his restraint albeit of that time as by substituting the Beast of his authority by deceitfull hypocrisie and efficacie of error to worke that from performing whereof in open rage hee was then bound vp might well bee presumed yet hath beene reserued to this place to giue vs in one view his whole story Which consisteth in that rage Chap. 12. From which beeing heere in some consideration bound vp for a time he is againe let loose and his endeauours thereupon are here declared so farre from his intended successe as he is taken the second time and destroied for euer 2 In his first restraint come to bee considered the surenesse end and degree thereof The surenesse is cleered in the person apprehender and manner of fermance The apprehender is God â—â—s minister an Angell instructed with authority as comming from heauen with power to execute as hauing the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chaine All spoken after the manner of men This Angell falleth not from heauen to earth as that great starre Chapter 9. but commeth downe as he Chapters 10. and 18. And accordingly hath the key of the bottomlesse pit for a farre different end from that this comming to inclose the Prince of darkenesse being himselfe the minister of light whereas that great starre falling from the ministrie of light to become the minister of darknesse he openeth the botomlesse pit to let out darkenesse The Dragon is heere described by these same names and property of seducing Nations which are giuen him in the 12. Chapter in the first degree of this his first foile towards this first captiuity when by Michael his valour hee was cast from heauen Which the holy Ghost doth of purpose to leade vs know that this first binding is from that rage So wisely and plainely the spirit teacheth vs to couple together the parts of this prophesie Now Christ is hee properly who treadeth downe the head of that serpent who onely is that stronger then the strong one comming in binding him and spoiling his house as who onely hath come to lose the workes of Satan and onely hath the keies of hell and death But according as he giueth gifts to men and worketh by his ministers of whatsoeuer calling who in his light and strength aduance the Kingdome of light and bring downe that of darkenesse his ministers thus instructed by him and to this ende are also binders of the Dragon Of whom this Angell is the generall type 3 The manner of fermance to shew the surenes thereof is after the manner of men set forth in inclosing shutting and sealing as was the caues mouth on Daniel and the Sepulchre of Christ 4 The end of his restraint is That he seduce not the Nations c Which ende how it is and how farre to be vnderstood the degree of his restraint now and his endeauour vpon his next loosing will make cleare 5 Thus we haue the surenesse and end of the Dragons restraint Now followeth the degree thereof cleering the end as I haue said The degree is that this his captiuity is not absolute but in a speciall consideration This is shewed by the time thereof state of men in that time and what this state is The time is not for euer as in his next taking but for a thousand yeeres which being expired he was to bee losed againe The denunciation of which sad euent is mitigated with a consolation that it should be but for a short space euen that three daies and a halfe wherein the witnesses were killed and lay vnburied Chapter 11. For thencefoorth by degrees the Dragon is againe comprehended till he be made fully fast in eternall chaines 6 The state of men during this first restraint sheweth it also not to be absolute in so farre as hee shall bee bound but to a few being still loose towards the most part This is cleered by declaration of the seuerall condition of both and first of these to whom hee is bound Wherein are two their condition in this his restraint and who they are that haue this condition Their condion is expressed first in figuratiue speech of Thrones and Sitters hauing iudgement accordingly giuen them and next in proper termes that they liued and raigned with Christ these thousand yeeres Who they are that are in this estate and condition is shewed in two sorts First The soules of them who were beheaded for the word of God c. Secondly They who worshipped not the Beast c. The state and condition of the contrarie sort is that during these thousand yeeres they lay dead and liued not Now how great this number is and how small in comparison thereto is the former is cleere by the 13 Chapter where all the earth follow the Beast and receiue his Character name or number except these 144000. sealed ones Chap. 7. in mount Sion with the Lambe Chap. 14. And consequently in what respect and to whom the Dragon is said during this space to bee bound 7 The third point shewing yet further the strict consideration of Satan his restraint is the explication of this state and condition of both sorts of men what this life and raigne of the one is and what is the death of the other To wit that this life and raigne are not to bee taken for this naturall life or any wordly dominion neither yet for that euerlasting and glorious state which the Saints in Soule and body after the last indgement inioy in heauen this being their state during the thonsand yeeres and called the first resurrection As neither is the death of the other to be vnderstood of the naturall death of the body by seperation of the soule therefrom or of the eternall death of both in Gehenna as wherein the world lying dead a thousand yeeres thereafter riseth from it to haue part in the first resurrection and consequently of blessednesse But this life and raigne in respect of the soules beheaded is their honourable commemoration and rising from vnder these horrible slanders calumnies whereby the honour of their sufferings was maliciously by Satan eclipsed euen that same thing which by long white robes was signified Chapter 6. In respect of these who Worshipped not the Beast c. This life and raigne is the first resurrection whereby men here by the word and spirit are begotten to the life of God in Christ and freed from the bondage and death of Satan and sinne being vindicare in the liberty of the sonnes of God and so made Kings and Priests to God in Christ Iesus And the death of the rest who rise not this first resurrection is that death in sinne ignorance idolatrie and induration wherein all men lye naturally depriued of the life of God like those widowes who being aliue yet were dead and like Ephraim who was dead in Baal From which death who so riseth not to be pertaker of the first resurrection shall be accursed foreuer and subiect to the power of the
second death as contrariwaies who haue part in the last resurrect on are blessed and holy and shall liue and raigne eternally not feeling the second death 8 Now this death of the Rest of men albeit in particular considerations of the singular persons in that time who lay dead and raise not the first resurrection it was an entrie to the second death Yet the spirit heere sheweth that in the generall consideration of the world it should not alwaies lie in that death But as these 144000. liued and raigned with Christ these thousand yeeres while all the earth followed the Beast and were dead in Baal and were partakers in the first resurrection vnder sure hope of the second to glory so after these thousand yeeres were expired not these onely but an infinite number of all peoples Kindreds Tongues and Nations with Palmes in their hands and long whit robes made white in the blood of the Lambe should rise from their death wherein they lay and sing a new song This is euidently implied in these words The rest of the dead liued not till the thousand yeeres were expired and this is called the first resurrection which is spoken in common both of the former who liued during the thousand yeeres and of the other who after the thousand yeeres arose and liued So as these words This is the first resurrection are relatiue al 's well to the life of these who liued during the thousand yeeres as to them who should liue after the expiring thereof for their life is one albeit not of one time as the words The rest of the dead liued not till c. euince clearely and accordingly blessednesse and immunity from the second death is the first pronounced in common of both and thereafter seuerally by parts this their common life and blessednesse of the first resurrection is exponed That the first should liue and raigne with Christ a thousand yeeres and the other notwithstanding of the Dragon againe loused and his strange endeauours thereupon yet should rise this first resurrection and liue and raigne with Christ for euer and euer The place hath been and is mistaken highly euen to the breeding of dangerous heresies But thus it is The holy Ghost hauing set forth the state of the Church as shee riseth the first resurrection and liueth the life of God from the time of Sathan his first restraint and that in two degrees of risers first these who during the yeeres of his Captiuity liued raigned when as by the Beast his preuailing it might haue seemed that there had beene none at all Next these who after the thousand yeeres notwithstanding his loosing and rage yet rose from their death in superstition and blindnesse and hauing said of both in common this is the first resurrection He then proclameth their blessednesse accordingly in this their spirituall life and raigne here and that distinctly according to the two times Of the first sort that they shall be Priests of God raigne with Christ a thousand yeeres And of the second sort that after the thousand yeeres were expired they should rise to the life of God and raigne for euermore Now if this second member had been thus succinctly put answering so to the other it had exempted al doubt But because in stead of this summarie reddition the holy Ghost much more gracefully subioyneth the narration how as during Sathan his first restraint a good number liued the life of God refusing the Beast his marke and so were blessed in the assurance of victory ouer the second death so after his lousing notwithstanding thereof and all his endeauours thereupon the rest of the dead shall rise the first resurrection and the Church should still waxe and encrease in light grace Sathan in his highest endeauours against her should be againe made fast for euer and she enioy an eternal peace Then to haue the full sense of the second member and a cleare reddition wee must reade from the beginning of the seuenth verse to the end of the 5. of the 22. Chapter Neither must wee here imagine that the first are said so to liue a thousand yeeres as though the life of God had perished from them thereafter or that this life and raigne is of one and the same persons still liuing all this while which were a lourdly grosse apprehension as neither must wee thinke that because the second are said to raigne for euermore that thereby is first and properly meaned their state in glory after the last resurrection But thus the spirit will shew how first and last God entertained a Church and spirituall life therein To the first are attributed a thousand yeeres in respect that the Dragon being so long tyed from disturbing their spirituall life and raigne by open rage is againe let louse To the second a raigne for euermore because the Dragon fighting against it is taken and captiued for euer to shew such a destruction of opposers as the Church her peace should neuer againe bee disturbed by any new lousing of Sathan from his second imprisonment but shee shall enioy quiet state here in plentifull dispensation of grace till shee bee at length translated to euerlasting glory according to that which of her in this respect was said Chapter 7. they shall hunger no more c. To take the thousand yeeres verse 6. to beginne at the expiring of the first thousand verse 4. and 5. which second thousand yeeres the rest of the dead arising shall liue and raigne and to take the first resurrection here so in relation to a second as by the first should be meaned the rising of Gentiles from vnder Antichristian darkenesse and the conuersion of Iewes to be in relation thereto the second Albeit it be the indgement of one deepely seene in these mysteries and deseruing well of the Church for his learned Commentaries on this Booke yet it seemeth to me a groundles coniecture which hath made him to mistake also as I think the end of this Chapter For besides that to take the thousand yeeres verse 6. for a second thousand after that verse 4. and 5. and yet to make the thousand yeeres spoken verse 7. to be relatiue to the first and not to these immediately preceeding it maketh an obscure and implicate construction which in our interpretation goeth plaine and soundly what should induce to thinke a second thousand yeeres to be meaned verse 6. seeing no case is put at the end thereof to fall out why the spirite should so exactly haue limited them as we see in the first the loosing againe of the Dragon The thousand yeers life and raigne then in the 6. verse is the same which was spoken verse 4. and there resumed very pertinently to shew in subioyning the other sort of risers and liuers God his whole dispensation from the first binding of the Dragon towards his Church first and last and distinctly in both 9 Now from what point of time to beginne and at what point consequently to
sweet raine of healthâ—ome doctrine and spirit of Christian lenity the fire of contention and frosty hailestones of destruction ruled all Yea so farre heerein were the Bishops carried one against other as it is monstrous what malice falshood and cruelty they practised so as in the times of Constans Constantius and Valens the fire and haile were mixed with bloud This made still a decay of true religion both in small and great 7 Vpon sounding of the second trumpet a mountaine of fire is cast into the Sea whereupon the third part thereof becommeth bloud c. Mountaines in Scripture are put for high and proud States Then a burning mountaine is the fire of ambition as the first was of contention For albeit contention ariseth of pride yet at first the debate was not directly for prerogatiues and places as now in this second euill is meaned Remember alwaies as I touched Chap. 6. Sect. 10. and 15. that so these euils are ordered for course of time as both the first holdeth on with the succeeding and the succeeding in time of the formers height is begun to worke This is cast in the Sea whereas the first was on the earth to note a decay in a higher degree then the first as the sea is a higher and purer Element then the grosse earth The first decay was of religion in the hearts and liues of men This second is in the ordinary worship which in great part now becommeth corrupted and thereby a great part both of common professours and Pastors become dead in superstition The creatures liuing in the Sea are common Christians The ships are the occupiers therein designing Church-men as is plaine Chap. 18. where shipmasters marriners and occupiers in the Sea bewaile the fall of the Whore The first death was different from this That was in life and manners obiected to the widowes 1. Tim. 5. and to the Church of Sardis Chap. 3. 1. This is of another kinde obiected to Ephraim by the Prophet When Ephraim spake there was trembling but he is dead in Baal The allusion is to Exod. 7. 19. c. When the waters are healthsome all things in them liue Ezech 47. The loue of riches and honor is the root of all euill which while men lust after they erre from the faith To this euill Constantine his preposterous zeale to indew the Church with riches and pompe much helped As the voice then vttered if their stories say true did verifie Hodie seminatum est virus in Ecclesia The common saying is well knowen Ecclesia peperit diuitias filia deuorauit matrem And that of golden Bishops and treen Chalices and golden Chalices and treen Bishops This fire of ambition was much kindled in the hearts of Pastors before the Councell of Nice they beginning to sauor thereof as saith Eusebius before Dioclesian his time but there was laid a ground of ambitious contention by ordering the seates and prerogatiues of Patriarchs Ante Concilium Nicenum ad sedem Romanam paruus habebatur respectus saith Aeneus Syluius eftsoones a Pope What shamefull digladiations followed about dignity and priority of place what bitter contentions about limits of Diocesses would make any sound hearted christian blush for shame to reade them Iulius Bishop of Rome albeit topping a good cause yet seeking therein the aduancement of his owne seate is so checked by the Bishops of the East as faine to yeeld to time saith Sabelliâ—us the whole sway and maiesty of religion remained with the Bishops of the East till Phocas the Emperor restored it to Rome It is shame to heare how Leo Bishoppe of Rome otherwaies a learned and wiseman did chafe at the act of the Councell of Chalcedon in fauours of the Bishop of Constantinople How hardly did the Bishops of Rome take it that it should be inacted in Affricke that no appellation were made to them what a stirre they made thereabout impudently bold to falsifie the act of the Nicene Councell for maintenance of their ambition till by authentike copies from Greece their fraud was detected and they but too meekly admonished to beware they labored not to bring into the Church famosum typhum seculi The contentions of the Bishops of Rome and Rauenna of Milain and Papia would euen amongst secular Princes bee counted detestable The Patriarch of Constantinople first vsurping the title of vniuersall Bishop is worthily taxed of Gregorie Bishoppe of Rome Thus then while men were ambitiouslie seeking themselues and carelesse of religion corruption entred into the worshippe in manifold rites and superstitious ceremonies as euen diuers godly men in that same time heauily regreated 8 Vpon the third blast falleth a great starre c. Stars are Pastors of Churches This great Starre is the type of great and learned Pastors men of high account yea and of great shining but who fall from the heauen from the truth and true Church and so their shining which ought to haue beene cleare gentle and comfortable light becommeth like a burning Torch noting fiery contentions and burning despite as a blazing flame in place of a pleasant calme cleare light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2. 8. For this disposition in it selfe and working the like in others This starre hath the name of Wormewood as being in the gall of bitternesse and making bitter Simon Magus is said to bee so Act. 8. 23. the Holy Ghost in that one Arch-Heretike shewing the common disposition of all as full euer of contentions and burning despite which manner the Church of God hath not The effect here wrought is that this starre falling in the riuers and fountaines the third part c. Here is yet a higher degree of corruption working on to the great euill For Riuers and Fountaines are in a degree of purity and subtle Nature aboue the Sea as the Sea is aboue the earth Now as there may bee a decay of Religion in the hearts and liues of men which is the burning of grasse and trees the ordinary worshippe yet abiding pure and vnmixed with superstition so may both Religion in men decay and great corruption enter in the ordinary worship the sea becoÌ„ming in a part bloudy and yet the fountaines and riuers that is the Scriptures and interpretation thereof abide sound as experience teacheth how many abuses will creepe in with custome take place while yet both the word and interpretation thereof is vncorrupted The teachers who are also Wels and Riuers bringing waters to the common Sea teaching more purely then is the practise in ordinary worshippe But when not onely corruption entreth in the common worship but euen the Scriptures are corrupted with false glosses and hereticall interpretations the fountaines being poysoned and the riuers which should carrie douce waters to purifie the common Sea bringing thither bitter waters and turning the sweet water of life to bee like these of Ierico of Mara then is the euill growne to a high and dangerous degree and their multitudes who for
Of these beginnings ariseth the mischiefe wherein are two things the abhominable Army of darkenesse poisoning all and the head of so damnable a band the Army is described first summarily by their quality and their annoying power verse 3. Hereafter more at large this their annoying power is exponed and their properties whereby they are inabled to the harmeful execution thereof are declared In all which is a most liuely representation and most conuenient type of the Romane Clergy who are euidently this army of darkenesse whose monstrous swarmes nothing but hellish ignorance brought in the Church as earthlinesse of great Pastours brought the ignorance Their qualitie first is shewed in that they are Locusts both for their swarming multitudes and for their destroying and eating vp al green thing in earth as who not onely deuoure the best of things belonging to this life but also destroy all spirituall life in men For their grouth and successe in both see the Story and be amazed 4 Their annoying power is summarily set foorth in that they sting as Scorpions A venemous and bitter kind of Serpent walking waiwardly and stinging when it would appeare least to doe so This their power in the larger exposition thereof hath this generall note that it is limited and not absolute The first point of their limitation is of such as they are permitted to harme The next is in what degree they might doe it As for the first they are restrained wholly from hurting the sealed ones of whom Chapter 7. Which restraint is heere pertinentlie recorded both to shew that this euill is the height of that mischiefe portended in the 7. Chapter Against which the elect were sealed and also to shew heere the truth of their preseruation and so how it was that Christ in this totall eclipse of light by Antichrist his darkenesse yet preserued a Church Wherein yet be not so grosse as to thinke that one number still of the same persons continued all that time But it is to shew God his continuall course in helping his owne all the time of this mischeife on the world Obserue heere also that by grasse and trees men are meaned as I shewed Chapter 7. And as fitliest thus expressed in the euill of locusts Now of these in the first trumpet onely the third part was burnt heere all feele this plague except the sealed ones The second point in their limitation is the degree of hurting Wherein are two causions First the quality of the harme permitted them to practise and next the time limited to their working The quality of their harme is cleared by a diuers kind from which they are restrained For it is permitted them to torment men but not to slay This their tormenting againe is cleared by a comparison that it is such as ariseth vpon the sting of a Scorpion that is so painefull as death is more tollerable as the effect thereof well sheweth Now consider well that this torment and plague is on the inhabitants of the earth and heere to be taken vp as God his iudgement on the world whereof the true Church is free And so this army hath not power to slay as neither that way plague they the men of the world as doe the ministers of the sixth trumpet who both sting with poisoning tailes and slay with heads as hauing power in both But these haue their power in their tailes onely to torment with poisonable sting and not to murther openly For other waies as they are considered in their dealing against the Saints which is not in this place their blood is found with them yea and all the blood shed on the earth albeit not for direct professed power and practise of the sword but as on the Iewes came all the blood from that of Abel the righteous to the blood of Zachary who yet professed that it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death This is heere put for an euident note of Antichrist his dealing of purpose to discerne this euill from that of the sixth ttumpet and that so eleerely as it is wonder how men of learning and iudgement could confound things so notably distinguished and which can receiue no other accommodation Now that this their tormenting of men is lesse tollerable then death We know that no vexation is comparable to that of a conscience wherein is put the sense of God his terror and eternall wrath if therewith the true remedy be not applied For as Skin for skin and all that a man hath he will giue for his life so life and all a man wil giue for his soule and the peace thereof who once hath felt the terrour For a troubled spirit who can beare and a good conscience is a continuall feast But all the doctrine of the Church of Rome is such as putteth in this sting in the conscience whereby the torment is bred but neuer applieth the true remedy But such bastard cures as augment the anguish Heereof it is that superstition is most busie and restlesse For Hee multiplieth his owne sorrow which offereth to an other God Hence arose painefull pilgrimages deuoting to sacred wartes Kings bequeathing their Crownes husbands their wiues and children wiues their children Hence were so many erections and fond donations for soule Masses if so be after death they might finde that repose and comfort which they neuer felt in their life Heerefore is this vexation fitly compared to the stinging of a Scorpion most painefull of any How many strange policies and treacherous deuises as of walking spirits and forged miracles these Locusts haue practised and still doe to subdue to themselues the consciences of men and hold them in torment is more then manifest And by such as they haue stung deepely it is that ordinarily they acchiue all their desperate Treasons and murthers of Princes Acts forsooth of such merit as will obtaine heauen to a person otherwaies condemned And what is it that vpon this presumption the tormented spirit will not runne to what a strange practise is that amongst many moe of the Iesuits with their nouices in their chamber of meditations 5 Thus is the quality of their harme The time limited to them so to torment the world is Fiue monethes In which for ought I know the mind of the holy Ghost hath beene highly mistaken of all men For cleering then of an obscure matter In this whole booke are but seuen times recorded That of tenne daies Chapter 2. That of halfe an houre Chap. 8. This of fiue moneths heere Thatof a yeere moneth day and houre in the sixth Trumpet That of fourty two moneths Chapt. 11. and 13. with which that of 1260. daies Chapt. 11. and 12. And of a time times and halfe a time Chap. 12. are all one That of three daies and a halfe Chap. 11. 9. And that of a 1000. yeeres Chap. 20. Of these all sound interpreters for how maliciously the Romans to obscure cleere story doe expound
here a speciall treasure is meaned of the meanes whereby as Antichrist is ouerthrowen and drowned so God his Church is saued And this is the treasure of the pure word of God and power of his spirit mingled therewith For we must all be begotten of the word and of the spirit and be baptized with water and with fire And by this word and spirituall vertue thereof must Antichrist bee foiled As in the red Sea the people of Israel were baptized 1. Cor. 10. wherein Pharao was drowned And as Israel was baptized vnder the cloude which to them was a pillar both of a cloud and of fire of refreshment and light but to the Aegyptians a pillar of darkenesse In which respect the red Sea wherein and the pillar vnder which they were baptized were types of the true word and spirit whereby the true Israel of God are begotten to immortality and the enemies ouerthrowen So by allusion thereto the Churchâ—victorious ouer Antichrist and that great City which spiritnally is called Aegypt is said to stand at a glassie Sea mingled with fire that is in the cleare light of the word mingled with the vertue of the holy Ghost whereby they are victorious and furnished with the harpes of God but Antichrist therein is drowned 2. Thess 2. From this Sea they labor to diuert vs to cisternes of their own digging which are full of bloude But heere is our victory and wisdome whereby to count the number of the Beast his name and so to ouercome him his image his character name and number The Sea of the Fathers in a third part is bloud Chapt. 8. So as thence wee may if wee bee not wise to discerne draw death al 's well as life The Sea againe of the Church of Rome in latter state is all bloudy worsum Chap. 16. This Sea hath this different note from that Chapter 4. that this is mingled with fire The fire is there also but set out in seuen burning lampes distinct from the Sea heere the fire is mingled therewith and that of purpose to leade vs to take vp a great point of wisdome in the diuersity of God his dispensation in this last cleare light of the Gospell for Antichrist his ouerthrow from that first in the Apostolike times for casting the Dragon on the earth At the first going out of the Gospell to conciliat thereto the more credit and to shew plainly whence the vertue accompanying it came there was then a distinct dispensation of the spirit in outward visible signes as clouen tongues and fire extraordinary effects and operations as gifts of tongues healings and working of miracles and by a singular and visible manner of donation as imposition of hands of the Apostles But in this last reuiuing of the Gospell the word should be cleare and pure as at the first and accompanied with the force of the spirit yet the dispensation donation and operation of the holy Ghost should not bee in that manner but should bee mingled with the word the spirit and vertue thereof accompanying the preaching of the Gospell yet so as no visible or distinct symbol thereof should bee as at the first for now the preachers are feated by swallowing of the little booke Chapt. 10. no miraculous operations finallie no donation but such as with the word and by the word preached the spirit should worke in the Saints So as miracles in these last times are no notes of true preachers And this diuersity of dispensation is exceeding wise and requisite for the times At the first the Gospell was not onely to bee opened to the world lying in darkenesse but also confirmed to be from God Now it hath that credit with all but beeing buried in ignorance was to bee cleared Neither must wee take this so as if at first the preaching of the Gospell had wanted that accompanying vertue For euen then it was not in words but in power and was mingled with fire No doubt but Iohn his doctrine and baptisme had with it the vertue of the spirit in those that beleeued for faith is the effect of this fire And out of all question Apollos had the spirit in some good measure when hee knew but the baptisme of Iohn And these Samaritanes who by the preaching of Philip receiued the Gospell and were baptized had the spirit before the downe-comming of Peter and Iohn But at the beginning were ioyned the visible symboles donation and miraculous effects of the holy Ghost to procure reuerence and credit to the Gospell and to shew whence commeth all spirituall vertue to faith or conuersion and the outward healing of diseases to lead vs to know the power of the word and spirit in the quickning and life of the inward man and curing spiritual diseases of the Soule Neither must wee imagine that now the spirite is so tyed to the word as who euer heareth it receiueth necessarily the spirit For many heare whom it profiteth nothing because it is not mixed with faith but the gift of the holy Ghost is now no other way dispensed but by the word preached wee feeling the force thereof but neither seeing whence it commeth nor whither it goeth So whatsoeuer spirit one pretend without the word it is the spirit of errour 5 Now how these Ministers of the last wrath are feated and prepared to this great execution is shewed from the fifth verse to the end And first whence they are 2. How disposed 3. Wherewith instructed and by whom 4. By what power it is that so great a worke is effectuate They come out of the Temple of the Tabernacle of Testimony in heauen now opened that is out of the true Church militant this is implyed in the word Tabernacle now made patent and visible This first note sheweth both what they are and of what time They are members of the true Militant Church who by the light of the Gospell the Church being reformed and opened are stirred to the worke For God turneth the hearts of Kings who earst gaue their Kingdomes to the Beast and were his hornes to hate now the Whore and eate her flesh Chapter 17. For her fall shall not be by Kings of the East or Mahometans but by reformed Christians whereof wee see already good degrees praised be the King of Saints This note also pointeth the time of this execution to be in the dayes of the seuenth Trumpet according to the Oath Chapter 10. Vpon the sounding of which Chapter 11. followed the opening of the Temple in heauen and cleare sight of the Arke of the Testimony and thereupon lightnings thundrings c. Now here these seuen Angels Ministers of God his last wrath come forth of the Temple opened and goe to execution Thus the spirit by cleare notes leadeth vs to couple rightly the course of this Prophesie Which from the beginning hath so plaine a way as all being comprehended in seauen Seales sixe thereof bring the first sorrowes the seuenth opened yeeldeth seuen trumpets
Christ began this second time sitting on a white cloude Chap. 14. 14. to make his iudgements manifest Cha. 15. 4. And from the time he began to erect this his great white Throne by the reuiued light of the Gospell when the time of the dead commeth to bee iudged Chap 11. The seuenth Trumpet sounding to the finishing of the mystery of God in full accomplishment of all which the Prophets foretold for deliuerance of the Church and her goodly state in grace So as the signe of the sonne of man shall bee seene in heauen the victory ouer her enemies shall still hold on and the enemies still fall as did Haman before Mordecay till by all the degrees of destruction they at last in the generall iudgement receiue finall sentence when death and the Diuell who hath dominion thereof shall be abolished And for this purpose onely it is that heere so liuely an hypotyposis of the last iudgement is set downe In the person of the iudge the maner and order of iudging and the execution so farre foorth as for the present purpose was needfull The person of the Iudge is described in his office administration thereof and his dreadfull maiesty and power In office hee is a Iudge a royall and a great Iudge as hauing a Throne and a great Throne He is also faithfull true vpright and glorious and whose iudgements are cleare and manifest by his white Throne As he rode before Chap. 19. on a white horse and did sit Chapt. 14. on a white cloude His administration is in that hee sitteth His dreadfull maiesty and power is expressed in a wonderfull forme of ishing before his presence Heauen and Earth depart and so as their place is not found To shew a perfit departing as that which in Scripture is saide of the wicked that he perisheth so as his place is not knowen 21 The order of iudgement is in the persons iudged and manner of processe The persons are all the deade great and small cleared by enumeration of these who are dead in the Sea who by any other kind of mortality or who were in their graues And herein clearely is implyed the power of the Iudge For no question can bee of the liuing when all the dead are forced to giue presence The manner of processe is set downe after the forme of well ordered humane iudicatories In that bookes were opened euen the records of mens actions and another booke the booke of life The iudgement of earth is of these things which were in the bookes according to their workes The forme of speech is to be noted in that it saith not of things written in the bookes and according to their workes To shew that heere are not two rules of iudging But that so men are iudged according to their works as yet the iudgement is led and ordered by the bookes For the ground and cause of the iudgement is the booke of life according as in it mens names are written or are passed by beeing either giuen to Christ of the Father or left Now whom the Father giueth him none is able to take out of his hand but he raiseth them vp at the last day And whom he electeth them hee predestinateth to bee made conformable to the image of his sonne whom he predestinateth he calleth effectually whom he calleth he iustifieth and sanctifieth heere by his spirit to bring foorth fruits of righteousnesse and so at length glorifieth These fruits of faith confirme vs in the assurance of our election and that wee are in Christ Iesus that which further strengthneth our peace as writing it in our owne consciences which are the one sort of bookes and whose testimonie must accord with the other booke of life Now then in the iudgement so are workes lookt on as collation alwaies must be of the bookes to see if our names be written in the booke of life as assurance of life and ioyfull peace are written in our consciences Otherwaies in it selfe all our righteousnesse is but as a menstruous clout But yet what Israel will not obtaine seeking to establish their owne righteousnesse which is by the Law the election will obtaine 22 Such are the person of the Iudge and the order and manner of processe Now the execution followeth Which agreeably to the purpose of the holy Ghost for which onely mention of the last iudgement is heere made is all in wrath against death hell and such as are not written in the booke of life who are adiudged to euerlasting fire which is the second death And this is to shew as I touched before that this last victory ouer the Dragon and his instruments shall bee full and perfect holding course from the first degree of their foile therein till death and the graue which are the last enemies be subdued And this execution of enemies was sufficient to record in this place where this matter is not handled as though now at this point of time and incident case the last iudgement were to fall out As many heereupon haue imagined that the ouerthrow of Antichrist and these huge Armies of opponents should bee conioined with Christ his last comming But the spirit hath no such meaning But handling the victory of the Church ouer her enemies to shew that it should bee perfect he letteth vs see that it shall hold on till all enemies being subdued to Christ his feet at last death be swallowed vp of victorie and that the Dragons foile should not bee now as at the first binding from which after a space hee got loose againe But it should bee to finall destruction And in this sense the Apostle in the second to the Thess 2. telleth that Antichrist shall bee abolished with the brightnesse of the Lord his comming Not as though he shall raigne till then but that he shall be so consumed heere with the power of the word of truth as without recouering strength he shall be destroied for euer the full and perfect point whereof is in the Lord his last comming and finall sentence against him Therefore Cha. 17 the Beast is said to goe to destruction In the vsuall manner of Scripture when God will confirme his Saints against dangers and in hope of deliuerance for their full setling he leadeth them to the consideration of that finall deliuerance whereto euer our hearts should bend themselues and in like manner in denouncing destruction to the enemies in the measure whereof as it falleth out here we neuer are satisfied he leadeth vs to their last and finall sentence Thus the Lord calleth the Prophet and other faithfull in that promised deliuerance from the tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes to the consolation of the resurrection So Christ in his sermons often Paul for all Christianity pleadeth the resurrection The Martyres suffered constantly vnder the Lawe looking for a better resurrection The Scripture teacheth vs that that day shall come as a thiefe vpon a peaceable and secure world marrying and taking in