more ancient then Ierome But Primasius who liued not long after Ierome considering the Text better followeth none of them as after yee shall heare More reason had our Writers to disassent from Berengandus long after any of them considering that Carthusianus a man of his owne fellowship leaues him as Primasius left Ierome The truth then is these foure twenty Elders represent the whole Church of God Militant and Triumphant this alway being obserued that the spirit of God speakes of this Church not onely as now it is but hereafter also as it wil be Or as now it is in Gods decree or hereafter shall bee in the execution of his decree or then as it was represented to S. Iohn in this Vision As for the number of foure and twenty whether the spirit of God alludes in it to Dauid his policie in distributing such as serued in the Sanctuarie in foure twenty classes and orders or to such as ruled the Kings house who were also agreeable to this order or then which is more probable to the twelue Patriarches and twelue Apostles the matter is all one for sure this certaine number is put for the full and complete yet vncertaine number of his Saints The Spirit of God expounds himselfe so cleerly that I maruell how men haue not marked it for in the song of the foure twenty Elders do they not acknowledge that Christ had redeemed them to God by his bloud out of euery Kindred and People and Tongue and Nation and had made them Kings and Priests vnto God Hereupon haue the learned Diuines of old and later times founded this most sound interpretation that these foure and twenty Elders represent Totum Ecclesie gregem Otherwise how can these words agree to the foure and twenty Books of the old Testament Where if any retire to this refuge that when they speake of the foure and twenty Bookes of the old Testament they vnderstand the writers of these Bookes and Professors of them then I pray them tell me where are the Writers and Professors of the new Testament sith this Prophecie principally concernes them But what shall I say It is not giuen vnto any one to see all Cotterius who with great industry â—…ifteth and searches the words of this Prophecie when he commeth to that place Thou hast made vs Kings and Priests to our God is forced to passe them ouer with silence For how can they agree with to the books of the old Testament Are they made Kings and Priests vnto God What is good in Victorine Ierome or any other of the ancient Fathers wee willingly receiue it and thanke God for it but still reserue this liberty which God hath giuen vs that whatsoeuer is most agreeable to his Word shall be most welcome to vs. The drosse of the Fathers vnder shadow of their antiquity must not alway be intruded vpon the Church for fine gold it should be tryed by the touch-stone of truth more ancient then they And sure it is where the holy Scripture expounds it selfe no authority of man should bee receiued against it But that the Ancients also did see this light of God out of this place that the twenty foure Elders represent the whole Church I onely bring in the testimony of Primasius Per seniores totam Ecclesiam intelligit viginti quatuor autem complexus est simul tanquam duodecim Tribus Israel duplicans propter geminum Testamentum quia in nolio in veteri eadem formatur Ecclesia By the Elders he vnderstands the whole Church where hee conioynes foure and twenty together as it were doubling the twelue Tribes of Israel for the two Testaments because both in the old and new Testament one and the selfe-same Church is formed But to proceed In this Vision S. Iohn sees the Church represented in a circle or circumference in the midst whereof is the Lord sitting on his Throne none of them are excluded from his presence and his fauorable face is manifested to them all So large is this heauenly Amphitheatre that albeit they be to vs innumerable who sit in it yet none of them is any impediment to anothers sight for the Lord is in the midst of his Saints so witnesses himselfe Where two or three are gathered in my name I shall be in the midst of them Such was the forme of Israel their assembly their Courts did circuit but the Temple except vpon the West Vowe and performe your vowes vnto the Lord your God all yee that are round about him When Israel camped in the Wildernesse they were cast in forme of a quadrant three of their Tribes were on euery quarter and in the midst of them was the Arke but here the Church is cast in forme of a circle in the midst whereof God hath his Throne All enioy his presence to their full contentment though there be some neerer his Throne then others for without the circle of the foure liuing creatures representing principall Angels there stands a great number of other Angels singing praise to the Lord. Now as for the foure and twenty Seates let that bee remembred which we haue said of the number of the Elders and the same is to bee vnderstood of the number of their Seats let vs not thinke there are no more seats for Saints but foure and twenty In my Fathers house are many Mansions said our Sauiour Here the doubt is how Seats and Crownes are ascribed to the Church Militant sith we are yet vnder the crosse and not come to the Crowne Of this I gaue warning before that the Church is described here not as shee is simply but as shee will be or as she is in the decree of God and is here in the Vision represented to S. Iohn Now the Saints in their pilgrimage full of wandrings haue no permanent seates they are chased from Cities into the Wildernesse and accounted the off-scourings of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but do Satan and his instruments what they can the Church is and shall bee glorious euery member thereof hath a seate and resting place in vnspeakeable glory prepared for them If therefore wee faint by looking to the Church in her ignominy in her wandrings and persecutions now vnder the crosse let vs looke vp here and take a view of that glorious estate whereunto in Gods counsell they are ordained and which now in part she enioyes and in all her members shall hereafter fully enioy Now one part of her is like the halfe darkened body of the Moone which is obscured when the other halfe shines most brightly but the Sunne of righteousnesse shall illuminate the obscured part also then shall her glory be complete fully No malice of the deuill no weakenesse of Saints militant no power of hell nor pride of persecuting enemies shall be able to hinder this Let this comfort sustaine vs against all bitternesse of our present crosses And vpon Now
hath reueiled out of this Booke to my Saints This is the summe of all The rage of man shall turne to the praise of GOD The LORD shall haue glory his Church victorie and the Enemies therof shame and confusion Three things haue we in this chapter first a description of this Booke of the Reuelation secondly a description of the Lambe of God who openeth it thirdly thankes giuing for it both of men and Angels And I saw Wee may perceiue heere in the entry how new sights and new Reuelations are multiplied vpon Saint Iohn the Lord beganne to be familiar with him and still he continues for whom he loueth he loueth to the end and causes them to encrease with the increasings of God like the Sunne ascending to the noonetyde of the day Balaam and Balac both may conspire to curse Israel but it cannot be Putiphar may imprison Ioseph but God shall be with him Domitian may banish S. Iohn vnto Pathmos from the fellowship of men but not from the fauour of God euen there shall the Lord be familiar with him What Isaac spake of Iacob stands as a sure decree to all the Saints of God I haue blessed him and he shall be blessed Of the manner of this sight wee haue spoken once for all in the beginning of the fourth chapter No doubt many of the Lords deare children wish they could see the like such a sight as S. Iohn saw or S. Paul saw when he was rauished into the third heauens The one tels vs what he saw for it was shewed vnto him that hee might shew it to the Church The other tels not what hee saw yea professes that the sight hee saw is more then euer man heard or saw or man his heart is able to vnderstand and this is to prouoke vs to long for that Day wherin we shall be capable of this sight In the meane time if we see not such sights as they saw let vs reuerence the Lords dispensation now we walke by faith not by sight the time when wee shall see is comming now happy are wee if we do beleeue A Booke We must still remember that in all this Prophecie the Lord dimits himselfe to vse such formes and representations as we are best able to conceiue Properly God hath no booke â—…e needs not any such help of memory but allusion here is made to Kings who haue beside them bookes containing Lawes whereby they rule their people or else the ancient Acts and Monuments of their Kingdom as was that booke out of which Ahasuerus learned what good seruice Mordecai had done vnto him The Lord hath his booke also but farre exceeding theirs for they haue onely a Register of things which'are done they cannot tell what is to be done and farre lesse can they preuent it but the Lord hath in his Booke a perfect record of all things which haue beene are or shal be to the worlds end they are all appointed by himselfe Now what is meant by this book is not agreed vpon by the Interpreters Victorine whom many follow calls it the old Testament Others more generally the whole Scripture But was not that Booke opened till now And is it not plainly told Saint Iohn by the Angel that the things foretold in this booke are such as were shortly to come to passe not such as had beene done before What Cotterius had for him by this booke to vnderstand vitam life and by the strong Angel to vnderstand Legem or the Law which none can fulfill we leaue it to himselfe and his opinion also The matter is so plaine out of the course of the Text that it is strange men will not take light out of Gods hand when he offers it vnto them for doth not the Sonâ—… take this booke from the Father Doth he not open the seales thereof and let Saint Iohn see what was written in it Is it not the very first and authentike volume of this Booke of the Reuelation the copy and transumpt whereof Saint Iohn drawes out as he is commanded and sends it to the Church al the whole circumstances of the Prophecie make it so cleere that it is strange how men too much enamored with their own coÌ„ceptions should not haue perceiued it But because in holy Scripture often mention occurres of sundry Bookes which are ascribed to God let vs once for all remember they are to be reduced to one of these two sorts they are either metaphoricall or materiall the first so called in respect of the metaphor or borrowed speech the other so called in respect of the matter The metaphorike bookes are either vniuersall or speciall vniuersall are two one mentioned by Dauid In thy booke were all things written which in continuance of time were fashioned And this booke is the most large as being a perfect register of all things all persons of all times and this is the Booke of Prescience The other is the booke of Conscience which albeit it be not so large as the first yet I call it Vniuersall because all men without exception haue it they write it with their owne hand haue it in their owne custodie and therefore shall not be able to speake any thing against the testimony thereof Speciall bookes againe are also two one called by Moses The booke of life contayning a roll of all Gods Elect the other called by Malachy A booke of remembrance wherein the Lord registers the words and workes of the wicked this booke God hath in his keeping and it is euery way conforme and varies not from the booke of conscience that the wicked haue The booke materiall is the Bible whereof this booke of the Reuelation is a part S. Iohn sees it first heere in this vision and then as I said extracts the iust copy of it and sends it to the Churches Written within and without For vnderstanding of this wee must know that the forme of bookes they vsed of old was not like ours they were long Roules euery sheet at the end of another extending in length folded and rouled vp about a peece of tree or some other such thing they might conueniently bee distinguished by seales for the seale of the first being opened all written in it might easily haue been read the rest not so vntill the remaining seales were opened also they were commonly written on the one side except where the aboundance of matter forced them to write on the backe then were they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the sixt chapter it is said that the heauens passed away like a scrole for a scrole of parchment beeing opened and spred out in length if it be let goe by him that holds it returns speedily into a round againe Ezekiel makes mention of the like Roule of a booke spred before him written within and without And as to Ezekiel the Lord presented a roule containing that which
descripta qui soli quid in Deo sit viderunt True Religion is described in the writings of the Apostles and Prophets who onely did see what is in God Credere debemus quod Scripturae perfectae sunt quippe à verbo Dei Spiritu eius dictae Wee ought to beleeue that the Scriptures are perfect as being endited by the Word and Spirit of God His niti firma est Petra his derelictis alijs niti quibuslibet doctrinis est in effusa arena aedisicare To depend on the holy Scripture is to build on a sure Rock but to leaue them and depend vpon any other doctrine is to build vpon sand Si fidelis est Dominus in omnibus sermonibus suis fidelia omnia mandata eius manifesta est elapsio à side superbiae crimen aut reprobare quid ex his quae scripta sunt aut superinducere quid ex non scriptis Sith God is faithfull in all his words and all his commandements are true it is a manifest falling from the faith either to reiect any thing that is written or to receiue any thing that is not written Many more might be added but that it were tedious But their other assertion is much more blasphemous Is the satisfaction that Christ hath made to the Father for vs imperfect Must it be supplyed by humane satisfactions Did not the Cup which our Sauiour dranke for our sinnes in the Garden make his Soule heauy and his Body to sweat bloud Who is it that dare drinke out that which our Sauiour hath left vndrunken If the brimme of the cup so troubled him who is able to drinke out the bottome Certainely none at all If the most holy man that euer liued were appointed to beare the punishment that is due to one of his smallest sinnes it would vtterly confound him If they knew this and were touched with the smallest sense of the wrath of God they would close their blasphemous mouthes from speaking of the insufficiency of Christ his satisfaction or of any help or supply to be adioyned to his merits VERSE 3. And no man in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth was able to open the Booke nor to looke thereupon THE answer of the Angels Proclamation is here subioyned in a strong negation that none in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth could open the Booke This speech hath in it a Propheticall amplification which makes the amplification the stronger to exclude all creatures from this dignity that it may be reserued to Iesus Christ alone hee onely is worthy to open the Booke The Iesuites of Rhemes shew themselues ridiculous in the exposition of this place these are their words Hee speakes not of the damned in hell of whom there could be no question but of the faithfull in Abrahams bosome and in Purgatorie I pray you is there any question at all when he had said None in heauen could do it what needed him to subioyne Nor in earth Was there any question that could be found on earth worthy to open the Booke sith none in heauen could do it Is this spoken by way of question No but as I haue said it imports a strong negation Now as to your faithfull that you bring in here to be in Limbo which wrongfully yee call Abrahams Bosome was Abraham or any of the faithfull at this time in Limbo According to your doctrine when Christ descended to hell then hee harried hell hee left not a soule there but loosed them all out of that prison This Proclamation was more then fifty yeeres after Christs resurrection and will yee now haue any faithfull soules to bee still there euen contrary to your owne doctrine No better is your other allegation of your faithfull in Purgatorie Sith none in heauen could open this Booke I am sure it was neuer the Angels purpose to seeke any in any house of hell to do it It is your shame that in so impudent a manner against so cleere light yee abuse and deceiue the world with your forgeries VERSE 4. Then I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to reade the Booke neither to looke thereon IN this is declared the louing affection of S. Iohn toward the Church hee mournes for that shee should be depriued of the comfort of this Reuelation all that are true and feeling members of the Church are grieued for the troubles of the Church her wants her losses and the least obscuring of her glorie is the matter of their mourning and of all losses they apprehend this most the want of the comfort of the Word for where no Vision is there the people perish Eli was not so much moued at the report of the death of his two sonnes as when he heard that the Arke of the Lord was captiued Then hee fell from his seate backeward and died And his daughter in Law when she in like manner heard that the Arke was captiued brake her heart through displeasure notwithstanding they comforted her because she had born a son yet she answered not nor regarded it but named the childe Ichabod No glorie saying The glory is departed from Israel Nehemiah was for himselfe in a good estate in the seruice of King Artashaste but when Hanani told him of the desolation of Ierusalem the sorrow of his heart made his countenance sad before the King the welfare of Ierusalem was dearer vnto him then the welfare of his owne estate But now the Church is full of bastard children who haue no compassion of her estate if they as the Prophet speakes of carnall Israelites be at ease themselues they sorrow not for the affliction of Ioseph Againe here is a plaine difference betweene such as are inspired with the Spirit of Christ and others possessed with the spirit of Antichrist the opening of the Bible to the one is a matter of their ioy to the other a matter of their griefe Iohn weepes because the Booke was closed Antichrist and his crue grudge and rage this day because the Booke is opened These are the brood of these Heretiques whom Tertullian of old called Lucifugae they hate the light because it conuinceth them of darkenesse VERSE 5. And one of the Elders said vnto me Weepe not behold the Lyon which is of the Tribe of Iuda the Roote of Dauid hath obtained to open the Booke and to loose the seuen Seales thereof VVE haue heard before S. Iohn mourning now we heare him comforted This is God his order Blessed are they who mourne for they shall be comforted Mourning must go before consolation sorrowfull teares are the seed of plentifull ioy No man putteth new wine into old bottels The consolations of the Lord are better then wine they comfort they refresh they strengthen the soule but the old heart is not capable of them we must therefore by mourning empty our hearts of our old sinnes before
are called Elders 1. Ioh. 2. 1. Esay 65. 20. The white rayment of Saints is their two-fold righteousnesse 1 One imputed 2 Another inherent Their Crowns note their Royall Dignity 1. Cor. 9. 26. Rom. 8. A two-fold operation of God here is figured 1 One terrible to his enimies compared to lightning Psal. 18. 14. 2 To Thundring Psal. 18. 13. Exod. 20. Amos 1. 2. Mark 3. Psal. 29. 3. Suâ—… ca. 5. 3 To Voices Psal. 2. 5. The other gracious comfortable to his own children Mat. 3. 11. Acts 2. Esay 11. 2. 1. Cor. 12. 4. The glassie Sâ—…a is a figure of this world Reuel 17. 15. The world sometime figured by the Moone And sometime by the Sea which is euer waltring and neuer standeth in oâ—… estate Ester 7. 2. King 7. It is christalline transparent because all things in it are manifest to the Lord. Heb. 4. 13. Iob. 22. Psal. 139. A dehortation from the loue of this world 1. Cor. 7. 31. ☜ The best pleasures thereof are like the salt waters of the Sea Angels described 1. From their place 2. From their nature 3. FroÌ„ their number 4. From their properties 5. From their function How by the foure beasts some vnderstand the four Euangelists But in truth they figure the company and order of principall Angels This Vision coÌ„pared with the like in Ezechiel will be the more easily vnderstood Ezech. 1. The foure Beasts in the originall are foure liuing creatures And are expounded by the Spirit of God to be Cherubims Ezech. 10. 20. The place of these holy Angels they are in the midst of the Throne and round about it The Throne of God is coÌ„passed wâ—…th Angels not for any need but to shew his glory and to comfort his Church 1. King 10. 20. Esay 37. 36. What Angels are as concerning their nature Psal. 104. 4. Numb 16. 22. August Enchirid cap. 18. Of the number of Angels Dan. 7. 10. Psal. 68. Heb. 12. 22. The properties of Angels Nazian orat 2. de Thâ—…o How they are said to haue eyes before eyes behind and eyes within them ☞ Gregor Moral Lamentable is our estate for the want of this three-fold sight Why Angels are represented by Men Lyons Bullocks and Eagles Ezech. 1. The manifold wisedome of God appeares in the variety of his creatures Not in the great onely but in the smallest also What assurance we haue of good things prouided for vs hereafter Heb. 11. 3. Six wings are ascrybed to euery one of these Angils Esay 6. 2. With two wings they couer their facâ—… these are 1 An humble estimation of themselues 2 A reuerent estimation of the Lord. Chrysost. in Mat. hom 26. Heauenly creatures are most humble Hereby are condemned Pharisaicall and Popish spirits who dare stand vp with vncouered face and glory of their merits Ber. Ser. cont vitium ingratitud Gen. 18. Chrysost. in Mat. â—…om 26. The two wings wherewith they flye 1 Their sublime disposition they are no creeping things 2 Their willing readinesse to obey By the two wings Bernard vnderstands knowledge and deuotion Bern. de verbis Esaiae Serm. 4. To striue to flye with one wing is the ready way to fall Rom. 1. The wings wherewith they couer their feet are sanctity and modesty zach 1. In the last place they are described froÌ„ their function they are not weaâ—…y in praysing God 1. Thes. 5. 16 16 17 18. Prayer and prayse are good parts of diuine worship but praise the most excellent of the two Three things in their song doe they ascribe to the Lord. Esay 6. Ang. de side ad Pet. cap. 1. 1 Holinesse which is so proper to him that there is none so holy as the Lord. 2 Omnipotency consisting in these two 1. That he can do what hewil 2. That against his nature and truth hee can doe nothing Mouthes of Atheists who cal Gods power in question bound vp 2. King 7. 2. Weakenesse of Saints helped by the consideration of God his omnipotency Gen. 18. Numb 11. 22. Esa. 50. 3. Papists abuse the omnipotency of God in making it militant against his truth Psal. 78. 41. 3 They ascribe to him the praise of eternity Bern. in Cont. Scrm. 31. What great comfort commeth to the Church by the consideration of God his eternity Eccles. 1. Heb. 1. 11. The song of Angels is soconded by the song of redeemed Saints 2. Cor. 9. 2. Thus one of vs should prouoke another to plety In their song they giue three things to the Lord. Rom. 11. 35. Great difference betweene these two man his giuing to God Gods giuing to man Heb. 13. 1. Chro. 29. 14. No dishonour to the most honourable creatures to kneele to the Lord. Psal. 95. 6. The true Church worships no creature neither Angell not man Gal. 4. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But giueth to the Lord all the glory of their saluation Psal. 115. 1. Creation was a short Prouidence and Prouidence a long creation Heb. 1. 3. Creation coÌ„mon to all creatures not so the comfort of creation What reason we haue to serue God for our creation Ephes. 2. Loth should we be to displease the Lord who made vs for his owne pleasure Psal. 104. 31. Gen. 1. Gen. 6. The second part of the Preparatoâ—…ie Vision containing a description of God the Redeemer Reuealing things to come for the comfort of his Church Psal. 76. 10. The parts of this Chapter The familiarity of God with his Saints once begun stil encreases Numb 22. Gen. 39. Reu. 1. 9. Gen. 27. 33. We walke not here by sight but by saith 2. Cor. 5. 7. How the Lord is said to haue a Booke Ester 6. 1. In it allusion is made to the manner of Kings who haue their Registers This booke cannot be the old Testament Other strange opinions concerning this Booke But in truth the booke is this same book of the Reuelation Bookes in holy Scripture are of two sorts 1 Metaphorical and these are either vniuersall or special Psal. 139. 16. Vniuersall are two Speciall are al. so two Gen. 32. 32. Malach. 3. 16. 2 The other sort of bookes are materiall The forme of bookes vsed among the Ancients different froÌ„ ours Plin. lib. 3. epist. Ezech. 2. 9. Carthus What meanes the writing of this book without within The booke is sealed for surety and secrecie Dan. 6. 8. Obscurity of Scripture pretended by Papists They looke to the seales wherewith the book is closed but not to the Lambe who opened them Psal. 119. 130. In bookes of Scripture written for our instruction in the faith God speaks plainly Aug. de doct Chr. lib. 2. c. 9. Lactant. l. 6. c. 21. This pretext of obscurity of holy Scripture is but a couering of their misliking Chrysost. hom 3. de Lazaro It is Christ his singular glory none but hee can open this booke The offices of Christ are 3 Kingly Priestly and Propheticall The last and least of the 3. can be done by none but by himselfe Papists derogate from
the last breath of the Spirit wherewith he inspired the Writers of holy Scripture No Scripture is to be expected after this It is the last Loue-token of our Lord and louing Husband after which he will write no more vnto vs but will come himselfe he hath sent it to vs with the Disciple whom he loued best and who was the last and longest liuer of all the Disciples Kinde children remember best the words spoken by their fathers on their death-bed and if it were possible that after death they could receiue any information from them O in what estimation would they haue it All the words of our Lord should be laid vp in our hearts but specially these which hee vttered in the time of his death and Passion and most of all these by which now after his Resurrection Ascension he speaketh vnto vs. There are many now a daies companions to the rich Glutton and his brethren they will not beleeue Moses and the Prophets but if one came from the dead then would they amend their liues This is a Prouerbe frequent in their mouthes but now this excuse also is taken from them Our Lord Iesus is risen from the dead and after his resurrection witnesses vnto vs what fearefull wrath is reserued for the wicked what vnspeakable ioy prepared for the godly if for all this they will not beleeue nor amend their liues are they not worthy of the greater condemnation In the eighteenth yeere of the Emperour Tyberius our Lord suffered for our sinnes hee rose againe from the dead ascended on high and led captiuity captiue About the foureteenth yeere of Domitian gaue he this Reuelation to S. Iohn in the I le Pathmos so witnesses Irenaeus Non multunâ—… ante temporis Apocalypsin vidit Ioannes sed poene sub nostro saeculo ad finem Domitiani imperii It is not long said he since S. Iohn saw this Reuelation but almost in our owne daies about the end of the Domitian Empire fiftie daies after his Ascension he sent downe that promised Spirit the Comforter So fiftie yeares and tenne after that he sent down this comfortable Booke of Prophecie containing a generall proiect and view of all the estates of his Church vntill the worlds end Doubtlesse this hath proceeded of his louing kindnesse toward his poore Church hee fore-saw the great and manifold troubles that were to befall her he knew it was to be a long time in respect of vs betweene his Ascension and second comming that therefore his Church should not faint our Lord and Loue hath sent vs this Present and Loue-letter that we may runne vnto it as Aaron and the Church of old did to the Oracle to know what shall be the end of all these battels of Saints militant heere on earth specially of these perturbations raised this day against the Church by Mahomet in the East and Antichrist in the West We are not then to suffer our selues to be spoiled and defrauded of the comfort contained in this book by these instruments of the Serpent who either disclaime the authority of this booke or then would scarre vs from it by a pretence of the obscurity thereof for these are the two scandals which offend many and make them if not vtterly to reiect at least too lightly mis-regard this heauenly Present As for the first albeit there need no testimonie of man where Diuine Authority giues out the decree Blessed is he who reads and they who heare the words of this prophecie yet man may very well be brought in against man and what hath beene said by any against it is easily disproued by that which others more ancient and more worthy credit haue spoken for it Iustinus Martyr Reuelationem hanc Ioanni qui vnus erat Apostolorum Christi factam esse testatur Iustine Martyr who wrote about an hundred and fiftie yeares after Christ witnesses that this Reuelation was made to S. Iohn who was one of Christ his Disciples Irenaeus ten yeares after him in the place cited before affirmeth the same With them S. Ambrose and S. Augustine do concurre Nec illud mediocre quod de throno Dei exire sluuium legimus sic enim habes dicente Ioanne Euangelista that which is written Reu. 22. of a riuer of the water of life flowing from the Throne Ambrose takes it vp plainely as written to S. Iohn the Euangelist Augustine as I haue said hath the like But this point I leaue as being sufficiently handled by the Writers of our time namely and at greatest length by Cotterius The other scandall of obscuritie is easily remoued if the exposition of the prophecie runne not before the execution thereof It was hard to the Fathers of the first ages to vnderstand this booke so cleerely as now by Gods grace his seruants may No maruaile though S. Ierome in his time said of it that the Apocalypse had tot Sacramenta quot verba as many mysteries as words for Prophecies before they be accomplished are Aenigmata that is riddles or darke and obscure sentences but when they are fulfilled Tunc liquidam habent certam expositionem then haue they a cleare and sure exposition Yet S. Augustine mitigates that difficulty alledged by S. Ierome and leaues vs some better hopes he grants this In Apocalypsi multa obscurè dicuntur vt mentem legentis exerceant that in the Reuelation many things are difficult whereby the mindes of those who reade it may be exercised yet to encourage vs hee subioyneth Pauca tamen in co sunt ex quorum manifestatione indagentur caetera cum labore that there are some things in it so plainly manifested as that they may leade vs to the vnderstanding of the rest if we take paines to learne them Victorinus Primasius and others who wrote aboue a thousand yeares since vpon this book are indeed to be praised for their paines Glory be to God out of all their labours some light ariseth to this prophecie but let the Reader remember that they are not alwaies to be followed in their sense Certius est sine periculo sustinere adimpletionem prophetiae quà m diuinare It is more sure to await the accomplishment of the prophecie then to diuine of it before-hand What made Iohn the Baptist a greater Prophet then Esay or any other that went before him Nothing but the difference of times for he saw that present and perfected which Prophets before told was to be done and would bee accomplished And the same is the reason why the meanest now in the Kingdome of God is greater then the Baptist And why men now in the holy Calling are able to shew more clearely the meaning of this prophecie then others more famous and worthy Lights could haue done before But to conclude this point In the entry of this booke as I said a blessing is pronounced vpon them that
reade or heare the words of this prophecie and in the end of it a speciall command is giuen to S. Iohn Seale not the words of the Prophecie of this booke for the time is at hand wherein the Lord euidently declares that hee will not haue this booke conceiled and hid but handled and reueiled This is sufficient to stop the mouthes of all them who vnder whatsoeuer pretence giue out that this booke should not be meddled with at all What else is this but to close that which Christ hath opened to conceale that which God hath reuealed and in a word to seale vp the Prophecie which the Lord expresly hath commanded not to be sealed Yet is it to be obserued that many both of the ancient and moderne Writers expounding this booke do rather obscure it then open it forcing it violently to follow their conceits not submitting themselues humbly to follow it The Iesuites of Rhemes haue commented vpon it In like manner the Iesuites Franciscus Ribera and Blasius Viega but as none of them agree one with another so all of them are strangers from the right sense of this Prophecie Neither is it possible that such as are possessed with the spirit of Antichrist can see the true meaning of this Reuelation for our Lord sends it to bee reuealed to his seruants As the Iewes loued the name of Christ but hated himselfe not knowing him when he was among them For if they had knowne him they would not haue crucified the God of glory And euen vnto this day in reading Moses and the Prophets who beare witnes of Christ their most learned Rabbines cannot see Christ For as saith the Apostle their mindes are couered with a vaile So the Papists notwithstanding they hate the very name of Antichrist yet do they honour himselfe they reade and interprete this prophecie which pointeth out Antichrist plainely in all his markes and designeth his Chaire and Seate of Residence to bee Rome the Citie situate vpon seuen Hilles and ruler of the earth when S. Iohn wrote this Reuelation yet do not the most learned among them rightly conceiue it but labour all they can to couer and obscure it Yea by the same arguments Popish Doctors defend their Antichrist by which Rabbins or Iewish Doctors impugned Christ for was not this their great reason which they vsed against our Lord Do any of the Rulers or Pharises beleeue in him But this people who know not the Law are cursed And truely strange it is among all the Noble-men of the Iewes wee reade of none who did beleeue in him but Ioseph of Arimathea and of all their learned Pharises we reade of none who beleeued in him but Nicodemus Was this a good argument then that Christ could not be the Christ because Rulers and Pharises beleeued not in him What better I pray you is the argument of Papists now The Pope cannot be Antichrist Why Do Kings or great men do Doctors or learned men of their Church beleeue so But let not vs be deceiued with such shadowes Shall wee haue the faith of Christ in respect of persons Shall we iudge of truth and vntruth by the multitude greatnesse and learning of them who are with it or against it Or shall the naked name and vsurped title of a Church be sufficient to impugne the Church There are many great in the world of small account with the Lord there are many learned in Humanity meere ignorants in Diuinity The doctrine of Christ is called A mysterie of godlinesse the doctrine of Antichrist is also called A mysterie of iniquity Both are mysteries and great Doctors in respect of humane literature and reputation may be ignorant of both I thanke thee O Father that hast hid these things from wise men and hast reuealed them to babes and sucklings But to returne where these Romish Doctors in exposition of this booke fall vpon any point of truth we shall do with them as Primasius professeth he had done with Ticonius the Donatist who wrote vpon this booke of the Reuelation before him hee made choice of the good and reiected the euill for these are his words Sicut enim pretiosa in stercore gemma à prudente debet colligi curari dignitati ingenuae restitui ita vndecunque veritas clareat catholicae deferenda est vnitati huic enim soli competit quicquid veritas etiam foris personârit iustè namque fides à perfidis colligit quod sui iuris esse cognouerit For as a precious pearle in a dunghill if a wise man see it hee will take it vp purge it and restore it to the former beauty so verity wheresoeuer is to bee referred vnto catholike vnity for to the Church onely belongeth all that which truth hath sounded euen by these who are without and iustly may faith gather from Infidels any thing which shee knoweth to be her owne And this for Hereticall Writers vpon this booke As for other orthodoxe Writers concerning the faith I acknowledge that the Church hath beene greatly benefited by their godly labours Euery one of them brings by course some measure of light to cleare this Prophecie where they are miscarried it is for not perceiuing the method and order which the Spirit of God vseth in it but inforcing vpon it a method of their owne haue in many things rather expressed their owne minde then opened the meaning of this Prophecie as shall God willing be declared hereafter To whom lest I do any wrong I will in one view present to the Reader a short abridgement of euery one of their workes that haue come in mine hands and thereafter set downe that which it hath pleased God to communicate vnto me and in all humility will submit it to the iudgement and correction of the Church The greatest difference will bee about the method which as it seemes to me the very naturall course of the Prophecie and threed of the Text it selfe proposeth vnto vs. As for the matter it selfe and substance of the Prophecie all the Doctors of the Churches reformed agree in one sweet harmony All their pennes are like the Pitchers of Gâ—…deon his three hundred souldiers ratling sounding yea importing present terrour and destruction to their enemies the Midianites and Amalâ—…kites who were without number All their tongues are like the Trumpets of Rammes Hornes blowing with one consent the downefall of the walles of Iericho contemptible meanes in the eyes of their enemies yet the power of God was with them Some of their Trumpets are shriller and some of them softer but all sound out one thing The Pope is Antichrist Rome is Babel the Popish Church is the Whore of Babel whom the Lord shall make desolate euen by temporal iudgements here vpon earth The Writers vpon this Prophecie which I I haue seene are these THe eldest is Victorinus Episcopus Pictaniensis Bishop of Poytiers He liued after our
Lord two hundred and seuentie yeeres I find him at the end of Theophilactus his Commentaries vpon the Epistles and some Prophets printed at Paris in the yeare 1548. He shortly paraphrases the Prophecie according to the order of the Chapters Primasius an Africane Bishop is next vnto him Some thinkes as Trithemius testifies that he was the disciple of S. Augustine Hee liued about the yeere of our Lord 440. and was Bishop of Vtica he diuides this Prophecie into two bookes one conteined in the first twelue Chapters the other in the rest to the end more particularly againe he parts the whole in fine bookes His booke is printed Coloniae anno 1535. Hugo Cardinalis liued about the yeere 1240. he diuides the booke into seuen visions as many other also doe The first vision is in the first three chapters the second from the fourth to the eight the third from the eight to the twelfth the fourth from it to the fifteenth the fift from it to the eighteenth the sixt in the eighteene nineteene and twenty the seuenth in the two last chapters An old Manuscript Folio expressing no certaine Author in most things it is consonant to Hugo Dionysius Carthusianus printed at Paris in the yeere 1555 handles this booke according to the order of the Chapters and warnes the Reader in his Prologue that it is Prophetalis liber a Propheticall booke yet not without good doctrine for albeit saith he in the new Testament some books be Legall namely the foure Euangelists others againe be Historicall as the Acts of the Apostles and others Sapientiall such as the Epistles and this onely Propheticall Certum tamen est in quolibet genere librorum istorum aliqua de aliorum librorum materia contineri yet it is most certaine that in anyone of these sort of books the matter of other bookes is also some-way conteined Lyra hath a short Paraphrase on the Reuelation D. Doctor Chytraeus his booke Printed at Viteberg in the yeere 1571. diuides this Prophecie into seuen Visions The first presents a cleere description of Christ supreme King and high Priest of his Church and openeth vp the state and forme of Church-gouernment in this life this Vision is contained in the first three Chapters The second is from the fourth Chapter to the eight The third from the eight to the twelfth wherein corruptions of doctrine and heresies which were to fall out are by sound of Trumpet fore-told vnto the Church The fourth from the twelfth to the fifteenth foresheweth the battell of the Church with the Dragon and with the new and old Romane Empire wherein we haue also a discouery of Antichrist The fift is in the fifteenth and sixteenth Chapters containing the vials of wrath powred out vpon the worshippers of the Beast The sixt Vision is from the seuenteenth Chapter to the one and twentieth and it intreates of the punishment of Antichrist The seuenth and last is a Vision of the Church Triumphant in the two last Chapters Bullingerus his booke printed at London in the yeere 1573. a iudicious and solid Writer agreeth with them who diuide this Prophecie into seuen Visions Alphonsus Conradus Mantuanus his booke printed Basileae in the yeere 1560. Hee dedicates it to the mightie Monarch of heauen and earth The Lord Iesus Christ and followes them who diuides this Prophecie in seuen Visions D. Guilielmus Fulco Anglus a learned and modest Writer his booke printed at London in the yeere 1573. diuides this Prophecie in three Visions The first is in the first three Chapters the second from the fourth to the twelfth the third from it to the end Aretius Bernensis in the yeere 1584. goeth also with them who parteth this booke into seuen Visions Collado printed Morgiis in the yeere 1584. will haue the Apocalypse to be a collection of threefold sort of signes tending all to one and the selfe-same purpose to wit Seales Trumpets and Vials these three signify al one thing so that in his iudgement the matter of the first Seale first Trumpet first Viall is all one so he thinks also of the rest Iames Brocard his iudgement is that in the Reuelation those things are handled and in distinct order set forth which Moses and the Prophets haue written of the state of the Gospell and of the latter times In a word he cals it a conclusion and summe of the holy Scripture in and about those things which concerne Prophecie and leades them to the end of the workes of God And he will haue this in such soâ—… a Prophecie of things to come that those which are past bee also vnderstood with other things not much pertinent to this Prophecie Leo Iude a Tigurine Preacher translated out of Dutch into English by Edmond Allen about this same time wrote a pretty and godly Paraphrase vpon this booke according to the order of the Chapters Iunius printed at Heidelberg in the yeere 1591. the Propheticall part of this booke saith he beginnes at the fourth Chapter and is distinguished into two Histories whereof the one hee makes to be common and generall pertaining to the whole world from the fourth to the tenth Chapter the other a speciall Prophecie containing the estate of the Church Militant from the tenth Chapter to the two and twentieth Carolus Gallus printed at Leiden in the yeere 1592. will haue the whole time from the daies of S. Iohn to the last Day diuided into seuen ages which by foure sundry pleasant pictures as hee cals them or representations are proposed vnto vs First in the seuen Epistles Next in the seuen Seales Thirdly in seuen Trumpets Lastly in seuen Vials By these foure pictures the liuely image of Diuine Prouidence gouerning his Church through all the seuen ages is figured vnto vs. The seuen ages he diuides this way the first is from S. Iohn his daies to Constantine the second from Constantine to Phocas the third from Phocas to Carolus Magnus the fourth from Carolus to Conradus the first the fift from that to Rodolphus the sixth from Rodolphus to Carolus Quintus the seuenth from him to the second comming of the great King The Lord Iesus Christ. Foxe an Englishman printed in the yeere 1596. contents him with this generall that nothing in time past hath or in time to come shall fall out in the Church whereof wee haue not a liuely delineation in this Booke plainely represented to the eyes and eares of them who look vpon it that it may most iustly be doubted whether this booke be a Prophecie or an Ecclesiasticall Historie wherein things to fall out are set downe as if they were already fallen out neither haue they otherwise fallen out then this Prophecie hath pronounced before-hand for according vnto it things come to passe George Gifford Englishman printed at London in the yeere 1596. he maketh this Booke to be a prophecie which openeth the state of things to
he had to shew vnto Israel and was after written in the booke of Ezekiel It a hoc loco per librum Iohanni ostensum intelligitur scientia ◅orum quae Iohanni fuerant de futuro statu Ecclesiae reuelanda quae nunc in hoc Apocalypsis volumine sant descripta So heere by a booke shewed to S. Iohn is vnderstood the knowledge of these things which were to bee reuealed to Saint Iohn concerning the estate of the Church to come and which now are described in this booke of the Reuelation Alway that S. Iohn sees this book written within and without it is to declare vnto vs that it is a complete Prophesie there is no blanke paper in this booke to be filled vp by any other or if there were who is this in heauen or in earth that can reueale that vnto vs which Iesus Christ our blessed Sauiour hath not reuealed None at all wee are not to looke for any other Reuelation or Prophecie after this til the Day come wherein Christ our Lord shall be reuealed in his glory Sealed with seuen Seales The Seales declare first the surety next the secresie of this Prophecie Surety it is the manner of Kings to seale their decrees which they will haue executed so this book is sealed to shew that the Lord will surely accomplish that which is written in it It is a Decree more sure then any of the Medes and Persians Againe the Seales declare the secrecie thereof here are mysteries locked vp from the vnderstanding of Angels and men if the Lord had not opened them and reuealed them vnto vs. The Iesuite Viega carpeth aduantage heere to instifie that calumnie of the Church of Rome whereby they blot the Scripture with obscurity he brings many reasons to proue that it was expedient the holy Scripture should be penned in obscure māner But I pray you lis not this vnsure reasoning The book of the Reuelation is obscure therfore al the books of holy Scripture are obscure And sith they can looke to the Seales wherewith the book is closed complain of obscurity why will they not looke to the Lambe who openeth the booke giue him thankes who of a closed booke makes it an open booke and giues to it the name of a Reuelation Lastly as we haue said before this booke was written not so much to informe vs in the faith as to confirme vs in it that wee should not leaue the faith for these manifold troubles which in this book are foretold vs that were to follow our faith It is sufficient for vs that in these books wherin the Lord teaches vs the way of saluation hee speakes so plainely that the entrance into his Word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple The waters thereof in some places are so shallow that a childe may goe thorow though in others so deepe that an Elephant may swimme In his quae aperte posita su◅t in Scriptura inueniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi spem scilicet charitatem What neede men carpe at these places which are obscure sith in these which are plainely written all things are to bee found that containe Faith and good manners to wit Hope and Charity said Augustine Num igitur Deus mentis vocis linguae Artifex diserte loqui non potest imo vero summa prouidentia carere voluit fuco ea quae diuina sunt vt omnes intelligerent quae ipse omnibus loquebatur Shall we think said Lactantius that God who is the Artificer and Maker both of the minde and voyce and of the tongue cannot speake plainely No but by the contrary hee hath most wisely prouided that his words should bee plaine without coloured deceit that all men may vnderstand these things which hee speaketh vnto all I will not therefore answere Viega and his associates with Chrysostome Praetextus iste pigritiae vetamen but rather will say it is malitiae velamen this pretext of the obscurity of Scripture is but a couering of their slothfulnes but rather it is a couering of their maliciousnesse because the Scripture rebukes them therefore they rebuke it they doe what they can to obscure it because it obscureth their kingdome VERSE 2. And I saw a strong Angell who preached with a loud voyce Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seales thereof IN the first verse we haue seene the description of this booke now beginnes the second part of this chapter wherein we haue him described who openeth the booke first from his singular supereminence that none other was found able to open the booke this appeares by the Angell his proclamation Who is worthy to open the Booke The answer is subioyned in a negation None in heauen c. So this doth greatly magnifie the glory of Iesus that He and He onely hath done that vnto vs and for vs which none in heauen nor in earth were able to haue done The Offices of the Messias are three hee is the King the Priest and Prophet of his Church If these bee compared among themselues the Propheticall Office will bee found the least As our High Priest hee had to satisfie the iustice of God for vs and make atonement for our sinnes As our King hehath deliuered vs from the oppression of our enemies visible and inuisible and ruleth our hearts by the scepter of his Grace As our Prophet he hath reuealed to vs in his holy Scripture the whole counsell of God concerning our saluation and in this Prophecie hath forewarned his Church of such troubles as were imminent vnto her which none in heauen nor in earth was able to doe Now since the last and least of the three cannot be done by any creature what blasphemy is it to say that men may doe the greatest that is by their owne sufferings and doings make satisfaction to the iustice of God as the Romish Church vainly and wickedly doe affirme For they teach that Christ hath not reuealed the whole counsell of God that the Scriptures are imperfect and are to be supplyed by Traditions quas Ecclesia Catholica suscipit ac veneratur pari pietatis affectu reuerentia scilicet atqui ipsum verbum scriptum which the Catholike Church embraces and honoureth with the same affection of piety and reuerence which is due to the written Word it selfe But I pray them Who is able to teach that which the great Doctor of the Church hath not taught If there be any Seale of the Booke which Christ hath not opened who is this that is able to open it Either they must confesse none in heauen sarre lesse in earth can do it or else they must falsifie this Angell which is impossible or then manifest themselues to bee falsisiers which is euident All Antiquity pleads the perfection of holy Scripture against them Religio vera in scriptis Apostolorum Prophetarum continetur
the right way that he go not where-away he will himselfe but as the rider directs him So is it with Preachers we are many times inclined to faint and loyter in our calling to waken vs some Cananites must be stirred vp to bee pricks in our sides or else within vs God stirreth vp our owne Conscience to put vpon vs. And as to the other he bridles the mouthes of his seruants he opens them to speake how and when he pleases In that houre it shall be giuen you what ye shal say for it is not ye that speake but the Spirit of your Father that speakes in you Againe he closeth their mouth when he sees it expedient So said he to Ezekiel I shall cause thy tongue cleane to the roofe of thy mouth In a word as I said before that hee carries Preachers from place to place according to his pleasure so in preaching hee carries them from purpose to purpose hee puts in their heads that which they intended not to haue spoken hee makes them forget that which they thought sure to haue deliuered and so ouer-rules their memorie and bridles their mouth that still hee makes them his owne purpose Happy yea thrise happie are they who this way are ruled by the Lord. A notable example heereof wee haue in Augustine for Possidonius records of him that in a certaine Sermon his memory failed him and that beside his intention and purpose hee fell out into a discourse against the Manichaeans When he was come home hee demaunded of them who dined with him if they had marked it They said indeed they had to whom he answered Credo quod forte aliquem errantem in populo Dominus per nostram obliuionem et errorem doceri curari voluerit It may be as I thinke that by my obliuion and miscarrying from my purpose to speak against that heresie GOD will haue some among the people to be taught and cured of it Nam in eius manu sunt et nos et Sermones nostri for in his hand are both our selues and our speeches to frame them as he will And so indeed it was as the man of God tooke it for within two dayes Firmus a Manichaean came to him and shewed him how by the same Sermon he had been conuerted Vnde stupentes glorificauimus sanctum eius nomen qui cum voluerit et vnde voluerit et quomodo voluerit et per scientes et nescientes salutem Sanctorum operatur Whereupon they who were in Augustines company much astonished glorified the holy Name of God who when he will and as he will by witting vnwitting Preachers works the saluation of Saints Let this glory be reserued to the Lord he works saluation oftentimes by Preachers that Preachers know not of themselues The Preacher knowes not your troubles your tentations nor the estate of your soules yet euery Professor prepared reuerently to heare thinks that the Preacher speakes vnto him but this as I haue said is the finger of God who by the ministery of one speaketh and worketh in many as he will The third point is the colour of the horse he is said to be a white horse the white colour noteth two things first puritie and holines that should be in Preachers the Lord will not ride vpon vncleane beasts nor haue his Name carried through the world by profane men he will not he cannot worke with an vnsanctified Ministerie A fearfull example whereof we haue â—…in Ophni and Phinees two sonnes of Eli with the wickednesse of their liues they had made the people to abhorre the sacrifices of God yet thought they to couer the iniury vnder the garment of God and to saue themselues in battell against the Philistims by bearing the Arke of God on their shoulders yet was the Lord so displeased with them that hee chose rather to suffer his Arke to be captiued of vncircumcised Philistims then to maintaine it in the hands of so profane men as they were they suffered their iust deserued punishment but the Lord pleaded the cause of his owne glory and brought home the Arke againe Let them therefore be cleane who carry the vessels of the Lord let vs study to be holy the Lord will not ride but vpon white horses Vita munda ipsa est luce fulgentior a holy life is brighter then light it selfe Secondly the white colour signifies the ioyfulnesse of the message which they bring there is no black nor dolefull thing in it In holy Scripture when Angels appeared to bring good tydings we find them clothed in white and among men it hath been customably vsed for a signe of gladnesse The Emperours of Rome in their solemne triumphs had their Chariots drawne with white horses Pomponius writes of the horse which drew Dioclesian his Chariot Quòd candore cum niue certabant that in whitenes they contended vvith the snow So then by the white Horse the Gospell is declared to be a ioyfull message Reioyce O Sion for thy King commeth riding vnto thee and that vpon his white Horse in token of ioy to his owne and triumphant victory ouer his enemies Great ioy was in Ierusalem when Dauid brought the Arke into it Great ioy in Samaria when Philip preached the Gospel vnto them Beautifull are the feet of them who bring the glad tydings of peace But miserable are they who find neither peace nor ioy in the preaching of the Gospel these may be sure that dolefull tydings abide them The fourth point to be considered here is his Armour He had a bowe No mention is made here of arrowes but in the 45. Psalme arrowes are ascribed to him without mention of a bowe Thine arrowes are sharpe to pierce the heart of the Kings enemies Thus collation of Scripture is the best interpretation of Scripture In old time the chiefe weapons vsed in warre were bowes and slings the one we may see out of the Psalmist The children of Ephraim being armed and shooting with the bowe turned back in the day of battell the other out of the booke of Iudges The Beniamites had seuen hundred chosen men who could sling stones at an haire breadth and not faile Our Lord then is a man of warre an expert Archer he hitteth the mark whereat he shooteth and faileth not it is long ere hee bend his bowe and when he hath bended the longer he drawes the deeper he fastneth his arrow quò diutiùs expectat districtiùs iudicabit Let not wicked men please themselues in their sinnes because the Lord spares to shoote at them The Lord laughes the wicked to scorne because he sees his day comming Let the patience of God lead men to repentance for except they turne he hath bent his bowe and made it readie he hath prepared him deadly weapons will ordaine his arrowes for them that persecute his Saints Two sorts of arrowes shootes the Lord
the seuenth head of the first beast and yet the second beast also 51. His opposite is Christ. ibid. Q QVestion for Papists 168. R RAinebow 86 Redemption is maruellous and what benefits wee haue by it 170. 171. It 〈◊〉 vâ—… debtors to Christ in more then wee are worth 169. It is not vniuersall 171. wonderfull many waies 321 Religion bastard is alway cruell 204. wants not its owne Martyrs 241 Recusants rebuked 292 Righteousnesse imputed and inherent 319. 320 Romane Doctors cannot vnderstand the Reuelation and why 80. How they are to be handled in handling this booke 11. They are rauening Wolues 214 Roman state opposite to Christ vnder Emperours is the first beast vnder Popes the second 50. 51 S SAluation the glory thereof is the Lords 300 Sanctus the Martyr 280 Saints sealed in their harts and foreheads 280. 283. Particularly they are known to God 284. their stability in glory fauor with God 299. Felicity of Saints glorified 224. 328 329. They need no creature 339. Saints are both seruants and sonnes to God 333. How they shall know others in heauen 237. 238. Saints some neerer the Throne then others 93. Militant Saints how they are said to haue crowns 93. 94 Saints triumphant not yet perfected 161. 162. How they pray 158. How said to reigne vpon earth 177. 178. Al Saints are fellow-seruants 249. Their number ibid. Sanctification 326 Sacrifices of a Christian are three 175 Sardine stone 83 Satan a restlesse enemy 50. His predictions 72. None should consult with him ibid. Hee is a sore enemy to our Peace 213. He is a Lyon but chayned 216 Satan thirsts for bloud and bloud is his destruction 214 215 Seale what it is in generall 274. Seale of God what it is ibid. How Christ is sealed of the Father 278. He hath the seale of God two wayes ibid. How wee may know if God hath sealed vs. 279. 280. Such as want his Seale are not his 281. Seale internall Christ keepes it his seruants haue the externall 276 Seales seuen contain a generall prognostication of things to come 39. The first seale too narrowly limited by some 29. 31. It continues to the worlds end 30. None of al the seales but the sixt is bound to a particular time 40. Sixt seale how to be accoÌ„modated 40. 41. 251. 252. Summe of the seales 190. Fist sixt seales explaned in the seuenth chapter 43. Seales limited to seuen yeares 221 Seuenth chapter a pendicle of the sixt 43. 268 Seruice of God commended 329. 330 Seruants of Satan and sin how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The profit of all seruice we doe to God redounds to our seluâ—… 335. Not to God ibid. Yet hee craues it that he may doe vs good for it 336 Scripture hath three sorts of bookes 1. Obscurity thereof 128. Why Papists call it obscure 129. Perfection of it 132 Sight three-fold 161. Naturall sight is no comfort without the spirituall 63. Sight which S. Iohn saw was internall imaginary and intellectuall 61. Sight of God what it doth 79. Who shall get it 178. Sight that Saints haue â—…ur of the body 237 â—…igne of the Crosse. 277 Similitudes of holy Scripture are from most excellent things in Nature 300 â—…inne an vncleanenesse 317 Song of Saints why called a new Song 165 Soules immortality 238 Spirit how S. Iohn was in the Spirit 75 Spanish Army handled not vnlike the Syrians of old 213 Starres falling like figges what they signifie 258 Sunne darkened 249. The heat thereof hurtfull to mâ—…ny 340 T THankesgiuing 160. 310 Throne of God 77. Court about it and before it 78 Threatnings most generall admit exceptions 292 Three things men would haue from God and hee will not giue them 235. Because men will not receiue one thing which God offereth to men Ibid. Tribulation in this life 315. It is Nebuchadnezzars fire Gods Flayle and Wine-presse 314. As it hath an in-gate so an out-gate 305. It is measured by God 307 Trinity in the God-head 84. 113 Types should be rightly accommodated 77. 78 V VAriety with vnity makes the sweeter Harmony 305 Victory cannot be without fighting 302. Figured by the Palme-tree 294 Victory is sure to Saints yer euer they fight 209. 210 Vision preparatory in the fourth and fifth chapter 57. Properly preparing for the Visions of Prediction 59. 79 Voice of God calleth men vpward Satans on the contrary 70. Voice of Gods mercy sounded to apostate man neuer to apostate Angell 71 Now it is a Trumpet and a Thunder 194. 68. The Voice which S. Iohn heard how it was vttored 67. Loud and liâ—…ely 69. Miserable are they who heare it not 67 Vials and Trumpets how they differ 46. 47 W WAlking here is by faith not by sight 1â—…4 Washing three-fold whereof we stand in need 317. How is it that Saints need washing sith Christ is their garment 319. And how Saints are said to wash themselues 318 White Rayment 95. 247. 299. 300 Wicked men why some of them are plagued now and some spared 233. They want the Creator now and shortly shall also want the creature 256. 257. In their trouble they runne to the creature 256 Words last of our Lord should be best remembred 4 Worke with God should we in the worke of our saluation 319 World figured by a glassic Sea and the Moone 98. 99. Best pleasures thereof like waters of the salt Sea 101. It shal fall yer it be ripâ—… â—…58 How all creatures in it shall bee changed in the lost Day 259 Worldlings called Inhabitants of the earth and why â—…46 Worship due to God onely 308 Wrath of God is a fire 227 FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 1. 3. Luk. 1. 78. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioseph Antiquit lib. 3. c. 12. Sigon de repub Heb. lib. 5. Psalm 127. 3. Psalm 116. 12. Psalm 16. 2. Sam. 9. 1. 2. Vers. 11. 13. The bookes of holy Scripture are of three rankes rendring a threefold fruit 1 Of Conuersion Psal. 19. 7. Rom. 15. 4. 2 Of Consolation Psal. 34. 19. 3 Of Confirmation Ioh. 16. 4. This booke of the Reuelation is Prophetical And it serues especially to confirme vs in the faith This book the Father giues to the Son the Son to an Angel and the Angel to Saint Iohn that hee might giue it to the Church Reuel 1. 1. The generall matter of this Prophecie Reu. 3. 10. The time wheÌ„ this book was written commends it greatly to vs. The last words of our Lord should be best remembred Luke 16. 31. An answer to Atheists who will haue one from the dead to teach them About threescore yeeres after his ascension our Lord sent this Reuelation Ephe. 4. 8. 〈◊〉 lib. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bucholâ—…er chronol To keepe his Church from fainting vnder trouble till he come himself By two scandals would satan scarre vs froÌ„ this book 1 By denying authority of it Reu. 1. 3. Iustin. Marâ—…n Dialog 〈◊〉 tryph cont Iudcos Iren. lib. 5. cont Valen. Ambros. lib. 3. de S. Sancto cap. 21. Aug. de