nothing concerned thē Hereunto is added that the nomber of seaven is an universall nomber by whose revolution all times are made all times being winded upon this Pole even as the whole heavenlie frame is turned upon the seaven starres Wherefore as being full of mysterie it is used afterward the whole booke through in describing of all things Yet all Churches are not so to be considered as yf nothing indeede had bene sent to them which by name are afterward noted but togither with the signification of the misterie the truth of the historie is to be reteined Seing therefore these seaven Churches stretch further than their names declare whether in them the estate of all times even to Christes comming is to be considered No verily but onely of that time wherein the Church shal be among the Gentiles Which thing shal be manifest by those things that follow and also so plaine a desciphering of the Churches of Asia seemes to grant that the Synagogue of the Iewes is not to be mixt with them Which thing hath caused that in the resolution we have distinguished the whole Propheticall narration into that which is proper to particular Churches and into that which is common to all Churches ¶ Grace be to you and peace from which is He commeth to the praier wherby the third person of the Inscription is declared And he setteth downe the fountaine of grace and peace to be one true God three in person whos 's first person these words declare Arethas thinkes that these three times doe specially bolong to the three persons Because the Father saith he is otherwhere called which is Exod. 3.14 the Sonne which was Iohn 1.1 the Holy Ghost which cometh Iohn 16.8.13 Act. 2. But the distinction so cleare which forthwith followeth gainsaies it which challengeth this description of that J will be Exod. 3.14 common to the whole Deitie here to the alone person of the Father Wherby also we are given to understand that this threefolde difference of time belonges to the unchangeable and stedfast truth of God concerning his promises For there is the same force of this circumlocution as of that abreviation Exod. 3.4 which we know was used that he might teach Moses that the time was come that he woulde perfourme the promise once made to Abrahā of delivering his seed out of Egipt From whence is also that name of Iehova wherby God was not knowne to the Fathers Exod. 6.2 because they had not yet obteined that promise Certaine minde that this is a name of being no portion of which a created spirit can understand as yf God should take to himselfe such names onely for his owne sake and not for ours Wherefore these things are as yf he should say From God the Father most true and constant in all his things which presently giueth most plentifull experiments of his truth by sending at length his Sonne into the world who in former times never failed in any one of those things which he had promised who lastly so hath caused hope of things as yet to come that daily he endevoureth the performance of them and hasteneth the acomplishment of his whole truth For which cometh hath this force as a present future that I may so say For that which cometh is not yet present nor yet altogether absent Therefore it is much more significant then if he had said which will come or which is about to come as commonly it is turned For this which cometh declareth that he will no further deferre his promises but that now forthwith he is imploied in fulfilling of them an excellent confort for them which through wearines of delay doe fainte But thou wilt say is truth attributed to the Father onely Verilie it is common alike to all of them but seeing the partes of the Sonne and Spirit are chiefly imploied in executing the decrees it is mentioned as proper to him alone whome order of doing maketh to be the Authour of promising and the fountaine of goodnes Gentile impietie hath imitated this division with their tripos which they report that Apollo used for three commodities of things which he had very much tried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saw things to come to be before they were as in the Scholiaste of Aristophanes on Plut. ¶ And from the seauen spirites The second welspring of peace is the Holy Ghost most plentifully enriching replenishing his Church with every kinde of giftes for which cause such a circumlocution is used For he which togither with the Father the Sonne is the giver and causer of peace and grace cannot be counted amongst the creatures Of which matter see that most learned man Francis Iunius Neither proves it that this is a creature as the Iesuite will have it because he is saide to stand in the sight of the throne after the maner of those that rather serve God himselfe than that he is God himselfe Wheras by this reason neither the Sonne should be God which being a lambe came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate on the throne hereafter chap. 5.7 And more plainely in Daniell 7.13 and before him that is setting in his throne they presented him to wit the Sonne of man What then is the Sonne to be beteft of his Godhead Wherfore we must know that the words mentioned thorough this booke both here and else where both universally of God as the chiefe and highest Governour in which regard a throne is attributed to him and also of the Sonne Holy Ghost as ministers By whose more neare working all things are done Wherfore they are sayd to stand as in a readines before the throne and as it were expecting the commaundement and becke of the Chiefe Governour So was the Revelation given to the Sonne ver 1. and therefore the Spirit seemeth in this place to be noted more by his giftes by which he workes in his saints then by his proper name But the things onely of order are not to be drawne to destroy the natures 5 And from Jesus Christ which is that faithfull witnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from Jesus Christ that faithfull witnes that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is that faithfull witnes the want of the relative being supplied very often used in this booke after the manner of the Hebrewes These things apperteine to the thirde fountaine Christ which we call the thirde in regard of the place which here he susteines not in order of person Hitherto hath bin differred the describing of him because it was more at large to be insisted upon and frō him to be derived the thankesgiving by whose alone merite we are made partakers of all good things And first he mentioneth his Propheticall Office calling him the faithfull witnes that is which hath faithfully truly and fully taught the whole will of God as farre as appetaines to mans salvation For the whole doctrine of the Gospell is wont to be called a testimony as Iohn 3.11
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
meane time let us knowe that this shal be a fearfull punishement for first Christ will take great pleasure in reiecting from himselfe this Angell For what can be more pleasante to a man that hath a disposition and will to vomit then to be eased by and by of the cause of his griefe Even as Moses threatneth to the Apostate Iewes that Iehovah will so reioyce in destroing and rooting them out as before he reioyced to doe them good Deut. 28.63 Secondly because he will cast out this Angell with greate dishonour For an uncleane place is sought for vomiting howsoever Antonius in the assembly of the people of Rome governing the publike businesse filled his owne bosome and the tribunal with gobbets of meate Thirdly that the Angell shall never recover his former dignity For farre be it that the Prince and Authour of all cleannesse should ever returne to his vomit But this punishement was not to be inflicted to the whole Laodicean Church but to the Angell alone that is to all lukewarme Pastours partly because of that which wee spake even nowe partly because the Church is wont to be mentionned expressely where shee is intreated of As unto the Ephesine Angell I will remove thy candlestick out of his place chap. 2.5 It shall therefore be peculiar to the Ecclesiasticall men without the destruction of the whole Church Neither is it to be doubted but the same at length happened to the Laodicean Angell which here is denounced The which thinge is also certenly to be expected in his Antitype unlesse shee shall prevent it by repentance For it shall come to passe that that faithfull witnesse shall overthrowe this whole Hierarchy and not alwayes suffer men seeking onely honours and riches not those things which are Christ to enioy even this false fâ—licity Certenly a great and reprochfull iudgement abideth those lukewarme on s Of which though they be troubled with noe feare as having with their terrour put to flight all the noyse there of yet though all shall hold their peace he will not deceive who hath threatned that he will punish It is also to be feared that the Church may feele some adversity through contagion and consenting to Such as are the Angels such becometh shee for the most part and none is so ignorant of the matters who seeth not plainely that the whole body is sicke of the same disease But have mercy upon us o thou beginning of the workmanshippe of God deale not with us according to our sinnes thou knowest our making that wee are dust and ashes How should not earth wax cold Rayse up in us the burning heate of thy love dissolve J pray thee our yce neither suffer us to please our selves in our miparted godlines but kindle us with thy heavenly fire unto a full heate and fervency that wee may both avoide thy lothsomnes of us and may alwayes enioy that pleasantnes which thou givest to them whom thou lovest Amen ¶ For thou sayest I am riche Thus was the nature of the sinne The cause is double a false perswasion of their owne worthynes and ignorance of their misery That grew from their wealth which was of earthly and not spiritual riches for against these he opposeth the riches which he biddeth the Angell to buy of him in the next verse Neither could he have ben lukewarme if he had expected spirituall riches from any other then from Christ alone but rather throughly cold and altogither a stranger from grace being become voyd and separated from Christ Gal. 5.4 But he seemeth to have abounded in earthly riches because of the wealth of the city which wee spake of chap. 1.11 For which cause peradventure Archippus was more negligent of his ministery whereupon Paul would that he should be admonished Col. 4.17 although small fruit seemeth to have followed thereof seeing that even unto these times of this Revelation there was so great matter of boasting and that also not newly bred but gathered from old time The abondance therfore of things for this life begate this lukewarmnes And it is noe newe thing that prosperity doth steale away our mindes draw men away from God This warning is often in the lawe that they should take heede to themselves least being fullfedd and filled with good things they should forgeth Iehovah And the boasting is threefolde the first of the present wealth The second of long continuing The third of a perfit and absolute to every use For so the wordes require that J am rich should be referred unto the present riches I have ben rich unto those that are past I want nothing unto a certen fulnes From which further must needs spring a certen persuasion of a permanent state and also constant felicity for the time to come And it is to be observed that he bringeth in this Angell boasting in his owne wordes otherwise then was done hitherto yet this not in vaine seeing nothing is uttered rashly of the H. Ghost But as touching the Anghel of Laodicea a clearer application offereth not it selfe In our England the congruency is so manifest that nothing could have bin expressed more lively For what other cause can wee bring of our lukewarmnes the Popish gouvernement mingled with the pure doctrine then the love of riches honours Men suffer not this hope to be taken from them but they had rather have a halfe godlinesse togither with the inioying of their riches then a full and perfit reformation with the losse of them Yet least they should seme to preferre any thing before the trueth with dishonour they prayse some what proudly our present happines in the published bookes and in the assemblyes as wee may see from the writings of many men which have come forth in these last yeares Not without cause therfore the Spirit maketh this Angell vaunting him selfe but in the same setting before our eyes our notable glorying And wee have said that the first bragging was of the present riches Howe doth our Angell triumphe in this respect and lifteth up the head above all other reformed Churches In other places there are poore and basse Pastores almost of a vulgar state condition nor of any greater authority then their godlines and learning can procure unto them But our Bishops are Peeres of the Realme superiour in honour to many great states also in riches company of men and mayd servants in magnificence of houses and all the other pompe of the world equall to any even the greatest Earles Howe riche is the reste of the Clergy The Deanes Arch-Deacons Prebendaries Chaplaines heaping and gathering togither many benefices as they call them doe match Squires at least in early revenues Doe not this amplify and encrease very greatly the glory of the Church that her ministres doe shine in garments of silke and Velvet doe walke in the streetes with the retinue of noble men so drive farre off the contempte of the ministery Where canst thou see after the Pope expelled a Church
he reproveth also Kings for their sakes saying touch not myne annointed and doe my Prophets noe harme Psalm 105.14.15 For the Lord shall roare out of Zion and his voyce out of Ierusalem Amos 1.2 Why thē is not the world wise at last when it seeth that this is the fountaine of all evills because it doth entreate so contemptuously and unworthyly the Church And the lightnings and terrible thunders doe signify punishments and not to be avoided by any meanes as which doe fall violently upō men from heaven But to what ende are voyces added Surely voices doe note out often times the craking of thunders as Exod. 19.16 And there were voices and lightnings and a thicke cloude upon the mount and the voyce of a trumpet very lowde So in chap. 20.18 And all the people did perceive the voyces and the voice of a trumpet But seeing in this place there is expresse mention of thunders the voices are referred to some other thinge namely to the sounde of the trumpet For he doth allude unto that fearfull sound of the trumpet in giving of the lawe wherby the Israelites were summoned to appeare at the Tribunall seat and iudgement The sounde whereof when it continued and waxed very stronge Moses sayd I doe feare and quake Exod. 19.19 Heb. 12.21 For the expectation of iudgement did more abash and trouble their minde then the present horrour of some terrible spectacle the feare of which the minde can susteine in some sorte unlesse it be troubled with the conscience of sinne when it shall be cast downe with the feeling of this it quaketh at every shewe of evill as if torments were prepared and by and by to be undergone The voices then here are some strange things betokening some evill to come or stinges of conscience with which the mindes are allwayes tormented with expectation of some more grievous thing to come This feare shal be as a torture to the wicked tearing and vexing with greater torment of minde then any present though grievous calamity Such then are the weapons which are layd up in this armory which in deede are drawne out and brought forth in a readines for taking of vengeance even as the use either of the whole Church or the necessity of any of the saints privatly doth require Wherfore there is no caufe why they should feare the wicked world for whose defense so grievous punishments are prepared ¶ And seaven lampes of fyre After the grace of protection are declared the giftes of sanctification of which the inward are signifyed by the seaven burning lampes after the account of the seaven spirits which are before the throne chap. 1.4 For by the flame of these those lampes doe burne with that difference onely wherby the river differreth from the fountayne The which thinge the lampes doe signify vessels of a certen and limitted measure whereas the Spirit himselfe is unmeasurable and cannot be included in any straight vessels For which cause he was before most free not limited by any addition of any measurable quantity where mention was made of him as of the third person of equall glory and maiesty with the Father and the Sonne chap. 1.4 And these lampes are called the seven spirits of God both because they are gifts that flowe from the Spirit and also there is a most straite ioyning togither of the effect with his cause For they be most sweete fruites which the Spirit created in the hearts of the saincts in giving them faith hope charity peace ioye praye and the other things with which the elect are sanctifyed They are likened to lampes of fyre according to the custome of the lightes in the Temple which were to be lighted every day of Aaron and his sonnes Exod. 27.20 For the Spirit will have them to be kindled in the hartes of the elect by the labour of the Ministers through the worde and sacraments and not to be expected contrary to the order delivered to us of himselfe There is the number of seaven because of the manifold varietie of giftes wherewith he adorneth the faithfull as every where that number is used to note an infinite number Last of all these giftes are compared to fyre for the lampes are of fyre burning before the throne because they inlighten the minde burne up the stubble of the inbread corruption and kindle a desyre of all godlines which Iohn calleth the Babptisme of fyre Mat. 3.11 And howe great confort ariseth from thence that the name of the Spirit himselfe is attributed to those giftes Which are saith he the seaven Spirits of God From which the faithfull may understand that that force which they feele in their hearts raysed up of God is a most sure pledge of God dwelling in them Such then are the inward giftes of which the Church shall never be destitute but some congregation of the Godly shal be remayning alwayes in which those seaven lampes shall burne 6 There was also before the Throne a Sea of glasse The first outward gift which serveth for those inward as the instrumentall cause is the Sea of glasse which seemeth to be some very great vessell and huge lake after the likenes once of the Sea in the Temple of which 1 King 7 23. Likewise he made a molten Sea This Sea is to be understood of such a vessell For howe can that which is before the Throne compassed with a company of Elders standing rounde aboute be spred abroad on every side like the sea properly so called The circuite in deede of the Elders may extende so farre as the compasse of the earth yet it behoveth us to remember that the thinge was shewed to Iohn in a type that wee should not thinke of any such unmeasurable space Both the name and the largenesse of the vessell doe shewe the fulnes of all giftes which the Church doth drawe from Christ unto her salvation who received the Spirit without measure and from whose infinite riches it is bestowed upō us Iohn chap. first ver 16. For to what ende otherwise was there so bigge a vessell at which Aaron and his sonnes should wash their handes and their feete For cleansing whereof some small pitcher or cruse would had sufficed And in deede this Sea sheweth very fitly a certen resemblance of the whole outward worship which is to be performed to God The doctrine often time is compared unto waters Hoe saith Isaiah whosoever thirsteth come yee to those waters For the carrying away of which he commendeth no other buckets to be brought then the eares Jnclyne your eare saith he chap. 55.1.3 From whence the Ministers are called waterers 1 Cor. 3.6 Baptisme also is signifyed by the Sea through which the Fathers passed and were all baptised unto Moses in the cloude and in the Sea 1 Cor. 10.1.2 Furthermore the water noteth the spirituall drinke of the holy Supper And all sayth he dranke the same spirituall drinke ver 4. By the same also prayers are signifyed as the Israelites being
times was as concerning vittailes And although the untēperatnes of the Heaven had not ben there was calamity enough from the continuall warres to spende up all the store seeing it must needes be that the fieldes and country were forsaken the tillage of the earth was neglected that the cattel were not regarded the corne layed up was burnt with fire and that all succour of life was destroyed From whence the sword hath Famine ioined with it as an unseparable companion The third weapon of death was the Pestilence then which noe mā will say easily I thinke whether at any time there hath ben any more sharpe and grievous either for continuance of time or for multitude of those that perished It arose first under Gallus Volusianus beginning at Aethiopia it was spread almost through all the East and Weast it made many cityes wholy empty of cityzens and continued whole 15. yeeres as Zonaras in Gallo and Dionysius of Alexandria in an Epistle to the brethren doe describe lamentably the cruell fiercenesse of it and togither also maketh mention of the former calamityes giving a most cleare testimony of the fulfilling of this Prophecy in those times After the persecution which he spake of a little before there followed both warres and famine which wee endured togither with the Gentiles bearing alone the thinges wherewith they oppressed us yet even alike partakers of those thinges which both they brought upon them selves and suffered and againe wee reioyced in the peace of Christ which he gave to us alone But when both wee and they had ben cased a very short time that pestilence entered a thing more terrible to them then any terrour and more lamentable then any calamity and as one of their owne History-writers sayd which alone exceeded the hope of all men yet not such to us but an exercise and tryall inferiour to none of the rest for it absteined not in deede frō us but it came on with farre more violence against them These thinges hath he in Euseb Hist booke 7.22 Cyprian from this sorrowfull and unwonted evill tooke the argumēt of his booke touching mortality As for the Beasts if they be taken properly I remember not that I have read any notable dāmage and hurt done of them at this time although it is noe light coniecture that they did much harme in the Easterne and Southerne countryes In some ages coming after when also the famine and pestilence became worse and worse men were afraid of the dogges least being accustomed to eate their carkases cast forth abroade afterward they should desyre thē alive for meate whereupon they set themselves to kill the dogges Euseb booke 9.8 neither could it be but when foode fayled in the fieldes and men were lesse able to defend themselves that many were devoured of the Beasts But if wee referre them to cruell men and tyrants in noe mans remembrāce at any time were there so great troupes of Beasts in every place spoiling and renting men in pieces For when Gallienus was Emperour who after Valerian was taken reigned alone so many tyrants arose who tooke to themselves the name of Emperour as there were not so many since Cesar was Dictator to that time in so long a row and continued ranke of EMPEROVRS Thirty are recorded by Trebellius who at one time in divers coūtryes invaded the Empire in which also certeine women scoffed at the name of Romane How great a dismembring of men must there needes be whē so many Beasts strove at once about the Empire Such then are the three Seales every one notable for their scourges the two former for their speciall the last for all these kindes of punishements wherewith the world was to be punished for despising and vexing the trueth For when the milder correction prevailed nothing with their stubburne hartes almost all the hostes of death are sent in upon them even as also the event hath most fully approved Neither yet are these evills so proper to this one age that they can agree to noe other but they are the common punishements of the contemners of godlines Lev. 26. Ezech. 6.11 c. And afterward after these times of Gallienus one may see the Famine and Pestilence did consume all whē Maximinus raigned in the East Euseb booke 9. 8. But there is so solemne a Prophecy of them in this place both because the next times after Iohn should be famous for these punishements which men should procure to themselves for despising the Ghospell and also because they should be faithfull hostages pledges and seales of the future events that were to be expected many ages after 9 And when he had opened the fift Seale I sawe under the Altar the soules c. Of the fifte seale there is noe Beast by whose voice Iohn is invited to see And that not without cause but because this secret should passe over men being not stirred up by any publike solemne crie to observe the event as was done in the former neither certenly doth the History reporte that any man performed any such labour in which respect such an office might be attributed unto him worthily Furthermore this Seale consisted partly in rehearsing thinges past partly in reporting an evēt of that kinde which is wont to glaunce by without perceaving especially seeing our natures ar so disposed that adversities doe abyde more surely in our mindes then prosperityes Wherefore seeing the Seales are made like unto the events it is no mervayle that noe type is set forth here to which noe event should be answerable ¶ J sawe under the altar the soules The fifte type is the soules of the Martyrs lying under the altar in this verse requiring vengeance against their enemies ver 10 receaving answere ver 11. Which three members doe respect three times to wit the time past present and to come The soules lying under the altar declare most finely from the consequent what wente before that is to say in what cōditiō the Church was during those former seales and with howe great cruelty of men she contended Wee have heard in deede the trueth overcoming wee have learned also that warre famine and pestilence with their cōpanions possessed and spoiled all thinges but there was noe mention yet in what state the true worshippers of Christ were in the meane time allthough from the victory of the trueth their conflict may be gessed frō those calamities anoying the world that great wronge was done to the godly for which cause the enemies were so sharpely punished But the thinge is made manifest nowe by this complainte of the Martyrs killed that is to say that an infinite quantity of blood was shed of men that worshipped the Sonne of God frō that time in which John wrote unto the ende of the raigne of Galienus whither the former seales have brought us And what place is there that have not heard of these horrible massacres all this space of time Tratan Hadrian Antonin Ver Maximin Severe Decie the rest
the Iewes shal be converted And other places seeme to confirme that their first calling shal be about the fiftieth yeere above one thousand sixe hundreth But how much Rome preventeth that time it is uncertain it is like but a very litle considering that the choosing of a new people followeth it at the heeles We have seen how farr the vials have proceeded The next is now to be powred out on the Sunne which is shortly to be expected by the heate wherof after Rome hath bin very hot a short space shee shall approch the flamme of fyre by the fift vial which shal burn her altogither then the throne shal be destroyed and this gratulation prepared for the godly Doest thou then ô Rome keepe now a yeere of Iubilé when thy funerall rather were to be provided for In very deed within the space of one Iubilé that is about fifty yeres hence thou shalt keepe Iubilé in truth not so much thy selfe by reioycing as by giving occasiō of exceeding great ioy to al the saincts by thy destruction Doest thou then with Balthassar abandon thy selfe to eatings and drinkings Cyrus compassing abou thy walls and being already entred into the chanell of Euphrates which is turned aside I know that the admonition of an Heretique as thou will have mee to be with thee is of no force but consider diligently the man or the thing it self if hatred wil suffer thee least peradventure whom thou countest an Heretique thou finde him too late a true Prophet yet if thou despise my voyce let the holy remnant here if any lie hid in thee Awake yee elect come yee out make hast to flee away yee have lyen too long in the bedds of Sodome a showre of brimstone will fall by and by unlesse yee depart quickly you cannot be safe Obey the Spirit who would have you to be warned by this sacred Revelation Why doo yee hange upon this purpled company whose eyes God hath blinded by his iust iudgmēt If my admonition shal have place with you yee shal refresh greatly the mindes of the brethren but the fruit shal be your owne to weet the salvation both of soules and bodyes 5 Then a voice came out from the throne Hitherto the fift vial now the sixt is handled For this exhortation belongeth to new praises not to the destruction of Babylon For to what end should ther be a commaundemēt againe touching this thing and a new triumph Therfore now it is declared how the waters of Euphrates shal be dryed up This folowed next the overthrow of the throne chap. 16.12 Because the great river shal be turned into drie ground from hence we learne that nothing should be a let to the guests or rather to the new bride as is plainly confirmed in verse 7. ¶ Because the marriage of the Lambe is come Which surely was the reason why wee hav interpreted that sixt vial cōcerning the calling of the Iewes First therfore the efficient cause of this calling is set forth a voice coming forth from the throne Which yet is not of the Father himselfe but of the Sonne as it is cleare from that which followeth praise yee our God It came out of the throne because the Sonne shal effect this wonderfull thing rather by his own power than by any aide of man He shal take to himself alone the duties of this thing and shal performe all wholly by himselfe VVhich way also otherweise should the Easterne Iewes beyōd Euphrates first embrace the faith which are furthest off from hearing of the Gospel Yet no sound thundring from heaven is to be expected but this voice is the efficacy of the Spirit whom God now shall send into the harts of his people that being turned to him with all their harts they may acknowledge praise and celebrate the one onely true God his Sonne Iesus and the H. Ghost Now God powreth upon the house of David and upon the inhabitans of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace and of prayer Zach. 12.10 Now he wil build the Virgin of Israel and shal adorne her selfe with her timbrels and shal goe before in the dance of them that praise now he shal say reioyce with gladnesse for Iacob showt for ioy openly before the very Gentils publish prayse and say save o Lord thy peo-people the remnant of Israel Iere. 31.4.7 But it is to be observed how this calling is ioyned togither with the destruction of Rome It is severed frō it by no other transition but as rising from thence forthwith from her fall becometh cleare to the world The Temple was full of smoke that no man could enter in untill God had satisfyed his anger upon the whore but after he hath punished her according to her deserts then as it were with a quiet minde he shal cōvert himselfe wholly to accomplish the salvation of all his elect and to receiv againe his people sent away from him by so longue a banishment VVherfore if we have kept a true account of this calling we shall not wander much from the last destruction of Rome ¶ Praise yee our God No man cā praise God but he that knoweth him neither al generally but the whole multitude of the elect on earth endued with the knowledge of God may consent to praise him Therfore this provocation declareth that calling and the same general when as al are bidden to praise both universally and particularly as well the smal of the Iewes who because of their new comming to the faith might seeme at that time to have bin scarce borne as also the great of the Gentils who being more growen in Christ have obtained a ful maturity by a long profession who shal praise God for their brethrens conversion when they shal see that which hath not bin told them and shal understand that which they hav not heard Isay 52.14 But the Iewes themselves then with ioyful glad minds shal heare that favour at length is shewed them that their eyes are opened for to know the truth that they are reduced againe built multiplyed stablished more then before time so as they shal satisfy themselves with no praises Then faith Ieremy shal proceed out of them voice of thankes giving and the voice of them that laugh then shal the virgin reioice in the dance the yong men and old men togither chap. 30 19. and 31.13 and many the like things perteining to the ioyfulnes of that most pleasant time 6 And I heard as it were a sound The voice of a new people converted to Christ and praising God for this unexpected bounteousnes This is an exceeding great voice by reason of the multitude of the people then also making a noise in the beginning by obscure reports and more easy to be understood what it meaneth then the noise of waters roaring confusedly which yet notwithstanding a while after shal be terrible and apaling like thunder It may be doubtful whither this be the voice of the Gentiles as it were the friends of the
bridegroome or of the Iewes thēselves who embrace the calling The Gentiles had learned before to found Hallelujah And now he biddeth them speake to their brethren and to stirre up them by a new shoute Also the next verse folowing declareth the exultatiō of friends reioycing in their behalfe But this terrible voice as it were of waters and thunders seemeth to belong to the Iewes Yet neverthelesse it may be the ioint voice of both peoples Whose soever it is either of the one or of both we understand from hence an effectual calling But the voice calleth them to praise God because now he hath obtained his kingdome Christ hath alwaies ruled but the glory of his Kingdome shal then flourish most clearly which in former times partly the infidelity of the Iewes partly the tyranny of the Dragō and Beast did much obscure Now a stone hewen out of the mountaine without hands shal reigne which Kingdome shal not be destroied for ever neither be lest to an other people Dan. 2.44 He maketh mention of Gods omnipotency in getting this Kingdome wherby in very truth he declared himselfe most mighty in destroying the enemies who with al their strength wil resist this Kingdome when it beginneth 7 Let us be glad and reioyce So the freinds of the bridegroome seeme to provoke one an other to joy Let us say they adorne ourselves most gorgeously as it is wont to be done in triumphs and festival dayes and common reioycing And it is a thing indeed very greatly to be triumphed for to understand that brethren divided from us by so lamentable a divorce so many ages are now at length chosen into the same body of Christ with us Of which ioy the Prophets spake many excellent things ¶ Because the marriage is come For as the former comming was called gamos a marriage Mat. 22.2 wherby Christ ioyned to himselfe the Gentils and took them into the marriage bed so likeweise much more shal be the time of marriage when he shal draw the Iewes whom first he woed to his love and company from whence it is not without cause that in the same place it is said he made marriages for his Sonne not one but moe the former at his first comming the second at this calling of the Iewes Which is more evident in the Greeke where gamos marriage is used in the singular number The Latines call every particular marriage nuptias marriages in the plural number ¶ And his wife hath made her selfe ready Both sisters as wel the Gentils as the Iewes make one wife being married to the same bridegroome as once Leah and Rachell to Iacob Leah indeede more deformed to weet wee Gentils have entred first into the company of the bedde and became also farre more fruitfull but the chosen and faire Rachell the people of the Iewes shal at length also be brought into the bed chamber and shall become a mother of most sweet children 8 And to her was graunted To weet the new bride which of late was altogither void of this apparell The Church of the Gentiles was most glorious in her first beginning A crowne of twelve starrs adorned her head all the residue of her was clothed with the Sunne chap. 12.1 Therfore this fine linnen is not provided for her but to that other which before time lay ilfavoured foule naked not covered so much as with ragges these fine linnen garments are given wherby shee may hide her deformed nakednesse And this fine linnen is Jesus Christ made ours for righteousnes and salvation by imputation which garment the Iewes wanted while refusing Christ and his righteousnes they went about to establish their owne righteousnes but at length being graffed in by faith they shall renounce their former hope shal embrace this salvation clad with this glorious garment onely ¶ That shee should be arrayed with pure fine linnen and shining He saith not fine linnen was given unto her but to her was granted that shee should be arrayed with fine linnen c. This is the difference because in that former is signifyed that fine linnen is given immediately in this mediately by faith This fine linnen is pure and shining pure in respect of iustification because it presenteth us unblameable and without fault free from all spotte blemish shining in respect of glory both with God who because of this purity in his Sonne maketh us heires of his eternal Kingdome and also with men to whom it manifesteth our adoption by her most shining fruits which the Spirit working togither with us maketh manifest unto them ¶ For the fine linnen is the righteousnesses of the Saincts Behold how distinctly and plaiynly the Spirit speaketh for he saith not that the righteousnesses of the Saincts are fine linnen but contrariweise that the fine linnen is the righteousnesses neither of the wicked as when a man is first converted to God but of the Saincts that is the wholle iustification yee even of those whose piety doth most of all shew it selfe commeth not from themselves and from things ingraffed but abideth without in the outward garment to weet of Christ whom we put on by faith onely A most plaine scripture which ô yee Papists consider diligently that your blasphemous pride being at length reiected yee may seeke true salvation from thence from whence alone it may be obtained Doo yee thrust upon God the merits of the Saincts Away with those polluted garments the fine linnen given is our iustifications the clothing is not made of our vertues wherby wee may be able to stand before God No similitude dooth set more clearly befor our eyes the imputation of righteousnes by faith then this garment used so often in the Scriptures But why wilt thou say doth he say iustifications rather then iustification not to destroy the onely righteousnes of faith but seing dikaioma iustification is a proofe wherby a man sheweth himselfe to be iust as chap. 15.4 And there is a double argument to this purpose one before God by faith in which respect Christ is the white fine linnen of the Saincts chap. 7.13.14 Another before men by the works of sanctification in regard of this double argument the Spirit saith iustifications that he may containe in one word that which even now he declared by two pure and shining For the works of holines if they be taken asunder ar not pure or if faith be considered by it selfe it is not shining For it lyeth hiddē within farre from the eies of men Neither of both therfore apart can be called iustifications both are to be ioyned togither to expresse the force of the multitude And to whom this fine linnen is given both are found in them 9 Then he said unto me write Who said Not he that sate upō the throne For the Elders worshipped him ver 4. This it was not lawful being the felow servant of Iohn Therfore it is some Angel to whom were committed the charge of sealing this Prophecy First therfore he biddeth him write by