ing ouer a place, resteth not in the same: but rested in thys wildernes for a time, times, and halfe and time, that is. 1260. yeres from the first comming of the faith into Britaine vntill this present.

MarginaliaA time, times, and halfe a time expounded.In saying for a time, times, and halfe a time, there is a going forwarde from the greater to the lesse. The greatest time that we name, is a 1000. yeres, there is a time: and the next time that is lesse in the singuler number, is one 100. yere. In the plural number, times signifie that there be mo hundreths then one, at lest 200. yeres. Wherefore if they be put vnder a certaine number, it must nedes be that they be two, but the same two cānot fitly be called some times, except they be hundreths. For in that, that there is a goyng downe from the greater to the lesse, when as it is sayde a time, times, and halfe a time, and that the number of a 1000. is likely assigned for a time: it must nedes folow that times must be taken for hundreths, and half a time for 60. because it is the greater halfe of an hundreth yeres, though that 50. be the euen half. And when that the serpent sent the water of the persecution after the woman to cause her to be drouned of the floud: then did the earth, that is to wit, þ^e stablenes of faith helpe the woman, by supping vp the water of tribulation. MarginaliaPersecution in Dioclesiās time swalowed vp, looke page. 77.For in the most cruel persecution of Dioclesian and Maximiane against the Christians, when as christianity was almost euery wher roted out: yet did they in this kingdom stand continually in the faith, vnmoueable. And so, considering that the Britons, were conuerted to þ^e faith of Christ, as you would say, by an election and piking out amongst all the nations of the heathen, and that after they had receiued the faith, they did neuer starte backe from the faith for no maner of tribulation: It is not to be meruailed if in their place þ^e calling of the Gentiles, be made manifest to the profiting of the gospell of Iesus Christ, by the reuealing of Antichrist.

But besides this, me seemeth that Ezechiel doth specially speake of them, whereas hee speaketh of the fall of the prince of Tyre, saying: for asmuch as thy heart is lifted vp as if it were the hart of God, therfore beholde: I wil bring vpon thee, some of the strongest of the heathen, & they shall draw their naked swords vpon the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy comelines, and they shall slay thee, and pull thee out, and thou shalt die in the slaughter of the slaine persons, in the heart of the sea.

This prince who sayth, that he himself is God, & doth sit in Gods chaire in þ^e heart of the sea, doth signify (as most likely it seemeth to me) tht Antichrist shalbe destroyed by the most mighty persons of the Gentils folke, through the sworde of the worde of God. Because that amongst the other Gentiles, there haue bene none more strong then the Britones,MarginaliaA frend to the Welchmen. either in their body or their faith, & in their bodely warres there haue bene none more mighty then they. For neuer in warres haue they bene vanquished, but by their owne sedition or treason. But how many kingdoms haue they conquered? Yea, and nother by the most mighty city of Rome, could they be driuen out of their kingdome, vntill that God sent vppon them pestilence and famine: whereby they being wasted, were compelled to leaue their country, which thing I haue not hard of any other people, the strongest, as before is sayd, because that by no tribulation, could they be compelled to forsake the faith.MarginaliaThe strong fayth of the Britons. Wherfore of them, this seemeth to me to be vnderstanded. Thē I will bring vpon thee, some of the most strongest people, & they shal draw their naked swordes. &c. By these things it may plainly appeare, why at this time (rather then in time past) thys matter is stirred vp: and why in this kingdome (rather then in other kingdomes) the calling of the Gentiles is intreated of, to the verifying of the Gospell, through the disclosing of Antichrist.

MarginaliaTales of Antichrist.But forasmuch as many tales and fables are tolde of Antichrist and his comming, and many things whych doe rather seduce then instruct the hearers, are applied to hym out of the scriptures of the prophets: we will briefly wryte those things which are spoken of hym, and we will shewe that the same fable sprang from the error of people imagining, & from no truth of the scriptures prophesying. Now then they do say, that Antichrist shall be borne in Babylon of the tribe of Dan, & conceiued of the mixture of man and woman in sinne, because that Christe was borne of a virgin, and conceiued of the holy ghost. MarginaliaA false imagination of Antichrist.They say, that he shall be an ill fauoured personage, because that it is wrytten of Christ: comely and beautifull is he, beyonde the sonnes of men. They say that he shall preach three yeres and an halfe where Christ preached, & that he shall circumcise himselfe, and say that he is Christ, and the Messias sent for the saluation of the Iewes. And they say, that he shal 3. maner of waies seduce the people by false miracles, giftes, and tor-ments. So that whom he shall not be able to ouercome w^t myracles nor with gifts, those shall he goe about to ouercome with diuers kinds of tormēts. And those that he shal seduce, will he marke with hys tokens in their forehead or hands. He shal sit in the temple of God and cause himselfe to be worshipped as God. He shall fight (as they say) with the 2. witnesses of Christ, Enoch & Hely, and shal kill thē, and he himselfe shall finally be slaine with lightening.MarginaliaThe scripture & Prophetes not rightly vnderstāded, touching Antichrist. To this imagined man of their own imagination, but of none of the prophets foreshewed (at least in no such wyse as this is) do they apply the Prophets, as this of Daniel: When þ^t cotinual sacrifice shalbe taken away, & abhomination shall be placed to desolation: That is (say they) when the worshipping of God shalbe taken away, & desolation (to wit, Antichrist) shall abhominably shewe foorth hymselfe to be worshipped, then shall there be 1290. dayes: that is to say, 3. yeres and a halfe. And this time doe they say is the time, times, and halfe a time. And when it is sayde in Daniell: Blessed is hee that looketh for, and cōmeth to a 1335. dayes. This do they say, is thus to be vnderstanded. 45. dayes of repentance to such as haue worshipped Antichrist: whych 45. dayes added to the 1290. make 1335. daies. Which dayes they that shall reach vnto, shalbe called blessed.

They apply also to thys Antichrist, this saying of the Apocalips: I saw a beast rising vp out of the Sea, hauing 7. heads, and 10. horns, who had power geuē him to make 42. moneths.MarginaliaTouching these 42.monethes, see aboue pag. 397. Which moneths (as they say) do make 3. yere & a halfe, in which Antichrist shall raigne. And many other things there are told, and applied vnfitly to this imagined Antichrist, þ^t are not truly grounded vpon the scriptures.

MarginaliaThe old imagination touching Antichrist confuted.Now, let vs shew the errors of this fable. First of al, if there shall come such one (saying expresly that he is Christ) what Christian would be seduced by him, though he shuld do neuer so many miracles: neither shall he come after the maner of a seducer, which shal shew himself an expresse aduersary.MarginaliaAntichrist commeth not so grosely as the papists imagine. Neither is it likely that the Iewes can be seduced by such a one, seeing that Christ is not promised vnto them of the stocke of Dan by any of the Prophets, but of þ^e stocke of Iuda: nor yet is he promised to thē to be a king warlike but peaceable, taking warre away, & not making warre. For of Christ sayeth Esay:MarginaliaEsay. cap. 2. And in the last dayes, shall there be prepared the mountaine of the house of the Lorde, in the toppe of the mountaines, and it shalbee exalted aboue the hilles: and to it, shall all the nations haue great recourse, and manye people shal goe and say: Come, let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Iacob, and hee shall teache vs his wayes, and wee shall walke in his pathes.MarginaliaEsay 2. For out of Sion shall there goe a lawe, and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem, and he shall iudge the nations, & reproue much people. And they shall turne their swordes into plowshares, and their speares into sithes. There shall not a nation lift vp it selfe against an other nation, nor yet shall they bee any more exercised to warre. And againe:MarginaliaEsay 9. A litle babe is borne to vs, and a sonne is geuen to vs, and his Imperial kingdome vpon his shoulder, and his name shall bee called: The great counsailour: The mighty God: The father of the world to come: The Prince of peace. His Empire shall be multiplied, and there shalbe no ende of his peace. He shall sit vpon the seat of Dauid, and vpon his kingdom: that he may make it stedfast and strong in iudgement, and in iustice, from hencefoorth & for euermore. MarginaliaZach. 9.Zachary doeth say of Christ: Reioyce thou greatly, O thou daughter Sion, be thou exceeding merye, O daughter Iersalem: Beholde thy king shall come a righteous person, and a Sauior vnto thee, and yet he a poore man, and getting vp vpon an asse, euen vpon a yong colt of the she asse. And I wil scatter abroad the chariot of Ephraim, and the horse of Ierusalem. And the bow of warre shalbe dispersed, and he shall speake peace to the nations, and hys power shall be from the sea to the sea, and from the floud vnto the borders of the earth.

By which thinges it is manifest, that the wise Iewes knewe well inough, Christ to be promised to them of the stocke of Iuda and not of the stocke of MarginaliaAntichrist cannot come of the tribe of Dan.Dan: & that he was geuen, all to peace & not to warre: Therfore it is not likely, that they cā be seduced by such a one. But if there should haue beene in time to come some such singular Antichrist, then would Christ (seing he loued his) haue sayd somewhat vnto thē of him. Now, of one singularly doth he not speak: but of many, saying. Many shall come in my name, & say, I am Christ: and they shal seduce many persons. But now let vs see, how the prophecies in Daniell, & the Apocalips (aforesayd) be falsly and erroneously applied to the same imagined Antichrist. For in Daniel the ix. chapter thus it is written. MarginaliaDaniel. 9. And after 72. Weekes shall Christ be slaine, and they which will deny him shall not be his people. And the Citie and sanctuary, shal a people, with their Captain that shal come with them destroy, whose end shalbe vtter desolation, and after the end of the war a determined destruction. Now, he shall in one weeke confirme his couenaunt