the shadow of that olde thing the trueth whereof had bin in former times VVhich cunning wee called before the fained name of Antiquity above in the 12. verse From whence also it may be manifest that the first Beast was not the Emperours but onely the Pope For it had ben an uniust and impudent request if the Pope had chalenged openly to himselfe the honour of the Emperours but he requireth nothing but that which was proper to the former Popes who would not thinke that he ought to condescende to so reasonable a demande Furthermore this image declareth what manner of honour he desireth to obtaine among his worshippers to wit such as the Idolaters doe give to their Images for he will sit in the hearts and consciences of men as an Jdoll as it appeareth manifestly from the adoration and admiration whereof wee spake before He desireth him selfe to be esteemed God but the Spirit calleth him by a true name a false God and an Image The Spirit acknowledgeth not that foolish difference betweene Image Jdoll which of late the Idolaters have forged But is it not more cleare then the light that superstitious men have exalted these latter Popes to be certen divine maiesties and not simply unto the former glory of the auncient Popes which seemed to have bin utterly abolished by the warres of the Gothes and their dominion in Italy Doe not the same men worship this newe framed Image as an Idoll See those thinges which wee have spoken at the 6. and 9. verses VVhereunto many other might be added unlesse it were needlesse in a matter apparaÌ„t inough to the whole world 15 And it was given unto him to give a spirit to the Image After that men began to worship the revived Beast an image of the former as it were an Idoll to the ende that this who is his crafts maister might the more bewitch the people he should endue the Image with a vitall faculty He alludeth to the Devillish arts of the Idolaters wherby they effected that the Idols should utter oracles with distinct voices that they might wrap the mindes of men in greater superstition So the Pope having once gotten with men the honour of a divine power played no longer the part of a dumbe person but forthwith began to speake bid forbid set up plucke downe to blesse to curse to bragge openly by mee Kings doe reigne as Hadrian in his Epistle to the Archbishop of Trevir Mogent Coloniens Whence hath the Emperour his Empire but from us therefore he raigneth by us Againe that That which the Emperour hath he hath wholly from us And also Beholde in our power is the Empire to give it to whom wee will being therefore appointed of God over nations and Kingdomes that wee should destroy and plucke up builde and plante A terrible voice of the Image and surely farre more terrible then of the olde Beast whose Image he is which never durst mutter any such thinge No marvaile though the Canonists quaking at this voice doe freely professe that in these thinges which the Pope will his will is to him for a reason that yet it may not be sayd why dost thou so At chap. quanto of the translat of the Biâ—hop And this is the third miracle farre more wonderfull indeede theÌ„ if some image or picture should utter a lowde voice for this is noe newe thing both renowmed from those heathen oracles much spoken of also being the accustomed play of the Magitians but that this image of the Papists should thunder with so terrible a voice it was a thing which the world for good cause should be astonied at In this wise therefore wee see this Pope a miracle worker famous for these three sortes of miracles by the which even the Papists themselves graunte that Antichrist should be notably knowne ¶ And should cause that as many as will not worship the image Now unto his fraude he joyneth violence for whom he cannot bring by miracles to worship him he compelleth by punishements But who is he that should cause that as many as will not worship the image of the Beast should be killed Doubtlesse the Image For there is the same nominative case of both the verbes should speake should cause If the Greeke be translated word for word they are more plaine then as they are expressed commonly in latine and it was granted to him to give a Spirit to the image of the Beast that both the Image of the Beast should speake and should cause that as many as would not worship c. From which it is manifestly apparant the image is the supposite of the verbe should cause By which argument wee have proved before that these thinges are not to be understood of any image made with hande which to be of so great power is a thing uncredible but of a lively image which before wee said spake terribly who would put to death any which should refuse to acknowledge his Godhead Neither is any ignorant how great butcheries were made through the whole world of Christians because men were not obedient to this Image The Emperours themselves being squamish in this matter sufferred punishement for refusing this adoration by the losse of their dignity yea of their life What shall wee thinke came to the other multitude It would be an infinite thing to recken up and the matter is knowen well inough Montanus and Plantine read and doth cause against the trueth of all other bookes 16 And he maketh all small c. The other punishement is of goods in which they are punished who will not receive the marke And this marke briefly comprehendeth all that way wherby any is kept in subiection to the Beast in any sorte And it is to be observed how the Beast requireth that his vassals should be tyed to him by a stronger bande theÌ„ God those of his houshold to him A Seale was sufficient for him to touch the toppe of the skinne with some light signe But the Beast will have his marke to sinke in more deeply whereupon he useth a Character to be engraveÌ„ on the very flesh according to that affection wherby he is wont more earnestly to urge obedience to man then to God In this verse therefore he declareth to whom it doth belong to take upon them the marke also in what parte They are all sortes of men as sheweth both the note of generalitie and also the distribution of the same For he passâ—th over none how contemptible soever and abiect whom he hath not bound to him in some manner Wisely indeede seeing small sparkles doe kindle a great fire Cities are taken in that part very often which was in least feare and eveÌ„ the underminings being neglected doe overthrow the strongest and highest walles Are not the Princes constrained to follow the multitude Therefore very warily he thought that regard was to be had of small men poore and bond Which so vigilant and exquisite carefulnes doth the more set forth
he borrowed out of Strabo in whoÌ„ are many things touching this stone in his 16. book Some from hence coniecture that it tooke the name from the Hebrew word Pazaz as though at the first it had bin to Paz or in greek to Pazion and at length by the ignorance of the printers to have grown togither and made one word topazion The Chrysoprâ—sus also as the name sheweth doth resemble a certaine kind of Gold but as it were be smeared with the iuice of leekes The eleventh twelfth foundation is the Iacynth Amethyst both of a purple colour but the first shining more brightly the second of a a more wanne and weake colour as Dionysius sheweth and the sweet Amethyst shining as asaied purple India and Aethiopia doo afford these two Therfore these last sixe belong to the East and South Our West part as it seemeth shal minister citizeÌ„s even as other countreys but shal give few or no Iewels for the building up of the wall It may be that God wil so set forth his power the more in raising up teachers from those places which are most repugnant to his truth The foure last gemmes are like gold and purple which colours are of a very great price and dignity which the Spirit seemeth to have put in the last places for a certain purpose and that by a course twice doubled as though he would teach by the same thing that those teachers shal never be loathed but shal alwayes flourish in very great authority At the first the truth is wont to be acceptable and the ministers of it are iudged worthy of al honour but in time the good wil of men waxeth cold theÌ„ the authority of the teachers decayeth after that men beginne to be full But here no such thing shal come to passe The end shal be answerable to the beginning The dispensers of the word shal be no lesse honourable after the truth through many ages hath waxed olde then when at the first it began And for this cause I thick was so great a plenty of golden and purple colour put to the last place I know that other doo seek out an agreement of other properties in these stones but seeing authours varie greatly about this what is the proper force of every one neither is the thing as yet sufficiently cleared I had rather follow things that are plain and of a known signification and also the congruency of the Prophecy then loose my labour in doubtful things So therfore that which Daniell hath comprehendeth briefly in one word they that instruct shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that iustify many shall be as the starres for ever and ever chap. 12.3 the same we have here declared peculiarly and more at large by sundry kindes of Iewels 21 And the twelve gates are Hitherto hath bin the matter of the walls The gates are made of pearles which signify Christ who is the way doore to life if any shall enter in by him he shall be saved and he shall goe in and out and finde pasture Iohn 10.9 But how notably doo the pearles represente the Sonne of God conceived in the wombe of the virgin which are not bred of any earthly copulation but ingeÌ„dred of a celestial dew as of a husbaÌ„d For they report that the shell fishes at a certain time of the yeere with a certain gaping after that they have drunke up a dewing from heaven doo conceive and become great with yong and the more that they have bin tossed with great tempests after the dew received the more noble fruit doo they bring forth so the Holy Ghost came upoÌ„ Mary and the power of the most high overshadowed her and Christ scarce brought forth into the light was sought for to be put to death and by an horrible storme was driven into Aegypt After the same manner the first entrance into this city shal be very laborious but of so much the more aboundant praise account after they have entred There are twelve gates but every one of one pearle because there is but one Christ and but one onely name given under heaven by which we must be saved Act. 4.12 ¶ And the street of the city was pure golde In the last place he addeth the matter of the city which before he said was golde but there he made meÌ„tion of the whole city in general here in special of the streets These are the publik wayes wherin the citizens doo meete if one have ought to doo with an other Even as therfore the wayes of man are the actions in which man is occupied so the streetes of the city are those publike offices of life and buyings and sellings in which the citizens doo take paines The Spirit saith that al these things shal be holy pure cleane pretious For the place of assembling where these businesses are handled is pure gold and shining through as before ver 18. How holy and unblameable shal this city be where the common life then which nothing is wont to be more foule and polluted shal be free from al filth of wickednes Righteousnes now as a river shall run through the streetes and godlinesse shal shine in all affaires 22 Neither saw I any Temple in her Hitherto we have seen the inward essential glory of the city as farre as is given us who doo not behold froÌ„ a hie mountaine but a farre off from a low and pressed down valley wher hilles and trees doo much hinder our eyes that we caÌ„not yet see the thing cleerly Yet it delighteth mee as once Daniell to opeÌ„ his window twards Hierusalem so to looke from farr off into this holy city whose cloudie and blackish toppes to behold a farr off it much recreateth my soule Now the Spirit teacheth how great dignity shall come from things outward First God the Father and the Lambe his Sonne in stead of a Temple that is then shal the worship be most simple and most pure darkened with no legal ceremonies which once God ordained until the time of reformation much lesse with any humane inventions but such as shal exhibit Gods presence most simply and familiarly How then doth this agree with Ezechiel who in eight whole chapters from the fourtieth to the end of the Prophecy speaking of this very time describeth so exactly the temple the city and whole legal worship Very wel for that whole description tendeth to that ende not to teach that the old ceremonies are to be restored but that at lenght they being wholly abolished Christ shal be worshipped most purely and exactly according to his owne ordinances alone For what other thing mean the new measurings of the walles gates porches and the whole building the new distribution of the holy land and the new portions given to the tribes Priests Levites Prince then an abrogation of Moses and al the legal ceremonies But that time was not otherweise capable of any spiritual worship then under those shadowes Iohn speaketh
that that of his infinite divine maiesty is chiefly to be contemplated with the minde which may be most availeable for the present matter But that they should not thinke that they must alway ly in this base estate he adioineth another title Who was saith he dead but is alive as though he should say although I was in the beginning the first after the last yet I abode not any long time in this most base estate but death being overcom within the space of three dayes I obteined my former dignity in which I now live for ever These thinges then declare the notable chāge that came to passe at Smyrna and no lesse in his Antitype Where the first truth which by the space of three hundred yeares was established by so much blood be came at length to be hated of the Christians themselves and the last fortune stayed together with his professours which Christ as he himselfe rose from the dead should raise againe from the dust and place it in the former degree of dignity Why then should they be discouraged whom their Captaine hath gone before in the same steppes Or wherfore should they feare afflictions whose issue is so ioifull and confortable 9 J knowe thy workes and affliction The narration of the condition which he saith is knowen of him as in the rest least peradventure they should suppose that their miseries are not regarded of him because of his so long sufferrance The state of this Church was afflicted as at the present time in this verse so afterward to be expected in the next Wherto the Antitype agreeth altogether For after the first age driven away by and by a lamentable strife arose when Constantine succeeded The persecutions of open enemies ceased but the strifes and contentions of the citizens forthwith waxed very hote And not onely of the whole Church in generall but also of this city Theodosius Iunior boyling with envie against one Cyrus whō he saw to be very gratious with the people sendeth to Smyrna under a colour to make him Bishop of this city but with a determinate purpose that he should be killed For the Smyrneans had killed long a goe 4 of their Bishops which barbarous cruelty sheweth howe grievously this Angell was afflicted Epitome chr set out with Euseb chr by the famous Ioseph Scaliger pag. 293. But if we shall enlarge this Smyrna a little unto those contentions of the citiezens of which I spake by and by came Arius who kindled that fire wherby all thinges as well divine as humane were enflāmed The Bishops studied noe other thing then that one might spoile another of their seates and dignities Eustatius Antiochus was banished with a great company of Elders and Deacons Athan. in his Epistle to them that lead a solitary life Athanasius him selfe the onely defender almost of the truth was not onely assailed but also oppressed with all kinde of false accusations neither did they cease from their wicked assalting him before that he was banished to Treveres in France Those were sorowfull times when the Emperour in the meane time not minding sufficiently the drifts of the Bishops did not knowe the true originall of those sturres ¶ And thy poverty That is houw thou art moked and contemned as a beggar but be thou despised mor thē any Jrus of those hypocrits thou art rich in mine account that thou maiest regard the lesse the wicked scoffing of those men And that we may let passe the Smyrneans the matter is cleare in the Antitype How few were there of the Orthodoxe that durst professe the truth How superstitiously were those fewe suppressed of the enemyes Certenly the Saints were constrained to runne hither and thither that they might crave aide against the tyranny They also being turned out of their goods could not maitaine their life but by the liberality of others Athanasius alone may be in stead of many exemples from whose often perils flight hidden places no hope to escape any may easily see how the faithfull could prevaile nothing with their riches to repell the iniuries of their enemyes The Smyrnean Angell was then poore in deede if we measure riches by humane defence ¶ But thou art rich Not naked and forsaken as men thinke but by mee and in my account abounding in all riches Which things also are together for to shew what defence and estimation Christ could prepare for his even in spite of the world Authority did increase together with afflictiō as we knowe it came to passe concerning Athanasius who being vexed with all maner of contumelies in the East was in the west in great estimation Constantin the sonne Constans the brother Iulius Roman The Bishop of Treveres who gave him entertainement most kindly and liberally the space of two yeares did reverence him according as he was wortthy Moreover also Constantin the great himselfe having perceaved the calumnies of his adversaries did honore his innocency and vertu and determined to bring him againe from banishement ¶ And the blasphemy of those c. Hitherto the kinde of the present calamity now he sheweth the authors arrogating to themselves that which in no wise was fitting them But is it blasphemy for a Iew to professe him selfe to be a Iewe A Jew is taken figuratively for one people of God which alone among all men knew the right way of worshipping him as though he should say They that boast that they worship God after the ancient rule of the law in which maner their ancestors once worshipped and all men ought allwaies to worship This was blasphemy the retaining of the worship abolished and the thrusting upon God the ancient ceremonies by which the glory of his sonne sent at length into the world shoud be overwhelmed For which cause although they were Iewes by stocke they lyed in affirming that they were Jewes being so farre from that holy people that in very truth they made a Synagogue of Sathan And it is knowne with what bitter mindes they persecuted Christians in all places as we see in Paul Barnabas at Antioche Pisidia Jconium Lystra and in other places Act. 13.50 and 14.2.5.19 Which they did also at Smyrna about these times as we learne from this place Vnder Constantin these Iewes wer Arian Bishops namely Eusebius Nicodemiensis Theognis of Chalcedon Maris Patrophilus Vrsatius Valens and the rest of this sorte men in deede not Ethnikes nor woly void of all knowledge of God as neither were the Iewes but bearing the name of Christians such as were standart bearers in this warre Who notwithstanding did holde their errors with thooth naile no lesse then that stubburne nation of the Iewes striving to establish their Decrees onely to vexe by all meanes such as were contrary minded to boast that they alone had the true faith to condemne all the rest of ungodlines and blasphemy But whatsoever boastings that wicked company made as though God dwelt in their congregations onely they gathered Churches not to God but to the
the first period is to be set at that time from whence wee shall see every ech thing which followeth to flowe with a ready course stopped and stayed with noe uneven places The event in the unfolding will shewe what is the limite of every Periode These things being thus established let us returne unto the declaration of the wordes afterward wee shall see the thing it selfe and coherence thereof The first preparation is of the Lambe opening the first seale For he is the word of the Father who doth minister unto us whatsoever understanding wee have of Gods will And the events are called Seales both because they containe a mystery most hidden from the understanding of the prophane multitude Isay 8.16 and also because these first experimeÌ„ts should be pledges of future thinges Not that wee should undersâ—aÌ„d these to be bare forshewings of things and empty promises who doe onely denounce the troubles in word the execution whereof is coÌ„manded in some other place in this booke for that is no where to be founde but that they are signes of that kinde which bring togither with them their eâ—ecution and doe give a firme pledge of future things He openeth the sealeâ— in order one after another and not all togither with one labour both because the manner of the thinges to be donâ— did so require that also the whole Prophecy was not to be uttered at once but to be drawen 〈◊〉 peece-meale as it wâ—re for abâ—â—â—ty of a dâ—yly pâ—ttance The second pâ—â—pâ—â—tion is of one of the foure Beastâ— calling Iohn to come and see And this one Beast is the first to wit a Lion Chap. 4. â— But the â—â—â—stâ— are Goâ—â—â—â—â— of the Churches as hath ben observed in the foresaid plâ—ce â—hoâ—e laboâ—â— Gâ—d useth to instruct others These call men to see and obsâ—â—â—e â—ot onâ—ly bâ—caâ—se it is their office to forewarne the Chuâ—ch of thâ—â—â— that â—re to â—oâ—e to passe whether good or bad but especially â—ee◠〈…〉 thingeâ— next to come should be notable through their faithfulnes diâ—â—â—â—nce in this â—â—â—ter But the Lion speaketh first because they wâ—ich firâ—t â—hâ—â— begâ—â—ne the coÌ„bate should have like courage successe noâ— lesse prâ—vâ—iliâ—g in thâ—â— tâ—ey goe about then Lions making their pray The voice is â—n it 〈…〉 â—â—der penetring very farre that it might be heard of many Câ—â—â— saith he see speaking to Iohn representing nowe the person of the faithfull who likewise should be stirred up by the voice of the ministers to observe thâ—se wonderfull events which thing also is common to the three sâ—â—es following that being once spoken here it may be understood in the rest 2 J behelde therefore and loe a white horse The first type is a white horse and the sitter on him with a bowe and a crowne As touching the horse he is a warlike and swift beast to which worthily God compareth his actions both here in other places because with great courage swiftnes they will breake through whatsoever men shall make against Zach. 6. The white colour is ioifull proper to some famous solemnity as in the triumphe of Diocletian and Maximian After saith Pomponius Letus the chariot of the triumphers of golde and pretious stones which foure horses drewe comparable in whitnesse with the snowe But a rider is attributed to this and the rest that wee may knowe that they wander not up and downe rashly at their pleasure but are ruled and governed by the raines of Gods Providence And it may easily be gessed what manner of sitter it is from the analogie of the 8. verse For there he is noted by name that sitteth on the pale horse whose name seeing it is death his name may be life or trueth that hath so noble and pleasant a forme But whereas he is furnished with a bowe and crowne and went forth conquering that he might overcome by the same thinges is signifyed that an assault farre of shal be made and that a notable victory shall ensue thereof which should not vanish away with the present successe but should even also flourish with future happines For a bowe is a weapon of that kinde as with which the enemyes are hiâ—te both farre and neare But the Crowne is a token of victory so as both in the horse sitter on him all things are ioyous prosperous So is the interpretation of the wordes wherwith the History doth agree so wonderfully that noe picture doth more lively represente his paterne then the type of this seale the condition of those times Wee know that while Traiane was Emperour after Iohn was gone from Paâ—mos to Ephâ—sus that is by and by after the Revelation was written a most lamentable persecution waxed very hotte and fierce which raging even unto the fourteenth yeere at length by the letters of Pliny second Proconsull of Bâ—thyâ—ia it was some â—hat quenched and mitigated Neverthelâ—ssâ— the first Beasâ— had not yet spoken For Pliny was a heathen man and noe member of the Châ—rch much lesse the chiefe ruler Neither sâ—â—â—d the trouble wholy through his admonition onely this was obtayned that the Christians should not be searched for unto punishement but onely should be punished wheÌ„ they were brought unto the Governours accused Eus Feel Hist book â— 33. Wherfore the fight yet coÌ„tinued TraiaÌ„ being dead a fewe yeares after it waxed more fierce under AdriaÌ„ who at leÌ„gth going on with rage unto the destructioÌ„ of the name of ChristiaÌ„s the Lion roared out even the first Beast as the thuÌ„der For God raysed up Quadratus the Bishop of Athens also Aâ—stides a Philosopher citizen of the same city who as lioÌ„s stoutly regarding not the daÌ„ger of their life in respect of the good of the Church spake to AdriaÌ„ by Apologies then also in face pleaded the cause of the Christians By which the mindes of the faithfull were raised up with attente of the eveÌ„t not in vaine seeing froÌ„ thence followed a great change forthwith For the white horse his sitter with a bowe crown weÌ„t forth that is the truth triuÌ„phed ioyfully wheÌ„ the Emperour being overcome by the oration of those godly men did ordaine that noe Christian should be condemned unlesse he were convicted of some crime punisheable by the Civile lawes This was a manifest victory of the trueth and a greate token of future hapines Euseb Hist booke 4 ch 3. But her power was more excelleÌ„t under the next Emperour Antonin Pius about the beginning of whose Empire the Christians being againe miserably oppressed from the former hatred at length Iustin Martyr Leo administring the word of God in the habite of a Philosopher as sayeth Euseb booke 4.11 wrote Apologies for the Christians unto Antonin to his sonnes and to the Senate of Rome wherby he effected God working togither with him that it was enacted by publike decree that noe man should trouble Christians in that respeâ—t because they were Christians but if any would proceede to molest them the acâ—usâ—d
adopted Israelites as in the Rom. 2.28 For he is not a Iewe who is one outward but which is one inward Also ye knowe that they which are of the faith are the children of Abraham Gal. 3.7 And againe peace shal be upon them and mercy and upon the Israell of God Gal. 6.16 Therefore the name is common as well to the Gentiles as to the Iewes Neither will the consideration of the time suffer that the naturall Iewes should here be signifyed This sealing was begun by and by after the tyranny of DIOCLETIAN was utterly abolished as wee have shewed before And to this number onely is ability given to learne the Newe Songe as wee shall see in the foureteenth chapter and at the third verse Which in these times was not proper to the Iewes neither ever shal be But if this concerning the time shall not be granted mee if this sealing is to be expected a little before the ende of the world as the Iesuite will have it how shall after the sealing of the Iewes as he iudged an other infinite number come to the Church as is taught in this chap. ver 9. seeing that the Iewes shall not be called before that the fulnes of the Gētiles be come in Rom. 11.25 Furthermore it shall belonge onely to the sealed to learne the sunge but if the Iewes alone shal be sealed at whatsoever time at lēgth it be done what shall become of your most holy Rome and Christs Vicar who shall hav noe place among the sealed But wee will deliver the most blessed Father of this feare This described forme of the primitive Church comprehendeth both those sorts of people indifferently so as they all as well of Gentiles as of the Iewes who love the syncere trueth in their heart shal be foūd in this number of the sealed And indeede the writers doe make mention that some of the Iewes came to the Church in those times but let them be Iewes they shall not be Israelites alone since the stoppe of the partition wall is broken 5 Of the tribe of Iuda twelve thousand Hitherto the generall summe nowe are reckened the particular companies of which that whole is made In which these thinges are to be observed first that there is an equall number out of every tribe For God beareth good will alike to all the elect neither hath any iust cause of complaining that more respect was had of others them of him Secondly that some of the auncient tribes are passed over and that newe are put in their places For there is no mention made of Dan or Ephraim but in place of them come Levi Ioseph Some alleage this cause why Dan is omitted for that Antichrist should arise out of that tribe What letteth then that there should not be two Antichrists seeing the name also of Ephraim is omitted Surely the distinction of the tribes would had bin very profitable to discerne Antichrist from other men which God undoubtedly would hav kept entire safe that his Church might beware of him if he would have had this enemy to come out of this nation But the true cause of passing by them seemeth to be this that the tribe of Dan in time past revolted to the Gentiles and Ephraim was the causer of the rest to rent the Kingdome and persuader to institute a newe worship whereby the tenne tribes fell away from God for Ieroboam was an Ephratite I King 11.26 Wherefore neither doth he mention him but ascēdeth unto the first Patriarche teaching that the names of the wicked shal be blotted out of the booke and cathalogue of the living as wee have observed at chap. 3.5 Thirdly that in the rehearsing there is noe order kept either of beginning or dignity And yet the names are not rashly gathered togither as leaves flying in the hollow rocke of Sybille although peradventure it will be a very heard thing to finde out any reason why they are set downe in this wise yet neverthelesse let us assay to doe it trusting in God his helpe The countryes doe seeme unto mee to be noted from which God would gather out his elect in all this space of time when the Church lay hidde and would severe them from the vile and naughty persons of the world in the same order of places wherein the Tribes of the Israelites lōge agoe tooke up their seates in the promised land to wit in this manner that Juda should signify the Southerne part of the Church Ruben and Gad the Easterne Ascher and Nephtalim the Northerne and the west parte Manasse partly the Easterne partly the Westerne who dwelt on this side and beyond Iordan Symeon Levi that part which was spread here and there and one with another Issachar and Zabulon the Northeast part to wit the Sunne raysing Ioseph and Beniamin the middle countryes For wee shall see that after Constantine was dead there was such a wandring progresse as it were of the Church For in the first times her purest part seemeth to have ben in Africa as it were in the Tribe of Iuda the which most of all then was free frō the Arian Heresy thoug brought forth by Aegypte next neighbour and in the meane time infinite uncleannesse had overflowed the rest of the world And this purity continued from Constantine till the invasion of the Vandals Then Reuben and Gad succeeded For when that barbarous people pestered the whole West and South that which rested of the hope face of the Church did all flourish in the East But when the Saracenes at length destroyed also this vinyarde our Britanny and the Northerne regions lying toward the west as Asher and Nephtalim flourished greatly when more then two thousand Monkes of Bangor refused to take upon them the Romish yoke for which cause the Britans did undergoe a grievous persecution raysed up by one Augustine a Romish Mōke The sequent age gave Manasse partly the East partly the West when both Leo Isaurus and also Carolus Magnus with ioint endevours though somewhat disioyned in respect of places and times assembling Councels condemned worshipping of Images The next times were most miserable whē nowe Antichrist was come to his highest power and dignity Nowe the trueth did lye so trampled under foote every where that the Church could not be seene in any certen places of abyding but the sealed as Simeon Levi did lye hidde confusedly and here and there knowne to God onely removed farre from the sight of the world In the ages following after the seale passed over unto Issachar and Zabulon that is to the Northerne people lying toward the Sunne raysing For there are read famous conversions in this time of the Polonians Saxone Danes Suevians Norwegians And although the conversions came by the labour of superstitious men yet neverthelesse is was the seale of God and profitable to his elect For where the doctrine is corrupt and contaminate with errours there the grasse is better then the stalke the seed newe sowne
world for a testimonie to al nations from which an argument is thus framed which let me I pray you bring into form that we of the ruder sort may more easily observ the art of demonstration He that is to come after the preaching of the Gospel in al the world he is not yet come Antichrist is to come after the preaching of the Gospel in al the world therfore he is not yet come This is your demonstration wherin we find manie strange and new points never delivered by any Demonstrating Masters namely that principles are used for demōstration which be neither true nor first For as touching truth the proposition is eyther manifestly false or at least doubtful as after more plainly shal appear and therfore not meet for a demonstration Moreover if any would doubt of the minor what strēgth hath it from Mathew what one word is ther in him of Antichrist to come after a general preaching How is this an immediate principle which if it have any credit must borow it from elsewhere Pardon I pray you this my morositie I thought it necessary to make trial of some one of your demonstrations of al which seing we have now a pattern in this first wee shal not need to deal so exactly in the rest but may judge of what sorte al are by the nature of this But your selfe saw how trifling and unworthy a demonstration this was and therfore you flee unto a probable reason which as a propp you put under that readie to fall To cōfirme the Minor that Antichrist is to come after the general preaching leaving now Matthew whole name at first was vainly obtruded Jt may be proved you say by reason because in Antichrists time the cruelty of the last persecution wil hinder al publick exercises of true religion I answer how truly this is said of the publick ceasing of religion we shal see after in the chapter of Persecution In the mean while I avouch that you dispute not so much unskilfully as in deed falsly For time is threefold past present and to come neyther can anie thing be concluded that it is to come unlesse it be before proved that it is neither present nor past Wil you then infer that Antichrist shal come after the general preaching because he cannot be togither with the same But why I pray you may he not be before it Yea what if by this your demonstratiō he must needs be before it Surely neither can he be togither with the general preaching for the crueltie of persecution as you say neither can he come after because Christ saith when the Gospel is preached in the whole world then shal come the end You see nothing to come between the universal preaching the end Therfore by this your reason he must needs come before the universal preaching This is not the least vertue of this undoubted demonstration that it maketh more for your adversaries cause than for your own But say you the adversaries admitt not of this reasō Surely nor your freinds I beleev unlesse it be some foxes that prayse the crow for his sweet singing But I am glad for you that at last your selfe are weary of this demōstration Furthermore you say Neither is there time now to deduce it from the principles therof and therfore you wil prove the thing by testimonies of the Fathers What Have not you time which undertake the most copious handling of all controversies And which bring not forth one argument of anie weight in this cause I know your Iesuitical cunning what you can not doo for needynes that you may not doo for hast unto other matters But let us goe forward and see how you folow both parts of the former argument For the new as it seemeth affordeth nothing but the old nest was to be trimmed that some shew of building might appear First therfore you bring Hilarie Cyrill Theodoret Damascen affirming that Antichrist shal not come til after an universal preaching I answer ther is now no need curiously to inquire into their sayings seing in this thing they teach agreably to the scriptures For Antichrist was to come because the love of the truth was refused 2 Thes 2. And the punishment is not inflicted before the fault Neither could the fault be committed before there was the use of the truth Here therfore I contradict nothing Moreover in some sort I doo grant your proof from the text For the Gospel was to be preached before that great tribulation spoken of Mat. 24.21 But herein you err that you think this is both the last tribulation and the persecution of Antichrist For it is no other than the destruction of Ierusalem as Chrysostome also dooth acknowledge though typically he would hav it referred unto Antichrist Let Antichrist therfore come after the universal preaching of the Gospel But what Hath not the Gospel been noised as yet through al the world In deede so you say though the thing it self be otherweise Christ being to ascend into heaven bade the Apostles to goe into al the world Mark 16.25 And promised that they should be his witnesses unto the utmost end of the earth Act. 1.8 It can not be eyther that the Apostles should neglect that which was commanded or that our Lord should not performe that which he promised Neither wanted the thing an issue as the Apostle teacheth saying that the faith of the Romanes was published through the whole world Rom. 1.8 and that the Gospel was come unto the Colosseans even as unto al the world Col. 1.6.23 You answer that the whole world in these places is not properly and simply taken but figuratively but the Gospel should be preached in everie nation properly and simplie before Antichrist come Which you prove by testimony of Fathers and by three reasons The Fathers are Augustine Origen and Ierom besides those fore-alledged I answer Ther is no doubt but the Fathers doo accommodate their words unto the words of the Scriptures and therfore they often say that the Gospel should be preached in al the world through the whole earth in al lands c. but whither they speake more expressely or no doo signify by name that these kind of speeches are to be taken simply not figuratively may wel be doubted Ierom in his Epistle to Ageruchia saith He that held is taken out of the way and doo we not understand that Antichrist is neer By which it is playn that he understood no other preaching through the whole world than such as was in his time for otherweise how could Antichrist be neer So Gregorie as is before mentioned saith Al things that were fore-told are come to passe the King of pride is nigh Therfore this universal preaching was then doon but not properly as you would have it which as you say is not performed to this day Turn over the Fathers therfore and weigh their words more diligently perhaps though these things were very dark unto them you shal finde no such preaching
which goeth before may be in the place of the concrete and the autumnal desire of thy soule as also in the 2 Thess 1.9 And from the glory of his strength for and from his glorious strength In which sense the autumnal desire noteth out that wanton greedines of rath-ripe fruits which the richer sorte and the dainty ones have getting the first fruits for them by a great price the more plentifull store of which afterward they loath as though he should say Once thou didst lash out huge costs upoÌ„ things of little value but now thou art not so wantonly ready to buye that thy former strange longing is gone those things now would be acceptable which of late thou despisedst according to that of the Poet the empty stomake doth seldome despise coÌ„mon things which of the two wayes we wil take them we see that these things doo very well hange togither with the former wherby the mourning of the merchanâ—s is greatly amplified that buyers shal be now wanting altogither whereas lately when Rome flourished they had so quick ready a market Wherof the Spirit tendreth a double reason by this mourning first that nowe ther was no lust to buy secondly that al ability was utterly lost ¶ And al things which were fatte excellent That is al plenty abounce is departed from thee which doo more confirme the former interpretation For seing these things doo signify a rich plenty it is like that that which went before is to be referred rather to lust that the same thing may not be spoken twice although so it is wont to be some time when the latter is added in stead of a more full exposition The Compl. the K. Bible read are perished from thee So Aretas and the common translation but the sense is nothing altered 15 The marchants of these things The cause being declared now he commeth to the manner of mourning with a breif repetitioÌ„ of the cause The marchants saith he of these things that is they who bestow al their labour about the associating and retaining of these countreys ioyning them to the service of Rome VVho were made rich of her getting ample rewards of this their labour VVe have seen before briefly with how great gaine they travelled about this marchaÌ„dise which openeth a way to Bishopriks Cardinalships yea eveÌ„ to the highest Prelateship And who seeth not men of every couÌ„try being either of great wit or learning of great force either by riches or favour or famous for noblenes of birth descent of blood whose industry may be profitable for the beautifying of Rome to be hyred by what meanes soever to bend al their cares thoughts to this point Wolseius Polus flourished in our countrey in our Fathers dayes The first descended of base parents but ambitious tumultuous notably framed for the profit of Rome and therfore promoted to so great honours that he was not afraid to vaunt himselfe somewhat above the King The other of a milder disposition but of great authority for noblenes of pareÌ„tage for which cause he waxed rich by the Romish aboundance until he gave suspition of a contrary mind bewrayed some desire to knowe the truth Then he perceived that Petoum a certain begging fryar to be set against him of the Pope whom he should have seen adorned with his spoiles booties if the thing had come to passe as the Pope wished This labour is in so great account as that he who onely begged a reward should be equal by by to the highest States of the earth But after that Rome shal be cast down no man wil hyre this labour eveÌ„ for one farthing This evil shal take these marchants when they have lost all hope of their gaine ¶ Shal stand a farre off To weet Cardinals Bishops others which at that time shaâ—be conversant in other places than at Rome They being set without danger with a lamentable voice shall bewaile her ruine a farr off but they shal hav neither ability nor courage of mind to repel the danger 16 And saying alas alas It is the same concealing which was in the mourning of the Kings in ver 10. wherby the truth and greatnesse of the sorow is expressed The argument is somwhat divers for they agreably to their persons did lament that so great a power was abolished These complain that so huge wealth was spoiled which marchaÌ„ts chiefly regard Notwithstanding seing this fine linnen purple skarlet the other decking signifyeth the pride of Rome upheld chieâ—ly by the riches of Spaine as at the 12 ver the marchants lament ar altogither dismayed that al these richesses have profited her nothing as thou they should say how is she come to naught that was fortifyed by so great aide of the Spaniards against which if the whole christian world had conspired worthily might any maÌ„ think that they should doo nothing worth the paines taking 17 And also every shipmaster The third mourning is of the mariners watermen that is of the inferiour ministers of the Romish court Deanes Abbots Priors General Iesuits such like These al live of the sea by promoting the ordinances decrees of the whore Of which sort were the Spips and Shipmasters in chap. 8.9 ¶ And al the company of them that dwel in shipps The Complut the Kings Bible and Aretas read thus and every one that sâ—ileth in shipps the common translation and al that sale in the lake this is further off but as it seemeth fetched from hence that ploion is a little shippe rowed with oares of which there is more often use in Rivers and flouds VVhich interpretation is not altogither to be refused in so great variety of copies and declareth more plainly a certain distribution of the general comprehension into certen classes And whosoever trafike on the Sea word for word in the Greek doo labour on the Sea as in the Gospel of Iohn labour the meate that is for the meate cha sixe verse twentie seventh In this last member are comprehended all which doo study to the Popish doctrine teaching learning and setting forth the same eyther by voice or writings defending the same to their power or by any other way or meanes whatsoever advauncing and promoting it Of which sorte are the Masse Priests Monkes Fryars above the rest at this day the Iesuits who doo leane upon their cares lustily and smite this sea with all their strength without which if the shippe of the fisher man had bin it had dashed long since on the rockes Although while they in rowing labour to avoide Scylla they rush upon Charybdis by disputing they sâ—â— more openly in the sight of men the whores and Popes filthinesse which they strive to cover 18 What city was like to this great city As the mariners speak of Tyrus Ezek 27.32 What city was like Tyrus destroyed in the middes of the sea And for iust cause did they astonished aske this when they considered with them selves the
to the judgement of Rome alone as I hope I vvill convince by necessarie arguments that she is altogether by Gods just judgement bereft of her lightes vvherby at length shee shall sodainly rush into eternall destruction Therefore let her minde judge these things as she pleaseth she shall knovv shortly vvhat it is by her inchantments to deceave her self others Thou in the meane vvhile o naturall Spouse be mindfull of the tempest at hand prepare thy self for it hale in the shoote be carefull of the helm look to plie the pūpe least in the entrance of the haven vvhich God forbidde thou make shipvvrake And novv see hovv very acceptable this Revelation ought to be to thee not onely for the future events of verie great moment indeede but also in regarde of the memorie past to vvhich if thou shalt turne thine eies thou shalt see even from the Apostles times that that continuall path in vvhich thou hast set thy foote steppes hath beene marked out vvith so plaine paternes as thou need desire no plainer historie also thou shalt enjoie a most pleasant remembrance of the dangers vvhich thou hast fuffred vvhich yeilde unto thee so many arguments of the in cōprehēsible providēce vvisdom love truth of God keeping thee safe amidst great distresses Surely this addition vvith the rest of the Apostolicall vvritings adjoined to the old Testament ministreth Histories of the vvorlde it self from the first beginning unto the latter end thereof for vvhich cause this unestimable treasure ought to be to every one most deare And these are the causes cōcerning you o Christian Churches of my publicke vvriting There are also some causes that concerne the Prelacie namely mercy vvrath mercy because I savv many ignorant rude and unskilfull in the heavenly truth as yet to vvorship Antichrist as a God Those vvere to be taken out of the javves of hell yf so it should please God For vvhich thing I vvill go before to shine unto them vvith so great plainenes of truth that they shall necessarily see so that they vvill open their eies that that Prelate of Rome is that man of sinne to vvhom yf they persevere to cleave they cānot be saved Truly my indignatiō is kindled against the Iesuites For vvhen by happe I fell on Ribera interpreting this same holy Revelation Doe saied I the Papists againe take courage that that booke vvhich of late they permitted scarce any mā to touch they should novv undertake the full handling thereof Was it a vaine shevv at the sight vvhereof yea in dimme light a fevv yeares agoe they trembled that novv they boldely endure to looke in to the same glasse crie out that some other thing is shevved in it then their Pope O vve drovvsy men sluggards if vve suffer it Therfore I thought that their croaking is in some sorte to be restrained esteeming that it would be worth the labour to shew to the Iesuites how wickedly they are madde how foolishly they trifle how they understand none of these Mysteries how it cannot be that here they should be any thing weise that if they desire the truth as they make a shewe at least weise they may have mee a helper to search it out or if otherweise they doe yet despise it being offred an aprouver of their condemnation But yf they will not be silent for I know that for a short time they shall fill heaven and earth with their noise yet I hope to have given that force of light wherby they being hereafter bereft of all shew of reasons they shall vomit forth no other thing then their mere blasphemies against God and men Thou holy mother by what kindnes clemency thou art towards thine pardon I beseech thee my slendernes where I shall have slipped chiefly respect not nor regarde the rudenes of my stile the scope of us both is the truth onely let mee stemmer unto thee mother after what manner soever I bring unto thee Mandrakes such as I could finde as for the curious who doe regarde wordes more then the truth ther are no herbs in our basket for them unlesse this that yf they be diseased with the drowsie sicknes of too much elegancie they may fetch hēce yf they please 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the perfume of bitumē or earth pitch and the herbe called Goates beard Strab. book 16. wherby as the Sabeans they may shake off their drousy disease and awaken their dull senses I pray God that you Christian Churches by understanding may profite in godlines and by true and earnest repentance may either quite remove away the evil hanging over you or be so armed with his might that in al stormes you may stand invincible A Citizen and Nourrisson of yours most unworthy THOMAS BRIGHTMAN A VIEW OF THE WHOLE APOCALYPSE The particular Prophesy Chap. 1.1 THE Preface sheweth the argument of the book 4. The Epistle sent in cōmō to the 7. Churches after the inscription doth tell who hath givē the Prophecy who hath received it the things heard by which it cōfirmeth the authority of it Chap. 2. The Epistles ar givē severally The first cōprehēdeth the languishing disease of the Ephesians 8. The Smyrneans are confirmed against the strength of the enemy 12. They of Pergamus ar reprehended for permitting Balaam the Nicolaitans 18. They of Thyatira ar reprooved of sinn for suffring Iezabell Chap. 3. The Sardians ar charged of hypocrisy 7. The piety of Philadelphia is cōmēded 14. The lukewarmnes boasting of the Laodiceans is with weighty words reprehended The common Prophesy Chap. 4. The cōmon Prophecy propoūdeth the generall type of the holy Church notable for her centre God ver 2.3 for the cōpassing about of the faithfull ver 4. for Gods protection ver 5. for gifts doctrine ordināces ver 5.6 ministers ver 6.7.8 finally for the whole publick worship ver 9.10.11 Chap. 5. The first of the things which ar spoken of in special is the dignity of the Prophecy which is declared first by the weakenes of the creature 6. by the merite of the Lambe 8. the celebration of all Chap. 6. The first speciall events ar the seales 1. The first is opened the truth prevaileth under Trajan Hadrian Antoninus Pius at the voice of the first living creature of Quadratus Aristides Iustin Martyr 3. at the voice of the said Iustin Melito of Sardis Apollinaris the secōd living creature the redd horse goeth forth under Marcus Antoninus Verus troubling all with warres 5. the third seal being opened the third living creature Tertullian cryeth out under Severus the Emperour whē the blacke horse did afflict the world with famine scarcity 7. The fourth seale is opened the fourth living creature Cyprian speaketh Decius being then Emperour when the pale horse wasted all with warre famine pestilence wild beasts 9. The fift seale is opened ther is given some breathing from the publick persecution under Claudius Quintilius The seales
saith that the time is at hand because the things should be begun forthwith and from that time should proceede in a perpetuall course without interruption Although the last acomplishment should be at length for many ages after ¶ And he signifyed That is which also he signifyed when he had sent by his Angell to his servante John Twoo instrumentall causes are rehearsed the Angell and Iohn Christ useth his ministery not because he disdayneth himselfe to speake to us for he giveth himself to be seene in his owne person in this very chapter but because both our weaknes cannot endure the beholding of so great maiesty as it appeareth by and by after in John who fell downe dead at the sight of him ver 17. And also that he may shewe that he doth rule and commande to the Angels and all other thinges 2 Who bare record As touching John he describeth playnly himselfe unto us shewing that he is no other theÌ„ the Apostle himselfe of which two certeÌ„ and proper markes are rehearsed one the testimony given to the word of God and to Jesus Christ The other an eye beleefe of those thinges which he testifyed For Christ chose twelve out of all his Disciples who should be with him continually and should be present at all his miracles and conferences of which they should be witnesses afterward even unto the furthest parts of the earth Act. 1.8 by which double marke Luke doth note them out writing thus Who from the beginning were beholders themselves and ministers of the word Chap. 1.2 By which arguments also Iohn himselfe doth maintaine his authority in an other place That which we have heard which we have seene with our eyes which we have looked upon and our handes have handled of the word of lyfe 1 Ioh. 1.1 And the thinges seen which are here mentioned are not the visions of this booke which followe but the actes and miracles of Christ at which whyle they were done Iohn was present Otherwise howe could those thinges have procured authority to the writer which thing onely the mentioning of these respecteth in this place which were not yet made knowne to the Church Wherfore that John who wrote the Revelation was the Apostle unto whom those markes doe agree by which the Apostles were knowen famous in the Church above others neither is there any other John besides to whom these same thinges can agree And indeede he hath declared himselfe to be such by very good advise when as it would be very much avaylable for the credit of the Prophecy that men should be perswaded of the authority of him that did write it I mervayle therefore that Dionysius of Alexandria regarded these things so little that he would dispute against them so egerly But his foolish coniectures have bene confuted by others most leardnedly He then being let passe from hence it may be understood that those wordes which Aretas testifyeth to be added herein in some bookes wee see to have ben put in by Plantine and Montanus out of the Compluten translation And whatsoever he heard and whatsoever thinges are whatsoever must be done hereafter that these words I say have crept in wrongfully and into an unmeet place for thinges not knowne have no authority themselves much lesse can they bring it to an other 3 Blessed is he that readeth Hitherto of the Authours the Fruict of the Prophecy is the happines of them that reade or shall give eare to others that reade to them yf truly they doe observe the thinges that are written therin knowledg and workes are to be ioyned togither in sâ—ch order that that may go before so at lenght men come to that happines But no word unlesse that which is inspired of God can conferre such fruict to men But who are those blessed ones that read Are they those that shal be alive in that space of the last three yeeres wherein Antichrist shall exercyse cruelty tyraÌ„ny a little before Christ shall come to iudgement as the Papists doe imagine In deede Frauncis of Ribera the Iesuite doth thrust togither this whole Prophecy almost into these narrowe straites prudently verily as touching his Pope but in respect of the truth it selfe very perversly For were men utterly voyd of this felicity by the space of those whole thousande five hundred yeares which are now past since the Revelation was given Or can any be happy eyther in reading or keeping those things which perteine no thing to him If all these thinges are to be thrust into this three yeeres space they shall in no wise be blessed But they have bin curious in vaine who eyther hitherto have searched out those things or have used diligeÌ„ce in effecting them Which same thing must needes also come to passe in future tymes wee know not for the space of howe many ages But the whole handling of the thinge shall convince this invention eyther of very great fraude or ignorance and unskilfulnes Let us know in the meane tyme that such a fruite is here praysed which is common to all ages since this divine Revelation came forth to be seen of all meÌ„ which sheweth severally and one after an other the condition of every tyme even unto the last ende as shall be manifested with God his helpe by this exposition of ours ¶ For the tyme is at hand Wherin these thinhs shal be put in execution But seeing the whole prophecy doth denounce a battaile rather then put on a crowne the reason seemeth to be fetched from the danger nigh at hand as though he should say blessed are they that are fortified with some firme aide against the evils haÌ„ging over their heads But huge great evils staÌ„de at the doores of which this prophecy is full therefore they are blessed that shall take heed and keepe faithfully the way of escaping them 4 John to the seaven Churches Hitherto the Proheme The Epistle followeth the person of the wrighter of which namely Iohn was knowne sufficiently by the thinges before spoken They to whom he writeth are the seaven Churches in Asia that is the universall Churches in every place as Aretas and Beda doe well affirme and all as I thinke Interpreters with one consent doe iudge Neither can invery deede the thinges here rehearsed beare to be restrained to these seaven Churches We shall heare in the Epistles sent to every one an admonition that all should heare what things were written to the Churches Secondly it belongeth to these seaven Churches to knowe as well of future things as of present the charge of both namely of writing and sending he shewes afterward to have bin committed to him And the last conclusion of the whole booke which wished the grace of Christ to them all shewes that this whole Prophecy was sent to the seaven Churches for an Epistle chap. 22.21 But whaâ— had it availed these seaven cities which were to remaine but a litle time to have understanding of such things that after many ages should be which
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
country but saith Strabo we maie iustly mervaile at these few who for desire of the place are carelesse of danger and heedelesse of sâ—ffetie or rather what the builders of the city minded Laodicaea Laodicaea by the river Lycus one of the greatest cities of Phrygia which reacheth to Caria neare to Colossie to whom Paule a prisoner at Rome wrote commaunding that the Epistle should openly be read in the Church of Laodicaea Whose letters also he commaundeth that the Colosians should reade Col. 4.16 A citie in time past of great wealth partly thorough the liberality of the cityzens who by their Testaments gave to it great riches partly by reason of selling of excellent soft woole and blacke as a raven for which causes their neighbours did much desire it Such are the seaven cities to whom this Prophecy was by name delivered described as in a table Some man perhapes maie mervaile where Rome then was to whome in steede of all it might have bin written very breifly as to her who bragge that shee is the head of all Verily Christ forgate himselfe who passed over his vicare nor would not send him so much as one letter who onely seemed to have bin spokeÌ„ unto But there is a ready answer why he wrote not to him he knew that he could not erre nor had neede of an admonisher Let therefore this omissioÌ„ be one of the prerogatives of Rome 12. I turned me therefore that J might see To see is taken sometimes by synecdoche for to perceive as Exo. 20.18 The whole people saw voices great lightenings the sounde of a truÌ„pet c. that is perceaved But here it remaines in his proper signification wheÌ„ he had sufficiently perceaved by hearing he now turned himselfe that he might use the benefite of the other seÌ„ce Therfore the other worde is chaÌ„ged froÌ„ his native significatioÌ„ noting by a voice the man whose voice he thought it was ¶ And being turned c. So was the hearing the things seene are partly thinges partly a person The thinges are seaven golden candlestickes the interpretation whereof we shall learne beneath at ver 20. In the meane while let us note that every godly endevour receaved greater fruite theÌ„ was loked for Iohn doeth turne himselfe that he might see the man beholde moreover seaven candlestickes of which he suspected nothing 13. And in the middes c. The person seene is Christ himselfe as is understoode out of ver 17.18 like the sonne of man because in a new shape taken unto him he caused himself to be seene not in that native forme which he tooke of the Virgine in which full of glory he sitted at the right hand of the father which may be the reason why the articles are not prefixed as in other places as Th. Beza hath observed This fourme is put on for the present condition of the Church therefore an other is taken where an other estate of the bride is described ch 19.11 12. c. EveÌ„ as also it coÌ„meth to passe elswhere in many places for Christ alwaies is one unchangeable neither for his owne sake doeth he so often change his fourme to whoÌ„ no alteration befalleth nor any shadow of turning but when according to his divers administration he useth a divers condition of the bride wherby he may both testify his conionctioÌ„ with her also may shew that he in those alterations of tymes forgettes her not he takes upon him fourme fit for the thinges He suffereth when shee suffereth he also triumpheth together with her what mervaile is it then in so neare a society if he susteine also a comon shape According to the same meaning Ireneus expoundeth this divers fourme So saith he the word of God alwaies hath as it were the proportion of things to come and shewed forth to men as it were the fourme of his fathers disposition teaching us what are the thinges of God book 4. ch 37. Neither is it without cause that he is with this habite in the middest of the caÌ„dlestickes manifesting by the same that this adorning doeth not simply absolutely beloÌ„g to him but as farre forth as he is coÌ„versaÌ„t with the Church for speciall time Wherefore in such visions we must not so much seeke what a one Christ is in himselfe as what his administration is what a one the bride is therby which he setteth forth to be viewed in himselfe as in a glasse Therefore as touching the interpretation of the speciall thinges the long garment is the perfect imputed righteousnes of CHRIST wherewith the bride is wholy covered from top to toe so as no filthy nakednes appeareth For this garment is not necessarie to Chr. but serveth to cover the bride which notwithstaÌ„ding Chr. weareth on his bodie declaring how comely for those times in this regard shee should be Neither lesse often than significantly is the righteousnes of faith set forth by a garment Blessed saith the Psalmist is the man whose sinne is covered Psal 32 1. And the guest wanting this garment is cast into utter darkenes Mat. 22.12 Afterward in this booke they are pronounced blessed which watch and keepe their garmeÌ„tes lest they walke naked their shame be seene ch 16.15 ofteÌ„ times so in other places And what doeth more fitlie reseÌ„ble the righteousnes of faith which loatheth our inherent righteousnes as a menstruous clothe neither can rest in any other thing except in this one garment of Christes righteousnes ¶ And girded about the pappes with a golden girdle made of silken threeds covered with golde But was the girdle made of such threeds onely But the Priestes girdle was made of embroidered worke pictured with scarlet purple violet and yellow flowers Exod. 28.39 Whose stuffe was onely of silke as Iosephe of the Antiquities book 3. chap. 8. And this girdle was comon to all the Priests There was another appertaining to the high Priest differing onely in this one thing that it was wrought with golde as Iosephus there speakes This then is a golden girdle not that it was wholly of golde but because the girdle of the High Priest was for this difference excellent Neither is this girdle proper to Christ but to the Bride for which cause this same is the girdle of the Angels beneath chap. 15.6 The which we doe atteine by Christ alone which hath not onely made his elect Priestes but also hath brought them to the honour of the chiefe Priest Seing therefore that this girdle is ours it signifieth most pretious faith in the heart And it is of Golde because what is more Golden and pretious than true faith Yea whose triall is much more pretious than golde that perished 1 Pet. 1.7 This girding is about the pappes because except faith hath her seat in the heart it is no faith And therefore the seaven Angels are girded after this maner chap. 15.6 because otherwaies it is wont to belonge to the loines especially under the law when faith was
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
wherat the world then not without cause was astonied at this the enemies doe at this day beholde with so heavie eyes It seemeth that there shal be the same suiftnes of the following rewards which a man shall see given before he shall heare that they were to be given and therfore in place they goe before the admonition which also noe lesse they shall goe before in time You therefore o Pastists you againe I speake unto if peradventure the Spirit hath given any of you eares that you may heare attend diligently those things which have bin spoken See what a one is your Rome which you embrace with so great reverence and whether you ran the last yeare to celebrate your wicked Iubiles shee is not a holy virgine as you are perswaded falsly but a most impudent Jezabell a most cruell murderesse of the saints from whom wee ought rather to fly into anie wildernes with Eliah then to runne to her by sea by land leaving at home the most chaste spouse of Christ Behold also that this sorceresse had lyensike now many yeares agone can you otherwise deny it which calleth the Turke to come upon the Christian world expelleth our brethren out of their places of abode turneth them out from their goods spoiled them of their children and wives and constrayneth them to be carried away into most cruell servitude and heapeth many calamityes upon us all which are farre of from that burning hatred And not onely these thinges at this present but which shall bring finally an horrible death upon you her children Can it be doubtfull to any who shall weigh diligently these things with himselfe but that wee ought to flee very soone very farr from this plague and mischiefe The Spirit give you eares to heare I will speake noe more to them of whom the trueth is esteemed a bare signification of the â—ill of God shal be sufficient let him be filthy still who shall contemne this I will turne my selfe to the unfoulding of those things that remayne Chap. 3. AND to the Angell of the Church which is at Sardis wrighte These things sayeth he that hath the seaven Spirits of God and the seaven starres I know thy workes to wit that thou art said to live but thou art dead 2 Be vigilant strengthen the things that remaine ready to dy for I have not found thy workes perfit before God 3 Remember therfore how thou hast receaved and heard and observe repent That if thou doest not watch J will come against thee as a thiefe neither shalt thou know what houre J will come against thee 4 Notwithstanding thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments and therfore they shall walke with me in white for they are worthy 5 He that overcometh shal be clothed with white garments neither will I ever put his name out of the booke of life but will professe his name before my father and before his Angels 6 Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches 7 And to the Angell of the Church of Philadelphia write These things saith he that is holy and true which hath the key of David which openeth and noe man shutteth shutteth and noe man openeth 8 J know thy workes beholde I have set before thee an open dore neither is any man able to shut it because thou hast a little strength and hast kept my worde and hast not denyed my name 9 Beholde I will give those which are the Synagogue of Sathan that is of them which say they are Iewes and are not Beholde I say J will cause them to come and worship before thy feete and to know that I have loved thee 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keepe thee from the time of tentation which shall come upon the whole world to try the inhabitans of the earth 11 Behold J come quickly holde that which thou hast that no man may take thy crowne 12 Him that overcometh I will make to be a pillar in the Temple of my God neither shall he goe forth any more and J will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God that is of the new Jerusalem which cometh downe from heaven from my God and my new name 13 Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches 14 And to the Angell of the Church of the Laodiceans write These things saith Amen that faithfull and true witnesse the beginning of the worke of God 15 I know thy workes to wit that thou art neither cold nor whote I would thou wert eyther cold or whote 16 Therefore because thou art lukewarme neither cold nor whote it shall come to passe that I will spewe the out of my mouth 17 For thou sayst J am rich and increased with goods need nothing And knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked 18 I counsell thee to buy of me Gold tryed in the fyre that thou mayest be rich and white garments that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy nakednes may not appeare and that thou anointe thyne eyes with eye salve that thou mayest see 19 As many as I love J rebuke and chastice 20 Be hotte therfore and repente Beholde J stand at the dore and knocke if any shall heare my voyce and open the dore I will come into him and suppe with him he with mee 21 He that shall overcome J will give him that he may sit with me in my throne as I haue overcome and sit with my father in his throne 22 Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches The Analysis THERE be three Epistles of this chapter One to the Sardenses an other to the Philadelpphienses the last to the Laodiceans Neither are they without cause included in one chapter seeing they are of nature somewhat divers from the former For the former were further distant one from an other so they had Antitypes of a longer time But these are both severed one from another with lesser distances and also wee shall find the Churchches directly answering unto them to be of a more conioined tyme. The Epistle to the Sardenses after the inscription to the Angell describeth the SeÌ„der from the seaven Spirits and seaven starres after it addeth the Narration Which reproveth him that he carrieth the name and some shewe of life wheÌ„ in very deede he was dead ver 1 but togither also he teacheth the remedy which is double the first consisteth in confirming the other things that are ready to dy For it should come to passe that by the iust iudgment of God many should dy who so should punish the neglect of lawfull and iust ameÌ„ndement ver 2. The second that he should remember what things he had received and should repent Which admonition lest he a should negligently regarde he is sharpened
by threatning of his unexpected coming ver 3. After he prayseth some for their pure garments Which prayse conteineth the reward both proper to them and also comon to all conquerers ver 5. Which is threefolde white clothing a permanent name in the booke of life and his professing of him before his father and the Angels All which are concluded with the usuall Epiphoneme ver 6. Scholions 1 To the Angell of the Church which is at Sardis Hyâ— caâ— Sardis is the seconde of the Churches rising againe going yet further in the South and growing in a more ample light of trueth The Antitype is the first reformed Churche begun of God by Martin Luther of Wittemberg a towne of Saxe upon the river Albe in the yeare 1517 when that holy man opposed himselfe against the Romane Questors selling for mony the forgivenes of sinnes to the people The trueth began to be revived under the Thyatiren state but noe reformation followed This was first undertaken at the time which I have said For which cause wee shall finde no mention in these three Churches of this Chapter eyther of Balaam or Jezabell For they were pure from the fault of this whore whose fellowship they renounced utterly But yet notwithstanding seeing the same should not be done of all after the same maner but a threefolde difference would be found in them in like maner they are shadowed out by three cityes according to the beginning and condition of every one The first after the impudency of Iezabell restreined is Sardis And the first after the Romane impudency weakened is the Germane Church of that time which even nowe I have set downe Onely the indifferent and good readers are to be intreated that they doe not thinke me to descende to this or that interpretation by any ill will but in good faithfulnes to follow that sense which the printed steppes of the Spirit going before seeme to me not darkely to point at I know how fearfull a thing it is even to hurt the estimation of any brother with wrongfull suspicions how much more heynous a sinne it should be to cast any blot rashly upon any whole Church And certenly as in all my life I desire to put farr away all virulency of tongue so especially I have thought alway that I must take heede that I make not the name of God a cloak for my lust Let not then the office of an Interpreter be any fraude to mee speaking either here or in other places of things preseÌ„t otherwise peradveÌ„ture theÌ„ many either would or expect It is an impious and detestable thing to play the hucksters with the word of God in speaking rather according to the pleasure of men then the trueth of the thing it selfe Therefore all as well hatred as favour set aside if wee shall see that that which is uttered agreeth with the trueth let us quake rather at the threatnings of the most iust God then be angry with him who to the end that wee may not be oppressed unwares with the evils hanging over our heades hath endevoured to his utmost power to reveale the hidden truth Which I hope I shall obtayne easily of all the godly so farr shall it be from them to reprehend myne industry with which hope supported I will proceed to my purpose through Gods helpe ¶ These things faith he that hath those seaven Spirits of God those seâ—ven starrs In the description of the sender of the Epistle of those Spirits which are rehearsed there was no mention made in the vision of the first chapter They are fetched from the comon inscription of the Epistle in the 1 chap. ver 4. They are seaven for the abondance of all gifts which that number usually signifyeth Christ hath in his owne power that being the keeper of the storehouse of the heavenly grace he bestoweth the Spirit on whom he shal thinke good Wherupon he saith that he will sende the Conforter from the Father Iohn 15.26 who should receive from Christ and shew unto us Io. 16.14 The Starres are in the right haÌ„d chap. 1.16 Likewise in the Ephesine Church wherein we have heard is declared the safety of the ministers whom Christ carrieth in his handes chap 2.1 To what end then is this repeated a fresh Was there wanting now any other honour spent wholy on the former in no wise but onely because the conveniency of things and not any vayne novelty is sought Because Sardis should finde the same safegarde of Christ in defending her Pastors which he had shewed in Ephesus not without cause doth he use the same similitude wherein there is so great coÌ„iunction of things But of Sardis the History speaketh not a word Which thing in her Antitype is most cleare For he that giveth the Spirit plentifully to whom and when he will shed out in those times so great plenty of all giftes as no where els in these last times Good learning had bin already as buryed being driven away for many ages by the rusticity of the Scholastiques untill at length after the wonderfull art of printing was found out which cunning flowed froÌ„ the same fountaine of the Spirit many excellent wits were raysed up to search out the truth Among which were Iohn Picus Mirandulanus Angelus Politianus Platina Trapezuntius Gaza Hermolaus Barbarus Marsilius Ficinus Pyrbachius Ioannes de monte Regio Aldus Manutius Rodolphus Agricola Ioannes Iovianus Pontanus Philippus Beroaldus Ioannes Reuchlinus and many other most learned men Whose chiefe labour was in setting forth the tongues arts and other humane learning but how great an entrance was made from heÌ„ce to finde out the mysteries of salvatiâ—â— the conioyned times have taught For by and by after came Martin Luther Philippe Melanthon Erasme of Roterodam Zuinglius Oecolampadius Capito Blaurerus Bucer Musculus Calvin and many other most learned men so many lights of the Christian world who being holpen by the studyes of those former brought forth againe the trueth covered with long filthines and uncleannes dissipated the Romish darknes and dispelled utterly as smoke hither and thither all the subtilities of the enemies Doth not Christ worthily take upon him selfe this ensigne of the seaven spirits enriching this time with so great plenty of gifts Neither was lesse famous his power grace in conserving safety to the Pastors Who would not have thought that Luther in so great hatred and envy of all men for whom almost the whole world layed waite even also he under whose feete the Emperours once were compelled to subiect their neckes that Luther I say should have dyed a thousand deathes But peradventure troubles being raised up he did scarce endure yes by the space almost of thirty yeeres he abode in the battell safe even from privy assaults with which the Pope is wont to make away those men whom he cannot conquer with open warr and force and at length lying sicke in his bed and giving up his soule to him that gave it he slept quietly
togither to breake opeÌ„ violeÌ„tly the houses of the Calvinists Or the savage cruelty of the Dressenses against the dead body of Jac. Lassius to which they denyed a grave among the wicked because being alive he was a lover of the purer truth I recite these few against my wil I would be ashamed to meÌ„tioÌ„ them but that the brethreÌ„ were not ashamed to coÌ„mitte them But how much better is it for you to heare these things of your friends theÌ„ of your enemyes These as much as they caÌ„ doe exaggerate with words your evill acts unto your perpetuall shame of all religioÌ„ I doe onely shew the congruency of the Prophecy that seing in what account you are with God yee may thinke earnestly of reforming the errours making peace with the brethreÌ„ God give you to see that way wherby consenting to one truth you may turne away the iudgemeÌ„t froÌ„ your heads which otherwise will overtake you In the meane time yf I shall prevaile nothing with you which estimation I pray may be farre from you yet I shall be glad to admonish the brethren that they be of good courage who doe endure troubles and calamieyes among you Christ will not be ashamed of them before his Father if they shall abide coÌ„stantly in their profession Feare not therefore the stately looke and countenance of men but being grounded upon this hope that which ye have worshipped in darkenes professe now openly in the eyes of all 6 Let him that hath an eare heare Yee therfore brethren of Saxony for Jesus Christ sake give eare and hearken what action the Spirit chargeth you with Your prayse is great in respect of your first combate and breaking off the yoke of the Romish tyranny yea of you that in this were the first of all But the Cananites left in your lande are come to be thornes in your sides and eyes Those fewe errours neglected at first by the iust iugement of God have brought forth newe errours by the contagion whereof true godlines being driven away and togither with it true life lost there is left unto you a Church defyled with horrible death Neither is this the end of evills but some new great suddeÌ„ calamity shall come upoÌ„ you uÌ„lesse you shall obey forthwith the Spirit giving you warning Therefore let that unhappy obstinacy depart and be packing and take those counsells which may promote the truth recall againe the banished life and may procure the salvation and safety of every one of you And doe not onely give eare but let all hearkeÌ„ learne by your evill how great danger it is to cherish the least errour in the matter of religion Analysis SO is the Epistle to the Sardi this to the Philadelphians is inscribed like wise to the Angell He that seÌ„deth is notable for Holines Trueth and the key of David which he carrieth not idle but with the same openeth shutteth the supreme power being in himselfe ver 7. The Narration reciteth first the good things both present of an open doore which is illustrated by his cause a little strength and the constant observing of his worde ver 8. and also to come both of subduing their enemies ver 9. and also of ministring help in the comon tâ—ntation of which also a reason is rendred from their patieÌ„ce in the profession of the Gospell ver 10. After he provoketh them unto a care of conserving that which is good because his coming is at hand and there may be danger of their crowne to be taken away ver 11. Then is there a greate reward when he shal be made a pillar and shall have written upon it the name both of God and of the newe Ierusalem and the newe name of a sonne ver 12. To all which is added in the end the comon conclusion Scholions 7 And to the Angell of the Church of Philadelphia We have shewed at the first chapter ver 11. that Philadelphia is situate in a dangerous place and therefore not so frequent of cityzens who did dwell scatteringly in the fieldes fearing the often quaking of the city But shee carrieth a sweet name and which alone conteineth within it all vertues Neither found out the Apostle Peter any thing when he would exhort to all godlines which might commend more fitly the same unto us then brotherly unfained love 1 Pet. 1.22 How well this name doe fit this Church which is reproved of no sinne openly But as it was truly godly because of brotherly love so is shee lowly and not famous both through a continuall feare of danger and also solitarines of the cityzens who dwelt here and there and in waste places where they could get safe dwelling Wherein shee is altogither contrary to Pergamus a towred and proude city as before Sardis to Smyrna and Thyatira to Ephesus And so there is made 3. payre of contraries It lyeth from Sardis toward the South having an increase of greater light as becometh a reformed Church Shee is set in the second place after Sardis for this is the first after Iesabell overcome wher by is shewed that her Antitype is the second reformed Church which should arise after the Germane and this is the Church of the Helvetians Suevia Geneva France Holland Scotland I ioyne all these into one because they live almost after one and the same kind of lawes and ordinaÌ„ces as touching the things that are of any moment Neither doth the distaÌ„ce of place breake of that society which the coniunction of mindes and will doth couple Yea this dispersioÌ„ doth agree chiefly to the Philadelphians whom we have shewed to dwell thicker and more frequent in the fieldes then in the city Wherby it commeth to passe that this thinnes of â—he citizens taketh up much place though the citizens are not so many Wee shall finde that this Church which I speake of arose a little while after the Germane when Vlricus Zvinglius began to teach at Tigur in Helvetia in the yeare 1519 and the reformation was begun the fourth yeare after to wit in the yeare 1523 at which time no Papist durst enter into combate against Zuinglius who did deferre the iudgement of all controversyes to the arbitrement of the sacred scriptures They of Constance Basill Strasbourg Geneva and others followed their steppes Where it is to be observed that the former Antitypes were distinguished by longer intervalles these three last as they have types lesse distant one from another by space of place so they are ioyned one with an other with a nearer coniunction of times neither are they devided so much by ages and limites of yeares as by lawes and customes For after the first receiving which happened to some later then to others wee shall see that they did all flourish togither ¶ These things sayth that holy one that true one who hath c. A description of him that sent the Epistle whose two first properties are taken out from the nature of the sonne of God which yet
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
to reioyce of so rich thinges and of such prosperity No where in deede neither doe I envy or grudg at it onely our reioycing is not good And would God that our riches did serve to the promoting of Gods glory rather then to the hindring thereof but they have brought in this miserable lukewarmnes whyle that wee may retayne them wee make noe reckoning of true godlines The second boasting is of the long continuance For this plenty it not newe but which hath ben confirmed nowe by the space of two and fourty yeares With how great prosperity of all things Who may be so bolde as to reprove the condition of this Church as maymed and imperfect which the experience of longe time hath approved to be most happy Not I in deede unlesse prosperitie were an argument rather of Gods patience then of mans Iustice In the third place he vanteth that he wanteth nothing What telst thou mee saith he of other reformed Churches I see no cause why other reformed Churches should not imitate ours rather then wee them seeing wee are inferiour to them in nothing The answere to the admonitiō made to the Parliament pag. 226. Yea why doest thou call me backe unto the first Church As though wee were to be bounde with the first beginnings and principles as with fetters And it were not lawfull for us to alter those thinges which at their first originall were not so profitable as at this day they seeme hurtfull this is in a certen Apol. of the governement of the Church pag. 81 A bould that I may not say ungodly assertion to affirme that any thing ordained of the Apostles should be noe lesse noxious to our Churches then profitable to them for which they were appointed But I remitte this to the heat of contention In the meane time let such a man knowe that the Apostles Church was most perfit and was not to be made perfit by the inventions of them that came after but that all other are to be tryed and examined by the square thereof That saying of the first Councill of Nicen is to be celebrated which is Let the olde customes holde And that also of Tertullian against Praxeam Beholde whatsoever is first that is true and whatsoever s later that is false And it is not to be doubted but that Paul taught Tim. most fully how he hould behave himselfe in the house of God 1 Tim. 3.15 Is all that instruction abrogated for oldnesse Should the time teach better more certen things to which those Apostles should give place Surely the Church as Adam in the first beginning was purest the farther shee proceedeth the more filth shee gathereth unlesse God extraordinarily make the light to shine out of darknes as lately in this last age That first Church was the garden of Eden as wee have shewed in chap. 2.7 The Church of the following ages compared with that was a wide and barren wildernes Perfection is not to be measured by multitude of professors or by amplitude of riches but by the integrity and purenes of God his institution and aboundance of heavenly gifts Let it be then enough to prayse mens inventions let us tread under foote the sacred trueth in comparison of them ¶ And knowest not that thou art wretched The other cause of the evill is the ignorance of their misery For prosperity blindeth the minde of the world that it cannot see in deede in what state it is Therfore in many wordes he declareth this misery because in so deepe a drowsines a light upbraiding would not cause any feeling he maketh a fivefold degree of it Of which the two first are as certen comon accidents the three last doe shewe the very kinde of the disease For the remedy is threefold of golde of garments eye salve in the verse following and teacheth that the disease consisteth chiefly in these three thinges The accidents are referred either to his owne sense or to the compassion of others in respect of that the Angell is wretched in respect of this miserable A man is wretched who is consumed with some great sorrowe whether it aryseth from a publike calamity or from some private and domesticall griefe And there is none placed in any dignity whatsoever who can keepe himselfe from this anguish whereupon Kinges in the tragedies lament that they so often are wretched Such heavinesse of minde did lie once upon the Angell of Laodicea as is at this day in our England Howe wilt thou say where noe publike calamity presseth The Spirit speaketh of private sorrowe as is evident from the glorying of this Angell for which there can be noe place in a comon mourning and sorrow but this interior griefe doth torment miserably the English Ang. For how great griepes doth he feele who desyreth exceedingly riches honours and cannot get them Or at least who cannot enioy securely those things being gotten whom many godly and learned men doe inveigh against with most grievous wordes and not this onely but also doe prove manifestly from the trueth of God that such dignityes are unmeete for the ministers of Christ and that they cannot stande togither with the faithfulnes of Pastor Bishops Howe must it needes be that these disturbers should be very grievous especially seeing this opinion is now favoured of the multitude and the nobility hath perceived plainly long a goe the trueth of it Yf one could opē the brest of this Ādgell doubtlesse he might see his heart almost consumed with this griefe howsoever without all things are ioyfull the comō wealth flourisheth with happy tranquility And I doubt not but that the Angell will confesse that I have touched his most inward sense in this thing This Angell is miserable to others not to the wicked Papists to whom the former griefe is not sufficient but to the godly brethren both at home and in other nations who being free of all partiality doe acknowledge the condition of the Bishops other Clergie who doe give themselves wholy to ambition and labour for honours to be miserable unhappy howsoever it doth very greatly please our selves For what is worthy of more pitty then to see brethren snared with the vaine glory of the world altogither to desire and to enforce themselves to get earthly dignityes and to make shipwracke of the heavenly crowne Yf they had alwayes lyen in the snares of the Devill the thing were not so much to be lamented but after that they have escaped from his snares by the holsome knowledge of the gospell be entangled againe in the same by this way what godly man cannot both be grieved at their change and also bewayle the comon misery of us all which by a thousande meanes are drawen into the same destruction Such therefore are the accidents grievous indeede of themselves yet but as a flee biting in comparison of the disease it selfe which nowe let us touch as gently as wee can and with the minde onely to heale and not to
exasperate it The first matter to be purged is poverty And konwest not saith he that thou art poore Of what sorte of poore not poore in Spirit of whom Christ speaketh Mat. 5.3 for this is a blessed poverty that a wretched Also the Angell boasteth that he is and hath ben rich and that he wanteth nothing so that he is farre from that holy humility This poverty therfore is the timorous begger lives which both quaketh at the sight of a richer man nor either speaketh or doeth ought but to the pleasure of a mightier man and also which susteineth the wretched life by begging mony and reliefe For the greeke worde ptacos poore hath the name both from fearfulnes and also he is noted with the same name of him that laying at the gate of the rich man desyred to be fylled with the crummes which fell from his table Luke 16.20 Which of these agreeth to our Angell Is not all this dishonest covetousnes removed farre from so great riches as are ministred to ours I would to God it were in deede but here as alwayes I am compelled to admire the infinite wisdome of God who hath opened our secret impostume with a word so fit for the thing as nothing ever could be spoken or thought more fit For first howe servile a feare possesseth the Angel from hence may easily appeare that he speaketh almost nothing which he thinketh may displease any one The Bishops doe feare the Peeres the Parish Pastors the Bishops whom they perceive to be ready to scourge them if any provoked at home will crave their aide especially if he can obiect their minde to be out of love with some ceremonies So reprehensions are silent naughtines reigneth the hand of God is heavy upon us and whither the matter will growe at last prudent men feare not without iust cause But chiefly the beggery of asking is notable For runne over with your eyes and mindes the whole Clergy Will yee that wee beginne at the weakest Those that they call Curates both in very trueth also in the iudgement of all men are beggers In whom wee may see that which was threatned to the family of Ely men bowing themselves for a piece of silver and a masell of bread and requiring to be ioyned to one of the Priests that they may eate a piece of bread 1 Sam. 2.36 In the rest who through their greater aboundance walke more underpropt what running up and downe what bountifull giving and bribes What importunate and earnest intreating Howe great flattering intisements of humble service and soothing of all duties that they may procure to themselves Ecclesiasticall offices Very many doe fly unto the Kings Court or to the house of a most noble man the Lord Keeper of the Great Seale For these places are like the beautifull gate of the Temple of Salomon in this men enter in great multitudes and there is great hope of carrying away the penny Act. 3.2 Others followe the States and Peeres to whom they become either domesticall Chaplaines or that I may so say vassals For what cause I pray That assoone as any Benefice as they call it shall happen to be voyde they may enioy the same by the gift of their Lords And this is thought to be an honest way to get an Ecclesiasticall charge But is not this flattery meer beggery In obtaining a divine office is favour any whit lesse dishonest then mony Yf wee will weigh the matter rightly it is of the same fault and blasme to enter either by bribe or by favour The other rable is diligent about the comō sorte of Patrons in the Country in whose Porches they set flatter and speak fayre to their wyves flatter their children Winne their fervaunts by gifts and in every place behaveth himselfe like wretched beggers Some more craftily even as they which sit in a way having two pathes and in publick wayes doe offer pilled roddes and sticks to them that travayle by to the end that they may get some mony so they either by bountifull giving of present mony or by agreement to give a certen yeerly rente doe make a waye for themselves But thou wilt say this is the corruption not of our Lawes but of the men Certenly as longe as this way to obtayne Ecclesiasticall charges holdeth which hitherto hath prevayled noe remedy can be brought for this beggery Have wee not knowne this sufficiently by experience In the late assembly of all degrees of the Realme a sore and heavy ordinance was made against it hath ought ben effected thereby Nothing at all but onely that the thing be done more warily and subtily Wee avayle nothing with our lawes where the Lawes of Christ are not kept But that wee may proceede when the thing is begged of the Patrone howe much lesse businesse remayneth to the unlearned route to obtayne Institution of the Bishop Here not onely humble request must be made to the chiefe Lord but to the Examiners Groomes of the chamber Clarkes Buttlers yea to the lesse Iacke not because ignorance shall keepe him from an entrance but because he is wont to bring most gaine to the servants who hath neede of more favour There is noe Tower made so stronge which an asse loaden with Golde doth not vainquish Neither any almost so unlearned or foolish which taketh the repulse But what engines and crafty meanes are used let them looke to it There is the same consideration of Prebendaryes Archdeacons Deacons Are the Bishops themselves voyde of this avarice What meaneth then that often attending at the Court and on the Peeres of the Realme Why wayte they not tyll they be sent for Why are they not pulled against their wills from theyr studyes Yea if any should appeale to their consciences whether are those fatte manoures and farmes of their Bishoprikes let out to hire of their owne accord to farmers that longed for or promised bribes to the adiutours of their dignity But are they onely beggers in suing for the office Some indeede are come to that beggery that if their seate be to be changed they pay not their first fruites except they have raked togither shamefully some almes from the poore Rectours under the name of a benevolence Thou art therefore a Begger o thou English Angell And therefore with thee it is ordinary and usuall that the best are passed over and others lesse worthy are in better estimation For as wee bestowe some almes upon the blind lame and those that are full of sores wee stoppe our eares against them whom wee see to have a body well liking and in comely apparell so men of a blind minde deformed and maimed doctrine and witty understanding doe gather togither much almes when they that have more learning and farre better iugement are sufferred to hunger and to perish through famine which cometh to passe eyther because they cannot cry out so stoutly or because they are more ashamed to begge or because men have lesse pitty of them But it
unskilfull multitude or of the base people and that he might either be present or absent at his pleasure but let him beholde here Kinges attending to the voice of the Beasts nor that once or twice and at certen tymes but whensoever the Beasts give glory that is as often as they doe execute their publike office The praysing of God of these and their adoration of God are ioyned allwayes togither so that neither may any thinke that he is free and discharged from his duty neither to have performed it enough at some fewe times 11 Thou art worthy o Lord The praysing which the Elders use in wordes is noe other thing then a subscribing to the crying out and shouting of the Beasts these celebrate the holines Dominion omnipotency and trueth of God The Elders nowe doe singe togither thou art worthy indeede o Lord to receave glory and honour which wee and all thy creatures worthily doe give to thee as though unto the sung of prayses of the Ministers the people should give their consent saying Amen But howe may God receive power They meane the prayse of all vertue and power Power can not be given to God otherwise but onely by acknowledging and praysing Which then shineth forth most cleerly when he sheweth his strength extraordinarily both in delivering his owne and also in destroying his enemyes ¶ For thou hast created all things The people ought not onely to consent to the thankes given by the Ministers in the meane time themselves being voyde of all knowledge of their owne as it commeth to passe in the Papacy where after the prayers not understood is sung Amen by the unskilfull common people or some as they will supplying their place but their consent ought to come from a true faith and that not confused and implicite but of which a true sense and feeling is setled in every on s harte peculiarly For the God of reason requireth a reasonable worshippe not unknowne rash and voyd of counsell Whereupon not without cause is added from what fountayne the declaration of the consent of the Elders to wit froÌ„ their owne acknowledging of the exceeding power of God both in creating all thinges and also in preserving the same and noe lesse from the sense of his most free good will by which alone being moved he made all thinges in the beginning and governeth and preserveth the same at this day according to that saying Who worketh all thinges after the counsell of his will Ephe. chap. 1. ver 11. For which cause there is repeated in the ende of the verse they have ben created that wee may understande that the will of God not onely hath rule in governing things at this time but also that it gave the first originall to the same And so is the patterne of the Christian Church so much the more famous then that of the Lawe by how much heaven in which Iohn sawe this figure is more excellent then the Mountaine where Moses sawe the Tabernacle There is the same ende and purpose of both of this that it might be a patterne of the worshippe to the Legall people which should holde even to the time of reformatioÌ„ of that that it might be a type unto Christians according to what square they should frame all their assemblyes both generally and specially Graunt O most high God that wee may be founde as faithfull in bringing backe all thinges unto the Heavenly patterne as Moses was unto that earthly Chap. 5. AFTER I sawe in the right hande of him that sate upon the Throne a booke written within and on the backe side sealed with seaven seales 2 And J saw a stronge Angell preaching with a lowde voice who is worthy to open the booke and loose the seales thereof 3 And noe man was able neither in heaven nor in earth nor under the earth to open the booke nor to looke theron 4 Therfore I wept much because none was founde worthy to open and reade the booke neither to looke thereon 5 Then one of the Elders sayd unto mee weepe not beholde that Lion of the tribe of Juda that roote of David hath obtained to open the booke and to loose the seaven seales thereof 6 Then J behelde and loe betweene the Throne and those Beasts and betweene those Elders a Lambe standing as though he had ben killed having seaven hornes seaven eyes which are those seaven spirits of God sent forth into all the world 7 He came and tooke the booke out of the right hande of him that sate upon the Throne 8 And when he had taken the booke those foure Beasts and those foure and twenty Elders fell downe before the Lambe having every one harpes and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the saints 9 And they sung a newe song saying thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation 10 And hast made us to our God Kings and Priests and wee shall reigne on the earth 11 Then J behelde and I heard rounde about the Throne and of the Beasts and Elders the voice of many Angels and the number of them was a thousande hundred thousands and ten hundred thousandes 12 Saying with a lowde voice worthy is that Lambe that was killed to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing 13 And every creature which is in heaven and which is on the earth in the sea and all thinges that are in them I heard saying unto him that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lambe be prayse and honour and glory and power for ever more 14 And those foure beasts sayed Amen And those foure and twenty Elders fell downe on their faces and worshipped him that liveth for ever more The Analysis I have spoken summarily of the common type the speciall Prophecy coÌ„prehendeth both the excellent dignity of this Revelation in this chapter and also the evâ—nts themselves in the rest of the booke That thinge is declared first in respect of the Creature secondly of the Lambe In respect of the Creature it is altogither unsearcheable as appeareth partly from the signing of seaven seales ver 1 partly from the testimony of all creatures which after the inquiry proclamed and the thing was caused to be cryed by the voyce of the Angell as it were of a common cryer ver 2. then also after tryall made at last ver 3. all doe acknowledge their owne unablenes Of which lastly there is a sorowfull consequente the weeping of John which this imbecility and despaire to enioye so excellent a good thing did wring out from him ver 4. In respect of the Lambe onely it is able to be searched out as first an Elder sheweth who conforteth Iohn ver 5. Secondly the LaÌ„be comming at the same instant and taking the booke ver 6.7 from whence at length aryseth the
singular ioy and thankesgiving of the whole Creature but apart first of the Church ver 8.9.10 and of the Angels ver 11.12 After of the rest of the Creature ver 13. Last of all the Church togither subscribing to the common ioy reioycing of all thinges ver 14. Scholions Afterward I saw at the right hand the cōmon translation hath In the right hande as also the Interpreter of Aretas but all the Greeke copies with one consent have at the right hande They peradventure have put it in the ablative case because it followeth after in the seavēth verse that the Lambe tooke the booke from the right hand But this is noe sufficient cause to departe from the naturall property of the wordes when it may be that the weaknes of the creatures might be made to appeare the more the booke at the first was not in the right hande but at the right hande from whence if there were noe power to open it being offered and layd before without asking much lesse would there have ben any if he had held it in his handes Afterward when the debility of the Creatures was found out the booke was taken into his handes that the dignity of the Lambe might be the better knowne not taking it up hastily lying at his side but receaving it from hande to hande As touching the intent of this vision it seemeth good to the Spirit after the lively representation of the true Church in the former chapter which was to be layd as the fundamēt of all the building following before that he should come to the particular Prophesyes to put men in minde of the incomprehensible excellency of this Prophecy For wee are wont such is our slouthfulnes to passe by very greate and excellent thinges carelesly and sleepingly unlesse peradventure some body pull us by the eare and require instantly diligence mentioning the greatnes of the thing Least perchance the same thing should fall out in this place he setteth before our eyes that this is a Prophecy of that kinde which conteineth in it all the dāgers that at to be undergone of the Church through her whole race on earth yet wrapped in so great obscurity that no created minde can beholde it a farre off much lesse unfolde the same to others An argument in deede most worthy to be knowen and farre most pleasant of all thinges opening to us the hidden Mysteries with exceeding great desyre whereof men are inflamed or otherwise in searching out of them they torment themselves rashly and in vayne And yet neverthelesse it is not to be desyred onely for this cause to knowe it but because also it conteyneth events of that moment that it would be very hurtfull and for rowfull to the Church if they should wholy be concealed Therefore Iohn wept being privy to the dangers and togither therewith also minding the lacke of a guide And in deede the Church hardly holdeth on her course though this lampe be given her Howe miserable had shee ben left utterly in darknes and not perceiving sufficiently eyther which waye shee should goe forward or where to set her foote safely Iohn therefore had had iust cause to weepe if there had ben hope noe where of opening the sealed booke But the sudden assault of griefe bereft the holy man of understanding and suffered him not to thinke in whom there was ability while at length he knewe by the putting in minde of an other Therefore this Prophecy is famous for the worthynes of the argument excellency of the Mystery plēty of fruict but farre way most excellent because he alone was founde worthy to open the same who by his death founde out a redemption for the elect This is that thing for which the Church on earth the Angels in Heaven lastly the universall Creature reioyceth greatly and that not for a glorious shewe without the trueth of the thinge as the manner is in humane writinges in which the thinges are amplifyed for to adorne and set them forth but from a true feeling and iust cause of reioycing as hereafter wee shall see through Gods his helpe In the meane time shall not this exceeding great ioye of Heaven and Earth kindle in men a diligence to reade a desyre to understand and an endevoure to observe It is in deede a thing worthy of our serious meditation into which I have digressed and discoursed in many wordes because I see that the Interpreters eyther not to have marked the intendement of this chapter or at the least otherwise then was meete to have spoken nothing at all of a matter very needfull and necessary ¶ A Booke written within and on the backeside The first commendation of the Prophecy is from a Booke a copious writting and Seaven Seales in this verse That which is recorded in a Booke must without all controversy be certē being a faithfull helper of the memory whereas that which is noe otherwise grounded then onely upon the memory may easily in continuance of time eyther be utterly extinguished or at the least wise corrupted Whereupon GOD biddeth Ieremy for the greater credit of that Prophecy to write all the wordes that he spake unto him in a Booke in the thirty chapter of Ieremy and in the 2. verse So carefull is he to provide against our doubting that wee should not thinke otherwise of the things then of such as are written in publike bookes graven as it were in brasse so as they can neyther be altered nor forgotten The plenteous writing is shewed in that the booke was written within and on the backe side on both sides of the leafe And he speaketh after the olde māner of writing in somewhat lōge parchments which afterward were wounde about some rounde smooth peece of wood frō whence they were called volumes Christ is sayd to have unrolled the booke and rolled it up againe as in Luke chapter 4 verse 17. And the outside that I may use the wordes of the most learned Theod. Beza alway remayned cleane unlesse the inside was not able to containe the whole writing for then they wrote on the outward part which sorte of writinges were called exteriour writings as being written on the backe side This so great prolixitie therefore did containe not onely the chiefe points which peradventure might be included in some narrow place but also every most small thinges so that neither is there any neede to seeke and fetch ought from any other place which perteineth to the knowledge of future thinges and that wee knowe also that nothing can be done without the will of God The Complutent edition and some others read without but on the backe side is more often used from whence is written on the backe side as wee have shewed a little before Finally howe pretious are these Mysteryes which God hath with himselfe sealed up with so many seales The creatures could not so much as to looke on the BOOKE as is in the fourth verse much lesse was there neede of seales for to hidde
Tertullian I say sent a most learned Apologie written against the Gentiles to the Nobles of Rome by which at least secretly as writeth Franciscus Zephyrus they might have knowledge of the common cause of Christians seeing that openly they might not Neither did he thinke that onely the Princes of the Romane Empire were to be called upon of him generally but also by name Scapula the President of Cartage if peradventure he might tame by these meanes his cruell minde He sheweth him the true cause of the publike calamityes to wit that the wicked world by persecuting the trueth did bring upon themselves those sterilities that after sowing time the harvests were lost that deluges arysing from showers of raine and fearfull tempests marred all thinges For so he speaketh Yet wee must needes be grieved because noe city shall carry away scotfree the shedding of our blood and also as under Hilarianus the President when concerning the floores of our burials thy cried togither they shall not be treshing floores they were not their floores For they have not done their harvests Which wordes shew plainly that there was great barrennes in those times when as there were noe harvests and therefore as it seemeth those floores were given to the Christians wherin they might bury their dead when through the great barrennes they were to noe use for to lay up corne And why should wee not acknowledge here the blacke horse seeing the Sunne in the assembly at Vtica had almost quite lost his light and that not by an extraordinary eclipse but being placed in his high and exaltation as witnesseth the same Tertullian to Scapula Neither did this want of sustenance torment onely the wicked Gentiles but also did troble the Christians for God will have wordly goods to be common to the prophane and afflictions to his owne children that all of like fellowship might proove both his lenity and severity Tertul. in his Apol. So then the event doth agree with the Prophecy punishing the world with an other scourge even famine which could not be raysed from their drowsines with that great sword and destruction of warres The Iesuite will have the blacke horse to be understood of Heretiques although according to his wonted errour he hath noe regard of the time For he referreth these thinges to the fortieth yeere of the Lord when Mathewe wrote the Ghospell wherein he passeth over the boundes set of the Angell I will shewe thee the thinges which must be done hereafter chap. 4.1 Many Heretiques indeede arose in the time of that respit which the Church enioyed under Commodus as Montanus and others of that sorte but seeing the former Horse that which followeth doe note bodily calamityes inflicted upon the world for iniuryes and violence offerred to the trueth it were unmeete to transferre this which is placed between them into an other kinde especially seeing there is a manifest consent of the History Neither must wee thinke that a famine belonging to the common people is a lighter matter then that it should be meete that men should be forewarned of it For it was the purpose of the Spirit to appointe these first calamities as pledges of the following Prophecy from whence they are called Seales as it were confirmations of the other thinges which are to be delivered that the trueth of these predictions being perceived which should follow in the next times the faithfull might be noe lesse without doubt touching those thinges which are to be expected in the last ages Therefore these Seales are as the three kiddes three loaves of bread a bottell of wine Likewise a Viole a Tymbrell a Pype and a Harpe with which men meeting Saule made a more undoubted persuasion in him touching the promised Kingdome 7 And when he had opened the fourth seale I heard the voice of the fourth Beast The fourth Beast is an Eagle flowing on high and little esteeming the thinges that are on earth chap. 4.7 He standeth in equall degree with the last former Beasts and doe not attaine that power of the first whose roaring sounded out like thunder Yet neverthelesse by his Eagles cry he instructeth the faithfull touching the evill to come whom he biddeth come and see howe great destruction should come upon the world by and by 8 And beholde a pale horse The fourth type is a pale Horse the Sitter on whō is described by his Name Follower and the busines committed to him The colour of the Horse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifyeth being greene a thing so greene as grasse Some time it is taken for the deformity of herbes waxing dry which have lost their colour from whence it is taken for palenes which is the colour of a thing withered as pale feare because feare maketh men pale and Constance the Father of Constantin the great was called Chlorus for his palenes as saith Zonaras in Diocletian That sickly colour doth very well become the Horse on whose backe sitteth Death himselfe where he that sate is used for to him that sate Which kinde of speaking is according to the Hebrewes as was observed chap. 2.26 Although least any should thinke it to be against the rule of Grammar and through his owne ignorance impute barbarisme to the holy writer wee have also examples in other tongues of most eloquent authours Livius speaketh thus The learned saith he in religions and common lawe when duo ordinarij Consules two ordinary Cōsuls of that yeere one perished by the sword the other by sicknes denyed that the substituted CONSVLL could have an assembly of people to chuse officers Where duo ordinarij Consules is put for duorum ordinariorum Consulum that is of two ordinary cōsuls So Salust Therefore in the beginning Kings for that was the first name of Governement on the earth being diverse part exercised their wit part their body Many thinges of this sort are noted of learned men of whom also it is observed that this manner of speaking is very usuall with the Grecians First to the rider the name Death is given From the proportion whereof names also be given to the former so as he that sitteth on the white horse may be called trueth on the red horse warre on the blacke horse famine Which I doe mentione because I see that some little to the purpose doe faine here the Devill and I knowe not what others to be the Sitters Nowe the Sitter is named Death for excellency sake both because the plague of this seale should bring more swifte destruction and also because it should annoy with moe kindes of killing The third scourge of God is wonte to be the Pestilence as in Ezechiel That they shall fall by the sword by famine and pestilence chap. 6.11 The which notwithstanding is not here made the captayne of the ranke but onely mustered into the place of an ordinary souldiour as wee shall see by and by The cōpanion or rather waiting made of Death is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in latine
not Emperours but Murtherers have defiled all Histories with guiltlesse blood But he that followeth brevity may not recken up severally the innumerable murders Although who coulde be able to rehearse them if he would seeing the Ministers of the wickednes confesse themselves not sufficient to kill them that came running togither to punishement of their owne accord For so a certaine man Tiberianus who had the chiefe doing of things at Palestine reported to Traiane as Suidas declareth in his Traiano Plinie a heathen man being moved with the multitude of them that were killed obtained some ceasing or at least a certaine moderation So pitifull was the condition of the Christians that the enemyes had compassion on their calamityes reade the 3 4.5.6.7 book of Eusebius where almost every page is washed with blood It is noe mervayle that the saincts being wearied with so continuall slaughters doe aske at lenght some delivery So is the meaning of this verse but the wordes are yet to be made cleare and delivered from the slanders of the adversaries From whence then is this fetched that the soules of the Martyrs lye under the Altar Without doubt in that râ—spâ—ct that David used oft as in Psal 27.5 For in the time saith he of trouble he will hide mee in his Tabernacle in the secret place of his pavillon shall he hide mee and set mee upon a rocke and againe thou dost hide them in a privy plâ—ce of thy presence from the pride of men thou keepest them secretly in a cottage from the strife of tongues Psal 31.20 But it is knowne that the Tabernacle both according to the partes and according to the whole was a shadow of Christ Wherfore to be hidden in the Tabernacle is to have Christ alone for the place of their succour and refuge by whom alone wee are covered and defended against all assaults of the adversaries From hence it is apparant why the Soules are sayd to be under the Altar to wit that wee should understand first from thence that all the salvation also of the Martyrs consisteth in the alone Death of Christ under the which the holy champioÌ„s hiding themselves as under a shielde can appeare safely and boldly before God and that they doe not merite eternall life to themselves by thâ— shedding of their owne blood for Christ his sake as the Papists wickedly dote but to have neede of this covering without which otherwise they cannot stande in the sight of Gods maiesty Secondly that wee may know that all the children of God must be conformable to the image of their first borne brother Rom. 8.29 and must walke the same way to heaven wherein he hath gone before us that is to say by suffering of troubles being made sacrifices and oblations and to be killed with many anguishes For which cause Paule sayth that he in his flesh for the body of Christ doth fulfill the rest of his afflictions Col. 1.24 And the rest or defects he calleth conformityes and not satisfactions either of worthynes or merit For whatsoever remaineth yet to be suffered of any of the saints that is wanting after a sorte to the afflictions of Christ who iudgeth all our calamityes his owne These are common to all the faithfull who have place alike under the Altar but especially to the Martyrs whose sufferings are famous before the rest For which cause this covert to hide in is attributed to them by name Seeing then they lie under the altar in this sense after the usuall speaking in the scriptures howe wickedly doth the Iesuite wrest these wordes unto the Idolatrous custome amonge them of dedicating Temples Whose manner is to bury the bodyes or reliques of the Martyrs under the altar in the Churches which they dedicate to them afterward to call the Church by his name whose reliques are there buried as though more respect were to be had to the reliques under the altar then of him whom they will have to be sacrificed on the altar Would the Spirit have respect to this custome wherby very great iniury is done both to Christ and also to his holy Martyrs To Christ because he is spoiled of his honour and thrust beneath his servants To Martyrs because they are made robbers of his glory for maintayning whereof they shed their blood Neither are the Iesuites content to abuse these wordes unto the defence of Idolatry unlesse also they destroy that which was well built of others Bernard in his third sermon of the Saints taught from hence the holy soules loosed from this prison of the body not forthwith to enioy perfite blessednes but to waite for full happines at the last iudgement reioycing in the meane time with great and huge comfort I dispute not howe such doctrine is not drawne necessarily from this place the sentence seemeth to be true and agreable with the other scriptures For so David speaketh when J awake I shal be satisfied with thy image Psal 17.15 Neither did Paule expect a crowne before that day in which it shal be given to all that have loved the bright comming of Christ 2. Tim. 4.8 Neither would God that the auncient people should be made perfite without us much lesse is it like to be true that one of the essentiall parts should attaine absolute happines without the other Heb. 11.40 They that would more boldly then becometh modest Christians that the separate soules should have a cleare sight of God in whom as in a glasse they beholde all thinges past present and to come what reason doe they give why the soules under the ALTAR not content with this sight alone as if they were ignorant doe enquire of the time of vengeance Many such thinges ought to have restrained the Iesuites not to fight against a true seÌ„tence But they sawe that unlesse they should give to the separated soules full happines in the cleare beholding of God the Jnvocating of Saints would be overthrowne and that there were no reason left for to shewe why wee should implore their aide seeing it was not the manner before Christ was exhibited but let it be sufficient to have touched in a word their crafty dealing ¶ For the word of God Which most constantly they have professed preached as ch 1.9 And for the testimony which they maintained in the greek which they had peradventure in this sense that they were counted Christians by the testimony of others as 1 Tim. 3.7 But he must be well reported eveÌ„ from them that are without as if for the word of God should belonge to them who by their profession have procured to themselves the hatred of the wicked but the testimony which they had to them that are manifested by the iudgement of other men 10 They cryed with a lowde voice Hitherto the first meÌ„ber which hath opened the condition of the time past nowe the present state under Galienus is shewed by a cry Through yrkesomnes of continuall trouble a deliverance from it at leÌ„gth is asked seeing they have endured
other not long after of apprehending the Pastors of the Churches and compelling them to sacrifice to Jdoles Here many courageously persevering were not overcome with torments but an infinite sorte of others being astonied a good while before through feare were weakened at the first assault Euseb booke 8.2 by the which he sheweth the sudden fall of many 14 And the heaven departed away The heaven every where in this booke signifyeth the universall purer Church and it properly to be at length her dwelling place in the meane tyme in such sorte by her represented that it hath not any more lively image on earth These thinges therefore prove that the calamity rested not in the Governours alone but that the whole face of the Church was covered with so blacke darkenes that it could be seene almost no where Let the same Euseb be read in the 3 booke ch 3. where he bewayleth the miserable wasting of it with lamentings borrowed from the lamentatioÌ„s of Ieremy chap. 2.1.2 Likewise from Psal 89.39 c. Yet notwithstanding this desolation should be but as the foulding of a booke A booke is not destroyed when it is rolled up but remaineth as great as it was before it becometh indeede lesse evident and apparant in the sight being reduced and brought into a farre straighter roome So likewise the Church should loose nothing of her syncerity howsoever her glory might seeme to be quite abolished But the similitude of a folded booke is taken from the auncient custome wherin bookes were not bound into leaves but were rolled up as little wheeles whence they were called volumes as Aretas hath nored The Hebr saith he did vse rowles that which is books with us in the same sense it is sayd in the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 1.12 and as vesture shall thou folde them up that is thou shalt deface all their glory as of a vesture folded up whose gorgeousnesse and beautie cannot be seene The Hebrewes have for it Tachâ—liphem thou shalt change them Psal 102.27 the which is translated by the Greekes significantly thou shalt folde up seeing the Psalmist speaketh of such a changing as is altogither contrary to the nature of the heavens For the heaven is Râ—qâ—â—hh stretched out spread abroad as a curtaine or as a mortall plate divided but rolled up it ceaseth to be Raqiahh so the Church is made to be spred through all nations aâ—d to impâ—rt to them as the heaven to the earth light warmnes and life it selfe but nowe for a time it should be rolled up neither should any glory of it be seen abroad Where theÌ„ was the visible maiesty of Rome in the meane time when the heaveÌ„ departed away as a booke folded up But they have goodly provided for them selves touching such dangers who have cost of all these thinges unto the last day but howe amisse and wrongfully shal be shewed by and by at ver 16. ¶ And all mountaines and Ilands There is nothing so firme which this tempest should not remoove nothing so farre of whither it should not goe and be spred The word mountaine noteth that and the word Iland this It is a great storme which doth either scatter the little hilles of the earth or which doth rage but in the bordering and lowe places but that which doth either cast and drive away the Mountaines themselves neither stayeth in the continent but also flyeth over the sea into the Ilandes must needes bring extreame destruction Eusebius beginning this boysterous storme at Nicomedia pursued it by the very footesteppes through all Syria Aegypt Cappadocia Cilara and Phrygia booke 8. but being as it were wearie with travayling and loathing so sorrowfull a narration he came not to our Europe although Thracia Italy Spayne France being nigh to them and our Iland Britanny somewhat further of ministred noe lesse plenty of Martyrs although the moderation of Constans caused all things to be more milde in these countries The eight booke of the Ecclesiasticall history of Euseb expoundeth these three verses largely 15 And the Kinges of the earth and the Peeres c. Thus farre is the Epitasis now followeth the Catastrophe ioyned togither with the former troubles For in the middes of the rage and heate of this calamity Christ would shewe forth his divine power from heaven and as it were raysed from his sleâ—pe would appease suddenly the tempest by his word alone as he did in time past being awaked by his disciples First at the sight of him Kinges and the Peeres of the earth should flee away and should hide themselves in most secret dennes For what other thinge drove Diocletian Maximin Hercule that having the soveraigne power of thinges and a most fervent desire to roote out Christians when also they had continued theyr fury unto the second yeere resigned the Empire suddenly and returned to a private life A thing saith Eusebius never heard of to have come to passe at any time booke 8.13 Neither without cause doth Ignatius cry out o wonderfull thing and unknowne till this age that of their owne accord neither old age pressing them neither the weightines of things both brought themselves into order Euseb layeth the cause upon their phrenesy Nicephorus also upon their rage arysing doubt lesse from thence because they sawe that they laboured sore in vayne to destroy the Christians But they touched not the true cause from hence they should have learned this which is it and noe other The Lambe at length shewing himselfe to be the avenger of his Church inwardly and secretly did stinge their mindes with the conscience of their wickednes and feare of vengeance wherby he drove these meÌ„ even against their wills unto this unheard modesty The thing is manifest from Maximianus who after that stinge of conscience waxed somewhat weake it repented him of his fact and left no meanes unattented for to recover the scepter which he had laid downe An other of the Emperours who succeeded those that gave over their place called Gallerius Maximianus exercising tyranny against Christians the same Lambe vanquished by an horrible disease and drove him to recantation an exemple whereof see in Euseb booke 18.17 Maximinus also being made Emperour in the East by Galerius at length against his will acknowledged Christ to be the King and gave free leave to his worshippers to live after his precepts and ordinances Euseb booke 9.9.10 Maxentius that Romane Tyrant striken with feare by the same Lambe fayned himsâ—lfe to be a Christian for a time Sabinus and the other rulers of the Provinces following the authority of the Cesars Augusts desired to winne the Christians favour also by a fayned gentlenes and to hide themselves from the wrath of the Lambe So great a feare of the Lambe came upon all degrees of meÌ„ that every one thought himselfe well provided who could get any corner wherein he might lye hidde in safety 16 And they sayd to the Mountaines It is an argument of exceeding desperation when they esteemed all
of the cruell enemyes wherewith the sixt chapter was concluded For the common type of which sorte was the whole seaventh chapter doth not interrupt the order of things And indeede such quiet dayes followed by and by after those trumpets For Maxentius being overcome at Rome by Constantine and Maxentius in the East by Licinius howe glad a day appeared to the Church through the whole world Howe great delectation howe great ioy howe great triumphe was ther of all degrees How pleasant was it that the prisons were opened that men were called backe from the mines that their feete were loosed from boundes that their neckes were delivered from the axe Neither onely to have these thinges but also an Emperour of which never any man before did so much as dreame who endevoured exceedingly to adorne by all meanes that he could every one of the meanest that was named a Christian Eusebius triumphed not without cause singing with the wordes of the Psalmist Goe to see yee the workes of Iehova how he maketh desolatioÌ„s in the earth causing warres to cease unto the ende of the earth howe he breaketh the bow and cutteth in peeces the speare he burneth the chariots with fire booke 10. 1. Nowe both the Augustes as well Licinius as Constantinus with one minde did procure diligently not onely the peace of the Church but also the ornaments of peace as it is apparaÌ„t from the Decrees published in the name of them both Euseb booke 10. chap. 5. c. But this was a short peace and in very deede but of halfe an houre continuance For first the Augustes themselves were at concorde scarse one three yeeres space afterward when they were reconciled Licinius assaileth openly the Christians and attempteth a generall slaughter There came more over civill warre which waxed fierce among the rulers of the Church the Bishops themselves who being voide of all feare of the coÌ„mon enemy did fall one upon an other with the weapons of wordes as if they had ben weary of peace even assoone as they had tasted the sweetnes of it with the top of their lippes See Aurelius Victor of Cesar part 2. Euseb booke 10. 8. 9. and upon the life of Constantine booke 1. to the ende beginning of the second Furthermore those thinges which wee have noted before at the first verse of the seaventh chapter 2 And I saw those seaven Angels Such hath ben the Silence from which at length proceedeth the second periode distinguished from the former because the entrance into this began not but at the ende of the seales For shall the TruÌ„pets be aunswerable to the Seales which are brought to their last ende before the Trumpets be prepared to sound More over take away the TRVMPETS from this seaven Seale that which wee leave unto it beside and above the Silence of halfe an houre is a certen small thing and more slender and baren then beseemeth the dignity of it I see that such an opinion hath pleased some learned and Godly men but he that shall marke and observe the thing diligently shall perceave that the same is quite coÌ„trary to the methode of the REVELATION The Heralds of this Periode are the seaven Angels Trumpeters The words themselves doe not shewe playnely whether these Angels were good or noe They are sayd to stande before GOD but this is a doubtfull kinde of speaking in so much as it may be attributed as to the evill so to the good Angels and therefore it is sayd that SATAN presented himselfe togither with the Sonnes of GOD before the Lord as wee reade in the Booke of Iob first chap. ver 6. But the proportion of the BEASTS in the Seales and of the seaven ANGELS Ministers of the Viols every one of which was clothed with Pure Linnen as wee shall see in the fifteenth chapter of this booke and at the sixt verse may cause us to esteeme and iudge these Trumpeters in the same number of Holy ones especially seeing that the article those seaven ANGELS hath also the force of nothing some that were knowne of which wee had none before unlesse the finger be pointed unto those seaven SPIRITS of God sent forth into all the world of which wee have seen in the fift Chapter and at the sixt verse Wee sayd that the foure ANGELS of the seaventh Chapter are the foure first Trmmpets but wee meane not the TRVMPETERS themselves but the events which followed when they blew those their Trumpets But the parts of this Periode are distinguished by Trumpets because these events should be more notable more famous and manifest to all men and as it were sung with the publike and lowde voice of a Trumpet In receaving of which there is a certen preparation before they beginne the worke it selfe because by and by after the silence made there should be given some token of the troubles to come before the rage should waxe hotte and be kindled To which is to be referred that Schime betweene Cecilianus and Donatus of Afrike of which wee made mention before the Apostasy of Licinius and his wicked entreprise against the Church The Contention in the East touching the Lords Supper or Passeover But especially the infection of the Arian Heresy the which assoone as it sprung up began to spred quickly farre and neare and to kindle so great close and secrete hatreds that neither the scorning of the enemyes on the theatres nor the most earnest desire of the EMPEROVR himselfe testifyed both by his letters and teares and also by the Embassage of Holsius Cordubensis a most famous old man could not avayle any thing at all to quench the flame for this see the second book of Eusebius upon the lyfe of Constantine in his letters to ALEXANDER and Arius All these thinges as Trumpets were given in the sight of all men as bâ—ing indeede sorrowfull presagies of the future blowing of the Trumpets 3 Then an other Angell came Hitherto the preparation of the seaven ANGELS Nowe followeth what manner of entrance was made to the events following in one ANGEL Whom wee may not suppose to be any Spirituall substance such as are the ANGELS properly so called that is to say GABRIEL or any of that sorte as the Iesuite would have it but a Man according as this Booke of the Revelation is wont to speak in the which there is nothing more common and ordinary then to give attribute the name of an Angel unto Men. Furthermore this heaven is the Holy Church on earth the Altar the more inward holy place of the same the Ministery of the High Priest which the Angels properly so called doe never execute but the trueth of which belongeth onely to Christ the type unto men onely who have a nature fit for sacrifice about which thing the office of the Priest is chiefly occupied of which nature seeing the Angels are voide neither can they represente the Priest Neither any where in the scriptures are these dutyes attributed to them Furthermore the ministery
was done before the throne where ther is noe place for the Angels but in the compasse of the throne and of the Elders and of the Beasts that is to say they compasse about the uttermost circuit of the Church watching on every side for the safety of it whatsoever is within the circuit is the Hyghest Throne the Lambe the Beasts the Lāpes the Chrystall sea the Altar c. of which thinges there is a necessary use in the congregation of the faithfull I doubt not but that this Angell is the same which in the former chapter was sayd to ascende from the rysing of the Sunne to wit Constantine the Great For that which there summarily kept the Angels from hurting untill they had sealed the elect that seemeth in this place to be declared severally in what maner it was done Neither doth any thing let but that the same man may be described in divers maners according to the divers nature of the thinges that are to be done ¶ And he stoode before the Altar the Greeke hath at the Altar Montanus agreeth unto it Afterwards it shal be clearely seene at chap. 11.1 that the Church about this time was gone into the Temple and had hiddē her selfe in the privie places thereof wherfore not without cause he is sayd to stande before the Altar seeing he was the chiefe of them who having escaped from the corruptions of the world went a part from other into the covert of the Temple But he stoode not in this place as one of the common sorte of the faithfull but in the ornament of the Priest having a golden Censer and much odours given unto him that he should offer with the prayers of the Saincts How may these things wilt thou say fit to Constantine Surely as the type of the High Priest to Iesus christ whose person to represente is not proper nowe to one certen kinde of men but is common to all the faithfull whom all Christ hath made Priests and that not of the second but of the highest sort But why should not he above all have the image of the Priest in whom most of all did shine the likenes of his Kingly dignity well spake he of himselfe in the assembly of the Bishops And I saith he am here as one of you for J will not deny my selfe to be your felowe servant in which name I reioice most of all Socrat. booke 1. chap. 7. ¶ Having a golden censer the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth properly Frankincense here is taken for the Censer it selfe as is manifest frō the first verse where this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is filled with the fire of the Altar But the golden Censer was an instrument of the most Holy Place Heb. 9.4 and belongeth onely to the High Priest ¶ And odours were given him Therefore this Angel is not Christ who taketh not odours frō any other but he himselfe is a most replenished store house of all graces and giveth to every one as much as is needfull Those odours are a most ample both ability and also will to make peace which is the ende of the Priesthood and of burning incense before God in which respect the Lord is said to smell a sweete savour when he accepteth a Sacrifice Gen. 8.21 ¶ That he might offer with the prayers These thinges are spoken according to the auncient custome of the Temple where the Priest burning incense within upon the golden altar in the meane time the whole people taryed without giving themselves to prayer as in Luke 1.10 And the whole multitude of the pepple prayed without in the time of the burning incense from whence it cometh to passe that it is sayd in this place to be givē to the prayers which before time was wōt to be ioyned togither with them at the same momēt And the prayers of the Saincts are the godly wishes of the faithfull who earnestly desyred that some remedy might be founde betimes against the evils neare at hande which they saw to before shewed by many apparant tokens For could it otherwise be but that the syncere mindes seeing strifes privie grudges and contentions raigne every where and to consume all things I meane those which wee shewed even nowe to have followed the halfe houre silence should not strive earnestly with God by prayers that he would not suffer the trueth tryumphing over the tyranny of the enemyes to be abolished by the discords and alterations of them that were of the housholde But what other meane could there be of appeasing controversies then to gather togither the parties disagreeing one with an other and when the matter was reasoned of on each side friendly by a good composition to drawe them to be of one minde This was it then which the holy men desyred that the present controversies might be taken away by a generall Councill assembled and the future evils might be prevented Epiphanius reporteth that Alexander Bishop of Alexandria solicited Constantine and required of him earnestly that he would summon a generall Councill and that not of himselfe but from the common advise of other Bishops whom he had consulted with about this matter booke 2. Tom. 2. heresies 69. Ruffinus booke 1. chap. 1. From which wee may perceave what was the common desire of all men Onely Constantine next after God could give odours to this desire that is bring it to some desyred issue for as saith Euseb It was in the power of the omnipotent God onely to cure these evils But Constantine alone of all men on earth to be the minister of these good things in the life of Constantine in the 3. booke of the sayd Euseb ¶ Vpon the Golden Altar The Altar of incense that was before the vayle as Exod. chap. 30. ver 3. Here it noteth the company of the chosen saincts the first fruites of the whole world as speaketh Eusebius in as much as this company doubtlesse did holde the place next to the most holy as in olde time the Golden Altar was set before the vayle And surely by right may this crowne of most holy men be called the Golden Altar the great assembly of which cometh nighest unto the maiesty of God and in which the visible glory of God most of all sheweth it selfe Where saith Christ two or three shal be gathered togither in my name there am I in the middes of them Mat. 18.19 Therefore it must needes be that this company should have the next place to the Most Holy in the middes of which Christ himselfe did remaine ¶ Which is before the Throne Within the circuite of the Elders For that is said both here and in other places to be before the Throne Which whole space God would have to be proper to the elect on earth who approach next to the Highest Throne and are not separated by the coming between of Angels 4 And the smoke of the odours went up Thus farre the preparation of the Angell now followeth his Ministery and first that
marriage after in chap. 19.7 Nowe therefore when the prisons where broken those mischiefes should fly out which evē hitherto made a stirre in the inner partes the foure first of which are described in this chapter farre lighter indeede then the three last and therefore wee shall see that albeit in a certen order of blowing the Trumpets they doe assayle yet they all doe togither come upon men with force distinguished onely by shorte spaces of time to beginne ¶ Prepared themselves to blowe the trumpets This sounde of trumpets seemeth not to be a voice manifesting to Iohn alone that is to the elect in the Church the trouble that should come such as was that of the Beasts in the first seales but the divine administration giving by the holy Angels so notable beginnings to the facts that by the same as it were by a noyse of trumpets all sortes of men should be awaked for to consider the beginning of things Many things doe creepe upon us by little and little and secretly so as their beginning is unknowne and are growne olde before they be perceived but here the beginning should be marked and perceived playnely of any one so that the procedeing of them could not come suddenly upon any man but such a one as would be willfully negligent Although the sound of a trumpet doth cause rather astonishment and feare then teach the hearer knowledge And so in deede it cometh to passe that the further wee proceede the more obscure are the iudgements of the events In the Seales the Beast doth call Iohn for to come and see In the Trumpets there is never a worde onely a sounde is given In the Viols there is scarse any noise but so farre as the liquor powred out of a cuppe doth yeelde Certenly as longe as faith and godlines was sounde as in those first times small iudgements did awaken the Church but in these last when iniquity is growne in use wee passe over even the greatest workes of God with eyes shutte up and deafe eares Which carelesnes of ours God both discloseth and reprooveth by this increasing darkenes of the signes For lesse light is not given from any lacke of perspecuity in God but onely for a reprehending of our future secutity 7 Therefore the first Angell blew the trumpet All things nowe being finished which hitherto caused a delay at length the Angels sounde the trumpets at the first sound a double effect followeth The first is a shower of haile and fire The second the burning of trees and grasse the haile comming frō heaven and with a great noise signifyeth the very great trouble which from the housholde servāts of the Church at least by outward professiō should fall suddenly upon their owne heades But the fire mingled with blood the fervency of the same trouble and increase even to the shedding of blood But wee must remember that these mischiefes are set on fire with the burning coales of the altar Which thing is here manifest For the matter was not deferred for any lōg while but in the middes of the Nicene Fathers the first Angell blewe the trumpet for the holy men had scarse approved the trueth by a common consent after they had considered the matter diligētly but the haile began to fall downe violently and to make a wonderfull great noise Certaine Bishops verily citizens of the Earth making a pretended shew that they were offended with some wordes of the Confession but in very deede inflamed with the coales of the altar laboured to hinder the consent and to be against it so farre as in their power did lye These were five Eusebius Nicomedieosis Theognis Nicenus Maris Chalcedonensis Theonas Marmariensis Secundus Ptolemaitensis who malitiously alleadging against the word Consubstantiall would neither agree with the rest touching the faith nor subscribe to the condemnation of Arius This was a manifest beginning of the haile which a while after fell in greater abōdance For after that Eusebius and Theognis faigning an alteration of their opinion had recovered their former dignity they went about this one thing to try by all meanes howe that through the sides of Athanasius they might pearce the trueth And these cunning devisers looked so well to the matter that noe times have bin more troubleous through most impudent false accusations malitious surmises lies and uniust vexations That Athanasius had killed Arsenius had ravished his hostesse had takē away craftily the provision of corne at Constantinople had ministred mony to one that attempted an alteration what time affordeth exemples of like impudency The good Arian Bishops removed from his seate Eustathius Bishop of Antioch because he was one of them that helde the trueth a whore being brought forth who obiected unto him dishonest conversation with her Neither were these thinges done secretly and privately but that wee may acknowledge the huge noise of the haile in assemblyes full of men by continuall runnings up and downe frō Thracia Alexandria into Syria by wicked accusations by appealings to the Emperours in abrogations of ungodly sentences and approving of the same againe so as the whole East had businesse enough by these meanes did ringe on every syde with the noise of this shower But the broile stayed not here CONSTANTINE the sonne of Constanntie mingled haile with blood banished many put many to death Howe cruell a thing was it that he compelled by torments to consent to the wicked opinion that reverend old man Holsius of Corduba to whom his Father gave so great honour But the outrageousnes of VALENS is almost uncredible wherby the Church was spoiled on every side the faithfull were cast headlong into the river Orontes cruelty was exercised by every kinde of death Surely that shippe in which under a colour of sending foure skore excellent men into banishement he cōmanded them to be burnt in the maine sea was more unnaturall then that weake shippe of Nero in which he devised a death for his mother And the Bishops who of late passed all mortall men in impudency strove afterward with tyrants who should be most cruell What slaughters did MACEDONIVS make through all the East Georgius and Lucius at Alexandria It would aske a longe time to set downe all doubtlesse the former miserable times came againe the name onely of the enemy being chāged for those of the time passed wer Heathē but these wer false Christians Verily the wonderfull and mervailous falling of haile in about those times shewed manifestly what was the state of thinges And haile filling the hand rushed downe violently every severall hailestone being as great as the hand could conteme as Socrates in the foure chapter of his booke doth say And it seemeth that Gregorius Nazianzenus at that time made that oration whose inscription is this when the Father held his peace because of the calamity of the haile ¶ And they were cast into the Earth and the third part of the Earth c. So readeth Aretas the Common Latine
after a Councill being gathered in the same place under Gratian and Theodosius the elder shee ordained in plaine wordes that the Bishop of the City of Constantinople ought to have the honour of Primacy next after the Romane Bishop because that it is newe Rome see the first Councill at Constantinople Canon the fift By which things both shee bewrayed her owne ambition and also shewed some what more fully what those some thing obscure circunstances of wordes in the Nicene decree meant ¶ And the third part of the Sea became blood The Second effect is the corruption of Doctrine the death of the things in the Sea The Doctrine is turned into blood that is into a nature wholy growing out of kinde Before indeede it began to be foule and thicke defiled with many superstitions but afâ—er the desire of Lordship Primacy was mixed with it it became an horrible blood But what this third part is the History sheweth clearly In the former sounding of the trumpet the East was smitten with the haile nowe the West is punished with the bloody waters as some time Egypte Now Rome must play her part which not content with the Primacy of Order the which the Niâ—â—ne Fathers gave her strove as much as shee was able to get her selfe the highest estate also of power over all the rest And shee had many opportuniâ—â—es doubtlesse before others as to be the head City of olde time and noâ— y t longe agoe that preiudice of the Nicene Decree the exceeding peace the which shee enioyâ—d when in the meane time the whole East was inflamed with the deadly firâ—brandes of dissentions finally ordained as it were a sanctuary the orthodoxes being driven out of their seâ—tes under a coulour of defending of whom shee crept in by stealth to that dominion which in her heart shee sought so greedily For while both the banished Bishops of whom shee seemeth to deserve well praysed her of a gratefull good will more then was meete and shee vaunting her selfe the more freely in a good cause shee exercised a certen empire and dominion unwarres over all men Which coming of hers appeareth evidently in Sozomenus in his 3. booke chap. 8. Athanasius of Alexandria Paulus of Constantinople Marcellus of Ancyra and Asclepa Gazensis being cast out of their people fled for succour to Rome the defence of whom Iulius Romain tooke freely neither was that to be reprooved unlesse he had made craftily to himselfe from hence a steppe unto tyranny For so he writeth to the Churches in their behalfe as though the power were his owne to command any thing imperiously As if it were meete that he because of the dignity of his seate should be carefull for all he restored to every one his owne Church But when letters were sent every where touching this matter through the East being as I said full of authority and power which he arrogated to his seat the Easterne Bishops in other things not to be approved did this well and according to their duty that they thought the arrogancy of the man was to be convinced of them and the Romish ambition to be reprooved freely And from hence is that which they answere that the Romane Church doth strive and contende with all men about honour as if shee were the schole of the Apostles made at the beginning the mother City of Godlines although the teachers themselves of the doctrine came from the East and were men of that country c. There was added to his cunning of boasting so insolently of the Apostolike Chaire a crafty interpretation of all duty as of due obedience the saluting of his brethren and fellowes in office by the name of honourable Sonnes and other notable fraudes of that sorte as Damasus in his Epistle to the Constantinopolitane Councill doe shewe in these wordes In that saith he your charity most honourable sonnes giveth due reverence to the Apostolike Chaire by the same thing you procure very much reverence to your selves For although it apperteineth to us chiefly to order the sterne and rudder which wee have taken upon us to governe in the holy Church in which the holy Apostle sate a teacher yet wee confesse our selves to be unworthy of so great an honnour Theodor. booke 5. chap. 9. Incredible is the charity of the Romane Pope who embraceth noe otherwise then as Sonnes so many Bishops present in the Councill In the next age his unsatiable desyre brake forth more evidently Three most Holy Popes who could not erre Zozimus Bonifacius and Celestinus are convinced of falshood belying the Nicene Councill to stablish their owne Principality The sixt Councill of Carthage albeit they reprove so great a naughty act more gently then was meete writeth to Celestinus that they could not finde any such thinge in the truer Councils which are received for Nicene being sent them from holy Cyrill and Atticus of Constantinople out of the originall which they long a goe sent from thence by Faustinus as out of a part of the Nicene Council and therefore they warne him that he would not doe that wherby he may seeme to bring into the Church of Christ the smokie pride of the world So in short time their impudency increased neither from hence forth did they cease before that Rome the conqueresse had taken from all the rest the apple of contention The Nicene Fathers tought to provide for the peace of the Church by placing some chiefe Patriarches as it were in a watchtower above the rest but the issue convinceth them both of an exceeding great errour and aberration and of their labour to be very ill and unprofitably bestowed and togither also it teacheth howe much safer and better it is to continue and keepe within the boundes and simplicity of the divine and most holy word of GOD then that wee should alter or change any thing in it leaning unto humane wisdome and inventions of men Such is this third part into which the burning montaine was cast and that the doctrine afterward became most fouly corrupted marred now it is mor knowne thankes be to God theÌ„ that is needfull to spende time in proving it Wee shall finde that this is the continuall Cokou song of all the Papists an immoderate boasting of the Apostolique Seate whether they doe refferre all things wrestingly the Sunne and Moone the two swordes and the Church built upon Peter 9 And the third part of the creatures dyed There remaine yet two partes of the second effect one touching the death of the creatures in this Sea the other of the dâ—stroying of the shippes The creatures in the Sea are all that basest company of the Clergie as they call them of which sorte are the Doore-keepers Râ—â—ders Singers Exorcists Acobythes Subdeacons Deacons Archdeacons Deanes Religious Monkâ—s Brethren and the rest of that kinde The Shippes are those of a higher degree whose office was to take paines in preaching the word and to transporte it hither and thither as merchants
very fewe being left there In the next ages wee shall finde the History very silent as touching the making mention of Churches in those places But wee doe limit this first invasion within the space of an hundred and fifty yeeres not because at the ende of this time they were dispoiled straiteway of the countries which they subdued but because afterward they fought with ill successe against the Romanes often times vanquished killed put to flight hardly keeping that which had ben gotten much lesse getting any more At the yeere 780. about the ende of Leo Copronimus that is after the hundreth and fifty yeere since which time they first grewe stronge their insolency was restrayned by almost continuall received slaughters by domesticall discordes Leo hanodraco brought them under in Asia Constantine who raigned with Irene his mother put them to flight Nicephorus was beaten by Leo Armenius The same did Theophilus Michael the sonne by Basilius Petronas and Andreas Captaines and the other following Emperours founde noe lesse good sucesse against them so that nowe there being a manifest decay of their former prosperity not without cause their florishing sommer may be thought to have ended in the East they began to braunch out in the Mediterrane Ilands in Italy Peloponnesus all which places by the space of an other hundred and fifty yeeres they cruelly spoyled and destroied The inhabitans of Cyprus being thrust out of their dwelling places and transported other where about the yeere 807. at length by the prosperous conduct of Zimisca recouvered their native countrie after an hundred and three score yeeres This space is greater by a fewe yeeres but some weakening and infirmity is wonte to goe before the last destruction so as the vigour may agree very well unto the number set downe They bring in subiection to them all Sicilia assailed often before about the yeere 867 neither could they be expelled wholly froÌ„ thence before that Georgiê° Mamaces destroyed them utterly about the yeere 1060 more or lesse Zonaras reporteth that not longe after they returned under the power of the Agarenes but Ambustus Catacalon many thousandes of them being killed repressed them so that they neither durst nor could bring much hurt to the Christian inhabitans This space also is longer theÌ„ the determined monethes unlesse peradventure the dwelling of the Saracenes was not so troblesome to the inhabitans in those yeeres numbred over and beside But in Italy the thinge is more cleare About the yeere 830 the Saracenes being called out of Babylon for aide shee felt destruction by and by from them whom shee sent for to be her helpers for they brought a very grievous desolation upon the chiefe part of that country neither was there any pause of the vexation Otto second being Emperour in the yeere 980 that is by a plaine accounte in the hundreth and fifty yeere after the spoiling begun killed them with so great a slaughter that from thence he got a name and was commonly called the Death of the Saracenes Here is so great a consent of the time as if the Spirit had respected this country alone and in it had ordained an example of his wrath in delivering her up for to be spoiled of these Locusts which was the teacher of impiety to the whole earth and out of which an other kinde of Locusts did spring noe lesse noisome then that former But touching them wee shall see by by let us prosecute those thinges which remayne concerning the former Therefore this first company which by a limited space of an hundred and fifty yeeres did robbe and slay in sundry places by a certen interchangeable course at length newe troupes of Turkes followed Who at first were troblesome not so much by the dammage which they brought by themselves as that in taking by force the countries of the Saracenes who abode in heapes togither in the East they drove them forth more into all the West But after the poison of the Agarenes waxed olde least the Christian name should enioy even a very little peace the Turkes tooke upon them their office which they performed more cruelly then they themselves whom they succeeded For beginning at Romanus Diogenes in the yeere 1073 who being taken of the Turkes and againe sent away having his eyes first put out was killed of his owne people The Turkes not enduring that their good turne should thus be nothing regarded of the Romanes vexed and tooke away the whole East untill a newe invasion of the Scythians made them feare and constrained them to devise howe they might defende themselves rather then to molest others wherby they were brought to seeke peace of Iohannes Duca Emperour of Rome who then lived at Nice Byzantium being lately taken of the Latines Which fell upon the yeere 1223. see Niceph. Gregoras in the second booke of the Romane History For so it pleased God the supreme governour that the Turkes as Locusts Scorpions should vexe before that after the manner of cruel Lions they should make horrible slaughters without any difference of sexe or of persons And therefore worthily their assayling untill the yeere 1300 was called robbing by the History-writers rather then warre undertaken rather with a minde to take booties then with anie hope to possesse the places which they had taken This rehearsall hath ben some thing full of wordes but my desire is to bring light unto the History which that I may doe I regarde nothing my owne trouble The other kinde of Locustes are our Religious ones in the West part of the world who as longe as the Saracens were in their chiefe strength had not yet attained their perfection They overflowed indeede before through great abondance but the sommer was not yet very hotte wherein they should most of all tyrannize untill in the times of Innocent the third the Dominicans Franciscans the Poore The Penitent the Observants the Trinitaires the brethren of the Holy Ghost and other infinite of scowring of that kinde arose with full power to vexe men at their pleasure There was noe age so abounding with religious as Polydore Virgil and other learned men have observed Neither did some writers thinke that all the orders were even to be reckoned up both because they would have regard to brevity and also because they were wonte often to spring up after the manner of todstooles as saith Polydore Virgill in booke 7.3 And certenly nowe was the Power of darknesse the Locusts being armed with their stinges Hildegardis the Abbesse sawe from God and bewayled a fewe yeeres before the misery to come by the begging Fryars and hungry Locusts and not longe after experience taught the world that her sorrowe was not in vaine This plague dared longue neither left it any thing uneateÌ„ up wholly untill about the yeere 1360 to wit and hundred and fifty yeeres after their power receaved at length a West winde began to blowe by Wickleffe and other godly men which shaking them of from the boughes ceased
here all true Christians are counted as before chap. 1.6 Therefore when Constantine came to the Kingdome the Church began to hide it selfe in a secret place by going froÌ„ the sight of the world into a certen more inward roome Whereunto perteineth that sealing chap. 7. Wherby a fewe of many were severed by some privie marke Neither ought it to seeme mervailous that this separating of themselves from others was made in so great glory of peace and desire to advance the Christian name For when some raised up contentions others coveted much to get honours many travailed with heresies and brought them forth all did bend themselves with all their power to heape up superstitions was it easy in that state of things for any pure syncere and sound thing to abide in his place But the obscurity of the Saincts indeede grew more every day by how much more those foure mischiefes increased The which thing Rome also her selfe granted unwares For doest thou demaÌ„de where our Church was before Luther Therefore thou knowest not But understand thus where thou Rome wert not to wit in the hidden holy place of our God whither shee had runne for succour with all the rest of the Saincts from thyne infection But when thou boastest that thou art a Citie set on a hill which never was hidden but hath flourished with a continuall and manifest succession confesse also that thou art not the true Church and that thou hast founde noe place in that covert of protection ¶ And them that worshippe in it Mete is a common verbe and of a continuall quantity but here figuratively it signifyeth also number thou as if he should say put into the number of nine those fewe who in trueth worship me secretly for there was a certen number in sealing the elect chap. 7. which same thing is declared here in other wordes when he biddeth him to meete the worshippers All the Saincts are sayd to worship on the Altar because they put all their hope and trust in the death of Christ which kinde of sacrifices perteineth not to the Tribe of Levi alone to offer but to everie true godly man likewise And this onely is that thing which discerneth the true Christian from the false and counterfait But that the most in those times worshipped not so on the altar wee must thinke not without cause when it is to be seene clearly from their writings that many who ought to have shined before others in all knowledg attributed to much to their voluntary workes and to their owne holinesse 2 But the court that is without the Temple So Aretas and the Complutent edition doe reade but some bookes have which is within the Temple to wit the court of the Priests in which was the altar of burnt offrings which he mentioned even nowe which court some time is called by the name of the temple Neither is this reading to be reiected rashly For Iohn is not biddeÌ„ to mete this court but onely the Altar of this court And it may be that it agreeth more fitly with that which followeth if the inward court be cast out then if that be cast out which was already without before But both have respect to the same ende that it is nothing to be esteemed whatsoever is more then those foresayd Temple Altar Worshippers For the court is given to the Gentils that is to the Christians as for a name neither this onely but also the holy City which they should tread under foote not by spoiling it like an enemie but in frequenting it daily under a colour of worshipping as in Isaiah 1.12 and that for the space of fourtie two moneths These things shewe clearly what should be the condition of the false Church in those times wherein the trueth should be hidden First it should noe lesse exceed in number and multitude then the people which once dwelt at Ierusalem and was wont when the holy things were done to be in the utmost court exceeded the number of them who executed their office in the Temple Good God howe great difference was there Exceeding great was the coÌ„pany of the inhabitans and of them that continually flocked to the temple howe in the meane time few Priests were there within in comparison of that great multitude which was exercised without There should be the same quantitie of fained Christians in respect of the true and naturall Citizens Secondly it should have her counterfait worshippers dwelling very neere the Temple For they should possesse Ierusalem and the whole court should be theirs How neerly was the court ioyned to the Temple How did it compasse the same round about Ezech 40.5 Good God how nigh was this society Who durst have condemned the court of prophanenesse unlesse the Angell himselfe had commanded it And the event surely was altogither answerable For in those first times when the foure first trumpets sounded what was Athanatius alone unto so greate assemblyes of Bishops What afterward was Basil the Greate or Gregorie Nazianzene unto almost the whole East Yf thou shouldest respect the multitude who would not have contemned one or two in coÌ„parison of so great a rable But if you would respect holines were they not all Bishops Did not all desire to be esteemed valiant defenders of the trueth How easy was it therefore here either by the number or likenes to be deceaved In the last times also there is the same boasting of the holy citie and of the outmost court against the Temple Is not the Church of Rome spread through the whole earth Have the Lutherans heresies as they clatter ever passed over the Sea Have they seene at any time eyther Asia or Afrique or Egypt or Grecia Who can doubt of the Holy Catholike Church which counteth her Bishops even from Peter himselfe by a most certen succession But Rome nowe boasteth of her multitude by how much in time past shee hath flourished in greater number by so much the more is shee nigher to the great assembly treading under foote Hierusalem and further of from this small number lying hid in the Temple wee see in this place the whorish Church most furnished both with multitude and neighbourhood Yf these things shal be sufficient to get the victory thou hast overcome o Rome so well in populous City as in proximity But let them looke to it that are carâ—ied away with the name of the Catholike Church how easily here they may be deceaved of the whore which possesseth the holy City and the very outward court next to the Temple Let them in the name of God weigh the matter in earnest and diligently and not suffer themselves to be beguiled with vaine boasting Let them minde that unto them that looke but of a farre off they seeme all to be in the Temple it selfe who are but within yea the outmost part of the walles but let them come nigher and they shall see most cleerly that those whom even now they thought to be in the most inward roomes
without ceasing not by a stinted labour every three moneths foure times in the yeere or peradventure somewhat more diligently once every moneth but wherein wee must continue alwayes as in a watchtower least the enemy continually lying in waite come unlooked for upon us sleeping or being absent Moreover that wee should acknowledg the singular providence of God towards his holy servants which at all occasions is ready both to deliver them from evill and also to store them with good things For the same reason he helde the Angels in his hande chap. 1.20 and the Psalmist singeth The keeper of Israell slumbereth not Ps 121.4 Finally that he may shewe that the moneths are not to be nūbred in a generall maner but every day by it selfe a part as wee have said before Sacks are the cloathing wherein they should prophecy because they should execute their office vilely arayed clad in mourning apparell spoiled of all lustre in the same garment that is wont to be used in lamenting But whēce was this sorrofull arraying in that triumphe which the Church made under Constantine Surely although great was the glory of peace honours dignityes riches wherewith he endowed most nobly and adorned the Churches yet as touching true godlinesse all things began to be farre worse The Heaven departed away under Diocletian by an horrible tempest of persecution but nowe it was corrupted more with tranquility then when the cruell enemy was at hande to take away their lives For nowe the simple purity of the Scriptures began to be troubled more and more the meaning of them not be understood to be wrested by allegories and absurd expositions and any thing almost to be added unto them which mens phantasie would Did not the Arian faction which wee heard in chap. 8 10.11 infect the third part of the rivers and fountaines with her wormwood strive to drawe the Scripture to their side and by their authority to proffer their wicked opinions to the world So all Heretiques for the most parte are wont to doe but the governement of the Magistrate was never added before to the furthering of so wicked opinion The Scriptures then for good cause did put on sackecloath when they were constrained so against their meaning to defende and stablish those errours which they hated chiefly and above all things Neverthelesse they were not covered by and by with this mourning apparell but they began in that ioy fulnesse to change the garment which they afterwards did openly weare That and the ages comming after had indeede some learned and holy mē but these were both fewe and also every one knoweth how great a blemish the corruption of the times did cast upon them Indeede in their conflict against the Heretiques they polished the trueth most subtilly but their other workes being voide of this care did for the most part much erre frō the marke Although the gowne was then also spotlesse in comparison of those uncleannesses wherewith afterward the trueth of God was stained the honouring and worshipping of reliques defiled the assemblyes also of the faithfull and religion being put in holy places and times and other frivolous trifling things of that sorte clothed them as it were with sacke For the beautifull attire of these is when they shine in the simplicitie of Gods ordinance But the ages following did more deface them with dust and ashes wherewith at length they being wholly covered they could be knowne to God onely unknowne altogither to others by their true face It is a thing certenly to be wondered at that the Church should under the persecutions of the Emperours shine with the cloathing of the Sunne but in the cleere skie of her foster father shoulbe cloathed in sackecloath 4 These are those two olive trees There is a double property of the Prophets one of bountifulnesse towards their owne that I may so say in this verse the other of power over their enemyes as in destroying them in the fift verse so in troubling them with other evils in the sixt verse As touching their bountifulnesse they are two olive trees and two candlestickes the type being taken out of Zach. 4.2.12 and very fit for these things in hande For ever as then God did preserve his Church and adorne it with the gifts of his Spirit and bestoweth them most liberally upon the same not so much by the ministery of men as by his alone supernall grace beyond all mens expectation which thing the oyle signifyed gotten not by mens industry but naturally flowing out of the olive berries into the oyle cruet of the candlestickes so nowe he would defende the Church being in danger and reserve to himselfe some burning candlesticks to which how soever oyle pressed and wrong out of the wine presse should be wanting he himselfe neverthelesse would plant them hard by the olive trees which of their owne accord and continually dropping out of the berries into the lampes should minister perpetuall nourrishement to the flame wich is to be maintained Seeing therefore that in this type the gifts of the Spirit are shadowed out the inward by the flame of the Candlestickes the outward by the olive trees among which the chiefe is the sacred word not without cause these olive trees from whose berries oyle is powred to nourish the flame of the candlestickes may signify the Scriptures whose office is to minister doctrine to the Prophets that they may nourish the flame of Godlinesse in thēselves and their auditours For like raison for which they were compared before to the Sunne both being ministers of light this of his owne those in stirring up a flame by a fit nourishment Now they are two in respect of the old and newe testament God spake in olde time by the Prophets but now by his Sonne Heb. 1.1 There are also two in Zacharie before the Gospell was written yet it hindereth not the application seeing it was always in force before it was written For there are two chiefe points of the whole sacred doctrine the Lawe and the Ghospell which are those wholesome olive trees and alwaies have belonged to all times The Candlestickes doe carrie the candles set in them by which Christ hath taught expressely that the Churches are noted chap. 1.20 To wit because they shew the office of a candlesticke in the top of which the Prophets being set not in the high toppe of wordly dignity doe communicate their wholesome light to the Saincts The Prophets thēselves are the Candles not the Candlestickes as Christ distinguisheth them neither doe men light a candle and set it under a bushell but on a candlesticke and it giveth light to all which are in the house Mat. 5.15 And before he said that the starres are ministers where he compared the Churches unto candlestickes in the first chapter and twentieth ver But why are they now but two Doubtlesse most fitly for the present condition of the Church which had sufferred a pitifull losse of the rest In the first chapter there were
great Eagle that shee might flie into the wildernes from the sight of the Serpent into her place where shee should be nourrished for a time and times and halfe a time 15 And the Serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water like a flood that he might cause her to be carried away with the flood 16 But the earth holpe the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swalowed up the flood which the Dragon had cast out of his mouth 17 Then the Dragon was wroth with the woman went and made warre with the remnant of her seed which keepe the commandement of God and have the testimony of Iesus Christ 18 And he stood upon the Sea sande Analysis It hath ben spoken summarily concerning the seventh trumpet The parts of it are a calling to rememberance of the time past in three chapters 12.13.14 and the Prophecy touching future thinges from thence to the ende of the booke The calling to mind of the time passed relateth the thinges done either by the enemies the Dragon in this chapter the Beast in the following or by the Citizens chap. 14. The history of the Dragon is of things which were done partly in Heaven unto the 13. verse partly in Earth in the rest of the chapter Those are the persecution and warre The persecutiō hath a description of the persons both of the woman against whom it is undertaken ver 1.2 and of the Dragon who inferreth it ver 3.4 Afterward the Event wherby the woman neverthelesse bringeth forth a Sonne who without harme and being endued with excellent power is taken up to God ver 5. then also she flyeth without hurt ver 6. The warre which is made in Heaven is described by the Captaines themselves and Armies ver 7. The overthrowe of the Dragon ver 8.9 and the Saincts song of triumphe vers 10.11.12 The things done on earth first against the woman is the persecution renewed both against her being present where the assault of the Dragon is rehearsed ver 13. And the escaping of the woman ver 14. and also against her being absent Here the assault is made by a flood powred out ver 15. the helpe against it is givē by the Earth which swallowed up the flood ver 16. Secondly against the seed of the woman there is a warre ver 17. All which thinges are concluded with a transitiō unto the battell of the Beast in the chapters following ver 18. Scholions 1 And a great wonder appeared in heaven As touching that wee told in a word in the Analysis that the three next chapters togither perteine unto a continuall History of the time past peradventure it may seeme strange to some body why the Spirit should doe that which is already done rehearse againe the former History set forth sufficiētly as it seemeth in those thinges that have bin said before especially in this place after the blowing of the seventh trumpet when shortly there should be an ende of all thinges as wee have learned from the tenth chapter There are most iust causes of both for no man beholding separated and dispersed partes here and there of a building scarce comprehendeth in minde any fashion of the whole frame much lesse perceiveth he the handsomnesse which would be of them ioyned togither every one set in his owne place and couched togither in fit order The former handling was a certen preparation of devided partes but this continuall narration doth properly ioyne all things togither in one and setteth before our eyes the whole frame that wee may see to what summe at length that singular building commeth But it is reserved to this time because before the last Trumpet there could not be a full comprehending of these thinges The events came forth by peecemeale distinctly the knowledge whereof the world received a part and by little and little after the manner of folded tapestry but all things at length being ended nowe there was time to behold the whole unfolded cloath and of appropriating togither the universall building But chiefly by this rehearsall wee are taught that such an History of all those thinges under the last trumpet is to be made as is instituted typically in these three chapters Which thing came to passe about the yeere one thousand five hundreth threescore certaine learned and skilfull men framing that excellent worke of the Centuries at Maidenburge In which thirteene Centuries whatsoever from the birth of Christ unto the yeere one thousand three hundreth is founde here and there among the auncient Churches or politique writers is brought into one body and as a built house all things fitly ioyned togither is placed to be seene at once From which our coūtrey man Iohn Foxe and Iohn Sleidan receaved a great light who continued the History unto the yeere 1555. that is to say unto that time which by two or three yeeres went before the blowing of the seventh Trumpet For this cause to wit by the force of the restored Church and of that commandement in chap. 10.10.11 the former times are repeated under the last trumpet because nowe at length all thinges should be declared most copiously by the studies of the learned which had come to passe never before The like industrie of learned men about the ende of the sixt trumpet brought foorth that continuall narration whereof wee spake in the former chapter but that was more generall and obscure in consideration of that time but this most full and aboundant obtained by a greater knowledge of things thē ever before this time These thinges are to be observed touching the order of the Prophecy to the ende that wee may see the more easily not as some suppose these things to be set in an other place but most wisely and fitly to be reserved unto the last Trumpet as to their naturall and most proper place Yet neverthelesse there is noe cause why in this repetition wee should feare a twice sodden Colewort For wee shall nowe beholde that face of things ioyned togither by their ioints of which before time there could be noe looking upon Therefore as touching this great wonder it is seene in heaven a type of the true and heavenly Church whose condition he fetched from the beginning to wit from the beginning of the seales the time of the Revelation given containing in the sixe first verses what was her state from thence to Constantine the Great in whom the sixt Seale also ended as wee shewed at the sixt chapter And it is manifest that the same space of time is reckened up by the description of the woman the Dragon with the event of the persecution and of that open warre which is made with Michaell as shal be shewed in their places The woman which is seene doth rightly beare the image of the Church which so often times in the Scriptures is called the Spouse The cloathing of the Sunne is the excellent brightnes and purity of that time as touching the doctrine of
wherin a Dragon was painted thrust thorough with a dart and layd under his and his peoples feete see Euseb upon the life of Constantine in the third oration leafe 137. a. 9 And that Dragon was cast into the earth That is beiond the boundes of the true and holy Church not onely among the prophane nations but also all other people altogither without true godlines howsoever peradveÌ„ture they pretended a shewe of it and are marked with the names of Christians That which is here called the heaven and the earth was in the former chapter called the Temple and the Court. In that the Church lay hid in this the Gentiles ruled a people who because of their vicinitie did take to themselves the name of the Church Therefore the Devill being cast unto the earth he is thrust out togither with his Angels into this court having receaved power to vexe the whore who lately exercised all his strength against the true spouse 10 And J heard a great voice The Song of triumphe of the Saincts celebrating God for his great benefit which first of all is declared by those things wherein the benefit it selfe consisted in this verse afterward it is set forth by his causes ver 11. by his effects ver 12. The benefit it selfe in respect of men is safety the tyrants being destroied who did labour to satisfy their hatred with the destruction of the Christians in respect of God it is the glory of his might of the Kingdome and power of Christ For then his power doth appeare when he utterly destroyeth abolisheth his enemies Also his visible Kingdome is seen after a sort when he placeth godly Princes in the governement of the common wealth from hence likewise the power of Christ was much declared which before seemed weake being so troden under soote by the enemyes neither punishing them according to their deserts But Christ now by taking unto him the Kingdome declared sufficiently that the former want of punishement and sufferance came not from imbecillity but onely from patience In respect of the Devill this benefit was a iust reward of his ungodlines who coÌ„tinually accuseth the godly before God But we must observe that the servants are noted with the same names wher with the Pâ—â—â—câ— himselfe is named because there is an equall good will to hurt in both although hiâ— power be greater But this accusation are those taunts reproches railings with which the spitefull enemies overwhelmed the Saincts continually obiecting unto them the suppers of Oedipus incests adultery mutuall lusts murders conspiracies against Princes pestilences famine burnings and whatsoever publike calamity there was of which and the like things the auncient History is full Surely the children learned of their father the Devill that auncient false accuser so as it is not to be wondered at if wicked men doe excell in the same arts 11 But they overcame Who The Angels of Michaell for now the streÌ„gth of the souldiers is commended the praise of the Emperour being celebrated in the former verse But as touching the causes of the victory the principall is the blood of the Lambe the instrumentall is the synceritie of the faith and a very great constancy even unto death The blood of the Lambe is the fountaine of all the benefits which the elect enioy either in this life or in the life to come For his sake alone God both delivereth his people from all the miseries of this life and at length will make them ioyfull with eternall felicity The integrity of faith is shewed in the next wordes by the word of his testimony that is by the truth of the Ghospell which they professed freely boldly Before it was alwaies called the testimony of God or of Iesus as in ch 1.2.9 ver c. here it is called the testimony of themselves which kinde of speaking neverthelesse commeth to the same ende For it doth not respect the subiect of which but in which In the last place is their constancy because they esteemed more of the truth and faith in Iesus then of their owne life It seemeth to be a comparative speach as if he should say they loved not their soules even unto death more then God But this last member of the comparison is wanting uÌ„lesse perhaps they loved not be put for they despised But even so the force of the comparison remaineth to with they despised in comparison of the truth This is a notable constaÌ„cy of the Saincts that by no tormeÌ„ts they could be remooved froÌ„ faith in Christ For which cause at leÌ„gth God gave uÌ„to them the reward of victory But observe how this soÌ„g of tâ—iumphe addeth those things which were wanting to declare the coÌ„dition of the first Church we have seen by the description of the woman that shee was famous for souÌ„dnes of faith purity of actions sincerity of the teachers also we have understood that she was destitute of a pâ—tron for because that in great sorow and griefe shee brought forth a sonne Adde to al these from this triumphant song that the enemies of the truth heaped all reproches upon the Saincts they used a great violence to their power yet the faithfull could not be remooved eveÌ„ with the losse of their life froÌ„ their holy profession wherby it came to passe that those times were made famous by almost an infinite number of most couragious Martyrs 12 Therefore reioice yee heaven c. The fruict of this benefit is the ioy of the Saincts the sorrow of the wicked For why should not they triuÌ„phe having attained safety seeing the glory of God so notably amplified But many calamities doe remaine true but these shall not touch the Saincts whome God hiddeth in his tabernacle And therefore he seemeth to say yee which dwell in them because this is heaven that the temple or tabernacle wherein the Church lyeth hid from whence at length it shall goe into the holy mountaine to an everlasting habitatioÌ„ before in chap. 11.7 c. 2 Cor. 5.1.2 c ¶ Woe to the inhabitans c. The effect in respect of the wicked is a very great sorrow for these are the inhabitans of the earth and the sea And from heÌ„ce may be confirmed this metaphoricall signification of these wordes For if the earth be properly taken the Devill should be in like sorte trobelsome to all the Saincts who dwell togither with the wicked and unseparated Moreover who are the inhabitans of the sea besides men The Devill doth not spit out his poison upon the whales Neither doe good and bad men dwell togither lesse in Ilands then in the continent land Thus therefore we doe distinguish that the inhabitans of the earth are every wicked multitude either of Heathen or Christians who have onely a counterfait shew of religion But the inhabitans of the sea are the Church men as they call them who profer to their false Christians grosse foule saltish and bitter doctrine which doeth rather bring to the
the death of Gregory the first although this is to be understood of his birth for our men doe make his conception to be more auncient that I may not seeme alone to have enterprised to doe a thing unheard of I will yeeld reasons of this my judgement which seeme to me to be most strong First this Beast ruleth all that time wherein the woman lyeth hid in the wildernes and the two witnesses prophecy cloathed in sackecloth as is manifest after from the fift verse where power is givē to him to doe two and fourtie moneths which is the same space of the woman and Prophets Now wee evince by necessary arguments that the woman went into the wildernes and the witnesses tooke mourning apparell at that time which wee have said when Constantine began his raigne therfore also the Beast began in the same time to arise out of the Sea Furthermore what other thing meaneth that of Socrates who lived when Theodosius Iunior ruled in the times of Celestine Bishop of Rome about the yeere 424. foure score yeeres after Cōstantine The Romane Bishopricke likewise that of Alexandria being advanced long since beyond the Priesthood unto a Princedome booke 7. chap. 11. Had he promoted himselfe beiond the boundes of the Priesthood Whither else I pray then unto an Antichristian tyranny Had it done this long since and of a certen long time Certenly So crates commeth to my accounte or rather I to his or as it is more agreable to the trueth both of us to the reckening of the Holy Ghost himselfe But he speketh no more of the Romane either here or before in book 7. 7. then of the Alexandrine That is true indeede he in common toucheth sharply the ambition of both but the Romane Bishop had many more peculiar properties of the true Antichrist which in no sort did belong to the Alexandrine and therefore although at the first they ranne togither it may be with equall steppes yet in short time the Romane got afore and left the Alexandrine many miles behind him Hereunto more over is added the third Carthaginean Councill about the times of Syricius to wit in the yeere three hundreth ninetie which decreed that the Bishop of the first seate should not be called the Prince of Priests or Chiefe Priest or any such thing but onely the Bishop of the first Seate but universall let neither the Bishop of Rome be called Can. 26. as it is cited in the ninetieth distinction Wee learne frō this Decree what those times had brought forth otherwise it had ben foolish and superfluous to make an ordinance touching this matter Neither is the confession of the Papists in this thing to be passed over Dost thou thē aske the cause why the Romane Bishops were never present at the generall Councills in the East part Bellarmine declareth that it came not to passe by chāce in his first booke of the Councill and of the Church chap. 19. but for a certen consideration Which howsoever it was not knowne peradventure to many others yet it ought to be throughly understood of him a man that is a secretarie of the Popes Kingdome He rendreth two reasons of this absence the first It seemed not to be convenient that the head should follow the members c. The second because the Emperour was alwaies present at the Councils in the East part or some Ambassadour of his who challengeth to himselfe the first at least materiall place otherwise then was meete That either this therefore might not be tolerated or a tumult mooved he went not to those Councils but sent only his letters Such are his wordes he hath hit the nayle on the head For the Pope disdaineth to be present at those Coūcils in which the Emp. should sit before him How fayre were words givē both to the Emp. Constantine and also all the Nicene Fathers The good men thought as Eusebius speaketh that olde age was a let that the President of the Lady City of Rome could not be present and therefore were content with the Elders which supplyed his place But the true cause was that he could not abide to give place to the Emperour For I beleeve Bellarmine rather then Eusebius touching the minde of the Bishop of Rome VVherefore in the times of the first Nicene Councill there was a man at Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lifted up one who albeit not yet openly neverthelesse within and secretly with himselfe was exalted above all that is called God 2 Thes 2.4 Not that he vaunted himselfe to be superiour to God in Heaven for that is not the meaning of the Apostle but to all the Gods in earth to wit the highest Magistrate who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imperiall from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is worshipped seemeth to be added in stead of an exposition But why doe I be stowe much time in these things The matter is out of controversie from chap. 17. afterward The seventh head of the Beast succeedeth next after the Heathen Emperours for these make the sixt as shal be said in his place But Antichrist is that seventh head and therefore hath his beginning by and by after the Heathen Emperours Shall I then thinke that all from Miltiades are utterly cast away as who doe make this Beast that is the very Antichrist Farte be from mee so great rashnes of judging This Beast is the state of a Kingdome as I hope shal be most cleare after And therefore God could deliver from the common destructiō some peculiar men whō he thought good though furtherers and ministers of this Kingdome The impiety was not so wicked at the first and the yong Antichrists did not knowe for what mischiefe they prepared a way Therefore wee leave these to the infinite and unsearcheable mercy of God yet wee doubt not but wee have found out the originall of the rising Beast which nowe wee see to have fallen on that time in which the Dragon was cast unto the earth ch 12.9 For being about to leave heaven he provided himselfe of a Vicar who in his absence should governe his affaires whose busines he looked unto nor carelesly as wee shall finde afterward These things being thus set in order wee see how from this fountaine every each thing will flowe most easily every part of this Prophecy agreeing most fitly one with another The true original doubtlesse not being perceived of the Interpreters disordered all consideration of the times made a harsh constrained and absurd exposition and tooke wholly away the right searching out of the event Now as touching the words the cruelty of Antichrist is signifyed most fitly by a Beast as often in the Scriptures Tyrants are compared unto Wolves and Lions equall to them in fiercenes but for hurt worser by how much iniquity in men is more armed because of the force of reason He did rise out of the Sea because he hath his originall from corrupt doctrine to wit the authority of Peters Chaire
whose persuasion other men fell from the Emperour and were made richer became not more enriched by the spoiles of the same VVould not he provide himselfe and Sainct Peter of some little gobbet But it is a sufficient argument what he got thereby that a while after that the Longobardes converting their forces against the Romanes sought to take away from them those cities of which they had spoiled the Emperour Which being taken away Zachary the Pope recovered them againe by faire flattering wordes with great increase if wee must beleeve the Papists For he obtained of Luitprandus by gift for blessed Peter and the Popes besides a fewe cities taken away the inheritance of the Sâ—bins and the Citie Narnia and Ancona and Humana and the great valley of the towne Sutrium Moreover all those thinges which Luitprandus had taken to himsâ—â—fâ— from Amilia and the people of Râ—venna within the space of two yeeres Blond Decad. 1. booke 10. But without controversie the munificence of Pipine and Châ—rles the Great and Ludovike farre surpassed For Romanie was now called a Princedome that even by the very name it might acknowledg her Lord. Therefore the Beast began now to glory in the Kingdomes of the world which boasted before of the title of dignity and honour rather thâ—n in any possessions of cities and townes ¶ Having two hornes like the Lambe These two hornes are Pipine and his SoÌ„ne Charlâ—s the Great by whose weapons as it were by hornes the newe Beast chased farre away all enemies Pipine aided the Pope Stephan 2. flying into Fraunce against Aristulphus the King of the Longobardes whom he passing twice over the Alpes with an army compelled first to yeeld the things taken from the Pope Secondly to deliver to the chaire of Peter Ravenna the Princedoome and whatsoever almost he had taken in Italy see Volat booke 3. Charles the Great for Pope Adrians sake repressed Desiderius King of the Longobardes yea tooke away wholly the Kingdome froÌ„ that nation that they might not afterward cause any trouble to Rome Moreover againe when Aragisus a Captaine of Beneventum put Adrian in some feare he fled into Italy brought him by constraint to his duties and set Adrian free from all feare Leo the third also being expelled by the Romanes hasting into Italy the third time those seditious being punished severely hee restored him unto his Chaire The Popes of Rome never had so great deffence since their ten first hornes in any as in these two Therefore these two notable hornes made famous the originall of this second Beast Which are said to be like the Lambes because the Popes whoÌ„ they aided did seeme helplesse afflicted innocent like Lambes How lamentable Epistles doe Stephanus the second Constantinus Stephanus the third and Adrian Popes sende to Pipine and Charles the Great How full are all things of complaints of lamentations of teares and of most vehement callings upon them for succour See before your eyes what cruelty those letters doe attribute to the enemies but what innocency to the Bishops Surely thou wilt call those wolves these Lambes and that he hath an hart of iron who would not deliver them being in daunger from their most cruell â—awes if he be able Yet neverthelesse in this miserable estate the Beast reteined his former minde and loftily and terribly as the Dragon I let passe Gregory the second striking with lightening and terrifying Leo Isaurus VVhose voice I pray was it when Zacharias tooke away the Kingdome from the lawfull King and bestowed it upon Pipine his servaunt VVhat manner of voice was that of Leo the third which proclaimed openly and consecrated Charles Emperour of the VVest VVas it not that of the olde Dragon who according to that very great power whereby he prevailed made and deposed Kinges whom he would Desiderius the Longobard felt the force of this voice who being allured by the Lambelike shewe of the Popes he entered quickly into their possessions for to recover whatsoever things they had wrested away by fraude from his Ancetours But this voice brought to passe that while he strove for some one citie or towne he lost his whole Kingdome and that not from himselfe but also the whole name of the Longobardes These are wonderfull great actes of the Earthly Beast taking away and bestowing Kingdomes at his pleasure And that which is more not so much by armed force as by his voice by which he exercised the power of the Dragon although he bare yet the shewe of a tender Lambe who was not able of himselfe to drive away the wolfe from his owne necke ¶ And he exerciseth all the power of the former Beast Such is the rising and forme of the Beast His power is equall with the former a great proofe whereof is given in this verse As touching the equall power whatsoever that first could doe this second doth exercise all the same in his sight But whence had he this so great power but from the Dragon who gave it to the first above in the second verse Wherefore both are the same both for amplenesse of power and also for the same authour himselfe from whom they received it But as touching that some will have this second to be as it were the Chalbard man and esquire for the body of the former is it to be thought that any is to be compared with Antichrist either for power or will to doe wickednesse Surely he shall have noe felowe but he shall surmounte all men in naughtines and wickednes by many degrees Therefore this Beast is not any servant of Antichrist but he himsâ—lfe endued with no lesse power to doe mischievous deeds But thou wilt say they seeme to be distinguished one of them working in the sight of the other But this kinde of speaking sheweth not a diversity of person but onely that the first remained alive after that the wounde was healed Albeit they are worthily set as two devided because of the notable variety which the same person should obtaine in his growing In which respect he is called both the seventh also the eight King chap. 17. Not because there are eight Kings for there be onely seven heads but because the seventh hath so great diversity that for good cause he may seeme a newe one and the eight And if the second Beast be diverse why would he procure honour rather to the former then to himselfe who hath equall power and like notable lewdenes It is necessary therfore that the honour of the second coÌ„sisteth in the honour of the first which he thrusteth upon the inhabitans of the earth with so great endeavour not so much through a desire to increase an others as his owne glory ¶ And he causeth the earth and the inhabitâ—ns c. The effect of his power tendeth to that ende that he may compell all false Christians to worship the first Beast which the Spirit describeth diligently by his deadly wounde healed declaring that this adoration agreed not to
condition is double the first is of an host where the happy lot of the Saincts is declared from the Captaine the Lambe standing upon mount Sion Likewise from the souldiers both defined and also selected ver 1 furthermore from the ioy of the Spirit expressed by a newe song ver 2.3 and the holines wherewith they are endued ver 5. And this multitude of the Saincts is that seed of the woman scatered here and there in the world whith whom the Dragon made warre after that the woman in flying into the wildernes disappeared chap. 12.13 The second condition is of fighting wherby they goe forth into the army wher some ar Emissaries who the breaking in being made do skirmish with Antichrist and first by the word which is done three manner of waies by three Angels following one an other in order The first of which doth cast upon the earth a generall light of the Ghospell ver 6.7 The second foresheweth the ruine of Babylon ver 8. The third dispoiled the Beast of his coverings and setteth him in the open light by threatning a terrible iudgement against them who setting light by the judgement doe neverthelesse cleave unto him ver 9.10.11 But when as the weake are apaled at the afflictions and torments which they are coÌ„strained to undergoe while they returne to the trueth a double consolation is added one of Iohn ver 12. The other of a voice sent from heaven whereby the former is confirmed ver 13. And so the first coping is performed by the word The second skirmishing is by deed which is also double The Harvest and Vintage unto the harvest the servant is furnished with an instrument ver 14. with a commaundement ver 15. and goeth about the worke ver 16. Vnto the grape gathering the Angel cometh forth prepared and in a readinesse ver 17. received the commaundement from an other Angel ver 18. and dispatched the businesse ver 19.20 Scholions Then I looked and behold there was a Lambe standing This Prophecy beginneth at that time wherein the Dragon being cast into the earth drove away the woman into the wildernes chap. 12.13 c. where more fully the condition of the Church lying hid is declared in regard of the clearer knowledge of the seventh trumpet as hath ben observed at the beginning of the 12. chap. The eleventh chapter toucheth the state of former thinges as it were in one word spending all the rest of the Prophecy in the sufferings of two witnesses as the chiefe members but here more largely is unfolded in what state the affaires of the whole body wer in the meane time both as touching the safety and also in respect of the fortitude of some by whose coÌ„duct a ioyfull victory is begun Iohn therefore repeating the matter from thence saith that he sawe a Lambe standing on Mount Sion Which Lambe is Christ the Sonne of God as is manifest from his correlative in this verse his Fathers name He playeth the Lambe all this time patiently sufferring the Dragon and the Beast neither punishing them with that severity that both he was able and also they had deserved And yet notwithstanding he lyeth not downe carelesse neglecting the safety of his people but standeth in readinesse to defend them covering under his winges the woman and her scattered seed that they should receive no hurt from the enemies Mount Sion on which the Lambe standeth as on a tower or high hill is the Church it selfe which standeth firmly like Mount Sion against all the force of adversaries Before it was the Temple and the holy Altar but a small covert to hide in chap. 11.1 Afterward a wildernes and desert because it had noe cleere outward face on earth chap. 12.6.14 Now it is called Mount Sion because it persisteth invincible in the middes of these teÌ„pestuous stormes A notable confort against either the paucitie or deformity ¶ And with him an hundred fourty and foure thousande This bande of men is the same which was before of the sealed chap. 7.4 Aretas thinketh it to be an other because the article having relation thereto is wanting But it is wonte to be omitted in things very well knowen as the woman in Iohn J knowe that the Messias shall come which is called Christ chap. 4.25 and many the like Verily these beside the concurrence of the number have also a name written in their foreheads but what is this else then to be sealed further more they sing also a song which no man could learne but they ver 3. Therefore they are chosen out of the whole company of them that perish upon whom alone while those troubles of the Church continued Christ bestowed the wholesome knowledg of himselfe Wherefore in all things they are those sealed ones togither with the measured temple and the womaÌ„ slying into the wildernes to be referred unto that time of the seaventh chapter From hence then see with how great a traine the woman was in the wildernes and how great a company of Saincts were in the temple with the two Prophets chap. 11.1.2 Although it be very small if it be compared with that which possessed the holy city and the court But as before time there were unknowen to the world seaven thousand men whiâ—h never bowed their knee to Baal so of late in these last ruines of the Church there were an hundred and foure and fourtie thousand Saincts in Mount Sion who when the rest of the whole world ran after the Dragon and the Beast were conversant alwayes together with the Lambe never departing from his side ¶ Having his Fathers name Aretas the Complut edition and another to the same ende read thus having his name and his fathers name so also the old Latine translation Which reading as being more expresse seeing wee are by Christ adopted to be sonnes so many copies agreeing I thought is rather to be followed As touching the chiefe point of the matter there is no difference yet one is more significant then the other But from hence there is light to illustrate that in the 7. chap. ver 3. where mention is made of sealing but no shewing what manner of maâ—ke was imprinted from this place wee learne that there was writteÌ„ in their foreheads that God by Christ was their Father For iust cause is this made the badge of the Saincts wherby most of all they are discerned from the wicked of the world whose maÌ„ner is as wee see in the Papists blaspheming the sacred trueth to condemne of arrogancy the filial confidence But thou must observe that there was not any sensible marking or if that were granted that yet it was not the signe of the Crosse but his Fathers name written in their foreheads 2 And J heard a voice from Heaven from Mount Sion where the Lambe stood with this multitude from the Temple to wit from the Church The same thing is signifyed by divers names In this Mountaine onely they did bend themselves with all their power to praise God
chapter of that threefold voice whereby is noted the proceeding forward of the Church the second is like a thunder ver 2. Which second voice is begun by this battell undertaken of the Angels as hath ben observed before and so reioyceth in the name of thunder whereof mentioÌ„ was made in the 10. chap. ver 4. The Spirit would not have these wordes to be related before thereby shewing the deafenes of those ages to which these voices belongeth which in hearing heard not which yet at the sound of the seventh trumper when they were past should be knowne most plainely for which cause they are reserved to this time 7 Feare God c. The argument of the sermon was most fit when all reverence toward God lay wholly quenched in comparison of that which the commaundemâ—nts of mâ—n did teach according to that of Isaiah This people draweth neare to mee with their mouth and honoureth mee with their lippes but they have remooved thâ—ir hâ—rt fâ—rre from mee and their feare toward mee is that which they have ben taughâ— by the commaundement of men chap. 29.13 So when VVicklefe came forth into the middest they trembled in every place at the commaundements of men but the commaundements of God were despised with out feare Yf any had not ben present at the sacrilegious Masse had not numbred certaine prayers upon beades nor abstained froÌ„ meates forbidden on set dayes and had not performed other such foolish and ungodly ceremonies he thought he had committed some hainous wickednes but if the same man knewe not God and his sacred trueth had no trust in his mercy through Christ went to Saincts for refuge and after as he was in any distresse defiled the holy name of God almost at everie word and violated other duties of true godlinesse he fell no sting of conscience From hence therefore for iust cause the holy Angel began his preaching that he might revoke meÌ„ from a false feare to the knowledge of the true God Consider the doctrine of Iohn VVickliefe condemned in the Councill of Constance thou shalt see how greatly he laboured to overthrow humane toyes and to teach necessarie godlines ¶ For the houre of his iudgement is come So the Angel in chap. 10.7 avoucheth that the finishing of the mystery was at hande from which wee see how this Angel souÌ„deth againe as an Echo to the very great crying out of him as in the same place ver 3. And it could not be but that he should vehemently admonish men of the most grievous iudgement of God hanging over their heads when he saw horrible impiety to beare sway every where VVhich iudgement began to be shewed in that same houre in that first resurrection of which in chap. 20.5 At which the Papists for iust cause might have trembled unlesse they had hardened their harts seeing they might have acknowledged from that slipping away of men to the trueth which they sawe to be every day more and more both their olde impietie and also that most iust punishmeÌ„ts wer prepared for theÌ„ uÌ„lesse they repeÌ„t betime ¶ And worship him that made heaven An other chiefe point of the sermoÌ„ that men forsaking Idolatry would convert unto the true God Whom he describeth by the workes of creatioÌ„ who at that time should finde the world the Creatour being despised giving divine honour to Gods made with handes to wood stone painted Images as chap. 9.20 And many harkened to the Angell For from that monstrous Idolatry meÌ„ perceived the foulenes of that whole corrupt religion But when the rest would not be amended God sent the Turkes into the world as wee have shewed at that place even now spoken of Yet see his exceeding great mercy who before he would let loose the raines unto them sent this Angel who by wordes should turne men if it might be from their ungodlines to the ende that by their repentance he also might turne away his scourge Should he yet after so long patience deale by admonishing rather then by striking But such is the incomprehensible goodnes of our God that he punisheth not before extreame necessity doth plainely compell him He bridled therefore the Turkes which then began to be dreadfull that they should bring no great dammage to our Europe untill the Angel had executed his office Which when it was in vaine with the most part what should stay the rodde any longer ¶ And an other Angel followed The Complut edition and the Kinges bible have and another second Angel followed The second Angel prophecieth of the fall of Babylon that is of the city of Rome and Romish power as is manifest froÌ„ ch 17.5.9.18 He speaketh of futur things as of those that wer past after the maÌ„ner of the Prophets because it is no lesse certeÌ„ which is foreshewed to be hereafter theÌ„ if it had bin already effected Though he doth not only give knowledge of a future thing but also sheweth a thing beguÌ„ at this sermon This Angel are those Ministers of the following age The chiefe among which were Iohn Husse and Hierome of Prage who fought valiantly against the Primacy of the Pope as we may see in the Articles condemned in the Councill of Constance Him they desired to thrust out of his Antichristian throne togither with whom Babylon Rome must needs fall downe Neither could it be that the Pope should longe escape whose beginning was wicked his increase worse and his ripenesse no longer to be borne with as these two holy men made apparant They preached about the yeere 1414 and did shake the Romish tyranny somewhat more forcibly then Wickliefe which also the Spirit did signify should be making every Angel following a more fierce enemy then the former Worthily did they cry out that Babylon was fallen when Bohemia being inlightened by their sermons forsooke straightway the Pope of Rome and destroyed every where the Monasteries the habitations of the Romish superstitions Which beginning was a famous proofe of the whole ruine at length which they saw would be shortly whereof they should receive a most sure pledge in this first beginning Because of the wine of the wrath That is the wine of fornication whereby shee hath provoked God to wrath This wine is Idolâ—try which superstitious men drinke up no lesse sweetely then most pleasant liquor Rome gave this wine to all nations VVho knoweth not that Rome vaunteth that shee is the mother of all Churches VVhich thing is most true if wee regard superstitions errour Idolatry and all the other corruption all which in generall the whole VVest part sucked from Rome as it were from the mothers brestes But shee shall be punished shortly for her wickednes which thought it not inough to corrupt her selfe uÌ„lesse shee poysoned all the rest of the nations with the contagion of her impiety The Complutent edit and the Kings Bible doe omit the coniunction causall for eveÌ„ as also the word city in those that goe next before with which agreeth the common translation but that
men to blaspheme ver 21. Scholions 1 And J heard a great voice out of the Temple In the commandement we ar to consider whence the voice cometh to whom and to what ende It commeth out of the Temple as it did in chap. 9.13 from the foure hornes of the altar sometime from the Throne as after in chap. 19.5 The difference is that the voice from the Throne cometh as it were immediately from God from the Temple wheÌ„ any thing is obteyned by the prayers of the saincts who here are sayd to command that we may know how great force faithful prayers have which as if they were authors of the thing to be doon doe so boldly bid the matter to be taken in hand And in deed it could not be that men inlightned with so great light of the truth should not earnestly strive with God in prayer to destroy Antichrist very speedily Aretas hath not these words out of the Temple but al our books agree as doth also the vulgar Latine and in other places it is usually told wheÌ„ce any voice cometh They to whom it came are the seven Angels But what need was there of it may some say seing they were appointed before unto this busines and furnished with things needful in the former chapter Verily they stood ready at the barrieres and wayting for a signe but unto a coÌ„mon commandement ther must also come a special if any would have ful power to doo a thing For this therfore doo they wayt shewing that not so much as a finger may be moved without Gods wil providence wherby al things are governed The commandement is that they goe and power out their vials upon the earth But some of them are poured upon the sea rivers sun aier It is true yet al their force redoundeth upon the earth The other elements have not a chaunge for their owne sake but to affect the earth therby as that which is the common basen for the liquour powred out But how then is this proper â—o the first as the verse folowing sheweth which is common to all We shal see in the particular explication that the first belongeth indifferently to the common multitude of the inhabitans of this earth the other unto some certayn sorts of chief note 2 And the first went and powred out his vial upon the earth We have seen the commandement now beginns the particular execution Where the effecting of the work is the powring out of the vial upon the earth VVhich words must not be taken properly For the vial is not any material vessel nor full of very liquour but of Gods wrath as in the former chapter ver 7. Neyther is the earth this ground which we tread upon but first it signifieth men and then not alâ— but Antichrists marked servants onely as the event straightway teacheth for ther came a soare on the men that had the Beasts mark In which sense it hath been often used before which we doo therfore coÌ„stantly reteyn in al out explication that therby we may the better see how the whole prophesie agreeth with it selfe The event giveth a noysome grievous soare that is malignant and incurable as Physicians use to cal it wher ther is so much ranckling and venimous matter in it as it wil never suffer it to heal up But neither is this a soare truly and properly so caled whose procreant causes we see are figuratively borowed And like events must we minde to be in the other vials also for to expound them according to strict property of speech as doth the Iesuite is not to explayn but rather to confound al things so as the light of the truth shal never appear They which have this ulcer on them ar men There came an ulcer against the men as Th Beza translateth it or in the men as the vulgar Latine saith in homines according to that phrase of sitting in the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thes 2.4 But the preposition with the fourth case signifyeth as if the boyles tormented them not so much by cleaving in the body as by afflicting it outwardly which doth more agree to figured soares as if he should say those things shal be doon against Antichrists bondmen which shal prick and vexe them no lesse then noysome soares Of what condition these meÌ„ are is declared by the mark of the Beast and worshiping of his Image VVe have shewed before chap. 13.17 from the threefold note wherwith the Beasts worshipers are signed that the first hath the name of the whole is called a Character or Mark the place wherof is in the right hand VVhich was the propre note of his chief worshipers the Noble men Clerks Scholars c on whom as upon propps the Beast doth chiefly lean VVherefore these should specially be plagued with this soare But not they onely that have his mark but also they that worship his Image And this is chiefly of the learned men and such as are wiser then the common sort as is shewed on chap. 14.9 although the worshiping of the Image is in some sort common to al chap. 13.15 and therfore should this soare molest the whole crewe of them yet specially those which think they ar furnished with the coÌ„sent of al antiquity for to give that honour to the Beast But hence we may observe how it can not be that the first vial should be alone with the first trompet seing the vial is powred onely on this kind of men wheras there were not any such before the second Beast whose beginning is not ancieÌ„ter then the fift trompet which point we noted on the first verse of the former chapter These things thus explayned doo al lead unto this that this ulcer is nothing else but spite envie then which no greater torment could Siculâ—an tyrants feel as sayth the Poet. And herewith were the Papists marvelously tormented when the vial was powred out Which sicknes is rightly caled an ulcer the nature whereof it resembleth by a twofold accident For it forceth them that ar troubled therwith to keep in and not come abroad so that they flee the sight of them for whose prosperity they ar striken sick as of old the Aegiptians who togither with their Sorcerers had by the sprinkling of the ashes so many blisters al over theÌ„ that they could not stand before Moses Exod. 9.10.11 Then also in private they are so afrayd to be touched that they use al the means they may to keep the soare least it be squised Which kind of evil came upon the men that bare the Beasts badge straight after the opening of the Temple chap. 11.19 to which these vials as I have shewed are to be joyned which the repetition of things past hath severed with so long a space between namely about the yere 1560 where the former Prophesie ceased For then our gracious Q. Elizabeth being bidden by the voice out of the Temple to powr out her vial upon the earth that is being admonished by
grew every day until at length they came to the Councill of Trent and Masters of controversies by whose paines now the whole Beast is so covered with most wicked errours the whol sea of doctrine being turned into deadly blood as hath ben sayd in chap. 16.3 that thou canst see noe place free from some newe blasphemy Let an indifferent iudge consider so many horrible errours as in three great volumes Bellarmine deffendeth by the Popes approbation and let him speak sincerely whether every haire almost of this Beast is not spotted with som notable blasphemy Thirdly he hath seven heads and tenne hornes of which what is the meaning the interpretation wil declare which the Angel will make by and by In the meane time let it be agreed of that this Beast is the same which wee saw in the thirteenth chapter and to be the former of the two For of the second are rehearsed onely two hornes there in the 11. verse he maketh mention but of one in this place because both make but one Antichrist as in the chapter even now spoken of we have shewed and of the former onely because it is his intent to set before our eyes whole Antichrist from his first original of whom the second Beast representeth onely the half figure but now because in the last times in which the Beast should be fully discovered Rome the whore should depend more upon the civill authority of the Pope of which that first is the type then upon the spiritual we see at this day that the patrimony of Peter avayleth more then the doctrine which they faine to be Paules that neither Spaine nor France nor others very many have any regard to Rome but in so much as her authority serveth for their profit There is no man but knoweth that Italy despiseth her now a long time at home howsoever shee hath ben content to suffer her to be worshipped of strangers like a God For these causes therfore the former Beast onely is set forth Frances de Ribera the Iesuite avoucheth that this Beast is not that of the 13. chapter but a new new first seen Why so I pray because no article saith he is prefixed before Woman or Beast as it is wont to be done in things known Certenly if he should conclude from the new forme wherein they now first appeare it might have some weight which he sayth but seeing he gathereth that therfore neither of them was simply and absolutely before because they were not seen before in this forme to which onely thing the defect of the article hath respect he dealeth either foolishly or fraudulently after the māner of the Iesuits So J saw saith Iohn ond behold a Lambe stood upon mount Sion chap. 14.1 where also the article is wanting Is this therfore a new Lambe If any should say that there was new forme of him standing upon mount Sion and accompanied with and hundred fourty and foure thousand he should say nothing contrary to the truth but it is the same Lambe in very truth of which mētion was made before chap. 5. After the same manner a new shew is here brought in not a new person as is manifest in the woman which being called in the first verse a whore had the emphasis of the articles which did manifest the olde whore So now the same comming forth in a new decking wanteth the same articles The woman then and the whore are al one and this Beast is the same with that in the thirteenth chapter having the same seate blasphemy heads hornes worship among men the cause of the like eternal destruction and partaker of all his properties unlesse that some of them should now be more increased in processe of time and all things under this fift vial more evident then they were when they began For now he appeareth full of that blasphemy which before possessed the heads onely And was that former Beast Antichrist and shal not this be hee which is more blasphemous The wonderers also at whom are no lesse reprobates then they that wondered at that VVhat shal the Iesuite then gaine if that former being sent away to Hierusalem he hath left this more pernitious Beast at Rome 5 And the woman was arayed with purple and skarlet Such is the Beast now of what quality the woman is whom we shal see adorned most sumptuously of which thing Tertullian spake wittily Who hath deserved the name of an harlot at the Lords hande shee is made equal to her name in her attire Shee sitteth verily in purple with skarlet and gold and pretious stone which are cursed without which a cursed woman and harlot could not be described These things spake he but peradventure somewhat too severely in his booke concerning womās apparell The attire is altogither Princely and belonging to triumphes such as Belshazzar promiseth to them that should read the writting saying He shal be clothed with Purple with a Chaine of Golde about his necke and shal be the third Ruler in the Kingdome Daniell chapter fift verse seventh Attire surely fit for her which raigneth over the Kings of the earth as after in the 18. ver But purple was sufficient for dignity To what ende is there also skarlet That it might note out great cruelty ioined togither with it Shee is of the same disposition with the Beast redde with the murthers of the faithfull in the twelve Chapter and third verse There are many Cities made famous for their notable cruelty but togither therewith the dwelling place of Antichrist ought to flourish in exceeding great Maiestie which might be discerned from all the rest Both which victories even the Iesuites themselves cannot deny to be due to Rome But there is added also Gold Pretious stones and Perles which beside the Maiestie note also most excessive riot which is an other token of this woman And who can recken the infinite costes of this City bestowed on Tēples Theatres Galleries hote Bathes Palaces Obeliskes Pillars Arches belonging to triumphes Private houses and other ornaments Into this one City hath bin laid up in store the glory of the whole world taken from very many other to let passe auncient things what an huge summe of mony bestowed of late Pope Sixtus the fift in the yeer one thousand five hundreth foure score and eight upon a conduit which he built on the mount Quirinal It is recorded that two hundred and threescore thousand crounes were spent upon this thing Neither did any necessity wring from him this charges but that the Pope might sommer the more pleasantly in that mountaine The Vaticane Library renewed of the same Pope scarse peradventure stood him of lesse Yet notwithstanding the same man brought fifty hundred thousand peeces of Gold into a new treasury which he erected in the Castle of Sainct Angel that thou mayest understand that the Popes are not yet brought to beggerie But this Gold pretious stones doo not onely seeme riots for Rome hath bene farre more riotous and
2.18 Yee have heard that the Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal come and even now are there many Antichrists wher the article you say is set before Antichrist properly so caled but none before him as he is cōmonly taken and therfore that the first is one certayn person but this later in general is al heretiks I answer the greatest succour of this cause seemeth to consist in this new feigned force of the article and therfore have wee the coleworts twise sodden set againe before us But we have sufficiently refuted this your eyther ignorance or craftynes in the argument nex before with which this is altogither one and the same Yet least you should complayn that you have no answer Be it that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist with an article is some diverse thing from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrists without an article must it therfor by and by be one certayn persō I deny such an ill coherent cōsequence It may note out a singular kind of Antichrists of whō the Apostles taught the Church so diligently even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked is often a kind of wicked mē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tempter and so in other In which the article respecteth not one singular but some thing common egregious in his kinde This might have bin manifest to you by Iohn himself whiles he warneth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist was in his time For manie deceivers are entred in the world saith he which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh he that is such a one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deceiver the Antichrist 2 Iohn 7. where yet he speaks not of that chief Antichrist which was to come but of some such like sorte By which it sufficiently appeareth that Antichrist with an article is not a singular person The fourth place is Daniel 7. and 11. and 12. Out of the 7. chapter you take those things which are spoken of the little horn ver 8. c. which you say are to be expounded of Antichrist and that for two reasons First from the authoritie of certain Fathers then from the words of Daniel himselfe I answer as touching the authority of the Fathers I know many learned men doo interprete these words of Antichrist but this Apocalypse dispelleth the darknes which taking away the sight before suffred not to behold the thing it selfe For it teacheth that that little horne differeth much frō this Antichrist whom Iohn describeth For Antichrist is one of the heads of the Beast which is of many formes both in Daniel and in Iohn but a little horn is onely some addition ioyned to the head Moreover this ariseth after the ten hornes but Antichrist riseth togither and at one houre with al his That subdueth three horns under it the other unsubdued are eyther foes of the same or at least freinds of equal power but Antichrist is over al the 10. horns which willingly serv him until the appointed time Finally that is caled little Antichrist is not litle who hath power over every tribe tongue and nation Apoc. 13.7 who also beareth the whore to whom peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues doo obey and which reigneth over the Kings of the earth Apoc. 17.15.18 But you wil say it may be it is caled litle in the beginning not in the full age I answer the chiefest heighth of dignity when he shal most flourish shal lift it self no higher then over the 3. horns which he shal depresse Doubtles the Spirit would have made mention of moe if he had had power over moe That horn therfore is not this Antichrist but if we wil rightly consider the thing it is that Dragon of the sixt vial of this Apocalypse chap. 16.13 namely the Turk for of him and the other enemies that should oppress the Iewes doth Daniel onely speak without any mention of the Western Antichrist as it may be occasion wil be given elswhere to declare more fully This disparitie therfore wil by no means suffer these two to convene in one Wherupon you may now see that we ar not so much to look either who or how many they be that say a thing as with what reasons they so perswade themselves Secondly you say from the words of Daniel chap. 7.24 that this Antichrist whom ancient writers wil have to be meant by the little horn is a singular person for he is not caled one Kingdome but one King who of ten Kings that he should find in the world should take three quite away and subdue the other seven under him I answer first these last words and shal subdue the other seven under him is a very bold comment seing no footstep of them appeareth in Daniel For he onely sayth ver 8. so that three of those former horns were rooted out from before him and againe ver 24. and three Kings shal he depresse but of the subduing of the other 7. he no where maketh mention And how I pray you should he be a little horn if he should destroy three and have cōmand over al the rest These things are unadvisedly brought in by some old writers but worse reteyned by you for to darken the truth But this is little to the purpose for the force of the argument Therfore secondly I say that it is false to affirme because he is caled one King he is one person for the Angel before speaketh thus These great Beasts which are fowr are fowr Kings that shal rise out of the earth ver 17. which yet are not fowr singular persons but so many Kingdomes as your self can not deny The other place of Daniel is from chap. 11 ver 21. 36. where literally is treated of Antiochus Epiphanes but allegorically as Calvin and Ciprian and Jerom you say doo interpret it of Antichrist whose figure Antiochus did bear Therfore seing he was one certayn and singular person Antichrist also must be one certayn person I answer great in deede is the agreement of the wicked and needs must many things in them be found alike who are governed by one and the same Spirit for which cause those learned men avouched him to be the type of Antichrist after a common sort but that the Spirit intended him for the type properly as he is wont in the other scriptures I see not how it can be rightly said It hath not such agreement with that which they make the truth therof as is wont to be found in other types For example this Antiochus is the litle horn of the Goat of whom it is said ch 8.14 that he should rage two thousand and three hundred dayes Shal this be the type of Antichrist Then shal he not reign onely three yeres and a halfe but six yeres and more then an halfe and so an other Antichrist is to be looked for then yee yet feighn Or if you wil have it that al things are not so exactly answerable in the type and antitype
as they neither could nor durst move anie thing against the faith established Socrates lib. 2. cap. 2. But the Ariminine synod abundantly testifieth in an Epistle to ConstaÌ„tine his son that he persisted constant in the true Nicene faith even to his last end We have judged it absurd say they even then so soon as he being baptised is departed from men and gone unto his due rest after him to mind for to goe about a new thing and to contemn such holy Confessours and Martyrs These things agree not to a man fallen from the truth And after that agayn And this moreover we intreat you that nothing be eyther taken away from the things which were before ordeyned nor anie thing added but that al things may remayn intyre unviolated which through the pietie of your Father are kept unto this very day Theod. lib. 2. 19. Sozom lib. 4. 18. Farre be it therfore that we should think he made shipwrack of faith and desired a second baptisme of an Arrian Zonaras mentioneth but one Baptisme and that by Sylvester but his tale agrees not with the truth For he wil have it that Constantine theÌ„ first forsook the worshiping of Idols and was clensed from his leprosie by the Baptisme of Sylvester after that Licinius being slayn he alone had the soveraignty But Eusebius a witnesse then living telleth how straight after that miraculous sight in heaven he caled the Christians to him and by them was taught the whole way of salvation that he gave himselfe to the reading of holy Scriptures had the Preists in great estimation promised that he would worship no other God thenceforward Euseb in vita Constant lib. 1. and his promise he indeed performed as appeareth by those Edicts in the behalfe of Christians which he togither with Licinius that reigned with him caused to be promulgated Euseb lib. 10. ca. 5. And was not he made a Christian until Sylvester entred him into that profession when he made warr with Licinius because he uncourteously and yll intreated the Christians And wheras he relateth that Peter Paul by night appeared in his sleep and bade him send for Sylvester and that he asked of him whither Christians worshipped the Gods caled Peter and Paul it is very ridiculous Who are witnesses I pray you that Peter and Paul appeared unto him by night To whom did Constantine report this Was it to Sylvester and not to Eusebius Or how could he be ignorant of the Christians God who had before now so exactly learned of Christians and himself read the holy Scriptures and also vowed that he would have no other God beside Christ as we shewed even now from Eusebius And strange it is that he should not send for Sylvester but when he was bidden by revelation who from his first conversion so familiarly used the holy Ministers as he had them for companions even making the Preists of God assistants to him Euseb in the same place Rashly therfore did Zonaras preferr the Romish Legends before the more ancient faithful Historie Nicephorus was moved by the authority of the Church of Rome the Font which Constantine is sayd to have made at Rome as also for that the Emperour was admitted into the Nicen Synod which the Fathers he thinketh would not have doon unlesse he had been before baptized But as coÌ„cerning the authoritie of the Church of Rome and the Font they shall be of some moment and have their weight when the Church of Rome shal have proved that she feighneth not in verie many other things And that third thing of place in the Synod it is too leight for to discredit so sufficient witnesses For why should they not admitt him into the Synod whoÌ„ they ought to admitt unto publik prayers and the preaching of the word A synod is as it were an assemblie of Prophesiers from which by the Apostles rule even infidels ar not to be excluded But if all saith he prophesie and ther come in one that is an unbeleever or an unlearned one he is rebuked of al he is iudged of al and so the secrets of his hart are made manifest and so he wil fal down on his face and worship God saying plainly that God is in you in deed 1. Cor. 14.24.25 But Constantine had obteyned like precious faith with the other Saincts therfore also might be partaker of the Spirit as they on whom it fell before Baptism Act. 10.44 c. And wheras he delayed his Baptisme the Fathers knew he did that not of coÌ„tempt but of a kind of religion of what manner I dispute not They might also think that neither Moses counted his children aliants from the covenant though they were not circumcised at the apointed day neither were the Israelites forbidden to offer sacrifices and doo other service of the Tabernacle although they were not circumcised in the wildernes Wherfore ther was no cause why entrance should be denied him into the Synod seing al deferring of the outward sign taketh not away from the faithful the right of children either with God or with men in the common duties of godlines Forasmuch then as it is certayn that Constantine was not baptised til the last part of his life it is a lying fable that Sylvester should clense him of his Leprosie by fotce of baptisme administred 20. yeres before at the least And in deed so Iacobus de Voragine freely acknowledgeth in the Legend of the finding of the holy Cross speaking of Constantines baptism It is doubtful saith he whither he deferred his baptism or no wherupon ther is likeweise more doubt of the Legend of Sainct Sylvester And a litle after It is evident that ther are manie things in the Historie which are recited in the Churches which are not consonant to the truth He speaketh of the invention of the Cross but ther is the same respect of al Legends This therfore is a lying miracle which is not confirmed by anie sufficient witnesse and is contrary to the true Historie The second miracle is of a Bull raysed up againe by Sylvester which ZaÌ„bres a Iew the last of the twelv which disputed against the truth of Christ by mumbling some words in his ear made fall down dead suddenly This fable is like the former None of the ancient writers that either lived in those times or succeded next doo speak any one word of this thing Surâ—ly he was not yet born that should forge this tale from Iustin Martyrs disputation with Trypho Moreover Zonaras telleth the thing as if Helena the mother of Constantine were togither with her son at Rome The Legend wil have her to be absent at the conversion of her son in Iudea stomaking that he was made a Christian she hastened thence to Rome with 149. learned Iewes to make trial of the truth by disputing Agayn the Legend is not onely contrarie to Zonaras but even to it selfe For in the life of Sylvester it saith that Helena went into Judea before her
shal come to passe between that signe given this thankesgiving The first gratulation is of a great multitude in heaven that is of the mixed multitude of the Church conversant on earth for we keepe in the common signification of this word which beareth not that these things should be referred to any knowledge which the heavenly soules have of things done with us The citizēs therfore of this militant Church in every countrey where the fame shal come they shal leape for ioy and shal breake forth into this grateful commemoration ¶ Hallelujah Halleluiah is an Hebrew word praise ye the Lord wherby the faithfull exhort one an other to give thākes and prepare their minds as it were with this preface True joy suffereth not it selfe to be contained in the bosome of any one but taketh to her selfe fellowes to whom shee may both impart her selfe and also may be more stirred up by the joint affection of others This one word containeth large matter of very great ioy But why doth the heavenly multitude speake now in Hebrew Is ther more holinesse in these lettres and syllables than in other They ar toyes Are then some Hebrew words kept as Osanna Amen Abba and the like which we shal use as tokens of our cōcord with the ancient Church that both wee beleeve in the same God and invocate him alone This indeed is a profitable cause of retaining these words but especially this seemeth to be the reason in this place that the Church of the Gentiles after Rome be overthrown shal provoke their brethrē the Iewes to the faith that impediment being taken away which most of all hindred their conversion it could not be that the crucifyers should acknowledge the same Lord while this flourished or was at all which gave leave to crucify him This is the cause why the Hebrew word now soundeth againe so often Praises were not in these words before time but whē the conversion of the Iewes is at hand ioyned next to this reioycing for iust cause now the Saincts doe speak with the tongue of one sheepfold ¶ Salvation and honour and glory That is the prayse of salvation honour and glory and praise of power be given to our Lord. Glory is a certaine very excellent opinion which a man hath of any ones excellency therfore called of the Grecians doxa Wherfore in this destruction of Rome so bright a beame of Gods goodnes and power shal shine forth that al the faithful shal admire it and be astonied Honour is that worship both inward and outward wherby we doo reverence so great excellency It is ought alwaies to be ioyned with glory otherweise vaine is that estimation of one which no dutie accompanieth the vulgar latine readeth prayse glory and powr be to our God The Complut and the Kings Bible have Salvation and power and glory of our God 2 Because true and righteous The truth in iudgments respecteth the promise righteousnes rewarding according to their deserts The credit of both these falleth into utter decay with the world because of delaying frō whence now for good cause God is praised of his people in both these respects wheras he hath proved sufficiently to the world that he dooth punish naughty acts and that he neglecteth not the iniuries which are done to his 3 And againe they said An other thankes giving the thing being more certenly known The first tidings of the taking of the city shal cause the first as it seemeth but when the faithful shal have learned that the same is utterly overthrown without al hope of renewing they shal renew their ioy and shal give new thankes a fresh The second is done in fewer words than the former peradventure according to our disposition whose first brunt is most vehement ¶ And her smoke rose up That is now is shee delivered up to eternal punishment to be tormented For an everlasting fyre is shewed by the smoke ascending for evermore by which kind of speaking is signifyed that the continual remembrance of her punishment shal be with al the godly alwayes A token wherof they shal have continually before their eyes the smoke ascending without intermission least perhaps they should forget it He alludeth to the eternal torment of the wicked Therfore the eternity of the punishment shal give a new cause of gladnesse And not without cause when they knowe that the insolency of the wicked whore shal not onely be restrained for the present but also that none shal have any feare of her for the time to come 4 And those fowr and twenty Elders fell down Such was the reioycing of the mixed multitude ther followeth the assembly of the faithfull gathered togither solemly which doo labour openly and ioyntly to the same duty of thankes giving For this multitude of Elders and Beasts giveth a shew of an Ecclesiastical assembly which God the Father for his sonnes sake coūteth such as this most holy company representeth And therfore as oftē as any thing is performed by a common name that is shewed by this sacred Senat as we have shewed in chap. 4. Such therfore shal be the order of giving thankes that the end and conclusion of the common thankes giving be reserved to the publike congregations And so it hath come to passe that private reioycing alwayes goeth before the common publik Any blast of report is wont to stirr up that first this is not undertakē but when the things are throughly known and undoubted But the foure and twenty Elders fall down when the Beasts give glory and thankes to him that sitteth on the throne It belongeth to these to moderate the whole action in the publike assembly the rest of the congregatiō ought to ioine their praiers and to testify their consent by a common voyce in the ende According to this custome there are rehearsed here onely two words Amen Allelujah As though that former were of the Elders this latter the summe of the thankes giving which the Beasts utter in conceived words But this order hath bin declared more fully in chap. 4. from whence this ought to be understood the same which now is shewed briefly But observe that the last songs of the Church of the Gentiles shal be gratulatory which yeeld no other song then Halleluiah Even as the book of the Psalmes is concluded with songs of praises Shee sunge in time past many lamentable songs and hymnes of a mixt kinde but the last part of the Comedy shal be doubtlesse a most joyful tryumph And these are the funerals of the city of Rome and the rites by which her burial shal be celebrated The day and yeere cannot certenly be set downe in which her funeralls shal be yet from other scriptures I think it to be clear that they shall not be differred at the furdest beyond three score yeeres The sixeteenth chapter hath taught that next after that the vial is powred out upon the throne Euphsates shal be dryed up that is after Rome destroyed
things ar passed away all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 ¶ For the first heaven and earth were passed away Shal the Church then faile utterly among the Gentiles For heaven noteth out more pure godlinesseâ— as we said even now How this should be abolished it may be doubtfull because of those things which wee have mentioned before As concerning the earth it is not so doubtfull considering that the Spirit hath already taught sufficieÌ„tly that the Pope of Rome with his whole falsely so called Catholique flock shal be rooted out utterly before this day As then touching the reformed Church shal the receiving of the Iewes cause the alienation of the Gentils as before time the casting away of them was the reconciling of the world Rom. 11.15 It may seem so in deed especially considering that the Apostle affirmeth in the same place that a certain fulnesse of the Gentils shal be accomplished as is like at the calling of the Iewes ver 25. but yet notwithstanding in this very chapter the Revelation teacheth otherweise to weet that the Gentils which shal be saved shall walke in the light of it and the Kings of the earth shal bring their glory and honour to the new Ierusalem ver 24. Yea Paul in the place before said plainly avoucheth that the Church shal be very flourishing amoÌ„g the Gentils when the Iewes are called For saith he if the casting away of the Iewes be the reconciling of the world what shall the reconciling be but life from the dead This is as if he should say what shall the receiving be but as it were a general resurrection wherby they that are dead in sinns among all nations comming at length to the truth shal be made partakers of eternall life by faith in Christ From which wee gather that the fulnesse of the GeÌ„tils is not a certaine ende of beleeving at the calling of the Iewes so that faith among the Gentiles afterward should utterly perish eveÌ„ as no more can be powred into a full vessell but a more aboundant accesse of all nations of the earth toward what part soever their countreyes doo extend obeying the Kingdome of Christ according to that saying the Lord shal be King over the whole earth in that day shall ther be one Lord and his name shal be one Zach. 14.9 And the Lord will destroy in this mountaine the figure of this vaile that is spred upon all nations and the cover wherwith all nations are covered he will swallow up death it selfe into victory and the Lord Iehovah shal wipe away the tears from all faces and will take away the reproach of his people out of all the earth Isaiah chap. 25.7.8 For then they that dwell in the wildernesse shall kneele before him and his enemies shall licke the dust The Kings of the Ocean sea and of the Ilands shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts Finally all Kings shall worship him and all nations shall serve him Psal 72.9.10.11 How then in this celebrating shall the new heaven passe away that is the more pure Church among the Gentils Must we distinguish concerning the GeÌ„tils wherof some are yet strangers from Christ othersome are named Christians now by the space of many ages as we of Europe first of all Shal they come to the Chuâ—ch as the Prophecies even now alâ—â—adged declare and many others agreeing with them Shal these depart and fall away as the vision seemeth to shew which these words doo set forth The fiâ—st heaven saith he passed away What other heaven is then among 〈◊〉 according to the sense of this Prophecy then among us of Europe for the most part Certainly the promise made to the Chuâ—ch of Philadelphia increaseth the suspition to weet that it should be a pillar in the temple of God never to be cast forth chap. 3 12. Why is this attributed as proper and peculiar to it if all the rest enioy the same benefit alike It seemeth therfore that as once the unfruitfull fig tree was cut up and the ill husbanded vineyard being taken from the old farmers was let out to other Luke 13.6 Mat. 21.41 So the Church now a long time evill entreated among them of Europe doo purpose to trusse up bag and baggage and to forsake them at length who have long since forsaken the purity and love of it What though now it be called heaven the heaven themselves are impure in the eyes of our God Iob. 15 15. And the more in deed at this time our heaven which rather enioyeth such nam in respect of the Popish infernal gulfe thaÌ„ for any heaveÌ„ly clearenesse of his own But that seemeth to be repugnant to this calamity of Europe that after the first resurrection there are a thousand yeeres of reigne with Christ chap. 20.6 that is ther shal be among those nations to whoÌ„ this resurrection hath befallen a continuance of the truth by the space of so many yeeres from the beginning of the restauration therof But wee know that this was proper to our countreyes But it may be answered that perhaps this reigne shal be such as was that of the thousand yeeres before that resurrection when the Divell was bound chap. 20.4 when the Kingdome was of a few elect in whose hart was the love of the onely salvation-bringing truth howsoever the Antichristian impiety savoured better to all the rest of the multitude Certenly other scriptures seeme to leane more this way threatning that al religion shal be so defiled with so many corruptions that fearce any wholesome footstep of it shall remaine entire And who is so ignorant of things that hath not iust causes inough to feare much especially when he seeth the word of God to be despised every where new errours to spring up daily old to be brought back again from hell al godlinesse to be converted into gaine and ambition Many indeed are the arguments that the glory of God wil depart from us shortly as once from the temple at Ierusalem Ezech. 9.3 Vnlesse peradventure some comfort ariseth from hence that this departure of the first heaveÌ„ and earth may be understood not of the utter decay of the truth among the Europeans but of such a renewing among the Iewes in comparison of the excellency wherof whatsoever was excellent before may be said to have passed and vanished away when the light of the moone shal be as the light of the sunne and the light of the Sunne sevenfold as the light of seven dayes the Sunne shall blush when the Lord shall reigne in Sion as wee have heard out of Isaiah or finally unlesse it hath some weight that the Spirit here speaketh so exquisitely not saying the former heaven and former earth were passed away but the first heaven and the first earth as though these words respected not the Gentiles at all but onely the legall worship which rightly one may call the first heaven ordained at the first of God himselfe But the Christian people
of the Gentils was neither the first people of God neither were the rites observed by them the first ordinances delivered froÌ„ heaven As though the words should give this sense at last albeit this people of the Iewes al the time of their reiection thirsted after their old ceremonies and worship and boasted openly that they should have at length free leave to use their auncient custome which we know they vaunt of even in these dayes yet in this restoring they shall conforme themselves wholly to the will of God in such sorte that willingly renouncing their old ordinances which then they shall acknowledge to have received an ende in Christ they shal make manifest to all men that the first heaven and earth which they looked for in vaine were passed away for ever This last seemeth to be of no small force to shewe that the reason of the order of the first heaven and earth should not be between the GeÌ„tils and Iewes but onely among the Legal and Christian Iewes The care that I have hath made mee to search out all corners to my power now let the iudgement be in the power of the Christian reader which of these is the beast ¶ And there shal be no more sea The sea is degenerat and corrupt doctrine which shall have no place among this new people whose glassie sea shal be like Chrystal most pure most cleare void of al saltnesse and muddy grossenesse as is that in chapter 4.6 Which also is said in respect of the Iewes themselves and those errours which in these daies they deffend so obstinately there is not a comparison of the Gentils with the Iewes handled in this place The Gentile sea that I may so say and thath grosser was consumed already when the Popish nation was destroyed the purer sea of the reformed Church is of glasse chap. 15.2 and shall not be abolished The Iewes even hitherto have their own sea most grosse most foul with many forged tales touching the Messias the legal worship the righteousnes of the law and many other points of salvatioÌ„ al which shal now be so dryed up that not a drop of the former sea shal remaine 2 And I John sawe the holy City In such weise then was seen the new heaven and earth now the holy city is exhibited which is so called for excelleÌ„cy sake The Church also of the Gentils is that new and heavenly Hierusalem as in the Apostle but ye are come to mount Sion and to the City of the living God the heavenly Hierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels Heb. 12. and Gal. 4 But our Hierusalem being deformed with many errours and contentions shal cause that this most pure shal appeare altogither new Aretas the Compl. the Kings Bible doo omitt the name Iohn reed thus and I saw the holy City the new Hierusalem ¶ Coming down from God Theâ—fore this Hierusalem shall have her seate on earth the heavenly shal never come down but shal remaine fixed in heaven where Christ sitteth in glory at the right hand of the Father I goe saith he to prepare a place for you and when J shall have gone and prepared a place for you I will come againe and take you unto my selfe that where I shal be there you may be also Iohn 14.3 And againe Father J will that those which thou hast given mee be with mee where I am Iohn 17.24 Wee shal be caught up in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the atre and so shal be with the Lord 1 Thess 4.17 And to what ende should HierusaleÌ„ come downe from heaven which by and by after the general resurrection al the elect shal be in the heavens Peradventure wilt thou say it might come down that Iohn might see it If it had come downe for this cause Iohn should rather have been caught up into heaven to behold it then that shee should be let downe to the earth He was commanded before to come up into heaveÌ„ where through the dore opened he saw the forme of the militant Church chap. 4. how much more now should he have gone up that he might behold the same triumphing Therfore these words doe manifestly distinguish the new Hierusalem pilgrim from the inlandish Albeit that be called also heavenly because in very truth it is such both by birth and also by the right of the inheritance as Paul saith For that Hierusalem which is from above Gal. 4.26 It cometh downe therfore from God because his singular power and mercy shall appear in building up this new city The increase of the whole building shal be so swift and the glory and dignity so great that all with one consent shall acknowledge the hand of God and shall declare him to be the onely artificer ¶ Trimmed as a bride To be presented to her husband not yet hitherto given by a marriage accomplished After the last resurrection the marriage shal be accomplished it shal not be a preparing for time to come This bride was adorned with pure fine linnen and the Iustifications of the Saincts chap. 19.7.8 But observe that the city seen ere while is now called the bride and more plainly after ver 9. Come saith the Angel I will shew thee the bride the Lambes wife Therfore this city is the whole multitude of the faithfull the most sweet and straight communion of all which among themselves the Spirit declareth very well by such a forme of city The members of the body are used sometime to the same end but the similitude of a city setreth before our eyes a certaine more lively image There is a greater variety of things in a city and a further difference of duties which yet are ioyned togither and conteined with the same law and respect one chiefe good of all This therfore notably representeth how the faithfull most differing in function office and course of life doo grow unto one Holy body 3 And I heard a great voice from heaven saying c. He commeth to that part of the glory which is declared by the things heard The Tabernacle properly belonged to the Iewes and old worship from whence here it signifyeth the whole divine worship of that people to which before the tabernacle was peculiar Togither also it sheweth that the manifestatioÌ„ of Gods glory shal not yet be perfit such as the Saincts shal enioy after the last iudgment But howsoever it shal be farre more aboundant then never before yet men shall see God as through a glasse and riddle not face to face they shall know in part onely not as they are known 1 Cor. 13.12 A tabernacle is fit for the Church being in pilgrimage not for that which hath gotten a firme seate in her owne countrey ¶ And he shall dwell with them and they shal be his people Then God himselfe shal take upon him the protection of the Saincts according to the forme of the covenant Gen. 17.1 then the Saincts shall submit themselves willingly to be governed of