all earnestnesse in that hee is said first to haue ouercome which argueth thus much CHAP. IIII. IN this and the fifth Chapter the Lord being about to reueale things to come vnto Iohn to the end of the world taketh him vp into Heauen in the Spirit because from hence only can the knowledge of these things bee attained vpon earth it is knowne what is past and present but not what is to come no not by Astrologians or Sooth sayers or idols wherein Deuils spake For let them tell what shall come and say they are gods as speaketh the Prophet Esay Here is first declared in what great state and maiesty the God of heauen reigneth and the Lambe of God the Lord Iesus Christ Quest 1. Who was it that sate vpon the throne Vers 3. and why is he like vnto a Iasper and Sardin stone and what meaneth the rainebow about the throne like to an Emrald Answ It is agreed by all that hee which sate vpon the throne was God the King of all but for the likenesse here mentioned there is great difference Some considering the colour of the Iasper to be greene of the Sardin to be red Ioachim Forbs Brightman and of the Emrald to be a pleasant bright green will haue the holy Trinity here set forth the Father in whom all haue their being and growth by the Iasper the Sonne who was all red by that bloudy death which he suffered for our sinnes by the Sardin the Spirit who is the comforter by the Emrald This doth not so well agree because so the Spirit should not be one with the Father and the Sonne as the rainebow round about the throne and he that sitteth in the throne are notall one Others will haue the two natures of Christ set forth here the diuine by the Iasper and the humane by the Sardin Ambros Amâ—ber Pareus and the grace and mercy of God towards man in him by the rainebow which was first appointed for a signe hereof but against this maketh that which followeth of the Lambe Cha. 5. for if he were in the same vision sitting vpon a throne in this similitude he could not bee at the same time in the similitude of a Lambe also Others will haue the Father and Sonne set forth by these two precious stones Bullinger and the holy Ghost by the thunder and lightnings proceeding out of the throne but for so much as these are things of terrour and the Spirit the comforter wee cannot vnderstand it thus Others will haue the deluge of water set forth by the Iasper and the fire of the last iudgement by the Sardin Tyconius Beda Primasius Rupertus and the interim of peace and grace between these times by the Rainebow but how the greene Iasper should set forth water I cannot see nor why the Lord should carry a similitude whereby these things may be expressed seeing in heauen he appeareth as he is in himselfe most and not so much as he is in his works and iudgements Lastly not to reckon vp all the expositions but these which may seeme most probable Pareus followeth this though he defendeth that of the Son of God also some vnderstand by these precious stones the excellency of God both in respect of his glory and that singular vertue that is in him which nothing can more fitly expresse than precious stones for colour and appearance admirable no lesse admirable in vertue and operation Viegas And more particularly they may well set forth his mercy by which all things liue and are in their vigour greene and flourishing and his iustice through which hee becommeth fiery red in his anger against sinne Confer Ezech. 1.27.28 The life of all vegetable things is declared by greene and life of sensitiue things by red arising froÌ„ bloud it may be that God is here shewed to be the Author of all life Vers 4. Tyconius Beda Primasius Bullinger The rainebow like an Emrald is the reflexion of these colours further declaring the brightnesse of his glory and is a setled signe of peace to all the inhabitants of heauen who shall neuer bee cast out any more as the ambitious Angels sometime were so that it is good being there and great reason there is why our hearts should bee alwayes thitherward that we might behold this glory and be out of that mutable condition wherein we now stand Quest 2. And round about the throne there were foure twenty thrones and foure and twenty Elders c. Who were these Elders sitting vpon thrones round about Answ Some vnderstand the twelue Patriarkes and Apostles as Fox and Pareus relate some the whole Church represented by them seeing the Church vnder the old Testament sprang from the Patriarkes and the Church vnder the new from the Apostles and the Church now is twice as great as of old when it was in twelue Tribes and therefore this number is well doubled Fox some vnderstand nothing but a shew of the dependancy and subiection of all principalities vpon and vnto God because they cast downe their crownes which they haue of gold some the foure twenty books of canonicall Scriptures in the old Testament Grasserus Lastly some vnderstand the most excellent of those which haue beene set vp in the Church of God Richard de Sancto Victore Rupertus Pannonins Ioacbimus both vnder the old and new Testament who sit now as Senatours about the great Emperour in heauen not that there are no more but iust thus many but because a counsell amongst the Iewes did anciently consist of foure and twenty this certaine number is put for an vncertain as the Priests appointed also to serue in the Temple by course in the dayes of Dauid were foure and twenty And this is most probable because to the twelue Apostles are promised twelue thrones and so likewise without doubt all Apostolicall persons shall be likewise most highly aduanced in the kingdome of glory being placed as Counsellers of State neerest about the King As for the other Expositions first it were a great wrong to others more worthy than many of them to hold that they are not as neere vnto God as the twelue Patriarks Secondly it were improper here to vnderstand the whole company of the Church triumphant who are spoken of more particularly Chap. 5. v. 13. Thirdly it doth not agree by Senatours appearing in heauen to set forth all Princes whereof many shall neuer come there And for that of the foure and twenty bookes I cannot conceiue any ground for it at all Quest 3. And out of the throne went thunders Vers 5. and lightnings and voices And seuen lamps of fire burning c. What is meant by these lightnings thunders and voices and what are these lampes Answ I haue already shewed that though these proceeded out of the throne yet the holy Ghost cannot be meant hereby Some obseruing three and three things mentioned here together Forbs Brightman lightnings
lib. 3. c. 11. Ieron in proem in Matth. Aug. Lyra Grasser Others vnderstand the foure Euangelists ascribing to Matthew the face of a Lion to Marke of a calfe to Luke of a man to Iohn of an eagle Of this opinion though there bee graue Authors yet vpon the same consideration it falleth to the ground also to say nothing of the absurdity that would follow that Iohn the spectatour of this should see himselfe thus represented to himselfe Petrus Aureolus Others vnderstand the foure Patriarkes of the Christian world as of Ierusalem Antioch Alexandria and of Constantinople and bring their reasons of all but not worth the naming or confuting Ambros lib. 3. de Virgin Arethas Others vnderstand the foure Cardinall vertues fortitude set forth in the Lion iustice in the bullocke because he laboureth for what he eateth temperance in the eagle which eateth nought but what prey himselfe hath taken though neuer so hungry and prudence in a man Orig. Hom. 1. in Ezech. Rupertus Ansbertus Others vnderstand the foure faculties of the minde as anger concupiscence reason and conscience Others vnderstand the foure degrees thorow which Christ passed his incarnation set forth by a man his passion by a bullocke his resurrection by a lion and his ascension by an eagle Some vnderstand it onely as a representation of the homage done vnto God by all sorts of creatures men beasts and birds Lastly some not to weary my selfe with more relations Marlorat Fulke vnderstand the Seraphims Esa 6.1 those Angelicall spirits which the Lord vseth in the gouernment of the world vnder the figure of whom being full of eyes and wings his prouidence extending euery whither and his omniscience is declared And to this I subscribe both because the description doth so well agree and the forme of praising God and that which is further set forth Ezech. 1. where they are called animals as here and haue such appearances but onely that each one had these foure faces whereas one here is said to haue one and another another wherein there is no more difference but that what was there represented ioyntly in each one is here represented seuerally viz. in what maiesty the Lord sitteth his Chariot being drawne there his Throne supported here not onely by one kinde of creature as is the manner of earthly Princes but by diuers and those the chiefe made to agree together to doe seruice vnto him declaring hereby how in and about his throne and in his kingdome there is a sweet harmony and consent to the praise of his name amongst those that be of most different natures as is further expressed Esai 11. And for their being in the midst of the throne and round about it is easily also resolued from this conferring of places for in Ezech. 1.14 They are said to runne and returne and so they might well bee sometime in the midst and sometime about it The maine exception against this exposition is that Chap. 5.9 they are brought in together with the Elders praising God for their Redemption by the bloud of Christ and therefore it seemeth cannot bee Angelicall spirits But to this it may easily bee answered that though the beasts are said to fall downe with the Elders yet it doth not necessarily follow that they ioyned with them in their new song nay rather by some circumstances it seemeth necessary to vnderstand that musicke and song to be made by the Elders only both because they could handle viols which the beasts could not and the orderly performing of each ones part requireth that as the foure beasts had before ascribed holinesse to the Lord to which the Elders said Amen So now the Elders haue sung praise to the Lambe they should ioyne and say Amen neither are the beasts said to haue crownes as they must haue to whom the singing of this song can agree for they praise the Lambe because by him they are made Kings and Priests vnto God this the beasts cannot say but onely the Elders who weare the crownes of gold in token that they are Kings As for those opinions of the vertues and affections of the minde they being no subsistences of themselues as these beasts are they doe easily fall to the ground And for that about the mysteries of our Redemption if any such thing had beene intended the likenesse of a man should haue beene put first then of a bullocke c. CHAP. V. A Representation of the Lords sitting in maiesty hauing been made in the former Chapter here is shewed in what manner hee proceedeth to reueale the things to come He holdeth a booke in his right hand written within a without sealed with seuen seales which when none could open the Lord Iesus tooke and opened it and vpon the opening of each seale there is some representation of that which should afterwards be done What booke this was I thinke there needeth no great question to bee made for the most reasonable coniecture is that it was a booke containing the things herein reuealed which were so many as that they could not bee set downe without writing on both sides of each leafe and not on one side onely according to the ancient manner of writing for to what end were the sealing if it were written on the backe side that it on the couer of the booke it is sealed with seuen seales which none could loose because it exceeded the power of any creature to declare them onely the Lambe of God can doe it neither vpon the opening of one can any declare the rest but he must open each one in order that we may attaine to this vnderstanding Others anciently haue expounded this Booke of the holy Scriptures containing the old Testament which is the writing within because more obscure and the new which is the writing without because the mysteries of saluation are herein more plainly reuealed but this is altogether without ground here for what should the Booke of the holy Scriptures doe now in the Lords hand when hee was not about to explaine the mysteries thereof but only to reueale things to come hitherto kept secret so as the mysteries of holy Scriptures were not I passe ouer therefore the first fiue verses and come to the sixt Quest 6. In the midst of the Throne and of the beasts and Elders stood a Lambe c. Vers 6. Why doth a Lambe appeare after speech of a Lion that should open the seales and why standing and with seuen hornes and eyes Answ It is agreed by all that this is the Lord Iesus but why a Lambe appeared after that one of the Elders had told Iohn of the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah who had obtained power to open the Booke I finde no reason rendred It seemeth to me that he is called a Lion by one of the Elders Gen. 49. Esa 11. because by that name and by the name of the root of Dauid hee was anciently prophesied of and therefore most fit for one of elder
more comfort and support from hence than from any booke of the holy Scriptures besides And for mine owne part I must needs confesse that almost twenty yeeres are now past since my entrance into the Ministery before I durst attempt any thing about so great a worke Amongst all the best Writers that I haue seene it is generally agreed that the scope of this booke is to set forth both the estate of the Church of God then vnder the figure of those Churches in Asia and thenceforth to the end of the world Onely some doe so vnderstand all things after the fourth Chapter to bee spoken of that which was to come as that they admit of no mixture of things past whereas others vnderstand in some of the visions a representation of some things past also for the more orderly proceeding to things to come Againe some expound the Epistles to the seuen Churches as Propheticall others only as Historicall granting that in them all are indeed admonishished whose case is alike Lastly some hold that euery succeeding vision almost setteth forth a new thing to come but others that the whole period of time to come from the daies wherein this booke was written with the most notable euents are comprehended in euery vision and so the same things are againe and againe iterated vnder diuers similitudes the former setting them forth obscurely the latter more plainly But whether coniecture be most probable we shall see in the proper places as we shall come to them in order Concerning the title of this booke with the singular commendation thereof in the three former verses there is no difference amongst Expositors For all agree that the Apocalyps in Greeke or Reuelation in English is an opening of hidden things such as all things to come are and therefore though they bee but darkly reuealed yet not so darkly but that wee may by diligent search vnderstand them else how is it a Reuelation Neither is it lost labour to take great paines to vnderstand what is here reuealed Vers 3. seeing they are pronounced blessed that reade and heare and keepe that which is here written And whereas it is intituled Vers 1. The Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him it is by all agreed that this title is put vpon it for the honour of the worke and because it was not Iohn but Iesus Christ that reuealed these things by his Angel vnto Iohn and it is said to bee giuen him of God in respect of his humanity Lastly whereas it is added The time is neere it is to be vnderstood in respect of God to whom a thousand yeeres are but as one day That which followeth Vers 4 5 6. vers 4 5 c. giueth more occasion of question Why doth Iohn direct this booke to the seuen Churches in Asia and not to all Christian Churches in generall Quest if these things concerne all To this one saith Answ Fox That this haply is not done without a mystery the number of seuen being a number of perfection and so all Christian Churches wheresoeuer are saluted vnder their name or else because the Holy Ghost foresaw the power of Satan in persecuting to be first exercised against them as the euent also declared And this exposition is followed by Brightman and some others But because here is not only the number of seuen generally set down but also a particular enumeration of these seuen by name shewing that these are principally and first meant here others only by way of consequence or deduction laboring with the like vices or endued with the like vertues I rather subscribe to Pareus with whom also Gorran saith the same That this first vision doth directly concerne those seuen Churches only the rest all in generall This Asia was the lesser a part of the greater Asia in the seuen principall Cities whereof Iohn had founded Churches but being now banished hee is directed to admonish the Bishops left behind him of their duty And thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of these Churches here whether they be typicall and how shall be considered in the proper place I hasten now to another question in this salutation Quest whom he meaneth when he saith Which is which was and which is to come and by the seuen Spirits and Iesus Christ If the three persons in the Trinity why is eternity appropriated to the Father onely and if the Spirit is but one why is he called the seuen Spirits and why is Iesus Christ the second person in the Trinity placed last contrary to the order of all other Scriptures It is agreed by all Answ that here are set forth the three persons of the Trinity but how there is some difference Brightman telleth of one Arethas Brightman that by the first words Which is which was and which is to come vnderstood the three Persons of the Trinity because the Father is elsewhere also set forth by this name Which is Exod. 3.14 the Sonne by this name Which was Ioh. 1.1 and the Holy Ghost by this name Which is to come Ioh. 16.8 but this hee disclaimeth because there is such a distinct enumeration of the three Persons as that this must needs be vnderstood of the nature of the Deity ascribed onely to the first Person to set forth his constant and immutable truth in his promises vnder the Gospell which is vnder the Law which was and at the end of the world which is to come Some referre this description to Gods Essence onely but it is most probable that God hath thus set forth himselfe for our sakes that wee might haue comfort in his certaine accomplishment of his promises and therefore a word is vsed to set him forth already comming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this truth present past and to come is ascribed to the first Person onely as to the fountaine and Author respect being had to the order of doing but it is common to all three persons onely because the Sonne and the Holy Ghost execute these things it is not ascribed here vnto them Againe touching the seuen spirits the same Author saith that the holy Ghost is thus called respect being rather had vnto the gifts of the spirit in the Saints than vnto his nature and thus he is said to stand before the throne not as inferiour but for orders sake here and elsewhere the Spirit and the Son are spoken of as ministring to the Father because by them the things here set forth are immediatly executed Lastly the Sonne is put in the last place in regard of the large description of him intended as by whom wee are made partakers of all benefits Pareus reckoning vp diuers expositions of these words which is which was and which is to come Pareus some vnderstanding them of the Sonne which is one God with the Father which was in the beginning and is come to iudge all men and some of the Father which is of
it as a comfort in suffering seeing when a man hath suffered death for Christ he is receiued vnder his wing being conformable to him in being sacrificed they rest and are safe with him for euer Some expound the Altar of Christs humanity Bernard serm 4. Omnium sanct which the faithfull are receiued vnto now it being reserued till the last day to giue them the full fruition of his diuinity also Some by the Altar vnderstand the places of the martyrs buriall or sufferings Ribera Viegas because Altars were wont to be built vpon them and the crying of their soules they will haue to be none other but as the crying of Ables bloud where it was spilt and soules are spoken of by a phrase vsuall so many men being called so many soules But this is a meere Iesuiticall imagination seeing Altars vpon martyrs sepulchres were of a later edition and though so many men be often called so many soules yet when the soules of any that are slaine are named it cannot bee so taken Whereas most stand for Christ meant by the Altar I should willingly incline to thinke so to but that Christ yet standeth as a Lambe and therefore I cannot see how he can at the same time bee represented by an Altar also I conclude therefore as I began that by the appearance of an Altar is represented their sacrificing when they suffered the place wherein they now are being heauen the common receptacle of all faithfull soules but said to bee vnder the Altar to denote the manner of their death neither doth Iohn see them with his bodily eyes but being in the spirit And fidy doe the soules of the martyred appeare after such a number slaine by cruell enemies crying for vengeance not vocally for soules doe not vtter voyces but vertually the destroying and murthering of them hauing a loud cry in the eares of God so that a desire of reuenge in them is amisse surmised to bee from hence who being in the flesh had so much loue as that they prayed for their persecutors and were farre from the spirit of reuenge But they are brought in crying aloud for the terrour of persecutors seeing the cryes of such shall without doubt bee regarded though in respect of many more yet in these times of corruption to bee crowned also with martyrdome a delay to bemade Whereupon it is that their answer is also set forth in this manner And thus I haue briefly resolued the rest of the doubts without delaying the reader by the diuersity of expositions Pareus Brightman Chrysost Hom. in Psal 9. August Serm. 30. detemp some interpreting their cry for reuenge to be onely for deliuerance of the Church from persecutors hauing beene already so long oppressed and some for the taking away of this malice out of mens mindes that there may bee no more persecuting by confounding such Kings and Potentates that they may bee brought to turne vnto Christ The white robes giuen vnto them Bullinger Brightman howsoeuer some contend that they were signes of some comfort and breathing time which the Church should haue and had about this time according to their exposition yet both the plaine speech which is vsed in answering them is against it for they are told of their brethren that must be slaine also and white robes are neuer spoken of in this sense Pareus but to set forth heauenly glory which is not to be thought now first to haue been giuen vnto them but immediatly vpon their departure out of this life when their deaths began first to cry though it was not represented in vision till now so that euen when they cry they are in the midst of heauenly ioyes and without all passion of sorrow onely they are not perfectly glorified till the whole company being made vp at the day of iudgement being reunited to their bodies they shall reigne in heauen for euer wherefore they are bidden rest till their fellow seruants were slaine also And well doth this cry come in after the fourth seale representing the corruptions in the Church fighting against the truth because this persecution hath beene longer than any before it and therefore needfull it was to tell of martyrs which had beene already made crying out and of such as should yet bee made when it might seeme to bee full time to put an end to these miseries that expecting so long a continuance wee might arme our selues with patience Quest 3. The sixt seale being opened Vers 12. there was a great earthquake and the Sunne became blacke as haire cloth and the Moone as bloud c. What is meant by these things and whether the day of iudgement or no Answ Most Expositors hold that the day of iudgment is here described Fox Richard de Sancto victore Pannonius Primasius Beda Rupertus Arethas c. when the reuenge before cryed for is taken vpon all sorts of persecutors of the Church and the words here vsed are nothing else but a periphrasis vpon this day for thus the Lord setteth forth the day of iudgement Luk. 21.11 There shall be great earth-quakes in diuers places Vers 25. There shall be fignes in the Sunne Moone and Starres and vpon the earth distresse of nations with perplexity Vers 26. Mens hearts failing them for feare c. and more expresly Mark 13.24 The Sun shall be darkened the Moone shall not giue her light 25. The starres of heauen shall fall and the powers of heauen shall be shaken The Sun shall be darkened because it shall no more giue light to this world the Moone shall be turned into bloud to shew the great destruction that then shall be the stars shall fall there being no further vse of them when men shall cease to bee here euen as the leaues of the figtree fall off when there is no further need of them to couer the figs. The heauens are as a booke folded vp when they lofe all their light being as it were clapt together whereas now it standeth open That which followeth of the mountaines and ilands remouing out of their places is to shew the greatnes of this earth-quake euen to the destroying of the earth Then all wicked men how great soeuer they haue beene in this world shall quake and feare being vnable to beare the wrath to come vpon them set foorth in their calling to the mountaines to fall vpon them c. Blas Viegas Who also saith that many Doctors expound this thus Brightman Grasser Others will haue these things vnderstood allegorically the great earth-quake of the great persecution vnder Dioclesian being in all parts of the earth at once then say they the Sun of righteousnesse Christ was darkened in his members the Moone the Church appeared like bloud being all bloudy with slaughters the starres the ministers of God many of them fell for feare from Christianity to idolatry the heâ—uen the Church was folded vp as a booke hiding it selfe for feare at that time and the inhabitants of
mountainous places and Ilands were sought out to be destroyed which is expressed in saying the mountaines and Ilands were remoued out of their place then all professours of the Christian religion sought to hide themselues from the anger of him that sitteth vpon the throne thinking God and the Lambe to bee angry with them set forth in the last words Bullinger Pareus Others will haue the corruption in the time of Antichrist meant which time say they began when Constantine aduanced Syluester the Bishop of Rome and his successours and continueth in the Papacy to this day then began a great earthquake by the change of the state of the Church into Pontificall then the Sunne the doctrine touching Christ was darkened through the interposition of traditions the Moone the Church was turned into bloud either by murthers committed by Antichrist or by the corrupt worshipping of God the starres the ministers of God fell from heauen by apostatising from the truth the heauen the Church was folded together as a booke when it appeared not any where or the holy Scriptures were shut vp from the people the mountaines Emperours and Kings were remoued by Popes the Ilands the people were remoued out of their place by being made beleeue vpon paine of damnation that the Pope is the head of the Church And being brought to this estate of corruption as there can be no sound peace but terrors of conscience out of the truth so all estates are set forth as terrified by a conscience of Gods iudgement and some indeed fulfilled this according to the letter going into wildernesses and Monasteries seeking by applying themselues to perpetuall deuotion to quiet their consciences accusing them for former offences but could not effect it But herein Pareus differeth from Bullinger for hee applieth this of the generall feare of all estates and degrees to the last day of iudgement which shall follow after that the world hath beene so corrupted in the time of Antichrists reigne Lastly some vnderstand by this earth-quake Forbs c. the great alteration that came vpon the Romane Empire by meanes of the Gothes and other barbarous nations which was so great as that the whole world seemed to be changed But I subscribe to the first exposition because most agreeable to the letter and where the literall sense may stand there is no vse of allegories And indeed without straining no time but the day of iudgement can be rightly called the great day of Gods wrath wherein all the wicked of all estates and degrees are filled with terrour at Gods presence If it bee taken as an allegory there are so great differences that there will bee no certainty of truth Besides that it doth no way answer the precedent cry for vengeance so fitly as being literally vnderstood of the last day for whatsoeuer commotions there be in states and kingdomes yet euery one is not at such times so seuerely animaduerted against but many escape whereas here euery one is said to tremble and feare Whereas Pareus includeth both the persecution vnder Antichrist and the day of iudgement also I cannot see how that can stand for the fleeing away of all estates and degrees for feare is an effect of those stupendious accidents in heauen and in earth as in reason it is likely when such things shall come to passe no lesse can be expected but horrible feare Let vs then study to pacifie Gods anger before this day commeth by true repentance and humiliation that wee may not finde it a day of wrath but of euerlasting mercy to vs. CHAP. VII THE dreadfull manner of Gods comming to iudge and to take reuenge vpon the enemies and corrupters of his truth hauing beene set forth in the sixt Chapter lest there should arise anxiety in the minds of the faithfull about the Lords care touching them in the midst of all the miseries before described for that it hath not yet appeared how they are prouided for when all things shall be so full of dread feare he doth apart here set forth Gods care ouer them during all those troubles and affrighting apparitions they were marked in the forehead that no hurt might hereby seize vpon them but these tribulations might be to them a way to future glory and the inuestment with white robes washed in the Bloud of the Lambe at what time all teares shall be wiped from their eyes for euer For the meaning of the particular passages here Quest 1. Vers 1. After this I saw foure Angels standing vpon the foure corners of the earth holding the foure winds that they might not blow vpon the earth c. What is meant by these things Rupertus Caelius Pannon Answ Most Expositors vnderstand by these winds the Spirit of God in the Preachers of his Word diffusing it selfe in all parts of the world but the euill angels the Deuils which rule in the Antichristian Sect seeke to hinder these winds by suppressing the pure preaching of Gods holy Word in all places Dionys Bullinger Pareus Brightman to the corrupting and decay of all true Religion They keepe the winds from blowing vpon the earth that is the vulgar sort the sea that is Doctrine the trees that is men of more eminency or by the earth they vnderstand men dwelling in any part of the earth by the sea the inhabitants of Ilands by trees such as lurked in woods or they take the earth for earthly ones the sea for the worship of God and trees for people good and bad which professe to worship God Againe there is difference also about these foure Angels for some vnderstand the foure Monarchies Primas Haimo Ambrose Amsbert Lyra. in the time whereof the truth was hindred Some foure persecuting Emperours who after that Dioclesian and Maximianus had forsaken the Empire did together persecute the Christian Religion in the foure parts of the world viz. Maximianus in the East Seuerus in Italy the west Licinius in Alexandria in Egypt the South Maxentius at Rome and whereas all others vnderstand Christ by the Angell with the seale he vnderstandeth Constantine the great who suppressed these tyrants And some againe by the Angell in the East vnderstand the Mahumetans in the West the Pope in the North the Germane Empire in the south Spaine For mine owne part when I consider the premises of great and horrible miseries to come vpon the world I cannot but thinke as I intimated before in generall that comfort against these euils is here intended to the godly and therefore I subscribe rather to those that vnderstand these things literally of foure Angels appointed by God as his Ministers herein for it is said To them it is giuen to hurt c. to destroy all things Arethas Ribera Fox and this is fitly set forth by holding the foure winds because in wind and breath consisteth the life of euery thing in this world things of the earth as men and beasts of the sea as fishes and fowles and the trees
hereby shew that in the time of light for a long time the Pope should haue the most followers still By treading vnder foot is meant their subiection to the Papacy and the maintainers of Popery are called Gentiles because in their idolatries and ceremonies most like vnto them One hath a singular opinion by himselfe touching this Court and these Gentiles for hee vnderstandeth the Turkes Fox and the nations subiect vnto them these are left out because when the Church should be reedified in these latter dayes this reedifying should not extend vnto them but they should be vnder the heathen Turkes For mine owne part I am much affected with this last but so as that I thinke the Papists are not to be excluded who keepe a great part of the Christian world vnder their superstitions also as the Turke doth vnder his wherefore I resolue that both are here meant the Turkes are Gentiles because out of the Israel of God the Papists are Gentiles because idolatrous and superstitious like the Gentiles They together then tread vnder foot the court of Gods house by holding vnder the greatest part of the world which formerly hath beene Christian euen still in these dayes of light the one in the East the other in the West 3. Touching the time of two and forty moneths some vnderstand a short time Bullenger Pareus c. Centur. Mag. deburg Iunius but indefinite 1. Some vnderstand the time when the outer Court should thus be troden vnder foot by the Pope and so they count from the beheading of Iohn Baptist resoluing these moneths into dayes 1260. and reckoning them for yeeres vnto Boniface the eight ann 1294. out of which foure and thirty being deducted being the age of Christ not long before whom Iohn suffered there will remaine 1260. 2. One reckoning these moneths by dayes Brightman and taking the dayes for yeeres not according to the Iulian account whereby two and forty moneths make 1278. dayes but according to the Aegyptian falling short in this summe eighteene dayes of the Iulian will haue the time accounted so much short of 1260. as it exceedeth by the Iulian account and so vnderstandeth here 1242. Iulian yeeres which time hee beginneth in the dayes of Constantine ann 304. and extendeth it to the Councell of Trent ann 1546. All this time the outer Court was troden vnder foot through the heresies that preuailed and the two witnesses the old and new Testament prophesied in sackcloth but then they were killed by the authorizing of one corrupt translation onely and falsifying their Expositors who had anciently giuen life vnto them by their sound expositions 3. Another vnderstandeth the time of the Turkes tyrannizing Fox from Ottoman to the last that shall be which he reckoneth by Sabbaths of yeeres making euery month such a Sabbath as Daniel doth a weeke and so the whole summe of yeeres 294. But experience sheweth this to be but a coniecture because the Turkish tyranny continueth still it being now farre past the time thus calculated For Ottoman was ann 1300. vnto which adde 294. and it will amount but to 1594. As for that of Brightman it were to bee wished that it were so for according to his account we should soone bee deliuered both from Turke and Pope who I feare haue a longer time to continue than he imagined But here is both a difference of eighteene yeeres and the two and forty moneths of the Popish Gentiles doe not thus agree much part of this time the Church being put to it and the Scriptures wronged by the Aâ—rians and other Heretikes and not by this Antichristian sect who are not obserued to haue gotten such an head till about Ann. 600. Of the second opinion there is lesse probability seeing it is not set downe when this treading vnder foot should be but how long it should endure And as for the first exposition it were strange that no certaine time should be meant here being measured out thus by so many moneths and dayes when as both in Daniel and Ieremie and other Prophets it hath alwaies beene found that a certaine number named hath noted out a certaine time Pareus mentioneth this as being followed by some and most approued by himselfe if a certaine time be here determined There is another exposition therefore onely remaining whereby so many yeeres are meant as there are daies in 42. moneths that is as the Spirit of God immediatly directeth vs 1260. according to the Egyptian account reckoning thirty daies to a moneth for by this account it is most probable also that the Lord would haue vs goe because Egypt is afterwards here mentioned The time then of the Turkes tyranny must be 1260. yeeres and as Turke and Pope haue the same beginning and continuance for History sheweth that they beganne together and as 42. moneths setting forth thus long a time are here iointly ascribed to the Gentiles treading the Lords holy City vnder foot so Chap. 1â— 42 are particularly ascribed vnto the Pope Now the time of both their beginnings is notoriously known to be ann 606. then Mahomet broched his Alchoran and Boniface the third obtained of Phocas to be vniuersall Bishop If then we reckon from hence by adding to 1260. the end of their time will fall out ann 1866. The Locusts were a plague but of fiue moneths but by these the Church is exercised more than foure times double thus much onely the comfort is the Temple c. is measured to signifie the preseruation of the Church especially after the opening of the Booke so that there shall still be certaine Nations so defended from them as that the truth shall be there maintained during this whole time The Lord Iesus vnder whose Banner we fight and for whose honour we stand suffer not his Temple to be any more by Pope or Turke inuaded or lessened in the number of those that worship in it till the full time of the destruction of these deadly enemies shall come and of the Lords taking of all the Kingdomes into his owne hands but rather increase this number taking pity vpon the infinite multitude of poore seduced soules and giue vs all faith and patience whatsoeuer he hath appointed vs to suffer for his truth and if the time of this affliction be yet appointed thus long to come he shorten it for his Elects sake Mat. 24. as he promised to doe touching the time of the siege of Ierusalem Touching the two witnesses vers 3. of whom it is said I will giue vnto my two witnesses and they shall prophesie I see no reason why Beza should reade as he doth I will giue it vnto my two witnesses as if he meant to giue the City vnto them for the sense is plaine as most agree I will giue the gift or spirit vnto them and they shall prophesie The greatest doubt is who are meant by these two witnesses I haue already touched the common tenent of the Papists holding them to bee Enoch and