and becomming Ministers of the Keyes of darkenesse and of Gehenna so great a smoake ouergoeth the whole face of the visible Church as all light therein is eclipsed And out of this darkenesse ariseth that huge mischief of Antichrist in the abominable army hellish head thereof for punishment whereof if so be they could haue beene cured the Mahometan armies are loosed from the East after they had beene a space in God his patience tied vp from their first ranging now againe with Turkish furie to make desolate both by sword and poysonable doctrine the third part of the Earth This sixth euill and second great woe working no repentance but rather further induration in Antichristian workes Chap. 9. A preparation is for Antichrist his full recurelesse certaine and neere approaching ouerthrow Christ in a sort returning with the weapon of his warfare the little booke now open and the bold and powerfull preaching thereof setting thereto fit instruments who by diligent study of scriptures are inablâ—d to preach the Gospell widelie Chap. 10. And being instructed with faculty thereto by assistance of Christ they apply the right rule of examination and thereby find that Antichrist hath long obteined the place and title of the visible Church The true Church all the while larking within the compasse thereof and being secretly intertained with a hid but powerfull dispensation of grace by few vnknowne and albeit afflicted Ministers yet preaching long without great bloodshed till at â—ength Antichrist perceiuing them to apply the rule they are for a space cruelly murthered and barbarously intreated euen with applause thorowout all Antichrist his domination but God stirring vp others in the same spirit who vigorously oppose themselues a visible separation by diuine warrant is made from Antichrist his fellowship and contagion feare taketh him and his followers great commotions ensue thereupon and his Kingdome is in a part weakened This farre preparation and beginnings of his fall hauing wrought on euen in the height of the sixth euill and second great woe vpon men of the Earth then the seuenth Trumpet soundeth to his vtter fall by seuen Vials which it yeeldeth of the last Wrath. The summary effect whereof in a preconceiued ioy vpon the signe giuen is in a gratulatory song of the Church denounced in the end of the 11. Chapter Before the particular explication whereof for more cleering the reason of so huge a ioy of the Church and the equitie of so determinate a iudgement against the enemies according to that cleere sight which the Tabernacle of Testimony now opened in Heauen yeeldeth to God his seruants of the enemies and their dealings a large narration thereof is incerted and thereafter their great and iust destruction summarily aboue denounced is exponed at length Both which parts of story the holy Ghost setteth forth vnder the names of two great signes seene in Heauen The first in the 12. 13. and 14. Chapters the other to the end of the narration The first signe is double in the party assailed and the assailer the assailed party is the Church in her first seed and in her seed of succeeding times The assailing enemy against boâ—h is the Diuell that old Serpent but in different manner Against the Primitiue Church or first seed directly in open rage by his instruments thereof the Roman Emperors first labouring to keepe downe the Church from rising next cruelly persecuting her being raised thirdâ— being restrained from open persecution through that protection the Church got by Constantine the Great Whereby as by wings she was freed from his open rage labouring to drowne her by that inundation of barbarous Nations which neuerthelesse in God his wise disposing prouidence turned to the defacing of that persecuting Empire Yet so as in the time the true Church by degrees passed to the Wildernesse whereto the wings gaue occasion and lurking there was fed as was Israel and Elias no more any true visible face thereof appearing then those three yeeres and an halfe of famin in the daies of Elias or the same space when Antiochus Epiphanes abolished the daily sacrifice and set vp the abomination of desolatioÌ„ in place therof Ch. 12. Satan highly incensed for his misgiuing endeuors against the first seed tak th occasion of this flight of the Church to the Wildernes to bring in roome the Beast of his working and authority by him to make warre against the Church in her seed of succeeding times This Beast is the same kingdom of Rome but vnder the pontificality by lying signes wonders and false pretence of Christ his power so bewitching the world as through voluntary submission of the â—en of the earth thus deceiued the kingdome of Rome vnder it recouereth that ancient glory lustre estimation subiection of Prouinces which it had lost in the deadly wound it got in the fall of Caesars all the earth wondering and following the Beast Chap. 13. All the time of this preuailing euill euen in the greatest height thereof Christ had still his true Church first lurking and albeit not perceptible to the world yet inioying the presence of her head hauing powerfull and plentifull dispensation of grace from him and worshipping him heartily and truly Secondly by degrees breaking out and contesting with Antichrist in great suffering and much bloodshed to the 14. verse of the 14. Chapter Where the Story falling in againe to the same point of time and matter whereat for incerting this interiected narration at blowing of the seuenth Trumpet Chap. 11. it had left off what there in a gratulatory song was summarily denounced the summary execution thereof is here propounded so to bring in the large narration of the effect of the seuenth Trumpet in the seuen Vials thereof to the end of the 14 Chapter This summary proposition is at length handled in the 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. and 20. Chapters and thereupon the gracefull estate of the Church shewed Chap. 21. and 22. And this whole matter is that other great signe seene in heauen hauing the greatnesse of the errand and the disposing of the instruments for execution thereof Chap. 15. The execution in seuen degrees first by discouerie of the filthinesse and hypocrisie of the Beast his characterized followers their persons are despised Secondly their common worship becommeth ahominable Thirdly euen their grounds and chiefe Doctors are seen corrupted deadly and therewith in God his iustice because they had been bloudy murtherers of the Saints they in their course get bloud to drinke Fourthly the still waxing light of the Gospell as the Sunne discouering their darke works burneth them vp with indignation and despite 5. Thus Antichrist his kingdome becommeth contemptible losing much of the wonted lustre and magnificence to the great torment of their minds they euen gnawing their tongues for sorrow Sixthly Peoples tongues and Nations falling from the obedience thereof it is left naked and weake whereby a way is prepared for the Esterne kingdomes and most specially the Iewes sparsed amongst them
were happy but vpon defect hereof they are taxed that hauing a name that they liue they are dead that their works are not perfect in Christ his sight Howsoeuer among them God hath his number whose hearts and liues are answerable to their profession To whom is promised that they shall walke with Christ in white And the rest are warned to repent and watch least he come vpon them in an howre that they know not 10 Philadelphia hath an open dore set before her into which to enter for any humane aide shee is of little strength but what Christ openeth none shal be able to shut and what he shutteth none shall be able to open so that at the feet of this Church notwithstanding her little strength yet the enemies are faine to bow and giue their names And hereupon shee hath the promise to be established as a pillar not to goe out any more and that on her Christ will write his name c. So as to haue this honour permanent to bee Christ his true Church that new Ierusalem from heauen which shall neuer be moued 11 In Laodicea they thinke themselues so setled gifted and strengthned as they become secure and vainely presumptuous This bringeth in a cold indifferency in matters of God his worship men becoÌ„ming Luke warme and neither cold nor hot the very next sexe to plaine Atheisme Christ for soueraigne medicine against this euill calleth vp to his true riches wisdome banquet and hope of his throne whereto we attaine by fighting and ouercomming as did our Head CHAP. IIII. THe second part of this propheticall narration is henceforth to the 6. of the last Chapter of things to fall out after the time wherein Iohn had this reuelation and concerning first and properly the whole militant Church 2 In this is first the preparation of the Apostle to the perception of these mysteries and then the things reuealed The preparation is in the first and beginning of the 2. vers of this Chap. and is by sight by inuiting voice and the euent of both in Iohn 3 In the first besides the thing which he seeth are two circumstances of time and the seer his disposition The time is after the perception of the former things wherein no intermission is to be imagined but onely the order of manifestation noted all being but one continuall trance vpon one and the same Lord his day The seer his disposition is that he yet looked shewing a holy desire and earnestnesse not resting in things already seene but intending still his eies to see more Which disposition beeing in sobriety and sincere affection is neuer fruitlesse in any That which for preparation Iohn seeth is an open doore in heauen a signe of an entrie opened vnto him to the sight of heauenly things which neither are earthly nor of earthly mindes comprehended Thus Iohn Baptist saw the heauens opened so did Stephen the first Martyr Iacob vpon such a sight called Lâ—z Bethel the house of God and gate of heauen and the Lord most plainely shewing what by this frame of speech is meant when hee would tell of a more plentifull dispensation and sight of heauenly things hereafter saith he yee shall see the heauens open 4 In the inuiting voice are two what the voice was euen one and the same of a trumpet which first spake to him Chap. 1. And next what the voice vttered wherein is the commandement and end thereof The commandement is Come vp hither whereby is required in Iohn and all hearers and readers hereof a rising aboue themselues from the earth and all earthly affections to enter at the doore opened by God to see his secrets For as God his true Church consisteth of such as are not of the world so neither is God his dispensation towards them neither their gracefull state thereby to naturall and worldly men perceptible And heereof it is that throughout this Prophesie heauen in opposition to the earth is taken for the state of the true Church as the earth is for the worldly sort The end of the commandement is that he might shew him things which must bee done heereafter which sort of things are most difficile to know and yet we must desire to vnderstand But the Lord doth nothing but that he reuealeth to his seruants the Prophets 5 The euent in Iohn cleereth the end of the commandement This euent is he is rauished in spirit not as if this were an other trance the former being past but to shew a further intending of spirit and degree of rauishment now requisite for perception of more hidde and retired matters then were the former which were first properly of things then in earth existeÌ„t concerned particular and visible Churches whereas the things following are not only future but concern first and properly the whole militant which with the eies of faith we must behold as also her condition And this is to all flesh impossible to whom God openeth not heauen yea and whom he bringeth not vp and to whom he sheweth not the same when they are come thither For in these matters before we enter in the Lord his Sanctuary wee are but beasts Psalm 73. 17. 22. 6 This is the preparation The things offered to Iohn his perception follow thorow the rest of the booke and haue two parts For as the whole concerneth chiefly the state of God his Church and God his administration in grace towards her and wrath against her troublers so before the story of speciall euents is put in this and the next Chapter a goodly vision of the generall condition of God his Church and his administration for and towards her As we see in the beginning of the prophesie of Ezechiel the like vision of God his generall administration in the world and as before the first part of this propheticall narration a vision was put to shew the operation of Christ in his Church The first part then of the two is in this and the next Chapter and may well be called a generall introduction to the speciall story The other part hath the story of speciall euents to the 6. of the last Chapter 7 In the introduction are first a goodly type of the Church militant as in and against all troubles it hath and euer shall stand stable through God her King in the midst of her resident and his generall dispensation towards her gratious and for her terrible in this Chapter And next his particular dispensation of this present reuelation and things therein for her instruction and comfort the excellent dignity of which particular benefit is by many arguments shewed in the 5. Chap. And both these are here for great vse The first for stablishing the heart of Iohn and all Christians against the manifold dangers wrestlings decaies and apparent eclipses of the Church in the course of the subsequent story by setting downe in type such a state thereof as whereto alwaies at least with the eie of faith wee
marriage c. Which vndoubtedlie will be when vpon destruction of all troublers the Church enioying quiet state shall fall in the sleepe of security For if the last iudgement and comming of Christ to it had so notable markes as the foile of Antichrist taking of the Dragon and so great tumults warres and commotions with the hauocke of so huge Armies besiedging the Church how could either that day comes as a thiese on a peaceable world or the Church in such cruell inuasion be at ease and sleeping This errour hath made the subsequent matter to be of most part mistaken as if therein the state of the triumphant Church in heuens were set foorth as it shall be after the last day 23 A learned man lately commenting and with high and iust commendation vpon this booke perceiuing well that the subsequent condition of the Church must be vnderstood of her state heere in grace and so being not seeing how this place could bee taken of the last iudgement turneth it to an allegory of the conuersion of the Iewes by allusion to the last iudgement their conuersion to the faith in respect of their present and long beegunne desperate estate both temporall and spirituall being as it were a rising from the dead According as by the Prophets in regard of the full point thereof it is called and by the Apostle a life from death But besides that where a plaine sense in proprietie is conuenient farre sought allegories are not meete albeit for the wonderfulnesse and inexpected falling out thereof the Iewes restitution be of the Prophets called a rising from their graues yet that thus the whole description so cleerely in all the circumstances of the last iudgement can be drawne thereto I see no reason specially where agreeably to the manner of the holy Ghost the descripton of the generall iudgement may bee taken properly and conueniently for the purpose in hand and no necessity for this to interpret the subsequent Chapters of any state of the Church in time thereafter Which doubt will nothing trouble the iudicious Reader considering the manner of the Propheticall descriptions much different from common historicall narrations in that they by Hypotyposeis represent to the view as present those things they prophesie Further to say in a resurrection whereby men rise from ignorance and in duration to the knowledge of God and imbracing of the faith that they rise to eternall destruction it is vtterly absurd And heere we see that all the execution is of enemies in torment and euerlasting fire The spirit euen heereby as it were pointing to vs his purpose of this narration in this place And this argument â—uinceth that place Daniel 〈◊〉 to bee of the last resurrection For none rise the first resurrection to euerlasting shame but all are blessed As for the word there put of Many as if therein an argument were implied of some other resurrection then the generall wherein All rise it helpeth nothing that opinion as being put but in common and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repeated according to the subsequent partiâ—ition of Many to glorie Many to shame And if thereon ought might be builded with al 's good reason heere the generall iudgement must bee vnderstood where All the dead small and great doe rise c. That the many and goodly Prophesies of the restoring of Israel haue not as yet their full accomplishment till by faith they be grafted in againe whence they were cut out through vnbeliefe it were either great ignorance or perhaps blasphemy to denie seeing the Apostle to that purpose citeth Prophesies which therfore but in that case cannot be fulfilled Againe that it seemeth necessarie so great a point not to bee ommitted in this Reuelation I hartilie yeeld but that therefore this place should from a proper and well consisting sense be drawne thereto I see no necessitie For that matter was not obscurely in the sixth Viall signified and more plainlie in the Church her song Chapter 19. and if more be requisite who may not be satisfied as such mysteries are heere deliuered with that which in the next Chapter is said of the new Ierusalem hauing vpon this full ouerthrow of her focs her ports cast open towards all the quarters of the earth and on them written the names of the twelue Tribes of Israel to whom then they are made patent that all Israel may bee saued 24 A Throne Daniel 7. is erected and one sitteth for iudging and destroying the Beasts there mentioned enemies and troublers of the Church then And Daniel 12. the faithfull for conception of a perfect deliuerance and full ouerthrow of their aduersaries are called to the meditation of the last and full degree thereof in the generall resurrection To that heere is the allusion euen as in the description of the enemies heere the allusion was to these To shew not onely the like and full ouerthrow of the troubles now of the Christian Church holding on to finall accomplishment in Christ his last comming as the other were abolished at his first but also that the first euen in the promise of God his dispensation were types of the latter The not aduerting whereof hath made many to misconceiue the minde of the holy Ghost in the Prophets While some in accommodation of the promises and denunciations so rest in the first state and time as they looke not how therein God looked further and others so interpret them of the last state and time as against the minde of the spirit they apply them not first and properly to the state then Whereof first and for speciall consolation against the euils then they are meaned albeit they had also typically a further signification as the wise and frequent allusion in this Prophesie prooueth and accommodation through all the new Testament no lesse clearely 25 This great white throne shadowed by that of Solomon albeit then in full and finall degree it shall be erected when our Lord returneth in the cloudes of heauen yet in some degree it is erected here in the cleare and euident preuailing light and power of the Gospell So as euen heere after a sort heauen and earth depart that is the whole state of the world is changed as vpon pouring out of the seuenth Viall was denounced and as for the like euent though not in so full measure was spoken of at the opening of the sixth scale For euen heere we shall haue new heauens and a new earth that is a new state of things by the enemies vtter fall and goodly gracefull and peaceable estate of the Church thereupon when there shall be no more Sea as by Isay is Prophesied often and magnifikly in the subsequent Chapters is declared Thus the state vnder the Gospell in collation to the former is called of the Apostle a new worlde and so the condition of the Christian Church vpon destruction of Whore Beast and Dragon and strange alteration of all the states in the earth enioying peace shal bee yet
not designing any one particular person as the head of impiety a perfect and vnrecouerable destruction of them both both in God his iustice and for the Churches full security was requisite To the Reader HEere should haue followed the like Commentary vpon the two last Chapters 〈◊〉 vpon the former but for some speciall reasons they are omitted Vse that which heere thou hast with an vpright heart and giue glory to God A TABLE CONTAIning the most notable things in this booke A Rule for right Accommodation of Story to the seuen seales of this booke 41 The wrong ground whereby men marre the Accommodation 46 How farre time must bee lookt to in the Accommodation 89 The Aire 170 Our Altar Christ 37. 60. 81 The Ambition of the Romane Bishops 65 Angels are about the Church for two respects to protect her and to learne wisdome by her 29. 30 Angels are not to be worshipped 210. Angels put for the name of office not of nature 59. The Angel of the couenant 50 59 Antichrist his beginning 70 Whence and in what manner hee arriseth 118 119. 120 175. The mischiefe comming by him compared with the floud of Noah 77. His name 79. The number of his name 124. What sort of enemie he is 137 140. That he is the Pope 113 183 185. Acommon deceiuer of alboth Iewes and Gentiles 80. How he hath not power to slaie men and yet with him is found all the blood shed on the earth 72. 84. How farre he did preuaile 139. How to iudge of his followers 136 137 141. The first and second degrees of his fall 157. The third degree of his fall 158. The fourth 160 The fift wherein is a wise and iust retribution 161. The sixth 163. His destruction irrecouerable and vtter ruine 78 89 165 177 218. His vnexpected foile 218. His irrecouerable fall compared with the fals of the Beasts in Daniel 219. Armageddon 165 Christ his Arrowes kill all but differently 34 A diuine Artifice of the spirit 160 The Attire of the Bride 208 B BArbarous nations ouerturners of the Romane Empire although Satan his intention in spewing them out of his mouth was farre other 110 A great Battell in heauen 103 108 Why men are named Beasts 123 That the first Beast is the state of Rome not vnder the persecuting Emperours as the common opinion is but of the same time and condition with the second Beast that is vnder the Popedome it is prooued by foure cleere notes of the first Beast proper to the Popedome The first note 113. The second the third and the fourth note cleerest of all 114. How the same Antichrist to wit the Popedome is set fourth in both the Beasts 118. 121. What reason the Beast and false Prophet be distinguished seeing they are but one 121. 177. 178 â—18 What the wound in the sixth head of the Beast was and the curing of it 116. 117. In what respect but seuen heads are attibuted to the Beast albeit in number they bee eight 118. 176. Who is the seuenth head of the Beast 122. 177. The Beast is the eight head and one of the seuen to wit the sixt 116. 122. 176. Who the Beast is 123. 178. His seuen heads 175. How he had beene and then in Iohn his daies was and how hee was to come and what bee the Kings called his Heads 176. The hornes of the Beast 179. Why to this Beast is attributed not only hornes as to that in Daniel 7. but further also heads 179 The Beast in comparison set against Christ 217 Beasts throne and elders 20. 202 Christ his garment dipt in Blood 214 Pope Boniface the eight 231 The Bookes opened in the last iudgement 235. 236 The Bride her preparation 206. Her attire 207. 208 C THe degrees of a true inward Calling to the ministry 91 The length of the Land of Canaan 144 The Captaine of the Lord his Host 214 His power to doe all things 213 The Character of the Beast 124. 136. 219 Christ in diuers respects is both God sitting on the throne and also the Lamb standing betweene the throne and the Beast and Elders 13. He is dispenser of all both mercy and wrath 60. His comming downe from heauen 85 He is Lord of Sea and Land 87. Hee commeth in his Kingdome with power 107. 110. His garments dipt in blood 214. He is our Garment 162 The Church her constant gracefull state in the presence of God in her 12. In her goodly state heerethrough 13. In God his dispensation terrible for her 14. And gracious towards her in three graces 15. Her happinesse by this state 20 Without the true Church is neither saluation nor any true knowledge 24 The true Church preserued euen vnder Antichrist 53. 71 Her case vnder him 93. 137. And it is shewed in three distinct speeches 138 The Church her enemies and sufferings after what manner they be described in this Prophecie 104 The primitiue Church her habit and her trauelling in birth 105. Her flight to the wildernesse 190. Why she is called a mountaine 166 The Church her estate in the last daies 261 That the last two Chapters of the Reuelation must bee vnderstood of the Church militant 264 The Roman Clergy 70. 196 Their properties 78 A Cloud a note of diuine maiesty 86 A delightful CoÌ„gruity in the order of God his working 164 Conscience the twofold state thereof the intollerable torment thereof comming by Popish Doctrine 72. 73 Constantine the great 44. 109 Contention set foorth by fire the effects thereof 62 How it was among the Churchmen 63 The Course of the Reuelation 32. 101. 142. 153. 232 And of the Trumpets 61 The Artifice thereof noted 84. 90. 100. 101 The Cry of soules of Martyrs 37 The Dragon his Crownes are vpon his heads but the Beast his vpon his hornes 113 Christ hath many Crownes 213 The Cup. 135. 136 D THe Day of Iudgement shall come on a secure world 169 Death of two kinds 64 Of a third kiâ—de 67 Death first and second 223 224 To Dye in the Lord. 142 Desire of further kâ—owledge 49 The threefold Dignity of God his Saints 14 Dioclesianus a cruel persecuter 43 What Disposition is requisite for the perception of Diuine Mysteries 173 A Doore open in heauen 9. How wee must enter thereat and the necessity and fruit of entring 10 Our Doore to God is Iesus Christ 259 The Dragon who and of what time he is 105 His binding and to whom he is bound 222. 228 E THat great Eagle 109 The Earth in opposion to heauen for the earthly sort 10 For the place of the visible Church 49 The Earth in an other third sense 156 The loue of the Earth the effect thereof 70 A great and strange Earthquake 170 The East a pleasant discourse vpon the comming of the Angel from the East 50 The occasion of the falling away of the East from the truth and their conâ—ersion againe 163 To Eate the word of God 91 To Eate the flesh of the
Whoore. 181 The Eâ—â—s of Christ as a flame of fire 212 Elders Throne and Beasts 202 Romane Emperors bloody persecuters and how some were forced to honour the Saints 48 The Germaine Emperors 175. 179 The Graecian Emperors 178 The Enemies of the Church in the old and new Testament 104. 145 Example 193 F HOw to iudge of our Fathers in time of Antichrist 136 141 Fire from the Altar of a double effect 60 Fire of Gods spirit of loue and the fire of contention the different companions and effects of the two fires 62 The Fire of Ambition 63 Fire Brimstone and Iacinthe 83 The Fire of Christs feet 86 To haue power ouer Fire 146 How the Fire is mingled with the Sea 150 Christ his eies a flame of Fire 212 The Flood cast out of the Dragon his mouth 109 Flying through the middest of heauen 68. 134. 187 Frogges comming out of the mouthes of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet 161. 162 Their properties 164 Who they are 165 Fulminatrix legio 43 G CHrist his Garment dipt in Blood 214 His neme written on his Garment 216 Our Gate and onely doore to God is lesus Christ 259 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 254 God his seate in his Church his nature and Trinity of that one shadowed by three Iewels 12 His patience 82 Gog and Magog 233 That they are not particularly the Turkes who they are 242. 243. 244. 245 Golden Vials 27. 153 The three Graces of God towards his Church 15 Pope Gregory the seuenth 229 H THe mourning of Hadadrimon 167 Haile for cold preaching 62 For iudgement 99 Heretikes their disposition 66 Haleluiah 200 Harpes 27. 148 Haruest 145 Heauen in opposition to earth throughout this Prophecie is taken for the true Church in opposition to the worldly sort 10 Heauen put for the glory and honour of the great men of the earth 40 Amultitude in Heauen 200 The Heauens cast wide open 211 Hornes 26 Why the Beast is said to haue two hornes like the Lambs seeing to the Lambe are attributed seuen 115 Tenne hornes of the Dragon and of the Beast 123. 179 The difference betweene the tenne hornes Daniel 7. and the tenne hornes Reuel 13. and 17. 179 Why the hornes of the Beast haue crownes and not the hornes of the Dragon 113 Horses 33 The Host of heauen 215 I ALlusion to the fall of Iericho to the fal of Babel 100 Iesuits the origine their busie endeauours their date they are the last puffe of Satan his mouth and of the Vicar of his throne 165 The conuersion of the Iewes 80. 164. 167 But most euidently 168 139 Whether they shall inhabit their owne Landagaine 168 How great a way the Popes fall shall make to their conuersion 169 Their conuersion and ioy vpon his fall 201. 206 Iohn disposed the Canon before his death 269 The Impenitency and Induration of Papists 160. 161 The ordinary degrees of true Illumination 25 How we should looke on the condition of the Church of Israel in the old Testament 245 What is requisite to Iudge righteously 212 A description of the last Iudgement 234. 235 The manner of processe in the last Iudgement how it shall be ledde by that which is written in the bookes and yet according to our workes set foorth not for it selfe or time thereof but to shew the continuall recurelesse and finall destruction of the enemies and goodly state of the Church thereupon holding still one to the last Iudgement and so eternall 236. 237 The yeere or age of that day cannot determinatly bee gathered vpon any ground in Scripture 241 Iulian. 229 K KIngs 194 King of Kings and Lord of Lords 215 The Keies which the Popes haue to wit of the bottomlesse pit 70 Christ and his Ministers haue these same Keies in a farre different sense 221 L THe Lambe of God 27 In what respect the Lambe his slaughter is the reason of his worthinesse 28 The Lambe his mariage 206 Seuen burning Lamps 15 Legio fulminatrix 43 Lightnings thundrings and voices 14 True Light bringeth euer true ioy 24 White Linen apparel 153 Where our Church was before Luther 140 Lions Buls and Cherubins in Salomon his Temple types of the Ministers of the word 18 Two Lions of diuers qualities 24 M MAgeddon or Megiddon 165. 166 Mahomet his time of rising by what meanes he spred his doctrine the swift course of the victories of his successors 82 A Man 42 The face of a Man 17. 78 A Man-childe 106 The number of a Man 126 The measure of a Man 257 Of an Angel 258 The Marriage of the Lambe 206 The soules of the Martyrs cry 77 The Merchants and Merchandize of Rome 195 God euen in wrath remembreth Mercy 60 Ministers of God his word are necessary for begetting in vs the life of God 16 The properties requisite in them 17 The light and feeling that ought to be in them 88 They are the light of the world 188 The degrees of a true inward calling of a Minister 91 The type of the Ministers who were first open contesters with Antichrist in three rankes 133. 134. 135 How they were persecuted 141 True Ministers haue power ouer fire 146 Myracles 151 Christ is our Morning starre 267 Why the Church is called a Mountaine 166 Mourning must goe before ioy 23 The Mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Mageddon 167 The Mystery of God the finishing thereof 88 89 99. 155 What is requisite for the perception of Mysteries 173 A Mystery where of the Author in sobernesse confesses bee dare not determine 12. Another 232. Another 258. N ANtichrist his Name 79 Christ hath a Name which none knoweth but himselfe 213 His Name King of Kings 215 His Name the Word of God 214 To haue the Name written on the garment and one the thigh 216 A New World 241 How Christ reneweth the world 252 The Night for humane sciences 68 Noah his flood semblable to the euil of Antichrist 77 Number of the Elders twenty foure the reason thereof 13 The Number of foure 17. 49 In an other respect 81 The Number of twelue 120. 128 The Number of the name of the Beast 124 The Number of the name of God 125 O VVHat makes the Obduration of Papists 173 Odoacer King of the Heruls 17 Our praiers are Odours 27 How and in whom they are Odours 59 The Order of the Reuelation 32. 142. 153. 232 The great artifice thereof 48. 90. 94. 98. 100. 101 P HOw to iudge of Papists 136. 137. 141 The cause why Papists be so obdured 147 Their vnity 180 Papisticall seducers may be iustly punished by death yea and should be 159 Their impenitency 160. 161 Their desperate sorrow because of the light of the Gospel 161 Christ his feete are Pillars 86 Pharao a type of the Dragon 104 That the Pope is Vicar of Satan his throne 112 That he is the Beast that Antichrist 113 It is also proued by three infallible tokens 183 And by a plaine and forcible argument euinced 185
The shifts of the Papists for exempting the Pontificality from this blot 183 Whence he arriseth 175 His fall irrecouerable 78. 89. 165. 177 His presumption obstinacie and vnexpected foile 218 Aplaine crossing of all Popery 54 An incouragement to Praier 60 The false Prophet all one with the Beast and for what cause they be distinguished 121. 177. 178 The Lord God of the holy Prophets 254. 265 R RAine twofold 62 The Rainebowe about Christ his head 86 All Religion 19 The first Resurrection 224 Who they are that are said Chap. nineteenth to rise the first Resurrection 224. 225 The Reuelation worthy of our study 11. 265 The dignity thereof shewed in two great points 21 The course thereof 32 Riches and authority without wisdome are but the weapons of a foole 30 The Riches of Christ 30 Riders on Horses 33 Christ his Riding on a white horse 212 White Robes in Scripture haue a triple signification 38 Rome her presumption 192. 218 The Renting of her in three 171 By whom shall her fall bee 152. 163. 182 The first and second degrees of her fall 157 The third degree of her fall 158 The fourth 160 The fifth 161 The sixth 163 What her fall shall be 181 It is irrecouerable 165. 177 And vnexpected 192 The certainety and greatnesse thereof 188. 191. 198 The equity thereof 189. 198. 205 Yet in considering the equity a diffeerence is to bee put betwene the state euery particular mēber of that state 193 S TO the Saints is giuen a kingdome euen heere 107 Satan his twofold dealing against the Church 105. 106 What is his first attempt alwaies 106 How he is said to be in heauen to fight there to bee cast downe out of heauen into the earth 107 The Scripture is onely to bee heard and no voice else in the Church of God 25 In what respect it is a little Booke 86 It is kept secure by the Pope Ibid. It must be eaten 91 In the Scripture all is reuealed requisite for light or manners 266. 267. 268 To couplerightly the parts thereof 268 The glassie Sea a type of the Word 15. 149 The Sea for the common worship 49. 64 For that which is below 120 The Red Sea and pillar of fire types of the Word and Spirit 150 For what reason the Sea is said Chap. 15 to be mingled with fire 150 There was no more Sea 120. 250 Seamen 196 The Seale of God 51 Seducing of two sorts 228. 233 The twofold Seed of the Church 130 Seuen Lamps 15 Seuen hornes and seuen eies of the Lambe 26 Seuen points of his praise 30 Seuen heads 118. 175 Seuen Seales Seuen Trumpets Seuen Vials 153 Seuen diuers times recorded in all this booke and concerning this number Seuen 232 The Shining of the Bride her attire 208 Showers twofold 62 Two great Signes in heauen 100 The Signe of the Dragon 102. 147 The Signe of the Sonne of Man 147. 212 To Sit. 191 The Slaughter of the Lambe the reason of his worthinesse and in what sense must thinke so 24 Sobriety 88. 211 Example of Sobriety in the Author 12. 232. 258 Solitary places 188 The Holy Spirit his procession and name of Comforter signified by the Rainebow diffunded about the Throne 12 In a diuers consideration he both sitteth in the throne and also is before the throne set foorth in Seuen burning Lamps 13 Starres for great men of the earth 40. For Pastors 67 And in that case how they are to be considered 68 To stand in the Sunne 216 T The Tents of Saints 233 Theodoricus the Ostrogoth the seuenth head of the Beast 122 Thrones 161 Thrones Beasts and Elders 202 Thrones set for saints 228 Christ his white Throne 235. 240 Seuen Thunders 87 Why their speeches were vttered and yet not written 88 The Times recorded in the Reuelation 73 A refutation of Propheticall yeeres as they call them 74. 96 How to vnderstand the Times of the Reuelation 76 The Time of tenne daies 76 The Time of fiue monthes 77 How the Trumpets beginne and ende in respect of time 80. 89. 90. The Time of fourty two monthes and of 1260 daies and of Time Times and halfe a Time 96. 231 The Time of three daies and a halfe 97 Which also is the space that the Dragon is let goe loose after his first binding 222 The effects of that his loosing 203 The Time of a thousand yeeres 226 It is the onely Time in all this prophesie to be taken definitly 230. The Thighi to put the hand vnder the thigh Christ his name written on his thigh 216 Tragicall times of some Emperours 43 Treasons of Papists by whom they are atchiued how good and worthy works they doe esteeme them 72 And what setteth them so madlings a worke 165 The Tribes of Israel 53 Why they are recorded but to be twelue seeing they were thirteene 127 Trumpets 58 Twelue 120. 128 Turkes their heades terrible Army the great desolation they make V GOlden Vials types of faithfull and pure hearts 27 Golden Vials cups of wrath 153 The reason why they come in place after the trumpets 154 On whom they are powred out 156 Vintage 146 Of the Visibility of the Church 138. 139 The Vnity of the Church of Rome 180 The Voice of Christ is bold as a Lion and powerful as thunder How to know if the Ministers speake his voice Pope Vrbane the second and his successors kindlers of the holy warre for recouery of Ierusalem 229 W LOue of the Wages ofvnrighteousnes 196 The Warre proclaimed in Paradise 102. 105 Christianity is a Warfare against whom it is and how to fight it out 108 And ouercome 180 Counsel and strength are for the Warre 213 The holy Warre 229 Waters of two sorts 67 Many Waters 162 The drying vp of many Waters 162. 173 White colour White horses 33. 145. 212 White robes 38 White linen apparell 153 A White throne 240 Windes for influence of spirituall graces 49 Deepe Wisdome 204 The Whoore described 174 Who shee is 182 How the restoring of Prophesie and dispelling of darkenes is a Woe 98. 160 Two great Wonders in Heauen 100 Wondring of two sorts 174 The Word compared to water figured by the Lauer in the Tabernacle and by the brasen Sea Temple and in this booke Chap. 4. set foorth vnder the type of a glassie Sea before the throne 15. 16 The Word contemned of a blessing becommeth the first of plagues 34 The Word is the weapon of Christ his victorie 86. 88. 215 Three degrees of operation which the Word of God hath in the hearts of his owne 132 Our Worship to God must proceed of knowledge 20 The Wound of the Beast in his sixth head 117 How Works doe follow the dead 142 FINIS Faults escaped Page 8 Line 1 Fault Affliction that Correction Affliction them that Page 8 Line 29 Fault sex Correction step Page 27 Line 12 Fault three Harps Correction their Harps Page 31 Fault last Correction of ingratitude Correction of our ingratitude Page
lector arenam Liba neu â—icco rade profunda pede Hic sulcanda via est huic te duce numine oportet Etpoteris placiâ—ae credere tutus aquae The Summe of the Booke THis Booke is that written record of the things in Vision heard and seene by Iohn in Patmos which according to the commandement giuen him hee sent to the seuen Churches of Asia Whereof it is that besides the inscription in the first three verses the whole is an Epistle hauing a salutation to the ninth of the first Chapter a valediction in the last verse of all and the body of the matter in the rest This body hath for the most part a propheticall narration to the sixt of the last Chapter and thence the generall conclusion The narration hath two parts the first is of things which partly then were and partly were also to bee done thereafter And this part hath first a goodly vision of Christs presence operation and dispensation in and towards these seuen Churches and which in common concerneth them all And secondly a particular accommodation thereof to each one according to their proper condition good or euill or mixed at that time In which respect this part is said to be of things which were then existent as it is also of things to be done thereafter because of the future good or euill promised or threatned The second part of the narration is of things which were to be done thereafter concerning first and properly the whole militant Church Like as the whole euents thereof were to fall out after the time of this trance how soeuer for cleering the working on of these euents some circumstances and beginnings are in one or two places deduced higher And this second part hath a generall introduction to the speciall Storie Chap. 4. and 5. and the story of speciall euents thenceforth The introduction hath two parts first a goodly type of the true Church militant according to that constant and inuariable condition shee euer holdeth in all her changes wrestlings sufferings victories kythings and eclipses For expressing accordingly of all which as diuers and conuenient types thorow this Prophecie are taken so alwaies in all cases this of the Throne Beasts and Elders euer holdeth thorow all This constant condition hath God his constant presence as King and Lord fixing his habitation and ruling in the midst of his Church her gracefull state herethrough as which is a royall priesthood to him his generall and constant dispensation to this end terrible for her and gracious towards her and her dutifull worship of him againe Chap. 4. In the second part of the Introduction is shewed by whom and in whom it is that shee hath all this presence protection and graces and specially thus artificially to bring on the story of speciall euents by whom it is that she hath this singular benefit of this reuelation The dignitie whereof is shewed first in the retired eminencie of the matter and secondly in the worthinesse of the Person reuealer Chap. 5. The speciall storie is thence of which the abstruse secrecie locked vp in God his counsell as by a sealed Booke in God his right hand it was figured so the manifestation thereof to vs is typically expressed by opening of the seales in which the whole Story being comprehended six of them opened yeeld also many types of these first sorrows wherewith God plagued the world for reiecting the Gospel I hâ— seuenth yeeldeth 7. Trumpets whereof the first six haue the second euils and the seuenth vpon induration against all former punishment affordeth seuen vials of the last wrath for full and recurelesse destruction of the enemies and the Church her constant gracefull and quiet state thereupon The beginnings of sorrowes are first the powerful preaching of the Gospell in it selfe properly the first blessing yet to the world â—adly impugning that which must Conquer and Ouercome becomming the sauor of death is the first and mother plague begetting bloudy warres strange famines greeuous pestilences and not some beasts God his foure great plagues seuerally and iointly Against all which notwithstanding the rage and induration of enemies still groweth and that to so huge and cruel effusion of the bloud of Saints as in God his iustice cried for no lesse then the full and finall destruction of that afflicting state Which neuerthelesse in God his wise dispensation is reiourned till the accomplishment of the rest of Martyrs in that honour of suffering And that the Church might attend this the more patiently she getteth in the time relaxation from open persecution and the sufferings of Martyrs become honourable Thereafter that bloudy state through inuasion of barbarous and vncoâ—th nations suffereth such strange alteration as the whole face thereof is turned and it receaueth a deadly wound so farre as might make way for the succeeding huge mischiefe in the seuenth Scale Chap. 6. Before the opening whereof to a particular manifestation of the euils therein for more cleering of the matter and in a diuine artifice to imply that this second mischiefe was hatching euen in time of the first sorrowes a summary view of the whole sequell thereof is giuen in a deadlie euill to ouergoe all the face of the visible Church worship and professors therein Against which the care of Christ for preseruing his true Church is shewed and her double condition first vnder and in time of the mischiefe by a mystical number of sealed ones and of whome and how that number is made vp to the ninth verse and secondly her condition victorius ouer the euill as the same condition is offered to Iohn his perception first by seeing and hearing and secondly by information to the end of the seuenth Chapter For particular explication of that which in the seuenth Chapter was summarily portended the seuenth Seale is opened and yeeldeth seuen Trumpets as also many signes giuen of diuers degrees of iudgements whereby God was as it were to charge vpon the World these in coÌ„parison are lighter or heauier The first foure are lighter first through cold showers of selfeloue and fierie contention mixed with crueltie in the visible Church followeth a destruction in part of true spirituall life and religion both in weake and in such as appeared strong Christians Secondly through the fire of ambition amongst Church-men a corruption in part of the common worship and a death in superstition Thirdly through hereticall prauity arising vpon despitefull pride bitternesse and presumption of great knowledge the very grounds and chiefe Doctours are poisonablie infected to the death of many therein Fourthly darke ignorance and a decay in part of true light and learning both in diuine and humane sciences Chapter 8. Now these foure lighter euils were but alse many steppes to the fift and first of three great woes in the fift Trumpet When not in part onely but through the fall of great Pastours from Heauen to the loue of the Earth and thus losing the Key of knowledge and of the Kingdome of Heauen
to come into the obedience of faith In which perilous case of their kingdome the Dragon Beast and false Prophet bestirre themselues and iointly bend their whole malice power and deceit by their emissarie false Teachers to seduce the Kings of the earth in their quarrell against the true Church But for such a mighty foile to both the seducers and the seduced as shall make at length the long blinded Iewes turning to the faith to concelebrate the victory 7. This miserable euent in the enemies prognosticated against all their busie indeauors in the sixt Viall is now in the seuenth fully executed with so strange a commotion alteration and ouerturning of the state of the earth by so vncouth plagues as was not since the beginning of the world At all which notwithstanding that Antichristian body deuoted to destruction still obstinately blasphemeth Chap. 16. This so huge a destruction so summarily in the seuenth Viall deliuered is henceforth more largely and cleerely exponed according to that grouth of light which that time shall bring with it laying open to the view of the Earth the parties destroied and the manner measure and euents of their ouerthrow These are the Whoore Chap. 17. and 18. The Beast and false Prophet Chap. 19 and the Dragon for an absolute victorie Chapter 20. Of the Whoore is shewed who shee is and by whom shee shall be destroied The Whore is the City of Rome borne vp to be a Lady of Kingdomes and a mother harlot corrupting the Earth with spirituall fornication by the pontificality the eight and last sort of soueraigne heads ouer-ruling that state and with whom it shall fall for euer Her destruction shall bee by these selfe same Kingdomes and States who before deceaued with her had beene speciall props of Antichrist his power but at last espying the abhominations thereof fall from him and become instruments of God his iust indignation against the Whore Chap. 17. The greatnes certainly instant performance equitie of her irreparable ruin is Rhetorically amplified Chapter 18. Whereupon and the conioined fall of Antichrist her aduancer by the sword of his mouth who iudgeth and fighteth righteously whose name is that word of God is ministred to the Church such matter of ioyfull praise as stirreth also at length God powerfully turning their hearts the Iewes to ioine in the concelebration of the same victory Chap. 19. The Dragon Satan who by Constantine his conuersion and Christianity by lawes established had beene bound vp from open rage a thousand yeeres all which time howsoeuer the most part of the World through Antichrist his preuailing deceit were dead in superstition and blindnes yet the true Church who receiued not his character liued the life of God being partakers of the first resurrection and Christian religion was in account is therefore againe let loose to practice open cruelty and thereto stirreth all his forces from all quarters But yet by the power of the Gospell preuailing maugre all his endeauours the rest of men who haue long laien dead in blindnes and error rise also the first resurrection there is a new face of a world all enemies being so ouerthrowen as the Church hath a most gracefull and quiet state for that Satan is now taken againe this second time and so as hee neuer getteth any liberty hereafter either by errour to deceiue or persecution to disturbe the Church her quiet hee being now not onely bound vp for a thousand yeeres as that first but so as his destruction now begunne holdeth on till that full point it shall haue in the last iudgement and the Church her raigne hereupon shall accordingly not be for a thousand yeeres onely as at the first but for euermore hauing now performed in her and to her whatsoeuer rested foretold by the Prophets vnaccomplished for her gracefull and quiet state and her enemies full destruction here and in that the mystery of God is fulfilled shee hauing no more to expect but the comming of her Lord for translating her to glory From the sixth verse of the 22. Chap. is the conclusion of the Booke wherein for procuring to this prophecie due regard and carefull obseruation it is commended from the truth and fidelity of the matter which is from God by a glorious dispensation and ministry deseruing credit from the neere approaching performance of things prophecied and from the perfection thereof in this that it closeth vp the Canon so as no more is to be expected either for light or manners but hearts to be erected in earnest wish and attentiue expectation of our Lord his comming Euen so come Lord Iesus DIuinus quidquid vates contexerat altis Sphingibus hic dextré Forbesius referat Sic sibi promeruit nomen per saecula foelix Qui simili expendit pauca talenta modo Andreas Aidius Scoto-Britannus Ad patrem suum colendissimum Patricium Forbesium à Cothari de pererudito eius in Apocalypsin Commentario Iohannes Forbesius filius VAtibus haec olim sanctis imperuia Ioua Innuit Isacidis quisque Propheta suis Post vatum Deus haec etiam tunc aspera nato Fulminis ostendit caetibus ille Asiae Presbyteri Deus haec patefecit peruia tandem Patricio varijs gentibus indepatent Peruia nulla via est talis sine Flamine Sancto Quo duce teste libro hoc inuia nulla via est Ingentem veteres amplam Zebedeia proles Obtinet hinc laudem Forbesiusque suam Pectus ob haec tacitae pertentauere Sionis Gaudia quae prae se vate canente tulit Hinc etiam Ionias Hilarauit Apostolus vrbes Oblectauit enim littera missa viros At duce Patricio lector pius intime noscens Gestit exultat laetitiaque fremit Propter aquas vitreas ignitas mosis Agni Turbae tenens palmas nobile cantat epos Diuinum a quo lux numen super ardua tollens Forbesij per quem nomen in alta ferens Hinc tua progenies noua pectore gaudia voluit Dum te chare pater Nestora quisque cupit Nestor eris nec Nestor eris sed corpore quanto Mens prestat tanto Nestore maior eris Victa cadunt ictu annorum collapsa putrescunt Corpora at ingenijs stat sine morte decus Esto quidem arctatam vinclis suspirantem Admeliora animam liberet inde Deus Quantaque terricolis tua per spicientia praebet Gaudia caelicolis mens tua tanta ferat Te tamen haud triplicis venturi terminus aeui Finiet aut lucem nox ruitura tuam Daedala sed magni dum stabit machina mundi Ingenij viues per monumenta tui Te monstrante micat primoque oriente relicto Ardua caelorum Phosphorus vsque petit Donec protulerit vultus splendore decori Aeternum aeternus Phaebus ab axe diem Tum clarus multis in milibus aera carpens Te sistes album Principis ante thronum Indeque cum Christo clamore per astra secundo Coelica tendentem turma sequetur ouans Ad Papam
sure esperance but already great proofe Now this diuersity of gifts God giueth as hee findeth expedient and as they may best serue for his honour and good of his Church hee requireth the vse sometime courage sometime patient suffering sometime prudency in both sometime a deepe search of Scriptures and of the dealing of God as according hereto we see these foure to vtter themselues at the opening of the Seales Chapter 6. Consider alwayes how conueniently these eyed and winged wights are ioyned to the glassie Sea as the sea in Solomon his Temple was set on twelue buls and on the borders of the bases for the Caldrons were Lions Bulles and Cherubins the Cherubins for their face flight answering to both the man and flying Eagle in this place So sweet is the consent of Scripture Thus are their properties common and singular Their function is first described in generall and next from the speciall end thereof The generall is God his worship wherein are two things First their continuall diligence night and day in season and out of season waiting on nothing else for who is sufficient for these things see Paul his example Act. 20. Secondly is the function or worship it selfe wherin they kith such diligence which is they are publike Heralds of God his praise euen thereby teaching others to doe the same according to the speciall end we see hereafter whereto the forme is substantially framed For they ascribe to God all holinesse euen triple holinesse to that triple one Now if our God bee holy who sanctifieth vs that as he is holy wee may bee holy also this teacheth vs to study to our sanctification for holinesse becommeth his house Hee is onely Lord therefore to bee serued hee is God therefore to bee feared and as hee is not holy without authority but is Lord and God so hath hee not authority without power for hee is almighty so that we may and ought to put our whole trust in him alone and as hee hath all power so is hee constant and true as hee who is eternall and without shadow of changing who yesterday and to day and the same for euer is was and to come his holines is the more admirable as ioyned with absolute power and such a power as is not alterable his truth giueth assurance of his promises to repose thereon here is all Religion Thus is their function in generall The speciall end is to bee leaders of the Elders that is the Church in this same duty of publike worshippe and thanksgiuing by going therein before them This end is clearely shewed in that when the foure beasts gaue praise the twenty foure Elders fell downe following their very words as it were saying Amen to them and this is that fourth point which wee noted to bee in this Chapter the worshippe returned to God by his Church 15 Their worshippe is by outward gesture and by speech The gesture is threefold prostrating adoration and casting their Crownes all down to him that sitteth on the Throne and to none else in casting their Crownes confessing their vnworthinesse in themselues of that high honour whereto they are called Their speech hath the honour giuen to God and the reason thereof for God will haue all our worshippe and reasonable seruice to proceed of knowledge not as the Samaritanes who worshipped they knew not what The honour giuen to God is all whereof by signe they confessed themselues vnworthy The reason is for that hee created all things and that for himselfe as whereto no forraine cause but his owne will stirred him aboue which to search any cause is not onely grosse ignorance but presumptuous impietie And this reason concludeth strongly for hee of whom are all things for whom are all things ought onely of all things to receiue all honour 16 Thus haue we the type of the true militant church of Christ vpon earth but heauenly such as alwayes by powerfull protection and gracious dispensation of his Spirit Word and Ministery thereof hee hath preserued in the greatest power of darkenes which though the World cannot see nor learne their song yet the lightned by faith will perceiue and reioyce This sight made Moses to despise the pleasures of Egypt and chuse to be afflicted This made Dauid to make so great account of the Courts of the Lord as to make it the head of all his desire to dwell in his Tabernacle to behold his beauty Ierusalem is faire in situation the glory of the whole earth and City of the great King Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of our God Euen here wee are quickned together with Christ and raised together with him sit with him in the heauenly places This is the Church builded on a rocke against which the gates of hell preuaile not which though men haue often afflicted from her youth yet haue they not preuailed against her For the Lord her God is with her and the ioyfull shout of a King is in the middest of her Herefore it is that through all this Booke howsoeuer to expresse the diuers conditions of the Church in her speciall wrestlings sufferings eclipses victories diuers types are brought yet this of the throne elders and beasts in all her alterations still holdeth through all CHAP. V. THe first part of the introduction to the Story was in the fourth Chapter in a goodly type of the militant â—hurch and God his generall dispensation in her The second part is in this Chapter wherein is shewed in whom for whom and by whom it is that the Church hath all this presence protection and graces and in speciall for bringing on the second part in the story of speciall euents by whom and for whom shee hath this particular benefite of this Reuelation the great dignitie whereof albeit it appeareth sufficiently by that which in the former Chapter was seene it being from such a King as God to his owne Church yet here it is more plainely shewed in two great points The one is the retired highnesse of the matter surpassing the reach of all Creatures the second is the singular worth and prerogatiue of that personage by whome it is reuealed 2 The retired height of the matter is declared first by the naturall condition of it in it selfe and next by the imbecility of all Creatures in attaining thereto The condition of the matter is according to the manner of men set forth in foure circumstances 1. That it is in the hand of him that sitteth on the throne 2. It is a book 3. Copiously written 4. It is most surely sealed That it is in the hand of God not onely is shewed the eminency thereof but also that the whole case of his church and wrath on the world for her hard entertainement are directed by him as the worke of his owne right hand as also his carefull memory of it keeping the record therof in his right hand as men doe of these things they hold
from Christ his owne words I called the beginnings of sorrowes being taken whole and together are anteriour both in consideration and in time to the euill of the seuenth seale and sixe trumpets thereof as whereby are shewed the iudgements of God against the open rage of the Dragon in his ministers the Roman Emperours by all the degrees thereof till induration at length bringeth this ruine and as the the second great euill of the seuenth seale and sixe trompets thereof taken whole according to that height of mischiefe whereto it grew is posterior both in consideration and time to the former so in comparing parts the second in some first degrees of her grouth is before the full end of the first Heere is the deceit that men thinke the effects of the sixe seales must haue a full end before the opening of the seuenth vpon their forelaid preiudice For euen in the time of Satan his first open rage he was busie hatching the second euill the mysterie of iniquity working euen then albeit before it could be reueled or come to any great height that which with-held behoued to bee taken out of the way the sixt head behoued to be wounded deadly and the seuenth rising by the wound euanish in a short space that the eighth by cure of that deadly wound the beast which was and is not and yet is might bewhich all the world and perish in the cup of the last wrath So that Areth as saith fitly that this sixth seale maketh way to the Antichrist who though he was before this well farre aduanced yet the holy Ghost deliuereth his whoâ—e grouth in the seuenth seale thus distinguishing diuers cases and not preciselie cutting times And the next Chapter containing summarily the whole story of the seuenth seale before it bee opened for particular explication sheweth that as that mischiefe was in some degrees working on in time of the sixt seale so this Prophecie is penned for clearing of matter and not for calculation of times Albeit each euill considered in the height thereof and taken whole and together is deliuered according to their order in time 16 The summe then of all this Chapter is that the Gospell going forth in power should by Satan stirring the Empire of Rome against it so bee resisted as God in his iustice should punish that state with sending bloody both intestine and forraigne warres strange famines and grieuous pestilences seuerally and iointly and all his ordinary plagues Notwithstanding which they should stil so grow in cruelty against the professors of the Gospell as in God his iustice required no lesse then full and finall vengeance the patience of Saints being extreamly proued Which vengeance in respect that for good considerations in God his wise administration specially for fulfilling the sufferings of Saints and therein the cup of the enemies iniquity it was to bee for a space delaied left the Saints thereupon should be tempted aboue measure God gaue them in that time great relaxation from persecution and high account before men And soone after in such degree as in the time might witnesse his wrath euen to the consciences of the aduersaries indured against all the former iudgements hee powreth a great measure of indignation vpon that bloody staâ—e giuing it so a deadly wound CHAP. VII THe sixeseales opened exhibited the particular types of the first sorrowes The seuenth is to bring foorth so huge an euill as the heart of Iohn and all hearers and readers were to bee strengthened against the horror thereof Herefore it is that before the seale be opened to the manifestation of so many degrees of a detestable mischiefe in this Chapter a summary view is giuen of the rest of this Prophesie in a generall type of the euill arising of the prouident care of Christ to preserue to himselfe a Church vnder and in the midst thereof the victory of the Church ouer this euill and her gracefull state thereupon Thus not onely by a timous praeception of deliuerance from so dangerous a case fortifying hearts which otherwaies at long and particular explication thereof without this praemunition might haue fainted but also by this order of handling in proponing these things before the opening of the seuenth seale whereof they are the proper euents implying not obscurely that this second great euill was euen in time of the former sorrowes greatly aduanced 2 The mischiefe is shewed in foure ministers of indignation by their number place and action portending plainely that euill which at more length and particularly in the sixe trumpets is exponed Against which inconuenience vpon the world how Christ entertaineth his Church during the time of the euill is declared to the 9. verse From thence to the end of the Chapt. is first the Church her victory at length in the seuenth trumpet and seuen vials thereof declared and next her gracefull state thereupon which is amplie in the 21. and 22. Chap. inlarged heere both summarily proponed 3 The number of these ministers of indignation is foure for the foure corners of the earth See Chapt. 4. their place the foure corners of the earth to shew an euill which in the height of it should ouergoe all as is cleere in the fifth trumpet and end of the 13. Chapter Their action is to hold the forue windes c. Windes when they are tempestuous are noysome but blowing temperately and mildly they bring a sweet influence of fertility to the earth and of purification both to sea and aire We liue by emitting and indrawing of breath and without wind all things would putrifie Hence in Scripture to signifie the influence of spirituall graces speeches are borrowed Ioh. 3. Act. 2. Cant. 4. Arise ô South and come ô North blow on my garden c. See Ezech. 37. 9. whence most cleerely this speech is in this sense The with-holding then of windes signifieth the restraint of spirituall life and grace The earth sea and trees are also typicall as is euident in the fifth trumpet Chapt. 9. where the maine point of this foreshewed euill taking execâ—tion the ministers thereof are interdicted hurting of these trees who had the seale of God on their fore-heads This frame of speech is also from the practise of enemies in extreme destructions As of Israel Iuda and Edom against Moab Marring euery good field stopping euery fountaine of water and felling euery good tree 2. King 3. 19. Destroying so the fields wherein the moysture whereby and the things themselues which in fields and by moysture doe grow The eaâ—th then is the place of the visible Church wherein are trees good and bad some bearing fruit some but leaues but as heere it is hurt by this plague it signifieth onely the earthly ones who are in it but not of it for the sealed ones are not of the earth but albeit in the earth yet the citizens of heauen The Sea is the common worship wherein men are ioyned pure or impure as it falleth through the lothsomenesse or deadlinesse of
the waters making accordingly the trees which grow thereby good or bad Trees are men of whom such as are planted in the courts of God are alwaies fresh and flourishing like these of paradise Christians good and bad are in Scripture so ordinarily called trees as it were a vaine thing to heape testimonies This euill then was to ouergoe the whole visible Church doctrine worshippe and professours therein 4 Against this danger the care of Christ is shewed ordering the state of his elected ones by imprinting on them such a marke with the seale of God as thereby they should escape the euill Herein come to be obserued the person actor and the number sealed The person is of great note as being an Angel but of singular quality euen the Angel of the couenant This is cleare by his notes and by his action His notes are two His comming vp from the East and hauing the seale of God In the first are notable the quarter whence he commeth the East and that he ascendeth therefrom He commeth from the East not onely as our day starre and Sunne of righteousnesse by frame of speech from naturall lights which all arise from the East and heere conuenientlie sheweth him to bee the light and life of his sealed ones when spirituall darkenesse should possesse all but this hath also a speciall allusion to the last Chapters of Ezechiel wherein the goodly state of the Church vnder the Gospell being described vnder legall types not only is the glory of the God of Israel seene enter into the Temple by way of the East and the forefront of the house noted to be towards the East and the land so diuided amongst the Tribes as one end of each portion should reach to the East but also at the east doore of the inner court of the Temple so situated as to each doore thereof men behooued ascend by degrees as this Angel ascendeth from the East none were permitted to enter or come foorth but the Prince All both Prince and people worshipped before that doore but the Prince onely went in and out thereat Neither might the people come in the Temple at all to worship but when the Prince was in the midst of them they came in together and went out together yet at the East doore none but hee And out of the East doore came the waters which did grow to a Sea All no doubt to shew that no light ought to come in God his house but the Prince his light neither any Doctrine flow from the Temple but his who onely entreth and commeth foorth at the East doore in his light all must walke and worship and therefore no entry but when hee entreth no worship but when hee is present as in whom and for whom onely it is accepted and from whom onely wee are to take the rule thereof His light riseth on all his owne children hauing all their portions reaching to the East That this Angel then commeth from the East it sheweth him to be the Prince that he ascendeth it noteth his cōming to be into his temple to bee life and light to his sealed ones in the midst of this darknesse euen that lambe vpon Mount Sion in the midst of those 144000. Chap. 14. when all the earth followed the beast Chapt. 13. Consider well for this state of Christ his Church and his manner of presence in it the 11. Chapt. His second note is that hee hath the Seale of the liuing God This seale he hath essentially as he is the Image of the inuisible God and ingraued character of the Father his person hauing life in himselfe as the Father hath life in himselfe And he hath this seale to seale others therewith giuing life to whom he will as the Father quickneth whom he will for him hath the Father sealed All faithfull haue this seale that is are sealed therewith But to haue it in this degree as therewith to be the sealer of God his Saints it is aboue the dignity of all creatures Hee onely is the Master of God his great Seale sealing all God his children with the holy Spirit of promise The foundation of God abiaeth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth wh are his And this also he sealeth vp in vs by his spirit of sanctification so as who call on the name of the Lord depart from iniquity Hauing this Seale wee need not feare any darkenesse of Antichrist for our annointing teacheth vs all things and the honour of our God so requiring wee haue our Seale in our foreheades ready to giue account of our hope to all that aske vs. 5 Thus are the notes of his person His Action is that he cryeth with a loud voice c. His loude crying sheweth the greatnesse of the mischiefe for preuenting whereof as men in such cases doe he is said to cry with a loud voice so bewraying care The Substance of his cry is in a commandement and the end thereof The commandement is not to hurt c till we haue sealed c. His commandement sheweth authority whereby he ruleth all things in heauen and earth both in mercy and iustice As our brother God is his God I go to your God and my God your father and my father Iohn 20. 17. The end of the commandement is that the seruants of God may bee in suretie through his Seale in their fore-head The speech is from the 9. of Ezechiel where vpon the destruction of Ierusalem Temple and all to ensue by the state of Babell such a type of caution is put for preseruation of such as mourned and sighed for the iniquities committed in that City so here a spirituall desolation and Captiuity being to come on the visible Church by mysticall Babylon the like Caution is prouided for the like sort The marking on the fore-head is put but according to the manner of men who imprint a conspectible mark on what they wold haue easily discerned from common so as the beholders cannot misse to see it Not that this Seale was perceptible to Antichrist or Ministers of his deceit and cruelty For the world saw not these sealed ones neither could learn their Song Chapter 14. 3. but as I haue said by this frame of speech to shew their sure protection by the prouidence of their God 6 In the number sealed consider of whom it is and what it is It is of all the Tribes of Israel that is of all true Israelites the Elect of God and Israelites indeede Gal. 6. 16. For properly it cannot here bee taken but the speech is from the Church of Israel and the ordinary manner of the Propheticall denunciations for as when the Church consisted onely of Israel properly the same was little in comparison to that time when by the Gospell the Gentiles ioyne thereto and as euen of the Church of Israel though their number were as the sea-sand yet but a remnant was saued euen so in time of Antichrist his darkenesse the true
Church of God should bee narrow as Israel yea but a remnant of Israel as the Temple while Court and Citie are giuen to the Heathen Chapter 11. in comparison to the state following in the victorie when as by ioyning of all Nations the Church of Israel was enlarged by the comming of these out of great tribulation who with palms and white robes celebrate the victory and by rising of the rest of the dead after a thousand yeeres an innumerable multitude shall fill the Church The number then is a few secret select ones abiding with the Lambe on Mount Sion while all the earth follow the beast This number is 144000. to shew a competent Company euen then when none appeared to bee left Of the further mystery of this number see Chapter thirteene in the end 7 〈◊〉 the 9. verse is the third type and part of this Chapter of the Church victorious ouer this mischieâ—e set downe two waies First as Iohn had the knowledge thereof by seeing and hearing that company which are the type Secondly as hee is otherwise informed of their case The first to the 13. verse the next to the end That which Iohn did see of them is their number place and habite The number is innumerable and that of all Nations Kindreds and Tongues to shew the largenesse of the Church in this state farre beyond that vnder the euill and here expressed by the names of Nations Kindreds and tongues according to the maner of Propheticall speech as is before touched These haue notes farre differing from the former arguing euidently this type to be of the Church victorious ouer the euill The former were few marked and secret ones closed vppe from a common plague whose song none could learne but themselues here are innumerable with publike Ensignes of victory in high and loud song celebrating the same and praising him by whom These come not in place till the Tabernacle bee opened in heauen and the Vials of the last wrath bee a powring out on the beast Chapter 15. 5. Their place is standing before the throne the place of the true Church Chapter 4. and accordingly interpreted of the elder verse 15. So in this sense it is said Chapter 11. to the two reuiued witnesses Come vp hither Their habite is white garments so interpreted v. 14. with palms in their hands as victors ouer great tribulation out of which they are come verse 14. the Palme with all nations is the signe of victory so iustly in remembrance whence they are come these celebrate now the feast of Tabernacles victorious ouer the beast his character name and number thereof Chap. 15. 1. Thus farre Iohn seeth of them He heareth them cry and with a loud voice Here now these sing and with a loud voice so as all may heare and learne who will not harden their hearts To the former was no song attributed they had one but which none could learne except themselues Here is a Song in the eares of heauen and earth The Song of Moses and of the Lambe Chapter 15. The substance of their Song as it is excellent so it well fitteth their case Saluation is of our God and of the Lambe Antichrist deriued saluation from so many and diuided the praise thereof among so many as little part thereof remained to God and the Lambe These to shew a plaine crossing of all Popery and a triumph ouer it acknowledge all saluation to be of God in Christ and therefore all praise thereof to belong onely to our God and the Lambe This ouerthroweth all wherein the Romans contest with vs wee pleading nothing but that All Saluation is of our God and the Lamb In which song if they would ioyne with vs al debate were ended This Song by times the Iewes no obstinate shall learne and washing their garments in the bloud of the Lambe shall come out of great tribulation being at last fully wakened by a voice from the throne to sing with vs Haleluiah Chapter 19. All Angels affirme this Song of whom their place and song Chapter 5. 8 Thus farre Iohn heard and saw of the case of these Now from the thirteenth verse is what hee learned by information wherein come to bee considered the Informer one of the Elders see Chapter 5. Sect. 4. and what hee informeth Wherein againe is the occasion and the matter whereof vpon that occasion he informeth The occasion is Iohn his ignorance and desire of knowledge to the consideration of the one whereof and so to the desire of the other he is stirted vp by an Interrogation What are these she wing an admiration as of an vncouch and strange thing in the eyes of the world when men in so great numbers shall arise from vnder Antichrists darkenesse to the true light of the Gospell whereof the daily encrease maketh the enemies gnaw their tongues for sorrow and amaseth the world but greater wonder shall yet bee when vpon the beast his fall the Iewes forsaking their own righteousnesse which is by the Law and taking hold of the righteousnesse of God by washing their long white robes in the bloud of the Lambe shall ioyne with vs in this song so as the Church herselfe with ioyfull admiration shall bee moued to say Who hath begotten mee these behold I was barren whence are these For the speeches after following see Isai 25. and 49. and 60. Iohn his answere hath a confession of his ignorance and a modest request of information whereupon the Information followeth first shewing what and whence they are according to the double demand and next shewing their gracefull state vpon this their victory through God his dwelling amongst them and copious dispensation of grace Their coming out of great affliction is the comming from vnder the bondage of Antichrist which how great spirituall affliction it is they know who haue gotten the victory in whose mouth God hath put this song Saluation is of our God and of the Lambe For this tribulation see the fift Trumpet Chapter 9. And when God openeth the eyes of the Iewes to see their common Sauiour then shall they well vnderstand what both spirituall and bodily affliction they now are in which shall endure so much the more their victory Hee sheweth their long white robes to bee their iustification in the bloud of Christ apprehended by true faith expressing the action of faith in these words they haue drpt c. Thus noting a great difference betwixt them now and when their garmentes were dipte in the mire of mens merites in the filthy sincke of Antichrists Indulgences and puddle of Purgatory and in Iewes now a great change no more seeking to establish their owne righteousnesse which is by the law or placing it in diuers washings rites and carnall ceremonies which cannot purge from sinne but dipping their robes also in the bloud of the Lambe So liuely the holy Ghost painteth out these things Thirdly hee sheweth of them that their standing before the throne noteth
turned to mee how soone would I haue humbled their enemies His second action is a signe giuen to his trumpeters who stand attending it from him to set too to particular execution The signe is Hee filleth the Censer with fire c. In token of burning wrath and with fire of the Altar For as the acceptation and sanctification of all the Samts and their offerings is of him who is the true golden Altar so all his wrath on the world is from him in whom all men in God his predestination are ordered to their diuers ends according as they are either giuen to him and builded on him or passed by and stumble at him This fire is also from the Altar for the spiritual iudgements that it worketh For the fire of this Altar hath double effects It is gracious nourishing purging renuing and strengthning to the elect Isai 6. And it is a fire deuouring the aduersaries burning vp the world as stubble for our God euen a consuming fire Christ comming into the world brought both the one and the other though the one improperly Thus from one and the same Censer and one and the same Altar one and the same fire both sendeth vp a sweete perfume and downe a consuming wrath As the praier of Elias brought both fruitfull raine and deuouring fire and as the two witnesses Chapter 11. are to the godly candlestickes and refreshing oliues but with fire out of their mouthes slay their aduersaries If I bee the man of God saith Eliah let fire come downe from heauen c. Vpon this fire cast on the earth follow Lightnings Thundrings Voices and Earthquakes euident types of horrible iudgements and commotions Chapter 4. And so heereby the attending Trumpeters get signe to blow the alarum and denounce particularly the iudgements whereby God was now to plague the blind and obstinate world And vpon the signe thus giuen them they set too in order to blow See Ezech. 10 for this casting of fire in signe of wrath and God his departing from his sanctuarie 5 Thus farre is the generall preparation The particular execution hath in each the denunciation by the trumpet and the effect insuing And are diuided in lighter or lesse woes and heauier and greater The first soure in degree of comparison are lighter and are in this Chapter The three other are heauie whereof two are thorowout the 9 10. and a good part of the 11. Chapt. The last holdeth to the end of the whole narration The first foure are al 's many degrees of the mystery of iniquity working on to that fearefull height which is in the fifth trumpet accompanied with a no lesse deadly euill for iust punishment thereof in the sixt trumpet which being ineffectuall to worke repentance commeth on the last wrath in the seuenth trumpet 6 Vpon the first sound are seene haile and fire mingled with blood which cast on the earth that is in the visible Church Chap. 7 Section 2. Produce then a terrible effect That all greene grasse c. The iudgements of God in Scripture are ordinarily expressed by haile fire and stormy tempest God borrowing speeches from naturall things to set foorth his terror But this speech heere hath a speciall allusion to that plague on Egypt Exod. 9. and Psal 105. Now then to finde the analogy as heere the burning vp of grasse and trees is to expresse the decay of spirituall life and moisture in all true Christianity and that not onely in weake ones as grasse but in the strong as trees so heere we are to search agreeably to this effect what is answerable to haile and fire It is the fire of God his spirit begetting in vs faith and loue which maketh vs Christians weaker or stronger according to the measure of grace giuen vs and our grouth therein and that by the watering moistening of sweet showers of grace as dew vpon the mowne grasse or raine on the thirsty ground For of heate and moisture commeth all flourishing greennesse Hereof it is that so often in Scripture we are exhorted to edifie on another in loue This burning heat did eat vp our Lord and in it the Apostle burnt this fire of loue is the band of perfection whereby we grow vp as one man in Christ And hereupon are in Scripture so many attestations to be like minded and detestations of debate and diuision Now when this fire of loue is turned into the fire of contention then they from whose mouthes should droppe wisdome and refreshing showers send out the could haile of their owne affections and frosty showers of selfe-loue which in place of comforting and nourishing the hearbes and trees by wholesome word and sound example of life in contrary burne them quite vp as doth haile and fire This was the first euill which entred into the Church for the first degree whereof the Church of Ephesus was taxed Which degree betime growing not only to coldnesse in loue but also to fiery contention and mixed with frosty haile wrought this fearefull effect and first step to antichristianisme euen want of true religion and of the life of God in a great part This fire and haile is said to haue beene mixed with blood for that not onely this euill of firie debate beganne euen while as yet hot persecutioÌ„ lasted against the Church by heathen Emperours but also for that it entred in the Church in such degree as proceeded to cruelty and bloodshed This euill Satan laboured to bring in from the first times of the Gospell but that the fire of loue sweet showers held things greene The first that greatly kindled this flame was Victor Bishop of Rome whose fiâ—ie headines in a friuolous matter had it not beene repressed by the graue rebukes of Irenaeus Bishoppe of Lions and Policrates of Ephesus had made a great burning Eusebius recordeth Lib. 8. of the persecution by Dioclesian that it was a necessary correction of the Church which had fallen to ouer great a custome of sin see how greennesse was burnt vp whose pastors were begun to sauor of pride and tyranny see the step to the next euill Thus wee see how the fire was euen mixed with bloud but soone after how farre this fire brake out vpon the first relaxation vnder Constantine it is wonderfull so as if the prudent care of that Prince had not bene the greater that first and famous Councell of Nice had beene a miserable proofe of this fire which beeing but restrained there for the time how vehemently to the disgrace of christianity and burning vp of all true religion in the hearts of men it brake out thereafter is manifest in the story So as Constantine in his Epistle to the Synod of Tyrus exprobrateth to them that he saw nothing in Bishops dealings but an ouerthrow of all religion This made Nazianzen to vtter that hard speech That hee neuer did see a good effect of any Synod because in steade of the fire of loue mixed with the
Of these beginnings ariseth the mischiefe wherein are two things the abhominable Army of darkenesse poisoning all and the head of so damnable a band the Army is described first summarily by their quality and their annoying power verse 3. Hereafter more at large this their annoying power is exponed and their properties whereby they are inabled to the harmeful execution thereof are declared In all which is a most liuely representation and most conuenient type of the Romane Clergy who are euidently this army of darkenesse whose monstrous swarmes nothing but hellish ignorance brought in the Church as earthlinesse of great Pastours brought the ignorance Their qualitie first is shewed in that they are Locusts both for their swarming multitudes and for their destroying and eating vp al green thing in earth as who not onely deuoure the best of things belonging to this life but also destroy all spirituall life in men For their grouth and successe in both see the Story and be amazed 4 Their annoying power is summarily set foorth in that they sting as Scorpions A venemous and bitter kind of Serpent walking waiwardly and stinging when it would appeare least to doe so This their power in the larger exposition thereof hath this generall note that it is limited and not absolute The first point of their limitation is of such as they are permitted to harme The next is in what degree they might doe it As for the first they are restrained wholly from hurting the sealed ones of whom Chapter 7. Which restraint is heere pertinentlie recorded both to shew that this euill is the height of that mischiefe portended in the 7. Chapter Against which the elect were sealed and also to shew heere the truth of their preseruation and so how it was that Christ in this totall eclipse of light by Antichrist his darkenesse yet preserued a Church Wherein yet be not so grosse as to thinke that one number still of the same persons continued all that time But it is to shew God his continuall course in helping his owne all the time of this mischeife on the world Obserue heere also that by grasse and trees men are meaned as I shewed Chapter 7. And as fitliest thus expressed in the euill of locusts Now of these in the first trumpet onely the third part was burnt heere all feele this plague except the sealed ones The second point in their limitation is the degree of hurting Wherein are two causions First the quality of the harme permitted them to practise and next the time limited to their working The quality of their harme is cleared by a diuers kind from which they are restrained For it is permitted them to torment men but not to slay This their tormenting againe is cleared by a comparison that it is such as ariseth vpon the sting of a Scorpion that is so painefull as death is more tollerable as the effect thereof well sheweth Now consider well that this torment and plague is on the inhabitants of the earth and heere to be taken vp as God his iudgement on the world whereof the true Church is free And so this army hath not power to slay as neither that way plague they the men of the world as doe the ministers of the sixth trumpet who both sting with poisoning tailes and slay with heads as hauing power in both But these haue their power in their tailes onely to torment with poisonable sting and not to murther openly For other waies as they are considered in their dealing against the Saints which is not in this place their blood is found with them yea and all the blood shed on the earth albeit not for direct professed power and practise of the sword but as on the Iewes came all the blood from that of Abel the righteous to the blood of Zachary who yet professed that it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death This is heere put for an euident note of Antichrist his dealing of purpose to discerne this euill from that of the sixth ttumpet and that so eleerely as it is wonder how men of learning and iudgement could confound things so notably distinguished and which can receiue no other accommodation Now that this their tormenting of men is lesse tollerable then death We know that no vexation is comparable to that of a conscience wherein is put the sense of God his terror and eternall wrath if therewith the true remedy be not applied For as Skin for skin and all that a man hath he will giue for his life so life and all a man wil giue for his soule and the peace thereof who once hath felt the terrour For a troubled spirit who can beare and a good conscience is a continuall feast But all the doctrine of the Church of Rome is such as putteth in this sting in the conscience whereby the torment is bred but neuer applieth the true remedy But such bastard cures as augment the anguish Heereof it is that superstition is most busie and restlesse For Hee multiplieth his owne sorrow which offereth to an other God Hence arose painefull pilgrimages deuoting to sacred wartes Kings bequeathing their Crownes husbands their wiues and children wiues their children Hence were so many erections and fond donations for soule Masses if so be after death they might finde that repose and comfort which they neuer felt in their life Heerefore is this vexation fitly compared to the stinging of a Scorpion most painefull of any How many strange policies and treacherous deuises as of walking spirits and forged miracles these Locusts haue practised and still doe to subdue to themselues the consciences of men and hold them in torment is more then manifest And by such as they haue stung deepely it is that ordinarily they acchiue all their desperate Treasons and murthers of Princes Acts forsooth of such merit as will obtaine heauen to a person otherwaies condemned And what is it that vpon this presumption the tormented spirit will not runne to what a strange practise is that amongst many moe of the Iesuits with their nouices in their chamber of meditations 5 Thus is the quality of their harme The time limited to them so to torment the world is Fiue monethes In which for ought I know the mind of the holy Ghost hath beene highly mistaken of all men For cleering then of an obscure matter In this whole booke are but seuen times recorded That of tenne daies Chapter 2. That of halfe an houre Chap. 8. This of fiue moneths heere Thatof a yeere moneth day and houre in the sixth Trumpet That of fourty two moneths Chapt. 11. and 13. with which that of 1260. daies Chapt. 11. and 12. And of a time times and halfe a time Chap. 12. are all one That of three daies and a halfe Chap. 11. 9. And that of a 1000. yeeres Chap. 20. Of these all sound interpreters for how maliciously the Romans to obscure cleere story doe expound
on the world which yet the sealed ones escape that by comparing wee may finde what a huge wisdome here in two words is comprised Now in all the story of old no such case occurreth but onely the deluge of Noah in all things semblable to this That was the onely generall plague wherewith euer at one time the whole world was punished and this darkenesse of Antichrist is a spirituall plague ouergoing once all the Christian world In that onely they escaped whom God sealed vp and inclosed in the Arke the type of his true Church here none escape but the sealed ones who are on Mount Sion with the Lambe while all the earth follow the beast That plague ouerwent the earth by opening the fountaines of the great depth Abyssi magnae Tehom Rabbah of the windows of heauen This by fall of a star from heauen opening the bottomles pit smoake bullering out therat ouergoeth all That by degrees grew till at length it ouerwent the highest mountaines fiue times three cubits this by degrees rose to ouerwhelme sunne and aire These waters preuailed ouer the highest mountaines fiue times thirty dayes that is fiue monethes this euill growing by degrees to a height shall haue a time of preuayling and obtaining place ouer all These waters preuailed not still but after an hundred and fifty dayes that is fiue monethes they beganne peece and peece to decrease til at length the earth was dried the Arke opened and the closed and sealed vp ones came forth and replenished the earth This euill after a time of preuailing ouer all shall abate and by the light of the Sunne of righteousnesse and wind of God his mouth by degrees bee consumed as by degrees it did grow and the true Church shall breake forth the Tabernacle of Testimony shall bee opened in heauen and these 144000. hid ones shall become a number innumerable with palmes in hands And as Elizabeth the mother of Iohn Baptist bearing the reproch of barrennes hid her selfe fiue Monethes thereafter to appeare with big bellie so in this preuailing euill of Locusts and their King Abaddon the true Church as barren shall lurke fiue monethes that is for a time to breake forth thereafter big with child Of these who should bee preachers of repentance from Antichristian workes and forerunners of the Lord his last comming as Iohn was of the first Finally as the waters of Noah was such an euill as neuer shall come againe and thereof the Rainebow made a Seale so the darkenesse of Antichrist once dispelled shal neuer againe ouergoe all for hee must goe to destruction And for this it is that agreeably thereto the great Angell comming to his ouerthrow in the next Chapter hath the Rainebow about his head Now weigh what plenty of light and depth of wisdom lye hid in these two words of fiue monethes which the spirit repeateth twice of purpose to waken our negligence to take it vp Of the other times wee shall speake in the owne place 6 This was the generall note of their limitation Now follow the properties of these Locusts whereby they are able to vexe first they are like horses not common horses but prepared to battell lusty fâ—d strong and fierce ouer comming all opponers Hereto they are strengthned by vsurped spirituall authority expressed in Crownes which are neither vpright in forme nor matter With this is ioyned hypocrisie for they look like men who measure their affaires by iudgement as full of reason and humanity For simulate modesty and simplicity and for force of alluring inticements they haue haire like women with faire and flattering speeches deceiuing the hearts of the simple and prouoking to spirituall fornication But vnder this they are cruell deuourers as hauing teeth of Lyons deuouring widdowes houses vnder colour of long prayers whiles within they are rauening Wolfes They are armed against all inuasion hauing priuiledges and immunities from all secular power shaking their tippets on Kings as being onely subiect to their King Abaddon Now al these make their inuasions terrible to the greatest they being therefore like horses and chariots rushing to battell and it is well knowne how the contesting with them hath often brought Princes to the pinche of their estates and their daily treasonable bloody attempts and suggestions against the liues of Princes proue this clearely All this is effectuate by the stings in their railes that is their poisonable doctrine The ancient and honourable man is the head and the false Prophet teaching lies is the tatle Isai 9. 15. 7 Thus is the Armie Their head is described from his state and his name agreeable thereto his state is that he is their King euen setting himselfe vp against the great King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thess 2. the quality of this his Kingdome is shewed in that hee is the Angell of the bottomlesse pitte that is the Diuell his Lieuetenant for to him the Dragon giueth his throne and great authority Chap. 13. Hee is the man of sinne His name fit for such a King is destroyer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both for destroying the faith of others and for that hee goeth to destruction Chapter 17. Paul calleth him accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee goeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chapter 17. 11. It is wonder in so clear consent of scripture how any learned could doubt who here is described Hee is so called both in Hebrew and Greeke to shew that hee shall bee no proper head of Iewes or of Gentiles but a common deceiuer of both Iew and Gentile professing Christianity and whom at length both Iewes conuerted to the faith and Gentiles shall know and call the Antichrist when the place of his foile shall bee called in Hebrew Armageddon for euen in this that hee shall bee so called in Hebrew is implyed a prophesie of the conuersion of the Iewes as in the same sense Chap. 1. with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke is put Amen in Hebrew 8 This is the first great woe now said to bee gone the second to come anone in respect of their description here not that for euent in time this woe was fully past before the beginning of the next as is euident by the end of this Chapter where after the description of the sixt Trumpet the impenitency of men still continuing in Antichristian works is shewed so as the first woe holdeth on all the time of the second and this second woe had his beginning soone after the open beginnings of the first God so punishing sinne by sinne according to the growth and induration of men in the first impietie giuing the more free scope to the second till desperate obstinacie bringeth on the last woe and finall wrath for as the woe is not said to come till the height thereof at least in such degree as wherefore it may iustly bee esteemed the soarest iudgement in the time albeit in some degrees it hath beene working on before so the next woe comming
that with them truly is found all the bloud shed vpon the earth Chap. 18. 24 CHAP. X. AS the sixth Seale besides the own proper effect gaue a preparation to the seuenth by a summary view of the whole effect thereof in the seuenth Chapter so here the sixt Trumpet besides the proper woe of it in the four destroying Angels from Euphrates and their Armies of desolation in the end of the last Chapter maketh way now in this and a good part of the next Chapter to the effect of the seuenth Trumpet and last woe which impenitency now iustly bringeth on Now all this preparation euen to the blowing of the seuenth Trumpet Chapter 11. 15. albeit it be to cleare the way yea and hath some no small beginnings of that great woe which by the seuenth Trumpet is fulfilled yet it is comprehended vnder the second great woe according to their distinction by Trumpets because euen in the height of this second great woe these degrees towards the last were working So wisely and artificially is the course of this Prophesie led forward and parts thereof clearely coupled together This preparation then for Antichrist his iust and full ouerthrow vpon obstinate impenitency against the punâ—shment from Euphrates is by a magnifike description of that great partie who foileth him and of the meanes of his victory The party is Iesus Christ heere typically setforth as alwaies throughout this Prophesie not according to the veriry of his person but to expresse his operation in this worke His meanes of victory are the little booke opened and the bold and powerfull preaching thereof and that for Finishing the mystery in the full ouerthrow of the enemies and perfecting the Church in all grace heere as a prepared Bride for her husband whereto hee fitteth â—pt instruments who by diuine motion studying diligently the Scriptures preach euery where the Gospell So as by the true rule rightly applied the true Church of God is discerned from the false and light growing Antichrist his kingdome is in a degree shaken and beginneth to fall and in the seuenth Trumpet is vtterly and for euer destroied 2 Wee haue then in this Chapter the comming of the great personnage performer of this worke and the end of his comming For effectuating wherof prophecy is restored This great persoâ—nage is that stronger one then Satan who foiled him and now after a sort returneth to ouerthrow the beast of his power the Angell of the bottomlesse pit king Apollyon In this personage are to be obserued whence he commeth the forme of his person and his actions Hee commeth from heauen as the aduersary came out of the bottomlesse pit not in propriety of speech as if he personally descended but that he who through antichrist his darkenesse was not seene now againe sheweth himselfe As God is said often in Scripture to depart or hide and againe to shew himselfe The glorious and magnifike forme of his person is shewed in a note of diuine maiesty that he is clâ—athed with a cloude Luke 2â— At the erecting of the tabernacle a cloud filled it So also Salomon his Temple The Lord hath said he will dwell in the cloud Hee gaue his presence to Israel in the wildernesse in a pillar of a cloud Hee maketh the cloudes his Chariot and he went vp in a cloude Secondlie he hath the Rainebow about his head as he whose presence bringeth peace the raies of his face imprinting the seale of peace in the darkest soâ—le and most clowdy conscience The shining of the Sunne against a cloud maketh the Rainbow So Christ whose face shineth like the Sun in his strength Chap. 1 being clothed with a cloud hath conueniently a Rainebow about his head His flesh is the vaile couering his Deity whereof the manefestation therin maketh our peace But heere specially hath hee the Rainebow about his head as comming now to dispel the great deluge of Antichristian darkenesse which shall neuer againe ouerspread the face of the Church more then the waters of Noah shall the earth giuing thus a sure pledge of serenity Chapter 9. Section 5. Thirdly his feet haue two notes They are pillers and they are fire The first for stable firmnesse and solide strength wherein hee now commeth both to stablish his Church in peace and to tread downe all his enemies The fire sheweth with light and purity dispelling darkenesse and purging all vncleannesse yet fiery affliction conioined in this conflict with Antichrist against all which notwithstanding his Church should stand stable as the Pillar of truth He hath fourthly in his hand a little booke open This is the weapon of his victory It is little in comparison to Antichrist his great booke of humane Traditions vnwritten Verities Apocriphe Scriptures Decretals Canons and manifold Legends all ioined and equalled by them in their practise at lest with this booke It is open for that cleere vnderstanding of holy Scripture which now Christ should bring whereas in Antichrist his darkenesse the same was buried in ignorance which with them is the mother of deuotion it being held capitall for common laicke men to read Scripture in vulgar tongue 3 The actions of this great personnage thus furnished are in his gesture and in his voice His gesture is that he set his right foot on the Sea and his left foot on the Land as he who hath power ouer all creatures Who stablisheth the mountaines by his power and appeaseth the noise of the Seas the noise of the waues thereof and the tumults of people Psal 65. His right foot is set on the Sea as whose rage is most terrible and the left on the earth to shew that he is sufficiently furnished with all strength and accordingly vttereth it as for the party opponer is requisit In the 13. Chapter to expresse Antichrist his estate two beasts arrise the one out of the Sea the other out of the Earth These he commeth to vndoe and conueniently therefore setteth his feet in this manner So is his gesture His voice is a loud cry Wherein as the little booke is the weapon of his warfare so the vse and welding of it is heere expressed to wit Preaching Whereof to shew the boldnesse his voice is compared to the reoaring of a Lion And to expresse the power and that perfect accompanying the bold Preaching of the Gospell now restored seuen thunders are said to speake As at the going out of the Gospel in the first seale the first beast hauing the face of a Lion Spake like thunder So now at reuiuing of the Gospel to Antichrist his ouerthrow it shall be accompanied with boldnesse and perfection of of power The great Angell comming downe to fight for Sion and the hill thereof Isai 31 4. Now consider that Christ is heere described according to his vertue working in his seruants whose voice if it be his is bold and powerfull If their voice be as it ought the eccho of his cry it will be like thunder For thunders
destruction of enemies and Church her victory is largely exponed and in the twenty one and twenty two as touching her gracefull and peaceable state thereupon 2 The first wonder or signe is double according as therein the enemies inuaders and partie assailed are expressed The party assailed is the woman and her seed first and last The assailing enemy is the Dragon by himselfe openly and by his Lieutenant the beast of his power couertly Against the woman and her first seede is set the Dragon directly in this Chapter Against her in her other seed the beast of his power throne and authority in the next Chapter This is that warre proclaimed in Paradise In this Chapter are first the description of the parties by their habit and disposition to doe Secondly the euent which maketh way to the next enemy in the next Chapter The party assailed is the woman in habit clothed with the Sunne treading the Moone crowned with twelue Starres In disposition of present endeuour big with child trauelling pained and crying through paine The assailing party for habit is a great redde Dragon hauing seuen heads crowned tenne hornes and a taile His endeauour to doe is he casteth stars from heauen with his taile and standeth before the woman to deuoure her child with his heads 3 The euent hereof is according to the ordinary forme of Scripture first Summarilie proponed in the 5. and 6. verses And next thenceforth more largely cleered And this euent is double The childe is borne and exalted and the woman flieth In the summarie proposition of this double euent the childe his quality dignity and exaltation to high estate is proponed and the womans flght by the place whither her condition in it and time of this her condition is described 4 Hauing thus summarily in the 5. and 6. verses proponed this double euent he sheweth after how it fell out and by what meanes And first how it came that the childe so narrowly watched and by so strong an enemie yet not onely escapeth but is exalted to great honour This of the childe commeth by a great battell in heauen wherein are the Captaines of either side their Armies and the euent of the conflict The Generall Captaine of the one side is Michael his Armie are his Angels The Captaine and Army opposite are the Dragon and his Angels The euent of their conflict is the Dragon is foild and the degree of the foile is that he and his Angels are so deiected as they haue no more place in heauen This is cleared by two contrary effects The one in the heauenlie Citizens of ioy the other in the Dragon of rage The ioy of the heauenly Citizens is set foorth in their song of victory which victorie is amplified by the greatnesse cruelty subtiltie maliciousnesse enmity and peruerse diligence of the Dragon who is ouercome by the noblenesse of the victorie for the price of it by the Souldiers constant suffering to attaine it which endeareth it the more and lastly by the miserable condition of the earthlie sort through this his foile Thus is declared how the child escaped and was exalted Next is shewed how the second part of the generall euent that is the womans flight did come The Dragon his rage for his foile and misgiuing endeauour against the Childe stirreth him to peisecute the woman Thereupon shee flieth being healped thereto by the meanes giuen her of two winges Of that great Eagle And her flight heere as before in the summarie proposition is cleered by the place of her retrait her condition there and the time thereof This rage of the Dragon against the woman hath two degrees The first is hee persecuteth her wherethrough shee is brought to flie by the meanes giuen her of the winges The second degree is his endeuour for her ouerthrow in her flight the floud cast out against her This double rage is eluded the first by the wings the second by the helpe of the earth which swalloweth the flood This generall euent of all this misgiuing endeauour against childe and woman worketh in the Dragon increase of rage whereby he is stirred to make warre against the rest of her Seede Against these hauing misgiuen in his open dealing against her first seede he stirreth vp that beast whose rising and working to behold Iohn standeth on the Sea shoare 5 I haue ioined together and at length the resolution of this Chapter the mistaking whereof in my iudgement hath marred all the accommodation heere and much obscured all the rest of this Prophesie The right accommodation shall yet bee the more cleare if wee obserue after what manner in this Prophesie the holy Ghost describeth the enemies of the Church and whence the whole frame of speech in this Chapter is taken First then the course of the Church her sufferings and her enemies by whom is framed to the course of the old Testement wherein the first great enemie was Phaaro The second great foe was Babel and these Beastes in Daniel Of which the last extreme enemy was Gog and Magog euen the Kings of Syria and of them most of all Antiochus Epiphanes To these their enemies and the old Churches sufferings by them that heere in the story of the Christian Church her foes and sufferings the Spirit alludeth it is most cleare To moue vs to compare and finde not onely light heere but to see also that these former were stamps of greater things to come Now all the speech of this Chapter is from the state of the Church in Egypt which in her infancy there was as a woman big with childe and crying through cruell burdens Pharao that great Dragon euen that great Leniathan first wrought wisely with them as with his taile and next stood cruelly ready to deuoure all her Male Children But Michael fought for them and in the blood of the lambe they ouercame and all the first borne of Egypt are slaine The Church flieth as carried vpon Eagles winges to the wildernesse where she is fed with Manna In her flight the Dragon Pharao minded to haue drowned her in the redde Sea but the earth helped her for earthlie Pharao and his earthly Army dranke vp that floud And all this is to make vs vnderstand by conformity of case that here the first great enemie and sufferings of the Christian Church in her infancy are set forth 6 The woman is the Primitiue Apostolike Church glorious in the cleare light of the sunne of righteousnesse whom she put on for her wisdome and iustification Treading all borrowed spotted changeable transitory and light things vnder foot glorying onely in the light ministred by the twelue Apostles which is her crowne Shee is big with childe of all peoples whom she was begetting to God through obedience of faith in Christ For her great troubles and sufferings she is said to be in trauelling and to cry of paine trauelling in birth of all nations till Christ should be formed in thē The speech is
frō the Prophets with whō it is ordinarily in this sense 7 Now against this woman according to the old warre proclaimed in Paradise is set in apparance a very vnequall match but that Michael fighteth the battell This aduersary is Satan for so the spirit interpreteth verse 9. Hee is a great Dragon for great malice force and subtilty He is red for his cruell and bloudy disposition as who was a murtherer from the beginning Hee hath seuen heades and tenne hornes the armes of Rome because of this the Diuell his fury against the Primitiue Church the Emperours of Rome were the instruments and executors And therefore to shew Rome in that state of persecuting Emperours the heades are crowned for an euident distinction of Rome then from Rome thereafter in the beast The heads and hornes are put in both that we may know what state the spirit designeth but by the different note of these heades and hornes To take vp the different time and condition in time Against the Primitiue Church the Diuell albeit working by Rome is made the direct enemie because then Christianity was directly oppugned and open rage practised against the name of Christ Heathenisme and worship of Diuels plainely maintained From which open dealing and licentious murthering Satan being tyed vp afterwards by power of the Gospell hee dealt more couertly by the beast of his authority vnder name and profession of Christianity and pretence of Christ his power deceiuing men of the world till after a thousand yeeres the reuiued light of the Gospell breaking out a fresh and discouering the deceit of the beast hee is so chafed as hee falleth to murthering of Saints In which respect the Dragon is said to be loosed the second time Chap 20. and thereby the beast falling to open murther becommeth of his colour Chapter 17. Of these heades and hornes see vpon the 13. and 17. Chapters 8 This Dragon then imployeth head and taile that is cruelty and lies for hee was a lier and murtherer from the beginning By his taile that is by his alluring deceit whether effectuall error or deceitfulnesse of honours riches and worldly lusts hee insinuateth himselfe amongst these who seeme shining starres of heauen and draweth them to fall from light and grace and to become earthly such as goe out of the Church that is heauen but were not of it Marke alwaies that Satan his first attempt against the Church is with his taile amongst the starres Thus he stirreth his taile With his heads that is his power and force hee setteth himselfe first against the childe to deuoure him in the bearing Whereby the fury and rage of Satan by the Romane Emperours to keepe the Church of Christ from rising is signified notwithstanding whose malice and cruelty the childe and a man childe alluding to the story of Aegypt and also for that as Christ was in person and as the paschall Lambe and other expiatory sacrifices of the flocke so all Christians in Christ Iesus are consecrated as males for perfection of strength and spirituall vigor is borne that is the Church is brought foorth to the partaking of the honour first proper to Christ and in him to all his members To rule all Nations with a rod of iron Chapt. 2. 27. And not onely thus brought foorth but in euident presence and power of God ruling in and amongst them established here in earth against all Satan his fury and visibly separated to God from the rest of the world becomming Kings and Priests to God in Christ so as according to Christ his owne prediction the sonne of man was seene come in his Kingdome with power by his Church raised in the world The throne as the iron rod is first and properly Christ his right but it is also the honour of the Saints in him to whom hee giueth a Kingdome as he hath receiued one of the father and to whom he giueth to sit in his throne as he ouercame and sitteth in his fathers throne For euen here we sit with him in the highest places So the taking vp of the childe is the erection of the Church amongst men visibly in that same sense that the two Witnesses were bid come vp hither Chap. 11. And the casting of the Dragon from heauen is all one thing with this For the exalting of the childe is the deiecting of the Dragon from heauen and the deiection of the Dragon is the vptaking of the child Satan is said to be in heauen when so by lies and error he hath preuailed in the visible Church as no apparant or very small face thereof is seene Like as the Church is in the earth euen where Satan his throne is when it is so compassed with error and ignorance as it appeareth not till it be said come vp hither that is till God by purity of worship and open profession thereof make his true Church visibly separated from the contagion of the worldy sort And euen in this case Satan is deiected from heauen and sent amongst his owne earthly ones He is said to fight in heauen when by slight and might he laboreth to keepe downe so the true Church as it can not bee discerned from his company and is deiected thence when truth openly in the Church is maintained so as he can haue no place for dominion but amongst the children of disobedience For beeing cast out of men hee goeth madlings in the swine of the world and shut out of God his house he furiously mistrāmeth his owne putting forth his rage where hee may seeing hee cannot where hee would Woe to the Inhabitants of the earth This is it which maketh that where euer the Gospell is purely preached there immediately by Sathan are raised stirres and tempests For while hee brooketh all peaceably hee is at ease but when that stronger commeth who spoileth his house then hee chafeth and becommeth mad in his Instruments This euent Christ in these same words foretelleth so as we need not doubt of the right sense Now is the iudgement of this world now shall the Prince of this world bee cast out And in another place speaking of the effect of the Gospell truely preached I saw Sathan fall from the heauen like lightning 9 This victory is by Michael and his Angels fighting in heauen that is by Christ who is Michael our Prince and the Angels of the Churches Apostles and faithfull Pastors fighting by the powerfull preaching of the Gospell against Sathan his Ministers of darkenes heathen Philosophers heretikes and all such for Christianity is a warfare against Principalities and powers against beasts wherin we must all fight the good fight of faith and striue for that victory which standeth in saluation of the elect from God in Christ and in the foile of Sathan and that by the bloud of the Lambe apprehended by true faith in the word of Iesus his Testimony with perseuerance and a ready offering of liues for his
honour 10 Now Sathan so deiected in rage that thus against all his endeauors the Church riseth setteth himselfe to cruelly persecute the same For except in distinct considerations the woman and child are all one but that the holy Ghost will thus expresse how Sathan first by craft and cruelty laboured to destroy the Church in the rising that it should not spread whereof misgiuing and shee multiplying wonderfully hee inforceth still thereupon ragefull persecution The first and second both are more then cleare in the persecuting Emperours and state of the Church in that time Now this second endeuour against the Church is eluded and the woman retired from his fury but yet so as shee goeth to the wildernesse this is to shew how by the protection maintenance of Constantine the Great and his Successors becomming Christians and who according to the Phrase of the Prophets are called that great Eagle as the doubled Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Constantine his peculiar surname 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proue clearely this open and furious persecution was stayed the soules receiuing long white robes Chapter 6. but yet so as the great honour and riches wherewith as with wings hee vpon good intention endowed the Church as an occasion to make her flie to the wildernesse all true and sincere religion by degrees decaying in the visible Church And so by Sathan his craft who now is bound vp a thousand yeers the beast stealeth in and sitteth in the Temple of God The true Church in the meane time lurking in the wildernesse as Elias in the time of famine and no more any face of true worshippe appearing then was in Israell that while or then when the dayly sacrifice was remoued and the abhomination of desolation erected in place thereof for a time times and halfe a time Now this flight was not in an instant but by long and yet sensible degrees And therefore wee haue an other degree of Sathan his fury against the woman after he seeeth her so furnished with wings as he being now chained Chapter 20. could no more persecute openly or come at her Hee casteth a great floud out of his mouth after her to drowne her in her flight This must bee a filthie floud which springeth from so foule a fountaine Hereby then is meaned not onely that inundation of barbarous Nations which in Sathan his intention no doubt were set forth to drowne the woman but also all these poisonable heresies whereof vpon this restraint he spued out an Ocean both which by God his prouidence turned to the destruction and punishment of the earthly sort For the bloody Romane Empire was ouerturned by these Nations and the wicked of the worlde poisoned with these heresies Thus then Sathan misgiuing of all his attempts against the woman and her first seed and finding so little successe in open dealing from which also hee is now bound vp hee prepareth a beast of strange working to deceiue the world and to make warre against the seed of succeeding times Whereof Chapter 13. So as the whole summe of this Chapter is this Sathan seeing the Primitiue Apostolike Church by the cleare light of the sunne of righteousnesse ministred by the Apostles whereby all borrowed spotted transitory light was trod vnder like to bring Nations to the obedience of faith and so to bring forth a church in the world as hee who had long miscarried all men was now by the light of the Gospell to be deiected from his place hee vseth all both craft and violence to impede the successe of the Gospel and notwithstanding it is so fruitfull through Christ his power and endeauour of faithfull Ministers that the sonne of man commeth in his Kingdome with power and Sathan is dethroned This maketh him in ragefull despite not onely to raise terrible broiles in the world to the earthes great woe but to enforce also cruell persecution against the Church against which shee is armed with that great Eagle his wings so as Sathan is restrained from open rage His next endeauour therefore against her thus protected is by inundation of barbarous nations and poisonable heresie to drowne her but this the Lord turneth on the world yet so as the Church goeth to the wildernes and lurketh Where-through the Beast in the next Chapter stealeth in to occupie City and Court Chap. 11. CHAP. XIII THus was the open rage of the Dragon against the Woman her first seed now followeth his couered dealing against her seed of succeeding times by the Vicar of his power described in this Chapter from his quality that hee is a beast origine that hee riseth out of the sea and earth in distinct consideration shape exceeding monstrous hauing seuen heades and ten horns as had the Dragon but other wayes busked as hauing his hornes crowned and on his head the name of blasphemy in body like a Pard footed like a Beare and mouthed like a Lion Besides this hee hath for right discerning of him two notes of great marke The first is his great power and authority as Vicegerent to Sathan in his power throne and authority The second is that one of his heads hauing beene deadly wounded was cured againe where-through all the world astonished at the beast of so great maiesty and vnmatchable power worship him and the Diuell his aduancer 2 These two notes and effect thereof thus summarily proponed are from the fift verse throughout the chapter exponed more largely and first this his authority practised in two mischieuous effects the one of speaking blasphemies and the other of doing what hee list vncontrolled This double authority is cleared first by the time thereof forty two moneths and next by the practise of it his speaking of blasphemies against God his Church and members thereof In his doing are noted what it was making warre against whom the Saints with what successe that hee ouercame them Thirdly how largely this power was extended Ouer euery Tribe Tongue Nation Through al which he obtaineth that al follow and worship him â—he elect onely excepted a case so dangerous and fearefull as a warning is Epiphonematically set downe to all of attention and therewith a consolation vpon two reasons First that according to the generall law of God his iustice whereby euery oppressour is oppressed and the slaier slaine this beast should come to destruction Next that it pleased God thus to trie the faith and patience of his Saints 3 His second note of his deadly wound cured againe how it was is shewed by a new vision of an other Beast rising from the earth in all outward semblance like to the Lambe and pretending simplie his power but that his speech was like the Dragons This Beast his actions and end thereof are first summarily proponed in that he did all that the first beast could doe before him and to this end that all the earth might worship the first Beast in the state of the cured wound Then is exponed how he
for discerning the kingdome fiue hauing ere then fallen and two not as yet risen The second beast is put onely for cleare explication of the condition nature quality and working of this last head considered a part and by it selfe and how this great worke of quickning that mortally wounded kingdome or beast is wrought by it so as vnder it the Beastreuiueth and now howsoeuer for discerning the kingdome all the heads be mentioned commeth only to bee considered in that state and respect in which for great diuersity from the former condition before the wound yea and before the the cure this head is in a sort a different beast as hauing this singular in shape that it is like the Lambe in working that it doth by signes and wonders in condition that the beast vnder it is rather an image of the former then the same and yet a liuely image therefore called the eight head and one of the seuen In which respect but seuen heads are attributed to the beast albeit in number there be eight That the first riseth out of the sea and the second out of the earth it is but to note the different manner of rising of the last head and state vnder it from the rising of the Beast in all his former conditions and heades They both in their distinct manner of rising haue this common that they are from below For albeit the earth and sea in degree of account with other creatures as the fountaines sunne moone starres Chap. 9. and. 16. according to the effects wrought in them and that wherof they in these degrees are the types are to bee taken so as agreeth with the course of the mystery as in these places is declared Yet when Sea and Earth are set in opposition to heauen as heer and Chapter 10. when the Angell descending from heauen for ouerthrow of this beast setteth his feet on the sea and earth whence in distinct consideration the beast ariseth And Chapter 12. reioyce O heauens woe to the Inhabitants of sea and earth then things arising from sea and earth must bee taken as Christ speaketh to the Iewes Yee are from below I am from aboue And euen the foure beasts in Daniel whose whole ferity cruelty fraud and destroying power is in this one whom in the beginning of his seuenth Chapter hee seeth rise out of the sea are said in that same chapter verse 17. to arise out of the earth as all one thing except that as the earth sheweth the origine to be earthly and from below so the sea sheweth their rising to bee of the troubles tossings and alterations of the earth whose commotions are compared to the stormy sea and according to this to shew the peaceable and calme estate of the Church vpon vtter destruction of this Beast it is saide Chapter 21. that there was no more sea Then this second Beast is said to rise out of the earth not onely for that it was from below for so is the whole beast first last throught the star falling from the heauen chap. 9 But because this last head howsoeuer the beast or kingdome of Rome considered absolutely riseth out of the sea in the particular consideration thereof by it selfe and apart arose in a farre different manner from all the former which all arose by great commotions and sensible alterations but this last head arose slily subtlely and almost insensibly by slow degrees as things that grow through the earth and so became head of that Kingdome which vnder it is the beast going to destruction See Steuchus against Valla. Paulatim imperare incipiebat religio habenas imperij caperâ— ius suum acquirere nihil subitum nihil tumultuarium Where the second beast is said to worke before the first beast it is not to bee taken for impudent or violent vsurpation but according to the Phrase of Scripture as Iohn Baptist to goe before Christ And this is onely for clearenesse of explication of him and his manner who maketh the Image as trauelling with all sedulous endeauour by lying signes to conciliate authority honour and submission to that state vnder himselfe as head thereof Neither hereupon must wee thinke the second beast working to bee an other from him before whom hee worketh except so farre as the spirit so will distinguish betwixt the Kingdome wholly and absolutely and this last head peculiarly considered in comparison to the former and as after a deadly wound hee quickneth so that state again as hee procureth to it worship of Nations In one word the first beast is the Kingdom of Rome vnder the Pontificality the second beast is the Pontificality wonderfully quickning the wounded beast to that estate therfore Chapter 17 but one beast euen this first is put and called the eighth head so euidently telling vs that both are one and the same except in consideration as I haue said According to this it is that hereafter the beast is distinguished from the false Prophet not that they are two as many fondly imagine but onely to take vp so the State and Kingdome as the false Prophet is heade therof so the false Prophet as he is head of that state See vpon Chapter 17. Sect. 11. 18. and 19. Sect. 27. These two beasts then are to expresse one and the same state euen Antichrist in his Kingdome and in himselfe head thereof both for condition and time For from the Pope his first degree of rising hee neuer got any such crossing as for which it might bee said of him that hee should abide a short space Chapter 17. For euen in the most miserable times of Rome by the Gothes hee not onely retained his old got account but was still labouring to aduance the credite of his Chaire as his supercilious dealings in these selfe times with forrain Churches sufficiently proueth And whatsoeuer hinderance bee had by Gothik tiranny from rising to the height hee after attained to it is too weake a ground to say of him that hee abode a short space thus to make him both the seuenth and eight head against cleare Text which maketh the seuenth to bee soone gone and if such had beene the meaning of the holy Ghost he might much both clearelier and easier haue called him the eight and seuenth then the eight and one of the seuen thus clearely implying which of the seuen hee meaned to wit that whose deadly wound by his arising hee cuâ—ed and made vppe thus so liuely an Image of the beast as hee may iustly therefore be counted one and the same with it that is with the sixth whome for glory account worship of Nations and Monarchike state hee resembleth liuely and the Kingdome vnder him the Kingdome then The mistaking of the seuenth head maketh all the errour and in such light of Storie agreeing fitly with this Prophesie it is wonder that all should haue erred This is certaine that Caesars are the sixth head that which then was and before which fiue Kings Consuls Dictators Decemuirs
name and are content to be called his being so farre deceiued with his shew as yet they receiue neuer his Character as his mancipate slaues And yet moe haue the number of his name that is are counted and numbred to bee of his body who yet in effect neither haue his name nor his Character This hath deceiued men that they haue imagined the Character to be some other thing then of his name But as is cleare by this place his Character is of his name and they receiue his Character who so haue his name as they are characterized therewith and vpon his marke A speech from common vse Hereof it is that in Mount Sion all haue the Character that is all who are of the true Church elected according to the purpose of grace But as in the visible Church many haue the name of God moe haue the number that is are accounted Christians who yet are not of the number sealed so in Antichrist his Church are many hauing his name and moe hauing his number and so are tolerated to haue commerce and trade with men who yet neuer receiued his Character Therefore it is that the iudgement is denounced onely against those who worshippe him and receiue his Character and accordingly the Vials of wrath Chapter 16. are powred onely vpon these Who are here twise repeated that wee may bee wakened to aduert how here the holy Ghost teacheth vs not to iudge so hardly of all that follow the Beast as that eternall damnation abideth them but onely such as haue receiued his Character For no question but many haue beene and are still named his and counted of his number who learned neuer the deepenesse of Sathan as simple sheepe fallen into that slocke of his because they saw there the publike Ensigne and the Lambe his horns in semblance because hee brooked the holy City and Court of the Temple Euen like these two hundreth who in simplicity of heart followed Absolom from Ierusalem knowing nothing of his treason For we must consider what sort of enemy Antichrist is That hee is no fortaine inuader but an inward Traitor None directly fighting against the name and Ensigne of Christ but by pretence of the name and Ensigne deceiuing And sitting euen in the Temple of God as if a hid Traitor pretending the King his Masters seruice and commission would summon all true Subiects to follow him while hee were but minding vsurpation euen good Subiects might bee thus far deceiued as to follow the publike Ensigne till the treason were detected Further consider that the true Church in Antichrist his greatest preuailing was alwaies within his compasse within which all were euer accounted to bee his owne but yet were not As within the compasse of the holy City and Court of the Temple were the Temple and witnesses in it Chapter 11. besides as no way could bee to the Temple but through the City and Court so no way euer was or shall bee to become a member of the true Church but by comming through the visible Church wherein Antichrist fortie two moneths working and obtaining without controlment all behoued to ioyne to that body where was the Ensigne and seek in through the City and Court to com to the Temple Now no maruell though many in the passing through were taken in admiration of the City Court before they got sight of the Temple And the prouidence of God was wonderfull in this that in greatest corruption he reserued alwayes a sure way through Antichrist to the Temple the Sacrament of Baptisme in substance remaining and the doctrine of the Trinity abiding sound So thus all comming through him had his name or his nūber of whom yet many neuer receiued his Character but espying the pollution of City and Court stepped into the Temple Where still though quietly God preserued two Candlestickes and two Oliues till at length his impiety came to that height by murthering the Saints that it was said to them Come vp hither and so a visible separation was made not from the Church but from the thiefe and Traitor in the Church his mouth bewraying it selfe to bee the Dragons And certainely this holdeth true so as we neede not so much iangle with the Romans thereabout that the Church hath and euer shall bee visible because alwayes the common Ensigne is seene But this Ensigne the Traitor craftily tooke vpon him to beare and thereby deceiued Here is the fallacy that by aequiuocation they conclude if the Church hath alway beene visible then are wee the true Church Here more is added For albeit the church be alwayes visible yet the truth and true professors in it are not alwayes so For the witnesses were closed in the Temple the woman lurked in the wildernesse and the sealed ones were albeit singing yet vnseene and vnheard vpon Mount Sion Three distinct speeches vsed of the Spirit for great purpose The first to shew that howsoeuer the true Church was hid yet where shee was to witte within the compasse of the visible where Antichrist ruled and where Sathan his throne was The second to shew that albeit shee lurked yet she was fed as was Israel in the wildernesse and Elias in the dayes of famine The third that in that great preuailing of Antichrist when all the earth followed the Beast yet she was stablished on Mount Sion so as against her the gates of hell could not preuaile The true Church is in some sort euer vlsible though not in her selfe yet in her infallible Ensignes as who seeth the Citie and Court hee seeth in a sort the Temple because albeit hee see it not distinctlie yet seeing the City and Court hee is certaine that the Temple is there So seeing the visible Church within whose compasse though no eye see them yet God hath his true worshippers one seeth also the true Church For within the Church are truth and lies Christ and Antichrist and either of them now and then obtaine in it and hold place communiter in toto but neuer vniuersaliter in singulis From the Apostolike times as witnesse Paul and Iohn Antichrist was in the Church but hee appeared not some ages after In his time hee riseth and obtaineth all the holy City and Court of the Temple erecteth a throne in Pergamus and domineth as Iezabel in I hyatira Truth is hid and true Professors till the noise of many waters the voyce of thunder and sound of well tuned Harpes breake out of Sion and the Temple and the woman returne from the wildernesse It is a great Sophisme to conclude from the Church visible to the Church absolutely or true Church or againe from these to that or to reason a toto communiter ad vniuersum singulariter Albeit Antichrist was commonlie acknowledged of all yet neuer vniuersally of each one For he neuer set his foot in the Temple nor vpon Mount Sion The Romans presse sore vpon vs to shew who in former ages haue been of our Religion
opposed to things aboue earthly or vnstable things to things heauenly and permanent so in this place as also in the first Trumpet it must bee taken as the order of arising degrees in comparison requireth for the first and lightest degree of iudgement as the earth is the lowest and lourdest of elements as the earth is taken in the first verse all the Vials are powred on the earth because all are on the earthly Antichristian Kingdome in this other sense of the earth the first particularly is powred thereon The effect thereof is that the filthinesse loose life hypocrisie auarice pride symony and other vices of the Clergy and Church of Antichrist breake out to the view of the world long blinded as filthy boiles The allusion is to the sixth plague of Egypt where-thorow the Enchanters were no more able to stand before Moses This was the first degree of the fall of Rome when God to make them detestable discouered their sores so as these enchanting bewitchers were confounded and could no longer abide the light The accommodation of Story is most cleare where by numbers their auarice pride and hypocrisie is highly exclamed against Few daring yet challenge their doctrine and worshippe yet their persons thus falling first in contempt it made way to the next Cup. Now as in the first Trumpet contention and selfe loue ioyned with cruelty like fire and haile mixed with bloud cast on the earth made the first great degree to Antichrist his rising by burning vp all true loue life and holy zeale of religion so the first open degree of his fall is by the cup of wrath powred on the earth euen the discouery of their hypocrisie and filthinesse whereby they were seen to bee void of all true Religion 4 The second Viall maketh a higher degree in that not onely the persons who worshipped the Beast and receiued his Gharacter are for their silthinesse odious but now euen their common doctrine and ordinary worshippe becommeth vile and corrupted as bloody worsum deadly to all that drinke thereof and abhorred of men who in the cleare glassie Sea before the throne perceine the stinking rottennesse of this Asphaltites How after the contempt of the persons for their abhominable filthinesse next all their worshippe and doctrine of pardons reliques indulgences holy water crossings soul-Masses pilgrimages processions inuocation of Saintes baptizing of bels magicall coniurations forged miracles foolish Legends of lies and the rest of that sea of rotten bloud beganne to stinke in the noses of men is more then euident their whole worshippe and common schoole Diuinity now standing as the Sea of Sodom Compare this Viall for kind and degree to the second Trumpet 5 By the third Viall their riuers and fountaines of waters are turned into bloud When by Moses the floud and al stanks ponds of Egypt were turned into bloud for thereto in this and the former Viall the spirit alludeth the Egyptians digged to themselues wels to drink of When in the dayes of Ahab through parching drought all other waters failed hee and Obadiah seeke to the riuers and fountaines So the common Sea of Popish worshippe and doctrine becommeth vile the last refuge for preseruing the liues of their Beasts is their riuers and fountaines whereby their Sea is inriched and which by kind should bee more cleare and sweet But these are also made bloud that in two respects Their riuers fountains are their great and learned Doctors and grounds whence these as riuers carry waters as frō springs to sweeten if it were possible that rotten sea But howsoeuer in some outward degree they apeare to haue some more freshnesse yet they are but bloud and to drinke of them it is deadly They labour much to excuse and maske the grosse rottennesse of their sea and to sweeten it with eloquence aide of Arts and Philosophy and yet all is bloud They busie themselues to bring warrands from the Fathers but almost all from that third part of that ancient sea which in the second Trumpet was made bloud and from these fountaines riuers which in the third Trumpet were for the third part made bitter and mortall And what cleare sweet water might both from Scripture Fathers be brought for cure of their Sea they by false glosses wrested interpretations cuttings and caruings turne all into bloud The second respect in which their riuers and fountaines are said to become bloud that wee should not misse to take vp the Angell executer praiseth God his iustice therein and another from the Altar a sure testimonie from Christ himselfe confirmeth his saying And this double testimony both of the executers and ministers of the Altar true Pastors encouraging to execution so warranteth the equity of this point that men need not bee remisse or stayed with any faint doubts from executing this iust worke And certainely the Spirit in this double proclamation of God his iustice herein seemeth in diuine wisdome to haue foreseene and foreshewed the faintnes of men in this so approued an errand The point is because their riuers and fountaines euen their head-Clergie men entertainers nourishers and vpholders of all that stinking sea haue beene bloody murtherers of the Saints and Prophets and occasioners of all bloud-shed in the earth the Whore Chapter 17. being drunke with the bloud of Saints and all the bloud of the earth being found in her Chapter 18. Therefore the Lord in his iustice now giueth them bloud to drinke euen measure for measure And the Cuppe that shee filled to vs shee now tasteth in her course Wherein is performed what for consolation was spoken Chapter 13. If any kill with a sword he must be killedby a sword The performance of this wee haue in some measure seene and dayly see in such Countries wherein the Lord hath raised the light of his Gospell while their continuall conspiracies and tteasons against the states and liues of Princes compell men otherwise but preposterouflie pittifull and for all this double denounced warrant of the equity of the worke but too slow to giue them the due recompence of their bloudy practises But the effect hereof will bee still more and more perceiued For there will be no end of their tragicall attempts till that bloudy state be destroyed for euer These are the Martyrs the Church of Rome can glorie of Here a diuiue artifice of the spirit is not vnworthy the marking that as in expressing the first suffetings of the church by the dragon Chapter 12. who giueth his power throne authority to the Beast allusion was to the condition of the olde Church in Egypt so here in the first degrees of finall wrath allusion is to the plagues there Like as in the Chapter 15. vpon preception of the last degree the song of Moses was sung at the glassie sea 6 The fourth Viall is on the sunne whereby the beast his marked ones are plagued the cleare light of the Gospell shewing Christ the sun of
King of Saints CHAP. XIX THus hath beene the description of the Whore and her iudgement Followeth now thereupon the ioy of Saints and that it may bee full the finall ouerthrow of the other enemies Of the Beast in this Chapt. and Dragon in the next for an absolute victory 2 This Chapter hath first the ioy of Saints in their song of praise and next the foile of the Beast The song for the forme matter and euent is admirable In the forme are the singers the strange manner of singing and the course or order of their song The singers according to the course and degrees of the song are three First a great multitude in heauen Secondly the 24. Elders and 4. Beasts Thirdly the voice of a great multitude as the voice of many waters c. Stirred thereto by a voice from the throne 3 By the first a multitude in heauen by all the frame of speech thorow this Prophesie are signified the Saints in common In whom all and generally the destruction of the Whore worketh this ioy which breaketh foorth in thanks-giuing Their manner of singing is with a loude voice both for their force of affection in them selues and for the aduowed open proclaiming thereof before the world and that first in a generall and vncouth word they praise God and stirre all others thereto and next they vtter speciall points of praise with the reasons wherein is the matter of the song 4 The generall word is Haleluiah two well known Ebrew words and of frequent vse in the Psalmes but neuer till now in all the new Testament recorded And heere are put soure times not for any speciall holinesse or mysterie that in the frame sillables or letters thereof is contained and for which it must be religiously kept vntranslated as the Romans after a foolish and cabbalisticke forme esteeme and vse it and others but yet it is not without great purpose and high mystery that tâ—e faithfull now not onely first beginne their song but also therein so often in course vse this word and in Ebrew Which purpose and mysterie to take vp clearely the occasion of this song and course thereof as orderly it goeth on beeing compared with what at length wee spake vpon the sixth Viall Chapt. 16. will euidently lead vs. For by the iudgement of the Whore the way is prepared for these of the East who vpon the victory here ensuing ouer the Beast shall celebrate the same by calling the place in Ebrew Armageddon and mourning the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Mageddon And shall bee brought with vs Gentiles to sing Halleluiah As the course and matter of this song shew euidently But wee must not esteeme that this first Halleluiah is sung by the Ebrews albeit it bee in Ebrew to waken vs to aduert the mystery For this first Halleluiah the Christians of the Geutiles doe sing onely to shew the way now prepared by the iudgement of the Whore for them to come in and concelebrate the victorie Neither thus so much for any such intention of the singers toward that end as that heereby the spirit will shew that the fall of the Whore and loud praise of God by Christians for it shall in a degree waken vp the East and Ebrews principally and shal serue for a great step for them to come in to the Church And yet an other greater step is laide for them and they more stirred vpon the higher intending of this song by a second Halleluiah for the euerlastingnesse of her ruine And yet more by a Halleluiah of the Elders and Beasts falling downe and worshipping him that sitteth on the throne Wherein wee must take heede that wee esteeme not the multitude in heauen and the Elders and Beasts to be otherwaies diuers then in distinct consideration for the more cleare explication of the degrees whereby God wrought on this great effect Which as it shall be in a good degree promooued by that common ioy and praise of Christians such as confusedly and suddenly at the first ioyfull euent is raised in all hearts so a greater and more effectuall degree thereof shall follow when the praise hereupon shall be solemne in the Church assemblies and publike actions thereof which is meaned by the song of the Elders and Beasts who are the type of the Church as for solemne and lawfull worship it is ordered in the Beasts going before and elders following them hauing God his presence in his gtacious dispensation of the spirit word and faithfull ministery thereof such as albeit it hath not alwaies appeared to the eies of men of the earth yet God had at all times as by conference of the 4. and 11. and 14. Chapters herewith is manifest When this Church thus for a lawfull ministery seruing God in the communion of Saints is hid from the world then none heare or learne their song but the sealed Virgins But at this time their Halleluiah and publike solemne praise shall be seene and heard widely euen to the wakening of the East thereby For it is now a long time since it was said to the reuiued witnesses Come vp hither The 144000. sealed ones are saide Chapt. 14. to sing a new song before the throne Elders and Beasts not that the 144000. are one thing and the Elders and Beasts another But as the 144000. are put to expresse the state and condition of the true Church in Antichrist his vsurpation so they are said to sing before the Throne Beasts and Elders To shew that albeit the world perceiued it not euen then God had still a Church in the midst whereof he dwelt and had in it a ministery and was worshipped lawfully in the assembly and communion of Saints For this it is that thorow this whole Prophesie howsoeuer to expresse the diuers conditions of the Church sundry and diuers types are vsed yet this of Throne Beasts and Elders euer holdeth in all Thus then the first common and confused ioy and praise thereupon is a double degree according as it riseth vpon the Whores eternall fall and effectuall to waken But when euen these same in solemne assembly professedly praise God it both inhanceth the seruice done as done in the Sanctuary and sheweth a deeper sense and regard of the benefit moouing that duty in the hearts of the praisers as also the publike well ordered and holy excercise in the Congregation stirreth more them who are without to reuerence and conuersion then common and priuate cariage Psalm 5. 7. and 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25. These same two degrees are Chap. 11. Where vpon the signe giuen by the Trumpet and preconceiued ioy of these same euents to ensue this same praise is summarily sung Now then this third Halleluiah of the Elders and Beasts falling and worshipping him that sitteth on the Throne is a neerer degree of vp-stirring and step of in-comming of Ebrewes and Orient to sing Halleluiah with vs. But lastly the voice from the Throne euen God his owne powerfull voice shall
with excessiue ioy of so good newes that hee was for a notable document of humane infirmity in so great an Apostle about to haue worshipped this Angell Which attempt how vnlawfull it is in it selfe and how vnpleasant to the Angell First his interdiction well sheweth in such haste and concise forme of speech as commonly men vse vpon care to preuent some instant and detestable euill When feare and solicitude â—uffer not to speake at length or a full sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Next hee strengthneth his interdiction with strong reasons one taken from his owne condition to whom this worship was offered as which was not capable thereof being but a seruant and not onely his left some prerogatiue might be imagined in the Apostle to stay that which of an other mighthaue bin offered but euen a fellow seruant of his brethren who had the testimony of Iesus his greatest honour and chiefe scope of al his seruice being Christ and his knowledge to minister the same without which he were nothing and therefore albeit of different nature from Iohn and other Christians yet in condition and end of calling but their fellow-seruant they hauing the spirit of Prophesie as he had The other reason is from the person of him who onely is to bee worshipped and serued according to the law alleadged by our Lord against Sathan Now it might probably appeare that herein yet some further thing were implyed For this Angell being the type of these ministers who shall bee the shewâ—◠〈…〉 paâ—sators of this huge meaâ—ure of powerfull lig◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 for so wonderfull effects and Iohn here baâ—â—â—g the person of common Christians of that time 〈◊〉 may seeme that the rare and excellent graces of the Ministers who shal then bee furnished with a golden 〈◊〉 would so farre miscarrie weake Christians in admiâ—â—tion of their gifts and working as to attribute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto them if their owne fidelity and holinesse 〈◊〉 not lâ—t it And as this giueth vs to expect yet goodly things so herein is a close warning of humility in the one and circumspectnesse in the other to giue all glory to God But hereof I dare determine nothing fearing still to bee curious in so diuine an Argument wherein I haue choosed rather to hold vp coniecturall suggestions then appeare vnreuerently to handle such mysteries 12 Thus wee haue heard the song of Saints first vpon the Whoreâ— destruction and next more mightily and of moe intended higher vpon preception of full victorie ouer the other enemies and the Church her graceful state thereupon which so rauished the Apostle as hee had almost miscarried Now are the other victories shewed and goodly state of the Bride thereupon And first through the rest of this Chapter is the foile of the Beasâ—bearer vp of the Whore and no question but now highly chafed with her fall 13 In the victory ouer the beast are the description of the parties and the euent of the battell The party victorious is magnifickly described first in his person army weapons of war and his working by them and next in his Herauld His person by great properties and many agreeable to his many and great names First his comming forth declareth him a heauenly personage for hee is from thence Of great maiesty comming forth in abundance of light as to whose outmarching the heauens are cast wide open A greater degree of light then hitherto hath been mentioned so as the signe of the son of man is clearly seen in heauen Oh that thou woldest breake the heauens and come downe His administration at this time in Antichrist his full ouerthrow shall bee in exceeding great euidency of light and power 14 Hee sitteth on a white horse for fidelity and truth and namely for these points of his administration wherin his fidelity and truth are now specially to bee shewed in iudging and fighting for all which respects he rideth and on a white horse according to the state of a Iudge and triumphing glory of a victorious VVarrious He is also a faithfull and true witnesse Chapter 1. And a faithful High Priest Hebr. 3. But here hee is to shew his fidelity and truth in iudging and fighting Now the time of his redeemed is come and the time of the dead that they bee iudged and such destroyed who destroy the earth In all which hee both iudgeth and fighteth righteously for he is pure when hee iudgeth and iust when hee speaketh This indgement is not that last and generall but here the speciall of these enemies of his Church is meaned whom he is now to ouerthrow so as they shall neuer bee any more able to trouble Sion but their ruine shall hold on till at last they be for euer adiudged to endlesse torment Hee rode on a white horse from the first outgoing of the Gospell to conquere Chapter 〈◊〉 and to deiect the Dragon from heauen Chapter 12. when hee and his Armie fought to that effect but this is the last and noblest act of his riding for the Dragon and his Vicars vtter destruction 15 Now to iudge righteously is requisite not onely a righteous disposition but also a wise heart to discerne for often Iudges who are in mind set to doe righteously yet ignorantly giue wrong iudgement But no such thing can befall him whose eyes are as a flame of fire Pure piercing purging and searching hearts and reines from whom nothing can bee hid for euen the darkenesse is light before him And as for iudging so also for fighting as Rabsace though prophane yet pertinently sayeth in that Counsell and strength are for the warre This Captaine then who seeth the thoughts of his enemies before they bee hatched in their hearts hath no perill to bee deluded or circumuented with stratagems or as often befalleth otherwise expert warriours through want of intelligence to slippe opportunities If Elisha by a ray of the light of this Captaines flaming eies was able to discouer and so disappoint what the King of Aram consulted in his secret Cabinet what may this Lord doe who formeth the heart 16 With wisdome hee hath also great authority as hauing on his head many Crownes Both for that hee is King of Kings and also for his many victories specially in this his last warre Which how peculiarly is respected his Crownes are all on his head For hee standeth not by crowned hornes as the Beast but all his authority and strength is in himselfe and of himselfe and hee in this his strength power now commeth to take the Crowne from the head of the King of Ammon to set it on Dauid his head The Beast now must forgoe his Triple Crowne Christ his proper honour wherewith hee hath blasphemously attired his head 17 Being thus able to see all and of authority to conquere all hee hath yet a name written which none knoweth but himselfe And this name is so much the more maruailous and hath the more cleare note of his
height of impiety and marketh the two pointes of this time with most euident notes of the binding of the Dragon and his lousing againe 13 In Constantine his time that too great and open steppes were laide for Antichrist to mount vp to Sathan his throne is too well knowne And to what a height the mistery of iniquity had wrought on in the Pontificality of Boniface the eighth their owne stories giue cleare testimony recording of him that hee entred like a foxe raigned as a Lion and died as a dogge When by a counterfeit Oracle hee had got himselfe made Pope hee would vpon no condition acknowledge the Emperour except hee did take his title and dignity of him as to whom properly it belonged He excommunicated the French King because hee would not take his Crowne holden of him and impudently and impiously discharged his Subiects of their allegeance He blasphemouslie against the honour of Christ his Crosse instituted the first Iubilie at Rome and put forth this decree that the Bishoppe of Rome ought to be iudged of none although he should carry innumerable soules with him to hell 14 The peruerse mindes of the Romanes here bewray themselues For this time of a thousand yeeres which onely of all the times in this prophesie is to bee taken definitely they will haue to bee indefinite and al the rest to be taken both definitelie and properly And without either example of Scripture or shew of allusion casting it roundly by them they will forsooth haue these thousand yeeres here indefinitely put for all the time from Christ to Antichrist his raigne who shall raigne say they three yeeres and a halfe before the last iudgement But if during these thousand yeeres the speciall honor and chiefe crown of them who liue and raign in them be their refusing to worshippe the Beast whom euen Romans confesse to be Antichrist of necessity his Kingdome must haue beene in vogue these thousand yeeres And this againe sheweth plainely that these times of a 1260. dayes 42. monethes and a time times halfe a time are not properly and definitely put for the iust time of Antichrist his raigne as the Romans would inforce seeing these thousand yeeres hee beareth sway further if these times were definitely and yet not properly to be taken as some of our learned interpreters esteeme I see no reason why here the holy Ghost should haue altered his ordinary stile See Chapters 9. and 11. and 12. 15 Now considering all the course of this prophesie expressing first the state of the Church in the seuen of Asia next comprising the whole future euents in seuen Seales the seuenth whereof affordeth seuen Trumpets and the seuenth of these seuen vials of the last wrath Seeing also that in all this Booke but seuen diuers times are recorded First that of ten dayes Chapter 2. 2. that of halfe an houre Chapter 8. 3. that of fiue monethes Chapter 9. 4. that of an howre day moneth and yeer of the sixth Trumpet Chapter 9. 5. that of 1260. dayes 42. monethes a time times and halfe a time which are but one Chapter 11. and 12. and 13. 6. that of three dayes and a halfe Chapter 11 and now this of a 1000. yeeres is the seuenth in huge proportion exceeding all the former Considering also that this time of a 1000. yeeres is in the course of this Chapter and within short space sixe times recorded and thereafter no time mentioned but euermore Whither in these considerations if this maner of leading implyeth any further mystery I referre it to godly and sober considerations not daring louse the raines to curiosity in so diuine and hid matter wherein yet I am perswaded thongh my weakenesse cannot find it out that nothing is eyther in matter or manner of handling which hath not in it a great depth of wisdom 16 Thus was the dragons first restraint in a certaine degree of time and measure Followeth the second absolute and euerlasting And it is cleared by the fore-going liberty to which hee is loused From the first binding So as all this point is in these two the dragons second liberty and the euent thereof 17 In this his second liberty is the time when and his endeauour beeing loosed The time is at the expiring of the thousand yeeres whereof wee haue spoken His endeauour being loosed is to practise againe that from which by his first taking hee was with-held that is to seduce Nations Which seducing must bee vnderstoode to be of that same kind as heereafter is clearely shewed in that hee brought them to compasse the tents of Saints and beloued City For otherwaies all the time of his restraint from this kind of working hee by the Lieutenant of his power seduced in another kind mightilie The greatnesse of this his endeauour to this end is cleared first by these whom hee seduced and next by their action vpon his instigation In these who are seduced are these circumstances 1 Their habitation 2 Their quality 3 Their number Their habitation is the foure quarters of the earth Whereby is offered to our conception both Satan his earnest and diligent practise in this his last puffe and that all the enemies ouer the whole earth of what state and condition soeuer whom in this his last fury hee bringeth foorth are heere designed Their quality is expressed in the names giuen them of Gog and Magog To shew them detestable for cruell disposition to destroy that by a huge destruction they shall be destroyed and that they are the instruments of Satan his last fury Their number is expressed in two notes One that they ouerspred the plaine of the earth the other that they were as the sand of the Sea for multitude 18 Such are they who are seduced The end whereto the Dragon leadeth them is to compasse the tents of Saints and the beloued City Euen the vtter destruction in their intent of God his true Church heere on earth pitching in Tents as yet in their warfare and absent from their eternall habitation but who notwithstanding are the true Citizens of heauen beloued of God 19 Thus is the Dragons liberty and his endeauour thereupon The euent heereof is double One of them who thus seduced by him were set on so euill a worke that fire came from heauen and deuoured them The other of him who is their leader that hee is now taken and commited to euerlasting fire and torment This his iudgement is cleared by his fellowship therein the Beast and false Prophet 20 This euent is further cleared and declared sure by setting downe the last degree of their destruction in the last iudgement when all enemies being brought vnder death shall bee swallowed vp to victory To shew vs that this second victory ouer Satan and restraint of him from this his last rage shall not bee but onely for a certaine space as was that first or in a speciall respect as that was but it shall be absolute and eternall So as from the time