A plain explanation of the whole Revelation of Saint John Very necessary and comfortable…A plaine explanation of the vvhole Revelation of Saint John Very necessary and comfortable…

John wonders at her; to wit, not after that sort which those do which follow after, whose names were not written in the Book of life; but he wonders after another manner; namely, at the strangeness of the thing, and at the strangeness of her abominations. But the Angel asks him, wherefore marvellest thou at it? I will (saith he) tell thee the mystery, viz. the meaning of the Harlot, and of the Beast. And taking in hand to handle and declare the mystery of them both, he begins (after the manner and custom of the Hebrews) with that which he named last, viz. the Beast, and saith, that he was, and is not: It is said he is not, which hath been declared by the wound he received, accomplished in the time of Nero: after whose time, the manner of government, in regard of the family which then ruled, was no more, all that family being worn out, and therefore the government ⟨p. 107⟩was ceased; and yet notwithstanding should rise again out of the depth, out of the bottomless pit, viz. out of hell, by the subtlety and policy of Satan and his crafty instruments: and should go to destruction, that is, should for all this suddenly be destroyed, and not have a continual government. And it is said, that at the Beast all should wonder, not as John did, but with an admiration of it, the reason is, because it was, and is not, and yet is; that is, albeit it should have so many changes and alterations, in that the Emperors should be so often put down and slain (as appeareth by the histories) and others raised up, nevertheless, the government should continue still; wherefore the men of the world, not knowing Gods providence in the ordering of these things, should hereby be drawn with admiration of the Beast to cleave unto it, considering that albeit he had received so many wounds and so great pushes, as it were, to destroy him and overthrow him, and yet did continue and was able to stand, and thinking that it was by his own power, they should therefore say, who is like to the Beast? So that we see that this Empire which is here understood by the Beast, was the same, but in other families, as is said before.

Iohn wonders at her; to wit, not after that sort which those doe which follow after, whose names were not written in the Booke of life; but hee wonders after another manner; namely, at the strangenesse of the thing, and at the strangenesse of her abhominations. But the Angell askes him, wherefore marueilest thou at it? I will (saith hee) tell thee the mistery, viz. the meaning of the Harlot, and of the Beast. And taking in hand to handle and declare the mistery of them both, hee begins (after the manner and custome of the Hebrewes) with that which hee named last, viz. the Beast, and saith, that he was, and is not: It is said he is not, which hath been declared by the wound he receiued, accomplished in the time of Nero: after whose time, the manner of gouernement, in regard of the familie which then ruled, was no more, all that family being worne out, and therefore the gouernement