of the cruell enemyes wherewith the sixt chapter was concluded For the common type of which sorte was the whole seaventh chapter doth not interrupt the order of things And indeede such quiet dayes followed by and by after those trumpets For Maxentius being overcome at Rome by Constantine and Maxentius in the East by Licinius howe glad a day appeared to the Church through the whole world Howe great delectation howe great ioy howe great triumphe was ther of all degrees How pleasant was it that the prisons were opened that men were called backe from the mines that their feete were loosed from boundes that their neckes were delivered from the axe Neither onely to have these thinges but also an Emperour of which never any man before did so much as dreame who endevoured exceedingly to adorne by all meanes that he could every one of the meanest that was named a Christian Eusebius triumphed not without cause singing with the wordes of the Psalmist Goe to see yee the workes of Iehova how he maketh desolatioÌ„s in the earth causing warres to cease unto the ende of the earth howe he breaketh the bow and cutteth in peeces the speare he burneth the chariots with fire booke 10. 1. Nowe both the Augustes as well Licinius as Constantinus with one minde did procure diligently not onely the peace of the Church but also the ornaments of peace as it is apparaÌ„t from the Decrees published in the name of them both Euseb booke 10. chap. 5. c. But this was a short peace and in very deede but of halfe an houre continuance For first the Augustes themselves were at concorde scarse one three yeeres space afterward when they were reconciled Licinius assaileth openly the Christians and attempteth a generall slaughter There came more over civill warre which waxed fierce among the rulers of the Church the Bishops themselves who being voide of all feare of the coÌ„mon enemy did fall one upon an other with the weapons of wordes as if they had ben weary of peace even assoone as they had tasted the sweetnes of it with the top of their lippes See Aurelius Victor of Cesar part 2. Euseb booke 10. 8. 9. and upon the life of Constantine booke 1. to the ende beginning of the second Furthermore those thinges which wee have noted before at the first verse of the seaventh chapter 2 And I saw those seaven Angels Such hath ben the Silence from which at length proceedeth the second periode distinguished from the former because the entrance into this began not but at the ende of the seales For shall the TruÌ„pets be aunswerable to the Seales which are brought to their last ende before the Trumpets be prepared to sound More over take away the TRVMPETS from this seaven Seale that which wee leave unto it beside and above the Silence of halfe an houre is a certen small thing and more slender and baren then beseemeth the dignity of it I see that such an opinion hath pleased some learned and Godly men but he that shall marke and observe the thing diligently shall perceave that the same is quite coÌ„trary to the methode of the REVELATION The Heralds of this Periode are the seaven Angels Trumpeters The words themselves doe not shewe playnely whether these Angels were good or noe They are sayd to stande before GOD but this is a doubtfull kinde of speaking in so much as it may be attributed as to the evill so to the good Angels and therefore it is sayd that SATAN presented himselfe togither with the Sonnes of GOD before the Lord as wee reade in the Booke of Iob first chap. ver 6. But the proportion of the BEASTS in the Seales and of the seaven ANGELS Ministers of the Viols every one of which was clothed with Pure Linnen as wee shall see in the fifteenth chapter of this booke and at the sixt verse may cause us to esteeme and iudge these Trumpeters in the same number of Holy ones especially seeing that the article those seaven ANGELS hath also the force of nothing some that were knowne of which wee had none before unlesse the finger be pointed unto those seaven SPIRITS of God sent forth into all the world of which wee have seen in the fift Chapter and at the sixt verse Wee sayd that the foure ANGELS of the seaventh Chapter are the foure first Trmmpets but wee meane not the TRVMPETERS themselves but the events which followed when they blew those their Trumpets But the parts of this Periode are distinguished by Trumpets because these events should be more notable more famous and manifest to all men and as it were sung with the publike and lowde voice of a Trumpet In receaving of which there is a certen preparation before they beginne the worke it selfe because by and by after the silence made there should be given some token of the troubles to come before the rage should waxe hotte and be kindled To which is to be referred that Schime betweene Cecilianus and Donatus of Afrike of which wee made mention before the Apostasy of Licinius and his wicked entreprise against the Church The Contention in the East touching the Lords Supper or Passeover But especially the infection of the Arian Heresy the which assoone as it sprung up began to spred quickly farre and neare and to kindle so great close and secrete hatreds that neither the scorning of the enemyes on the theatres nor the most earnest desire of the EMPEROVR himselfe testifyed both by his letters and teares and also by the Embassage of Holsius Cordubensis a most famous old man could not avayle any thing at all to quench the flame for this see the second book of Eusebius upon the lyfe of Constantine in his letters to ALEXANDER and Arius All these thinges as Trumpets were given in the sight of all men as bâ—ing indeede sorrowfull presagies of the future blowing of the Trumpets 3 Then an other Angell came Hitherto the preparation of the seaven ANGELS Nowe followeth what manner of entrance was made to the events following in one ANGEL Whom wee may not suppose to be any Spirituall substance such as are the ANGELS properly so called that is to say GABRIEL or any of that sorte as the Iesuite would have it but a Man according as this Booke of the Revelation is wont to speak in the which there is nothing more common and ordinary then to give attribute the name of an Angel unto Men. Furthermore this heaven is the Holy Church on earth the Altar the more inward holy place of the same the Ministery of the High Priest which the Angels properly so called doe never execute but the trueth of which belongeth onely to Christ the type unto men onely who have a nature fit for sacrifice about which thing the office of the Priest is chiefly occupied of which nature seeing the Angels are voide neither can they represente the Priest Neither any where in the scriptures are these dutyes attributed to them Furthermore the ministery
death 15 And who soever was not sound written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire The Analysis VVEE have spoken of the destruction of the Beast the destructiō of the Dragon followeth whose history seing it is the conclusion of the whole warrfare of the Church under the crosse first he repeateth briefly the things before spoken secondly by a new Prophecy he declareth the last ruine of him The repetition is framed according to three times the first in which the Divell was taken in the first verse The secōd how long he was bound in the second verse the third when and how lōg he should be loosed in the end of the third verse And all these thinges briefly which after are repeated more largely by mentioning therewithall the state of the Church of what sorte it was in the meane time through every of those periods In the first wherin the Dragon was taken the saints were beheaded at the beginning of the fourth verse In the second wherin the Divill or Dragon was bound there was an unlike conditiō of men for the saincts raigned a thousand yeeres which was the time of the prisōment of the Divill both in respect of the soules slaine in the former period and also in respect of them that were on earth who strove with the Beast neither did submit under his yoke by any meanes in the same verse The other lived not againe all that time but being deceived by the frauds and impostures of the Beast lay as it were dead and buried in their errors in the fift verse The third period which is of the Divill being loosed relateth both the condition of the elect and also the furie of the Dragon raging againe Those thousande yeeres being expired the elect lived not a few as in the second period but they rose againe in a farre greater multitude the errours of the Beast being left and themselves converted unto true godlines Which resurrection is called the first and blessed because of the Priestly and Kingly dignity long continuing of the raigne with Christ in the sixt verse The furie of the Dragon after a thousand yeeres prisonment shal be revived in the seventh verse He shall muster souldiers known by name Gog and Magog infinite in multitude in the eight ver He shall spoile all farr and neare and shal besiege the tents of the saincts in the beginning of the ninth verse and so farr proceedeth the repetition of the former ages That which dooth follow from thence is to come his attempt against the beloved City and utter overthrow both of the army in the ende of the ninth verse and also of himselfe in the tenth verse And thus farre is the destruction of the enemies afterward the happines of the Saints is handled wherby the Church shall shine having escaped all these calamities Which felicity is declared two wayes both by the gathering togither of the saincts in the rest of this chapter and condition of them being gathered in those that followe The gathering hath a preparation and execution The preparation is of the Iudge fitting upō a great throne in the eleventh verse The execution is partly summarily toward them that are to be iudged where the forme of iudgement is out of certē bookes according to the workes verse twelve and the māner of standind before the iudgement seate the resurrection in the thirteenth verse partly by name upon death and hell and those that were not founde in the booke of life in the fourteenth and fifteenth verse Scholions 1 After J saw an Angel come down How great paines the interpreters have taken in this chapter we may see it by their commentaries Especially the Papists torment themselves very much to whom this is a labyrinth out of which they cannot rid themselves no more then of all the other things in this booke in which they wander hither and thither and erre neither can finde any comming out any where as it must needs be where the truth is not for a guide The former exposition the rehearsall of a great part of which is here made will make I hope all things easy ready to us First then in repeating things past to the end that the thinges spoken of before here and there touching the Dragon being now proposed to be seen all at once may the better be understood he speaketh of his apprehension which briefly sheweth by consequent that he was loosed before in that time made those sturres which he is wonte when he hath the raines loose From which it may be gathered easily what was the cōdition of the primitive Church as long as this disturber might confoūde all things at his pleasure But at length his furie was bridled his power weakened by the Angel a description of whom is here made Who this Angel is we have learned from the former things to weet that it is Constantine the Great who being borne the manchilde of the Church making warre for his mothers sake against the Tyrants the Heathen Emperours the Dragon it selfe He is said to come downe from heaven bringing unexpected aide in chap. 12.6.7 c. So the Angel being to fight against the whore and to assaile her unwares was said to come down frō heaven in the eighteenth chapter and first verse He hath the keye of the bottomlesse pit power to open the same and shut up the Dragon but not to cast forth the hellish smoke in which respect onely the key was givē to the Angel of the bottomlesse pit chap. 9.1 There is therfore a great difference between these two keyes The great chaine are the foundations of the Christian liberty layd by him by which he held the Dragon bound as with chaines by a long succession of time that he could not move himselfe to make any trouble For now the way was stopped up against those Heathen to the chiefe soveraignty or if they attained to it by fraud as Iulian yet they were so bound tyed with this chaine that they could not exercise their former cruelty 2 Who took the Dragon Overcame him by open warr chap. 6.15 12.7 For whē those tyrāts were overcome the strēgth of the Dragō was takē away neither could he entreprise any such thing as he exercised before The Heathen Emperours are noted by the names of the very Divell as also in chap. 12.9 the articles being also added for the preheminence of the wickednesse because they may by right be esteemed by his name of whose poyson malitiousnes and wickednes they have bin the ministers Worthily doth a man beare his name whose manners and disposition he taketh upon him This apprehension signifyeth that whole first period frō the time of Iohn and before even unto Constantine the last part of it being put for the whole For saying that now the Dragō was takē he would have it to be understood that before he ran to and fro devising as much evill as he could as we learned in the
country but saith Strabo we maie iustly mervaile at these few who for desire of the place are carelesse of danger and heedelesse of sâ—ffetie or rather what the builders of the city minded Laodicaea Laodicaea by the river Lycus one of the greatest cities of Phrygia which reacheth to Caria neare to Colossie to whom Paule a prisoner at Rome wrote commaunding that the Epistle should openly be read in the Church of Laodicaea Whose letters also he commaundeth that the Colosians should reade Col. 4.16 A citie in time past of great wealth partly thorough the liberality of the cityzens who by their Testaments gave to it great riches partly by reason of selling of excellent soft woole and blacke as a raven for which causes their neighbours did much desire it Such are the seaven cities to whom this Prophecy was by name delivered described as in a table Some man perhapes maie mervaile where Rome then was to whome in steede of all it might have bin written very breifly as to her who bragge that shee is the head of all Verily Christ forgate himselfe who passed over his vicare nor would not send him so much as one letter who onely seemed to have bin spokeÌ„ unto But there is a ready answer why he wrote not to him he knew that he could not erre nor had neede of an admonisher Let therefore this omissioÌ„ be one of the prerogatives of Rome 12. I turned me therefore that J might see To see is taken sometimes by synecdoche for to perceive as Exo. 20.18 The whole people saw voices great lightenings the sounde of a truÌ„pet c. that is perceaved But here it remaines in his proper signification wheÌ„ he had sufficiently perceaved by hearing he now turned himselfe that he might use the benefite of the other seÌ„ce Therfore the other worde is chaÌ„ged froÌ„ his native significatioÌ„ noting by a voice the man whose voice he thought it was ¶ And being turned c. So was the hearing the things seene are partly thinges partly a person The thinges are seaven golden candlestickes the interpretation whereof we shall learne beneath at ver 20. In the meane while let us note that every godly endevour receaved greater fruite theÌ„ was loked for Iohn doeth turne himselfe that he might see the man beholde moreover seaven candlestickes of which he suspected nothing 13. And in the middes c. The person seene is Christ himselfe as is understoode out of ver 17.18 like the sonne of man because in a new shape taken unto him he caused himself to be seene not in that native forme which he tooke of the Virgine in which full of glory he sitted at the right hand of the father which may be the reason why the articles are not prefixed as in other places as Th. Beza hath observed This fourme is put on for the present condition of the Church therefore an other is taken where an other estate of the bride is described ch 19.11 12. c. EveÌ„ as also it coÌ„meth to passe elswhere in many places for Christ alwaies is one unchangeable neither for his owne sake doeth he so often change his fourme to whoÌ„ no alteration befalleth nor any shadow of turning but when according to his divers administration he useth a divers condition of the bride wherby he may both testify his conionctioÌ„ with her also may shew that he in those alterations of tymes forgettes her not he takes upon him fourme fit for the thinges He suffereth when shee suffereth he also triumpheth together with her what mervaile is it then in so neare a society if he susteine also a comon shape According to the same meaning Ireneus expoundeth this divers fourme So saith he the word of God alwaies hath as it were the proportion of things to come and shewed forth to men as it were the fourme of his fathers disposition teaching us what are the thinges of God book 4. ch 37. Neither is it without cause that he is with this habite in the middest of the caÌ„dlestickes manifesting by the same that this adorning doeth not simply absolutely beloÌ„g to him but as farre forth as he is coÌ„versaÌ„t with the Church for speciall time Wherefore in such visions we must not so much seeke what a one Christ is in himselfe as what his administration is what a one the bride is therby which he setteth forth to be viewed in himselfe as in a glasse Therefore as touching the interpretation of the speciall thinges the long garment is the perfect imputed righteousnes of CHRIST wherewith the bride is wholy covered from top to toe so as no filthy nakednes appeareth For this garment is not necessarie to Chr. but serveth to cover the bride which notwithstaÌ„ding Chr. weareth on his bodie declaring how comely for those times in this regard shee should be Neither lesse often than significantly is the righteousnes of faith set forth by a garment Blessed saith the Psalmist is the man whose sinne is covered Psal 32 1. And the guest wanting this garment is cast into utter darkenes Mat. 22.12 Afterward in this booke they are pronounced blessed which watch and keepe their garmeÌ„tes lest they walke naked their shame be seene ch 16.15 ofteÌ„ times so in other places And what doeth more fitlie reseÌ„ble the righteousnes of faith which loatheth our inherent righteousnes as a menstruous clothe neither can rest in any other thing except in this one garment of Christes righteousnes ¶ And girded about the pappes with a golden girdle made of silken threeds covered with golde But was the girdle made of such threeds onely But the Priestes girdle was made of embroidered worke pictured with scarlet purple violet and yellow flowers Exod. 28.39 Whose stuffe was onely of silke as Iosephe of the Antiquities book 3. chap. 8. And this girdle was comon to all the Priests There was another appertaining to the high Priest differing onely in this one thing that it was wrought with golde as Iosephus there speakes This then is a golden girdle not that it was wholly of golde but because the girdle of the High Priest was for this difference excellent Neither is this girdle proper to Christ but to the Bride for which cause this same is the girdle of the Angels beneath chap. 15.6 The which we doe atteine by Christ alone which hath not onely made his elect Priestes but also hath brought them to the honour of the chiefe Priest Seing therefore that this girdle is ours it signifieth most pretious faith in the heart And it is of Golde because what is more Golden and pretious than true faith Yea whose triall is much more pretious than golde that perished 1 Pet. 1.7 This girding is about the pappes because except faith hath her seat in the heart it is no faith And therefore the seaven Angels are girded after this maner chap. 15.6 because otherwaies it is wont to belonge to the loines especially under the law when faith was
to men is translated unto the state and condition of men shewing as before was said that not onely men shal be punished with some greevous punishment but also that the thing it selfe shal be utterly taken away never for to raise againe even as they who are cast to hell must not expect any returning or setting free Certenly we may gather and that not rashly from this strange and unacustomed taking of vengeance that God will shew by some visible signe how damnable and detestable he hath alwayes esteemed the Papacy And this last is that destruction of which in chap. 17.18 shal goe into destruction a iust reward of the Antichristian tyranny 21 And the rest were slaine with the sword Such then is the destructiō of the Prince of wickednesse now of his armies and souldiers Of whō ther is a differing punishment not so horrible at least in shew they shal be slaine with the sword of him that siteth on the horse that is by the word comming out of his mouth as though he should say they shal undergoe the punishments threatned in the word against the disobedient and such as resist the truth as in Ieremy Behold I wil make my words as fire in thy mouth and this people as wood and it shal devoure them chap. 5.14 What singular thing thē shal the destructiō of the Pope have For he also hath bin slaine with this sword That is true indeed but the word threatneth divers punishments according to the manner of the wickednesses the most greevous to the greatest the lighter to the lesse Peradventure because the ruine of the Papacy shal be more horrible than wee think it is exempted from the common order not because it is not denounced in the word but perhaps because it is lesse regarded of us and that we suspect it to be lighter then the event will shew Or as we have declared in ver 15. it may be that these souldiers after the overthrow received shall yeeld their vanquished forces to the truth and subiect their neckes to her yoke ¶ And all the foules were filled with their flesh The Victory being obtained the foules gather to the pray doo fill themselves with the spoiles That whole late Popish natiō shal be subiect afterward to the reformed Churh Every country being a nourrisson of the purer truth shal have some part of the regions before time given up to superstition made subiect to them Which thing seemeth to be signifyed by the foules satiated with the flesh of the slaine army Such then is the end of the Romish Pope and Papacy that remained a few yeeres after the city yet at length so much the more miserable because shee had such as did adorne her funerall with their teares and performed the last duties by weeping But ther shal be none left for the Pope to bewaile his misery but he shal die infamous without mourners or other funeral pompe Wherby at last is accomplished that prophetical parable of the ghests called to the marriage Mat. 22. Doubtlesse those good and evill sent for out of the high wayes are the Gentiles that embraced the calling after that the Iewes had refused it Among them the man that had not a wedding garment is the Church of Rome which despiseth the righteousnesse of faith neither regardeth to be clothed with the merit of Christ by imputation The King comming in and beholding her clothed with her ragges but not with that garment which onely he approoveth now at length biddeth his servants to bind her hād and foote and to cast her into utter darkenesse where is weeping gnashing of teeth For Christ speaketh not there of any one man but collectively of a very great multitude as the sentence added in the end declareth that many are called but few are chosen ver 14. From which at length we understand that the bright comming of the Lord with which Paul foreshewed that the man of sinne should be abolished 2 Thes 2.8 is not his last coming to iudgement but that wherby Christ shal take the Iewes into the fellowship of his holy Church at which time his Kingdome shal flourish most gloriously and shal exceed by infinite degrees all the brightnesse of the ages past as shal be made more evident from the things following After the Pope is destroyed the Dragon shal be abolished many other things accomplished on earth CHAP. 20. AFTER I saw an Angel comming down from heaven having the keye of the bottomlesse pit and a great chaine in his hande 2 And he tooke the Dragon that old serpent which is the Divill and Satan he bound him a thousand yeeres 3 And cast him into the bottomlesse pit which he shut up and sealed upon him that he should deceive the nations no more til the thousand yeeres were fulfilled for after that he must be loosed for a little season 4 And J saw seats and they sate upon them and iudgement was given them I saw the soules of them which were beheaded for the witnes of Iesus and for the word of God and which did not worship the Beast neither his Image neither had taken his marke upon their foreheads or on their hands and they lived and raigned with Christ a thousand yeeres 5 But the rest of the dead men lived not againe until the thousand yeeres wereful filled this is the first resurrection 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power but they shal be the Priests of God and of Christ and shall raigne with him a thousand yeeres 7 And when the thousande yeeres are expired Satan shal be loosed out of his prison 8 And shall goe out to deceive the nations which are in the foure quarters of the earth Gog and Magog to gather them togither to battell whose number is as the sande of the sea 9 And they went up into the plaine of the earth and they compassed the tentes of the Saints about and the beloved city but fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them 10 And the Divill that deceived them was cast into a lake of fire and brimston where was both that Beast and also that False Prophet and they shal be tormented day and night for ever more 11 Then I saw a great white throne and one that sate on it from whose face fled away both the earth and heaven and their place was no more founde 12 And I saw the dead both great and smal stand before God and the bookes were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the books according to their workes 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in her and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were iudged every man according to their workes 14 And hell and death were cast into the lake of fire this is the second
else where fully declared in this book wee hope that wee doo no violence to the truth if that we shal ioyne this place unto the meaning of other the like But some man wil say that wee have made mention of this calling in the former chapter it is true but that of the sixt viall was but begun not perfit and absolute as that of the last viall shall be wheÌ„ all the enemies shal be destroyed VVhich distinction of calling the former words doo manifest when in that first Iohn was commanded to write blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lambe chap. 19.9 VVherby it is taught that the first was not perfit where need was of such confirmation the office wherof is to seale up a thing not yet sufficiently known and to come which all being called had bin superfluous But Daniel writeth most plainly who hath distinguished both the callings by their times He setteth the first at the ende of a thousand two hundred ninetie daies The second at the ende of a thousand three hundred and five The distance between both is of fourty five dayes that is of so many yeeres as in an other place with Gods helpe wee will shew Dan. 12.11.12 VVee shall see likeweise in Ezechiel in the place before spoken off that the dry bones being covered with flesh and skinne did move themselves alike and approach one to an other Moreover after some time during which they were destitute of Spirit at length being quickened by the same doo live a true life and doo performe all those offices of life peculiar unto bodies endued with soules That approaching of the dry bones is that first calling of the former chapter The comming to of the Spirit giving to those bones perfit life is the latter calling this resurrection to which nothing shal be wanting unto perfit salvation Both which though Ezechiel comprehendeth in the same chapter yet he handleth the more distinctly afterward For first before that warre with Gog and Magog he mentioneth the resurrection as also Iohn that which was begun in the former chapter afterward when Gog was destroyed he describeth a most glorious building of the temple in the 40. chapter c. which is this secoÌ„d and full resurrection Therfore the first resurrection of the Iewes of the Iewes I say for the first resurrection of this chapter ver 5. is of the Gentiles into which notwithstanding shal fall at length this first of the Iewes that every way it may be the first shal be by and by after the destruction of Rome The second shal be straite after the Romish Pope and the Turke be destroyed This resurrection is a power to enter into the temple which the smooke did hinder to all untill all the seven last plagues were accomplished ch 15. the which is spent in destroing the Pope of Rome and the Turke as was spoken sufficiently before If I seeme to any to weaken the gâ—neral resurrection by taking so notable a foundation from it let him understand that it taketh no dammage from hence This place hath yet left a most strong ground to confirme the same For the Spirit doth not deceiv with a fained similitude but of which ought to be a most certen persuasion among Christians Otherweise certenly he had lost his labour if he had brought any thing lacking credit Moreover he should have driven to defperation in propounding that which must not be done for they would have thought that even so they had bin past hope but using a tipe of a thing that should most certeÌ„ly come to passe in his time he both maketh the calling undoubted and also declareth the manner wherby at length the resurrection shal be accomplished And thus much of the true sense of this argument now we wil prosecute the rest ¶ Then I saw a great white throne The preparation of God the iudge setting his people at liberty taken from a similitude of the general resurrection For the power and mercy of God shal be no lesse cleare in the molifying of men hardened by so long a revolting and in bestowing salvatioÌ„ upon them so past recovery then at length shal appeare in raising out rotâ—en bodies out of the graves The throne therfore is white most pure most gratious most comfortable in the very forme having a demonstration of mercy Great to declare the most imperial maiesty of God which now shal be made evident in this assembly of his people he sitteth also upon a throne ready to iudge because ther shal be no more any delay of rewarding the stay wherof before brought men into that opinion as if God regarded not the earth there fled from the face of him that sitteth on the throne both earth and heaven a great alteration of al things being made both the false Church plucked up by the rootes and also the true augmented with so great fruitfulnes that her former sorrowful face may seem to have fled away 12 And J saw the dead both smal and great Such then was the iudgment now at described those that shal be iudged These smal and great ar Iewes who before hated the faith and were spent with such calamities that they might seeme to differ nothing from the dead Now al of them shal appeare before God every one to undergo the iudgement either of life or death For now it shal be made manifest who ar elect and who reprobate They which yet shal resist the truth obstinatly shal be numbred amoÌ„g the last sheepe No remedy shal be used afterward wherby their stubburne minds may be subdued But why saith he small and great Whit her in the last resurrection according to the maner wherof al things are here applyed shal every one appeare in that stature in which they departed this life For this cause some have affirmed too rashly that every one shal rise againe in that talnesse in which Adam was created Which opinion both resisteth evidently this place and also taketh away the truth of the restored body if ther shal not be that iust stature in which they dyed ¶ And the books were opened The forme of iudging by books opened which are the consciences endued with the true light of Gods wil with a lively feeling of all their actions These shal now openly manifest to all men them in whom there is a syncere minde given of God and in whom lay hid hitherto the seed of election ¶ Then an other book Of Gods decree and election these things ar spoken after the manner of men considering that it is our manner for the helpe of our memory to recorde in books things done and in iudgmeÌ„ts to give sentence according to the truth of them Therfore election is no new thing neither dooth it depend on our pleasure but is founded on the eternal decree of God ¶ And the dead wer iudged c. After or according to those things which wer writteÌ„ in the books as once in the return froÌ„ BabyloÌ„s captivity
the mysterie shall be finished the Turkes the Popes names being rased out then also the Church shall be settled in exceeding great felicitie as in the earth maie be expected The viales from 1558 even to the end Chap. 17. The execution of the fift viale on the throne of the beast by vvhich it shall be manifested by some one of no great name by most undenyable argumeÌ„ts that Rome is the seat of Antichrist that she hath bin made his seate from the time that the Heathenish Emperours vvere driven from thence Chap. 18. The second execution of the fift viale is the last overthrow of the citie of Rome by three Angels 1 descending from heaven 4 the second exhorting the Romanes to flight describing both the mourning of the ungodly also the joy of the godly 21 The thirde confirming her eternall destruction by casting a great milstone into the sea Chap. 19.1 There is dâ—scribed the joy of the saints for the perdition of Rome 5 The sixt viale is opened the calling of the Iewes is taught 12 Likewise a warlicke preparation partly in respect of Christ the câ—ptaine souldiers partly in respect of the enemies 20 The seaventh viale is declared by the destruction of the false Prophete of the Roman Pope of the Westerne enemie his baÌ„des Chap. 20.1 The vvhole history of the DragoÌ„ is repeated as it was in the GeÌ„tile Emperours before the imprisonemeÌ„t 2 Hovv it was in prison into which he was cast by Constantine bound for a thousaÌ„d yeares An interpretation of the three last viales in al which space the elect had a battel with the Romish Pope which being ended there is made at last the first resurrection many every where in the west aspiring unto the more syncere truth 7 Together with this resurrection the Devill is loosed theÌ„ ariseth the Turke vvith the Scithians Gog with Magog which now destroying the greatest part of the earth at length they turne their weapons against the holy citie that is the beleeving Iewes in which warfare the name of the Turke shall utterly be abolished 11 There is made the second resurrection by the second full calling of the Iewes Chap. 21.1 The last part of the seaventh viale describeth the felicity of the Church after the vanquishing of all enemies by the new Hierusalem descending from heaven of a most glorious building Chap. 22.1 It is shewed how this felicitie both by meat and drinke shall redounde to others and shall continue for ever 6 The conclusion confirmeth the whole Prophecy by manie most strong arguments CHAP. 1. A REVELATION OF THE APOCALYPSE THE Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shewe unto his servaÌ„ts things which must shortly be done which he sent shewed by his Angel unto his servant Iohn 2 Who bare record of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things that he saw 3 Blessed is he that readeth they that heare the wordes of this Prophesie keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand 4 Iohn to the seaven Churches which are in Asia Grace be with you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seaven Spirits which are before his throne 5 And from Iesus Christ which is that faithfull witnesse and the first begotten of the dead and Prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his blood 6 And made us Kings and Priests unto God even his Father to him be glory and dominion for evermore Amen 7 Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him yea even they which perced him through and all kinreds of the earth shall waile before him even so Amen 8 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come even the Almightie 9 I John even your brother and companion in tribulation and in the Kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ was in the Yle called Patmos for the word of God and for the witnessing of Jesus Christ 10 And I was ravished in spirit on the Lords day and heard behind me a great voice as it had bene of a trumpet 11 Saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last and that which thou seest write in a book and send it unto the seven Churches which are in Asia unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna and unto Pergamus and unto Thyatira and unto Sardi and unto Philadelphia and unto Laodicea 12 Then I turned backe to see the voyce that spake with me and when I was turned I saw seven golden Candlesticks 13 And in the mids of the seven Candlesticks one like unto the Sonne of man clothed with a garment downe to the feet and girded about the paps with a goldeÌ„ girdle 14 His head and haires were white as whitewooll as snow and his eyes wer as a flame of fire 15 And his feete like unto fine Brasse burning as in a fornace and his voice as the sound of many waters 16 And he had in his right hand seven starres and out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged sword and his face shone as the Sunne shineth in his strength 17 And when I saw him I fell at his feete as dead then he laid his right haÌ„d upon me saying unto me feare not I am the first and the last 18 And am alive but I was dead and behold I am alive for evermore AmeÌ„ and I have the keyes of hell and of death 19 Write the things which thou hast seene and the things which are and the things which shall come hereafter 20 The mysterie of the seven starres which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden candlesticks is this The seven starres are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven Churches The prayer I entring into a matter beyond the strength of man pray thee O Father of lights together with thy Sonne the Chiefe Prophete and the Holy Spirit the leader into truth make plaine to mortall men the way not as yet sufficiently knowen Our minde seeth not the thinges thar are before our feete How little or nothing perceiveth it high and hidden things And how great danger is there from hence eyther of preasing rashly into thy secrets or of passing by true things and faining things absurd contrary Neverthelesse thou who hast made thy word a light to our feet who callest the most simple to the searching out of thy hidden mysteries and who dost chuse for the most parte fisher men before the wise of the world Be thou I say present and helpe this my slendernes graunt me a prosperous voyage between these dangerous Ylands Cause that I no where runne upon the high rockes of pride nor sticke in the shalowe of blind ignorance but the next way by thy
guidance arriving at the very truth I may holily and religiously reverence maintaine it being found out not conceale it through any shamefull fearfulnes corrupt it for any eyther hatred or favour but may bring it forth purely and syncerely into the viewe of every man to the glory of thy most great name and consolation of thy Church yet grievously mourning graunt this through our Lord Iesus Christ AmeÌ„ The Resolution THE Revelation after the Proheme is included whole in an Epistle The Proheme in the three first verses declareth the Argument Authours both principall and also Ministers and the Fruit. The Epistle is speÌ„t about an Inscription Propheticall narration and conclusion The InscriptioÌ„ is excellent for the person of the wrighter and of those to whom he writeth of him especially from whom salvation is wished the eternall verity of which one God the Father the manifold grace of the Holy Spirit vers 4. of the Sonne as the triple office vers 5. so especially his very great benefitâ— on the elect both present vers 6. to be expected in his glorious comming is celebrated which the kinreds of the earth shall receive with wailing and the saints in the meane time desyre most earnestly as is expressed in those wordes even so Amen vers 7. The Propheticall narration respecteth eyther the particular Churches or the whole Them partly jointly in the rest of this chapter partly severally in the two next The thinges which are declared ioyntly are to the end that the seaven Churches may knowe that Iohn undertooke not this wriring at his owne pleasure but was called and commanded of God Wherof the person calling may cause a full persuasion which cannot be of any other but of God himself vers 8. Lykewise the person called vers 9.10 Lastly the manner of calling him by hearing vers 11. theÌ„ by visioÌ„ The type wherof is shewed v. 12.13.14.15.16 certeyne things following therof are declared on Iohns parte a great feare and astonying on Christs part a consolation ver 17.18 then a commaunding to write ver 19. and the interpretation of the vision ver 20. A shorte exposition ver 1. Apocalyps The Argument of the booke signifying a Revelation made of God the coverings being taken away which before did hinder the eyes of mortall men Which sort of thinges were wont to be called in old time visions and prophesyes but in the writings of the Apostles the word of Revelation is more frequent I will come saith Paul to Visions and Revelations of the Lord 2 Cor. 12.1 And againe that J should not be lifted up above measure with excellency of Revelations ver 7. So whosoever of you hath a song hath doctrine hath a tongue hath a Revelation 1 Cor. 14.26 Furthermore the knowledge of the Gospell is attributed to Revelation of seeing which there is no greater power before it shall be revealed then of understanding future thinges I give thee thankes saith Christ O Father because thou hast hidden these thinges from the wise revealed them to babes Mat. 11.25 Whether is then this not the sense of this word that no new thing is published but as the Gospell is an open revealâ—d lawe so the coverings being removed that onely to be shewed which before lay hydde under the olde shadowes And so it might paradventure be thought unlesse this were also a word of the olâ—e testament The saying of him saith Balaam that heareth the wordes of the strong God which seeth the vision of the Almighty falling downe but having his eyes opened or revealed Num. 24.4 So the man of God spake unto Heli in the name of the Lord Did not I reveale my selfe playnâ—ly to the house of thy father 1 Sam. 2.27 Wherfore there is no argumeÌ„t from heÌ„ce to this purpose This may be without doubt that this kinde of speaking used as well here as there doth shewe that it neither was in the beginninge nor yet is proper to the witte of mortall men to finde out such mysteries by searching Neverthelesse that now all things are easy to be passed through by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ so farre as is behoveable for his Church Doe thou therfore most high Day-starre open our eyes that we may behold thy wonderfull things ¶ Of Iesus Christ Who is one of the chiefe authours of the Revelation the Mediatour betweene God and men All the olde Prophecies flowed alwayes from the same Christ but in these last dayes God hath spoken unto us by his Sonne after a singular and speciall manner Heb. 1.1 Wherupon there is a difference betweene the auncient inscriptions of the the Prophecies and of this There the vision of Isaias the vision of Obadias the booke of the vision of Nahum The Prophecy which Habbakuke saw never before the vision or Revelation of Iesus Christ This Prophecy must needes be most full of maiesty which is notable before others for the title neither is it to be doubted but that according to the proportion of the light of the Gospell all things are delivered here more distinctly and more clearely then ever before ¶ Which God gave unto him To wit the Father the authour fountayne of all things And he gave these thinges to Jesus Christ in asmuch as he is Mediatour not as to his coessentiall Sonne For these thinges doe shewe rather the order in which God doth give knowledge to his Church then the originall of knowing in respect of his Sonne as Th. Beza declareth most learnedly He is the pipe by vvhom is derived unto us men from the unmeasurable depth of his goodnes whatsoever may be profitable for us Although the verbe to give ioyned with the infinitive mode signifyeth often to permitte as thou wilt not give thy holy one to see corruption that is thou wilt not suffer him to see Psal 16.10 And Edom râ—fused to give to passe through that is permitte Num. 21.21 After which manner Demosthenes speaketh the word of permitting being ioyned with it Give and permitte me to speake of these thinges unto you But it comes all to one whether we make it the beginning of knowledge or of power Therefore we must rest in the first answere ¶ That he might shewe to his servants Therefore the understanding of those thinges is peculiar to these You prophane be ye farre o be ye farre fâ—om hence Why o ye Iesuites doe ye touch this booke These mysteries are shutte and sealed to you whatsoever diligence in interpreting you may pretend Here is nothing for the sworne slaves of Antichrist Leave off to trouble your selves and to deceave others Yf yee desyre indeed to understande these thinges renounce the Lord whom yee serve to the end that he whose name ye counterfaite may impert these secrets to you returning againe into his family ¶ Which must shortly be done An explication of the thinges whereof it is a Râ—velation not of those which were past a good while since but which should be done afterward and shortly For he
saith that the time is at hand because the things should be begun forthwith and from that time should proceede in a perpetuall course without interruption Although the last acomplishment should be at length for many ages after ¶ And he signifyed That is which also he signifyed when he had sent by his Angell to his servante John Twoo instrumentall causes are rehearsed the Angell and Iohn Christ useth his ministery not because he disdayneth himselfe to speake to us for he giveth himself to be seene in his owne person in this very chapter but because both our weaknes cannot endure the beholding of so great maiesty as it appeareth by and by after in John who fell downe dead at the sight of him ver 17. And also that he may shewe that he doth rule and commande to the Angels and all other thinges 2 Who bare record As touching John he describeth playnly himselfe unto us shewing that he is no other theÌ„ the Apostle himselfe of which two certeÌ„ and proper markes are rehearsed one the testimony given to the word of God and to Jesus Christ The other an eye beleefe of those thinges which he testifyed For Christ chose twelve out of all his Disciples who should be with him continually and should be present at all his miracles and conferences of which they should be witnesses afterward even unto the furthest parts of the earth Act. 1.8 by which double marke Luke doth note them out writing thus Who from the beginning were beholders themselves and ministers of the word Chap. 1.2 By which arguments also Iohn himselfe doth maintaine his authority in an other place That which we have heard which we have seene with our eyes which we have looked upon and our handes have handled of the word of lyfe 1 Ioh. 1.1 And the thinges seen which are here mentioned are not the visions of this booke which followe but the actes and miracles of Christ at which whyle they were done Iohn was present Otherwise howe could those thinges have procured authority to the writer which thing onely the mentioning of these respecteth in this place which were not yet made knowne to the Church Wherfore that John who wrote the Revelation was the Apostle unto whom those markes doe agree by which the Apostles were knowen famous in the Church above others neither is there any other John besides to whom these same thinges can agree And indeede he hath declared himselfe to be such by very good advise when as it would be very much avaylable for the credit of the Prophecy that men should be perswaded of the authority of him that did write it I mervayle therefore that Dionysius of Alexandria regarded these things so little that he would dispute against them so egerly But his foolish coniectures have bene confuted by others most leardnedly He then being let passe from hence it may be understood that those wordes which Aretas testifyeth to be added herein in some bookes wee see to have ben put in by Plantine and Montanus out of the Compluten translation And whatsoever he heard and whatsoever thinges are whatsoever must be done hereafter that these words I say have crept in wrongfully and into an unmeet place for thinges not knowne have no authority themselves much lesse can they bring it to an other 3 Blessed is he that readeth Hitherto of the Authours the Fruict of the Prophecy is the happines of them that reade or shall give eare to others that reade to them yf truly they doe observe the thinges that are written therin knowledg and workes are to be ioyned togither in sâ—ch order that that may go before so at lenght men come to that happines But no word unlesse that which is inspired of God can conferre such fruict to men But who are those blessed ones that read Are they those that shal be alive in that space of the last three yeeres wherein Antichrist shall exercyse cruelty tyraÌ„ny a little before Christ shall come to iudgement as the Papists doe imagine In deede Frauncis of Ribera the Iesuite doth thrust togither this whole Prophecy almost into these narrowe straites prudently verily as touching his Pope but in respect of the truth it selfe very perversly For were men utterly voyd of this felicity by the space of those whole thousande five hundred yeares which are now past since the Revelation was given Or can any be happy eyther in reading or keeping those things which perteine no thing to him If all these thinges are to be thrust into this three yeeres space they shall in no wise be blessed But they have bin curious in vaine who eyther hitherto have searched out those things or have used diligeÌ„ce in effecting them Which same thing must needes also come to passe in future tymes wee know not for the space of howe many ages But the whole handling of the thinge shall convince this invention eyther of very great fraude or ignorance and unskilfulnes Let us know in the meane tyme that such a fruite is here praysed which is common to all ages since this divine Revelation came forth to be seen of all meÌ„ which sheweth severally and one after an other the condition of every tyme even unto the last ende as shall be manifested with God his helpe by this exposition of ours ¶ For the tyme is at hand Wherin these thinhs shal be put in execution But seeing the whole prophecy doth denounce a battaile rather then put on a crowne the reason seemeth to be fetched from the danger nigh at hand as though he should say blessed are they that are fortified with some firme aide against the evils haÌ„ging over their heads But huge great evils staÌ„de at the doores of which this prophecy is full therefore they are blessed that shall take heed and keepe faithfully the way of escaping them 4 John to the seaven Churches Hitherto the Proheme The Epistle followeth the person of the wrighter of which namely Iohn was knowne sufficiently by the thinges before spoken They to whom he writeth are the seaven Churches in Asia that is the universall Churches in every place as Aretas and Beda doe well affirme and all as I thinke Interpreters with one consent doe iudge Neither can invery deede the thinges here rehearsed beare to be restrained to these seaven Churches We shall heare in the Epistles sent to every one an admonition that all should heare what things were written to the Churches Secondly it belongeth to these seaven Churches to knowe as well of future things as of present the charge of both namely of writing and sending he shewes afterward to have bin committed to him And the last conclusion of the whole booke which wished the grace of Christ to them all shewes that this whole Prophecy was sent to the seaven Churches for an Epistle chap. 22.21 But whaâ— had it availed these seaven cities which were to remaine but a litle time to have understanding of such things that after many ages should be which
nothing concerned thē Hereunto is added that the nomber of seaven is an universall nomber by whose revolution all times are made all times being winded upon this Pole even as the whole heavenlie frame is turned upon the seaven starres Wherefore as being full of mysterie it is used afterward the whole booke through in describing of all things Yet all Churches are not so to be considered as yf nothing indeede had bene sent to them which by name are afterward noted but togither with the signification of the misterie the truth of the historie is to be reteined Seing therefore these seaven Churches stretch further than their names declare whether in them the estate of all times even to Christes comming is to be considered No verily but onely of that time wherein the Church shal be among the Gentiles Which thing shal be manifest by those things that follow and also so plaine a desciphering of the Churches of Asia seemes to grant that the Synagogue of the Iewes is not to be mixt with them Which thing hath caused that in the resolution we have distinguished the whole Propheticall narration into that which is proper to particular Churches and into that which is common to all Churches ¶ Grace be to you and peace from which is He commeth to the praier wherby the third person of the Inscription is declared And he setteth downe the fountaine of grace and peace to be one true God three in person whos 's first person these words declare Arethas thinkes that these three times doe specially bolong to the three persons Because the Father saith he is otherwhere called which is Exod. 3.14 the Sonne which was Iohn 1.1 the Holy Ghost which cometh Iohn 16.8.13 Act. 2. But the distinction so cleare which forthwith followeth gainsaies it which challengeth this description of that J will be Exod. 3.14 common to the whole Deitie here to the alone person of the Father Wherby also we are given to understand that this threefolde difference of time belonges to the unchangeable and stedfast truth of God concerning his promises For there is the same force of this circumlocution as of that abreviation Exod. 3.4 which we know was used that he might teach Moses that the time was come that he woulde perfourme the promise once made to Abrahā of delivering his seed out of Egipt From whence is also that name of Iehova wherby God was not knowne to the Fathers Exod. 6.2 because they had not yet obteined that promise Certaine minde that this is a name of being no portion of which a created spirit can understand as yf God should take to himselfe such names onely for his owne sake and not for ours Wherefore these things are as yf he should say From God the Father most true and constant in all his things which presently giueth most plentifull experiments of his truth by sending at length his Sonne into the world who in former times never failed in any one of those things which he had promised who lastly so hath caused hope of things as yet to come that daily he endevoureth the performance of them and hasteneth the acomplishment of his whole truth For which cometh hath this force as a present future that I may so say For that which cometh is not yet present nor yet altogether absent Therefore it is much more significant then if he had said which will come or which is about to come as commonly it is turned For this which cometh declareth that he will no further deferre his promises but that now forthwith he is imploied in fulfilling of them an excellent confort for them which through wearines of delay doe fainte But thou wilt say is truth attributed to the Father onely Verilie it is common alike to all of them but seeing the partes of the Sonne and Spirit are chiefly imploied in executing the decrees it is mentioned as proper to him alone whome order of doing maketh to be the Authour of promising and the fountaine of goodnes Gentile impietie hath imitated this division with their tripos which they report that Apollo used for three commodities of things which he had very much tried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saw things to come to be before they were as in the Scholiaste of Aristophanes on Plut. ¶ And from the seauen spirites The second welspring of peace is the Holy Ghost most plentifully enriching replenishing his Church with every kinde of giftes for which cause such a circumlocution is used For he which togither with the Father the Sonne is the giver and causer of peace and grace cannot be counted amongst the creatures Of which matter see that most learned man Francis Iunius Neither proves it that this is a creature as the Iesuite will have it because he is saide to stand in the sight of the throne after the maner of those that rather serve God himselfe than that he is God himselfe Wheras by this reason neither the Sonne should be God which being a lambe came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate on the throne hereafter chap. 5.7 And more plainely in Daniell 7.13 and before him that is setting in his throne they presented him to wit the Sonne of man What then is the Sonne to be beteft of his Godhead Wherfore we must know that the words mentioned thorough this booke both here and else where both universally of God as the chiefe and highest Governour in which regard a throne is attributed to him and also of the Sonne Holy Ghost as ministers By whose more neare working all things are done Wherfore they are sayd to stand as in a readines before the throne and as it were expecting the commaundement and becke of the Chiefe Governour So was the Revelation given to the Sonne ver 1. and therefore the Spirit seemeth in this place to be noted more by his giftes by which he workes in his saints then by his proper name But the things onely of order are not to be drawne to destroy the natures 5 And from Jesus Christ which is that faithfull witnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from Jesus Christ that faithfull witnes that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is that faithfull witnes the want of the relative being supplied very often used in this booke after the manner of the Hebrewes These things apperteine to the thirde fountaine Christ which we call the thirde in regard of the place which here he susteines not in order of person Hitherto hath bin differred the describing of him because it was more at large to be insisted upon and frō him to be derived the thankesgiving by whose alone merite we are made partakers of all good things And first he mentioneth his Propheticall Office calling him the faithfull witnes that is which hath faithfully truly and fully taught the whole will of God as farre as appetaines to mans salvation For the whole doctrine of the Gospell is wont to be called a testimony as Iohn 3.11
there was not any holy assemblie in this daie in the Jland otherwise Ihon would not have walked alone in the shore bin solely occupyed in receaving the heavēly visions after chap. 12.18 Neither is there any mention that these Prophecies were receaved by distinct times as it is wōt in the other Prophets whensoever there is occasion but they seeme to have bin given all in the same day and so to have flowed with a continuall course that there was no intermission after that the faculty of seeing was once given The commaundement also of writing unto the Churches seemes to require the same For if there had bin any space of time between he would have had written by parts and peces to the Churches not waiting for the thinges that would follow unlesse paradventure he should have bin otherwise admonished which we doe not reade in this Prophecy to have bin done But all these things are gathered in one Epistle and not divided in divers But the solitarines of Iohn was well recompensed having for teacher God him selfe when it may be he had none whom he might teach These thinges being thus expounded he goeth on into that which concernes his calling by which it doth appeare that this charge was imposed upon him by God ¶ And I heard behind me This worde behind me is wont to shadow out the free mercie of God which recalleth us being carelesse not regarding negligent nor thinking of any such thing for to receave most worthy things In Isaiah amongest other instructions of the heavenly grace there is made mention of this as of a chiefe thing thy eares saith he shall heare a word behind thee saying this is that way walke through it when thou shalt go to the right hand or to the left hand chap. 30.21 Wherfore neither Iohn altogether in heavenly contemplations preventeth the heavenly grace but as it were one of the comon people heareth a voice behind him warning of the comon unadvisednes of us all For we are all unapte to comprehend heavenly things untill unwares we be endued with the faculty of them which none of our owne dignity doeth procure to us but Gods mercie alone And the voice was great as of a trumpet least we should thinke that any thing being whispered somewhat softlie was paradventure hiddē from Iohn Nothing here coulde be hidden or passed by when the eares rang with so loude and shrill a voice it is a great argument of the certainty of the things which are to be uttered 11 Saying I am Alpha and Omega These wordes were above ver 8. But there of Iohn describing the person whose authority he followed in writing this Prophecy here these wordes are of Christ himselfe uttering the same with his owne voice Therefore Iohn above using this forme drew it not forth out of the shoppe of his owne braine but brought it from heaven from whence ther can come nothing but most holy Aretas the comon translation and the Complutensis reade not these wordes but they seeme to be rashly rased by some man because perhaps they were repeated having so few things interlaced But there was to be a dictinctiō betweene Iohn and Christ neither are these things to be accounted superfluous which do teach by what authour these wordes were first used ¶ What thou seest write in a booke that namely which by and by thou shalt see and likewise also heare This expresse commaundement of writing also to whom by name he should write sheweth that this was not a voluntary message but commaunded and appointed of God ¶ Which are in Asia in Ephesus c. Above in the fourth verse onely universally it was saide in Asia but by naming of these cities we understand that the whole continent is not meant which by this name is celebrated for the thirde parte of the world but onely certeine litle part thereof which usually is properly so called Which lying in an Iland to the Sea Euxinum Aegaeum and Pamphileum is bounded on the North with Bithynia on the west with the sea Hellespontus and Aegaeum on the South with Licia on the East partly with Licia partly with Pamphilia and Galatia In this part of the world flourished of olde tyme these seaven most famous cities representing here the whole Church amongest the Gentiles As touching Ephesus Ephesus it is a very noble citie by the sea shore of Icarium not farre from the river Caister the head citie of Ionia the greatest marte of all Asia within Taurus famous because of the Temple of Diana very well knowne to Christians for the three yeare labour of Paule Act. 19.20 and 20.31 for an heavenly Epistle written to this people and for Timothy their Pastour bestowed on them and also afterward for many yeares most fruitfull watering of John the Apostle Smyrna Smyrna a city also of the sea coast of Ionia on the North of Ephesus being distant from thence three hundred and twentie furlongs a Colonie of the Ephesians with whom in former time they dwelt together mightie in olde time and having iurisdiction over certeine cities neere adioining as also Ephesus in which the meetings of the subiect cities were See pli book 5. chap. 29. Pergamus Pergamū is a citie of Aeolia towardes the North of Smyrna very glorious and being the chiefe amongest the middleland cities once the seate of the Kings of Attalia which at length became the Romanes they being appointed the heires by the last Attalus which brought the countrie into a Province and called it Asia by the name of the Continent swallowing up by hope doubtlesse from this small beginning that whole parte of the world as though Attalus had not onely bequeathed to them Pergamum but also all Asia by his testament whence unlesse I be deceaved was the first distinction of lesser Asia Thyatira Thyatira is the last citie of the Mysians a Colonie of the Macedonians towardes the south of Pergamum to whose iurisdiction it likewise apperteineth In time past it was called of Seleucus the sonne of Nicator Thugatheira for the ioyfull newes of a daughter that was borne to him hereof Lydia the purple seller was a citizen of whom there is mention made Act. 16.14 a stranger of Philippi as it seemeth Sardis Sardis is from Pergamum towardes the South about sixe hundred furlongs Once the chiefe citie of the Lydians happy by reason of the rich mountaine Tmolus and Pactolus that yeeldes gold which runneth through her fieldes Shee was also of great dignity in the latter ages having chiefe iurisdiction taking from thence the name of Sardinia see Plin. booke 5. 29. Philadelphia Philadelp of which there is here mention made for there are three of this name is of Lidia or rather of Cecaumena that is of the burnt country in the very borders of Lidia and Mysia Of old a city not populous even when it most of all florished because of the dangerous dwelling by reason of often earthquakes the most parte live in the
being conversaÌ„t on earth did seeme the basest among men Asthough he should say feare not at the sight of my glory which is augmented above that you caÌ„ think yet not for your destruction but salvation And as once yee have known me the most humble of all men so in this unmeasurable glory I reteine my former minde doe not despise or neglect you dust and earth Words full of confort but in this sense they were to be changed I am the last and first because the humility did goe before glory neyther now should that be placed in the latter place which hah bin swallowed up of the maiestie coming upon it unlesse peradveÌ„ture they have this sense I am now the first who of late was the last or the order of the wordes being kept I which was the first in the beginning being with God equall to the father at length taking upoÌ„ me the forme of a servant became in the account of the world the last Both which sentences make for the secoÌ„d interpretation make it more probable ¶ And who am alive Specially he maketh mention of his victory over death that he might erect his minde against the greatest feare in life These thinges confirmed that he was Christ that appeared to Iohn Never of any creature is any thing uttered in the person of God without all signification of ministery least peradveÌ„ture men should thinke him to be God and should give that to the creature which is proper to God ¶ Amen This is most certain which I say that I live for ever for confirmation whereof take not onely a naked affirmation but also a solemne word of sealing up Amen The comon translation readeth not Amen which neverthelesse is found in all the Greeke bookes and is found beneath chap. 3.14 To which wee must hearken rather then the Tridentine fathers establishing onely this edition authenticall and of authority ¶ And I have the keyes of hell and of death There is a transposition of the words in Aretas the Complutense and the vulgar and I have the keyes of death and hell And in the conioining of these words hell is wont to be put after death as death and hell did follow him chap. 6. ver 8. so death and hell were cast into the lake chap. 20.14 And so the order of things requireth seing that hell is the last stinge of death But seeing those keyes are as well to open as to shut for because he liveth that was dead he hath power to make others alive from the dead here hell is not of the damned which is wont never to be opened that any should be fetched from thence as neither in ch 20.13 For how can the hell of the damned be cast into a lake of fyre Therefore these two doe seeme thus to be distinguished that death be the very separating and sundring of the soule and body Hell the state and condition in which the body is after the sundring 19 Write those things that thou hast seen and which are c. The commandement of writing is repeated but explaned more at large In the eleventh verse it was commaunded onely write that which thou seest in a booke Now he teacheth wherto that perteined which he saw to wit to things both present and to come For these both ioined together doe expound that what thou hast seene And in every of the Epistles unto which the partes of this visioÌ„ are fitted according to the diverse condition of every one wee shall finde predictions of future things so as those words which thou hast seen can not be restrained to thinges onely present Seeing therfore the seaven Churchches conteine as well future things as things present the whole Prophecy is not rightly distributed into things present and future For these two meÌ„bers come together as after wee shall see in the singular explication and unfolding of the things Let us holde therefore that which the wordes plainly teach that this vision proper to the seaven Churches is touching things both present and future The observation of which small thing hath opened a way to me to understand as I thinke the particular Epistles which I will that the godly iudge 20 The Mystery of the seaven starres In the last place is the interpretation which onely teacheth of two things of the starres and candlestickes Why doth he give no expositioÌ„ of other pointes Because these few were ynough to open his counsell of the whole For after the same maner the rest are to be applyed to the condition of the Church And so will the Spirit helpe our weaknes that he may leave some parts of diligence to us Although the things that remaine of the vision shall easily be made manifest froÌ„ the Epistles which teach by the condition of every one whâ—t meaning the rest have which now are kept in silence as shall be shewed in their places As touching the words Mystery is of the fourth case folowing the verbe Write which is to be repeated asthough he should say write the mystery of the seaven starres And likewise in the member following and write the mystery of the seaven candlestickes For he interpreteth the starres to be the Angels The seaven starres saith he are the seaven Angels of the Churches that is signify the seaven Angels Which let them observe who hold fast as it were with the teeth the letter of the worde in other places Neither are these Angels spirituall substances but men Pastours and Bishops to whoÌ„ the scripture attribute this name as although the Angell of the Lord had come up from Gilgal to Bochim Iudg. 2.1 So in the Prophet Hagg. Then spake Haggai the Lords messenger ch 1.13 And Malachy speaking of the Priests For he is the Angel of the Lord of hostes chap. 2.7 How great therefore is the dignity of true Pastours who both are starres fixed in no other firmament then in the right hand of Christ and also Angels What skilleth it though the wicked skoffe at them with reprochfull names seeing they be in this reckoning and estimation with God ¶ And the seaven candlestickes are seaven Churches Very well compared to a candlestick wherein the everlasting light of trueth shineth kindled of Christ the Priest morning and evening continually This similitude is fetched from the candlestick of the Tabernacle which was made of pure golde of worke beaten with hammar of one shaft and seaven branches The multitude of branches signifieth the multitude of particular Churches as well of Iewes as of Gentiles The comon originall from one shaft the most strait coniunction of particular Churches all which come forth from that one of the Jewes as from the shaft Which shaft was more adorned then the other branches in one bolle knop and floure because as it seemeth the Iewes Church at leÌ„gth shall become more aboundant in the gifts of the spirit then this ours of the Gentiles Exod. 25.31 They are then the candlestickes of the Church but which by their most pretious matter doe
For what other thing were so many skâ—rres and prints with which many Bishos were marked who after the tempest of tyrannicall persecution driveÌ„ awaie did meete in the Nicene Counsell then so many triumphant bowes of the victory gotten against the enemies Paulus Neocesariensis was bereft of the use of both his hands the sinewes being shrunke and cut by the persecutours with a whote iron Others had both their eyes put out Others their right handes cut of by the elbowe among which was Paphnutius Aegyptius In summe a man might have seen a company of famous and picked Martyrs gathered togither Theod. book 1. chap. 7. He was an Angell of an invicible courage whom so many calamities could not breake yea not bowe never so litle Now therefore if we shall gather all these things into one summe we shall see a most beautifull image of any excellent Church For beholde an Angell sparing noe trouble of his owne in the labout of teaching administring the disâ—ipline most religiously suffering none that should offende the Church with his naughtines either keeping farre away the leven of heretiques or taking it away most carefully at the very first And last of all for all these thinges undergoing boldly whatsoever the wicked enemies were able to inflict upon him Doth he in any thing need amending In nothing in deede if onely he had continued in his integritie but godlines fainteth by little and little unlesse it be kindled continually and often times a certen naked profession remaineth where all his power is utterly dead lyeth quenched as we shall see by by to have happened here As touching the wordes Montanus and the vulgar translation doe distinguish this verse otherwise also they put out and change some wordes And hast borne a burden and hast patience for my name hast not fainted So Aretas but the first words set out of order And hast patience and hast borne a burden But these readings want expresse signification which our kookes have which conioine togither burden trouble and perseverance The sentence becometh much more weake where this worde trouble is taken away 4 But I have somewhat against thee Hitherto was the praise The reprehensioÌ„ is for the leaving of their first love Of which even a light slaking had not wanted great faulte But to put of the same wholy how great wickednes For so the word thou hast left soundeth as if the Ephesine Angell were like to those widowes given to riot which Paul saith are to be condemned because they have cast awaie their first faith 1 Tim. 5.12 Although this losse of love was nothing to the heinous offence of the widowes For their Apostacy was manifest his onely a faint or rather no care and a very great negligence of godly duties the profession of the truth being kept But the Spirit speaketh of divers tymes as it appeareth from this that he saith that thou hast left thy first love and in the verse folowing biddeth them to doe the first workes FroÌ„ which it is perceaved easily of what sorte was this coldnes to it that the Angell who in the first times of the Gospell receaved faithfully executed the office of teaching observed diligently every on s maners to which forthwith he applyed a remedie by ecclesiasticall discipline afterward in the latter yeares did so languish that he was negligently occupied in the first labour permitted some of his floke to perish through ignoraÌ„ce some through the infirmity of the flesh to be carried headlong into destructioÌ„ no lawfull curing undertaken This is that love which Christ taketh grievously to be layd aside so shamefully For he sheweth that he is then truly loved when his sheepe are fed faithfully and with a syncere minde Wherto perteineth that thrise repeated commandement to Peter Yf thou lovest me feede my sheepe Ioh. 16.17 But in processe of time in this Church this fervency waxed colde or rather altogither vanished away as is manifest by the reprehension Such is our infirmity rushing a pace no lesse to the losse and destruction of spirituall life then our bodies hast continually to the graves Wherfore then is there too much cure of this none of that The Ephesians reteined an outward profession neither were any calamities able to take it from them as the former verse even now taught yet in the meane time they decayed by little and little neglecting those thinges without which true godlines cannot consist And this leaving of love seemeth to have come to passe then when Iohn had bin sent away into Pathmos Doubtlesse while he abode at Ephesus he suffered not either doctrine or discipline to decay but being at length bereft of so vigilant a watchman they fell into this detested drowsines The Bishop may be for an example although not of that city yet of a neighbour place who thorough the negligence of holy discipline suffered a certen yong man delivered to him of Iohn to be kept to become a thiefe and a robber Wherefore Iohn did worthily hit and cast in his teeth his good keeping Euseb Hist booke 3.23 But howsoever the history be silent in this matter it is certen that the Ephesine Angels fell together into shamefull negligence about these tymes Of which sort also wee finde the carelesnes of the Church growing in use by little and little In the first times while it had the Apostles for presidents and eye witnesses of all things the diligence of the Elders was fervent who did both preach the word of God faithfully and also further the godlines of their flocke carefully by discipline but at length after two hundred yeares froÌ„ Christs birth they suffered all things to waxe worse and worse by a manifest declining How began the discipline to be loosed and corrupted wheÌ„ the Martyrs Confessours gave rest to those that had falleÌ„ not onely without the Bishops counsell but also against their willes How this outragious disturbance of the heavenly rule troubled Cyprian we may see from his Epistles from whence among other causes of the incumbent persecution many of which he rehearsed at length he descendeth to this And what plagues what stripes doe we not deserve when noe not the Confessours doe keepe discipline who ought to have bin an exemple to others to good manners Epist book 4. 4. And not many yeares after Eusebius relating the condition of the Church in which it was a little before Diocletian began his persecution They saith he which were thought to be our Pastours reiecting the bond of godlines were busily occupyed in mutuall contentions among themselves These thinges onely increasing beiond measure contentions and threatnings and emulations and mutuall grudges and hatred folowing with all their might preheminence and dominion as it were kingdomes book 8. of Hist chap. 1. It must needs be that the edge of holy discipline was made blunt in wonderfull manner which was of no force to cut of such noxiour herbes But Ambrose who rehearseth that the divine rule was vanished
quite away before his times speaking of the Elders at length inferreth most clearly Whereupon saith he both the Synagogue and also afterward the Church had Elders without whose counsell nothing was done in the Church Which by what negligence it is growen out of use I know not unlesse peradventure by the slouthfulnes or rather pride of the teachers while they alone will be thought to be somwhat upon the 1. at Tim. chap. 5. He was not long after that time which we call the Primitive Church Yet he so speaketh as though some ages before his time this wholesome custome had bin abolished Which thinges doe clearly shew how in the later times the first love waxed cold altogether and at length went to nothing 5 Remember from whence thou art fallen Such was their sinne the remedie coÌ„sisteth of three members a iust consideration of their fall repentance and redressing of the discipline Which all together are required unto amendement and in the same order in which they are rehearsed Because we fall by little little we perceave not almost into how deep a pit we are fallen but let us looke back to the high toppe from whence we are fallen and we shall mervayle at the low gulfe in which we ly Wherupon he warneth that he minde from whence he was fallen Neither is it enough to perceive that we are fallen but very quickly we must get out of the gulfe by repentance He adioineth therfore repent But many doe deceave themselves and thinke that they have repented well when in very deed they have done nothing lesse Therefore last of all he requireth that the first workes be done For then thou shalt prove thy repentance iust if it shall bring forth true holines of workes and either shall returne to the first love if it were sincere or shal increase the same by adding a greater vnto it But why doth he require instantly the first workes especially in the Antitype which conteineth the space of about three hundred yeares Would he that the Church that was spred farre abroad and encreased with an innumerable multitude of citizens should returne againe to their cradell Or whether will he that there should be the same reason and respect of the whole eâ—rth which is of one city Now also it was nigh when the Church should have a Christian Magistrate Constantine being about to come straite way to the Empire and governement of the world What need should they then have of that former ancient discipline It was meet peradventure that Christ had waited for a little time and had not urged so earnestly the first beginnings of which there should be no use in shart time But these are the dreames of such as are sicke of a fever He that knoweth what is most fit for his Spouse requireth earnestly the first workes after so many yeares after the dispersing of his Church in so many places he willeth that shee labour againe in the word and that shee punish wicked men with the Ecclesiasticall Discipline He knew that the order appointed by him should fit aswell Provinces as Cities neither should hinder any whit the civill administration but further and adorne the same above all From hence then let us learne that that first governemeÌ„t is coÌ„mon to all times and places Neither to be permitted to mens pleasure to folow the way that they will but that alway in reforming the Church we must have recourse to the first beginnings unto which rule must be recalled whatsoever erres from the right way and not to frame it according to the corruption of the following Churches ¶ Or else I will come against thee quickly The threatning putteth to spurres and stirreth up the feeble strength of the remedy Often times the feare of perill prevaileth more with men then the hatred of wickednes He threatneth that he will come quickly and remove the candlesticke out of his place But what need is there that he should come who walketh in the middes of the candlestickes He dwelleth not among his as a revenger but as a brother defender from whence as often as he must take punishement he putteth on a new person and forme in which he appeared not before and is said to come from another place and to seeme now another from him whom before time they did know In the Greeke it is J will come to thee for against thee Now to remove the candlesticke out of his place is to take away the truth and dignity of the Church Which though it be not noted expressely by the Historiographers yet we may not doubt but that according to this coÌ„minatioÌ„ Ephesê° lost a while after the forme honour of a Church I coÌ„teÌ„d not about the name of a Church which I know shee have retained for many ages but for the first puritie by which alone God measureth a holy Church and not by coloured and naked names Much lesse is the candlestick to be understood of the Episcopall dignitie as the Iesuite would have it which wee reade to have continued from those times eight hundred yeares at least Therefore this candlestick was not quickly removed Did the Angel peradventure repent It is not likely seeing in the Antitype it is certen that that folowed in a shorte time which is threatned here to come to passe For the Angels proceeding in negligence as we have learned from those thinges which have bin before spoken Christ tooke out of mens sight the first golden candlestick by taking away his most holy ordinances of which the world was most unworthy on which the primitive Church was founded by himselfe and by his Apostles For there was a new face of things when Constantine came there remained yet the desire of preaching in the Bishops but the doctrine was fowlly contaminated in many points Reliques begaÌ„ to be in reckoning Temples to be adorned more magnificently all kinde of superstition to increase besides the pride of the teachers as a little before Ambrose have taught spoiled the Church of a necessarie helpe to rule their maÌ„ners In stead whereof Ecclesiasticall dignities were encreased all things being curiously sought out more for pompe then for truth And while men gave themselves to thinges of this nature the golden Candlestick which among the candlesticks did obteine worthyly the chiefe praise was removed out of his place This shall be more cleare then the light at noone day in the rest of the booke In the meane time let men see how evill they provide for themselves and the truth which thinke every thing right which they reade to have bin used in those times Rather let them goe to the entire age in which the candlesticke stoode in his place which after it was set in an other place the same was overwhelmed with darkenes neither could he give light to others 6 But this thou hast c This also availeth to quicken their carefulnes they might have bin proude of their present happines as though their owne godlines had procured it
promised to free them that overcome He doth not promise to deliver them from the first being too light a thing either to be given by such a great price Rewarder or to be expected by those that ar his And what need is there to be defended from the first death which the necessity of nature will bring at length but to prevent it for the truths sake procureth a farre greater crowne He promiseth therfore that which is best and doth not allure us with a vaine shew of some light thing Analysis SO is the Epistle to the Smyrneans That to the Church of Pergamus is inscribed likewise to the Angell he that sendeth hath a two edged sworde The narration commendeth his constancy illustrated by the throne of SathaÌ„ and the comon times in which Antipas suffered ver 13. then he reproveth the sinne which he sheweth both of what quality it is consisting in suffering Baalamites ver 14. and Nicolaitans ver 15. and also the remedy for it namely repentance which he setteth forth by the danger of refusing the same ver 16. Lastly he concludeth with a solemne Epiphoneme and proposeth a reward the hidden Manna the white stone an unknowne name written upon it ver 17. Scholions 12 And to the Angell of the Church of Pergamus Towred Pergamus Pergamus so farre as the Spirit seemeth to respect the notation thereof in this place is as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tower of Troye as Hesychius expoundeth it to with a towred city high and superbe agreable to that which followeth in the next verse where the throne of Sathan is It is distant from Smyrna Northward about five hundred and fourty furlongs with a greater distance then Smyrna is from Ephesus in the last border of the North latitude as touching those seaven cityes A great diminishing of light fell out in the Smyrnean corner under Constantine Constance Valence even at the first turning from Ephesus first purity But nowe he goeth from Smyrna to Pergamus into the utmost darkenes the Church being about to suffer a greater defect of light then ever before this time since Christ was borne The Antitype of this Church is of longer time then the former as also the distance of place is greater conteining a great part of the kingdome of darkenes from the three hundred and foure score yeare to wit from Gratian where the former period ceased unto about the yeare one thousand three hundreth as in the explication we shall see ¶ These things saith he which hath c. The furniture of him that enditeth the Epistle is taken out of chap. 1.16 Which now he taketh before the other because he would shew himselfe such in practize in this Church For he would punish the rebells as he speaketh after ver 16. on whom no light punishement should be layd by a two edged sworde and that sharpe and the sword is the worde of God it selfe whose force should now be manifested in the subduing of the man of sinne Although this sword in this period is shaken rather then inflicted For he threatneth a fight against those that repent not ver 16. he cometh not forthwith to handy strokes 13 I know thy workes A narration of his more approved condition which is set forth two wayes that he neither denyed the faith allthough he dwelt in that place where Sathans throne is sâ—condly that neither in those dayes wherin Antipas was slaine It is not hard to know why it is called the throne of Sathan For the city where the Ethnike Emperours had their seat made warre professedly against the Lambe is called the Throne of the Dragon chap. 13.2 So of the foster inferiour cities which come nighest to the disposition of this chiefe city because they make a pallace more garnished for the Devill they are noted with the same name Nowe was the mother city of the Romane Empire in Asia For it is likely that this region being brought into a Province after that Atalus Philometor King of Pergamus had named the people of Rome his heire the Proconsull being sent to governe the same placed there the seat of his iurisdiction Plinie in his 5 booke of his naturall History chap. 30. saith that this City was by farre the most famous of Asia which glory should lesse agree unto it if the Proconsuls had had their dwelling in any other place seeing honour is wont eyther to come to cities or to departe from them together with the chief rulers Although before it perteined to the Romane power it was the head city of the Kingdome of Asia For so Livius speaketh entreating of Scleuchus the sonne of Antiochus He leadeth saith he to the assailing of Pergamum the head and tower of the Kingdome Decal 4. book 7. It was therefore a great thing to professe Christ in the hearing sight of so mighty a city spiteful against the truth There may not be prophecying in Bethel for it is the sanctuary of the king and the Kings house Amos 7.13 Aretas reporteth of Antipas that he gave testimony to the truth at Pergamus and that his martyrdome was kept even to his times But I finde noe more in any author worthy credit From this place it is evident that he was a very famous Martyr by whose sufferings was signified the rage of a most grievous persecution This is another praise that Pergamus had continued constantly in the faith when a fierce tempest raged very greatly It is an easy thing to professe Christ when a man may doe it either with honour or without danger But to reteine the profession of him without feare even with the danger of life is an excellent commendation and a point of true courage Wee have said that the Antitype was the Church from the foure hundreth yeare to the three hundreth above the thousandth When after Constantius Iulianus and Valence Smyrna being left it went further toward the North unto Pergamus that is was hidden in thicke darknes being brought under the power of that City where The Throne of Satan is namely ROME This is that Towred City The Tower of Troye whose Daughter shee boasted her selfe to be once the Mother City almost of the whole world the proude Lady and Queene of the Nations noe lesse famous for the stately Temples Theaters Highe Places then for the ample and large dominioÌ„ and Empire It is plainly called the Throne of Satan in the 13. chapter of this booke both because it was once the Seate of the Ethnike Emperours as at the place wee will shewe And also because they being taken away it was made the Seate of the Popes who during this time have most plainly shewed that they reigned by the helpe of the Devill and not of God Foure and twenty Popes were all given to Divelish arts some of which gave up themselves wholy to Sathan by covenant to obtaine the Popedome Yea by the space of whole foure scoâ—e yeares from Sylvester II.
purpose by very small thinges and having a faire colour He would abhorre Idols in words as much as any other and would cry out that the honour which he commaundeth to be given to Jmages is farre from this ungodlines by such wordes deceaving the unskilfull and bringing them into this offence of which the Spirith speaketh 15 So thou hast c. The reddition of the similitude whose proposition is not spoken a word of Thus it should be full As once the Israelites had those that held the doctrine of Balaam so thou hast them that holde the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes In stead of the proposition he attributeth the doctrine of Balaam to the Pergamen Church because it was proper to his Antitype but from whence may be gathered the first part of the similitude But this poison of the Nicolaitanes had infected doubtlesse Pergamus ¶ Which J hate as before the comon translation is repent likewise And so he beginneth the verse following in this sense as I have warned the Ephesine Church so doe I admonish thee But this is weaker then if he did commaund simply repent 16 I will come against thee quickly and fight against them He threatneth a double punishement one against the Church it selfe against which he saith that he wâ—ll come quickly The other against the corrupters against whom he saith he will fight with the sworde of his mouth For wee may not thinke that he will come against the Church onely to take away those plagues destructions of men for this could have no feare but would be a thing to be chiefly wished but shee also must suffer the punishment of her negligence as they of their wickednes Therfore this violent breaking into the Church was a certen chastisement by warre or some such calamity as is manifest in the Antitype whose times were very troublous partly by the overflowing of the Northerne Barbarians partly by the Saracens whom the Devill armed against the seed of the woman after shee fled into the wildernes as we shall shew at the chap. 12. to which times these things perteine but here generally and obscurely shewed because this place suffered not any ampler light The other punishment is against the Balaamites against whoÌ„ he will use the sworde of his mouth For we must observe how he distinguisheth these from the Church of her he sayd I will come against thee then turning his speach to the Balaamites and J will fight saith he against them But what is it to fight with the sworde of his mouth Whether to inflict the punishments which he hath threatned in his word Certenly Paul saith that he had in readines wherewith to punish all contumacy 2 Cor. 10.6 And Ieremy is set of God over the nations and Kingdomes to root out and destroy c. chap. 1.10 For there is no weapon in the whole armory of the world so effectuall on both partes Wherfore seeing by the iudgement hereof all fornications and Idolatries are appointed to a iust punishment worthily may he say that he will fight with that sworde according to the rule whereof the pronounced iudgement is exercised But nowe when in an other place it is sayd of Antichrist that Christ shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth 2 Thes 2.8 which maner of speaking what force it hath we have learned by experience to wit that his errours convinced his lyes detected then his fraude and deceits set in the open light he shal be brought to destruction these wordes seeme to have the same meaning And certenly after that the Church was for a while scourged by those Norther Souther barbariaÌ„s Christ begaÌ„ to vexe those PerganieÌ„ impostours with the light of the truth for about the yeare 1120 arose certeÌ„ godly men which preached openly that Antichrist was come that the holy dayes Ecclesiasticall broken songs prayers for the dead pilgrimages oyle extreem unction the rest of that sorte were superstitious things Worke Trip. Henric. Mon. Thol To these were added in a short time after the Waldenses the Albingenses Parisienses who published a booke of the perils of the Church many other private men FroÌ„ theÌ„ce began this fight which was soft in the beginning terrible rather in the shaking of the sword then in wonding but after coming to a iust full battaile as after we shall see which hath fallen out prosperously to the godly hitherto by the grace of God but most unhappily to them that dwell at Rome in the throne of Sathan 17 He that hath an eare Let every one drowned in the Romish superstitioÌ„s give eare let him attende hearken in what account with God is that unmaried Vicar of Christ of what price is that famous much spoken of Rome that Chaire of Peter the piller of truth mother of the faith of all Churches to wit that chief Prelate that wicked Balaam the very city which is renowmed with the vaine praising of men the gate of heaveÌ„ is the very palace throne of the Devill Neither let any thinke that hatred doth wring these words from a man that is an adversary but let him compare the prophecy the event which if he shall see to agree in all things let him know that he is warned of the daÌ„ger not so much by the words of maÌ„ as by the H. spirit ¶ To him that overcometh I will c. The reward is threefould hiddeÌ„ MaÌ„na a white stone an unknowne name written upon it Every one of which fit the times in a wonderfull manner As for Manna it is the meat of the wildernes ministred froÌ„ God when there was no meanes to have other bread And in this Pergamen state when the company of the Nicolaitanes Balaamiticall ofspring that is Romane Jdolaters possessed all places the Church was conversant in a waste unpleasant terrible wildernes whether wee shall see the woman betake herselfe flying from the Dragon ch 12. But Christ feedeth the same with the meat of the wildernes as once the Israelites For he will not be wanting to his in the most hard times but bestowe aboundaÌ„tly the ioy of the Spirit wherby not onely they may be preserved in life but also be very glad as for the greatest ioyes Therefore this Manna is the same meate with the fruite of the tree of life in Paradise as hath bin observed afore ver 7. but the manner of ministring of it is divers there in a most chast pure and flourishing Church it was the fruit of the tree in the middes of the paradise of God here the truth being despised contemned trode under foot utterly opressed with most thicke darknes it is MaÌ„na the foode of the wildernes this meate should be hiddeÌ„ froÌ„ the world they should suppose theÌ„ famished who had fled into this wildernes as the Egyptians did thinke the Israelites for this cause would perish suddeÌ„ly But God did sustaine his extra ordinarily with this bread of Angels Yet there is this
there was a certen Chiefe and famous woman an Idolatrice Sorceresse Harlot like the ancient Iezabell which was the wife of Ahab yet by thus much more furnished to destroy because this shewed her selfe openly an enemy and adversary to the truth that would be accounted for a Prophetisse From that which followeth appeareth that shee was taught to the naughtines in the schoole of the Nicolaitans of which shee became a schoole mistres teaching others the same rules For the Heretiques abused the labour of women to sparse abroad their poysons Simon Magus hath his Helena Carpocrates his Marcellinam Apelles his Philumenam Montanus after in the latter times in places nigh to this Thyatira his Priscilla Maximilla In the Antitype the thing is clearer For this Iezabell is Rome Queene Idolatrice Sorceresse Whore Killer of Martyrs Prophetisse the head of all Churches and the whole way of salvation which never yeelded to any heresyes and many such like with which wee shall see her adorned by the Holy Spirit partly in this book partly shee boastingly setteth forth her selfe impudently Lately we learned tha the Pope was signified by Balaam now we have the city shewed by Iezabell Both which perteine to the describing of the same Synagogue of Sathan see in the Bishop and City are things very neerly conioyned And how doth it fit the times that the Spirit doth set before our eyes now such a city How long time did the Pope deceive under a shew of godlines as the Hypocriticall Balaam in the former ages about the beginning of increasing honour and reputation but after he was groweÌ„ to an inmeasurable greatnes lifted up above Kings Emperours so as now all meÌ„ quaked at the very name of the Pope of Rome his Rome became the Queene Iezabell an impudent and painted whore Balaam therefore and Iezabell declare the same kinde of impiety onely they are distinguished by the increase an times Rome in her infancy as Balaam handled her matters more warily and secretly shee pretended that shee could not speake but that which the LORD should put in her mouth being grown to full age as the Prophetisse Iezabell preacheth openly that shee caÌ„not erre and that shee is the rule of faith and all godlines That abused the labour of Kings to bring in and set up Idolatry This by her owne authority commandeth to committe fornication and to eate thinges sacrificed to Idols in exacting the worshipping of Idols Images Who can admire enough the singular art of the Spirit who hath so lively set forth this matter This then is Iezabell the holy men of this time shaking too softly modestly this peste have therein so much the lesse approved themselves to Christ our head who would have no earnestnes spared in repressing so great impudency Learned men have dealt some what more boldly and freely then they had done in former times yet they used not that earnestnes that was meete in a cause of this sorte ¶ And I gave her time to repent In these words is shewed the stubburnes of Iezabell Christ dealt some while patiently with that impure Thyatiren woman so also with the city of Rome the stormy trouble of Barbarians being quieted and the Longobardes being overthrown Neverthelesse this peace brought noe amendement but increased rather the apostacy while they came to this height of impudent Jezabell For wee shall see that after those times all ungodlines did grow the Papists striving to oppresse the former dimnes with infernall darknes 22 Behold I will cast her in a bed The punishement of Iezabell The bed is sometime to delights and riot as in the Prophet sitting downe on beds of yvory and abounding upon their heds Amos 6.4 Sometime to sicknes and weaknes as The Lord will upholde bim on the bed of feeblenes and turne all his bed in his sickenes Psal 41.4 Of which in this place Not of delights although this be a great punishment to be given up to the occasion of sinning but of grief as appeareth from this that by and by after followeth where they that committe adultery with her shal be cast into great affliction Therefore the Thyatiâ—eÌ„ womaÌ„ hath languished Rome also hath bin sicke since the year 1300 coÌ„suming more every day as being sicke of a consumption For since that time palenes hath covered her face her stomake is grown weaker her soule is become heavy her flesh consumed yea her infirmity hath grown so farr that if thou beholde her at this day thou wilt say that shee is a dry carkase in respect of her former plight and good liking O the infinite wisdome of God which even in one worde hath given so lively image and picture of a time so farre of Could the languishing destruction of Rome be noted out more elegantly and evidently God would not have her perish on a swift or speedy disease that the peoples should not forget her but with a wasting consumption to be corrupted and waxe rotten both to the end that her lingering punishement should be an image of the eternall paine and also that shee might be a spectacle to many ages whom shee had led in errour so long a time Certenly unlesse Rome doe feele and acknowledg this her consumption shee must needs be sick not onely of a consumption but also of a Phrenesy ¶ And those that committe adultery with her The punishement of the adulterers who are the Kinges and Princes of the earth as is after in the 17. chap. 2. Vnlesse these shall forsake the whore they shall feele great affliction Have not yet the Kings learned this sufficiently by experience the most fierce and savage Turke on the one side vexing the Emperour the Spaniard on the other side Remember the ages past since the yeare one thou sand and three hundred in which Iezabell began to languish Who can attaine to declare the great evils which Transilvanie Polen Boheme the house of Austriche the Emperour The Venetians the Spaniards have suffered at the handes of this barbarous Turke Did not this your affliction begin at the same time wherein Iezabell Rome was cast into this her sicke bed Why doe ye not observe that your adultery which this whore hath brought forth and caused all these evills unto you But this calamity hitherto while Jezabell lyeth sicke in bed is nothing to that wherewith at length yee shal be punished unlesse yee renounce betime her ungodly commerce and society when shee shall yeeld her last breathing as wee shall shewe afterwardes Is it then now time o yee Princes and Peers to fly like cowards from the true God unto the whore of Rome They have noe pardon or excuse who bewitched with her beauty while shee flourished companied with her What torment awaiteth your wretched lust whoe doe nowe embrace a stinking carkasse For the love of Christ provide for your selves in forsaking with all speed this Harlot least suddenly at length yee be overwhelmed when your repentance shall be too late both with the most
that repented forsooke their errours with which they were possessed before time Of which sorte were many in Germany before the booke of Concord was published when in most universityes the chiefe teachers understood the true doctrine of the supper of the Lord and the opinions of Vbiquitie corporall presence in the supper every where were contemned as witnesseth Georg. Sohnius in his exposition of the August Cōfes which appeareth more clearly from the Synode of Desdrense in the yeare above 1571 where it was ordained by the comon consent both of all the Superintendants of the Dukedome of Saxonie and also of the Doctours of the Vniversityes of Lypsia and Wittemberg That the Vbiquitie of the body of Christ was an horrible prophanation of all the articles of the Creed and a renewing of all Heresyes Gallobel in the yeare 1592. And since that time a perfitter light breaking forth every day many were raysed up from their drowsines and opened their eyes to the truth Whom also even as well as the other he adorneth with white garments who gave a penny to them that were hyred at the eleventh houre Mat. 20.9 Such then is the first reward two yet doe remayne ¶ And I will never put his name out of the booke of life The second reward applyed to the times For because very many in these tymes should fall from the trueth and many cityes peoples provinces regions should cōsent to errour as at this time it is evident how farre and wide the contagiō spread abroad flying also over the sea and infecting those Northern regiōs Gotia and Suetia by which their approving of errour they should blot their names out of the register of the saints and should cut of from themselves the hope of life unlesse they should repent least I say the falling away of so many should trouble the saints he biddeth his conquerours to be of good courage Christ himselfe would set them free from falling howsoever they should see infinite nūbers to rush downe violently on their right and left hand For it is he alone who first calleth us backe from errour then sanctifyeth confirmeth us in the trueth least at any time we should revolte from it Therefore howsoever this reward be full of confort yet it teacheth that the time should be lamētable through the fall of many For to betray and forsake the trueth is not a light matter as many suppose who easily are caried away with every winde of doctrine but it is an argument of a man of no reckonning with God But how wilt thou say can they be blotted out which once were written in the booke of life especially seeing that this booke is the booke of the Lambe as in the chap. 13. 8. that is wherein those that are written the Lambe acknowledgeth them for his counteth them heires of eternall life neither is there any of those that are given to Christ that can ever perish Ioh. 6.37.39 17.12 I answer that these things are spoken in respect of us For there is a twofolde booke of life one as I may say of vocation an other of election Into the first are put all who by the preaching of the Gospell are taken into the fellowship of the Church who rightly doe seeme unto us to be partakers of life and endued with the hope of eternall salvation For the scriptures are wont to speak so generally giving thankes to the Father who hath made us meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light Who hath delivered us from the power of darknes and translated us into the kingdome of his deare sonne in whom we have redemption by his blood the forgivenes of sinnes c. So the Apostle speaketh of the multitude of the Colossians without difference chap. 1.12 And after the same manner every where in other places Yet men may be put out of this booke For many are called but few chosen Mat. 22.14 And it is declared after in the 7. chap. by an exemple Dan and Ephraim being passed over in the rehearsing of the tribes as souldiers put out of wages and cassed out of the register For God of old as in a certen visible shadow of this booke cōmaunded the genealogies of each tribe among the people of Israell to be kept diligently Wherto also perteined that of raysing up seed to the dead that his name should not be put out from his people Deut. 25.6 In which respect also the Psalmist wisheth to certen reprobates who held a place in the Church like true citizens that God at length would separate them frō the congregation of the Saints and manifest them to be meere hypocrites Psal 69.29 Wherefore all are put out of this kooke of life who forsake the fellowship of the holy Church either through errour and heresy or wickednes or other cause whatsoever not that for this cause they are blotted out of the booke of Election but because by this way they make manifest that they were never written in this booke as Iohn saith they went out from us but they were not of us 1 Ioh. 2.19 But the other booke to wit of Election is never spotted with any blottes but the names once written in doe cōstantly remayne in the same without rasing out Although these bookes are not so open and evident that they can be read of all men without difference but it is declared to every one severalty by the Spirit that is found in this register in what estimation and account he is ¶ But J will confesse his name The third reward is of confessing their name Which sheweth not onely the falling away of many but also that others shal be compelled by force So as there is great neede of the power of the Spirit least any weakened by the iniuries and threats of adversaries doe forsake the trueth For the confession of their name before his father is for the confort of confessing Christ and his trueth boldly and without feare So sending his Apostles to preach furnisheth and instructeth them against the feare of affliction Mat. 10.32 And who knoweth not to what inhumanity cruelty proceeded the hatred of them who call themselves Lutherans against the professors of the truth In the yeare 1580. was obtruded upon the Ministers of the Churches and Schooles the booke of Concorde avouching the execrable errour of Vbiquity A subscriptiō was commaunded in the name of the Princes the refusers were proclaimed Sacramētaryes or put out of their places In the yeare 1591. Christiā Duke of Saxony being dead Paul Kreilius Chaunceler suspected of Calvinisme as they speake was cast into prison Vrbanus Pierius Professor of Wittēberg was lead captive into prisō Gundermānus of Lipsich cōmitted prisōner In the yeare following was appointed a newe visitation they went through all Saxony they that would not subscribe to the articles were removed from their offices What should I rehearse the broyle of Lipsich the yeare following when all the university men on every side assembled
meane time let us knowe that this shal be a fearfull punishement for first Christ will take great pleasure in reiecting from himselfe this Angell For what can be more pleasante to a man that hath a disposition and will to vomit then to be eased by and by of the cause of his griefe Even as Moses threatneth to the Apostate Iewes that Iehovah will so reioyce in destroing and rooting them out as before he reioyced to doe them good Deut. 28.63 Secondly because he will cast out this Angell with greate dishonour For an uncleane place is sought for vomiting howsoever Antonius in the assembly of the people of Rome governing the publike businesse filled his owne bosome and the tribunal with gobbets of meate Thirdly that the Angell shall never recover his former dignity For farre be it that the Prince and Authour of all cleannesse should ever returne to his vomit But this punishement was not to be inflicted to the whole Laodicean Church but to the Angell alone that is to all lukewarme Pastours partly because of that which wee spake even nowe partly because the Church is wont to be mentionned expressely where shee is intreated of As unto the Ephesine Angell I will remove thy candlestick out of his place chap. 2.5 It shall therefore be peculiar to the Ecclesiasticall men without the destruction of the whole Church Neither is it to be doubted but the same at length happened to the Laodicean Angell which here is denounced The which thinge is also certenly to be expected in his Antitype unlesse shee shall prevent it by repentance For it shall come to passe that that faithfull witnesse shall overthrowe this whole Hierarchy and not alwayes suffer men seeking onely honours and riches not those things which are Christ to enioy even this false fâ—licity Certenly a great and reprochfull iudgement abideth those lukewarme on s Of which though they be troubled with noe feare as having with their terrour put to flight all the noyse there of yet though all shall hold their peace he will not deceive who hath threatned that he will punish It is also to be feared that the Church may feele some adversity through contagion and consenting to Such as are the Angels such becometh shee for the most part and none is so ignorant of the matters who seeth not plainely that the whole body is sicke of the same disease But have mercy upon us o thou beginning of the workmanshippe of God deale not with us according to our sinnes thou knowest our making that wee are dust and ashes How should not earth wax cold Rayse up in us the burning heate of thy love dissolve J pray thee our yce neither suffer us to please our selves in our miparted godlines but kindle us with thy heavenly fire unto a full heate and fervency that wee may both avoide thy lothsomnes of us and may alwayes enioy that pleasantnes which thou givest to them whom thou lovest Amen ¶ For thou sayest I am riche Thus was the nature of the sinne The cause is double a false perswasion of their owne worthynes and ignorance of their misery That grew from their wealth which was of earthly and not spiritual riches for against these he opposeth the riches which he biddeth the Angell to buy of him in the next verse Neither could he have ben lukewarme if he had expected spirituall riches from any other then from Christ alone but rather throughly cold and altogither a stranger from grace being become voyd and separated from Christ Gal. 5.4 But he seemeth to have abounded in earthly riches because of the wealth of the city which wee spake of chap. 1.11 For which cause peradventure Archippus was more negligent of his ministery whereupon Paul would that he should be admonished Col. 4.17 although small fruit seemeth to have followed thereof seeing that even unto these times of this Revelation there was so great matter of boasting and that also not newly bred but gathered from old time The abondance therfore of things for this life begate this lukewarmnes And it is noe newe thing that prosperity doth steale away our mindes draw men away from God This warning is often in the lawe that they should take heede to themselves least being fullfedd and filled with good things they should forgeth Iehovah And the boasting is threefolde the first of the present wealth The second of long continuing The third of a perfit and absolute to every use For so the wordes require that J am rich should be referred unto the present riches I have ben rich unto those that are past I want nothing unto a certen fulnes From which further must needs spring a certen persuasion of a permanent state and also constant felicity for the time to come And it is to be observed that he bringeth in this Angell boasting in his owne wordes otherwise then was done hitherto yet this not in vaine seeing nothing is uttered rashly of the H. Ghost But as touching the Anghel of Laodicea a clearer application offereth not it selfe In our England the congruency is so manifest that nothing could have bin expressed more lively For what other cause can wee bring of our lukewarmnes the Popish gouvernement mingled with the pure doctrine then the love of riches honours Men suffer not this hope to be taken from them but they had rather have a halfe godlinesse togither with the inioying of their riches then a full and perfit reformation with the losse of them Yet least they should seme to preferre any thing before the trueth with dishonour they prayse some what proudly our present happines in the published bookes and in the assemblyes as wee may see from the writings of many men which have come forth in these last yeares Not without cause therfore the Spirit maketh this Angell vaunting him selfe but in the same setting before our eyes our notable glorying And wee have said that the first bragging was of the present riches Howe doth our Angell triumphe in this respect and lifteth up the head above all other reformed Churches In other places there are poore and basse Pastores almost of a vulgar state condition nor of any greater authority then their godlines and learning can procure unto them But our Bishops are Peeres of the Realme superiour in honour to many great states also in riches company of men and mayd servants in magnificence of houses and all the other pompe of the world equall to any even the greatest Earles Howe riche is the reste of the Clergy The Deanes Arch-Deacons Prebendaries Chaplaines heaping and gathering togither many benefices as they call them doe match Squires at least in early revenues Doe not this amplify and encrease very greatly the glory of the Church that her ministres doe shine in garments of silke and Velvet doe walke in the streetes with the retinue of noble men so drive farre off the contempte of the ministery Where canst thou see after the Pope expelled a Church
that is given to him that sitteth on the throne is thankesgiving in which the Beasts goe before as the captaines standerd-beates of the publike congregation ver 9. Afterward the other body of the Elders followeth both in adoration ver 10. also in consent to the same glorifying ver 11. after that custome wherby God is worshipped in the christian congregations Such is the congregation of the Godly before God and some such might be alwayes although not evident and visible to the world in equall glory at all times Scholions Afterward J saw Those things being declared which are of some short time nowe the Spirit those boundes being enlarged pursueth with a continued order those thinges which should shewe the comon and entyre face of things from the time of this writing unto the last ende The handling of which things wil be admirable neither wil be accomplished and performed without his ayde alone which shewed these thinges first to his servant Trusting therefore to his grace I will proceed in the worke begun Vnto the finishing whereof howsoever other things shal be wanting certenly faithfulnes and diligence in searching out to my power shall not be wanting These first wordes are perteining to a newe preparation unto a newe prophesy For Iohn is noe more conversant on the earth but is taken up into heaven where through a doore opened he beholdeth wonderfull changes of things that were to be knowne by noe other way Therfore the manner of the Prophesy following is divers from the former That former is straighter even as also the place where it was seen a small Iland compassed with the sea this spred farre and neere passing all measure even as also the heaven it selfe containing all things within his compasse Furthermore a certen visible print and signe of thinges to come was there to be seene in those seaven cityes For the Churches that after were to be inlarged increased should be pourtrayed and drawne out by the will of God according to the present image and figure of them but there was noe token or shew among mortall men of the things to be spoken of in this second prophesy For the peculiar iudgements of which there is most speach here are to be fetched from that secret revelation alone Vnto the heaven then where liberty of this vision was given is added afterward the booke sealed with seaven seales then noe creature sufficient to open the same nor any sufficient power of any one except of the Lambe onely as wee shall see in his place All which things as they declare the excellency of this Prophecy so they require our greater attention and earnest bending of our mindes to them As touching the wordes the first voice is heard because there is the same author of both Prophecies and soundeth like a trumpet wherby the thinges heard may be made more certen and out of doubte might be perceived the better of Iohn as hath ben observed at chap. 1.10 It biddeth to come up hither where onely the things might be seene of which there was noe tracke or path made in the earth And he would not that he should see a farre of as through the doore by which meanes he might be deceaved or not see the thinge playnely enough but that he should be present and before him that he might have a certen undoubted knowledge of the things But that which followeth is not voyde of doubting howe he may say that he will shewe a vision of things which must be done after these For whether should the following Prophesy not take her beginning before that former of the seaven Churches should attayne his ende But in them wee see is intreated of thinges of our time or if wee respect the bare types many thinges to come were fore shewed moreover in those thinges that followe it shall noe lesse appeare that Iohn doth tell of things agreeing with their owne times so that the wordes cānot be so understood by any meanes Wherfore neither is that distribution firme wherein the whole Prophecy is distinguished into thinges present and future The Spirit followeth not such distribution but mixeth many future thinges with present as they are counted Wherfore these wordes after these thinges are not refferred in respect of their beginning to the end of the former prophecy but unto the present age of Iohn yea unto that very moment wherin the Spirit revealed these thinges from whence a newe beginning be in taken he describeth the continuall course and terme of time of the whole Church and annexeth those things which could not be understood sufficiently from the former types Therefore Theod. Beza well translated heta tauta by and adverbe hereafter But in respect of the end not without cause this second Prophecy is counted after the former as being of a farre longer time reaching unto the last cōming of Christ wheras that former is termined with farre narrower boundes Frō these things therfore there are as wee take it two things chiefly to be observed First that from this place those things onely are handled which doe follow the tyme of the revelation made For so he speaketh playnely And J will shew thee the thinges that must be done hereafter Which being marked of certen Interpreters I mervayle was not observed in their expositions But the times through the whole treatise to be confounded so by a whirlewinde that all thinges were wrapped in most thicke darcknes Wee being taught by their exemple wee will borowe light from hence for the exposition following The second that this Prophesy belongeth to the whole Church which is neither tyed to any particular Churches nor is ended with any other boundes then the whole frame of the world The Spirit set in the first place that particular Prophesy that he might relate comon thinges commonly without interrupting of the narration 2 Therfore I was suddenly ravished in the Spirit Here is the same authority altogither which was before as well from the person calling as from the persone called For it is the same holy inspiration of God which he mentioned in the first chapter verse 10. But what neede was there of a newe inspiration Had the former ceased that in a certen distance of time it might be kindled a fresh Without doubt the instinction was continuall without intermission but he saith that it was suddenly in the Spirit because the Spirit did frame him to receave newe visions unto which he perceived himselfe prepared forthwith The whole Revelation seemeth to have ben finished in that one Lords day chap 1.10 and therefore that there fell out noe intermission after that it began once to be exhibited ¶ And beholde a Throne was placed in heaven Such was the preparation by a newe calling now he cometh to the cōmon type of the holy Church The description of which was necessary before he should enter into the other Prophesy For when as her manifolde dangers and notable alteratiōs were to be rehearsed her flight returne
false friends open enemys coūterfait Sosiae who should vaunt themselves under the shewe of her and many other things of that sorte were to be declared with which shee should contende and have to doe it was needfull that first a certen forme and image of her should be pourtrayed which is the principall point of the treatise following lest peradventure in so great sturres and troubles wee should suppose her to have ben wholy extinguished and abolished or at least wise her face being not knowne wee should be the more hindred from acknowledging of her Werfore wee shall finde this Type to be common to all ages as of which there is mention made in the fourteene chapter of this booke and thirde verse Where the companions and followers of the Lambe sing a newe songe before the foure Beasts and the Elders And againe nearer to the ending of the Prophesy the foure and twenty Elders and the foure Beasts fall downe and worship God as may be seene in the nineteene chapter of this booke and in the fourth verse So in other places as speach is made of the true Church so farre as any thing is to be done in the publike assembly shee is noted alwayes after the manner of this type For wee may not thinke that any congregation on earth is to be found of so absolute purity and sounde perfection as is here described but that all the holy assemblyes of the elect are counted such in Christ before God the Father although much terrene dregges be sprinckeld upon them according to that The Church to be sanctifyed by Christ to be purged by the washing of water through the word made also glorious without spot or wrinkle or any such thing but to be holy and without blame Ephes 5.26.27 An exemple of which description wee have here set before our eyes And for that purpose besides that wee should conforme all our assemblyes unto this rule even as Moses was commaunded to make the frame of the Tabernacle and all his implements altogither as was shewed to him in the mount Exod. 25.9 But the type of our Church is shewed in the very heavens according to the more plentifull glory wherewith the Gospell shyneth above the Lawe But howe much the more diligently all things are to be considered Seeing therfore wee knowe the drift of the vision let us search out the exposition of the severall things First the head it selfe of the Church is described such as the true members doe alwayes confesse and worshippe both by his sitting in a Throne in this verse and also by the similitude following The sitting declareth the maiesty and glory of the most high God and noe lesse his steddy and stable dwelling among the Saints in whose assembly he hath placed his throne of dignity to goe to noe other place And because there is but one throne and one that sitteth on it wee knowe that God is one in nature power maiesty glory and that there is not any other beside who ruleth in the middes of the saints Therfore the holy Church worshippeth and prayseth with all honour and reverence the one onely supreme Iehovah 3 And he that sate was to looke on like Aretas the Complutent edition and the Kings Bible doe not reade these first wordes and he that sate was but they adde by and by to the ende of the former verse these following wordes like in sight Our bookes and the comon latine translation doe distinguish more playnly the sitting and the similitude which thing in describing the true God seemeth that it ought not to be omitted This verse sheweth a little more fully of what sorte this one God is of whom yet it setteth forth noe image but onely a certen kinde of colour after those auncient representations made once to the olde people You saw sayth Moses noe similitude in the day that Iehovah spake to you in Horeb out of the middes of the fyre Deut. 4.15 For the same is that one true God reigning in the Christian assemblyes whom from the beginning the primitive Church worshipped And seeing that in the infancy of the Church he shewed noe image of himselfe much lesse is any similitude to be expected in this up growen and ripe age This is a more familiar fuller manifestation seeing beside one and the same essence which the common glory noteth the incomprehensible distinction of the three persons is in some sorte revealed by the three pretious stones the Iasper Sardin and Emerald For it pleaseth the Spirit to use the delightfull Iewels to disclose these mysteryes because the grace and beauty of these doth most of all excell in this world belowe whereupon they may be most fitte images of that pleasantnes which exceedeth all created understanding especially seeing the representation is rather of the vertue then of any forme The first sight of the Iasper resembleth the person of the Father this Iewell is greene and not without cause called the mother of Jewels the kindes of it are so many and the honour so auncient And what more fitly among pearles could shadowe out the Father who is the first in order alwayes of a flourishing eternity of whom the other persons have their beginning and originall The second sight is of the Sardin wherby the Sonne is represented This Iewel is redde of a fleshly colour frō whēce also it is called a Carneole fitly in deede being in his stead who tooke upon him flesh for our sake and was made a man like unto us The third sight is of a rainebowe of the colour of an Emerald wherby the H. Ghost is noted He compasseth the Throne round aboute as in the booke of wisdome chap. 9.4 compassing the whole circuit of the divine maiesty with an unutterable sweetnes For the Emerald doth shewe so acceptable pleasant and shining greenes that the eyes beholde nothing more gladly Yet this Raynebowe is not like that which is comonly so called For this is not over against the Throne but about the Throne neither is it an halfe circle but whole and full on every side For it is rounde about the throne finally it is not of three colours as the true Rainebowe but of one onely and simple colour of the Emerald Such therfore is that God one in nature three in persons the head and centre of the Church whome alone the faithfull are in love with and doe worship taking pleasure most sweetly with all their hartes in his incomprehensible sweetnes ¶ And rounde aboute the Throne So is the Head nowe he adioyneth the body like the circumference of this centre as wee have sayd Which is described by the place the number of members age apparell and crownes The place is double common about the hyghest throne and proper the peculiar throne of every one The comon rounde about the throne is before behinde at the right hand and at the left that it may parte the Raine bowe which compassed also the Throne but with a contrary situation above beneath and
unskilfull multitude or of the base people and that he might either be present or absent at his pleasure but let him beholde here Kinges attending to the voice of the Beasts nor that once or twice and at certen tymes but whensoever the Beasts give glory that is as often as they doe execute their publike office The praysing of God of these and their adoration of God are ioyned allwayes togither so that neither may any thinke that he is free and discharged from his duty neither to have performed it enough at some fewe times 11 Thou art worthy o Lord The praysing which the Elders use in wordes is noe other thing then a subscribing to the crying out and shouting of the Beasts these celebrate the holines Dominion omnipotency and trueth of God The Elders nowe doe singe togither thou art worthy indeede o Lord to receave glory and honour which wee and all thy creatures worthily doe give to thee as though unto the sung of prayses of the Ministers the people should give their consent saying Amen But howe may God receive power They meane the prayse of all vertue and power Power can not be given to God otherwise but onely by acknowledging and praysing Which then shineth forth most cleerly when he sheweth his strength extraordinarily both in delivering his owne and also in destroying his enemyes ¶ For thou hast created all things The people ought not onely to consent to the thankes given by the Ministers in the meane time themselves being voyde of all knowledge of their owne as it commeth to passe in the Papacy where after the prayers not understood is sung Amen by the unskilfull common people or some as they will supplying their place but their consent ought to come from a true faith and that not confused and implicite but of which a true sense and feeling is setled in every on s harte peculiarly For the God of reason requireth a reasonable worshippe not unknowne rash and voyd of counsell Whereupon not without cause is added from what fountayne the declaration of the consent of the Elders to wit froÌ„ their owne acknowledging of the exceeding power of God both in creating all thinges and also in preserving the same and noe lesse from the sense of his most free good will by which alone being moved he made all thinges in the beginning and governeth and preserveth the same at this day according to that saying Who worketh all thinges after the counsell of his will Ephe. chap. 1. ver 11. For which cause there is repeated in the ende of the verse they have ben created that wee may understande that the will of God not onely hath rule in governing things at this time but also that it gave the first originall to the same And so is the patterne of the Christian Church so much the more famous then that of the Lawe by how much heaven in which Iohn sawe this figure is more excellent then the Mountaine where Moses sawe the Tabernacle There is the same ende and purpose of both of this that it might be a patterne of the worshippe to the Legall people which should holde even to the time of reformatioÌ„ of that that it might be a type unto Christians according to what square they should frame all their assemblyes both generally and specially Graunt O most high God that wee may be founde as faithfull in bringing backe all thinges unto the Heavenly patterne as Moses was unto that earthly Chap. 5. AFTER I sawe in the right hande of him that sate upon the Throne a booke written within and on the backe side sealed with seaven seales 2 And J saw a stronge Angell preaching with a lowde voice who is worthy to open the booke and loose the seales thereof 3 And noe man was able neither in heaven nor in earth nor under the earth to open the booke nor to looke theron 4 Therfore I wept much because none was founde worthy to open and reade the booke neither to looke thereon 5 Then one of the Elders sayd unto mee weepe not beholde that Lion of the tribe of Juda that roote of David hath obtained to open the booke and to loose the seaven seales thereof 6 Then J behelde and loe betweene the Throne and those Beasts and betweene those Elders a Lambe standing as though he had ben killed having seaven hornes seaven eyes which are those seaven spirits of God sent forth into all the world 7 He came and tooke the booke out of the right hande of him that sate upon the Throne 8 And when he had taken the booke those foure Beasts and those foure and twenty Elders fell downe before the Lambe having every one harpes and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the saints 9 And they sung a newe song saying thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation 10 And hast made us to our God Kings and Priests and wee shall reigne on the earth 11 Then J behelde and I heard rounde about the Throne and of the Beasts and Elders the voice of many Angels and the number of them was a thousande hundred thousands and ten hundred thousandes 12 Saying with a lowde voice worthy is that Lambe that was killed to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing 13 And every creature which is in heaven and which is on the earth in the sea and all thinges that are in them I heard saying unto him that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lambe be prayse and honour and glory and power for ever more 14 And those foure beasts sayed Amen And those foure and twenty Elders fell downe on their faces and worshipped him that liveth for ever more The Analysis I have spoken summarily of the common type the speciall Prophecy coÌ„prehendeth both the excellent dignity of this Revelation in this chapter and also the evâ—nts themselves in the rest of the booke That thinge is declared first in respect of the Creature secondly of the Lambe In respect of the Creature it is altogither unsearcheable as appeareth partly from the signing of seaven seales ver 1 partly from the testimony of all creatures which after the inquiry proclamed and the thing was caused to be cryed by the voyce of the Angell as it were of a common cryer ver 2. then also after tryall made at last ver 3. all doe acknowledge their owne unablenes Of which lastly there is a sorowfull consequente the weeping of John which this imbecility and despaire to enioye so excellent a good thing did wring out from him ver 4. In respect of the Lambe onely it is able to be searched out as first an Elder sheweth who conforteth Iohn ver 5. Secondly the LaÌ„be comming at the same instant and taking the booke ver 6.7 from whence at length aryseth the
elect shall he not also obtayne all things for us that may avayle any way for our good The seaven hornes is that supreame power wherby the man Christ sitting at the right hande of the Father ruleth and governeth all things according to that which Christ being raysed froÌ„ the dead sayd to his disciples all power is given mee in heaven and in earth Mat. 28.18 Therefore that most meeke Lambe wanteth not those weapons wherby he chaseth away his enemyes althoug by his great patience he seemeth not to regarde the iniuries which they doe And thou mayest observe that it is not needfull that the parables and similitudes should agree in all thinges seeing here to the Lambe contrary to nature are attributed seaven hornes and as many eyes that is gifts of the Spirit wherewith Christ endueth the faithfull They are sent from him seeing noe man can be partaker even of the least gift unlesse he bestowe it on them For God heareth not sinners but from his fulnes wee all receive and he being gone to his Father sendeth the Conforter unto his which leadeth them into all trueth as in the Gospell of Iohn chapter sixteene ver seaventh and thirteene A visible token whereof were once the cloven tongues like fire sitting upon the Apostles and that miraculous gift of speaking suddenly with other tongues Act. 2.3 c. With which faculty not onely the Apostles were endued but afterward also others embracing the faith Neither are they onely sente into all the world that they may conferre the comfortable knowledge of salvation to the Elect But that CHRIST may search out all thinges that are done in his Church yea which are done in any other place of the world Wherefore howe great impudency is it to thrust upon the Church a visible head seeing the LAMBE is furnished with so many eyes neither hath them idle and unoccupied but sendeth them forth with all diligence into the whole world The care of Christ taketh not indede away the Ministers eyther Ecclesiasticall or Politicall which he hath ordained But to faine and invent a newe kinde and degree and that under a pretence that CHRIST is absent is proper onely to that man who is directly opposite to Christ As touching the wordes some Copies reade as is noted in the Greeke Bibles lately set forth at Frankeford which are that the relative may be referred as well to the hornes as to the eyes After which manner also Aretas readeth this verse And the Hornes may be sayd to be sent into the whole world when CHRIST putteth forth his power in succouring his owne servantes and destroying his enemyes But it agreeth more properly to the eyes which when wee turne toward any thinge wee are sayd to cast them upon the same 7 He came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne There is a double consideration of Christ one so farre as of the eternall God sitting togither in the Throne with the Father chap. 4. ver 3. The other so farre as he is of the Mediatour attending on the throne and prepared and ready to performe those things which make for the salvatioÌ„ of his people There is the like regard of the Spirit who as he is the Eternall God partaker of the Throne compassing the same about as in the fourth chap. and third verse But according as he sanctifyeth the Church with created giftes there are seaven Spirits before the Throne seaven burning Lampes seaven Hornes and seaven eyes 8 Having every one Harpes and vials A reioicing and thankesgiving of the Church for this greate benefite of taking and unsealing the Booke Therefore they take unto themselves fit and proper instruments for this purpose Harpes and Vials that is to say Prayses and thankesgiving For Vials full of odours are the harts of the Saints which the Spirit hath filled with a fervent desyre of calling upon GOD the Harpes perteine to gladnes of minde and reioicing in prayers is the very thankesgiving But he alludeth to the manner of the Temple where the LEVITES praysed GOD with Musicall Instruments and the PRIESTES had their Pottes and Bowles set before the Altar full of odours as wee reade in the Prophete Zachary chap. 14. ver 20. ¶ Which are the prayers of the Saints He speaketh not of the offerring of prayers for the dead which are made of them that are alive on the earth but as I have shewed in the former chapter all that which is attributed to the Beasts Elders declareth what exercises the Saints goe about with all diligence in the militant Church So also after in verse 10. And wee shall raigne say the Elders upon the earth not preaching doubtlesse the Kingdome of the soules departed but of the holy men on earth The heartes of these as golden vials doe breath out and yeeld up prayses and thankes for those greate benefites which are obtained for us by Christ If the Elders ofâ—er onely the prayers of other men as the Iesuite interpreteth they should be dumbe in the common ioy of all things Nay rather the benefite is theirs for they themselves shall raigne say they therefore they offer not other meÌ„s but their owne prayers 9 And they sung a newe sunge It is called a newe songe in respect of more plentifull grace ministred nowe since Christ hath ben exhibited then was in olde time under the shadowes of the Lawe The auncient people did not prayse the man Christ so openly and clearly before he had taken unto him our flesh as at this day the faithfull doe prayse him clothed with oâ—r nature from whence not without cause this more manifest praysing is called a newe sung But he alludeth unto the manner of the Lawe where newe greater benefites are celebrated in newe formes of prayses conceaved of purpose whereupon there is so often mention of a newe songe in the booke of Psalmes ¶ And hast redeemed us Therefore the Beasts and Elders are men redeemed by the blood of Christ neither in deede some twelve chiefe men of the Iewes and as many Christian twelve Apostles with the foure Evangelists For this whole company was not chosen out of every Tribe and tongue and people and nation but out of the nation of the Iewes onely but of all the faithfull in every place all which this holy company and bande mustered indifferently from all places of the world doe worthyly note out as wee have observed upon the fourth verse of the 4. chapter And it is sayd significantly out of every Tribe c. not all Tribes c. because all men are not redeemed by the blood of Christ but onely the elect as Aretas hath well observed 10 And hast made us to our God Kinges Some copies doe reade them so this whole verse in the third person but Aretas and the common Latine translation doe reade in the first person wee have expounded these thinges before But why doe they mention this benefite in the cause of taking the
should come to passe might be more famous Aâ—â—â—â—us his father governed the whole world by his sole authority noe warre being made for the space of three and twenty yeeres Sextus Aurelius Vulâ—r Hadâ—ianus also had peace the whole time of his empire except that once onely he fought by his Vice-Roy Eutrop. Brev. booke 8. Was not the thing worthy observatioÌ„ that after the peace of 44. yeeres all places should be suddenly troubled with the burning flame of warres Every man seeth that there is so great agreement of all things namely of the Prophecy Time and Event that it cannot be doubtfull but that the Spirit pointed as it were with the finger to this onely thinge Tertul. in his Apol. that a notable peace was granted at length to the Cristians by this Emperours decree but this came to passe after the warre of the Marcomanes in which having tryed the singular helpe of God against the enemyes by the prayers of the Christians who were souldiours in his army he could not but provide at leÌ„gth for their safety who had brought health both to him selfe and also to his Empire And yet he lived not longe after this warre the next yeere after the triumphe departing this life 5 And when he had opened the third seale c. The Beast of the third seale is a man chap. 4.7 mighty in reason experience of things Not but that the former Beasts were of this same force also and power but because this should be the chiefe thing wherein the third Beast should excell The voice also of this is more obscure then was that of the first which yet should be sufficient to teach the faithfull what punishement God would take of the world for their sake ¶ Tâ—â—â— I behâ—ld â—â—d loâ— a blaâ—ke horse The third type is a blacke horse the sitter on wâ—â—â— he â—â—â—th in â—iâ— haâ—â—â—â—â—es being commanded to bring in a dearth alâ—◠〈◊〉 the Bâ—â—â—s yet so as he should not hurt wine and oyle Therefore as â—oaâ—â—ng this â—orse the blâ—â—â—olour sitly agreeth to the hunger starveÌ„ who 〈◊〉 a body â—ithout blood â—ithout iuyce without colour as Ier. Lam. 〈…〉 pure thâ—â—â—oâ—â—ow is their bewâ—y become more darke then 〈…〉 8. Also through hunger the eyes are dimme covered with daâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 eyes receâ—ed light wheÌ„ he had put his haÌ„de to his mouth 1 Sâ—â— â—â— 28 〈…〉 which the sâ—â—ter hath in his haÌ„des is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wâ—◠〈…〉 to wit the beame of the balaÌ„ce on which the sâ—oles doe haÌ„ge 〈…〉 the whole A sâ—â— instrument for famine seeing 〈…〉 as weighed 6 Aâ—d I 〈…〉 Thâ—s vâ—â—â—â— is the 〈◊〉 being in the middes of the Beasts ch 5 6 〈…〉 uniâ—â—sâ—ll administratioÌ„ of thinges beiâ—g 〈…〉 Bâ—t seâ—â—ng this voice is â—â—â—â—d amoÌ„g the Beaâ—â— neither as 〈◊〉 goâ—â— out froÌ„ 〈…〉 â—lace by the same is signifâ—ed thâ—â— the very 〈…〉 but yet which alone should knowe the coâ—â—ll 〈…〉 ¶ A measure of wheâ—â— c. The Interâ—â—◠〈…〉 he â—â—â—en quaÌ„tity of this measure some give to it 3 〈…〉 8. â—â—esichius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are as it were â—ood divided which in one word 〈◊〉 called coÌ„monly Demâ—nsâ—on a sâ—â— mâ—â—â—â—re of corne Atheneus speaâ—eth â—ore dâ—â—inctly of it in his 3 booke Dâ—â—opsi shewing for how long a tâ—me this allowancâ— was calling it the sâ—stenance for one day Aristophanes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringâ—th somewhat a more full light where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 twitting the servants sayth whom I have taught to fashion foure loaves of bread to a Choenix to wit a measure of corne Therefore Chocnix conteineth so much corne as would suffice to make foure loaves The Scholiast addeth that foure great loaves were made of a Choenix and 8 small ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signify corne in generall in this place wheate or meale of wheate a dearer provision then barley three measures of which are not solde for more then one of wheate for a peny understand shal be folde or some like word Denarius is a latine word being worth ten pieces of silver The auncient writers make it equall in weight value to the Attike drachma that is seven pence It is of three kindes as some will have it one of which is worth after our accounte seven pence an other eight an other ten And thus much of the corne as touching the other sustenance he sayth and oyle and wine hurt not The latine translations reade the wordes being displaced thus and wine oyle hurt not the meaning is yet wine and oyle hurt not after the manner of the Hebrewes the copulative being put discretively The wordes wine oyle caÌ„not be referred unto those that went before as though he should say a measure of wheate shal be sold for a peny and three measures of barly for a peny likewise wine and oyle for a peny Iunius on this place thou shalt not doe uniustly for the wordes oyle wine are the accusative case of the following wordes thou shalt not hurt and not the nominative going before the verbe as the wordes measure and measures are Wherefore all succour for life should not be taken away but onely necessary things should be diminished Oyle and wine which serve for delicious dainties should be left unhurt because it had seemed good to God to punish the poorer sort first the Princes and states being reserved as dainties from famine to the pestilence For whom the famine could not consume because of their riches and aboundance those the pestilence should eate up and should kill with a speedy death as in the seale following So are the wordes The event is not so playnly mentioned of the History-writers as were to be wished who doe gather onely the more notable thinges and doe easily passe over for the most part thinges vulgar and common especially when as this famine consisted onely in the scarcity of corne not in a dearth of all victualls Yet God would have some tokens of it to be apparent as farre as might suffice to set out of danger the trueth of the Prophecy Commodus the sonne of Antoninus did succeede his father who being Emperour there was given by the mercy of God some breathing I thinke because froÌ„ the Emperour himselfe alone man kinde should have plague and pestilence enough Pertinax Iulian followe both of a short raigne and therefore lesse hurtfull At length Severus enioyeth the Dominion a cruell authour of a most grievous butchery whether of his owne accord or by the instigation of other men Then the third Beast cryed out admonishing the faithfull that God would punish the wicked loathing spirituall foode with a great penury of the sustenance of this life For Tertullian whoÌ„ by right thou mayest call a Man excelling in witte in good iudgment and in learning who hath almost as many argumeÌ„ts as wordes who through anger falling away unto the Heresy of Montanus by his infirmity also shewed that nothing perteining to a man was alienate from him this
And in deede it might easily be understood that the time was not farre of when an ende should be put unto publike murders seeing all degrees of men did encline with so great gentlenes to the trueth But this Seale hath both some thing proper in the rest of this chapter and also common in chap. 7. That is the last triall of the Seales the first part of which conteineth the going on of the sorrowfull Tragedie and all the former calamityes ver 12.13.14 The secōd the ioyfull isue in subduing the enemyes and appeasing all hurliburlies ver 15.16.17 As touching that Aretas reporteth from the monuments of Andreas that very many sayd that this earthquake was a passage from the persecutions which were brought upon them for Christ his sake unto the time of Antichrist And so the scriptures are wont to call some notable alteration an earthquake as where it is sayd yet once more I will shake the earth Heb. 12.26 It signifyeth the remooving of those thinges that are shaken as Saint Paul declareth And in the olde Testament the going of the children of Jsraell out of Egipt is called an earthquake as Psal 68.9 The earth was moved and the heavens dropped at the presence of God Those Interpreters have touched the point according to the trueth but onely they did misse in this that living under Antichrist they expected him yet to come not knowing that he was come longe a goe Which errour of the auncient Fathers as who being further of from the last event were lesse able to perceive the matter it selfe the Papists snatch to themselves greedily and here they make a very great gaping and distance of time leaping over from the times of Traiane in which they conclude the former Seales unto the last ende of the world which they reserve to their Antichrist as though by this earthquake all iudgement of that which is right had fallen unto them But whether is it likely that a whole thousand and five hundred yeeres and yet to come wee knowe not how many more have bin passed over with silence and that all the rest of the Prophecy was stuffed togither into the narrow straites of 3. yeeres and an halfe as Fraunces of Ribera the Jesuite will have it It is indeede a profitable abridgement and a short way to set free his Lord the Pope from a very great feare For it could not be but as often as he should beholde his face in this glasse he would seeme to himselfe to be Antichrist unlesse the Iesuite now did make it apparant that all that was but a phantasme which made him afraid That nothing is here spoken of the present time neither of that which is past through many ages but that all the speech following is of the time yet to come But wee will put away this smoke mist through Gods his helpe neither will wee suffer that the Pope seeming to himselfe a triksy felow should love himselfe to destruction also will make playne that the Jesuites doe not interprete but moke the scriptures ¶ And the Sunne became blacke These figurative and hyperbolicall speeches doe shewe that there should be a persecution the most fierce of all those which the Church endured at any time from Christs birth till nowe For so the Prophetes are wont to speake when they pointe at any great calamity as Isaiah He will clothe the heavens with blacknes he will make their covering as a sacke cloath chap. 50.3 And Ieremy When I beholde saith he the heavens they have noe light ch 4.23 and the heavens above shal be blacke ver 28. but most playnly in Ezechiell speking of the overthrowe of the Egyptiās When I shall put thee out I will cover the heavens and make the starres thereof darke I will cover the Sunne with a cloude and the moone shall not make her light to shine all the cleare lights in the heaven I will make darke upon thee and bring darkenes upō thy land saith the Lord ch 32.7.8 Many such places doe teach that these speeches are not to be refferred to the last iudgement onely as some doe expounde but also to other times which those auncients did see of whom spake Aretas even now who would have these thinges to be understood of the passing over to Antichrist This blacknes of the Sunne the other disturbance of the creature perteineth to that horrible slaughter wherby those wicked men Diocletian Maximinian endevoured to roote out the Church For wee shall see that the Sūne Moone doth note stably through this booke the chiefe ornaments of the congregation of the faithfull so that the Sunne may signify the Scriptures the Moone that excellent glory of godlines wherby the saincts doe shine after they have borrowed light frō thē That both these should be miserably defyled by this common calamity this seale sheweth it The accomplishement whereof is recited by Eusebe booke 8.2 For when the Emperours in the nineteenth yeere of their reigne ordained by publik decrees that the bookes of the holy scriptures should be committed to the fire in the middes of the marked wee sawe sayth Eusebius with these very eyes that the sacred Scriptures inspired of God were cast in to the fire in the middes of the market place and in the same place a little after the Kinges letters patents did fly to fro in every place wherby it was commaunded to abolish the scriptures So this Sunne as a sacke cloath of haire noteth not onely generally that the publicke ioy should be turned into very great sorrow but also especially that outragiousnes wherby cruelty was exercised against the sacred scriptures Neither could it be otherwise but when the fountaine of light was darkened the Moone which hath her light onely borrowed should fade away into the darke colour of blood as almost alwaye it happeneth when shee is kept from having society with the Sunne 13 And the starres from heaven fell to the earth The starres were Ministers Pastors of the Churches chap. 1.20 In which signification they are used both here in other place afterward Many of thē through feare should revolte from the trueth which is shewed by the falling from heaven to earth Neither that onely after many dangers and divers calamityes wherby being weakened they should yeeld but in the very first assault they should fall downe as greene figges that is with very little adoe even at the first rumour of perill for the figge tree most easily looseth her fruit before maturity neither tarrieth almost for the violence of stormes but with any light blast of winde maketh an untymely birth that I may so say Plin. booke 16.26 Of which thing the Spirit maketh mention in so fine a similitude that the faithfull being forwarned should not be discouraged with the so easy falling away of many Eusebius sheweth that the thing fell out altogither as it was here foreshewed For after that first decree of demolishing the temples burning the scriptures there was added an
other not long after of apprehending the Pastors of the Churches and compelling them to sacrifice to Jdoles Here many courageously persevering were not overcome with torments but an infinite sorte of others being astonied a good while before through feare were weakened at the first assault Euseb booke 8.2 by the which he sheweth the sudden fall of many 14 And the heaven departed away The heaven every where in this booke signifyeth the universall purer Church and it properly to be at length her dwelling place in the meane tyme in such sorte by her represented that it hath not any more lively image on earth These thinges therefore prove that the calamity rested not in the Governours alone but that the whole face of the Church was covered with so blacke darkenes that it could be seene almost no where Let the same Euseb be read in the 3 booke ch 3. where he bewayleth the miserable wasting of it with lamentings borrowed from the lamentatioÌ„s of Ieremy chap. 2.1.2 Likewise from Psal 89.39 c. Yet notwithstanding this desolation should be but as the foulding of a booke A booke is not destroyed when it is rolled up but remaineth as great as it was before it becometh indeede lesse evident and apparant in the sight being reduced and brought into a farre straighter roome So likewise the Church should loose nothing of her syncerity howsoever her glory might seeme to be quite abolished But the similitude of a folded booke is taken from the auncient custome wherin bookes were not bound into leaves but were rolled up as little wheeles whence they were called volumes as Aretas hath nored The Hebr saith he did vse rowles that which is books with us in the same sense it is sayd in the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 1.12 and as vesture shall thou folde them up that is thou shalt deface all their glory as of a vesture folded up whose gorgeousnesse and beautie cannot be seene The Hebrewes have for it Tachâ—liphem thou shalt change them Psal 102.27 the which is translated by the Greekes significantly thou shalt folde up seeing the Psalmist speaketh of such a changing as is altogither contrary to the nature of the heavens For the heaven is Râ—qâ—â—hh stretched out spread abroad as a curtaine or as a mortall plate divided but rolled up it ceaseth to be Raqiahh so the Church is made to be spred through all nations aâ—d to impâ—rt to them as the heaven to the earth light warmnes and life it selfe but nowe for a time it should be rolled up neither should any glory of it be seen abroad Where theÌ„ was the visible maiesty of Rome in the meane time when the heaveÌ„ departed away as a booke folded up But they have goodly provided for them selves touching such dangers who have cost of all these thinges unto the last day but howe amisse and wrongfully shal be shewed by and by at ver 16. ¶ And all mountaines and Ilands There is nothing so firme which this tempest should not remoove nothing so farre of whither it should not goe and be spred The word mountaine noteth that and the word Iland this It is a great storme which doth either scatter the little hilles of the earth or which doth rage but in the bordering and lowe places but that which doth either cast and drive away the Mountaines themselves neither stayeth in the continent but also flyeth over the sea into the Ilandes must needes bring extreame destruction Eusebius beginning this boysterous storme at Nicomedia pursued it by the very footesteppes through all Syria Aegypt Cappadocia Cilara and Phrygia booke 8. but being as it were wearie with travayling and loathing so sorrowfull a narration he came not to our Europe although Thracia Italy Spayne France being nigh to them and our Iland Britanny somewhat further of ministred noe lesse plenty of Martyrs although the moderation of Constans caused all things to be more milde in these countries The eight booke of the Ecclesiasticall history of Euseb expoundeth these three verses largely 15 And the Kinges of the earth and the Peeres c. Thus farre is the Epitasis now followeth the Catastrophe ioyned togither with the former troubles For in the middes of the rage and heate of this calamity Christ would shewe forth his divine power from heaven and as it were raysed from his sleâ—pe would appease suddenly the tempest by his word alone as he did in time past being awaked by his disciples First at the sight of him Kinges and the Peeres of the earth should flee away and should hide themselves in most secret dennes For what other thinge drove Diocletian Maximin Hercule that having the soveraigne power of thinges and a most fervent desire to roote out Christians when also they had continued theyr fury unto the second yeere resigned the Empire suddenly and returned to a private life A thing saith Eusebius never heard of to have come to passe at any time booke 8.13 Neither without cause doth Ignatius cry out o wonderfull thing and unknowne till this age that of their owne accord neither old age pressing them neither the weightines of things both brought themselves into order Euseb layeth the cause upon their phrenesy Nicephorus also upon their rage arysing doubt lesse from thence because they sawe that they laboured sore in vayne to destroy the Christians But they touched not the true cause from hence they should have learned this which is it and noe other The Lambe at length shewing himselfe to be the avenger of his Church inwardly and secretly did stinge their mindes with the conscience of their wickednes and feare of vengeance wherby he drove these meÌ„ even against their wills unto this unheard modesty The thing is manifest from Maximianus who after that stinge of conscience waxed somewhat weake it repented him of his fact and left no meanes unattented for to recover the scepter which he had laid downe An other of the Emperours who succeeded those that gave over their place called Gallerius Maximianus exercising tyranny against Christians the same Lambe vanquished by an horrible disease and drove him to recantation an exemple whereof see in Euseb booke 18.17 Maximinus also being made Emperour in the East by Galerius at length against his will acknowledged Christ to be the King and gave free leave to his worshippers to live after his precepts and ordinances Euseb booke 9.9.10 Maxentius that Romane Tyrant striken with feare by the same Lambe fayned himsâ—lfe to be a Christian for a time Sabinus and the other rulers of the Provinces following the authority of the Cesars Augusts desired to winne the Christians favour also by a fayned gentlenes and to hide themselves from the wrath of the Lambe So great a feare of the Lambe came upon all degrees of meÌ„ that every one thought himselfe well provided who could get any corner wherein he might lye hidde in safety 16 And they sayd to the Mountaines It is an argument of exceeding desperation when they esteemed all
evill but light in comparison of his wrath from which they would redeeme themselves with any most grievous dammage whatsoever Diocletian being sent for by the letters of Constantine the great drunke poison for feare Maximianus ended his life with an haltar Gallerius perished of a most fowle disease Maximinus prevented the death that was nigh to him from Licinius by a voluntary death Maxentius tooke for him selfe a denne in the very bottome of the great river Tybris So in divers maners the Tyrants desyred to be hid from the sight of the Lambe Many men from the lykenes of speaking doe thinke that these thinges are to be referred unto the last day But noe man can deny that these same kindes of speaking are applyed of the Prophetes unto other and also unto the last calamityes And they shall come sayth Isaiah into the holes of the rockes and into the caves of the earth for the feare of the Lord chap. 2.19 Likewise Hoseah And they shall sâ—y to the Mountaines cover us and to the hilles fall upon us When yet neverthelesse he speaketh there onely of the carying away into Babylon chap. 10.8 Therefore the likenes of speaking hath small force to effect that which they would have Moreover neither can the consideration of the time suffer that interpretation by any meanes For seeing the time of the Trumpets and Violâ— is of longe continuance as wee shall shewe in the thinges that follow the sixt seale must needs be a great way from the last day especially seeing the first Trumpet shall not beginne to blowe before the seaventh seale be opened This one thing may be sufficient to convince that strange interpretation 17 For that day cometh In which the Lambe would doe that for the soules which they desired ver 11. would take deserved vengeance on the enemyes would breake the yoke of the Tyrants would take away the power of assayling with publike persecutions would set his people at liberty neither would suffer them to he vexed any more for a longe time as after chap. 20.2 of any enemy of this kinde Therefore the Church now could not be withstood by any forces that shee should not get out of trouble and obtaine the soveraignty of things even as the experience of the same times hath shewed plenteously Nowe therefore wee see the wonderfull Prophecy of the sixe Seales in which have ben disclosed the thinges of chiefe moment from the time of the Revelation given unto the raigne begun by Constantine surely in so expresse types and image of the thinges to be done that although peradventure some will accuse the interpretation of novelty yet every syncere and equall iudge will mervayle rather that the same hath not ben observed of others afore time theÌ„ refuse this as strange Yf any desyre to understand more fully touching the sixe Seales let him reade the seaven last bookes of the Ecclesiasticall History of Eusebius which may well serve him in steade of an ample and sufficint Commentary CHAP. 7. AFTER that J sawe foure Angels standing on the foure corners of the earth holding the foure windes of the earth that the winde should not blowe on the Earth neither on the Sea neither on any tree 2 And I saw an other Angell coming up from the East having the seale of the living God who cryed with a lowde voice to the foure Angels to whom power was given to hurt the earth and the sea saying 3 Hurt ye not the earth neither the sea neither the trees till wee have sealed the servaunts of our God in their foreheads 4 And J heard the number of them which were sealed there were sealed an hundreth an foure and forty thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israell 5 Of the tribe of Iuda were sealed twelve thousande of the tribe of Ruben were sealed twelve thousand of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousande of the tribe of Nepthali weâ— sealed twelve thousand of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand of the tribe of Jssachar were sealed twelve thousand of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand 8 Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousande of the tribe of Beniamin were sealed twelve thousand 9 After these thinges I beheld and loe a great multitude which noe man could number of all nations and kinreds and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the LAMBE clothed with longe white robes having Palmes in their handes 10 And they cryed with a lowde voice saying Salvation commeth of our GOD that sitteth upon the Throne and from the Lambe 11 And all the ANGELS stood round about the THRONE and about the ELDERS and the foure Beasts and they fell before the Throne on their faces and worshipped God 12 Saying Amen praise and glory and wisdome and thankes and power and might bee unto our God for ever more Amen 13 Then spake to mee one of those ELDERS saying unto mee who are thâ—se and whence came they which are arayed with longe white robes 14 And I sayd unto him LORD thou knowâ—st And he sayd unto mee These are they which come out of great affliction and have washed their longe robes and have made them white in the blood of the Lambe 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the throne will protect them as in a bowre 26 They shall hunger noe more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them neither any heate 27 For the Lambe which is in the middes of the throne shall feede them and lead them unto the lively fountaines of waters and God shall wipe away all teares froÌ„ their eyes Analysis HITHER To that which is proper to the sixt Seale that which is common followeth that is to say a certen generall pourtraiture of the whole future Church even unto her last ende Which is distinguished into two times The first is in which the true worshippers are defined with a certen number who are called the sealed by a peculiar name the occasion of whose sealing are the foure Angels prepared to shewe rigour against all men standing for this purpose on the foure corners of the earth that they might restraine all provision of food for salvation ver 1. Afterward the Minister of sealing who exempteth the elect out of the multitude of the destroyed coÌ„ming from the East with full power and noe lesse valiantly executing the office committed to him forbidding with a lowde voice that they should not proceed in their intente untill he have sealed certen that were to be taken out ver 2.3 But howe great the number of the sealed is it is shewed generally ver 4. Specially of what Tribes and how many of every one ver 5.6.7.8 And this time belongeth chifly to the
they should be vexed To wit the men that were without the marke There is a defect of the relative they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth to be tryed here it is used for to be afflicted tormented or any way to be vexed as every where in the holy Scriptures elsewhere Montanus and Plantines edition reade that they should vexe which they seeme rather to take that the sentence might be lesse harsh but Aretas and the Common translatiō have it in the passive as also Theod. Beza Neither is it in vaine that there is made so sudden a passing frō the verbe active to the passive but to shewe that this sorrowfull time is not to be measured by the furie of them that tyrannize but by the calamity of the sufferers which thing bringeth great light to understand the continuance of the torment of which in the next wordes which follow ¶ Five monthes Primasius readeth sixe monethes but the Greeke copies with one consent and the Common translation have five This place is indeede very darke and such as hath alwayes much troubled the Interprepreters For howe may so small a space agree to the Kingdomes either of the Sarracenes or of the Papists Let every day be counted for so many yeeres that five monethes should be at least as much as an hundred and fifty yeeres after the manner of the Scriptures in other places as in Ezechiel fourty dayes every day for a yeere I give thee and according to the continuall custome of this booke as hereafter wee will shewe God willing yet neverthelesse what is this so small and short a distance of time to these so longe continuing tyrannies Wherfore Bullinger and some others of our countrymen doe thinke that this number is assigned as it were of the hotter monethes in which especially the Locusts are wonte to be in chiefe strēgth for all the graunted space of tyrannizing how great soever it shall be The which opinion seemeth to mee like to be true unlesse that the very great care of the accounte which is used in other places required here also some certen and limited thing The Iesuites being like unto the Cuttell doe purposely as I thinke powre out here their darkenes to the ende that all thinges being confounded and disordered they may lurke the more safely they will have so many common monethes to be signified as though that woe had ben in vaine which the Angell flying through the middes of Heaven had sung before the three last trumpets Did he not foreshewe by the same that the plagues to come should be more grievous then those which were past What greater thing shall this trumpet have then the former if the Locusts in whō lieth the whole force of it neither are endued with power to kill and also that the power which they have is of so short time It was a great destruction which the former trumpets brought in and full of terrour neither passing over in a moment yea not in a fewe yeeres as wee have shewed but if this calamity be so shortened neither shall it compare with the former evils in grievousnes of torment and also in respect of the shortnesse of the paine it would be found much easier But I will not stād long in refuting the toies of the Iesuites It is most iust that they who will coyne figures at their pleasure where they are not should not see the same where they are in very deede having as it were their eyes blinded The thing peradventure may be somewhat more apparant if wee observe certaine positions the first of which is this whole Kingdomes and their Kinges are not spoken of here but onelie the Locusts and their exceeding great power which wee see to rise up by certen degrees First they come forth out of the smoke the smoke out of the pit opened the pit is not opened before the key be given neither is the key given assoone as the starre fell but some long time after From which it is necessary that the Angell be farre more auncient then the infernall generation For who requireth the issue of ones body to be equall to the parent Wherefore that is not to be cast upon the Kingdome it selfe and Kings which is proper to the Locusts Whose age is not to be regarded from hence but onely the sommer time vigour of this overflowing cōpany of vile persons The sommer time I say because neither the first originall of the Locusts nor the last ende seemeth to be limited in this space For they must needes have a beginning to growe before they have a power to hurte But after their power should be diminished they should hurt noe small time through the stinke of their rotten carkeises The seconde the time is not to be counted from the bringers of the paine but from the sufferers Whereunto have refference that verbe passive that they should be vexed of which we spake even nowe For it importeth much from whether of them wee make the accounte if the reckening be from the Locustes themselves they should have power to vexe in noe place of the world but for the space of these five monethes onely but if respect be had to the sufferers the same distance of time shal be given to certaine countries and shal be esteemed according to the diversity of places howsoever the continuing of the Locusts in some place it may be shal be longer Frō which followeth a third position that the five monethes are not once onely to be numbred but so many to be understood figuratively as there are countries which were to undergoe the same calamity for so greate a space of yeeres Which foundations being laid we shall see noe small consent of the History The first troupe of Locustes was of the Saracenes who beginning about the yeere 630. to fly about Mahomet being their captaine in the first five monethes that is the first hundred fifty yeeres afflicted most miserably the whole Arabia Syria Mesopotamia Armenia Persia they tooke likewise Egypt spoiled Afrique and at length entred into Spaine True wilt thou say but they have helde all these places except peradventure Persia Armenia and some parte of Arabia not onely for an hundred and fifty but more or lesse foure hundred yeeres I deny not but in the meane time it is to be considered howe long they were trou belsome to men of the Christian name in those places It is certaine that there were congregations of Christians in great number when first the Saracenes invaded and that they were not utterly rooted out by and by but after a long continuing misery at lēgth they were wholy destroyed by death by slaughter by falling away to that impiety waxing strong which became every day more confirmed by an accesse of newe strength By which things it came to passe that the countries which before time perteined to the worshippers of Christ in the space of those five monethes became all to the infidels either noe Christians at all or
very fewe being left there In the next ages wee shall finde the History very silent as touching the making mention of Churches in those places But wee doe limit this first invasion within the space of an hundred and fifty yeeres not because at the ende of this time they were dispoiled straiteway of the countries which they subdued but because afterward they fought with ill successe against the Romanes often times vanquished killed put to flight hardly keeping that which had ben gotten much lesse getting any more At the yeere 780. about the ende of Leo Copronimus that is after the hundreth and fifty yeere since which time they first grewe stronge their insolency was restrayned by almost continuall received slaughters by domesticall discordes Leo hanodraco brought them under in Asia Constantine who raigned with Irene his mother put them to flight Nicephorus was beaten by Leo Armenius The same did Theophilus Michael the sonne by Basilius Petronas and Andreas Captaines and the other following Emperours founde noe lesse good sucesse against them so that nowe there being a manifest decay of their former prosperity not without cause their florishing sommer may be thought to have ended in the East they began to braunch out in the Mediterrane Ilands in Italy Peloponnesus all which places by the space of an other hundred and fifty yeeres they cruelly spoyled and destroied The inhabitans of Cyprus being thrust out of their dwelling places and transported other where about the yeere 807. at length by the prosperous conduct of Zimisca recouvered their native countrie after an hundred and three score yeeres This space is greater by a fewe yeeres but some weakening and infirmity is wonte to goe before the last destruction so as the vigour may agree very well unto the number set downe They bring in subiection to them all Sicilia assailed often before about the yeere 867 neither could they be expelled wholly froÌ„ thence before that Georgiê° Mamaces destroyed them utterly about the yeere 1060 more or lesse Zonaras reporteth that not longe after they returned under the power of the Agarenes but Ambustus Catacalon many thousandes of them being killed repressed them so that they neither durst nor could bring much hurt to the Christian inhabitans This space also is longer theÌ„ the determined monethes unlesse peradventure the dwelling of the Saracenes was not so troblesome to the inhabitans in those yeeres numbred over and beside But in Italy the thinge is more cleare About the yeere 830 the Saracenes being called out of Babylon for aide shee felt destruction by and by from them whom shee sent for to be her helpers for they brought a very grievous desolation upon the chiefe part of that country neither was there any pause of the vexation Otto second being Emperour in the yeere 980 that is by a plaine accounte in the hundreth and fifty yeere after the spoiling begun killed them with so great a slaughter that from thence he got a name and was commonly called the Death of the Saracenes Here is so great a consent of the time as if the Spirit had respected this country alone and in it had ordained an example of his wrath in delivering her up for to be spoiled of these Locusts which was the teacher of impiety to the whole earth and out of which an other kinde of Locusts did spring noe lesse noisome then that former But touching them wee shall see by by let us prosecute those thinges which remayne concerning the former Therefore this first company which by a limited space of an hundred and fifty yeeres did robbe and slay in sundry places by a certen interchangeable course at length newe troupes of Turkes followed Who at first were troblesome not so much by the dammage which they brought by themselves as that in taking by force the countries of the Saracenes who abode in heapes togither in the East they drove them forth more into all the West But after the poison of the Agarenes waxed olde least the Christian name should enioy even a very little peace the Turkes tooke upon them their office which they performed more cruelly then they themselves whom they succeeded For beginning at Romanus Diogenes in the yeere 1073 who being taken of the Turkes and againe sent away having his eyes first put out was killed of his owne people The Turkes not enduring that their good turne should thus be nothing regarded of the Romanes vexed and tooke away the whole East untill a newe invasion of the Scythians made them feare and constrained them to devise howe they might defende themselves rather then to molest others wherby they were brought to seeke peace of Iohannes Duca Emperour of Rome who then lived at Nice Byzantium being lately taken of the Latines Which fell upon the yeere 1223. see Niceph. Gregoras in the second booke of the Romane History For so it pleased God the supreme governour that the Turkes as Locusts Scorpions should vexe before that after the manner of cruel Lions they should make horrible slaughters without any difference of sexe or of persons And therefore worthily their assayling untill the yeere 1300 was called robbing by the History-writers rather then warre undertaken rather with a minde to take booties then with anie hope to possesse the places which they had taken This rehearsall hath ben some thing full of wordes but my desire is to bring light unto the History which that I may doe I regarde nothing my owne trouble The other kinde of Locustes are our Religious ones in the West part of the world who as longe as the Saracens were in their chiefe strength had not yet attained their perfection They overflowed indeede before through great abondance but the sommer was not yet very hotte wherein they should most of all tyrannize untill in the times of Innocent the third the Dominicans Franciscans the Poore The Penitent the Observants the Trinitaires the brethren of the Holy Ghost and other infinite of scowring of that kinde arose with full power to vexe men at their pleasure There was noe age so abounding with religious as Polydore Virgil and other learned men have observed Neither did some writers thinke that all the orders were even to be reckoned up both because they would have regard to brevity and also because they were wonte often to spring up after the manner of todstooles as saith Polydore Virgill in booke 7.3 And certenly nowe was the Power of darknesse the Locusts being armed with their stinges Hildegardis the Abbesse sawe from God and bewayled a fewe yeeres before the misery to come by the begging Fryars and hungry Locusts and not longe after experience taught the world that her sorrowe was not in vaine This plague dared longue neither left it any thing uneateÌ„ up wholly untill about the yeere 1360 to wit and hundred and fifty yeeres after their power receaved at length a West winde began to blowe by Wickleffe and other godly men which shaking them of from the boughes ceased
Rome did so play the Devill in the Provinces as if Sathan had gone forth from the face of the Lord to scourge the Church But chiefly men sought death and founde it not being terrifyed of these locusts with the feare of Purgatory They would willingly have died the common death of the body which all antiquity iudged alwayes to be the Haven and ende of all miseries but when the Locusts thundred out that the flames of Purgatory were not inferiour to hell fire in torment they quaked for feare being about to die and felt themselves to be spoiled of all confort of death From hence it was that for to be freed from this their feare they did give to the Locusts whatsoever they would aske yea often times when they did aske nothing at all Yet neverthelesse howe of necessity did the miserable soule stagger and was vexed when even common sense did teach that sinnes cannot be purged by any corruptible price Thought therefore anguish of minde did presse them downe on every side considering that a bought confidence did free them from paine little or nothing at all 7 And the forme of the Locusts A description of the Locusts which first in cruelty are like unto horses prepared unto battell There is a great alacrity of this beast unto fight he diggeth his feete in the valley and reioyceth in his strēgth going forth to meete the weapons he moketh at feare and is not made afraid turneth not backe through feare of the sword Iob. 39 25. There should be no lesse promptnesse in the Locusts Famous are the invasions of the Sarracenes in all the Histories the warlike prouesse of the Popes bande hath not peradventure ben so observed of all which yet is as cleare and famous if wee consider the thing neerly What souldiers used Innocent the third to roote out the Albingenses Besides Dominicus the mourninge trumpetour and Heralde of this warre who a little after was made one of the foure Princes of the Begging Fryards he mustered an army of the Crosse-bearers by whose aide as it were of horses running to the battell he hoped to represse the heresy as they call it to abolish it utterly This order had indeede their originall before nowe but shortly after being brought almost to utter decay Innocent restored it for this warre that the mischievous persons as it were halfe dead might be brought againe from Hell by the authority of the same man by whose meanes they should have power to tyrannize and to vexe the world a fresh more spitefully see Polydore Virgill of Invent. in the third chapter of the 7. booke Neither did the POPE whose manner was to confounde all thinges and to set KINGES togither by the eares as PROBVSTVLLENSIS sheweth in an assembly at Wirizburg under Honorius the fourth afterward use any other incensours to raise up hatred Yea as often as the Popes were to make warre for the Pope is martiall not without cause when as the Locusts his subiects are so warlike a full armie of Crosse-bearers was at hande to fight for their King Hildegardis fore-shewed worthyly that these Hypocrites should be sowers of privie grudges who reioice in nothing so much as in cōtention and bickering ofmen ¶ And on their heads were set as it were crownes The first propertie was generall nowe he followeth on the thing he began by every mēber The Crownes on their heades like unto Golde are the shaving and rasing of the head which in time past was of great estimation among men even as a crowne of Gold so called doubtlesse because the crowne of the head being shaven seemeth to appeare in the middes like to a crowne In howe great account it hath bene some time Bellarmine sheweth out of Hierome in an Epistle to Augustine which is the 26 among the Epistles of Augustine I pray thy crowne saith he that thou wouldest salute in my name thy brethren my Lord Alipius and my Lord Evodius And Augustine in an Epistle to Proculian a Bishop Epist 147. Yours doe adiure us by our crowne ours doe adiure you by your crowne Mee thinke I heare yea by this Scepter Homer Iliad 1. Both kinde of Locusts was notably knowen by these crownes Herodotus in Thalia maketh relation to the Arabians that their haire is shorne as Dyonisius himselfe was wonte And they are shorne beneath like a globe shaving their temples But the shaving of the Monkes religious men was of all other most famous Polyd. Virgil speaking of the Benedictines They are shaven saith he with a rasour from the crowne of the head lower then halfe of the skull the haire beneath cut of after the forme of a small circle about the eares and the temples compasseth the head like crowne from whence the crowne of the head it selfe being shaven is called a crowne booke the 7. chap. 2. See howe fitly he interpreteth Herodotus minding noe such thing but onely moved with the conveniency of the thing it selfe For that which he saith they are shorne belowe rounde he hath translated elegantly The haire belowe cut of in the likenes of a little circle a thing longe a goe forbidden to the Iewes you shall not cut rounde the crowne because of the Arabians neighbours as it seemeth who were shorne after that manner that in noe thing they should be like the Jdolaters Levit. 19.27 But it is meet that these Monkes who differ onely in name from the ungodly Gentiles should agree with them in the likenes of polling their heades The golde of this crowne that is the authority and dignity of this shaving wee may see from hence that they were wont to make obtestations by their tonsure as even nowe in the Epistles of Hierome and August Ys the dignity thereof was so great when yet the superstitiō was very yōg of what gravity and authority was it after it came to a perfit ripenes Frances de Ribera will have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be an Helmet after the māner of speaking of the Greekes but he is deceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeede sometimes is used in that signification in Homer as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as may be understood from Plutarch Sump 8. Problem 6. The Latines sayth he doe call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crowne from the head as Homer by similitude have called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an helmet So Hesychius describeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But there is noe such thing concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To that saith he Servius affirmeth upon that of Virgill all according to the custome had shorne haire hid with an helmet on which place Servius writeth thus a crowne that is an helmet and he hath used the speech of Homer for he called an helmet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I doubt not but Servius knewe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Homer and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but because of the likenes of the wordes the Printers
have erred and given to us the one for the other Seeing therefore that the Grecians doe distinguish the use of these two wordes the signification of the one is not to be transferred unto the other ¶ And their faces as the faces of men Of an alluring forme and full of humanity but wherein there is noe trueth nor syncerity What wonderfull cunning men are the whole rable of those superstitious in this thing WhoÌ„ did they not passe in fayned courtesie But well spake Hildegardis of them They are gentle saith shee but great flatterers false traitours holy hypocrites c. There need noe witnesses in a cleare matter Also howe could the barbarous Arabians have brought under them so many countryes in a short time unlesse by a certen counterfait humanity they had allured them to a willing apostacy Where fierce cruelty plainly sheweth it selfe men had rather die in fighting then in serving miserably 8 And they had haire as the haire of women Haire are given to women for a covering saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.15 Therefore this superaboundant groing of haire sheweth that the Locusts shal be covered with the names of women as it were with longe haire and shall glory very much in this ornament counting it a very great honour to themselves What is more apparant It is knowne that the Arabians were called Agarenes of Agar Sarahs maide and this name is often in Zonaras Nicetas Gregoras and other Grecians who were necessarily to report the thinges that were done of them this name being given them for a reproch as writeth Sabellicus Ennead 8. booke 6. leafe 177. b. but most auncient and in their opinion most glorious 1 Chron. 5.10.19 27.31 long before the booke of Chronicles was written Psal 83.7 from whence also it is evident that the name is honourable and by which they would have themselves to be principally called For why else are they distinguished from the Ismaelites wholly of the same ofspring úlesse that they inhabiting toward the South of Iudea reioiced more in the name of their father these toward the East and Southeast and being nigher to the Iewes themselves rather in the name of their mother Which name also at length passed the other in glorie it being very famous with forraine writers at last being made a name Patronymicall even to the Ishmaelites themselves in stead of that former Bâ—t from whence at length were they called Saracenes From Sarah her selfe as farre as it seemeth For after their ofspring froÌ„ Agar seemed more vile then that it could fit their enriched estate for when the Iewes were destroyed both their stomacke and wealth grewe the maide being refused they passed over into the name of the mistres and afterward would be called Sâ—racenes For so Hierome on the 25. of Ezechiell writeth that by the Mâ—dianâ—tes the Scripture meaneth the Agarenes who nowe are called Saracenes taking to themselves falsely the name of Sarah that forsooth they may seeme to be descended from the free woman and the Dame From whence often times in other places he saith that this is a wronge name because that it was chalenged of them selves wrongfully uniustly Which things doe cause that it may not seeme to have ben derived from Sarak which signifieth in the Arabian tonge thievish or robbing men For what any one man much lesse a whole nation would take unto them a reprochfull name Neither was there any cause that Hierome being neere to the originall thereof both in time and place skilfull in the tongues and very diligent to learne such things should envie them that name or call it perverse being doubtlesse most fit and farre the meetest for them Yf it may be lawfull for mee to gesse I thinke it was made of Sara and the putting of an other word Qedar whose first letter as the Hebrewes maner is concurreth unto the composition of the word as if it had ben writen Sarahqedar by contraction Sarah and in Chaldee Saraq As though they should call them Saream Arabians for a distinction from the Iewes which are Sarean Jsraelites not that they would faine themselves to be descended from Sarah but when as the maides children were their Dames Gen. 16.2 why should not the children take to themselves the names as well of the Dame as of the maide This indeede might have some colour if they had ben boundmen but being borne out of the family and so many ages after they put upon themselves this name impudently I have rehearsed these thinges some what at large for to search out the trueth of a doubtfull matter if peradventure my labour can doe any good The summe of all cometh to this point that the Arabians gave themselves this name from a woman for their reputation Were not also the Westerne Locusts proude of the name of Marie the mother of Christ The Carmelites were named the Munkes of the holy virgine from whom Honorius III taking away their garment of sundry colours gave them a white one and called them the family of the Virgin that name of virginity might agree with the white robe which colour is not spotted see Polyd. Virgil booke 7. chap. 3 of Invent. Afterward sprung up a newe family of Servants of the Virgin Marie Philippus Florenticus Medicus being the founder of it see in the same place chap. 4. But what are these fewe to the whole swarme of those Religious Yea Dommicus Franciscus from which fountaines flowed an infinite company of vile persons gloried in the same Marie their Patronesse I bring for witnesse the History of Lombardie which they call the golden Legende which is able enough to convince their ungodlines and to approve the trueth of the Prophecy but then which there is nothing more vaine as concerning the trueth of the thinges which are reported Thus therefore it is written in the life of Sainct Dominicus pardon mee I pray if I relate a Fable unto you When Blessed Dominicus being at Rome was instant with the Pope for the confirmation of this order he sawe in the Spirit Christ being in the ayre and holding three speares in his hande and shaking them against the world whom his mother meeting quickly asked him what he would doe and he said behold the whole world is full of three vices to wit pride conveteousnesse and lust and therefore I will destroy it with these three speares Then the Virgin falling downe at his knees said most deare Sonne have thou compassion and moderate thy iustice with mercie To whom Christ answered doest thou not see what great iniuries are done to mee Staie thine anger my Sonne and waite a while for I have a faithfull servaÌ„t and stout champion who shall vanquish the world wandring everie where and shall subdue it under thy dominion J will give also an other servant to him for an helpe who shall fight with him faithfullie To whom her Sonne said beholde I bin pacified and I have accepted thee but I will see whom thou wilt
be persuaded that they ar their enemyes For they hide their habergeoÌ„s corselets neither make shew of any hostile thing but lurke as ScorpioÌ„s uÌ„der a stone The lioÌ„s heads of the horses doe note great cruelty wherby the wicked nation was brought to notable infamy above all whoÌ„ wee ever heard of Moreover in this point they passe the Locusts who had lions teeth onely but these have the whole head that unto the hugenesse of their teeth maie be ioined the streÌ„gth of their iawes sternnesse of their coÌ„tenance That which cometh out of their mouth is threefold fire smoke brimstone which three seeme to note one thing to wit the ordinaÌ„ces of warre whose originall was not loÌ„g after the beginning of the Turkes which they use with a more furious affectioÌ„ theÌ„ other men The greatnesse of that gunne was almost incredible which Mâ—chmetes used in assaulting Constantinople to the drawing whereof were used seventy yoke of oxen and two thousande men as sayth Laonic. Chalcocond in his 8. booke of the Turkes affaires And those twelve thousand Ianizarites whom they have to their ordinary gard for the safegarde of their body are all gunners See also if any thing could be spoken more fit to declare the nature of the ordinance First here is mention made of fire but least a coÌ„mon fire should be understood there is adioyned a double differeÌ„ce of smoke brimstone For the fire of the ordinaÌ„ce is notable for an abuÌ„daÌ„ce of smoke which ariseth froÌ„ a suddeÌ„ kindling queÌ„ching as cometh to passe in the noise of discharging ordinaÌ„ce Where the fire burneth continually and with a shining flame there is very little smoke being swallowed up by the flame More over this fire is Brimstone Is not the gunpouder made of salt peter coale and Brimstone The Spirit therefore describeth this enemie to us by those weapons which should take their beginning almost togither with his tyranny But this fire cometh out of their mouth because they doe sende forth this fire as easily as a breath Yf onely that chiefe robber shall commande desolatioÌ„ to be brought upon any countrey most quicke handes are readie which forthwith doe his commande and bring all thinges into a wildernesse 18 Of these three Thus farre of what qualitie the Captaines Souldiers ar nowe he cometh to the event which first is the staying of the third part of men Wee heare o lamentable thing dayly massacres neither is any almost ignorant howe farre and neare their cruelty goeth on with rage But whereas he saith of these three it is to be understood of these three togither For smoke and brimstone asunder have no harme in them He reckeneth three as distinct because the former descriptioÌ„ of fire required such a reckening Although men shall not be consumed by gunnes alone but one kinde of warlike instruments is put for the whole 19 For their power The Complutent edition and the Kings Bible reade thus For their power is in their mouthes and in their tayles Aretas and the CoÌ„mon translation agreeth and so it seemeth that necessarily it ought to be read otherwise the reason which followeth agreeth not with those things that goe before For their tailes c. From hence therefore an other differeÌ„ce betweene these horse men and the Locusts cometh to minde For these did beare their stings in their tayle chieflie that is the dregges of the Saracenes who had noe proper places of their owne to dwell in and did flie about hither and thither seeking habitations and turning others out of all their goods when in the meane time the chiefe Calyphi Scriphes and Sultans followed their pleasure at home in Babylon Persia and in Egypt Soe the Begging Fryars the tailes of all the religious sorte did sting vehemently But here the head and the taile are even like the same destruction cometh from them both The chiefe Turke himselfe the Bassae the Begi and the other Ministers of their tyranny doe all breath forth and exercise the same cruelty More over these very Princes were the causers of the other to tyrannize ministred unto them weapons for their furie ¶ Having heades Wherewith they hurt The tayles also have heades and mouthes by which they sende out the same destruction They are all of them froÌ„ the highest Emperour to the lowest slave serpents with heads at both endes as the most learned Franc. Iunius hath writen very well 20 But the rest of men An other event is the obstinacie of the other men who are nothing moved with those miseries neither gave themselves to any amendement of life But who are those other Are they not Westerne meÌ„ the third part of men being killed loÌ„g since in the East Afrique being so gotten through the invasion of the Saracens that it would yeeld unto the dominion of the Turkes without any bloodshedding But the sinnes which sticke so fast to them are against the first table to wit Idolatry in this verse The exceeding naughtinesse whereof is declared first from the Authour in that it is an humane invention secondly because it is a worshippe done unto Devils thirdly from the wretched and doting affection which appeareth from so manifolde sortes of Idols of golde of silver of brasse of stone and of wood last of all from the notable folly of worshipping thinges void of all sense FroÌ„ all which it is more cleare theÌ„ the Sunne who amoÌ„g the Westerne people are the cause of this most grievous calamity froÌ„ the Turkes For where shall wee finde this Idolatry Surely the Protestants as they call them the reformed Churches have banished away unto hell from whence it first came all worshippe reverence and sacred honour of Images Wherefore shee that boasteth her selfe to be the Catholike Church whose head is the Bishop of Rome whose Temples glister with images of Golde Silver and Brasse yea which hath not refused the worshipping even of those that are of stone and wood shee I say is that other multitude which wresting the Scriptures corrupting the testimonies of the Fathers faining miracles and defending to this very day the Idolatrous worshipping of images by whatsoever force falshood fraude and subtill devises shee can will not be awaked with this most sharpe scourge Doth shee not impudently and stubbornly affirme that Images consecrated unto true names are by noe meanes to be counted amonge Idols But what other speaketh the Spirit of then such which after the third part of men slaine of the Turkes are defended stifly in the Christian world What other doth he call divelish What other worship of Devils The matter is plaine it can not be denied At length therefore o thou Rome cease to seeke out foolish crafty shifts Deceive not thy selfe Thy adoration before the image of the Virgin is as if thou shouldest supplicate unto Venus The worship which thou performest before the graven image of the Father is done to the Devill not to God himselfe The Spirit causeth mee to use this boldnes cry thou
seventh whose Analysis shal be after ver 14. Scholions 1 A reede was given mee After the preparation made as wee have heard in the first times of the trueth springing a fresh and many excellent men bending themselves diligently to the study of good letters whose fervency was such that for the space of two hundreth yeeres after one thousand three hundreth they might seeme to eate up bookes After I say this preparation at length about the ende of the sixt trumpet the matter came to this conclusion proposed in these wordes That is the Prophecy did shine more plainly and a more plentifull knowledge of the times both past and present the learned men sawe by the booke which they had received of the Angell that the Church nowe many yeeres had bin much afflicted so as it could not be seen of the world then also at that present to be wonderfully vexed of Antichrist For this Prophecy is a repeating of a long time past as Moses wrote Prophetically the first beginning of the world which name howe great estimatiō procureth it to the History But to com to the matter this Prophecy I say calling to minde the time past containeth all the space of the former trumpets as it appeareth from the specifying of the time which is added in the next third verse For if will coūt backe the two and fourty moneths in which the Church should be in the temple they conteine not onely that houre day moneth and yeere of the sixt trumpet of which wee have spoken in chap. 9.15 but also beside the five moneths of the fift Trumpet in the same place ver 5. those foure times repeated to all which neverthelesse there remaine yet nine moneths reckened over and besides which to what other thing cā they be referred then to those foure first trumpets of the eight chapter But peradventure thou wilt say these fourtie two moneths take their beginning at the end◠of that houre moneth and yeere of the foure Angels chap. 9.15 both thes◠spaces togither may perteine to the sixt Trumpet which thing cannot be by any meanes For the whole sixt trumpet is troubleous to the wicked in which respect it is called the second woe chap. 9.12 11.15 But if the times be disposed in this manner it hath little misery for them who by the space of two and fourty moneths triumphed in all mirth when in the meane while the Godly are afflicted What so great hurt should the sixt trumpet bring them if after that short trouble of one yeere moneth day and houre they should have a threefolde longer felicity and more It is most certen therefore that this Prophecy reacheth backe even to the first beginning of the trumpets but that it is set in this place because the whole race of this time could not be perceived before that it should be brought to an ende And nowe indeede God raised up learned men Philippus Bergomensis Franciscus Guicciardinus Martin Luther John Carion Philip Melancthō Gaspar Peucer Henry Bullinger Iohn Sleidan John Functius others who linking togither the histories of things that were done represented this face of the Church in their writings Which Prophecy doubtlesse was to be added at lēgth necessarily For not without cause some might aske what was done with the true Church when the Haile smoke the third part of the grasse the burning Mountaine turned the Sea into blood the Locusts and the other fiendes tyrannized In all these Trumpets hath ben a wonderfull silence concerning it Nowe therefore the Spirit sheweth by this Prophecy revived of what sorte the condition of that time was in the meane while least that alone should be passed over for whose sake this writing was undertaken Therfore this chapter is to be ioyned with the seaventh where the Prophecy touching the Saincts ceased To the same perteineth that sealing and this that I may so say Temple measuring and it is the same wholly and all one thinge except that that belongeth to every severall cityzen this to all iointly and to some chiefe members Nowe as touching the wordes the reede given is the power graunted of the trueth wherby the Saincts should measure the length and breadth of the true and lawfull worship least in a wonderfull confusion of things they should swerve from a due proportion In so much as it is like a rod it teacheth that the trueth shal be much holpen and borne up by the authority of head rulers For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very often taken for an ensigne of honour the Scepter which Kinges beare in their handes by which name also are called the roddes which are carried before the Magistrates likewise an instrument of exercising power as in the Poete Circe accomplished her charmes with a rod and Mercure with his white wande The Temple therefore was to be measured by the labour of some chiefe man as wee heard it came to passe in the seventh chapter where Constantine the Great was the Minister of scaling For while he provided for the peace of the Church and maintained the trueth carefully he procured a safe place of refuge for a fewe holy men from the contagion of the times ¶ And the Angell stood by which wordes are wanting in Aretas and by that meanes he maketh the reed it selfe the bidder arise and mete But the labour of Angels conioyned elsewhere where the like businesse is done seemeth also to require here that nothing should be done but in the presence of the Angell see Ezech. 40.3 and after Revel 21.16 Wherefore Theod. Beza hath well restored this place from the Complutent Edition ¶ Mete the Temple The true Christian Church is shadowed by the type of the olde temple every severall part of which was described once most exactly and measured by the commaundement of God himselfe to the ende that men should knowe that this house is framed of God that it is not of humane building and therefore they should not take ought upon them in changing things at their pleasure as though the celestiall wisedome had not sufficiently provided for the most convenient maner of every thing The things to be measured are the Temple the Altar and the Ministers of the worship The Temple was devided into the most holy and the holy place which had the altar of the burnt offring set at the doore He biddeth him to mete these onely of the whole building small partes of the whole and onely the more secret roomes For the tabernacle before time being thirtie cubits long and twelve broad was sixteen times and more lesser then the court Afterward the temple enlarged by Salomon and by the Angell in Ezechiell had farre more spatious courts The temple then alone being measured sheweth that the true Church shal be brought into very narrowe straights limited with small boundes and remooved wholly from the sight of men For the holy place was not opened to the people but the Priests alone ministred in that place of which sorte
are kept certenly from the holy place with brasen walles Albeit the discerning now is not so heard as it was in time past while the Church had no place in the publike Read but the writings of our men by the grace of God thine eyes shall waxe cleere to perceive the trueth Mayest thou not worthily suspect the Popes craft restraining thee from buying and selling of our bookes and of all familiarity Yet neverthelesse doe thou strive so much the more to knowe the trueth that thou shalt see the same to be hated of thine through the conscience of their owne deformity ¶ Two and fourty moneths The time wherein the true Spouse should lie hid and the false should rule But how great darkenesse is here And noe marveile in so great blindnesse of mans understanding Wherefore be thou present who hast received these thinges that thou mightest disclose them to thy servants to the ende that by thy guiding I may goe safely For to dispell the obscurity it is to be observed first that there is not signifyed in these two and fourty moneths three common yeeres an half going about I hope that the accord of the things hath proved already that the foure Euphratean Angels in the 9. chapter are the Turkes To whom power being given for one houre and moneth and yeere seeing that the three hundreth yeere is nowe slipt away is there any so obstinate who will yet avouch that these two and fourty Moneths are to be restrained togither within the narrowe limites and straights of their owne and naturall-signification Hereunto is to be added that seeing these moneths pertaine to the Beast chap. 13.5 that the same was not yet borne in the time of the revelation For Iohn sawe her rising up afterward chap. 13.1 which thing no where is either said or can be said of the Romane Empire this is certenly that space in which Antichrist shal be borne shall growe be wounded and recover health againe wherein he shall exercise power over eveâ—y tribe tongue and nation shall make the dwelling place of his tyranny the queene of the whole earth in which finally both he himselfe and also all the Ministers of his pleasures shal be altogither given to exceeding riot as is cleere from chap. 13. and 17. and 18. But can all these thinges be performed in three common yeeres and an halfe Peradventure Therapontigonus Platâ—gidorus shall recover life who conquered the halfe part of all nations well nigh within twenty dayes Alexander of Macedonia is compared to a Leopard which had foure wings on his backe notable tokens of his swiftnes that he should obtaine the Empire of Asia in twelve yeeres all that time dwelling in tents neither giving himselfe to any other thinge Dan. 7.6 But Antichrist should for iust cause ride on the very Sunne to subdue all countries none excepted in three yeeres and an halfe and in the meane while to give up himselfe through idlenes to all delights wretched intemperancie But it is more plaine yet after in the chap. 20.4 Where the enemies of the Beast refusing to be subiect to his governement and raigning with Christ a thousand yeeres on earth to with all that space of time in which the Divell is bound and tyed in chaines and the subiects of Antichrist lie dead before the first resurrection doe proove necessarily that the Beast also Antichrist was through all that time otherwise how were they able to resist him not onely commanding nothing but also not living The same thing also shal be minifest from the person of Antichrist which in his place wee will shewe not to belong to one man alone but to a certen kingdome and succession chap. 17. Secondly seeing this account is not common it is needfull that wee recken these moneths after the manner of the other scriptures for almost all things in the Revelation are expressed after the maner of the auncient types But what is that maner Shall every severall moneth note seaven yeeres as the weekes in Daniell It is wholly without all example and reason to compare the moneths to the weekes Neither will the wordes suffer it by any meanes For the Angell sheweth that every eche day is to be counted from whence he noteth commonly this space sometime by two and fourtie moneths some time by a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes as in the next verse and in chap 12.6 But that way whereby the moneths are brought unto the weekes and there is made the number of two hundred ninetie foure yeeres numbreth not the fourth part of the daies Wee therefore thinke that every one is to be reckened and that so many yeeres are to be assigned as there are dayes in these moneths which agreeth wholly unto the manner of the weekes in Daniell Thirdly that these are not Iulian yeeres For these two and fourty moneths make onely a thousand two hundred threescore dayes But so many Iulian moneths doe effect a thousand two hundred seventie eight dayes more Whereupon there wante of the Iulian foure score dayes and some what more how many yeeres the thousand two hundred and three score dayes doe lacke every one by it selfe being taken for one yeere of the thousand two hundred three score Iulian yeeres What moneths then doeth the Angell use here Not the Lunarie nor Iulian but onely the AegyptiaÌ„ moneths every of whâ—ch consist of thirty dayes He hath shewed that according to the custome of this nation onely wee must recken the moneths because it was it that should kill the Prophets of the Lord and in the streete of whose great city they should lie troden under foote unburied for a mocking stock after in ver 8. After the manner of these moneths wee have limitted by thirty daies every of those five moneths chap. 9. Fourthly that this account is not to be begun either from the passion of the Lord or any other time which went before this writing For as wee have told you divers times these wordes I will shewe thee the things that must be done hereafter in chap 4.1 will not beare it Neither by and by after the giving of the RevelatioÌ„ For next after followeth the dwelling in heaven the cloathing with the Sunne the crowne of twelve starres and the Moone trode under the foote chap 12.1 For with all this glory shined that first most holy Church or else wee can not finde to what times wee may referre it But of what sort I pray you is this space of two and fourty moneths Namely of a most waste wildernesse of sackcloth uncleenes corruption and lamentable deformity As touching that the wordes are expresse that this wonder appeared in heaven where afterward the Dragon warred at length throwne headlong from thence chap. 12.7 c. But what had the Dragon to doe in heaven but that he might lie in waite for the woman travailing with childe From whence also did the woman flee if shee dwelt in the wildernes before the time of her
heaven not so called properly for what hath the Dragon that is the Devill to doe in the heavenly pallace from whēce he is banished for ever but in the heaven which is in earth But this Dragon is not onely the Devill in his owne proper person but also men being the Ministers of his furie especially the Romane Emperours whom from that time in which Iohn wrote persecuted most grievously Christ in his members as Traiane Hadrian Antoninus Pius and Verus Commodus Severus Decius and at lēgth Diocletianus open enemies who make a professed warre are called in this booke Dragons of which sort is at this day the Turke Others who in name are Christians but fight against the truth secretly and by indirect subtilities are called Beasts which doe prey upon men onely for to satisfy their hunger whereas the Dragons forced by noe want of meat are carried to our destruction because of that hatred which is betweene man kinde and them This Dragon was once in heaven as long as the open enemies held the Empire of the world exercising dominion over men named Christiās which wer dispersed through all places of their Empire He is called Great being the highest Prince on earth and red being most furious against Christians wholly red with their blood The seaven heads are seaven hilles and seaven Kinges after chap. 17.9.10 unto which place wee deferre the more full handling of these thinges In the meane time for this matter which is in hand it shal be sufficient to understand that by this circunstāce of wordes the city is noted where he should place the seate of the Empire to wit Rome famous for the seaven hilles and Kings For the Beast receaved the Throne from the Dragon chap 13.2 Therefore if her seat shal be at Rome so shal be his The tenne hornes are so many Kinges or Provinces governed of Pretors like to Kings So Strabo declareth it in the last wordes of his last booke of Geographic That Augustus Cesar devided the whole Romane Empire into two partes the troublous and warlike Provinces of which he tooke to himselfe the other peaceable and quiet ones he gave to the people Who devided theirs in ten Pretories the exterior Spaine and her Ilands The interiour containing Baetica now called Granata and the countrey of Narbon in France even unto Alencem Sardinia with Corsica Sicilia Illyricum Epyrus being adioyned Macedonia Achaia even unto Thessalia Aetolia and Acarninia and certaine nations of Epirus to the borders of Macedonia Creta with Cyrenaica Cyprus Bithynia with Propontide and certaine parts of Pontus Suetonius also maketh mention of the like disposing of the Provinces but telleth not the number to Aug. in chap. 47. Moreover the same Strabo reporteth that Dicharchies doe and alwaies have belonged to the Emperours portion For Cesar held the rest distinguished also in tenne Prouinces to wit Afrike France Britannie Germany Dacie Mysie Thracie Cappadocie Armenie Syrie Palestine Judea and Aegypte And this is the same thing which Cyprian writeth to Successus that Valerianus wrote an answer to the Senate that all belonging to the Emperour whoso ever had confessed before or shall now confesse should be seised upon and bound shoulb be sent enrolled into the Emperours possessions that is into those farre countries which wee spake of belonging to the Romane Empire Therefore whither wee respect the countryes which the Emperour held in his owne possession or those which he yeelded to the people they were the tenne hornes the power and strength of the Dragon in which all his might consisted Yet the number remained alwaies the same but was altered according to the present occasion But it was sufficient for the Spirit to describe the enemy by any certen marke then which there is none more cleare then the largenesse of this dominion and this so notable a decree of the Provinces devided But he beareth the crownes on his heads not on his hornes because the supreme maiesty did abide at Rome to which all the rest of the Provinces submitted their dignities 4 Whose taile drewe Considering that the Dragon is of such a disposition how doth he carry himselfe towards the Church Two effects of him are rehearsed one upon the Starres the other against the woman As touching them he shall cast downe many from the heavenly profession by sharpe persecutions who ought to have shewed light to others For this is to cast the starres of heaven to the earth see Euseb booke 6. chap. 41. See also before in chap. 6.13 ¶ But the Dragon stood before the woman He watched her diligently that noe maintainer of the Christian religion should be borne He rolled every stone for to cut of this hope Add certenly assoone as Maximinus the Dragon sawe Alexander of Mammea to be somewhat favourable to Christiās so as he was thought to have ben instructed in their ordinances he forthwith devoured him Decius also the Dragon did swalowe downe the Philips both the Father and the Sonne he himselfe shortly after being swalowed up in a marsh But the thing is made manifest most clearely in Cōstantine at whome chiefly the Spirit pointed the finger Diocletianus Galerius with whom hee lived being a yong man in the East perceaving his singular towardnes and vertue left nothing untried that they might kill him privily So Eusebius writeth upon his life in his first booke Pomponius Laetus reporteth that he was sent with an army against the people of Sarmatia most fierce nations and accustomed to murders from whom when contrary to the opinion of Galerius he brought backe not death but the victory by the persuasion of the same man under a colour of exercising his valour he fought on the Theatre with a Lion For Galerius sought to destroy the unwarie yōg man as of olde Euristheus did Hercules Neither was ther here an ende of the treacheries Maximian Herculius that red Dragon devoured him almost afterward by snares set to intrappe him But he which laide a snare for an other through the iust iudgement of God perished himselfe in the snare Constantine escaped many other privie assaults not by humane wisdome but by divine revelation from God as Eusebius writeth upon Constantines life in his first booke For the Dragon knewe that it concerned him much that no such a one should arise whēce it is no marveile if he did labour so greatly to devoure this childe assonne as it should be borne 5 And shee brought forth a male childe The event of the persecution at length the Church howsoever the Dragon strove against her with all his might bringeth forth a male and strong defender by instructing Constantine the Great in the Christian faith For he was that male childe who first of all the Romane Emperours tooke upon him the defence of the trueth Wee have made mention of the Philippes both Father and Sonne which were both Christians Although if wee must beleeve Pomponius Laetus fainedly and not truly but onely that they might cover their wickednesses with a honest
every thing with indifferent eyes he will confâ—â—se that the Spirit hath set these ten first Emperours as images by which both the beginning and proceeding of Antichrist might be the more apparaÌ„t ¶ And had set on his heads a name of blasphemy That an ornament might not be wanting to the heads for the crownes were belonging to the hornes to wit the Emperours in their stead is put a name of blasphemy Which name is the arrogant bragging of the Romish particular Church That Peters Chaire cannot be sundred from Rome That the Romish Church is the foundation and forme of the Churches from which all Churches tooke their beginning none of them that beleeve truly is ignorant as speaketh the Pope Vigilius in an Epistle to Entherus Likewise that they cannot but erre and be counted Heretiques who thinke otherwise of the Sacraments and articles of the faith then the Church of Rome thinketh as Martine the v. published in a Bulle given at Constance Sixtus the fift against the Articles of Peter of Oxford Many such names which were too long to rehearse Rome beareth on her heads hath them for her owne and glorieth in the same as her chiefe ornameÌ„ts See Caus 24. q. 1. and Bellarm. in his 4. booke of the Romane Pope chap. 4 2 And this Beast which I saw was like a Libard The whole forme is of the Libard which is the female of the Panthers an untamed beast most adverse to man leaping up to his eyes and in great rage and tearing his Image in paper see Basill in his Serm. of the accept of pers Like unto the Devill hating with an unfained hatred the image of God in man as the same Basill writeth This and the Tygre onely of all Beasts almost are discerned by the variety of spottes the reste have ech one their proper colour according to their kinde These spottes seeme to touch those vices and foulenesse of all villanies which cleave fast to those Bishops Can the Blackamore chang his coulour or the Libard his blewe spottes then might yee also doe well oh yee that are taught to doe evill Ieremy chap. 12.23 Are not the Romish Bishops the greatest enemies to true ChristiaÌ„s whose image they cannot beare themselves being most foule worshippers of other images Are they not deformed above all other men with all kinde of vices Who by and by after their first beginning were found forgers belying falfly the Nicene Councill for to stablish their tyranny Furthermore afterward Simoniacks Homicides Atheists most wicked Magitians most foule Adulterers and teachers of all uncleane lusts finally covered with all those abhominatioÌ„s which a modest man would be more ashamed to relate then they to commit Neither are these the reproches of adversaries but true crimes touching every of which and farre more there are extant most cleare testimonies of their owne men Therefore this is a spotted Beast shewing no greater hope of forsaking his turpitude then the Leopard to chang her spottes But besides the diversity of spottes the Libards otherwise called PaÌ„thers are very skilfull to get their pray For as Plinie writeth They report that by their sweet smell all beasts are enticed but are terrifyed by the crabbed looking of his face Wherfore that being hidden he taketh them suddenly being allured by his other sweetnesse Doth not Rome likewise by a certen reverend maiesty as it were by a sweete favour allure them that beholde a farre off hidding the diformity of her countenance that is the monstrous filthinesses which shee fostereth untill shee hath brought the Proselites in her snares The Beares feete are smoothe long broad tearing the earth with his nayles or going they attribute to him a certen stabilitie ioyned with cruelty Neither hath any Monarchy no not that of the Assyrians thou of long continuance equalled the yeeres of this Yet shee standeth by her Beares feete continuing so long a time by cruelty His Lions mouth noteth his terrible fiercenes devouring up all things which the lamenting of the whole earth can declare more plainly then my wordes Therefore the cruelty of many Beasts is found in this one neither was the Panther sufficient to expresse his outragiousnes Therefore is he compact of all ioyned togither which once did compete to all the Monarchies severally Dan. 7.4.5.6 ¶ And the Dragon gave him his power and throne Thus farre the naturall forme of the Beast the power followeth and that in the first place which he received first The Dragon gave him his power his throne and great authority Power is an inset strength Authority is that which is exercised towards others the Dragon gave him both and his throne besides And this is Rome the city with seven hilles as wee have seen before in the 12. chapter ver 3. VVhich the Dragon Diocletian and Maximian being to be thrust out of heaven gave to the Beast the Pope that he might performe his businesse at least by his Procurour when he could doe it no longer by himselfe betimes indeede the Dragon as soone as he perceived that he must depart tooke order for a Successour putting the Beast in possession before his expulsion For Diocletian lived at Nicomedia Maximian at Mediolanum in the which places both of them gave over the Empire leaving in the meane time Rome empty for the Beast Maxentius held it after for a fewe yeeres but onely as one that hath the custodie of a thing upon coÌ„ditioÌ„ to restore it as the event hath declareth who should not have the Throne for himselfe but should keepe it for the Pope Constantine comming to visite Rome afterward and finding the Throne possessed of an other went to Byzantium called since Constantinople and there appointed a place for himselfe to dwell in The other that followed Emperours of the VVest part when as the inrodes of the Barbarous people did molest continually that they might be neerer to bring aide and more ready for every oportunitie abode at Mediolanum or at Ravenna as the most commodious places So they by little and little left the Throne to the Beast Wherby at length that which letted was wholly taken away and the man of sinne was revealed to all men as in the second Epistle to the Thessalonians chapter 2. vers 6. From which nowe it is perceived that this Beast is not the Romane Heathenish Empire which received Rome by the gift of none neither doeth account his power and dignity as received of any unlesse peradventure the Dragon did pursue the woman of whom wee spake like an enemy before the Heathen Emperours were begotten Furthermore the Pope of Rome is the Beneficiarie of the Dragon and not of Constantine neither holdeth Rome by his Donation as he boasteth falsly and impudently but only by the assignement of the Dragon Thus therefore the Throne being gotten Rome began from that day to be famous rather for the Popes Palace then for the Emperours Court. And indeede it grewe very quickly and her power waxed great in a short time as
Prosper witnesseth in his booke de Ingratis in these wordes Rome is the Seate of Peter which is become the Head of Pastorall power to the world whatsoever shee holdeth not by force of armes shee holdeth it by religion And againe in his second booke of the calling of the Gentils chap. 6. Rome by the soveraigntie of Priesthood is more increased by the tower of religion then by the Throne of power Vnto which is added Ammian Marcellin in his 27. booke as he is cited by Bellarmine that he marvaileth not though men contend with so great desire for the Romane Popedome seing the riches and maiestie of it are so great But that the Dragon gave him this power appeareth from hence that the name of Rome was honourable to all men because of the auncient Empire of which once it was the Seate and therefore that they easily yeelded to any promotion of hers but of this more largely at the 6. verse 3 And I sawe one of his heads as it were deadly wounded Montanus Plantines Edition doeth omit I saw as though the Dragon togither with the throne power had given also one of the heads wounded which is contrary both to the faithfulnesse of the other Copies for Aretas the Common translation read I saw all other also to the truth of the history For the Beast had not a wounded head at his first beginning For first he was afterward he is not in chap. 17.8 as at that place wee shall shewe more fully In these wordes he commeth to the second condition of the BEAST The dammage consisteth in the wounding of one of his heads which now once or twice wee have advertised to be seveÌ„ hills and Kings from chap. 17.9.10 VVhether then of these kindes should suffer this calamity Surely if the wounde inflicted be to come into the power of the enemy scarce can one of the hilles receive a wound but all wil be wounded togither VVherfore more properly it beloÌ„geth to the Kings any one of which being afflicted with this wounde the rest abide whole from the same Although this hurt cannot be so proper to a King that it should not also be common to the Hills And these Kings are seven Governements or Principalities by which the City of Rome hath ben governed to wit those celebrated by all Kings Consuls Decemviri Dictatours Tribunes Emperours Popes as wee will make plaine at the 17. chap. If now it be demaunded to which of all these this calamity should happen the place which even now wee spake of declareth it evidently to the seaven head namely the Popes For so speaketh the Angell and another that is the seventh is not yet come and when he shall come he must continue a short space being hurt with a wound as it were quite killed with the same for Iohn saith as it were wounded to death as Aretas well puts us in minde for he should not be altogither destroyed by this blow But now after that it is manifest touching the Heads this wound was inflicted when Rome forsaken now a good while of the Emperours abiding partly in the East at Byzantium partly in the West at Ravenna beginning againe to flourish under a newe GovernemeÌ„t of Popes was smitten with an exceeding great storme by the Gothes Vandals Hunnes and the rest of the Northern people Which vexed most miserably the whole VVest part In this common calamity that late Empresse of the nations Queene of the whole world escaped not scotfree but sufferred a greater destruction then almost any City besides oftener taken by assault sacked wasted for an hundred two and thirtie yeeres at the lust of the Barbarians First Alaricus about the yeere 415 besieged and tooke it Of which thing Hierome speaking but after he saith the most famous light of all countries is cleane put out yea the head of the Romane Empire cut off and to speake more truly the whole world is destroyed in one Citie c. In his Proheme of Ezech. But in more wordes eloquently in an Epistle to Principia a Virgin The Citie is taken which tooke the whole world c. In what lamentable manner would he have bewailed if it had befell him to heare of the ofteÌ„ conquerings and spoiling thereof which followed For Rome now was consumed not once but was taken a second time by Adaulphus who gave her such a deadly wound that she was minded to change her name and to be called afterward Gothia The third time Gensericus the Vandal tooke it The fourth time Odoacer Rugianus reigning there fourteene yeeres Theodoricus the King of the Gothes slewe him whom at length Totilas followeth by a cerâ—en order of succession He the fift time overthrew and rased it bringing it to that wildernesse that neither any man nor woman could be found in it by the space of fourty dayes according to that of the Sibyll Rome shal be a perpetuall ruine and shee that hath ben seen shall not be discerned Albeit I thinke not that shee hath yet endured that calamity which Sibyll speaketh of although that now past may be a notable proofe of that which is to come Who in those times would not have thought that the seven hilled Citie had utterly perished VVho would not have supposed that the dignitie of the Popes to wit the seventh head had bin past remedy Therefore the Constantinopolitane Bishop and he of Ravennas the authority of Rome being as it were utterly gone laboured greatly as the next heires to drawe the same to their Churches But they were both much deceaved The head was not wounded unto death but as it were unto death Therefore the wound waxing more fierce Zozimus Bonifacius Celestinus about the yeere 420. having supposed a Nicene Councill chalenged the Primacy and they did moove so much as was sufficient to shewe that some life was left but they had a shameful repulse because this was the time of the wound on every side Pelagius also not long after before the skarre had closed altogither wrested the scriptures to the same ende but his endevour comming to no proofe declared that both the head remained alive and also that it was of no power For the raigne of the Gothes darkened the light of the Popes dignity neither could now any acknowledg her the chiefe who at home being the basest and servant of the Barbarous people scarce had a place where to abide For at once the Emperours dwelling at Rome at what time the Apostles were in authority restreined Antichrist that he could not come forth to be seen abroad so the new erected Kingdome of the Gothes in Italie was an other thing with holding which did repell his put out hornes for a time compelled him againe to hide him selfe in his shell Rightly therefore now the head did seeme to be wounded which was not able to shake off the yoke neither by any strength of his owne neither by any hope that he had from the East seing the Emperour
Clergie neither of Kings nor of the people Againe God would have the causes of other men to be ended by men Likewise The whole Church through the world knoweth that the holy Romane Church hath right to iudge concerning all men neither may any iudge of her iudgement This is called a power of doing for excellency sake such as indeede belongeth to no Emperours who refuse not to he refrained with the boundes of lawes and all their actions to betried by the rule of equity and justice As touching the wordes Aretas readeth And power was given him to make warre moneths c. In like manner also Montanus and Plantines Edition The Common translation absolutely as also Theodorus Beza and the rest of the Greeke Copies The like use of this word in a like matter in Daniell favoureth this reading He shall cast downe saith he the trueth to the grounde and shall doe and he shall prosper in the eight Chapter the twelve foure and twentiest verse and he shall prosper wonderfully and shall doe So in the eleventh chapter verse twentie eight He shall doe and shall returne to his owne lande In which places is signifyed a certaine free and chiefe power of doing which should not feare the iudgement of any The time of doing are two and fourty monâ—ths the same space wherein the temple remaineth measured the two Prophets mourne and the woman lyeth hid in the wildernes as in the 11 chapter second verse and 12. chapter sixe verse from whence the beginning of all these is to be judged the same At one time the Church is banished the Prophets weare sackecloth and the Beast or Antichrist is borne to wit in that first refreshing after the publike persecutions about the yeer 300 as before hath ben said But shall there be also the same ending Shall the Beast be deprived of all power to doe and the womaÌ„ returne our of the wildernes togither This peradventure is against it that after the two and fourty moneths ended he maketh warre with the two Prophets and overcometh them which is a thing of no small power as wee have shewed in the 11. chapter verse 7. Furthermore there remaineth yet a warre farre a way the most grievous to come long after those moneths as wee shall see after in the 16. chapter Last of all if there be the same ende of the moneths in regard of the Beast which there is of the woman how shall he have power to doe two and fourty moneths seeing some great parte of them did lay sicke yea as it were dead by meanes of his wounded head This space then seemeth to containe the whole tyranny of Antichrist so as that time when the wound was greene be taken away from it But wee have already shewed that this sickly time was ended with the raigne of the Gothes in the 3. ver which continued an hundred and fourty yeeres Therefore if wee take away these yeeres from the moneths of the womaÌ„ lying hid wee shall finde that at the ende of this lurking to with at the yeere 1546. that 37. moneths ten dayes only of the flourishing Kingdome of Antichrist wer past There are wanting therefore to this 5. moneths 20. dayes which if wee shall count from the yeere 1546. the last ende of Antichrist shall come out at the yeere 1686. or there about For so wee shall learne from other scriptures that he shall utterly perish about that time It may be that his destruction shall prevent this terme for neither doe I now reckeÌ„ curiously neither peradventure doe the History-writers nuÌ„ber the yeeres so faithfully as is meete But it shall not be graunted him to proceed further the furthest space being set downe by mee But peradventure these moneths are not the space of time from the first beginning unto the last ende of the Beast but onely the former yeeres of his raigne as many as may suffice to manifest him aboundantly to all men In which respect as they begin togither with the moneths and dayes of the woman and Prophets so also they have an ende togither The mention of the warre with the Sancts beneath in the 17. verse confirmeth this sense which warre wee have declared to have befallen at the ende of these moneths in chap. 11.7 From which exposition the Beast is said to have power to doe two and fourty moneths of the most part of these moneths because that small distance of time in which he should hide himselfe by reason of his wounded head should have a very little reckening made of it in respect of the whole number neither is the power which shal be afterward like to that of former time as the experience of this time proveth sufficiently wherein wee see the Popes forces since that warre was made that is since the Councill of Trent are become a great deale feebler and weaker so that his power is almost nothing to that which it was in former ages This latter is more plaine wherfore it pleaseth mee the more Yet notwithstanding I would not hide any thing as much as in mee lay where I should see the least doubt that either my selfe might finde out the trueth or at least wise might stirre up others to search it out 6 Therefore he opened his mouth to blasphemy Hitherto hath ben the given power now the thing it selfe is performed these two are distinguished because the heigh of impiety should not be looked for the first day but he should come to it by certene degrees and in processe of time But first he prepareth himselfe to blaspheme God and his name afterward his Temple last of all those that dwell in Heaven He blasphemeth God by vaunting himselfe to be God not as other Princes but sacrilegiously beyond the condition of mortall men as to whom power is given in Heaven and in Earth who shall rule from Sea to Sea and from the River to the endes of the world as may be seen in the first booke and 7. chap. of the Ceremonial pontifical And as the Pope Sixtus confirmed openly in these wordes Whosoever accusâ—th the Pope shall never be forgiven because he that sinneth against the Holy Ghost shall never beforgiven neither in this nor in the life to come See the first Tome of Councills in Purgat of Sixtus Thence followeth that which Boniface the eight singeth so loude thus Wee declare define and pronounce to every creature that it is upon necessitie of salvation that they be subiect to the Pope of Rome Extrav of Maiorit obed one holy SecoÌ„dly he opened his mouth against the Tabernacle That is the true Church of God lying hid and being as a stranger on the earth For this Tabernacle is the same that the Temple was in chap. 11.1 the dwelling place of God conversing with his people in the desert which sheweth evidently at what time chiefly he should cast out these blasphemies to wit when the Church should dwell in the wildernesse and should be knowne onely to a fewe obscure
Hildebrand granteth otherwise who in his Epistle to the Germanes said that Henry the fourth being smitten with his excommunication was blasted with lightening And not at all adventures the Spirit doubtlesse ruling his tongue as before time of Caiphas wherby the world might understand how the Beast should make fire to descende from heaven But there is no neede that wee should seeke a metaphoricall sense when the History ministreth most plaine demonstrations Of which sort was that thing that Pope Zacharias in the moneth of Iune journeying twards Ravenna in the day time was covered with a cloude against the heate of the Sunne in the night time armies of fire went before him in cloudes Centur. 8. from Polych booke 5. 25. In the same place is rehearsed that a Songe of Felix Archbishop of Ravenna placed by the Pope Constantine in the most sacred confession of blessed Peter the Apostl after a fewe dayes was souÌ„d blacke and burnt with fire see it in the booke of Pontifical they would make men beleeve that it was blasted from heaven But that is more cleere that a certaine Biâ—hop shaking up with many taunts Hildebrand for his privie grudge against Henry was destroyed with lightening and dying cryed Alas I miserable wretch bâ—und with a chaine of fire am drawne to Hell goe yee shâ—we the Emperour that he may repent and make amendes by duties for his hâ—inous offense committed agâ—iâ—st â—od against S. Peter and against his Vicar unlesse he had leiffer follow after mee going before to everlasting punishments The same day also the Bishop of Spira bearing some evill will to Hildebrant gave up the Ghost CeÌ„t. 11. from Avent booke 5. of Chronicles Did not the Ambassadours of Armenia see upon the head of Pope Eugenius while he celebrated the Masse at Viterbium a beame of the Sunne shining with most cleare brightnes and in it two doves ascending and descending Centur. 12. In the City Barra when Innocentius was saying the Masse and Lotharius the Emperour being present there appeared a golden crowne wheron sate a white Dove under the crowne hanged a smoaking Câ—nsâ—r and beside it two burning firebrands In the same place from the Chron of Saxe What can be more cleare then these thinges Wherefore now I thinke that the Iesuites will not deny how that nothing doth here hinder but that the Pope of Rome may well be the Antichrist Concerning the third miracle wee shall see in his place in the 15. verse afterward 14 And he seduceth the inhabitans of the earth Therefore these wonders ar not true but false and lying such as are Antichrists according to that of Paul with all power and signes and lying wonders 2 Thess 2.9 Although they are not called lying therefore because they are meere delusions in which there is nothing beside a bare shewe onely but partly because they differ very much from true howsoever they shal be wonderfull as which exceede not the powers of Nature done by the power of the Devill by a way unknowne to us whereupon they affect the beholders with great admiration partly for that they pertaine to the establishing of errour and lying For whatsoever belongeth to the commendation of any thing what soever which is contrary to the sacred trueth of the Scriptures it is that lying signe howsoever it is permitted of God to be very marveilous both for to try the elect and also to delude the wicked whom God by his just judgement giveth over that they should beleeve lyes which would not receive the love of the trueth as in the second Epistle to the Thess secoÌ„d chap 10.11 To which rule that cannot deceave if wee examine those apparitioÌ„s which are said to have bene done at Spandavia Birthinum other places in Germany in the yeere 1549. those glorious Angels shal be Devils traÌ„sformed into Angels of light as 2 Cor. 11.14 Let it therefore be true which the Papists boast of their miracles and admit that it were done in very deede which is put in writing by their men Yet neverthelesse while all those things doe carry away men from the trueth to errours and superstitions they are wicked they are lying wholly of the same kinde of which is this fire that the Beast bringeth from heaven ¶ Saying to the inhâ—bitans of the earth that they should make the image of the Beast These wordes as they are in the Greeke may be referred to the Beast himselfe as thou he should say speaking to the inhabitants of the earth that he had made an image of the Beast c as though he would render a wonderfull reason of his workes declaring that he had done all thinges for this intent that the former image of the Beast might be revived Or they may be referred to the people as all Interpreters doe translate saying to the inhabitants of the earth that they should make c. as though it were written saying that they should make c. Which is the ende of all these miracles that the first Beast might be placed in honour with men and it is in the power of the people to make this Image For unlesse they give honour there should be no glory for this Beast But to make an Image to the Beast is with the Greekes spoken in the third case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is this difference that a man maketh an image of some body as a Painter or Carver of Images who fashioneth an Image for gaine or for his minde sake but he maketh an Image to some body who maketh it for the sake or honour of some body But this Image is not any coloured picture or image made of any matter For all must be slaine that will not worship this in the next verse but an Image made cannot come unto all men unlesse either it be carried through all countries or if it shall have a fixed place all leave their dwelling places for to goe thither into a straÌ„ge country Furthermore this Image shall effect by his owne strength that whosoever shall refuse this worship he may be killed as in the next verse But this power is greater then can agree either to a picture or Image howsoever wee have read that some have spoken at some time by the cunning of the Devill Neither are the Images of living men wonte to be thrust upon the people to be worshipped Images indeede may be set up for living men but onely for civill honour not religious worship Therefore this Image is not any picture of the body but a lively and expresse figure of honour Kingdome power which the second Beast should carry of the former For this is that which the second striveth for that in his person the first may be revived VVhich his wicked ambition is declared most significantly in this kind of speaking For first when he desireth earnestly an image to be put to the first Beast by the same he sheweth that he doth require no newe thing but onely
men to blaspheme ver 21. Scholions 1 And J heard a great voice out of the Temple In the commandement we ar to consider whence the voice cometh to whom and to what ende It commeth out of the Temple as it did in chap. 9.13 from the foure hornes of the altar sometime from the Throne as after in chap. 19.5 The difference is that the voice from the Throne cometh as it were immediately from God from the Temple wheÌ„ any thing is obteyned by the prayers of the saincts who here are sayd to command that we may know how great force faithful prayers have which as if they were authors of the thing to be doon doe so boldly bid the matter to be taken in hand And in deed it could not be that men inlightned with so great light of the truth should not earnestly strive with God in prayer to destroy Antichrist very speedily Aretas hath not these words out of the Temple but al our books agree as doth also the vulgar Latine and in other places it is usually told wheÌ„ce any voice cometh They to whom it came are the seven Angels But what need was there of it may some say seing they were appointed before unto this busines and furnished with things needful in the former chapter Verily they stood ready at the barrieres and wayting for a signe but unto a coÌ„mon commandement ther must also come a special if any would have ful power to doo a thing For this therfore doo they wayt shewing that not so much as a finger may be moved without Gods wil providence wherby al things are governed The commandement is that they goe and power out their vials upon the earth But some of them are poured upon the sea rivers sun aier It is true yet al their force redoundeth upon the earth The other elements have not a chaunge for their owne sake but to affect the earth therby as that which is the common basen for the liquour powred out But how then is this proper â—o the first as the verse folowing sheweth which is common to all We shal see in the particular explication that the first belongeth indifferently to the common multitude of the inhabitans of this earth the other unto some certayn sorts of chief note 2 And the first went and powred out his vial upon the earth We have seen the commandement now beginns the particular execution Where the effecting of the work is the powring out of the vial upon the earth VVhich words must not be taken properly For the vial is not any material vessel nor full of very liquour but of Gods wrath as in the former chapter ver 7. Neyther is the earth this ground which we tread upon but first it signifieth men and then not alâ— but Antichrists marked servants onely as the event straightway teacheth for ther came a soare on the men that had the Beasts mark In which sense it hath been often used before which we doo therfore coÌ„stantly reteyn in al out explication that therby we may the better see how the whole prophesie agreeth with it selfe The event giveth a noysome grievous soare that is malignant and incurable as Physicians use to cal it wher ther is so much ranckling and venimous matter in it as it wil never suffer it to heal up But neither is this a soare truly and properly so caled whose procreant causes we see are figuratively borowed And like events must we minde to be in the other vials also for to expound them according to strict property of speech as doth the Iesuite is not to explayn but rather to confound al things so as the light of the truth shal never appear They which have this ulcer on them ar men There came an ulcer against the men as Th Beza translateth it or in the men as the vulgar Latine saith in homines according to that phrase of sitting in the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thes 2.4 But the preposition with the fourth case signifyeth as if the boyles tormented them not so much by cleaving in the body as by afflicting it outwardly which doth more agree to figured soares as if he should say those things shal be doon against Antichrists bondmen which shal prick and vexe them no lesse then noysome soares Of what condition these meÌ„ are is declared by the mark of the Beast and worshiping of his Image VVe have shewed before chap. 13.17 from the threefold note wherwith the Beasts worshipers are signed that the first hath the name of the whole is called a Character or Mark the place wherof is in the right hand VVhich was the propre note of his chief worshipers the Noble men Clerks Scholars c on whom as upon propps the Beast doth chiefly lean VVherefore these should specially be plagued with this soare But not they onely that have his mark but also they that worship his Image And this is chiefly of the learned men and such as are wiser then the common sort as is shewed on chap. 14.9 although the worshiping of the Image is in some sort common to al chap. 13.15 and therfore should this soare molest the whole crewe of them yet specially those which think they ar furnished with the coÌ„sent of al antiquity for to give that honour to the Beast But hence we may observe how it can not be that the first vial should be alone with the first trompet seing the vial is powred onely on this kind of men wheras there were not any such before the second Beast whose beginning is not ancieÌ„ter then the fift trompet which point we noted on the first verse of the former chapter These things thus explayned doo al lead unto this that this ulcer is nothing else but spite envie then which no greater torment could Siculâ—an tyrants feel as sayth the Poet. And herewith were the Papists marvelously tormented when the vial was powred out Which sicknes is rightly caled an ulcer the nature whereof it resembleth by a twofold accident For it forceth them that ar troubled therwith to keep in and not come abroad so that they flee the sight of them for whose prosperity they ar striken sick as of old the Aegiptians who togither with their Sorcerers had by the sprinkling of the ashes so many blisters al over theÌ„ that they could not stand before Moses Exod. 9.10.11 Then also in private they are so afrayd to be touched that they use al the means they may to keep the soare least it be squised Which kind of evil came upon the men that bare the Beasts badge straight after the opening of the Temple chap. 11.19 to which these vials as I have shewed are to be joyned which the repetition of things past hath severed with so long a space between namely about the yere 1560 where the former Prophesie ceased For then our gracious Q. Elizabeth being bidden by the voice out of the Temple to powr out her vial upon the earth that is being admonished by
against all faithful evidence of other books An unhonest prank and an impious but not new with the Romists who shewed themselves such artizens long since in the Council of Nice But what doo they mean by adulterating the writings of the ancients Would they stop the mouth of this age They cannot ther are left thanks be to God true copies by which their sacrilegious impudency is coÌ„vinced Or as is more likely doo they provide for time to come Foolish Popelings which now get ancieÌ„t writers to succour you when shortly ther shal not a Papist be left for them to yeild succour unto Your cause within these few yeres shal be tried not by the Fathers but by fyre and sword as this Revelation wil manifest In the mean while we may observe both how daÌ„gerous it is to depend now on the Fathers imprinted by others and how ful of botches the Popish crew is which is so afrayd of nayles as it pareth them to the quick not herewith content wrappeth woll also about the Fathers fingers that they may the softlyer handle their scabby bodyes 3 And the second Angel powred out his vial upon the Sea The second vial puts forth his force against the sea to weet figurative as was the earth for ther is the same respect doubtlesse of every one And seing the overthrow of Antichrist is here in hand what great dammage should he suffer more then al other men by the sea properly so caled turned into rotten blood For this is the first effect of this vial neither would the second hurt him any whit more wherby al living things dye in this sea The earth affordeth him infinite daynties so that he may easily bear the want of fishes though they should dye every one Wherfore we must not stick in the native signification but take that which we have seen often used before It meaneth therfore Doctrine the notable change wherof should fall out under this vial of corrupt being made most corrupt In former ages verily it was turned into bloud but now it changeth into much more grosse and royled filthinesse then ever before until at length it becometh like the bloud of a dead man that is rotten clammy grosse black bloud not liquid and fresh such as floweth from a living body The first Council of Trent therfore is this sea being no lesse conpounded of a hotchpotch of al Popish errours then the natural sea is of the gathering togither of many waters VVhich Council was begun some yeres before as we have shewed chap. 11.7 but at length was made an end of and confirmed by the definite sentence of P. Paul the 4. at the request of the Cardinals Moronus and Simoneca in the name of the rest of the Council in the yeare 1564. Into this sea of errors the yere after and the eight next folowing the second Angel Martin Chemnitius powred out his vial who began and composed a Trial of this Tridentine Council and found it to be nothing but an horrible confused Chaos of many monstrous opinions But this occasion forthwith upstarted many doughty Papists to mainteyn the same who behaved theÌ„selves so fortunatly in this service that by defending the bloud they turned it into rotten bloud that is heaped up many more pestilent errors to theÌ„ that were before Among the rest there rose up handlers of controversies at Rhenes Doway Loven as frontier Captaynes by whose industrie it came to passe that al the durt which lay stinking about here and there in many ditches was scraped togither into one channel that therof at length mought exist this rotten sea But above al the heaping togither of waters most fowl with carrayn bloud was playn to be seen when P. Gregory the 13. in the yere 1571. procured two ample Colleges to be built at Rome for to corrupt youth beyond the Alpes and made Robert Bellarmine master of this worke that he should uÌ„fold the controversies of faith unto the students of those Colleges For he that he might the more provide for his auditors that is the sooner destroy them thought it not best to labour about any one point two or three as many others had doon before but to bring al controversies into one body as it were which he saw was yet waÌ„ting as himselfe confesseth in his Epistle to the Pope Wherby through Gods good providence it came to passe that an intyre and perfect body of Popish doctrine absolute in al points which never was before being largely disputed in these books of controversies did now come forth in publik that they which willingly shut not their eyes might see the Sea playnly turned into filthy bloud ¶ And every living soul dyed in the Sea But how can this be may some say seing every sowl liveth not in the sea This it may be caused Theod. Beza to transplace the words thus and whatsoever thing lived in the sea dyed But the natural order of the words hath a meaning agreable with al other of this book and of this kinde For we are to know that the whole crew of the malignant Church is divided eyther into the Clergie or into the rest of the Laitie Those clergie men are the proper living things of this sea these laie folk are cheifly earthly and denoted by the earth Now if he had sayd every sowl living in the sea dyed some would perhaps have gathered that this death was proper to the Clergie Doctours but when he sayth every living sowl dyed in the sea he teacheth that the popish lâ—itie people perish in this blood togither with the Clergie But thou wilt say the words perteyn alike unto al which any way live therfore this death seemeth to be common unto al. I answer al verily which before seemed to live so soon as they came down into this sea straight way were choked dyed But al the elect have their dwelling in the Temple and the Temple is placed in heaven chap. 15.6 so that they need not to be afrayd at al of this earthly sea whose rotten bloud shall kill onely the men of the same kind And here all unlesse they leave their earth that is unlesse they forsake the Popes religion shal finde destruction in this sea for no other waters shal they have to drink but these thus filthy nor be informed with any other doctrine then that is drawen out of the Council of Trent and controversal books of the Iesuites How can they then but dye presently if they drink of those waters wherin al the foundations of salvation are turned into deadly poyson Most miserable therfore is your estate ô yee Papists which drink in filthy bloud as most sweet heavenly liquour and settle your salvation in most certayn destruction But it is Gods just judgement that they which despise the pure waters of life should miserably perish in this bloud draw out ô highest God those whom thou hast destinate to the prayse of thy mercy But besides let us know that it is not safe
that AlexaÌ„der himselfe never boasted of any such wonder in his Epistles Arianus writeth that usually ther is no way to passe through the sea neer Phaselis but when the North winds blow which blew vehemently when Alexander went that way that they seemed not without Gods power to have yeilded them an easy passage But Strabo book 14 writeth most playnly that the soldiers traveiled al the day even up to the navel in the waters So then Alexander passed through the waters that were shollow and not quite dryed up Neyther doo I think can it be found in any record that such a thing did ever happen to any other people then the Iewes The vanity of writers may feign many things but the Scriptures doo challenge this as peculiar to this nation onely I will say sayth God to the deep be dry and I wil dry up thy flouds Isa 44.27 And againe Art not thou the same which dryed up the sea even the waters of the great deep making the deeps of the Sea to be a way for the redeemed to passe over Isa 51.10 And least some should thinke this miracle was onely for the time passt and not such to be looked for ever after he addeth in the next verse So the redeemed of the Lord shal returne and come with joy into Sion c. And in Isa 63.11 where should he be that brought these up out of the sea with the shepheard of his flock which cleft the waters for thâ—se to make himselfe an everlasting name which led these through the deepe as an horse in the wildernes so that they stumbled not It is no marvel therfore if the peculiar note ensigne of this nation onely be putt for the men themselves But what need there a way to be prepared for them Shal they returne agayn to IerusaleÌ„ Ther is nothing more sure the Prophets playnly confirme it and beat often upon it Yet not to the end that the ceremonial worship should be restored but that the mercy of God may shine unto al the world in giving to a nation now scatered over al the face of the earth dwelling no where but by leave their fathers habitations wherin they shal serve Christ purely and sincerely according to his owne ordinance onely A thing of old commonly spoken of by the ancient Iewes which they understood by the Prophets although but narrowly and through the lattisse Wherupon it was berayed with old wives fables both in ages past and so is now at this day The feighned Esdras saw some sparkles of this truth which he overwhelmed with so many and great fictions that he had need be a wary and attentive reader and one of no mean judgement that would gather gold out of that confused heap They entred in saith he speaking of the ten tribes that were led captives at the narrow passages of the river Euphrates for the most high then shewed them signes and stayed the springs of the river til they were passed over 4. Esdras 13.43.44 A Iewish fable but neerer to the truth is that which there foloweth ver 47. The most high shal hold stil the springs of the river agayn that they may goe through c. which agreeth with this place may both of them be understood metaphorically though nothing letteth why it may not please God agayn to shew his ancient power of drying waters up extraordinarily Seing therfore it is certayn that this nation shal earnestly flock unto the Gospel and that in the last times as Paul teacheth Rom. 11.25 and the last period of things is of the vials it is not likely that such a wonderful matter should have no mention at al in this clear Prophesie unto which also here is added the proper ensigne of this nation for whose onely sake both sea river as we read were dried up I am not altogither unadvised in supposing that this is the onely matter here in hand which must eyther be fouÌ„d in this place or be wholly omitted in this book VVherfore after Rome is overthrown and cut off there shal be a common bruit of this new Christian people at the hearing wherof the Gentiles shal be astonished But what are the Iewes Kings why not seing al Christians are Kings Rev. 1.6 and the fowr and twenty Elders which represente the whole company of the faithful doe all wear crownes chap. 4.4 And this magnificent name doth the Spirit give them because it shal be very honourable after so many ages and so stiff stubbornes of that nation for them to come againe as it were by recovery of law unto the truth and religiously and holily with al observance to honour the same having their incredulous and obstinate harts subdued But besides this the whole East shal obey them that not without cause ar this people caled Kings in respect of their long and large dominion Empire But they seem to be called playnly Kings in Isay 24.21 if we diligently mark the words and meaning of the place And it shal be saith he in that day the Lord wil visit the host of the high in the high place and the Kings of the earth upon the earth And they shal be gathered with a gathering as a prisoner into a pit and shal be closed up in the close-place and after many dayes shal they be visited And the Moon shal be abashed and the Sun ashamed when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Sion and in Ierusalem and shal be glorious before his Ancients the Kings of the earth are al one who after are gathered into the pit after many dayes are visited and at whose deliverance the Moon is abashed c. VVhich last words are certenly meant of the ful restoring of the Iewes wherfore the first words intend also the same VVhom God in heavy indignation because they refused his Son did thrust into the pit or dungeon for many ages togither and kept them closed up in a very hard prison But at length after many dayes he will visit these prisoners and bring them out of the gayl for whose ferveÌ„t zele and singular study of true godlines the Churchches of the Gentiles as the Moon Sun shal be abashed at this greater brightnes They ar caled the host of the high in the high because the Iewes were the peculiar people of the high God and of his Church which is heavenly wherupon they ar often caled in Daniel qaddische hheljonin the Saincts of the high Dan. 7.22 c. But this is inough to find out the meaning of this place I may not now stand longer upon it I have handled it the more at large for to give occasion unto our men to mind these things more diligently These Kings come from the East because the greatest multitude of Iewes is in those countries and these first of all shal see the truth and embrace the study of it But thou wilt say The Temple is shut until the seven plagues be fufilled which we shewed to be
marchandise not so much by sea as by land from whence they are called the marchants of the earth Furthermore these are the Peres and great men of the earth ver 13. in a higher place and honour then they which sell marchandise Last of al we shal see that the soules also of men are amoÌ„g the wares of these men ver 13. which by no meanes wil not suffer us to stick to the proper nature of the words Therfore certaine common marchants are not here to be minded although these also shall suffer great losse but the stately Lords Cardinals Archbishops Popish Bishops who exercise a marchandise of soules and flourish by this marchandise with the glory of Noble men For we shal see after that Rome is compared to Tyrus because she is no lesse noble a marte town of spiritual things then once Tyrus of al those things which belong to the deligts of this life as we may see in Pope Alexander of whom was this sung common Alexander sels the keyes the Altars yee Christ also First of all he had bought them then by right he may doo so But Baptista Mantuan writeth more fully not of Alexandre alone but of the whole company and daily custome of the Romish court with us are to be sold The Temples Preists Altars the Holy things the Crown The fyre Jncens the Praies Heaven God is to sell Who can desire a better furnished market Neither mayest thou think this to be the overmuch libertie of railing Poets but a iust complaint of more holy reformers Bernard saith that the sacred degrees are given unto an occasion of dishonest luâ—re and that gaine is counted godlinesse in his first sermon of the conversion of Paul Budaeus in his Pandects saith the Popes decreâ—s are not profitable for the governement of manners but I had almost said doo seeme to give authority to occupie a banke for love Ludovicus Vives on August of the Citie of God book 18. chap. 22. saith though all things almost are sold and bought at Rome yet thou mayest doo nothing without a law and rule and also of a most inviolable authority But it were an infinite thing to sayle in this sea no shore of which thou canst see howsoever thou shouldest obtaine a prosperous winde for some few dayes Such therfore are both the marchants wares Although I wil not deny the huge excesse also of things which perteine to the body by conveying wherof thither many have waxed verie rich But here chiefly the marchaÌ„dise of soules seemeth to be understood than which no science hath been more gainful now for manie ages Augustine the Monk perhaps at home of no estimation yet because he had brought the Britaines into bondage under Rome was made Archbishop of Canterbury Venefride the English man called Boniface his name being changed by this way became Bishop of Mentz and togither also Governour of the Church of Coloine Who can recken up all who have made a way for themselves to verie great dignities by this same meane Alan an English man a traitour betraying the faith his countrey Prince to the Pope deserved by this trade of marchandise to be amoÌ„g the Peeres of the earth having gained the dignitie of a Cardinals hat Yea that this trafique might not be cold whom gaine and profits moved not those the crafty whore inflamed with honours and glory The King of Spaine was made the Câ—tholike King of France the moâ—t Christian King The Swissers the Defenders of the Church and furthermore endued with two great banners both the Cappe Sword Some reward is wanting to no man to the end that they may exercise the more diligently that profitable marchandise Threefold therfore is the cause of the destruction of Rome because â—he is the mother of Idolatry the corruptresse of Kings and nations and that may be sâ—ffered no longer for her arrogancy and pride and buying selling of soules By which things this right excellent Captaine being moved shal undertake this expedition against her 4 And I heard an other voice Such is the first Angel and the Prince as it seemeth of this warre the second as an under Captaine dooth his office in counselling and exhorting But here is no mention made of the Angel but onely of a voice from heaven as though this exhortation were without an authour his name being concealed from whom it commeth For which cause we have said in the Analysis that this Angel is namelesse It is in deed an odious argument which he handleth wherupon peradventure he will conceale his name which being known would bring no profit but might procure some danger the adversaries being of so spitefull minds His speech is continued even unto the one and twentith verse so copious shal be the admonition of some faithfull man which togither with the preparation to this warreÌ„ shal be spread abroad godly and truly warning men of the present punishment of Rome Notwithstanding that which wee have spoken of his name concealed is not of such necessity as that it must needs be so seeing the like voice from heaven did shew his author as the event declared chap. 14.13 But it is likely to be true that the name is to be concealed ¶ Goe out of her my people The exhortation consisteth of two parts the first part perteineth to them which live in Babylon warning them that acknowledging at the length the filthinesse of that citie they forsake the same and depart to an other place that they would no longer for her sake expose themselves to certain destruction Wherfore some elect lie hidd yet in the dreggs of the Romish impietie whom God remembreth in the coÌ„mon destruction of the wicked He will not suffer Lot to perish togither with the Sodomits and he used the like exhortation long since to his people when the mother of this Babylon was to be razed Ier. 51.45 And this commandement shal not be made in vaine to his people to whom alone it is proper to obey his voice Therfore even as the mises perceaving before hand that the house will fall doo runne away out of their holes so they being wakened out of sleep by the Angels voice shal convey them selves by and by out of this detestable city ¶ Least ye be partakers of her sinnes For of what sinners the felowship is not forsaken their guiltines is conveyed to men Therfore he saith not that ye be not partakers of her punishments but which is farr more greevous of her sinnes This feare wil provoke and inforce them to runne away who are convinced in their consciences of the Romish wickednes 5 For her sinnes are heaped up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one following an other as chained togither at length they hav reached eveÌ„ unto heaven But if through the whole Papistical Kingdome Rome be the holy city Peters chaire which cannot erre this chained row hath suffered a great interruption which as it much exceedeth the ages of the Heathen Emperours so much the more
are the names of the twelve tribes of the childrē of Israell 13 On the East part there were three gates on the North side three gates on the Southside three gates on the Westside three gates 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations in which were the names of the Lambes twelve Apostles 15 And he that spake with mee had a golden reed for to measure the citie withall and the gates therof and the wall therof 16 And the city lay foure square whose length is as large as the breadth of it the length and the bredth and the hight of it are equall 17 And he measured the wall therof a hundreth fourty foure cubits by the measure of man that is of the Angel And the building of it was of Iasper 18 And the city was pure golde like unto cleare glasse And the foundations of the wal of the city were garnished with all manner of pretious stones 19 The first foundation was of Iasper the second of a Saphyr the third a Chalcedonie the fourth an Emerande the fift a Sardonix 20 The sixt a Sardius the seventh a Chrysolite the eight a Beryll the ninth a Topaze the tenth a Chrysoprasus the eleventh a Jacynth the twelft an Amethyst 21 And the twelve gates were twelve Pearles every gate is of one Pearle the street of the city is pure gold as shining glasse 22 Neither saw I any temple therin for the Lord God almighty and the Lambe are the temple of it 23 And this city hath no need of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God doth light it and the Lambe is the light of it 24 And the Nations which are saved shall walke in the light of it and the Kings of the earth shal bring their glory and honour unto it 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut by day for there shal be no night there 26 And the glory and honour of the Gentils shal be brought unto it 27 And ther shal enter into it no uncleane thing neither whatsoever worketh abomination or lyes but they which are written in the lambes book of life Analysis HITHERTO hath bin the maner of gathering the Church afterward is declared what shal be the condition of it being gathered Which is shewed to be most happy first generally from the things seen a new heavē earth ver 1. the holy city ver 2. also from things heard partly in common touching the presence of God with men ver 3. Of the removing of calamities ver 4. a new restoring of al things ver 5. partly in private concerning the certainty of the Prophecy ver 5. of the mystery now fulfilled v. 6. and the rewarding both of the godly ver 6.7 and also of the ungodly ver 8. And such is the generall declaration The particular relateth the revealing cause an Angel ver 9. 10. And the thing revealed universally ver 10.11 By parts in respect of the wall and city and essentiall parts as the forme of the wall ver 12.13.14 The forme of the city ver 15.16.17 Afterward of the common matter ver 18. Speciall of the wall ver 19.20.21 Speciall of the city ver 21. The externe arguments by which the glory of this city is set forth is first God himself who is both the temple ver 22. and the light of the city ver 23. Secondly the Gentiles which shal bring their glory to it ver 24 both free from all feare and suspicion ver 25. also from any defiling by contagion ver 27. Thirdly a mervailous aboundance of things necessary the continuance of this glory in the chap. following Scholions 1 After J saw a new heauen The opinion of the resurrection from the ende of the former chapter hath mooved very many to interpret al these things of the Church as it shal be at length in heaven But wee have shewed that neither the last resurrection is intreated of there neithe doth the Spirit describe here to us the Angelical blessednesse of the Saincts after this life but of them yet conversing upon the earth as the thinges which are mentioned doo manifest in their places Neither perhaps is it needfull that the heavenly inheritance should be adorned with words which all know wel ynough to surmount any praises whatsoever even they also in whose eyes the Church on earth is otherweise despised but concerning this her estimation is lesse with mortall men then ought to be because shee is a stranger wherupon ther may hav bin a necessary reason to set forth more largely the glory and dignity of it The descriptron wherof notwithstanding maketh a way to comprehende in minde that celestial happinesse For if the magnificence of the spouse be so great on earth of what sort are those things which God hath prepared for his with himselfe But the mind is weakened at the thinking of this let us therfore turne our eyes aside to this earthly pleasantnes greater indeed then all words can set forth yet more capable to our senses and which within a few yeeres shal be made clare to the world The interpretation of the new heaven and earth may be taken out of that to the Hebrewes chap. 12.26 whose voice then shooke the earth but now hath declared saying yet once more will I shake not onely the earth but the heaven where to shake heaven and earth by the interpretation of the Apostle himselfe is to abolish the old manner of worship and people For heaven by trāslation is the temple and whole legal worship wherof that temple was the seate and place where it abode long as Heb. 8.5 From whence to shake heaven is to abolish that worship The earth are men and more properly the Israelites a people to whom that legal worship did belong Therfore to shake the earth is to shake the Israelites to remove them out of their place Neither hath the common use of speaking through this book digressed any whit from this signification of the words where heaven is the more pure Church the earth the degenerate citizens as we have seen in their places Even as God therfore in the first comming of his sonne shooke the heaven and the earth in reiecting that old both worship and people and ordaining and choosing a new so againe when it shal please him to have mercy on the forsaken nation and to bestow upō it salvation by Christ he shal darken the former glory of heaven earth making the dignity and honour of his new people so famous as if he had created all things a new Vherunto belongeth that of Isaiah For behold I will create a new heaven and a new earth as thoug he should say I will appoint a most pure manner of worshiping mee and wil take unto mee a new people in whose assembly I wil be honoured chap. 65.17 Of which sort is that of the Apostle If any be in Christ he is a new creature old
God So Ieremy from whence these things are taken expoundeth them I will put my law in their minde write it in their harts and I will be their God and they shal be my people chap. 31.32 c. 4 And God shall wipe So is the presence of God now foloweth that which concerneth the remooving of the calamities The truth shal not be made to sorow againe nor be oppressed with the tyranny eyther of the Beast or Dragon or any such like plague but now being victour and conquerour of all enemies shall flourish He borroweth these words out of Isay chap. 25.8 that we may know of what times the Spirit speaketh Isaiah in the same place speaketh of the felicity of the Christian Church of the Iewes on earth as is evident from that vengeance which God wil take in his time on the Moabites ver 10. For the hand of the Lord shall rest in this mount and Moab shal be threshed under him even as straw is threshed for dunging He ioyneth togither both the singular goodnesse of God toward the Israelites and the final destruction of the Moabites And the Spirit using that Prophecy in this place shewe that it is not accōplished of old but that at lenght it shal be fulfilled when this restoring of the Iewes shal come So Iohn Isaiah give light one to another ¶ And death shal be no more The greevousnesse of punishments shal cease in which sense Isaiah saith he will swallow up death into victory chap. 25.8 and Hoseah I will redeeme them from the power of the grave I will deliver them from death O death I wil be thy death O grave I wil be thy destruction repentāce is hidden from myne eyes chap. 13.14 Which place Paul applyeth to the last resurrection 1 Cor. 15.55 as also the Spirit hath shewed by the same this renewing chap. 20.12 And so indeed shal be the ful overthrowing of death when the bodies shal rise againe But in the meane time in the felicity of the new people ther shal be seen a patern of the great weakening of the sam Not because the separatiō of the soules bodies shal thē cease wherby the saints are translated into the Kingdome of heaven but because the sting of death being quite taken away it shal not serve to the scourging of the Church any more ¶ Neither sorow neyther crying neither labour These things declare how farre death shal be taken away to weet in regard of punishment not of departing unto eternal life So also the ministers and sumners of it shal be taken away For what right have the servants where their maister hath no authority Most happy bride which shal then be freed from such disturbers A visible image of the blessed reigne in heaven shal be now with men on earth ¶ For the first things are past Peradventure having respect to the first cōdition of the Iewes troubleous times and ful of misery because of Gods wrath provoked by their own often rebelliōs as though he should say ther shal be no more place afterward for this stubburnesse therfore neither shall God be so angry as in former times 5 And he that sate upon the throne said The certenty of this renewing happinesse is confirmed by an other testimony of great authority It is of him that sitteth on the throne that is the most high and eternal God himselfe who openly testifyeth that he will make all things new that is that he wil so restore the doctrine worship people and whole administration of things that men may worthily counte them new ¶ And he said unto mee write Iohn commeth now to those thinges which were spoken to him particularly In that he is commaunded to write it is as if it had bin said this is determined and resolved with God and as it were registred in statute books so as it cannot be altered or doo thou put it into common writtings that the faithful may have to shew how they may call upon mee for right see the chapter 19 at the 9. verse The writing which is commanded is that these words are true and faithfull to be performed at length in their time though the world mindes nothing lesse 6 And he said to mee it is done The second thing which was said to Iohn in private concerning the Mystery accomplished which shall have an end in the restoring of the Iewes Which consummation is part of the seventh vial the proper of which is to finish the Mystery of God as in the 16. chap. and 17. verse For this it is done is the same that is there If this were after it could not rightly have bin said there it is done to which some thing even then should be left which had not yet obtained his ende Wherfore seing that there some things are said to be done after the mystery finished which belong to this earthly life it followeth that neither that former it is done is after the last iudgement as hath bin observed in the 16. chapter 21. ver neither this second is to be referred to any other thing but to this present life Aretas and Montanus doo reade otherweise And he said unto mee J am made Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ende The Complutent edition and the Kings Bible doo reade thus And he said unto mee ' it is done J am alpha and Omega But Aretas and Montanus doo wrongfully omit it is done seing this belongeth to the explication of the seventh vial the chiefe point wherof concern the finishing of the mystery which is not accomplished in destroying the enemies of whom onely mention was made in the 16. chapter and 17. verse c. but in that last choise accomplished to which it is done is attributed for this cause namely by reason that it is the last ende of all Prophecies ¶ I am Alpha and Omega I am the same who both in the beginning hav decreed al these things to be done also now at length have put an ende to the same ¶ J wil give to him that is a thirst This is the reward of the godly who are said to be thirsty that is fervently desiring those things as are all they who have a tast of heavenly good things Blessed saith Christ are they which hunger thirst after righteousnes for they shal be satisfied Mat. 5.6 But then especially shal the Iewes thirst who shal satisfy themselves with no desire wherby they may perceive a more ful sweetnesse of Christ Yet neverthelesse even to these which shal burne with an exceeding great desire shall be given of the well of water of life freely that is not for any merit of their desire though amōg al the gifts givē to men it excelleth but of the free grace of God A notable place against the blasphemous doctrine of the Papists touching merit The Iesuite laboureth to shift it off making the same sense of it as of that of the Rom 8.18 The sufferings of this time are not worthy of
shall beare the sway And cast into the sea the gold and silver with disdayn And cast the brasse of brittle men and yrn ' into the Mayn Then shall the wordly elements all desolate remayn Sibyll prophecieth that after the death of Antichrist which we have had set forth in the former chapters the soveraigntie of things through the whole world shal be in the power of a woman But what manner of one Is it such a one as wee properly so call Nothing lesse This woman is the Church the spouse of Christ which shee calleth a widow not because she is a widow by the death of her husband as this word is wont to signif usually but because shee is on earth farr from him For shee is also a widow which after marriage dwelleth not togither with her husband for what cause soever it be Or shee may be called a widow because before her restoring shee sat a widow so long as in Hosea Sit still for my sake many daies neither be married to any other For the children of Isâ—ael shall remaine many dayes without a King and without a Prince without an offering withtout an Image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim afterward they shall returne c. ch 3.3.4.5 So Isayas So that he shall say in his heart who hath gotten mee these seeing I have bin baren and a desolate captive and a wanderer too fro c. chap 49.21 This then is that widow which after shee hath governed for a time at length shal deliver all her subiects to be translated in to heaven whither at length they shall goe when this whole world is destroyed with fire Seeing therfore that these things are so those are not to be understood of the future state after the resurrection For what Kinges shal then bring their glory thither Vnlesse peradventure as the Iesuite writeth ridiculously by building and inriching temples by sending predicatours into sundry countreys and by restreining the nations that are enemies to the faith Did the man dreame waking when he wrote these things that he would hav any such thing to be desired in the future state But I wil not vexe the man being as it seemeth sick of an ague 25 And the gates of it shal not be shut All danger shal be so farre away that no feare therof shal trouble them Ther shal be no enemy that shal invade but the gates shall be open alwayes to receive new strangers who in great companies shal flow thither continually Isay 60.11 Blessed is that city which shal enioy so happie so glorious and secure peace ¶ For then shal be no night there These words are somewhat otherweise then in Isaiah who speaketh thus and they shal open thy gates continually neyther day nor night shal they be shut c. that is they shal be opeÌ„ alwayes Ther is the same sense of this place but the mention of the night being omitted as unprosperous and wholly unmeete for the happines of this city as though he should say the gates shal never be shut for they are not wont to be shut in the day time neither shal it be needful to add nor in the night because ther shal be no night there 26 And glory shal be brought We spake of this matter at the 24. verse but the repetition is not in vaine which teacheth that the Gentiles shall have this continual desire to enrich and store this city Not because they shall give themselves to the gathering of riches or to ambition but because their good will shal be most gratefull who shal alwayes wish very wel unto it Or as the words doo sound and they shal bring the glory and honour of the Gentils unto it that is the Iewes themselves as though now he would shew how much they should doo by their owne strength when he hath shewed sufficiently what should come to them by the benefit of others Wherby not onely they shal be advanced but also shal be augmented with great glory by their owne riches 27 There shall not enter into it any thing that defileth This glory shal remain no lesse pure and undefiled than secure and without feare of enemies For the most part it commeth to passe that the rivers flowing beiond the bankes doo carry with them very much durty filth wherby the whole water becometh foule so for iust cause it might peradventure be feared that in this very populous assembly of the Gentils many wicked men shall assemble togither by whose contagion the most cleare purity at length should be defiled But the Spirit biddeth them to be secure as touching this point God wil provide that no filthy and impure thing shal enter in wherby the flower of so great dignity may be distained never so little ¶ But they which are written in the book ei me unlesse they which are written But the elect are not among the uncleane who through Christ have no spot wrinkle or any such thing Ephes 5.27 Therfore ei me is not to be translated as an exceptive by nisi unlesse but as a discretive by sed but as Theodore Beza hath noted Vnlesse perhaps ther be a respect to the former time as Paul concerning the elect and such were yee every one but ye are washed but yee are sanctified 1 Cor. 6.11 as though he should say no uncleane person shall enter into the city unlesse they which are written in the book of life who before their caling were uncleane but being sanctified by faith in Christ cease to be so CHAP. 22. AFTER he shewed mee a pure river of water of life cleare as Chrystal proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lambe 2 In the middes of the street therof and an the one and other side of the river was the tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruit and gave fruit every moneth and her leaves are for the health of the nations 3 And ther shal be no more curse against any man but the throne of God and of the Lambe shal be in it and his servants shall serve him 4 And they shall see his face and his name shal be in their foreheads 5 And there shall be no night there neither have they any need of the light of a candle nor of the light of the Sunne for the Lord God giveth them light and they shal raigne for evermore 6 Then he said unto mee these words are faithfull and true and the Lord God of the Holy Prophets sent his Angel to shew to his servants the things which must shortly be fulfilled 7 Behold I come quickly Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this booke 8 And J John am hee which have heard and seen these things And when I had heard and seen I fell down to worship before the feete of the Angel which shewed mee these things 9 But he said unto mee see thou doo it not for J am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren the Prophets and of
which keepe the words of this book Therfore to keepe the words of this book is to have the testimony of Iesus ¶ Seale not The publishing of a commaundement wherby ther should be free power to every one to examine and by the successe to iudge of the Prophecy Iohn might not have it for himselfe alone but should offer it to the trial of a publique examination as forthwith from the beginning he was bidden That which thou seest write in a booke and send it to the seven Churches chap. 1.11 And againe write these things which thou hast seen which are and which shal be that is hide it not from others but publish it But if the publicke publishing of it be onely respected how was Daniell commaunded to shut up his words and to seale the booke who also brought into open view his Prophecy Therfore this prohibition of not sealing includeth some other thing namely that things to come are in such sorte set downe that men by the events present and neere at hande might be ledde as by the hand fully to understaÌ„d the same Prophecie which chauÌ„ced otherweise to Daniell who was not manifest to every age for he lightly touching things interlaced is chiefly imployed in things that should lastly come to paste and therfore should expect the appointed time before which it was not to be unfolded which partly is to be understood of those more difficult visions partly of the people of the Iewes whom that Prophecy doth chiefly respect That which followeth confirmeth this interpretation for the time is at hand as if he should say shutte not up this Prophecy because the time neare at hand shall reveale it but Daniels was sealed up for the event farre to comme caused that for a great time it should lie hidden Therfore these words have the same force as the former Behold I come quickly 11 He that hurteth let him hurt still A preventing of a secret doubt wherby the mindes of the weake might be weakened for they see that the ungodly goe forward in their ungodlines and their punishment for many ages is differred Therfore they might demaunde how he would come quickly who so long forbeareth the wicked He then meetes with it and warneth that no man take this in ill part but minde that the ungodly will continue in their wickednes and the righteous will follow after righteousnes but that there are certen boundes set them beiond which they cannot goe neither must they wonder that a certaine increase of wickednes is permitted for a determined time for the greater condemnation of the ungodly but they are to leave those men and to turne their eies to the elect whose constant study of godlines ought to strenghten our wavering mindes against all stiffenes of the reprobate Therfore these are not the words of one exhorting but of one conforting and admonishing that by those scaÌ„dales our expectatioÌ„ be not diminished seeing that ther shall be such a state of things even to the last end ¶ And he that is iust shal be iustified still Let him be imployed in those workes wherby he may prove both to himselfe and others that he is iust but he doth not so much exhort as shew the perseverance of the saincts which being planted in Gods house bring forth more planteous fruites in their old age 12 And behold I come quickly But it was repeated before in the seventh verse but againe it is now pressed as an excellent remedy against the offense of the extreeme hardnes of the reprobate as if he should say as often as the wickednes of men doth stirre up the minde be thinke yee that shortly shal be the coming of the Lord. He hath promised it that cannot deceive nor measure you not the delay by your owne sense but beleeve stedfastly that that which he hath promised shall not be so long differed Yee consider that the Lord is present in those same things which are dayly done see that he now forthwith hasteneth his promises that ye may not complaine of his overmuch delay or may thinke that those things whiâ—h have bin foretold shall not come to passe Therfore these things doo very well accord with the former nor by any meanes are they to be referred to an other place albe it if this coupling togithe were not wee ought not to be much troubled about the consequence The rehearsall made which we have spoken off may containe in one full sentence divers things sundry persons without any light of bandes and transitions ¶ And my reward is with mee These words belong to the same comfort and set before our eyes Christ the rewarder against the offense both of the felicity of the wicked also those troubles which in the meane time the saincts doe finde God is iust neither can it be but that it shal goe well at length with the good ill with the wicked as hath bin declared in this same book in expresse words chap. 13.10 and 14.13 13 I am Alpha Omega They ar the words of Christ but not speaking in this place in his owne person but rehearsed by Iohn They confirm the Prophecy froÌ„ the eternity of Christ or rather froÌ„ his power as before wee have interpreted How should we not credit him so wel in pronouncing of things to come as past who is eternal or who hath given beginning to al things and at his pleasure caÌ„ reduce them to nothing chap 1.8 14 Blessed are they c. These things belong to the authority of Christ testifying to whoÌ„ whosoever obey is blessed He hath power over the tree of life the liberty wherof he giveth to them that obey him ch 2.7 of this ver 2. Moreover he giveth a right to enter into the city by the gates by which alone the way is open seing the wall is so hie that there is not any hope ever to climbe over chap. 21.17 15 But without shal be doggs Men of doggish impudeÌ„cy virulency who alwayes barke at every good things it shal be a grea felicity to be delivered from their society Concerning the troupe of the excluded see ch 21.8 16 I Iesus c. A confirmatioÌ„ froÌ„ a manifest testimony of Iesus himselfe not spoken here by his owne voice but by Iohns repeated froÌ„ ch 1.1 Christ speaketh never in this book in his own person without some significatioÌ„ of his most great maiesty wherby he may testify his presence ¶ That bright c. The morning starre is most clear sheweth the day following at her backe so Christ in this life shineth most brightly to the faithful being also a pledg to theÌ„ of a greater light shortly to coeÌ„ But morover he shineth to them by the first fruits of the truth of which he wil giv them shortly a ful abuÌ„ndaÌ„ce This praise is takeÌ„ froÌ„ ch 2.28 see mor there 17 But the Spirit c. A confirmation from the desire of the sanctified to whom nothing is so deare as to see these things
and 5.31.32 and 18.37 1 Tim. 6.13 And can there be any vaine thing in that which comes from so faithfull a witnes Or appertaines it to his credit to hide from us any thing which is no where else to be drawne forth than out of the chest of the brest of the Romane Prelate especially when no where or in one worde hath he allowed any such store house whence we must fetch it But these are the dotages of witnesses if possible it may be so vaine and unfaithfull as this heavenly and most true witnes is faithfull ¶ That first begotten from the dead These things concerne his Priesthood wherby thorough death he hath overcome death and hath made a full satisfaction for our sinnes for this is to be the first begotten from the dead that he first by conquering death arose againe whom death woulde nevâ—r have let go if it had but never so litle power to have kept him with him For which cause the Apostle saith he is risen againe for our justification Rom. 4 25. He seemes briefly and distributively to be called the first begotten from the dead for that which fully should be thus the first begotten of them which arise againe from the dead By which two things are signified first that he is the Prince and head of them that arise againe from the dead as the Apostle declares to the Coll. 1.18 And that he is also the beginning and the first begotten from the dead that amongest all he may have the preheminence therefore he is also called the first fruites of them which slept 1 Cor. 15.20 Secondly that at last by his power he will also raise up others from their graves Even as he himselfe saith and I will raise him up in the last day Ioh. 6.39.40 Which two things apperteine onely to the elect For neither is he the head of the wicked neither will he at the last daye raise them up in glorie to wit as the elect but onely by the force of that curse in what daie thou shalt eate thereof thou shalt surely die Gen. 2.17 will restore to them their bodies in which they shall endure everlasting torments Wherby it commeth to passe that this repairing seing that it is onely unto death scarsely in the scriptures in ioyeth the name of the resurrection And therefore the spirit seemeth not to speake collectively the first begotten of the dead but distributively the first begotten from the dead that is of those that arise from the dead as before hath bene spoken there being a plaine difference of the elect dead the reprobate ¶ And Prince of the Kings of the earth The Kingly office of Christ to which whatsoever is in heaven and earth is in subiection according to that all power in heaven and earth is given to me Mat. 28.18 But it was sufficient in this place onely to have mentioned his superioritie over Kinges above all which now by infinite degrees he is superiour who when he was in the earth seemed the basest of servants Neither do these things appertaine to his dignitie onely but also to his excellent power over all Kings which by bridling he now so restraineth that they can not move themselves but as farre as he please howsoever in former time he yeelded himself to their lustes ¶ Which hath loved us So hath bene his office the present benefite which the saints enioie is set forth with a thankesgiving The want of the relative maketh the sentence harsh which full should be thus to him which hath loved us c. which relative is expressed in the next verse to him be glory c But seing that in so long a circunstance of wordes a repetition thereof should be necessarie in the end he omitted it in the beginning least twise he should repeate the same that which once onely was to be spoken he leaveth often unspoken But Francis of Ribera exclaimes that this place is corrupted and that the latine copies without all doubt which now are are farre better corrected then the greeke copies But by the Iesuites leave neither is the place corrupted and if it were granted yet he should unwisely conclude this excellency of latine copies There is in this place a wonderfull coÌ„sent of all greeke copies Aretas thus readeth and expoundeth and he saw how all did fitly agree together The order saith he of this sentence after this maner returnes from the last to the first To him be glory and power which hath loved us wâ—shed us through his blood But this is harde saith the Iesuite Therefore let Iohn have no audieÌ„ce in his Athenian eares as incoÌ„grue which hath no thing more common than after the maner of his countrey both to want and to abonde with relatives In the 1. ver he had and he had signified for which also he had signified In the 5. And from Iesus Christ that faithfull witnes for And from Iesus Christ which is that faithfull witnes in the next verse and hath made us Kings for and which hath made us Kings and so afterward very often But be it that the place is corrupted shall for one blemish the price be taken away from a most beautifull maide and be bestowed on another whose bodie is wholly deformed But saith he our Jnterpretour as alwaies he is wont hath followed true and corrected copies also there without doubt where he tâ—rneth and he stood for and J stoode chap. 12.17 and no man could say the song for and no man coulde learne the song chap. 14.3 and the King of ages for the King of saints chap. 15.3 and in the same place clothed with a pure stone for with pure linnen ver 6. which art and which was holy for which art and which was and which will be chap. 16.5 in the same place J heard another saying for I heard an other saying from the altar ver 7. at one houre after the beast for at one houre with the beast chap. 17.12 vessels of precious stone for of precious woode chap. 18.12 Let these suffice for a tast of many other Saw the Iesuite these things was he not ashamed to confirme that the old Interpretour hath alwaies followed corrected copies But these are faultes of the Printers It may be some are But what have we to do with the Printers thereof as though the strife were not coÌ„cerning the greeke and latine copies which now are extant but of the first edition of the latine translation which no where at this daie is to be seen Next these are faultes both ancient and also now confirmed by the authorâ—ty of the Councell of Trent which hath set downe and decreed that of many latine editions this old and common translation which through so long experience of ages hath bin approved in the Church it selfe be accounted authenticke nor be refused under any pretence whatsoever it were an easie thing to shift of the authority of the Counsell if by putting over the fault to the Printers of the bookes
it were lawfull to departe froÌ„ the common edition Thou seest then that those faultes must be made good by thee and the fidelitie of the old Interpretour very ignorantly I will not say impudently boasted of though in deede so it was needfull for thee by reason of that dutifulnes wherby thou art bounde to Rome 6 And hath made that is and which hath made by a want of the relative as but now we have said All those things tende hereunto that they may teach that Christ hath not these good things for himselfe alone wherwith we have heard by the wordes last handled he is endued but doth poure them on the elect wherby they may be blessed thorough the participation of them ¶ Kings and Priests to God Some reade A Kingdome and Priests as also the common translation hath It makes not much for the meaning yet it is more likely that there is a conioining of persons betweene themselves than of things and persons The elect are Kings by participating of Christs Kingdome through which we have overcome the law death and sinne and doe daiely triumphe over the world treading under foote the same by faith 1 Ioh. 5.4.5 By him also we are Priests who being dead in him we have God mercifull to us and a waie opened to call boldly on him But he addeth wariely that we are made Kings and Priests to God that we maie not thinke that this honour is given to us eyther to trouble civill matters or to confound Churches politie ¶ To him be glory This is all that we can render for his exceeding benefits namely to wish that by his righteous praises he be celebrated amoÌ„gst all men And this thankesgiving seemes to be undertaken for Gods present gift thorough the knowledge of Christ poured forth on the GeÌ„tiles Beholde he commeth with the cloudes A benefite to come to be expected at his glorious coming To come with the cloudes is to manifest himselfe with a storme and tempest and wonderfull terrour of vehement and great lightening to be avenged on the wicked and to deliver his After which maner Daniell also speaketh of his coming J saw in the visions of the night that behold one like to the sonne of man came with the cloudes of heaven chap. 7.13 For so the notable iudgements of God ar wont to be described by which he poureth forth his fervent wrath on his enemies that we maie thinke that all creatures doe fight for God also he will use the heaveÌ„ the earth to helpe his people and furthermore that the reprobate shall have no meanes to escape After the like maner the Psalmist being delivered out of the handes of his enemies praiseth God for his power shewed from heaven in delivering of him Ps 18.13.14.15 In Mathew it is saide he will come on the cloudes chap. 24.30 but it may be in the same sence which is in Ps 18.11 and he sate on the Cherubins and did flie c. But the Angels affirme that he will come as they had seene him going into heaven Act. 1.11 And no feare was there onely the cloude tooke him awaie out of their sight but without any stricking of terrour But the similitude seemeth to be referred to the truth of the humane nature in which he shall returne to be seen of all men after which sorte he went into heaven not for the pompe and maiestie of his coming or the Angels speake in regard of the Godly to whom his coming shall be most ioyfull for which the reprobate shall in vaine desire that the mountaines should cover them All be it it shall be manifest by those things that follow that here these wordes are not spoken of his last coming but onely allude unto it because of the similitude ¶ And they shall waile over him Here the wailing is of repentance not of desperation as is plaine out of Zachary from whence these wordes are fetched and they shall looke saith he to him whom they have perc d and they shall lament over him as a lamentation for their onely begotten chap. 12.10 But seeing that when men shall stand before the throne of the universall iudgement their repentance shall be to late by no meanes these things seeme that they can be uÌ„derstood of the last iudgemeÌ„t neither of that his coming with the cloudes which but now he spake of but rather of that his excelleÌ„t glory which shall be manifest in the world in the calling of the Iewes Those are they which once perced him but at length they shall beholde him all the Tribes of the earth that is the whole nation of the Iewes shall with aboundaÌ„ce of teares bewaile the wickednes of their ancestours for delivering Christ to death And in deede the Revelation staies her narration upoÌ„ their conversion as hereafter God willing it shall be manifest And because then the glory of Christ shall be very great in the earth a most lively patterne of that which shall shine in the last daye a preparation unto this is brought for the beautifying of it Neither alone in this place but as it seemeth also in many other ¶ All Tribes These things are proper to the Iewes to whom once tribe by tribe the promised land was divided The thing could not in more exquisite wordes be declared Sometime the tribes are taken metaphorically but in no wise here seeing that Zachary mentioneth by name the Iewish tribes The land saith he shall lament every family apart the family of the house of David â—part the family of the house of Levy apart all the rest of the families every familie apart The lamenters here are those which were percers and the tribes are of those that lamented therefore of them which perced him to wit of the Iewes to whom properly this sinne belongs Therefore these wordes of the Apostle are thus as if he should saie Beholde he comes with the cloudes all men of all sortes shall see him also those which perced him to wit the Iewes whose predecessours crucified Christ and perced his side with aspeare these being scatered every where thorough all nations shall at length be convertâ—d to the true faith for earnest grief shall morne both for the detestable iniquity of their forefathers and also for their so long hardening yea Amen And so finally this is the summe of all that the benefite of Christ partly present is here celebrated in the calling of the Gentiles for that which he before spake of Kings and Priestes is referred to the seaven Churches of Asia that is to all the Gentiles embracing Christ at that present for which cause there is attributed to him the praise of glory power partly to come in the calling of the Iewes which we have declared to us both by their repentance and also by the desire and wishe of all the Godly ¶ Yea Amen The fervent desire of the Godly desiring this coming is expressed in greeke and hebrew for this shall be the wishe of all nations The
singular ioy and thankesgiving of the whole Creature but apart first of the Church ver 8.9.10 and of the Angels ver 11.12 After of the rest of the Creature ver 13. Last of all the Church togither subscribing to the common ioy reioycing of all thinges ver 14. Scholions Afterward I saw at the right hand the cōmon translation hath In the right hande as also the Interpreter of Aretas but all the Greeke copies with one consent have at the right hande They peradventure have put it in the ablative case because it followeth after in the seavēth verse that the Lambe tooke the booke from the right hand But this is noe sufficient cause to departe from the naturall property of the wordes when it may be that the weaknes of the creatures might be made to appeare the more the booke at the first was not in the right hande but at the right hande from whence if there were noe power to open it being offered and layd before without asking much lesse would there have ben any if he had held it in his handes Afterward when the debility of the Creatures was found out the booke was taken into his handes that the dignity of the Lambe might be the better knowne not taking it up hastily lying at his side but receaving it from hande to hande As touching the intent of this vision it seemeth good to the Spirit after the lively representation of the true Church in the former chapter which was to be layd as the fundamēt of all the building following before that he should come to the particular Prophesyes to put men in minde of the incomprehensible excellency of this Prophecy For wee are wont such is our slouthfulnes to passe by very greate and excellent thinges carelesly and sleepingly unlesse peradventure some body pull us by the eare and require instantly diligence mentioning the greatnes of the thing Least perchance the same thing should fall out in this place he setteth before our eyes that this is a Prophecy of that kinde which conteineth in it all the dāgers that at to be undergone of the Church through her whole race on earth yet wrapped in so great obscurity that no created minde can beholde it a farre off much lesse unfolde the same to others An argument in deede most worthy to be knowen and farre most pleasant of all thinges opening to us the hidden Mysteries with exceeding great desyre whereof men are inflamed or otherwise in searching out of them they torment themselves rashly and in vayne And yet neverthelesse it is not to be desyred onely for this cause to knowe it but because also it conteyneth events of that moment that it would be very hurtfull and for rowfull to the Church if they should wholy be concealed Therefore Iohn wept being privy to the dangers and togither therewith also minding the lacke of a guide And in deede the Church hardly holdeth on her course though this lampe be given her Howe miserable had shee ben left utterly in darknes and not perceiving sufficiently eyther which waye shee should goe forward or where to set her foote safely Iohn therefore had had iust cause to weepe if there had ben hope noe where of opening the sealed booke But the sudden assault of griefe bereft the holy man of understanding and suffered him not to thinke in whom there was ability while at length he knewe by the putting in minde of an other Therefore this Prophecy is famous for the worthynes of the argument excellency of the Mystery plēty of fruict but farre way most excellent because he alone was founde worthy to open the same who by his death founde out a redemption for the elect This is that thing for which the Church on earth the Angels in Heaven lastly the universall Creature reioyceth greatly and that not for a glorious shewe without the trueth of the thinge as the manner is in humane writinges in which the thinges are amplifyed for to adorne and set them forth but from a true feeling and iust cause of reioycing as hereafter wee shall see through Gods his helpe In the meane time shall not this exceeding great ioye of Heaven and Earth kindle in men a diligence to reade a desyre to understand and an endevoure to observe It is in deede a thing worthy of our serious meditation into which I have digressed and discoursed in many wordes because I see that the Interpreters eyther not to have marked the intendement of this chapter or at the least otherwise then was meete to have spoken nothing at all of a matter very needfull and necessary ¶ A Booke written within and on the backeside The first commendation of the Prophecy is from a Booke a copious writting and Seaven Seales in this verse That which is recorded in a Booke must without all controversy be certē being a faithfull helper of the memory whereas that which is noe otherwise grounded then onely upon the memory may easily in continuance of time eyther be utterly extinguished or at the least wise corrupted Whereupon GOD biddeth Ieremy for the greater credit of that Prophecy to write all the wordes that he spake unto him in a Booke in the thirty chapter of Ieremy and in the 2. verse So carefull is he to provide against our doubting that wee should not thinke otherwise of the things then of such as are written in publike bookes graven as it were in brasse so as they can neyther be altered nor forgotten The plenteous writing is shewed in that the booke was written within and on the backe side on both sides of the leafe And he speaketh after the olde māner of writing in somewhat lōge parchments which afterward were wounde about some rounde smooth peece of wood frō whence they were called volumes Christ is sayd to have unrolled the booke and rolled it up againe as in Luke chapter 4 verse 17. And the outside that I may use the wordes of the most learned Theod. Beza alway remayned cleane unlesse the inside was not able to containe the whole writing for then they wrote on the outward part which sorte of writinges were called exteriour writings as being written on the backe side This so great prolixitie therefore did containe not onely the chiefe points which peradventure might be included in some narrow place but also every most small thinges so that neither is there any neede to seeke and fetch ought from any other place which perteineth to the knowledge of future thinges and that wee knowe also that nothing can be done without the will of God The Complutent edition and some others read without but on the backe side is more often used from whence is written on the backe side as wee have shewed a little before Finally howe pretious are these Mysteryes which God hath with himselfe sealed up with so many seales The creatures could not so much as to looke on the BOOKE as is in the fourth verse much lesse was there neede of seales for to hidde
from them But by these meanes he will declare and manifest howe greatly wee ought to reverence his secrets 2 And J saw a strong Angell publishing There is a great dignity of the Prophesy from the certenty largenes scaling up but nowe a greater appeareth seeing the highnes thereof surmounteth every created Spirit For it is not of that kinde which the more prudent sorte of men can comprehende by any skilfull foreknowledg but wherein all must needes confesse their ignorance The which for to shewe he alludeth to the manner of Princes who in difficult thinges are wont by great rewards to provoke their subiects by the voyce of a Cryer to try their strength and there is almost none whoÌ„ in such businesse some small hope will not thrust forward to make tryall If so be that noe man cometh forth what is this else than an open confession of their imbecillity So the Angell is sent to enquire who is worthy to opeÌ„ the booke If noe man offereth himselfe let us acknowledge our owne impotency and the power of our Mediatour and togither also let us honour with due reverence these holy mysteryes for which cause God causeth in us this feeling of our owne want of power as of old in Adam before whoÌ„ ere he gave him a wife he set all creatures that noe fit helper being found he might make the more accounte of the wife given him ¶ Who is worthy He maketh not inquiry of the power and strength but of the deserte and worthynes For even all the creatures if they should coÌ„spire togither are able to doe nothing to wringe out perforce the things from God Whatsoever wee obtayne wee enioye it at his will and pleasure and by entreaty and the Lord being iust in giving his thinges regardeth their worthynes upon whom he bestoweth his benefits whom unlesse either their owne or an others iust dignity shall commende they can hope for noe good thinge from him But if a bare foreknowledge of future thinges shal be of so greate importance in what estimation is the knowledge of salvation to be had 3 And noe man was able A free confession of the creature that it is able to doe nothing herein Let them therefore looke to it who doe make her a patronesse for theÌ„selves in matters of greater moment Why then should wee mervayle if noe man understandeth any of these thinges not onely among the Gentiles although the most quickwitted of them but also not in the whole Kingdome of the Papists noe not that blasphemously unerring Pope himselfe with all his Seraphicall Doctours arrogating to them selves the victory of all knowledge learning prudence and wisdome These thinges surmount all humane sharpenes of witte least peradventure thou reiect rashly that which shall not please those our maisters And the distribution of thinges in heaven in earth and which are under the earth may be understood froÌ„ the proclaiming of the Angell he made enquiry who was worthy Therfore the inquisition perteined not to the Devils and soules punished for sinnes For what hope or shewe of worthynes could be here Therfore the thinges in Heaven are the Angels they in the earth Men living they which are under the earth are the Saints sleeping in their graves Whom he signifyeth in this manner by that one part which cometh neerer to our sense In which respect Iacob sayeth and I shall goe downe to my sonne mourning into the grave Gen. 37.35 In these alone their might be some question Therfore that place is to colde for to kindle a Purgatory ¶ Nor looke thereon for so hath Theod. Beza the common translation hath looke upon I should rather turne looke in For so the sentence encreaseth seeing this is greater then not to open The booke could not be looked in so long as it did remaine sealed whereupon the addition would be superfluous in this sense 4 J wept therefore It is a lamentable thing in deede that the Church should wante the gift of Prophecy But Iohn bewrayed his infirmity having forgot or at least wise not minding that nothing is so hidden that could be unknowne to our chiefe Prophet of which he would not teach his Church so farre as should be expedient for his Wherefore one of the Elders warning him that he should not weepe doth togither with gentlely reprove his ignorance or rather forgetfulnes as though it were a shamefull thinge for a teacher not to knowe that which the common sorte of the faithfull should not be ignorant of 5 Beholde he hath obtayned Many as it were contending but one obtayning the victory before the rest He seemeth to speake after the manner of the former proclamation wherby the thing was put as it were to a publike strife and tryall and in which Christ bare away the chiefe prayse yea the whole ¶ That Lyon of tâ—e A circumlocution of Christ the King fetched from Gen. 49.9 But what hath the Lyon to doe with seales Our sinnes did remove farre froÌ„ us all the mysteries of God Which when Christ hath by his mighty power abolished and conquered for ever the enemyes the Devill and death worthyly with this name as a badge of the victory he cometh forth to obtayne that for us which our enemyes kept away ¶ The roote of David So hath Th. Beza translated rightly the Hebrewe word to which the Greke worde answereth and is some time taken for a roote as is in Isaiah He groweth up as a tender plante before him and as a roote out of a dry ground chap. 53.2 But a roote properly groweth not out of the ground but that which springeth from the roote neverthelesse this in deede is such a roote that also togither it is the roote of David that is the fountayne and welspring from whence salvation and life flowe unto David so that nothing can be more significant then this word neither hath there bene at any time any roote besides of this kinde See Psalm 101.1 Mat. 22.43 c. 6 Then J looked and beholde betweene the Throne Word for word in the Greeke is in the middes of the Throne as before in chap. 4.4 c. The Lambe is in the middes of the Beasts and Elders to wit in the assembly of the faithfull in the middes of the Church ¶ A Lambe standing as though he had ben killed The Lambe is described by his triple offâ—â—e These wordes as thâ—â—gh he hath ben slame perteine to his Priesthood being eternall through the eternall power of his death Seaven hornes declare him to be a Kinge Seaven eyes which are so many Spirits and the taking of the booke shewe him to be the chiefe Prophete The skarre of a deadly wound is a token that he once dyed and teacheth that the Father doth give all things to his Church for the merite and through the beholding of it For this is it wherby our Priest once entring into the holy place hath obtained eternall redemption Heb. 9.12 And in that he hath once gat redemption for the
were 12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixt seale and loe there was made a great earthquake the Sunne became blake as sack cloth of haire the moone was like blood 13 And the starres of heaven fell to the earth as a figge tree casteth her greene figges whē it is shaken of a mighty winde 14. And heaven departed away as a scroule when it is rolled every mountayne Yle were moved out of their place 15 And the Kings of the earth the Peeres the rich men the Tribunes the mighty men every bondman every free man hid themselves in dennes among the rockes of the mountaines 16 And sayd to the mountaines and rockes fall upon us and hide us from the presense of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe 17. For the great day of his wrath is come and who cā stande The Analysis SVCH is the Excellency of this Revelation The Events doe follow which first are the Seales secondly the Trumpets lastly the Vials For all the rest of the Prophecy is distinguished into three notable periode◠which containe the chiefe alterations to come in the world even unto the coming of Christ every one of which againe is divided into seaven points so as from the last of the former aryseth alway the whole sequent period As touching the Scales there is in every one a certen preparation afterward the type of the future thinges And the preparation is partly common wherby the Lambe openeth each one in order partly proper to the foure first which besides have an inviting by one of the foure Beastes to come and see There be sixe types of this chapter for so many seales are opened a white horse ver 2. a read ver 4. a blacke ver 5. a pale ver 8. The cry of the soules ver 9.10.11 and great earthquake to the ende of the chapter Analysis After J beheld when the Lambe had opened the first of the seales Nowe the Spirit entreth into the events which will instruct us touching all the changings succeeding by course in the world as farre as is expedient for the Church and which are of any moment unto the last end of all thinges A great matter and chiefly necessary to be knowne but such as into which noe understanding of mortall man can penetrate Therefore whom in the beginning I have prayed unto him doe I call upon againe having gone forward in some part by his alone grace that he will graunte mee happily to make an ende of the thinges that remayne who hath graunted mee so to beginne as I am persuaded is agreeing with his trueth Thou therfore most holy and most wise Lambe who alone hast deserved to take unscale the booke and not to that ende that thou shouldest have these secretes for thy selfe alone but that thou shouldest communicate them with thy Church as farre as shal be for her profit graunt I pray thee unto mee thy most unworthy servant according to thy bounteousnesse that perceaving cleerely what hidden and secrete things these seales conteine I may reveale the same holily unto the world to the edification of thy Church the ruine of Antichrist and the glory of thine owne name to be published unto all ages Amen In that wee have distinguished the Events into three rankes wee have the Spirit himselfe for our authour ioyning the trumpets to the seales the vials to the trumpets in such sorte as that alwayes the first thing of that which followeth doe aryse out of the last of that which wente before Therefore they bring in darkenes upon themselves who doe thrust togither into one the seales the trumpets the vials and also the seaven Candlestickes so as each one of every order should be ioyned one to another in equall degree as if the Father the Sonnes should be equall should runne togither the same terme of yeeres Furthermore seeing the seales ar as it were promises of future thinges the trūpets adversities approaching with great noise the vials things that are powred upon men by little and little and come upon them unwarres as wee shall after see overwhelme them it seemeth not to be convenient to cōfounde these contrary things togither so that the thinge should be promised and accomplished all at once and that the same thing should be done openly and secretly at the same moment of time but let us come to the wordes ¶ When he had opened saith he one Seale that is to say the first as Theod. Beza translateth it for after followeth the second third c. And so the Hebrewes every where use to speake But before I proceede to the thinges that are behinde that cold comment of the Jesuite is to be removed who thinketh that the opening of the booke is something diverse from opening of the seales as though nothing in the booke could be read and shewed unto us before that all the seales should be opened Which opinion verily faineth unto us I knowe not what booke of which wee have received never a word written neither doe wee understand from thence ought touching thinges to come For the Revelation hath nothing more besides the opened seales For out of them the trumpets come forth and againe out of them the vials as wee have advertised in the resolution so as all the rest of the Prophecy is limited with those thinges that are conteined in the seales as wee shall proove by manifest argumēts in their places If therfore after all the seales opened he hath found out some booke to be read it is Apocryphe that is a hid booke the originall and authority whereof is not known which peradventure may lie hid in the coffer of the breast of their Pope but which to reade and knowe the Church hath nothing to doe Furthermore it is needfull for the clearer understanding of the periodes first the termes of time wherein thinges are finished and every severall article of them to set downe some entrāce from whēce wee must begin which surely wee iudge to be by and by after this writing of John For that saying of the fourth chapter ver 1. I will shew thee the things that must be done hereafter calleth backe Iohn both to that moment of the Revelation given also teacheth to count from thence all thinges which are delivered in the booke following Therefore there is noe neede to have recourse unto the first ages of the world nor unto the Monarchies nor unto the times of Christ or the Evangelists or in any such thinge of the age past but John writing this Revelation by the commaundement of God about the ende of the Empire of Domitian as Ireneus sheweth in his 5 booke against heresies Eusebius out of Ireneus in the 3 booke of his Ecclesiasticall History chap. 18. At the ende of the raigne of Domitian about the ninety seaventh yeere from the birth of Christ wee thinke the beginning of the Seales to wit of
the first period is to be set at that time from whence wee shall see every ech thing which followeth to flowe with a ready course stopped and stayed with noe uneven places The event in the unfolding will shewe what is the limite of every Periode These things being thus established let us returne unto the declaration of the wordes afterward wee shall see the thing it selfe and coherence thereof The first preparation is of the Lambe opening the first seale For he is the word of the Father who doth minister unto us whatsoever understanding wee have of Gods will And the events are called Seales both because they containe a mystery most hidden from the understanding of the prophane multitude Isay 8.16 and also because these first experimeÌ„ts should be pledges of future thinges Not that wee should undersâ—aÌ„d these to be bare forshewings of things and empty promises who doe onely denounce the troubles in word the execution whereof is coÌ„manded in some other place in this booke for that is no where to be founde but that they are signes of that kinde which bring togither with them their eâ—ecution and doe give a firme pledge of future things He openeth the sealeâ— in order one after another and not all togither with one labour both because the manner of the thinges to be donâ— did so require that also the whole Prophecy was not to be uttered at once but to be drawen 〈◊〉 peece-meale as it wâ—re for abâ—â—â—ty of a dâ—yly pâ—ttance The second pâ—â—pâ—â—tion is of one of the foure Beastâ— calling Iohn to come and see And this one Beast is the first to wit a Lion Chap. 4. â— But the â—â—â—stâ— are Goâ—â—â—â—â— of the Churches as hath ben observed in the foresaid plâ—ce â—hoâ—e laboâ—â— Gâ—d useth to instruct others These call men to see and obsâ—â—â—e â—ot onâ—ly bâ—caâ—se it is their office to forewarne the Chuâ—ch of thâ—â—â— that â—re to â—oâ—e to passe whether good or bad but especially â—ee◠〈…〉 thingeâ— next to come should be notable through their faithfulnes diâ—â—â—â—nce in this â—â—â—ter But the Lion speaketh first because they wâ—ich firâ—t â—hâ—â— begâ—â—ne the coÌ„bate should have like courage successe noâ— lesse prâ—vâ—iliâ—g in thâ—â— tâ—ey goe about then Lions making their pray The voice is â—n it 〈…〉 â—â—der penetring very farre that it might be heard of many Câ—â—â— saith he see speaking to Iohn representing nowe the person of the faithfull who likewise should be stirred up by the voice of the ministers to observe thâ—se wonderfull events which thing also is common to the three sâ—â—es following that being once spoken here it may be understood in the rest 2 J behelde therefore and loe a white horse The first type is a white horse and the sitter on him with a bowe and a crowne As touching the horse he is a warlike and swift beast to which worthily God compareth his actions both here in other places because with great courage swiftnes they will breake through whatsoever men shall make against Zach. 6. The white colour is ioifull proper to some famous solemnity as in the triumphe of Diocletian and Maximian After saith Pomponius Letus the chariot of the triumphers of golde and pretious stones which foure horses drewe comparable in whitnesse with the snowe But a rider is attributed to this and the rest that wee may knowe that they wander not up and downe rashly at their pleasure but are ruled and governed by the raines of Gods Providence And it may easily be gessed what manner of sitter it is from the analogie of the 8. verse For there he is noted by name that sitteth on the pale horse whose name seeing it is death his name may be life or trueth that hath so noble and pleasant a forme But whereas he is furnished with a bowe and crowne and went forth conquering that he might overcome by the same thinges is signifyed that an assault farre of shal be made and that a notable victory shall ensue thereof which should not vanish away with the present successe but should even also flourish with future happines For a bowe is a weapon of that kinde as with which the enemyes are hiâ—te both farre and neare But the Crowne is a token of victory so as both in the horse sitter on him all things are ioyous prosperous So is the interpretation of the wordes wherwith the History doth agree so wonderfully that noe picture doth more lively represente his paterne then the type of this seale the condition of those times Wee know that while Traiane was Emperour after Iohn was gone from Paâ—mos to Ephâ—sus that is by and by after the Revelation was written a most lamentable persecution waxed very hotte and fierce which raging even unto the fourteenth yeere at length by the letters of Pliny second Proconsull of Bâ—thyâ—ia it was some â—hat quenched and mitigated Neverthelâ—ssâ— the first Beasâ— had not yet spoken For Pliny was a heathen man and noe member of the Châ—rch much lesse the chiefe ruler Neither sâ—â—â—d the trouble wholy through his admonition onely this was obtayned that the Christians should not be searched for unto punishement but onely should be punished wheÌ„ they were brought unto the Governours accused Eus Feel Hist book â— 33. Wherfore the fight yet coÌ„tinued TraiaÌ„ being dead a fewe yeares after it waxed more fierce under AdriaÌ„ who at leÌ„gth going on with rage unto the destructioÌ„ of the name of ChristiaÌ„s the Lion roared out even the first Beast as the thuÌ„der For God raysed up Quadratus the Bishop of Athens also Aâ—stides a Philosopher citizen of the same city who as lioÌ„s stoutly regarding not the daÌ„ger of their life in respect of the good of the Church spake to AdriaÌ„ by Apologies then also in face pleaded the cause of the Christians By which the mindes of the faithfull were raised up with attente of the eveÌ„t not in vaine seeing froÌ„ thence followed a great change forthwith For the white horse his sitter with a bowe crown weÌ„t forth that is the truth triuÌ„phed ioyfully wheÌ„ the Emperour being overcome by the oration of those godly men did ordaine that noe Christian should be condemned unlesse he were convicted of some crime punisheable by the Civile lawes This was a manifest victory of the trueth and a greate token of future hapines Euseb Hist booke 4 ch 3. But her power was more excelleÌ„t under the next Emperour Antonin Pius about the beginning of whose Empire the Christians being againe miserably oppressed from the former hatred at length Iustin Martyr Leo administring the word of God in the habite of a Philosopher as sayeth Euseb booke 4.11 wrote Apologies for the Christians unto Antonin to his sonnes and to the Senate of Rome wherby he effected God working togither with him that it was enacted by publike decree that noe man should trouble Christians in that respeâ—t because they were Christians but if any would proceede to molest them the acâ—usâ—d
living heads ar cut off he yet remaineth alive or they being cut off other as it were a new Hidra spring up of which yet Iohn made no mētiō But that we may not thinke that those 7. are taken figuratively where are the ten Kings that arose togither with Nerva It must needs be that these were togither with the seventh head in the twelft verse beneath or how when Nerva was dead seemed the Beast not to be especially seing before his death he had adopted Traiane or for what cause wer they rather reprobats that wōdred at Traiā then those former for such is the cōditiō of the seventh head that the followers of him are reprobates before in ver 8. Many things of this sort doo not suffer any peculiar men to be meant Hereunto is added the manner of speaking which is such that it bewrayeth that the Kings are so long the heads of the city as long as the mountains ar Otherwise for some short time perhaps the heads wer both the mountains Kings but to a farre longer time they neither were nor should be if there should be made a separation of the heads which the Spirit ioyneth togither the mountaines onely remaining after the other be dead Therfore the Kings howsoever they al wer not togither as the mountains yet shall obtaine as long continuing a name of heads as those But concerning the person the time shall yeeld a demonstration in the eleventh verse But if the Kings be Dominions of what sorte are they Ribera the Iesuite being privie to himselfe that the thing cannot be touched so lightly but that the soare wil be renewed therewith flyeth unto the seven ages of the world the first of which he maketh from Adam to Noe The second from Noe to Abraham The third to David The fourth to the transmigration into Babylon The fift to the comming of the Lord The sixt from thence to Antichrist The seventh from him even to the day of iudgement Which wit of his bringeth into my remembrance that of the Poe◠If the foolish Painter will conioine unto a mans head The neck of a horse so of birds feathers over spred c. For to see being let in freinds keepe your selves from laughing The Iesuite passeth the Painter who hath framed an head which may be applyed alike to all and every city of the whole world The Spirit would deliver a certaine marke wherby the Throne of the Beast might be known the Iesuite as the houpe faineth the griefe to be in an other place that he may withdrawe from the neast I know notwhither But understand Ribera that the seven mountaines belong to the city of Rome alone But that those seven Kings appertaine to the same city to which the mountaines For the heads are both mountaines and Kings and therefore that these Kings belong to Rome alone so doo we free thee from the great labour of seeking proving by a most certaine argument that he is found at Rome to finde whom thou hast compassed all landes in vaine But the time is spent to no profit in confuting thy toies which yet I could not passe over wholly but would admonish the Papists at least by this small labour that they should not suffer themselves to be deceived any longer by the trisles of the Iesuites The thing it selfe is thus These dominions are proper to that city whereunto belong the mountaines the seven regiments are those by which the citie hath ben no lesse famous then for her seven mountaines And Cornelius Tacitus in the beginning of his history nūbreth these regiments in this wise Kings held the City of Rome at the first L. Brutus instituted freedome the Consulshippe the Dictatourshippes were taken up for a time neither continued the power of the office of the Decemviri above two yeeres nor the Tribunes authority pertaining to Consuls was of force any long time c. The power of Pompey and Crassus went quickly to Cesar By which wordes he declareth plainely that sixe kindes of government had held at Rome from the building of the City even unto his time Kings Consulls Dictatours Decemviri Tribunes of the souldiers Emperours the seventh of Popes he knew not being taken away from the living before he could see it ¶ Five are fallen Kings Consuls Dictatours Decemviri Tribunes For those five kinds of ruling had ceased wholly and vanished away before Iohn his time ¶ One is the sixt kinde of governing by Emperours in whose power was the chiefe rule of things when Iohn lived ¶ And an other is not yet come The seventh King the Pope was not yet a Governour of Rome when the Apostle lived And not without cause hath he shunned the adjective of order for he saith not the seventh is not yet come but an other is not yet come by the same signifying that this seventh shal be very greatly unlike the former All these were Political Kings the seventh should be spiritual or of a mixt kinde unlike to every one before from whence it is manifest that the Christiā Emperours are not the sevēth King For they differred nothing in civill governement from the former onely they tooke unto them the Christian religion And in auncient times new religions were often added the forme of governement in the meane time nothing altered Furthermore the seventh King ought to governe in the same place where the seven mountaines are as hath bene declared in the former verse But the Christian Emperours never had the seate of their Empire at Rome But the whole use of the citie was the Popes from whom alone after the seventh King began her glorie did grow That member is not yet come teacheth that there was a very short time remaining to the cōming of the seventh King For so we are wonte to speake of things that will come not very long after Therefore foolish is Ribera the Iesuite who assigneth the sixt kind of governing after the comming of Christ even unto three yeeres and an halfe more or lesse before the last day and together with him all the Pastists who will not have Antichrist to be expected before that same very time as though the Angel saying is not yet come should speake of a man whom the world yet seeth not after a thousand five hundred yeeres ¶ And when he is come After the seventh Kingdome to weet of the Popes shal be begunne the Dragon being cast out of heaven and Constantine the Great being Emperour ¶ He must tary but a short time About an hundred yeeres after Constantine then to be overwhelmed for a time by the overflowing of the Goths and Vandals who so evil entreated Rome the tower of the new dominion that it might seem to hav perished utterly Gensericus bereaved it wholly of every dweller see Blond in his second book of his first Decad. And Totilas againe brought it to a wildernesse so as neither man nor woman was left in it as the same Blond writeth in his second book of his
first Decad. See chap. 13.3 11 And the Beast which was and is not That is and that seventh King the Pope which had come and was as touching the rising and originall of his power for the space of an hundred yeeres after Constantine And is not after that time utterly perished in mens opinion by the invasion of the Barbarians this Beast I say is the eight and one of those seven Wherby it is to be observed that the seventh King by himselfe alone doth obtaine the name of the whole and to be called that Beast whose description was in the eight verse by foure succeeding courses of times All which chaungins are proper to this one from wheÌ„ce now at lenght after the second mutation wherof he made mention in the former verse he addeth a double condition of him in the very words of the first description shewing in the same that these words and when he coÌ„meth he must continue a short space are all one with these the Beast which was and is not ¶ And he is the eight to wit King For here octavus the eight agreeth not in gender with Bestia the Beast The common translation translateth amisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eight Beast For there are not eight Beasts but eight Kings the seventh of which is this Beast The pronoune relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee seemeth in this place to be a demonstrative as sometime also else where he is the eight King that is the eight King Also the whole antecedent member of the senteÌ„ce maketh the supposite of the verbe substaÌ„tive as though he should say The Beast which was and is not is both that eight Kinge and also is one of the seven This eight King is the same Pope after his dignity recovered from that maine overthrowe which the Barbarians did make when his wounded head wâ—â— câ—â—ed as in chap. 13.3 or when the Beast which is not did asceÌ„d from the bottomlesse pit as at the 8 verse of this chapter or when the second Beast arosâ— from the earth chap. 13.11 When Gregorie the second his next successours did appeare with two hornes Pipine and Charles the Great For we have shewed already before that all these things perteined to that third mutation But from whence then is this eight hath the Beast eight heads which even now were but seven In no wise but this eight is the same with the seventh of the same nature purpose soveraignty wherupon it is added and is one of those seven onely of a greater impiety blasphemy and sacrilege wherin he passeth the seventh The Popes in their beginning after Constantine were not so wicked as after Phocas But more lesse doo not distinguish the kinde Therfore the Pope revived is the eight most worthy of all to be pointed at with the finger and to be sayd that it is hee From which now the reason may be apparant why in chap. 13. one Antichrist is painted out by a double Beast to wit because he is the seventh King the eight ¶ And goeth into destruction To be destroyed utterly in his due time this last member is the fourth time of the Beast fetched from the general interpretation in ver 8. And so that which there is sayd was and is not and shall ascend out of of the bottomlesse pit and shall goe into destruction here is expressed in words some what divers so as to the first member these are answerable when he shall come to the second he must continue a short space to the third and he is the eight King and one of the seaventh the fourth is the same in both places Wherfore that which was spoken generally of the Beast wee may see perteineth to the speciall mutation of the seventh head Seing then this Beast is the seaventh King who should have the next place after him who bare rule in Iohn his time and the regiment of the Popes at Rome followed by and by that Heathen Empire by a second most sure demonstration wee have found out both Antichrist himselfe and also the time wherin he was borne Which that it may become the clearer may be proponded after this manner The seventh King succeeded next after the Heathen Emperours who made the sixt King reigning at that time when Iohn wrote ver 10. Five are fallen one that is the sixt is But Antichrist is the seventh King ver 10.11 Therfore Antichrist succeeded next the Heathen Emperours and seeing the Pope of Rome after the time of the Heathen Emperours is that seventh King as before we have manifested it followeth also necessarily that the Pope of Rome from the time of the Heathen EMPEROVRS is that chiefe Antichrist of whom the Scripture forewarne us so diligently and that the City of ROME from the same is the whore See now yee Iesuites from how necessary principles the argument proceedeth apply what engins you can to overthrow the same you shall doo more good then if you should bring ladders to conquer heaven But your things which you doo treate off concerning the time of Antichrist are divised are absurd and more foolish then any toyes as wee shall after declare 12 And the tenne hornes which thou sawest are ten Kings Thus farre touching the Heads Now followeth the Hornes which by their consent doo bring yet a more full light of time For by how much thinges are neerer togither they are so much the more clearer and the more perceived and observed Therfore to the end that that seventh head might become knoweÌ„ by more tokens and his first beginning more undoubted it is furnished with these hornes as it were with a certen pompe and company of servants by whose noise as it were we should be stirred up to regard his comming The Angel expoundeth these hornes to be tenne Kings which afterward are described of what sort they are both by their Kingdome in this verse and mind in verse 13. and the warre which they shall make verse 14. Their Kingdome is declared by a double or twofold time the first of it not yet received Who sayth he have not yet received a Kingdome The second of it received but they shall receive power at one houre with the Beast The first meeteth with a doubt wherby some body peradventure might thinke that these Kings reigned at the very same time in which Iohn wrote no saith he they reigne not yet but shall reigne shortly For otherwise the warning had bene superfluous if they should not come but about three yeeres and an halfe before the last day The second time exhibiteth yet a clearer knowledge of the thing by a certaine mutual bewaying which the hornes and the Beast doo one for an other They shall receive power as Kings at one houre with the Beast for so I translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the accusative case in which these words are taken some time for the space of time as these last have wrought but one houre Mat. 20.12 Also watch with me one houre