all earnestnesse in that hee is said first to haue ouercome which argueth thus much CHAP. IIII. IN this and the fifth Chapter the Lord being about to reueale things to come vnto Iohn to the end of the world taketh him vp into Heauen in the Spirit because from hence only can the knowledge of these things bee attained vpon earth it is knowne what is past and present but not what is to come no not by Astrologians or Sooth sayers or idols wherein Deuils spake For let them tell what shall come and say they are gods as speaketh the Prophet Esay Here is first declared in what great state and maiesty the God of heauen reigneth and the Lambe of God the Lord Iesus Christ Quest 1. Who was it that sate vpon the throne Vers 3. and why is he like vnto a Iasper and Sardin stone and what meaneth the rainebow about the throne like to an Emrald Answ It is agreed by all that hee which sate vpon the throne was God the King of all but for the likenesse here mentioned there is great difference Some considering the colour of the Iasper to be greene of the Sardin to be red Ioachim Forbs Brightman and of the Emrald to be a pleasant bright green will haue the holy Trinity here set forth the Father in whom all haue their being and growth by the Iasper the Sonne who was all red by that bloudy death which he suffered for our sinnes by the Sardin the Spirit who is the comforter by the Emrald This doth not so well agree because so the Spirit should not be one with the Father and the Sonne as the rainebow round about the throne and he that sitteth in the throne are notall one Others will haue the two natures of Christ set forth here the diuine by the Iasper and the humane by the Sardin Ambros Amâ—ber Pareus and the grace and mercy of God towards man in him by the rainebow which was first appointed for a signe hereof but against this maketh that which followeth of the Lambe Cha. 5. for if he were in the same vision sitting vpon a throne in this similitude he could not bee at the same time in the similitude of a Lambe also Others will haue the Father and Sonne set forth by these two precious stones Bullinger and the holy Ghost by the thunder and lightnings proceeding out of the throne but for so much as these are things of terrour and the Spirit the comforter wee cannot vnderstand it thus Others will haue the deluge of water set forth by the Iasper and the fire of the last iudgement by the Sardin Tyconius Beda Primasius Rupertus and the interim of peace and grace between these times by the Rainebow but how the greene Iasper should set forth water I cannot see nor why the Lord should carry a similitude whereby these things may be expressed seeing in heauen he appeareth as he is in himselfe most and not so much as he is in his works and iudgements Lastly not to reckon vp all the expositions but these which may seeme most probable Pareus followeth this though he defendeth that of the Son of God also some vnderstand by these precious stones the excellency of God both in respect of his glory and that singular vertue that is in him which nothing can more fitly expresse than precious stones for colour and appearance admirable no lesse admirable in vertue and operation Viegas And more particularly they may well set forth his mercy by which all things liue and are in their vigour greene and flourishing and his iustice through which hee becommeth fiery red in his anger against sinne Confer Ezech. 1.27.28 The life of all vegetable things is declared by greene and life of sensitiue things by red arising froÌ„ bloud it may be that God is here shewed to be the Author of all life Vers 4. Tyconius Beda Primasius Bullinger The rainebow like an Emrald is the reflexion of these colours further declaring the brightnesse of his glory and is a setled signe of peace to all the inhabitants of heauen who shall neuer bee cast out any more as the ambitious Angels sometime were so that it is good being there and great reason there is why our hearts should bee alwayes thitherward that we might behold this glory and be out of that mutable condition wherein we now stand Quest 2. And round about the throne there were foure twenty thrones and foure and twenty Elders c. Who were these Elders sitting vpon thrones round about Answ Some vnderstand the twelue Patriarkes and Apostles as Fox and Pareus relate some the whole Church represented by them seeing the Church vnder the old Testament sprang from the Patriarkes and the Church vnder the new from the Apostles and the Church now is twice as great as of old when it was in twelue Tribes and therefore this number is well doubled Fox some vnderstand nothing but a shew of the dependancy and subiection of all principalities vpon and vnto God because they cast downe their crownes which they haue of gold some the foure twenty books of canonicall Scriptures in the old Testament Grasserus Lastly some vnderstand the most excellent of those which haue beene set vp in the Church of God Richard de Sancto Victore Rupertus Pannonins Ioacbimus both vnder the old and new Testament who sit now as Senatours about the great Emperour in heauen not that there are no more but iust thus many but because a counsell amongst the Iewes did anciently consist of foure and twenty this certaine number is put for an vncertain as the Priests appointed also to serue in the Temple by course in the dayes of Dauid were foure and twenty And this is most probable because to the twelue Apostles are promised twelue thrones and so likewise without doubt all Apostolicall persons shall be likewise most highly aduanced in the kingdome of glory being placed as Counsellers of State neerest about the King As for the other Expositions first it were a great wrong to others more worthy than many of them to hold that they are not as neere vnto God as the twelue Patriarks Secondly it were improper here to vnderstand the whole company of the Church triumphant who are spoken of more particularly Chap. 5. v. 13. Thirdly it doth not agree by Senatours appearing in heauen to set forth all Princes whereof many shall neuer come there And for that of the foure and twenty bookes I cannot conceiue any ground for it at all Quest 3. And out of the throne went thunders Vers 5. and lightnings and voices And seuen lamps of fire burning c. What is meant by these lightnings thunders and voices and what are these lampes Answ I haue already shewed that though these proceeded out of the throne yet the holy Ghost cannot be meant hereby Some obseruing three and three things mentioned here together Forbs Brightman lightnings
dangerous and the enemies of the truth haue of late yeeres greatly preuailed and still they vnite their forces like Gebal and Ammon and Amaleck and these of Tyre but God who is the patron of the truth hath shewed that he will put an end to these troubles and one day these incendiaries of warres shall haue a battell wherein they shall fight their last euen in Harmageddon Jn the meane season yet were J a Daniel though to speake before so great a King as Nebuchadnezzar or a Ioseph though to speake before a King as renowmed as Pharaoh J would not only present the explication of these darke mysteries but giue counsell also what is to be done by your Royall Maiestie who by the Grace of God are the most potent and chiefe Defender of the truth at this day in Christendome But J am a childe in vnderstanding neither haue J the spirit to be able to giue counsell in State affaires Onely J pray God from whom is the spirit of such deepe vnderstanding to inspire your Maiesties noble Councellors that they may giue the Counsell and your Royall Heart that you may accept of it whether it tendeth to the animaduersion against sinne and all notorious sinfull persons and to the discountenancing of them to the embracing with loue and fauour of the most godly and zealous for the truth or to a more strict proceeding for the disabling if not for the rooting out of those whose cause is common with the enemies that threaten danger and ruine to vs all And touching my present worke my humble suit vnto your Maiesty is that you would accept of it at your vacant times peruse it and suffer it to passe vnder your Royall Patronage though not for his sake that publisheth it being indeed vnworthy of such a fauour yet for the sakes of those Worthies with whom hee comes accompanied euen almost all the most famous Instruments that God hath euer vsed to giue light to these obscurities My desire and first purpose was to haue presented together to your Maiesties view the whole new Testament expounded and handled in this manner in all the passages that most need exposition a Worke of that sort that I know not any yet that hath laboured in it but as I conceiue such as may be of great vse and benefit to all that are studious of the holy Scriptures and herein by the Grace of God J haue proceeded so farre that I want not much to the perfecting thereof But for so much as partly through my bodily infirmities and partly through my many weekly anocaments in my pastorall charge I must be a long time in doing à little in this wherein so many Authors must be perused I haue made bold to come with this Modell that I haue ready till the whole shall be finished which if it may be acceptable shall be altogether then at your Maiesties seruice Jn the meane season crauing pardon for this my presumption I doe out of a true and most affectionate desire commend your Maiestie to the Grace Blessing and Protection of the Highest beseeching him to make you as happy as any of your Progenitors in a truly Religious and fruitfull Queene wise Counsellors learned and holy Ministers loyall and obedient Commons and in victorious proceedings for the defence of the distressed Gospell and after this life ended to which may it long be in the participation of an vncorruptible Crowne of glory Your Maiesties most humbly deuoted John Mayer THE EPISTLE TO the READER COurteous Reader it is about foure yeeres since I promised as my first worke done in this kinde should be accepted to put out something of like nature vpon other mysticall and darke places of the holy Scriptures Now I cannot but acknowledge my selfe herein a debter vnto thee for thy good acceptation both of that and of some other Bookes of mine also and therefore as my weaknesse would giue me leaue and the manifold distractions of sicknesses remouings worldly incombrances and ministeriall Offices lying vpon me permit I haue prepared another part of the intended Treasury which thou here seest Not as haply is expected vpon the Epistles of Saint Paul which are next in order but vpon the seuen smaller and more neglected Epistles and the Reuelation For I obserued that faith without relying vpon workes for iustification is not so needfull to bee pressed now adaies which is a chiefe thing insisted vpon in the Epistles of Saint Paul but true loue and works flowing here-from together with an holy and vnblamable life to stirre vp vnto which if we speake of the first the Epistles of Saint Iohn are excellent of the second the Epistle of Saint Iames and if of the third those of Saint Peter Againe there are few that haue written vpon these Epistles in comparison of the other and therefore for a supply of this defect I thought it would be more acceptable seeing I cannot doe all together to doe some thing first hereupon Lastly because of all the Bookes of Scripture the Reuelation is least vnderstood and therefore is least read and meditated vpon and yet most necessary comforts in these tumultuous times are to bee fetchted here-from as singularly pointing at them and a finall deliuerance of the Church of God from all her troubles my speciall aime in anticipating the proper time of it hath beene that thou mayest not be longer left without the knowledge of this common place of comfort but be stayed and stablished in an assured expectation of a ioyfull and blessed end through the certaine and speedy downfall of the Romish Antichrist and the vniuersall preuailing of the truth that then shall be and the great triumphs that shall be made amongst the faithfull in all places therefore In this Worke I haue not persisted barely to explicate the difficulties of the Texts vndertaken laying onely together what I finde in my Authors and briefly concluding vpon my Exposition imbraced But in the seuen Catholike Epistles which are handled according to the method of my former worke I haue supplyed which was there wanting First a Preface to each Epistle Secondly an Analysis of each Chapter Thirdly choice Latine sentences opposed in the margine Fourthly a confutation of those Expositions which I follow not Fiftly a paraphrasticall Exposition of the verses comming betweene Text and Text wherein there is some but lesse obscurity Sixtly some short Annotations at the end of euery Text. Touching the Reuelation because after the three former Chapters it is all most obscure Hicronim Epist ad Paulim for according to Ierome Quot verba sunt tot sunt mysteria there are as many mysteries as words I haue therefore altered my order before vsed handling it thorowout by Questions as Augustine sometime did many parts of the Scriptures Augustine And because if I should here haue brought in my Authors speaking the worke would haue growne too great the mysteries to bee expounded being so many and the Expositors so many I haue spared this
so much as to bend the bow of our tongues or shoot out the Arrowes of reproachfull words The modesty of the Arch-angell towards the Deuill of whose amendment there was no hope ought to be our imitation towards our brethren though very wicked because yet haply God may giue them repentance whereas by railing they may be more exasperated and the malady of their sinne will be in the more danger of being increased Note againe Note that such as are misled by errour are such infest enemies against the truth because they know it not the Papists for the most part know not our Doctrines nor in what manner we worship and serue God but being possest with an opinion that we ouerthrow good workes and that wee beat downe all Religion they become so virulent against vs. God open their eyes that they may know the truth amongst vs professed that they may cease to conuitiate it and reforme according to the same Note lastly Note that three things doe manifestly worke in Heretikes and hereby they may be knowne commonly to bee such Enuy Couerousnesse and Ambition like to that of Cain Balaam and Chore. And who seeth not these in the Church of Rome Enuy and hatred carrieth them to the murthering of thousands Couetousnesse is the plaine ground of their manifold idolatries and superstitions and it is Ambition in the Pope and Roman Clergy that cannot endure the superiority of Emperours and Kings nor a liberty in any either temporall persons or Ecclesiastikes from that Sea IVDE VER 14. But Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophesied of them saying Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints Vers 15. To giue iudgement against all and to reproue all the vngodly of them c. There is nothing hard to be vnderstood here but onely in that mention is made of the prophesying of Enoch Mayer a question offereth it selfe whether there were any such Booke of canonicall Scripture wherein this was contained and if there were whether it is to bee thought that any such bookes perished And if there were no canonicall Booke of Enochs Fab. Stapul Tertullian where had Iude this prophesie One affirmeth out of Tertullian that there was such a booke preserued by Noah in the Arke but after the Apostles times it was hidden by the Iewes because it contained too open a testimony of the vniust condemning of the iust one Beza And another mentioneth a booke of Enochs concerning which they said Tho. Aquinas Gloss ordin Beza that it contained 4082. lines And some say that there was an Apocryphall booke that went vnder the name of Enoch but was not Enochs containing in it many incredible things Some if it be granted that this booke was canonicall hold that it might notwithstanding bee lost for many others haue beene lost likewise as The booke of the warres of the Lord mentioned Numb 21.14 The booke of Iasher Ios 10.13 The booke of Nathan of Gad and Semeias of Iddo Ahia and Iehu mentioned in the Chronicles but yet so many haue beene preserued as that we neede no more vnto saluation Perkins in Iude. Some againe will not yeeld by any meanes that there was euer any such booke of Enoch that was canonicall Scripture neither that these bookes before mentioned were canonicall affirming that the booke of the warres was but a ciuill Chronicle and whatsoeuer was set forth in the other bookes is all contained in the bookes of Kings and Chronicles For my owne part I thinke that there was some such booke of Enoch to the certaine knowledge whereof they that liued neare the Apostles times might come by their relation and if of Enochs setting forth Faber Stap. it must needs bee canonicall and authenticall but yet is now Apocryphall as one speaketh because it is hid and we know not where it is and it was possible that this might befall such a sacred booke there being yet nothing in it for substance but what is in those that we haue now Enoch was a most holy man and most ancient and therefore what is produced of his must needs be of force The number of canonicall bookes was not then made vp and therefore there might be a mis-carrying of some Gagneus as one probably speaketh but now they shall continue preserued for the perfecting of the Man of God without the losse or corrupting of any to the worlds end Thousands of his Saints are put for an innumerable company the Lord commeth or hath come as in the Greeke speaking after the manner of Prophets for the certainty of the thing This prophesie is said to be of them because they amongst other wicked ones were such as are taxed by it Hauing the person in admiration for gaine that is Vers 16. foothing and flatteringly extolling the great and rich in this world that they might by this meanes insinuate themselues into them for their greater worldly benefit But others that they could not draw to their faction of what degree or estate soeuer amongst the sound Christians they murmured and were querulous against as in the words before going Shew mercy to some putting difference Vers 22. Beza the vulgar Latine readeth it reproue some as iudged and so Beza saith that hee found it in three Greeke Copies they which follow that expound it of those that haue openly separated themselues Gagneus Th. Aquinas Faber Stap. reproue them as being without hope of recouery but set the iudgements to come before others that being terrified herewith as if they had already felt hell fire they may be conuerted and saued Some reade it reproue some whilst ye are iudged that is Oecumen condemned and censured by them Ours follow the first and best reading wherein the word putting difference is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being of the middle voice and so may bee taken actiuely as well as passiuely and according to this reading the sense is plaine some must by gentler meanes bee wonne from these Heretikes and some by dealing more terribly with them in propounding the horrible iudgements hanging ouer their heads as their tractability or refractarinesse did require Hating the very garment spotted with the flesh Vers 23. Beza a metaphoricall speech taken from the ceremoniall Law intimating that they should abhorre from all tincture of this fleshly sinning the vulgar Latine hath it Hate the spotted coat which is carnall Tho. Aquinas Gorran the spotted coat being expounded the flesh the coat of the soule but foolishly as Beza rightly speaketh THE REVELATION OF St. IOHN BEcause it hath beene questioned what Iohn wrote this Booke and of what authority it is and also what the scope of it is it will be necessary before we enter vpon the particular obscurities occurring herein to discusse these things And first touching the Author Euseb l. 7. c. 25. Pareus saith out of Eusebius that it was sometime held to bee written by Cerinthus the Heretike for the maintenance of a fond
mountainous places and Ilands were sought out to be destroyed which is expressed in saying the mountaines and Ilands were remoued out of their place then all professours of the Christian religion sought to hide themselues from the anger of him that sitteth vpon the throne thinking God and the Lambe to bee angry with them set forth in the last words Bullinger Pareus Others will haue the corruption in the time of Antichrist meant which time say they began when Constantine aduanced Syluester the Bishop of Rome and his successours and continueth in the Papacy to this day then began a great earthquake by the change of the state of the Church into Pontificall then the Sunne the doctrine touching Christ was darkened through the interposition of traditions the Moone the Church was turned into bloud either by murthers committed by Antichrist or by the corrupt worshipping of God the starres the ministers of God fell from heauen by apostatising from the truth the heauen the Church was folded together as a booke when it appeared not any where or the holy Scriptures were shut vp from the people the mountaines Emperours and Kings were remoued by Popes the Ilands the people were remoued out of their place by being made beleeue vpon paine of damnation that the Pope is the head of the Church And being brought to this estate of corruption as there can be no sound peace but terrors of conscience out of the truth so all estates are set forth as terrified by a conscience of Gods iudgement and some indeed fulfilled this according to the letter going into wildernesses and Monasteries seeking by applying themselues to perpetuall deuotion to quiet their consciences accusing them for former offences but could not effect it But herein Pareus differeth from Bullinger for hee applieth this of the generall feare of all estates and degrees to the last day of iudgement which shall follow after that the world hath beene so corrupted in the time of Antichrists reigne Lastly some vnderstand by this earth-quake Forbs c. the great alteration that came vpon the Romane Empire by meanes of the Gothes and other barbarous nations which was so great as that the whole world seemed to be changed But I subscribe to the first exposition because most agreeable to the letter and where the literall sense may stand there is no vse of allegories And indeed without straining no time but the day of iudgement can be rightly called the great day of Gods wrath wherein all the wicked of all estates and degrees are filled with terrour at Gods presence If it bee taken as an allegory there are so great differences that there will bee no certainty of truth Besides that it doth no way answer the precedent cry for vengeance so fitly as being literally vnderstood of the last day for whatsoeuer commotions there be in states and kingdomes yet euery one is not at such times so seuerely animaduerted against but many escape whereas here euery one is said to tremble and feare Whereas Pareus includeth both the persecution vnder Antichrist and the day of iudgement also I cannot see how that can stand for the fleeing away of all estates and degrees for feare is an effect of those stupendious accidents in heauen and in earth as in reason it is likely when such things shall come to passe no lesse can be expected but horrible feare Let vs then study to pacifie Gods anger before this day commeth by true repentance and humiliation that wee may not finde it a day of wrath but of euerlasting mercy to vs. CHAP. VII THE dreadfull manner of Gods comming to iudge and to take reuenge vpon the enemies and corrupters of his truth hauing beene set forth in the sixt Chapter lest there should arise anxiety in the minds of the faithfull about the Lords care touching them in the midst of all the miseries before described for that it hath not yet appeared how they are prouided for when all things shall be so full of dread feare he doth apart here set forth Gods care ouer them during all those troubles and affrighting apparitions they were marked in the forehead that no hurt might hereby seize vpon them but these tribulations might be to them a way to future glory and the inuestment with white robes washed in the Bloud of the Lambe at what time all teares shall be wiped from their eyes for euer For the meaning of the particular passages here Quest 1. Vers 1. After this I saw foure Angels standing vpon the foure corners of the earth holding the foure winds that they might not blow vpon the earth c. What is meant by these things Rupertus Caelius Pannon Answ Most Expositors vnderstand by these winds the Spirit of God in the Preachers of his Word diffusing it selfe in all parts of the world but the euill angels the Deuils which rule in the Antichristian Sect seeke to hinder these winds by suppressing the pure preaching of Gods holy Word in all places Dionys Bullinger Pareus Brightman to the corrupting and decay of all true Religion They keepe the winds from blowing vpon the earth that is the vulgar sort the sea that is Doctrine the trees that is men of more eminency or by the earth they vnderstand men dwelling in any part of the earth by the sea the inhabitants of Ilands by trees such as lurked in woods or they take the earth for earthly ones the sea for the worship of God and trees for people good and bad which professe to worship God Againe there is difference also about these foure Angels for some vnderstand the foure Monarchies Primas Haimo Ambrose Amsbert Lyra. in the time whereof the truth was hindred Some foure persecuting Emperours who after that Dioclesian and Maximianus had forsaken the Empire did together persecute the Christian Religion in the foure parts of the world viz. Maximianus in the East Seuerus in Italy the west Licinius in Alexandria in Egypt the South Maxentius at Rome and whereas all others vnderstand Christ by the Angell with the seale he vnderstandeth Constantine the great who suppressed these tyrants And some againe by the Angell in the East vnderstand the Mahumetans in the West the Pope in the North the Germane Empire in the south Spaine For mine owne part when I consider the premises of great and horrible miseries to come vpon the world I cannot but thinke as I intimated before in generall that comfort against these euils is here intended to the godly and therefore I subscribe rather to those that vnderstand these things literally of foure Angels appointed by God as his Ministers herein for it is said To them it is giuen to hurt c. to destroy all things Arethas Ribera Fox and this is fitly set forth by holding the foure winds because in wind and breath consisteth the life of euery thing in this world things of the earth as men and beasts of the sea as fishes and fowles and the trees
all Countries who were the first people of God and had the Gospell first preached vnto them whereas the other of the Catholike Epistles are to the Gentiles that beleeued in all parts of the world Wherefore Ierome setteth them in this order also Hieron prolog though the Latines respecting the dignity of Peter placed his Epistles first Pareus Pareus holdeth that they should rather bee put in another order first 1 Peter and then Iames because Peter wrote that Epistle first and then Iames following Peter in the same after both which Paul wrote to the Hebrewes Howsoeuer this matter needeth no great dispute seeing order in the placing of the Bookes of holy Scripture is not so precisely obserued yet in reason seeing Saint Iames his Epistle is nominatim to the twelue Tribes but Saint Peters is not so and his second Epistle is to all Christians if any preference be giuen to an Epistle in the placing thereof in respect of them to whom it is written this of Iames should be first and then those of Peter together it being neuer vsed to separate the Epistles of one and the same Author but to place them together This Epistle is said to be of the Apostle Iames and so it is intituled by Beza both in Greek and Latine Euseb Eccl. â—ist lib. 3. cap. 25. Hieren Epist 41. ad Paulin. Cypr. lib. ad Nouat Aug. Epist 29. and both Eusebius and Ierome doe testifie that this Epistle was counted Apostolicall in their times Cyprian also citeth it as Apostolicall and Augustine and Concilium Mileuitan Can. 7. Pareus also subscribeth to this Yet some thinke it was written by Iames surnamed Iustus or Oblias that is Mute who according to Epiphanius was called the Brother of our Lord because hee was the sonne of Ioseph by a former Wife Epiphan in Haeres Antidicomarianorum and hee was one of the 70. sent forth by our Lord being afterwards constituted Bishop of Ierusalem To this Luther subscribeth Luther and the Lutherans following him who doe not therefore hold it to be canonicall Scripture But for as much as it hath anciently beene receiued as Canonicall and Apostolicall not onely by the forenamed Authors but also by Origen Athanasius Orig. Hom. iâ— Ios Athan. in Synops Epiph. lib. 3. haer 76 Isid Hisp lib. 6. Etymol cap. 1. Niceph. lib. 2. hist cap. 46. Damasc lib. 4. de fide cap. 11. Epiphanius Isidorus Hispalensis Nicephorus and Damascen and the very directing of it to all parts after an Apostolicall manner doth argue it to be written not by a Bishop of any particular place but by an Apostle who was sent vnto all I hold it without doubt to be the Epistle of the Apostle Iames and consequently Canonicall as the Epistles of other Apostles are If it be demanded which Iames wrote it for there were two of that name Iames the sonne of Zebedeus and brother of Iohn and Iames the sonne of Alpheus a Kinsman of our Lord and therefore called his Brother also as Iames Oblias before spoken of was I answer with Pareus and others that the consideration of the time when it was written argueth that the first of these Iames the brother of Iohn cannot be the Author of it but Iames the sonne of Alpheus otherwise called Iames the lesser Act. 12. for the elder Iames was slaine by Herod before the dispersion of the Iewes the second yeere of Claudius Sucton in Claud. cap. 25. who did afterwards cast the Iewes and Christians out of the City and then in the time of their dispersion was this Epistle written vnto them as appeareth by the superscription thereof Enseb lib. 2 c. 22. Hieron in Catal. If it be obiected that Eusebius and Ierome both doe report that it was anciently doubted of whether it be Canonicall or no I answer that they did onely mention such a thing but they did not doubt hereof themselues If it be further obiected that he doth not call himselfe an Apostle but the seruant of Iesus Christ I answer that Paul in some of his Epistles in ituleth himselfe likewise the name of an Apostle being omitted and neither Iohn nor Iude write themselues Apostles but only Peter Lastly if it bee obiected that here is something deliuered contrary to that of Saint Paul touching iustification not by saith onely but by workes and anointing with Oile is mentioned which none of the other Apostles speaketh of I answer that I haue already shewed vpon Rom. 3. that the seeming contrariety betwixt Saint Paul and Saint Iames is nothing they being rightly vnderstood and touching the anointing with Oile it shall be considered in the proper place As for any thing else obiected it is not worth the naming and therefore I come directly to the Epistle it selfe wherein after a salutation he comforteth them as the present occasion of their distressed estate did require and hauing called their troubles herein temptations he taketh occasion to speake also of inward temptations tending vnto euill vers 13. prouing that they come not from God one speciall reason of which is that euery good and perfect gift is from him vers 17. and to proue this hee doth instance in the great gift and grace of our regeneration which is of God by his Word vers 18. and therefore inferreth a readinesse to heare this Word remouing the ill effects that through mens owne corruption follow of hearing wrath and speaking in wrath verse 19. c. and setting downe the right vse and end of hearing verse 22. c. And lastly to driue all men from speaking in wrath he sheweth the vanity of his religion that doth so verse 26. and to perswade to loue and pure affections in hearing the contrary to which he had commanded to lay apart verse 21. he commendeth charity whereby our loue is most declared and of which it is said Giue almes of that yee haue Luk. 11.47 and all things shall be cleane vnto you and purity from the inquinations of the world to which a man is subiect by ouerualuing the things thereof verse 27. How the other Chapters of this Epistle doe cohere each one with the former and in it selfe shall bee shewed as wee come to the expounding of them in order CHAP. I. THe former words of this Chapter haue little difficulty in them and therefore I will runne them ouer briefly Vers 1. Verse 1. The twelue Tribes vnto which hee writeth said to be scattered abroad or in dispersion are the beleeuers of euery Tribe now expelled from Ierusalem by CLAVDIVS CESAR as hath beene already touched But it is to be vnderstood that ten of the twelue Tribes were still in that banishment vnder Salmanasar King of Assyria for wee reade not of the returne of any 2 Kings 17. but of the two Tribes and an halfe in the dayes of Exra and Nehemiah or at any time since and therefore it is likely that the Apostle had respect to that dispersion also if happely
persons preserued are said to be saued by the water because when all others perished in the water they were borne in the Arke vpon the waters and escaped drowning So likewise by Baptisme whatsoeuer is carnall naturall is destroyed and we are made spirituall when we are hereby receiued into the Church as into the Arke depending vpon Christ by faith But it is nothing outward in baptisme that saueth vs but the couenant whereupon a good conscience doth comfortably rest being able to say This thou hast promised Lord vnto me and therefore wilt performe it By the resurrection of Christ that is it being by faith apprehended not onely that Christ died for vs but that he rose againe to make his death effectuall vnto vs. Luther acknowledgeth this place to be so obscure Mayer as that he is not fully satisfied about the sense of it but preferreth this as seeming to him the best that yet could be found out Caietan saith that Christ went and preached to the spirits in hell and that not vnfruitfully But this is worthily reiected by Luther because there is no comming out of that place Gagneus And Gagneus a Papist also derideth it asking who told him of any that were there conuerted He also confesseth that he cannot attaine to any satisfying resolution of this place Some he saith expound it of Christs comming once before his comming in the flesh euen in Noahs time to preach whilest the Arke was in building but as they disobeying not flying into the Arke were drowned so now that Christ hath come in the flesh if any obey not to fly to the Sacrament of Baptisme they cannot but perish The Greekes reade that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirits in hell which we read in prison holding that he went to preach vnto them not to saue them but to vpbraid them with their infidelity and sinnes notwithstanding the long warning which they had by Noah Beda Beda is altogether for preaching to men in this world and therefore readeth it either in prison that is to such as were shut vp in the body as in a prison or in the flesh that is such as were greatly oppressed with fleshly desires But to examine and determine in order the doubts or this place first what is meant by being put to death or mortified in the flesh and quickened in the spirit The old Latine translation followed by Tho. Aquinas and Gorraâ— readeth it Mortificatos carne c. as I haue shewed already and it is expounded by them accordingly of our being mortified and quickened But the Latine translation hath beene amended according to the Greeke as Lorinus acknowledgeth being by the fault of the Writer corrupted according to Gagneus and Augustine Ierom and Cyprian and Ruffin follow this reading He being quickened c. But it being agreed about this reading yet there is a question what is meant by Christs being quickened in the spirit 〈◊〉 An answer to certaine obiections against Christs descent Some contend that his soule was preserued aliue when he was bodily dead and that nothing else is meant And one taketh great paines in alleaging other places of Scripture where to quicken doth signifie to keepe aliue as Luke 17.33 Luke 9.24 Marke 8.33 Iohn 12.25 Exod 1.22 1 Sam. 27.9 c. And the Syrian Interpreter who readeth these words here Gecumen August Thâ— Aquin. Euther He died in body but liued in spirit Some would haue his diuine power meant quickening others that were dead who came out of their graues Some vnderstand his reuiuing againe to a spirituall life after his bodily death the quickening spirit comming againe into his dead body Some lastly vnderstand his diuinity wherein he liued â—â—â—d ras 〈◊〉 and alwaies liueth because the Godhead is a spirit expounding his being quickened in the spirit of his being restored to life by the power of his diuinity Beda citeth Athanasius taking the spirit here for the holy Ghost Athanesues as if it were meant that he was quickened in the faithfull his members in the spirit comming into them I subscribe to that of Augustine and Luther as seeming to me most genuine he died the naturall death but liued againe the spirituall life in soule and body For although the word here vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be often put for preserued aliue yet here it being opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it agreeth better to vnderstand it of that which is opposite to being put to death that is being raised to life againe in the spirit that is by the power of the Deity his very body is now become spirituall as ours shall also be And thus it agreeth excellently with that which went before that we should patiently suffer any wrongs because as the Lord Iesus did not so neither shall we lose any thing no not though we should be put to death for we shall but exchange as Christ did a naturall life for a spirituall and heauenly which is for euer Secondly What is meant by Christs going in the spirit to preach to the spirits in prison c. To this it is answered diuersly by diuers some of which answers I haue shewed already First It was a generall receiued opinion amongst most that Christ descended into hell there in person to preach to such spirits as were departed out of this world before his comming Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. 6. Athanasius Epist ad Epâ—ctet Epiphan Haeres 77. Cyrillus Alex. in Iohan. cap. 36. lib. 12. Hillar in Psal 118. Ieronym in cap. 54. Esa Ambros in Rom. 10. Iustin in tryphon Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 23. And the last of these two alleageth a place out of Esay the former of Ieremy in these words The holy Lord of Israel was mindfull of his dead which slept in the earth and descended to preach saluation to them that he might saue them Which words are not now extant any where but are thought by Irenaeus through the hatred of Christianity to haue beene put out by the Iewes yet they that agree in the generall of Christ his descent doe greatly differ about the effect thereof Some holding that hee saued all that were in hell before by his preaching as Hilary and Hermes in his booke entituled Pastor but the disobedient in Noahs time are named onely because they were the greatest number that perished together This is mentioned and reiected as an heresie by Augustine August lib. de Hares cap. 79. and that worthily because so contrary to the holy Scriptures Esa 66.24 Matth. 18.8 Luke 16.26 Some agaâ—ne hold that hee saued onely those that were worthy who led a good life and would haue beleeued if he had before come amongst them but vpbraided the rest by their disobedience and infidelity as Occum Gregory Nazianzen c. or that there were some penitent amongst them that were drowned by the floud whom he had saued as Lyra teacheth And it is a thing generally held amongst the Papists that there were
sure word of prophesie to which ye doe well that yee take heed as to a light shining in a darke place vntill the day be light and the day-starre arise in your hearts c. He saith Oecumen in 2 Pet. 1. that we haue the word of prophesie the more sure not because there was any prophesie before of this voice that came from heauen but because by that voice comming from the Father we are confirmed touching those things that were prophesied of the Sonne by the Prophets long agoe and doe without question conclude that all their prophesying is most certaine and stable But this prophesying he saith was then a light shining in a darke or nasty place till the Sun-beames came by Christ to inlighten the world and this is the daies growing light through that knowledge which we attaine vnto vnder the Gospell And if any man shall say But why did not the Prophets expound and make more plaine what they prophesied for so a great light might haue beene giuen long before he addeth they prophesied as they were moued by the Spirit of God neither were there prophesies of any priuate interpretation so that howsoeuer they vnderstood what they prophesied yet they were not to explaine their prophesies to others seeing that the Spirit moued them not to this but to leaue them darke for others to study vpon them till the time of light should come There is nothing of difficulty betwixt the former Text and this Mayer for when Peter speaketh of his departure hence and of the Lords forewarning him hereof he meaneth that forewarning Iohn 21.19 and his being present to see Christs glory and to heare the voyce of the Father from Heauen was Matth. 17. Touching the present Text Luther Luther saith that the prophesie is called firmer because we haue no such Prophets now as were then Faber Stapul Faber by firmer vnderstandeth most firme and taketh it not as spoken comparatiuely preferring old prophesies for certainty before the present preaching of the Apostles than which nothing can be more certaine Or else he calleth it firmer in respect of the knowledge what was meant thereby by the illumination of the holy Ghost the Apostles had not a coniecturall prophesie as others that conceiued erroneously thereof but more firme because they were sure that thus vnderstood it was true The. Aquinas and Gorran say Tho. Aquin Gorran that the prophesie touching Christ of old by Dauid Psal 2. Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee is said to be more firme in respect of the Iewes who beleeued the Prophets rather than the Apostles Beza also consenteth with this Beza but rather would haue the comparatiue here vsed taken for the superlatiue most firme So likewise Beda and Gagneus and Lyra and Augustine also The authority of the old Prophets was such Aug. serm 27. de verb. apost ca. 4. Quis nostrum non miretur certiorem Propheticum sermonem dici quà m vox de Coelo Certiorem dixit non meliorem non veriorem Quid est ergo certiorem in quo magis confirmetur auditor Quare hoc Quoniam sunt homines infideles qui sic detrahunt Christo vt dicant eum magicis artibus fecisse quae fecit Possent ergo infideles etiam istam vocem delatam de Coelo per coniecturas humanas illicitas curiositates ad magicam artem referre Sed Prophetae ante fuere Si ergo magicis artibus fecit vt coleretur nunquid magus erat antequam natus as that it had beene a long time receiued for certaine and great reuerence was giuen thereunto both by Iewes and Gentiles euer since the translation of the old Testament by the 72 at the appointment of Ptolomee Philadelphus King of Aegypt And to this exposition as the most genuine doe I subscribe For if Peter had meant a most firme prophesie hee would haue spoken in the superlatiue not in the comparatiue degree and to say that there are no such Prophets vnder the new Testament as were vnder the old is without all ground seeing they had the same spirit Lastly this is not spoken against those that erroneously interpreted the Prophets but for further confirmation of those that would not so readily receiue any thing lately done or said because they suspected fraud whom he therefore referreth to the Prophets not only in this particular vttered by the voyce from Heauen but in all other things concerning the Messiah Touching the words following the words translated in a darke place are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a squalide filthy place such as this world is by reason of the great corruption in it Oecumen Oecumenius seemeth to vnderstand it as spoken with reference to former times And it is one exposition brought by Faber Faber Stapul that the old Law is a shadow and figure darkly setting forth the mysteries of Christ vntill the day of the new Law by the comming of Christ waxeth light and the day-starre of the Sunne of righteousnesse that is the Gospell arise in their hearts they being conuerted vnto it and thus Luther Beza Piscator c. vnderstand it also Faber hath also another exposition whereby the day of iudgement or the great light after that time to those that are glorified is vnderstood by the day waxing light and the day-starre arising for then we shall know as we are knowne and all the light of Prophets and Apostles here is but like a Candle in a darke place in comparison of that most glorious light Thus S. * August serm 237. de temp In die ambulamus comparat infidelium comparat verò illius diei in qua resurgent mortui adhuc nox sumus Augustine vnderstandeth it as it seemeth by these words of his We walke in the day in respect of Infidels but in respect of that day when the dead shall rise we are yet night and so he reconcileth Paul and Peter whereas Rom. 13.12 he saith The night is past and the day is come But Peter here speaketh of the day as to come And in another place he saith further * Aug. Tract 35. in Iohan. Tunc praesenti tali die lucernae non erunt necessariae non legetur nobis Propheta non aperietur codex Apostoli non requiretur testimonium Iohannis non ipso indigebimus Euangelio Omnes Scripturae tollentur de medio quae nobis in huins saeculi nocte tanquam lucernae accendebantur Tho. Aquin. in speaking of the discouering of all things at the day of iudgemēt when that day commeth light shall not be needfull the Prophets shall not be read nor the booke of the Apostles opened the testimony of Iohn shall not be required we shall not need the Gospell all Scriptures shall be taken away which as lights haue beene set vp in the night of this world To this exposition subscribeth Prosper and Tho. Aquinas Gorran and Gagneus and many more Yet Tho. Aquinas distinguisheth betwixt the
opinion that the faithfull should liue here with Christ in all manner of pleasure a thousand yeeres But the Greekes were neuer of that opinion neither can it possibly stand seeing nothing is more plainly in this Booke set forth than the eternity of Christ which was by Cerinthus impugned holding that Christ was not before the Virgin Mary Euseb l. 3. c. 39. The same Eusebius also writeth of another Iohn a Diuine whose Monument was seene at Ephesus together with the Monument of Iohn the Apostle whom to haue beene the Author of the two last Epistles of Iohn and of the Reuelation Dionysius Alexandrinus consenteth But this title The Diuine could not so rightly be giuen to any as to Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist seeing he excelled all others in writing of the Diuinity of Christ And therefore Arias Montanus to put it out of all doubt that the Apostle Iohn and not any other was the Author of this Booke hath prefixed this title The Reuelation of the holy Apostle and Euangelist Iohn the Diuine For though this bee not in the title yet so much in effect is in the Text chap. 1. vers 2. Iohn which witnessed the Word of God and the testimony of Iesus Christ and the things which he saw For this is plainly a Periphrasis of Iohn the Apostle seeing he gaue testimony to Christ by this name Ioh. 1. The Word In the beginning was the Word c. and here speaking of his comming to iudgement he setteth him forth by the same name Reuel 19.13 1 Ioh. 1. His name is the Word of God And he beginneth this Epistle with What wee haue seene with our eyes and haue beheld c. And in concluding the Gospell he is spoken of as a witnesse and his writing as a testimony This is the Disciple witnessing these things Ioh. 21.24 and wee know that his testimony is true Againe the circumstance of the place speaketh plainly that Iohn the Apostle and not any other was the Author of this Booke for this Iohn was banished for the Gospels sake into Pathmes by Domitian the Emperour Euseb 3. c. 18. Wherefore by the consent of all the best Writers the Author of this booke was Iohn the Euangelist and Apostle so saith Iustin Martyr dial cum Tryphone Iren. lib. 4. c. 37. Clemen Alex. Pedagog lib. 2. cap. 12. Orig. Hom. 7. in Ios Athanas in Synopsi Epiphan Haeres 51. Chrys Hom. 5. in Psal 91. Tertul. lib. 4. Contra Marcion Cyprian exhort Martyrij cap. 8. Ambros Psal 50. August 39. in Iohan. Hieron Catal. Scriptorum illustrium c. Grasserus comparing this booke with Daniel saith that they are alike in their Authors for as Daniel so Iohn was a man greatly beloued of the Lord If it bee demanded when he wrote this Booke Invita Ioan. Ierome answereth that hee wrote it when Domitian moued the second persecution after Nero the fourteenth yeere of his reigne And with him agreeth Ireneus a most ancient Writer Iren. l. 3. cap. 25. saying Iohn wrote the Reuelation almost in our time towards the end of Domitians Empire For Iohn liued longer than any other Apostle euen to the third yeere of Traian which was 102. from the birth of Christ according to Ierome which was six yeeres after hee wrote this Booke which was written Anno 96. And for this cause it is placed after all other bookes of holy Scripture because it was written after them all in time Reuel 22. and is as it were the seale of them all being fenced with a charge of adding no more as the first Bookes written by Moses were Deut. 4. Secondly touching the authority of this Booke Grasserus sheweth that it was sometime refused for canonicall amongst Christians as Daniel was amongst the Iewes because of the obscurity through which it was thought little beneficiall to the Church to be read But as Daniel was after the captiuity receiued into the Canon and afterwards had Christs owne testimony Rab. Samuel prooemio in Comment Dan. Mat. 24.15 though the Rabins doe still dispute whether it ought to be reckoned amongst the immediate workes of the holy Ghost so this reuelation was very anciently receiued into the Canon witnesse the Councell of Ancyra in the appendix which was before the Councell of Nice and the third Carthag Councell Can. 47. And good reason seeing it was written by an inspired Apostle and is testified by the Author to be the Reuelation of Iesus Christ Neither is there any doubt made of the authority of it at this day no not amongst the Lutherans themselues though Luther sometime in translating the new Testament left it out for the obscurity Touching the scope of this booke the ancient Fathers haue giuen vs little or no light into it For howsoeuer some of them haue written vpon it as Iustin Martyr Ireneus Lugdunensis Ieron in vita Iohan. Eus l. 5. c. 25. and Melito Sardensis as testifieth Ierome and Eusebius yet we want their bookes but onely that Ireneus hath something touching it lib. 5. cap. 21 23 25. and Augustine lib. 20. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 7. vsque ad 18. yet so many of later times haue written hereupon as that one a popish Writer numbreth 100. Alcasar But they of that side haue rather written to bleare mens eyes from seeing the truth than to inlighen them herein They generally referre the things here foretold to the end of the world when Antichrist shall come and tyrannize but three yeeres and a halfe whereas the Author of this booke testifieth that these things must shortly come to passe Vers 1. The obscurity of the things here deliuered hath deterred men anciently from writing vpon it For so Saint Augustine confesseth saying In the Reuelation there are many obscure things that may exercise the minde of the Reader Lib. 20. De ciuit Dâ—i c. 17. Obscura multa leguntur vt mentem legentis exâ—râ—â—al pauca in co sunt ex quorum manifestatione indagentur caetera cum labore maximè quia sic eadem multis modis repetit vt alia atque alia dicere vidcatur cum aliter atque aliter haec ipsa dicere inuâ—stigatur Epist ad Paulin. and there are few things in it by the manifestation whereof other things may be found out with labour chiefly because he doth so repeat the same things many waies so as that he may seeme to speake diuers things when as indeed he is found out to speake the same things diuers waies And with him Ierome consenteth saying The Reuelation of Iohn hath as many Sacraments as words in euery word many vnderstandings lie hid For this cause euen they which haue written vpon it haue generally acknowledged that they were a long time afraid to aduenture vpon so difficult a worke but sith experience in these latter daies doth helpe much to enlighten these darknesses they haue professed that they haue with great assurance set forth their expositions reaping rather
more comfort and support from hence than from any booke of the holy Scriptures besides And for mine owne part I must needs confesse that almost twenty yeeres are now past since my entrance into the Ministery before I durst attempt any thing about so great a worke Amongst all the best Writers that I haue seene it is generally agreed that the scope of this booke is to set forth both the estate of the Church of God then vnder the figure of those Churches in Asia and thenceforth to the end of the world Onely some doe so vnderstand all things after the fourth Chapter to bee spoken of that which was to come as that they admit of no mixture of things past whereas others vnderstand in some of the visions a representation of some things past also for the more orderly proceeding to things to come Againe some expound the Epistles to the seuen Churches as Propheticall others only as Historicall granting that in them all are indeed admonishished whose case is alike Lastly some hold that euery succeeding vision almost setteth forth a new thing to come but others that the whole period of time to come from the daies wherein this booke was written with the most notable euents are comprehended in euery vision and so the same things are againe and againe iterated vnder diuers similitudes the former setting them forth obscurely the latter more plainly But whether coniecture be most probable we shall see in the proper places as we shall come to them in order Concerning the title of this booke with the singular commendation thereof in the three former verses there is no difference amongst Expositors For all agree that the Apocalyps in Greeke or Reuelation in English is an opening of hidden things such as all things to come are and therefore though they bee but darkly reuealed yet not so darkly but that wee may by diligent search vnderstand them else how is it a Reuelation Neither is it lost labour to take great paines to vnderstand what is here reuealed Vers 3. seeing they are pronounced blessed that reade and heare and keepe that which is here written And whereas it is intituled Vers 1. The Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him it is by all agreed that this title is put vpon it for the honour of the worke and because it was not Iohn but Iesus Christ that reuealed these things by his Angel vnto Iohn and it is said to bee giuen him of God in respect of his humanity Lastly whereas it is added The time is neere it is to be vnderstood in respect of God to whom a thousand yeeres are but as one day That which followeth Vers 4 5 6. vers 4 5 c. giueth more occasion of question Why doth Iohn direct this booke to the seuen Churches in Asia and not to all Christian Churches in generall Quest if these things concerne all To this one saith Answ Fox That this haply is not done without a mystery the number of seuen being a number of perfection and so all Christian Churches wheresoeuer are saluted vnder their name or else because the Holy Ghost foresaw the power of Satan in persecuting to be first exercised against them as the euent also declared And this exposition is followed by Brightman and some others But because here is not only the number of seuen generally set down but also a particular enumeration of these seuen by name shewing that these are principally and first meant here others only by way of consequence or deduction laboring with the like vices or endued with the like vertues I rather subscribe to Pareus with whom also Gorran saith the same That this first vision doth directly concerne those seuen Churches only the rest all in generall This Asia was the lesser a part of the greater Asia in the seuen principall Cities whereof Iohn had founded Churches but being now banished hee is directed to admonish the Bishops left behind him of their duty And thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of these Churches here whether they be typicall and how shall be considered in the proper place I hasten now to another question in this salutation Quest whom he meaneth when he saith Which is which was and which is to come and by the seuen Spirits and Iesus Christ If the three persons in the Trinity why is eternity appropriated to the Father onely and if the Spirit is but one why is he called the seuen Spirits and why is Iesus Christ the second person in the Trinity placed last contrary to the order of all other Scriptures It is agreed by all Answ that here are set forth the three persons of the Trinity but how there is some difference Brightman telleth of one Arethas Brightman that by the first words Which is which was and which is to come vnderstood the three Persons of the Trinity because the Father is elsewhere also set forth by this name Which is Exod. 3.14 the Sonne by this name Which was Ioh. 1.1 and the Holy Ghost by this name Which is to come Ioh. 16.8 but this hee disclaimeth because there is such a distinct enumeration of the three Persons as that this must needs be vnderstood of the nature of the Deity ascribed onely to the first Person to set forth his constant and immutable truth in his promises vnder the Gospell which is vnder the Law which was and at the end of the world which is to come Some referre this description to Gods Essence onely but it is most probable that God hath thus set forth himselfe for our sakes that wee might haue comfort in his certaine accomplishment of his promises and therefore a word is vsed to set him forth already comming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this truth present past and to come is ascribed to the first Person onely as to the fountaine and Author respect being had to the order of doing but it is common to all three persons onely because the Sonne and the Holy Ghost execute these things it is not ascribed here vnto them Againe touching the seuen spirits the same Author saith that the holy Ghost is thus called respect being rather had vnto the gifts of the spirit in the Saints than vnto his nature and thus he is said to stand before the throne not as inferiour but for orders sake here and elsewhere the Spirit and the Son are spoken of as ministring to the Father because by them the things here set forth are immediatly executed Lastly the Sonne is put in the last place in regard of the large description of him intended as by whom wee are made partakers of all benefits Pareus reckoning vp diuers expositions of these words which is which was and which is to come Pareus some vnderstanding them of the Sonne which is one God with the Father which was in the beginning and is come to iudge all men and some of the Father which is of
lib. 3. c. 11. Ieron in proem in Matth. Aug. Lyra Grasser Others vnderstand the foure Euangelists ascribing to Matthew the face of a Lion to Marke of a calfe to Luke of a man to Iohn of an eagle Of this opinion though there bee graue Authors yet vpon the same consideration it falleth to the ground also to say nothing of the absurdity that would follow that Iohn the spectatour of this should see himselfe thus represented to himselfe Petrus Aureolus Others vnderstand the foure Patriarkes of the Christian world as of Ierusalem Antioch Alexandria and of Constantinople and bring their reasons of all but not worth the naming or confuting Ambros lib. 3. de Virgin Arethas Others vnderstand the foure Cardinall vertues fortitude set forth in the Lion iustice in the bullocke because he laboureth for what he eateth temperance in the eagle which eateth nought but what prey himselfe hath taken though neuer so hungry and prudence in a man Orig. Hom. 1. in Ezech. Rupertus Ansbertus Others vnderstand the foure faculties of the minde as anger concupiscence reason and conscience Others vnderstand the foure degrees thorow which Christ passed his incarnation set forth by a man his passion by a bullocke his resurrection by a lion and his ascension by an eagle Some vnderstand it onely as a representation of the homage done vnto God by all sorts of creatures men beasts and birds Lastly some not to weary my selfe with more relations Marlorat Fulke vnderstand the Seraphims Esa 6.1 those Angelicall spirits which the Lord vseth in the gouernment of the world vnder the figure of whom being full of eyes and wings his prouidence extending euery whither and his omniscience is declared And to this I subscribe both because the description doth so well agree and the forme of praising God and that which is further set forth Ezech. 1. where they are called animals as here and haue such appearances but onely that each one had these foure faces whereas one here is said to haue one and another another wherein there is no more difference but that what was there represented ioyntly in each one is here represented seuerally viz. in what maiesty the Lord sitteth his Chariot being drawne there his Throne supported here not onely by one kinde of creature as is the manner of earthly Princes but by diuers and those the chiefe made to agree together to doe seruice vnto him declaring hereby how in and about his throne and in his kingdome there is a sweet harmony and consent to the praise of his name amongst those that be of most different natures as is further expressed Esai 11. And for their being in the midst of the throne and round about it is easily also resolued from this conferring of places for in Ezech. 1.14 They are said to runne and returne and so they might well bee sometime in the midst and sometime about it The maine exception against this exposition is that Chap. 5.9 they are brought in together with the Elders praising God for their Redemption by the bloud of Christ and therefore it seemeth cannot bee Angelicall spirits But to this it may easily bee answered that though the beasts are said to fall downe with the Elders yet it doth not necessarily follow that they ioyned with them in their new song nay rather by some circumstances it seemeth necessary to vnderstand that musicke and song to be made by the Elders only both because they could handle viols which the beasts could not and the orderly performing of each ones part requireth that as the foure beasts had before ascribed holinesse to the Lord to which the Elders said Amen So now the Elders haue sung praise to the Lambe they should ioyne and say Amen neither are the beasts said to haue crownes as they must haue to whom the singing of this song can agree for they praise the Lambe because by him they are made Kings and Priests vnto God this the beasts cannot say but onely the Elders who weare the crownes of gold in token that they are Kings As for those opinions of the vertues and affections of the minde they being no subsistences of themselues as these beasts are they doe easily fall to the ground And for that about the mysteries of our Redemption if any such thing had beene intended the likenesse of a man should haue beene put first then of a bullocke c. CHAP. V. A Representation of the Lords sitting in maiesty hauing been made in the former Chapter here is shewed in what manner hee proceedeth to reueale the things to come He holdeth a booke in his right hand written within a without sealed with seuen seales which when none could open the Lord Iesus tooke and opened it and vpon the opening of each seale there is some representation of that which should afterwards be done What booke this was I thinke there needeth no great question to bee made for the most reasonable coniecture is that it was a booke containing the things herein reuealed which were so many as that they could not bee set downe without writing on both sides of each leafe and not on one side onely according to the ancient manner of writing for to what end were the sealing if it were written on the backe side that it on the couer of the booke it is sealed with seuen seales which none could loose because it exceeded the power of any creature to declare them onely the Lambe of God can doe it neither vpon the opening of one can any declare the rest but he must open each one in order that we may attaine to this vnderstanding Others anciently haue expounded this Booke of the holy Scriptures containing the old Testament which is the writing within because more obscure and the new which is the writing without because the mysteries of saluation are herein more plainly reuealed but this is altogether without ground here for what should the Booke of the holy Scriptures doe now in the Lords hand when hee was not about to explaine the mysteries thereof but only to reueale things to come hitherto kept secret so as the mysteries of holy Scriptures were not I passe ouer therefore the first fiue verses and come to the sixt Quest 6. In the midst of the Throne and of the beasts and Elders stood a Lambe c. Vers 6. Why doth a Lambe appeare after speech of a Lion that should open the seales and why standing and with seuen hornes and eyes Answ It is agreed by all that this is the Lord Iesus but why a Lambe appeared after that one of the Elders had told Iohn of the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah who had obtained power to open the Booke I finde no reason rendred It seemeth to me that he is called a Lion by one of the Elders Gen. 49. Esa 11. because by that name and by the name of the root of Dauid hee was anciently prophesied of and therefore most fit for one of elder
and minaciously than hee hath beene wont to doe Their powers are in their mouthes and in their tailes The Locusts power was in their tailes onely for they spake not against Christianity in generall but were ready though in a corrupt manner to entertaine it but these as professed enemies defie Christianity and make war against it and by cruelty and deceiueablenesse seeke to draw as many to Mahumetisme as they can and thus they destroy both soules and bodies And because they are said to haue lions heads as the Locusts Lions teeth and it is the property of a lion to kill with his taile they kil also with the taile as they did being first called vpon for aid but turning to be destruction to such as called them as the serpent proueth to him that receiueth it Vers 20. The rest neither repented that they should not worship Deuils nor images of gold c. Vers 21. Neither repented they of their murthers c. In these words is set forth the obstinacy of the Papists and it is made yet more euident that the Turkes were sent for a plague of their superstitions and corruptions And the euent answereth the prediction for they are as great worshippers of images as great murtherers fornicators as euer they were Neither can this be applied to any but them seeing they onely of late dayes haue beene notorious for their idolatries and massacres and whoredomes also which haue beene obserued by all the world And whereas Deuils are mentioned the worshipping of whom it seemeth cannot be charged vpon them let their delusions by apparitions and voyces vttered at the Sepulchres of Saints and by images be considered and I doubt not but the indifferent arbiter will acknowledge that these things come from Deuils who are worshipped vpon an imagination that they are the Saints Againe an idoll is nothing saith the Apostle but what is sacrificed to idols is to Deuils Wherefore let not vs that haue repented and so are spared from the Turkes inuasion make a relapse againe but praise God for this mercy and pity their obstinacy and blindnesse which know not the time of their visitation CHAP. X. ANd I saw another strong Angell comming down from heauen compassed with a cloud Vers 1. and a rainbow vpon his head c. Who is this Angell What little booke open is it that he holdeth in his hand Why doth he stand so strangely one foot vpon the sea and another vpon the land What meaneth his loud cry and the seuen thunders vttering their voices thereupon which must not be written And why doth hee sweare so seriously that time shall be no more but during the sounding of the seuenth Angell And what is meant in that Iohn is bidden to eat that little booke c. for all these things doe so hang together that they must needs be expounded together Answ It is to be vnderstood that all these things come vnder the fixt trumpet and therefore are to bee referred to the same times though perhaps beginning somewhat after the iudgements before declared Hitherto hath beene nothing but matter of terrour by fierce enemies in infinite multitudes destroying a world of people for idolatry murthers fornications c. Now because the Lord had some people in these most corrupt times which read and cleaued vnto the Scriptures and impugned hereby those grosse corruptions though with danger of their liues and prospered in respect of their cause in so doing it seemed good vnto the Spirit of God by some figure to shew this also and the figure is an open booke in the hand of a strong Angell eaten vp by Iohn which was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his belly And againe in the next Chapter a reed giuen vnto him to measure the temple the outward Court being left vnmeasured as being trampled vâ—der foot by the Gentiles two and forty moneths in all which time the two witnesses of God prophesie in sackecloth c. Câ—yâ—raeâ—s Bullingâ—r Aretâ—â—s Augâ—st c. Brâ—ghtman Forâ—s c. This being thus generally premised I come now to the particular Quaeres This strong Angell by the consent of most Expositors is the Lord Iesus who hath a rainebow about his head to shew the security brought vnto men by him is cloathed with a cloud that is the nature of man his face shineth as the Sunne because he is the light of the world his feet like pillars of fire to shew that his ministers propagating the Gospell kindle a fire of feruent loue where they come one foot being set vpon the earth and the other vpon the sea set forth his dominion ouer sea and land Lyâ—a Lyra vnderstandeth the Emperor Iustinus and his Nephew Iustinianus about the yeere 518. who held a little booke open when he wrote his Epistles against the Arrians in fauour of the Orthodox Lastly some vnderstand an Angell properly either Gabriel or some other perhaps the same that was before so desirous to haue the booke opened Chap. 5. but all the seales now being opened and men not being moued to repentance it is precisely noted in the Chapter before going he commeth againe roaring as a Lion so loud as that thunders Eccho-like are heard Arethas Andreas Abbas Ioach. Fox and protesteth that time shall be no more c. that men might hereby at the least be awakened made to repent And vnto this doe I subscribe because I see no necessity of vnderstanding Christ by an Angell here but rather as the word soundeth for it is expressed in none other termes but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Angell that is another such as the Angels blowing the trumpets When Christ is set forth by this name it is alwayes with some addition as the Angell of the Couenant c. Moreouer what need was there that Christ should now leaue his royall throne in heauen to come downe to the earth when hee had many ministers fit for this seruice and indeed this cannot well be applied vnto Christ seeing it is expresly said Act. 3. The heauens must containe him till the time of restoring all things Whereas the apparatus of a cloud rainebow c. may seeme not to agree to an Angell indeed let it bee considered that the Angels in heauen doe partake with Christ in his glory as the Saints doe and then it will not seeme absurd that an Angell should bee set forth thus descending all making for the honour of God and of Christ to whom they are ministers being glad with so great glory The little booke opened Pareus some will haue to be the same which before was said to be sealed Some the holy Scriptures the opening and right vnderstanding whereof Aretius after that they had beene long kept shut in the time of Popery is here figured out And this seemeth to mee to agree best for the other booke must needs be very great out of which so many horses issued and other things appeared this of the Scriptures
is but a little booke in comparison Moreouer the contents of the other booke were before declared and therefore superfluous it was to propound it againe Pareus Bullinger Forbs One foot set vpon the sea and the other vpon the land some vnderstand to haue beene done to shew Christs dominion ouer sea and land euen in the time of persecutions when he might seeme to haue beene cast out of his possession Others allegorically Brightman Tho. Aquin. Beda by his feet vnderstand the instruments of rearing vp the Gospell againe and so apply his right foot vnto the most famous and the left to others of lesse note these were set vpon sea and land when all sorts of people were admonished by them But there needeth no such curiosity here for what doth he come to foretell of but the approach of the end of the world Which for so much as it consisteth of sea and land how could hee addresse himselfe more fitly to tell of the destruction of it than by this gesture of setting his feet vpon sea and land and lifting vp his hand to heauen Touching his loud cry and the seuen thunders hereupon vttering their voyces which Iohn must not write these things serue further to declare the terrour of this messenger sent from heauen for when the Lion roareth the beasts of the forrest tremble so when this Angell is set forth roaring so loud that a thundering noise reboundeth againe from the sound of his voyce the Lord would haue men to tremble at it and repent and turne to the Lord from their sinnes wherein they are noted hitherto to haue persisted The things vttered by the thunders the Lord will not haue written because in all likelihood they were copiously set forth in other parts of holy Scripture nothing being more frequent than to admonish to repent and to threaten the impenitent And the thunders are said to be seuen which is a number of perfection to shew that many terrours should come vpon the world if haply they would be rouzed vp hereby Others by these thunders vnderstand the ministers of these times Brightman who like sons of thunder cry aloud to moue men to repentance and the number of seuen is vsed to shew that they are guided by the Spirit with his seuen-fold gifts neither doe they vtter any thing but from Christs mouth whose ecchoes they are What they vtter must not be written because there are some mysteries which should not be knowne now Pareus but are reserued for after times Pareus as he referreth all things here in common to all the six trumpets before going as matter of consolation to the godly so hee vnderstandeth the ministers in the time of persecution who did not forbeare to vtter their thundring voyces against Tyrants though vnto deafe eares which is noted in that Iohn is forbidden to write for when any thing is spoken or writteÌ„ but not regarded it is as if it were not written And this is spoken that Gods ministers might not be discouraged but account of their ministery as most precious therefore sealed vp though vnprofitable to saluation to the wicked world Let the reader follow which of these he wil but the first seemeth to me most naturall and lesse strained Pareus Pareus mentioneth other words here vsed in some copies as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Andreas and Bibliaregia pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but all commeth to one After these things write againe and write not these things Touching the oath here taken it is to assure vs that it will not bee long before Christs comming to iudgement but vnder the sound of the seuenth Angell that none might deferre the time of their repentance And yet for so much as the time of this Angels sounding is vncertaine Napieâ— though we may know when it beginneth the iust time of the Lords comming to iudgement cannot hence bee gathered Wherefore that straine of some which make the seuen seales and trumpets to parallel one another and to containe euery one an equall portion of time viz. either two hundred and fifty yeere more or lesse and from this ground determine of this time of iudgement is to be declined as erroneous seeing these times haue appeared to bee vnequall some one being as long as two or three others And he calleth the Lords comming to iudgment the consummation of this world the mysterie of God by the Prophets foretold because it is hidden from most men and yet apprehended by faith onely but the Prophets did not cease from time to time to speake of it Thus all Expositors agree but onely Brightman who expounde h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delay Brightman and the mystery of God of the calling home of the Iewes and of their flourishing estate after this their calling foretold by the Prophets So that he will haue this booke to extend no further but to the accomplishment of this mystery But for so much as plaine mention is made of the rising of the dead vnder the seuenth trumpet to come to iudgement Chap. 11. vers 18. it is euident that the mystery to be finished here mentioned is the consummation of the world and not the vocation of the Iewes Touching the eating of this little booke Iohn is herein made a figure of those instruments whom God meant to vse to set open the Scriptures Ezech 3. after that they had beene so long shut vp For by earnest studying they did euen deuoure this booke taking great pleasure in this study but afterwards it was an occasion of much suffering set forth by the sweetnesse in the mouth and bitternesse in the belly Thus most Writers agree Rupertus Thom. Aquin. but some vnderstand this of the person of Iohn who was to returne from banishment and to preach the Cospell againe But the extent of his preaching here mentioned is so great as that it cannot agree to his person who preached onely in Ephesus a few yeres after this Againe it is vnder the sixt trumpet long before which Iohn was departed Andâ—â—aâ— Some thinke that Iohn shall liue againe in the dayes of Antichrist and come and prophesie with Enoch and Elias But this is a fond phantasie the truth hath already beene shewed whereupon wee may build because confirmed by experience The word of God being shut vp in the time of Popery hath long agoe beene set open againe by the hand of a strong Angell and it hath beene prophesied againe to many Kings Peoples and Nations and although it be opposed to this day and Popery oft getteth the vpper hand in sundry places yet herein the truth suffereth but as in the time of the Primitiue Church it was aboue three hundred yeeres before that it was generally receiued then so that the time of iudgement when an end shall be put to all things cannot be farre off and this should moue euery one of vs to turne speedily to the Lord by true repentance and to beare patiently any
but by the Westerne Kings who set vp the Whore she must be made desolate againe as is plainly shewed Chap. 17.16 and it were strange that such a poore runnagate people as the Iewes should haue the title of Kings of the East where they are the basest and of the least account I subscribe therefore to them that expound it as altogether Allegoricall by Euphrates the reuenues of the Popedome being meant and by the Kings of the East such Kings as God would stirre vp in these parts to be her vtter ruine and ouerthrow the great defence which is in the riuer of worldly wealth being taken away as sometime Euphrates was dreaned whereby Babylon was taken by Cyrus and Darius Easterne Kings And because the wealth of Spaine is so great a meanes to strengthen this kingdome yet I thinke it not amisse to bring that in also within the compasse of this great riuer In that part where the Popes reuenues runne the water is very shallow at this day there is great probability that the other will be much diminished shortly if not cleane dryed vp if the Indian treasure be once cut off which is very powerfully attempted And hitherto I thinke that these vials haue taken effect for the most part already onely we are to expect the drying vp of this Euphrates more and more and then that such Kings and Princes as abominate Rome for the wickednesse therof should vniting their forces giue the on-set vnto her desolation Touching the seuenth Angell I hold it best to go with the common streame of them that expound this of the finall iudgment 7. Angell not only of the beast and his followers but of the whole world that of the beast being againe re-assumed to bee more fully declared in the Chapters following as being the most remarkable thing pointed at in this booke For without wresting and straining the passages here in such manner as that there is no president for it in other places of holy Scripture it cannot be applied otherwise It is done Babylon came into remembrance to giue vnto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of Gods wrath and euery Iland fled away and the mountaines were no more found What else can these speeches set forth but the full and finall recompencing of the Whore of Babylon and of others enemies of the truth which cannot be said to haue beene done but at the last day For then onely it may be rightly spoken it is done it being till then but in doing and it is at that time onely that there is flying away to hide themselues from the wrath of God and that the fashion of the world is altered It should seeme to make against it that the great city is not said to fall Vers 19. but to be diuided into three parts I answer with Pareus that hereby the vtter ruine of it is set forth seeing three parts which may well be taken for all the parts of a building are said to be diuided or rent in sunder and in speaking of three it is alluded to the three before spoken of as the founders of this city the Dragon the beast and the false prophet the three vncleane spirits like frogs comming out of their mouthes Againe the nations are immediatly said to haue fallen that is to be quite ouerthrown and therfore it is not likely but that the vtter ruine of Rome is meant also though deliuered in a diuers phrase Or if by the great city we vnderstand all the countries where the Christian religion hath beene planted as I haue expounded it before vpon Chap. 11. then the city of Rome is not so much meant but the whole dominions of Turke and Pope for it is likely that Rome shall be destroyed before the riuer Euphrates the defence thereof being dryed vp yea it must needs bee so by reason of the lamentation made by such as haue had trafficke there for the desolation of that city Chap. 17. which cannot be after the great day of iudgement And if the great city bee thus taken then by the nations other countreys which are neither Mahumetane nor Popish are to be vnderstood which for their sinnes shall come to ruine also this being plainly set forth and the fall of the city by a periphrasis taken from such a fal as is by diuision as Ierusalem fell before the Romans by a triple faction therin to which in particular it is to be thought that it is alluded for so much as Ierusalem trodden vnder foot by the Gentiles is a type of Christendome vnder the dominion of Turke and Pope as hath been shewed more at large vpon Chap. 11. Vers 21. If it should seeme to make against this exposition that a great haile like talents is said to follow after all this whereupon men blaspheme God which as Brightman saith is not to bee thought shall be at the day of iudgement because all mouthes shall then be stopped the generall silence of all arguing their consent to the iustice of Gods proceedings and none blaspheming any more I answer with Pareus againe that howsoeuer the wicked shall subscribe to this iudgement in their owne conscience as most iust and so shall not mutter any word of reason against those proceedings yet the sense of the extremity of torment from which they shall despaire euer to be deliuered will so inrage them Exod. 6. as that like the Aegyptians when haile fire mingled therwith came down from heauen or like the Canaanites vpon whom God hailed with exceeding great hailestones to the destroying of most of them to which I think it is rather than to the other alluded here as they I say being moued with anguish did doubtlesse bitterly take on against the God of Israel so here the wicked at the last day are brought in blaspheming to expresse the sense of intolerable pangs vpon which wicked men are wont thus to do And haply their tongues will thus rebell against God as the tongues of persons inraged euerlastingly These things being thus explained wee see that there is no reason why any should be offended and doubt whether Popery shall euer goe downe altogether or no because it is still vpheld after so many yeeres since it first receiued a blow for it must fall by degrees as it rose by degrees and as it had a long time of rising to the full height so it must bee long in falling into vtter destruction And seeing fiue of these Vials haue so manifestly taken effect already and the sixt in a great part why should wee not by faith assuredly expect the full accomplishment of it as well as wee see the accomplishment of those foregoing by experience O yee foolish and blinde Papists why are ye so hard to beleeue the things that this Prophet hath foretold touching your Babylon if ye loue your soules open your eyes and by that which hath beene hitherto done be assured of a full destruction and therefore come out of Babylon in
euery one rising in that stature of body wherein he fell against the Iesuites conceit that all shall be of such a stature as one is ordinarily at his full age The bookes that are opened are according to some the bookes of men consciences according to others the bookes of holy Scripture but according to Augustine both which I thinke to be rightest for euery mans conscience shall then be made manifest whether it be good or euill foule or cleare and according to the bookes of holy Scripture all shall be iudged as they haue receiued and obserued the things therein contained or not The other is according to some Napier Parâ—us the booke of predestination for then it shall be made manifest who were elected and who reprobate according to some Bullinger the booke of faith for he that beleeueth hath life to beleeue is to liue the booke of life then is the booke of faith for he in whomsoeuer a true faith is found shall then liue the rest shall be cast into hell I subscribe to the booke of Predestination for this of faith was spoken of before amongst the bookes and because it is hidden from vs who are written in this Booke God only knoweth that a thing well knowne to vs is further spoken of viz. Workes euery man is iudged according to his workes for good workes alwayes are in such as bee written in this booke It is not said according to their faith because that is more latent and there is more deceit in it neither is it said for their workes but all that were not found written in the booke of life that is that were not elected are cast into the lake of fire but yet iustly for their euill workes deserue it on the contrary side therefore they which are saued are such as be written in the booke of life here is the originall of their saluation God hath elected them and good reason there is in respect of men that they should be saued for their works haue beene good whereas the workes of the reprobate haue beene euill and to good workes God hath promised a reward as he hath threatened iudgement to euill workes yet in respect of God there is no reason of merit in the best works because it is our duty to doe them and being examined by the rule of Gods righteousnesse they are defectiue when wee doe them in the best manner that we can but there is good reason of merit of death in euill workes because vpon paine of death they are forbidden so that he shall be well worthy to die that committeth them euen as a murtherer or robber is worthy to be hanged but on the other side he that doth good workes is not well worthy of euerlasting life though it bee promised that he shall be thus rewarded no more than a dutifull subiect is worthy for that seruice which his Prince commandeth him and promiseth to reward with the marriage of his daughter and making him his sonne can be said to be worthy of it For it was of grace that his Prince made him such a promise to whom he ought that seruice without a reward neither could it bee worthy of so great a reward though greatly deseruing and therefore it came of grace not of his merit But if of merit yet there is a great disproportion betwixt the seruice of any subiect to his Prince and the actions of a Christian towards God for the Prince doth meerely command and furnish his subiect with necessaries to doe that seruice which hee putteth him vpon but it is his owne valour and wisdome whereby he performeth it without any inabling further from his Prince in the very doing for notwithstanding his furnishing of him hee may as well miscarry as effect that which hee goeth about But God inableth his to that which he requireth He worketh the will and the deed of his owne good pleasure Philip. 2.13 Againe the greatest reward of a Prince is but the reward of a man to a man a temporany reward and so happily the benefit that redoundeth to him by that seruice may be equall to the reward but euerlasting life which is the reward of God is farre more excellent than any thing that any man can doe or the benefit hereby redounding vnto God which is none for If thou be righteous thou art righteous for thy selfe Prou. 9.12 if thou bee wicked thou alone shalt suffer The Papists therefore that from hence and from the like places seeke to establish the merit of good workes doe greatly straine and force such places against all sense and reason By death and hell which are said to bee cast into the lake of fire some vnderstand the Deuill August Napier who by his temptations becommeth death and hell to the wicked for that he draweth them on to such a course as tendeth to death and damnation Dent. Bullinger Pareus Some vnderstand all such as to whom death and hell belongeth all the reprobate and wicked and some whatsoeuer is obnoxious and hurtfull so that after this nothing remaineth to hinder the perfect blessâ—dnesse of the new Ierusalem which commeth next to bee spoken of And this seemeth to bee most probable because the Deuils damnation was spoken of before vers 10. and the reprobates damnation vers 15. Here therefore may fitly be brought in the vtter destruction of death and hell in respect of the faithfull so that they should not be in any feare of them any longer for according to this it is promised 1 Cor. 15.16 The last enemy which shall be destroyed is Death Cha. 21.4 Death is said to be no more after this this casting into the lake then is but a periphrases of destructioÌ„ But me thinkes there may be another more agreeing sense yet rendered if by a Metonymy we vnderstand by death and hell such as death and hell were said before to giue vp the wicked which hitherto lay dead and buried the continent being put for the content as wee call the inhabitants of an house the house For if hell should bee meant as the word soundeth then hell should bee said to bee cast into hell which cannot stand if the heires of hell then the same word should be vsed in another sense as it were with the same breath that is not likely but being taken as I haue said it doth well correspond vnto the words before going and the argument of the wickeds destruction which onely is here set forth is fitly prosecuted the comforts of the faithfull being reserued to be spoken of in the next Chapter Touching death and hell which are said to giue vp their dead R bera I hold it not amisse with Ribera to expound it of such as haue died ordinarily or extraordinarily haue beene swallowed vp and gone aliue as it were into the pit St. Augustine will haue it meant of the bodies in the graues and of the soules of the wicked in hell This is a notable place
Church making her to long after his comming for her full redemption he that heareth who is inuited to say likewise is euery one that heareth this Prophecie and what a ioyfull estate the faithfull shall be in in Heauen For he cannot but wish and desire for this day Let him that is a thirst come as he longeth after the comming of the Lord to the perfecting of his happinesse so let him come to the Lord by faith and obedience and let him that will this is added to note not that by the power of his owne will he can doe thus but that his will must be sanctified and of vnwilling he must become willing God working in him a new will and new desires before that he can come vnto Christ this Fountaine of liuing water That which followeth is added as a necessary muniment vnto this and to all the bookes of holy Scripture against forgers of the Word of God which the Spirit did foresee would bee in after times Vers 18. For I testifie to euery man that heareth the words of this Prophecie if and man shall adde to these things God shall adde to him the plagues that are written in this Booke c. Vers 16. These are the words of our Sauiour Christ who had before spoken of his Angell whom he sent to testifie these things and therefore in the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I witnesse together Touching the rationall particle for some omit it as redundant but it is of great force to argue a necessity of attending to and reuerently regarding what is here set forth For that must needs be of great consequence which is guarded with such a caution If testimonies be alleaged onely to proue the truth of a thing it doth not so much moue to consider of it but it being auerred to be such as that it is danger of death to depraue it any way all men will beginne to attend vnto it as handling matter of life and death And what is spoken of this Booke by the like reason is well applyed by our Diuines to all Bookes of holy Scripture for why is it so dangerous to take away or to adde vnto this Booke but because it is of God And is it not as dangerous then to intermeddle in this kinde with any other of the Bookes of God such as all the Bookes of Scripture are But it is well added to this as the last as the charge of not putting to or taking away from the Bookes of Moses is added in the last of his Bookes Bellarmine excepteth against this inference Deut. 4. holding that the threatning pertaineth only to the detractors from or adders to this Booke and necessarily for otherwise with what colour could they obtrude to the people of God vnwritten traditions as being of equall authority with the Word of God How durst they take away the Cup in the holy Communion and the second Commandement out of the Decalogue and with such audacity change our Lord in many places into our Lady with many the like corruptions With what face could they hold and maintaine that all things necessary to saluation are not set forth in the holy Scriptures when as they are so compleat as that there may be no addition made vnto them But this exception will doe them no good when God shall iustifie his care to be a like tender ouer all other Bookes of Scripture as ouer this diuine Booke And that these words may be certainly knowne to be the words of Christ Vers 20. Saint Iohn saith for conclusion Hee which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Euen so come Lord Iesus For whose comming that we may be the more fit let vs acquaint our selues with the things herein contained sith they are left vnsealed to vs to this end and purpose and being acquainted with these mysteries which being explained as through Gods assistance thou hast them here presented vnto thee doe so euidently shew the Pope to bee Antichrist and his estate together with all that follow him to bee damnable halt not betwixt two opinions but bee a resolute reformed Catholike nothing doubting but certainly expecting their finall ouerthrow and confusion and thine owne deliuerance and euerlasting saluation which let vs all pray with this our blessed Apostle that it may come quickly Amen Trinuni Deo gloria Errata In the Catalogue of Names for Cicillus read Cyrillus PAge 27. for doe reade to p. 31. wandring r. wauering p. 44. or r. 2. p. 60. Ioh. 24. r. 2. p. 78. his r. has in marg p. 92. aninū r. animū in marg p. 104. run r. cun p. 140. was r. as p. 163. Secutoro r. Secuturo in marg p. 177. onus r. vnus in marg p. 183. word r. world p. 434. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. X. p. 485. Pope r. pompe p. 493. vilitate r. venerate p. 5 14. which time r. after which time