hee was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him 10. And I heard a loud voyce saying in heaven Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God day and night 11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lambe and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death 12. Therefore rejoyce yee heavens and yee that dwell in them Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea for the devill is come downe unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time 13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth hee persecuted the woman which brought forth the man childe 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that shee might flee into the wildernesse into her place where she is nouris hed for a time and times and halfe a time from the face of the Serpent 15. And the Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman that hee might cause her to be carried away of the flood 16. And the earth helped the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth 17. And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make warre with the remnant of her seed which keepe the commandements of God and have the Testimony of Iesus Christ 18. And I stood upon the sand of the Sea THE COMMENTARIE ANd she brought forth a man child The woman brings forth and a man child is born he is set upon by the dragon but caught up to the throne of God so the Dragon is frustrated of his prey This whole type may bee applyed to Christ literallie For in the head the lot or portion of the members is represented A man child is born which notes his sex strength and power This is meant of Christ who is the mightie God and the following attribute is also proper to him Hee shall feed or rule all nations with a rod of iron out of Psal 2. for hee is appointed by the father to be the feeder or ruler of all nations ruling them with an iron rod that is a most powerfull scepter for iron is not fraile yet in a diverse or different way some he quickneth by the scepter of his word and spirit and directeth them as his sheep into his sheep fowld of glorie Others by the same scepter hee breakes in pieces as a potters vessel and casts them as goates into hel fire Christ therfore doth nothing feare the Dragons open mouth because he is a manchild he cares not for his diadems nor feareth his hornes because he can beate down all things with his rod of iron And here it is closely answered to what might be objected Why the Dragon did not devoure the man-child viz Why did the Dragon cease wherefore did he not devoure the child so soon as he was born two or three reasons are shewed how his endeavours were frustrated The magnanimity that is the divine power of the manchild did terrify him his iron scepter made him afraid wherewith he bruiseth his heads and hornes But did he not swallow him up beeing dead not in the least for though he bruised his heele yet he could not hurt him because beeing delivered from the power of death satan he was taken up into heaven sate down at the right of God For this also which is added and he was caught up c. may bee literallie applyed to Christ However the prophetical sense of this type is here chieflie to be considered The Woman that is the Church brought forth a Son collective for many children of God by the seed of the word For even in the beginning by the Apostolicall preaching many thousands of Christians were begotten to Christ and the elect of God dispersed throughout the whole earth were gathered by little little This generation is sayd to be male-children because the elect beeing strong in faith doe manfully resist Satan Io. 11 52. Act. 2.39 They also in Christ their head shall rule the nations with a rod of iron Revel 2.17 seeing the head communicates what is his unto his members hence the Saintes shall judge the world and Angels 1 Cor. 6.2 They shal be caught up to God also on his throne because beeing supported by the power of God they shall not fall under their temptations but finishing their warfare with courage shall obtain as conquerours a crown of glorie with Christ For to him that overcommeth he will graunt to sit with him in his throne even as he also overcame and was set with his Father on his throne Chap. 3.21 This consolation did chiefly belong to the times of the martyrs while Christ rode on the red horse even from Neroes persecution unto that of Diocletian as may plainly be gathered from v. 11. Now this allegoricall sense by me expounded would have been the more obscure as touching the members but that the historicall sense before was very plaine and cleare in Christ the head and therfore it was necessarilie to be set down in the first place Brightman takes this man child to be Constantine the great who at length was brought forth by the Church as a patron and defender of the faith against Maxentius Licinius and other enemies But I know not whither with more shew of reason then Lyra who understands it as meant of Heraclius who reigned Phocas beeing taken away very unprosperously For here the womans seed doth certainly denote the ryse and first state of the primitive Church 6. And the woman fled into the wildernesse Vnlesse here we take notice of the anticipation The anticipation of the womans flight reason thereof mentioned in the Analysis and which our Tossanus hath rightly observed many intricate questions will arise as how in this verse the woman is said to flie into the wildernesse and again in v. 14 whither she once returned fled twise fled thither before the battel how she flue before she received wings c. Therfore her flight is put by an anticipation but came to passe afterward when the Dragon was cast into the earth and after a new persecution was raised against her v. 13. For she fled not so soon as she was delivered indeed bow could she flie having newly brought forth but some while after First Michael thrust the Dragon out of heaven Hereupon the heavenly inhabitants sang their triumphant song The Dragon then to revenge the losse of his prey and his own ruin began to follow after the woman She then hath wings given her so flies into the wildernesse And this is the order of the Vision Thus her flight is here brought in by an anticipation because the spirit having shewed how the child was delivered
himselfe 144000. sealed ones who shall truely invocate the name of God like as of old in the corruptest time of Israel he reserved 7000. worshippers who bowed not their knees to Baal Secondly howsoever Antichrist hath a long time suppressed the Church and doctrine of the Gospell yet Christ will at length purge the same by his Angels or ministers the which he hath truely done in our age Thirdly howsoever these thousand yeeres and more Antichrist hath oppressed by horrible punishments and condemned such as haereticks who would not adore his image yet they were most blessed Martyrs and enjoyed rest and the reward of their labours in heaven Lastly howsoever Antichrist no way lessens his furie but goes on to persecute still in an hostile manner the Gospell and ministers thereof yet we ought not to be terrified by him but on the contrary manfully oppose him by the preaching of the Gospell because in the last harvest and vintage he shall be abolished by the glorious comming of Christ and eternally punished in the lake of Gods wrath The parts of the Chapter are three I. TOuching the Lamb standing on Mount Sion in the five first verses II. Of three Angels preaching against Babylon and the worshippers of the Beast unto v. 14. III. Concerning the harvest and vintage of the earth unto the end The first part concernes the Lamb standing on Mount Sion with 144000. sealed ones verse 1. II. A mutuall song of the dwellers in heaven is heard vers 2.3 III. Seven worthie titles of the sealed ones are declared 1. their teachablenesse that they alone could learne this heavenly song vers 3. 2. Chastity they are virgines and are not defiled with women 3. Society with the Lambe whose inseparable companions they are ibid. 4. Liberty they are redeemed from among men ibid. 5. Their prerogatives they are the first fruits and holy to God and the Lamb ibid. 6. Integrity they are without guile vers 5. 7. Innocency they are without fault before the throne ibid. In the second part the three preaching Angels are described the first Angell is described 1. by his gesture and place he flieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of heaven vers 6. 2. His habit he holds the everlasting Gospell ibid. 3. His office he preacheth the Gospel to all the inhabitants of the earth ibid. 4. The thing it selfe that was published viz. A threefold exhortation 1. that they feare God 2. that they give glory to him 3. adore the Creator of heaven and earth inserting a perswasive reason from an inforting cause for the houre of judgement was at hand verl 7. The second Angel publisheth the ruine of Babylon vers 8. with a reason taken from the meriting cause because she had mingled the wine of her fornication unto the Gentiles ibid. The preaching of the third Angell is comminatory and here is shewed 1. Whom he threatneth viz. the worshippers of the Beast and his image c. v. 9. 2. What he threatneth two things 1. they shall drinke of the wine of Gods wrath vers 10.2 be tormented with fire and brimstone ibid. This he amplifies 1. from the eternity of the punishment v. 11. 2. that it is continuall without any intermission ibid. 3. By an hortatory conclusion he stirs up the Saints to constancy v. 12. Here is patience And he comforts them from the rest and felicity of the Saints opposed unto the eternall torments of the wicked ver 13. In the third part is represented 1. Christ the Iudge on a white cloud with a reaping sickle ver 14. 2. He is required to gather in the Harvest by a reason from the conveniency because the Harvest was ripes vers 15. 3. The execution which is the reaping of the earth v. 16. 4. The said Iudge with a sharpe sickle to cut the vine ver 17. He is bid to vintage the earth by reason as before of the ripenesse ver 18.6 The gathering the vintage of the earth and treading downe the winepresse of Gods wrath with the effects viz. exceeding much blood floweth thence vers 19.20 The first Part of the Chapter Touching the Lambe standing on Mount Sion vvith 144000 sealed ones as also a sist apparition of unknovvn Harpers CHAP. XIV 1. ANd I looked and loe a Lamb stood on the mount Sion and with him an hundred fourty and foure thousand having his Fathers name written in their foreheads 2. And I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters and as the voice of a great thunder and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps 3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne and before the foure Beasts and the Elders and no man could learne the song but the hundred and fourty foure thousand which were redeemed from the earth 4 These are they to hich were not defiled with women for they are virgins These are they which follow the Lamb whethersoever he goeth These were redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the throne of God THE COMMENTARY ANd I looked and loe a Lamb The former part of the third Act was touching Antichrists rage against the Church here followes the latter of the Churches preservation and reformation of doctrine under the same viz. The preservation is typed out in the first part of the Chapter The reformation in the second The Author of this preservation is the Lambe The Lamb is Christ that is Christ as appeareth both by what we have already heard and by the things following See Chap. 5.6 and 6.1.16 7.9.17 19.17 c. Christ is said to be a Lamb by a sacramentall Metonymia because he was praefigured by the Paschall Lambe and sacrifices of Beasts And by a Metaphor because of his innocencie hence the Baptist Behold saith he the Lamb of God who takes away the sinnes of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lamb without an article for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Greekes often omit articles speaking of a known thing Stood on Mount Sion that is Why he standeth on a mount in the Church which standeth firmly as Mount Sion against all the devices of the Dragon and the Beast Wherefore sits he not but standeth Same say because he was slaine and rose againe Others because he is the judge and avenger of the Church But he comes forth afterward as the Iudge sitting on the cloud vers 14. Here therefore he stands as a watchman on the tower watching for the Churches safety as Isay 21.8 And he cryed A Lyon My Lord I stand continually upon the watch tower in the day time Hab. 2.1 And I am set in my ward whole rights c. I will stand upon my watch Neither standeth he alone but with 144000 sealed in their for theads Now let us consider wherefore the Lambe appeareth here standing on the Mount with so many sealed ones
Elders were brought in as Harpers before the throne but these Harpers here are differenced from the Beasts and Elders for they are said to sing before them vers 3. This therefore is a distinct troop of blessed Martyrs and Professours of the Church triumphant who as I said even now were departed this life The allegory of the Law and the Gospel is not here set forth had finished their warfare before Antichrists rising I am not ignorant that most interpreters allegorically apply this voice first thundring afterward pleasant the first to the preaching of the Law which is terrible to the wicked the second of the Gospell which sweetly affects the consciences of the godly but this application here seems to me to be strange and uncouth for after the appearance of the dreadfull monsters viz. the Dragon Beasts c. Now comes this company of harpers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to delight the heavenly theater before that the preaching Angels went forth Neither was that voice any thing else but that new song of wich it followeth 3. And singing as it were a new song Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sung by changing the participle into the verbe for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singing or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who also sung He expoundeth what the melodious accord of the harpers was and where As it were a new song New harmonies usually more delight the hearers then such as are old and often heard Such was the Song of these Harpers rare new and worthy to be heard Or New that is excellently setting forth the new rare and unspeakeable benefits of God and the Lamb for so the Hebrewes as generally may be seene in Davids Psalmes call that a new song which is rare and most sweet The Argument of this new song John here indeed doth not speak of but he declared it before in Chap. 5.9 Where the Beasts and Elders sung a new song to the Lambe saying Thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation c. And Chap. 7.9.10 Where the innumerable multitude clothed in white robes cried with a great voice Salvation be to God who sitteth on the throne and unto the Lamb And a little after Amen blessing and glory and wisdome and thankesgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen c. Vndoubtedly this song was the same As for the circumstance of the place It was before the throne and before the foure Beasts and Elders Hereby he intimates two things first that this voice was in heaven and so we are to thinke that John heard the same from thence And therefore it was a song of the Church triumphant in heaven not of the militant in earth Secondly that this multitude of singers is distinct from the Beast and Elders for they are said to sing before them They were therefore a certaine troope of triumphant Saints who afterward came to the company of Beasts and Elders for the Church triumphant is not yet full but daily increaseth with new members who finishing their warfare here on earth are added unto them untill in the end it become truely universall and catholick Touching the Beasts and Elders see the notes on Chap. 5. vers 4.6.7 and Chap. 7. vers 9. And no man could learne that song Now he turnes his speech to the multitude that were sealed honouring them with excellent titles which are seven in number as we observed in the analysis of which some were proper unto the state of their warfare in this life But the most appertaine unto the state of Glory For the drift of this place is to teach us that Christ will not onely preserve his elect or sealed in their conflict against Antichrist but also at length gather them unto the heavenly multitude of Harpers that with like joy they may sing a new song to God and the Lamb. This chiefly serves to comfort the godly here groaning under the crosse Now this is the third member of the comparison for as Chap. 7.13 One of the Elders asking John Who are these did declare the like titles of them that were clothed in robes These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes c. So here John doth either himselfe or heareth this multitude of sealed ones to be adorned with like honourable prayses for perhaps these were the words of the harpers touching them that were sealed These are they which are not defiled with women c. These epithites seeme to be diverse but most are of the same nature or are consequents as we may see by the diligent comparing of them together The first title in which they differ from others is their teachablenesse that no man could learne the new song but they Here first it appeareth Teachablenesso wherefore this company of Harpers in heaven were here brought forth to wit as examples of the sealed yet remaining on earth for our indeavour studie ought to be the same with theirs in heaven By which very thing the most sweet communion of the Saints both in heaven and in earth is signified Secondly the docility and praerogative of them that were sealed is commended They and they onely could learne this new song But how can they doe it not indeed by their own wisdome but by the speciall illumination of the Spirit which God onely vouchsafeth unto them therefore the reprobate cannot learne it But doe not many of them know the doctrine of the Gospel True yet have they not a saving knowledge They doe sometimes professe and boast of faith c. but they never can apply the benefits of the Lamb by faith unto themselves and praise him with their whole heart For no man can say that Jesus is the Lord 1 Cor. 12.3 but by the holy Ghost This teachablenesse therefore is a priviledge of the sealed Thirdly hence it appeareth what this seale of the living God is which the faithfull are said to have in their foreheads Chap. 7.3 In vers 1. it is called the name of the Lamb and the name of his Father Now he saith that it is a new song the which onely the sealed can learne It is I say that rendring of honour and prayse for the benefits of God and the Lambe the which the Elders and multitude clothed in white ascribed unto them in Chap. 5. Chap. 7. viz. their sincere faith and confidence in God and the Lambe joyned with a continuall celebration and thanksgiving By this signe the worshippers of the Lamb are separated from the followers of the Beast Fourthly it appeareth that this seale is attained and imprinted in the foreheads of the Saints in this life It is attained I say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by learning without which we cannot have it and for to learne it we must continually exercise
God with censers but these with vials Which are the prayers of the saintes Their prayers are called vials by a twofold trope First by a Synechdoche for the odours in the vials And secondly by a metonymical denomination or els a metaphorical translation as signifying the prayers of the saintes For as persumes ascend upward and give forth a sweet smell so the saints in prayer seeke after heavenly things and the same is acceptable unto God They are golden vials because as gold excels in puritie so prayers proceeding from a pure hart are precious to the Lord what their prayers are now followes 9. And they sung a new song Both Companies of the Church triumphant with a most sweet accord prayse the Lamb the redeemer which proveth that these beasts and Elders are not Angels but men redeemed by the blood of Christ It shewes also unto us the consent of both covenants in the point of salvation For all the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles together acknowledge the Lamb their redeemer Act. 10.43 According to that of the Apostle To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins And againe Act. 15.11 we beleeve that through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ we shall be saved as the fathers For in him all the promises are yea and Amen 2 Corinth 1.20 Furthermore those prayers of the saintes Psal 40.4 96.1 97.1 144.9 149.1 caried here by the Elders in their golden vials are to be understood as their owne and not the prayers of others It is called a new song that is most singularly setting forth the great rare and excellent benefits of the Lambe For generally in the Psalmes a new song is taken in this sence The former Hymne Chap. 4.8 was sung unto him that sate on the throne but this is a song unto the Lamb. So Chap. 14.1 the saintes in heaven sing a new song unto the Lamb which none could learn but these hundred fourty and four thousand which had his fathers name written in their foreheads The argument therefore of this song is new because it is most excellent and containes the new benefits of Christ Thou art worthy They acknowledge him alone worthy to take the booke and to open the seales because they both know and confesse with all reverence that he is the onely mediatour of the Church and that the cause of this his great worthinesse is in the preciousnes of his blood For thou wast slaine that is by dying for the sins of the world thou declarest thy self to be the Messias Chap. 53. whoÌ„ Isaiah foretold should be led as a sheep to the slaughter to take away the sins of the world Here we are taught that the mediatour ought both to be slaine for us that is to merit and also to take the booke that is meritoriously to bestow life and righteousnes upon others Seeing therefore he onely merited by his sacrifice it must necessarily follow that none else could take the booke that is reveale the counsell of God to the Church and by his power give salvation unto her And thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood Now the Church triumphant prayseth the Lambe and applyeth the price of her redemption with the effects thereof unto her self Thus we ought so to acknowledge the benefits of Christ as to make them our owne not onelie in beleeving that he hath redeemed others by his blood and made them kings and priests to God but our selves also for true justifying faith is accompanied with a certaine perswasion of our own salvation I live saith the Apostle by the faith of the son of God who loved me Gal. 2.24 and gave himself for me Hence we observe two things First that the death of Christ is truly a ransome satisfactorie for our sins and that our redemption by it is not metaphorical as the new Samosatenians blasphemouslie affirme but proper for the redemption which is made by a price is proper But such is ours by Christ because by the shedding of his blood he hath paid a full ransome and satisfied the justice of God as the scripture witnesseth Matt. 20.28 and 1 Tim. 2.6 beeing the same with what is here said thou hast redeemed us by thy blood and â—hap 1.5 who hath washed us in his blood and Heb. 1.3 purged our sins by himself unlesse that by the word redemption is properly signified the whole worke of our salvation by washing and purging a part thereof viz. our justification or sanctification This place therefore and many others proving Christs satisfactorie ransome are to be opposed against Socinian blasphemies Secondlie that the redemption made by Christs blood is truely universal as sufficient and propounded not onely to one nation or a few but to all nations tongues and peoples yet not so as if all promiscuously should be saved but those of everie tribe people and language who beleeve in Christ And thus much the Elders teach us Thou hast redeemed us out of every tribe We adde in the third place XXX Argument of Christs deity that this redemption proves the Lamb to be God omnipotent For to redeem the Church from sin death and satan is a worke of divine power Psal 130.8 Hence the Apostle Act. 20.28 saith that God hath redeemed the Church by his owne blood 10 And made us to God They magnifie the Lambe for three other benefits 1. That he hath made us kings 2. priests 3. given us a kingdome on the earth The two former we have expounded Chap. 1.6 beeing meant of our spiritual kingdome and priesthood See Rom. 14.17 1 Pet. 2.5 But how shall we raigne on the earth seeing Christs kingdome is not of this world besides earthly things perish in their use and lastly the Church in this life is to expect nothing but tribulation Andreas saith that the Church shall reigne not in this present thick and cloudie world but in that new one which is promised unto the meek Matth. 5.5 But the saints may truly be said to reigne here on earth diverse wayes First by mortifying their earthly desires and trampling them under their feet Secondly as Christ raignes on the earth not by a secular but spirituall power by which he forceth the adversarie unto obedience Even so the faithfull doe raigne with Christ in the earth For the head raigning the members raigne also to be short the saintes with Christ shall judge the world and therefore shall rule the same however we are to understand this not of an earthlie but a spirituall dominion 2 Cor. 10.4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God c. But thou wilt say how shall the saints who now triumph in heaven raigne on the earth I answer after the same manner as they shall judge the world and the Angels 11. And I beheld and round about the throne The third apparition is of Angels who sing the new
Gog and Magog Lib. 20. de C. D. à cap. 7. usque ad 18. touching the thousand yeeres of Satans binding and loosing of the first and second Resurrection of the Saints reigning with Christ a thousand yeers of the fire falling from heaven and devouring the ungodly of the casting of the devill and his followers into the lake of fire of the dead which the Sea Death and Hell shall give up to be judged and lastly touching the New Heaven and the New Earth c. Wee have also some what upon the Revelation under the name of Ambrose but it may plainely bee gathered from the worke it selfe that it is later then Ambrose In the latter Ages among Monkes and Schoolemen almost no Booke hath had so many Interpreters as the Apocalyps seeing no man but thought it a fine thing to exercise his wit in the opening of such dark Aenigmaes either for ostentation sake or to delight himselfe with Allegories a long Catalogue of which even above an hundred as well of such as are extant as not Alcasar Vestigat Not. 26. Prooem that upstart Interpreter before mentioned hath reckoned up And among these hee commends foure Manu-scripts which he found in the Libraries of Spaine Vndoubtedly our Germany hath more I have seene a compendious Exposition of Iohns Revelation written in the yeere 1486. by Iohannes Hilten a Franciscane who also as they say foretold many other things At Heidelberg in the Librarie of WISEDOMS Colledge is extant a Commentarie of two big Volumes written a little before that time by Richard Faber of Laudenburg an Augustinian Luther also published a short Commentary upon the Apocalyps at Witeberg Anno. 1528. sent unto him out of Livonia having no name unto it the which Conr. Gesnerus in his Bibliotheca ascribeth unto Iohn Husse But it plainly appeareth to be more ancient The Postill of Lyra ascribes the prologue of that namelesse Authour which beginneth thus All that will live godly c. unto Gilbertus Pictaviensis who flourished under the Emperour Cunradus about the yeer 1140. But by the 20th Chapter it appears not to be so ancient for the Authour there disputing touching the thousand yeeres testifies that hee wrote in the yeer from the Incarnation of Christ 1357. Which saith he is our present date He often expresly interpreteth the Papacy for Antichrists kingdom the Pope for Antichrist which therefore I rehearse least any might imagine that wee were the first Authours of this opinion Yea Pope Gregory above a 1000. yeers ago doubted not confidently to say that that Priest should be Antichrist or his Forerunner who should arrogate the Title of VNIVERSAL unto himself which a while after as is knowne the Bishops of Rome themselves did doe But of this more in its place Alcasar also hath raked together many latter Writers upon this Booke of his owne order But of ours not a few Divines of excellent learning Protestant Interpreters of the Revelation have in the foregoing age put their hands to this Prophesie among whom notwithstanding in my judgement Henry Bullinger of Helvetia is most eminent whom almost all do follow as David Chytraeus Alfonsus Cunradus Franciscus Lambertus Sebastianus Meyerus Nicolaus Collado Johannes Foxus Benedictus Aretius Matthias Illyricus Augustinus Marloratus Petrus Artopoeus Franciscus Iunius Daniel Tossanus And of late in this our age Iohn Napier a Scotchman Thomas Brightman an Englishman Raphaël Eglinus Conradus Graserus a Germane Iohannes Piscator Matthias Hoë Matthias Cotterius a French man with others whom I have not seene But thou wilt say to what end are all these named To wit to shew what I purposed that nothing of the authority of this Booke is hereby diminished because as hath bin objected some worthy Divines have abstained from interpreting the same Touching the manner of interpretation which every of them hath followed and whether being so many they have effected what they desired and ought to have done would be too long to explicate neither is it to the purpose in hand This one thing perhaps may be affirmed without injurie to any of them all that to this Booke hath happened what the Evangelist Marke writeth of the woman diseased with an issue of blood Mar. 5.26 that shee had suffered many things of the Physitians and it availed her nothing but she became much worse perhaps not so much by reason of the Physitians unskilfullnesse as the incurablenesse of the disease namely the healing thereof being reserved for to illustrate the glory of Christ For while so many every one following the force and reason of his own wit have uttered such various things touching these aenigmaticall Visions piously indeed as I suppose yet little cohering with themselves or with the scope or meaning of the Holy Ghost it is come to passe that indeed there are extant an heap of Commentaries upon this Booke every of which promiseth a new light unto the Prophesie The different manner of interpreting whereas the obscurity thereof is not onely not lessened thereby but in some places also more darkened For some applie the Aenigmaes of the Revelation unto the History of the Ancient Church Others diversly unto the continued period of the New Church Others in every particular have imagined unto themselves mysticall meanings thinking as the saying is that under every stone gold lay hid Others turned all things into tropes and morall Allegories Others have laboured prophetically to praesage and find out future things even more then was lawfull for men to know yea hardly among so many which commonly is said of Chronicles thou shalt find two or three agree which disagreement verily argues that the difficultie of the Booke is not yet by so great variety of Authours wholly taken away but rather encreased not so much by a blame-worthy ignorance of Interpreters as in regard of the incomprehensible wisdome of the Prophesie it selfe the full revelation whereof is undoubtedly reserved unto the manifestation of Christ our Lord. Notwithstanding I write not these things touching Interpreters as if I would detract any thing from the labours of so many learned men or thought that by their labour nothing of these mysteries were brought to light or explicated and that I at length in all these Aenigmaes had as the saying is hit the naile on the head Far be it for I doubt not in the least but that a great part of these Types by foregoing and present events are so manifestly brought to light that the trueth of them may daily bee seene and felt of such who as the Holy Ghost requireth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have understanding Yea I ingeniously professe that I have bin very much helped by the Commentaries of most of them especially Bullingers and Brightmans Now what I further judge touching the whole form method and manner of interpreting the Revelation I will by and by shew CHAPTER V. Of the dignity time profit and scope of this Prophesie I Have spoken of the Authour and authority of the obscurity
saying of Christ Render not evill for evill Pag. 461. 82. How it stands with justice to render double Pag. 462. 83. Whether God in commanding to render the double according to Babylons workes doth command rapines theft wickednesse c. Pag. 463. In Chapter XIX 84. Whether Alcasar hath sufficiently demonstrated that properly the Church of Rome is the wife of the Lamb. Pag. 481. 85. Whether Iohn did well in proffering to worship the Angell and whether the Angell did well to prohibit him Pag. 484. 582. In Chapter XX. 86. Of the binding and loosing of Satan what when and how it was Pag. 502. 87. A disputation touching the thousand yeeres of Satans binding 506. whether they be definitely to be understood 507. where they take their beginning and ending 508. what was the condition of the godly in the thousand yeeres 511. 88. Who were the living and reigning with Christ 514 89. After what manner and how long they lived and reigned with Christ 516. 90. Who are the rest of the dead and how they lived not againe 517. 91. Of the first Resurrection how it is to be understood 518. 520. 92. Of the Chiliasts opinion the Authors thereof and its refutation 520. 521. 93. Of the first and second death 519 526. 527. 94. What Satan is said to do the thousand yeers being ended and when he was loosed 530. 95. A disputation with Bellarmine and Ribera about Gog and Magog 539. 96. Of the old and new Goggish war its occasion and beginning 536. 97. Of the perpetuall torments of the damned 540. In Chapter XXI 98. The description of the new Ierusalem whether it bee agreeable to the Church-Militant on earth or to the Romane onely 541. 99. Of the new Heaven and the new Earth 549. 100. Ludovicus his jest on Sophisters about the Lake of Fire 557. In Chapter XXII 101. A Disputation against Sophisters for the authority and perfection of the divine Scriptures 580 c. 102. Of the doctrine of Iustification by Faith 584. 585. A COMMENTARIE Vpon the REVELATION OF IOHN THE APOSTLE The argument parts and analysis of Chap. 1. After the title and Apostolical salutation to the seven Churches of Asia Iohn rehearseth the first vision namely the seven golden candlesticks and Christ his glorious walking in the middest of them and how hee was affected with the vision and received from Christ commandement for to write the same both concerning things present and to come The parts of the chapter are two the former containes the preface to v. 9. The latter the vision of Christ gloriously walking in the middest of the seven candlestickes from vers 9 unto the last THe preface containes the title and thâ—â—postolical dedication of the booke The title shewetâ— first the argument of the booke that it is a â—â—velation of things to come Christ the â—uthoâ— of it as also the ministerie of the Angel vers 1. Secondly it notes the person of the author by a periphrasis or description vers 2. Thirdly it commendeth the profitablenes of the booke from the necessitie of it vers 3. The dedication containes the prosopographie or description of the persons who and to whom he writeth vers 4. Secondly the Apostles wish viz. grace from God and from the seven spirits as also from Iesus Christ whose threefold office he declareth v. 5. Thirdly the celebration of the prayses of Christ and giving of thanks for a threefold benefit received from him v. 5 6 His comming to Iudgement is promised by the words of Zacharie vers 7 and in the last place bringeth him in testifying his eternall Godhead and omnipotencie vers 8. The vision containes the preparation vision it self In the preparation Iohn sheweth the name how hee was affected the place of his banishment and the cause vers 9. Secondly the time and manner of the vision vers 10. Thirdly a command to write the vision and to send it to the seven Churches by name vers 11. Fourthly his Gesture vers 12. In the vision are three things first the form secoÌ„dly the effects thirdly the things following The form of the vision which hee saw is twofold first the seven Golden candlestickes Secondly the form of the Sonne of man in the middest of them whose habit and clothing hee describeth vers 13 His head Hair and eyes v. 14 His feet and voice vers 15 His right hand holding the seven starres his mouth armed with a two edged sword and his face shining like the sun vers 16. The effects are first Iohns Great amazement secondly his falling to the ground v. 17. The things following are first a twofold comforting of Iohn first by Gesture the laying on of the right hand vers 17. Secondly by speech bidding him not to fear and the reason is taken from the person adjuncts of the speaker viz. because hee is eternall God the Lord of life of death of hel vers 11 2 The command of writing the present vision following prophesies 3 The unfolding of the mysterie first of the seven starres that they are the seven pastors and secondly of the seven candlestikes to bee the seven Churches of Asia THE FIRST PART OF THE CHAPTER CONTAINING THE PREface title and dedication of the booke THe Revelation of Iesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to passe and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant Iohn 2 Who bare record of the word of God and of the testimony of Iesus Christ and of all things that he saw 3 Blessed is he that readeth Exod. 3.14 1 Cor. 15.21 Col. 1.18 and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand 4 Iohn to the seven churches in Asia Grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seven spirits which are before his throne 5 And from Iesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen 7 Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall waile because of him even so Amen 8 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty A COMMENTARIE VPON THE REVELATION Chap. 1 vers 1. THe revelation this prophetical title doth expresse the argument of the booke called in Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning the meaning of which word there is extant in a colledge called wisdom colledge of which I have before spoken a manuscript in way of commentarie on this booke which Giveth us an
preserve them safe unto himself and hath done so these thousand years Parallel of Act fourth Chap. 6. v. 14.15.16.17 The Antichristian adversaries trembling for fear of Gods judgements shall cry with a horrible howling Mountaines fall on us who can stand because of the wrath of God the Lamb Chap. 7. v. 9. unto the end The martyrs all the blessed sealed ones formerly afflicted in the world now enjoy eternall felicity and stand before God the Lamb singing with joyfull harmonie salvation to our God for God will protect them and the Lamb will feed them By which double antithesis or contrarie position the coherence doth appeare as also hereby we understand both the consolation of the Church militant under Antichrist as of the Church triumphant in the heavens After this I saw The transitory particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewes that this is a different Act from the former therefore these words After this doe denote not onely the order of the vision but also the future time in which it was done Before indeed he saw a great companie which were sealed but afterward he sees this innumerable multitude Moreover the former were sealed viz. during the persecutions of Antichrist on earth but these latter sung a hymne to wit after the enemies were cast into utter darkenesse and the Church taken up into glory Furthermore five things are recorded concerning this multitude 1. Who how great where what manner of multitude it was v. 2.2 What they did they prayse God and the Lamb. v. 10.11.12 3. Who they were The martyrs faithfull before sealed v. 13.14 4. What their happinesse was ver 15.16 5. The cause of this their great felicitie v. 17. A great multitude which no man c. This multitude is a figure of the new triumphant Church so that it consisted both of the soules which Iohn erewhile saw under the altar namely who in this world had fought the good fight of faith from the time of the Apostles for the space of 600 yeeres as also the hundred fourty and four thousand sealed ones preserved by Christ during the troubles and commotions of THAT MAN OF SIN from the sixhundreth yeere unto the end of the world This multitude is great innumerable as consisting of all the forenamed persons viz. both of the martyrs under the altar and of the hundred fourty and foure thousand sealed ones with all other of the faithfull from the Apostles time unto the last day 2 Tim. 2.19 The which number although it be small in comparison of them that perish and certaine and defined in respect of God who knowes who are his yet in it self it is great cannot bee reckoned by any creature Howsoever therefore the greater part shall follow the devill and cleave to Antichrist yet the Lord will have a great multitude and by such he will bee praysed for ever Of all nations Thus also the Church in Chap. 5.9 singeth unto the Lord Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred tongue people and nation Hence we see that the sealed of the twelve tribes of Israel belong to this multitude otherwise they could not bee of every tribe nation So that here is represented the whole triumphant Church of the new Testament Stood before the Throne This shewes that they were in heaven and not on earth for this standing denotes their coelestiall happinesse which consisteth in the perpetuall vision of God the Lambe The queen of Sheba counted Solomons servants happie in that they alwayes stood before Solomon and heard his wisdome but how much greater is the happines of the Saintes in heaven who continually behold the majesty and glory of God and Christ Now this standing of the Saintes is opposed to the dreadfull cry of reprobates who can stand Clothed with white robes Their heavenlie purity brightnesse and glorie is here set forth For the just shall shine as the stars of heaven Hence againe it appeareth that the soules of the Martyrs to whom white robes were given Chap. 6.11 and to whom it was said that they should rest for a little season are joyned to this multitude beeing commanded to come forth from under the altar and placed before the Throne Moreover palms were given into their hands in signe of victorie For as Gregorie observeth these palms which the multitude held in their hands are nothing els but the reward of victorie following the workes of Martyrs Yet God forbid we should with Ribera attribute this reward to any meritorious worke seeing a far other meritious cause thereof is noted unto us ver 14. 17. 10. And cryed with a loude voyce Now followes what this multitude did they together with the Angels Elders Beasts that is with the whole assembly of the heavenly inhabitants sing joyfullie to God the Lambe This joy of the Saintes as I even now said is opposed to the howling of the ungodly under their plagues Mountaines fall on us Here therfore is signified the most certaine change of things as now they are joyfull indeed and desirable unto the godlie now under affliction but dolefull and cursed to the wicked now lifting up their hornes For it is a righteous thing with God saith Paul to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 2 Thes 1.6 and to you who are troubled rest with us c. According as Abraham said to the glutton crying in hell Luk. 16.25 Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst good things likewise Lazarus evill things but now he is comforted thou art tormented Salvation to our God This acclamation is not a wishing salvation as is the manner of subjects desiring prosperity to their prince to cry Let the king live but a shouting for joy a blessing of God and the Lambe for mans salvation or blessed immortality and happinesse It is I say no wish but an action of thanksgiving attributing to God that which is dew unto him namely the prayse and glorie of their salvation and the sence is we ascribe not our salvation received to our owne power but to the grace of God merits of the Lambe Therefore Beza to expresse this sence hath rendred the words thus salvation from our God and from the Lambe to wit is given unto us And thus Austin in his 11 sermon concerning the Saintes They sing with a loud voyce salvation to God who acknowledge with much thanksgiving that they have overcome in battle all fierie trials not by their owne power but by his assistance c. The joy therefore blessednesse of the Saintes in heaven shal be an eternal celebration of God of Christ 11. And all the Angels The rest also of the coelestial companie as the Angels Elders and beasts spoken of Chap. 4. doe joyne in singing with the blessed soules of the Martyrs sealed ones And fell before the throne on their faces A gesture of suppliants who humble themselves before the most
from the Dragons fury would also adde something touching the womans preservation from the same Hee by beeing caught into heaven The woman by flight into the wildernesse howbeit not together at one time for betwixt these things there happened a cruel battel in heaven betwixt Michael and the Dragon as also the Dragons new enterprise against the woman on earth upon this John returns unto the flight and persecution of the woman Therfore we will reserve the interpretation of this verse till we come to v. 14. Now onely let us take notice of the summe and drift FIRST the flight of the woman into the wildernes signifies the invisibility of the Apostolical Church after she had fought many battels with tyrants hereticks and hypocrites For as the Moon comming so low as the shadow of the earth gives noe light neither for the present is more seen then if it were not in the skie so the Church that chast mother through the shadow of worldly ambition The Church vanished as the moon covetousnes luxurie power of prelates and carnal priests lost her light by little and little and at length vanished away insomuch as she never appeared any where in the world in her primitive beauty The Papists affirme that their Church never fled or vanished away contend that she allwayes shined in her full light by which they deny that their Church is this chast mother Histories indeed shew that Rome of old was a chast mother but ceased so to be by changing the government of Christ instituted by his Apostles into the Ecclesiastical and secular kingdom of the Pope the which when and how it came to passe hath already been shewed several times shall further be spoken of afterward Secondly in that there is a place prepared for her in the wildernesse where she is nourished it signifies that however the puritie of the Church shall then fade away and the outward face thereof appear wholy discrepant from the primitive state yet God will reserve and feed some remnants Of the rest in verse 14. 7. And there was warre in heaven Which happened not after the womans flight into the wildernesse but after the manchild was caught up into heaven For the Dragon beeing disappointed of one prey he thirsted after the other that is seeing he could not destroy the child he attempts to devoure the mother But Michael is present in her behalfe provoking the Dragon to combat and thrusting him beeing overcom with his followers out of heaven whence arose a shout among the heavenly spirits What is meant by this battel and when it was is not easie to be expounded What the war was between Michael and the Dragon Riberas fiction There are some who refer it to the first fall of the devill when Lucifer with his Angels was cast down out of heaven This Ribera rightly rejects yet puts in the place thereof a strange fiction of his own viz. of a battel that shal be betwixt Antichrist and the Saintes about the last four yeers before the end of the world But without all doubt this battel is already fought and the Dragon cast into the earth because the woman long agone is fled into the wildernesse Others take it as an allusion to the battel of Michael with satan about the bodie of Moses mentioned in Jude vers 9. But the cause of the war there is other then here Brightman thinkes that Constantines victory over Maxentius Maximinus and Licinius heads of the Dragon is here set forth But the effects of the victorie celebrated with songs by them in heaven vers 10.11 Seem to be more glorious then can possiblie be restrained to Constantines temporall victorie As therefore in the signe of the woman her deliverie and the child there was a double sense One Historicall fulfilled in the person of Marie and Christ The other Allegoricall in the Church and members of Christ so we may rightlie interpret this combat in a twofold sense first spiritually of the conflict of Christ and Satan the which went before in order of time Secondly Historicallie of Constantines and the enemies battles which happened afterward For as Christ caught up into the throne of God thrust Satan out of his kingdome and brought eternal peace and saftie unto the Saintes by his intercession So Constantine beeing advanced on the throne of the empire did manfullie suppresse all enemies of Christianitie and brought in a breathing time unto the Church after her former long continued afflictions This is the summe Now let us consider the battell of which 1. the place 2. the Captaines and armies 3. the event lastly the effect and benefit therof is explained The place of the war was heaven But heaven is a place of peace not of war of quietnesse not of dissention The war in heaven is visional not reall It is so indeed This is therefore to bee attributed onelie unto the Vision the which Iohn saw in the heaven above The Captaine and armie fighting on the one side were Michael and his Angels On the other side the Dragon with his Angels As the Dragon is Satan So Michael is Christ the Manchild caught up into heaven MICHAEI beeing interpreted is Who is like God Now who is like God save Christ his onely begotten son So Daniel also brings in Christ under the name of Michael Chap. 11. and 12. Propheticallie pointing at this battel At that time Michael the great prince shal stand up for the children of his people viz. having finished the worke of our redemption in the flesh But what manner of battel is it The first conflict consisted in Satans temptations The first conflict of this war the which Christ did offten most stronglie sustaine and suppresse The soorest conflict was his bloodie sweating in the garden that which hee suffered in the high priests hall and on the crosse at his death Then Michael indeed seemed to have bin overthrown but a while after the adversaries power was broken for by death Michael overcame and rising again he bruised the Dragons heades and beeing lift up unto the throne of his father he triumphed over all principallities and powers Col. 2 15 Then as a conquerour hee ascended with his bodie on which he had born and by his blood purged the sins of men into heaven and by the efficacie of his eternall intercession repressing the accusations of the adversarie hath made up our everlasting peace with God This mysterie of our salvation is shadowed out under the type of this battel as plainlie appeares from vers 10.11 The which typicall representation did verie much serve for the consolation of the Church seeing she should be shaken with most cruell stormes of persecutions for the space of three hundred yeers least the faithfull beeing unmindful both of this fight victorie might faint under the long continuance of the crosse But how are the Angels joyned with Michael in the fight Why the Angels are joyned with Christ and who they are
the wildernesse The treading downe of the holy city The prophesying of the two witnesses Chap. 12.14 Ch. 13.7 And the Beasts persecution of the Saintes shal be at one and the same time and goe together as it were with equal steps The which observation wil much illustrate the prophesie for that which is obscure in one place is opened by another beeing more cleare Now it may be demaunded Time and â—imes what this time is I have formely shewed diverse opinions about it The Papists understand by Time a yeere by times two yeeres and halfe a time a halfe yeere so making the twelve hundred and sixty dayes the fourty two months the time times and halfe a time to be three yeeres and an halfe and so long they imagine their Antichrist shall reign in the end of the world and thrust the Woman the Church out of Rome into the wildernesse c. the which however it be ancient yet is a manifest error as before I have proved We added some expositions of our own divines and at length followed that which seemed the most safe viz. that a definite time was put for an indefinite of which also the most learned BIBLIANDER thus writes in his Chronologie The time times and halfe a time doth not signifie three yeeres and an halfe but according to the proprietie of the Hebrew language a time not certaine and definite whither long or short or betwixt both in which God will permit Antichrist to rage according to his pleasure against Christs servants the holy law and true religion This time I say touching the Churches banishment is defined in the eternal counsell of God but so far as concernes the terme can not possiblie be found out by mans reckoning Now this distribution of time is opposed unto a twofold error What is meant by this threefold distinction of time A worthy observation of the Author Lab. 20. d. C. D. c. 23 For least we should imagine that the afflictions of the Church under Antichrist would bee short it is said they shall remaine a time and times not one and two but one and many For neither the Hebrew nor the Greek text hath it in the duall number moâ—adaim or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two times although Austin following the common opinion tooke it so but both have it in the plural number moyadim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 times towit many the which notablie confutes the common errour about the time of Antichrists reign and it seems that Justine Martyr tooke notice of this verie thing against Trypho confuting the Iewes who understood a plural word duâ—lly of two hundred yeeres And least also we should thinke that Antichristian calamities should bee perpetuall they are said to remain but halfe or part of time Notwithstanding if this shal be understood of a definite time in respect of us because the number of the dayes and moneths is again again definitely repeated for my part then I should thinke that a prophetical number of dayes is put for the yeeres in which Antichrist should reigne and rage in full vigor viz. 1260 yeeres which begane as before I shewed with his first rising for then this woman fled into the wildernesse and the harlot succeeded in her roome If thou demaund seing the Church begane soon to flee after Constantines time wherfore then are not the 1260 yeeres reckoned from thence I answer her flight the time of her exile is not altogether one thing For her flight begane from Constantine and dured untill Phocas almost 300 yeers after which time the woman begane to bee in the wildernesse For neither are we to imagine that the Church was caried by flight in one day moneth or yeer into the wildernesse but by little little as she lost her heavenly endowments changed her clothing and corrupted her chastity by degrees therfore I say the Apostolical sinceritie of faith order did wear out and the corruptions superstitions and heathenish abominations idols were brought in together with that Pagan-Jewish hierarchie which to this day Rome with so great pompe luxuriousnes boasteth of for Antichrists apostacy was not at the highest all of a sudden but encreased by slow paces till the pride and tyrannie of the Romane Bishops was lifted up and established For as the Poet saith Nemo repente fuit turpissimus Iuve Sat. 2 When the flight begane how long it dured Vntil Sylvester I. all the Romane Bishops were martyrs for the space of 310 yeeres from that time to John 1. they were all Archbishops for the space of 200 yeers until the yeer 520. at which time the Romane Praelates were created Patriarchs by Justine Caesar Then the woman almost by flying was come to the wildernesse Notwithstanding the time of banishmeÌ„t began 86 yeeres after when from Patriarchs they became to be open very Antichrists when I say Phocas the parricide contrarie to the mindes both of the Graecian Latine Bishops raised up Boniface the III. with a mighty tumult of men into the throne OF VNIVERSAL PESTILENCE causing him to be worshipped proclaimed prince Lord of all Bishops Hitherto the flight still dured After this was her exile in the wildernes The long time of her flight is signified by the two wings not of a dove but a great Eagle that is able to cary her a long while as I before noted For the woman was not to fly a little time but her flight into the wildernesse was to be through groues great woods through fields seas til she came in a certain place of the wildernes prepared by God therfore Eagles wings were required because the Eagle holds out longest in flying 15. And the serpent cast out Here the Church hath a new trouble comfort againe The Dragon indeavours to destroy the woman while she flyes through persecution casting out a flood of waters after her for to swallow her up but his vomiting is in vain The woman flyes on high and before she lets herself down into the wildernes the earth opening her mouth swallowes up the flood which the Dragon cast forth These things are the summ of the two verses The general doctrine or meaning wherof I confesse is not obscure for it signifies that the Church having stood out one danger is involued again with new calamities by that oldserpent who seeks by all means to destroy her but that God is never wanting for her safety but when she is neerest to oppression then is he neerest suddenly unexpectedly to provide away for her escape as here al outwardmeans failing the earth openeth her mouth that the woman might not be swallowed up For al the creatures are ready at Gods appointment for the safety of the elect But the special sense of this prophesie seems to bee very obscure What is meant by this floud of waters namely what these waters and flood should bee And when the Dragon cast out the same after the woman What earth swallowed
bruise the Serpents head 3. in beliefe of the fathers which was the substance of things hoped for 4. in the sacrifices of the fathers which sacramentally were the Lamb himself 5. and lastly in his members as suffering in their sufferings Thus Christ was slaine in Abel because saith Lyra the slaying of innocent Abel was a figure of the Lambs slaughter 9. If any one hath an eare Here the Vision of the first Beast is shut up with an acclamatory conclusion many times before used in the Epistles by which the holy Ghost doth again raise us up to attention that by the due contemplation of the Beast we might know who is the Antichrist lest unawares we might be circumvented by his subtiltie Here is signified that his impostures shall be so subtile as not easily to be discerned but as a Wolfe lies hid under a sheeps skin so Antichrist under Christs title shall deceive the world comming in a mysterie with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2.10 10. He that leadeth into captivitie By this condemning commination he doth not terrifie but raise up the godly lest they should faint being offended with the cruelty and successe of the Beast It is true he shall lead into captivity and destroy the miserable soules of them that worship him yea he shall also take away the estates of the Saints and kill their bodies with the sword But he shall suffer the like things for he shall be led into captivity and slaine with the sword because he shall be cast into the lake of fire Rev. 19.20 Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints He shews the antidotes by which these great evils may be borne and overcome Here saith he is need of patience which faints not under afflictions And faith of the Saints the which overcomes the world As also it is a promise of Gods presence The Beast indeed shall endeavour to break the patience of the Saints and extinguish their faith but God will turne it to their good so as in suffering they shall not be conquered but their faith tried being much more pretious then gold The second part of the Chapter Touching the Beast rising out of the earth 11 And I beheld another Beast comming up out of the earth and he had two hornes like a lamb and he spake as a dragon 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first Beast before him and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first Beast whose deadly wound was healed 13 And he doth great wonders so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the meanes of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the Beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the Beast which had the wound by a sword and did live 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the Beast that the image of the beast should both speake and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed 16 And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a marke in their right hand or in their foreheads 17 And that no man might buy or sell save he that had the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name 18 Here is wisdom Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man and his number is six hundred threescore and six THE COMMENTARY ANd I saw another Beast Touching this Beast Interpreters are as diversly minded as of the former To repeat all their opinions is needlesse They who understand the former Beast to be the old Romane Empire take this other to be meant of Antichrist But such who interpret the former of Antichrist take this later to be his armour-bearer or gardian Now both these in my opinion are not unfitly applied provided the Armourbearer be not childishly understood of one carrying the shield but by a synecdoche of the whole and primarie order of the Antichristian officers together with their head for here Antichrist is represented not as Lord but as one acting or putting in execution his full power as the workes of this Beast do plainly shew Gregory applies it to Antichrists preachers Lib 33. Moral cap. 26. Vestigat pag. 693. Lib. 3. de P. R. c. 15. who glorie in their earthly power But saith Alcasar whose new found opinion deserves not to be rehearsed They who understand the Sea-beast of Antichrist are repugnant to themselves if they also apply this beast of the earth unto him But good sir if so then thy companion Bellarmine is no lesse contradictory to himself who thus writeth The same Antichrist is expressed by two Beasts by one in regard of his kingly power and tyranny by which he violently forceth the sonnes of men by the other in regard of his magicall art by which he subtilly seduceth thē But herein there is no repugnancy or inconveniency for it is not unusual in this Revelation It is not inconvenient that Antichrist be figured out by a double Beast that one and the same person have divers formes in different respects be represented under sundry types For so Christ in the first vision walked amongst the Candlesticks as a man or the son of man In the second vision he sate on the throne as God The Lamb stood before the throne as a sacrifice Again as a conquerour he is called a Lion An Altar as the receiver of the blessed soules The Angel of the East as the sealer of the Elect In the third Vision an Angel making perfume as the Priest of the Church So also Antichrist in the said third Vision is the Starre fallen from heaven as he is an Apostate The angel of the bottomlesse pit Abaddon Apollyon as he is king of the Locusts The Beast ascending out of the bottomlesse pit as the persecutor of the witnesses Again in this fourth Vision he is the Sea-beast as a tyrant and persecutor of the Saints so also he is the earthly Beast as an hypocrite and seducer of the inhabitants of the world Againe in the fift Vision he is in the same respect a Beast and false prophet as king and deceiver Lastly in the sixt Vision he is the Beast and Woman riding on the Beast as a king and Church that beareth sway The whole Revelation I say represents Antichrist under divers formes not simply as one person but as divers having a twofold life and original out of the sea and earth a double body a twofold shape and person viz. as being a secular and ecclesiasticall person a tyrant and a false prophet an Emperour and high Priest And indeed after this manner the Pope hath shewed himselfe more then once One while as Caesar in his warlike armour another while as
Pope with Peters Key for his Ensigne Of which see Albertus Crantzius Saxon lib. 8. cap. 26. Thus therefore Antichrist the high Priest comes forth on the Theatre first as a Romane Monarch but now laying aside his Imperiall habit he is represented under the person of a seducer Which opinion is confirmed because this second earthly Beast hath no figure proper to it self onely his two hornes and words are expressed as proper to this new birth or appearing in all other things as it seemeth being both alike of which more afterward This also confirmeth it that he exerciseth all the power of the former Beast now the Dragon gave not the same power to two but to one Antichrist Thirdly in that he makes the former Beast to be worshipped from whom if he were different oranother in number he would rather have taken this honour to himself seeing he was of the same power and ungodlinesse Fourthly what argument more evident then this viz. that towards the end of the Chapter both the Beasts close and grow up as it were together in one so that the Character name and number of the name is not said to be of two Beasts but of one Beast onely Lastly as in Chap. 17. The woman sitting on the Beast in a different respect notes one Antichrist with the Beast so here the earthly Beast making the image of the Sea-beast to be worshipped doth represent with the said Sea-beast one and the same Antichrist and that without any repugnancie These things thus observed the seeming contradiction in the text will easily be reconciled viz. that this Beast is said to be another their originail and rise to be different and that one acteth in the sight of the other c. But these and the like things do onely serve to denote under divers types the different nature disposition and actions of one and the same Antichrist as by the interpretation it will appear unto which now we come 11. And I saw another Beast BEZA then I saw as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after these things But I rather take it copulatively And I saw for also I saw lest we might imagine that this Beast did not ascend till after the XLII moneths of the former Beast for indeed he either ascended with him or a little while after Another To wit in shew and rising different from the former but in substance the same with him because it is one Antichrist though appearing under a new person or shape for now he comes forth on the stage not as a king or tyrant but as a seducing Prelate Therefore henceforward he shall be called a false prophet misleading all the Inhabitants of the earth by his lying signes and deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse but that this should be done by one seducer and that in three yeares and an halfe as some foolishly imagine certainly it is most ridiculous This Beast therefore denotes the Head with the members that is Antichrist with the whole crew of his seducing priests of whom Gregory in Registro thus writeth The king of pride is at hand Lib. 4. Epist 38. and that which is not fit to be spoken an armie of Priests is prepared It is true most copies have it Exitus Sacerdotum est preparatus The end of Priests is prepared But the following words shew that it is a deceitfull falsefying of the authours intent Because saith he the Clergie warre and strive for mastery and advancement who were appointed to this end to go before others in humility which words cannot be referred to the end of Priests but certainely to their armie and proud war Vnder this Beast therefore is comprehended the high Court of Cardinals the Catholike authority of Papall Decrees the sacred power of the Legates a Latere and fathers of the inquisition The craftinesse and shamelesnesse of preaching Monks especially the deep wickednesse and courtly malapertnesse of the upstart Iesuites for these hitherto have been the chief architects and inventours of all artificiall fallicies to seduce the world and principall physicians in healing the deadly wound of the Beast Beast Forasmuch as the Vision expresseth nothing touching the forme of this Beast save onely of his two hornes blasphemous words but afterward is three times termed a false prophet there are some who think that he had the figure of a man having hornes or of some Devill who in such a shape as Jerom reports in the life of Paulus met one Antonie in a wildernesse and spake to him of Christ There are some also who think that excepting his hornes and speech he had all other things common with the Sea-beast But let us not trouble our selves about his shape His actions will declare that he was a mishapen monster or rather one that had a thousand shapes teaching us that no one figure was sufficient to represent all his severall plots and deceitfull devices Comming up out of the earth Brightman wittily interprets this rising out of the earth His rising out of the earth of the power which the Beast obteined over earthly kings and people as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the earth But touching his power the same is spoken of afterward And the like phrase vers 1. shews that this comming or rising out of the earth doth signifie his beginning for as the former Beast drew its originall out of the Sea so this out of the earth Neither do I dislike Riberas observation That the rising of this Beast signifies that he was not of a terrible and huge forme like unto the sea-monster but such whom we see here on the earth as a Lamb or the like or that he rising as it were but from small beginnings yet did suddenly draw after him an incredible multitude of men for they are said to rise out of the dust who of small beginnings become great Therefore it seems more simply to denote the ignoble and earthly rise of the Beast See Clemang de corrupto ecclesiae statu cap. 10. both in respect of himself and his whole Clergie for as the beetle is engendred of horse-dung so for the most part the Popes Cardinals Bishops Prelates and Monkes all children of the earth have from a low degree and state been raised up to the hight of worldly glory being altogether vassals to earthly pleasures and honours The order of Cardinals arose out of the earth and began to be in esteeme about the year 1004. as Baleus shews from Bacandorpius in the life of John XIX Others say it was after Benedict VIII Lib 3. Chron. pag. 426. anno 1023. or thereabout which indeed Genebrad in his Cronologie denieth and contends that Jerom was a Cardinall Priest but without authority for it appears the seven Cardinall Deacons distributed to the holy offices according to the seven divisions of the City Rome of whom mention first is made in the decrees of Fabian and Sylvester were far differring as being scarcely Parish
our selves in the reading meditating and hearkning unto the word of God and calling upon his name And hence the benefit and worth of the ministery is commended as being the meanes by which we come to know this new song even while we are here in this life for in the world to come there shall be no use of instructing but all shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God Moreover it hence appeareth that this multitude belongs to the Church militant who by learning the new song of the harpers shall also at length stand before the throne and be joyned unto the Saints triumphant in heaven as we shall see in vers 5. These were redeemed from the earth Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bought This is the second commendatory title of the sealed Freedome The liberty which the Lambe hath purchased for them They are bought I say that is redeemed But with what price by the blood of the Lamb as Ch. 5.9 Whence out of the earth that is by a synecdoche from among the inhabitants of the earth by which name John in this Revelation doth alwaies denote the reprobate worshippers of the Beast as being children of the earth given to earthly desires nay he closely intimates that these also sometimes were of the number of them being servants of Satan and sin but by speciall mercy are brought into the liberty of Gods children through the blood of the Lamb. 1 Pet. 1.18 Peter excellently interpreteth this place Chap. 1.18 Knowing that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver gold from your vaine conversation received by tradition from your fathers but by the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot The same benefit of redemption the Elders celebrate Chap. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to our God by thy blood And indeed this benefit we enjoy in this life for now as many as through faith are sealed in the blood of the Lamb are redeemed howbeit the fulnesse of our redemption is reserved to the life to come But are not all redeemed by Christ dyed he not for all 2 Pet. 2. saith not the Apostle Peter that he bought the false prophets by whom he is denyed To this Augustine well answereth that all are said to be redeemed according to the digniâ—â— of the price which would suffice for the redemption of all men if all by faith did receive the benefit offered But as many as passe the time of their being in this life in infidelity they remaine unredeemed through their own fault The sealed therefore are onely redeemed because they alone by faith receive the grace of redemption through the grace of election which God vouchsafed them not to the others from all eternity 4. These are they who are not defiled with women Their third commendation is Chastity Chastitie They have not defiled themselves with whoredome The reason is added for they are virgines that is undefiled or else the causall may be adversatively taken They are not defiled but are Virgines Before I give the true meaning I will in a few words vindicate the depravation of the place The ancient hereticks called Hieracites urging the letter The depravation of this place by the hieracites forbad matrimony as an uncleane thing and hence established the merits of virginity because said they they who are not defiled with women that is unmarried persons onely shall follow the Lamb whether soever he goeth Thus they expounded it litterally The same thing Tertullian also affirmed and after him Jerom who though he did not condemne marriage yet he called it a pollution lifting up the merits of virginity into heaven for besides innumerable scoffes in detestation of matrimony he also wrests this place against Jovinian who taught that virginity was of no greater merit before God then matrimony his words are these Lest we should thinke that they are said not to be defiled with women who abstaine from fornication therefore he addes for they are virgines By the undefiled therefore he understandeth such as have no wives by virgines such as have no husbands Therefore it shall be the merit of virginity to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth where the married cannot follow him This Ribera also is not ashamed to maintaine But it may be clearely shewed that this place serves neither to disgrace marriage estate The vindication of this place nor to establish the merit of corporal virginity First the Scriptures testifie that matrimony is an ordinance of God and is honourable among all and undefiled Who therefore without blasphemie may say that marriage is a pollution and defilement Secondly the Apostle commandeth married persons to give due benevolence to each other and calls the very conjugall worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7.3 It is false therefore that husbands rendring the due to their wives are defiled with women Theod. l. 4. epist 22. But as Paphnutius said in the Nicene Councill which went about to prohibite Bishops to marry marriage is honourable and to lie with ones owne wife is chastity Now if the words for they are virgines should be understood of virgines according to the flesh as Ribera the Iesuite following Hierom will have it then many absurd blasphemous and impious things will necessarily follow I. It is proved that corporall virginity is not here understood That none of the holy Patriarches Prophets and Apostles who all were married Iohn perhaps excepted can follow the Lambe II. That al both of the Iewes and Gentiles to be converted to Christ under Antichrist should be unmarried persons none married then which nothing is lesse credible III. Seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies maidens that have not known man it would follow that this company of Harpers consisted all of pure virgines or maidens which is absurd even to Alcasar himselfe IV. That all virgines according to the flesh should follow the Lamb and so consequently the Priest of Cybele and the Goddesse Diana who loosing their genitours by taking in poison remained virgines according to the flesh V. Not one of a thousand of the Popish Priests who vow chastity should follow the Lambe because they are no virgines but are all for the most part whoremongers and have concubines VI. Hierom himselfe should be excluded from the Lambes society because howevâ—â— he extolled virginity with praises even up to heaven yet himselfe had it not as he confesseth in the Apologie to Pammâ—â—ius where he saith I lift up virginity to heaven not because I have it but because I the more admire that I have it not Therefore he being polluted with women was no virgine Lastly the holy Scripture doth so joyne all the faithfull with Christ whither they be married or unmarried as members with the head so as they can never or no where be separated from him as Christ saith Father Ioh. 17.24 1 Thes 4.17 I will also that they whom thou hast given me be with me where
the Beast he Anno 1371. thundred out the everlasting Gospel in England both in his Sermons and Writings against Antichrist Wickliffes doctrines against Antichrist Balae Cent. 6. c. 6. viz. That in Christs Church there ought not to be any supreme Bishop That the Pope is not the Vicar of Christ but Antichrist that is his priviledges bulls dispensations and indulgences were idle fruitlesse and wicked that ecclesiasticall officers ought not to have civill authority That the Pope and his Clergie had violently taken the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and that neither themselves entred into the same nor suffered others to enter he disproved transsubstantiation Masses offices canonicall houres and other vaine bablings he disallowed the Chrisme in Baptisme and taught that the faithfull were to be baptized simply with water according to Christ example he condemned auricular confession as also the Popish doctrine of poenitence satisfaction and worship of relicks teaching that the Saints ought not to be called upon because they also are servants he utterly rejected the Romish rites new shadowes and traditions he denyed that it was lawfull for any to adde any thing in matters of religion which was not comprehended in holy writ or to make the same more difficult which he complained that the Pope had done He thought that the glorious temples and all the pompe and worship of the Papacy together with the diverse degrees of the Clergie ought to be taken away condemning the orders of Monkes as superstitious impious and very hurtfull to true religion and therefore ought speedily to be forsaken he maintained that the Lords supper ought to be administred in both kindes He wrote as Aeneas Sylvius witnesseth more then two hundred volumes most of them against the Papacy and the wicked life traditions and abuses of Monkes c. To Wickleffe were joyned many excellent instruments in England Richard Killington Robert Langland and others Many in Italy also as Dante 's Marsilius Patavinus Franciscus Petrarcha began to take notice of the Romish Antichrist Wickleffe also left many disciples behind him who after his death which was Anno 1387. manfully opposed Popery A while after the the two witnesses in Bohemia John Husse and Jerome of Prague began more forcibly to oppose Antichrist and plant the everlasting Gospell in the Churches of Bohemia which yet flourish and grow to this day About the same time Nicolaus de Clemangis a man as Trithemius witnesseth excelling in divine and morrall discipline in many Books opposed the Papacy Trithe de scriptor eccles but chiefly in his book of the corrupt state of the Church of yeerly pensions not to be paid to the Pope of the Simony of Praelates c. Adde to these all the witnesses of the truth which are recorded in the Catalogue of witnesses Tom. 2. lib. 19. Now let us consider the actions of this Angell He flyeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the middest of heaven Like to the Angell who Chap 8.13 proclaimed woe to the world but this here is more prosperous for he publisheth not woes but the everlasting Gospell Middest of heaven that is say some through the middest of the Church Others openly so as he might be seen and heard of al like as such things are conspicuous which appear in the middle of heaven For however the foresaid preachers remained in their places and Churches yet their doctrine and writings were spread through the whole Church Brightmans conjecture I dislike not that by this flying betwixt both is signified the imperfection of the doctrine first published by these teachers for however they saw and reproved the grosser sort of errours in Popery yet in many things they clave unto the dregs of earthly rudiments so as they could not with full flight soare up into the highest heaven for as a man being on a sudden brought forth into the light who along while was in darkenesse lookes upon all things with dazeling eyes so they who many ages together were kept in the darkenesse of Popery could not behold the light of the Gospell but with dimme eyes Having the everlasting Gospell The message or thing published by this Angell he sets forth by an excellent title calling it the everlasting Gospell by which is declared the authority effect and constancie thereof Antichrist indeed will condemne this his preaching and writings as haereticall and full of poyson and labour by the authority of Councils to represse and refute them not by arguments but by fire and sword So did he to Wickleffe whom first he greevously vexed by the Masters of Schooles and afterward thrusting him out of England into Bohemia though he were againe recalled by the King he miserably persecuted him untill his dying day Neverthelesse he went on constantly in teaching and writing And after his death the Councill of Constance caused his body to be taken out of the grave and together with his Writings to be consumed with fire The like they did to the two witnesses John Husse and Ierome of Prague condemning oppressing burning them as haereticks with their books and doctrines Now howsoever the Beast affrighted the world with this tyranny and kept the same a while under his yoke neverthelesse he gained nothing by it For there remained some remnants in England and Churches in Bohemia who constantly maintained the doctrine of those Martyrs untill this day The everlasting Gospell could not be suppressed For it was the Gospell brought by the Son of God out of the bosome of the everlasting Father to wit glad tidings of the remission of sin righteousnes and life eternall freely to be given through the faith of Christ The Gospell I say not of yesterdayes rising as Antichrist calumniates but everlasting revealed indeed from the begnining to the Fathers and Prophets but at length fully manifested and consummated by the Son of God and henceforward shall remaine eternally Whatsoever therefore the Beast and his sophisters indeavour and bable to the contrary yet they shall never be able to overthrow and suppresse the same To preach unto the inhabiants of the earth The effects and lawfull calling of these teachers is here maintained The lawful calling of Evangelicall teachers Gal. 1.7 touching which if Antichrist shall plausibly moue any question as from whom they received this new Gospell what Church before them held this faith by what miracles they can prove their calling c The holy Ghost answereth They have the everlasting Gospell The which is one onely received from Christ and the Apostles and of old abundantly confirmed by miracles so that there is no use of new And they have it to evangelize the same that is to declare and preach it to the inhabitants of the earth They have therefore a lawfull calling to teach in the Church To them that dwell on the earth Thus the followers and worshippers of the Beast the adversaries of Christ are continually called First then the difficulty of their charge is intimated they must have to doe with the
wicked common-wealth of old Rome Now the truth is nothing can be more vainely spoken And I wonder that the Iesuite when he wrote these things had not considered that he himselfe lived in Spaine where the ancient Moores formerly inhabited IV. He addes from Chap. 16.19 That Great Babylon came in remembrance before God 18.5 Babylons sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities Therefore saith he towards the end of the world her old sins which hitherto for religion sake seemed to be forgotten shall againe be remembred and punished because of the new and like transgressions added to the former But first not onely things done long agoe are said to come in remembrance before God but also such things as are newly done by an Anthropopatheia for so in Act. 10. The prayers and almes of Cornelius which he daily performed are said to come up for a memoriall before God Secondly albeit his glosse were granted yet there were no need that new Rome should be punished for the sinnes of the old for as much as Popish Rome for these thousand years and more hath abounded in all manner of villanies for which the Lord most justly may take vengeance on her Lastly he flees unto the Oracles of the Sybills But they speak nothing touching the Popes ejection or apostacy of the Romanes from the faith of Christ unto Heathenisme but only touching the destruction of Rome therein agreeing with the prophesie of this booke By all which things it appeareth that whatsoever the Iesuite alledgeth for the upholding of the credit of the Pope it is nothing but a frivolous dotage of a dreaming writer The summe of the place is this That Babylon here threatned with destruction is Rome not of the Pagans which ceased in Constantines time Nor new heathenish Rome the which as the Iesuite feineth shall thrust out the Pope But Popish Rome which a long while hath boasted her selfe to be the Mother of Churches and from whose breasts all the nations and kings of the earth have sucked their errours superstition and idolatry Thus our insoluble argument is no way weakned by the Iesuite but stands firme against the Romish Antichrist But now when we speak of Rome we understand not simply the walled city or palaces towers and stately walkes thereof but chiefly the Pope himselfe with his whole kingdom and power over the Westerne Churches of which afterward in Chap. 17.18 Now why is Rome named Babylon Why Rome is called Babylon lib. 2. cap. 3. hist The cause may be the likenesse that is between them of which OROSIUS Behold saith he the rising of Babylon and Rome is alike their power is alike their greatnesse times good things and also evill But I rather thinke the reason is their likenesse in tyrannny and destruction The old Babylon afflicted the ancient Church Rome the new Babylon hath oppressed the new Church The Old is fallen The New shall fall Babylon is fallen is fallen The doubling of the threatning denotes the certainty and hastning of the destruction Therefore also it is said in the preterperfect tense hath that is is fallen because it shall certainely and suddenly fall like as we say of a dying man that he is dead or the like Neither did the Angell prophesie vainely For even during the preaching of this Angell while Luther I say yet taught a great part of Babylon fell both in Saxony Germany and other neighbouring Countries But touching the destruction of Babylon it followes in Chap. 18. Alcasar againe by his consequence is forced to make blacke white applying the ruine of Babylon to the conversion of heathenish Rome to the faith of Christ making the sence of the words Babylon is fallen is fallen that is is converted to Christ Now who ever heard so great an absurdity The whole context and consent of all interpreters evinceth that the ruine of Babylon signifies not mercy but punishment And therefore so impudent a depravation of holy Scripture is to be rebuked Because she made all nations drinke This reason evidently refutes Alcasars absurdity The cause of Babylons destruction shall be her fornication by which she hath most foully defiled her selfe with the Kings and Inhabitants of the earth for she is the Mother of all whoredomes This fornication as before was shewed is idolatry by a propheticall and metaphorical phrase for idolaters like harlots do by spirituall uncleannes perfidiously violate their faith to God prostrate themselves before their Idols and run headlong into utter destruction as we have largely expounded in our Commentary on Hosea Chap. 1.2 Of the wine of her fornication For the Pope obtrudes his idols on all nations who therefore are said to drinke of the wine of his wrath because idolatry through the corruptnesse of mans nature is more pleasing to all then the true worship of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a figure when with a little change of a word the sence is wholly altered In the Greeke is an elegant * parenomasia in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as Antichrist gave all to drinke of the wine of his fornication so shall all drinke of the wine of Gods wrath because they suffered themselves universally to be drawne aside to the worship of Idols by the pretended authority of the Catholick Church Idolatry is compared to wine because by its sweetnesse and outward lustre it is pleasing unto the flesh and much desired Also from the effect for it makes idolaters madde furious and blinde like as wine takes away the sence of a drunkard The wine of wrath so named from the effect because it stirres up Gods wrath and drawes downe his judgements As also from the efficient cause because God in his anger doth justly inflict blindnesse on the worshippers of Antichrist according to that of Paul 2 Thes 2.11 For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a lie that they might be damned who received not the truth It might seem the words here should thus be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the wine of her fornication as in Chap. 17.2 The inhabitants of the earth are said to have been made drunke with the wine of her fornication c. because the wine of fornication is opposed to the wine of Gods wrath vers 10. The same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God But all copies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the wine of the wrath c. Not here onely but also in Chap. 16.19 18.23 The use of this preaching The use of this Angels preaching doth plainely respect both the godly and the wicked The godly are exhorted to the duty before published by the former Angell To feare God and not the Beast To give glory to God not to Antichrist And lastly to worship God the Creator of heaven and earth not the Beast or his Image Also in Chap. 18.4 he admonisheth all such as desire to be free of Babylons
shall torment their bodies to augment the griefe and torment of their ulcerous consciences Brightman doth well observe that the construction it selfe There came a noysome and grievous sore upon men for in men doth intimate an inward ulcer inwardly troubling and vexing the hearts and consciences of men and he addes withall it is nothing else but malice and envy Hora. lib. Ep. 2. then which the Sicilian Tyrants could not devise a more exquisite torment c. By which indeed the Papists were wonderfully tormented at the pouring out of this Viall for as soon as Luther began to oppose popish Indulgences in Saxony Zwinglius and Oecolampadius to extinguish Purgatory in Helvetia It is wonderfull to consider what hatred malice sorrow fury and madnesse these ulcerous Priests Monks Schoolmen Cannonists Bishops were possessed with what arguments and counsells sought they not to extinguish this new flame Certainly this griefe was more tedious and painfull unto them then any Egyptian ulcer The first Viall therefore being poured upon the earth that is on the Regions of Bohemia Germanie and a while after on France England Denmarke c. begate foule ulcers in the minds of the Papists which are so far from being cured as yet as on the contrary we see the Monks and Sophisters of our time more ulcerous then those of old I apply the Earth The first viall chiefly fell on Germany under the first Viall principally unto Germany because I know not by what destiny Antichrist hath more bewitched the Germanes then other people so as they are ready to beleeve do or suffer any thing whatsoever for the sake of the beast yea some have not been ashamed to boast that the Germanes at the Popes Commandement for the redemption of soules would with the beasts of the field have eaten grasse had it not bin for Luther O wretched soile yet by how much Germany was deeply drown'd in the Gulfe of Superstitions by so much the Lord in mercy hath pittied them and vouchsafed the greater grace unto them above other Nations For though it is true indeed that the first Viall being poured out on this earth occasioned a noysome and filthy ulcer on the worshippers of Antichrist yet on others who overcame the beast it wrought the true feare of God encrease of joy and to be short it recalled the greater part thereof from Antichrist to Christ as we may see at this day CHAPTER XVI The pouring out of the second Viall on the Sea 3 And the second Angell poured out his Viall upon the Sea and it became as the blood of a dead man and every living soule died in the Sea THE COMMENTARY III. ANd the second Angell powred out The first plague hath wrought but little effect on the skabbie Monks for as yet they many wayes bewray that ulcer of venome and malice which lies hid in their hearts against the Gospell neither will they suffer themselves to be cured being blinded by a just judgement of God Ex. 7.20 And therefore the second Angell proceeds to poure out the wrath of God upon the Sea which became as the blood of a dead man that is corrupted and filthy and every living soule died c. It is a plaine allusion unto the first Aegyptian plague when Moses turned the waters of Nilus into blood that the Egyptians could not drinke thereof and all the Fishes of the River dyed Now we come to the meaning Some take it according to the letter The litterall exposition of Andreas Ribera that the Sea is to be turned into blood either miraculously by Elias and Enoch as of old by Moses or else by the slaughter of Sea-combats and such as dwell neer the Sea under Antichrist So Andreas whom Ribera followes All things shall be so as is here spoken The Sea shall be like to blood which is poured out when a man is slain or it shall be so red as if it were dyed with the blood of many men and all Fishes in it shall die as in the River of Egypt But the greater part of Interpreters acknowledge that this corrupting of the Sea is mystically to be understood for indeed the turning of the Ocean into blood It cannot hold cannot be a more heavy plague to Antichrist then to the rest of the sonnes of men The losse also of the Fishes would be common to others as well as to him yea his losse would be lesse for being the greatest Monarch he could the easier beare it though there should not be a Fish left alive in the whole Sea seeing the Land can furnish him with infinite dainties Therefore we must not at all keep to the Letter To come therefore to the mystery Lyras opinion first I passe by the historicall glosse of Lyra touching Charles the Great who as he saith poured out this Viall that is the vengeance of God upon the Sea viz. on the Saxons whom he vanquished which are signified by the Sea because of the multitude of that people The conjecture of Gagnaeus I passe by also the conjecture of Gagnaeus the Popish Commentator that the sea signifies the gentiles because of their manifold worshippings of divers gods whose blood whether it be corporally or spiritually taken is largely to bee poured out But they erre from the Scope not observing that here is treated of the plagues of Antichrist Most of our Interpreters understand the sea to be the world or the chiefe men of the world or Ilanders who shall become like corrupted blood because God will bring upon them all kinds of horrible warres pestilence and destruction that every soule that is the greater part of the wicked shall miserably perish or that all that assent to Antichrist in persecuting of the Saints shall perish through finall damnation which opinion is not unfit yet too generall forasmuch as the world was never free from war pestilence and destruction And the godly have allwayes had no lesse share in these evils then others but these plagues shal be peculiar to Antichristians Therefore we are more nearly to consider what this sea is What this Sea is whether that of Glasse which Iohn saw before the throne Chap. 4.6 and on which stood the Conquerours of the beast Chap. 15.2 But it seemes not to be the same because this here is a watery Sea the other of glasse Again whether it be that into which the burning Mountaine was cast Chap. 8.9 It is not for that denoted the world of the faithfull that is the Church which the Mountaine of the Romane Empire had almost overwhelmed But this here is the Antichristian SEA because one of the last plagues is poured upon it Or whether it be that out of which the Beast ascended Chap. 13. ver 1 It seemes to be the same for the sea there spoken of may be taken two wayes either for the pit whence the beast ascended Chap. 11.7 but so it is not here taken Or for the vile assembly of Episcopall
nineteen yeeres not that the seventh head was then presenly to perish for then the beast also having lost all his heads must have perished but that he was not to remaine in the mountaines of the beast and woman that is Rome where the other heads of the beast had remained with the Empire 1078. yeers This exposition is illustrated by the following verse 11 And the beast that was and is not the same is also the Eight First here I propose that this beast is the same with the former verse 3.8 of which there is no Question seeing the Angell repeats the three states of the beast in the same words One that is Emphatically declares the third that it may be made manifest Whence I conclude that this Beast is Antichrist because the other was Antichrist but the seventh head was not Antichrist Furthermore let it be observed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the first word of the verse is not simply copulative but a note of order and opportunity as Beza renders it almost in all the Chapters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then I saw then he came c. so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the Beast Let the opportunity I say be noted by which the Beast came to be the Eight King that is usurped the mountaines of Rome The beast the eight king is Antichrist and tooke the Monarchicall power of the seven heads unto himselfe as his owne for after the seventh king Constantine with his Successours leaving Rome had taken up his Seat abroad The Pope remaining at home upon the mountaines of the Beast that is at Rome thought it now a fit time to take this occasion How the Pope came to bee the eight king under the pretext that he was Bishop of old Rome the Imperiall Seat And first indeed by reason of the superfluous devotion of Emperors they being allo wearied through the continuall invasions of Barbarians he by wonderfull cunning and rapine drew from them great gifts especially from Constantine who because of his unreasonable prodigality to Bishops was commonly called Nepos and Pupillus as Egnatius witnesseth by little and little also he begged Kingly priviledges And not contented to be called Bishop of the chiefe Seat a while after he made himselfe Greatest or chiefe Priest which dignity till then was proper to the Romane Emperours For after Augustus all the Romane Princes Lib 5 Fastor who governed the Romaine affaires under the name of Emperors either took on them as Onuphrius writeth the chiefe pontificacie or else suffered themselves to be called Greatest Priests as Constantinus Constantius Valentinianus Valens and Gratianus Who although they detested the Function of Chiefe Priesthood being addicted to the Christians Neverthelesse they despised not nor rejected the title thereof Gratianus the Emperour being the first as Zosimus teacheth who forbade by proclamation that the title of GREATEST PRIEST should bee given unto him and so that dignity of the Priesthood first failed in the Emperours Thus he Now these Augustall titles despised and condemned by the Emperours The Pope assumeth the Augustall title because of the impiety thereof the Pope assumed unto himselfe as being the first Character of the Empire and so by this prophane title and function made himself the greatest Priest and soon after Oecumenicall Catholick and Vniversall Bishop being stiled Prince of Priests head of Churches from whom all the Bishops of the world were to receive lawes that is hee was acknowledged Ecclesiasticall Monarch Thus was borne the Eight King though not in full growth Wherefore not long after the Pope finding an occasion when the Lombards grievously disturbed Italy as if he had bin deserted by the Greeke Emperours whom he notwithstanding by his Antichristian Anathema thrust out of Rome and whole Italy seditiously stirring up the Romanes to thrust their Governour out of the City and put out his eyes and them of Ravenna to kill their Prince or Vice-Roy he sent for Pipin with an Army out of France by whose helpe he suppressed the Lombards and thrust the Greeke Magistrates out of Ravenna and all Italy usurping the principallity of Ravenna which at that time did represent the seventh head or imperiall power in the West by the gift of Pipine the Conquerour unto whom in recompence thereof a thing never heard of before hee gave the Kingdome of France thrusting Childericke the lawfull King into a Monastery or Câ—vent Notwithstanding as yet the Pope sate not in the mountaines of the Beast and woman with full power Anno 773 wherefore a few yeeres after Charles the son and heire of Pipine comming with an Army out of France suppressed the Lombards who againe had raised great tumults confirming and augmenting the Donation of Pippine to Pope Hadrian I. And afterwards the Romanes making insurrection against Leo III. because of his detestable pride the said Charles comming againe with his Army into Italy and taking knowledge of the cause absolved the Pope Hereupon the Pope not to be ungratefull out of the fullnesse of his power gave unto Charles the Title of the Romane Empire the which belonged unto the Greekes and therefore was not his to dispose of crowning him Emperour of the West On the other hand Charles the new Emperour to gratifie the Pope forced the Citizens of Rome to sweare fidelity unto Leo and appointed him Lord of Rome the which donation Ludowicke son of Charles afterwards confirmed and encreased Then was the Beast at length fully ascended out of the earth and came to be the Eight King Then Anno 800. the Pope of Rome together with the Ecclesiasticall Monarchy which he got from Phocas obtained also the secular power of the seven heads of the Beast with the mountaines of the great City for alwayes from that time the Pope usurped the power of translating Kingdomes and casting downe Kings and creating Emperours hereby declaring to the world that hee was the true Beast the Eight King or Antichrist These things thus observed wee may easily understand what in verse 11. is spoken of the Beast And or Then when Constantine the seventh King with his successours shall place the seat of the Empire not in Rome but otherwhere The Beast which was that is before Iohn the Monarchicall power had bin in Five Kings which were fallen And is not that is In Johns time neither the secular nor the Ecclesiasticall Monarchie was as yet in the Pope for the Bishops of Rome that then were medled not with either of them Even he is the Eight The relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee according to the sense is referred to the antecedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beast but according to the construction to the following word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eight hence the Old Version hath it The beast himself is the eight king Bestia est ipsa octava for octavus Rex for in Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eight to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 KING IS for is made or
Cage of uncleane birds ver 2. 2. Two causes of the destruction One fornication by which she hath defiled all nations and Kings of the Earth The second Luxuriousnesse and most filthy trading with the Merchants of the Earth verse 3. In the second voyce are three things I. An exhortation unto the Godly under Antichrists kingdome ver 4.5.6.7.8 II. The lamentation of the Kings Merchants and Mariners of the Earth This shall be the former effect in the ungodly from verse 19. unto verse 20. III. A turning to the heavenly inhabitants Rejoyce c. This shall be the other effect in the Saints ver 20. I. The exhortation unto the Godly living under Popery is two-fold First to go out of Babylon Come out of her my people with three reasons 1. Least they might be defiled with conversing with the wicked 2. Least they be partakers of their plagues and ruine ver 4. 3. Because the inevitable time of vengeance is at hand ver 5. Secondly that they might render double unto her which I. he amplifies by Phrases foure times changed and prophetically set forth ver 6. 7. II. He perswades by a reason from the equallity because she proudly lifts up her selfe I sit a Queene ver 7. III. He expounds the kind of punishment ver 8. she shall be burnt with fire and the first cause hereof Gods power and righteousnesse ver 8. II. The lamentation is distributed into three sorts of men The first are the Kings of the Earth of whom it is said 1. What they did before They committed fornication and lived deliciously with the whore ver 9. 2. What they should do beholding the smoake and fire 1. They shall see it burning a farre off trembling and mourning saying Alas Alas 2. Acknowledge the judgement of God ver 10. The second are Merchants of the Earth whose wayling is described first generallye They shall weepe and mouâ—â—â— and it is Illustrated both by the procreating cause Their gaine ceasing in regard of the contempt of their wares verse 11. As also by a Register of their divers merchandize among which also are the soules of men ver 12. 13. Lastly by the effect on Babylon it selfe which shall be deprived of all her delights verse 14. Secondly specially what thâ—â— did before They bad gathered riches and what then they will doe Tremeâ—â— and mourn to behold her burning afar off v. 15. 2. Cry Alas Alas and the cause of their wavling is shewed viz. by comparing the present condition of the whore with her former ver 16. The third are the Shipmasters and Saylers of whom likewise is noted 1. What they did before They reaped gaine to wit by Babylon 2. What then they will doe 1. Behold her destruction a farre off ibid. 2. Cry out What City is like c. ver 18. 3. Testifie their griefe both by signes as casting dust on their heads ver 19. As also by weeping and crying Alas Alas adding the procreating cause of their sorrow ibid. III. The turning of the second voice unto the heavenly inhabitants to close up the lamentation with joyfulnesse The Proposition is Rejoyce The reason is taken from the remote impelling cause because Babylon is punished for her Tyranny exercised against the Saints ver 20. In the third voice is the finall and irrecoverable destruction of Babylon I. Figured out by a Symbole which is both acted by an Angell A mighty Angell tooke a stone like c. As also expounded Thus with violence shall that great City be throwne down ver 21. II. It is amplified by the effects 1. She is deprived of musicke 2. Of trade 3. Of all manner of corne 4. Of light 5. Of Mariage-Feastings ver 22. 23. III. This is approved by three inforcing causes 1. The Luxuriousnesse of Popish Traders 2. Their witchcraft and seducing of the Christian world ver 23. 3. Their cruelty against the Saints verse 24. The first Part of the CHAPTER Publishing the Ruine of BABYLON 1 And after these things I saw another Angell come down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightned with his glory 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every unclean spirit and a Cage of every unclean and hatefull bird 3 For all Nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication and the Kings of the Earth have committed fornication with her and the Merchants of the Earth are waxen rich with the abundance of her delicacies THE COMMENTARY ANd after these things I saw another Angell What Origen writeth touching the song of Songs that the History thereof is after the manner of an Interlude acted by four persons appeares more clearly to have bin observed in this Prophesie as hitherto we have still observed For as in Comoedies divers persons come and go on the Theater so we see done here In this sixt Vision the first person was the Angell having seven Vialls leading John into the wildernesse and shewing unto him the Babylonish Strumpet on the Beast and expounding the mystery of both which things being done another Angell came forth on the Scene to declare the judgement of the whore under the Type of Babylon Therefore Iohn saith that he saw another Angell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After these things viz. which were acted and spoken by the former Angell Of whom is expounded in three Verses whence he came what for an Angell he was what he did and spake Descending from Heaven The place from whence he commeth gives divine authority to his Message For he comes from Heaven as Gods Herauld and therefore publisheth the judgement of Babylon in the Name of God that so we might not question but all shall certainly come to passe Who this Angell is which is foretold by this heavenly Messenger Who he was it is not needfull to enquire The following description sheweth that he was one of the chiefe Emissarie Angells of God Neither is it of necessity to understand it of Christ seeing the action of this Vision is distributed between many Angells This might be demaunded whether these three Angells proclaiming the ruine of Babylon be the same with the three mentioned Chap. 14. The first of whom proclaimed the eternall Gospell The second the destruction of Babylon in the same words in which this also proclaimed it The third deterred men with threatnings from worshipping of the Beast and committing fornication with the woman I suppose they are not the same Because the time and argument of the Act differs The former came forth long before these viz. when God in compassion to his people was about to restore the Gospell suppressed by Antichrist and purge the Church from the dregs of Popery which as we shewed was first done by Wickleffe Husse Jerom of Prague afterward by Luther Melanchthon Zwinglius Calvin and the following Preachers of the Gospell for these restored both the doctrine of Grace and first
being slain by the sword shall be cast for a banquet to the infernall Vultures to be devoured by them But these shall be cast alive into the Lake of brimstone Every of the words serve to amplifie the grievousnesse of the punishment Were cast This sheweth that it shal be a horrible ruine and fall from the height of power and riot with which they are now puffed up Alive Death therefore shall not put an end to their punishment but they shall be tormented alive for ever It is more tollerable once to die and then to bee burnt being dead But these alwayes living shall never be altogether consumed by the fire but burn in the flames of hell Into a lake of fire burning with brimstone A Periphrasis of hell which afterward in Chap. 21.8 is called the second death that is eternall He calls it metaphorically A Lake of fire because as fishes in a Lake are invironed with waters so these shall be covered with infernall fire in the Lake of hell then which nothing can be thought on more miserable yea in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone that is unquencheable as before in Chap. 14.10 with many other like places For brimstone is a most durable nourisher of fire and much thereof being cast into the same makes the flame unquencheable Wherefore as Antichrists torment shall be most horrible so shall it remaine for ever the which is more clearly mentioned in Chap. 20. where not onely the Beast and False-Prophet but the devill also shall be cast into this lake of fire and brimstone there to be tormented day and night for ever and ever Ribera moveth as he saith a great and difficult Question How Antichrist shall be cast alive into the Lake of fire seeing the Lord will consume him with the Spirit of his mouth 2. Thessa 2.8 After many things he answereth that properly he is not to be slaine but to remaine no more among the living be deprived of all power and joy and brought to the place of the dead The Earth saith he shall suddenly open its mouth for him and violently he shall be carried alive with his False-prophet by divels unto the fire of hell But this Question cannot seem great or difficult in case we rightly consider the words of the Apostle For he saith two things touching the destruction of ANTICHRIST Neither of which are in the least shew repugnant to this place First he saith not Whom the Lord will slay but he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whom he will consume with the Spirit of his mouth This shall be the first degree of the destruction of Antichrist and his Kingdome the which hath beene begun these hundred yeers in which the Lord by the spirit of his mouth that is by the preaching of the Gospell hath and yet doth consume the Papacie more and more no otherwise then the flame by burning diminisheth and consumeth the match For as Bellarmine confesseth Lib 3 de P. R.C. 22. from that time since wee affirmed the Pope to be Antichrist his Empire hath not onely not encreased but allwayes more and more decreased Whence we see that Pauls words are not repugnant to the present place because they speak nothing of a corporall killing Secondly hee addeth and shall destroy him by the brightnesse of his comming which againe is undoubtedly to be understood not of any corporall slaughter but of a totall and finall destruction that is of the last punishment which is here revealed unto Iohn to be accomplished at Christs last coming to Iudgement As for other things which Ribera here disputeth of from the opinions of certaine Writers and from the Sibylls touching the death of Antichrist and of the brimstone in Hell seeing even Alcasar judgeth them too uncertaine and curious I leave to their Authors 21. And the remnant were slaine with the sword That is besides the two Leaders the Kings Captains Souldiers and Armies of the Beast Every one of them were slaine Therefore the overthrow shall be universall But by whom By the sword proceeding out of the mouth of Christ He goes on in the Metaphor for the Generall being taken and slaine usually the rest of the Army goes to wracke None therefore that follow Antichrists Army shall escape unpunished But shall not these also be cast into the lake of fire and be damned for ever yes verily as before he plainly affirmeth Chap. 14.9.10 and the Scripture in other places sheweth for all the goats standing on the left hand shall be sent into everlasting fire and hear that terrible Sentence Goe ye cursed into the Everlasting Fire which is prepared for the Devill and his Angels Mat. 25.41 The destruction therefore of the adversaries is so set forth that we may understand the punishment of the Beast and the False-prophet to be more grievous and the others somewhat lesse For there shall be degrees also of punishments in hell and they who have sinned most shall there suffer forest plagues And all the foules were filled with their flesh After the overthrow all the foules are gathered together to the Supper and are filled with the flesh of the slain by which is signified the miserable and totall destruction of the wicked Ribera here is frivolous in understanding this properly without a metaphor for he feineth that such a battell shall really happen and that the Carkeises of the enemies being left in the fields are to be devoured by the foules As if forsooth this event were rare and that it were not most frequent that after great discomfitures of Armies the foules and wild beasts should be filled with the Carkeises of the slaine But the Holy Ghost persists in the Propheticall Type before expounded Verse 17. intimating that what of old was litterally done to God and Magog should allegorically be fulfilled in these after such a manner as is agreeable to the last Iudgement for then indeed all the ungodly shall bee killed with the sword of Christs mouth that is being by his Sentence adjudged to the everlasting torments of hell they shall be cast as a prey unto the infernall harpies but first Antichrist and his purpled Senate shall be thrown alive into the lake of fire that is be tormented with more exquisite tortures in Hell This therefore shall be the end of the Romane Antichrist and his Associates And here endeth the sixt and most notable Vision of all The Preface of the Seventh VISION Which is a Summary Repetition of the former touching the binding unloosing and judging of the DRAGON And of the Heavenly Ierusalem Contained in CHAPTERS 20.21.22 THe last Vision doth summarily represent the Vniversall Historie of the Church from the publishing of the Gospell among the Gentiles untill the glorification of the Church under the type of a Dragon bound a thousand years in hell afterward let loose at last with all the ungodly cast into the lake of fire also of the new heaven and earth and of the Heavenly Jerusalem built with ineffable magnificence from
thousand yeers in the mean while not denying that both they and other Martyrs should further live and reign with Christ But thou wilt say Why the thousand â—â—ers are â—â—fined to what end was it to define a thousand yeers if the Martyrs were to reign longer I answer It was meet they should be defined because of the wonderfull events that were to come to passe in those first thousand yeeres bringing as it were a new face on the whole Earth for Ierusalem being destroyed Iudaisme was to be overtâ—â—owne Satan being bound Paganisme was to decay and on the contrary Christianisme established in the whole Romane Empire not without shedding of very much blood lastly in the midst of Christianisme Antichristianisme was to bee erected and toward the end of the thousand yeeres confirmed and brought to its height with no lesse spilling of Christian blood in Gregory VII that cruell Beast 5. But the rest of the dead lived not againe Having expounded the state of the Godly what it was in those thousand yeers first on Earth afterward in Heaven now he addeth the state of the wicked during the said time on Earth that they lived not againe in the first Resurrection that by this Antithesis he might the more set forth the happinesse of the Martyrs and withall teach us that Satan was not so bound but that he still held very many even all the time of the said yeers in Paganisme and Antichristianisme who would not embrace the testimony of Iesus and live againe or be raised from the death of sin least we should imagine that the thousand yeers should be altogether a Golden-Age or that the Church were to expect the applause of the whole world This is the summe By the Rest therefore are understood all others the Martyrs and Confessours excepted who embraced not the Testimony of Iesus in all this time but were either professed enemies of Christ as Iewes and Pagans without the Church or false Christians or Antichristians in the Church These hee saith are DEAD not by a corporall but a spirituall death in sin of which death the Apostle speaketh Ephe. 2.1 1. Tim. 5.6 Mat. 8.22 Ioh. 5.25 When ye were dead in sinnes And she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth so Christ Let the dead bury the dead The dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of man for he speaketh of the state of the ungodly living on Earth whom he opposeth to the Martyrs not as then living with Christ in Heaven but as formerly embracing and professing the witnesse of Iesus on Earth Therefore in the words The rest of the dead the distinction is not betwixt the dead but after the Greeke Phrase the Genitive is put for the Nominative The rest of the dead for the rest being dead so in Chap. 9.20 the rest of men that is other men or at least it is a distinction of such as of old were living on Earth but dead spiritually for of old the Martyrs also before they repented and embraced the Testimony of Iesus were dead spiritually as the rest but because they lived againe spiritually on Earth therefore after death they lived and reigned gloriously with Christ in Heaven But the rest lived not again To wit from the death of sin through Faith and Repentance but despising the Testimony of Iesus remained in Paganisme Or repented not of their Idolatry Hypocrisie and other sinnes in Antichristianisme as in Chap. 9.20 The rest of men which were not killed by these plagues repented not of the workes of their hands that they should not worship devils and Idols of gold c. which place doth excellently interpret this But that he speaketh not of a corporall living againe as the Chiliasts did interpret it shall by and by appeare by Iohns Declaration Vntill the thousand yeers were finished That is during the whole thousand yeers wherein Satan was bound for againe he addes the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These thousand yeers But did they live againe afterward no certainly for they which live not againe in this life shall never live againe in the life to come Therefore the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vntill limits not a time of living again but simplie denyeth the same they lived not againe untill for never As Thou shalt not come forth untill thou hast paid the very last mite for never Hee knew her not untill shee had brought forth her first borne for never The Chiliasts said They lived not within but after the thousand yeeres but by the same reason they should say that the Soules of the Martyrs lived in but not after those thousand yeers Both is false for the Martyrs have never ceased to live and reigne neither have the rest of the dead ever lived againe It therefore noteth their voluntary contumacie in Paganisme and Antichristianisme that however Satan was bound in a speciall manner and could not deteine them in Infidelity yet they would not after the example of the Martyrs repent and embrace the witnesse of Iesus so as the fault of their destruction was onely in themselves The fourth thing followeth touching the first Resurrection This is the first Resurrection In the Greeke IS is left out but the Ellipsis is expressed ver 6. This is the second death By this Addition Iohn doth expresly declare what kind of living againe he meant that the rest of the dead lived not namely in that which is the first Resurrection as if he should say they lived not again in the first Resurrection the meaning is thus This is the first Resurrection for This living again in which I said the rest of the dead lived not is to be understood of the first Resurrection for the monstrative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is not to be referred to the soules of the Martyrs which he said LIVED but onely to the rest of the dead who he said lived not again which the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived againe and repeated in the Noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resurrection doth intimate The Declarat oâ— also of the contrary sheweth the same ver 14. This is the Second Death where likewise the Demonstrative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is not to be referred unto all that were judged ver 13. but only to them that were cast into the Lake of Fire and were not found written in the booke of Life Now it followeth to speake of the manner of this Resurrection and what it is The Chiliasts said it was corporall but here is solidly demonstrated that a corporall raising up of the Martyrs out of their Sepulchres is not proper unto the Martyrs but that it must be understood of a Spirituall living again from the death of sin in all that shall be saved THE DEMONSTRATION That the first Resurrection is not to be understood corporally but spiritually First from the differences dividing the whole Subject This first Resurrection is either corporall or spirituall But it is
from Heaven Satans punishment therefore is described by the place companions and eternity of his torments The place of his punishment shall not bee simply the Pit in which he was before shut up a thousand yeers but the very sinke of the bottomlesse Pit the Lake of fire and brimstome into which he shall be cast by Christ the Iudge It is a Periphrasis of hell which the Scripture sets forth by the place of torments unquencheable fire the worme that dies not utter darkenesse weeping and gnashing of teeth and such like horrible Epithites to terrifie the wicked signifying that the torments of Satan and the ungodly in hell shall be unutterable like as the glory of Christ and the Saints in Heaven shall bee unspeakeable Now of the Lake of Fire and Brimstone hath beene spoken Chap. 19 20. unto which place Iohn sends us backe saying Where the Beast and the False-prophet are For hee there saith that these were cast into this Lake The devill therefore shall find them there as his companions in torments The Romane Antichrist I say with his Cardinals Vassals and Followers These shall bee cast into the Lake before the devill for he shall finde them there yet both shall be done in the last Iudgement as Christ expounds it in the Gospell depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the devill and his Angels Mat. 25.41 And they shall bee tormented To wit the devill the Beast and False-Prophet for they shall all alike suffer everlasting torments of which see Chap. 14.11 Chap. 19.20 Night and day Not as if there should be an enterchange of dayes and nights in Hell for in utter daakenesse it is alwayes night but thus he sheweth the eternall continuation of their torments for that which is continued day and night is perpetuall The same he saith Chap. 14. of the torments of all the worshippers of the Beast and his Image By the same phrase Chap. 7.15 he sheweth the continuall joy of the Saints in Heaven Who are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple Now that the punishment of the devill and wicked men shall be perpetuall Lib. 21. de C. D. c. 23. Ps 77.10 The punishment of the damned eternall Augustine doth largely prove against such as pretending Gods mercifullnes from the Psalme Will God forget to be gracious will he in anger shut up his tender mercies did imagine that the devill and wicked men after most grievous and long during punishments should be purged and pardoned thereby to patronize their owne and other mens wickednesses But he demonstrates from this and such like places that the torments of Satan and the ungodly shall simply be eternall First because here it s expresly said The devill which deceived them was cast into the Lake of fire and brimstone there to bee tormented with the Beast and the False-Prophet day and night for ever and ever which altogether signifies eternitie But it were false if at sometime or other they should be redeemed out of their torments Secondly Mat. 72.3 Mat. 25 4â— What is meant by Eternall because the divine sentence cannot bee made voide or weakened which Christ will pronounce at the day of Iudgement depart from mee ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his Angels what here is said to be for ever and ever in the place alledged is said to be eternall or everlasting by which the Scripture denotes time without end Lastly because the life and glory of the blessed Saints shall simply be eternall Therefore on the contrary the death and torments of the damned shall also bee eternall for Christ in the same sentence pronounceth to the wicked eternall torments Mat. 25.46 and to the godly life everlasting And these shall goe into everlasting punishment but the righteous into eternall life 11. AND I SAW A THRONE The Type of the universall Iudgement followeth in which all the wicked being cast into eternall torments the Church shall bee crowned with everlasting glory and joy Now that this is a description of the last Iudgement is so manifest from the words that I judge it needlesse to demonstrate the same It is proved that here the last judgement is typically set forth Mat. 25.46 1. Cor. 15.16 Dan. 7.10 Mat. 25 41 Iohn saw the Iudge on a Throne he saw the dead to be judged before the Throne and them that were judged out of the books being opened according to the phrase of the Prophet Dan. Chap. 7.10 where without all controversie the Type of the last Iudgement is described Lastly he saw the Devill Death and Hell which are the last Enemies to be cast with all reprobates into the Lake of Fire which certainely shall not come to passe but in the last Iudgement when the Iudge shall say unto all these Goe ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his Angels Neither ought we to seek an Allegorie in circumstances so manifestly agreeing with the Evangelicall History because it cannot here have place forasmuch as all things are sutable unto the proper description of the last Iudgement expressed in both Testaments Besides our method confirmes the same by which it hath hitherto bin shewed that every one of the Visions the first excepted which was speciall doth end in the description of the last Iudgement either openly or covertly the which why it should so often be iterated in this Booke cannot be explicated by them who give no heed unto the distinct Acts of the severall Visions Adde to this that all Interpreters whom I have seen both old and new are unnanimously minded that here is figured out the casting of all the adversaries into eternall punishment and the placing of the godly in everlasting glory which shall be accomplished in the last Iudgement Brightman alone leaving this exposition interprets the whole Brightmans Allegorie Allegorically of the full restitution of the Iewish Nation which he thinkes shall come to passe after the Dragon is cast into the Lake of fire that is after the destruction of the Turkish Emperour and Empire This hee supposeth shall be about the yeere 1690. moved hereunto by a conjecture too obscure and uncertaine from a place in Dan. 12.12 the which how far different a sense it beareth I shall not at this time for brevity sake stand to demonstrate But the reasons which he opposeth to the received and manifest trueth to me indeed seem to have little or no waight in them He saith that the following description agrees not unto the New Jerusalem in Heaven but to that on Earth only in that the Holy City is said to descend from Heaven that the Bride is prepared and adorned for her Husband not yet delivered that in ver 7. the reward is put off till afterward Whether the description of the new Ierusalem agrees to the Church Militant that one of the seven Angels sheweth all these things to Iohn whereas
there shall be no such ministery in Heaven that the Apostles are said to lay the foundation of the wall of the the holy City whereas rather that belongs to Christ Lastly that the Kings of the Earth are said to bring their glory unto this Citie ver 24. and that in it shall be medicine for the Nations which things are not to be understood of Heaven but of the Earth But there is nothing here touching these things which may not easily be applied unto the state of the glorified Church if wee well minde the scope of the Allegoricall Vision and observe other things which doe not at all agree with the state of the Church here on Earth as we shall shew in its place Certainely the glory of the Church shall never be so great in this life as to bee altogether without tares that there should bee none in her but Elected Ones that she should be stained with no scandals and feined Christians in a word that there should be no Temple nor Sun shining in her c. He saith secondly that the vocation of the Iews unto the Church Whether this Resurrection of the dead be the calling of the Iews is in Scripture often called a Resurrection of the dead as Rom. 11.15 for if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead Isa 26.19 Thy dead men shall live my Carkasses shall rise againe c. Ezech. 37.12 I will open your graves O my People and cause you to come up out of your graves c. Dan. 12.2.3 And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the Earth shall awake some to everlasting Life and some to shame and everlasting torment Hosea 13.14 I will ransome them from the power of the grave I will redeeme them from death But verily it would bee a long worke for him to prove that these places of Scripture the first excepted doe at all belong to the calling of the Iews seeing Some doe manifestly speake of their deliverance out of Babylon Others of the Spirituall Redemption of the whole Church by Christ Others of the last Resurrection of the body Onely the Testimony of the Apostle is to the matter but proves nothing For neither doth it follow from the particular because there the conversion of the Iewes is called a Resurrection therefore here also There the thing is cleare here not so Nay here is no mention of a Resurrection but it is set forth under other figures And all the circumstances doe most evidently represent the Type of the last Iudgement AND I SAW A GREAT WHITE THRONE After these things saith AVGUSTINE Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 14 he briefly declareth the last Judgement it selfe and how it was revealed unto him which shall be at the second Resurrection of the dead viz. of their bodies First therefore he describes the Iudge with his preparation in this verse Secondly them that should be judged ver 12. Thirdly the processe and sentence ibid. Lastly the execution of the sentence viz. the casting of the adversaries into the Lake of fire vers 13.14.15 but the placing of the Elect in the Heavenly Jerusalem in Chap. 21. 22. This is the summe of the things remaining A Great Throne As set up for the Great that is Vniversall Iudgement of the whole world White bright with celestiall splendor and majesty And him that sate on it Namely the Iudge him undoubtedly of whom Christ himselfe speaketh Mat. 25.31 When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory and all his Holy Angels with him The white throne of christ his glory Ioh. 5.12 Act 17.31 then shall he sit upon the Throne of his glory Wherefore the white Throne is the Throne of his glory or glorious Throne neither are we to imagine it to be made of gold or Ivorie but thus the Iudicatory Power of Christ is called For the Father hath given all Judgement to the Sonne that by him the whole world should be judged Here therefore Christ the Iudge appeared unto Iohn sitting on his Throne in the Spirit that none should question but that the world shall at last be judged Why the last judgement is so often exhibited XL Argument of Christs deitie For this Iudgement to come is so often foretold in Scripture and exhibited to the sight of Iohn in this Revelation that the Godly indeed should wait with joy for that day of their deliverance but mockers be raised up from their security Furthermore without all doubt this Iudge sitting on the Throne is Christ because the whole Scripture agrees hereunto Now a little after in ver 12. he is called GOD before whom the dead shall stand to bee judged Therefore undoubtedly also he that sate on the Throne Chap. 4.2 was Christ gloriously reigning in Heaven That which followeth serves to signifie his unspeakable majesty From whose face the Earth and the Heaven fled away The splendor and majesty of the Iudge is such Husterosis is when a thing is before put down which should come after or contrariwise Lib. 20 de C. D. c. 14. as neither Heaven nor Earth is able to behold or abide the same How then shall the wicked stand before him Augustine understands it of the future renovation of Heaven and Earth and here also he acknowledgeth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Heaven and Earth fled not before but after the Iudgement to wit saith he the Iudgement being finished then shall this Heaven and Earth cease to bee when the new Heaven and Earth shall begin For this world shall passe away by a change of things not by an utter destruction the Heaven and Earth I say shall flee away that is this shape of Heaven and Earth shall passe away because they shall be changed from vanitie through fire that so they may be transformed into a much better and more beautifull state Of which innovation the Apostle Peter professedly writeth The Heaven shall passe way with a great noyse and the Elements melt with heat but we expect new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse And Paul saith 2. Pet. 3.12 1. Cor. 7.31 The figure or falshion of this world passeth away Of which AVGVSTINE The figure saith he of the world passeth not away in nature for we expect a new Heaven and a new Earth in which judgement and righteousnesse shall dwell Of which Iohn in the next Chapter I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth that is purged from all vanities Rev. 21. v. 1 Of which innovation not a totall destruction the words following must be understood And their place was found no more not as if it were no where but that it remained not such as it was before But whether Heaven and Earth shall so change their place as that the Earth should be moved out of the Centre of the universe the Heaven by its bending downe no longer inviron the Earth is not known either
City 1. It came not from the Sun or Moon 2. But from the glory of God and the Lamb ver 23. IV. The Citizens of the Citie 1. who they were The Nations that were saved and the Kings of the Earth that bring their glory unto it 2. The security and peace of the City from a signe The gates are not shut at all ver 25. 3. The glory of the Citie ver 26. 4. The puritie and holinesse of the City It shall consist of Elect onely no Reprobates enter therein ver 27. The Former Part of the CHAPTER The New Heaven and New Earth The Heavenly Ierusalem and its building 1. And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more Sea 2. And I Iohn saw the Holy Citie new Ierusalem comming downe from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband 3. And I heard a great voyce out of Heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall bee his people and God himselfe shall be with them and bee their God 4. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shal be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away 5. And he that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new And he said unto me Write for these words are true and faithfull 6. And hee said unto mee It is done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will give unto him that is a thirst of the Fountaine of the water of Life freely 7. He that overcommeth shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall he my sonne 8. But the fearefull and unbeleeving and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the Second Death THE COMMENTARY ANd I saw a new Heaven We have heard of one part of the lāst Iudgement viz. the casting of the Adversaries into torments Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 16. In which saith AVSTIN he declared what was briefly spoken by the LORD And these shall go into everlasting punishment Now followes the second part the placing of the Elect in glory in which also is expounded what Christ there addeth And the just into life everlasting As the former did serve to strike a terrour into the ungodly so the latter to lessen the fear and sorrow of the godly and stir them up to alacrity and joy For seeing the Saints in this life are compassed about with innumerable calamities miseries no wonder though they should weare away with continuall sorrow and mourning But in this part of the Vision they are strengthned in their hope For at last there shal be a change of all things an end of all adversitie abundance of all good as Christ said Ioh. 16.20 Yee shall lament and mourn but your mourning shal be turned into joy The new Ierusalem is not the Church militant much lesse the Church of Rome How farre Alcasars opinion is approvable Wherefore after the wicked were judged Iohn saw a new Heaven and a new Earth Afterward a new Ierusalem glistering with gold and pretious stones That this latter is wholly allegoricall cannot be questioned by any although it be diversly expounded For some say it shadows out the magnificence of the Church Militant much spoken of by the Prophets yea there are some who specially applie it to the glory of the Romane Church in this world But Alcasar reproves both justly and giveth reasons that the Vision of the two Chapters is proper to the Church Triumphant Notwithstanding afterward foolishly contendeth that it is to be applied in speciall unto the glory of the Romane Church in Heaven Now this he doth not because hee thought it to bee true but to flatter the Pope it may be for the Cardinals hat sake and vex the hereticks as he pretendeth Which now I passe by Now to returne to the former againe Touching the new heaven and the new earth 2. Cor. 5.17 touching the new Heaven and the new Earth whither it be allegorically or properly to be understood Some understand it allegorically of the renewing of the world by Christ touching which the Apostle If any one be in Christ he is a new creature Old things are past away Behold I make all things new This Spirituall renovation began even from the preaching of the Apostles and is undoubtedly an allusion unto the Prophesie of Isaias Isa 65.17 Behold I create new heavens and a new earth c. which seems to be spoken of the new state of the Church in the Kingdom of Christ on earth and so BRIGHTMAN as I have shewed interprets it metaphorically of the renewed state of the Church through the conversion of the Iewes shortly to be accomplished But all these things cannot without violence be applied unto the state of the Church on earth The Chiliasts indeed applied it unto that golden age in which they dreamt they should voluptuously reigne a thousand yeeres with Christ on earth But this opinion is repugnant to the praedictions of Christ and the Apostles that the state of the Church in the last times shall not bee voluptuous or joyfull at all but sad and mournfull as above we shewed Therefore we are rather to understand the former touching the new heaven and the new earth properly What is meane by the new heaven the new earth for it is so evident that here is treated of the last Iudgement and the consequents thereof as it can scarcely be doubted of So that this new heaven and this new earth which Iohn saw after the judgement of the adversaries is that new heaven and that new earth which as the Apostle Peter expresly foretold 2. Pet. 3 10 is to be expected after the burning of the world For these heavens shall passe away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with servent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up But we according to the promise looke for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse By which plainly we gather that a new heaven and a new earth is to bee looked for Historically and properly and here likewise it is so to be understood Hence also it followeth that the Oracle of Isaias touching the new heaven and the new earth is to be understood not onely metaphorically of the renewed state of the Church on earth but litterally also of the renovation of the world which shall be at the last day For Peter saith that wee looke for a new heaven and a new earth according to the promise Now this promise is no where else but in Isa 65.17 66.22 Therefore undoubtedly God by the Prophet speakes not
onely of the inchoated spirituall renovation which is in this life but also of the consummated litterall and proper renovation which we look for at the comming of Christ Now the Heaven and the Earth shall not bee new in Substance How heaven and earth are new but in Qualities as puritie brightnesse and glory for that which is added The first heaven and the first earth are passed away and before Chap. 20.11 From whose face the heaven and the earth c. doth not signifie that they should bee brought to nothing but that they are to be purifyed by fire from all present vanity and defilement So Peter interpreteth the same The heavens burning shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat Whence the Apostle gathers this weighty instruction seeing that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of men ought yee to bee in all holy conversation and godlinesse And indeed to meditate and doe this tends more to Salvation then curiously to search after the manner of the Renovation Now if any one should say These things John saw but the Heavenly glory Eye hath not seene Eare hath not heard c. therefore the Vision speakes not of this glory The answer is easie Iohn saw not the thing it selfe but he saw certaine representations and types of the things to come Therefore it remaines true that Eye hath not seene c. especially seeing Iohn saw not the same with his eyes but in the spirit And the Sea was no more AVGVSTINE thinkes that the Sea may be understood of the turbulent world 1. Cor. 7.31 which then shall no more bee for the world passeth away with the fashion thereof yet hee retaines the proper sense also but doubteth whither the Sea shall be dryed up by that fervent heat or whither that also shall be changed and purged Indeed we read that the Heaven and the Earth shall bee renewed but I remember not that I have read of a new Sea save onely what is said in this Booke touching the Sea of glasse like to Chrystall Rev. 4.6 but there he speakes not of this world Andreas Caesariensis supposeth that then there shall bee no Sea The renovation of the Sea for what use should there be of it seeing then men shall saile no more Schoole-men thinke that the Sea shall so bee renewed as indeed it shall not retaine its substance because the water is to be consolidated into the globe of the Sphere remaining no longer flowing But these curiosities we leave unto themselves By the New Heaven BRIHGTMAN understands a new worship and puritie in godlinesse By the new earth new Israelites which then shall joyne unto the Church of Christ By the former heaven that passed away the Iewish worship which they shall no longer exercise By the former earth the Iewes themselves who of Iewes shall become Christians By the Sea which was no more corrupt doctrine which shall have no place among the new people for then the Iewes shall cast off their errours touching the Messias which now they maintaine tooth and naile c. What manner of Allegories these are I passe by certainely they depend upon a very improbable conjecture viz. that the Easterne Iewes after the overthrow of the Turkish Empire and burning of Rome should be added unto the Church of Christ 2. And I Iohn saw the holy City Now also the glory of the renewed Church is exhibited to the view of Iohn under the Type of a most beautifull Citie as it were a Bride most curiously adorned The Kings Bible omitting the name of Iohn reads it And I saw which John inserts for certainety sake For Iohn was an Apostle an Evangelist and witnesse of the truth therefore he writeth a thing that is certaine Furthermore the Scripture generally calleth the Church of the Elect Ierusalem because Ierusalem was the Seat of the Church and worship of God according to the Psalme This is my rest for ever here I will dwell because I have chosen her Ps 132.14 But because that Old Ierusalem polluted with the blood of Christ and his Apostles was at length overthrowne He distinguisheth this new Ierusalem from the other by divers Titles He cals it a Citie because of the beauty of its building and afterward addes holy because it shall shine with Heavenly purity and perfect holinesse Here indeed it begins to bee holy Eph. 5.27 Christ sanctifying her unto himselfe with the washing of water in the word but as yet she is not without spot and wrinkle but then he will present her unto himselfe gloriously holy without spot or wrinkle or any such thing He cals it New to difference it from the old and because of its new brightnesse For then the righteous shall shine in glory as the Sunne Mat. 13.43 Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 19 COMING DOWNE FROM GOD OVT OF HEAVEN Because saith AVSTIN It is heavenly grace by which God hath made her Therefore it is said to descend from God out of heaven because God hath chosen her from all eternitie therefore originally she comes downe out of Heaven so Chap. 3.12 Vpon him that overcommeth I will write the name of the Citie of my God the new Ierusalem that commeth downe from my God And Hebr. 12 22. it is called the Heavenly Ierusalem Gal. 4.26 Ierusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is above How the new Ierusalem comes down from heaven But this Epithite seemes to be contrary to our opinion for the Heavenly Ierusalem shall never come downe but remaine firm in Heaven I ANSWER First it may be said that the Vision is to bee distinguished from the thing it selfe The Image of the Heavenly City which Iohn saw in the Spirit came downe or if the Citie it selfe came downe it is visionally to be understood But Secondly this comming downe as above Chap. 3.12 must be taken not of a locall motion but of the originall beginning of the new Ierusalem for whither her existence be said to be above or here below as God from Heaven hath chosen so hath he called justifyed and gloried her Prepared as a Bride By another metaphor he amplifies the dignitie and glory of the Triumphant Church Unto her dignitie belongs that hee saw her as a Bride to wit of the Lambe ver 9. To her glory that he saw her adorned for her husband that is in full beauty now delivered into the hands of Christ her Husband For then shall bee the eternitie of the Heavenly Wedding Above in Chap. 19.7 The Bride made her selfe ready while as yet she was absent from the Lord But now she is prepared because the Wedding Feast is at hand But hence BRIGHTMAN He saw her saith he prepared adorned not as yet delivered Therefore shee was not as yet glorified Answ The participles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prepared adorned argue the contrary Now she is a preparing and adorning her selfe But then she shall bee prepared adorned that is fully beautified with
Heavenly glory The same thing the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe import not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for her husband not for her spouse Then therefore she shall bee delivered unto her Husband for before the Marriage-Feast the Bride is preparing for her Bridegroome but the Feast being ended for her Husband For he who was before the Bridegroom is then a Husband 3. And I heard a great voyce Thus much touching the things he saw a new heaven and a new earth and the Heavenly Ierusalem adorned like a Bride Now he recordeth what he heard a two-fold voyce one unknowne the other of one that sate on the Throne both confirme the happinesse of the Bride The former voyce comes from heaven Therefore it sheweth joyfull and true tidings unto the Bride It was GREAT vehemently piercing Iohns eares that he might give good heed because the matter delivered is weighty But what was it Behold the Tabernacle of God with men As if he should say the Marriage-Feast is ended Hence forward the Bridegroom and Bride shall dwel together under one roofe for ever And he wil dwell with them An allusion unto the Bridegroomes abode with the Bride after the Marriage-Feast Now he fully comprehends the happinesse of the Bride as above Chap. 7.15.16 in two parts the fruition of all manner of good things and freedom from all evill The chiefe good is God To enjoy his presence and the sight of his face is the chiefest felicitie This hee seems to describe by a two-fold reason his presence and his communion with men Touching his presence he saith the Tabernacle of God is with men The which Tabernacle least it might be thought to be emptie and transitorie he addes And he will dwell with them Rev. 7.15 intimately and unseparably as above 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seemeth to sound His Tabernacle shall be upon them namely thereby to refresh and preserve them from the heat of the Sunne By an allusion unto places subject to the Sun where men in respect of the heat hide themselves in Tabernacles or Caves under the Earth But here he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will dwell with them be in one house as it were constantly and perpetually with them Therefore they shall enjoy the perpetuall sight and presence of God By Men he understandeth not al The habitation of Gods grace and glory but the Elect acquitted in Iudgement Now he speaketh of no personall habitation like as God the Word dwelleth in the temple of his flesh but of grace and glory But doth not God now also dwell with his Church Yea verily according to the promise in Levitic 26.11 whence this whole place seems to be taken and is repeated by Paul 2. Cor. 6. but he shall then dwell with us after another manner then now hee doth For here he hath dwelt with us 1. Personally in Christ 2. By his gratious presence in the Church bestowing on her the benefits of the Gospell and first fruits of the Spirit Then he will dwell with us through his glorious presence fully enriching the Saints with Heavenly brightnesse and glory and he shall be all in all and we shall see him as he is face to face Touching his communion with us it is added And they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God Now also he is our God and we are his people but this communion is onely by inchoated grace for now he bestoweth grace upon every one of us but in part 1. Cor. 13.9 Eph. 4.7 1. Cor. 12.11 2. Cor. 3.18 Phil. 3.21 Mat 13.43 1. Ioh. 3.2 according to the measure of the gift of Christ as he will Then shall be the consummated communication of glory when with open face we shall all behold the glory of the Lord and be changed into the same image from glory to glory when he shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like unto the glorious bodie of his Sonne they shall shine as the sunne we shall be like unto â—im the proportion notwithstanding being kept that is between the head and the members The summe is Then the promise made unto the Church Lev. 26.11 shall be most fully perfected I will set my tabernacle amongst you and my soule shall not abhorre you I will walke in the midst of you and ye shall be my people and I will be your God Now God dwelleth with us by communication of grace then hee shall dwell in us by communication of glory the which eye hath not seen nor eare heard 1. Cor. 2.4 neither hath it entred into the heart of man 4. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes The second part of felicity is that we shall be subject to no miseries vexation or troubles of this life To be free from evill is a great happinesse of which also God is Author For he will free his people from all evill Now he reckons up five kinds of evill making this life bitter under which the opposite good things are to be understood The evils accompaning this life Teares Teares are expressed by the feeling of evill Now this life what is it but a vale of teares But then God will wipe away all teares from our eyes that is he will make it that we shall weepe no more by taking away all cause of teares turning our teares into joy according to the promise They which sow in teares Ps 126.6 shall reape in joy The phrase is taken out of Isa 25.8 and is an allusion unto the naturall affection of a mother to her child which useth to flatter the crying babe and wipe away the teares thereof And death shall be no more Neither the first nor second Isa 25.8 for it shall bee cast into the Lake of fire and utterly abolished according to the promise Hee will swallow up death in victory But hath not Christ by his death overcome death long agoe True but not as yet swallowed it up Notwithstanding although we now remaine subject unto corporall death yet whatsoever in it belongs to punishment that Christ hath taken away But then he shall abolish death wholly In the meane while he converteth the corporall death of the Saints into a resting from sinne and a passage to life for whither we live Rom. 14.8 Col. 3.4 Rom. 8.38 or whither we die wee are the Lords Christ is the life of the dead neither can death separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Now death being taken away what shal then follow but life everlasting Neither mourning As now we do for the death of friends and losse of such as are deare unto us This shall not bee then because there shall bee no death Our friends departed shal be restored unto us to see salute and rejoyce for ever with them Nor cry Which ariseth out of the evills turmoyles disturbances of this life For there shall bee everlasting peace and tranquilitie all tumults
and quarrels shall be farre from thence but on the contrary we shall sing to God everlasting Songs of joy Nor paine Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labour which may be taken for any kind of trouble and metaphorically for Griefe as BEZA renders it after the Greeke Phrase Sophocl in Antig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 griefe by griefe brings griefe But then there shall be no labour trouble paine or griefe of body or mind occasioning teares death sorrow or crying There shal be no cause of evill but on the contrary everlasting joy and pleasure at Gods right hand For the former or first things are passed away That is the miserable state of this present life in which all those evils doe abound because of sinne Then they shall passe or vanish away There shal bee a new heaven and a new earth A new state full of joy and happinesse Vnto the illustration of this place that in Chap. 7.15 helps very much where in the end of the second Vision one of the foure and twenty Elders explicated the Heavenly felicity of the Saints almost in the same words They are saith he before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them they shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them nor any heat for the Lambe that is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountaines of waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes This place doth plainly confute their opinion who hold that here is treated of the state of the Church Militant in this world for it is certaine that this removall of all evils from the Church neither is nor shall be in this world neither is any such happinesse to be hoped for in this life but it is reserved for the Church in the world to come These things therefore cannot be applied unto the state of the Church on earth gathered of Iewes and Gentiles Neither do the Futures will dwell will take away contradict what wee say For these are retained emphatically out of the Prophesie as if he should say the things which Isaias foretold should come to passe shall bee then fulfilled the which the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are passed away in the Praeter Tense doth easily evince 5. And he that sate upon the throne Here followeth the voyce of the Sitter on the Throne of whom above Chap. 4. where wee shewed it was either the Holy Trinitie or the Son of God gloriously reigning at the right hand of God in Heaven because he saith I am Alpha and Omega which above in Chap. 1 8. was the voyce of Christ I am Alpha and Omega the First and the Last Now he confirmeth unto Iohn the things before seen and heard All things were new a New Heaven a New Earth a New Ierusalem Least we should doubt or aske whence this innovation should come Behold saith hee I make all things new This innovation of things shal be effected by the divine power Neither speaketh he of the spirituall renovation of the Church which began long agoe by the grace and power of Christ but of the super-naturall change of the whole universe which shal be at Christs last coming 2. Pet. 3.13 as Peter sheweth And hee saith to mee write The Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith in the present Tense being the proper stile of the Evangelist Iohn argues that he was Authour of this Booke He is commanded to write this Vision of the future renovation and in speciall the most sweet voyce of Gods eternall abode with men and the future blessednesse of the godlie that it might allwayes remaine extant to future times for the Churches consolation for Christ knew that the Churches condition should unto the end be mournefull by teares death sadnesse paines c. Least therefore she might faint in her warfare the Lord would have this most joyfull Catastrophe of all evils to be set down in Holy Writ For these words are true and faithfull Above Chap. 19.9 after a like Commandement of writing Write blessed c. He annexed a like reason These words are true Here he addeth faithfull that none should doubt of the future happinesse Hee understands by WORDS here Gods future dwelling with men as also the eternall rewards of the faithfull and everlasting punishments of the wicked 6. And he said to mee It is done Above Chap. 16.17 the Angell of the seventh Viall in the same phrase proclaimed the end of Babylon and the whole world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IT IS DONE It is a weighty asseveration that the thing is as certaine as if it were already accomplished I am Alpha and Omega As above Chap. 1.8.11 I will give unto him that is a thirst Hee confirmes eternall rewards unto the faithfull out of the Gospell For this is the voyce of Christ Ioh. 7.37 whence he that sate on the throne is knowne to bee Christ the Author of this Prophesie To them that thirst he promiseth the water of life freely that is everlasting joy without any desert of ours But then no man shall thirst any more But these Future Verbes I will give shall inherit and as before shall wipe away seeme to make against our opinion but they doe not as erewhile I shewed For because it is a Prophesie of future things he rightly useth Verbes of the future Tense He therefore that thirsteth to wit after righteousnesse in this life to him Christ will give the water of Life now in a beginning onely then fully as if hee should say then I will truely fulfill the Evangelicall promise of which I now grant a tast to the faithfull He that overcommeth shall inherit all things Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive it by inheritance Not therefore of merit but freely All things As it were an only Heire that possesseth all the substance of his Parents But all the Elect are heires and yet every one shall receive the whole inheritance Therefore this shall not be after the manner of other inheritances Now the inheritance is promised to him that overcommeth to wit the world the Beast and Satan because before the victory there must needs be a fight Therefore the Faithfull are here exhorted to fight couragiously against all their Adversaries See Chap. 2.10 And I will bee his God From 2. Sam. 7.14 He then at last promiseth to them that overcome the fulfilling of the promise of adoption which now by faith they possesse in hope Now are wee the sonnes of God but it doth not yet appeare what we shall bee but we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as hee is This is Johns owne most true interpretation of this divine voyce 1. Ioh. 3.2 8. But the fearfull and unbeleeving From the contrary he extols the felicity of the Godly because contraries being set one by another
they are the more apparent Therefore he could not more effectually set forth the excellency and worth of Heavenly good things erewhile promised unto the Conquerours viz. eternall abode with God his everlasting amitie absence of all evill abundance of all good things the Eternall and Heavenly refreshing and last of all the coinheritance with Christ in the new Heaven and the new Earth and of all things that are then by giving a touch on the contrary of the miserable and unhappy portion of the ungodly But the fearefull saith he and unbeleevers shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone whose horrible judgement hee repeateth from the end of the foregoing Chapter Whosoever was not found written in the Booke of Life was cast into the Lake of fire This part of the judgement he expoundeth more fully that the godly may the more contentedly beare the troublesomnesse of their warfare and miseries in this life which shall shortly be turned into joy and the lesse be grieved at the successe and delights of the ungodly who shortly shall be cast into the torments of Hell fire Furthermore he reckons up eight rankes of reprobates whose names are not written in the Booke of Life unto which all the wicked belong in speciall the worshippers of the Beast and his Zealots are set forth in their colours For of these chiefly it is said Chapter 13.8 That their names are not written in the Booke of Life And truely these wickednesses have notoriously born sway in the Papacy Fearefull These he opposeth to Christs strong champions and Conquerours Fearfull understanding indeed generally those delicate professours who for feare of danger would have nothing to do with Christ nor suffer any trouble for his sake But chiefly noteing those most base Vassals of ANTICHRIST unto whom a servile dread and spirit of fearfullnesse is proper For they are never taught certainely to trust in the mercy of God touching the remission of sinnes of faith and salvation but torment themselves with perpetual doubting false conjectures and feare of beeing deceived all their life time standing in dread of Purgatory and Hell fire Vnbeleeving Such indeed bee all that are Alients from the Faith of Christ Vnbelievers Iewes Pagans barbarous Infidels of whom it is said Hee that beleeveth not in the Sonne of God Ioh. 3.36 the wrath of God abideth on him Yet none are more bitter enemies of justifying faith then Antichrists Zealots for these both by Arguments and force of armes furiously oppugne free justification by Faith They therefore are principally these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnbeleeving seeing the Scriptures of the new Testament usually call other faithlesse men The abominable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disobedient and obstinate Abominable Both actively who abhorre God and Christ and passively who because of their abominable wickednesses are odious to God and men Andreas reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abominable sinners such indeed are blasphemers out of the Church But principally it agrees to the worshippers of the Beast for they imitate the nature of the Beast and his blasphemous mouth against God his Tabernacle and those that dwell in Heaven But what more cursed abomination can there be Cha. 13.6 then for Popish Priests really to sacrifice and kill the Sonne of God under the species of bread in the Masse mortifying destroying and offering him unto the Father if they be beleeved Murderers Such indeed have been all the robbers from Cain Murderers and Nimrod the Tyrants time cruelly spilling mans blood but none are more cruell man-slayers then Antichrists zealots and actors in the Inquisition who for many Ages have indeed by fire and sword killed innumerable bodies of the Martyrs but infinite soules of men by their devilish doctrine Whoremongers Such indeed are all impure adulterers and fornicatours whom God will judge Notwithstanding the Romane Clergy are the chiefe Adulterers and whoremongers who under pretence of vowed chastitie have long agoe polluted the Christian world with whoredomes adulteries sodomie and filthy secret lusts Sorcerers Or such as mingle poysoned cups Sorcerers or serving the devil by magical Art and so are hurtfull unto men Many Popes and Monks have excelled in this kind of wickednesse never was Magicke more used or esteemed of then in the Papacie Never were Kings and Princes in such danger of beeing poysoned as by these men Idolaters Among these indeed are comprehended Pagans who worship false Gods Idolaters for the true Govetous men whose Mammon is there God Epicures who make a god of their belly For all these are Idolaters but no Idolatry is so horrible as is in the Papacie where under the Image of God and Christ and of the Saints Idols of wood stone gold and silver are religiously worshipped and adored All Lyars That is Lyars Pro. 12.12 Iohn 8 44. all Liars and framers of lyes in generall adversaries of trueth of whom it is said Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord Every lyar is of the devill the father of lyes But the Papacy is as the very sinke of falsehood Their head the Pope is a lyar falsely affirming himselfe to be Christs Vicar Peters Successour Monarch of the Christian world Head of the Church and Lord of Kings and Emperours Their Religion and whole worship is false Their doctrine of meritorious works of Purgatory of satisfactions is false Their Doctors are lyars To bee short their blasphemies and calumnies by which they continually defame the Gospell of Christ are most false Thus we see whom the threatning respects Now for the punishment They shall have their part in the Lake An Hebrew Phrase Psa 11.6 Psa 16.5 Psa 63.10 Act. 8.21 Fire and brimstone is the part or portion of their cup Jehovah the part of my portion and of my cup. They shall be the portion of Foxes So PETER to Simon Magus Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter By an Allusion unto Heires among whom the inheritance is divided into certaine parts that every one may have his due portion Now because he had said that such as overcame should inherit all things Here on the contrary he saith the portion of the wicked shall be in the Lake of fire that is this shall be the inheritance of the ungodly Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the part of them The Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them is after the manner of the Hebrews a redundance or over-plus And the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is or shall be is wanting Beza rightly Is assigned to wit the sentence being now pronounced For erewhile he said all that were not written in the Booke of Life were cast into the lake of fire The lake of fire Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 14 Touching this Lake of fire and brimstone we need not with idle Sophisters dispute what kind of Lake it is and where and what kind of fire Elementary or not AVGVSTINE This fire saith he in what
safety of the glorified Church is out of all danger that therefore there is no need of this wall For this very security is here signified by the Allegory of a wall And twelve gates In the wall gates are made for the Citizens and others to go out and in This wall hath twelve gates excellently placed guarded and beautified For all the gates have Guardians to keep them not men but Angels who are watchfull strong and unwearied Every one hath Emblems written on it the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel Three gates are ordered unto the severall corners of the world that there might bee most easie accesse from all parts unto the same By the Gates they understand the doctrine of the Gospell by which Heaven is opend unto us by the Angels the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles who by their preaching have shewed us the way to Heaven and doe all belong unto this Citie By the names of the twelve Tribes written thereon they understand the full gathering of al the Elect of the Spirituall Israel into the same Three gates stand towards the East three to the North c. because this Church is gathered from all parts of the world Whether by the number of the Gates being three on each side of the wall bee a mysterie of the Trinitie as Andreas supposeth I neither know nor date affirme least according to the number of the Gates the number of the divine persons should be also multiplied It is more agreeable to observe here an Allusion unto the type of the holy Citie described by Ezechiel Chap. 48.30 for that also had twelve gates named after the Tribes of Israel viz. Three gates Northward One of Reuben one of Judah one of Levi. Three Eastward One of Ioseph one of Benjamin one of Dan. Three at the South One of Simeon one of Issachar one of Zebulon Three Westward One of Gad one of Asher one of Naphthali Now that Citie represents the Church Militant of the New Testament because all the Tribes of the spirituall Israel that is all the Elect from al the corners of the Earth were to be gathered unto the same Such also in this place is the representation of the Church Triumphant in Heaven 14. And the wall of the City He commends the strength of the wall from the foundations on which it was built For without a firme foundation a wall is ruinous and must needs decay The foundations he saith are twelve the pretious materials whereof are expounded ver 19. to wit so many pretious stones most firmely sustaining this wall and having the Names of the Apostles in them But Christ is the onely foundation holding and keeping up the Church 1. Cor. 3.11 neither can any other be laid c. How then are the Apostles foundations And if the Apostles be foundations then saith BRIGHTMAN this is not that Eternall Citie in the Heavens I Answer Why the names of the Apostles are written in the foundations Iohn saith not that the Apostles are foundations But that the names of the Apostles were written or graven on the foundations that is they were called after the names of the Apostles one being called Peters another Iohns c. Why so for honour sake because the Apostles in this Citie shall excell others in glory But why written in the foundations Because they by their preaching laid the onely foundation which is Christ For what Paul saith of himselfe As a wise Master-builder I have laid the foundation that every one of them could say also of himselfe Which is the reason that however the foundation bee but one yet he saith they are twelve according to the number of the twelve Apostles because that one Foundation was so fully laid by every one of them How there are twelve foundations as there might seem to be twelve foundations the same being as it were laid twelve times or by the twelve Apostles But why is Paul omitted seeing he laboured more then the twelve Because at first CHRIST chose twelve onely unto whom Paul was afterward added coming as it were into the labours of the rest But seeing the names are not expressed no one of the Apostles can be said to be omitted Of the Apostles of the Lambe Or of Iesus Christ for so the Apostles stile themselves in their Epistles 15. And he that talked Now also he describes the most ample and absolute figure of the Citie first shewing whence he received the exact knowledge therof viz. from the Angels measuring He that talked with me That is one of the Angels of the seven Vials who had said before unto me Come hither I will shew thee c. Had in his hand a golden Reed That is a measuring Instrument to mete the wall and gates like as Master-builders use to examine the whole building by a measuring rule whither all things do well agree Now the end of measuring was to make known the quantitie so as Iohn might precisely understand and describe unto us the most absolute figure of this mysticall City This also is taken out of Ezech. 40.5 where the Prophet saw the Architect Angell of the Church that is Christ with a measuring Reed of six Cubits and foure fingers to measure the Court of the new Temple and of the situation and of the City 16. The City is just fouresquare And the Citie lyeth foure-square The City he describeth to be just foure square which kind of forme is most solid constant and perfect because the longitude and latitude of all the parts is equall for this Citie equally consisteth of all the Elect wherefore hee denotes the immoveable firmenesse of the same The quantitie is 12000. Furlongs which make 375. Germane miles It is ambiguous whether this were the measure of the whole Circumference or of every of the sides or squares of the Citie If of the sides then the Circumference was 48000. Furlongs that is 1500. Germane miles but the whole Circumference seemes to be noted so that every side contained 300. Furlongs that is 93. Germane miles and three quarters Therefore this Ierusalem is far greater then Babylon of old The greatnesse of Babylon which as Herodotus describeth was foure square in Circumference 480. Furlongs that is fifteene Germane miles each side 120. Furlongs that is three Germane miles and three quarters It had also a great and high wall fiftie royall Cubits in thickenes and two hundred in height of Brick stone and morter But this City is much more magnificent and strong For Babylon was taken by Cyrus by Alexander and spoiled by divers adversaries But this is inaccessible and cannot be vanquished by any enemy but remaines stable for ever 17. And he measured the wall thereof Thus much of the Cities Circumference The measure of the wall was 144. Cubits Therefore hee rightly cals it a high wall which no adverse power can easily overcome Hereby saith Andreas is signified the fruitfulnesse of the doctrine of the Apostles for the measure of the wall is
Notwithstanding all of them in some kinde resemble the violet Neither is the Amethyst much unlike the Iacinct as Plinie noteth The difference is this that the brightnesse of the Amethyst Lib. 37. c. 9 is mixt in the Iacinct It seems to take its name from the vertue thereof for Aristotle writeth that the Amethyst beeing laid to the navel first drawes the vapour of the wine to its selfe then dispels the same and so preserves him that weares it from drunkennesse Whence this Pearle is a Conservative of temperance being derived from the Privative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be drunk They ascribe it to Mathew the last Apostle They who desire to know more about these stones may consult with Artists and Naturalists as Plinie Isodore and in speciall Franciscus Rueus his Book touching pretious stones whence I have briefly taken most of these things It is enough for us to observe that by so many pretious stones then which nothing in the world is accounted more pretious is signified the excellency and firmnesse of the foundation of Salvation 1. Cor. 3.11 the which indeed is and for ever shal be but one onely viz. CHRIST IESVS But set forth under the names of the twelve Apostles because all of them laid the same fully by their preaching all of them I say adorning it by their excellent Faith admirable Charity unwearied Diligence unconquerable Constancy and at last gloriously confirmed the same with their blood laying downe their Lives for the Gospels sake 21. Ioh. 10.2.9 14.6 And the twelve gates Christ is the onely gate of Salvation who saith I am the doore by me if any man enter in he shall finde pasture I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth unto the Father but by mee Notwithstanding here are twelve gates according to the number of the twelve Tribes of Israel as in ver 12. or according to the number of the twelve Disciples of Christ as it seems to Andreas because by their ministerie we come to know the dore and way of Salvation so that they may not unfitly bee called by a Metonymia the twelve gates for the twelve Keepers of the Gates The worth of the gates is set forth by the excellency of the matter For all of them are of most pretious pearles The difference of gemms and pearles Gemmes and Pearles do differ For Gemmes are little pretious stones of divers colours growing in the earth and are reckoned among Metals called by the Germanes EDELGESTEIN Pearles also are little pretious stones white in splendor but growing in shelles They are sometimes called in Latine Vniones because two together are never found in one shell Lib. 9. c. 35 according to Plinie They seeme to signifie that the Teachers of Righteousnesse who have shewed the use of the Gates to bring many to Christ shall shine like unto glorious Pearles in the Heavenly Ierusalem Notwithstanding all these pearles shall receive their brightnesse and excellency from that one most pretious Pearle Mat. 13.48 which is Christ Iesus And the street of the Citie was pure Gold Hitherto of the externall structure and ornament of the Citie Now hee also will shew us the inward beauty thereof The street Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which denotes the publick wayes of the City BEZA renders it Market-place called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spacious place of the Citie commodios for publicke meetings and driving of trade His reason is because in Chap. 22.2 In mid'st of the street seems to be put for In the Market-place And because it is said in the singular Street whereas usually there are many streets in a Citie and but one Market-place The sense is the same for all the streets do lead to the Market The streets and Market-places of a Citie are faire if paved with flint tyles and smooth stones and yet by reason of continuall use they can never be free from durt But the street of this Citie is much more curious It is all gold and that most purely purged of all drosse cleare as glasse like unto the whole Citie ver 18. Now who should dare with defiled feet to tread upon a golden Pavement and a golden Street Therefore here is signified the inward cleannesse and unutterable brightnesse of the Citie together with the most pure and sweet habitation and conversation of the Caelestiall Citizens The Market or rather Court may also metonymically be taken for a civill Common wealth This is wholly of gold Therfore golden righteousnes shal have place among the Citizens But the gates of the new City in this life that is of the Church-Militant are not yet pure gold but carry much durt by which the feet of such as walke thereon are defiled and have need of continuall washing Also the Market or Court is not all gold but as yet subject to many strifes injuries and troubles So that this Golden-Citie cannot bee applied unto the Church-Militant 22 And I saw noe Temple in the same Two things are the principle Ornaments of a Citie The Court and Temple In the former judgement is administred In the Temple religious worship is performed The first he saith is of pure gold for in the new Heaven and in the new Earth shall dwell righteousnesse not in civill contracts or distribution of civill goods which then shall cease but because in the most sweet converse of the Saints unrighteousnesse shall have no place He saith not that he saw a Temple of gold in the Citie for had hee so said it had bin no great matter seeing Solomons Temple did glister with pure gold within by which splendor the magnificence of Christs spirituall Kingdome was figured out Therefore he saith I saw no temple therein whereby hee distinguisheth this Heavenly Citie from the Earthly Ierusalem in which there was a glorious Temple dedicated to Gods worship But in the Coelestiall Ierusalem Iohn saw no temple for here is no need of a place for Church gatherings preaching of the word administration of Sacraments Rites and outward excercises of Religion God is externally worshipped only in this life Ier. 31.34 because the Ecclesiasticall Ministerie shall be no more neither shall God be served with externall worship the which in this life he requires of us to the end he may be honoured of us and our weaknesse and piety sustained by these outward helps for then all rule authoritie and power both Ecclesiasticall and Politicall shall be abolished 1 Cor. 15.24 Then shall the Oracle of Jeremy be fullfilled And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for we shall all from the least unto the greatest bee fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God And therefore no use of a temple For the Lord God Least it should bee thought that this Citie should want so necessary an Ornament for what Citie can bee perfect without a temple and Gods
the comforter 49. The Moon red with blood what it signifies 128. It is the Church ibid. The Moon receives its light from the Sun ibid. The Moon under the feet of the woman 259 The Morning Star 52. 53. Moses his twofold song 368. The Mother of fornications who 41◠Mountains removed 130. They denote Emperors and Christian kings ibid. The Mountain cast into the sea what it noteth 160. MYRIAS what 189. Mysteries of the faith whither four 92. The Mystery of the Angel with the Golden Censer expounded 154. Mysticall famine proclaimed 114. N. NAturall misery of all men 78. The Name of God written on the faithfull 73. The Name of the City of God ibid. The Name of Christ ibid. The Name of God the Father Son and holy Ghost is seldom absolutely expressed in the Revelation 8. The Names of the Elect written in the book of life shall never be blotted out 61. The new Name no man knoweth but he that hath it 46. The Name of the Generall how known unto no man 490. why he hath his name written on his thigh 492. The Names of the Apostles why written on the foundations of the city 561. The Nations that were saved how they are both the city and the citizens 569. The nations possessing the inward court 215. New heaven and the new earth whither taken allegorically or properly 549. 550. The New Jerusalem how it descends from heaven 551. It s originall ibid. Etymologie 560. walles and gates 561. foundations ibid. foursquare figure 562. quantity ibid. it glitters with gold 563. the matter of the gates 566. court ibid. temple 567. light 568. citizens 569. her peace and tranquility 570. glory 571. pleasantnesse 574. puritie and majesty 576. her governour ibid. her felicity 577. The New opinion of some learned brethren touching the thousand yeers examined 510. 511. Nice taken by the Turks 192. Nicolaitans their doctrine 36. 44. What their heresie was according to Antichrists opinion 45. The Nicolaitans openly tolerated in the Church of Pergamus ibid. Number of the Beast what it is 315. The Numeral letters denoting Antichrist whither Greek or Hebrew letters 317. O. OAthes how lawfull 203. Occasion of rejoyceing over Babylons destruction 475. Old and new Romes cruelty against the Godly 471. 472. The Old and new Gogish warre 536. One and the same thing why oftentimes represented under diverse types 109. Open books denote judicial proces 544. Opinion of the Fathers about the said books ibid. Opening of the book what it signifies 98. Opening of the seales 106. Open door what it signifies 65. Christ Opening no man can shut 64. The Open door in heaven what it is 86. OPinions of the Fathers without scripture prove nothing 223. Opinion of the authour touching the book that was closed or shut 96. 97. Opinions about the star fallen from heaven 168. 169. Opinions about the sea-beast 282. 283. Opinions about the book written within without 95. 96. Opinions about the womans flight 275. Opinions touching the trumpet of the sixt Angel 185. Oppression of the Church under Antichrist 106. It came not all at once but by degrees 225. Oracles of the Revelation why for the most part taken out of the old testament 596. Apollos oracle to Augustus 503. Oracles of the Devill wholy ceased at Christs suffering on the Crosse 502. 503. Order of existence betwixt the Father and the Son 7. Order of the tribes not observed 143. Ottoman the Turks first Emperor 186. The Out-spread firmament how created 130. Out of every tribe of Israel how to be understood 142. 143. P. PAngs of the Church in travell 259. The Pale horse diversly interpreted 116 It denoteth the Church being sick even to death toward Antichrists rising 117. The Papacy a filthy sinck of all manner of lies 361. Papacy established in the West and Mahumetisme in the East 124. 125. How Christ the Son of righteousnesse is darkned in the Papacy 127. The Papacy acknowledgeth not Christ for the onely Mediatour 128. The Papacy must be left separated from 484 Papists by their Idolatry draw the armies of the Turks upon Christendome 194. the Papists fable of the two witnesses 221. refuted 222. their opinion of the 2660 dayes refuted 224. the true and safest opinion 225. the Papists crucifie Christ 320. their glosse refuted 356. Papists glory in their multitude objecting to us the paucity of Orthodox Christians 58. Parabolicall declaration of the harvest 361 Parallel of the third and fourth Act 145. Pastors duty 56. They are spirituall Physicians ibid. Patmos where 18. 19. Paul hath set forth Antichrist in his colours 288. The feined Epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans is Apocrypha 74. Peace what it is 7. The Pleasantnes of the caelestial city 574. The Pelagian Heresie 82. 83. Pergamus a city of Troas 22. A Periphrasis of Hell 495. Persecution The first persecution of Christians under Tiberius Nero 5. 19. the second under Domitian ibid. the nine persecutions under the Romane tyrants 110. A new persecution 272. by the ambition and riot of Bishops 273. A new civill persecution by Emperours 273. 274. Antichristian persecution how long it dured 358. Perseverance commended unto us by a consolatory argument 61. Perseverance under the Crosse is to overcome 72. The Pharises being hypocrites were worse then if they had been blinde 70. Philadelphia a city of Mysia 22. 64. Phocas gave the key of the bottomlesse pit unto the Pope of Rome 171. A Piece of Ordnance of incredible bignesse 190. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what kinde of garment it was 24. Polycarpus Iohns disciple 38. The Pope is Antichrist 63. 320. 346. He lifts up himself above Christ 63. Arrogates the title of Vniversall contrary to their own Canons ibid. He impudently assumes to himself what is proper to Christ 64. He deceitfully selleth pardons and heaven for money 78. How he causeth fire to come down from heaven 310. Why he is not expresly named by the holy Ghost 321. He causeth his God to be carried on a white horse 489. The Popes pride 63. He is author of most cruell warres among Christians 129. He not content with his spirituall lightnings draws the temporall sword also against Kings and Emperors 128. His cruelty against the Martyrs 129. He vaunts himself to be Christs Vicar and Monarch of the Church on earth and will be worshipped as God 174. The Pope long since called Antichrist 318. 319. He is the Babylonish Strumpet 320. How he came to be the Eight King 428. He assumed the Augustall title of Pontifex Maximus Which of old was the title of heathenish Emperors 428. 429. He condemneth all for hereticks who oppose his tyrannie and Idolatry 129. Why he would never be present at the Eastern Councils but by Legates 289. His Latine Church 317. Pope Silvester 163. Pope Zachary deposeth Childerick King of France 130. He condemnes married Bishops and Priests as Nicolaitans 45. Popish heathenisme 215. Popish excommunication is that evil ulcer 379. Diverse opinions about the same ibid.
Israel is not to be taken litterally 143. The Sealed ones who they were 329. diverse opinions about them 330 The Sealed in Chap. 7. and Chap. 14. compared together 331. The Second death 42. 528. The Second trumpet answereth to the red horse 160. How long the sixt trumpet was to sound 205. Securitie and fear in the Papacy 341. Seducement by signes 310. What it is to Seduce ibid. Separation from the Papacie commanded by God 459. Serpents have Venome in their head and tongue 191. The Seven Churches to whom John wrote 7. The Seven spirits who 9.54 The opinions of Andreas Lyranus and Ribera about the same 9. Seven is a perfect number 10. The Seven stars what they note 25. the Seven sounding Angels 152. 153. Seven put for an indefinite number 202. The Seven Mountains of Rome are the heades of of the Beast 420. 421. The Seventh ttumpet forerunner of the last judgement 247. The seventh trumpet what ibid. It puts an end to the Churches calamities 205. The Seventh viall answereth to the Seventh trumpet 398. The Seventh Angel 246. 247. The Sharp Sickle what it noteth 360. How it was thrust into the Earth by Christ 361. Shortly how to be expounded 4. The Short time of Antichrists reign how to be understood 121. 271. 272. The Sight of God is the Saints happinesse 251. A Signe what it is 364. Signes of assured peace 570. Silence for an half houre in heaven what it denoteth with diverse opinions about it 152. Sinnes reaching up to heaven 460. Romes sins do reach to heaven 461. Even small sins come to heaven that is unto Gods knowledge which refuteth the distinction of Veniall and Mortall sins 460. Sinners repenting in this life have an assured promise of pardon 50. The Sitter on the Red horse and on the Black horse with his ballance is Christ 111. 111. 113. the Sitter on the throne who he is described 87. Six distinct visions 84. the Sixt viall truely interpreted 392. 393. Sixtus V. Endeavoured to thrust Charles IX king of France and Elisabeth queen of England out of their dominions 130. The Sixt vision unto what times it belongs 402. 403. Slaughter of Antichristians 245. Smyrna a city of Ionia 21. The Smoke out of the bottomles pit is Popish Divinity humane decrees 172. the Smoak of punishment 353. Whither there be Smoak in Hell ibid. the Smoak of prayers ibid. Smoak a Symbole of Gods wrath 372. Socinus his blasphemous fiction 13. The Son of perdition destroyeth the earth 251. The Son of Man denoteth Christ 359. The Son shall deliver up the kingdome to the Father how 578. Songs of the Revelation 369. The Sounding of the fourth Angel 164. Diverse opinions about it ibid. The Sounding of the second trumpet how farre to be extended 161. The Souls of the Martyrs departed this life are with Christ 119. How John could see their Souls they being invisible 513. How they lived and reigned with Christ 515. Whither they reigned all together at one time ibid. They cease not to reigne after the thousand yeeres are expired 516. How the Souls do fall rise again 520. The Soul of signes is the word 470. The Souls of the Saints departed must not be worshipped 105. Spirituall fraternity betwixt Christs members is the bond of love 18. Spirituall famine of Orthodox doctrine in the dayes of Constantius and other Arian Emperours 114. 115. Spirituall life of the Souls with Christ 514 515. The Spouse and Wife how differing 480. Ornaments of the Spouse 481. To Stand and not stand in judgement what it signifieth 134. To Stand before the throne 146. To stand before God 543. The Standing of the four Beasts what it denotes 92. Stars falling from heaven who they are and when they fell 129. The Starres falling signifies Apostacie from the true faith 162. 261. Stars are teachers and Bishops of Churches 162. 170. why teachers are compared to Stars 25. The Strong wind blowing down the Figs is the Papall Authoritie 129. Structure of the old temple 213. The Subject of the Revelation 4. The Succession of the Romane Church 408. The Summe of the fourth vision 252. It s foure Acts 253. The Sunne Christ wholy darkned in the Papacie 173. Sun and heat diversly interpreted 385. 386. The Susian women were beastlie harlots 407. To Swear by the creature is a horrible impiety 204. The Sword proceeding out of the mouth of Christ our Captain with which he smiteth the wicked is spirituall 491. The Synecdoche in the 1000. yeers of the Martyrs reigne 509. is proved 516. The Synod called Sardicensis took its name of Sardica not of Sardis 54. The Symphonie of the heavenly inhabitants is perpetuall 147. T. TAbernacle of God is the Church 299. To Take of from the prophesie what it is Tamherlan his huge armie 189. The Temple of God is the Church 212. The Ten kings are to be differenced from the seven former 432. Who the Ten kings are 433. Ten dayes what they signifie 41. The Third part of men slain by the Turks 191. The Third Act of the second vision hath two parts 124. The Third universall vision 150. in what it differs from the former ibid. Its beginning and ending ibid. Third Act of the sixt vision 476. Third Angel 350. The Thousand yeers of Christs reigne and the Dragons binding are the same 531. these yeeres are not indefinitely to be understood 507. in histories and in the prophets they are never indefinitely taken ibid. wher they begin end 508. 531. how they agree with the 42 months 509 they cannot be referred to the last times 510. Why they are defined 516. the condition of the godly during these 1000 years 511. What Satan is said to do at the end of these yeares 530. Threatnings of punishment in Scripture are to be taken with a condition of repentance either expresly or tacitely 36. What the Threatning of the Harlots children teacheth us 49. 50. Three a number of perfection 394. The Three dayes and an half what they signifie 241. The Three Legates how they proceed out of the mouthes of three 394. Why they are said to be three impure spirits ibid. Who they are 395. Three books attributed to God in scripture 60. 96. The Threefold distinction of time what it noteth 276. Theodoretus his opinion of Gog and Magog 535. The Throne of Christ 83. The Throne of God denotes his dominion over all things 87. The white Throne of Christs glory 542. Thrones why set up 512. The Throne of the Beast is the Romane Sea according to Lyra 388. Diverse opinions about the same 389. Thyatira a citie of Lydia 22. Time times and half a time what it signifieth 276. The Time of Antichrists rising noted 316. 317. 318. The Time of betroathing and marriage 480. Timothie no Bishop of Ephesus in Johns time 30. The Title of the Revelation answereth unto the titles of the ancient Prophets and confirmeth the authority of the book 3. The Titles of the witnesses are not to be litterally
song together with the beasts and Elders for howsoever the Angels are not redeemed by the blood of Christ as men yet in Christ they are gathered together in one Eph. 1.10 beeing subject unto him as to the head of the Church whereof they are members and therefore they also prayse the Lambe as their Lord and blesse him in regard of the redemption of man-kind The number of Angels he saw are said to be ten thousand times ten thousand thousands of thousand that is infanite for so the Hebrewes speaking of time without end expresse it by ages of ages This number seems to be taken out of Dan. 7.10 where many millions of Angels stood before the fiery throne of God which is for the exceeding great comfort of the godly for seeing so many thousands of Angels are ready to doe the commandement of God and of the Lambe why then should we feare any adversary power which lifts it self up against God and his Church Saying with a loud voyce worthy is the Lambe This company of Angels with songs and prayses set forth seven divine titles of the Lambe all which he is most worthy to receive not as if he received them from the creatures but because all creatures are bound to render the same as most due unto him seeing he hath obtained all these things by eternall generation and by his exaltation at the right hand of God his Father And it is worthy our observation that however all these titles are most divine yet the Vbiquitie of his flesh is not reckoned amongst them Power because he is omnipotent Chap. 1.8 and all power is given unto him Matth. 28.18 Riches For in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom Col. 2.3 knowledge Wisdom For he is the eternall wisdome of the Father and of him is made wisdome unto us that is the teacher and author thereof Strength Because by his divine strength and power he hath overcome satan the world and all other enemies Glorie because he gloriously raigneth at the right hand of his father Blessing he is worthy indeed to be blessed for ever because in and through him all nations are made partakers of all blessings 13 And every creature The fourth apparition is of all reasonable creatures in heaven and in earth and of unreasonable both in the sea and under the earth And all that are in them viz. whither in heaven or in the earth or in the sea Ribera understands by the creatures under the earth the soules in purgatorie But this fiction Alcasar approves not of Others understand it of the evill spirits which will they nil they are compelled to acknowledge to stand in fear of the power glorie of Christ not because they love him but hate him and murmure against him But the true meaning is that not onely men but all creatures yea even the divels themselves doe shew forth the prayse of God XXXI Argum. of Christs deity because in some sort they serve to illustrate and set forth his glorie Here again we may note that Christ is adored with religious worship by all creatures the which evidentlie proves that he is God and this is to be added to the former arguments The exception of the Samosatenians is frivolous who will have a created divinity to be communicated unto Christ But God himself saith that he will not give his glory that is the glory of religious worship to any creature But the Idolatrous Papists doe more shamefully dishonour God and the Lamb in attributing religious worship to Angels to the spirits of men deceased to Images c let them therfore looke to it how they wil answer the foresaid hereticks nay rather how they will answere the Lord when he shall call them to account for it 14. And the foure beasts As the beasts and Elders were first in manifesting their joy so here againe they joyne with the Angels and other creatures in praysing the Lamb conclude the thanksgiving by saying Amen thereunto of which see Chap. 1.6 The Elders by falling down worship him who liveth for ever and ever that is Christ Chap. 1.18 CHAP. VI. THE PREFACE ARGVMENT PARTS and Analysis of the Chapter THe Lamb opening six seales of the booke wonderfull sights are shewed to Iohn in this Chapter At the opening of the first seale comes forth a white horse and his rider having a bow and a crowne At the second a red horse and his rider being girt with a sword taking peace away from the earth At the third a blacke horse with his rider having in his hand a ballance and proclaiming famine At the fourth a pale horse having death sitting on him and hell following threatning a horrible slaughter throughout the foure corners of the earth The fift being opened the soules of the martyrs appeare under the altar crying for vengeance to God against their enemies At the sixt there followes a great earth quake the sun is darkened the moon turned into blood the stars fall downe to the earth and the last signes doe follow Now this is an amplification of the second vision continued in the following Chapter beeing not a little obscure For who doubts but that many darke mysteries lie hid under these seales the opening whereof was indeed greatly desired by all creatures but by them not possible to be don precisely therefore to define as some doe of the certaine events prefigured in such darke types in my judgement doth surpasse the power of humane wit notwithstanding from the scope and circumstances I thinke we may and ought without any controversie in a generall way gather that wherein most interpreters agree in one viz. that in them is shadowed out the condition of the Church from the time of Iohn unto the end of the world The prosperous successe of the preaching of the Gospel at first by and by the rage of the adversaries The crosse and martyrdome of the Godly as also the increase of troubles at last the destruction of the ungodly with the glorious deliverance of the Church consisting both of Iewes and gentiles Furthermore we will speak of particular events following as by rule our former method where we shewed that the generall visions of which this is the first are distinguished into foure Acts or parts of which as the second is opposed unto the first so allwayes the fourth unto the third The vvhich Acts now follow The first to repeate a few things is a representation of the state of the primitive Church both in prosperity and adversity under the foure first seales unto v. 9. unto this belongs the history of the Apostolical Church of the following persecutions both under the Romane tyrants and Arian hereticks untill the rising of Antichrist in the first 600 years The second is a comforting of the martyrs whose soules were safely kept under the heavenlie altar to bee fullie glorified a little while after v. 9.10.11 The third sets forth a new oppression more grievous troubles to