A Sermon preached at Hampton Court the. xii. of Nouember last past. 1570.

THat I may speake to the glory of
God, and the edifying of the Congregation,
here gathered in hys
name, I shall desire you all, right
honorable, worshipfull, and welbeloued in our
Sauiour CHRIST, to ioyne wyth me in
faythfull and earnest prayer. And in thys
prayer. &c.
It is written in the. xiiij. chapter of the Reuelation
of S. Iohn, the. 8. verse: She is fallen,
she is fallen, euen Babylon that great Citye,
for of the wyne of the fury of her fornication,
she hath made all nations to drinke.
The holy Euangelist S. Luke right honorable,
and welbeloued in Christ in the fourth
chapter of his Gospel, recordeth that on a time
when our Sauiour came into the Sinagoge
at Nazareth, to rede as his custom was, there
was deliuered to him a booke, contayning the
Prophecie of the Prophet Esay: Which after
he had opened, at the first he found the place
where it was written in these wordes: The
Spirit of the Lord is vpon me, because he hath
annoynted me: that I should preach the Gospel
to the poore: he hath sent me that I shuld

A.iij.

1

heale the broken in hart, that I should preach
deliuerance to the Captiues, and sight to the
blinde, that I should set at libertie them that
are brused, and to preach the acceptable yeare
of the Lord. Then after hee had closed the
booke, and deliuered it to the Minister, he sat
downe to preach, and the eyes of all them that
wer in the Congregation, wer bent vpon him.
Then he opened his mouth, & spake vnto them
these wordes: This day is thys Scripture fulfilled
in your eares, and they all gaue him testimonie,
that it was so. In lyke maner may
I say, concerning this place of scripture which
I haue read vnto you: in your eyes and eares
is this scripture this day fulfilled. And I pray
GOD, you may all likewyse beare wytnes
with me, that it is so.
The last time that I spake in this auditorie,
I entreated of the floorishing and prosperous
estate of Ierusalem, which is the Church of
God, set forth in the. 122. Psalm, and therfore
good order now requireth that I should speake
of the decay and ouerthrow of the ennemy of
Ierusalem, which is Babylon, the See & church
of Antichrist. And for that purpose principally
haue I chosen this text of scripture to speake
of: That by the one we myght bee enflamed
with loue of the true Church of Christ, and by
the other be moued to the hatred of that false
church of Antichrist. Now this text of scripture
She is fallen, she is fallen, euen Babylon
that great City, for of the wyne of the fury of
her fornication she hath geuen all Nations to
drinke offereth mee three speciall thinges to
be considered: First, what Babilon is: secondly,
what is become of her: And thirdly, what
is the cause of her heauy decay.
In the first part, by the assistaunce of God,
and your honorable pacience, I shall playnly
shew and proue that Babylon is Rome: in the
second, that Babylon or Rome, by ye iust iudgement
of God is fallen, yea she is fallen: in the
last, the reason of thys so sharpe sentence of
God agaynst her, because shee hath deceyued
all the world wyth dronkennesse and whoredome.
Within the compas of these three propositions,
I wyll keepe my selfe in all my discourse:
Sauyng that by your fauour, for asmuch
as thys is the myddle voyce of three Angels
that speake in this chapter, for a preface I
wyll is the voyce of the first Angel, of whose
preaching this my text is a consequent: and in
the steede of a conclusion, I wil touch the voyce
of the third Angell, which is a consequent of
this the mydle Angels voyce. Concerning the
Preface, it shall be this in few wordes.
After that S. Iohn had described the preseruation
& vnitie of the Church of God in Christ,
their head, euen in the midst of the fury of Antichrist,
vnder the figure of the Lambe, standing
on mount Syon, with. 144000. of hischast
woorshippers: next hee declareth that God
would bring the same againe into the sight of
the world, by preaching of the Gospell, and the
ouerthrowe of the kyngdome of Antichrist.
Wherefore he sendeth an Angell, flying in the
midst of heauen, or betwene heauen & earth,
brynging with him an euerlasting Gospel, and
preaching, that all men should feare God, and
geue glory to hys name, for the tyme of hys
iudgement was at hand, and that they should
worship him that made heauen and earth, and
all things that are in them. A very angelicall
Sermon in deede, and an euerlasting Gospell
is that, how soeuer the enemyes charge it
wyth nouelty that teacheth to feare God, to
geue glory to hys name, and to worship hym
onely, that is the creator of heauen and earth.
And a consequent of that Gospell, is this Sermon
of the Angell, She is fallen, she is fallen,
euen Babylon that great Citie; for wheresoeuer
men are taught to feare God aryght, to
geue all glorye to hym alone, and to worship
none other but him that made heauen & earth,
and all thinges in them contained: there must
needes followe a great fall and ouerthrow of
Babilon, and Babilonicall religion, which teacheth
the contrarye. Wherefore if we loue
the peace of Ierusalem, to the ouerthrowe of
thys her great aduersary, let vs embrace this
euerlasting Gospell, that we feare God, glorify
God, and worship God alone. Againe, if
we hate Babylon, with a perfect hatred, as we
ought to do, and therefore would seeke her vtter
ruyne and decay, let vs procure, that this
Gospel may be preached, that men may learne
to feare, honor and serue God onely, and then
vndoubtedly Babylon shall fall, she shall fall I
say, she can stand no longer. Let this suffice
therefore for a Preface.
Now haue we to consider what Babylon is.
I haue vndertaken to proue, that Babylo~ here
spoken of, is Rome. But first I must admonish
you, how I vnderstand Rome: And that
is not onely for a certaine place in Italy, compassed
about with walles, and furnished with
buyldinges, as other Cities are: but for that
authoritie, gouernment, and preheminence
which is challenged by meanes of that city, or
for the Romane Empire, which is claymed by
prerogatiue of the same Citie: And so is Babylon
taken in the Scripture, and namely in
this prophecie. For in the eleuenth chapter of
this Reuelation, the same great City is called
also Sodoma and Aegiptus, where our Lord
was crucified: Sodoma, for the great abomination

B.j.

and the filthines therin mayntained: and
Aegiptus, because it keepeth the people of God
in miserable bondage and slauerie, as Aegipt
vnder Pharao dyd of old. Whereby it is manifest,
that the great Citie is to be taken for
that tyranny, gouernment, and preheminence,
as I sayd, which is challenged in the ryght of
that great Citie: And so is the regiment and
gouernance of the Romane Antichrist depending
vpon the prerogatiue of hys See, which
is Rome. Now if any will contend, that Babylon
must be taken in the proper sence, for a
Citie in Chaldea onely, as though we should
looke for the See of Antichrist out of the Cast:
As the Papists for. xxx. or. xl. yeares ago, deuised
a fable, that was renued also in Queene
Maries dayes, of a monstrous Childe whych
should be borne at Babylon, which they would
haue men suppose to be Antichrist: He maye
be flatly conuicted of great ignoraunce, when
the Angell in the. 17. chapter of his Prophecie
testifieth, that her name is Babylon in a mysterie,
as in the. 11. chapter, that she is spiritually
called Sodoma and Aegiptus, not in respect
of situation of the place, but in similitude and
likenes of condicions.
Wherfore it remayneth, that according to
my promise I proue Babylon, here mencioned,
to be Rome. The greatest controuersye
that this day troubleth the world, is wher the
true church of God should be, the Papists making
great brags, that it is on their side, & we
affirming that it is on our side. This controuersie
wyll soone be cut of, and brought to an
end, if it may be shewed that Babilon is Rome.
For then ca~not Rome be the church of Christ,
but the church of Antichrist. And therfore it
standeth me vpon, to bring very good & substa~ciall
proues, to maintaine this my assertion,
that Babilon is Rome. But what proues may
be counted sufficient? Is not the authority of
holy scriptures, and the testimony of auncient
Doctors of the Church, good andsubstanciall
proues? Therfore of autority of scriptures be
a good & substantiall proofe, ye shall haue scriptures:
if consent of auncient writers in ye same
sentence be of any value, you shal haue plenty.
And first beginning with scriptures, I wyll
not alledge such places as be hard, and darke
to vnderstand: but such as be playne, euident,
and manifest, & can receiue no other interpretacion;
to satisfie the iudgement of any reasonable
man. Iomyt therfore, so many figures
as in thys Reuelation do not very obscurely
signifie, but euen directly poynt and paynt out
that Antichristian church. For although they
do so aptlye and fitlye agree thereto, as a man
myght easely iudge, they were made euen for

B.ij.

the same purpose: yet because they might be
wrested to some other meanyng, if manyfest
places did not withstand: I wyll leaue all aduauntage
that I might take of them, and hold
me onely at this time, to those plaine and euident
demonstrations, which wyth no equitie
nor conscience can admit any other interpretacions.
Onely I wil here note, that for asmuch
as all figures, types and coulors contayned in
this booke, may so conueniently be applyed to
Rome, as though they had bene propperly appointed
to describe her as they wer in deede
it is great preiudice against Rome, although
no playner proofes might be brought. But
when so plaine arguments are brought forth,
that without to much impudency, cannot be auoyded,
and al other figures and dark speeches
agree accordingly, it is a manifest conuiction
that Rome is none other but this Babylon.
But to begyn with these playne places as I
haue promised, the first shalbe out of the 11. chapter
of this Reuelation, the place before alledged:
wher it is declared, that God in al times,
yea in the greatest persecution would mayntayne
his Church, and reserue at the least two
witnesses which should testify of his truth, in
spight of Antichrist, and his adherents. Which
although the monstrous beast, that ariseth out
of the bottomles pit, should murther and slay:
yet God should restore them to life again, continually
stirring vp a sufficient nu~ber to beare
witnes of his name and doctrine. In that chapter
I say, it is contayned, that when the beast
had murdered them, he should enuy them the
honor of buriall, and so their bodies should lye
in the streete or market place of that great city
which is spiritually called Sodoma & Aegiptus
wher our Lord was crucified. Declaring therby,
that as Rome had slayne and crucified the
head, so should Rome persecute the members:
& in the same city wher their Lord was murthered,
the seruants also should be persecuted.
But here a man would thinke, that I were
impudent, to affirme that our Sauiour Christ
was crucified at Rome, whom all the world
knoweth to haue suffered death at Ierusalem.
But you must call to remembraunce, that at
the first I gaue warning, that I did not vnderstand
Rome for the topography of Rome, that
is so much ground onely as is compassed with
in the walles of that city, but for the regiment,
gouernance, and prerogatiue that is claymed,
by reason of that City or that Monarchy, wherof
Rome is the head: And then I shall easelye
proue that Christ was crucified at Rome, for
by whom was he condemned? was it not by
Pilate the Deputy or Liefetenant of the Romane
Empire? For what cause or crime was

B.iij.

he adiudged to dye? Was it not for treason
pretended to be co~mitted against the Romane
Empyre? With what kinde of execution was
he put to death? Was it not such as was vsuall
by the lawes of the Romanes, for suche
haynous offences as were vniustly layd to his
charge? Finally, was not the place wherin
he suffered, within the circute of the Romane
Empire? May I not the~ iustly affirme that he
was crucified at Rome, when by the Romane
Iudge he was condemned for a crime against
the Romane state, and executed by a kynde of
death appointed by the Romane lawes, and
in a place of the Romane dominion? As for
the Iewes, they had at that time no autority to
put any man to death: as they confesse them
selues, when Pilate had them take him, and
iudge him according to their own law: meaning
they should decree some light punishment
against him, they aunswered: It is not lawfull
for vs to put any man to death, & he hath deserued
to dye. As touching the cause, although
they accused him of blasphemy, in that he made
him selfe the sonne of God: yet should he not be
condemned for that, because Pilate would admyt
no accusation, but suche as contayned a
crime against the Romane lawes. And as for
the death of the crosse, it is manifest to be proper
to the Romanes, for the Iewes would haue
stoned him, if they might haue condemned him
for blasphemy, according to the law of Moses.
And that ye Angell in that place by no meanes
can vnderstand Ierusalem, it is manifest by
these reasons: First, that he calleth it that
great Citie, which terme could neuer be spoken
of Ierusalem: also hee calleth it Sodoma &
Aegiptus, which was the sea of the mo~strous
beast Antichrist, which in other places is often
called Babylon, wheras no man euer did imagine,
that Ierusalem should be called Sodoma,
Aegibt, or Babylon: Adde hereunto, that Ierusalem,
the place where Christ suffered, was
vtterly destroyed in S. Iohns time, whereby it
is euident, that by this great Citie, spiritually
called Babylon, Sodoma & Aegiptus, is meant
none other but the Romaine Empire, which
crucified the head, and should also bring forth
that monstrous beast Antichrist, which should
torment and afflict the members, which began
with murther of the Lord, and should continue,
till it were destroyed, in murthering of
the seruantes. And by this plaine text, which
can not be wrested to anye other sence, thys
great City Babylon, where Christ was crucified,
is proued to be Rome, and the authority,
rule and power of the Romane City.
The secend playne and euident proofe which
I wyll vse at thys time, shall be taken out of
the 13. chapter of this Reuelation, where that
euil shapen beast is described, which is ye head
of the persecuting malignant church: hauing
seuen heades, and ten hornes, and is the same
which afterward in the. 17. Chapter beareth
the great whore Babylon, the mother of all abominations
of the earth. Who so therefore
wyll compare these thinges that are written
in this booke, concerning the disposition of that
monstrous beast, with those thinges that the
Prophet Daniel in the. 7. Chapter of his prophecy
describeth of the. 4. beastes, and specially
of the fourth, which all men confesse to be the
Romane Empire, except he to much blynded
with frowardnes and peruers affection:
he must needes acknowledge, that this Beast
which Iohn painteth out, is the same that Daniel
setteth out: Which contayning in it the
cruelty of the Leoparde, the Beare, and the
Lyon, which were the former Monarchies, is
vnlike to them all, and therefore is the fourth
Empire, which all the world acknowledgeth
to be the Monarchie of Rome. What should
I speake of the nu~ber of hornes, equal in both,
and generally of all other partes of their description,
which is set forth to like, and almost
with the same wordes, both of the one, and of
the other, that it were mere madnes to imagine,
that this Beast which Iohn describeth,
should be any other, then that Daniel had so
long before portraited. Then if the Beast in
Daniels description, doth signifie the fourth
kingdome, as the Angell expoundeth it, which
no man wyll deny to be the Romane Monarchie:
The same monstrous Beast, being here
painted out in this Reuelation, with the same
shape, coulors and conditions, must needes signify
the Romane Empire, and so Babylon by
this reason also is proued to be Rome.
The third argument or proofe is taken out
of the. 17. chapter of this Reuelacion, and the. 9.
verse: Where the Angell expounding to saint
Iohn the mistery of the Beast wt seuen heads,
declareth in very playne words, that the seuen
heades do signifie seuen hyls, wheron the woman
sitteth. Now, seing it is euident, that the
woman signifieth a great Citye, we must see
where we can finde a great City builded vpon
seuen hyls, and that by the interpretacion of
the Angell is Babylon, the See of Antichrist.
And if we seeke throughout the whole world,
where shall we finde a great City builded vpon
seuen hyls, but that great Citye in Italy,
which al Writers, Poets, Historiers, Cosmegraphers,
with one consent do confesse to bee
Rome, which is builded vpo~ seuen hils, whose
names are these, Palatinus, Capitolinus, Auentinus,
Exquilinus, Viminalis, Quirinalis,

C.j.

and Cælius. This is so playne a notacion of
Rome to be Babylon, builded vpon seuen hyls,
that the Angel could not more plainly haue expressed
Rome, though he had named her. Nay
this is a more euident and certaine description
of Rome, to be the See of Antichrist, then if
in plaine words he had said Babylon is Rome.
For it might be, that some other Citye then
that here was ment, myght haue the name of
Rome, but no other City could haue this notacion,
to be builded on seuen hyls. For Constantinopolis
was afterwarde called newe
Rome, but Constantinopolis was not builded
vpon seuen hils like vnto old Rome. Therfore
this is a playne and manifest circumlocution
of Rome, which with no reason can receyue any
other exposition.
For what Boy going to the Gra~mer scoole,
and reading in Virgils Georgikees this verse:
Septem quæ vna sibi muro circundedit arces.
That Citie saith Virgil which hath compassed
seuen hils within her wall, what boy I say
in the Grammer schoole, doth not vnderstande
this to be ment of the City of Rome, although
the Poete in that place, doth not once name
Rome? Wyth what face therefore wyll any
man deny, that the Angell here meaneth any
other Citye by thys periphrasis and circumlocution,
then Rome? For if any man wyll be
so froward to except, that the woord of hyls is
not taken in the proper sence, but figuratiuely
and metaphorically for some other thing, as
some would seeme to interprete seuen hyls in
this place, for seuen kingdoms, he shal playnly
be conuinced by these reasons: First it wer
absurd, that the angel should repeate one thing
twise: for in the next clause he sheweth, that
the seuen heades doo signifie kyngdomes also.
But especially we must remember, that this
is an interpretacion of the Angel, which must
either be plaine and easy to be vndertstood, or
els it deserueth not the name of an interpretacion.
Therefore if the Angell, offering to expound
the mystery of the seuen heads, geueth
this exposition, that they signify seuen hyls, if
hyls be not taken in their propper sence, to
what purpose serueth this exposition? For if
the name of hyls hath neede of another exposition,
he had bene as good to haue left the name
of heads unexpounded. And as for the interpretacion
of hyls to signifie kings, is more obscure,
dark, and far fet, then that heads should
represent kings, for it is more apt by Metaphore,
to call a King an head; then to call hym
an hyl. Therfore except we wyll saye that the
interpretacion of the Angell is in vayne, yea
more darke, then the thing yt is expounded by
him, we must needes confes that hils ar taken

C.ij.

in their proper sence for hyls, and then the City
builded vpon seuen hyls, without al controuersie,
is the City of Rome.
The fourth and last proofe that I wyll take
out of the holy scripture, is the last verse of the
same. 17. chapter, which is yet a more plaine description
of Rome, if any thyng can be more
playne, then that hath bene already spoken of.
For ther the Angell in plaine woords expoundeth,
that the woman which S. Iohn saw which
was the great whore Babylon, is the great
City which hath dominion ouer the Kinges of
the earth. What brasen face is so impudent,
to deny that Rome was that great city which
had dominion ouer the Kinges of the earth at
that time, when this was spoken? Or what
other city had dominion ouer the Kings of the
earth in S. Iohns time, but Rome? Who is
therfore so froward & vntoward, that he wyll
not acknowledge Babylon here to be playnly
called Rome? If I should name the chiefe city
of England, who would not vnderstand London?
If I should speake of the chiefe City of
Fraunce, who would not conceiue Paris? And
when the Angell named the chiefe City of the
world, who could be ignoraunt, liuing in that
time, or knowing the history of that time, that
he vnderstood it of the Citye of Rome, which
was the See of the Empyre, and from whence
we should looke that Antichrist should come,
according to the former prophecies. For it is a
shame, in thys place to flee vnto Allegories,
and further expositions of this angelical interpretacion,
which as I sayd before, if it be not
cleare, playne and easy to be vnderstood, deserueth
not the name of an exposition: as when
one vnknowen thing is expounded by an other,
as much or more vnknowen, it is vayne,
superfluous, & ridiculous. Wherfore, whom
any bandes of reason wil hold in, they must be
satisfied with the exposition of the Angel, that
Babylon is Rome. For seing it was necessary
for the Church of God, to know as well the
place where Antichrist shoudl syt, as to be instructed
of his craft and cruelty: our Sauiour
CHRIST, the Author of this Reuelation,
would not suffer his Congregation to be ignorant
therof, but sent his Angell playnly to interpreate
and expound the vision of the great
whore, that the Church beyng throughly admonished
of her wickednesse, and instructed
perfectly to know her, might more easely take
heede of her, flee from her, and abhorre her. So
that according to my promise I haue sufficiently
proued by authority of holy Scripture, this
first preposition which I tooke in hand, that Babylon
is Rome.
But because some are of such obstinate and

C.iij.

wilfull frowardnes, that nothing will satisfy
them, but they wyll still grudge and repine,
carpe and obiect agaynst my interpretacions
of the holy scriptures for the text they cannot
deny I wish them that are such, if they lyke
not these expositions which I haue brought to
the defasing of Antichrist and his religion, then
that they admyt and reuerence those expositions,
whych their own Authors bryng for the
maintenance of the Popes authority, & his religion.
Of which sort ar these: God saith Moses
in Genesis made two great lights, the Sun
to rule the day, and the Moone to gouern the
night: That is, saith the famous Interpreter,
God ordained the Pope and the Emperour to
rule the world. By the Sunne is meant the
Pope, and by the Moone the Emperour. And
looke how much greater, & more glorious the
Sunne is then the Moone, so much greater and
more glorious is the Pope, then the Emperor.
And not content with this, he counteth by Arithmatike
how much greater the Sun is in
quantity then the Moone, by proportion that it
hath to the earth, & by so many many parts he concludeth
that the Pope is greater then the
Emperor. But here a ma~ might help him, what by
Geometry, & what by Arithmatike, for where
as the Sunne is 166 times greater then the
earth, and the earth 39 times greater then the
Moone as is proued by Mathematical demonstration
the Pope should bee 6474 tymes
greater then the Emperour. This is one noble
exposition that is set forth to aduaunce the
dignity of the Pope, and his kingdome.
Another like to this, is vpon the wordes of
the Apostles, which answered vnto our Sauiour
CHRIST, when he commaunded him
that had no sword, to sel his coate and bye one,
signifiyng the great dau~ger that was at hand:
Lord say they here are two swordes. These
swords sayth the Glosar are the Ciuill and
Ecclesiastical power, which remayned in Peter,
and therfore his Successor the Pope hath
preheminence of both. No doubt a worthy interpretacion,
and that agrieeth well with the
text, and doth the Pope great worship.
Againe S. Paule saith to the Corinthians. 1.
Cor. 2. The spiritual man iudgeth althings, &
he him selfe is iudged of none. This spiritual
man, saith the Interpreter, is the Pope, which
is Iudge of all the world, and may not be controlled
of any man, no though he draw wyth
him innumerable soules rules into hel fier, there to
be tormented with the Deuil and him for euer
more, yet no man must be so bold as to finde
fault with him, or to say: Domine quid ita facis?
Lord why do you so? Is not this an handsome
exposition? Yes I promis you, euen like
vnto this other: Statuimus vt Clerici nec ceruam
nutriant, nec barbam radant: We decree
sayth a Canon of an auncient Counsell that
the Clergy shall neither weare long heere, nor
shaue their beardes. The Gloser, finding this
Cannon to be so cleane contrary vnto the custome
of the popish Clergy, who vse to weare
long heere, and to shaue their beartes, thought
he would draw it at the least, if it would not
come by fayre meanes, to maintaine the lawdable
custome of the popish Clergy: and by exposition
of one word, he maketh the whole Canon
to serue his turne. Therefore Statuimus sayth he which we decree, is to be expou~ded,
for Abrogamus, which is we disanull or
abrogate, and so the sence afterward falleth
out very playne for the popish Priestes thus:
We disanull that Priestes should go without
long beere, or vnshauen beardes. A right cunning
interpretation, and proper for the place,
and such in effect are all those that serue for the
maintenance of the Popes authority and the
religion of popery. Therefore, he that is of so
sharpe iudgement, yt he wil with mislyke & refuse
those plaine expositions, which I haue brought
of the places before alledged, & exceot agaynst
them, as enforced, constrayned, and farre fetched:
let him like of, prayse magnify, and admire
these interpretations, which are sought
out to vphold & establish ye Popes throne, & his
religion, as ryghtly, faithfully & truly collected
Atq~ idem iungat Vulpes, et mulgeat Hircos,
and by as good reason let hym ioyne for hys
plough, not Oxes, but Foxes, and milke for
his payle, not shee Goates, but hee Goates, as
the Poet sayth.
Nowe that I haue proued Babylon to bee
Rome by autority of Scripture, it followeth
that I must shew for the same, the consent of
auncient Doctors. And as in my former probatio~,
I touched onely such places as did plainly,
directly, and manifestly set forth my purpose:
so in this behalfe I will deals wyth the
Doctours. Not such as they are woont to alledge
against vs, names in deede of great and
reuerent antiquity, but workes of mere falsehoode
and forgery, bewraying their Authours,
not to be such as they are fathered vpon, but
such as out of the body of blindnes and superstition
of much latter time, haue begotten the~.
Such are the decretall Epistles of the old Bishops
of Rome, Linus, Clemens, Anacletus. &c.
Of which Clemens, writing to S. Iames, forsooth,
in his second Epistle chargeth him very
earnestly, that the Pixe be cleanly kept, so that
there appere no Mise doong, or any other filthines
among the fragme~ts of the body of Christ,
with many other apostolical co~maundements.

D.j.

The impudence of whose Authors appeareth
notably in this, that whereas they were ignorant
Buzards that could not write true latin,
they would ascribe their counterset Epistles
to so learned Fathers, as though at that tyme
when women and children spake latin, naturally
as their mother tong, the bishops wer so
vnlearned, that they did write so barbarously,
and were not able to vtter their minde in true
latine. But leauyng those delicates for such
as long after them, I wyl vse no authority for
this purpose, but such as they cannot refuse,
but that it is auncient, catholike & autenticall.
I wil begin therfore with Irenaeus, one of the
most auncient and authenticall writers that
the Church hath: who in the fift booke of hys
treatise against al heresies, speaking of the See
of Antichrist, vpon the last verse of the. 13. chapter
of this Reuelation, wher it is sayd, that the
number of the Beastes name, is sixe hundreth
sixty and sixe, sheweth that the opinion of many
in this time was, that seing this name NoValue,
which is in English The Latine man, or
Romane, in the numerall Greeke letters, containeth
this number, that Antichrist must bee
sought at Rome. His wordes are these: Sed et
NoValue nomen sexcentorum sexaginta sex
numerorum, &c. et valde veresimile est, quoniam
verissimum regnum hoc habet vocabulum

22

Latini enim funt qui nunc regnant. Also
sayth he this name Lateinos, containing the
number of 666, is thought to be the name
of Antichrist, & it is very like so to be, for that
which most vndoubtedly is a kyngdome hath
that name. for they be Latines which now doo
raigne. You see by this testimony of Irenæus,
that this prophecy of old time was vnderstood
of Rome, & therfore it is no new interpretacio~
that Babylon is Rome, & that the number of
the Beastes name is to be found in one that
beareth rule at Rome. If this exposition or explication
of the Beastes name, had bene deuised
by Luther, Zwynglius, or Caluine, it might
haue bene suspected, as a thing imagined of
spight and enuy agaynst the church of Rome,
but when it is brought forth by so auncienct a
Doctor, which lyued not many yeares after
this Reuelation was geuen, as hee him selfe
saith, it was but a litle before his time, vnder
Domitiane the Emperor, which died. 13. hundred
yeres before Luther was borne: we must
needes iudge it both to be very auncient, and
voyde of all partiallity. Wherefore I wyll
passe pier diuers other applications of that
number, to other names, which neuerthelesse
hyt Babylon home, because they haue beene
sought out of late, by such as beare yll wyl vnto
Rome. For I thinke this is sufficient with

D.ij.

all reasonable men of equall iudgement, to
proue that this is no new opinion to seeke the
See of Antichrist in Rome. They them selues
to proue their doctrine catholicke, alledge aucthority
of a. xj. or xij. or xiij. hundred yeres antiquity:
behold this opinion is .xij.or.xiij hu~dred yeres
old, that Antichrist should be a Romane, and
that the See of his tyranny is at Rome.
The second wytnes of this assertion that
Babylon is Rome, is Tertullianus, a verye
auncient writer also: who in playne woordes
affirmeth that Babilon signifieth Rome, in the
third booke agaynst Marcion, which denyed
that Christ had a true body. Wherfore Tertulliane
vseth this reason against hym: That
thing which hath a figure of it, must be a thing
of truth, and so discoursing of many things figured,
and the figures of them, co~meth to these
wordes: Sic et Babylon apud Iohannem nostrum,
Romanæ vrbis figuram portat, perinde
et magnæ, et regno superbæ, et sanctorum debellatricis.
That is to say: Euen so doth Babylon
in the Apocalips of our saynt Iohn,
beare the figure of the City of Rome, which is
altogether as great, and as proud in raygne,
and as great a persecuter of the saints, as Babylon
was. You see therefore most clearly
and plainly, that Tertulliane withal his learning,
could not interprete these things that be
written in this Reuelation, concerning Babylon
to be applied to any other city then Rome.
And he is also a witnes voyd of all partiallity
or affection to either part, of them that striue
in our dayes. For he departed nere about. xiij.
hundred yeares before our time: why should
he not then be credited in this case:
Well, next vnto him I wyll ioyne Chrysostome,
in his Co~mentary vpon the second Epistle
to the Thessalonians the second chapter,
in his fourth Homely. Where as saint Paule
speakyng of the manifestation of Antichrist,
sayth they knew what was the stay, that hee
was not presently reuealed: But when that
stay is taken away, he should be reuealed in
hys due time. Chrysostome expoundeth this
stay, to be the Romane Empire, which must
geue place vnto Antichrist. That lyke as the
Persians came in place of the Chaldeans, the
Græcians in place of the Persians, and the Romanes
in place of the Græcians, euen so Antichrist
should inuade the Empire of the Romanes:
Vacantem imperij principatum inuadet,
et tentabit ad se capere hominum et Dei
imperium. Antichrist saith he shal inuade
the vacant principallity of the Empire, & shal
assay to draw vnto him self the Empires both
of God and men. And is it not manifest, that
the Papacie grew & tooke increase by the decay

D.iij.

of the Empire, and at the fall of the Monarchy
challenged full possession of all dominion,
both spirituall and temporall?
Of the same iudgement is S. Ierome, writing
vpon the same place of Paule vnto Algasia,
in the eleuenth question, whose wordes are
these: Nec vult aperte dicere Romanum imperium
destruendum, quod ipsi qui imperant
æternum putant, vnde secu~dum Apocalypsim
Iohänis in fronte purpuratæ meretricis scriptum
est nomen blasphemiæ, id est Romæ aeternæ,
&c. That is: Neither wyll he openly say,
that the Romane Empire should be destroyed,
which they that gouerne it thinke to be euerlasting,
wherfore according to the Reuelation
of S. Iohn, in the forehead of the purple whore
ther is written a name of blasphemy, which is
Rome euerlasting. Loe here another wytnes
of good antiquity, and sufficient credite, which
not onely agreeeth plainly with Chrysostome,
that Antichrist should take possession of the Romane
Empire, when it should be decayed in
the Emperours: but also most plainly agreeing
with Tertulliane, calleth that Babylonical
strumpet, which is described in the. 17. chapter
of this Apocalips, that purple whore of Rome,
and the name of blasphemy to be, Rome euerlasting:
as though he had heard the Pope brag
of the eternity of his See, which he saith is the
rocke, against which the gates of hell cannot
preuayle. But he is fowly begiled, for Rome
the See of his Popedome, is by Saint Ieromes
iudgement, that Babylon of whom the Angell
preacheth, that howsoeuer she boast of her eternity:
She is fallen, she is fallen, euen Babylon
that great City, and neuer shal rise again.
They cry out against vs, that we rayle, and
speake contumeliously of, the holy See of the
Pope, when we call Rome the whore of Babilon:
but when the olde Doctours to whose
iudgement they them selues appeale from the
authority of the scripture feare not so plainly
in their writings, to paynt out the Babylonical
strumpet in her right coulors, & in flat wordes
to say she is Rome, the mother of all abominations,
and the See of Antichrist: why shoulde
we be blamed, for saying as we are taught by
them? And especially of those men that make
so great vauntes, that the iudgement of the fathers
is altogether on their side: by who~ they
offer to be tryed, when they dare not abide the
iudgement of the scriptures. Againe, consider
I pray you of the old doctors, before Antichrist
were openly reuealed, dyd vnderstand by the
scriptures, that he should syt at Rome: what
thinke you would they haue sayd and written,
if they had liued in these daies, & knowen and
sene all that was prophecied to be fulfilled in
hym, with what confidence suppose ye, they
would haue inueyed against him? With how
open mouthes would they haue cried out vpon
him? At least wise do you not thinke in your
conscience, that when they had considered the
authority of the Pope and his wholesome doctrine,
they would haue chaunged their minds,
and recanted their wrytings against Rome, &
repented that euer they had called her the purple
whore of Babylon, seing she is the holy mother
church of Rome, the See of the most holy
father the Pope, head of the same church. I
must needes say thus much in your behalfe O
ye Papistes as yll as I loue you, that if Hierome,
Tertulliane and the rest of the Doctors,
did so accou~t of Rome as you affirme of them,
they were much to blame to defame her with
such odious names, as to call her the purple
whore of Babylon, which must needes make
her vehementlye suspected to be the church of
Antichrist, and not of Christ. For what Papist
in these dayes dare say, that which Ierome
sayd, that Rome is that purple harlot Babylon
which S. Iohn speaketh of in the Apocalips?
The same Ierome in his 13. booke of co~mentaries
of the prophecy of Esay, vpo~ the 47. chap.
writeth in this maner: Licet ex eo quod iuxta.
70. scriptum est NoValue, id est
filia Babylonis, non ipsum Babylonem quidam

28

sed Romanam vrbem interpreta~tur, quæ
in Apocalypsi Iohannis at Epistola Petri Babylon
specialiter appellatur. &c. That is:
For as muche as the seuentye Interpretours
wryte, not the Daughter Babylon, but the
Daughter of Babylon, some do interpret therof,
not Babylon in Chaldea, but the Citye of
Rome, which in the Reuelation of saint Iohn,
and the Epistle of Peter, is specially called Babylon.
Note that Ierome in thys place, accompteth
Rome to bee Babylon the younger,
daughter of Babylon the elder. And secondly,
that this was not his opinion onelye, but the
consent of many other in his time, and namely
of such as vsed to interprete the Prophet Esay.
Thirdly and especially consider, that he affirmeth
Rome in the Apocalips, to be speciallye
called Babylon. So that Babylon in the Apocalips,
by his iudgement, can be vnderstood for
nothing els but Rome, because Rome is there
speciallye figured by Babylon. What meaneth
Ierome so often to beate in thys nayle
that Babylon is Rome? If it had slypped out
of his penne but once, hee myght haue beene
pardoned for his ouersight: but when he hath
neuer done writyng, that Rome is Babylon,
and in the Reuelation specially called Babylon,
why should we accompt hym anye longer
for a Catholike? For in his Preface vnto the

E.j.

booke of Didimus, De spiritu sancto, which he
translated out of Greeke into Latin, writing
to Pauinianus, he vttereth these wordes: Cum
in Babylone versarer, & purpuratæ meretricis
essem Colonus, & iure Quiritum viuere. &c.
Of late saith he when I was in Babylon, &
was an inhabitant of the purple Harlot, and
liued after the law of the Romanes, I thought
to intreate somewhat of the holye Ghoste.
What needed Ierome in this place, so odiously
and contumeliously to call Rome by the name
of Babylon, and a purple strumpet, but that
he could neuer co~sider Rome otherwise but to
be the See appointed for Antichrist? For in other
places, where he interpreteth the Scriptures
and Prophecies, concerning Antichrist,
we may lesse maruails if he interprete Babylon
for Rome, because no reason could leade
him to expound it otherwise: but here talking
pleasantly with his friende, what necessitye
co~pelled him to vse such descriptions of Rome,
but that this persuasion was so depely grauen
in his minde, that Babylon is Rome, that neither
in earnest nor iest he could forget it, but
is alwayes harpyng vppon it, as though hee
thought scorne to call Rome by any other
name, then that he had learned in the Scriptures,
to be Babylon, and the purple Harlot.
For in like maner, writing to Marcella a vertuous
Gentlewoman of Rome, whom he allured
to forsake Rome, and to dwel nere vnto
him in Bethlehem: one especial reason that he
vseth to persuade her, is this: That as Bethlehem,
whether he would haue her to repaire, is
situate in the holy land, and the place consecuted
to the birth of CHRIST: So Rome
where she desired to remaine, was the Babylonical
Harlot, according to the Reuelation of
S. Iohn, appointed for the birth of Antichrist,
which there should arise and exercise tyra~ny,
and fro~ thence should deceiue the whole world
with his wicked wyles.
But who so wyll reade the workes of Hierome,
may finde yet more places, in which
he is bold to call Rome Babylon, the very See
of Antichrist. Whereby it is apparant, that
it is no new or straunge matter to seeke Antichrist
at Rome, when such old Doctors of the
church so co~monly in Co~mentaries, Epistels,
and other writings, do teach vs that Rome is
Babylon, and the scripture affirmeth that Babylon
is the See of Antichrist. But let vs
leaue S. Ierome, and see what other say of the
same matter.
Saint Ambrose, writing a Co~mentary vpon
the Reuelacion of S. Iohn, is of the same
iudgement. Of the authority of he woorke,
I wil moue no question at this time, seing it is

E.ij.

commended to vs by Cutherbert Tonstall, late
bishop of Duresme, who found it an old Library,
and first let it in print, vnder the name
of that great S. Ambrose, and is willing that
men should so thinke of it. It is good authority
I say, against the Papists, being commended
by so Catholike a Prelate, and because they
are woont to receiue whatsoeuer commeth vnder
the name of an old Doctor, though it be neuer
so vnlike his writing, and cry out vpon vs
for reiecting at our pleasure the works of auncient
Doctors that make against our doctrine
as though we reiected any without cause, or
they refused none for any cause: wheras Pighius
their great Patron blusheth not to reiect
the report of two generall Counsels, the fift
and sixt of Constantinople, which are co~mended
to vs by publike faith of the church of Constantinople,
because in the one Pope Honorius
is condemned and accursed for an heretike,
and in neither of both the Popes Legats could
haue the highest place, according to the request
of their ambicious Maister. But as for thys
Ambrose, if he wer not Ambrose of Millain,
yet is it apparant by the style, that hee was
some auncient writer of the Latine Church,
and hee throughout this prophecy interpreteth
Babylon to be Rome: and Antichrist to bee
sought no where but at Rome.
Primasius also, a very auncient writer, who
likewise commenteth vpon the Apocalips, expou~deth
these prophecies of Antichrist to be fulfilled
in ye Romane empire, & of ye city of Rome.
S. Augustine in his worke de Ciuitate Dei,
not once or twise, but oftentimes is bolde to
call Rome Babylon, and Babylon Rome, as
in hys 16 booke and 17 chapter, hee calleth
Rome an other Babylon in the West. And in
his 18 booke and 2 chapter he calleth Babylon
of Chaldea the first Rome, and Rome of Italye
the second Babylon, willyng men to consider
that in the beginning of the city of God which
was the church in Abrahams tyme, the fyrst
Rome that was Casterne Babilon her exempt
was builded in Chaldea, and about the same
time that the first Babylon was destroitd, least
the Citye of God should lacke her enemy, the
second Babylon which is Rome in Italye was
erected. It is a straunge matter that the same
Citie which is a professed enemye of the Citye
of God, should be the mother of all Religion,
and the very city of God it selfe. O Augustine
thou wast not well aduised to make the Citye
of Rome enemy to the city of God, that Rome
should be the same to the church of God, that
Babilon of olde was to Ierusalem. The same
Augustine in the 22 chapter of the 18 booke,
calleth Rome an other Babilon, and daughter

E.iij.

of the first Babilon. And in the .27. chapter he
calleth Rome Western Babylon. By theese
and other testimonies of olde wryters that
might be brought, but for tediousnes I suppose
it is sufficiently proued that Babylon in this
my text spoken of, is Rome, & that we should
not seeke Antichrist to proceede from any other
place then from Rome. But what neede
I trouble my selfe to seeke further testimonial
for confirmation of this matter, that Babylon
is Rome, then of the Papistes them selues?
For it is the common Catholike opinion of all
Papists, that S. Peter in his Epistle wher hee
sendeth Salutacions from the Church gathered
in Babylon, by Babylon vnderstandeth
Rome. And they learne it of Ieronime, which
in the lyfe of S. Marke both so expounde it.
So greedy they are to finde a place in scripture
where Peter should hee sayd to haue bene at
Rome, that they are content to acknowledge
Babylon in the scripture to be vnderstoode of
Rome. And thus I haue performed I trust,
sufficientlye that whych I tooke in hande to
proue, both by the authority of holy Scripture
in playne and manifest tertes, and by consent
of many auncient writers, yea by the confession
of the Papistes them selues, that Babylon
in the scripture is taken for Rome. And
thus much for the first part, in which because
I haue bene ouer long, I wyll be shorter in
that which remayneth.
In the second part I promised to declare
how Babylon which is Rome, is fallen, according
to the prophecy of this Angel: She is fallen
saith the Angel she is fallen. He repeateth
the word of falling for two causes: First,
to declare the certainty of her decay, that how
soeuer she seemed to floorish and triumphe, as
though she should neuer haue fallen or come
to ruine: yet GOD for her wickednes most
righteously, and for the comfort of his Church
most mercifullye, had decreeed vndoubtedlye
that she should fall, when that time was once
come, which in his most wise and wel ordered
counsell was appointed for her destruction.
Seco~dly, he repeateth twise that she is fallen,
to shew that she should haue an vnrecouerable
fall: she should not fall as other Cities, which
haue risen againe, but she should fall without
al hope of recouery, neuer to be restored again.
Therfore in the. 18. chapter a mighty Angel taketh
vp a great mylstone, and throweth it into
the sea saying: With such violence shal Babylon
that great City, be throwne down, and
neuer be sene any more.So that as it is impossible
for a great mylstone, throwne wyth
great force by a mighty Angel into the bottom
of the sea, to ryse vp againe, and swym aboue
the water: so impossible it is that Babylon,
when she is at the lowest of her fall, should euer
be set vp againe. And in the 19 chapter it
is said: That the smoke of her burning ascended
vp for euer and euer. Also of her vtter desolation
descriptions are made in the 18 chapter,
where it is sayd, that Babylon is made [illegible]
dwelling place of Diuels, a cage of vnclean
birdes, according to the prophecy of Esay, concerning
olde Babylon, that Zyrm and Ohym
which be Sprightes and Goblines shal walk
in her pallaces, Scrichowles and Ostriges
shall crye in her houses, Apes and Satyres
shall daunce in her bewtifull buildinges.No
vocye of men shal be heard in her, no sound of
a myll shall be heard, no light of a candle shal
be seene, but perpetuall solitude and sorrowe
shal dwell there for euermore. Therfore saith
the Angel, She is fallen, she is fallen, that is
she is destroyed, and neuer shal be repayred.
But if we will better vnderstand how she is
fallen, we must consider more distinctly wherein
she is fallen. First, in wealth and riches
she hath sustained a great fall. Consider how
many kingdomes and states of the world haue
renounced her obedience, and all those haue
with drawen great rentes, reuenues and commodities,
that in times past were addict to the
maintenance of Babilon the church of Rome.
A great fall without peraduenture, and that
wyll neuer be recouered. Remember so many
Abbies, Monasteries, Nunneries, Frieries,
Hospitals, Chauntries, Churches, and
Chappels, now ouerthrowne and made euen
with the ground: All Landes, Iewels, ornaments
and great treasures that belonged vnto
them, cleane taken away from them: and
you wil confesse with me that Rome in riches
hath a great fall. Yea, if you would see wyth
your eyes a manifest example of Gods iudgement
against Babylon, behold that euyll fauored
mynes and heapes of Monasteries, that
were sometime gorgeous & sumptuous buildinges.
The same ende, remayneth all that
pompe and pride of Babylon, not yet altogether
heaten downe, but euen now in falling:
For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, and
his immutable counseil hath decreed it, and
he hath sent an Angell to proclaime it.
Some, wyth perchaunce, that Monasteries
had stood styl, and ben conuerted to better vses.
But vndoubtedly, the prouidence of God
so ordered althings, that his curse which was
vpon them might be executed, and the prophecies
that were concerning them, might be fulfilled,
that they might be a monument of hys
wrath vnto all the posterity, the beginning of
the fall of Babylon, and an example of the destruction

F.j.

of all the rest that should folow soone
after. Who would euer haue thought that so
great ryches, treasures, and reuenues should
so sodaynly be ouerthrowen, destroyed, and
come to nothing? Therefore it is manifest,
that in wealth and worldly substance, whereby
the pride, voluptuousnes, and intempera~ce
of riotous Rome was maintained, & grew to
an intollerable excesse, is greatly diminished,
sore decayed, and hath a foule fall, and shortly
shall haue a finall fall.
Well, Babylon is not fallen onely in wealth
and riches, but also in power and authority.
For the kings of the earth, which somtimes
were subiect to that monstrous Beast, haue
now shaken of the yoke ofher seruitude, and
withdraw the obedience of all their subiectes
from her. Yea, the most part of the. x. hornes,
which sometyme gaue ouer their power and
authority vnto the Beast, which were all the
Kinges and Potentates that acknowledged
the Pope for their supreme head, & soueraigne
Lord, do now hate and abhorre the Harlot of
Rome, and shall make her desolate, by wythdrawing
their subiectes from her obedience,
and nakedly spoyling her of her treasures, and
shall eate her flesh for pure hatred & burne her
with her: For great is the Lord which iudgeeth
her, So that she which before at her pleasure
might commaunde all Princes to begyn
warre, to cease from war, to defend her quarrels,
to annoy her enemies: nowe is glad to
flatter a fewe seduced Princes, to take her
part, that she be not vtterlye forsaken of all
men: Or els to practise by treason and treachery,
suborning Roges and Uacabondes to
styre vp tumults among the rude people, to
trouble godly estates and common wealthes,
that despise her dominion, but without al hope,
euer to recouer her auncient tyranny.
Her thunder boltes of Excommunication,
which were sometime terrible to all men, are
now feared of no man. What though she retaine
her proude and presumtuous stomacke,
and wyll do while her breath lasteth, to pronounce
sentence of depriuation against Princes
that abhorre her wickednes? Her impudent
arrogancie is not so much detested of many,
as laughed to scorne of all. Her Proctors
& priuie practisers, though they chaunge them
selues lyke Proteus, into neuer so vnlykelye
shapes, are espied in euery corner. For GOD
himselfe reuealeth their pretences, and wyll
not suffer her to preuaile any longer. So that
in power and authoritye Babylon is fallen,
and falleth dayly more and more into vtter
contempt with all men, vntill she be vtterly
consumed, and brought to nothing, which

F.ij.

will not be long before it come to passe. For
this sentence that God hath throwne against
her, and begun also to execute, cannot be changed,
or much longer differred.
But especially and chiefly Babilon is fallen
in credite of her doctrine. For beside so many
Princes and states of Christendome, that by
publike authority haue receiued the Gospell,
and vtterly abolished al Babilonical doctrine:
Euen in the mydst of her tyranny and persecuton,
great multitudes dayly are lightened
with the bright beames of the Gospel, that for
all Inquisitions, imprisonments, exquisite torments,
and cruel burnings they neuer a whyt
diminish, but rather increase, as God hath
prouided, that the blood of the Martyrs should
be the seede of the church. And they are more
then obstinate, if they doe not acknowledge
that this matter is gouerned from God aboue.
For if it had bene of men, it must needes haue
decayed before this time, and haue come to
naught, as Gamaliel sayd of the doctrine of the
Apostles. Therfore in fighting against it, they
shew them selues but after the maner of the
old Giants, to make warre against God. Or
as it is contayned in this prophecy, that Antichrist
should gather together the Princes of
the earth to make battayl against him that sitteth
vpon the white Horse, whose name is the
woord of [illegible] , but all to their own vtter confusion
and destruction. For the word of God
must conquer and preuail in the last age, & Antichrist
must be consumed by the spirits of the
mouth of CHRIST, which is hys holye
word, and vtterly abolished by the glorious
brightnes of his comming to iudgement, as
S. Paule testifieth in the second chap. of the second
Epistle to the Thessalonians. Therfore
it is in vayne that they seeke to vnderprop the
doctrine of Babylon by cruelty and tyranny,
for all will not serue, seeing the tyme of her finall
fall approcheth, and now already our Sauior
CHRIST with the spirit of his mouth
hath wasted and consumed a great part of that
credit and estimacion, in which the doctrine of
Babylon of long tyme hath triumphed. And it
is our parts to pray, that her credit may dayly
more and more decrease, that the kingdome
of Christ may be perfectly established amongst
vs, and the kingdom of Antichrist may be euer
throwen, euen from the foundations. That
no superfluous reliques of Babylonicall religion
may remaine wher the Church of Christ
is in building: but that the doctrine of Babylon
may fall altogether.
This haue I declared yt Babylon in wealth
and substance, in power and autority, in credit
and estimation of her doctrine, is fallen, and

F.iy.

that without hope of recouery. For her credit
is cracked, not onely among her enemies
the Protestantes, but euen among her best
friends, and greatest Archpapists. For I suppose
there is none in the world so blinde, so supersticious,
so deuoutly addict to al pointes of
popish Idolatry and supersticion, as they wer
for thirty or forty yeares past. Although they
close their eyes neuer so obstinatly agaynst
the light of Gods of word, yet some effect of
his beames of force wyll pearce euen through
their eye lyds. And that they them selues can
not dissemble, although they would neuer so
fayne, but that they haue bene deceiued wyth
grosse errors, & shameful supersticions. Their
Pardons, their Pilgrimages, their Legends:
who is now so blinde, that seeth not how the
world hath bene seduced by them? And the
simplicity of the people abused to satisfy their
vnsatiable couetousnes. As for the greatest
Patrones of Popery that be learned, they can
not deny, but that great errors haue bene receiued
and taught for truthes: yea the Pope
him selfe hath acknowledged, that many errours
haue crept into the church, yea euen in
to the Masse, but the reformation of them pertaineth
to him alone, and the general counsell.
But what hope of reformation is to be looked
for at their hands, let it be seene in the decrees
of the last counsel of Trent. What litle mise
those great mountaines in so many yeres trauel
haue brought forth: In forty or fifty yeres
consultacion, two great matters reformed:
One for Pardoners not to be co~mon Pedlers,
another for the Communion in both kindes,
to those that desire it: so they confesse it were
as good in one kinde, and agree with them in al
other pointes of Popery. Yet al was not wel
they confesse by their correction. And as for
the greatest pillers and Proctors they haue,
if they be pressed neare, acknowledge a great
deale more. As one that landed lately at Yarmouth,
before witnes of good credit, testified,
that if he might be satisficed in two pointes,
concerning the Popes supremacie, & the reall
presence, for other matters he wold not greatly
striue. So that I will conclude, that Babylon
is fallen in riches, in power, in credit of
doctrine, not onely with Protestantes, but
iuen with Papists them selues. Quod Nota:
But now I know what wyl be obiected against
me, that I haue traueled all in vaine, to
proue that Babylon is fallen, and that Babilon
is Rome: And that I haue abused the textes
of scripture, and sentences of old Doctors, to
proue the same. For what soeuer is contained
either in the Scripture, or in the writings of
the ancient Doctors, to proue that Babylon
is Rome, is to be vnderstoode of Rome vnder
the heathen Emperours, and not vnder the
Popes: And that all this while I haue wrested
the scriptures, & enforced the Doctors to
affirme that which they neuer thought of. Indeede
I wil confesse, that some prophecies contained
in this Reuelation, were fulfilled in the
heathen Emperours, & that the heathen Empire
was an introduction vnto Antichrist: but
that Antichrist, the great enemy of the church
of Christ, and which is principally called Antichrist,
could not be any of the heathen Emperours,
neither the state of the heathen Monarchie,
I will make it manifest by plain demonstrations.
And first I will retaine this principle,
sufficiently proued before, that Rome is
the See of Antichrist, and that by authority of
scriptures, and consent of auncient wryters,
we can seeke him no where, but in the Romane
Empire. And now the controuersy resteth
in this, whether the heathen Emperors
or the Pope bee them.
First S. Paule, in the second chap. of the second
Epistle to the Thessalonians, speaking
purposely of Antichrist, saith expressely that he
shall syt in the temple of God, which is the
church of Christ. But it is most manifest, that
the heathen Emperors did not sit in the church
of God, therefore the heathen Emperour is
not this Antichrist. And by the same reason
it is as manifest, that Mahomet is not that especial
Antichrist, because hee sitteth without
the temple of God, as there be diuers yt would
haue these thinges to be understood of Mahomet
or Ottomanus: but it is as cleare as the
Sunne at noone daies, for as much as neither
the heathen Emperors, nor Mahomet not Ottomanus
sitteth in the Temple or Church of
God, that none of them is that great Antichrist,
of whom the prophecies of the scripture
are to bee expounded. And whereas some of
them interprete the abomination of desolation
wherof Christ speaketh, to be meaned of
Antichrist, or at least wise, to be a figure of
him, that cannot be vnderstood of the heathen
Emperors, or any other that is without the
Church, for that standeth in the holye place,
which is the temple, and signifieth the Church.
Now the Pope sitteth in the myddest of the
temple of God, and boasteth hym selfe to bee
God, challenging to him selfe such authority,
as is propper onely to God, and vsurping such
honor as is peculiar onely to God. Therefore
not in the heathen Emperors, but in the Popes,
is this prophecy accomplished.
Another reason to proue yt Antichrist, which
in this Reuelation is foreshewed to come into
the world, cannot be vnderstood to be the heathen

G.j.

then Emperors, is taked out of the .17. chap. of
the same booke. For ther the Angel interpreting
vnto S. Iohn the mistery of the beast that
beareth the harlot, which hath seuen heades:
after he hath shewed that the seuen heads signifie
seuen hyls, hee declareth that they signifiy
also seuen kings, or principal states, or formes
of regiment, for so the name of Kyng is often
taken in the Prophets, and specially in Daniel,
at which Prophecy S. Iohn borroweth many
phraces. Of these seuen heades fiue he sayth
were fallen, the sixt was then presently in authority,
& the seuenth was not yet come, which
seuenth was the monstrous beast Antichrist,
that was both the seuenth and the eight. Now
it is euident that this could not be vnderstood
of the heathen Emperours, for Nero the fyrst
persecuting Paynim, was come and gone, and
Domitiane an other persecuter, by whose tyranny
S. Iohn was banished into the Isle of
Patmos, wher he saw and receiued this Reuelation,
was then in authority: So that of the
Monarchy of tyranny of heathen Emperours,
this could not be vnderstood, and of the Christian
Emperours no man wyll expound it, so
that it must nedes be turned ouer to the Pope,
for it can rest in no place els. And being referred
vnto him, all the rest hath a very apt
exposition, of the City of Rome, and the dominions
therof, hath had seuen principal states
or formes of regiment. The first state of
Kinges, the second of Consuls, the third of Decemuiri,
the fourth of Dictatores, the fift of
Triumuiri, the sixt of Cæsars or Emperours,
and the seuenth of Popes. Now fiue of thæse
states or formes of regiment were fallen and
abolished in S. Iohns time: the sixt which was ye
Emperors, in his time was in place: and the
seuenth which is the Popes, was not yet come,
which was ye very beast it selfe: the Romane
Empire reuiued, & raised vp from the bottomles
pit of hell, into the vsurped tyranny of the
Pope. And this is that beast, ye somtimes was
of wonderfull great power and glory, in the
dayes of Augustus, and some other of his successors,
but then much decayed, as if it had not
bæne, although in some sort it wer, but should
bæ restored in the vsurped authority of the
Pope, that claymeth all the world to be hys
Diocesse: Which power commeth not from
God, but from the Prince of pride, out of the
bottomles pyt. But chiefly let vs consider,
that the beast, although he be but one, yet in
the accompt he standeth for two, for he is the
seuenth head, and the eight also: and remember
that the Pope challengeth double authority,
namely, the power of both swordes, the
spirituall, and the temporall. So that in this

G.ij.

exposition, all things agree most aptly. Again
it is manifest in the scriptures, that Antichrist
should deceiue the world with false doctrine,
vnder pretence and coullor of true Religion,
and therfore so often times the scripture warneth
men, that they be not seduced by hym,
which were needeles, if any open professed ennemy
of Christ should be that Antichrist. For
there is no likelyhood, that an heathen man, a
Iewe or a Turke, should deceiue any multitude
of true Christians, but he that vnder the pretence
of the name of Christ, seeketh most of all
to deface the honor of Christ: he is a subtil aduersary,
and the very sprit of Antichrist, as S.
Iohn also in his Epistle doth testify. For in
the second chap. speaking of those Antichristes
which were the forerunners of the great Antichrist,
he sheweth that they went out from
the church: and in the fourth chapter, he calleth
them false Prophets, and teacheth them
how to know the spirit of Antichrist, He that
denieth IESVS to be Christ: He that denieth
that Iesus Christ is come in the fleshe:
That is, he that derogateth any thing from
the honor of Jesus to be Christ, and in hys
flesh to haue performed the ful worke of mans
redemption, as the Pope doth most blasphemously,
he is Antichrist: and who so teacheth
any such doctrine, speaketh by the spirite of
Antichrist: For the testimony of IESVS, is
the spirit of prophecy: Seing therfore that S.
Iohn accompteth Antichrist, for one that is gon
from the Church, and for a false Prophet, it is
cleare, that Antichrist is no heathen Emperor,
which was neuer of the Church, nor any false
Prophet, that tooke vpon him to teache in the
Church. The same may be said of Mahomet,
who neuer professed hym selfe to be a Christian,
nor yet a Prophet in the Church of Christ,
pretending to vphold the Religion of Christ,
but an open enemy of the Gospell, and of our
Sauiour Christ, altogether wtout the church.
By these arguments I doubt not, but all men
may see, that seeing Babylon is Rome, and that
the head of Babylon is Antichrist, that he cannot
be any of the heathen Emperors, but euen
the Pope himselfe. And therfore I conclude,
according to my text, that Rome is fallen, if
Babylon be fallen.
Now remaineth the last part that I promised
to entreate of, namely the cause of Gods
so seuere iudgement against Babylon that hee
hath decreed her vtter ouerth row and destruction,
which the Angell comprehendeth in these
words: Because shee hath made all Nations
dronke with the wyne of the fury of her fornication,
that is: She hath deceiued all the
world with false doctrine, which be compareth

G.iy.

vnto two kindes of vices, wherby men
are so deceiued, that the leese all right iudgement:
Dronkennes and Fornication. For as
these two vices do allure men to co~mit them,
by couetyng of vayne delectacion that is in
them: euen so Babylon hath enticed all men
lyke an other Circe, to drinke of the cup of her
delectable errors, and to commit most filthy
fornication with her idolatrous religion. For
of al other religions to the carnal man, none is
so pleasant as Popery is, in which be so many
kindes of satisfaction, to be obtained, both in
this lyfe, and after men be dead, that there is
no greater security for an hipocrits to slæpe in,
then in the faire promises of Poperye. And
that causeth so many so wyllingly to embrace
it, and so loth to depart from it, because they
would styll continue without checke of true
doctrine, which calleth men to repentaunce,
and amendement of lyfe, or els threateneth
eternall damnation. For howsoeuer it pleaseth
them to charge the doctrine of the Gospell
with cause of security, it may easily be seene by
comparison of it, with the doctrine of Popery,
whether be cause of security: that which teacheth
no satisfaction but one, for them that bee
penitent in this life: or theirs that hath so many
waies to merite rewardes, and to satisfy
for synnes, not onely whyle men lyue in the
world, but also for them yt are alredy gone out
of it. And ther is no wine so sweete to the taste
of a carnall man, as that which maketh hym
dronke with opinion of his own righteousnes,
as it is the nature of strong wine, to make very
Cowards thinke themselues to be valiant
Champions: and such is the cup of popish doctrine,
contayning merites and satisfactions.
Againe, when we consider that Antichrist
should make men drenke with his erronious
doctrine, we maruayle losse how men could
be so blinded and infatuate, that they could not
see and perceiue such grosse errours, and manifest
vntruthes as are in popery. For as they
that are ouercome with the strength of wyne,
haue lost the right vse, both of their wyt, and
of their sences: euen so they that are droonke
with the heroticall doctrine of Papistry, doo
grope in the cleare light of the Sunne, and see
not their own deformity, though al the world
beside cry out of them. In like manner, they
that be ouercome with the vnhonest loue of
Harlots, haue their reason so imprisoned in
corrupt affection and foolish fantasy, that they
are at liberty neither to see their own folly, nor
admyt any wyle and godly counsell. So it fareth
with those that the Babylonical Circe the
church of Rome hath allured by her enchauntments,
to commit spiritual fornication wt her,
they cannot abide to heare the voice of them,
that calleth them out of that damnable estate,
so highly they please them selues in their own
misery, as if they were in case of perfect felicitye.
This is chiefest of their dronkennesse,
this is chiefest of their fornication, and this is
the iust iudgement of God, yt they which haue
shut vp their eares from hearyng the truth,
should be deceiued with strong delusions, that
they might beleue lyes. Furthermore, by the
names of these vices, the Angel co~prehendeth
all other vices that follow of them, as intemperance,
arrogancy, impudency, and such like
as are woont to follow dronkennes and inconscencye.
For these crimes go not vnaccompanied,
for where either of them is, commonly
both will be, and they haue either of them, and
both together, their traine to wayte vpon the~.
And all these wœ see to haue ouerflowed in
Rome the Westerne Babylon, as she her selfe,
though she haue a brasen forehead, and be past
all shame, cannot deny altogether. And because
of these so great and hainous enormities
the iust sentence of God, pronounced here by
the Angell, is come vpon her, that she is now
in her fall and decay, as she was once in her
ruffe and glory. But this especially is to bee
noted, that the Angell here sayth, that shee
would deceiue all nations with the wyne of
the furye of her fornication. For this is the
great vniuersallitye that they make so great
bragges of, and woulde haue it to be a certayne
Note and Marcke of the Catholicke
Church, to be vniuersall: Behold the Angell
here sayth in playne woords, that all nations
shoulde drinke of the wyne of the furye of
her fornication. Where is then the vniuersall
consent and unitye of all nations in
Religion, that maketh a true Religion? And
yet vniuersalitie and vnitie be two great pillers
of the Churche of Rome. And for my
part, I do not enuy her those markes, which
she challengeth of vniuersalitie and vnity, although
we might stand in law with her for
them but let her peaceably enioy them: for
they maye helpe to proue her to be the false
church of Antichrist, but they cannot make
her to be the true church of Christ. Wide see
plainly that Babylon hath here vniuersalitie
and vnitie, for she maketh al nations to drink
of the furicus wine of her fornication: but the
church of Christ, as he himselfe saith, is a smal
flocke, and him selfe by Symeon, is sayd to bee
a signe of contradiction, a marke that is gainsayd
of most men.
And here also is answered are great mighty
obiection, where with they thinke to choke
vs: That seing the Church of Christ, is the

G.j.

Spouse of Christ, how could it be that Christ
should forsake his Spouse, and suffer her to
continue in damnable errors, so many hundred
yeares? Why, Christ him selfe declareth,
that the deceites and errors of false Prophets
should be so great, that if it were possible
the very elect should be deceiued: yea, there
should be such a miserable dispersio~, that scarse
two true Professors of his name should remayne
together in one place, and yet the holy
band of vnity should be in the head, which is
our Sauiour Christ, for whersoeuer the carcas
is, thether the Eagels wold be gathered.
And S. Paule in manifest wordes declareth,
that the second comming of Christ should not
bee, before there were a generall Apostalye,
that is, a departure from the true faith and religion
of Christ, and that the sonne of perdicion
Antichrist were openly shewed. And in thys
Reuelatio~ how often is it said, that Antichrist
should deceiue all the world, and nacions, people,
and tonges, and that the church of Christ
should be driuen into the wildernes, out of the
sight of the world, and there remaine a space,
vntil she should be brought againe to light and
open knowledge of all men? as it is come to
passe this day, Gods name be therefore euerlastingly
praysed.
But because I haue occupied long time, I
wyll draw to an end: for by that I haue sayd,
I trust it doth sufficiently appeare, that God
according to his righteous iudgement, hath determined
vtterly to ouerthrow Babylon, because
she hath deceiued all nations with the
wyne of the fury of her fornication. And now
it resteth onely, that I speake a word or two of
the voyce of the third Angel, which is a consequent
of this my text, and serueth verye aptly
for the conclusion of my Sermon.
The third Angell followed, crying wyth a
loude voyce, and saying: If any man shal worship
the Beast or his Image, or receyue hys
marke on his forehead, or in his hand, or shall
acknowledge any obedience or reuerence to
him, as willing to drinke of the cup of Babilons
fornication, the same shall drinke of the wine
of the fury of Gods wrath, whych is poured
forth vnmingled, into the great cup of Gods
anger, & they shall be tormented with fire
& brimstone, before the Lambe and his holy
Angels, and the smoke of their torments shal
ascend for euermore, and they shall haue no
rest day nor night, from extreme tormentes,
that worship the beast, or shew any reuerence
vnto Antichrist. The effect is in few words:
that horrible, intollerable, and eternall tormentes
remayne for all them, that now especially,
when Babylon is now discouered, wyl

G.ij.

haue any thing to do wt her damnable errors,
and pernicious doctrine. For howsoeuer ignorance
before her fall, though it were inexcuseable,
yet seemed to diminish the greatness
of the crime. Now that her wickednes is openlye
displayed, no pretence can saue men
from the extremity of Gods wrath, if they
will still obstinately continue in her hersies.
Let vs therfore pray vnto almighty GOD
instantly, that all men in their vocation may
seeke the vtter ouerhrow and destruction of
Babylon: that Princes and Magistrats may
according to the prophecies of them, hate her
with a perfect hatred, and vtterlye abolyshe
what soeuer belongeth to her: that they may
rewarde her, as she hath rewarded vs, and
geue her double punishment, according to her
workes: and in the cup of affliction that shee
hath poured forth for vs, they maye poure
forth double as much to her. And looke how
much she hath glorified her selfe, and lyued in
wantonnes which was without measure so
much they may bestowe vpon her of sorrowe
and tormentes: That Preachers and Ministers
of Gods word, may plainly and without
dissimulation or halting, discouer her wickednes:
and earnestlye to vrge, whatsoeuer
hath yet neede of perfect reformation, that all
subiectes may continue in holy obedience, first
to GOD, and then to their Prince, to the
aduauncing of the honour and glory of GOD,
through IESVS CHRIST: to whom
wyth the holy Ghost bee all honour,
glory, power, and dominion,
both now and euer.
AMEN.

Imprinted at
London by Iohn Awdely,
dwellyng in lyttle Bryttayne
Areete, without
Aldersgate. 1570.
The. 27. of Nouember.