fancy of yesterday muchlesse savouring of Popery have thought and published concerning this opinion Besides the irrefragable judgement of the Divine Tycho Brahe that singular ornament both of the Heavens and his owne Denmarke and with him the termination herein of Carolus Gallus omitted by Asted and not long agoe one of the States Professors of Divinity in their University of Leyden If thou finde any discrepancy in their resolutions about this matter perswade thy selfe that time and the holy Spirit will more and more enlighten the deepe mysteries of Godâ— word and of its unspeakable goodnesse of the Saints of God will yet in these latter times make us all of one heart and one mind in Christ Iesuâ— That all we that doe confâ—sse his holy Name may agree in the truth of his holy Word and live in unity and godly love which is the prayer of our Church In the meane time good Reader consider that it is as lawfull for men yea for good Christians themselves to differ in circumstances of opinions as it is requisite and seemely that they should grow up together like m fellow branches in matter of good correspondence and affection Farewell SCRIB LIMNOPOROPOLI Antiquorum Saxonum five Regiovici in Regniâ— X. ab V.L. Ad Jamissam Ptolomaei si non omnes depravati codâ— In {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} quod Iohannes Loukinn LONDINI IV. Mater 39. Edw. R. 3. P. Elizabethâ— Regina {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} SCHOLPUBL GR. LAT. LL. E. V. Regni sui III. To the Christian Reader THere are three things necessary for him who takes upon him to expound Prophecies published by the Holy Ghost And first truely the light and Grace of the holy Spirit is requisite For seeing that Prophecie proceedeth from the holy Spirit It is necessary that by the same also it should be expounded Next Apious and diligent reading of Prophecies and conferring them one with another much avayleth hereunto Lastly The fulfilling of any Prophecie and an experience in a manner thereof is as it were the Key with which it is unlockt and opened Wherefore that saying of Irenaeus is true Every Prophecy before it is fulfill'd is a Riddle But when it is fulfill'd it hath a plain exposition and understanding of it self These three things as in all holy Prophecies so in the Divine Revelation may be joyned together and namely in this piece thereof which now according to my Ability I am about to Illustrate and at this day too Wherein to the light of the Gospel there is added a great Catastrophe or Issue of many things foretold by God himself except indeed any one happily chance to be bewitched with a prejudicate opinion Let us set sail therefore in the Name of God and comfort the desolation of Germany with this pious meditation Revelation Chap. 20. ANd I saw an Angel come down from heaven having the Key of the bottomelesse pit and a great chain in his hand 2. And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the devill and Satan and bound him a thousand yeers 3. And cast him into the bottomlesse pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him that he should deceive the Nations no more till the thousand yeers should be fulfilled and after that he must be loosed a little season 4. And I saw thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Iesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshipped the beast neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yâ—ers 5. But the rest of the dead lived not again untill the thousand yeers were finished This is the first resurrection 6. Blessâ—d and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power but thâ—y shall be Priests of God and of Chrâ—st and shall reign with him a thousand yeers 7. And whâ—n the thousand yeers are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison 8. And shall goe out to deceive the Nations which are in the four quarters of the earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battell the number of whom is as the sand of the Sea 9. And thâ—y went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the campe of the Saints about anâ—â—he beloved Citie and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them 10. And the dâ—vill that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false Prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever 11. And I saw a great white Throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the Book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works 14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death 15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire PROLEGOMENA OR THE PREFACE Concerning The Author and Subject of this Chapter and the Connexion thereof with the foregoing and following Chapters 1. Of the Author of this Chapter THe Principall Author of this Chapter is the same who is Author of the whole Book namely Iesus Christ who as a faithfull Steward of our Salvation received this Revelation from God the Father and sent the same by his Angel to Iohn the Evangelist Revel. 1.1 Wherefore the Principall Author is the Spirit of God the Minister or Messenger partly the Angel partly Iohn who Chap. 1.1 and 4. setteth down his name in generall but a little after in the ninth Verse restraining that generality He doth as it were with his finger point at it I John your brother and companion in the affliction and Kingdom and patience * which is in Jesus Christ was in the Island which is called Patmos The history which Eusebius relates tells us That Iohn the Evangelist and Apostlé was banished into the Island of Patmos by Domitian Whence it is collected that Iohn the Evangelist and Apostle was Gods Poâ—-man in the delivery of this Prophecy and hence That the Authority of this Book and so of this Chapter which we intend to expound is Divine Wherefore deservedly we most highly esteem of this Revelation as a part of Scripture which hath God for it's Author But especially this Prophecy ought in this respect to
the false Prophet who is the great Antichrist being thrust down a little before the beginning of the thousand yeers do endure their punishment There they shall be tormented day and night without intermission for ever and ever that is For all ages so that for the time to come they shall never scape forth again 11. I saw also a great cloud like a great white Throne and Christ the Son of GOD the Judge of the living and dead sitting thereon with great Majesty and prepared to give Judgement From before his face the Earth and the Heaven fled away and there was no place found for them For this earth and this heaven shall passe away at the coming of Christ and all things shall be made new 12. I saw also all the dead small and great standing before God and ready to hear the sentence of the Judge What happens then The books of mens Consciences are opened the counsells of all mortell men and the secrets of their hearts being brought to light Now lest the elect children of God should be disheartned every one by the particular survey of his own book or conscience behold another book is opened for them I mean the Book of Life in which according to the fatherly acceptance of God in Christ their names are written from everlasting These books being thus opened the dâ—ad are judged out of those things which are written in the books according to their works and that after such manner that the works of the Saints are judged out of the book of life which contains the books of their Consciences washed and cleansed with the Blood of Christ But the works of the ungodly are numbred and surveyed and so judged out of the books of their own consciences not cleansed from sins nor purged with the Blood of Christ 13. Hereupon then the Sea gave up its dead which had been concealed in the bosome thereof Death also and the Grave that is The fire ayr and the earth and indeed all the Elements dâ—livered up their dead which having received formerly they had partly consumed partly yet preserved They were therefore all judged and every one in particular none at all excepted and they were judged justly for the judgement was according to every ones works of which their consciences bare them record 14. And this being performed ungodly men Death and Hell that is Men deserving both were cast into that lake of fire that there for ever they might swallow up waters running with fire and there suffer the second death that is by dying the second death never to die 15. For whose name soever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into that lake of fire both by the just Judgement of God and by the heynousnesse of his own deservings V. The Questions arising in this Chapter THe chief Questions of this Chapter are these 1. Whether these thousand yeers severall times here mentioned are alwayes to be understood literally 2. Whether they be already finished 3. What year ought to be put for the beginning of them 4. What is to be understood by the first Resurrection 5. Who are to be understood by Gog and Magog 6. Whether the Martyrs with Christ shall reign here on Earth All which Questions I will bring into this one Whether there shall be any happinesse of the Church here upon earth before the last day and of what kinde it shall be This question I will handle somewhat more largely both by way of confutation and confirmation I will in the first place therefore by certain Classes or ranks of Arguments confirm the truth to be maintained herein After that I will confute the Objections of the adversary part I. The Confirmation of the Truth THere shall be three Classes or ranks of Arguments for the maintaining of this Truth which we comprehend in the following Thesis or Position The happy estate of the Church in this life shall consist of the Resurrection of the Martyrs and their kingdom here on earth of the freedome of the Church from the persecution of the enemies of the Gospel by an utter overthrow of them of a lasting peace which shall arise from thence of the encrease of the Church or the multitude of the believers by the conversion of the Iews and Nations not yet converted of the Reformation of Doctrine or a greater enlightment and life among all estates of men of the Majesty also and great glory of the Church and lastly of the sincere joy thereof Now this happinesse shall begin in that very year wherein it shall come to passe That the kingdom of that great Antichrist shall be destroyed and it shall last for a thousand years The truth hereof we will make good 1. Out of the Context and Coherence of this Chapter 2. Out of other sayings of the Scripture 3. Lastly by Arguments taken from reason and the consent and agreement of some holy and learned men The first Classis of Arguments From the Context of the Chapter we draw these Arguments THe first Argument is taken from the connexion of this Vision with the former which is described chap. 19. verse 19 20 21. For Iohn saith in the first verse of this Chapter And I saw that is Afterwards to wit After I had seen the Beast and the false Prophet cast into the Lake of fire Now lest any one should think that this casting of them in shall be in the end of the world Iohn doth presently adde and the rest were slain with the sword of him that sate on the horse and all the fowls were filled with their flesh From which words it is manifest That it is spoken here concerning the destruction of Antichrist and his followers which shall not happen in the last and Universall Judgement but shall be a particular Judgement by it self which is thus demonstrated The coming of Christ to the last Judgement shall at length happen after the Warre of Gog and Magog which is a distinct War from that which is described chap. 19. ver. 19. For the Warre of Gog shall be against the Saints having now enjoyed a long-lasting Peace But the Warre of Antichrist shall be against the Saints being now brought almost to nothing by some great persecution Again in this 20â—h Chap. vers. 10. it is said That the Devill should be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone after the Warre of Gog where the Beast and the false prophet * WAS which words have a plain respect to those chap. 19. ver. 20. These both the Beast and the false prophet were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with Brimstone The second Argument is from the Connexion of this Vision with the following which is set down in the 21 Chapter For saith Iohn in the first verse thereof After that I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth that is The thousand yeers being finished the Warre of Gog and Magog being ended and the execution of the last Judgement of which in the
or Dragon and his two companions the Beast and the false-Prophet Day and night Continually without intermission For ever and ever A description of all Eternity 11. And I saw a great white Throne By this Throne a cloud is understood and being termed a great Throne the Universall judgement is figured out and being also called a white one Truth Equity and Justice are thereby signified And one sitting thereon Namely Christ God and Man Now he is said to be seen to sit there that hereby we may be taught That he is prepared and ready to passe judgement From whose face Being both most refâ—lgent and full of austherity The Earth and Heaven fled away That is the fashion of this world passed away and was consumed with fire which went before this Judge and the Creatures the Inhabitants of earth and heaven did all tremble at the sight of him And there was found no place for him By reason of the resplendenâ—y and Majesty of the Judge which no creature could endure without being changed into some other state and condition Therefore there shall be an Universall change of the whole world in that Judgement day 12. And I saw the dead That is Those who had been dead but were now raised and restored unto life Small and great A Dichotomy or division naturally to be understood in regard of quantity morally in regard of quality or dignity So that all must be placed before the Tribunall of Christ Standing before God As expecting his definitive sentence And the Books were opened Books not devised or written by any other then by every one in his own private conscience dictated according to his severall thoughts words and deeds These Books therefore thus written have hitherto been reserved shut up and not taken notice of as it were in some private closet or place of account But now they are opened so that they may be plainly read by every particular man And another book was opened That onely book written by God himself Which is the book of Life That is The secret and hidden Decree of God concerning our Election which there shall in publike be exhibited and made manifest Now it is called The book of Life because therein God hath as it were set down the names of them who through his grace and favour shall become heirs of eternall life Compare Luke 10.20 And the dead were judged A definitive sentence passing upon all acquitting some and condemning others Out of those things which were written in the Book To wit In the books of mens consciences Now these books shall be opened after a severall manner For the books of the Consciences of godly men shall not be so opened that their sinnes shall rise up in judgement against them for in this respect they are still sealed up but they shall be so opened that they may read indeed their sinnes there many and gâ—eat ones but so as they are covered by Christ and the power of them more and more weakened by the Spirit of Christ through repentance and the study of good works Therefore the godly shall reade in their conscience the justice of Christ covering their sinnes and through him bringing forth good works But the condition of the ungodly shall be farre otherwise For they shall read in their consciences their sinnes not pardoned by Christ According to their works Which shall give testimony either of their faith in Christ or else of their impiety and unbeleef 13. And. Tâ—ansitively for After that that is After the sentence of the Judge now passed and published The sea gave up her dead that were in it Bâ—ing drowned or devoured of fiâ—nes And death That is The Fire Aire and Beast of the Earth and Fowls yeelded up their dead which had not been buâ—yed And Hell That is The Grave In these words then is contained partly a description of the generall Resurrection partly a distribution of the bodies of them that were dead into three sorts One of them that were drowned in the Sea Another of those which were not drowned in the Sea but being dead had no buriall as being brought to ashes either by the fire or aire or else devoured by beasts of the earth or by flying fowls A third sort of those who were laid in their graves Gave up their dead By the command and appointment of God Which were in them The very same and not others the same in number And they were judged every man Not any one being excepted According to their works So that no man shall have cause to complain of any injury done unto him 14. And death And for But adversatively Death that is some and indeed most of the dead but not buryed And Hell The Grave which is here put for them that were buryed therein And again not all the buryed are here to be understood but some and indeed most Now by Death and Hell may be understood men deserving both Were cast into the lake of fire That is made subject and slaves to eternall damnation so that the Saints for the time to come need not stand in any danger or fear of them Which is the second Death Or Eternall This Relative Which may either be referred to the word Lake or else may be taken collectively In the former acception the Lake is called the second death that is a signe or Symbol of the second or eternall death In the latter the judgement of condemnation committed to execution is called the second death Now this is called the second death because the bodies and souls of the damned do in very deed dye twice For the body dyeth both when it is separated from the soul and also when being again joyned to the body it is seperated from God And the soul dyeth both when in this life it separateth it self from God by sinne and when after this life it is separated from God by everlasting punishment Lastly This punishment is called Death because it taketh away the life of grace and glory with which if the life of nature be compared it is rather to be called death then life 15. And whosoever was not found And for For a copulative particle for a declarative Finding is here applyed to God by an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or by attributing of humane actions passions and affections to the unlimited power and unsearchable operations of the Deity Written in the book of Life Both in the former book as well through the love and election of God as in the latter by faith hope and charity Was cast into the lake of fire Through the just judgement of God and by his own default 2. A Logicall-Theologicall Analysis This Chapter is divided into five parts I. THe Description of the Angel Vers. 1. II. The Effects or operations of the Angel that is what the Angel did In part of the 1. Verse 2.3 III. The happy estate of the Church which followed upon what the Angel had effected In part of the 2 3 4 5
other reformation ought to be expected The Antecedent may be proved from hence because the Doctrine of the Fundamentalls of our Salvation is proposed so that it cannot be done more cleerly or with greater light Answ. The great Reformation which we declare shall come to passe shall concerne matter of Life as well as Doctrine As for matter of Doctrine the foundation thereof shall remain But as for those infinite contentions whereby the Body of Christ is torn in pieces an end shall be put unto them Again many places of Scripture whose expositions have hitherto troubled the most learned men shall more cleerly and better be understood As for matter of life what should I say The matter it selfe speaks loud enough that in the whole course of our lives as good and as great as we are we have little or no Divinity at all There is great need therefore of a Reformation XXXVI Object It was an ancient Distinction that the kingdome of God is either of Power Grace or Glery But this Distinction is taken away by this Millenary so much pleaded for because it cannot be referred either to the Kingdom of Grace or to the Kingdome of Glory Answ. It belongs to the Kingdome of Grace which doth consist of divers degrees Neither is this opinion any way prejudiced because in the former discourse I have sometimes made mention of glory and Majesty as part of the happinesse of this Millenary For this glory is only inchoative or in it's beginning and shall be broken off by the War of Gog and Magog But the Glory of the Life Eternall is perfect and never at all to be interrupted V. The Doctrines arising out of this Chapter 1. According to the Order of the Heads in the Catechisms I. THe XI and XII Articles of the Creed concerning the resurrection of the flesh as also concerning the last Iudgement and eternall life are treated of II. The first and third precepts of the Decalogue or Tenne Commandments are here illustrated in the 4 verse where mention is made of Godly Confessors who worshipped not the Image of the Beast III. The second and sixth Petitions of the Lords Prayer may be explained out of this Chapter 2. According to the Order of Common-places This Chapter makes mention of Gods Providence of Angels of Predestination of the Church and it 's enemies of Martyrdome of the Resurrection of the flesh of the last Iudgement of Life and Death Eternall 3. Doctrines out of the severall Verses Vers. 1. 1. God instructeth men sometimes and teacheth them extraordinarily by Visions as also by divine Extasies or Raptures 2. The Angels are ministring Spritis who receive their commands at God's hands 3. Good Angels are endowed with great power and strength Vers. 2. 1. Good Angels have power over evill Angels or Spirits 2. The Devill is stronge and crafty as being both a Dragon and a Serpent 3. The onely and continuall work of the Devill is to calumniate and falsly accuse both God and Man and to endeavour the hinderance of the Glory of the one and the Salvation of the other 4. The Militant Church hath severall and differing times here on earth namely both of oppression and refreshment after the divers degrees thereof according to the dispensation and good pleasure of God Vers. 3. 1. The Devill is bound and tyed up by the reines of God's Providence 2. The Devill is the author of the generall seduction of mankinde 3. Warres shall cease for a thousand years 4. The Warre which shall begin after these thousand yeers shall not last long Vers. 4. 1. Christ is a Iudge appointed by God to whom the holy Angels are joyned as Assessors or inferiour Iudges 2. The Professors of the Gospel are hated in the sight of the world 3. Constancy is required in the Profession of the Truth 4. They are Idolators who worship Antichrist and follow his doctrine 5 The Martyrs shall reign with Christ for a thousand years in the Militant Church Vers. 5. 1. The generall resurrection shall be in the end of the world 2. The first resurrection and particular of the Martyrs is the proeme unto the second or universall resurrection Vers. 6. 1. As the children of God in this life have one above another prerogatives of gifts works and sufferings so shall they also have prerogatives of blessings both in this life and in that also which shall be hereafter 2. The common happpnesse of the godly among other things consists in this that the second death hath no power over them 3. We must certainly resolve that there is a second or eternall Death 4. Though all Christians are Kings and Priests yet in a morâ— speciall manner the Martyrs raised at the beginning of these thousand years shall be Kings and Priests in the Militant Church Vers. 7. 1. The happynesse of the Church which shall continue for theâ—â—thousand years must not be confounded withâ— or mistaken for the happynesse of life eternall 2. Satan can do nothing except by Gods leave he be let loose out of his prison 3. God alone can restrain Satan as if he had him shut up in some prison Vers. 8. 1. Satan when soever he gains power playes over his old pranks again 2. Satan is delighted with the shedding of mans bloud especially of the Godly and therefore useth to seduce and entice men to Warre 3. Whatsoever is said in the Old Testament of Gog and Magog is to be understood partly literally partly typically 4. The Enemies of the Church are in number many Vers. 9. 1. Men seduced by the Devill set slip no occasion so watchfull herein they are of persecuting the Godly 2. The Churâ—h is the beloved City of God 3. It is the duty of Christians continually to be exercised in Christ's warfare 4. God executes wonderfull judgements against the enemies of his Church Vers. 10. 1. The Devill and his Instruments are cast into Hell and shall be tormented there for ever 2. Eternity is nothing else then a continuation of Age to Age for ever 3. Hell is a place full of horrour Vers. 11. 1. The Mâ—jesty of Christ coming to Iudgement shall be very great 2. Heaven and Earth in the day of the last Judgement shall passe away in respect of the fashion of this world Vers. 12. and 13. 1. The last resurrection shall be universall 2. Men in the last Judgement shall be judged according to their works 3. The Conscience of a man is like a book in which all his thoughts words and deeds are as it were set down 4. The book of life or Predestination shall be opened in the last Judgement for then shall it appear plainly who are the Elect and who the reprobate who have truely beleeved in Christ who hypocritically who have truely worshipped God who according to appearance onely 5. The last Judgement shall be universall infallible and just Vniversall because it shall be of the dead and living of great and small Infallible because God is all-knowing and hath
chosen his own from Eternity The Omnisciency or all-knowledge of God is signified by the books in which the works of every particular man are written His Election is signified by the book of life Iust because God shall judge according to every mans works without acceptance of persons 6. God knoweth in what place the particular body of every dead man is reserved Vers. 14.15 1. Hell is a place full of horrour 2. Reprobation from life eternall is nothing else but a not-writing in the book of life Election to eternall life is a writing of our names in the book of Life An Appendix BEcause in the handling of this Chapter I proposed to my self not onely to maintain that which mine own Conscience witnessed with me to be true but withall to furnish these times also with this not the least Consolation it was needfull for me to use this Method which in the Explanation of holy Scripture without doubt exceeds all others It will not be amisse therefore if I set down this Method in the following Table In every Chapter yea Verse of holy Scripture there are to be considered The Prolegomena or Praecognita that is the foregoing matter or things to be known before hand and they are either of the Author and authority thereof Subject or matter Connexion or Coherence The Text it self in which are to be considered the Argument or Summe thereof Analysis or Resolution either Philologically and Theologically or Logically and Theologically Paraphrase or larger upholding thereof Questions either Fundamentall proper to that place and necessarily arising or Lesse principall common with other places and honorary or accessory Doctrines according to The order of the Heads in the Catechisme Common Places The order of the Context Of these the Argument Paraphrase and Doctrines belong to the handling of the sacred Text in the way of Preaching the Analysis or Questions to the Scholasticall part of Divinity Glory be to God alone FINIS Testimonies concerning this worke of Alstedius Dr. Hukewill in his Apology c. lib. 4. cap. 12.5.6 ALstedius a famous Professour at Herborne in his Diatribe dâ— mille annis Apocalypticis published about two yeares since is of this opinion as also that the thousand years mentionâ—d in the 20. of the Revel. during which time Satan should be bound is yet to come which assertion he first builds upon a litterall interpretation of the number in as much as it is five severall times repeated within the compasse of seven verses and the foure last with a special article added {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the thousand yearâ—s Secondly upon a supposition that Satan as yet hath not been bound up a thousand yeares together since the delivery of that Prophecie by the Angell to St. Iohn and by him to the Church considering that ever since much and grosse idolatrie hath raigned among the Pagans obstinate blindenesse among the Iewes since the rising of Mahomet pittyfull defection seduction among the Saracens strang errors aâ—d heresies sects and schisms among the Christians and since the rising of Antichrist wonderfull ignorance supâ—rstition and persecution of the â—aints together with a generall prophanesse and corruption in matter of manners all which saith he cannot stand with the binding up of Sathan the principall actor of all these for a thousand yeares and consequently that the performance of that promise is yet to be expected and for confirmation of this opinion though the booke it selfe be but little he alleadgeth 66. passages of Scripture inforceth many reasons answereth 36. Objections pâ—oduceth the testimonies of sundry learned men either expresly defending it or at least wise favouring â—t And they are Iustus Heurnius Ioannes Keplerus Petrus Curaeus Ioannes Dâ—bricus Ioannes Piscator Petrus Molinaeus Ioannes Ferus Seraph Firmianus Remalcus dâ— Vaulx Martinus Cellarius vid apud Alstâ—dium Christoph Bâ—soldus Cael Sec. Curio Alf. Con Mantuanus Lucas Osiander Matthaeus Cotterias Michael Sâ—ndivogaâ—â— Stephanus Pan 〈…〉 Quosâ—mnes suâ—si 〈…〉 The Authâ—r of a book latâ—ly published in latine and inscribed Nuncius Prophâ—icus who in modesty conceales his name pag. 34.42 Diatribe de mille â—nnis Apâ—caâ— quem tractatum c. thâ—t is the treatise of Alstedium concerniâ—g the thousand yeares in the Revelation â— estâ—eme above the value of gold and precious stones it being full of secret wisedome And pag. 42 Alsâ—ed in his tâ—uely golden little work of the thâ—usand yeares in the Apâ—calypse Which work though small yet full of great sedulâ—tie takes away all scruple of doubt herein And it is much to be deâ—ired that some one or other that delights himselfe in Theologicall misteries so weâ— worthy of our knowledge would translate it out of the Latine and make it speak English {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Thou wilt straightway thinke Reader that this was no small incitemeâ—t to me to goe on with this Translation having before the edition of this booke taken it into mine hands Testimonies concerning the Opinion it selfe approved by some famous English Divines And first Dr. Hâ—kewill of Oxford in his Book intituled An Apology of the power and providence of God in the governement of the world Lib. 6. Cap. 12. v. 6. AS wee neede not doubt that Antichrist is long â—ince come into the world so many passages of holy Scripture and testimonies of learned men make us more then hope that notwithstanding his late victories and triumphs his downefall is not farre off and that thereupon the Church of Christ shall flourish more in peace and power in doctrine and manners in lustre and glory then hitherto at any time in former ages it hath done To instance in all the passages in Scripture which to this purpose are alleadged would prove I doubt me tedious and in some perchance impertinent mine endeavour then shall be to pick out the choisest and among them specially those which seeme to point at a fuller calling as well of the Gentiles as the Iews then heretofore hath been The particular places for brevitie I have set downe which Reader pâ—ruse at thy leasure Psal. 22.27 Esay 2.2 Matth. 24.14 Rom. 52.26 2. Cor. 3.15 Micahâ— 3 Esay 30.26 and 54.11 But you shall have them all in this treatise The Doctor goes on ANd all this peace â—nd glory shall arise from the subversion of Rome and Antichrist aâ—d his adherents so evidenâ—ly described in the 14.18 and 19. of the Revelation that the very Iesuits themselves Ribera and Vegas cannot possibly devise any jugling conveyance how to shift iâ— off And if for the effecting of this great worke we should grant that which all antiquity both Iewish and Christian much beates upoâ— that Elias shall come and restore all things I cannot see what great absurdity can from thence be inferreâ— or what Article of Christian faith it impâ—gneth Indeed our Saviour telleth his Disciples that Elias was then come meaning Iohn the Baptist whom he tearâ—eth Eâ—ias in regard of his zeale
6. Verses IV. The troubled State of the Church Vers. 7 8 9 10. V. The Description of the last judgement From the 11. Verseâ—â— the end Of the first Part. The Angel is described 1. From the Person imployed therein who is Iohn the Evangelist whose effect illustrated by the time added is expressed in these words After that I saw 2. From the proper Person or Subject An Angel 3. From the effect which is illustrated by the place Coming down from Heaven 4. From the double adjunct illustrated by a threefold similitude Having the kâ—y of the bottomelesse pit and a great chain in his hand Of the second Part. Five effects of this Angel are recited 1. The first is illustrated by an allegoricall description of the object thus And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devill and Satan The second is illustrated by the circumstance of time And he bound him for 1000. years 3. 4. 5. The other three are set down with a manifestation of the end for which this was done And cast him into the bottomelesse pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him that he should deceive the nations no more Of the third Part. The happy estate of this Church hereon Earth is either common or proper The common estate of the Church is that of all the godly then living in these words That he should not seduce them any more And it is discribed thus 1. From the extent of the Subject Thaâ— he might not seduce the Nations 2. From the adjunct of time Till the thousand yâ—â—rs should be fulfilled 3. From the destructive cause of their felicity And after that he must be loosed Now as well the efficient cause of the corruption of this felicity is declared namely The decree of God He must be loosed As the manner and forme Be loosed And lastly the adjunct of time For a little season The Proper estate of the Church is that of the Martyr and is consists of their Resurrection and Kingdom The Resurrection of the Martyrs is described 1. From the Person imployed Then I saw 2. From the impulsive procuring cause to wit the Judgement of those heavenly powers which is illustrated from an adjunct and effect metaphoricall thus Thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them 3. From the recipient subjects which is described from the adjunct passions as also from the its effects And the souls of them who were beheaded for c. The procuring cause also of these passions or sufferings is declared to wit Their confessing of Christ and their refusing of Idolatry 4. From the manner of their Resurrection And they lived agaiâ— The Kingdom of the Martyrs is described from the effect connâ—â— and adjunct time And thâ—y reigned with Christ for a thousand years The Resurrection of the Martyrs is again described 1. From the unlike condition of others But the rest of the dead lived not again untill c. 2. From it's Epithite This is the first Resurrection 3. From four adjunctâ— of which the first second and fourth are peculiar the third common For the Martyrs are described from their particular happynesse Blessed From their particular holinesse And holy From their holy security On such the second death hath no power From the dignity of their Priesthood But they shall be Priests Their Kingdom with the durance thereof is the second time also set down in the 6. Verse Of the fourth Part. The happy estate of the Church shall be troubled by the extreme persecution of the wicked that is to say by the warre of Gog and Magog the cause whereof and the event is described The cause is as well efficient as formal The efficient is either principall The seducing of the Devill or instrumentall The wicked Nations The seducing of the Devill is described 1. From the time When the thousand years shall be finished 2. From the permissive cause Satan shall be loosed out of his prison For he shall be let loose by the Angel God permitting and commanding it 3. From the manner and end And he shall go forth that he may deceive the Nations and gather them to battlâ— The wicked Nations are described 1. From the subject place The Nations which are in the four corners of the earth 2. From the comparison with their like Gog and Magog 3. From the adjunct That he might gather them to battle 4. From the multitude added which is set forth and illustrated by a simile whose number is as the sand of the Sea 5. From a double effect And they came up on one breadth of the earth and encompassed c. The event of this warre of Gog and Magog is in respect 1. Of the Nations But fire came down from heaven 2. Of the Devill whose action is described And the Devill who seduced them and his passion He was cast into the Lake And this punishment is described from his company Where the Beast and the false prophet are And from the durance of time added And they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Of the fifth Part. The last Judgement is described 1. From the efficient cause which is the Iudge who is described partly from the limited place to wit The Cloude Then I saw a Throne c. partly from adjunct to wit His Majestie And one sitting thereon before whom the Earth and the Heaven fled away 2. From the Object which are the guilty or the persons to be judged They are described both from their past condition The dead both small and great as also from their present state Standing in the sight of God as likewise from their future condition And they were judged From a tripartite distribution also from the distinct places And the sea gave up no dead and death and helâ—gave up their dead which were in them 3. From the Rule observed in the Judgement thereafter as their works are According to their works This rule is declared from the infallibility thereof which is signified by the books that is the Consciences of men And the books were opâ—ned And by the Book of life also And another book was opened 4. From the execution of the sentence of which one part here is onely mentioned namely the casting of the wicked into the Lake of fire Vers. 14. the other is related in the following chapter Now this casting into the Lake is described partly from what went before And Death and Hell Partly from the forme and manner of it Were cast into the lake of fire which is the second Death And partly also from the impulsive cause And whose names were not found in the book of life were cast into the lake of fire If you like better of it divide this Chapter into four particular Visions Of which the 1. Is concerning the Angel Vers. 1.2.3 2. Is concerning the State of the Church here on Earth as well In a most happy condition Verse 3 4 5 6. As in a most afflicted