saith When hee shall appeare wee shall see him as hee is Yet euen the sight that now we haue by faith sustaines vs that wee faint not yea makes vs to reioyce in him with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious The first sight is no comfort without the third For oh How pittifull is the estate of that man who hath an eye to see the Sunne and hath not an eye to see Him that made the Sunne Yea the second is not comfortable without the third What auailes it to fore-see and fore-tell things to come and not to fore-see that Wrath which is to come that thou maist eschew it Balaam was a great Prophet to point out Iesus Christ vnto others in whom he had no part himselfe Hee fore-saw that the death of righteous men was happy and wished it to himselfe but hee had not true Light to leade him in that life which might bring him to a happy death Thus in the third sight onely stands the comfort of Christians Simeons sight maketh Simeons Song and sendeth away Saints out of the body reioycing in the middest of the dolours of death All these three sights had Saint Iohn but here hee sees these Visions by the second sight Now this sight is relatiue to the sight hee saw before After this I looked and it renders this lesson S. Iohn hauing vsed well the Reuelation hee receiued in the first Vision and hauing deliuered it faithfully to the Church as he was commanded gets now another Vision reueiled to him Two things increase heauenly reuelations in a Preacher First if he vse well the talent receiued already Nec enim alimonia haec distribuendo minuitur sed potius augetur ministrando For heauenly food is not diminished by the distribution thereof but rather is augmented Next if hee looke vp to God by feruent prayer and seek more as here S. Iohn doth hee shall neuer want comfortable matter to deliuer in God his Name to the Church But alack where men come out Prompt◅ docere quod non didicerunt ready to teach that which they haue not learned looking downe to giue vnto people not first looking vp to seek from the Lord what hope of a blessing is there to such a Ministerie And behold a dore was opened By this Metaphoricall speech S. Iohn will signifie vnto vs that an entrance and cleere sight of these heauenly Mysteries was made vnto him by the calling of God which otherwise were hid and locked vp from him like excellent things in the Palace of a King whereof no sight is gotten till the dore be opened and men licensed to enter in So S. Paul by the Opening of a dore of faith to the Gentiles will expresse that entrance to the faith which Gentiles had gotten by his Ministerie and by the great doore and effectuall opened to him at Ephesus and at Troas and by the opened doore of vtterance to speak the Mysterie of Christ for which hee willes the Colossians to pray hee vnderstands that a cleere and easie entrance to these Mysteries may bee made to him by the Lord and a ready way prepared in the hearts of people to conuay these Mysteries as it were in by a doore vnto them In Heauen Hugo Carthusian and others of that sort by the Doore vnderstand Christ and by heauen the Church it is a truth that Christ and his Church sometime are so figured but it is not the truth of this place I maruell what should haue moued Cotterius a iudicious and learned Writer to follow them This Heauen saith hee is Ecclesia in qua Deus habitat the Church wherein God dwels and the Voice which spake vnto S. Iohn Verbum est quo vocamur in Ecclesiam It is the Word by which wee are called to the Church All by purpose for was S. Iohn now in Pathmos to bee called to the communion of the Church But leauing this when wee shall come if the Lord please to such places of this Prophecie where the Heauen is a type of the Church Militant or Triumphant we shall shew the reason thereof But here that we may vnderstand with sobriety let vs consider how Saint Iohn speakes as hee saw He saw not this Vision in the Earth nor in the Aire but in the heauen was it represented to him It is true most part of things prophesied here were to be performed on the earth but they are fore-shewed in the heauens to tell vs that the earth and all things which fall out therein are ruled by the Decree of Heauen To make this yet more cleere let vs be remembred that in holy Scripture Heauen is sundry waies taken First for the Church Triumphant their place and their persons are both exprest by the name of Heauen as when it is said the two Witnesses were taken vp into heauen Next for the Church Militant in the Gospell in this Reuelation cōmonly called Heauen But in this and many other places of this Prophecie Heauen is taken for that typicall representation of heauen made to him in this Prophecie For it is to bee noted and obserued as a necessary rule that in these Visions S. Iohn speakes of things according as hee saw them represented in types as we haue spoken before yet so that euery type hath a truth correspondent to it and it requires great discretion to accommodate euery Type to the owne truth Which is not done by them who in this place expound heauen to be the Church Militant for S. Iohn saw not nor learned not these Mysteries in the Church nor yet from the Church hee saw them represented to him in heauen to be reuealed to the Church In a word he got it indeed for the Church Militant but not from it Neither is there any more reason to say that heauen here is the Church Militant then to say that these things which S. Paul saw when hee was rauished to the third heauen hee saw them in the Church for at this time also was S. Iohn rauished and transported in Spirit Alway we learne here that wee can haue no knowledge of heauenly things vnlesse the Lord open the doore and discouer them vnto vs. The Iewes euery Saturday read in their Synagogues a part of Moses and the Prophets these point with the finger vnto Christ but they cannot see him for a Vaile couereth their mindes till the Lord illuminate them Wee doe therefore pray the Lord our God who opened the doore to S. Iohn through which hee saw these Visions to open a doore to vs also by which we may haue entrance to vnderstand them for the glory of his name and comfort of his Church And the first Voice which I heard c. Vpon this place Victorinus obserues that it was one Spirit which spake in the Prophets of old and in the Apostles now Cotterius in the first Vision saith hee Iohn heard a Voice speaking
write vpon it It is plaine here that the Saints in heauen offer vp the prayers of faithfull and holy persons on earth and that they haue knowledge of our affaires and desires But this Text offereth not any such thing as we shall shew at length These Saints represent the whole Church Militant and Triumphant euery one of them is said to haue their own Viall and no word here of any prayers made by any of them for others beside that the knowledge of our desires appertaineth to none but the Lord who searcheth the reines and the heart This doubt cannot be loosed by saying that the Saints departed offer vp thanksgiuing for the word vsed here is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some make this answere but indeed it taketh not away the doubt for vnderstanding therefore of this place we must know that there are foure sorts of prayer reckoned here by the Apostle the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer for auerting of euill the second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer for some good that is lacking the third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer whereby one of vs prayes for another and the fourth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer whereby we giue thanks to God All these foure sorts are vsed by Saints militant two of them onely are ascribed to Saints triumphant namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanksgiuing and supplication for the good which they want Where if it be asked What good want they who are in heauen for which they haue need to pray The answer is They want a two-fold good which God hath promised and they long to enioy First they want their bodies without which the soules in heauen cannot haue full ioy for by their first creation they were ioyned together as inseparable companions not to be diuided if they had not fallen in the transgression therefore it is that the one cannot be fully contented wanting the other for which to fulfill their ioy they pray for restitution of their bodies Secondly they want their brethren the remanent mēbers of Christ his mysticall body requisite necessarily to their perfection for God hath so prouided that they vvithout vs should not be perfected Abraham Isaac Iacob haue great ioy in heauen but not full ioy because they will not be perfected without their brethren That therefore the mystical body of Christ may be cōplete and so their ioy fulfilled they pray for Christ his second comming which cannot be till the last and youngest of the sonnes of God be borne and brought to the fellowship of Iesus Christ. And this is made cleare heereafter when the soules vnder the Altar are brought in crying How long O Lord how long c For this is the voice of them who want something they would faine haue and yet are sure to enioy it Thus we see then that the prayers of Saints triumphant are generall they pray for their bodies and brethren but to gather of this that they know our necessitios our particular tentations farre lesse our secret desires is but a doting dreame and if we shall a little insist in this same metaplior of Odour or Incense it shall discouer their error more clearely For first Incense offred to God might not be made but in such a manner and with such ingredients as God himselfe commanded teaching vs that prayer vnto God should be made not as we fansie to our selues but as hee hath commaunded vs. Now if wee shall looke to this cōmandement it directs vs to pray vnto God and to none other there is the voice of God the Father Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me There againe is the instruction of God the Sonne When yee pray pray in this manner Our Father which art in heauen and there is the direction of God the holy Ghost hee teacheth vs in our prayer to cry Abba Father No word heere of any prayer to Abraham Moses or Esay to Cherubim or Seraphim to Angels or Saints departed Secondly Incense might not be burnt but vpon the golden Altar onely whereof there was but one figuring the Lord Iesus teaching vs that our prayers may not be offered to God in the name of any other but Iesus Christ onely For there is not any other name vnder Heauen by which wee may be saued and In him onely is the Father well pleased Thirdly it was not lawfull for any man to make an odour for his owne pleasure or priuate vse of those gummes whereof the Lord commanded his Incense to be made and that vnder a most strait penaltie for so stands the Law Yee shall not make vnto you any composition like to this Perfume it shall be holy for the Lord whosoeuer shall make like vnto that to smell thereof euen hee shall be cut off from his people And this doth plainely teach vs that no creature should smell the sauour of our Prayer it is the Incense holy to the Lord and appertaines to our God onely Thus we see how Papists when they seeke patrocinie for their errors from holy Scripture doe it with no better successe then Ioab did when hee made his refuge to the hornes of the Altar hee fled vnto it to seeke the safety of his life but hee was pulled from it and executed to the death so they when they bring in Scripture to defend their errors doe in effect bring it to destory themselues But to leaue them let vs consider for our comfort how our prayer is compared to a perfume All the spices of Myrrhe Cynamon and what is most excellent on earth cannot make such a perfume from heauen it commeth and vnto heauen it returneth O what a great mercy is this wee are not yet able to ascend our selues and yet haue we this liberty and priuiledge as to send our Embassadors in our name before vs which are so welcome to the diuine Maiestie that hee accounts of them as of sweet odour and perfume sent vp vnto him Let vs marke this for many times the weake Christian faints and becomes remisse in prayer because he disesteemes of his own prayer This is a policie and tentation of the old Serpent to make thee neglect that which hee knowes to be most hurtfull to himselfe most helpfull to thee most acceptable to thy God but doe it not Noli vilipendere or ationem tuam quoniam ille ad quem or as non vilipendit Doe not vilipend thine own prayer for he to whom thou prayest vilipends it not it is a sweet odour vnto the Lord. VERSE 9. And they sung a new Song saying Thou art woorthy to take the Booke and to open the scales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed vs to GOD by thy bloud out of euery kindred and tongue
PATHMOS OR A COMMENTARY ON THE REVELATION of Saint IOHN diuided into three seuerall Prophecies THE FIRST PROPHECIE contained in the fourth fift sixt and seuenth Chapters By Mr. WILLIAM COWPER Bishop of Galloway Abacuk 2. 3. The Vision is yet for an appointed time but at the last it shall speake and not lye though it tarry waite for it shall surely come and shall not stay LONDON Printed by George Purslow for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at the signe of the greene Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1619. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE LORD my Lord of Binning President of the Colledge of IVSTICE Secretary to his Maiesty and one of his Highnesse most Honorable Priuy Councell in both the Kingdomes MY LORD THIS Prophesie was properly cōpared by Primasius to a precious Gemme or Orientall Pearle not found in the clifts of rockes or shels of fishes but sent from Heauen for a Present to the Church on Earth by Iesus the splendor of the glory of his Father and that bright Orient which hath visited vs from on high He giueth it in a Loue-token to his Church who for it gaue himselfe to the death Doubtlesse it must bee some great Present which is sent from so great a King by the hand of that Seruant whom he loued best in the world This Iewell hath come in the hands of many who being strangers not acquainted with Canaan from which it came haue out of wrong conception iudged it to bee adulterine But all the Lords Lapidaries who haue seene the precious stones wherwith the walls of Heauenly Ierusalem are garnished haue easily perceiued this to be from heauen also yea and among all the rest most admirable for it partakes with all these both in color and vertue and serueth Saints not for decoration onely but declaration also of many secrets which greatly concerne their state Of old Vrim and Thummim were placed by God in that Pectorall of the high Priest called by the Iewes Hosen by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but what it was or how by it God gaue answere to his people Israel many Diuines in that point are diuinators speaking more out of coniecture then certaine knowledge Iosephus records that these stones by change of their colour gaue signification of things to fall out eyther aduerse or prosperous Sigonius in his Treatise of the Hebrewes Republick seemes to haue followed him The report that Suidas brings from an vncertaine Author is as vncertaine as the Author that if battell was imminent the stones turned red if death was foretold they turned black if no change of estate was to ensue then the stones changed not their colour at all One thing is sure God by them gaue answere to his seruants that sought him as may bee cleared by many places of Scripture But of this booke wee may boldly affirme that it is indeed a heauenly Oracle foretelling in types the truth of things as they were to fall out to the worlds end at the first it sheweth a white colour importing comfortable grace by the Gospell now and immortall glory hereafter Incontinent it turneth to a red colour foreshewing bloudy persecutions which Saints must suffer before they enioy the Crown Then againe it appeareth with a blacke colour to declare that blackenesse of wrath temporall and eternall which abideth the enemies of the Church In some parts it looketh darke in others cleare like the Christall yet through all more or lesse transparent and therewith variable with sundry sheddes among which most apparant are three seuerall rankes of Seuens stretching themselues in most comely order through this Iewell and wherein the Lord hath secretly inclosed treasures of manifold wisedome In the Seales vnsealed secrets are disclosed In the Trumpets battels are denounced In the Uials plagues are powred out The purpose in these three is not one yet by a comely proportion and correspondence doe they answere one to another Many haue handled this Iewell not to finde it by their labour that were impossible but to finde themselues by the valew of it For that cause among others I haue also looked vpon it truely for none other end but that I might learne from it and now what I haue seene I shew submitting my selfe to the Church for whose profit I haue taken these paines If the light of the booke hereby be any way encreased and comfort arise to the good Christian the praise is the Lords and vnder God thankes is due to your Lordship for by your louing counsell care I haue beene relieued of many intricate matters of Law and found the greater leysure and liberty both to attend my studies Thus hath your Lordship beene a Mecaenas to me indeed Good men oftentimes are forced to expresse great affections by small meanes and so now it fareth with me yet I trust your Lordship will esteeme of mee not as I am but as I desire to be on your behalfe But it is no reason I should requite deeds with words I know your Lordship doth neyther like them nor need them Where Vertue giueth out her beames euen her enemies are forced to acknowledge her glory yet thus much out of duty must I speake that by many Coards of loue hath your God bound you to be thankefull to him Vertue is weake without some aduersity neither can that felicity bee found on earth that communicates not with some crosse Some are raised to wealth but the lesse regarded by reason of their base Linage Some Noble by parentage but depressed with pouerty many beautified both with Nobility and riches who want the delight of children others haue the comfort of children but with the turning of a few yeares they turne crosses vnto them there is no estate so prosperous against which there is not iust cause of complaint Thus runneth the common currant of worldly courses here on earth But will your Lordship turne your eyes a little from others and looke to your selfe you shall see what cause your Lordship hath aboue others to say with Dauid Many wayes hath the Lord beene beneficiall to his Seruant beeing for Linage descended of a wise and worthy Father of an Honourable Family famous among many others of that most flourishing Trybe of Hammilton Honourable also for the places of honour which you possesse but much more for the vertue whereby you haue worthily deserued them for it is a greater thing to deserue Honour then to haue it but where by Vertue it is obtained by Wisedome encreased and by good Gouernement reteined all which are euident in your Lordship What can be more Your children thankes be to God no crosses but comforts like branches of the Oliue promised to such as feare God they stretch out themselues from the sides of your Tabie and without disparagement are matched with the mighty Cedars of the Land For your selfe I haue nothing to say but that which I know no man can gaine-say If quickenesse of ingine vigour of ready witte wisedome in words discretion
the last breath of the Spirit wherewith he inspired the Writers of holy Scripture No Scripture is to be expected after this It is the last Loue-token of our Lord and louing Husband after which he will write no more vnto vs but will come himselfe he hath sent it to vs with the Disciple whom he loued best and who was the last and longest liuer of all the Disciples Kinde children remember best the words spoken by their fathers on their death-bed and if it were possible that after death they could receiue any information from them O in what estimation would they haue it All the words of our Lord should be laid vp in our hearts but specially these which hee vttered in the time of his death and Passion and most of all these by which now after his Resurrection Ascension he speaketh vnto vs. There are many now a daies companions to the rich Glutton and his brethren they will not beleeue Moses and the Prophets but if one came from the dead then would they amend their liues This is a Prouerbe frequent in their mouthes but now this excuse also is taken from them Our Lord Iesus is risen from the dead and after his resurrection witnesses vnto vs what fearefull wrath is reserued for the wicked what vnspeakable ioy prepared for the godly if for all this they will not beleeue nor amend their liues are they not worthy of the greater condemnation In the eighteenth yeere of the Emperour Tyberius our Lord suffered for our sinnes hee rose againe from the dead ascended on high and led captiuity captiue About the foureteenth yeere of Domitian gaue he this Reuelation to S. Iohn in the I le Pathmos so witnesses Irenaeus Non multunâ—… ante temporis Apocalypsin vidit Ioannes sed poene sub nostro saeculo ad finem Domitiani imperii It is not long said he since S. Iohn saw this Reuelation but almost in our owne daies about the end of the Domitian Empire fiftie daies after his Ascension he sent downe that promised Spirit the Comforter So fiftie yeares and tenne after that he sent down this comfortable Booke of Prophecie containing a generall proiect and view of all the estates of his Church vntill the worlds end Doubtlesse this hath proceeded of his louing kindnesse toward his poore Church hee fore-saw the great and manifold troubles that were to befall her he knew it was to be a long time in respect of vs betweene his Ascension and second comming that therefore his Church should not faint our Lord and Loue hath sent vs this Present and Loue-letter that we may runne vnto it as Aaron and the Church of old did to the Oracle to know what shall be the end of all these battels of Saints militant heere on earth specially of these perturbations raised this day against the Church by Mahomet in the East and Antichrist in the West We are not then to suffer our selues to be spoiled and defrauded of the comfort contained in this book by these instruments of the Serpent who either disclaime the authority of this booke or then would scarre vs from it by a pretence of the obscurity thereof for these are the two scandals which offend many and make them if not vtterly to reiect at least too lightly mis-regard this heauenly Present As for the first albeit there need no testimonie of man where Diuine Authority giues out the decree Blessed is he who reads and they who heare the words of this prophecie yet man may very well be brought in against man and what hath beene said by any against it is easily disproued by that which others more ancient and more worthy credit haue spoken for it Iustinus Martyr Reuelationem hanc Ioanni qui vnus erat Apostolorum Christi factam esse testatur Iustine Martyr who wrote about an hundred and fiftie yeares after Christ witnesses that this Reuelation was made to S. Iohn who was one of Christ his Disciples Irenaeus ten yeares after him in the place cited before affirmeth the same With them S. Ambrose and S. Augustine do concurre Nec illud mediocre quod de throno Dei exire sluuium legimus sic enim habes dicente Ioanne Euangelista that which is written Reu. 22. of a riuer of the water of life flowing from the Throne Ambrose takes it vp plainely as written to S. Iohn the Euangelist Augustine as I haue said hath the like But this point I leaue as being sufficiently handled by the Writers of our time namely and at greatest length by Cotterius The other scandall of obscuritie is easily remoued if the exposition of the prophecie runne not before the execution thereof It was hard to the Fathers of the first ages to vnderstand this booke so cleerely as now by Gods grace his seruants may No maruaile though S. Ierome in his time said of it that the Apocalypse had tot Sacramenta quot verba as many mysteries as words for Prophecies before they be accomplished are Aenigmata that is riddles or darke and obscure sentences but when they are fulfilled Tunc liquidam habent certam expositionem then haue they a cleare and sure exposition Yet S. Augustine mitigates that difficulty alledged by S. Ierome and leaues vs some better hopes he grants this In Apocalypsi multa obscurè dicuntur vt mentem legentis exerceant that in the Reuelation many things are difficult whereby the mindes of those who reade it may be exercised yet to encourage vs hee subioyneth Pauca tamen in co sunt ex quorum manifestatione indagentur caetera cum labore that there are some things in it so plainly manifested as that they may leade vs to the vnderstanding of the rest if we take paines to learne them Victorinus Primasius and others who wrote aboue a thousand yeares since vpon this book are indeed to be praised for their paines Glory be to God out of all their labours some light ariseth to this prophecie but let the Reader remember that they are not alwaies to be followed in their sense Certius est sine periculo sustinere adimpletionem prophetiae quà m diuinare It is more sure to await the accomplishment of the prophecie then to diuine of it before-hand What made Iohn the Baptist a greater Prophet then Esay or any other that went before him Nothing but the difference of times for he saw that present and perfected which Prophets before told was to be done and would bee accomplished And the same is the reason why the meanest now in the Kingdome of God is greater then the Baptist And why men now in the holy Calling are able to shew more clearely the meaning of this prophecie then others more famous and worthy Lights could haue done before But to conclude this point In the entry of this booke as I said a blessing is pronounced vpon them that
onely but here a Voice speaking with S. Iohn quo non obscurè innuitur verbi quod personam suam habet nostri communio whereby the communion of the Word with vs is not obscurely declared Both these are good points of Diuinity but too hardly picked out of this place The more soberly wee handle the Prophecie we shall vnderstand it the better S. Iohn heere tels vs no more but that by a Voice sounding lowdly in his hearing hee was prepared to behold these things which God was to shew him How God did vtter this Voice to him it were but curiosity for vs to enquire Deo namque qui nostris loquendi legibus astrictus non est liberum est loqui quomodocunque voluerit The Lord is not bound to our manner of speaking as Cotterius hath well obserued it is free to the Lord to speake what manner of way hee will This we may be sure of and it should content vs that his seruant vnderstood very well what the Voice said to him which we may perceiue by his owne declaring of it vnto vs. And now out of this the lesson ariseth The Apostle looked vp to God in the beginning of this Verse desirous to see more and now the Lord offers not onely new sight to his eye but new information to his care Wee neuer turne our hearts truely to the Lord but hee is readie to meete vs All his children finde this in experience Certainely if wee would be more homely with our God we should soone finde him more familiar with vs. But alas our sinne is we wait not vpon him and intertaine not a spirituall fellowship with him How shall wee see that delight not in the light And how shall we bee replenished with that grace which ouerflowes in him so long as we are carelesse and negligent to come to him This is the ground of all our euill neglect of the spirituall worship neglect to waite vpon the Lord. God giue vs eyes to see it and hearts to mend it As it were of a Trumpet The Voice soundeth said one like a Trumpet Quia inuitabat Ioannem ad praelium contra diaboli temptamenta contra mundi blandimenta contra carnis oblectamenta because it inuites S. Iohn to battell against the tentations of the deuill the allurements of the world the pleasures of the flesh No question S. Iohn was a good Souldier of Iesus and had fought these battels couragiously but this goes further hee is stirred vp by this Trumpet to heare a Proclamation made in heauen of such battels as his Saints had to fight vpon earth to the worlds end that hee might fore-warne the Church of them The lesson here arising is that the Voice whereby God speakes to his owne is loud liuely and powerfull to waken them out of the dead sleepe of their sinne That same Word of the Lord preached which to a naturall man is but foolishnesse and a dead letter which he vnderstands not to the childe of God is the power of God it is liuely and mighty in operation The houre shall come and now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue O how miserable are they to whom this Voice sounds and they heare it not and the Trumpet of the liuely Word wakneth them not For if they continue in this estate and their sleepe bee vnto death what remaines but a fearefull Trumpet of doome which whether they will or not they shall be forced to heare denouncing to them the iudgement of endlesse condemnation But to returne our ground is God in his mercifull dealing with his seruants what euer hee haue to doe with them speakes to them in such sort that hee causes them both to vnderstand and also to obey him This S. Iohn declares when hee saith the Voice was like the voice of a Trumpet because by it hee was wakened moued and stirred vp to heare attentiuely and with reuerence Saying Come vp hither Non corporis motu sed mentis intuitu Come vp not by motion of the body but attention of the mind Here then Saint Iohn his calling is renewed to him againe he must be a separate man and after a sort go out of himselfe and go vp vnto God to bee familiar with him who would see the things of God This is required of euery Christian if hee would be the Spouse of Christ ioyned in marriage with him Forget thy owne people and thy fathers house so shall the King haue pleasure in thy beauty How much more then is it requisite in Christian Preachers Did Moses see the patterne of the Tabernacle till he went vp to the Mount Or did the Lord talke familiarly with Ioshua and Moses till first they put off their shooes And shall any Preacher now thinke to be familiar with God and powerfull with his people vnlesse he learne this lesson first that here first is giuen to S. Iohn Come vp hither Againe the voice of God when he talkes to his people is Come vp Satans voice on the contrary Fall downe Cast thy selfe downe That presumptuous Beast durst speake so to our Sauiour what maruell then he dare speake so to his seruants The Lord would haue thee to come vp and enioy all the good which hee hath to communicate to thee Satan would haue thee to go downe that thou mayst be partaker of his remedilesse condemnation He himselfe for his sinne was cast out of heauen He is now reserued in chaines vnder darkenesse to the iudgement of the great Day And he knowes that when the time of his complete iudgement shall come he will bee cast into vtter darkenesse and all his care is to draw man downe-ward with him into the same condemnation There is no restitution for him mercy neuer was neuer will be preached to him neither can he seeke it neither will he get The most that euer he craued was a Supersedere Why wilt thou torment vs before the time he is condemned in his own conscience and knowes that intolerable ineuitable torment abides him We reade that the Lord talked with Satan but neuer called vpon him to come vp since that first he fell down But blessed be the Lord it is his voice to his owne Come to me notwithstanding yee haue fallen from me yet Come to me yee haue sinned but if yee be weary of sinne I will refresh you It was the answer of Christ to the Disciples of Iohn Baptist when they asked Master where dwellest thou Come and see said our Lord and still hee speaketh vnto all his beloued as here hee doth to one of his beloued Come vp hither not to get new reuelations to be shewed vnto others but Come vp hither to get a new and a full sight of my promised glory to your selfe Yea such is the goodnesse of our God that not onely hee cals vpon
towre whose top may reach into heauen But their assumption of means to make good their Proposition is but weake they haue but bricke and clay to mount vp their Fort against heauen They are flesh not spirit dust before the wind stubble before the fire Thus of a proud proposition and weake assumption nothing followes in all their intentions but a fals fectlesse conclusion God disappoints their thoughts and turnes all their deeds to the fulfilling of his owne will This Vision in the iudgement of Hugo Lyra whom some of the recents follow is expounded to be a representation of God his constant gracious administration of the Church militant these wil haue the Heauen here to signifie the church the Throne to be true Religion the glassie sea to be Baptisme or as others thinks Doctrine the four liuing creatures full of eyes to be Pastors vvhich hereafter God willing in the particular explanation shall be declared to be farre otherwise This will not bee found the right accommodation of this type we rest in that we haue spoken as being the very truth of this type For the further clearing whereof looke backe and call to minde that which hath been said on the first verse A doore opened in heauen We are not yet come to the Prophecie wherein the state of the Church both militant and triumphant is set downâ—… wee are but in the entry of the prophecie wherein the author of the prophecie God the Father and reuealâ—…r of it God the Sonne are in most glorious manner represented so farre forth as may prepare the Church to receiue and belieue this prophecie considering from whom it comes So that heauen in this place is neither the Church militant nor the Church triumphant nor yet the place thereof but it is that representatiue heauen made to Saint Iohn in his extasie wherein a glorious adumbration of the diuine Maiestie ruling all is made vnto him and from whom hee receiues reuelation in types of such truthes as hereafter were to be performed concerning the Church both militant and triumphant It is needfull for the Reader attentiuely to consider this that hee may vnderstand that which perhaps I haue not sufficiently explaned and yet is most needfull to be knowne Here there is no Vision of Prediction but of Preparation And one sate one the Throne He saies simply he saw one sitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he tells not who he giues him no name God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without name at least his name is Maruelous no name can tell what he is He cannot said Arethas be defined as hee that is inuisible vnmeasurable and he sees him sitting as a Iudge of a quiet vnperturbed mind not mooued with affections as men are or passions that preiudge equitie These are far from the Lord he sitteth hearing all causes discerning decreeing and working all after his owne most holy will VERSE 3. And he that sate was to looke vpon like a Iasper and a Sardine stone and there was a rainebow round about the Throne in sight like vnto an Emerald VVE haue here first a description of the glorious Maiestie of GOD sitting on his Throne and ruling the world Next of the honorable court that attends him and compasseth his Throne Saint Iohn hath said before that one sate vpon the Throne this doubtlesse is the Lord of whom neither Saint Iohn nor any other creature Man nor Angel can speake as he is but is forced to shadow him vnto vs according to that representation wherby it pleases the Lord to shew himselfe Apparet Deus quibus vult et sicuti vult sed non sicuti est God appeares to whom hee will and as he will not as he is For if hee appeared as he is then should he appeare in one manner for GOD is one but we know that many manner of waies hath he beene represented Concerning the Iasper and the Sardine diuerse things are alleaged by the Interpreters Iaspidis color est aquae Sardii ignis the colour of the Iasper is the colour of water the colour of the Sardine is the colour of fire figuring two great iudgements of God quorum vnum in cataclysmo aliud consummabitur per ignem vvhereof the one vvas made by water in the Deluge the other shall be made by fire Others by these two stones vnderstand the two natures of Christ. Iaspis viridem habet colorem quae supra omnes colores sensus maxime comfortat diuinitatem notat the Iasper hath a greene colour which aboue all colours doth most comfort the senses and it signifies the diuinitie of Christ. Sardius rubrum habet colorem quia humanitas rubricata fuit sanguine passionis the Sardine hath a red colour figuring the humane nature of Christ which was made red and bloudy by the Passion Hitherto agrees that of Epiphanius that Sardius qui Babylonius etiam dicitur rusus lapis est qui sanguinis propemoduÌ„ colorem referat pellucidus est et tumoribus et vulneribus ferro inslictis medetur the Sardine which is also called the Babylonian is a red stone shewing the colour of bloud it is bright and helps tumors in wounds inflicted with vveapons of yron This might properly agree to Christ but he is not here described Yet there are some who will haue the whole three persons of the blessed Trinity shadowed here By the Iasper quae gemmarum est mater which is the mother of precious stones they will haue the Father represented by the Sardine quae carneo colore rubet carneolus dicitur which hath a red fleshie hiew the Sonne is represented and by the Emerald the holy Ghost All these are according to the analogie of faith and not against the truth of this Text. Vnto them we adde with other Diuines this also The Iasper beeing a precious stone of greene colour figureth his eternitie He is euer liuely and flourishing without fading or decaying he changes not yea no shadow of change is in him The heauens wax old as a garment but thou art the same And this liuing and refreshing vortue he communicates to his Saints Hee keepes their soules in life They who are planted in the courts of the Lords house flourish in their old dayes He renewes them then euen when they are decaying they cannot be vndone by death who by grace are in followshippe with him who liueth for euer The Sardine againe is a precious stone of a red colour representing another propertie of the Diuine nature which is his iustice in regard whereof he is vnto the wicked A consuming fire Yet the Naturalist hath obserued Sardium oleo hebetari sic iustitia Dei per misericordiaeoleum mitigatur that the Sardine is blunted by oyle it makes it relent of the rednes and so is the iustice of GOD mitigated with the oyle of his mercie for mercy reioyceth against iudgement therefore
he had to shew vnto Israel and was after written in the booke of Ezekiel It a hoc loco per librum Iohanni ostensum intelligitur scientia ◅orum quae Iohanni fuerant de futuro statu Ecclesiae reuelanda quae nunc in hoc Apocalypsis volumine sant descripta So heere by a booke shewed to S. Iohn is vnderstood the knowledge of these things which were to bee reuealed to Saint Iohn concerning the estate of the Church to come and which now are described in this booke of the Reuelation Alway that S. Iohn sees this book written within and without it is to declare vnto vs that it is a complete Prophesie there is no blanke paper in this booke to be filled vp by any other or if there were who is this in heauen or in earth that can reueale that vnto vs which Iesus Christ our blessed Sauiour hath not reuealed None at all wee are not to looke for any other Reuelation or Prophecie after this til the Day come wherein Christ our Lord shall be reuealed in his glory Sealed with seuen Seales The Seales declare first the surety next the secresie of this Prophecie Surety it is the manner of Kings to seale their decrees which they will haue executed so this book is sealed to shew that the Lord will surely accomplish that which is written in it It is a Decree more sure then any of the Medes and Persians Againe the Seales declare the secrecie thereof here are mysteries locked vp from the vnderstanding of Angels and men if the Lord had not opened them and reuealed them vnto vs. The Iesuite Viega carpeth aduantage heere to instifie that calumnie of the Church of Rome whereby they blot the Scripture with obscurity he brings many reasons to proue that it was expedient the holy Scripture should be penned in obscure māner But I pray you lis not this vnsure reasoning The book of the Reuelation is obscure therfore al the books of holy Scripture are obscure And sith they can looke to the Seales wherewith the book is closed complain of obscurity why will they not looke to the Lambe who openeth the booke giue him thankes who of a closed booke makes it an open booke and giues to it the name of a Reuelation Lastly as we haue said before this booke was written not so much to informe vs in the faith as to confirme vs in it that wee should not leaue the faith for these manifold troubles which in this book are foretold vs that were to follow our faith It is sufficient for vs that in these books wherin the Lord teaches vs the way of saluation hee speakes so plainely that the entrance into his Word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple The waters thereof in some places are so shallow that a childe may goe thorow though in others so deepe that an Elephant may swimme In his quae aperte posita su◅t in Scriptura inueniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi spem scilicet charitatem What neede men carpe at these places which are obscure sith in these which are plainely written all things are to bee found that containe Faith and good manners to wit Hope and Charity said Augustine Num igitur Deus mentis vocis linguae Artifex diserte loqui non potest imo vero summa prouidentia carere voluit fuco ea quae diuina sunt vt omnes intelligerent quae ipse omnibus loquebatur Shall we think said Lactantius that God who is the Artificer and Maker both of the minde and voyce and of the tongue cannot speake plainely No but by the contrary hee hath most wisely prouided that his words should bee plaine without coloured deceit that all men may vnderstand these things which hee speaketh vnto all I will not therefore answere Viega and his associates with Chrysostome Praetextus iste pigritiae vetamen but rather will say it is malitiae velamen this pretext of the obscurity of Scripture is but a couering of their slothfulnes but rather it is a couering of their maliciousnesse because the Scripture rebukes them therefore they rebuke it they doe what they can to obscure it because it obscureth their kingdome VERSE 2. And I saw a strong Angell who preached with a loud voyce Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seales thereof IN the first verse we haue seene the description of this booke now beginnes the second part of this chapter wherein we haue him described who openeth the booke first from his singular supereminence that none other was found able to open the booke this appeares by the Angell his proclamation Who is worthy to open the Booke The answer is subioyned in a negation None in heauen c. So this doth greatly magnifie the glory of Iesus that He and He onely hath done that vnto vs and for vs which none in heauen nor in earth were able to haue done The Offices of the Messias are three hee is the King the Priest and Prophet of his Church If these bee compared among themselues the Propheticall Office will bee found the least As our High Priest hee had to satisfie the iustice of God for vs and make atonement for our sinnes As our King hehath deliuered vs from the oppression of our enemies visible and inuisible and ruleth our hearts by the scepter of his Grace As our Prophet he hath reuealed to vs in his holy Scripture the whole counsell of God concerning our saluation and in this Prophecie hath forewarned his Church of such troubles as were imminent vnto her which none in heauen nor in earth was able to doe Now since the last and least of the three cannot be done by any creature what blasphemy is it to say that men may doe the greatest that is by their owne sufferings and doings make satisfaction to the iustice of God as the Romish Church vainly and wickedly doe affirme For they teach that Christ hath not reuealed the whole counsell of God that the Scriptures are imperfect and are to be supplyed by Traditions quas Ecclesia Catholica suscipit ac veneratur pari pietatis affectu reuerentia scilicet atqui ipsum verbum scriptum which the Catholike Church embraces and honoureth with the same affection of piety and reuerence which is due to the written Word it selfe But I pray them Who is able to teach that which the great Doctor of the Church hath not taught If there be any Seale of the Booke which Christ hath not opened who is this that is able to open it Either they must confesse none in heauen sarre lesse in earth can do it or else they must falsifie this Angell which is impossible or then manifest themselues to bee falsisiers which is euident All Antiquity pleads the perfection of holy Scripture against them Religio vera in scriptis Apostolorum Prophetarum continetur
Thy will O Lord be done in earth as it is in heauen And let euery man take heed vnto himselfe hee is a sacrilegious renter of the Church who breakes the bond of loue with his brother in whom hee sees no rupture of the vnity of faith But for our further instruction let vs know that the Harpe of a Christian wherewith he praises God is his Heart the strings of the Harpe are the affections of the Heart which must be well tuned and prepared before they can make any melodie to the Lord My heart is prepared and I will sing said Dauid Then is the heart like vnto a ten stringed Instrument when it is inclined to the obedience of God his ten commandements for as a Musicall Instrument makes no pleasant complete sound if any string thereof be broken so the heart of man if it be possessed and thralled with any vice cannot rightly praise the Lord. The truth is we can keepe no commandement of the Law as we should this is the perfection of degrees which in this life no man can attaine vnto yet hath the Christian a begunne obedience to all the commandements of God which is the perfection of parts Both these are true the most perfect Christian cannot keepe one of the Lords commandements as hee should and so we deny vnto him the perfection of degrees and yet hee keepes all the commandements of God by a begunne obedience and so wee grant to him the perfection of parts for there is no grace needfull to saluation but euery true Christian hath some part and measure thereof Bastard Professors cannot make this melodie they flatter themselues because they are free of some sinnes when notwithstanding they are captiued by other great sinnes which raigne in them and command them The commandements of the Law are so linked together that he who transgresseth one transgresseth all If one string of this Instrument be broken all the rest are distempered and therefore do tehy farre deceiue themselues who diuide the Law In some things they are content to subiect themselues vnto it in others vsurpe a liberty to breake it which will neuer be allowed These answer the Lord as an Eccho doth the voice of a man it resounds in part but not wholly or like Naaman are content to serue God but with an exception or reseruation of some sinnes which they cannot nor will not cast siom them There is no man so euill but in some things he will seeme to bee good but this is not the good which the Lord requireth such euill diuiders can make no concord of spirituall Musick to the Lord. Now with their Harpes they are said to haue golden Vials full of Odours and those Odours are expounded by the Lord to be the Prayers of the Saints which openeth a cleere entrance to these words which otherwise had beene more obscure A Viall is a vessell narrow beneath wide aboue now this Viall being also a figure of the Heart sheweth how the heart of man should be inlarged toward things which are aboue but contracted beneath open towards God but closed towards the world and things therein Therefore the Church is compared to a Garden enclosed wherein nothing can enter but that which comes from aboue And the Vials are said to bee of gold because the Heart that praises the Lord should be holy and pure I will that men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands As also to shew that a pure heart praysing the Lord is precious and honourable in the eyes of God For vessels of gold and vessels of honour are put by the Apostle for one and the same These Vials are said to be full of Odours which are expounded to bee the prayers of Saints So were they figured vnder the Law by sweete Incense and such as were spirituall among the Iewes vnderstood this very wel that it was not the externall sweet Odour wherein the Lord delighted they vsed the Ceremoniall Incense but neglected not the Spirituall Incense figured thereby as is euident out of Dauid his prayer Let my prayer be directed before thee as Incense And properly is prayer figured by Incense Quia sursum fertur oratio coelestia quaerit for the fume thereof ascends and seeks heauenly things As also because it is sweete and pleasant to the Lord. The prayers of Saints are odoriferous and pleasant smels vnto the Lord as when Noah sacrificed the Lord smelled a sweet sauour of rest But the Bride and the Bridegroome haue their owne Odours which either of them presents to other The Perfumes and sweet Ointments of Christ are two first his Merits for hee is the Angell hauing a Golden Censor full of Odours and these ascend to his Father secondly his Compassions are called sweet Ointments and these descend vpon his brethren Thy Name is as an Ointment powred out saith the Church to her Sauiour His Compassions are not locked vp in his Treasurie like precious Ointment enclosed in a Boxe but they are compared to Ointment powred out the fragrant smell whereof should allure vs to loue him and runne after him His sweete mercies declared vpon so many stand for examples to vs to confirme vs in assurance of the like mercy if repenting of our sinnes we turne to the Lord. The Lepers came to him and were cleansed the Blind cryed to him and receiued their sight the Paralitique was carried to him and was healed the Adulteresse was brought to him and was absolued the Persecutor of Saints was pardoned his owne disciple that denyed him yea the Iewes who crucified him were conuerted and receiued to mercy In odore horum curremus post te There are sweet Ointments powred out and in the sauour of them will we run after thee Wee are more then senselesse if the sweet smell of them allure vs not also to come that we may be refreshed by them The Church hath in like manner her two-fold Odours First the Odour of Contrition next of Thankes-giuing the ingredients whereof the Odour of Contrition is made are our sinnes and a godly sorrow for them euery childe of God gathers together in one handfull his sinnes not sparing any that he knowes or can remember and in the Mortar of a sorrowfull heart he brayes them with the Pestell of Contrition and with the Publican beateth on his brest whereof a sweete and pleasant sauour ascendeth to the Lord. The other Perfume hath no ingredients but Gods sweet Mercies with a godly reioycing in them Now these Mercies are so many that none can count them in order yet the Saints so farre as of weaknesse they may gather them together in one masse by diligent meditation of them they are stirred vp to thankes-giuing and this is a sweete smelling sacrifice vnto the Lord. The Iesuites of Rhemes abuse this place to proue the lawfulnesse of their prayers vnto Saints departed for so they
into swine till the Lord giue him licence he is reserued in chaines which hinders and restraines his malice There are two chaines vpon him which bind him and other two which torment him but of these we haue spoken Rom. 8. To take peace from the earth I maruell vvhat moued Brightman to say that in the second seale Non agitur de persecutione Ecclesiae sed de tempestate bellorum qua orbis terrarum concutietur There is no mention of the persecution of the Church but of troublesome warres wherewith the world shall be shaken His reason is from this word The Rider on the red horse hath power to take peace from the earth that is frō the men of the world figured by the earth not from the Church which is figured by heauen as if commotions of Kingdomes imported not a disturbance of the peace of the Church yet in few lines after hee cleane forgets himselfe for thus he writes Marcus Aurelius Antoninus grauem in Christianos persecutionem mouit quam vt compesceret secundum Animal Iustinus scilicet vocem suam edidit that Marcus Aurelius Antoninus mooued a heauy persecution against the Christians to pacifie and stay it Iustine Martyr vttered his voice but it was the bullocks voice it preuailed not as did the first Voice to wit of the Lyon It is a pittie to see learned men miscarried with such idle speculations and Commentaries which neither agree with the Text nor with their owne words but leauing him This peace which the first executor of Gods wrath takes from the earth is peace externall and the Spirit of God purposely so speakes that most cruell persecutors can do no more but take peace from the earth that is peace externall for as for that inward peace of God worldly men neuer had it and so it cannot be taken from them Our Lord hath left it in Legacie to his Church My peace I leaue you and that with assurance that none can take it from them Yet the breaking of peace externall brings in with it persecution of the externall estate of Christians so our Sauiour witnesseth himselfe I came not to bring peace but the sword What shall ensue hereof See of that which he subioynes Brother shall betray the brother to the death and the father the son and children shall rise against their parents and cause them to die Of this it is cleere how the disturbance of externall peace by the sword imports a persecution of the Church As true Religion binds vs to God so it diuorces vs from them were they neuer so neerly bound to vs in respect of nature who are enemies to the Truth of God therefore is Leui praised that in the cause of God he said to his father and mother I know you not And of this it is euident that to procure externall peace in a Kingdome by granting as they call it liberty of conscience is an vnwise policie the Arke of God and Dagon will not both stand in one Temple Iacob and Esau will not agree in one wombe Diuersitie of Religion puts Fathers Brethren and Children by the eares euery one of them against others How then can it make peace And that they should kill one another Persecuters are profitable to them whom they persecute but indeed pernicious to themselues They are as the coales which melteth and sineth the gold but consume themselues they are compared by the Psalmist to a Rasor Nouacula quae non admittitur nisi ad supers◅ua nostra which onely cuts away our superfluities but euen in so doing they are hurtfull and pernicious to themselues which our Sauiour properly expressed when hee said to S. Paul a Persecutor It is hard for thee to kick against the prick Durum calcitranti non stimulo by persecuting my Saints thou procurest hurt to thy selfe Stories of all ages proue this that the wicked drawing their sword against Saints haue turned it in the end either on themselues for the cruelty of the wicked shall fall vpon his owne pate or else one of them against another So Eusebius witnesseth of Pilate Factus est suiipsius iudex vindex he was made both his owne Iudge and his owne Burrio Nero after he had persecuted many Christians to the death is pursued by Galba and sticketh himselfe Galba is slaine by Otho and shortly after Otho is slaine by Vitellius Domitian who banished S. Iohn and employed his seruants and subiects to persecute Christians was murthered by two of his owne Domesticks not without the counsell of his wife Maximinus and his sonne rent asunder by his owne suddarts they all crying with one voice Ex pess◅mo genere ne catu◅um quidem esse seruandum Looke to Valerian and Dioclesian and all the rest of that sort and yee shall see the sword of persecuters in Gods righteous iudgements turned vpon themselues VERSE 5. And when he had opened the third Seale I heard the third liuing creature say Come and see Then I beheld and loe a Black Horse and he that sate on him had Ballances in his hand IN the opening of the third Seale we haue first the Preparation the same which was premitted before the opening of the former two then wee haue the Vision it selfe wherein the Lord threatneth the world with the plague of famine for contempt of the Gospel This plague is first propounded in a type ver 5. next expounded in a plaine speech ver 6. In the Type there is a black Horse and the Rider thereupon hauing Ballances in his hand This is a Vision farre different from the first the white Horse commeth into the world and a crowned Conquerour riding vpon him hee is not receiued but on the contrary persecuted to punish their sinne now comes in the black Horse for sure it is black and dolefull tydings are abiding them who will not receiue the ioyfull tydings of the Gospell This plague of famine is figured by a blacke Horse from the effect thereof for it blackneth the most beautifull countenances of men The Nazarites of Ierusalem which were purer then the snow whiter then the milke their visage is blacker then the coales If the Lord with-draw from man the comfort of his creatures his courage strength countenance and all failes him Alas that foolish man cannot consider this Sith he cannot endure to want the comfort of the least of God creatures how is he able to endure the want of God his own fauourable face If the Sunne refuse to shine vnto thee if the Aire deny thee respiration or breathing if the Earth deny thee her fruits doth not vaine man turne into nothing How then can he be but vtterly confounded if the Lord shall cast downe his countenance vpon him according to that of the Psalmist When thou with rebukes dost chastise man for iniquitie thou as a moth makest his beauty to consume Yea the comfort of all creatures
signifies the Lord Iesus in whose happy fellowship and societie now they liue sub Altari id est in secretario laudis aeternae quod est sublime Altare triumphantis Ecclesiae vel sub Christi custodia et quiete This Altar is in heauen not in earth it is the high Altar of the Church triumphant their soules are in custody and quiet rest with Christ. Againe another of their owne so expounds it Sub Altari id est sub protectione et confortio Christi Vnder the Altar that is vnder the protection and fellowship of Christ. This Altar is otherwise called Paradise This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and The bosome of Abraham and the hands of the Lord Into thine hands O Lord I commend my spirit It is also called A place before the Throne where the Lord and the Lambe and the seuenfold Spirit is Of it speakes our Sauiour Father I will that those whom thou hast giuen mee be where I am This is the place of glorified soules Neither doe those Diuines reason very diuinely who say Christ cannot be this Altar because he is the Sacrifice for he is both the Sacrifice the Sacrificer and the Altar For he offred himselfe by his eternall Spirit There it is plaine that hee is the Sacrifice or thing offred and the Sacrificer also The Altar in like manner hee must be for the Altar sanctifies the Sacrifice Now by none other was our Sauiour sanctified but by himselfe none other Altar could commend him or make him acceptable to his Father his Diuinitie sanctified his humanity and his humanity was offred by his Diuinitie and vpon it Therefore to say that another not himselfe can sacrifice him or that he can be sacrificed vpon any other Altar but vpon himselfe is as great blasphemy as to bring in another sacrifice whereby the iustice of God may be satisfied Let presumptuous blinded Masse Priests consider this That were killed that is he sawe the soules of those bodies that were killed for the Word of God Death then wee see strikes but the body Feare not them who kill the body and can do no more It is like to Nebuchadnezzar his fire which burnt the cords wherewith the three children were bound but burnt not their bodies so death can do no more but loose our bands and set our soules at liberty What shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or perill or sword No in all these things wee are more then Conquerors through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded neither death nor life can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ. Let it come and disioyne the soule from the body that it may conioyne vs with Christ. For the Word of God There is no Religion so false but it hath its own Patrones who will defend it yea and dare die for it Satan as he hath his owne Apostles so hath he also his owne Martyrs Martyres Satanicae virtutis wee must alway take heed to the cause of suffering Non poena sed causa facit Martyrem therefore he ioynes these two For the Word and testimonie which they maintained It is nothing to stand to a testimonie nay though thou shouldst die for it vnlesse thou iustifie by the Word that thy testimony is true VERSE 10. And they cryed with a lowd voice saying How long Lord Holy and True Dost thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth NOW followes in this Verse the supplication which these soules of Martyrs send vp to God in the next verse the answer which is giuen thē The voice by which they send vp their supplication is called a crying not vocall but spirituall noting the feruencie of their desires for the words of soules whereby they speake vnto God are their feruent desires Magnus eorum clamor magnum est desiderium tum Resurrectionis tum Iudicii Their great cry is their great desire both of the Resurrection and of the Iudgement to come A small desire makes but a small voice in the Lords eares but a seruent desire causes a lowd voice Animarum igitur verba ipsa sunt desideria si desiderium sermo non esset non diceret Propheta Desiderium cordis eorum andiuit auris tua that is If the desire of the soule were not a speech vnto God the Prophet would not haue said Thou hast heard the desire of their heart How long Lord It is here demanded How is this that Saints cry for vengeance Are we not commanded to loue our enemies and to pray for them To this some Diuines answer that it is not they but the sinnes of the wicked done to them that cryes for a vengeance And they obserue that there are foure crying sinnes first the filthy sin of Sodome Because the cry of Sodome and Gomorah is great I will go downe now and see whether if or not they haue done altogether according to the cry which is come vnto me Next the oppression of the widdow and fatherlesse Thou shalt not trouble any widdow nor fatherlesse childe if thou trouble such and he cry vnto me I will heare his cry Thirdly the detaining fraudulently of the wages of worke-men is also a crying sinne Thou shalt giue an hired seruant his hire for his day for hee is poore and therewith sustaineth his life lest he cry against thee vnto the Lord and it be sinne vnto thee And againe The hire of the labourers holden back by fraud cryes and enters into the eares of the Lord of Hosts Fourthly innocent bloud cryes to the Lord for vengeance against them that shed it The voice of thy brothers bloud cryes to me from the ground And so here the bloud of Martyrs cryes But there is here further to be added that this cry of theirs is their own and proceeds not of any passion or desire of their priuate reuenge but onely of a zeale to the glory of God whose holinesse and truth they desire to be manifested as may be perceiued by the titles they giue the Lord in their prayer Non carnali sensu credendum est eos animositate vltionis accendi sed manifestum est contra potestatem regnum peccati or asse Adueniat regnum tuum Wee are not with carnall sense to beleeue that they were kindled with any heat of reuenge it is manifest they pray against the kingdome of sinne And in effect the summe of their prayer is Lord let thy Kingdome come Quid est animas vindictae petitionem dicere nisi diem extremum Iudicii resurrectionem corporum desiderare What else is it that Saints are said to cry for to be auenged but that they earnestly desire the day of Iudgement and Resurrection of their bodies Hoc dicunt non poenam malis optando sed voluntati Dei
vertue may be learned froÌ„ the Paschal Lambe which was a type of Christ Iesus When God slew all the first-borne in euery house of Egypt by his destroying Angell such houses as had the posts of their doores sprinkled with bloud were spared The Lord Iesus shal be a couering to his Saints to saue them from that wrath wherein the wicked shall perish His pacifying vertue is touched by the Apostle Being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God And againe The bloud of Christ cryeth for better things then the bloud of Abel But let vs take heed vnto our selues vnlesse we feele his purging vertue who naturally are vnclean the comfort of his protecting and pacifying vertue cannot be ours VERSE 15. Therfore are they in the presence of the Throne of God and serue him day and night in his Temple and he that sits on the Throne will dwell among them THe Sâ—…ignior hauing declared to Saint Iohn what these were whom he saw clothed in white garments with palmes in their hands to wit redeemed Saints not militant but hauing ended their warrefare and gotten the victory not vnder tribulation but come out of tribulation Hee now proceedeth and shortly describes their felicitic and happy estate wherein now they are and that in two points First in the affluence aboundance which they haue of al good next in their freedom and exemption from all euill In this verse three things are set downe concerning them First where are they In the presence of the Throne of God Next what doe they there they serue him day and night Thirdly what get they for that He that sitteth on the Throne will dwell among them By this phrase the vnspeakeable ioy communicated to them by the Lord is figured This can not be vnderstood of any estate of the Church militant here on earth neither of Iewes conuerted nor other Christians deliuered from the tyrannic of Antichrist as some Interpreters will haue it These words are not competent to Saints militant they hunger no more they thirst no more God shall wipe away allteares from their eyes In this valley of teares when shall we when shuld we be without teares Blessed are they who hunger thirst now for righteousnesse they shall be satisfied Now we hunger are blessed there they hunger no more but are fully satisfied The Millenaries of old had an opinion somewhat like this that Saints after Christ his comming for a thousand yeeres should possesse the earth by themselues without all tribulation but neither before his comming nor after is any such quiet estate of the Church here vpon earth warranted by the holy Scripture Therefore This is relatiue to the words immediatly preceding They haue made their robes white in the bloud of the Lambe therefore are they in the presence of God There is no fellowship vvith God but by the Lord Iesus Euery man in this presumptuous age saith that he hath Iesus but Iesus is a Physician of great value If thou haue him he will cleanse thee from the filthy leprosie of thy sinnes Art thou not cleansed then hast thou not Iesus and without him thou canst not be admitted into the comfortable presence of God The last Chapter was concluded with the tragicall and fearfull end of the wicked The day of the Lords wrath is come who can stand said they The wicked shall not stand in iudgement but shall bee banished from the presence of his glory But here wee see how the godlystand before the Throne are in the presence of God As their courses in their life are coÌ„trary to other so shal their ends be God giue vs grace to make choice of the best For we see before vs the way wherein they walked and the order which they obserued who now are in the kingdome of heauen first they are washed in the blood of Christ and then they are in the presence of God if we would come where they are let vs keepe the course wherein they walked Before Ioseph was presented vnto Pharao his head was shauen his nailes were pared his garments changed and must not wee cut away from vs our superfluities before wee be admitted into the presence of God Esther was six moneths purified with oile of myrrhe and other six moneths with sweet odors before she was married with Ahasuerus And shall wee thinke to be where the Lord is without a similitude with him Or what similitude can wee haue with that holy One except that first we be washed and cleansed from our naturall vncleanenes In the presence of God There is a threefold presence of God First a presence of his goodnesse next a presence of his grace and thirdly a presence of his glory whereof here is spoken The presence of his goodnesse he grants vnto all men in the vtter Court of his Palace for he maketh the Sunne to shine and the raine to fall vpon the iust and the vniust Who may not see the goodnesse of the Lord in the manifold good creatures which hee hath created The earth is full of his goodnesse yea the inuisible things of God that is his eternall power and godhead are seene in the creation of the world The light of this presence hath learned natural men many things concerning God by it the Platonies saw Deum omnia ista fecisse à nullâ—… fieri potuisse that God had made all these things and could not be made of any other himselfe yea they ascended farre higher to vnderstand much more coÌ„cerning the nature of God as more at large is set down in that same place by Saint Augustine And yet all this knowledge gotten in the court or schoole of the creature did but make them to be without excuse because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God The presence of his grace hee giueth to his Saints specially in their holy assemblies there by the preaching of his Word and operation of his holy Spirit hee sheweth himselfe a gracious mercifull and reconciled God to them in Christ they seeke him and worship him in Spirit and truth and he speakes peace vnto them and secretly by his holy Spirit witnesses vnto their hearts that hee is their Father that is his little Sanctuarie I meane his Church narrower by much then the vtter great court as I haue called it in that wherein all men see his goodnesse in this hee is familiar with his Saints and they onely see and feele his grace Of this presence speaketh Dauid for in his banishment hee longed for it My soule thirsteth for GOD euen for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God and what presence he meanes of he expounds himselfe That he might goe with the multitude and lead them into the house of God with the voyce of singing and praise for God in a speciall manner appeares in
nakednesse And againe that in great necessities and distresses hee approued himselfe the Minister of God And in that notable gloriation that nothing is able to separate vs from the loue of God hee would not haue made mention of persecution famine nakednesse if in this life the Saints of GOD were not subiect vnto them But all these miseries end with our mortall life no relike of them shall remaine in the heauen Ibi non est paupertatis metus non â—…gritudinis imbecillitas no feare of famine no sense of sickenesse there nullum cibi desiderium no desire of meate there and how can there bee a want of that whereof there is not so much as a desire Ibi est vita sine morte ibi iuuentus sine senectute lux sine tenebris gaudium sine tristitia voluntas sine iâ—…iuria regnum sine commutatione There we shall haue life without death youth without olde age light without darkenesse ioy without sadnesse will without all wrong a kingdome without any kind of exchange In this life hunger and thirst commeth not of want onely but of wealth also let there bee giuen thee such abundance as thou desirest yet can it not keepe thee from hunger and thirst and in this appeares the vanity of our life present that it hath need of daily helpe and supply feed as thou wilt now thou becommest hungry ere it be long drinke as thou wilt thou shalt thirst againe yea the abundance of drinke rather increases then quenches thy thirst The same creatures which we daily vse for the helpe of our silly life tell vs if we would heare them that we cannot liue long such a life as they haue they must lose it before they can nourish ours if wee vse them not they putrifie and corrupt of their owne accord and when wee haue vsed them most abundantly yet as I said can they not keepe vs from hungring and thirsting againe Thus the helpes of our life proclaime to vs the vanity of our life it is a vanishing shadow and cannot continue All our life is but a course of exchanges for a time and be sure a very short time a man may say hee hath enough but comes short of that which here is spoken that hee willeth No more If vvcc looke to the Sea it ebbeth and floweth euery day If wee looke to the Moone it waxeth and waineth euery Moneth If wee looke to the Sunne it commeth and returneth euery yeare all creatures teach vs that in our life there is a flowing and an ebbing a waxing and a waining a comming and a going all by a continual change are turned in their course but after this life it shall not bee so any more They shall hunger and thirst no more Hic omnes morbâ—… laboramus qui tandem ad mortem diducit Wee haue in all estates heere a sickenesse which at length leadeth vnto death sanitas immortalitas erit our sanity or health shall be our immortality there we shall be sicke no more Yet should it warne vs so long as wee liue heere to walke circumspectly It is a point of true Wisedome and Valour inter transeuntia stare Neyther shall the Sunne light vpon them c. That is true which some of the Interpreters haue that the Sunne and heat thereof in holy Scripture is vsed many times to signifie the heat of persecution And it is indeede out of all question that Saints in heauen haue past all danger of persecution but because they expound this of the estate of the Church militant I do but remit them to their owne warrants The simple meaning is that Saints glorified in the heauen shall neither need the commodity of the creature nor feele the incommodity thereof The Sunne is a very excellent creature yea a Mother and Nurse of the creatures by the heate and warmenesse thereof but there wee shall haue no benefit by it we shall surmount the spheare of the Sunne and leaue it vnder our feet yea the face of euery Saint there shall shine like the Sunne in the noone-day That Citie hath no need of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine into it for the glory of God doth light it and the Lambe is the light thereof Ibi iugis est splendor non is qui nunc est sed tantò clarior quanto foelicior In heauen there is a perpetuall splendor not such as we haue now but so much more bright then this as it is more happy then this Nor any heat They feele no incommodity of the creature the heat of the Sunne intended parches burnes them who are vnder Torrida Zona and to many other people extreme heate of the Sun engendreth many diseases for this cause the Lord prouided for Israel in the wildernesse not to guide them onely but to guard them also from the heate of the Sunne So also hee prouided a Gourd for Ionas to shadow him from the burning heate of the Sunne but no such thing shal be there to trouble vs. VERSE 17. For the Lambe which is in the midst of the Throne shall gouerne them and shall lead them to the liuely fountaines of waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes HE proceedes in the description of their felicity sets downe the great cause thereof to wit that the Lord shal feed them illuminate them gouern coÌ„fort them not by his creatures as he doth now but by himselfe Now great coÌ„fort haue we by the creature we shall not need them there the Lord shall be all in all vnto vs he shall giue vs vitaÌ„ aternam non de his quae condidit sed de seipso life eternall not of things which hee hath made but of himselfe Qâ—…icunque hic varia quaeris ipse tibi vnus erit omnia whosoeuer thou art that here seekes many and diuers things remember that there thou shalt haue one for all who shall aboundantly satisfie and content thee The Lambe shall gouerne them The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports that hee shall do the duty of a Sheepe-heard vnto them and gouerne them as a Sheepe-heard gouerneth his Flock Strange is the manner of speech but comfortable is the matter itselfe that the Lord is here brought in to be a Sheepe-heard or Pastor of Lambes for our Lord hath none in his Flocke but Lambs indeed Feed my Lambes Hee tameth and maketh meek all that are his were they before fierce and cruell like Lyons were they rauening Wolues such as S. Paul was answerable to the bloudy badge of his Tribe Beniamin A rauening Wolfe Before his conuersion it was said of him that he breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord yet from the time that hee became one of Christs he laid aside his cruell nature and became meeke peaceable and patient like a Lambe Take heed aboue all things that we be partakers of
destruction Reuel 13. 8. The Prophecy of the Pope his destruction is two-sold 1 It is set down in speeches Typicall Where first there preceeds preparation then there followes execution in the 15. and 16. chapters 2 It is set down in speeches simple The presumption of blinded Papists scorneth at the ruine of Rome Reu. 18. 7. Reuel 18. 21. But the destruction ther of is concluded by the Lord. Reuel 16. 1 1. Sam. 5. 3. Iesuits do wel in time to enquire for a new Seat for their Pope Zach. 5. 11. A warning to Papists Amos 6. 3. Reuel 18. 8. The fourth fifth chapter haue no Visions of prediction but onely of Preparation Reu. 1. 12 13 14. The first Prophecie of things which are had before it a Preparatory Vision Reuel 1. 14. So the second Prophecie of things to come hath before it a conueniâ—…t Preparatory Vision and that twofold 1 A Vision of God the Creator ruling all chap. 4. Verse 11. 2 A Vision of God the Redeemer reuealing all to his Church ch 5. Reu. 5. 9. How both these Preparatory Visions are properly conuenient to the Vision of Prediction subsequent Iohn 16. 1. The time wherein Saint Iohn saw this Vision Reuel 1. Carthus A three-fold â—…ight 1 Naturall common to the creature Rom. 1. 10. 2 Supernaturall or Propheticall this is made by reuelation representation or both Numb 24. Gen. 41. Dan. 2. Carthus How the sight which S Iohâ—… saw was Internall Imaginary Intellectuall 3 Spirituall proper to Saints chosen and called 2. Cor. 3. 18. 2. Cor. 5. 7. 1. Pet. 1. 1. Iohn 3. 2. 1. Pet. 1. 8. The naturall sight can bee no comfort without the spirituall Numb 24. Two things increase grace in a Preacher 1 Conscientious vsing of that which he hath Ber. in Psal. qui habitat 2 Carefull crauing of that which he hath not No entrance can wee haue to things heauenly except God open the doore Acts 14. 27. 2. Cor. 6. 9. 2. Cor. 2. 12. Heauen in this place cannot signifie the Militant Church Heauen three waies taken in holy Scripture 1 For the Church Triumphant Reu. 11. 2 For the Church Militant 3 For the Church representatiue S. Iohn learned not these mysteries in the Church militant nor from it but for it 2. Cor. 12. 2 4. The Lord who taught him to know them must also teach vs or else wee cannot learne them 2. Cor. 3. Of the voice which S. Iohn heard How this voice was vttered we need not enquire Sufficient is it for vs that S. Iohn vnderstood it and makes vs also to vnderstand it If we wait on God hee shall reueale himselfe vnto vs. How this voice is compared to the sound of a Trumpet Manuscript The voice of God is loud liuely Rom. 1. Heb. 4. 12. Ioh. 5. 25. Miserable are they that cannot heare it nor yet bee wakened by it A sweet voice by which God speakes to his owne Hee must go out of himselfe that would go vp vnto God Psal. 45. 10. Exod. 20. A warning to Preachers The voice of God calleth men to come vp Iude 6. 2. Pet. 2. Satans voice calleth them downe-ward Math. 8. 22. Iob 1. God his voice to apostate man is Come to mee Math. 11. 28. Psal. 65. 4. This voice neuer sounded to apostate Angels God his predictions are arguments of his Prouidence Esay 41. 23. Satan his predictioÌ„s wherefrom come they 2. Chro. 18. 19. * Or Sargeant Miserable are they who consult with Satan about things to come 1. Sam. 28. 19. Magdeburg câ—… Rom. 11. Psal. 40. 7. Things foretold in this Prophecie must be done An answer to prophane mockers who thinke they shall not bee done Zach. 6. 1. This Prophecie is not to be vnderstood of things past vnder the old Testament Manuscript God worketh in his children that which he craues How is it to be vnderstood that S. Iohn was in the Spirit Carthus Haymâ—… Not that hee wanted a body but it was left senselesse for a time the soule being intended to heauenly things The body as it is now is a great impediment to the soules familiar fellowship with God This is illustrate by a similitude And proued to the godly by their experience specially in prayer ☞ Wee must first heare the Lord before wee can see him Ber. in Cant. ser. 41. Psal. 48. 8. How a Throne is ascribed to God Why this Throne is said to be in heaueÌ„ Iob 34. 11 12. Gen. 18. 25. The seeling of the Throne The Court that compasseth this Throne 1. King 10. A glassie Sea before the Throne How this preparatorie Vision is proper for the subsequent predictions The sight of God sitting on his Throne disâ—…ipates all doubtings and feares arising froÌ„ the greatnesse of men Psalm 2. A strong bulwarke against the feare of flesh Psalm 76. 12. Psalm 46. 1. Psal. 2. Gene. 11. Man hath proud Propositions weake assumption of these come fectlesse conclusions Esay 31. 3. 〈◊〉 How this Vision is expounded by some Interpreters The right accommodation of these types No man can sufficiently declare that which the Lord iâ—… And therefore is hee shadowed in such maner as it pleased himselfe to appeare Bern. Diuerse opinions concerning the Iasper Sardine Victorinus Primasius in Apocal. Berengandus Haymo Carthusiâ—…s Epiphâ—… lib. de 〈◊〉 lapidibus The three persons of the blessed Trinitie represented here Brightman The eternity of God figured by the Iasper Iam. 1. 17. Psalm 102. 16. Psalm 92. 13. The iustice of God figured by the Sardine Hebr. 12. 29. Plin. lib. 37. ca. 7. Iames 2. 13. The mercy of God keeping couenant shadowed by the rainebowe He keepes the temporall and common couenant much more the eternall Gene. 9. 14. Iere. 31. 35 36. A comfortable meditation concerning the Rainbow Peter Martyr in Genes The creatures declare that God is but defined not what he is Bern. in Cant. Serm. 31. Earthly Kings borrow glory from the creature not so the Lord. Psal. 39. 5. Adam by the knowledge he had of the Creator knew perfectly the creature Now man learnes by the creature to know the Creator Yet is he not able to conceiue that which the creature can teach him Three sorts of creatures in the heauenly Court Chap. 15. 2. These foure twenty Elders are not foure twenty Bookes Hieron Prolog Galeato But they represent the whole company of redeemed Saints So the Spirit of God himselfe doth expound them Chap. 5. ver 9. Primasius Bullingerus Chytroeus Collado Aretius Iunius Forbesius The drosse of the Fathers is not to be receiued for good gold Primas in Apoc. Primasius his iudgement concerning the foure and twenty Elders The Church is a circle in the midst whereof is the Lord. Math. 18. 20. Psal. 76. 11. Num. 2. Some are neerer the Throne then others but all enioy his sight Ioh. 14. 2. How Seates Crownes are ascribed to the Church Militant 1. Cor. 4. 13. The Church properly compared to the Moone Why thev who sit on the Seat
the perfection of Christ his prophetical office Concil Trident. Ses. 2. But let them tell who can 〈◊〉 that which Iesus hath not 〈◊〉 Iustin. â—…xord in Tryph. Irâ—…n lib. 2. c. 47. Antiquitie pleads the perfection of holy Scripture Ibid. Basil. in Ser. de Fidei consâ—…nsit But most blasphemous are they in affirming that he hath not perfectly done the Office of an High Priest The negatiue answer excludes all creatures Iesuits contrary to their own doctrine expound this of Limbus patrum And no lesse ridiculous are they in expounding these vnder the earth of their Purgatorie How all kinde Christians are affected with the least losse and troubles which befall the Church Pro. 11. 14. Examples hereof in old Eli. 1. Sam. 4 18. In his daughter 1. Sam. 4. 20 21 In Nehemiah Nehem. 1. 2. Nehem. 2. 1. Amos 6. 1 6. To Christians the opening of the Bible is a ioy to Antichristians a griefe Consolation commeth to the godly after their mourning Math. 9. 17. Cant. 1. 1. Psal. 126. 6. All comfort is in Christ none without him in the creature The description of Christ is taken out of holy Scriptures Tertul. de praescrip 〈◊〉 Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 2. cap. 2. Hilar. lib. 7. de trinit â—…om Why Christ is called a Lion 1. Pet. 5. 8. Rom. 16. 20. Iosua 5. 9 10. And yet such a Lyon as is also a Lambe Why Christ is called the Roote of Dauid Esa. 11. 1. 10. How the Messia was the roote of Iesse and Iesse the roote of the Messia Math. 22. 43. Psal. 110. 1. What comfort we haue that our Lord was made man of the seede of man once sinfull Theodoret. dialog 1. cap. 26. Cap. 25. It assures vs that at length he shall separate our nature from all sinne Ephes. 5. 27. Papists not vnderstanding this do foolishly affirme that the Virgin Mary was without all sinne Bern. 〈◊〉 174. Ibid. A new doctrin and a false flatly conuinced by antiquity Psal. 51. 5. Iohn 14. Aug. tract in Ioan. 41. cap. 8. Anselm lib. 2. cap. 16. Iob 14. 4. Many Christians by information not by inspiration 1. Cor. 1. 6. Great coÌ„fort that our elder brother clothed with our nature is in the midst of the throne Christ figured by a Lambe to expresse his meekenesse patience in suffering Esa. 53. 7. And next to expresse the great benefit that from him redounds to vs. Christ was indeed and really slaine The manner of speech as if he had beene slaine imports that hee was surely slaine Ioh. 1. 14. â—… Cor. 3. 18. Christ was slaine but so that hee liued againe Rom. 1. 4. Why hee appeared after his resurrection with the scarres of his wounds This is no argument of impotency in him but rather prooues his mighty power Macar hom 11. Bern. de passione Domini Hornes in Scripture signisie power For these seâ—… Hornes are ascribed to Christ. Zach. 1. Sometime one Horne is attributed vnto Christ. Psal. 92. 10. Three properties of the Vnicorne his Horne Seuen Eyes ascribed to Christ to shew his most perfect wisedome He hath Eyes of Prouidece these looke to all and Eyes of Grace these looke to his own children Zach. 4. 7. Psal. 147. 20. Christ receiued fulnesse of grace that he might giue to his Church Ioh. 3. 34. Hereof commeth the conseruation of the Church on earth because It is furnished from the heauen Reu. 1. 16. â—…ach 4. 2 3. This is figured in Zachary his Vision of the Golden Candlesâ—…lcke Psal. 83. 4. Christ onely authorized to bee the great and publike Doctor of his Church Math. 17. Exod. 32. The third part of the chapter contayning a threefold thanksgiuing 1 Of Angels 2 Of Saints redeemed 3 Of all creatures This verse vexeâ—…h them who expound the some and twenty Elders to be foure and twenty bookes The diuinitie of Christ proued in that Angels doe worship him Heb. 1. 5. Foure circumstances to bee considered in this song of Angels 1 Who are the Musicians figured by foure beasts Gen. 3. 24. Angels and men at variance before now sing one song Colos. 1. 20. Yea creatures of most contrary kind by Christ are made to concord This is that wonderfull peace foretold by Esaiah fulfilled by Messia Esa. 11. 6. Clemens Alex. in exbor ad Gâ—…es Miserable are they who now vnder the Kingdome of Christ cannot be moued to peace 2 The second circumstance notes their gesture in praysing God as it was represented to Saint Iohn 2. Cor. 6. 20. Rom. 6. Bodily humiliation required in the seruice of our God how it is comfortable for our selues so to doe 1. Sam. 2. 30. 1. Cor. 15. 43. Rom. 8. 11. 3 The instruments wherewith they praise God 1. Harpes 2. Vials Euery Angel hath his instrument for Gods praise learning euery man to do the like Ioh. 1. Gen. 8. 21. Psal. 18. Psal. 125. 5. Their harpes doe note two things 1 The great ioy they haue in praysing God Mat. 17. 1. Sam. 16. 23. 2 The sweet harmony concent that is among them Psal. 133. 1. Act. 1. 1. Cor. 1. Sinne of this age that the bond of loue is broken by them who prosesse one faith The right Harpe of a Christian is his Heart Psal. 57. Then is the Heart well tuned when it answers the Lord in obedience to his Law This a Christian doth in perfection of parts not of degrees Bastard Professors reproued Iam. 2. 10. They answer the Lord as the Eccho doth a mans voice With their Harpes they haue also golden Vials The heart should be like a Viall and wherein Cant. 4. 12. It should bee golden that is holy and pure 2. Tim. 2. 8. 2. Tim. 2. 20. Prayers of Saints figured by sweete Odours Psal. 141. 2. Gen. 8. 21. Both the Bride and Bridegroome haue their owne Odours Reuel 8. 3. Christ hath two-fold Odours One that ascends to God his Father Cant. 1. Another that descends to his brethren How the smell of these Odours should allure vs. Bernard How the Church hath also two-fold Odours 1 Odours of Contrition and what are the ingredients thereof 2 Odours of Thankesgiuing and what are the ingredients thereof This place abused by Papists to defend prayer vnto Saints departed Rhemists Foure sorts of prayer mentioned in holy Scripture 1. Tim. 2. Of these foure two only are ascribed to Saints triumphant Saints triumphant want two things for which they pray 1 They want their bodyes 2 They want their brethren Heb. 11. 40. Without these they cannot be perfected Reue. 6. They cannot pray for our particular necessities This same place by three arguments improues praier to Saints Exod. 30. 1 Incense might be made no other way then God commanded so prayer c. Psalm 50. Math. 6. 9. Rom. 8. 2 Incense might not be burnt but vpon the golden Altar so prayer may not be offred to God in the name of any but Iesus Math. 17. 5. 3 Incense made for the Lord might not be applyed to any but to the
Lord two hundred and seuentie yeeres I find him at the end of Theophilactus his Commentaries vpon the Epistles and some Prophets printed at Paris in the yeare 1548. He shortly paraphrases the Prophecie according to the order of the Chapters Primasius an Africane Bishop is next vnto him Some thinkes as Trithemius testifies that he was the disciple of S. Augustine Hee liued about the yeere of our Lord 440. and was Bishop of Vtica he diuides this Prophecie into two bookes one conteined in the first twelue Chapters the other in the rest to the end more particularly againe he parts the whole in fine bookes His booke is printed Coloniae anno 1535. Hugo Cardinalis liued about the yeere 1240. he diuides the booke into seuen visions as many other also doe The first vision is in the first three chapters the second from the fourth to the eight the third from the eight to the twelfth the fourth from it to the fifteenth the fift from it to the eighteenth the sixt in the eighteene nineteene and twenty the seuenth in the two last chapters An old Manuscript Folio expressing no certaine Author in most things it is consonant to Hugo Dionysius Carthusianus printed at Paris in the yeere 1555 handles this booke according to the order of the Chapters and warnes the Reader in his Prologue that it is Prophetalis liber a Propheticall booke yet not without good doctrine for albeit saith he in the new Testament some books be Legall namely the foure Euangelists others againe be Historicall as the Acts of the Apostles and others Sapientiall such as the Epistles and this onely Propheticall Certum tamen est in quolibet genere librorum istorum aliqua de aliorum librorum materia contineri yet it is most certaine that in anyone of these sort of books the matter of other bookes is also some-way conteined Lyra hath a short Paraphrase on the Reuelation D. Doctor Chytraeus his booke Printed at Viteberg in the yeere 1571. diuides this Prophecie into seuen Visions The first presents a cleere description of Christ supreme King and high Priest of his Church and openeth vp the state and forme of Church-gouernment in this life this Vision is contained in the first three Chapters The second is from the fourth Chapter to the eight The third from the eight to the twelfth wherein corruptions of doctrine and heresies which were to fall out are by sound of Trumpet fore-told vnto the Church The fourth from the twelfth to the fifteenth foresheweth the battell of the Church with the Dragon and with the new and old Romane Empire wherein we haue also a discouery of Antichrist The fift is in the fifteenth and sixteenth Chapters containing the vials of wrath powred out vpon the worshippers of the Beast The sixt Vision is from the seuenteenth Chapter to the one and twentieth and it intreates of the punishment of Antichrist The seuenth and last is a Vision of the Church Triumphant in the two last Chapters Bullingerus his booke printed at London in the yeere 1573. a iudicious and solid Writer agreeth with them who diuide this Prophecie into seuen Visions Alphonsus Conradus Mantuanus his booke printed Basileae in the yeere 1560. Hee dedicates it to the mightie Monarch of heauen and earth The Lord Iesus Christ and followes them who diuides this Prophecie in seuen Visions D. Guilielmus Fulco Anglus a learned and modest Writer his booke printed at London in the yeere 1573. diuides this Prophecie in three Visions The first is in the first three Chapters the second from the fourth to the twelfth the third from it to the end Aretius Bernensis in the yeere 1584. goeth also with them who parteth this booke into seuen Visions Collado printed Morgiis in the yeere 1584. will haue the Apocalypse to be a collection of threefold sort of signes tending all to one and the selfe-same purpose to wit Seales Trumpets and Vials these three signify al one thing so that in his iudgement the matter of the first Seale first Trumpet first Viall is all one so he thinks also of the rest Iames Brocard his iudgement is that in the Reuelation those things are handled and in distinct order set forth which Moses and the Prophets haue written of the state of the Gospell and of the latter times In a word he cals it a conclusion and summe of the holy Scripture in and about those things which concerne Prophecie and leades them to the end of the workes of God And he will haue this in such soâ—… a Prophecie of things to come that those which are past bee also vnderstood with other things not much pertinent to this Prophecie Leo Iude a Tigurine Preacher translated out of Dutch into English by Edmond Allen about this same time wrote a pretty and godly Paraphrase vpon this booke according to the order of the Chapters Iunius printed at Heidelberg in the yeere 1591. the Propheticall part of this booke saith he beginnes at the fourth Chapter and is distinguished into two Histories whereof the one hee makes to be common and generall pertaining to the whole world from the fourth to the tenth Chapter the other a speciall Prophecie containing the estate of the Church Militant from the tenth Chapter to the two and twentieth Carolus Gallus printed at Leiden in the yeere 1592. will haue the whole time from the daies of S. Iohn to the last Day diuided into seuen ages which by foure sundry pleasant pictures as hee cals them or representations are proposed vnto vs First in the seuen Epistles Next in the seuen Seales Thirdly in seuen Trumpets Lastly in seuen Vials By these foure pictures the liuely image of Diuine Prouidence gouerning his Church through all the seuen ages is figured vnto vs. The seuen ages he diuides this way the first is from S. Iohn his daies to Constantine the second from Constantine to Phocas the third from Phocas to Carolus Magnus the fourth from Carolus to Conradus the first the fift from that to Rodolphus the sixth from Rodolphus to Carolus Quintus the seuenth from him to the second comming of the great King The Lord Iesus Christ. Foxe an Englishman printed in the yeere 1596. contents him with this generall that nothing in time past hath or in time to come shall fall out in the Church whereof wee haue not a liuely delineation in this Booke plainely represented to the eyes and eares of them who look vpon it that it may most iustly be doubted whether this booke be a Prophecie or an Ecclesiasticall Historie wherein things to fall out are set downe as if they were already fallen out neither haue they otherwise fallen out then this Prophecie hath pronounced before-hand for according vnto it things come to passe George Gifford Englishman printed at London in the yeere 1596. he maketh this Booke to be a prophecie which openeth the state of things to
come from Christ his daies to his second comming From the fourth Chapter to the twelfth in his iudgement there is one Vision which from the twelfth againe to the end is more largely and cleerely explaned He is a modest and a godly Writer Forthaeus an Englishman also printed at London in the yeere 1597. maketh two parts of the Reuelation The first is a description of the present estate of the Church as it was in the daies of S. Iohn and this is contained in the first three Chapters The other is a Prophecie of the estate of the Church to come and it is two-fold First of the Church Militant to the one and twentieth Chapter then of the Church Triumphant in the two last Chapters The Prophecie of the Church Militant hath two parts first a Vision in the fourth and fift Chapters next a prediction of things to come distinguished into foure times the first from S. Iohn his daies to Constantine the Great these are declared in the six Seales The second from the daies of Constantine to the restitution of the Gospell these are contained in the six Trumpets whereof foure are lesse tentations the first of Arius the second of Constantius and Iulian the Apostate the third of Macedontus the fourth of Nestorius the other two proclaime greater troubles to come vpon the Church by the Pope in the fifth Trumpet and Mahomet in the sixt The third is from the restitution of the Gospell to the end of the world The fourth is at the end of the world in the seuenth Trumpet in the fifteenth verse of the eleuenth chapter and thus ends the first Prophecie of the Church Militant The second Prophecie of the Church Militant her estate is from the twelfth Chapter to the one and twentieth and it is of two times first from the birth of Christ to the yeere 1320 next from that yeere vnto this day This for the second Prophecie a plainer exposition whereof wee haue set down Chapters seuenteene eighteene nineteene Iesuites of Rhemes in their new Testament printed in the yeere 1601 haue some Marginal Notes and Obseruations on this booke whereof wee shall speake God-willing as they occurre Franciscus Ribera Iesuite printed at Antwerpe in the yeere 1603. in his Commentary vpon the tenth chapter at the end diuides this Prophecie into two parts the first is contained in the first eleuen chapters declaring such calamities as were to fall out vntill the comming of Antichrist the other is extended from the twelfth chapter to the end and is a particular Prophecie of Antichrist and of the troubles the Church was to suffer by him concluding with a prediction of the last Iudgement and of the blessed estate of Saints Blasius Viega Iesuite printed Coloniae Agrippinae in the yeere 1603. diuides this Prophecie into seuen Visions Dent Englishman printed at London in the yeere 1607. In this booke saith he for the generall matter of it we haue large and liuely descriptions of Christ his Person and Offices of the Church and Ministers thereof of the persecutions which it must sustaine and of God his mercifull prouidence deliuering it in all extremities William Symonds printed at London in the yeere 1606. intitulates his Commentary Pisgah Euangelica hee confesseth himselfe in his Epistle Dedicatory that the manner of his Exposition is somewhat new which will bee easily granted of any that reades it He protests in like maner that he hath fully satisfied himselfe whereof the lesse hope remaines that he shall satisfie others One thing I must say by his leaue it seemes strange hee hath not beene afraid to inuert the order not of chapters onely but verses also hee hath iumbled them one through another in most confused maner and beaten them as we say into an Hotch-Potch But God is the God of order and not of confusion Ioannes Winckelmannus printed at Francfort in the yeere 1609. followeth them who part this prophecie into seuen Visions Grasserus a Germane printed Tiguri in the yeere 1610. reduces this whole Booke vnto these three first the manifold meanes that Satan vseth to subuert the Church and stablish his owne Kingdome Secondly the great iudgements of God by which hee shall plague the world for opponing themselues to the Gospell Thirdly remedies giuen to Saints to comfort and confirme them against the difficulties of their pilgrimage Of these three saith he consists this booke Iohn Napeir Laird of Merchistoun our Countrey-man worthily renowmed as peerelesse indeed for many other his learned workes and specially for his great paines taken vpon this book out of rare learning and singular Ingene which are not commonly found in men of great ranke Cotterius giues him great praise but takes it backe againe too suddenly to himselfe Hee compares the Reuelation to a golden Mine Naiperus aurifodinam inuenit Vignerus ostendit Ego vero aurum inde erui Naiper found it Vigner hath shewed it but I saith he haue digged and wrought the gold out of it Hee hath resolued this booke by a marueilous Artifice that it is not vnlike a building standing vpon six and thirty proppes or pillars these are his propositions so ingenuously indented and combyned one with another that the fall of one imports the destruction of all Most certaine it is that his paines haue beene exceeding profitable for the discouering of many hard and obscure places of this Prophecie The Exemplar which I haue seene is printed at London in the yeere 1611. Mathias Hoe hath a large Commentarie on the Reuelation printed Lipsiae anno 1611. Raphael Eglinus Tigurinus printed also in the yeere 1611 parts this Prophecie into three according to Christ his three Offices his Propheticall office he expresses in the first three Chapters his Priestly Office from the fourth Chapter to the foureteenth his Kingly Office from that to the end But this Method with those of Dent and Grasserus are too generall and may convene almost to any other booke of holy Scripture as well as vnto this Brightmannus Anglus printed in the yeere 1612. diuides this booke into a Preface and an Epistle The Epistle containes first an Inscription secondly a Narration thirdly a Conclusion The Narration is first of particular Churches secondly of all Churches and that first by a generall Type of all the three periods in the fourth chapter next by an opened booke the dignity whereof is declared in the fifth chapter The euents foreshewed by the opening of the booke are of three rankes the first declared in the seuen Seales the second euents partly greater partly smaller are declared in the seuen Trumpets and the third euents are in the seuen Vials Hee intitulates his booke Apocalypsis Apocalypseos that is The Reuelation of the Reuelation a stately stile promising much which would to God he had performed but in very truth the right name of it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the obscuration of the Reuelation Types properly belonging to Christ are accommodate
to men Who can patiently heare this that the Angel hauing the seale of the liuing God is Constantine the Great Or that the Angel who offers vp the prayers of all Saints is Constantine the Great This is as it seemes to put violent hands in the booke and force it to follow the phantasie of man as hereafter by this and many other more shall bee God willing at greater length declared I reserue â—…o the man that Christian loue and reuerence that becommeth in the Lord but hee must giue me leaue to pleade for this prophecie which as a most precious pearle our Lord in these last times hath presented in a Loue-token to his Church It is a griefe to see how the comfort giuen therein is empaired the maiestie and amplitude thereof restrained by binding it to particular persons and times Peter du Mouline Minister of the reformed Church in Paris his booke printed at Oxford in the yeere 1613. intreates and shewes the accomplishment of the Prophecie from the twelfth chapter to the eighteenth Piscator printed Herbornae in the yeere 1613. diuides this booke into three parts first a preface or preparation to the seuen Epistles in the first chapter Next a Narration of the estate of the Church first Militant present then and that was after to follow then Triumphant Thirdly a conclusion from the sixt verse of the two and twentieth chapter to the end Patrike Forbes Laird of Corse our Countrey-man a godly and learned Pastor his book printed at London in the yeere 1613. layes downe a plaine and easie method of this prophecie Beside the Inscription and conclusion the body of the booke consists for the most part saith hee of a propheticall Narration and it is two-fold First of things which then were Next of things to be done thereafter And this Prophecie of things to be done hath first a generall Introduction in the fourth and fifth chapters then a speciall Storie in the rest In the Seales are types of the first sorrowes wherewith God shall plague the world for reiecting the Gospell the sixe Trumpets denounce second sorrowes and the seuenth affoordeth seuen Vials of the last wrath for full and finall destruction of the enemies Piscator hath a short Analysis with Notes on euery chapter printed Herbornae Nassouiorum anno 1613. Cotterius a learned Writer his booke printed at Somer in the yeere 1615 makes this Reuelation threefold 1. Apocalypsis expansa 2. Contracta 3. Restricta A Reuelation extended contracted restrained The large or extended Reuelation containes a cleere Exposition of all things this continues from the fourth chapter to the ninth verse of the nineteenth and it is diuided into ten Classes The Reuelation contracted repeats these same things more shortly and is contained in the rest of the nineteenth chapter this he diuides into three Classes The Reuelation restricted is yet more narrow then the preceding this hee places in the one and twentieth and a part of the two and twentieth chapters and this containes but one singular Classe Petrus Artopaeus hath first a short Introduction for vnderstanding this Prophecie after a short explication of euery chapter in order The summe of all hee comprises in these few words Christus quia olim discedens in coelos promisit se semper Ecclesiae suae adfore consolabundus apparens reuelat ei suae Ecclesiae formam fortunam successionem ad finem mundi vsque Because Iesus Christ when hee ascended to heauen promised that hee would bee with his Church at all times in comfortable manner he appeares here vnto her and reueales her forme fortune or accidents to befall her her succession vnto the worlds end And this he doth vnder seuerall types images or representations partly particular as in the first second and third chapters partly generall as in the fourth fifth sixt and seuenth c. whereof some figureth heretiques some tyrants some the Church and some the Monarchie His booke is printed at Frankford in the yeere 1549. Ioannes Auentrotus a Gentleman as it seemes of good credit hath some discourses vpon this Prophecie by way of an Epistle sent to the King of Spaine and presented as he writes by the Duke of Lerma and graciously receiued of the King hee seemes to restraine it somewhat strictly to the Belgic Battell the blame whereof hee casts on the Pope not sparing to affirme that these wars shall hasten the end of Antichrist his grandeur Hee witnesseth of himselfe that hee liued a long time in the Canarie Iles plunged in the puddle of Papistry at length by reading the Councell of Trent and conferring it with holy Scripture he found a direct discordance of the one from the other and thereupon resolued to transport his house into the Low Countries By the way hee visited the Court of Spaine where he spared not to communicate his minde to the Duke of Lerma and Andreas de Prada the Kings Secretarie not onely concerning matters pertaining to State but Religion also these concerning Religion the Duke of Lerma willed him to communicate by himselfe to the King the King for that cause appointed Andreas de Prada to conferre with him for his better information As the Authour reports this Secretaric was a man who feared God loued truth and was not far from the knowledge thereof In the conference hee was twice moued to confesse By your Arguments saith he it is not impossible but that the Pope must be Antichrist yet did he counsell him rather to write his minde in his owne Countrey then there whereupon the Authour went forward in his iourney and hauing accomplished it he writes from England in the yeere 1610. Octob. 12. another pithic Epistle against the Kingdome of Antichrist which as he saith the fore-said Secretary according to his promise presented to the King of Spaine In it he boldly affirmes Romanam Religionem falsam esso doctrinam Papam Antichristum Bellum Belgicum regni Antichristi sinem suturum esse In this last point onely as I said he seemeth too strictly to restraine this Prophecie I haue written this at the greater length that we may remember how in all parts of all sorts of persons God hath his owne yea euen there where Satan hath his Throne and that it is not a difficill thing to the Lord to open a dore for the Reuelation of his Gospell among the most desperate enemies thereof when his appointed time shall come Let the Pope and his Tulipantic Frogges assure themselues that they who this day are their greatest friends shall ere it be long become their most fearefull foes for so long shall the Kings of the earth giue their Kingdome to the Beast vntill the words of God be fulfilled That being done They shall hate the Whore and make her desolate By the course of things to naturall men it may seeme to bee farre otherwise but let vs waite vpon the word of the Lord which is most sure and cannot faile His Epistle
many others also And thus as about the accommodation of publike Types to priuate persons they are miscarried so in binding this Prophecie to one interrupted and continuall course of time taking vp one chapter in time to be alway posterior to another they haue greatly erred also For the Reuelation is not one Prophecie but a Prophecie often repeated So S. Augustine takes it vp Siceadem multis modis repetit Ioannes in Apocalypsi vt alta atque alia dicere videatur cum aliter atque aliter haec ipsa dicere inuestigetur that in this Booke the same things are many waies repeated And Primasius if he was as Trithemius records disciple to S. Augustine seemes to haue learned it from him Howeuer it bee hee hath mostiudiciously obserued that S. Iohn Totum tempus ecclesiae diuersis figuris repetit enarrandum the whole time and state of the Church is repeated here by Saint Iohn vnder diuers Types and Figures Wee will ioyne both these that in this Prophecie we haue not onely alia atque alta but eadem aliter atque aliter Sundry times is the state of the Church here deducted from the daies of Christ to the day of Iudgement when one Prophecie is ended another beginnes one of them in order is after another but all of them are of like length concerning time For as I haue said euery one of them foretels the state of the Church from Christ his daies till his second Comming This is a maine point most needfull to bee obserued for the vnderstanding of this Booke the neglect or not obseruation of it hath bred vnto many Writers inextricable difficulties which may be tryed by this one Argument that they who go through this Prophecie by one continuall course of time making alway the former chapter prior in time to the subsequent when they come to the twelfth chapter there they find themselues straited they are forced there to interrupt their course and to come back againe vnto the daies of Christ and state of the Church Primitiue For as I haue said at the twelfth chapter beginnes a new Prophecie of the estate of the Church Let the iudicious Reader consider their Commentaries and he shall see it to be as I haue said The twelfth chapter beginneth as high as the first Seale their iudgement against it serues to confirme mine that the course of this Prophecy proceeds not by time interrupted as if one chapter contained the story of matters from such a yeere to such a yeere and the next in like manner as by some is particularly set downe The second Caution THe other extremetie to be eschewed is that we confound not these distinct Prophecies into one to make the seuen Seales the seuen Trumpets and the seuen Vials to be all one as Collado and some others do It is true they do all agree in this generall that they declare the estate of the Church God his working for it and against his enemies yet both for their matter and manner they are distinct Prophecies and haue as we haue said alia atque alia eadem aliter atque aliter So that we are not to thinke that no other matter is in the first Trumpet then was in the first Seale or that no other thing is in the first Vial then was in the first Trumpet and first Seale as shall now God willing be made more plaine The Method of this Booke as it is taken vp by the Authour TO shew then the naturall method of this Book that is a method not inforced vpon it but plainely laid open and giuen vnto vs by the Prophecie it selfe We passe by the first part containing a generall Preface of the whole Book in the first three verses of the first chapter and the last part containing the Conclusion of the book from the sixt verse of the last chapter to the end The body of the Booke it selfe containes a Prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things which are to wit when this Prophecie was giuen and of things which are to come This generall method is laid downe by the Lord himselfe Write saith hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things which are and the things which shall be hereafter Let not this be thought strange for there is not onely a Prophecie of things to come as was that Prophecie of Esay Daniel and others in which sense the word of Prophecie is cōmonly taken but there is a Prophecie also of things past such was that Prophecie of Moses whereby hee plainely shewed forth the creation of the world which was done about two thousand three hundred and seuenty three yeeres before that himselfe came into the world and there is in like manner a prophecie of things present as that by which Ahiiah the Silonite discouered the wife of Ieroboam disguised and that of Elisha when his spirit went with Gehazi and saw him take the bribe from Naaman the Syrian Of this sort is this first prophecie of Saint Iohn contained in the first three chapters of this Booke for in it the present estate of the Church as it was in the daies of Saint Iohn is laid open not as it seemed to be but as it was in very deed for some of them who had a name that they were liuing are declared by this prophecie to be dead as the Church of Sardis But we are to remember that this prophecie is in such sort written for the Church at that time that it serues also for all other Churches to the worlds end And this prophecie hath before it a conuenient vision of preparation from the ninth verse of the first chapter to the end and then after the preparatorie Vision followes the prophecie it selfe contained in the second and third chapters This for the first Prophecie of this Booke which is Of things that are The other Prophecie of things which are to come continues from the fourth chapter vnto the sixth verse of the last chapter and this Prophecie hath first a Vision of Preparation secondly Visions of Prediction The Vision of Preparation is in the fourth and fifth chapter For this we lay for a ground that these two chapters containe no Vision of Prediction but onely of Preparation for prediction is not made before the opening of the Seales This method yee see maketh it selfe as the first Prophecie Of things which are had a conuenient Preparatorie Vision going before it so this second and great Prophecie of things which are to come hath a Preparatory Vision preceding it very fit and conuenient for the subsequent predictions as God willing we shall shew when we enter to the fourth chapter This second Prophecie then of things which are to come beginnes at the sixt chapter and it is two-fold first a prophecie of the estate of the Church Militant to the worlds end and this continues to the one and twentieth chapter The other is a prophecie of the victorie glory and
eternall felicity of the Church Triumphant in the one and twentieth and beginning of the two and twentieth chapters In this all the Interpreters agree and make no question except that some will haue the fourth and fifth chapters to containe Visions of Prediction as well as the rest which as we haue said cannot be for the opening of the Seales out of which comes the discouery of things to come beginneth at the sixt chapter Now to take vp rightly the Method of the Prophecy of the estate of the Church Militant let vs keepe in minde that ground laid by S. Augustine and Primasius that it is Prophetia saepius repetita not one continuall Prophecie but a Prophecie repeated and that not doubled onely as was the dreame of Pharaoh to shew the certainety of the Vision but tripled all the three Visions foretelling the estate of the Church in a different manner yea and of a different matter one from another except that the last Vision or third Prophecie which is of Antichrist is doubled the one not much different from the other in matter but in the manner of handling The whole Visions of this Prophecie concerning things to come in the Church Militant are three euery one of them diducing in a diuerse manner the state of the Church from the daies of Christ to his second Comming The light that led me to this order did breake out of the bosome of the Book it selfe and the attentiue Reader may easily perceiue that which by diligent reading was conceiued by me that euery one of these three Prophecies is concluded with a propheticall description of the day of Iudgement vnder such Types as it was represented to S. Iohn I would therefore warne the Reader who desires to vnderstand this Booke that when he commeth to the description of the day of Iudgement hee stand there and resolue with himselfe that the Prophecie which followeth it beginneth againe as wee say ab Oâ—…o to shew out the estate of the Church in matter as I said or then in manner different from the former The first Prophecie is Generall and ends in the sixt chapter with a propheticall prediction of the day of Iudgement in the sixt Seale all the difficultie will be about this but we will shew our reasons when we come to it The second Prophecie beginning at the eighth chapter is more Speciall and is concluded in the end of the eleuenth chapter with a propheticall Narration againe of the day of Iudgement which no man can deny The third Prophecie beginning at the twelfth chapter is Particular for it leaueth all other enemies and pointeth at Antichrist and at the end of the twentieth chapter ver 11. it is concluded with a Propheticall Representation of the day of Iudgment so cleerely that I hope it shall haue no contradictor The first Prophecie which is Generall THe first Prophecie in effect is a generall Prognostication proposing a short and summary view of the state of the Church specially vnder violent persecution to the worlds end which is this In the first Seale is declared how Christ shall go through the world riding vpon the Ministerie of the Word preaching the Gospell by his seruants where and when it pleaseth him In the second Seale we are fore-warned that this shall not be without trouble for Satan and his instruments shadowed by the Rider on the red Horse shall in bloudy manner persecute the Preachers and Professors of the Gospell Yet are we told in the third and fourth Seale that they shall not escape vnpunished for thereupon followes the blacke and the pale Horse with their Riders figuring famine pestilence and other horrible plagues of God that shall come on the world for contempt of the Gospell And because the sword famine pestilence do not so go through the world that the godly are exempted from them In the fifth Seale the estate of Saints troubled on earth for the testimony of Iesus is set downe in most comfortable manner and then as they tryed in the fifth Seale for the day of reuenge and iudgement so at the opening of the sixt Seale the horrible day of Doome appeareth to the terrour of the wicked We are not then to binde any of these Seales except the sixt to a determinate time but take them vp as extended to all times during the worlds endurance Farre lesse to expound these Riders on the Horses of Roman Emperours other particular persons as we haue shewed before In this first Prophecie there is no difficultie except about the sixt seale whether or not it doth fore-shew the day of Iudgement and about the seuenth chapter how it followeth and dependeth on the sixt and how it is a pendicle of the first Prophecie Concerning the first we hold thus that the sixt seale containes a propheticall prediction of the last Day Against this there are two opinions Some thinke that it is a Prophecie of heresies apostasies and defections from the faith Others that it is a prophecy of some fearefull temporall iudgement but neither of these are to bee receiued The Text it selfe militats directly against the first opinion that the darkening of the Sunne and Moone the falling of the Starres admitteth not any Allegoricall interpretation of any darkenesse to come by Heresie and Apostasie for it is plainly said in the fifteenth verse that Kings Great Men and Captaines were afraid when they saw the fearefull change of the creatures they hid themselues in dennes Shall we thinke here that it was Apostasie and Heresie obscuring the light of the Gospell that made them to cry out Mountaines fall vpon vs and couer vs. No so farre were they from all feare for that matter that by the contrarie they reioyced in it Emperours I meane great men and Captaines being themselues chiefe Authors Actors and Allowers of these Heresies which darkened the Sunne Yea it is very well knowne that they either by allurements entised others or by violence forced them to make Apostasie and Defection from the Truth Neither is it to be vnderstood to bee a denuntiation of any temporall or externall iudgement for these reasons First there is here an vniuersall change made of all creatures in heauen and in earth Next all the persons of the wicked not of one Nation or Kingdome but of all are vniuersally here iudged and that vnder seuen rankes Thirdly it is expresly called in the Text The great Day of the Lord his wrath The like stile I know is also giuen to daies of temporall iudgement yet conioyne this with the rest of the Reasons and compare it with other places where wee finde the like phrase the matter shall be cleere Sith the seuen Vials are the seuen last plagues of force we must grant that the last Viall powreth out the last wrath of that great Day which concludeth all wrath in this life and beginnes that endlesse wrath in the life to
vnder the type of another Beast hauing two Hornes like the Lambe but speaking like the Dragon The plaine and particular Prophecie of Antichrist or Apostate Popes in their Kingdome opponing themselues coueredly and by a consequent for hee as a Mysticall enemy is described from the thirteenth verse of the eleuenth chapter to the end thereof hee is described from his originall from his qualities from his working power from his great successe and from his mysticall name His beginning was base but by degrees he grew to that heighth that He caused all both small and great rich and poore free and bond to receiue his marke in their right hand or in their forehead And that vnder no lesse paine then the losse of life or liberty Here the Pope is at his heighth and in the very top and ruâ—…fe of his pride But from the end of the thirteenth chapter to the end of the twentieth commeth in a Prophecie of the fall and destruction of the Pope In the thirteenth chapter the Beast looking like a Lambe with his two Hornes seemed to ouer-rule all a few excepted whose Names are written in the Lambs booke of Life there wee saw him in such grandeur that all the world followed him wondered at him and worshipped him But in the foureteenth there appeares a party against that counterfeit Lambe to wit the true Lambe of God The Lord Iesus standing on Mount Sâ—…on with his Warriours fewer by many then the followers of the two horned Beast but more worthy And this Prophecie of the Pope his destruction we haue it first in typicall or figuratiue speech to the end of the sixteenth chapter Next in more plaine and simple speeches from the end of the twentieth to the one and twentieth inclusiue for the first the true Lambe enters into battell with the counterfeit and ouercomes him Before the battell there goe first foure Proclamations made by heauenly Heraulds in the foureteenth chapter After them in the foureteenth verse hee who before appeared like a Lamb commeth out a crowned King armed with iudiciarie power against his enemies Then in the fifteenth chapter before hee proceed to iudgement Saints in most comfortable manner are secured first and Angels Messengers and Executors of Gods wrath vpon the Beast are called prepared and furnished for that worke All this preparation being made before then in the sixeteenth followes the execution the Vials of Gods wrath according to the tenour of his proclamation are powred out vpon the Beast and them that worship him There by degrees a man may see the Kingdome of Antichrist to decay as he grew by degrees The seuenth Trumpet brings with it the consummation of all and concludes the first Prophecie of Antichrist his destruction fore-told vnder typicall and figuratiue speeches The other Prophecie of his destruction is in speeches more simple plaine and more pungent then the other and this reacheth from the seuenteenth chapter to the end of the one twentieth It pleaseth the Lord Iesus to double this Prophecie because it concernes vs most in these last times that hee might leaue this comfort with his Church and assure his seruants that Babylon shall fall yea is fallen Rome the Seat and Throne of the Beast shall be ouer-turned and made desolate euen in this present life Naturall men and blinded Papists make a scorne of this when they heare it yea they thinke it impossible considering that the Whore of Babel hath so many confederates euen the mighty Kings and Monarches of the earth who haue deuoted themselues to defend and maintaine the Church of Rome Vpon these hopes the Church of Rome is confident and contemneth this Prophecie In her owne minde she sitteth as her Grand-mother in the East Old Babel did like a Queene and thinks with her selfe I shall neuer be moued But the Lord â—…re hath said the contrarie and not onely hath said it but confirmes it for a mighty Angel taketh vp a stone like a great Milstone and casteth it into the Sea saying Thus with violence shall the great Citie Babylon be throwne downe and shall bee sound no more at all When they raise that Milstone againe out of the Sea then shall I thinke it possible that they may repaire the ruines of their Babel but that can neuer be If they will consider how within these hundred yeeres the Waters of their Euphrates haue beene dryed and how the Lord hath darkened the Throne of the Beast they might learne of that which is past what they may looke for in the time to come Their Dagon is fallen before the Arke they do what they can to set him vp againe but he shall fall more and more and his last fall shall be the greatest Certaine it is that this Babel spoken of in the Reuelation is Rome which the greatest Doctors of the Romish Church are forced to acknowledge and themselues see it will be made desolate and the Pope cast out of it but this Babel is the whoorish Church of Rome which God willing shall be made plaine hereafter They glory in their new conquest of Romane Catholiques among the Indians and our Antipodes they do well in time to prouide a Temple for their Dagon and a new Palace for their Pope sith Rome cannot retaine him If Wickednesse should haue a house it is meetest she build in Shinar not in Sion Their Pope will be most honoured where he is least knowne Not in these parts where the light of the Gospell hath discoured his hypocrisie and declared him to bee a rauening Woolfe vnder Sheeps clothing Let not them therefore flatter themselues in their riches in the multitude of their friends and blind followers or in their confederate Kings and Princes Let them not vpon these motiues put the euill day farre from them For her plague shall come in one day death mourning and famine and she shall bee vtterly burnt with fire Let Papists priding themselues in the power of flesh marke what followeth Strong is the Lord who iudges her Where the Lord pursues is the strength of man able to protect or defend This is the summe of the third Prophecie which wee pray the Lord hasten to performe for the glory of his Name and comfort of his poore afflicted Church THE FOVRTH AND FIFT CHAPTERS HAVE A TWO FOLD Vision of Preparation The sixt and seuenth haue the first Vision of Prediction CHAP. IIII. LEAVING the Interpretation of the first three chapters which are plaine we begin at this fourth and in the entry lay this for a ground that in the fourth and fifth chapters there is no Vision of Prediction but onely a Vision of Preparation for the subsequent Predictions As the first Prophecie of the present estate of the Church described in the seuen Epistles had a conuenient Preparatorie Vision going before it so hath the second in like manner The Preparatorie Vision going before the first Prophecie was
more ancient then Ierome But Primasius who liued not long after Ierome considering the Text better followeth none of them as after yee shall heare More reason had our Writers to disassent from Berengandus long after any of them considering that Carthusianus a man of his owne fellowship leaues him as Primasius left Ierome The truth then is these foure twenty Elders represent the whole Church of God Militant and Triumphant this alway being obserued that the spirit of God speakes of this Church not onely as now it is but hereafter also as it wil be Or as now it is in Gods decree or hereafter shall bee in the execution of his decree or then as it was represented to S. Iohn in this Vision As for the number of foure and twenty whether the spirit of God alludes in it to Dauid his policie in distributing such as serued in the Sanctuarie in foure twenty classes and orders or to such as ruled the Kings house who were also agreeable to this order or then which is more probable to the twelue Patriarches and twelue Apostles the matter is all one for sure this certaine number is put for the full and complete yet vncertaine number of his Saints The Spirit of God expounds himselfe so cleerly that I maruell how men haue not marked it for in the song of the foure twenty Elders do they not acknowledge that Christ had redeemed them to God by his bloud out of euery Kindred and People and Tongue and Nation and had made them Kings and Priests vnto God Hereupon haue the learned Diuines of old and later times founded this most sound interpretation that these foure and twenty Elders represent Totum Ecclesie gregem Otherwise how can these words agree to the foure and twenty Books of the old Testament Where if any retire to this refuge that when they speake of the foure and twenty Bookes of the old Testament they vnderstand the writers of these Bookes and Professors of them then I pray them tell me where are the Writers and Professors of the new Testament sith this Prophecie principally concernes them But what shall I say It is not giuen vnto any one to see all Cotterius who with great industry â—…ifteth and searches the words of this Prophecie when he commeth to that place Thou hast made vs Kings and Priests to our God is forced to passe them ouer with silence For how can they agree with to the books of the old Testament Are they made Kings and Priests vnto God What is good in Victorine Ierome or any other of the ancient Fathers wee willingly receiue it and thanke God for it but still reserue this liberty which God hath giuen vs that whatsoeuer is most agreeable to his Word shall be most welcome to vs. The drosse of the Fathers vnder shadow of their antiquity must not alway be intruded vpon the Church for fine gold it should be tryed by the touch-stone of truth more ancient then they And sure it is where the holy Scripture expounds it selfe no authority of man should bee receiued against it But that the Ancients also did see this light of God out of this place that the twenty foure Elders represent the whole Church I onely bring in the testimony of Primasius Per seniores totam Ecclesiam intelligit viginti quatuor autem complexus est simul tanquam duodecim Tribus Israel duplicans propter geminum Testamentum quia in nolio in veteri eadem formatur Ecclesia By the Elders he vnderstands the whole Church where hee conioynes foure and twenty together as it were doubling the twelue Tribes of Israel for the two Testaments because both in the old and new Testament one and the selfe-same Church is formed But to proceed In this Vision S. Iohn sees the Church represented in a circle or circumference in the midst whereof is the Lord sitting on his Throne none of them are excluded from his presence and his fauorable face is manifested to them all So large is this heauenly Amphitheatre that albeit they be to vs innumerable who sit in it yet none of them is any impediment to anothers sight for the Lord is in the midst of his Saints so witnesses himselfe Where two or three are gathered in my name I shall be in the midst of them Such was the forme of Israel their assembly their Courts did circuit but the Temple except vpon the West Vowe and performe your vowes vnto the Lord your God all yee that are round about him When Israel camped in the Wildernesse they were cast in forme of a quadrant three of their Tribes were on euery quarter and in the midst of them was the Arke but here the Church is cast in forme of a circle in the midst whereof God hath his Throne All enioy his presence to their full contentment though there be some neerer his Throne then others for without the circle of the foure liuing creatures representing principall Angels there stands a great number of other Angels singing praise to the Lord. Now as for the foure and twenty Seates let that bee remembred which we haue said of the number of the Elders and the same is to bee vnderstood of the number of their Seats let vs not thinke there are no more seats for Saints but foure and twenty In my Fathers house are many Mansions said our Sauiour Here the doubt is how Seats and Crownes are ascribed to the Church Militant sith we are yet vnder the crosse and not come to the Crowne Of this I gaue warning before that the Church is described here not as shee is simply but as shee will be or as she is in the decree of God and is here in the Vision represented to S. Iohn Now the Saints in their pilgrimage full of wandrings haue no permanent seates they are chased from Cities into the Wildernesse and accounted the off-scourings of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but do Satan and his instruments what they can the Church is and shall bee glorious euery member thereof hath a seate and resting place in vnspeakeable glory prepared for them If therefore wee faint by looking to the Church in her ignominy in her wandrings and persecutions now vnder the crosse let vs looke vp here and take a view of that glorious estate whereunto in Gods counsell they are ordained and which now in part she enioyes and in all her members shall hereafter fully enioy Now one part of her is like the halfe darkened body of the Moone which is obscured when the other halfe shines most brightly but the Sunne of righteousnesse shall illuminate the obscured part also then shall her glory be complete fully No malice of the deuill no weakenesse of Saints militant no power of hell nor pride of persecuting enemies shall be able to hinder this Let this comfort sustaine vs against all bitternesse of our present crosses And vpon Now
and are neuer at rest So is it with men in this world vncertaine and vnstable is thâ—…ir estate rich this day poore to morrow now a King incontinent a captiue highest in the Court this day like Haman highest to morrow on the gallowes This day the King leanes on the shoulder of the Samaritane Prince the next day the people tramples him vnder their feet Neither is it simply represented by a sea of which type see more chap. 16. verse 3. but by a glassie sea to declare the fragilitie thereof it hath a faire splendent shew but no solidity the best thing in it is man yet is he but like a vessell of glasse most easily broken as daily experience declares And thirdly it is said to be like vnto Christall which is transparent so that a man looking into it sees through it and euery moâ—…e therein is manifest vnto him This doth properly expresse that cleere and liuely sight which the Lord hath of most secret things done in the world All things are naked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and manifest vnto his sight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opened vp and as it were spelled out Naturall men may restraine his prouidence within the heauen This is the voice of Atheists The Lord walks in the circle of heauen the cloudes hide him that hee cannot see They are like vnto foolish children who if they hide their owne face that they see not doc thinke that none sees them But they haue an answere from the Psalmist The Lord hath his dwelling on high yet he abases himselfe to behold things in hoauen and in earth the darknes is no darknesse but to him darknes and the light are both alike This also should waken vs to the practise of that Apostolike precept Vse this world as if 〈◊〉 vsed it not Sith the world is resembled to a sea let vs coÌ„sider how the sea is a good element for nauigation and transportation of men from one Countrey to another but euill for habitation Men are gladdest when their course is shortest on the sea and their hearts are at their hauening place long before their Barks can carry their bodies vnto it Wee should so liue in this world as passing through it to our heauenly harbour soiourning in it but not dwelling in it The greatest pleasures of this world are like the waters of the sea salt bitter and vnwholsome to drinke Hee is in the worst estate that hath his belly most full of them Let vs looke to them with lothsomnesse but aboue all beware we drinke not of them with greedines for they will proue deadly at the length And in the midds of the Throne and c. Followes a description of the third and most excellent sort of creatures pertayning to the Court of the great King these are holy Angels in whom and by whom God ruleth and they are described first from their place next from their nature which is to be taken out of their name thirdly from their number fourthly from their properties and lastly from their function Some by these foure beasts vnderstand the four Euangelists It were easie to shew whom they follow in this opinion but needlesse It was hard for the first Fathers such as Victorine and others who wrote vpon this booke to vnderstand it so long before the accomplishment thereof And as for others in the middle Age wherin the Church was darkned with Popery they are not much to be regarded for no man indued with the spirit of error shall vnderstand this booke yet all these trot on in this common Commentary and will haue these foure beasts foure Euangelists But this is to be lamented that now in so cleare a light so many worthy men should haue been miscarried by them out of the way But leauing them we haue first to cleere that these creatures figure Angels and such Angels as in precellencie of dignity and prerogatiâ—…e of place are neerer vnto the Throne then other Angels be for in the fifth chapter ver 11. after the song of the foure liuing creatures followes the song of many Angels that are said to be there in a circle without them and in the 15. chapter ver 7. one of the foure giueth vnto the seuen Angels their Vials full of the wrath of God their first testimony proueth that the foure being namely put for the whole order haue the precellencie of place the other proues they haue the prerogatiâ—…e of dignitie Yet to come neerer many of the Interpreters do agree that in this Vision allusion is made to that which Ezechiel in his first chapter setteth downe for in this Prophecie the Spirit of God euery where followeth the phrase and alludes to the Visions of Prophecies in the old Testament and of this iudgement are Iunius Foxus Merchiston Grasserus Ribera with many others Now in that Vision is shewed to Ezechiel how hee that sits on the Throne ruleth all by the ministerie of his holy Angels there they are figured the same manner of way to wit by the Lyon a Man a Bullock and an Eagle except that there euery one of them is figured all these foure waies these that here are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liuing creatures and that in all the English Translations whatsoeuer they are translated Beasts the cause seemes to be in the penury of our Language that hath not any proper word to distinguish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alway that these are Angels Ezechiel expounds himselfe chap. 10. ver 20. And the Beast that I saw vnder the God of Israel I vnderstood that they were Cherubims Ezechiel saw his Vision in the captiuity of Babel at the Riuer Chebar and S. Iohn saw his Vision being banished by Domitian into the I le Pathmos one truth by the same types is represented to both so the one very well may serue for a Commentarie to the other to let vs see that these creatures are indeed neither Beasts nor men but Cherubims or Angels Now to come to their description we haue first to consider the place wherein S. Iohn sees them In the midst of the Throne and round about the Throne For vnderstanding of this take vp the Throne to appeare a little lifted vp from the earth in the midst vnder it are the bodies of these creatures and at euery corner looke out their faces so are they both in the midst of the Throne and round about it This glorious Ruler hath his Throne compassed with holy Angels not that he needs any of them but for the greater comfort of his Church as also to shew the great glory of his Maiestie Many Aramites came against Elisha in Dothan his seruant was discouraged so was not himselfe There are more said he with vs then are against vs. And many may we say are our enemies visible and inuisible
to beleeue his Word we are strong to resist Satan and he is not able to ouercome vs but if we forget the counsell of his Word we easily become a prey to our Aduersarie If we consider that we are called to be Kings to our God and hope to raigne for euer with him in heauen we will thinke shame to render our selues captiues to Satan Let vs looke backe to our first creation Animal es O homo principatu decoratum vt quid seruis affectibus Princeps creaturarum constitutus es dignitatem tuam abiicis Thou art a creature O man in thy first creation decored with Princely power why seruest thou thy affections Thou wast made the Lord of all creatures and castest away thy owne dignity Will we againe looke forward to our future glorification Non sperare potest coeleste regnum cui supra propria membra regnare non datur What hope can he haue to enioy the Kingdome of heauen who reigneth not ouer his owne members vpon earth Thus our first creation our present vocation our future glorification all of them require of vs that like spirituall Kings wee should subdue and ouercome the Deuill the world and the flesh Hee that ouercommeth shall sit with me in my Throne Our Priesthood againe consists in offering vp sacrifices to God and these may be reduced to three sorts first that we offer vp our hearts to the Lord this is the great sacrifice without which the Lord will accept nothing from vs My sonne giue me thy heart Next that we offer vp our bodies vnto him I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God and this is done when we make the members of our bodie weapons of righteousnesse to God These are two then Cor Corpus the heart and the body the Lord will haue the seruice of them both Thirdly that we offer our goods vnto him as his glory and the necessity of his Saints do require it and this third sacrifice willingly followeth where the other two go before My sonne honour God with the first fruits of all thy encrease To do good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased But now the hearts of men are locked vp and their hands are linked they feare to giue lest they haue not enough for themselues and the poore also but it is farre otherwise thy portion shall neuer perish by giuing out in ordinary charitie to the poore Quic quid in pauperes contuleris in coeli thesauris reconditum inâ—…enies what-euer thou bestowest on the poore thou shalt finde it laid vp in the heauenly Treasures Clementia dum licet clementiam acquire by shewing mercy when thou mayst purchase mercy to thy selfe These are all agreeable to holy Scripture Make thee friends of the riches of iniquity that they may receiue you into the euerlasting Tabernacles said our Sauiour So also the Apostle that by distributing and giuing to the poore men lay vp in store for themselues a good foundation for the time to come And we shall raigne vpon earth Vpon this place the Chiliasts ground their errour that after the Day of Iudgement the Saints shall dwell on earth a thousand yeeres at which time that Prophecie and others like it shall bee sulfilled The meeke shall possesse the earth And with this opinion many worthy Fathers in the Primitiue Church were ouertaken The Turkes also dreame of an earthly Paradise But let them passe For vnderstanding the true sense and meaning of this place we are to know that the earth in holy Scripture is sometime taken for the men that are in it Dauid cals them the men of this world these are they who as our Sauiour saith haue their portion in this life Saint Iohn commonly cals them in this Booke The Inhabitants of the earth These men are enemies to the children of God and persecute them with all their power they account them the Off-scourings of the earth and vnworthy to dwell in it But the Lord at length shall exalt his Saints and their enemies shall be made their foot-stoole Yea the soles of their feet the Lord shall lift vp aboue the heads of their greatest enemies for the wicked shall stand still vpon the earth when the godly shall be rauished and caught vp into the Aire yea the wicked themselues shall see it and shall be vexed with horrible feare when they see the man honoured whom they despised and shall say within themselues This is he whom sometime wee had in derision wee sooles thought his life madnesse and his end without honour how is hee counted among the children of God! and his portion is among Saints Now for this benefite which the Saints are sure to enioy to wit their finall victory and glorious exaltation aboue all their enemies they here praise the Lord and so hath his Maiestie most iudiciously expounded this difficult place Wee shall raigne ouer the earth at the last and generall Iudgement And this exposition is both very comfortable for Saints now lying vnder the oppression of their enemies and agreeth well with the Analogie of faith Otherwise if we take the word properly for this same earth wherein we soiourne then S. Peter tels vs that we haue to looke for new heauens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse They lost their originall vertue and beautie by our transgression and shall receiue it againe and more at our restitution So are we taught by S. Paul The feruent desire of the creature waiteth when the sonnes of God shall be reucaled for then The creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God and then both heauen and earth renewed shall bee the proper possession of Saints renewed Where if any man demand To what vse shall this earth and visible heauens serue in that Kingdome of glorie The answer is We shall know it when we shall see it for if the Lord will restore them to stand as monuments and witnesses of that first goodnesse which hee shewed vs in the Creation and we lost in the Transgression and he hath restored againe with much more in our Redemption who can say against it But lest we seeme to pry within the Arke let our care be rather to prepare our selues then before-hand curiously to enquire of it that which now we cannot vnderstand and let vs remember that answer which Photinus the predecessor of Irenaeus gaue to the Proconsull when he demanded of him who God was He answered Et tu si dignus â—…ueris videbis Euen thou if thou be worthy or meet for it shalt see him So we if we be renewed men shall know to what vse in that Day these new heauens and new
Tertullian and by the fourth Cyprian Martyr and Bishop of Carthage But we haue shewed before that as these foure liuing creatures cannot be the foure Euangelists because Saint Iohn himselfe was one of the foure Euangelists so no more can they be Preachers for Saint Iohn is here sent to waken vp both Preachers and Professors to the patient suffering of troubles which here are foretold vnto them We adhere therefore to our former exposition that these liuing creatures are Angels adding this vnto it that this first Prophecy beeing generall should neither be bound to particular times nor persons for euen in our owne dayes the rider on the white horse rideth still and the redde horse followes the vvhite to persecute him as the bloudy murthers and treasonable plots in France Germanie England and other parts of Christendome may witnes VERSE 4. And there vvent out another horse that was red and power was giuen to him that sate thereon to take peace from the earth and that they should kill one another and there was giuen vnto him a great sword AT the opening of the second seale Saint Iohn sees a sight farre different from the first the first sight was comfortable but dolefull are these which follow Our coÌ„forts on earth are not without crosses nor yet our crosses thanks be to God without comforts Alway we are forewarned here that persecution will follow preaching we must not alway promise to our selues prosperous and pleasant things When Dauid was anointed King all the Philistims came out in battell to seeke him hee was a type of our Lord. When Iesus was borne in Bethleem Herod and all Ierusalem were agast and so soone as he was baptized Satan tempted him It warnes vs saith S. Chrysostome that wee also will giue our names vnto Christ we must prepare our selues both to be persecuted of men and tempted of Satan Ab ipsis vitae initiis ad tentationes praeparamur cùm cernimus ab ipsis Christs incunabilis istud effectum c. Long and maruelous peace haue we had great hath been the Lords mercie tovvards vs vvhere shall wee find that the White Horse hath ridden so long and the red horse not following him as here in this Countrey vvhere hath there been so long preaching without heresie or persecution as among vs Satan a farre off hath shaken his bloudy sword at vs but the Lord hath restrained him and bridled his bloudy beasts that they could not come neere vs. The Spanish Army threatned to execute vpon vs the bloudy decree of the Councell of Trent but the Lord drowned them before our eyes as he drowned the Egyptians in the sight of Israel The remanent of them hee humbled also before vs and brought them into our streets that they who purposed to make vs prooue their mercilesse crueltie might prooue our Christian pitie and compassion as the Syrians vvho came to destroy Samaria by the maruelous working of God were brought within the Ports therof they were refreshed with meat and drinke and sent home againe so moued the Lord our hearts to doe vnto them God make vs thankfull for it and giue vs grace to prepare our selues the more carefully for the day of affliction because the Lord hitherto hath so long and louingly spared vs. As the vvhite horse signifies Preachers by whose ministrie Iesus is carried through the world so the red horse signifies bloudy Persecuters and he who rides vpon them is Satan a lyer and murtherer euer from the beginning The type tells vs that bastard religion is alway cruell examples of all ages proue it Cain a bastard and false vvorshipper he slew Abel a true sacrificer Ismael mocked Isaac and Esau persecuted Iacob Verberari Christianorum proprium est slagâ—…llare autem Pilati Caiaphae sunt officia To suffer is the property of Christians To you it is giuen not onely to belieue but to suffer also but to persecute and scourge are the practices of Pilate and Caiaphas The Iesuit Coster in the Preface of his Encheridion testifies that albeit the Christians of the Primitiue Church were of a sufficient number to giue battel to the persecuting Emperors yet they chose rather to propagate the Gospell by patient suffering the shedding of their own bloud theÌ„by shedding the bloud of their Persecuters Ita Catholicos pia quaedam tenuit misericordia Such was then the tender mercy of Catholiques But I pray him tell mee where was this tender mercy in pretended Catholiques Romane at the murther of Paris Is it not cleare by his own confession that the Church of Rome present is farre degenerate from Rome primitiue If there were not any other argument against them their bloudy teeth may testifie that they are not the Sheepe of Iesus but rauening Wolues But of this we haue spoken elswhere Satan thirsts for bloud and when hee hath gotten it bloud is his destruction Hee thought all should goe well and his kingdome should be in peace if once he had Iesus Christ crucified but Christ by death destroyed him who had the power of death and hee thinks by shedding the bloud of Saints to raze the Christian name out of the earth but he is farre deceiued for it hath proued true in all times which Tertullian by experience marked in his time Sanguis Martyrum semen est Ecclesiae the bloud of Martyrs is the seed of the Church This is the bush that burnes but cannot be consumed by fire it is the Arke tossed by water but still preuailes against the water Continuall were the persecutions of the Church Primitiue yet Christians increased daily deeply rooted in the doctrine of the Apostles and watred plentiously with the bloud of Saints And againe The more cruelty said Iustine is vsed against vs the more the number of Belieuers is increased No otherwise then if a man cut the Vine tree the better the branches thereof growe for the Vine tree planted by God and Christ is his people And power was giuen him This is for the comfort of the Church that howsoeuer her enemies be many and most malicious yet they can do no more then according to the power GOD giues them Yea and all the haires of your head are numbred not one of them can fall to the ground but by the will of your heauenly Father Times ne pereas cuius capillus non peribit Art thou afraid lest thou perish sith a haire of thine head cannot perish When Pilat had bragged of his power to Iesus our Lord gaue him this answere Thou couldest haue no power ouer me at all if it were not giuen thee from aboue Yea Satan himselfe confessed that albeit many times he assaied to haue harmed Iob yet hee could not because the Lord was an hedge vnto him He is indeed a roring Lyon going about seeking whom hee may deuoure but he cannot so much as enter