est Aegyptum coluisse animalia quaedam Et pro numinibus multas habuisse ferarum Illa superstitio minor est quam nostra ferarum Hic aras habet omne genus contraria certè Naturae res atque Deo qui dicitur olim Praeposuisse hominem cunctis animantibus unum That Egypt did adore some living creatures heard have we And for her gods some wild beasts she acknowledged to be That superstition sure of theirs is lesse then ours by farre Because for Beasts of every kind high altars now there are Which thing against both nature is and Gods most righteous law For he ordaind over all Beasts one man to have the sway So then the great city seat of the Beast is Aegypt that is like unto Aegypt in wicked Idolatrie It is also like it in miserable blindenesse we read that the Lord sent on the obstinate Aegyptians such darknesse as that for three dayes together they groped at noon day like blinde men So the city of the Beast what is it but a kingdom of darkenesse wherein miserable blindenesse and ignorance of the scriptures yea of God Christ doth extreamely abound Luther writes wel In act August lit P 207. Italie is cast into the grosse darkenesse of Aegypt in somuch as they are become all of them altogether ignorant of Christ and of the thinges appertaining to him To bee short as Aegypt of old most cruellie oppressed the Church by a lamentable bondage for the space of 225 yeeres even so hath the Church now of long time been burdened yea yet groaneth under the yoake of Antichrist kingdome of the Beast And therfore this great city is fittlie called Aegypt because of her cruelty Where also our Lord Hence Ribera and Bellarmin doe faine In Apocal. 11. nu 22. Lib. 3. de P. R. c. 13. that the great city or seat of Antichrist is not Rome but Jerusalem For in what citie say they was our Lord crucified except Ierusalem But this is a vaine shift for as before the seat of Antichrist is called Sodome and Aegypt not litterally but spirituallie so here it is called the citie where our Lord was crucified that is Ierusalem in a spiritual sence This then is the third title of the great city beeing called Jerusalem where our Lord was crucified Ierome and others dispute how Christ was crucified in Aegypt Epist 1. ad Marcell how Ierusalem is called Sodome but it is beside the purpose For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where also doe not cohere with Aegypt next preceding for the scripture no where saith that Christ was crucified in Aegypt but are to be referred to the former words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the great citie as the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and or also inserted doth shew as if he had said it is called also that citie where our Lord was crucified that is Ierusalem Furthermore it wil clearly appear on Chap. 17. The great citie is not Ierusalem that this great citie the seat of Antichrist is not Jerusalem literallie for there the great citie is said to have seven mountaines and to reigne over the kings of the earth neither of which agrees literallie to Ierusalem but both unto Rome For Ierusalem had never seven mountaines but onely three hils viz. Sion Moriah and mount Calvarie It never held the Empire of the world as Rome hath don To be short It was never absolutely called the citie or the great citie but this title was proper to Rome onelie Lib. 8. de bello sacr Wilhelmus Tyrius writing of the largenesse of Ierusalem saith that it is a city lesse then the greatest yet greater then the middle sort But of Rome Lipsius writeth Lib. 3. de magn Rom cap. 2. that the greatnesse thereof appeares to this day and that her ancient walles contained in circuit XV or XVI miles So that the Iesuites here doe falsly and guilfully send us unto Ierusalem that we might not seek Antichrist at Rome Furthermore why the great city of the Beast is compared unto Ierusalem appeares by the following paraphrase where also our Lord was crucified Ierusalem crucified our Lord literallie The great citie of the Beast doth it spirituallie Now there is nothing more cruel or ungodlie then to crucifie the Lord of life yea it is more cruel for to crucifie Christ spiritually then his witnesses literally And therefore the seat of the Beast is called Ierusalem because of their unheard cruelty impiety killing the Prophets and witnesses of Christ against all right reason yea not satiated with their death have exercised all maner of contumelies upon their dead bodies Besides as much as in them is they not once but daylie sacrifice destroy crucifie and kill Christ himself Epist 19. Let us heare Petrarcha long agoe accusing Rome of this most horrid parricide in his own words Behold thou seest a people not onely adversarie to Christ but that which is worse under Christs ensigne rebelling against him and fighting for Satan beeing druncken with the blood of Christ and malapertly saying Our lips are ours who is Lord over us a hard harted wicked people indeed proud hungerstarved thirstie allwayes gaping having sharp teeth crooked nailes slippery feet a stonie breast and hart of steel a minde of lead but hony in their mouth a people unto whom thou mayest well apply not onely that of Christ and the Prophet This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me But that also of Judas Iscariot who betraying his master with a kisse said haile master And that of the Jewes who clothed Christ in purple and crowned him with thornes smote most contumeliously spat in his face bowing the knee worshipped saluted him saying Haile king of the Iewes whom they in the mean time accounted neyther as God or a king worthie of divine or humane honour but as a blasphemer guilty of death reproach and judgement But what is not the like daily practised among Christs enemies and Pharisees of our age doe they not buy sell make marchandise of Christ himself whose name notwithstanding they seem day and night to extoll with most high prayses whom they cloath with purple gold whom they load with precious stones salute and worship Him I say as if he had his eyes covered saw not they crown with the briars of wicked mens workes defile him with the spittle of a most impure mouth and inveigh against him with viperous hissings strike him with the dart of venemous actions and what in them lies doe again and again deridinglie drag him as naked poore scourged on mount Calvarie and wickedlie consent to naile him unto the crosse And oh shame oh griefe oh indignitie Even such are the Romanists at this day as it is reported These things Petrarcha wrote concerning Rome Now let the Romish Locusts see how they can deny Rome to be spiritual Ierusalem themselves crucifiers againe
as with a pestilent plague she had infected the Christian world her horrible idolatry I say and cruelty by which she defiled and oppressed the Church The commination is taken out of Isai 21.9 Babylon is fallen is fallen and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground And Ier. 51.8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed howle for her In which words the Prophets threaten ruine to Babylon of the Caldeans which had grievously pressed Gods people by 70. yeares captivity Now it may be demanded whither this Babylon here threatned be the foresaid Chaldaean Babylon or another and which That it is not Babylon of Chaldea appeares by many reasons First that Babylon neither was is or shall be the Seat of Antichrist This is not the CaldeaÌ„ Babylon For however there be an ancient fable of Antichrists rising out of Babylon yet the same makes not Babylon but Ierusalem to be his seat Now the Babylon here threatned by the Angell shall be the Seat of Antichrist by the consent of all interpreters Secondly This Babylon is that great city the which in Johns time ruled over the Kings of the earth Rev. 17.18 But then the Caldeans held not the Monarchie but the Romanes Besides this Babylon defiles all nations of the earth with her fornication But now how the Caldean Babylon should so doe in these last times no sound reason can be given for it Lastly the people of God are bid to goe out of this Babylon Chapter 18.4 But Gods people for these thousand yeeres have not been nor shall be in the Easterne Babylon c. Therefore this Babylon is not Babylon in Caldea although the holy Ghost doth apply the propheticall threatnings of old against Babylon to good purpose and fitly here from the letter therefore wee must necessarily come to the figure which thing Ribera also acknowledgeth Now secondly some of the Ancients will have this Babylon to be the world as being the great city of the wicked in which the Devill ruleth So Ambrose Bede Arethas Andreas Ansbertus Haymo Primasius Anselmus c. But this opinion cannot stand For first This Babylon is that Great whore making drunke the inhabitants of the earth with the wine of her fornication But how shall the world make drunke the inhabitants of the earth seeing themselves are the world made drunke by the whore shall the world make the world drunke the whore therefore which maketh drunke is plainely distinguished from the inhabitants of the earth who are made drunke Secondly the sence would be absurd Babylon is fallen that is the world is fallen for by the ruine of Babylon the whole world shal not decay but there shal remain Kings and merchants which shall see and bewaile the ruine of Babylon whereas after the ruine of the world there wil be no kings nor marchants Thirdly we are commanded to goe out of this Babylon Chap. 16.8 But we are not bid to goe out of the world 1 Cor. 5.10 except in a spirituall sence But out of this Babylon a locall departure is commanded Fourthly it is the common opinion that John prophesieth of that Babylon which is the seat of Antichrist But the whole world shall not be Antichrists seat For he shall sit in the temple of God 2 Thes 2.5 the which cannot be meant of the whole world Fiftly This Babylon is Rome see Chap. 11.8 17.18 Ribera addes that this Babylon standeth on seven Mountaines Chap. 17.9 Now that the citie of wicked men or the world should stand on seven mountaines cannot be true in any sence And therefore Ribera concludeth that we must expound it otherwise And indeed at last the said Iesuite doth ingeniously confesse that this Babylon is ROME for which opinion he alledgeth many old writers as Austine l. 8. de Câ—â—â—â— where he amimeth that Rome was built by the fall of the Assyâ—â—an kingdome and calleth the same the Daughter of Babylon or another Babylon Orosius lib. 2. cap. 2. Eusebius lib. 2. hist cap. 14. Bede Occumenius Victorinus Hierom in Isa 24. in his Prologue in lib. Dydimi lib. 2. against Jovinian Epist. 15. q. 11. to Agasia Epist 17. to Marcel Tertullian lib. 3. against Marcion and against the Iewes Some also of the latter Writers as Sixtus senensis lib. 2. Bibliot in vocabulo Meretricis Magnae Bellarmine lib. 2. de P. R. cap. 2. 13. Ludovicus Vives in lib. 18. de C. D. cap. 20. Lindanus lib. 4. Panop cap. 82. the which confession of his we willingly approve of he alledgeth also that of Peter The Church that is in Babylon salutes you 1 Pet. 5.13 that is in Rome as Eusebius lib. 2. hist cap. 15. expoundeth it the which the Papists doe therefore gladly lay hold on to shew that Peter sate at Rome but it is a weake conjecture for it may more probably be said that Peter wrote from Babylon of the East as Calvin in his Commentary on the place sheweth But be that place in Peter what way soever understood Many things perswade us that this Babylon is Rome First the description and situation of this great citie agrees not so fully to any as to Rome for it is said to stand upon seven Mountaines which cannot so well be said of any city as of Rome built of old by Romulus on seven hills named Palatinus Quirinalis Aventinus Coelius Viminalis Aesquilinus Janicularis Hence Virgil. lib. 6. Aeneid Scilicet rerum facta est pulcherrima Roma Septem quae una sibi muro circundedit arces Rome is become the famoust place of all Which hath inclos'd seven hills within her wall And Ovid lib. 1. Trist Eleg. 4. Sed quae de septem totum circumspicit orbem Montibus imperii Roma deûmque locus Rome is the place of gods and royal seat Or'e lookes the world with her seven mountaines great And Horace Diis quibus placuere colles dicere carmen Vnto the gods a verse to tell Whom the seven hills doe please full well And Propertius Vrbs septem alta jugis toti qua praesidet orbi The lofty citie on seven hills hie Which rules the world continually Secondly this Babylon is called a great city Rome the great city and that indeed emphatically with a double article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That great City Now it is known that Rome is called the City and the great City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of Pra-eminence hence Tityr in Virgil thus speaketh Vrbem quam dieunt Romam Melliboee putari Stultus ego huic nostrae similem c. The city called Rome O Melibee I as a foole like ours did thinke to be Besides this great citie Babylon in Johns time Having rule over the world had dominion over the Kings of the earth Chap. 17.18 and no city then but Rome had monarchicall power But we need no further proofe seeing this opinion is backt with the authority of many Ancient writers Bellar. li. 2. de P.
and hornes greater wisedome is contained Now the words of the Angell consists either of one comma here is the minde which hath understanding to wit hid for herein is a mystieall sense that cannot be searched out by the mind of man Or of two commaes or clauses One being Here is wisedome the other he that hath wisedome that is let him understand And this latter seemes to be according to the mind of the Angell because of the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that hath though the sense be all one viz. that the mystery of the beast is above mans wisedome except it be revealed And therefore the Angell offers himselfe to declare the same And he stirres up our desire by an exclamation lest we should be slothfull in taking notice and shunning of the beast The seven heads are seven Mountaines Now he opens the wisedome which he promised by expounding the mystery of the beast according to his severall parts Where first wee may observe the Metonymicall Phrase of the signe for the thing signified being ordinarily used in Sacraments and therefore are called Sacramentall kind of speeches The seven heads are seven Mountaines Gen 4 28 17.10 by a Metonymia of the signe and the thing signified for the seven heads signifie seven Mountaines so also The seven kine are seven yeeres that is signifie seven yeeres Ex 12 11 1 cor 10 4 Ioh. 1 32 Ma. 26 26 Circumcision is the Covenant for the signe of the Covenant as God himselfe interpreteth it The Lambe is the Passeover that is signifies the Passeover The Rocke was Christ for it signified Christ The Dove was the holy Ghost for it was a signe of the Holy Ghost And so The bread is the body of Christ broken for us for Aug dist 2 de consec c hoc est contra Adem cap 12 Luk 22 20 it signifies that the body of Christ was broken for us and is given unto us for food so Austin saith The bread is the body of Christ not in verity of the thing but by a significant mystery And againe The Lord doubted not to say This is my body when he gave the signe of his body So The Cup is the Now Testament for it is a holy signe of the New Testament c. Now this I doe the rather speake of because some inconsiderately do contend that neither in Scriptures nor good Authors any examples are to be found that the signe is put for the thing signified with the copulative Is betwixt But here they may see it The seven heads are seven Mountaines and a little after They are seven Kings Againe The ten hornes are ten Kings The waters are Peoples the woman is the Great City what will they have more Secondly that we might not seeke these Mountaines in the Moone as they say he addeth The seven heads are seven Mountaines on which the woman sitteth But the woman verse 18. is the great City that had dominion over the Kings of the earth in Iohns time that is Rome so then the sense is upon which Mountaine the woman fitteth that is upon which Mountaines Rome is built that rules the world hence Rome is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seven hal'd see Chap. 14.8 These Hills are called Capitolinus Palatinus Caelius Aventinus Aesquilinus Vnninalis Quirinalis in honour whereof was yeerely kept on the third of the Ides of December the Festivitie of the seven hills in memory of Romulus the builder or rather for the three Mountaines that were added by Servius Tullius that the Citie might stand upon seven for that which Romulus before built comprehended but foure Mountaines within the walles This â—â—ngell therefore doth plainly marke out Rome situated on seven hâ—â—ls as the seat of Antichrist Neither can the Iesuites any longer deay the same The Iesuits wrangling but onely by cavelling they would perswade us that Ancient or heathenesse Rome is here meant such as it was in Iohns time But themselves know it is a meere evasion for this Prophesie respecteth Rome that shall be in Antichrists time At last therefore they confesse it is meant of Popish Rome but here they seeke out another starting-hole viz. that this Rome shall not be the seat of Antichrist because it is to be burnt before Antichrist come But they well know that this is also false For why shall Rome be burnt Is it not because of her fornication with the Kings of the Earth and for being the seat of Antichrist They say that Rome shal apostate from the Christian faith unto Heathenisme See before chap 14 8 But what then shall the Pope doe in the meane time will he looke no better to his cure but a lyar had need have a good memory They say that Rome shall commit fornication with the ten Kings and for the same bee burnt And yet they say that those ten Kings or at least seven of them shall follow Antichrists Campe How then can it bee burnt before Antichrist come It is also observeable how diversly the seat of the woman is noted In verse 1. How the woman sits upon the waters upon the beast upon the mountains she sits upon many waters afterward verse 3. upon the beast and here upon the mountains the which are the heads of the beast All which things doe well agree ROME sits upon many waters as she beares rule over the Kings and Inhabitants of the Earth Rome sits upon the beast as she is born up of the beast and ruled by Antichrist Or if the beast be the Romane Empire Rome sits upon the beast as she swayeth the beast or Empire for by sitting dominion is noted Lastly Rome sits upon the heads of the beast which are the seven Mountains as sitting on them herself and giving them for a dwelling place to Antichrist Observe also the admirable union and mixture between the beast and woman and the mutuall metaneorphosis of the one as it were into the other so as the one is the other or a part and of the essence thereof yea both are one even the same Antichrist The seven Mountaines are the heads and strength of the beast and the seven Mountaines are the seat of the woman what doth hence follow but that the heads of the beast are the strength and seat of the woman that is of Antichrist Now the Mountaines of the woman are the mountaines of Rome And if the mountaines of Rome are the heads of Antichrist and the woman sit on the mountaines of Rome The woman then sits and reignes upon the heads of Antichrist Furthermore he that reigneth upon the heads of the Beast and the Mountaines of the woman is Antichrist The Pope of Rome reigneth on the heads of the beast and the mountaines of the woman therefore the Pope of Rome is Antichrist But Ribera contendeth that the beast is the devill not Antichrist yet he grants that the mountaines of the beast are the mountaines of Rome Now what will he gather hence
and Interpreters of the Revelation and thus I have freed this Booke from a three-fold slander first as if it were not Canonicall secondly obscure as not to be understood thirdly of neglect as if for this cause the worthiest Divines had hitherto shunned the interpretation thereof There remaine two other scandals to be taken away one of the order that this Booke is the last of the New Testament the other of errour that it containes somethings not agreeable to Apostollical Faith both these clouds will be dispersed by the consideration of the dignity of this Prophesie which like the Morning Starre above the rest shineth most clearely among the other Bookes of the New Testament What therefore respects the Order so farre is it from diminishing the worth of the Booke in any kind as it the more commendeth the same For it is in very deed a divine Seale by which the Holy Ghost was pleased not without-reason to close up both the Old and the New Canon of the divine Scriptures which manifestly appeareth from that propheticall Protestation at the end of the Booke by which such are pronounced blessed who observe the words of this Prophesie the falsifiers on the contrary that presume to adde or take ought there-from are threatned with curses for unto them that adde Rev. 22.18 God shall adde the plagues that are written in this Booke to them that take away The Canonicall authority of the Revelation confirmed from the order thereof God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life and out of the HOLY CITY and from the things that are written in this Booke What could be expressed more honourable concerning this Prophesie for if it be unlawfull to adde ought therto then certainly in all respects it is absolute perfect divine and the word of God unto which nothing without impiety may bee added by men Againe if nothing may be taken away from the same then it is Sacred inviolable divine and the word of God which onely cannot bee broken Ioh. 10.35 Thus we see that the Canonicall dignity of this Booke is established by the order it selfe And hereby it is plainly made equall with the divine Bookes of Moses himself Deut. 4.2 12.32 the Prince of Prophets For as those because they are the first of the Sacred Canon are often confirmed with this Seale Ye shall not adde unto the word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it c. So this Booke as it were closing the Holy Canon is confirmed with the like Seale that nothing may bee added to it nothing taken away from it As Moses therefore was the Chieftaine of the Prophets leading the first rankes So John was chiefe of the Prophets closing up or leading the last rankes and here I willingly assent to Bezas opinion most solidly and truely affirming that it seemed good to the Holy Ghost to gather into this pretious Booke In praefat Apoc. those things which remained to be fulfilled after Christs comming of the praedictions of the former Prophets and also to adde some things so farre as concerned us to know Praefat. in Daniel A like honourable Title that worthy Divine JOHN OECOLAMPADIUS giveth unto this Booke That it is the best Interpreter of all the Prophets Neither will I speake more touching the order save this one thing that in it appeareth also a manifest reason of time When the Revelation was written For it is the last Booke of the New Testament not because it is last in dignity but in time For Ierome writeth that Domitian raising after Nero the second persecution against the Christians Iohn wrote the Revelation in the 14. yeer of his reigne in the I le called Patmos In vita Iohannis With whom Irenaeus a most ancient Writer doth agree affirming that John saw the Revelation not long before his time but almost saith hee in our age towards the end of Domitian his Empire Lib. 3. c. 25 Wherefore the Apocalyps was written in the ninety sixth yeer of Christ after all the other Bookes of the New Testament were written For Iohn out-lived all the Apostles and Canonicall Writers and lived as Sophronius records untill the third yeere of Trajane which from Christs birth was Anno 102 and after his passion as Ierome recordeth 68. In vita Iohannis and from the destruction of Jerusalem 25. Now whereas some affirme that Iohn wrote his Gospell after the Revelation it is without any probabilitie But we come to speake of the utility of the Revelation This Booke doth excellently shine forth in point of doctrine for it truely teacheth the Propheticall and Apostolicall Faith and much illustrates many articles of the Gospell The profitablenes of the Revelation or common places In speciall it proveth the eternall Deity of Christ with such weighty arguments as scarcely more excellent are to be found in any other part of Scripture absolutely ascribing unto Christ many attributes which are onely proper unto Iehovah viz. that he is Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the end the Almighty that the Lambe standing in the Throne of the Deity equall in majesty with the Father is worshipped by all the Heavenly Inhabitants that he judgeth the adversaries rules the Nations with an iron rod that hee is the King of kings and Lord of lords c. It plainely also maintaineth the Doctrine of Christs Mediatorship and work of our Redemption through his blood calling him the faithfull Witnesse the First begotten from the dead Redemption of christ the Prince of the kings of the earth the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world who hath washed us in his blood from our sins and made us Priests and Kings to God and the Father c. It sets forth the afflicted state and condition of the Church in this life especially in the latter times by evident types viz. that the woman bringing forth a Man-Child the Ruler of the Nations shall be driven into the Wildernesse by the Dragon and the Beast where she shall remaine hid from the sight of men when the two Witnesses shall prophesie against the Dragon and the Beast and shall indeed be slaine but being againe raysed to life they shall bee taken up into Heaven c. By which verily it is manifest that nothing else is signified then that the Church in Antichrists reigne shall bee obscure and secret in the wildernesse being oppressed in Babylon it selfe the Seat of Antichrist The flight of the Church into the wildernesse untill at length Babylon decaying shee being commanded to come out of her shall againe come forth and be seen of men By which that cavill is easily answered Where the Church was before Luthers time if the Papacy were not The Papacy indeed was the Apostaticall Church it was Babylon having nothing but the bare Name of the Holy Citie But the true Church lye hid as captivated and oppressed in the same
event manifested that they were to be taken in a proper sense as Daniel also teacheth Chap. 9.2 Bellarmin granteth that then a certaine number is put for an uncertaine Lib. 3. de ◠R. cap. 8. when the number set down is full and perfect as 10.100.1000 but not when diverse numbers great and small are propounded But this is infirme and false as appeares by Luk. 13.32 I doe cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected which is indefinitely spoken And Matt. 18.22 Forgive thy brother seventy times seven indefinitely for verie many times And Revel 7.4 14.1 144000. are said to be sealed indefinitely Rev. 9.5.10 The Locusts shall hurt five moneth in this very Chapt. v. 11. the two wittnesses shall ryse againe after three dayes a halfe Reve. 14.20 Blood flowed out of the Lake by the space of a thousand six hundred furlongs all which foresaid places are indefinitely to be understood Yet if I durst speake any thing touching the certaine beginning of these 42. moneths I would as most doe by a propheticall mysterie applie them to 1260 yeeres beginning from the time that the holy city began to be troden under foot by the Romane Gentiles not the old but new that is by Antichristian Popes whom we have shewed to be here noted by the Gentiles They began to tread upon the Church after they were lifted up into the chaire of universall pestilence among whom Boniface was the first in the yeere 606. Then the star of the Church of Rome fallen from heaven upon the earth opening the bottomlesse pit brought forth out of the smoke those mortal Locusts spoken of Chap. 9. From the yeere of Christ therefore 606 untill this time the holy citie hath been troden under foot by the Romane Gentiles which is the space of 1073. yeeres and is yet to be troden down 223 yeeres more to wit untill the yeere of Christ 1866. But let this terme bee indefinite seeing the Lord hath reserved it to himselfe undoubtedly will shorten it for the elects sake Wherefore I will determine nothing of these fourty and two moneths 3. And I will give to my two witnesses I have expounded the generall prophesie touching the future reformation of the Church after that the Companie of priests were departed from the faith unto paganisme and Antichrist had troden downe the holy city by his tyranny Now followes the speciall prophesie touching the instruments manner successe and event of this reformation serving for the comfort of the faithfull for when in appearance Antichrist shall have wholy troden the holy city under foot and thrust Christ as it were out of all his possession then he will shew that he ruleth in the midst of Antichrists kingdome and will renew preserve unto himself a measured Tēple in the city troden under foot viz. by the prophesie of his two witnesses Now this part of the prophesie is also full of difficultie as who these two witnesses are after what manner they prophesied and to what times this history appertaines For here are almost as many opinions as expositours Yet these things will not be altogether obscure unto us if we give heed unto the scope laid down by us in the Argument and Analysis And I will give So Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and adversatively yet it may well be read but I will give because it is as it were an exception as if he had said In outward appearance the whole city shall be troden down all prophesie extinct by Antichrists tyrannie but I will restore prophesie For the word power is not in the Greek but added by the translatours to make up the sense that the city of God may be rebuilded I will give to my two witnesses He neither names the witnesses nor expresseth what he will give them Some therefore gesse one thing and some another Beza here adds the same to wit the holie city which agrees well with the sense because Christ will truelie give that is recommend the same unto his witnesses that so it may be set free from oppression and purged from the filthy smoake of Antichrist Others I will give them to wit a mouth and wisedome which Antichrist shall not be able to resist according to that in Luke 21.15 I will give you a mouth and wisedome which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or resist Which promise is made to all faithfull professours of the name of Christ Others I will give them to wit my spirit which is all one with the former but it seems rather that the two future verbes are coupled together as noting the end and effect I will give to them and they shall prophesie for I will give unto them that they may prophesie that is authoritie or power to prophesie and somuch such coupling often signifies as Gen. 34.30 They shall gather themselves together against me and smite me and I shall be destroyed For that they may smite me and I and my house shall be destroyed So Ierem. 9.1 Oh wo will give my head to bee waters and mine eye a fountaine of teares and I will bewaile night and day the slaine of my people For that I may bewaile as Pagninus expresseth it They shall prophesie therefore to wit againe according to the commandement Thou must againe prophesie But concerning these witnesses who they are and what time was determined for their prophesying is a difficult question I will briefly speak somewhat of it The Papists taking the whole literallie doe vainly dream The Papists fable about the two witnesses that when the Iewes with their leader Antichrist shall have recovered the citie of Jerusalem then these two witnesses shall be present who by prophesying shall oppose themselves against these perfidious Iewes and Antichrist 1260 dayes that is three yeeres and an halfe The witnesses they say are Enoch and Elias whom they affirme to be yet alive in paradise and there reserved to this end that returning into the world they may resist Antichrist But beeing slaine by him they shall againe be restored to life after three dayes and an half at the beholding of which miracle the Iewes as they faine shall turne to Christ and put Antichrist to death in mount Olivet and thenceforward prepare themselves for Christ who should now come fourty and five dayes after From this fable Bellarmin drew his third demonstration in defence of the Pope that he is not Antichrist neyther that Antichrist is yet come because saith he the two Prophets Henoch and Elias must come before Christ but these are not as yet come whereas the Pope of Rome hath now reigned for many ages Therfore he is not the Antichrist neither is Antichrist as yet come The major of this fable he laboureth to prove first by foure places of Scripture Malach. 4.5 Behold I will send the prophet Elias c. Ecclus 48.10 Elias is written in the judgements of times to pacific the wrath of the
them to death but also insult contumeliously over them after their death All sorts of injuries are here noted under this one which for the kind of it is the most inhumane namely to hinder their carkeises contrarie to the law of all nations from beeing buried but causing the same to be thrown forth unto the scorn of all in the streetes of the great city The carkeises of the witnesses are not onely their bodies What is meant by the carkeises of the witnesses unto which these things doe frequentlie happen according to the letter for the Beast wil not suffer any heretick to have Christian buriall as they call it but also their names cursed by him and bookes which he prohibits to be made use of read or sold but causeth them to be burnt to be short their families also which he seekes by all meanes to make infamous and to suppresse So that to lie in the streetes is to be exposed to the publick scorn of all men But where shall these things be done In the streets of the great citie It is questioned what this is Ierom takes it to be the world but Ribera refutes him Epist 17. ad Marcell and will have it to be Ierusalem the which thing Alcasar also pleadeth for But this the text refuteth by the word spiritually here added as doth the Angel also Chap. 17.18 The woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth now by that great citie Rome is understood as the Iesuites themselves confesse But certaine it is one the same great city is both there and here spoken of In the stretes of this great city the carkeises of the witnesses shal be exposed to the scorn of the multitude both properly and figurativelie First properly This great city is Rome see Chap. 14.8 17.18 How they carkeises shall lie in the streetes of Rome because they shall suffer the contumelies here described in the publick places courts palaces temples theaters streets of the Romish citie For the lightnings thunders of excommunications the martyrdomes punishments warres against the testimony of Iesus Christ are all forged in the shoppe of Rome from thence with great celerity sent abroad over the Christian world Now by a synecdoche the great city is put for the whole jurisdiction of the Pope which extendeth it self over all Italie France Spaine Germanie Poland Hungarie c. as if all were but one citie as the Poet sung of old touching the Romans Cuncti gens una sumus Wee are all one nation Claudianus in whose streets princely palaces courts market places ports theatres c. the martyrs of Christ are reproachfully defamed cursed condemned To be short least we should be ignorant of what citie these things are spoken Lipsius Stapleton have not long agoe published in print the former the greatnesse of the city the later of the Church of Rome Which spiritually is called By three titles this great city the seat of the Beast is marked out that so we may the better understand its shameful filthinesse horrible idolatrie blindnesse cruelty detestable impiety Sodom First Rome is called Sodom not literally for Sodom was now long agoe consumed by fire from heaven but spiritually or mystically that is allegoricallie and in a certain similitude for the word spiritually is not here put in a Theological but Rhetorical sense And this is plain because to speak Theologically there is nothing spirituall in this city except the bare name as beeing called the holie city Catholick Romane Church Spiritually therefore it is Sodom that is metaphorically because it is like unto Sodom But wherein stands the likenes In filthines Sodomiticall lust which horribly reigneth in this great city And hence it is called the mother of fornications Gen. 19.5 Ezech. 16.50 Rom. 1.17 ha 17.4 Chap. 17.5 The abominations of the Sodomites are known unto us by the holy Scripture and the like evils were practised by the Romanes in the Apostles times But thereunto Iohn here hath no reference For he prophesies of Rome which should be the seat of the Beast afterward called a woman of whoredomes Therfore she is called Sodom as most infamous by her Sodomitical beastlinesse Now let us but looke upon the great citie of papacy what is it but as an abominable warehouse of all spirituall corporal fornications In the city it self in which is the seat of the Beast filthy lusts not to be named are commonlie freely committed nourished commended gain made thereof If any doubt let him read histories or goe to Rome and he shall finde the truth of that which PETRARCHA complaines of viz. that deflowring ravishing incests and adulteries are now but as a sport to the Pontificall lasciviousnes He shall finde that of Mantuan true I pudor in villas si non patiantur easdem Et villae vomicas Roma est jam tota Lupanar Goe shame into the villages if they refuse Such lothsome beastlinesse whole Rome is now a stewes And again Roma vale vidi satis est vidisse revertar Cum Leno meretrix scurra Cynaedus ero Now farwel Rome I have thee seene it was enough to see I will come back when as I mean bawd harlot knave to be And what was answered to one inquiring about Rome Roma quid est Amor est quem dat praeposterus ordo Roma mares noli dicere plura scio But what is Rome she is that love which natures rule doth breake For it s at Rome ' mongst males I know much more but wil not speake There have been some as I have heard and glad I am I have not seen the same who have published bookes by the Popes authoritie in commendation of the unnaturall villany of Romish buggerers O WICKEDNESSE O SODOME And Aegypt Aegypt was not a citie but a kingdom by which we understand that this great citie is to be applied unto the whole kingdom of the Beast For allegorically it is Aegypt that is like unto Aegypt In what in idolatrie blindnesse cruelty Herodotus witnesseth that the Aegyptians were beyond measure superstitious worshipping oxen cowes doues onyons garlick other herbes Juvenal also Sat. 15. sheweth that the Aegyptians were so deprived of understanding as to worship the Crocodyle the bird Ibis munkies fishes dogges hogges and onyons Oh holie nations saith hee who have their Gods growing in gardens The great citie of the beast changing the name onely doth worship the same or the like thinges For there is nothing at all which the Priestes after the example of the Aegyptians doe not give religious adoration unto by their consecrations Yea the Beasts idolatrie is worse in honouring of wood stones brasse gold together with his breaden god wheras the Aegyptians for the most part worshipped things in which there was life Mantuan therefore Eclog. 9. taxeth the Romanists for viler idolatrie then was amongst the Aegyptians in these verses Fama
other cities of the nations But what Great City is here intended Vndoubtedly The great City broken into parts see chap 11 8. 14 8 17.18 the same in whose streets the bodies of the two witnesses did lie unburied Chap. 11.8 that is the Citie Dominion and Church of Rome which is the Kingdome of Antichrist being as it were one Great City because it is governed by one head the Pope Brightman includes the Turkish kingdome or Empire because here is treated of the totall destruction of all the ungodly But the Mahumetane tyrannie is more rightly comprehended under the Cities of the Nations that so wee might take notice that Rome is set forth by the Great City both formerly here and in the following Chapter also The Allegory of some seems to me not to be proper namely that the great Citie that is the universallity of men shall be divided into three parts that is in the last time there shall be found three sorts of men in the Church Christians Papists and Neutralls for these three sorts shall not then take their beginning seeing they have already bin a long while in the world Ribera following Andreas makes Jerusalem to be this great citie understanding the division of it into three parts to be three sorts of people living in the same Christians Iews and Saracenes But the following Chapter doth evidently shew that not Ierusalem but Rome is this citie as standing on seven Mountaines and in Iohns time having dominion and power over the Kings of the earth and therefore Alcasar doth justly reject this opinion although himselfe doth wholly erre from the scope Neither is it materiall that Ribera supposeth that Rome must be overthrowne before these things do happen unto which also Brightman seemes to assent in his exposition on the fifâ— Viall for of this wee shall see more in the following Chapter however the Iesuite erreth feining that Rome shall be destroyed before Antichrists rising seeing Iohn in Chapter 11. and againe Chap. 17. doth not obscurely make the great City standing on seven hills to be the Seat of Antichrist But how long before the end Rome shall be cut off the Lord knoweth If some time before it makes nothing against the sense by us alleadged For by the great City we are not onely to understand the walles and streets of Rome but all places wherever the Romish Antichrist hath any jurisdiction which as the Iesuite confesseth may stand although Rome bee destroyed before even unto this last Earthquake And the Cities of the Nations fell Wee have heard of the ruine of Rome Antichrist and his kingdom Now is added what happened to the other Adversarie kingdomes They also fell by the foresaid Earthquake for the Cities of the Nations I take to be the kingdoms Provinces Forts and power of the Barbarians not belonging to Antichrists kingdom as Iewes Turkes Saracens and the like dispersed throughout the whole world which shall all at the same time be ruinated And thus it must necessarily be understood for if here we should understand the Nations figuratively viz. of the Antichristian Papists who worshippe God after the manner of the heathens as it is before taken in Chapter 11.1 it would seem to be a tautologie not to be approved of And great Babylon came into remembrance before God That which before he called the Great City here he calles it great Babylon and so much we may plainely gather from the voice of the second Angel Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City Chapter 15.8 18.10 Wherefore I see no reason why we should here seeke for another Babylon to wit a new Rome that is Constantinople as Brightman supposeth for seeing Constantinople to this day and so without doubt shall continue in Mahumetisme and idolatry the same shall fall with the Cities of the Nations But to imagine that the Westerne Christians after Popery shall bee aboâ—shed and also drive the Turke out of the East and recover or overthrow Constantinople the Metropolis of the Turkish Empire this I say seemes to me to be a thing rather to be wished then expected in regard that our owne sinnes shall fight for the Turke even against our selves untill such time that the great Citie Babylon and all the Cities of the nations shall be utterly overthrowne by the universall Earthquake Wherefore then doth he repeat the name of the great City I answer hee doth it by an Emphaticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reversion that we may not thinke the division which before he spake of to be small or to happen by chance but understand the just and horrible judgement of God in the destruction thereof for then the Lord will give unto her the cup of the fury of his wrath by which phrase is signified the most fearfull judgement of God executed on her in regard of her idolatry and tyranny according to the threatning of the third Angell Chap. 14.10 as if he had said The great City is broken Babylon I say the great is come into remembrance before God that forasmuch as she hath made drunk the world with the wine of her fornication she herselfe also shall have her fill of the cup of the fury of Gods wrath that is God will punish her in a horrible manner Shee is said to come into remembrance before God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or after the manner of men For God did seeme for a thousand years and more to connive and forget her as it were in not punishing her wicked Idolatry and tyranny but at last by his horrible judgements he will make it knowne that she was never out of his remembrance and that he never approved of her flagitious workes Now in what sense and how many wayes both in the good and evill part God is said to forget and to remember and wherefore the Scripture speaketh thus of God we have fully expounded in our Commentary on Genesis touching these words And God remembred Noah Chap. 8.1 20. And every Island fled away The third kind of wonders are in the Sea Signes in the Sea intimating how they that live though never so remote in the Islands shall also be overwhelmed by this fatall Earthquake for every Island shall flee away that is shall vanish away and perish either by water or fire Now by Islands the Hebrews understand all places seated neer the Sea The Mountaines also which are either in the Islands or other mediterranean places shall not be able to shelter the adversaries because there shall none be found but all bee swallowed up by the violence of the Earthquake In the dayes of Noah when the flood came men ranne to the Mountaines for safety and at the destruction of Ierusalem Christ counselled his disciples to flee unto the Mountaines But here now the wicked cannot flee to the Islands or Mountaines because then they shall not be by a like manner of Speech the end of the world is set forth afterward in Chap. 20.11 Before in the Antichristian
onely of the inchoated spirituall renovation which is in this life but also of the consummated litterall and proper renovation which we look for at the comming of Christ Now the Heaven and the Earth shall not bee new in Substance How heaven and earth are new but in Qualities as puritie brightnesse and glory for that which is added The first heaven and the first earth are passed away and before Chap. 20.11 From whose face the heaven and the earth c. doth not signifie that they should bee brought to nothing but that they are to be purifyed by fire from all present vanity and defilement So Peter interpreteth the same The heavens burning shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat Whence the Apostle gathers this weighty instruction seeing that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of men ought yee to bee in all holy conversation and godlinesse And indeed to meditate and doe this tends more to Salvation then curiously to search after the manner of the Renovation Now if any one should say These things John saw but the Heavenly glory Eye hath not seene Eare hath not heard c. therefore the Vision speakes not of this glory The answer is easie Iohn saw not the thing it selfe but he saw certaine representations and types of the things to come Therefore it remaines true that Eye hath not seene c. especially seeing Iohn saw not the same with his eyes but in the spirit And the Sea was no more AVGVSTINE thinkes that the Sea may be understood of the turbulent world 1. Cor. 7.31 which then shall no more bee for the world passeth away with the fashion thereof yet hee retaines the proper sense also but doubteth whither the Sea shall be dryed up by that fervent heat or whither that also shall be changed and purged Indeed we read that the Heaven and the Earth shall bee renewed but I remember not that I have read of a new Sea save onely what is said in this Booke touching the Sea of glasse like to Chrystall Rev. 4.6 but there he speakes not of this world Andreas Caesariensis supposeth that then there shall bee no Sea The renovation of the Sea for what use should there be of it seeing then men shall saile no more Schoole-men thinke that the Sea shall so bee renewed as indeed it shall not retaine its substance because the water is to be consolidated into the globe of the Sphere remaining no longer flowing But these curiosities we leave unto themselves By the New Heaven BRIHGTMAN understands a new worship and puritie in godlinesse By the new earth new Israelites which then shall joyne unto the Church of Christ By the former heaven that passed away the Iewish worship which they shall no longer exercise By the former earth the Iewes themselves who of Iewes shall become Christians By the Sea which was no more corrupt doctrine which shall have no place among the new people for then the Iewes shall cast off their errours touching the Messias which now they maintaine tooth and naile c. What manner of Allegories these are I passe by certainely they depend upon a very improbable conjecture viz. that the Easterne Iewes after the overthrow of the Turkish Empire and burning of Rome should be added unto the Church of Christ 2. And I Iohn saw the holy City Now also the glory of the renewed Church is exhibited to the view of Iohn under the Type of a most beautifull Citie as it were a Bride most curiously adorned The Kings Bible omitting the name of Iohn reads it And I saw which John inserts for certainety sake For Iohn was an Apostle an Evangelist and witnesse of the truth therefore he writeth a thing that is certaine Furthermore the Scripture generally calleth the Church of the Elect Ierusalem because Ierusalem was the Seat of the Church and worship of God according to the Psalme This is my rest for ever here I will dwell because I have chosen her Ps 132.14 But because that Old Ierusalem polluted with the blood of Christ and his Apostles was at length overthrowne He distinguisheth this new Ierusalem from the other by divers Titles He cals it a Citie because of the beauty of its building and afterward addes holy because it shall shine with Heavenly purity and perfect holinesse Here indeed it begins to bee holy Eph. 5.27 Christ sanctifying her unto himselfe with the washing of water in the word but as yet she is not without spot and wrinkle but then he will present her unto himselfe gloriously holy without spot or wrinkle or any such thing He cals it New to difference it from the old and because of its new brightnesse For then the righteous shall shine in glory as the Sunne Mat. 13.43 Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 19 COMING DOWNE FROM GOD OVT OF HEAVEN Because saith AVSTIN It is heavenly grace by which God hath made her Therefore it is said to descend from God out of heaven because God hath chosen her from all eternitie therefore originally she comes downe out of Heaven so Chap. 3.12 Vpon him that overcommeth I will write the name of the Citie of my God the new Ierusalem that commeth downe from my God And Hebr. 12 22. it is called the Heavenly Ierusalem Gal. 4.26 Ierusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is above How the new Ierusalem comes down from heaven But this Epithite seemes to be contrary to our opinion for the Heavenly Ierusalem shall never come downe but remaine firm in Heaven I ANSWER First it may be said that the Vision is to bee distinguished from the thing it selfe The Image of the Heavenly City which Iohn saw in the Spirit came downe or if the Citie it selfe came downe it is visionally to be understood But Secondly this comming downe as above Chap. 3.12 must be taken not of a locall motion but of the originall beginning of the new Ierusalem for whither her existence be said to be above or here below as God from Heaven hath chosen so hath he called justifyed and gloried her Prepared as a Bride By another metaphor he amplifies the dignitie and glory of the Triumphant Church Unto her dignitie belongs that hee saw her as a Bride to wit of the Lambe ver 9. To her glory that he saw her adorned for her husband that is in full beauty now delivered into the hands of Christ her Husband For then shall bee the eternitie of the Heavenly Wedding Above in Chap. 19.7 The Bride made her selfe ready while as yet she was absent from the Lord But now she is prepared because the Wedding Feast is at hand But hence BRIGHTMAN He saw her saith he prepared adorned not as yet delivered Therefore shee was not as yet glorified Answ The participles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prepared adorned argue the contrary Now she is a preparing and adorning her selfe But then she shall bee prepared adorned that is fully beautified with
everlasting light But Everlastingnesse is not of this Life He saith also The dayes of thy mourning shal be ended Now the mourning of the Church shal not be ended in this Life but in the Church-Triumphant where God wil wipe away all teares from our eyes there I say shal be no longer mourning nor cry nor death nor sorrow as in ver 4. 24. And the Nations that were saved Thus much of the building and glory of the Citie Now also hee speakes of the Citizens who they shal bee what good things they shall enjoy and who shal be kept out of the same For the first he saith that the INHABITANTS of this Citie shall bee THE NATIONS THAT ARE SAVED consisting not onely of the common people but Kings also for he saith Kings shall walke in the light of it that is shall eternally enjoy the glorious presence and majesty of God How the nations are the City Citizens And the Kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into this Citie Here first it is demaunded if this Citie bee the glorified Church how then are the Nations distinguished from the same seeing the Nations that are saved are nothing else but the Church it selfe I ANSWER The order of the Vision is to be observed for seeing he saw the glorified Church under the forme of a Citie it was convenient that hee should see also some Inhabitants of the Citie Although therefore the saved of the Nations be the Church it selfe Notwithstanding he doth not unfitly distinguish the Church taken collectively from the Church it selfe distributively considered for thus also an Earthly Citie may be collectively considered as a Common-weal or communitie of Citizens and distributively as many or particular Citizens Adde to this that the Nations are not the whole City for the Elect Patriarchs Prophets and Iewes belong also unto the same Secondly it may be demaunded how the Kings should bring their glory into this Heavenly Citie seeing all Authorities Kingdomes 1. Cor. 15.42 How kings shall bring their glorie into the heavenly Ierusalem and Powers shall then be put downe and that there shal be no Kings then and that in the Heavenly City no earthly thing can be brought Lastly seeing all shal rather receive their glory there then bring any into it Which seemeth to be the chiefest argument of them who hold that here is intended not the Heauenly but the Earthly glory of the CHURCH in this Life The Answer is easie First we are to note that this verse also is taken out of Isai 60.3 And the Gentiles saith he shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising the which is spoken indeed of the conversion of the Gentiles and Heathenish Kings But as before I said that whole Oracle speaketh not onely of the inchoated glory of the Church in this Life but with the beginning joynes the full accomplishment thereof that shal be in the Heavens as there it evidently appeareth in ver 11.18.19.21 Wherefore that place is to be applied unto the Heavenly Citie not as it began in this Life but as it shall be at last consummated in the life to come And the meaning is that then that oracle shall truely and perfectly bee fulfilled when as the Nations that are saved shall walke perfectly in the light of Jehovah And that the KINGS also who in this life have brought their glory and honour into the Church that is subjected themselves unto Christ shal enjoy the same light for ever and ever Therefore he intendeth not as if then there should be any Earthly Kings to bring their earthly glory into heaven for we shal al be Kings and Priests to God but that the Kings which now bring their glory to Christ shall together with the Nations walke in the light This sense is confirmed by the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saved So that then they shal be saved already and not afterwards Rom. 8.24 as yet beeing in this life I confesse we are saved also in this life but it is in hope But then they shal be saved in deed because they shall walke in the Everlasting light Thirdly also it may be demaunded How the kings of the earth are joyned unto the inhabitants of the heavenly Ierusalem seeing hitherto in the Revelation the Kings of the Earth are called for the most part enemies of Christ and followers of Antichrist Chap. 6.15 16.14 17.1.18 18.3.9 19 19. How they should here be reckoned among the Inhabitants of the Heavenly City ANSWER They are here called Kings of the Earth not that they shal be Kings when they enter into this City but because sometimes they were such For in Chap. 17.16 it appeareth that some if not all of the ten Kings of the earth which had given their power unto the Beast should desert the Beast eat the flesh of the whore and burne her with fire therefore some of them shal be converted unto the Lambe and with the Nations that are saved shall walke in the light of this Citie 25. The signes of assured peace And the gates of it shall not be shut This is the Second Part viz. the felicity and firme peace of the Citizens the which while Cities enjoy they flourish in riches and glory but the peace tranquility and security of this City shal be perfect and perpetuall This he sheweth by two signes One is because the gates shall not be shut by day But thou wilt say the gates of our Cities also are not shut by day It is so indeed in time of peace but in war the enemy besieging a City and labouring to break in of necessity the gates must be shut that the Citizens may be preserved from hostile invasion But the gates of the Citie on high shal not be shut by day but alwayes stand open to signifie that there shal be no danger of adversaries but everlasting peace to the Citizens thereof For there shall be no night there This is the other sign of their everlasting peace For in the night while the Citizens sleep the gates are shut least they should be set upon unawares in the dark There shall be no night because the glory of God shal expell the darknesse by everlasting light so that the rising or setting of the Sun or Moon shal not cause night or darknesse Therefore the Citizens shal never sleep or shut their gates for fear of danger These things being spoken after the manner of men do in some sort shadow out unto us that eternall security and peace which we shal enjoy in Heaven To this also is applied out of Isaias the 11. ver of the said 60. Chap. though there spoken in a sense somewhat different from what it is here Therefore thy gates shal be open continually they shall not be shut day nor night that they may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles and their Kings may bee brought where is signified another cause of not shutting
they cause troublesome vapours and smoake neither doe they give light any great distance Therefore we stand in need of the Sunne or Day-light But the servants of God shall not then want any of these things For there shall be no night and therefore no use of lights no not of the light of the Sunne it selfe because the Lord God shall enlighten them with the brightnesse of his majesty as before he said Ch. 21.23 The glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof and the Nations which are saved shall walke in the light of it And they shall reigne for ever and ever This shall be the very height of our glory in Heaven that wee shall reigne with God and the Lambe for ever more Now indeed Christ hath made us Kings and Priests to God and the Father but our Kingdome is yet hid in Christ But then the Kingdome of God shall be manifested in our selves Now is the Kingdome of grace then it shal be of glory Before in Chap. 20. ver 4. they that were beheaded reigned with Christ a thousand yeeres Then we shall all of us reigne with Christ for ever and ever and this is that which he there added in ver 6. touching the rest having part in the first Resurrection They shall reigne with him a thousand yeeres See the exposition there Now we shall so reigne as that God and the Lambe shal be the head of the Kingdome But shall not the Son then deliver up the Kingdome to the Father 1. Cor. 15.28 and be subject to him Yea verily but this he shall not do by laying downe the Kingdome and so cease to reigne For how should the King of kings and Lord of lords of whose Kingdome there is no end Luk. 1.33 ever cease to reigne but by changing the present and mediate forme of the Kingdome into an immediate and by abolishing all the adversaries of the Kingdom as we have elsewhere declared The Second Part of the CHAPTER The Conclusion asserting the profitablenesse and Authority of the whole Prophesie 6. And he said unto mee These sayings are faithfull and true And the Lord God of the Holy Prophets sent his Angell to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly bee done 7. Behold I come quickly blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the Prophesie of this Booke 8. And I Iohn saw these things and heard them And when I had heard and seene I fell downe to worship before the feet of the Angell which shewed me these things 9. Then saith he to mee See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren the Prophets and of them which keepe the sayings of this Booke worship God 10. And hee saith unto mee Seale not the sayings of the Prophesie of this Booke for the time is at hand 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still 12. And behold I come quickly and my reward is with mee to give every man according as his worke shal be 13. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning the end the first the last 14. Blessed are are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the Citie 15. For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye 16. I Iesus have sent mine Angell to testifie unto you these things in the Churches I am the root and the off-spring of David and the bright and morning Starre 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come And let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this Booke if any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke 19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of Life and out of the holy Citie and from the things that are written in this booke 20. Hee which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Iesus 21. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen THE COMMENTARY AND he said unto mee Thus farre of two Parts of the Booke the Preface and the Visions The third or Conclusion remaineth in which somethings respecting the Authority of the Booke are taken out of the Preface and some other things added by which the great utilitie and sacred Authority thereof is further commended as we shewed in the Analysis After the concluding of this Revelation an Angell saith unto John to wit one of the Seven pouring out the Vials who before shewed him the judgement of the whore and the Beast and afterward the magnificence of the Heavenly Ierusalem These words are faithfull and true That is not only what was last spoken but the whole Prophesie as Chap. 19.9 This is the Proposition unto the confirmation whereof the whole Conclusion respecteth that wee might beleeve the Prophesie to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divine true profitable and saving unto the Church and so bee stirred up unto the continuall meditation thereof The Holy Ghost was not ignorant that many would call into Question the divine authority of this Booke for it was a long while rejected as being composed by the hereticke Cerinthus which errour we have before confuted in the Prologue But they ought to have beleeved the Angell saying These words are faithfull and true Faithfull to which we may safely give credit True which shall certainly be accomplished And indeed so it is for we who are now more then fifteen hundred yeers after the Revelation do if not see with our eyes yet certainly feel as it were with our hands the manifest accomplishment almost of all the Visions Here therefore wee have an evident note of divine authoritie and truth imprinted on this Prophesie against the most impudent assertion of BELLARMINE Lib. 4 de verb. cap. 1. which is that it can no way be gathered from the Scripture it selfe that some Scripture is divine What I pray is this but to give the Angell the lie who saith These words are faithfull and true But the liar condemneth himselfe in saying elsewhere that besides other arguments Lib. 1. cap. 2. de verbo the divine authority of Canonicall Bookes of Scripture may be proved from the scripture it selfe The Sophisters and adversaries of Scripture object that this Argument is not sufficient to Faith unlesse it be before proved and beleeved that the Angell or Writer uttering these things spake truth ANSWER First principles are not proved but laid