placed in equall dignity with the Holy Scriptures Here the Interpretation of the Scriptures was taken away from the Scriptures and made subiect to mens pleasure but chiefly to the Popes Ever since the world began the Holy and Sacred Scriptures were not so much abused both openly and by publique authority ANTIOCHVS in deede a good while since inflicted a grievous wounde in commaunding the Holy Bookes to be burnt in the fire Likewise DIOCLETIAN and other Tyrants But the iniurie of these TRIDENTINE FATHERS is farre more grievous For they were Ethniques enemies stricken with a certen fury and madnes wholly repugnant to all the trueth These alone wil be counted CATHOLIQVES very great and chiefe friends the thing a long time and much consulted of guided by mature and ripe iudgement the very PILLARS and upholders of the TRVETH and upon whom noe spotte of errour can be cast How must it needs be that their act was of no authority and these men of very great neither is there cause why any should obiect Marcion the Eucratites Cataphrygians and such monsters of which some reiected one part of the sacred Scriptures and some another at their pleasure There is very great difference as touching the greatnes of the hurt betweene the dotages of obscure Heretiques and the deliberat actes and Decrees of an gathered Councell especially which chalengeth to it selfe to be credited with out exception It is therefore a thing especially worthy remembrance and worthy that the Church should be put in minde of by so notable a Prophecy The event and time doe consent so wonderfully that every equall arbitratour will easily acknowledge that I have not willfully sought this interpretation but that I have ben lead as it were by the hande to the same by the very order and disposition of the matters As touching the assemblyes of the faithfull which in these last times did first appeare in Germany they were assailed with a most cruell warre the same yeere The same Beast made this warre likewise by the help of the Emperour Charles the fift otherwise a noble man greatly to be cōmāded but obeying the Pope too much through the common errour of the Princes From whence not without cause that is attributed to one which being proceeded from two or more yet notwithstanding is done by one ioint endevour The overthrowe in this warre was received about the two and twentieth day of Aprill in the yeere following to wit 1547 when the armies of the Protestans were put to flight Iohn Frederike Duke of Saxonie himselfe Ernestus of Brunswick the Lātgraves sonne and not very long after the Lantgrave himselfe were taken Which calamity stayed not in these fewe but also afflicted many others both Governours and Cityes which partly yeelded themselves of their owne accord partly were wonne by force In one moment sayth Beza bewayling the misery of that time seemed to be overthrowne whatsoever had ben builded up in so many yeeres and with so great labours and they onely were counted happy of the most part whom sudden death had taken away from these hurlie burlies such are his wordes The remembrance of that time is sorrowfull to all the godly when the holy and wise Princes inflamed with a desire onely to defende the trueth not themselves alone but the Churches togither with them which as newly borne did lament among the weapons came miserably into the power of the enemies But now was the time of darkenesse in which these two Prophets must be killed and made a mocking stock Although wee must reioice in the same adversities which ar a calling to remembrance of the divine Prophecies confirming certenly the confidence and faith of our hope as saith Tertullian in his Apologie 8 And their corpses shall lie There is this difference betweene Antiochus the Romish Beast He in burning up the bookes of the Lawe would not have so much as the karkeises to remaine This sufferred the dead corpses but onely for a mocking stocke and for a greater ignominie The cruell Beast is not satisfyed with blood but desireth some more grievous tormēt For their pierced corpses are cast forth into the streetes of the great city that they might be a spectacle to all men and an ornament to the triumphe of the Romish Beast And what other thing of these Scriptures now remained then a very karkeise wholly without all authoritie power and life when all interpretation was brought to the Apostolique Chaire neither might they mutter any thing at all which the Bishop of Rome should not breath into them The Spirit speaketh so exactly that he may leave them noe tergiversatiō He knew that the Pope of Rome whatsoever he should doe against the truth would boast neverthelesse that to him nothing is better of more account and more inviolable then the Scriptures themselves But that noe man may be deceived with a bare name the Spirit speaketh evidently that after the Tridentine Councill noe Scriptures should be in the possessiō of the Romanes but a dead carkeise of noe strenght and power ¶ In the streetes of the great citie which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt This great City is that whole dominion of which Rome is the mother City in which sense the tenth part of the city falleth after in the 13 verse A street is some part of the Romane dition wherein this spectacle is exhibited to be seene the ioy whereof spreadeth it selfe through the whole Empire But the great citie it selfe togither with her chiefe citie is described in the rest of the verse and that by two expresse names a notable marke also being added least any perhaps should mistake the city And also for a greater assurance wee are admonished that these names are not to be takē properly but spiritually that is aenigmatically figuratively allegorically The first name is Sodom a city once very famous for her filthines nowe for her punishement a most fit exemple of the tower and chiefe habitation of this great citie For is not the city Rome become famous for her horrible lusts above all the whole world In the iudgement of all the Poete Mantuan hath truly songe of her in these wordes Shame get thee to the country townes if they al 's ' doo not use The same corrupted filthines Rome now is all a Stewes Which is no lesse declared by an other taking his leave of Rome thus Rome farre well nowe I have thee seen ynough it is to see I le come againe when bawd I meane knave brothel beast to be But that you may the better acknowledge Sodome heare what a certē man answered to one asking a question touching Rome Say what is Roma Amor Love if backward you it spell Rome loves the male kind Say no more J know thy meaning well Hath not Hieronymus Zeged Mutius declared this plainely in his Cynedicall bookes defending this horrible villany and approved by the Bulles and lettres patents of Iulius the third him selfe With whom Iohannes Casa associated himselfe being
even as the use of the Church doth require partly because the safety of the whole congregation resteth chiefly upon the integrity of the Pastours Neither are they sent to any one Angell but to the whole that I may so say College of Pastours who all are comprehended in this comon word For there was not one Angell of Ephesus but many neither any Prince among them as is manifest from Paul who to Myletum sent for the Elders or Bishops of Ephesus Act. 20.17.28 He would have spared the multitude if any one had bin over the rest in authority or at least wise among the rest of his admonitions he would had spoken one word of obedience to the chiefe Bishop But this preheminence and principalitie was not yet bred It began then first after the Apostles were taken from humane affaires except that Diotrephes gave some shew thereof Therefore under the name of one Angell he writeth to the whole order of Pastours for whose praise or dispraise the chiefe force of every Epistle is intended For such is for the most parte the condition of particular congregations as their faithfulnes and diligence shall be FroÌ„ wheÌ„ce it is that at the end the admonition is given to the whole congregation fitted to the administration of the teachers Neither is it to be thought that these Epistles were sent severally and asunder one from an other but that all were written togither in a comon Epistle such as we have said this whole Prophecy is that every Church fetched from thence that which belongeth to them severally And these things are comon to all the seaven Angels to be applied to every one apart ¶ To the Church of Ephesus Of the city Ephesus we have spoken briefly at the eleventh verse of the first chapter to which are to be added the reason of the order the force of the name and the Antitype of it that the counsell of the spirit may the better be understood There may be a double reason of the order one that this city setteâ—h before our eyes most of all the Church of the GeÌ„tiles like to the Pâ—â—â—â—gall sâ—ne whoring speÌ„ding his patrimony in a farre country Luke 15 1◠◠〈◊〉 home we know Christ to have set forth as an image of the conveâ—â—iâ—◠〈◊〉 â—alling of the Gentiles For this city besides the horrible Idolatry wheâ—â—â— she was a leader of other cityes it was also given to most wrâ—tched riot casting out of the city a certen maÌ„ called Hermodorus not for aâ—y other crime then that he was a thrifty maÌ„ this more over being added Let noe one of us excell but if there be any such let him be in an other place â—nd among other men Tusc quest book 5. leafe 125. a voyce in deede of beasts even ni the senteÌ„ce of Ethnikes worthy of a halter For thus saith Strabo All the Ephesians are to be punished by death Beholde therfore that prodigall sonne coming againe to his father and running to meete him and falling on his necke and kissing him How is the grace of God to be praised who hath converted us Gentiles being a gulfe of wickednes the disposition of all which we see in this city into a most glorious palace of salvatioÌ„ We were once the Princes of naughtines now we are become the head of holines as this among the seaven Churches noe lesse excelling in godlines then of late we did excell in all wickednes For the Father hath commaÌ„ded the best robe to be brought forth and hath killed the fatted calfe for our sakes An other reason of the order is that this city was the formost in embracing the faith among all of that country from whence it spread to the other neighbour places For Paul coming to Ephesus dayly disputed in the schole of one Tyrannus and that by the space of two yeares so that all that dwelt in Asia as well Jewes as Gentiles heard the word of the Lord Jesus Act. 19.9.10 Werefore it is made worthily in the same place the beginning of Cityes from whence was the beginning of faith Now the force of the name is to be declared For it shal be cleare in every one that the Holy Ghost hath chosen purposely those Churches which even by the very names as it were by certen markes written on the forehead should manifest their whole condition We let passe that Amazon from whom they report that it tooke the name that which followeth beneath ver 4. that thou hast left thy first love teacheth sufficiently what the Spirit regarded in this city namely that Ephesus was as it were omission whereupon we call her languishing whose godlines waxeth colde in such sorte as that at length it is utterly extinguished How is it to be feared that in this thing also it carieth a type of the Gentilâ—s As touching the Antitype seeing these seaven cityes containe the universall condition of the Churches of the Gentiles as it is manifest enough from those things which have bin said at the first chapter in every of them not onely that one city is to be regarded but also some felow Church is to be ioined togither with it which may directly answere unto it But of what sorte shall we say that these antitypes are For were these seaveÌ„ Churchches mad patternes of all Churches of that same time or of a diverse time Yf we shall say the first so as in all ages the Church spred through the whole world did agree to those seaven to wit that one should be an Ephesine one a Smyrnen one a Pergamen and so of the rest it should alwayes be of one forme and such as it was in the first times so it shoul be at this day against which the use of all times teacheth Therefore it is needfull to make every one of them severally types and in that order in which they are numbred but the antitypes are those Churches which being divided either by the distance of tymes or the space of places doe agree to every one in their order The conveniency of the thinges will shew sufficiently within what boundes they may be concluded According to this rule we doe make the first Christian Church the Antitype of the city of Ephesus which fetching the originall from the preaching of the Apostles continued even untill Constantine the Great as those thinges shall make manifest which shall be taught here after This is the chiefe of all the following Churchches even as Ephesus is the first of the seaven cities ¶ These things saith he that holdeth the seaven starres A description of him that sent the Epistles which is divers in every one yet fetched from the former vision divers members of it being applied according to the divers condition of things Which teacheth aboÌ„ndantly both the whole former figure to have shadowed out onely the administration of things and also to be proper in a manner and peculiar to the seaven Churches The seaven starres in his right hand declare that the power of
Manie wicked men and heretiques at that time were thrust headlong as once Adam out of the Celestiall garden yet with unlike issue and condition For Adam falling away from the shadowlike Paradise by faith in Christ he foūd an entrance into the true but these heretikes being driven from the heavenly and true what returne can ever be hoped for Seeing therefore that this is the naturall sense of the wordes how foully doe they erre who do count the Primitive Church an infant rude and imperfect and doe attribute ripenesse of age and perfection to the latter corrupt times For they doe preferre Tophet before Paradise neither doe minde that all pleasantnes did belong to the first beginning but thornes and thisles and all noisome herbes to the curse following Farre be it that we should thinke the water flowing by durty channels either purer or sweeter or fitter for our use the further it shall be distant from the fountaine Further let the reprobate know that they doe never eate of this tree For there is the same meate both for way and for country There is onely a difference of a more full fruition wherin we shall reioice after the battaile finished Neither is the reward of them that overcome given to the slougthfull cowards The Angell will keepe them farre from it with his glistering sword that they may not plucke any thing at any time from this tree The Analysis SO is the first Epistle the second is sent to the Church of Smyrna but inscribed according to the manner to the Angell afterward he describeth him that sendeth That he is the first and last then that he was lately dead but now alive ver 8. The Narration partly commendeth for their suffering of affliction which the blasphemous Ieuwes brought upon them ver 9. partly instructeth against a newe calamity both shewing the Authour kinde end continuance and also promising a crowne ver 10. The Conclusion hath both the wonted Epiphoneme and also immunity from the second death verse eleventh Scholions Sweete smelling Smyrna AND to the Angell of the Church of Smyrna Smyrna was a Colonie of the Ephesians as we have said So also named of Smyrna the Amazone but of which the Spirit respecteth an other notation For from whence it is a sweete smelling Smyrna that is Myrrhe farre more pleasant then any spices as is evident from this that he reproveth no faulte of this Church but sheweth that it is most deare to him howsoever nothing was more contēned and despised of the world Neither must we thinke that it doth hold the second place after Ephesus For the Spirit doth not recite the cities by iumpes next putting a sunder either Sardis or Philadelphia or any one of the rest but in the right order in which they were situated And first he goeth forward to the North in which parte about the three hundreth twētieth furlongs Smyrna is placed on the shore From whence againe he declineth to Pergamus further into the North From Pergamus the rest in their order doe bende to the south And without doubt this order demōstrateth the like progresse of the Church In our parte of the world the further we goe to the North so much the further wee goe from the sunne the fountaine of light Therfore Smyrna after Ephesus doe teach that after the first purity the Church will proceed every day to greater darkenes while at length it shall come to Pergamus the last bound from whence againe it shall goe toward the South every day to be more and more lightned with a greater brightnes Wee shall see in the thinges following that the event doth so agree that no equall iudg will condemne these thinges for vaine subtilityes but rather with mee will admire the greatnes of the mystery And if we shall hold backe our opinions while the whole matter shal be thoroughly perceived of us we shall iudge farre more uprightly which shal be best both for our selves and for the truth Which onely I doe respect God is witnes and not any desire of parts taking or of novelty But thou wilt say how is Smyrna so delectable Myrrhe to God whose condition is worse then of Ephesus In outward shew indeede it is more deformed shining with no ornament of lawfull politie in which respect the North corner doth agree unto it yet the fervent desire of the godly who did fight most valiantly for the truth in this miserable deformity did raise up to God a most sweete savour Furthermore by how much the greater tentation doth lie upon them by so much God is wont to deale more favourably with his He sheweth not then rigour in threatnings but conforteth as much as he can that he may confirme the languishing and not adde affliction to affliction The Primitive Church suffered most grievous calamities but at the handes of Heathen men which was some asswaging of their sorowe But Smyrna must suffer all extremityes at the handes of their owne In which griefes that it should not faint or be overcome he heareth nothing but that which may adde courage Hereupon reprehensions are passed over although it had more of the basest sort then the former Ephesus The Antitype is the next Church after the first His Colonie as of Ephesus Smyrna sometime also inioying one comon name even as those two cities by reason of their great coniunction at the first as Strabo sheweth This Antitype taketh his beginning togither with Constantine untill which time the Primitive Church the Ephesine Antitype continued and proceedeth even unto Gratian about the yeare of the Lord three hundreth foure score and second according to Euseb ¶ These thinges saith he that is the first and last The description of the sender of the Epistle is fetched from ver 17. of the former chapter In which wordes we have shewed that Christ is praysed as the maker and ruler of all thinges by whose authority and commādemēt alone all things are done and that to his glory or rather that in this elogie is praised the mervaylous ioining together as well of his great maiesty as of his humility Which interpretation receaveth confirmation from hence that the condition of the Smyrneans was like Thou art afflicted saith he and poore but in very deede thou art riche What other thing is this then although with the world thou art counted the last thou art notwithstanding in truth the first And together also it sheweth that alteration wherby the truth first flourished amōg the Smyrneans in very great estimation afterward despised trampled under foote of hypocrits even as Christ in the beginning was in incomprehensible glory God with God but in the last times taking upon him the forme of a servaunt made himselfe of no reputation being made like unto men He taketh to him selfe titles that may fit the present condition of thinges Whereupon he spreadeth a divers beame of his glory in the severall Epistles according to the diverse condition wherein the Churches are Wherby he teacheth
condition is double the first is of an host where the happy lot of the Saincts is declared from the Captaine the Lambe standing upon mount Sion Likewise from the souldiers both defined and also selected ver 1 furthermore from the ioy of the Spirit expressed by a newe song ver 2.3 and the holines wherewith they are endued ver 5. And this multitude of the Saincts is that seed of the woman scatered here and there in the world whith whom the Dragon made warre after that the woman in flying into the wildernes disappeared chap. 12.13 The second condition is of fighting wherby they goe forth into the army wher some ar Emissaries who the breaking in being made do skirmish with Antichrist and first by the word which is done three manner of waies by three Angels following one an other in order The first of which doth cast upon the earth a generall light of the Ghospell ver 6.7 The second foresheweth the ruine of Babylon ver 8. The third dispoiled the Beast of his coverings and setteth him in the open light by threatning a terrible iudgement against them who setting light by the judgement doe neverthelesse cleave unto him ver 9.10.11 But when as the weake are apaled at the afflictions and torments which they are coÌ„strained to undergoe while they returne to the trueth a double consolation is added one of Iohn ver 12. The other of a voice sent from heaven whereby the former is confirmed ver 13. And so the first coping is performed by the word The second skirmishing is by deed which is also double The Harvest and Vintage unto the harvest the servant is furnished with an instrument ver 14. with a commaundement ver 15. and goeth about the worke ver 16. Vnto the grape gathering the Angel cometh forth prepared and in a readinesse ver 17. received the commaundement from an other Angel ver 18. and dispatched the businesse ver 19.20 Scholions Then I looked and behold there was a Lambe standing This Prophecy beginneth at that time wherein the Dragon being cast into the earth drove away the woman into the wildernes chap. 12.13 c. where more fully the condition of the Church lying hid is declared in regard of the clearer knowledge of the seventh trumpet as hath ben observed at the beginning of the 12. chap. The eleventh chapter toucheth the state of former thinges as it were in one word spending all the rest of the Prophecy in the sufferings of two witnesses as the chiefe members but here more largely is unfolded in what state the affaires of the whole body wer in the meane time both as touching the safety and also in respect of the fortitude of some by whose coÌ„duct a ioyfull victory is begun Iohn therefore repeating the matter from thence saith that he sawe a Lambe standing on Mount Sion Which Lambe is Christ the Sonne of God as is manifest from his correlative in this verse his Fathers name He playeth the Lambe all this time patiently sufferring the Dragon and the Beast neither punishing them with that severity that both he was able and also they had deserved And yet notwithstanding he lyeth not downe carelesse neglecting the safety of his people but standeth in readinesse to defend them covering under his winges the woman and her scattered seed that they should receive no hurt from the enemies Mount Sion on which the Lambe standeth as on a tower or high hill is the Church it selfe which standeth firmly like Mount Sion against all the force of adversaries Before it was the Temple and the holy Altar but a small covert to hide in chap. 11.1 Afterward a wildernes and desert because it had noe cleere outward face on earth chap. 12.6.14 Now it is called Mount Sion because it persisteth invincible in the middes of these teÌ„pestuous stormes A notable confort against either the paucitie or deformity ¶ And with him an hundred fourty and foure thousande This bande of men is the same which was before of the sealed chap. 7.4 Aretas thinketh it to be an other because the article having relation thereto is wanting But it is wonte to be omitted in things very well knowen as the woman in Iohn J knowe that the Messias shall come which is called Christ chap. 4.25 and many the like Verily these beside the concurrence of the number have also a name written in their foreheads but what is this else then to be sealed further more they sing also a song which no man could learne but they ver 3. Therefore they are chosen out of the whole company of them that perish upon whom alone while those troubles of the Church continued Christ bestowed the wholesome knowledg of himselfe Wherefore in all things they are those sealed ones togither with the measured temple and the womaÌ„ slying into the wildernes to be referred unto that time of the seaventh chapter From hence then see with how great a traine the woman was in the wildernes and how great a company of Saincts were in the temple with the two Prophets chap. 11.1.2 Although it be very small if it be compared with that which possessed the holy city and the court But as before time there were unknowen to the world seaven thousand men whiâ—h never bowed their knee to Baal so of late in these last ruines of the Church there were an hundred and foure and fourtie thousand Saincts in Mount Sion who when the rest of the whole world ran after the Dragon and the Beast were conversant alwayes together with the Lambe never departing from his side ¶ Having his Fathers name Aretas the Complut edition and another to the same ende read thus having his name and his fathers name so also the old Latine translation Which reading as being more expresse seeing wee are by Christ adopted to be sonnes so many copies agreeing I thought is rather to be followed As touching the chiefe point of the matter there is no difference yet one is more significant then the other But from hence there is light to illustrate that in the 7. chap. ver 3. where mention is made of sealing but no shewing what manner of maâ—ke was imprinted from this place wee learne that there was writteÌ„ in their foreheads that God by Christ was their Father For iust cause is this made the badge of the Saincts wherby most of all they are discerned from the wicked of the world whose maÌ„ner is as wee see in the Papists blaspheming the sacred trueth to condemne of arrogancy the filial confidence But thou must observe that there was not any sensible marking or if that were granted that yet it was not the signe of the Crosse but his Fathers name written in their foreheads 2 And J heard a voice from Heaven from Mount Sion where the Lambe stood with this multitude from the Temple to wit from the Church The same thing is signifyed by divers names In this Mountaine onely they did bend themselves with all their power to praise God
grew every day until at length they came to the Councill of Trent and Masters of controversies by whose paines now the whole Beast is so covered with most wicked errours the whol sea of doctrine being turned into deadly blood as hath ben sayd in chap. 16.3 that thou canst see noe place free from some newe blasphemy Let an indifferent iudge consider so many horrible errours as in three great volumes Bellarmine deffendeth by the Popes approbation and let him speak sincerely whether every haire almost of this Beast is not spotted with som notable blasphemy Thirdly he hath seven heads and tenne hornes of which what is the meaning the interpretation wil declare which the Angel will make by and by In the meane time let it be agreed of that this Beast is the same which wee saw in the thirteenth chapter and to be the former of the two For of the second are rehearsed onely two hornes there in the 11. verse he maketh mention but of one in this place because both make but one Antichrist as in the chapter even now spoken of we have shewed and of the former onely because it is his intent to set before our eyes whole Antichrist from his first original of whom the second Beast representeth onely the half figure but now because in the last times in which the Beast should be fully discovered Rome the whore should depend more upon the civill authority of the Pope of which that first is the type then upon the spiritual we see at this day that the patrimony of Peter avayleth more then the doctrine which they faine to be Paules that neither Spaine nor France nor others very many have any regard to Rome but in so much as her authority serveth for their profit There is no man but knoweth that Italy despiseth her now a long time at home howsoever shee hath ben content to suffer her to be worshipped of strangers like a God For these causes therfore the former Beast onely is set forth Frances de Ribera the Iesuite avoucheth that this Beast is not that of the 13. chapter but a new new first seen Why so I pray because no article saith he is prefixed before Woman or Beast as it is wont to be done in things known Certenly if he should conclude from the new forme wherein they now first appeare it might have some weight which he sayth but seeing he gathereth that therfore neither of them was simply and absolutely before because they were not seen before in this forme to which onely thing the defect of the article hath respect he dealeth either foolishly or fraudulently after the māner of the Iesuits So J saw saith Iohn ond behold a Lambe stood upon mount Sion chap. 14.1 where also the article is wanting Is this therfore a new Lambe If any should say that there was new forme of him standing upon mount Sion and accompanied with and hundred fourty and foure thousand he should say nothing contrary to the truth but it is the same Lambe in very truth of which mētion was made before chap. 5. After the same manner a new shew is here brought in not a new person as is manifest in the woman which being called in the first verse a whore had the emphasis of the articles which did manifest the olde whore So now the same comming forth in a new decking wanteth the same articles The woman then and the whore are al one and this Beast is the same with that in the thirteenth chapter having the same seate blasphemy heads hornes worship among men the cause of the like eternal destruction and partaker of all his properties unlesse that some of them should now be more increased in processe of time and all things under this fift vial more evident then they were when they began For now he appeareth full of that blasphemy which before possessed the heads onely And was that former Beast Antichrist and shal not this be hee which is more blasphemous The wonderers also at whom are no lesse reprobates then they that wondered at that VVhat shal the Iesuite then gaine if that former being sent away to Hierusalem he hath left this more pernitious Beast at Rome 5 And the woman was arayed with purple and skarlet Such is the Beast now of what quality the woman is whom we shal see adorned most sumptuously of which thing Tertullian spake wittily Who hath deserved the name of an harlot at the Lords hande shee is made equal to her name in her attire Shee sitteth verily in purple with skarlet and gold and pretious stone which are cursed without which a cursed woman and harlot could not be described These things spake he but peradventure somewhat too severely in his booke concerning womās apparell The attire is altogither Princely and belonging to triumphes such as Belshazzar promiseth to them that should read the writting saying He shal be clothed with Purple with a Chaine of Golde about his necke and shal be the third Ruler in the Kingdome Daniell chapter fift verse seventh Attire surely fit for her which raigneth over the Kings of the earth as after in the 18. ver But purple was sufficient for dignity To what ende is there also skarlet That it might note out great cruelty ioined togither with it Shee is of the same disposition with the Beast redde with the murthers of the faithfull in the twelve Chapter and third verse There are many Cities made famous for their notable cruelty but togither therewith the dwelling place of Antichrist ought to flourish in exceeding great Maiestie which might be discerned from all the rest Both which victories even the Iesuites themselves cannot deny to be due to Rome But there is added also Gold Pretious stones and Perles which beside the Maiestie note also most excessive riot which is an other token of this woman And who can recken the infinite costes of this City bestowed on Tēples Theatres Galleries hote Bathes Palaces Obeliskes Pillars Arches belonging to triumphes Private houses and other ornaments Into this one City hath bin laid up in store the glory of the whole world taken from very many other to let passe auncient things what an huge summe of mony bestowed of late Pope Sixtus the fift in the yeer one thousand five hundreth foure score and eight upon a conduit which he built on the mount Quirinal It is recorded that two hundred and threescore thousand crounes were spent upon this thing Neither did any necessity wring from him this charges but that the Pope might sommer the more pleasantly in that mountaine The Vaticane Library renewed of the same Pope scarse peradventure stood him of lesse Yet notwithstanding the same man brought fifty hundred thousand peeces of Gold into a new treasury which he erected in the Castle of Sainct Angel that thou mayest understand that the Popes are not yet brought to beggerie But this Gold pretious stones doo not onely seeme riots for Rome hath bene farre more riotous and
living heads ar cut off he yet remaineth alive or they being cut off other as it were a new Hidra spring up of which yet Iohn made no mētiō But that we may not thinke that those 7. are taken figuratively where are the ten Kings that arose togither with Nerva It must needs be that these were togither with the seventh head in the twelft verse beneath or how when Nerva was dead seemed the Beast not to be especially seing before his death he had adopted Traiane or for what cause wer they rather reprobats that wōdred at Traiā then those former for such is the cōditiō of the seventh head that the followers of him are reprobates before in ver 8. Many things of this sort doo not suffer any peculiar men to be meant Hereunto is added the manner of speaking which is such that it bewrayeth that the Kings are so long the heads of the city as long as the mountains ar Otherwise for some short time perhaps the heads wer both the mountains Kings but to a farre longer time they neither were nor should be if there should be made a separation of the heads which the Spirit ioyneth togither the mountaines onely remaining after the other be dead Therfore the Kings howsoever they al wer not togither as the mountains yet shall obtaine as long continuing a name of heads as those But concerning the person the time shall yeeld a demonstration in the eleventh verse But if the Kings be Dominions of what sorte are they Ribera the Iesuite being privie to himselfe that the thing cannot be touched so lightly but that the soare wil be renewed therewith flyeth unto the seven ages of the world the first of which he maketh from Adam to Noe The second from Noe to Abraham The third to David The fourth to the transmigration into Babylon The fift to the comming of the Lord The sixt from thence to Antichrist The seventh from him even to the day of iudgement Which wit of his bringeth into my remembrance that of the Poe◠If the foolish Painter will conioine unto a mans head The neck of a horse so of birds feathers over spred c. For to see being let in freinds keepe your selves from laughing The Iesuite passeth the Painter who hath framed an head which may be applyed alike to all and every city of the whole world The Spirit would deliver a certaine marke wherby the Throne of the Beast might be known the Iesuite as the houpe faineth the griefe to be in an other place that he may withdrawe from the neast I know notwhither But understand Ribera that the seven mountaines belong to the city of Rome alone But that those seven Kings appertaine to the same city to which the mountaines For the heads are both mountaines and Kings and therefore that these Kings belong to Rome alone so doo we free thee from the great labour of seeking proving by a most certaine argument that he is found at Rome to finde whom thou hast compassed all landes in vaine But the time is spent to no profit in confuting thy toies which yet I could not passe over wholly but would admonish the Papists at least by this small labour that they should not suffer themselves to be deceived any longer by the trisles of the Iesuites The thing it selfe is thus These dominions are proper to that city whereunto belong the mountaines the seven regiments are those by which the citie hath ben no lesse famous then for her seven mountaines And Cornelius Tacitus in the beginning of his history nūbreth these regiments in this wise Kings held the City of Rome at the first L. Brutus instituted freedome the Consulshippe the Dictatourshippes were taken up for a time neither continued the power of the office of the Decemviri above two yeeres nor the Tribunes authority pertaining to Consuls was of force any long time c. The power of Pompey and Crassus went quickly to Cesar By which wordes he declareth plainely that sixe kindes of government had held at Rome from the building of the City even unto his time Kings Consulls Dictatours Decemviri Tribunes of the souldiers Emperours the seventh of Popes he knew not being taken away from the living before he could see it ¶ Five are fallen Kings Consuls Dictatours Decemviri Tribunes For those five kinds of ruling had ceased wholly and vanished away before Iohn his time ¶ One is the sixt kinde of governing by Emperours in whose power was the chiefe rule of things when Iohn lived ¶ And an other is not yet come The seventh King the Pope was not yet a Governour of Rome when the Apostle lived And not without cause hath he shunned the adjective of order for he saith not the seventh is not yet come but an other is not yet come by the same signifying that this seventh shal be very greatly unlike the former All these were Political Kings the seventh should be spiritual or of a mixt kinde unlike to every one before from whence it is manifest that the Christiā Emperours are not the sevēth King For they differred nothing in civill governement from the former onely they tooke unto them the Christian religion And in auncient times new religions were often added the forme of governement in the meane time nothing altered Furthermore the seventh King ought to governe in the same place where the seven mountaines are as hath bene declared in the former verse But the Christian Emperours never had the seate of their Empire at Rome But the whole use of the citie was the Popes from whom alone after the seventh King began her glorie did grow That member is not yet come teacheth that there was a very short time remaining to the cōming of the seventh King For so we are wonte to speake of things that will come not very long after Therefore foolish is Ribera the Iesuite who assigneth the sixt kind of governing after the comming of Christ even unto three yeeres and an halfe more or lesse before the last day and together with him all the Pastists who will not have Antichrist to be expected before that same very time as though the Angel saying is not yet come should speake of a man whom the world yet seeth not after a thousand five hundred yeeres ¶ And when he is come After the seventh Kingdome to weet of the Popes shal be begunne the Dragon being cast out of heaven and Constantine the Great being Emperour ¶ He must tary but a short time About an hundred yeeres after Constantine then to be overwhelmed for a time by the overflowing of the Goths and Vandals who so evil entreated Rome the tower of the new dominion that it might seem to hav perished utterly Gensericus bereaved it wholly of every dweller see Blond in his second book of his first Decad. And Totilas againe brought it to a wildernesse so as neither man nor woman was left in it as the same Blond writeth in his second book of his
easily it dooth blot out the impietie of that three yeeres space of Antichrist which they dreame is yet to come although it were granted that he should raign at Rome How can the sinnes in the last times come up even to heaven from whose full heape so much is taken away by so loÌ„g continuing holines of the Popes But this RevelatioÌ„ hath made the thing manifest declaring that the Pope received a lampe from the Heathen Emperours and to have heaped up new sinnes upon the former heape in a coÌ„tinual row even as the perpetual order and succession of Popes sheweth for which onely thing the catalogue of the Popes serveth greatly We hav seen this heape wonderfully increased in these our times neither shal they which folow lesse maÌ„fully add to the heape until they have both brought their sinns unto heaven and also their wicked citie to dust The Interpreter Aretas translateth have cleaved to Montanus are glued togither one layed on an other and as it were soldered with glue Therfore the filthines of Rome shal be made yet more manifest to the elect to the end that they may thinke the more in earnest of flying from her 6 Reward her even as shee hath rewarded you The other part of the exhortatioÌ„ hath respect to the armies of soldjers gathered togither against Rome This whetteth their anger and stirreth it up to a iust revenging Thou sayest it is a cruel sentence he should rather convert his speach to the repressing of fury much lesse excite to the rendring of double But cursed is every one that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Neither is it to be feared that the punishment is more greevous then her deserts to which no sharpnes of punishment can be equal But these things declare the event to weet that men shal use verie great severitie in executing this last desolatioÌ„ And it is to be observed that the citizens now of the Romane jurisdiction shal be the Ministers of this universal slaughter For whom the Angel eveÌ„ now commanded to come out of Babylon them he now exhorteth to reveÌ„gement It is like that these being mindful of so long continuing tyranny wherwith they have lyen oppressed so many ages and having also the late iniuries fixed in their minds the sting wherof dooth yet greeve them vehemently wil more freely give licence to their anger and wil satisfy themselves scarce with anie punishment And this is that to give her the double to fill her the double in the cup that she hath filled signifying that a huge calamitie shal be brought upon her with verie great cruelty We have seen befor that there is a double cupp in this book one of errour wherby the whore made men drunken with the sweetnesse of her abomination the other of punishment wherby it is taught that the wicked shal be punished after the like manner that they have sinned 7 In as much as shee hath glorified her selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weigh out to her in equal balances so much torment as there was excesse in carnal pleasure before O Rome therfore by so much the more miserable by how much thou hast bene the most happie of all Who shal recite thy calamitie to whose riot the deliciousnes of the Sybarites is not to be compared ¶ J sit a Queen The greatnesse of the punishment is declared two wayes both by the like cruelty which shee hath shewed against others in the former verse and also from her loftinesse in this verse wherunto her abasement must be answerable in the verse folowing But wheras shee vaunteth that shee is a Queen shee sheweth her selfe to be the natural daughter of her mother Babylon Neither are these proude words darke when shee chalengeth to her selfe a Primacy over all Churches braggeth that shee is the head of Christianity the beginning of eternal life and many other things of like blasphemous arrogancy Which Primacy shee assureth her selfe shal be for ever perswading her owne heart that she shal never be deprived of this dignity neither shal have experience of anie calamity For what other thing is it that her most beloved sonnes doo avouch that Peters chaire cannot be separated from Rome nor the seate of the Apostles translated from thence as Bellarmine affirmeth in his 4. book of the Bishop of Rome chap. 4. Which although he wil not have to be counted among the articles of the faith yet it seemeth to him by some arguments of so great strength that at the last he can hadly pe persuaded but that it is an article of the Papists faith Francis de Ribera now gesseth that som evil shal happen to Rome but after that manner that he sheweth rather his care then giveth over even the least that may be of his bragging 8 Therfore in one day For this thy proud boasting this threefold kind of calamity shal make an assault upon thee at once At leÌ„gth thou shalt finde how thou hast ben deceived and how in vain thy Knaves have sung to thee upon this rock I wil build my Church c. The calamities which are rehearsed belong partly to men whom death sorow and famine shal devoure partly to the citie which shal be burnt with fire Which declare that the city shal not be takeÌ„ at the first assault but by a siege while the which continueth the past for so death was called before in chah 6.8 sorow and famine shal assaile within and that at length the city shal come into the power of the enemies who shal make it even to the ground bring her to ashes then shal be fulfilled that which Sibyl Prophecied Rome shal be a street or empty place and Delos shal be obscure or not founde ¶ For strong is the Lord He maketh mention of the power of the Lord because it wil be almost incredible that Rome borne up with so great riches both her owne and Kings and others her allies can be broâ—ght into this miserable condition But he is mighty who shal exercise iudgmeÌ„t whose will cannot be resisted by any might That which here is read shall iudge some copies have in the present tense iudgeth 9 Then shal bewaile Such was the exhortation the first mourning of the wicked shal be of Kings but of the earth onely neither properly so called but onely Romanes VVhich Kings are the slaves of the Church playing the harlot These shal beginne their lamentable songes mourning after a wonderful manner when they thinke of how sweete coÌ„pany of the whore they are deprived by this unlooked for destruction VVherfore other Kings shal remaine besides those tenne chap. 17.16 which shal destroy the whore with fyre Neither is it to be thought that these ten Kings after their hatred satisfyed shal give up themselves to lamenting being moved by repentance as Ribera trifleth For it shal be matter of very great ioy to al the elect of which sorte are these Ministers of vengeance exhorting al the people of
of the Gentils was neither the first people of God neither were the rites observed by them the first ordinances delivered froÌ„ heaven As though the words should give this sense at last albeit this people of the Iewes al the time of their reiection thirsted after their old ceremonies and worship and boasted openly that they should have at length free leave to use their auncient custome which we know they vaunt of even in these dayes yet in this restoring they shall conforme themselves wholly to the will of God in such sorte that willingly renouncing their old ordinances which then they shall acknowledge to have received an ende in Christ they shal make manifest to all men that the first heaven and earth which they looked for in vaine were passed away for ever This last seemeth to be of no small force to shewe that the reason of the order of the first heaven and earth should not be between the GeÌ„tils and Iewes but onely among the Legal and Christian Iewes The care that I have hath made mee to search out all corners to my power now let the iudgement be in the power of the Christian reader which of these is the beast ¶ And there shal be no more sea The sea is degenerat and corrupt doctrine which shall have no place among this new people whose glassie sea shal be like Chrystal most pure most cleare void of al saltnesse and muddy grossenesse as is that in chapter 4.6 Which also is said in respect of the Iewes themselves and those errours which in these daies they deffend so obstinately there is not a comparison of the Gentils with the Iewes handled in this place The Gentile sea that I may so say and thath grosser was consumed already when the Popish nation was destroyed the purer sea of the reformed Church is of glasse chap. 15.2 and shall not be abolished The Iewes even hitherto have their own sea most grosse most foul with many forged tales touching the Messias the legal worship the righteousnes of the law and many other points of salvatioÌ„ al which shal now be so dryed up that not a drop of the former sea shal remaine 2 And I John sawe the holy City In such weise then was seen the new heaven and earth now the holy city is exhibited which is so called for excelleÌ„cy sake The Church also of the Gentils is that new and heavenly Hierusalem as in the Apostle but ye are come to mount Sion and to the City of the living God the heavenly Hierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels Heb. 12. and Gal. 4 But our Hierusalem being deformed with many errours and contentions shal cause that this most pure shal appeare altogither new Aretas the Compl. the Kings Bible doo omitt the name Iohn reed thus and I saw the holy City the new Hierusalem ¶ Coming down from God Theâ—fore this Hierusalem shall have her seate on earth the heavenly shal never come down but shal remaine fixed in heaven where Christ sitteth in glory at the right hand of the Father I goe saith he to prepare a place for you and when J shall have gone and prepared a place for you I will come againe and take you unto my selfe that where I shal be there you may be also Iohn 14.3 And againe Father J will that those which thou hast given mee be with mee where I am Iohn 17.24 Wee shal be caught up in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the atre and so shal be with the Lord 1 Thess 4.17 And to what ende should HierusaleÌ„ come downe from heaven which by and by after the general resurrection al the elect shal be in the heavens Peradventure wilt thou say it might come down that Iohn might see it If it had come downe for this cause Iohn should rather have been caught up into heaven to behold it then that shee should be let downe to the earth He was commanded before to come up into heaveÌ„ where through the dore opened he saw the forme of the militant Church chap. 4. how much more now should he have gone up that he might behold the same triumphing Therfore these words doe manifestly distinguish the new Hierusalem pilgrim from the inlandish Albeit that be called also heavenly because in very truth it is such both by birth and also by the right of the inheritance as Paul saith For that Hierusalem which is from above Gal. 4.26 It cometh downe therfore from God because his singular power and mercy shall appear in building up this new city The increase of the whole building shal be so swift and the glory and dignity so great that all with one consent shall acknowledge the hand of God and shall declare him to be the onely artificer ¶ Trimmed as a bride To be presented to her husband not yet hitherto given by a marriage accomplished After the last resurrection the marriage shal be accomplished it shal not be a preparing for time to come This bride was adorned with pure fine linnen and the Iustifications of the Saincts chap. 19.7.8 But observe that the city seen ere while is now called the bride and more plainly after ver 9. Come saith the Angel I will shew thee the bride the Lambes wife Therfore this city is the whole multitude of the faithfull the most sweet and straight communion of all which among themselves the Spirit declareth very well by such a forme of city The members of the body are used sometime to the same end but the similitude of a city setreth before our eyes a certaine more lively image There is a greater variety of things in a city and a further difference of duties which yet are ioyned togither and conteined with the same law and respect one chiefe good of all This therfore notably representeth how the faithfull most differing in function office and course of life doo grow unto one Holy body 3 And I heard a great voice from heaven saying c. He commeth to that part of the glory which is declared by the things heard The Tabernacle properly belonged to the Iewes and old worship from whence here it signifyeth the whole divine worship of that people to which before the tabernacle was peculiar Togither also it sheweth that the manifestatioÌ„ of Gods glory shal not yet be perfit such as the Saincts shal enioy after the last iudgment But howsoever it shal be farre more aboundant then never before yet men shall see God as through a glasse and riddle not face to face they shall know in part onely not as they are known 1 Cor. 13.12 A tabernacle is fit for the Church being in pilgrimage not for that which hath gotten a firme seate in her owne countrey ¶ And he shall dwell with them and they shal be his people Then God himselfe shal take upon him the protection of the Saincts according to the forme of the covenant Gen. 17.1 then the Saincts shall submit themselves willingly to be governed of
he borrowed out of Strabo in whoÌ„ are many things touching this stone in his 16. book Some from hence coniecture that it tooke the name from the Hebrew word Pazaz as though at the first it had bin to Paz or in greek to Pazion and at length by the ignorance of the printers to have grown togither and made one word topazion The Chrysoprâ—sus also as the name sheweth doth resemble a certaine kind of Gold but as it were be smeared with the iuice of leekes The eleventh twelfth foundation is the Iacynth Amethyst both of a purple colour but the first shining more brightly the second of a a more wanne and weake colour as Dionysius sheweth and the sweet Amethyst shining as asaied purple India and Aethiopia doo afford these two Therfore these last sixe belong to the East and South Our West part as it seemeth shal minister citizeÌ„s even as other countreys but shal give few or no Iewels for the building up of the wall It may be that God wil so set forth his power the more in raising up teachers from those places which are most repugnant to his truth The foure last gemmes are like gold and purple which colours are of a very great price and dignity which the Spirit seemeth to have put in the last places for a certain purpose and that by a course twice doubled as though he would teach by the same thing that those teachers shal never be loathed but shal alwayes flourish in very great authority At the first the truth is wont to be acceptable and the ministers of it are iudged worthy of al honour but in time the good wil of men waxeth cold theÌ„ the authority of the teachers decayeth after that men beginne to be full But here no such thing shal come to passe The end shal be answerable to the beginning The dispensers of the word shal be no lesse honourable after the truth through many ages hath waxed olde then when at the first it began And for this cause I thick was so great a plenty of golden and purple colour put to the last place I know that other doo seek out an agreement of other properties in these stones but seeing authours varie greatly about this what is the proper force of every one neither is the thing as yet sufficiently cleared I had rather follow things that are plain and of a known signification and also the congruency of the Prophecy then loose my labour in doubtful things So therfore that which Daniell hath comprehendeth briefly in one word they that instruct shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that iustify many shall be as the starres for ever and ever chap. 12.3 the same we have here declared peculiarly and more at large by sundry kindes of Iewels 21 And the twelve gates are Hitherto hath bin the matter of the walls The gates are made of pearles which signify Christ who is the way doore to life if any shall enter in by him he shall be saved and he shall goe in and out and finde pasture Iohn 10.9 But how notably doo the pearles represente the Sonne of God conceived in the wombe of the virgin which are not bred of any earthly copulation but ingeÌ„dred of a celestial dew as of a husbaÌ„d For they report that the shell fishes at a certain time of the yeere with a certain gaping after that they have drunke up a dewing from heaven doo conceive and become great with yong and the more that they have bin tossed with great tempests after the dew received the more noble fruit doo they bring forth so the Holy Ghost came upoÌ„ Mary and the power of the most high overshadowed her and Christ scarce brought forth into the light was sought for to be put to death and by an horrible storme was driven into Aegypt After the same manner the first entrance into this city shal be very laborious but of so much the more aboundant praise account after they have entred There are twelve gates but every one of one pearle because there is but one Christ and but one onely name given under heaven by which we must be saved Act. 4.12 ¶ And the street of the city was pure golde In the last place he addeth the matter of the city which before he said was golde but there he made meÌ„tion of the whole city in general here in special of the streets These are the publik wayes wherin the citizens doo meete if one have ought to doo with an other Even as therfore the wayes of man are the actions in which man is occupied so the streetes of the city are those publike offices of life and buyings and sellings in which the citizens doo take paines The Spirit saith that al these things shal be holy pure cleane pretious For the place of assembling where these businesses are handled is pure gold and shining through as before ver 18. How holy and unblameable shal this city be where the common life then which nothing is wont to be more foule and polluted shal be free from al filth of wickednes Righteousnes now as a river shall run through the streetes and godlinesse shal shine in all affaires 22 Neither saw I any Temple in her Hitherto we have seen the inward essential glory of the city as farre as is given us who doo not behold froÌ„ a hie mountaine but a farre off from a low and pressed down valley wher hilles and trees doo much hinder our eyes that we caÌ„not yet see the thing cleerly Yet it delighteth mee as once Daniell to opeÌ„ his window twards Hierusalem so to looke from farr off into this holy city whose cloudie and blackish toppes to behold a farr off it much recreateth my soule Now the Spirit teacheth how great dignity shall come from things outward First God the Father and the Lambe his Sonne in stead of a Temple that is then shal the worship be most simple and most pure darkened with no legal ceremonies which once God ordained until the time of reformation much lesse with any humane inventions but such as shal exhibit Gods presence most simply and familiarly How then doth this agree with Ezechiel who in eight whole chapters from the fourtieth to the end of the Prophecy speaking of this very time describeth so exactly the temple the city and whole legal worship Very wel for that whole description tendeth to that ende not to teach that the old ceremonies are to be restored but that at lenght they being wholly abolished Christ shal be worshipped most purely and exactly according to his owne ordinances alone For what other thing mean the new measurings of the walles gates porches and the whole building the new distribution of the holy land and the new portions given to the tribes Priests Levites Prince then an abrogation of Moses and al the legal ceremonies But that time was not otherweise capable of any spiritual worship then under those shadowes Iohn speaketh
playnly to Christians al coverings being removed as on whom the noone Sunne of truth shineth and all things are naked and open And indeed he openeth most significantly in one word that long obscure description in Ezechiel saying that that temple so magnifically gloriously prepared is in truth none at all not as though the Prophet had uttered so many words vainly but to shewe that we must not stick in the bark of the lettre but that the kernell of the Spirit is to be found out Let the Iewes heare neither let them expect a renewed temple as hitherto they doo amisse and obstinately but let them with minds and harts aspire in that right way which shal need no temple Let them look for the omnipotent God and the Lamb to dwel among them in comparison of which glory whatsoever can be built of men shal be vile 23 Neither hath this city any need of the Sunne or Moone For in very deed the Moone shall be ashamed and the very Sunne shall blush when the Lord of hosts shall reigne in mount Sion and Hierusalem and shall be glorious before his auncients Isaiah 24.23 And why may it not be ashamed of her former darkenesse when the light of the Moone shal be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne seven folde as the light of seven daies Isay 30.23 Which thinges are not spoken to that ende as though there should be no use then of the Scriptures but because all shall so understand Gods will as if they had no need to learne wisdome from books Full saith the Prophet shall this land be of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters covering the chanell of the Sea Isay 11.9 Neither shall they anie more teach everie man his friend and everie man his brother saying know yee the Lord for they shall all know mee from the least of them even to the greatest of them saith the Lord that J doo forgive their inquity and remember their sinne no more Ier. 31.34 From hence let us observ that that Church is most glorious in which the sunne of righteousnesse shineth with most open face covered with no cloudes of ceremonies therfore let them see in how great errour they are whom bring in a pompous shew of ceremonies to procure authority to religion with the people Furthermore let us note to what times Iohn applyeth the sentences of the Prophets that we may know the things are yet to come which we interpret commonly to be past and not onely in the heavenly countrey whose happinesse needeth the words of no man but here in earth in that restoring wherof we have spoken ¶ And the Lambe is the light therof Therfore this light the most bright of all godly times shal not yet be perfit as it shal be after this life but a candle onely in respect of that least peradventure wee should rest in our iourney as if we had come to the last ende 24 And the Gentiles that shal be saved The second outward argument is glory from the Gentils Before time the Iewes have alwayes found the GeÌ„tiles most hatefull who left no meanes unattempted to doo them hurt now contrariweise ther shal be no cause to feare that they will doo them any harme yea rather why should they not expect all good at their hands who shal apply al their forces to the advancing of them But these Gentiles are not al generally but are limited with a certain kinde which saith he shal be saved which word is inserted for an exposition The place is taken out of Isaiah 60.3 where it is thus and the Gentiles shall walke to thy light which Iohn draweth to the elect by putting in of one word least any should think it was spoken of every one generally And see how Iohn traÌ„slate that seÌ„teÌ„ce they shal walke to thy light thus they shal walke in the light of it the senteÌ„ce being well expressed For to walke at the light is not to come only to the light which one may doe depart again by by being at once both seen despised but to walke after or according to the light as to walke at the feete is alone with to follow serve one 1 Sam. 25.42 Neither-hath this place in the heavens that the people should walke at the light of the Church when Prophecyings shal be abolished and tongues shall cease and God shal be all in all 1 Cor. 13.8 and 15.28 But it may be doubtful how it can have place on earth For shal this difference remaine of some people which are saved and of other that are lost in this most happy government of the Church It seemeth indeed that there shal be many which yet still shal contemne the truth obstinately for the day of the Lord shall come cas a share upon all that dwell on the face of the earth Luke 21 35. But the children of the Church are not in darkenesse that that day should take them as a thief in the night 1 Thess 5.4 Moreover it was said before that the haile of a taleâ—t weight of the last vial shall drive men to blasphemy chap. 16.21 Neverthelesse those despisers shal be of so feeble strength that wil they nil the they shal be compelled to yeeld their necks The Complut edition and the Kings bible doo omit these words which are saved and so doth Aretas and the vulgar Latine neither doo they reade in the light of it but by the light ¶ And the Kings of the earth shal bring their glory unto it Then the Kings borderers on the Ocean and of the Yles shall bring a present the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring a gift finally all Kings shall worship him and all nations shall serve him Psal 72.10.11 And Isay The labour of Aegypt and marchandize of Aethiopia and of the Sabean Princes shall come unto thee and they shall be thine and shall follow thee they shall come in chaines and shall fall down before thee and shall make supplications unto thee saying onely the strong God is in thee there is none besides no where else is God chap. 45.14 Againe Kings shal be thy nurcing fathers and their Queenes shal be thy nurces they shall worship thee with their faces toward the earth and shall lick the dust of thy feet chap. 49.23 For then shal be given unto Christ a dominion and glory and Kingdome that all people nations and tongues should serve him whose dominion is an everlasting dominion which passeth not away his KingdoÌ„ a KingdoÌ„ which shall not be destroyed Dan. 7.14 It shal not also be from the purpose to add here in what words the Sybille hath described this same thing that at least wee may help tthe Iesuite if he will who in expounding the same is cleane out of the way thus therfore shee Prophecyed in the 3. book of the oracles of Sibyll And then the world by womans hands shall rul'd be and obey But when the widow over all the world
shall beare the sway And cast into the sea the gold and silver with disdayn And cast the brasse of brittle men and yrn ' into the Mayn Then shall the wordly elements all desolate remayn Sibyll prophecieth that after the death of Antichrist which we have had set forth in the former chapters the soveraigntie of things through the whole world shal be in the power of a woman But what manner of one Is it such a one as wee properly so call Nothing lesse This woman is the Church the spouse of Christ which shee calleth a widow not because she is a widow by the death of her husband as this word is wont to signif usually but because shee is on earth farr from him For shee is also a widow which after marriage dwelleth not togither with her husband for what cause soever it be Or shee may be called a widow because before her restoring shee sat a widow so long as in Hosea Sit still for my sake many daies neither be married to any other For the children of Isâ—ael shall remaine many dayes without a King and without a Prince without an offering withtout an Image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim afterward they shall returne c. ch 3.3.4.5 So Isayas So that he shall say in his heart who hath gotten mee these seeing I have bin baren and a desolate captive and a wanderer too fro c. chap 49.21 This then is that widow which after shee hath governed for a time at length shal deliver all her subiects to be translated in to heaven whither at length they shall goe when this whole world is destroyed with fire Seeing therfore that these things are so those are not to be understood of the future state after the resurrection For what Kinges shal then bring their glory thither Vnlesse peradventure as the Iesuite writeth ridiculously by building and inriching temples by sending predicatours into sundry countreys and by restreining the nations that are enemies to the faith Did the man dreame waking when he wrote these things that he would hav any such thing to be desired in the future state But I wil not vexe the man being as it seemeth sick of an ague 25 And the gates of it shal not be shut All danger shal be so farre away that no feare therof shal trouble them Ther shal be no enemy that shal invade but the gates shall be open alwayes to receive new strangers who in great companies shal flow thither continually Isay 60.11 Blessed is that city which shal enioy so happie so glorious and secure peace ¶ For then shal be no night there These words are somewhat otherweise then in Isaiah who speaketh thus and they shal open thy gates continually neyther day nor night shal they be shut c. that is they shal be opeÌ„ alwayes Ther is the same sense of this place but the mention of the night being omitted as unprosperous and wholly unmeete for the happines of this city as though he should say the gates shal never be shut for they are not wont to be shut in the day time neither shal it be needful to add nor in the night because ther shal be no night there 26 And glory shal be brought We spake of this matter at the 24. verse but the repetition is not in vaine which teacheth that the Gentiles shall have this continual desire to enrich and store this city Not because they shall give themselves to the gathering of riches or to ambition but because their good will shal be most gratefull who shal alwayes wish very wel unto it Or as the words doo sound and they shal bring the glory and honour of the Gentils unto it that is the Iewes themselves as though now he would shew how much they should doo by their owne strength when he hath shewed sufficiently what should come to them by the benefit of others Wherby not onely they shal be advanced but also shal be augmented with great glory by their owne riches 27 There shall not enter into it any thing that defileth This glory shal remain no lesse pure and undefiled than secure and without feare of enemies For the most part it commeth to passe that the rivers flowing beiond the bankes doo carry with them very much durty filth wherby the whole water becometh foule so for iust cause it might peradventure be feared that in this very populous assembly of the Gentils many wicked men shall assemble togither by whose contagion the most cleare purity at length should be defiled But the Spirit biddeth them to be secure as touching this point God wil provide that no filthy and impure thing shal enter in wherby the flower of so great dignity may be distained never so little ¶ But they which are written in the book ei me unlesse they which are written But the elect are not among the uncleane who through Christ have no spot wrinkle or any such thing Ephes 5.27 Therfore ei me is not to be translated as an exceptive by nisi unlesse but as a discretive by sed but as Theodore Beza hath noted Vnlesse perhaps ther be a respect to the former time as Paul concerning the elect and such were yee every one but ye are washed but yee are sanctified 1 Cor. 6.11 as though he should say no uncleane person shall enter into the city unlesse they which are written in the book of life who before their caling were uncleane but being sanctified by faith in Christ cease to be so CHAP. 22. AFTER he shewed mee a pure river of water of life cleare as Chrystal proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lambe 2 In the middes of the street therof and an the one and other side of the river was the tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruit and gave fruit every moneth and her leaves are for the health of the nations 3 And ther shal be no more curse against any man but the throne of God and of the Lambe shal be in it and his servants shall serve him 4 And they shall see his face and his name shal be in their foreheads 5 And there shall be no night there neither have they any need of the light of a candle nor of the light of the Sunne for the Lord God giveth them light and they shal raigne for evermore 6 Then he said unto mee these words are faithfull and true and the Lord God of the Holy Prophets sent his Angel to shew to his servants the things which must shortly be fulfilled 7 Behold I come quickly Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this booke 8 And J John am hee which have heard and seen these things And when I had heard and seen I fell down to worship before the feete of the Angel which shewed mee these things 9 But he said unto mee see thou doo it not for J am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren the Prophets and of
them which keepe the wordes of this book Worship God 10 After he said unto mee seale not the words of the prophecy of this book for the time is at hand 11 He that hurteth let him hurt still and he that is filthy let him be filthy stil and he that is iust let him be iustifyed stil and he that is holy let him be holy still 12 And behold I come quickly and my reward is with mee to render to every one as his worke shal be 13 J am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending the first and the last 14 Blessed are they that doo his commaundements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city 15 But without shal be dogges and enchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh lies 16 J Iesus sent my Angel to testify these things unto you in the Churches J am the roote and that generation of David that bright and morning starre 17 And the Spirit and the bride say come and he that heareth saith come and let him that thirsteth come and let him that will receive of the water of life freely 18 For I testify there withall unto every one that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book if any man shall add unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this book 19 And if any man shall take away of the words of the book of this prophecy God shal take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from those things which are written in this book 20 He which testifyeth these things saith ye I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Iesus 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you al. Amen The Analysis THVS farr the two first outward arguments wherby the glory of this city is set forth the two last follow the aboundance of things necessary continuance The first handleth two things which comprehende all other plenty the most pure water proceeding out of the throne ver 1. and the tree of life ver 2. whose fruite is described and how many foulde it is partly in the kinde for thete are twelve fruits partly in the time bearing every moneth and how profitable which appeareth from thence that also the leaves are for the health of the Gentils ver 2. and thus much of the aboūdance the continuance is declared by remooving of the corrupting causes ver 3. and by setting downe of the preserving causes ver 3.4 5. And hitherto hath bin a prophetical narration both of special things and also of common things to the whole Church There foloweth the conclusion of all the Revelation and of the Epistle partly consisting in a confirmation partly in a salutation The confirmation first takes in hand a recounting and collecting of things before spokē that being put as in a patterne ūder one view they might have greater force for credit And this recounting is cōtinued even to the eighteen verse relating the authour of the Revelation ver 6. the happines of the keppers ver 7. the ministers ver 8.9 a publishing commanded wherby ther should be a free examination ver 10. with an answer of a secret obiection ver 11. the upright nature of the revealer ver 12. eternall ver 13. the thing revealed ver 14.15 the plaine testimony of Iesus ver 16. and lastly the desire of the Spirit and bride ver 17. Every one of which apart is of great weight to establish the authority of this Prophecy but al togither are very much greater Next Iohn of his owne part addeth some new thing when he uttereth certain destruction to them which shall corrupt this prophecy never so little ver 18.19 then testifying his most earnest desire of a speedie finishing ver 20. The salutation lastly concludeth the whole Epistle with a praier ver 21. Scholions 1 Afterward he shewed mee That wholesome fruite dooth more declare the excellent glory of this city which not onely the citizens but also forreiners doo receive Wherunto also apperteine this river and tree of the which both they drinke and also are fedde unto life both which the Angel sheweth to Iohn For he saith he shewed mee But who is he that shewed That sevēth Angel which manifested the city to him in the former chapter ver 9.10 and therfore neither as yet are we come to the heavenly blessednes of the saincts after the last resurrection when we shal not use Angels or any other masters But as touching the water it is not some litle fountaine but a river neither corrupted and troubled as Nilus but flowing with most pure waters as Kidron Gallirrhoe making glad the citie of God Psal 46.5 Furthermore it is a river of water of life not onely because of the continuance for it runneth alwayes with new waters as is the water of a fountaine or spring which also in the Scriptures is called living but because it bringeth life to the drinkers Iohn 4.14 The river is shining as Chrystall farre exceeding the clearnes of the fountaines Lastly it proceedeth out of the throne of God and of the Lambe which it hath for chiefe fountaines and to which againe as a companion it doth leade or rather being a forerunner goeth before as a streeme to the sea In Ezechiel the same flood issueth out of the temple altar chap. 47.1 But in this new Ierusalem there is no temple as hath bin spoken in chap. 21.22 therfore the throne of God is set in the place thereof Whether it runneth here is no mention but the Prophets plentifully teach it namely towards the East from the South side of the altar first towards Galily and into the plaine then the waters come to the Sea and by emptying themselves into the same sea the waters therof are healed Ezech. 47.1.8 So in Ioel there shal issue forth a fountaine from the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim chap. 3.18 That is the plaine of Moab where the Israelites committed whordome with the Moabitish wemen Numb 25.1 Zacharie also There shal be saith he in that daie waters of life going forth out of Ierusalem part of them to the East sea and parte of them to the uttermost sea which shal be both in somer and winter chap. 14.8 This river is the most fruitfull doctrine of Christ which shall flowe forth towards the East because the people watered with the moisture hereof shall grow and at last true life shall budde forth For every living creature that creepeth whersoever these rivers come shall live and there shal be a very great multitude of fishes for by the comming of these waters thither they are cured and live whersoever this river commeth Ezech. 47.9 For this Prophet and Iohn speake of the same things and times of the state and condition of the Church in earth as those things which in so many places we have