Numbers — Chapter 13

Aatichrift: & the fame is called (4poe. 17) the vvhoore of Babylon. The 7 heades be expounded Many myfteri- (Apec, 17) feucn kings: flue before Chrift, one pretent,and one tocome. The 10 hurnes be alfo °S expounded. there expounded to be to kings that hal reigne a hore vvhile after Antichrift, This dragon is the Diuel,by vvhote powver the vvhoore or beaft or Antichrift vvorketh. for in the yvordes folovving (v.3 & 4) Antichriftis called the beaft,to vvhom the dragon, thar is, the Deuil giuerh thar powver of feined miracles. and as vve adore God for giuing povver to Chrift and his tolavvers , fo they fhal adore the Deuit for ailifting Antichrift asd giuing him povver.

Theffal. 2. and itis called a lithe after in this chapter ver, 7. the Sasrament (or my iterie) ofthe vvoman, and itis alfo the marke of reprobarion and dammation.

haue and {hal {hede (o much bloud of the iuft: of the Prophets, Apoities, and other fignifieth al Martyrs from the beginning of the vvorld to the end. The Proteftants folifhly expound it of perfecutors of Rome, for thar there they put Heretukes ro death, and allovy of their punif{hment in ower coun- pints. tries: but their bloud is notcalled :he Lloud of fain&s, no more then she bloud of theeues, map- Putting here- killers,and other malefaGors:for the {heding of -vyhich by order of iuiticesno Commonvyealth pies to écath, fhal anfwver. ; isncttofhede

infinite moe that profeife Chrift. vvhereby vve mutt learne, aot to maruel vvhen vve ice the Cutuon by An- vvicked pecfecuce and preuaile againt theiuit, inthis life. Then {hal is great periecution and tichrift and his crueitie trie the faincts patience, ashis vvondertul meanes to feduce shal tric the ftedfaftnes of Minitters. their faith , vvhich is {ignihed by thefe vvordes folovving, Here ss the patience and the faith of faints. Their bleffed- And when itis (aid, They adored the beaft vul-ofe names are net vuritten in the books of life of the Lamée, nes that conti- it giueth great folace and hope to al them that {hal nor yeld co tuch pertecutions, that they arc ot nue coftant Gods elect, and theirnames vvritten in the booke of life. 14, The image of the beaft.} They that novy refufe to vvorthip Chrifts image, vvould then Theponour of worfhip Antichrifts. And vve may nore here,that as the making or henouring of this image vvas Chris image motagainit the honour of Antichriit, but vvholy for it, asalfo the image ereGed of Nabuchodo- is for the po- notor, and the vvorthip thereof vvas alrogether for the honour ofhim, fo isthe vvorfhip of nour of Chrift Chiifts image,the honour of Chrift him felf.and not againit him,as Proreftants madly imagin. .

kings: & yet the Heretikes blinded excedingly vvith malice againft ihe Church of ping... Rome, are fo madde to take them for the feven hilles literally, vpon vvhich in old time Rome did ftand ; that fo they might make the volearned beleeue that Rcme is the feate of Antichzift. Bulif-tpe prote. they had any confideration, they might marke that the Prophets vifions here are moft of them by ftants madnes Scueng, wvherher he talke of heads, hornes, candleitickes, Churches, kings,hilles,or other thinges: in expounding and thathe alluded nor to the hilles, becaufe they vvere inft (euen, butthat Seuen is a myftical the 9 Lille, number , as fometime Tem is, fignifying vniuerfally al ofthat fort whereof he fpeaketh. as, that o¢ Rome : the the feuen heads, hilles, or kingdoms ( Which are bere al one ) fhould beal che kingdoms of Ange) bimfele the World that perfecute the Chriftians : being heads and mounraines for their height im dignitie 0. Oe dine it aboue others, And fometakce it, that there Were feuen fpecial Empires, kingdoms, or States, thar Otheewife® wvereor {hal be the greatett perfecutors of Gods people. asof Agypt, ( havaan, Babylon, the ~ Perfians, and Greekes, Which be five. Gxrly of the Romane Empire which once perfecuted moft ofal other, and Which (as the Apoftle here (aith) yer ts, or ftandeth. but the feventh,then vvhen S. lobn wvrore this, vvas pot come, neither is yet come in ous daies: vvhichis Anrichrifts ftate, Meri Nias not come fo long as the Empire of Rome ftandeth , as S. Paul did Prophecie. 2 Theffal. 2. . .

Roode or crucifixe) he feeth honoured and exalted in euery Church, he wvil 16 honour a- haue his image adored ( for that is Antichrift, in emulation of like honour,adueriarie to Chritt) eaint the ho- fo fortha: he teeth al true Chriftian men to beare the badge of his Croffe in their toreheads, he “4, of Chritt likevvife vvil force al his to haue an other marke, to abolifh the figne of Chrift. By thelikeemu- — . lation alfo and wicked oppofition he vvil haue his name and the letcers thereof co be facred , and to be vvorne in mens cappes, or vvritren in folemne places, and to be vvorfhipped, as the name of Tzsys isand oughtro beamong Chriftianmen. And as the ineffable name of God wvas among grip the levvesexpreifed by a certaine number of 4 charaGers(therfore cailed Tetragrammaton) (0 ic feemceth the Apoftle alludeth here to the number of Antichriits name. The Proteftitr And here i: is much to be noted , thac the Procettants plucking dovvne the image of Chrift by sbolifhing out ofal Churches, & his figne of the croife from mens foreheads, and taking avvay the honour of Chriftes i- and reverence ofthe name LEs vs, doe make roome for Antichnifts image, X marke,and aame. mage, & croffe And vvhen Chrifts imagesand enfignes or armes (hal be abolifhed , and the Idol of Autichrift and irreveréce fetvp in fteede thereot,as itis already begonne: then is che abomination of defolaion vvhichvvas ro the name foretold by Danie] and cur Sauiour. lzsvs., make

Though Sod vyould noe haue it manifeft before hand tothe vvorld,vvho 4 ready vvay co in particular this An‘ichrift Chould bes yer it pleafed him to give (uch tokens of him, thatvvhen the hoxzour of he commeth, the faithful may eaiily take notice of him, according as itis yvritten of she euentof Antuchrift. Te. 14,29. other prophecies concerning our Sauiour, That vuben itis comeco paffe, you may beleeus. Inthe — *ntichrifts meane tunc vye mui take heede that vvsiudge nor oues rafbly of Gads fecretes, che holy vyriter naire fecreie. Y Vvy 1j here 724 THE APOCALYPSE. Cua, XIIII, here fignifying, that itis a point of bigh vnderftan ding, illuminated extraordinarily by Gods Spirit, to recken rignt and difcipecr trucly before hand, Anticnrifts same and perfon.