of Gods providence namely his vertue charity justice wisdom patience threatnings and wrath Which is a mysterie bringing along with it an inconvenience which he desireth to avoid for he makes question whither sound divinitie wil admit that grace and peace be asked from the seven vertues rather then from the seven created angels yea how grace and peace can be prayed for from menacings and wrath so he And from Jesus Christ In that he wisheth grace and peace from Christ in the the third and last place is neither against the former exposition nor any way derogateth from the dignity of Christ for as the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.14 doth not derogate from the order of the persons in the trinitie though he put Christ in the first place so here our Apostle for waighty causes sets downe the holy Ghost before Christ because he treateth of him not simply as being the son of God but also as he is the mediatour redeemer and revealer of this prophesie Notwithstanding great reason it is that he should pray for grace and peace from Christ Ephes 2.14 because it cometh by him Iohn 1.17 and he is our peace Who is the faithfull witnesse The following titles are so many reasons wherefore grace and peace is prayed for from Christ and they set forth as hath been shewed in the analysis both his threefold office with the benefit thereof as also declare his eternall Godhead The first title respects his propheticall office that faithfull witnesse which seemeth to be taken from Psal 89.38 witnesse because he hath brought forth out of the bosome of his father the testimonie that is the glad tydings of the redemption of man through his death and from heaven hath opened to us the true knowledge of God and way of salvation faithfull Because he not onely confirmed the heavenly truth by preaching by miracles meekly calling of sinners to repentance to the faith of the Gospel but also sealed the same by suffering on the crosse and by instituting the ministry he gave to the churches Apostles prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers who perpetually should be his witnesses Eph. 4.12 preach the Gospell to after ages for the perfecting of the saincts for the edifying of the body of Christ according to these scriptures Ioh. 17 6. I have manifested thy name to the men thou gavest me out of the world and 18 37. For this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnes unto the truth Io. 1.18 the son which is in the bosome of the father he hath revealed God unto us Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession The father and holy Ghost are also said to be witnesses 1. Io. 5.7 Ioh. 5.37 there are three that bear record in heaven the father the word and the holy Ghost The father saith Christ himself hath borne witnes of me And of the holy Ghost he saith when the comforter is come c. He shall testifie of mee the Apostles are called witnesses Act. 1.18 And Antipas Rev 2.12 and two witnesses are mentioned called Martyrs for sheadding of their blood for the testimonie of Christ Revel 11.3 But Christ onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of prerogative is called that faithfull witnesse because he first brought with him the witnesse of the truth downe from heaven he first and he onely hath shead his blood for his owne testimonie whereas all other martyrs suffered not for their owne but for the testimonie of Jesus Christ Yea also the witnesse which the father and the holy Ghost gave of him was declared by himself and therefore Christ as by a speciall and proper right is called the faithfull witnes that is the true and constant revealer of the doctrine of our salvation whoever therefore hearkens not to him Deuteron 18.19 can not be saved but who so heareth him shall have life eternall This also confirmeth the authoritie of the revelation because it was revealed to John by Jesus Christ that faithfull witnesse who can notly nor deceive therefore this booke is trulie divine and we may safely trust and beleeve all things contained in it It serveth also to instruct us that if Christ onely be the true witnesse then those are not to be heard but avoyded as Liars which teach the Church such things as dissent from the testimonie of Christ It may also comfort us because Christ the faithfull witnesse will not forsake them who suffer for the cause of his truth but will at length reward them faithfully according to his promise The first begotten of the dead This title concernes Christ his priestly office who died for our sins and was raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 For the word dead shewes that he died and being the first begotten of the dead it teacheth us that he was raysed from the dead And the whole scripture testifies that the end and use of his death and resurrection was not a bare witnesse as Socinus blasphemeth but chiefly a propitiation to purge us from our sins and to justifie us before God Paul calleth him likewise the first begotten of the dead 1 Collo 1.18 1 Corinth 15.20 and sheweth that Christ is become the first fruits of them that sleep But how can Christ be the first fruits of the dead seeing the scriptures testifie that Elias and Elisha raysed up two persons from the dead before the time of Christs manifestation in the flesh Lazarus also with the widows son and Centurions servant were restored from death to life Answer First Christ is the first begotten or first fruites of the dead because he was the first that raysed up himself from the dead by his owne power whereas all before Christ were raysed not by their owne power but Christs alone Secondly Christ was raysed up to an immortall life not to dy any more but the other to an earthly life and became subject to death again He is said to be the first begotten or the first that did rise again Matt. 19.28 Act. 13.13 Rom. 1 4. because the resurrection is a kinde of new birth and so Christ calleth the last resurrection a regeneration And Paul applieth that in Psal 2. of the father eternally begetting the son to his resurrection from the dead and hence he is declared to be the eternall and omnipotent son of God This should greatly comfort us that though we are borne and brought forth in a corruptible condition yet when we rise again we shall be regenerated unto a state incorruptible even while we are in this life we are regenerated but it is spiritually onely and in part but when we shall by the spirit of God be restored to eternall life then we shall be regenerated both corporally and fully to wit when our mortall bodies shall be made conformable to the glorious body of Christ let us not fear therefore though we should suffer death for the testimony of Christ because he who is the first begotten of the dead
denyeth that this signification is agreeable to Christ is absolutely false and hereticall viz. that many things are more ancient and later in age then Christ For according to his Deity Christ pronounceth himselfe to be Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last as beeing the onely begotten of the Father before the Mountaines were setled Nothing therefore is more ancient and later Christo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then Christ God-Man Fourthly he thus Syllogiseth Relatives are together by nature The son is a Relative having a correlative Father Therefore the Son cannot be before the Father and so neither the first and the last ANSWER I. It was never affirmed that the Sonne was before the Father II. The adversarie overthrowes himselfe with his Sophistrie for if Relatives are together by nature as indeed they are then verily God the Father and God the Sonne are together by nature But the Father by nature is the first and last that is eternall Therefore also the Sonne by nature is the first and last For the Father was never without the Son FIFTLY he dallieth out of Martiall that these words signifie the esteem or worth which men put upon a thing so that which is most excellent is called First and Alpha that which is most vile is called Last and Omega in which signification Martiall should have said Lib. 2 Epigr 57. Lib. 5. Epigr 27. Ioh. 14.28 Ioh. 01.29 Non ipse Codrus Alpha penulatorum And againe Quod Alpha dixi Codre penulatorum te nuper But yet that this signification cannot be applied to Christ both because the Father is more worthy then he himselfe confessing it My Father is greater then I as also because it should follow if Christ bee called Omega that he is the vilest and most abject of all things ANSWER 1. Martiall calleth Codrus Alpha Penulatorum by a poeticall taunt or scoffe not as being the most excellent but the chiefe or first of beggers that is poorest according to the Proverbe CODRO PAUPERIOR poorer then Codrus But whatsoever he may say touching Alpha where hath the Hereticke ever read that Omega is put for that which is most vile And though hee had read it will hee interpret the Divine Revelation by Martiall a scurrilous Poet II. Howsoever this signification is taken it is false that it is no way to be applied unto Christ For Christ is Alpha because according to his Deity hee is most excellent the beginning and the first of all things And Omega not as the vilest but because he is the end and last of all things for so he himselfe interpreteth the same That the Father is more worthy then Christ in respect of the assumption of the flesh it is true according to which hee himselfe said Ioh. 10.30 Ioh. 14.10 Ioh. 5.23 The Father is greater then I in respect of his Deity it is false for in this respect hee saith I and the Father are one I am in the Father and the Father in me The Father hath given all judgement to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father Wherefore as the Father and the Son are one by nature so in honour and dignity for which cause above Chapter 4.11 5.11 the Church-Triumphant ascribes to God and unto the Lambe the same honour glory and power Sixtly he reasoneth from the Metaphysickes That these words the FIRST and the LAST signifye the cause But Christ as the Trinitaries confesse thus the Hereticke termeth Orthodoxe Writers hath a cause Therefore he cannot be called the FIRST in this sense ANSWER 1. Nothing is more frivolous then this kinde of Logicke for there are foure termes in the Syllogisme to signifye the cause and to have a cause being put for one which are not one in the least and from two affirmatives in the second figure he inferres a negative then which nothing is more vaine II. The major is not true but of God being absolutely the first and the last the beginning and the ending and therefore he is truely the first and last cause of all things and so likewise of Christ saying absolutely of himselfe I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last and therefore the first and last cause of all things but of all others it is false For of what are Alpha and Omega the cause Is it of the Letters that are betwixt them And suppose that the first man may in some sort be said to bee the cause of others of whom shall the last man be the cause III. The assumption unlesse it be understood with limitation is false also for we confesse that Christ hath a cause not absolutely but according to his humanitie beeing according to his Deity the creating cause of all things with the Father For all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made Ioh. 1.3 that was made Neither hath he any cause unlesse improperly by understanding the cause of the beginning of eternall generation from the Father otherwise the Son should be the effect of the Father which is false For God created all his effects or works in the kind of substance in the beginning of time Ioh. 1.1 Prov 8.25 Mich. 5.2 But the Son he created not in the beginning of time for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was in this beginning but begate him from eternity I was brought forth saith the wisedom of God before the mountains were setled Because his goings forth were from of old from everlasting Thus therefore let the Hereticke learne to correct his Paralogism or deceitfull arguing least he faile in the forme Hee that hath a cause is not the first and the last as the cause Christ hath a cause Therefore he is not the first and the last as the cause Thus the whole is granted touching Christ in respect of his humanity But in respect of his divinity in regard whereof he saith of himselfe I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last the consequence is denyed because of the aequivocation of the word Cause or the assumption is false Furthermore he saith a thing is said to be first which is by nature before the rest Christ is not before the Father because correlatives are together by nature Therefore Christ is not the first after this manner ANSWER This we willingly grant of Christ according to the flesh but according to the Deity the adversarie dallieth by foure termes because before other things and before the Father are two termes or the major universally taken is false for in this signification he is not the first who is before God else God also should not bee the first by nature because God is not before himselfe But he which is by nature before others in whose respect he is said to be the first to wit before all creatures Besides wee may as before retort the adversaries weapon upon himselfe Correlatives are by
shelter because he changeth not with the world but whom he once loveth he loveth to the end Ioh. 13 1. Before I proceed further here take notice that some subtile ones are displeased because of a soloecisme against the rule of Grammer for it should not have been writ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the text but as they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But what are these men so sharp sighted as to set rules to God Let them construe if they can that expression of God Exod. 3.14 I am hath sent me to you Or is the spirit of God tyed to speak as is pleasing to Priscian Let them therefore suffer God to pronounce his owne names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without declination who himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeclinable immovable 1 exposition And from the seven spirits Who should be these spirits hath so troubled interpreters that some for this very cause have blotted this whole prophesie out of the canon of holy writ Some refer it to the person of the son in this sence peace be to you from the son of God sitting on the throne before whom are the seven spirits which he holdeth in his hand chap. 3.1 But they observe not what followeth vers 5. And from Iesus Christ For indeed Iohn prayeth for grace not from him that holdeth the seven spirits but from the seven spirits expresly Andreas Lyra and Ribera whom others follow understand by the seven spirits seven angels ministring before the throne of God and they take seven eyther indefinitely for innumerable because the number seven is perfect So Lyra from the seven spirits that is from all the angels which are ministers of our salvation or definitely supposing there are seven great Angels which chiefly care for the safety of man So Clemens Alex. Lib. 6. Strom. there are seven of greatest power the first borne princes of the angels through whom God doth provide for all man kinde Which seemeth to be backt with a place in Tobie 12.15 I am Raphael the Angel one of the seven which stand before the Lord. This opinion seems to agree with the letter of the text Because the seven spirits before the throne of God are often mentioned as in chap. 4.5 5.6 8.2 c. as if they were Gods speciall ministring angels But Iohn in praying to the seven spirits for grace confutes this opinion for it is contrary to scripture and Christian religion to pray for grace unto created angels Besides none but God is the fountain giver of grace and peace from whom and through whom and for whom are all things Ro. 11.36 Therefore we finde that the Apostles pray for and desire grace from none but God alone Alcasar saith wel sound divinity admits not that the grace and peace of the Gospel be demanded of the Angels For such praying is a part of that worship spoken of Matth. 4.9 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve And concerning grace that of Iames is most true every good gift Iam. 1 17. and every perfect gift is from above and cometh downe from the father of lights And therefore we may not understand the seven spirits to be seven angels in regard of the divine attributes given unto them Neither will the subtilitie of Ribera helpe the matter we expect saith he the grace peace of our sanctification from the angels as from the ministers of God for the text speaketh not of exspecting but of a religious praying for grace which for to direct the same unto the angels were great impietie Collo 2.18 Because the religious worship of angels is expresly condemned in scripture and the angels themselves forbid John to fall downe before them or to worship them chap. 19.10 and 22.9 To be short the Apostle maketh his prayer for grace jointly both from him that is and from the seven spirits and from Iesus Christ as working causes or rather as from one onely cause to wit from one God three in persons Neither is that equivocation of Andreas to be allowed who saith the seven spirits are not as equall in power joyned with the most hie God and blessed trinity But are named onely as Gods chiefe servants according to that of the Apostle I charge thee before God 1 Tim. 5.21 and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect angels But the particle from three times repeated doth plainly shew that the seven spirits are joyned with God as the giver of Grace Whereas to call God Christ the angels and man together to witnes is neither repugnant to scripture or sound divinity For Christ himself ch 3.5 saith I will confesse his name before my father and before his angels And therefore that place in 1 Tim. 5.21 alleaged by Andreas is not of the same nature with this here treated of For the literall sence seemeth not fully to agree with the following places as I my self have formerly minded neither to confirme ought to angels as by and by I will it make to appear The third and most common exposition 3 Exposition both of ancient and moderne writers understand by the seven spirits the holy Ghost which onely is agreable to the scripture Isa 42.8 analogie of faith according to that of the prophet I will not give my glorie to another But according to the letter it seemeth to be otherwise for these are said to be seven spirits and the holy Ghost is but one but we are to minde the nature and prerogative of this prophesie is such as if every thing should be strictly urged according to the letter we should of necessity misaply divers things So that by seven being a perfect number he speaketh of the holy Ghost who is but one powring forth seven that is sundrie gifts and graces upon the Church which is a figurative speech or metalepsis when the effects are put for the cause Or else John wishing grace to the seven Churches attributes to each one and the same spirit as if there were seven in all Neither is it of waight that in some other places of this booke there is mention made of seven spirits as of seven angels for if the phrase be well observed we may perceive that they are noted as diverse from these here spoken of who are absolutely called the seven spirits which are before the throne of God by which the unitie of essence with him that sitteth on the throne Revel 4.5 and 5.6 and 8.2 is set forth by a divine attribute the other are called the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth the seven angels which stand before God not having any divine attribute by which it is plain that these latter places speak of created angels who are Gods ministring spirits Alcasar maintaineth against Ribera according to the truth that here the holy Ghost is spoken of and not as the other affirmeth that these seven spirits should denote the seven powers
are the angels of the seven churches and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches I Iohn who am also your brother and companion in tribulation Hitherto wee have treated of the preface now followeth the preparation to the vision Lib. 7 hist cap. 20. with the vision it self I Iohn Dionysius Alexandrinus as Eusebius witnesseth draweth hence a reason for to weaken the authority of this booke as if the author were excessive in publishing of his owne praise for saith he the Prophets Apostles used not to mention so ofteÌ„ their owne names as Iohn doth in this booke saying many times J Iohn as if he had been writing not a booke but an obligation or acquittance But Iohn herein doth nothing more then what is very seemly yea necessary Five times indeed he names himself in this booke which wil not seeme strange if wee minde that it is one thing to write a historie another thing to write a prophesie The truth of an historie requireth not the authority of the writer but so doth a prophesie Therefore we read that the old prophets as Jeremie Daniel and others did usually prefix their names to their prophecies whose example Iohn seemeth here to imitate Yea Paul himself expresseth sometime his name in his Epistles I Paul with my owne hand c. And touching the repetition of his name here it was very necessarie For otherwise it might have been thought that Christ who before called himself Alpha and Omega had also spoken the words following I am your brother c. therefore his name is seasonably inserted I John who am your brother c. by which epithites hee seekes to win their good wil also comforteth the Churches to whom he writeth Your brother Not by blood but by faith and in the communion of Christ for there is betwixt the members of Christ a spirituall brotherhood straightly tying them together in the bond of love he calleth himself their companion in three respects because they who are the members of one head must mutually partake together in all conditions First in affliction for even then the Christians were grievously persecuted under Domitian and Iohn himself banished into Patmos Secondly in the kingdom that is a spirituall kingdom For we being made kings and priests to God do now with Christ our Lord maintain the same against all enemies and in the end shall fully injoy it with him in the heavens by this fellowship Iohn the beloved disciple doth not a little rayse up the spirits of Christs afflicted ones because he requireth constancy no otherwise of them but as he himself desired to be a companion with them in their common sufferings yea assureth them that after their afflictions they shall enjoy an everlasting kingdom Thirdly he was their companion in the patience of Jesus Christ or sufferance as the word importeth shewing that in the kingdom to come we shall not suffer but reigne according to that of Paul 2 Timoth. 2 Timoth. 2 12. 2 12. To which purpose is that saying of Tertullian we triumph being overcome being slaine we conquer when we are kept downe we escape howbeit we are no otherwise esteemed then malefactors and worthy to be burnt c. Of Iesus Christ this may be referred as wel to the afflictions kingdom as to the patience or suffrance of Christ which is very comfortable to the Godly for herein the Apostle giveth us to understand that not onely hee but even Christ himself also doth partake with us in our troubles and as the kingdome is Christs so also is our affliction and our suffrance Thus is he afflicted and suffereth with us that wee also might reigne with him I was in the I le that is called Patmos He sheweth where he saw and wrote the Revelation which addes authoritie to the history Patmos is an Island in the sea Aigeum in circuit 30 miles as Plinie writeth For what cause Lib. 4 chap. 12. Lib. 3 hist cap. 14. and in what condition he was being there he mentioneth not Euschius Hierâ—m and others say that he was banished thither in the fourteenth year of Domitiâ—â— â—â—d there he received this revelation from Christ Tertullian addeth that he was apprehended at Ephesus by the governor of Asia Lib. de prescript and sent to Rome where he was boyled in oyle but receiving no hurt afterwards was banished into this Island It is further reported that Domitian did cast him into a caldron of boyling oyle in way of scorne because he had heard that the Christians tooke their name from Christ that is the anointed Domitian being slain his acts for their cruelty recalled by the Senate Iohn under the Emperor Nerva returned from his banishment to Ephesus and ministred to the seven Churches in Asia to whom he wrote the first vision Epiphanius recordeth that John was in Patmos in the dayes of Clandius Cesar But it is a manifest error Claudius being put for Domitian as the computation of the time sheweth For the word of God He closely notes the cause of his banishment least it might bee scandalous and taken as if he had been there as a malefactor for not the punishment but the cause maketh a martyr whereas it was for his constant profession of the doctrine of Christ which the Romans would neither suffer in their city or other territories which caused the first great persecution against the Christians under Nero and the second under Domitian at which time many thousands of them laid downe their lives for the cause of Christ For the word of God and the testimonie of Iesus Christ Both are joyned as here so in vers 2. By the word hee understandeth the son the essentiall word of God Ioh. 1.1 By the testimonie he meaneth the doctrine of Christ Thus by banishments and sufferings the primitive Christians did triumph over their enemies though scandalised as fooles and Galileans by the men of this world and esteemed worthy of nothing but whipping torturing and hanging therefore saith Turtullian that which the enemies chalenge over us is our joy who had rather be candemned then forsake God this is the Palme of our clothing This is the Chariot of our triumph and the reason why wee submit not to these whom thus we have overcome Thus much for the time and the place when and where this prophesy was revealed to Iohn I was in the spirit He sheweth how he saw this revelation viz. not with mortall eyes but being ravished in spirit his mind was carried beyond it self So we read that Peter and Paul praying earnestlie fell into a trance and conversed with God Acts 10 10. 15 16.9 18 9. The which againe confirmeth the divine authority of this booke For the following visions and the mysteries of them were revealed unto Iohn not by the power of any humane wit but by the holy Ghost Interpreters observe three kinds of visions First corporall when we behold the objects preserued with our bodily
the superstitions inchantments magical devilish arts which have been spread by Bishops Monkes among the common sort of Christians Nor of their fornications The fourth is their fornications adulteries all manner of filthinesse wherein the Clergie lived under their impure unmaried estate Nor of their thefts The fift is their thefts sacrilege rapine not so much committed by civil as ecclesiastical persons who by pious deceits that is most foule impostures and pretence of religion devour widowes houses exhaust the treasuries of Princes and great men draw into their hands by hook and crook this worldly wealth These were the sinnes for which the Lord by Saracens and Turkes punished them of the East to the end that their bretheren of the West guilty of the same sinnes might take warning by their example repent But what followed They repented not He foreshewes by the spirit and reproveth not to speak of them in the East still remaining in their filthinesse the obstinacy of the Papists who openly pollute themselves with the like idolatrie mâ—rthers sorceries fornications thefts even unto this day insomuch that whosoever opposeth and reproveth these things in them is accounted an haereticke and enemy of the Church Their idolatrie is manifest for in all their temples highwayes The idolatrie of Papists porches and corner of streets they set up idols the workes of mens hands images of God of Christ Marie and the Saintes before which whoever will not fall downe and religiously worship is accounted an haeretick condemned to the fire They cannot abide to have them termed idols but images set up in and by them to worship God Christ and the Saintes But in truth herein they worship the devill for God will not be worshipped by images Now whatsoever is externally worshipped in a religious way is an idol and all idol worship is don not unto God but unto the devill indeed the description here of idolaters doth plainly convince them for doe they not serve idols of gold silver stone c. which can neither hear see nor walk an egg is not more like unto an egg then the idols of Papists and of the heathens resemble each other And touching their murthers we need goe no farther then to consider the innumerable companie of Martyrs put to death by them As for sorceries and all magicall arts to whome may these things be applied but to the Papists for in the reformed Churches now of a long time the impostures of the devill and magicians are rooted out For fornication adulterie pollutions sodomy they are beyond measure committed by the Popish clergy for howsoever marriage is honourable among all men yet to them it is not permitted But sodomie hath publickly been disputed for yea commended in rime by Iohannis de Casa Archbishop of Benevent what multitudes of whores and strumpets are there at Rome how great is the gaine which thence comes unto the Pope It appeares by records that by them his treasurie hath of late been augmented fourty thousand ducats To be short who is ignorant of the thefts rapines and simonie of the Romanists or who is able possiblie to describe them Their taxes and annales which are in print doe openlie shew the same so that the Papists are altogether guilty of the same evils for which they of the East were destroyed what remaines then but that a like punishment will surely befall them Thus in the conclusion of this Chapter wee are taught First what was the cause of the great calamities befalling the Eastern world and how the greater part of the Romane Empire was brought under the Turkish yoake namely their idolatrie and much other wickednesse going along with it for as the idolatrie of the Balaamites and of Jeroboam the sonne of Nebat caused the overthrow of the two powerfull kingdomes of Israel and Iudah by the Assyrians Chaldaeans So it is manifest that idolatrie other sinnes thereon depending have occasioned the destruction of whole Empires and many mighty kingdomes and provinces of the Christian world as Aegypt Palaestina Damascena Syria Asia Cyprus Thracia Armenia Mysia and part of Hungarie So that it is not come to passe by chance that the Tuâ—kes have and still doe afflict Christians but the Lord in his just judgement useth as a strong rod in his hand to punish their impiety Secondly what is the end of the calamities inflicted not as if God would destroy the Church but rather to provoke both the idolaters thus punished and others also guilty of the same sinnes unto repentance For the Lord desidereth not the death of a sinner but that he repent live Thirdly The Papists draw the Turkes armies on Christians here we are plainly taught who they are that hitherto have and still doe draw the Turkes upon the neckes of Christians to wit the worshippers of idols of gold silver wood and stones But who be they are they Iaponians Canibals or Brasilians I affirme no For howsoever it be granted as these say that these are worshippers of devils yet not they but ours are threatned to be punished by the Turck Tattarian forces but it may be demanded Are not they of the reformed religion worshippers of idols I answere no but rather they have quite banished the same shanning all manner of idolatrie as the pest But your temples oye Papists your Cells Altars and Highwayes abound with images of gold silver wood stone there is no corner but ye may se one or other-beeing prostrated before the image of Marie Peter or Paul thus mutters holie Marie 5. Peter S. Paul pray for mee have mercie on me save me c. Will yee deny that you have not been the cause that the Turkes for these sixteen yeeres have wasted the borders of the Christian world what madnesse is this that ye should stirre up Christian Princes to conquer the Turke having drawen him on your neckes by your idolatrie and made him invincible unto this day It is time therefore that at length yee seriously thinke of these things repent of your sorceries thefts fornication before the revenging hand of God destroy both you and the rest of the Christian world for these your abominations Fourthly we are taught that probablie the rest of the Christian world shall suffer the like judgement because the Papists are so farre from repenting of their idols and other wickednesse as on the contrarie they strongly maintaine the same and whosoever opposeth them therein they condemne as heretickes persecute them with fire and sword what remaineth therefore but that the same armies who by Gods commandement have killed the third part of Christians for their wickednesse should at length also come into these parts to kill the rest for the like evils For it is a constant rule that they that commit like evills are worthy of like punishment So that without doubt the horrible idolatrie of Papists will in short time draw the Turkish armes on the rest of the Christian
destroy the womans seed Who are the heads of the Dragon for whose cause almost as soon as he was borne hee wickedlie caused all the infants of Bethlehem to be murthered Next was Herod Antipas his son the murtherer of John The third Herod Agrippa who killed James and persecuted Peter After these the Romane tyrants persecuting Christians are to be numbred among the seven heads as Nero Domitian Trajan Hadrian Antoninus Verus Commodus Severus Decius Diocletian and other most cruell Serpents who wholy imbrued themselves in the blood of the saintes most miserable afflicted the Church until Constantines time Of the Dragons hornes Pilate the Romane Governour was chiefe Who are the Dragons hornes who with the Scribes and Pharisees crucified the Lord of life also his successours as Felix Lysias Festus with all such as afterwards were assistants unto the Romane heads in persecuting the saintes Thus of necessitie these things must bee interpreted onlesse we would grope in darkenesse for they altogether belong to demonstrate the calamities of the primitive Church 4. And his taile drew the third part of the stars Hitherto we have spoken of the Dragons form now followes what he did viz. his twofould crueltie is here noted the first against the Stars the second against the woman He drew the third part of the stars c. This Andreas but little to the purpose interprets of Lucifer drawing with him verie many Angels into destruction It is a Metaphoricall allusion unto that in Dan. 8.10 touching Epiphanes The stars cast down to the earth who in the type of Antichrist cast down the stars to the ground and stamped upon them The Stars in Chap. 1.10 signifie the teachers of Churches Their casting down from heaven to the earth signifies their falling away from the faith and heavenlie function unto humane traditions and the cares of this life as before we heard on Chap. 6.13 8.10 9.1 This the Dragon did by his taile The fail of the Dragon signifying as some thinke his fraudulent subtiltie for as dogs with their tailes faune upon their masters so Satan drew by flaterie and lying promises many teachers from seeking after heavenlie things and dasht them against the rocks of wordly honour Now this indeed he hath don and yet dayly doth to the destruction of many not withstanding this is not al for the Dragon begane his battel by open violence I therefore rather interpret the Dragons taile in which his chiefest strength consists of the crueltie and long continued persecutions by which many professours of the name of Christ who ought like stars to shine before others partlie through torments and partlie through feare have fallen from the faith and worshipped devils This happened under the cruel stormes of former persecutions as histories testifie principally under Domitian Diocletian Decius For Diocletian to alledge the words of Eusebius concerning his time onely by a tyrannicall edict commanded the meeting houses of Christians to be laid even with the ground then to burne the holy Scriptures Lib. 8. hist c. 3. that the leaders of Christians should be apprehended fettered and by torments constrained to sacrifice unto Idols Then many indeed beeing constant suffered Martyrdom but an infinite number of others saith he beeing overcom by fear soon after the first brunt gave over wholy the combat But what way soever we take it it is an anticipation that is the thinges are before related which the Dragon did afterward Primasius saith that the taile are the false prophets through whom the enemie fulfils his wickednes As in Isay 9.15 The prophet that teacheth lies is the taile namelie because of their smooth and flattering sermons Now the Dragon did both And therefore we may take both the senses making the summe to be thus The Devil both by the lies of deceivers as also by the cruelty of tyrants drew many away from the faith c. Of which seducement mention is made in vers 9. So then he casts from heaven to the earth because he seduceth from the faith unto perfidiousnes by the love of the earth some by lies others by torments Not withstanding when I compare the Visions I see that here the spirit pointes at the third fourth fift trumpet of the foregoing Vision to give us to understand that the great Star called wormwood Cha. 8.10 with the third part of the stars Ibid. v. 12. and that great Star fallen from heaven Chap. 9.1 were drawen and cast to the earth by the fall of this Dragon that is fell away from the sinceritie of the faith and Christian pietie to worldlie mindednes and Antichristianisme And the Dragon stood Another enterprise of the Dragon against the woman he stands before her to devoure her child like as an hungrie wolfe stands before the fowld 1. Pet. 5.8 to destroy the sheep that come forth Satans ravenous appetite is insatiable the which he desires to fill with our blood therfore Peter describes him under the type of a hungrie and roaring Lyon But this is generall Let us therfore applie it more nerely to the purpose First the dragon endeavoured what he could to devoure Christ in his owne person that is when Herod the first head of the Dragon beeing troubled at the hearing of Christ birth most wickedlie murthered all the children of two yeers that so he might not misse to devour the womans child Also when Pilate the first horn of the Dragon condemned and crucified the son of God Afterward he mightelie laboured to destroy him in his members when Herod Antipas beheaded the Baptist Herod Agrippa tooke away the life of James Againe when the other heades as Nero Domitian and the following tyrants by cruel edicts punishments rackings and persecutions throughout the whole empire indeavoured by all meanes to swallow up what ever the Church brought forth that so they might destroy all Christians and utterly blot out the faith of Christ Neither is Brightmans note to be disapproved viz. that the Dragon by tyrants did diligentlie watch that there might not be born any defender of the Christian religion And if any Emperour or Governour seemed but to favour Christians he was soon devoured by the Serpent The enterprise we have heard now let see the event The Second part of the Chapter The historie and event of both signes 5. And shee brought foorth a man childe who was to rule all the nations with a rod of iron and her childe was caught up unto God and to his throne 6. And the woman fled into the wildernes where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes 7. And there was warre in heaven Michael and his Angels fought against the dragon and the dragon fought and his Angels 8. And prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven 9. And the great dragon was cast out that old serpent called the devill and Satan which deceiveth the whole world