of Antichrist purposely abstains from naming him yet sets him forth in such lively colours that whosoever looks but on the Romish Prelacie may plainly see who and what manner of person he is And I saw a beast rising out of the sea We have heard who this beast is It followeth now touching his rising he ascends out of the sea Before in Chap. 11.7 and afterward Chap. 17.8 he ascends out of the bottomlesse pit the sense is all one for the sea also in Scripture is called abyssus because of its deepnesse See Chap. 9.1 The preposition OF may as well note the place as the beginning whence the beast derived his originall and received his power Vnderstanding it originally of the place The sea out of which the beast ariseth by the sea then is meant the infernall bottomlesse pit or the throne and kingdome of Satan Whence also the Locusts came forth Chap. 9.13 for Antichrist is the Angel of the bottomlesse pit whose comming is after the working of Satan with all deceitfulnesse of unrighteousnesse lying signes and wonders So that these places do excellently expound themselves For the Beast in this place rising out of the sea and out of the bottomlesse pit Chap. 11.8 and 17.8 is the Angel of the bottomlesse pit Chap. 9.11 Whose comming is after the power of Satan 2. Thess 2.9 and to whom here vers 2. the Dragone gave his throne and power All which things shew that Antichrist is raised up by Satan and armed with his power But if we understand it of the matter from whence he took his originall or beginning like as a living creature is begotten of seed or as trees grow from the root in this sence the sea is nothing else but that flood which the Dragon cast forth out of his mouth after the woman Chap. 12.16 that is the sinke of Heresies errours traditions superstitions and all other abominations which increasing in the Church the sincerity of faith and purity of Christian religion was corrupted and depraved the Church forced to flee into the wildernesse Christ thrust out of his possession and Antichrist set up in his stead But here some may say How the beast arose out of the sea how could Antichrist arise out of the dregs of the heresies of Arius Macedonius Nestorius Eutyches Pelagius Coelestius Julian c. Seing it is certain that those heresies were chiefly condemned by the Romane Bishops It was so indeed neverthelesse Satan through Synods condemning heresies did subtilly and secretly work the mysterie of iniquity For under pretence of rooting out heresies almost yeerly yea monethly these councils like seas flowing together continually devised new laws rites forms creeds c. insomuch as it came to be a proverb that Christians had a monthly faith Now with the new forms of faith were forged new canons of erecting purifying temples consecrating altars of seats chief places of orders garments immunities powers priviledges and rents of praelates and priests of establishing and encreasing of the clergie c. Who though they were all alike ambitious and covetous in affecting power over each other as the Romane over the Constantinopolitane he over the Alexandrine the Alexandrine againe over the Antiochian and this later over him of Ierusalem yet at length the Romane praelates under the favour of the emperours and primacie of their citie together with the pretence of the Peters chair keys and vicarship of Christ overcame all other in ambition and power In the Nicene Council the power of the bishops of Rome Can. 5. mos antiquus The limits of the Romane Church Alexandria and Antiochia was limited within certain bounds that of Rome extended no farther then the confines of Hetruria Picenum and Latium as IACOBVS GOTHOFREDVS the son of Dionysius the great a diligent searcher into antiquities hath brought to light But the Romane Praelate not contented with his jurisdiction invaded the empire over all the Christian world first by spirituall and afterward by temporall deceit allthough for a long time he wanted not his corrivals viz. the Bishops of New Rome as also those of Alexandria Lib. 7. hist Chap. 11. as may be seen in the register of Gregorie Socrates complained that in his time the Bishops of Rome and Alexandria were promoted beyond the priest-hood unto a temporall lordship and principallitie By the decree also of the III. Council of Carthage Chap. 26. it appeares Dist 99. C. primae sedis that the Romane Bishops under pretence of the first seat which they held for honours sake desired to be accounted Princes of Priests Chief and universall Priests but this title was denyed them and a decree passed that no man should so be called Yea the craft of Satan was more openlie manifested in the sixt Councill of Carthage at which Augustine was then present where first Zosimus afterward Boniface and at last Coelestinus Popes of Rome for these three succeeded each other in the Chair while this councell continued by their Legates falslie pretending a decree of the Nicene Councill contended that the Africanes ought to appeal to Rome as to the chief court of justice but their fraud beeing discovered they were frustrated and derided That also is memorable which Bright-man observes out of Bellarmin Lib. 3. de Concil cap. 19. that the Romane Popes would never be present at the Eastern Councils but by their Legates for two causes First because it seemed not convenient that the head should follow the members as if it were inconvenient that a sound head should follow an infirm body Secondlie least the Emperours beeing present and taking the Chief places they should be forced to give way thereunto By which thou mayest see that the Romane Bishops did long agoe with an inveterate ambition plot and strive for the Monarchie over Emperours and their fellow Bishops untill at length they obtained it by and after many councils where they themselves beeing Presidents by their legats did authorise thesame not regarding whether they did right or wrong The Beast therefore rose out of the sea not suddenlie nor in one day moneth or yeere but by certaine steps continuing almost three hundred yeeres viz. from Constantine unto Phocas or from Julius I. untill Boniface III. In this tract of time Antichrist was formed in the Bosome of the Church as it were in the wombe of a mother And when the woman fled into the wildernesse into which she came in the yeere 606. Then also the Beast as it were was fullie hatched and risen out of the sea The which rising happened at the opening of the sixt seal and the sounding of the fift trumpet Now he is described here not what he was in his youth or presentlie upon his first rising but as he was at length in the vigor of his ful age For no man is at the highest or worst on a sudden Thus much for the rising now followes the figure Having seven heads and ten hornes The beast is verie monstrous
Constantius but overcome by banishment at length he yeelded to Valens and Vrsacius Arians to the end he might by this apostasie regaine the Romish chaire His successour Felix II. was a professed Arian Yea all the Bishops of the East except Athanasius and Paulinus as the said Ierom witnesseth against the errours of John were infected with the Arian pest Besides how the following Romane Bishops have behaved themselves may be seen by the histories of Platina Balaeus and others who have recorded their lives and Acts. By the Fountaines I understand the holy scriptures namely the living fountaines of Israel Psal 68.27 By the waters the doctrines and comforts contained in them Now how far this falling starre infected the rivers fountains waters here followes 11. And the name of the starre is Wormwood He describeth the apostasie of this siarre by the effects it is called Wormwood not by a proper name but from the events For by pestilent institutions he did make bitter the third part of the waters that is of the doctrines and comforts of the scriptures turning the same into a deadly wormwood not indeed naturally for howsoever in this respect wormwood bee a bitter herbe yet it is medicinal causeth digestion but theologically it beeing a scripture phrase signifies a vile depravation of justice and equity as Amos 5.7 Yee who turn justice to Wormwood Ier. 9.15 23.15 And sometimes Gods grievous plagues and judgements I will feed them even this people with wormwood The sence then seemes to be thus that these Apostates should make the waters of the holy scriptures so bitter that whosoever drinketh thereof should hazard their eternall salvation Hee alludes undoubtedly to the bitter waters of Marah which the Israelites could not drinke Exod. 15.25 To this bitternes appertaine the horrible confusions of the Eastern and Western Churches by the Arians the contentions of Bishops the oppositions of Councils each to other condemning rejecting and persecuting one the other to the great scandall of the heathens disturbance and destruction of Christian Churches The which Emperours sometimes occasioned otherwhile connived at and sometimes wanted power to suppresse the pride of Bishops beeing lifted up with ambition and envie one against the other they having before put to much power into their hands Of which read the Ecclesiasticall histories of Socrates Sozomenus Theodoretus Evagrius Nicephorus even from the time of Sylvester untill Leo Gregorie For so long I judge that the sound of this trumpet continued Howbeit wee are to take notice that the Church was not destitute of comfort in these evill times For not all the rivers nor all the waters were made bitter neyther were all men killed with Wormwood but a third part onely For Christ even in the midst of all this bitternes and ruin of Bishops did still preserve a Church unto himself And indeed histories aboundantly testifie that there were many faithfull and sound professours of the faith of Christ who resisted the pride and arrogancie of the Romish Bishops as for example the Councill of Carthage of which Augustine was president openly reproved and suppressed the affected tyranny of three Popes viz. Sozimus Boniface Caelestinus over the Affrican Churches The sound of the fourth trumpet 12. And the fourth Angel sounded and the third part of the Sunne was smitten and the third part of the Moone and the third part of the stars so as the third part of them was darkened and the day shone not for a third part of it and the night likewise 13. And I beheld and heard an Angell flying thorow the middest of heaven saying with a loud voyce Woe woe woe to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voyces of the trumpets of the three Angels which are yet to sound THE COMMENTARIE ANd the fourth Angel sounded This Angel sounding the third part of the Sun and Moon and stars was darkned so as the day shone not for a third part of it and the night likewise The former wonders happened here below in the earth sea and waters but these things following are above in the heaven coelestiall signes Riberas Andreas opinion and stars Andreas Ribera and some others understand this trumpet to denote the wonders foretold in Ioel. 2. and Matth. 24. There shall bee signes in the Sun Moon and Starres c. the which should happen alittle before the day of judgement But as yet we are not come to the trumpet praefiguring the end of the world as we shall see by that which followeth Neyther is it probable that these things should be represented unto Iohn in obscure types seeing he well knew they should come to passe as beeing foretold by the Prophets Christ the Apostles Neither doth the praediction of Christ agree with what is here said touching the defect of the third part of the lights Indeed there may bee some allusion in this trumpet to the last signes But without doubt other events are noted by the same Lyra understands the fourth Angel of Eutyches Lyraes opinion who confounding the two natures of Christ said that the divinity was first changed into the humanity the humanity again into the divinity By which pestilent heresie he darkened the third part of the Sun that is of the divinity the third part of the Moon that is of the Church the third part of the stars that is of Bishops of whō many were infected with this heresy a third part of the day Bullingers interpretation Francis Lamberts opinion of the night that is the scriptures of the old new testament Bullinger interprets this allegorie after the same manner yet applies it not to the heresie of Eutyches but of Pelagius Franciscus Lambertus expounds it in a generall way Christ the Sunne shall be smitten when the light of his truth shall be hid then also the Moon the Church and stars the teachers shall faile but he shewes not when and how this was accomplished For my part howbeit the apparitions of this trumpet doe much agree with the events of the sixt seale for as here so there the light of the Sunne Moone and Starres are said to be darkened yet I judge there is a manifest difference For here onely the third part of lights is darkened but there a total defect is spoken of besides the Analogie of the seales and trumpets is to be kept unto what possibly we can Whether the fourth trumpet doth agree with the sixt seale Now there the total Apostasie from the faith by the darkening of true doctrine under Antichrist is denoted but here the beginning and growth thereof onely certain therfore it is that the total obscuration of the Sunne shal be at the sounding of the fift trumpet following So that I doe here again follow the Ecclesiasticall Glosse that the wonders of this fourth trumpet agree with that which happened at the opening of the fourth seale As therefore we saw there a pale horse with
councels by whose authority chiefly after the sixt age the Monarchicall power of the Romish chaire was established thus it should be the same Therefore Brightman doth not unfitly as it seemes determine that this sea is the Councell of Trent into which from the yeer 1545. unto 1563. under five Popes viz. Paulus 3. Julius 3 Marcellus 2. Paulus 4. and Pius 4. the Rivers and Fountaines out of all parts of the Antichristian world did unburthen themselves as it were into a Sea that is thither were gathered 9. Cardinalls 3. Patriarchs 33. Archbishops 233. Bishops 7. Abbats 8. Generalls 4. Counsellours at Law 149. Divines 11. Vicars of Bishops in all 467. together with an infinite number of servants Pages and Scullions out of every Nation Tribe and tongue For the Angells going forward to pour out Gods Vialls that former grievous ulcer compelled the Antichristians to flow to the Latine Sea to get remedy for their disease But what was done The waters of the sea became as the blood of a dead man that is corrupted and mortall hence every soule living in the sea dyed for the Decrees of Trent were bloody that is written and so indeed generally they were with the blood of hereticks But being false and destructive by their filthy and deadly savour they killed the soules of all living creatures swimming or seeking for life in this sea CHAP XVI The pouring out of the Third Viall on the Rivers and Fountaines of Waters 4 And the third Angell poured out his Viall upon the Rivers and Fountaines of waters and they became blood 5 And I heard the Angell of the waters say Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast judged thus 6 For they have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them blood to drinke for they are worthy 7 And I heard another out of the Altar say Even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy judgements THE COMMENTARY 4. ANd the third Angell poured out This Angell poures out the wrath of God on the Rivers and Fountaines of Waters which became blood Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the old version renders and blood was made but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to bee referred to the Rivers and Fountaines of Waters They to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Waters became blood The sense of this effect the Angel will declare verse 6. Thou gavest them blood to drinke for thou didst shed their blood because they shed the blood of thy servants The turning therefore of the waters into blood denotes a bloodie vengeance on bloodthirsty adversaries Hence it appeareth that this plague is divers from the former although in both there be an allusion unto the first Egyptian plague Now we are to see who these wicked are here signified by the Rivers and Fountaines Lyra thinkes Charles the Great to be this Angell Lyras opinion who poured out the Viall that is the vengeance of God upon the Rivers and Fountaines of Waters that is on the Moores or Hunni who anciently inhabited neer the Poole Maeotis where there are many bublings of waters after the manner of fountaines And they became blood because Charles his army killed many of the Hunni But he erres from the scope Ribera also here urgeth the letter but absurdly For have ever the Rivers and Fountaines shed the blood of the Saints according to the Letter Rib. opinion Or hath God given blood to drinke to the Fountaines Gagnaeus therefore doth more rightly apply it metaphorically to the persecutors of the godly Gagnaeus opinion because rivers and flouds of waters do often in Scripture denote grievous persecutions Now it may bee demaunded who these Persecutours are Foxe understands it of the Romane tyrants Foxe his opinion who by Ten persecutions shed the blood of Saints in abundance to whom likewise God gave blood to drinke because scarcely one of them dyed a naturall death But neither is this to the scope for it is certaine this place intends not the punishment of the adversaries of the primitive Church but the last plagues of Antichristians Others of our Interpreters come neerer to the scope understanding the rivers and fountaines of Waters the fâ—â—se Prophets and false teachers of Antichrist Bullinger Marlorate because Peter calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fountaines or wells without water that is deceivers for as dry wells frustrate the hope of the Traveller 2. Pet. 2.17 who thinkes to find water in them and doth not so false Prophets deceive such who looke for sound doctrine and consolations from them whatsoever they promise or make shew of Notwithstanding these also shew not who are here meant nor do they sufficiently unfold the kind of the plague here signified but keep for the most part to the thesis that to Antichristians the waters become blood that is unprofitable yea deadly to drinke of for as to the godly all things yea even their sinnes do work â—â—gether for their salvation so to the ungodly the good creatures of God â—â—come a curse and are turned to their destruction This indeed is true but expresseth not the meaning of the prophesie because that which followeth Thou gavest them blood to drinke doth not cohere with this sense for God gave not blood to drinke to these rivers and fountaines that is layd not a cruell punishment on them in regard they had shed the blood of the godly Therefore such false Prophets are not here simply to be understood who onely by their false doctrine kill the soules which the Sea of Trent did by its filthy and corrupt blood killing all that tooke in the same which was the second plague But such cruell false prophets who either with their owne hands or by their bloody counsells and condemnatory sentences shed the blood of innocent Christians But who are they We must keep to the Allegory of the Sea Rivers and Fountaines The sea hath its continuall course and is nourished by the flowing waters of rivers and fountaines so likewise the fountaines and rivers have their moistnesse from the vapour of the Sea hence they are rightly called the breasts of the Sea because they both suck for themselves and give nourishment to the Sea The Sea was the gathering together of Bishops and Doctors in Councill The Rivers therefore and fountaines of Waters who are they but Bishops and Doctors not indeed belonging to the Councell yet chief Antichristian Pillars and Champions for Popery Thus also in Chap. 8.10 the Rivers and Fountaines were Bishops and Doctors of the Church viz. the successours of Pope Sylvester whom he being corrupted through the favour and liberality of Constantine drew with himselfe from Heaven into the Earth and made bitter the wholsome and sweet Doctrine of Christ by the wormewood of humane traditions as there I declared Therefore here also the Rivers and Fountaines are Bishops and Teachers but in time diverse from them Those were made bitter before Antichrists
unto himselfe And therefore he is said to have bin then because then something of him was and hee was then according to that power although in another respect he were not as yet And is not To wit in this time of the Revelation when the Romane Bishops had not yet so much as dreamt of a Monarchicall Spirituall or Secular power but all of them for the space of 300. yeers untill Melchiades suffered Martyrdome for the Name of Christ Although Bellarmine foolishly boasteth that Clemens received the Ecclesiasticall Monarchy from Peter And is to ascend out of the bottomlesse pit To wit 510. yeeres after the Revelation of this Prophesie when Sabian attempted to invade the ecclesiasticall Monarchie Boniface III. really invaded it and so transmitted the same unto the Popes his Successours And about 649 yeers from this Prophesie Steeven II. also laid hold on the secular power who first thrusting the Greeke Emperours out of Italy possessed the chiefe government He was the first that deprived the French King Hildericke of his kingdome He was the first that admitted Pipine upon whom by his Antichristian power he bestowed not his own but the kingdome of France to kisse his feet 〈◊〉 he first would be pontificallie carried with great triumph in the midst of the people on mens shoulders as it were another Alexander or Iulius unto the Lateran Palace which thing hath ever since bin very religiously observed of his Successours namely being men as Balaeus recordeth not worthy that the Earth should beare Not long after also the beast in Gregory VII and Boniface VIII ascended to the highest step of Monarchie when the Pope said I AM CAESAR for he ascended not in a moment but by divers degrees of which see Chap. 13. He shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit As Chap. 11.7 or out of the Sea as Chap. 2 Thes 2 9 13.1 the sense being one understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either properly of the pit of hell to denote the procreating cause of which the Apostle speaketh that his comming should be after the working of Satan with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse and signes and lying wonders or metaphorically of the deep of the Sea that is the sincke of Bishops in Papall Councills by which under praetext of establishing the faith and routing out of heresies the priviledges of Emperours and kings were overthrowne the monarchy of the Pope established the power of the Clergy augmented and confirmed the which Julian the Cardinall alledging thereby to allure Pope Eugenius unto the Councill of Basil It is a wonderfull thing saith he I find that the power of the Church and Ecclesiasticall Libertie hath alwayes bin strengthened defended and augmented by Councills and now doe we feare it should be taken away And shall goe into perdition Here I assent to Brightman for the clearnesse therof for this going of the beast into perdition foretold by the Angell is by the wonderfull judgement of God begun in our age and now the beast goes on in the way of destruction so that he is not now far from his end And this Bellarmine himselfe confesseth who thus writeth From that time you made the Pope to be Antichrist his Empire is not onely not encreased but more and more decreased The time therefore is neere at hand in which the Church of Christ shall sing with the rest of the Heavenly Companies HALLELVJAH Salvation and Honour and Glory and Power be to the Lord our God because his judgements are true and righteous Revelat. 19.1 And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder Thus much of the fourefold state of the beast his authority followes which hath largely before been expounded in Chap 13. here it is briefly touched Shall wonder Not at the monstrous sight as Iohn did verse 6. but shall adore and worship the woman Queen that rides on the beast as a Goddesse so Chap. 13. verse 3.4 And the world woâ—dred after the Beast and worshipped him saying Who is like unto the beast who is able to make war with him And verse 8 And power was given him over all kinreds and tongues and Nations and all the Inhabitants of the earth shall worship him But what then shall none remaine with Christ I answer Least we should thinke so in both places the inhabiters of the earth are onely comprehended in this number Whose Names are not written in the Booke of life from the foundation of the World by which limitation is intimated first the chiefe cause of this great madnesse of men to worship so monstrous and execrable a thing it is because they shall be children of the earth and not of God Reprobates not Elect secondly the Elect are freed from the Impostures of the beast for it is impossible they should be seduced Mat. 24.24 Whose Names are not written See Chap. 13.8 Beholding the beast that was and is not He reckons up some titles of the beast and not in vaine for it shall bee one cause of the worlds wonderment that the beast having divers shapes like unto another Proteus WAS AND IS NOT AND YET IS Whence the Admirers of him shall conceive in their minds something divine touching him Now these things are evident by what wee said before Was viz. before Iohns time so far as concerned the monarchicall secular power Is not viz. in Iohns time because the Romane Bishops had not assumed this no nor as yet the Ecclesiasticall monarchy And yet is viz. in Iohns time in respect of the Imperiall power which then the Caesars had and afterwards should be usurped by the Popes Thus we must reconcile these seeming contradictions Is not and yet is according to the different state of the beast least we might imagine a repugnancy to be in the words which to avoid the old Version hath wholly ommitted the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet is But Andreas and Arethas whom Montanus followes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is at hand or is to come which agrees with the third terme shall ascend out of the bothomlesse pit for he saith that he shall come that is in his time ascend out of the bottomlesse pit The fourth terme is not here mentioned because that served not for admiration but belongs to the future wayling of which in Chapter 18. 9 Here is the minde having wisedome This is added that none might complaine and say Why are all these darke expressions what may be the meaning of the heads and hornes of the beast he cryes out as before Chap. 13.9 at the rising of the first beast If any one hath eares let him heare And after the second verse 18. Here is wisedome let him that hath understanding count c. so now Here is understanding to wit hid above mans reach Here may be understood of the divers states of the beast euen now mentioned but I rather referre it to the following matter Here for in these things which yet remain to be expounded touching the heads
Where the church was before Luther no more appearing in the world then the woman lurking in the wildernesse or the Seven Thousand in Israel that bowed not the knee unto Baall or a sound kernell in a rotten Apple untill it was brought to light and repaired by the new prophesying of the two Witnesses Christ therefore was not without a Church although the Papacy were not the same It representeth also Bishops deserting the Orthodoxe Faith The Apostacy of Bishops and the studie of divine things and cumbring themselves with wordly affaires under the Type of starres falling from Heaven into the Earth with their nature and plottings against the godly neither hath any man after the Apostle Paul 2. Thes 2 3 c. more lively set forth the rising person reigne tyranny seat manifestation and destruction of Antichrist then we have it in this Prophesie lastly it most clearely prophesieth many things touching the comforts of the Church under the Crosse of her deliverance victory and glorification with the punishments of Tyrants and all other adversaries By which we see The explication of the Apocalyps necessary that this Booke is not onely worthy to be continually read in the Church and meditated on but also to containe very profitable and necessary Doctrines especially for this last age For the Jesuites Antichrists chiefest Souldiers are very ingenious to corrupt and wrest the plaine Oracles of this Prophesie into a contrary meaning as if they were not onely not to be applied against the Papacy but also did make for the dignity thereof wherefore also it is our duty diligently to labour that the Revelation may be familiarly expounded and knowne not suffering the same to be depraved least we our selves be deceived by the slights of Antichrist or that by our carelesnesse wee suffer others to be ensnared by pernitious errours Now this wee shall the more easily attaine unto if wee alwayes have the Scope of this Booke before our eyes like as Mariners doe the more safely direct their course in the vast Sea by looking up unto the starres The principall scope thereof was The scope of the Revelation FIRST generall That the Christian Church being fore-warned of her future condition after the Apostles time even unto the end of the world should not promise perpetuall delight and ease unto her selfe but timely bee prepared manfully to sustaine the battles at hand SECONDLY speciall least the Godly even then groaning under the Romane persecutions and calamities which were to endure yet a long time beeing offended should be discouraged but know that it came to passe because the Lord had revealed unto his servant John that it should bee so and withall that they might be raised up with sure comforts of an happy issue out of their calamities for this cause also Christ in the Gospell forewarned his Disciples of the Crosse and future sorrow that when it came they might remember that it had been foretold unto them For the darts which are foreseen strike the lesse and we doe receive the evils of the world more tolerably if we be fenced against them through the shield of providence saith GREGORY Thirdly forasmuch as not long after the Romane perfecutions Satan through the riot ambition and contention of the Bishops of the Churches was to erect Antichrists throne in the Temple of God the Holy Ghost in speciall would have his forme nature reigne and Tyranny to bee set forth as it were in lively colours unto us that we might learne the better to know resist and take heed of him Moreover he would have the destruction and punishment of Antichrist and all other adversaries as also the victory and future glorification of the Church to be plainly described least either we should envy the present prosperity of the adversaries or overmuch fear their Tyranny but that on the contrary we might be patient under the Crosse and constant in our Combats retaining an assured hope of victory deliverance and future glory even unto the end Now that besides these scopes that upstart Inquirer labours to wrest the Revolation to this purpose Aleas prooem nota 14 c. as if it should teach that ROME of old the head of Pagan Idolatry by an admirable vicissitude was to bee changed into the Metropolis of the Catholicke Church that the Romane Church was gloriously to triumph both in respect of the Romane Citie and the whole Empire and that the soveraigne authority of the Romish Pope should alwayes remaine in the height of honour is such a filthy and impudent depravation of this most sacred Prophesie that even the Divell himselfe ought to blush thereat and I should wonder if these goodly trifles do not cause laughter or shame even to the Romish Court it selfe But these things a little after are to be more neerly examined when we come to the Argument Enough touching the Order Lastly The things which have been objected against the Booke as being erroneous and contrary to the Faith in speciall that it seemes in Chap. 20. to favour the brutish doctrine of the Hereticke Cerinthus touching Christ and the Saints worldly and voluptuous Reigne on Earth a Thousand Yeers before the Vniversall Resurrection of the dead doth not at all trouble me For if the objections of Heretickes or Pagans had presently been believed wee should long since have had nothing entire in the whole Scripture but all these things have long agoe beene vindicated by ancient and later Interpreters and wee referre the clearing of every of them to their proper places least our Preface should bee too tedious CHAPTER VI. Touching the Argument of the Booke TO come unto the Argument of the Booke Rev. 1.3 however by what hath beene said already it is not obscure yet I will handle the same more neerly The principall and greater part of the Booke is propheticall hence in the very beginning it is called a Prophesie containing Typicall Prophesies not onely touching the state of the Church and the signes of the last times of which Christ foretold his Disciples Mat. 24. like as Ribera thought good to explicate the Argument of the Apocalyps viz. that it is nothing else but certaine Commentaries upon those words of our Lord. For they extend themselves much larger unto the times next after the Apostles and thence from the giving of the Revelation even unto the end of the world namely touching the present conflicts of the Christian Church which already were in Johns time and afterwards should continually befall her first with Romane Tyrants afterward with diverse Heretickes and at length both with the Easterne and especially the Westerne Antichrist as also of their insultings and tyranny against her by which as if shee were forsaken of Christ her head they should grievously both inwardly and outwardly afflict and almost whollie oppresse her But withall on the contrarie of the most sweet comforts of the godly under the Crosse that those stormes of afflictions should not befall them at a
eyes Secondly spirituall when we behold the appearances of things either a wake or a sleepe yet understand them not thus did Phurao Nebuchadnezar and Peter The third they call intellectuall that is when the minde being illuminated by the holy Ghost understands the mysteries of those things which are presented Thus Ioseph understood the vision of Pharao and Daniel that of Nebuchadnezar this Iohn saw the visions of the revelation in the spirit that is the holy Ghost gave him to understand them Others expound these words in the spirit as opposite to the being present in the body not as if such which saw visions in the spirit did not still retain their real bodies but being ravished they seemed for the present to themselves as out of the body even as Paul in the 2 Corinth 12 3 caught up to the third heaven knew a man in Christ whither in the body or out of the body he knew not This kind of visions is one of the gifts of the new Testament which Christ ascending up on high poured forth upō the Church according to the oracle in Ioel. Ioel 2.28 Your young men shal see visions c. yet was this not given to all but a special grace and bestowed onely on such as the Lord pleased Neither was it perpetual but ceased with the gift of miracles after the doctrine of the Gospel was sufficiently propagated and confirmed in the world and hence we must beware of such who now a days boast of visions Isay 8 20. Luk. 16 29. Ioh. 5 39. as if they were inspired but they are deceivers to the law and testimonie For God hath tyed the church to the written word of the law and Gospel they have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them search the scriptures for though an angel from heaven preach any other Gospel let him be accursed On the Lords day He calleth the first day of the weeke on which Christ rose again the Lords day He saw the revelation on this day which Christians kept holy to God being by the authority of the Apostles set apart for Church meetings in stead of the Iewish sabbaths as we way gather from 1 Cor. 16.1 where the Apostle commandeth that on the first day of the weeke gathering be made in the Church for the brethren in Iudea So Acts 20.7 In one of the sabbaths that is the first day of the weeke the Christians are said to come together to break bread So then the observation of the Lords day is warranted by an Apostolicall tradition Hence Gagneus and Ribera infer that the Church besides yea and contrary to the scripture may impose some things to the observed as divine let no man thinck saith he that those things onely are to be observed which are contained in the scriptures but they do erre For first there is great difference betweene articles of faith and the Lord Mat. 15 9. Isay 29 13. day no man doubteth but the Church may lawfully appoint dayes and outward rites belonging to order and decencie so it be don◠without scandal opinion of worship and intruding upon the liberty and conscience But the question betwixt us and the papists is touching points of faith necessarie to salvation which they affirme that the Church or Bishops may ordaine without the authority of scripture the which thing wee denie For God is worshiped in vain by the commandements of men Besides the authority of the Apostles is one thing and the authority of Bishops and the Romish Church is another For they were not onely divinely inspired in their writings but also in whatsoever they instituted touching Church orders Wherefore they not onely appointed the Lords day to bee kept but also made it apart of scripture now as for other ministers they have not the same authority so that it cannot hence bee gathered that any thing should bee beleeved as necessarie to salvation besides what is contained in the holy scripture For though the Lords day is a matter not of faith but of fact yet the observation thereof is according to the word of God Here it may be demanded whether John saw the whole revelation upon one Lords day Indeed it may seem by the coherence of the matter so to be not withstanding I thinke that Christ did not at one time burden the minde of his servant with so many different and large visions neither is it probable because the like distinctions of time which other prophets had in their visions appears also to be in these visions of John as in Chap. 4. vers 1 2 is evident After this I looked c. and immediately I was in the spirit so that after he had seene the first vision he was come to himself ere he was again ravished saw other visions and in like-lihood this was upon another Lords day The like wee may gather from chapter 17.3 So he carried mee away in the spirit into the wildernesse and often it is said after these things But I doe not conceive all of them import a distance of time but the things which I specially minde are in Chap. 4.2 and 17.3 and 21.1 besides all things were not revealed to John in one place but some things he saw in Patmos some in the heavens some on the sea shore some things in the wildernesse But seeing we cannot certainly determine of the thing I will therefore leave it to the readers choise Heard behinde mee a great voice By this great voice Iohn whither sleeping or waking was stirred up to observe the visions least otherwise he should have neglected them as vain fansies The voice was great either in regard of the great mysterie of the visions or because it was the voice of the great God or lastly in regard of the lowdnesse and shrilnesse thereof As of a trumpet Whose sounde is high loud and heard a great way off signifying that those things which Iohn saw ought continually to sound in the eares and hearts of Gods people And hence the prophets were commanded to cry aloud not to spare but to lift up their voice like a trumpet that all might hear and have no pretence for their ignorance Alcasar untruely affirmes that this voice was altogether like unto the sound of a trumpet But the text saith it was the voice not of one founding but speaking Againe by this voice is signifyed how we should be stirred up to incounter with al our spiritual adversaries as souldiers by the found of the trumpet are imboldened to the battel In that hee heard the voice behinde him is signified that Iohn added nothing to these visions but that they were altogether divine for the things which are behind us we see not Or otherwise he heard a voice behind to denote how the things he heard were suddenly to come to passe even immediately upon Iohns departure 11. Saying I am Alpha Omega the first the last In this great voice are contained three things First the eternity of Christ is testified
all times should continually read it for their comfort and instruction which also is the end and use of the whole scripture Rom 15 4. 2 Tim. 3.16 Vers 20. The mystery of the seven starres After that the Son of man had shewed who he was whom Iohn saw he comes to unfold the mystery of the starres and candlesticks viz. that the seven starres are the seven angels or ministers the seven candlesticks the seven churches of Asia to whom he was commanded to write vers 11. The mistery The vulgar hath it the sacrament of the starres that is the thing figured by them so again chap. 17.7 I will tell thee the sacrament of the woman but it is improperly used for the mysticallsfignification of the same Bishops So he caleth the starres because they ought to shine before others in purity of doctrine and integrity of life like unto starres shining in the firmament they are said to be angels because they are Gods messengers to the Churches and the Churches are compared to candlesticks because like as the candle or light is set up into the candlestike even so the Church ought to hold forth and preserve the shining light of true doctrine that all may behold it least being in darknesse they stumble and perish thorow their ignorance Hence we learn in the first place that the scripture best interpreteth it self for what was before more darkly spoken is now clearly unfolded So Christ opened the parables to his disciples Matth. 13 in like maner this vision which at first seemed obscure is now made plain by its own interpretation For albeit the scripture doth not make clear every thing that is darkely spoken not withstanding if we diligently observe it that of Austin will appeare most true that there is all most nothing abscure in scripture which is not in some other place plainly expounded Furthermore we are to take notice of these figurative and sacramental phrases The starres are Angels that is they signifie the Angels the candlestiks are the Churches Gen. 41 27. 1 Cor. 10 4. Cont. adim c. 12. that is they signifie the Churches according to that in Genesis the seven kine are seven years that is do signifie seven years And the rock was Christ for it signified Christ as Augustine expoundeth it For there is nothing more familiar in scripture then to name signes by the things which they signify which maner of speech is not darke but plaine in regard of the analogie betwixt the signe and the thing signified wherefore it was not obscure but familiar to the scripture that Christ called the bread which was broken at the institution of the supper his body which was crucifyed for us seeing it was a sacrament or holy signe of the same Hence Augustine opening the etymologie or signification of a sacrament applies it to the Lords supper saying that the Lord Iesus doubted not to say this is my body when he gave the signe onely thereof And this is so cleare a truth that even Aloasar a Iesuite confesseth it saying that in the phrase of scripture touching dark sentences and sacraments the word which is used is to be referred to the signification of it and that the bread and wine in the Eucharist which they call the species doth signify the body and blood of Christ because Christ saith this is my body c. Indeed he supposeth there are two sorts of signes some instituted onely for doctrin and signification as in parables and darke sentences the other such as really include and containe the things which they signifie as in baptisme and the supper in which saith he is truly and properly contained as the cleansing of the soule from sinne so the body and blood of Christ and he proveth it First because Christ instituted these signes to that end Secondly the Church so teacheth And lastly because it were an easy thing for any one to institute meere and naked signes wheras it is in the power of Christ alone to appoint such signes as are full of efficacy I answer first Alcasars arguments answered that in the institution either of baptisme or the Lords supper there is no mention made of any including of the things signified in the signes Secondly the primitive Church taught no such inclusion but the new popish Church in so teaching is departed from the institution and doctrin of the primitive times Lastly though it be true that the sacraments are not meere signes yet it followeth not that they are signes including the thing signified For there is in scripture another kinde of signes which as they are signes so they are seales confirming to the faithfull the grace of Christ signified by them For properly the sacraments are signes and seales of the promise of grace which no creature could institute or bring into the Church but God alone Another expositor denieth Hoe in the Revel chap. 1. that these are figurative speeches and why because saith he those candlesticks doe not signify but are really the Churches and the starres doe not denote but are in truth the angels But both is false first because then there should be no mystery in the candlesticks or starres Secondly if the candlesticks and starres were truly Churches and Angels then would not Christ have required Iohn to write his Epistles as being absent from them but he should have delivered his message unto them as there present with him in Patmos Thirdly because then the words the candlesticks are Churches the starres are Angels should be regular expressions But this he denies and truly For they are termes of disparity What then the metaphor saith he is in the subject which doth not import that the copulative IS should be taken for the word signifieth And though it were granted here yet would it not follow that the words of Christ at the institution of the supper were of the same significatiō because Christ did not expound to them a vision but institute asacrament Now howsoever both be true yet doth not this take away the metonymical expression for in typical Sacramental assertions the tipes signes are said to be the antitypes or things signified partly indeed by a metaphor because of the analogie or likenesse that is betwixt the signes the things themselves but chiefly by a metonymia Epist 23. ad Bonif. because of the sacramentall signification For as Augustine saith if sacraments had not some likenesse with the things they represent they should not at all be sacraments for in regard of that likenesse they have the name of the things themselves Therefore as in some sort the sacrament of the body of Christ is Christ the sacrament of the blood of Christ is Christs blood even so the sacrament of faith is faith Againe that is called the soule In Levit. lib. 3.4.5 Genes 41.26 1. Cor. 10.4 which signifies the soule for it is usuall that the thing signifying be called by the name of that which it doth signifie as it is written
the seven eares are seven years with many the like places hence it is said that rock was Christ the Apostle saith not the rock signifies Christ but as if he were that indeed which in substance he was not but by signification onely In like maner the candlesticks are called the churches and the starres are said to be Angels the bread in the Lords supper the body of Christ not in substance but in regard of their analogie and signification For Christ doubted not to say Chap. 12. cont Adrm Dist 1. de consec this is my body when he gave the signe of his body saith the same Austine and more clearly the bread is the body of Christ not in the truth of the thing but by a mysticall signification The Argument Analysis parts of the second Chapter CHrist walking in the middest of the Candlesticks delivers to Iohn the seven Epistles to be sent to the seven ministers of the Churches of Asia commanding him to commend the diligence of some to reproove the negligence of others and in the rast place by promises and threatnings to exhort all of them to their duty and constancy therein so also he is commanded to write those things which he had seen and which were and which should come to passe by which threefold distinction Christ in the former Chapter declared in generall the arguments of these Epistles For in commanding Iohn to write those things which he had seen he was to declare the glorious vision of Christ unto the Churches that so they might receive the writing with reverence and due respect In bidding him to write those things which were it shewes how he was to manifest the qualification of the Churches and Teachers and whatsoever was either good or evil in every one of them that so they might perceive how Christ our Lord taketh notice of all our actions And lastly in bidding him to write those things which should come after Iohn was to propound to the godly a promised reward and to the wicked judgement to come that all might acknowledge Christ to be the glorious just and omnipotent judge of the world But it is better to extend the three forenamed heads to the whole revelation To return to the Epistles they are all exhortatory and not much differing in matter one from the other The sixt to the Church of Philadelphia seemeth to be the excellentest next to which is that unto Smyrna But the seventh unto Laodicea is the sharpest A common inscription is prefixed before all taken from the foregoing glorious form of Christ A generall Epiphonema is added in the conclusion provokeing them to attention by a speciall promise by which is understood the end of that glorious and magnificent apparition of Christ This Chapter doth contain the first fower Epistles namely to the pastours of the Churches of Ephesus Smyrna Philadelphia and Thiatyra The common argument of the Epistles And therefore the Chapter hath fower parts The Analysis of them all is plain and almost one and the same For they consist of a Preface Narration Exhortation and acclamation of promises annexed or that I may speak more plainly they contain three things First A description of Christ the author of the Epistles Secondly The praise or dispraise of each Angel Thirdly Good things are promised to those that overcome and destruction to such as fall away The first Epistle to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus 1 Vnto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write These things saith hee that holdeth the seven starres in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks 2 I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience how thou canst not bear them which are evill and thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast sound them liars 3 And hast borne and hast patience and for my Names sake hast laboured and hast not fainted 4 Neverthelesse I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlesticks out of his place except thou repent 6 But this thou hast that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate 7 Hee that hath an ear let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches To him that ouercommeth will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God THE COMMENTARIE VNto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus So he calleth the pastor of the Church for they are Gods ambassadors to the church A messenger is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one sent which properly is the name of those heavenly spirits which doe the commandements of the Lord. With this title Christ here honoreth the pastors of the Churches yet not so much to commend their dignity as to set forth the weightinesse of their spirituall function Heb. 2 14 It is the honour of the Angels that they are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of falvation Wherefore the Angels of Churches ought not to be puffed up because of this dignity but faithfully to demit themselves to their pastorall ministries Moreover touching these Epistles they concerne not the pastors alone but also as appeareth by their conclusions all the Churches it being usuall that such things as were to come to the whole were directed to the pastors and by them afterwards to be brought unto the congregation The Church of Ephesus He is commanded in the first place to write to this Church either because it lay neerest Patmos as Abraham Ortelius in his ancient description of Grecia sheweth or els for the eminency greatnesse thereof being better knowen unto Iohn then the rest Whither Timothy were then Bishop of Ephesus Histories mention not who at this time was the Angel of that church not indeed doth Christ name him to the end it might appear that he had not respect so much to any one particular teacher as to all others which should succeed Some thinke that it was Timothy the disciple of Paul but it is not probable that Timothie so much commended by Paul in his Epistles should lye under so heavy a censure besides it is a received opinion Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus that Timothie suffered martyrdome before the time of Iohns exile But if it were hee as Alcasar maintaineth against Lyra Ribera and Pererius it is an example of the general rule that sometime the verie best doe faile admonishing us of our infirmity and whereunto the saints are subject Again it serves to stirre up all teachers to care and vigilancy But now whither the fault in this Bishop for which Christ threatneth destruction be not mortal but venial as Aleasar pretendeth let himselfe look to it Write Christ tels Iohn word for word what he should write
by the word of God and manifested and repressed their lyes and deceit For now at this time there were many false teachers among the Churches of Asia as Ebion Cerinthus and others who though they boasted themselves to be Apostles yet in truth were the professed enemies of the Godhead of Christ corrupting true religion and perverting the faith of many Act. 20 29. of whom Paul had forewarned the elders of this Church For it is the duty of teachers to defende the purity of faith and strongly to oppose such devouring wolves so to follow the example of the Angel of this Church who for this cause is greatly commended by Christ our Lord. Vers 3. And hast borne and hast patience He setteth forth more clearly his patience pointing at some special kinde of affliction either imprisonmēt or stripes which he had manfully sustained Before Christ saith he could not beare and here saith he had borne but there is no contradiction for there he spake of his not suffering of impenitent sinners in the Church and here of his patient bearing of afflictions for the Gospels sake And for my names sake hast laboured The vulgar as likewise Montanus doe somewhat differ from these words but without all doubt this is the proper and naturall reading of the place agreeing with the greater and lesser copies of Robert Stephanus imprinted at Paris For it appeareth that his labour and unwearied indeavours in sparing no paines to preach and maintain the faith of Christ is again commended that all might imitate the like diligence and faithfulnes in teaching for in this Angel we may behold a true paterne of a faithfull Bishop But now who would not thinke hearing so great commendations from Christ himself that he had been perfect in every respect and worthy of deserved reward Iob. 15 15 but the following reproofe sheweth the contrary and indeed God the heavenly judge seeth not perfection in the very best of the saincts 4. 2 part of the narration But neverthelesse I have somewhat against thee In the second part of the narration he reproveth him because he had left his former love Ambrose thinketh that he is blamed for a generall remisnesse and omission of his former zeal and indeavour in holy duties For security sometimes doth lessen the zeale even of the Godly so that they have need to be stirred up and provoked to holy duties Andreas understandeth that he is in speciall rebuked for not shewing as he ought◠his wonted love and charity to the poore And indeed it seemeth that he began by little and little to be covetous desiring to heap up wealth and so grew negligent of doing good to the strangers and poore brethren now covetousnes is the roote of all evill and most abominable in the teachers of the word for it is one of the principall vertues in a Bishop to be given to hospitality and to be a lover of it 1 Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1 8. And this seemeth to be the reason wherefore the cannon law allowed to Bishops one forth part of the Church revenues to the end they should be liberall the rest was given to the poore other uses It is probable therefore that this Angel otherwise an excellent teacher is here taxed for coveteousnes From whence we first observe that the godly faile in many things and have need to be stirred up by admonitions and reproose specially when either they grow cold in their good affections or are overcome with the cares of this present world and the desire of wealth and honour For the devil doth chiefly labour to ensnare all teachers by such baits and therefore they ought so much the more to take heed least hereby beeing overcome they become a scandall to the Church of God Observe secondly that ambition and coveteousnesse in ministers are the most lothsome vices that may be and therefore they ought to be the more carefull for to avoid the same We have an example of ambition in the disciples For when Christ spake to them of the crosse they were troubled about preeminency asking who of them should be the greatest Ciprian saith wittily that ambition doth sweetly sleepe in the bosome of the ministers of the Church And as for coveteousnes or desire of filthy lucre by how much it is detestable by so much the more it doth cleave and deeply roote it self in their harts hence it is that Creon in Sophocles saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is The whole priestly generation is given to coveteousnesse And certainly all the sacrilegious sale of holy things simony pride and luxurie which reigne in the Romish Church was ingendred by coveteousnes and at length by little and little overthrew the truth of Christian religion according to the Latine proverb Religion begate riches but the daughter deroured the mother For as Ierom wel observeth In vita Malchi after that the Christian Church had Emperors to be members thereof it increased indeed in power and riches but decreased in vertue and godlinesse giving us to understand that where coveteousnes and pride have gotten the upper hand there vertue and religion is cast off and oppressed Observe thirdly though Christ doth commend the excellent workes labour constancy of the Angel of this Church yet he was so farr from acknowledging any merit in him as that on the contrary he sharply reproves him for many grievous evils and threatneth to cast him off except be repent For Christ doth narrowly see and observe all our actions and strictly weigheth all our workes in the ballance Wherefore God forbid we should imagine to merit by any good we doe though indeed hypocrites commonly so thinke whereas the word of God doth testifie that all the workes even of the most holy men on earth are polluted with sinne and all our righteousnesses are as filthy ragges Isay 64.6 if God should enter into judgement with us Besides we can do nothing but what we are bound to doe for we are debrors to the law And therefore can not by our good works Ro. 8.12 to which we are debtors deserve any thing at the hands of God Observe in the last place that it is not enough to begin wel but if we looke for the recompence of reward we must persevere in wel doing unto the end For hypocrites at first seeme very zealous but afterward they grow luke warm and at last are altogether cold and so receive not the crowne of glory at the last day 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen This is the third part of the narration being matter full of reproofe First the teacher is exhorted to consider his fall Secondly to repent of his many evils Thirdly carefully to practise all his former holy workes of love and charity now neglected So that in this exhortation we have briefly the nature of true repentance propounded unto us First to take notice of the sinne committed A description of repentance for how else should we sorrow for
however we need not alter the signification of the candlesticke forasmuch as it is not unusuall or contradictorie to divine justice that God should punish a whole congregation for the sinnes of a few yea for one particular person in the same as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 5.6 11.30 And the reason hereof is because oftentimes the multitude followes the examples of their governors like priest like people as is the king such is the subject wherefore it is probable that the Church had lost her first love as well as her reachertand hence the threatning is directed against him as chiefe and against the congregation as being corrupted also To the second I answer by distinguishing the Church which is either particular or universal The universal is perpetual unshaken and built upon the rock But we beleeve otherwise of particular Churches which oftentimes the Lord for their security removeth by overthrowing whole cities countries as the Easterne Greek Churches of Asia and Africa doe plainly witnesse But although particular congregations are dissipated and the candlesticke removed either for publick or private sinnes so that where formerly the light of Gods word did shine there afterwards Paganisme or Antichristianisme doth reigne not withstanding the church it selfe is not alwaies removed for the abode of the Church is uncertaine Heb. 13.14 the Lord sometime causing the faithful to wander as strangers exiles from place to place not having a continued city in this world That which is spoken 1 Tim. 3.15 as it is most true of the universall Church so was it likewise true of these Ephesians yea of every particular congregation I say in right though not alwaies in fact for indeed every congregation ought to be a pillar and ground of truth though it be not so still in truth according to that of Mala. 2.7 The priests lips preserve knowledge that is they ought so to doe though they did it not therefore are reproved by the Prophet vers 8 But ye are departed out of the way c. so the Church is the pillar that is ought to be the pillar according to that in Tit. 1.6 Mat. 5.13 a Bishop is that is ought to be the husband of one wife Ye are the salt of the earth the light of the world viz. ye should be so c. Hence we first observe seeing the abode of the Church is uncertain we must not promise to our selves a continuance in one place in regard we are citizens of the Church For it is in the power of Christ to remove the candlesticks from one place to another and many times he doth so for the sinnes either of the teachers or of the whole congregation Now in this we must acknowledge our own faults as deserving it Psal 2â— 1 yet ought we not to be altogether discouraged because the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof For if the outward prosperity of the Church be disturbed and taken away yet our inward graces as faith and charity remaine for ever Let us therefore stedfastly persevere in our first faith and amend the evils whither in pastors or Church that so the candlesticke be not removed Secondly hence we learn that true repentance is the onely way and means to escape publick punishment and Church dissipation For Christ saith I will remove thee unlesse thou repent meaning if thou repent I will not remove thee Thirdly observe that in scripture the threatnings of punishment are still with a condition either expressed or understood viz. except men repent And therefore when the condition of repentance is declared and the punishment followes not there is no change at all in the decree of God Lastly hence we may learn how such as go astray are to be brotherly reproved and corrected for their evils and brought to true repentance the obstinate are to be terrified with threatnings and the repentant raised up with comfort the which Christ doth to this Church as knowing this to be a most effectuall means to bring them to amendment of life 6. But this thou hast that thou hatest The fift part of the narration containeth a further commendation of them for their hatred of the Nicolaitans and this he brings in after the reproofe and threatning as it were powring oyle into the wound and to draw them the sooner to repentance and to shew that they were not in a desperate condition Three things before he praysed in them here he addeth a fourth Thus we see none shall want praise with God for any thing that is prayse worthy now they are commended for their encouragement not as doing works of merit but as exercising the gifts and grace received of God in obedience unto him The deeds of the Nicolaitans In vers 15 their doctrine is mentioned Lib. 1 cap. 27. but not fully expressed what they taught Irenaeus writeth that they held it no sinne to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed to idols And most are of this opinion But in vers 14 it is said Act. 6 5. that this was the doctrine of Balaam and not of the Nicolaitans However it be it is certain they were a pernicious and most wicked sect both in life doctrine Lib. 3 hist cap. 2â— Some will have Nicolas one of the seven deacons to be the author hereof Eusebius Epiphanius and Nicephorus do write of him that being accused as jealous of his wife who was very beautifull he forlooke her and left her as common to all But Clement Alexandrine as themselves testify doth commend this Nicolas for his piety and continency Heres 25. cap. 15. having daughters who remained virgins and a sonne which lived holily And therefore it is more probable that some other Nicolas was the author of this filthy sect and that these hereticks abused the name of this man as a cloake for their abominable wickednesse Of these men Augustine writeth largely in his booke of heresies A certaine writer hence gathereth Hoe in Apoc. seeing Christ calleth these men Nicolaitans after the name of the first author that he also may justly name such men Calvinists who have alvine for their author to the end his hearers may the more carefully avoid them Behold here a notable imitator of Christ But let him first prove that the doctrine which he falsly termeth Calvines hath its original from him or to be as this was of the Nicolaitans filthy impious and damnable Neither of which he shall ever be able to prove Wheras we might easily retort the very same fault upon himself For Christ calleth these sectaries Nicolaitans because they so named themselves the better to make way for their wicked errours like as in the Church of Corinth some said they were of Cephas some of Apollo and some of Paul very few being contented to be named after Christ For our parts we count it an evil to be named after Calvin and not rather Christians of Christ our Lord wheras this Clawback himself delighteth to be
called a Lutherane from Luther Therefore let him take heed least he be found with the Nicolaitans among the number of the sectaries Vers 7. He that hath an eare let him heare He shutteth up the Epistle with a singular promise and an exhortation common with the rest of the Epistles by which he stirreth them up to observe the things which formerly were written unto the teacher of the Church of Ephesus But chiefly to mind the reward promised to him that overcometh The like advertisement Christ giveth us Matth. 13.9 And again chap. 19.12 He that is able to receive it let him receive it By the eare he understandeth the eare of the hart not so much intending the outward hearing as to teach us to lay up in our hart and sowle the meaning of the holy Ghost in these prophesies What the spirit saith to the Churches That is speaking unto us by the prophets for though Christ speaketh yet he calleth it the voyce of the spirit because the son worketh by the spirit From whence we gather that the holy Ghost is properly called the spirit of Christ as proceeding from him and the Father XI Argu. of Chr. deity Which is the Eleventh argument to prove the Godhead of Christ Saith to the Churches So then these things were not written to the Bishops alone but to all the Churches likewise To him that overcommeth will I give to eat This promise is left out in the fower latter Epistles He is said to overcom who manfully unto the End hath fought the good fight of faith against the Flesh the World and Satan As it is written Mat. 24.13 2. Tim. 4.7 He that indureth unto the End the same shall be saved that is they who have kept the faith finished their course shall have with the Apostle a crowne of righteousnesse which is laid up for them in the heavens But here is nothing promised to Hypocrites to time servers apostates who though they at first fight wel yet afterward doe faint cast away their weapons turne their backs leave the field and forsake the battles of the Lord. To eat of the tree of life Christ is this tree for he is the way the truth and the life Io. 14.6 He typically alludeth to Paradise in the midst wherof stood the tree of life of which if our first parents had eaten they had lived for ever It signified also Christ our Lord who was to restore us beeing fallen from death unto Eternal life So then by giving us to eat of the tree of life is meant his communicating himself unto us Io. 6.14 raysing us from death to life everlasting according to the promise Who so eateth my Flesh hath life eternall for my Flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drinck indeed XII Argu. of Chr. deity This is a twelfth argument of Christs deity for God alone doth bring forth the faithful into the battle and giveth to them that overcom eternall life but all this doth Christ and therfore he is God blessed for ever They who plead for free wil infer from these promises To him that overcommeth that it is in our owne power to overcom But to conclude from the thing conditionall unto the condition it self is absurd The promise onely teacheth what Christ will give unto the doers of his will but sheweth not by what power it is performed The like also they vainly gather from these words he that hath an eare let him heare as if men had some power in themselves to heare Nay rather the contrary is true for where as he calleth upon us to heare it shewes that we are deafe Ephe. 2.2 unlesse he himself open the eares of our harts for such as are dead in sinnes are also deafe and blinde by nature and so remaine until by the grace of Christ they are made able to heare and perceive the things of God The 2. Epistle to the Bishop of Smyrna 8. And to the Angel of the Church in Smyrna write these things saith the first and the last which was dead and is alive 9. I know thy works and tribulation povertie but thou art rich and I know the blasphemie of them which say they are Iewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan 10 Feare none of these things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Divel shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes Bee thou faithful unto the death and I will give thee a crowne of life 11. He that hath an eare let him heare what the spirit saith unto the Churches he that overcommeth shall not be hurt of the second death THE COMMENTARIE VNto the Angel of the Church in Smyrna Of Smyrna se chap. 1.11 The second Epistle is directed to the pastor of this place being neerest to Ephesus and it is probable that it was written to Polycarpus Iohns Disciple lib. 3. c. 3. lib 4. hist c. 14. for as Irenaeus and Eusebius write the Apostles did ordaine Polycarpus Bishop of this Church for seeing all the Apostles except Iohn dyed before Domitians time it is likely that Polycarpus was pastor of Smyrna even so long as that Emperour reigned it seemeth the rather to be true because Christ reproves nothing in this Bishop onely incourageth him to be constant and foreshewes the persecution which should be raysed against him by the Iewes by whom also he was put to death And indeed histories testifie that the Iewes with others were the principal agents in preparing the fire wherin he was burned in the dayes of the Emperor Antoninus Verus Now however the troubles in Asia in which Polycarpus was taken away happened sixtie-and-seven years after the writing of the Revelation which was in the 14 year of Domitian yet doth not this any way contradict what we said for Polycarpus when he suffered testifies of him self that he had served Christ eighty and six years This Epistle howsoever it be the shortest yet is it much more exellent then any of the rest in as much as the others are mixed with reproofes but Christ here justifies this Bishop in all things both in commending comforting of him It consisteth of an inscription a narration and Conclusion The Inscription describes Christ by two attributes before spoken of chap. 1.17 18. Thus Iohn goes forward to make knowen to the Churches what he had seen These things saith the first and the last se chap. 1.8 11 17. As there so here also Christ taketh to himself an essential propertie of God viz. Eternitie Esai 41.4 44.6 48.12 thus he repeateth and againe confirmeth the seventh argument of his Godhead Eniedinus the Samosatenian confesseth that without doubt Christ is here called the first and the last but not absolutely for saith he that belongs to God the Father alone wheras Christ is called the first and the last not in regard of essence but as respecting his office and because he was the
the same shall be saved Mat. 24.13 And I will give thee He propoundeth the reward for their greater incouragement unto constancie Souldiers will fight unto the death for a corruptible crowne much more ought we to doe the like for an heavenly crowne which fadeth not away The crown of life here as also in Jam. 1.12 2. Timot. 4.8 1. Pet. 4.5 noteth eternal life and happines It is otherwhere called the crown of justice the crown of glorie by a metaphor taken from runners in a race where there is a crown proposed as a reward to the conquerours Hence let us observe in the first place that the crowne of life is promised onely to such as are faythfull to the death 2. That one the same crowne is promised to all that are faythful no mention being made of any diversitie of reward 3. That the crown is promised not of desert but of grace as a reward freely bestowed on them that are constant in the faith 4. That Christ is the giver therof Which is the fourteenth argument proving his Godhead XIV Argu. of Chr. deity Io. 10.28 For God alone gives eternall life Now Christ saith I give unto my sheep eternall life therfore Christ is God 11. He which hath an eare The acclamatorie conclusion is again repeated He that overcommeth shall not be hurt of the second death The sence is one with the former promises though different in words What is meant by the second death is explained chap. 20.14 Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death 21.8 Murtherers c. shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Which is the second death The first death is a separation of the soule from God through sin and was the cause of corporall death Hebr. 9.27 which is common to all as the Apostle speaketh It is appointed unto all men once to dy but after this the Jugement The second death is the casting of soule body into the lake of everlasting fire wherein the wicked onely shall be tormented for to the godly Christ hath promised deliverance for he that overcommeth shall not be hurt c. Some take the first death to bâ—â—neant of the dissolution of the soule from the body and then the meaning is thus he that continues faithful unto the first death needs not to fear the second for he shall not be hurt therewith but enioy eternall filicity but of this more hereafter This great and gracious promise should stir us up with courage to persevere in the fight untill we overcom for then we shall be free from the second death and be partakers of life eternall through Christ Jesus our Lord to whome be glorie for ever and ever Amen The third Epistle to the Bishop of the Church of Pergamus 12. And to the Angel of the Church in Pergamus write These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges 13. I know thy workes and where thou dwellest even where Satans seat is and thou houldest fast my Name and hast not denyed my faith even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth 14. But I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrin of Balaam who taught Balac to cast a stombling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed unto Idols and to commit fornication 15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate 16 Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth 17. He that hath eare let him heare what the spirit saith unto the Churches To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the hidden Manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it THE COMMENTARIE TO the Angel in Pergamus The third Epistle to the Pastor of Pergamus or Troy containes two things first they are commended for their constancie in the faith Secondlie reproved for maintaining amongst them the inpure Balaamites and Nicolaitans by threatning are exhorted to amendment of life It consisteth of an inscription narration and conclusion The inscription describeth Christ by an Epithite taken from chap. 1.16 that he hath viz. in his mouth the sharpe-sword with two edges The reason of this attribute appeares from vers 16. where he threatneth to destroye the sinners of the Church of Pergamus with the sword of his mouth that is by the power of his divine word For this sword is the word of God sharper then any two edged sword piercing and dividing asunder of soule and spirit c. Heb. 4.12 Here we have the fifteenth argument of Christs Godhead XV Argu. of Chr. deity For the word of God doth properly proceed out of his mouth and therefore he is God Because the word of God proceedeth from Christ not as the word of another or as it was in the mouth of the Apostles Prophets and other teachers but in speciall as his owne hence he saith v. 16. I will fight with them with the sword of my mouth 13. I know thy workes and where thou dwellest In the narration are three things he commendeth what is prayse-worthy reproveth what is amisse and lasty exhorteth them unto repentance First he saith in Generall that he knew their workes to the end they might take notice that they had to doe with him who trieth and searcheth the hearts and reynes of which se v. 2.2 In particular he commends their constancie in the faith which with courage they maintained and confidently trusting on Christ overcame all such tentations as might any way occasion them to forsake him The prayse whereof is amplified from the danger of their abode I know where thou dwellest namely in a most vicious and wicked city being ful of cruel enemies both Iewes and Gentiles and where Christians like sheep are continually exposed to the danger of devouring wolves Now to live Godly in such a place and constantlie to cleave unto the profession of Christs name is a verie hard thing though it be not so where the condition of the place affords us freedom and libertie the which benefit God of his exceeding mercie hath hitherto granted unto us Where Satans seat is A further amplifying of their constancie is taken from the infamie of the place Pergamus is the throne of the Divel Who in Hebr. is called Satan that is an adversarie so that this citie was full of naughtie and vile persons haters of Christ and his members among whom Satan raigned both in the pallace for it was the abode of king Attalus and in their senate temples forcibly drawing the magistrates and cityzens to horrible Idolatrie and to commit all manner of outrage and wickednes against the Christians Nevertheles Christ had a Church in this evill citie And could
he not doe the like The Church preserved in the papacie though the Romish Papacie for a thousand yeares and upward hath been the throne of Satan and the seat of Antichrist and under the name of Christianitie abounds in all ungodlinesse idolatrie and barbarous crueltie against Christ They object that the Church of Pergamus was visible and separated from the Pagans But in the papacie it was not so I answere unlesse there had been in some sort a visible Church among the Papists the Romish Clergie had not been so renowned as they are for their killing and martyring of the saintes But be it granted were not the seven thousand in Israel who worshipped God a Church because they were not a visible congregation seperated from the Balaamites but for fear of persecution kept themselves close and were not known no not to Elias himself Even in those days Here he further amplifies their constancie by shewing the crueltie of the adversaries who continually drew forth the Christians to most cruel and barbarous torments as appeares by Antipas a faithfull martyr of Christ who undoubtedly not long before was put to death by those of Pergamus and so is named instead of many others who also suffered It is not certain by historie who he was Arethas supposeth that he was the teacher of this Church who in the days of Domitian for his constant profession of the truth was as some say put into a Brazen bul and by fyre tortured to death Andreas writeth that he had read sometime the hystory of his martyrdom But it is certain that Christ honoureth him with the title of his faithfull witnesse It is probable that this Epistle was directed to the successour of Antipas least he should be drawen aside from performing his charge for fear of the like punishment who as it seemeth was at this time in bonds and threatned to be tortured to the end he might denie Christ and therfore he is worthily commended for keeping the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. And is to be rendred even or also in those days which amplifies the former persecution during which time he remained constant although Antipas had already suffered death for it cohereth with the foregoing words hast not denyed even in those days wherin Antipas my faithful martyr to which we must ad who was or who denied me not for otherwise the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who would seem to be superfluous Where Satan dwelleth The fourth amplification is from the danger of the place or a further declaring of what was before spoken of Pergamus as if he should say Pergamus is not onely the seat of Satan in which he remaineth somtimes or for a season but it is his proper nest and where he continually inhabiteth for as Arethas witnesseth Pergamus was more given to Idolatrie then any other place in Asia Hel indeed properly is Satans dwelling place notwithstanding he also dwelleth and reighneth in the harts of the children of disobedience who by their filthie and abominable actions doe inslave themselves unto him Thus the hart of Judas was as a house for Satan after he was entred into him O what a miserable condition is it to live there where Satan dwelleth how hard a matter is it to worship Christ where the Divel ruleth Let us therefore intreat the lord to dwel in the midst of us and to make us the temples of his holy spirit that so Satan may not have any abode amongst us 14. But I have a few things against thee This second part of the narration is a reproofe of the Bishop of Pergamus And here again we are taught that the best in the Church are not without their faylings the which Christ seeth though men perceive them not neither are we here to expect a Church perfect and altogither free from errours and the mixture of evill men and good togither for which infirmities albeit the lord doth not condemne us but in mercie passeth them by notwithstanding he disaloweth and reproveth them and requireth an amendement thereof He calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a few things comparitively not as being few or smal in themselves but eyther as respecting the evils of ungodly men or in regard of his owne clemencie he accounting them but as few Thus the Lord lessens as it were our evils yet so not that we should flatter our selves in them but the rather amend them for a few evils are sooner reformed then many lesser vices are more easilie corrected then greater Now the evil for which they are blamed is their remisnes in not exercising Church discipline against such persons as were infected with the venemous doctrine of the Balaamites and Nicolaitans Now whether these were divers sects or but one it is not certaine The common opinion is that the Nicolaitans followed the wicked way of Balaam mentioned in Numb 22.23.24.25 permitting Christians to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication For that false prophet being hired by Balack king of Moab to curse the Israelites gave him counsel by his Moabitish woemen to entise them to worship Baal-peor or their God Priapus by which meanes it came to passe that the Israelites having so don fel to feastings and dancings with them and afterwards committing fornication drew upon themselves horrible plagues from the Lord. 15. So hast thou also them Because he had before reproved the Church of Ephesus for the deeds of the Nicolaitans therefore here he saith so hast thou also c. By which it appeareth that this sect whatever it were was crept into many Churches Hence we note two things concerning the dutie of Churches and their officers touching notorious-sectaries First that it is meet to call them by the name of their authors For Christ nameth the Nicolaitans after Nicolas to distinguish them from such as were sound in the faith This I speak of vile sectaries such as these were overthrowing the very foundation Yet it followes not that the Lutherans do wel to call themselves after Luther unlesse they would be accounted notorious sectaries rending Christ asunder as in 1. Cor. 1.10 of which thing se more v. 6. Secondly notorious sectaries ought to be seriously reproved by the Church convinced if it may be regained as for the obstinate they are not to be suffered but to be cast out of the Church otherwise we provoke the Lord to wrath against our selves But here behold the great ungodlines of the Romish Antichrist who to bring in his divelish doctrine of forbidding marriage accounts all such Bishops and Priests which do marrie guiltie of the haeresie of the Nicolaitans this he doth if we wil beleeve him to preserve the puritie of the Church See Sigon de regno Ital. lib. 8. 9. 16. Repent or otherwise The third part of the narration is an exhortation to repentance with a threatning of the obstinate unlesse they left their errour For it seemeth that the Nicolaitans were not secretly but openly retained in
not seen nor eare heard c. This name God wil not give to one alone but to all the faithful all I say shall know their owne name because all shal have it For to know this name is to have it to rejoyce in it and to be certain thereof thus we se that the people of God shall not be ignorant of each others felicitie and blessednes in the heavens howsoever true it is that the damned shall be ignorant thereof because they shall never have it and hence we see it is no mervaile that none in this life know the heavenlie adoption No man knoweth the new name saving he that hath it but such onelie as se and have it by faith in their harts for as much as in the world to come none shall know the dignitie of the saintship but such as are partakers thereof And heere the ungodly assertion of the papists is refuted who affirme that no man can fullie and certainly perswade himselfe of his own inward justifying faith or to be in the state of grace and so consequently a childe of God but is to doubt of his faith grace justification adoption and salvation For these Prophane men doe vainlie require an outward demonstration of that which no man can possibly know saving he that inwardly hath it which they inwardly wanting can not know it and therfore in requiring us to manifest this unto them doe as foolishly as they who would put a man to prove that there is sweetnes in honie seeing no man can know it but by the tast thereof For the knowledge of this new name it consists not in bare speculations but in the power and practise of the heart Of this ful assurance we have largely treated in our comment on Hebr. Chap. 6. v. 18. and Bellar. Castiga lib. 3. de Justifi cap. 9.10 c. Moreover hence we have the sixteenth argument of Christs deitie XVI Argu. of Chr. deity For none can give the heavenly Manna the white stone new name which Christ promiseth to them that overcome saving God alone The fourth Epistle to the Bishop of Thyatira 18 And unto the Angel of the Church in Thyatira write These things sayth the Sonne of God who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet are like fine brasse 19 I know thy workes and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy workes and the last be more then the first 20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Iezebel that calleth her selfe a prophetesse to preach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto idoles 21. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not 22. Behold I will cast her into a beade and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation except they repent of their deeds 23. And I will kill her children with death and all the Churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reines and hearts and I will give unto every one of you according to your workes 24. But unto you I say and unto the rest in Thyatira as many as have not this doctrine and which have not known the depths of Satan as they speake I will put upon you no other burthen 25. But that which you have already hold fast till I come 26. And he that overcommeth and keepeth my workes unto the end to him will I give power over the nations 27. And he shall rule them with a rod of Iron as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I have received of my Father 28. And I will give him the morning star 29. He that hath an eare let him heare what the spirit saith unto the Churches THE COMMENTARIE VNto the Angel of the Church of Thyatira Epiphanius recordeth that certaine of the Alogians rejected the Revelation as fabulous because there was no Christian Church at that time in Thyatira For how say they could Iohn be commanded to write to one who then was not but that old writer sheweth the absurditie of the hereticks herein It followeth not saith he although in their dayes there was no Church there therefore there was none in Iohns time for Thyatira was vanquished and overthrowen by them and the Phrygians togither Not long after the death of Iohn and the other Apostles namely in the three and nynteth yeere after Christs ascension which was the seventh of Adrian the Emperor And that indeed the spirit of God did foreshew the defection of this Church by prophesying of the false Prophetesse Iezabel that is of certain woemen who deceived many falsely boasting of a prophetical spirit as namely Priscilla and Maximilla and Quintilla harlots of Montanus who taught the heresie of the Cataphrygians Touching these things whither they were so or or I wil not now dispute of but that which Epiphanius ads is indeed more to the purpose to wit that in his time this Church was againe recovered by casting off the heresie of the Cataphrygians Now saith he by the grace of God there is a Church in that place which flourisheth and some others thereabout although formerlie the whole Church was fallen away and had embraced the aforesaid heresie That also is verie memorable which he writeth that the spirit of God did reveal that soon after the Apostles their successors the Church should fal into many errors Whence therefore hath the sonne of perdition taken his insolent decree that his Church cannot erre Now the fourth Epistle is directed to the minister of Thyatira being more sharpe then the former Hee is commended for his faith and workes but reproved for suffering the Prophetesse Jezabel to seduce many to commit fornication and eate things sacrificed to Idols the which woman with her followers Christ threatneth to destroy Neverthelesse such who were not infected with her wickednes he exhorteth to constance and promiseth to give them power over the nations The Epistle as the former consisteth of an inscription narration and conclusion In the inscription Christ is described by three Epithites two whereof have been handled Chap. 1. v. 14. The sonne of God in Chap. 1.13 he is called the Sonne of Man and here the Sonne of God to shew that he is both Now Christ is a Sonne by nature we and the Angels by grace Wherefore the Church doth rightly beleeve and professe Christ to be both God and man in the unitie of one person His eyes as a flame of fire his feet like to fine brasse Of this see chap. 1.14.15 I know thy workes The narration containes five things 1. commendations 2. reproofes 3. threatnings 4. exhortations 5. promises Thy workes The Vulgar and Andreas omit this both here and in v. 9. Workes are generally to be taken both for good and evil as in v. 2. 13. in speciall he commendeth fower things 1. his love to God 2. his charitie to the poore and chiefly
from Hel and Satan and therfore ought to be opposed and utterly extirpated I will put upon you none other burthen The meaning is however the deceivers doe again bring in and impose upon you the burthen of the ceremonial law a yoke which neither yee nor the Fathers were able to beare Act. 15.10 notwithstanding I doe not subject you unto it forasmuch I have once freed you from the same for it is sufficient to salvation to maintain the doctrine faithfully delivered unto you by the Apostles Some by burthen understand punishment as if he should say this shall be the heaviest of Iudgements that I will inflict upon you but if it be taken in this sence then the words should import a threatning where as indeed they are a milde admonition and therfore the first exposition is more agreable to the nature of the words Hence it appeareth that humane traditions are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a burthen imposed upon the Church not by Christ but by the instruments of Satan and here we see what to thinke of the manifold traditions of the Prelates to wit that they are burthens not required by Christ but by the fonne of perdition wherfore neyther the Church nor any of the faithfull ought to submit to them nor to hearken unto the voyce of that Antichristian parasite affirming that the yoke which is imposed by the holy sea Gratianus distin 19. is to be borne howsoever it may seem to be intollerable Vntil I come To wit bodily descending from heaven in the cloudes to judgment according to our Christian beliefe confirmed by the scriptures confession of the primitive Church And therfore for men to believe as necessarie to salvation that Christ being come in the flesh is present in or under the sacrament of the Altar or that his humane nature is in all places and filleth all things is a most false doctrine and a burthen not imposed by Christ our Lord. He which overcommeth keepeth The fift part of the narration is a promise with the former conclusion 1. Io. 5.4 he that overcommeth see v. 7. now the victorie by which we overcom the world is our faith and they are conquerours who keep faith and a good conscience Io. 5.36 10.36 14 11. Io. 6.29 My workes Not miracles which generally are called the workes of Christ by which also he proved himself to be God but that worke of faith required Joh. 6.29 To beleeve on him whom God hath sent as also all other workes of pietie and faithfulnesse according to our place and vocation hence as the workes of infidelity Io. 8.41 are called the workes of the Devill so the workes of faith and love are said to be the workes of Christ and hee that persevereth herein unto the end he is that conquerour to whom the present promise is made by Christ Jesus Vnto the end To wit of the warfare or fight for the full victorie is not obtained nor the crowne given before the fight be perfectlie ended And keepeth The worde here used in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keep Io. 8.57.14.23 15.10.20 c. is often used by Iohn in his Gospel So that this phrase of speech argueth Iohn the Euangelist to be the writer of the Revelation To him wil I give power over the nations A double reward is promised to the conquerour power over the nations and the morning starre Some curiouslie inquire whither or no these things are given in this life But we are to know that so long as w◠remaine here the fight dureth For no man as yet is a conquerour neither is the crowne bestowed we must therfore first persevere in our course unto the end before we can enioy the promised reward not as if we were altogether now deprived of it but because we posses it in hope onely and not in verie deed Now we are the Sons of God 2. Io. 3.2 Rom. 8.34 but it is not manifested what we shall bee we are saved by hope Neverthelesse one and the same thing is signifyed by both rewards here mentioned to wit that glorie and power whereof the faithfull shall partake in the heavens with Christ Power over the nations He alludes to Psa 2.8 where God the Father saith unto the Sonne I wil give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession thou shalt breake them with a rod of Iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel This power which Christ the head hath received frō the Father he promiseth to communicate unto us his members And as he hath receyved it for himself and for us so he will exercise the same in his owne and our name for the saintes also with Christ shal judge the Angels and the world or wicked men that is the nations here spoken of Even as I receyved This we have expounded v. 23. and there shewed after what manner Christ receiveth it from the Father and how it no way derogateth from his divinitie And I will give him the morning starre That is I will trulie communicate my self unto him and make him conformable unto my glorie so far as it consisteth with the proportion and measure of a member for he saith J wil that they also whom thou hast given me bee with me where J am that they may behold my glorie which thou hast given me c. The morning starre Called in Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the day starre being the brightest of all the starres and when it followeth the Sun going downe is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evening starre Hence Aristotle commending the vertue of Iustice saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is neither the evening nor the day starre is so glorious To this starre Christ is compared for his heavenly brightnesse and glorie 2. Pet. 1.19 Rev. 22.16 see there the sence of this place The Argument parts and Analysis of Chapter III. THis Chapter containes the three latter Epistles unto the Angels of the Church in Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicea in which again John doth declare in general what he had seen to wit the majestie of Christ commanding him to write what was eyther good or evil in everie one of them and what was to come to wit what good or evil they were to expect from Christ The bishop in Sardis he reproveth for his hypocrisie and negligence yet comforteth some few that were upright in that Church by promises of reward and stirs up the Pastor himself by threatning to diligence The teacher in Philadelphia is commended for his care praeadmonished of his combats with the Jewes and victorie over them and also is provoked by promises of reward to perseverance The Bishop of Laodicea is sharpelie taxed as an hypocrite being neyther hot nor cold and however he is by others much esteemed of for his worth and holinesse yet Christ threatneth to root him out except he doe repent The fift
Epistle to the Bishop in Sardis 1. And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis write these things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God and the seven starres I know thy workes that thou hast a name that thon livest and art dead 2. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remaine that are readie to dye for I have not found thy workes perfect before God 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent If therefore thou shalt not watch I will come on thee as a thiefe and thou shalt not know what hower I will come upon thee 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments and they shall walke with mee in white for they are worthy 5. He that overcommeth the same shall be cloathed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the booke of life but I will confesse his name before my father and before his Angels 6. He that hath an eare let him heare what the spirit saith unto the Churches THE COMMENTARIE VNnto the Angel of the Church in Sardis By the name Angel as we have formerlie shewed is noted the Pastor of the Church and not him onely but the rest of the officers yea and the whole Church for it seemeth they were all alike faulty according to that of Iesus the Sonne of Sirach As the judge of the people is himselfe so are his officers and what manner of man the ruler of the citie is such are all they that dwel therein Sirac 10.2 And therefore whatsoever is amisse in the people is imputed to the negligence of the Pastor and what is good in them to his prayse and commendation Some old writers affirme that Melito was Bishop in Sardis of whom Eusebius maketh mention lib. 4. hist cap. 26. But neyther the argument of the Epistle nor time when it was written doth agree hereunto For Melito is commended for his sanctitie martyrdome this teacher is accused of hypocrisie negligence Moreover Melito was Bishop of Sardis in the raigne of Antoninus Pius unto whom Iustine Martyr dedicated his second Apologie in behalf of the Christians This Anton raigned more then sixty yeeres after Domitian in whose time John being banished into Patmos wrote the Revelation Now it is not probable that Melito should so long continue pastor in Sardis although in al likelihood Polycarpus all this time was teacher in Smyrna see cha 2.8 Therfore howbeit it be uncercaine who he was not beeing named yet Christ sharply reprooves him for his hypocrisie and negligence Hence observe how vainly the Romish Parasites boast as if the Pope and his adherents can not erre in matters of faith seing two onelie of the seven teachers of Asia are commended for their sinceritie in life and doctrine the rest accused by Christ eyther of foule hypocrisie Hor in Epist quid concinua samos quid Craesi regia Sardis or of the haeresie of the Nicolaitans In Sardis The famous and sometime royal citie of Croesus seated as Plinie writeth on the side of the mountaine Tmolus of which I have before spoken but here again repeat it least some might be mistaken as those who thinke that the Synod called Sardicensis held in the eleventh yeare of Constantine was in this citie For Sardica was a towne in Illyria to which place came all the easterne westerne Bishops by the commandement of Constans Constantius Emperors But this Epistle was not written to the Angel in Sardica but in Sardis It consisteth of a preface a narration and a conclusion The preface by two epithites declareth the majestie of Christ the author of this epistle and his care for the Church he is said to have the seven spirits of God and the seven starres to wit in his right hand as in chap. 2.2 from whence it might seeme that the words the seven starres were taken and here misplaced but the consent of all copies is to be allowed By the starres the teachers are signifyed as chap. 1.20 But in the description of Christ cha 1.20 there is no mention made of the seven spirits therfore some have thought that they are the seven spirits mentioned cha 1.4 but seing these spirits are joyned with the seven starres that is the Bishops of the Churches I therfore judge that these seven spirits are Angels properlie so called because Christ imployeth them together with the ministers of the Churches for the welfare of them that are heires of salvation see cha 1.4 Neyther doth the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the seven spirits contradict this exposition for in cha 17.1 the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also put before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wil shew thee the Iudgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whore of whom notwithstanding there was no mention before see our exposition on that place Thus we see that Christ hath the seven spirits of God in his hand that is all the Angels who readilie doe his commandements and judgements both in defending of the godly and punishing of the wicked he hath also in his hand the seven starres that is all the ministers officers of his Church that so through his grace they may shine like starres in sinceritie of life and puritie of doctrine before their flockes For as Christ is the author of the ministry so hath he given it unto the Church worketh so powerfully in by the same that hereby he both gathereth preserveth continually a Church among men according to that of Ioh. 15.6 I have ordained you that you should goe bring forth fruit that your fruit should remaine Now touching the ordaining governing of the starres whither it be taken properly or improperly XIX Arg. of Chr. deity it is onely the powerful worke of God And therfore these Epithites doe plainly yeild unto us a nynteenth argument to prove the deity and omnipotencie of Christ our Lord. J know thy workes The first part of the narration is a reproofe of the secret hypocrisie in the heart life of this teacher Thy works that is I see al the indeavours cariage both of thy private life publick ministry I know thy hidden hypocrisie for so he explaineth it thou hast a name that thou livest art dead that is thou art generally reputed to be a faithful godly teacher but thou art an hypocrite as beeing destitute of faith and true holines so dead that is as a painted sepulchre before the Lord guiltie of death although thou seemest to be alive holy before men Hence we learne three remarkeable pointes The first is an evident argument of Christs divinitie For if Christ so knowes all our workes as that he discerneth betwixt true godlines and hypocrisie the dead and living members of the Church true pastors and hypocrites then certainly he tryeth the heart of man which is onely proper to God
and is not communicable to any creature no not unto the Angels Which further confirmeth the X. and XVIII argument before mentioned Secondly we are taught that all who professe the truth and make a shew of holines are not truely faithful and regenerate persons but many of them are hypocrites and deceivers as being farre otherwise then they are accounted of for hypocrisie is an outward shew of inward holinesse or a profession of faith with the mouth beeing in the mean time destitute thereof in the heart And hence we may conclude that a bare profession argues not true faith as the patrones of hypocrites affirme whereby they oftentimes delude themselves others Act. 8.13 Simon Magus is said to beleeve Therfore say they some who professe have true faith may fall away and perish But this place shewes us that many are inwardly dead who outwardly seem to be alive being with Ananias the hie Priest whyted walls Act 23.3 Matt. 23.27 Mat. 8.22 1 Tim. 5.6 with the Pharises painted sepulchres spiritually dead as Christ spake to the yong man let the dead burie the dead And Paul speaketh of some wanton widowes who are dead while they live yea all men considered in their natural condition are dead in trespasses and sinnes To be short many have faith without love which is dead a faith which the Devils also have Thus we se in scripture how they are said not onely to be dead who are deprived of naturall life but also not beeing regenerated to a spirituall or who are sincere in appearance onely and not in truth Let us therfore take notice that all are not godly who seem so to be neyther shall all they who say Lord Lord enter into the kingdome of God for the Church consisteth of a mixture of saintes and hypocrites and this difference is not onely in the laitie but chiefly in the Clergie as they call it that is many who in sheeps cloathing seem to be true Pastors teachers are in truth but mercenarie wolves and howsoever these may deceive men yet Christ knowes them And therfore let not the Bishops of Antichrist thinke to blinde the eyes of Christ with their titles mitres and royal robes The consideration of this informeth us in the first place of the divers condition of the Church in this world For many are called to be members of the Church whereof some are good others bad some saintes others hypocrites like as the net takes in al manner of fishes But howsoever the faintes elected are not knowen of men yet God Christ doe discerne them For the Lord knoweth who are his Therefore let every one try and examine himself whether he be dead or alive for hypocrites deceive not God but man their owne soules Wherfore let us shun hypocrisie even as a pest remembring what Ambrose admonisheth not to rest contented with a bare name in the mean while to be greevously guilty or with the hight of honour while we abound in sins or with a profession of Godlinesse while our actions are devilish For otherwise we should onely have a name to live when in deed we are but dead Lastly observe that the efficacie of the ministry doth not depend upon the goodnes of the minister For God doth sometime vivifie and governe his Church by dead officers as we have here an example which serves to confute the Donalists and Popish Sophisters who maintaine that there was not any Church of the elect untill the time of Luther in the Papacie but themselves except we wil acknowledge their Bishops for other there were none to have been approved of by the Lord. 2. Bee watchfull The second part of the narration is an exhortation admonishing the Angel in Sardis of divers things to the end he might purge himself from the crime of hypocrisie and withal he is threatned to be punished except he doe repent First he is commanded to shake of that hypocritical drowsines into which he was fallen Be watchful that is stirre thy self up for he is not onely required to be more faithfull and careful over the Church then formerly he had been but also called upon as it were to live againe for so faith Christ but thou art dead Now death in scripture is frequently compared to a sleep so that this place and that of the Apostle speaking unto men fallen into a deep sleep of sin is of the like interpretation Ephe. 14 A wake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Not as if wee could of our selves arise from the death of sin for this is a worke of Grace but because the Lord by his precept powerfully worketh in us that which he requireth of us and by the operation of his owne spirit rayseth us up beeing asleep in sin unto newnes of life And strengthen the things Or rather strengthen the rest that is such dying members of the Church as are committed unto thy charge who because of thy negligence decay both in faith and holinesse For it is no wonder that a Church should fal into a deadnesse and securitie while the officers therof are asleep Christ therfore commâ—ndeth him to strengthen them that is to labour by a holie life and doctrine to bring them againe into the way of life That are ready to dy in Gre. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that shall dy that is which are near unto death like as in Luk. 7.2 it is said of the centurions servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he should dy that is was ready to dy So these here were near unto death though not altogither dead and therfore the Pastor is exhorted carefully and speedily to put to his helping hand for their recoverie This care the Apostle recommendeth unto all the faithful Rom. 14.2 namely to receive them that are weake in the faith And therfore it is a speciall dutie of the ministers of God who are spirituall physitians to applie to Christs weaklings the holesome medicines of Gods word 1 Tim. 2.9 for otherwise God saith unto them by the prophet forasmuch as ye have not strengthened the diseased Ezec. 34.4 nor healed that which was sick nor bound up that which was broken nor sought that which was lost c. Behold I am against the shepheards and I will require my flock at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding my flock Montanus reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which thou art ready to lose that is destroy by thy negligence which is a more heavie expression For I have not found thy workes perfect These words containe a reason wherfore God requires him to be watchfull But it may seem that this reproofe is not equal just 1 Cor. 13.9 considering that no mans workes on earth are perfect before God if he should enter into Iudgment with us for we know but in part we prophesie in part and there is not a just man on earth that doth good Eccle. 7.20 and
who is onely called the great hie priest This therefore confirmes what we said before that he was not Christs successor but the Pagans priest neyther will the pretence of other hie priests any whit helpe or credit them for eyther they are not great hie priests in respect of whome the Pope must bee said to be the greatest or if they are then they make themselves equal with Christ by assuming his proper title and so are as sacrilegious in this as the Pope is in the other To bee short the Pope in naming himselfe the highest priest universall bishop prince of priests c. doth manifestly transgresse against their own Cannons dist 100. cap. Let not the Bishop of the chiefe citie be called the prince or chiefest of priests or by any name tending this way but onely the Bishop of the first seat againe Let none of the Patriarcks use the name of universalitie because if any one of the Patriarks be called universall how can there bee any more And the Rubricke hath it Let not the Bishop of Rome be called universall By this therefore he shewes himself to be Antichrist indeed for as Pope Gregorie witnesseth Whosoever calleth or desireth to be called the universall Bishop is in this his ambition a forerunner of Antichrist in that hee proudly preferreth himself before the rest Neither doth that helpe them which some vainly pretende that the Pope takes not away the name or jurisdiction from other Bishops for eyther he makes himself alone universal or els it must necessarilie follow that every Church hath two at one time But how ever it be yet that of Gregorie is no way answered but he is certainlie Antichrist who assumeth a superioritie over his fellow ministers But let us returne to the titles of Christ Who hath the key of David This is the third Epithite The Kings Bible hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greeke Scoliast observes that some copies in steed of the key of David read the key of hell according to that in Chap. 1.18 I have the key of hell and of death which though it well agrees with that which followes yet our reading is approved by most copies Beza supposeth that it might be read the key of the howse of David as alluding to Jsay 22.22 where the Lord promising to make Eliakim treasurer in steed of Shebna saith the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder so he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open The house of David is the Church the key is a signe of aeconomical power Now Christ hath this key that is absolute power over the Church as Lord and head thereof and hath committed the ministeriall power of the keyes to the Apostles and their successors which consisteth in opening and shutting the kingdome of heaven by preaching of the Gospel and administration of Church discipline Who openeth and no man shutteth This notes a further degree of power for he alone holdeth the key by his sole and absolute authoritie Matt. 28.18 and so whatsoever he doth herein he cannot be resisted according to that in the Gospel all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth But this seems to be a paradoxe he openeth and no man shutteth how can this bee the words seem to be taken from the place before cited The meaning is he onely hath right to open and to shut but how is that Some understand it of the sence of the scripture which to us is as a booke shut unlesse Christ by his spirit open our harts and understanding This is true indeed in regard of one part of the sentence but to the other it answereth not for howbeit Christ openeth the meaning thereof by enlightening of us yet hee shuts them not unlesse it be by accident that is when he darkens such more and more who are alreadie blind in the things of God But I questiō whither such an exposition appertaines to this place For I rather thinke it is spoken of Christs opening the dore of his Church and of grace and so consequentlie of heaven it self And thus in the following verses he is said to open the dore of the church in Philadelphia and the like he doth in all other places when he calleth whomsoever he pleaseth and draweth them by his spirit for none enter in at this dore but such unto whom Christ openeth the same And no man shutteth For none can pluck Christs sheep out of his hands the gates of hel cannot shut this doore beeing once opened by him neyther can any adversarie power hinder them from entring into the same The which matter indeed is of singular comfort for his Church for let Satan attempt what hee can neverthelesse to whomsoever Christ openeth the doore to them it shall still remaine open and his sheep shal have their egresse and regresse and finde sweet pasture for their soules hence we see that the condition of the elect is safe and unchangeable He shutteth and no man openeth As he openeth and no man shutteth so again on the contrarie he by his mightie power shutteth and no man is able to open For whosoever is not elected called and drawen by Christ can never enter for he is the doore the way and life Io. 10 which again proveth the Godhead of Christ for to whom can these things be applied XXI Argu. of Chr. deitie except to God alone some object that this also was said of Eliakim Isay 22. I answer it was spoken of him typicallie and in respect of his ministerial power as being a legal hie priest but of Christ in regard of his kinglie divine and proper power as being an eternall high-priest The Pope of Roome to establish his tyrannie doth most impudently assume this power which onely is proper to Christ now Christ indeed gave power to Peter of binding and loosing of opening and shutting but it was by the key of the gospel and not to him alone but unto all the Apostles and Pastors of the Churches For as he said to Peter Matt. 16.19 Matt. 18.18 whatsoever thou shalt binde c. So he said unto the rest whatsoever yee shal binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Wheras the Pope alone wil open and shut all things as he pleaseth yet not by the key and power of the gospel but by the adulterate key of his owne Antichristian tyranny 8. I know thy workes I have set before thee The first part of the following narration is a commendation of the Pastor and Church of Philadelphia for holding fast the sinceritie of the doctrine receyved against the haerisies of the time and remaining faithfull in their fierie trials This he commendeth first generallie I know thy workes which is not to be taken indifferentlie as chap. 2. v. 2. or in the evil part as it is spoken of those in Sardis Laodicea but in a good sence as if hee had said I approve thy
will make him a pillar But it is more probable that he alludeth to the two brazen pillars set up by Solomon in the porch of the temple which typified the stability of the children of God And he shall goe no more out This is the second promise it shall not bee a momentanie glorie but unchangeable perpetuall and eternall And it seemes to be put heere in opposition to those brazen pillars which were overthrowen with the temple by the Babylonians but no such destruction shall befal the godly for as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 125.1 2. They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever An excellent place proving the perseverance of the saintes even in this life for whom Christ hath once made a pillar in his temple he will never suffer them to go out any more that is to fall away from the state of grace And I will write his name The third promise An inscription of a threefold name is an inscription of a threefold name viz. of God of the citie of God and of Christ He seemes eyther to allude to the manner of the Romanes who used to write on their statues of triumph the actions of the Conquerours the titles and names of conquered nations as for example To Tyberius To Constantine alwayes Augustus To the Conquerour of Germanie of the Gothes of Africa c. Or otherwise he keepes still to the former allusion of Solomons pillars whereof the right was called Jachin which is beeing interpreted he will establish and the left Boaz that is in it there is strength the one beeing a type of the Jewish church the other of the Gentiles so Christ will write upon every faithfull man most honourable names which exposition might stand but that Solomon is said not to have written those names upon the pillars but so to have named them Well how ever it be certaine it is that both these pillars with their names were destroyed the vain inscriptions of the Romanes perished but the names which Christ will write upon his pillars they shall remaine for ever and ever First he will write upon them the Name of his God not that these conquerours shal be Gods but the sons of God that is perfectly borne againe after the image of God Indeed we are now Gods children by faith but these glorious inscriptions here promised doe not yet appeare namely the full fruition and majestie of our adoption And the name of the citie of my God or of the new Jerusalem that is I will make him an everlasting citizen of the Church triumphant for as you may see Chap. 21.2.10 this is set forth unto us by the new Ierusalem Which commeth downe out of heaven both because it so appeared in a vision unto Iohn in the place for calledged as also because it hath its true original from heaven as grounded on the eternal election of God and besides in this life is borne of water and of the spirit and all the grace which it receiveth commeth downe from above From my God Three times he calleth God his God speaking eyther as man and our mediatour whose office no wayes lessneth but rather confirmeth his eternall essence see Chap. 1.1 3.2 Io. 20.17 1 Thess 1.3 Christs new name Or els God is here personallie taken for the father as it is in these places I ascend to my God and to my Father Before God and our Father My new name To the Godlie in Pergamus he promised a new name but lo here he will give his new name which he receyved of his father beeing exalted above everie name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come Eph. 1.10 see also Phil. 2.19 Touching this new name it signifies Christs glorious exaltation and the Fathers setting of him at his right hand after his resurrection now this his new name and this fulnesse of glorie at Gods right hand Christ will write on the Overcommers but how make them pertakers of perfect happinesse according to their measure and proportion as beeing members of that bodie of which he is the head Se more of this v. 21. 13 He which hath an eare see Chap. 2. v. 7.11 The VII Epistle to the Bishop of Laodicea 14 And unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write These things saith the Amen the faithfull and true witnesse the beginning of the creation of God 15 I know thy workes that thou art neither â—old nor hote I would thou wert cold or hote 16 So then because thou art luke-warme and neither cold nor hote I will spue thee out of my mouth 17 Because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have need of 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 fire that thou majest be rich and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy wikednesse doe not appeare and anoint thine eyes with eye salve that thou mayest see 19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten bee zealous therefore and repent 20 Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voice and open the doore I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me 21 To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set downe with my Father in his throne 22 Hee that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches THE COMMENTARIE VNto the Angel of the church of the Laodiceans This last epistle is full of sharpe reproofe against the pastor of the Church because of his great hypocrisie and vaine boasting and withall shewes him what he should doe perswades him to serious repentance and propounds rewards unto them that doe the same In this Epistle is excellentlie set forth the lenity and forbearance of Christ our Lord by which he suffereth hypocrites and desireth their salvation It consisteth of a preface a narration and a conclusion To the Angel That is to the pastor whole congregation Now because the evils in the Church doe usually proceed from the pastors therfore it is justly imputed unto them even as the excesse Idolatrie prophanenes and other wickednes of the people were by the prophets of old laid to the charge of their priests and governours It is uncertaine who this Bishop was But certainly he was a carnal and craftie man for though he bare the name of a minister yet was he void of sinceritie and Godlines and given over to coveteousnes and luxury other vices Paul twise mentioneth this Church in his Epistle to the Collossians chap. 2.2 there he wisheth that their harts may be comforted c. and Chap. 4.16 he commandeth that their Epistle be read of the Laodiceans The Epist to the Laodic Apocrypha Vide Bibl. S.
Senens lib. 2. p. 87. and againe theirs by the Collossians The which place being doubtfully rendred in the Latine version hath occasioned some to thinke that Paul writ the Epistle which is now extant unto them of Laodicea but it is an Apocrypha writing compiled by som deceiver and taken from the Epistles to the Galatians Philippians and Colossians Theophilactus and some others understand it of the first Epistle to Timothie which was sent as they say to Laodicea a chiefe citie of Phrygia Pacatiana as the subscription also hath it But that cannot be for as it may be gathered from Coll. 2.2 Paul had never seen those of Laodicea Chrysostom therefore and others with more likelihood understand it of an Epistle which they of Laodicea wrot unto Paul in which without doubt they testified their faith and piety unto the Apostle Lib 5. cont Marc. Tertullian saith it was the opinion of Marcion that the Epistle to the Ephesians now extant was writen by Paul to them of Laodicea Now howsoever this Church in Iohns time was grievously corrupted yet questionlesse after this vehement reproofe which Iohn from Christ delivered unto them they repented of their evils For Eusibius commendeth this Church as flourishing in his time and mentioneth some of their Bishops and among others Anatolius a chiefe opposer of Paulus Samosatenus and after him one Stephanus who indeed in learning and eloquence was equall with the rest but not in vertue constancie for in the time of persecution he denyed the faith to the great scandal of the Church of Christ And hence it may probably be gathered that this Epistle to the Laodiceans wrought much good in them And also we are again here taught that pastors Churches may erre and fall away unlesse they be by the power of God preserved in the way of truth Now we come to the Epistle These things saith the Amen The preface as formerly proves the authority of the Epistle describing Christ the Author thereof by three glorious Epithâ—es namely that he is the Amen the true and faithfull witnesse and the beginning of the creation of God These things are taken from Chap. 1.5.6.7.8 Christ calleth himself the Amen from the Hebrew Aman veritie It is an affirmative particle and caries with it the nature of an oath confirming the truth and certainty of things it is in greeke nai yea in Latine certe profecto verely verely In this place it is put in stead of an adjective for him who is most true both in his promises and threatnings and is expounded by the following words the true and faithfull witnesse which we have spoken of on Chap. 1. v. 5. Christ therefore is the Amen the true and faithfull witnesse because as he is God so he is truth it self and the essentiall wisedome of the Father And as he is man he hath witnessed and brought forth the testimony of the gospell out of the bosome of his father and by divine miracles so confirmed the truth thereof as that none but with great impiety can question the same Now the reason why here he calleth himself thus seems to bee because he had to doe with hypocrites who beeing growen secure began to esteem of the faith of Christ as a thing indifferent that for the cause thereof they needed not to contend with the Pagans or suffer affliction for the same Now Christ to the end that he might more plainlie take them for their lukewarmenesse doth by these epithites declare his truth and faithfulnesse The reason wherefore Christ is called Amen is shewed by the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.19 where he saith that Jesus Christ preached among the Corinthians was not yea and nay that is variable and inconstant because in him all the promises of God even from the infancie of Church unto this day are Yea and Amen that is surely and certainely fulfilled unto the glory of God the Father The which as it the serves to refute their folly who eyther call in question or reject the faith of Christ as doe the Turks Jewes Epicures Hypocrites and others so it doth very much comfort and strengthen the faith of the godlie For seeing Christ is the Amen the faithfull and true witnesse he wil stand to his promises and never forsake them that trust in him Ioh. 14.18 Hebr. 13.15 according to that which is written I will not leave you Orphants I will not leave thee nor forsake thee c. The beginning of the creation of God As the two former titles declare the faithfulnesse of Christ so this shewes his excellencie and power Observe this ambiguous manner of speech The beginning of the creation of God this is ambiguously rendred For the word which is in the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not onely the beginning or original But also principallity and dominion Now in what sence soever it be taken it clearlie proveth the Godhead of Christ If we render it principallity that is prince of the creation or creatures it shewes that he is God If we render it the beginning of the creation it prooves the same thing For he as the Son did with the Father and holy Spirit Ioh. 1.3 give unto all creatures the beginning of their beeing for all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Arius contendeth that the Son is onely the beginning of the creation that is the first creature But he falsely corrupteth the text For Christ is said to be the beginning not passively but actively as appeareth Chap. 1.8 where he is absolutely called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning and ending which can not be spoken of any creature Some interpret this of the new creation but that also doth no way derogate from his divinitie For a divine power is as much required to make a creature new as there was in the first creation So that these two interpretations are not to be separated but joyned togither Now Christ doth in this place call himself the beginning that these blinde and naked Laodiceans might the sooner returne unto him as to the fountaine of all good XXIII Argum. of Chr. deity This therfore is a XXIII argument proving the divinity of Christ our Lord. 15 I know thy workes that thou art neither cold The narration containes many particulars as reproofe commination confutation perswasion exhortation and promise unto v. 21. First in this verse he sharpely reproves the Laodiceans as not answering to the name by which they were called For Laodicea signifies as much as a people just sincere and wel reformed in manners faith and godlines being derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a people and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just But thou saith Christ art neyther cold nor hote Interpreters are diversly minded about such as are said to be hot cold or lukewarine Alcasar brings in eleven opinions but he seeks a knot in a rush The thing it self plainely shewes that Christ by a proverbiall metaphor
accounts him to be neyther hot nor cold but lukewarme who neyther is a professed enemy of the Gospel nor yet a faithfull professor thereof but an hypocrite that is one as it were betwixt both And it may be referred eyther to their life or doctrine As for the mixture of heathenish and Iewish rites in the service of God it began first to increase immediately upon the cessation of the persecution of the Romane Emperors and when the Christian Church began to enjoye ease and tranquillity And therefore I judge that these Laodiceans were not as yet guiltie of this evill but they were lukewarme as concerning faith and manners in complying with the gentiles to the end that beeing the lesse offensive unto them they might quietly enjoy their trade in that noble mart-towne which abounded with all sorts of merchants for however they desired to be accounted good Christians yet did they not forsake their former frande and luxurie The summe of all is this They mingled Christ and the world togither and made use of religion no otherwise then might stand with their profit and trade Thus they were neither open enemies to Christ nor yet his true friends but as it were lukewarme and neutrals that is fained and lying hypocrites and soo worse in Christs esteem then his professed enemies I would thou wert eyther hot or cold He wisheth they were hot that is truely zealous in faith and godlinesse for the law requireth that men should love the Lord with all their hart and with all their soul c. Thus we see that to be hot is to be upright in hart ful of love to God and our neighbour Now Christ wisheth they were cold that is altogither without faith and godlinesse not absolutely but comparatively in asmuch as they who are cold seem to be more excusable then such as are lukewarme and more easily to be reformed better avoyded then others and in this respect are lesse hurtfull then they For the sin of hypocrites is greater then theirs who are open enemies because it is a worse thing not to follow the truth in sincerity which we know then to be ignorant altogether thereof for such are more easily wrought upon by the means and sooner brought to the truth wheras hypocrites having faith onely in shew doe imagine they see but are blinde and mantaine their false opinions hating persecuting in the mean time the truth of God For example the Lutherans who beeing wedded to their false opinions are the more hardlie drawen from them For they hate and persecute the orthodoxe doctrine concerning our spirituall communion with Christ more then the blinde Papists Againe a Iew who is a professed enemie of Christ will easier be brought to embrace christian religion then an hypocriticall Iesuite drowned in Antichristian superstitions And therefore with great reason Christ wisheth that this Church were rather cold then lukewarme not that it is good to be cold but because a lukewarme condition is more dangerous and hurtfull then the other We see also in natural things from whence the metaphor is taken that hot or cold things are more approved then those things that are lukewarme Hot meats in cold weather and cold drinkes in hot seasons agree best with the stomack but that which is lukewarme is lothsome and disposeth to vomit Hence Christ desired that the Pharisees had been blinde rather then hypocrites who are uncapable of reproofe Ioh. 9.41 1 King 18.21 If saith he yee were blinde ye should have no sinne but now yee say wee see therefore your sinne remaineth And the like Elias said unto the hypocriticall and idolatrous Israelites why halt ye betweene two opinions If Jehovah be God follow him but if Baal follow him Not as if he approved the worship of Baal but sheweth that there is such a contrariety betweene it the true worship of God as that they cannot possibly bee joyned togither And hence we are taught whom we are to esteem in these our dayes to be lukewarme not such as are weak in the faith whom the scripture commandeth us to receive with all meeknesse but those who labour to joyne Christ and Belial together in faith ceremonies and manners Such also who though they glory as if they were come out of Babylon and would faine be accounted good protestants neverthelesse strive tooth and naile to uphold the superstitions of Antichrist his tittles orders garments surplices miters crucifixes images and the like Babylonish stuff brought by him into the worship of God But let us here take notice what Christ judgeth of such men 16 So then because thou art lukewarme The second part of the narration containes a threatning with a repetition of the cause thereof because thou art luke-warme I will spue thee out of my mouth Hee goes foreward in the metaphor comparing hypocrites to lukewarme water which is so lothsome to the stomack as it cannot retaine it but casts it forth with lothsomnesse and paine Even so hypocrites are abominable to Christ for he spues them out of his mouth that is he rejects them as strangers unto him I will spue thee out of my mouth Here we se the lenity and patience of Christ in bearing a long time with hypocrites yea inviting of them unto repentance preadmonishing them of their punishment before he spues them out for their obstinacie Gods threatnings therfore are to be understood conditionally I will spue thee out viz. If thou repent not Out of my mouth Here it will not follow that such as are cold are in Christs mouth or that any of the faithfull may fall from grace As Ribera subtilly disputeth For Christ threatens this not against the cold but the lukewarme who by profession and appearance are in his mouth that is in the Church of Christ but indeed are hypocrites having a forme of godlines but denie the power thereof But hence we ought rather to observe that there are allwayes many hypocrites in the bosome of the Church and especially among the Clergie this mixture therfore should not offend us for the divell wil alwayes sow tares among the wheat neyther ought we to be moved with the loftie titles of hie-priests cardinals arch-arch-bishops bishops prelates and the like rabble of Antichrist 17 For thou sayest I am rich The third part is a confutation of the vaine boasting of this Church in which were manie rich merchants fallen into securitie and riot for riches doe often times befoole the owners thereof occasioning in them pride and luxurie And this seems to be the reason why they thus boasted to weet because they were rich and having need of nothing But it may also be rightly understood that they gloried as if they had been rich in spirituall things for hypocrites imagine that they are just and holy and need not grace and remission of sins as other men Thus these gloried of their faith but it was dead and voyd of sinceritie and love as is the faith of all hypocrites and so not
befall the Church by a fatall darkning of doctrine and horrible apostasy both of teachers people from the faith under Antichrist unto the end of the world v. 12.13 following at the opening of the sixt seal And lastly in the fourth Act is shewed the end of the troubles of the Church under Antichrist containing his and all other enemies their utter destruction at the day of judgement v 14.15.16.17 The two latter Acts are not fullie ended in this Chapter but are continued in the following wherin is represented unto us the reformation of doctrine final deliverance glorification of the Church obscurely indeed in this present vision but more clearly in the following Thus we have manifested the parts logical resolution of this Chapter Now we come to consider the vision The I Act of vision II. The opening of the first seale concerning the white horse and him that sate thereon conquering 1 And I saw when the Lambe opened one of the seales and I heard as it were the noise of thunder one of the foure beast saying Come and see 2 And I saw and behold a white horse and he that sate on him had a bow and a crowne was given unto him he went forth conquering and to conquer THE COMMENTARIE 1. ANd I saw when the Lambe opened Hitherto the Lambe held the booke shut untill the heavenly companies had made an end of their himne and harmonie And then he opened one of the seales that is the first of them as appears by the opening of the rest in order as the second third c. For the Hebrewes usuallie put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first as in Gene. 1.4 And the evening and the morning was one that is the first day So in the words following And I heard one that is the first of the foure beasts for afterward he heard the second and third c. Opened the seale that is manifested For in opening thereof he revealed unto Iohn and so unto us the counsels of God concerning the future condition of the Church which before were hidden or shut To Iohn indeed he declared the same in types and withall giving him the understanding of them but unto us in types onely concealing the mysteries thereof from us to the end we should be the more exercised in the diligent observation of things both from histories and events One of the foure beasts who had the forme of a Lion Chap. 4.7 We need not here with Lyra and others inquire whither this were Marke Matthew or James the first supposed Bishop of the Church of Ierusalem The other three doe in order invite Iohn to draw neere and behold these wonders for he stood off for reverence sake that he might the more certainly write downe what he saw so that these beasts performe the office of publick cryers whose work it is to call in persons neerer to the throne or judgement seat As the voyce of thunder For such is the roaring noise of a Lion This the other beasts saying unto Iohn and us come and see require hereby great attention and I conceive that herein no other my sterie is contained 2. And I saw and behold a white horse to wit went out as it is in v. 4. also in the words following he went forth conquering But whence came he forth from the booke or seale If out of the booke then this horseman went forth at the very first opening of the margent that is the mysterie of him was there both written and revealed to Iohn giving us to understand that such was the forme of the seales and so set on the margent as they served for the keeping close of the whole booke folded up together according to our manner of sealing letters If he went out of the seale then it seemes these were annexed to the booke like the great seales of princes to their letters pattents the which are usually kept in boxes Now one seale beeing removed some part of the booke was thereby opened in so much as the writing thereof did appeare Behold a great seale out of which went forth an armed horseman But how great then was the booke it self sealed with so many seales how great was he that held so great a booke in his right hand yea how great the Lamb opening it The which may lead us to consider the greatnes of the events and the omnipotencie of God and the Lamb. The generall signification of the seales considered It may also be understood of the time that so soon as the Lamb had opened the seales the spirit caused Iohn to see these enigmatical horsemen and other things Now to speak of the opening of the seales in general Andreas doth justlie reject their exposition who referr all of them to the manner of Christs incarnation as the first seale to his birth The second to his baptisme The third to the signes he wrought after his baptisme The fourth to his unjust accusation before Pilate The fift to his crosse The sixt to his burial And the seventh to his descension into hel seeing saith he all this was alreadie don whereas Iohn speaks eyther of things present or what should come to passe afterward Others more wittilie have distinguished these seales according to the future times of the Church applying the first to the Apostles time and 200 yeares after The second unto the following age viz. the time of Justinian The third unto Phocas the usurper of the Empire The fourth unto Charles the Great when poperie was at the highest The fift unto Ottho under whom the seven Electors were erected The sixt to the counsel of Constans at what time the Church was grievously persecuted by three Anti-popes and the burning of the TWO WITNESSES whereupon the elect were sealed The seventh from that time unto the end of the world during al which time in the diverse cōfusions of the Church the sealing of the faithfull was perfected But it is difficult to define so precisely the moments of the seales Alcasar a new interpreter having numbred up fourteen opinions and rejected all of them at last brings in his own supposing that the conversion of certaine Iewes is praefigured in the foure first seales and the rejection of the rest in the three latter The which interpretation we leave unto himselfe For our part we judge it more safe to refer all to the foure Acts noted in the preface And behold a white horse I see no reason The white horse shadoweth out the puritie of the primitive Church but the common opinion of interpreters is heere to be embraced viz. that this white horse with his rider notes the purity integrity of the Christian Church at first for by whitenes in the revelation purity is signified and the speedie course of the Gospell throughout the whole earth Neverthelesse I binde not this to the first two hundred or three hundred years in which notwithstanding all the cruel oppression
persecutions yet the Gospell was spread with happie successe far and neere But I rather extend it to the whole time in which Christ by the successors of the Apostles namelie many syncere Bishops and faithfull teachers victoriously set up his kingdome throughout the whole Romane Empire not withstanding the tyrannie of persecutors the wickednesse of hereticks and Apostates untill by little and little the Church decayed in this her puritie And this I take containes the space of almost six hundred years The white horse therefore first comming out of the seales is the primitive Church white and bright in puritie of doctrine and discipline The Apostles were like horses running strongly and with great speed propagating the faith of Christ in the whole earth as their Acts and Epistles testifie after them God raised up Apostolicall men Bishops teachers and Fathers both Greek Latine who firmlie maintained propagated the purity of doctrine delivered unto them against tyrants apostates and hypocrites untill the time of Gregorie the first although even before his dayes the whitenesse of this horse was somwhat changed black spots began to appeare that is corruptions in doctrine discipline and worship The which Egesippus in Eusebius complaines of in these words Lib 3. hist cap. 32. that soon after the death of the Apostles and them which had received the word at their mouth the Church remained not long a pure and unspotted virgine notwitstanding the godly held the foundation of faith and salvation entire viz. Christ the head And he which sate on him This rider is Christ He that sate on the white horse is Christ Act. 9.15 see Chap. 19.11 This rider was caried to and fro in the ministerie of the Apostles and other faithfull pastors and teachers who suffered for the truth this metaphor Christ himselfe useth to Ananias concerning Paul he is a chosen vessell unto me to beare my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel On these Christ rode gloriously entring through their sincere preaching into the verie hart of the faithfull propagating and defending his owne kingdome according to that of the Psalmist And in thy comely honour prosper Psal 45.4 ride on word of truth and of meeknes of justice And he had a bow Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a bow arrowes and somtimes a quiver The word of God is Christ bow The Law and Gospell is Christ bow from whence he sends forth arrowes that is the efficacie of his spirit wounding the harts and minds of the Elect that he may heale and restore them to life but to terrifie and kill the wicked as it is in the same Psalm thy arrowes are sharp peoples shall fall under thee in the hart of the kings enemies And a crowne was given unto him to wit Christs crowne a regal crowne For he is a king crowned with glorie and honour at the right hand of God in the heavens or rather a crowne of triumph because it followeth And he went forth conquering and to conquer The doubling of the words notes his present and future victorie His victory By his death he overcame sin and by his resurrection death hell and satan yea the world also according as he saith in the Gospel be of good cheere Ioh. 16.33 I have overcome the world This is the first victorie with which he went forth conquering It is true indeed he was crucified as he was meere man but he lived againe and overcame by the power of his Godhead Now he went forth to overcome the world and the tyrants thereof diverse wayes His second victorie was in converting the gentiles by the preaching of the Apostles for in that he drew all nations and brought them unto the faith of the Gospel he conquered the world And tyrants in his Apostles confessours martyrs convincing them by the power of the truth For the death of the martyrs is Christs victory seeing in their blood the truth was sealed and the Church propagated The destruction of tyrants was Christs victorie As Julian the apostate blaspheming in his extreme madnesse confessed Thou hast overcome O Galilean Christ overcame when Nero Domitian Diocletian Trajan Maximinus Lycinius Valens and others who had put to death many thousands of Christians thinking thereby to take away the name of Christ were destroyed and brought to miserable perdition while Christ raigned and his Church increased Christ went forth as a conquerour when by the preaching of the Gospel the Idol gods of the gentiles were rejected their worship and temples abolished and overthrowen all men beeing drawen after Christ He overcame when the swarmes of hereticks as Valentinus Basilides Praxeas Manes Martion Photinus Samosatenus and other most bitter enemies of Christ were beaten downe overcome and destroyed by the sword of the spirit To be short Christ overcame when all the East and Westerne Churches were in danger to perish and come to nothing by the pestilent doctrine of Arius two sound ministers beeing then hardlie found in the whole Christian world no not in Rome except Paulinus Hilarius and Athanasius And indeed he that would understand the victories of Christ here intimated must have as in a table before his eyes the histories of the Apostles and the Churches after them written by Irenaeus Clemens Tertullian Eusebius Hierom Theodoret Socrates Sozomenus Evagrius Nicephorus and others for no better commentarie then their histories can be given upon the opening of the first seale And herein I thinke not to passe this by in silence we are more happie then Iohn himself for those events which he saw a far of in types we now by the helpe of former histories and our own experience doe clearely see them written out livelie expressed before our eyes And thus much concerning the first seale Now here perhaps a question will be moved seeing Christ is the Lamb opening the booke how also he can be sayd to goe forth out of the seale For the answere hereof we are to minde what I have already spoken viz. that oftentimes one and the same thing is represented in differing types in a diverse respect Now as Christ sits reignes gloriously with the Father and holy Spirit as God so he is the Lion of the tribe of Iudah beeing the offpring of Iudah according to the flesh He is the immaculate Lamb as he is man and as he was slaine and put to death for us He stands in the midst of the Throne as he is the mediatour he opens the booke and the seales as he is the chiefe Prophet and teacher of the Church the revealer and author of all heavenlie doctrine And to be short he also sits on the white horse as king and conquerour propagating his kingdome by the preaching of his word through the whole earth by which also he reigneth even unto this day in the midst of his enemies Psa 110.2 The opening of the second seale The red horse and his rider having a
great sword and taking away peace from the earth 3 And when he had opened the second seale I heard the second beast say Come and see 4 And there went out another horse that was red and power was given to him that sate thereon to take peace from the earth and that they should kill one another and there was given unto him a great sword The COMMENTARIE ANd when he had opened the second seale The scope of the matter which here we are to take notice of is that the future condition of the Church from that time viz. the end of the former seale unto the rising of Antichrist and end of the world is represented to Iohn that he might certainlie beleeve that the Church however oppressed by tyrants yet should be perpetually preserved in the world by the power of Christ This her future condition is declared to be both joyfull and sad joyfull before in the white horse sad in the three horses following by their threefold colour and gesture is shadowed out a threefold figure or forme of the Church First red because tyrants should make her red by spilling the blood of martyrs Secondlie blacke because she should be stained and obscured with the blacke doctrine of hereticks And lastlie pale because through the slothfulnes of governours ambition and covetousnesse of Bishops she should at length be pale sick unto death These things are the summe of the three following seales I heard the second beast which had the forme of an Oxe Chap. 4.7 he calleth him to see the bloodie opening of the second seale Now whither this were to signifie that manie of the faithfull should be slaine as oxen before the altar I leave for others to determine And there went out another horse The red horse the Church of the martyrs that was red As the white horse was the Church shining in doctrine innocency so the red horse is the Church made red by martyrdome But who was the rider I will relate the common opinion Because there was given to this rider a great sword to take peace from the earth and to stirre up men to kill each other therefore Lyra applies this red horse unto the cruel and bloody Romane Empire whose rider was Nero disturbing the citie of Rome by his wicked government so that the citizens were instigated to murder one another There was given unto him a great sword that is Euseb lib. 2. hist cap. 25. Nine persecutions under the Romane tyrants power to kill Christians for he raysed up the first cruel persecution against them and among others the Apostles Peter Paul suffered for the testimony of Iesus Christ But this interpretation is too straight for though indeed under Nero bloody persecution began yet it ceased not there but a long while after this red horse kept still his course in the Christian Church For after the first persecution of Nero which was malitiously raised against the Christians pretending they were incendiaries anthours of the burning of Rome whereas he himself most wickedlie had don the same there followed another under Domitian that cruell persecutor who cast Iohn the writer of this booke into boyling oyle and seeing he received no harme therby he afterward banished him into the I le of Patmos Euseb lib 3. hist cap. 17. After this followed the third under Trajane who pretending that there ought to be but one religion in the Romane Empire appointed that Christians as enemies of their forefathers religion should not be suffered In his time was put to death Simeon surnamed Iustus pastor in Ierusalem and Ignatius of Antioch Euseb lib. 3. cap. 32. Niceph. lib. 3. cap. 19. Immediatelie upon this a fourth by Antoninus Verus under whom Polycarpus and many others suffered in the yeare 170. Eusebius lib. 4. cap. 15. A fift under Severus about the yeare of our Lord 204 who executed Leonides the father of Origen Euseb lib. 6. hist cap. 2. And the sixt which dured three yeares under Maximinus in the yeare 239. Euseb lib. 6. cap. 20. and lib. 9. cap. 8. The seventh and the cruelst of all under Decius at what time Cornelius Bishop of Rome and Cyprian of Carthage were crowned with martyrdom Niceph. lib. 5. cap 27. The eight under Valerius Euseb lib. 7. cap. 9. And the ninth under Diocletian and Maximinian Euseb lib. 8. cap. 6. After which the Church beeing freed from persecution had some time of breathing under Constantine but soon after suffered not muchlesse under Constans Iulian Valens c. by all which we may understand that this second horse was a long time red with the blood of the faithfull The common interpretation touching him that sate on the red horse And therefore all others for the most part doe apply and farre better this red horse unto all the forenamed persecutions eyther making the tyrants to be the rider or else Satan provoking them unto so great a cruelty Vnto whom is given power that is permission of God to stirre the wicked to warre and bloody slaughters but chiefly to oppresse and persecute the Church people of God This interpretation I confesse is not improper if we consider the causes themselves of the troubles and persecutions which follow the Gospel But seeing Christ himself hath said that he came not to send peace on the earth Matt. 10.34 Luk. 120 49. but a sword and fire and to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother c. Therefore I rather understand that by this rider is meant Christ who also in Zach. 1.8 is represented as a man riding on a red horse So that Christs horse which before was white now comes forth red And is said to be another because of the change of the colour The rider on the red horse is Christ signifying that the Apostolical Church which was white in puritie of doctrine and innocencie of life should now through the crueltie of tyrants be made red with the blood of her martyrs And yet Christ sits on this red horse because he is present with and governeth his Church even in her greatest trials Vnto him is 〈◊〉 great sword viz. the sword of the word Ephes 6.17 beeing sharper then any two â—aged sword Heb. 4.12 With this sword he tooke peace from the earth and 〈◊〉 â—â—oodie persecutions not in himself but by accident because of the malice of tyrants and hereticks in opposing his truth For Christ is the prince of peace The Gospel the doctrine of peace c. Therefore Christ takes away neyther his peace nor yet peace from his children which he promiseth in Ioh. 14.27 but from the earth that is from worldlie tyrants and enemies of the Gospel For to the wicked there is no peace Isai 57.21 Here we are taught in the first place that the condition of the Church in this life was and ever shall be reddish or sprinkled with the blood of persecution For through many tribulations we must enter into
persecution under Trajan affirming that he and his instruments in putting to death the Christians by sword famine wilde beasts c. are this horse said to be pale frō the effect for he that is slaine lookes pale Death was the rider because they killed many thousands of Christians Hell followed not to devoure the saints beeing slaine but those that had killed them Howsoever they thought that none would take vengeance on thē for so great a wickednesse They killed foure parts of the earth for so the Latin version reads it that is in all places of the Empire or according as it is in the original a fourth part of the earth For if the multitude of Christians which were slaine should have been reckoned the number would have been no lesse then a fourth part of men then living in those provinces or else said to be a fourth part because the cities of their habitations wherein they were dispersed by reason of persecution were the fourth part of the earth that is of the Romane Empire But these interpretations cannot stand for undoubtedly the three foresaid persecutions were set forth under the red horse besides it is not likelie that John saw the bloody face of the Church after her blacknesse but in order of time it went before That which Ribera pretendeth is without all shew of reason as if by the red horse should be noted such persecutions as the Godlie suffered by their trecherous confederates But we know how under the Emperours they had neither polities weapons or confederates moreover he himselfe before interpreted the red horse to be persecutions under tyrants A certaine namelesse interpreter whom manie follow understands by the pale horse hypocrites and false brethren who disfigure their faces that they may appeare unto men to fast Matt. 6.16 These carie death that is bring death upon themselves and others by their hypocrisie and deceits Hell followes them that is the multitude of the damned who follow the divell They slay the fourth part of the earth that is very many by the sword of false accusation slaunder Hunger that is want of the word of God Beasts of the earth that is with brutist and unreasonable lusts lastlie with death that is with all sorts of mischievous practises I confesse there is something in what is here said however their applying it to hypocrites is too generall and obscure For indeed I verely beleeve besides the bloody persecutions of tyrants black blasphemies of hereticks there is here another evill of the Church shadowed out Therefore this pale horse in kinde is the same with the three former but of another colour for howbeit it signifies the same Christian Church yet is far otherwise to looke on then before as having now her white red black estate turned into a mortal palenesse beeing sick even unto death thorow the rising of Antichrist she was whole and sound in the white horse covered with the blood of martyrs in the red horse spread over with heresies in the black But now so infirme weak sicklie as that she hath death on her back and is neere to death and hell For a fourth part perisheth with the sword famine death or pestilence and beasts of the earth And these are the foure sore plagues wherewith the Lord threatned to punish Ierusalem for her apostacie Ezech. 14.21 To which place he here alludes by an allegorie signifying those pernicious doctrines of hereticks and hypocrites which tended to death and destruction and making way for Antichrist But whence came this deadlie disease and palenesse unto the Church When and how this palenesse befel the Church I answer it was by accident occasioned by Constantine that good Emperour his excessive bounty to Christian Bishops by which indeed he inriched but no way bettered the Church For as to much indulgence of parents spoiles the childe so this liberall Emperour was a meanes to draw Bishops to pride luxurie idlenesse security other vices For after he first had restored peace unto the Church and heaped up honour wealth upon Bishops but specially inlarged the jurisdiction of Rome presently followed such a declining corruption in doctrine discipline as infected the Church with a deadly poison brought upon her I say a spirituall sicknesse in so much as the pest of Antichrist began now to enter into her very heart and bowels And hence it is reported that a voyce from heaven was heard saying To day venome is powred foorth into the Church Sylvestri legenda In vita Malchi And Ierome even in his time complained that after princes became to be Christians the Church indeed was greater in power and riches but lesse in vertue The remote cause of this so great an evill considered in it selfe was the guile malice of that old serpent the devill who laboured to supplant the Church through the ease and pompe of Bishops beeing otherwise not able to overthrow it by the sword of tyrants but the neerest cause was the hypocrisie of superstitious monks with the pomp luxury avarice of ambitious prelates hereby making way for Antichrists oppression of the Church and truth Se Clemanges touching the corrupt state of the Church Cap. 3. The original of Monks was occasioned by the persecution of Decius The monks original for some then to avoyde his tyranny among whom was Paulus Thebaeus one Antonius fled into deserts where they indured a while the hardship of a solitary life this kinde of life by others was afterward imitated at length new orders and religions folishly devised wherein they boasted of perfection merits of supererogatiō Hereupon a great multitude of Moncks as a sinke of mischiefe overspread the Church by whom the truth of Christ under the pretence of holines was soon oppressed For now such as desired the pardon of sin and to obtaine eternal life were sent not unto Christ but unto Hermites to the dens of Monks And hence came this palenes mortal wound upon the Church hereby drawing more thousands of soules to death hel then eyther the foure sore plagues mentioned in Ezech 14. or the sword of tyrants or the black famine of haereticks or any other kinde of punishments wherewith Christians were brought unto their end Moreover the riot of Bishops and the clergie mightilie increased this pale disease for now infinite ceremonies and humane traditions are established as the worshipping of the dead images the observation of holy dayes orders rites and solemnities of pagans forged by the devill himself the names onelie altered were forciblie imposed upon the Church to the utter abolishing of the doctrine of free grace and the merits of Christ The summe of all is this the fourth seale being opened the Church appeared languishing with a deadlie palenesse for about three yeeres after the decease of Gregorie Boniface the third being created Pope sate on the chaire of universall pestilence began to establish monarchical tyrannie The II. Act of vision II.
saying that they are so in the middle betwixt both as that they seem to be necessarie for man before God in this he doth not separate their worship from the religion of the high Gods And deriding this vanity he speaketh further it is to foolish to beleeve that such Gods as are made by men should more prevaile with the Gods whom God hath made Ibid. cap. 24. then men themselves whom God himselfe hath also created Let us therefore cast of Poperie as a heathenish worship derived from Apuleius and Plato The third Act of vision II. The opening of the sixt seale A great earthquake darkening the lights c. 12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixt seale and loe there vvas a great earthquake the Sunne became blacke as sackcloth of haire and the Moone became as blood 13 And the starres of heaven fell unto the earth even as a figtree casteth her untimely figges when shee is shaken of a mighty winde 14 And the heaven departed as a scrowle when he is rolled together and every mountaine and Iland were mooved out of their places THE COMMENTARIE ANd I beheld Horrible wonders appeare at the opening of this sixt seale as earthquakes shaking of the heavens convulsion of the starres subversion of mountaines and Islands the explication whereof is difficult Arethas understands it of the darknesse over all the earth of the earthquake and rending of rocks at Christs suffering Matt. 27.51 Ambrose by a trope applies this horrible concussion to the destruction of Ierusalem But what use was there to reveale that unto Iohn by obscure types which was already past and fresh in memorie and by historie formerlie made known unto all Lyra understands it figuratively of the Diocletian persecution more cruel then the former But the most cruelst of all was the persecution yet to come namely under Antichrist Andreas therfore more probablie refers it unto the time before the comming of Antichrist wherein the miseries and persecutions here spoken of should come to passe But most interpreters understand it of the verie last persecution under Antichrist of whose mind I also am notwithstanding they erre from the scope of the history in their application For they following the common opinion that som one particular Antichrist shal oppresse the Church about the last foure yeeres of the world referre these earthquakes and darknings of the sun c. unto the foresaid time Neverthelesse herein they agree not For Ribera and others interpret it properly of the signes going before Christs last comming spoken of Matt. 24. Luk. 21. But most applie it to the horrible confusions and calamities which by Antichrist shal be brought upon the whole earth But for my own part I understand this third Act of the vision to shadow out the manie and sore trials wherewith for a thousand yeeres and more as histories testifie the Church of Christ hath been excercised under Antichrist Now this Act consisteth of two parts The third Act of the second vision hath two parts The first treats of the greater more horrible confusion of the Christian world under Antichrist contained in the 12.13.14 following verses which are to be separated from the last three verses of the Chapt the reason whereof I will shew by and by The other part of the Act is more comfortable as beeing opposed to the former troubles in which is propounded unto the godlie for their great consolation the sealing of the elect in their foreheads in the first eight verses of the following Chapter Now unlesse this be observed howbeit manie things I confesse in a general way may be truely learnedly piously treated of touching this earthquake darkening of the Sun other prodigious things as miseries to befall the world yet in deed these Generals tend but to the darkening of the matter And therfore for the right understanding of the sixt seale we must of necessity have recourse to the histories of the east and westerne kingdoms both from the time that Popery was first established in the West and Mahumetisme in the East as also diligently consider the state and experience of the present times touching all which a word or two in Generall About the yeere of our Lord six hundred after that the Church had obtained some rest was freed frō the persecution of open enemies she immediately began to be rent asunder by divisions corrupted with diverse heresies yea at length Pagan worship under the cloake of Christianitie and humane traditions so prevailed as that shee became pale and sick even unto the death For then arose the hot contention between the Bishops of Rome Bizantium about the monarchical primatie over all other Bishops and Churches Hereupon the Emperour Mauritius much favouring Iovinian his metropolitan made way for him to obtaine the primacie under a pretence that where the principall seat of the Empire was there ought also to be the chiefe chaire of the Church Now on the other hand Gregorie Bishop of Rome invying this honour of universalitie and power in his corrival Lib. 6. Epist 10. Lib. 4. Epist 34.36.37.39 affirmed that this title was wicked perverse proud prophane foolish and frivolous neyther ought there to be any such scandal raised among the Bishops at last he thus concludeth I saith he doe confidentlie affirm that whosoever either calleth himself or desireth to be called the universall priest seeing herein out of the pride of his heart he lifts himself up above his fellow brethren is the fore runner of Antichrist Thus we see that Gregorie makes the title of universall to be the true badge of Antichrist And indeed he so much prevailed with the Emperour as at that time the pride of Jovinian his corrival was repressed But Mauritius a while after beeing wickedlie murdered by Phocas and Gregorie dying about the yeere 604. Pope Sabinian his successour thirsting after the foresaid tyrannie burnt the writings of Gregorie and made void his decrees however he attained not what he aymed at beeing prevēted the yeere after by an infamous death After him succeeded Boniface the third who by Phocas the usurper was proclaimed universal Bishop Prince of Priests notwithstanding the clergie most of the Italian Bishops opposed the same Thus he declared himself unto the whole world to be that Antichrist and the first as Platina and other writers affirme that established his tyrannie by these insolent expressions as thus we will and command we appoint and charge we will and require c. From that time the Christian world began to be shaken with a horrible motion For now Christ the Sun of righteousnes was obscured The Moon of the Church turned into blood The starres fall from heaven Bishops become secular princes heaven or the opened booke of holy scriptures rolled up The mountaines kings princes stand in jeopardy of their power to be short the Islands are remooved out of there place by beeing brought under the yoke of Romish tyrannie Then saith
of supererogation or a purgatorie fire and so ascribe salvation which is obtained by Christ alone unto their owne inventions Thus therefore the Sun in Popery is made black as sackcloth of hair The Apostolical doctrine of faith and salvation by them is darkned and changed into Philosophical precepts Christs sacraments are darkned and turned into a stage-playing Pompe or shew The invocation and worship of God is darkned and turned into adoration of idols and of the creature To be short the Church it self is darkned scarslie retaining any thing of Christianity except the bare name Now the black sackcloth of hair doth signify the humane traditions their hetheanish and Iewish ceremonies mingled with Christianisme of which Augustine complaines Epist 119 19.20 that even in his time the Church began to be more burdened with them then the Israelites were with theirs to be short it signifies the decrees and canons of Synods and Popes by which the Church was turned into a secular kingdom the presbyteny into a civil court and their temples into very brothel houses And the moon became as blood The third wōder followeth by the moon is meant the Church as Cant. 6.9 Fair as the moon Rev. 12.1 The Sun is Christ as we shewed before Now what marveile is it if the Moon be turned into blood when the Sun is darkned In Eclypses the Moon appears black and reddish and sometimes of a bloodie colour having in it selfe but little light But as the Moon doth receive its light from the Sun so all light puritie righteousnes and salvation or whatever else the Church enjoyes shee receiveth it all from Christ the Sun of righteousnes The sence therefore is that the Church shall be turned into blood by the commotion of Antichrist The like phrase the Lord useth in Joel 2.31 But whence comes this blood into the Moon I answer by the cruel tyrannie of Antichrist making the Church red with the blood both of the nations and of the Saintes For this blood was powred on her partly by wars and partlie by martyrdoms For the Pope not beeing content to usurp the title of Peter the prince of the Apostles under that pretence to terrify the world with his spirituall lightnings he hath also drawn out the temporall sword against Emperours kings princes and Christian nations filling all places with bloodie warres As we may see in the extravagant of Boniface VIII touching superiority and obedience where it is expressely said that the Church hath two swords the spirituall and civill and it is further added that the spirituall is excercised by the Church the materiall by the hand of kings and souldiers according to the pleasure and patience of priests If this be true then what are kings and souldiers but the Popes vassals And is not then that blood certainlie shed by the Pope which is spilt at his pleasure and command by kings and their souldiers And is it not the Pope that causeth the Moon to become blood but in this also there is deceit and fallacie for the Romish Bishops have not onelie used the civill sword in the hands of princes but also in their own having these many yeeres together turned the Moon into blood by the many cruell warrs occasioned and made by them Beneven de Rambal lib Augustali Benevenutus de Rambaldis a noted historian thus writeth concerning Boniface the eight above two hundred and thirtie yeares agoe that Albertus Duke of Austria beeing by the Electors chosen king of the Romanes desired of Boniface that famous Pope the blessing and coronation to whom this loftie tyrant answered that he was unworthie of the Empire because he had traiterouslie killed his Lord Adolph in warre and having the crowne on his owne head and a sword girt to his loines he said I AM CAESAR Julius II. the predecessor of Leo a better souldier then a priest beeing borne rather for Mars then for Christ going forth with an army as Wicelius witnesseth in the yeere 1513 against the king of Navarre threw Peters Key into Tyber saying If the Key of Peter cannot let the sword of Paul prevaile Of which Mantuan thus singeth Ense potens gemino cujus vestigia adorant Caesar aurato vestits murice reges Great Caesar with victorious kings Who golden crownes doe wear They doe adore his footsteps who the double sword doth bear To be short the most cruel wars which continually have been and at this day are among Christian princes to the shedding of exceeding much blood in France the Nederlands Livonia Poland Muscovia Hungarie have alwayes been raysed fomented by the Popes buls and armies by this meanes ever since the death of Priscillian they have continnallie murdered the saints and made the Moon red with their blood For Priscillian beeing declared an heretick by the Pope although Sulpitius Severus describing his sect doth not charge him with any hereticall doctrines contrarie to the analogie of faith but onely for unlawfull conventicles was by the instigation of Ithacius Bishop of Triers put to death about the yeere of Christ 380 contrarie to the mind of Martine Thuronensis a Maximo the Emperour the murderer of Valentinian the yonger From that time forward the Bishops went on to have the like punishment inflicted on all such as were condemned by them of haeresie And at length the Popes adjudged to death as hereticks all that opposed their tyrannie and idolatrie under which pretence what a multitude of Christians have been most cruellie murdered the bookes of martyrs testifie yea whosoever reads those histories shall see clearely enough that by their meanes the Moon was wholle turned into blood The massacre at Paris committed on Bartholomewes day in the yeere 1572 is yet fresh in memorie at what time within the space of eight dayes there were more then a hundred thousand by the means of Gregorie XIII most barbarously put to death in France making all the streets rivers and prisons in the land red with the blood of martyrs Thus I doubt not but we understand what is meant by this change of the Moon into blood touching which also I will rehearse a verie memorable example in the end of this booke 13. And the starres of heaven fell unto the earth The fourth wonder is taken out of Isai 34.4 and Mar. 13.25 We have heard what the stars doe signifie and wherfore they are so called Rev. 1.20 the seven stars are the seven Angels or Bishops of the Churches And Rev. 12.1 The woman or Church hath twelve stars on her crowne signifying the pastors and teachers of the Churches These stars which fell are apostates who forsooke Christ for fear of Antichrists cruell persecution they are I say principall Bishops and teachers who by embracing the kingdom of Antichrist fall from heaven unto the earth among whom the Bishop of Rome was chiefe and with him all others who acknowledged him for their head They fell unto the earth by forsaking their pastoral charge of preaching the word and
Antichrist he having I say seen Mahumet in the East and the Romish Bishops in the West oppressing the Church by fire and sword and imposing their decrees and idols upon all depraving Christian religion by their manifold traditions heathenish and Iewish superstitions in so much as unto the Churches of the West was left almost nothing but the bare name of Christ Now least Iohn seeing these things should thus have thought with himself what shall Christ be thus opprest and kept under by Antichrist shall there bee no more a Church no more sincere preaching no more faithfull valiant teachers to oppose Antichrist shall indeed the elect also be drawen away into errours of whom Christ saith that it is impossible they should be seduced Now hence it is that this present sight of the blowing windes and of the four Angels labouring in vain to hinder their operation is exhibited unto him shewing how the godlie should continually oppose Antichrist and be sealed in their foreheads signifying their safety and preservation unto the end Alcasar presupposeth howbeit not truly that these things appertaine unto the seventh seale but it is repugnant unto the very text in Chap. 8.1 and though it did yet would it no way help the consequence which thence he draweth Four Angels standing Now concerning these Angels let us see who they are Who are these four Angels what they did and the cause thereof By these Angels I understand Satan his Angels by whose powerfull working Antichrist invaded Christs kingdom and established his owne with all deceit of unrighteousnesse and withall I understand all Antichrists agents both ecclesiasticall and secular as Kings and Emperours who to uphold his kingdom have laboured by fire sword to suppresse the preaching of the Gospel so likewise Cardinals Bishops Monkes Canonists Inquisitors Jesuites who deceiving the world under an angelicall shew of holinesse have stronglie advanced his kingdome these are four a definite number beeing put for an indefinite as alluding to the foure corners of the earth on which they stand that is have their Bishopricks Lordships Colledges and Fraternities there fixed Now by four corners the whole earth is meant and here it noteth that no place shall be free from the mischievous devises of these wicked Angels Others again interpret these Angels standing on the four corners of the earth after this manner The Mahumetans in the East who suppressed the doctrine of Christ for however they seem to permit the European Christians the freedom of their religion yet the same is don deceitfully as thereby the easier to draw the rest of the Christian world under their power and so if they could altogether to blot out the very name of Christianity The South they understand to be the verie seat of the Romane Antichrist The North is possessed by the Popes sworn vassals And the West by the Spaniard his first begotten son and the most Christian French king as they stile him all which have hithertoo mightily hindered the windes from blowing upon the earth sea trees But we may as fitlie applie this to the Popes spirituall Angels standing upon the four corners of the earth seeing he hath every where his Legates a Latere his creatures I say to maintain his Antichristian primacie and to hinder the blowing of the windes by their fraudulent devises preachings writings disputations miracles all manner of working by deceit and unrighteousnesse The reason why Ribera contendeth that not evill Angels but the good Riberas opinion weighed are here intended is to free Antichrists ministers from suspicion But most Popish writers doe hold the contrarie Mart. Delrius libr. 2. mag disquis quaesi 11. thinkes them to be very hurtfull pernicious devils Alcasar would faine refute him but his tongue will not let him therefore he leaves it undecided whether they bee good or evil at last he faineth a dream of four Aeoluses brideling the windes with bonds and imprisonment Now is not this a worthie exposition of this mysterie But Ribera wil maintain his opinion with arguments The devils saith he are not in corners of the world but in the midst of the great men of the earth in provinces and cities and to be short wheresoever they bee they hinder the preachers of Gods word As if Iohn understood not this same thing by the four corners of the earth He therefore too childishlie restraines these corners of the earth unto the utmost places or mathematicall centers thereof forasmuch as by a synecdoche the whole world is here signified But he further objecteth that God is wont to punish the world not onely by evill Angels but also by the good Angels as we see Gen 19. and 2 Sam. 14. 2 King 19. Isai 37. c. which Austin also confirmeth lib. 9. de Civ D. c. 5. but it sufficeth that for the most part it is don by the evill Neither is there any weight in this that the other Angel as joyning himself with them saith VNTIL WE HAVE SEALED THE SERVANTS OF OVR GOD for he makes not the Angels which were readie to hurt the earth c. companions with him in sealing but closelie he pointes out the good Angels which were present with him Holding the foure windes that they should not blow Now he shewes what the Angels did in which we are to consider what the four blowing windes are and what is meant by the earth sea and trees and how they held the windes from blowing on the earth Ribera understands it properlie of the four cheife windes The litteral exposition of Ribera cannot hold described in these known verses Asper ab axe ruit Boreas furit Eurus ab ortu Auster amat medium solem Zephyrusque cadentem These windes the foure Angels indeavoured to hinder from blowing upon the earth c. that is they desired to destroy all things both in the sea and in the land as also the fruits of the trees For if the windes should altogether cease from blowing all things of necessity would soon come to decay forasmuch as all living creatures by them are cherished preserved Therfore he supposeth that hereby is signified the outward calamities falling upon the persecutours of the saintes his reason is because the literal sence is to be followed except a plaine reason doth necessitate the contrary Now indeed this is true notwithstanding if we should always expound the visions of this booke litterally much absurdity would follow thereupon besides the following words doe yeeld us a manifest ground that the letter here is not to be observed for the elect are said to be sealed thereby to be freed from hurt Now we know that the godly are not free from outward calamities as pestilence famine wherby the earth sea trees are hurt therfore it doth necessarily follow that we must understand it of an immunity of another kinde of hurt Andreas understands hereby the dissolution of lawfull order the most certaine event of the evils
a white horse as a conquerour having a crown on his head signifying the prosperours successe of the Gospell and in his hand the bow of his word by which he moved wounded and converted whole nations unto himself so here a contrarie effect is shadowed out in respect of the enemies of the Gospell to wit the grievous contradictions persecutions raysed by the Iewes in all places against the Apostles For the Gentiles readily inbracing the Gospell moved the Iewes through envie tumultuously to rage and raise up much mischiefe in every place against the Christians the which is here set forth by the haile and fire migled with blood alluding unto the seventh plague of Egypt Exod. 9.24 beeing a grievous haile mingled with fire and the blood of men and beasts consumed by it Haile is a congeling of the water in the ayre through cold and it is very hurtfull unto the standing corne Fire is contrarie to haile Blood signifyes cruelty At the sounding therefore of the first trumpet which began by the preaching of the Apostles on the day of Pentecost there fell haile fire and blood that is contradictions persecutions banishments and slaughters through the obstinate Iewes as the Acts Epistles of the Apostles with other histories doe plainely prove Now the reason why I referre this with the Catholick Glosse unto the Iewes and other tumultuous adversaries viz. such as had lost their civill power shall appear by the following trumpet Now familiarly in scripture by haile fire and blood are noted popular and common calamities as Joel 2. Zeph. 1. and in other places But the following effects touching the burning of the third part of the trees and of the green grasse causeth me to expound this of the calamities befalling the godly and not of the punishments of the wicked because undoubtedly this is to be applied to the sufferings of the Saints And the third part of trees was burnt up by the trees I understand the Apostles chiefe teachers by all green grasse the Saintes of the primitive Churches For the godly are compared to fruitfull trees planted by the rivers of waters Psal 1.3 and to grasse noting their imbicillitie and weaknes yet green because of their lively faith and charitie Of these the third part was burnt up that is multitudes of them were hurt afflicted and murdered by their adversaries the perfidious Iewes For as tempestuous haile and lightning is verie hurtfull to the trees and grasse of the earth even so at the first beginning of the Gospell the Apostles the rest of the faithfull were exercised with cruel stormes of afflictions wherby a great part of them was taken away The phrase seems to have an allusion unto that of Ezech. 5.2 where the Prophet is commanded to cut of the haire of his head and beard and to burn a third part with fire to smite a third part with a sword and to scatter a third part in the winde under which type the Lord threatned grievous plagues unto the Iewes for their rebellion And all green grasse was burnt up Not all strictly but a great part for often times all in scripture is put onelie for a part not for the whole In saying the green grasse it notes the extreem calamities of those times For the dry hay may more easely be burnt then the green grasse or wood Luk. 23.31 Hence it appeares that this affliction was verie grievous How long this trumpet sounded I will not precisely define but thinke that is to be extended from the first preaching of Gospell mentioned Act. 2. untill the times of Domitian who was the first of the Romane Emperours Nero excepted that persecuted the Christians But the Iewes afflicted and persecuted them many wayes The special use of this first trumpet belonged to Iohn the primitive Church that they should not though living under the white horse promise delight ease unto themselves but prepare for cruel stormes of afflictions notwithstanding this was their comfort that howsoever by the cruelty lightnings of the wicked the third part should be burnt up yet two parts should remain unhurt In generall it appertaineth unto us also that we having the primitive Church for an example should not be offended if we be brought to the like condition but be confident that the Lord will still preserve some Churches notwithstanding the rage of Antichrist who for a long time hath tyrannised over our Ancestours with whom we yet wrestle unto this day The sound of the second trumpet 8 And the second Angel sounded and as it were a great mountaine burning with fire was cast into the sea and the third part of the sea became blood 9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea and had life died and the third part of the shippes were destroyed THE COMMENTARIE 8. ANd the second Angel sounded Lyra understands this Angel to be Macedonius who sounding that is Lyraes opinion proudly teaching for he was an eloquent man Bishop of Constantinople a great mountain that is the great Macedonian heresie which was the denying the holie Ghost to be God burned with the fire of perfidiousnes and fell into the sea that is into the Church resembling the sea by baptisme and the third part of the sea became blood that is by denying the Deity of the holy Ghost he corrupted the forme of baptisme in the third part of it and the third part of creatures perished that is beleevers infected by his heresie and the third part of the ships that is of Prelates and Bishops whom he drew into the same heresie untill at length he was condemned by the councill held at Constantinople Bullingers interpretation Bullinger much to the same purpose understands by the sea the world by the great mountain the great heresies of the Valentinians Manichees Montanisâ—s BVRNING WITH FIRE that is boasting of divine revelations as if they had been altogether led by the spirit the effects whereof were verie pestilent because the third part of men and such also as dwelt in Ilands dyed that is beeing infected with these heresies perished for ever The opinion of Aretius Aretius also takes it for a great heresie strengthened with the arme of flesh as the Macedonian and Eutichinian heresies by which not onely many private Christians but many whole Churches were seduced and brought to destruction Ribera understands the mountaine literally of a great fiery globe Riberas opinion Alcasars opinion which should at some certaine time be throwne into the sea Alcasar applies it to the warre with which God afflicted the Iewes by Titus and Vespasian But I would faine know of him why that shoul be abscurely foretold which was already fully accomplished The greater part of interpreters both Papists Protestants as my Anonymus Gagnaeus Lambertus others with Andreas understand this mountaine to be Satan the prince of the world who burning with the fire of envie at the preaching of the Gospel is cast
into the sea of this world causeth the same tumultuously to rage against Christ Or into the sea that is among peoples nations princes kings inforcing them to shed much innocent blood and dissipate many Churches This interpretation I confesse in it self is pious and true but doth not as I judge agree with the purpose of this vision my reason is because the devil from the beginning hath been a murderer seeking to devour the Church in which respect there was no use that this thing should be represented unto Iohn in obscure types I therefore doe again with the Catholick glosse compare the sounding of the second trumpet with the opening of the second seal The interpretation of the Catholick Glosse and understand it of the cruel persecutions of Romane tyrants and the remnant of the Church which was preserved from utter destruction For as at the opening of the second seal went forth a red horse that is the Apostolical and following Church appeared red with the blood of the martyrs so there by the founding of the second trumpet is shewed unto Iohn 1. Whence this bloody condition of the Church arose 11. How great evils she should suffer thereby 111. Wherein she ought to be comforted For the first a great mountain burning with fire should be cast into the sea The Scripture familiarly by mountaines notes kingdomes kings and tyrants because of their highnes that is their power and pride as Zach. 4.7 the Prophet thus speaketh concerning the Persian kingdom Who art thou O great mountain before Zerubabel Let us therfore understand this great mountain to be some powerfull kingdom having other kingdoms in subjection as at that time the Romanes had He saw this mountain burning with fire that is their Emperours in wrath cruelly raging against Christian religion This mountain was cast into the sea Now what is the meaning hereof The sea is a gathering of many waters The waters are peoples Chap. 17. by the sea therefore I understand all nations in subjection to the Romane Empire and among which the Christian Churches were here and there dispersed This mountain was cast into the sea that is violently nished upon the world not indeed of unbeleevers but of true belevers that is the Christian Church when as the Romane Emperours as Domitian Trajan Severus Diocletian Maximianus and others imitaring the tyranny of Nero persecuted the saintes even untill Constantines time What followed hereupon The third part of the sea became blood that is as we heard before at the opening of the second seale the Church was made red with the blood of martyrs so here this mountaine with a fierie rage oppresseth many thousands of saintes 9 The third part of the creatures died These are the slaughters Martyrdoms of infinite Christians put to death by the Romane tyrants for the confession of the name of Christ And there is an allegorical analogie betweene the sea and creatures in it the Church and faithfull living in the same And the third part of the ships were destroyed by ships we understand the Churches with their pilots or teachers for by ships Churches are signified many wherof were then lost and destroyed with the Apostles Bishops their worthy teachers these I say were crushed through the weight of this great mountaine not indeed eternally but corporallie onely Now touching this we are to consult with the Ecclesiastical histories of the Churches persecutions of which we have spoken somewhat on Chap. 6. which wil serve for an excellent commentarie on this place Certainely the ship or Church at Rome was in a special manner made red with blood for all her bishops or teachers as it is recorded unto Melchiades suffered Martyrdome under those tyrants Thus therefore this trumpet allegorically explaineth the efficient cause of the second horses rednesse and further amplifies the grievous outragiousnesse thereof But what reason is there Why onely one third of the sea was made blood that the whole sea was not turned into blood and that all creatures ships died perished not but onely a third part I have shewed that this manner of speech is taken out of Ezech. 5.2 Now there the Prophet is commanded not onely to destroy one third part of his hair but the three thirds thereof thereby signifying a totall destruction But here the mountaine shall only make red one third part of the sea and kill the third part of creatures cause the third part of ships to perish which undoubtedly was for the comfort of Iohn and the faithful for however this mountaine were great and rushing with a mighty violence labours to fill all places with fire and blood yet should he be able to hurt but one third part of the Christian Church For two thirds shal bee preserved in safety And the truth hereof is confirmed by histories The fulfilling of this type for both in Rome and all other kingdomes the greater part of Christians were safely kept in the midst of the most dangerous cruel persecutions yea the blood of the martyrs was as it were the seed of the Church for the more Christians were put to death by tyrants the more their number increased in so much that many times even the executioners themselves beholding the confession courage constancie of martyrs became Christians and obtained the same crown of martyrdom with them Moreover it is for the Churches comfort that this burning mountain is cast into the sea for by water the fire is extinguished However therefore tyrants doe much rage for a time yet at length they shall perish the victory shall remain on the Churches side for by faith we overcome the world 1 Ioh. 5.5 The Catholick Glosse interprets this mountain not unfitly of the Romane Empire great indeed yet thrown into the sea which is much greater The sea swallowed up this great mountain and so consumeth and deitroyes the same By the sea he understandeth Christs kingdom of far greater power then the Romane signifying that the Romane tyranny should be swallowed up by Christs kingdome for however Christ seems to bee overcome in his afflicted members yet in truth he conquereth all his tyrannical adverlaries for the gates of hell shall not prevaile against the Church Matt. 16.18 Thus sad and joyfull things are here mixed together by which we see that the iteration of this vision touching the bloody condition of the Church is not in vain Moreover I understand the sounding of this trumpet to be from Domitians time under whom Iohn was banished untill Constantine who repressed the tyranny of his Copartners in the Empire and restored peace unto the Church about the yeere of our Lord 312. The sounding of the third trumpet 10 And the third Angel sounded there fell a great Star from heaven burning as it were a lampe and it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountaine of waters 11 And the name of the Starre is called Wormewood and the third part of the
waters became Wormewood and many men died of the waters because they were made bitter THE COMMENTARIE ANd the third Angel sounded Andrea◠howbeit unfitly takes this falling starre to be Lucifer thrown down headlong out of heaven the Wormwood the torments of the wicked in hell Andreas opinion Lyra conceives it to be Pelagius the third Archeretick Lyraes interpretation who in the dayes of Arcadius Honorius denied original sin pleaded for free will and overthrew the grace of Christ He fell from heaven that is fell away from the Church militant And is called a great Starre because he was a learned and religious Monke Burning as it were a Lampe by shew of holines and learning deceiving many his name is Wormwood because contrarie to the sweet doctrine of true grace he taught that men by the meer help of natural faculties setting grace aside might bee converted and saved with which pestilent doctrine he made bitter and destroyed many Churches with their teachers Ribera desirous to be singular in interpreting the trumpets literally doth verie foolishly apply this to some fiery exhalation falling from heaven and takes all these signes historically Riberaes frivolous exposition But we know that such fierie mixtures doe often happen in the ayre Besides the name of this Starre and the making of the waters bitter doe sufficiently manifest that these things cannot bee properly or literally taken But Ribera perhaps durst not doe otherwise least he should have been forced to applie it to the apostasie of the Romish Antichrist All other interpreters for the most part understand this falling starre to be some certaine eminent heretike Diverse interpretations concerning this falling star one or more But they differ in the persons For some referre it to Simon Magus Others to Samosatenus Manichaeus Arius c. Others againe to Pelagius Novatus Montanus Manichaeus And some unto Origen Now howsoever all these differ and erre in the hypothesis or speciall application yet they all agree in the thesis or generall position neyther as I judge doe they herein erre from the scope For the third trumpes with its apparitions answereth to the third seal and black horse that went out at the opening thereof which signifies as we have before shewed the state of the Church spotted with black and foul heresies from the Apostles time unto the rising of Antichrist and howsoever the Church were thus defiled Christ with the ballance of his word was still present reproving condemning their haeresies by his faithfull teachers yet in the mean time a great famine of sound doctrine much afflicted the Christian world forasmuch as almost all Churches with their teachers were drawne aside to the pestilent errour of Arius Others referre this to Mahomet but they little observe the circumstances of the trumpet For Mahomet beeing a most wicked villaine cannot bee called a starre muchlesse a great starre shining like a Lampe neither fell hee from heaven that is the Church in which hee never was although I confesse hee hath occasioned much bitternes unto Christians My opinion therefore touching the third trumpet is that this great starre burning like a lampe falling from heaven and turning the third part of the waters into wormewood in a generall way denoteth all apostated Arch-hereticks spoken of Chap. 6. Who at the opening of the third seale for the space of six hundred yeeres after the time of the Apostles deformed the Church of Christ by their foul heresies and brought destruction upon the four corners of the earth by their blasphemies errours and tumults as we have before declared For it is plain that by starres the teachers of Churches are signifyed and by falling from heaven their apostasy from the true faith But specially by this starre and his fall from heaven is undoubtedly signifyed the apostasie of the Bishop of Rome not indeed that universall departure The apostafie of the Church of Rome which followed afterward at the full rising of Antichrist but that first defect which three hundred yeers before forcibly occasioned led the Churches both of the East and West by little and little to submit to Antichrist namely from the time of Constantine unto Phocas the intruder For the Bishops of Rome in regard of the great renowne and chiefe honour of that citie it being the seat of the Romane Empire were eminent lights among their fellow bishops hence the starre is called great burning like a torch or lampe Hee fell from heaven not at one instant but by degrees therefore it is said in the Preterimperfect tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee did fall Hee saw him here not quite fallen as in Chap. 9.1 but falling for as yet the Romane sea was onely declining or in the motion of its Apostasie Before Siluester thirtie and one Bishops of Rome for the most part like stars in the firmament brightly shined both in learning faith Pietie and constancie yea they all suffered Martyrdome under the Romane tyrants But after that Constantine had graunted peace unto Christians and enriched the Churches by his too much liberallity heaping wealth and honour exceedingly upon bishops then began this star swelling with pride and ambition like Lucifer to lift up himselfe above his fellow ministers to bee wholy given to voluptuousnesse to fill and burthen the Churches with Iewish and heathenish rites and ordinances so by forsaking the truth of the Gospell altogether to embrace humane traditions Sylyester was the first if histories may bee credited who gave himselfe wholy to the institution of their Masse-priests orders ornaments temples singing-men sacrifices sanctuaries vestments ointments surplises miters embroidered garments and the like Babylonish stuffe bringing all these idle rites into the Church under this pretence partly least Christian religion should seem inferiour in outward lustre and pompe to heathenisme partly that the Pagans by the likenesse of these rites with theirs might bee the more easily drawen to Christianity And this verie thing was afterward pretended by the following Bishops as Gregories Epistle to Serenus testifies Now this Silvester was he on whom Constantine as Platina recordeth in the life of this Bishop imposed an embroidered mitre beset with Gold and Pearles in stead of a Diadem And then this great starre began to fall from heaven unto the earth And upon the third part of the rivers that is as I understand on the Romane Bishops the successours of this Sylvester and others for rivers doe note the teachers of Churches by whom divine doctrines ought to flow and be derived unto others Of these the third part not all for many remained faithfull and sincere but a great number or the third part of them that lived in Europe leaving heaven gave themselves wholie to worldly cares pleasures pompe and foolish ceremonies defiling the Church with many abuses superstitions errours yea grosse heresies also For as Ierom and the Ecclesiasticall history both testifie Liberius was indeed a great starre beeing at the first a great opposer of
death his rider and hell following by sword famine and pestilence devouring the fourth part of the earth by which is signified as we have shewed the state of the Church a little before the rising of Antichrist beeing sick with a mortall palenes and neare unto death accidently occasioned by the overmuch liberallitie and indulgencie of Christian Emperours who thereby corrupted the Bishops and Christian religion but principallie by superstitious Monkes and vaine glorious Bishops who little caring eyther for Christ or his graces onely laboured how they might satisfy and fill their own bellies and establish their Lordly authoritie turning the doctrines of faith into humane Philosophie and Christian religion into a stageplay and horrible idol worship So here againe the very same thing is foretold in this trumpet under different types For as Anonymus and after him Gagnaeus have observed the Sunne shadows out the chiefe Prelates of the Church as Popes Cardinals Arch-bishops Bishops who ought to shine before others by the light of their life and doctrine The Moon which receives its light from the Sunne to be inferior Ecclesiastical orders as curates and religious persons The Stars beeing lesse in light are the laitie but I rather understand by Stars Bishops and other teachers so called as we have seen Chap. 1. Verie fitlie saith Gagnaeus is the third part of the Sun sayd to be smitten in so much that the third part thereof was darkened considering how one part of Praelates doe shine in life and doctrine others but in one onely and a part in neyther of both For many of them neyther burn in charitie nor shine in doctrine and I would it were but a third part of them but the truth is they have onelie an hypocriticall shew of true pastors for after the likenes of this Sunne the third part of the inferiour Clergie and Laiks also were smitten with obscuritie and blindnesse c. Thus he in a general way doth not with out good cause complaine of Popes Cardinals Bishops their great Apostasie But wee are as I have said to applie these things by an Analogie unto the events of the fourth seale This trumpet therefore appertaines unto the darknesse corruptions brought into the Christian Churches during the space of three hundred yeeres viz. from Sylvesters time unto the rising of Antichrist in which time all these things were allegorically fulfilled as histories testifie Yet onely in a third part that is in Europe alone And this againe serves for to mitigate the evils in asmuch as not the whole Sun but onely a third part thereof is smitten with darkenesse For indeed many Bishops in the East and West both Greeks and Latine did still uphold the light in the Church For as yet Antichrist was not lifted up into the chaire of universall pestilence neyther was the Church so neere unto death by a mortal palenes although hell had allmost swallowed up the fourth part thereof Thus we have heard four trumpets of the Angels with the histories thereof 13. And I beheld and heard an Angel by this exclamation the Angel commandeth us to be much attentive to the following trumpets because they shew forth more grievous calamities to befall the Church For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bibles of Montanus read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Eagle so the Latine I saw an Eagle concerning which Eagle many men dispute diversly But all other copies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Angel Now whither wee read it an Angel or an Eagle the matter is not great onelie wee are to be attentive unto his voyce neyther doe I thinke that we should seek for any allegory in it He was an heavenly herauld foretelling farre more grievous calamities then yet we have heard in the foregoing trumpets Neyther will I deny but that by this Angel may be noted Gregorie Bishop of the Church of Rome Antichrists predecessour who in his Epistles to the Emperour Mauritius pointed at him as if he had been then present Wo wo wo This is a voyce of commiseration in regard of the evils that hung over the Church The threefold iteration notes that the three following trumpets are to denounce more horrible fatall evils unto the inhabiters of the earth then the former To the inhabitants of the earth This might be understood of the Church dispersed thorowout the whole world but usually in this prophesie hypocrites and wicked men oppressing the Church are called inhabitants of the earth as we have noted on Chap. 3.10 and 6.10 Wherefore these threatnings are not intended against the Church but against the wicked which serveth for the comfort of the Godly for howsoever they be involved in the publick calamities under Antichrist yet these things shal be mortal unto their adversaries onely CHAP. IX The Argument Parts and Analysis IN this Chapter are described the fift and sixt trumpets with most sad events in which the first Act of this vision is ended and the apparitions of the sixt seale more fully exhibited unto Iohn touching the rising and tyranny of Antichrist both in the West who with smoake and Locusts that is by deceit and devilish instruments And in the East who with horses and armies that is by open warre and violence should horribly afflict the Christian world God by them most justly punishing the idolatrie flagitious life of Christians and hereby calling them to repentance but in vain Now here principally are prefigured the wofull events which befell the Church during the space of nine hundred yeeres or there about both by the Popish Antichrist in the West and Mahomet in the East from the yeere of Christ sixe hundred and sixe untill the Councill of Constans The parts of the Chapter are three The first concerneth the events of the first trumpet unto vers 13. consisting of four members I. The apparition it self which Iohn saw viz. a starre falling down from heaven upon the earth to whom was given the key of the bottomlesse pit vers 1. II. Four effects of this falling starre 1. He opened the bottomlesse pit 2. raysed a smoak out of it 3. with the smoak he darkened the Sunne and aire vers 2. 4. Out of the smoake he brought forth Locusts upon the earth vers 3. III. The locusts are described by diverse adjuncts First from the power they had to hurt vers 3. But limited by God three manner of wayes 1. In respect of the objects that they should not hurt the elect but onely the reprobate vers 4. 2. In the degree of hurting not to kil but to torment 3. In the time not allwayes but for five months vers 5. Secondly from the effect of their hurting which shal be more bitter then death it self vers 6. Thirdly from the forme of the locusts First as touching the bodie they are like to horses prepared to the battel Secondly touching their members and habbit vers 7.8.9.10 And lastly touching their head or king called Abaddon vers 11. IV. An acclamatorie conclusion ending the calamities
afterward fell from the hight of the Catholick faith unto the herefie of Arianisme To him was given the key of the bottomlesse pit that is power to set up the Arian heresie by which meanes the Sunâ—â— became dark for he denied Christs divinity By the are he understands the Church beeing enlightened by Christ as the aire takes its light from the visible sunne The Locusts are the Vandales Gothes who beeing infected with Arianisme much afflicted the Churches in the East c. The opinion of Rupertus I am ashamed to relate The strange opinion of Rupertus who applies this to the apostasie of the Israelites and to their punishment by the Mâ—abitas Philistinas after the death of Iosuah Now we know that such things as were past are not here revealed unto John but that which should afterwards shortly come to passe Alcasare opinion is yet worse who will have this starre to be the Law of Moses Alcasars opinion the which saith hee as comming down from above so presseth men that thereby concupiscence and evill desires the which he makes to be the Locusts are accidentally wrought in their hearts Ad calcem tomi tertis in prima editione Bellarmine confesseth that he dares not rashly pronounce any thing concerning this dark prophesie And yet in the mean while in a long oration or rather a satyrical invective consisting almost of as many lies as words he most rashly pronounceth Luther to bee this starre The smoake ascending out of the pit to be the doctrine of Luther and that the innumerable multitude of these horrible Locusis doe most lively expresse his disciples But this whole fiction is so ridiculous as indeed Alcasar himself derides it I wonder saith hee that he did not also referre it to the fall of Judas But how should Luther a poore and obscure Augustine Monke bee this great starre he saith though he were poore yet hee became rich though at first he professed abstinencie from marriage yet afterward hee tooke a wife of a Monke became a states-man I answer by great falling starres none can properly bee signified but great and mighty praelates and therefore I wonder why be upbraideth Luther with his riches seeing he neyther had nor left any behinde him now although it be true he was poore but no worldlie politician onely aprofessour of divinitie yet indeed he had many rich adversaries and among the number Bellarmine himselfe was not the least who of a Monke became a mightie Politician famous Cardinal If Luther therefore fell from heaven because according to the Apostles Cannon he was married then Bellarmine may as well say that the Apostle in commanding a Bishop to be the husband but of one wife doth thereby throw down the starres from heaven But the very truth is Bellarmine by this his wantonnesse of wit indeavours to darken this vision that so he may preserve the Popes reputation as if by this falling star he were not typed out besides he would dissipate this hellish smoake if he could from popery least hee himself should be accounted as in truth he is a leading and chiefe locust among the rest These things I thought good to rehearse that I may not seem to despise the opinions of other interpreters and that the reader among the variety of expositors may take what he liketh best and the rather because this prophesie is somewhat darke notwithstanding if all things bee well considered it will easilie and undoubtedly appear that by the fal of this great starre nothing else is praefigured but the apostasie of the Romish Bishop who makes himself head of the Church together with his devised Hierarchie I will therefore not out of any sinister affection but truely as the things are according as the Lord hath made me to see now come to expound everie particular leaving it unto the judgement of the reader It is plaine that by starres in the Revelation are noted not Emperours or earthly kings but Bishops and teachers of Churches by great starres therefore are meant not the inferiour ministers or Bishops as they are called but prelates of higher note and ranke Now the reason of the analogie I have shewed on Chap. 1.20 Mat. 5.14 to wit because Bishops ought to shine like starres in sinceritie of doctrine and holinesse of life they ought I say to bee the light of the world And hence it is that with the Catholick Glosse Morelius Alphonsus Bullinger and other learned interpreters I understand this great starre fallen from heaven to signifie some chiefe and eminent Bishop By his fall from heaven into the earth is signified his apostasie from the heavenly truth unto earthly doctrines of humane traditions But who should this bee In the third trumpet the great star falling from heaven was the Bishop of Rome who beeing accounted by Constantine as a God on earth and enriched with wealth and power above measure began to swell with great pride whereupon the successours of Sylvester by meanes of the Emperours decree began to fall upon the third part of the rivers and fountaines of waters that is leaving the studie of heavenly things affected an earthly dominion and power over the Churches and Bishops of all Europe which hitherto was the third part of the world and by bringing in pernicious superstitions and worship of idols made the waters bitter to the destruction of the Eastern Churches Now this great starr fallen from heaven is not another but the verie same For it is to be observed that Iohn saith not as before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fell from heaven neyther saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I saw to fall although the Latine version and Beza also so render it but he saith I saw the starre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fallen or which did fall at the sounding of the third trumpet Now here he sees the adjuncts and effects of the same Star beeing far more grievous then before At first he saw it to fall upon the third part of the rivers and waters making them bitter with wormewood so as they became mortal to many Yet was not the same a total corruption and Apostasie But now he sees this starre fully fallen neither vanished away nor perished in the waters but sticking fast like filth unto the earth as doe slimy and thick vapours which fall from heaven He saw also the key of the bottomlesse pit given unto him to open therewithall the bottomlesse pit c. by which was represented unto Iohn a worse shape or condition of the Romish chaire The rising of the Romish Antichrist described viz. it s total apostasie and monstrous corruption By which it is plaine that in this place the rising of the great Romane Antichrist is described For to what other Ecclesiastical person I pray you can these things possibly be applied And indeed Gregorie makes him to bee the Antichrist who should affect the title of an universall priest the which thing Boniface the third did three
yeere after his decease beeing declared in the yeere 606. by Phocas the intruder universall Pope chiefe Priest and Bishop of Bishops And therefore it must needs be that he was this starre here said to be fallen Neverthelesse it may not be understood of Boniface alone but of all his successors in that sea even as before the great falling star typed out not onely Sylvester but also his successours untill Gregorie It is true Boniface himself sate scarsly one yeere on the chair of universall pestilence notwithstanding the rest who succeeded him were so far from repairing the ruin beeing once made as on the contrary they continually proceeded from evill to worse I am not ignorant that some learned men doe think that Mahumet is here to be understood Mahumet cannot be here meant who about this time caused an open apostasie from the faith of Christ in most of the Eastern parts beeing esteemed by his followers a great Prophet and so is unto this day But I see no reason why in scripture he should be called a coelestiall star seeing it is certaine that from the very first he was a most wicked deceiver and a cruel murtherer setting up his owne dreames by magical art power of the sword Wherefore I judge that here is most plainely typed out the Romish Antichrist with his clergie but Mahumet in the following trumpet The sum of all is this that we may interpret the Revelation by it selfe the falling of this starre is that great earthquake which arose at the opening of the sixt seale of which you may see what we have observed on Chap. 6. v. 12. And to him was given the key of the bottomlesse pit The principall thing here shewed unto Iohn is the giving of the key of the bottomlesse pit unto this apostaticall starre And hence hee is called the Angel of the bottomlesse pit and Abaddon the king of the locusts v. 11. Al which may most fitly be applied unto the Popes of Rome who after their apostasie received this key Now we are briefly to consider what is meant by this bottomlesse deep what by the gulfe the key thereof as also when and by whom the same was given unto the Pope It is called in Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beeing derived from α 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a bottom as it were without bottom or from α and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cover for the deep is covered with waters The word in scripture is used first for the Chaos or disordered forme at the first creation darkenesse beeing upon the face of the deep Gen. 1.2 Secondly for the depth of the sea or waters Gen. 7.11 And the fountains of the great deep were opened Psal 42.7 deep calleth unto deep at the noyse of thy water spouts Thirdly for hell as Luk. 8.31 where the devils beseech Christ that he would not command them to goe out into the deep Rom. 10.7 Who shall descend into the deep so here and in many other places of this booke The bottomlesse pit This is not meant of the whole gulfe but as it were the deepest and narrowest receptacle filthie sinck of hell The key of the bottomlesse pit That is power to open and shut the same thrusting into and delivering out of it whomsoever he pleaseth For keyes doe signifie power Now who besides the Pope doth usurpe this power unto himselfe which plainely shewes that he is this apostaticall starre Was given to him by whom by Phocas who appointed by a solemne decree that the Pope as being universall Priest should have absolute and full power over all Bishops and Churches to call and dissolve Synods to confirme or abolish their decrees that nothing should be ratified but by the sole Authority of the sea of Rome And hence it is that the Pope hath power both in heaven and earth and hell in token whereof he weares on his head a triple crowne thus hath writen in one of his decrees if the Pope should send many thousands of men into hell no man may say unto him what doest thou hence he imposeth lawes on the consciences makes new articles of faith canoniseth bookes saintes images celebrates Iubilees sends forth innumerable indulgences or pardons for sinne emptieth purgatorie the which latter may not unfittly be applyed to this bottomlesse pit But in truth this key was given unto him by Satan that old serpent according to that of the Apostle The comming of Antichrist shall be after the working of Satan with all power c. 2 Thess 2.9 I confesse indeed that the first Bishop or pastor of the Christian Church at Rome received the key of the kingdom of heaven from Christ that is power to binde and loose the consciences of men according to the Law and Gospell But Satan contrarie hereunto gave unto the Pope this hellish key by which he hath thrust aside and made voyd Christs key And hence it is that the Pope hath two keyes crosswise in his ensignes Neverthelesse this came not to passe without Gods secret and unsearcheable judgement as the Apostle witnesseth 2 Thess 2. saying that the comming indeed of Antichrist is with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse Yet God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a ly because they received not the love of the truth Now this we must not understand onelie of a bare permission as if God did nothing but looke upon that which Satan Phocas Antichrist should doe but hee willingly granted this power unto him by his secret and righteous judgement that so both hee himself and all they might bee damned who beleeved not the truth Thus it is said also in v. 3. that power was given to the locusts to hurt men as the scorpions of the earth have power that is from their king the devill yet so as not without the ordering hand of God who wisely disposeth all things whither don by men or devils And thus in Chap. 13. v. 5.7.15 it is said that it was given to the beast to make warre with the Saintes to give life to the image of the beast c. Whence we may see how God righteously punisheth sinne with sinne in Antichrists kingdome And this thing we are to take notice of that so in the midst of these Antichristian confusions we may not look upon Antichrist and the devill onely but indeed cheifely consider and adore the presence and secret judgements of God But thou wilt say Rev. 1.18 20.1 how is the key of the bottomlesse pit which Christ hath given unto Antichrist I answer The difference how Christ and Antichrist are said to have the key of the bottomlesse pit Christ hath it one way Antichrist another Christ hath it truely and by right of his Godhead and mediation as beeing Lord of death and hell that he may redeem sinners out of the power thereof but Antichrist hath it falselie and by deceit as beeing
part of their armies opposing the Turks perished in warr Secondly the third part of Citizens were either slaine or caried into miserable bondage Wilhelmus Tyrius affirmeth that in the holie warre there were slaine by the Turkes two thousand times an hundred thousand in the space of a few yeeres But of Turkes not above an eleven hundred thousand Thirdly a third part if not more of Christian Churches were spoiled and overthrown by them take for example the flourishing Churches of Balestina Syria Aegypt Asia Armenia Thracia Pontus Mysia Bosnia c. where now Mahumetain blasphemies doe reigne hardly any thing of Christianitie there remaining To be short the third part of the provinces of the Christian world have been by them within these three hundred yeeres subjugated or laid wast Mahumet the first he alone tooke away two Empires foure kingdomes from Christians now in our time these enemies domineer farre and neere through all the sea coast of Africa Aegypt Arabia Babylon Mesopotamia and both countries of Armenia Palaestina Syria Asia Thracia Grecia So that in this vision Iohn saw the overthrow of Christian Emperours Bishops Churches citizens and souldiers which histories daily report make known unto us 19. For their power is in their mouth A probable reason of the foresaid slaughter is taked partly from the bloodthirstinesse and partly from the craftinesse of the enemies Their power that is facultie to hurt and kill is in their mouth and in their tailes that is they fight and hurt both forward and backward How they fight and kill with their mouths hath already been shewed viz. by fire smoake brimstone He shewes now how they hurt backward they have serpentlike tailes heads serpents have venome in their heads and tongues with which they bite poyson men This may bee understood in a twofold way eyther of the Turkes Tartars their manner of fighting who not beeing able to stand in fleeing shoot up their arrowes into the aire which falling eyther on the heads or horses of their persuers doe mortally wound them thus they kill behind them with their tailes Or els of the Turkes perfidiousnesse for as serpents fight subtilly so these doe not onely hurt by open force of armes but by deceit and treacherie For often times by laying in waite they have set upon Christians and given them mightie overthrowes Otherwhile they perfidiously breake their leagues and cessations of armes made with them And indeed the Turkish warre which hath continued these sixteen yeeres in Hungarie brake forth at first thorow their perfiousnesse Thus they have hurt the Christian world with their mouth with their tailes The third part of the Chapter A complaint of the impenitency of Christians after their punishments 20. And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands that they should not worship devils idols of gold silver brasse stone and of wood which neither can see not hear not walk 21. Neither repented they of their murthers nor of their sorceries nor of their fornication nor of their thefts THE COMMENTARIE 20 ANd the rest of men which were not killed The third part of the Chapter is a complainte against the brutish dulnesse of the rest of the Eastern Christians who repented not of those sinnes which had caused so many so great overthrowes unto their bretheren This is the summe The construction seems to bee defective The rest of men some understand shall likewise perish as beeing impenitent But Andreas well observes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither repented is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repented not and makes the construction plaine by a paraphrase And the rest of men not suffering these things remained impenitent But we are to consider who are the rest of men here spoken of and what the complaint against them is Lyra foolishly applies this to the Saxons and Thuringians Lyras ridiculous opinion who in the time of the schisme above mentioned fell out among themselves Such also are as much out of the way who understand the place of some infidels but who they name not worshipping Mercurie Mars Venus But questionles these are the rest of the Christians at lest so in name whom the enemies even now mentioned had not killed For what reason had Iohn to declare the slaughters of infidels seeing such things were shewed unto him by Christ as concerned the state and condition of the Church Alcasars frivolous glosse Alcasar therefore beates the aire in misapplying all these things unto the Iewes For without doubt as we said before here is meant not onely the rest of the Easterne Christians and other Provinces in subjection to Turks but also other Papistical Churches of the West as yet free from their yoake slavery For as the one so the other were horribly guilty of the evils here mentioned but chiefly indeed they in the West Five of the greater sort of sins are named of which their worshipping of idols or dovils is the fountaine or spring But what have Christians ever worshipped devils The idolatric of the Easterne Graecian Christians Tyrius lib. 3. cap. 11. Yes for so saith the text they worshipped devils idols the workes of their handes What workes Idols of gold silver and stone and wood which neither can see nor heare nor walke Now to adore idols is to worship and serve the devill as the Apostle witnesseth 1 Cor. 10.20 This overthrew the Eastern Grecian Churches who tooth and naile maintained the worship of idols and images and established the same by the second general Councill held at Nice but soon after the Graecians beeing thrust out the Turkes became masters of the towne making it the seat of their Empire against those of Constantinople It is true that the Christian Princes of the holy warre A remarkable judgement of God on idolatrie expelled againe Solyman the Turke out of the same place but they kept it not long for soon after he not onely regained it but at length vanguished the whole Empire of the Greekes Thus wee see what those of the East suffered because of their idolatrie Which neither see A description of Idols taken from Psal 115.5 against which what I pray you can either the Graecian or Italian idol worshippers justly object For the idols of Christians can no more heare see nor walke then did those of the Gentiles 21 Neither of their murthers Their other sinne is murther both attempted by the Graecian Emperours one against the other as histories testifie as also by otheir mens oppressing each other against all right and reason as if their had been no ruler over them which brought destruction upon this Empire Vnder one kind he comprehends all manner of injuries and oppression of the innocent in judgement Nor of their sorceries Their third evill is witchcraft wherunto they of the East were much addicted under this is comprehended all
events of the Church For it was written within and without as we heard Chap. 1.7 and Ezech. 2.10 This little booke Christ both opened and held open teaching us that as Iohn so all the teachers of the word must ask of Christ and receive out of his hand the doctrine of salvation which they are to propound unto the Church but not from the hand of Satan or Antichrist Now he exhibiteth a booke open because the holy scriptures doe open and manifestly set forth the mysteries of our salvation Thus we see the decrees of the Romish Antichrist the traditions of Popes and Councils the humane Philosophie and subtilties of Sophisters are to be quite banished out of the Church It is expressely added Of the Angel that stood upon the earth and sea that we might confidently rest on the power of Christ and acknowledge him alone to be the revealer of the heavenly truth and so desire nothing as necessarie to salvation but what we take out of his hand 9. Take it and eat it up This is the other commandement Bookes of paper or parchment are not to be eaten properly as not beeing fit food for man but they are said to be eaten up metaphorically when they are so carefully read and throughly taken notice of that we are able promptly to rehearse and discourse of the contents thereof So a man is said to have devoured Virgil Cicero who is fullie acquainted with them and hath them as it were by heart So Cicero called M. Cato a devourer of bookes because he was an insatiable reader Thus as the Prophet in Ezech. 3. so John here is commanded to eat up the booke he received of Christ that is well to understand and as it were hide the same in the bowels of his heart that so he might deliver no other doctrine unto the Church but what hee had received from Christ Now whether this booke were eaten up trulie or in a vision onely makes little to the purpose the latter is most probable For all these things were don by a vision Here the ministers of the word are taught earnestly to devoure or eat up the doctrine of salvation divinely written received from Christ that is diligently to read understand search meditate as it were to turne it even into their verie moisture blood For such onely can faithfully instruct the Church in the knowledge of the truth who after this manner meditate in the law of the Lord day night On the contrary their sluggishnesse is condemned who though they love to be called Bishops Archbishops Patriarchs of the Church yet in the mean while are little or nothing acquainted with the scriptures of God And it shall make thy belly bitter He preadmonisheth Iohn of a double effect of the booke sweet in the mouth bitter in the belly Sweet things are delightfull to the palate bitter things provoke to vomit Hereby signifying that one effect thereof should be sweet the other troublesome the nature whereof is expounded in the following verse He fore shewes it should be sweet to stir him up the more earnestly to eat up the booke he tels him also that it should be bitter that he might not afterward bee offended thereat but know that this bitternesse should bee recompensed with much sweetnesse Then I tooke the booke He shewes his readinesse in eating the book for neither the difficulty of the command nor the bitternesse of the book dishartens him shewing us that we are readily to submitt unto the command of God not to be dismayed at any hardships or difficulties whatsoever Now he ate the booke not really but in vision onely as I said before signifying that he most readily accepted the worke imposed upon him of which it followeth And it was sweet in my mouth Here the foresaid effects follow This booke being eaten was sweet in the mouth and bitter in the belly the first signifies the sweetnesse of the word as Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter then hony to my mouth Ierem. 15.16 Thy words were found I did eat them thy word was unto mee the joy rejoycing of myne heart This is the proper effect of the word it brings joy to the heart comfort to the conscience yea by how much faithfull teachers doe feel this sweetnesse by so much the more they preach the Gospell chearfully But the effect thereof is bitter by accident because the preaching of the word occasioneth most painefull grypings of the belly as the hatred of the world persecutions banishments martyrdomes This effect Christ foretold unto his disciples They shall put you out of their synagogues Ioh. 16.2 whosoever killeth you will thinke that he doth God service But what use was there to reveale this in a type unto John seeing it was long before plainely foretold in the written word It was altogether needfull considering that this bitternesse doth not properly denote the calamities already past under the four trumpets but to come in the end of the fift sixt under the kingdome of Antichrist the which we shall heare in the following Chapter namely the combats of the third Act of this Vision He foretold them therefore unto Iohn that he might not bee offended for he had already experience hereof beeing sent into exile by Domitian notwithstanding Christ doth not properly intend this here but praefigures in his person the future calamities of the witnesses of the truth 11. And hee said unto me To wit the former voyce from heaven Thou must againe prophesie This commandement is taken diversly Lyra thou must write downe more prophesies to wit those which follow in this booke But to write more things is not againe to prophesie c. Thomas Rupertus and some others understand it historically of Iohns beeing restored unto his Church as if he had said Thou must after the death of Domitian returne from Patmos the place of thy exile unto Ephesus and preach againe the Gospell or as if it were a promise of writing his Gospell after the Revelation The which Ribera refuteth This saith he I approve not of for to put prophesying in stead of preaching the Gospell is new which reason is not solid he adds another that seeing John was gifted with the fulnesse of the holy Ghost therefore he needed not to eat up the booke eyther for to preach or to write the Gospell wherefore he saith the sense is thus that although Iohn hitherto had prophesied many things concerning the last times notwithstanding there remained as yet many things of the same nature which he was to prophesie of against the gentiles c. The which is one with the opinion of Lyra which Alcasar also with his subtilties doth at last come unto But hee needed not to eat up the booke in this respect seeing before he had received a commandement to write the whole Revelation allthough I grant that Lyras opinion touching the promise of Iohns restitution is
4. 3. From the efficacie and authority of their office v. 5. 6. II. Their warre with the beast where 1. we have the description of the beast his hostile invasion and victorie ver 7. 2. The martyrdome of the prophets and place of reproach v. 7. 8. 9. 3. The joyes of the wicked for the slaughter of the prophets with the cause of this their great rejoycing vers 10. III. The avengement of the prophets where 1. we have their restoring to life vers 11. 2. The astonishment feare of the wicked ibid. 3. Their glorious ascending up into heaven v. 12. 4. The shaking and ruin of Antichrists kingdome IV. An acclamatory conclusion of the end of the Churches calamities of judgement at hand v. 14. The latter part the seventh trumpet sounding declares the change of the Churches warfare in three particulars 1. An heavenly triumph because the kingdomes of the world were become Gods and Christs ver 15. 2. A triumphant song of the first companie viz. of the four and twenty Elders whose reverend cariage gratulatorie hymne is recited in which 1. they give thankes to Christ for freeing his Church and kingdom from the tyrannie of the adversaries v. 17. 2. They declare the vain fretting wrath of the wicked hereat v. 18. 3. They proclaime the resurrection of the dead with the last judgement ibid. 4. They denounce rewards unto the godly and punishment unto the wicked ibid. The excecution of judgement on the godly ungodly To the godly heaven is opened that they might see Iesus Christ the Ark upon the wicked are sent lightnings thunders eternal haile The first part of the Chapter Of the reformation of the Church by the two witnesses under the Westerne Antichrist 1. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod and the Angel stood saying Rife and measure the Temple of God the Altar them that worship therein 2. But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles the holy City shall they tread under foot fourtie and two moneths 3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes clothed in sakcloth 4. These are the two Olive trees and the two candlestickes standing before the God of the earth 5. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies if any man will hurt them he must in this manner be killed 6. These have power to shut heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecie and have power over waters to turne them to blood and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shal make warre against them shall overcome them and kill them 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified 9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues nations shall see their dead bodies three dayes and an halfe shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth 11. And after three dayes and an halfe the Spirit of life from God entred into them they stood upon their feete great feare fell upon them which saw them THE COMMENTARIE ANd there was given mee a reed This is a generall prophesie touching the restoring of the Church beeing declyned under Antichrist Before Iohn was commanded againe to prophesie But now to measure the temple of God with a measuring reed that is to prophesie of the measuring of the temple of God which should be afterwards in the times of Antichrist The measuring of the temple is the reformation of the Church The measuring of the temple signifies the building repairing thereof as appeares if this prophesie bee compared with that in Ezech. 40.41 c. unto which this place doth allude The Temple of God signifies the Church as almost all interpreters both ancient moderne understand it and indeed the words here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temple of God are so taken 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Cor. 6.16 2 Thess 2.4 They who apply this to the temple of Jerusalem are refuted by the time it self for when these things were spoken unto John that temple with the city beeing utterly destroyed was never any more to be restored Lyra Lyras frivolous interpretation doting as his manner is applies it to the festivitie of the dedication of temples instituted by Pope Felix about the yeere 525. at which time the Bishop holding in his hand a sprinckling reed goes about the outward walles of the temple as if he were to measure the same and within on the floore from one corner thereof unto another he thwartwise writes downe the letters of the Greek alphabet and so measures the space within The words therefore Rise and measure he will have to be meant of Pope Felix speaking to every Bishop about the dedication of temples the court leave out or cast forth because masse may not be celebrated except the place be consecrated But I passe by these fopperies For Ribera and Alcasar themselves acknowledge that the Temple here signifies the Church of God Now let us see what instrument hee is to use what to doe with it wherefore and when First hee shewes the instrument A reed like unto a rod was given mee to wit by the Angel who before commanded him to eat up the booke and againe prophesie that is by Christ Ribera wel observeth that it was not a writing pen but a measuring reed because it is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like to a rod that is a great measuring staffe with which Architects use to mete plats of ground and buildings a measure of six cubites and a handbreth Ezech. 40.5 The Rod wherewith the Church is measured What is meant by the measuring rod of the Church is nothing else but the word of God the most perfect rule of faith and Church discipline Rupertus acknowledgeth it to be the authoritie of the Evangelical scripture So that this reed is indeed the same little booke which Christ gave unto John to eat it up the which is here againe delivered to him under the type of a reed or rule in regard of the measuring worke here enjoyned Thus also my Anonymus above 260 yeeres agoe The rod saith he is the sense of the scripture because as a rod of diverse colours it chastiseth sinners Rise and measure the Temple of God First he must measure the Temple Altar Worshippers therein Secondly leave or cast forth the inward court The reading of both is somewhat
righteousnesse then after they have known it to turn from the holy commandement delivered unto them 2 Pet. 2. But that which followes doth expresse the thing more clearly The holie city shall they tread under foot fourty two moneths He declares by an auxesis or amplification how the court is given as if he should say The holy city troden under foot by the Gentiles is the Church the court shall not onely be given unto the Gentiles but all the holy citie also shall be troden under foot by them Ribera againe rightly understands the holy citie to be the Church typed out by Ierusalem of old Moreover we are to observe that the Angel that is Christ who speaketh these things doth allude to his own words Luk. 12.24 Jerusalem shal be troden down by the Gentiles untill the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled foreshewing the besieging taking overthrowing of the city temple by the Romans so that to tread under foot is to fal upon wast destroy in a hostile manner as was done unto Ierusalem not long before by Titus Vespasian Now like as Ierusalem was a type of the Christian Church so the treading down of Ierusalem by the Romans was a type that the Church also should be troden under foote by the same nation For Rome as it was of Ierusalem so shal it be the calamity destruction of the Church What cā be said more clearly then this that the Church shal be possessed troden down laid wast by the Romish Antichrist his adherents So then these words viz. the Romaine Gentiles shall tread the holy citie under foot agrees to that of the Apostle The man of sin Antichrist shall sit in the temple of God that is he shall suppresse the Romish Church by tyranny proudly boasting himself to bee as God the head universal monarch But when how long Fourty and two moneths here is wisdome It is manifest by the consent almost of all interpreters that the time of Antichrists persecution is hereby set forth But what time how long it is to continue or how to determine either of the beginning or ending thereof is obscure both unto mee other interpreters and happily it is beyond the reach of man For it pleaseth the spirit that we should rather still be searching into some things which concerne the times then certainly to know them as Christ intimated unto his disciples Act. 1.7 It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the father hath put in his own power However I will recite the chiefe opinions of learned men The first is of some Ancients brought in by the authority of the Pope which Caesariensis followeth so doe generally al the Papists to this day viz that fourty two moneths are astronomicall moneths making three Aegyptian yeeres and an halfe whence arose that received poopish opinion that Antichrist should onely reigne three yeeres and an halfe This they collected out of Daniel Chap. 7.25 And they shal be given into his hand untill a time and times the dividing of time And Chap. 12.7 where the Angel sweareth that all these thinges shall bee finished at a time times halfe a time The which division of time is also assigned unto the Church banished in the wildernesse Reve. 12.14 of which we will speake in its place Now they make the three yeeres an half to bee the time immediatelie going before the end of the world Lib. 3. de P. R. c. 17. because Antichrist as Bellarmin affirmeth shal be slaine by the Iewes before the fourth yeere be ended then fourty five dayes after Christ shal come to judgment Now hence they seeke to establish two things I. that Antichrist is not yet come into the world II. And so consequently the Pope of Rome is not he ibid. cap. 8. For Antichrist saith Bellarmin in his V demonstration shall onely reigne three yeeres and an halfe But the Pope hath already spiritually reigned in the Church above fifteen hundred yeeres and more then five hundred temporally neither can any one be noted or accounted to be Antichrist unlesse he hath precisely reigned three yeeres and an half Therefore the Pope is not Antichrist neither is he as yet come But to speak nothing of the most false assumption of this ridiculous demonstration it is certaine that the Romane Bishops before Constantines time were so far from raigning spiritually much lesse temporally in the Church as on the contrary they all suffered martyrdom for the sake of Christ True it is Sylvesters successours many times affected the primacy but were continually suppressed by their fellow Bishops untill that Boniface the third many labouring but in vaine to hinder it was by the authority of Phocas the Emperour set on the chaire of universall pestilence The fiction of the 42 astronomical moneths refuted To let these things I say passe for the present the proposition which is taken from this place of the Revelation is altogether false because that Popish opinion touching the 42 astronomicall moneths of Antichristian persecution is contradictorie both to it self and the holy scriptures It consists not with its self because the things which they faine that their Antichrist shall effect are as impossible to be don in the space of three yeeres and a halfe as for a snaile in three dayes to creep over the whole earth he must be acknowledged by the Iewish nation dispersed throughout the earth for the Messias he must sit in the temple of Ierusalem which for so many ages hath lyen wast under a horrible destruction moreover he must kill three kings of Egypt Lybia and Ethiopia and subdue seven other princes he must repaire the ruins of Rome burnt by those ten kings and chasing the Pope from thence sit there as Monarch persecute and blot Christian religion quite out of the world to be short bring the Church and the Empire of the whole world under him c. Who I pray you except he were a mad man would imagine that all these things should bee possibly accomplished in four whole yeeres What for messengers thinke ye shall Antichrist have to send abroad who so suddenly shall tell and perswade the Iewes dispersed over the face of the whole earth of the comming of their Messias The temple forsooth shall be built againe in three dayes the which Solomon having all manner of materials prepared to his hand could not finish in seven yeeres nor Zerubbabel scarsly rebuild in fourty six yeeres Yea this Antichrist hardly of four yeeres standing shall expell the Turk out of Syria the Persian out of the East C ham out of the South Prester John out of all the North. What can be imagined more frivolous shall the Emperours and Christian kings be fallen into such a dead sleep as altogether in a moment to be suppressed by one man Will the Pope with his Cardinals watch no better but suffer Catholick Rome to fall to Paganisme shall
your reward in heaven saith Christ Matt. 5.12 And great fear shall fall upon them He rehearseth sixe kindes of effects touching the enemies First 1 The feare of the adversaries a great fear fell on them On whom Vpon the beholders A paraphrase of the adversaries before they beheld the dead witnesses with delight but suddenly they shall tremble at their vivification What is the cause of this great fear because they shall feele but to late that they warred not with poore man but with God himselfe And therefore they shall stand in fear of their kingdome treasures praebends and kitchins They shall dread the judgement of God but not escape it This is wonderfull in our eyes The wicked when they most rage do then tremble are forced even to fear them whom they prosecute with all manner of hatred Thus the Scribes persecuting Christ were afraid Ioh. 11.47 What shall we doe for this man doth many miracles If we let him thus alone all men will beleeve on him and the Romanes shall come c. Thus likewise the chiefe Priests feared the Apostles whoÌ„ they persecuted What shall we doe say they to these men for that indeed a notable miracle hath been don by them is manifest neither can we denie it c. Thus therefore howsoever convinced in their consciences yet they beleeve not the Gospel but hate it the more by how much they are affraid because they see that their lyes and impostures are discovered and confuted by the truth and light of the Gospel Therfore why should we feare the Antichristians who though they seem outwardly to carie forth the matter with a high spirit yet inwardly they tremble and are tormented with the wound of an evill conscience Now such fears are not prolonged For what the wicked fear that comes suddenly upon them And their enemies beheld them The second effect of the witnesses glorification The astonishment of the adversaries is the astonishment of their enemies For seeing them restored from death to life and their reproach turned into glory they stand amazed alluding as some thinke to that in Wisd 5.1 The just man shall stand with great boldnesse before the wicked who seeing it shall be troubled with terrible feare and shall be amazed at the strangenesse of his salvation saying is this he whom we had sometimes in derision and a proverb of reproach How is he numbred with the children of God and his lot is among the Saintes Thus the wicked shall see Christ whom they have crucified with amazement because beeing convicted of their ungodlines and confounded with shame they shall feel his revenging hand Hitherto the Romish Antichrists have seen the martyrs whom they burnt at Constance to be againe restored to life in Luther Melanchthon Martyr Calvin They see them with amazement at this day glorified in their doctrine the which is both lifted up they in vain resisting the same and dayly propagated far and neere to the honour and glory of God through diverse provinces of the Christian world 13. And there was a great earthquake the same hour The third fourth and fift effects doe shew the great destruction which Antichrists kingdome receiveth by the restauration of the witnesses as also declare the cause of the feare and trembling of the wicked They are afraid least that should come to passe which already is viz. that the prophesying beeing renued a ruin should befal their kingdom as it is at this day The same houre Some copies have it the same day to wit the witnesses were vindicated that is a little after the witnesses were suppressed by Antichrist God restored them again A great earthquake In Chap. 6.12 at the opening the sixt seal Antichrist raysed a great earthquake against Christ A great earthquake when Pope Boniface the third being declared VNIVERSAL Bishop of the Church by Phocas the tyrant caused an horrible shakeing of the Christian world by bringing all Bishops and Churches under his yoak For thereupon followed an universall change and miserable deformitie of the Church But in the last times Christ likewise will raise a great earthquake against Antichrist when by the preaching of the Gospell he shall so shake his kingdome as that it shall totter and come to ruin howbeit he had by his deceit and tyrannie formerly so established it as if it had been invincible To this earthquake appertaine the seditions warres tumults disputations alterations of opinions great contentions raised up about religion throughout the whole Papacie after the restitution of the Gospel And indeed suddenly after the Councill at Constance an earthquake grievously shooke the Papacy For the Bohemians to revenge the cruel death of their two witnesses fell in a hostile manner upon the Popish Clergy suppressing the armies of the Empire sent against them and obtained many singular victories over their adversaries It is true the earthquake ceased a little while after the Councill of Basil by the COMPACTATA as they called them graunted unto the Bohemians But not long after by the preaching of Luther in Saxonie of Zwinglius in Helvetia of Viret in France there followed a more grievous shaking accomplishing that which here followeth And the tenth part of the great citie fell This Ribera purposely passeth by The ruin of the tenth part of the city for he would not expound that which evideÌ„tly happened unto the Papacy by the preaching of the Gospel For the great city is the kingdome of the Romane Antichrist wherof Rome Babylon Sodome is the head the which indeed was not wholy overthrown by the preaching of Luther other ministers of the Gospell but the tenth part thereof fell that is the jurisdiction religion and tyranny of the Pope was much diminished through Germany together with his revenues annuities Commendums holy tribute For Germany by embracing the Gospel returned from Antichrist to Christ hence worthily is accounted the tenth paâ—â— of the great city But thou wilt say Germany is not wholy fallen off from the Pope For it yet hath very many Archbishops Bishops others of the hierarchy sworn Vassals of Antichrist What then seing som other whole kingdoms as Great Brittain Denmarck Sweden or in part as France Poland Pannonia have supplyed that defect by rejecting the Pope and embracing the faith These things are so cleare as that they cannot be denyed The fift effect followeth Alcasar here understands this great earthquacke to be the conversion of Ierusalem unto the faith But indeed he rightly laughs at the fiction of the ruin of the tenth part thereof at Antichrists comming And there were slaine seven thousand names of men Names are here put The slaughter of Antichristian for persons as Chap. 3.4 A definite number for a great many for the number seven is perfect as in the history of Elias God saith he had reserved to himself seven thousand who had not bowed their knees to Baal that is very many Now these names are the Antichristian
in the world after he was once thrust out of heaven But this is a prophetical threatning of other plots at hand by which not long after this revelation he should bring to destruction all the inhabitants of the earth and sea through out the Christian world as wholy given to all manner of superstition by Antichrists meanes Seeing therefore by what hath been spoken and hereafter more shall be it appeareth that the darknesse and calamities of Antichrist came into the world about the yeere of our Lord 606. this Wo is altogether to be referred unto that time Brightman consents that the inhabitants of the earth are all sorts of wicked men hypocritically professing Christianitie viz. all the inhabiters of Antichrists kingdome But by the inhabitants of the sea he understands the clergie men who broach grosse troubled and saltish doctrine to their counterfaite Christians which indeed produceth hypocrisie in them but at last gnawes their entralls and bereaves them of understanding Full of great wrath They foretell Satans furie by which he should introduce Antichrists spiritual and secular power into the Christian world establishing his kingdome to the destruction of infinite sowles Because he knoweth The cause of this his great furie is the shortnes of time allotted him to rage in or immunitie from the eternall torments of hell to which he knowes himself to be ordained And therefore he will make up the the brevitie of the time with unwearied indeavour of doing mischief not letting passe a moment without satisfying his poysoned lust on the miserable inhabitants of the earth But thou wilt say whence doth he know that his time is short seeing no man knowes the day of judgement but God Vndoubtedlie he knowes it by the signes foreshewing the same to be at hand and by conjectures which are secret to us seeing he is a spirit of quick and deepe apprehension But how is the time short it having continued more then a thousand yeeres How this time is said to be short Ribera restraines it to the last four yeeres of his supposed Antichrist But if it were so not onely the devil but men of the weakest capacitie might know the day of judgement aforehand But this is manifestly false for the Beast was not as yet ascended out of the sea and earth The Dragon had not as yet seduced the world by the Beast and fals Prophet when he should be cast down to the earth So then the time of Antichristian persecution which was to continew more then a thousand yeeres is said to be short for the consolation of the godly that they might know that the Dragons rage should have an end short also in respect of the time that was past before Antichrist was revealed 1 Ioh. 2.18 1 Cor. 10.11 like as the time of the new Testament though long in it self yet is called the last houre and the ends of the world 13. And when the Dragon saw The things we heard before touching the deliverie of the woman the warre of Michael and the ruin of the Dragon represented the state of the Church from the first birth therof unto Constantines time and were the first part of the first and second Act. Now followes the latter member of both the said Acts containing new combats and comforts of the Church belonging unto the three hundred yeeres from Constantine untill the rising of Antichrist Then the Church seemed to be in a safe haven beeing freed of outward persecutors and having obtained Christian Emperours But as histories witnes no lesse stormes befell her then before For she falling to hypocrisie and abounding in securitie idlenesse wealth luxuriousnes and ambition soon begane by hom-bred dissentions to consume herself and to hold forth the faith not in the heart but in Creeds and papers depraving the doctrine of grace by philosophical subtilties and to heap up without measure humane traditions bringing in the rites and idols of Pagans in a word under the name of Christ to follow heathenisme and deny Christ Then sincerity betooke it self to Eagles wings and fled into the desert out of the sight of men but whatever was hypocritical and Antichristian gott the upper hand And he persecuted the woman Here followes a new assault of the Dragon against the woman The second assault of the warre now what it was and when is to be considered The time wil declare the persecution which is signified two manner of wayes First on the Dragons part secondly on the womans part The Dragon is said to assault the woman after he saw that he was cast unto the earth Now we have shewed that spiritually he was thrust out of heaven soon after the death and exaltation of Christ but allegoricallie when Constantine came to the Empire who overthrew Maxentius Maximinus and Licinius beeing the heads of the Dragon Then the Dragon begane to plot new mischief against the woman The adjunct also of the woman shewes the time who brought forth the man-child The persecution therefore begane after the woman was delivered Her bringing forth was the time of sorrowes and persecutions under the tyrannical Iewes Romanes For a woman saith Christ when she is in travell hath sorrow because her houre is come To retaine therefore the sense of the prophesie Ioh. 16.11 it is thus after that the Church had brought forth a man-child that is had gotten Constantine to defend her a new calamity more pernicious then the former befell her The occasion whereof was partly the overmuch bounty of Constantine towards the Bishops and Churches The occasion of a new persecution Partly also his and some of his successours their inconstancie For by the perswasion of ambitious Bishops he built at Rome to his great cost statelie and sumptuous palaces he gifted the Churches with revenues lands and princelike treasures he honoured the Bishops as gods and such as none might judge inriching them with excessive gifts which made them insolent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vita Silvestri for fulnes breeds pride especiallie he was lavish towards the Bishop of Rome on whose head if Platina lie not he set a mitre beset with gold and precious stones he built a royal Temple named first Equitium of the Knighthood then Lateranensis afterwards Peters at last Pauls and Agnets two also at Constantinople One called the temple of Peace the other of the Apostles furnished rather with Persian then Christian ornaments bestowing on them vessels of silver gold and large rents Why Constantine was called Nepos insomuch for his immoderate prodigalitie he was commonly called Nepos which signifies a spendthrift or a riotous person In the first tenne yeeres of his reigne he was called CONSTANTINVS THE GREAT because of his victories The ten yeers after Latro a robber because of his crueltie to his children and friends The last ten yeeres of his reign for he reigned 30 yeers in all Pupillus a pupil because of his prodigalitie as Bapt. Egnatius recordeth These things ministred an occasion
both himself and others by his idle and foolish reasons Jt is apparent saith he that the Popes authority is founded stablished and erected by Christ our Lord. As if forsooth whatsoever seemes right and apparent to them must needs be true certain What I pray you is more apparent then that the Priesthood of Aaron was appointed of God And yet was not Cayphas the high Priest his Successour a wicked murtherer of Christ Besides the ancient Bishops of Rome were not guilty of that filthinesse and corruption with which afterward the succeeding Popes having invaded the Chaire of universall pestilence defiled the sea of Rome Further he feigneth that if the Popes of Rome be this Beast then the Divel made war against the Church by the ministery of the Romish Popes immediately when the Iews ceasing the Gentiles became the Church But the consequence which he supposeth is false viz. that the transferring of the Church unto the Gentiles is not described till in Ch. 12. for what was the treading down of the holy city by the Gentiles before treated of in Ch. 11 Wherefore it certainly follows that the Romane Popes by the instigation of the Dragon made war against the Church troaden down by the Gentiles that is as Ribera interprets it by Antichrist and his ministers But saith he it is altogether improbable that the Revelation should omit to mention that most cruel war by which the idolatrous Romane Emperors oppressed the Christian Church together with that most glorious victory wherein the Church obtained notwithstanding the persecution of the Romane Empire I confesse it is improbable But Alcasar might have learned from the foregoing war of Michael with the Dragon that neither this war was omitted nor the victory passed by in silence if he would wipe off from his eyes the disease occasioned by his own foolish consequence Fourthly he objects that the fourth Beast in Daniel figures out not the Pope but the heathen Romane Empire But this hath been answered in what we spake unto the first opinion Lastly he saith that the descriptiō of the Sea beast cannot but with contradiction be applyed unto the Pope But the reason thereof is because he disdaines out of a Spanish pride Alcasar strongly refutes the hereticks by hear-say to read what hath been published hereabout by the authours of the said opinion for this subtile man acknowledgeth that he knows nothing but by heare-say and refutes the hereticks by the report he hath heard But he should have learned rather to believe his eyes then eares and so doing he would have made the better application Thus I have expounded the most probable opinions of others touching this Sea-Beast Now for my own part The authors opinion I conceive that neither the first touching the Romane Empire nor the third concerning the Romane Antichrist is simply to be approved or disproved but that in a certain sence both are to be joyned together First therefore I take it undoubtedly seeing it is usuall to the Prophets under the type of a Beast enigmatically to figure out Empires and Monarchicall kingdoms because of their violence cruelty and other horrible excesse that by this Beast is also noted some certain Monarchicall Empire Secondly I suppose the thing it self makes it clear as in its place shall be shewed that this and the seven headed beast mentioned Cha. 17. is one and the same and that the seven mountaines signifie Rome Thirdly I affirme with the foresaid interpreters that this Beast as hath been even now proved signifies Antichrist Fourthly Lib. 8 in Apoc. Bel. lib. de R. P. C. 25. with Rupertus Bellarmin I judge that the same Antichrist in a diverse regard is figured out by both Beasts The Beast saith Rupertus is said to be twofold because of his double viz. warlike or Kingly and magicall force Or as Bellarmin By the one Antichrist is expressed in regard of his kingly power and tyranny But by the other in regard of his magicall art by which he subtilly seduceth men More rightly according to Revel cha 13. by one is meant his tyranny by the other his deceit and seducing for which cause afterward he is often called a false prophet And so ch 17. he is again represented by this Beast as a Monarch and by the woman riding thereon as a Queen or seducing Church Fiftly I conclude that Antichrist is figured out by a double beast and by his twofold rising out of the sea earth as it were living on the land sea having two bodies two shapes a twofold nature in a certain likenes to Christ here indeed as a secular Monarch and ecclesiasticall seducer but afterward as the Romane Monarch and adulterous Church Sixtly I conclude that neither the old nor the new Romane Empire simply nor the Romish prelateship is absolutely represented by this beast for absolutely neither the one nor other is Antichrist but that Romane Pontificall Empire and authority which the Popes of Rome have exercised these many ages Lastly I conclude that this double bodied and faced Antichrist living both on the land and sea signified by both the beasts is none other but the Romish Pope clothed with the spoiles of the Romane Monarchie and pretended Vicarship of Christ and armed with the sword of Paul and key of Peter that is with both powers The Temporall to set up and put downe Emperours and Kings c. The Spirituall to give Lawes both to them in heaven on earth and under the earth that Antichrist I say who first under the figure of a Sea-beast presently after under the figure of a land-beast doth here come forth on the theatre who one while is cloathed in his pontificals an other while comes armed into the councell with imperiall ensignes saying I am Caesar This is my opinion of Antichrist who is here so evidently figured out by the seven-headed beast and fained likenesse to the Lamb and afterward Chap. 17. by the seven-headed beast and woman riding thereon that no man unlesse he willingly shut his eyes against the light cannot but perceive the same This light our method brings to al who without it are in darknes the which henceforward we will labour to illustrate by our interpretation unto Gods glory But thou wilt say See Ver. 18 wherfore then doth not John expressely name the Pope or Antichrist because here he stands not in the place of a teacher but of a Prophet Teachers indeed are to expresse things plainly but Prophets foretelling things to come especially of dangerous consequence set them forth under dark and obscure types hereby to stir men up to the more diligent searching out of the events and to shun unnecessary displeasure Iohn in his Epistles where he onely teacheth and exhorteth the Church often names Antichrist and bids us avoid him But here as a Prophet he paints out his person and kingdome under the type of a Beast and thence would have us to judge of the mystery thereof So Paul Prophesying
and terrible not much unlike unto the Dragon He hath seven heads Therefore he is a monster and not unlike to the Poets Hydra Lernea A naturall beast hath but one head Antichrists kingdom therefore is monstrous and unnatural having Emperors and Kings lying under its feet It hath also ten hornes like to the Dragon Wherein the beast differeth from the Dragon yet differing from the Dragon for the Dragon had seven crowns upon his heads but the Beast weares his ten crownes on his hornes and on his heads the name of blasphemie being in his spotted skin like to a Leopard in his feet to a Beare in mouth to a Lyon all which the Dragon had not What is meant by the heads and hornes we need not here labour to expound Hornes by an Hebraisme very usually signifie strength because the strength of horned Beasts is in their head and hence are called Cornupite strikers with the horne The Angel Rev. 17.10 teacheth us that the seven heads are seven Kings and the seven mountaines of Rome and the ten hornes so many Kings and therefore for the present I purpose to speak no more about them But let us carefully take notice of the gradation which the spirit useth first he named the Beast Chap. 11.7 Here he disciphers him out and in Chap. 17. gives the interpretation thereof And upon his heads the name of blasphemie The Kings Edition of Montanus for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 name Antichrists kingdome holy in title but really worldly hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 names Afterward in Chap. 17.5 the woman sitting on the Beast hath on her forehead a name written Mysterie by both signes noting the same thing because there shall be a mystery in her secret blasphemies and the kingdom of the Beast being indeed secular shal mystically be called Sacred Therefore the Beast himselfe shall not weare his crownes on his heads but set them on his hornes to wit the Kings being his vassals but in stead of them he shall have on his head written mystery that is his mysticall or spirituall kingdom shall be in shew employed about holy things as doctrines lawes traditions religions sacrifices and worship Blaspemie is rayling against God What blasphemy is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 babling or dissolute and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fame or name and reputation or as others will have it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were a hurting of the reputation and name This he shall have in his forehead not by open profession for he would not be accounted a blasphemer but in works and in very deed as bringing in and defending blasphemous doctrines religion and worship Yet he will cloak the same with the name of Mysterie as being divine and holy worship instituted by the fulnesse of his power as if he could not erre Therefore his pretended title shall be mystery but his true title blasphemie 2 And the Beast which J saw here follows the rest of his description being monstrously compounded of a Leopard Beare and a Lyon three most cruell wilde Beasts It is a manifest allusion unto the Beasts in Daniel the first whereof being a Lyon represented the Babylonish Empire the second a Beare the Persian the third a Leopard the Macedonian the fourth having no name was more terrible then the rest to whom this Beast seems to answer as having something of the nature and property of the three former The which mixture denotes the monstrous disposition of Antichrist because he shall be as mercilesse to the servants of Christ as Beares Lyons and Leopards are to flocks of sheep Like to a Leopard The Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a she Leopard For this beast is called a Woman although it hath the outward forme of a man The she-Leopard hath a skin speckled giving forth an odoriferous smell being swift subtile and most hurtful to man It signifies first that Antichrists kingdom is spotted and garnished with diverse colours And indeed his policie state is as it were a mingle-mangle of diverse heresies superstitions idols traditions parched together of the spots of Iudaisme Paganisme Christianisme hence their whole hierarchie consists of diverse and different colours of religions sects Monks Clergiemen even from their Arch-flammins unto the Porter or Sexton yea the whole hide is spotted with heresies errours superstitions and blasphemies Secondly it is very odoriferous for by the sweet smelling enticement of dignities superfluities honour wealth and pleasure it hath so allured the Christian world as no man but would desire the voluptuous life of Clergiemen as if they were gods Furthermore it is most crafty for through subtilty and under a shew of piety by feined wonders lying signes superstitious impostures or seeming pious deceits he hath gotten the dominion and riches of the world It is also most swift for after that the Christian world was once perswaded that Rome was the seat of Peter the Prince of Apostles the Pope Christs Vicar and Apostolicall heire of Peter and universall Bishop c. it cannot be spoken with what swiftnesse this Apostolicall sea not onely subjected unto it all the Bishops and Churches of the west but also Emperours themselves Kings Princes Common-wealths and communities were brought under that yoke To be short it is most hurtfull to the eyes of men to their purses I say estates and soules which hitherto Rome hath with no lesse perill ravished devoured and destroyed then if a Leopard had fixt his nayles into the eyes of a man And his feet as the feet of a Beare the Beares feet denotes the stability of his kingdom for the feet of a Beare are flat large and having sharp nayles which he fixeth in the ground and therefore goes and stands the firmer so Antichrists kingdome hath large feet insomuch as it cannot easily be shaken The feet are Grants of Emperours the Canons of Councils and Decrees of Popes against which whosoever doth but mutter he is presently crushed with the Beares feet witnesse the Histories of the Ottoes Henries and Fredericks Emperours who if at any time they assayed to bridle the insolencie of the Beast were soon smitten with the Capitoline thunder and deposed from the Empire Not to speak of others of lower rank thus then the Beast stood with the feet of a Beare And his mouth as the mouth of a Lion A Lyon is a generous creature but the Beast hath nothing of a Lion save the mouth being terrible and roaring and of a horrible devouring nature and what I pray you is more outragious then the Papacie For Quic quid non possidet armis religione tenet What he by armes cannot get Doth by religion hold fast it What is more terrible then the Pope whose footsteps are adored by Kings and Emperours What is more devouring then Rome into whose Courts there are brought great summes of money for all flagitious facts and vile wickednesse committed wheresoever where no Priesthood is given to any but the first revenues must
John Husse and Jerome of Prage the two witnesses of the Gospel to be burnt and displacing the three Antipopes Gregory Benedict and Iohn it substituted Martin V. and so the deadly wound of the Beast was at length as it were healed by a divine Aesculapius or Chirurgion one onely Pope being againe set on the Romish Chaire Notwithstanding the ulcer burst forth in divers places first in Spaine and France for Benedict XIII dying Anno 1424. the Cardinals by his commandement and authority of King Alphonsus created Aegidius Munyos a Canonist named Pope Clement VIII Afterward in Bohemia where in the Hussian warres it is wonderfull to consider how much Christian blood was shed for the wound of the Beast untill at last Pope Martin regaining the favour of Alphonsus Aegidius was forced at the commandement of the King to lay down his Popedom And to the Bohemians the Councill of Basil permitted marriage to their Priests to have the Liturgie in the vulgar tongue the use of the Cup in the Eucharist and some other things which they called Compactata on this condition that they should acknowledge the Romane beast to be head of the Church Now I suppose there is no man but sees that these things do very wel suite with this prophesie touching the deadly wound and healing of the Beast Notwithstanding I leave it to the judgement of the Reader for whose sake I here briefly set down a rype of the Antipopes during the wound of that scisme ANTIPOPES During the schismaticall vvound of the Romane Beasts At Avinion  At Rome Clement VII dieth Anno 1392.  Vrban VI. dieth 1390. Benedict XIII deposed at Pise 1410. and at Constance 1417.  Boniface 9. dieth 1404.  Innocent VII dieth 1407 Gregory XII deposed at Pise 1410. and at Constance 1415. Alexander V. dieth 1411 Clement VIII giving place to Martine at Constance 1421.  Iohn XXII deposed at Constance 1415. Martine V. created Pope at Constance 1417. But if so be we are to understand the wound and the healing thereof in the latter sence Alphonsus his opinion touching the deadly wound of the Beast then I should altogether embrace the opinion of Alphonsus Mantuanus a learned Italian Interpreter One of the Beasts heads saith he as it were wounded to death seemes to me to denote that age of impiety in which the Gospell began to be preached and the Popish kingdom opposed through the ministery of the Gospell and the abomination thereof so manifested as it is even known to the ignorant themselves that the Pope who hath on his heads written names of blasphemy is the Beast and a most wretched man who presumes to be esteemed a god For then the Beast was seen to have received a deadly wound when those impious doctrines by which hitherto the Popes kingdome hath remained in its strength were reproved as meere lyes and Diabolicall deceits by the free preaching of the Gospell of Christ. Thus far he By the mortall wound of the Beast therefore he understands the separation of the Professours of the Gospell from Popery whence first a deadly disease befell the Papists in Germany and soon after in the neighbouring Kingdoms of France Poland Hungary and England Like as the ach of a wound ordinarily is irksome to the parts adjoyning This wound could not be inflicted on this powerfull Beast but by God himself who at last taking compassion on Germanie confounded the deceits of Rome by raysing up Anno 1516. Luther Melancthon and other excellent Divines as the instruments and organes of his grace and favour The sword wounding the Beast was the preaching of the Gospell by which in a short space the props of Popery were so sore shaken throughout Germany as it was not far from an utter ruine Notwithstanding our sins so deserving we see this wound now healed the Papacie again prevailing and reassuming her strength and vigour But by what medicines or potions This is cleared by Histories And as Alphonsus well writeth this deadly stroke began to be healed When the Kings and Princes of the earth began through fire and sword to force men unto the Popes obedience To this end was raised the Smalcaldick war against the Protestants The wars of the Spaniard in the Low-countries and the Massacres in France that the mortall stroke of the Beast might be healed But the false prophet ver 11. seems to have made the true medicine The Beasts Chyrurgians by his Chyrurgians Campegius Caietane Polus Faber Prierates Eckius Latomus Staphylus and the like Physicians who excelling in art fraud and sophistrie have held up the tottering state of the Papacy Notwithstanding the Councill of Trent acted the part of chiefe Physicians as applying with great skill wonderfull potions for to heal this wound To these we may adde the Popish Academies and especially that of the Sorbonnists at Paris The last are the jugling Iesuites by whose industrie boldnesse and craft the Head of the Beast is daily more and more restored to its former health And I could wish that the unhappy contentions of the Professours of the Gospell were not as oyle and wine powred into this wound for I verily believe that our own dissentions have more strengthened the Beast then all his own force and policy whatsoever Thus much concerning the wound and the healing thereof And all the whole earth wondred after the Beast First I desire the reader to take notice of the anticipation even now laid down For we are not to think that the world admired not the Beast till he was wounded and healed again for the Beast never was without his followers and people wondring at his throne and great power and therefore by way of a parenthesis the stroke and cure was spoken of before which came to passe afterward Now the authority of the Beast and the besotted stupidity of men to worship him doth immediately cohere with his seat and great power for although this be not so plaine in the verse yet is it clear by the following For wherefore is the Beast so much wondred at was it because he was healed certainly it is a matter of no great admiration that a wound should be cured by a Chyrurgian and therefore this cure could not be the cause of so great an admiration as the Glosse imagineth in applying it to the feined death and resurrection of Antichrist the which thing even the chiefest of the Iesuites are ashamed of The true cause of the worlds wondring is the seat and great power given to the Beast by the Dragon as we shall see in the following verse for as the Philosopher saith admiration begets Philosophie so here the worlds admiring the Beast Aristot lib. 1. Metap c. 2. begets Antichristianisme At first men admiring the Keyes and pretended seat of Peter together with the majestie of ancient Rome did easily attribute to the Romane bishop primacie of honour and agreed that every Church should bring their cases to the Church of Rome because of
an ill speaking mouth Great things blasphemies is put for great blasphemies which are rehearsed v. 6. Here observe that the little horn also Dan. 7. v. 8.20 hath a mouth speaking great things whence it is conjectured that by it Antichrist is shadowed out specially seeing the three following things are also attributed to him as blasphemies against the highest warre with the saints and the time of his rage to be XLII moneths vers 25. Historically indeed that horne seemes to be Antiochus the scourge of the Iewes but Mystically it figured Antichrist For as Antiochus afflicted the Iewish Church so doth Antichrist the Christian Thus we see that the old this new prophesie excellentlie agree both in phrases deeds and illustrate one the other And power was given him to do The first part of his power we have heard now follows the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power of doing The OLD VERSION TO DO OR MAKE some copies adde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 warre which seems to be taken from v. 7. The sense is all one yet it is better to take it absolutely of making but is not making here put for sacrificing I wonder our Sophisters have not observed this that so they might make the beast a sacrificer or masse-priest But TO DO here is put for to rage and destroy according to his pleasure This is given him by the Dragon God permitting the same yet holding the bridle in the midst of the beasts rage And that we might not imagine the beasts fury to be absolute a term is prefixed unto him for the comfort of the godly Fourty two moneths his rage shall continue long but not alwaies What is meant by these moneths I have shewed on Chap 11. ver 2. The Gentiles shall tread down the holy city XLII moneths The time is the same because the History both there and here is all one so that the treading down of the city by the Gentiles is this very rage of the Beast here being to endure XLII moneths and it will clearly appeare by the sixt Vision treating of the destruction of the Whore and Beast that these moneths took their beginning at the Beasts ascention out of the bottomlesse pit and are now for the most part expired 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemie The usurpation of his power followeth both by his mouth in this verse as also in action in the following He opened his mouth in blasphemie that is he began to blaspheme in a horrible manner These are the great things which were given to the Beast to vomit out with open mouth that is publikely and in the very height of pride and malapertnesse Now what are these but those great priviledges the Romish Beast boasteth of as that he is in Gods stead yea a god and Christs Vicar on earth Peters successour having alone the Keyes of Heaven that he is the invincible Monarch of the Christian world the Prince of Bishops the head and spouse of the Church the King of Kings the Lord of heaven earth and hell the alone interpreter of the holy Scriptures chiefe Judge of all religion having all laws and mysteries lockt up in his breast the chiefe decider of the Catholike faith judgeing all men but to be judged of none to whom none may say though he lead thousands of soules with him into hell My Lord the Pope why dost thou so to whom is given all power in heaven and in earth who opens and no man shuts shuts no man opens who loosing no man bindes and binding no man looseth forgiving iniquities taking away the sins of the world with many other blasphemies which proceed out of his lascivious mouth But distinctly or in particular the bent of his blasphemies are against God his name his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven Now to shew again how he blasphemeth God and his name It is by doing that which the Apostle foretold of Antichrist and which we see the Pope of Rome to do even at this day viz. he opposeth and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God for he arrogates to himself the name and honour of God suffereth his Clawbacks to cry out Who is like unto the Beast Who is able to make war with him he challengeth to himselfe all the rights and works of God that he can create God make some thing of nothing make the word of God that he cannot erre that his decrees are of like certainty and authority with the divine Scriptures that it is of necessity to salvation to be subject unto him that it belongs to him to give the kingdoms of the world to set up depose Kings as he lifteth c. All which things if the Pope doth what is left for God Is not this blasphemie against God his name The tabernacle of God is the Church in which God dwelleth this he also blasphemeth for he falsly affirmes himself to be the Head Bridegrom and Lord therof tyrannically oppresseth and infects her by the poison of wicked doctrine seduceth and as much as in him lies thrusteth her into eternall destruction by his lying signes and horrible idolatry Andreas understands this Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the flesh of Christ in which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dwelt with us Ioh. 1.14 This tabernacle of God he also blasphemeth divers waies for what blasphemie is more horrid against the Son of God then that the Pope should boast daily by his Locusts to create Christ of a piece of bread in the Masse to sacrifice and to destroy him What blasphemie more odious against the office of Christ then that the Pope boasting himselfe to be the greatest high Priest proudly should exalt himselfe as above Christ the great high Priest he denies that the alone sacrifice of Christ is sufficient for the expiation of the sins of the Church unlesse it be again and againe iterated by his Masse-priests he denieth that the merits of Christ alone suffice to take away sins the punishment thereof unlesse through his indulgences he adde a supply from the treasure of the Church which is the merits of the Saints Other things I passe by And them which dwel in heaven I see not why we may not understand these heavenly inhabitants properly of the Angels blessed souls triumphing with the Lamb in heaven for against these the Pope also poures forth his blasphemies more waies then one for will they nill they for his own gain sake he obtrudes false honour upon them makes them gods and builds temples altars and images unto them and by this worship exerciseth a most filthy trade and the most of them he forceth to succeed in the places of Heathenish idols and doth weary them as if they were houshold and tutelar gods with diverse troublesome and sordid services setting one over Hogs another Horses another Asses one over
nineteen yeeres not that the seventh head was then presenly to perish for then the beast also having lost all his heads must have perished but that he was not to remaine in the mountaines of the beast and woman that is Rome where the other heads of the beast had remained with the Empire 1078. yeers This exposition is illustrated by the following verse 11 And the beast that was and is not the same is also the Eight First here I propose that this beast is the same with the former verse 3.8 of which there is no Question seeing the Angell repeats the three states of the beast in the same words One that is Emphatically declares the third that it may be made manifest Whence I conclude that this Beast is Antichrist because the other was Antichrist but the seventh head was not Antichrist Furthermore let it be observed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the first word of the verse is not simply copulative but a note of order and opportunity as Beza renders it almost in all the Chapters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then I saw then he came c. so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the Beast Let the opportunity I say be noted by which the Beast came to be the Eight King that is usurped the mountaines of Rome The beast the eight king is Antichrist and tooke the Monarchicall power of the seven heads unto himselfe as his owne for after the seventh king Constantine with his Successours leaving Rome had taken up his Seat abroad The Pope remaining at home upon the mountaines of the Beast that is at Rome thought it now a fit time to take this occasion How the Pope came to bee the eight king under the pretext that he was Bishop of old Rome the Imperiall Seat And first indeed by reason of the superfluous devotion of Emperors they being allo wearied through the continuall invasions of Barbarians he by wonderfull cunning and rapine drew from them great gifts especially from Constantine who because of his unreasonable prodigality to Bishops was commonly called Nepos and Pupillus as Egnatius witnesseth by little and little also he begged Kingly priviledges And not contented to be called Bishop of the chiefe Seat a while after he made himselfe Greatest or chiefe Priest which dignity till then was proper to the Romane Emperours For after Augustus all the Romane Princes Lib 5 Fastor who governed the Romaine affaires under the name of Emperors either took on them as Onuphrius writeth the chiefe pontificacie or else suffered themselves to be called Greatest Priests as Constantinus Constantius Valentinianus Valens and Gratianus Who although they detested the Function of Chiefe Priesthood being addicted to the Christians Neverthelesse they despised not nor rejected the title thereof Gratianus the Emperour being the first as Zosimus teacheth who forbade by proclamation that the title of GREATEST PRIEST should bee given unto him and so that dignity of the Priesthood first failed in the Emperours Thus he Now these Augustall titles despised and condemned by the Emperours The Pope assumeth the Augustall title because of the impiety thereof the Pope assumed unto himselfe as being the first Character of the Empire and so by this prophane title and function made himself the greatest Priest and soon after Oecumenicall Catholick and Vniversall Bishop being stiled Prince of Priests head of Churches from whom all the Bishops of the world were to receive lawes that is hee was acknowledged Ecclesiasticall Monarch Thus was borne the Eight King though not in full growth Wherefore not long after the Pope finding an occasion when the Lombards grievously disturbed Italy as if he had bin deserted by the Greeke Emperours whom he notwithstanding by his Antichristian Anathema thrust out of Rome and whole Italy seditiously stirring up the Romanes to thrust their Governour out of the City and put out his eyes and them of Ravenna to kill their Prince or Vice-Roy he sent for Pipin with an Army out of France by whose helpe he suppressed the Lombards and thrust the Greeke Magistrates out of Ravenna and all Italy usurping the principallity of Ravenna which at that time did represent the seventh head or imperiall power in the West by the gift of Pipine the Conquerour unto whom in recompence thereof a thing never heard of before hee gave the Kingdome of France thrusting Childericke the lawfull King into a Monastery or Câ—vent Notwithstanding as yet the Pope sate not in the mountaines of the Beast and woman with full power Anno 773 wherefore a few yeeres after Charles the son and heire of Pipine comming with an Army out of France suppressed the Lombards who againe had raised great tumults confirming and augmenting the Donation of Pippine to Pope Hadrian I. And afterwards the Romanes making insurrection against Leo III. because of his detestable pride the said Charles comming againe with his Army into Italy and taking knowledge of the cause absolved the Pope Hereupon the Pope not to be ungratefull out of the fullnesse of his power gave unto Charles the Title of the Romane Empire the which belonged unto the Greekes and therefore was not his to dispose of crowning him Emperour of the West On the other hand Charles the new Emperour to gratifie the Pope forced the Citizens of Rome to sweare fidelity unto Leo and appointed him Lord of Rome the which donation Ludowicke son of Charles afterwards confirmed and encreased Then was the Beast at length fully ascended out of the earth and came to be the Eight King Then Anno 800. the Pope of Rome together with the Ecclesiasticall Monarchy which he got from Phocas obtained also the secular power of the seven heads of the Beast with the mountaines of the great City for alwayes from that time the Pope usurped the power of translating Kingdomes and casting downe Kings and creating Emperours hereby declaring to the world that hee was the true Beast the Eight King or Antichrist These things thus observed wee may easily understand what in verse 11. is spoken of the Beast And or Then when Constantine the seventh King with his successours shall place the seat of the Empire not in Rome but otherwhere The Beast which was that is before Iohn the Monarchicall power had bin in Five Kings which were fallen And is not that is In Johns time neither the secular nor the Ecclesiasticall Monarchie was as yet in the Pope for the Bishops of Rome that then were medled not with either of them Even he is the Eight The relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee according to the sense is referred to the antecedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beast but according to the construction to the following word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eight hence the Old Version hath it The beast himself is the eight king Bestia est ipsa octava for octavus Rex for in Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eight to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 KING IS for is made or
kingdomes Here is treated of such Kings as shall receive their power from the Beast Antichrist Their proofe therefore is nothing to the purpose Neither doth Jerome helpe the matter in applying the Oracle of Daniel to Antichrist Ierom helps not the Iesuits fiction For first Jerome acknowledgeth that the same was in some measure fullfilled in Antiochus Now however we will not contend whither or no Antiochus were a Type of Antichrist but willingly grant it because of their likenesse in Tyranny Notwithstanding it is not necessary to apply all things strictly to the antitype which are spoken of the type for if so there would be no difference betwixt the one and the other Neither is it of necessity that similitudes agree in all particulars Certainely what there is recorded of the three hornes that were plucked up can with no shew of reason be applyed unto Antichrist because the Angell is silent of it which he would not have omitted if the same should have come to passe For why should Christ conceale that from Iohn which before was revealed to Daniel Besides we may not give credit to Jerome in this without the Testimony of Scripture Lib. 1. contra Iovin Rom. 8. no more then to his argument by which he condemned his own parents in their mariage estate They that are in the flesh cannot please God My parents being married are in the flesh Therefore they cannot please God Or to his inconsiderate depriving of such as are twice married from the Grace of Christ where he saith The first Adam was once married The second Adam was unmarried Let such therefore as are twice married shew a third whom they should follow what more unworthy so great a man But he appeales unto the tradition of all Ecclesiasticall writers In cap. 23. Mat. the which we have not and although we had the same yet ought we as the said Jerome otherwhere speaketh hold to this certain truth That whatsoever hath not authoritie in the Scripture may as â—asily be rejected as approved The which is most true touchching this Fiction for a is not taken out of the Seriptures but first delivered by one Papiaâ— a man of small parts as Enschius writeth and afterward with many other uncertain things taken up and divulged by other Fathers as if they were certain Lib. 3. histor cap. 39 In speciall that Fiction is very unsavoury touching the Kings of Egypt Lybia and Ethiopia to be slain by Antichrist for nothing here of is spoken by Daniel but he saith that the little horne shall subdue three Kings not that he shall kill them neither doth he say that they shall be the Kings of Egypt Lybia and Ethiopia But thus be shall rule over the treasures of gold and silver of Misraim and the Lybians and Ethiopiand shall be in his steps as Pagninus renders it but Tremellius the Lybians and Ethiopians shall follow his steps which was accomplished in Antiochus for when he had vanquished Egypt then the Lybians and Ethiopians neighbouring Nations to Egypt who before served Bâ—olomaeus Philometor fell to Antiochus and warred under his banners This Fiction being now sufficiently refuted which Alcasar also likes not we come to his opinion no lesse false then the other Aleasars fable The ten hornes saith he denote the Senatours and chiefe men of the Romane Empire figured out in the Beast himselfe namely ten being put for a great multitude These as he feineth were to fight with the Lamb untill Constantines Empire and then being converted unto the faith they should hate whorish Rome burne her with fire and root out the heathenesse idolatry thereof Onuphr Com in Lib 1 Fastor This is a new glosse false and repugnant to the Text for who taught him to make of the Ten kings two hundred Senatours for so many by Romulus were appointed to be chosen out of Romanes and Sabines besides if the Senatours be the Kings how then could it be said that they had not yet in Iohns time received their kingdom Lastly the lamentation made in the following Chapter will most clearly refute the absurdity of this Fiction viz. that the burning of the whore cannot be understood of her Conversion to the Faith Letting passe therefore both these Fables we will now labour to find out the true meaning And here againe I propound two undoubted truths One that the hornes of the beast are not the heads of the beast The other that the hornes are something growing out of the heads The first appeareth The ten kings are to be distinguished from the seven former because the heads and hornes differ in forme and number hence it followes that these ten Kings are not Christian Emperours viz. Constantine the Great with nine of his Successours as some do thinke for these Emperours do necessarily belong to the sixt or to the seventh head because they reigned before the beast came to be the Eight King or Antichrist and they were true Emperours of the East and West neither received they their power with the beast But these Ten shall receive their power in one houre with the Beast neither shall they be such Kings as the heads formerly were but shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were Kings neither of so great nor of so absolute power and therefore these ten Kings denoted by the hornes may not be mingled with the seven Capitall Kings As for the second supposition that the hornes as they are not the heads so they are something or some part of the heads we know that the horne is an excrementall matter of the creatures skull The hornes sprang out of the seventh head growing hard into a crooked horne hence with Priscian Cornu a horne is quasi curuor crookednesse These hornes therefore did grow out of the heads yet not out of all but in my opinion out of the seventh as springing from the Christian Caesars in place of whom succeeded the Emperours and Kings of the West for after that the Beast had devoured the seventh head belonging unto the Christian Emperours and came to be the Eight King he reserved the Prerogative of Monarchicall power unto himself yet not under the title of a Romane Emperour for this as Bellarmine confesseth Antichrist was not to do so Lib. 3. de P. R. â— 15 least hereby he should seem not to be Christs Vicar but under the Title of Saint Peters Successour Vniversall Bishop Head of the Catholicke Church he createth Emperours and Kings who must as his creatures and Vassalls compose themselves to his pleasure making them the Actors and Ministers of his Monarchicall power The first Parents of which generation as Histories manifest were Steven II. and Leo III. Ten hornes I do not thinke that we are here precisely tyed to the number Ten seeing as Bellarmine confesseth either 10. 100. 1000. Gen. 31. Num. 14.22 or any perfect number in Scripture may be taken indefinitely Therefore by Ten is meant some certaine number of Kings arising out
the armies which were in heaven These armies accompanie Christ the Captaine not so much for helpe as for honour sake For he alone as God omnipotent shall slay the adversaries with the sword of his mouth v. 21. Therefore he comes accompanied with an armie for decencie sake because without followers he should seeme to be no Captaine Yet in that his armies are not harnesed but clothed in white linnen it appears he led them forth not to fight but to triumph being apparelled as if they went to a marriage feast Neither is there any other allegorie in this linnen but to signify the purity and splendour of his armie the which thing is also denoted by the white horses on which they sate And therefore both the Captaine and his armies ride on white horses because the purity splendour majesty both of the head members shall be exceeding great Vndoubtedly in this also the Decorum of the Metaphor is kept For Generals and Princes love to have their followers alike in colour both in horses liveries c. Furthermore it is not obscure who these heavenly armies are For by them the Scripture vsually understands troopes of Angels This armie therefore represents those thousands of Angels with whom Christ will come to Iudgement Math. 24. and 25. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharpe sword Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The kings Edition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sharp two edged sword taking it perhaps from Chap. 1.16 and Chap. 2.16 The sense is one And it is evident that both this Captaine and that Sonne of man represents under a diverse person the same Christ there appearing as a President and Bishop Here as an avenger of the Church He comes not unarmed Nor yet burdened with any weighty kind of armes as other Generals are used to doe with helmets brest plates and coates of male that their bodies lie not open to the strokes of their adversaries holding in their hands swords speares Iavilins arrowes c. therewithall to strike the enemy This Captaine hath onely a sword very sharp indeed not in his hand but in his mouth which shewes that it is no material sword which is guided not with the mouth but the hand Therefore this spirituall sword proceeding out of the mouth of the Captaine If we respect the time next going before the Last judgement what is it saue the word of God of which the Apostle Ephe 6.17 Take the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God And Hebr. 4.12 The word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword With this sword he both strikes the adversaries himself as also commands us therewith to fight against all spiritual powers and in speciall against Antichrist But if we respect Christs last coming of which is here treated then this sharp sword proceeding out of his mouth is the spirit of his mouth with which according to the prophesie of the Apostles the Lord will destroy that wicked one to wit his Divine power by which at his pleasure Antichrist and all adversaries shall be consumed That with it he should smite the nations He adds the vse of the sword viz not therewith to defend himself or his armies for they are subject to no dangers but to smite the adversaries Whom he calleth Gentiles or the nations because Antichrist vnder the name of Christianity imitates the heathens in Religion life and tyranny In this sense Chap. 11.2 the inward Court was said to be given to the Gentiles that is to Antichrist and his clergie And at the sounding of the seventh Angel the GENTILES VVERE ANGRY that is Antichrist and his followers did fret against Christ But wrath without power is vaine Neither shall the holy Citie be allwayes trood under foot because our Captaine will slay the nations with the sword And he shall rule them with a rod of iron He illustrates by testimony of Scripture what he had said before touching the armour clothing of the Captain the former from Psa 2. the latter from Isa 63. For his armour he needs no more then a sword for he is that king whom God hath annointed and set upon Sion his holy mountaine unto whom he hath subjected the heathen that he might breake them with a rod of iron The word break or bruise the SEPTVAGJNT render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feed or rule whom Iohn followeth Now what is a sword but a rod of iron And he treadeth the winepresse of the fiercenesse and wrath of God Almightie Now he renders a reason why in v. 13. he said that his vesture was dipt in blood taking it from Isa 63.5 where the Lord being about to take vengeance on the Edumeans adversaries of the Church by a Metaphor of a victorious Captain returning from the slaughter of the enemie hauing his garment dipt in blood also of a grape gatherer treading in the wine-fat and besprinkling his garments with the blood of the grapes Why saith the text art thou red in thine apparell c. The Lord answereth I have troden the wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with me For I will tread them in my anger and trample them in my furie and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments and J will staine all my raiment It is a prophesie of Christ who alone assuming the clothing of our flesh did tread the wine-presse of Gods wrath by suffering a cruel and bloody death on the Crosse for our sakes For when he appeared bloody on the Crosse he triumphed over his and our enemies Hence it is that many interpret this garment sprinkled with blood of his humanity according to which he shed his blood But here is intended not the passion death and blood of Christ but the destruction of the adversaries which he will execute on them at his Last comming The blood therefore with which he is here said to be sprinkled is not his owne but the adversaries not indeed as yet but soon after to be slaine yet he is now figured out as if he were alreadie sprinkled because of the certainty of the victory Notwithstanding chiefly he continues in the Metaphor of the wine-presse into which the adversaries or clusters being cast shall be troden by him so as his garment shall appeare stained with their blood yea their blood came out of the wine-presse even unto the horses bridles by the space of a thousand and sixe hundred furlongs see Chap. 14.20 This title serves I. to terrify the wicked 2. to comfort the godly 3. For the glorie of the Captaine who alone is a perfect redeemer because he alone treadeth the wine-presse of the wrath of God he is the invincible conquerour of the adversaries The xxxvij argument of Christs Dietie because he shall tread the wicked in the wine-presse being that one God omnipotent with the Father For it is the wine-presse of his wrath and furie in which the adversaries shall be troden Now this in Isai 63. is applied
When the thousand yeers of Satans imprisonment began and when they ended that the fatall thousand yeeres of Satans Imprisonment are finished and when They tooke their beginning at the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romanes when the Iewes who furiously blasphemed the Gospell of Christ and sought by all meanes to hinder the Gentiles from embracing the same were dispersed through the whole world and the fulnesse of the Gentiles began to enter into the Church for then it chiefly appeared that Satan was thrust into Hell and bound with the chains of darkenes that he might no longer keep the Gentiles from the faith of Christ 2. Pet. 2.4 Besides before we shewed that these bonds continued untill the times of Gregory VII Wherefore the thousand yeers were finished more then five hundred yeeres agoe and Satan loosed from his imprisonment When Satan was agoin loosed which sufficiently appeared by the fatall tumults that were raised up both in the East and West by that raging enemy For chiefly in these five hundred yeers the Westerne Antichrist by the impulsion and efficacie of the Dragon violently laid hold on the Monarchicall power of both swords miserably oppressing and enslaving all Christendome in the West which Bellarmine himselfe denyeth not And on the other side Lib. 3. de P. R. cap. 9. that Thracian adversary of Christ having brought almost all the East and South under his power doth with so great fury encompasse the Campe of the Saints as it seemes impossible he should be stopped but by fire descending from Heaven 8. And shall goe out to deceive the Nations By the word going out is signified Satans free raging and outragious endeavour to turne all things upside downe In the same sense it was before said of the three Frogs the spirits of devils Rev. 16.14 They goe forth unto the Kings of the Earth And indeed there and here is treated of one and the same attempt of Satan being the same third Act there of the Fift here of the seventh Vision Satan therefore being let loose out of prison shall rove about going to and fro through the Earth and with great fury setting all things every where in a flame both in the world and Church not as if he shall no longer bee kept in by the bridle of providence but because God will let loose the reines unto him more then before for reasons expounded ver 3. Now his enterprises shall principally be two One to seduce the nations in the four corners of the earth The second to stir up Gog and Magog to battell Thus these things are to be distinguished for the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deceive is both to be referred to the Nations and also to Gog and Magog because he shall deceive both the one and the other yet so as in a diverse manner and end The Nations he shall seduce from the Faith unto new Paganisme The Pagans Gog and Magog he shall seduce Satans twofold attempt after his loosing Vestigat pag. 896. that is stirre them up to war in hope of Victory against the Campe of the Saints The former attempt shall bee Ecclesiasticall and so more neerely tending to the destruction of the Church The latter civill and tending to the overthrow of the state and policie of Christians Which Alcasar also seeing It shall not saith he properly be a war for Religion to speake generally but for the Empire By the nations as before Ch. 11.3 I understand false Christians who having embraced the Faith of Christ did again degenerate from the sincerity thereof in the times of Antichrist These nations I say he shall deceive that is under the name of Christ they shall return unto Paganisme How the nations were deceived as to their old vomit worshipping God after the manner of the heathens and living more heathenishly and enormous then before This Pest saith he shall rage not in one corner but in the four corners of the earth By a Phrase repeated from Chap. 7.1 that is in all parts of Christendom throughout the whole earth for no corner shall be free from his seducement but apostacy shal every where get the upper hand yet chiefly in the East and West where the Crownes of the Empire shal be and where ambition and carnality of Priests shall chiefly reigne and withall corrupt the other corners of the Earth For Gregory VII Gregory the VII an exquisite Instrument of Satan loosed sitting at Rome in the Chaire of universall pestilence to the end it might appeare that Satan was loosed from the yeer 1073. the devill began to rage farre more cruelly by him then ever he had done by Romulus Tarquinius the proud Tiberius Nero Domitian Heliogabalus Diocletian Decius or by the Persians Scythians or Saracens the cruellest of all which Tyrants being compared with the said Pope Gregory according to what the Cardinall Benno and others have published of him would seeme to be a Saint in respect of this filthy instrument of Satan It s true he was not the first Antichrist neither did the seduction of Christians from the faith begin with him for the Romish Antichristianisme had bin growing and greatly encreasing above three hundred yeers before But because Satan was as yet bound for the Dragon being bound the Beast was to ascend out of the Pit and possesse his throne and power as his Vicar so as the former times might seem more tolerable in respect of the times which followed for at the end of the thousand yeers Satan being loosed out of his prison began to puffe up the Romane Popes with such swelling pride as they feared not to tread upon and oppresse the most powerfull Princes Kings and Emperours of Christendom After much contention Hildebrand called Gregory under a false pretence of simonie wrang out of the hands of Henry that valiant Emperour and his Sonne Henry V. the Episcopall Investures as they terme it which till then were belonging to the Right and Crowne of the Empire yea also thrust Henry himselfe from the Empire through his wicked sonne Priests also that were married he cast out of the Church as Nicolaitans as if the Apostle 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.6 had instituted Nicolaitans moreover he published two Cannons which ever since have bin and yet are to this day the sinews of the Popes Tyranny 1. If any man receive Priest-hood at the hand of any Lay person let both the Giver and Receiver be accursed 2. If any Communicate with a married Priest or if a Priest having a wife doth not put her away let him be accursed By this compendious way hee exempted at once all Bishops Clerks Churches and all that thereunto belonged from the power of Emperours and brought them under his owne Empire 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.6 1. Cor. 7.2 withall taking unto himselfe the right of all Ecclesiastical goods condemning also marriage estate not only granted unto Bishops by Paul but also commanded to shun fornication as the wickednesse of the
rendred 75. Benevenutus Rambaldus a worthy historian 128. Bernhardus Clarevallensis his invectives against the Pope and Clergie more then 464 years agoe 318. Beryl growing in the Indies 565. Bellarmin touching the libertie of the will either to admit or exclude God knocking and perswading refuted 81 c. Bellarmins arguments answered 222. Bellarmins subtilties answered 321. Brightmans coniecture touching the time of the Turks power considered 188. His opinion of the flood of waters 278. His allegoriall exposition 541. Bishops why called stars and Angels 27. Bishops have no Apostolicall power 20. Bishops or teachers of Churches how they are said to be in the hand of Christ 31. Bishops must flee ambition and covetousnesse 33. many Bishops though in appearance pious are meer hypocrites 55. The Bishops did augment the sicknesse and palenesse of the Church above measure 117. 118. Romane Bishops ever since Pope silvester have striven to Lord it over their fellowes 126 127. Blasphemie what it is 290. Blasphemie of the Romane Beast 299. Blasphemie against Marie 300. Blasphemous verses of Carolus scribanius touching the milke of Marie and the blood of Christ 301. Whither the Black horse denotes hereticks 112. It denotes the Church made black with heresies ibid. The Black horse hath Christ with a ballance on him ibid. The Blasphemous title of Pope Paulus V. doth expresselie contain the number of the Beast 297. 323. Blood in the moon whence 128. The Booke of Gods providence 60. and of vniversall Iudgement ibid. The Book containing the matters which Christ revealed unto Iohn touching the last times is the Revelation it selfe 96. The open book is that which was shut before 199. The book eaten up by Iohn 207. what it meaneth ibid. The book of life 60 302. 544. Books how attributed to God in scripture 60. The books of the Ancients were rolled up 97. Bondmen and free men denote all adversaries of inferiour ranck 132. Boniface III. first established monarchicall tyrannie 118. being declared vniversall bishop by Phocas 127. 244. Boniface VIII a loftie tyrant 129. The Bow of Christ is the Law and the Gospell 108. Brimstone and hell fire 352. Bullingers opinion of the flood 278. To Buy white raiment what it is 79. C. CAlamities why foretold 126. Calling of Evangelicall preachers 378. Candidati Romans so called and why 79. Carkeyses of the witnesses what they are and how they shall lie in the streets of Rome 233. Carkeyses of the witnesses unburied 240. The Campe of the saints is the Christian world 537. Catastrophe of the Churches calamities under Antichrist 106. The Cause of Gods connivence is both his benignitie leading the wicked to repentance as also his counsell for the completing of the number of Martyrs 121. 122 Catholick Character 312. Character of the Beast 315. 314. his two fold Character ibid. Character and Charagma how they differ 312. The proper and common Character how they differ 315. Causes of Babylons ruine 455. Chaenix a measure containing a dayes provision for one man 114. Certaintie of the saintes salvation 527. Chalcedonie 564. Chalcolibanum or fine brasse 24. Chiliarchi are captains of thousands 123. Chiliasts or millenaries their ancient opinion 524. the author of it Papias ibid. the refutation thereof 525 531. The ground of their errour 515. their corrupting of the text ibid. The Chore or company of Patriarchs Prophets saints Iudges and kings represented by the four and twentie Elders 90. Chore of the 24 Elders 248. Christ why called Amen 75. Hath future things revealed unto him as he is man 3.4 is Lord of the Angels 5. his dietie more expresselie testified by no canonicall writer then by the Evangelist Iohn 5. his three fold office and benefits 10.13 His comming why promised 15. He appeared in an humane shape in the middest of the seven candlesticks 22. He opens and no man shutteth 64. How he is like to the Son of man 23.24 How he attributes the simile of a thief unto himself 57. Is called a Lambe in respect of his humility and office 100. Is our fine linen and wedding robe 482. He is the faithfull witnesse and so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10.11 Is the first begotten from the dead 11. and Prince of the kings of the earth 12. He cleanseth us from our sinnes two manner of wayes 13. His body doth not lie hid invisibly under the host 15. He is the onelie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or merchant offering unto us spirituall wares of salvation 78. His philanthropie 80. His righteousnesse is the white robe 79. How he suppeth with us 80. His proper titles 88. Is represented to Iohn under divers figures 88. By his spirituall scepter he forceth the adversaries unto obedience 103.104 He is the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah 109. Hath the seven spirits in his hands 54. Js author of the ministrie ibid. He attributes life to himself 26. Is divided by the Lutherans 44. How he shall deliver up the kingdome to the father and reigne for ever 248. He is alpha and omega 587. The root of David the morning star 593. Is compared to a traveller knocking at our dore 80. How he is heard and let in with the benefit thereof ibid. He is the beginning of the creation of God actively and passivelie 75. Why he would rather have men cold then Lukewarm 76. What is meant by the open booke in his hand 199. Christ and Antichrist have the key of the bottomlesse pit in different respects 172. 502. Christians miscalled by the Romanes 17. Church Church discipline in its vigor in the primitive times 32. the Churches adversaries sometimes converted 67. Whether the Church may be removed 35. her abode uncertain 36. she was preserved in the Papacie 43. she sometimes lies hid in the world ibid. she must reprove notorious and scandalous sectaries 44. The Church of the called and the Elect doth differ 55. The Church abounding in idlenesse and riot heathenish and Iewish rites were brought in 76. The Churches condition in this world was alwayes red with persecution 111. She became black in the first 200 yeeres 112. And pale even to death 117. was preserved in the midst of the Papacie 139. Where she was before Luther 142. she could erre for she needed measuring 213. Why she is represented by the figure of a woman 257. her variable condition in this world 258. How she changed her sun-like clothing into purple 259. Vanishing as the moon 265. The Church triumphant her song 268. How long the Church was in the wildernesse 276. Whether there were no Church vnder Antichrist 329. Her condition at first 358. Before Luther the Church was in Babylon 459. The Church is the bride of the Lamb and citie of God 560. Why Compared to Candlesticks 27. and sometime to a vineyard 363. Chrysolite 565. Chrysoprasus whence it takes its name ibid. Chrystal what it signifies 506. Cities of the nations what they are 400. the beloved city is the Church 537. Clemanges his speech of Rome 4â—4 Clement
Israel is not to be taken litterally 143. The Sealed ones who they were 329. diverse opinions about them 330 The Sealed in Chap. 7. and Chap. 14. compared together 331. The Second death 42. 528. The Second trumpet answereth to the red horse 160. How long the sixt trumpet was to sound 205. Securitie and fear in the Papacy 341. Seducement by signes 310. What it is to Seduce ibid. Separation from the Papacie commanded by God 459. Serpents have Venome in their head and tongue 191. The Seven Churches to whom John wrote 7. The Seven spirits who 9.54 The opinions of Andreas Lyranus and Ribera about the same 9. Seven is a perfect number 10. The Seven stars what they note 25. the Seven sounding Angels 152. 153. Seven put for an indefinite number 202. The Seven Mountains of Rome are the heades of of the Beast 420. 421. The Seventh ttumpet forerunner of the last judgement 247. The seventh trumpet what ibid. It puts an end to the Churches calamities 205. The Seventh viall answereth to the Seventh trumpet 398. The Seventh Angel 246. 247. The Sharp Sickle what it noteth 360. How it was thrust into the Earth by Christ 361. Shortly how to be expounded 4. The Short time of Antichrists reign how to be understood 121. 271. 272. The Sight of God is the Saints happinesse 251. A Signe what it is 364. Signes of assured peace 570. Silence for an half houre in heaven what it denoteth with diverse opinions about it 152. Sinnes reaching up to heaven 460. Romes sins do reach to heaven 461. Even small sins come to heaven that is unto Gods knowledge which refuteth the distinction of Veniall and Mortall sins 460. Sinners repenting in this life have an assured promise of pardon 50. The Sitter on the Red horse and on the Black horse with his ballance is Christ 111. 111. 113. the Sitter on the throne who he is described 87. Six distinct visions 84. the Sixt viall truely interpreted 392. 393. Sixtus V. Endeavoured to thrust Charles IX king of France and Elisabeth queen of England out of their dominions 130. The Sixt vision unto what times it belongs 402. 403. Slaughter of Antichristians 245. Smyrna a city of Ionia 21. The Smoke out of the bottomles pit is Popish Divinity humane decrees 172. the Smoak of punishment 353. Whither there be Smoak in Hell ibid. the Smoak of prayers ibid. Smoak a Symbole of Gods wrath 372. Socinus his blasphemous fiction 13. The Son of perdition destroyeth the earth 251. The Son of Man denoteth Christ 359. The Son shall deliver up the kingdome to the Father how 578. Songs of the Revelation 369. The Sounding of the fourth Angel 164. Diverse opinions about it ibid. The Sounding of the second trumpet how farre to be extended 161. The Souls of the Martyrs departed this life are with Christ 119. How John could see their Souls they being invisible 513. How they lived and reigned with Christ 515. Whither they reigned all together at one time ibid. They cease not to reigne after the thousand yeeres are expired 516. How the Souls do fall rise again 520. The Soul of signes is the word 470. The Souls of the Saints departed must not be worshipped 105. Spirituall fraternity betwixt Christs members is the bond of love 18. Spirituall famine of Orthodox doctrine in the dayes of Constantius and other Arian Emperours 114. 115. Spirituall life of the Souls with Christ 514 515. The Spouse and Wife how differing 480. Ornaments of the Spouse 481. To Stand and not stand in judgement what it signifieth 134. To Stand before the throne 146. To stand before God 543. The Standing of the four Beasts what it denotes 92. Stars falling from heaven who they are and when they fell 129. The Starres falling signifies Apostacie from the true faith 162. 261. Stars are teachers and Bishops of Churches 162. 170. why teachers are compared to Stars 25. The Strong wind blowing down the Figs is the Papall Authoritie 129. Structure of the old temple 213. The Subject of the Revelation 4. The Succession of the Romane Church 408. The Summe of the fourth vision 252. It s foure Acts 253. The Sunne Christ wholy darkned in the Papacie 173. Sun and heat diversly interpreted 385. 386. The Susian women were beastlie harlots 407. To Swear by the creature is a horrible impiety 204. The Sword proceeding out of the mouth of Christ our Captain with which he smiteth the wicked is spirituall 491. The Synecdoche in the 1000. yeers of the Martyrs reigne 509. is proved 516. The Synod called Sardicensis took its name of Sardica not of Sardis 54. The Symphonie of the heavenly inhabitants is perpetuall 147. T. TAbernacle of God is the Church 299. To Take of from the prophesie what it is Tamherlan his huge armie 189. The Temple of God is the Church 212. The Ten kings are to be differenced from the seven former 432. Who the Ten kings are 433. Ten dayes what they signifie 41. The Third part of men slain by the Turks 191. The Third Act of the second vision hath two parts 124. The Third universall vision 150. in what it differs from the former ibid. Its beginning and ending ibid. Third Act of the sixt vision 476. Third Angel 350. The Thousand yeers of Christs reigne and the Dragons binding are the same 531. these yeeres are not indefinitely to be understood 507. in histories and in the prophets they are never indefinitely taken ibid. wher they begin end 508. 531. how they agree with the 42 months 509 they cannot be referred to the last times 510. Why they are defined 516. the condition of the godly during these 1000 years 511. What Satan is said to do at the end of these yeares 530. Threatnings of punishment in Scripture are to be taken with a condition of repentance either expresly or tacitely 36. What the Threatning of the Harlots children teacheth us 49. 50. Three a number of perfection 394. The Three dayes and an half what they signifie 241. The Three Legates how they proceed out of the mouthes of three 394. Why they are said to be three impure spirits ibid. Who they are 395. Three books attributed to God in scripture 60. 96. The Threefold distinction of time what it noteth 276. Theodoretus his opinion of Gog and Magog 535. The Throne of Christ 83. The Throne of God denotes his dominion over all things 87. The white Throne of Christs glory 542. Thrones why set up 512. The Throne of the Beast is the Romane Sea according to Lyra 388. Diverse opinions about the same 389. Thyatira a citie of Lydia 22. Time times and half a time what it signifieth 276. The Time of Antichrists rising noted 316. 317. 318. The Time of betroathing and marriage 480. Timothie no Bishop of Ephesus in Johns time 30. The Title of the Revelation answereth unto the titles of the ancient Prophets and confirmeth the authority of the book 3. The Titles of the witnesses are not to be litterally
to the Churches for he is the author of al these Epistles and Iohn his penman or scribe Which further proveth the authority of this book for without doubt after Christ had made an end of revealing the mysteries of this booke unto Iohn he faithfully wrote to every one of the Churches according to the commandement of Christ These things saith he that holdeth The first Epistle hath three parts namely an inscription a narration and a conclusion In the inscription Christ is brought in speaking to the church of Ephesus by a description of his person taken from the foregoing vision which serveth both for the authority of the Epistle and to stirre them up unto attention The manner of the stile is propheticall For so usually the prophets in stirring up to attention bring God in speaking thus to the people thus saith Jehovah So Iohn these things saith hee that holdeth c. not simply these things saith Christ but these things saith he that holdeth the starres c. Thus by degrees two things are repeated which he saw before One of the starres another of the candlesticks Which holdeth the seven starres That is which holdeth the seven Pastors of the Churches in his right hand as chap. 1 vers 16. This as we have already shewed may be taken either in the better part that is of Christs loving and caring for his faithfull teachers his governing and preserving of them by the right hand of his power with precious promised rewards Or in a contrary sence it signifies that Christ detesteth and by his right hand suppresseth and rejecteth all slowbellies hirelings and wolves And so much here he threatneth to some of these teachers unlesse they did repent Who walketh in the midst of the candlesticks First he saw him standing but now walking in the midst of the candlesticks signifying hereby that Christ our Lord sitteth not still in the heavens but is present by his providence in the midst of the Church beholding all things proving our faith and obedience and recompencing the same with great rewards disliking our slothfulnesse and other corruptions punishing the ungratefull by taking away their talent from them and bestowing it on others Levit. 26 24. This walking therefore imports Christs gracious presence with his Church according to that promise I will walke among you and I wil be your God So Christ I will be with you at all times unto the end of the world This being so it is our duty to walk reverently in the sight of God and of Christ that so they not being offended may walke and abide with us Ioh. 14 23. according to the promise if a man love me he will keepe my words and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 2. I know thy workes In the narration are five things First their great diligence and constancy is commended for Christ prayseth and rewardeth the labour and faith of his servants because he delighteth therein I know thy workes This he speaketh not onely to this Church but to the rest yea to Laodicea also Here I take workes indifferently to be either good or bad vertues or vices of which as nothing is hidde from him so nothing shall passe without reward or punishment For it is the part of him that is the admonisher and judge to pronounce sentence of nothing but what is well knowen unto him He taketh unto himselfe not onely the knowledge of what is outward but also a cleare and perfect sight of men and all their inward actions the which Iohn often in the Gospel ascribes unto Christ He knew all men Ioh. 2 24 25. Ioh. 21 17. and needed not that any should testify of man for he knew what was in man and so Peter said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee But who knoweth all things save God alone for he seeth all things searching the heart and reynes of man So that this is the tenth argument 10 Argument of Chr. deity to be added to the former proving the Godhead of Christ taken from his omniscience or knowledge of all things And thy labour patience The first copulative and is put for to wit thy labour and patience so the like in vers 9.13 18. Moreover he commendeth three sorts of vertues in this Bishop labour in doctrine constancy in suffering Zeale in discipline which vertues he doth in many words commend in this and the following verse by a contrary order First his labour that is his sincere and unwearied paines in preaching the word 1 Thes 5 12. 1 Tim. 5 17. For the scripture in many places cals the office of teaching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a labour as being full of wearisomnesse and trouble This is the first and principall vertue and honour of a faithfull Bishop the which Christ attributeth to this teacher But what would Christ now say of the mitred Bishops of these dayes who neither know the word of God and for the most part regard it not But being idle and dumbe are unfit to preach and so spend their time either in warre sports or following of their filthy lusts The second is sufferante that is patience in induring and constancy in overcomming the dangers injuries and afflictions with which they were exercised both by the Iewes and Gentiles for the sake of Christ For the crosse is an inseparable companion of the Gospel 1 Corinth 1 18. and therefore is called the word of the crosse both because it sheweth us the way to salvation through the crosse esteemed foolishnes by the world As also because satan doth stirre up his instruments to hate persecute and put to death the constant professors and teachers thereof as being the greatest opposers of his kingdome All which things the Angel of this Church patiently induring Iam. 1 12. is for the same highly commended of Christ for blessed is the man that indureth tentations for when he is tried he shall receive the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him And canst not beare them which are evill The third vertue for which Christ prayseth him Matth. 18 17. 1 Cor. 5 5. Apolog. 2. Apolog. chap. 39. Treat 35. in Matth. Rom. 7. is his singular Zeal in observing Church discipline namely his strong opposing of such vices as violently brake in upon the congregation and his due administration of Church censures against scandalous persons casting them out of the communion of the Church as Christ commanded And indeed Church censures were in full force in the primitive time to the great good of the Church as Justin Tertullian Origen and others of the ancient writers testifie And hast tried them Now he repeateth and declareth the particulars shewing in the first place who those evill persons were and wherefore he could not beare with them But vehemently withstood the false Apostles seeking to creep into the Church examined their false doctrine
Nicolaitans by open Antichristian Tyranny banishing the same out of the Church which thing indeed was justly abominable to Emperours and the Christian world Genebr chronol lib. 4. pa. 593. yet formidable because of the enchantment of the Apostolicall Church Notwithstanding Popish Writers doe glory in this most filthy Beast That HENRIE was the first among the Westerne Emperours whom the Pope deposed Histories also testifie that after those thousand yeeres the God of Strengths foretold by Daniel Chap. 11.38 that is the Idol of Transsubstantation and Stage-like Masse was chiefly erected and confirmed in which the whole strength of the Papacie hath hitherto consisted With this grew up the innumerable fraternities and families of Clergy-men Sacrificers Monkes and Religious Sects who all of them being exempted from civill jurisdiction are onely subject to the Popes Scepter Then were invented the Jubilees the gainefull trafficke of Popish Indulgences or Pardons and a thousand trickes to draw monies from all Provinces into Romes Exchequer Then infinite Ceremonies Superstitions and Idols were brought in and established so that if now thou compare Popery with Paganisme thou shalt scarce see any difference but in names Therefore it is not said without cause that Satan being loosed after the thousand yeeres should deceive the Nations of the whole Earth Neither was this horrible declining of Christianitie in the West onely For it is knowne that many most flourishing Churches of the East which yet stood in the first thousand yeeres were in the next five hundred yeeres either cut off and miserably dissipated or by the seduction of Satan filthily corrupted On the contrary we see that Mahumetisme although it began somewhat sooner yet within the latter five Ages was more generally spread both in Asia Africa and Europe This therefore was Satans former seduction Gog and Magog to gather them to battle Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which commonly is taken appositively That he might seduce the Nations Gog and Magog for which Nations are Gog and Magog but so Satans fury seemes to be lessened as if after his loosing he were onely to deceive and draw the barbarous Nations unto a civill battle Whereas he shall chiefly be busie about the intestine seduction of the Church within indeed labouring to trample her under foot by the slights of the domesticke Antichrist and outwardly by force of armes to suppresse her by a forreigne Antichrist It is therefore an Ellipsis or defect of the Copulative for And Gog and Magog because the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ruleth the three Accusatives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the middlemost of which did least need the Copulative The seduction therefore of Gog and Magog shall be diverse from the seduction of the Nations being not Ecclesiasticall as the former but politicall For Satan shall stirre up not the nations but Gog and Magog to this cruell battell which appeareth by the Relative not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gog and Magog by whom he shall set all things in confusion and blood Now what manner of adversaries or peoples these should be may scarcely be guest at For there are almost as many opinions about the same as Writers both Ancient and Moderne Bellarmine reckons up ten Lib. 3. de P R. cap. 17. Vestig pag. 877. all which his own excepted not a whit better then the rest yea even that of the five old Fathers Lanctantius Eusebius Theodoretus Hierom and Austine he disproves Alcasar also brings in many more But we will not weary our selves in rehearsing the conjectures of other men Magog to begin with this as the more knowne was the second sonne of Iaphet Gen. 10.3 of whom Lib. 1. Antiq cap. 7. as Iosephus writeth came the Magogites so called after him or Scythians that is the peoples which inhabit beyond the mountaine Caucasus neer the Lake Maeotis and the Caspian Sea unto the Northern India Hierom therefore by Magog understandeth the Scythian Nations unto whom some doe joyne the Cappadocians and Arminians seated beyond Coelesyria lib. 5. c. 23 whose Metrapolitan Citie Hierapolis where Papias sometime was Bishop is in the Syrian tongue called Magog as Plinie recordeth Touching Gog there is nothing mentioned in Scripture save in Ezech. 38. 39. where you shall finde a long Prophesie against Gog and Magog of which the Phantisies of the Iewes Mahumetans and Papists are not much unlike The Iewes feine that Gog and Magog are the Northerne Nations shut up by Alexander the Great beyond the Mountaine Taurus who breaking out towards the end of the world shall by war wast the whole earth especially the Land of Israel and the Citie Ierusalem But then the Messias shall bee at hand and slay Gog and Magog according to the Oracle of Ezechiel which Fable Galatinus hath refuted Lib. 5. Cap. 12. The Mahumetans Fiction touching Gog and Magog is much like to this Alcor A 20.28.32 c. save onely that it is somewhat otherwise touching the Messias and Ierusalem The Papists dreame that their Antichrist shall come in the end of the world with great forces and that in his Army which mostlie shall consist of the barbarous Scythians he shall have seven Kings for so many and no more shall then be remaining in the world as Ribera affirmeth The Emperour therefore of the Romanes the King of France of Spaine c. shall then either have no being or fight for Antichrist among whom Gog and Magog shall bee most powerfull Lib. 3. de P. R. c. 17. Apoc. 20. yea Gog according to Bellarmine shall be Antichrist himselfe which Ribera denyeth and in the space of lesse then foure full yeeres most cruelly over-runne and bring into subjection the whole world especially Christendome and to this Antichristian warre they applie the Prophesie of Ezechiel and of Iohn in this place As the Iews therfore dream that their Messias is not yet come because Ierusalem hath not bin assaulted by Gog and Magog who are to be slaine by the Messias So the Papists feine that their Antichrist is not yet come because Gog and Magog are not come who with a most numerous Army shall fight under Antichrists banner Ezech. 39.4.6.9.12 The fiction touching Gog and Magog refuted and with him oppose the Holy City that is the Romane Church Both Fictions are alike frivolous and are easily refuted by the Prophesie it selfe for i◠Ezechiel God threatneth that Gog shall fall upon the mountaines of Israel and that he will send a fire on Magog whereupon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem shall goe forth and burne the spoile with fire seven yeeres and that the slaughter of the enemy shall be so great that the land shall be seven yeers in cleansing because of the carkeises of the slaine But the Papists say that Antichrists kingdome and the Gogish warre shall not continue full foure yeers and that from this Victory of the Church unto the day of Iudgement there shall not