SAINTS or of the Beloved-City I answer The occasion of the warre is distinguished from the warre it selfe The occasion indeed of the Holy Warre begun by the Christians is in this Prophesie silently passed over and touching this it is true what is objected but false of the warre following thereupon For it cannot be denyed that the Easterne People being first provoked by the Christians have by Satans impulsion compassed about the Campe of the Saints above these five hundred yeeres not ceasing to trouble the same unto this day Secondly it is objected That the Gogish warre shall not begin till the end of the thousand fatall yeeers But these thousand yeers are not as yet begun Answer The former is true the latter is false for as we have shewed in the foregoing consideration those thousand yeers are expired long agoe Thirdly they object That this Gogish warre shall continue but a little while because in ver 3. Satan shall be let loose but for a short season I Answer It s a fallacie figurae dictionis as it is termed for the time of Satans loosing is called a short or little season not that it shall be but for few yeers for so great a warre cannot be undertaken and finished in a little time but in respect of the thousand yeeres then which it shall be shorter because God for the Elects sake will shorten those dayes of which see more ver 3. Wherefore the Gogish warre as undoubtedly it seems is not indeed that very same Holy Warre raised in Syria by Hildebrand and Turbanus Romish Pontifes but the TVRKISH WARRE against Christendome which arose a while after out of the other and continueth unto this day The Catastrophe or issue whereof now followeth The Third Part of the CHAPTER Declaring the issue of the Gogish war the wonderfull slaughter of the adversaries and the casting of the devill himselfe into the Lake of Fire With a Type of the last Iudgement 9. And fire came downe from God out of Heaven and devoured them 10. And the devill that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the Beast and the false Prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever 11. And I saw a great white Throne and him that sate on it from whose face the Earth and the Heaven fled away and there was found no place for them 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Bookes were opened and another was opened which is the booke of Life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes 13. And the Sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their workes 14. And death and hell were cast into the Lake of fire This is the Second Death 15. And whosoever was not found written in the Booke of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire THE COMMENTARY AND fire came downe Here begins the last Act. The event of the Gogish Warre shall bee joyned with the last Iudgement at Christs comming the which is set forth by a most evident Type First specially briefly shewing what was done to Gog and Magog with their Army and what to the devill in this and the following vers Afterward generally what unto all in the last Iudgement unto the end of the Chapter The Gogish Army was at length consumed by fire It is an allusion unto the Oracle of Ezechiel 38.22 against Gog of old I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood and I will raine upon him and upon his hands an overflowing raine and great hailestones fire and brimstone So here against the new Gog Fire came downe from God out of Heaven and devoured them by which Phrase the Scripture usually sets forth the wonderfull and horrible Iudgements of God upon the Adversaries by which at length the wicked are so suddenly destroyed and the Church delivered out of distresse and oppression as the Victory cannot be ascribed but to the Divine Power as in Psal 11.6 Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest shall be the portion of their cup. This serves greatly to comfort the Church for although our sinnes doe too too much fight against us this Oracle notwithstanding sheweth Gods benignity to bee so great as wee may undoubtedly believe that the Turkish power shall sooner bee overthrowne by the most powerfull hand of God from Heaven then that the Church of Christ should be extinguished by the same There are some who thinke that this kinde of destruction by fire from Heaven shall litterally be accomplished upon the Adversaries But I rest in the allusion mentioned for as God himselfe overthrew the enemies from Heaven when as the strength of the Iewish people was nothing to resist the Asian Tyrants so when the power of Christians shall be no way able to chase away or overthrow the Gogish Armies of the East God will suddenly as it were reach out his arme from Heaven to fight for the Church and extinguish the adversaries if not before yet certainly at the brightnesse of Christs coming to Iudgement for untill then this Gogish war as likewise that other of Antichrist shall continue This fire therefore comming from Heaven and devouring the adversaries what shall it be but that sharpe sword proceeding out of the mouth of Christ the Iudge and killing all the wicked Chap. 19.15.21 that is that flame of fire 2. Thes 18. Lib. 20. de in which the Lord Jesus shall bee revealed from Heaven to take vengeance on them that know not God 10. And the devill that deceived them AVGVSTINE confesseth that in this description are certaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is C. D. c. 14 some things are before repeated that were done after Among these the first seemes to be that the Enemies being devoured with fire from Heaven by and by the devill also is said to be cast into the Lake of fire For it seemeth that this shall not be till the last Iudgement be past which followeth after This verse therefore by a certaine Anticipation cohereth with ver 14. where Iohn saw Death and Hell to be cast into the Lake of fire Now he joyneth the casting of the devill next with the slaughter of the wicked aversaries to teach us that the devill shall not goe free for seducing the Nations and raising Gog and Magog to battle against the Church but at last bee punished for his great malice together with other adversaries See also 1. Cor. 15.24.25.26 By the devill wee cannot with reason understand any other then that wicked Spirit himselfe for he is the same here who verse 2. is called the Dragon the old Serpent and Satan But the Emperour of the Turks whom BRIGHTMAN here understandeth by the devill belongs in my Iudgement unto the Gogish army devoured with fire
are our bookes consisting of diverse leaves and so folded together but it was one volume of parchment written within and without according to the custome of the ancients who wrote in rolles and hence volumen a volume comes from convolvendo rolling Like as the Iewes to this day at Wormes Franck ford c. have their Torah written out in one volume of parchment These parchments because they were rolled up were commonly writ on the inside onely Wheras this on the contrarie was written within on the backside also which manner of rols were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is writings within and without of which see Plinie lib. 3. Epist 5. and Iuvenal Sat. 2. I therefore judge that this writing within and without signifies nothing els but the multitude of matters that is all such things as were exhibited unto John in this Revelation Origen saith that within were written the promises made to the Church and without or on the backside the punishments of the wicked But this to me seems frivolous A like booke written within and without was seen by Ezechiel Chap. 2.9 but it differs from the other both in matter and forme In that were written the lamentations because of the calamities to befal the people of Israel in their captivity wheras this booke containes the secret counsels of God concerning the last times That of Ezechiel was spread open before him but this was seen of Iohn rolled up Ierom understandeth that by both these bookes which were written within and without is signified the litterall mysticall sence of the scriptures But there is no solidity in it for neyther of these bookes doe signify the booke of holy writ neither doth every part of the scriptures admit a mysticall interpretation Sealed with seven seales This is the third circumstance touching the booke The number seven is not here put for many but is to be taken properly for after these there were no more seales opened We need not search what manner of seales they were it sufficeth to know that the booke was closely kept shut by them For there is a twofold use of seales first to keep things secret from the vew of others as letters doores cabinets chiests and the like and secondlie for the confirmation of writings as for example to authorise the edicts of princes sentences of magistrates and wills of the dead the seales of seven witnesses make these things altogether authentick Now this booke was not sealed in this latter respect but in the former as beeing shut or kept close from the understanding of men And therefore it could not be opened or read before the seales were taken away which was not don until the seventh seale was removed Let this suffice for the present that the contents of this booke so fast sealed were most obscure hid untill the seales beeing opened they were revealed unto Iohn by Christ The second part of the Chapter The difficulty about the opening of the Booke and of the seales 2 And I saw a strong Angel proclaiming with a loud voyce Who is worthy to open the booke and to loose the seales thereof 3 And no man in heaven nor in earth neither under the earth was able to open the Booke neither to looke thereon 4 And I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book neither to looke thereon 5 And one of the Elders saith unto mee Weepe not behold the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda the root of David hath prevailed to open the booke and to loose the seven seales thereof 6 And I beheld and loe in the middest of the Throne and of the foure beasts and in the middest of the Elders stood a Lambe as it had beene slaine having seven hornes and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent foorth into all the earth 7 And he came tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate upon the Throne THE COMMENTARIE 2. ANd I saw a strong Angel The difficulty in opening of the sealed Booke now followeth The circumstances thereof are five First an Angel proclaimeth with a loud voyce if any one be worthy to open the booke and to loose the seales by which this Angel both stirs up a desire in Iohn and others of the heavenly inhabitants after the knowledge of these secrets as also gives them to understand as hereupon it presently appeared that no creature could find out the hidden and secret counsels and judgements of God concerning things to come but it was in the power of the Lamb onely to reveale the same Lyra affirmes that this was the Angel Gabriel who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong from the Hebrew geber hence God is called Elâ—gibbor Isal 9. But this to Ribera is ridiculous seeing the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong is put without an article but how then would he have wondred at Alcasars opinion had he seen it who makes him to bee Hosea In Chap. 10.1 a mighty Angel stands upon the sea and upon the earth sweareth by him that liveth for ever ever And Chap. 18.21 a mighty Angel casts a milstone into the sea Which some understand to be Christ others a created Angel and indeed it appeareth he was not Christ seeing he was not worthy to open the Booke Besides all the Angels of God are called Gibborei choach mighty in strength Psal 103.20 This therefore was a created Angel called mighty because he cryed mightily so as he was heard throwout the heaven Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preaching with a great voyce because with a mighty courage he proclaimed the questioÌ„ about the opening of the booke before the whole company in heaven Who is worthy he saith not who can but who is worthy signifying that not skill or strength onely but worthines is also required For men out of curiositie may violently howbeit unrightly break open that which is sealed What is meant by opening the booke But this booke could not be opened eyther by violence or for curiosity sake but onely by worthinesse or merit He that opens it must bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy that is indued with authority and divine power Now to open the booke is to make knowen the secret counsell of God about things to come 3. And no man Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 none in heaven c. This is the second circumstance Vpon the proclaiming of the Angel there is a deep silence in heaven For all creatures are dumbe as unable and unworthy to open this booke In heaven that is Angels and glorifyed saintes In earth men and beasts Vnder the earth Fishes or sea monsters Some also foolishly imagine that the divels in hell the soules in purgatory are here called upon But the scriptures by things under the earth meane that which is in the sea according to the second commandement or that is in the water under the earth c. Thus all created things are altogether
by this place or any other This we must leave to God and to time The same was said before in the last Act of the Fift Vision Rev. 16.20 Rev. 6.14 Every Iland fled and the Mountaines were not found Also in the last Act of the Second Vision And the Heaven departed as a Scrowle rolled together and every Mountaine and Iland were mooved out of their places Which place notwithstanding we interpreted somewhat otherwise because of the circumstances But I see not by what shew of reason this change of Heaven and Earth here can be darkened by an Allegory Now it shall not be till towards the last Iudgement and therefore it remains firme that the same is here described The dead corporally are here understood 12. And I saw the dead small and great He had seen the Iudge girded about with Iudgement Now he seeth the guilty standing before the Iudgement Seat whom hee describeth First from their former state by calling them The dead after the common Law of nature but then raised from death to life by the power of God he speaks not of men dead in sins as in ver 5. but of such as dyed corporally and now were raised up to Iudgement But shall not the living also then be judged Yea verily 2. Cor. 5.10 Rom. 14.9 10. for we must all appeare before the Iudgement Seat of Christ That he may be Iudge of the quicke and the dead and be Lord both of the dead and the living By the dead therefore are understood the living also by an Argument from the lesser If the dead shall appeare before the Iudgement Seat how much more the living But the dead alone are named either because the number of the dead from Adam till the last day 1 Cor. 15.52 shall be far greater then such as live on Earth when that day commeth Or because those that remain living shal be accounted as dead because they shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye Secondly he describes them from their age and condition for the words may be understood of both Great and Small That is as well the powerfull Tyrants of the world Emperours Kings Princes and Great men as Subjects and men of low condition Or properly Great in Age and stature that is growne men and women Small also that is dying in their child-hood by this partition he sheweth that all and every one without any exception are to be judged for the Iudgement shall be universall no man shall bee so Great as to escape the same none so small as to be excluded 2 Cor. 5.10 but every one shall have right without respect of persons as the Apostle witnesseth We must all appeare before the Iudgement Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Lumb lib. dist 44. SCHOOL-MEN suppose that in the Resurrection all shal be as if they were about 33. yeers old which was Christs age but we leave it as uncertain What they speake of the stature that every one shall receive his owne measure of body is more agreeable to this place Thirdly he describes them from their future state Standing in the sight of God or before God to wit to bee judged as guiltie To stand before God signifies sometimes in this Booke as above the Heavenly Ministery of the Saints and Angels Here it signifies to be brought to Iudgement as appeares by what followeth By the dead standing he meaneth them that were raised from death to life XLI Argument of Christs deitie Before God The Iudge hee absolutely calleth God but CHRIST is the Iudge Therefore Christ is God absolutely And the Bookes were opened The judiciall processe is noted by imitation of humane Courts in which the whole processe is wont to be drawn into Protocols from whence the Iudge at length determineth and pronounceth sentence according to the Acts and Proofes not that it shall bee so really for God from whose eyes nothing is hid will not make use of long examination but the equity of the Iudge is noted by a Metaphor taken from humane Courts where the Iudge pronounceth sentence according to the written Law and the Acts and Proofes agreeing thereunto It is an Allusion unto the words of Daniel speaking thus of this IVDGEMENT Dan. 7.10 The Iudgement was set and the Bookes were opened Origene understands it of the books of conscience Comm. ad Rom. 14. which now are hid not to God but to men For the hidden things of the heart are not now known But then they shall be Opened that is manifested to the consciences of all and every one so as there shall be no place left of excuse or withdrawing Thus no man shall be injured because every one shall either be accused or discharged by his own conscience Augustine takes it a little otherwise Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 14 of the bookes of the Old and New Testament in which God hath prescribed unto all what is to bee done or Omitted in this life which shall then be opened because according to them the Iudge will pronounce sentence Rom. 2.16 When God shall judge the secrets of men Marke 16.16 Io. 12.48 Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 14 by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel He that beleeveth and is baptised shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day And another Booke was opened This Austine understands of every mans Booke of Life what he hath done or not done according to those former Books But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of every one is not in the Text but simply which is the Booke of Life to wit in which God hath written from all eternitie the names of them that shall be saved through Christ of which often mention is made in this Revelation Chap. 3.5 13.8 17.8 c. Not that God hath neede of a Booke but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by humane affection is noted the certainty of Praedestination viz. that God knowes all and every of the Elect even as men know a thing which for memory sake they set downe in writing This Booke therefore shall also be opened because then it shall appear who were Elect who Reprobates who truely beleeved in Christ who not who truely worshipped God Mat. 25.32 who were hypocrites for then Christ will sever the sheep from the goats who in this life were mixt one amongst another And the dead were judged This shall be the denouncing of the sentence the equity whereof is commended by a two-fold reason both because every one shall be judged out of the things written in the Bookes As also because he shall receive according to his workes For what concernes the Bookes whither we take them for the scriptures which are now the rules of our Faith and actions Or the inward working
forceable falling on the Dragon Hee layed hold on him The Dragons Surname and binding and the time of thousand yeers ver 2. The place also and the manner of the imprisonment He cast him into the bottomlesse Pit and shut him up c. and the end that he should deceive the Nations no more and the time of his loosing Afterward he must be loosed a little season ver 3. 3. By a certaine Prolepsis or prevention whither in the meane while the affaires of the Church should be in peace and whither the Dragon being bound Tyrants should not persecute the godly and the Beast rage and invade the kingdome John seeth the soules of them that were beheaded for the testimony of Iesus and them that have not worshipped the Beast sitting on thrones living and reigning with Christ those thousand years ver 4. Whose happines is figured out by the Antithesis of the wicked who lived not againe during those thousand yeares but remained in the death of sin ver 5. And it is amplified by an Exclamation ver 6. In the second part touching the loosing of the Dragon is shewed 1. when and whence the Dragon was loosed Ver. 7.2 What he attempted being loosed to seduce againe the Nations and to gather Gog and Magog to battel Ver. 8.3 What was the successe of the attempt They compasse the campe of the Saints about and the beloved City this attempt is broken off in the former part of verse 9. In the third part which is the Catastrophe of the Gogish battell the destruction of the adversaries is described 1. Specially both the overthrow of Gog and Magog in the latter part of Verse 9. as also the punishment of the devill himselfe verse 10.2 Generally the last judgement of all In which type is noted 1. the majesty and preparation of the Iudge ver 11.2 The guilty to be judged all the dead and the sentence taken out of the Books ver 12. 3. A prevention touching such as were swallowed up of the Sea Death and Hell that they were all delivered up ver 13. 4. The execution of the Sentence both on the last adversaries Death and Hell Verse 14. as all others Verse 15. CHAPTER XX. The First part of the CHAPTER Of the DRAGONS binding a thousand Yeeres 1. And I saw an Angell come downe from Heaven having the Key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chaine in his hand 2. And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the devill and Satan and bound him a thousand years 3. And cast him into the bottomlesse pit and shut him up and set a seale upon him that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand yeers should be fulfilled and after that he must be loosed a little season 4. And I saw thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them and I saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast neither his image neither had received his marke upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeers 5. But the rest of the dead lived not again untill the thousand yeers were finished This is the first resurrection 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years THE COMMENTARY ANd I saw Beza Then I saw which must be understood of the order of the Visions for this he saw after the former not of the order of the events as if this taking of the Dragon The order observeable and these thousand yeers should in time follow the damnation of the Beast For seeing the Beast is Antichrist certainly his destruction and casting into hell shall not be but by the brightnesse of Christs coming and in the last Iudgement as was shewed in the foregoing Vision 2. Thes 2 8 But after the last judgement there shall not be a thousand yeeres in which Satan shall be bound and these things be done which Iohn now seeth And therefore the Events of this Vision shall not follow but in time goe before the events of the foregoing Vision This is a certaine Argument that this Vision is diverse from the former and is no particular Vision which supplies the former and that in the Visions a continuated order of History or Times is not to be observed as most Interpreters imagine Wherefore after all other apparitions This last Vision is a recapitulation of all the foregoing visions this last Vision as it were in place of a conclusion is exhibited unto Iohn in which under new types and the wonderfull binding loosing and condemnation of the Dragon and of the description of the Heavenly Ierusalem is set forth unto Iohn the entire face of the Church prefiguring the History from the first gathering thereof among the Gentiles untill its last glorification in Heaven not indeed by a vaine repetition of the same things but a most profitable revealing of things divers from the former mysteries viz. touching the overthrow of Paganisme among the Gentiles through the coming of Christ of the tempests and distractions of the last thousand years with which besides the cruelty of the Beast the Church shal be exercised and of the most joyfull end of all the calamities of the Church For touching the First Iohn till now had seen nothing Of the Second he had seen somewhat but obscurely under the sixt Trumpet Of the third also he had heard but very little by one of the foure and twenty Elders towards the end of the second Vision Now it was very much for Iohns and ours instruction and consolation that none of these things should be hid from him Therefore there was weighty reasons why after the other Visions this also at last should be exhibited Thus much briefly touching the Order An Angell come downe from Heaven This Angell figures out CHRIST as the adjuncts and effects do prove For he hath the Key of the bottomlesse Pit that is the power of hell and death which Christ before attributes to himselfe Gen. 3 15. Heb. 2.14 Luk. 11.22 Chap. 18. ver 18. and he bindeth Satan which is proper to Christ for hee it is that bruised the head of the old Serpent Who through death destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devill He I say is that Stronger taking the house and dividing the spoile of the strong armed man Neither is it new that Christ should be represented by an Angell in this REVELATION as we see Chap. 7.2 Chap. 8.3 Chap. 10.1 c. But that it should be some ministeriall Angell who while Christ was suffering on the Crosse coming from Heaven bound the devill in the bottomlesse Pit is a fiction of Ribera's contrary to the truth of the Gospell Tob. 8.3 and is not
from Heaven Satans punishment therefore is described by the place companions and eternity of his torments The place of his punishment shall not bee simply the Pit in which he was before shut up a thousand yeers but the very sinke of the bottomlesse Pit the Lake of fire and brimstome into which he shall be cast by Christ the Iudge It is a Periphrasis of hell which the Scripture sets forth by the place of torments unquencheable fire the worme that dies not utter darkenesse weeping and gnashing of teeth and such like horrible Epithites to terrifie the wicked signifying that the torments of Satan and the ungodly in hell shall be unutterable like as the glory of Christ and the Saints in Heaven shall bee unspeakeable Now of the Lake of Fire and Brimstone hath beene spoken Chap. 19 20. unto which place Iohn sends us backe saying Where the Beast and the False-prophet are For hee there saith that these were cast into this Lake The devill therefore shall find them there as his companions in torments The Romane Antichrist I say with his Cardinals Vassals and Followers These shall bee cast into the Lake before the devill for he shall finde them there yet both shall be done in the last Iudgement as Christ expounds it in the Gospell depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the devill and his Angels Mat. 25.41 And they shall bee tormented To wit the devill the Beast and False-Prophet for they shall all alike suffer everlasting torments of which see Chap. 14.11 Chap. 19.20 Night and day Not as if there should be an enterchange of dayes and nights in Hell for in utter daakenesse it is alwayes night but thus he sheweth the eternall continuation of their torments for that which is continued day and night is perpetuall The same he saith Chap. 14. of the torments of all the worshippers of the Beast and his Image By the same phrase Chap. 7.15 he sheweth the continuall joy of the Saints in Heaven Who are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple Now that the punishment of the devill and wicked men shall be perpetuall Lib. 21. de C. D. c. 23. Ps 77.10 The punishment of the damned eternall Augustine doth largely prove against such as pretending Gods mercifullnes from the Psalme Will God forget to be gracious will he in anger shut up his tender mercies did imagine that the devill and wicked men after most grievous and long during punishments should be purged and pardoned thereby to patronize their owne and other mens wickednesses But he demonstrates from this and such like places that the torments of Satan and the ungodly shall simply be eternall First because here it s expresly said The devill which deceived them was cast into the Lake of fire and brimstone there to bee tormented with the Beast and the False-Prophet day and night for ever and ever which altogether signifies eternitie But it were false if at sometime or other they should be redeemed out of their torments Secondly Mat. 72.3 Mat. 25 4â— What is meant by Eternall because the divine sentence cannot bee made voide or weakened which Christ will pronounce at the day of Iudgement depart from mee ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his Angels what here is said to be for ever and ever in the place alledged is said to be eternall or everlasting by which the Scripture denotes time without end Lastly because the life and glory of the blessed Saints shall simply be eternall Therefore on the contrary the death and torments of the damned shall also bee eternall for Christ in the same sentence pronounceth to the wicked eternall torments Mat. 25.46 and to the godly life everlasting And these shall goe into everlasting punishment but the righteous into eternall life 11. AND I SAW A THRONE The Type of the universall Iudgement followeth in which all the wicked being cast into eternall torments the Church shall bee crowned with everlasting glory and joy Now that this is a description of the last Iudgement is so manifest from the words that I judge it needlesse to demonstrate the same It is proved that here the last judgement is typically set forth Mat. 25.46 1. Cor. 15.16 Dan. 7.10 Mat. 25 41 Iohn saw the Iudge on a Throne he saw the dead to be judged before the Throne and them that were judged out of the books being opened according to the phrase of the Prophet Dan. Chap. 7.10 where without all controversie the Type of the last Iudgement is described Lastly he saw the Devill Death and Hell which are the last Enemies to be cast with all reprobates into the Lake of Fire which certainely shall not come to passe but in the last Iudgement when the Iudge shall say unto all these Goe ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his Angels Neither ought we to seek an Allegorie in circumstances so manifestly agreeing with the Evangelicall History because it cannot here have place forasmuch as all things are sutable unto the proper description of the last Iudgement expressed in both Testaments Besides our method confirmes the same by which it hath hitherto bin shewed that every one of the Visions the first excepted which was speciall doth end in the description of the last Iudgement either openly or covertly the which why it should so often be iterated in this Booke cannot be explicated by them who give no heed unto the distinct Acts of the severall Visions Adde to this that all Interpreters whom I have seen both old and new are unnanimously minded that here is figured out the casting of all the adversaries into eternall punishment and the placing of the godly in everlasting glory which shall be accomplished in the last Iudgement Brightman alone leaving this exposition interprets the whole Brightmans Allegorie Allegorically of the full restitution of the Iewish Nation which he thinkes shall come to passe after the Dragon is cast into the Lake of fire that is after the destruction of the Turkish Emperour and Empire This hee supposeth shall be about the yeere 1690. moved hereunto by a conjecture too obscure and uncertaine from a place in Dan. 12.12 the which how far different a sense it beareth I shall not at this time for brevity sake stand to demonstrate But the reasons which he opposeth to the received and manifest trueth to me indeed seem to have little or no waight in them He saith that the following description agrees not unto the New Jerusalem in Heaven but to that on Earth only in that the Holy City is said to descend from Heaven that the Bride is prepared and adorned for her Husband not yet delivered that in ver 7. the reward is put off till afterward Whether the description of the new Ierusalem agrees to the Church Militant that one of the seven Angels sheweth all these things to Iohn whereas