towardes many, and in the halfe weke shal the offring and sacrifice cease, and in the temple shall there be an abhomination of desolation, and euē to the fulfilling vp of all, and to the end, shal the desolation continue. It is plaine & manifest that this prophecy is now fulfilled. For the people of Rome with their Captaine, destroyed Ierusalem euen to the grounde, and thepeople of the Iewes was slayne and scattered.MarginaliaThe abhomination or Idoll of desolation standing in the holy place. And the abhomination, that is, the Idol of desolation was placed of Adrian, in the last destruction in Ierusalem in the holy place, that is to say, in a place of the tēple. And from that time hetherto haue passed neare about 1290. dayes, taking a day for a yeare, as Daniel takes it in hys prophecies, and other prophets likewise. For Daniel speaking of 62. weekes, doeth not speake of the weekes of daies but of yeares. So therfore when he sayth: From the time that the continual sacrifice was taken away. &c. 1290. dayes must be taken for so many yeares, from the tyme of the desolation of Ierusalem, euen vnto the reuealing of Antichrist: and not for 3. yeares and an halfe, which they say, Antichrist shall raigne. And againe, whereas Daniel sayd, How long till the ende of these marueilous matters? it was aunswered him. For a time, and times, and halfe a time. Beholde also, how unfitly they did assigne this time, by 3. yeares and a halfe,MarginaliaAntichrist to raigne onely 3. yeares and a halfe is false. which they say, Antichriste shall raigne. For when as it is sayde, a time, times, and half a time: there is a going downeward from the greater to the lesse: from the whole to the part, because it is from a time to halfe time. If therefore, there be a going downeward from the whole to the part, by the middest (which is greater then the whole it selfe) the going downewarde is not meete nor agreeing. And thys is done when as it is sayd, that a time, times, and halfe a time is a yeare, two yeares, and halfe a yeare. Wherfore more fitly it is sayd, that a time, times and halfe a time, doth signifie 1290. yeares, as is before sayde in the chapter preceding. Thus therefore is the prophecie of Daniel falsly applied to that imagined Antichrist.

MarginaliaLooke before in the story of the x. first persecutions.Likewise is the proces of the Apocalips applied to the same imagined Antichrist, too much erroneously. Because that the same cruell beast which came vp out of the sea, hauing 7. heads, and 10. hornes, to whome there was power geuen ouer euery tribe, people, and toung, and the power geuen for the space of 42. moneths: Thys beast doth note the Romaine Emperors, which most cruelly did persecute the people of God, aswell Christians as Iewes. For whē as the condēnatiō of the great whore sitting vpon the many waters was shewed to MarginaliaApoc. 13.Iohn: he saw the same woman sitting vpon the purple coulored beast full of the names of blasphemy, hauing 7. heads, and 10. hornes: and he saw a woman being dronken with the bloud of the Saintes and Martyrs of Iesu. MarginaliaThe beast in the 13. of the Apoc. expounded.And the angell expounding and telling him the mistery of the woman and the beast that caried her sayde: That 7. heads are 7. hilles, and are 7. kinges: Fiue are fallen, one is, the other is not yet come: & when he shall come, he must reigne a short time. And þ^e 10. hornes whiche thou sawest, are 10. kinges, who haue not yet taken theyr kingdome, but shall receiue theyr power as it were in one hour, vnder the MarginaliaThe purple beast in the Apoc. meaneth Rome.beast. And finally he sayth, þ^e woman whō thou sawest, is the great Citty, which hath the kingdome ouer the kings of the earth. And it is manifest that the City of Rome, at the time of this prophecy, had the kingdom ouer the kings of the earth And this city was borne vp & vpholden by her cruell & beastly Emperors: who by theyr cruelty and beastlynes did subdue vnto thēselues in a maner, all the kingdomes of the world, of a zeale to haue lordship ouer others, and not vertuouslye to gouerne the people that were theyr subiectes, seeing that they thēselues did lacke all vertue, and drew backe others from the fayth and from vertue.

Wherfore what cruell beast comming vp out of the sea, doth rightly note the Romain Emperors, who had power ouer euery language, people and coūtry. And the power of this beast was for MarginaliaFor these 42. moneths looke before pag. 397.42. moneths: because that from the first Emperor of Rome, that is to say, Iulius Cesar, vnto the ende of Fredericke the last Emperour of Rome there were 42. monethes, taking a moneth for 30. dayes, as the monethes of the Hebrues and Grecians are, and taking a day alwayes for a yeare, as commonlye is taken in the Prophets. By whiche thinges it may playnely appeare, how vnfitly this prophecy is applied to that imagined Antechrist, and the 42. moneths taken for three yeares and an halfe, which (they say) he shall reigne in agaynst the saying of the Prophetes, because that dayes are taken for yeares. MarginaliaApoc. 1.As in the 1. of the Apocal. They shall be troubled 10. dayes. Which do note the most cruel persecution of Diocelsian against the Christians that endured 10. yeares. And in an other place of the MarginaliaApocalips. 9.Apocalips, it is written of the smoke comming vp out of the bottomles pit. Out of which pit therecame foorth Grashoppers into the earth: and to them was power geuen, as scorpions haue power, to vexe & to trouble men 5. moneths. Now it is manifest, that from the beginning of the Friers minours and preachers, to the time that MarginaliaThe beginning and end of the valiant beggarly Friers spoke of, in the Apoc. expoūded of Armachanus, looke before pag. 410.Armachanus, began to disclose and vncouer their hypocrisie, and their false foundation of valiant begging vnder the pouertie of Christ, were 5. monethes, taking a moneth for 30. dayes, and a day for a yeare. And to Ezechiel were dayes geuen for yeares. Wherfore it is an vnfit thing to assigne the 42. moneths being appoynted to the power of the beast, vnto 3. yeares and a half, for the reigne of that phantasticall and imagined Antichrist: specially seing that they do apply to his reigne þ^e 1290 dayes in Daniel, which make 42. moneths, and in the Apocalips they assigne hym 42. moneths. MarginaliaNon concordat Psalterium cum cithara.It is plaine that the Psalterie and the harpe agree not. And therfore seing that it is sufficiently shewed, that the same fabling tale of that imagined Antichrist to come, is a fable and erroneous: MarginaliaWhether Antichrist be already come.Let vs goe forward to declare whether Antichrist be already come, and yet is he hid from many, and must be opened and disclosed wythin a litle while, according to the truthe of the holy Scripture, for the saluation of the faithfull.

And because that in the first conclusion of mine aunswere, I haue conditionally put it, who is that Antichrist lying priuie in the hid Scriptures of the Prophets: I will passe on the declaration of that cōclusion, bringing to light those things, whych lay hid in darkenesse, because nothing is hid which shal not be disclosed, and nothing couered that shal not be knowen: And therfore, the thing that was sayd in the darkenesse, let vs say in the light: and the thyng that we haue heard in the eare, let vs preache vppon the house toppes. I therefore as I haue before sayd, so say, that if the high bishop of Rome, calling himselfe the seruant of God, and the chiefe Vicare of Christ in this world, do make and iustify many lawes contrary to the gospell of Iesu Christ: then is he the chiefe of many, whych comming in the name of Christ, haue said, I am Christ, who haue seduced many.MarginaliaThe Pope proued Antichrist. Which is the first part of the first conclusion, and is manifest. For Christ is called of Hebrues the very same, that we call annoynted. And amongest them there was a MarginaliaAnnointing double in scripture.double sort of legall annoynting by the lawe, the one of kings and the other of Priestes. And aswell were the kynges, as the priestes, called in the lawe, Christes. The kings, as in the Psalme. The kings of the earth stoode vp together, and the Princes assembled them selues in one agaynst the Lorde aud against hys Christ or annoynted. And in the bookes of the kings very often are the kinges called Christes. And our Sauiour was Christ, or annoynted king, because hee was a king for euermore vpon the throne of Dauid, as the Scriptures doe very oftentimes witnesse.MarginaliaKinges and Priestes annointed. The Priestes also were called annoynted, as where it is wrytten: Doe not yee touch my Christes, that is, mine annoynted ones, and be not ye spitefull against my Prophetes. And so was our Sauiour Christ, a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech.

Seyng then, that the Byshops of Rome do say, that they are the high Priestes: they say also therein that they are kynges. because they say that they haue the spirituall sword perteinyng to their Priesthode, and the corporall sword which agreeth for a kynges state.MarginaliaThe Popes make themselues priests and kynges. The Pope maketh himselfe christ. So is it playne, that really & in very deede, they say that they are Christs, albeit that expresly they be not called Christes. Now that, they come in the name of Christ, it is manifest, because they say that they are his principal Vicares in this world, ordeined of Christ specially for the gouernement of the Christian Churche.MarginaliaThe Pope commeth in the name of Christ. Therefore, seying they say, that really and in very deede they are Christes, and the chief frendes of Christ: If they make and iustifie many lawes contrary to the Gospell of Iesu Christ, then is it playne that they themselues in earth are the principal MarginaliaPopes proued principal Antichristes.Antichristes, because there is no worse plague and pestilence, then a familiar enemy. And if in secret they be agaynst Christ, and yet in open appearaunce they say that they are his frendes:MarginaliaPopes proued principal Antichristes. they are somuch the more meete to seduce and deceiue the Christiā people, because that a manifest enemy shall haue much a doe to deceaue a man, because men trust him not: but a priuey enemy pretendyng outward frendshyp, may easly seduce, yea those that be wise.

But that this matter may the more fully be knowē, let vs see what is the law & doctrine of Christ, that ought to be obserued of all faithfull people: which beyng knowen, it shalbe an easy thing to see, if the bishop of Rome doe make or maintaine any lawes, contrary to the law of the gospell of Iesu Christ.MarginaliaWhether the Pope doth maintayne any lawes against the lawes of Christ.

I say then, that the lawe of Christ is charitie, whych is the perfect loue of God and of Christ. This thing is plaine and manifest. For Christ being demaunded of a certayne