seven to wit so many as are the branches of one after the similitude of the candlesticke in the temple which representing the Church had one shafte onely but seven branches coming out of the sides Exod. 25.31 c. For there is one Catholique Church as one shafte but the particular congregations are many which comming forth out of that one and abiding in the same as the divers branches of one shafte do stay as it were upon the same base Where those first seven Candlestickes shewed that there was then a most flourishing Church as long as the Apostles and their next true successours did burne as it were candles in the same But at this time wherein the PROPHETS should goe clad in mourning apparell the Candlestickes are but two which lacke five to make up their full number because the dignity of it was much diminished and almost brought to an extreme condition Neverthelesse the elect should have some fatnesse as it were of the olive trees wherby they should cherish the celestiall flame in their hearts neither should a candlesticke be wanting from whence the Ministers should give light aboundantly howsoever the companies of the faithfull should be most rare and very small These thinges yet hitherto doe not peradventure content our mindes especially seeing in this space of a thousande two hundreth and three score dayes which wee have shewed to be so many yeeres and to have their beginning in the yeere 304 wee have taught that sixe Antitype candiestickes did shine chap. 2.3 So then I thinke that the three last the Sarden Philadelphien Laodicen were not kindled but after a thousande two hundred and almost twenty yeeres and therefore worthily not to come into any accounte to which so small a number of those dayes agreeth But as touching the other three the Smyrnen belonged to the Church decaying the Thyatiren to the same rising againe but the Pergamen lying in a most deepe pit of all corruption from it is neither of any reckening but of set purpose passed over Not that there should be none at all in that state of things but because none should be greatly in sight at that time 5 And yf any will hurte them Nowe followeth the power to destroy the enemies But why are they clothed in sackcloth but for iniurie received Doe they then destroy the worlde with fire doing wronge daily unto theÌ„ Iniurie is double one more grievous done advisedly eyther by open force or fraude an other lesse of ignorance and lacke of heed taking They seeme to have worne sackecloth because of this second kinde in the meane while continually punishing their more deadly enemies with this devouring fire It is said to come out of their mouth by whose threatning prayers such a iudgement is exercised Even as in olde time at the signifying before of Moses a fire comming from the Lord consumed the two hundred fifty men which rose up against him with Corah Numb 16. Or as at the prayers of Eliah fire came from heaveÌ„ consumed the Captaine his 50 men which Achasia sent to kill him 2 Kings 1. God defendeth these Prophets after the same maner that he did those auncient ones yea rather he will have these provided for in a more notable manner by how much he regardeth more his owne trueth and whole assemblyes of the Saincts then singular persons The Holy SCRIPTVRES therefore pronouncing most certen punishments against all ungodlines and transgression doe sende as it were fire out of their mouth whereby they doe utterly consume and devoure the unrepentant For it cannot be that one tittle of Gods word should perish Mat. 24.35 But chiefly they doe vomit fire upon them who will hurt them that is who dare corrupt their most syncere trueth by humane inventions patched unto it threatning that Jf any man shall adde unto this Prophecy that God will lay upon him the plagues that are written in that booke chap. 22.18.19 Not because they doe estime the sacred authority of the Revelation onely ratifyed by so great a punishement but because there is the same regard of the whole trueth inspired of God as Yee shall put nothing to this word which I speake unto you neither shall yee take away therefrom Deut. 4.2 Put nothing to his wordes least thou be reproved founde a lyar Pr. 30.6 FroÌ„ heÌ„ce in time past came the horrible slaughter of the Baalites 1 Kings 18.40 2 King 10.25 and so many most grievous calamities which did come with force upon the world all these two and fourty moneths because almost nothing was done according to the true meaning of the scriptures but now the whole world was taught by traditions despising Gods trueth either altogither or wresting it onely for the confirming of their fables and trifles Therefore these Prophets being so evill intreated burnt up the third part of trees and all green grâ—sse with fire mingled with haile killed the third part of the creatures which were in the Sea by a burning mountaine cast into it turned the rivers and fountaines into worme wood by a starre that fell and did burne like a torch yea they gave power to sende the Locusts and the Euphratean Angells as hath ben declared already in the truÌ„pets from every one of which either fire or hellish smoke did issue forth All which evils wer no other thing then the flame going out of the mouth of the Prophets sorely punishing the wicked contemners of the trueth There is the same reason of the Candlestickes that is of the assemblies of the Saincts For God sufferreth not the Churches to be oppressed without rewarding the wicked but moved with the prayers of it requireth meete punishements of the oppressours Diocletian giving over the Empire determined to spende the rest of his life quietly But he escaped not so For his house being wholly consumed with lightning and bright burning fire that fell from heaven he for feare of the lightening hiding himselfe dyed shortly after So Constantine the Great himselfe hath writen in his booke commonly called the fift booke of Eusebius of the life of Constantine leafe 168. Although Eusebius Nicephorus and others doe tell of a farre more horrible death Maximinian Hercule his conpartner died his wezand being broken with an halter Maxentius his sonne was drowned in the river Tiber Galerius is destroyed by horrible torment of diseases Maximinus also is taken away in the same manner Lucinius often overcome and often put to flight at length is killed What should I recite others Valens fighting against the Gothes in fortunately flying into a base cottage was burnt togither with the house it selfe by a fire throwne upon it by the enemies But these were but alone persons but also the whole multitude were ofteÌ„ and very sorely punished by famine pestilence and warre as might be declared plenteously but that it would be longe and not greatly needfull These thinges may shewe sufficiently that howsoever these Prophets might then seeme to be wretched raged and
them which keepe the wordes of this book Worship God 10 After he said unto mee seale not the words of the prophecy of this book for the time is at hand 11 He that hurteth let him hurt still and he that is filthy let him be filthy stil and he that is iust let him be iustifyed stil and he that is holy let him be holy still 12 And behold I come quickly and my reward is with mee to render to every one as his worke shal be 13 J am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending the first and the last 14 Blessed are they that doo his commaundements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city 15 But without shal be dogges and enchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh lies 16 J Iesus sent my Angel to testify these things unto you in the Churches J am the roote and that generation of David that bright and morning starre 17 And the Spirit and the bride say come and he that heareth saith come and let him that thirsteth come and let him that will receive of the water of life freely 18 For I testify there withall unto every one that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book if any man shall add unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this book 19 And if any man shall take away of the words of the book of this prophecy God shal take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from those things which are written in this book 20 He which testifyeth these things saith ye I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Iesus 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you al. Amen The Analysis THVS farr the two first outward arguments wherby the glory of this city is set forth the two last follow the aboundance of things necessary continuance The first handleth two things which comprehende all other plenty the most pure water proceeding out of the throne ver 1. and the tree of life ver 2. whose fruite is described and how many foulde it is partly in the kinde for thete are twelve fruits partly in the time bearing every moneth and how profitable which appeareth from thence that also the leaves are for the health of the Gentils ver 2. and thus much of the aboūdance the continuance is declared by remooving of the corrupting causes ver 3. and by setting downe of the preserving causes ver 3.4 5. And hitherto hath bin a prophetical narration both of special things and also of common things to the whole Church There foloweth the conclusion of all the Revelation and of the Epistle partly consisting in a confirmation partly in a salutation The confirmation first takes in hand a recounting and collecting of things before spokē that being put as in a patterne ūder one view they might have greater force for credit And this recounting is cōtinued even to the eighteen verse relating the authour of the Revelation ver 6. the happines of the keppers ver 7. the ministers ver 8.9 a publishing commanded wherby ther should be a free examination ver 10. with an answer of a secret obiection ver 11. the upright nature of the revealer ver 12. eternall ver 13. the thing revealed ver 14.15 the plaine testimony of Iesus ver 16. and lastly the desire of the Spirit and bride ver 17. Every one of which apart is of great weight to establish the authority of this Prophecy but al togither are very much greater Next Iohn of his owne part addeth some new thing when he uttereth certain destruction to them which shall corrupt this prophecy never so little ver 18.19 then testifying his most earnest desire of a speedie finishing ver 20. The salutation lastly concludeth the whole Epistle with a praier ver 21. Scholions 1 Afterward he shewed mee That wholesome fruite dooth more declare the excellent glory of this city which not onely the citizens but also forreiners doo receive Wherunto also apperteine this river and tree of the which both they drinke and also are fedde unto life both which the Angel sheweth to Iohn For he saith he shewed mee But who is he that shewed That sevēth Angel which manifested the city to him in the former chapter ver 9.10 and therfore neither as yet are we come to the heavenly blessednes of the saincts after the last resurrection when we shal not use Angels or any other masters But as touching the water it is not some litle fountaine but a river neither corrupted and troubled as Nilus but flowing with most pure waters as Kidron Gallirrhoe making glad the citie of God Psal 46.5 Furthermore it is a river of water of life not onely because of the continuance for it runneth alwayes with new waters as is the water of a fountaine or spring which also in the Scriptures is called living but because it bringeth life to the drinkers Iohn 4.14 The river is shining as Chrystall farre exceeding the clearnes of the fountaines Lastly it proceedeth out of the throne of God and of the Lambe which it hath for chiefe fountaines and to which againe as a companion it doth leade or rather being a forerunner goeth before as a streeme to the sea In Ezechiel the same flood issueth out of the temple altar chap. 47.1 But in this new Ierusalem there is no temple as hath bin spoken in chap. 21.22 therfore the throne of God is set in the place thereof Whether it runneth here is no mention but the Prophets plentifully teach it namely towards the East from the South side of the altar first towards Galily and into the plaine then the waters come to the Sea and by emptying themselves into the same sea the waters therof are healed Ezech. 47.1.8 So in Ioel there shal issue forth a fountaine from the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim chap. 3.18 That is the plaine of Moab where the Israelites committed whordome with the Moabitish wemen Numb 25.1 Zacharie also There shal be saith he in that daie waters of life going forth out of Ierusalem part of them to the East sea and parte of them to the uttermost sea which shal be both in somer and winter chap. 14.8 This river is the most fruitfull doctrine of Christ which shall flowe forth towards the East because the people watered with the moisture hereof shall grow and at last true life shall budde forth For every living creature that creepeth whersoever these rivers come shall live and there shal be a very great multitude of fishes for by the comming of these waters thither they are cured and live whersoever this river commeth Ezech. 47.9 For this Prophet and Iohn speake of the same things and times of the state and condition of the Church in earth as those things which in so many places we have
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
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
A REVELATION OF THE APOCALYPS that is THE APOCALYPS OF S. IOHN illustrated vvith an Analysis Scolions Where the sense is opened by the scripture the events of things foretold shewed by Histories Hereunto is prefixed a generall View and at the end of the 17. Chapter is inserted a Refutation of R. Bellarmine touching Antichrist in his 3. Book of the B. of Rome BY THOMAS BRIGHTMAN Blessed he that doeth reade and blessed are those which doe heare the wordes of this Prophecy and which keepe the things that are written therein Iren. 4. Book chap. 43. All Prophecy before it have his efficacy be reiddles and ambiguitye unto men But when the tyme is come that that which is prophecyed is come to passe then have the Prophecyes a cleare and certen exposition AMSTERDAM Printed by Iudocus Hondius Hendrick Laurenss Anno 1611. To the holy reformed Churches of Britanny Germany France grace peace from God our father from Iesus-Christ our Lord. Thincke it not strange o most holy spouse of Christ that a new interpretatiō of the Apocalyps is presented unto thee considering that among so many both of olde late writers it is the judgement of all that the Revelation needeth stil another Revelation and that these wordes be continually sounding in thyne eares The Lord hath spoken who shall not prophecy For the Lord hath not onely spoken of old by dreames visions but also he speaketh daily so often as he vouchsafeth to illuminate the mindes of his servaunts for to manifest the hiddē truth of his word to expose the same openly And with whōsoever God doeth thus communicate he thincketh that necessitie is laid upon him for to manifest unto others that which himself hath receaved And in deed should the candel be lightned for to be putt under a bushell should the comon danger of all be privily declared for the benefitt of one onely Is it not rather for this that being put in the watch tower he must give warning to the rest for to avoide with all speed the present danger The Lepers knew this well they could say that if they had kept the joyfull tydings untill the daye light evel should have come upō them But what and if any should conceale the eminent danger of what punishment should he be guilty Verely of so much the more greater as the difference is between one altogether lost and one that is deprived of joy but for a few houres And therefore having learned from this Apocalyps that shortly a great tentation shall invade all Christendome in so much as the sword of the Lord shall be made droncken in heaven all the host of them shall be overthrowne that you the Christian Churches of Germany France Britanny are by name favorably admonished of this tempest by written Epistles I finding by the will of God these Epistles which doe shew this thing understanding by the inscriptions to whom they were written I durst not otherwise doe but to render them to whom they belong least by the intercepting keeping of them secret by me I should both betraye your welfare and be condemned as guilty of treason against God There is no godly man but he seeth that the Divine worship despised the most holy word of God derided the great securitye pride of the Pastors the altogether corrupt and dissolute maners of all of whas order and condition soever they be doe foretell of some horrible calamitye shortly to come Now these Epistles doe not foretell the thing by ambiguous cōjecture but by most plaine wordes doe teach a goulf full of miseries to be at hand readye to invade us Thou spouse see I pray thee the seale knowe the hand the wordes the style of the writter thou knowest well the voice of the Bridgroome yf the letters be sent unto thee by him as they doe shewe it is more then tyme to cast off those defylements which thou hast drawen to thy self by a to much to long securitye least otherwise yf thou continue to be negligent unto this thing thou maiest at the last be suddenly purged with great sorowe by the fyre of the refyner Notwithstāding least thou shouldst thinck that I bring onely such great sorowe morning beholde also a great joye a great triomphe For after this tempest shall presently followe joyfull dayes greatly to be desired for what can be more pleasant unto the chaste spouse driven out by the Romish whore vvho vauntes her self to be the true vvyffe by the same vexed so manye aages by all maner of contumelies in juries then to see finally that impudent harlott her nose slit spoiled of her clothing ornaments defiled vvith dung adle egges finally butnt consumed by fyre Lift up thyne eares a little receave of this Prophecy not some obscure signes but most certen arguments of the Bridgroomes short coming to avenge thy greif deliver into thine hands the vvhore that thou maiest poure out upon her all the heat of jelousie And for the increase of thy joy receave vvithall the last destruction of the Turcks soone follovving the destruction of Rome for this must first be abolished the fevvell onely matter of the barbarous tiranny of them the sinevves of vvhich shall altogither be disolved cutt off after that Christendome shall be purged by an exceeding great destruction of her of her hainous vvickednesses as the Apocalyps plainely shevveth And that thy joy maie be full knovve also the uniting together of the Ievves vvith the Christian nations and so unto the end a most happy tranquillitie Thinges indeede very great greatly to be admyred parte vvherof hath already bin manifested in some sorte to the Christian Church in so much as vvas fitting those tymes yet far from the end of the Prophecy unto vvhich approching is reserved a more full knovvledge the other parte is so strange so unexpected as I could not ever finde in any not so much as a probable suspiciō of it out of this Apocalyps All vvhich effects notvvithstanding vvill yeilde unto us this nevv centurie of tymes vvhich novv vve enter into as our exposition yf I be not deceaved doth make plaine For novv is begun the last acte of a most long most dolfull Tragedie vvhich shall overflovv vvith scourges deaths ruines But this Scene being removed shall come in the place of it the pleasant prospect of a perpetuall peace accompanied vvith abondance of all good things Thus then thou hast most deare Spouse of Christ the residue of the course of thy vvarrfarre stand novv in the hatches after long tossing at lenght beholde the Iand hitherto the cloude seen a farre of hath deceaved thee but novv beholde the sea shore knovv the mouth of the haven it self Let thy eies judge vvhether I be vvorthie to vvhō the revvard of good nevves be givē For so farr of is it that I thinke that vve must stād
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
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
first particle is properly of one affirming shewing the certaintie of a thing in which yet maie be understoode the wishing verbe Let it be done or some such like worde For so it is in the end of the booke Yea come Lord Iesus as if he should saie I beseech thee come so as thou hast promised chap. 22.20 It is like that both the particles are used in the same sence otherwise the diversitie both of tongue and signification woulde not note out any coniunction of all people to which end this twofolde proper forme of spech seemes to be used Amen not onely apperteines to one assevering but also supplicating and earnestly striving that the thing maie come to passe as in Ieremy chap. 28.6 Amen so doe it the last expunding the former 9 J am Alpha and Omega Hitherto hath bene the Inscription of the Epistle now he entreth into the narration it selfe where first for the authoritie of the writing undertaken there is set downe a threefold propertie of the person calling the excelling power of creating truth in his promises and exceeding power of governing The power is first declared metaphorically and afterwards in proper wordes For the beginning ending doe expounde what Alpha Omega meane of which that is the first and this the last letter of the Greeke Alphabet by a metaphore they are applyed to any beginning and ending whatsoever The wordes are plainely of a certeine order and relation to the creature In which respect they can not properly note out eternitie which thing is absolute nor in any regard is to be measured according to the creature Therefore I am Alpha and Omega have this meaning to wit the maker of all things and againe the end whereunto all things are to be referred who in the beginning have made all things and that for my owne glory It is the abridgement of that which the wise man saieth the Lord hath wrought all things for himself yea the wicked for the daie of evill Prov. 16.4 The constant veritie of God in his promises is declared by a distribution of a threefolde time as we have shewed out of ver 4. His Allmightines in the end of the verse seemes to appertaine to that excellent power of governing all things according to his will in which there shines no lesse his incomprehensible maiestie then in the first creation of things For this teacheth that his strength was not spent in his first worke but for ever is of force without any lessening which is not tired with any wearines nether oppressed with the weight of busines but remaines infinitely beyond all power of any created spirit in doing all things Such a one is he from whome the commaundement of writing proceedeth a most mightye creatour a most faithfull promiser and the chiefe hovernour of all things 9 I John The person also called hath great weight for credit I John an Apostle a brother and companion in affliction banished into Patmos for the word of God ravished from heaven in the spirit on the Lords day Why should not this man speake most certaine truth ¶ And the patience of Jesus Christ The comon translation hath and the patience in Christ Iesus So also Montanus the interpretour of Aretas by Chr. Iesus Therehy the sence is nothing at all or but litle changed whether any reade it according to the construction as Th. Beza or as these with a preposition All tende hereunto that the communion of the faithfull be it either of affliction or of a Kingdome leane on Christ the alone head as upon the grounde and foundation We must take heede lest with the Iesuite we doe interprete in Christ Jesus for the end for Christ Jesus for so the communion of the Kingdome amongest the faithfull should be established without Christ as if all shoulde not together grow up in him but shoulde as it were be ioined together betwene themselves into some outward thing a part from him Patmos an Iland of the sea Icarium thirtie miles in compasse at this daie it is called Palmosa as the latter Geographers would have it But in Strabo it hath nothing memorable except the name He is wont to mention carefully even the very woodes of Palme trees if there be any much more woulde he have mētioned so great plentie wherby the Iland should be worthie to be renowmed whereupon this name maye iustly be suspected unlesse perhaps the succeeding age caused it to be more happie in fruitfulnes Munster supposeth that Patmos is that Possidium of which Ptolemaeus speakes in his tables of Geography booke 5. chap. 2. but Possidium in the same place is a Promontorie of the Isle Chios not farre of from the city Chios from thence they saile about the Yland and leave it on the right hand Str. book 14. But Patmos lies together with Corasius towards the west of Icaria but this towards the west of Samos Strab. book 10. But thou must observe that Ihon doth not plainely mention his banishement but onely that he was in the Isle soberly bearing his misery not proudely augmenting it by vaine boasting ¶ For the word of God That is for having preacht it not for to preach it For Iohn of his accord went not thither to preach but because he had preached at Ephesus and elswhere in Asia Domitian the tyrant as Ireneus and others record banished him thither The same Isle seemeth to have bin almost desolate and voide of inhabitants considering especially that the neighbour Iland Icaria much more renowmed because of the scarcity of inhabitans as Strabo reportes did bestowe the use and commoditie of their pastures on the soraine Samians 10 And I was ravished in the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was in the Spirit that is I began to be moved in the spirit for to see and understand those things which doe farre surpasse mans capacity as of old the auncient Prophetes being led by the same spirit did pronunce of things to come with no lesse certainty then of things present or past After the same maner Marck speaketh of another kinde of spirit And there was in their Synagogue a man with an uncleane spirit chap. 1.23 And againe there met him a man out of the sepulchres in an uncleane spirit chap. 5.2 but altogether contrarie in the maner of operation not onely in respect of holines or unholines but also of the sweete and quiet motion seing that the agitations with which the most wicked spirits doe tormente men are violent and fearfull whence the Possessed are most comonly depryved either of all their senses or at the least of some of them but those who are filled with the holy Ghost they are more strenghtned in all the faculties of the soule Both have them obediēt to thē whō they doe possesse but the one by gracious inclining the other by cruell constraining as the exemples of the one and of the other doe make it plaine ¶ On a Lords day see of this Th. Bezam It is verie like that
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
even as the use of the Church doth require partly because the safety of the whole congregation resteth chiefly upon the integrity of the Pastours Neither are they sent to any one Angell but to the whole that I may so say College of Pastours who all are comprehended in this comon word For there was not one Angell of Ephesus but many neither any Prince among them as is manifest from Paul who to Myletum sent for the Elders or Bishops of Ephesus Act. 20.17.28 He would have spared the multitude if any one had bin over the rest in authority or at least wise among the rest of his admonitions he would had spoken one word of obedience to the chiefe Bishop But this preheminence and principalitie was not yet bred It began then first after the Apostles were taken from humane affaires except that Diotrephes gave some shew thereof Therefore under the name of one Angell he writeth to the whole order of Pastours for whose praise or dispraise the chiefe force of every Epistle is intended For such is for the most parte the condition of particular congregations as their faithfulnes and diligence shall be FroÌ„ wheÌ„ce it is that at the end the admonition is given to the whole congregation fitted to the administration of the teachers Neither is it to be thought that these Epistles were sent severally and asunder one from an other but that all were written togither in a comon Epistle such as we have said this whole Prophecy is that every Church fetched from thence that which belongeth to them severally And these things are comon to all the seaven Angels to be applied to every one apart ¶ To the Church of Ephesus Of the city Ephesus we have spoken briefly at the eleventh verse of the first chapter to which are to be added the reason of the order the force of the name and the Antitype of it that the counsell of the spirit may the better be understood There may be a double reason of the order one that this city setteâ—h before our eyes most of all the Church of the GeÌ„tiles like to the Pâ—â—â—â—gall sâ—ne whoring speÌ„ding his patrimony in a farre country Luke 15 1◠◠〈◊〉 home we know Christ to have set forth as an image of the conveâ—â—iâ—◠〈◊〉 â—alling of the Gentiles For this city besides the horrible Idolatry wheâ—â—â— she was a leader of other cityes it was also given to most wrâ—tched riot casting out of the city a certen maÌ„ called Hermodorus not for aâ—y other crime then that he was a thrifty maÌ„ this more over being added Let noe one of us excell but if there be any such let him be in an other place â—nd among other men Tusc quest book 5. leafe 125. a voyce in deede of beasts even ni the senteÌ„ce of Ethnikes worthy of a halter For thus saith Strabo All the Ephesians are to be punished by death Beholde therfore that prodigall sonne coming againe to his father and running to meete him and falling on his necke and kissing him How is the grace of God to be praised who hath converted us Gentiles being a gulfe of wickednes the disposition of all which we see in this city into a most glorious palace of salvatioÌ„ We were once the Princes of naughtines now we are become the head of holines as this among the seaven Churches noe lesse excelling in godlines then of late we did excell in all wickednes For the Father hath commaÌ„ded the best robe to be brought forth and hath killed the fatted calfe for our sakes An other reason of the order is that this city was the formost in embracing the faith among all of that country from whence it spread to the other neighbour places For Paul coming to Ephesus dayly disputed in the schole of one Tyrannus and that by the space of two yeares so that all that dwelt in Asia as well Jewes as Gentiles heard the word of the Lord Jesus Act. 19.9.10 Werefore it is made worthily in the same place the beginning of Cityes from whence was the beginning of faith Now the force of the name is to be declared For it shal be cleare in every one that the Holy Ghost hath chosen purposely those Churches which even by the very names as it were by certen markes written on the forehead should manifest their whole condition We let passe that Amazon from whom they report that it tooke the name that which followeth beneath ver 4. that thou hast left thy first love teacheth sufficiently what the Spirit regarded in this city namely that Ephesus was as it were omission whereupon we call her languishing whose godlines waxeth colde in such sorte as that at length it is utterly extinguished How is it to be feared that in this thing also it carieth a type of the Gentilâ—s As touching the Antitype seeing these seaven cityes containe the universall condition of the Churches of the Gentiles as it is manifest enough from those things which have bin said at the first chapter in every of them not onely that one city is to be regarded but also some felow Church is to be ioined togither with it which may directly answere unto it But of what sorte shall we say that these antitypes are For were these seaveÌ„ Churchches mad patternes of all Churches of that same time or of a diverse time Yf we shall say the first so as in all ages the Church spred through the whole world did agree to those seaven to wit that one should be an Ephesine one a Smyrnen one a Pergamen and so of the rest it should alwayes be of one forme and such as it was in the first times so it shoul be at this day against which the use of all times teacheth Therefore it is needfull to make every one of them severally types and in that order in which they are numbred but the antitypes are those Churches which being divided either by the distance of tymes or the space of places doe agree to every one in their order The conveniency of the thinges will shew sufficiently within what boundes they may be concluded According to this rule we doe make the first Christian Church the Antitype of the city of Ephesus which fetching the originall from the preaching of the Apostles continued even untill Constantine the Great as those thinges shall make manifest which shall be taught here after This is the chiefe of all the following Churchches even as Ephesus is the first of the seaven cities ¶ These things saith he that holdeth the seaven starres A description of him that sent the Epistles which is divers in every one yet fetched from the former vision divers members of it being applied according to the divers condition of things Which teacheth aboÌ„ndantly both the whole former figure to have shadowed out onely the administration of things and also to be proper in a manner and peculiar to the seaven Churches The seaven starres in his right hand declare that the power of
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
used in the scriptures to signify the invasion of the enemy but seeing the next words have respect hitherto neither shalt thou know in what houre I will come against thee peradvēture he meaneth some other thing to wit a certen force violence such as thieves use in robbing houses Who often times not onely doe spoile the maysters of their goods but also committe adultery with their wives and defloure the virgins and compell by torments to confesse where the mony is hidden which having once gotten that their wickednes may not be bewrayed they kill all without difference either of sexe or age Therefore Christ seemeth here to threatenē the like outragious fiercenes of some cruell enemy Of whose comming wee may not define by the iudgement of the flesh seeing it shall not be knowne in what houre he shall come Neither must we labour much to search out who this enemy should be The Spirit who hath determined that his comming shal be sudden would not have him knowen by name It may be that it is the Turke to whom the raynes may be loosed a while till they be lookt unto which are to be punished But whether it shall be he or some other wee may not sleepe securely and neglect reformation because wee see noe danger at hand but we must thinke how it may come upon us in a moment And it is to be feared that this which is threatned shall no more be avoided then that of removing the Candlesticke from the Ephesine Church chap. 2.5 These thinges depende on the condition of repentance to which the eares of men are deafe even the greatest part 4 Yet thou hast a few persons in the greeke it is a few names that is a fewe men as Act. 1.15 and after in this booke chap. 11.13 In these wordes he cometh to the other part of the narration which perteineth to commēdation Which alwayes at other times is wont to take the first place But this new disposition setting in order is not done rashly teaching that in the latter times shal be some who refusing errours should embrace the trueth As we knowe was done when the booke of Concorde began frō this occasion and so many visitations undertaken that the Calvinists as they speake might be rooted out utterly For such men followers of true godlines and iudgement were conversant in the most inward bowels of this Sarden state Beside many free Cityes Strasburg Heydelberg Marpurg Newstadt Breme the peopell Anhaltine c. who opposed themselves against the forgeries of the rest In every one of those places famous lights now and then did shine which driving farre away that darkenes gave a ioyfull day to their flockes ¶ Which have not defiled their garments The garment is Christ himselfe the comon clothing of all the faithfull of which in the parable Friend howe camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment Mat. 22.12 And Paul more plainly For all yee that have bin baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 But it hath a diverse signification according to the diverse respect of thinges into which it is referred In respect of God it belongeth to iustification in respect of other men to sanctification and profession in respect of our selves to honour glory triumphe ioy c. Therefore these Sardens kept their profession of Christ sincere and entyre from all the filth and pollutions of those monstrous opinions Although they also which by repentāce did awake frō those errours may be said to keepe their garments also pure For they that are in Christ are not esteemed according to their former foulnes but according to their present apparell wherewith all their fomer uncleannesses are covered ¶ And therefore they shall walke with me in white to wit garments These are the same garmēts with the former but a little differing in respect for those were of profession wherby the valiant souldiers of Christ did appeare to others these are of glory triumphe and ioye which they shall enioy both in themselves from the feeling of Gods love shed abroad in their harts and also which they should receive frō the praysing of others who shall prayse God in their name who hath bestowed on thē fortitude victory A white and pure gowne in a solemne mirth is commendable both among the Gentiles and also the people of God From whence the wise man alluding to this manner Let saith he thy garments be white alway Eccl. 9.8 But especially I thinke that of Marke is to be regarded where some steppe of this celestiall glory appeared in the shining garment so white as snow such as no fuller can make on earth ch 9.3 At which sight Peter beeing overwhelmed with unmeasurable ioy minded this one thing which way he mought have bin able to enioy it alway So this shal be a most āple reward for the saints in which they shall so hartely delight that they shall desyre no greater thing in this life And if any should aske the brethren themselves whose these garments ar I doubt not but they would answere that this ioy is of more value which they obtayne by Christ in retaining his truth thē that they would chaunge it with all the delight of this life Certenly great is their glory among all the godly which wee pray with all our harts to be perpetuall to them ¶ For they are worthy The Papists are glad in their owne behalfe for this words as an excellent patron of their merit of condigne worthines but let them remember that this merit is attributed to the garmēt not to the body that is to the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ wherewith we are clothed as with a garment not to our inherent holines For not to defile the garment cannot be of more estimation then the garment it selfe And seeing there be sundry significations of the garments as wee have shewed the worthynes ariseth not either from profession of good workes wherby the saints are seen of others neither from the ioy of the Spirit which wee our selves feele within us but from this alone that the father counteth us righteous being clotheth with his sonne He therefore is worthy that is clothed though not of every use of garments but onely of that peculiar respect wherby we are presented blamelesse in the presence of God even as a man seeth although not the whole man but onely that part to which the faculty belongeth 5 He that shall overcome c. Some copies and the comon translation read thus He that shall overcome shal be so clothed But the reddition of a similitude is unusuall where there is no question unlesse peradventure they be referred to the former verse as though he should say as they that at all have not assented to errours shall walke with me arayed in white apparell so they that after some striving shall departe from the same shall be clothed with white As though the first reward were perteining to them that fell not this to them
Angell is sicke For it cannot be that our Clergy should not be contemned of men who manifestly cleerly doe see howe beggerly Ecclesiasticall stipends are sought and desyred howe filthily and negligently the holy offices are administred howe all care of the flocke is naught set by the study of Gods glory is cast away When I say men see these thinges can it be that they should not despise the Angell seeking onely his owne things not those which are Christs And the Angell himselfe at certen times seeth the same thing in some sorte as can testify the often complaintes of their publike sermons although he knoweth not the cause or he would not knowe it fearing more as it were the remedy then the disease But it appeareth plainly howe greatly he is despised from that which happened a fewe yeares since A certen man set forth bookes who called himselfe a Marrer of Prelates in which he dealt boldly with the Angell Howe acceptable to the people were those merry conceites in wordes Howe plausible almost to all men Howe gladly and greedily and with howe great pleasure were they received every where Noe man is so ignorant and unskilfull in thinges but that minding the time he may say thus with himselfe For Iehovah hath poured contempt upon the Princes those that honour him he honoureth and the despisers of him shal be made light he hath made our Priests to be abiect to all the people because they have broken his Covenant These things I say a man considering with himselfe had not swerved from the trueth For if there had ben any estimation of the Angell men would rather have mourned then laughed and delivered those writings to the fire before they would had worneth them with fo often handling and looking on them I would not tell thee these thinges unlesse the Spirit did affirm plainly that thou doest not know thyne own nakednes That false glory wherein thou flourishest suffereth thee not earnestly either to minde or regarde what men speake and thinke of thee But learne from hence if thou be wise howe servants going before in great number and having chaines and a great troupe of serving men folloing after are of no force to drive away contempt and to deliver from the despising of the comon people or if thou canst not perceive these things so well in thy selfe beholde the Papists and the Pope their Prince howe doth he nowe stincke for his desert with the greatest part of men contemned naught set by vile and hated of all the godly whose feete notwithstanding some Princes being bewitched yet doe kisse and then whom noe mortall man hath ben in time past of more imperiall maiesty Remember our former Prelates whose riches were greater then thyne their authority greater their power more to be feared yet because the common sorte of people did see them to be meere gluttons howe did they deryde them The pride of our Wolsey was mocked openly For the honours of this world are figge leaves or as it were torne and ragged clothes which cover not the nakednes but make more deformed through the loupes Minde these things and be not proude of thy golden feathers but rather where thou art naked cover thy shame least through vaine boasting of the part adorned thou lye despised with the common people for thy other deformity And thus at the length I have opened this rotten sore if my paines travaile shal be acceptable and if being cleansed it doth farre well howe great thankes shall I give to our God but if the evill onely shal be stirred up and provoked and the handling shall disquiet them that are sicke I will conforte my selfe with the conscience of duty and the usuall wages of the Physitian 18 I counsell thee to buy of mee Golde Hitherto the cause nowe the remedy is taught both from whence it is to be fetched and by what meanes and also what is the matter of the medicine it selfe It is to be fetched from Christ alone he alone hath borne all our infirmities and alone yet can heale our griefes The way to fetch is by buying not because he requireth a pryce for he selleth wine and mylke without mony or chaunging of my thing Isayah 55.1.2 But because he will have a desire to be brought even as in getting of things with greate cost in which togither also he sheweth the dignity of the remedy which otherwise is not deare at any price The medicine is threefolde after the manner of the disease which wee have shewed to be threefold Golde white garments and eye salve Golde is set against poverty white garments doe cover nakednesse and eye salve doth helpe against blindnes Wee have sayd that wretchednes and misery were accidents which forthwith vanish when their fountaynes are taken away Of what sorte every one of them is may easily be understood by their contraryes Golde is opposed to the riches and poverty of the Angell that is to the hegging of Benefices and Ecclesiasticall Offices For the former riches are not true and doe not let but that the Angell may be the most base and vile begger But the Golde of Christ driveth farre off this beggery It is therefore that most holy manner appointed by Christ himselfe of calling chusing ordayning appointing Ecclesiasticall men every one to his office Wherby Pastors doe not seeke for the office but are sought for are not promoted for a peace of money but for goodnes and vertue not for favour but learning not at the will and pleasure of any man but by the election and consent of his flocke Christ will have this Golde to be bought of him because he himselfe hath described playnly this whole way end hath not left it free to men to deale in this matter at their pleasure As long as the thing shal be in the power of one Patrone and Bishop there will never be wanting bribe givers and such as will suffer themselves to be corrupted with rewardes But if Christ rule be kept this begging poverty would flee away never to returne againe For this golde is tryed in the fyre proved often times wholy fined Wee see the excellency of it in the primtive Church also amonge our neighbours at this day It dreadeth not any touch stone it feareth not any fyre it bursteth nor asunder by any knocking of the hammer but it abode invincible in time past yet doth abide with the great glory of them that are made rich therby Whyte apparell is opposed to the former honours nakednes that is contempt These garments also Christs will have to be bought of him having them most pretious most prayse worthy For what contēpt can come to thē whō their worthynes hath chosen their learning ordained their holines put in authority Whom many have earnestly desired for their tryed godlines doe admire for their diligēce in teaching doe feare because of the most free truth reverence as exemples of all vertue honesty Be an exēple
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
Antichrist with his Prelates hath ceased long agoe in many ages past to be in the number of these Beasts Howe farre also are our Bishops from them who have forsaken prayers the administration of the word not that they may looke to the poore but that they may handle civill affayres and enioy the honours of this world Whom thou mayest see oftener in the iudgement seat then in the Pulpite and to differre nothing from the Politike Magistrates but onely in name and apparrell Doe they day and night extolle our God with meet prayses of his holines God open their eyes that they may see howe excellent things they leave for thing of no value that at length acknowledging their errour they may returne to better things al trifling lets being cast away The Psalmist telleth openly that they are blessed which dwell in the house of the Lord and that in this respect because they prayse God continually Psal 84.5 What then shall wee chaunge with this office which so great King being destitute of envied that I may so say to others through a godly zeale But too much it may be is already spoken of this matter too much in deede to him that speaketh the trueth but to all that love their errours I doe feare that they will not be enough The office of these Beasts is declared not onely by this care but also by the forme it selfe of the thankesgiving for they cry Holy Holy Holy by which thrise repeated crying togither they prayse the one onely Iehovah seeing in repeating they say one certen thinge which one also they acknowledge to be three in repeating thrise that which they gave to one wherby likewise they esteeme every each one person of equall honour commending each with equall prayse For holines containeth within it all prayse which signifyeth such a purity which is sprinkled and mixed with noe spotte or blemish And this the Beasts doe give to God not onely setting forth the same soe in words but also in making the people holy or at least in using that labour wherby to their utmost power they may make them From whence of all the testimonialls of Gods prayse this chiefly doth sounde and ringe againe in the lyppes of them that serve God Some bookes doe repeate these wordes six times but Aretas agreeth with our copyes and these wordes are in other places of Scripture Isay 6.3 So is the title of holines this the Beasts doe set forth by a double kinde of Power and Trueth wherunto perteineth that distributive nowne which is and which was and which is to come as was declared before chap. 1.4.7 And they mention first of all the Power shewing the incōprehēsible glory of holines which is most hard where one hath liberty to doe what he will He that can doe all thinges and yet in the least thinge abuseth not his power and authority it must needes be that his glory exceedeth the comprehending of every minde Againe howe hard is it to keepe the promise which thou hast made when they to whom thou hast promised doe breake their promise almost every moment O therfore the unmeasurable holinesse of our God whose truth mens infidelity doth not hinder 9 And when those Beasts shall give Hitherto the giftes with which God doth notably adorne his Church nowe the worship is described to which the Beasts and Elders togither doe earnestly bende themselves The māner whereof is such that the Beasts have the chiefe doing in the action and goe before the Elders with their voice as the Ministers are wonte in the assembly of the people For these thinges are spoken according to that order which God hath appointed in his Church wherby all the people doe give worship to God the Minister being the leader But it is to be observed that this action of giving glory doth differ in a respect from that of the former verse For that perteined to private care which is continuall their whole office tending to this onely ende this is proper to their publike function and at certen time as is manifest from those thinges which followe in the next verse As touching the wordes Theod. Beza translateth when they did give and so the other wordes they did fall downe they did cast of by the imperfect tence but the property of the time is to be kept seeing a future thinge is here foreshewed and not a thing past reported 10 The foure and twenty Elders shall fall downe The action of the people governed by the conduct of the Ministers And it consisteth in two thinges in gesture in this verse and in words in the following The gesture is threefolde of casting downe themselves before him that sitteth on the throne of worshipping and casting of their crownes The first signifyeth their cheerfull hast that at the voyce of the Beasts they fall downe by and by The second the iust worshippe given to him to whome alone it is due The third the sincere trueth of their minde in performing this adoration in that putting off their owne dignity they acknowledge themselves his servaunts before whose throne they cast their crownes But how wilt thou say doe the Elders fall downe when the Beasts doe give glory seeing the Beasts are employed in this labour day and night without ceasing Doe the Elders never sit in their thrones but fall downe alwayes prostrate on the groūde Wee must remember that which I said even nowe that the private care of the Beasts is one thing their publike action an other That hath noe intermission this is performed with certen respites to this alone this throwing downe of themselves perteineth From whence there is a double argument that all these thinges belong typically to the Christian assemblyes on earth There are noe set times of worship in the heavens but all that eternity is bestowed about this thing Secondly neither shall there be any neede of leaders and rulers to performe the worshippe For Prophecy shall then cease 1 Cor. 13.8 much more the Ecclesiasticall Policy which is ordayned in respect of this but every one being a Priest thē not onely by right but also in practize shall prayse God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost without the mediation and helpe of any other then himselfe Seeing therfore this type is proper to the Church on earth let every one consider with himselfe earnestly howe greatly it belongeth to them to frequent the publike assemblyes with all diligence that as often as the Beasts give glory to him that sitteth on the throne he may fall downe before the throne and worshippe him that liveth for ever Certenly they that contemptuously sit at home and neglect the congregations of the faints or in the meane time make iourneyes and withdrawe themselves in any other unnecessary manner shewe openly tha they belonge not at all to that most honorable company of the Elders And let not any deceave himselfe by his honours dignityes and excellency as though the publike assemblyes were either of 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
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
not Emperours but Murtherers have defiled all Histories with guiltlesse blood But he that followeth brevity may not recken up severally the innumerable murders Although who coulde be able to rehearse them if he would seeing the Ministers of the wickednes confesse themselves not sufficient to kill them that came running togither to punishement of their owne accord For so a certaine man Tiberianus who had the chiefe doing of things at Palestine reported to Traiane as Suidas declareth in his Traiano Plinie a heathen man being moved with the multitude of them that were killed obtained some ceasing or at least a certaine moderation So pitifull was the condition of the Christians that the enemyes had compassion on their calamityes reade the 3 4.5.6.7 book of Eusebius where almost every page is washed with blood It is noe mervayle that the saincts being wearied with so continuall slaughters doe aske at lenght some delivery So is the meaning of this verse but the wordes are yet to be made cleare and delivered from the slanders of the adversaries From whence then is this fetched that the soules of the Martyrs lye under the Altar Without doubt in that râ—spâ—ct that David used oft as in Psal 27.5 For in the time saith he of trouble he will hide mee in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his pavillon shall he hide mee and set mee upon a rocke and againe thou dost hide them in a privy plâ—ce of thy presence from the pride of men thou keepest them secretly in a cottage from the strife of tongues Psal 31.20 But it is knowne that the Tabernacle both according to the partes and according to the whole was a shadow of Christ Wherfore to be hidden in the Tabernacle is to have Christ alone for the place of their succour and refuge by whom alone wee are covered and defended against all assaults of the adversaries From hence it is apparant why the Soules are sayd to be under the Altar to wit that wee should understand first from thence that all the salvation also of the Martyrs consisteth in the alone Death of Christ under the which the holy champioÌ„s hiding themselves as under a shielde can appeare safely and boldly before God and that they doe not merite eternall life to themselves by thâ— shedding of their owne blood for Christ his sake as the Papists wickedly dote but to have neede of this covering without which otherwise they cannot stande in the sight of Gods maiesty Secondly that wee may know that all the children of God must be conformable to the image of their first borne brother Rom. 8.29 and must walke the same way to heaven wherein he hath gone before us that is to say by suffering of troubles being made sacrifices and oblations and to be killed with many anguishes For which cause Paule sayth that he in his flesh for the body of Christ doth fulfill the rest of his afflictions Col. 1.24 And the rest or defects he calleth conformityes and not satisfactions either of worthynes or merit For whatsoever remaineth yet to be suffered of any of the saints that is wanting after a sorte to the afflictions of Christ who iudgeth all our calamityes his owne These are common to all the faithfull who have place alike under the Altar but especially to the Martyrs whose sufferings are famous before the rest For which cause this covert to hide in is attributed to them by name Seeing then they lie under the altar in this sense after the usuall speaking in the scriptures howe wickedly doth the Iesuite wrest these wordes unto the Idolatrous custome amonge them of dedicating Temples Whose manner is to bury the bodyes or reliques of the Martyrs under the altar in the Churches which they dedicate to them afterward to call the Church by his name whose reliques are there buried as though more respect were to be had to the reliques under the altar then of him whom they will have to be sacrificed on the altar Would the Spirit have respect to this custome wherby very great iniury is done both to Christ and also to his holy Martyrs To Christ because he is spoiled of his honour and thrust beneath his servants To Martyrs because they are made robbers of his glory for maintayning whereof they shed their blood Neither are the Iesuites content to abuse these wordes unto the defence of Idolatry unlesse also they destroy that which was well built of others Bernard in his third sermon of the Saints taught from hence the holy soules loosed from this prison of the body not forthwith to enioy perfite blessednes but to waite for full happines at the last iudgement reioycing in the meane time with great and huge comfort I dispute not howe such doctrine is not drawne necessarily from this place the sentence seemeth to be true and agreable with the other scriptures For so David speaketh when J awake I shal be satisfied with thy image Psal 17.15 Neither did Paule expect a crowne before that day in which it shal be given to all that have loved the bright comming of Christ 2. Tim. 4.8 Neither would God that the auncient people should be made perfite without us much lesse is it like to be true that one of the essentiall parts should attaine absolute happines without the other Heb. 11.40 They that would more boldly then becometh modest Christians that the separate soules should have a cleare sight of God in whom as in a glasse they beholde all thinges past present and to come what reason doe they give why the soules under the ALTAR not content with this sight alone as if they were ignorant doe enquire of the time of vengeance Many such thinges ought to have restrained the Iesuites not to fight against a true seÌ„tence But they sawe that unlesse they should give to the separated soules full happines in the cleare beholding of God the Jnvocating of Saints would be overthrowne and that there were no reason left for to shewe why wee should implore their aide seeing it was not the manner before Christ was exhibited but let it be sufficient to have touched in a word their crafty dealing ¶ For the word of God Which most constantly they have professed preached as ch 1.9 And for the testimony which they maintained in the greek which they had peradventure in this sense that they were counted Christians by the testimony of others as 1 Tim. 3.7 But he must be well reported eveÌ„ from them that are without as if for the word of God should belonge to them who by their profession have procured to themselves the hatred of the wicked but the testimony which they had to them that are manifested by the iudgement of other men 10 They cryed with a lowde voice Hitherto the first meÌ„ber which hath opened the condition of the time past nowe the present state under Galienus is shewed by a cry Through yrkesomnes of continuall trouble a deliverance from it at leÌ„gth is asked seeing they have endured
that were at variance Moreover in the very Nicene Councill he cast into the fire billes given to him wherein the Bishops accused one another adding this one thing Christ commandeth that our brother should be forgiven who desireth to obtaine forgivenes Socr. booke 1.7 By which moderation albeit that he could not pull up the roote of bitternes froÌ„ these coÌ„teÌ„tious men yet he brought to passe that the branches could not burst forth so plentifully as they otherwise would The Arian madnes he bound with fetters of Brasse cunningly wrought at Nice as speaketh Evagrius booke 1.1 He overcame in many battells the Sarmatians and the Goths and almost all the nation of the Scythians so as they durst attempt nothing afterward for some longe time This was that voice which revoked the Angels from their entreprise untill that should be performed which would be for the good of the elect 3 Saying hurt not the earth c. untill wee have sealed untill is an adverbe of time most commonly some time of place as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Xenoph. Cyrop 5. Whither doth this latter agree better here that they should worke their purpose onely within certen boundes that they should not enter into the boundes of the godly Yf they must have absteined from hurting while all were sealed it seemeth they must have stayed untill many ages much more beyond the time of Constantine The sealed that are mentioned in the first trumpet chap. 9.4 were not yet borne when Constantine reigned much lesse they of whom there is mentioÌ„ made cha 14.1 Which thinges seeme to make against the signification of time but neither is ther an easy reasoÌ„ of the place For it is no wher read that all the elect were gathered togither and shutte up in any one country as in old time the Israelites in Goshen where they should be free from the coÌ„mon evils It remaineth then that wee understande it figuratively so as till wee have sealed is all one as if he should say till wee have layed those foundations by which both the elect now living may be Gods owne carying upon them his marke whereof also the foot steppes may remaine unto the posteritie by continuall succession So as he may be sayd to seale all who was onely the beginner of seaâ—â—ng But he sealed proposing before the elect a patterne of sounde doctrine chiefly in the Nicene Councill labouring that the pureâ—â—s of the trueth might be defended against the fraude of Arius and other wicked men wherby the faithfull might acknowledge one true God and his onely eâ—ernall coessentiall Sonne Jesus Christ in whom they should put all the hope of their salvation which after in chap. 14.1 is sayd to have the name of the Lâ—mbe and his fathers name written on their foreheads least peradventure any Iesuite may dreame that he speaketh hereof the signe of the crosse Wee must observe furthermore that sealing is alway of a few among many For it is a saving of labour to leave the greater multitude without a marke and to distinguish by some token the fewer number These thinges therefore proove that howsoever the Church flourished outwardly in very great glory when Constantine enioyed the soveraignty yet in the meane time had a very smâ—ll number of true godly men Which wee ought to remeÌ„ber carefully that wee may understand more easily those thinges which in more wordes are spoken touching this matter in the repetitioÌ„ of the same time chap. 11.1.2 12.6 c. ¶ Jn their foreheades The true worshippers are marked in the foreheads openly shewing their faith for with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Rom. 10.10 It s all one to Antichrist if his slaves doe receive his marke in their hande which according to the occasion they may eyther shutte or open chap. 13.16 For he permitteth all manner of counterfaiting to them that are his so that it may helpe any thing to the enlarging of his Kingdome 4 And I heard the number of the sealed Such then was the cause of sealing nowe he cometh to the generall number of the sealed Arâ—tas will have to be signifyed in this number of an hundred fourty and foure thousande that every one of the Apostles multiplyed his talent twelve times Certenly the diligence of the holy man is much to be commended who thought nothing in this booke so small which might not be worthy of searching out and of which it should not be lawfull to seeke out a reison soberly so that the analogie of sounde doctrine be kept alwayes But when I consider diligently in my minde this whole second periode of which these sealed are the Spirit seemeth to have chosen out most divinely that number which may represente before our eyes a lively image and pourtraiture of the Church of the same age and time The number is long and indeede of an huge length but of a lesser breadth by a thousand proportion teaching as it seemeth to me as it hath ben found true by the event that the present true Church for all that space of time should be very slender narrowe obscure and scarce perceivable such as in this proportion is a longe figure and that the dignity of it is not at all to be esteemed from the present amplitude but from the length onely that is by the during and continuation of time in whose longe space a sufficient number of the elect should be gathered togither For example let there be drawne a Geometricall figure whose lines are in every parte alike distant one from another whose shorter side is one foote longe divided into twelve partes the other side a thousande feete longe whose voide space conteineth this number surely the figure shall seeme to be almost of noe breadth but the sides being severed by so small a distaÌ„ce will make a certaine shewe of lines coincident and meeting togither Such should this Church be whose longer side the number of twelve thousande out of every Tribe doth make the shorter side that small number of twelve which is of the Tribes Learned and good men will easily acknowledge what I meane if any thing shal be wanting in my coniecture they will rather adde of their owne wherby it may levell the righter at the marke then blame mee for my paines-taking Doubtlesse there is so great a consent of the History that the coniecture is to mee more then probable But let the other brethreÌ„ iudge of it to which I submitte this and all the rest of my writings But yet this whole number was not sealed at once togither in the time that Constantine liveth on the earth but figuratively one part is here put for the whole upon whose first fruites onely the marke was set whereas the rest in course of time should be sealed every one according to the consideration of their age as wee sayd at the former verse ¶ Of all the Tribes of the Sonnes of Jsraell Are these then naturall Iewes or are they not also Gentiles
was done before the throne where ther is noe place for the Angels but in the compasse of the throne and of the Elders and of the Beasts that is to say they compasse about the uttermost circuit of the Church watching on every side for the safety of it whatsoever is within the circuit is the Hyghest Throne the Lambe the Beasts the Lāpes the Chrystall sea the Altar c. of which thinges there is a necessary use in the congregation of the faithfull I doubt not but that this Angell is the same which in the former chapter was sayd to ascende from the rysing of the Sunne to wit Constantine the Great For that which there summarily kept the Angels from hurting untill they had sealed the elect that seemeth in this place to be declared severally in what maner it was done Neither doth any thing let but that the same man may be described in divers maners according to the divers nature of the thinges that are to be done ¶ And he stoode before the Altar the Greeke hath at the Altar Montanus agreeth unto it Afterwards it shal be clearely seene at chap. 11.1 that the Church about this time was gone into the Temple and had hiddē her selfe in the privie places thereof wherfore not without cause he is sayd to stande before the Altar seeing he was the chiefe of them who having escaped from the corruptions of the world went a part from other into the covert of the Temple But he stoode not in this place as one of the common sorte of the faithfull but in the ornament of the Priest having a golden Censer and much odours given unto him that he should offer with the prayers of the Saincts How may these things wilt thou say fit to Constantine Surely as the type of the High Priest to Iesus christ whose person to represente is not proper nowe to one certen kinde of men but is common to all the faithfull whom all Christ hath made Priests and that not of the second but of the highest sort But why should not he above all have the image of the Priest in whom most of all did shine the likenes of his Kingly dignity well spake he of himselfe in the assembly of the Bishops And I saith he am here as one of you for J will not deny my selfe to be your felowe servant in which name I reioice most of all Socrat. booke 1. chap. 7. ¶ Having a golden censer the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth properly Frankincense here is taken for the Censer it selfe as is manifest frō the first verse where this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is filled with the fire of the Altar But the golden Censer was an instrument of the most Holy Place Heb. 9.4 and belongeth onely to the High Priest ¶ And odours were given him Therefore this Angel is not Christ who taketh not odours frō any other but he himselfe is a most replenished store house of all graces and giveth to every one as much as is needfull Those odours are a most ample both ability and also will to make peace which is the ende of the Priesthood and of burning incense before God in which respect the Lord is said to smell a sweete savour when he accepteth a Sacrifice Gen. 8.21 ¶ That he might offer with the prayers These thinges are spoken according to the auncient custome of the Temple where the Priest burning incense within upon the golden altar in the meane time the whole people taryed without giving themselves to prayer as in Luke 1.10 And the whole multitude of the pepple prayed without in the time of the burning incense from whence it cometh to passe that it is sayd in this place to be givē to the prayers which before time was wōt to be ioyned togither with them at the same momēt And the prayers of the Saincts are the godly wishes of the faithfull who earnestly desyred that some remedy might be founde betimes against the evils neare at hande which they saw to before shewed by many apparant tokens For could it otherwise be but that the syncere mindes seeing strifes privie grudges and contentions raigne every where and to consume all things I meane those which wee shewed even nowe to have followed the halfe houre silence should not strive earnestly with God by prayers that he would not suffer the trueth tryumphing over the tyranny of the enemyes to be abolished by the discords and alterations of them that were of the housholde But what other meane could there be of appeasing controversies then to gather togither the parties disagreeing one with an other and when the matter was reasoned of on each side friendly by a good composition to drawe them to be of one minde This was it then which the holy men desyred that the present controversies might be taken away by a generall Councill assembled and the future evils might be prevented Epiphanius reporteth that Alexander Bishop of Alexandria solicited Constantine and required of him earnestly that he would summon a generall Councill and that not of himselfe but from the common advise of other Bishops whom he had consulted with about this matter booke 2. Tom. 2. heresies 69. Ruffinus booke 1. chap. 1. From which wee may perceave what was the common desire of all men Onely Constantine next after God could give odours to this desire that is bring it to some desyred issue for as saith Euseb It was in the power of the omnipotent God onely to cure these evils But Constantine alone of all men on earth to be the minister of these good things in the life of Constantine in the 3. booke of the sayd Euseb ¶ Vpon the Golden Altar The Altar of incense that was before the vayle as Exod. chap. 30. ver 3. Here it noteth the company of the chosen saincts the first fruites of the whole world as speaketh Eusebius in as much as this company doubtlesse did holde the place next to the most holy as in olde time the Golden Altar was set before the vayle And surely by right may this crowne of most holy men be called the Golden Altar the great assembly of which cometh nighest unto the maiesty of God and in which the visible glory of God most of all sheweth it selfe Where saith Christ two or three shal be gathered togither in my name there am I in the middes of them Mat. 18.19 Therefore it must needes be that this company should have the next place to the Most Holy in the middes of which Christ himselfe did remaine ¶ Which is before the Throne Within the circuite of the Elders For that is said both here and in other places to be before the Throne Which whole space God would have to be proper to the elect on earth who approach next to the Highest Throne and are not separated by the coming between of Angels 4 And the smoke of the odours went up Thus farre the preparation of the Angell now followeth his Ministery and first that
which perteineth to the Elect in this verse in respect of whom the smoke of the odours is said to goe up that is they were made partakers of the thing which they desyred so greatly The maner of speaking is taken from the same custome of the Leviticall Priest the similitude of whom he hath used hitherto Once every yeere the Censer was to be brought within the vayle that the cloude of the incense might cover the Mercy Seate which is upon the Testimony to the ende that the Priest should not die as wee reade in the booke of Levit. chapter sixeteenth twelve and thirtheenth verses Also Incense was to be burned every morning when the lampes should be kindled as in the booke of Exodus chapter thirty verses seaven and eight Whose thicke vapour ascending should pearse through the vayle and should perfume with a most sweete savour all the inward most holy place a visible signe of our prayers which doe penetrate the heaveÌ„s and by the sweete savour which they cast forth through Christ doe obtaine of God that which wee aske From whence the Psalmist saith Let my prayer be esteemed as incense before thy face Psalme hundreth and fourthy one second verse Therefore the smoke of the odours goeth up when our prayers coming before God doe obtaine for us that which wee asked according to his will And when the holy men desired that some way should be taken for the ending of that strife by a generall Councill proclaimed by these things is shewed that the thing was graunted them at length which they desired For Constantine seeing that he did try in vaine all other remedies appointeth a generall Councill at Nice he commaÌ„deth the Bishops to take publike horses and all to assemble at the day appointed Whom at last being gathered togither he most sweetly admonisheth touching the care that they should have to search out the trueth he with very great equity heareth the disputers against it finally he governeth the whole businesse with such gravity and wisdome that at length the wicked blasphemy being condemned by common consent the holy trueth prevailed By which fact of his surely the thicke cloude of the odours went up from the hande of the Angell before God when doubtlesse by his care paines diligence charges moderation of the whole businesse so wholesome a thing so much desired of all the godly was undertaken begun and brought to an ende Nowe he set a marke in the foreheads of the elect wherby they might be discerned from the base sorte of the ungodly Therefore Constantine is that Angell those odours given him which he should give to the prayers of the Saincts is the power to gather a generall Councill the Golden Altar is Christ himselfe in the middes of this holy company The thicke cloude of the odours going up is the whole matter brought to an ende most prosperously And this is that time untill which the foure Angels should keepe the truce of which wee have seen at the 7. chap. ver 1. ¶ With the prayers of the Saincts Prayers peradventure by the want of a participle not of the preposition with as if the perfit sentence were this And the smoke of the odours which were given to the prayers of the Saincts went up the word being repeated from the former verse where was that he should give to the prayers a thing very usuall with the Hebrewes to understand in the things that follow the verbe that was used before But by this reason the odours given should onely ascende and not also the other prayes of the saincts which also are odours as wee have seene in the fifte chapter at the eight verse Therefore by want of the preposition the sense seemeth better to agree Yet Theodorus bez have it with the preposition with and not with the of as the Common translation and the Iesuite who interpreteth it materially that the odours ascending were made of the prayers of the Saincts wheÌ„ it was sayd before that he should give to the prayers of the saincts But nothing that is giveÌ„ to a thing is made of the same thing to which it is giveÌ„ ¶ Out of the Angels hande Because he helde a Censer in his hande but which is as much as if he should say by the ministery of the Angel Constantine ministrâ—ng whatsoever was needfull for this matter 5 After the Angel tooke the Censer and filled it with fire of the altar The fact of the Angel as farre as it respecteth the wicked But the full Censer sheweth the greatnes of the evill the fire of the altar the kinde of it That was an excellent confession of the faith which the holy Councill published against Heresies which surely was like the coales of the altar which the fire falling froÌ„ heaven kindleth in the hearts of the Saincts upon which they may burne most sweete odours in calling upon one true God in three persons But this same fire cast into the earth that is this godly confession spread abroad every where by the Emperours proclamations into the wicked world or the Church at least in name for I told you that so the Earth signifyeth often times how great troubles raised it up forthwith Doubtlesse even as that fire caâ—t on the earth by Christ made all full of privie displeasures broyles while the godly with the heat of it wer enflamed with a desire of the truth but the wicked were set on fire with hatred and envie Luke 12.49 so this holy Decree a firebrand of the same heavenly fire raysed up a very great hatred in the contrary wils of men When the Trumpets were first given they fought one against an other onely with a dâ—ssenting of opinions but the evill encreased now by the remedy as cankers are wont For after this Councill came all maner of calamityes deceits and false accusations which being shewed here briefly by the voices thunderings and lightnings afterward are declared severally in the first truÌ„pete So therefore that which was holy and holsome to the godly turned to greater destruction and provoking to the wicked ¶ And there were thunders and voices Some bookes have voices and thunders Aretas onely thunders and lightnings omitting voices and earthquakes These thinges doe note generally what fruite of that CouÌ„cill should redounde to the wicked But thunders and voices seeme here to be two wordes for one thing to wit lowde thunders as Ier. 4.29 they shall goe into the very cloudes and clime up upon the rockes that is upon the cloudy rockes by reason of the height of them unlesse peradventure voices be the same thing here which they were in the 4. chap. 5 ver 6 And the seaven Angels which had The second preparation of the seaven Angell who nowe goe about the businesse of which before in the Trumpets that were given there was given some proofe For these thinges aâ—e spoken of the executing of the worke as likewise the wife of the Lambe is sayd to make her selfe ready at the very
asssembled Indeede Martin Agatho Bishops of Rome condemned also the same Heresy who yet cannot be counted among this haie being tied to the earth by other veines to wit a most fowle Idolatry of which the Church of Constantinople was more pure which received not true and expresse Images before the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coūcill a fewe yeeres after under Iustinianus second as sheweth Antonius Contius in the third part of the Decrees in the third chap. of distinctions the sixt holy Councill and Polydor. Virgil. in his 6. booke and 13. chap. concerning the Inventours In the times of Leo Isaurus the same Locusts came flying againe about the yeere 719. with a farre greater number of shippes and more hurtfull armies But God sufferred them not to hurt his haie which he himselfe doubtlesse had moved in stirring up Leo to prohibite that wicked Idolatry which haie time became yet more evident when Gregorie the second excommunicated the Emperour and deprived him of the Empire and of his felowshippe that is cut him of frō the wicked earth because he had ordayned that holie images and pillars should be throwne downe and destroyed Therefore the Locusts are driven away by battaile by famine by a sea-fire by tempest and haile mingled with fire that they might acknowledge God to be the defender of his haie and the whole navie of shippes tenne onely excepted did perish of which tenne five also were intercepted of the Emperours souldiers the rest at length arriving at Syria that they might be tidings bringers of that horrible slaughter It was Doubtlesse a manifest example of the haie saved from the iniurie of the Locusts Besides these Locusts the whole East was also full of Monkes but as the scorpions in some landes doe not hurt as in the Jlande Pharo in the Norike Alpes and elswhere so in very many places they bring death without any remedy and as the Locusts destroy very often whole nations with famine some time also they are for meate so the poison of the Monkes was more sharpe in the West part in that it did not enter into the East neither were they much hurtfull in the West to the cut grasse Discreete men to whom the trueth did shew it selfe more clearly despised the hypocrites without feare and sufferred not themselves to be devoured of them as the other unskilfull multitude which through a shewe of Godlines became a pray ¶ Neither all greene thing neither all trees but onely those men which have not c. The meaning is that some greene thing and some trees should be delivered from this vexation of the Locusts all the rest being yeelded up to their cruelty who had not the seale of God in their foreheades In the former chapter and seventh verse the third part of trees was burnt and all greene grasse to wit of that third part because all that part of grasse and of trees should be of the cōpanie of the cast awayes But unlesse some trees should be counted in the number of the elect the foure Angels should not have bin forbidden before to stay their rage even for one moment of time ch 7.1 Here therefore a fewe are taken out of a great number as the naturall force of the wordes doth shewe sufficiently The wordes doe beare doubtlesse that interpretation which the most learned Theod. Beza bringeth thus neither any greene thing nor any tree but onely the men c. For the universall signe all is taken some time for any as chap. 7. ver 1. neither upon all tree that is upon any where the Complutent edition readeth upon any tree and chap. 21.27 any thing that defiled or any defiled thinge as hath the Common translation Also the particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be understood by way of opposition but onely the men c. as but they onely which are written in the booke of life of the Lambe chap. 21.27 But here I thinke that it is rather to be translated according to the proper signification of the wordes by way of exception thus except onely the men which have not the seale c. The difference is that exception is alwayes of a thing of the same kinde opposition may be of any divers thing whatsoever And this placeth every greene thing and every tree in the number of the sealed that attributeth the same thing to some certen trees and onely to some greene thing counting the rest of the grone in noe place of those that are to be saved more agreably to that which wee mentioned before chap. 8.7 Neither is it needfull in the other places alleadged to departe from the naturall property of these particles if wee shall consider the matter diligently From these thinges then it is prooved that there are some within the compasse of the false Church whom God chalengeth to him selfe by a privie sealing and that this greene thinge and trees are men as wee have interpreted chap. 7.1 the exception requiring it which noteth expressly men sealed that also the greene thinge and trees should be men out of the number of which men are excepted And surely there were many men yea some Kingdomes England Denmarke Germanie c. whether the rage of the Sarracenes came not and in those places where they raged did they exercise tyranny over any other then those men who had not the marke of salvation What other strife doe the History-writers of those times and places report then about the sepulchre and the crosse of the Lord and such vaine things wherewith Christians were bewitched Neither did superstitious Locusts vexe any other men but those which were addicted to their superstition as even nowe wee said 5 And to them was commanded that they should not kill them Howe great is their power wee may perceive from the degree of torment from the continuance of it estimation of death as a lighter thing As touching the first it was not permitted them to kill but to tormente Howe may this agree to the Saracenes who shed so much Christian blood These thinges seeme to be spoken not simply but in comparison Yf consideration be had of that slaughter which in the next trumpet was to come the Saracenes may well be thought not to kill At their first beginning the Christian name was not so much hated neither was there neede of any great murder when the nations which they set upon gave out their vanquished handes yeelding almost of their owne accord to have fellowshipe in that ungodlines In the latter times there was a more fierce and bloody victory by howe much the battell was more eger But the Spirit did purposely chose out that kinde of speaking which might agree very well to both the troupes of Locusts For those in the West should not be so fierce and cruell in killing the bodies But this comparative speach noteth both the cessing of these in this respect neither taketh from the other all killing though farre lesse then that which was to come ¶ But that
their desertes the trueth in the meane time might spring againe enioy a more quiet seasoÌ„ Wee have learned from those thinges which have ben said before that the pure religion had ben oppressed wholly and overwhelmed partly by a deluge of Locusts partly by other infinite corruptions chiefly by the tyranny of Antichrist But when it seemed good to God about this time to beginne sâ—me restoring of the trueth it pleased him to trouble Antichrist and to disquiet him with the feare of the foure loosed Aâ—gels least he should dâ—â—â—â—oy his growing trueth in the first blade and not sâ—ffer it to come to that ripâ—â—â—â—sse which wee see nowe Wherfore this commandement came in good season to the Church for whose sake alone all the alterations come to passe which wee see in the world 14 Saying to the sixt Angell To him to whom the commandement is given This first is appointed the effectour of the worke the former only denounced the evill peradventure the contagion of the sinne letted them from putting their hand to the worke but here should be a cleare separation of the punishement and the fault that the minister thereof should not neede to feare the infection of this ¶ Loose those foure Angels Car. Gal. pâ—g 56. duravit usque ad ann 1191 c. The meaning of the commandement of loosing the foure Angels who stood prepared in readines expecting onely wheÌ„ a signe should be given them But what manner of Angels were these were they properly so called and bounde to a certeÌ„ place that they could not stirre from thence untill some speciall leave was given them Certenly it is read that Asmodeus was exiled into the desert of the uppermost Egypt Tob. 8.3 But this worthily may be counted to be of small credit because of the Iewish lyes unto which that people was so given that also Iosephus a man doubtlesse learned and eloquent durst affirme Salomon either first to have invented or at least by his bookes to have encreased the Divelish art of coniuring a spirit booke 8. chap. 2. of Antiquities Thiâ— I say had ben vaine by right unlesse an authoritie of greater waight out of this very booke of the Revelation agreed unto it chap. 18.2 Where it is signifyed that the uncleane Spirits are shut up into certen places as into a prison Which yet neverthelesse seemeth not to be common to all but onely to some certen For howe can all be tyed to limited places when it is free for some to compasse the whole earth Iob 1.7 Of which also some walke about as roaring Lyons seeking whom they may devoure 1 Pet. 5.6 They rule also in the aire the spirit that nowe worketh in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 And they are the governours of the world yea the Gods of this world blinding the mindes of the infidels Eph. 6.12.2 Co 4.4 Can they performe these things being absent Therefore some doe seeme to be cast into certeÌ„ places as into a prison some to have more free liberty to walke abroade Yet neverthelesse the impiety of the Magitians is nothing holpen from hence who thinke that they are able to constraine the Devils with a certen necessity of abiding within a circle in a smooth stone in iron steele in a looking glasse in the nayle of a man or any like thing For God hath reserved this power to him selfe alone and to his holie Angels whom often he useth for his ministers in this thing he hath given noe authority any where to such men Neither are these Angels onely Devils but also men who are ruled by their power whom nowe it is a common thinge to be called Angels For the army is made of men as is manifest froÌ„ ch 20.7 Where againe he intreateth of the same thing Sathan goeth out to deceave the nations and to gather them togither unto battell But the Captaines are of the same kinde with their soâ—ldiers Wherfore seeing the order of things hath brought us unto the yeere one thousand three hundreth it is not to be doâ—bted but that they are the Turkes of which iudgement are a great part of Interpreters they are said foure because there were foure chiefe families of them For after the slaughter received of the Scythians Iconium the Princes Palaces being lost and after some yeeres spent in robberies at length they retiring backe they recovered themselves againe and divided among their Princes that of Asia which in short time after they tooke froÌ„ the Romanes The first of which was Carmâ—nus Atisurius the second Sarchanes the third Câ—lâ—mâ—s Cerasus his sonne the fourth Atman as he is written in Gregoras or after others Ottoman to which the same Gregoras addeth the fift Aâ—urius booke 7.1 And so many they seeme to have ben at the first but afterward to have ben brought to foure Laonicus Chalcocondy las saith that in the beginning there were seven booke 1 of the Turkes affaires But he ioyneth a certaine man called Teciem with Ottoman and reckeneth the children asunder from the fathers But it is not a thing to be mervayled at that this confusion of barbarous people could not be represented certenly by the History-writers albeit Gregoras lived in the same time and had the charge of keeping the rolles of the Emperour Andronicus the elder This nation came some ages before from Armenia the countries bordering on Euphrates From which places they did repell easily the Romanes which were wearied longe agoe and wasted with many calamityes But about the beginning of the reigne of Andronicus Paleologus the elder before the yeere 1300. it spred her selfe abroad through Asia even unto the Sea Aegeum But that they should not breake forth froÌ„ some other place then from their fore appointed lists to wit from Euphrates at that time when the raines were let loose unto them God by the helpe of the Catelani drove them againe unto Euphrates These men their Captayne being Ronzerius were souldiours in pay under Andronicus the prowesse of whom was such that for feare of them the Turkes fledde not onely from Philadelphia which then they besieged but also almost beyonde the auncient boundes of the Romane Kingdome as Gregoras testifyeth booke 7.3 This feare therefore did drive them into the countries about the river Euphrates did as it were lay fetters upon theÌ„ for a time Neither was it a small bounde tying them that they could not rage as they would in that their forces being devided unto many Princes every one a part were too weake that they should dare to attempt any great thing Both these impediments were taken away at the time of the power granted them For first of all the Catâ—lani followed not on the victory begun but shortly after went away returning home Secondly about the same time to wit about the yeere 1291 whatsoever by lawfull warre the Christian Princes tooke in Palestina and in the countries adioyning in twelve expeditions and after the possession of 196 yeeres they had lost nowe all
plentifull leave to enioy his presence then in the times going next before Yet howsoever he came downe from heaven he was clothed with a cloude not knowne indeede plainly to the world but covered yet with so great darkenesse that he was to be seene as it were through a lattice He carrieth the rainebowe on his head a notable messenger of the olde covenant and of faire weather both that wee may understand him to be faithfull and constant in his promises and also that the former stormes shal be driven away dayly more and more by little and little untill at length a cleare sky shall returne on every side His face shineth like the Sunne Christ indeede being most glorious at least in that parte in which he is knowne and perceived of men but his feete doe yet burne with fire because his lowest members on the earth must burne yet with a great heate of affliction Although there should be noe danger of perishing in this fire for the feete are pillars yea and that also of Brasse chap. 1 15. For these thinges belong to the same time see chap. 2.18 So therefore Christ carrieth in his owne person an image of the present Church under the sixt Trumpet Which began to encrease againe about the yeere 1300 yet covered with much darkenesse which notwithstanding gave hope of a more perfit restoring in due time in the meane while revealed the most sweete face of Christ which the world had not seene a long time although the faithfull in the meane season were troden downe with manie calamityes 2 And he had in his hande a little booke open To whom fitteth better an open booke then to him who hath opened the seales of it chap 5.5 Because therefore Christ commeth forth with an open booke it is taught that nowe againe after longe ignorance leave shal be given to men to knowe the trueth as wee knowe it came to passe about that time For at once the Turkes began to wax strong in the East and most learned men to arise in the West who maintained the trueth boldly But it is onely a little booke which he hath in his hande to wit a small booke either because the ende nowe approching there should not remaine so many alterations but that they might be contained in a little booke as after in the sixt verse delay shal be no more or rather because the knowledg of men in this time should be slender and small whereunto perteineth the clothing with a clowde as wee have shewed at the former verse ¶ And he put his right foote upon the Sea This grosse Sea of the inferiour world is the doctrine of the corrupt Church as chap. 8.8 No lesse also perteining to them whose is the administration of this doctrine The Earth conteineth the rest of the common people who in name are Christians But the feete are the members of Christ to wit his faithfull servants by whom as it were by feete he walketh on earth Of these the right foote is the stroÌ„ger by which being set upon the Sea it is declared that Christ nowe at length will chuse out some from that vile sorte of Ecclesiasticall men for to be his feete and faithfull members Also the left foote placed on the earth sheweth that he will take out likewise some from the lay people who although they could not compare with the Ecclesiasticall those right feete in excellency of giftes yet they should be made his true members enioy the same honour with them Such right feete were Iohannes de Poliaco Martinus Patavinus Iohannes de Ganduno Michael Cicerius Michael de Coriaria Guilielmus Ockam Gerardus Ridder Iohannes Rochetalada Armachanus an Jrish Bishop Ioannes Wtcklefus and others Christ drew them out of the salt sea of the Popish doctrine whom hee tooke out from the company of Ecclesiasticall men and brought them to sweeter and wholsomer waters of the trueth Out of the lay people he had for his left feet Ludovicus Bavarus the Emperaur Marsilius Patavinus Dantem Aligherium and many others who defended to their power the trueth seene and acknowledged 3 And he cryed with a loude voice as as Lion roareth Hitherto hath ben the description of the Angel nowe the chiefe cause of the things that were to be sealed up is set forth to wit the crying out of an Angell like a bellowing Lion for so the Greeke word signifyeth properly that which belongeth to Oxen and the like beasts Lions are properly said to roare albeit some times it is attributed to Asses and Camels as Hesichius sheweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to make a roâ—ring like unto Asses Camels and oxen But the Angell belloweth bccause he must speake softly and dared not to lift up his voice for there is ioined togither with it he cryed with a loude voice but that he might shewe that the meekenes and patience of the oxen is nowe to be mixed with the courage of the Lion And so indeede Christ as it were revived againe then in his members cryed out strongly which crying out neverthelesse carried a shewe of the bellowing oxen onely neither yet made any man greatly afraid Those first springing up Christian Worthies strove by lamentings and complaining speaches yet neverthelesse they bare a grievous yoke of bondage which they could not shake of whatsoever strugling they made against it ¶ The seven thunders uttered their voice Which as an Echo answered this lowing And these seven thunders are I suppose those Angels of which afterward in chap. 14.6 c. Surely the time agreeth fitly as wee will shew at the place then also their office may worthily be likened to thunder which sounded againe when this roaring was uttered For taking their beginning from thence they made a noise with so great roaring that such as despised the lowing of the Angell should at length begin to tremble for feare of this thunder But it is an excellent thing that the thunders speake not but at the crying out of the Angell even as also the Echo hath noe voice of it selfe but onely yeeldeth againe the voice which it hath received so those restorers of the truâ—th howsoever the world condemned them of novelties brought notwithstanding nothing but that which themselves had learned of God 4 And when the seven thunders c. Such were the causes now is shewed the care of Iohn whom when the seven thunders were heard being about to write a voice from heaven prohibiteth biddeth to seale them up These misteries were to be kept secret as before the booke could not be read as long as it was sealed chap. 5. For these times knewe not what those thunders did speake neither did they marke whereunto at length they would come ¶ And write them not So Aretas the Common translation and other Greeke Copies as though these wordes should declare what that Seale should be to wit not to put in writing but to have it secret for himselfe alone But is any thing revealed privately to Iohn which
he might not publish abroade It is not surely to be thought especially seeing Christ to this ende received this Prophecy that he might shewe it to his servants as before in chap. 1.1 Where to his servants saith he not to any one alone but for the common good of the whole Church Wherefore these wordes seeme thus to be understood as though he should say bring not these voices of the thunders into this place but reserve them to an other more proper and fit Which iudgement certaine printed copies doe favour which read hereafter thou writest or peradventure shall write but although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might easily be changed into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first vowell being altered and the last syllable takeÌ„ away yet I scarse thinke that readings quite opposite one to another are founde at any time Wherefore when it is heard to iug what sense to take that interpretation pleaseth me most of all which alike agreeth to both to wit according to that meaning which wee brought even nowe Vnlesse some would rather have that these wordes and shalt write hereafter be referred to the next visions which follow but that the voices of the thunders should be buried in silence for ever But the former interpretation is more sure that the Revelation was given for a common solace and that therefore those things should be disclosed afterward in their place which nowe are commanded to be kept close Albeit I deny not that some thing may be communicated to the Saincts apart as to Paul who heard thinges that could not be uttered 2 Cor. 12.4 But the drift of the Prophecy is to be regarded More over to what purpose should it be that those things should be overwhelmed with an eternall silence if at leÌ„gth that were to be brought to passe which the thunders spake Therefore let them be sealed for this time in which they were hidden from the world as it commeth to passe for the most parte in their first beginnings afterward let them be written in the place wherin they shall obtaine their ende when the things shall become most plaine by the event That is to say being perfected they should be understood but they should not be knowne as long as thy were to be finished 5 And the Angell which I sawe standing c. lifted up his hand Hitherto of the thing that was to be sealed now it followeth touching the finishing of the mysterie which first is of things to be communicated It is confirmed by an othe that it shal be shortly For in that he lifted up the hand it was done from the old solemne manner of swearers froÌ„ whence to lift up the hande is often times taken for to sweare Gen. 14.22 Numb 14 30. Ezech. 20.5 6 And he swore by him which liveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Grecians speake by the fourth case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Iohn after the maÌ„ner of the Hebeewes sweare unto me in the Lord 1 Sam. 24.21 But he describeth God by his power which most of all appeareth in creating things wherby he bringeth into minde that he is noe lesse able to put an end to things then to give a beginning And that therefore it is not to be doubted but that he would straightway performe the future worke who in the beginning made all things of nothing ¶ That time shall be noe more So I translate the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some times signifyeth continuance of time as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time day delay shall mollifie mitigate Whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stay tarrie defer is the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Luke 12.45 Heb. 10.37 Aretas and the common sorte of Interpreters will have it to be understood of the abolishing of time after the ende of the world as if the Sunne and the rest of the starres should stay their courses and noe longer finish their yeerly rounde courses but these things are to be referred rather to the shortnes of time then unto the consummation of the world For otherwise there should be noe speciall comfort but that which had ben noe lesse common to all ages For even from the very beginning of the world it might well have ben said that there shal be noe time after the ende of the world To what purpose also should he sever the parts which are not disioyned by the coniunction but in the beginning of the next verse Time shalâ— be noe more but the mysterie shal be finished Time after the consummation differeth nothing from the consummation Therefore this is the meaning of the wordes that there remaineth a very little time unto the finishing of the mistery Which is the summe of the preaching of the first Angel chap. 14.7 For saith he the houre of his iudgement is come in which is performed that which is signifyed here by the Angel swearing For they belonge to the same time and the argument of the preaching is one and the same For though they held their peace the very restoring of the trueth would cry out that the ende draweth neere 7 But in the dayes of the voice of the seventh Angel He describeth the time of the finishing but that which followeth when it shall come to passe that he shall blowe the trumpet the common translation hath it not right when the Trumpet shall beginne to blow which thing hath deceived some expositours so that they though that this finishing of the mystery should be referred unto the first sounde of the trumpet of the seventh Angell But it shall appeare more clearly then the light after in this booke that this ende is not to be expected at the beginning of the sounde of the trumpet but some longe time after There shal be noe small distance of time betweene the Vials the first whereof shall not be powred out before that the seventh truÌ„pet shall blow as after shal be seen more clearly What then promâ—seth the Angell touching the taking away of time Not that the thing shal be done in that moment but because the space to come is nothing to that which is past ¶ The mystery of God shalb finished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal be finishâ—d So hath the Common translation the Complutent edition hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by repeating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is finished See Theod. Bez. All Expositours which I have seen doe understande these thinges of the last coming of Christ to iudgement Which shal be in the dayes of this seventh Angell yet if the drift of this booke be considered every point of the last time be diligently examined it shall easily appeare unlesse I be deceaved that there is an other meaning of these wordes The whole Prophecy tendeth to that point to shewe what shal be the race of the Church as long as shee must bee as a stranger on earth Which having ben shewed clearly coÌ„cerning the Church of the Gentiles some mention was to be made of the restoring
of the Iewes the which other scriptures shewe that it shall surely come to passe before that there be an ende of the whole frame of the world Neither in examining every minute of the seventh trumpet shall wee finde that the Revelation goeth any further then to the restauration of this people as with Gods helpe wee shall make it apparant in his fit place Which restoring doublesse may well be called a mystery because it is so farre removed from all humane uÌ„derstanding of which there is almost noe hope in them to whom the very benefit perteineth as in many places the Prophets shew Why speaketh the Lord by Isaiah should thou say o Jacob and speake O Israell my way is hid froÌ„ the Lord and my cause is passed over of my God chap. 40.27 And againe Yf so be that Sion saith the Lord hath forsaken mee and my Lord hath forgotten mee chap. 49.14 Therefore I suppose that this calling of the Iewes is this mystery Doubtlesse it is sure that in the time of this trumpet the last ende shall be put to all thinges and therefore wee shall finde noe such conclusion of the seventh trumpet the third woe is past as of the fift one woe is past chap. 9.12 likewise of the sixt chap 11.14 for the Revelation leadeth not thither because neither perteineth it to us to knowe neither is it to be imperted to any creature which the sonne himselfe knewe not as farre as he was a maÌ„ Marc. 13.32 ¶ As he hath declared to his servants the Prophets To whom this mystery was revealed plenteously but which is not understood of our expositours wherby it cometh to passe that the things which the Prophets foreshewe to come the common sort so interpret as if they were past Moses in his most famous songe about the ende singeth this Mysterie Deut. 32. David every wherein the Psalmes So Isaiah Ieremiah Ezechiell and the rest it would be too long even to recken the places Learned men wil be content with this bare disclosing whom it is sufficient to admonish even in one worde that they would seeke another meaning of many places in the Prophets then hitherto they have followed in their expositions If these things are to be understood of the last comming of Christ to iudgement there are not very many words or at the least cleare enough in the Prophets touching this thing But froÌ„ hence wee learne that the old prophecies are not to be finished either in the first comming of Christ or in the calling of the Gentiles but that they reach even unto the perfit accomplishing of the Mistery Wherefore they that doe restraine them into the narrowe straightes of the calling of the Gentiles stoppe up to themselves the way to understand them and take away much comfort from the Church 8 Goe thy waye and take the little booke An other thing to be communicated is Prophecy restored againe to the Church For this commandement sheweth what should come to passe to the Ministers of the word in the times of this sixt trumpet Iohn himselfe for his part seemeth before nowe to have ben furnished sufficiently for the receaving of the Revelâ—tion both by those thinges which he sawe and heard and also endued with the inspiration of the Spirit extraordinarily And if the passing from one matter to an other had ben set forth onely for to teach he would have used the same in their fit places in the rest of the treatise Wherefore I doubt not but that here a type is set forth of the Ministers of that time as in many places elsewhere Iohn representeth the faithfull Therefore as here the booke being received from the Angell and eaten up he should play the Prophet againe so about these times should be raised up faithfull Ministers which should declare the trueth to the world Wee made mention that some godly men about the time that the Turkish tyrannie beganne and the feet of the Angell set upon the Sea the Earth arose forthwith who undertooke boldly the charge of prophecying Which was a notable benefit of God this office had ben banished a long time from the earth put to flight by the hellish smoke which the bottomelesse pit opened by the Romish Starre sent forth nowe it came againe by the grace of God and men were bidden to take the little booke open which the former times had shutte the force of which commandement raised up those which I spake of and many others which followed whom unlesse an heaveÌ„ly desire had inflamed they would not have offerred their lives to so many daÌ„gers which necessarily were to be undergone in so great envie hatred almost of all men But from this coÌ„mandement wee draw this coÌ„mon sentence that men are slow loath to take the paines to Prophecy not otherwise to settle themselves to this office except they be stirred forward of God 9 Therefore I went unto the Angell saying to him give mee the little booke This gifte is to be obtained by intreatie even also of them who have abilitie giveÌ„ them thereunto Wee must desire earnestly of God with Iohn that he will give us the little booke albeit wee be nowe entred into this office And the little booke is given when greater abondance of knowledge is ministred which was most excelleÌ„t in this age now first of all the art of printing bookes being found out by a great gift of God But further these things declare that the men of that time being awaked once of God from their drowsines shall greatlie endevour to profit more in the kindled trueth And surely their industry was notable and their increase in all kinde of knowledg chiefly of divinity so swift that thou mayest say not without cause that they had not so much read as devoured the bookes After Wickliefe the barbarousnes of the Scholastiques being reiected the liberall artes were revived through so happie aboundance of most famous witters that there is none but he must coÌ„fesse that to be the time of devouring bookes ¶ And it shall make thy belly bitter The word tasted in the mouth is sweet but bitter in the bellie that is the knowledge of Gods will is verie sweete pleasant of it selfe but the publishing of it wherby fruite may come to the rest of the meÌ„bers even like the digestion of meate when it is concocted in the stomake is full of troubles and anguish Which thing sometime Ieremy tryed and complained of chap. 15.16 Likewise Ezechiell chap. 3.3 And all none excepted who have runne togither in this race but those newe champions especially I meane of this time To whom doubtlesse the word was so much the sweeter by howe much they came with a more sounde hunger to wit having ben stollen away from the world for some ages and nowe first againe restored by the favour of God whore Ambassage contrariwise was so much the more bitter by how much men were plunged in more thicke darkenesse whom because of the long custome of
sinne they must needes finde more stubborne and spitefull The condition of that time could not be shewed more briefly and manifestly I therefore tooke the little booke Althoug Iohn heareth howe great trouble this meate will bring him yet obeyeth he willingly the Angell and eateth up the booke as he was commanded There was a better love in him to Gods word then any regard of lothsomnesse or wringing in the belly frō bitternesse Such excellent fortitude was in those learned men of that age before spoken of it could not be but that they knewe certenly howe great trouble they should procure to themselves by avouching the trueth yet neverthelesse they laboured valiantly setting more by the sweetnesse which they received from the ioy of the Spirit thē by all the bitternes of perill By whose example all Ministers of the word must goe on boldly neither is the office to be forsaken because of the troubles It is noe newe thing for that to be found bitter by experience which being tasted a little at the tongues ende seemeth sweete Therefore let every true Prophet have this lesson well meditated least peradventure lighting upon unexpected evils he be overcome at length through infirmity 11 Thou must Prophecy againe Nowe in fewe wordes he sheweth to what ende the former signe was used that it may be understood that Prophecie was to be restored againe to the Church in those times The preparation whereunto was the receaving and eating up of the booke to wit a burning desire of learning which gave hope of a more perfit light to appeare daylie But their opinion is foolish who will from these wordes have John to be expected about the ende of the world with Enoch Elias These things belōg not to the last time but to the sixt trumpet which wee will declare manifestly hereafter to be past And Iohn is set forth onely as a type not described by any office which in his owne person he should beare in the last times CHAP. 11. AND a reed was given mee like unto a rode and the Angell stood by saying rise and mete the Temple of God and the altar and them that worship therein 2 But the court which is without the Temple shut out mete it not for it is given to the Gentiles they shall treade under foote the holy city two and fourtie moneths 3 But I will give to those my two witnesses and they shall prophecy a thousande two hundreth and threescore dayes clothed in sackecloth 4 These are two olive trees and two candlestickes standing before the God of the earth 5 And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouthes which shall devoure their enemyes For if any man will doe them wronge so must they be killed 6 These have power to shut heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecying and have power over waters to turne them into blood and to smite the earth with all maner plagues as often as they will 7 Moreover when they finished their testimony the Beast that commeth out of the bottomelesse pit shall make warre against them and shall overcome them and kill them 8 And their corpses shall lie in the streetes of the great citie which is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified 9 And men of Tribes of peoples and of tongues and nations shall see their corpses three daies and an halfe and shall not suffer their carkases to be put in graves 10 And the inhabitans of the earth shall reioice over them and be glad and shall send giftes one to an other because these two Prophets vexed the inhabitans of the earth 11 But after three dayes and an halfe the Spirit of life comming from God shall enter into them and they shall stande up upon their feete and great feare shall fall upon them that shall see them 12 After they shall heare a great voice from heaven saying unto them come up hither and they shall ascende up to heaven in a cloude and their enemies sawe them 13 And the same houre was made a great earth quake and the tenth parth of the city fell and in the earthquake were slaine seven thousande men the remnant were feared and gave glory to the God of heaven 14 The second woe is past and behold the third woe commeth quickly 15 And the seventh Angell blewe the trumpet and there were great voices in heaven saying the Kingdomes of this worlde are the Lords and his Christs and he shall reigne for evermore 16 Then those foure and twenty Elders which sate before God on their thrones fell upon their faces and worshipped God 17 Saying wee give thee thankes Lord God almighty which art and which wa st and which art to come for thou hast received thy great might and hast obtained thy Kingdome 18 And the Gentiles were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be iudged and that thou shouldest give a reward unto thy servants the Prophets and to the Saincts and to them that feare thy name small and great shouldest destroy them that destroy the earth 19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven and the Arke of his covenant was seene in his temple and there were lightnings and voices and thundrings and eaarthquake and much haile Analysis SVCH is the preparation unto the newe Prophecy as was observed in the eight verse of the former chapter the Prophecy it selfe followeth in the first fifteene verses of this chapter which belongeth either to the whole bodie of the Church or some chiefe mēbers of it As touching that The Church is either true or false the true should lie hid this whole periode of fourtie moneths small very secret narrowe which is shewed by the temple measured ver 1. the false in the meane time very ample and spatious ver 2. The chiefe members are two Prophets whose divers condition is shewed according to a threefold difference of time the first by a thousand two hundreth threescore dayes all which space being black they should goe in monrning apparell ver 3. Who yet in the meane while should be like Olive trees Candlestickes ver 4. neither should be hurt of any without punishement ver 5. and endued with great power ver 6. The second time is of three dayes and an halfe in which being slaine ver 7. they should lie unburied in the streetes of Sodome and Egypt ver 8.9 and should make their enemies merrie with their death ver 10. The third time is not determined after the three dayes and an halfe in which they should rise againe lifted up by the Spirit first upon their feete which should strike a feare into their enemies ver 11. Afterward into heaven at which the tenth part of the citie should fall many should be slaine the rest should be made afraid ver 13. Last of all a transition is used declaring the ende of the sixt trumpet and the beginning of the
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
Councell he seemeth not to have ben able to speake more plainely By the same providence of God it come to passe that the Emperours forces were gathered from sundry nations Germanes Hungarians Italians Spaniards and others that the corpses of the Prophets should be set for a thing to be looked on of all meÌ„ as it were in the scaffold of the whole world Sleid. in the yeere 1547. 5 Three dayes and an halfe Some will have this to be the same space with that of two and fourty moneths and a thousand two hundred three score dayes But the wordes doe shewe plainely that they are diverse spaces For this distaÌ„ce of three dayes and an halfe taketh not his beginning before the thousand two hundred and threescore daies be accomplished For so before in ver 7. And when they have finished Afterward these three daies and an halfe the Prophets lay slaine and unburied But that space of a thousand two hundreth and three score daies is a time of Prophecying in sackcloth so as by no meanes they can be referred to the same time Let us therefore give unto them their owne place and set them next to the moneths Which after the likenes of the former dayes doe signify three yeeres and an halfe in which the Papists should reioyce in their owne behalfe for that the Scriptures were vanquished and the Churches subdued as they thought to their Angell of the bottomelesse pit as it came to passe partly at Tridentum and Bonnonia partly in Germany There after the deadly sentence was given against the Scriptures in the yeere 1546 the 8. of Aprill from thence for three whole yeeres and an halfe the Fathers triumphed in the mixed assembly of all nations as if the matter had ben executed manfully and excellently and prepared themselves to suppresse the rest of the trueth untill at length by the death of Paul the third the Conventicle was interrupted Which thing fell on the yeere 1549. the 9. of November that is on the third yeere and an halfe after the Scriptures were trode under foote The very fewe weekes that remaine hinder not the agreement seeing the Spirit thought not good to devide the matter into smaller portions then into three daies and an halfe In Germany the Church which by the confederate armies of the Emperour and Pope seemed to have ben put downe for ever in mens opinion lay as it were halfe dead for the same space to wit from 22. of Aprill in the yeere 1547 unto the first day of October of the yeere 1550. when at Maidenburg it began to lift up the head againe being nothing afraid neither of the Emperours proscription or conspiracie of the Princes or whatsoever any enemies could doe against them Sleid. booke 22. and 23. You may observe further how vaine a thing that is and in noe place agreeing with it selfe which every where is spread abroad concerning the three yeeres reigne of Antichrist For these three daies beginne not before that the two and fourty moneths shall be finished both which spaces yet neverthelesse he shall raigne From whence after their owne account that wee may graunt unto them the moneths to note three ordinary yeeres and an halfe he shall rule seaven yeeres at the least Although this be small also to coÌ„taine so great tyranny as wee before have declared But wee see how almost every word by it selfe doth disproove that invention ¶ And shall not suffer their carkeises to be put in graves They shall deprive them of all common honour which wee owe one to another by the right of humanity And surely when the Ministers of the Ghospell desired earnestly that all things might be done according to the rule of Gods word the Emperour obtrudeth to the world that ungodly Interim the Scriptures commaunded to be silent and not to mutter against it But in what a chafe was the Bishop of Artois when the men of Auspurg Trevers and Basell alledged for their excuse that they had not receaved the forme of doctrine because it disagreeth from the sacred scripture Doe you thinke saith he that the Emperour may not make lawes and prescribe a certen rule as of civill so also of holy thinges Sleid. booke 23. In the very Councell of Trent what in the name of the rest aÌ„swereth Pictavius to the MaÌ„cilane Ambassadours For when they required that the same order might be taken for them which before time was for the Bohemians according to the forme of the decree of Basell That the Scriptures in every controversy might be in stead of a iudge Pictavius obiected to them againe that the Scripture was a vaine and duÌ„be thing as also are the other politique lawes and that unto it must be added the voice of the Iudge that it may be wel understood Sleid. booke 23. He graunteth that the Scripture nowe is nothing but a vaine and dumbe thing that is altogither a carkeise And why should he not so boast being privie to himselfe that it was lately slaine by his labour and of the rest of the Tridentine Fathers But while they deny to give this honour to the Scriptures that they would not suffer them to obtaine that authority which a fewe and contemned worshippers would have given them willingly it was like as if they should forbidde their corpses lately thrust through pitifully to be buried Pilate when Ioseph Nicodemê° asked the body of Christ gave them leav that they should bestowe what cost they would upon it But when the Protestants made humble request that they might at least wise burie the car keises of the Scriptures among themselves although not in any solemne grave but onely under the simple turffe of their cottages the Scarlated Fathers denyed it stiffely The Church was handled in the like manner For after that the Duke of Saxonie and the Lantgrave were taken prisonners the cities put to a fine and very many noble men utterly cast out of favour the Emperour proscribeth the people of Maidenburge by writings spred abroad the sentence whereof after the usuall forme is this let noe man aide them by any meanes whatsoever neither acquaint him selfe with their case they which shall doe otherwise shall put themselves in perill of their goods and life What is this else then that noe man should dare to make the funerals of the wretched Church cruelly murdered Maidenburg was left as a remnant of the poore miserable where assemblies of the faithfull were kept But might noe man helpe this firebrand reserved from the burning without danger of his life Doubtlesse it is apparant seeing they suffered not the duties touching burials to be performed to their slaine carkeises 10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall reioice over them The citizens of the false Church as before chap 7.1 c. These should reioice over them and be glad and should sende gifts one to an other as in common ioy And surely not without cause being nowe freed from the great trouble wherewith the Scriptures and the most
his scourges These seven thousande Papists are slaine their bodies being not killed but they deprived of their great revenues of Monasteries Collegies and such yeerly rents without any hope of recoverie Was it not as death to those idle bellies to be bereaved of their delights that men who lately gave their mindes to feede themselves onely should be constrained nowe to feede others by word life or some profitable labour or themselves to be an hungred But by the Angustane decree the right of such possessions was confirmed to the Princes of the Protestants and that afterward without danger the same might be bestowed upon the Ministres of the word Schooles the poore and other godly uses without any feare of extortion This doubtlesse was the thing that slewe them that nowe they should be brought to poverty in trueth who before abounding in all riot onely counterfaited the same But to what ende is the number of the slaine lesse then according to the certaine portion of the falling city For seven thousande onely were killed but the tenth parth of the city falleth surely because the calamity of the ruine should be greater then that of the death For that perteined to the whole multitude of the Popish name the killing was peculiar to the Ecclesiasticall men whom this alteration vexed most of all bringing with it the losse of their goods The common people who suffered the losse onely of their former opinion bare it more patiently Therefore whose griefe was small noe death of theirs is mentioned Howe doeth the Spirit declare unto us these events one after an other and conveniently He doth all things alone who before the things come to passe doth tell the condition of them so distinctly and exquisitely The rest of the Popish religion before acknowledging the iust vengeance of God in the destruction and calamity of those Church men gave glory to the God of Heaven that is were converted to the true creatour in whose stead they worshipped late Images made of some matter and Idols And who knoweth not that almost an infinite number of men stirred up by these scourges opening their eyes to the shining light did forsake their former superstitions Wee see thē from the beginning to the ende howe this whole Prophecy agreeth exactly with the event The seven last bookes of Sleidans Commentaries doe afforde a more full declaration both of the battell and death and resurrection of the Prophets The whole Prophecy is of about a thousand two hundred fifty Julian yeeres from Diocletian unto the yeere 1555. how farre also Sleidane proceeded both in writing and living Analysis And thus farre is the sixt trumpet second Periode the last followeth declared by the seventh trumpet which is declared summarily in the rest of this chapter afterward particularly through al the rest of the booke The summarie exposition commendeth the Kingdome of Christ partly by word partly by a signe that is both of the Rulers of the Christian assembly ver 15. and also of the foure and twenty Elders whose gesture is mentioned in ver 16. Secondly their speach ver 17. which setteth forth the glory of this Kingdome by the rage of the enemyes the manifest wrath of God in subduing them and finally by the rewarding of the good and evill ver 18. Last of all the signe is the temple open the Arke seene lightnings sent forth and voices ver 19. Scholions The second woe is past A transition from the second more grievous trumpet to the last But whereas he saith that the second woe is past it is not to be understood as though nothing of it at all should nowe remayne but onely that the strength of it was broken and much weakened which should decay more also every day while at length it should be utterly destroyed For those foure Angels of the ninth Chapter whom wee have shewed to be the Turkes are not altogither destroyed at the sounde of the seventh Trumpet but are onely hastening to destruction So they came after the LOCVSTS not expecting till not one Locust should remaine but when they waxed olde rushing in furiously as wee have shewed in the ninth chapter at the 12. verse And beholde the third woe willcome anon Why is the last Trumpet called a voice which shall give a full and right forme to the Church In regard of the wicked whose ende nowe appeareth and the rewarding of all their sinnes both by punishements begun on earth and also eternall in hell It is said to come anon because of that small delay which should come betweene that resurrection of the Prophets which even nowe he spake of and the last sound of the Trumpet and also because shortly the last calamity of the wicked is brought to passe which shal not stay so long a time as the former Trumpets but shall come quicly with swift winges 16 Therefore the seventh Angell blewe the Trumpet and there were great voices in heaven Blewe the Trumpet to wit in the yeere 1558. as the events doe make manifest for then were there great voices in heaven that is great ioy arose in the reformed Church for so the word heaven doth signify as often before neiter are these voices terrible such as are ioyned with the thunder and lightnings after and else where but of praise and thankesgiving as their argement is shewed in the next following wordes Whose voices they are is gathered from that which is said by and by that when they were heard the Elders fell downe upon their faces in the next verse which they are wont to doe at the voices of the foure beasts chap. 4.19.20 Therefore they are the Rulers of the Churches who for some notable benefit which the sound of the seven Trumpet brought doe provoke their flockes to the praysing of God They shewe what manner of benefit this is when they say the Kingdomes of the world are become our Lords and his Christ c. What meaneth this Doth Christ nowe first reigne Surely he shall reigne alwayes even in the middes of his enemies But nowe chiefly his Kingdome is to be praised when he maketh his maiestie visible after a sorte in the very Kinges in so fashioning and forming their harth that they cast downe their crownes and scepters at his feete and wholly doe give their minde to the promooting of his glory But neither is this any newe thing He raigned so in olde times by Constantine and other godly Emperours Also in these last ages those famous Princes of Germany had restored this Kingdome long since Tho whom may be ioyned Gustavus King of Suevia and Christian King of Dennemarke who in the yeere a thousande five hundred thirty eight changed away the Antichristian impiety for the Ghospell I answere that the Prophecy meaneth not that the Kingdomes nowe first became of the Christian name but onely that they should be greatly encreased at the sound of this Trumpet for then especially wee doe say that one doth raigne when wee see the boundes of his
had graunted of his owne accord Italy to the Gothes which he had no hope to be able to retaine VVhat could he expect from the VVest every country wanting helpe so farre off were they from being able to succour others Therefore O Pope thy wouÌ„d was deadly whereof no remedie appeared from any place ¶ But this deadly wound was healed The third condition of the Beast coÌ„sisting in his dignity recovered by the healing of the head VVhich began at the yeere 555 when Iustinian being Emperour the Gothes were destroyed in Italy bâ— the valiantnesse of 〈◊〉 Nâ—râ—â—â—â—â— The Emperour played the Physitian maniâ—estly for first he tooke away the noxious humours by â—â—pressing yea rather utterly abolishing the Barbarians afterward he powred in wine oyle That Decree of Iustinians new constitution 131 wâ—s a most pleasant ointemeÌ„t Wee ordaine that according to the Decrees of the holy Counâ—â—lls the most holy Bâ—shop of auncient Rome shall be the chiefe of all Priests Hâ—â— much was the wound amended hereby But Phocas the Parricide afte◠〈◊〉 yeeres more or lesse that is in the yeere sixe hundreth and sixe finiâ—hâ—â— the cure bound up the wound healed it up into a skarre Hee did gâ—aunt unto Bonifâ—ce the third that the Romane Bishop should be counted Vniversâ—ll not onely that he should goe before the rest in order honour as Iustâ—nian decreed limitting the Primacy with the bounds of holy Concills bâ—t who should have the whole world for his Diocesse the Bishop of CoÌ„stantinople strove afterward in vaine from whom the Primacy was given by the sentence of the Emperour Now he perceived that the wound was healed and that therefore it was superfluous to pleade any more for this matter And certenly not very long after the Pope Leo second shewed that he had recovered health when about the yeere 680. by the warres of the Emperour he compelled Felix the Bishop of Ravenna to acknowledge the Bishop of Rome for his Lord and that the Bishop of Ravenna should not rise up any more it is ordained by the authority of the Pope That afterward the election of the Clergie of Raâ—enna should not be of force unlesse the consent of the Romane Pope were added to it Sabellic Ennead 8. book 7. Thus was the wounded head cured which being healed did more hurt the Christian world then before he received the wounde ¶ And all the world wondred followed the Beast Now he declareth how great the recovered dignity should be first by the honour which the worshippers of the Beast should give to him this honour is in admiring in this verse also in worshipping both the Dragon the Beast in the following And he speaketh significaÌ„tly after the Hebrewes manner to wonder after the Beast which is as much as in wondring to follow the Beast that is to give up theÌ„selves wholly to be ruled by his Empire as the Israelites going a whoring after their Idols forsooke the true God coÌ„secrated theÌ„selves to the worship of them They who so admired the Beast are the earth that is men savouring the earth altogither straÌ„gers froÌ„ the heaveÌ„ly city But how many is the nuÌ„ber of them All without exception For he saith the whole earth Therefore it should come to passe that the Beast after the head was healed should rule with farre larger boundes then before Prosper said that Rome was more ample at the first receiving of this dignity by the tower of religion then by the throne of power Which seemeth to be understood rather of the consent of the trueth then of the dominion of the Citie of Rome although then it was doubtlesse large The trueth was propagated further then the Romane Empire But Britanny had not yet acknowledged the authoritie of Rome in the matter of religion till under the Pontificate of Gregory the fift that is after some hope that the wound should be cured Augustine the Romish Munke forced our countriemen to take upon them the yoke neither did France Friseland Denmarke Germanie Sclavonia depend much of Rome before Bonifacius or Venefride an Inglishman about the yeere 720. brought these countries or the chiefe parts thereof unto the obedience of the Pope of Rome Now therefore was the time when the whole earth should admire the Beast when besides these and other Princes of Europe countries also most remote Ireland Scotland Norway Gothia Sueveland Luten and other nations of Sarmatia honoured the same as some God Let therefore the Pope glory in his universality by how much he hath the greater multitude by so much a surer argument is he that Beast But as touching the admiration it was indeede great some ages before and that of the most famous lights of the Church who carryed away with the too much honour of the Beast and not regarding sufficiently to what mischiefe at length the matter would growe did exalte too proudly the preheminence of the Apostolike Chaire Yet did they not wonder after the Beast so as they thought they must embrace all whatsoever he should ordaine but they had one rule of godlinesse and duty to it the sacred trueth Neither were the commendations of those times any thing to that admiration which followed the healing of the wounde Heare Bernard Thou saith he speaking to the Pope art the great Priest the chiefe Pope thou art the Prince of Bishops thou art the heire or the Apostles thou art in Primacy Abel in governing Noe in Patriarchat Abraham in order Melchisedec in dignity Aaron in authority Moses in iudgement Samuel Peter in power Christ in an-annointing c. in the 2. booke of Considerat Verily o Bernard thou hast played the foole through admiratioÌ„ Yet neverthelesse I dare not put thee among those who wonder after the Beast considering that I heare thee else where reprooving boldly and sharply the wickednesse of the Popes Cardinals Bishops and other Clergie men The times deceaved thee but there was in thee I thinke somewhat borne of God which at leÌ„gth did overcome the world But of what sorte was the wouÌ„dring of other men who were more blinded lesse fearing God Heare what the Ambass of the Emp. of Sicilia being prostrated on the grouÌ„d cry which takest away the sinnes of the world hav mercy on us which takest away the sinnes of the world give us peace P. Ae. b. 7. VVhat also Simo Begnius Bishop of Modrusium speaking to the Pope Leon in the Councill of Lateran sess 6. Beholde here cometh the Lion of the tribe of Iuda the roote of David thee o most blessed Leo wee have expected for Saviour Adde unto these Cornelius the Bishop of Biponte who shewed his astonishmeÌ„t in the CouÌ„cill of TreÌ„t in these words The Pope being the light is come into the world and men have loved darknes more then the light for every one that doth evill hateth the light and commeth not to the light O Blasphemous Fooles is it not enough for you to adorne the Man of Sinne with the praises of the Saincts
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
the glory of Christ in destroying this Kingdome As touching the wordes And maketh all that he may give them a marke c. It is a short kinde of speaking but very significant all one as if he should say he bringeth all into that case that they willingly receive the marke from his hande Wherefore in the translation I thought that I was not to departe from the very wordes ¶ That he may give them a marke in their hande c. Montanus that they may give them markes so Aretas As though the Beast should compell men to imprint the markes in theÌ„selves but to make this sense good it should be written that they may give themselves Yet Aretas maketh no other sealer then the Beast But after he hath shewed who are to be marked now he declareth in what parte to wit either in the right hande or in the foreheads In the right hand to the ende that they should fight valiantly for the Beast to their power For the marke is not to be received in the left hande but in the right hande being the stronger and more ready member In which manner are marked Emperours Kings and all Magistrates furthermore the whole Clergie also the universall troupe of religious men Professours in Schooles Canonists Lawyers c. All these are souldiours set in the rereward of the bande garding the Captaine and the principall champions of the Beast The marke is set in the foreheads that all may see playnely to whom obedieÌ„ce is due In which part all the rest of the common sorte beareth the marke For although they be not of so great streÌ„gth as the former to defend the Beast yet it is needfull that they confesse him openly to whose tuition they belong VVherefore the marke in the right hande is a bond of nigher familiarity both because defence is some greater thing then a bare professioÌ„ and also because it goeth before it in order and honour Although the order is changed in the chapter following in the 9. verse but as it seemeth to aggravate the thing as wee shall see there 17 And that no man might buy c. The force of this marke is that it may be a passeport for entercourse of marchandise among meÌ„ How great losse then must they needs suffer who because they shall want this privie token may have to doe or make any bargaine with no maÌ„ VVhich thing is ratified expresly in the Decrees That no man ought even to speake to these meÌ„ to whom the Pope is an enemy Caus 11. q. 3. Yf an enemy And againe Distin q. 3. Gratian That obedience is due from all men to the chiefe Pope that none may have any fellowship with him to whom he shall be an enemy for his actes neither shall he be able to remaine in the Church who forsâ—keth his chaire To confirme which things a forged Epistle of Clemens is alleaged Neither must wee here tarry till one be excommunicated but if that Clemens be an enemy to any for his naughty acts doe not you expect that he should say unto you c. That is his beckes are to be observed that without warning wee turne away our selves froÌ„ them with whom wee are able to conjecture that the Holy Fathâ—r is angry VVhat more plaine prohibitioÌ„ can there be to bargaine with them which wante the marke The practise of this time confirmeth the same but more evidently the former times when the whole earth wondred at the Beast for then he that wanted the marke had no leave to exercise marchandise with any man ¶ Save he that had the marke or the name c A distribution of the marke into three kindes the marke being put for all as it commeth to passe in divisions the name of the Beast and the number of his name The marke is the first and principall token proper to his defenders and such as are familiar with him as it seemeth consisting partly in ordaining the Clergie men in whom is imprinted an indelebile marke of their perpetuall Romish bondage the divine providence so governing their tongues that they should note the strength of their forged sacrament in those wordes by which the marke of the Beast might be plainely seene of all meÌ„ Partly in the othe wherby the chiefe Emperours Kinges the other Magistrates and every condition of men of something a superiour degree is bound to the humble service of the Romish Pope So Otto the first in the yeere 942. sware to Pope Iohn the XII That he would exalte to his power the holy Church of Rome and Iohn the Râ—â—tour thereof Distinct 63. chap. To thee Lord. More fully in the booke of Pontificall wherein expresse words the Emperour promiseth freely undâ—rtâ—kâ—th and warranteth and sweareth before God and blessed Peter that he from henceforth would be the Protector Proctour and defendour of the chiefe Pope and the holy Church of Rome c. Clement booke 2. Title Of the Othe The Name is the proper naming of the Beast given to the rest of the people as a name derived from the Fathers or Ancestours to whom the othe and ceremonies of ordaining did lesse coÌ„pete For the marke eyther of the othe or ordination and such rites is not printed in all the people for these belonge to the Clergie Great States and others who execute a publike office but there is an other easier and readier way wherby the multitude may professe themselves to be among the proper goods of the same Lord to wit so taking upon them his name as in olde time servants did that even as the Prince himselfe is called Catholike Prelate Pope so they Catholikes Bishopists Papists Of olde some of these names were common but at length the Pope chalenged them to himselfe neither will he have any other to be Catholikes now save those that are of his heard And although these names doe flow to all his subiects withot difference yet the common sorte are knowne by this badge onely the other being marked with a peculiar marke beside But what need is there nowe of a third note The two former containe the whole company of vile persons of this Kingdome There is an other kinde of men somewhat further removed from the Empire of the Beast then that which even nowe I spake of VVhich unlesse it will be marked at least with the number of his name must knowe that they are restrained from the use of any kinde of marchandise with the subjects of this Beast But these seeme to be the Grecians who unlesse they would take upon them the number of this name should be esteemed banished men from this Empire and all the emoluments which might be gotten in the same The Number of his name is the very same that a name expressed by a number or that I may so say a name of number VVhich seeing it shal be made manifest to be Latinus from those thinges which shal be spoken on the next verse the trueth of this Prophecy is wonderfully well knowne
the counsels of godly men about the end of the first yere of her raigne she removed many most worthily out of their Prelacies and other ecclesiastical dignities and benefices who glorying onely in the mark of the Beast denyed due obedience to their lawful Prince Among them was the Archbushop of York the B b of London Elie and 14. others besides men of meaner note Deâ—ns Archdeacons Parsons Vicars and the like How needs must men be vehemently burned when they saw their dignities lands fearms faculties honours to bâ— bâ—â—towed on their adversaries and themselves in the meane time to 〈◊〉 desâ—ised and contemned Many could not bear the sorow but flâ—d â—ver sea because therof to sâ—ek so much ease as not to behold it otherâ— at home payning away with greif in secret places al of them sleeing the light and sâ—ght of men whom to behold so merry and joyful was as yll â—s a bitter death And though they changed the aier yet was not their payn asswaged when the Pope himselfe and that whole nation by but hearing it onely were very sorely tormented Which he abundantly testified by his Bulls against our most noble Queen severely commanding all subjects to forsake their allegeance unto their Prince neyther could they be stayed by any religious regard of oath wherof that violatour of al Law both of God and man did discharge them But thanks be to God he yet laboured in vayn wherby his torment is much the more increast For thus sayd he with himselfe as Saul did of old Have ye al conspired against me Js ther none of you that is sory for my sake Wil no man ease my boyle with the blood of that Queen which hath wrought me so much woe Have patience good Pope this is the time of thine ulcer not of thine ease But his sicknes suffreth him not to rest Therfore he rageth felly with venemous libells he incenseth the Kings with al earnestnes to wage warr he privily sendeth Iesuits the bellowes of al seditions to betray their country he secretly suborneth ungracious cut-throats to kil their sacred Prince finally he applyes himselfe by whatsoever means he can to styrr up troubles wherby he may work the utter destruction of the realm and of us all But having tryed all wayes in vayn through the mercy and goodnes of our God these two and fourty yeres both he the Prince and head of mischeefs and his desperate children doo scarce refrayn from tears because they nought worth tears doo see In France about the same time that we may see this soare was universally spred among the Papists when Charles the 9. began his reign and dayly the Papists authority did more and more decay a great part of Nobility joyned themselves to the purer doctrine of the Peers of the realm very many the Queen mother for fear I suppose of her English neighbour was much busied about religion and not obscurely favoured the professours therof or at least feigned it some of the Papists weÌ„t more seldom to their woÌ„ted temples many which stuck more fast to their old opinions kept themselves so within their private wall that they durst scarce be seen in publik meetings For what other disease I pray then for the payn of this ulcer Germany had angred the Thracian stock long before But at the same time the wounds erst inflicted now growing more full of atter were changed into ulcers The decree of Charles as we sayd before was heavy wherin peace and liberty was granted to religion but the lesse hope they had to repele the same the sharper did it prick theÌ„ dayly For Emperour Ferdinandus succeeding his brother thought it best to rest in the former decrees wherto he had consented at Augusta before he was Emperour Maximilian his son did alwayes mislike that manner of propagating Christian religion with armes or compelling any to receive it that were unwilling How untollerable was this moderation to the ulcerous Papists that burned with desire of revenge But now let us see in a word how this ulcer wil not be touched Which the Council of Trent verily shewed in the second session under Pius 4. in the yere 1562. where this busines was committed to some chosen men for to consider of divers censures and books eyther suspected or pernicious that is that by al meanes they should have care ther went out nothing among the people that nipped the Popes authority and Romish superstition in any one word Doubtlesse the ulcer is very egre and virulent that can indure nothing that is rough or hard Therfore whatsoever is layd to it let it be tender and soft For this cause did Pius the 4. set forth an Index of the forbidden books which Sixtus the 5. afterwards augmented and Clemens the 8. lately recognized VVherin it is appointed which books men must quite absteyn from and which one may use so they be corrected Certainly the Pope prescribes a diet for his botchie patients Among other rules of correcting this is one that al things be wel lookt to and attentively noted not onely the things that offer themselves manifestly in the course of the work but if ther be any that secretly doo lurk in the Scholies in the summaries in the margins in the tables of the books in the prefaces or epistles dedicatorie Instruct de correct book D. 2. How suspicious is sicknes Verily this fear of running upon any thing that may offend hath shred off in many late writers whatsoever was in them of soundest iudgment and more free truth But the bookes are in al mens hands wherby they may perceive what it is that payneth these brand-marked persons and where Although one purging Index set forth by Philip the 2. King of Spain in the year 1571. may be in sted of many And least thou mightest think perhaps that they are troubled coÌ„cerning late writers onely or the marginal notes of others they doo violence to the very words of the ancient Fathers For example in a certaine edition of Augustine which Iohn Gibbon an English Iesuite Doctor of Div. Professor at Trevers perused in the disputatioÌ„ about Saincts Thes 207. there these words are no more read yet doo not we constitute temples preisthoods holy things and sacrifices to the Martyrs c. as the ancient true copies have in the 8. book of the City of God chap 17. but contrary thus we doo constitute temples preisthoods holy things and sacrifices to the Martyrs because not they but their God is our God c. O impudent falsers which make Augustine to affirm that which he openly denyeth that I speake not how unapt you feyghn his words to be that sacrifices are to be constituted to the Martyrs because they are not God The Ratts doo perish by their own bewraying Francis Iunius in the yeere 1559 saw at Lions with Trellonius some pages of the true Ambrose cancelled and rased by two Franciscan Friers and other new ones substituted in place of the former after their own wil
to swimm in this Sodomitish lake as many doo which make no conscience to asseÌ„t unto any religion This then is the estate of this filthy sea which wel becometh the ulcerous flock to be fed with the rotten bloud therof as it were with rivers 4 And the third Angel powred out his vial upon the rivers Th' effect of the third vial belongeth to the fountayns rivers The event turneth the same into bloud Fountayns and rivers are as the breasts wherewith the sea is nourrished and which borow their nourishment from it againe And the sea being the Doctrine the Fountayns are the Masters which have charge of the doctrine and these no mean fellowes and footstools so to speak but principal Doctours on whose mouth the rest of the troup doo depend These now by al mens iudgment are the Iesuites from whose distributioÌ„ the rest of the multitude gathereth like babes taking the meat into their mouthes which they chewed for them Dominicus of old appeared unto Pope Innocent in his sleep to hold up with his shoulders the Lateran Church that was in danger of ruine but at this day the Iesuites be the chiefest propps of the Popes throne which neverthelesse they shall not hold up long who long synce have begun to faulter and fayl as overcharged with the weight For under this third vial the rivers shal be turned into bloud that is those Masters of Popish doctrine the Iesuites shal be put to death that the Church of Rome which in time past was wont to kill with the sword may at length be killed her selfe as the Spirit hath foretold chap 13.10 Which power this vial began to exercise about the year 1581. when in our realm of England by the common decree of the States in Parliament it was enacted that whosoever should goe about any manner of way to draw the mindes of the subiects from obedience towards their lawful and natural Prince unto the Bishop of Rome or unto the Romish religion for the same end they should be put to death as guilty of high treason What is this may some say to the Iesuites Very much when they al mind nothing els indevour nothing els being traytors to their country killers of Princes seducers of subiects the plagues and bane of al Kingdomes and common weals Therfore the powred out vial wanted not effect but in the same yere Everard Ducket Edmund Campion Ralfe Sherwin Alexander Brian Iesuites and nourissons of the Seminaries being convincted of the breach of the law were worthily punished And after them folowed Iohn Paynes Thomas Ford Iohn Sherret Robert Iohnson many other of that leven Thus by Gods grace the wickednes of wretched men was somewhat restreyned that though it were not quite taken away for who can require of the Leopard to change his skin yet did it not so freely range abroad but was forced to lurk in darknes to disguise it selfe to counterfeit dissemble al things that so both the venim might be dispersed more secretly and the mischeevous heads therof be provided for 5 And I heard the Angel of the waters We have seen the first event the second is a twofold testimony wherby the fact is approved of which the first is by the Angel of the waters who is not one of these rivers fountayns as the Angel of the bottomlesse pit before chap. 9.11 but one that is over the rivers and fountayns to execute this iudgement of God In which respect the rest may be called the Angel of the earth the Angel of the sea the Angel of the sun c. to whom power is given over these things For in that he saith in the next verse thou hast given them blood to drink he playnely exeÌ„pteth him from the number of them This Angel therfore is some civil Magistrate which had power or rather which was author and Counsellor for turning these waters into bloud namely for killing and putting to death the Iesuites Whom if I should note by name to have been that noble maÌ„ of blessed memory S. William Cicil late high Tresurer of England the words folowing wil shew I doe it not without ground ¶ Iust art thou o Lord This testimony adorneth God with the prayses of his Iustice Truth and annexeth a reason from the present thing in putting the murtherers to a deserved death And a like celebration of Gods iustice was verily made by him whom even now I named S. William Cicil For he in the yere 1584. to stop the mouth of gaynsaying raylers rendred a reason in a book set forth of putting the Iesuites to death among us VVhich book is intituled the Iustice of Britany wherby is clearly manifested that some lewd fellowes in England were for shamefull treasoÌ„s put to death He published the book almost in all languages that all might hear the Angel celebrating Gods iustice and others that would procure the safety of their realmes and peoples might be stirred up by this most worthy president to doo the like The book hath the very same argument that these two verses have neither can the summ of it be comprised in any words more fitt ¶ Which art aâ—d which wast and which shalt be Thus dooth Theod. Beza set it down out of an ancient hand-written copie Aretas the vulgar Latine and Montanus in sted of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shalt be doo read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy The former celebrated God for coÌ„stancie in his promises that he is alwayes like himselfe avenging wicked deeds in like sort now as he punished theÌ„ in ages past This latter togither with coÌ„staÌ„cie ioyneth holines as if he should say which for thy constancy and holines canst let this wickednes goe no longer unpunished but where a title is used from the distribution of time the two first articles are not wont to be put without the third therefore the first reading seemeth to be the more true ¶ Because thou hast judged thâ—se things That thou hast shewed such a iudgment that is hast inflicted such a punishment on the rivers fountayns According to the Hebrew metonymie for with them to iudge signifieth to punish and avenge as the nation whom they shal serve I iudge that is I will punish Gen. 15.14 So Deut. 32.36 1 Sam. 25.39 6 For they shed the bloud of the Saincts These words shew reason of the former celebration But where have the Iesuites shed bloud As though this were hard to know Are not these the spyals for the holy fathers of the Inquisition as they that for the most part cary Christians to their boucherie from whence no not the guiltlesse as they say is let goe but eyther it costeth him his life or at least al his goods But besides this al the world now knoweth that these men are the plotters of al treasons against Princes and the troublers of publike tranquilitie which absteyn not their hands no not from sacred Princes for whom they devise death sundry wayes as we with great
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
the Inhabitans of the earth shall wonder In giving all honour and service to him being astonied with the renowne of his false dignity which before was sayd to wonder after the Beast chap. 13.3 Yet notwithstanding least wee should thinke that all men should be caryed away into this destruction he numbreth among this cōpany the inhabitans onely of the earth to weet the citizens of the false Church whose names are not written in the book of life O good God how much concerneth it you ô yee Papists to deliver your Pope from all likenesse to this Beast If he be found covered with his hide which this chapter will make more cleare then the light at noone tide you are utterly lost unlesse you shall flee very quickly all fellowshippe with him I pray you as you regarde your owne salvation that lying aside all hatred preiudice and bitternesse of mindes you weigh the matter with mee in equal ballances A great matter is in hande either the vantage or losse of eternall life See you not that the Pope and the Beast did tread in the same steppes alwayes even hitherto Attend to those things which follow wee finde both of them to walke in the same path which the Spirit hath marked out with equall pases and hand in hand But you will cry out that this is a new interpretation yet appointe not the Spirit at your pleasure he stistributeth most wisely according to his pleasure a measure of knowledge to every time Rather regard the consent of the whole Prophecy which will yeeld a most cleare proofe of the truth and esteeme that most auncient which you shall finde true VVhy doo yee suffer your selves to be deceived with the names of them whom the most certen event declareth to have bene verie greatly deceived in very many things of this Revelation This is the notable craft of the Iesuites to call foorth cheifly those witnesses and Interpreters by whose reverend ignorance they may cover and hid the impiety of the Pope there was not so much danger from him to those auncient Fathers living eyther before Antichrist or by and by after his beginning They understood sufficiently that which perteined unto them other things God would have to be wrapped in darkenesse while the fore appointed time should come that the reprobat seing might not see a way so be made opē for his decree awake yee therfor at lēgth opē your eyes to the shining truth which if yee shall behold glistering more clearly then that it can be obscured by false remote calumnies remember that those are not written in the booke of life which have the Beast in great admiration then take advise according to the greatnesse of the thing You also my brethrē for so I esteeme you as long as any hope remayneth I would admonish in a few wordes who through lightnesse of minde desire of novelty within two or three dayes space become Papists It seemeth a pastime to you casting away the truth to fall to the Pope but take heed that in your sport yee perish not in earnest And willingly wipe your names out of the book of life You pretēd that you will be Catholikes but cōsider that whom you hold for Catholiks are reprobates unlesse they shall escape at length frō these tents into which yee fly for salvation But these pretenses of salvation are toies I know what grieveth you eyther want or dishonour at home or a greater reputation of other men But what gaine shal be even the most ample stipend if yee shall loose your soules What dishonour can be greater then to be added in the company of cast awayes Or who hath not honour inough which is counted the childe of God Minde I pray you these things such like and think it not a light matter forsaking the true God to associate your selves with the Divill Behold also what mischievous persons yee doo nourish in your bosome who gladly doo intertaine the Iesuits He which ioyneth you to the friendship of the Pope procureth unto you certen and undoubted destruction How miserable a thing is it with the hazzard of this life to seeke an undoubted losse of eternall life Doo not iudge any longer a thing of so great moment rather by the painted lies of those men then by the very manifest truth Neither doo yee despise my admonition I am ad adversary onely to your errours I desire from my hart that your selves shoul be saved by Jesus Christ Try the things that I say I require not otherwise to be beleeved and when the things are throughly knowen by searching acknowledge the fraud of the Iesuits thrust them out of doores detest these pestiferous men perceive your owne danger and if you have any regard of salvation now at length be yee wise ¶ From the foundation of the world So before was shewed the eternall Decree touching the death of Christ and the force and efficacy thereof in chap. 13.8 Now the same kind of speaking noteth out the eternall election of them that shal be saved Which two things are most neerely coupled togither ¶ Beholding the Beast which was and which is not and yet is Those last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet is seeme that they are thus to be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is present The difference is that those signify that the Beast remaineth alive in the very destruction as though he should say although in mens opinion he is not yet he is and so both members are referred to the same time as before Iohn saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death which yet was not wholly killed in chap. 13. The other reading noteth out more plainely the third time in which after the hurt endured the Beast should recover which thing Aretas the Complutent edition and other copies distinguish plainely which reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall be present and as Primasius translated shall come Yet that former reading of Theod. Beza may cary the same sence albeit in mens opiniō the Beast of late was not yet now he is In which sense they are to be taken that they may have respect to the Beast comming forth from calamity not continuing in the same For they are answerable to the third distinct time in the beginning of the verse and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit as is cleare from the men admiring the Beast who admire not the same contemned and afflicted which should be necessary if the words respected the same time with the member going next before but recovering his dignity contrary to mens expectation and the same greater then he had before as it came to passe in his third change after he was recovered of his wound chap. 13.3 Wherfore the vulgar Latine reading corruptly passeth over this third member making men to wonder at the Beast when he is not which is contrary to the truth of the thing Furthermore it is certaine that it is not to be read in
the future tence but in the present because admiration belongeth not to a future but to a present dignity From which let us observe what wondring is a token of reprobation to weet of a Beast reviving after the hurt received which is the second Beast in chap. 15.11 Even until that time he was not so desperately impious but that he might easily deceive the Saincts but at length he came to that naughtinesse that he must be banished from the Kingdome of God who will acknowledg him to be such an one by admyring as he professeth himselfe to be But wheras the Angel in these words prosecuteth not his variable condition beyond the third time therby he sheweth that he shal be openly knowne to the world before his last ende shall come 9 Here is the mind Thus farre the Beast hath bin shewed us according to his whole now he entreth into the interpretation of some chiefe parts wherunto he prepareth himselfe a way by this Preface Which yet is uncertaine whither it is to be referred to that which went before or to this which followeth it seemeth being set in the midst to have respect to both alike for to cause attention The speach seemeth defective and to be supplyed after the manner of that in chap. 13.18 Here is wisdome let him that hath wit count c. So here is wit let him that hath wisdome understand as in the Epistles to the seven Churches let him that hath eares heare or it may be a perfit sentence of it selfe here is the minde that hath wisdome as though he should say consider the foresaid chaunges likewise consider the interpretation the understanding of which things is true wisdome indeede wherby a man may avoide eternall destruction But these are the wordes not onely of exhortation but also of Prophecie which declare that in the most open light in which the Beast shal be set every one shall not acknowledge him but they onely who are endued with wisedome and have their eyes inlightened of God The Beast is like in this thing to the whore whose name written in her forehead was a mysterie which should be hidden from very many no lesse then some obscure and inexplicable riddle For Prophecies fulfilled become not manifest to all men as we wil after shew that Bellarmine trisleth but unto some certaine men to whom it is given to understand the rest remaining in their former blindnes Which short admonition confuteth a threefold errour of the Papists one touching the common name Antichrist the other of the doctrine the third of the publique persecution of which wee will speake more at large in the refutation at the ende of the Chapter ¶ The seaven heads are seaven hilles upon which the woman sitteth as touching the partes first he teacheth what are Heads both permanent in this verse and transitory in verses 10.11 wherby it may be knowne what is this whore in regard both of the place and of the time Those heads are seaven moūtaines upon which the woman sitteth that is seven hilles of the city of Rome Palatinus Quirinalis Aventinus Caelius Viminalis Aesquilinus Janicularis by which this City is renowmed through the whole world and thereupon called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seaven hilled by Varro And this circumlocution seemed fitter for the eloquent kind of speaking of the Poets then the specifying of a proper name Virgil in the second of his Georgiques toward the end hath these wordes to weet Rome is become the most beautifull of things which hath enclosed her seaven towers with one wall Likewise Ovid in his first book de Trist Eleg. 4. speaketh thus of it But Rome is the Seate of the Empire and of the Gods which from seaven Mountaines vieweth the whole world And againe in the third book ver 7. And while Rome the victorious shall beholde the subdued whole world from her seven Mountaines I shall be called Martia And God would have the thing testifyed not onely by the verses of Poets but also by a publike festivitie For the Romanes kept the Fest called Septimontium because of the seventh mountaine ioyned to the city and Rome become therupon Septicollis as Plutarch relateth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These things are so manifest that the Papists themselves ar now cōstrained will they nill they to confesse them We have shewed that Bellarmine preferreth this sense before the rest in his 3. book ch 13. of the Pope of Rome Ribera the Iesuite yeeldeth also the same cōfirming it with many words on the 14. chap. of the Revel num 30. frō whēce no cōtroversie could now remaine of this thing if onely men were in their right wits but wee hav touched before their madnes who doo separate the things which ar ioyned togither by an ūdivided bād They grāt that the whor is Rome yet by no means doe they abide her to be the seate of Antichrist as though they could be sundred of which the one sitteth upō the other carryed but if this cōjoyning be too weake behold a straighter yea a most straight such as of the head with the body so as they which shal remov the Beast to any other place thē to Rome must make him to be without his heads Frō hēce therfore I thus cōclude demōstratively The city where remaine fixed the heads of the Beast or of Antichrist is the seat of Antichrist Rome is the city wher remaine fixed the heads of Antichrist Therfore Rome is the seate of Antichrist By no meanes can yee giv mee the slippe ô ye Papists This argument must needs be as firme sure as ar the very mountaines of your Rome Yet what you ar able to obiect against it we wil discusse by by in confuting your devised Antichrist 10 And they are also seven Kings Such ar the permanent heads the transitorie which ar seven Kings doo follow Ther is a double application of this one type teaching that ther is an inseparable ioyning togither of the mountains and Kings From whence is ministred an other necessary proof of the seate of Antichrist thus The seate of seven Kings is the seate of Antichrist Rome the citie of 7. mountaines is the seate of 7. Kings for the heads are both mountaines Kings Therfore Rone is the seate of Antichrist But who ar these 7 Kings not so many singular persons as Victorinus would have it but soveraignties regimēts For if every several head should note out singular mē 5. of which wer fallē in Iohns time to wit Galba Otho Vitellius Vespasianus Titus Titus Domitianus the 6. ruled then Nerva the 7 was to be expected whom remaining alive but for a little space should succeede straighway Traianus the 8. togither also the 7. If I say the heads ar to be so counted it must needs follow that this Beast should have ceased in his last head Traiane that the world should not now feare that he should doo any mischiefe Vnles perhaps we think whē all his
Mat. 26.40 after the same manner in Marcke 14.37 And so the best Greeke writers every where thou art in busines watch â—g the whole night Xenoph. Paediae 2. Sometime they are takeÌ„ for the terme of time when as in the 70. Iterpreters behold to morrow this very houre I will ruine a haile Exod. 9.18 So to morow about this very houre J will deliver them all wounded Iosh 11.6 In the New Testament yesterdâ—y the seventh houre the fever left him Iohn 4.52 The ninth houre of the day Act. 10.3.30 What houre I will come Revel 3.3 It is doubtfull therfore whether the words note the continuing of the power or the terme of beginning it The former signification containeth the second For if unto one houre they shall receive power with the Beast it must needs be that they receive it both togither at the same houre also and not the contrary seing the power of one may be continued longer then of the other of which both there was altogither the same beginning The Historie also accordeth with the former wonderfully clearer by a double and more general marke and giving a greater knowledge of the Beast whom seeing the Spirit without doubt would have to be most surely known let us iudge of right that there is this onely meaning of the words The vulgar Latine traÌ„slateth the following words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the Beast against the authority of all copies and contrary to the trueth it selfe For in the rising of the Beast the hornes are reckened in the first place yea also before the heads or any other shape of the body which thing had not bene done at all if they should grow up after ward chapter 13.1 Ribera will have the sense to be all one whether wee read with the Beast or after the Beast as though to beginne their reigne togither and after were the same time But he referreth neither of these to the time but unto service But this also is unlike and absurd seing to receave power either with or after the Beast caÌ„not be one with to deliver power to the Beast Beda deceived with the vulgar Latine seemeth to expound it so But I require a fit exemple of reason To commit fornication after Idols is to serve the same but if to receive power after one hath the same consideration doubtlesse the Pope of Rome serveth the Divill after whom he received power Seing therfore the words are so from hence let us observe a double marke of these Kings one that together with the Beast they rule the other that they shall enioy this power for a short time onely For that a short space in ver 10. the Angel expoundeth to be one houre And that which there was spoken of the seventh King onely here is attributed in likewise to all the ten Kings Not because having reigned this one houre they should exercise no powr ever after for how shall the Beast of whom together this is spoken enioy onely one houre of authority which hath two fourty moneths to tyrannise chap. 13.5 But because the first power after a few yeeres should be interrupted with some notable hurt for a time the ten Kings in their beginning should have tryal of the same adversity with the Beast to the ende that he might be more cleare and manifest to all men by this token Therfore that now we may see the very thing we have sayd in chap. 13.5 that thâ—se Kings are the first Christian Emperours which now shal be made plaine by the applying of every thing First the hornes are Kings neither of the common and inferiour sorte but Monarches and of very great authority who have crownes wherin they differ from the hornes of the Dragon as hath bin observed in chap. 13.1 He also hath tenne hornes proper to the heads to wit the City Rome where abode the Maiesty of the Highest Empire the other Provinces being subiect to this Queene But now the case being altered in the first rising up of Antichrist the chiefe Empire should be in an other place then at Rome as we know it came to passe when the Christian Emperours lived at Byzantium or Millane or Ravenna who retained in their owne power the chiefe soveraignty over the whole Christian world For hetherto they spake as Lords We because thou art a Christian have iudged thee worthy of the Bishoprick of our City as Constantius sayd to Liberius the Bishop of Rome Theod. book 2. chap. 16. Yea some ages after In the sixt Generall Council at Constance Act. 1. Constantine himselfe gave for a gift his Holy as they spake in these words I give to the Arshbishop of our auncient Rome Which thing also the Popes gladly acknowledged Boniface to the Emperour Honorius in Distinct 97. of the Church Rome is the City of your gentlenesse Gergorie unto Mauritius signifyeth his obedience in proclaming his law though he approoved not the sentence of the law As for mee being subiect to your cammaundement J have caused your law to be sent through many parts of the world book 2. Epist 61. at the ende And Agatho speaking of Rome This is the servile citie of your Maiesty in the Council of Const 6. Act. 4. Where then al this time was the Donation of Constantine Although even the very donation if a good and lawfull should be granted would bewray sufficiently in what place then the Empire was Secondly these Kings are the hornes of the Beast by whose means the dignity of the Pope of Rome increased while they drove farre away al the violence of the enemy which might seeme to be able to detract anie thing from it Neither onely gave they it leave to grow by their warres but also inriched it with exceeding wealth For although the Papists bragge impudently of Constantines donation as wee touched even now neverthelesse it is certen that they adorned both the citie and Pope with many privileges and that they which followed tooke away nothing but rather to have added to the heape Thirdly they are sayd tenne because so many of the first Emperours should be notable for their care and diligence in subduing the enemies of the Romanes Through which oportunity the Beast lately bread might get strength and might grow up to his perfect stature And these were 1. Constantine the Great 2. Constantinus ConstaÌ„s and Constantius his sonnes 3. Iulianus 4. Iovinianus 5. Valentinianus and Valens 6. Gratianus Valentianus secundus Theodosius the Great 7. Theodosius with Arcadius and Honorius 8. Arcadius and Honorius alone 9. Honorius and Theodosius Iunior 10. Theodosius Valentinius third For so Hierome Prosper Victor the Bishop of Tunise Marcellinus Comes and al other writers both Greek Latine whom I hav read doe recken for one the Emperours that reigned togither for the Romane Empire was but one though devided in states Governours as also the Image in Daniel ch 2.40 shadowed out one Kingdome by the leggs
they wer removed froÌ„ their place office whose genealogie was not found Nehem. 7 61.64.65 The Gospel is in truth savoury to no man neither doth any man give his name to it from his heart but he who is written in the book of life and in the booke of his heart hath a writing answering the same word for word 13 And the Sea gave up her dead The way wherby they that are to be iudged are presented before the iudgement seate to weet the Iewes wer gathered from all the corners of the earth as in the generall resurrection nothing shal hinder by what kinde of death soever any hath perished but that a body shal be restored to him Yet notwithstanding when as the Sea signifyeth corrupt and false doctrine by this also is noted that those Iewes which live in Christian countreyes of which sort are very many in Spaine France Germany Italy as it were in the bosome and compasse of the Popish sea of which we have spoken so many things before shal open their eyes to acknowledg the truth and shal fly togither at the light thereof ¶ Death ulso and hell gave up A Synecdoche of the general as though he should say and al that have dyed of any other death It must needs be that the karkeise be drowned in the sea or be covered with earth or rot in the aire or be consumed of the fire or devoured of beasts or some like thing As touching the drowning he said before the sea as touching the grave now he saith hell Death conteineth all the rest But seeing death restoreth those Iewes which live in the Christian landes and are infected with the Romish superstition death and hell shal restore them that shall live among Turkes and Heathen who are banished further off from salvation and are conversant in the inner parts of hell it selfe For so are al those nations of whom the name of Christ is either hated or not heard Neverthelesse it maketh no matter whither a man perish by sea or land either among Christians or among the enemies of this name 14 But hell and death A special execution on death Therfore as after the general resurrection no death shal raigne any more in the world besides that eternal which shal alwayes feed up and not consume the wicked so after the Church shal be restored by that full calling of the Iewes death and the grave shal raigne no more in her as of old while as scourges they alwayes lay upon the shoulders of the offenders but onely they shal serve to translate the elect into the Kingdome of heaven whereupoÌ„ they shall loose their former name They are cast into a lake of fâ—re not because either death or hell susteyne any person but because that which is proper to men is attributed to them as though he should say there shal be no torment any more eyther of death or hel but in the lake of fire where the reprobate dye for ever But from hence observe that seing hel is cast into the lake of fyre that is into hell properly so caled that it obtaineth an other proper signification then that which commonly is given to it in our mothers tongue It is takeÌ„ of many for the place of the damned but commonly it noteth not any thing but the grave and the common state of the dead as may be learned from this and other places of this booke 15 And whosoever was not found None shal be gathered into this Church but he that shal be of the elect How excellent is this preheminence of the Church which shal not be defiled with any hypocrites and counterfait Christians as before time How faire is this field which shall abounde with most fruitful corne without any tares and darnel Whatsoever is found in this nette may be laied up in a safe vessel Therfore it cannot be declared in words how amiable this most glorious spouse shal be It may come to passe that some may fall some time through humane infirmitie but holy admonitions and wholsome correction shal bring them againe to good thrift and repentance But shal every one of the Iewes be such Some shal not embrace the truth as is manifest from Daniel many arising to shame and perpetual contempt chap. 12.2 And we shal learne from the chapter folowing that some doggs shal be excluded without this city But they which now shal refuse the truth shal shew forth a manifest token of their reprobatioÌ„ that the Church shal not be subiect to be deceived any more Wherfore in this renewing the goodnesse and power of God shal be most famous through the whole world VVhich shal restore wretched men so wonderfully and make so singular choise of them whom he wil redeem But see how the godly shal receive comfort from hence For wheras every most holy man might iustly tremble through conscience of their sinns against this feare we have here a notable confirmation that election by Christ setteth us free from guilt CHAP. 21. AFTER I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and the sea was no more extant 2 And J Iohn saw the holy city the new Ierusalem come down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying behold the tabernacle of God is among men and he wil dwel with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shal be with them their God 4 And God shal wipe all teares from their eyes and death shal be no more neither neither sorow neither crying neither shal ther be any more paine because the former things are past 5 And he that sate upon the throne said behold J make all things new And he said unto me write for these words are true and faithfull 6 And he said unto mee it is done J am Alpha and Omega the beginning the ende I wil give to him that is a thirst of the well of the waters of life freely 7 He that overcometh shall inherite all things and I will be his God and he shal be my sonne 8 But the fearfull and unbeleeving and abominable and murtherers whore mongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 9 And ther came to mee one of the seven Angels which had the seven vials ful of the seven last plagues and he spake unto mee saying come I will shewe thee the Lambes wife 10 And he caried mee away in the Spirit in a great and high mountaine and shewed mee that great city that holy Hierusalem descending out of heaven froÌ„ God having the glory of God 11 And her brightnes was like unto a stone most pretious as a Iasper stone shining as Crystal 12 It had beside a great wall and hie having twelve gates at the gates twelve Angels and names written which
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
he borrowed out of Strabo in whoÌ„ are many things touching this stone in his 16. book Some from hence coniecture that it tooke the name from the Hebrew word Pazaz as though at the first it had bin to Paz or in greek to Pazion and at length by the ignorance of the printers to have grown togither and made one word topazion The Chrysoprâ—sus also as the name sheweth doth resemble a certaine kind of Gold but as it were be smeared with the iuice of leekes The eleventh twelfth foundation is the Iacynth Amethyst both of a purple colour but the first shining more brightly the second of a a more wanne and weake colour as Dionysius sheweth and the sweet Amethyst shining as asaied purple India and Aethiopia doo afford these two Therfore these last sixe belong to the East and South Our West part as it seemeth shal minister citizeÌ„s even as other countreys but shal give few or no Iewels for the building up of the wall It may be that God wil so set forth his power the more in raising up teachers from those places which are most repugnant to his truth The foure last gemmes are like gold and purple which colours are of a very great price and dignity which the Spirit seemeth to have put in the last places for a certain purpose and that by a course twice doubled as though he would teach by the same thing that those teachers shal never be loathed but shal alwayes flourish in very great authority At the first the truth is wont to be acceptable and the ministers of it are iudged worthy of al honour but in time the good wil of men waxeth cold theÌ„ the authority of the teachers decayeth after that men beginne to be full But here no such thing shal come to passe The end shal be answerable to the beginning The dispensers of the word shal be no lesse honourable after the truth through many ages hath waxed olde then when at the first it began And for this cause I thick was so great a plenty of golden and purple colour put to the last place I know that other doo seek out an agreement of other properties in these stones but seeing authours varie greatly about this what is the proper force of every one neither is the thing as yet sufficiently cleared I had rather follow things that are plain and of a known signification and also the congruency of the Prophecy then loose my labour in doubtful things So therfore that which Daniell hath comprehendeth briefly in one word they that instruct shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that iustify many shall be as the starres for ever and ever chap. 12.3 the same we have here declared peculiarly and more at large by sundry kindes of Iewels 21 And the twelve gates are Hitherto hath bin the matter of the walls The gates are made of pearles which signify Christ who is the way doore to life if any shall enter in by him he shall be saved and he shall goe in and out and finde pasture Iohn 10.9 But how notably doo the pearles represente the Sonne of God conceived in the wombe of the virgin which are not bred of any earthly copulation but ingeÌ„dred of a celestial dew as of a husbaÌ„d For they report that the shell fishes at a certain time of the yeere with a certain gaping after that they have drunke up a dewing from heaven doo conceive and become great with yong and the more that they have bin tossed with great tempests after the dew received the more noble fruit doo they bring forth so the Holy Ghost came upoÌ„ Mary and the power of the most high overshadowed her and Christ scarce brought forth into the light was sought for to be put to death and by an horrible storme was driven into Aegypt After the same manner the first entrance into this city shal be very laborious but of so much the more aboundant praise account after they have entred There are twelve gates but every one of one pearle because there is but one Christ and but one onely name given under heaven by which we must be saved Act. 4.12 ¶ And the street of the city was pure golde In the last place he addeth the matter of the city which before he said was golde but there he made meÌ„tion of the whole city in general here in special of the streets These are the publik wayes wherin the citizens doo meete if one have ought to doo with an other Even as therfore the wayes of man are the actions in which man is occupied so the streetes of the city are those publike offices of life and buyings and sellings in which the citizens doo take paines The Spirit saith that al these things shal be holy pure cleane pretious For the place of assembling where these businesses are handled is pure gold and shining through as before ver 18. How holy and unblameable shal this city be where the common life then which nothing is wont to be more foule and polluted shal be free from al filth of wickednes Righteousnes now as a river shall run through the streetes and godlinesse shal shine in all affaires 22 Neither saw I any Temple in her Hitherto we have seen the inward essential glory of the city as farre as is given us who doo not behold froÌ„ a hie mountaine but a farre off from a low and pressed down valley wher hilles and trees doo much hinder our eyes that we caÌ„not yet see the thing cleerly Yet it delighteth mee as once Daniell to opeÌ„ his window twards Hierusalem so to looke from farr off into this holy city whose cloudie and blackish toppes to behold a farr off it much recreateth my soule Now the Spirit teacheth how great dignity shall come from things outward First God the Father and the Lambe his Sonne in stead of a Temple that is then shal the worship be most simple and most pure darkened with no legal ceremonies which once God ordained until the time of reformation much lesse with any humane inventions but such as shal exhibit Gods presence most simply and familiarly How then doth this agree with Ezechiel who in eight whole chapters from the fourtieth to the end of the Prophecy speaking of this very time describeth so exactly the temple the city and whole legal worship Very wel for that whole description tendeth to that ende not to teach that the old ceremonies are to be restored but that at lenght they being wholly abolished Christ shal be worshipped most purely and exactly according to his owne ordinances alone For what other thing mean the new measurings of the walles gates porches and the whole building the new distribution of the holy land and the new portions given to the tribes Priests Levites Prince then an abrogation of Moses and al the legal ceremonies But that time was not otherweise capable of any spiritual worship then under those shadowes Iohn speaketh
playnly to Christians al coverings being removed as on whom the noone Sunne of truth shineth and all things are naked and open And indeed he openeth most significantly in one word that long obscure description in Ezechiel saying that that temple so magnifically gloriously prepared is in truth none at all not as though the Prophet had uttered so many words vainly but to shewe that we must not stick in the bark of the lettre but that the kernell of the Spirit is to be found out Let the Iewes heare neither let them expect a renewed temple as hitherto they doo amisse and obstinately but let them with minds and harts aspire in that right way which shal need no temple Let them look for the omnipotent God and the Lamb to dwel among them in comparison of which glory whatsoever can be built of men shal be vile 23 Neither hath this city any need of the Sunne or Moone For in very deed the Moone shall be ashamed and the very Sunne shall blush when the Lord of hosts shall reigne in mount Sion and Hierusalem and shall be glorious before his auncients Isaiah 24.23 And why may it not be ashamed of her former darkenesse when the light of the Moone shal be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne seven folde as the light of seven daies Isay 30.23 Which thinges are not spoken to that ende as though there should be no use then of the Scriptures but because all shall so understand Gods will as if they had no need to learne wisdome from books Full saith the Prophet shall this land be of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters covering the chanell of the Sea Isay 11.9 Neither shall they anie more teach everie man his friend and everie man his brother saying know yee the Lord for they shall all know mee from the least of them even to the greatest of them saith the Lord that J doo forgive their inquity and remember their sinne no more Ier. 31.34 From hence let us observ that that Church is most glorious in which the sunne of righteousnesse shineth with most open face covered with no cloudes of ceremonies therfore let them see in how great errour they are whom bring in a pompous shew of ceremonies to procure authority to religion with the people Furthermore let us note to what times Iohn applyeth the sentences of the Prophets that we may know the things are yet to come which we interpret commonly to be past and not onely in the heavenly countrey whose happinesse needeth the words of no man but here in earth in that restoring wherof we have spoken ¶ And the Lambe is the light therof Therfore this light the most bright of all godly times shal not yet be perfit as it shal be after this life but a candle onely in respect of that least peradventure wee should rest in our iourney as if we had come to the last ende 24 And the Gentiles that shal be saved The second outward argument is glory from the Gentils Before time the Iewes have alwayes found the GeÌ„tiles most hatefull who left no meanes unattempted to doo them hurt now contrariweise ther shal be no cause to feare that they will doo them any harme yea rather why should they not expect all good at their hands who shal apply al their forces to the advancing of them But these Gentiles are not al generally but are limited with a certain kinde which saith he shal be saved which word is inserted for an exposition The place is taken out of Isaiah 60.3 where it is thus and the Gentiles shall walke to thy light which Iohn draweth to the elect by putting in of one word least any should think it was spoken of every one generally And see how Iohn traÌ„slate that seÌ„teÌ„ce they shal walke to thy light thus they shal walke in the light of it the senteÌ„ce being well expressed For to walke at the light is not to come only to the light which one may doe depart again by by being at once both seen despised but to walke after or according to the light as to walke at the feete is alone with to follow serve one 1 Sam. 25.42 Neither-hath this place in the heavens that the people should walke at the light of the Church when Prophecyings shal be abolished and tongues shall cease and God shal be all in all 1 Cor. 13.8 and 15.28 But it may be doubtful how it can have place on earth For shal this difference remaine of some people which are saved and of other that are lost in this most happy government of the Church It seemeth indeed that there shal be many which yet still shal contemne the truth obstinately for the day of the Lord shall come cas a share upon all that dwell on the face of the earth Luke 21 35. But the children of the Church are not in darkenesse that that day should take them as a thief in the night 1 Thess 5.4 Moreover it was said before that the haile of a taleâ—t weight of the last vial shall drive men to blasphemy chap. 16.21 Neverthelesse those despisers shal be of so feeble strength that wil they nil the they shal be compelled to yeeld their necks The Complut edition and the Kings bible doo omit these words which are saved and so doth Aretas and the vulgar Latine neither doo they reade in the light of it but by the light ¶ And the Kings of the earth shal bring their glory unto it Then the Kings borderers on the Ocean and of the Yles shall bring a present the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring a gift finally all Kings shall worship him and all nations shall serve him Psal 72.10.11 And Isay The labour of Aegypt and marchandize of Aethiopia and of the Sabean Princes shall come unto thee and they shall be thine and shall follow thee they shall come in chaines and shall fall down before thee and shall make supplications unto thee saying onely the strong God is in thee there is none besides no where else is God chap. 45.14 Againe Kings shal be thy nurcing fathers and their Queenes shal be thy nurces they shall worship thee with their faces toward the earth and shall lick the dust of thy feet chap. 49.23 For then shal be given unto Christ a dominion and glory and Kingdome that all people nations and tongues should serve him whose dominion is an everlasting dominion which passeth not away his KingdoÌ„ a KingdoÌ„ which shall not be destroyed Dan. 7.14 It shal not also be from the purpose to add here in what words the Sybille hath described this same thing that at least wee may help tthe Iesuite if he will who in expounding the same is cleane out of the way thus therfore shee Prophecyed in the 3. book of the oracles of Sibyll And then the world by womans hands shall rul'd be and obey But when the widow over all the world
alone but also it shal be writteÌ„ on the horses belles Holines to Jehova as are the pottes of the house of Iehovah as the bolles before the altar Zachar. 14.20 he wil undertake their patronage and defense of all their things even of the least 5 And ther shal be no night They shall not be afflicted as in the former ages neither shal they need light coÌ„forts of the light and the lik things which before they were wont to use but they shall receive of God himselfe exceeding joye neither shall they care for or seeke other meanes to ease their griefes Isay 60.19.20 But how saieth he they shall not neede the light when above he said the Lambe shal be their light chap. 21.2 here he denieth not altogither that they shall not neede the light but onely no other but the Lambe ¶ Because the Lord God giveth them light they shall reigne for ever ever Ther shall appeare greater kindnes of God than can be attributed to any meanes For so great shal be the increase of knowledge that men shall seeme to be made wise not so much by hearing of the word as by divine inspiration The like shal be of all other giftes whose excellency shal farre exceed all meanes which they might use in getting them In the ende of the verse there is set downe in plaine words what is the summe of these 3. verses to weet that this kingdome of Saints shal be eternal which shall be begunne in the earth neither shal it ever be interruptep but shall be finally translated into heaven 6 Then he said to mee Hitherto hath bin the propheticall narration now ther foloweth a conclusion of the Epistle the shutting up of the whole Revelation which in few wordes mentioneth certaine chiefe heades whereby every one maye confirme and strengthen himselfe of the credit and authority of this Prophecy It is a most profitable conclusion and full of heavenly maiesty The Spirit knew how this Revelation should not be regarded of men and certaine should call into question the credit thereof beyond his wonted manner he labourâ—th in a few more words to take away all this doubt But who is this Angel which now talkes with Iohn An other as it seemeth than he who in the beginning of the chapter shewed the river of the water of life or that manifested the city For thiâ— is the seaventh Angell that is of those to whom the busines was committed of administring the seven last plagues chap. 21.9 whose charge was certaine and conteined in the limites of a certaine parte not endued with power of the whole Revelation But this confirmation is common to the whole booke and therfore seemeth to be of that Angell which was sent in the beginning that manifested these things to Iohn Next also it is likely that here are not againe words uttered by the voice of the samâ— ngell but they are related of Iohn under the person of the Angel of whom first he had received them Certainly the coniunction of things without any copulatives or any necessary coherence between themselves seemeth to approve of such an account Which meaning if we follow the words ar not to be translated then he said to mee which declare the time of a new speach begunne after the sight of the city but and he said to mee as though he should say seeing that now I have fully delivered to you al things which are revealed to mee that shal be now ther remaineth nothing but that with sure faith ye embrace the same which that you may the more easilie doo bethinke ye how holily and religiouslly the Angel hath confirmed the same to mee those words are faithfull and true Wherfore this confirmation of the Angel apperteineth not onely to those things which went next before of the new Ierusalem although the demonstrative proouune be so used often but likewise to the whole booke as also that threatening which followeth ver 18.19 universally challengeth credit to the whole Prophecy and not for the authority of some certaine part of it These things are repeated out of the 19 chap. ver 9. by the words of Iohn speaking which the Angel had before spoken they are applyed to approve the whole Revelation ¶ And the Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angell Neither did the Angel of his owne accord utter these words are faithful true but by the coÌ„maundement and authority of God the sander The same God which inspired the auncient Prophets that they might most certenly forespeake of things to come he sent this Angell which might reveale those thinges to Iohn for the use of the Church These things are repeated out of the 1. chap. 1 ver which Revelation he signified when he sent by his Angell to his servant Iohn But thou maiest observe that this latter member of the verse is so inferred that it may clearly shew that these now are not the words of the Angell speaking but of Iohn repeating the arguments of this Prophecy delivered from heaven 7 Behold I come quickly The testimony of Iesus concerning the speedy execution of these things fetched out of the 11. chapter which must shortly be done and againe the time is neare ver 3. The event of things next past should give credit to things that follow and therfore he maketh mentioÌ„ of a speedy execution as if he should say take every one of you for every of your ages a pledge and as it were a fuerty of things to come by the present things which thou shalt see to come to passe These things assure you that the things to come are no lesse certain But we who now for a thousand and five hundred yeares to weet from Iohn have seen the consent of the event and Prophecy may not any more doubt of these few other things which as yet remaine See how these things are heaped up togither as but now we saied without any bandes of speach as for the most part it is done in numbring of things ¶ Blessed is he that keepeth A confirmatioÌ„ of the happines of them which keepe this Prophecy which nothing can bestow on man but the truth in spired from heaven as before in chap. 1.3 from whence these are fetched 8 And J Iohn A confirmation from the Ministers It is a most sure prophecy whose Minister the Angel was and of so great maiesty that Iohn the Apostle thought to worshippe him and of that holines that he forbad the worshippe offered Iohn telleth what first befell chap. 19.10 he falleth not downe againe into the worshippe forbidden him ¶ But he said to mee in the greek it is and he saieth to mee for he said to mee or hath saide as well the interpreters do translate it he relateth not a new but a thing past But we must marke that which he spake before and of thy brethren which have the testimony of Jesus chap. 19.10 here it is uttered in other words and of thy brethren the Prophets of them
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
accomplished wherof hope is given in this book For as the soules under the altar cryed with a loude voice desiring deliverance ch 6.10 so the faithful through hope of the future marriage leap for joy greatly desire that day to be shortned ch 19.7 For the word Spirit signifyeth here every faithfull in whom the Spirit dwelleth the word bride the whole Church cōpany of the faithful The godly al of thē both severally ioyntly desire the same by prayers ¶ And he that heareth saith come As though he should say this is not only the desire of the Church present but also of it proceeding from day to day even unto the last ende Every of the elect at the first knowledge of these things shal be inflamed with the same desire with their ancetours ¶ And let him that thirsteth come Neither doo these things serve onely to inflame but also to satisfy the mindes which is the peculiar property of Gods word And that nothing may be wanting to certenty thou must understand that this Prophecy doth give hope of salvation to men not by expectation of a due reward but by the grace and mercy of God alone It publisheth a free salvation onely as all the rest of the sacred scriptures not due to our desertes A notable rule of the heavenly truth 18 19 For I testify togither Hitherto the rehearsing of the former testimonies and arguments which were used here and there in this precedent book Now Iohn addeth a certaine newe one but of the same divine authority with the former to wit that this Prophecy is most true and unviolable which it is not lawfull to violate eyther by adding or taking away even the least thing without extreame punishment Which being proper onely to the word which cometh down from heaven this Revelatiō must needs be put into the same degree Deut. 4.10 and 12 32. 20 He that c. Christ himselfe who is called that witnesse both in respect of the Gospel which he hath brought into the world also of this Prophecy which is grounded on his authority onely In conclusion the whole matter is sealed up both by his testimony repeated Iohns pryer 21 The grace c. The usual forme of concluding Epistles such as is this whole Prophecy sent to the 7 Churches by the commandement of Christ himselfe chap. 1.11 Come L. Iesus Glory praise be to God for ever Amē I give thee thankes Almighty and everlasting God because thou hast lead mee blind and unskilful man of no reputation of no iudgement of no wit by thy onely mercy for Christs sake through this unbeaten wildernes hast made mee to view many secret corners and hast given mee a safe iourney by the dennes of the Dragon and wilde beasts Even so ô Father for such is thy good pleasure Thou chusest the unnoble base men of the world hast foūded strēgth from the mouth of babes sucklings that no flesh should reioyce How incōprehensible is thy wisedome how admirable thy truth How iust holy at al thy wayes Who shal not fear thee I would gladly tell thy prayses but my tongue doth lacke wordes the words a minde Whither soever my mind shal turne it selfe it is swallowed up of thy infinitnesse If it shal ascend into heaven thou art hyer if it shal cōsider thy workes thou art greater if it doth meditate on thy holinesse thou art purer then the very Sunne O wonderful deepnes unmeasurable bottomlesse pit how dost thou compasse us about on everie side art comprehended no where What mortal sight cannot be overwhelmed with this so infinite brightnesse Therfore my sight turneth frō the light that no man can come unto that it may consider thee through the cloud of the creatures Chiefly it delighteth much to behold thy most pleasant face in thy Sonne But as in this glasse thou art most visible so art thou most admirable so farre surpassing our understanding as thou dost abasse thy self neer to our sense Thou art great ô Lord abov al that can be either said or thought grāt that we may reverēce thy exceeding greatnes which the world cōteineth not that we may feare thy presence which the eyes see not that we may adore thy maiesty in cōparison of which the universal creature beneath is nothing that we may embrace thy goodnes wherwith thou followest us most unworthy men Accomplish at length thy great mystery let the world acknowledge thy long delay to hav bin for thy onely mercy not of forgetfulnesse or neglect of thy promise Destroy the Romish Beast and the Constantinopolitan Dragon build up thy new Hierusalem wherin Christ shal raigne and the saints shal beare rule togither with him to enioy for a time a blessed raigne on earth and most happy and eternal with thee in heavens Heare ô Father to whom no thought of the mind is unknown Be thou present who art no where absent but heare the prayers before whom thou hast gone before by thy decree Then will wee bring forth our harpes sing praises to thee celebrating thee the one three God the Father the Sonne Holy Ghost to whom be all honour praise and glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS
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