two Prophets doo come into the world clothed in sackcloth straightway after the Hethen Emperours for these are clad with sackcloth and the Tēple is mesured both at a time The mesured Temple is the womans shelter in the wildernes wherunto she fled at the rising up of the Beast The Beast the seventh Roman King succedeth next unto the sixt to weet that which reigned in Iohns time Therfore when the Beast sprung up straight way after the Hethen Emperours these sackcloth-Prophets began their mornful office and therfore they are not properly Henoch and Elias Now see if ther be any thing foolisher then your dotage of these two to come in their owne persons your dotage I say for the ancient holy Fathers might misse and be deceived but you continuing in open errour I see not what it differeth from madnes But let us goe on to the other reasons You prove that the Apocalyps speaketh properly of Henoch Elias because it is sayd they should be killed of Antichrist and their bodies remayn three dayes in buried in the street of the great Citie and that after three dayes they should rise agayn and ascend into heaven which things you say have never as yet happened unto any I answer that I have made it playn by the order of the time and agreement of al things that al these things are already performed namely when the Fathers of Trent killed the Holy Scriptures spoiling them of al authority and tying the meaning of them unto the Pope Thē that which Iohn saith of the death of these Prophets affordeth a necessary argument against this literal sense of those singular persons For Henoch shal not dye otherweise then of old by his taking away the Apostle saying by faith Henoch was taken away that he should not see death and he was not found because God tooke him away for before his taking away he had testimonie that he had pleased God Heb. 11.5 The like reason ther is also of Helias For God is alwaies like himselfe and giveth like things to like persōs for like ends Therfore they are not to be killed by Antichrist But Tertullian you say in his book De anima chap. 28. saith Henoch and Elias were taken away neither is their death found for it was deferred but they are reserved for to dye that by their blood they maie extinguish Antichrist I answer Tertullian hath nothing save a gesse that these whom the Apocalyps mentioned are Henoch and Elias but the Apostle evidently plainly teacheth that Henoch was taken away that he should not see death Now the choise is easy whom we should rather beleev It becomes not holy men to avouch their blind opinions against the open words of the Scriptures Hitherto hath been your first argument The second is from the consent of the Fathers unto all whom I oppose the consent of the Scriptures which had indeede been ynough for them if through darknes of the times they could have perceived them Ther is no need therfore to tary lōg in examining their opinions which they themselves if they were now alive would with their owne voices condemn Thirdly you prove it because otherweise ther can no reason be rendred why these two were taken away before death and doo yet live in mortal flesh being one day for to dye I answer that these last words being one day for to daye doo contradict the Apostle as we shewed even now and then that they convince the words next before of falshood For if Henoch be not for to dye it cannot be that he dooth yet live in a mortal body For that is not mortal which is not for to dye But whither they yet live in the flesh or no is not so manifest nor indeed necessarie to be known If it be lawful soberly to inquire about this thing they seem to be exempted from the common death of men as the Apostle speaketh of Henoch that he should not see death and not to live as yet in their bodies For they live not on earth For seing they are adorned of God with more excellent good than the rest they cannot be inferiour unto other soules in this thing And the soules in heaven have greater ioy and more ample felicitie than can be on earth Neither could they togither with their bodies enter into heaven the Apostle avouching that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God nor corruption inherit the nature uncorrupt 1 Cor. 15.50 But against this may be obiected that they had the same change that those which are aliv shal have at the coming of the Lord according to that which is written wee shal not al dye but we shall al be changed 1 Cor. 15.51 I grant that ther might have been this change though this would no way furder your cause if that saying of the Apostle hindred not And these al through faith obteyned goo report and received not the promise God providing a better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfit Heb. 11.39 40. For if they felt that change how obteyned they not the promise to weet glorification which is the felicity of the soule ioyned togither with the body immortall And if they obteyned the promise without us that is before us what cause can ther be why also without us they are not made perfit These two things seem openly to be repugnant unto the Apostle Those two therfore being cutt off namely their death to come and their present mortal body both which are manifestly false and that being let passe which is not sufficiently known whither they be at al as yet in their bodies if now you think ther is no other reason why these two were taken away before their death save that they might come againe to fight with Antichrist you are willingly blind The Apostle saith that Henoch was taken away because he pleaseth God walking continually with him Ecclus 44. that he might be an exēple of repentance that is that he might stirr up men uto repentance which look and think upon this notable example of Gods singular lov towards his And doo you think it a light matter that ther should be unto all ages of the world a most clear document of the immortality of the body and of the ascension therof at last into heaven Before the Law and the floud Henochs ascension confirmed this faith to the men of that age For unto men at least weise he ascended for he was not found as the Apostle sayth Heb. 11.5 Vnder the Law Elias ascended of whom ther is the same reason After the Law Iesus Christ the first fruits of al that ascend by whose merit power both those former in what manner soever it was did ascend and al the elect shal at length ascend Onely Antichrist did so stick in your eyes that you could see none of these things or any such like But deceive your self no longer with vayn exspectation of Henoch and Elias loose not your labour with
being conversaÌ„t on earth did seeme the basest among men Asthough he should say feare not at the sight of my glory which is augmented above that you caÌ„ think yet not for your destruction but salvation And as once yee have known me the most humble of all men so in this unmeasurable glory I reteine my former minde doe not despise or neglect you dust and earth Words full of confort but in this sense they were to be changed I am the last and first because the humility did goe before glory neyther now should that be placed in the latter place which hah bin swallowed up of the maiestie coming upon it unlesse peradveÌ„ture they have this sense I am now the first who of late was the last or the order of the wordes being kept I which was the first in the beginning being with God equall to the father at length taking upoÌ„ me the forme of a servant became in the account of the world the last Both which sentences make for the secoÌ„d interpretation make it more probable ¶ And who am alive Specially he maketh mention of his victory over death that he might erect his minde against the greatest feare in life These thinges confirmed that he was Christ that appeared to Iohn Never of any creature is any thing uttered in the person of God without all signification of ministery least peradveÌ„ture men should thinke him to be God and should give that to the creature which is proper to God ¶ Amen This is most certain which I say that I live for ever for confirmation whereof take not onely a naked affirmation but also a solemne word of sealing up Amen The comon translation readeth not Amen which neverthelesse is found in all the Greeke bookes and is found beneath chap. 3.14 To which wee must hearken rather then the Tridentine fathers establishing onely this edition authenticall and of authority ¶ And I have the keyes of hell and of death There is a transposition of the words in Aretas the Complutense and the vulgar and I have the keyes of death and hell And in the conioining of these words hell is wont to be put after death as death and hell did follow him chap. 6. ver 8. so death and hell were cast into the lake chap. 20.14 And so the order of things requireth seing that hell is the last stinge of death But seeing those keyes are as well to open as to shut for because he liveth that was dead he hath power to make others alive from the dead here hell is not of the damned which is wont never to be opened that any should be fetched from thence as neither in ch 20.13 For how can the hell of the damned be cast into a lake of fyre Therefore these two doe seeme thus to be distinguished that death be the very separating and sundring of the soule and body Hell the state and condition in which the body is after the sundring 19 Write those things that thou hast seen and which are c. The commandement of writing is repeated but explaned more at large In the eleventh verse it was commaunded onely write that which thou seest in a booke Now he teacheth wherto that perteined which he saw to wit to things both present and to come For these both ioined together doe expound that what thou hast seene And in every of the Epistles unto which the partes of this visioÌ„ are fitted according to the diverse condition of every one wee shall finde predictions of future things so as those words which thou hast seen can not be restrained to thinges onely present Seeing therfore the seaven Churchches conteine as well future things as things present the whole Prophecy is not rightly distributed into things present and future For these two meÌ„bers come together as after wee shall see in the singular explication and unfolding of the things Let us holde therefore that which the wordes plainly teach that this vision proper to the seaven Churches is touching things both present and future The observation of which small thing hath opened a way to me to understand as I thinke the particular Epistles which I will that the godly iudge 20 The Mystery of the seaven starres In the last place is the interpretation which onely teacheth of two things of the starres and candlestickes Why doth he give no expositioÌ„ of other pointes Because these few were ynough to open his counsell of the whole For after the same maner the rest are to be applyed to the condition of the Church And so will the Spirit helpe our weaknes that he may leave some parts of diligence to us Although the things that remaine of the vision shall easily be made manifest froÌ„ the Epistles which teach by the condition of every one whâ—t meaning the rest have which now are kept in silence as shall be shewed in their places As touching the words Mystery is of the fourth case folowing the verbe Write which is to be repeated asthough he should say write the mystery of the seaven starres And likewise in the member following and write the mystery of the seaven candlestickes For he interpreteth the starres to be the Angels The seaven starres saith he are the seaven Angels of the Churches that is signify the seaven Angels Which let them observe who hold fast as it were with the teeth the letter of the worde in other places Neither are these Angels spirituall substances but men Pastours and Bishops to whoÌ„ the scripture attribute this name as although the Angell of the Lord had come up from Gilgal to Bochim Iudg. 2.1 So in the Prophet Hagg. Then spake Haggai the Lords messenger ch 1.13 And Malachy speaking of the Priests For he is the Angel of the Lord of hostes chap. 2.7 How great therefore is the dignity of true Pastours who both are starres fixed in no other firmament then in the right hand of Christ and also Angels What skilleth it though the wicked skoffe at them with reprochfull names seeing they be in this reckoning and estimation with God ¶ And the seaven candlestickes are seaven Churches Very well compared to a candlestick wherein the everlasting light of trueth shineth kindled of Christ the Priest morning and evening continually This similitude is fetched from the candlestick of the Tabernacle which was made of pure golde of worke beaten with hammar of one shaft and seaven branches The multitude of branches signifieth the multitude of particular Churches as well of Iewes as of Gentiles The comon originall from one shaft the most strait coniunction of particular Churches all which come forth from that one of the Jewes as from the shaft Which shaft was more adorned then the other branches in one bolle knop and floure because as it seemeth the Iewes Church at leÌ„gth shall become more aboundant in the gifts of the spirit then this ours of the Gentiles Exod. 25.31 They are then the candlestickes of the Church but which by their most pretious matter doe
Devill of whose Synagogue they were the chiefe rulers ¶ Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer Now he instructeth them against the future evills which were apparent to be more grievous then those that were past Those thinges with which the Iewes did trouble them at the present then also those false accusations of the Bishops while Constātine lived were light skirmishes of a sharper battaile following by and by after Therefore he describeth diligently all the manner of this combate who should be the chiefe Captaine of it with what kinde of cruelty he should rage to what ende and how long The Prince is the Devill whom after we shall learne to denote the Heathen Emperours open enemies of the truth as chap. 12.9 This doth comprehende also the Heretiques Christians in name but in very truth wolves devouring the flocke The kinde of punishement is the prison under which as the history teacheth is comprehended proscriptions confiscation of goods banishmēt slaughters fires tortures With all these thinges the Devill should greatly torment to drawe men from the truth But this persecution should endure for ten daies onely And a day in this booke is taken for a yeare The nūber also of ten some time signifieth properly some time by Synecdoche noteth out some uncerten number I thinke that both are here used that certen number should be of the Type and uncerten of the Antitype Therfore as touching Smyrna it selfe this persecution fell out in the times of TRAIAN which Devill a professed enemy of the truth did reigne next after this writing very fierce against Christians delivering men into prison and death that he might make them to renounce the profession of Christ Smyrna could not be free from the comon calamity especially when Bythynia being nigh to it did altogether abounde with the murders of the Christians as the Epistle of Plinius Secundus to Traian doeth shew From whence also it may be gathered after a sorte of what continuance the persecution was For in the fourteenth yeare of Traian Plinie relating to him the multitude of those that were slaine was an occasion of staying that rage and of obtayning some breathing What yeare it began it is not plainly set downe by the History-writers Some suppose that it was at the very beginning of his reigne but in the fourth yeare triumphing over the Daces and Scythians he seemeth to have had first his Kingdome hindred so as he could not have leasure to afflict the Christians But it is certen that he exercised his cruelty ten yeares at least It is likely that the end of that warre gave the beginning of tormenting Christians Neither is it needfull that this affliction be referred to Smyrna onely but that it was that generall of which he maketh mention in the Church of Philadelphia which should come upon the whole world Chap. 3.10 As touching the Antitype Constance and Valence Emperours in name Christians in deede noe lesse fierce against the orthodoxe and true godly people then once the Ethnike Devills were In which account also are holden the inferiour ministers of that wickednes of the people Syrianus a Captaine and Sebastianus Governour of the armies Manicheus Of the Bishops Eusebius once of Nicomedia then of Constantinople Macedonius Georgius Alexandrinus and others of that sorte not Bishops but monsters whose barbarous cruelty was scarce matched by any Tyrant Of old the matter was handled with brawles chidings and calumnies of all sortes But after the death of Constantine the Devill was to come forth on the stage and what broiles were raised up It was a light thing to drive holy men into banishement to cast very many into prison to kill almost an infinite number They tyrannised with torments and all manner of contumelious punishments Some were beaten with stripes unto death some marked in the forehead with prints of hotte iron some tormented with other tortures Yea the brestes were cut of from holy women Vnto some they were burnt of with a hotte iron to many with egges rosted in the fire to an exceeding great heat Who would beleeve that any such thing could have bin inferred upō Christians from men of Christian profession It cannot be shewed in fewe wordes how full of calamity those times were but see Socrat. book 2. and 4. Theod. book 2. and 4. Sozom. book 3. 4. 6. And although this tyranny did continue above fourteene yeares yet notwithstanding it doth make those ten daies of the same manner that we have sayd ¶ Be faithfull unto the death He provoqueth unto fortitude the reward being propounded to be Eternall life It is a profitable losse which is recompensed with so great gaine What should nor the godly undergoe most willingly being sure of such a reward It is fitted to the times ministring comfort against the losse of this present life To which purpose he spake before that he was alive which had bin dead that by his exemple they should learne not to feare death which they should know to be a meane between God and them of eternall happines 11 He that hath an eare The wonted conclusion warning all men to hearken diligently to these instructions touching fortitude and courage of minde in afflictions We were instructed before against the sluggishnes which is inbread in us here we are armed against outward violence The reward which is added to the end He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death is common to the whole Church That which was before belonged properly to the Angell the knowledge whereof notwithstanding was very necessary to the people as hath bin said before But seeing that this conflict was to be undergone as well of the people as of the Pastours confort also is given them by name to the same purpose that the former was but in a divers respect For there are two things which are wont to kindle the desire unto every excellent acte hope of reward and contemning of the perill that first was proposed to the Postours whose courage is wont to be more ready and valiant by looking into the reward This second to the People whom the feare of danger chiefly withdraweth from their duty suffereth them not to undertake any thing worthy commendation He teacheth therefore that they must not feare to spend their life if need be for the truth sake for there shall be no feare of the second death by which the body and soule perish for ever according to that of Christ Feare not them that kill the body but cannot kill the soule but feare him rather who can destroy both soule and body in hell fyre Mat. 10.28 This in hell fyre is this same which he calleth second death By the which the whole man shal be no lesse deprived of all solace in God as the body is destitute of all helpe being separated from the soule by the first death This is that horrible death to be feared in deede from which he that hath overcome death doe deliver his from which he
seales at chap. 6. ¶ And hound him for a thousand yeeres He ordained that māner of ruling which being afterward extended to a thousand yeeres left no power to the open enemies to raigne over the Church as in former time And this is the second period in which the Dragon was bound that is the Heathē Emperours were repressed unto the yeere 130. But I say this period to be of the Dragon because it is not that full period which before the Spirit did set of the whole Prophecy to weet of the trumpets For this is of a longer time and exceedeth that of the Dragon about two hundred threscore yeeres and more The history of the Dragon hath some thing peculiar to it selfe neither is it strictly to be astrained to that rule The binding of him is more ancient then the blowing of the trumpets done under the sixt seale about the yeere 306 as was said in chap. 6.12 and 12.7.8 9. But the trumpets gave their first sound in the Nicene Councill chap. 8.7 and in their sixt sound brought to the Dragon a releasing from prison chap. 9.15 Wherfore wee now understand that this second period is proper to the Dragon agreeing with the trumpets neither in beginning nor ende The Iesuit Ribera measureth the times for the most part by the proper signification of the words as the five moneths of the locusts three yeeres and an halfe of the raigne of Antichrist yet neverthelesse he would have these thousand yeeres to be taken indefinitely for the whole space from the death of Christ even unto the time of Antichrist to which opinion at least as touching the beginning of the account very many both of the old and new writers doo condescende But why have they not considered that the Beast which is the very Antichrist raigned this whole thousand yeeres in which the Dragon was bounde Therfore his imprisonnement was not to be ended at the beginning of the raigne of Antichrist but this rather was to beginn togither with it That I may not now speak any thing of that barre which the Spirit hath put at chap. 4.1 I will shew thee those things which must be done hereafter which forbiddeth to looke back to the time past and warneth that all the folowing prophecy consisteth in things to come and latter then the age of Iohn Further more the agreement of the whole Prophecy which wee have seene hitherto cā not beare such a biginning to be made as troubleth all things with confusion which we cannot rid ourselves of But shal we thing that the Divell was bound when he raged most cruelly by the first Heathen Emperours When may we say that he was loosed if then he lay in prison and in the stockes That which the Iesuite alleageth out of the 12. chap. of Iohn Now the Prince of this world shal be cast forth belongeth nothing to this cause for so much as this is to be understood of the spiritual power thē forthwith to be utterly destroyed by the death of Christ but the binding which the Revelation speaketh of belongeth to his tyranny over the bodies of the Saints as frō the beginning of the fourth verse of this chapter it is manifest where the soules of the Saints raigning after the Dragō was cast into bondes pertaine to them who were beheaded by the same before his bondes raging most furiously Which calamity what other can it be than that of the cruelty of the Heathen Emperours Wherfore neither the beginning nor ende of these thousand yeers is set downe rightly by the Iesuite 3 And he cast him into the bottomlesse pit This bottomlesse pit is the earth as it is manifest from chap. 12.3 where it is said when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth which yet is not so called after the custome of the common speach but to note out earthly men who in name onely ar coūted citizens of the Church The woe also is denounced to the inhabitans of the earth and sea because the Divell is come down to them as in the same place verse 12. Now he must be conversant among these onely his fury must be exercised against these as hath bin declared in the said place ¶ And shut him up and sealed upon him To weet the doore or stone or some such thing as they made the sepulchre sure sealing the stone Mat. 27.66 by which is signifyed that the Devill was committed to most sure custody such as he should not have so much leave as to look out of doores Not because he should be vacant from busines altogither by the space of the whole thousand yeeres for he should cause huge sturres both by lād and sea as we learned even now from chap. 12.12 know to hav come to passe in very truth by those things which are mētioned in chap. 8.12 but because he should have no power at al over the holy Church against which he should undertake al his attempts in vaine He cast out a flood after the woman but he lost his labour For both the earth holpe her and shee fled into the wildernesse beyond the chaine wherwith the Dragon was bound as in chap. 12.15 c. ¶ That he should deceive the Gentiles no more The Gentiles are also the citizens of the false Church whose dwelling was in the exteriour court and in the holy city two and fourty moneths chap. 11.2 He speaketh not of these Gentiles now but of them that wer wholly repugnāt to the name of Christ such as were those fierce tyrants of Rome before Constantine This sorte of enemies should entreprise nothing against the holy Church by the space of those yeeres because they should not know wher it should be yet in the meane time some other cruell enemies should intreate the false Church most cruelly chap. 12.17 c. ¶ For afterward he must be loosed for a little season After those thousand yeeres are finished the Divell was to be loosed againe wherin is set the third time falling upon the beginning of the sixt trumpet when the most cruel Turke all feare of the Romane Empire being laid asyde which he saw to be forsaken of the Westerne armes and at home drowned with slouthfulnes riot and dissentions began an horrible tyranny also against the Church and not onely the false but also the true which then after a long distance of time began to shew it selfe at least beholding a farre off from the wildernes whither shee had fled although shee differeth her full returne until some ages after The Divill being then loosed graunted not so much as one houre of rest from warre but as soon as the truth began to come forth abroad about the yeere 130 straiteway he provoked the enemy to vexe the same by what meanes he could Therfore the Turke flyeth upon the dominions of the Empire he passeth over into Europe he increaseth his victories he rooteth out the maiestie of the Romane name he carieth away all things with him as a swift running
God So Ieremy from whence these things are taken expoundeth them I will put my law in their minde write it in their harts and I will be their God and they shal be my people chap. 31.32 c. 4 And God shall wipe So is the presence of God now foloweth that which concerneth the remooving of the calamities The truth shal not be made to sorow againe nor be oppressed with the tyranny eyther of the Beast or Dragon or any such like plague but now being victour and conquerour of all enemies shall flourish He borroweth these words out of Isay chap. 25.8 that we may know of what times the Spirit speaketh Isaiah in the same place speaketh of the felicity of the Christian Church of the Iewes on earth as is evident from that vengeance which God wil take in his time on the Moabites ver 10. For the hand of the Lord shall rest in this mount and Moab shal be threshed under him even as straw is threshed for dunging He ioyneth togither both the singular goodnesse of God toward the Israelites and the final destruction of the Moabites And the Spirit using that Prophecy in this place shewe that it is not accōplished of old but that at lenght it shal be fulfilled when this restoring of the Iewes shal come So Iohn Isaiah give light one to another ¶ And death shal be no more The greevousnesse of punishments shal cease in which sense Isaiah saith he will swallow up death into victory chap. 25.8 and Hoseah I will redeeme them from the power of the grave I will deliver them from death O death I wil be thy death O grave I wil be thy destruction repentāce is hidden from myne eyes chap. 13.14 Which place Paul applyeth to the last resurrection 1 Cor. 15.55 as also the Spirit hath shewed by the same this renewing chap. 20.12 And so indeed shal be the ful overthrowing of death when the bodies shal rise againe But in the meane time in the felicity of the new people ther shal be seen a patern of the great weakening of the sam Not because the separatiō of the soules bodies shal thē cease wherby the saints are translated into the Kingdome of heaven but because the sting of death being quite taken away it shal not serve to the scourging of the Church any more ¶ Neither sorow neyther crying neither labour These things declare how farre death shal be taken away to weet in regard of punishment not of departing unto eternal life So also the ministers and sumners of it shal be taken away For what right have the servants where their maister hath no authority Most happy bride which shal then be freed from such disturbers A visible image of the blessed reigne in heaven shal be now with men on earth ¶ For the first things are past Peradventure having respect to the first cōdition of the Iewes troubleous times and ful of misery because of Gods wrath provoked by their own often rebelliōs as though he should say ther shal be no more place afterward for this stubburnesse therfore neither shall God be so angry as in former times 5 And he that sate upon the throne said The certenty of this renewing happinesse is confirmed by an other testimony of great authority It is of him that sitteth on the throne that is the most high and eternal God himselfe who openly testifyeth that he will make all things new that is that he wil so restore the doctrine worship people and whole administration of things that men may worthily counte them new ¶ And he said unto mee write Iohn commeth now to those thinges which were spoken to him particularly In that he is commaunded to write it is as if it had bin said this is determined and resolved with God and as it were registred in statute books so as it cannot be altered or doo thou put it into common writtings that the faithful may have to shew how they may call upon mee for right see the chapter 19 at the 9. verse The writing which is commanded is that these words are true and faithfull to be performed at length in their time though the world mindes nothing lesse 6 And he said to mee it is done The second thing which was said to Iohn in private concerning the Mystery accomplished which shall have an end in the restoring of the Iewes Which consummation is part of the seventh vial the proper of which is to finish the Mystery of God as in the 16. chap. and 17. verse For this it is done is the same that is there If this were after it could not rightly have bin said there it is done to which some thing even then should be left which had not yet obtained his ende Wherfore seing that there some things are said to be done after the mystery finished which belong to this earthly life it followeth that neither that former it is done is after the last iudgement as hath bin observed in the 16. chapter 21. ver neither this second is to be referred to any other thing but to this present life Aretas and Montanus doo reade otherweise And he said unto mee J am made Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ende The Complutent edition and the Kings Bible doo reade thus And he said unto mee ' it is done J am alpha and Omega But Aretas and Montanus doo wrongfully omit it is done seing this belongeth to the explication of the seventh vial the chiefe point wherof concern the finishing of the mystery which is not accomplished in destroying the enemies of whom onely mention was made in the 16. chapter and 17. verse c. but in that last choise accomplished to which it is done is attributed for this cause namely by reason that it is the last ende of all Prophecies ¶ I am Alpha and Omega I am the same who both in the beginning hav decreed al these things to be done also now at length have put an ende to the same ¶ J wil give to him that is a thirst This is the reward of the godly who are said to be thirsty that is fervently desiring those things as are all they who have a tast of heavenly good things Blessed saith Christ are they which hunger thirst after righteousnes for they shal be satisfied Mat. 5.6 But then especially shal the Iewes thirst who shal satisfy themselves with no desire wherby they may perceive a more ful sweetnesse of Christ Yet neverthelesse even to these which shal burne with an exceeding great desire shall be given of the well of water of life freely that is not for any merit of their desire though amōg al the gifts givē to men it excelleth but of the free grace of God A notable place against the blasphemous doctrine of the Papists touching merit The Iesuite laboureth to shift it off making the same sense of it as of that of the Rom 8.18 The sufferings of this time are not worthy of
booke Because it is proper in deede to a Kingly power to prevayle with God and to beare away those thinges from him wherof lately they had noe power nor ability Wherfore they sing that they are made Kings to God as though they should say that they not onely are Kinges because they have subdued Death Sinne and the Devill but chiefly because they have God regarding their commodityes keeping nothing from them which any way may make for their good This is that Kingly power most noble in deede and alway to be praised But where they say they shall raigne on earth from hence that is evident which even nowe wee said at the eight verse that this is the company of the militant Church reigning on earth For why should the Saints in Heaven having attayned heavenly glory reioyce in an earthly dominion 11 And I heard round about the Throne and the Beasts The glorifying of the Angels who apart from the Church prayse God of whom there is another cōsideration thē of men redeemed by the blood of Christ for these being fallen are restored and they are upheld that they fall not And therefore are placed without the circuit of the Throne the Elders to whom yet they are next on every side garding the Church both that they may watch for her safety and also may reioyce in her behalfe for her prosperity From whence in the seconde place is rehearsed their gratulation as though they would learne every day more and more from the Church the incomprehensible mystery of redemption in which they behold with such earnest desire 1 Pet. 1.12 ¶ A thousande hundred thousand The common translation hath not these wordes a thousande hundred thousand but Aretas the Complutent edition and other copies read them And so in Daniel 7.10 from whence this place seemeth to have ben taken albeit the Iesuite will have nothing to be added in the common translation of such purity is it But where ought to be a greater number then where every kinde of Creature which is in Heaven and beneath with one consent agree to prayse the Lambe ver 13 Therefore he had better covered his shame if he would rather confesse freely the defect then to defende a manifest fault 12 To receave power Worthy is the Lambe that was killed that nothing should be so heard which his power may not overcome for he hath deserved by his death in such sorte that he should have power over all things Therefore by right all prayse is given unto him as to the most mighty most rich most wise c. the common translation for riches readeth Godhead without the authority of any Greeke copyes Notwithstanding it must be soo because so it seemeth to the Iesuites that the olde Jnterpreter hath followed alwayes the more corrected copies I would passe by such things if the impudency of the adversaryes did not compell mee to make them manifest at least in a word 13 And the whole creature All the Creature reioyce at this Prophecy evē they also which are void of reason because from thence they may perceive plainly that there shal be an ende at length to their labours Which time they expect with earnest affection much desyring to be freed from this yoke of vanity Rom. 8.21 ¶ And which are on earth in the Greeke it is and which are in the earth that is to say which live in the overmost part of the earth and under the earth which ly hid in the most inward bowels The whole creature expecteth a renovation not onely that which sheweth it selfe abroade is to be seen but also which lyeth hid within in secret But seeing here he speaketh of creatures voide of reason for it was spoken before of the whole kinde of reasonable creatures who would had from hence built and erected Purgatory but men voyd of reason But for wante of other guests they are compelled to stuffe their Popish banqueting chamber with bruit beasts ¶ And which are in the Sea and all things which are in them The common translation corruptly hath it thus And which are in the Sea and which are in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a chāge of gender wherby figuratively persons are attributed to the thinges created See Theod. Beza 14 And the foure Beasts The beginning the end of the thankesgiving is attributed to the Church because this benefite doth most of all belonge to her Therefore her glorifying is double one wherby shee goeth before all the rest in praysing the other wherby shee accordeth with the reioycing creature But the foure twenty Elders follow the leading of the Beasts as it is wont to be done in the Church where the people speaketh to God not so much in their owne as in the Ministers wordes and yeeld themselves wholy to his government to be ruled as touching religions and manner of worshippe as wee have observed in chap. 4.9.10 CHAP. VI. After I beheld whē the Lambe had opened one of the seales I heard one of the foure Beasts saying as it were the noise of thunder come see 2 Therfore I beheld loe there was a white horse he that sate on him had a bow a crowne was givē unto him he wēt forth cōquering that he might overcōe 3 And whē he had opened the secōd seale I heard the secōd Beast saying come see 4 And there wēt out an other horse red power was givē to him that sate therō to take peace frō the earth that they should kill one an other there was given unto him a great sword 5 And when he had opened the third seale I heard the third Beast saying come see Then I beheld loe a blacke horse was there and he that sate sate on him had balances in his hande 6 And I heard a voice in the middes of the foure beasts saying a measure of wheate for a penny and three measures of Barly for a peny and wine and oyle hurt thou not 7 And when he had opened the fourth seale I heard the voice of the fourth Beast saying come and see 8 And I looked and beholde a pale horse and his name that sate on him was death and hell followed after it and power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword and with hunger and with death and with beast of the earth 9 And when he had opened the fift seale I sawe under the Altar the soules of them that were killed for the word of God and for the testimony which they maintayned 10 And they cryed with a loude voice saying howe long Lord which art holy true doest thou not iudge and avenge our blood requyring it of them that dwell on the earth 11 And longe white robes were given to every one and it was saide unto them that they should rest for a little while untill their fellow servaunts and their brethren be accomplished who are to be killed even as they
Rome did so play the Devill in the Provinces as if Sathan had gone forth from the face of the Lord to scourge the Church But chiefly men sought death and founde it not being terrifyed of these locusts with the feare of Purgatory They would willingly have died the common death of the body which all antiquity iudged alwayes to be the Haven and ende of all miseries but when the Locusts thundred out that the flames of Purgatory were not inferiour to hell fire in torment they quaked for feare being about to die and felt themselves to be spoiled of all confort of death From hence it was that for to be freed from this their feare they did give to the Locusts whatsoever they would aske yea often times when they did aske nothing at all Yet neverthelesse howe of necessity did the miserable soule stagger and was vexed when even common sense did teach that sinnes cannot be purged by any corruptible price Thought therefore anguish of minde did presse them downe on every side considering that a bought confidence did free them from paine little or nothing at all 7 And the forme of the Locusts A description of the Locusts which first in cruelty are like unto horses prepared unto battell There is a great alacrity of this beast unto fight he diggeth his feete in the valley and reioyceth in his strēgth going forth to meete the weapons he moketh at feare and is not made afraid turneth not backe through feare of the sword Iob. 39 25. There should be no lesse promptnesse in the Locusts Famous are the invasions of the Sarracenes in all the Histories the warlike prouesse of the Popes bande hath not peradventure ben so observed of all which yet is as cleare and famous if wee consider the thing neerly What souldiers used Innocent the third to roote out the Albingenses Besides Dominicus the mourninge trumpetour and Heralde of this warre who a little after was made one of the foure Princes of the Begging Fryards he mustered an army of the Crosse-bearers by whose aide as it were of horses running to the battell he hoped to represse the heresy as they call it to abolish it utterly This order had indeede their originall before nowe but shortly after being brought almost to utter decay Innocent restored it for this warre that the mischievous persons as it were halfe dead might be brought againe from Hell by the authority of the same man by whose meanes they should have power to tyrannize and to vexe the world a fresh more spitefully see Polydore Virgill of Invent. in the third chapter of the 7. booke Neither did the POPE whose manner was to confounde all thinges and to set KINGES togither by the eares as PROBVSTVLLENSIS sheweth in an assembly at Wirizburg under Honorius the fourth afterward use any other incensours to raise up hatred Yea as often as the Popes were to make warre for the Pope is martiall not without cause when as the Locusts his subiects are so warlike a full armie of Crosse-bearers was at hande to fight for their King Hildegardis fore-shewed worthyly that these Hypocrites should be sowers of privie grudges who reioice in nothing so much as in cōtention and bickering ofmen ¶ And on their heads were set as it were crownes The first propertie was generall nowe he followeth on the thing he began by every mēber The Crownes on their heades like unto Golde are the shaving and rasing of the head which in time past was of great estimation among men even as a crowne of Gold so called doubtlesse because the crowne of the head being shaven seemeth to appeare in the middes like to a crowne In howe great account it hath bene some time Bellarmine sheweth out of Hierome in an Epistle to Augustine which is the 26 among the Epistles of Augustine I pray thy crowne saith he that thou wouldest salute in my name thy brethren my Lord Alipius and my Lord Evodius And Augustine in an Epistle to Proculian a Bishop Epist 147. Yours doe adiure us by our crowne ours doe adiure you by your crowne Mee thinke I heare yea by this Scepter Homer Iliad 1. Both kinde of Locusts was notably knowen by these crownes Herodotus in Thalia maketh relation to the Arabians that their haire is shorne as Dyonisius himselfe was wonte And they are shorne beneath like a globe shaving their temples But the shaving of the Monkes religious men was of all other most famous Polyd. Virgil speaking of the Benedictines They are shaven saith he with a rasour from the crowne of the head lower then halfe of the skull the haire beneath cut of after the forme of a small circle about the eares and the temples compasseth the head like crowne from whence the crowne of the head it selfe being shaven is called a crowne booke the 7. chap. 2. See howe fitly he interpreteth Herodotus minding noe such thing but onely moved with the conveniency of the thing it selfe For that which he saith they are shorne belowe rounde he hath translated elegantly The haire belowe cut of in the likenes of a little circle a thing longe a goe forbidden to the Iewes you shall not cut rounde the crowne because of the Arabians neighbours as it seemeth who were shorne after that manner that in noe thing they should be like the Jdolaters Levit. 19.27 But it is meet that these Monkes who differ onely in name from the ungodly Gentiles should agree with them in the likenes of polling their heades The golde of this crowne that is the authority and dignity of this shaving wee may see from hence that they were wont to make obtestations by their tonsure as even nowe in the Epistles of Hierome and August Ys the dignity thereof was so great when yet the superstitiō was very yōg of what gravity and authority was it after it came to a perfit ripenes Frances de Ribera will have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be an Helmet after the māner of speaking of the Greekes but he is deceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeede sometimes is used in that signification in Homer as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as may be understood from Plutarch Sump 8. Problem 6. The Latines sayth he doe call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crowne from the head as Homer by similitude have called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an helmet So Hesychius describeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But there is noe such thing concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To that saith he Servius affirmeth upon that of Virgill all according to the custome had shorne haire hid with an helmet on which place Servius writeth thus a crowne that is an helmet and he hath used the speech of Homer for he called an helmet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I doubt not but Servius knewe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Homer and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but because of the likenes of the wordes the Printers