The exposicion of Daniel the prophete gathered oute of Philip Melanchton, Iohan Ecolampadius, Chonrade Pellicane [and] out of Iohan Draconite. [et] c. By George Ioye. A prophecye diligently to be noted of al emprowrs [and] kinges in these laste dayes

THis. 12. chap. first contayneth the* 1.1 lyuely descripcion of Anticryste / Whose first colour is to cōtempne [ 1]

goddis worde: secondly / he is painted of* 1.2 his pryde. Thirdly / setforth in his pros∣perouse successe. Fowrthly / he is knowen of his contempt and despysing of matri∣monye. Fyfte of his idolatrie. 6. Of his large giftis. Aftir these colours▪ secondly [ 2] is his fall described / and what shall hap∣pen ayenst him / and by him ere he fall / as first / what & who shall stand ayenst him / how he shall destroye the most pleasant londe. And who they be that Anticryste shall not ouercome. And who shalbe de∣ceyued of him. His death and fall / & pla∣ce wher he shalbe destroyd. Thirdly this [ 3] chap. techeth / that the crystianes / name∣ly the confessours and techers of the gos∣pell / shall before the last iugement suffer the most greuouse persecucions / but thei shall wresile oute of them thorow Cryst / beinge defended euen ayenst the gates of hell. The. 4. place treateth of the gene∣rall [ 4] resurreccion of oure bodyes / euen the last consolacion of the cristians. The. 5. [ 5] is of the vertew and power of the mini∣sters of the worde before the iugement / and of the eternall rewardis astir oure [ 6] death. The. 6. teacheth what reader•• shalbe profited and lerned by readinge daniel. The. 7. sheweth the tyme of the [ 7] delyuerance of the chirche and of the re∣surreccion

of y^e dead. The. 8. expowneth / [ 8] wherfore the prophecie of Daniel is so harde / and whom it profiteth. The. 9. pla [ 9] ce is of the tyme of the ende of y^e worlde. The tenth hath an example of the resur∣reccion of the dead.

But this kinge shall do what him∣self lysteth. And shall extoll and preferre* 1.3 himself aboue all the goddis or aboue the most hyghe god. And ayenst y^e most hyghe god ouer all shall he speake horrible blas∣phemies. And it shall prosper well with him / vntyll gods wrath be consumed vpō him / and the impiete of the wyked be at the rypest.

This is the lyuely descripcion (vnder the persone of Antioc.) of oure two cruell anticrystes: that is to writ / of the Sara∣cenik fyerce beast the Turke / and of his blody brother oure holy horned hypocrite the Romane Pope. Whom by their bitter frutes ye maye knowe as the tree by hir sower crab. First by the contempt of god∣dis almighty worde. For where the aun∣gell sayth: That this kinge shall do what himself lyst / and satisfye without any re∣••raint or restraint his owne lustes & plea∣sures: he signifieth the turke and the po∣pe with their coniured hornes to be law∣lesse / nether to goddis worde nor to their

owne lawes to be subiect: but all thinges that thei lyst to be lawfull. Hytherto per∣teineth this .4. verse of the .x. Psalm. This vngodly casteth vp his nose & des∣piseth* 1.4 all other / in al his mischeuouse wy¦ked cogitacions he setteth naught by god Not onely the turke / Mahumete / the po∣pis of Rome / their cardinale / bisshopes / monkis / preistis and fryers haue playd / and yet play this parte / but also all em∣prours / kinges and princes / which ensen ced by their serpētine perswasions / haue & yet do persecute and suppresse the gos∣pell / which (now the daye of their mercy∣full visitacion by the gospell offred them) yet wyll thei (the aungell calleth anticrist a kinge) do what thei lyst / make what pro∣clamaciōs and articles of oure fayth thei lyst / as doth the emprour this daye in the nether parties of Germanie strayghtly commanding no printer to printe / nor bo∣ke seller to sell any godly boke to the edi∣fying of crystis chirche nether in dewche Latyne / Frenche / English / Spanish nor in the Italion speche.

Secondly he is described of his pryde. He shalbe extolled and thrust vp himself aboue and ayenst the moste high god: spe∣king horrible and meruclouse blasphemi∣es ayenste him: Here was it prophecied.

That Anticryste shuld not onely sitte in* 1.5 the temple of god / but that he shall proud¦ly lift vp himself (as Paul prophecieth it of this place takē) aboue euery thing that is called god / but also by his doctrine fi∣ghting playn ayenst the gospell / contume¦liousely skorne god and cryste / and accur∣se and excommunicate his chirche / as it standeth in the .10. Psal. His mouthe is ful of malediccions.

We exhorte therfore as many as we may for the glorie of god / that thei sepa∣rat themselues from this vngodly facciō both in iugement & will: as did the Mac∣cabeis exhorte many to auoid the compa∣ny of the counsels confedered with Anti∣ochus / we warne also the lerned and pru∣dent / which yet for the studie and zele of peace (as thei wolde be sene) or for a cer∣tain singulare precise morosite / wolde a∣pere to abhorre and estiewe these new fa∣cions and soden mutacions (as thei call them) being alto ware / to wise and to cha∣rely circumspecte in this their slake san∣tering / leste their rasshnes (as thei pre∣tex it) shuld confirme the enimies of the gospell / therfore decree thei thus to stād still / lyke idle idols / and in securite as it were afarre of loking vpon and beholdin∣ge the bront of the bataill / no handis put∣ting

forthe / nor yet once (whē thei might) to helpe to any amendement or reforma∣cion. But the mater is to manifest and to farre gone / as may easely be perceiued of men of clere iugement not being corrupt with any affeccions.* 1.6

But here thei say / that in healing the∣se euills and enormites / we do more hur∣te then good / as to make tumultes sedici∣ons and cause the peple to rebell ayenste the magistratis and the ordonarie powrs and thus geue them the brydle to all licen ciouse libertie. And by this example and occasion the curiose persons shall trouble the trwe doctrine. We see (say thei) the Anabaptists / the Seruetis / the cāpanes the loites / georgiās / dauides / and other pestlences encrease at your steringis. As whē some of the hyders headis were smi∣ten of / other headis arose vp of their blou¦de. Euen so these deceiuers in this or that one place repressed / yet shall there other as euill sectis aryse in other pla∣ces say you. ye aske be what enterpri∣ces take the great men vpon themselues? with what discipline suffer thei their ma¦ners to be ruled? Howe diligent (I praye you) be thei to nourish godly studies and scoles? Whother translate thei the chir∣che and abbey goodis? What thinke ye? Is not this distraccion and diuision of

princes now emonge themselues an infi∣nite and sufficēt euil? We se it (saye thei) that nether great nor small maters can thei with a comon consent bringe well to passe. At laste thei say / If now the begin∣ings of this stryfe be so perellouse / what shall chance (thinke ye) vpon owr poste∣rite when there shalbe lesse lerninge and then by the lenger custome the audacite of grete men shalbe the more confirmed? yet is there nowe in princes some zele to godlye doctrine. Siche a study & zele shal there not be in their childern. Wherfor if ye wil nedis haue althings sodenly chā∣ged (say thei) ye shall encreace fiercenes and crueltie. These thinges thei saye a∣yenst vs when we rebuke their errours ty rannye / and open mischeif. And ful grete sorows do these heuey sighthes bring vpō* 1.7 vs. Ciuile discordis gēder infinite euils and perels. But yet is it an vniuste yea an vngodly towche to caste the cause of discorde and licenciouse rebellion vpon y^e peaceable gospell. For thei that rebell & wilnot obay god nor his trwthe / but de∣fend their owne lyes and erroneose affe∣cti•• ayenst the open verite / thei (I say) by their sediciouse studies stere vp these vprores. Images and all false opinions muste geue place to the almighty voice of

god. These abominacions when thei be defended pertinatly of the enemies of the gospel / then their stifnecked pertinacie inflammeth discordis. And euen these be the comon and worthy present plages of all cristen realmes now set on fyer withe bataill. I thinke there was neuer a faye∣rer and goodlyer realm then was Egipte constituted of Ioseph / and yet did Mo∣ses sament it to be vtterly destroid for re∣pugning gods message and withholding his peple in bondage ayenst his will And miche more did Ieremye bewaeil and so∣rowe the destruccion of Ierusalem / the tē ple and the iews comon weall. Nowe con sider the tyme of Antiochus the figure of owr anticristes / and thou seest euen the i∣mage of owr present plages and calami∣ties in the storie of the Maccabe. Few or almost non / was the nomber of the godly vnto whom yet were there ioyned many vayn light / false / and deceitfull persons. The princes could not agre amonge thē∣selues. Their cheif leader and defender of the godly died before the ende of the batail / as nowe of late the cheife main∣teiners / writers / and prechers of the gos∣pell haue bene taken awaye. But yet shall the beter and lest parte haue the victory. But what confusions and destrucciōs of

the iewes londe folowd that persecuciō? Trewly Matathias toke not to him his weapens to the entent that his neuei hir can{us} shuld be a ••autor of the saduceis fal∣se doctrine / nor yet that his childers chil dern shuld constitute their kingdom with mutuall murt her slaying so cruelly the ci tesens. Nether yet that their childers childern / as were the The banes (brether ne emong themselues) shuld with wiked wepens and batail one kil a nother trou∣blinge the religion and bringinge in vpō them the Romans to prophane their tem ple. For it is manifeste that aftir the ba∣tail of Antiochus Epi. the i••ws were gre uously plaged withe the domestik tyran∣nye of the posterite of the Maccabes / w^c were their bisshops and preistis. So that euermore shal the new stormes ouerwhel* 1.8 me the chirche. And albeit y^e present state of our chirche apere yet to be tollerable al thoughe she wanteth not hir trouble and present persecucions / yet with in these fe we yeres there shal an heat be kindled in princes hertis / and so ••y litle & litle / the succession of the tymes shal after the prin ces mindes / yea and euen the myndes of the lerned shalbe changed / and all / bothe the seculare and ecclesiastik sorte shalbe distracted from the trwthe vnto reuen∣ginge

one another with warre. And then* 1.9 shall ther be an harder seruitute of the chirche / and false doctrines shall folowe (This was verified the laste and this ye re when the keisar did set forth his wiked precepts and 32. articles of the Doctors of Louayne).

But let vs obey the comandement of god not doutinge himself to gouern our iournei and course vnto the ende / and his wrath to be apeaced. And if men go forth in their mischeif persecutinge his worde and chirche / there abideth them a•• heuey miserable destruccion / as did fall vpon y^e iewes. But this one thinge dare I promi se our superciliose arrogant Ariopagites that so longe ••s thei thus persecute and thinke therby to haue their kingdom ayen in tranquilite and peace / and so longe as thei suffer not the gospel to be preched fo∣re fear of commocion / but thus violently suppresse it / that god shall plage them & all cristendom with perpetuall batail fa∣myn and p••••••elence / wherof there shall fo lowe mutaciōs of imperies and realmes / grete changes of euery estate a••d degree There arose in grece batail amonge thē∣selues wherby their cheif cities were al∣most vtterly destroid / as platea / Corcyra Athens / Sparta. It was their apoynted

plage of god for their wiked vngodlynes idolatry & ••echerie. And the heuier & gre∣noser was their plage because thei had not gods gospell to counfort them and to delyuer the beleuers. For it is the moste great benefit of Gods mercie to kindle∣forth the light of the gospell when siche heuei mutacions and destrucciōs drawe nighe / as many ensamples haue shewed it / and euen nowe doutlese there hange ouer all realmes crystened great and so∣den heuey changes. Wherfore that some congregacions might be sustained & con∣forted with the trwe knowledge and very inuocacion / and their heuines mitigated god hathe sent vs his gospell as the most present helpe and consolacion in the mid des of these miserable mutacions which if we repell / so caste we from vs our coun forte. It was not the gospell that brought the turke (I speke of present examples) into hongarie & Oestenrik. Nether was it gods worde that brought the english∣men into Scotland and into France. It was not the gospel that brought Martin van Rosse before Anwerpe and to spoile a great parte of Brabant / it was not the gospell / that drowned Rome and selonde It was not the gospell that brought the emprowr into so many euill chaunces in

his warres aftir he fled from y^e counsels and dyd no good but dissembled with the Germans. It is not the gospell that ma∣keth this vniuersall derthe of vitaill & of all thinges. It is not y^e gospell that shall bring in the Turk vpon vs. It is not the Gospell that nowe plageth all realmes with warre? It is not the gospell that ca∣steth downe abbeis and bisshopryks brin∣ging them into this obprobrious obloquie and cōtumelie. It is not the gospell that committeth the crysten princes to gyther one to destroye other. But it is the very violent denyinge and thrustinge awaye and persecucion therof and of the trewe prechers. It is their fyerce madnes in idolatrie and their making of newe arti∣cles with all youre other synfulnes and abominacions that hath and shall dayly plage all crystendom.

What (I pray you) profited it Hunga∣rie* 1.10 the sage counsels of their bisshopes and preistes with their impes to commā∣de the gospell not to be there preched nor receyued for feare of commocion and dis∣sension / and then we beinge at discorde (sayd they) emonge oure selues / a greate occasion is geuen to the Turke to inuade the londe? And as this was their policie to auoyde the Turke (yea rather to bring

him in vpon them in dede) euen so vse and practise oure emprour / kinges & bishops now the same wyse policie lo / vnto this daye. But as it came to the Hungarions / and to other realmes / euen so let the reste loke for lyke mutacions and worthei pla∣ges. Men ignorant of the gospell / what counfort / what helpe & delyuerance haue thei in siche anxts? verely non at all: but by their humane policie thei thinke to be salfe. Sed vana salus hominis. but vayn* 1.11 is the helpe and helth loked for by manis policie / sayth the lorde. It is therfore the lyght of the gospell that bringeth conso∣lacion in these afflicciōs vnto godly men / which though theise themselues to be op pressed with the most heuye seruitute / yet be they assewered / not to be vtterly de∣stroyd / which by their prayers in fayth mitigate these plages and put the per••ll from the beleuers / for so greate and pre∣sent is their helpe as is their fayth con∣stant. And therfore do y^e superciliose hygh lokes of oure papistis erre farre out of the waye / thei be deceyued and thei deceyue other / if they thinke their owne wittes / opinions / counsels and policies to be the infallible destined tables / and that all∣thinges muste so come to passe as they haue decrede / and that from their set pur posed

counsels and decrees / not god him∣self maye sw••rue. But herken / o ye foles* 1.12 what the spirit of trewth telleth you / say∣inge. Because this peple draweth nyghe me with their lyppes and with their mou thes speke miche worship by me / their her tis being so farre fro me / and because the worship that they shulde geue me / they geue it me aftir their owne deuise and af∣tir the doctryne & precepts of men / ther∣fore behold / I meself shall do to this pe∣ple a thinge to be wondred at aboue me∣sure. I shall destroye the wysdom of their wyse men / & the vnderstandinge and for∣casts of their men of moste actiuite & po∣licie shall haue a fall. Wo be to them that so depely drowne themselues in their ow∣ne policie that they thinke to hyde their thoughts and counsels from the lorde &c. To whom speketh God here? not to oure papistis thinke ye? We see it and know it spoken vnto them as oure present dayly examples teche vs. Wherfore we render vnto God the eternall father of oure de∣lyuerer Iesu Cryst hyghe and immortall thankis for that he hath ayen kindled to vs the lyght of his gospell. Wherfore let vs praye to god in fayth and in innocēcye of lyuinge and be not afrayd of the false iugemēts and falser perswasions of the∣se

preistis of Baal. Let vs enbra∣••e the gospell / loue and reuerence the ve∣ry trewe chirche / let vs knowe the godly not to be called to slughisshnes and idle∣nes / but vnto the most hardeste sharpe and ieoperdest batails.

The tokens and markis of oure anti∣crystis* 1.13 therfore must be well knowen. The deuyll diuerse ways layeth a wayt for all men. Some he exalteth into pryde. Some he wrappeth into lecherouse lu∣stes: some he combreth in couetousnes / murther / theft / destrucciō of realmes / ra∣pe and into a false fayth he bringeth ma∣ny & blydeneth them with false opinions and falser religions. Agenst this aduer∣sarie it behoueth to fyght buisily / but how and when / well know the godly. We must holdfast y^e doctryne delyuered vs of god. And in fayth must me aske helpe of him onely for crystis sake. Oure myndis must be confirmed with his promises / lest euyll temptacions take vs. The deuyll hath yet his instruments / euen the pope / car∣dinals / bisshopes / preistis and frye••s / about emprour and kinges to water yet a fresshe the popes gardens. And their fa∣ther sathan hath yet other instruments / euen the Epicures which wryeth & wrest all religions vnto their owne profite and

pleasures / yea and euen the gospell the abuse vnto their owne lucre taking it for a ieste and storie made by man: yea & euen thei that wold seme to be the pillers and edifiers of the chirche and defenders of the gospell / defende their misses / images idolatrie and seduce menis myndis from the trwe inuocacion and worship of god. These menis kingdom is contained vn∣der the name of anticryst / and is to be ab∣horred. Some simple sorte are gretely de∣ceyued with this reuerend name of the holy mother & catholike chirche / which thei geue to the gay place and prowd prei∣stis onely. And therfore thei thinke it im∣possible to be any knauerye or errours in so holy fathers with their meretrik mo∣ther.

But the souper of the lorde haue they* 1.14 prophaned and polluted most horribly w^t many errours. For these anticrists fayne a transubstancion / that is a thrusting out of the substance of the brede and a thru∣stinge in of the substance of crystis bodye and blode. And most falsely say thei / thē∣selues to offerre vp dayly and often the* 1.15 sone of god / and this their oblacion to de∣serue for other men (by the vertew of the dede it self) grace / remission / and helpe ayenst all bodely peress and deceases.

These fylthey lyes and prodigiouse pro∣phanacions of so holy a souper haue hor∣ribly kindled y^e wrath of god. Euer hath the chirche beleued the workis comman∣ded of god to be the worshipinge of God and oure dewties wherin we please God. Nether is god worshiped with rytes and cerem. inuented of men be they neuer so decent & laudable before men. Sayth not* 1.16 Cryste: Whatsoeuer is hyghely estemed lauded and praysed for decent & holy be∣fore men / is abominable before god? For if these their decent rytes and cerem. we∣re godis worship and honor / so shuld the heithen rytes and cerem be decent & lau∣dable seruices and worshipinges of god. In this error the anticrystis fayn the re∣ligion of monkis / fryers &c. and the sole lyuinge of preistis to be hyghe seruice to god / and therfore forbyd thei all these or∣ders to marye / and thei ••ende the lawfull maryed in sonder most cruelly / when this their deuilysh lawe of their wyueles cha∣stite is the most cruell tyranny bringinge many thousands to dampnacion / whose myndes and bodyes for this vnlawfull bonde are deadly polluted / whose souli•• by this one lawe be so letted that thei ne∣uer can rightly call vpon god / and ther∣fore by the comon consent of all godly men

it ought to be abolisshed. These anticry∣stis* 1.17 transforme the chirche into a ciuile kingdom and into the policie of the real∣me / tyering it with decent ciuilactis and rites / which apisshe imitaciōs ar the cau se of all these errours & mischeif brought into the chirches. Thei attribute to Pe∣ter and to his successors (as thei call thē∣selues) powrto translate kingdoms / and to the bisshops thei geue autorite to ma∣ke newe articles of our faith. And them∣selues to geue the same to emprour kings and princes / as did Iason and Meri••lai∣us to cruel Antiochus and to make newe worshipings and seruices to honor God. These bisshops vsurpe a seclare lordely powr to interprete scriptures / whiche to flater princes thei geue it also to kinges / ne noceant / to hold them to frendis / & yet is the trwe interpretacion of the scriptu∣res the gift of god / as is the institucion of gods seruice and worship limited withe his prescript worde / and with no powr ge uen of men. And to be short. The lordly∣nes and dominacion of the bisshops / is nowe all contrarie to the gospell. And whē we at the laste counsell (the emprour and the lord is of germany beinge present with all the lerned) monished iently the∣se bisshops of these enormities yet wyll

thei moste proudly and pertinatly defend still their idolatry and open errors conui∣cted there openly of the same / yet forbyd thei the gospell of trwthe to be taught: & with tyrany aboue any Nero or Dioclecia neslay thei godly mē for the profession of the gospell. Their owne partinate pryde wetingly resistinge gods worde therfore declareth them to be the very anticrystis here prophecied of daniel. Nether be the controuersies wherof we disputed / obscu∣••e / but were clerely then cōfuted & percei ued of al men. The cause why so many dis sent from vs is. That thei be epicures or hipocrites blyndened & bewitched withe the false auctorite of the pope and his car dinalls and bisshops or with the vayn cō ceite of their owne carnall wisedom and policie / of which it is writen in this cha. thus. Al the vngodly shalbe with oute vn derstanding. Wherfore let vs not be mo∣ued at their wiked iugements and ordinā ces to consent to their errors & idolatrye / so to helpe their furyose madnes. Now ye se anticristis kingdom & who be the prin∣ces therof / wherfore it is sone seen vpon whom the text is verified. Nowe to the text ayen whence I haue digressed.* 1.18

And it shall prosper with him vn∣tyll Gods wrath be consumed and spent

vpon him and y^e impietie and wykednes of the vngodly be at the rypeste.

For the contempt of the gospell / shall the wrath of god suffer the turke and the pope with strong delusions and effectuo∣se errors to destroye many soulis and bo∣dyes / but it shall dure no lenger then that his wrath consumed / shall ceasse / & their wykednes be rype / which shalbe when with his cleare cominge he shall thruste downe anticryst. Anticryst shall prosper in the mean tyme in his mischeif / for he* 1.19 shall do and haue what he lyste / he shall haue helthe of bodye / ryches / princely ho nor / dignities / his pleasure ouer women / victories / yea and what he will / as to per secute to make lawes &c. which is a token of the continuall consuming wrath of god hanginge ouer his head / as is the crosse and affliccion of the godly the token of gods loue towerd them. When anticry∣stes wykednes is rype and at the hyghest in persecu••ing / as is this daye the wyked nes of the emprour pope & other kinges / then let them beware / for now will the wrath of God ceasse to suffer them here any lenger to lyue.

☞ He shall set naught by y^e god of his* 1.20 fathers / nether shall he regarde the con∣iugale loue in wedlok / nor sette a wght by

any god at all / for he shall exalt himself aboue all thinges.

Christ was promised to the fathers* 1.21 being their God / and therfore shall anti∣cryst deadly hate him / because he promi∣seth to the repenters remission of their synnes & lyfe eternall for the onely fayth and confidence of his mercye promysed them. The turk calleth vpon Mahumete and wilbe iustifyed by the workis cōman ded in Mahumets lawe / the pope calleth vpon the deade saintes and wilbe iusti∣fyed by the workes wryten in his owne de∣crees and lawe. In this verse ye se two manifest markes of anticryst printed both vpon the turke and the pope and their se∣culare princes yet folowing their stepis one euident marke is. They shall not knowe ne vnderstand what God is / but openly caste awaye the God of oure fa∣thers Abraham / Isaac and Iacob &c. one god alone for all sufficient him onely our fathers called vpon in cryste / theirs and ours onely mediator. Vnto him onely in all affliccions we and they dyd euer flye in the fayth of cryst oure sauiour and one∣ly mediator. And were hard and holpen by his mercye / oure fayth teching it vnto crystis passion paste / as dyd theirs vnto his death to come / ther by both they & we

to be iustifyed. But this our eternall god and father thus knowen in Cryste / shall oure anticrystis (sayth the aungell) neuer knowe nor regarde / but spyghtfully set him at naught and caste him awaye for their idols setvp in his stede both in their owne hertis and in their chirches to be worshiped aftir their owne inuencions / inuocacions &c. Thei shall inuent their newe iustificaciōs newe articles / remis∣sions / indulgences and saluaciōs by ma∣ny other means and mediators then by onely Cryste. These anticrysten keisars / kinges and bisshops shall teche and de∣fende most cruelly their own strange god of their owne makinge made with their mouthes and hands. And as tyranously shall they fyght for their owne inuented iustificacions and inuocacions of their dead saints: for their owne merits / will workis / and satisfaccions / rytes / cere. &c. Then shall thei pray to / and for the dead* 1.22 which nether heare nor know them. And when thei be thus casten vp of God tho∣row their owne lustes into a forlorne myn de. Rom. 1. Then shall ye see their fifte* 1.23 mark euen to contempne the honest law∣full cōiugale loue of men and women de∣syering to be coupled in holy wedlok. God hath created the man and woman & graf∣fed

into ether sexe a mutuall loue to be ioyned togyther in wedloke / lawfully to bringforth frute / one to haue a counforta∣ble felowe helper of the tother. This na∣turall coniugale loue shall they vtterly destroye forbidding the lawfull matrimo∣nie of preistis and of all their religious fonde vowesses. And shall set vp therby wheredom aduoutry and all prodigiouse lecherie vnder an hypocritish cloke of vn lawfull lawfull vowes and sole vnchast chastite. So that by this deuillish doctry∣ne and prohibicion many a man and wo∣man* 1.24 is dishonested shamed viciated and polluted / yea and many a soull dampned. Siche forbidders of wedlok shall neuer haue good successe and fortune in their owne maryages.

And as for oure bisshops and preistis the autors of this anticrysten act / they be so depely and so openly marked with this baudy bronde and popish print / that whoso see their shauen crownes / as they be afrayd of their familie wyues & daugh ters and abhorre their to ouermiche do∣mestike familiarite / so do all the worlde speke shame of their open prodigiose le∣cherie. These be lo / the monstrose mar∣kes of oure anticrystis both seculare and ecclestastike / euen the manifest blasphe∣mie••

and contempt of god in worshiping images and strāge gods and their deuil∣lish doctryne prohibyting lawfull marya∣ge and violently rendinge honeste law∣fully mared persons in sond••r with their derely beloued chyldren / thus to confir∣me their owne wyde wandering wyueles lecherous lustes. I tremble and shake for very shame & fear to tell the horrible viciouse lyues & abominable fylthynes committed among themselues and with menis wyues / wherof all the romish ram∣mish preistis and bisshops so stinke that all honest men stoppe their noses / eares and eyes at them.

This anticrysten kingdom reteyneth the name of god the eternall father & his sone cryste. But thei adde to idols & cor∣ruppe the trewe doctryne: both in praying to the dead and worshipinge of idols and images / emong y^e which idols their misse is the most execrable abominable signe of a swift and soden destruccion shortly to fall ouer them. And as for the trewe inuo∣cacion of god thorow cryst / thei haue tur∣ned it into a dowtfull dubitacion. In oure sorowfull repentance and contricion / so long as the mynde dowteth / & is not cer∣teynly perswaded of remission of hir syn∣nes / ••he knowth not God in Cryste / but▪

flyeth from him to dead saintes and dome idols. The crystians in this maner of inuocacion differre not from the turkes Saracens and iewes / whiche al pray to / and call vpon god / but in a perpetuall du∣bitaciō whether god be mercifull / forgeue or heare them. For nether thei nor we can be certified by our workis / whether we be for their sakis worthie to be herde and for geuen. Wherfore our faithe stayed vpon god and vpon his promises to be herd & forgeuen for crystis sake whom the father willed to be offred vp a sacrifice for our sinnes / excludeth almaner a doute and al that may let or fight agenst this mercia∣ble forgeuens. For this constant gift of faithe certifieth vs fermely / verely to be receiued of our god and father for his so∣nes sake / and for his sake onely our pray∣ers* 1.25 to be herde / as it is writen. We ha∣uinge siche a bishop and mediator / let vs* 1.26 with bolde confidence go vnto him & cet. And ayen / what soeuer ye aske my father in my name / he will geue it you. For in that he saith in my name / he comandeth* 1.27 vs to aske in the faith and confidence of the mediator. As thus. Oh eternall god & father of our lorde▪ Iesu cryste / the maker and conseruer of althings / most wyse / the ••este / mercifull / our iuge / and almighty / vpon 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

ring of ether wothers beneuolent dewtie. The man knowth himself to owe certein labors to his wyfe / that she want not foo∣de or any necessary thinge / and the wo∣man mu••te labore to sustayne the vp bring∣ing of hir childerne &c. as that mo••te fru∣tefull and necessary boke of the Christen state of matrimony techeth vs. Whiche boke euery cristen man ought to reade. But the one eyed great tyraunt kinge Cy* 1.28 clops sitting alone in his dēne ladig his bellye with dilicats and his owne flessh with lustes care not for this honeste cure and coniugale loue. He bereth no honeste beneuolence to any parte of mankinde he geueth them not their honeste coniugall honore for their creators sake nor labo∣reth to get his wyfe hir lyuing nor defen deth hir from inconueniences / but him∣self compresseth & dishonesteth al other menis wiues and daughters and turneth vp their halters when he hath done with them / for thei will not be combred w^t their owne wyues and childern. This is both the sclaunder to the womā iniurye to hir housbond / shame and dishonestie to them all▪ 3. and to their childern to / and destruc cion of the frail sexe / not to norish helpe and defend hir but to bringe hir into per∣tuall infamie and dampnacion. Of this

iniurie shame and dishonestie speketh the text sayinge he shal fill the women ful of shame and dishonestye sclaūdered with perpetuall contumelie & dampnacion.

The sixt bronde of this blody beast is to contempne god exaltinge himself abo* 1.29 ue all thinges. Here he describeth the fu∣rye of the Epicures / which is the highest and depest mischeif of all impiete / euen to cōtempne the very god and to vse him as no god / but to imagine god to be a god of his owne makinge / and to desiroie the predestinacion and forsight of god / yea to make the religions or gods ordinances to serue his owne plesures for his own pro∣fite and lucre. Who destroieth gods infal lible prouidence and predestinacion but he that decreeth / that a man may preuēt the predestined and apointed howr of his death / infallibly foresene of god? What els is this then to be magnified aboue god? To make new articles of owr faith contrary to Gods worde / and to set them in their prophane seculare actes of poli∣tik parlements armed withe swerde and fier / is not els then to be exalted aboue god himself. Wonder it is seinge this epi cury godles furye be so horrible a sinne a∣yenst gods highe maiesty / that noman ••ā expresse the grauite therof / that so innu∣merable

men so miche delyte / withe th•…•… contempt of god / in these epicurye opini∣ons. But these abominable crymes & im∣pieties the sone of god shall disclose and punisshe at his open coming ayen to iuge∣mēt / that he might orne his chirche with glorye and cast these anticrystis into euer∣lastinge torments vnlesse thei repent in tyme monisshed.

But he shall worship in his owne* 1.30 kingdom the god Mayzim / euen the god whom his fathers neuer knewe / him shal he honour withe gold and syluer / perte / and gemmis / and withe other preciouse ornaments.

Mayzim / signifieth stronge defences as bulworks and castels. This god May* 1.31 zim / which oure fathers as Abraham / I∣saac y^e prophetes & the apostles with our fathers in the primitiue chirches neuer knewe / is it which the shauen anticristes of late haue made and fayn themselues euery daye to make it / which sleighthy leger de maine (say they) no aungel nor yet marye herself cannot do / but onely y^e popis false anoynted Anticrystis. This their stronge god and castell Mayzim / is not onely their owne made God / but also all their rytes / cerem▪ lawes / doctrynes / tradiciōs with their transsubstanciaciōs

all their lyinge prophane papistrye / false worship and idolatry belonging ther vnto Brede in scripture is the most strong staf∣••e* 1.32 (as Moses and the prophetes call it) wherwith man is sustained and norished Mayzimis a made mighty god of and in ••ondre temples. The arke and the temple of god were called Maysa / that is / their strong castell or tower / as it is afore sayd But Mayzimin y^e plural nowmber signi∣fieth yet more stronger thinges then they all / euen their most strongest helpe and holde whereby anticrystis kingdom think themselues to be for euer defended & pre∣serued. For as long as their Mayzim in misses with their adpertinences maye stonde thei thinke their kingdoms inex∣pugnable. So longe as they maye holde styll their hyghe honor and priuilege in making their vnmighty Marzi / thei dout not but to stonde faste and sewer ayenste god and cryste and his gospell. The Ie∣wes hauing to greate a confidence in the* 1.33 arke (& yet was it made by gods precept and so is not Mayzim) caryed it forth into the bataill ayenst the Philistens calling it the God of the Hebrewes / as they call Mayzim the god of the crystians / suppo∣sing therby to haue had the victorie / but the arke was taken and they miserable

slayne / for to miche trustinge in their al∣to weak Mayzim not instituted for siche ententis. What perels / plages bataill so∣res sykenesses wether fyer feare we / but a non the makers of Mayzim causse their misses to be song and sayd / yea and May∣zim in a maske muste be caryed about in processions for helpe & defence. But cryst instituted not his holy souper into these endes and vses. Make fast (my masters) youre mustye and mistye Mayzim with your misses / for if ye lese him in this your bataill and cōtencion ayenst cryste / sewr∣ly ye lese the strongest hold ye haue. If he fall / youre kingdom is in the duste. Dout∣les his legges be broken. For the aungell affirmed it / and Daniel sawe before his fete to be made and bakt but of britle bak∣kery / his bodye therfore now reseth and staggerth. Make miche of / and hold fast youre golde and syluer / youre preciouse stones and so ryche iewels begged to or∣nowerne to honor and to magnifie May∣zim / and all for youre owne aduauntage. For the tyme drawth faste on that youre selues and youre god Mayzim shall lese all / yea you shall lese Mayzim to. This is and shall come to passe / where and when the very vse and firste institucion of the lordis souper shalbe restored to crystis or∣dinance

/ and youre prophane popish mis∣ses be abolisshed / as they be well minis∣shed and put downe now in many places with the abbeys. Some expositors call Mayzim the god of strength or the most strong god of anticryst / because he shalbe defended mayntained and strengthened by the most strong weapens as by swerde fyer / water / and by the strong powers of y^e most mighty emprours / kinges and secu∣lare armes / & also of & by y^e most subtyle crafty lerning and studye of the popisshe preistis deuilish doctours of lawe / blody bisshops / and cruell cardinals. And of y^e most fraud••lent foxes the holy hypocri∣t••s / euen the mischeuo{us} monkis and fyer∣••e fryers. Of which it foloweth in the text sayinge.

☞ And he shall for y^e defence & mainte∣nāce of his god Mayzim & to glewe men to this strange god / honour them highely withe dignities lordeships & riches / yea and for a rewarde distribute the erthe to all them whom he know the wyll helpe to confirme his god.

Nowe shall all anticristis enforcemēts be to study and contend to defende and to make Mayzim strong / stablesshinge him with decrees counsels cursinges lawes thondrings and lightninges with swerd

fyer water parlement actis cesstone en∣quiringes holy sacraments of strange names▪ Also withe false miracles make thei Mazim fast / as did sir Nicolas ger∣ues* 1.34 preiste in the countie of surrey vpon Thomas beckets daye y^e laste yere at his misse prik his fynger to besprincle the cor pores and the hoste with his blode and so lifted it vp shewed blody to the peple to restore the celebracion of Thomas Bec∣ket and his day ayen. And howe liberal / * 1.35 yea prodigall is their auarice in powerig forthe grete giftis for their mazim to sup presse the trwth and to setforth their lyes and false doctrine ayenst their own con∣sciences / their own and their fathers fa∣ctes declare it / whē thei gaue Iudas the 30. peces of syluer to betray cryste / & ayen when with so grete a some of mouey thei stopped the kepers mouthes and to cause thē to make so lowd a lye ayenst all their consciences / that thei being in sleap / his disciples shuld haue stolen crystis body a way out of the graue / so to contende to ha ue quenched the verite of crysts manifest resurreccion. For when all sheftis faill / yet haue thei false miracles and money to bye lyes and to suborne the defenders of their lately made Mayzim their popis god. If gold syluer preciouse stones or any

riche iewels or holy sacred sacramentall names may defend he shall wantenone. If the seculare powr of emprours & kin∣ges or any subtile sophistry or any mira∣cles may help to holdvp Mayzim thei shall not fail him / yea and it were to slay an hole londe of crysten men whiche dare speke or write ayenst Mayzim / for the ho∣ly souper of the lorde to be restored into y^e right vse. And therfore it stondeth in the same verse / he shal highely honour them whiche confirme Mayzim the strang god whom he hath chosen / and he shall make them lords of grete possessions and distri bute the erth vnto them for a rewarde / e∣uen asmiche to say / as anticryste shall ge∣ue greate titles names and honours / ry∣che giftis priuileges and possessions to the emprowrs and kinges cardinals bis∣shops religio use and seculare preistis or to any other magistrates which at his ple sure wyll persecute the Gospell / worship idols and confirme his rites cere / and fal se doctrine. As did Antiochus geue the bisshoprikes to the preistis for prophanig the temple and slayinge the saynts / euen so in these dayes do the ryche gloton and y^e cruell Cyclopes enryche men with lar∣ger benefices and dignities / which ether speke or wryte or do bothe ayenst the pro∣fessours

of the gospell and defende their idols yea and at laste the Bisshops / when thei see their Mayzim to mould / be sower and begin to l••se his vigore strengthe & taste / then shall thei rēdervp all their spi rituall iurisdicion powr and autorite into the seculare kings handis ayē with their bisshoprikes chauntres colleges & goods to / for the stronger helpe and defence of Mayzim. Thus shal thei tosse the ball to eche other with giftis and goodis / titles and honours / the spiritualtie procuringe the seclare helpe / and the seclare powrs makinge the preistis lordis aboue all to maintein Mayzim / one slate shall helpe defende and auaunce the tother and all to defende their god Mayzim. Which al∣though of himself he be but thinne & wea ker then the mouse that eateth him / yet haue thei geuen him the moste mighty na me of all / euen to be very god and man af∣tir thei haue once stinkingly breathed their 5 wordis vpon it / when yet in so do∣inge / thei declare themselues to be mag∣nified & exalted aboue him / if thei gra∣unt the creator beter then the creature / & the fletcher beter then his bolt. And to be short / by this their god Mayzim vnder∣stand their misses / as I said / with al the adpurtinance executed in their chirches

ayenste the worde of god or not withe the worde / befor / vpon / and about their alta∣res.

This Anticristen kingdom saithe the text shall geue great lordships and king∣doms to many & deuyde the erthe to them by permutacion. It is manifest / that the popis haue translated empires and king∣doms / permuting & chaunginge them at their plesures which haue defended thē and their god Mayzim. For as antioch{us} gaue the bisshoprik of Ierusalem to the epicure preistis which gaue him licence to prophane and spoile the temple / euen so nowe do the popes and bisshopes geue the same lycence to seculare emprours & kinges that their selfes might still make Mayzim / yea thei haue geuen grete giftis and promocions to Eccius / Cocleus / Emser / Pighius / Latomus / and Alphōs and to siche popish preistes and pharise∣is to write & to dispute strongly for May∣zim ayenst the lordis holy souper / and to defende idols and all false religion. yea & albeit their misses / rytes withe all their false religion be proued openly naught & deuillissh / yet cloke thei them with this pretext sayinge. The autorite of the chir che may not be contempned nor spotted / nor their decent odiouse orders & illau∣dable

rytes be taken away which lordis muste nedis rule the roste. But (crystē rea der) take thou heed to gods worde which here clerely painteth before thyn eyes their god Mayzim with all his helpers & defenders / and by whom and what me∣ans he is yet holpen vpholden and defen ded / and herken what y^t voice of god saith Fugite idola / flye frō images and idols and auoid false strāge gods. Thou shalt see it openly how the bisshops shall short ly rendre vp into the emprours and kings hādis their bisshopriks autorite spiritual ouer the chirches / their first frutes their tenthes / palaces parkes &c. and the po∣pe shall yet geue thē the tytles of god / to defende his false faith. Which all is not els then to exalte them aboue god / and all to defende and magnifye their mōstro se Mayzim.

But at laste / the south kinge shall gore him with his horne & the north king* 1.36 also shall come fyercely vpon him lyke a whirle winde with wagens & horse men and with many shippes: he shall inuade the regiōs lyke a swelling floude runing all ouer them. He shall inuade that moste pleasaunt londe and many shalbe smiten downe.

Here is discribed the laste bataill bet∣wixt

Antiochus and the kinge of Egipt. But as cryste toke an occasion in the pro phecie of the foresignes and destruccion* 1.37 of Ierusalem / of the temple and iewes co mon weal / to set before owr eyes the fore signes and tokens of his laste cominge & destruccion of the worlde: euen so here of this laste batail betwixt these two kin ges / the aungell procedeth vnto this pre∣sent laste ende of the worlde / declaring in howe troublouse and blody a state y^e worl∣de shall make an ende. Nowe the west par te of the worlde whiche is called crysten∣dom hath her northe and southe kinges / which be at heuey warre among them sel∣ues. The pope is / and hath ben longe ty∣me a south kinge / and with his hornes & powr hath he hurt all crystendom northe weste and easte from him / he hathe geuen them all to drink of his poysoned golden* 1.38 cuppe / auerting them from the trwe faith and religion vnto his anticristen doctry∣ne. And whether he hath now set the nor∣the and southe kinges and emprowr togi∣ther by the eares set the stories and pre∣sent experience be iuge. The text saith. At laste / or in the tyme of the ende / mea∣ninge not onely the ende of Antioch{us} per secucion / but also this present tyme & end of this worlde. But a•• there nowe no nor∣the

este and weste kinges whiche fight ayenst the south kinge the pope▪ yisse trw ly. All thei which hane receiued the gos∣pell as the germans / and thei that vnder the same pretence debarre him of his fal∣se vsurped powr & money falselyer exac∣ted / as englonde / fight yet ayenst him / yea and all the crysten lerned which write or preache ayenst him in Germany / Fran∣ce / Englond &c. do yet fight ayenste him resistinge this stronge and sharpe horned harnest hore of Babylon. The text se∣meth to geue the victorie to the northe kinges ayenste the pope and him to haue the fall: which shalbe verified of the spi∣rituall bataill with the pennes & lippes of the lerned & godly mē writing prechin∣ge & praying ayēst him. What shal we say of these kings yet fighting among thēsel ues? God knowth. But y^e turk is a northe este king if we loke vpō his seat emperial in Constantinople from Iudea and from vs. Wherfor / I iuge that for y^e persecuciō & thrusting away of y^e gospel al y^e west real med and the Romane empire shall be th{us} settogither one to destroie another til the way be made redye for the turkes incur∣sion. And that therbe but fewe crysten kin ges a lyue that shall leaue their king dōs to their own ayers and posterite if the tur ke preuaile. For he shall come into that

moste pleasaunt londe gretly desyered & many shalbe slayne. This shalbe a pere∣lous and a troubles tyme. Ezechiel pro∣phecied of this destruccion by Gog and Magog / by whom is vnderstanden the turkes cruell powr. The pope first came into Italy and did set his seat in Rome / which is the moste pleasant londe in cri∣stendom. France / Englond and diuerse parties of Germanie be right fertyle and pleasaunt londes / and gretly desyered & longed for of y^e turke. But who shal escape these cruell anticristis handis? the text saith thus.

But these men shall escape his hande / * 1.39 euen the I dumeis and the moabits and y^e princes of the Ammonites. These Idu∣meis* 1.40 be the bloudy Edomities of Esau Moabits signifye prowd men / the Am∣monites be basterds & misbegoten / bothe were the sonnes of dronken lot goten by his owne daughters. These blody misbe∣goten filthei papistes shalbe confedered with the pope and turke / and with the per sewers and destroiers of the crystendom / and so escape thēselues / for that present tyme. These misbegoten Ammonites y^t pope and his misshapen bisshops shal di∣ligently wait which parte is lyke to pre∣uaise / and vnto that parte shall thei flye

with their ryches and fayer false perswa∣sions submitting themselues euen to the Turke rather then they wolde lese their names / ryches / tytles and dignities / and wyll rather become Machumetes mis∣shops and the turkis trewe preists then to dye for the Crysten fayth. It foloweth in the next verse / who shall not escape.

And he shall sende his power into* 1.41 regions / and the londe of Egypte shall not escape.* 1.42

Egypt was no lesse pleasaunt fertile and ryche then it was blynde and igno∣rant of god and full of idolatrye. Egypt is asmiche to saye as derkenes. The mo∣re welthye and ryche kingdoms be / the more vi••iouse blynde and aduersaries at they to Gods worde. There be yet some* 1.43 kingdoms ryche pleasaunt and welthey / but in the middaye lyght of the gospell now sprongen vp so clerely more then the∣se. 20. yeares / good lorde how blynde and derke Egypts be they? But for their ry∣ches and welthynes shall the Turke the ernestlyer be bent to inuade and to obtei∣ne them. Wherfore it foloweth.

And he shalbe kinge ouer the tre∣sures* 1.44 of their golde and syluer and lorde ouer all their pleasant possessions and ie∣wels of these blynde Egypcions. But Ly

bya and India shall he passe thorow.

These blynde wealy londes which yet persecute gods worde shall not escape the turkis handis. But Lybya and India by which are vnderstanden all drye baron regions full of pouerty londes full of mō∣stres and wylde beastes where nether ry∣ches nor pleasures are to be goten y^e turke shall passe by or thorow them doinge no hurte. For thei be ryches tresures & plea∣saunt fertile regions full of gold & syluer that anticryst euer sought and shall seke to the worldis ende. But now whyls thei be in the middis of their welthe and ry∣ches and haue goten these pleasaunt real mes / the aungell thus sayth.

☞ But then shall tydings from y^e easte* 1.45 and north trouble him and feare him.

When the pope was in the middis of his welthy ryches and so hyghe in power auctorite and honour / dreaded and exal∣ted aboue god thorow oute all crystendom encreasinge his ryches and power with pardōs licences grauntes and gathering of his tributes and pensions / then came there shrewed tydinges to him from the north east oute of Saxonie and Hel••e∣tia / that one Martine Luther with zwin∣glius and Ecolampadius begane to wry∣te ayenst his pardons and ayenst his god

Mayzim / and that they disputed of his power &c. Then began the gospell & good tydings of the iustificacion and fre par∣don & remission of synnes by onely fayth in Iesu cryste to be brought to his eares / which as thei were good and glad tydin∣ges to the beleuers / so were thei terrible tydinges and a ferefull fame to all infi∣dels & papistes. For then as y^e text sayth.

☞ In ira & furore magno egredietur* 1.46 ad va••••andum & occidendum plurimos.

That is / In ire and in a great heat and furye shall he go forth to destroye and kyll full many. Euen as many as shall folowe and haue folowed these godly lerned me∣nis holy doctryne of y^e gospell. Then sent he to his cardinals and bisshops in euery countrye as to Thomas Wolseye arche∣bisshop of yorke and Cardinall to per∣swade the kinge / some to perswade them∣prour / some to y^e Frenche kinge / some to Scotlande &c. that the gospell now rysen was dampnable heresye / commandinge all kinges and bisshops cristened to sup∣presse it preche and wryte ayenst it / and to burne all the professours and bokis ther∣of / as testaments and bybles translated into the vulgare tongue / yea and euen Lu thers image to burned they at Paulis crosse with many englishe testaments /

Thomas Wolsey the cardinall present solemply sitting vnder his golden cana∣pye. Now therfore themprour and kinges all (but some of ignorance) playd anticry∣stis part for the popis pleasure with swer∣de and fyer sleing many innocentes more then these. 24. yeares / and yet ceasse not some blody bochers / for the dragons plea sure to persecute the crystians. Well / let them go on yet a lytle whyle tyll there co∣me yet moo terrible tydinges from the north easte. And let them styll fume and fome out fyer and water fagets & swerde vntyll not onely fearfuller rumors / but also the turke himself be in their neckis. But yet in the mean tyme it is possible ere these warres (now begune. 1544. in Iuly) be ended / that euery sowth west kin ge maye heare ferefull tydinges from the north east eche one of other. And all they togyther at last shall heare ferefull tydin ges from the Turke / euer redy to inuade crystendom. The turke in the middis of his prosperite & glory shall heare the last ferefull tydings of all / euen when Cryste oriens ex alto as did zacharie saye / shall* 1.47 come downe springinge oute of heuen to iugement. But in the meane ceason / see what prouisions and shiftis / these anti∣crystis shall make / mistrustinge these ty∣dinges /

sayth the aungel.

☞ And he shall setfast his strong ca∣stels* 1.48 palaces and bulworkes betwixte two seas vpon the noble holy hyll / vntyll he shall come to his ende / when noman shall helpe him.

The serpentyne sead the pope of all bea¦stes the subtylest and fardest forecasting dreading these tydings long ago buylded him many strong castels in Rome & Italy betwixt y^e two seas one called mare adria ticum and the tother called Tyrrhenū. Rome his cheif seat of his reste and plea∣sure being situated vpon the noble seuen topped holy fathers hyll. But his sewe∣rest* 1.49 tower of all was (as he thought) that by his counsels / curses / lawes & decrees he had made his holynes and power so hygh and fast that he was exalted aboue god / emprours / & kinges vsurping a wor∣ship aboue god there bostinge himself for gods vicare on erthe & head of the vniuer¦sall chirche hauing power both in heauen hell / erth and in purgatorye / & that this securite and power might sitte the sewe∣rer / he made fast and ferme decrees / no∣man so hardy / payn of cursinge and bur∣ninge / once to doute or dispute of his po∣wer dignite / autorite or holynes. He sit∣teth betwixt two troubles seas. For no∣man

maye come nyghe nor touche this hy dra (his hygh holynes I shuld saye) with gods word on any syde but he shall go tho row a troublouse sea & be brēt or drowned But the lorde with the brethe of his mou the shall sleye him. Haue not some secula re anticrystis at these ferefull tydinges from y^e northeast made themselues strong holdes and castels betwixt seas vpon so∣me hyghe holy hyll? But it is God that* 1.50 woundeth the head of his enimies & smy∣teth of the hearie head toppe of them that walke in synnes. God shall alto crusshe the head of the dragon in the waters.* 1.51

The Frenche kinge lyeth betwixt the mediterrany sea and the sowthe oceane / yea now he hath the Popes two hornes and the emprours swerde to defende him. His hyghe hyll wherevpon he resteth is / to be called the most crysten kinge. Besy∣des these holy helpes and defences / the Pope hath Gods power almighty vpon erth / he hath Peter & Paul in their moste hyghe indignacion and curses to thonder and lyghten vpon whom he lysteth. France hath S. Dionyse with his long moris pyke. The emprour hath the win∣ges of the flying egle that flieth so hygh ouer all / & hercules two pilles. The other popisshe princes be beres / winged swift

spr••kled panthers and be called the most mighty / noblest / redouted most victoriou∣se / the Popis firste begoten sonnes &c. The emprours maiestye is called of the clergy the most inuicte sacred cesar con∣secrated to iustice &c. and puysant prince of Almayn as long as he defendeth their papis••rye. These all haue their most strōg and mighty god Mayzim / with infinite dayly misses and the perpetuall prayers of the papistis with Sancta Maria and all sayntis to praye for them. Shall there any ferefull tydinges from the north east fray any of these cruell beastes? yea vere∣ly / if thei repent not in tyme in sak and as∣shes / for sheding of so miche innocēt blo∣de for the gospell / and will not in tyme c••asse persecuting / and receyue the wor∣de humbly enbracing it with thankis / be∣leue it and defende it. But how long els shall thei sitte in feare in these their own holy hylles? The text sayth: Not longe. But they shall come to their ende. And to what ende (I pray you)? The text sayth. Et non erit eis adiutor. That is to saye: Not withstandinge all these great seas / defences / towers palaces / hygh holy tyt∣les / tyches / men money / greate gunnes. yea for all their policies and studye / yet in their most nede shall there not be one

to helpe them. No not their owne greate god Mayzim / nor Marye nor not one of all the sayntis in their chirches / nor in heauen maye helpe any one of these an∣ticrystes.

The Iewes once at siche lyke terrible tydinges from the north east / pretended and trusted to lyke defences / for thei had their situacion betwixt y^e west sea / & the floude Euphrates. Their temple and ci∣te Ierusalem were buylded pleasantly vpon that holy hyghe mount of Sion wel fortreced and turretted. And when the prophete Ieremie tolde them these terri∣ble rumors from the north east / that the kinge of Babylon shulde come to destroye all. Thei answerde / that it was impossi∣ble: for that they were the peple of God / thei had his lawes decent rytes and lau∣dable cerem. and miracles for them / they were circumcised and had the sealls and sacraments of his couenant / & the Baby∣lonits were infidelis / not y^e peple of god / but haithen folke / and therfore presoned they the prophete Ierem. and conspired his death and diuerse other thei slewe for telling them siche tydings. But yet came thei to that same ende noman helpinge them. And albeit now oure false cristians and trewe anticrystis pretende the same

britle buklers / sayinge ••e be crystened / we be gods peple / redemed by cryste / we serue god trewly daye & nyght / no where is he so richely and so prowdly serued as emonge vs / we haue his sacraments and daily infinite misses / wherfore if any mā tell vs of the turks incursion to destroy al cristendom / we ought to kyll him as a fal∣se precher and falser prophete. For God shal neuer suffer his crystened peple to be destroid of an heithen turke. well.

The turke therfore / when he shall ha∣ue this conqueste ouer all cristendom / he shall also hear lyke ferefull tydings from the northe east. And he shall flye to siche shiftis as now do our crysten turkes and anticristes. For his great mighty palace of Byzācie is sewerly builded alredye be twixt the aeuge seas & Euxin sea. And he shall thinke himself the moste mighty emprowr of Rome and conquierer of the hole worlde. But yet shall he come to his ende / noman helping him. For aftir this fowerth Romane Monarchie / there shall be no moo. For here shall comeforthe the watchinge and awaitlaying roring lyo•• out of the northe ea••te wode / & shall cha∣lenge & conuince this mighty last enimie the turke persuinge his chirche and pre∣suming to geue the egle / and to holde the

Romane empire / here shal this highe fle∣inge egle be slay••••e vpon the mountains of Israel / whyls he is in persecuting the chirche of cryste shall he be slayne with the breath and worde of this lyons mou∣the cominge downe to i••gement / as it is prophe••ied. 4. Esore in the. 12. Chap.

☞ But in this tyme / Michael y^e great* 1.52 prince standinge for thy peple shall aryse vp / for there shalbe siche an hard heuey and troublos tyme as neuer was sence any man hath bene vnto this tyme. But in this tyme thy peple which is fownde wryten in the boke shalbe delyuered and saued.

This is a present consolacion for all crystianes yet suffering persecucion / Mi∣chael is as miche to saye as who is lyke god▪ verely euen Iesus Cryst which sit∣teth* 1.53 on hyghe and beholdeth thinges so lowe and farreof. He is called a greate prince because that y^e faythfull beleuers / thorow him ouercome euen the powers* 1.54 and gatis of hell / for greater is he that is in vs / then he that is in y^e worlde. To stan beforth and to aryse vp / is a token of a re∣dy* 1.55 willing helper at all tyme. For the de∣struccion of the afflict / and waylinge of y^e* 1.56 pore now will I aryse vp (sayth the lorde) and I will restore them to helthe & geue

them a breathing restinge place. Thanks be to god the father of oure sauiour cryst that yet he will standeforth and aryse vp to delyuer vs from these so many and so cruell torants and anticrystes / makinge vs vnable to be ouercomen thorow onely fayth and by the confession of the almigh ty gospell. By that so troubles so heuey & greuouse a tyme as neuer was nor shal∣be / he vnderstandeth thissame oure tyme present in which the lest part of the chir∣che is thus persecuted within and with∣out / at home of their owne familiare fay∣ned brethern / and in euery strange londe / of the most and hyghest part of y^e worlde. This is confirmed not onely by Crystis wordis Matth. 24. but also by this place of daniel. But yet are the elect wryten in the boke of god / for whose sake the gospell is / & shalbe preched and the chosen shall not be lost. Let vs goforth therfore vnto oure solace reste and counforte euen vnto the resurreccion. See howe ioyously the aungell reioyseth and haasteth himselfe vnto the last daye / so that befor•• he wolde speke of Michaels office he wold ingraf∣fe the place of oure resurreccion so full of solace / that we mought be certifyed that when Anticryst is reueled / then is there nothinge els to be waited fore but the re∣surreccion of the dead. But yet shall the∣se

cruell persewers (as in the tyme of No∣••e) before the floude / eat and drinke ma∣••ye buylde plant and be merye tyll vnwa∣••es y^e vniuersall fy••r shall ouer flye them. And as Paul and Peter saye / when they* 1.57 shall w••ne all to be sewer and ••alf / then* 1.58 shall this soden destruccion come ouer them. So that the worlde shall euer be in mi••the and solace and in a synfull securi∣te.* 1.59 For the persecucion and heuye dayes shall begine at the howse of god. But oh an••t / oh tribulacion / oh horrible trem∣blinge / oh most gre••o••se euerlasting tor∣ments which then shall take awaye the∣se wyked anticrystes and sead of the ser∣pente / especially when the lorde ••esus shall trede out y^e wyne presse of his heuey wrath and indignacyon and geue y^e dreg∣ges of the cuppe of his wrath to be dron∣ken* 1.60 vp of all the synners of the erth.* 1.61 Then then shall the chosen be delyuered. But as the nature of mankinde the elde•• it wexeth / the weaker it is / euen so slac∣keth y^e courage vnto vertewe. The world wexeth olde & very syke / wherfore all syn encreaceth / as we se it / what igna••y and sleugth is ther to any godly reformacion? what loue and pronite is there to volup∣••••ousnes and pleasures of the flesshe? what and how greate feminine softnes

to synne / intemperancie / inconstancie de∣ceit and falshed folisshnes pryde vani∣ties / enuey estimacion and perswasions of their owne wysedom and policie is ther now ayenst god / and his worde? Out of these founteins are there now sprongen both in imperies and chirches these grea∣te and blody tumults / wherfore the trwe chirche is now minisshed and distressed she wexeth weak and feble. And therfo∣re* 1.62 she prayeth sayng. Cast me not now a∣waye lorde in myne olde age / when my strength fayleth me / yet lorde stand thou by me. In greate calamite and heuynes was the chirche when Antiochus perse∣cuted it / in greater affliccion when y^e Ro∣mans vtterly destroyd the comon weall of the Iewes their londe / citie & temple. But in the greatest anxt of all afflicciōs & persecucions is it now in this last age of the worlde. Netheles as god in ▪those calamitose heuey dayes sent his prophe∣tes / prechers / apostles and cryst himselfe with his gospell to counfort hir / euen so hath he now done and shall do / vnto the ende / let vs therfor reepent / aknowlege oure synnes and be strong in fayth for the glorie of God and oure owne helth / cal∣linge incessantly vpon God to conserue / defende and encreace his chirche.

Ierusalem is called the holy hyll / becau* 1.63 se it had the worde of god / and thereoute proceded the lawe and gospell. In y^e laste counsell at Ratisbone. 1541. the popis car∣dinall called Contarenus wolde haue graunted all thinges to oure chirches* 1.64 and religion that we required / vpon this condicion / that is to wete. If we wolde haue graunted the pope to be the cheif ho ly head of the vniuersall chirche and to haue his wonte primacie with all his tyt∣les as to be called the most holy vicare of god vpon erthe / him onely to haue the power to interprete adde and diminisshe y^e scriptures / if we wold (sayth Melanch∣ton) haue these thinges affirmed & graū∣ted him / we had agreed. Also there dyd we read his boke imprinted at Ratisbone where in y^e pope playnly wryteth. That it is impossible the turke to be ouercomen / except before / the confessours and profes∣sours of the gospell (whom he called ••u∣therans) were destroyd. And therfore he with his spirituall impes ther being pre∣sent / encensed the emprour Charles the fyft to set vpon the Germans and to de∣stroye as many as had forsaken the Pope and receyued the gospell. Now / how saye ye my lordis. Are not the Turk / the Pope and Antiochus all. 3. the sonnes and bre∣therne

germans / of Anticriste? to the text.* 1.65

And many sleapinge in the erthe* 1.66 shal be vpwakened / some into lyfe eternal and some into euerlastinge shame and cō tempte.

Consolacions in thes persecuciōs god shall euer geue vs. For the trwe chirche* 1.67 shall euer haue the lerned conforting thē with the gospell. And although the mem bers of the chirche be dispersed wyde into strange londis / yet shall thei all and euer consent into one faith and trwe doctrine of the gospell. The emprowr / kinges & bis shops persecute vs dayly frō londe to lon de frō town to town / which is a tokē that the trwe chirche is not a comonaltie bo∣wnd to / & setled in one certain sewer pla∣ce. But where so euer thei be thei call vpō one god in the faithe of cryste flyinge ima* 1.68 ges misses and all heithen rites / for my shepe (saith crys••e) hear my voice. And if my wordis abyde in you aske what ye will & it shalbe geuē you. This is a grete cōso laciō for vs / how wyde so euer we be ska∣tered* 1.69 / yet to haue god in the middis of vs to hear vs & to be present withe vs in his helpe almightye. And therfore saithe the text. In these dayes shal that mighty pri ce Michael / whiche is cryste stand forthe

into our defence / which wordis criste oft repeteth sainge: I meself wilbe with you vnto the worldis ende. Owr laste & chei∣feste assewred consolacion is that owr he∣uye persecucion shall not now longe dure For god nowe haa steth himself to make an ende of this worlde when anticrystis wykednes is at the rypeste and himself thinking to be in moste securite and len∣ger to lyue. This daye of the resurreccion of owr delyuerance into lyfe eternall / and the anticrystes into perpetuall dampna∣cion* 1.70 / is diffined & apoynted of god which daye all the chosen longe sore fore. And we knowe it not to be farre of by many euident signes and coniectures expres∣sed* 1.71 in the scriptures. The euangelists cal* 1.72 led their dayes the last howr of the which* 1.73 howr a thousand and. 500. yeres be paste But returne we to the consolacion in the resurreccion expressed by a similitude of men sleapinge in the duste to be vpwakt. To dye / therfor is not els but aftir labour* 1.74 and wearines of bodye to go to bed & sleap and so to ryse vp erly more fresh and lusti er / by which vprysinge he describeth our resurreccion. By sleap / is vnderstanden the reste of owr bodies in our graues (for owr souls sleap not but be receiued into the handis of our father in heuen blessed

with cryst in the fruicion of his presence) and by the rysing vp ayen in the morning is vnderstanden the resurreccion of owr dead bodyes vnto lyfe eternal owr soul is ioyned ayen to them. Wherfore when we go to bed and ryse in the morning let vs* 1.75 remember our death & resurrecciō. Paul sheweth wherfore we muste ned is dye / & ayen wherfore we muste ned is ryse ayen. Therfore do we but sleape because cryste* 1.76 by his deathe slewe the dethe of the bele∣uers and turned the same death / by his re surreccion into our lyfe / saying / O death I wilbe thy deathe. The text saith. And* 1.77 many sleapinge / for Paul saith. 1. Cor. 15.* 1.78 we shall not all sleape / but all shalbe chā ged in the twinclynge of an eye. For the daye and minute of the trompet blowing shalbe so so••denly herde callinge them that then shalbe left a lyue / that all then present shall neuer be laid in graue to sle∣ape. And as Iob setteth the resurreccion ayenste the sorowes and pains of death / so dothe daniel here for owr consolacion* 1.79 sette it ayenste our persecucion which did so animate the faithfull in tymes paste that thei refused the delyuerance from* 1.80 death of bodye for that lyfe and resurrec∣cion to come.

This article of our resurrecciō. Wher

in we shall haue that moste ioyouse lyfe perpetuall is the moste present consolact on in this owr persecucion in these laste dayes. And the greter is our coun••orte for that we knowe it and see it now at hand. And althoughe cryste saith / that daye & howr to be known onely to his father wil linge vs not to serche the article & howr of it curiously / but rather to repent amen de our lyues / to awake and be redy loking euer for it / wherin he shall shew himself vnto al men triumphinge with his chir∣che ouer ower enimies / yet do the short∣nes of the tymes and ages of the worlde and the rypenes of iniquite these warres and the crueltye of anticristes persecuci∣on declare it to be at hande. So that we may coniecture of the tyme and yere in ge nerall.

☞ Also the techers shall shyne lyke y^e* 1.81 brightnes of the firmament. And thei w^c bringe many to the knowlege of the right wyse makinge shall shyne perpetually ly∣ke the starres.

Here is declared the vertew and powr of the prechers before the iugement and of their rewards of bodies and soules af∣tir the resurreccion. These prechers be thei whiche bringeforthe the newe and olde store that is / the lawe and gospell re

pentance and remission by faithe onely / * 1.82 prechinge to themselues and to other the iustificacion by onely faith in Iesu cry∣ste. Thei shall shyne / not onely here as* 1.83 lyghtes in the middis of the euil anticry∣ste•• nacion / but also foreuer. Nether shal thei here alone shyne as y^e two great ligh¦tes of the firmament aboue them whom* 1.84 thei haue here taught / but also as y^e grea∣ter starres passe the brightnes of the les∣ser. And what so euer these teachers here lese or suffer for their techinge / thei shal bothe here and there receyue an h••ndred folde for it. Wherfore then shuld thei be afraid or troubled? The more thei here* 1.85 suffere for teachinge the trwthe the grea ter ioye abydethe them: let vs not therfor desiste / nor be afraid / let vs not neglecte our office for crystis sake (good crystē bre∣thern) but speke & wryte as longe as we maye.

But thou (oh Daniel) shut vp the∣se wordis and seall vp this boke vntil the* 1.86 laste tyme where many shall turne it ouer & be skatred abrode / that the vnderstan∣dinge and knowlege might be gretely en creased and multiplyed.

Nowe is it shewed / whom the redinge* 1.87 of daniel shal profit & whō it shall not pro fite teachinge that at Isay. 8. saithe that

is / Seal thou vp my lawe for my disciples To shut vp the wordis and seal vp the bo∣ke is to hyde my wordis and secrets from the vngodly filthy swyne & dogges that thei vnderstand them not. To turne ouer the boke of daniel in owr exyle and skate ringe a brode by persecucion and so to fyn de miche knowlege / is the chosen persecu ted to fynde the somme and secretis of al the scripture in Daniel diligently often studied and labored. Hitherto perteine* 1.88 crystes wordis. To you is it geuē to kn••w the mysteries / but not to them. To him that hathe it shalbe geuen / to him that hathe no pleasure to reade daniel / that knowlege he thinketh himself to haue / it shalbe taken from him. No man can know perfectly these prophecies vntill he see them fulfilled or in fulfillinge (as thei be euen nowe) god so reuelinge them to him.

Aftir this I daniel loked vp / & lo / there stode two other / one on this syde of* 1.89 ••flowde & y^e tother on y^e other syde. And I sayd to the man cl••d with the lynē vestu∣••e standinge aboue the floude. When thē* 1.90 shall there be an ende of these meruelou∣se thinges? And I herde him that stode in lynen aboue the waters of the floude / which (his right and lyfte handis lyfted∣vp into heuen) swore by the euer lyuinge

god / that all these thinges shall haue an ende / aftir that thei haue fully dispersed and skatered y^e power of the faythfull pe∣ple to endure vnto the determined tyme / whether it be long or shorte (or els as hath another text translated by doctor Ioan Draeonites) All these shall endure for a tyme / tymes and an half. And the disper∣sion of the holy peple ended / all these thin ges shall come to passe.

This is the tyme of the delyuerance of the persecuted chirche and of the ende of the worlde. Daniel here seeth two aun gels of eche syde of the flowde one ayenst* 1.91 and contrary to the tother / which signi∣fyed the two aungels mencioned in the x. chap. making warre ayenst the Iewes letting the buyldinge of their temple en∣censing the kinges of Persye and Medis lost the worde shuld haue encreaced with frute. The man cled with lynen was Ga briel. The askinge of Gabriel how long the persecucion shuld endure is the voyce of the wayling and wepinge chirches de∣syering to knowe y^e ende of their greuouse persecuciōs / which be here called merue∣lous and wonderfull: for that there can be nothinge thought more wonderfull to be merueled at / then thus to see sathan by his instruments the tyraunts / heretykes

and anticrists without ende to persecute / so that if one enimie of ours be ouerco∣men / yet he euer stereth vp another with whom we must euerfyght and neuer ceas∣se. It is a wondrefull warre of so many & so mighty princes of the worlde / ayenst so fewe and feble a lytle ferefull flok / that so many and so mighty shuld be afrayd of ve which nether with materiall swerde nor shylde can fyght / but onely with oure lyppes / pennes and prayers. It passeth all manis reason that we shuld in conclu sion haue the victory. The aungel / which with both his handis lyfted vp into he∣auen swore by the lyuinge god / was cryst himself / clothed in whyght lynen / which betokened that he shulde in tyme to come be borne of the pure virgin Marie and ta∣ke vnto him the most pure and vndefiled nature of man to be borne as is the swete clere and byrall dewe dropes of the mor∣ninge descended from heauen standinge vpon the toppes of the grasse clerely to be sene ayenst the sonne rysing / as is his natiuite in so fewe wordis declared in y^e 110. psal. aftir the Hebrewe text sayinge. Thy concepcion shalbe in the most hygh beutye clerenes and holynes / as pure as is the dewe conceyued oute of the wome of the morninge. For as y^e vapores by the

celestiall powr / be drawnvp oute of the erthe / and in the morninge be condensed as it were into crystall perls or dewe dro∣pes / euen so by the supercelestiall vertew did the sone of god take vnto him his ve∣ry humane bodye of the pure virgen that he the sonne of rightwisnes shuld come forth and be borne into the worlde. This sonne of man standinge in whight lynen aboue the waters or flowd / is cryste trea∣dinge* 1.92 downe all tribulacions and all the persecucions of his enimies / yea & euen his enemies themselues as sinne dethe deuil and hell makinge of them his fo••e stole / he is cled in whight for that by his crosse he shuld be made whight and tryed lyke syluer: he telleth Daniel how longe this persecucion shall endure. He telleth him the moste certein token that shall im∣mediatly* 1.93 go before the resurreccion / euen the dispersion and scateringe abrode of y^e holy peple: which we see it this daye ma∣ny for the wordes sake to be dispersed out of their owne countries and londis as ma ny pore men yet fele it. But how long this dispersion shall endure cryste telleth him not playnly. The zyrik texte sayth vnto y^e determined tyme of god / whether it be long or shorte / for somiche signifieth the Hebrewe phrase. Ad tempus tempora &

dimidium. Fewe dayes apere many and a short tyme is longe to the afflicte per∣secuted. And in the endinge of the scate∣ring of the powr of the holy peple shal all these thingis be finisshed. How longe we shalbe thus dispersed by persecucion / one ly god knowth. But of this be we certein that this dispersion by persecucion is the laste and moste certain signe that y^e daye of iugement is at hande. For God decla∣red vnto daniel the order of the. 4. monar¦chies / whiche be all paste / and the cruell kingdoms of Anticriste which shuld ary∣se in the fowerth monarchie / whiche at Mahumete and the pope be reueled. And the seculare anticristes which shall ende in the turke / begine faste to growe and to preuaile / which yet shall neuer be lyke in powr to the Romane monarchie / when it was in hir firste flowers. And therfore when the seculare Anticristen kingdoms now begun in the cristen emprowr kings and princes be deuolued into the turkis imperie / thē shal that daye begin to sprin ge / wherin the dead yet a sleape shal awa ke. The sayinge of Elye before in the. 9. lefe of this boke is known of all men / & it ought to be writē in euery manis wall is and wyndows.

Cryst telleth vs / the dayes to beshorte∣ned /

as was the course of the yeres vnto Nohe••▪ floude shortened that the synnes of the peple might haue bene the soner* 1.94 smyten of. And if ye will aftir the playn wordis take the tyme tymes and an half as it stondeth. Then thinke I / that the tyme is taken for y^e tyme betwixt or from this reuelacion vnto daniel (which was a non aftir y^e ende of the captiuite of Ba∣bylon) & the ende of y^e destruccion of the Iewes by Titus / which contayneth. 600 yeres and a lytle more. And the tymes / I take for the long tyme dowbled euen for the twelue hondred yeres sence / wherin hath continewed the persecucion of the chirche of the gentiles sence that destruc cion of Ierusalem / euen for the tyme of y^e persecucion by y^e Romane emprours and aftirwarde by the Mahumete and y^e tur∣ke and the pope and his seculare impes. The half tyme / I take it for. 300. yeres / * 1.95 which be the half of. 600. Now from the destruccion of Ierusalem vnto this daye ther are. 1474. yeres / so that by this reke∣ninge the half tyme shalbe ended with in these. 30. yeres to come. But this reke∣ning will I not certaynly affirme. But ra ther take the half tyme / for siche a shorte soden tyme as no vngodly man can iuge it / but thinke it rather to be as long ayen /

and so prouyde for it whylis god sodenly kut him of / in the middis of his course / as it is wryten. The blody vngodly deceyt∣full* 1.96 shall not come to half the tyme they loked fore. Theis coniectures I permit∣te vnto the iugements of the crysten rea∣ders desyering euery man not to be to cu∣riouse in this accompt / but to repent & be∣leue the gospell / to be redye and awayte for the lord is coming.

☞ I herde it / but I vnderstode it not / * 1.97 wherfore I sayd: Lorde / what / or when is the laste ende of these thinges? And he sayd: Go thy ways daniel / for these wor∣dis are shut vp and sealled vp vnto y^e last tyme. Very many in the mean tyme shal∣be purged / and made whight and blowne togyther tryed as metall in the fyer: but y^e vngodly shall do wykedly / nether shall all the vngodly vnderstande nor regarde these thingis / but the wyse lerned shall regarde and teache themforth.

Here it is shewed to daniel. That the∣se wordes cōcerning the tyme and tymes and an half / or ende of this persecucion / shalbe seald vp and not knowen vntyll y^e last tyme & last dayes of the worlde when iniquite shall preuayle and raigne most rankest and rypest / and the vngodly shall not regarde this prophecye / but rather

laugh the techers and declarers therof to skorne as they dyd in the tyme of Nohe The vngodly shall abuse these wordes into thencreace of their owne dampnable destruccion and persecucion of the godly / which by persecucion and skatering abro∣de / in greate heuynes and perels / and at last by greuouse tormentings & deathes / they shalbe tryed as is metall melted w^t blowings in the fyer. But the chosen god∣ly teachers shall vnderstande these wor∣des in the later dayes / teache & geue war ning to y^e other & therfore shall thei haue the knowlege of y^e tyme and of the yeres. And as dyd Nohe an hondred yeres befo∣re preche repentance makinge the arke to saue the good / so shall these good techers an hondred yeres before prechinge repen∣tance buyld vp the arke of the gospell of saluacion by fayth in cryst restored at last (as euen now these certayn yeres past) to saue and preserue the chosen from damp∣nacion.

☞ Furthermore as touchinge the ty∣me,* 1.98 wherin the perpetuall dayly sacrifice* 1.99 shalbe taken awaye and from the tyme of the setting vp of the abominable destruc∣cion / there shalbe a thousande / two hon∣dred / &. xc. dayes / Oh blessed man / that shall tarye and see the thousande thre hō∣dred

and fyue and thirtye dayes.* 1.100

Now cometh the aungel nyerer the en∣de to more specially termes vnto a deter∣mined tyme expressed by dayes. 1290. which make half an heb. 3 yers & an half. In the 8. chap. it was tolde that aftir the takinge awaye of the continuall sacrifice & settinge vp of the abominable idole the signe of destruccion / there shulde be two thousand and. 300. dayes which make. 6. yeres. 3. moniths and. 20. dayes / which is almost an hebdomade of yeres / in y^t which half hebdom. which is here in this firste nowmber of. 1290. dayes / the Iewes were greuously skatered persecuted and slayne of Antioch{us} vntyll the greater nowmber was fulfylled / that is. 133••. dayes begin∣ning the tother half hebdom. wherin the Machabeis gote y^e victorye of Antiochus and restored the dayly sacrifices and tem ple all agen. And therfore he here sayth: Oh blessed is he that shall perseuer & see the. 1335. dayes that is / shall escape that miserable heuey first half hebd. and enter into the later half / that is / into the later ende of the hebdom. But if any man be∣leueth (sayth doctor Draconites) that the aungell here alludeth vnto the seuenteth hebdom. in the. 9. chap. where ended the comonaltie of the Iewes by the Romās /

he must confesse by these. 1290. dayes to be vnderstanden the half hebdom. that is / the. 3. yeres and. 3. monethis / in the which tyme / by the emprour Caligula the idoll was setvp in y^e temple / & the dayly wont sacrifice was taken awaye by the apostles Act. 15. & the Iewes comonaltie vtterly destroyd. For aftirward y^e sowne of the go spell went ouer all y^e world. Blessed ther∣fore were they which came to that daye. But let vs come to these present dayes / wherin we see and feele miche & greuou∣se persecucions / and behold how greuou∣se and bitter it is for. 3. 02. 4. yeares conti∣nually / & then aftir / how god remitteth it for as long a ceason agen to geue vs a pla∣ce for a lytle ceason to rest vs / euen as it were the halcy••n dayes to suffer his chir che to breathe a whyle: that she maye be the stronger ayenst the next storme & ba∣taill folowinge.

But turne these. 1290. dayes into we∣kis / which make. 24. yeris and. 24. w••kis & then is it iuste that aftir caligula had done that blaphemie / the iewes amon af∣tir. 24. yeris were destroid by titus & im∣mediately begane thei to destroie them∣selues by mutuall ciuile sedicions. The continuall dayly sacrifice and the abomi nacion of the desolacion standinge vp so

longe in our ••hi••ch••s / ••r their misses / Mayzim / popisshrites tradicions of mē supersticiose ceremo and images. When the gospell now of late begane to be resto red by the lerned menis writings and pre chinges and so to take awaye these sayd abominacions / then their folowed this great skat••ringe and persecucion of the faithfull whiche yet endureth. In which wold god these. 1290. dayes were turned but into so many w••kis whiche make. 24. yeris and. 24. wekis / that blessed mought theibe whiche shall seethe. 1335. daies •••• make. 2••. yeris &. 35 wekis which agreeth with the said rekening of the tyme tymes and the halfe tyme. And if ye turne the dayes into monethes / so itagreth with y^e 100. yeris wherin the arke of ••oh•• was in making before the floude. So that ethe•• with in these. 30. yeres 02. 100. yeres to co∣me there shalbe meruelouse mutacions in this worlde or as I coniecture an ende therof. There is one man that taketh the tyme for an hebdomade of yeris that •••• for 7. yeris & the tymes for two hebdo. that is 14. yeris / & the half tyme for half an heb. that is 3. yeris & an half: w^t make. 24. ye∣ris & an half / & he begineth at the yete of the lorde. 1544. to reken.

But I iuge that it is not geuē to any at

this tyme to know this misterye concer∣ninge the very daye and hower hyden in the nowmber / tyll it be fulfilled. And ther fore I do but coniecture and d••re not af∣firme it for certain. As beit I knowe that God wolde haue hys chosen to be mo∣nisshed before of the tyme and yeres by this prediccion. And therfore let vs pray vnto god to gouerne & preserue his chir∣che & shortely to ••ut of this sinful course of humane nature. Beware of images ••* 1.101 of ••ayzim / which is not yet euery where throne downe / but onely in certain places of the ouer germany / where the gospel is purely preched & receyued of men taught of god. For aftir his fall there shal begin greter trouble emong the godly by the an ticristes / ether for the restor••nge of it / o∣rels for the bringinge in (I feare me) of y^e Mahumets lawe and the turkis religi∣on. But these troublous laste dayes shall not longe dure. For god wilbe as merci∣full to vs / as he was to the iewes in An∣tiochus tyme / not sufferinge that greuou sepersccucion to continewe senger then* 1.102 y^e said. 1290. dayes / he saith dayes becau∣se the litle tyme apereth so longe to the afflicted. Th{us} be we warned to perseuer strongly in pacience abydinge the glori∣ous coming of cryste to iugement / to slaye

this anticristen horned whore of babylon withe the almighty breathe of his mouth that we might haue our perpetuall ioye & teste with cryste.

But (daniel go thou hence vntyll the ende be comen & be at reste. For thou* 1.103 shalt stand vp with thy parte in the ende of the tymes.

Here at last is daniel commanded of y^e aungell Cryst to departe and to take his reste / his bodye to lye down and sleape in the duste / & his soule to reste in ioye in A∣brahams bosome / which is in heuen with god the father with his sone & holy gost / & with all y^e holy aungels & spirits of the lust / vntyll that gloriouse daye of y^e resur¦reccion / all crystis enimies thrust downe vnder his fete. And then he telleth him / that he shall resume his gloriouse immor tall incorruptible & spirituall bodye stan¦ding vp ayen / as it were from sleape / with his parte and blessed company of the cho sen. Thus shall we all bothe gladde fres∣she and ioyfull aryse rogither in the laste daye / which is now owr moste present cō¦solacion.

Iesus cryst our resurreccion graunt it vs / that we mought so vnderstande tea∣che / and lone daniel & the prophetes that me myght with them ryse agene / & in that

euerlastinge scole perfectly lerne to kno∣we & to honor God / vnto whom onely be glorie immortall. So be it.

Nowe geue thankis to our celestial fa∣ther thorowe Iesus cryste our redemer / that he hath at last so clerely by his pro∣phete daniel reueled to vs these so secre∣te misteries: so that we be ass••wered / cry s••e our redemer to haue had ben comen & incarnated these. 154••. yeres ago / & that he shall come agene shortely to delyuer vs mightely out of anticristis tyrānye / & destroye him w^t his almighty worde. We beseche the oh father for cristes sake / ge ••e vs the very feare & faith in the / make vs call vpō th••for our onely mediator cri∣stes sake to be herde: that among these so many & mighty fraudes of Anticryst: we ••hri••k not / we fall not frō the / but that in thy holy feare & paciēt abydig / we might perseu•••• to our endis reste with daniel: & in the cominge of cryste Iesu / we mought with him, in the felowship of thy chosen me••e our sauiour cryste in our glorifyed bodies rysen ayene into that perpetuall felicite / prepared for vs in cryste from the begininge.

Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Chap. 12
• * 1.2

  The. 6. prophe∣ties of anticrist
• * 1.3

  Text.
• * 1.4

  The .4. verse of y^e. 10. psal. aftir the Hebrew.
• * 1.5

  2. thes. 2
• * 1.6

  The rea¦sons & ob¦ieccions of our ad¦uersari∣es solu∣ted by Philip melanc.
• * 1.7

  their ca∣uillaci∣ons solu ted.
• * 1.8

  this did Philip write in an. 1543:
• * 1.9

  Philips prophe∣cie was fulfilled in y^e yere folowīg & so for∣the.
• * 1.10

  The coū sell of y^e bishops of Hun∣garie.
• * 1.11

  Psal. 59.
• * 1.12

  Isa. 29.
• * 1.13

  the mar∣kis of an∣ticryst.
• * 1.14

  Philip. Melanc. The pro∣phanaciō of the lor∣dis sou∣per.
• * 1.15

  Th••. 2. mark.
• * 1.16

  Luk. 16.
• * 1.17

  Marke this wel
• * 1.18

  Text.
• * 1.19

  2. thes. 2.
• * 1.20

  Text.
• * 1.21

  The. 4. &. 5. ma•• kes.
• * 1.22

  Isa. 63.
• * 1.23

  5. mark.
• * 1.24

  1. Tim. 4
• * 1.25

  Heb. 2. & 4.
• * 1.26

  Ioan. 15
• * 1.27

  a prayer
• * 1.28

  Cy clops y^e popes & his pri ces.
• * 1.29

  The. 6. token of anticrist An epicu re is he that se∣keth his belly lu∣stis.
• * 1.30

  Text.
• * 1.31

  Mayzl.
• * 1.32

  Leuit. 26 Ezech. 4
• * 1.33

  1. reg. 4.
• * 1.34

  Sir Ni∣clas ger ues his false mi∣racle.
• * 1.35

  Their last shif∣tis.
• * 1.36

  Text.
• * 1.37

  Mat. 24.
• * 1.38

  Apoc. 17.
• * 1.39

  Text.
• * 1.40

  The edo mits de∣nyed gods pe∣ple to pas se thor∣ow their londe. nō bers. 20.
• * 1.41

  Text.
• * 1.42

  The po∣pe & turk will ha∣ue the ry ches of Egypte.
• * 1.43

  The po∣pe hath had thē / the turk will ha∣ue them.
• * 1.44

  Text.
• * 1.45

  Text.
• * 1.46

  Text.
• * 1.47

  Luk. 1.
• * 1.48

  Text.
• * 1.49

  Rome is the seuē topt hyll & veno∣mose. 50. headed hydra slayn of Hercu∣les.
• * 1.50

  psal. 68.
• * 1.51

  psal. 74.
• * 1.52

  Text.
• * 1.53

  psal. 113.
• * 1.54

  1. Ioan 4
• * 1.55

  Act. 7.
• * 1.56

  psal. 12.
• * 1.57

  2. thes. 2.
• * 1.58

  2. Pet. 3.
• * 1.59

  Iere. 49 1. Pet. 4. Prou. 11. Luk. 23.▪
• * 1.60

  Apoc. 19.
• * 1.61

  Psal. 74.
• * 1.62

  Psal. 70.
• * 1.63

  Ierusa∣lem is y^e holy hyll Isay. 2.
• * 1.64

  Cardi∣nall Cō∣tarenus.
• * 1.65

  Text.
• * 1.66

  Ioan. 5. Mat. 24
• * 1.67

  the trwe chirch is not here setled in any one sewr pla∣ce.
• * 1.68

  Ioan. 10 ••. 15.
• * 1.69

  Mat. 28.
• * 1.70

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.71

  1. Ioan. 2
• * 1.72

  1. Cor. 10
• * 1.73

  The re∣surrecci∣on is our cōsolaci∣on.
• * 1.74

  Deathe is but a sleape of y^e bodye.
• * 1.75

  Rom. 5.
• * 1.76

  1. Cor. 15.
• * 1.77

  Isay. 25.
• * 1.78

  Osee. 5.
• * 1.79

  Iob. 19.
• * 1.80

  Hebr. 11.
• * 1.81

  Text.
• * 1.82

  Mat. 13.
• * 1.83

  Philip. 2
• * 1.84

  1. Cor. 15.
• * 1.85

  Mat. 19.
• * 1.86

  Text.
• * 1.87

  Whō da niel shal profit.
• * 1.88

  Mat. 13. Luk. 8. Luk. 19. Luk. 8.
• * 1.89

  Text.
• * 1.90

  Apoc. 10.
• * 1.91

  And yet stande ther the same aū∣gels ay∣enst oure chirche.
• * 1.92

  Persecu∣cion ma∣keth •••• whight.
• * 1.93

  The cer∣tain toke before y^e ende.
• * 1.94

  This re keninge agreth w^t the. 1290 dayes ta∣ken for wekis in the next lefe folo∣wing.
• * 1.95

  From y^e destruc∣cion of y^e temple to this day 1474
• * 1.96

  Psal. 54.
• * 1.97

  Text.
• * 1.98

  Text.
• * 1.99

  Luther last of al began to buylde this arke
• * 1.100

  26. yere ago.
• * 1.101

  B••ware of ima∣ges & of mayzim.
• * 1.102

  Be knit it not vp in few ye ris but i many da yes.
• * 1.103

  Text.