Text. ‘ AND there appeared a great wonder in heauen, a woman clothed with the Sunne and the Moone vnder hir feete and vpon hir head a crowne of xii. starres;’ Not to be doubted what womā before all the kings or persons whatsoeuer v­pon earth frō the first pub­lishing of this prophesie vn­to this day hath beene most apparāt­ly clothed with the son namely Iesus Christ. A woman to bee clothed with the Sunne, is a maruell both misticall and de­uine conteyning some glorious effect, and the misticall discription of the true Church of God, described in the forme of a woman, which is naturall to procreation, to bee clothed with the Sunne, is to put on or to be inue­sted with Christ Iesus the sonne of God and to be endued with his deuine spirit. So as if there be a­nie sacred woman, that notablie to the wonder of the worlde by the mightie power of the spirite of God, without abashment of so dangerous an en­terprise hath aduaunced the glorious Gospell of Christ, protected and defended peoples and coun­tries [Page 2] that haue professed the same, to the perilous hasarde in the eies of men of her person and estate, contrarie to all humaine pollicie and hath vowed to thadmiration of men, and in despite of Sathan and his agent Antichrist with all there adherents to performe the same, manifestile discouering to be beautified with the vesture, and apparell of the sunne. That same woman whatsoeuer, may aptlie be applied without figure to accomplish this pro­phesie.

‘ And the Moone vnder hir feete.’ Not to bee doubted what womā before all others whatsoeuer as a substitute vnder God hath brought forth so great and diuine light in time of so great darkenesse: either for whō the moone by hir force and influence hath brought more destruction to hir enimies either vnto hir enterpri­ses at sea bet­ter successe. The Moone that receiueth light from the Sunne, as a substitute, to giue light in time of darkenes, whose nature is to giue increase to growing things, & ruler of marin causes and of nature inconstant, so as if by deuine ordinance, there be any woman that as a substitute from God and his Christ, that with zeale, strength and power, in the dayes of ignorant darkenes, hath reuealed, and made to shine, with great and com­fortable brightnes, the holie misteries, and secrets of God in flowing abundance, so as countries, and nations, haue beene lightned therewith, and vnto whome the Lord of heauen and earth hath giuen power to performe maruels at sea & in contempt of inconstancie holdeth the Moone, with hir in­constant dealing vnder hir feete, confirmed with mortall hatred to all vnsound and variable procee­ding doctrine and religion, that same woman ef­fecteth this prophesie.

Text. ‘ And vpon hir head a crowne of twelue starres.’ Not to bee doubted who it is that with immortal glo­rie standeth crowned with the bright do­ctrine of the twelue Apo­stles. If there bee anie notable woman, that hath made knowne vnto the worlde. To haue beautified hir head with [Page 3] the most singuler holie and bright doctrine of the twelue Apostles, and Prophets, all which speake but one thing in effect. And hath garnished hir senses with vehement care to imploy this pro­ceeding, to manifest the brightnes of the same to all nations may aptlie be saide to be crowned with twelue glorious starres, both in life, and death, yel­ding immortall glorie. Such a woman effectuallie effecteth this prophecie.

Text. ‘ And she was with Childe, and cried traueling in birth and was pained readie to be deliuered;’ Not to bee doubted who aboue all o­thers trauei­leth to bring foorth this child Iesus. So as if there bee anie woman that with an ardent & an holy desire, traueileth with zeale, cost and danger, and with power inforceth the birth of the childe, and the Lorde Iesus which is his sacred worde, and the I­mage of himselfe, and her vehement desire made knowen by lawes, aduertisments, and proclamati­ons, to all nations farre beyonde the reach of all crying, discouering hir paine, and readines to haue the same deliuered and published to all creatures, That God may be glorified effectually. Such a wo­man effecteth this prophesie.

Text. ‘ And the dragon stoode before the woman which was rea­die to bee deliuered to deuoure hir childe when shee had brought it forth;’ Not to bee doubted what woman or what child the Dragon hath sought to de­uoure. If there be any woman of such wor­thines wbose holy indeuors in deuine procreation of the child Iesus, with hir zeale, in true religion & aduauncement of his holie word, the verie Image, of himselfe with readie power and strength, for & in the assistance, comfort, and mightie defence of all persons, and countries, that professe the same, which from the first time shee began to bring [Page 4] foorth this childe, hath beene mightilie resisted & withstoode by the Dragon and his assistances, in all notable apparance to destroy this childe: namely, the worde of God, and in the first birth of the pro­fessours of the same, to pull them vp by the rootes. This and such a wowan, may seeme, and be said, to effect this prophecie.

Text. ‘ And shee brought forth a man childe, which should rule all Nations with a rodde of yron.’ Not to bee doubted what woman or what child the dragon hath sought to deuoure, This man childe is Christ Iesus our Sauiour, which by his hypocriti­call aduersarie Antichrist, hath beene obscured, & after a manner buried, and made vnknowen many hundred yeres from the knowledge of the worldly multitude. So as if there be any woman, to whom God hath giuen speciall grace, not onely to bringe to light, but also to defende the sacred worde, and glorious Gospel of the childe, and Lord Iesus, so as in apparance shee hath brought foorth with great care and industry, and shal to the no small griefe of hir enemies, deliuer the same to the Nations of the earth. For this man childe Iesus with his rodde of yron, namely, by his absolute power, shal grinde his enimies to powder, and breake them in pieces like a Potters vessel: an assured comfort to all faith­full in Christ that their redeemer, ruleth with such speciall power to protect them, as also to chastise their enemies. Such a woman may effectually be said to effect this prophecie.

Text. ‘ And hir sonne was taken vp vnto God, and to his throne.’ Not to bee doubted who against all re­sistance, doth Not to be doubted, but that when the red Dragon, described in the said Chapter, with his seuen heads, tenne hornes, and vpon his heade seuen Crownes, [Page 5] hath disgorged all his venome, with most bloudie crueltie: with his seuen heades, practised all their subtil deuises, in wicked inuentions: his ten hornes, their force, and violence, to performe slaughter & shedding of bloud: his seauen Crowned heades en­larged all their aucthoritie, to accomplish these e­uils aforesaide: Not to bee doubted that any person hath more cause to ioye then that wo­man which is made an In­strument to bring foorth a child that was taken vp vnto God namely the worde of God. yet it shall no further preuaile: then earthly and sinfull power, may preuaile against the mightie and infinite power of God: which from heauen doth scorne and deride all their procee­dings: for so much as he is taken vp vnto God, and his power is from aboue. And by confusion of this saide bloudie beast, God hath determined; to glo­rie in his holy name. And as the Virgin Marie, iust­lie and rightlie reioiced for that by election, she be­fore all women naturally did bring forth, the Lord, and Sauiour of the worlde: euen so that woman, which aboue all women, hath to this daie since the first publication of this prophecie, beene adopted by Gods mercie, to reuiue his honour and glorie: and thereby doth accept to saie to be hir Sonne; in hir portion hath iusi cause to saie; Magnificat anima mea Deus. And to reioice aboue all other women, liuing, and none like vnto such a woman to effect this prophecie.

Text. ‘ And the woman fled into the wildernes, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they shoulde feede hir there:’ Not to bee doubted for what woman, God by his so manie deliue­rances hath prouided safe­ty for a fixed time, which shal not be al­tered by anie power what­soeuer. a thousand two hundreth and three score daies. As Christe sundrie times frequented the wildernes, to bee deli­uered from his enemies, as also to commit his temptations to God, by contemplatiō and praier, so God himselfe as the Text saith; hath prepared a [Page 6] place for this woman in the wildernes, a solitarie & a rare haunt of persons, where by appointment she shall flie, and nestle hirselfe; by hir reposed confi­dence in the bosome of the highest, a place of assu­red quietnes, as also farre in the vtter parts of the world, vnder the North Pole, where it is said, by the mightie multitude of men; dwelling on the heart heart of the earth. That the inhabitants of that wil­dernes: are grosse, wilde and barbarous, but it hath pleased the highest, that there she shall bee fed and securelie prouided, and defended, a time fixed, and set downe which shall not be remoued by anie power of enemies whatsoeuer: so as if there be anie woman; that appeareth so placed and securelie de­fended; That same woman in all resemblance most properly seemeth to fulfill this prophecie.

Text. ‘ And when the Dragon sawe that hee was cast into the earth, he persecuted the woman which had brought foorth the man childe;’ Not to bee doubted what woman hath bene persecu­ted by the dra­gon, and his Antichrist since he was depriued of al habitation in heauenly mindes & cast into the hart of earthlie re­brobate by the reuelation of the child Iesus. That is, when the Dragon, the Diuell saw himselfe, and his Angels; which is Antichrist & his reprobates: by the almightie Michael Christ & his Angels, the godlie Magistrates & professors of his Gospell, to be cast into the earth: that is to saie, all his drosse of superstition, idolatrie, and all his other filthines, of religion deciphered, & made knowne to all persons (thonly reprobates excep­ted) into whose earthlie hearts, he is cast; as it were into the earth: for that he is depriued of all habita­tion in heauenlie mindes, so as if there be anie wo­man that by a receiued grace, hath, or nowe liueth since the first publishing of this prophesie, which with a manifest zeale, cost and danger, hath trauai­led [Page 7] to bringe foorth this man childe Christ Iesus, notoriouslie in the sight of the worlde: which is to saie, confessed, published and aduaunced his holie lawes, his sacred worde, and most glorious Gospel, hir onelie beautie and saluation. To the great and most discomfortable griefe of Antichrist, who for­ced therewith hath nowe according to the second Psalme of King Dauid.

Text. ‘ Conuented,’ the Kings and Rulers, of the earth a­gainst the Lorde and his annointed, but hee that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh them to scorne, and then he shall speake to them in his wrath, and vexe them in his sore displeasure, because they are not learned to serue the Lord in feare, and shall be for­ced to kisse the sonne, left in his anger, they perish from the right waie, if his wrath bee kindled, for to him shall bee giuen the Heathen for inheritaunce, and the vttermost parts of the earth for his posses­sion, and blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Which misterie at this instant beginneth to worke, and from henceforth bee accomplished, by which feminine instrument: this foresaid Dragon and his Antichrist, with all their adherents, are, and must be throwne downe, confounded, and are now entered into so great a fume, and pelting chafe, as at this daie is most apparant, against this woman. Who may be said to effect this prophecie.

Text. ‘ But to the woman was giuen the winges of a great Aegle, that she might flie into the wildernes, into hir place where she is nourished, for a time, and times, and halfe a time, from the presence of the Serpent.’ Not to bee doubted what woman by the mighty wings of the great Aegle, namely the two testa­mēts whereby she is taught rdsolutely to repose in the bosome of the Highest, which is hir prepared place for assu­red defence. These winges sig­nifying [Page 8] not onelie some assured, and straunge deli­uerance, by the mightie power of Gods proui­dence, against the malice of Sathan and his agent Antichrist, his chiefe Factor; this womans faith, beeing supported by the two Testamentes of the great & onelie God of heauen and earth: as it were by the wings of a great Aegle, whereby she is safelie carried, directed and lifted vp in minde, farre from the common tracke, of this wretched worlde: the more aptlie to be exercised, and to direct her con­templatiō & functiō, in the causes of hir Christ, & God: & the more quietly with a reposed & resolute confidence, in the bosome of the highest, which is hir assured and prepared place safely, to endure, all brunts of Antichrist: hir cancred, hateful and mur­dering enimie. Such a woman exactly may be saide to effect this prophesie.

Text. ‘ And the Serpent cast out of his mouth, water after the woman like a floude, that he might cause hir to be carried a­way of the floude.’ Not to bee doubted a­gainst what woman the dragon & his Antichrist hath throwne out so manie Flouds of de­uises for hir destruction. So as King Dauid compared all his troubles and daungers to great flouds of waters, so here is saide that the Serpent shoulde cast out as it were a riuer of water after this woman, that shee might bee carried away with the floude. That is to say, out of his lying, blasphemous and damned mouth, hee shall disgorge floudes of false accusati­ons, of heresie, of false vsurpation of a Kingdome, of absoluing subiects from obedience, of practising conspiracies, of poysonings, of diuers sortes of vi­olent murders, of curses, by booke, bell, and Can­dle, and an ocean Sea of many more contriued mischiefes: deuising by all his naturall and cursed [Page 9] meanes of lies, deceit, and murder, to persecute, & to extinguish this woman, his most apparant ene­mie, from the face of the earth. A notorious disco­uerie, by what spirit this Antichrist is gouerned: so as is there bee any such woman, vppon whom this Serpent and his Antichrist, notoriously haue im­ployed so many euils, onely for the Gospel of Iesus Christ. That same woman may safely be said to ef­fect this prophecie.

Text. ‘ And the earth holpe the woman, and the earth opened hir mouth, and swallowed vp the floude, which the Dragon cast out of his mouth;’ Not to bee doubted for what woman God hath ta­ken order that the earth and his other cre­ature should stand foorth for hir de­fence. At the Lordes will: all his crea­tures, shall be forced to preserue his elect, as nowe the earth shall open hir mouth, to assist those that loue him: in which cause, if the God of all power, had not taken order, that the earth shoulde swal­low vp that Riuer, which is the multitude of earth­ly creatures, being taught from God, to digest these cruell and false accusations, with a minde of true knowledge and faithfull obedience, which other­wise impossible, to haue escaped this whirlpoole of confusion: which diuers Kings, and Emperours, in times past, could not by any meanes escape: which at this present, the Lords good grace and fauour, hath made starke drie, and without effect: Nowe if there be any woman vpon earth that hath founde, and receiued this fauour from God. That woman may be said, to effect this prophesie.

Text. ‘ And the Dragon was wroth with the woman, & went & made war, with the remnant of hir seed, which keep the cō ­mandements of God, & haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ.’ Here the text it selfe maketh cleere exposi­tion of this wrath & war of this saide beast against this said wo­man and hir seede namely the keeping of the com­mandements of God & for the testimony of Iesus Christ for which causes howe many temp­tations this woman hath indured and infinit seede and people, haue & must suffer distru­ction. Here the Dragon is said to continue his wrath, not [Page 10] only against the woman, but also maketh war with hir seede, the cause is here also manifested: namely, for keeping, the commandements of God, and for the testimonie of Iesus Christ, our onely meane, & saluation, and our most speciall cause, to glorifie God, and wherefore we are chiefly borne. But such and so great is the impiety, and impudency of An­tichrist: which is mounted vpon the highest degree of ll wickednes & abhomination: Who procureth a so gret slaughter, for so holy, & so deuine a cause: namely, the aduancemēt of the glory of god, which hee himselfe, and all other creatures, whatsoeuer, should holde in most especiall, and singular reue­rence. But yet to speake the trueth, and to giue him his right: we must needes confesse, to haue re­ceiued this much fauour at his handes: who nowe, and at this instant, hath giuen foorth, a most plaine and cleare exposition of this prophecie, to all per­sons that are not obdurate, dull, or incensate.

Text. ‘ And went and made warre.’ Which num­ber if by anie possible means might be re­gistred that hath beene murdered in field or towne onely for the testimonie of Iesus Christ, it would oppres all honest mindes with most dolefull and deadly griefe, but alas for remedie how, where and by what meanes may wee finde slaughtred Christian bloud suffici­ent, which onely & none other may sa­tisfie this most cruel vnsatia­ble monster expressing most cleerelie to be Sathans most trustie & cheefe execu­tioner to per­forme all ma­ner his cruel­ties against God, & man, vnspeakeable, but blessed are all they and a thousande times happie whose cou­rage is not daunted, to resist to fight and to destroy this horible monstrous beast: And loue not their liues vnto the death. That is to say, hee hun­teth and maketh inquisition for bloude, for of his owne venemous nature, hee hath no remission but seeketh continually destruction, and alwaies with­out iust cause, enforceth occasion of slaughtet, for he hath no delight in the peace of GOD, but also maketh warre with the remnaunt of hir seede. That is, against all professours of the sacred worde of GOD, whether in Fraunce, Flaun­ders, or elsewhere: that by hir example, or pro­tection haue boldly, discouered the fruits of their faith in the commaundementes of God, and the [Page 11] testimony of Iesus Christe. Wherein lyeth all the quarrels, and the true cause of all this blou­die broyle seriously to be noted: the professours whereof, must all be slaine (without exception) if they doe not forsake their assured saluation in Christe, and fall downe vnto the beast, to their vtter destruction both of body and soule. And forasmuch as from the beginning of this pro­phesie there neuer appeared so great a conuen­tion, and gathering together of Kings, Princes, and Rulers, for the subuersion and slaughter of true Christians, and the Christian estate (as at this present) but as concerning the rest, for what offences soeuer, they shall haue both his peace and blessing, and his plaine and full remis­sion for all their sinnes, be it either periury, bug­gery, treason, murder, and all other such trifling sinnes; they are not to stand in any doubt of his good fauour, and blessing. Now if any such no­table woman, vpon whome, all these aforesaide practises, conspiracies, and many more euils, & mischiefes, haue beene notoriously inflicted. That same woman, without exception, respe­cting hir sexe, hir estate, hir scituation, hir pro­fession, hir proceedings, the condition of hir e­nemies, their practises, their executions, their counterfeite holy assemblies, and the true cause of all their dealing, meaning, and quarrels effe­ctually examined, and in a worde to be finished. What conclusion of peace might be doubted, if she renounce Christ, and admit popery; This [Page 12] woman where, or whatsoeuer, beyond all other, that hath liued vppon earth vnto this day: most neerely, and fully performeth this prophecie: neither any other to be expected, that more ef­fectually shall accomplish the same; And yet I dare not to name any person, either presume to confesse any exposition, of so rare, and secrete mistery of God; but forsomuch as the Angell hath saide, it shall be reuealed in the latter daies in his time appointed; except, they shoulde bee written in vaine, some one person although not speciall by Gods fauour, who is all, in all, with his good spirite shall giue ablenes to performe the same. And thus with all humblenes, I be­seech your good Honour of your fauour, not onely to accept the reading of these premisses: but also, that desire to doe well, may bee mine excuse, for all defectes, that heerein may ap­peare.