Elias but this needeth no refutation both for that the time of 1260. daies whereby are meant so many yeeres according to the exposition already giuen of the two and forty months being the same time doth not agree as experience sheweth the greatest part of this time being expired and Enoch or Elias not yet heard of and also because it is plainly against the reuealed will of God to send any from the dead to preach to the liuing as the Lord sheweth in the Parable of Diues and Lazarus when Diues made request that Lazarus might besent to warne his fiue brethren liuing Abraham denieth this request Luk. 15. and the ground of his deniall is If they will not beleeue Moses and the Prophets neither will they beleeue if one rise from the dead againe If it be said Enoch and Elias neuer died but are preserued aliue for this purpose the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes confuteth this for hauing reckoned vp many faithfull persons amongst whom Enoch was one Heb. 11.13 he concludeth All these died in faith c. He confesseth indeed that Enoch saw not death because he suffered not the separation of soule and body but was extraordinarily changed as the faithfull shall be at the last day yet according to our vsuall phrase whereby we say of the dead hee is departed out of this life he is rightly said to haue died And if this kinde of change in the propriety of speech will not beare this word dying 1 Cor. 15. for we shall all be changed but not all die yet it is as strange for them being so long agoe departed hence to come againe in person as if men should come from the dead againe which shall neuer be Lastly the description of these two doth not agree to Enoch and Elias but rather to Moses and Elias who in their times did such miracles as are here set forth Mat. 17. Vers 2. and these two are also ioyned together in the transfiguration of Christ vpon the Mount and Moses is oftentimes said to be one that did witnesse of Christ and the Scriptures are they that testifie of me Ioh. 5.39 Which Scriptures being resolued into their parts are called Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16. a most famous man amongst whom was Elias and therefore well by him may bee vnderstood all the Prophets Reiecting therefore that of Enoch and Elias Brightman Beda Tyconius as a vaine fable I hold with them that by these two witnesses vnderstand the holy Scriptures consisting of Moses the Prophets as they were of old vnder which the Euangelists and Apostles writings come also as an exegesis or illustration of them For these witnesses must bee well knowne anciently as the words doe imply and in taking these to bee the Lords two witnesses we doe but follow the plaine euidence of the Word of God ascribing persons thus to the two parts of holy Scripture And consequently they which sincerely and rightly preach Moses and the Prophets for so much as they doe but act the same persons may well bee vnderstood by these two witnesses also And thus wee shall ioyne together two different expositions of those who vnderstand by these two the holy Scriptures as hath beene already said and of those that vnderstand some few persons that haue giuen testimony to the truth in all the parts of this whole tract of Turke and Pope Bullinger Grasserus Pareus Fulke c. who of late time haue bin much increased in number but yet may well goe vnder the name of two witnesses because all euer represent but two Moses and the Prophets seeing they hold and preach set forth none other thing but what they held and taught Fox There are that particularly apply this to Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague who were ill intreated by the Councell of Constance three yeeres and a halfe and being killed had their dead carcases for a time throwne out into the streets but they were reuiued againe as it were when the Bohemians stood couragiously for the truth by them maintained which was greatly preiudiciall to the City of Rome the tenth part thereof thus falling and 7000. slaine that is many vpheld in an idle course of life by the Pope in Monasteries and other pretended religious places being thus turned out and losing their liuelihood whereupon their life consisted According to this exposition two and forty moneths are counted a seuerall time by themselues of the Turkes tyranny these 1260. daies another seuerall time consisting of iust so many daies and the three daies and an halfe a third seuerall time so short as the words sound There are also wonderfull iudgements reckoned vp which fell vpon their enemies in this time of their trouble so that the History doth notably agree vnto this Text. This I confesse hath much affected me and I would willingly haue imbraced it for so the rest of the doubts here might easily haue beene resolued But seeing the two and forty moneths are by the same Expositor resolued into 294. yeeres in which hee hath failed as hath beene already shewed I cannot see how 1260. daies can bee vnderstood precisely of daies this being the whole time in all likelihood before set forth by two and forty moneths for why should Gods witnesses mourne 1260. daies onely of this time there being the same cause of mourning all the whole time for the holy City so many yeeres trodden vnder foot Againe although the Bohemians stood manfully for the truth and did somewhat preuaile yet they were suppressed againe and the whoorish City flourished till Luther who gaue a farre greater blow vnto it Lastly Pareus relaâ—eth an opinion of some who thinke that in the last times there shall be stirred vp two famous Doctors in the spirit of Elias in whom this shall bee accomplished but according to this the time should not be yet begunne and the phrase here doth plainly make against it in that he saith I will giue vnto my two witnesses not I will stirre vp two witnesses as it must haue beene said if it had beene thus meant I conclude therefore that by these two witnesses are to be vnderstood the holy Scriptures anciently consisting of two parts together with the faithfull Preachers and adherers vnto them These haue neuer beene wanting all this time of 1260. yeeres of Turke and Pope as for so much of this time as hath beene yet expired For euen in the daies of Boniface who vsurped this antichristian supremacy ouer all or immediatly after when Columbanus and Gallus were sent out as his Legats ann 617. to bring other Churches to the obedience of the Roman two Councels were called one in Bauaria and another in Matiscon vnder King Lotharius Anent annal Baiorum lib. 3. Vincent Balaeus in all likelihood to stop their proceedings For of such Councels Writers make mention but what was done is passed ouer in silence Not long after Ardanus a Bishop of the Northumberland opposed himselfe
persons preserued are said to be saued by the water because when all others perished in the water they were borne in the Arke vpon the waters and escaped drowning So likewise by Baptisme whatsoeuer is carnall naturall is destroyed and we are made spirituall when we are hereby receiued into the Church as into the Arke depending vpon Christ by faith But it is nothing outward in baptisme that saueth vs but the couenant whereupon a good conscience doth comfortably rest being able to say This thou hast promised Lord vnto me and therefore wilt performe it By the resurrection of Christ that is it being by faith apprehended not onely that Christ died for vs but that he rose againe to make his death effectuall vnto vs. Luther acknowledgeth this place to be so obscure Mayer as that he is not fully satisfied about the sense of it but preferreth this as seeming to him the best that yet could be found out Caietan saith that Christ went and preached to the spirits in hell and that not vnfruitfully But this is worthily reiected by Luther because there is no comming out of that place Gagneus And Gagneus a Papist also derideth it asking who told him of any that were there conuerted He also confesseth that he cannot attaine to any satisfying resolution of this place Some he saith expound it of Christs comming once before his comming in the flesh euen in Noahs time to preach whilest the Arke was in building but as they disobeying not flying into the Arke were drowned so now that Christ hath come in the flesh if any obey not to fly to the Sacrament of Baptisme they cannot but perish The Greekes reade that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirits in hell which we read in prison holding that he went to preach vnto them not to saue them but to vpbraid them with their infidelity and sinnes notwithstanding the long warning which they had by Noah Beda Beda is altogether for preaching to men in this world and therefore readeth it either in prison that is to such as were shut vp in the body as in a prison or in the flesh that is such as were greatly oppressed with fleshly desires But to examine and determine in order the doubts or this place first what is meant by being put to death or mortified in the flesh and quickened in the spirit The old Latine translation followed by Tho. Aquinas and Gorraâ— readeth it Mortificatos carne c. as I haue shewed already and it is expounded by them accordingly of our being mortified and quickened But the Latine translation hath beene amended according to the Greeke as Lorinus acknowledgeth being by the fault of the Writer corrupted according to Gagneus and Augustine Ierom and Cyprian and Ruffin follow this reading He being quickened c. But it being agreed about this reading yet there is a question what is meant by Christs being quickened in the spirit 〈◊〉 An answer to certaine obiections against Christs descent Some contend that his soule was preserued aliue when he was bodily dead and that nothing else is meant And one taketh great paines in alleaging other places of Scripture where to quicken doth signifie to keepe aliue as Luke 17.33 Luke 9.24 Marke 8.33 Iohn 12.25 Exod 1.22 1 Sam. 27.9 c. And the Syrian Interpreter who readeth these words here Gecumen August Thâ— Aquin. Euther He died in body but liued in spirit Some would haue his diuine power meant quickening others that were dead who came out of their graues Some vnderstand his reuiuing againe to a spirituall life after his bodily death the quickening spirit comming againe into his dead body Some lastly vnderstand his diuinity wherein he liued â—â—â—d ras 〈◊〉 and alwaies liueth because the Godhead is a spirit expounding his being quickened in the spirit of his being restored to life by the power of his diuinity Beda citeth Athanasius taking the spirit here for the holy Ghost Athanesues as if it were meant that he was quickened in the faithfull his members in the spirit comming into them I subscribe to that of Augustine and Luther as seeming to me most genuine he died the naturall death but liued againe the spirituall life in soule and body For although the word here vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be often put for preserued aliue yet here it being opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it agreeth better to vnderstand it of that which is opposite to being put to death that is being raised to life againe in the spirit that is by the power of the Deity his very body is now become spirituall as ours shall also be And thus it agreeth excellently with that which went before that we should patiently suffer any wrongs because as the Lord Iesus did not so neither shall we lose any thing no not though we should be put to death for we shall but exchange as Christ did a naturall life for a spirituall and heauenly which is for euer Secondly What is meant by Christs going in the spirit to preach to the spirits in prison c. To this it is answered diuersly by diuers some of which answers I haue shewed already First It was a generall receiued opinion amongst most that Christ descended into hell there in person to preach to such spirits as were departed out of this world before his comming Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. 6. Athanasius Epist ad Epâ—ctet Epiphan Haeres 77. Cyrillus Alex. in Iohan. cap. 36. lib. 12. Hillar in Psal 118. Ieronym in cap. 54. Esa Ambros in Rom. 10. Iustin in tryphon Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 23. And the last of these two alleageth a place out of Esay the former of Ieremy in these words The holy Lord of Israel was mindfull of his dead which slept in the earth and descended to preach saluation to them that he might saue them Which words are not now extant any where but are thought by Irenaeus through the hatred of Christianity to haue beene put out by the Iewes yet they that agree in the generall of Christ his descent doe greatly differ about the effect thereof Some holding that hee saued all that were in hell before by his preaching as Hilary and Hermes in his booke entituled Pastor but the disobedient in Noahs time are named onely because they were the greatest number that perished together This is mentioned and reiected as an heresie by Augustine August lib. de Hares cap. 79. and that worthily because so contrary to the holy Scriptures Esa 66.24 Matth. 18.8 Luke 16.26 Some agaâ—ne hold that hee saued onely those that were worthy who led a good life and would haue beleeued if he had before come amongst them but vpbraided the rest by their disobedience and infidelity as Occum Gregory Nazianzen c. or that there were some penitent amongst them that were drowned by the floud whom he had saued as Lyra teacheth And it is a thing generally held amongst the Papists that there were
euill according to the latter But the fore-going similitudes may be applied both waies as I haue shewed and so it will be more full Touching these words The tongue is a fire a world of wickednesse Verse 6 c. they are easie to be vnderstood as the fire though it be but little inflameth and burneth downe great buildings so the tongue bringeth the whole man to destruction for hell fire is the â—â—ward of a wicked tongue and oft-times the intemperate tongue kindleth a fire as it were in the body which appeareth by the eyes sparkling when a man speaketh furiously and the voice ouermuch extended in this kinde pierceth to the inward parts to the breaking of something there wherupon bleeding to death ensueth Naucler sol 36â— as in Scylla the Roman Dictatour from whom through the ouermuch extention of his voice the bloud gushed out and he died For the world of wickednesse wherefore the tongue is called so see Pareus and Thomas the second mentioned by Oecumenius is too curious though Beza hath also the same note And for the rest of the words they are sufficiently explained already Whereas Oecumenius readeth these words The tongue can no man tame interrogatiuely he doth herein differ from all others neither is that reading probable for the scope of S. Iames here is to shew that the tongue is more vnruly than any thing Whereas he obiecteth if it should be read positiuely it were in vaine for any man to striue to gouern his tongue I answer that it followeth not no more thaÌ„ that it is in vain to striue to be righteous because it is said Eccl. 7.20 There is no man righteous for as in this case yet euery good man will striue to be as righteous as possibly he can being assured thus to be accepted according to that hee hath so he will striue to gouerne his tongue at least refraining from the euill here taxed cursing and railing c. though he cannot keepe free from idle speeches and such like smaller offences Whereas he impugneth ill speeches against our neighbour Vers 11. out of this consideration that we blesse God with our tongues comparing blessing to sweet water and cursing to bitter which cannot both come out of one fountaine Tho. Aquinas Faber Tho. Aquinas and Faber inferre and that rightly that the blessing of those that blesse God when their mouthes are full of cursings against men and railings and corrupt talking is no blessing but a sinne also in them euen as sweet water and bitter being mingled together is made all bitter there being more force in the bitter to turne the sweet into the same taste with it selfe than in the sweet to turne the taste of the bitter because bitter is an extreme and sweet the medium of the taste Note of what great necessity it is to haue a spâ—ciall care of the gouerning of the tongue Note for as a man is in this respect so is he accounted of before God Words are not winde as the common saying is but fire and deadly poison if they be euill to the destruction of the whole man They come out of the heart Mark 7. and defile indeed Matth. 12.37 Note againe Note that an euill tongue worketh from fire to fire from hell and the deuill to the kindling of heat and fury and contention here and to the bringing of a man to suffer in hell fire hereafter The lewd tongued person is vpon a wheele turned by the deuill till he be brought to the same destruction with himselfe He is more sauage than the wildest and sauagest beasts which may be tamed but he is vnreclaimably barbarous Lastly note Note that the best speeches which an ill tongued man can vse are all corrupted and distastfull before God by meanes of his ill language at other times which is as bitter water to the making of all his water bitter to the turning of him into a bramble vpon which no Figs grow Let railers and swearers and cursers and filthy speakers consider of this and tremble CHAP. 3. VERS 14 c. But if ye haue bitter enuying and strife in your heart glory not neither lye against the truth c. In the 13. verse hee returneth to speake of meeknesse againe Mayer as I haue already noted in my generall Analysis and that very fitly because according to Pareus Pareus it is so good a meanes to restraine the tongue from the offences before condemned the contrary vnto which bitter enuying c. here named are the very fountaine of all irregularity and of all the euill of the tongue which if they be in them he biddeth them not to glory in the Christian profession as though they were wise and good Christians for so they should lye against the truth seeing they are the blots and spots of Christianity Glos ord that are thus tainted Some expound bitter enuying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of zeale towards God made bitter by contentious words with our neighbour but the first is better Tho. Aquinas and lying against the truth they expound either of lying against Christ who is the truth or of doing contrary to that which was promised in Baptisme viz. to forsake the pompe of the world which is not done by those that are proud of their good workes But the first is most genuine and simple for it is a false and lying righteousnesse Icrom Vera iustitia habet compassionem falsa indignationem Verse 17. according to Ierom wherein there is enuie and anger for true iustice hath compassion but false hath indignation Verse 17. The wisedome that is from aboue is first chaste then peaceable c. Hee runneth vpon the word Wise and Wisedome from the 13 verse hitherto because he had spoken of Masters vers 1. that is Teachers which if any desire to be he sheweth them vers 13. the necessity of being Teachers in their conuersation for as Bernard saith Bern. Efficacior est vox operis quà m sermonis nec sufficit doctori ostendere sed etiam facere The voyce of the worke is more efficacious than of the speech neither is it sufficient for a teacher to shew but to doe He began also Chap. 1.5 with wisedome shewing of whom it is to be asked and whence it commeth verse 17. viz. from aboue To proue therefore that the contentious and enuious are not wise by this wisedome he setteth downe the properties thereof hauing before verse 15. affirmed that it is not from aboue but earthly carnall and deuillish Pareus The true wisedome is first chaste that is in the feare of God doing any thing or modest and without arrogancy 3. gentle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not rough in taking such things as are spoken in the worst sense but in the best 4. Easie to be intreated or gently intreating for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken either actiuely or passiuely it is to be perswaded easily to the best or
in Limbo patrum the soules of the faithfull who died before Christs incarnation who were by his descent deliuered Some againe and they be the Diuines of our side which teach a descent of Christs soule hold that he went downe to vpbraid the incredulous in Noahs time and such like with their infidelity shewing them what he had suffered for the saluation of the faithfull of the benefit whereof they were altogether depriued through their owne default to their greater terrour Touching the distinction which is made of Christs preaching as if it had beene partly to such as were appointed to life when it is spoken onely of the disobedient in prison it is a plaine wresting of the place and therefore Lorinus himselfe a Iesuite calleth it in question how it can stand Touching the penitency supposed to haue beene in some that were drowned it is a meere coniecture without all ground and if any such were they went not with the rest doubtlesse to this prison but to Abrahams bosome or as the theefe vpon the crosse to Paradise Touching the last it seemes to be implied in an article of our Church determined in a Synod * Synod Angl. Quemadmodum Christus pro nobis mortuus est sepâ—ltus iâ—a â—tiam credâ—ndus est ad inferos deseâ—ndâ—sse Nam corpuâ—â— sque ad resurrectâ—oâ—â—m in sepulchro iacuâ— spiritus ab illo commissas cum spiritibus qui in carcere vel inserâ—o detinebantur fuit illisque praedicanâ—t quemadmodum â—â—statur Petrilocus assembled in King Edwards daies An. 1552. Artic. 3. Euen as Christ died for vs and was buried so he is also to be beleeued to haue gone downe into hell for his body lay in the graue to the time of his resurrection but his spirit that went out of him was with the spirits in hell or in prison and preached vnto them as Peter testifieth Secondly Some hold that Christs preaching in a spirituall manner by Noah is meant herein Thomas Aquinas followeth Augustine August epist 99. In this also ioyne Beda Hugo Carthusianus Beza c. Thirdly Luther Some vnderstand his preaching by the Apostles to whom he sent the holy Ghost Hessilâ—uâ— and herein they went and preached to the Gentiles being in the prison of the flesh who are described as bound in chaines Psal 106. Esa 42.49 And to shew that of olde they were bound with the chaines of infidelity he mentioneth the imprisoned in the daies of Noah and they are called spirits to intimate the immortality of the soule Fourthly Some vnderstand by the prison here Purgatorie Francis Turria Fiftly and lastly Some most absurdly apply this preaching to the eight persons in the Arke Aâ—ias Montan Caluanstu lib. 2. cap. 16. §. 9. as in a prison for the time And yet there is another interpretation of Caluin by his going and preaching vnderstanding his making them to feele the power of his passion who died long agoe and yet remained in their soules expecting the Lord Iesus and he saith that it should not be read in prison but in a watch-tower in specula as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth For my owne part I subscribe to those that hold this to be the most obscure place in all the Epistles for no Exposition that hath hitherto beene giuen doth so fully satisfie but that some exceptions will lie there against That of Arias Montanus falleth of it selfe because they in the Arke were obedient whereas this preaching was to the disobedient 2. That of Purgatory is a meere fiction there being no such place in rerum natura 3. That of Caluin applying it in part to the soules of the faithfull seemeth to be improbable because these were the disobedient and it is not onely said that hee preached but went and preached intimating a locall motion and not onely a vertuall penetration 4. To expound it of his preaching by Noah is to peruert the order of the Text according to which this his going must be after his inclining againe and why should he call the men liuing at that time spirits which is a word no where vsed to set forth liuing men by but either Angels good or bad or soules departed 5. Much lesse can the Gentiles bee vnderstood by the spirits in prison amongst whom the Apostles came because they were such as liued in the daies of Noah not men of like quality but those very men 6. The Popish Limbus is but an imaginary place and to hold that any being in hell were deliuered againe seemeth to be contrary to the holy Scriptures as hath beene already shewed There remaineth then onely that of his descending to triumph ouer the Deuils and to vpbraid the damned spirits with their infidelity and impenitency shewing how iustly they were for euer therefore shut vp in that place of torment and because they of the old world were the most noted for their great multitude that went downe thither together hee mentioneth them but in them vnderstandeth all other then damned spirits also And this is the most probable of all other expositions and most consonant with the rest of the holy Scriptures For this is one part of Christs preaching to conuince the impenitent as iustly and certainly reprobate and damned as appeareth Mat. 11.21 Mat. 12.41 c. What is meant when Baptisme is said not to be an outward washing Verse 21. but the request of a good conscience vnto God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ What others haue said hath beene already set downe Piscator Scholia Piscator to this speaketh most fully and excellently Baptisme standeth not so much in the outward washing of the body as in the remission of sinnes by the bloud of Christ which is the washing of the soule and conscience which being by faith apprehended the conscience becommeth good and so the faithfull in the confidence hereof boldly questioneth with God about his fauour reconciled vnto him by Christs death and testified by his resurrection saying Hath not Christ reconciled thy fauour vnto vs by his death to endure for euer Certainly it is so for his resurrection doth testifie it seeing that vnlesse he had made a perfect expiation of our sins by his death reconciled thy fauour vnto vs he could not haue risen againe to life and heauenly glory So that these words by the resurrection of Iesus Christ haue not reference to the word saueth but to the request of a good conscience for this ariseth from Christ his resurrection August contra Faustum cap. 12. Beda Gagneus Angustine and Beda say the same with Thomas Aquinas and Gagneus also setting it forth more fully thus The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a stipulation or promise conceiued in words whereby he that is baptized couenanteth to beleeue and doe as hee is in baptisme required Act. 8. as the Eunuch answered Philip. And this beleeuing and renouncing of sinne and Satan saueth and not the washing with water by the resurrection of
1. What is meant by our suffering in the flesh Verse 1. whereupon followeth a cessation from sinne I answer with Oecumenius that the suffering of death in the body cannot bee meant though he who is set for example suffered death when he suffered in the flesh for vers 2. hee speaketh of the residue of his time in the flesh being spent according to the will of God Wherefore to suffer in the flesh here is to be mortified to sinne Luther in 1 Pet. 4. which to follow it is a life vnto vs naturally For as Luther saith there were two ends of CHRIST his suffering as he was man which is meant by his suffering in the flesh first to satisfie for our sinnes secondly to giue vs example both of suffering persecution and of suffering by being mortified vnto sinne as vnto lust or hatred and enuy for if these inordinacies be subdued in vs then we cease from seeking how to satisfie our carnall lusts and from attempting reuenge in word or deed It is true we are iustified by Faith when we first beleeue and then the Spirit of Sanctification entreth into vs but we must be more holy and righteous daily as he that had his wounds bound vp by the Samaritan was staied from bleeding and being indangered any further thereby but yet they were not altogether healed till after some time Rom. 6.6 7. Saint Paul hath a place to the same effect with this Our old man is crucified together with him that the body of sinne may be destroyed that we may not serue sinne any longer To meditate vpon Christs Passion is a most effectuall meanes to make vs to be thus mortified to sinne and willingly to beare our aduersities Some vnderstand these words Ieron contr Jouin August de fide opâ—reâ—â— 10. c. 1 Cor. 5 2â—â— He which hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin either of Christ or of the Christian he hath ceased from sinne both because he neuer did any and as he is said to haue beene made sinne that is a sacrifice for sinne for he is now no sacrifice any more but all preferre the other as it is indeed the most genuine the mortified Christian ceaseth from sinne so that it doth no more rule and reigne in him What are the seuerall vices here mentioned Lasciuiousnesse Vers â— Lusts excesse of Wine Reuellings Banquetings c. wherein hee saith they liued before Lyra Lyranus by Lasciuiousnesse vnderstandeth all externall acts in the matter of venery and by Lusts the internall desires of a lustfull minde and indeed by Lasciuiousnesse is meant not onely adultery but that wantonnesse which is ingesture and apparell and words The lusts here spoken of are defined by the Pontificians to be onely lust with consent denying lust simply to be sinne but of this enough before Rom. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expounded the excesse of Wine signifieth properly those boilings vp which breake into pustules and red tumours The next word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eatings after the meale ended Some say it is so called because of the dead sleepe following after called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some because of the pipe which is commonly present at such feastings Some from streets and rowes of houses together which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where they inuite one another The next word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drinkings because as Lyra noteth there bee other waies and meanes to drunkennesse besides by Wine Who are meant by the dead to whom it is said For this cause it was preached to the dead Vers 6. that they might be iudged according to men in the flesh and liue according to God in the Spirit That of Thomas Aquinas and Occumenius which is followed also by Luther that by the dead are meant the dead in sinne cannot stand because the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were then redundant it being hereby intimated that the Gospell was preached to others besides the now liuing and by the quicke and the dead vers 5. are no such dead meant according to which it is fit that this should be expounded Beza Beza therefore holdeth it most easie to giue the sense of these words that as the Gospell was preached to the liuing so it had beene preached to them that died long agoe and so is no new doctrine The spirits of the dead cannot be meant because of the distinction following according to man and according to God that is the naturall and the spirituall man And to this doe I subscribe and so of the words following this is the meaning As now they to whom the Gospell is preached are required to die vnto sin and to liue vnto righteousnesse so were they like wise required then to be iudged according to man that is to be mortified as they were naturall men for hee that is iudged or condemned is iudged to die and to liue according to God that is Piscator to be renued vnto holinesse Piscator expoundeth it of those in Noahs time before spoken of Chap. 3. of whom hee saith some when they saw the iudgement of God comming vpon them repented and were saued and so they were iudged according to man that is perished in their corporall life but were receiued to euerlasting life Augâ—â—pist 99. Augustine vnderstandeth by the dead the dead in sinne and infidelity as Thomas Aquinas doth saying that vpon their conuersion they are iudged according to men in the flesh because they are persecuted and spoken against but they are euen hereby furthered in their spirituall life and this is followed without much difference by Beda Vatablus Arias Montanus and Huge Bellarmine Valentia and Suarez hold that by the dead are meant the spirits in prison before spoken of as Oecumenius doth and Lorinus saith that it is a most plaine place to confirme Christs locall descent into hell but I cannot see how it may bee thus taken vnlesse it be yeelded that they in hell were conuerted and saued by his preaching there because he saith that they might be iudged according to men in the flesh but liue according to God in the Spirit which cannot be expounded of any thing else but of the conuersion of a sinner But that any are conuerted and saued out of Hell abhorreth from all sound Diuinitie Note Note that there is a conformity betwixt Christians and their patterne Vers 1. Christ as he suffered in the flesh so ceasing to be any more in this world after the manner of men so true Christians suffer by mortification vnto sinne which springeth from the flesh but that being once mortified there is in them a cessation from all their former wickednesse Howsoeuer they may still fall out of infirmity yet the course of their life is not intemperate and riotous as it was before they trade not in sinne They therefore that liue a wicked life still though they are called Christians yet they haue no communion with
to hinder the proceedings of the Gospel These six visions are not a continued prophecie of things to come which shall in such order succeed one another for most of them doe extend to the end of the world but like vnto a Tragedy wherein the fame things are diuersly acted For so what is represented in the first vision here by one appearance is represented againe againe in others by other appearances the first setting things forth more obscurely the other more plainly and this iteration is made for more assurance as Peter saw a sheet let downe from heauen three times And as in a Tragedie in euery scene there is musicke to giue the more content and to delight the mindes of the spectatours so in these visions there is singing and praising of God These visions yet doe not all of them set forth the whole period of time to the end of the world nor the same occurrences within the compasse of the same time which one setteth forth with another but one some most remarkable matters and another others happening in that time Foure of them are vniuersall containing the whole time the first Chap. 4 5 6 7. the second Chap. 8 9 10.11 the third Chap. 12 13 14. and the sixt Chap. 20 21 22. The other two are particular because they serue to set forth onely the two last parts of the whole time which is diuided into soure First containing the time of the Churches wrestling and flourishing vnder the persecutions of heathen Emperours till Constantine the great The second the time of reigning and growing corrupt till the arising of Antichrist The third the time of Antichrists oppression till the two witnesses The fourth the time of Antichrists ruine and vtter destruction And these two last times only are handled in the fourth and fifth of these Propheticall visions the one setting forth the destruction of Antichrist vnder seuen vials chap. 15 16. and the other by casting him into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone chap. 17 18 19. And thus he sheweth that Nicolaus Collado before him vnderstood these visions and S. Augustine giueth an hint of it when as he saith that S. Iohn doth repeat the same things many wayes Lib. 20. de ci◠Dei cap. 17. as was touched before The same method almost is set forth by Gorran but others take it for a continued prophesie to the end of the world of things orderly succeeding one another For mine owne part hauing seriously considered that in these foure vniuersall visions it is still ended with the end of all things the euerlasting torments of the wicked and the ioyes of the godly which end is but one so that it must needs bee granted that this is diuers times repeated I doe not see how this method of Pareus can be excepted against or any other well iustified and therfore do suscribe hereunto and wish all others well to weigh it and I doubt not but they shall finde so great light to be giuen into the ensuing Prophesie as that they will acknowledge much help to the vnderstāding of many things to be afforded euen by this method Vers 9. I hasten now to the 9. verse Quest What was this Patmos how came Iohn thither Ans It is one of the Cyclad Ilands of the Aegean sea Plin. l. 4. c. 12. thirty thousand paces in compasse according to Pliny Others contend to haue it an Iland of the Icarian sea as Strabo Strab. l. 14. others say it is the same which is now called Possidium as Munster but which soeuer it was a desolate place hauing but few inhabitants How Iohn came there is intimated here Euseb l. 1. c. 34. Ieron Catal. and by Eusebius and Ierome expressed he was banished thither by Domitian in the fourteenth yeere of his Empire Tertullian saith that hee was first taken by the Gouernour of Asia at Ephesus Lib. de praescript and sent to Rome where Domitian commanded him to bee put into boyling oyle in derision of the Christian name which is taken from oyle but comming forth againe without any hurt he was banished into this Iland from whence hee was released againe vnder Nerua and returned to Ephesus Quest What meaneth he Vers 10. when he saith he was in the spirit vpon the Lords day Answ It is agreed by all that hereby is meant that he saw not the things following with his bodily eyes but being in a transe the Spirit reuealing them to him his soule being for the time taken out of his bodie and carried away with the Lord to behold them as the old Prophets and Peter and Paul were The Lords day The Lords day was the time wherein Christ arose from death and therefore obserued amongst Christians for their holy assemblies as the Sabbath was by the Iewes And as the resurrection and appearings of Christ vpon this day so this Reuelation at the same time maketh not a little for the honouring of this day Wherefore the Apostles appointed the assembling together vpon this day 1 Cor. 16. and it hath beene euer since obserued accordingly Onely some will not haue it kept with strict resting as the Iewes were commanded of old but only with comming together to the worship of God as Beza vpon this place accounting it a bondage brought vpon Christians when strict resting was by Constantine commanded and by other Emperours after But it may plainely bee gathered both from Chrysostome and Augustine that they held a cessation then necessarie from all worldly affaires of our callings Augustine saith Serm. 251. de temp Let vs obserue the Sabbath my brethren as it was appointed of old from euen to euen and being sequestred from countrey labour and from all businesse let vs attend vpon diuine worship only Hem. 43. in 8 Cor. 16. And Chrysostome The Lords day is the root and beginning of our life and therein are vnspeakable good things it hath rest and is free from businesses And indeed the one doth necessarily imply the other if diuine worship must be attended worldly businesse must needs be laid aside Otherwise it were not only a change but an abolition of the Sabbath which is a rest And it is to be noted that when Christ would make way to the abrogating of the old Sabbath hee did not iustifie any workes but such as were of present necessitie Whereas if he had meant that the Christians afterwards vpon their Sabbaths should haue more libertie hee would doubtlesse haue done or said something to intimate that also For that which followeth Vers 11. v. 11. I shall not need to say any thing there being nothing but a preparatiue to the vision with the vtterance of the same periphrasis of our Sauiour Christ which went before and a particular nomination of the Churches before mentioned touching which it shall suffice here to know that they were the greatest Cities of Asia the lesser wherein Saint Iohn had laboured in planting the Gospell and
out of the Sea or out of the earth as chap. 13. and not out of the bottomlesse pit as in this place Touching the time it is said When they shall finish their testimony he shall make warre Pareus c. This is well resolued by those which hold that howsoeuer he shall oppose them all the time of their prophesying yet he shall not preuaile to kill them till they haue finished the worke for which they were sent namely to giue testimony to the truth For it cannot be imagined that these instruments of the Deuill would permit quietly the witnesses of the truth so long a time as was before set downe viz. 1260. daies but so soone as euer they began to prophesie these beginne to fight against them although the Lord for whom they stand will not suffer them to bee ouercome and slaine till they haue fully ended that worke for which he sent them So that this is not to be vnderstood as it may seeme at the first to be done at the end of the fore-described time of a 1260. daies but within the compasse of this time as each witnesse hath finished his testimony which hee was sent to giue And therefore it is to be noted that he saith not when the time of their prophesying shall be expired but when they shall finish their testimony The whole succession then of witnesses is to be vnderstood by these two who are all this time their office being done some martyred after other some to the end of the time intimated in the 1260. daies Some applying all this passage another way vnderstand by the finishing of their testimony the end of the whole time Brightman Fox which is vnreasonable and discrepant from all types and descriptions of the Antichristian rage For in all numbrings both here and elsewhere there is an admirable consent about three mysticall yeeres and an halfe sometime called 42. moneths sometime 1260. daies sometime three daies and an halfe sometime a time times and halfe a time that Antichristianisme should buckle with and preuaile against the truth but after this time ended there is not a syllable of any more hostility so that if this be taken of some time after these three yeeres and an halfe ended murdering and killing must be expected still this storme being quite blowne ouer which is far from the Lords meaning who hath expressed most plainly the contrary Elias his shutting of the Heauen was also three yeeres and an halfe Antiochus Epiphanes his causing of the daily sacrifice to cease three yeeres and an halfe the time of Christs preaching here three yeeres and an halfe an Antitype or Parallel to which is all the time of the Antichristian rage and of the witnesses prophesying in sack-cloth And hereby it appeareth further that no two particular men are meant here because thus Antichrists time must be somewhat longer than the allotted two and forty moneths for otherwise hee could not kill them after his testimony finished which they are giuing all this time nor insult three daies and an halfe ouer their dead bodies But the foresaid Authors conceiue another meaning of this place as hath beene already shewed Fox One saith that the time of the Councell of Constance is here measured out which was three yeeres and an halfe at the end of which the two famous witnesses of the truth Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague were slaine being vildly intreated all that time and had their dead bodies cast out vnburied according to the Letter for three daies and an halfe their enemies all this time triumphing for their victory but hearing of the constancy of the Bohemians in cleauing to their doctrine they were stricken with feare as if they had beene reuiued againe Brightman The other expoundeth it of the time from Constantine the great till the Councell of Trent at which the holy Scriptures were put downe whereas the Papals had great ioy for a time this was done ann 1546. and certaine moneths and ann 1550. the Magdâ—burgians shewed some life and spirit againe opposing the said Councell and so manfully behauing themselues that the enemies were put into great feare I haue already shewed my reasons why I cannot consent to either of these expositions Sleid. lâ—b 22. It is threescore and ten yeeres agone and vpward since the Councell of Trent and much longer since the Councell of Constance and yet the Court of the Temple is trodden vnder foot by the Gentiles and great Massacres haue beene in France and England and other places in this time so that if this were the meaning it should also haue beene set forth how the Witnesses of God had beene put to death againe and againe since that time whereas the next thing that followeth is the ruine of the City and the transferring of Kingdomes to the Lord certainly the Court and holy City should thus long agone haue ceased to haue beene trodden vnder foot and not haue continued in this afflicted estate as they doe still As for their exposing of the dead bodies in the street vers 8 9. for the space of three daies an halfe Bullinger Pareus Fox they resolue it wel that apply it vnto the vsage of the dead bodies of many of Gods faithfull seruants at sundry times which they haue not suffered to be interred as the dead bodies of Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague the dead bodies of those that were massacred in Paris when they had made the poore Protestants secure vpon a marriage the bodies of such generally amongst them as haue not by auticular confession by penance and extreme vnction reconciled themselues vnto them before their death for they deny them all Christian buriall The time of three daies and an halfe as all consent is put for a short time and the rather is this short time thus set forth to keepe Analogy with the other descriptions of this time halfe a mysticall weeke of dayes with halfe a mysticall weeke of yeeres This then is the very same time with the two and forty moneths and 1260. daies but varying in word as best befitteth the keeping of dead bodies vnburied The sense is that in the time before set forth by 42. moneths and 1260. daies as the faithfull should be killed so they should be kept vnburied in greater detestation Brightman Brightman contendeth that this must needs be a different time but he taketh for granted which I cannot yeeld that by that passage going before when they haue finished their prophesie c. is meant the finishing of their whole time But seeing it is clearely meant another way as I haue shewed already there is no such necessity to make three daies and an halfe a diuers time but another description of the same time wherein their cruelty should not be determined in killing only but in exposing the dead bodies of the faithfull vnburied The place is said to be the street of Sodome and Egypt Vers 8. spiritually so called where our Lord
was crucified Here the Papals triumph as if by no meanes the Pope could be counted an instrument from the bottomlesse pit killing the Lords Witnesses and exposing their bodies without buriall seeing it is plaine they thinke from hence that these things shall be done at Ierusalem and not at Rome for Ierusalem is the great City where Christ was crucified and which the Prophets were wont to vpbraid by the name of Sodome and Egpyt for their vncleannesse and idolatries there But who so shall attentiuely consider the whole passage here shall easily finde that by Ierusalem must be vnderstood necessarily a farre larger place than that City seeing that vpon the entrance of this prophesie that which shall be trodden vnder foot by the Gentiles is called the holy City which no man can deny to be the Christian Church in all parts of the world whereof that holy City was a type and therefore according to the vsuall phrase of holy Scripture it is set forth by that name This then being taken for granted the same prophesie still continuing about that which should befall the seruants of God in this City being a long time at the will of their enemies it cannot with any probability be denied but that this spirituall Egypt and Sodome where the Lord was crucified is the same holy City of the vniuersall Church destined yet to the treading vnder foot of the Gentiles this being one most tyrannous act executed by them to expose the murthered bodies of Gods faithfull seruants vnburied euen here But this Church becommeth first another Sodom for vncleannesse an Egypt for idolatries and yet is old Ierusalem for crucifying and putting to death the Lord Iesus in his members This great City then is the vniuersall Church before called the holy City trodden vnder foot by wicked enemies not in respect of all the parts for the Temple and the Altar are exempted but in respect of those parts which are oppressed by the enemies of the truth both Turke Pope and chiefly the Pope whose iurisdiction is most infamous for vncleannesse and therfore called Sodom and for idolatry being therefore called Egypt and for murthers being therefore here set forth by a Periphrasis Where the Lord was crucified Ierusalem I grant is properly the City where our Lord was crucified but seeing all that hath beene said hitherto of the place is allegoricall this cannot be in any reason taken properly but allegorically also the City where our Lord was crucified that is Ierusalem imbrued in the most innocent bloud for the Roman Church so full of innocent bloud Ierusalem another Sodom and Egypt for the Roman Church a very Sodom and Egypt for the vncleannesses and idolatries as much reigâ—ing here as euer they did in those two cursed places Our Diuines doe all generally in effect say the same for they agree vpon the popish Church here meant But that some apply it vnto Rome Brightman as from whence the authority to crucifie Christ was deriued and so the great City where the Lord was crucified setteth forth the Roman Empire for which cause it is not only called Sodom a City but Egypt a Country and whole dominion which is now vnder the Pope as it was then vnder heathen Emperours Pareus Bullinger Some repeating the word spiritually say that it is meant where the Lord was crucified spiritually in his members neither can it be meant properly of Ierusalem because all nations and tongues shall see these dead bodies which could not be in one City againe this is doubtlesse the same City ruling ouer the Nations afterwards more amply described which the learned amongst the Papists themselues cannot deny to be Rome Touching their rising againe whereupon a great feare fell vpon those that saw them vers 11. and their being called vp into Heauen and ascending in a Cloud their enemies beholding it vers 12. Some vnderstand hereby other men of the same zealous spirit that they were of which were slaine Bullinger whom God stirreth vp to abate the ioy and to strike new terrour into the Antichristian Sect who are finally receiued vp into Heauen at the last day in the sight of their enemies the Kingdome of Antichrist being first much ruined by their meanes great warres being stirred vp called an Earth-quake by which many thousands are shine here called 7000. and the state in a great part commeth to ruine here said to bee the tenth part of the great City whereupon men suruiuing who were formerly deluded returne vnto God giuing all glory to him alone not making others partners with him any more as in their ignorance they had before done With this consenteth Pareus Paâ—â— but that he will haue their ascending to bee the honour and esteeme which the Teachers of the truth come into when their true doctrine is againe reuiued and preuaileth by meanes of such as God stirred vp in the roome of those that were formerly slaine by the enemies of the truth for thus Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague being killed and their tenents condemned for hereticall liued againe in Luther and Melancthon and Caluin c. and were highly honoured and esteemed of together with their doctrine as also these and other their successors maintaining the same wherby great terrour was stricken into the Papals and that state being much ruined many were turned to the truth Brightman Brightman will haue this ascending to be of their doctrine concerning which a decree was made by Cesar Ferdinand and other Princes Sleid. lib. 26. that the Religion of the Augustane confession should bee free for all men ann 1555. sept Calend. Octobris Hereupon followed a great change in the state called here an Earth-quake the Pope loseth a great part of Germany the tenth part of his reuenue and the religious lose their meanes whereupon their life depended But these are said to be but 7000. the generall losse the fall of the tenth part of the City because this losse by the supressing of superstitious houses was not so great extending but to particular persons as the vilifying of the Pope for hereby the state in generall was greatly shaken For mine own part I consent with these learned Authors in that wherein they all agree that by the two Witnesses reuiued is not meant properly the raising againe of two particular persons Enoch and Elias as the Papists hold for this hath beene sufficiently confuted already but the stirring vp of others in the roome of such witnesses of the truth as haue been slaine during the reigne of Antichrist Yet I doe not thinke that this is to be brought within the compasse of the 1260. daies as already accomplished but that this shall be in the last declination of Antichristianisme at what time the enemies of the truth shall haue no more power to persecute and destroy as yet they haue For within the compasse of that time of their power as any haue beene stirred-vp they haue not stood still as affrighted hereat but they haue