Let those that can, abstain from flesh and wine for two causes, either because of the weakness of their brethren, or else for their own liberties sake herein. And in the book of Faith to Peter the Deacon. 42. chap. Hold this for certain, that the servants of God, which abstain from flesh and wine, do not reject them as unclean things, but they refrain from stronger meats & drinks for to chastise their bodies. chrysostom in the 4. of his Homilies made at Antioch upon the breaking down of the emperors statues. There be some (saith he) that go two whole days without eating a bit, and again there be some, which cutting of not only wine and oil from their table, but all sort of flesh & fish too, feed all the Lent upon nothing but bread and water.  
Basill in his 1. sermon of fasting, would that in fasting there be neither flesh nor wine used, nor any thing else that they like, which serve their bellies; and that we should feed on nothing but bread only. And a little after. Thou dost eat no flesh, but thou dost eat thy brother; thou dost abstain from wine but thou dost not abstain from doing outrage, and bearing thyself insolently, thou stayest for thy meat till night, but thou art all day wrangling at the bar; Woe be unto those that are drunk, but not with wine.  
Also the Fasts of the Ancient, were made partly by the will of some particulars which fasted more or less, as they thought best: & partly by the directions of Bishops, and Pastors of every church, and not by the ordinance of the Bish: of Rome, which had no power in prescribing rules in these matters out of the precincts of his own bishopric. This appears by the diverse customs in the Church. In the time of S. Ambrose they fasted at Rome upon saturday, but at Milan they did not fast then, as S. Austin witnesseth in his 118. epist. to januaries. The church of Milan herein did follow the custom of the Gre●ke church, which fasted neither saturday, nor sunday in Lent; and did for this very cause excommunicate the church of Rome, and denounce it Anathema in the 6. general council, and the 55. Canon, in these words. Because we have understood that in the city of Rome they use to fast on the Saturdays in Lent, against the custom left to the Church: This holy Synod hath therefore decreed, that they shall likewise in the church of Rome keep that Canon, which saith; If a Clerk be found to fast on saturday or sunday, let him be degraded; if a lay man, let him be excommunicated. But this fell out a long time after, this Council being not assembled before the 674. year of our Lord. But at the first these things were more free, and the rules for them, less strict. S. Austin in his 86. Epistle, saith, I see well, that fasting is commanded, in the evangelical, & Apostolical writings, and throughout all the new Testament, but upon what days we should fast or not fast, I see no commandment for this, neither of Christ, nor his Apostles: and a little before he said that the divers observations of Fasts, did not trouble the truth of Faith: & that these things are the plaits of the king's daughter's rob. So did he call the different customs of the Church.  
Eusebius in the 5. book of his history, recites an Epistles of Ireneus, to Victor Bishop of Rome, wherein he speaks of the divers manners of fastings before Easter. There be some, saith he, which think they must not fast but one day, others there be that fast 2, & some that fast more, some measure their fasting days by 40. hours, day and night. And this diversity between the observers of the Easter fast, began not from our time, but long before, from their time (as it is credible) which governing the Church without observing any exact rule, did, a little after, turn that into a custom, which was done in simplicity, and by particular observation. Nevertheless they had all peace amongst themselves, and we yet live in peace together, Agreeably to this in the passage of Tertullian above alleged, the Catholic Church maintaineth against the Montanists, that since john Baptists time, fasts have been free, and that there is no rule which binds us to certain fasts that we must keep in common. S. Basil in his two sermons of fasting, speaking of the fast before Easter, tells us, I know not how often, that this Fast lasted not above 5 days. Let the belly, (saith he in his first Sermon) give us some time of truce, and let that, which is ever a craving, be at peace with us for five days. And toward the end of the homily, he sharply rebukes such, as did use before the five days came, to stuff their guts with meat and wine, to the end they might fast the more easily, and have their bellies filled with provision. And in the second Sermon. This is an ill mind, because we hear of a fast to come of 5 days, therefore to make ourselves drunk before hand.  
We may not omit the history of Alcibiades, recited by Eusebius in the 3. chapt. and 5. book of his history. This Alcibiades did macerate his body by fasting, living only upon bread and water, even whilst he was in the prison: But it was told the Martyr Attalus by revelation, that Alcibiades did ill in abstaining from God's creatures, and did thereby scandalise his brethren; Alcibiades being told hereof, believed it, and did ever after that time eat of all meats indifferently, and without fear, and gave God thanks for it.  
The history of Spiridion, related by Sozomen, in the 1. book, 11. chap. witnesseth that S. Spiridion, and his household, did eat no bread upon fasting days, and that commanding his daughter to cover the table for a stranger, which came suddenly upon him, she answered him that there was no bread in the house, for (it being as then a time of fast) it would have been superfluous. Notwithstanding all this Spiridion made her serve in a piece of pork that he had left. But the stranger (brought up belike in some superstitious place) told him that he would not eat of it, because he was a Christian. Then Spiridion replied, But for this very reason thou shouldst the rather eat of it, for God saith, all things are clean to the clean, and did eat thereof himself. He did not say, eat of it, for I have nothing else in the house, necessity may excuse thee; But he alleages the Apostles rule, which had not been less true, although he had had never▪ so much variety of meat in the house: and he himself in eating thereof without any necessity, & only to give him an example, shows that there was no necessity in this kind of abstinency.  
S. Austin in his 33. chap. of the 1. book of the customs of the Church (speaking of the fasts of Romish and Eastern Monks. which were all artisans, every one getting his living by his trade) saith that none amongst them were put to any hard thing that they were not able to bear: There is no man which putteth a burden upon any one that he shall refuse to carry; and he is not condemned by others because he confesseth himself too weak to follow them, for they have not forgot, how that all things are clean to the clean, etc. And the whole Chapter is spent about this, to show that when a faithful man well informed, doth refrain from certain meats, he doth do this for fear of offending the weak, although he know well enough that it is a thing lawful and indifferent in itself.  
This diversity of customs in divers countries, grounded upon Christian liberty, is set down at large by Socrates in the 22. chap. of the 5 book of his history. He saith that they did not fast at Rome but 3 weeks before Easter excepting Saturday and Sunday. That in Sclavonia, and Greece and Alexandria, they fasted 6. that in other places they fasted 3 times 5 days, at 3 several times, and yet that nevertheless they did call this Lent, every one alleging a divers reason. That there was the like difference in their fasting from meat. Some of them abstaining from all living creatures, others feeding upon fish only, others eating fowl together with fish, as which (according to Moses testimony) were made out of the water. There be some (saith he) which abstain from the fruits of trees, and from eggs. And there be some that tie themselves to eat nothing but bread. And again, there be some, that eat no bread at all. Whence he collects, that since no man can show any express commandment as concerning this, it is evident that the Apostles did remit it to every man's will and pleasure, to the end every one might do good, but not through fear, or by constraint. Neither can it be said, that this which he saith of Rome, is contrary to S. Austin. in his 86. and 11. Epistles. where he saith, that they fast at Rome upon Saturday. For Austin speaks of the Saturdays all the year long, but Sozomene speaks only of the 3 last Saterdaies before Easter. And, say he were mistaken in this, yet is it not likely, but that he told the truth of other Churches, which he himself saw. Especially seeing that his testimony is agreeable to so many witnesses above cited. To whom we will join S. Ambrose, in his 34. Sermon, saying that in his time there were some which made their Lent to last 20 days, others 30. by interchangeable weeks. Now as touching the fast before Easter, the ancients do not rank it in the same degree, as they do the other fasts of the year. For the Catholic Church disputing against the Montanists in the 10. Chapter of Tertullia's book of Fasts, saith, that those days in the Gospel are marked out for fasting, in which the bridegroom was taken away, that is to say, the days in which jesus Christ suffered, and was in his grave; that all other days are in a man's own liberty. And S. Austin gives the self-same reason for it in his 86. Epistle to Casulan. Because jesus Christ said in the 9 of Saint Matthew, that the day would come wherein the bridegroom should be taken away, and then they should fast. This reason (joined together with the ancient custom, witnessed by Irenaeus concerning this, to wit, that many did fast 40 continual hours before Easter) doth discover the very head spring and first beginning of Lent. That is, that they thought themselves bound to fast 40 hours, because jesus Christ was for so long together kept under death, and that this was the time wherein the bridegroom was wanting. Which is likewise confirmed, by that ancient custom of forbidding them to fast after Easter, till whitsuntide were passed: because this was the time wherein the bridegroom was restored, & did converse here on earth after his resurrection. But by little and little this fast began to be enlarged, & men used to fast many days before Easter, some more, some less. Till at last those 40 hours, were turned into 40 days.  
During this diversity of customs in diverse countries, we never read that the bishop of Rome did take upon him to correct other churches, or ever laboured to bring the Greek Church, or that of Milan, to the fashions of the church of Rome.  
But I cannot deny but that some of the ancient were excessive in the praise of fasting. As Ambrose and Basill, which killed himself with fasting, making his body, for a long time, feeble, and unfit for his vocation by emulating Xerophagies a Monk of the desert. In their Homilies of Fasts, they say that Adam fell because he did not fast. That it was fasting that hardened the bodies of the three children thrown into the furnace, and made them not to be burnt. That fasting gave Daniels body a temper of steel so that the teeth of the Lions could not bite him.  
And in S. Augustine's time these and such like scrupulous observations taking place, this good servant of God complained of it. Behold what he saith in his 119. Epistle. That which is brought up besides the common custom, as though it were the observation of some sacrament, I cannot approve of it, although I dare not freely to reprehend it, for fear of offending some persons; either holy, or turbulent. But I am much grieved at this that we set little by many wholesome doctrines contained in holy writ, and all things are so full of presumption, that he shall be more grievously reprehended, which during the Octaves shall touch the earth with his bare foot, than he that shall have buried his understanding in drunkenness. And a little after speaking of such as did charge the church, with many were observations, & particularly with that of abstaining from flesh, he saith. Although it cannot be found that these things are contrary to the faith, nevertheless they lad religion with servile burdens (which God would have to be free, he himself laying nothing upon it, but the observations of the Sacraments, which are but few, neither yet obscure) in such sort, that the condition of the jews is more tolerable. For although they knew not the time of liberty, so it is, that they were subject only to the burdens of the law, and not to human inventions. But the Church of God, mingled with much chaff and many tars, suffereth many things. But she approves not of that which is against the faith, or a good life, neither doth she conceal it, nor yet do it. Wherefore, that which thou wrotest unto me, that there be some which do abstain from flesh, thinking those to be unclean which eat of it, is manifestly against the faith, and sound doctrine. So did this good servant of God, suffer that with grief, which he could not amend. Although the slavery and burdens of which he complaineth, were nothing in respect of ours now adays. He himself in the 118 Epistle, telleth us that he followeth the counsel of Ambrose, as of an oracle, which is this. When I am at Rome I fast the saturday, when I am here, I do not fast. So thou, to what Church soever thou shalt come by chance, conform thyself to the customs thereof, if thou wilt not be a scandal to any body, nor have any one to be a scandal unto thee.  
The abuses which follow, are more gross yet, and farther remote from the ancient simplicity. For the Ancients did not think that their fasts were payments to God, to satisfy for the pain due to our sins. This is a strange kind of fashion, for a man to pay his debts with fasting, as if a creditor should abate his debtor 10 crowns for every day he should fast. He that thinks that God is contented with this, dreams of an easy composition, and pays him but in light money. I confess that God hath wrought many deliverances for them that have fasted: but our adversaries do wrong to attribute that to the virtue of fasting, which was meant by God to faith and prayer, that do sanctify fasting. And they may do well to remember the 
* Luk. 11.  Pharisee, who was sent away, although he fasted twice a week, and gave God to understand of his works of supererogation.  
Above all, they have a good grace, to make one man fast for another, and they would have me believe, that God will pardon my sins, because my neighbour hath fasted for me. There is no judge so foolishly connivent, that will pardon a crime to any one, in consideration that his brother hath not dined. But that which we would judge an intolerable sottishness in a man, shall we think this fitting for God? For the Pope would have him to rest contented with this. And they that are not in the humour of fasting, love rather to borrow it of others, & to change their bodily fast, into a pecuniary mulct. They will say therefore to some religious person, fast for me, and I will content thee. And that which is thus given to Monks shall be called an alms, although they be never so rich. This pretty doctrine is taught in the Canon, Presbyter, in the 82 distinction. He may redeem the moonday fast, if need be, by singing a Psalm, or giving a penny to the poor. And the gloss of the Doctors hereupon. He may free himself from fast by giving a penny; wherefore by a greater reason he may be freed by others fasting for him. Because also that the fasting of the living is available for the dead. Agreeable to the Canon. Animae, in the 13. Cause, & 2. Question. The souls of the dead are delivered by 4 means; either by the oblation of Priests, or by the prayers of the Saints, or by the alms of their friends, or else by the fastings of their kindred and allies. It is Pope Gregory which speaks this, who believed that the souls were in Purgatory, some in hot houses, others under the leaves of trees, others in rivers, and he was much troubled how to get them out thence. Now I say that if the fasting of the living do refresh them, their feasting also must burn and torment them. Track me but any footing of all these opinions in the 3 or 4 first ages.  
Or else of that proper custom, whereby the Prelates that enjoin fasts do dispense with them, giving these dispensations not to the poor but to their friends, and such as are gracious with them. At Rome ye shall get letters of a perpetual dispensation. In the book of the Taxation of the Romish Chancery, formerly alleged, this article is found in the 6. leaf. For that a lay man is not tied to fast on the days which are enjoined him by the Church, and may eat cheese, this letter costs twenty groats. If a poor man pay it, he shall for all that fast after he hath paid it.  
This being so, it is no wonder; if he which gives dispensations to others, do take one for himself, and if the Pope and Cardinals do often dispense with themselves in these matters. For we are to know that in the 25 cause, 1. quest. in the Canon Ideo. upon a question which some made, whether the Church of Rome were subject to the Statutes of councils, Pope Leo the fourth, makes this answer. The holy Church of Rome gives all power, and authority to the holy Canons, but she for her own part is not bound, nor tied to keep them. And a little after he saith that as jesus did submit himself unto the law, and sometimes withstand it, to show that he was master of the law. So, saith he, the bishop of the chief see, respect the Canons made by themselves, or others under their authority, and do yield to keep them, that they might make them to be kept of others; but sometimes too, either in commanding or decreeing, or by oppugning them, they show that they are Lords over the decrees, and the makers of them. And a little after he saith, that the Church of Rome giveth itself special privileges, against general decrees.  
Hereunto add the custom, of making the people to go in procession to our Lady in the beginning of Lent, that they may have leave to eat butter. As also the trick, whereby they delude the ancient custom, of eating nothing in Lent before evening. For now a days they make the evening service to be song before noon, and afterwards eat, saying, that evening is past: And a thousand such like shifts, which betray not only abuse, but mockery too; to the end that the prophecy of the Apostle might be fulfilled, when he saith, that this error shall be taught through hypocrisy, and by such as have their consciences seared with an hot iron. And doubt not, but, if that we had not opposed ourselves against the tyranny of the Pope, which did daily increase like a swelling torrent, there had been worse things seen. After that he had once got the kitchens and shambles under his dominion; he took upon him to make other laws for attire, and household stuff, so that a man might not lie upon a matteresse, nor wear silk, nor presume to bathe himself without some special dispensation. And their book of dispensation fees, made a hundred years since, doth sufficiently show, that they did even then begin to encroach upon these things. For as then, letters of dispensation for a Nun to bathe herself, were prized at a certain rate And letters of dispensation for a lay man, to study in the schools; and letters of dispensation for to bury a body in two sepulchres: and letters of dispensation for a man to keep that which he had got unjustly. To conclude, they amongst this people which do most hate us, may know, that they are bound to us, for that little liberty which they do yet enjoy.    

THE SECOND prophecy contained in the 2. Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessalonians. CHAP. 2.  
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a departing first, and that the man of sin be disclosed, even the son of perdition.  
4 Which is an adversary, and exalteth himself against all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he doth sit as God in the temple of God.  
5 Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things?  
6 And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time.  
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work, only he which now withholdeth, shall let till he be taken out of the way.  
8 And then shall that wicked man be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall abolish with the brightness of his coming.  
9 Even him whose coming is by the effectual working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders.  
10 And in all deceiveableness of unrighteousness among them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  
11 And therefore God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe lies.  

The unfolding of this prophecy in manner of a Paraphrase.  
3 LET no man by any means seduce you, by seeking to persuade you that the day of judgement is near at han●. For this day shall not come, till there be a general backsliding, whereby men shall fall from the true doctrine; & that man of sin, which is marked out to perdition, to wit, the bishop of Rome, be disclosed.  
4 Whom ye shall know by these marks He shall oppose himself against all that is called God, and which is worshipped; to wit against the true and highest God, and against Emperors, and Kings, and Magistrates, whom the holy scripture calleth Gods. Nay, which is more, he shall exalt himself above God, and especially above that which is called God by idolaters, till he shall have got to be absolute commander over the church, and be called the head thereof, usurping both the name and authority of God.  
5 Remember you not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things?  
6 And now ye know what it is that stayeth his coming, which shall come to pass, at the time appointed, & foreordained by God.  
7 For the foundations of this son of perditions dominion are already laid. And Satan doth even now draw out the threads, and spin the beginnings of his doctrine, which shall be woven together by an abominable art, and full of wicked craft. There is nothing but one that hinders the disclosing hereof: that is, the Roman Empire (which doth now oversway the whole world) must remain yet for a time, and afterwards be abolished.  
8 And when this Roman Empire shall be destroyed, then shall this bishop be fully disclosed, and the Papal See shall be exalted by the ruins of the Empire; which bishop, God shall beaten down, and weaken by the preaching of his word, but shall not destroy him utterly till the last day of judgement, then when jesus Christ shall come in glory.  
9 Which Pope shall come fortified with the might and efficacy of Satan, with power, and signs, and false miracles, serving to establish lies.  
10 Whereby such as are marked out to perdition, shall be lewdly seduced, because they have not loved the truth of the Gospel, which might have saved them.  
11 And therefore God will suffer them to be seduced, and to be driven into strong delusions, and that they may believe lies.   

The proof of this exposition.  
He that in the texture of this whole discourse shall not see the Pope's image, & his doctrine, and the means of his rising, all set out in their true colours, doth willingly err, and is blind at noon day. For we bring no bold conjectures; and our explications are not violent or forced, but natural, and such as do of their own accord offer themselves to our hands: such as do not depart from the words of the Apostle, and are taught us by experience. Whosoever will contest about some particulars, shall not thereby endamage the whole body of this Prophecy. For though he move some difficulties upon certain verses here & there, yet it is enough to stagger the most strongly opinionated, when they shall see that all the pieces of this so long a Prophecy do agree upon one only man, and that there is so good a correspondency between all the parts thereof: which shall appear yet more manifestly by the proofs and by the difficulties which our adversaries move to the contrary; let us therefore once more again run over this Prophecy from the beginning, and examine every particular thereof.   

The first part of this Prophecy.  
3 LEt no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come except there be a departing first, and that the man of sin●● be disclosed, even the son of perdition.   

The Exposition.  
3 LEt no man by any means seduce you, by seeking to persuade you that the day of judgement is near at hand. For this day shall not come till there be a general departing, whereby men shall fall from the true doctrine, and that man of sin which is marked out to perdition, to wit, the Bishop of Rome, be disclosed.   

The proof of this Exposition.  
MAny, being either led by curiosity, or spurred on by impatience, affirmed that the day of the Lord was hard at hand. Whose over rash and headlong forwardness, is here stayed by the Apostle, telling them that this day shall not come till there be a falling away. What manner of falling away this is, he himself telleth us in that 
* 1. Tim. 4.1.  Prophecy of his, which we have formerly touched; telling us before hand, that in the latter time many shall fall away from the faith. And so did some of the Ancient understand it; Primasius, chrysostom and Theodoret, whom, his Majesty of England, follows. There be some that understand it, of the people's falling away, from under the Roman Empire. And so do some of the Ancient: which also agreeth with the event. For we shall see anon how that the papacy increased by the decreasing of the Empire, and that the greatness thereof was built upon the ruins of the Empire.  
The head and chief cause of this falling away from the faith, is by the Apostle S. Paul, called the man of sin, & son of perdition, according to the usual form of speech in Scripture, which calleth a bloody man, a man of blood. And those the children of hell, which are marked out for hell. So the man of sin, and the son of perdition, signify, a man that is a notorious sinner, and such a one as is marked out unto perdition.  
That these qualities, some ages since, were fitting the Bishop of Rome, no man can doubt that hath read the writings, not of their enemies, but even of their own servants that have most respected them. Never was there man that did more prostitute himself to uphold the Pope's power then Baronius did. And yet see his own words in the year 912. and 8. article. With what face did the Church of Rome then look, and how ilfavoredly? then, when famous queans, and lewd strumpets did domineer at Rome? at whose pleasure Church livings were bestowsd, Bishoprics given, and that which is horrible to hear, and not to be spoken, their lovers, false Popes, thrust into the seat of Peter. It would be long to repeat the whole passage; till at last he breaks out, and asketh, What Priests, and Deacons Cardinals do ye think were chosen by these monsters? And he complaineth that jesus Christ did sleep, Now he speaks of such a great number of wicked & vicious Popes that it should seem by his reckoning, that jesus Christ slept a long time. Platina in the life of Benedict the 4. saith, The liberty of sinning hath begot us these monsters, and prodigies, which by ambition and corruption, have rather usurped, than possessed the holy chair of Peter, no Prince repressing the wickedness of these men. Nay I dare affirm, that the histories of Emperors, and Pagan kings, written by their enemies, or by strangers, do not speak so ill of them, as the histories of the Popes, written by their own servants, and flatterers, do speak ill of Popes. From the year 870. to the year 1050. You see none but Necromancers, but Adulterers, and Murderers, and infamous persons preferred to the Papacy: Every one knows the complaints of Bernard, of Petrarke, of Mantuan, bewailing the corruption, & bad report of the Court of Rome. If these witnesses be not of authority enough, at least I hope Popes themselves shall be believed herein. Aeneas Silvius otherwise called Pius secundus in the 66. Epist to john Peregall, speaks thus. The court of Rome gives nothing without money; yea the imposition of hands, & the gifts of the holy Ghost are sold; and the remission of sins is communicated unto none, that have not wherewithal to pay for it. Where is the man that durst now adays speak so boldly as S. Bernard did in his 125. Epistle. The beast (saith he) of the Apocalypse, to whom a mouth was given speaking blasphemy, and to make war upon the Saints, doth possess the Chair of S. Peter, as a Lion prepared for the pray. I will annex one passage out of the Canonists, which have glozed the decretals, in the title of Election, and 6. Chap. Their words are. Rome built at first by thieves, doth yet retain the smack of her first religion, being called Roma quasi rodens manus. It must needs be that this evil was great, seeing that in a book so public & authentical, which contains all the laws and Statutes of the Church of Rome, these doctors did insert such things to their own shame. To be brief, if this be humanity, to cause 70000 persons, within a few days to be murdered in a massacre in France; If this be chastity, to establish Stews at Rome: If this be humility, to make Emperors and Kings kiss his feet: If this be fidelity, to dispense with vows and oaths; If this be religion, to wear the cross of Christ upon his Pantofle: If this be liberality, to set the absolutions from sin, and 
* Taxa Cancellaria A. post fol. 11.  dispensations for ill doing, at a certain price of money, and to make express books thereof; I am then content that we be said to have done his Holiness wrong by calling him the man of sin.  
As for the title of the son of perdition, it is not our parts to give judgement upon any body, or positively to define what men are damned: but we pray to God to show mercy to these Popes, which have bathed their hands in our blood. Howbeit * Platina the Pope's servant and Secretary, speaking of their vices, doth as it were despair of their salvation, saying. Our vices are grown to that height, that they will hardly ever find mercy in the sight of God.  
Now here. lest our adversaries should perplex us, we are to know that the Apostle doth not say, that there must of necessity be a general departure, before the son of perdition be revealed, so that when he shall once come, there shall no more faithful men be left in the world: It is enough for the fulfilling of his Prophecy, that this departure be begun, and have already gathered some little strength, then, when the son of perdition shall be disclosed; of which departure he shall make himself the head, and seek to increase it with all his power; which yet shall never be so great, but that there shall be some faithful men in the world, left hid amidst this great corruption.  
Moreover, we need not wonder that the Bishop of Rome, is called the man of sin, in the singular, though there be many of them, one after another. For we speak so commonly, and say that the Emperor goeth before kings, although there be many successive Emperors. So our adversaries say that the Pope is the head of the Church, and not the Popes, because there is but one at a time. In France we use to say that the king dieth not, because that by the king, we do not understand Henry, or Lewis, but a continual descent of kings, one succeeding the other So in the 7. and 8. chapter of Daniel a continual succession of kings, is represented by one only beast, which appeareth yet more plainly in the 8. chapter 20. verse. The ram which thou sawest having two horns, are the kings of the Medes and Persians. And in the verse following, the kings of Greece are figured by a Goat, the horn of which signifieth the first king. The Greek article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is singular, doth most usually signify an indefinite person: as in the 2. to Timothy, and 3. chap. where it is also, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. that the man of God may be absolute, where this word, The man, is aswell, as in this prophecy, taken indefinitely, and applied to divers men a part. And so Matthew the 18. verse 17. Let him be unto thee, as the heathen man, or publican, although there were a great number of this sort; and so shall we find it often. But if the son of perdition were but one only man that were yet to come, how shall the saying of the Apostle stand, who presently upon this telleth us, that the mystery of iniquity did even then in his time begin to work, for to prepare his way? Is it credible that 5. or 700. years should be employed about the producing one only man, which should not last above 3. years, and some few months? Or that the mystery of iniquity should even then begin to work, and that this man should not yet be revealed? Especially seeing that our adversaries make Antichrist to be ● jew, of the tribe of Dan, and which shall build up jerusalem again, whereas we see no preparations for all this, so that by their reckoning the mystery of iniquity should be less prepared now then it was in the Apostles time. But if any one think it strange, that Antiochus Epiphanes which was but one person, should be a figure of diverse successive persons, Let him remember that many high Priests one succeeding the other, were the figures of jesus Christ, which yet nevertheless was but one person. And yet the reason is alike on both sides. Besides, Antiochus is not the figure of many at a time, seeing there is never but one Pope at the same time.  
Neither, can so great a dominion over so many nations (got, not by any exploit of war, but by guile, as the Apocalypse foretells us in the 17. ch.) be the work of one only man, much less of such a one, that shall reign but 3. years and an half; this is a work of many ages; that which follows, suits with this, and is full of perspicuity.   

The second part of this prophecy.  
4 Which is an adversary, and exalteth himself against all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he doth sit as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.  
5 Remember ye not that when I was yet with you, I told you these things?   

The exposition.  
4 Whom ye shall know by these marks. He shall oppose himself against all that is called God, and which is worshipped, to wit, against the true, and highest God, and against Emperors, and kings, & magistrates, whom the holy scripture calleth Gods. Nay, which is more, he shall exalt himself above God, and especially above that which is called God by idolaters, till he shall have got to be absolute commander over the Church, and be called the head thereof, usurping both the name and authority of God.  
5 Remember ye not that when I was yet with you, I told you these things.   

The proof of this exposition.  
The proof of this exposition consisteth in five points.  
1 To show that the Pope calleth himself God, & taketh the authority of God upon him.  
2 That he doth exalt himself above God, and especially above that which is called God by idolaters.  
3 That he doth oppose himself against God.  
4 That he doth oppose himself against kings, and princes, and magistrates.  
5 That he calleth himself the head of the church universal.   

The first point.  
That the Pope names himself God, and is so called by his favourites, this is a common thing, whereof the Pope's Decrees, & the counsels where he sat as chief, are full. The Canon. Satis, in the 96. Distinction, speaks thus. It is manifestly seen that the Pope can in no wise, neither be unbound, nor bound by any secular power; who is known to have been called God, by the religious Prince Constantine before mentioned: now it is apparent, that God cannot be judged by men. He excludes princes therefore from the title of God, that he may reserve it to himself; and approving of Constantine's saying which calleth him God, thence inferreth that the Pope may not be judged by any person. Where we are to note by the way, that Constantine in the council of Nice, speaking to all the bishops present, said unto them, Ye are Gods, but never spoke this in particular to the bishop of Rome.  
The gloss of the extravagant, cum inter of john the 22. hath these words. To think that our Lord God the Pope, the author of the aforesaid Decretal, and of this, had no power to decree as he hath decreed, would be judged an heresy. Where we must note that the Cardinals, & Doctors appointed by Pope Gregory the 13. for the correcting of the Canons, Decretals, Clementines, and, Extravagants, having corrected many other glosses, do not touch this at all, and were willing to have it remain as it is.  
In the last council of Lateran, and 9 Session in the year 1514. one of the secretaries of the Pope's chamber speaks thus to Leo the 10. The looks of your divine majesty, with the beame-darting splendour of which, my weak eyes are dimmed, which was inserted in the council, as good, and warrantable; For there must never any impieties be put into counsels, without being found fault with. Nay which is more, after that the said council was written out, Pope Leo approved of it, and his approbation is set in the frontispiece thereof: in the same 
* Pag. 510. edit. Colon. tom. 4.  page the papal dignity, is called, Divinun imperium, the kingdom of God.  
In the 2. book of holy ceremonies 7. section, & 6. chapter. There are these words, The seat of God, That is to say, the Apostolical seat. And Steuchus likewise the Pope's library keeper, in his book of the donation of Constantine, saith that Constantine held Pope Sylvester for a God (& adoravit ut Deum) and worshipped him as God.  
In Italy upon the gate of Tolentur there is this inscription. to Paul the 3. the most high and mighty God upon earth. Upon the triumphal arch, erected to Pope Sixtus the 4. as he entered in state into Rome, there was this written 
Oraclo vocis mundi moderaris habenas  
Et merito in terris crederis esse Deus.  
This lower world thy sacred words do sway,  
Style thee an earthly God we rightly may.  Stapleton an English jesuit in the preface of his book, of the principles, of the doctrine of faith calls Gregory the 13. Supremum, plane supremum in terris numen. The supreme, the most absolute supreme God upon earth.  
And Coeffeteau denieth not this, but saith that the Pope is God in the same sense that the scripture calleth kings, and other powers by the name of Gods: an idle excuse, and against the intent of his Holiness For in the old testament, this word of Gods is indeed attributed to Princes in the plural. But for a man's self to attribute the name of God unto himself in the singular; this is a thing which no christian prince nor prelate ever did. The bishop of Rome is the first, who some ages since began to usurp this title.  
We are also to note, that the word jehovah in the old testament is never attributed to any creature: but well the word of Elohim may in the plural, which signifieth Gods, and Lords. As for the new testament, wherein the headsprings of all christian religion are contained, & which should rule our fashion of speaking, ye shall never there find the name of God in the singular attributed to any but God himself, or to Satan whom the Apostle calleth, The God of this world, because in this world he seeks by all means to encroach upon God's right. Heathen Emperors also have taken upon them the title of God, as Bassian Caracalla, & before him Domitian, whom 
* Sues. in Dom cap. 13 Mart. lib. 5. ep. 8.  Sueton, and 
* Sues. in Dom cap. 13 Mart. lib. 5. ep. 8.  martial call Dominus Deus noster, the Lord our God, which are the very same words with those which I have formerly cited out of the gloss. But this name was ever reputed odious amongst the Christians, when it was once attributed to man, because they have no more excellent or reverend name then this; not as the Hebrews, who are of opinion that the name of jehovah is more holy and incommunicable.  
But for to know in what sense the Pope is called God, the Pope himself can best resolve us. For out of this title, he gathereth by consequence that he should be adored; The last council of Lateran, in the 3. and 10. sessions saith. The Pope ought to be worshipped of all people, and is most like unto God: and that a man might not imagine that it speaketh of a civil kind of worship, it is there told us what manner of adoration this must be, wherewith he is to be adored; to wit, that it must be with that kind of adoration that is mentioned in the 72. Psalm. Adorabunt eum omnes reges terrae, All the kings of the earth shall worship him. Where by worship, the highest kind of worship is meant, which is due to the son of God; as Tertullian teacheth us in his 5, book 7. chap. against Martion. So doth Mantuan understand it, which speaks of the Pope: 
Ense potens gemino, cuius vestigia adorant  
Caesar, & aurato vestiti murice reges,  
He hath 2 swords within his power to draw,  
Caesar adores him with an humble awe:  
And kings with Caesar too in this do meet,  
Bowing their necks down for to kiss his feet.  The histories of these last ages are full with examples of this adoration of the Pope. In the 2. Tom of counsels they do highly magnify justinian because he did adore Pope Agapet●. But the most remarkable worship that is given him, is that which they do unto him within the conclave, immediately after his election. As soon as ever he is pronounced Pope by the Cardinals shut up in the conclave, they presently run unto him, and pulling of his own apparel, put on other instead thereof, red hose, and red shoes with a cross of gold, a red girdle with buckles of Gold, a red cap, and a rochet, and answerably fitting him with a red mantle, and a triple crown glittering with Diamonds, they mount him up upon their shoulders aloft, as it were some glorified body, and set him upon the Altar. This amongst the Italians is commonly called adoration: and is therefore the more worth the noting, because the Pope is set upon the Altar, which is a place where they set their Masse-god, and which is appointed for divine worship: so that this worship, cannot be taken for a civil worship. Hereunto add that in civil affairs kings have more authority than Popes, and should therefore by a consequent rather be worshipped with civil honour. But they do not only not worship Kings, but exact of kings themselves to worship the Popes. But if a King called himself God, he might seem to have some show for it, by alleging the passage out of the old Testament wherein kings are said to be Gods, yet should a king so do he would be thought by Christians to be little less than a blasphemer, and I am persuaded that the Pope himself would not like it, being that he usurps the name of God excclusively from all other Princes unto himself, by reason that it is a holy word, and imports as much as adoration. Neither will he be won to grant, that kings, because they are called Gods by David, should therefore deny to be judged; seeing that he takes upon him to be their judge. And yet we have seen before, how the Pope out of this very saying of David, concludeth that no man may be his judge, although in that place there be no mention made of Bishops or Pastors, but of Princes: It is easy to be known in what sense he calleth himself God, since he usually calls his decrees, and Canons by the name of 
* Extra. D● Mai●rit▪ & obed titulo. 33. cap. Perpetuas.  Oracles. Now an oracle signifieth an heavenly answer, proceeding from the mouth of God. Rom. 3. verse 2. & chap. 11. v. 4. with the like modesty doth he call his decretal Epistles Canonical scriptures in the 19 Distinction, in the Canon In Canonicis, the inscription whereof is this. Inter Canonicas scripturas Decretales Epistolae connumerantur. The decretal Epistles are reckoned amongst the Canonical scriptures. That is to say, that the Pope's Decrees are equal to the holy scripture, and by a consequent are the word of God.  
What can one say more of God then that which the above cited council of Lateran, in the 9 & 10. Sessions speaks of the Pope, to wit, that he hath all power above all powers, both of heaven and earth? And he himself speaks as much of himself in the 1. book of holy ceremonies. 7. sect. 6. chap. where Pope Sixtus the 4. speaks thus. This Pontifical sword representeth the Sovereign temporal power that Christ hath given the Pope his vicar upon earth, as it is written. All power is given me both in heaven, and in earth, and 
* Ps. 72. v. 8.  elsewhere. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, & from the river unto the ends of the land. Which power is also signified by the velvet cap which Popes wear. Of which power even over heaven itself, Innocent the 3. was bold to make use in the bull▪ Ad liberandum: where he grants unto Pilgrims, that die in their pilgrimage, to enjoy a greater degree of glory in Paradise above others.  
Besides I say, that to call himself his Holiness exclusively to all others, is to take a name upon him that is proper to God alone, who is not only the most holy Father, (a name which the Pope doth also assume) but Holiness itself. As also for to attribute all power unto himself as Paul the 5. doth in this holy register, where he calls himself a Vice-God, the Monarch of the Christian world: the upholder of the papal omnipotency.  
Next in order comes our Saviour jesus Christ, adorned with titles, names & qualities, all which the Pope applieth unto himself. He calls himself at lest a hundred times in his Canons and Decrees, The spouse of the universal Church; Bellarmine goeth yet farther, Etiam Christo secluso, (that is) that he is so indeed, Christ being set apart, in the 9 Chapt. & 1. book of the Pope; And although Christ were not excluded, yet so it is that in matter of marriage, men do not lightly admit of a companion, much less will this be endured in that holy conjunction with Christ, concerning which S. 
* 2 Cor. 11. v. 2.  Paul saith. I have prepared you for one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. And that he might leave him nothing proper, Leo the 10. in the Council of Lateran formerly cited, is called the Lion of the tribe of juda, the root of David, the Saviour of Zion. And Bellarmine in the preface of his book of the pope, calleth the pope the corner stone, a tried stone, a precious stone, whereof Esay speaks in his 28. Chap. 16. verse. Which is therefore the more to be noted, because the Apostle in the 9 Chap. of the Epistle to the Romans, saith, that none that believe in this stone shall be put to confusion.  
After that he hath once seized upon the names and titles of the Father, and of his son our Saviour, it is no wonder that he equalleth himself with the holy Ghost, saying in the 25 cause, 1. quest. that to violate his Canons & ordinances is to blaspheme against the holy Ghost, to the end we should know, that such an offence shall never be pardoned, neither in this world nor in the world to come.   

The second point. That the Pope doth exalt himself above God.  
THE Apostle will tell us in the 10. verse of this Chap. that the son of perdition shall use all guile and deceitfulness. Whence it follows that we must not think that this man of sin, this son of perdition, shall openly proclaim unto us, and say. I am more great and powerful than the eternal God, which created the world. For who would follow him if he should speak thus? Or how could any one be seduced therewithal? but rather he must insinuate himself through deceit, and under the show of sanctity. He shall have (saith the holy Ghost in the 13. of the Apocalypse) two horns like the lamb, but he shall speak like the Dragon: making a show of Christianity, and professing the name of Christ, but teaching devilish doctrine, As S. Hilary saith against Auxentius; under the colour of preaching the Gospel he shall be contrary unto Christ, so that the Lord jesus shall be denied, whilst men think he is preached. It is sufficient therefore for the fulfilling of this prophecy, that the son of perdition doth in effect lift himself above God, although he profess that he is beneath him. And it will be no great labour to prove this.  
1 Whosoever shall quit a servant from the obedience due to his master, must needs be greater than his master: But the pope's dispense with the setvants of God for obeying of God: Whence it followeth that they are greater than God. A horrible thing, yet that which is necessarily inferred out of their doctrine, No man will deny the mayor, the minor is verified by a thousand examples.  
1 It is God's will that we should keep our oaths and vows, but the pope useth to dispense with them. Say that a man have vowed and promised to God to go on pilgrimage; the pope if it please him, will dispense with him for it, teaching him how to be perjured with a good conscience. And how know I whether God also will free me, or whether he will condescend to his Holiness his william.  
2 God hath knit man and wife together with a knot, that may not be loosed for any thing but adultery. But the pope breaks of marriages in many other cases, frustrating the rule of the Gospel, which saith, That which God hath joined let no man sever.  
3 God hath expressly commanded the obedience & fidelity of subjects towards their Prince, although he be an infidel: But the Pope will free subjects from this obedience & fealty towards their Prince, although this Prince be no infidel, nor tainted with any other crime, nor one that shall withstand the Romish religion, but only if the pope be of opinion that he is not fit for government, as pope Zacharie boasted that he dealt with Childericke, and Sixtus the 5 a little after with our K. Henry the 3.  
4 God saith in the gospel, Do works worthy of repentance, This commandment is express and general, with which yet the Pope will dispense by his Indulgences as Cardinal Bellarmin saith in the 13. cha. of his 4. book of penance; Indulgences cause that for the pains which are pardoned us by the Indulgences, we be not bound to this commandment of bringing forth fruits worthy of repentance.  
5 God in his law doth formally forbid marriage in the 1. degree of affinity, that is for a man to marry the sister of his dead wife, or for a woman to marry the brother of her dead husband. Levit. 18. & 20. And yet for all this, the tax of the Pope's Chancery fees in the 40. leaf, gives a dispensation and permission for this at a certain price. The Penitentiary in the Court of Chancery may dispense in the first degree of affinity, and such a letter is sold for 9 ducats, and six groats.  
6 As for a man to marry his Aunt or his niece, a thing which God also hath expressly forbidden in the 18. and 20. chap. of Levit. The Pope's dispensations are frequent in this kind; especially in great families.  
7 In all these things, and more such like, the Pope doth exalt himself above God, since he dispenseth with men not to obey his commandments. And he himself & his Doctors do not dissemble this. For in the 8. Title of the grant of Prebends, he boasteth that by the fullness of that power which he hath, he can dispense with the law, & above the law. And the Gloss of the Canonists upon this place maketh it clear, where it is said. Papa contra Apostolum dispensat, & contra Canones Apostolorum. Item contra vetus testamentum, Iten in juramento. The Pope dispenseth against the Apostle, and against the Canons of the Apostles, and against the new Testament, and with oaths. And upon the Canon, Lector, in the 34. Distinction. The Pope can dispense against the Apostle; and upon the 25. cause, 1. Question. The Pope doth dispense with the Gospel, by giving it what interpretation he list.  
8 How many dispensations for age doth he give contrary to the Apostles will? Who 
* 1. Tim. 3.6  forbiddeth that a bishop should be a young scholar. He bestoweth bishoprics upon children; yea, the very Popedom itself (into which none are now a days invested, but old men) hath in times past been given to children. Benedict the 6. was not above 9 years old when he was chosen pope, as Baronius witnesseth in the year, 1033. 6. Article. He which as yet knew not what faith meant, could not err in the faith.  
2 To this proof we may annex an other, which is a demonstration, built upon these maxims, that, those faults are greater which are committed against a greater person; so it is a greater injury for a man to wrong his king, than his neighbour, & for to strike his father, than his companion, as also upon this, that the more grievous the faults be, they are punished the more grievously: If therefore an offence committed against the Pope, be more severely punished then an offence committed against God; if the Pope's Decrees be more authorised, than the commandments God: if a man be thought to have sinned more heinously in disobeying the Pope, then in disobeying God; how can we but confess, that this sin of the two is thought to be the greater, and by a consequent that the Pope doth exalt himself above God? Experience confirmeth this; swear, & blaspheme in Italy, no man is moved at it. Oaths are thought to be but the flowers of eloquence. But should a man go to Rome, and there say, that the pope is not head of the Church, it is not the intercession of a king that could deliver him from the stake, or free him from the clumbs of the Inquisition. The jews say that Christ was a deceiver, and yet they are suffered to live quietly at Rome, but should a man once dare open his mouth to dispute of purgatory, he would presently be had to the house of Inquisition. There be certain sins which they call reserved cases, from which no bishop can absolve a man, except it be only upon the point of death. You will imagine perhaps, that these cases are either murder, or parricide, or incest, or atheism, or sodomy; no such matter. But these great sins from which none can absolve a man except the pope only, are, the stopping of a man upon the way as he is going to Rome to purchase him great pardons, the intruding ones self in a benefice, the stealing of church goods, to have spoken ill of, or done ill, unto the Apostolical seat, &c: such sins as these cannot be pardoned on this side the Alps, except it be by a special permission, and that upon the point of death. If you have committed either murder or fornication, the priest will absolve you from this. But if you have eaten flesh the week before Easter, the priest cannot pardon this but must send you to the penitentiary: and yet notwithstanding, one is the ordinance of God, the other a commandment but of man. In the Tax of the pope's Chancery, in the chapter of pardons, 36. leaf. Incest with ones mother is fined at five groats, but in the page following, the falsifying of the Apostolical letters are set at ten groats.  
2 Again, the pope exalteth himself above God, when he takes upon him to be the chief judge in controversies of religion, in steed of deferring this sovereign judgement to the holy scripture, which is the word of God. It is said, that it is the church, which doth give force & authority to the scripture, and that the pope is above the church: so he is two degrees above the word of God, seeing that he is above the church, and the church above the Scripture.  
3 But especially the pope exalteth himself above that, which is called God in the church of Rome, for so do papists at this time, call the bread of the Eucharist; they say, that they hold up God in the Mass, when they hold up the bread, that they carry God to the sick when they carry the bread, that they eat God and take their creator, when they take▪ and eat the bread. Many kind of ways doth the pope exalt himself above this God. For in the procession upon the day of his coronation, and at other solemn times, they make this God go before him, carried upon a white horse, having a Sansbell about his neck, and a lantern before, being covered all over with a Canopy, which is carried up by the citizens of Rome. But the pope comes after being carried upon men's shoulders, under a Canopy held up by princes or princes ambassadors, the Emperor to (if he be there) putting to his helping hand, or if his Holiness be on horse back holding his horses bridle, after that he hath first held the stirrup for him to mount; as it is described at large in the 1. book of holy Ceremonies, 2. Section, & 3. cha. compare the pope's manner of furniture with that of his God, and ye shall see the Apostles prophecy fulfilled, where it is said, that he shall exalt himself above that which is called God, and is worshipped.  
4 You shall see the like example to this, in the 1. Section of the 2. book in the 14. cha. where it is set down, with what solemnity the pope doth celebrate the mass in his own person. As he is going up to the Altar, the greatest prince, or the Emperor himself (if he be present) holdeth up his train: there is a Canopy carried over his head, borne up by 8. princes, or princes ambassadors: being before the Altar, whilst he is singing of the mass, the prelate's come, and kneeling down kiss his right knee: others kiss his feet. He doth bow himself, I confess, before the host; but the standers by do him ten times more reverence, than they do God. The greatest prince in the company gives him water 4. times to wash, serving it to him upon his knee, as Charles the 8. did to Alexander the 6. He is capt, & uncapt, shod, and unshod; gloved, & ungloved; ringed, & unringed, I know not how often. There is his taster by him, as they use to have at princes tables. There stands one by his side, that points at the words in the book with his finger, as we use to serve little children. He sucks wine out of the chalice with a reed. So that all well considered, this whole solemnity, under a show of worshipping the Host, is done far more for the honour of the pope, then for the honour of his God.  
3 Let us annex one proof more; he that giveth authority to the holy scripture hath more authority than the scripture. But Bishops of Rome take upon them to give authority to the holy scripture, & say that we are to receive it, because the pope hath so ordained He attributes more authority therefore to himself, then to the holy scripture. The minor is proved by the words of pope Nicholas in the 19 Distinction, and Canon. Si Romanorum, where he approveth of their saying which said, That the old and new Testament are to be received, not because they are annexed to the Canons, but because holy Pope Innocent hath pronounced that they must be received, For there, he doth not only not reprehend those that speak thus profanely, but doth hereupon ground the establishment of the pope's Decretals, which are not inserted in the Canons. By this reckoning then, we must believe; that God created the world; that Cain killed Abel; that Noah built the Ark; that God made a covenant with Abraham; that God gave his law unto Moses; we must believe all this I say, not because the holy scripture witnesseth as much, but because the pope & the church of Rome do say that it is true, and that these books ought to be received; And for to make us rely more upon the authority of the Church of Rome, then of the scripture, they use commonly to speak thus unto us. How would you know that this were the scripture, if the Church had not told you of it? whence they conclude that the church is above the scripture. As if I should say, I should not have known that this was the king, but that such a man showed him to me, therefore this man is above the king. A wicked church may inform us that this is the scripture. The jews made the old Testament known to the Apostles, & yet notwithstanding they persecuted our Saviour.  
4 Briefly, to take such words out of the common form of God's law, as do forbid us to make images, or to fall down before them, what is this but to correct God, and by a consequent to exalt himself above God.   

The third point. That the Pope doth set himself against God.  
This needeth no long proof, & it doth follow out of the two precedent points. For it is impossible, that he should call himself God, & exalt himself above God, without being contrary unto him, & withstanding his will: yet behold some formal proofs for the confirming of this too.  
1 God in the 4. of Deut. 2. verse, doth forbid us to add any thing to, or take any thing from his word. And at the end of the new Testament, God doth denounce a curse against him that shall add any thing to the things contained in that book. A passage, which the Council of Friuli approved by the Church of Rome doth thus expound. The Apostle S. john in the Apocalypse, under the name of one book, doth protest of all the books, both of the old and new Testament, If any one, etc. On the contrary the pope doth presume to make new articles of faith, and to add to the Creed. At the end of the last Council of Lateran, there is a Bull of Leo the 10, wherein all Luther's heresies are reckoned up. The 26. heresy is, that he said, That out of doubt it lay not in the hands either of the Church or Pope to make new articles of faith. And in the Council of Florence, in the last session it is defined, that the Church of Rome may add unto the Creed. Of all the articles of faith which the pope hath added, I am persuaded that this is the worst. That jesus Christ did not satisfy for the pain due to sins after Baptism.  
2 God saith, Drink ye all of this, the Pope on the contrary, Ye shall not all drink of this, but this is the privilege of Priests, and kings, If in the line going before, the commandment of eating be made unto the people, as well as unto the Priest, why not the commandment of drinking as well?  
3 God saith in his law. six days shalt thou labour. The Pope saith, Ye shall not labour six days, but ye shall keep a great many other resting festival days in the week.  
4 God saith, Deuter. 4.16. Take heed that ye corrupt not yourselves, and make you a graven image or representation of any figure, whether it be the likeness of male or female. On the contrary the Pope suffereth images of God to be made in stone, and in painting, of the Trinity in wood, and of God the Father in papal habiliments.  
5 God saith in his law, thou shalt not lust; whence it followeth, that to lust, is to sin, and so S. Paul calleth it, Rom. 7. v. 7. The Church of Rome on the contrary saith, that to lust is not to sin. And the Council of Trent in the 5 Session saith, that this lust, which the Apostle calleth sin, to speak properly is no sin, but only that it springs from sin, and makes us prone▪ to 〈◊〉.  
6 God saith, Thou shalt worship God only, where he speaks of a religious kind of worship. On the contrary, the Church of Rome doth with a religious worship▪ worship the virgin Mary, the Saints, their Images, their relics, and the Pope takes upon him to be thus worshipped, as we have above showed by many witnesses, & by experiences, where we have also refelled their evasions.  
7 God saith in the 2 of Chron. 6. cha. 30. ver. That God only knoweth the hearts of men. On the contrary the Romish Church saith, that the Saints know our hearts, & our thoughts.  
8 God saith in the 1. of the Apocalypse 3. v. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy. And S. Paul wrote unto the people of Rome, Corinth, etc. unto the end that they should read that which he wrote. On the contrary the pope forbids the people to read the scriptures, to find a Spanish or Italian Bible, in Spain, or Italy, is held for a capital offence and thought to be a note of heresy.  
9 God by his Apostle in the 1. to the Corinth. 14. Chap. doth beat altogether upon this, that we ought not to speak in the Church with an unknown tongue; On the contrary, the pope doth make all his public service to be read in a tongue, which the people understand not, and accustometh women to pray in Latin, as though they were afraid to be understood  
10 God saith by his Apostle. 1. Tim. 3, v. 12. Let a Deacon be the husband of one wife. The pope on the contrary, Let him not be married at all; and so of Bishops.  
11 God saith by his Apostle. 1. Cor. 10. If any of them which believe not call you to a feast, whatsoever is set before you, eat, ask no question for conscience sake. On the contrary the pope saith. If heretics invite you to a feast, eat not of flesh upon a fish day although they carne it unto you, for it is a case of conscience.  
12 God commandeth kings expressly to read in his law; which is the holy scripture, all the days of their life, that they may learn to fear him. On the contrary the popish Doctors, Bishops and Confessors, which are about Kings, never recommend the reading of the scripture unto them; for they are afraid, that by this reading they might chance to learn the truth, & come to know that their Crowns are not subject to the pope.  
Finally, The holy scripture saith that life everlasting is the gift of God; 
Rome 6.23. Ephes. 2 8. Rom. 8.17. 1 Ioh 1.3. i Cor. 10 11 Heb. 2.4. Heb. 9.10.  & an inheritance, which we have as we are the children of God. That the blood of jesus Christ doth purge us from all our sins. That we eat & break bread in the Lord's Supper; That jesus as he was man, was like unto us in all things, sin only excepted. That jesus Christ was offered up for a sacrifice but one only time. All which doctrines are clean overthrown by merits, by purgatory, by transubstantiation, by the sacrifice of the Mass, as we have formerly showed.  
In all these things the pope doth oppose himself against God, and resist his word. In so much that he suffereth a 
* C●n Hac 〈◊〉. causa 31. quaest 1  Canon to be in his book of Decretals, which saith, that the Apostle S. Paul spoke against truth and reason.   

The fourth point. That the Pope doth set himself against Kings and Magistrates, and exalt himself above them.  
This fourth point hath been proved sufficiently in my first book. To degrade kings and thrust them out of their kingdoms. & after that he hath denounced them deposed, to expose them to the mercy of their subjects, in saying with 
* Con. Barclaium. c. 7.  Bellarmine, that, Executio ad alios pertinet, the execution belongs to others: To tread upon emperors necks, and when they come to kiss his pantofle, to strike of the imperial crown with his foot: To make them hold the stirrup and the bridle of his horse; To whip Kings or their Ambassadors in their place with rods by way of penance, making them to fall down before him; for which we have fresh examples, and they themselves brag of it: to raise infinite sums of money upon their Kingdoms under the colour of first fruits, bulls, dispensations, absolutions; and to withhold the fifth part of their subjects from them, and the third part of their kingdom; are things that cannot be taken for any great good turns, or testimonies of his love towards Princes. As for the exalting himself above them, pope Innocent the 3. in the Decretal that beginneth with, Solitae, puts as great a difference between the pope, and the Emperor, as there is between the sun & the moon. Which according to the rules of Astronomy. is 6539 times less than the sun; and we have seen before how Bellarmine maketh Kings as much inferior to pope's as artificers are to Kings.   

The fifth point. That the Pope doth call himself head of the Church.  
WE need plaints rather them proofs upon this point. For the pope doth not only take the title of the head of the Church upon him, but makes us to feel the effects of it. Neither, when we say that the pope calleth himself head of the universal church, do our adversaries say that we wrong them, but they take it hardly, that we do not believe them. And I must needs condemn ourselves of blockishness in offering to dispute about this title with him, seeing that pope Anaclet in his 3 Decretal Epistle, hath proved it so well out of the Gospel; saying, that Peter is called Cephas, that is to say, the head. For this Etymology must needs stand for good, since the pope hath approved of it. With the like solidity, 
Extrau. v●m sanctam.  doth pope Boniface the 8 ground this superiority upon the very first line of scripture. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  
It is true, that to shifted of the matter, they use to say that the pope is but a ministerial head. But herein me thinks they do delude themselves, because these words of a ministerial head, are merely contradictory, for it is as if one should say, a kingly subject, or a masterly servant. And there is no king in the world, which having sent his Vicegerent into a Province, would endure that he should call himself king, although he should excuse it, and say that he were but a ministerial king, And do we think that jesus Christ, whom the holy scripture calleth the head of the church, will be well pleased that a man should take this title upon him, under the pretext that some do excuse it by,, saying that he is an inferior, or ministerial head? And yet for all this, not forbear to rule like the chief head, as it often falleth out, that under the title of the King's Lieutenant many, do usurp the authority of the King.  
But this is an other question. It is sufficient for us if it appear that the Pope names himself head of the church, for this is enough for the fulfilling of the prophecy contained in these words, that the son of perdition shall sit in the temple of God. For it is not without cause, that the holy ghost doth use this word of sitting, in steed of reigning. Because this is a word whereby the dignity, and papal authority is commonly expressed. It is said, that he sitteth in the chair of S. Peter, the common fashion of speech is to say that Boniface or Clement sat so many years, instead of saying they governed the church so long. And so doth the whore speak in the 18. of the Apocal. I sit as Queen, that is to say, I rule, she the sane sat upon many waters, which are the people and nations, Apoc. 17. ver. 15. To sit therefore in the temple of God, signifieth to take upon him to rule in the temple of God.  
This temple of God, is the church of God: according to the style of the new Testament, S. 
* 2. Cor. 6.19  Paul speaks thus to the church of Corinth, What agreement hath the temple of God with Idols? For ye are▪ the temple of the living God. So likewise it is said in the Apocalypse chap. 3. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God. And in the 11. c. the Angel of God commandeth S. joh. to meet the temple of God, which is not a building of stones, but the church of God, called by S. Paul the house of God.  
I am not ignorant that some of the Ancient by the Temple of God, have understood the temple of jerusalem, 
1. Tim. 3.15  with the like conjecture, as they have said that Antichrist should be Nero, raised up again from the dead. But there be some others of the Ancient which contradict them. chrysostom upon this place. He shall sit in the temple of God, not in that of jerusalem, but in the church Theophylact, and Oecumenius, using lightly to follow him, say the same. Authors, whom Bellar. hath thus falsified; He shall sit in the temple of God, not only in that of jerusalem. This Only is of his own, falsely put in contrary to the reading of all copies. S. Hierome showeth himself clearly to be of this opinion. He shall sit in the Temple of God, that is either in jerusalem, or in the church, which later exposition I take to be the truer of the two.  
Others think to catch us with a subtlety, and say. If the son of perdition be sat in the church, and the Pope be that son of perdition, it follows that the church of Rome is the church, since the Pope is sat there. The Apostle dareth us a helping hand to get out of this difficulty. For every one knows that it is one thing to sit, and another thing to be sat; the one notes a moving, the other a resting; the one signifies to take a place, and the other to keep it. This is the reason why the Apostle hath set it down in the accusative, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to represent a moving unto us. His meaning then is that the Pope shall sit in the temple of God, and take place there, but he doth not deny that after he is entered into the temple, and is sat there, he shall drive the service of God thence. The temple of Solomon, was it not the house of God? And yet the Priests which were sat there changed it into a den of thieves: how much more if they had brought Idolatry into it? They therefore which knowing the abuses of the Church of Rome, say that they must not go out of it because Antichrist is there, suffer themselves (as it seemeth to me) to be bound with a straw, and to be held with a slight reason▪ and I cannot sufficiently wonder at their foolishness: for they speak as if they should say. We may not go out of this house, for the plague is here; or thus, that we may not be the children of perdition, we must be subject to the son of perdition. We confess that the Church of Rome was the true church, when the Pope was first established therein, as well as the Greek church, the Syrian, or Armenian, but when he was once established there, by little, and little he overthrew religion, so that they, which look to be saved, must of necessity go out of her; And he that shall go out of her, goeth not out of the universal Church, but out of a particular corrupted church.   

The fourth part of the Prophecy of S. Paul.  
6 And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time.  
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work.   

The exposition of this prophecy.  
6 And now ye know what it is that stayeth his coming, which shall come to pass, at the time appointed, and foreordained by God.  
7 For the foundations of this son of perditions dominion are already laid. And Satan doth even now draw out the threads, and spin the beginnings of his doctrine, which shall be woven together by an abominable art, and full of wicked craft.   

The proof of this exposition.  
For to prove this exposition, we are to show two things. 1. That there were some seeds of Papistry sown even in S. Paul's time. 2. That Papistry is built with artificial mysteries, & fraudulent devises.   

The first point. That there were some seeds of Papistry sown even in S. Paul's time.  
1 THe affectation of pre-eminency in the church. 2. The religious service done to creatures. 3. The Distinction of meats, and of days. 4. The allurements of philosophy. 5. The traditions of men; all these are the maladies of the Papacy, and vices of the church of Rome.  
There were some seeds of these vices sown in the Apostle S. Paul's time. For even at that time, one called himself the disciple of Peter, another of Paul, and a third of Apollo's; which were inflamed with emulation about chiefdome. The increase of which disorders was for the present hindered by the humility, and union of the Apostles. And it may well seem not to be without great consideration, that the same Apostle hath advertised the Romans not to be highminded, under the pain of being cut of. Rom. 11. For although the same instruction be given in general to the gentiles, yet doth he mean it more in special to the Romans; foreseeing that their fall would come by pride; & giveth them this information, which they should take instead of a prophecy.  
2 There were some of them too which were given to worship Angels, whom he reprehendeth in his epistle to the Colossians, 2. chap. Let no man (saith he) bear rule over you, by humbleness of mind, and worshipping of Angels.  
3 There were even in those days these words heard, Eat not, taste not, touch not. Col. 2. and many made a conscience of eating certain meats. 1. Cor. 10. Rom. 14. and this for a religious exercise, and out of a voluntary devotion, & for no other end but to keep down the flesh. Then did some begin to make a distinction between days, as if one had been better than another, Rom. 15.5. Gal. 4.10.  
4 Then were there some, that sought to seduce the simple by philosophy; where of S. Paul doth also admonish the faithful. Beware that no man spoil you through philosophy, and vain deceit.  
5 In the same place he forbiddeth the Colossians to stick to the traditions of men; and he toucheth the corruption, that was growing amongst them. Out of these sparks, through continuance of time, there arose a great flame: Satan endeavouring at that time to beat upon this iron with as little noise as might be, which he could not bring to that perfect form as he desired, till many ages were passed; There were many years to be employed about the licking of this bear, before it could be brought to any handsome shape. The authority of the Apostles, the zeal of their disciples, the violence of persecutions, did stop him from going forwards in his work; but if from the very infancy of the christian church, & in the sight of the Apostles, he did begin to set about this mystery of iniquity; what did he do after these lights were extinguished, after this zeal was waxen cold; is it likely that he would forget his former work, or begin it so early to cast it off at last? Seeing that if Antichrist must be such a one, as our adversaries describe him to be, to wit, a jew, one that must build up jerusalem again, and be a sovereign monarch over the whole world, we see no beginnings yet of all this, nor nothing more unlikely to come to pass.   

The second point. With what cunning the prophecy is built and of the divers sorts of guile that are therein.  
AS the Apostle calleth the doctrine of our redemption, a secret or mystery of godliness, because of the height, & depth thereof: so doth he call the doctrine, which is framed with deceit, and continued by deep policy, a secret or mystery of iniquity: which is the self-same with that, which the spirit of God in the 2. of the Apocalypse calleth the deepness of Satan.  
The policies employed about the building of Popery, and establishment of the papal dignity, are of 4. sorts. 1. There be some of them, which serve to blind the people, and to dark their understandings. 2. There be others that serve to heap up riches; 3. There be others that serve to exalt the pope, and his clergy to honour, & dignity. 4. There be others which serve for the preservation of that which is gotten.   

The first sort of Policy serving to blind, and inveigle the people.  
THat the people therefore might be blinded, and deceived without understanding so much; the pope hath wrested the scriptures out of their hands, and taken order that they should not be translated into a known tongue. Within these few years, the scriptures were no more known to the people of France, than the Alcoran was: There were only some Latin Bibles in Monasteries, and in clergy men's houses. And even at this very time in Spain, Italy, Sicily, etc. to see an Italian or Spanish Bible, would be deemed to be a prodigy, and thought a matter sufficient to fetch one under the inquisition. To the same end it is that he will have the common service read in a strange tongue, and the women and children are taught to pray in Latin, for fear they should understand themselves. This once effected, it was easy for the Pope to draw religion to his own profit, & to disguise it as he thought best; the poor people suffering themselves perforce to be led along by these guides, which have hoodwinked their eyes. Nevertheless because it is the nature of the people to be busy about some thing; having taken away the scripture from them, instead thereof he gave them images, together with many outward ceremonies, & gay ornaments, to the end that whilst they stood gazing upon these he might the easier display his nets to ensnare them; Some pretty recreations they have for to occupy their minds, whilst he in the Interim builds a strong fort round about them, for to keep them in slavish bondage.  
2 But because, be you never so careful herein, yet there will ever be some curious spirits that will escape and get out, and that it is hard, but that some one or other will be desirous to see the head spring and know upon what authority Christian religion is founded; for fear lest such a man as this, having gotten the sight of the scripture by stealth, should be offended for to see it so little agreeing with the doctrine of the Romish Church, they have sought to prevent this inconvenience, by an impudent shift. That is, they use to revile the scripture, saying that it doth not contain all things necessary to salvation, that it is but a piece of a rule, that it is obscure, and ambiguous, that the devil himself makes use of it, that it is not the chief judge of controversies; but that from thence we must appeal to the Church of Rome, which cannot be deceived, and to the Pope which cannot err in the faith; By these means they have made the rule of religion subject unto themselves, since that they themselves, are the rule of religion: and have made themselves, both judges & parties, since that in the accusations against the Church of Rome, they will have the Church to be judge, and acknowledge no other true Church but the Church of Rome.  
3 To the same end is it that they bind and tie the belief of the people, with an ignorant respect, making them to follow without understanding, and to believe without knowledge, whereas the 
* job. 10 4.17.8.6.69.  Scripture would have us first know & then believe. So do they fold the faith of an ignorant man within the faith of his curate; but take away the means from him, where by he might know whether his Curate taught the truth or no.  
This also serveth to detain men's minds, to wit, that the Church of Rome by variety of recreations hath studied to fit itself to all sorts of humours, and to content all kind of persons; There is not so distasting a spirit, but may find something here to please his palate. Do you love pomp and magnificence? where is the like to that of the Cardinals, and Prelates? or set out with that stately furniture, as their most solemn Masses are? But if a sordid life be more pleasing to any one, you have the Capuchins, and Fevillants; do you love to live at your ease? you have your abbeys, and Priories, together with richly landed places for Canons and monks: who enjoy their hearts desires, & have the world at will; but if you like rather to live like a beggar, you have the 4. orders of begging Friars; if you affect solitariness, you have the Hermits; if to keep company, you have the Conventuall Monks; are you desirous of knowledge, behold the jesuits that take upon them to profess it; or if ignorance? you have the ignorant Friars, which have made a virtue of ignorance; Doth insolency, and lasciviousness, like any one, there is shrovetide, a time appointed to dance, and revel in, which sports if any chance to distaste, presently thereupon ensueth ash-wednesday, which changes their countenances, and turneth all their lewd mirth into a sudden devotion. At Rome you have covents of cloistered monks wonderful for their austerity, & strictness of life; and hard by, the common stews: liberal alms bestowed on the hospital of the holy Ghost; but withal selling of benefices, dispensations, absolutions, and Church offices.  
All this is done in diverse places, and by diverse men, but behold contrary things in one and the self same person. The Pope makes Emperors to kiss his feet, but he himself on Maundie Thursday washeth poor men's feet; he calleth himself a Monarch & God upon earth, but ye shall hear him at another time, say that he is the servant of servants. Pretty diversity, and delightful; a witty people, to clothe religion with this variety of colours. There are none there, even to little children of 6. and 7. years old, but shall have some thing or other that will content them; there are certain feasts of purpose for them, as the feast of S. Catharin, and S. Nicholas, when they are clad in gay apparel, when they are led about in procession, & have little painted pictures given them to bear in their hands. When they are 9 or 10. years old they have their heads bound about with fillets, and little crosses laid upon them of beaten gold, then the bishop strokes their crowns, and this is that which they call confirmation.   

The second Policy serving to gain.  
IN the second place, Popery hath made religion serve, as a means to gather up riches;  
1 This is the reason why they have made a new article of faith, which overthrows the whole gospel: to wit; that jesus Christ by his passion hath not satisfied for the pain due to our sins which we commit after Baptism, but that it lieth up on us to satisfy for them, by doing penance in this life, and after this life by being in the fire of Purgatory; a fire, seven times more hot than common fire is, and wherein a man shall fry for many ages together. But such is the mercy of his Holiness, that he pardoneth a great deal of this time to some, whither it be by jurisdiction, or else by way of suffrage.  
2 To the same end is it, that they tie their pardons to certain churches, and hang them on certain altars; to which this privilege is granted, that whosoever shall cause a Mass to be said there, on such a day, shall have his choice to free what soul he will out of Purgatory; but this is never done without paying; And in the bulls of Indulgence there is this clause ordinarily inserted, that this privilege is for none, but Manus porrigentibus adiutrices, for such as shall put to their helping hands, that is to say, for such as shall give some thing to the Church, or which shall put some thing into the poor man's box, which for this purpose is set before the church door where the pardons are hanged. Wherein we may note a notable point of subtlety, for the Pope sending his jubilee into France, sendeth it but only into two or three places of the Realm, & not through the whole Country, for so it would be hard for him to gather in the contributions; and the sums of money being dispersed must needs be much diminished in passing through so many men's hands.  
3 With the like cunning is it, that they use to make the people institute obits, and yearly masses to be said for their souls, which are bought at a dear rate. For to hope to have Masses without money, were but a folly; it is no reason that a man should die cheap; yet this is one commodity that in this happy age, every one is received into paradise for his money; it cannot be imagined what profit they reap hereby: seeing that there is no man which would not gladly give all 〈◊〉 he were worth, to be delivered from a fire that should torment him but for half an hour, how much more to be freed from a fire wherein he should lie burning I know not how many hundredth years; these were the means by which this shameful gain began first to increase, whereby bodily penance, is turned into a pecuniary mulct; they cannot have the earth broken up for them to be buried in, nor the bells rung out, nor be named in the Memento without money; yea & the masses are sold for more and less according to the degree of the solemnity that they are set out in; there are none but the poor in a bad taking when they die. The 4. orders of the Friars Mendicant never come to visit them upon their death beds, never accompany them to church at their funerals, nor do them any other service. For the Tax book in the chapter of matrimonial dispensations, in the 23. leaf, doth put for an undoubted maxim, that Hae gratiae non conceduntur paup ribus, quia non sunt, ideo non possunt consolari. These favours are not granted to the poor, because they are not, therefore they cannot be comforted. For as then they thought themselves to stand on so sure ground, that they might scoff at the people without any danger, and brag how they had abused them.  
4 The invocation of Saints, and miracles, and supposed relics, have, and still do serve to the same end; for if one Saint be in credit, every one carrieth his offerings to him; The Curate lives by this, & the village fareth the better for it; And when the people come to kiss the relics, the basin is never far of. To go away without casting any thing into it, would be thought to have been done in contempt, and be censured for an uncivil part; Their solemn feasts are days of collection, which for this reason, have been so much the more multiplied; On such times as these, the Saints are better clothed than they use to be ordinarily, and the Virgin Mary doth change her attire.  
5 To the same end is it that the Pope hath invented a thousand inhibitions for certain meats, As also that he hath forbidden marriage in the third & fourth degree, & in spiritual parentage, & in Lent, etc. Because look how many the more inhibitions there are, by so much the greater need have we to seek for more dispensations, which do always bring some profit.  
6 The Clergy itself is not exempted hence, upon whom the Pope doth raise yearly payments, and contributions, and makes every Archbishop amongst them to buy his Pall at a dear rate, which is a white Pall; 4 fingers broad, with buttons of lead, covered over with black silk, made of the wool of certain Lambs which are bread at S. Agnes in Rome, according as it is related in the 1 book of holy vate designs of princes; If any one be intended to trouble a state, and to make the people take arms against their King, his next way is to fall in with the Father confessors, that so he may know how they are inclined, and by confession egg them on to rebellion.  
5 Absolution after confession doth add no less authority unto them; For by this it is that they have usurped a temporal dominion, yea over kings and princes; The pope will absolve a King, but upon some tyrannical conditions; to wit, if he will submit himself to be jerked, & to take a certain number of lashes by the hands of Monks; or go in pilgrimage, or make his land tributary to the pope, holding it as from S. Peter, or send so many soldiers to such or such a country, for the service of his Holiness; whereof we have produced many examples above.  
6 In public ceremonies, in Masses, in Sittings, & Feasts, they have taken upon them to be princes superiors, and exact slavish submission at their hands; The Kings must serve pope's at the Mass upon their knees; They must hold his stirrup as he is getting up to horse; They must hold his horse by the bridle as he is going; or else help to bear up his chair with their shoulders; they must wait upon him at the table. And at the pope's feast the chief Cardinal Bishop, is to sit above the highest prince of Christendom; and it is a notable maxim, and infallible rule, which is mentioned in the 3 book 1. sect. and 2. chap. of popish ceremonies; to wit; Note that the Pope doth never do reverence to any man.  
7 If there be any fountain that is good against the stone, or to comfort the stomach, and strengthen the sinews, presently there is the statue of some Saint or other sent, and erected hard by it; as if this were done by some miracle and by virtue of the Saint, that so they may the more confirm superstition.  
8 They have also yet more exalted themselves by their works of supererogation, by virtue of which, they obtain a degree of glory in Paradise above the common Saints, which had no other sanctity but to obey God; whereas these squires do more than God hath commanded; their superabundant satisfactions serve for others, & the monks which have suffered more pains their sins deserved, are in a manner our redeemers, as Bellarmin saith in the 4. chapter of his 1. book of Indulgences.  
9 The cases of marriage also have been a great help to increase their power; for they have removed all matters of this nature from the courts of civil Magistrates. Whence it comes to pass that men repair to Rome from all parts of Europe, for the disannulling of marriages, and for dispensations to marry in forbidden degrees; the children that are borne out of which marriages, are bound of necessity to defend the Pope's authority, seeing that such marriages as these, depend altogether upon his permission.  
10 Of the same rank is their common service which they cause to be said in the Latin tongue. For as the Romans did plant their language in the countries which they conquered, and the king of Spain useth the Indians to speak spanish, because it is a mark of sovereignty, and a means to make them the more his own. So the Pope hath made all the churches which are under him glad to yield their necks to this yoke, & hath given them the Roman tongue, for a mark of subjection to the bishop of Rome.   

The fourth Policy. The means how to keep that which they have gotten.  
THe Pope's being thus enriched, and exalted to this height of honour, did wisely consider, that it was to little purpose to get, if they were not able to keep that which they had gotten; & this is the main point above others in which they have beaten their brains, and laboured to the utmost of their power.  
1 The first means, to preserve that which they had gotten, was to forbid men of the church to marry, for fear lest bishops and Curates, should encroach upon church goods, and lest they should turn little streams out of the common channel to their private families; Gregory the 1. hath told us as much above, saying, that he was therefore unwilling to admit of a married bishop, because a wife and children, do use commonly to consume the church goods.  
2 And for fear that Princes might come to finger their substance, and that their lands (for treason or other such like crimes) might chance to be confiscate to the crown, they have got to have their judges, their officers, & their prisons apart yea they have so far forth prevailed with our ancient kings, (which were intent to nothing else but to draw the sword, and follow the game) that their civil causes were altogether decided at Rome; they did also obtain that the church should ever be held to be under age, that so they might not be bound to stand to any bargain, if it were their luck at any time to be overtaken.  
3 And to the end that kings & princes should not put their noses in their affairs, by meddling with the choosing of 
* De electione Papae vide 1. sect. 1. lib. sacr. Ceremon.  Popes, as they did heretofore, they have not only confined this election to the suffrages of a few Cardinals, but they shut them up also within the Conclave, dam up the windows, put in their meat unto them at a little hole; give them their bread cut in small pieces, their wine in clear glasses, for fear lest there should be any ticket enclosed, whereby they might receive some information from without; They dine every one apart, without helping one another. And to make them dispatch their business the sooner, their commons are diminished, and their ordinary made less from day to day; yea Princes now adays think themselves highly favoured if they can buy the Cardinal's voices for huge sums of money, to the end they may have a Pope that will not handle them too rigorously; And there is scarce ever a Pope made but by such means as these.  
4. The same politic wisdom of theirs hath suggested this maxim unto them, that for the strengthening of their state they must of necessity oblige great families, and let them have a share in the prey. Wherefore if a Prince or Lord have a house overcharged with children, they will bestow a cardinalship on the youngest, and make him an Abbot, or a Prior, this makes the house the lighter. A father having put his daughter into some religious order, is not troubled to provide her a dowry against her marriage day. They give civil magistrates leave, and make them capable of holding benefices, although they be married, so to make them obliged.  
5 The chiefest point of their policy, is their thrusting of Prelates, and other churchmen into Counsels, & into Courts of Parliament, to the end they may know all the affairs of a Realm; which is more; Cardinals promoted to this honour by Popes, sit in the Counsels of kings, against all the rules of state, that a king should admit such into his Council, as are the creatures of a stranger; By the like reason, kings should also for their parts have some lay men in all Ecclesiastical assemblies, and general Counsels, which should have an eye over their actions, and know what they did; but they are to wise to suffer this.  
6 This is not sufficient: For because amongst Prelates, Bishops, Abbots, and the most qualified men of the clergy, there are ever a great many honest, & well minded persons, which do love their country and the liberty of their Kings, the Pope hath therefore here and there dispersed a great rabblement of petty Monks which should preach the obedience due to him; who meriting for themselves, and others, have received certain prerogatives of holiness from the Pope, which others have not; The fraternity of the Cordeliers have the privilege to draw a soul out of Purgatory upon certain days. The Carmelites have the prerogative not to be in purgatory beyond the Saturday after their deaths. To wear the cowl, & make the vow of S. Francis & S. Dominick, doth confer the same grace that baptism doth as Bernardine telleth us in his rosary, and Thomas of Aquine, in his 4. book of Sentences, and fourth Distinction.  
7 But above all, their greatest policy, and all the depths of the mystery of iniquity have been discovered in their inventing the order of the Jesuits; which leave the honour of keeping the vow of poverty, and chastity to other orders, binding themselves chiefly to the vow of obedience, being tied in particular by an oath to the pope, whom they swear to obey, In omnibus, & per omnia, with an obedience, which they call a blind obedience, such as doth execute the commandments of a superior, without enquiring why; which are sent to run over the whole earth even to the Indies, which have a permissito go in Lay men's apparel, and to use equivocation in judgement, and not to reveal the confessions of traitors, & conspirators against the life of their Kings: which take nothing from any by parcels, but catch by gross, & swallow up whole families together.  
All these tricks, and devises, tend chiefly to the ruin and reproach of kings, whom his Holiness doth cause to be whipped most shamefully, and with whose crowns he dispenseth at his pleasure.  
8 It is true indeed that the pope doth recompense them; For he giveth them of his spiritual graces, an Holy Rose, a Standard, or a sacred sword, a Box full of holy Grains, of little crosses, and beads, which in kissing and carrying about them, they shall gain an hundred years of pardon. As also the privilege of communicating under both kinds. Who will not stand amazed to behold these things? Or who will be so obstinate as not to be forced by the evidence of the truth? Although all this which I have said is little, or nothing; I had need of better eyes to look down in to the bottom of this so deep a mystery. We have produced nothing of this but what we have known by experience. But how much more is that which lies hid, and which we do not know? All other policy is but blockishness in respect of this, and I am of opinion that they which are the contrivers of it, can hardly look upon one another without laughing. Finally this is altogether such a subject, as God doth demand for to show that he doth confounded the wisdoms of men, and take the subtle in their own devises. But the Apostle calls unto us, intending to make the matter more clear yet.   

The fourth part of this prophecy.  
7 Only he which now withholdeth, shall let till he be taken out of the way.  
8 And then shall that wicked man be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall abolish with the brightness of his coming.   

The explication of this prophecy.  
7 There is nothing but one that hinders the disclosing of this Bishop. That is, that the Roman Empire (which doth now oversway the whole world) must remain yet for a time, and afterwards be abolished.  
8 And when this Roman Empire shall be destroyed, then shall this Bishop be fully disclosed, and the Papal see shall be exalted by the ruins of the Empire, which Bishop God shall beaten down, & weaken by the preaching of his word, but shall not destroy him utterly till the last day of judgement, then when jesus Christ shall come in his glory.   

The proof of this exposition.  
FOr the proof of this interpretation, we are to show, 1. That the papacy is increased, and exalted by the ruins of the Empire, 2. That God hath weakened the papacy by the preaching of his word.   

The first point. That the Papacy is increased by the ruin of the Roman Empire.  
THe Apostle saith, That he which doth obtain shall obtain, or that he which holdeth must hold; By him which holdeth he understandeth him, which possesseth, or holdeth rule; which cannot be understood but of the Roman Empire, which did as then bear rule over a great part of the world. For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he useth, doth signify to possess. as in the 1. to the Cor. chap. 7. v. 30. He foretelleth us therefore that the Empire which did bear rule must be abolished, and that out of the ruins of the Empire the son of perdition must exalt himself, & be made manifest. The same word signifies also to withhold, or hinder; which also agreeth to our purpose. For the Roman Empire while it was in force did hinder the pope from rising, and kept him under, by punishing him, driving him to corners, degrading him, if at any time he failed to do his duty. But this Empire being decayed in the West, & diminished in the East by the Saracens, The pope's found means to seize upon the chief city of the Empire, together with a great part of Italy, & to devour the neighbouring Churches, and Realms at his pleasure.  
Now although the Fathers have spoken nothing concerning these things, but only by guess, & conjectures; because they were not as yet come to pass, nevertheless I know not how it hath come to pass to be a general received opinion amongst them, and a common prophecy, that this son of perdition whom they call Antichrist, should rise out of the destruction of the Empire, and be exalted upon the ruins thereof: And they apply this passage to that purpose, wherein they all hold that Antichrist is spoken of: Tertullian in his book of the resurrection of the flesh, chapter 24 Only (saith he) he which now holdeth, must hold till he be abolished; what is this but the Roman Empire, the scattered parts whereof being divided amongst ten kings shall produce Antichrist, and then shall that wicked man be revealed, etc. chrysostom in his 4. sermon upon the second to the Thessalonians, What is it therefore that withholdeth, that he be not made manifest, that is to say, what is it that hindereth him from being revealed: some say that it is the grace of the holy Ghost, others say that it is the Roman Empire, of whose opinion I am altogether. The Greek scholiast gathered out of divers interpreters, saith the same. By him which holdeth, he understandeth him which hindereth; And what is this? some say that it is the holy Ghost, others that it is the Roman Empire, and this opinion is the best; S. Austin in his 20. book and 19 chap. of the city of God: Whereas the Apostle saith, that only he which now holdeth, must hold till he be abolished, this is thought by some and that not absurdly to be spoken of the Roman Empire, as if it had been said, Only he which now beareth rule, must rule, till he be put from it. Primasius; The Roman Empire shall be destroyed before that Antichrist be revealed; S. Jerome saith the same in the 11. quest. to Algasia where he doth expound this place, If the Roman Empire be not first destroyed, and Antichrist go before, Christ shall not come. And a little after, having said that the name of blasphemy written in the forehead of the harlot clad in scarlet, is, Roma aeterna, he addeth, that the Apostle durst not say in express terms that the Roman Empire should be abolished, for fear of drawing persecution upon the Church.  
Since therefore that the destruction of the Roman Empire must go before the manifestation of the son of perdition which is called Antichrist, we are to look whether this Empire be destroyed. For if it be found that it was long since ruinated, there is no question but the son of perdition is made manifest.  
Here upon there is a question moved whether the Empire of Germany be the true Roman Empire, and the same Empire which was in the Apostles time. There be some that affirm this, building upon this ground, that the Emperor of Germany is called King of the Romans. Others say that we are not to stand on words, but things: And that the Roman Empire, whereof S. Paul speaketh, is no more, as Machiavelli saith in his 1. book of the Florentine history: that, L' Imperio é tutto in terrâ. the Empire is all fallen flat upon the ground. That the Empire of Germany came not by succession from the ancient Roman Emperors; but that Charles the Great, King of France was the first founder of it. That the Emperor of Germany holdeth nothing neither in Rome nor in Italy. That Germany for the most part is out of the ancient Roman Empire. That it is unlikely that he should be the Roman Emperor, which is not only not Emperor of Rome, but sendeth to Rome to tender his submission, and to take an oath of allegiance and obedience to him that bears sway there, to wit, to the Pope of Rome. And indeed Lypsius who hath spent his whole study in an exact knowledge of the Roman Empire, and which in this point yields to no man living, affirms boldly that the Pope holdeth the remainder of this Empire; wherefore he saith that this Pope and Roman dictator doth sustain the parts of this ruined edifice. That he hath his Senate clad in purple, whom we may compare to Kings; That he hath imposts, and Ambassadors from far countries. That Kings themselves, and Princes do bend before him, and bow down their heads in token of subjection. Whereupon also he saith that this sacred Empire at Rome, hath been, and is, instead of an anchor to floating Europe: And in my opinion the Pope and his Parasites do but plainly scoff at the Emperor, in calling him king of the Romans, since that they have taken away all Rome and Italy from him. But we need not here go about to decide this difference; for it is is sufficient that all confess the Roman Empire long since to have been so decayed, that one may say truly that it is ruinated, and destroyed; as say that our Kings should be thrust out of all France, except it were a little Corner in Britain, one might say that their kingdom were destroyed, & abolished. Besides, Bellarmine doth not see how he doth contradict himself, in affirming that the Roman Empire whereof S. Paul speaks is not yet abolished: For he saith by a consequent that the Empire of Germany doth hinder the coming of Antichrist: which being granted, there is no likelihood that Antichrist must be a jew which shall take up his seat in the kingdom of jerusalem, for the Emperor of Germany hath no means to hinder this.  
This then being out of question, to wit, that the Roman Empire, whereof S. Paul speaks, is already ruinated, it must needs also be that the son of perdition is already made manifest; since that he is to rise out of the ruins of the Empire, and be made manifest by the abolishment thereof. We are therefore to find out some state that did raise itself by the fall of the Roman Empire: the head whereof must call himself God, and take upon him to rule in the house of God, which is his Church, and boast of signs and miracles: Doubtless the Turk never took such titles: & there shall no man but the Pope be found to whom all these things will agree: who hath also made the seat of his Pontifical Empire in the same town, which in the Apostle S. Paul's time was the seat of the Roman Empire, and which for many ages together was the chief city of the Empire: so that it cannot be denied but that he holdeth the same place which the Roman Emperors did of old: And this is so known a thing that our adversaries themselves are forced to confess it, some of whose testimonies we will cite. Nicholas Machiavelli dedicateth his Florentine history to Pope Clement the 7: And yet for all that, in the 1. book there of he is not afraid to speak in this manner: The Emperor therefore becoming a Christian, and withdrawing himself to Constantinople, it followed thereupon that the Roman Empire came to decay, and the church of Rome to increase the more: nevertheless till the coming of the Lombard's (all Italy being under the rule of Emperors or Kings) the Popes never took any other authority upon them at that time, but to look into men's manners, and their doctrine: In other matters they obeyed the Emperors or Kings, which sometimes did put them to death, and employ them as their servants in what business they pleased: but that which won them the more honour, and made them to be the more respected in Italy, was King Theodoricks' laying siege to Ravenna: because Rome remaining without a Prince, the Romans to have the more refuge, were compelled to yield the Pope the more obedience. Yet they did not gain much authority by this, only the Church of Rome got to be preferred before that of Ravenna. But the coming of the Lumbards', & the division of Italy into so many parts, were the occasions of the Pope's rising. Because he (being as it were the head at Rome) the Emperor of Constantinople, and the Lumbards' did so far forth respect him, that the Romans by the Pope's means did enter a league of friendship with the Lombard's, and with Longinus, not as subjects but as friends. And so the Pope's continuing to be friends both with the Lombard's, and with the Grecians, did increase their dignity; but a little after ensued the downfall of the East Empire, which happened about that time under the Emperor Heraclius, by the Sclavonians, Persians, Saracens, etc. He addeth farther that the Pope being not able to obtain succour from the Emperor against the Lombard's, sought to the kings of France for aid, and that all the wars which were in Italy after that time were raised by the Popes, which made Barbarians come to succour them, under which word of Barbarians he doth also comprehend the French, who were the only men that did uphold the Papacy as it was falling, and which gave the Pope whatsoever he doth possess in Italy. Finally he concludeth this whole narration with these words. Wherefore to describe that which followed after this time, we need no more to tell of the ruin of the Empire which is utterly decayed, but how the Pope came to increase.  
He that would see more particularly how the bishop of Rome hath made his commodity by the ruin of the Empire, let him read Sigonius his history of the kingdom of Italy. In the beginning of his 3. book he relateth how (the Emperor Philippicus Bardanes, opposing himself against the receiving of images into churches) Pope Gregory the 2. did for bid the Italians to receive any letters from the Emperor, to pay him any tribute out of their money, to place his statue in their temples, or so much as once to name him in their public service. This was the first time that the Popes did rebel against the Emperors, being much enfeebled by the Saracens in the East, and spoiled of the Empire of the West. Before than they took heed not to raise any mutinies. Now this first attempt of the Popes fell out in the year of our Lord, 712. yet this stroke drew no blood, for no man did for all this withdraw himself from being subject to the Emperor. And Sigonius tells us plainly that eleven years after, the Emperor Leo gave Marin, an Esquire of his body, the government of the city of Rome, which place they that held were called Dukes of Rome, to whom he gave in commission to put Pope Gregory to death: which he being not able to effect (the authority of Emperors as then decreasing from day to day, he commanded his Lieutenant in Italy who was called the Exarch, to spoil him of his Popedom, & to degrade him; But Gregory sued to the usurpers of Lombardie for aid, against the Emperor his natural Prince: And his dispute concerning the service of images served him for this purpose, wherein under the colour of devotion he did oppose himself against the Emperors, which did beaten down images in all places; and having persuaded the Italians that to overthrew images was to overturn Christian religion, he made the emperors odious to the people of Italy. Till at last in the year 725. he wrought them of Rome, of Campania, of Ravenna and Pentapolis to revolt from the Emperor, with a thousand cruelties practised upon those that took the emperors part; Whereupon Sigonius concludeth thus; By these means Rome and the Dukedom of Rome came to be in the Pope's power, being taken from the Grecians by reason of their wicked heresy; that is to say, that the Popes did take away the chiefest part of the Empire from under the emperors government, because they would not yield to worship images. This was the pretext; but the true cause was, because the Emperor was poor & weak so that one might offend him without much danger. This notwithstanding was nothing in respect of the greatness to which Pepin king of France did exalt the Pope in the year 755. which is the time wherein the Pope did first begin to be an earthly Prince under any title. Now even as when a great tree doth fall, every man runs with his hatchet to get some branch or other: Even so in the ruin of the Roman Empire, divers Princes, and people ●an to the wrack thereof, and every one snatched a part of it. But the Bishop of Rome over and above the possession of the head city of the Empire, and of the country round about, did by little & little take the marks and dignity of the Empire upon him, to wit, his habit, & shoes of scarlet; his senate clad in scarlet, the power of enrolling some for Gods, and Canonizing them for Saints: the obeisance, & submission of all the Princes which do agnize him▪ the Canon law in imitation of the civil: Ambassadors called Legates, as those of Emperors. Papal injunctions in imitation of the imperial. Imposts, and tributes under the title of Annates and contributions. The imperial crown; but triple. So that becoming of a Bishop to be a King, he did labour tooth and nail to make a monarchy of the church, & a Temporal Empire of a mystical and spiritual body: For which purpose he made use of our ancient kings (especially after Lewes surnamed the Debonnayre) which being plain meaning men, not seen in points of religion, thinking that to study was a disgrace for a King, suffered themselves to be led by an idle respect, under colour of the keys, and S. Peter's chair, till a last they did cease to be their own masters, seeing that their crown is at the pope's disposal, who takes it and gives it to whom he thinks good▪ These things have been noted by Guicciardine that famous Historian in the fourth book of his history, where after a long discourse of the rising and advancements of the pope's, he shuts up all with these words. The Popes upon these foundations, and by these means being exalted to an earthly dominion, having by little and little neglected the salvation of souls, and cast aside the remembrance of divine instructions, bending their studies how to attain to worldly greatness, & using spiritual authority no farther, but as it was an instrument, and help for the temporal, did begin to show more like secular Princes than Bishops; A 
* Out of the Venice edition printed in the year 1514. in pag. 125. after these words Il Ba glidi Digiuno.  passage, which together with others the Expurgators have razed clean out of the last editions of Guicciardine. To be brief he must be very little read in history, that can be ignorant of the accomplishment of the Apostles prophecy, which saith that when he which bore rule should be abolished, than the son of perdition should be exalted and made manifest.   

The second point. That God both staggered the Papacy by the preaching of his word, & shall destroy it finally by his last coming.  
IN the year of our Lord 1513. the popedom being in the height of worldly glory, and covering all the earth over with a darkness more thick than that of Egypt, pope Leo the 10 began a most shameful traffic: sending messengers to carry his pardons into all places, who sold the remission of sins at a set price, and for two crowns would draw a soul out of Purgatory. These Babylonish merchants went from town to town venting their ware, and gathering infinite sums of money, which as they made show was to be employed in war against the Turk, but the devil a soldier was ever priest for this purpose; but all was converted by these Collectors to the buying of Cardinal's caps, and the maintaining of pride and insolency, as if one should take a sack full of crowns, and throw it into a deep quagmire. The holy scripture as then was no more known to the people than the history of the new Guinie. The subject of their sermons was only to speak of the miracles of Saints, and virtues of relics: jesus Christ could scarce be known from their common sort of Saints, and it was a long time before he could get a festival day to be assigned unto him. The common fashion was to wrap men, as they lay a dying, in a Monk's gown, that so they might die in the state of grace; this was thought to be of no less virtue than a second baptism. Amidst this so gross ignorance which was scarce two fingers breadth from paganism, yet for all, even at that time, this merchandise did seem so odious, that every one cried after a reformation, & many had a desire to see the fountains and headsprings of christian religion, and to consult with the scripture that was kept hid from them. Luther did translate it into the Germane tongue, & being assisted by others did by urgent persuasions exhort the people to follow the 
* joh. 5. v. 3●  counsel of jesus Christ, who willeth them to search the scriptures that they may have eternal life: These abuses being by these means discovered, the Gospel was made open unto all, and infinite sorts of people came flocking unto the doctrine of salvation. England, Scotland, Denmark, Suethland, the greatest part of Germany, & of Swizzerland, a great part of the low Countries, of France, of Hungary, Bohemia, Polonia, Moravia, and Transsyluania, acknowledged their error, opened their eyes, gave the glory to God, and shook off the Romish tyranny, not to speak of those which even in Italy and Spain itself do groan under the yoke, and earn after liberty. To these churches newly reform in many places, we may add others which before Luther's time held the same doctrine that he did, which were in Hungaria, in Province, in the valleys of the Alps, in Bohemia, and in diverse other places, being the remainder of that horrible persecution, which the pope practised amongst them some four or five hundred years since. Since what time, even in the Countries over which the pope is absolute commander, the relics are not visited so often as they were wont, and may be seen for less money, than they used to be formerly: The gifts and offerings of our Lady of Loretta, and of S. james in Gallizia, are by two thirds less than they were: The badges of the 
* They bore crosses on their breasts which waged war for the Pope against the Turk, or any other infidels.  cross, by which the pope in turning of his hand could levy whole armies; are now no more in use. And there be some states and commonwealths, even in Italy itself, which dare argue the case, and dispute with what right he holdeth one of his swords, to wit, the temporal. And out of doubt popery had been abolished ere this, if Kings and Princes had not upheld it by their power, and if their cruelty had not compelled men to yield unto it for fear; and if the great revenues which the Clergy possess did not hold many people fast bound by the bellies, & obliged to maintain this error. Now this so sudden and so great a change doth evidently show, that before ever Luther taught, many did distaste this abuse, and watched for nothing but an occasion to cast of the yoke of tyrannical superstition, we have therefore by the events which fell out in our father's time seen a great part of the accomplishment of the Apostles prophecy, which is, that jesus Christ should consume the son of perdition by the spirit of his mouth, which is a fashion of speech used by Isaiah in the 11. chap. & 4. ver. where speaking of jesus Christ he saith, that he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, & slay the wicked with the breath of his lips. so, that which the Prophet calleth the breath of his lips, S. Paul calleth the spirit, or breath of his mouth; wherefore also in the 1. of the Apoc. it is said that a sharp two-edged sword went out of his mouth: which signifies the piercing virtue of his word. And out of question if the kingdom of the son of perdition must be established through the doctrine of lies, it must needs be that he must be overthrown by the word of truth. Nor doth S. Ieromes interpretation, in the 11. quest. to Algazia, contradict this, which will have the spirit of his mouth to signify the power & ordinance of his majesty: For what is the word of God but his ordinance? And preaching, which makes the foundations of Babylon to totter, could it have this virtue without the power & efficacy of God for to quicken it?  
Now to show that this final destruction of the son of Perdition must not be wrought all at one blow, but by little and little, the Apostle useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifieth to waste and consume, and not to kill as the common translation of the church of Rome turns it, as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; I do not here dispute whether S. Paul by this discomfiture or consuming, do understand an utter abolishment, or only a weakening of the Papacy: only this I say, that the Apostle useth such words as signify that this destruction shall not be effected but in process of time, and by degrees. I say moreover that God hath already put his hand to the work, and made us see the accomplishment of this prophecy well onward.  
For as for the final destruction of the son of perdition, S. Paul hath told us before hand that it shall not be till the day of judgement, saying, that God shall abolish him with the brightness of his coming; Agreeable to the prophecy of Daniel, which makes him to last, till the thrones were erected, and the ancient of days sat, 
Dan. 7. v. 8.9.10.  and that the sessions were held, and the books were opened. Which we are therefore the more to note for fear lest any one to delicately impatient should flatter himself in his hopes and promise to himself that he shall live to see the Pope utterly abolished: for fear also least being too hasty in our desires, we come at length to murmur, and complain as if the time were prorogued.  
This point were at an end, but that I cannot pass by 
* Apol. contra Regem. c. 9 parag. At inq●●unt.  Bellarmine's allegation of chrysostom, taken out of his 4, sermon upon the 2. to the Thessalonians, which place (as it seems) he did not understand. chrysostom speaketh thus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Bellarmine in the 9 chapt. of his book against the king turns it thus. Quemadmodum irruens ignis passim minuta animalia etiam antequam planè adveniat procul adhuc situs terrefacit & consumit. He thought that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signified, passim irruere, whereas it signifies, illabi, or supervenire, & that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signified, terrefacere. Whereas it signifies sopire or soporare; but let us come to that which follows.   

The fifth part of this Prophecy.  
3 Which wicked man's coming is by the effectual working of Satan, with all power and signs, and lying wonders.  
10 And in all deceiveableness of unrighteousness, among them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved.  
11 And therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe lies.   

The explication of this prophecy.  
9 The Pope shall come fortified with the might and efficacy of Satan, with power, and signs, and false miracles, & serving to establish lies.  
10 Whereby such as are marked out to perdition shall be lewdly seduced, because they have not loved the truth of the gospel which might have saved them.  
11 And therefore God shall suffer them to be seduced, and to be driven into strong delusions, and that they may believe lies.   

The proof of this Exposition.  
ALthough the ordinary works of God deserve most to be admired, yet men never wonder at these, but are still desirous to see some extraordinary thing: Few are there that take notice of the suns moving, but what a wonderment would it be to see the sun stand still? And yet notwithstanding the motion thereof is the more wonderful of the two. Man is naturally inclined to look after extraordinary eventes, but to to careless to better himself by them. So the jews resorted to Christ: because of the miracle of the five loaves, but not to receive instruction. This is the reason why God, being willing to direct men's understandings by natural means, did annex miracles to the publication of his law and his gospel: that so he might plant a dutiful respect in our hearts, before he did engrave his will in them. Yet for fear that miracles by being made to common should cease to be miracles, he thought it not fit to satisfy every man's curiosity in this, but sends us back to the hearing of his word: which being once confirmed by miracles in the first publication thereof, to ask any more for miracles is manifest incredulity. Hereunto add that Satan doth sometimes imitate the miracles of God, but never his truth, whence it happens that he which will not believe except he see miracles, doth thereby (without thinking of it) solicit Satan to work some miraculous feats, and to sport himself in deluding him. This is the reason why our Lord in the 13. of Deuteronomie doth forbid us to judge of the doctrine by the miracles, and would that we should rather judge of the miracles by the doctrine, saying that if any one shall give us a sign, or wonder, and the sign or wonder which he told of should come to pass, yet we must not hearken unto him if he once say, Come and let us go serve other Gods; that is to say, if he shall teach false doctrine. Such were the miracles of the magicians of Egypt, which counterfeited the power of God. Such were the miracles of the ancient heretics, who disputing against the Catholics did allege their miracles, as Tertullian reporteth in 44. chapt. of the book of prescriptions. They will moreover (saith he) speak much concerning the authority of every heretic, that they have more than any others confirmed the certainty of their doctrine that they have raised the dead, healed the sick, foretold of events to come, that they might be reputed for Apostles: as though this also were not written, that many shall come doing great miracles, for to strengthen the deceitfulness of their wicked preaching. And in the 3. cha. of his 3. book against Marcian, he saith, that the false Christ's do work miracles very easily. For jesus Christ tells us that in the last day many shall say unto him, have not we cast forth devils in thy name? To whom he shall answer, I know ye not, departed from me ye workers of iniquity. And in an other 
Mat. 24 ver 24. Marc. 13 v. 22.  place he saith, that false Christ's; and false prophets shall arise, & shall show great signs, and wonders, so that if it were possible they should deceive the very elect. And S. Paul yet more in particular saith of the son of perdition which is called Antichrist, that his coming shall be with signs, and lying wonders, so called, both because they shall be deceitful miracles, and mere illusions, as also because they shall serve to establish a lie.  
Which made me not a little wonder how Bellarmine and others came to put miracles amongst the notes of the true church, since the spirit of God hath given it us in these last days for a mark of the false. And that after the miracles of the Apostles, and their disciples, we hear of no miracles foretold, but only those of false teachers, and the son of perdition, as the author of the commentary upon S. Matthew (commonly fathered upon chrysostom) saith in the 49. sermon. We do not now acknowledge ani● to be the ministers of Christ because they do profitable miracles, but because they do no●● of these miracles. It is an evil and adulterous generation that seeketh signs, saith Christ in the 12. of Matthew; But the faithful rest the contented with the will of God revealed in his word: For if we teach no other doctrine then that of the Apostles, their miracles are ours, and confirm our religion. It is for them that forge new articles of faith, to work new miracles, that they may be believed.  
Now for to find the accomplishment of S. Paul's prophecy in the miracles of Popery, we are of necessity to rip up the whole matter from the beginning, and to see by what miracles the Papacy began first to be advanced.  
The Apostles & their Disciples having wrought many excellent and saving miracles, this virtue did insensibly diminish by little and little. This notwithstanding in the third and fourth ages there were some miracles done. But wheresoever God hath his Church, the devil will be sure to build him a chapel not far of: and where he cannot overthrow the work of God by contradicting it, he will obscure it by counterfeiting the like thereunto. He did therefore do many miracles by the hands of heretics, as S. Austin doth confess in his 13 tract upon S. john, and in the 16. chapt. of his book of the unity of the Church, where he saith that Donat and Portius did miracles, of whom and of all those which pray towards the sepulchres of the dead, and which see visions, he saith, that they are either the fictions of lying men, or prodigies of deceitful spirits.  
Satan hath for this purpose made use of another more subtle device. For he hath raised up historians, which in rehearsing the true miracles of the good servants of God, do add some of their own, & mingle the true with the false. Or else he himself hath wrought some absurd and ridiculous miracles, which he hath patched in among the actions of the Saints, so to make the true miracles suspected, being thought to come out of the same shop.  
S. Martin did do God great service in winning the Gauls from Paganism, and advancing Christian religion, and was a man full of zeal, and mighty in works; but Severus Sulpitius, which tells us that he saw him, reporteth many things of him which turn to his disgrace, and make the whole history ridiculous. He saith that Martin healed one that was possessed of a devil by giving him something to purge, and that he made him void the devil out at his back parts. 
* Tractain de trans●●● Martini.  He, the same relateth how Martin did enjoin a company of wild fowl not to catch any more fish, commanding them to fly thence into a desert country. A certain man coming into one of Martin's cells, & finding a fire there sat him down, tucked up his clothes about his knees, so to warm him the better, which Martin (who as then was in another room) knowing by revelation, cried out from far. Quis nudato inguine nostrum incestat habitaculum? These tales which follow here are worse. He saith that Martin promised the mercy of jesus Christ unto the devil, if he would but repent, as if jesus Christ had died for the devils also. The brother of Martin being dead, his soul was presented before God, and for his sins sent to hell, there to be grievously tormented: But two Angels, came, and signified to God (for God himself knew not of it) that this was the man for which Martin prayed, whereupon God commanded that he should be released, sent back again into the world; and restored to Martin. After his death a dog barked incessantly at certain men as they passed by, one of which turning back, said unto the dog, In the name of Martin I command thee to be quiet. What was this but to place Martin in the room of jesus Christ, & to make use of his power in a matter of no importance? whereby you may see, that Satan did even then begin to cast his projects, how he might establish the worship of Saints in the Church, and make them which had abandoned the false Gods, change the true Saints into Idols. Now this was about the 400. year of our Lord.  
But these things began daily to grow worse and worse; for two hundred years after came Gregory the 1. Bishop of Rome, surnamed the Great, for what reason I know not; who in his dialogues doth furnish us with other examples of this kind. In the 1. book and 4. chap. an Angel geldeth S. 
* Nocte quadam assistente Angelo Eunuchizavi sevidit.  Equitius in his sleep. In the same place a maid coming into a garden, and taking a lettuce to eat it, crushed the devil between her teeth in the lettuce: and this poor devil (whom belike she swallowed down together with the lettuce (being commanded to go out and checked by Equitius, excuseth himself, saying. 
* Ego quid feci? sedebam ibi super lactuc●m venit illa & m●mordit me.  Alas what hurt did I, I was sitting quietly upon the lettuce, and she came & bit me. The fault was in her for not making the sign of the cross when she gathered the lettuce: and it may be the devil would have vanished from out the leaves, if she had but dipped her lettuce in vinegar. In the 19 chapter. S. Boniface maketh a fox, with all gentleness that may be, to bring back a chick which he had taken away. And in the 10. chap. a Lady of good fashion is possessed with a devil because she lay with her husband the day before the dedication of a certain church. In the first chapter of the 2. book, the devil breaks S. Bennets bell with a stone, which he did use to ring, when he would have meat brought unto him. A little after, the same Saint burning with the fits of love, did (for to correct the outrageous insolency of his flesh) roll his naked body upon thorns, and nettles, till the blood sprang out again. In the 20. chap. a Monk holds a candle to S. Bennet all supper time, as though it had been a sin for him to set it down upon the table. In the 22. chap. the Deacon saying, as the fashion is, 
* Si quis non communicat det locum.  If there be any one here that doth not communicate, let him depart, two maids being buried in the church, which died without ever receiving the Communion, rose out of their graves, went out of the church, & returned again after the communion was ended. In the 14 chap. of the 3. book, S. Eutiche calleth a Bear his brother, giving him a charge to lead his flock to feeding, and to bring them home still at night. In the 15. chap. some of the clothes of this Saint, being hanged out, have the virtue to procure rain. In the 4. book and 21. chap. two Monks that were hanged, do sing most melodiously upon the gibbet after their deaths. And this fourth book is spent wholly in mentioning of souls, that say they are in Purgatory, not in a fire under the earth, that the Pope might draw them out by his Indulgences (for this invention was not yet thought upon) but in baths, in the wind, under the leaves of trees, or in the cold water. And these souls being asked why they suffered these pains, answered, because they had wronged some Monk or other, or had not given that to the Church which they had promised. Whereupon Gregory stands amazed at the so frequent visions of souls, never heard of before. Saying in the 41. chap. Whence comes it to pass I pray you, that in these latter days we have so many things revealed concerning the souls of the departed, which lay hid from us before?  
Behold two abuses, even in those days, crept into the Church of Rome, and both confirmed by miracles, to wit, the Adoration of Saints, and the opinion of Purgatory; although this were another kind of Purgatory, than that, which we have in the church of Rome now adays. And this was not above 600. years after Christ.  
But in the two next ages following, Satan holding on his old course, did much advance the mystery of iniquity, having raised up a new heresy, to wit, the Adoration of images, which was no small help to the exalting of the Papacy. For in the controversy concerning Priority between the Patriarch of Constantinople, and the Bishop of Rome, the Emperor Phocas deciding it on the Bishop of Rome's side, & a little after the emperors forces decaying in Italy, the pope after he had usurped the title of the head of the church, began to cast about how he might shake of the yoke of the Empire: and the 
* Bell. lib. ● Imag cap. 1● parag Arg●●mentum. E● adem occas●●one amisit dem Leo ● successor es ius imperi●● Italiae.  the question concerning images falling fit to his purpose for to withstand the Emperor, which did persecute the worshippers of images, he made himself Prince of Rome, and of a great part of Italy, by such means and degrees, as we have formerly related. Miracles were made serve to this end, which as then were so frequent, that it was held for a miracle, not to work a miracle. Baronius in his Annals, in the 870. year parag. 63. names certain witnesses which report that three miles of from the town of Damas', there was in former times a table or image of the virgin Mary in painting, the painting whereof came to be flesh incarnate within the wood, and sent forth a more odoriferous oil than balm. Luitprandus, and Platina in the life of Sergius the third, reports that when the body of pope Formosus was carried into S. Peter's church, all the images of the Saints that stood there did him obeisance. Bellarmine in the 12. chapter. of his book of images, speaks of an Hermit that was tempted with fornication, to whom Satan promised that he would tempt him no more, that is to say, that he would give him the gift of continency, on condition that he should ever after that adore the image of the virgin Mary. This was a means rather to incite him on to it afresh. There are images showed at Burgo in Spain, which are reported to have fallen from heaven, and to be made by S. Luke, and images of a crucifix the hair & nails of which do grow out new every month. Caesarius and others recite infinite miracles done by images, which did sweated, or weep, or speak, or wag the head, and it is certain that (if at leastwise we may believe these people) the image of the virgin Mary hath wrought a thousand times more miracles, than jesus Christ himself ever did in his own person. Which holy virgin they have profanely dishonoured, by attributing such miracles unto her as are scarcely honest. There is an Italian book sufficiently known, entitled, Miracoli d' ella gloriosa virgine Maria printed at Milan in the year 1547. which saith that a certain Abbess being great with child, the holy virgin willing to cover her crime, did in her steed present herself before the Bishop in form of an Abbess, and showed him by an ocular demonstration that she was not great with child. The same book relateth that an honest woman snatched the virgin Maries son from between the arms of her image, saying unto her, Give me my son which is kept prisoner, or I will not give thee thine, & that the virgin Mary for to have her own son did free the other woman's son out of prison. Caesarius in his 7. book 35. chap. reports that the virgin Mary for 12. whole years together, did supply the place of a certain Nun called Beatrice, whilst she lay in the Stews, till at last she came back again to take her place, and freed the Virgin from standing sentinel any longer. And God being enraged against the rebellion of men, hath given to these miracles a powerfulness of deluding, that so the Apostles prophecy might be fulfilled.  
Now look after what manner Satan went about at first to establish the worship of Images, the same way did he go to lay the foundation of transubstantiation, & did also for the authorizing of this, serve his own turn with a new sort of false miracles. For many faithful servants of God opposing themselves against this error in the rising thereof, the foster-fathers' of this abuse, began to invent a kind of miracles never heard of before. A certain Monk reports that he saw jesus Christ in form of a child sitting upon the Altar; another saith, that 
* Albertus Krantzius in Metrop lib. 1 cap 9 Wernerius Role vingius de laud Westph cap 7. Sigon. de reg. Ital. ad annum 1264. Platina in Leone 3. Onuphr. in Platinae Vrbanum 4. Meierus annal. Flandri. lib. 33.  Wittikind King of the Saxons, entering disguised into a church, and diligently observing the Christians fashion of receiving the communion, saw them put a little pretty smiling boy into their mouths. Others report that they have seen the host make the sign of the Cross: others that they saw Angels which held a little child upon the altar, and afterwards cut him into a thousand small pieces. jodocus Coccius Canon of juliers doth produce 35. such like examples as these, and yet doth not allege the one moiety of them. All these miraculous apparitions of flesh, and blood, began in the year 785, for before that time they were never heard of, nor do our adversaries allege any one example of them: nevertheless to give colour to these new fables, by the testimony of some ancient witness, one (I know what manner of man) Amphylochius by name, hath written the life of S. Basill, many ages after Basill was dead, altogether different from that which Nazianzen hath written of the same subject, where he saith that a jew saw an infant torn in many pieces between S. Basils' hands. The like fable is related by Simeon the Metaphrast, a new author, in the life of Arsenius the Hermit. For it shall never be found that any author, as ancient as Basill, or Arsenius, or those which came long after, did ever speak of this. The 8. age began first to bring forth these prodigies, and impostures: jesus Christ as then beginning to make himself known in the Mass, and to show himself in his proper shape, being a perfect complete man in heaven, and but a child upon earth, wholly entire in heaven, but here cut and mangled into small pieces between the hands of the Priest. Wherefore they do yet keep some blood & flesh in many churches, for fear lest the people suspect that these were illusions. For Satan even in those days did secretly begin to weave the web of the mystery of Transubstantiation: which having confirmed by these miracles, he got it at last to pass in an article of a council, the Lateran Council I mean, held under Innocent the 3. in the year of our Lord, 1215. To these apparitions they annex the testimoines of beasts. There were an hive of Bees seen in S, Gervays his monastery in Paris which built a chapel of wax in honour of the Host; but above all, the miracle of the Ass that left his provender to worship the host, seems most ridiculous to the king of Great Britain: and that with good reason: howsoever 
Apol. in Regem cap. 9  Bellarmine in his answer to the king seek to colour it with other miracles mentioned in the Scripture, which, as he saith, seem no less absurd to him. We are therefore now come to that pass, that it is held impiety not to think that foolish legends forged but of late, must have all one authority to bind our belief, as the word of God, beside, no miracles of the scripture do plant Christian virtues in brute beasts: for it must needs be (by their reckoning) that this Ass (going of his own accord to worship the host) had some zeal in him & knowledge of God, which was not to be seen in the Kine that drew the Ark, nor in Balaams' Ass. The miracles that are done now a days are of no more worth, and are all reducible to one miracle, which is to drive away devils, who make as though they were afraid of holy water, and the sign of cross, so to detain the people still in error: and as thieves are thought to give life when they do not take it away, so the devils are said to do good when they cease to hurt. Whereunto they do willingly condescend, for to make men think that the Mass or these conjurations have some virtue in them. The pharisees accused jesus Christ for casting out devils by Beelzebub Prince of the devils, thinking that Beelzebub did cast out others as being more powerful than they. But we speak not as the pharisees: for we say not that these conjurers of spirits in this age, do cast out devils by any superiority or predominancy that they have over them, but by collusion, and by the voluntary departing of the devils themselves. Wherefore they cannot answer us as our Lord did the pharisees, that if Satan cast out Satan his kingdom cannot endure, because he is divided against himself, for in all their exorcisms we presuppose that the devils are to well agreed. Yea and I say, that if Christ could have done no other miracle but to heal those which were possessed with devils, the pharisees had had some reason to doubt of his power: but he gave sight to such as were borne blind, raised the dead that lay stinking in their graves, multiplied the bread, things which the devils cannot do, and which our adversaries (though never so foolhardy in imitating) do not yet dare to counterfeit: for they have been many times taken tardy in less matters, and punished for such pranks by judges of the same religion that they are. In the year 1509 there were four jacobin Friars executed at Berne, for raising ulcers, in the feet, in the hands, and in the side of a simple man, of whom they would have made another S. Francis, and given him the marks, as 
* Langii Chron. Citizense ad annum. 1509.  Langius witnesseth in his chronicle, and it is a thing commonly practised to this day in Switzerland. In the year 
* S●e●dan l▪ 9  1534 the Cordeliers of Orleans did put a Novice of their profession over the vault of the church, which with pitiful sighs & great lamentation did feign that he was the soul the Provosts wife of Orleans, that died without giving them any thing, and gave them to understand that she was damned, and that her body must be digged up again out of the earth. This point of knavery being detected by the Official, the two principal authors of it, to wit, Coliman and Steven of Arras, were sent to Paris, & after judgement past, were forthwith led back again to Orleans, and there in an open place (where malefactors use to suffer) were made to confess their imposture. Papon in the sixth edition of his Reports, 1. title, & 6. judgement. doth relate many sentences that have passed in the high Courts against these false, and abusive miracles. The miracles of Martha Brossiere, which was possessed with a devil, have lately been found to be false, and she condemned in judgement, Mounsieur Marescot a Physician that was sent for to visit her, hath written an express book of this. Mounsieur Boutiller that famous advocate at Paris hath written a set tract against the fable of Gargoville of Roan, slain by S. Roman, wherein it is said, that for a requital of this good turn, God hath done him this favour that whosoever doth but lift up his coffin (be it that he be a parricide or have committed incest) is forthwith absolved both from the punishment, & the guilt of these crimes. Read the miracles of our Lady of Halls in Flaunders, published by Lipsius, & you shall see that the good man hath spent 40 years in gathering choice flowers of Grammar Latin to throw them down at the feet of an image, and made use of all his philosophy upon an idle toy: there shall you see how he doth often call the Virgin Deam, & Divam, Pagan-like substituting female Gods. S. Ignatius Loyola the father and patron of the jesuits had not for a long time done any miracles: but his opening virtue began of late to show itself, by unstopping the obstructions of a wench troubled with the stone & making her to leak. This is the first sign of any powerful virtue that was in this Saint, and this goodly miracle was newly printed of late at Liege and at S. Omers, and is proclaimed by the common crier to be sold at Paris.  
To go about here to reckon up a thousand false miracles wherewith the legends are stuffed, were nothing else but to rake up heaps of dung. S. Dominicke heals a wench's thigh, by rubbing it over with the oil of Love, as his Legend reporteth. That of S. Francis saith, that he preached to the Pies, and Swallows, and called them his sisters: that he gave his hand to a wolf calling him his brother, and that the wolf gave him his paw. The book entitled Fasciculus temporum, composed by a religious Carmelite, upon the year 754, reporteth of S. Gingolfs' wife, that she used to sing with her lower mouth, which was inflicted upon her for a punishment, because she scoffed at her husband's miracles. In all this, the greatest miracle is the patience of God▪ and the blockishness of the people, that are thus led. But it must needs be that the Apostles prophecy, must be fulfilled; which saith, that the coming of the son of Perdition should be in all power, and signs, and lying wonders: and that God should send the powerfulness of delusion for a punishment unto such as would not love his truth, On whom (saith the Apostle) God hath sent strong delusions, that they should believe lies.    

THE PROPHECY CONtained in the 12. Chapter of the Apocalypse. CHAP. 3.  
1 AND there appeared a great wonder in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and upon her head a crown of 12. stars.  
2 And she was with child, and cried travailing in birth, and was pained ready to be delivered.  
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven: for behold a great red dragon having 7. heads, and 10. horns, & 7 crowns upon his heads:  
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, to devour her child, when she had brought it forth.  
5 So she brought forth a man child, which should rule all nations with a rod of iron: and that her child was taken up unto God, and to his throne.  
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand, two hundredth, and three score days.  
7 And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon, and the Dragon fought and his Angels;  
8 But they prevailed not, neither was their place any more found in heaven.  
9 And the great Dragon, that old serpent, called the devil and Satan, was cast out, which deceiveth all the world; he was even cast into the earth, and his Angels were cast out with him.  
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, Now is salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.  
11 But they overcame him by that blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.  
12 Therefore rejoice ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. woe to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the sea: for the devil is come down unto you, which hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time.  
13 And when the Dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman, which had brought forth the man child.  
14 But to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.  
15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water after the woman like a flood, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood  
16 But the earth holp the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, & swallowed up the flood which the Dragon had cast out of his mouth.  
17 Then the Dragon was wroth with the woman, and went and made war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of jesus Christ  
18 And I stood on the sea sand.  

The Exposition of this Prophecy.  
1 A Great sign appeared in heaven, to wit, a woman which was the type of the Church of Israel. And this Church was illightened with the brightness of the knowledge of God and did tread under her feet the mutable instability of worldly things, which is like to the change of the moon. And was crowned with a dozen stars, which are the twelve Patriarches, the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel.  
2 And of this Church must there a child be borne, to wit, the Messias, in expectation of whom she did suffer, and was in anguish, looking for the manifestation of this Messias.  
3 But behold on the other side the devil like a red dragon, having 7 heads, and ten horns, and 7 crowns upon his heads.  
4 Whose venomous temptations have used to make the third part of those that are in the visible Church, to fall away, whom he turneth aside from heavenly things to earthly. And this devil did watch with all diligence for the time when jesus Christ should be born of the Church of Israel, that he might make him to perish as soon as ever he was borne, having raised up a persecution against him in his cradle, then when Herod would have put him to death.  
5 Now of this Church of Israel was a man-child borne, to wit, jesus Christ, which must rule all the world with a strong & mighty sceptre. And this jesus was lifted up from earth to heaven by his ascension.  
6 And after the ascension of jesus Christ Satan having raised up a persecution against the jews, so to enwrap the Christian jewish Church in the same ruin, this Church did retire aside into a place called Pella, where she lay hid 1260. days, which are three years and a half.  
7 Now after this ascension, there was a great battle fought in heaven, jesus Christ and his Angels fight against the Prince of the devils, and the wicked spirits that took his part.  
8 But Satan was overcome, & cast out of heaven.  
9 So was this old serpent, called the devil and satan (which thought to have seduced all men) put to flight; And was thrown down from heaven to earth, and all wicked spirits together with him.  
10 Then I heard a great voice in heaven, saying; Now by the ascension of jesus Christ (which hath taken possession of the kingdom of God, being sat at his right hand) is salvation purchased unto the Church, and the mighty kingdom of our God is established, and the power of his Christ. For the devil which did accuse the faithful incessantly before God, is cast out of heaven, and put by from his trade of accusation.  
11 But in virtue of the death of jesus Christ, which by his death hath subdued him that had the power over death, to wit, the devil, they have overcome him, being armed with the word of the Gospel, to which they have given testimony by their sufferings, & by their preaching, having willingly exposed their lives to the death, for the justifying of their faith in jesus Christ.  
12 Wherefore rejoice O ye Saints which dwell in heaven, but tremble ye inhabitants of the earth, which dwell in the continent, & in the islands; for the devil is come down unto you, for to wreak his anger upon you, knowing that he shall ere long be cast into the bottomless pit, and that all his power to do hurt, shall shortly be taken away from him.  
13 When the devil therefore saw that he was casseered of his kingdom, & that he was thrown out of heaven, he did set himself to persecute the Church of which jesus Christ was borne, that is, the Church of the faithful jews, amongst whom were the Apostles, and Disciples of jesus.  
14 But God showed this Church a way to escape the persecution which the devil had raised, by flying away, & hiding herself in the above named town of Pella, on this side jordan, where God did nourish and defend her, for a year, two years, and a half an year; that is, for three years and a half.  
15 This persecution then of the Christian Church, being no ways advantageous to Satan, he moved Pagan & heathen people to rise up against the Church of the Apostles, and their Disciples, so to oppress them and work their overthrow.  
16 But these people stirred up by Satan were swallowed up in the bottomless pit, and were cast down into hell.  
17 Satan therefore being enraged that he could not work the overthrow of the Christian jewish Church, laboured by all means to persecute the Churches of the Gentiles, which the Church of the jews had planted and begotten, which Churches of the Gentiles do keep the Commandments of God, and lay up the doctrine of the Gospel in their hearts.  
18 And in this vision that I saw I was not transported out of my body, but, being only ravished in spirit, I remained on the sea shore.   

The cleared of this prophecy, together with the proof of this exposition.  
ALbeit this chapter make no mention of the bishop of Rome, yet I must of necessity expound it, because it serves for the unfolding of the chapters following, and because they depend upon this. Now the exposition which I give of it is so clear & natural, that it may be thought a labour spent in vain to go about to prove it.  
By this woman I understand the church of Israel, after Abraham & the patriarchs, which were the fathers of the 12 tribes of Israel, till the jewish church began to be mixed together with that of the Gentiles, which came to pass presently upon the time of the Apostles. This is the reason, that (although the church of the jews before the preaching of the gospel, and before the ascension of jesus Christ be the self same Church with that of the faithful jews, which from the Apostles time did believe in jesus Christ) yet so it is, that for the more perspicuities sake I call the church of the jews after the ascension of our Saviour jesus Christ the jewish-christian church, for to distinguish it from the jews that were the enemies of the gospel: & yet notwithstanding it is still the Church of Israel.  
There be 2 reasons that enforce me not to understand the church in general by this woman, but only the church of Israel. The first is because jesus Christ is borne of the church here mentioned. For least any man should understand this of a metaphorical birth, the holy Ghost doth there make express mention of a birth that goeth before his ascension: which cannot agree to regeneration, whereby Christ is form a new in us. The second reason is because in the 17. verse this church is manifestly distinguished from that of the Gentiles; as the mother from the daughter. Besides the whole course of the chapter showeth us that this is the meaning.  
In the third verse the devil is represented in the form of a beast having 7. heads and ten horns, which is the form under which the Roman Empire is represented in the 7. of Daniel: and in the 1. verse of the chapter which we come next to handle; where we will examine the reason why the Empire is described in this manner. And the devil and the Empire are both represented under the same form, because the devil did as then make use of this mighty Empire for to persecute the church.  
In the 4. verse their revolting, which held some place in the Church, is compared to the falling of stars thrown down from heaven upon earth. For as the church is often called the kingdom of heaven, so by the same reason they which are placed therein are compared to stars: whose apostasy is as the falling of one from heaven to earth, both because they are shut out of heaven, as also because they deject & debase their desires and affections from heavenly to earthly things. Which will also serve us to expound the 10. verse of the 8. chapter of this book, where it is said that a great star fell from heaven, which did infect the third part of the waters of the earth, the meaning whereof is nothing else, but that a great man of note in the Church should fall from the faith, and by his example corrupt many others.  
That which is said in the fifth verse, that the child (which is the Messias) shall govern all nations with a sceptre of iron, is taken out of the 2. Psalm, ver. 9 Thou shalt crush them with a sceptre of iron, that is to say, thou shalt keep them under with a mighty sceptre, and with a powerful dominion: in which Psalm the extent of the absolute Empire of Christ jesus is described unto us.  
The flight and retiring of the jewish church, and the three years and an half wherein she lay hid, as it is in the 6. & 14. verses, are proved to be true by history. Eusebius in the 2. book of his history, and 5. chapter saith; The people of the church of jerusalem were before the war began by an oracle revealed to some of the chief amongst them, commanded to depart out of that city, and to dwell in a town on this side jordano called Pella, whether as many as believed in jesus Christ fled having left jerusalem. Now this war lasted 3. years and a half, as we may gather out of Dion, and josephus, from the third book of his judaical history to the 6. In the 67. year of our Lord, in the month of April, 4. months after the death of Nero, Vespasian sent at first by Nero began to lay his siege to Gadara, and jotapata, and to subdue Galilee. In the 70. year of our Lord on the 8. of December Titus the son of Vespasian took jerusalem, & razed it to the ground, afterward departed thence to triumph at Rome, leaving some few forces to finish that which he had left undone, which was effected with little or no resistance.  
The Prince of the Angels Michael which is spoken of in the 7. verse, is jesus Christ our Lord. For this is he which is the head of the Angels; this is 
* Heb. 2.14. Col 2.15. Ps. 68.19. Eph. 4.8.  he which hath overcome the devil; this is he to whom alone the name of Michael agreeth, which signifieth, Who is as God? for he hath thought it no robbery to be equal to God his father. Phil. 2.6.  
Now the battle that was fought in heaven must be understood to have been fought after the death or ascension of our Lord, and not after the retiring aside of the jews into Pella, although there be mention made of this before the fight of the battle in heaven: for S. john having first related what befell the church upon earth, mounts up again to the things that were done in heaven: and indeed in the 14. this very flight of the church is set after the fight of the battle in heaven: which I do not think was so in effect, but that hereby God did in a vision represent to S. john, that Satan was cast out of heaven by jesus Christ.  
To this purpose we are to note that in the 1. of job, the 6. verse, it is said, that the children of God (which are the Angels) came and stood before the Lord, and that Satan also thrust in amongst them. And in the 22. chapt. of the 1. of Kings 21. verse, it is said, that a wicked spirit came and stood before the Lord, offering his service to seduce the Prophets, and to be a lying spirit in their mouths. By which places it appears, that Satan in that time had as yet free access into heaven, and that he was found amongst the Angels. But in the 10. chap. of S. Luke, and 18. verse, jesus speaketh thus, I saw Satan like lightning fall down from heaven. And in this 12. chapter of the Apocalypse, Satan is described unto us falling from heaven to earth presently after the ascension of jesus Christ. By which passages of scripture it seemeth that the ascension of our Lord did wholly exclude Satan out of heaven, and barred him all entrance there again for ever after that time, tumbling him down into this lower region. Whereupon S. Paul also in the 2. chapt. to the Ephesians, calleth the wicked spirits, the powers that rule in the air, & the prince of the devils, the Prince of the powers that rule in the air. Which region of the air is in infinite places of holy writ called by the name of heaven: in which sense I am persuaded that must be understood which the same Apostle speaketh in the 6. chap. of the same epistle, where he saith, that the spiritual wickednesses are in the high, or heavenly places.  
Now that Satan being in heaven did accuse and calumniate the faithful to God, it appeareth by the example of job, whom he accused to God, as if all his zeal and innocency had been mercenary, and led by profit. Wherefore also he is called the devil, that is to say, a slanderer.  
The waters which Satan did power out after the church for to hurt her, are the people, and nations. The meaning whereof would have been hard for us to have found out, if the holy Ghost himself had not expounded it in the 15. verse of the 17. chap. The waters which thou sawest, are people, and multitudes, and nations.    

THE PROPHECY CONtained in the 13. Chapter of the Apocalypse. CHAP. 4.  
1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns were ten crowns, and upon his head the name of blasphemy.  
2 And the beast which I saw was like a Leopard, and his feet like a bears, and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion: and the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.  
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death, but his deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered and followed the beast.  
4 And they worshipped the dragon, which gave power unto the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, who is he like unto the beast? who is able to war with him?  
5 And there was given unto him a mouth, that spoke great things and blasphemies, and power was given unto him to do 42. months.  
6 And he opened his mouth unto blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.  
7 And it was given to him to make war with the Saints, & to overcome them, and power was given him over every kindred, and tongue, and nation.  
8 Therefore all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of 〈…〉, which was slain from the beginning of the world.  
9 If any man have an ear let him hear.  
10 If any man lead into captivity, he shall go into captivity: If any man kill with a sword, he must be killed by a sword: here is the patience, and the faith of the Saints.  
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, which had two horns like the Lamb, but he spoke like the Dragon.  
12 And he did all that the first beast could do before him, and he caused the earth and them which dwell therein, to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.  
13 And he did great wonders, so that he made fire to come down from heaven on the earth, in the sight of men.  
14 And he deceived them that dwell on the earth by the signs which were permitted him to do in the sight of the beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make the image of the beast, which had the wound with a sword, and did live.  
15 And it was permitted unto him to give a spirit unto the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast should speak, and should cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast, should be killed.  
16 And he made all both small & great, rich & poor, free & bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.  
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.  
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath wit, count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundredth threescore and six.  

The exposition of this Prophecy.  
1 Then I saw the Roman Empire to raise itself up from amongst the people and nations, having its seat in the town which hath 7. hills, and which must be governed with 7. kinds of principal governments, to wit, by kings, by Consuls, by military Tribunes, by Decemvirs, by dictators, by Emperors, and last of all by Popes. Which Empire is composed of 10. principal parts, which are so many kingdoms. And this city seated upon 7. hills bore a wicked, and blasphemous name, to wit, Rome the Everlasting.  
2 And this Empire looked like a Leopard, by reason of the speedy achievements of its conquests. And held fast the substance of the people as a bear, which keeps that which he hath gotten under his paws, and devoured the nations as a Lion devoureth his prey. And the devil (which is the 
* joh. 16.11.  Prince of this world, and which 
* Luk. 4.6.  takes upon him to dispose of kingdoms at his pleasure, gave him his power and rule, and great glory.  
3 And it came pass that one of these governments, to wit the 6, which is that of the Emperors, was overthrown, then when (the Lombard's having chased the Lieutenants of the Empire out of Italy) Rome did cease to be under subjection to the Emperors; wherefore to say truth, the Empire did even at that time leave to be the Roman Empire. But not long after this mortal blow by which the Empire of Rome was laid on the ground, this monarchy began to grow up afresh, and to revive again by the Roman Hierarchy, which did reerect a new Monarchy at Rome, and raise up the Empire that was fallen: And all the people submitted themselves under the government of this Romish church,  
4. And did serve Idols; which who so serve, do serve the devil, the author and advancer of this Papal Hierarchy, & did attribute that unto this Hierarchy which did appertain unto God, saying who is there that is like unto this Empire, & who is able to resist it?  
5 And God hath suffered this Empire to take proud and blasphemous titles, 
1. Cor. 10. ●●  and it must endure 1260. years.  
6 And this papal Hierarchy doth set itself to belch forth horrible blasphemies against God, and to wrong his name and his Church, and his Saints.  
7 Yea God hath suffered it to persecute the faithful, and to overcome them, & power was given unto it over infinite people, and tongues, and nations.  
8 In so much that all men shall fall down to worship it, whose names are not found in the book of life of jesus Christ which died for us, written before the foundations of the world were laid.  
9 If any man have an understanding to conceive this, let him conceive it.  
10 For they which persecute, shall be dealt with after the same manner▪ whosoever leadeth the faithful into captivity, shall himself at length be made a captive; whosoever slayeth them shall be slain. Herein appeareth the faith and patience of the Saints.  
11 I saw also a Monarch of another name and fashion then the former Roman Emperors, to wit, the Pope, which wore a mitre with two horns upon his head, & which seemed in outward show to profess Christ, and his doctrine, but whose doctrine indeed was diabolical.  
12 And he took all the power of the Roman Empire upon him at Rome being the seat of the Empire: and exhorted all people to submit themselves to this Roman Empire, which being destroyed by the Lombard's in Italy, was brought to life again, and re-established by the Papacy.  
13 And this Pope wrought miracles; insomuch that he sent forth the thunderbolts and lightnings of his excommunications against Kings and their people: & caused S. Anthony's fire to come down from heaven, and made it to thunder and lighten by a miracle.  
14 And the people were seduced by the miracles which God gave him power to effect, for to establish this Roman Papal 〈◊〉, commanding the people to make up the image of the ancient Roman Empire again; that is to say, to serve the Papal Empire with the same manner of obedience as they did the old Roman Empire, which being demolished was built up again by the Papacy.  
15 And God did suffer him to give force and strength to this Papal Empire, which did resemble the ancient Empire, for the spiritual power that it did usurp gave life & strength to its temporal power. Which Papal Empire being nothing but an imaginary Empire, and which consisteth only in opinion, nevertheless speaks proudly, and maketh such to be massacred, and burnt, as do refuse to submit themselves to this imaginary Empire.  
16 And he made all, both small and great, rich and poor, bond and free, to give him their hands, and take an oath to be faithful unto him, and to be marked by their actions. And their foreheads were marked with the mark of Confirmation, and they made profession of his religion, which profession of religion is often in the holy scripture, called by the name of a mark in the forehead.  
17 And he took order that no man might traffic nor sell, nor buy, nor exchange benefices: nor be suffered to purchase an Archbishop's Pall, nor have a Licence, nor any pa●t in the Church goods, no nor yet buy an estate, if he had not the name, and profession of a Papist: and were not of the number of those which are marked with the figures or numbers of the letters of his name.  
18 In which number they which think themselves the wisest may find some thing worth their search. Whosoever hath understanding let him diligently calculate the sum, to which these greek ciphers or numbers of the pope of Rome do amount, for it is an usual number amongst men, and therefore easy to be understood. And this number to which the greek letters of his name do amount, is six hundredth sixty six. For this word (Latin) (which is the ordinary name, by which the Greek church doth call those of the Roman church and their head) being written in Greek and after calculated, makes up just 666. Which number also by an admirable occurrence, doth admonish you that 666. years after the revealing of this Prophecy, this 2. beast, to wit, the Pope shall begin to heal the wound of the ancient Empire, and place the Roman Empire again in its former seat.   

The proof of this exposition.  
BEfore we go about to prove this exposition, we are to note five things.  
1 That all the ancient, and our adversaries themselves do understand the Roman Empire by the first beast, and Antichrist by the second.  
2 That the holy Ghost in this prophecy doth not speak according to custom, but according to the truth; and therefore holds him to be the Roman Emperor which reigneth at Rome, and not him which doth not rule there, howbeit he bear the title thereof.  
3 That in the year of our Lord 752. the lieutenancy of the Empire being destroyed by Aistulphus king of the Lombard's, the Emperor of Constantinople did utterly lose all his dominion over Italy, & the city of Rome, so that he could never after recover it: whence it follows that the Emperor of Constantinople, did at that time cease to be the Roman Emperor.  
4 That the holy Ghost in this Prophecy makes the hierarchical Roman Empire, to be a continuation of the Roman Empire, as which did succeed in the room, and usurp the rights thereof, and makes but one Empire of them both, having changed the head, that is to say, the form of government.  
5 That the holy Ghost in this prophecy puts a difference between the Roman Hierarchy and the Pope. Seeing that the Pope is but one person at once: but the Hierarchy is the whole body of the Prelates and Clergy, that do uphold his authority.  
This being premised for the better opening of the matter in hand, we will now come to prove, and demonstrate the several parts thereof.   

The first part of this Prophecy.  
1. THen I saw a beast rising out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns were ten Crowns, and upon his head the name of blasphemy.   

The Exposition of this Prophecy.  
1 THen I saw the Roman Empire to raise itself up from amongst the people and nations, having its seat in the town which hath 7 hills, and which must be governed with 7 kinds of main governements, to wit, by kings, by Consuls, by military Tribunes, by Decemvirs, by dictators, by Emperors, and last of all by Popes. Which Empire is composed of 10. principal parts, which are so many kingdoms. And this city seated upon 7. hills bore a wicked and blasphemous name to wit, Rome the Everlasting.   

The proof of this Exposition.  
By the sea, the people and nations are understood; according to the exposition of the Angel in the 17. chap. and 15. verse of this book. The waters which thou sawest, are people, and multitudes, and nations. A fashion of speech used by Daniel, in the 7. chap. and 3. verse; Where in steed of saying that he saw 4 great Empires rise up from amongst the nations, he saith that 4 great beasts did rise up out of the sea. So speaks Esay in his 8. chap. and 7. verse; and David in the Psalms, 46. verse 4. and 65. verse. 8.  
That by the 7. heads, 7. hills are understood, upon which the city of Rome was situate, the Angel witnesseth in the 17. chap. of this book, and 9 verse. The seven heads are seven mountains whereon the woman sitteth. Afterward he addeth in the 18. verse, That woman which thou sawest is the great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth. This cannot be understood of any other city but of Rome, which in the time of S. john reigned over realms, and was the seat of the Empire, and there was no other city at that time which had seven hills, wherefore also it is called in greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Septicollis. And there was a solemn feast, called Septimontium, in honour of the town, as 
* Varro lib. 5 Dies Septimentium no●inatu● ab ●is 7. moati●●● in queis ●rbs sita est  Varro witnesseth in his 5. book of the Latin tongue. And 
* Varro lib. 5 Dies Septimentium no●inatu● ab ●is 7. moati●●● in queis ●rbs sita est  Martial saith that he could see the 7. hills of Rome from his house: and Propertius in the 10. elegy of his 3. book,  
Septe urbs alta iugis toti quae prasidetorbi. Also our adversaries themselves do not deny but that this city whereof S. john speaketh is Rome: but they would have it to be heathenish Rome. We will show in the 17. chapt. that S. john did speak of Rome also after Paganism was abolished: but in this chapt. it is sufficient for us that by the 7. heads the 7. hills of Rome are understood, taken in that sense as our adversaries would have it.  
By these 7. hills we do understand 7. diverse successive governments, which have borne sovereign rule over the city of Rome: to wit, the Kings, whom the Consuls succeeded, whose form of government was interrupted 3 several times by the Military Tribunes which were endued with consular authority. Afterward by the Decemvirs; and by the Dictatous, at diverse times, but most especially under the Dictatorship of Sylla, and julius Caesar. After whom Octavius Augustus established the Monarchical state of Emperors, whose government over Rome and Italy being interrupted by the Herules and Goths, nevertheless they made a shift a little after to recover it again: until the Lombard's at last having destroyed the Empire in Italy, opened a way unto the Pope to make himself Lord of Rome, & to build up the Roman Monarchy to that height as we see it is come to at this day. And this exposition is not of our own inventing, but grounded upon the 17. of the Revelation the 10. verse, where he saith that the 7. heads are 7. kings (so doth-he call all sovereign power) five of which were fallen, and the 6. was, & the 7. was not yet come. There is nothing so clear and evident. For at the time when S. john had this Revelation the 5. first of these 7. sovereign governments were abolished, to wit, the kings, the Consuls, the Military Tribunes, the Decemvirs, and the dictators, the sixth did flourish, to wit, the Emperors, and the 7. to wit, the Popes were not as yet come. I am not ignorant that even then there were Consuls still remaining, and Military Tribunes, but they had no sovereignty. The Consulship was a place more of dignity, than any authority, and served for nothing else but to distinguish the years in their Fasti. And the Military Tribunes were but the Captains of one Legion, which are at this day called the Colonels of a band. It is not therefore an interpretation of our own invention, when we say that these 7 heads do signify 7. several forms of sovereign government ruling Rome one after an other, and not all at the same time: seeing that S. john saith that 5. of these 7. heads were fallen, that one was, and that the 7. was not as yet come. This doubtless is an admirable exposition, and was suggested to his Majesty of England by the spirit of God.  
S. john doth add further, that this beast which is the Roman Empire had 10. diadems, or crowns; the meaning is plain: we use to say that our King, besides the crown of France hath also the crown of Navarre: and that the kings of England & Spain, are kings of more crowns than one, that is to say of more Realms or Provinces; The like is here to be understood. The 10. crowns of the Roman Empire are 10. great Provinces & principal parts, whereof the Empire did as then consist; Italy, Spain, the Gauls, Germany, Hungary and Bulgarie, Greece, Anatolia or Asia minor, Syria and Assyria, Egypt, and Africa. The Isles are dependences of the next continent. And under every one of these great parts are comprehended the next small provinces which were kept in subjection by the same armies: as Dacia & Moldavia by the Legions appointed for Hungary. If there were any other Provinces, as Armenia, & Arabia, they were never held but weakly, and in part, and were often lost, and they are reckoned for dependences of Asia minor, and of Syria.  
And although the Roman Emperor be here compared to a beast, yet this doth not deny but that there were some good Roman Emperors: and we may not think it strange that the holy Ghost doth represent this Empire unto us by a Beast, which was not only governed by Nero's, Domitian's, and Heliogabales: but by Theodosies also, & Valentinians, Christian and religious Princes. For Empires are called beasts in the Prophecy of Daniel, and in the Apocalypse, because of the manner by which they did first rise and increase, to wit, by violence and cruelty. For no man can deny that the Romans at first were nothing else but thieves, and common robbers, which heretofore having nothing but only one walled town, had no right over Italy less yet over Greece, over the Gauls, over Spain, Africa, or Asia; but it is possible enough to govern that with order and equity, which was first laid hold on by injustice.  
It remains that we see what these names of blasphemy are, which this city and Empire of Rome did bear. S. Hierome in the 11. question to Algasia, expounds this place thus. There is (saith S. john in the Revelation,) a name of blasphemy written in the forehead of the quean clad in scarlet, & this name is, Rome The Everlasting. The same city is likewise called Dea, Goddess, And so doth julius Frontinus call her in his book of water works. The queen and Empress of the world, which is the Goddess of the earth, and all the nations. And Martial speaketh after the same manner, in the 8. Epigram of his 12 book. 
Terrarum Dea gentiumque Roma  
Cui par est nihil & nihil secundum.  
Queen of the earth, Goddess of this world's round,  
Whose like or second may no where be found.  The Emperors also were not without 
* Virg. Ecl. 1. O Melibae● Deus. & paulò pòst, Bissenos cui nostra dies altaria fumant. Martial. Epig. 8. l. 5 Edictum domini deique nostri. Horat. Epist. 1. l. 2. Praesenti tibi maturos largimur honores, jurandasque tuum per nomen ponimus aras Codicis lib. 1. tit. 2. de sacrosanctia Ecclesiis, Capitationis modum beneficio nostri nominis sublevandum.  blasphemous titles. For they were called Gods, not only after their death, but whilst they were living too: There were altars built in honour of them, They had sacrifice offered unto them; The common fashion of swearing was to swear by the Genius of the Emperor, their statues were places of refuge for offenders, as for example, to the servants of julius Sabinus, of whom for this fact there is mention made in the 8. chapt. of the 1. book of justinian's Institutioos. There offenders might rest more secure than in a Temple, as Philostratus saith in the life of Apollonius; and Tertullian in his Apologeticke oration against the heathen affirmeth that it was less danger, for a man to swear falsely by jupiter, then to periute himself by the name of the Prince. And Pliny the younger in the 97. Epistle of his 10. book saith, that he made all such, as renounced christianity, to kneel down before the image of the Empeorur, and to offer incense and wine unto him for sacrifice. Which impiety being abolished by the Christian Emperors, yet nevertheless (that this prophecy might be fulfilled, there were still some names of blasphemy abiding, for retaining of which they cannot be excused. In the year of our Lord 314. Petronius Arrianus, and julian being commanded to look to the safety of many bishops that were returning into Africa, & to defray the charges of their journey, writ thus to Domitius Celsus the emperors Lieutenant in Africa, Many bishops of Africa are come to the country of the Gauls by the heavenly commandment of our Lord Constantine. And a little after; Following the commandment of the Eternity of that thrice gracious Prince, as Baronius doth relate it upon the 314. year of our Lord. The self same title is given by Symmachus to Valentinian, Theodosius, & Arcadius in the 54 Epistle of the tenth book. Multa victoriae debet Aeternitas vestra, & adhuc plura debebit. In the second Apology of Athanasius, there is an Epistle of Colluthas, wherein he saith, that the Godhead of Augustus had taken order for a Church to be built in the village of Secontaururus with all speed possible, and commands them to fall about it as soon as ever they should receive the Divine letters patent. Ausonius speaks thus to the Emperor Theodosius in the beginning of his Poems. 
Nil dubites authore bono, mortalia quaerunt  
Consilium, certus jussa capesse Dei.  and a little after. Non tutum renuisse Deo. According to this manner of speaking did the emperors use to call their Institutions, Divine Institutions, and their Edicts, the Edicts of God. In the 1. book of justitinians Code, and 2. title, the Constitutions of the Emperors are called heavenly Oracles, and divine Sanctions; that is to say the word of God.   

The second part of this Prophecy.  
2 ANd the beast which I saw was like a Leopard, and his feet like a bears; & his mouth as the mouth of a Lion; and the Dragon gave him his power, and his throne, & great authority.   

The Explication.  
2 AND this Empire looked like a Leopard, by reason of the speedy achievements of its Conquests. And held fast the substance of the people as a Bear, which keeps that which he hath gotten under his paws, and devoured the nations as a Lion devoureth his prey. And the devil (which is the 
Ioh 16.11.  Prince of this world) and which 
Luk. 4.6.  takes upon him to dispose of kingdoms at his pleasure, gave him his power, and rule, and great 〈◊〉.   

The proof of this Exposition.  
THis interpretation needeth not much proof; every man knows the speedy achievements of the Romans conquests, especially after the 2 Punick war. Then (as Florus saith) the conquest of Macedon followed that of Africa, then, that of Greece, & of Syria, & of all the rest in a huddle, carried away by the unresistible tide, & rushing torrent of Fortune. It is said of Pompey that he overran the world by his conquests in less time, than one could have run it over a foot. And Caesar in the war against Pharnaces doth boast, that he no sooner came and saw him, but he over came him. Whosoever shall but consider the exploits of this Empire, will think that more than twice the time was employed about the performance of them.  
As for the shedding of blood, Plutarch in the life of Caesar reporteth, ●hat in the conquest but of the Gauls only which was 10 years a working, there were a million of men slain. And josephus telleth us that in the siege of jerusalem undertaken by Titus and Vespasian there died 11000000 men: and yet nevertheless these Princes have been noted for examples of clemency. What might Marius and Sylla those bloody minded men do? and how much blood may we think, was shed in all the rest of Europe, Asia, and Africa? The amphitheatre where the people were entertained to pass away the time, where murder was a common sport, where men went to see Lions and Tigers tear men asunder, so to solace themselves, what else was this but a discipline of cruelty, and a means to accustom the people to murder, & to drink in blood at their eyes by way of recreation?  
As for the wealth of this Empire, it is an incredible thing: the riches of our Kings are but poverty being compared to these. Some of the citizens that were enfranchised by the Emperors, have not yielded to kings in this respect, a great many examples whereof are found noted by Lipsius in his last chap. and 2. book of the greatness of the Roman Empire. Lucullus and Apicius did spend more at one supper, than a Prince does in a month. Caligula in one year did consume all that which the covetousness of Tiberius had scraped together, which did amount to six hundredth and fifty millions, and 4 hundredth fifty four thousand crowns, as it is summed up by Hadrianus junius.  
These great riches came upon them by the robbing and pilling of the Provinces of the Empire, whereby they did suck away all their substance from the Provincials, and spoiled them of their goods as much in time of peace, as of war. 
— Referebant navibus altis  
Occulta spolia, & plures ex pace triumphos.  Read, to be informed in this, the life of Antony in Plutarch. He levied two hundredth thousand talents out of Asia yearly, every talon being worth 6 hundredth crowns. But this being not enough to content his greedy mind, he doubled the sum. Whereupon the people seeing themselves not able to hold out, sent Deputies unto him, one amongst which told him. If thou wilt raise a double yearly Tax upon us, give us also double harvests, two summers & two autumn's in one year. Hence arose the great hatred against Publicans, which is often mentioned in the scripture, and witnessed by Cicero in the first Epistle to his brother Quintus.  
Now albeit some of the Romans did excel in moral virtues, and that we take many examples of justice, continency, clemency, and sobriety from them, especially before the time that Attalus bequeathed his movables and treasures to the people of Rome, yet so it is that all these did nothing but assist injustice, and their upright dealing was like that of thieves, which when they have robbed a man will go and divide the pray equally. For what were the Romans, but common robbers, and foragers of all habitable countries? If they did sometimes manage that with order, or were liberal of that which they did take from others wrongfully, or if out of a thievish mercy, they did suffer them to live whom they might have killed, I say that these virtues are no virtues; since they serve to uphold vices, and are employed either to colour injustice, or to establish tyranny.  
Finally, no man may think it strange that the holy Ghost saith, that the Devil gave this power to the Roman Empire. For howsoever Monarchies be of God, & the Roman Empire was established by his providence, for secret reasons reserved to himself, yet it was not he that did urge on the Roman to invade others countries, but Satan, to whom also they have attributed all the glory of their victories, as Symmachus saith in his 54. Epist. where he brings in the city of Rome speaking after this manner in favour of the heathenish superstition. This religious service hath brought the world under my laws: these sacrifices have driven Hannibal from my walls, and forced the Gauls to remove their siege from the Capitol. Whensoever a Captain had slain another Captain of the adverse army with his own hands, he hung up his armour to jupiter Feretius. Because the army of the Romans as they were flying away did take courage again & turn back upon their enemies, therefore did Romulus erect a temple to jupiter Stator. 
In orat. de aruspice resp.  Cicero reporteth that the Captains of an host after a conquest obtained did use to go to Pessinunte, there to perform their vows to the mother of the Gods. And we never read that they undertook any business of moment without consulting their Augurs and Soothsayerss, and without observing the flying, the eating, the singing, the going of birds. To conclude, Plutarch in a set tract of his brings in the Fortune of the Romans contesting with their virtue, wherein they dispute whether of the two did confer more to the founding of this Empire, so that on whether of them it light, God shall be sure to go without his honour.   

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

The Explication.  
3 And it came to pass that one of these governments, to wit, the sixth, which is that of the Emperors, was overthrown, then, when the Lombard's having chased the Lieutenants of the Empire out of Italy, Rome did cease to be under subjection to the Emperors. Wherefore (to say truth) the Empire did even at that time leave to be the Roman Empire: But not long after that mortal blow by which the Empire of Rome was laid on the ground, this Monarchy began to grow up a fresh, & to revive again by the Roman Hierarchy, which did reerect a new monarchy at Rome, and raise up the Empire that was fallen, and all the people submitted themselves under the government of this Romish Church.   

The Proof.  
THere is nothing more agreeable to the event than this interpretation. In the year 752. Aistulphus king of the Lombard's destroyed the Exarchat of Ravenna, and put down the Exarches, which 200. whole years after Narses had been the emperors Lieutenants in Italy. This is the deadly wound which the beasts did receive. Now because Rome was a part of the Exarchat, Aistulphus did pretend that being Lord of the Exarchat, he was also to be Lord over Rome, and began to waste the territories of the Duchy of Rome. Stephen the second was then Pope, who in this extremity sought to his sovereign Lord the Emperor for succour, to wit, to the Roman Emperor, but being not able to get any aid from him, because he was weak, and elsewhere occupied, the foresaid Pope had recourse to Pepin king of France, which not long before had got to be king by deposing Childericke his Master and lawful Soveraihne. At his request Pepin came down into Italy in the year of our Lord .754. And having compelled Aistulphus to receive conditions of peace, returned into France. But in the year following Aistulphus broke the agreement, & did forage the Roman territory again: This drew Pepin the second time into Italy, where having overcome Aistulphus he took the Exarchat from him, and bestowed it on the bishop of Rome, & made him Lord over Rome, and a great part of Italy, 666. years after the time that the Apocalypse was revealed to Saint john. So the Popes became Princes by the inconsiderate liberality of our kings, & began even then, to show their good wills to cut of Monarches, to imitate their actions, and to encroach upon the rights of the Roman Empire. Hereby the Church of Rome became to be Queen over other Churches, and in her Prelates and hierarchical orders did reerect the Empire that was fallen: tyrannising over the goods & consciences of men, using her temporal riches as a means to augment her spiritual power, and to establish a Monarchy at Rome over the Church, bearing rule over the Temporalty, and Spiritualty in Christian kingdoms; For how be it the successors of Charlemagne were and are as yet styled the kings of the Romans, and that the Othons had a Regent at Rome, & handled the Popes as their subjects, yet this did not last long: and the Pope found a means so to free himself from being under their dominion, that at length he made them to be his vassals & bondmen, and to receive their crown by his benefit, & under his permission, till it should please his Holiness to take it from them, & bestow it on whom he thought good: to to kiss his feet, to lay down great sums of gold at his feet for tribute; and even then when the Germane Emperors did curb the Popes, yet they did still acknowledge themselves subject to the Church of Rome. This once obtained it is no marvel if he name himself a King and Monarch, and call his Bishopric an Empire, and so have re-established the Roman Empire in its former seat, as Austin Steuchus the Pope's library keeper saith, 
Pag. 3.  in his first book of Constantine's donation, in such terms as may seem to be made of purpose for the unfolding of this prophecy. After the destruction of the Roman Empire (saith he) caused by the lewd lives of the Emperors, if God had not raised up the Papacy, in which the Roman majesty did revive, it would have happened, that Rome being succoured by no man, had been inhabitable, or made astinking oxe-stall or pigsty. But in the Pope there arose, if not the greatness of the Ancient Empire, at least a form not much unlike unto that, whereby all nations did heretofore obey the Emperors. And this is that which S. john addeth, that all the earth went after the beast wondering. A little after the same Steuchus calleth the Papacy an Empire, and majestical Royalty: And so doth Lipsius speak of it, and others formerly cited, all which do acknowledge, that the Popes are the true possessors of the Empire, and do hold the place of the ancient Roman Emperors, that is to say, that they are Caesar's successors more than the Apostles. Now by these words of S. john, to wit, that all the earth wondering at the healing of this wound went after the beast, it appears that the wound which the Empire did receive by the Herules, Goths, Vandals, was not the wound here spoken of: For the healing of this wound by Belisarius and Marses, drew no people or nations to the obedience of the Empire, no country moved with admiration, did for this submit itself voluntarily. The fruit of this conquest over the Goths was the establishment only of the Exarchat in a part of Italy. But the restoring of the Roman Empire by the Roman Hierarchy drew infinite sorts of people to the obedience of this Empire; And we may say that all the earth moved with admiration, out of a voluntary respect ran after the beast, which shall be proved more fully yet by the 12. and 14. verse.   

The 4. part of this Prophecy.  
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, who is like unto the beast? who is able to war with him?   

The Explication.  
4 And did serve Idols; which, who so serve, do serve the devil, the Author and advancer of this Papal Hierarchy; and did attribute that that unto this Hierarchy which did appertain unto God, saying who is there that is like unto this Empire, and who is able to resist it?   

The proof of this exposition.  
This is a rare prediction, and such as gives light to this whole prophecy. For here the holy Ghost makes idolatry to be borne just at the same time that the Roman Hierarchy did begin to possess an earthly Empire, and to imitate the Roman Empire that was decayed. Which was manifestly verified in this, that when the Roman Empire went to ruin in Italy then was the question about the worship of images most hot. To which worship the people of the East did not yield then, when the Pope's first of all became monarchs at Rome, but they were won unto it by little and little, after the imitation, and by the authority of the Church of Rome. The other kind of Idolatry, to wit, the worshipping the bread of the Eucharist, grounded upon transubstantion, began also to grow up in the Church just at the same time that the Pope grew to be a Prince and earthly Monarch; for we may see some small seeds of this in Damascene which lived in the 750 year of our Lord, and as this error did increase by little & little, Bertram a Priest that lived in France under Charles the bald in the year 870. written an excellent book in confutation thereof, which is to be seen at this day. And at the same time john Erigen surnamed the Scot a Monk of S. benedict's order wrote another book against the self same error. But the Bishops of Rome which had erected the service of images, did also establish the worship of bread: & condemned the writings of the said Scot, especially Leo the 9 in the year 1055 having assembled a Council at Rome, and another at Verseil in Piedmont for the confirmation of this Idolatry, against which many of the faithful did oppose themselves, and amongst others Berenger Archdeacon of Angers, a man of great knowledge and holy conversation. At last truth was overborne by falsehood, our kings lending a helping hand to the Pope. And that this prophecy might be fulfilled in all points, look how Idolatry did increase, so did the greatness of the Roman Hierarchy increase; in so much that all did dread the power thereof, thinking that none was able to resist it. As for the people's worshipping of this Hierarchy, & giving it that which did appertain unto God, we will speak of this in the verse following.   

The fifth part of this Prophecy.  
5 And there was given unto him a mouth that spoke great things, and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to do 42 months.  
6 And he opened his mouth unto blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven,  
And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints, & to overcome them, and power was given him over every kindred, & tongue, and nation.  
8 Therefore all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of that Lamb which was slain from the beginning of the  
9 If any man have an ear let him hear.  
If any lead into captivity he shall go into captivity, if any man kill with a sword he must be killed by a sword: here is the patience and the faith of the Saints.   

The Explication.  
5 And God hath suffered this Hierarchy, and Roman Church, to assume proud, and blasphemous titles, and it must endure 1260 years.  
6 And this Papal Hierarchy doth set itself to belch forth horrible blasphemies against God, and to wrong his name, and his Church and his Saints.  
7 Yea God hath suffered it to persecute the faithful, and to overcome them, and power was given unto it over infinite people, & tongues, and nations.  
8 In so much that all men shall fall down to worship it, whose names are not found in the book of life of jesus Christ that died for us, which book was written before the foundations of the world were laid.  
9 If any man have an understanding to conceive this let him conceive it.  
10 For they which persecute, shall be dealt with after the same manner; whosoever leadeth the faithful into captivity shall himself at length be made a captive; whosoever slayeth shall be slain: herein appeareth the faith and patience of the Saints.   

The proof.  
The proof of this exposition doth consist in 5. points.  
1 To show what blasphemous titles the Roman Hierarchy doth assume, and how she doth attribute that unto herself which doth of right appertain unto God.  
2 How she doth blaspheme against the Saints & against the Church of God.  
3 To show how she hath persecuted them and overcome them.  
4 To speak of the time that she must last.  
5 And of the obedience that the people yield unto her.  
The first point is easy to prove, whether you respect the head of this Hierarchy, or else consider the whole body. The head is called God, the Divine Majesty, the universal Bishop, the head & Spouse of the Church, the corner stone, the Lion of juda, and Saviour of Zion, the most holy Father, and his Holiness, and doth arrogate many more such like proud titles, as we have formerly showed by a great number of examples. The body of this Hierarchy under the name of the Church doth usurp that which appertains to God, saying that the Church cannot err, and that it is the supreme judge in matters of religion: And that it is this church which giveth authority to the scripture, & is the only infallible judge of the interpretation thereof. They call this Church the Roman-catholick church, not in that sense as the Ancient did take Catholic for Orthodox, but by Catholic they understand universal, exclusively to all other churches, as if there were no other church but the Roman. 
* Leo x in the Bull exurge, which is at the end of the last Lateran council, doth condemn Luther for saying that the Church or the Pope could not make new articles of faith and the power of adding to the Creed is given to the Pope in the last session of the Council of Florence.  They say that this Church hath authority to make new articles of faith, and to add to the Creed: That she is the mother and mistress of all other Christian Churches: So the French and Spanish Church are become the handemaides of the Roman, and if any one being asked of what church he were, should answer, I am of the French church, he would be thought ridiculous, or scarce well in his wits, because the French church is now reckoned for nothing, or for some small dependence of the Roman. All which positions, are as so many blasphemies. 1. For, to take upon ones self not to be able to err, and to be supreme judge in matters of religion, is to intrude into God's place, and to take away this dignity of being highest judge from God's word. 2. To boast that they give authority to the holy Scripture which is the word of God, this is to exalt themselves above the word of God: For he which giveth authority is more great than he which receiveth it. For if we consider well of the matter, we shall find that it is not the characters, nor the book, which are understood by the name of the holy Scripture, but God speaking in his word: the church of Rome therefore in this doth exalt herself above God. 3. Likewise the Church of Rome doth make herself equal with God, when she doth challenge the authority of giving an infallible interpretation of the scripture, and which shall be of equal authority with the scripture itself, for none can give interpretation of a law, which shall be of equal authority with the law, but only he which made the law: the church of Rome therefore is God, and doth usurp God's seat, since she giveth interpretations to God's law, which are of equal authority with the law. Nay, which is more, I say that to interpret the law after this manner, is a great deal more them to make it, since that the people are not bound to follow the letter of the law and of God's word, but the interpretation which the Church of Rome shall give of it. 4. The Church of Rome also doth make herself as God, when in steed of instructing the people to believe in the word of God, she teacheth them to believe in the Church. For if you ask the simple people why they believe this or that, they will answer you because the church believes it, and by the Church they understand the Roman Church, as if to believe in the Roman Church, and to believe in God were all one. Now it is to be noted, that in all these errors by the word Church, the people art not meant, for they are no judges, they give no authority to the scripture: but by the church the Hierarchy is understood, and the body of Prelates which being dispersed through divers nations doth depend upon Rome, that is to say on the Roman consistory, and the Pope's chair. It was never heard of, before the Pope came to rule, that for to be saved, a man must needs be a Roman, and that the words, Universal and Roman were coincident; whereas the Apostle wrote to the Church of the Romans after the same manner as he did to the Church of the Corinthians, or Ephesians, & gave her not any title of superiority: without doubt he should have spoke thus unto them. Although your Church be the Mistress of all other Churches, and my admonitions may seem needless for you, because ye cannot possibly err in the faith, and because S. Peter your bishop is the head of the Church, to whom I myself also am subject, yet notwithstanding I thought good to write unto you for these and these reasons. Not a word of all this, but in the 11. chap. he threatens them with being cut off, if they grow to be high minded, or disesteem the grace of God.  
The holy Ghost addeth that this Hierarchy doth blaspheme against the church of God, 
2. Point how the Romish Church doth revise the Saints.  and against those which dwell in heaven: If by heaven he understand the Church, as in the 9 chapt. and 1. verse, and in the 12. chapt. and 4. verse, or if the falling away of those which went out of the visible church be represented by the stars which fell from heaven, it is easy to prove how the Church of Rome doth diffame those which did, and still do, serve God in purity, fastening odious names upon them, and calling them Heretics, Schismatics, Infidels, Vaudians, Albigeans, Huguenots, Calvinists: persuading the simpler sort, that we hold good works to be unprofitable: that we approve all kind of dissoluteness, that we are enemies of the Virgin Marie and the Saints; that we make God the author of sin: and such like things as we detest, & which are clean contrary to our belief.  
But if by those which are in heaven the Saints in Paradise be understood, the Church of Rome doth wrong these no less; For is it not an injury to the Saints to change them into Idols? and to make them the instruments of dishonouring God worshipping and adoring them with a religious kind of worship that is due only to God? who can doubt but that the Saints do hate such as honour them thus? To omit how the Romish church doth tie the Sts to a block, employing them about base offices, commending the keeping of their hogs to one, of their horses to another, the curing of the scurf to a third; and that the Legends of the Saints do disgrace them, in so much that they make the Virgin Mary to converse with Queans, and to favour them in their uncleanness as we have showed above.  

3. point. that the Church of Rome doth persecute the faithful.  As for the persecutions which this hierarchy hath raised against the faithful, & the victories which it hath had over the Church; It is never found that the Orthodox Church did make any massacres of the ancient heretics. Cruelty is most suitable with falsehood. To burn a Christian because he would not obey the Pope, is a thing which had never been seen: but began after the Pope grew to be an earthly Monarch. It is well near 400. years since Innocent the 3. within the space of a few months, made more than 200000 of the faithful to be slain, whom they called Albigeans, after the same manner as they do us Huguenots now adays. It is not above a hundred years since, that all Europe did stream with blood, & that the Pope and his adherents thought by slaughter and torments to have rooted us out utterly. In S. Bartholomewes' massacre, in the year 1572, more than 80000 men were slain in cold blood. At Lions 150. persons put into prison were drawn out all one after another, and stabbed at the gate of the prison. At Orleans 400 persons shut up in a house (which was called the house with 4 corners) were burnt all together. The Duke of Alva played the butcher at Flaunders, and under the shadow of a Catholic zeal slew millions of men. In recompense whereof the Pope sent him an holy sword, & consecrated gloves. The punishments of the Inquisition surpass all cruelty. The bull of Phalaris is nothing in respect of this. A man is carried to prison not knowing wherefore: after he hath been cubd up in solitariness, and never seen one glimpse of light for a whole year together, at last there comes one unto him, and questions with him about certain interrogatories; if he say that he is a good Catholic, and do renounce his former heresy, he shall have this favour to die a more gentle death. For recant never so much, the very once being accused of heresy is thought enough to condemn a man. If he persevere in defence of the truth, and triumph in martyrdom, after a thousond torments endured in private, he is brought forth in public, wrapped about the head with an ugly coif which they call S. Bennet, having a vizard on his face with a yawning mouth, and a long tail made fast behind at his back, as they use to paint the devil; and so burnt by little and little, being put in and taken from the fire I know not how often, to the end he might not die as some do without feeling that they die. Tyranny, which the Turks and Mahometans (though the sworn enemies of Christ's name) do detest: for they never practised any thing upon Christians, that came near to this cruelty.  
We are also to speak of the continuance of time that this hierarchical Empire shall endure. 
The 4. point of the continuance of the Empire.  The holy Ghost saith that it shall last 1260. days, where we must take each day for a year: For this Prophecy doth every where almost borrow the terms of Daniel, and use his fashion of speech, who by a week understands 7. years, and who foretelleth that from the permission of returning, & building up Jerusalem again, (granted by Darius, Nothus) until the final destruction thereof, there should be 70 weeks, that is to say 70 times 7 years, to take a day for a year, which make 490 years which afterward came to pass; and this wonderful prophecy was fulfilled at the time appointed. So likewise in Ezechiel in the 4. chap. and 6. verse. Thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of judah 40 days: I have appointed thee a day for a year. And in the 14 chap. of Numbers .34. verse. After the number of the days in which ye searched out the land, even 40. days every day for a year, etc. It is no new thing therefore in Scripture to take a day for a year; but it is the style of the prophecies. Now here is a mystery, and an admirable correspondency: for herein the jewish-christian Church which lay hid 1260 days, flying the persecution of the heathenish Roman Empire, was a figure of the flight and persecution of the Christian Church under the Papal Roman Empire, which persecution must last 1260 mystical days, which amount to so many years.  
Since it is so that the holy Ghost throughout this whole chap. speaks of the succession and establishment of this Roman Hierarchy, instead of the Roman Empire, and that we have showed that the Pope began to lay the foundations of this temporal Empire in the year of our Lord 755. if thereunto ye add these 1260 years of the continuance of this hierarchical Empire, it must needs last to the 2015. year of our Lord: according to which reckoning it hath 404. years yet to continue. Whereunto if ye join the prediction of the Apostle, who hath told us that Christ shall abolish this son of perdition by the brightness of his coming, ye may well near guess the time of the coming of the Lord. Hereunto add that amongst the jews this was an usual prophecy, that as the world was made in 6. days, and after came the day of rest, so the world must endure six thousand years, & afterwards there shall be an everlasting time of rest: That is to say, that there must be so many thousand years in the worlds duration, as there were days in the creation. For as the Apostle S. 
2. Pet. 3.8.  Peter saith: One day with the Lord is as a thousand years, & a thousand years as one day. According to this calculation, this present year of our Lord, 1611. being the 5560 year of the world. If the papal Empire must yet continue 404 years, its end must be in the 5964. year of the world, which is nor far of from 6000 years. Astrology also doth lend us some light in this matter: for in the year of the world 3665. Ptolemy Philadelph raigneing in Egypt, some 469 years after the building of Rome, there lived one Hipparchus a famous ginger, who reports that in his time the star commonly called, stella polaris, which is in the tail of the lesser bear, was 12 degrees & two fifths distant from the poles of the Equator. This star from age to age hath insensibly still crept nearer to the Pole, whence it appeareth that the poles of the Equator are movable; it is not now past 3 degrees distant from the poles of the Equator: when this star therefore shall come to touch the Pole there being no farther space left for it to go forward (which may well enough come to pass within five or six hundredth years) it seems that then there shall be a great change of things, and that this time is the period which God hath prefixed to nature. All these observations put together make us presume that the Roman hierarchical Empire must endure till the 2015 year of our Lord. And that this Empire being abolished, the Pope yet shall remain still, but without power & authority, till that jesus Christ shall destroy him by his last coming, which (as it should seem by the evidences formerly cited) shall be some one, or two and twenty ages, after our Saviour's incarnation, who is God over all, blessed for ever. Yet I would not have any think that I speak this as though I went about to pry into such secrets as God himself would have to be hid, or as though I meant to define any thing absolutely concerning the last day, but only that I might not seem to neglect the Revelations which the holy Ghost hath laid open unto us in this prophecy: seeing that here he telleth us how long the Papal Empire shall last, and that S. Paul and 
Of this place of Daniel see th● 9 Chapt.  Daniel in his 7. chap. do stretch the term of time, wherein the son of Perdition shall last, to the day of judgement.  
Our adversaries go more boldly to work. For taking these 1260 days simply for 3 years and a half, they say that Antichrist must not reign above 3 years and a half, and that 45. days after the last judgement shall be. If this be true, them the faithful that shall live under the dominion of Antichrist, shall know the day of judgement exactly, and Christ's speech shall not be verified of them, wherein he saith, Of that day and hour knoweth no man no not the Angels in heaven, as the king of great Britain hath learnedly observed: who notes also that our Lord jesus hath foretold that at this time men shall be eating and drinking, & making merry; which showeth evidently that this shall be a time of rest, and not of troubles and persecutions, and that the coming of jesus Christ shall not be looked for. Besides, that such an Empire, which (as they say) shall subdue all the world, should in 3. years & a half rise, increase, and fall, is a thing altogether impossible: a man cannot in that time ride over a quarter of the countries in post, how much more time had he need ask to conquer them? Or who can imagine that the mystery of iniquity should in Saint Paul's time begin to prepare the way for the son of perdition to enter, and that now, that is to say, some 1550. years after, there should be no preparation at all. 
5. Point of the religious service done to the Pope's seat.   
It remains that we speak of the obedience and religious service which the people shall give to this Roman Hierarchy: The holy Ghost saith that all men that inhabit the earth shall adore it: He saith, All men, although there be many countries which never did acknowledge it: for the Scripture lightly speaks after this manner of great Empires, which hold a great number of people and many realms under their dominion: especially the Prophet Daniel (to whose style the holy ghost doth conform himself in the Apocalypse) in the 2. chap. 37. and 38 verses, speaking to Nabuchadnezar. O King thou art a king of kings, and in all places where the children of men dwell he hath given them into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all; although he had nothing at all in Europe, and but little in Africa. There is the like form of speech in the 7. chapter, verse 23. So in speaking of the Pope we use to say that all the word is under him, although the Turk and Mores disclaim him: but by so saying we mean that he hath a large dominion. And our adversaries themselves do not deny this, since they are of opinion that the heathenish Roman Empire is meant in this prophecy, which yet notwithstanding, was never absolute commander over one fourth part of the world: And I cannot imagine that there shall or can be such a Monarchy to which all the world (without excepting any place) shall be subject. It is not three years and an half, no nor 3 ages that will be sufficient for the obtaining of such a conquest. And there is not the man to be found with a brain strong enough, to govern an Empire of this nature. The most politic head in the world would in the government of such a state be distracted with the multiplicity of business and fall into shivers.  
The dutiful respect therefore and obedience, which the people must yield to this Roman Hierarchy, is called Adoration: Not only because the head of this Empire shall cause himself to be adored, and make men kiss his feet, but also because of the strange kind of sovereignty that the body of this Hierarchy hath attained unto. The Cardinals in all their meetings, and solemn feasts, go, and fit before kings, as we have already 
1. Lib. 3. cap.  showed. In Spain a man may offend the king with less danger than the least of the Inquisition. Fron Gregory the 7. surnamed Hildebrand, which was made Pope, in the year of our Lord 1073, to Leo the 10. who died in the year 1521. there are 448. years, during which time we may say that the Papacy was at the height of her power and glory. Then Monks were highly honoured, and the Pope's Legates took their places before kings: then the Pope could command all the nobles, and all the men of arms, to come out of France or England, or any other quarter of Europe, and make than troth from far through I know not how many places to join their forces against the Sarrasins, and filled all France with widows and Orphans: to him that chanced to die in this war, the Pope gave a degree of glory in Paradise above the common sort of Saints. Then he which wore the badge of the cross did cease to be the king's subject, and no Magistrate might touch him what offence soever he had committed, because he was the Pope's soldier. At that time he made kings to be jerked, and stroke of the emperors crown with his foot, and trod upon his neck. His power now a days is much diminished over that it was, and yet even at this time, he makes men come from far and near to seek at Rome for the remission of their sins. And an offence committed against his own person is a reserved case, whence none in France may absolve a man, but the least Priest that is, hath authority to pardon a sin committed against the Majesty of God. Nay which is more, they take upon them to make God, and to create their creator with the repeating of certain words; No marvel therefore if they be so much honoured and respected. So we have seen this prophecy fulfilled on every side: whence also we may assure ourselves of the accomplishment of the other part of this prophecy. That they which kill shall be killed, and that they which persecute us shall be dealt withal accordingly. Which yet we do not desire, having learn● of our Saviour to bless those that curse us, and to pray for their amendment.   

The 6. part of this prophecy.  
11 And I beheld an other beast coming up out of the earth, which had two horns like the lamb, but he spoke like the Dragon.  
12 And he did all that the first beast could do before him, & he caused the earth, and then that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.   

The Explication.  
11 I saw also a Monarch to rise up from a low estate, being of another name and nature then the former Roman Emperors, to wit, the Pope, which wore a mitre with two horns upon his head, and which seemed in outward show to profess Christ, but whose doctrine was diabolical.  
12 And he took all the power of the Roman Empire upon him, at Rome, being the seat of the Empire, and exhorted all the people to submit themselves to this Roman Empire, which being destroyed by the Lombard's in Italy, was brought to life again, and re-established by the Papacy.   

The proof.  
S. john doth here speak of two beasts, the former of which is the Roman Empire as all confess, and the prophecy is clear. This Empire being excluded out of Rome & Italy by the Lombard's, was recovered by little and little, and restored again by the Roman Hierarchy, which is held by S. john for the same beast with the Roman Empire, because it is still one Empire reigning at Rome, though under an other title. The second beast is a lively representation of the bishop of Rome.  
1 For Saint john saith that this beast came up out of the earth, that is to say, rose from a small beginning, and mean estate, according as the Latins call such as get up from a little, Terrae filios, as muhrooms, or toadstooles that grow up out of the earth in a night: a fashion of speech usual in Scripture, as in the 2. chapt. of the 1. of Samuel. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, that is to say, out of a base condition of life. Now who is there but knows how mean and poor the state of the bishops of Rome was before they came to be earthly Monarches? Then when they had not one foot of ground, and that the Emperors made them be whipped, imprisoned, & banished them? Then when the 
Theod. hist. Eccl. l. 2. c. 16 Imperator imperavit Liberium relegari Beroeam quae est in Thracia: Liberi● abeunti misit imperator s●lid●s 500 in s●mptus.  Emperor Constantius having exiled Liberius bishop of Rome, gave him 500 crowns for pity sake ro relieve him. As the grain of mustard seed, which our Saviour speaks of Luke the 13. ve. 19 which is but little, brought forth a tree, within which the birds of the air built their nests, so out of this smallness of bishops, did the greatness of the Pope arise, within the which infinite companies of beneficed men do nestle themselves, which live under his shadow.  
2 S. john also saith that he shall have horns like the Lamb, but shall speak like the dragon, as if he should have said, ye will say when ye see him that he resembleth Christ jesus, which is the Lamb of God; and looks like a Christian, but his doctrine is Diabolical. This also agreeth to the Pope which calls himself the Vicar of jesus Christ, but whose doctrine is contrary to jesus Christ; for proof whereof read my second book, in that place, where I defend his Majesties of England's confession of the faith, It may be that the two horns of his ordinary mitre, do serve also for the accomplishment of this prophecy.  
3 In the third place S. john saith that he shall exercise the authority of the first beast, which is the Roman Empire, for as much as he shall counterfeit the actions, & usurp the rights of the Roman Empire: That this also agreeth to the Pope we may prove by infinite examples. 1. He hath taken a crown having cast away his Bishop's crosier staff. 2. He hath taken the emperors 
* Eutrop. l. 9 Carausius purpuram sumpsit & paulo post Galerius pur puratus traditur ad vehiculum decurrisse. S. Ambrose Theodosio dixit purpura imperatorem non sacerdotem facit.  habit which was of scarlet, together with shoes of scarlet, which were proper to the Emperors. 3. The Emperors had a Senate clad in scarlet, & he hath a Senate of Cardinals clad in cloth of the same colour. 4. In the Senate there were apotheosis, or Canonisations of Gods practised, as there are Canonisations of Saints in the Pope's consistory. 5. The Emperors caused themselves to be adored, and were 
* Aurel. vict in Diocletiano▪ Passus adorari se appellarique deum Lamprid. idem ait de Heliogabalo in vita Alexandri Severi.  called Gods. So the Popes call themselves God, and take upon them to be adored. 6. The Emperors brought up the right of fiefs and other duties to be paid to the Lord paramount in case that the tenants were changed. In imitation whereof the Pope hath established his Annates, by which all Church livings are made fiefs to the Papal See, and pay the first years revenues in case of a new election. 7. The Emperors did receive the submissions and acknowledgements of subjection, from foreign Princes by their Ambassadors: so the Pope doth receive the submissions of kings, and their oaths of fealty, which are all bound as soon as ever there is a new Pope chosen to send their Ambassadors to kiss his feet, and to tender him an oath of allegiance. 8. The Emperors had their Imposts, and Tributes; & the Pope hath his S. Peter pence, levied in many Countries upon the head of every particular man: as also petty contributions, and a thousand divers commodities that arise out of dispensations, absolutions, provisions, advouzons, indulgences, erections, derogations, exchange of vows, matrimonial causes, etc. which are the tributes, and imposts of this Roman Empire. 9 The Emperors had their civil law, and he hath his Canon law. 10. The Emperors had their Indictions of 15. years, and he hath his Roman Indictions of the like time. 11. The Emperors had their Publicans, & tole-gatherers, which did farm the revenues of the Empire. So the Pope hath his Dataries and Bullists which rend the commodities of this spiritual merchandise. 12. The Emperors had their Trapezites, or exchangers at Rome: & the Pope hath his Banckers in Lions, and divers other places of Europe, which will procure dispensations and absolutions from Rome at a certain price, and help you to obtain the remission of your sins by letters of exchange. 13. The Roman Emperors having conquered a country, laboured to plant the Latin tongue in it: in imitation of which policy, the Pope hath so prevailed, that he hath brought all the countries which are under him to pray to God, 
Sucton. Caligula ex capturis prostibul●um vectigal instituit, quantum quaeque uno concubitis mereret. Lamprid. i● Alexandr●▪ Severo. Lenonum vecctigal & m●retricum, & exoletorum in sacrum oerarium vetuit inferri & ad ins●●rationem theatri, amphitheatri, & Circi deputavit.  and say their service in the Latin tongue, and it is not long since that in France the law acts, and public instruments were made in Latin; in doing this, he hath stamped the print of his government upon us, and made us wear the badges of his Empire. 14. The Roman Emperors took an yearly rent to suffer the Stews; The Pope which did succeed in this Empire, hath also succeeded in the honesty of this action.  
4 For to make the matter more clear, S. john having said that this second beast doth resemble the first beast, and exercise his power, adds that it is in the presence of the first beast, & in the very place where the seat of the Roman Empire is, that is to say, at Rome itself: or at leastwise in the presence of this hierarchical Roman Empire.  
Let the reader therefore put all this together, to wit, that we are foretold of a man 1. which shall rise up from a mean estate. 2. Which shall be a Christian by profession, but yet shall teach wicked doctrine. 3. Which shall usurp the rights, and imitate the actions of the Roman Empire. 4. which shall have his seat in the same place, where the seat of the Empire was. And after that he hath run overall histories, and drawed his brains dry with long seeking after another besides the Pope, to whom all these things may agree: yet shall he never be able to show us such another: The verses following will tell us of other marks no less clear, and evident.  
Nevertheless (since it appeareth by the 12. verse, that the second beast which we prove to be the Pope, shall make use of this healing and re-establishment of the Roman Empire, for the authorizing of this Empire re-established by the Papacy) it is manifest that this wound here spoken of cannot be the death of julius Caesar, nor of Domitius Nero, nor yet the stroke received by the Herules, and Goths, because the healing of these wounds did no way increase the dignity of the Pope, nor did he gain any thing by them. Who can imagine that the people were moved to yield themselves subject to the Papacy, by wondering at the Empire which being fallen was set up again by Augustus Caesar, or by Vespasian, or by Narses? But well may it be that the wound received by the Lumbards' being healed by the advancement of the Roman Hierarchy, the Pope did hereby come to be an earthly Monarch, and by this means advance his spiritual power. So did he make the people to submit themselves to the Roman Empire that was healed of the deadly wound in as much as the state of the Roman Monarch, which he took upon him after the destruction of the Roman Empire by the Lombard's, made him to be highly respected of the people, and did infinitely exalt his authority.   

The 6. part of this prophecy.  
13 And he did great wonders, so that he made fire to come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.  
14 And deceived them that dwell on the earth by the signs which were permitted him to do in the sight of the beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make the image of the beast which had the wound of a sword, and did live.  
15 And it was permitted to him to give a spirit unto the image of the beast; so that the image of the beast should speak, and should cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.   

The Explication.  
13 And this Pope wrought miracles, in so much that he sent forth the lightnings, and thunderbolts of his excommunications against Kings, and their people: and caused S. Anthony's fire to come down from heaven and made it thunder and lighten by a miracle.  
14 And the people were seduced because of the miracles which God did suffer him to do, for the authorizing of this Roman Papal Empire, commanding the people to make up the image of the ancient Roman Empire again, that is to say, to serve the Roman Papal Empire with the same manner of obedience as they did the ancient Roman Empire, which being demolished was built up again by the Roman Hierarchy.  
15 And God did suffer him to give force and strength to this Papal Empire, or Hierarchy, made after the image of the ancient Empire, for the spiritual power that it did usurp gave soul and life to its temporal power. Which Papal Empire being nothing else but an imaginary Empire, and which consisteth only in the opinion of such as yield obedience unto it, nevertheless speaks proud things, and makes all such to be massacred and burnt, that shall refuse to subject themselves to this imaginary Empire, made according to the image of the ancient Roman Empire.   

The Proof of the exposition.  
The Holy Ghost giust one more mark yet to know the 〈◊〉 by, to wit, that he shall work great sig●●s, and miracles. As for the miracles of paperie we have spoken sufficiently of them already. Amongst other signs, S. john saith that he shall make fire fall down from heaven. Whether it be that we are to understand this of S. 
* You have an example of this engraved over the portal of S. Anthony's Abbey were Paris. read also the Legend of S. Anthony.  Anthony's fire which the begging friars in times past made to fall upon such as offended them; or whether it be to understood of the diverse shrines, and popish relics, which when a man pul● down, the heaven strait ways is on fire, and there is nothing but rain, and lightning; or whether it be that S. john speaks this of spiritual thunderbolts such as are the Pope's excommunications, under which Christian realms some 600 or 700. years since did tremble.  
These things are done (saith S. john) by the second beast in the presence of the first, that is to say by the Pope in the presence of the Roman Hierarchical Empire, in the same place where the seat of the Empire is, & for the authorizing thereof. Which Hierarchical Empire▪ the holy Ghost by an admirable kind of speech, and full of weight, calls the image of the first beast: because that although the Roman Hierarchy, be a continuation, and succession of the ancient Roman Monarchy, and is 〈◊〉 in this book by the same beast. Nevertheless, if we consider the point somewhat better, and look a little nearer into the matter, we shall find that it is rather an image and imitation of the ancient Roman Empire, and a kind of part that is acted upon the seat of the ancient Empire. So the Roman Hierarchy is called the image of the beast, both because it is built in imitation of the Roman Empire, as we have showed above by 14 examples, as also because it is an imaginary Empire, which doth consist only in the opinion of the subjects. Since the power thereof hurts none but such as fear it. It's dispensations are worth as much, as we esteem them to be worth; set light by the Pope's thunderbolts, and you shall sleep the better. The price of his holy Grains, Agnus Dei, Beads, holy roses, and consecrated mantles, consists only in the opinion of the buyers. And his trading of late begins not to be so good as it was. Should a Prince or. common wealth but a hundredth years since have done but a quarter of that which the Venetians have within these few years, he (being bound hand and foot) had been cast down into hell and given to the Devil without all remission. The Croysade had been preached against him in all places, by virtue of which millions of men would have assembled themselves together from all parts of Europe. to fall upon the heretics, that so they might gain Paradise. But the King of great Britain, which hath stripped the whore, and laid open her mysteries, doth even to this day stand still unexcommunicated. The gunpowder threatenings, are more dangerous than the Pope's excommunications.  
Now albeit this Hierarchy be an image of the ancient Empire, yet Saint john saith that this image doth live and speak, and that this second beast which is the Pope, gives life unto it, & makes it speak; words wonderfully express, and significant. For the temporal power of the Pope's hierarchical Empire would be nothing else but a dead image of the ancient Roman Empire, were it not that the spiritual power, did quicken the temporal, and give strength unto it. For it is his spiritual power, that accumulates such great store of goods, and riches upon the temporal; which opens the people's purses unto him which forceth kings necks to bow, which makes his thunderbolts so dreadful, which compels men to repair from all quarters to Rome, for to share of the spiritual liberalities of his Holiness. Yet he is ever a gainer hereby, and his spiritual power, serves for nothing but to uphold his temporal, as Guicciardine formerly alleged, affirmeth. It is the same spiritual power, that makes this image of the beast to speak, that is to say, which causeth that this Papal Empire (formed according to the portraiture of the Roman Empire) should speak so big, give laws, pronounce decrees, decide questions of faith with a final resolution, & command all such to be put to death as shall refuse to obey him: sounding the trumpet from an high place, thereby to encourage kings and people to exercise cruelty.  
This notwithstanding we are to note one general doctrine, that as they are not the carvers, nor founders, that make Idols but they which serve them, so also in this place, that the Pope which is the founder of this image, and principal promoter of this Hierarchy resembling the Roman Empire, is not he for all that which hath made it to be an image, but the opinion of the people. Wherefore S. john saith that this second beast, which is the Pope caused the inhabitants of the earth to make an image of the first beast, and to erect an Empire like to the Roman Empire that was decayed▪ For it is not the subtlety of the Popes that hath made this Papal Empire, but the stupidity of the people.   

The 7. part of this Prophecy.  
16 And he made all, both small and great rich and poorer, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads.  
17 And that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.   

The Explication.  
16 And he made all both small and great, rich and poor, bond and free, to give him their hands, & to take an oath to be faithful unto him, and to be marked by their actions. And their foreheads were marked with the mark of confirmation; & they made profession of his religion, which profession of religion is often in holy Scripture, called by the name of a mark in the forehead.  
17 And he took order that no man might traffic, nor sell, nor buy, nor exchange benefices, nor be suffered to purchase an Archbishop's pall, nor have a licence, nor any part in the Church goods, no nor yet buy an estate, if he had not the name and profession of a Romanist.   

The Proof.  
By the right hand is meant the outward actions. This is a fashion of speech usual with the holy Ghost. As in the 144. Psalm, ver. 8. Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood, that is to say, that they are disloyal in their actions. And there is nothing more common in scripture, then by the cleanness, or uncleanness of the hands, to understand the justice or injustice of the actions, as Psal. 18. ver. 25. & Psal. 24. ver. 4. By the right hand we may likewise understand the promise of fidelity, as S. Paul in the second to the Galath. v. 9 saith that james, Peter, and john, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, gave him and Barnabas their right hands. So in the last chap. of the 1. book of Chronicles, all the sons of king David, gave their hands to be under king Solomon. That is to say, took an oath of allegiance to be true subjects unto him.  
As for the mark in the forehead, the Apocalypse itself shows us, what the meaning of this is. For in the 9 chap. & 4. ver. the Locusts are commanded, not to hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And in the 7. cha. God doth mark his faithful servants in their foreheads. As therefore the truly faithful are not marked in the forehead with any visible mark but this mark in the forehead is the unfeigned profession of a true Christian, so likewise the mark of a beast in the forehead of a man, is the profession of being faithful unto the beast, as Thomas also doth expound it in the 3. P. of his sums 63. quest. and 3. Art. 
* Character bestiae intelligi potest vel ●bstinata malicia quâ aliqui deputantur ad poenam aeternam vel professio illiciti cult●●.  By the Character of the beast we may understand either an obstinate malice, by reason of which some are adjudged to everlasting punishment, or the profession of an unlawful religion. This mark therefore is the profession of Popery. But if any one be desirous rather to know of a mark really imprinted in the forehead, there is the mark of confirmation may satisfy him, with which the Bishop doth mark children in the forehead, without which mark the 
* Can. ut. jeiune Dist. 5. de consecrat.  decrees of the Church of Rome pronounce that a man is but half a Christian.  
Without this mark, and profession of Popery S. john saith that no man is admitted to sell or buy, for all the goods of this Papal Empire are bought and sold. It is nothing else but a bare traffic. Benefices are exchanged upon certain considerations; He that hath but a lean bishopric lays about him how he might scorce it for a fatter. As soon as ever an Abbotship or benefice is vacant, many may sue, but he shall be sure to carry it away that can bribe best, & give the greatest presents. There are Abbotships conferred upon Captains, and illiterate men, Bishoprics, and Cardinalships bestowed on little children; and sometimes in way of recompense for unhonest services. To be brief it is a most shameful merchandise. And how should not these things be sold, since that God himself is sold, and that we have heard above how Pope Pius the 2. complaineth that the holy Ghost is sold at Rome, and the forgiveness of sins? Now I am of opinion that it is easier for them to sell him, then to deliver him after they have sold him.  
No man (according to the rules of the Church of Rome) may have a share in the emoluments of this merchandise, but only he which shall profess himself to be a Roman, and to be of the church of Rome, & a true subject to the Pope. The forms of the admission of Bishops, Archbishop's Cardinals, Knights of Malta, yea and of kings themselves, have this article inserted expressly in them, of fidelity and obedience to the Papal See.   

The 8. part of this prophecy.  
17 And he took order that no man might buy or sell; save he that had the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name.  
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath wit, count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.   

The Explication.  
17 And he took order that no man might traffic, nor sell, nor buy, nor exchange benefices, nor be suffered to purchase an Archbishop's Pall, nor have a Licence, nor any part in the Church goods, no nor yet buy an estate, if he had not the name and profession of a Romanist: and were not of the number of those which are marked with the figures, or numbers of the letters of his name.  
18 In which number they which think themselves the wisest may find some thing worth their search. Whosoever hath understanding let him diligently calculate the sum, to which these Greek ciphers or numbers of the Pope of Rome do amount; for it is an usual number amongst men, and therefore easy to be understood. And this number to which the Greek letters of his name do amount, is 666. For this word, Latin, which is the ordinary name by which the Greek church doth call those of the Roman Church, and their head) being written in Greek, and after calculated makes up just 666. Which number also by an admirable occurrence, doth admonish you that 666. years after the revealing of this prophecy, this 2 beast, to wit the Pope, shall begin to heal the wound of the ancient Empire, and place the Roman Empire again in its former seat.   

The Proof.  
Of the traffic, and the mark, we have said enough already. But concerning the number of the name of the second beast there is more difficulty: There be two things that give us some light in this matter, the one is, that S. john saith, that the number is the number of a man, that is to say, a number usual amongst men; So he puts us out of the labour of seeking after mystical numbers, as when a day is taken for a year. The other is, that since the question is of numbering or cyphring the Letters of this name, this name must of necessity be in a tongue, the letters of which are ciphers or Arithmetical numbers. Now this is proper to the Greek and Hebrew tongues, to have no other ciphers but the letters of their Alphabet. But being that S. john wrote in Greek, & that to the Greek churches too, this name cannot but be Greek. S. Irenee following these rules, noted (two hundredth years after the birth of our Saviour, that the letters of ciphers of this word 


●— 30  
●— 1  
●— 300  
●— 5  
●— 10  
●— 50  
●— 70  
●— 200  
666.    〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is to say, Latin, being added together make up just 666. Now to know whether this name be the true name or no of the Bishop of Rome, we are not to look to the fashion of speech that is in use with us now adays in France or Italy, but to the Greeks manner of speaking, seeing that S. john wrote in Greek and to the greeks; and into the nature of the thing.  
We are therefore to know that after the Empire was translated, the City of Constantinople was called new Rome, and the Country about commonly called Thracia was called Romania likewise, and is so called to this day. But as for the churches of Italy, France, and Spain, which are reckoned under the Roman Patriarchat, the greeks do commonly call them the Latin churches. When the Greeks see a french man or German in their country, they ask him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉? Are you a Latin? that is to say, as we use to speak here with us, are you of the Romish Church? So at the end of the Council of Florence, there is a long list of the names and subscriptions of the Greek Bishops, and in the second place the subscriptions of the Bishops of the Romish Church, amongst which there be some French men, and Spaniards, and Flemings, and yet nevertheless over the head of all these subscriptions is written, Subscriptiones Latinorum patrum; So Nilus Bishop of Thessalonica wrote two books in greek one against Purgatory, the other against the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome, where he speaks (I know not how often) of the Latins, and of the Latin Church, without ever calling it the Roman church. Let this therefore be taken for certain, that then when the Bishop of Rome became a Monarch, and erected an earthly Empire at Rome (for this is the time of which S. john doth prophecy) the Roman Church was commonly called the Latin Church, and by a consequent, the head thereof was called Latin.  
As for the nature of the thing, there is no name that is more agreeing unto it; seeing that the Latin tongue only is received in Popish churches; all their service is said in Latin, the people are taught to pray in Latin; the Bulls, and Indulgences, and letters of absolution are all made in Latin, the holy scripture is not allowed of but in Latin, and the Latin translation is preferred before the original. And it is not long since that in the court of Parliament, and seats of justice, all the decrees, and sentences, acts, and public instruments were set down in Latin. To conclude, all that is there is Latin. I am verily persuaded that Irenaeus speaking this had no reference to the bishop of Rome, for although he take up Victor bishop of Rome somewhat short, for his sharpness & violence, yet the bishops of Rome in his time were so poor and feeble, that no man could possibly imagine that they should ever have come to this height. And indeed Irenaeus was rather led away by the conjecture of other names, where the self same number is found. But the experience of succeeding ages hath refuted his other conjectures, & ratified this, by which he hath opened a way unto us to know the truth, which he could not live to know by experience, as we have.  
But if besides this we show that not only the number of 666. is found within this word Latin: but also that this very number doth point out the time unto us exactly in which the Pope became to be a Monarch, & began to lift up the Roman Empire into its former seat, than I hope that they which are most set against this doctrine, will wonder at this interpretation, and by an amazed silence give the glory to God.  
We must understand therefore, that the first persecution of Christians (raised up by Nero in the last year of his reign) fell out in the year of our Lord, 69. Fourteen years after, that is, in the year 83. Domitian began an other persecution, in which S. john was cited to Rome, and thence banished into the Isle of Pathmos, as S. Hierome witnesseth in his 
* Quartode 〈◊〉 anno secundam post Neronem persecutionem movente Domitiano in Patmon insulam relegatus scripsit Apocalypsin.  Catalogue. This persecution was more gentle than the others, and the Emperor went not so far as blood, as he did afterwards towards the end of his reign. In this Isle, did this Revelation appear to S. john, Apoc. 1. ver. 9 which afterward he committed to writing, towards the end of Domitian's reign as Irenaeus witnesseth in his fifth book. For he remained in this Island until the time that Nerva came to rule, which began his reign in the year 97. Seeing therefore that the Pope began to be a commander & temporal Prince in Rome & Italy in the year of our Lord, 755. by the indiscreet liberality of Pepin king of France: if ye go 666. years higher, ye shall light upon the year of our Lord, 89. In which year S. john was yet in the Isle of Pathmos, where he continued some few years after, at what time he had leisure to commit that to writing, which he had received from God by Revelation. It is true that Pepin, and Charles the Great his son, & Lewis the Debonnayre his grandchild which gave this donation, did yet reserve the right of sovereignty unto themselves. But for all this the Pope did not spare to labour the best he could to make himself a monarch, and did even at that time lay his projects for the compassing of a Monarchy, taking upon him to bestow the dignity of a Patrician upon Pepin, which none but the Emperors could confer, & presuming to set the Imperial Crown upon the head of Charles the Great, and that by a sleight, the said Charles the great not marking so much, and after being angry with him for so doing, and saying as he went out, that if he had thought the Pope would have used him so, he would not have come into the Church, as Eginard witnesseth in his history. So the Pope increasing daily more and more, did in fine drive the successors of Pepin, and Charles the great his benefactors out of all Italy: and hath brought them to kiss his feet, and to hold their crowns at his mercy and discretion, calling himself Lord commander over the Empire, and bragging that he hath received the dominion of heaven and earth from God.  
Now here I cannot but wonder at the rashness of some which dare accuse Irenee for writing this word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, falsely with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as if a Grecian, and one of the learnedst amongst them, knew not how to write true orthography in his own tongue. For although this word be also written without an jota, yet they which have any skill in the tongue, do know that the Grecians did use to write an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the Latins wrote an I. So Nilus, and Epirus, and Mithras, are written in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. joseph Scaliger in his notes upon Eusebius Chronicle, page 106. marks how the Grecians do often turn the I, of the Latins into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it is long, & that an N comes after, as in these words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Not that they did write it so still, for this was left indifferent. Nor will any man wonder here at, which knows that the Latins did pronounce their I long like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whence that inscription Capteivei of a Comedy in Plautus comes, and the verse of Lucilius cited by Quintilian in the first book of his oratorical instructions, jam pueret venere, è postremum facito atque I, for he held that it should be written puerei, mendacei, furei. The importunity of our adversaries have forced me to play the school boy, and to rub up my old Grammar learning, in steed of admiring the secrets of the wisdom of God, who under the transparent vail of this prophecy, hath made us to see, and feel his truth.  
But here I am to admonish the reader that when I lay the accomplishment of of these 666. years upon the 755 year of our Lord, I do not thereby understand that Antichrist did but then begin to be made manifest. He was made known before by many effects, nevertheless nothing like so manifestly as after when he came to be an earthly Monarch: For he had before this time taken the title of Head of the Church upon him, under a show that in the contention between him and the bishop of Constantinople, the Parricide Phocas had adjudged the Primacy to the bishop of Rome, just 666. years after that Pompey had taken jerusalem, and subdued the nation of the jews which as then was the only church of God. For Pompey wrought this exploit 61 years after the birth of our Saviour in the consulship of Cicero and Antony, and Phocas gave the Primacy to Boniface the 3. in the year of our Lord, 606. so that to count from this exploit of Pompey there are 666. years: By this means between the subduing of the church of the old Testament by the Roman Empire, and between the bondage of the church of the new Testament by the bishop of Rome there are 666. years, which is an excellent observation, and which his Majesty of England hath faithfully noted. But this 13. chap. speaks not of the time in which Antichrist began to appear, but of the time in which he began to establish a worldly Empire, and encroach upon the rights, & imitate the actions of the Roman Emperor. Which he began 666. years after this Revelation.    

THE PROPHECY CONTAIned in the 14. Chap. of the Apocalypse. CHAP. 5.  
1 Then I looked, & lo, a Lamb stood on mount Zion, and with him an hundredth, forty, and four thousand, having his father's name written in their foreheads.  
2 And I heard a voice from heaven as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers, harping with their harps.  
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the 4. beasts, and the elders: & no man could learn that song, but the hundredth forty and four thousand, which were bought from the earth.  
4 These are they which are not defiled with women: for they are Virgins: these follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth: these are bought from men being the first fruits unto God and unto the Lamb.  
5 And in their mouths was found no guile: for they are without spot before the throne of God.  
6 Then I saw another Angel fly in the midst of heaven, having an everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.  
7 Saying with a loud voice, fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgement is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.  
8 And there followed an other Angel saying Babylon that great city is fallen, it is fallen: for she made all nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.  
9 And the third Angel followed them saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast, and his image, & receive his mark in his forehead, or on his hands;  
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine, which is powered into the cup of his wrath, and he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels, and before the Lamb.  
11 And the smoke of their torment shall ascend ever more: and they shall have no rest day nor night, which worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the print of his name.  
12 Here is the patience of Saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of jesus.  
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, write, The dead which die in the Lord are fully blessed. Even so saith the spirit: For they rest from their labours & their works follow them.  
14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sitting like to the son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.  
15 And an other Angel came out of the Temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle and reap: for the time is come to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.  
16 And he that sat on the cloud, thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.  
17 Then an other Angel came out of the the temple, which is in heaven, having also a sharp sickle.  
18 And another Angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire, & cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, and said, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, & gather the clusters of the vineyard of the earth: for her grapes are ripe.  
19 And the Angel thrust in his sharp sickle on the earth and cut down the vines of the vineyard of the earth, and cast them in to that great wine press of the wrath of God  
20 And the wine press was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the wine press unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundredth furlongs.  

The Exposition.  
1 After that God had made me to see the dominion of the Bishop of Rome figured by the second beast, he showed jesus Christ unto me having the government of his Church: and with him a great multitude of the faithful of every tribe, and people, which had the mark of the people of God, which is the true profession of the faith, and Christianity.  
2 And I heard a voice from heaven as the sound of many waters, and like a clash of thunder, and to mix pleasantness with this majesty, after this voice, I heard a melodious comfort, as it were of harpers playing upon harps, and a heavenly harmony.  
3 And they sang a new thanksgiving containing the redemption manifested by the new covenant, in the presence of God and his Angels, and the patriarchs, and Apostles. And no man can conceive what this thanksgiving was, and how God ought to be praised for this redemption, but only the truly faithful, chosen out of every tribe, and nation; which were saved, and redeemed by jesus Christ, out of the whole Mass of mankind, that was lost & corrupted.  
4 These faithful did abstain from all fleshly fornication, & from spiritual too, which is Idolatry; for they are chaste. They follow the commandment of jesus Christ, and suffer themselves to be led whither it shall seem good to him. They were redeemed out of the whole stock of mankind for to be consecrated unto God, and to jesus Christ, as the first fruits of his creatures.  
5 And there was no guile found in their mouths, nor no dissembling words, for they did appear pure and innocent before the throne of God.  
6 After that I saw a faithful Minister of the Gospel rise out of the corruption of this papal kingdom, and passing through the midst of the church to preach conformity to the everlasting Gospel; & God raised him up to preach unto the men that dwell upon the earth, and to every nation.  
7 And he cried out saying, Fear God & give him the glory, for the hour of the last judgement is at hand; worship no creatures any more, nor the relics of Saints nor their images, nor the Pope, nor the Host, nor any other creature; but worship him which hath made heaven and earth, and the bottomless deep, whence the rivers arise.  
8 And another faithful minister of the Gospel came after him saying, for certain Rome is fallen, because she made all nations drunk with her furious Idolatry.  
9 And a third minister came after these two saying stoutly, if any one worship the Pope, or yield himself subject to the Empire, which he hath form anew, according to the image of the ancient Roman Empire, professing himself to be a Roman, or of the Latin Church, or give him a hand of fealty, and obedience;  
10 This man shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, yea of the pure wine, powered into the cup of his wrath, that is to say, he shall taste of God's displeasure to the end, and shall be cast into hell in the presence of jesus Christ, and the Angels there to be burnt everlastingly.  
11 And the smoke of their torment shall ascend evermore. And they shall enjoy no rest, which do worship the Pope, and the Empire which he hath form anew according to the image of the Roman Empire, & whosoever doth profess himself to be a Roman, or of the Latin Church.  
12 Here is the patience of the faithful to be seen, in this it is that they appear which keep the commandments of God, and the faith of jesus.  
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, happy are they which die in the faith of our Lord jesus. From that time, of a truth (saith the spirit) they rest from their labours, and they shall receive the reward of their good works.  
14 Afterward I looked, and behold, a white cloud appeared unto me, and upon this cloud there sat an Angel, like to a man: which had a crown of gold upon his head, as who had the dignity of an Archangel, and power over many spirits, & in his hand a sharp sickle, for to execute the judgements of God.  
15 And another Angel came out of the assembly, and Church of the Saints, which speaking unto the Angel that was upon the cloud, gave him commandment from God saying: Exercise justice now upon the earth; for the hour of displaying Gods judgements is come, because the causes which draw the judgements of God down (to wit the sins of men) are come to their full measure.  
16 Then the Angel that sat upon the cloud, threw down the chastisements ordained of God upon the earth, & a multitude of men were destroyed, and many of the wicked cut of, as ears of corn which is reaped.  
17 And after this Angel God sent out another from amongst the company of his Saints, and of his heavenly Church, having also a sharp sickle for to do the like execution, and to exercise the judgements of God upon the earth.  
18 And after this second Angel, there went a third Angel out from before the presence of jesus Christ (whose cross is the only altar) to whom God did use to commi● the executions of his judgements by fire. This Angel cried with a loud voice to him which had the sharp sickle, saying unto him, reveal the judgements of God forthwith, and punish the sins of men; for their sins are grown to maturity.  
19 Then the Angel did that which was commanded him, and did exercise judgement upon the earth, and slew the nations of the earth, and ●rod upon them as we use to tread grapes in a wine press.  
20 And this judgement of God was executed without the Church of God, which is the holy jerusalem: which was exempted from this judgement. And the blood of this slaughter was so great, that there ran a river of blood from the place for the space of twenty leagues, & so deep that the horses stood up in it even to the bridles.   

The proof and clearing of this Exposition.  
THis Chapter is an admonition of the evils and afflictions represented in the 13. Chap. and a consolation to temper the hardness of the Church's servitude under the Papal kingdom, under which although the Church lie hid, yet the holy Ghost saith in the first verse of this chapter, that God had an hundredth, forty, and four thousand faithful remaining still amidst this corruption; according as when Elias in the kingdom of Israel thought that he only had been left, 
●9.  God told him that he had 7000 men more which never bowed the knee to Baal. Now the number of a hundredth forty & four thousand is not without a mystery. For besides that this number is a cubical number consisting of twelve times twelve, (God thereby intending to signify that the number of his elect is perfect, and prescribed with great wisdom, and which may not be diminished) there is yet more in it, to wit, that God doth hereby show that this number shall be taken indifferently out of all people and nations: like as in the 7. chapt. this very number is taken equally out of the twelve tribes of Israel. For that by the 144000. all the Church of the Elect is here understood, it appears by that in the third verse, where it is said, that these were bought from the earth.  
The four beasts, which are mentioned by the way in the 3. verse, are described exactly in the 4. Chapter of this book. And this vision is taken out of the first of Ezekiel, which makes me to understand these 4 beasts in the same sense as they are understood by Ezekiel, to wit, for the Angelical virtues standing before the throne of God: Wherefore Ezekiel gives them wings also which signify their readiness to ob●y. And they have divers faces for to show the diversity of their virtues. The one hath the face of a Lion▪ for to show their courage, the other of an ox, for to show their strength, the other the face of a man, for to show their wisdom, the other resembleth and eagle, which witnesseth their speech, and readiness.  
The 24 beasts are the twelve patriarchs of the old Testament, and the twelve of the new, which are the 12 Apostles, by whom we are to understand all the church of the glorified Saints. Which we may easily know by the 9 verse of the fifth chapt. where these 24 Elders do praise the Lamb because he redeemed them unto God by his blood, out of every kindred, & people and tongue, and nation. Now if the 24 Elders do represent the whole Church of the glorified Saints, and speak in their name, by the like reason is it also agreeable, that these 4 beasts should represent the whole company of Angelical spirits.  
The praises wherewith they did extol God for revealing the mysteries of our redemption, cannot be understood by fleshly and sensual men, to whom the Gospel seemeth folly, as our Saviour saith to Peter. Mat. 16. Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my father which is in heaven. Of these 144000. which represent the whole company of the faithful, S. john saith that they are not defiled with women, for they are virgins. Doubtless a continent, and chaste virginity both of body & mind is a great perfection: it keeps out all wicked thoughts from entrance; it frees the soul from care, and gives much liberty to the service of God. Yet for all this I cannot be persuaded that S. john doth here speak of bodily virginity, or of continuing in a single state of life: For then we should exclude the Prophets, and the Apostles out of the number of the faithful which follow the Lamb, and which were redeemed from amongst the inhabitants of the earth. This makes me think that as Idolatry is infinite times called fornication, & adultery in holy scripture, so this chastity and virginity here spoken of is nothing else but an abstaining from the service of Idols, which are as it were the Concubines with whom idolaters do commit fornication, and break the spiritual bond with which they had tied themselves unto Christ.  
They which are thus chaste and continent, are by the judgement of the spirit of God in the fifth verse pronounced to be without spot; I confess that in the most holy whilst they are in this flesh there is ever some infirmity remaining, and the remainders of sin abiding. David acknowledgeth himself to be a sinner, Psa. 51. & 130. & 143. and his life confirms it. The Apostle S. Paul confesseth that sin dwelleth in him, and that he doth the evil which he would not do. Rom. 7. We all of us fail in most things as S, james saith. Nevertheless the faithful are said to be just, and without spot, because the blood of jesus Christ doth wash them from all their sins, 1. joh. 1. and because the righteousness of jesus Christ is ours, wherefore he is also called the Lord our righteousness, jer. 23. ver. 6. & 1. Cor. 1. v. 30. & 2. Cor. 5. ver. 21. He is also said to be without deceit, whose repentance is serious, and his heart without hypocrisy, as Nathanael in the 1. chap. of S. joh. v. 47. And they whose charity and faith is without counterfeiting, Rom. 12.9. & 1. Tim. ver. 5. albeit their charity and faith be weak and imperfect.  
In the 6.8. and 9 verses the Angels sent for to preach the gospel, are Ministers & Pastors of the Church. For God sendeth not his Angels to preach in the church but his Ministers, which are often called Angels, in the second and third Chapters of this very book. Which is also usual in the old Testament; especially in the 5. of Ecclesiastes, v. 6. And the Prophet Malachi seems to have taken his name from this. For Malachi signifies The Angel of the Lord.  
From the 6. verse, to the end of the cha. the spirit of God doth reveal an admirable history, and discovers many secrets unto us, for he describeth at large what the condition of the poor Church shall be under the government of Popery, till the time that the day of judgement shall be at hand. From the 6. verse to the 13. he tells of 3. Angels that went before, which one after another at divers times did preach the gospel, seeking to turn men from Idolatry, and to make them cast of the Romish bondage. The rest of the chapter is spent in describing the punishments which God inflicteth upon men because they did not obey their preaching, and because they did conspire against God: and therefore as he doth produce 3. Angels which at divers times did preach the gospel in the midst of Papistry, so doth he send 3. Angels to execute God's judgements, which at several times do punish the rebellion of men. And as the third Angel that preached the gospel, did preach it with more perspicuity, and greater fervency than the two former, so the third Angel sent to revenge the hardness of men's hearts, doth exercise more dreadful judgements, and doth mow down men as ears of corn, and tread on them like grapes in the wine press.  
Whosoever will open his eyes, and dispel the cloud of hatred, & passion, which dazzles the judgement, shall find (by that which hath fallen out within these few ages, and by that which we see at this day) the accomplishment of this admirable prophecy: that is to say, 3 several publications of the gospel amidst the darkness of Papistry, and these publications backed by exemplary judgements, men still persevering in their obstinacy.  

The 1 Angel  In the year of our Lord, 1039. Idolatry being much increased, and the Papal Empire greatly exalted, God raised up Berenger Archdeacon of Angers, for to oppose himself against the abuse of the Papacy, especially against the error of Transubstantiation, & the Pope's Supremacy: who taught so powerfully that France, Spain, Italy, and Germany, were full of men holding the same confession with Berenger: as Gulielmus Neobrige●sis witnesseth in the 2. book & 13. chap. of his English 
In the year of our Lord. 1063.  history, where he saith that their number was as the sand of the sea. And this Berenger, was a holy man, and of great learning. The Archbishop Antoni● in the 2. part of his Chronicle & 16. book doth commend him for his honesty, and humility, and for distributing his goods amongst the poor. Which is confirmed by Platina in the life of john the 15. It appears (saith he) that at that time there was Oder Abbot of Clunie, and Berenger of Tours, in estimation noted men both for their learning and religion. A little after he saith that after he had given all his goods to the poor, he got his own living by the labour of his hands. It is true indeed that appearing at Rome in a council there assembled, he was constrained for fear of losing his life, to subscribe to that which the Pope would have him. But being returned into France he protested that he did this by compulsion, and persevered in maintenance of his former doctrine even to his dying day: upon whom the Bishop of Ments named Hildebert, made an Epitaph, wherein he bewails him as a great light that was extinguished, and as a man of incomparable zeal, and learning. The Popes to suppress this truth, did spare for no subtlety nor cruelty, and did stir up kings to persecute these poor religious men. Whereat God also being enraged, sent out great plagues, and did execute rigorous judgements upon the people of the Church of Rome. For in the year 1076 (which is about the time of Berenger's death) there arose a quarrel between the Emperor Henry the fourth, and Pope Gregory the 7 surnamed Hildebrand, who brought many divisions into the Roman Church, and Empire, during which there were more than 40. bloody battles fought insomuch that every place did stream with blood, to speak nothing of the pestilence, inroads, & pillages, that did waste Christendom. Behold here the first preaching of the Gospel, which God did raise up even in the midst of Popery, and after this preaching the Angel throwing down the sickle of God's judgements upon men.  

The 2. Angel  But this darkness still thickening more and more, and the truth being oppressed as it were by force: Behold about the year 1130 God made this truth to grow up a fresh again, by the industry of certain servants of his which were the Disciples of Berenger, amongst which was Peter de Bruis, & Henry de Thoulouse, & a little after them, johannes de Waldo of Lions, which began to show himself in the year 1158 and translated the holy Scripture into the vulgar tongue, whose life was an example of sanctity. In hatred of whom they begun to call the truly faithful the Waldenses. These faithful spoken just as this 2. Angel doth in the eight verse of this chapter calling the Church of Rome Babylon, and exhorting every one to go out of her. Against whom Pope Innocent the 3. caused the Croisadoe to be preached, and within a few months made above 200000 of them to be slain in Provence, Languedoe, & Guyenna; as it is reported in the history of john Chassanion translated out of the Albigean tongue; & all the Authors both of that time, and of after ages stick not to affirm as much. So God for to punish the rebellion of men threw down his sickle the second time; and did execute more grievous punishments upon them then the former. For then the quarrels between the Empire, and the Papacy (which had slept for a long time) began afresh, under Frederick Barbarossa that generous Emperor, and pattern of virtue: who was constrained to keep many armies afoot, to defend himself against the enemies which the Pope had incensed against him. What man is able to express the horrible slaughters, the sackings of towns, the pight battles, greater & more in number then those under the Henry's, till the year 1177. When Pope Alexander the third, trod upon this emperors neck on the steps of S. Marks Church in Venice? and in the mean space the Moors and the Sarrasins wasted Spain, massacring all the Christians thereabout, & the Saladin destroyed the Kingdom of jerusalem, that had cost us more than twelve hundredth thousand men to conquer: which was brought to ruin in the year 1187, not without an unutterable desolation; for the repairing whereof all the nobility, and men of courage that were in France, Germany, Flaunders, England, & Italy, took the Cross upon them in the time of Philip Augustus, and Lewis the 9 But of all this innumerable multitude, there came not the tenth part back again, so that in France, and all the neighbouring Countries, there was nothing as it were to be seen, but widows & orphans. Amidst these confusions, and this general disaster, the Church of God did subsist miraculously, and notwithstanding all the Pope's persecutions against it, did, and still doth continue to this day, and in the year 1508. the Churches wrongfully called the Waldenses wrote their confession, & sent it to Ladislaus king of Hungary, which confession is like unto ours: & when God in this last age did readvance the standard of his truth, these Churches joined themselves with ours, and suffered persecutions together with us for the faith of jesus Christ. So behold the second Angel preaching the Gospel in the midst of Popery, and at the same time the destroying Angel sent, for ●o punish the rebellion of men the second time, which did obstinately withstand the word of God.  
Last of all the third preaching Angel is come in our days, 
The 3. Angel  opposing himself against the Papal Empire. That is to say, that God for this third time hath raised up certain faithful preachers of the gospel, for to withstand the Papacy. This hath happened in our time, wherein God hath raised up certain faithful Ministers, which have lighted the taper of truth again, and drawn this candle from under a bushel: Hence come the great breaches that we have seen to be made in Papistry, & the gaping crevices in the temple of the Idol through which a man may discern Idolatry from without. Hence come so many churches to be planted in Germany, England, Scotland, France, Flaunders, Denmark, Switzerland, Poland, & Hungary, with which when God shall have been sufficiently served by their giving testimony to his truth, and that the malice of the contradicting shall begin to oppress the truth, then shall the third Angel throw down his sickle, to reap and ●ut down the enemies of God, and to execute the last effects of his wrath, which are here represented by a river of blood▪ an hundred leagues large, and so deep▪ that the horses of the enemies ranged in battle against God shall hath themselves in the blood of their Master's, and stand in it up to their bridles; for as this third preaching Angel spoke more clearly, & boldly, than the two former did, so the obstinacy of men against this so great a light, shall be punished with a more fearful punishment. They have persecuted us by massacrings and burnings: They have disgraced us with odious titles, calling us Huguenots, Zwinglians, Lutherans, & Calvinists, although our religion be the ancient Christian religion, and the religion of the Apostles▪ & that we are urgent, that the people might have the sight of the scripture, & that the fashion of saying the common service in a strange tongue might be abolished: complaining of this that we cannot have a free council, where we might be heard, & where our adversaries might not be our judges: In steed of the Council of Trent, where the Pope condemned us without ever hearing us speak for ourselves: and whether we could not have gone safely, by reason of that rule maintained in the church of Rome, that men are not to stand to those promises, though ratified by oaths, which they plight to Heretics; a rule practised upon john Hus & Hierome of Prague, which were burnt notwithstanding the faithful promise that they had of a safe conduct. For these, and such like causes we doubt not (& we speak it with fear, not desiring the ruin but the conversion of our adversaries) that the third destroying Angel shall ere long throw down his fickle upon the earth, & display the judgements of God upon the Church of Rome, for the third time.  
Hereby it appears that the prophecy of this chapt. is accomplished as touching the 3 Angels that were sent to preach the Gospel, but as for the 3 destroying Angels which were sent to execute the judgements of God, that the two former of the is already come, and that the third is not yet come, but is near at hand.  
That which hath been said already may suffice for the exposition of this prophecy. But upon the 6. verse where there is mention made of an Angel holding the everlasting Gospel, I cannot omit that which Matthew Paris relateth in the year 1256. and Platinae in the life of Alexander the 4. Matthew Paris reporteth that William de S. Amore with other choice men of the University of Paris were cited to Rome for complaining of a book that was made by the jacobin preaching Friars the which was entitled the Everlasting Gospel. And Platinae in the life of Alexander the fourth saith that this book did teach, that the state of grace did proceed, non à lege Evangelis, sed à lege spiritus, not from the law of the Gospel but from the law of the spirit, for so did they call their dreams & revelations. The mark at which this book did aim, was to suppress the Gospel of Christ. A sin so heinous, as might deservedly have made their whole order to have been rooted out, 
Precepit Papa ut novus ille liber quem Evangelium aeternum nominant secreto & si possit fieri sine fratrum scandalo combureretur. , nevertheless Matthew Paris telleth us that Pope Alevander did content himself with only commanding the book to be secretly burnt, & (if it might be) without offending the fraternity. And not long after he made it manifest that he condemned them by constraint, & because it was a shame for him to do otherwise, for he drove away the said William de S. Amore, and made him to be banished, who hath written a book of this matter for the justification of himself.  
The third verse is read diversely in the Greek text. For there be some copies which have the point before the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, others put it after. The translation of the Church of Rome turns it as if the point were before, translating it thus, Beat●mort●● qui in domino moriuntur. A modo iam dicit spiritus ut requiescant a laboribus suis, which seems more smooth to me and more suitable to the Greek phrase, then if the point were put after the word A modo. Beda expounds this place thus, As he said that the wicked should never have any rest: so on the contrary he teacheth that the faithful being assisted by their good works, do rest from hence forth, that is to say, from the time of their death. For this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not only signify hereafter, but also from henceforth, as in the 13. chapt. of S. john, v. 19 and in the 14. chap. v. 7. Howsoever it be, & in whether sense of the two you take this word, or understand this verse, it doth utterly extinguish the imaginary fire of Purgatory.  
In the 14. verse he which sitteth upon the cloud having the shape of a man, cannot be jesus Christ seeing that in the verses following the Angels command him, and declare the will of God unto him.  
In the 16. verse and those which follow the judgements of God are compared to an harvest, and a vintage. A fashion of speech usual in Scripture; as in the 13. of S. Matthew, the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the Angels. And in the 76. Psalm, it is said that God doth vintage, or cut of the spirits of Princes, & that he is torrible to the Kings of the earth.    

THE PROPHECY CONTAIned in the 17. Chap. of the Apocalypse. CHAP. 6.  
1 Then there came one of the 7. Angels which had the 7. Vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come; I will show thee the damnation of the great Where that sitteth upon many waters.  
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth are drunk with the wine of her fornication.  
3 So he carried me away into the wilderness in the spirit, and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy which had 7. heads and ten horns.  
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and gilded with gold, & precious stones, and pearls, and had a cup of gold in her hand, full of the abomination, & filthiness of her fornication.  
5 And in her forehead was a name written, A mystery, that great Babylon, that mother of whoredoms, and abominations of the earth.  
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of Saints, and with the blood of the Martyrs of jesus, and when I saw her, I wondered with great marvel.  
7 Then the Angel said unto me. Wherefore marveilest thou? I will show thee the mystery of that woman, and of that beast that beareth her, which hath seven heads and ten horns.  
8 The beast that thou haste seen, was, and is not, & shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and shall go into perdition, and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder (whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world) when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.  
9 Here is the mind that hath wisdom. The 7. heads are 7. mountaine●, whereon the woman sitteth: they are also 7. kings.  
10 Five 〈◊〉, fallen, and one is, and an other is not yet 〈◊〉: and when he cometh he must continue a long space.  
11 And the beast that was and is not, is even the eighth, and is one of the 7. & shall go into destruction.  
12 And the 10. horns which thou sawest, are 10 kings, which yet have not received a kingdom, but shall receive power as kings at one hour, with the beast.  
13 These have one mind, & shall give their power, and authority unto the beast.  
14 These shall fight with the Lamb. & the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is Lord of Lords, and king of kings: and they that are on his side are called faithful, and chosen.  
15 And he said unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.  
16 And the 10 horns which thou sawest upon the beast, are they that shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.  
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to do with one consent for to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God be fulfilled.  
18 And that woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigned over the kings of the earth.  

The Explication.  
1 Then came one of the 7. Angels to me which were sent from God to power down 7 sorts of his judgements upon men; and this Angel spoke unto me saying, Come I will show thee the damnation of Rome that great Idolatrous city, which ruleth over many people; For by the city, not the buildings, but they which bear sway therein, are understood.  
2 By whose suggestion the kings of the earth have played the idolaters, and she hath made the inhabitants of the earth drunken with her Idolatry.  
3 So then the Angel took me, and carried me aside into a secret place, and I saw the city of Rome represented under the form of a woman, which bore rule over an Empire, the chief governors where of were clad in scarlet, and did assume many blasphemous titles, and prerogatives. And this Empire seated upon 7. hills had 7 sorts of diverse successive governments, & was composed of ten realms, & principal parts.  
4 And this city (that is to say the rulers of it) was clad in purple & scarlet, having a crown of gold upon her head, and a cross of gold upon her feet, and upon her crown, and on her hands, many precious stones, with a mantle embroidered with pearl; and through her great magnificence she made all the people to drink of the puddle of her Idolatry,  
5 And made profession of great mysteries in her doctrine, being indeed the great Babylon, the headspring of Idolatry; and of the abominations of the world.  
6 And I saw this city glutted with the blood of the faithful, raising up persecutions, and making the martyrs to be massacred, and having seen this, I was stricken with fear, and stood amazed.  
7 Then the Angel said unto me, why dost thou wonder? I will show thee the interpretation of the vision, and will tell thee what the beast represented by a woman means, & what the Empire is, that is figured by a beast having 7. heads, and ten horns.  
8 The beast which thou sawest is the Empire of Rome, which did continue for a long time, but now is no more, being vanquished, and driven from Rome, and Italy by the Lumbards': but shall rise up again from a low place, and be restored by the Papacy, till the time that God at last shall destroy it. And the inhabitants of the earth, which have not been enroled from the foundation of the world amongst the number of the Elect, shall wonder seeing the Empire of Rome, which was at Rome but was driven thence by the Lumbards', and nevertheless doth now grow up again, and is reerected by the Papacy, so that a man may say that the Roman Empire is, and is not; that it is not because the Roman Emperors are no more; that it is because the Pope doth in a manner set up the Empire again although it be under another name and form.  
9 Here is need of wisdom to understand this matter. In this vision of the beast which hath 7 heads and 10 horns, by the 7. heads we are to understand 7. hills, upon which the city of Rome is situate.  
10 As also 7. sorts of sovereignty or government which must bear rule at Rome one after another, to wit, the kings the Consuls, the military Tribunes, the Decemvirs, the dictators, the Emperors and the Popes. The 6. is now, to wit, the Emperors: And the 7, (to wit, the Popes those Pontifical earthly monarches) is not yet come, and when it shall come, it shall continue for a certain time.  
11 And also by the Roman Empire, which was and is now no more, the Empire of Charlemaigne, and his successors, is to be understood, which did govern at Rome for a time before the Monarchy of the Popes was fully perfected; which Emperors although they be an 8 head, do yet nevertheless bear the name of one of the 7. to wit of the Emperors.  
12 But by the 10 horns of this beast which is the Roman Papal Empire, are understood 10 kings which have not as yet begun to reign, but shall reign together with the Roman Papal Empire.  
13 The counsels of these kings are ruled by the council of the Papal Empire, and they lend assistance unto this Empire with their power.  
14 They shall fight against jesus Christ, but jesus Christ shall overcome them because he is Lord of Lords, & king of kings, and they which are his, are called elect and faithful.  
15 After he said unto me, the waters which thou sawest, over which Rome the Idolatress hath dominion, do signify people, and multitudes, and nations of diverse languages.  
16 And the 10 horns which thou sawst this Empire to have, are the same 10 kings, which in the end shall conspire against it, and consume it, and burn it.  
17 For God hath inclined their hearts that they should do his will in executing his judgements, and that they should lay their heads together, and should aid this Papal Empire with their forces, only until the time of its continuance appointed by God be accomplished.  
18 And this woman which thou sawst is Rome that great city, which commands the realms of the earth.   

The first part of this Prophecy.  
1 Then there came one of the 7 Angels which had the 7 viols, and talked with me saying unto me; come I will show thee the damnation of the great where that sitteth upon many waters.   

The Exposition.  
Then came one of the 7 Angels to me were sent from God to power down 7 sorts of his judgements upon men, & this Angel spoke unto me saying; Come I will show thee the damnation of Rome that great Idolatrous city, which ruleth over many people, for by the city not the buildings, but they that bear sway there●● are understood.   

The Proof.  
This Chapter is easy to be understood, for the 6. first verses are expounded by those which follow, and all the terms which the Angel useth are suitable to the style of the Prophets. They compare the Church to a woman, call her the daughter of Zion, the spouse of our God: and so in the Apocalypse, chap. 12. he hath represented the Church under the form of a woman: it is no marvel therefore, if the enemy of the Church, and the head of the Church opposite to God, be figured by a woman.  
The same Prophets do call our covenant with God a marriage, and the purity of our service to God by the name of chastity, and by a consequent they call Idolatry which doth violate this marriage, adultery, and spiritual fornication. 
* jer. 3.9.  jeremy saith, that juda hath committed fornication with stones and stooks. According to this manner of speech do they use to call the people, and cities that are given to Idolatry, by the name of harlots, & strumpets. Isaiah in his 1. Chap. v. 21. How is the faithful city become an harlot? The 16. of Ezechiel is full of examples in this kind. Nahum speaketh thus of Niniveh, The harlot that selleth the people through her whoredom, 
Nahum 3.4.  which words are as it were all one with the words of S. john here in this prophecy.  
Where we are diligently to note that the Prophets and S. john by the cities do not understand their walls, but those which dwell in them, and more especially such as are in authority, and are set over them. For S. john saith that this city reigneth over many people, and that she doth seduce the kings of the earth, which cannot agree to the walls, and houses, nor yet to the people of the city of Rome, but only to such as govern there.  
Now that this city of which S. john speaks is Rome, there is no man that doubteth, and our adversaries themselves acknowledge it. For what city can there be which hath 7 hills, which reigneth over kings, which is an Idolatress, whose governors are clothed in scarlet; doubtless there is no other of this nature but Rome; And from S. john's time there hath been no other city having 7 hills that did reign over the earth. Bellarmine in his 3 book De Pontifice Romano, & 13 Chap. 
* Secund● dici potest & meo judicio melius per meretricem intelligi Romam.  We may say, and that better in my judgement, that by the whore Rome is understood. The Jesuits Ribera, and Viega say the same in their expositions of this Chap. Tertullian in his book against the jews, 
* Babylon apud johannem nostrum Romanae urbis figuram portat, proinde & magnae, & regno superbae, & sanctorum debellatricis.  Babylon in S. john doth represent Rome, being as great, and as proud of her dominions, & as tyrannising over the Saints as ever Babylon was. The like unto which he saith in his 3 book and 8. chap. against Martion. S. Hierome in the 11. question to Algasia, According to the Revelation of S. john in the forehead of the quean clad in purple there was a name of blasphemy written, to wit, Rome the everlasting, and in his 17. Epist. to Marcelia, 
* Et hic puto locus sanctior est Tarpeia rupe quae de coelo saepius fulminata ostendit quod domine displiceret. Lege Apocalypsin johan. & quod de muliere purpurata cantetur contuere.  This place of Bethlehem▪ I am persuaded is more holy than that Tarpeian rock (that is to say then the Capitol of Rome) which by being often struck with thunder from heaven did show that it did not please God. Read the Revelation of S. john, and see that which is there foretold of the whore clad in purple, and of the blasphemy written in her forehead, and of the 7. hills, and of many waters, and the destruction of Babylon. Bellarmine doth confess this, but saith that S. john speaks of heatbenish Rome, and not of Christian Rome, such as it is now adays. Which is altogether incoherent; 1. For heathenish Rome did not reign over kings, seeing that it did put down kings. 2. Heathenish Rome did not seduce the kings by flattery, and persuasion, seeing that it went down rightly to work, and conquered them by open force. 3. Moreover here is mention made of the final ruin of Rome, so that it shall never be built up again, which yet never befell heathenish Rome; when therefore this destruction foretold of shall arrive, it shall not light upon the city whilst it is heathenish, but after that Paganism is abolished. And indeed S. Hierom in the Epistle to Marcelia formerly alleged, albeit he say that Rome by the confession of Christ hath defaced the name of blasphemy; nevertheless he spares not in the same place to recite the threatenings in the Apocalypse against it as not yet come, & doth exhort Marcelia to go out of Babylon, which were absurd if these threatenings had been pronounced only against heathenish Rome.  
I would also know what sins should be the cause of the final destruction of Rome. Is it likely that it shall be destroyed for the sins committed by Nero or Domitian 1500 years since? So it is clear that it shall be destroyed for the sins found in it upon the time of its destruction. Nor may we omit that which the King notes as very fitting to this purpose, to wit, that S. john gives us to understand that his intent is to speak of things to come, but heathenish Rome and the idolatry thereof were present in S. john's time. To conclude, the truth is so clear on our side, that the jesuits themselves which have written commentaries upon the Apocalyps, to wit, Ribera, and Viega, take our parts, and speak for us. 
a Ribera in Apoc. ca 14. num. 42 De Roma intelligendum non solùm qualis sub Ethnici● imperatori●us olim suit sedetiam qualis in fine seculi futura est.  Ribera saith, We are to understand this not only of Rome as it was heretofore under the Emperors, but also as it shall be a● the end of the world. Viega after the same manner. 
b Viega in 17. Apoc. come. 1. Sec. 3 omnia quae in his capitibus commemorantur in Romanam vrb●m apertissime quadrant.  All that which is spoken in these chapters doth manifestly agree to Rome. As for the name of Babylon it is to be applied to Rome which served Idols before ever it did receive the faith of Christ, & to Rome as it shall be a little before the time of Antichrist.  

c De praescriptione adversus Hermogenem Foelix ecclesia cui t●tam doctrinam Apostoli cum sanguine suo pro suderunt.  Tertullian (I must confess) saith that the Church of Rome is happy, to which the Prophets did power out their doctrine together with their blood. But he speaks this to the church and not to the city, that is, to a few of the faithful which lay hid amidst the corruption of this great city, which seems to be never the purer now a days for all its outward profession of christianity: but if the preaching of jesus Christ in Capernaum▪ and in jerusalem did not exempt these towns from the curse of God, why should the presence of Saint Peter at Rome be able to exempt it for ever from malediction.  
Some of the ancient were of opinion that this great whore did signify the whole body and assembly of the wicked, and the city of the devil: which is refelled hereby, because S. john saith, that she reigneth over the nations: for if this exposition were true, than she must needs reign over herself; she that reigneth cannot be the same thing with those over whom she reigneth. Hereunto add that the 7 hills and the 7 kings, and the habit of scarlet, cannot be applied to this meaning.  
That to sit upon many waters, doth signify to reign over many people, S. john himself doth say in the 15 verse, and we have proved it in an other place more at large.   

The second part of this prophecy.  
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth are drunk with the wine of her fornication.   

The Exposition.  
By whose suggestion the kings of the earth have played the idolaters, and she hath made the inhabitants of the earth drunken with her Idolatry.   

The Proof.  
The Papal Empire being not of strength sufficient to abolish the kings, doth make them drunk, and lay them asleep. It is the Pope that doth abuse the bounty of our kings, and ungratefully forgetting what benefactors they have been unto him hath taken the third part of their land from them, and the fifth part of their subjects, over whom he boasteth that he hath absolute power, to give and take away their crowns at his pleasure, & receives homage, and an oath of allegiance from them, and in way of recompense pays then with trifles, sending them some holy Beads, some Indulgences, or certain supposed relics: and gives them the privilege of communicating under both kinds, that is to say, he permits them, by a special favour, to obey jesus Christ, & gives them that by way of a privilege, which jesus Christ did grant to all Christians. Likewise it is to gratify kings that he doth suffer them to hold his horses bridle, and when his Holiness is reading the Mass in his own person, to hold the basin unto him on their knees, as if they were subdeacons.  
It is the Pope that hath taken from our kings the divine service in the language of their native countries; and hath given them the Roman language in token of subjection; Which hath taken the French liturgy from them, and given them another to be sung after the Romish fashion; which hath taken away wives from priests: which hath brought up images, and established transubstantiation, the feast God, the adoration of the Sacrament, & which hath wrested the holy scripture out of the hands of the people.   

The third part of this prophecy.  
3 So he carried me away into the wilderness in the spirit, and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy which had seven heads, and ten horns.   

The Exposition.  
3 So then the Angel took me, and carried me aside into a secret place, and I saw the city of Rome represented under the form of a woman, which bore rule over an Empire, the chief governors where of were clad in scarlet, and did assume many blasphemous titles, and prerogatives. And this Empire seated upon 7. hills had 7 sorts of diverse successive governments, & was composed of ten realms, & principal parts.   

The Proof.  
By the woman (saith S. john) verse 18 the city is to be understood having seven hills, that is to say, Rome. Now by the city we are not to understand the walls, seeing that he saith that this city doth reign over the people, and useth flattery to make the kings of the earth drunk: which cannot agree to the buildings, but only to the governors of the city, that is to say, to the Pope & his consistory. This woman therefore is mounted on a beast having 7 heads and 10 horns, that is to say, she doth reign over the Roman Empire, which is feigned to have 7 heads because of the 7 hills on which Rome is situate, and because of the 7 sorts of sovereignty which have borne rule over that place successively, as the Angel doth expound it in the 9 and 10 verses, and we have showed it at large in the exposition of the 13. chap. & 1. verse. She is also clad in scarlet, for this is the Pope's habit, not only by custom, but by express rule: as the third book of holy ceremonies saith in the 3 sect. and 5. chap. Ruber color propriè ad Papam pertinet; The red colour doth properly appertain to the Pope. and in the 
* Planum totum cum magno scabell● coopertum e●it panno ●occin●o.  1. book, 1. chap. and 9 sect. it is said that the Pope's chair, and the place upon which it stands must be covered all over with cloth of scarlet. There is none of his apparel, even down to his stockings, and shoes, that is not of scarlet, as it is said in the 
Caligis rubei●, sandaleis rubeis aureâ cruce orna●is  Chap. of the 1. section of the first book. this is also the colour of the Cardinal's habit, as every man seeth. Nay which is more, by the ordinance of Pope Paulus the 2. the Cardinal's mules must be covered over with scarlet, as Platina reporteth in his life. Being willing it seems that this prophecy which representeth the head of this Empire mounted upon a beast covered with scarlet, should also agree to every Cardinal apart.  
As for the names of blasphemy which this Papal Empire doth assume, see that which hath been said of this upon the 5. verse of the 13. chap.   

The 4 part of this Prophecy.  
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and gilded with gold, & precious stones, and pearls, and had a cup of gold in her hand, full of the abomination, & filthiness of her fornication.   

The Exposition.  
4 And this city (that is to say the rulers of it) was clad in purple & scarlet, having a crown of gold upon her head, and a cross of gold upon her feet, and upon her crown, and on her hands many precious stones, with a mantle embroidered with pearl; and through her great magnificence she made all the people to drink of the puddle of her Idolatry,   

The Proof.  
This proposition is drawn from experience known to every man, and from the rules of the Church of Rome published by our adversaries. The 6. Chap. and first section of the first book of holy ceremonies hath these words; They put red stockings on his legs, and red shoes upon his feet adorned with a cross of gold; and a little after, He is appareled with a long Albe, a girdle, 
Stolam orn●tam cum per lis pendents à collo.  and a stole hanging upon his neck all embossed with pearl.  
Whereas it is added that this whore doth give her false doctrines unto men in a cup of gold, the meaning thereof is that she gives them with pomp, and outward magnificence.  
The capital letters of these words, Poculum Aureum Plenum Abominationum, being put together make up Papa: Whether it be that it falls out so by chance, or rather that God would hereby give us an advertisement. And that which makes this observation the better worthy the noting, is that it is found in Latin, which is the language of the Church of Rome.  
What these abominations are of which Rome makes the people to drink I have already showed throughout my whole second book.   

The 5. part of this prophecy.  
5 And in her forehead was a name written, A mystery, that great Babylon, that mother of whoredoms, and abominations of the earth.  
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of Saints, and with the blood of the Martyrs of jesus, and when I saw her, I wondered with great marvel.   

The Exposition.  
5 And made profession of great mysteries in her doctrine, being indeed the great Babylon, the headspring of Idolatry, and of the abominations of the world.  
6 And I saw this city glutted with the blood of the faithful, raising up persecutions, and making the martyrs to be massacred, and having seen this, I was stricken with fear, and stood amazed.   

The Proof.  
We have showed in the exposition of the 13. chap. and 16. verse that according to the style of the Prophets and the Apocalypse, the mark in the forehead signifies the profession of religion; in this place therefore, to have the name, Mystery, written in the forehead, signifies to make profession of abstruse, and hidden mysteries, such as all the mysteries of the Mass are▪ of which Pope Innocent hath written 6. books, wherein he finds great mysteries in all the attire, and every action of the Priest; The several habits of the Priest are enigmatical, and all his gestures allegorical, the priest turns his back to the people, because God said unto Moses 
a Ex. 33 23  thou shalt see my back parts. He which reads the Epistle, goes in at one side of the pulpit, and out at another, because it is written, 
b Mat. 2.12  They were warned from God to turn another way. He which serves the priest and bears up his train, doth turn and apply his body to every motion of the priest, because it is written, Where I am there shall my servant be. In the Episcopal Mass they kiss the Bishop on his shoulder looking upon his face backward, because it is written, Videmus in enigmate. The Priests follow the cross being clothed in white surplices, because it is written, They shall follow the Lamb being clothed in white robes. And all is done is a strange language, in words mumbled out softly, for fear (saith Pope Innocent) lest the flies should taste the sweetness of this ointment. But the greatest mystery of all others is the doctrine of transubstantiation which makes God with five words, and restrains a human body within a point, that is to say, doth include that which is long, within that which hath no length, & placeth all the parts of a man's body under one only point, and doth at the same time make length to be in the host, & no length breadth, and no breadth.  
There is a mystery also in their saying over the same prayer, 7, or 50 times precisely, according to the number of the beads of their bracelet, & in their making virtue to be in a number, so that if a man fail in reckoning, all the grace of the prayer is gone, and the fruit thereof lost. Besides we have showed in our exposition of of the 2. chapt. of the 2. to the Thessalonians, that Popery is wholly woven together with a profound mystery, and wonderful craft.  
Now although this be the meaning of this prophecy, yet this letteth not but that the holy Ghost may have a reference to the secret and mystical name of the city of Rome which she useth in her ceremonies, and most secret mysteries. Which name being on a time uttered by Valerius Soranus, he was forthwith punnisht, as Pliny reporteth in his 3. book & 5. chap. and julius Solinus in the first chapter of his first book.  
joseph Scaliger a man no less faithful and honest, then learned, hath often told me that being at Rome with Mounsieur de Abin Ambassador for the king, amongst diverse other things of S. Angelo's Castle, that were showed them, they saw old plain mitres, which had the word Mysterium engraved on their front. And Brocard witnesseth as much in his notes upon this place. If it be so, we need seek no farther for any other interpretation.  
This same Rome, in regard of those which reign there, is called Babylon, because of the resemblance between these two. Babylon did destroy the Temple, and this doth destroy the Church which is the Temple of God; Babylon did lead men into Captivity, and this doth detain the Church captive under the yoke of the Inquisition, and of tyranny; Babylon did gather all the riches of the earth under herself, and this doth enrich herself by the spoils of christianity; Babylon was given to Idolatry, and so is this too; Both cities were first built by thieves. The captivity of Babylon was a forerunning sign of the first coming of our Lord, and the captivity of the Church under the Romish bondags, is a forerunning sign of the second coming of the son of God. The Fathers understood it so. Tertullian hath told us above that S. john's Babylon is Rome, and St Augustin in the 18 book of the city of God. chap. 2.22. saith, Babylon is the first Rome, and Rome is the second Babylon.  
As for the cruelties and persecutions, we which have suffered them & in whose families the wounds are yet to be seen, believe them without farther proofs. See what we have said of this upon the 7 verse of the 13 Chapter.   

The 6. part of this prophecy.  
7 Then the Angel said unto me. Wherefore marveilest thou? I will show thee the mystery of that woman, and of that beast that beareth her, which hath seven heads and ten horns.  
8 The beast that thou haste seen, was, and is not, & shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and shall go into perdition, and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder (whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world) when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.   

The Exposition.  
7 Then the Angel said unto me, why dost thou wonder? I will show thee the interpretation of the vision, and will tell thee what the beast represented by a woman means, & what the Empire is, that is figured by a beast having 7. heads, and ten horns.  
8 The beast which thou sawest is the Empire of Rome, which did continue for a long time, but now is no more, being vanquished, and driven from Rome, and Italy by the Lumbards': but shall rise up again from a low place, and be restored by the Papacy, till the time that God at last shall destroy it. And the inhabitants of the earth, which have not been enroled from the foundation of the world amongst the number of the Elect, shall wonder seeing the Empire of Rome, which was at Rome but was driven thence by the Lumbards', and nevertheless doth now grow up again, and is reerected by the Papacy, so that a man may say that the Roman Empire is, and is not; that it is not because the Roman Emperors are no more; that it is because the Pope doth in a manner set up the Empire again although it be under another name and form.   

The Proof.  
For the understanding of this prophecy we are to note that S. john in this 8. v. doth follow the style of the Prophets, which is to speak of things to come as if they were present, or past; & to transport his spirit beyond future ages, as if they were already gone. For S. john in this place doth speak as if he were living at the time wherein (the Roman Empire being ruinated by the Lumbards') the Pope did cast about to compass a temporal Monarchy, and to reerect the Empire in his own person: The understanding of this cleareth the prophecy, for larger proofs whereof turn back to that which we have said upon the 1 & 3 verses of the 13 Chapter.  
That which is said at the end is plain enough of itself, to wit, that the Pope is Emperor under another title, and another form of Empire. For we have showed, how he hath drawn the rights, & dignities of Emperors unto himself; Although the form of his government be divers from theirs. For the Emperors did reign by force, but he by fraud; In the ancient Empire the spiritual power was only a dependence of the temporal, but in the papacy the Temporal power doth depend upon the spiritual.   

The 7. part of this prophecy.  
9 Here is the mind that hath wisdom. The 7. heads are 7. mountains, whereon the woman sitteth▪ they are also 7. kings.  
10 Five are fallen, and one is, and an other is not yet come: and when he cometh he must continue a long space.  
11 And the beast that was and is not▪ is even the eighth, and is one of the 7. & shall go into destruction.   

The Exposition.  
9 Here is need of wisdom to understand this matter. In this vision of the beast which hath 7 heads and 10 horns, by the 7▪ heads we are to understand 7. hills, upon which the city of Rome is situate.  
10 As also 7. sorts of sovereignty or government which must bear rule at Rome one after another, to wit▪ the kings the Consuls, the military Tribunes, the Decemvirs, the dictators, the Emperors and the Popes. The 6. is now, to wit▪ the Emperors: And the 7▪ (to wit, the Popes those Pontifical earthly monarches) is not yet come, and when it shall come, it shall continue for a certain time.  
11 And also by the Roman Empire, which was and is now no more, the Empire of Charlemaigne, and his successors, is to be understood, which did govern at Rome for a time before the Monarchy of the Popes was fully perfected; which Emperors although they be an 8 head, do yet nevertheless bear the name of one of the 7. to wit of the Emperors.  
This exposition doth prove itself, and experience speaks for it without any proof. Besides as concerning the 7▪ hills; and 7 sorts of sovereignty, we have spoken of them at large in the 13 chap. & 1. verse.   

The 8 part of this Prophecy.  
12 and the 10. horns which thou sawest, are 10 kings, which yet have not received a kingdom, but shall receive power as kings at one hour, with the beast.  
13 These have one mind, & shall give their power, and authority unto the beast.  
14 These shall fight with the Lamb, & the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is Lord of Lords▪ and king of kings: and they that are on his side are called faithful, and chosen.   

The Exposition.  
12 But by the 10 horns of this beast which is the Roman Papal Empire, are understood 10 kings which have not as yet begun to reign, but shall reign together with the Roman Papal Empire.  
13 The counsels of these kings are ruled by the counsel of the Papal Empire, and they lend assistance unto this Empire with their power.  
14 They shall fight against jesus Christ, but jesus Christ shall overcome them because he is Lord of Lords, & king of kings, and they which are his, are called elect and faithful.   

The Proof.  
In this number of 10 kings doth the evidence of this prophecy principally appear. We shall see anon in the exposition of the 7 chap. of Daniel, how that a little before the Pope came to be an earthly Monarch, the ancient Roman Empire was divided into 10 kingdoms, and cut out into 10 pieces. We have also seen upon the 1 verse of the 13 chap. that the Roman Empire, whilst it was in its flourishing estate, did consist of 10 provinces & principal parts. But here mention is made of Kings that the Pope shall subject unto himself and which shall unite themselves ●n a bond of amity with the Pope. Gregory the 7 surnamed Hildebrand was he that did first exalt the Papacy to the 
a An. 107●.  height of glory, and worldly greatness: Now at the same time 10 kingdoms did serve Papism, first The Empire of Germany, 2. France, 3. England, 4. Scotland, 5. Denmark, 6. Polony, 7. the kingdom of Spain 8. the kingdom of Navarre. 9 The kingdom of Hungary, 10. the kingdom of Naples, and Sicily. Yea and in the memory of our forefather's Pope Leo the 10, being as yet in his full force, a little before the wound which he received, Papistry held 10 kingdoms in possession. 1. The Empire of Germany. 2. France. 3. England, 4. Scotland, 5. Denmark. 6. Polony, 7. Hungary. 8. The realm of Arragon, Naples, and Sicily. 9 The realm of Castille. 10. The realm of Portugal. For the realm of Bohemia is a fief of the Empire of Germany, and an Electorate of the Empire. Moreover it is said that these kings shall begin to reign together with the beast, because (as the King of great Britain hath truly noted) all the realms as it were of Christendom, as well as the Papal Monarch (if we look back to their first original) took their beginning from the division of the Roman Empire. Since therefore by this so clear an exposition it is evident that the King of England is one of those which S. john speaks of, and that his predecessors of England and Scotland did make up two horns of this beast what pleasure is it unto this so great a King to read himself mentioned in these divine revelations? or who can better dive into the meaning of this prophecy, than he which makes up a part of the prophecy   

The 9 part of this prophecy.  
15 And he said unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.  
16 And the 10 horns which thou sawest upon the beast, are they that shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.  
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to do with one consent for to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God be fulfilled.  
18 And that woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigned over the kings of the earth.   

The Exposition.  
15 After he said unto me, the waters which thou sawest, over which Rome the Idolatress hath dominion, do signify people, and multitudes, and nations of diverse languages.  
16 And the 10 horns which thou sawst this Empire to have, are the same 10 kings, which in the end shall conspire against it, and consume it, and burn it.  
17 For God hath inclined their hearts that they should do his will in executing his judgements, and that they should lay their heads together, and should aid this Papal Empire with their forces, only until the time of its continuance appointed by God be accomplished.  
18 And this woman which thou sawst is Rome that great city, which commands the realms of the earth.   

The Proof.  
That which is prophetical in these 4. verses is not yet accomplished, but the accomplishment of the prophecies precedent, doth make us presume of the certainty of this, and is a token that it shall be accomplished ere long. It lies kings upon to set themselves forward to serve God in this so great a work. Blessed shall he be (saith the 
a Ps. 137  Psamist) which shall dash the children of Babel against the stones. These children of Babel are the false doctrines. This stone is jesus Christ, a chosen, tried stone, the foundation stone of the Church 
b Es. 28.16. & 8 14. Mat. 21.  upon which stone whosoever falleth shall be broken.    

THE PROPHECY CONTAIned in the 18. Chap. of the Apocalypse. CHAP. 7.  
1 And after these things I saw another Angel come down from heaven, having great power, so that the earth was lightened with his glory.  
2 And he cried out mightily with a loud voice, saying, it is fallen it is fallen, Babylon that great city, & is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of foul spirits, & a cage of every unclean, & hateful bird.  
3 For all nations have drunken of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, & the merchants of the earth are waxed rich of the abundance of her pleasures.  
4 And I heard an other voice from heaven saying go out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins: and that ye receive not of her plagues.  
5 For her sins are come up into heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.  
6 Reward her even as she hath rewarded you, and give her double according to her works: and in the cup that she hath filled to you, fill her the double.  
7 In as much as she glorified herself, and lived in pleasure, so much give ye to her torment and sorrow: for she saith in her heart I sit being a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no mourning.  
8 Therefore shall her plagues come at one day, death, and sorrow, and famine, she shall be burnt with fire: for that God which condemneth her, is a strong Lord.  
9 And the kings of the earth shall bewail her, and lament for her, which have committed fornication and lived in pleasure with her, when they shall see that smoke of that her burning.  
10 And shall stand a far of for fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city, for in one hour is thy judgement come.  
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep, and wail over her: for no man buyeth their ware any more.  
12 The ware of gold, and silver, and of precious stones, and of pearls, and of fine linen, and of purple, and of silk, and of scarlet▪ and of all manner of sweet wood, & of all vessels of ivory, and of all vessels of most precious wood, & of brass, and of iron, & of marble.  
13 And of cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flower, and wheat, and beasts, & sheep, and horses, & chariots, & servants and souls of men.  
14 And the apples that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were fat and excellent are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more.  
15 The merchants of these things which were waxed rich, shall stand a far of from her, for fear of her torment, weeping & wailing.  
16 And saying alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, & purple, and scarlet, and gilded with gold, and precious stones, and pearls. How could so great riches come to desolation in one hour?  
17 And every shipmaster, and all the people that occupy ships, and ship men, and whosoever traffic on the sea shall stand a far off,  
18 And cry, when they see that smoke of that her burning, saying, what city was like unto this great city?  
19 And they shall cast dust on their heads, and cry, weeping and wailing, & say, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships on the sea by her costliness: for in one hour she is made desolate.  
20 O heaven rejoice of her, and the holy Apostles, and Prophets: for God hath punished her, to be revenged on her for your sakes.  
21 Then a mighty Angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, with such violence shall that great city Babylon be cast, and shall be found no more.  
22 And the voice of harpers, and musicans, and of pipers, and trumpeters shall be heard no more in thee, and no craftsman of what craft soever he be, shall be found any more in thee: and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more in thee.  
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more in thee: and the voice of the bridegroom, and of the bride shall be heard no more in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth: and with thine enchantments were all nations deceived.  
24 And in her was found the blood of the Prophets, and of the Saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.  

The Explication.  
1 Afterward I saw another Angel come down from heaven, to wit, the son of God, being armed with sovereign power.  
2 Who cried out with a loud voice, saying, she is fallen, she is fallen, that great city of Rome, because she is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of deceitful spirits, and of all sorts of orders distinguished by their habits, as of strange birds.  
3 For all nations have been made drunk with the intoxicating wine of her Idolatry, and the kings of the earth did cleave unto her Idolatry: and the merchandise of benefices, pardons, annates, taxes, dispensations, indulgences, and absolutions, did enrich an infinite number of persons that did live by her traffic.  
4 Afterward I heard the voice of God from heaven saying, ye my people go out from the Church of Rome, and from Popery; for fear lest ye be defiled in her superstition, and perish together with her.  
5 For her sins being linked together in a long chain have reached up to the heavenly throne of God, there to be judged of him, and God is resolved to punish her iniquities.  
6 Ye people and kings whom she hath tyrannised over, and held captives, revenge yourselves upon her, & give her double: and serve her as she hath served you, even to the double.  
7 Give her as much affliction as she hath had glory, that she may weep as much as she hath joyed in her delicious sports and dissoluteness. For she said in her heart. I rule, and am queen, and mother of all churches, which cannot be judged of any. I am the spouse of Christ, and shall never fall. For I cannot err in the faith, nor ever be cast of, nor left by Christ.  
8 For these causes shall these plagues come upon her at once, to wit, death, and sorrow, and famine, and she shall be burnt with fire, for God is able to do her justice.  
9 And there shall be 
a To wit, the Kings that will not join themselves with others which shall conspire against her.  kings of the earth, which having committed Idolatry with her, and having had a part in her dissoluteness, shall lament & take on, seeing her consumed by fire.  
10 And they shall stand a far of, without lending her any succour, saying, Alas; Rome, thou great and mighty city, how is thy destruction come upon thee so suddenly?  
11 Likewise the Prelates, great penitentiaries, bullists, dataries, notaries, & protonotaries Apostolical, factors, and Banckers, which help men to the remission of their sins by letters of exchange, all these shall bewail the destruction of Rome, and not they only but all sorts of merchants too shall take on, because no man thenceforth shall buy any more of their wares.  
12 Because no man shall buy any more gold, nor silver, for to make crucifixes, chalices, covers for cups, candlesticks, and other movables of the Church: Nor precious stones, to set them in the Pope's triple crown, and in Bishop's rings, & for an ornament of the caskets that contain relics; Nor pearls to hang about the Pope's mantle, and to adorn● the Roman Courtesans: Nor silk, nor scarlet, nor any kind of rich stuff, for to clothe their images, and their Cardinals, and to make Copes for priests, and Banners for processions: Nor other precious things, for to embellish the palaces of Cardinals, and other Prelates, and officers of the Pope, as marble and precious wood; Nor brass, nor ivory, to make desks, boxes, &.  
13 Nor odours and perfumes, to perfume the Church, or for the private delights of Prelates, & officers of the Ecclesiastical court. Nor wines & choice fruits for their tables. Nor riding horses, nor coach horses, for the Pope's train and his Cardinals. Nor captives and servile consciences, nor men's souls, which were bought and sold, but this traffic shall be abolished, by the destruction of Rome.  
14 (For o wretched city, all this worldly prosperity, all this riot of luxury shall be taken away from thee, and thou shalt enjoy them no longer)  
15 All such therefore as shall be enriched by this traffic, and which have preyed upon the people under the show of Religion, shall forsake her in her need, fearing to be wrapped in the same ruin, and shall bewail her with great lamentation.  
16 Saying, alas Rome, thou so mighty and stately a city! whose governors were clothed in silk, and purple, & scarlet, and crowned with gold, and precious stones, how couldst thou fall from all these riches in so short a space?  
17 The Pilots themselves, and the mariners, which did serve to carry the foresaid merchandise, shall withdraw themselves without lending her any aid.  
18 And seeing the smoke of her burning shall cry out saying, what city was like unto the city of Rome?  
19 And shall cast dust upon their heads, and shall cry out weeping, and lamenting, and say, alas, alas! that great city in which all those that did traffic were made rich by her wealth, how she is become desolate in an instant!  
20 O ye heavenly spirits, which do rejoice at the conversion of one only sinner, rejoice at her ruin; ye holy Apostles also and Prophets: For it is for your sakes that God hath taken vengeance of her.  
21 Then I saw a mighty Angel take up a great stone like a millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying. So shall Rome be cast into the deep, and abolished everlastingly and shall appear no more than a millstone cast into the sea, which never riseth up again to the top of the water.  
22 23 And all sorts of delights, and pleasures, of ornaments, commodities, & recreations, are passed from thee. Whereas before the factors of Rome did live like Princes, and the people and nations were the Latin Church is nothing else but a shop, with a table of money changers standing in the midst of it, which Christ shall overturn the second time, when the prophecy contained in this chapter shall be accomplished.    

THE PROPHECY CONtained in the 7. chapter of Daniel. CHAP. 8.  
1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babel Daniel saw a dream, and there were visions in his head, upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, & declared the sum of the matter.  
2 Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and behold the 4 winds of heaven strove upon the great sea.  
3 And 4 great beasts came up from the sea one diverse from an other.  
4 The 1 was a Lion and had Eagles wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked off, & it was lifted up from the earth and set upon his feet as a man, and a man's heart was given him.  
5 And behold, another beast which was the second, was like a Bear, and stood upon the one side: and he had three tusks in his mouth amongst his teeth, and they said thus unto him, Arise and devour much flesh.  
6 After this I beheld, & lo there was an other like a Leopard, which had upon his back 4 wings of a fowl: the beast had also 4 heads and dominion was given him.  
7 After this I saw in the visions by night, and behold the fourth beast was fearful, and terrible, and very strong. It had great iron teeth, it devoured, and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue under his feet: & it was unlike to the beasts that were before it, for it had 10 horns.  
8 As I considered the horns, behold there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were 3 of the first horns plucked away: and behold in his throne there were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking presumptuous things.  
I beheld till the thrones were set up, and the ancient of days did sit, whose garment was as white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels like burning fire.  
10 A fiery stream issued, and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him,, and ten thousand thousands stood before him: the judgement was set, and the books opened.  
11 Then I beheld, because of the voice of the presumptuous words which the horn spoke: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning fire.  
12 As concerning the other beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a certain time and season.  
13 As I beheld the visions by night, behold one like the son of man came in the clouds of heaven, and approached unto the ancient of days, and they brought him before him.  
14 And he gave him dominion & honour, and a kingdom: that all people, nations and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall never be taken away, and his kingdom shall never be destroyed.  
15 I Daniel was troubled in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of mine head made me afraid.  
16 Therefore I came unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this: so he told me, and showed me the interpretation of all these things, saying,  
17 These 4 great beasts, are 4 kings which shall arise out of the earth.  
18 And the Saints of the most high shall receive their kingdom, which they shall possess for ever, even for ever and ever.  
19 After this I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was so unlike to all the others, very fearful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass: which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue under his feet.  
20 Also to know of the 10 horns that were in his head, & of the other which came up, before whom three fell, and of the horn that had eyes, and of the mouth that spoke presumptuous things; whose look was more stout than his fellows.  
21 I beheld, and the same horn made battle against the Saints, yea and prevailed against them.  
22 Until the ancient of days came, & judgement was given to the Saints of the most high: and the time approached that the Saints possessed the kingdom.  
23 Then he said, the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom in the earth, which shall be unlike to all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.  
24 And the 10 horns are 10 kings that shall rise out of this kingdom, and another shall rise after them, and he shall be unlike to the first, and he shall subdue 3 kings.  
25 And shall speak words against the most high, and shall consume the Saints of the most high, and think that he may change times and laws, and they shall be given into his hand until a time, and times, and half a time.  
26 But the judgement shall sit, & they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it unto the end.  
27 And the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole earth shall be given to the holy people of the most high, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all power shall serve and obey them.  

The Exposition.  
1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babel Daniel saw a dream, and lying upon his bed, had his head troubled with visions, the matter of which dream he did afterward commit to writing.  
2 And behold here what he hath written of it. I had a vision by night, and it seemed unto me that the winds coming from the four quarters of the world blew upon the sea, that is to say, that the people and nations (whom the holy scripture doth often compare to the sea) had many diverse and contrary tumults to disturb them.  
3 And out of the midst of these people, and nations came four great beasts of different shapes, figuring 4 great divers Empires, which should reign in the world.  
4 The first beast which did represent the first Empire, to wit, that of Babylon, was like unto a Lion, to note his nobleness, and valour, and had the wings of an Eagle, to note the speedy achievements of his conquests. And I beheld till this active vigour was taken from him, and that being spoiled of his bestial fierceness, he learned the lesson of obedience, and was taught to abstain from blood, that so he might live with humanity like a man, and not with cruelty like a beast.  
5 After this Empire succeeded the Empire of Persia, figured by a bear, which lay along upon one side, either because his conquests did stretch from east to west, or else because he was like a bear resting himself, which never lieth far of from the prey which he hath seized upon. And this bear amongst many other teeth had 3 great teeth or tusks, signifying that amongst many other kingdoms which this Empire should possess, he should have 3 great and mighty kingdoms: that of Persia, that of Media, & that of Babylon. And God being incensed against men sent out this bear to make them dye.  
6 After the fall of this Empire, behold a third Empire rose up, to wit, that of the Macedonians, figured by a Leopard, because of its cruelty, subtlety, and celerity, represented by the 4 wings. And this Empire was forthwith divided into four kingdoms, which are the kingdoms of the Seleucidae in Asia maior, the kingdom of Antigonus in Asia minor, the kingdom of the Ptolemy's in Egypt, and the kingdom of Greece, and God gave unto this Empire to reign over the earth.  
7 After this Empire there arose another Empire figured by a most dreadful & mighty strong beast. It had mighty kingdoms and provinces under it; it did scatter and ruinate, tyrannising over those whom it did not slay. And this Empire was differing in force and power from the Empires that went before, and had 10 parts and principal provinces under it, & as it fell to decay, ten kingdoms also did arise out of the division thereof.  
8 As I stood wondering at the greatness of this Empire from which 10 kingdoms did arise, behold a Monarch growing like a little horn amidst the other, that sprang up from between these kingdoms, which for his share did possess such a portion of this Roman Empire, as there is of 3 to 10, that is to say, well near the third part, and had the eyes of human understanding, having contrived the building of his kingdom by wonderful policy, and spoke proudly and arrogantly, boasting that he could not err, that he was the supreme judge in matters of faith and religion, that he was a vice-God, and God upon earth, King of kings, the head and spouse of the Church, his holiness, and a disposer of kingdoms.  
9 I considered with myself how this Bishop did advance himself, & continue, until the thrones mounted upon wheels, were set in their proper places, that is to say, until the day of judgement were well onward, and hard at hand, and the Lord God sat down upon these thrones who is called the Ancient of days, because he is from before all time, & from before all antiquity, and he was clothed with the light, and had a head all hoary grey, to signify his age, his throne was like the flame, and the wheels of his throne were as burning fire.  
10 His judgements like a fiery stream went from before his presence. An infinite number of Angels stood before him, waiting his pleasure. So he sat him down to judge the world: and that he might proceed with equity, all his books were opened. To wit, the book of the sins of men mentioned in the 65 chap. of 
* Esa. 65. v. 6 Behold it is written before me: I will not keep silence.  Esay, and in the 20. of the Apocalypse; as also the book of the afflictions of the faithful, mentioned in the 
* Ps. 56. v▪ 8 Thou purest my tears in ●o thy bottle, are they not in thy register?  56 Psalms; & the book of life wherein the elect are registered, mentioned in the 13 of the Apocalypse, and 17.  
11 And I beheld with admiration, how this son of perdition spoke proud words, till at last his Empire was destroyed, and the body of this Roman Monarchy abolished, & the keys thereof thrown into everlasting fire.  
12 And all dominion was taken from the other beasts, albeit they had continued for a long time in the world.  
13 As I was ravished by night with the contemplation of this vision, I saw the son of God our Lord jesus, which came down from heaven, carried upon the clouds, and he approached unto God his father which sat upon the throne. And his father made him sit on his right hand to judge the world.  
14 Giving him a name above all names, and all power both in heaven and in earth, so that every knee should bow before him, and all people should give him glory, and praise. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.  
This was the vision of Daniel, the meaning whereof when he required, it was given him by one of the Angels that stood by in these words,  
17 These 4 great beasts are four kings that shall arise out of the earth.  
18 And the Saints of the most high shall receive the kingdom, which they shall possess for ever, even for ever and ever.   

The Exposition.  
17 These 4 great beasts signify four Realms or monarchs, that shall arise out of the earth.  
18 Who being once abolished, God shall give his faithful servants the kingdom of heaven, which they shall enjoy everlastingly. This exposition having not satisfied Daniel concerning that which he desired most to know, to wit, what was meant by the fourth beast that had ten heads, and the little horn that grew out, the same Angel doth expound it more at large unto him, saying,  
23 The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom in the earth, which shall be unlike to all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.  
24 But the 10 horns are 10 kings that shall rise out of this kingdom, and another shall rise after them, which shall be unlike to the first, and he shall subdue 3 Kings.  
25 He shall speak words against the most high, and shall consume the Saints of the most high, and think that he may change times and laws, and the Saints shall be given into his hand until a time, and times, & half a time.  
26 But the judgement shall be held, and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it unto the end.  
27 That the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, may be given to the holy people of the most high; the kingdom of which people is an everlasting kingdom, and all the powers shall serve and obey them.   

The Exposition.  
23 The fourth beast signifies the fourth Empire on the earth, which shall differ from the other Empires in greatness and violence, and shall conquer all the earth, and subject it, and waste it.  
24 But the 10 horns which shall arise out of it, are 10 kingdoms which shall spring up from the dissipation of this Empire, & shall divide it into 10 pieces. But after that these kingdoms shall be erected amongst them, whose Empire shall be altogether diverse from the others, to wit, the Bishop of Rome: for he shall ●ule under the show of religion, & spiritual power; and shall possess well near the third part of the provinces of the ancient Empire, and keep them under him.  
25 He shall speak blasphemy against God, and persecute the Church, and take upon him to change the course of the year and make the days holy or profane at his pleasure: he shall take upon him also to change the law in cutting off the second commandment, and denying that it is sin to transgress the last, and dispensing with other commandments, & prescribing laws of equal authority with the law of God, yea and of more authority, and the Church shall be held captive under him for the space of 1260 years.  
26 But the day of judgement shall come: and jesus Christ coming into the world shall take his dominion from him, and shall destroy him utterly.  
27 To the end, that a sovereign dominion over all worldly greatness may be given to the Church of God, which is the assembly of the Saints, to which church God hath given an everlasting kingdom and all power both of men and devils shall be subject unto it.   

The Proof.  
Albeit this exposition do explain itself, and be full of perspicuity: yet to remove all difficulties, I will clear 6. points in which the whole proof of our exposition doth consist, and will show.  
1 That the Roman Empire falling to decay in the West, and the East, was divided into parts or kingdoms, which Dan. v. 7. and 24. saith are understood by the 10 horns of the fourth beast. II. That the Bishop of Rome doth possess well near the third part of the ancient Roman Empire. III. That the Bishop of Rome doth change times and the law. IU. What the meaning of a time, times, and half a time is, during which term, the Saints shall be made slaves, and the church kept in bondage. V. What this Empire & dominion is that is given to the Saints. VI That upon good reason by the fourth beast we understand the Roman Empire, and by the little horn the son of perdition, which is called Antichrist by the Ancient, as likewise by our adversaries.  
1 The division of the ancient Empire into ten parts is most evident. Danie● makes 10 kingdoms to be borne out o● the dispersing of the Roman Empire, and amidst this a little horn to spring up & grow out. To find the accomplishment therefore of this prophecy, we are to look whether a little before the Pope became an earthly Monarch (for Daniel saith that these horns here do signify Realms) the Roman Empire were not divided into ten Realms. We have showed already that in the year 755 the Pope began to lay the foundation of his earthly Empire, and of a Bishop to become a Monarch. Now a little before, (that is to say in the seventh age) the Roman Empire was divided into 10 pieces or kingdoms. 1, There was the kingdom of the French, which held France & a part of Germany. 2. The kingdom of the English Saxons, which held great Britain. 3 The kingdom of the Visigots which held Spain. 4. The kingdom of the Lumbards' in Italy. 5. The kingdom of the Sclavonians which held Illyria, and the countries thereabout▪ 6. The kingdom of the Huns and the Avarians in Hungary & Ostrich. 7. The kingdom of the Bulgarians reigning in Bulgaria and Servia, etc. 8. The kingdom of the Saracens of Damascus that held Syria, and reigned in the East. 9 The kingdom of the Saracens of Barbary that reigned in Africa, which about this very age did invade Spain and pass into France. 10. To which if ye add that which as yet was held in possession by the Emperor of Constantinople, ye shall find 10 Realms, every one possessing his part of the ancient Roman Empire: and this, a little before that this little horn showed himself, that is to say, before the Pope began to take his place amongst Princes, and to lay the foundations of his Roman Monarchy.  
2 That the portion of the Roman Empire, which the Pope hath under him, hath such a proportion in respect of the whole extent of the Empire, as there is of three to ten, that is to say, that he doth possess little less than the third part thereof: this is easily proved to be true, if it please any to take but a map, and a pair of compasses, or else only to measure the countries of the Empire with his eyes. The Pope did never possess any thing, nor never had any dominion over Greece, Asia, Syria, Arabia, Egypt, or Africa. For as for the incursions of our French into Syria, Egypt and Constantinople, they were nothing else but violent motions, which lasted but for a small time, and did rather show than plant the Pope's dominion in the East. Now all these countries being put together make up a little more than two thirds of the Roman Empire, the rest hath been under the Pope, wherein he hath planted his Monarchy: whereunto moreover he hath added certain provinces that were never subject to the Ancient Roman Empire, as Polony, the north part of Germany, Denmarck, and Swethland, and now of late a part of the Indies. But Daniel looked not to these adiunctions, for he speaks only of the division of the Roman Empire.  
3 As for the changing of times, and the law, it is the Pope that takes upon him to make the years shorter or longer. It is not long since that Gregory the 13 did contract the year by 10 days: it is the Pope that makes holy days of common days, which can if it please him, transport the month of july into januarie; taking the authority upon him of the ancient priests of Rome instituted by Numa, who proclaimed the holy days, and thrust in odd days into the year at their pleasure. It were a needless labour for me to show more particularly how he changeth the law, seeing that my whole second book is spent in declaring how the Pope doth oppose himself against the word of God. Seeing also that he boasteth that he can dispense with oaths and vows made to God, that he can dissolve complete marriages, although they be not violated by adultery: that he can dispense with children for obeying their parents in honest things, and with subjects for being faithful to their Prince. That he can give a man leave to marry his own niece contrary to the commandment of God. That he can keep Princes from reading the holy scripture, contrary to an express commandment that is given them in the 17 of Deut. v. 18. Whereupon his Doctors also say and write in their glosses upon the Decrees of the Church of Rome, and in their books of controversies, that the Pope can dispense against the Apostle, and against the old Testament. And that he can dispense with the commandment of the Lord wherein he saith, Do works worthy of repentance: as he doth indeed dispense with it by his Indulgences.  
4 Next follows the exposition of these words, A time, times, & half a time, which is the term during which, Daniel saith, the Saints shall be kept in bondage, and the church held captive. These words at the first seem strange, but being compared with other places where there is mention made of the continuance of the dominion of Antichrist, are easy to be understood. We have seen in the 13 Chapt. of the Apocalypse, v. 5. that the Roman Empire after the healing of its wound by the Papacy, must continue 42 months, which make 3 years and a half, that is to say, 1260 mystical days, which amount to so many years, according to the style of the Scripture: as we have showed by many examples in the exposition of the said passage of the Apocalypse. Now 3 years and a half, are one year, two years, & half an year, so that the spirit of God by an admirable correspondency of the Prophecies doth say the same thing in divers words, and doth tell us before hand that the kingdom of Antichrist and the bondage of the Church under his dominion must continue 1260 years, which as we have showed by undoubted proofs, must begin in the year of our Lord, 755.  
5 As concerning the kingdom, and dominion over all things which God giveth to his Saints, and the faithful, although they seem servants and strangers in this world, Daniel herein speaks according to the style of the Scripture, which calleth them Kings, Apoc. 1. v. 6. & 5. v. 10 He hath made us kings and priests unto God his father. And in the 1. Epistle of S. Peter Chap. 2. the faithful are called a Royal Priesthood. Now they are kings, both because they reign already in Christ, which is one body with us, so that the kingdom which he now possesseth over all things is ours: as also because that in the last day of judgement, the faithful shall judge the world, and the Angels; as the Apostle S. Paul saith in the 1. to the Corinth. Ch. 6. That is to say, that they shall be the assessors of the son of God, and approvers of the judgement which he shall pronounce against the wicked, and against the devils. As also because that in the glory to come after the last day, they shall be above those which reigned over them, and shall be kings whilst the mighty ones of this world, which were enemies to the church, shall be made slaves.  
6 It remains that we see, whether they that hold that there is no mention at all made in this Chap. of the Roman Empire, nor of Antichrist, but only of the kingdom of the Seleucidae: and of Antiochus Epiphanes, can be excused.  
The ancient Doctors hold with us, that in this chapter Antichrist is spoken of, as Hierome, and Theodoret upon this place, S. Cyprian in his book of exhortation to martyrdom. S. Austin in the 23. chap. 20. book of the city of God. And our adversaries are of the same opinion. They of the Ancient which by a little horn understand Antiochus Epiphanes, do withal understand Antichrist by the same horn, for they hold that Antiochus was a figure of Antichrist▪ and that which is said of the one, agrees also to the other.  
As for mine own part I find this Prophecy so clear, that it is hard to doubt of the meaning; and indeed amongst all the chapters of holy scripture, this did ever seem excellent unto me, and I could never satisfy myself with admiring it. What deepness of wisdom there is in it! what clearness of Prophecies! how many remarkable circumstances! what excellent accord with the revelation of S. john! ye shall find the same style in both places in the same matter. Whosoever shall take this prophecy from Christians to appropriate it unto the jews only, goes about as it seems to me, to stop up a great window, at which God doth let in his light unto us, and to take away no small stay & comfort from our faith: beside that they do shut their eyes of set purpose, and contest against experience. Yet let us hear what they allege.  
They lay for a foundation, that the 2. chap. and the 7. speak both of one and the same thing, and that the vision of the four beasts hath the same signification with the image that had his head of gold, his breast of silver, his belly & his thighs of brass, his legs part of iron and part of clay. That is to say, that both of these visions do signify four Monarchies, under which the jewish Church was held in captivity; I do not deny but that the 3 first Monarchies are the same, in the 2. and 7. chap. But the fourth Empire here called the fourth beast, is altogether diverse from the feet of the image in the second chapter.  
1 For this fourth beast is described here as more able and strong than the 3. former, and his looks are said to be more stout than his fellows, v. 20. On the contrary the fourth kingdom in the 2. chapt. is made to be far weaker than the other. For Daniel in the 42. verse saith, that it shall be partly strong, and partly broken, and makes it so far inferior to the former monarchies, as iron & clay are in respect of gold and silver.  
2 Likewise when Daniel saith that the third Monarchy (which is that of the Macedonians) had 4 heads, who sees not that hereby he understands, that the Empire should be divided into 4 kingdoms? As Daniel himself also doth expound himself in the 8. chapt. v. 22. The kingdom of the Seleucidae being one of the 4 kingdoms into which the Empire of Alexander is divided, what probability is there that in the verse following he should make these very Seleucidae a divers beast, which but in the verse going before, he had made to be one of the heads of the beast? To salve the matter, they tell us of divers confusions within the kingdom of Aridaeus, Antipater, and Cassander, where they seek for 4 kings opposing one an other at the same time, but cannot find them; and say they should, yet is it likely that Daniel should rather speak of the divisions that fell out in a little corner of Alexander's Empire, then of those that fell out in the whole Empire, being that these were the greater of the two without all comparison? Or who will think that Daniel in this place doth speak only of the divisions of the country of Macedon, which had nothing common with the jews, and omit those of Syria where the church dwelled?  
3 Nor are they less troubled, if not more, to find 10 Seleucidian kings, after whom they will have Antiochus Epiphanes to rise. For they are fain to thrust in the Ptolemy's to make up this number, which did invade or overrun Syria. But Daniel saith that these 10 kings shall arise out of the decayed Empire, and it cannot be said that the Ptolemy's did rise out of the kingdom of the Seleucidae, seeing that they did rise against the Seleucidae. They speak therefore▪ as if I should say, that Brennus did rise out of the kingdom of Romulus, or the Tarquins, whereas he did rise up against their state, & posterity. And last of all, should we grant them that which they would have, yet can they not make up their number. For they make this Antiochus to be the tenth of these kings, contrary to the express words of Daniel, which saith that this little horn shall rise up after the ten kings: he is none of the ten therefore.  
4 And they are as much out in the acception of the word, kings, which throughout this whole chapt. doth not signify the person of kings, but the kingdoms, or Monarchies. As it appeareth by the 17. verse in these words, the 4 beasts are four kings, where they themselves confess that by the word kings, we are to understand Monarchies.  
5 Besides, I know not how they can find that fulfilled in Antiochus, which Daniel saith in the 22. verse, to wit, That he shall subdue 3 kings; for histories report no such thing of this man.  
6 Hereunto add that, if (as they would have it) the third beast do signify the Empire of Alexander only, & not that of the Seleucidae; too, than this Empire must continue but 6. years, which is manifestly opposite to that which Daniel saith verse 12. That the lives of these beasts were prolongued, for a certain time and season.  
7 Nor can it be said, with what violence they wrest the words of the 13 ver. where jesus Christ is described coming in the clouds of heaven. They would have this not to be spoke of his coming at the last day, but would have it to be understood of his incarnation, when nevertheless it cannot be said without absurdity, that he came down from heaven upon the clouds.  
8 But to what end should Daniel speak so often of the glorification of the Saints, and of their heavenly kingdom, if he spoke but only of the humiliation of jesus Christ, and not of the last judgement?  
9 The space also of three years and an half, expressed by a time, two times, and half a time, can not agree to Antiochus. For in the 8. chapt. ver. 14. where this Antiochus is manifestly spoken off, it is said that he shall waste the Sanctuary for the space of two thousand▪ three hundredth mornings & evenings, which amount to more than 6 years. And note that these words, mornings, & evenings, are purposely added, to show that he speaketh of common and ordinary days, and to distinguish them from the three mystical years, and an half, spoken of in this chapt.  
10. On the other side all their objections against this explication, aim at this chiefly, to show that the Roman Empire is not spoken off in the 2. chap. of Daniel, which we do not deny; but this lets not but that it may be spoken off in this chapt.  
11 And, to say truth, they presuppose without reason that Daniel speaks this here but only for the Church of the jews. For what inconvenience is there if we say that God did reveal something to his prophet concerning the Christian church? Seeing that in the 12 chapt. he doth apparently prophecy of the resurrection, and everlasting life; And do not they contradict themselves, being that they would have Daniel in the 6. verse speak of the confusions that happened in Macedon, where the jews had no interest, and which did not concern them at all?  
12 Last of all I say, that the vision mentioned in the 2. chapt. had been repeated in vain in the 7. if there were no diversity in them, and if the second apparition of the same vision did not teach us some thing that was not contained in the former.    

THE PROPHECY CONtained in the 11. chapter of the Apocalypse. CHAP. 9  
1 Then was given me a reed like unto a rod, and there stood an Angel by, which said unto me, Rise, and meet the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.  
2 But the court that is without the temple cast out, and meet it not: for it is given unto the Gentiles, & the holy city shall they tread under foot 42 months.  
3 But I will give her unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophecy a thousand 3 hundredth, and threescore days clothed in sackcloth.  
4 These are two olive trees, and two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.  
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, & devoureth their enemies: for if any man will hurt them, thus must he be killed.  
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it may not rain in the days of their prophesying, and have power over the waters to turn them into blood, to smite the earth with all manner of plagus as often as they william.  
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that cometh out of the bottomless pit, shall make war against them and shall overcome them, & kill them.  
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom, and Egypt, where our Lord also was crucified.  
9 And they of the tribes, and people, and tongues, and nations, shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their carcases to be buried in graves.  
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and be glad, and shall send gifts one to an other: because that these two prophets vexed them that dwelled upon the earth.  
11 But after these 3 days, & an half, the spirit of life coming from God, shall enter into them, and they shall stand upon their feet, and great fear shall come upon them, which saw them.  
12 After this they shall hear a great voice from heaven; saying, Come up hither. And they shall ascend up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies shall see them.  
13 And at the same hour there shall be a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city shall fall, and in the earthquake shall be slain 7000 men in number, and they which remain shallbe sore afraid, and give the glory to God of heaven.  
14 The second w● is past, and behold the third woe will come anon.  
15 And the seventh Angel blew the Trumpet, & there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world, are our Lords, and his Christ's, & he shall reign for evermore.  
16 Then the 24 elders which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God.  
17 Saying, we give thee thanks oh Lo●● God Almighty, which art, and which wa● and which art to come, for thou hast received thy great might, and hast begun th● reign.  
18 And the Gentiles were angry, 〈◊〉 thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that th●● shouldst give the reward unto thy servants the Prophets, and to the Saints, and to them that fear thy name, to small and great, and shouldst destroy them which destroy the earth.  
19 Then the Temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his covenant: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and earthquakes, and much hail.  

The Explication.  
1 It seemed unto me in a vision, that God put a long reed into my hand like a measure. Afterward an Angel sent from God said unto me; with this measure, which is Faith, measure, & learn to know the greatness of the Church of God exactly, the excellency of the sacrifice of jesus Christ, and the state of the faithful, which serve God in his Church.  
2 But measure not that which is without the Church, neither make any reckoning of it. For these are the nations, and people, which are out of the covenant of God, which shall tread upon, and tyrannize over the Church of God, for the space of a thousand, two hundredth & sixty years.  
3 But I will give place in my house to some few faithful pastors, which shall give witness to the truth, during the 1260 years, all which time the enemies of the Church shall bear sway, which faithful Pastors shall preach the truth with humility, and strictness of life, and much affliction.  
4 These Pastors are like to olive trees which bring tidings of peace, and yield that comfortable oil, which is the word of God, that glads the soul, and like two candlesticks, that give light in the church in the presence of God.  
5 But if any one resist them, or persecute them, the word shall be like a fire, which shall consume their adversaries, & turn them into condemnation.  
6 These faithful witnesses shall 〈◊〉 a drought to be upon the earth, and 〈◊〉 the waters to be corrupted, and raise up mortality, as often as they shall prea●● the truth, and shall not be heard. For Go● for their sakes shall visit men with diverse plagues.  
7 And when they shall have continued preaching the full time which God hath prescribed unto them in his secret counsel, than the beast which is the son of perdition, shall raise up a great persecution against them, and shall have the upper hand and make them to die.  
8 And their martyrdoms shall be seen through all places, and quarters of the Popish Church, which is called Sodom by a mystical term, because of the vice which reigns in the most eminent place of that Church; and Egypt because of the bondage of God's people, which are kept in captivity under Popery. Where Christ also hath been, and still is persecuted in his members.  
9 And the people and nations that are kept in error shall see their persecutions and their martyrdoms, for the space of half the time of the continuance of Popery, and shall cast their bodies out in●o the streets, and shall let them be dried up upon Gibbets, without ever being buried.  
10 This persecution enduring, the enemies of the Church shall rejoice at the death of the faithful witnesses of the truth and be glad thereof, and send presents one to another, because they shall see themselves delivered from the solicitations & reprehensions of the faithful ministers, which would not let them to be quiet.  
11 But this time being once expired, they shall revive in their successors, God raising up others in their place having the same spirit, which shall stand upright, that they may speak the more courageously. Whereat the people that are their enemies shall be greatly astonished.  
12 After this, a voice shall come from heaven, which shall say unto these faithful servants of God, come up into heaven: And God shall take them up into heaven, with evident testimonies of his favour, as their very enemies shall acknowledge.  
13 At this very hour, the people of the earth shall be smitten with a trembling fear. And God shall send out a plague, which shall kill the tenth part of the people of the Church of Rome: and this sudden fear shall swallow up a great number of them; they which remain shall stand amazed, and give the glory to God.  
14 This woe shall be the second after that of the Locusts, after which there is a third also to come.  

Apoc. 9 v. 12 One woe is past, and behold yet two woes to come after this.  15 For after this, comes the time wherein God will display his judgements, for the seventh and last time. So there were voices heard in heaven, saying, Now the kingdom of God is established, and of jesus Christ his son over every creature for to reign everlastingly.  
16 Then the Patriarches and Apostles representing the whole Church of the Saints, which stand before God, & reign with him, fell down upon their faces, and worshipped him.  
17 Saying, we give thee thanks, Lord God Almighty, and everlasting, because thou hast made known thy great might, and hast begun to establish thy kingdom.  
18 It is true that the nations & people were incensed against thy church, but thou hast punnisht them in thy wrath, and at length the time of the last judgement is come, wherein thou wilt give a reward unto thy servants, the ministers of the Gospel, and to all the faithful which fear thy name, both great and small, and wilt destroy the destroyers of thy Church which is upon earth.  
19 Then was the entrance into Paradise fully laid open, and God heretofore figured by the ark, called the Lord, was manifested in heaven. But he let loose his choler upon earth, with glory & great power.   

The Proof, and cleared.  
The three first chapt. of this book, contain nothing, but familiar instructions, with certain representations of the majesty of God and jesus Christ, without any prediction. In the sixth chap. S. john begins to foretell of future events, and to draw out his prophetical revelations, in which he follows the order of the time, beginning at the nativity of jesus Christ, & holding on till the approaching of the last judgement, which is spoken of at the end of this 11. chapt.  
All this time is first of all divided into the opening of the 7. seals, which are as so many revelations of the hidden counsel of God a little after into the 7. soundings of the trumpets, which signify seven several executions of the judgements of God upon the earth, which are also signified by the 7. viols of God's wrath thrown upon men.  
How many years every seal must last, & how many, every trumpet, this is another question; and which doth not appertain directly to the See of Rome. Only we are to note, that the two witnesses must be slain by the beast under the sixth trumpet, and afterward be brought to life again by the power of God, and at last be called from heaven, to come up thither, & that after this the 7 trumpet must sound, as it appears by the 13. verse of the ninth chapter, & by the 15 verse of the 11 chap. Whence it is manifest that unto us (which live now under the sixth trumpet) as we will demonstrate, one part of these things is accomplished: but that the whole is not yet accomplished. Which is the cause of the obscurity of this prophecy, that troubled many men's heads, whilst they sought for the fulfilling of things to come in ages past.  
And this doth not only show me a way to the cleared of this prophecy, but also gives me a reason why I should expound this chapt. out of his order, and put it last. For whosoever shall read the Revelation diligently, shall find that from the beginning of the sixth chapter to the end of the eleventh, S. john doth follow a continual course of prophetical history from time to time, until the day of judgement. But that the 12. chapt. he doth begin the same history again after another fashion, beginning at the birth of our Saviour, and following the history of the church even to the end of the book, which he concludes with the last judgement, and with the heavenly glory, of the church of God. Wherefore we could not choose but expound this 12 chapt. and those which follow, before the 11. chapt. that we might follow the order of the time. Moreover there being but one part of this chapt. accomplished, reason bids that we should end with that which is not as yet come to pass; But as for that which is come to pass, the exposition which I give of it, seems in my opinion, to be easy and natural.  
The meeting of the holy City, which is the Church, seems to be taken out of the 40. chap. of Ezekiel, where by a reed, or cane to measure, the holy Ghost gives Ezechiel to understand, that he would learn him an exact knowledge of his Church. In the 2. verse, in saying that the Court which is out of the Temple, is given to the Gentiles, he doth glance at the mystical reason of the building of the Tabernacle, which had three parts. 1, The court where the people stood. 2. The holy place, into which the Levits and priests entered, where the candlestick was, the show bread, and the altar of perfumes. 3. The Sanctuary where the Ark surnamed the Lord stood, whither none might enter but the high Priests: The way to go into the holy place was through the Court, and into the Sanctuary through the holy place. The Court represented the nations which are out of the Church. The holy place represented the Church, where the word of God doth enlighten and nourish us, and where the benefit of jesus Christ is a continual perfume before God. The Sanctuary figured heaven, where our high Priest is gone in alone by his own power, to bring us thither also. So the Court was a figure of the state of nature, the holy place of the state of grace, the Sanctuary of the state of glory. And none ever entered into the second but through the first, nor into the last but through the second. Upon good reason therefore is it that the Court here is assigned unto the nations, which do not know God, seeing that it was out of the holy place, which was a figure of the church of God. And this is farther confirmed by the renting of the vail, (which did divide the holy place from the Court) at the death of our Saviour, whereby there was an open passage laid open, for the nations that were strangers from his covenant, to enter into the Church.  
Now here by the nations, not only the heathen are to be understood, but all people that are enemies to the church of God. The term of time, for which they must oppress the church of God, is 42 months which make 3 years and a half, which amount to 1260 years, to take a day for a year: as we have showed in the exposition of the fifth verse of the 13. chapter. This is the time that is allotted to the Papal Empire to trample upon the Church of God.  
As for the two witnesses, I take it that they signify nothing else but a few witnesses, but yet sufficient enough to bear witness of the truth: whether it be that the holy scripture doth use these words of two or three, instead of saying, very few; as when Christ doth promise, that where there shall be two or three gathered together in his name, he will be in the midst of them: and in the 32. of Deut. v. 30. two shall put ten thousand to flight, that is to say, a small number shall make a great multitude to turn their backs: and there is the like fashion of speech to be found in the 17 of Esay, verse 6. Or whether it be that in the matter of witnesses, the number of two is put down in Scripture, as sufficient, according as Christ saith that 
* Deut. 17. v. 6. & 19 v. 15. Mat. 18. v. 16.  by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is confirmed. Or whether it be, that what number soever there be of Pastors, yet all their testimonies being taken from the two testaments, which are the true witnesses of the will of God, it is not without good reason, that their testimony is reduced to the number of two, to the end that they should not look within the authority of men, nor seek after customs for a third testimony. For it is not likely that God should have but 2 faithful pastors to oppose themselves against the Empire of the son of perdition, which shall be so powerful, and last for so many ages. Now, as S. john said, that the oppression of the Church must continue 42 months, which are three years & a half, so likewise doth he say that the faithful witnesses shall preach 1260 days which make up also three years & a half that is to say, that the dominion of the son of perdition shall never be without being contradicted by some few faithful servants of God, and that the government of the one, and the reluctancy of the other, are of the same continuance. We have 
* In the exposition of the 5. verse of the 13. Chap.  showed how in this mystical number a day is taken for a year, according to the style of the Scripture, and that the Papal Monarchy must last 1260 years.  
These two witnesses are compared to two olive trees, and to two Candlesticks: in imitation of the vision that appeared to Zachary chapt. 4. who saw a Candlestick of gold between two olive trees, of which it is said at the end of the Chapter. These are the two olive branches that stand before the Lord of the whole earth. Both because the olive is a sign of peace, witness the dove, which carried an olive branch to Noah in his mouth in token of peace. As also, because the scripture doth attribute a property unto oil of making glad. Psa. 104. Whence it is called the oil of gladness, that is to say, that maketh glad, Psal. 45. ver. 8. Now the word is the gospel of peace; Ephes. 6.15. and maketh glad the heart, Psal. 19.9. that we may rejoice in the light thereof, john 5.35.  
But as this preaching is the savour of life unto such as believe, so is it the savour of death unto the rebellious, and doth wound them mortally. Whence God also saith that this word kills, and that his prophets, and faithful Ministers smite the earth with wounds by their preaching. It is said in ● Hosea that he did cut down those of Ephraim by his prophets, & slay them by the words of his mouth, and in jeremy chapt. 5. v. 14. I will put my words into thy mouth like a fire, and this people shall be as wood, and it shall devour them. In this sense it is, that these faithful witnesses are said to shut heaven, and hinder the rain, and turn the water into blood; For they are thought to do that, which God doth do for their sakes. Notwithstanding there is a manifest allusion in this to the example of Elias, King. 1.17. which shut the floodgates of heaven, and made it not to rain for the space of 3▪ whole years, and to the example of Moses, which turned the waters of Egypt into blood. These two appeared to jesus Christ in the mountain; and these also are they, that must return into the world (as Hilarius thinks) to fight with Antichrist.  
After that the beast (which the Ancient, and our adversaries themselves confess to be Antichrist) shall have slain the two faithful witnesses, S. john saith that their bodies shall lie in the streets of the great city. He opposeth the great City, to the holy City, which is the Church of God, of which he speaks in the second verse, to show that the false church, which is at enmity with God, shall be very great in respect of the church of God. For that by this word, city, we are not to understand one only town, it appears by this, that it is not only called Sodom, but Egypt also which is the name of a great Country. For as in this chapt. by the holy city we do not understand one town, but the whole Church, so neither by the city that is at enmity with the Church are we to understand one only town, but the whole body of the nations united against the Church of God.  
Now it is not without cause, that the Popish church is called Sodom, seeing that in the places where Papistry is established without Contradiction, and especially at Rome, whence all this great body of the Romish church doth depend, this vice is familiar, and hath ever been so even from the time of the 
Rom. 1.27.  Apostle S. Paul. The Roman authors of this time, boast of it, and glory in it. Plutarch a Grecian borne, but one that lived at the court of Rome, a grave author and full of good instructions, in his book of the education of children, saith that he dares not to condemn this kind of love, and thinks it to befit philosophy. And it is not without a mystery that this word Amor being written backward makes Roma, because that there is the seat, and place of residence, of this unnatural and preposterous love, or if it fell out so by chance, it hits so happily that it may seem to have been intended purposely. Nor is it without example, that a town or country should be called by the name of Sodom, because of their conformity in manners. Esay in his 
v. 10.  first chapt. speaks thus to the princes and people of jerusalem; Hear the word of the Lord O ye princes of Sodom, hearken unto the law of God O people of Gomorah.  
In this Sodom and Egypt, the holy Ghost saith (in the 8. v.) that jesus Christ was crucified, either because jesus Christ was and is persecuted there in his members; which is confirmed by the last verse of the 18. chap. where speaking of Rome (as our adversaries confess) it is said that in her was found the bloods of the Saints and of all that were slain upon the earth, not because all were slain within the City, but by her persuasion, and counsel: or else because that Rome (as the King hath very well noted to the purpose) did crucify jesus Christ in his own person, for as much as it was done by the Romans, that were sent out of Rome into judaea. For if any one stand stiffly to maintain that this city where jesus Christ was crucified is jerusalem, I doubt how he can make it good, since that Christ was not crucified in Ier●●salem, but out of the city on mount Calvarie.  
In this great city therefore, which is the false church, God saith by S. john, that the faithful witnesses shall be slain, and their bodies cast out into the streets without burial; which was done unto us in their last massacres, and persecutions, after which the tyrants did rejoice, as who had got the victory, and eased themselves of a great burden. There were Bonfires made at Rome, in token of joy for the death of Lewis of Bourbon prince of Conde. In the Pope's chamber of presence there is the massacre of Paris to be seen painted, as a victory of the church, that the prophecy of jesus Christ might be fulfilled; Verily, verily, I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament, 
joh. 26. v. 20  but the world shall rejoice.  
This being so, it appears by this prophecy that the church of God must be oppressed, and stifled as it were for a time, and that her enemies shall rejoice hereat, as if it were their doing. And this Eclipse of ●he sun of the Gospel must last for three days, & a half, which once expired, God shall raise up other witnesses of his truth, so like those that went before in power & zeal, that one may say they are the same, according to the style of holy Scripture, which calls S. john Baptist Elias, because that he was clothed with the virtue and spirit of Elias. Matt. 11. v. 14. And jesus Christ himself was called john Baptist, & Elias, of those which did take him to be nothing but a Prophet. After this manner of speech, Ezechiel calleth jesus Christ David. chap, 34. v. 23.  
As for the time of three days & a half, during which, the bodies of the faithful witnesses shall be cast out through all the quarters of the Romish Church, it is manifest that S. joh. doth hereby show us how long the persecution of the Church under the Roman Hierarchy must continue. For to know how long this time shall endure, and to how much the three days and an half come, we are to note that 3 days and an half make half a week, which gives us to understand that the holy Ghost here under the name of a week doth comprehend the whole time of the beasts reign, and that he doth advertise us that the persecution shall last half the time of this reign. Since therefore he shall reign 1260 years, as we have showed in the exposition of the 5. verse of the 13 Chapter, and this 11 chap. doth confirm it, it follows that the Roman Hierarchy shall persecute the faithful 630 years. Now I do not find that the Church of Rome did begin to persecute, and to use cruelty in general against all that did withstand her doctrine, till Berengers time, whom Pope Nicolas the 2. compelled to recant by force, in the year 1059. And ever since the Popes have persecuted such as have maintained the same doctrine. If then you add the 630 years to 1059 years, you shall find that the persecution of the Church under the Pope, shall have an end in the year 1689. This term once expired, the truth that was oppressed shall lift up her head afresh, and the faithful witnesses shall be seen to stand up again, who shall astonish the Church of Rome for a short time. For the holy Ghost telleth us vers. 12. that God shall take them up into heaven with evident signs that he hath gathered them unto himself, and theses signs shall be made manifest even to their very enemies.  
At this time the people shall be much moved, for this is signified by the earthquake. In this commotion, affrightment, & dissension of the people, the tenth part of the men of the Church of Rome shall be slain, which number is expressed by the number of 7000, according to a fashion of speech usual in Scripture, which by 7000 men understands a greater number than can be conceived, as when Elias thought that he had been the only faithful man that was left in Israel, God told him that he had 7000 left yet, which never bowed the knee to Baal, that is to say, a greater number than he could imagine. At the sight of which plagues many being stricken with amazement, shall turn unto God and give him the glory.  
By all that which hath been formerly said, it appears that we at this time live in the last half day of these three last days and a half of persecution, which is the time also that goes next to the sound of the last trumpet, that is spoken of in the 15 verse, that is to say, the seventh & last execution of God's judgements, which shall go before the day of judgement. 
Note that the 33 years in which Christ was in the world are to be taken away, and do not fall upon the trumpets.  But if you divide the time from the death of Christ until the year 1689, into six equal parts (for every trumpet hath a certain space of time) you shall know how many years the seventh trumpet must take up. And if you compare the whole sum with that which we have said in the exposition of the 13 Chapt. upon the 5 verse, you shall find great agreement between them, and in probability gather the time well▪ near of the coming of our Saviour, the son of God, blessed for ever.  
There remains one difficulty to clear concerning these two witnesses, which our adversaries say are Enoch and Elias, whom they would have to return into the world again to withstand Antichrist, and to preach, one to the Gentiles, the other to the jews, for this is the task that they have laid upon them by their magistral authority without the word of God, and would pull them from the place of rest where they abide in happiness, to thrust them into frays, and of glorious and immortal persons, make them weak and mortal. It would have been hard for me to have added any thing to that which his Majesty of England hath learnedly and diligently noted upon this question, were it not that Bellarmine and Coeffeteau go to snap at his discourse, and being not able to say any thing of themselves, take delight only in contradicting. This therefore deserves to be examined.   

Of the Translation of Enoch and Elias. Of the place where they are. Who these two witnesses be. The book of the King defended against false calumnies.  
Moses' in the 5. chapt. of Genesis saith, that Enoch having lived 365 years (which is a year of years) was seen no more, for God took him away. This translation of Enoch being done in the body, did exempt him from death, as the Apostle saith in the epistle to the Hebrews, chap. 11. v. 5. Enoch was translated that he should not see death, neither was he found, for God had translated him.  
The like befell Elias in the 2. chapt. of the 2. book of Kings, where he is rapt up to heaven in a whirlwind.  
This seems to me to have fallen out, by the secret counsel of the wisdom of God. For as the world is divided into 3. ages, to wit, into the time before the law, into the time under the law, and into the time under the gospel, so it pleased God that in every one of these ages there should one man be taken up to heaven in his body, Enoch before the law, Elias under the law, jesus Christ under the Gospel; to the end that the souls of the Saints that lived either before the law, or under the law, or under the gospel, and are now in heaven, should have a man in that age of theirs that should be an image of the future estate after the day of judgement, and a pledge of the resurrection of the body. For even as Moses and Elias did appear unto jesus Christ on the mountain, for to signify that the law and the gospel gave testimony unto him (as the King hath excellent well noted in his book) so I am persuaded that these 3 were as so many witnesses of the resurrection unto the Saints that lived before the law, under the law, and under the gospel.  
To these two servants of God, Enoch and Elias, the curious spirits of men have assigned divers habitations. There be some that lodge them in the air, which is a place that the holy Scripture hath appointed for the devils, Eph. 2. v. 2. Others think to pleasure them more by making them to be in an earthly paradise, which (as they say) is sixteen cubits higher than the highest hills, that so it may be one cubit 
Gen 7.20. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail when the mountains were covered.  higher than the flowed. And it is credible that Enoch (which as then was there all alone) seeing the waters to come with in a cubit of his feet, thought himself not sufficiently secured. All these are fables that smell of the jewish Cabalistical traditions, which it hath pleased our adversaries to follow in this point, and which Moses hath clearly confuted. For he describes the garden of Eden to be in Mesopotamia, and makes the river Euphrates to pass through it, painting out the course that it runs, and naming the countries that it scours, and the nature of the land is set down by him, in that he saith that it yields Gold and Bdelium, and Onyx stone: which are most certain proofs that he speaks not of any fantastical region. Now there are none but know that Mesopotamia is a plain even country and that the rivers do always overflow the valleys and lowest places. Whence it follows that if the deluge did cover the highest hills, by a far greater reason must it cover, and waste the champion of Mesopotamia.  
All this overbusy curiosity of this people, proceeds from their neglecting to read the word of God, which decides this question saying in express terms, that, Elias went up by a whirlwind into heaven. He was therefore taken up▪ into heaven, and there is no reason to place Enoch any where else, since that he was equally translated in body. But if the faithful that are in heaven be with jesus Christ, john 17. v. 24. Philip. 1. v. 23. Why should these so excellent servants of God, have an inferior blessedness allotted unto them? this translation had been no favour done unto them, but a punishment. But if the thief crucified with jesus Christ entered into Paradise 40 days before the ascension of our Lord, what should hinder but that Enoch and Elias might have free access into the same place before his ascension? jesus Christ I confess saith in the 3 of S. john, v. 13. No man ascendeth up to heaven, but he that hath descended from heaven, the son of man that is in heaven. But he speaks according to the Hebrew fashion, which by going up into heaven, and descending down thence, understand, the bringing of the knowledge of heavenly things to men from on high: and so doth the Apostle take it in the 10 to the Romans. ver. 6. as it appears by the drift of the discourse. jesus Christ therefore in this place means to tell Nicodemus only thus much, that none can bring us the knowledge of heavenly things, but only the son of man that came down from heaven. Nor may we think it strange that God gave them a special privilege to be exempted from death, since that the scripture pronounceth as much not only of Enoch, but also of all those that shall live upon the earth at the coming of our Lord. For seeing that all the Saints do already stand possessed of heavenly glory, what have these two committed, that they only should be shut out thence, and kept in a place of expectation apart, to be subject to death still? And beside I would know of M. Co●ffetau▪ if he would make a conscience to invoke Enoch and Elias; if he do invoke them, he presupposeth that they do already enjoy the presence of God, if he do not, he sinneth against the Church of Rome, which in their Litanies call upon all the Prophets and Patriarches in general.  
Since than that their abode is in heaven with jesus Christ, let us see what reason these men have to pull them out thence, for to make them come down upon the earth again, and condemn them to die.  
As concerning Enoch our adversaries produce no place out of the Canonical Scriptures, only they allege Ecclesiasticus in the 44 chapt. v. 16. a passage that runs thus according to the Greek which is the Original. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Enoch pleased the Lord God, therefore was he translated for an example of repentance to the generations. Is there ever a word in all this either of the translation of Enoch into an earthly paradise, or of his returning hither to fight with Antichrist? Therefore Bellarmine thought it better to allege the common translation clean contrary to the Text, which hath translated it falsely, after this manner. 
b Enoch placuit deo & translatus est in paradisum ut det gentibus poetitentiam.  Enoch pleased God, and was translated into Paradise to give repentance to the Gentiles. The word Paradise, and the word Gentiles are falsely thrust in; & yet when all is done we must be fain to suppose that this Paradise is earthly. Let the reader judge whether this opinion be not built upon good grounds, which hath nothing brought to maintain it, but only a false passage, and that out of an Apocryphal book too. These people therefore do much wrong to Enoch in keeping him 5000 years from the presence of God, and stripping him of his immortality, to send him down hither for to be slain by Antichrist, as if God had not other men enough in that age to employ. Nor may we omit, that the men which lived before the flood, were giants, and that our stature is dwarfish in respect of theirs: if Enoch therefore should come into the world in his old stature, he would be thought a kind of monster, and men would be frighted with the bigness of his parsonage.  
The fable of Enoch being once confuted, that of Elias vanisheth with the same breath; for these squires must of necessity seek elsewhere for their two witnesses if one of them fail: nevertheless let us see that which they produce for Elias.  
They find these words at the end of 
Malach. 4. v. 5.6.  Malachi. Behold I go hence to send Eliah the prophet before the coming of the great and fearful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, & the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come & smite the earth with cursing. To this the King answers that there is no better interpreter of Malachies words than jesus Christ himself, who doth assure us that this Elias promised by Malachi is john Baptist. If (saith he) ye will receive my saying, this is that Elias which was to come, Mat. 11.14. And yet more plainly in the 17. chapt. he having said that Elias was already come, and that they did not know him; S. Matthew adds that his disciples understood him to speak of john Baptist. jesus Christ indeed had said before that Elias must come, speaking in this (as the King hath well noted) according to the common opinion, but to the end that this might not be understood of any other but john Baptist, he annexeth immediately, But I say unto you that Elias is already come, & they have not known him. Good cause therefore had his Majesty to accuse Bellarmine of falsehood, for alleging these words of Christ, Elias shall come without alleging the words that follow, But I say unto you that Elias is already come.  
Now here the point of the question is, whether Malachi and the Apostles objecting to Christ that Elias must come, do speak of an Elias that must go before the first, or second coming of our Saviour. As for Malachi he begins this discourse from the beginning of the 3 chapt. in these words. Behold I go hence to send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom ye seek shall speedily come to his Temple. Words that cannot agree to the second coming of Christ, when he shall need no preparing of his way, & the earth shall then be his temple no more. This appears also out of the 7. chapt. where Malachi saith that this Elias shall turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children, which are the very words of the 
Luk. 1.17.  Angel unto Zachary declaring the office of his son. To the same purpose also serve these words, For fear lest I come and smite the earth. For how can it be said that these two witnesses shall come for to hinder the coming of Christ to judgement, and to keep him from smiting the earth? Seeing that his coming is inevitable, and that the faithful shall long for it? & pray that the kingdom of God may come, saying with S. john Apoc. 22.20. Even so, come Lord jesus.  
As for the 17. chapt. of S. Matthew, it is manifest that the second coming of Christ is not meant in that place, but only the first. For the Apostles either ravished with the glory of his transfiguration, or rather persuaded by the many powerful miracles of jesus Christ, to believe that he was the Messias, nevertheless found themselves unable to solve the objection of the Scribes, which did prove that Christ was not the Messias by this argument, because that Elias was not yet come. Doubtless these Scribes did not contest about the day of judgement, but about the manifestation of the promised Messias, which (as they thought) was not yet come.  
To this they oppose the words of Malachi, which calleth this day a great and fearful day▪ which seems ill befitting the gentleness, and humility of Christ's first coming. His majesties answer is that the day of the Lords passion was full of horror and astonishment. The sun was darkened, the vail of the Temple was rend, the earth trembled, the stones were cloven, the monuments were opened, the dead were raised. Or we may say that the first coming of the Messias although it were in humility, was yet for all that very fearful. For he was sent to be a stumbling block unto many, and drew a total destruction upon the jews. God a little after (according to the prediction of Malachi) having smitten their land as accursed. Besides we find that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. iom hunnora in Hebrew may signify an wonderful and honourable day as well as a terrible day. Aretas in the 30. chap. of his commentary upon the Apocalyps, turns it, dies Domini magnus & manifestus, and the translation of the Septuagint renders it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, diem Domini magnam & illustrem.  
The passage that is alleged out of the 48 of Ecclesiasticus. vers. 10. is of no force, for the book is Apocryphal, & the translator thereof craves pardon in the Prologue if he hath chanced in some places not to express his Author's meaning so significantly. And yet the place is falsely alleged too. Behold the true here; Elias was appointed to reprove in due season, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  & to pacify the wrath of the Lords judgement before it kindled, and to turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and to set up the tribes of jacob. Where is there in all this the least word of coming back into the world, of being slain, or of fight with Antichrist? To be short, although all that they feign of the returning of Elias were true, yet this makes nothing for the two witnesses, till they have proved as much of Enoch, of whom they have nothing at all to say.  
In one thing they cannot choose but be much cumbered, to wit, in this, when they say that these two witnesses shall be sent to fight with Antichrist for the space of three years and an half, at the end of which, Antichrist shall slay them. By this reckoning Antichrist must be in the world before them, and stay in the world after them, yea & be in the height of his strength after he hath slain them, seeing that there by he shall become victorious. And by a consequent he must be in the world above three years and a half; what becomes then of their assertion, wherein they affirm that Antichrist shall continue but 3 years and a half? Surely it must needs be that these two witnesses and Antichrist must come into the world in the same day and die in the same day.  
The fathers are of diverse opinions concerning this, and resolve upon nothing certainly. 
* Tom. 9 Dabo duobus testibus meis, 1. testamentis. Duo candelabra ecclesia est, sed pro numero testamentorum.  S. Austin in his 8. homily upon the Apocalyps, I will give unto my two witnesses, that is, unto the two Testaments: and a little after. The two Candlesticks are the Church, but according to the number of the testaments. Primasius saith the same in his 3. book, & Beda upon the Apocalyps. Lactantius in the 17. chap. of his 7. book (after many fancies with which that book is stuffed) saith, that towards the last times there shall come a great Prophet, which must be slain by a king that came out of Syria, & was begotten by the Devil. For 
a Bellarmine in the third book of his Apology against the King chap. 1. where he names many fathers without alleging their words.  Bellarmine belies Lactantius when he maketh him to say that Elias shall come again. Hilary in the 20 Canon of his commentary upon S. Matthew, recites diverse opinions of his time, in these words. 
b Apparui● cum gloriae suae habitu, Moyse & Elia in mont● comitantibus & h●s quide eosdem prophetas duos praevenientes adventum eius intelligimus, quos Apocal. johannis ab Antichristo perimend●s esse dicit, licet variae vel de Enoch vel d● Eliâ plurimorum extiterint opiniones.  jesus appeared in the form of his glory upon the mount, Moses and Elias accompanying him. And these are the two prophets (as we conceive) which must come before his coming, and which the Apocalypse of S. john telleth us, must be slain by Antichrist, albeit there have been diverse opinions of many, touching Enoch, or jeremy, one of which must die as Elias. Irenie in his 5 book saith that Elias and Enoch were translated into Paradise, & ibi manner usque ad consummationem conspicantes incorruptionem: and that they remain there till the end of the world, beholding incorruption. If they remain in Paradise still until the end or consummation of the world, 
Enoch iustiss●mum, non circumcisum 〈◊〉 sabbatizantem de hoc mund● transtulit, qui nedum mortem 〈◊〉 ut aeternitatis candidatus iam 〈◊〉 ostenderes nos quoque sine legis onere Moys●s, Deo placereposse.  they shall not come down hither upon earth to fight with Antichrist before the consummation thereof. This is his majesties observation of England, and is most fit to the purpose. Tertullian in the 1. Chap. of his book against the jews, saith that, Enoch an upright man, was translated by God, although he were not circumcised, neither yet did observe the sabbaoth, who hath not to this day tasted of death, to the end that he which did aspire to eternity, might show unto us that we might please God without the burden of Moses' law. A passage which Bellarmine eclipse in the 6. chap. of his 3 book de Pontifice, where he seems not to understand the place well: for Tertullian calls Enoch aeternitatis candidatum, that is to say, one that did aspire to eternity, not because he aspires unto it now, but because he aspired unto it, whilst he lived here upon the earth. For the intent of Tertullian is to make it appear unto the jews, that a man may attain unto eternal life without the Ceremonies of the law, by the example of Enoch which without ever keeping of these, did not desist to aspire to immortality; And whereas he saith that he is not as yet dead, this doth not enforce that he must die, no more than if I should say that the devil hath not as yet destroyed the church or that there could no lie as yet be found in the Gospel, doth infer that either of these two things must come to pass. 
* Enoch 〈◊〉. status est in car●● Et Elias Carneus raptus est in coelum, necdum mortui, & Paradistiam coloni, habent membracum quibus rapti sunt atque translati Quod nos imitamur i●iuni●, illi posside●● consortio.  S. Hierome to Pammachius against the errors of john of jerusalem, Enoch was translated in the flesh, Elias was rapt up to heaven in the flesh: being not as yet dead, they are already made inhabitants of Paradise. They have the same members with which they were taken up and translated. That which we imitate by fasting, they enjoy by their conjunction with God. Note that they are in heaven, and joined with God, contrary to our adversaries tenant. As also that they are already in Paradise, that is to say, that the condition of others is such that they cannot be there in body till after the day of judgement, to the end that none might imagine that he speaks of an earthly Paradise. Aretas in the 29. chapt. of his commentary upon the Apocalyps, upon these words of the Angel to S. john, 
a Apoc. 10. v. 11.  Thou must prophecy again, 
b Opinantur multi beatum hunc. virum usque ad seculi consummationem vivere, ae venturum esse circa temp●ra Antichristi, cum Enoch & Eliâ.  saith, that many were of opinion that S. john liveth until the end of the world, and that he shall come in the time of Antichrist with Enoch and Elias. Hippolytus Martyr saith the same in his book de consummatione seculi; To be brief, there is nothing more diverse, than they are in their opinions.  
Our adversaries themselves disagree about this. Arias Montanus speaks after this manner upon the 4 of Malachi: 
Ac diem hunc magnum & terribilem non judicii extre●i sed Messiae advenientis tempusantiqui Scribae sopiē tèr interpretabantur, idque a Christ● probatum & confirmatum est. Mat. 17.  The ancient Scribes by this great and fearful day did wisely understand, not the day of the last judgement, but the time of the coming of the Messias: which interpretation of theirs was approved off, and confirmed by Christ in the 17. of Matthew. Bellarmin in the 6. chapt. of his 3. book de Pontifice, wonders what jansenius bishop of Gaunt dreamt off, when he said that the coming of Elias again into the world could not be gathered out of the 48. chapt. and 10. ver. of Ecclesiasticus. The jesuit 
b Tam apertam rem esse Moysen & Eliam veturos esse, ut nemo id non solùm sine temeritate, sed nec sine impudentia negare possit.  Maldonate in his commentary upon the 17. of Saint Matthew saith, that it is so clear a case that Moses and Elias must come, that no man can deny it not only without being rash, but also without being impudent. In the judgement of this jesuit, Bellarmin is impudent, seeing that he denies that Moses shall come, & would have it to be Enoch. The jesuit Pererius in the 7. book of his commentary upon Genesis, in the disputation 
c Qu. 1. num 137.  touching Enoch doth refute their proof of this taken out of the 16 verse of the 44 of Ecclesiasticus, and expounds the place as we do.  
The cause of this error (which the King with good reason calleth an idle dream, and an old wives tale) came from the corrupt Greek translation of the Septuagint, which puts a word into that place of Malachi, which is not in the Hebrew, for whereas in the Hebrew it is only, Behold I go hence to send you Elias, the Greek translation turns it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. A translation which chrysostom followed in his 58 Homily upon S. Matthew, and which made him to be of the opinion that Elias should come back again into the world.  
This matter might have been ended, were it not that hereby his Majesty takes an occasion to complain of the wrongs that the Church of Rome hath done unto the old and new Testament, which may probably be thought to be meant by these two witnesses, seeing that these are they which bear witness of jesus Christ. The King's complaints are. 1. That the Church of Rome doth revile the holy Scripture. 2. That she doth prefer her corrupted translation before the Originals of the Greek, and Hebrew. 3. That she doth make Apocryphal books to be of equal authority with the canonical. 4. That she doth apply the psalter of David to the virgin Mary, by putting out God's name, & placing hers instead thereof. 5. That she doth deny the people to read the Bible, and will not suffer it to be translated into their vulgar tongue, and yet for all that, will suffer them to have fabulous, and ridiculous legends. 
1 Point, that the church doth revile the scripture   
1 In the first place the King doth challenge them for calling the Scripture a nose of wax, a dead letter, a leaden, or Lesbian rule. Coeffeteau answers, that such blasphemies are not found in the writings of the Doctors that they approve off; Bellarmine on the contrary doth confess it, but saith that nothing else is meant by this, but only that Heretics do make the scripture a nose of wax, a Lesbian rule, etc. which is refuted by the learned Bishop of Elie, in his answer to the Cardinal's Apology, where he cities Eckius, Luther's Antagonist, in his book de fide & justificatione, cap. 73. 
a Eckius, efficacior quam scriptura est traditio.  Tradition is more powerful than the Scripture, and in the same book. 
b Traditio certissima est veritatis regula ad quam Scripturam expendere oporteat, Evangelistarum non f vit hoc in scribendo consitium, ut sua illa scripta praeessent nost●ae religioni & fidei sed subssent potius  Tradition is a most certain rule of the truth, by which we ought to examine the Scriptures. The end that moved the Evangelists to write, was not because they would have their writings to rule over religion and faith, but rather that they should be subject unto it. Coster saith the same in his Enchiridion of Controversies. And in the 71. chap. 
c Sunt enim scripturae velut cereus quidam nosus qui sicut horsum illorsumque trahise permittit etc.  The Scriptures are as a nose of wax, that suffers itself to be turned this way, and that way, he saith that they are; and not that they are made to be. He allegeth Hosius also, which maintains against Brentius, that his words which said that the Scriptures without the authority of the Church are no more to be esteemed then Esop's Fables (p●tuisse pio sensu●ici) might be spoken in a godly sense. And 
a Turrianus Si Scripturan s●lam fidei regulam Christus reliquisset in Eccles●a quid aliud quam gladium Delphi cum haberemus?  Turrianus who in the p. 250. saith, that if Christ had left no other rule of our faith then the Scripture, we should have had nothing else but a Delphian sword, that is to say, a two edged sword that cuts upon both sides. And behold here some of Bellarmine's own words (which are little better) in his 4. chap. and 
b § Quarto recess. Etsi Scriptura di cat libros Prophetarun & Apostolorum esse divinos, tamen non ce●tò id ●redam, nisi prius credider● Scripturam quae hoc dicit esse divinam. Name in Alcorano Mahumetis passim legim ipsum Alcoranum de coelo à Deo dimissum.  4. book, Of the word not written; Although the Scripture say that the books of the Apostles, and Prophets are divine, yet I shall never believe it assuredly, if I do not first believe that the Scripture which saith this, is divine. For we read as well in the Alcoran that the Alcoran was sent from heaven. This Cardinal would have the testimony that the Scripture gives of itself to be no more credited then that which the Alcoran gives of itself, and in the 10. chap. he saith 
c § Ad●lla. Supra diximus Scripturas non fuisse absolutè necessarias.  that the Scriptures are not absolutely necessary, and in the seventh chapt. he is bold to affirm, 
§ Sed omissi● Quaedan sunt traditiones maiores quoad obligationem quam quaedam Scripturae.  that there be some traditions which are greater than some of the Scriptures, as concerning the obligation, that is to say, that a man is bound more to believe them then the Scripture. In the 12. Chapt. 
b § Respondeo Scripturae finem proprium & praecipuum non fuisse ut esset regula fidei, sed ut esset commonitorium quoddam utile.  The proper and principal end of the Scripture, was not that it should be a rule of faith, but that it should be a profitable admonition to make men entertain the doctrine of preaching, And a little after. 
c Dico secundo Scripturam etsi non est sact● praecipuè ut sit regula fidei▪ esse tamen regulam fidei non totalem sed partialem  I say that although the scripture were not made properly to be a rule of faith, yet it is a rule of faith, though not a total rule, but a partial.  
The famous Doctor Charron surpasseth them all. Behold how he doth extol the Scripture in his 3 Truth, a book which France hath received with wonderful applause. In the second chapter, having said that the Church and the Scripture are judges together, he addeth, But the church is primarily and principally, and with great pre-eminence. And a little after, The Scripture is not, nor cannot be the last rule, & sovereign judge of doctrine. In the 2. page of the 3. chap. Faith that is necessary to salvation comes from the Church speaking, & not from the reading of the Scripture, without knowing of which after a sort, yea and without believing or obeying it expressly, a thousand millions are saved— To be short, a man may be a Christian, and a good Christian, & be saved, without the Scripture, but not without the Church. And a little after, How can one get out of contention by the scripture seeing that we come into it by the Scripture? This is an open field for all quarrels; & as we use to say, a sword for all hands; yea by this many come to be Atheists— it is like a forest where all claim right to graze, yea even Atheists themselves. And in the same chapter, The scripture hath no authority, weight, power over us, but only as much as the church doth appoint, and assign unto it. Now every one knows that by the scripture we do not understand the paper or ink, but the word of God contained therein, and none can deny but that the church is subject to the word of God. But by these Doctors reckoning the word of God should be subject to the church, and men should give weight and authority to the word of God. In the 4. chapt. he saith unto such as exact proofs out of Scripture for every point of faith, that this is a wrongful and unjust demand: for it is to require an impossible thing; because the Scripture doth not speak of all things: & in the same place, It is most false that God's intent was to inform the world of his will, to plant the faith, and make Christians by the Scripture. What was therefore the end of those holy Scribes? It was (saith he in the same place) to write certain particulars according as they saw occasion (de re natâ) A little after he saith, that to ask for scripture is to play the ill debtor, & the part of an unhonest man, which will not pay his money except he may first see his bond. Thou dost believe because thou dost read, thou art therefore no Christian, for a Christian believes before he read, & without reading.— A Christian believes at first without expecting a reason, with his eyes close shut, & afterward he seeth reason.— He that believeth because he hath read the bible▪ ●his faith & belief is in a manner not Christian like: we must call it by some other name, a human, purchased, studied faith, but not a Christian faith, neither is he that shall profess it a Christian. In brief, under the show of a respect towards the church (by which we must always understand the Roman church) these people do persecute these two faithful witnesses, and do plant Atheism under hand, whereof this Doctor Charron in particular is not a little conscious: as it appears by many places in his book of Wisdom. The King's complaint therefore is just, and had he but held his peace, the matter would have proclaimed itself.  
But above all the Cardinal of Perons' book seems intolerable to his Majesty, concerning the Insufficiency of the Scripture; Coeffeteau answers that this is an Imposture of the Minister Tilenus, which caused it to be printed at Rochel with this title. In all this Coeffeteau is ill informed. For Monsieur Titenus is not Minister to this day. Secondly although he did put this title before the book, yet can he not in this respect be accused of imposture, because the book being without a title, & being that there must one of necessity be put before it, he could not have chosen any more fit to the purpose then out of the first line of the book, which is this, The scripture is not sufficient without traditions. And that his Majesty might know in what this insufficiency consisteth, the first point is that there is no mention made of the immortality of the soul in the books of Moses. Which yet is mentioned there very 
* Gen. 5. 2● Gen. 49.18. Exod. 3.15 Num. 23.10  often. And although there were nothing said of it, yet these holy books being the religion of God's people, they do necessarily carry the immortality of the soul imprinted on their foreheads, & presuppose it by the title, because that without this, religion is nothing but folly, and an unwieldy yoke.  
The second thing that his Majesty finds fault with, 
II. Point. Of their preferring the corrupt translation before the original.  is that the Church of Rome doth prefer the vulgar Latin translation (which is corrupted in a thousand and a thousand places) before the Original text of the Greek and Hebrew. And he saith this because the Council of Trent in the 4 Session hath decreed 
* Vt vetus & vulgata editio pr● authentica habeatur, & quòd ●am ne m● reiicere quovis pr●textu audeat vel presumat  that the old and vulgar edition be held for authentical, & that none presume to reject it under what pretext soever. Whence it follows that in all places where it is contrary to the Original Greek and Hebrew, a man must beware how he reject it, and that he must rather think that the Original is false than the Copy. And indeed Bellarmin in the 7. chapt. of his 2. book de verbo Dei speaks thus of the Hebrew Bible, and of the New Testament in Greek, In this, my opinion is that we are to hold that of the Greek which I have said already of the Hebrew bibles, to wit, that the Greek Copies are not generally corrupted, and yet that their fountains are not altogether pure. But if the Originals of the word of God be marred, what surety then is there in religion? and if the springs be troubled how can the streams run clear? Now amongst other corruptions of the Romish translation his Majesty doth produce two. The first is in the 15 of S. Luke verse 8. where in steed of to sweep the house, the vulgar translation hath turned it, to overturn the house. The other is in the 21. chapt. of S. john, ver. 22.23. where in steed of, If I will that he stay, the vulgar translation turns it, I will that he stay so, upon which corruption some have grounded that idle conceit of theirs, that Saint john is not dead to this day. Coeffeteau saith these places have been corrected in the last bibles, meaning the Bible's newly printed by the authority of Clement the 8. But Bellarmin 
* Locus posterior non est mutatu●, quo●i●m hab●tur in omnibus Latinis codici●us.  contradicts him, and saith that the first place only is corrected & not the second. But the Bibles of Sixtus V. printed but a little before have nothing corrected in them: and before Sixtus, the Council of Trent did approve of the vulgar translation in all things; seeing that it hath pronounced it to be authentical clean through out, and hath forbidden any part thereof to be refused: But the Pope doth correct the Counsels, and the Popes his predecessors, and after this Pope Clement, there will some Boniface come, which shall undo that which Clement did.  
As for the impurity of the vulgar translation, it would be easier for a man to alter it clean, and make a new one of it, them to purge it. In the greatest part of the Psalms and of the prophets, there is no more reason than there is rhyme: To be short, it is clean a divers thing from the Original. The 13. Psalm which is the 14. in the Hebrew, at the 9 verse, where there are 10. lines added, which are not in the Hebrew. In the second psalm instead of kiss the son, the Latin translation hath it, Apprehend discipline. In the 132. psal. v. 5. in steed of I will bless her victuals, this translation renders it, I will bless her widows. In the 9 chap. of Esdras, v. 8. instead of paxillus, this translation hath pax illius, that is to say, his peace, for a nail. And in the verse following, where it is in the Hebrew for to give us a hedge in juda, this translation hath it, 
Spe● for sepem, cecinit ●udus for cecidit, lapides saeculi, for sacculi, ipsa mulier, for ipsum semen  to give us hope in juda. In the 19 chapt. of the 1. of Samuel, verse 24. instead of He fell down naked, this translation turns it, He sung all naked; In the 16. of the Prov. ver. 11. the Hebrew saith, the weights of the bag, the translation, the weights of the time. These are ridiculous faults, but they which follow are malicious. As the translating it in the 3. of Genesis, and 15. verse, she (to wit the woman) shall bruise the serpent's head; whereas it is, The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent. Whence in the Virgin's psalter this commendation, of having bruised the head of the Serpent is attributed unto her. As also the translating it in the 99 psalm. Fall down to his footstool, whereas it is in the Hebrew, Fall down towards, or before his footstool. A corruption that was in the time of S. Augustine, who did not know that they would in ages following ground the worship of creatures upon this place. As also for omitting these words in the 11. chapt. and 6. verse of the Epistle to the Romans, If it be of works it is no more grace, or else were work no work. I wonder much also how it comes to pass that in the 11 of S. Luke the vulgar translation cuts off the fourth part of the Lords prayer, omitting these words, which art in heaven, as also, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven, as also these words, But deliver us from evil. The vulgar translation (that it might bring in a diffidence & uncertainty of salvation) renders the first verse of the 9 of Ecclesiasticus after this manner. A man knows not whether he have deserved love or hatred, but all things are kept in uncertainty, for the time to come. Whereas the Hebrew hath only, No man knoweth either love or hatred of all that is before them. We might note many more such like places, whence it appears that his majesties complaint is most just.  
The King complains also that these two witnesses are wronged in this, 
III. Point. Of their equalling the Apocryphal books with the Canonical.  that men's writings called Apocryphal, are made of equal worth with them. Which we have proved to be against the authority of jesus Christ, and the Apostles, and all the ancient church, and have showed that Coeffeteau doth allege a falsified Council of Nice, & abuse a place of S. Austin. See the 5. Article of my 2. book upon this. And note beside that not only the Apocryphal books are set in the same rank with the Canonical, but also that the Roman Decree in the 19 Distinction in the Canon In Canonicis, saith that the Pope's Decretal Epistles are to be reckoned amongst the Canonical Scriptures. So behold with what good companions these two witnesses are matched.  
The fourth Complaint that his Majesty makes, 
IV Point, David's Psalter corrupted.  is of the horrible corruption, allowed off, and published in the church of Rome, in that they suffer a psalter, commonly called the psalter of S. Bonaventure made in honour of the Virgin Mary, where the psalms of David are applied to the Virgin, and her name put in the place of God's name. And this worthy psalter hath been translated into French, and printed at Paris in the year 1601. with the approbation of the faculty of the Divines of Paris. In reading thereof you would say, See here the Psalms of David, but only that the name of God is not called upon in them. And it seems that David doth invoke the Virgin Marie. The 131. psalm begins thus. Memento Domina David, & omnium invocantium nomen tuum. Remember David, o Lady, and all those which call upon thy name. With the like grace, the Reverend father Solier a jesuit of Saints, hath lately set forth 3. sermons in praise of the beautified Ignatius, in the first of which, page 33. he saith that Adam sung these psalms to comfort himself in his banishment. It may be also that Elias did read them at the Canonical hours of our Lady. Bellarmine in his Apology against the King excuseth the matter, saying that Bonaventure did not change David's Psalter, but only made another of it in imitation of David's Psalms, being moved thereunto by a goldly affection that he bore to the holy Virgin. But that which is an impiety against God, can be no piety toward the Holy Virgin. She doth not think herself honoured by the dishonour of God. For this profane psalter is made as if one should apply the Lords prayer to the Virgin Mary, in saying, Our mother which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, etc. He that should speak after this manner to the Virgin Mary, might he excuse himself in saying that he did not corrupt the Lords prayer, but made another in imitation thereof, being moved thereunto by a godly affection that he bore to the holy Virgin? This Psalter is little better. The 109. Psalm begins thus. Dixit Dominus Dominae nostrae, sede matter mea à dextris meis. The Lord said unto our Lady, sit down mother at my right hand. The Psalm 
a Which is the 110. in the Hebrew.  129 De profundis clamavi ad te Domina: Domina exaudi vocemmeam. Out of the deep places have I called unto thee o Lady, o Lady hear my voice. The 
b The 91. in the Hebrew.  90 Psalm, which in our Psalters begins with, who so dwelleth in etc. is thus applied to the Virgin Mary. He that committeth himself to the protection of the mother of God, shall rest secure under her shadow, and safeguard. His enemies though they come against him shall not hurt him, and the arrow that flieth through the air shall not strike him. and in the 
c The 94. in the Hebrew.  93 Psalm, he makes as though he durst not presume to speak to God, but it is to wrong him. The Lord is a God of vengeance, but thou o merciful mother art inclined to pity and compassion; you would say that she were set to pacify God's anger, and to make him change his william. It was a hard matter therefore to get access to God, before the birth of the Virgin, or before she was crowned queen of heaven; To conclude, all this whole Psalter is such and yet Bellarmine dares say that it was made with a holy and godly affection, & the faculty of the Divines of Paris, did not stick to approve of it. And yet afterward they are bold to say that the worship of Latria appertaineth to God only, as if the Psalms of David were no divine service.  

V. Point. the suppressing of the holy scripture.  On the complaint which his Majesty makes in the 5 place of the suppressing of the Scripture, for fear lest the people should come to see it, these Doctors say, that the reading of the Scripture is not absolutely denied unto lay men, but that they are forbid to read it without having a special permission; (that is to say) that the Pope by a special privilege will give a man leave to obey God, for God would have the people to read the Scripture. King's are lay-men, and yet for all that in the 17. of Deuter. they are commanded to read in the book of the law all the days of their life. And when the Apostle wrote to the people of the church of Corinth, of Rome, of Ephesus, did he not mean, that they to whom he wrote should read his Epistles? And when in the beginning of the Apocalypse it is said, Blessed is he that readeth, & they that hear the words of this Prophecy, why should we not, following the counsel of S. john, apply ourselves to the reading hereof, seeing that it is the next way to make us happy? And yet this is one of the obscurest books in all the Scripture: how much more than are we exhorted by this to read the books of the Gospel, so full of perspicuity and instruction? In the 17 of the Acts. ver. 11. they of Beroe are commended because that after they had heard S. Paul preach, they did daily use to examine his doctrine by the Scripture, to know whether it were so or no, and yet it is probable that the Apostle S. Paul did, at the least speak with as much certainty, as Curates and Bishops do now adays. Why then may not they which hear them (after their sermons ended) compare that which they heard with the Scripture▪ to see whether it be truly alleged or no? A strange case! These Doctors both in their sermons, and in their writings pretend Scripture commonly, but will not have the people to see whether they deal truly or no. As if they should say, S. Paul, or S. john saith so, but do not go thither to see it. They send you to the holy Scripture, but stop you in the way; yea and in their full sermons they allege the Scripture in barbarous Latin, and interpret it according to such allegations, as if French were worth nothing except it were set in the tail of Latin. jesus Christ many a time in the Scripture asks of those that stand about him. 
* Matt. 19.4. Luk. 10.26.  have ye not read, and, How readest thou? should jesus Christ now adays speak in the same manner to the people of the Church of Rome, they would answer him, we have not read, for the Pope's Holiness will not permit it, except it be unto some few which understand Latin, and which have special leave from their Ordinary. Certainly I dare maintain that for a man to take upon him to permit any one by his special favour & privilege, to obey God or to be instructed in his word, is far worse than if he should forbid him to serve God. For he which doth forbid a man to serve God, doth only oppose himself against God: but he which gives any one a privilege to serve God, makes God to be his inferior, and his subject, seeing that he cannot be served but by the permission of the Pope, and it will come to this pass at last, that God must do him reverence, if he himself look to be served. Hereunto add that women, & the common sort of people which do not understand Latin care not to sue for a permission to read it in Latin, which yet is the only tongue that is allowed of in the Church of Rome. But if you turn over all the histories of the Church, you shall never find that any went about to hinder the reading of the Scripture, but certain monsters & tyrants, as Antiochus Epiphanes, & such like persecutors of the Church, whose example the Pope hath followed. For that there are some vulgar translations seen now adays in France and Italy, this hath been but of late, and without approbation: & our adversaries are beholding to us for it. For it is not yet a hundredth years since that you should assoon have found an Alcoran, as a French or Italian Bible, amongst the people of the Romish church. And yet to this day at Rome, or in Spain, to find a Spanish, or Italian Bible with one of the people, is a burning matter, and a case of the Inquisition.  
Yet judge what tyranny this is. For the books of the old and new Testament, are our contract of marriage with our bridegroom jesus Christ, and the testament of our heavenly father. The clauses of the Legacies and donations contained therein, do appertain to the people as well as to the Priests: why then should any one keep their father's testament from the people? Why may not the Spouse be suffered to see her contract of marriage? Must I in this business rely upon the trust of men that live by my ignorance, and make their gain by concealing the truth from me? Why do they suffer me to read fables and profane histories, and will not suffer me to read the will, and the ordinances of my father? Why do they make me to suspect the Holy scriptures as if they were dangerous books, and a knife to cut my throat with? Suffer us at least to have a good opinion of God, and she shall be bound unto you for it. If you say, But many abuse them; I answer that preaching is abused too, & so is the goodness of God, and yet for all this we are not to abstain from them, or suspect them the more: And besides that there is more danger in a voluntary ignorance, then in a desire to profit. And it shall never be found that the people did hatch heresies by the reading of the holy Scripture, but all the Arch Heretics have been men that have had the charge of teaching which should therefore rather of the two be barred the holy Scripture. They say that it is for none but men of knowledge to read them; whereas I ever thought that a man did read them to get knowledge; but these men will have knowledge to be gotten before the reading of them: which is a most wicked assertion, to make a knowledge in religion that may be without the scripture, & before the scripture. And yet if it were so, what should become of a great company of the Priests, which are more ignorant than the most part of the people, to whom notwithstanding the reading of the Scripture is permitted?  
But if any be desirous to know the belief of the Ancient Church concerning this, and whether the people did read the holy scripture then or no, behold here some of their testimonies. chrysostom in his 3. Homily of Lazarus speaks thus to his auditors, I do exhort you always, and will never cease to exhort you that you be not only attentive here to that which is spoken, but when you be at home also, that you would set your selves carefully to the reading of the holy Scripture. A thing which I have not forborn to inculcat unto them, that have spoken with me, in particular. For it is not fit that any should say unto me, these words are but little gracious, and there be many other things to busy a man, I am tied to attend at the Court, I mamnage public affairs, I have my occupation, I have a wife, I see to the bringing up of my children, I look to my family, I am mingled with the world, & therefore it is not for me to read the Scriptures, but for those which have bid Adieu to the world, whose dwelling place is upon the tops of hills, there leading a more strict kind of life. What sayst thou o Man? must thou not turn over the scriptures because thou art distracted with many businesses? But it lies thee upon rather to read them then they which are more free: For they have not so much need of the assistance of the scripture as thou which art tossed amidst the waves of businesses, etc. Till at last he saith, that it is impossible, yea I say impossible that any should attain to salvation, if he employ not himself daily in this spiritual reading. And a little after. The graces of the spirit hath so ordered and fitted the scriptures, that publicans, fisher men, makers of tents, the Pastors and Apostles, the simple and ignorant sort of people may be saved by these books, that none of them hereafter may have any cause to complain of the difficulty. To the end that the things which are said there might be easy to understand, and that the Artisan, the groom, & the widow woman, and he that is most unlearned of all men, may carry away some profit by the hearing of this read. To be brief the whole homily is spent about nothing else. Hierome in an Epistle to Laeta concerning the instruction of her daughter Paula. 
a Pro gē●is & serico divin●s codices 〈◊〉, in quibus non auri & pellis Babylonicae vermiculata pictura, sed ad fidem place●t emendata & erudita distinctio. Di scat primò psalterium, bis se canticis ●v●cet— Ad Evangelia transeat, numquam ea positura de manibus, mandet memoriae Prophetas, caveat omnia Apocrypha.  In steed of precious stones and silk, let her love the books of God, in which let her not love the gold, nor the painting upon the covers, but the scripture learnedly corrected, and distinguished. Let her first learn the psalms, let her solace herself with these songs. Let her learn how to live well in the Proverbs of Solomon. Let her learn how to despise worldly things by Ecclesiastes. Let her follow the examples of virtue and patience in job. From hence let her pass over to the Evangelists, & never lay them out of her hands. Let her learn the Prophets by heart. Let her beware of all Apocryphal books. Then therefore the reading of the scripture was permitted, yea and commanded, even to young maids.  
S. Austin in the 9 chapt. of his book de Doctrinâ Christianâ, speaking of the Canonical books, 
b In his omnibus libri● timentes Deum, & pietate mans eti qu●runt voluntatem Dei. Cuius operi● & laboris prima observatio est (ut diximus) n●s see ist●s libros etsi nondum intellectum, adlegendo tamen m● vel mandare memoriae vel omninò incognitos non habere.  In all these books, they which fear God, and are of a zealous disposition, do seek after the will of God. In which work and travel, the first task that they have to do, is to know these books: and although they cannot understand them presently, yet in reading them over, either to learn them by heart, or at the least not to have them altogether unknown unto them. The third book begins with this. Homo timens deum voluntatem eius in sanctis scripturis inquirit. A man fearing God seeks diligently for his will in the holy Scriptures.  
In a word, all this forbidding of the scripture to be read without a special permission, and the denying it to be translated into any vulgar tongue, for fear lest the people should put their noses into it, is a thing never heard off in all ages, a new kind of tyranny, & a manifest betraying of a bad cause. He that is loath to have the law seen, acknowledgeth that it doth not favour him in his suit.  
The other complaints of the King, as of the abuse of fabulous legends, of the traffic, which hath changed the spiritual keys into keys of gold, & the fisherman's boat into a merchant's ship, these have been proved in the 6. Article of my second book, and in the exposition of the 18. chapter of the Apocalypse.    


PROPHECIES SCATTEred throughout the Apocalyps, speaking of the Pope and his seat, noted by the King of Great Britain. CHAP. 10.  
BEsides these prophecies formerly expounded, which describe the Pope's seat, and his person, by a continued discourse of whole chapters; His Majesty hath noted other places also to this purpose scattered here & there in diverse places of the Apocalypse, which may not be omitted. The first is in the 6. chapt. and 8. verse, Where the Pope's seat is represented by a pale horse, & his name that sa●e on him was death, and Hell followed after him, & power was given unto him over the fourth part of the earth, to wit over Europe. Hell follows him, because it is the reward for those which serve this seat.  
His Majesty notes also that the Pope is the king called Abaddon, or Apollyon, that is to say, one that destroys, and wasteth souls, who is spoken off in the 9 chapt. v. 11. and is king over the Locusts which came out of the thick smoke of the bottomless pit, v. 2.3. that is to say, which arose out of gross ignorance that proceeded from hell and the devil, and that, after that a star fell from heaven, that is to say, by the means of one which having been a light unto the church for a time, tumbled down, and fell away from heavenly things to earthly, of a spiritual Pastor becoming a Temporal Prince: which is altogether suitable to the Pope. This is confirmed by this, that the men which serve him are punished in the 20. verse for serving Idols of Gold, of silver, of brass and of stone, to the end that no man should apply this prophecy to the Turcks. For the Turcks have all sorts of Images in detestation. And the vices reckoned up in the 21. verse do all agree to the Roman Hierarchy, as the King hath showed most exactly and truly.  
He doth likewise apply the 16. chap. of the Apocalypse to the See of Rome, where God doth power out 7 vials of his wrath, that is to say, 7 sorts of punishments upon those which bear the mark of the beast in their foreheads, ver. 1. and 2. The three last are the worst. For in the fifth, which is spoken off in the 10. verse, God poureth out darkness upon the throne of the beast, and God smiting them from above, they blasphemed against him. But at the pouring out of the sixth vial, verse 13. There came 3 unclean spirits like frogs out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, & out of the mouth of the false Prophet, by which Frogs his Majesty understands, the Emissaries, and new religious orders, which the Pope sends out to seduce the people, and especially the jesuits compared (as the King hath most wittily observed) to Frogs, because as these live by land and water, and are of a mixed nature, so the jesuits are half Ecclesiastical, half lay creatures; men of the church, & yet such as will thrust themselves into worldly affairs. And they are said to be 2, because (saith the King) of their threefold direction, being sent from those 3. mentioned v. 13. Which seems to be confirmed by that which is annexed in the 14. verse. These are the spirits that work miracles, which go unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. For these men speak of miracles, and incite kings & people on to persecute the faithful, but at the encounter God shall overthrew them in the day which he hath appointed, & doth (as it were) expect them in battle.  
The place where the Adversaries shall be discomfited, is called Harmageddon in the 16. verse, which is an Hebrew word, and signifieth the mounetaine of Mageddo, near to which, that is to say, in the neighbouring valley, the good 
* Chron. 35. v. 22. Herodotus in his 2 book called Euterpe speaking of this battle of Neco against josias. s●ith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Meguido 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  King josias was slain by Neco king of Egypt. In the same place was Si●era, captain of jabin's army king of Canaan, discomfited by Deborah the Prophetess; as it is to be seen in the 15. of judges, ver. 19 whence it appears that the holy Holy Ghost doth here allude that discomfiture which was effected by contemptible means, to wit, by a woman attended but by a small company; to signify, that the Pope's throne, and they which follow him, shall be vanquished by the Church compared to a woman, and by contemptible means. Notwithstanding we are to note that this word Harmagaddon doth also signify the overthrow of the proud or haughty: yea and that in Hebrew it signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Roma subversio, the subversion of Rome, which falls out by an admirable occurrence.  
The 7 vial powered out in the 17 verse. Even to the end of the Chapter doth represent the plagues which must befall the City of Rome, and the Romish Church, before her destruction. The great Earthquake, and the division of the great City into 3. parts. v. 19 do foretell us of the divisions and dissensions which shall trouble her a little before her final overthrow: which is touched by the way in these words. And that great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. This destruction of hers is described more at large in the 18. chap. which we have expounded.  
He that would be more fully informed in these things, let him read the King's cook; For all that we can do herein, is nothing else but to follow his steps. Because the holy Ghost is more concealed in these last observations, then in the other Chapters which I have expounded all along; Experience will make it more manifest, and posterity shall hereafter reckon this amongst one of God's wonderful works, that he did set such a great King upon the Throne, to publish his secrets from an high place, and to expose the truth to the sight of all men. But especially the Kings and Princes of these and succeeding ages, will be admonished hereby, and perceiving that it is more than 1500 years since that God did speak of them, and that they do make a part of S. john's Revelation, will apply themselves readily to execute his ordinance. To whom his Majesty of England (towards the end of his preface) makes an exhortation, which deserves to be written in letters of Gold, and which I have put here for the conclusion of my book, as a more delicate dish at the end of a feast.    

THE CONCLUSION OF THE King of Great Britain's Preface, containing an exhortation to all Christian Kings and Princes.  
My hearty desire is that you would deeply consider, & weigh your common interest in this Cause. For neither in all my Apology, nor in the pretended Refutation thereof, is there any question made anent the Pope's power over me in particular, for the excommunicating or deposing of me. For in my particular; the Cardinal doth me that grace, that he saith, The Pope thought it not expedient at this time to excommunicate me by name; our question being only general, Whether the Pope may lawfully pretend any temporal power over Kings, or no?  
That no Church men can by his rule be subject to any temporal Prince, I have already showed you; And what Obedience any of you may look for of any of them de facto, he plainly forewarneth you of, by the example of Gregory the Great his obedience to the Emperor Mauritius: not being ashamed to slander that great Personages Christian humility & obedience to the Emperor, with the title of a constrained and forced obedience, because he might, or durst do no otherwise. Whereby he not only wrongs the said Gregory in particular, but even doth by that means lay on an heavy slander & reproach upon the Christian humility & patience of the whole Primitive Church, especially in the time of Persecution: if the whole glory of their Martyrdom and Christian patience shall be thus blotted with that vile gloss of their coacted & constrained suffering, because they could or durst do no otherwise; like the patience and obedience of the jews or Turkish slaves in our time, clean contrary to S. Paul and S. Peter's doctrine of obedience for conscience sake; 
Rom. 13.6. 1. Pet. 2, 13.  and as contrary to Tertullia's Apology for Christians, and all the protestations of the ancient Fathers in that case. But it was good luck for the ancient Christians in the days of Ethnic Emperors, that this profane and new conceit was then unknown among them: otherwise they would have been utterly destroyed and rooted out in that time, & no man to have pitied them, as most dangerous members in a Commonwealth; who would no longer be obedient, then till they were furnished with sufficient ability and power to resist and rebel.  
Thus may ye see, how upon the one part our Cardinal will have all Kings and Monarches to be the Pope's Vassals; and yet will not on the other side, allow the meanest of the Pope his vassals, to be subject to any Christian Prince. But he no● thinking it enough to make the Pope our Superior, hath in a late Treatise of his (called the Recognition of his books of Controversies) made the people and Subjects of every one of us, our Superiors. For having taken occasion to revisit again his books of Controversies and to correct or explain what he findeth amiss or mistaketh in them; in imitation of S. Augustine his retractions (for so he saith in his Preface) he doth in place of retracting any of his former errors, or any matter of substance; not retract, but recant indeed, I mean sing over again, and obstinately confirm a number of the grossest of them. Among the which, the exempting of all Churchmen from subjection to any Temporal Prince, and the setting up not only of the Pope, but even of the People above their natural King; are two of his main points.  
As for the exemption of the clerics; he is so greedy there to prove that point, as he denieth Caesar to have been Paul's lawful judge: 
Act. 25.10.  contrary to the express Text, and Paul's plain Appellation, and acknowledging him his judge; besides his many times claiming to the Roman privileges, 
Act. 22. 2●.  and avowing himself a Roman by freedom; & therefore of necessity a Subject to the Roman Emperour●. But it is a wonder that these Roman Catholics, who vaunt themselves of the ancienty both of their doctrine and Church, and reproach us so bitterly of our Novelties, should not be ashamed to make such a new inept gloss as this upon S. Paul's Text; which as it is directly contrary to the Apostles words, so is it without any warrant, either of any ancient Council, or of so much as any one particular Father that ever interprets that place in this sort: Neither was it ever doubted by any Christian in the Primitive Church, that the Apostles, or any other degree of Christians, were subject to the Emperor.  
And as for the setting up of the People above their own natural King, he bringeth in that principle of Sedition, that he may thereby prove, that Kings have not their power and authority immediately from God, as the Pope hath his: For every King (saith he) is made and chosen by his people; nay, they do but so transfer their power in the King's person, as they do not withstanding retain their habitual power in their own hands, which upon certain occasions they may actually take to themselves again. This, I am sure, is an excellent ground in Divinity for all Rebels and rebellious people, who are hereby allowed to rebel against their Princes; and assume liberty unto themselves, when in their discretions they shall think it convenient.  
And amongst his other Testimonies for probation, that all Kings are made & created by the People; he allegeth the Creation of three Kings in Scripture, Saul David and jeroboam; and though he be compelled by the express words of the Text, to confess, that God by his Prophet Samuel anointed both 
a 1. Sam. 10 1.  Saul and 
b 1. Sam 16.12, 13.  David; yet will he, by the post-consent of the people, prove that those Kings were not immediately made by God, but mediately by the people; though he repeat thrice that word of lot, by the casting whereof he confesseth that Saul was chosen. And if the Election by lot be not an immediate Election from God; 
Acts 1.  then was not Mathias, who was so chosen and made an Apostle, immediately chosen by God: & consequently, he that sitteth in the Apostolic Sea cannot for shame claim to be immediately chosen by God, if Mathias (that was one of the twelve Apostles, supplying judas his place) was not so chosen. But as it were a blasphemous impiety, to doubt that Mathias was immediately chosen by God, and yet was he chosen by the casting of Lots, as Saul was: so is it well enough known to some of you (my loving Brethren) by what holy Spirit or casting of Lots the Pope's use to be elected; the College of Cardinals, his Electors, having been divided into two mighty factions ever since long before my time; & in place of casting of Lots, great fat pensions being cast into some of their greedy mouths for the Election of the Pope, according to the partial humours of Princes. But I do most of all wonder at the weakness of his memory: for in this place he maketh the post-consent of the people to be the thing that made both these Kings, notwithstanding of their preceding inauguration & anointment by the Prophet at God's commandment; forgetting that in the beginning of this same little book of his, answering one that allegeth a sentence of S. Cyprian, to prove that the Bishops were judged by the people in Cyprians time, he there confesseth, that by these words, the consent of the people to the Bishop's Election must be only understood. Nor will he there any ways be moved to grant, that the people's power, in consenting to or refusing the Election of a Bishop, should be so understood, as that thereby they have power to elect Bishops: And yet do these words of Cyprian seem to be far stronger, for granting the people's power to elect Churchmen, than any words that he allegeth out of Scripture are for the people's power in electing a King. For the very words of Cyprian by himself there cited are, 
Cyp. lib. 1. Epist. 4.  That th● very people have principally the power, either to choose such Priests as are worthy, or to refuse such as are unworthy: And, I hope, he can never prove by the Scripture, that it had been lawful to the people of Israel, or that it was left in their choice, to have admitted or refused Saul or David at their pleasure, after that the Prophet had anointed them, and presented them unto them.  
Thus ye see how little he careth (even in so little a volume) to contradict himself, so it may make for his purpose; making the consent of the people to signify their power of Election in the making of Kings: though in the making of Bishops, by the people's consent, their approbation of a deed done by others must only be understood. And as for his example of jeroboams election to be King; he knoweth well enough▪ 
1. King. 12.20.  that jeroboam was made King in a popular mutinous tumult & rebellion▪ only permitted by God, & that in his wrath, both against these two Kings and their people. But if he will needs help himself, against all rules of Divinity, with such an extraordinary example for proof of a general Rule; why is it not as lawful for us Kings to oppose hereunto the example of jehu his Inauguration to the kingdom; 
2 King. 9▪ 2, 3.  who upon the Prophet's private anointment of him, and that in most secret manner, took presently the King's office upon him, without ever craving any sort of approbation from the people?  
And thus may ye now clearly see, how deep the claim of the Babylonian Monarch toucheth us in all our common interest: for (as I have already told) the Pope, nor any of his Vassals, I mean Churchmen, must be subject to no Kings nor Princes: and yet all Kings and their Vassals must not only be subject to the Pope, but even to their own people. And now, what a large liberty is by this doctrine left to Churchmen, to hatch or foster any treasonable attempts against Princes; I leave it to your considerations, since do what they will, they are accountable to none of us: nay, all their treasonable practices must be accounted works of piety, and they (being justly punished for the same) must be presently enrolled in the list of Martyrs and Saints; like as our new printed martyrology hath put Garnet and Ouldcorne in the Register of English Martyrs abroad, that were hanged at home for Treason against the Crown and whole State of England: so as I may justly with Isaiah, pronounce a Woe to them that speak good of evil, and evil of good; 
Isai 5.20.  which put light for darkness, and darkness for light; 
Vers. 23.  which justify the wicked for a reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him. For even as in the time of the greatest blindness in Popery, though a man should find his wife or his daughter lying a bed in her Confessors arms; yet was it not lawful for him so much as to suspect that the Friar had any errand there, but to Confess and instruct her: Even so, though jesuits practising in Treason be sufficiently verified, & that themselves cannot but confess it; yet must they be accounted to suffer Martyrdom for the Faith, and their blood work miracles, & frame a stramineum argumentum upon straws▪ when their heads are standing aloft, withered by the Sun and the wind, a public spectacle for the eternal commemoration of their treachery. Yea, one of the reasons, that is give in the Printers Epistle of the Colonian edition of the Cardinal or his Chaplains pamphlet, why he doth the more willingly print it, is; because that the innocency of that most holy and constant man Henry Garnet, is declared and set forth in that book; against whom, some (he knew not who) had scattered a false rumour of his guiltiness of the English treason.  
But, Lord, what an impudency or wilful ignorance is this, that he, who was so publicly and solemnly convicted & executed, upon his own so clear, unforced & often repeated confession, of his knowledge & concealing of that horrible Treason; should now be said to have a certain rumour spread upon him of his guiltiness, by I know not who? with so many attributes of godliness, constancy and innocency bestowed upon him, as if public Sentences & Executions of justice, were rumours of I know not who. Indeed, I must confess, the book itself showeth a great affection to perform, what is thus promised in the Preface thereof: for in two or three places therein, is there most honourable lying mention made of that strawe-Saint; wherein, though he confess that Garnet was upon the foreknowledge of the Powder-Treason, yet in regard it was (as he saith) only under the Seal of Confession, he sticketh not to praise him for his concealing thereof, and would gladly give him the crown of glory for the same: not being ashamed to proclaim it as a principal head of Catholic doctrine▪ That the secret of Sacramental confession ought not to be revealed, not for the eschewing of whatsoever evil. But how damnable this doctrine is, & how dangerously prejudicial to all Princes and States; I leave it to you to judge, whom all it most highly concerneth. For although it be true, that when the Schoolmen came to be Doctors in the Church, and to mar the old grounds in Divinity by sowing in amongst them their Philosophical distinctions; though they (I say) do maintain, That whatsoever thing it told a Confessor under the vail of confession, how dangerous soever the matter be, yet he is bound to conceal the party's name: yet do none of them, I mean of the old Schoolmen, deny that if a matter be revealed unto them, the concealing whereof may breed a great or public danger; but that in that case the Confessor may disclose the matter, though not the person, and by some indirect means make it come to light▪ that the danger thereof may be prevented. But that no treason nor devilish plot, though it should tend to the rvi●e or exterminion of a whole Kingdom, must be revealed, if it be told under Confession, no not the matter so far indirectly, disclosed, as may give occasion for preventing the danger thereof: though it agree with the conceit of some three or four new jesuited Doctors, it is such a new and dangerous head of doctrine, as no King nor State can live in security where that Position is maintained.  
And now, that I may as well prove him a liar in facto, in his narration of this particular History; as I have showed him to be in iure, by this his damnable and false ground in Divinity: I will truly inform you of Garnets' case, which is far otherwise then this Answerer allegeth. For first, it can never be accounted a thing under Confession, which he that reveals it doth not discover with a remorse, accounting it a sin whereof he repenteth him; but by the contrary, discouer● it as a good motion, and is therein not dissuaded by hi● Confessor, nor any penance enjoined him for the same: and in this form was this Treason revealed to Garnet, as himself confessed. And next, though he stood long upon it, that it was revealed unto him under the vail of Confession, in respect it was done in that time, while as the party was making his Confession unto him; Yet at the last he did freely confess▪ that the party revealed it unto him as they were walking, and not in the time of Confession▪ But (he said) he delivered i● unto him under the greatest S●ale that might be, and so he took that he mean● by the Seal of Confession; And it had (as he thought) a relation to Confession; in regard that he was that party▪ Confessor● and had taken his Confession sometimes before, and was to take it again within few days thereafter. He also said that he pretended to the party, that he would not conceal it from his Superior. And further it is to be noted, that he confessed, that two divers persons conferred with him anent this Treason; and that when the one of them, which was Catesby▪ conferred with him thereupon, it was in the other party's presence and hearing & what a Confession can this be in the hearing of a third person? And how far his last words (whereof our Answerer so much vaunts him) did disprove it to have been under Confession, the Earl of North-hamptons book doth bear witness.  
Now as to the other party's name, that revealed the Powder-Treason unto him, it was Greenwell the jesuit; and so a jesuit revealed to a jesuit this treasonable Plot, the jesuit revealer not showing any remorse, and the jesuit whom to it was revealed not so much as enjoining him any penance for the same. And that ye may know that more jesuits were also upon the party, Owldcorne the other Powder-Martyr, after the misgiving and discovery of that Treason, preached consolatory doctrine to his Catholic auditory; exhorting them not to faint for the misgiving of this enterprise, nor to think the worse thereof that it succeeded not; alleging diverse Precedents of such godly enterprises that misgave in like manner: especially, one of S. Lewis King of France, who in his second journey to the Holy-land died by the way, the greatest part of his army being destroyed by the plague; his first journey having likewise misgiven him by the Sultan's taking of him: exhorting them thereupon not to give over, but still to hope that God would bless their enterprise at some other time, though this did fail.  
Thus see ye now, with what boldness and impudency he hath belied the publicly known verity in this errand; both in avowing generally that no jesuit was any ways guilty of that Treason, for so he affirmeth in his book; and also that Garnet knew nothing thereof, but under the Seal of Confession. But if this were the first lie of the affairs of this State, which my fugitive Priests & jesuits have coined and spread abroad; I could charm them of it, as the proverb is. But as well the walls of diverse Monasteries and jesuits Colleges abroad, are filled with the painting of such lying histories, as also the books of our said Fugitives are farced with such sort of shameless stuff; such are the innumerable sorts of torments & cruel deaths, that they record their Martyrs to have suffered here; some torn at four Horses; some sowed in Bears skins and then killed with Dogs; nay, women have not been spared (they say) & a thousand other strange fictions; the vanities of all which I will in two words discover unto you.  
First, as for the cause of their punishment, I do constantly maintain that which I have said in my Apology: That no man, either in my time or in the late Queens, ever died here for his conscience. For let him be never so devout a Papist, nay, though he profess the same never so constantly, his life is in no danger by the Law, if he break not out into some outward act expressly against the words of the Law; or plot not some unlawful or dangerous practice or attempt; Priests & Popish Churchmen only excepted, that receive Orders beyond the seas; who for the manifold treasonable practices that they have kindled & plotted in this country are discharged to come home again under pain of Treason, after their receiving of the said Orders abroad, and yet, without some other guilt in them then their bare home-comming, have none of them been ever put to death. And next, for the cruel torments and strange sorts of death that they say so many of them have been put unto; if there were no more but the Law & continually observed custom of England, these many hundredth years, in all criminal matters, it will sufficiently serve to refute all these monstrous lies: for no tortures are ever used here, but the Manacles or the Rack, and these never but in cases of high Treason; and all sorts of Traitors die but one manner of death here, whether they be Papist or Protestant Traitors; Queen Mary's time only excepted. For then indeed no sorts of cruel deaths were spared unexecuted upon men women and children professing our Religion: yea, even against the Laws of God and Nature, women with child were put to cruel death for their profession; and a living child falling out of the mother's belly, was thrown in the same fire again that consumed the mother. But these tyrannous persecutions were done by the Bishops of that time, under the warrant of the Pope's authority; & therefore were not subject to that constant order and forms of execution, which as they are here established by our Laws & customs, so are they accordingly observed in the punishment of all criminals. For all Priests and Popish Traitors here receive their judgements in the temporal Courts, and so do never exceed those forms of execution which are prescribed by the Law, or approved by continual custom. One thing is also to be marked in this case; that strangers are never called in question here for their religion, which is far otherwise (I hope) in any place where the Inquisition domines.  
But having now too much wearied you with this long discourse, whereby I have made you plainly see, that the wrong done unto me in particular, first by the Pope's Breves, and then by these Libelers, doth as deeply interest you all in general, that are Kings, free Princes, or States, as it doth me in particular: I will now conclude, with my humble prayers to God, that he will waken us up all out of that Lethargike slumber of Security, wherein our Predecessors and we have lain so long; and that we may first gravely consider, what we are bound in conscience to do for the planting and spreading of the true worship of God, according to his revealed will, in all our Dominions; therein hearing the voice of our only Pastor (for his sheep will know his voice, as himself saith) & not following the vain, 
joh. 10.27.  corrupt and changeable traditions of men. And next, that we may providently look to the security of our own States, and not suffer this encroaching Babylonian Monarch to win still ground upon us. And if GOD hath so mercifully dealt with us, that are his Lieutenants upon earth, as that he hath joined his cause with our interest, the spiritual liberty of the Gospel with our temporal freedom: with what zeal and courage may we then embrace this work: for our labours herein being assured, to receive at the last the eternal and inestimable reward of felicity in the kingdom of Heaven; & in the mean time to procure unto ourselves a temporal security, in our temporal Kingdoms in this world.  
As for so many of you as are already persuaded of that Truth which I profess, though differing among yourselves in some particular points; I think little persuasion should move you to this holy and wise Resolution: Our Greatness, nor our number, praised be GOD, being not so contemptible, but that we may show good example to our neighbours; since almost the half of all Christian people and of all sorts and degrees, are of our profession; I mean, all gone out of Babylon, even from Kings and free Princes, to the meanest sort of people. But above all (my loving Brethren and Cousins) keep fast the unity of Faith amongst yourselves; Reject 
a 1. Tim. 1.4  questions of Genealogies and 
b Ibid c. 4.7  Aniles fabulas, as Paul saith; Let not the foolish heat of your Preachers for idle Controversies or indifferent things, tear asunder that Mystical Body, whereof ye are a part, since the very coat of him whose members we are was without a seam●; and let not our division breed a slander of our faith, and be a word of reproach in the mouths of our adversaries, who make Unity to be one of the special notes of the true Church.  
And as for you (my loving Brethren & Cousins) whom it hath not yet pleased GOD to illuminate with the light of his Truth; I can but humbly pray with Elizeus, that it would please GOD to open your eyes, that ye might see what innumerable and invincible armies of Angels are ever prepared and ready to defend the truth of GOD; & with S. Paul I wish, that ye were as I am in this case; especially that ye would search the Scriptures, 
Act. 26.29.  & ground your Faith upon your own certain knowledge, & not upon the report of others; since every Man must be safe by his 〈◊〉 faith. But, leaving this to GOD his merciful providence in his due time, 
Abac. 2.4.  I have good reason to remember you, to maintain the ancient liberties of your Crowns and Commonwealths, not suffering any under GOD to set himself up above you; and therein to imitate your own noble Preaecessors, who (even in the days of greatest blindness) did diverse times courageously oppose themselves to the encroaching ambition of Popes. Yea, some of your Kingdoms have in all ages maintained, and without any interruption enjoyed your liberty, against the most ambitious Popes. And some have of very late had an evident proof of the Pope's ambitious aspiring over your temporal power; wherein ye have constantly maintained and defended your lawful freedom, to your immortal honour. And therefore I heartily wish you all, to do in this case the office of godly and just Kings and earthly judges: which consisteth not only in not wronging or invading the liberties of any other person (for to that will I never press to persuade you) but also in defending & maintaining these lawful liberties where with GOD hath endued you. For ye, whom GOD hath ordained to protect your people from injuries, should be ashamed to suffer yourselves to be wronged by any. And thus, assuring myself, that ye will with a settled judgement free of prejudice, weigh the reasons of this my Discourse, and accept my plainness in good part, gracing this my Apology with your favours, and yet no longer then till it shall be justly & worthily refuted▪ I end, with my earnest prayers to the Almighty for your prosperities, and that after your happy temporal Reigns in earth, ye may live & reign in Heaven with him for ever.