A hundred sermons upo[n] the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ revealed in deed by the angel…A hundred sermons vpo[n] the Apocalips of Iesu Christe reueiled in dede by thangell…

I will not therefore deny,¹ that sins the Empire of the west was renewed. that is to say, sins the Image of the beast was set up, these seven hundred years, they have many times governed so, that it hath easily appeared that god hath wrought the health of his people in the governments. Daniel figured by beasts the four Monarchies of the world, which nevertheless supposed not that all their Princes were beasts, neither condemned he all Princes, neither thought that there hath been or should be no good thing in them, although the most part were most corrupted. There were found in the old Roman beast (to speak nothing in the mean time of the Princes of Assyria, Babylon, Medes, Persia, or Macedonia) which have set forth profitable laws, set in the books of Justinian. There have been found under that most cruel old beast, which have advanced the true religion of Christ, and defended most earnestly the church of God, such as before we said was Constance, Constantine, Theodose, and diverse others: which come all under the number of the Empire, but not of the beast, but in as much as the beast signifieth the Empire. So may there be found Princes under the Image of the beast not a few, which have both set forth wholesome laws, and have employed great benefits upon mankind: as have done Charles, Lewis and Lothair of Saxon and others. ⟨p. 408⟩Notwithstanding that they themselves in many things cannot be allowed of the godly. There are found amongst the later kings of the new Empire, which in power and majesty were not much unlike the old, in virtues not much behind them, but in certain things equal. There are found which have assayed to purge the empire from Popish corruptions, and to bring the Popes under Corum: but with no great or good success. For what the Ottos, Henrickes, Lodovickes, Friderickes, briefly many French Princes, Saxons, Swevians, Bavarians, and of Austria have ben, many notable testimonies of histories do report: which testify that certain Kings both of France and of other realms also, have not bowed their knees to this Baal: or if they have done at any time, yet have they repented, and have showed some token at the leest wise, whereby the wise might perceive, that they set not much by that beast.

I wil not therfore denie,¹ that sins the Empire of the weste was renewed. that is to saie, sins the Image of the beast was sette vp, these seuen hondreth yeres, they haue many times gouerned so, that it hath easely appered yt god hath wrought the helth of his people in the gouernementes. Daniel figured by beastes the foure Monarchies of the worlde, whiche neuertheles supposed not that al their Princes were beastes, nother condemned he al Princes, neither thought that there hath bene or should be no good thing in them, although the most parte were moste corrupted. There were founde in the olde Romane beaste (to speake nothynge in the meane time of the Princes of Assiria, Bavilon, Medes, Persia, or Macedonie) whiche haue set forth profitable lawes, sette in the bookes of Iustinian. There haue bene founde vnder that moste cruell olde beaste, whiche haue auaunced the trewe religion of Christe, and defended moste ernestely the churche of God, suche as before we sayed was Constaunce, Constantine, Theodose, and diuerse others: whiche come all vnder the nombre of the Empire, but not of the beaste, but in as muche as the beaste signifieth the Empire. So maye there be founde Princes vnder the Image of the beaste not a fewe, whiche haue bothe set forth holesome lawes, and haue imployde greate benefites vpon mankynde: as haue done Charles, Lewis and Lotharie of Saxon and others.