according to hys deades 18. And death 19 and hell vvere cast 20. into the lake of fyre 21. This is the second death 22. And vvhosoeuer vvas not found vvritteÌ„ in the booke of lyfe 23. vvas caste into the lake of fyre The commentary 1 A none after this I behelde saith Saynt Iohan in secrete mysterye an imperiall throne or seat of estate faire splendaunte and bewtyfull None other is this than the iudgement seate of the Lorde 2 Great it is for the Maiestie and power of hym that shall syt therevpoÌ„ is of inestimable magnificence greatnesse Fayre and whyte both for the celestyall cléerenesse that shall at that houre apere with hym and also for the purenesse equitie and ryght of his vniuersal iudgementes 3 From the aspect of whose fearefull countenaunce shall both the earth beneath and the other elemeÌ„tes aboue flée awaye All the creatures of his creacion shall wyth reuerence tremble quake at his mighty aperaunce The SuÌ„ne shall thaÌ„ be darkened the Mone shall not giue hir lyght The Starres shall fall downe from aboue the powers of heauen shal be moued The elementes shall melte wyth heate and the whole earth shall teare in péeces lyke a ragge 4 A terryble fyre shall go before the iudge to burne vp hys enimyes on euery syde The places of them that lyued here supersticiously and voluptuously shall no more after that be founde Neuer shall they resort agayne hither to theyr olde wantoÌ„ pleasurs Of their bewtyfull Cyties shall not one stone be lefte vpon an other Their proude paynted Synagoges as duste in the wynde shal be scattred away from the earth Neither shall the skye nor yet the ground beneth be as it was but both they shal be renewed chaunged They shal be deliuered from corruption and so appere both a newe heauen and a newe earth according to the expectation of the creatures 5 Immediatly after that sayth saint Iohn the iudge thus sitting vpoÌ„ the scaâ—e of his eternall Maiestie I sawe styll in mysterye after the blast of the truÌ„pet that all they which were deade arose out of the earth And that both hygh and lowe great and small good and badde King and begger prelate and plough man tirant and perscecuted innocent Yea the sucking babe the died in the cradell so well as the aged maÌ„ 6 All they séemed vnto me to stande before their generall iudge Iesus Christ to whome the euerlasting father had giuen ouer his whole iudgementes which there appeared as hée was in dede a verie omnipotent god All we shall appere sayth Paule before the iudgement seat of Christ that euery one of vs maye receyue according to that he hath done be it good or ill 7 And the bookes of reckennings which are the seuerall consciences of men were open before the iudge That afore was hidde will thaÌ„ be manyfest and that was secret wyll than come to light be disclosed Euident it wil be vnto him who hath fulfilled the commaunded works of mercy who hath left them vndone their owne constences bearing witnesse to the same For what can be hid from him which seeth both the inwarde reynes and the secret thoughtes of the harte In this generall rekening yet shall prayse with the eternall rewarde redowne vnto them from the mercyfull Lorde whose walking here hath bene accordinge vnto fayth There shall they be reproued to haue bene pitiful to the poore hongry thursty nedy naked sicke in prison 8 After this was an other booke opeÌ„ed of a farre diuerse nature froÌ„ the other bokes for it was the swéet boke of lyfe wherin be regestred al that were predestinate to be saued froÌ„ the worlds beginning And this boke is the eternal predestinatioÌ„ of God 9 Before the worlds fouÌ„datioÌ„ saith s. Paule the lord predestinate vs into the addoptioÌ„ of his childreÌ„ through Iesus Christe Of this booke made Moyses mencion whan he said Eyther pardon thys people or els race me out of thy booke which thou haste written And Christ also to his seuentie disciples Be glad sayth he that your names are written in heauen Moreouer Iosue called this the booke of the ryghtuous and Iohn here the boke with seuen claspes This sheweh the holy ghost here vnto vs much after the custome dayly vsed among vs. For of the most notable men and women our maner is bothe longe to remember the names and also to speake of them as occasion giueth So equall is thys eternall iudge that no personage respecteth he in iudgment neither of Emperours nor Pope Kinge nor Byshope Lorde nor prieste But as he is ryghtuous of himselfe so iudgeth he rightuously 10 For they that were dead sayeth saynt Iohan or that had ledde their lyues here without fayth and the spirite of Christ were iudged of hym there according to the thinges which were regestred in the bokes of their coÌ„scieÌ„ces 11 That is to say according to the fylthy workes wherof their desperat coÌ„ciences accused them Onely are the wicked to be takeÌ„ here for the dead For the rightuous shall thaÌ„ haue nothinge wherof their coÌ„scieÌ„ce may accuse them Neyther shall the euill doers as witnesseth Dauid be of couÌ„sell with theÌ„ at the day They hauing the lyfe euerlasting shall not than be iudged though they than appere but shall sit with Christ in iudgement and reioyce in the condempnation of the vngodly blasphemers The rewarde of their vnfaythfulnesse shall thaÌ„ be powred vpon theÌ„ to their perpetuall care At that daye shall none bée absent but all shal be séene eyther to honour or els to reprofe 12 Neyther shall the depth of the sea nor the darkenesse of death nor yet hell that is bottomelesse bée able to hide any froÌ„ the face of this iudge For the sea sayth saynt Iohn that is myghty and greate shall at that daye delyuer vp cleane hir deade or those whome the Lorde suffered hyr to swallowe in for their outragious sinnes 13 Lyke as were the giauntes in the floude of Noe the great host of Pharao in the red sea and such other more 14 So shall gréedy death doe also which after many strange sortes hath consumed the enimies of God As for an example Cain by a chaunce vnsought Nadah and Abyn by fyre Achan by standing Holofernes Saull by the swerde Naball by excesse of wyne Iesabell by treading of horses Daniels accusers by the lyons Menelaus by breaking his necke Iudas by hanging himselfe Herod by wormes the children of Israell by swerd fyre serpentes and soden death and such other lyke 15 Hell whych is insaciable shall in lyke case render vp the innumerable swarme of the dead whom he wyth open mouth hath swallowed in quicke for their abhominations 16 Of whose number were Chore Dathan and Abiron with their affinitye the Cytyes of Sodome and Gomorre the vncircumcised gyauntes the ryche rourer and the ryche glotton in Luke Symon Magus wyth dyuerse other Hell hath gaped meruelouslye wyde sayeth Esaye and hath rauenouslye deuoured the hygh mynded
though he had ben killed 13 which had seuen hornes 14 and seuen eyes which are the seuen spirits of God sent vnto all the worlde 15. And hee came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate vpon the seat The Paraphrase AFter the forsayde vysion I saw saieth saint Iohn in the right hande or mighty power and wyll of hym that sate on the throne with maiestye a wonderfull Booke in the which both man and Angell were desirous to looke This booke is Gods heauenly ordinance contayning not onely all that hath bene created of God visible and inuisible but also the vniuersall contents of the holy scripture This boke hath the mercifull Lorde prouided that men should know him partly by his creatures partly by his Scriptures This booke he hath in his right hand For heauen he measureth with his spanne and the whole world he comprehendeth vnder his three â—ingers In his hande or power is the vniuersal earth bothe hills valleyes At his onely wil pleasure is the sincere vnderstanding of the scriptures and true interpretacion of the same 2 This booke is written within without The world coÌ„tayneth creatures visible and inuisible powers open hidden that men in theÌ„ should reade and vnderstand that there is a liuing God and that they should acknowledge him and worship him as the Lorde and creator of all The holy scripture hath hir figure history hir mistery and veritie hir parable plaine doctrine her night and day her letter and sence her voyce and word her flesh and spirit her shadow and cleare light her death and lyfe her law and gospell her Moyses and Christ to bring all men also vnto the knowledge of God 3 But that Booke is surely sealed with seauen stronge seales from the fleshlye vnderstanding of man not hauinge the spirite of Christ that he can neither vse the creatures of God a right nor yet perceiue the Scriptures according to their true meanning Muche hath the doctours fantasied of these seuen claspes or spearynges of thys booke wythout the aucthoritie of Gods word calling theÌ„ all maner of obscurities darkenesses Where as in verie déed they are nothing els but the strong and vnuariable decrée or set diffinition of God before the constitucion of the world that none should be able to read rightly therin nor know the iust meaning therof without the spirit of his sonne and vnles it be méekly asked in faith And this one decrée of god so oft locketh vp these heaueÌ„ly secrets froÌ„ maÌ„ as it findeth hym carnall couetous wilfull blinde malicious proude and false with such other lyke The number of seuen doeth onely respect the opening of the seales in all ages For in euery age hath God opened the trueth vnto some Godly men by his spirite with Abell and Enoch with Noe and Sem with Abraham and Iob with Moyses and Samuel with Dauid and Helias with Hieremie and Daniel with Iohn Baptist Peter 4 And I sawe sayeth S. Iohn a strong Angell which betokeneth euerie faithful minister of gods word coueting all men to be taught of god and sending them only vnto Christ for they are the Angels of the Lorde of hostes Which Angell cryed with a loude voyce with an earnest zeale of the glorie of God and with a feruent desire of his neighbours health 5 Who is worthie to opeÌ„ this booke and to vndoo the claspes thereof As though he should say None but he alone Séeke him therfore that he may open it vnto you els are yée lyke alwayes to be blynde foolishe and vnlearned lyers before the Lord séeme ye neuer so wyse eloquent and well learned in the sight of men 6 And in déede no man was founde able to doe it neyther in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth yet was there a diligent search made many did attempt it The Angels that by apostasie fell from God when they were in heauen wrought maistryes about it And in the earth héere the Philosophers among the Gentiles the religious fathers amoÌ„g the Iewes the Pharisies and Scribes the lawyers and priests and amoÌ„g the Christians the false Apostles Antichrists the Sophisters and Papists the sectes and scoole doctors with all the worldly wyse hath craftily compassed the thing Yea the messeÌ„gers of Sathan whose dampnation is certayne subtily to perswade and fraudelently to deceiue the innocent soules haue also done their parte But what hath folowed After their vayne enterpryse they haue bene so astonyed at the maiestie or sight of the booke that neyther were they able to open it nor yet to looke thervpon So high were the mysteries thereof so vnserchable the iudgements so inuestigable the wayes therevnto 7 And I fell in sore wéeping sayth Sainct Iohn muche dolour was it to my heart to see that none was found worthie no creature able neyther Angell nor man good spirit nor diuil to open and to read the booke which is cléerely to know the will of God therein nor yet once to looke therevpon that is sincerely to perceyue the least veritie coÌ„tayned therin No creature vnderstanding could attayn vnto it All were ignorant all darke all blynde 8 And as I was thus mournyng one of the elders euen Iacob by name comforted mée with his prophecie of Iuda Esay Micheas Esdras bearing witnesse to the same 9 These with other ascertained me that he was the Lyon of the Trybe of Iuda which should ouercome the world haue the victorie ouer death and hell for in déed they with Abraham sawe it a farre of and much reioysed He is the strong inuincible Lyon that subdued the prince of this world tooke from him the pray and hathe deuyded the spoyle 10 He is the verie roote of Dauid the ground and originall cause of all godly promises made vnto him of deliuerance victorie and raygne and alone in him are they fulfilled Only hath he obtayned by his death resurrection and ascension to make open the hydden mysteries of thys booke or whole ordinaunce of God and to loose the seuen seales thereof or to take away the vniuersall impediments wherby the said booke could in no case be séene as is carnalitie ignorance darkenesse blindenesse wilfulnesse couetousnesse malice hypocrisie lyes with such lyke So was it afore speared by the decrée of God that none could reade in it till he remoued the vntowardnesse from their heartes 11 All this I beheld saieth S. Iohn and as I looked further I sawe that in the midst of the seate which is the vniuersall congregation of God of the foure beasts which are the constaunt ministers of his worde also in the middest of the auncient elders whych hath bene the sincere witnesses of hys veritie since the beginning 12 There stood a fayre méeke most innocent Lambe as though he had bene newly slain I knew that Christ was this Lambe for he was wounded for
winchester the winker of wiles largely declaring theÌ„selues to be déeply of the same profession and marke 4 But I fynde yet an other thyng in it For it is called here the number of man whose number lyeth all in vj. God created all things for maÌ„s commoditie in vj. dayes in the seueÌ„th rested After this creation continued man the space of .vj. ages til the commyng of Christ which brought with him the sabboth of the spirit And this is signified by the greater number which is the vj. huÌ„dred For not vnlike is it to the tyme tymes halfe tyme of Danyel Iohn to the yeares moneths dayes of Helyas Iohn also as we had afore Since Christes ascention hath the church continued by vj. other ages of much lesse tyme coÌ„prehended in the .vj. seales in the latter end of whom we are now And this shall conclude with suche a sabboth of peace in the fréedome of Gods worde as hath not bene since the beginning Sathan shall be tyed vp and the true beléeuers shall occupye in much quietnesse the beast coÌ„dempned with all hys false Prophetes And this is the nâ—mber of the sixt But this peace shall not thus in quietnesse long continue For longe can not Christes church be without persecution Sathan shal be loosed againe and the beleauings of the beast shall set vp their bristles and persecute the Sainctes a fresh Agayn shal they plant builde rauish kepe whores ryot and ruffle as though they should long continue But sodainly shall the latter iudgement day of the Lord light vpoÌ„ them vnbewares the perpetuall Sabboth of ioye shyning to the electe flocke of Christ. And this is the least number of all compared here vnto six And may well be signified by the xlij moneths afore which is ryghtly vj. seuenthes in the which they shall treade downe the holy citie or coÌ„gregation of the Lord once againe This latter accounte was founde out by a certayne vnnamed disciple of Iohn Wycleue and I suppose it most agréeing to the truth The second sabboth here or libertie of Gods truth hath had his shew in England alreadie if ye marke it well And whither it wil yet appeare more open or nay it is in the Lords handes let vs pray and hope for it hath great lykelihoode of a much farther appearaunce 5 Since the worlds beginning hath the misterie of iniquitie wrought in Caine and in his posteritie and so coÌ„tinued in the beastly members of Antichrist and so shall doe still to the latter day Therefore is it no lesse than the number of men six hundred sixtie and sixe Thus is he tokened with all wickednesse that admitteth the false fayth of this beast and folowith the same in his liuing by the subtile perswasions of the bishops and their lying Prophets is sealed vp to eternall dampnacion vnles the Lord cal him in time Not only in England is healed the beastes wounded heade but also in ohter certain regions But for so much as it is most liuely don there and this booke written in that language I haue onely brought forth héere examples thereof in that purpose The xiiij Chapter IN this present chapter declareth the Lord vnto Iohn and vnto his faithfull seruants by him the degrée estate coÌ„dicioÌ„ of his true beléeuing church now after he hath afore lyuely described the beastiall churche of Antichrist of his horned spiritualitye by the afore named ii moÌ„strous beastes And this is that his louers should know what they be which are of his houshold what an helper they haue of him in the midst of their aduersities to the comfort of their soules And though they bee heere amonge those raging tirantes in tirrible agonies paines persecutions troubles he is neuer absent from theÌ„ nor will not be till he hath rewarded them with vnspeakeable Ioyes THE TEXT 1 And I looked and lo a Lambe stoode in the mount Sion 2. and with him an C. and xliiij thousand 3. hauing his fathers name written in their foreheads 4. And I hearde a voice from heauen 5. as the sound of many waters 6. and as the voice of a great thuÌ„der 7. And the voice that I hearde was 8. as the harpers that playe vpon their harpes 9. And they sang as it were a nevve song 10. before the seat 11. and before the foure beasts 12. and the Elders 13. And no man could learn that songe 14. but the hundereth and xliiij thousand 15. vvhich vvere redeemed from the earth 16. These are they vvhich vvere not defiled vvith vvomen 17. for they are Virgynes 18. These follovve the Lambe vvhither so euer he goeth 19. These were redeemed from men 20. being the first fruites vnto God and to the Lambe 21. and in their mouthes was found no guile 22. for they are without spotte before the trone of God The Paraphrase 1 I looked saith Sainct Iohn on the other side in a thought as it were I behelde that a Lambe stoode vpon mount Sion Euen the Lambe of God Iesus Christ that alone tooke away the sinnes of the world Alone doeth he gouerne his faythfull church as the onely and immediate head therof hauing none other to assist him in that office For who is the King ouer SioÌ„ but he Who shall reduce Israell again to his folde but he Only is hée with his congregation to ayde them with his word to bolden them with his spirite to strengthen them with his grace 2 And with him were presente an hundreth and .xliiij. thousand hauing his fathers name written in theyr foreheads So many as haue in hart receiued his word and in faith digested his verity are the very children of Abraham and are marked vp for the sonnes of god by the seale of the holy Ghost 3 For power haue they geuen theÌ„ to be Gods children that beleue in his name And this is it to haue his name written in thir foreheads For their faith declareth theÌ„ Gods sonnes Let this set number be none impedimeÌ„t to the reader to be taken here for the vniuersall multitude of the faithful as well of the gentiles as of the Iewes that beleueth though it otherwise appeareth in the viii Chapter of this booke For so well is the gentle that hath faith a perfecte Israeltie as is the Christen Iew. Yea much rather was Zachius for his faith iudged Abrahams childe thaÌ„ was Simon for fulfilling the workes of the lawe For God is not parciall Whatsoeuer he be yâ— feareth him worketh rightuousenesse is accepted with him And so is it ment heare And therefor is not the difference written here as in the other place but al is ioyned in one to comprehende all vnder one And as touching the equall certaintie in nuÌ„ber both here and there Like as it is there certainly knowne vnto God euen so is it here thoughe it be vnto vs both innumerable vncertaine Not as concerninge the number it selfe but the common vnderstanding thereof in the scriptures For if
they comprehended whych hauynge the wisdom of the spirite inflameth other wyth it prouokinge them thereby to the loue of god their neyghbour Thus did Moyses and Esay Barnabas and Paule in whome the glorye of the Lorde apeared plentiously 13 The eight was of a Berall which is of a pale grene coloure betokening those faithfull persones whych of christiaÌ„ compassion hath dolorously lamented the fall of theyr brethren Of this godly natur was Steuen which prayed for them that stoned him to death So was afore hys tyme Samuell whych mourned for Saul whan hée sée hym cast out of the Lordes fauour 14 The nynth was of a Topaze whych hath in hym the colours of all other stones And thys signifyeth theÌ„ whych are with all vertues adourned Lyke as was Daniell the man of desires and Iohn the Euangelist which wrote thys present prophecy whom Christ much loued The clere workes of these and such other wolde hée to shyne vnto men that by them the father might be glorifyed 15 The tenth was of a Chrisoprasos whose condicion is to shyne lyke gold and yet he is gréene in sight Suche are they whych hauing godly wysdoÌ„e vttereth it accordinge to the tallent geuen them of the Lorde thereby renewing the dull spirites of other vnto heauenly things Among this sort may Ezechiell be numbred which saw many wonderful visions so may SimeoÌ„ and Anna in the Gospell 16 The eleueÌ„th was of a Iacinct which is in coloure lyke vnto water spred ouer with bright sonne beames And this betokeneth those that are baren from the â—cience and learninge of this worlde and yet haue knowledge from aboue Uery Idiots appeare they in the sight of men and yet are they taughte of God to disclose most wonderfull secrets Of this sort were Oseas Iohel and Amos wihch was but a poore shepard with the other inferiour prophets And so were Andrew Philip Thomas with the other Apostles and Disciples 17 The twelft was an Amatist purple violet rose coloured And this betokneth them that are feruent méeke and constaunt in the Lords truth and that hath bene alwaies ready to shed their bloud for it Such were the vnbrethren in the Machabées with their most faithfull mother So was also Iames the more and Antipas the faithfull witnesse with other disciples martirs None can shewe a more token of loue than he which giueth vp his lyfe for his friends This sort dyd Christe proclaime altogether blessed sayde that the kingdom of heauen was their own Thus signifieth these xii foundatioÌ„s that the godly ministers of Christes congregation haue builded vpon him according to the diuers graces which god hath geuen theÌ„ some gold some siluer some precious stones But they that haue brought vnto this building tiÌ„ber hay or stubble which are customes tradicions dum ceremonies or els worldly honors riches voluptuous plesures are not in this heauenly number admitted Figured are these foundatioÌ„s in the precious stones which were in the brest flap of Aron that hye priest in the preious decking of the king of Tirus necessary shal it be for him that will more largely know the natural properties of theÌ„ to resort vnto Plinius in the xxxvii Booke of his naturall historye or vnto Bartilmew de proprietatibus reruÌ„ for the vnderstanding of misteries vnto S. Hierom vpon the liiii chap. of Esay or vnto Beda Haymo Costasy BacoÌ„â—horpe Elyne Tilney such other as hath written great works vpon the apocalips Ynough is it for vs to shew you after the minde of S. Augustin these stones to signifie the diuers graces of the holy ghost For all these thinges doth one spirit of the Lord work deuiding seueral gifts vnto euery maÌ„ at his pleasure which ar not wtout their preciousnes beuty excelleÌ„t glory as will appere in the glorius day of the childreÌ„ of god The Text. 1 And the tvvelue gates vvere xii pearles 2. And euery gate vvas of one pearle 3. And the streat of the citie vvas pure golde 4. As a thorough shining glasse 5. And I savv no temple therein 6 For the Lorde God almightie and the Lamb is the temple of it 7. And the citie hath no neede of the sunne neither of the moone to lighten it 8. For the brightnesse of God doth lighten it 9 And the Lamb is the light of it 10. And the people vvhich are laued shall vvalk in the light of it 11. And the kings of the earth shall bring their glory vnto it 12. And the gates of it shall not be shut by day 13 For there shall be no night there 14. And ther shal enter into it none vnclean thing 15. Neither vvhatsoeuer vvorketh abhominatioÌ„ or maketh lies 16 but thei which are vvritten in the Lambes Booke of life The Commentary 1 Consequently saith the Angel vnto Iohn the xii gates or openinges into this citie were twelue fayre pearls For dilectable and precious is the doctrine of the gospell whereby men doe enter into the kingdome of God on euery side or in euery quarter age of the world 2 And euery gate by him selfe was of one pearle like as were the foundations of one precious stone euermore in their kindes In token that the verytie of Christ is whole perfect vnbroken in it selfe lyke as is his cote without seame A speciall commodyty is it in cities to haue their gates stroÌ„g and bewtifull And so is it in the kingdome of God that they which open vnto rightuousnesse be more feruent in the truth and of a more sincere life thaÌ„ the residue For they shoulde be both the salte of the earth and lighte of the world Though these gates be many yet haue they but one entraunce for eche one of them is but of one pearle But one mediatour is there betwene God and man which is Iesus Christ None maye come vnto the father but by hym onely Alone is he the dore the waye the verytie lyghte life 3 And as concerning the cytie within the great strete thereof was as of pure golde so fyne fayre and cleare all the bryght shining glasse that maye be séene through without any maner of impediment or dymnesse Thys strete is the large commynalty or the sayntes whom the father of heauen by his power made of froward stones the perfect children of AbrahaÌ„ whan he couched them here togyther in the verity of one christian fayth shall here after ioyne in such perfectioÌ„ of loue as possible can not be dissolued 4 Precious are they here through fayth in Christes bloud and there shal they be pure both in loue and lyfe incorruptible Oure reioyse sayth saint Paule is not in carnall wisdome but in the greate grace of God in singlenesse of hart in a sincere fayth Your glorye are we euen as you are ours also in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ. 5 In this glorious citye sawe I no temple builded saith Iohn for the Lord God almighty which is the eternall father and