were 12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixt seale and loe there was made a great earthquake the Sunne became blake as sack cloth of haire the moone was like blood 13 And the starres of heaven fell to the earth as a figge tree casteth her greene figges whē it is shaken of a mighty winde 14. And heaven departed away as a scroule when it is rolled every mountayne Yle were moved out of their place 15 And the Kings of the earth the Peeres the rich men the Tribunes the mighty men every bondman every free man hid themselves in dennes among the rockes of the mountaines 16 And sayd to the mountaines and rockes fall upon us and hide us from the presense of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe 17. For the great day of his wrath is come and who cā stande The Analysis SVCH is the Excellency of this Revelation The Events doe follow which first are the Seales secondly the Trumpets lastly the Vials For all the rest of the Prophecy is distinguished into three notable periode◠which containe the chiefe alterations to come in the world even unto the coming of Christ every one of which againe is divided into seaven points so as from the last of the former aryseth alway the whole sequent period As touching the Scales there is in every one a certen preparation afterward the type of the future thinges And the preparation is partly common wherby the Lambe openeth each one in order partly proper to the foure first which besides have an inviting by one of the foure Beastes to come and see There be sixe types of this chapter for so many seales are opened a white horse ver 2. a read ver 4. a blacke ver 5. a pale ver 8. The cry of the soules ver 9.10.11 and great earthquake to the ende of the chapter Analysis After J beheld when the Lambe had opened the first of the seales Nowe the Spirit entreth into the events which will instruct us touching all the changings succeeding by course in the world as farre as is expedient for the Church and which are of any moment unto the last end of all thinges A great matter and chiefly necessary to be knowne but such as into which noe understanding of mortall man can penetrate Therefore whom in the beginning I have prayed unto him doe I call upon againe having gone forward in some part by his alone grace that he will graunte mee happily to make an ende of the thinges that remayne who hath graunted mee so to beginne as I am persuaded is agreeing with his trueth Thou therfore most holy and most wise Lambe who alone hast deserved to take unscale the booke and not to that ende that thou shouldest have these secretes for thy selfe alone but that thou shouldest communicate them with thy Church as farre as shal be for her profit graunt I pray thee unto mee thy most unworthy servant according to thy bounteousnesse that perceaving cleerely what hidden and secrete things these seales conteine I may reveale the same holily unto the world to the edification of thy Church the ruine of Antichrist and the glory of thine owne name to be published unto all ages Amen In that wee have distinguished the Events into three rankes wee have the Spirit himselfe for our authour ioyning the trumpets to the seales the vials to the trumpets in such sorte as that alwayes the first thing of that which followeth doe aryse out of the last of that which wente before Therefore they bring in darkenes upon themselves who doe thrust togither into one the seales the trumpets the vials and also the seaven Candlestickes so as each one of every order should be ioyned one to another in equall degree as if the Father the Sonnes should be equall should runne togither the same terme of yeeres Furthermore seeing the seales ar as it were promises of future thinges the trūpets adversities approaching with great noise the vials things that are powred upon men by little and little and come upon them unwarres as wee shall after see overwhelme them it seemeth not to be convenient to cōfounde these contrary things togither so that the thinge should be promised and accomplished all at once and that the same thing should be done openly and secretly at the same moment of time but let us come to the wordes ¶ When he had opened saith he one Seale that is to say the first as Theod. Beza translateth it for after followeth the second third c. And so the Hebrewes every where use to speake But before I proceede to the thinges that are behinde that cold comment of the Jesuite is to be removed who thinketh that the opening of the booke is something diverse from opening of the seales as though nothing in the booke could be read and shewed unto us before that all the seales should be opened Which opinion verily faineth unto us I knowe not what booke of which wee have received never a word written neither doe wee understand from thence ought touching thinges to come For the Revelation hath nothing more besides the opened seales For out of them the trumpets come forth and againe out of them the vials as wee have advertised in the resolution so as all the rest of the Prophecy is limited with those thinges that are conteined in the seales as wee shall proove by manifest argumēts in their places If therfore after all the seales opened he hath found out some booke to be read it is Apocryphe that is a hid booke the originall and authority whereof is not known which peradventure may lie hid in the coffer of the breast of their Pope but which to reade and knowe the Church hath nothing to doe Furthermore it is needfull for the clearer understanding of the periodes first the termes of time wherein thinges are finished and every severall article of them to set downe some entrāce from whēce wee must begin which surely wee iudge to be by and by after this writing of John For that saying of the fourth chapter ver 1. I will shew thee the things that must be done hereafter calleth backe Iohn both to that moment of the Revelation given also teacheth to count from thence all thinges which are delivered in the booke following Therefore there is noe neede to have recourse unto the first ages of the world nor unto the Monarchies nor unto the times of Christ or the Evangelists or in any such thinge of the age past but John writing this Revelation by the commaundement of God about the ende of the Empire of Domitian as Ireneus sheweth in his 5 booke against heresies Eusebius out of Ireneus in the 3 booke of his Ecclesiasticall History chap. 18. At the ende of the raigne of Domitian about the ninety seaventh yeere from the birth of Christ wee thinke the beginning of the Seales to wit of
destruction But let no godly man be offended if hee see the reprobate to returne to their Beast the Spirit hath foreshewed that this loade stone shall draw unto it this refuse that hereafter they may not marvaile Why all of ungâ—dly and dissolute life are more prone to the Pope thâ—n to the trueth ¶ Of that Lambe which was slâ—ine from the beginning of the world VVithout cause Aretas will have a transposition of the wordes to be here so that this should be the sense Whose names are not written from the beginning of the world in the booke of life of the Lambe which was slaine He will have the names to be written from the beginning of the world but not the Lambe to have ben killed from thence But the things are not well devided which the Spirit ioyneth togither For if the Lambe be from the beginning of the world it must needes be also that he was slaine from the beginning of the world But CHRIST is not a Lambe but for sacrifice neither can he be a sacrifice otherwise then by death As therefore by the eternall Decree of God he was the Lambe appointed for to save the Elect so by the same Decree he was slaine from before the foundations of the world VVose force was noe lesse available to deliver the Elect before his death was accomplished in the flesh then after he had endured and sufferred the same in the crosse and in the grave 9 Let him that hath an eare heare An acclamation the sense whereof is That this Beast is to be knowne with all diligence howsoever there shall be many who will not hearken and will deny a thing so perverse are they more cleare then the Sunne at noonetide But all yee elect give eare and with as great diligence as you can flie from this plague Which by these markes is so proposed before your eyes as that you may see her not as by the nayles but by the whole frame of her body 10 Yf any leade into captivity These things pertaine to the consolation of the godly who were to fight with this monster the first confirmation is taken from a certeÌ„ punishment which shall come in his time that is to say although they shall see the Beast mighty for a longe time and carying many by companies into bondage yet they should be of good courage For at length they should see him also ledde into captivity He shall perish with the sword although now he kill with the sword whom he will The confort is like to that in Esay Woe to thee that spoilest who thy selfe is not spoiled and to thee traiterous man against whom they dealt not traiterously when thou shalt cease to be a spoiler thou shalt be spoiled c. chap. 33.1 ¶ Here is the patience and faith of the Saincts A second consolation All those thinges serve for the Saincts for the exercise of their faith and constancy And surely a great courage is required in so great daungers but by how much the dangers shal be greater so much the more shall the praise of the godly be brighter therefore let no man quake for feare of the danger but let him minde that this Beast is the occasion for him to get glory by 11 Afterward I saw an other Beast Thus farre of the first Beast the second followeth an other indeede in beginning and originall but in nature and disposition altogither the same Whereupon the seventeenth chapter maketh mention of one onely under one comprehending both as was observed at the fift verse of this chap. For which cause also the Spirit doth not make a particular description of every member but rehearseth those thinges onely which are proper to the new rising other things as farre as it seemeth being common to this with the former First he ascendeth out of the earth both augmented by the authority of earthly men and those of the laity as they call them whom chiefly the earth signifyeth and also exceeding in honours those very men by whom he was advanced For that which commeth up from the earth is lifted up above the earth having it put under his feete by whose weight he was lately oppressed So the former Beast rose out of the Sea having sea men put under him out of whose company he came and plunged up This ascending fell out upon the times of Gregory second about the yeere 726 when the Pope trusting in the aide of the Longobardes smote with the lighâ—ning of excommunication Leo Isaurus the Emperour and withdrewe Rome it selfe and Italy and all Hesperia from hiâ— obedience For now indeede the Beast began upon the earth who not onely exercised a powre over the Ecclesiasticall route but also bridled the lay men by his authority their chiefe head the Emperour who although before time he had given a great power to the Pope over the Clergie yet he pressed downe the same even till now by his maiesty as it were by a certen weight more heavie theÌ„ the Hill Aetna that he should not lift up his crests above the Emperour But now the earthly dignity yeeldeth to the Beast to be troden under foote of him at length who grew up so farre onely by the favour of the Emperours Therefore Zacharias the next that it might be manifest to all men that the Popes were now loosed from the prison of eartly dignity deposed Childericke the King of France and commaunded Pipine the Father of Charles the Great to be created King in his stead But yet it was more cleare in Leo the third who translated the Empire froÌ„ the Grecians to the Germanes and annointed Charles the Great for Emperour VVhat a more great proofe can there be of the supreme power on earth then to take away the Empire from whom he will and to bestowe the same againe upon whom he shall thinke good The Popes following persisted in the same steppes esteeming the Emperours as it were balles in reiecting the same from their office and appointing other in their roome at their pleasure VVhereby Bellarmine being moved wrote indeede truly and agreable to this Prophecy All the Emperours who have ben since Charles the Great are bound to the Pope for their Empire in his 5. booke of the Pope of Rome chap. 8. For ever since that time the Beast rose up from the earth being higher then all earthly power to which are added earthly dominioÌ„s and possessions of landes ioyned with this originall which the Pope before time either wanted altogither or at least enioyed but small fewe as great as were sufficient to maintaine a Bishop not which should make any shew of a Kingdome For in former ages Italy was tributary to the Emperours which at length the Gothes possessing made it to pay tribute to them when they were slaine under Iustinian it returned againe to the Empire administred by Captaines The Romane Pope had yet noe Provinces untill this earthly rising up had given him landes sufficiently For is it likely that the Pope by
the future tence but in the present because admiration belongeth not to a future but to a present dignity From which let us observe what wondring is a token of reprobation to weet of a Beast reviving after the hurt received which is the second Beast in chap. 15.11 Even until that time he was not so desperately impious but that he might easily deceive the Saincts but at length he came to that naughtinesse that he must be banished from the Kingdome of God who will acknowledg him to be such an one by admyring as he professeth himselfe to be But wheras the Angel in these words prosecuteth not his variable condition beyond the third time therby he sheweth that he shal be openly knowne to the world before his last ende shall come 9 Here is the mind Thus farre the Beast hath bin shewed us according to his whole now he entreth into the interpretation of some chiefe parts wherunto he prepareth himselfe a way by this Preface Which yet is uncertaine whither it is to be referred to that which went before or to this which followeth it seemeth being set in the midst to have respect to both alike for to cause attention The speach seemeth defective and to be supplyed after the manner of that in chap. 13.18 Here is wisdome let him that hath wit count c. So here is wit let him that hath wisdome understand as in the Epistles to the seven Churches let him that hath eares heare or it may be a perfit sentence of it selfe here is the minde that hath wisdome as though he should say consider the foresaid chaunges likewise consider the interpretation the understanding of which things is true wisdome indeede wherby a man may avoide eternall destruction But these are the wordes not onely of exhortation but also of Prophecie which declare that in the most open light in which the Beast shal be set every one shall not acknowledge him but they onely who are endued with wisedome and have their eyes inlightened of God The Beast is like in this thing to the whore whose name written in her forehead was a mysterie which should be hidden from very many no lesse then some obscure and inexplicable riddle For Prophecies fulfilled become not manifest to all men as we wil after shew that Bellarmine trisleth but unto some certaine men to whom it is given to understand the rest remaining in their former blindnes Which short admonition confuteth a threefold errour of the Papists one touching the common name Antichrist the other of the doctrine the third of the publique persecution of which wee will speake more at large in the refutation at the ende of the Chapter ¶ The seaven heads are seaven hilles upon which the woman sitteth as touching the partes first he teacheth what are Heads both permanent in this verse and transitory in verses 10.11 wherby it may be knowne what is this whore in regard both of the place and of the time Those heads are seaven moūtaines upon which the woman sitteth that is seven hilles of the city of Rome Palatinus Quirinalis Aventinus Caelius Viminalis Aesquilinus Janicularis by which this City is renowmed through the whole world and thereupon called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seaven hilled by Varro And this circumlocution seemed fitter for the eloquent kind of speaking of the Poets then the specifying of a proper name Virgil in the second of his Georgiques toward the end hath these wordes to weet Rome is become the most beautifull of things which hath enclosed her seaven towers with one wall Likewise Ovid in his first book de Trist Eleg. 4. speaketh thus of it But Rome is the Seate of the Empire and of the Gods which from seaven Mountaines vieweth the whole world And againe in the third book ver 7. And while Rome the victorious shall beholde the subdued whole world from her seven Mountaines I shall be called Martia And God would have the thing testifyed not onely by the verses of Poets but also by a publike festivitie For the Romanes kept the Fest called Septimontium because of the seventh mountaine ioyned to the city and Rome become therupon Septicollis as Plutarch relateth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These things are so manifest that the Papists themselves ar now cōstrained will they nill they to confesse them We have shewed that Bellarmine preferreth this sense before the rest in his 3. book ch 13. of the Pope of Rome Ribera the Iesuite yeeldeth also the same cōfirming it with many words on the 14. chap. of the Revel num 30. frō whēce no cōtroversie could now remaine of this thing if onely men were in their right wits but wee hav touched before their madnes who doo separate the things which ar ioyned togither by an ūdivided bād They grāt that the whor is Rome yet by no means doe they abide her to be the seate of Antichrist as though they could be sundred of which the one sitteth upō the other carryed but if this cōjoyning be too weake behold a straighter yea a most straight such as of the head with the body so as they which shal remov the Beast to any other place thē to Rome must make him to be without his heads Frō hēce therfore I thus cōclude demōstratively The city where remaine fixed the heads of the Beast or of Antichrist is the seat of Antichrist Rome is the city wher remaine fixed the heads of Antichrist Therfore Rome is the seate of Antichrist By no meanes can yee giv mee the slippe ô ye Papists This argument must needs be as firme sure as ar the very mountaines of your Rome Yet what you ar able to obiect against it we wil discusse by by in confuting your devised Antichrist 10 And they are also seven Kings Such ar the permanent heads the transitorie which ar seven Kings doo follow Ther is a double application of this one type teaching that ther is an inseparable ioyning togither of the mountains and Kings From whence is ministred an other necessary proof of the seate of Antichrist thus The seate of seven Kings is the seate of Antichrist Rome the citie of 7. mountaines is the seate of 7. Kings for the heads are both mountaines Kings Therfore Rone is the seate of Antichrist But who ar these 7 Kings not so many singular persons as Victorinus would have it but soveraignties regimēts For if every several head should note out singular mē 5. of which wer fallē in Iohns time to wit Galba Otho Vitellius Vespasianus Titus Titus Domitianus the 6. ruled then Nerva the 7 was to be expected whom remaining alive but for a little space should succeede straighway Traianus the 8. togither also the 7. If I say the heads ar to be so counted it must needs follow that this Beast should have ceased in his last head Traiane that the world should not now feare that he should doo any mischiefe Vnles perhaps we think whē all his
promised to free them that overcome He doth not promise to deliver them from the first being too light a thing either to be given by such a great price Rewarder or to be expected by those that ar his And what need is there to be defended from the first death which the necessity of nature will bring at length but to prevent it for the truths sake procureth a farre greater crowne He promiseth therfore that which is best and doth not allure us with a vaine shew of some light thing Analysis SO is the Epistle to the Smyrneans That to the Church of Pergamus is inscribed likewise to the Angell he that sendeth hath a two edged sworde The narration commendeth his constancy illustrated by the throne of SathaÌ„ and the comon times in which Antipas suffered ver 13. then he reproveth the sinne which he sheweth both of what quality it is consisting in suffering Baalamites ver 14. and Nicolaitans ver 15. and also the remedy for it namely repentance which he setteth forth by the danger of refusing the same ver 16. Lastly he concludeth with a solemne Epiphoneme and proposeth a reward the hidden Manna the white stone an unknowne name written upon it ver 17. Scholions 12 And to the Angell of the Church of Pergamus Towred Pergamus Pergamus so farre as the Spirit seemeth to respect the notation thereof in this place is as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tower of Troye as Hesychius expoundeth it to with a towred city high and superbe agreable to that which followeth in the next verse where the throne of Sathan is It is distant from Smyrna Northward about five hundred and fourty furlongs with a greater distance then Smyrna is from Ephesus in the last border of the North latitude as touching those seaven cityes A great diminishing of light fell out in the Smyrnean corner under Constantine Constance Valence even at the first turning from Ephesus first purity But nowe he goeth from Smyrna to Pergamus into the utmost darkenes the Church being about to suffer a greater defect of light then ever before this time since Christ was borne The Antitype of this Church is of longer time then the former as also the distance of place is greater conteining a great part of the kingdome of darkenes from the three hundred and foure score yeare to wit from Gratian where the former period ceased unto about the yeare one thousand three hundreth as in the explication we shall see ¶ These things saith he which hath c. The furniture of him that enditeth the Epistle is taken out of chap. 1.16 Which now he taketh before the other because he would shew himselfe such in practize in this Church For he would punish the rebells as he speaketh after ver 16. on whom no light punishement should be layd by a two edged sworde and that sharpe and the sword is the worde of God it selfe whose force should now be manifested in the subduing of the man of sinne Although this sword in this period is shaken rather then inflicted For he threatneth a fight against those that repent not ver 16. he cometh not forthwith to handy strokes 13 I know thy workes A narration of his more approved condition which is set forth two wayes that he neither denyed the faith allthough he dwelt in that place where Sathans throne is sâ—condly that neither in those dayes wherin Antipas was slaine It is not hard to know why it is called the throne of Sathan For the city where the Ethnike Emperours had their seat made warre professedly against the Lambe is called the Throne of the Dragon chap. 13.2 So of the foster inferiour cities which come nighest to the disposition of this chiefe city because they make a pallace more garnished for the Devill they are noted with the same name Nowe was the mother city of the Romane Empire in Asia For it is likely that this region being brought into a Province after that Atalus Philometor King of Pergamus had named the people of Rome his heire the Proconsull being sent to governe the same placed there the seat of his iurisdiction Plinie in his 5 booke of his naturall History chap. 30. saith that this City was by farre the most famous of Asia which glory should lesse agree unto it if the Proconsuls had had their dwelling in any other place seeing honour is wont eyther to come to cities or to departe from them together with the chief rulers Although before it perteined to the Romane power it was the head city of the Kingdome of Asia For so Livius speaketh entreating of Scleuchus the sonne of Antiochus He leadeth saith he to the assailing of Pergamum the head and tower of the Kingdome Decal 4. book 7. It was therefore a great thing to professe Christ in the hearing sight of so mighty a city spiteful against the truth There may not be prophecying in Bethel for it is the sanctuary of the king and the Kings house Amos 7.13 Aretas reporteth of Antipas that he gave testimony to the truth at Pergamus and that his martyrdome was kept even to his times But I finde noe more in any author worthy credit From this place it is evident that he was a very famous Martyr by whose sufferings was signified the rage of a most grievous persecution This is another praise that Pergamus had continued constantly in the faith when a fierce tempest raged very greatly It is an easy thing to professe Christ when a man may doe it either with honour or without danger But to reteine the profession of him without feare even with the danger of life is an excellent commendation and a point of true courage Wee have said that the Antitype was the Church from the foure hundreth yeare to the three hundreth above the thousandth When after Constantius Iulianus and Valence Smyrna being left it went further toward the North unto Pergamus that is was hidden in thicke darknes being brought under the power of that City where The Throne of Satan is namely ROME This is that Towred City The Tower of Troye whose Daughter shee boasted her selfe to be once the Mother City almost of the whole world the proude Lady and Queene of the Nations noe lesse famous for the stately Temples Theaters Highe Places then for the ample and large dominioÌ„ and Empire It is plainly called the Throne of Satan in the 13. chapter of this booke both because it was once the Seate of the Ethnike Emperours as at the place wee will shewe And also because they being taken away it was made the Seate of the Popes who during this time have most plainly shewed that they reigned by the helpe of the Devill and not of God Foure and twenty Popes were all given to Divelish arts some of which gave up themselves wholy to Sathan by covenant to obtaine the Popedome Yea by the space of whole foure scoâ—e yeares from Sylvester II.
unskilfull multitude or of the base people and that he might either be present or absent at his pleasure but let him beholde here Kinges attending to the voice of the Beasts nor that once or twice and at certen tymes but whensoever the Beasts give glory that is as often as they doe execute their publike office The praysing of God of these and their adoration of God are ioyned allwayes togither so that neither may any thinke that he is free and discharged from his duty neither to have performed it enough at some fewe times 11 Thou art worthy o Lord The praysing which the Elders use in wordes is noe other thing then a subscribing to the crying out and shouting of the Beasts these celebrate the holines Dominion omnipotency and trueth of God The Elders nowe doe singe togither thou art worthy indeede o Lord to receave glory and honour which wee and all thy creatures worthily doe give to thee as though unto the sung of prayses of the Ministers the people should give their consent saying Amen But howe may God receive power They meane the prayse of all vertue and power Power can not be given to God otherwise but onely by acknowledging and praysing Which then shineth forth most cleerly when he sheweth his strength extraordinarily both in delivering his owne and also in destroying his enemyes ¶ For thou hast created all things The people ought not onely to consent to the thankes given by the Ministers in the meane time themselves being voyde of all knowledge of their owne as it commeth to passe in the Papacy where after the prayers not understood is sung Amen by the unskilfull common people or some as they will supplying their place but their consent ought to come from a true faith and that not confused and implicite but of which a true sense and feeling is setled in every on s harte peculiarly For the God of reason requireth a reasonable worshippe not unknowne rash and voyd of counsell Whereupon not without cause is added from what fountayne the declaration of the consent of the Elders to wit froÌ„ their owne acknowledging of the exceeding power of God both in creating all thinges and also in preserving the same and noe lesse from the sense of his most free good will by which alone being moved he made all thinges in the beginning and governeth and preserveth the same at this day according to that saying Who worketh all thinges after the counsell of his will Ephe. chap. 1. ver 11. For which cause there is repeated in the ende of the verse they have ben created that wee may understande that the will of God not onely hath rule in governing things at this time but also that it gave the first originall to the same And so is the patterne of the Christian Church so much the more famous then that of the Lawe by how much heaven in which Iohn sawe this figure is more excellent then the Mountaine where Moses sawe the Tabernacle There is the same ende and purpose of both of this that it might be a patterne of the worshippe to the Legall people which should holde even to the time of reformatioÌ„ of that that it might be a type unto Christians according to what square they should frame all their assemblyes both generally and specially Graunt O most high God that wee may be founde as faithfull in bringing backe all thinges unto the Heavenly patterne as Moses was unto that earthly Chap. 5. AFTER I sawe in the right hande of him that sate upon the Throne a booke written within and on the backe side sealed with seaven seales 2 And J saw a stronge Angell preaching with a lowde voice who is worthy to open the booke and loose the seales thereof 3 And noe man was able neither in heaven nor in earth nor under the earth to open the booke nor to looke theron 4 Therfore I wept much because none was founde worthy to open and reade the booke neither to looke thereon 5 Then one of the Elders sayd unto mee weepe not beholde that Lion of the tribe of Juda that roote of David hath obtained to open the booke and to loose the seaven seales thereof 6 Then J behelde and loe betweene the Throne and those Beasts and betweene those Elders a Lambe standing as though he had ben killed having seaven hornes seaven eyes which are those seaven spirits of God sent forth into all the world 7 He came and tooke the booke out of the right hande of him that sate upon the Throne 8 And when he had taken the booke those foure Beasts and those foure and twenty Elders fell downe before the Lambe having every one harpes and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the saints 9 And they sung a newe song saying thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation 10 And hast made us to our God Kings and Priests and wee shall reigne on the earth 11 Then J behelde and I heard rounde about the Throne and of the Beasts and Elders the voice of many Angels and the number of them was a thousande hundred thousands and ten hundred thousandes 12 Saying with a lowde voice worthy is that Lambe that was killed to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing 13 And every creature which is in heaven and which is on the earth in the sea and all thinges that are in them I heard saying unto him that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lambe be prayse and honour and glory and power for ever more 14 And those foure beasts sayed Amen And those foure and twenty Elders fell downe on their faces and worshipped him that liveth for ever more The Analysis I have spoken summarily of the common type the speciall Prophecy coÌ„prehendeth both the excellent dignity of this Revelation in this chapter and also the evâ—nts themselves in the rest of the booke That thinge is declared first in respect of the Creature secondly of the Lambe In respect of the Creature it is altogither unsearcheable as appeareth partly from the signing of seaven seales ver 1 partly from the testimony of all creatures which after the inquiry proclamed and the thing was caused to be cryed by the voyce of the Angell as it were of a common cryer ver 2. then also after tryall made at last ver 3. all doe acknowledge their owne unablenes Of which lastly there is a sorowfull consequente the weeping of John which this imbecility and despaire to enioye so excellent a good thing did wring out from him ver 4. In respect of the Lambe onely it is able to be searched out as first an Elder sheweth who conforteth Iohn ver 5. Secondly the LaÌ„be comming at the same instant and taking the booke ver 6.7 from whence at length aryseth the
elect shall he not also obtayne all things for us that may avayle any way for our good The seaven hornes is that supreame power wherby the man Christ sitting at the right hande of the Father ruleth and governeth all things according to that which Christ being raysed froÌ„ the dead sayd to his disciples all power is given mee in heaven and in earth Mat. 28.18 Therefore that most meeke Lambe wanteth not those weapons wherby he chaseth away his enemyes althoug by his great patience he seemeth not to regarde the iniuries which they doe And thou mayest observe that it is not needfull that the parables and similitudes should agree in all thinges seeing here to the Lambe contrary to nature are attributed seaven hornes and as many eyes that is gifts of the Spirit wherewith Christ endueth the faithfull They are sent from him seeing noe man can be partaker even of the least gift unlesse he bestowe it on them For God heareth not sinners but from his fulnes wee all receive and he being gone to his Father sendeth the Conforter unto his which leadeth them into all trueth as in the Gospell of Iohn chapter sixteene ver seaventh and thirteene A visible token whereof were once the cloven tongues like fire sitting upon the Apostles and that miraculous gift of speaking suddenly with other tongues Act. 2.3 c. With which faculty not onely the Apostles were endued but afterward also others embracing the faith Neither are they onely sente into all the world that they may conferre the comfortable knowledge of salvation to the Elect But that CHRIST may search out all thinges that are done in his Church yea which are done in any other place of the world Wherefore howe great impudency is it to thrust upon the Church a visible head seeing the LAMBE is furnished with so many eyes neither hath them idle and unoccupied but sendeth them forth with all diligence into the whole world The care of Christ taketh not indede away the Ministers eyther Ecclesiasticall or Politicall which he hath ordained But to faine and invent a newe kinde and degree and that under a pretence that CHRIST is absent is proper onely to that man who is directly opposite to Christ As touching the wordes some Copies reade as is noted in the Greeke Bibles lately set forth at Frankeford which are that the relative may be referred as well to the hornes as to the eyes After which manner also Aretas readeth this verse And the Hornes may be sayd to be sent into the whole world when CHRIST putteth forth his power in succouring his owne servantes and destroying his enemyes But it agreeth more properly to the eyes which when wee turne toward any thinge wee are sayd to cast them upon the same 7 He came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne There is a double consideration of Christ one so farre as of the eternall God sitting togither in the Throne with the Father chap. 4. ver 3. The other so farre as he is of the Mediatour attending on the throne and prepared and ready to performe those things which make for the salvatioÌ„ of his people There is the like regard of the Spirit who as he is the Eternall God partaker of the Throne compassing the same about as in the fourth chap. and third verse But according as he sanctifyeth the Church with created giftes there are seaven Spirits before the Throne seaven burning Lampes seaven Hornes and seaven eyes 8 Having every one Harpes and vials A reioicing and thankesgiving of the Church for this greate benefite of taking and unsealing the Booke Therefore they take unto themselves fit and proper instruments for this purpose Harpes and Vials that is to say Prayses and thankesgiving For Vials full of odours are the harts of the Saints which the Spirit hath filled with a fervent desyre of calling upon GOD the Harpes perteine to gladnes of minde and reioicing in prayers is the very thankesgiving But he alludeth to the manner of the Temple where the LEVITES praysed GOD with Musicall Instruments and the PRIESTES had their Pottes and Bowles set before the Altar full of odours as wee reade in the Prophete Zachary chap. 14. ver 20. ¶ Which are the prayers of the Saints He speaketh not of the offerring of prayers for the dead which are made of them that are alive on the earth but as I have shewed in the former chapter all that which is attributed to the Beasts Elders declareth what exercises the Saints goe about with all diligence in the militant Church So also after in verse 10. And wee shall raigne say the Elders upon the earth not preaching doubtlesse the Kingdome of the soules departed but of the holy men on earth The heartes of these as golden vials doe breath out and yeeld up prayses and thankes for those greate benefites which are obtained for us by Christ If the Elders ofâ—er onely the prayers of other men as the Iesuite interpreteth they should be dumbe in the common ioy of all things Nay rather the benefite is theirs for they themselves shall raigne say they therefore they offer not other meÌ„s but their owne prayers 9 And they sung a newe sunge It is called a newe songe in respect of more plentifull grace ministred nowe since Christ hath ben exhibited then was in olde time under the shadowes of the Lawe The auncient people did not prayse the man Christ so openly and clearly before he had taken unto him our flesh as at this day the faithfull doe prayse him clothed with oâ—r nature from whence not without cause this more manifest praysing is called a newe sung But he alludeth unto the manner of the Lawe where newe greater benefites are celebrated in newe formes of prayses conceaved of purpose whereupon there is so often mention of a newe songe in the booke of Psalmes ¶ And hast redeemed us Therefore the Beasts and Elders are men redeemed by the blood of Christ neither in deede some twelve chiefe men of the Iewes and as many Christian twelve Apostles with the foure Evangelists For this whole company was not chosen out of every Tribe and tongue and people and nation but out of the nation of the Iewes onely but of all the faithfull in every place all which this holy company and bande mustered indifferently from all places of the world doe worthyly note out as wee have observed upon the fourth verse of the 4. chapter And it is sayd significantly out of every Tribe c. not all Tribes c. because all men are not redeemed by the blood of Christ but onely the elect as Aretas hath well observed 10 And hast made us to our God Kinges Some copies doe reade them so this whole verse in the third person but Aretas and the common Latine translation doe reade in the first person wee have expounded these thinges before But why doe they mention this benefite in the cause of taking the
should come to passe might be more famous Aâ—â—â—â—us his father governed the whole world by his sole authority noe warre being made for the space of three and twenty yeeres Sextus Aurelius Vulâ—r Hadâ—ianus also had peace the whole time of his empire except that once onely he fought by his Vice-Roy Eutrop. Brev. booke 8. Was not the thing worthy observatioÌ„ that after the peace of 44. yeeres all places should be suddenly troubled with the burning flame of warres Every man seeth that there is so great agreement of all things namely of the Prophecy Time and Event that it cannot be doubtfull but that the Spirit pointed as it were with the finger to this onely thinge Tertul. in his Apol. that a notable peace was granted at length to the Cristians by this Emperours decree but this came to passe after the warre of the Marcomanes in which having tryed the singular helpe of God against the enemyes by the prayers of the Christians who were souldiours in his army he could not but provide at leÌ„gth for their safety who had brought health both to him selfe and also to his Empire And yet he lived not longe after this warre the next yeere after the triumphe departing this life 5 And when he had opened the third seale c. The Beast of the third seale is a man chap. 4.7 mighty in reason experience of things Not but that the former Beasts were of this same force also and power but because this should be the chiefe thing wherein the third Beast should excell The voice also of this is more obscure then was that of the first which yet should be sufficient to teach the faithfull what punishement God would take of the world for their sake ¶ Tâ—â—â— I behâ—ld â—â—d loâ— a blaâ—ke horse The third type is a blacke horse the sitter on wâ—â—â— he â—â—â—th in â—iâ— haâ—â—â—â—â—es being commanded to bring in a dearth alâ—◠〈◊〉 the Bâ—â—â—s yet so as he should not hurt wine and oyle Therefore as â—oaâ—â—ng this â—orse the blâ—â—â—olour sitly agreeth to the hunger starveÌ„ who 〈◊〉 a body â—ithout blood â—ithout iuyce without colour as Ier. Lam. 〈…〉 pure thâ—â—â—oâ—â—ow is their bewâ—y become more darke then 〈…〉 8. Also through hunger the eyes are dimme covered with daâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 eyes receâ—ed light wheÌ„ he had put his haÌ„de to his mouth 1 Sâ—â— â—â— 28 〈…〉 which the sâ—â—ter hath in his haÌ„des is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wâ—◠〈…〉 to wit the beame of the balaÌ„ce on which the sâ—oles doe haÌ„ge 〈…〉 the whole A sâ—â— instrument for famine seeing 〈…〉 as weighed 6 Aâ—d I 〈…〉 Thâ—s vâ—â—â—â— is the 〈◊〉 being in the middes of the Beasts ch 5 6 〈…〉 uniâ—â—sâ—ll administratioÌ„ of thinges beiâ—g 〈…〉 Bâ—t seâ—â—ng this voice is â—â—â—â—d amoÌ„g the Beaâ—â— neither as 〈◊〉 goâ—â— out froÌ„ 〈…〉 â—lace by the same is signifâ—ed thâ—â— the very 〈…〉 but yet which alone should knowe the coâ—â—ll 〈…〉 ¶ A measure of wheâ—â— c. The Interâ—â—◠〈…〉 he â—â—â—en quaÌ„tity of this measure some give to it 3 〈…〉 8. â—â—esichius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are as it were â—ood divided which in one word 〈◊〉 called coÌ„monly Demâ—nsâ—on a sâ—â— mâ—â—â—â—re of corne Atheneus speaâ—eth â—ore dâ—â—inctly of it in his 3 booke Dâ—â—opsi shewing for how long a tâ—me this allowancâ— was calling it the sâ—stenance for one day Aristophanes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringâ—th somewhat a more full light where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 twitting the servants sayth whom I have taught to fashion foure loaves of bread to a Choenix to wit a measure of corne Therefore Chocnix conteineth so much corne as would suffice to make foure loaves The Scholiast addeth that foure great loaves were made of a Choenix and 8 small ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signify corne in generall in this place wheate or meale of wheate a dearer provision then barley three measures of which are not solde for more then one of wheate for a peny understand shal be folde or some like word Denarius is a latine word being worth ten pieces of silver The auncient writers make it equall in weight value to the Attike drachma that is seven pence It is of three kindes as some will have it one of which is worth after our accounte seven pence an other eight an other ten And thus much of the corne as touching the other sustenance he sayth and oyle and wine hurt not The latine translations reade the wordes being displaced thus and wine oyle hurt not the meaning is yet wine and oyle hurt not after the manner of the Hebrewes the copulative being put discretively The wordes wine oyle caÌ„not be referred unto those that went before as though he should say a measure of wheate shal be sold for a peny and three measures of barly for a peny likewise wine and oyle for a peny Iunius on this place thou shalt not doe uniustly for the wordes oyle wine are the accusative case of the following wordes thou shalt not hurt and not the nominative going before the verbe as the wordes measure and measures are Wherefore all succour for life should not be taken away but onely necessary things should be diminished Oyle and wine which serve for delicious dainties should be left unhurt because it had seemed good to God to punish the poorer sort first the Princes and states being reserved as dainties from famine to the pestilence For whom the famine could not consume because of their riches and aboundance those the pestilence should eate up and should kill with a speedy death as in the seale following So are the wordes The event is not so playnly mentioned of the History-writers as were to be wished who doe gather onely the more notable thinges and doe easily passe over for the most part thinges vulgar and common especially when as this famine consisted onely in the scarcity of corne not in a dearth of all victualls Yet God would have some tokens of it to be apparent as farre as might suffice to set out of danger the trueth of the Prophecy Commodus the sonne of Antoninus did succeede his father who being Emperour there was given by the mercy of God some breathing I thinke because froÌ„ the Emperour himselfe alone man kinde should have plague and pestilence enough Pertinax Iulian followe both of a short raigne and therefore lesse hurtfull At length Severus enioyeth the Dominion a cruell authour of a most grievous butchery whether of his owne accord or by the instigation of other men Then the third Beast cryed out admonishing the faithfull that God would punish the wicked loathing spirituall foode with a great penury of the sustenance of this life For Tertullian whoÌ„ by right thou mayest call a Man excelling in witte in good iudgment and in learning who hath almost as many argumeÌ„ts as wordes who through anger falling away unto the Heresy of Montanus by his infirmity also shewed that nothing perteining to a man was alienate from him this
the Africane Vandals And so much the more because by their meanes it was brought to passe that the Sunne in those countryes did go downe alway to this very day for after that horrible darkenesse which the Vandals brought in God by his fearefull iudgement gave up those nations to the Mahumeticall madnes whose hellish darknes at this time sufferreth noe confortable Sunne beame to shine upon them Howe is it to be lamented that that part of the world which afore time was beset with most famous lights Tertullian Cyprian Augustine and others almost infinite is nowe altogither become blacke and doth not shine with one little sparkle But so is thy will most holy Father who hast compassed about us Europeans left alone and most wickedly abusing thy holy name with very sorrowfull spectacles of thy wrath both toward the East South So therefore are the foure first trumpets Contention Ambition Heresy Warre those foure Angels which Constantine the Great for a time restrained But the first and third trumpet belongeth to the East the second to the West the fourth to Africa The Prophecy of this chapter conteineth about two hundred thirty yeeres to wit from the beginning of the reigne of Constantine unto the yeere of Christ five hundred thirty and three at which time Belisarius carried away captive Gilimer and destroyed the name of the Vandals in Afrique Evag. booke 4.16 Yee may fetch a larger declaration from Eseb upon the life of Constantine from Socrates Theodoret Sozomene Evagrius Procopius of the warre of the Vandals and Victor of Vtica touching the persecution of the same men whose Commentaries God would have to be extant for the light and credit of this Prophecy 13 And I sawe and heard one Angell Nowe he cometh to the three last trumpets much more troublous then the former as appeareth from the comon preparation in this verse For as though the usuall sounding of the trumpet were not of sufficient force to cause feare a common Proheme to these three full of terrour is prefixed every severall afterward is declared by their transitions As touching the wordes some reade for an Angell an Eagle as Aretas the Complutent Edition and the common translation brought hereunto as it seemeth because the fourth Beast was like a flying Eagle chap. 4.7 But the word one being adioyned maketh against it For it was wont to be the limiting of a thing uncertaine and indefinite But the Eagle the fourth Beast was onely one wherefore it had ben superfluous to say I heard one Eagle Therefore one Angell agreeth better which word is generall and by right may be limited with some addition as Andreas readeth and some other Greeke Copies Furthermore he is called an Angell which flyeth through the middes of heaven after in chap. 14.6 But this one Angell is some one man alone picked and chosen out from the rest to some peculiar office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not the middes of heaven as the Astronomers call it who call midday in this wise but the middes betweene Earth and heavē to wit the middes of height not of lenght as the Angell appeared to David 1 Chron. 21.16 But seeing heaven is the holy Church and the earth the false and counterfaite which carrieth the name shewe onely of the true this Angell being seen betwixt both seemeth not to have attained the purity of that and yet to have flowne somewhat aloft beyond the dregs and filth of this He cryeth with a lowde voice that he may be heard of all men that there shall come farre greater calamityes frō the three trumpets that are to come then yet have gone before But that these shall come upon the inhabitans of the earth who doe counterfait holines whereas in very deede they are withered branches and rotten members The time and congruency of the matter doe make me to thinke that this Angell is Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome he was one as it were taken out of the rable of many Bishops whose labour God would use to profit his Church But although he sate unwares in the chaire of wickednes yet God knoweth to plucke his out of the iawes of Hell And significantly doubtles is he called one as though it were a miracle for any one of any goodnes to be founde among that degenerating route This Gregory did fly in the middes of heaven pressed downe with many superstitions and errours that he could not be enrolled a citizen of the heavenly city Whose neverthelesse singular good will care diligence right iudgement in many thinges lifted him up on high farre above the rest of the common sort and that company of superstitious ones He cryed with a lowde voice denouncing to the world a great calamity by ANTICHRIST who should come straight way The King saith he of pride is at hande and wich is unlawfull to be spoken an army of Priests is prepared booke 4. Epist 24. Againe the King of pride is at the doores in the same booke Epist 38. In the same place againe where is that Antichrist which chalengeth the name of universall Bishop and for whom is prepared an army of Priests to attende upon him He is at hand sayth he and at the doores yea he was farre neerer then he thought in whose chaire he sate even himselfe but by his account he could not be farre of Neither is it lawfull to diminish the Popes credit who could not be deceaved especially avouching the same thing so often and in earnest Seeing therefore that this Gregory next after the fourth trumpet that is the Vandalike persecution so expressely cryeth out aloude that Antichrist is at hande then whom noe greater plague and calamity could befall the earth and that a fewe yeeres before that the Monster borne longe agoe broke forth into the open light it must needes be that he was this Angell who is shewed almost so playnly by this type as if he had ben named CHAP. 9. THEN the fift Angell blewe the trumpet and I sawe a starre fall from heaven into the earth and to that starre was given the key of the bottomelesse pit 2 He opened therefore the bottomelesse pit and there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great fornace and the Sunne was darkened and the ayre by the smoke of the pit 3 And there came out of the smoke Locusts upon the earth and unto them was given power as the scorpions of the earth have power 4 But to them it was sayd that they should not hurt the hay of the earth neither any greene thing neither any tree but onely those men which had not the Seale of God in their foreheads 5 And to them was commanded that they should not kill them but that they should be tormented five moneths and that their torment should be as the torment of a Scorpion when he hath stung a man 6 Therefore in those dayes shall men seeke death and shall not finde it and shall desire to dye and death shall
Rome did so play the Devill in the Provinces as if Sathan had gone forth from the face of the Lord to scourge the Church But chiefly men sought death and founde it not being terrifyed of these locusts with the feare of Purgatory They would willingly have died the common death of the body which all antiquity iudged alwayes to be the Haven and ende of all miseries but when the Locusts thundred out that the flames of Purgatory were not inferiour to hell fire in torment they quaked for feare being about to die and felt themselves to be spoiled of all confort of death From hence it was that for to be freed from this their feare they did give to the Locusts whatsoever they would aske yea often times when they did aske nothing at all Yet neverthelesse howe of necessity did the miserable soule stagger and was vexed when even common sense did teach that sinnes cannot be purged by any corruptible price Thought therefore anguish of minde did presse them downe on every side considering that a bought confidence did free them from paine little or nothing at all 7 And the forme of the Locusts A description of the Locusts which first in cruelty are like unto horses prepared unto battell There is a great alacrity of this beast unto fight he diggeth his feete in the valley and reioyceth in his strēgth going forth to meete the weapons he moketh at feare and is not made afraid turneth not backe through feare of the sword Iob. 39 25. There should be no lesse promptnesse in the Locusts Famous are the invasions of the Sarracenes in all the Histories the warlike prouesse of the Popes bande hath not peradventure ben so observed of all which yet is as cleare and famous if wee consider the thing neerly What souldiers used Innocent the third to roote out the Albingenses Besides Dominicus the mourninge trumpetour and Heralde of this warre who a little after was made one of the foure Princes of the Begging Fryards he mustered an army of the Crosse-bearers by whose aide as it were of horses running to the battell he hoped to represse the heresy as they call it to abolish it utterly This order had indeede their originall before nowe but shortly after being brought almost to utter decay Innocent restored it for this warre that the mischievous persons as it were halfe dead might be brought againe from Hell by the authority of the same man by whose meanes they should have power to tyrannize and to vexe the world a fresh more spitefully see Polydore Virgill of Invent. in the third chapter of the 7. booke Neither did the POPE whose manner was to confounde all thinges and to set KINGES togither by the eares as PROBVSTVLLENSIS sheweth in an assembly at Wirizburg under Honorius the fourth afterward use any other incensours to raise up hatred Yea as often as the Popes were to make warre for the Pope is martiall not without cause when as the Locusts his subiects are so warlike a full armie of Crosse-bearers was at hande to fight for their King Hildegardis fore-shewed worthyly that these Hypocrites should be sowers of privie grudges who reioice in nothing so much as in cōtention and bickering ofmen ¶ And on their heads were set as it were crownes The first propertie was generall nowe he followeth on the thing he began by every mēber The Crownes on their heades like unto Golde are the shaving and rasing of the head which in time past was of great estimation among men even as a crowne of Gold so called doubtlesse because the crowne of the head being shaven seemeth to appeare in the middes like to a crowne In howe great account it hath bene some time Bellarmine sheweth out of Hierome in an Epistle to Augustine which is the 26 among the Epistles of Augustine I pray thy crowne saith he that thou wouldest salute in my name thy brethren my Lord Alipius and my Lord Evodius And Augustine in an Epistle to Proculian a Bishop Epist 147. Yours doe adiure us by our crowne ours doe adiure you by your crowne Mee thinke I heare yea by this Scepter Homer Iliad 1. Both kinde of Locusts was notably knowen by these crownes Herodotus in Thalia maketh relation to the Arabians that their haire is shorne as Dyonisius himselfe was wonte And they are shorne beneath like a globe shaving their temples But the shaving of the Monkes religious men was of all other most famous Polyd. Virgil speaking of the Benedictines They are shaven saith he with a rasour from the crowne of the head lower then halfe of the skull the haire beneath cut of after the forme of a small circle about the eares and the temples compasseth the head like crowne from whence the crowne of the head it selfe being shaven is called a crowne booke the 7. chap. 2. See howe fitly he interpreteth Herodotus minding noe such thing but onely moved with the conveniency of the thing it selfe For that which he saith they are shorne belowe rounde he hath translated elegantly The haire belowe cut of in the likenes of a little circle a thing longe a goe forbidden to the Iewes you shall not cut rounde the crowne because of the Arabians neighbours as it seemeth who were shorne after that manner that in noe thing they should be like the Jdolaters Levit. 19.27 But it is meet that these Monkes who differ onely in name from the ungodly Gentiles should agree with them in the likenes of polling their heades The golde of this crowne that is the authority and dignity of this shaving wee may see from hence that they were wont to make obtestations by their tonsure as even nowe in the Epistles of Hierome and August Ys the dignity thereof was so great when yet the superstitiō was very yōg of what gravity and authority was it after it came to a perfit ripenes Frances de Ribera will have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be an Helmet after the māner of speaking of the Greekes but he is deceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeede sometimes is used in that signification in Homer as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as may be understood from Plutarch Sump 8. Problem 6. The Latines sayth he doe call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crowne from the head as Homer by similitude have called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an helmet So Hesychius describeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But there is noe such thing concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To that saith he Servius affirmeth upon that of Virgill all according to the custome had shorne haire hid with an helmet on which place Servius writeth thus a crowne that is an helmet and he hath used the speech of Homer for he called an helmet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I doubt not but Servius knewe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Homer and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but because of the likenes of the wordes the Printers
plentifull leave to enioy his presence then in the times going next before Yet howsoever he came downe from heaven he was clothed with a cloude not knowne indeede plainly to the world but covered yet with so great darkenesse that he was to be seene as it were through a lattice He carrieth the rainebowe on his head a notable messenger of the olde covenant and of faire weather both that wee may understand him to be faithfull and constant in his promises and also that the former stormes shal be driven away dayly more and more by little and little untill at length a cleare sky shall returne on every side His face shineth like the Sunne Christ indeede being most glorious at least in that parte in which he is knowne and perceived of men but his feete doe yet burne with fire because his lowest members on the earth must burne yet with a great heate of affliction Although there should be noe danger of perishing in this fire for the feete are pillars yea and that also of Brasse chap. 1 15. For these thinges belong to the same time see chap. 2.18 So therefore Christ carrieth in his owne person an image of the present Church under the sixt Trumpet Which began to encrease againe about the yeere 1300 yet covered with much darkenesse which notwithstanding gave hope of a more perfit restoring in due time in the meane while revealed the most sweete face of Christ which the world had not seene a long time although the faithfull in the meane season were troden downe with manie calamityes 2 And he had in his hande a little booke open To whom fitteth better an open booke then to him who hath opened the seales of it chap 5.5 Because therefore Christ commeth forth with an open booke it is taught that nowe againe after longe ignorance leave shal be given to men to knowe the trueth as wee knowe it came to passe about that time For at once the Turkes began to wax strong in the East and most learned men to arise in the West who maintained the trueth boldly But it is onely a little booke which he hath in his hande to wit a small booke either because the ende nowe approching there should not remaine so many alterations but that they might be contained in a little booke as after in the sixt verse delay shal be no more or rather because the knowledg of men in this time should be slender and small whereunto perteineth the clothing with a clowde as wee have shewed at the former verse ¶ And he put his right foote upon the Sea This grosse Sea of the inferiour world is the doctrine of the corrupt Church as chap. 8.8 No lesse also perteining to them whose is the administration of this doctrine The Earth conteineth the rest of the common people who in name are Christians But the feete are the members of Christ to wit his faithfull servants by whom as it were by feete he walketh on earth Of these the right foote is the stroÌ„ger by which being set upon the Sea it is declared that Christ nowe at length will chuse out some from that vile sorte of Ecclesiasticall men for to be his feete and faithfull members Also the left foote placed on the earth sheweth that he will take out likewise some from the lay people who although they could not compare with the Ecclesiasticall those right feete in excellency of giftes yet they should be made his true members enioy the same honour with them Such right feete were Iohannes de Poliaco Martinus Patavinus Iohannes de Ganduno Michael Cicerius Michael de Coriaria Guilielmus Ockam Gerardus Ridder Iohannes Rochetalada Armachanus an Jrish Bishop Ioannes Wtcklefus and others Christ drew them out of the salt sea of the Popish doctrine whom hee tooke out from the company of Ecclesiasticall men and brought them to sweeter and wholsomer waters of the trueth Out of the lay people he had for his left feet Ludovicus Bavarus the Emperaur Marsilius Patavinus Dantem Aligherium and many others who defended to their power the trueth seene and acknowledged 3 And he cryed with a loude voice as as Lion roareth Hitherto hath ben the description of the Angel nowe the chiefe cause of the things that were to be sealed up is set forth to wit the crying out of an Angell like a bellowing Lion for so the Greeke word signifyeth properly that which belongeth to Oxen and the like beasts Lions are properly said to roare albeit some times it is attributed to Asses and Camels as Hesichius sheweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to make a roâ—ring like unto Asses Camels and oxen But the Angell belloweth bccause he must speake softly and dared not to lift up his voice for there is ioined togither with it he cryed with a loude voice but that he might shewe that the meekenes and patience of the oxen is nowe to be mixed with the courage of the Lion And so indeede Christ as it were revived againe then in his members cryed out strongly which crying out neverthelesse carried a shewe of the bellowing oxen onely neither yet made any man greatly afraid Those first springing up Christian Worthies strove by lamentings and complaining speaches yet neverthelesse they bare a grievous yoke of bondage which they could not shake of whatsoever strugling they made against it ¶ The seven thunders uttered their voice Which as an Echo answered this lowing And these seven thunders are I suppose those Angels of which afterward in chap. 14.6 c. Surely the time agreeth fitly as wee will shew at the place then also their office may worthily be likened to thunder which sounded againe when this roaring was uttered For taking their beginning from thence they made a noise with so great roaring that such as despised the lowing of the Angell should at length begin to tremble for feare of this thunder But it is an excellent thing that the thunders speake not but at the crying out of the Angell even as also the Echo hath noe voice of it selfe but onely yeeldeth againe the voice which it hath received so those restorers of the truâ—th howsoever the world condemned them of novelties brought notwithstanding nothing but that which themselves had learned of God 4 And when the seven thunders c. Such were the causes now is shewed the care of Iohn whom when the seven thunders were heard being about to write a voice from heaven prohibiteth biddeth to seale them up These misteries were to be kept secret as before the booke could not be read as long as it was sealed chap. 5. For these times knewe not what those thunders did speake neither did they marke whereunto at length they would come ¶ And write them not So Aretas the Common translation and other Greeke Copies as though these wordes should declare what that Seale should be to wit not to put in writing but to have it secret for himselfe alone But is any thing revealed privately to Iohn which
placed in equall dignity with the Holy Scriptures Here the Interpretation of the Scriptures was taken away from the Scriptures and made subiect to mens pleasure but chiefly to the Popes Ever since the world began the Holy and Sacred Scriptures were not so much abused both openly and by publique authority ANTIOCHVS in deede a good while since inflicted a grievous wounde in commaunding the Holy Bookes to be burnt in the fire Likewise DIOCLETIAN and other Tyrants But the iniurie of these TRIDENTINE FATHERS is farre more grievous For they were Ethniques enemies stricken with a certen fury and madnes wholly repugnant to all the trueth These alone wil be counted CATHOLIQVES very great and chiefe friends the thing a long time and much consulted of guided by mature and ripe iudgement the very PILLARS and upholders of the TRVETH and upon whom noe spotte of errour can be cast How must it needs be that their act was of no authority and these men of very great neither is there cause why any should obiect Marcion the Eucratites Cataphrygians and such monsters of which some reiected one part of the sacred Scriptures and some another at their pleasure There is very great difference as touching the greatnes of the hurt betweene the dotages of obscure Heretiques and the deliberat actes and Decrees of an gathered Councell especially which chalengeth to it selfe to be credited with out exception It is therefore a thing especially worthy remembrance and worthy that the Church should be put in minde of by so notable a Prophecy The event and time doe consent so wonderfully that every equall arbitratour will easily acknowledge that I have not willfully sought this interpretation but that I have ben lead as it were by the hande to the same by the very order and disposition of the matters As touching the assemblyes of the faithfull which in these last times did first appeare in Germany they were assailed with a most cruell warre the same yeere The same Beast made this warre likewise by the help of the Emperour Charles the fift otherwise a noble man greatly to be cōmāded but obeying the Pope too much through the common errour of the Princes From whence not without cause that is attributed to one which being proceeded from two or more yet notwithstanding is done by one ioint endevour The overthrowe in this warre was received about the two and twentieth day of Aprill in the yeere following to wit 1547 when the armies of the Protestans were put to flight Iohn Frederike Duke of Saxonie himselfe Ernestus of Brunswick the Lātgraves sonne and not very long after the Lantgrave himselfe were taken Which calamity stayed not in these fewe but also afflicted many others both Governours and Cityes which partly yeelded themselves of their owne accord partly were wonne by force In one moment sayth Beza bewayling the misery of that time seemed to be overthrowne whatsoever had ben builded up in so many yeeres and with so great labours and they onely were counted happy of the most part whom sudden death had taken away from these hurlie burlies such are his wordes The remembrance of that time is sorrowfull to all the godly when the holy and wise Princes inflamed with a desire onely to defende the trueth not themselves alone but the Churches togither with them which as newly borne did lament among the weapons came miserably into the power of the enemies But now was the time of darkenesse in which these two Prophets must be killed and made a mocking stock Although wee must reioice in the same adversities which ar a calling to remembrance of the divine Prophecies confirming certenly the confidence and faith of our hope as saith Tertullian in his Apologie 8 And their corpses shall lie There is this difference betweene Antiochus the Romish Beast He in burning up the bookes of the Lawe would not have so much as the karkeises to remaine This sufferred the dead corpses but onely for a mocking stocke and for a greater ignominie The cruell Beast is not satisfyed with blood but desireth some more grievous tormēt For their pierced corpses are cast forth into the streetes of the great city that they might be a spectacle to all men and an ornament to the triumphe of the Romish Beast And what other thing of these Scriptures now remained then a very karkeise wholly without all authoritie power and life when all interpretation was brought to the Apostolique Chaire neither might they mutter any thing at all which the Bishop of Rome should not breath into them The Spirit speaketh so exactly that he may leave them noe tergiversatiō He knew that the Pope of Rome whatsoever he should doe against the truth would boast neverthelesse that to him nothing is better of more account and more inviolable then the Scriptures themselves But that noe man may be deceived with a bare name the Spirit speaketh evidently that after the Tridentine Councill noe Scriptures should be in the possessiō of the Romanes but a dead carkeise of noe strenght and power ¶ In the streetes of the great citie which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt This great City is that whole dominion of which Rome is the mother City in which sense the tenth part of the city falleth after in the 13 verse A street is some part of the Romane dition wherein this spectacle is exhibited to be seene the ioy whereof spreadeth it selfe through the whole Empire But the great citie it selfe togither with her chiefe citie is described in the rest of the verse and that by two expresse names a notable marke also being added least any perhaps should mistake the city And also for a greater assurance wee are admonished that these names are not to be takē properly but spiritually that is aenigmatically figuratively allegorically The first name is Sodom a city once very famous for her filthines nowe for her punishement a most fit exemple of the tower and chiefe habitation of this great citie For is not the city Rome become famous for her horrible lusts above all the whole world In the iudgement of all the Poete Mantuan hath truly songe of her in these wordes Shame get thee to the country townes if they al 's ' doo not use The same corrupted filthines Rome now is all a Stewes Which is no lesse declared by an other taking his leave of Rome thus Rome farre well nowe I have thee seen ynough it is to see I le come againe when bawd I meane knave brothel beast to be But that you may the better acknowledge Sodome heare what a certē man answered to one asking a question touching Rome Say what is Roma Amor Love if backward you it spell Rome loves the male kind Say no more J know thy meaning well Hath not Hieronymus Zeged Mutius declared this plainely in his Cynedicall bookes defending this horrible villany and approved by the Bulles and lettres patents of Iulius the third him selfe With whom Iohannes Casa associated himselfe being
Prosper witnesseth in his booke de Ingratis in these wordes Rome is the Seate of Peter which is become the Head of Pastorall power to the world whatsoever shee holdeth not by force of armes shee holdeth it by religion And againe in his second booke of the calling of the Gentils chap. 6. Rome by the soveraigntie of Priesthood is more increased by the tower of religion then by the Throne of power Vnto which is added Ammian Marcellin in his 27. booke as he is cited by Bellarmine that he marvaileth not though men contend with so great desire for the Romane Popedome seing the riches and maiestie of it are so great But that the Dragon gave him this power appeareth from hence that the name of Rome was honourable to all men because of the auncient Empire of which once it was the Seate and therefore that they easily yeelded to any promotion of hers but of this more largely at the 6. verse 3 And I sawe one of his heads as it were deadly wounded Montanus Plantines Edition doeth omit I saw as though the Dragon togither with the throne power had given also one of the heads wounded which is contrary both to the faithfulnesse of the other Copies for Aretas the Common translation read I saw all other also to the truth of the history For the Beast had not a wounded head at his first beginning For first he was afterward he is not in chap. 17.8 as at that place wee shall shewe more fully In these wordes he commeth to the second condition of the BEAST The dammage consisteth in the wounding of one of his heads which now once or twice wee have advertised to be seveÌ„ hills and Kings from chap. 17.9.10 VVhether then of these kindes should suffer this calamity Surely if the wounde inflicted be to come into the power of the enemy scarce can one of the hilles receive a wound but all wil be wounded togither VVherfore more properly it beloÌ„geth to the Kings any one of which being afflicted with this wounde the rest abide whole from the same Although this hurt cannot be so proper to a King that it should not also be common to the Hills And these Kings are seven Governements or Principalities by which the City of Rome hath ben governed to wit those celebrated by all Kings Consuls Decemviri Dictatours Tribunes Emperours Popes as wee will make plaine at the 17. chap. If now it be demaunded to which of all these this calamity should happen the place which even now wee spake of declareth it evidently to the seaven head namely the Popes For so speaketh the Angell and another that is the seventh is not yet come and when he shall come he must continue a short space being hurt with a wound as it were quite killed with the same for Iohn saith as it were wounded to death as Aretas well puts us in minde for he should not be altogither destroyed by this blow But now after that it is manifest touching the Heads this wound was inflicted when Rome forsaken now a good while of the Emperours abiding partly in the East at Byzantium partly in the West at Ravenna beginning againe to flourish under a newe GovernemeÌ„t of Popes was smitten with an exceeding great storme by the Gothes Vandals Hunnes and the rest of the Northern people Which vexed most miserably the whole VVest part In this common calamity that late Empresse of the nations Queene of the whole world escaped not scotfree but sufferred a greater destruction then almost any City besides oftener taken by assault sacked wasted for an hundred two and thirtie yeeres at the lust of the Barbarians First Alaricus about the yeere 415 besieged and tooke it Of which thing Hierome speaking but after he saith the most famous light of all countries is cleane put out yea the head of the Romane Empire cut off and to speake more truly the whole world is destroyed in one Citie c. In his Proheme of Ezech. But in more wordes eloquently in an Epistle to Principia a Virgin The Citie is taken which tooke the whole world c. In what lamentable manner would he have bewailed if it had befell him to heare of the ofteÌ„ conquerings and spoiling thereof which followed For Rome now was consumed not once but was taken a second time by Adaulphus who gave her such a deadly wound that she was minded to change her name and to be called afterward Gothia The third time Gensericus the Vandal tooke it The fourth time Odoacer Rugianus reigning there fourteene yeeres Theodoricus the King of the Gothes slewe him whom at length Totilas followeth by a cerâ—en order of succession He the fift time overthrew and rased it bringing it to that wildernesse that neither any man nor woman could be found in it by the space of fourty dayes according to that of the Sibyll Rome shal be a perpetuall ruine and shee that hath ben seen shall not be discerned Albeit I thinke not that shee hath yet endured that calamity which Sibyll speaketh of although that now past may be a notable proofe of that which is to come Who in those times would not have thought that the seven hilled Citie had utterly perished VVho would not have supposed that the dignitie of the Popes to wit the seventh head had bin past remedy Therefore the Constantinopolitane Bishop and he of Ravennas the authority of Rome being as it were utterly gone laboured greatly as the next heires to drawe the same to their Churches But they were both much deceaved The head was not wounded unto death but as it were unto death Therefore the wound waxing more fierce Zozimus Bonifacius Celestinus about the yeere 420. having supposed a Nicene Councill chalenged the Primacy and they did moove so much as was sufficient to shewe that some life was left but they had a shameful repulse because this was the time of the wound on every side Pelagius also not long after before the skarre had closed altogither wrested the scriptures to the same ende but his endevour comming to no proofe declared that both the head remained alive and also that it was of no power For the raigne of the Gothes darkened the light of the Popes dignity neither could now any acknowledg her the chiefe who at home being the basest and servant of the Barbarous people scarce had a place where to abide For at once the Emperours dwelling at Rome at what time the Apostles were in authority restreined Antichrist that he could not come forth to be seen abroad so the new erected Kingdome of the Gothes in Italie was an other thing with holding which did repell his put out hornes for a time compelled him againe to hide him selfe in his shell Rightly therefore now the head did seeme to be wounded which was not able to shake off the yoke neither by any strength of his owne neither by any hope that he had from the East seing the Emperour
Clergie neither of Kings nor of the people Againe God would have the causes of other men to be ended by men Likewise The whole Church through the world knoweth that the holy Romane Church hath right to iudge concerning all men neither may any iudge of her iudgement This is called a power of doing for excellency sake such as indeede belongeth to no Emperours who refuse not to he refrained with the boundes of lawes and all their actions to betried by the rule of equity and justice As touching the wordes Aretas readeth And power was given him to make warre moneths c. In like manner also Montanus and Plantines Edition The Common translation absolutely as also Theodorus Beza and the rest of the Greeke Copies The like use of this word in a like matter in Daniell favoureth this reading He shall cast downe saith he the trueth to the grounde and shall doe and he shall prosper in the eight Chapter the twelve foure and twentiest verse and he shall prosper wonderfully and shall doe So in the eleventh chapter verse twentie eight He shall doe and shall returne to his owne lande In which places is signifyed a certaine free and chiefe power of doing which should not feare the iudgement of any The time of doing are two and fourty monâ—ths the same space wherein the temple remaineth measured the two Prophets mourne and the woman lyeth hid in the wildernes as in the 11 chapter second verse and 12. chapter sixe verse from whence the beginning of all these is to be judged the same At one time the Church is banished the Prophets weare sackecloth and the Beast or Antichrist is borne to wit in that first refreshing after the publike persecutions about the yeer 300 as before hath ben said But shall there be also the same ending Shall the Beast be deprived of all power to doe and the womaÌ„ returne our of the wildernes togither This peradventure is against it that after the two and fourty moneths ended he maketh warre with the two Prophets and overcometh them which is a thing of no small power as wee have shewed in the 11. chapter verse 7. Furthermore there remaineth yet a warre farre a way the most grievous to come long after those moneths as wee shall see after in the 16. chapter Last of all if there be the same ende of the moneths in regard of the Beast which there is of the woman how shall he have power to doe two and fourty moneths seeing some great parte of them did lay sicke yea as it were dead by meanes of his wounded head This space then seemeth to containe the whole tyranny of Antichrist so as that time when the wound was greene be taken away from it But wee have already shewed that this sickly time was ended with the raigne of the Gothes in the 3. ver which continued an hundred and fourty yeeres Therefore if wee take away these yeeres from the moneths of the womaÌ„ lying hid wee shall finde that at the ende of this lurking to with at the yeere 1546. that 37. moneths ten dayes only of the flourishing Kingdome of Antichrist wer past There are wanting therefore to this 5. moneths 20. dayes which if wee shall count from the yeere 1546. the last ende of Antichrist shall come out at the yeere 1686. or there about For so wee shall learne from other scriptures that he shall utterly perish about that time It may be that his destruction shall prevent this terme for neither doe I now reckeÌ„ curiously neither peradventure doe the History-writers nuÌ„ber the yeeres so faithfully as is meete But it shall not be graunted him to proceed further the furthest space being set downe by mee But peradventure these moneths are not the space of time from the first beginning unto the last ende of the Beast but onely the former yeeres of his raigne as many as may suffice to manifest him aboundantly to all men In which respect as they begin togither with the moneths and dayes of the woman and Prophets so also they have an ende togither The mention of the warre with the Sancts beneath in the 17. verse confirmeth this sense which warre wee have declared to have befallen at the ende of these moneths in chap. 11.7 From which exposition the Beast is said to have power to doe two and fourty moneths of the most part of these moneths because that small distance of time in which he should hide himselfe by reason of his wounded head should have a very little reckening made of it in respect of the whole number neither is the power which shal be afterward like to that of former time as the experience of this time proveth sufficiently wherein wee see the Popes forces since that warre was made that is since the Councill of Trent are become a great deale feebler and weaker so that his power is almost nothing to that which it was in former ages This latter is more plaine wherfore it pleaseth mee the more Yet notwithstanding I would not hide any thing as much as in mee lay where I should see the least doubt that either my selfe might finde out the trueth or at least wise might stirre up others to search it out 6 Therefore he opened his mouth to blasphemy Hitherto hath ben the given power now the thing it selfe is performed these two are distinguished because the heigh of impiety should not be looked for the first day but he should come to it by certene degrees and in processe of time But first he prepareth himselfe to blaspheme God and his name afterward his Temple last of all those that dwell in Heaven He blasphemeth God by vaunting himselfe to be God not as other Princes but sacrilegiously beyond the condition of mortall men as to whom power is given in Heaven and in Earth who shall rule from Sea to Sea and from the River to the endes of the world as may be seen in the first booke and 7. chap. of the Ceremonial pontifical And as the Pope Sixtus confirmed openly in these wordes Whosoever accusâ—th the Pope shall never be forgiven because he that sinneth against the Holy Ghost shall never beforgiven neither in this nor in the life to come See the first Tome of Councills in Purgat of Sixtus Thence followeth that which Boniface the eight singeth so loude thus Wee declare define and pronounce to every creature that it is upon necessitie of salvation that they be subiect to the Pope of Rome Extrav of Maiorit obed one holy SecoÌ„dly he opened his mouth against the Tabernacle That is the true Church of God lying hid and being as a stranger on the earth For this Tabernacle is the same that the Temple was in chap. 11.1 the dwelling place of God conversing with his people in the desert which sheweth evidently at what time chiefly he should cast out these blasphemies to wit when the Church should dwell in the wildernesse and should be knowne onely to a fewe obscure
Mat. 26.40 after the same manner in Marcke 14.37 And so the best Greeke writers every where thou art in busines watch â—g the whole night Xenoph. Paediae 2. Sometime they are takeÌ„ for the terme of time when as in the 70. Iterpreters behold to morrow this very houre I will ruine a haile Exod. 9.18 So to morow about this very houre J will deliver them all wounded Iosh 11.6 In the New Testament yesterdâ—y the seventh houre the fever left him Iohn 4.52 The ninth houre of the day Act. 10.3.30 What houre I will come Revel 3.3 It is doubtfull therfore whether the words note the continuing of the power or the terme of beginning it The former signification containeth the second For if unto one houre they shall receive power with the Beast it must needs be that they receive it both togither at the same houre also and not the contrary seing the power of one may be continued longer then of the other of which both there was altogither the same beginning The Historie also accordeth with the former wonderfully clearer by a double and more general marke and giving a greater knowledge of the Beast whom seeing the Spirit without doubt would have to be most surely known let us iudge of right that there is this onely meaning of the words The vulgar Latine traÌ„slateth the following words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the Beast against the authority of all copies and contrary to the trueth it selfe For in the rising of the Beast the hornes are reckened in the first place yea also before the heads or any other shape of the body which thing had not bene done at all if they should grow up after ward chapter 13.1 Ribera will have the sense to be all one whether wee read with the Beast or after the Beast as though to beginne their reigne togither and after were the same time But he referreth neither of these to the time but unto service But this also is unlike and absurd seing to receave power either with or after the Beast caÌ„not be one with to deliver power to the Beast Beda deceived with the vulgar Latine seemeth to expound it so But I require a fit exemple of reason To commit fornication after Idols is to serve the same but if to receive power after one hath the same consideration doubtlesse the Pope of Rome serveth the Divill after whom he received power Seing therfore the words are so from hence let us observe a double marke of these Kings one that together with the Beast they rule the other that they shall enioy this power for a short time onely For that a short space in ver 10. the Angel expoundeth to be one houre And that which there was spoken of the seventh King onely here is attributed in likewise to all the ten Kings Not because having reigned this one houre they should exercise no powr ever after for how shall the Beast of whom together this is spoken enioy onely one houre of authority which hath two fourty moneths to tyrannise chap. 13.5 But because the first power after a few yeeres should be interrupted with some notable hurt for a time the ten Kings in their beginning should have tryal of the same adversity with the Beast to the ende that he might be more cleare and manifest to all men by this token Therfore that now we may see the very thing we have sayd in chap. 13.5 that thâ—se Kings are the first Christian Emperours which now shal be made plaine by the applying of every thing First the hornes are Kings neither of the common and inferiour sorte but Monarches and of very great authority who have crownes wherin they differ from the hornes of the Dragon as hath bin observed in chap. 13.1 He also hath tenne hornes proper to the heads to wit the City Rome where abode the Maiesty of the Highest Empire the other Provinces being subiect to this Queene But now the case being altered in the first rising up of Antichrist the chiefe Empire should be in an other place then at Rome as we know it came to passe when the Christian Emperours lived at Byzantium or Millane or Ravenna who retained in their owne power the chiefe soveraignty over the whole Christian world For hetherto they spake as Lords We because thou art a Christian have iudged thee worthy of the Bishoprick of our City as Constantius sayd to Liberius the Bishop of Rome Theod. book 2. chap. 16. Yea some ages after In the sixt Generall Council at Constance Act. 1. Constantine himselfe gave for a gift his Holy as they spake in these words I give to the Arshbishop of our auncient Rome Which thing also the Popes gladly acknowledged Boniface to the Emperour Honorius in Distinct 97. of the Church Rome is the City of your gentlenesse Gergorie unto Mauritius signifyeth his obedience in proclaming his law though he approoved not the sentence of the law As for mee being subiect to your cammaundement J have caused your law to be sent through many parts of the world book 2. Epist 61. at the ende And Agatho speaking of Rome This is the servile citie of your Maiesty in the Council of Const 6. Act. 4. Where then al this time was the Donation of Constantine Although even the very donation if a good and lawfull should be granted would bewray sufficiently in what place then the Empire was Secondly these Kings are the hornes of the Beast by whose means the dignity of the Pope of Rome increased while they drove farre away al the violence of the enemy which might seeme to be able to detract anie thing from it Neither onely gave they it leave to grow by their warres but also inriched it with exceeding wealth For although the Papists bragge impudently of Constantines donation as wee touched even now neverthelesse it is certen that they adorned both the citie and Pope with many privileges and that they which followed tooke away nothing but rather to have added to the heape Thirdly they are sayd tenne because so many of the first Emperours should be notable for their care and diligence in subduing the enemies of the Romanes Through which oportunity the Beast lately bread might get strength and might grow up to his perfect stature And these were 1. Constantine the Great 2. Constantinus ConstaÌ„s and Constantius his sonnes 3. Iulianus 4. Iovinianus 5. Valentinianus and Valens 6. Gratianus Valentianus secundus Theodosius the Great 7. Theodosius with Arcadius and Honorius 8. Arcadius and Honorius alone 9. Honorius and Theodosius Iunior 10. Theodosius Valentinius third For so Hierome Prosper Victor the Bishop of Tunise Marcellinus Comes and al other writers both Greek Latine whom I hav read doe recken for one the Emperours that reigned togither for the Romane Empire was but one though devided in states Governours as also the Image in Daniel ch 2.40 shadowed out one Kingdome by the leggs
not plainely delivered but lustes were restreyned by the instruction of the ceremonies rites But now the bride having obteined more plentifull grace should remove the girdle froÌ„ the loines to the pappes straitly tying and binding to her those garments by a true faith of the heart lest being loosed and ungirded they slide downe and spread abroade 14 And his head and haires c. The garment and girdle are comon to all memhers in the head the haires there is a certeine distribution wherof the former concerneth those which rule in the Christian assemblies and are to them as heades the haires do signifie the comon Christian people which dependeth on the holie teachers drawing nourishement and ornament from them and they bestowing againe on them decking and defeÌ„ce Both of them is white flourishing in the seaven Churches or rather in the first of the seaven Churches by a singular puritie For we shall see that this order of the meÌ„bers hath refereÌ„ce after a sorte to the order of the Churchches Although those thinges which are related here in the last place in the Epistles are attributed to the first which reversing of order doe teach that those properties are in such sorte agreeing to some as that also according to the occasioÌ„ they are proper to others But the whitenes is of wooâ—l snow of the former for the simplicity of maners wherewith the saintes are endued which every where are called sheepe and not without cause seing our head is a lambe of the latter because this puritie and whitnes is not naturall but borowed For wooll by nature is filthie in greasines full of dust many other defylings but being thoroughly washed in the most cleare fountaine of Christs righteousnes it exceedeth snow it selfe or whatsoever excelleth in the glory of whitnes So great a thing is it to seeke righteousnes not in our selves but in another that the Spirit contentes not himselfe with one similitude of the garment but also adioineth the similitude of snow and many other reasons in other places shewing howe greatly he would have us to minde this doctrine that on every side it should souÌ„de in our eares ¶ And his eies as a flame of fire Overcoming darkenes from which eies no darkenes takes awaie the sight Which kind of eyes did especially shine in the first of the seaven Churches in which we shall see that the truth shined so clearely that no craft of heretikes coulde darken the same All their vaine shewes were consumed as stubble with these fierie eise or as coverings of waxe they do melt forthwith and do openly bewraie their hidden deceit 15 And his feete were as fine shining Brasse Wherefore passeth he so quickly from the heade eies to the feete especially seing there follow the voice handes mouth and face It is not rashly done but in that order the members are described which doeth most fitly agree to the Churches Now therefore he teacheth after that first what is the estate of the next Churchches where the faithfull are feete like to Brasse of Lebanon for they were the head haires eies in an other respect and maner One member could not declare the whole estate of the Bride for which cause there are more used and so much the more because he whom Ihon saw was like to the sonne of man As touching Lebanons Brasse Th. Beza doeth well reteine the greke worde in his translation Copper is manifest to the Latines neyther do I beleeve that it sufficiently expresseth the singular elegaÌ„cy of this Brasse digged out of Lebanon For Aretas yeildeth the same reasoÌ„ of this word And we know that a possession which engendred metalles befell to the tribe of Asher who had his seate at the foote of this mountaine For so Moses speaketh Iron and Brasse shall be thy shoe speaking of that coast where this tribe was seated Deut. 33.25 Some had rather that here it should have the signification of Frankincense the authour also of which iudgement is Aretas as it were doubtfull betweene both all be it he plainly relateth not that this signification is as it were drawne from use or taken out of any approved authour but as though the composition of the word should signify some such thing But Anthoine Nebrissensis bringes somewhat of weight for this point writing as it is recorded of Frauncis de Ribera that this title is frequent in Orpheus amongest his hymnes Chalcolibanus for Apollo for Latona and other Gods that is as he interpreteth the male Frankincense or the sacrifice of the male Frankincense as in Virgile in his Bucolickes and offer for sacrifice the fate vervin and male Frankincense But I thinke that the wordes which follow contradict it burning as in a fornace Similitudes are wont to be fetcht from usuall accoustumed things but we reade no where of such a prodigall wast of Frankincense noe not when Alexander himselfe sacrificed that it should be burned in an oven or fornace which onely was to be burnt on an altare Therefore that first significatioÌ„ of metall seemeth to be better chiefly seing the visioÌ„s alreadie before made are according to this maner recorded In Ezechiel his feete are like to shining brasse ch 1.17 of shining brasse in Dan. ch 10.6 As touching Orpheus let the learned coÌ„sider whether Chalcolibanus for Apollo may not be an image of brasse of Lebanons for Apollo as if he should saie that he by his verse did as it were erect an image of most pretious brasse for Apollo They wer wont in ancient time to coÌ„secrate to their Gods other things besides fraÌ„kincense according to which custome Synesius a ChristiaÌ„ Poet nameth his Hymnes crownes garlandes J make for thee this garland from the holy meadowes Hym. 3. Such a thing therefore is this Lebanons brasse whose feete burning in a fornace being like shew the afflicted spouse in the Churches of Smyrna Pergamum which yet receaved no damage by affliction but through the strength of brasse should continue invincible should shine much more cleare than fire The comoÌ„ latine translation for Lebanons brasse readeth copper The Iesuite according to his wont that he might by some probable reason hide the errour thinketh that the olde Interpretour first translated it Lebanons brasse as it is in the greeke that afterwards this word was corrupted by printers or unlearned But what needs this defeÌ„ce Wherefore hath not the translatour here as alwaies followed the best corrected copies if the greeke bookes are corrupted It is foolishnes to bring a thing to the rule which is righter thaÌ„ the rule it selfe But the power of the truth carrieth the maÌ„ that gainesaies it froÌ„ his iudgement drives him into coÌ„trarie opinioÌ„s ¶ And his voice as the voice of many c. This similitude is often for the most parte noteth an huge tumult in this booke as it seemeth it is of a large signification declaring besides the greatnes of the noise a certaine unconceavable as I may so
say notion of things as is the disordered and confused noise of waters which storming with contrary waves rushing against the shoare rockes yeilde a certaine huge noise yet no maÌ„ distinctly perceaveth what all that noise meaneth Such should by Christs administration be the word of truth in the same Churches in which the feete should be like to burning lebanons brasse To the heathenish men that lived yea in most pure Ephesus the truth was a certaine unsavoury and untastable thing neither sounded it any other thing then barbarous and unpleasant Cornelius Tacitus calleth the doctrine of the Gospell a certeine deadly superstition shewing by his wicked blasphemy not so much his owne as the comon hatred of all the GeÌ„tiles book 15. Suetonius recite that the ChristiaÌ„s were afflicted by torments that they were a kinde of men of strong wicked superstitioÌ„ in Nâ—ron ch 16. Pline a very learned wise maÌ„ in a certaine Epistle to Traiane singes the same song he writes that when he had enquired of 2 mades which were said to be the servantes of certaine Chrestians by tormentes what was the truth he founde no other thing than wicked unreasonable superstition the infection whereof had not onely runne thorough the cities but also the villages couÌ„trey c. How doeth the sounde of the truth to such men seeme a certaine rude vaine beating of waves Their eares were filled with a sounde wherof they conceaved no sence And we shall see in the next chapter how these although Gentiles perteined to Ephesus But not alone of this kinde of men the wholesome truth was accounted barbarous but also of many of Christian profesâ—ion in the Church of Smyrna Pergamus and the neighbour Churches Errours perverse opinions so possessed many that they were altogither deafe to wholesome doctrine neither tasted any sweetenes of it as it will be more plaine in the next chapter And he had in his right hand seaven starres He did so defend with his mighty right hand the Teachers of the truth for these are the starres as beneath iâ— taught vers 20. afflicted with many evills that in all miseries they were conquerours Although this thing be common to all Churchches yet in those it is cheefly seene Where the feete doe burne in an oven and the truth either not heard or not understood Even there we shall see many delivered to death but for one many forthwith to arise neither onely doeth the power of his defending right hand so manifest it selfe but also in repelling the conspiracies which the wicked doe make to his Ambassadours ¶ And out of his mouth a two edged sworde This sworde is the most mightie word of God more percing than any two edged sworde It searcheth the reines and pronounced sentence against the wicked and unbeleevers Neither doth one iote or any note become voide and of no effect It wondeth and killeth bringing upon the wicked those calamities which it threatneth Now it cometh out of the mouth because in the Church of Pergamus Christ would approve his most holy severity to the world in punishing sinnes unlesse saith he they repent J will fight against them with the sworde of my mouth chah 2.16 as it shall more fully be spoken of there ¶ And his face shineth as the Sunne in his strength The face or counteance of Christ is his worship appointed from God in which he is seene of his as cleerly as we doe beholde thinges before us Wherto perteine those exhortations Seeke yee my face Psal 27.8 Seeke the Lord and his strength Seeke his face alwayes Psal 150.4 Asthough he should say trust alway in the Lord and apply your selves to the holy study of those thinges with which he hath taugh that he himselfe is to be worshiped As long as we bestowe our labour thus we are conversant in the sight of the Lord but as soone as the fucalty to be at his publike worship is taken away we are banished from his face as Cain complaineth being cast out of the Church for the murther of his brother that he was hidden from his face Gen. 4.14 Therefore the whole religion of Christ perteining either to doctrine or to prayers sacraments discipline should shine most purely in these Churches For the reason of order requireth that in the last place the shining face should signify that the last of the seaven Churches should be famous by the cleere vision of Christ And among these as we shall see Philadelphia obtaineth the chiefe praise the other so beholde the open face of Christ that they may rather perceive that Christ is angry with them then reioyce in any of his favorable beholding or countenance Therefore the whole type or figure hath this summe That the first of the seaven Churches is no table by the righteousnes of Christ thorough the faith and holines of the people and mervailous quicknes of understanding of the teachers by whose bright eyes the darknes of errours are driven far away that those Churches in the middes are on fyre through greate affliction yet that the truth was not altogether overwhelmed but did make a lowde noise as the fall of the river Nilus although to very many it was but as the unconstant dashing of the waves That the last Churches had their teachers whole sound kept the trueth mighty to subdue the enemies and a great purity of the whole religion For nowe it shal be sufficient to distinguish them in to three degrees for plainesse sake we will folow a more accurate distribution when we shall intreate of them severally 17 I fell at his feete as dead Thus was the type from the consequents First the great feare of John offers it selfe such as in the like matter hath befallen other holy men So great is the infirmity of our nature and conscience of depravation that it can in noe wise endure the least shewe of Gods maiesty Dan. 8.9 c. which is another argument for the credit of the heavenly vision ¶ Feare not A consolation very necessary coÌ„sidering that Ihon had not bin able to perceive the things either heard or seen unlesse he had first bin recreated and confirmed from his feare And so it is wont to come to passe in holy visions the evill spirits contrarywise doe increase feare asmuch as they can desiring to overwhelme men with feare and desperation The places of consolation are from his universall power over all things created in this verse by name from his victory and power over death in the verse following Those wordes first last have great power to confort for why may not John be of good courage when he biddeth not to feare who in the beginning created all things and is able to bring them to nothing againe at his pleasure unlesse peradventure the words first and last are to be referred to glory and humility then he is the first nowe among all things created or rather above all things in honour and maiesty who once