An exposition upon the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation by that reverend and eminent…

Century after Christ, they held all things conformable to the Scriptures, and the Fathers, as they called them, and every way Orthodoxall, only they blasphemed the Church of Rome, this Beast could not tell what he had against them otherwise; but otherwise he commended them for their honesty, piety, and good dealing, and there was nothing culpable in their doing, but that they spake against the Church of Rome: now ⟨p. 100⟩against them did the Pope and the Catholic Church procure many expeditions of sore war for many years together, and in conclusion rooted them out of the Country, and scattered them up and down, some to some part of France, some to Bohemia, some to Germany, some to England, and some to one place, and some to another: though the Papists did confess that the people were not rooted out, but scattered; and where-ever they came, they propagated their Religion, that it was more and more spread where they came; but they overcame them, for they slew (as stands upon Record) about ten hundred thousands of them, and did burn up their Cities, and Cattle, felled their wood, that there might be no more Heretics nestled in that wilderness; and they did take a course that Midwives, and Mothers, and Infants in the womb, all should be slaughtered by fire and sword, that there might be no more continuance of that Generation: So that in this War the Pope did mightily prevail, and prospered so far, that he spread all Christendom, and in one battle did overcome a great many of the Saints: Whereupon the Waldenses being warned by a Religious man sent by the Bishop of Toulouse, to confess the hand of God against them for Heretical pravity, in blaspheming the Roman Catholic visible Church, and continuing so long in it, and to turn to the Catholic Church: For their defence, to answer the Temptation that was put upon them, said they, it is written, The Beast shall make war with the Saints and overcome them; therefore it is no argument of Gods being against us, in respect of our Religion, for he may acknowledge us Saints, though we be slain to this day; and therefore though there were but a handful left, they would rather dye, then yield to conformity to the Church of Rome. So you see the point opened: For the Reasons,

Century after Christ, they held all things conformable to the Scriptures, and the Fathers, as they called them, and every way Orthodoxall, only they blasphemed the Church of Rome, this Beast could not tell what he had against them otherwise; but otherwise he commended them for their honesty, piety, and good dealing, and there was nothing culpable in their doing, but that they spake against the Church of Rome: now