and Interpreters of the Revelation and thus I have freed this Booke from a three-fold slander first as if it were not Canonicall secondly obscure as not to be understood thirdly of neglect as if for this cause the worthiest Divines had hitherto shunned the interpretation thereof There remaine two other scandals to be taken away one of the order that this Booke is the last of the New Testament the other of errour that it containes somethings not agreeable to Apostollical Faith both these clouds will be dispersed by the consideration of the dignity of this Prophesie which like the Morning Starre above the rest shineth most clearely among the other Bookes of the New Testament What therefore respects the Order so farre is it from diminishing the worth of the Booke in any kind as it the more commendeth the same For it is in very deed a divine Seale by which the Holy Ghost was pleased not without-reason to close up both the Old and the New Canon of the divine Scriptures which manifestly appeareth from that propheticall Protestation at the end of the Booke by which such are pronounced blessed who observe the words of this Prophesie the falsifiers on the contrary that presume to adde or take ought there-from are threatned with curses for unto them that adde Rev. 22.18 God shall adde the plagues that are written in this Booke to them that take away The Canonicall authority of the Revelation confirmed from the order thereof God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life and out of the HOLY CITY and from the things that are written in this Booke What could be expressed more honourable concerning this Prophesie for if it be unlawfull to adde ought therto then certainly in all respects it is absolute perfect divine and the word of God unto which nothing without impiety may bee added by men Againe if nothing may be taken away from the same then it is Sacred inviolable divine and the word of God which onely cannot bee broken Ioh. 10.35 Thus we see that the Canonicall dignity of this Booke is established by the order it selfe And hereby it is plainly made equall with the divine Bookes of Moses himself Deut. 4.2 12.32 the Prince of Prophets For as those because they are the first of the Sacred Canon are often confirmed with this Seale Ye shall not adde unto the word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it c. So this Booke as it were closing the Holy Canon is confirmed with the like Seale that nothing may bee added to it nothing taken away from it As Moses therefore was the Chieftaine of the Prophets leading the first rankes So John was chiefe of the Prophets closing up or leading the last rankes and here I willingly assent to Bezas opinion most solidly and truely affirming that it seemed good to the Holy Ghost to gather into this pretious Booke In praefat Apoc. those things which remained to be fulfilled after Christs comming of the praedictions of the former Prophets and also to adde some things so farre as concerned us to know Praefat. in Daniel A like honourable Title that worthy Divine JOHN OECOLAMPADIUS giveth unto this Booke That it is the best Interpreter of all the Prophets Neither will I speake more touching the order save this one thing that in it appeareth also a manifest reason of time When the Revelation was written For it is the last Booke of the New Testament not because it is last in dignity but in time For Ierome writeth that Domitian raising after Nero the second persecution against the Christians Iohn wrote the Revelation in the 14. yeer of his reigne in the I le called Patmos In vita Iohannis With whom Irenaeus a most ancient Writer doth agree affirming that John saw the Revelation not long before his time but almost saith hee in our age towards the end of Domitian his Empire Lib. 3. c. 25 Wherefore the Apocalyps was written in the ninety sixth yeer of Christ after all the other Bookes of the New Testament were written For Iohn out-lived all the Apostles and Canonicall Writers and lived as Sophronius records untill the third yeere of Trajane which from Christs birth was Anno 102 and after his passion as Ierome recordeth 68. In vita Iohannis and from the destruction of Jerusalem 25. Now whereas some affirme that Iohn wrote his Gospell after the Revelation it is without any probabilitie But we come to speake of the utility of the Revelation This Booke doth excellently shine forth in point of doctrine for it truely teacheth the Propheticall and Apostolicall Faith and much illustrates many articles of the Gospell The profitablenes of the Revelation or common places In speciall it proveth the eternall Deity of Christ with such weighty arguments as scarcely more excellent are to be found in any other part of Scripture absolutely ascribing unto Christ many attributes which are onely proper unto Iehovah viz. that he is Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the end the Almighty that the Lambe standing in the Throne of the Deity equall in majesty with the Father is worshipped by all the Heavenly Inhabitants that he judgeth the adversaries rules the Nations with an iron rod that hee is the King of kings and Lord of lords c. It plainely also maintaineth the Doctrine of Christs Mediatorship and work of our Redemption through his blood calling him the faithfull Witnesse the First begotten from the dead Redemption of christ the Prince of the kings of the earth the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world who hath washed us in his blood from our sins and made us Priests and Kings to God and the Father c. It sets forth the afflicted state and condition of the Church in this life especially in the latter times by evident types viz. that the woman bringing forth a Man-Child the Ruler of the Nations shall be driven into the Wildernesse by the Dragon and the Beast where she shall remaine hid from the sight of men when the two Witnesses shall prophesie against the Dragon and the Beast and shall indeed be slaine but being againe raysed to life they shall bee taken up into Heaven c. By which verily it is manifest that nothing else is signified then that the Church in Antichrists reigne shall bee obscure and secret in the wildernesse being oppressed in Babylon it selfe the Seat of Antichrist The flight of the Church into the wildernesse untill at length Babylon decaying shee being commanded to come out of her shall againe come forth and be seen of men By which that cavill is easily answered Where the Church was before Luthers time if the Papacy were not The Papacy indeed was the Apostaticall Church it was Babylon having nothing but the bare Name of the Holy Citie But the true Church lye hid as captivated and oppressed in the same
Gog and Magog Lib. 20. de C. D. à cap. 7. usque ad 18. touching the thousand yeeres of Satans binding and loosing of the first and second Resurrection of the Saints reigning with Christ a thousand yeers of the fire falling from heaven and devouring the ungodly of the casting of the devill and his followers into the lake of fire of the dead which the Sea Death and Hell shall give up to be judged and lastly touching the New Heaven and the New Earth c. Wee have also some what upon the Revelation under the name of Ambrose but it may plainely bee gathered from the worke it selfe that it is later then Ambrose In the latter Ages among Monkes and Schoolemen almost no Booke hath had so many Interpreters as the Apocalyps seeing no man but thought it a fine thing to exercise his wit in the opening of such dark Aenigmaes either for ostentation sake or to delight himselfe with Allegories a long Catalogue of which even above an hundred as well of such as are extant as not Alcasar Vestigat Not. 26. Prooem that upstart Interpreter before mentioned hath reckoned up And among these hee commends foure Manu-scripts which he found in the Libraries of Spaine Vndoubtedly our Germany hath more I have seene a compendious Exposition of Iohns Revelation written in the yeere 1486. by Iohannes Hilten a Franciscane who also as they say foretold many other things At Heidelberg in the Librarie of WISEDOMS Colledge is extant a Commentarie of two big Volumes written a little before that time by Richard Faber of Laudenburg an Augustinian Luther also published a short Commentary upon the Apocalyps at Witeberg Anno. 1528. sent unto him out of Livonia having no name unto it the which Conr. Gesnerus in his Bibliotheca ascribeth unto Iohn Husse But it plainly appeareth to be more ancient The Postill of Lyra ascribes the prologue of that namelesse Authour which beginneth thus All that will live godly c. unto Gilbertus Pictaviensis who flourished under the Emperour Cunradus about the yeer 1140. But by the 20th Chapter it appears not to be so ancient for the Authour there disputing touching the thousand yeeres testifies that hee wrote in the yeer from the Incarnation of Christ 1357. Which saith he is our present date He often expresly interpreteth the Papacy for Antichrists kingdom the Pope for Antichrist which therefore I rehearse least any might imagine that wee were the first Authours of this opinion Yea Pope Gregory above a 1000. yeers ago doubted not confidently to say that that Priest should be Antichrist or his Forerunner who should arrogate the Title of VNIVERSAL unto himself which a while after as is knowne the Bishops of Rome themselves did doe But of this more in its place Alcasar also hath raked together many latter Writers upon this Booke of his owne order But of ours not a few Divines of excellent learning Protestant Interpreters of the Revelation have in the foregoing age put their hands to this Prophesie among whom notwithstanding in my judgement Henry Bullinger of Helvetia is most eminent whom almost all do follow as David Chytraeus Alfonsus Cunradus Franciscus Lambertus Sebastianus Meyerus Nicolaus Collado Johannes Foxus Benedictus Aretius Matthias Illyricus Augustinus Marloratus Petrus Artopoeus Franciscus Iunius Daniel Tossanus And of late in this our age Iohn Napier a Scotchman Thomas Brightman an Englishman Raphaël Eglinus Conradus Graserus a Germane Iohannes Piscator Matthias Hoë Matthias Cotterius a French man with others whom I have not seene But thou wilt say to what end are all these named To wit to shew what I purposed that nothing of the authority of this Booke is hereby diminished because as hath bin objected some worthy Divines have abstained from interpreting the same Touching the manner of interpretation which every of them hath followed and whether being so many they have effected what they desired and ought to have done would be too long to explicate neither is it to the purpose in hand This one thing perhaps may be affirmed without injurie to any of them all that to this Booke hath happened what the Evangelist Marke writeth of the woman diseased with an issue of blood Mar. 5.26 that shee had suffered many things of the Physitians and it availed her nothing but she became much worse perhaps not so much by reason of the Physitians unskilfullnesse as the incurablenesse of the disease namely the healing thereof being reserved for to illustrate the glory of Christ For while so many every one following the force and reason of his own wit have uttered such various things touching these aenigmaticall Visions piously indeed as I suppose yet little cohering with themselves or with the scope or meaning of the Holy Ghost it is come to passe that indeed there are extant an heap of Commentaries upon this Booke every of which promiseth a new light unto the Prophesie The different manner of interpreting whereas the obscurity thereof is not onely not lessened thereby but in some places also more darkened For some applie the Aenigmaes of the Revelation unto the History of the Ancient Church Others diversly unto the continued period of the New Church Others in every particular have imagined unto themselves mysticall meanings thinking as the saying is that under every stone gold lay hid Others turned all things into tropes and morall Allegories Others have laboured prophetically to praesage and find out future things even more then was lawfull for men to know yea hardly among so many which commonly is said of Chronicles thou shalt find two or three agree which disagreement verily argues that the difficultie of the Booke is not yet by so great variety of Authours wholly taken away but rather encreased not so much by a blame-worthy ignorance of Interpreters as in regard of the incomprehensible wisdome of the Prophesie it selfe the full revelation whereof is undoubtedly reserved unto the manifestation of Christ our Lord. Notwithstanding I write not these things touching Interpreters as if I would detract any thing from the labours of so many learned men or thought that by their labour nothing of these mysteries were brought to light or explicated and that I at length in all these Aenigmaes had as the saying is hit the naile on the head Far be it for I doubt not in the least but that a great part of these Types by foregoing and present events are so manifestly brought to light that the trueth of them may daily bee seene and felt of such who as the Holy Ghost requireth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have understanding Yea I ingeniously professe that I have bin very much helped by the Commentaries of most of them especially Bullingers and Brightmans Now what I further judge touching the whole form method and manner of interpreting the Revelation I will by and by shew CHAPTER V. Of the dignity time profit and scope of this Prophesie I Have spoken of the Authour and authority of the obscurity
ο σ  30. 1. 300. 5. 10. 50. 70. 200. 666. This numerall name of the Beast is not of my invention neither was it of late thought upon by our Interpreters But Irenaeus a most ancient writer 1400. yeeres ago by a divine insight found out and discovered the same unto us as being very agreeable unto this mystery his words are these The name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lateinos containes the number six hundred sixty six and it is very likely because the truest kingdom hath this name For they are Latines that now reigne but in this we will not glory Now who possibly can be marked out unto us by this name except the Latine or Romane high Priest for he long ago hath possessed the kingdome of the Latines and Rome the seat of the Latine kingdome The Popes Latine Church His Church the Graecians call the Latine Church and indeed it is altogether Latine for their Letanies Masses Prayers Exorcismes Indulgences to be short their whole service is in Latine insomuch as with them it is unlawfull to performe the same in any other language but the Latine Wherefore undoubtedly this is that numerall name of the Beast which here the holy Ghost bids us number after the computation of the Greekes But if the Spirit would have us to count the same not in Greeke but rather in Hebrew Characters we are again by the like name led as by the hand unto the Pope of Rome for as John Fox a most diligent searcher into this mysterie hath found out the Latine name Romanus expressed in the Hebrew letters ×©×•× ×¢×ž×¨ doth represent the number of the Beast 666. after this manner ש ו × ×¢ מ ר 300. 6. 50. 70. 40. 200. In this nothing is forced or obscure for who these many ages hath been this Romanus that is Lord and head of Rome but the LATINE MONARCH possessing the kingdom and the royall Metropolis of the LATINES viz. the Pope of Rome of which thing if any be ignorant or doubt let them read the history of Carolus Sigonius who either by entreaty or for lucre sake was hired to set forth the affaires of the Romish Popes touching the kingdome of Italy Carol. Sigo de regno Ital. after the Lumbards and Graecians were expelled out of Italy in his third and fourth booke unto the end Certainly it is not without the singular counsell of God and intention of the spirit that both the Hebrew and Greek reckoning should aime at one and the same thing and point out by the finger as it were him onely who is LATINUS and ROMANUS the Latine and Romane Monarch Him therefore we cannot but confidently judge to be the Antichrist for as much as in him all the markes of Antichrist do evidently concurre and agree together Neither are we the first who have held this opinion but many in the ages before us and indeed in the midst of grosse darknesse have observed and constantly affirmed the Papacy to be Antichrists kingdom and the Pope Antichrist Gregory surnamed the Great The Pope long agoe called Antichrist Lib. Regist Epist 8. Lib. 6. Epist 30. perceiving that Antichrist was at hand brake forth into these words a thousand yeeres agoe The king of pride is neare and that which is not lawfull to be uttered an army of PRIESTS is prepared for him because the CLERGIE who should goe before others in humility fight or strive for mastery Gregory therefore foresaw that Antichrist should be a King of Priests that is some Bishop or Pope who should call himself or desire to be called UNIVERSALL prophetically as it were pointing at Boniface the third Successor of Sabianus who manifested himself to be the Antichrist by arrogating the wicked foolish idle perverse proud vaine-glorious for by these Epithites it is there set forth title of Vniversall Bishop Arnulphus Bishop of Orleans spake these words 600. yeeres agoe in the Rhemish Council What thinke ye him to be who sits in his lofty throne glittering in purple and embroydered garments Verily if he be destitute of Charity and onely puffed and lifted up by knowledge he is the ANTICHRIST Bernardus Clarevallensis an Abbot above 464. yeers agoe wrote such invectives against the luxuriousnesse of the Pope Bishops and Clergie of his time that if any man now did the like he should be accounted as an Arch-heretick Anno 1240. a Councill of the Princes and Bishops of Germany was held at Ratisbon where Eberhardus Archbishop of Salisburg spake these words We feele saith he except we be blinde under the title of the highest Priest a most cruell wolf cleathed in the skin of a Pastor The Romane Popes warre against all Christians and being become great by their bold attempts deceits and sowing wars they kill the sheep c. HILDEBRAND 170. yeeres agoe and more first laid the foundation of ANTICHRISTS Empire he first began this wicked warre which is continued to this day by his Successours And a little after Babylons highest Priests desire to reigne alone cannot endure to have an equall beleeve me who am taught by experience they will not cease untill having brought under the Emperour and loosed the honour of the Romane Empire oppressed true Pastours they by this way extinguish all things tread all things under their feet and sit in the temple of God and are lift up above all that is worshipped He that is servant of servants desires as if he were God to be Lord of Lords This wretched man daily meditates how to set up an Empire proper to himselfe he alters the lawes establisheth his owne sinfull devices robs spoiles and defraudeth every one him they usually call the ANTICHRIST in whose forehead is written I am god I cannot erre he I say sits in the temple of God ruling far and near c. These things he See Aventinus lib. 7. annal fol. 685. About those times lived the Abbat Joachin Calaber who affirmed that the Pope was Antichrist and illustrates the Revelation with propheticall pictures and short expositions in the Italian tongue My Anonymus in his Booke written 260 yeers agoe doth many times in expresse words call the Pope of Rome Antichrist Page 78. The first Angel saith he whosoever he were did first of all declare the Pope of Rome to be Antichrist And a little after It came to passe by great boldnesse that euery one durst declare the Pope who is called Apostolicall to be apostaticall and Antichrist Page 108. No man except he become a spirituall temple of the holy Ghost in evangelicall conversation and doctrine hath received grace to interpret the mysteries of Christ and Antichrist his adversary or to understand that that great Praelate the Pope of Rome should be the great Antichrist And page 115. In Pope Vrban VI. all the mysteries of Antichrist are fulfilled And page 117. Antichrist is a Libard spotted with divers heresies also because he saith he is Christs Vicar on earth although he oppose Christs Law more then any and so is an adulterate
but that the mountaines of Rome and Rome it selfe are a part of the devill yea his strength and dwelling place which is worse then the former See verse 3. 10. And they are seven Kings Now that wee might not sticke in the bare Mountaines of Rome He addeth another mystery viz. that the seven heads are also seven Kings thus of one type he makes two antitypes But what Kings Ribera that wee should not seeke them at Rome and so perhaps find the Pope amongst them saith that they are the Kings of the whole earth This is wonderfull before he said that the beast was the devill therefore either the whole world is the devill or else these are not the Kings of the whole earth unlesse perhaps he would rather say that the devill reigneth on his heads the mountaines of Rome and that Rome rides upon the devill out for shame with so vile and wicked a fiction For whose the mountaines are the same are the Kings also but the mountaines are of the woman Rome therefore the Kings also are of the woman Rome Let this once for all be minded as a sure position But who are these kings Wonderfull Riddles are propounded by the Angell Five are fallen One is the other is not yet come and when he commeth he must continue a short space This is a Gordian knot and not to bee untyed had we not the benefit of histories Now passing by the opinion of many I will record three of the principall the comparing of which will somewhat ease us First that of Victorinus whom our Bullinger and Iunius follow 1 The opinion of Victorinus about the seven Kings that these are the seven Kings which reigned at Rome after Nero. Five are fallen viz. Vitellius Otto Galba Vespasianus Titus ONE WAS viz. Domitian who in Iohns time reigned at Rome The other was not yet come Namely Nerva his Successour who being come was to remaine a short time because hee reigned not full two yeeres Which opinion howsoever backt with the authority of these great men I cannot follow Why it is rejected First because before Iohn not onely five Caesars were fallen at Rome but six others besides Fulius Augustus Tiberius Caius Claudius and Nero neither can any reason be given why these should be excluded Secondly because these seven Kings are not singular persons otherwise those seven being dead all the heads of the beast should have perished and the Beast either should have remained without heads or new heads must have growne upon him as Apollidorus fabulously writes of Hydra or else being without heads he should have bin extinct All which things are contrary to the prophesie for the beast yet lives and is reserved unto the last judgement This Ribera saw and doubted not to affirme that all Expositors In chap. 17 S. 25 except Victorinus understood that in every of these seven many were comprehended although he joynes a foolish fable that not the Kings of Rome are meant but of the whole world which Fiction we erewhile refuted Notwithstanding as if hee forgot himselfe he affirmeth and strongly proveth that it is not unusuall to the Scriptures that in one king many like as it were of the same body are signified which saith he is carefully to be observed alledging for example the Ramme and Goat in Daniel of which two the first denotes the Kings of the Medes and Persians the other all the kings of the Macedonians But good Sir this say I is carefully to be observed against your selfe for by this reason of yours is manifestly refuted or wholly weakened your Fiction that Antichrist shall be onely one singular person and that because hee is said in the singular number to be the man of sin the son of perdition the Beast False Prophet c. for behold what followes If Antichrist be one of these Kings then verily he shall not be one singular man but a king having others succeeding him in his kingdome as had the Kings of Medes Persians and Macedonians in their kingdomes But thou thy selfe makest the seventh of these kings to be Antichrist The other saist thou is not yet come that is Antichrist who shall come in the seventh age Now to come to the second opinion which is Riberas out of Gagnaeus viz. 2 Riberas opinion about the beast that the seven kings are the seven ages of the world or seven kingdomes adversarie to the Church The first age from Kain to Noah The second from Noah to Abraham The third from Abraham to David The fourth from David unto the transportation into Babylon The fift from the transportation unto Christ The sixt from Christ unto Antichrist The seventh from Antichrist unto the end Of these saith he five are fallen because five ages were past before Christs birth One was because the sixt age of Christ did then run on One is not yet come because the seventh age of Antichrist was not as yet When he is come he shall remaine a short space because Antichrist shall onely reigne three yeeres and an halfe A wonderfull Metamorphosis of kings into ages But what reference have the ancient ages unto the heads of the beast that is unto the mountaines and kings of the Citie Rome for it cannot be denyed but that the Angell precisely speaketh of these These kings therefore are not to be sought any where but there even where the mountaiues are because the heads are mountaines and kings Now the mountaines are at Rome and therefore the kings are there also But truely the Iesuite doth subtilly send us to Kain Nimrod Nebuchadnezzar c. The subtilty of the Iesuite least we should find Antichrist at Rome Nay but the kings are to bee sought in Romes mountaines for here they sate reigned and at length have also born up the woman I passe by that there is no proportion of the seventh age with the six former For what are three yeeres and an halfe to the former ages which all of them dured many hundred yeers By which very thing the fiction of Antichrists three yeers reigning is refuted III Opinion touching the seven kings Now I come unto the third opinion viz. of Aretius Napier Brightman and others to whom the seven kings are not seven Emperors nor seven ages but they wil have them to be seven kinds of goverment of the Romane Monarchie six whereof Tacitus mentioneth in his first booke Kings saith he at the beginning governed Rome Libertie and Consulship was set up by Brutus The Dictatorship was onely taken up for a time Neither did the power of the Decemviri last above two yeeres Neither did the Consulary authority of the Tribunes of Souldiers remaine long The power of Cinna and Sulla was but short Pompie and Crassus soone gave place to Caesar And Lepid us and Antony to Augustus who received the Empire all things being confused through civill discords under the name of a Prince He reckons up Castig Brightman pag 110. I say six sorts
written for the understanding of all But the my steries of the Visions although he revealed them to his servants and Prophets yet hee kept them secret from all other men namely that indeed prophane men might alwayes set light by things so obscure but the godly even by the obscurity thereof be the more stirred up to the searching out of divine mysteries The obscurity ought not to keepe us from searthing And although we can scarcely and with much difficultie come unto the understanding of all the secrets of this Booke notwithstanding the difficultie ought not to affright or to keep us from searching but rather stir up a more diligent enquiry into the same Many things in the Booke are without any shadowes of darke Types as speaking plainely of the punishments of the ungodly of the blessednesse and reward of the Saints c. in which lies no obscurity In many Types also the signification is plaine and the Analogie with the things signified not obscure as the Analogie of the seven Candlestickes with the seven Churches of the Lamb with Christ of the woman with the Church of the Dragon with Satan of the Beast and False-Prophet with Antichrist of the Locusts with the devouring Monkes of Babylon and the Great Whore with Rome of the seven heads of the Beast with the seven hils of Rome In the other more obscure Visions we have three helps by whch in some measure wee may dive into the understanding of them viz. the Propheticall Scripture Historie and experience For first after we have compared the Types of the Revelation with the Visions and Phrases of the ancient Prophets Remedies of the darknes in speciall with Ezechiel Daniel and Zacharie we shall find a great likenesse in them and thence receive much light for example In Chap. 4.5 it is said there were seven Lamps of fire burning before the throne which plainly appeareth to be taken out of Zach. 4.10 where the seven Lampes are said to be the seven eyes of Iehovah running too and fro through the whole Earth By which undoubtedly is signified the ubiquitie of Gods power and providence Out of the same Chapter is taken that in Chap. 11.4 two witnesses are said to be two Olive trees and two Candlesticks standing before the face of the Lord of the Earth Examples of which kinde we shall observe many more in the course of our Interpretation If from Johns time we diligently run over the History of the Empire and Romane Church and precisely compare the principall events with the Types of the Revelation certainly we shall see much light to come unto these Visions The Romane and Ecclesiasticall Historie testifies that diverse storms of persecutions were raised against the Christians by Romane Tyrants Eusebius recordeth out of EGESIPPUS Lib. 3. hist cap. 32. that the Church did not long after the Apostles time remain an undefiled Virgine but by little and little through the ambition and contention of Priests declined from Apostolicall sincerity But after CONSTANTINES time In vita Malchi saith JEROM shee became greater indeed in wealth but lesse in vertues After-Histories also testifie that the Romane Bishops by pride and subtiltie namely under a pretence of the primacy left by the Apostle Peter as also of Christs Vicar-ship bequeathed unto them they through the connivency or neglect of the Emperours not onely usurped power over the City of Rome but also took into their owne hands the very spoile of the Empire and at last established this Sacred Empire of the West the direct or indirect power whereof should wholly be in the Popes Holinesse All which things do not obscurely teach us what is meant by the opening of the Seales The arrogance and subtilty of Romish Bishops by the stars falling from heaven to the earth by the Beast speaking great and blasphemous things what is intended by the Beast False-Prophet and Image of the Beast what lastly by the whorish woman sitting on the Beast and ruling over the Kings of the Earth in the great Citie upon seven Mountaines Lastly if we rightly consider the experience of the present times two nuts are not more alike then is the Beast and Purpled Whore to the Papacy then the Locusts unto the Popish Clergy then the impure Frogs proceeding out of the mouth of the Dragon Beast and False-Prophet unto the Popes Messengers being hooded like to Frogs viz the Iesuites cracking miracles and running too and fro by Sea and Land unto the Kings of the Earth Rev. 16 13 14 to gather them unto the Battell of that great Day of God Almighty These things I say will in some measure bee remedies against the darkenesse of the Booke Vnto which in the last place wee must adde diligent meditation and ardent prayer that the Spirit of God who revealed these mysteries to Iohn do enlighten the eyes of our mindes with heavenly knowledge to finde out the wisedome of this Booke For blessed is hee that readeth Rev. 1.3 22.7.14 and blessed are they that heare the words of this Prophesie and keepe them that is which diligently meditate and labour exactly to weigh these oracles in an equall ballance with the events past present and to come CHAPTFR IV. Touching Ancient and Moderne Interpreters of the Revelation and of the manner of Interpreting observed by them I Have spoken of the Authour and Canonicall Authority and obscurity of the Revelation and shewed that in these things is nothing to hinder us from the interpretation thereof The objection about the Interpreters is of no weight I confesse that not a few Divines of great account as Luther Melanchthon Bucer Martyr Calvin Beza and others have abstained from the Interpretation of the Revelation But this neither doth lessen the authority of the Booke neither doth it prejudice other Interpreters for who knowes whither the darkenesse of the Book or their other waighty labours or want of time did occasion the same certaine it is they no way questioned the authority of the Booke In the meane while in all Ages there have beene excellent Teachers of the Church who have laboured to illustrate the secrets of this Booke by their Commentaries The Ancientest that have written upon the Revelation are Iustine Martyr In vita Iohannu and Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons and Melito of Sardis as Ierome and Eusebius record But their Commentaries have not been preserved untill our times Eus lib. 5. hist. ca. 25. save onely that some few fragments of this nature touching the ten hornes of the Beast the two horned Beast of the image Character Number and Name of the Beast arising out of the Sea are found in IRENAEUS Lib. 5. Cap. 21.23.25 Among Augustins workes wee finde a few Homilies upon the Revelation which notwithstanding are ascribed to Ticonius by Bede who himselfe also hath commented some things upon the Apocalyps But Austine in that divine Commentary de Civitate Dei endeavours to search not a few mysteries of this Booke touching
Where the church was before Luther no more appearing in the world then the woman lurking in the wildernesse or the Seven Thousand in Israel that bowed not the knee unto Baall or a sound kernell in a rotten Apple untill it was brought to light and repaired by the new prophesying of the two Witnesses Christ therefore was not without a Church although the Papacy were not the same It representeth also Bishops deserting the Orthodoxe Faith The Apostacy of Bishops and the studie of divine things and cumbring themselves with wordly affaires under the Type of starres falling from Heaven into the Earth with their nature and plottings against the godly neither hath any man after the Apostle Paul 2. Thes 2 3 c. more lively set forth the rising person reigne tyranny seat manifestation and destruction of Antichrist then we have it in this Prophesie lastly it most clearely prophesieth many things touching the comforts of the Church under the Crosse of her deliverance victory and glorification with the punishments of Tyrants and all other adversaries By which we see The explication of the Apocalyps necessary that this Booke is not onely worthy to be continually read in the Church and meditated on but also to containe very profitable and necessary Doctrines especially for this last age For the Jesuites Antichrists chiefest Souldiers are very ingenious to corrupt and wrest the plaine Oracles of this Prophesie into a contrary meaning as if they were not onely not to be applied against the Papacy but also did make for the dignity thereof wherefore also it is our duty diligently to labour that the Revelation may be familiarly expounded and knowne not suffering the same to be depraved least we our selves be deceived by the slights of Antichrist or that by our carelesnesse wee suffer others to be ensnared by pernitious errours Now this wee shall the more easily attaine unto if wee alwayes have the Scope of this Booke before our eyes like as Mariners doe the more safely direct their course in the vast Sea by looking up unto the starres The principall scope thereof was The scope of the Revelation FIRST generall That the Christian Church being fore-warned of her future condition after the Apostles time even unto the end of the world should not promise perpetuall delight and ease unto her selfe but timely bee prepared manfully to sustaine the battles at hand SECONDLY speciall least the Godly even then groaning under the Romane persecutions and calamities which were to endure yet a long time beeing offended should be discouraged but know that it came to passe because the Lord had revealed unto his servant John that it should bee so and withall that they might be raised up with sure comforts of an happy issue out of their calamities for this cause also Christ in the Gospell forewarned his Disciples of the Crosse and future sorrow that when it came they might remember that it had been foretold unto them For the darts which are foreseen strike the lesse and we doe receive the evils of the world more tolerably if we be fenced against them through the shield of providence saith GREGORY Thirdly forasmuch as not long after the Romane perfecutions Satan through the riot ambition and contention of the Bishops of the Churches was to erect Antichrists throne in the Temple of God the Holy Ghost in speciall would have his forme nature reigne and Tyranny to bee set forth as it were in lively colours unto us that we might learne the better to know resist and take heed of him Moreover he would have the destruction and punishment of Antichrist and all other adversaries as also the victory and future glorification of the Church to be plainly described least either we should envy the present prosperity of the adversaries or overmuch fear their Tyranny but that on the contrary we might be patient under the Crosse and constant in our Combats retaining an assured hope of victory deliverance and future glory even unto the end Now that besides these scopes that upstart Inquirer labours to wrest the Revolation to this purpose Aleas prooem nota 14 c. as if it should teach that ROME of old the head of Pagan Idolatry by an admirable vicissitude was to bee changed into the Metropolis of the Catholicke Church that the Romane Church was gloriously to triumph both in respect of the Romane Citie and the whole Empire and that the soveraigne authority of the Romish Pope should alwayes remaine in the height of honour is such a filthy and impudent depravation of this most sacred Prophesie that even the Divell himselfe ought to blush thereat and I should wonder if these goodly trifles do not cause laughter or shame even to the Romish Court it selfe But these things a little after are to be more neerly examined when we come to the Argument Enough touching the Order Lastly The things which have been objected against the Booke as being erroneous and contrary to the Faith in speciall that it seemes in Chap. 20. to favour the brutish doctrine of the Hereticke Cerinthus touching Christ and the Saints worldly and voluptuous Reigne on Earth a Thousand Yeers before the Vniversall Resurrection of the dead doth not at all trouble me For if the objections of Heretickes or Pagans had presently been believed wee should long since have had nothing entire in the whole Scripture but all these things have long agoe beene vindicated by ancient and later Interpreters and wee referre the clearing of every of them to their proper places least our Preface should bee too tedious CHAPTER VI. Touching the Argument of the Booke TO come unto the Argument of the Booke Rev. 1.3 however by what hath beene said already it is not obscure yet I will handle the same more neerly The principall and greater part of the Booke is propheticall hence in the very beginning it is called a Prophesie containing Typicall Prophesies not onely touching the state of the Church and the signes of the last times of which Christ foretold his Disciples Mat. 24. like as Ribera thought good to explicate the Argument of the Apocalyps viz. that it is nothing else but certaine Commentaries upon those words of our Lord. For they extend themselves much larger unto the times next after the Apostles and thence from the giving of the Revelation even unto the end of the world namely touching the present conflicts of the Christian Church which already were in Johns time and afterwards should continually befall her first with Romane Tyrants afterward with diverse Heretickes and at length both with the Easterne and especially the Westerne Antichrist as also of their insultings and tyranny against her by which as if shee were forsaken of Christ her head they should grievously both inwardly and outwardly afflict and almost whollie oppresse her But withall on the contrarie of the most sweet comforts of the godly under the Crosse that those stormes of afflictions should not befall them at a
wedding song after the manner of a Drama which saith he is a Song of many Personages like as a Fable is acted on the Theater where diverse persons are brought in some comming and some departing that the Text of the Narration may be made up by diverse and unto diverse men and he calleth that wedding Verse a Spirituall Interlude of foure Personages which he saith the Lord revealed unto him in the same viz. the Bridegroom and Bride with the Bride her virgins with the Bridegroom his flock of Companions The same thing I more truly may say touching the Revelation that it seemes unto mee the Lord Iesus revealed the same unto Iohn by his Angell after the manner of a Dramaticall Representation and that it is an Heavenly Dramma or Interlude not onely of foure but of diverse persons and things by Typicall Speeches and Actions exhibiting to Iohns sight or hearing those things in the Heavenly Theater which God would have him to understand and us by continuall prayers meditations and observations to search out touching the future state of the Church And that ye may understand this to be so I will endeavour to delineate and pourtray the method of the Revelation now indeed briefly as in a Type reserving the rest to the Preface of every Vision But the order of the Personages by whom this Propheticall Interlude is Acted I will by and by set downe in a short Table CHAPTER IX Touching the generall Method of the Revelation TO speake accurately of the Method and Order of this Prophefie whither the generall by which the propheticall visions do all cohere one with another or the speciall by which the Apparitions of every of the Visions doe follow each other is not for me to do although I have imployed my study more then thirty yeers this way Yet I will say to stir up the endeavours of others as much as the Lord in mercy hath for the present revealed unto mee It is now fiftie two yeers ago since I first heard the Table-Propositions as they call them of my Master Zacharie Vrsinus that great Divine in Wisedomes Colledge out of the Old and New Testament He for five yeers together as often as the Reader had ended with the Epistle of Jude READ said he Matthew I desired to heare the Revelation also being ignorant of the difficulties which either my Master shunned or else would not as yet commit unto his Disciples At length Anno 1570. being again come in course of reading of the Scriptures unto the Revelation he bade the Reader goe forward Then the Revelation was read which he illustrated with briefe notes in so many dayes yea halfe hours as there are Chapters in the Booke yet accurately as hee was wont to doe all things these his Observations I with all attention gave heed unto and as much as might be set them downe in writing and thereby I began to observe somewhat of the obscurity about the distinction and analogie of the Visions Fourteene yeeres after I my selfe being called to the Government of the said Colledge wherein also I continued so many yeers running over seven times at least the explication of the Revelation I at length seemed unto my selfe to observe some kind of Harmony in certain Visions and as it were some distinct Acts of most of the Visions Here specially of the Ancients Augustine and of the latter Nicolaus Collado a Divine of Lausanna did most effect me Lib. 20. de C. D. cap. 17 For Augustine in his Commentary de C. D. after hee had taught that the last judgement should certainly come to passe both by other Scriptures and largely also by the Revelation at length he saith In this Booke many things are obscurely spoken to exercise the mind of the Reader and in it are a few things by the manifestation whereof the rest might with labour bee found out chiefly because it so repeateth the same things after a diverse manner as if it seemed to speake of different things whereas wee shall finde that it speakes of the very same things after a diverse manner By which words Augustine seemeth to me wittily and truely to say three things First that many darke things are contained in this Booke to exercise the minds of the Reader Secondly that some things in the Booke are plaine by the understanding whereof the other more obscure things might with study be dived into Thirdly that it principally conduceth unto the searching out of the mysteries of this Booke to observe that the same things are spoken of in diverse Types after a different manner although different things seeme to bee spoken of The first of which touching the obscurity seemeth plainely so to be as hath before been shewed in Chap. 3. by which indeed the Holy Ghost hath involved this Prophesie of the New Testament not because hee would not have the same to bee understood by the Readers but to have their mindes and understanding exercised with labour studie and prayer as appeareth Chap. 13.18 17.9 c. The second doth notably respect the speciall method Augustines animadversions touching the method of the Revelation For almost in every Vision there are some few if not many things whence the plaine understanding of the other more obscure may bee found out either because they are properly spoken or because the significations of the Types are declared by the Spirit himselfe or lastly because the Types themselves are so manifestly agreeing to the matter signified as they yeeld no difficult understanding unto such as diligently mind the same For example It is plaine that in the very beginning it is said that here those things are revealed which must shortly be done Rev. 1.1.19 14.1 15.1 Rev. 14.14 19.11 20.11 and John is commanded to write those things which then were and which should afterward come to passe and expresly those last plagues and oftentimes the last Iudgement whence two more darke things are easily dived into First that the Types of the Revelation do not represent the foregoing Historie of the Israelitish Church but the future state of the New Church Secondly that they shaddow out not a few Ages onely after the Revelation nor yet the last times and Tragedie of Antichrist alone but the whole period of the Church Thus it is plaine that the starres are the Ministers of the Churches the great starres renowned Teachers Whence it is not obscure what is meant by the great starres falling from Heaven Moreover also it is plaine Ezech 16.2 Ier. 3.1 Ose 2.5 that in Scripture a whorish woman doth denote the Apostaticall Church Whence it is cleare that the woman clothed with the Sun signifies the true Church the flight of the woman into the wildernesse her being out of sight riding on the Beast and sitting upon seven hils the adulterous and domineering Church of Rome It is also plaine that most of the Visions doe end with the last Iudgement Hence it is manifest that the periods of
example of their monastical ignorance the author tells us a monasticall exposition upon the word Apocalyps that the word apocalyps is compounded of apo re and clipsor velare O the miserable barbarisme of that age attempting to unfold these high mysteries and in the mean time ignorant of the very name of the title The verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyes to reveal a secret from which commeth apocalypsis a revelation of a secret such as are all future things For it is not man but God who foreseeth and revealeth things to come But the events which were to befall the Church under the new Testament were hidde both from Iohn and us but are revealed in this booke and therefore it is rightly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which wee may ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a revelation of things to come Afterward it is sometimes called a prophefie from the argument of it which is a prediction of future things revealed by God And the title answereth to the title of the ancient prophets as the vision of Isaiah the vision of Obadiah the prophesie of Niniveh which Naum saw the prophesie which Habacucsaw the word of tâ—e Lord that came to Hosea to Joel to Micah c. so that it sheweth the divine authoritie of the booke For to reveal things to come is from God onely so that this booke being a revelation is inspired of God which argument Iohn afterwards doth more fully confirme For as Ierom wel observeth this mystical booke is intituled a revelation to give us to understand that we have need of the knowledge and explanation of it that wee may say with the prophet open my eyes and I will consider the marveillous things of thy law Psal 119.18 Of Jesus Christ that is which Christ revealed unto Iohn â— argument of the deity of Christ So that Christ is the author of the revelation which is the first argument to proove the God-head of Christ in this booke For God by the prophet doth assume it as a thing peculiar to himself to reveal secrets Isai 42 9 41 23 Behold the former things are come to passe and new things doe I declare before they spring forth I will tell you of them and confounds by this argument all Idols that they are no Gods because they are ignorant of future things But the words following which God gave unto him seem to weaken the argument For to whom God doth reveal things to come hee is not God but God hath revealed these things to Christ therefore Christ is not God The answer is twofold first the whole may bee granted if it bee taken in a good sence as namely that Christ albeit he is true God yet wherein God his father hath revealed these things to him that is according to his humanitie hee is not God For the humanitie of Christ not foreknowing things to come but by revelation is not God but the man Christ Iesus is God because by his divinitie hee fore knoweth all things of himself Secondly the assumption is not in the text and may bee denyed for Iohn saith not that God revealed these things to Christ but gave this revelation to him as to our mediator that hee might reveal the same to us his servants for it is his proper office to reveal the will of the father to the Church So that 〈◊〉 speaketh of the office of Christ as hee is our mediator which doth not 〈◊〉 the â—qualitie of the son with the father but supposeth it because as he was meere man or a creature of what power soever hee could not have performed the workes of a mediator But it behooued him also to bee God But Thirdly there follows no absurditie to understand it as spoken of the Godhead of Christ for such as is the order of existence such also is the manner of working betwixt the father and the sonn For as the somexisteth not of himself but as hee is the first begotten of the father so the soâ— revealeth things to come not of himself but as hee receiveth from the father and as the father Giveth unto the son his Essence so is also his divine wildome communicated unto him from the father by Eternall Generation Lyra and others understand God in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essentially of the whole trinitie and taking it in that sence then the revelation is given to Christ by God as unto a mediator onely but understanding it of the person of the father then God is said to give it unto Christ both as to the sonn and mediator also To shew unto his servants the end that God Gave the revelation to Christ was not that hee should have it for himself But as being the messenger of the father to reveal it to his servants By servants is meant Iohn with the pastors and teachers yea all the faithfull of all ages to all which the mysteries of this booke were to bee revealed by Christ First to Iohn that hee should write it and then to all the rest both to read and understand it meditate teach explain it to the Church of God The Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his noteth the servants of Christ for it cohereth with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew which noteth the office of Christ and not of God So that Christ sheweth this revelation 2 argument of Ch. deity to his owne servants which is a second argument proving the Godhead of Christ For hee certainly is the Lord of the Church yea God Eternal to whom Iohn the teachers and all the faithfull of the Church are servants for God alone is the Lord of the Church according to that of the psalmist Iehovah our Lord c. Psal 8.10 For albeit Christ in that hee is our mediator is exalted to bee head and Lord of the Church notwithstanding except hee had been God hee could neither have been mediator or Lord of the Church So that we plainly see that Christ Jesus is God seeing John and all the faithfull are his servants Which must shortly come to passe this noteth the subject of the booke which containes an historie of things not allready past but of things to come afterward both to the Church and enemies thereof Must come to passe not by a fatall or absolute necessitie 1. Cor. 11.19 but hypothetically or supposedly according to that of the Apostle scandalls and heresies must come Besides God hath so decreed it whose counsell is unchangeable and therefore the events must happen according to the same as also because of secondarie causes as the malice of satan the rage of the enemies against the Church which though they bee changeable in themselves yet they are not changed so that if accidental events bee not altered by the counsell of God and secondarie causes they necessarily come to passe though the contingencie bee not taken away Shortly but how shortly seeing after so many ages they are not as yet come to passe and
of supererogation or a purgatorie fire and so ascribe salvation which is obtained by Christ alone unto their owne inventions Thus therefore the Sun in Popery is made black as sackcloth of hair The Apostolical doctrine of faith and salvation by them is darkned and changed into Philosophical precepts Christs sacraments are darkned and turned into a stage-playing Pompe or shew The invocation and worship of God is darkned and turned into adoration of idols and of the creature To be short the Church it self is darkned scarslie retaining any thing of Christianity except the bare name Now the black sackcloth of hair doth signify the humane traditions their hetheanish and Iewish ceremonies mingled with Christianisme of which Augustine complaines Epist 119 19.20 that even in his time the Church began to be more burdened with them then the Israelites were with theirs to be short it signifies the decrees and canons of Synods and Popes by which the Church was turned into a secular kingdom the presbyteny into a civil court and their temples into very brothel houses And the moon became as blood The third wōder followeth by the moon is meant the Church as Cant. 6.9 Fair as the moon Rev. 12.1 The Sun is Christ as we shewed before Now what marveile is it if the Moon be turned into blood when the Sun is darkned In Eclypses the Moon appears black and reddish and sometimes of a bloodie colour having in it selfe but little light But as the Moon doth receive its light from the Sun so all light puritie righteousnes and salvation or whatever else the Church enjoyes shee receiveth it all from Christ the Sun of righteousnes The sence therefore is that the Church shall be turned into blood by the commotion of Antichrist The like phrase the Lord useth in Joel 2.31 But whence comes this blood into the Moon I answer by the cruel tyrannie of Antichrist making the Church red with the blood both of the nations and of the Saintes For this blood was powred on her partly by wars and partlie by martyrdoms For the Pope not beeing content to usurp the title of Peter the prince of the Apostles under that pretence to terrify the world with his spirituall lightnings he hath also drawn out the temporall sword against Emperours kings princes and Christian nations filling all places with bloodie warres As we may see in the extravagant of Boniface VIII touching superiority and obedience where it is expressely said that the Church hath two swords the spirituall and civill and it is further added that the spirituall is excercised by the Church the materiall by the hand of kings and souldiers according to the pleasure and patience of priests If this be true then what are kings and souldiers but the Popes vassals And is not then that blood certainlie shed by the Pope which is spilt at his pleasure and command by kings and their souldiers And is it not the Pope that causeth the Moon to become blood but in this also there is deceit and fallacie for the Romish Bishops have not onelie used the civill sword in the hands of princes but also in their own having these many yeeres together turned the Moon into blood by the many cruell warrs occasioned and made by them Beneven de Rambal lib Augustali Benevenutus de Rambaldis a noted historian thus writeth concerning Boniface the eight above two hundred and thirtie yeares agoe that Albertus Duke of Austria beeing by the Electors chosen king of the Romanes desired of Boniface that famous Pope the blessing and coronation to whom this loftie tyrant answered that he was unworthie of the Empire because he had traiterouslie killed his Lord Adolph in warre and having the crowne on his owne head and a sword girt to his loines he said I AM CAESAR Julius II. the predecessor of Leo a better souldier then a priest beeing borne rather for Mars then for Christ going forth with an army as Wicelius witnesseth in the yeere 1513 against the king of Navarre threw Peters Key into Tyber saying If the Key of Peter cannot let the sword of Paul prevaile Of which Mantuan thus singeth Ense potens gemino cujus vestigia adorant Caesar aurato vestits murice reges Great Caesar with victorious kings Who golden crownes doe wear They doe adore his footsteps who the double sword doth bear To be short the most cruel wars which continually have been and at this day are among Christian princes to the shedding of exceeding much blood in France the Nederlands Livonia Poland Muscovia Hungarie have alwayes been raysed fomented by the Popes buls and armies by this meanes ever since the death of Priscillian they have continnallie murdered the saints and made the Moon red with their blood For Priscillian beeing declared an heretick by the Pope although Sulpitius Severus describing his sect doth not charge him with any hereticall doctrines contrarie to the analogie of faith but onely for unlawfull conventicles was by the instigation of Ithacius Bishop of Triers put to death about the yeere of Christ 380 contrarie to the mind of Martine Thuronensis a Maximo the Emperour the murderer of Valentinian the yonger From that time forward the Bishops went on to have the like punishment inflicted on all such as were condemned by them of haeresie And at length the Popes adjudged to death as hereticks all that opposed their tyrannie and idolatrie under which pretence what a multitude of Christians have been most cruellie murdered the bookes of martyrs testifie yea whosoever reads those histories shall see clearely enough that by their meanes the Moon was wholle turned into blood The massacre at Paris committed on Bartholomewes day in the yeere 1572 is yet fresh in memorie at what time within the space of eight dayes there were more then a hundred thousand by the means of Gregorie XIII most barbarously put to death in France making all the streets rivers and prisons in the land red with the blood of martyrs Thus I doubt not but we understand what is meant by this change of the Moon into blood touching which also I will rehearse a verie memorable example in the end of this booke 13. And the starres of heaven fell unto the earth The fourth wonder is taken out of Isai 34.4 and Mar. 13.25 We have heard what the stars doe signifie and wherfore they are so called Rev. 1.20 the seven stars are the seven Angels or Bishops of the Churches And Rev. 12.1 The woman or Church hath twelve stars on her crowne signifying the pastors and teachers of the Churches These stars which fell are apostates who forsooke Christ for fear of Antichrists cruell persecution they are I say principall Bishops and teachers who by embracing the kingdom of Antichrist fall from heaven unto the earth among whom the Bishop of Rome was chiefe and with him all others who acknowledged him for their head They fell unto the earth by forsaking their pastoral charge of preaching the word and
thousands of his sealed ones from beeing hurt by him of whom should consist the true Church of God This part of the chapter is opposed to the earthquake and Antichristian confusions praefigured in the third Act treated of in Chap. 6. v. 12.13.14 with which cohereth that which here followes concerning the four Angels and sealing of the elect in their fore-heads In the latter part is represented the future state of the blessed martyrs and other faithfull ones in heaven even as many as in this life have made white their robes in the blood of the Lambe This part is opposed to the horrible cryes and torments of the wicked treated of Chap. 6. v. 15.16.17 In this Chapter therefore the third fourth Act of the second vision is fully ended and the whole Chapter is consolatorie both for the Church militant in the former part and for the triumphant in the latter These things thus premised the rest following will bee the more cleare The fourth Act of vision II. The first part of the Chapter Of the restraint of the four Angels and of them that were marked with the seale of God under Antichrist 1. And after these things I saw foure Angels standing on the foure corners of the earth holding the foure windes of the earth that the winde should not blow on the earth nor on the sea nor on any tree 2. And I saw another Angel ascending from the East having the seale of the living God and he cryed with a loude voyce to the foure Angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea 3. Saying Hurt not the earth neither the sea nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in their fore-heads 4. And I heard the number of them which were sealed and there were sealed an hundred and fourty and foure thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel 5. Of the tribe of Iuda were sealed twelve thousand Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand 6. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand Of the tribe of Nephthali were sealed twelve thousand Of the tribe of Mâ—â—â—sses were sealed twelve thousand 7. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand 8. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand Of the tribe of Ioseph were sealed twelve thousand Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand THE COMMENTARIE ANd after these things Now John rehearseth what he further saw in the sixt seale beeing contrarie to the former as containing joyfull matter He saw before what Antichrist and his ministers had don and what at length they suffered for the same Here he sees what in the mean time was don by the godly on earth what was laid up for them in heaven Now herein interpreters doe verie much differ and for the most part doe rather darken then explain the matter in not observing the method and scope thereof Lyra goes on in applying these things unto the histories of the Romane Emperours Lyras opinion of the four Angels The four Angels standing on the four corners of the earth holding the four winds of the earth he interprets of four Emperours great persecutors of the Christians who after Diocletian and Maximianus had laid downe the Empire afflicted the Church in many parts of the world at one time Maximianus in the East Severus in Italie Maxentius at Rome Licinius of Alexandria in Aegypt these held the windes that is hindered the teachers of the Church that they should not blow that is preach Gods word for as by the blowing of the windes the earth is made fruitfull so the preaching of the Gospell fructifyeth the garden of the Church militant By the earth sea and treeâ— he understands Christians some dwelling in firme lands some in Ilands others in woods for to avoyd persecution The Angel having the seal of God forbidding to hurt the earth and sea is Constantine the great bearing the signe of the crosse in his ensigne and restraining those four tyrants from hurting of Christians For Constantine at length overcame Maxentius Licinius and other their fellow tyrants and having obtained the empire alone he signed many thousand in the forehead that is beeing converted unto the faith of Christ he bestowed many great priviledges upon the Church signed many thousands that is caused them to be baptised with the signe of the crosse on their foreheads This interpretation I thus far approve of What is approvable in Lyras interpretation namely that the windes signifie preachers and the blowing of the windes Gods word preached and the holding of the windes the hindring of Gospell in the course thereof But for his application of the rest unto the short space of those four tyrants it agrees little to the scope seeing those things were to happen a long while after under Antichrist as appeareth by the circumstances and as the comparing of these things with the following visions will more clearly manifest Besides hee erreth in making Constantine this sealing Angel forasmuch as undoubtedlie the outward signe of the crosse is not here at all intended but a higher mysterie concerning the preservation of the elect and their separation from the abominations of Antichrist least they should be defiled thereby as will more plainly appear by the matter following Rupertus refers this unto the four kingdoms of the world hindring the faith of Christ viz. the Babylonian Persian Greek Romane Empires but this is too general Andreas herein agreeing with most of our interpreters doth more rightlie applie it to the times of Antichrist to which Ribera also consenteth but yet in this he erreth viz. in that he thinks that the following contents of this booke are to be applyed to the four yeares reigne of his supposed Antichrist For generally the following visions doe plainlie represent the foregoing four Acts of the history of the Church from Iohns time even unto the end under other figures he also differeth from al others in taking these to be good Angels which are here spoken of wheras all others agree that they are evill Angels Notwithstanding in this they doe generallie erre thorow an erroneous supposition in restraining the time of Antichrist unto the last four yeeres of the world considering that Antichrist hath allreadie reigned above a thousand yeares even from Boniface the third who as we have already shewed was the first that professed himself universall priest leaving unto his successors this most wicked title and mark of Antichrist But to let passe these mens opinions we here take notice of a second part of the third Act of vision II. wherein Iohn is informed of the state of the godlie during the earthquakes and Antichristian commotions For having seen before things horrible and prodigious even a violent alteration of all states of the Christian world under
of Christs flesh hiding or covering his divinity Others for the obscure knowledge by which he revealed himself unto the world in the time of the sixt trumpet beeing as it were as yet covered with great darknesse making the sense thus hee appeared clothed with a cloud that is he manifested himself in an obscure or darke way unto the world For my owne part I take it according the manner of the scripture to be a signe of divine majesty For Iehovah was wont to appeare unto the people in a cloud 2 Chro. 6.1 the cloud also leading the people in the wildernesse sheltering them from the heat of the sunne was Christ Therefore he is clothed with a cloud to shew that he is Lord of a heavenly nature And the rainebow on his head The rainebow signifies grace beeing sett by God as a signe Gen. 9.13 that he would not send the floud any more upon the earth Christ therefore appeares crowned with a rainebow as the messenger of grace peace for he is our peace Eph. 2.14 the prince of peace Isa 9.6 This signe was very fit for the time confirming tidings of peace with God to the afflicted Church shortlie to rest from all her troubles and enjoy future happinesse His face was as the Sunne Thus also in Chap. 1.16 it is said Christs face shone as the sunne shineth in his strength that is it was most cleare shining in ful brightnes For hee is the sun of righteousnesse illuminating his Church clearing up the stormes of afflictions For as the sunne in its vigour dissipates the cloudes drives away cold alayes the windes and brings a serenity so Christ by the brightnesse of his spirit of grace will asswage the stormes of afflictions dissipate the tempests of calamities and bring unto the faithfull a quietnesse of conscience in the midst of all their troubles at last by the cleare beames of his countenance will dispell all manner of adversitie His feet as pillars of fire In Chap. 1.15 Christs feet were as fine brasse burning as in a fornace by which metaphor the power and strength of Christ is signified for pillars by their strength underprop support the house Fire consumes chaffe other things so Christ appeares here with such feet who by his power and strength will stand fast against the adversaries Antichrist the Church he will purge defend but consume the enemies like stubble Hitherto we have heard the description of the Angel who doth in this manner shew himself unto Iohn that the Church groaning under the burden of afflictions might know that Christ will come to revenge and relieve her deplorable condition especially under the fift and sixt trumpets for hee will be present with his Church in all her troubles because hee is crowned with a rainbow as also he is powerfull to asswage the tempests of calamities as having a face like the sunne whom the scorpionlike Locusts with their horses and Lyons heads and tailes like serpents shall no way terrifie or overthrow because by his feet as with fiery pillars he so settles his kingdome as it cannot be moved to be short hee easily can destroy Antichrist with all his Locusts arising out of the pit seeing he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mightie powerfull This is the scope and use of the description of the Angel 2 And he had in his hand a little booke open Now follow the Acts of the Angel which tend to the same purpose The first is that he holds in his hand a booke open This booke open is the same which before was shut Here it may be demanded whither this open booke bee the same with the former shut with seven seales I suppose it is the same because Christ under the forme of a Lambe received the booke that was shut unsealed and opened the same neyther doe wee read that he gave the booke being opened to any Now who can better hold the booke open then he that opened it here therfore Christ under the figure of a mighty Angel holds that book open in his hand which before he opened Neither is it any way cōtradictory that there it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a booke but here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little book seeing both words are derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a booke besides the book beeing opened was lesse then when it was shut or els it seemed to be lesse in waight when the seales were taken off or lastly it was lessened in regard many events were now revealed unto Iohn so that it contained not so many secret mysteries as it did before But what may bee the meaning Why Christ holdeth the booke open in his hand that Christ holds this little booke open in his hand The book was written within without within were contained the secrets of future things to bee revealed unto Iohn without was writtē the doctrine of the Gospell before published penned by the Apostles Christ opened the whole booke both because the Apostles were by him inspired and sent forth to preach the Gospell to the whole world as also because he revealed these mysteries unto Iohn Now least it might have been thought that by the great stormes tumults cruel devises of Tyrants Locusts the armies of horsemen the booke of the Gospell had been wrung out of the hands of Christ in regard that almost throughout the whole world the doctrine of free grace justifying faith and the certainty of salvation had of a long time been buried especially under Antichrists kingdom Therefore Christ now appears holding the same open in his hand thereby teaching us first that not withstanding the perfecution of tyrants the superstitions and lyes of Antichrist by which he darkened the doctrine of Gospell yet he held forth in his hand the booke of his word that is raised up continually some faithfull professours and teachers of the truth who maintained the same against all tyrants and Antichrists And indeed the bookes of martyrs and other ecclesiastical histories doe abundantly witnesse that there have been multitudes of such not onely during the persecution of the Romane Emperours and hereticks but also these thousand yeeres many under Antichrist condemned cruelly put to death for heresie But secondly it teacheth us that at last he will also purge his booke from the pollutions of the Locusts dregs of Antichrist by fit witnesses of his truth whom in the last times he will raise up for that end in the midst of Antichrists kingdome And he set his right foot upon the sea The following actions of the Angel illustrate the matter going before For in that he set his feet upon the sea and earth cried as when a lyon roareth caused the thunders to utter their voyces and sware by the living God all this tends to give us to understand that Christ suffered not the booke of his doctrine to bee wrung out of his hand neither by the Romane tyrants
it shall not bee so for the end is neere at hand as Christ swearing by himself confirmes to the end we might no way doubt thereof so that this Oath serves both for the confirmation of his promise and for our consolation also neyther indeed doth Christ use on oath without waighty cause for Antichrist had so established his possession as that it seemed impossible that his kingdom should be overthrown Therefore Christ sweareth that there should bee no more time to wit sad and mornefull unto the Saintes as hitherto it had been under tyrants and especially under Antichrist who onely bearing swaye tyrannized over all insomuch as no man might contradict him unlesse he meant to die for it by fire or sword But there shall follow other times wherein shal be a reformation of the Church the last down fall of Antichrists kingdome The mysterie of God shall be finished When In the dayes of the seventh trumpet that is so soon as it shall begin to blow then shall be the end of the sixt trumpet the end of the Churches calamities the end of Antichristian tyranny Alcasar applies the mysteries of God to the casting off the Iewes and election of the Gentiles But the most on the contrarie understand it of the mysterie of all Israels conversion unto Christ which shal to come to passe neer the last times of which the Apostle Rom. 11.25 seems to treat and indeed the prophets of old have often prophesied of their calling But because in this place the comfort of the Church militant under Antichrist is onely aimed at unto which the calling of the Iewes doth not directly much belong therefore it is rather better to be taken of the resurrection and day of judgement even when the power of tyrants and all adversaries shall be abolished of which mysterie the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 15.51 Behold I shew you a mysterie wee shall not all sleepe but wee shall all bee changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last trumpet for the trumpet shall blow and we shall be changed This is that which Christ here sweareth that at the sound of the seventh trumpet the mysterie of God is to be finished the Church delivered and glorified but the enemies eternally to be punished according unto that in the Prophets Isa 24.26.27.66 Daniel 7.11.12 Zacha. 14. Mala. 3. 4. Hence we plainely see that the sound of the sixt trumpet shall continue unto the end of time that is of this world and that at the beginning of the sound of the seventh trumpet an end shall be put to the afflictions of the Church and cruelty of the adversaries The seventh trumpet therefore is no other then that of the Archangel by which the dead shal be raised out of their graves and brought to judgement As in the following Chapter we shall hear so that without all doubt this trumpet respects the end of the world They therfore doe erre from the scope who extend the time of the seven Vialls and of the following visions beyond the seventh trumpet The second part of the Chapter Of the booke eaten up by Iohn 8. And the voyce which I heard from heaven spake unto me againe and said Goe and take the little booke which is open in the hand of the Angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth 9. And I went unto the Angel and said unto him Give mee the little booke And hee said unto me Take it and eate it up it shall make thy belly bitter but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as hony 10. And I tooke the little booke out of the Angels hand and ate it up it was in my mouth sweet as hony and assoone as I had eaten it my belly was bitter 11. And he said unto mee Thou must prophesie againe before many peoples and nations and tongues and Kings THE COMMENTARIE THe other part of the Chapter concerning the booke eaten by John is a preparation to the following Act touching the combat of the two witnesses with the beast about the end of the fift sixt trumpets which yet remaine founding in this present age John as he is commanded eats up the little booke he tooke out of the hand of Christ the which was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his belly And he is commanded to prophesie againe before kings and nations Now what is this but that towards the last times prophesying shall be renewed against Antichrist after which indeed there shall follow new combats notwithstanding Antichrists kingdome shall be greeviously shaken the which beeing donne there shall be no more time that is like the former when Antichrist raged according to his lust and pleasure over the Church This is the summe Now we are well to take notice that this part of the vision is taken out of the prophesie of Ezech. Chap. 3. where an hand from heaven reacheth unto the prophet a roule to eat it up beeing in his mouth as hony for sweetnesse whereupon he is commanded to denounce judgements against the Israelites It shadowed out the heavenly call of Ezechiel as also his readines to obey God in reproving the vices of the people and threatning punishment against them for the same All things are here alike But that Ezechiel felt not the booke as John bitter in his belly that he was sent to prophesie against the house of Israel but Iohn against Antichrist Let us briefly consider who commandeth what is commanded and what followed upon the doing thereof 8. And the voyce which I heard To wit that heavenly voyce mentioned in ver 4. write not but seale the voyces of the thunders c. The same voyce therefore who before forbade him to write doth now command him to eat up the little booke and to prophesie by which is signified the admirable dispensation of the divine grace for Antichrist bearing sway in the Church during the times of the fift sixt trumpets the thunders indeed uttered their voyces that is some faithfull teachers publickly thundered against the idolatrie and tyranny of Antichrist But with little profit The voyces remained sealed and Antichrists power entire yea increased dayly by suppressing those teachers bringing kings and nations under his yoak Now whence came this I answere Christ as yet had not given to John the open booke to eat it up neither commanded him againe to prophesie because he reserved this special grace unto the later times of the fift sixt trumpets Let us therefore acknowledge this singular mercie of God that now unto us the open booke of Christs doctrine is given to be eaten up and prophesie against Antichrist againe revived in the world Take the little booke The heavenly voyce commands two things First that Iohn should take the open booke out of the hand of Christ Secondly eat it up The little booke on the outside contained the revealed written doctrine of the Gospell within the secret counsels of God touching the future
4. 3. From the efficacie and authority of their office v. 5. 6. II. Their warre with the beast where 1. we have the description of the beast his hostile invasion and victorie ver 7. 2. The martyrdome of the prophets and place of reproach v. 7. 8. 9. 3. The joyes of the wicked for the slaughter of the prophets with the cause of this their great rejoycing vers 10. III. The avengement of the prophets where 1. we have their restoring to life vers 11. 2. The astonishment feare of the wicked ibid. 3. Their glorious ascending up into heaven v. 12. 4. The shaking and ruin of Antichrists kingdome IV. An acclamatory conclusion of the end of the Churches calamities of judgement at hand v. 14. The latter part the seventh trumpet sounding declares the change of the Churches warfare in three particulars 1. An heavenly triumph because the kingdomes of the world were become Gods and Christs ver 15. 2. A triumphant song of the first companie viz. of the four and twenty Elders whose reverend cariage gratulatorie hymne is recited in which 1. they give thankes to Christ for freeing his Church and kingdom from the tyrannie of the adversaries v. 17. 2. They declare the vain fretting wrath of the wicked hereat v. 18. 3. They proclaime the resurrection of the dead with the last judgement ibid. 4. They denounce rewards unto the godly and punishment unto the wicked ibid. The excecution of judgement on the godly ungodly To the godly heaven is opened that they might see Iesus Christ the Ark upon the wicked are sent lightnings thunders eternal haile The first part of the Chapter Of the reformation of the Church by the two witnesses under the Westerne Antichrist 1. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod and the Angel stood saying Rife and measure the Temple of God the Altar them that worship therein 2. But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles the holy City shall they tread under foot fourtie and two moneths 3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes clothed in sakcloth 4. These are the two Olive trees and the two candlestickes standing before the God of the earth 5. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies if any man will hurt them he must in this manner be killed 6. These have power to shut heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecie and have power over waters to turne them to blood and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shal make warre against them shall overcome them and kill them 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified 9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues nations shall see their dead bodies three dayes and an halfe shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth 11. And after three dayes and an halfe the Spirit of life from God entred into them they stood upon their feete great feare fell upon them which saw them THE COMMENTARIE ANd there was given mee a reed This is a generall prophesie touching the restoring of the Church beeing declyned under Antichrist Before Iohn was commanded againe to prophesie But now to measure the temple of God with a measuring reed that is to prophesie of the measuring of the temple of God which should be afterwards in the times of Antichrist The measuring of the temple is the reformation of the Church The measuring of the temple signifies the building repairing thereof as appeares if this prophesie bee compared with that in Ezech. 40.41 c. unto which this place doth allude The Temple of God signifies the Church as almost all interpreters both ancient moderne understand it and indeed the words here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temple of God are so taken 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Cor. 6.16 2 Thess 2.4 They who apply this to the temple of Jerusalem are refuted by the time it self for when these things were spoken unto John that temple with the city beeing utterly destroyed was never any more to be restored Lyra Lyras frivolous interpretation doting as his manner is applies it to the festivitie of the dedication of temples instituted by Pope Felix about the yeere 525. at which time the Bishop holding in his hand a sprinckling reed goes about the outward walles of the temple as if he were to measure the same and within on the floore from one corner thereof unto another he thwartwise writes downe the letters of the Greek alphabet and so measures the space within The words therefore Rise and measure he will have to be meant of Pope Felix speaking to every Bishop about the dedication of temples the court leave out or cast forth because masse may not be celebrated except the place be consecrated But I passe by these fopperies For Ribera and Alcasar themselves acknowledge that the Temple here signifies the Church of God Now let us see what instrument hee is to use what to doe with it wherefore and when First hee shewes the instrument A reed like unto a rod was given mee to wit by the Angel who before commanded him to eat up the booke and againe prophesie that is by Christ Ribera wel observeth that it was not a writing pen but a measuring reed because it is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like to a rod that is a great measuring staffe with which Architects use to mete plats of ground and buildings a measure of six cubites and a handbreth Ezech. 40.5 The Rod wherewith the Church is measured What is meant by the measuring rod of the Church is nothing else but the word of God the most perfect rule of faith and Church discipline Rupertus acknowledgeth it to be the authoritie of the Evangelical scripture So that this reed is indeed the same little booke which Christ gave unto John to eat it up the which is here againe delivered to him under the type of a reed or rule in regard of the measuring worke here enjoyned Thus also my Anonymus above 260 yeeres agoe The rod saith he is the sense of the scripture because as a rod of diverse colours it chastiseth sinners Rise and measure the Temple of God First he must measure the Temple Altar Worshippers therein Secondly leave or cast forth the inward court The reading of both is somewhat
all Christians so rashly yeeld assistance unto Antichrist so soon as he manifests himself O foolish vanities Thus we see this fiction is inconsistent It is also diverse wayes repugnant to the holie Scriptures For they teach us that Antichrist shall not come but by an universall apostasie from the faith 2 Thess 2.3 1 Tim. 4.1 the elect onely excepted who are sealed in their foreheads But who would say that al Christian Bishops with their highpriests could be led aside from the faith within lesse then four yeeres Besides the Scripture witnesseth that the day Mark 13.22 1 Thess 5.2 moneth and yeere of Christs last comming beeing hid from all creatures is onely knowen unto God and the Lord will come suddenly as a thiefe in the night when the world shall say Peace and safety But according to the opinion here laid down the day moneth and yeere of the last judgement should not bee unknown for from the rising of Antichrist unto his death there should remaine but three yeeres and an halfe and from his death unto the last judgement 45 dayes for so Bellarmin expresly writes Lib. 3. de P. R. c. 17. that after the death of Antichrist there shall be no more then 45 dayes unto the end of the world Seeing therefore that the opinion being granted there followes a falsity the opinion it self must needs be false This reason is so strong as that it forced Ribera to forsake that false opinion about the 45 dayes as we shall hear on Chap. 20. To be short this onely sufficeth that in Chap. 13.5 these 42 moneths are againe repeated touching the beast unto him power was given to continue fourty two moneths which cannot in any wise be understood of Astronomicall moneths or three yeeres and an halfe For that beast to Bellarmin Alcasar and others not a few is the Romane Empire the power whereof whither it be taken of the old or new continued far longer then three yeeres and an halfe For these causes therefore and many other absurdities this first opinion cannot possiblie stand And this errour is the rather to be excused in the Ancients who diverse wayes erred about Antichrist as Bellarmin himself confesseth because they saw not the histories of future ages Ibid. cap. 3. but is not in our dayes to be suffered in the least but banished out of the Church as a most pernitious errour For it hath brought both a securitie upon the world hitherto as also it keepeth the Papists to this day in their blindnes insomuch as they neither will nor can see and avoyd Antichrist raigning in the Church long agoe discovered by the light of the Gospell Concerning the divisions of the times in Dan we will speak in the following Chapter The other opinion understands these to be propheticall moneths The other opinion of fourty two propheticall moneths Ezech. 4 5 6. Num. 14.34 Cent. 1. lib. 2. c. 4. col 438. taking a moneth for thirtie dayes of yeeres or thirtie yeeres and so these 42 moneths make twelve hundred and sixtie yeeres like as Ezechiel was commanded to lie on his left side 390 dayes upon his right fourty dayes for fourty yeeres by taking a day for a yeere so the Israelites are commanded to wander in the wildernes fourty yeeres according to the dayes in which they searched the land counting a day for a yeere and so the Centurie writers of Magdeburg take it and our Junius on this place who begins the fourty two moneths or 1260 yeeres of this treading under foot from the passion of our Lord endeth it in Boniface the eight who was created Pope in the yeer 1294. from which the thirty foure yeeres of Christs life beeing deducted there remaine 1260 yeeres now concerning this determination I will speake afterward Bellarmins objections against this opinion are not solid He saith Ibid. cap. 8 that the scripture indeed speakes of weekes of yeeres Levit. 25. Dan. 9. but that we finde not dayes to be put for yeeres or moneths of yeeres Vnto which I answer it is not true that dayes are not put for yeeres for the two alledged places Num. 14.34 Ezech. 4.6 doe plainly shew the same That which he objects that yeeres are not taken for dayes according to the letter otherwise Ezechiel must have lien on his left side 390 yeeres is frivolous for dayes doe not signifie yeeres litterally but according to the pleasure of God so speaking fourty yeeres are imposed upon the Israelites for fourty dayes and on the contrarie for 390 yeeres 390 dayes are granted unto Ezech. so that it cannot bee denied but the scripture in a propheticall sense doth reciprocally put a day for a yeere and a yeere for a day Touching the moneths of yeeres he cavils in vaine For if the scripture allowes of dayes of yeeres weekes of yeeres why not also of moneths of yeeres seeing moneths are reduced into weekes and weekes into dayes The determination I leave to the authors notwithstanding it seems not to bee without some inconveniences For first as concerning the life of Christ In heresi 51 Alogian I rather thinke with Epiphanius that he lived 32 complete yeeres and 74 dayes then 34 yeeres of which I have spoken somthing otherwere So then the end of these yeeres would come short of Boniface VIII Secondlie it sufficiently appeareth by what we have spoken on Chap. 4.1 I will shew thee things which must bee hereafter that this account must not begin from Christs passion or any other time before this vision was exhibited unto John And therefore these yeeres are to begin after the Revelation so after the times of Domitian Thirdly although Boniface indeed most wickedlie trode under foot the holy city yet after him it ceased not for his successours no way inferiour to him in Antichristian tyrannie have gone foreward treading down the Church unto this day Now it is apparent that here is noted the time how long the holy city must be troden under foot by Antichristian Gentiles So that these XLII moneths shal not be ended untill the holie city be freed from this treading down And therefore this opinion also seems to have little soliditie in it The third The third opinion touching Sabbath-moneths is John Fox that excellent writer of the English booke of Martyrs in his conjectures on the Revelation who understands the XLII moneths of sabbaths weekes or yeeres of so many times seven yeeres which make 294. and so many yeeres he reckons from the death of Iohn Baptist unto Constantine the Emperour under whom the Christians first were freed from persecution as therefore saith he the times of the first persecution of Christians under the Jewes and Emperours increased unto 294 yeeres so likewise the last persecution treading down of the holie citie shall endure 294 yeeres beginning from the time that the power of the Turkes first began to increase viz. from the yeere of our Lord 1300. So these moneths should have been ended
in the yeere of Christ 1586. and the holy citie now delivered from beeing troden under foot by the Gentiles more then 50 yeeres Now howsoever I doe not at all derogate from this opinion as beeing indeed verie pithy and ingenious yet I scarslie dare follow it For first the hypothesis or argument propounded touching the Sabbath-moneths seems to be very uncertain neither can it easily be proved by any example of Scripture where a moneth is put for a weeke of yeeres The which also that excellent divine of great Brittaine Robert Abbad Bishop of Sarum whom I name for honours sake seems clearly to prove Demonstr cap. 8. pag. 111. in his demonstration of Antichrist against Bellarmin Secondlie it appeareth plainely that this prophesie is not to be understood of treading down the holie citie by the Turkes because two witnesses are brought in prophesying against that treading down whereas prophesies will little help against Turkish tyrannie courage force of armes rather must free the holy city from that oppression Thirdlie it is verie unlikely according to his opinion that the XLII 42 moneths should now be finished and the holie city cease to be troden down by the Gentiles For both in the East West a miserable desolation of the holy city is yet to bee seen For the Turkes power is so far from beeing broken as on the contrary it dayly increaseth and sets more more his feet upon the holy citie The Romish tyrannie also although it bee greatly weakned by the prophesie of the two witnesses not withstanding it is not as yet broken but still oppresseth the Church both in the Western and Northern kingdomes I therefore leave the conjecture of this most learned man in the same nature as he himself desireth I saith hee doe not at all assume this to my self to define here any thing on a certainty or that my opinion should be any way praejudicatorie unto others far better then my self this onely I desire that the same liberty which others take unto themselves may also bee granted to mee without offence In Alcasars opinion I finde nothing eyther probable or true Vestigat pag. 567. save that he rejects the common opinion of Antichrists reigning three yeeres and a halfe For my part saith he as yet I may freely say that if I take this exposition about Antichrists persecution as the chiefe thing in this eleventh Chapter then I know not how to draw the line of the REVELATION and knit things together in order And afterward Notwithstanding as the halfe houre in Chap. 8. the five moneths in Chap. 9. are not to be taken in a proper sense but mystically so for the more convenient connexion of the REVELATION these fourty two moneths are not to be taken in a proper but mystical sense for to take these numbers of dayes moneths yeeres as they sound it were not sutable unto an enigmatical stile In which two things are to be gathered First that this place serves not at all for to establish the common opinion of Antichrists reigning for three yeeres and a halfe whereas the Patrones thereof doe hence chiefly build upon Secondly that our interpreters who take not the numbers of dayes moneths or yeeres according to the letter but understand them eyther of Sabbath-moneths or propheticall dayes definite or indefinite The fourth opinion of fourty two indefinite moneths Act. 1 7. doe no way stray from the aenigmatical stile of the Revelation Bullinger therefore most of our interpreters considering that the method and drift of this prophesy is chiefly to enlighten us somewhat in the future events of the Church but not that we should dare define precisely the moments seasons which the father hath set in his owne power doe thinke that a certaine designed time indeed of Antichristian persecution is noted yet left unto us uncertaine so far as concernes the termes to wit all that which is reckoned from those fatall 666 yeeres mentioned Chap. 13. unto the last judgement For confirmation of which opinion two reasons are brought One that in Chapter 13.6 this self same number of 42 moneths is attributed unto the first beast that is to the Romane Empire of which we shall speak afterward The other because Daniel Christ our Lord Paul the Apostle doe joyntlie teach us that Antichrists persecution shall endure unto the day of judgement the yeere or day wherof no man can certainlie determine Demonstr p. 108. Abbat also before spoken of after many things at last assents to this opinion I saith he doe willinglie consent to them who suppose that by a defined number of moneths and yeeres a certaine time indeed is appointed of God but not so expressed by the very period of the numbers as to be discerned by the Church before hand but numbred and circumscribed by the counsell and providence of God alone and can not be knowen unto us but by the event accomplishment of them The which opinion seeing as yet I find no other more probable I also far the present will follow to wit that the time of treading down is defined by XLII moneths a finite number beeing put for an indefinite not as if it were not definite and certaine to God But because it remaines to us indefinite that is we cannot at the present determine of the certaine time It is circumscribed by a few moneths that the faithfull in their tribulations might bee encouraged unto patience knowing that their troubles shall not continue overlong but as it were onely for a few moneths Againe it is enlarged unto 1260 dayes to shew us that we are to prepare not for trials of some few dayes or yeeres onely but resolve to be constant unto the end I confesse there are many things by some alledged to the contrarie The difficulties against the fourth opinion answered Gen. 31.7 Prov. 24.16 Matt. 18.22 but with little ground They say that the scripture doth never put a finite number for an indefinite but the contrarie appeares by Iacobs speach to Laban Thou hast changed my wages ten times And Solomon The just man falleth seven times And Christ Thou shalt forgive thy brother not seven times onely but seventy times seven c. They say in other places of this booke an uncertaine number is not put for a certaine as Chap. 12.6 The woman shall be in the wildernes 1260 dayes And Chap. 13.5 The beast shall rage XLII moneths And Chap. 20. Satan shall be bound a 1000 yeeres So in Ieremie 29.10 After 70 yeeres ye shall returne out of Babylon Therfore also the number in this place is not uncertaine I answer in the first place that the number is not uncertaine to God although it be so to us for the present Secondly there is a dissimilitude of places now touching these severall numbers taken out of the Revelation we shall speake of them hereafter The seventie yeeres of the captivity are so circumscribed as that they could not bee uncertaine the
campe of the Saints but at length bee devoured by fire from Heaven Therefore the Dragon must be loosed because God hath so decreed and that for most righteous causes First that it might appear how great the fury and power of Satan is unlesse he be restrained by God Secondly that the glory of God might be illustrated in the admirable overthrow of the adversaries and the preservation of the Saints For if he should never be loosed saith Austin Lib. 20 de C. d. cap. 8. his maligne power would the lesse appeare and the most faithfull patience of the holy City be the lesse tryed to be short it would bee the lesse discerned how the Omnipotent God hath so well made use of Satan to his owne hurt who hath not altogether taken him away from the tentation of the Saints although he be cast forth according to the inward man from true beleevers that they might withstand his assaults without and in this respect hath bound him least innumerable persons should be infected by the pouring out and exercise of his full malice or that such who ought to encrease and multiply the Church as some by comming to the faith others already beleeving should be kept off and withdrawne from the same Thirdly he sheweth how long Satan shal freely goe about after his loosing A little season which Ribera according to the common opinion of Papists understands to be three yeeres and an halfe or of the Kingdome of ANTICHRIST but this cannot stand because the Beast or Antichrist shall also reigne some while before this little season the thousand yeeres yet during as shall appeare from verse 4. Alcasar makes it to be a few years or dayes from the end of the thousand yeers unto the day of Iudgement But neither can this stand because the things shal not be of a few years or dayes which are spoken touching the Dragon being let loose verse 8. I ASSENT indeed that the last time from the end of the thousand yeares untill the day of Iudgement is here to be understood But this time cannot be meant of a few years or dayes as I shall shew verse 8. What the little season of the Dragons loosing is but shall containe some ages Yea now already from the end of the thousand yeeres to wit from the yeare of our Lord M LXXIII when the Beast Gregory VII began to reigne with both swords five Ages and that which runs on hath hitherto dured and shall dure to the day of Iudgement Notwithstanding he rightly calleth the same a little time for many reasons Why it is called little whither we respect GOD to whom a thousand yeers are as yesterday the seventy yeers of the Captivity a small moment Or the Dragon unto whom all the time of his raging is but a little and a short season though it continue some ages Psal 90.4 Isay 52.7 See before in Chap. 12 12. because his rage and malice can never be satiated Or the ages past since the Creation in comparison of which Iohn calleth the whole time of the Gospell the last houre 1. Ioh. 2.18 Or lastly and so I thinke Iohn intended in respect of these thousand yeeres which that short time shall not exceed but shal be shorter then the same because God according to the promise will for the Elects sake shorten those dayes of Satans rage and of the Gogish war Mat. 24.22 by the sudden coming of Christ to judgement the which is also intimated in this Prophesie v. 9. To these I adde a morall Reason that as for the comfort of the Godly the whole time of our tribulation in this life is by the Apostle called A light affliction for a moment 2. Cor 4.17 although in it selfe it is often long and heavy so for the comfort of the Godly the time of Satans raging is called a little season least the Godly for fear thereof should be dis-heartened For his rage shall dure but a short season now all things that are of small continuance are tollerable though great saith Cicero Cicero de Ancit It commendeth also the wisdome goodnesse and power of God who knowes indeed how to prove and exercise his Church Notwithstanding hee permits not Satan to rage any longer then himselfe pleaseth and so farre as may stand with our weaknesse But now at length we come to treat of the Thousand yeers The difficulty about the thousand yeers And I confesse that I take in hand this argument tremblingly because I see that many Interpreters both Ancient and Moderne have stumbled at this stone And the more I thinke upon it the lesse I finde how to unty the knot that hath troubled so many And having done all that I can I find it more easie to say what these thousand years are not then what they are For it seemeth that the Holy Ghost was pleased as it were to seale this Booke to all men by this darke mysterie the searching whereof might indeed exercise our study but restrain the boldnesse of a rash definition Wherefore I do not promise after all others so to unloose this knot touching the thousand yeers and millenary reigne of the Martyrs as to satisfie all men but will speake what the LORD hath given me to see following the steps of others so farre as I may First observe that the thousand years are here six times iterated Thrice it is said that Satan was bound for a thousand years and afterward loosed verse 2.3.7 Twice it is said that the Saints shall reign a thousand yeers with Christ ver 4.6 Once that the rest of the dead lived not again till the thousand yeers were finished v. 5. There are therefore a thousand yeers of Satans captivity and of the rest of the dead There are also a thousand yeers of the Saints reigning with Christ Whence ariseth the first necessary Question of all Whether these thousand yeeres bee the same or diverse Of old the Chiliasts or Millenaries affirmed them to be diverse whose opinion is anon to be examined And some learned Interpreters of these times also and among the rest BRIGHTMAN These thousand yeers saith he in which the Saints shall reign with Christ do begin where the former ended Thus Satan should be bound a thousand years and afterward Christ should reign a thousand years But I judge that one and the same terme of a thousand yeers is denoted and the reason is plain in the Text because in verse 2. 6. the thousand yeers are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without an article but foure times afterward with an article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These thousand yeers emphatically and significantly as if he should say Satans Imprisonment shall continue a thousand yeers and during these thousand yeers the Martyrs shall live and reign with Christ afterward Satan shall be loosed Wherefore the same terme of a thousand yeers is noted although in ver 6. it be more largely extended as there we shall see There