C AP.10. f kvelationOfthe Apocatypfe: 819 arsthority to the Beal?, Chap. 13. s. Hec could not indure that the Churchfhould have any truce granted it, but when as he faw that open fury was to be fuppreffed, he fubítituted the Beall tobe his Vi- car in his place when he was away,that fo he might work his malice fully upon her by his means. TheKingdome therefore ofAntichrifrz of three yeers lotting, isa ridiculous device, force part whereof we fee here rnanifeftly tobe prolonged for a thoufand yeers. Second- ly, let the PopifhWriters fee hence, if they will, whit a brain-tick dream that Antichrift of theirs and his Kingdome is, feeing there is noAntict/rill properly focalled,andby theway offingularity,which theHoly Ghof fpeakethof in this Bookof the Revelation,befides that Beat that is dcfcribed inChap. 13. but the Popifh 4ntichrif is not that Beaft, as who is not tocome before thofe thoufand yeers beex- pired wherein the Devill lieth in fetters ; for fo thepfuit teacheth, that thefe thoufand yeers are ail that time doubtleffe, that reacheth from the' death of Chrifl onto the timeof Antichrifl. But this Bea l domineereth during all that time that the Devil! lieth bound. The Iefuits therefore doe nothing elle,butfoift meer toyes and trafhup- on the world, thus deceiving both others and then-delves alto mi- fcrably, who are altogether without care or feare in regardof that dettruftion which is'upon their necks, and at their heeles, whereas they tremble, andmake others to be agaft at certain vainer fhadows and furmifes, which they dream of,as if they were yet tocome. They relie,as I know, for this conceit of theirs, upon the names of certain of the holy Fathers, who they dono leffe wrong, then they do ha- zard their own foules hereby. Thefe Fathers, being far off from the event ofmatters, fpeak only by conjefture, which while thefe men prefer before the molt certain events, they do not onely deal foolifhly, but quite again!} their minde alto, who confefhng their own ignorance every where, did provoke men rather to . fearch out the truth, which time difcovereth, then to reft in their conjeftu- rail fufpitions, which even themfelves condemned far the ignorance which was bewrayed in letting them down ; wherefore they who will frill retain eagerly errors that be convinced to be filch, are de- privedeven ofall common fenle by the jult judgement ofGod, that fo they might stroke and flatter themfelves gently and tenderly, till they do at laft plungerhernfelves headlong into everlafting and unavoidable deftruaiòn. Moreover, a man may obferve out of this place, that thofe two and forty moneths"fpoken of Chap. i I.2. and 13. 5. are not tobe nnmbred after an ordinary manner, feeing Mmmmm the
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