power whatsoeuer can winne it or wrest it out of his hand nor can be partaker of it vnlesse hee himselfe will giue it This Booke is written within and without signifying that the multitude of the plagues which were to come on the world were so many that the Booke could not containe them The subiect of these plagues vpon whom they should be executed is the world according as the Psalmist speaketh Lord poure out thy wrath vpon the Gentiles In that it is sealed it noteth that it is separate from all men and Angels so that none could attaine to the knowledge of it but God himselfe According to that which the Apostle speaketh who hath beene his Councellor Rom. 11. 34. that is who hath beene partaker of Gods counsell In the Gospell of Saint Iohn Christ answereth The Sonne hath reuealed it which came out of the bosome of his Father After hee heareth the voice of a strong Angell which saith Who can open the Booke Who is worthy to do it Which sheweth that the Angels themselues stoope to looke into these iudgements that is haue an earnest desire to behold the things of the Church and the misteries of God concerning the same as the Apostle Peter saith In that there was none found that could open the Booke no not so much as looke vpon it It sheweth that none can haue so much as the least measure of knowledge thereof Then Iohn wept for that none was found worthy It teacheth vs that when wee see our ignorance of those things which concerne vs wee are to weepe and be grieued at the same especially in those things which concerne our saluation After it is said one of the Elders comforted him bidding him not to weepe for the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah had performed this so called by reason of his courage through which hee had ouercome all lets which might hinder the reading of it namely sinne and this he had taken away by his death and so had obtained this fauour at Gods hand for vs. The root of Dauid That is the cause and creator of Dauid and the begetter of his faith in regard of his God-head as in other places hee is called the seed of Dauid in regard of his man-hood which proceeded of the linage of Dauid After he is represented in another forme that is to say of a Lamb that had been slain as it seemeth bloudy which appeared in the midst of the Throne And he is said to haue seauen horns seauen eyes which are the seauen spirits that is the holy Ghost which is his spirit proceeding from him By his eyes meaning his infinite knowledge wherby he seeth into all things By his seauen hornes is signified his infinite power And he commeth to his Father taketh the Booke of his Father to open it and to vnloose the seales who would giue it to none else Then followes the effect of this his taking the Booke to wit a Song of thankesgiuing First of the chiefe and principall Angels who say that the Lambe onely is worthy to receiue this honour as to haue the Booke and to open it And as the foure Beasts being principall of the Angels and the Archangels begin so also the Elders which were the principall of the Church doe ioyne with them in praysing Christ And after as the chiefe of the Angels and of the Saints begin so the rest of the Angels follow euen thousand thousands viz. all the other Angels And in their Song they praise the Lambe attributing to him all Power and Riches and Wisedome and Strength which are causes and then the effects thereof Honour and Glory and Praise that all these belong vnto him Then followeth the praise and thankesgiuing of the rest of the Church and of all the Creatures which praise first God the Father for vouchsafing to giue the Book vnto his Son secondly God the Sonne for obtaining it at his fathers hands Lastly the chiefe Angels the foure and twenty Elders are brought in saying Amen to the thankesgiuing of the inferiour Angels and of the rest of the Creatures As they began the Chapter so they as it were make an end and answere to the rest in prayses shewing vs that they neuer cease continually to sound forth the praises of God Apoc. Cap. 6. 1 After I beheld when the Lambe had opened one of the seales and I heard one of the foure beasts say as it were the noyse of thunder Come and see HAuing heard before in the former Chapters of the preparation to the declaring of the things to come he now speaketh of the things themselues that were to follow and he speaketh of them as of great Misteries And first it seemeth in this Chapter is shewed to the Apostle rather a warning what things are to befall then any declaration of the befalling of those Iudgements as the execution of the things themselues set downe in the eight and ninth Chapters doe manifestly declare And also it appeareth because in the seauenth Chapter as it is familiar with the Scripture before the things doe come he sheweth matter of comfort to the Children of God to prepare arme them against those iudgements to be executed So here in this Chapter is contained a denunciation of the iudgements to come to passe on the wicked vnlesse there were speedy repentance as in the next Chapter a consolation to arme and strengthen the godly in that they should not be touched nor hurt with these iudgements And then last of all followeth in the eight and ninth Chapters the declaration of the very execution of the iudgements themselues In that he saith he heard one of the foure Beasts speaking to him as it were with the noise of a thunder it sheweth that though it were in the same vision yet hee is faine to be raised vp by this mighty voice of the Angell so that one stirring vp was not sufficient Which teacheth vs that in the same Sermon we are often to be raised vp if not by the Angell that is by the Minister yet by our selues We are as it were to renew our attention to receiue instruction reproofe correction or any other thing which the Lord would haue vs to know Come and see that is attend diligently and carefully with greater attention Not onely exhorting him to continuance but also to heare more fruitfully and profitably After that the first Seale is opened by the Lambe Christ the Apostle Saint Iohn saith he saw a white horse and a man sitting thereon In that he is said to sit on a white horse and to haue a Crowne giuen him it noteth victory By the Man is vnderstood the Ministers of the Sonne of God Christ Iesus sent forth to declare the iudgements of God to come vpon the wicked for the neglect of the word And whereas it is said for victory it signifyeth that the iudgements which they threatned should haue euent vnlesse they repented speedily The Bow which he hath signifieth the easinesse of the
1. the worke of the God-head in fashioning of all the Creatures as it is there meant but here it is rather to be vnderstood of his worke of redemption as hee is Mediator That which he reprehendeth in them is this namely that they are neither hot nor colde that is they halt betweene two Religions swimming as it were betweene two waters and this he setteth out to be a very desperate case and therefore saith hee I would for thine owne sake thou werest either hot or colde for because thou art neither but onely luke-warme it shall come to thee as vseth to befall the luke-warme water in a mans stomacke which will not abide but must be spued out euen so saith he because thou art neither hot nor colde it will come to passe that I shall euen spue thee out of my mouth that is I shall vtterly abandon thee out of my fauour and cast thee cleane from mee so that I shall haue nothing to doe with thee any more Then to declare vnto them the grieuousnesse of this sinne of theirs hee telleth them the cause of that their luke-warmenesse in religion to wit because saith hee thou saiest thou art rich that is thou thinkest thy selfe to be perfect and in good estate but indeed thou art poore naked destitute of all grace and hast nothing at all yea thou art blinde and canst not see thy want and therefore thou art so much the more miserable and thy case more dangerous and desperate And therefore saith he I aduise thee to looke to thy selfe quickly and to addresse thy wants And he telleth the meanes how they may doe it namely come saith hee and buy of mee gold c. But may some say how can the Church buy any thing of Christ seeing she hath nothing at all but is altogether poore and destitute The Prophet Esay answereth come and buy but he addeth for nothing And therefore our Sauiour saith here come and buy of me gold that is onely if thou wilt come and enrich thy selfe with the riches of my graces come and buy white apparell that is cloath thee with my Righteousnesse and so couer thy shame and get a Collirium an Ointment to annoint thy blinde eyes that thou maist see better and know more perfectly what a grieuous case thou art in and what a fault thou hast committed Like vnto this Church is the estate of many that professe the Gospell among vs who thinke they are well and that they haue great knowledge whereas indeed they haue nothing at all as their liues doe testifie Lastly that they should not take in euill part this his sharpe reprehension he saith as many as hee loueth he rebuketh and chasteneth and therefore they should take his reproofe in good part and be brought to repentance by it for it was a manifest token of his loue and fatherly kindnesse towards them if they would profit by it And he bids them also be zealous where he noteth another cause of their former sinne to be want of zeale which he wisheth them to reforme And he saith though he be a King yea the King of Kings yet he standeth at the doore and knocketh that is calleth them to repentance and promiseth if they will let him in that is turne from their sinne and yeeld to his will he will come vnto them and Sup with them signifying what exceeding ioy and comfort they should receiue by him yea they should be made partakers of the ioyes of heauen where he alludeth to the comfort that friends haue one of another when they meete together at their Dinners Suppers and Feasts which thing if it be comfortable to men much more comfort shall it minister vnto vs to be partakers of the company of Christ Iesus himselfe in his heauenly banquet A second benefit he noteth in that those that doe thus receiue him and ouercome shall not onely receiue comfort but glory also and honour in his Kingdome and that hee will set them vpon his Throne and they should raigne with his Father in his Kingdome Apoc. Cap. 4. 1. After this I looked and behold a doore was open in heauen and the first voyce which I heard was as it were of a Trumpet talking with me saying Come vp hither and I will shew thee things which must be done hereafter c. HItherto wee haue heard of the first part of the Reuelation concerning the things that were then done Now it remaineth to speake of the things to come which is giuen vs to vnderstand in the beginning of this Chapter in that it is said I will shew thee things which must be done hereafter And first here are set forth those things generally which are afterwards to come vnto the whole world and this is from this Chapter to the beginning of the tenth Chapter Afterwards the things that befall particularly to the Church of God from the tenth Chapter to the end of the Booke According as Daniel in his Prophecie did first manifest vnto the Church the things which should befall vnto the Monarchs and then vnto the Church it selfe also The which iudgements it pleaseth the Lord to reueale vnto his Church because they being in the world though they be not of the world as our Sauiour Christ speaketh are yet interessed in those outward troubles which come vpon the world First then it is said there was a dore open in heauen Which teacheth vs that vnlesse God open a doore vnto vs all things are hid in his Counsell and shut vp so that none can see into them and especially those things which concerne the saluation of Man Againe it is said he heard another voice like a Trumpet which was to waken him better for albeit hee was wakened before yet he was not sufficiently wakened and stirred vp to behold the things afterward to be deliuered The like wee see in Daniel and Ezechiel to shew that we had need of new calling on and new attention of new stirring vp and preparation whensoeuer wee are to learne any new thing out of the word of God euen as Iohn had a new preparation because of this new matter to be reuealed for new things require new attention After hee was bidden to come vp Which teacheth vs that vnlesse wee be lifted vp aboue our selues by Gods power to the beholding of heauenly things and of those things especially which belong to our saluation we can haue no power to vnderstand them And whereas hee is here bidden to come vp and not before in the other place it sheweth vs that the matters following which were afterwards to come to passe are more difficult and haue the more need with greater diligence to be obserued and that we are with more care to labour for the vnderstanding of them then of those things that were before And whereas he is said to be rauished in the spirit it meaneth that he was as it were cast asleepe and in a trance and his senses being with-held from all manner of obiects which might
it according as it is the vse of the Prophets who to expresse the exceeding desolations of any place say that those Birds which flye most farre from all resort of men as the Shrike-Owle and the Pelican c. should continue there To Diuels noting that those places that haue bin abused to the dishonour of God are giuen by Gods iust iudgement to be not onely desolate but euen haunted of Diuels themselues as wee see oft times it commeth to passe in Abbyes and such like superstitious houses The cause is set downe to wit by reason of the persecution of the Saints and her pride who vaunted of her riches and good estate saying that shee was Queene and should neuer be Widdow that is should neuer be desolate but should alway haue her louers and maintainers to take her part And a principall cause is this that she had played the Harlot through her Idolatrie with the Princes of the earth Then he setteth downe the markes of her destruction both which goe before and which come after Before that God would giue his children that were there warning before whereby they might know of it that so they might come forth lest they should fall in that great destruction as before we heard hee did to the Saints in Ierusalem by giuing them warning to auoide from thence which they did flying into the City of Pella in the wildernesse The markes following the destruction generally the lamentation of the friends of the City of Rome and principally the Kings of the earth when they shall see the smoake of her mount vp to heauen by smoake is meant the continuall remembrance of that destruction for albeit after it is said by the Angell that threw the stone into the Sea that it should neuer be remembred any more hee meaneth not that it should be cleane forgotten to haue beene but onely so forgotten as it should neuer haue place again by which it might be remembred like as it came to passe in Sodom howbeit the memory thereof should otherwise be perpetuall Afterward is reported more particularly the lamentation of the Merchants which had serued for the pleasure of her by Land and by Sea The Merchants by land which had serued her with sine meates purple silke gold siluer precious stones c. for their Vestiments namely for the apparell of their Priests Prelates Cardinals c. which vsed to be most gorgeous and costly And they should also bring to her soules of men that is bond-slaues meeting with that which should come to passe be performed of the Church of Rome as we see experience of Then the Merchants by Sea the Ship-masters and Ship-men also make their lamentation ouer her For the more certainty of this destruction of the City there is brought in an Angell taking a great stone and casting it into the bottome of the Sea saying that in like manner Babilon that great City should be throwne downe with violence and should be found no more noting that it should be so vtterly destroyed that it should neuer be recouered neither should it be built any more neither should the light of a Candle be seene in it neither the voice of a Bridegroome heard therein signifying that it should not be againe inhabited of any because shee had deceiued all nations and because in her was found the bloud of the Saints and Prophets Apoc. Cap. 19. 1. And after these things I heard a great voice of a great multitude in heauen saying Hallelu-iah saluation and glory and honour and power be to the Lord our God c. THe Apostle hauing spoken of the destruction of the City of Rome noted by the name of an Harlot he now comes to set forth the destruction of the Beast and of the false Prophet which are the vngodly Emperours and the Popes succeeding in that power hauing gotten not onely ciuill iurisdiction but Ecclesiasticall power also ioyned therewith And first of al before he handleth that he bringeth in all the children seruants of God praising magnifying God for the notable works he had shewed vpon the earth And herein especially doe the Angels Saints of God in heauen the Saints in earth magnifie and praise the Lord namely for the iudgement and destruction of the Whore which is the City of Rome The causes of her destruction are set downe to be first because she had made all the Kings of the earth and their people to goe a whoring after her filthy abhominations And secondly for that shee had murthered the Saints of God After that they had sung this song of thankesgiuing for that mercy receiued in the destruction of the City of Rome the Lord calleth them and citeth them as it were by a voice from the Throne to a further thankesgiuing for the mercies to come in the destruction of the Beast and of the false Prophet and for particular benefits which the Church it selfe was to be partaker of and therefore he doth call all the seruants of the Lord by name as it were which did feare the Lord both small and great to praise the Lord. Then he shewes how this voice was obeyed in that he saith there was a voice as of a great multitude and like the voice of many waters and like the noise of a thunder which signifie both the consent and zeale and earnestnesse of the Saints in praising God Which teacheth vs that we are so to beleeue and be assured of Gods promises and mercies to come as that wee doe praise him for them as for those which we haue receiued and as if wee had receiued them already The mercies for which they praise God are two first the marriage of the Church to the Lambe because the Church in this life being made the Spouse of Christ yet separated in part from him shall at length inioy and haue the full fruition of Christ and of his glorious presence And also for that she is arrayed with pure fine linnen noting either the righteousnesse of Christ wherewith she is cloathed or else that sanctification which being in part begun in this life in Gods children shall be perfected in Gods kingdome when that spirituall marriage of Christ with his Spouse shall be celebrated And further it is shewed that such is the happinesse of the Church of God in this marriage that not onely the Bride and the Bridegrome shall be partakers of his happinesse as vsually commeth to passe in our marriage feasts the married persons onely not the guests being counted happy but also those are blessed and happy that are bidden to this feast for by the Bride is to be vnderstood in generall the Church vniuersall by the persons called is meant the particular persons in the Church Another cause of thankesgiuing for the things to come is in regard of the iudgement vpon the wicked and the execution thereof And first he saith to execute this hee seeth Christ comming with his army hee being the chiefe for as the Beast gathers his