follow that it is a vaine thing to search into these mysteries wheras we are in sundry places commanded and incouraged so to doe The third is absurd because they enter into heauen who goe thither in soule as all the godly doe continually whensoeuer they depart out of this life The fift is too particular in applying this entring to the Iewes and both fift and seuenth too much strained in making the smoke a signe of obscurity for as these plagues shall be executed certainly we shall be more enlightened in the mysteries of God here set forth Note Note that the world is deceiued in their common tenent that they can repent when they list let them consider this example and tremble taking time before the smoke of Gods anger for their persisting in sinne become so great that not one of them can enter his Temple The Israelites hardened themselues Heb. 3. wherefore God sware that they should neuer enter into his rest no more shall they that now harden themselues in hope of turning afterwards soone enough to obtaine mercy Againe see a reason why now a long time the proceedings of the reformed religion hath beene almost at a stand little ground more being gained of the Papals It was thus appointed to bee in the purpose and decree of God long agoe whilst the vials are powring out against the Papacy none can enter the Temple But the time shall come when that all these vials being emptied the nations shall thicke and threefold be brought in with vs to worship God aright CHAP. XVI AND I heard a great voyce out of the Temple Vers 1 c. saying to the seuen Angels Goe and powre out your vials of the wrath of God vpon the earth And the first went and powred out his viall vpon the earth Quest 1 c. What are the plagues here figured out and at what times are they or shall they be executed Answ Some hold that the iudgements of God vpon the world for sinne euer since the time of the Gospell Napier are here figured out in seuerall ages 1. From the yeere 71. to 316. when the Roman Empire was iudged diuers wayes 2. From 316. to 561. when the seat of the Empire being translated to Constantinople it was left as a prey to the Gothes 3. From 561. to 806. when Mahumetisme ouerspred the world and became a great plague vnto it 4. From 806. to 1051. when contentions were rife about images and men blasphemed calling them Gods that were no Gods 5. From 1051. to 1296. when Zadock an Emperour of the Turkes inuaded the Roman Empire more and more to the great astonishment of those that were of this Empire 6. From 1296. to 1541. in which time was Ottoman the great Turke who wan Constantinople comming from Euphrates and then by the solicitation of agents on both sides said here to be vncleane spirits they were stirred vp to fight many battels both they of the Popish and of the Mahumetan religion 7. From 1541. to 1791. when all shall either be Papists Protestants or Neutrals being diuided into three parts and in this age the world shall end And thus they parallel these seuen vials with the seuen trumpets before going Others not much differing for they referre these plagues also to this large space of time by the first vnderstand the great Fox plague vpon the heathen persecutors in the dayes of Gallus and Volusianus which was a little before the ten yeeres persecution by Dioclesian By the second and third the destructions of heathen Emperours by violent deaths being as the sea and of subordinate powers vnder them being as riuers By the fourth that extraordinary heat of the Sunne in the campe of Antoninus Philosophus the Emperor about an 162. in his expedition against the Marcomanni when his whole army hauing beene oppressed herewith by the space of fiue dayes together and now ready all to perish a great showre of raine was obtained by the twelfth legion being full of Christians By the fift the ruinating of the Roman Empire by the Gothes Vandals c. By the sixt the iudgements which came vpon the world by the Turkes and Tartarians before figured out vnder the sixt trumpet after which all ioyne together against the truth the Dragon which is the Deuill the beast which is the Pope and the false prophet who is the Mahumetan for though one of these is against another yet in this they ioyne all together that they persecute Christ in his members Iudg. 5.19 But they assemble together none otherwise than Iabin and Sisera did at Megiddo that is to their owne destruction in the end By the seuenth the end of all things Neither of these expositions can stand because the first of these plagues is inflicted vpon such as beare the marke of the beast as is expresly said vers 2. Wherefore they must needs haue all reference to the latter times after that Antichrist had long tyrannized and compelled men to beare his marke putting to death all that refused so to doe Others therefore more rightly apply these plagues vnto the times since that Antichrist began to be discouered by men zealous for the truth of God But yet in the particular declaration of themselues they differ much one from another Some by the first plague vnderstand the French pox the beginning whereof is noted to haue beene ann 1494 in the Neopolitan warre made by the French and Spanish Bullinger by meanes of an whore in their army with this loathsome disease especially the Friers and Nuns of France are plagued who are such infest enemies against Matrimony By the second the pestilence which is caused by the corruption of waters and aire By the third the chiefe Doctors of the Romish religion who are compared to riuers of bloud because such incendiaries of war in all parts of Christendome By the fourth some great drought breeding feuers and hot diseases in mens bodies the cōmon effect whereof is to make them outragious By the fift the obscuring of the glory of the Popish religion by the arising of the light of the truth that being now detested as full of errours abominable which before drew all men vnto it as most venerable By the sixt the taking away of the profits of the Roman Sea which were wont to come from the countreys round about whereby it shall be made weake and feeble and so be quite ouerthrowne by the professours of the truth who are meant by the Kings of the East for they are said to be Kings and Priests vnto God and as Euphrates was to Babylon so the Popes rich reuenues are a defence to his Sea Against this plague the Pope bestirreth himselfe sending out his Legats which are said to bee three euill spirits like frogs because they are euer croaking in the eares of kings and princes of the earth to moue them to warre for the defence of holy Church and they are three that is a full number likely to
hidden as to mention that to set forth hereby the excellency of this worke of conuersion Note Note that a man in errour or in sinne is out of the way of life and in the way of death yea he that is deceiued onely with errour in fundamentals is in a damnable estate though his life be otherwise vnblamable and full of good workes Let the seduced Papist then consider this and tremble to goe on in his errours Note againe Note that although there be sinne euen in those that are conuerted yet no sinne appeareth all is couered and cast behinde Gods backe he looketh now only vpon the studie care which they haue to doe his will this comming betweene his sight and their old sinnes whereas the impenitent and vnconuerted is full of sinne blemishing and deforming him in the sight of God so that he is all vgly and vile in his eyes as any lothsome leaper is in ours which should make a wicked man out of loue with himselfe and to turne from this estate seeing howsoeuer he thinketh that he hath but such or such a sin to answer for the truth is that he hath a multitude of sins Faber pelagus peccatorum yea a sea of sinnes as one speaketh Note lastly Note because Prou. 10.12 from whence this is taken it is said Loue couereth a multitude of sinnes that in loue we ought to endeuour all that possibly we can one to conuert another from sinne The excellency of the worke here mentioned should pricke vs forward to this most Christian dutie and the loue of our brother should constraine vs vnto it 1 Cor. 13. seeing if we be without loue we are without all substance THE FIRST CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE PETER THis Epistle is held by some to haue beene written before that of Iames as by Pareus Baron Annal. tom 1. and Baronius saith that it was written at Rome An. Dom. 45. when Marke was there with him whose salutations he sendeth And his second Epistle an 68. when Peter was now neere vnto his end as is intimated 2 Pet. 1.14 If this were written so soone it was before all the Epistles of Paul the first written of which was the first to the Thessalonians which came forth an 52. Others thinke that these Epistles were put out according to their order as Lyra Iames writing first Lyra. and then Peter Augustine speaketh of all these smaller Epistles as written after Pauls Epistles wherein Faith iustifying without Workes had beene so much set forth vpon which some gathered that good workes were not necessary to saluation August tem 4. de fid opere c. 14. and therefore both Iames Peter Iohn and Iude doe mightily vrge Workes affirming Faith without Workes to be vnprofitable Thus I haue related what I finde touching the time of this Epistle and the rest but as I said before vpon that of Iames. This dispute is not much materiall but either because Iames his Epistle was first written or because to the Iewes who were Gods first people it is placed first And this of Peter after because to such as being Gentiles became first Iewes and then were conuerted to the faith of Christ Hugo Card. as Hugo Cardinalis coniectureth and after Peters the Epistles of Iohn because they were written to the Gentiles conuerted to Christianity Touching this it was neuer doubted of to be Canonicall yea it hath beene alwaies accounted a most excellent Epistle and worthy to be written in letters of gold for Boniface the Bishop of Rome Baron â—om 9. annal that was a Martyr as Baronius faith desired by his Letters of Eadburga an Abbesse and kinswoman to the King of Kent to send him the Epistles of Peter written in letters of gold The maine scope of this Epistle is to comfort and to confirme in sufferings for the Gospels sake And therefore after the scattered Christians named to whom he writeth verse 1. hee comforteth them first by setting forth their estate Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God c. vers 2 3 4 5.2 the benefit of afflictions the praise of God and the saluation of their soules vers 6 7 8 9. And confirmeth them touching this saluation to be attained in a Christian profession from the ancient prophesies set forth in the holy Scriptures wherein thus much is declared vers 10 11 12. Making vse of this consolation to stirre vp to holinesse and righteousnesse vers 13 14 15 16 17. Which that it might be the more effectuall there is a commemoration made by what a price wee are redeemed to this excellent estate vers 18 19 20 21 22. And what is the instrument of our being begotten again hereunto viz. the word of God which is not as flesh which fadeth like grasse but endureth for euer vers 23 24 25. And hauing spoken of this being borne againe hee vrgeth them as now borne babes to desire the milke of the Word c. Chap. 2. Wherein as in the rest how things cohere together we shall see when we come to handle them in order CHAP. I. 1 PETER Chapter 1. Verse 1. To the strangers scattered thorow Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia Vers 2 Elect according to the fore knowledge of God the Father in the sanctification of the spirit vnto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ c. THe Countries here mentioned are all towards the East and are large Luther in 1 Pet. 1. being now vnder the Dominion of the Turke Pontus is a great Countrey neere to the Sea Cappadocia is next vnto it for their borders ioyne together Galatia is seated behinde these Asia and Bythinia before Strangers he calleth the Christians there because although they were Gentiles inhabiting in those parts yet they were strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel by their originall and in this respect are said to be strangers though being conuerted they ioyned with the Iewes that were Christians and became one people According to the fore-knowledge of God the Father This is the cause of our election Gods preordaining of vs and not any free will in vs. In the sanctification of the spirit that is that we might be holy and spirituall which holinesse flowing from election is the onely true holinesse opposed here to the many kinds of externall sanctification which the Iewes had vnto the obedience and sprinkling c. that is then haue we part in this sanctification and are truly Saints when we obey the word of Christ in beleeuing in his name being thus sprinkled with his bloud for this which is here spoken in other words is no more but what S. Paul saith We are saued by faith for this maketh vs obedient and subiect vnto Christ So that to obey the word of God to be subiect to Christ to be sprinkled with his bloud and to beleeue is all one The phrase of sprinkling is borrowed from Psal 51. being an allusion to the sprinkling of the Tabernacle
one that hath originally erred for such are not lightly brought home by repentance and they are commonly most infest enemies to the truth and therefore as a relapse into a great sicknesse so their case is most dangerous CHAP. III. 2 PETER Chapter 3. Verse 5. They are willingly ignorant of this that the Heauens were of old and the earth set out of the water and by the water by the Word of God Vers 6. Whereby the world that then was being ouerwhelmed with water was destroyed Vers 7. But the heauens and the earth that now are are by the same word treasured vp being kept for the fire to the Day of Iudgement IN the History of the Creation it appeareth Oecumen in 2 Pet. 3. how the Heauens and the Earth were set out of the waters for God commanded that a Firmament should be in the midst of the waters that is a more firme existence of waters and this he called Heauen and when as the earth was ouerwhelmed with waters he likewise commanded the waters to gather together that it might appeare and thus the earth was set out of the waters the materiall cause being hereby designed and by the waters noting out the finall and as the earth came out of the waters at Gods command so likewise the Heauens For both are made out of the waters the aire called Heauen out of their exhalation and the earth out of their concretion The earth therefore is out of the water because made out of it and by the water because hereby as by a kinde of glue is as it were cemented and made to hang together which otherwise would dissolue and vanish into dust and aire And as the Heauens and Earth had their beginning at the first from waters so the force whereby vnder God commanding groweth the concretion of the one and the exhalation of the other is fire Wherefore as from these two all things had their beginning so for sinne they haue beene destroyed by water and shall againe be destroyed by fire as not only Christians teach but also Hyraclitus Ephesius and Empedocles Etneus The Heauens and the Earth c. that is such things as are vsefull for the sustentation of mans life as Corne Grasse Trees and Beasts c. and not the substance of the Heauens and Earth For man hauing grieuously sinned the world is said to haue beene destroyed therefore by water yet it was not consumed so hauing beene replenished againe and both by Law and Gospell men being dealt withall to walke in obedience to God but yet few profiting hereby it is kept to be destroyed by fire yet that as when a man purgeth things in the fire to fine them or buildeth his house anew by vsing still the former materials so when the Lord saith that he will make a new Heauen and a new Earth and that this world shall be burnt vp with fire it is meant only that the vtensils hereof which serue for a corporall life shall be consumed by fire of which there shall be no further vse seeing we shall all then be spirituall and thus a new face of all things shall appeare in which regard it is called a new Heauen and a new Earth because those growing things which would then be superfluous being taken away whatsoeuer auaileth to the adorning and beautifying of this world and is needfull to the incorruptible life to come shall be added That these outward things are corruptible and subiect to destruction appeareth by their daily increasing and dying againe The reason why the world made in an excellent manner at the first hath beene and shall bee againe destroyed is the sinne of man whereby the creatures become subiect vnto vanity Whereby the world that then was being ouerwhelmed with water perished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by which Heauen and Earth for the windowes of Heauen were opened and the fountaines of the deepe were broken vp and so the world was drowned Th. Aquinas in 2 Peter 3. By the Heauens here is to be vnderstood the aire for thus the Fowles are called the Fowles of Heauen they are said to haue beene of old because they were amongst the first of the creatures and in another manner then now that is calme and free from cold winds and tempests and so was the earth more plaine and fertill consisting out of the water that is by being discouered when at the Word of God the waters were gathered together and by the water that is as Beda hath it Beda because by the diuine disposition it is all full of veines of water euen as a mans body is full of bloud otherwise it could not stand but would be reduced into dust according to Philosophy in regard of the great drinesse thereof Or else the earth is said to be out of the waters as the matter thereof and by the waters because without water it could not be fruitfull By which that is in which parts of aire and earth the world that then was perished that is in respect of the inhabitants and the outward forme of the aire which by reason of the waters long occupying the place thereof was made grosser and the earth more muddy and the water thicker by reason of the long commixion of the earth and water together But the heauens and earth that now are that is not differing in substance from that those were before but in quality are reserued that is restored to their proper place and condition for the vse of the creatures And the aire is here still called the Heauens in the plurall number in respect of the diuers Regions and Hemispheres thereof These are to be purged by fire This they are willingly ignorant of that is Luther in 2 Pet. 3. though they cannot but know it yet they wilfully shut their eyes against it for hereby they could not but learne the power of God supporting the world which would otherwise bee ouerwhelmed with waters and the iustice of God against sinne destroying by water plainly intimating another most fearefull destruction to come at the last day seeing it is so plainly threatned as that was The Heauen and Earth that then were stood out of the water and by the water that is the Heauen out of the water because it was made of water and the earth by the water because it standeth in the waters by the Word and command of God or else it could not so doe but haue long agoe beene drowned yet neuerthelesse the world that then was perished Vers 6. and so vpon the sudden all things in Heauen and Earth shall perish by fire all being turned into a fiery flame and burnt to ashes as then all things were changed by the waters The exposition of this place is easie enough in all other things but onely for these words the Heauens were of old Mayer and the Earth set out of the waters and by the waters by the Word of God August de Ciuit Dei l. 20. c. 18.
it a thing indifferent whether we haue communion with him or no for the bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth such from all sinne And lest when we endeuour to be holy we should depriue our selues of so great a benefit of Christs bloud through conceitednesse by imagining that now we liue not in grosse sinnes as others doe we are altogether free from sinne he preuenteth this by shewing that so we should deceiue our selues c. vers 8 9 10. 1 IOHN Chapter 1. Verse 1. That which was from the beginning which wee haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes which wee haue beheld and which our hands haue handled of the Word of Life c. THe Iewes and Greekes both did tax the Mystery of the Gospell as a nouelty Oecumen in 1 Ioh. 1. and therefore to approue the antiquity thereof he beginneth with these words That which was from the beginning that is either before the Law or before the creation of all things for Heauens and Earth and all were in the beginning the word Christ before the beginning So that the word was doth not set forth a temporary existence but the substance foundation and beginning of all things that haue a being without which nothing can exist as is further declared in the Gospell of Iohn Which wee haue heard that is by the Law and Prophets being spoken of before Which wee haue seene and beheld that is when Christ liued here in the flesh we saw him and in seeing admired him for those admirable things that were in him But hee doth not meane that they saw that which was from the beginning for that is inuisible but his taking flesh Which we haue handled hereby either it is meant that he was so familiarly made knowne vnto them as that hee was made as it were palpable or else he pointeth at that handling of him by Thomas who was bidden to put his hand to his hands and side and feele the print of the nailes and speare and not to be incredulous but beleeuing After these things thus set forth hee maketh a reddition hereof againe vers â— not so plainly as we would doe but more obscurely to make vs the more attentiue lest perceiuing the matter at the first looking into it with ease we should become negligent and diuine Mysteries being made manifest to prophane eares should thus come to be abused as pearles being cast before swine This one Author hath so well expounded all things here Mayer as that I shall not need to adde others there being little difference in any from this Exposition Onely because the sense is imperfect without some supply It is to be vnderstood that the Syriake readeth it thus Syrus interp Lyra. Vatabl. We preach vnto you that which was from the beginning And Lyra and Vatablus vnderstand Wee declare vnto you But this supply commeth in well enough v. 3. after that which we haue seene and heard repeated againe because of the Parenthesis comming betweene That which hee saith was from the beginning is that word of life which he declareth here to be eternall which was is and shall be for to be eternall includeth all times That which wee haue seene heard looked vpon and handled Faber Stapul de hoc auditu hoc visu his oculis hoc tactu his mauibâ—s nequaquaÌ„ haec incolligenda putem sed potius de spiritualibus sic spiritu inâ—â—s qui eum receperunt mentes eleuante ad arcanorum diuinorum auditum contuitum contactum quibus supra omnem sensum agnouerunt quod à principio erat verbum c. Pluris est onus oculatus testis quam auriti decem Lyra. Beda Clem. Alexand. some will not haue by any meanes to be expounded of hearing seeing or handling with the bodily eares eyes and hands but with the spirituall the Spirit of God lifting vp those that heard and saw Christ to the hearing beholding and teaching of diuine secrets so that aboue all sense they knew and acknowledged that the word was from the beginning Of this Exposition also Oecum maketh mention but I preferre the other seeing what is spoken here tendeth not so much to the declaring of what S. Iohn and the rest of the Apostles saw spiritually as corporally for the confirming of others seeing one eye-witnesse is more than ten that goe by heare-say And this being bodily present with Christ is vsed elswhere as an argument to proue that which is taught of him vnto others as Acts 4.20 Iohn 3.11 Iohn 15.27 Acts 1.21 chap. 10.40 2 Pet. 1.16 Luke 1.2 That which he saith he heard and saw with others some referre onely to those things that were done after Christs resurrection as Didymus sheweth but there is no reason of this restraint Besides the hearing of Christ by the Prophets they heard of him also by Iohn the Baptist saith Lyra but chiefly the hearing of himselfe is meant here according to Beda and others The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added vnto this we haue seene signifieth a more intent and diligent looking into a thing to be able to iudge the better of it being duely considered Which we haue handled This with Oecumenius some thinke was done by Thomas onely who before beleeued not his resurrection Ambros lib. 5. in Luc. Hieron epist de error Iohan. Hierosolym Athan. orat contra Arrian Ignat epist 10. Euseb Hist l. 3. c. 36. Theodoret. dial 2 c. Acts 2. But many more hold that all the Disciples did likewise feele him with their hands because they thought him to be a spirit for to manifest that hee was not the Lord called for something to eate which needed not to haue beene done had they beleeued before And this saying will indeed best agree with that handling and feeling of the side hands of Christ being thus vnderstood Of the word of life is no more but as if he had said the word of life as when it is said I will powre out of my Spirit it is but as much as I will powre out my spirit And the life was made manifest Vers 2. c. These words come in by a Parenthesis being added to shew how they came to see and handle the word viz. because lying hid before now hee appeared in the flesh As for the rest of the Chapter it is easie to be vnderstood especially by the helpe of the Analysis before going The eternall life which hee declareth is Christ who must needs therefore be God Vers 3. That ye might haue fellowship with that is ye which haue not seene by knowing and beleeuing these things by our publishing of them might enioy together with vs the benefit hereof that we altogether might enioy God Vers 4. That your ioy may be full Lorinus readeth it that our ioy may be full affirming it to be so in the Greeke Copie but our Greeke Copies haue it that your ioy c. Full ioy is opposed here to the vaine and empty ioyes in wordly
it as a comfort in suffering seeing when a man hath suffered death for Christ he is receiued vnder his wing being conformable to him in being sacrificed they rest and are safe with him for euer Some expound the Altar of Christs humanity Bernard serm 4. Omnium sanct which the faithfull are receiued vnto now it being reserued till the last day to giue them the full fruition of his diuinity also Some by the Altar vnderstand the places of the martyrs buriall or sufferings Ribera Viegas because Altars were wont to be built vpon them and the crying of their soules they will haue to be none other but as the crying of Ables bloud where it was spilt and soules are spoken of by a phrase vsuall so many men being called so many soules But this is a meere Iesuiticall imagination seeing Altars vpon martyrs sepulchres were of a later edition and though so many men be often called so many soules yet when the soules of any that are slaine are named it cannot bee so taken Whereas most stand for Christ meant by the Altar I should willingly incline to thinke so to but that Christ yet standeth as a Lambe and therefore I cannot see how he can at the same time bee represented by an Altar also I conclude therefore as I began that by the appearance of an Altar is represented their sacrificing when they suffered the place wherein they now are being heauen the common receptacle of all faithfull soules but said to bee vnder the Altar to denote the manner of their death neither doth Iohn see them with his bodily eyes but being in the spirit And fidy doe the soules of the martyred appeare after such a number slaine by cruell enemies crying for vengeance not vocally for soules doe not vtter voyces but vertually the destroying and murthering of them hauing a loud cry in the eares of God so that a desire of reuenge in them is amisse surmised to bee from hence who being in the flesh had so much loue as that they prayed for their persecutors and were farre from the spirit of reuenge But they are brought in crying aloud for the terrour of persecutors seeing the cryes of such shall without doubt bee regarded though in respect of many more yet in these times of corruption to bee crowned also with martyrdome a delay to bemade Whereupon it is that their answer is also set forth in this manner And thus I haue briefly resolued the rest of the doubts without delaying the reader by the diuersity of expositions Pareus Brightman Chrysost Hom. in Psal 9. August Serm. 30. detemp some interpreting their cry for reuenge to be onely for deliuerance of the Church from persecutors hauing beene already so long oppressed and some for the taking away of this malice out of mens mindes that there may bee no more persecuting by confounding such Kings and Potentates that they may bee brought to turne vnto Christ The white robes giuen vnto them Bullinger Brightman howsoeuer some contend that they were signes of some comfort and breathing time which the Church should haue and had about this time according to their exposition yet both the plaine speech which is vsed in answering them is against it for they are told of their brethren that must be slaine also and white robes are neuer spoken of in this sense Pareus but to set forth heauenly glory which is not to be thought now first to haue been giuen vnto them but immediatly vpon their departure out of this life when their deaths began first to cry though it was not represented in vision till now so that euen when they cry they are in the midst of heauenly ioyes and without all passion of sorrow onely they are not perfectly glorified till the whole company being made vp at the day of iudgement being reunited to their bodies they shall reigne in heauen for euer wherefore they are bidden rest till their fellow seruants were slaine also And well doth this cry come in after the fourth seale representing the corruptions in the Church fighting against the truth because this persecution hath beene longer than any before it and therefore needfull it was to tell of martyrs which had beene already made crying out and of such as should yet bee made when it might seeme to bee full time to put an end to these miseries that expecting so long a continuance wee might arme our selues with patience Quest 3. The sixt seale being opened Vers 12. there was a great earthquake and the Sunne became blacke as haire cloth and the Moone as bloud c. What is meant by these things and whether the day of iudgement or no Answ Most Expositors hold that the day of iudgment is here described Fox Richard de Sancto victore Pannonius Primasius Beda Rupertus Arethas c. when the reuenge before cryed for is taken vpon all sorts of persecutors of the Church and the words here vsed are nothing else but a periphrasis vpon this day for thus the Lord setteth forth the day of iudgement Luk. 21.11 There shall be great earth-quakes in diuers places Vers 25. There shall be fignes in the Sunne Moone and Starres and vpon the earth distresse of nations with perplexity Vers 26. Mens hearts failing them for feare c. and more expresly Mark 13.24 The Sun shall be darkened the Moone shall not giue her light 25. The starres of heauen shall fall and the powers of heauen shall be shaken The Sun shall be darkened because it shall no more giue light to this world the Moone shall be turned into bloud to shew the great destruction that then shall be the stars shall fall there being no further vse of them when men shall cease to bee here euen as the leaues of the figtree fall off when there is no further need of them to couer the figs. The heauens are as a booke folded vp when they lofe all their light being as it were clapt together whereas now it standeth open That which followeth of the mountaines and ilands remouing out of their places is to shew the greatnes of this earth-quake euen to the destroying of the earth Then all wicked men how great soeuer they haue beene in this world shall quake and feare being vnable to beare the wrath to come vpon them set foorth in their calling to the mountaines to fall vpon them c. Blas Viegas Who also saith that many Doctors expound this thus Brightman Grasser Others will haue these things vnderstood allegorically the great earth-quake of the great persecution vnder Dioclesian being in all parts of the earth at once then say they the Sun of righteousnesse Christ was darkened in his members the Moone the Church appeared like bloud being all bloudy with slaughters the starres the ministers of God many of them fell for feare from Christianity to idolatry the heâ—uen the Church was folded vp as a booke hiding it selfe for feare at that time and the inhabitants of
apparitions agree to these iudgements being almost euery one alike the Sword Famine and Pestilence where as in the figures first there is haile and fire and bloud vpon earth then a burning mountaine in the sea c. euery one differing greatly from another I answer that the Lord did not respect so much the diuersity of euils to come as the number of them and the greatnesse able to make all men to turne their eyes to behold and bee amazed at them And more particularly these are made choise of to set them forth after the manner of the Prophets who are wont to allude vnto some remarkable History of things past in foretelling of things to come though they be not of the very same kinde for vpon the Egyptians these things were done almost according to the letter there was haile and fire mingled together their Riuers were so smitten as that they could not drinke of them without dying there was darknesse of three dayes and three nights and finally the red Sea like bloud falling vpon them as a huge mountaine became their destruction being like fishes tumbled vp and downe in the deepe To shew then that these professed enemies and persecutors of Christianity should be destroyed by Gods Iudgements as Pharaoh and the Egyptians were these figures are taken vp and because they had many waies to torment Christians the Lord sheweth that they also should be plagued many waies and be destroyed with strange iudgements before vnheard of For it is Gods manner to punish sinners in their kinde the Sodomites who burnt with strange lusts with a burning fire from Heauen the builders of Babel who sought them a name with confusion and the enemies of the Christian Religion who sought out strange tortures with a burning mountaine and worme-wooddy Starre c. iudgements strange and terble And the third part of the Sea and the third part of trees c. are said to bee affected with these iudgements as I thinke because it was but a third part of the whole world where these tragedies were acted if the parts vnknowne till of late and yet vnknowne be considered Quest 4. And I saw and heard an Angell flying thorow the midst of Heauen saying with a loud voice Woe Vers 13. c. What Angell was this and why is this cry interposed here Answ The vulgar Latine and Arias Montanus for Angell reade Eagle I saw an Eagle flying but in all other Copies it is an Angell Lyra. Petr. Damas Viegas Ribera Hereupon some stand to finde out why an Eagle should be vsed to cry thus and resolue that it was one of the foure animals like an Eagle and some Iohn himselfe who was hereby figured out and some the Preachers of the last times or some singular Preacher who should foretell the iudgements of those daies Beda Arethas and Ticonius follow the vulgar but there is the like passage againe afterwards Reuel 14.6 where it is spoken of an Angell putting it out of doubt that it is an Angell here also Forbs Brightman Pareus Some will haue this Angell to be Gregory the great who gaue warning of the Antâ—christ not aboue three yeeres before lib. 4. Epist 34. The king of pride is at hand and which is horrible to speake an army of Priests is prepared Epist 38. He iterateth the same and addeth He is Antichrist that shall challenge to himselfe to be vniuersall Bishop Not much aboue three yeeres after Boniface the third tooke vpon him this title and his successors likewise to this day plainly declaring the Pope to be Antichrist euen by their owne rule which is That the Pope cannot erre And therefore Pope Gregory erred not in thus saying but it was truth which he so seriously and often affirmed Hee that will be vniuersall Bishop is Antichrist This howsoeuer it be true yet it hath no place here for the woes proclaimed are not against the Church but the inhabitants of the earth by which name wicked shedders of the innocent bloud of Christians are complained against vnder the fift Seale It is more genuine therefore by this Angell to vnderstand an Angell properly as in speaking of other Angels who flyeth thorow the midst of the Heauen that the sound of his denunciation might bee heard euery where hee giueth warning of greater plagues yet to come Hitherto terrible iudgements against professed enemies of Christianity riding vpon the red horse had beene represented now the case of heretikes and of corrupters of Religion in the Papacy commeth to bee described in the fift and sixt Trumpets and the finall destruction of all the wicked in the seuenth and because these indgements should yet be more grieuous than the former it is cried Woe woe woe as there were three times of execution yet to come that if it were possible mens hard hearts might be pierced and many being brought to repentance might escape these euills For it is Gods vsuall manner to giue warning before hee striketh which if it be not taken the heauier will the iudgements bee when they come CHAP. IX ANd the fift Angell blew his Trumpet Quest 1 and I saw a Starre fallen from Heauen to the earth and to him was giuen the key of the bottomlesse pit c. What is meant by this Starre and by the Locusts comming out of hell together with the circumstances of their description in their forme time manner of tormenting and King which is set ouer them Many Writers by this Starre vnderstand the Bishops of Rome in their succession Answ when they fell from being heauenly and seeking after the saluation of mens soules to be earthly and to seeke more after honours and riches here for then they had keyes indeed but of the bottomlesse pit Brightman And some more particularly referre this Trumpet to Boniface the third who obtained of the Emperour Phocas to bee vniuersall Bishop for then the fall appeared being indeed before as is intimated in the word fallen not falling but now the fall was made more sensible Darknesse arose when ignorance preuailed and in these times of ignorance an innumerable company of religious persons of diuers orders who like Locusts eat vp the fat and best things euery where They sting like Scorpions when they seeme least to intend any hurt but only such as are not marked for God hath his Church in the midst of Popery others which are misled by them are not proceeded against as by persecutors before described but vnwittingly receiue such Doctrine from them as turneth to a sting of conscience more grieuous than the bodily death viz. the doctrine of Purgatory and of vncertainty of saluation and of the merit of workes and of superstitious orders and tedious pilgrimages and bloudy whippings more grieuous than present death The time of fiue moneths limited vnto them some vnderstand indefinitely Bibâ—â—an â—â—r Arto â—â—us Rullinger Chytraeus this being the whole time of the Locusts which lay their egges in Autumne and being kept all winter in a
marke name and number are all one and therefore readeth it Chap. 15.2 The marke of the number of his name I cannot see how the distinction before named should stand because the very marke is receiued by all great and small rich and poore and therefore not by Princes and the Clergy onely And if the marke were a diuers thing from the name or number of the name it would haue beene as needfull to set men a worke to finde out all three as this one of the number of the name I subscribe therefore to Bullinger and Napier touching the identity of these three Touching the name and number of the name wee shall see more in the next question Note from that which hath beene already said Note that the cursed instruments of the deuill can goe farre in shewing signes and doing acts of great power and therefore wee ought to take heed of being deluded hereby yea by Gods permission they kill and shed the bloud of such as withstand them whereby we may gather a certaine marke of an Antichristian spirit communicating with the great red Dragon and by consequence of the communion that the bloud-sucking Papacy hath with him Quest 7. What name is set forth by these Greeke letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 18. which are said to be the number of the name of the beast and yet the number of a man Answ Before we come to the resolution of this question something is to be premised touching the words of the Text First it is said to be the number of a man Richard de Sancto victore Pareus according to some because man may compute it these numbers being to betaken not as mysticall numbers as some others in this booke of the Reuelation but for so many as these numerall letters doe by the vsuall account of men set forth and therefore one expoundeth these words as an explication of what was said before let him that hath wisdome finde out the number Ribera for to number is the point of a man not of any other creature which is void of vnderstanding according to others the number of a man Arethas because a familiar and ordinary name amongst men according to others the number of a man Beda not of any deuill or other creature for no such is to be vnderstood though he hath beene hitherto spoken of as a beast and to this last doe I subscribe as plainly thwarting that fond popish conceit that Antichrist should be begotten by the Deuill for as touching his generation he shall be but an ordinary man as others are An ordinary name it is vnlikely that it should be because by it Antichrist is to be knowne from others so as he could not be by his name if it were common to other men also neither needed there any such caution to say that the number is of a man as hee doth vsually vnderstand numbers which other creatures doe not for this is a thing commonly knowne without admonition and it is implyed in the words before that he must be a man and a wise man that can cast vp this count Secondly touching the numbers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pareus maketh mention of some that reade it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. lib. 5. c. 25. but all Greeke Copies are otherwise some reade it in words at length 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as all Latine Copies and Arias Montanus But Ireneus affirmeth that these letters are found in all Copies and inueigheth against the changers of the letter For the seuerall expositions of this number it were but lost labour to recite all I will therefore name some onely referring him that desireth to see more to other Writers Bullinger Balaeus lib. 3. de act Pontif. Some thinke that this number setteth forth the time when Antichrist began but that being ann 606. here are threescore yeeres more neither could by the time the marke of the beast be found out and his name as by this number Most therefore hold that these be the numerall letters of his name not precisely to be found therein letter for letter Pareus Fox Napier P. du Moulin Grasser c. Brightman but such letters as amount according to the Greeke numbring to this number and hereupon diuers men haue inuented diuers names which I spare to mention but that which the most learned and iudicious of our side doe generally rest vpon is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 found first in Ireneus and the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comming to the same number Fox findeth this number in this name in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This I confesse doth moue me much for the reuerence of so many and graue Authors but seeing this number of 666. is not set forth in words as the number of them that follow the Lambe chap. 14. and of the sealed ones Chap. 7. I cannot be perswaded that the Spirit would haue vs looke barely to this number but to the very letters here vsed And indeed as long as we goe this way to worke in finding out this number we shall neuer be able to conuince the aduersary there being so many names more containing this number though all circumstances here considered some name agreeing to the Pope is most probably the name here meant Forbs It is not without cause therefore that one doth so much wonder that so many graue and learned men should be carried away in this manner howsoeuer I like not his coniecture neither that the number of the name of the beast is compounded of sixes in opposition to the number of those that follow the Lambe who are counted by twelue thousands Chap. 14. Chap. 7. of euery of the twelue Tribes intimating that the followers of the beast are not any of this number but rather a building reared vp by Satans chiefe instrument as sometime the golden Image of threescore cubits height and six cubits bredth set vp by Nebuchadnezzar and not of that building called the new Ierusalem Chap. 21. consisting altogether of twelues For the scope of setting downe this number is not to shew that the followers of the beast are opposite to the followers of the Lambe or of the Deuils stirring vp for this hath beene already made plaine enough in that the Dragon is said to giue the beast his power and all are said to follow him but onely such as haue their names written in the Booke of Life But the intent here is to teach vs a marke or name whereby all that are wise may certainly know him and beware of him Viegas Bellarmine The Papals to keepe men from searching too farre herein teach that it is impossible to know his name before that he be come which time taking for granted that it is not yet all search hereafter after may seeme to be vaine For
hereafter CHAP. XIV AND behold a Lambe standing vpon mount Zion Quest 1 Vers 1. and with him an hundred forty and foure thousand hauing his Fathers name written on their foreheads c. Who are these and to what time is this to be referred What is that musicall voyce which commeth from heauen and the new song sung there which none could learne but these one hundred forty and foure thousand And what is meant by saying that they are virgins and follow the Lambe and that they are the first fruits vnto God and that no guile is found in their mouth c. Answ I will not delay the Reader much here with diuersity of expositions for this place as I take it is parallel to that in the seuenth Chapter so that as there after much violence and bloud-shed of the seruants of God spoken of before it is added as a comfort that of euery tribe were sealed twelue thousand making vp all together this number of one hundred forty and foure thousand In calling him the Lambe he taketh vp the speech vsed Chap. 7.8 All worship the beast whose names were not written in the booke of life of the Lambe which stood fast vnto the truth of God notwithstanding the danger of those persecuting times solikewise here after the beasts bloudy proceedings against all that would not worship him spoken of in the fore-going chapter this comfort is added that the Lambe Christ Iesus all the time of Antichrists reigne standeth vpon mount Zion that is is vigilant ouer his Church to preserue it from perishing and hee hath still with him euen in these times of greatest streights and hundred forty and foure thousand followers that is many thousands thorowout the twelue tribes of his whole Church dispersed ouer the world set forth thus in allusion to the old Church of God vnder the Law And these followers of his are vnmoueable as mount Zion that is most fixedly adhering to his truth for so the firme standing of the faithfull is described by the Psalmist saying Psal 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion that can neuer be remoued And they haue Gods name in their forehead to set forth their constant confident professing of the truth of God all superstitions of Popery which are a marke vpon the forehead of those that follow the beast being vtterly abandoned And as after the sealing there an infinite multitude are brought in with white robes and palmes praising God with whom the Angels ioyne making a most sweet consent it being a representation of the ioyfull condition in heauen of such as haue suffered for Christ in this world but now are triumphing there that the languishing spirits of such as are yet militant vpon earth might be recreated the more cheerefully to beare the terrible brunts of hottest persecutions who were before set forth by the sealed ones so here is an intimation of an infinite multitude already reioycing in heauen in that he saith that hee heard the voyce as it were of many waters and of a great thunder and of harpers which sung a new song for these speeches may well set forth an infinite multitude whose noise is as the noise of great waters and great thunders but this seemeth to be spoken of their congregating together to this heauenly harmony which is performed as it were by harpes and singing of a new song that is a most rare and excellent song of the praise of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ which song the faithfull here doe learne but none else because none but they doe praise God all others magnifie the beast but these by their praising of God from honest and sincere hearts sanctified by the truth begin euen now to come into the quite of heauen to which they and none but they shall be vndoubtedly ioyned at the last praising God for their deliuerance perfected as now they doe for the fountaine and beginnings hereof the Lord Iesus Christ and his spirituall graces and the ioy of the holy Ghost resulting here-from whereby they doe euen now as it were sit together in heauenly places And as there an Angell is brought in questioning with Iohn and telling him who these were and of their perfect holinesse through the bloud of the Lambe set forth by white robes washed therein and of the Lambes being in the midst of them and leading them forth to the waters of life so here Iohn is directly informed that these one hundred forty and foure thousand of the Church militant are most excellent and worthy persons all immaculate and vnspotted before God both for that he imputeth no sinne vnto them being iustified by faith in the bloud of the Lambe and for that they haue kept themselues virgins vnto God not hauing committed fornication with the beast by idolatry who is afterwards called also the great whore and haue a simple honest heart like Nathaneel who is said to be without guile so that they could not be blamed either for the common vice of others by fornicating in such manner nor for hypocrisie and double dealing in professing the truth as aiming at some sinister end or by yeelding in shew vnto those idolatries thinking that as long as their hearts were right they might in shew be such for the safeguard of their liues These were not too blame any of these wayes for they were ready in giuing witnesse to the truth to lay downe their liues And they are said to be redeemed from the earth and from amongst men to note the power from whence they were inabled vnto this in what a most happy condition different from other men they are when others as men of the earth perish at the destruction of the earth and earthly things these are by the Lambe deliuered and made partakers of that fulnesse of ioy that makes their fellow seruants who went into heauen before to play and sing in such an admirable harmony And these are led forth by the Lambe for they follow him whither soeuer he goeth they follow him in suffering and they follow him into glory that where he is they may alwayes be Napier Pareus Brightman Fox c. That this is parallel to that in Chap. 7. most consent and it setteth forth the number of such as were not carried away with the common streame of corruptions preuailing in the time of Popery and the Lord Iesus appeareth most significantly as a Lambe because he yet suffered his enemies in their persecuting but he standeth to shew his vigilant care ouer his Church Arethas Some thinke that this is a diuers thing from that in Chap. 7. there being set forth the sealed amongst the Iewes here the sealed amongst the Gentiles some hold Alcasar that the faithfull vnder the persecuting Emperours are set forth but all things so fitly agreeing and this comming immediatly after the description of the beast as a thing contemporanean with him I can see no ground of such opinion It is
the Church cannot erre and is alwaies visible whereas if this should befall the Church of Rome which they hold to be the onely Catholike Church it should both erre fowly and the Church should sometime be ouerthrowne by the gates of Hell and put downe from the visibility into such contradictions doe they plunge themselues that are contradictors of the plaine and euident truth of Gods Word Touching the third Angell threatning eternall destruction to the followers of the beast Vers 9. enough hath beene said already to shew to what time it is to bee referred and as for the torments here mentioned and the comforts propounded to the faithfull it is easie for any man of himselfe to render the sense thereof Note from all that hath beene said Note that the doctrine of the reformed Churches at this day is the very doctrine of Gods Angell for we teach to ascribe all glory and to giue all worship â—o God only and not to make any a partaâ—er with God herein and in these points not to feare the tyranny of the Pope and his adherents but in the feare of God to persist herein to the end which is the very effect of the Angels teaching To this tendeth our impugning of Images and the worshipping of Saints departed our denying of the merit of workes and supererrogations the Popes power of pardoning sinnes our ascribing all to grace in the conuersion of a sinner and holding no vertue to be in crossing and holy water c. Againe Note see a plaine euidence that this is the truth and the Roman Catholike state Babylon falling before it in diuers Countries and which shall be vtterly razed to the foundation so that a stone shall not be left vpon a stone Lastly Note all prosperity and preuailing is not to be expected by the seruants of God vpon the first falling of Babylon for she maketh head still and putteth many to death whose comfort yet is that they are blessed and rest with the Lord whereas if cowardly they should for feare turne to the beast they must be tormented miserably for euermore But why is this word from henceforth put in are not all the dead that die in the Lord at any time blessed Yes doubtlesse but there is an opinion of Popery by which men were carried away in times past touching the paines of purgatory fire to be suffered after death which is secretly here glanced at as if it should haue beene said Hitherto a long time it hath beene thought that there is no râ—st in death to the godly but further pangs yet to be endured in Purgatory but the vaniâ—y of this tenent being now discouered by the preaching of the Gospell set forth vnder the type of the three Angels no such thing shall henceforth bâ—feared but they shall comfort themselues in the expectation of immediate rest and ioy Quest 3. And behold one like vnto the Sonne of man sitting vpon the cloud Vers 14. hauing vpon his head a crowne of gold and in his hand a sharpe sickle c. Who is this and what are the Angels next mentioned whereof one comming out of the Temple calleth to him to put his sickle into the haruest and a second comming out of the Temple also hauing a sharpe sickle to whom a third comming out from the Altar that hath power ouer fire calleth to put his sickle into the Vintage which is cut downe and trodden in a Winepresse without the City the bloud comming out vp to the bridles of the horses by the space of 1600. furlongs Answ Almost all Expositors agree that the comming of Christ to iudgement is here represented for hee is like the Sonne of man though a great Iudge he shall come in the Clouds 1 Thes 4. and the consumma ion of the world is likened vnto the cutting downe of the Haruest Mat. 13. and both to the Haruest and Vintage Ioel 3.13 from whence this phrase seemeth to bee taken But some vnderstanding Christ by one like the Sonne of man as it is commonly taken P. du Moulin yet hold that some other iudgements vpon Babylon are here set forth to be applyed to the times of the three Angels going before the first whereof come with the eternall Gospell ann 1039. in Berengarius opposing transubstantiation and preuailing so farre that France Spaine Guil. Noribrigens Eng. â—â—ist lio 2 chap 13. Italy Germany were full of men holding the same with him for William Noribrigens saith that they were as the sands of the Sea but they were persecuted for this whereupon the Lord being offended sent his Angell with a sharpe sickle of iudgement ann 1076. About the time of Berengarius his death by a quarrell arising betweene Henry and Gregory the seuenth named Pope Hildebrand betwixt whom forty bloudy battels were fought and all things were filled with confusion and misery The second Angell came with threatnings against Babylon by Peter de Bruis and Henry de Tholouse ann 1130. and by Iohannes de Waldo of Lions ann 1158. for they called Rome Babylon and exhorted all men to goe out of her but Innocent the third then Pope caused the Croisado to be preached and by that meanes within a few moneths 200000. of them were slaine in Prouence Ioh. Cassanion Hist Languedoc and Guienna Hereat God being againe offended sent another sharpe sickle by Fredericke Barbarossa his armies and the Popes by reason of which the miseries were so great as that no Pen can expresse them sufficiently For whilst these warres lasted the Moores wasted Spaine together with the Sarazens murthering all the Christians which they could finde and the Saladine destroyed the Kingdome of Ierusalem which had cost so many millions of mens liues to conquer it The third Angell came with admonition to beware of worshipping the beast by the Preachers of these times against which when the Papacy shall grow most outragious some greater iudgement then euer yet shall come vpon them to the effusion of so much bloud that it shall come vp a wonderfull great space of ground to the very horse bridles which is not yet effected Forbs Grasserus Others hold that here is set forth the increase of such as should stand for the truth it being first vpheld by the immediate power of Christ set forth by his comming in a cloud with a sharpe sickle but afterwards diuers Countries being conuerted his Angels dare be bold to be seene to stand for the truth both temporall Kings set forth by the Angell with his sharpe sickle and spirituall Ministers comming from the Altar who by their exhortations and preaching stirre vp the other against Babylon so that here in briefe is set downe what is more at large described vnder the seuen Vials powred out by the seuen Angels following Some more particularly by one like the Sonne of man vnderstand the protestant Princes in Misnia Brightman Hassia Prussia c. such as Fredericus Saxo Mauritius Philippus Lantgranius Iohannes
after this they shall be cast into the Wine-presse of Gods wrath there to be crushed and squeesed in infinite multitudes an infinite long time set forth by the bloud running out in so great abundance arguing both many grapes and a long time of pressing There is no ground by the reaping of the haruest to vnderstand the gathering in of the godly as some would haue it taken for Tares are amongst the Corne and this similitude howsoeuer it doth sometime set forth the putting of an end to this temporall life in all men yet sometime with a particular respect vnto the wicked only as here and Ioel 3.13 and then it is only to be so farre forth applied as it setteth forth a cutting off or destroying from off the face of the earth and if wee shall goe a little further in applying it it must be in that which is vnderstood but in other places further added viz. in respect of that part of the haruest which is to be burnt with fire the tares and the chaffe which it may be is also intimated here by the Angell which is said to be ouer the fire whose office haply it was when the other Angell had destroyed the world temporally to cast the bundles of tares into vnquenchable fire and the grapes which were sharpe and sowre into the Wine-presse of Gods wrath for euermore And this Angell commeth from the Altar fitly because fire is vsually taken from thence for the destruction of the wicked as Chap. 8.5 from whence haply he may be thus described as afterwards hee that powreth out his Viall vpon the waters is said immediatly to be the Angell of the waters Chap. 16.5 so this the Angell of the fire or that had power ouer the fire If any man shall further demand but why doth not Christ appeare the second time like the Sonne of man but an Angell is said to appeare if both apparitions serue to expresse the same thing I answer that in the destruction of the world at the last day two things are to be considered the Iudge by whose power and authority it shall be acted and the instruments which shall be imployed herein the first is the Sonne of man the second the Angels spoken of as one here to shew their going about this ministery as one and according to this twofold consideration there are two diuers appearances of the Sonne of man sitting and crowned and of an Angell neither sitting nor crowned whereby wee are to vnderstand the Lord and Master of this great Haruest and Vintage is Christ Iesus hee onely giueth power to cut downe and a fruit of his iust wrath is the wickeds suffering of endlesse torments but hee doth instrumentally act both the one iudgement and the other by his holy Angels the sentence giuing is omitted here the iust manner of the whole proceeding at that day being sufficiently declared elsewhere He shall come in a Cloud hauing a sharpe sickle in his hand that is being ready to condemne the wicked world and to cut them off with the breath of his mouth as with a sharpe sickle then the Angels with all readinesse as his Ministers shall destroy the world and after sentence by him giuen leauing the godly who are inuited into the Kingdome of Heauen they shall cast the wicked into their place of torment in innumerable multitudes And thus I thinke that all hitherto is made most plaine There remaineth only the space of ground without the City where the Wine-presse is trodden being 1600. furlongs to be considered touching which I finde that most Exposiâ—ors content themselues with this generall that here is set forth the great abundance of those that shall be destroyed so that if men on horsebacke would looke out to it their bloud couereth the ground such a distance and so deepe as that it commeth vp to the horse bridles it being alluded vnto Esa 66.24 where somewhat a like phrase is vsed But one besides Brightman before spoken of Napier who applieth it to England expoundeth it particularly of the time when this great iudgement shall be viz. ann 1600. from the time of this vision that is about ann 1699. But here is nothing to intimate any time but the greatnesse of the place where this Wine-presse standeth Rabbi Menahen Rabbi Menahen vpon Gen. fol. 60. saith that the land of Canaan was 1600. furlongs in length now for so much as all things are carried here on in an Allegory to the Temple the Altar and the holy City which were of the Iewes I doubt not but in this space without the City it is also alluded vnto that Country such an innumerable multitude are destroyed as if such a slaughter of men were made as would ouerflow in this depth all the whole land of Canaan The valley of Iehoshaphat hath beene of old set forth to be the place of iudgement and Tophet Ioel 3. Esa 30. which is in that Country to be wide and large where there is wood enough and the breath of the Lord as a riuer of brimstone kindling it It is without the City of the Saints which is much greater euen 12000. furlongs square Chap. 21.16 not for that the number with shall be tormented together is lesse than the number of those that shall be saued but because to be streightened is an addition to paine to be inlarged an addition to ioy and comfort Touching the Angell of the fire I doe not thinke with some that either here or Chap. 16. where the Angell of the waters is spoken of it can be iustly gathered that diuers things are assigned to diuers Angels to rule ouer for they together are ministring Spirits to execute the will of God sometime in one kinde and sometime in another and because this Angell before Chap. 8.5 is said to take a Censer full of fiery coales from the Altar he may now be brought in by this Periphrasis tacitly implying what shall become of the haruest of the wicked before said to be reaped and hee that afterwards is called the Angell of the waters is plainly so called because he powred out his Viall vpon the waters Note Note that when the godly who haue suffered and beene toiled in this world shall rest most sweetly from all trauell and labour the wicked followers of the beast of Rome and all wicked persons come to burning and pressing with intolerable pangs neither can there be any auoiding of it because the Lord Iesus and his holy Angels from whom none can lie hid and not men who may be deceiued shall be actors in adiudging and compelling them into the Wine-presse CHAP. XV. ANd I saw another great wonder in Heauen Quest 1 Vers 1 2 c. seuen Angels hauing the seuen last plagues c. Vers 2. And I saw as it were a glassie sea mingled with fire c. To what time is this to be referred what is this glassie Sea whereupon the Harpers stand and what is the song of Moses which they
a place And all this hee holdeth to bee already fulfilled for the most part the Spanish Armado in 1588. being brought by such meanes into an Harmageddon So that now wee liue vnder the seuenth viall wherein shall bee greater mutations in states than euer and that in this very age the Popish faction being destroyed with horrible destructions and so a finall end being put vnto Rome and to the Popedome I might set downe more expositions but these shall suffice wherein indeed I haue beene the larger because of the obscurity of this place giuing such occasion of diuersity of coniectures as that amongst our new Writers scarce two are to be found that agree together in all things that hauing so many before our eyes we may â—â—e holpen the more in finding out the truth Those ancients which so consentingly expound these vials of Preachers in diuers ages are surely mistaken because these are the last plagues of all in this booke contained and therfore cannot be in diuers ages but in the last onely and they are powred out against Antichrist his marked ones and vpon his throne and to his disturbance intimated in that out of his mouth come the frogs to moue the Kings of the earth to warres in his defence And the long rising of Antichrist arguing a long time wherein hee is falling sheweth that coniecture of the Iesuite to be vaine who bringeth all these vials within the narrow compasse of three yeeres and a halfe yea the latter end of this time Why the two first expositions cannot be receiued I haue shewed before Touching the third the French Pox and pestilences and droughts being common to others as well as to the Papals I cannot see how it doth well agree For the fourth it is more improbable because the scope of this Prophecies is to shew how the Papacie and Pope should be plagued for their wickednesse to their great anguish and not how they should become an annoiance and vexation to others The 5 6 7.10 and 11. expositions then remaine which in many things agree well together and therefore by the light and help hereof I will endeuour chiefly looking vp to the Father of lights for direction to set downe the truest and most genuine sense of these most mysticall vials If in the entry it be a stumble as some haue made it how these Angels may be iustified to doe according to their command when as being bidden to powre out their vials vpon the earth they doe not but one of them only the rest powring out their vials vpon the sea riuers throne of the beast Sunne and aire this I take it hath beene well resolued already in the fift exposition all these are but the parts of the earth as it is here taken viz. for the kingdome of Antichrist here below opposed to heauen aboue so often mentioned in this prophecie when the faithfull seruants of God are spoken of Touching the first Angell with his viall 1. Angell I cannot with Brightman vnderstand it of Queene Elizabeth because howsoeuer she was an excellent instrument for the comfort of the godly and the vexation of the Popish yet she was not the first as this Angell is I hold therefore with Forbs and Pareus that the first oppugners of Popery shewing their filthy byles to their great vexation are here figured out here we may ascend higher than Luther euen to Wickliffe and to the Waldenses and Albingenses before together with many Worthies who wrote and spake against the filthinesse of the Priests Monkes and Fryers many yeeres agone as all that are but meanly conuersant in history know And herein as in almost all the rest it is alluded vnto the inchanters in Aegypt who were smitten with a sore byle that they could not stand before Moses and Aaron for as these make men loathsome so the abominable vices of the Roman Clergy made them loathsome to most men Touching the second 2. Angell I doe not thinke that the doctrine and Doctors of that Synagogue of Rome are meant for so the speech of the Angels iustifying the Lord in his proceedings giuing them bloud to drinke as they had shed the bloud of the Saints would not so well agree for here is plainly noted a paying of them with the like to that which they had done I approue therefore here rather the tenth exposition that hereby is figured out the bloud of the Popish shed by the Turkes especially and the order of time doth agree most excellently for after that the bloud of many thousands of innocents had beene shed in Merindall and Cabriers and other neighbouring parts for religion a great destruction happened to the Papals by the Turkes Munster Cosmogr de Turcis about ann 1444. Ladislaus the Emperour himselfe being slaine together with many Princes Dukes and Nobles and an infinite multitude of common people And in Hungary and Transiluania still after this the Turke preuailing many yeeres a sea of bloud was shed As for the riuers I take it not to bee amisse to apply their turning into bloud to executions done vpon Priests and Iesuites for their treasons here in England and vpon Iesuites in other parts together with the apparant iudgements of God vpon many of them that haue beene most forward in persecuting to their destruction and the slaughters that haue beene made of them in their ciuill warres procured by their owne seeking Touching the fourth I hold that the increase of the light of the Gospell is hereby set forth 4. Angell as most of my Authors agree for the word of God is compared to the Sunne Psal 19. which as it enlightneth and so is comfortable so it heateth and the neerer it draweth to any part of the world the more it scorcheth with the exceeding great heat thereof And thus this viall doth very well agree to the euent for the Sunne being risen to enlighten the world gat vp higher still dayly in the firmament till the heat of it grew intolerable to the Papals making them to raile and sweare against it like mad men Touching the fift there cannot be a more kindly exposition than to apply it to the obscuring of the Popes glory 5. Angell for when by the Sun-shine of the truth the Doctors of that Church and others who stand to the defence of it are scorched so as that they cannot maintaine with any reason any longer the Popes vsurped Supremacy infallibility of iudgement indulgentiary power and power to make Lawes and to dispense with Lawes but their onely refuge is railing and virulency of tongue then what must needs follow next but a vilipending of their Pope whom they so much magnified And when this commeth to passe how can they that are the Popes vassals and in their mindes inthralled to his Holinesse but sorrow extremely and behaue themselues like frantickes Touching the sixt I cannot thinke that the conuersion and returne of the Iewes is once glanced at herein 6. Angell seeing that not by them
Pope of Rome is the subiect of all this description and whatsoeuer can be said here-against will easily appeare to bee but a deuised euasion CHAP. XVIII IN this Chapter there is nothing difficult but that by a short paraphrase the Reader may easily vnderstand and bee resolued touching any question or doubt arising here and therefore I will not delay him with other ambages but come briefly to this paraphrase It is to bee vnderstood that the things here set downe follow in order that which was declared of the Kings making Rome and the Pope desolate in the former Chapter For after this great desolation and destruction it is here shewed that it shall continue so neuer to be built vp or inhabited againe for foule spirits and vncleane birds are wont to keep in desolate and forsaken places happily that men might be the lesse troubled with them Vers 2. and that by the horrour of such places there might be the more liuely representation of hells horrour Ribera Ribera yeeldeth a double reason of euill spirits being in desolate places one before Christs Incarnation that through feare such as passe by might bee drawne to idolatry the other after that monasticall persons might be terrifyed from reparing to desolate solitary places But this last sauoreth of superstition wherunto they that are addicted are ready to receiue any reason for good tending to the confirmation thereof but I should thinke rather if for any respect towards Monks they keep in such places it is because they loue their society being the fittest company for them Vers 1. seeing they haue abandoned the society of men The Angell that telleth of this desolation is wonderfully glorious to set forth the more the glory of God whoÌ„ the Angels serue Vers 4. Vers 6. The other voice from Heauen warning Gods people to come out of her is the voice of God hee biddeth them to reward her double not more than she hath deserued Psal 137.9 but double so much as she did formerly to the Saints as she is well worthy As they are pronounced blessed that shall take the children of Babylon and dash their braines against the stones It is no pity but disobedience to God to shew fauour to the bloud-thirsty Babylon yea all that be the people of God ought to ioyne together to pull her downe and to destroy the Pope Vers 9. The Kings of the earth who shall bewaile her ruine are some obstinate and stiffe popish Kings that shall continue so euen till this be accomplished so that as I said vpon Chap. 17.16 it doth here further appeare that not all but some of the Kings who gaue honor to the Whore shall be her destruction some continuing in their seduced estate still Vers 11. The Merchants of the earth that lament her fall also whose merchandise none will buy any more are the Popes Officers in his Datary to sell Benefices Penitentiaries and such as goe about with Indulgences and all such as make benefit by Shrines Images and relikes of Saints by Diriges and Trentals c. These being now of no repute any longer the great gaine which they made hereby shall vtterly cease After this the benefit and variety of commodities that came in to the Sea of Rome and her factors are particularly named Gold Siluer precious Stones Pearles fine Linnen Purple Silke Skarlet Thine-wood c. The like place to this is Ezech. 27.12 c. of Tirus from whence this seemeth to be borrowed Tirus was stored with such varieties from diuers Nations Brightman and so is Rome with Gold Siluer and pretious Stones from the â—â—â—niards Indies With Cinamom Frankincense Oile and Wine from Italy with Wheat and Flowre from Sicely Sordinia Corsica with Beasts from Germany with Sheepe from England with Horses and Chariots from France with bodies of men from Heluetia for the Heluetians are the Popes guard and lastly the soules of men of all nations are mancipated to the Pope when as it is held necessary to saluation to be subiect vnto the Pope After these Merchants such as trade by Sea are brought in Vers 17.18 lamenting her ouerthrow Ship-masters the company in Ships Sailers and such as trade by Sea By Ship-masters vnderstand all inferiour persons for Ship-masters and Marriners and Sailers c. are vnder the Merchant so that by them we may vnderstand all ordinary Seminary Priests Iesuites and Monkes of euery order that trade in this Sea for I doe not thinke that particularly iust foure orders are here set forth as Parcus hath it Pareus That which followeth serueth onely to set forth Romes vtter desolation and the cause her extreme bloud-thirstinesse whereby it may also be gathered that Rome as it is now gouerned by the Pope is certainly meant because the poore seruants of God which stand for his truth are no where so murthered as there and by meanes of the Pope and such as rule vnder him A true Christian may finde more fauour at the hand of a Turke or Barbarian than amongst the Roman Catholikes for they are more bent against such than against Iewes and Infidels nothing but their bloud will satisfie if they be found out within any of the Popes dominions Is not this then the City wherein the bloud of the Prophets Vers 24. that is Preachers of the Gospell and of the Saints is found in the greatest abundance And how is it then O ye Papists that ye are so bewitched that ye see not into this to come out from this Babel as ye would not bee guilty of bloud-shed When Christ was so milde and alwaies ready to rebuke striking with the sword and vsed a bit to curbe and keepe in such hot spirits as would haue such consumed with fire from Heauen as would not receiue him How can ye possibly beleeue him to be Christs Vicar that is so wood and furious against his impugners as that nothing will satisfie him but their destruction by fire and fagot or else by the sword God open your eyes that ye may not any longer take the Wolfe for a Lambe because of his two hornes but by his Lion-like voice discerne him to be the Beast and abandon and forsake him for euer Whereunto that ye may be moued the rather I haue here set downe certaine passages in the Oracles of the Sybillae most excellently consenting with and seruing to illustrate our Exposition of the Reuelation in that part which concerneth the Beast from the seuenteenth Chapter c. Out of the seuenth booke faithfully translated thus Rome fierce in minde when Grecians are downe driuen Shall stellifie thy selfe vp to the Heauen But when thou thinkst thy selfe in highest height God shall tread downe thy sturdy strength and might Out of the eighth Booke When reign'd in thee haue fifteene Emperours Of all the world that haue beene Conquerours Then commeth a King a manifold Crowne to beare Whose name shall be to Ponti very neare His wicked foot the