Mesech he meaneth Arabia and by Tubal Italy and Spaine noting thereby the countries and kingdomes from whence the great persecuters of the Church from the return out of the captivity of Babylon untill the coming of the Messias should arise for assuredly their enemies were collected of divers nations but served chiefly under the Princes of Asia the lesser of Syria and of Scythia Now then to conclude Gog and Magog in Ezekiel are put for the Princes of those countries which were the chiefe Captains in gathering great and mighty armies unto battel against the children of Israel after they were come out of the captivity of Babylon And the Prophet there in one summe under the armies of Gog and Magog comprehendeth all the enemies that fought against them from time to time after the captivity unto the coming of Christ And now for the application of this unto the enemies of the Church under the Gospel wee must first note that through this booke the figures and phrases of speech are taken out of the Law and the Prophets Now therefore when the Lord would set forth in one summe all the enemies of the Church which Satan mustereth after the time of his loosing out of prison before the coming of Christ to judgment there is no one place more fit to set forth all these armies then those armies of Gog and Magog and therefore the names even Gog and Magog are here brought in to set forth these huge armies of the Turk and of the Pope and of all the enemies of the Church in these last dayes which should gather themselves to battell being in number as the sand of the sea as Saint John saith yea did cover the whole face of the earth with their multitudes and compasse the tents of the Saints about and the beloved citie that is did make warre against the Church and people of God which in comparison of them were but as a few tents or some little citie But mark what followeth and consider the issue of the battell The holy Ghost saith expressely that fire came downe from God out of heaven and devoured them which doth plainely shew that the armies of Gog and Magog though never so huge shall be destroyed by the fire of Gods wrath Now from this I gather that as the armies of the Pope shall goe downe still more and more as formerly hath been shewed and as experience in many yeeres good successe both in Ireland Netherland and against Spain also hath partly proved Gods most holy Name be praised so also the armies of the Turk shall be overthrown so far forth as they fight against the true Church or at least be so kept back that they shall not be able to compasse the tents of the Saints as we see and feel this day God be thanked And the Divel that deceived them Verse 10. was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are and shall be tormented even day and night for evermore Here is set down the Divels doom to wit that he shall be cast down into the infernall pit as well worthy both for his seducing all nations and stirring up the armies of Gog and Magog against the Church even to rooâ— it up if it were possible Therefore Saint John telleth us that forasmuch as hee is the authour of all mischiefe and he that hath set all the rest a work therefore both hee and his instruments the beast and the false Prophet Gog and Magog shall all drink of the same cup of Gods eternall wrath and be all thrown down together into one close prison which is that gaping gulfe and infernall lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever Lo then what shall be the end of the Divell the Turk the Pope the Emperour the King of Spain the Cardinals and all other the Divels instruments which here on earth have persecuted the Church and compassed the tents of the Saints and the beloved city Now after all this in the five last verses Saint John entreth into a lively and cleere description of the last judgment first noting the terror and majesty of the Judge himself Verse 11. in this that from his face both heaven and earth fled away that is no creature shall be able to endure his angry countenance in that day and yet withall setting downe the purity and uprightnesse of his judgment and judgment-seat calling it a white Throne And after this the generall citing and personall appearing of all men before him of what degree estate or condition soever For both death and hell Verse 13. sea and grave did deliver up their dead and all without exception came to judgement and the bookes of their consciences were opened for every mans work is ingraven upon his conscience as it were in letters of brasse or with the point of a diamond as the Prophet speaketh Jer. 17.2 Verse 12. And they were judged of those things which were written in the books according to their works and according to the testimony of their own consciences Verse 14. And death and hell that is all the heires of death and hell even all the society of reprobates both Papists Atheists and all unbeleevers yea whosoever were not found written in the book of life Verse 15. were cast into the lake of fire which is the second death Now here I would have it diligently observed that the holy Ghost hath three severall times in this book described the last judgment to wit in the latter end of the eleventh chapter in the latter end of the fourteenth chapter and now in the latter end of this chapter And moreover I would have the order and causes of these descriptions well weighed For in the eleventh chapter having before described the kingdome of the Pope and the Turk with their overthrow and also the preaching and prevailing of the Gospel in these last dayes hee cometh to describe the last judgement In the fourteenth chapter having set downe that the everlasting Gospel should bee plentifully preached in this last age and the overthrow of Babylon immediately following forthwith hee proceedeth to the description of the last day In this chapter having before concluded of the utter overthrow of Rome and of the beast and false prophet of Gog and Magog and all adversary power at length he proceedeth to this description of Christs second coming which wee have heard of And out of all this I do gather that the utter overthrow of the Pope and all his adherents shall be in this life a little before the coming of Christ to judgment CHAP. XXI AS wee have heard before the utter overthrow of the beast and the false prophet and all their adherents and also of the everlasting condemnation of the Dragon that old Serpent which set them all awork So now in this chapter we are to hear of that most happy and blessed estate which the faithfull shall dwell in for evermore so that the maine drift of
Booke heere are to be found very large and lively descriptions of the most glorious Person of Christ Chap. 1. Chap. 2. Chap. 3. and all his excellent offices both of King Priest and Prophet and also most notable descriptions of the Church and of the Ministers of it and of the persecutions and afflictions which it must of necessity passe through in the World Also of Gods mercifull providence for his Church and most vigilant care over it in the middest of all extremities Here are set before our eyes very lively descriptions of the Churches deadly enemies both of Satan himselfe and his three great instruments the Roman Emperour the Pope and the Turke Here are set down all their cruell persecutions of the Church and their utter overthrow in the end Here are described Hell Death the resurrection and the last judgement Here also the very Kingdome of Heaven is at large described with all those great rewards infinite glory and endlesse felicity which remaine for all the faithfull worshippers of God I conclude therefore that for as much as this Prophesie is of such excellent contents therefore the use and necessity of it must needes be very great And for this cause Iohn is willed and commanded by Alpha and Omega to write the things which he had seene the things that were and the things that shall come hereafter By the things which he had seene is meant that glorious vision mentioned in the first Chapter wherein Jesus Christ did appeare unto him in the middest of the seven golden Candlesticks â—erse 13. â—4 15.16 in most glorious manner as is there described And all this was in the Isle of Pathmos where Iohn was first called and authorized to this worke and therefore he is willed first of all to record this vision which hee had already seene By the things that are hee meaneth the present state of the seven Churches of Asia which were then the most flourishing Churches in the World as they are described in the second and third Chapters and in them the estate of all other Churches By the things that shall be he meaneth all the prophesie of this booke which were to be fulfilled in their time and all those strange accidents which should come to passe in processe of time and the severall ages of the Church even unto the end of the world Thus we see how Iohn received a precise commandement from the Sonne of God to write things past present and to come that they might stand in record unto all posterities from generation to generation Thus much touching the fift circumstance which is the end and use of this booke Now followeth to speake of the last circumstantiall point which is the authority of this Prophesie which is strongly confirmed from the Author of it which is JESUS CHRIST and therefore it is called the Revelation of Jesus Christ which GOD gave unto him And againe it is written I Jesus sent mine Angell to testifie these things in the Churches Here wee see plainly Chap. 22.16 that Jesus Christ the very Sonne of God the Alpha and Omega is the Author of this booke for he subscribes his name unto it and set his hand and seale unto it Needs therefore must the authority of it be very great which commeth from so great a personage for looke what dignity and auâ—hority he is of from whom the booke commeth of the same dignity and authority is the book it selfe Another strong argument to confirme the authority of this book may be taken from the protestation of Jesus Christ in these words I protest unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this Booke Cha 22.18 if any man shall adde unto those sayings God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this Booke And if any shall diminish of the words of the Booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life Heere we see how Jesus Christ maketh the authority to this Booke equall to all other the Oracle of God to the which it is not lawfull for any man to adde or detract under paine of condemnation It maketh much also for the authority of this booke that S. John doth so often repeat reiterate and inculcate his owne name I John I John I John I John the Apostle I John the Evangelist I John the Divine shewing by all these repetitions how needfull a thing it was that the faithfull should bee throughly instructed who he was even one of the Lambs twelve Apostles and therefore to be void of all suspition and doubt concerning the authority of this booke and not once to imagine it to bee any invention of man or feigned device sith it was penned by so great an Apostle Moreover the authority of this Prophesie is confirmed by foure reasons in the last Chapter The first is the affirmation of the Angell who saith The words are faithfull and true Chap. 22.6 7 8. The second is the authority of the most high GOD himselfe in these words The Lord GOD of the holy Prophets sent his Angell to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be fulfilled The third is the testimony of Jesus ver 6 7. who pronounceth them blessed which keepe the words of this Prophesie For saith he Behold I come shortly Blessed is he that keepeth the words of this Prophesie The fourth and last is the witnes of John in these words I am John which heard and saw these things Now it may bee demanded what is the cause that here are so many things heaped up for the confirmation of the authority of this Booke Surely we must thinke there is some speciall cause and reason of it For the Holy Ghost doth not use to deale so much and so earnestly in a matter but upon great cause Wee may easily gather what the cause is The Booke painteth out the Whore of Babylon and the whole Kingdome of the great Antichrist together with all Sathans cunning and fleight therein and for this cause Sathan hath laboured especially to weaken the credit and authority of this Booke He by some meanes in old time prevailed thus farre that even among some Churches of true Christians the authority and truth of it was doubted of The Holy Ghost did well foresee the practice of Sathan and therefore bringeth the more reasons for the confirmation thereof If the credit and authority of this Booke should never have been impugned there needed not any such speciall confirmation But now God be thanked there is no question or controversie concerning the authority of this Prophesie It is received as authenticall by the common consent of all the Churches Almost all the ancient Fathers doe acknowledge it to be canonicall The new Writers doe with one voyce give their consent and approbation unto it The Papists themselves doe acknowledge it to be the sacred and undoubted Word of God though of all Scriptures they cannot endure it should be medled withall
Prophet saith In thy presence is the fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore Verse 6. And hee said unto mee These words are faithfull and true and the Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be fulfilled Verse 7. Behold I come shortly Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the Prophecie of this book Verse 8. And I am John which saw and heard these things and when I had heard and seen I fell downe to worship before the feet of the Angel which shewed me these things Verse 9. But he said unto me See thou do it not for I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren the Prophets and of them which keep the words of this book worship God In these foure verses are four principall reasons brought to confirme and ratifie the authority of this book The first of them is the affirmation of the Angel The second is the authority of the most high God The third is the testimony of Jesus pronouncing them blessed which keep this Prophecie The fourth is the testimony of Saint John who heard and saw these things But because in the Epistle to the Reader I have more at large handled this Argument and these same verses therefore here I doe of purpose relinquish them and that also of Johns adoration and the Angels refusall being things most manifest and easie to understand And hee said unto mee Verse 10. Seale not the words of the Prophecie of this booke for the time is at hand Hee that is unjust let him be unjust still Verse 11. and he which is filthy let him be filthy still and hee that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still And behold I come shortly Verse 12. and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be I am Alpha and Omega Verse 13. the beginning and the end the first and the last Blessed are they that do his commandements Verse 14. that their right may be in the tree of life and may enter in thorow the gates into the city For without shall be dogs and enchanters Verse 15. and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters and whosoever loveth or maketh lies Here is first an exhortation to publish and proclaime the knowledge of this book to all people and in no wise to conceale it or keep it close as formerly hath been shewed in the Epistle Here is a further admonition that they which are unrighteous should be unrighteous still c. Which is no allowance or encouragement granted unto wicked men to continue in their evill wayes but is rather a terrible threat if wee take all the words together in this and the next verse as if hee should say If men will needs continue in their filthinesse yet certainly Christ will come shortly and reward them according to their works Or else it may be a phrase of speech which they call an ironicall concession as in another place the holy Ghost saith to the yong man Eccles 11. 1 Kin. 22.15 Matth. 6.45 Walk in the wayes of thine own heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee unto judgment So likewise in other places After this here is blessednesse pronounced upon all such as keep the commandements of God as it is said that their right is in the tree of life not meaning thereby that their keeping of the commandements is the cause of their right in Christ but onely an effect or consequence For our good works do not go before as causes of our justification but follow after as declarations of the same For by doing we are not made just in the sight of God but only declared to be just in the sight of men And as for the keeping the commandements wee do it not in such perfection as Gods justice requireth but in such measure as his mercy accepteth through Christ And here the holy Ghost saith that all they which have a right in Christ which is the Tree of life and endeavour to keepe the commandements shall enter in thorow the gates into the new Jerusalem But on the contrary all the rout of reprobates whom hee calleth dogs enchanters whoremongers c. shall be utterly shut out as having nothing to do in the everlasting citie their portion being allotted in the infernall lake I Jesus have sent mine Angel to testifie unto you these things Verse 16. I am the root and generation of David and the bright morning Star And the Spirit and the Bride say Come Verse 17. And let him that heareth say Come And let him that is athirst come And let whosoever will take of the water of life freely For I protest unto every man that heareth the Verse 18. words of the Prophecie of this booke If any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book Verse 19. And if any man shall diminish of the words of the book of this Prophecie God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from those things which are written in the book of life Verse 20. He which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus Verse 21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen The authority of this book is here again ratified from the person of him who is the Authour of it that is Jesus Christ who is here called The root and generation of David both because hee is descended of the house of David according to the flesh and also because the eternall kingdome which all the Prophets did fore-tell should spring out of the house of David was indeed and in truth established in Christ who is our true David and our righteous branch and as it is here said the bright morning Star which hath most gloriously risen upon the world to dispell all darknesse and to bring the great and everlasting light Moreover here is great protestation made in the 18 and 19 verses of great plagues to be inflicted upon all such as shall add any thing unto this booke or take away any thing from it Which also maketh greatly for the confirmation of the authority of this book For that to the which nothing may be added and from the which nothing may be taken away must needs be absolute and perfect But this book is such a one Therefore this book is absolute and perfect being a part of Gods everlasting truth Last of all here is set down the fervent desire of the Bride after the Bridegroome for she being inflamed with the Spirit desireth him to come and make up the match betwixt them that shee may be joyned to him in marriage celebrate the solemnization and live together
preach the Doctrine of the Apocalyps to his particular charge and congregation for every Minister of the Gospell must shew unto his people all the counsâ—ll of God and keepe backe nothing as Paul testifieth that he did to the great comfort of his conscience But the doctrine of the Revelation is a part and parcell of the Counsell and Will of God therefore it must not be concealed or kept backe from the knowledge of the people of God And in these daies I thinke it not onely meete and convenient that it should be so but in truth absolutely necessary But now me thinketh I heare some men say What must this booke of the Apocalyps bee preached and made knowne to the common people alas what should they doe with it It is not for them to meddle with all It is not for their diet I answer and yet not I but the holy Ghost that this booke must be made knowne to all the servants of God For Saint John calleth it the Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to shew unto all his servants It is plaine therefore that all the servants of God both men and women young and old rich and poore must be made acquainted with this Booke Moreover John is commanded by the God of Heaven to set downe all the visions which the Angell shewed him and to write them all in a booke and send them to the seven Churches of Asia that is to people of all sorts and conditions And therefore this Booke doth not onely concerne Preachers and deepe Divines but even all the Lords people whatsoever for it doth minister great comfort and strength of faith to all the people of God that live in this age But here the Papists object that this booke is full of darkenesse and obscurity and therefore not for the common people to meddle withall nay say they there are as many mysteries as words in it and therefore what should men trouble their heads about it But no marvaile though the Papists say so much for it is the wound of their Kingdome and the battery of their Babylon As for others both learned and Godly which in this point are almost of the same mind that they will not meddle with this Booke of the Revelation I cannot but marvell at it The modesty and humility of some very rare and reverend men for learning and great variety of gifts which notwithstanding scotch much at this Booke is greatly to be commended But if I were worthy to give them advice I would wish them in this behalfe to change their minde and to bee of another resolution for I dare avouch it that there is nothâ—ng in this Prophesie which study and diligence with prayer and humility may not overcome True it is indeed that the shell is thick and hard to break but being broken the kirnell is most sweet and pleasant If any be discouraged with the darkenes and obscurity of it let him harken to these reasons following First it is called a Revelation which is as much to say as an uncovering of things which did lie hid if it be an uncovering and revealing of things no doubt it may be knowne and seene into For revealed things are for us and our children If it be a Revelation how say some that it cannot be understood For it is contrary to the nature of a Revelation to be so darke that none can understand it But shall we say that the holy Ghost which is the spirit of truth hath given a wrong name unto it God forbid For if it hide matters or set them forth that it cannot be understood then it is not rightly called a Revelation If this Booke be so mysticall that it cannot be understood If the interpretation of it be uncertaine If the common people cannot bee taught to understand it How then should the holy Ghost Apoc. 1.3 Apo. 12.7 Blessed is he â—hat readeth the words of this Prophesie c. Let any man judge that hath common sense Can any man be blessed by hearing and reading those things which hee understandâ—th not I trow no. Then it followeth that this Booke may be understood and no doubt is understood of many and might be better understood of many moe if they would bend their wits and studies unto it Apoc. 22.10 The hâ—ly Ghost as is said before willeth and commandeth that the words of this Prophesie should not bee sealed up Whereby it is evident that hee would have them reade and made knowne to all Then I reason thus that which is open and unsealed may bee read and knowne But this booke is open and unsealed Therefore it may be read and knowne If men say the matters of this Prophesie are sealed and hid and God say they bee unsealed and open whether shall we beleeve men or God If any will reply and say wee feele and finde by experâ—ence that the words of this booke are hard to bee understood I answer that the fault is in our selves because we are so negligent in the search and study thereof For if we did wâ—th that humility and reverend care that ought to be in us search after the things revealed in this booke wee should finde that they bee not sealed up but lie open to be read and knowne True it is indeed that if any man light upon some peâ—ce and take it by it selfe hee shall finde it very darke But if he looke upon the whole course of matters through the booke and marke and observe diligently how things be iterated hee shall finde no such darkenesse as he feareth for there is a notable coherence of matters and course of times observed in this booke even from the first Chapter unto the last as God willing shall more fully and plainely appeare in the particular opening and interpretation thereof One great objection against this Prophesie is that the Fathers profesie it is full of mysteries and that they could not understand it If they could not understand it say some how shall wee understand it Is it not great arrogancy for for us to say wee understand it better then they did I answer noe For a man of meane learning in comparison may now in these daies more easily understand and expound this booke than the learned doctor and Fathers in ancient time The reason is this wee live in an age wherein the most of the things Prophesied in this booke are fulfilled Now the fulfilling of a Prophesie is the best exposition of it But as for the fathers they lived in a time wherein many of these things were not come to passe nor fulfilled and therefore more hard for them to interpret and understand for these things in this prophesie which are not yet fulfilled are hardest for us of this age to understand and resolve of But when a Prophesie is fulfilled it is an easie matter to say this was the meaning of the Prophet Some things in this booke were fulfilled before the dayes of the Fathers and some things in
this booke Secondly the time when he writ it Thirdly the place where he received it Fourthly the person to whom he writ it Fiftly the end and use of his writing this Prophesie Lastly the authority of it As touching the first it is agreed upon amongst the soundest Divines that John the Apostle or Evangelist John the Disciple whom Jesus loved was the Author and Instrument of penning this Prophesie as hee himselfe testifieth Apo. 22.8 Apo. 1.19 saying I am John which saw these things and heard them And hee received a commandement from Jesus Christ which hath the keyes of hell and death that hee should write the things which hee had seene and heard and set them all down together in a booke Now we all know that the testimony of John is of great weight Apo. 1.11 though he be but a man for he is such a man as is firmely to be beleeved in all that he speaketh He is an Apostle an Instrument of the holy Ghost and so guided by the Spirit of God that he speaketh and uttreth nothing that is his owne He was well known and approved For we must consider that what an Apostle did utter he did utter it as the instrument of the Spirit which cannot erre For the Prophets and Apostles did not write the holy Scriptures as they were men onely but as they were the immediate and certaine instruments of the holy Ghost of purpose chosen and set apart to pen and publish the holy bookes of God This Saint Peter confirmeth saying 2 Peâ— 1 Verse 21. Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they mere moued by the holy Ghost The Apostle Paul also affirmeth the same touching his Gospell which saith Gal. 1.12 Hee was not after man neither received hee it of man but by the revelation of Iesus Christ Therefore when his our Apostle saith I am Iohn which saw these things and heard them he gives us to understand that he was both an eye and an care-witnesse He bringeth not matters which he hath heard by uncertain report hee delivereth this Booke to the Churches they which received it at his hands did know him to bee a most faithfull servant of the Lord even a great Apostle which delivereth not any thing but that which hee had received of the Lord and therefore he testifieth â—hat he saw and heard all the things which â—e hath written in this booke Moreover he â—estifieth of himselfe that he was called and authority by Iesus Christ to write this Prophesie and did nothing herein of his owne braine For saith hee I John heard behind me a great voice as it had been of a trumpet saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last and that which thou seest write in a booke and send it unto the Churches Heere we see how Iohn is called by Alpha and Omega that is Jesus Christ to write this doctrine of the Apocalyps But may some man say was not John cald before was he not one of the Lambs 12. Apostles had he not many years executed the office of the Apostleship must he now have a new calling and a second calling what needs he being an Apostle to bee called and authorised againe To this I answere that this matter now in hand was a new worke and therefore requires a new and speciall calling It is a strange revelation and therefore requires a new authority to meddle in it For in this Prophesie God dealeth with John as hee did with the old Prophets For when he would foreshew unto any of them especiall matters he called them by glorious visions as wee may reade what a goodly vision Esay had what a vision full of glory Ezechiel and Daniel had even in majesty like unto this of John Thus then it is to bee considered Iohn now is as one of the old Prophets to foreshew things to come therefore the Lord appeareth unto him in a vision and calleth him thereunto as he appeared unto them and called them Let this then suffice for a reason of Johns now calling to his new Worke and office And thus much touching the first circumstance Now followeth the second circumstance which is the time when Iohn received this Prophesie which is noted to bee upon the Lords day It is the day which S. Paul to the Corinthians calleth the first day of the weeke in which the Churches did meete for the holy exercises in Religion which is also evident because he sayth they came together to breake bread Now the observation of a seventh day is of divine institution Acts 20.7 even from the beginning It is naturall morall and perpetuall for God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it We are therefore to thinke that although Iohn now in his exile was absent in body from the Church assemblies yet he was present with them in spirit commending them most earnestly unto God in his holy prayers and meditations and therefore it is sayd that he was ravished in the Spirit upon the Lords day So we read that the like befell unto Daniel when he was prisoner in Babylon the like befell unto Ezechiel who was taken by the Spirit in the visions of God Act. 10.10 and carried to Ierusalem the like to Peter the like to Paul But the speciall reason of Iohns ravishment in the spirit at this time was that thereby he might be made more fit and capable to receive and understand all those great mysteries and heavenly visions which now should be shewed unto him And withall let us observe that all men are alwaies most capable of heavenly things when they are most in the Spirit For God doth evermore most reveale himselfe to such as are most in prayer reading and meditation and to such as make greatest conscience to spend his Sabaoths Christianly and religiously according to his great commandement And let us alwayes be sure of this that the more fervent and zealous we are in religious duties the more familier acquaintaince wee shall find with God and he will at all times be the more open-harted unto us and will hide nothing from us that may be for his glory and our good For such as are much in heavenly contemplation he doth reckon not amongst his servants Ioh. 15.15 but amongst his dearest friends to whom he will make known all things that he hath heard of his Father But now let us proceed to the third circumstance The third circumstance is the place where Iohn received this Prophesie and that is set downe to bee the Isle of Pathmos which as the Geographers write is a little desart Island lying in the Aegean Sea wherein it is reported that Iohn the Apostle was banished by the Emperour Domitian about the yeare of our Lord 96. and there received and writ this Booke of the Apocalyps where note by the way that there is no place so obscure or vast wherein a Godly minde may not aspire up vnto heaven
and receive a greater largnesse of supernaturall things for Daniel in prison Peter in a Tanners house Paul in a broken ship received a superabundant measure of grace more to bee esteemed then all the Gold of India Some write that this Isle of Pathmos is accounted amongst the Islands called Sporados which lie over against Asia and the City of Ephesus and was in the sight both of Europe and Affrica so that it sâ—emed to bee as it were a middle seat or Holy chaire out of the which CHRIST preached by John from heaven to the whole world And indeed the counsels of God are wonderfull and his goodnesse unspeakeable which revealeth so great mysteries to his faithfull as it were out of the Romish prison and Babylonicall captivity Moreover John declareth the cause of his comming into the same Iland for he sayth he was there for the word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ that is for the preaching and constant profession of the Gospell of Christ Histories do report that John was apprehended in Asia and by Souldiers led to Rome that he might pleade his cause before the Emperour Domitian who most savagely and cruelly condemned the innocent and caused him to be put into a cauldron of hot boyling Oyle out of the which when he by miraculous providence escaped without harme he was carried and conveied into the Isle of Pathmos But immediatly after Johns banishment God met well enough with this persecuting Emperor Domitian For in the fifteenth yeare of his raigne he was cruelly and most shamefully murdered by his owne Servants And thus much for the third circumstance Now it followeth to speake of the fourth circumstance which is the persons to whom this prophesie is written and that is set down in the first Chapter and first verse to be all the servants of God As many therefore as be the servants of God must attend unto this booke heare it reade it and remember it for to all such it is dedicated by the holy Ghost to all such it belongeth for all such it is written and recorded Some do falsely and foolishly imagine that it was given onely to John and that it might likewise bee given to some speciall men as to some great Scholers or deepe Divines which could tell how to use it and how to weild it But wee see how grossely they erre for the holy Ghost saith it belongeth to all the Servants of God And moreover John is willed and commanded to write all the things which hee saw in sundry visions in a booke together Cha. 1.11 and to send it to the seven Churches which is in Asia be-because the Lord would have it remaine in perfect record unto the use of the whole Church both that the Church might have the custody of this booke and allso that it might be a faithfull witnesse unto the end of the world that this booke was written and penned by Iohn the Apostle of whose truth sincerity the church had sufficient experience True it is indeed that there are but seven Churches named but under these 7. Churches all others are comprehended It had bin an infinite matter to reckon up all the particular Churches which were then in the world to have opened their severall estates therefore under these seven Churches of Asia and their particular severall estates the state of the universall Church militant is layd open I conclude therefore that the whole doctrine of Saint Iohns Revelation appertaineth to the Universall Church of Christ throughout all the World and in all times and ages since it was written and recorded And that as all Scripture is written for our instruction and comfort Rom. 15.4 2 Ti. 3.16 and as all Scripture given by divine inspiration is profitable to teach and convince c. so this booke of the Apocalyps is written for the speciall comfort and instruction of the Church in these last dayes And so I doe conclude this fourth point The fift circumstantiall point is the end and use of this prophesie Chap. 1.1 which is to publish and blaze abroad the things which must shortly come to passe that is all things prophesied in this booke and to be fulfilled even to the end of the World and whereas hee saith that these things must come to passe he doth us to understand how great the stablenesse and assurednesse of Gods determination is For looke what things are fore-appointed by Gods determinate purpose they are altogether unchangeable for the Lord is God and hee is not changed And he saith My determination shall stand Mal. 3.6 Esay 45 1â— Ma. 24.35 And Christ sayth Heaven and earth shall passe away c. It is therefore most certaine that every particular thing contained in this prophesie shall be fulfilled in Gods appointed time For GOD hath disclosed these things to hâ—s Sonne CHRIST not to the end he should shut then up againe in himselfe but that he should shew them forth to the Godly that the whole Church might fare the better by them It doth then stand us all upon to enquire and search into these things which must so shortly come to passe that thereby we may be strengthned and comforted against all future dangers And Christ saith Behold I come shortly Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the Prophesie c. Apo. 22.7 But how shall wee keepe them except wee know them And how shall we know them except we reade them and studdy them If therefore wee meane bee partakers of this blessednesse we must not onely esteeme this booke to bee very profitable but absolutely necessary for all the servants of God to be exercised in And if ever there were any time wherein it behoved to set forth to urge and to beare in this Doctrine to all the people of God then it is chiefly necessary to be done in this our time For this age of ours hath in the Popes Kingdome many sharpe and quicke wits which commend with marvellous praises both the Pope and the popish Church and buzze into the eares of the common people and unlearned sort many things cleane contrary to the Doctrine of the Scriptures The Jesuites and Priests are growne exceeding crafty and cunning The Papists are rich wealthy and full of armour and munition Popery seemeth to make a head againe and the Papists looke for a day It stands us then upon which love Christ and his Gospell that we should be well appointed and thorowly armed against them And for this purpose the Revelation of Saint John is of great use and necessity As I said before so I say againe that it is the Prophesie of our time written to this speciall end that by it wee might be both fore-warned and fore-armed If wee doe consider the whole matter of this booke we shall easily finde out the use and end of it For the excellent matter of it doth argue the excellent end and use of it Now then as concerning the generall matter of this
of Prophets in whom the will of God and all the counsels of the Father are revealed unto us The manner of Johns calling to receive this Prophesie is set downe in these words I John even your brother Ver. 9 10 11. and companion in tribulation and in the Kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ was in the I le of Pathmos for the Word of God and for the witnessing of Jesus Christ And I was ravished in the Spirit on the Lords day and heard behinde me a great voice as it had beene of a Trumpet saying I am Alpha and Omega that first and that last and that which thou seest write in a booke and send it unto the seven Churches which are in Asia c. Now out of these three verses five things are to be observed First that John is commanded by the voyce of Christ which he heard behinde him as loud as a Trumpet to write and record the visions which he saw being so writen and recorded to commend them to all the Churches for the common benefit and use thereof So that herein John doth nothing of himselfe nothing of his owne braine but all things by speciall warrant and authority from Jesus Christ and that Alpha and Omega which doth call him and authorize him to this great businesse which now he is set about Secondly Johns ravishment in spirit to the end he might be made more capable of all these heavenly visions which were shewed unto him Thirdly his great humiliation whereby also he was fitted to receive and understand these great mysteries For God will guide the meeke in judgement and teach the humble his wayes Psal 25. yea his secrets are with them that feare him Therefore although John was a great Apostle and hath seene wonderfull visions yet he is not thereby puft up with pride and conceit of himselfe but in the greatest humiliation of his soule calleth himselfe a brother and companion of all the faithfull Ver. 9. but specially of such as patiently suffer for Iesus Christ and his Kingdome Fourthly the time when Iohn was called which was the Lords day Fiftly and lastly the place where he was called which was the I le of Pathmos as formerly hath been shewed The description of Christ the Person that called Iohn to this new office is set downe in the next five Verses following wherein the excellent glory of Christs Person is described First Ver. 13 14 15 16. from the place where Christ did appeare unto him Secondly from the severall parts and members of his royall Person Thirdly from his provident care over his true Ministers and all his faithfull people Touching the place where Christ in a vision did appeare to Iohn he saith it was in the middest of the seven golden Candlestickes For saith hee I turned backe to see the voice that spake with me and when I was turned I saw seven golden Candlestickes and in the middest of the seven Candlestickes one like the Sonne of man c. The seven golden Candlesticks are interpreted by Christ himselfe in the last Verse of the Chapter to be the seven Churches The Churches are said to be of gold because Christ delighteth in them as we doe in gold he valueth every true member thereof as we doe gold for every beleever is all glorious within every true Christian is very faire and beautifull every regenerate man is as gold even as most pure gold It is said afterward that Christ walketh in the middest of the seven golden Candlestickes Ver. 11.13 that is Hee is alwayes present with His Church to feed it governe it defend it and comfort it The Prophet saith that Christ hath seven eyes which goe through the whole world whereby is signified his watchfull providence for his Church for he is alwayes looking out for the good of it to defend and protect it against all adversary power Which thing was figured in the Rammes skins wherewithall the Arke was covered to defend it against all violence of winde and weather Even so the mercifull protection of Christ as it were the continall covering of his Church As touching the parts and members of his royall Person he is described of his head and haire of his face of his eyes of his voyce of his feet of his garments and of his girdle As concerning his head and haire they are said to be as white as wooll and in snow which signifieth his great wisdome and knowledge to performe all things in his Church for wisdome and knowledge for the most part doe accompany white heads and gray haires His face shineth as the Sun in his strength Which signifieth that Christ is the same to his Church that the Sunne is to the World For as the Sun lightneth the whole World with his brightnesse so Christ with the brightnesse of his face enlightneth his whole Church His eyes are like a flame of fire that is exceeding bright and piercing into all places yea the very heart of men for nothing is hid from his sight with whom we have to doe Hee hath Eagles eyes to foresee all dangers intended and plotted against his Church that he may in due time prevent them His voyce is compared to the sound of many waters because it should sound throughout all the World by the preaching of the Gospell Waters is expounded Chapter 17. verse 15. of multitudes nations and tongues Christs voyce therefore is like many Waters because his voice should goe through many Countries and Kingdomes His feet are compared to fine brasse to signifie both the perfection of all his wayes and also his mighty power to tread downe all his enemies He is clothed with a garment downe to the ground to signifie that hee walked as King and Priest in the midst of the 7. golden Candlesticks For Kings and Priest in old time did weare long garments especially in the execution of their offices He is girded about the paps with a golden girdle For as Kings and Priests did gird their garments close unto them lest otherwise they might be hindred in the execution of their offices so Christ girdeth himselfe close to his businesse for he is no idle beholder of the state of his Church but one that continually worketh out the good thereof Concerning his provident care over his faithfull Ministers he is said to carry them in his right hand for he had in his right hand seven starres Ver. 16. Ver. 10. that is the Ministers of the Churches As Christ saith The seven starres are the Angels that is the Ministers of the seven Churches Ministers are compared to Starres because they should shine as bright Starres in this darke world both by life and doctrine Christ is said to hold them in his right hand because he alwayes defended them against the malice and fury of the World which of all others is most outragiously bent against them and their favorites But let men take heed of over-bold presuming to pull the Stars out of Christs right
to cover their faces two to cover their feete and two to flye withall And they have two wings to cover their faces withall because they are not able to endure the unconceiveable brightnesse and glory of God for he dwelleth in unapproachable light They have two wings to cover their feete withall because mortall then are not able to looke upon the brightnesse that is in Heaven For we reade that many have beene astonished and dazled with the glory and brightnesse of Angels so glorious creatures are they They have two wings to flie withall to note their prompt obedience and readinesse to execute the commandements of God as formerly was shewed Moreover the Angels are said to have wings and to flye swiftly because God by them doth speedily dispatch many purposes actions and services here below and for this cause the Scripture affirmeth that he rideth upon the Cherubins that hee dwelleth betweene the Cherubins and that hee maketh the Clouds his Chariots and walketh upon the wings of the winde For as earthly Kings are in their progresses carried in their most sumptuous coaches drawne by the most excellent Coach-horses to dispatch great businesses and many weighty affaires within their dominions so the Visions in Ezechiel do shew that the immortall King is carried most swiftly in his Chariot of triumph drawne by the Cherubins as it were by beasts to direct and over-rule all actions under the Sun Moreover these Angels are said to be full of eyes within Verse 8. to note not onely their fulnesse of knowledge but also their inward sight into all heavenly things yea even such as are most secret and hid for they are of all other creatures most inward with God None of his Children know so much of his counsell as they Furthermore the Angels are heere said to prayse God uncessantly Verse 8. day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was which is and which is to come where we may cleerely see that the Angels prayse and worship God in a burning zeale without wearinesse For they are not as men which through their great corruption are full of dulnesse and wearinesse in Gods worship but they do alwaies serve him with infatigable desires and therfore are called Seraphins because they burne in the zeale of God and Cherubins because their delight is to approach neare unto him and to be alwaies about his Throne yea even in his chamber of presence They doe double and treble this word holy and warble much upon it because they know full well that he is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his works and that all his proceedings and judgements are even then weighed in the ballance of Justice and equity when to mans sense and the judgement of reason they seeme nothing lesse For his judgements are as a great depth which mans reason cannot sound Further wee see that when these beasts that is the Angels gave glory and honour and thanks to God c. the 24. Elders also fell downe before him and worshipped him that liveth for evermore Where we may see that both Saints and Angels doe joyntly prayse and magnifie God and him alone Even that GOD that liveth for evermore even that GOD which was which is and which is to come that is the eternall and everlasting God For the Scripture sayth Praise him O yee Saints and praise him O yee Angels that excell in strength And the 24. Elders cast their Crownes before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour c. Wherein we see that all the Elect do empty themselves of all worthinesse to have any glory acknowledging that their Crownes of glory are Gods free gift and that the praise thereof belongeth only to him and nothing to themselves And this in very deed is the right manner of worshipping God frankly to ascribe all glory to him and all shame to our selves to give all to him to whom all is due and nothing to our selves which have nothing for nothing can be given or taken out of nothing Now then to conclude and winde up this 4. Chapter we do clearely see the summe and drift of all is that Heaven doore was opened unto John and that he was let in and called up into the Chamber of presence by a very loud voice there to take notice of the future estate of the Church and that the person which thus called him up was the very immortall God himselfe who is so gloriously described of his Throne his troopes and traines of Saints and Angels as we have heard And all this is to commend and set forth the authority of this booke whose Authour is so excellent yea super-excellent CHAP. V. AFter this Vision containing the glory of the divine Majesty was shewed unto John that he might know from what fountaine this Prophesie was derived now in this fift Chapter is taught and shewed by what meanes and by whose mediation the knowledge of such hidden mysteries were revealed unto the Church namely by the meanes and mediation of Jesus Christ in whom onely the counsels and secrets of God the Father are opened and made knowne unto men For he is the great Prophet and Doctor of the Church which is come down from the bosome of his Father and hath made knowne unto us whatsoever he hath received of his Father as he himselfe testifieth And the Church is commanded by a voice from Heaven to heare him and him alone This fifth Chapter containeth three things generally Ver. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. First a description of the booke which was in the right hand of God Secondly a description of Jesus Christ which receiveth it at the hand of his Father and openeth it Thirdly a description of those most glorious praises which are given to Christ by the Angels Saints and all the creatures in Heauen and earth I saw in the right hand of him that sate upon the throne a book written within Verse 1. and on the backe side sealed with seaven seales By this booke here mentioned is meant this present booke of the Apocalyps or Revelation as it shall plainely appeare in the next chapter when we come to the opening of the seaven seales thereof For the things which fall out upon the opening of the severall seales do plainely declare that all is meant of the particular matters contained in this present booke This book is said to be in the right hand of him that sitteth upon the throne because all the secrets revealed in it come from the counsell and decree of the most high God and are ordered by his meere direction providence It is called a written booke to shew that the things contained in it are so firmely decreed in the counsell of God that none of them shall faile but come to passe and be fulfilled â—n their season They are such as we may write of as we use to say and therefore for the cerâ—ainty of them they are here said to
be writâ—en in a booke This booke is sayd to be written within and without for the multitude and variety of matters contained in it For there were both many and great things which should fall out in the World from the time that John received the Prophesie unto the end of the World This booke is sealed with seven seales that is to say perfectly sealed because the things contained herein are counsels and secrets only known to God till it pleased hiâ— to reveale them to his Church by his Son The elect Angels knew nothing of the things written in this booke before the seales were opened Verse 2. And I saw a strong Angell which proclaimed with a loud voice Who is worthy to open the booke and to loose the seales thereof Heere is Proclamation made to all creatures that if there were any manner of persons in Heaven or earth among men or Angels that would take upon them to open and expound this booke that they should comâ— forth and shew themselves and be very willingly and gladly heard Verse 3. But alas the next verse doth shew that none in heaven oâ— earth was able to open the booke and expounâ— it whereupon John wept very much becausâ— no man was found worthy to open and interpret this booke The cause of Johns weeping and lamenting was for feare the Church should be deprived of such profitable and excellent things as he knew were contayned in this booke Such was his love to the Church such was his zeale and care for the people of God An example worthy of all imitation to mourne and weepe for the concâ—â—ling of the book of God and to rejoyce in the opening of it But Papists and Atheists are of a contrary minde for they rejoyce in the concealing and keeping close of the Scriptures and are much grieved with the opening and revealing thereof because thereby their hypocrisie and villany is detected and discarded Vpon this one of the Elders sayd unto John Verse 5. Weepe not Behold the Lion which is of the Tribe of Judah the roote of David hath obtained to open the book and to loose the seals thereof Heere we see how Iohn is comforted and cheered up by one of the Elders being now very pensive and sad and is willed to plucke up a good heart and to be of good cheere for he could tell him good newes to wit of one that could open and expound this booke and all the secrets in it and that is Jesus Christ the great revealer of secrets and onely expounder of all riddles and hidden mysteries as before hath been spoken Jesus Christ is here said to be of the Tribe of Judah because he is lineally descended of that Tribe according to the flesh and his humane nature He is compared unto a Lyon by allusion unto Jacobs words in his last will and testament concerning Judah namely that he should couch as a Lyon and as a Lyonesse and none should stirre him He is fitly compared to a Lyon for his great and admirable power and strength for he raigneth and must raigne over all his enemies and in the middest of all his enemies till he hath troade all his enemies under his feete He is called the roote of David both here and also in the 22. Chapter of this Booke verse 16. because he sprung out of David the Sonne of Ishai as a branch out of his roote as the Prophet did fore-tell that A rod should come forth of the stock of Ishai and a graft should grow out of his rootes And the Apostle sayth that Christ was made of the seede of David according to the flesh Then sayth John I beheld and loe Verse 6. in the middest of the throne and of the foure beasts and of the Elders stood a Lambe as though he had beene killed which had seven hornes and seven eies which are the seven Spirits of God sent into all the world Here John taketh a view and sight of Jesus Christ from the very middest of the throne and of the foure beasts and the Elders Christ doth not appeare about the throne as do the Saints and Angels which are but ministers and ministring Spirits but in the very middest of the Throne and the foure beasts c. because he is God everlasting coequall and coeternall with the Father in whom as the Apostle saith dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily or essentially And here afterwards the same worship and honour is ascribed unto him both by the Saints and Angels which before is ascribed unto God the Father Christ is heere compared to a Lambe for his innocency for the Scripture sayth He was a sheepe dumbe before his shearer Hee is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Hee is the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world He is compared to a Lyon for his great and incomparable strength in conquering Hell Death and damnation and all infernall power And to a Lambe because he hath dispatched all this upon the Crosse by the sacrifice of himselfe once offered for he did never more lively shew forth his Lyon-like power then when he was as a Lambe slaine and sacrificed upon the Crosse This Lambe Christ is here sayd to have seven hornes which signifie his manifold power or fulnes of power or perfect power according as this metaphor or borrowed speech of horne is usually so taken in all the Scriptures This Lambe also is sayd to have seven eies which are interpreted to be the seven spirits of God that is the manifold graces and gifts of the Spirit which he giveth unto his Church Now then to conclude this point for asmuch as the number of seven in this booke is a number of perfection and alwaies noteth perfection therefore by Christs seven hornes and seven eyes we may and that soundly understand his perfect power and his perfect sight and knowledge in all things For his seven eyes are so taken in the third Chapter of the Prophesie of Zachary where it is said a Vpon one stone shall be seven eyes Meaning that Jesus Christ the corner stone of the Church should be full of eyes to looke out for the good of his Church and to give light to all others for he is the life and light of the World And he came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate upon the throne Ver. 7. Here Jesus Christ takes the booke out of his Fathers hand purposing both to open it and expound it For he is the only expounder of the law and the best interpreter of his Fathers will Hereupon it is sayd that the foure beasts Verse 8. and 24. Elders fell downe before the Lambe to testifie their thankefulnesse and inward joy and rejoycing that the Sonne of God would take upon him this office which none other would or could performe Moreover by their falling downe and worshiping him they doe plainely testifie that he is God over all to be
might is Christ as appeareth by the description of him and by all the consequents following Mat. 24. for he is said to be cloathed with a Cloud which signifieth his great glory and Majesty For he shall come in the clouds of heaven to judge the world that is with great pomp and glory The Raine-bow was upon his head which signifieth the covenant of peace with his Church as before Chap. 4. verse 3. His face was as the Sunne which signifieth comfort and deliverance to his Church and the dispelling of all the smoake of the bottomlesse Pit as the Sunne Scattereth and driveth away the thick mists His feete are pillers of brasse which signifieth that he should tread downe all his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 19. both Pope and Turke For he must raigne till he have destroyed them all The Pope along time kept all the Kings of Europe in awe The Locusts were of great power The Turkes prevailed exceedingly But what are they all to this mightie and glorious Angell Christ What is their power to withstand him What can Abaddon the King of the Locusts do against this mighty King of Sion What can the Turkes most terrible Horses and Horse-men doe against this Angell which sitteth upon the white Horse Alas alas they are able to do nothing They must all be trodden down under his feet of brasse ver 2. And he had in his hand a little book open and He put his right foot upon the Sea and his left upon the earth This little Booke signifieth the Bible It is called little in respect of the great and huge volumes of Popish bookes though in it selfe it be large It is sayd to be open that all men might looke into it because it had been shut a long time before even during all the time of the darkning of the Sunne and Aire by the smoke which came out of the bottomlesse pit But although it was long shut up in the time of Popery and lay buried in a strange tongue yet now it is opened and publikely preached unto all the servants of God And all this no doubt is to be understood of Luthers time and all the times ever since the Gospell was spread abroad after the great darkenesse For some hundred yeares agoe it was hard to finde an English Bible but now God be thanked there are thousands to be found in the hands of Gods people And therefore the things here Prophesied of are fulfilled in our daies for we live under the opening of the seaventh Seale and the blowing of the sixth Trumpet and the powring foorth of the sixth Viall as here doth partly appeare and shall God willing bee made more manifest when we come to the sixteenth Chapter Now we are diligently to obserue that as the opening of this Booke and the preaching of the Gospell by Luther and his successors hath dispersed the former darknesse and beaten down Popery so also hath it driven backe the Turke and taken from us all feare of him which in former ages was the terrour of the World for since men have looked into this book repented of their Idolatry and turned unto God with all their hearts the Turke and his power hath not been feared especially in these parts where the Gospell is preached For God in his mercifull providence towards his Church hath diverted his power another way and set him a worke else where So that if men cannot be brought to beleeve that God raised him up as a scourge for Idolaters and a plague for Idolatrie and other soule sinnes according to the words in the former Chap. where it is said They repented not of the workes of their hands c. yet when they see that at the opening of the Booke of God and forsaking Idolatry the feare of him is removed let them beleeve it What can be more plaine than that this open Booke in the hand of the Angell hath delivered us from the Pope and from the Turke A most happy opening of this blessed booke More it is said that he put his right foot upon the Sea and his left on the Earth The setting of Christs right foot upon the Sea signifieth that he is ruler of the Sea and standeth as firmely upon the Sea as upon the Land The setting of his left foot upon the Earth doth signifie that he is Lord of the Earth and true heire to all things in it And cryed with a loud voice verse 3. as when a Lion roareth and when he had cryed seven thunders utterd their voyces This crying with a loud voice like the roaring of a Lion doth signifie the manifestation of the wrath of Christ against all his enemies for now he beginneth to roare against them as a Lion when he is hungry roareth for his prey Therefore now both the Scorpion Locusts and the fierce Horses and horsmen are like to goe to the pot By the seven thunders which uttered their voyces is meant those perfect and exquisite judgements which now were to be inflicted both upon the Kingdome of the Pope and the Turke We have heard before that seven is a perfect number in this book and that thunder is put for the thundring of Gods wrath and all such broiles and plagues as follow thereupon and this is the reason of this interpretation verse 4. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voyces I was about to write but I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me Seale up these things which the seven thunders have spoken and write them not It should seeme these seven thunders did so speake as they might be understood for John was about to write the things which they spake thinking that they were uttered for that end and purpose that he should deliver them in writing to the Churches But he receiveth a commandement to the contrary for he is willed not to write them but to conceale them untill the appointed time But some man may say Why were they uttered seeing they must be concealed and kepâ— close I answer it was not in vaine for first though the particulars be not expressed what the thunders speake yet here we are taught that there remaine most fearfull Judgements against all the oppressors of the Church which Christ hath thundred out with terrour against them And when the time determined is come they shall be seene and understood but in the meane time they be sealed up and kept close according to that of Job Why should not the times be hid of the Almighty so as they which know him should not perceive the times appointed of him and that of Daniel These things are Sealed up untill the time determined And the Angell which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven verse 5. And sware by him that liveth for evermore ver 6. which created heaven and the things that therein are and the earth and the things that therein are and the sea and the things that
Here is shewed that this image of the beast was not a dead image but a living image for Antichrist put a spirit into it that is life and power and great authority insomuch that this image could speake and not only speak but speak with great authority and terror so as whosoever would not worship this image that is submit himself to the Popish Hierarchie should be put to death But may some man say How did this image speak I answer by the Popes Clergy For the Romish rabble of Cardinals Abbots Monks Priests Friars and all that cursed corporation were the very breath life and spirit of this image I mean that the life-bloud of their externall regiment did lie in the execution thereof by the Clergy as it were in certaine arteries and veines For what was their outward form of government without this cruell execution of their stinging Clergy-men but as a dead image without life But when Antichrist had once consecrated and erected his Romish Priesthood then did hee put life into his image which before he had caused to be made and erected Then we do plainly see that the Popish Hierarchy is not a bare resemblance of the old Roman policy to stand as a picture on a wall but hath a spirit put into it by the false prophet and speaketh with such power and terrour in all kingdoms that it causeth all to be put to death that will not submit themselves unto it and fall down and worship the beast Who knoweth not this that as many in the countries as would not imbrace Popery and the old Roman tyranny the Popish Clergy their Inquisitors and other Officers did condemne them in their Courts as hereticks schismaticks and delivered them over being condemned to the secular power to be put to death Vers 16 17. And he made all both small and great rich and poor bond and free to receive a mark in their right-hand or in their foreheads And that no man might buy or sell save hee that had the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name Antichrist is not content to murder and massacre in all countries which wil not worship the image of the beast that is stoup to his government and authority but he will go yet a step further and will have all sorts of people brought in bondage unto him as his marked servants For as men use to set a brand upon their sheep and other cattel and to ear-marke them that it might openly and manifestly appeare to whom they appertaine so doth Antichrist this Romish beast cause all men in all kingdoms to carry in open view his mark or brand whereby all men see that they doe appertain unto him It is here said that all the vassals of Antichrist of what degree estate or condition soever must receive this mark in their right hand or in their forehead that is they must openly professe and practise the worship and religion of the beast For the forehead is put for the profession and the right hand for the action so that in one of them at the least every man must openly declare that he acknowledgeth the Pope of Rome to be lord of his faith Moreover it is added That no man might buy or sell save hee that had the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name the meaning is that no man might traffique in the world or have any doings amongst men nay hee might not be suffered to live except hee had the mark of the beast in his forehead or in his right-hand that is unlesse he did professe and practise the worship the religion laws decrees of the Pope For the marke of the beast is put for his worship religion lawes decrees regiments and policy Moreover the Popes vassals have not only his mark upon them whereby they may be known but also the name of the beast for they must be named after him even as children bear the name of their fathers and must be called of the Pope or Papa Papists And not only so but also they have another privie mark upon them and that is the number of his name which is Latinos or professors of the Latine religion Latine kingdome and Italian Church as shall by and by appear Now then to grow to conclusion and to make a brief recapitulation of all things here spoken concerning the second beast which is Antichrist Let us consider what increasings and proceedings he hath made as it were by degrees First although hee hath two horns like the Lambe that is Civill and Ecclesiasticall power yet hee speaketh like the Dragon that is he bendeth all his power and authority words and works for the Divell Secondly hee doth as much as the first beast could do in the service of the Dragon Thirdly he causeth the first beast to be worshipped that is established the substance of his religion Fourthly hee maketh the image of the beast that is addeth a forme to the substance Fifthly he putteth life into his image by his Clergy Sixthly he will have his image worshipped and yeelded unto on pain of death Lastly he will have all men of all conditions to wear his livery and to receive his mark as it were his hired and covenant servants Here is wisdome Verse 1â— Let him that hath wit count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man and his number is six hundred threescore and six Now last of all the holy Ghost telleth us that it is a very high point of wisdome and understanding to count the number of the beast and requireth a sharp and pregnant wit and withall telleth us that it is the number of a man that is such as a man endued with Gods Spirit may find out Then wee are incouraged to search into it sith it is within the compasse of mans reach It is no impossible thing If therefore we could find out his name we would desire no more then the field were won for his name would discover him and descry him to all the world and quite stop the mouthes of the Papists so as they should never have any thing more to say For if Saint John had said expressely and in plain termes that the Popes of Rome are this second beast and the very Antichrist himselfe then the Papists had beene put to perpetuall silence all matters quasht and all controversies ended betwixt them and us for ever But here the holy Ghost doth not tell us his name plainly but mystically as many other things in this booke that the worldlings which should fulfill them might be blinded whilest the eys of Gods elect are opened to see into the truth of all these matters Well to come to the point S. John doth only here set down the numerative letters of the beasts name Hee wrote in Greek and hee only setteth downe three Greek letters or characters which in Greek numeration make six hundred sixty six Now further we are to note the
observe one speciall thing to wit that the Gospel which this Angel flyeth withall containeth the brief summ of all the doctrine which Luther Calvin Peter Martyr and the rest have taught out of Gods Word and agreeth in all points with it For what other thing did they all preach teach and write but that men should turn from idols to the living God from fearing glorifying and worshipping creatures to feare worship and glorifie God alone which hath made all things What other thing doe all the preachers of this age publish and proclaime in all their Sermons but this Feare God and give glory onely to him Is not this the Epitome and short sum of all the doctrine of the Preachers of England Scotland Germany France Denmarke and all the rest and therefore I conclude that this Angel must needs be understood of the Preachers of this last age which now these fourscore yeeres have sounded the trumpet of the Gospel against all the inventions of Popery And blessed be God wee see these things fall out in our dayes and are eye-witnesses of the fulfilling of them And there followed another Angel saying Verse 8. It is fallen it is fallen Babylon that great city for she gave to all nations to drink the wine of the wrath of her fornication Here is set down the blessed effect of the preaching of this everlasting Gospel which is the downfall of Babylon For as when the cleer Sun ariseth upon the earth the thick mists and clouds are dispersed even so when the bright beames of the Gospel doe shine forth unto the world Babylon that dark kingdom vanisheth away incontinently And as it is written in the eighteenth chapter so soon as the earth was lightened with the glory of this everlasting Gospel Babylon immediatly falleth Therefore now before I go any further my purpose through the assistance of God Five maine points is to prove these five points out of this verse and that which followeth unto the twentieth chapter to wit First that Babylon here signifieth Rome Secondly that Rome shall fall and how Thirdly that Rome shall fall finally and come to utter desolation in this life Fourthly by whom and when it shall be overthrown Lastly the causes of the utter ruine and overthrow thereof How Rome is to be taken But before I go about to prove that Babylon here is Rome I would have it carefully observed what is meant by Rome viz. not the topography of Rome that is so much ground only as is compassed within the wals of that city but the regiment government and prerogative that is claimed by vertue of that Monarchy whereof Rome is the head By Rome is meant the power and authority of Rome or to speak plainly by Rome is meant the Roman Monarchy Further we are here to observe the reason why the holy Ghost calleth Rome Babylon for Rome literally and properly taken is not Babylon in as much as they were two divers cities one in Italy the other in Chaldea but Rome is called Babylon mystically figuratively and as the holy Ghost speaketh spiritually and by a kind of allusion Chap. 11.8 A reason why Rome is called Babylon For as the old Eastern Babylon did a long time oppresse the Church of the Jewes so Rome this Western Babylon hath long oppressed the Church of the Christians As the Eastern Babylon did many yeers hold down the people of God in miserable bondage and servitude so the Western Babylon did a long time keep the Christian Church in spirituall thraldome and misery In which respects Rome is spiritually compared to Sodom and Egypt to Sodom for filthinesse and to Egypt for idolatry and keeping Gods Church in spirituall bondage and slavery And thus we see the reason why Rome is called Babylon which is not simply and properly but after a sort that is by a phrase of speech or Trope which they call a Metonymie or changing of names when that is given to one thing which is proper to another for the likenesse of quality that it hath with it or adjoyned unto it Now having shewed the reason why Rome is called Babylon and what is meant by Rome we are to proceed to the first point which is to prove that Babylon in this place signifieth Rome which although it be granted of all sound Divines and avouched in the writings of the best learned both new and old so as it shall need no great proof yet will I add three or foure reasons out of this book to make it more plain and apparant First therefore I do thus reason out of the seventeenth chapter and last verse Babylon is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth But there was no other city which did reigne over the kings of the earth when John wrote this book but onely Rome Therefore Rome is Babylon For as for Jerusalem it was at that time made an heap of stones The first proposition is avouched by the Angel of God expounding unto John what is meant by the great whore whose damnation hee had shewed him before and by the woman which sate upon a scarlet coloured beast The woman which thou sawest Chap. 17.18 saith the Angel to Saint John is that great city which raigneth over the kings of the earth that is to say Rome or the Romish synagogue and malignant Church For the Angel could not speak more plainely except he should have named Rome then to say thus The woman the great whore of Babylon is the great city which raigneth over the kings of the earth For if one should say The great citie of England every man knoweth that thereby is meant London if one should say The great citie of France every one knoweth that thereby is meant Paris so when the Angel saith The great citie which reigneth over the kings of the earth all that lived in those times knew that thereby was meant Rome Babylon is Rome for Rome was the chief citie of the Monarchy and is put in this book for the whole Monarchy and the religion thereof as hath been said before My second reason is this Chap. 17. Babylon is the mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth Babylon is that great whore with whom have committed fornication the Kings of the earth and the inhabitants of the earth made drunk with the wine of her fornication But Rome and none but Rome is such a one Therefore Rome is Babylon My third argument is this Babylon is that city which hath had seven severall governments But only Rome hath had seven severall kinds of government Therefore Rome is Babylon The proposition is proved from the words of the Angel expounding unto John what is meant by the seven heads of the scarlet coloured beast whereupon the woman sate The seven heads saith hee are seven kings Chap. 17.9 that is seven orders or states of kingly government for seven kings in this place are not put for seven severall men which were kings
Babylon that he may be fully revenged and execute the fiercenesse of his wrath both upon her and her whole kingdom yea and that in such terrible and wrathfull manner that there shall be no place of refuge no place to flie into for succour for Saint John saith Verse 20. Every I le fled away and the mountaines were not found Meaning that the Papists in that day shall have neither mountain nor Iland to fly unto And last of all the holy Ghost saith that there fell a great haile like talents out of heaven upon the Idolaters Chap. 16.21 insomuch that they blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail for the plague thereof was exceeding great A talent was about the weight of threescore pound as some write Then it followeth that this hail of Gods wrath upon the Papists shall be most terrible and fearfull and beat them down to the ground as it were an haile of mil-stones or plough-irons Now when this hail of talents cometh as assuredly come it shall then shall the kingdome of Popery be beaten to dust and powder and therefore no marvell though the Idolaters seeing all this be in a most horrible rage and blaspheme God Verse 21. as Saint John saith because of this exceeding and most extraordinary plague which shall then come upon them But now to conclude and wind up all together for as much as this last viall is powred into the aire God saith It is done an extraordinary earth-quake followeth the great citie of Rome is rent Babylon called into question and fearful hailstones of wrath powred downe upon the Idolaters I doe conclude that Rome shall fall finally and come to utter destruction in this life Now let us proceed to further proofe In the eighteenth chapter of this book the whore of Babylon saith in heart I sit being a Queen and am no widow Chap. 18.8 9. Isa 47. and shall see no sorrow Therefore shall her plagues come at one day death and sorrow and famine and shee shall be burnt with fire for that God which condemneth her is a strong Lord. First here Rome is described as shee was in the height and top of her pride and security when shee held the dominion of the kings of the earth and boasted that she was the head of the Catholick Church carrying her selfe very insolently above all kings and Emperors treading upon their necks and making them attend at her gates bare-foot in the middest of winter as the stories report Yea and that shee was no widow that is no solitary or desolate person but one that had many lovers which were strong to defend her so as she should feel no want nor see any sorrow But the time will come and draweth on apace wherein shee shall be throughly punished for her haughtinesse and intolerable pride and security For the holy Ghost saith her plagues shall come in one day that is suddenly shortly and speedily even death sorrow and famine and shee shall be burnt with fire for that God which condemneth her is a strong Lord. If this be not plain enough to prove an utter overthrow of Rome I know not what can be plain enough For if death famine and fire will not pull her downe I know not what shall pull her downe But Saint John saith flatly that God himselfe who is a strong Lord will oppose himselfe against Rome and condemne her Who can uphold her Can the king of Spaine can the Cardinals can the Emperour can all the Dukes of Italie and all the potentates of the earth that take part with her No no they are all too weake For if God take against a man Job 23. who can reclaim him saith the holy Ghost For hee doth whatsoever hee will And againe God is wise in heart and mighty in strength who ever hardned his heart against him and prospered If God call not back his anger the most proud hearts are bowed under him And God saith in Ezek 22. Can thy hands be strong or can thy heart endure in the day that I shall have to doe with thee Then it followeth that though Babylon fit as a Queen and all her lovers take part with her yet because the strong Lord is against her therefore shee shall come to utter destruction Some of good judgement in the truth have gathered from this place that the very city of Rome shall be burnt with fire which assuredly may well be but this I am sure of that the phrase of burning with fire doth in the Prophets alwaies signifie an utter destruction and desolation of a city or a kingdom Amos 5.6 and therefore it followeth that Rome shall be utterly destroyed But behold yet a stronger and plainer proofe For Saint John saith Chap. 17.21 A mighty Angel took up a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the sea saying With such a violence shall that great city Babylon be cast downe and shall be found no more All men know that old Babylon in Chaldea was destroyed by the Medes and Persians long before Saint John wrote this book and therefore that is not here meant but the new Babylon which is Rome as before hath been proved The phrases of speech and the signes which the Prophets used to declare the destruction and desolation of old Babylon are here alluded unto the destruction of Rome For wee read in the Prophecie of Jeremie that the Prophet having written in a book all the evil that should come upon Babel for holding Gods people so long in most miserable captivity Jer. 51.61 said to Serajah When thou comest unto Babel thou shalt reade all these words and when thou hast made an end of reading this booke thou shalt binde a stone to it and cast it into the middest of Euphrates and shalt say Thus shall Babel be drowned and shall not rise up from the evill that I will bring upon her although they weary themselves Now let us consider how this agreeth with the same which is here set down and wee shall find that all things are here set down with greater force to expresse as it were a deeper vengeance and a more heavie and unrecoverable destruction First there is a man here is a mighty Angel there the man taketh up a stone here the Angel taketh up a great stone like a mil-stone there the stone is cast into the river here into the deep sea All these circumstances being applied to Rome do greatly aggravate the matter and very plainly shew that it shall fall without all hope of recovery Rome shall fall without all hope of recovery For the Lord declareth by this forcible signe of casting a mil-stone into the sea that the citie and kingdome of Antichrist shall bee cast deep down into perdition and shall lie overwhelmed and drowned in the same for ever For if old Babylon was utterly destroyed and came to a finall desolation in this life much more shall Rome as the holy Ghost disputeth But
with him in the eternall triumph which is the sense of these words The Spirit and the Bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come For it is proper and peculiar only to the Bride to hear wait and long for the coming of Christ And let him that is athirst come That is all such as thirst after righteousnesse may truely say Come sweet Jesus For they are allowed freely to drink of the water of life The plain meaning of all this is that the Church being directed by the holy Ghost most vehemently prayeth and longeth for the coming of Christ that shee may have her top-full happinesse and full fruition of all those super-excellent things which are provided and purchased for her through him And therefore to satisfie her desire Jesus Christ the heavenly Bridegroom saith I come shortly To the which the Bride saith Amen Amen Even so be it Come Lord Jesus come quickly and make an end of these sinfull and conflicting daies that all thy daer ones may have and enjoy their long looked for happinesse and felicity in the heavens for ever and ever FINIS An Epitome of Mr. Brightman his Exposition upon the REVELATION Shewing or Prophesying what shall befall Germany Scotland Holland and the Churches adhering to them Likewise what shall befall England and the HIERARCHIE therein LEarned Mr. Brightman in his Booke of the exposition on the Revelations seriously considering and resolving himselfe that the 7 Epistles Saint John wrote to the 7 Churches in Asia were also written and directed to the 7 succeeding Churches among the Gentiles of which those 7 were a type or counterpane omitting for brevity what he saith concerning the other 4 Churches we present you with a briefe of what he more immediately applies to our selves In generall he saith that there was a terrible storme to be expected and it would be such an horrible tempest that it would terribly shake the Christian Churches First for Germany there was the bitterest scourge for it that ever had fallen upon it and that it was to come shortly Germany should be like a house that is robbed by furious mad and cruell spoylers that would have no mercy of neither Sex nor Age and the comming thereof should be suddain and unexpected like a thiefe in the night which we may see he truly fore-told it being fulfilled in our years and the inhabitants thereof have found it by sad experience let England take warning considering what he said was the cause that would bring all this misery because saith he they tooke no care for a full and through Reformation therefore by the just judgement of God they should loose their Citizens and Inhabitants and they with other Churches should come to nothing and shortly it would appeare he calls Germany by the name of Sardis Secondly for Scotland and Holland and the other Churches adhering to them typified by godly Philadelphia he saith thaâ— they shall shut and none shall open and they shall open and none shall shut a Virgin Church chaste not so defiled with Rome superstitions as others and speaks of a Covenant and Society they should be joyned in and bids them not to be perplexed nor discouraged at what the world spitefully prateth of them as if he had heard men in our times call them Traytors Rebells Seditious and bids them not regard the scoffes of the wicked who will despise them because they are godly little lowly and weake in visible power in comparison of their enemies For saith he no enemy shall be able to provaile against them and they shall set up a token of victory shortly and every one shall be compelled to say that they are dearly beloved of God they shall be seen to prosper so exceedingly and so marvelously promoted and advanced beyond all mens expectation and when that storme and horrible tempest shall come upon the Christian Churches these Churches shall stand fast like a pillar and be preserved from wasting when the other Churches which did not take care for a full Reformation as they did shall by the just judgement of God come as it were to nothing there shall be saith he such a miserable hurly burly of all things that there shall scarce be the forme of a Church perceived but only with holy Philadelphia Though their enemies whet their blasphemous tongues against heaven and God himselfe they shall not carry it away scotfree let them clatter as much as they will no endeavours of their adversaries shall be wanting by slandring railing and all despitefull wrongs to bolt up this doore others shall with force and arms strive to stop it up as if they would breake this Church all to peeces but Christ will faithfully performe his word to them if they keep covenant with him and their enemies shall lose all their toil and sweat and get nothing but shame and reproach the praise of this Churches courage shall be so much the greater because being but little and her adversaries so potent she yeelds not nor stoops not for all their proud threats nor forsakes the truth as terrified with the vaine feares of men And their enemies should boast and flourish as if they alone were the people of God creaking and cracking of nothing so much as the good of the Church but they doe but deceive themselves and the world with glozing and goodly words when they reject Christs government and sticke to the abrogated Ceremonies of the Law and of Rome and thrusting a worship on Christ he hath not appointed whereby they make themselves the Synagogue of Satan and not a Congregation of Saints notable and famous at last shall the triumph of the Church be over Papists and Popery hitherto they have fought against them with quils and ink but the time shall come ere long when they shall quite be rooted out with weapons and that with the helpe of this Church and let the experiences of this Church stablish their mindes against all future feares And for her reward she shall remain to see the restoring of the new Church wherein the new Jerusalem shall come downe from heaven and be joyned with it in covenant and society and enjoy the same felicity then men shall acknowledge that her Reformation was right and not a device of mens braines as contentious bablers now affirme when they shall see the same ordinances to flourish in the new Jerusalem then Christ shall arise with triumph and deface his enemies and give triumph to his Spouse Here therefore O holy Philadelphia thou art little and lowly but God shall exalt thee regard not the scoffes of the wicked who shall by this meanes pull wofull plagues upon themselves but they shall bring thee a Crowne of glory and the end of thy welfare is comming shortly 3. For England whose counterpane he takes to be Laodicea tearming it luke-warm vain-glorious Laodicea concerning it he saith he that gathereth the teares of his children into his bottle knoweth right well that I could never with dry eyes
to these wholesome warnings with all speed The whole state of this Church of Laodicea is worthy of serious consideration as Mr. Brightman applies it to England in this and divers Chapters for he speakes of our times as if he were now living And further he saith in his Epistle and elsewhere in his Commentary that many are the miseries the Christian Churches must suffe for there will bee a long and dolefull Tragedy which will overthrow with scourges slaughters death and ruine and that the Sword of the Lord shall be made drunke in their blood except they receive warning and amend But yet saith he Be of good coÌ„fort Germany France and Britany and all you Christian Churches this is the last Act for after this Theater and long Tragedy is past there will succeed in the roome thereof happy dayes with abundance of peace and all good things And it is his judgement if I may not say his Prophesie comparing one Scripture with another and times with times That before the yeare 1650. the Jewes shall be called the Whore of Romes nose shall be slit and she stript of all her glorious garments and attire her power and sinews cut and the Pope himself shall run out of Rome into Avignon or in Bononia or thereabout one of his owne Cities and the City of Rome shall be burnt with fire And that the King of Spain and the King of Polony and some other Kings shall bewaile her and would faine helpe her but dare not because they shall be afraid of their owne safety lest they be devoured or scorched with the same fire And further he saith that the Emperor of Germany shall destroy Rome if he set to the worke it being most proper for him but if he did not some other shortly will have the praise of that victory Therefore saith he you godly Princes take the matter in hand and set to this worke it shall not be a thing of so great trouble as you thinke for feare not the huge armies that will come to helpe her If you thinke the Spaniard or the French-man or any other King will raise mighty forces against you to defend her as being Romes friends these are altogether vaine feares scare-crowes goblins bug-beares for simple people for her friends shall stand afar off with waiting testifying their love sighing and sobbing but taking no paines nor striking a stroke to deliver their Whore being now an old withered harlot but crying Alas alas that great City And againe he further saith And you the rest of the Christian Princes you need doe nothing only be valiant and of a good courage in dispatching your worke for the Lord and matters shall prosper as happily as you desire and understand at length by what way you may procure to your selves honour and tranquilitie so quietnes and joy to the whole Christian world Therefore draw your swords against Rome for you shall prevaile And saith he within 45 yeares after Rome is destroyed the Pope once more gathering all his friends together to try his last chance shall then be utterly overthrowne being about the yeare 1686. which wil be the longest time he can continue But Rome being destroyed and the Jews call'd there will bee then to the end a most happy tranquility and things very great indeed and to be admired the joy will be so much that it will be strange and unexpected for in the place of former troubles there will be perpetuall peace and then Kings and Queens will be nursing fathers and nursing mothers unto the Christian Churches Then the great Turke shall be 40 yeares on the decaying hand and lose many Countries but in the yeare 1696. he also shall be utterly overthrowne and then Christ shall raigne with his Ordinances chiefe in the world They that please to examine these quotations in the Margent by Master Brightmans Booke on the Revelations which which hee wrote above 40 yeares ago they shall finde the composer hereof hath endeavored as neere as he could to render the Authour in his owne words including much in so little roome Yet not to forget that hee saith further of England and Ireland Although Christ be angry with us by reason we are so far from a perfect Reformation and they which labour to bring in the Popish ceremonies hated of God to endanger the overthrow of our Kingdome yet he saith Christ hath begun his Kingdome at that time he wrote which was in the dayes of blessed Q. Elizabeth who happily begun and proceeded in the worke of Reformation according to the time and those dayes she lived in the finishing whereof will be required of this Generation otherwise expect God hath a sad controversie with this Land But Christ hath begun his Kingdome both in England and Ireland to reigne evermore and the enemies shall endeavour many enterprises yet they shall vanish like smoake and they shall never prevaile to overthrow Christ his Kingdom begun here for they will never want Christian Princes to maintaine his Truth begun which he saith begun from the yeare 1558. For the seventh Angel blew his Trumpet for this time and saith he would raigne evermore He further saith that ere long before the yeare 1650. the fourth Angell shall powre out his Violl upon the Sun which Sun he interprets the holy Scriptures which illustrate the mindes of men as the beames of the Sun doe the eyes of the body This Violl being powred on them shall give them greater force and edge more vehemently to scorch the man of sin so that hee shall gnash and rage aginst this Sun which hath so discovered his ugly hew to the world and it shall not onely burne and vexe him and those of his houshold but also hypocrites and all others who are not endued with true godlinesse That they shall even boile with envy and strife and all bitternesse of minde like the men of Atlas which curse the Sunne because it parcheth them with too much heate And lastly hee saith for the better understanding of what hee meanes that the City of Rome is not limited to that City but extends as farre as the Pope hath any dominion So that the Citty of Rome is in destroying if any of her dominions bee in destroying as he interprets the Holy Ghosts meaning But the Pope is to be quite and fully overthrowne at the yeare 1686. Therefore by computation Rome must bee in destroying at 1641. in some of his Dominions So I conclude this briefe Relation of what Mr. Brightman largely insists upon shewing his grounds in his Book why he affirmes these things with Christs counsell to this Church of Laodicea I counsell thee to bâ—y of me gold tryed in the fire that thou mayest be rich and white rayment that thou mayest be cloathed and that the shame of thy nakednesse doe not appeare and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see FINIS LONDON Printed for Richard Harper 1644.