house for euer Hee had said immediately before He that committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne and then terrible is that which followeth The seruant abides not in the house for euer What then shall the Lambe who is without sinne be in the house himselfe alone Shall no sinners come there Shall hee be a King and Lord without Subiects Cui haerebit caput si non erit corpus Where shall the head be if it haue not a bodie Oh but marke what immediately he subioynes Filius autem manebit in aeternum the Son shall abide in the house for euer Non sine causa terruit spem dedit It is not without cause said S. Augustine that in one sentence hee hath both terrified vs and comforted vs hee hath terrified vs that we should not loue sinne hee hath comforted vs that we should not despaire for sinne If yee demand then where is our hope sith we are sinners and the Lord hath said The seruant abides not in the house for euer for he is a seruant that commits sinne Here is your hope and hearken vnto it The Sonne abideth in the house for euer If we were but seruants and not sonnes wee had cause of discouragement but here is our comfort wee were seruants but now are become sonnes If the Sonne make you free yee shall be free indeed such seruants are wee now as are free-men also And he that sitteth on the Throne will dwell c. This is the third and last part of this verse as they serue him so hee most graciously recompenseth them noted here by this speech that hee dwels among them The phrase imports the communication of all good For among men where Kings haue their dwelling there is the aboundance of euery good thing that can be had in the Kingdome but much more is here signified yea infinitely more Ahasuerus one of the momentanean Monarchs of the earth made a feast to his Princes of an hundred and seuen and twenty Prouinces the feast lasted an hundred and foure score daies and seuen daies againe for the common people all this he did that hee might shew the riches and glory of his Kingdome and honour of his great Maiestie and his Maiesty shortly after turned into dust and ashes Why then do I bring him in To make a comparison No way What is the light of a halfe-peny candle to the Sunne Yet haue I spoken of him that if we can from small things we may ascend to the consideration of greater What a great feast must this bee which the Lord shall make in heauen to his Saints Hee dwelleth among them hee flitteth not hee is their King for euer and they are not gathered out of an hundred and seuen twenty Prouinces but out of all Nations Tongues and Languages This Feast is not for an hundred foure score and seuen daies but for euer and euer O happie habitation O dwelling full of delight The word which the Spirit of God here vseth imports all this and much more then we can conceiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee shall bee as a Tent or Tabernacle to spread ouer them to obumbrate them and protect them The like is promised in other places I will dwell among them and walke there I will be their God and they shall bee my people In this life the Lord dwelleth in his Saints and with them dâ—…rigendo ad finem adipiscendum guiding and directing them to the end whereunto he hath ordained them but in heauen he dwelleth with his Saints Conseruandoeos in fine adepto conseruing them in that end and happy estate whereunto his grace hath brought them But as I said what great glorie and ioy Saints haue by the Lord hsi dwelling among them cannot now be vnderstood Moses was but forty dayes with the Lord on Mount Sinai and his face when hee came downe shined so brightly that his people might not behold him How then shall the glory of the Lord his lightsome countenance illuminate them with whom he shall dwell for euer Alway the vse of all is they serue him and hee dwels among them to satiate and replenish them with his ioyes and pleasures their seruice wants not the owne recompence yea all the benefite of their seruice redounds to themselues where we must obserue a great difference between the seruice of God and of man other Masters seeke and entertaine seruants for some vantage to themselues for who will maintaine seruants but for their owne ease and commodity It is not so with the Lord his seruants can profite him nothing all the benefite redounds to himselfe This Dauid humbly doth acknowledge My goodnesse extends not to thee And againe when he had offered liberally for the building of the Temple then said hee Who am I and what are my people that we should bee able to offer willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine owne hand haue we giuen thee The like of this hath Iob May a man be profitable to the Lord Is it any thing to the Almighty that thou art righteous or is it prâ—…fitable to him that thou makest thy waies vpright But yet more cleerely explaines hee the same in another place If thou sinne what dost thou against him If thou be righteous what dost thou to him Or what receiues hee at thine hand Thy wickednesse may hurt a man as thou art and thy righteousnesse may profit the sonne of man But the All-sufficient Maiestie of God is neither encreased by thy good nor empaired by thine euill Why then will yee demand doth hee seek seruice Onely that of his superaboundant goodnesse hee may haue occasion to blesse thee If hee craue any thing from thee it is not because hee needeth thee but because thou needest him hee seeketh to the end that hee may giue Oh that we would consider this and so be encouraged to serue our God! Euen in this life the wages which he hath already payed vs in hand should encourage vs to serue him Hee may iustly demand of vs Who among you all doth open the doore of my Temple for nothing Wee can neuer serue him sufficiently for that which hee hath giuen vs already but the wages payed are nothing in comparison of those which are promised VERSE 16. They shall hunger no more nor thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them nor yet any heate THE description of the felicitie of Saints in heauen hauing finished their warrefare on earth still continueth They shall hunger and thirst no more In that he saith no no more hee tells vs he is comparing that life which is to come with this which we haue now In this life the dearest Saints of God are oftentimes most hardly handled So S. Paul professes of himselfe that he was oft times in wearinesse and painefulnesse in hunger and thirst in cold and
this I saw seuen golden Candlestickes and in the middest of the seuen golden Candlestickes one like the Sonne of man c. This serued to prepare both S. Iohn and the Church to receiue this Reuelation reuerently and certainely to beleeue it considering that hee receiued this Vision not from one who knew not the state of the Church for hee who giues the warning walkes in the middest of the seuen Candlestickes and hath eyes like vnto flames of fire which by no couering can bee holden out from looking and piercing into the heart of euery man And no lesse conuenient is this Preparatory Vision premitted before the second Prophecie if we consider both the parts thereof For in the fourth chapter there is a Vision of the Maiestie of God the Creator who as he made the world so is he heere described sitting vpon his Throne and the glassie Sea figuring the world before him which hee rules and gouerneth at his good pleasure directing all the changes and troubles thereof to his owne determinate end for which the whole Church giues vnto him the praise of a powerfull faithfull and prouident Creator and Conseruer Angels go before and Saints redeemed follow after Thou aâ—… worthy O Lord to receiue glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are aâ—…d were created Againe in the fifth chapter there is a Vision of the Maiesty of Christ the Redeemer exercising his Propheticall Office to the comfort of the Church for hee takes the sealed Booke out of the hand of him who sits on the Throne hee opens it and reueales to his Church such things as in the wise counsell and prouidence of God were concluded to be done concerning her for which the whole Church both of Angels and Men renders vnto him the praise of a glorious Redeemer Thou art worthy to take the Booke and open the Seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed vs to God by thy Bloud In the first Song which is sung to the praise of God the Creator Angels begin and Saints redeemed follow In the second which is sung to the praise of God the Redeemer Saints redeemed go before and their Song is seconded by Angels and all creatures Now these two being ioyned together it shall appeare easily how this preparatorie Vision prepares a way to the Prophecie and renders a complete comfort to the Church He is to speake in the Prophecie following of fearefull troubles tentations and battels by violent Persecutors and fraudulent Heretiques but that the Church should not be discouraged therewith this Vision is permitted wherein first is declared that howsoeuer the world be a turbulent Sea yet all the waltrings and mutations thereof are gouerned by him that sits vpon the Throne Nothing fals out by accident or by the will of man and all these as they are ruled by the Father so are they reuealed to the Church by the Sonne and we are told of them before-hand that when they come to passe wee should not be offended The iudicious and indifferent Reader may cleerely perceiue this to bee the very naturall order and method of these two chapters they containe an Introduction to the Prophecie but they are farre mistaken who seeke a propheticall prediction in them VERSE 1. After this I looked and behold a dore was opened in heauen and the first Voice which I heard was as it were of a Trumpet talking with me which said Come vp hither and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter AFTER this This is to be referred to the order of the Visions not to the interuall or long distance of time for all these Visions S. Iohn saw them in one day I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day and I heard behind me a great Voice and yet Quaelibet visio suam habuit morulam euery Vision had the owne space of time by order one after another are they reuealed vnto him yet so that vpon one day and in one trance he saw all and this hee signifies in the entry As to the manner of his sight what way S. Iohn saw these Visions because frequent mention is made of it in this Prophecie it is expedient that once for all we speake of it There is a three-fold sight 1. Naturall 2. Propheticall 3. Spirituall The Naturall sight is common both to good and euill this is that sight we haue by the eye of God seene in his workes For the inuisible things of God that is his eternall Power and God-head are seene and vnderstood by the things he hath made The second sight is Propheticall yet common also both to good and euill I meane not to all but some of euery one of them for Balaam had it this is a sight of things to come made by Reuelation Representation or both A sight of things to come by Representation was offered to Pharaoh and to Nabuchadnezzar but they wanted the reuelation of it they could tell what they saw but could not tell what it signified till it was declared to the one by Ioseph to the other by Daniel Sometime againe there is a sight of things to come shewed to the seruants of God by Reuelation without Representation such a sight many of the Prophets had But here to Saint Iohn things to come are shewed both the waies first by Representation next by Reuelation In the manner of his Vision three things must be obserued that it was Interna Imaginaria Intellectualis It was first Internall by the minde for his bodily senses were now asleepe his spirit for a time hauing after a sort derelinquished his body Next it was Imaginary for by types similitudes resemblances and figures of corporall and materiall things formed in his minde were they represented to him Thirdly it was Intellectuall for by heauenly illumination S. Iohn was taught and informed to vnderstand truely what these Types Similitudes and Figures did represent and signifie otherwise hee had not beene a Prophet nor able to shew to the Church that which hee vnderstood not himselfe I marke this to stop the blasphemous mouthes of some Atheists who in disgrace of this Prophecie haue beene bold to say that S. Iohn vnderstood not what he wrote to the Churches The third sight is Spirituall and singular pertaining to Saints onely called and chosen This is a sight of Gods fatherly and mercifull Face shining vpon vs in Christ bringing with it to our foules ioy vnspeakeable and glorious And this sight we haue in this life but in the least degree for now wee see that glory of God but in a mirrour through a vaile darkely so that in comparison of that sight which we shall haue hereafter the Spirit of God accounts this sight to be no sight We walke not by sight but by faith And S. Peter affirmes Wee haue not yet seene him but S. Iohn
with these two Saint Iohn sees a third And there was a rainbow round about the Throne like a bowed and circular â—…eeling not of many colours as is in the natural rainebow which are caused by the beames of the Sunne striking into the watry cloud iust ouer against it but it is all of one colour like vnto an Emerald which is also a precious stone of a most comfortable greene colour Hereby is figured that our God is alway mindfull of his couenant his mercie endures froÌ„ generation to generation ouer theÌ„ that feare him The glory of his Maiestie the statelinesse of his Throne the terror of his Iustice should not discourage vs for we are vnder the Couenant of his mercy he cannot forget it for it is before him and compasseth his Throne If he keepes the common and temporall Couenant made with all mankind whereof the Rainebowe is a signe much more may we be assured wil he keepe his speciall and eternall Couenant which in Iesus Christ he hath bound vp with his owne Elect. Hitherto tends that most solemne and sweet asseueration of the Lord recorded by Ieremy Thus saith the Lord who giues the Sunne for a light to the day and the courses of the Moone and of the Starres for a light to the night Who breakes the Sea when the waues thereof roare his Name is the Lord of hosts If these ordinances depart out of my sight saith the Lord then shall the seed of Israel cease from beeing a Nation before me for euer It is a proper and comfortable meditation of that worthy man Peter Martyr speaking of the military bowe when the battell is ended peace is made ye shall neither see a string bended on the bowe nor an arrow in it at least the men of warre carrie it so that the hornes therof are downeward to the earth but when they fight it is otherwise then they bend their bowe and draw the hornes of it together that they may shoote arrowes at the face of their enemies Euen so Deus omnibus pacatis neruum coelestâ—… arcui dempsit sagittas abstulit cornua eius versus terram deiecit The Lord peace being now made betweene him and mankind hath taken away both striug arrowes from the heauenly Bowe for we see none of these in it and letteth the hornes of his Bowe hang downeward to the earth in token he comes not in vvarfare against man but walking with him in the way of peace Howeuer it be wee will conclude this point with Bernard Tanta haec formarum varietas et specierum numerositas in rebus conditis quid nisi radij sunt Deitatis monstrantes quidem quià verè sit à quo sunt non tamen quid sit prorsus definientes itaque de ipso vides sed non ipsum This numerous and great varietie of formes and kindes in things created what are they but certaine beames of the Deitie declaring that in very truth he is from whoÌ„ they are and yet not defining what he is in seeing them thou seest some-what of his but not himselfe Sure it is the Lord here dimits himselfe to our capacitie when hee borrowes similitudes from these stones to expresse himselfe they beeing so farre inferior to himselfe as the smallest creature is inferior to the Creator for whatsoeuer beautie these stones or any other creature hath God gaue it vnto them how then should hee borrow beautie from them Indeed the Kings of the earth borrow their glory from creatures and when they are most richly apparrelled they are greatest beggers clothed with that which is not their own and will not continue with them Let theÌ„ be adorned with Iasper Sardine Emerald and such like in the midst of these a man may see death in their mortall faces Man in his best estate is but vanity and their greatest glory is but grasse compared to the glory of our God And here also we are warned how farre by our sin we haue fallen from our originall glory wherein our God created vs. Our father Adam was made Lord of the creatures and by the knowledge wherewith God indued him he knew the Lord the creature also At one court he imposed names to them all according to their nature the knowledge which he had of God led him to the knowledge of the creature it was not by the creature that he learned the knowledge of the Creator but now man is sent to the schoole of the creature put back as we say to his ABC to learne the glory goodnes prouidence of the Creator by looking to the creature and when all is done so voide now by nature is man of the knowledge of God that he cannot conceiue concerning God that which the creature doth teach him Salomon attained not to the knowledge of Adam and yet the quickest Naturalist comes short of the knowledge of Salomon They write of the Iasper Sardine and Emerald but because we know them not as they are therefore can we not fully know what here by them is figured vnto vs which hath beene with great modesty obserued by our Countrey-man P. Forbes of Corse VERSE 4. And round about the Throne were foure and twenty Seates and vpon the Seates I saw foure and twenty Elders sitting cloathed in white rayment and they had on their heads Crownes of gold VVE haue heard the description of this glorious King Creator Conseruer and Ruler of the world now followes a description of his Court wherein are three sorts of creatures some in whom he rules these are Saints redeemed of the Lord figured here by foure and twenty Elders some ouer whom hee rules these are the men of the world and all other creatures therein represented by a glassie Sea before the Throne for his Saints are said to stand on the glassie Sea some in whom and by whom he rules these are holy Angels whereof such as are principall are figured here by foure liuing creatures full of eyes before and behind and within c. I am not to darken the mindes of men by variety of interpretations and to make contradiction to such as deserue it here were a tedious labour This one thing seemes most strange to any that considereth the Text and seekes light to expound it out of it selfe how men should haue been miscarried to expound these foure twenty Elders of the foure and twenty Bookes of the old Testament Cotterius brings his warrant from Ierome Haec inquit est antiquissima fides vt videre est apud Hieronymum This saith he is the most ancient faith as may be seene by Ierome hee might also haue said more that Ierome borrowed this interpretation from Victorine an hundred yeeres before Ierome and Ierome also writes the Prologue before Victorines Commentaries on this Booke out of it it is like that Ierome borrowed this exposition from Victorine thus Cotterius might haue made this opinion
and are neuer at rest So is it with men in this world vncertaine and vnstable is thâ—…ir estate rich this day poore to morrow now a King incontinent a captiue highest in the Court this day like Haman highest to morrow on the gallowes This day the King leanes on the shoulder of the Samaritane Prince the next day the people tramples him vnder their feet Neither is it simply represented by a sea of which type see more chap. 16. verse 3. but by a glassie sea to declare the fragilitie thereof it hath a faire splendent shew but no solidity the best thing in it is man yet is he but like a vessell of glasse most easily broken as daily experience declares And thirdly it is said to be like vnto Christall which is transparent so that a man looking into it sees through it and euery moâ—…e therein is manifest vnto him This doth properly expresse that cleere and liuely sight which the Lord hath of most secret things done in the world All things are naked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and manifest vnto his sight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opened vp and as it were spelled out Naturall men may restraine his prouidence within the heauen This is the voice of Atheists The Lord walks in the circle of heauen the cloudes hide him that hee cannot see They are like vnto foolish children who if they hide their owne face that they see not doc thinke that none sees them But they haue an answere from the Psalmist The Lord hath his dwelling on high yet he abases himselfe to behold things in hoauen and in earth the darknes is no darknesse but to him darknes and the light are both alike This also should waken vs to the practise of that Apostolike precept Vse this world as if 〈◊〉 vsed it not Sith the world is resembled to a sea let vs coÌ„sider how the sea is a good element for nauigation and transportation of men from one Countrey to another but euill for habitation Men are gladdest when their course is shortest on the sea and their hearts are at their hauening place long before their Barks can carry their bodies vnto it Wee should so liue in this world as passing through it to our heauenly harbour soiourning in it but not dwelling in it The greatest pleasures of this world are like the waters of the sea salt bitter and vnwholsome to drinke Hee is in the worst estate that hath his belly most full of them Let vs looke to them with lothsomnesse but aboue all beware we drinke not of them with greedines for they will proue deadly at the length And in the midds of the Throne and c. Followes a description of the third and most excellent sort of creatures pertayning to the Court of the great King these are holy Angels in whom and by whom God ruleth and they are described first from their place next from their nature which is to be taken out of their name thirdly from their number fourthly from their properties and lastly from their function Some by these foure beasts vnderstand the four Euangelists It were easie to shew whom they follow in this opinion but needlesse It was hard for the first Fathers such as Victorine and others who wrote vpon this booke to vnderstand it so long before the accomplishment thereof And as for others in the middle Age wherin the Church was darkned with Popery they are not much to be regarded for no man indued with the spirit of error shall vnderstand this booke yet all these trot on in this common Commentary and will haue these foure beasts foure Euangelists But this is to be lamented that now in so cleare a light so many worthy men should haue been miscarried by them out of the way But leauing them we haue first to cleere that these creatures figure Angels and such Angels as in precellencie of dignity and prerogatiâ—…e of place are neerer vnto the Throne then other Angels be for in the fifth chapter ver 11. after the song of the foure liuing creatures followes the song of many Angels that are said to be there in a circle without them and in the 15. chapter ver 7. one of the foure giueth vnto the seuen Angels their Vials full of the wrath of God their first testimony proueth that the foure being namely put for the whole order haue the precellencie of place the other proues they haue the prerogatiâ—…e of dignitie Yet to come neerer many of the Interpreters do agree that in this Vision allusion is made to that which Ezechiel in his first chapter setteth downe for in this Prophecie the Spirit of God euery where followeth the phrase and alludes to the Visions of Prophecies in the old Testament and of this iudgement are Iunius Foxus Merchiston Grasserus Ribera with many others Now in that Vision is shewed to Ezechiel how hee that sits on the Throne ruleth all by the ministerie of his holy Angels there they are figured the same manner of way to wit by the Lyon a Man a Bullock and an Eagle except that there euery one of them is figured all these foure waies these that here are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liuing creatures and that in all the English Translations whatsoeuer they are translated Beasts the cause seemes to be in the penury of our Language that hath not any proper word to distinguish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alway that these are Angels Ezechiel expounds himselfe chap. 10. ver 20. And the Beast that I saw vnder the God of Israel I vnderstood that they were Cherubims Ezechiel saw his Vision in the captiuity of Babel at the Riuer Chebar and S. Iohn saw his Vision being banished by Domitian into the I le Pathmos one truth by the same types is represented to both so the one very well may serue for a Commentarie to the other to let vs see that these creatures are indeed neither Beasts nor men but Cherubims or Angels Now to come to their description we haue first to consider the place wherein S. Iohn sees them In the midst of the Throne and round about the Throne For vnderstanding of this take vp the Throne to appeare a little lifted vp from the earth in the midst vnder it are the bodies of these creatures and at euery corner looke out their faces so are they both in the midst of the Throne and round about it This glorious Ruler hath his Throne compassed with holy Angels not that he needs any of them but for the greater comfort of his Church as also to shew the great glory of his Maiestie Many Aramites came against Elisha in Dothan his seruant was discouraged so was not himselfe There are more said he with vs then are against vs. And many may we say are our enemies visible and inuisible
but shadowes of those better which are aboue The Lord strengthen our faith to beleeue Alway this I haue spoken out of this ground that the Spirit of God not finding one creature on earth meete to represent that variable good which is in Angels doth ioyne foure of the best together which yet all do come farre short of the excellency of Angels VERSE 8. And the foure beasts had each of them six wings and they were full of eyes within and they rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God almighty who was and is and is to come THE last of their properties they are said to haue sixe wings euery one of them To what end wings are ascribed to them Esay doth tell vs With two they couer their face with two they couer their feete and with two they flye The wings wherewith they coâ—…er their face are first an humble estimation of themselues next a reuerent and great estimation of the glorious maiestie of the Lord their GOD. They acknowledge his glory greater then that they can behold it they are neerest the throne but fardest from pride Among men we vse to say that Familiaritie engendreth contempt it is not so with the Lord they who are most familiar vvith him doe most of all reuerence and feare him The onely cause why men are so bold to dishonor the Lord and to vse his Name without any reuerence is for that they are strangers from him they know him not and are not acquainted with his Maiestie Hitherto tends that similitude of Saint Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For euen as the quicker our sight is the better we learne and perceiue how farre wee are distant from the heauen whereas to a dimme eye the heauen seemes to be neere-hand and hard vpon it euen so the more we excell in vertue and holinesse the more we perceiue what a great difference is betweene the Lord and vs yea his best creatures are nothing in comparison of his glorious Maiesty Let this serue for a warning to these presumptuous Pharisaicall spirits Semipelagian Papists who dare stand before the Lord and glory of their fastings of their almes of their merits of their iustification by their workes and of their perfit obseruance of the Law The holy Angels couer their faces and acknowledge their insufficiencie in comparison of the Diuine Maiestie and thou vile worme of the earth wilt glory of thy sufficiencie Vae generationi huic miserae cui sufficere videtur insufficientia sua Wo be to this miserable sort of people to whom their insufficiencie seemes sufficient It is not the least part of true Philosophy for a man to knowe himselfe and onely hee knoweth himselfe best who esteemeth himselfe to be nothing Abraham called himselfe dust ashes and Dauid esteemed himselfe to be but a vvorme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Saints saith Saint Chrysostome after this same manner abase and cast downe themselues But they vvho with the Apostat Angels will exalt themselues wil contend with Michael and presume aboue that which indeed they are let them here see of what spirit they are The two wings wherewith they flye note first their sublimitie they are no creeping but flying creatures Vnder the Lawe profane worldlings were figured by vncleane beasts that creepe on the earth with all foure they are cursed with the curse of the Serpent they lick the dust of the earth but Christians should be like vnto Angels not creeping but flying creatures A bird so long as it is flying aboue is in no danger of the snare Many snares hath Satan that crafty Hunter layd for vs the best way to eschew them is that our hearts frequently flie vpward toward the Lord. Next their willing readinesse to execute the will of the Lord without delay S. Bernard makes the two wings of these Angels to bee Knowledge and Deuotion these are also good for vs to flie withall Leuat cognitionis ala sed sola non sufficit the wing of knowledge lifts vs vp but it alone is not sufficient As the bird that hath but one wing the more it striues to flie the more it falleth Ruit citius quae vna tantum ala volare contendit So he that hath knowledge without deuotion the more he seekes to ascend the more he faileth Naturall Philosophers may stand for an example who knowing God did not glorifie him but vanished in their owne cogitations and became fooles And let deuotion againe be neuer so zealous and feruent yet without knowledge it cannot carry vs vpward Zelus absque scientiâ—… quo vehementius irruit eo graâ—…ius corruit for zeale without knowledge the hotter it is the more hindersome it is The two wings wherewith they couer their feete figures their sanctity and modesty they are conuersant with men according as God employes them but communicate not with the sinnes of men they defile not their feete with our pollutions but haue them alwaies couerd As the Sun giueth his light to most filthy places but participates not of their vncleannesse so is it with Angels But alas farre are we from this perfection it is a difficill thing to liue in the company of profane men and not be infected by them If we be not burnt with their fire hardly shall we escape vnblacked with their smoke The other wing for couering their feete is their Modesty whereby they dimit themselues to our capacity they appeare with bodies and colours white sprickled and red hauing indeed neither bodies nor colours yet are men astonished and confounded at their lowest apparitions So farre are we degenerate from our first estate that wee cannot now abide the most modest and base apparition of an Angell And they ceased not day nor night saying In the last place wee haue their function described which is a continuall and vncessant praysing of God they are not weary being alway delighted with new matter of ioy flowing from the sight of God for as many eyes as they haue they can neuer comprehend that infinite goodnesse which is in him new sights make them alway to renew praises vnto God and in this they stand as paterns vnto vs teaching vs to practise these precepts Reioyce euermore Pray continually In all things giue thanks We should alway pray for we neuer want cause we should alway giue thanks for if we can obserue it we neuer want matter Prayer praise are two excellent parts of Diuine worship but of the two praise is the most heauenly and Angelike vertue In prayer a man respects himselfe seeking from GOD that which he cannot want but in praise man respecteth God giuing vnto the Lord that which is due to him Againe prayer pertaines to this life principally et est egâ—…ntium ac miserorum praise pertaineth to the life to come et est beatoruÌ„ ac gloriâ—…icatorum Let vs therefore learne of Angels to
mundi veniet in me nihil invenâ—…et de sâ—…o dici poterat qui non nouerat peccatum Onely Iesus could say Behold the Prince of this vvorld commeth and findeth nothing in mee It could bee said of none but of him vvho knevv no sinne Againe Licet Christi conceptio sit munda absque carnalis delectationis peccato Virgo tamen ipsa vnde assumptus est in iniquitatibus concâ—…pta est quia ipsa in Adamo peccauit in quo omnes peccauerunt Albeit the conception of Christ was cleane and without all sinne of carnall delectation yet the Virgin of whom he came was herselfe conceiued in sinne begotten and borne a sinfull woman of sinfull Parents And who can bring a cleane thing out of silthinesse there is not one to wit among men This is the onely prerogatiue of Iesus that he was conceiued of the holy Ghost VERSE 6. Then I beheld and loe in the midst of the Throne and of the foure liuing creatures and in the midst of the Elders stood a Lambe as if hee had beene killed which had seuen hornes and seuen eyes which are the seuen Spirits of God sent into all the world AS before S. Iohn heard of Christ by the eare so now he sees him by the eye Information of the Church by the Word is necessary to goe before but then get we sure comfort when God openeth our heart and our eyes to see to feele those things which we haue heard but in this age there are many Christians by outward information who as yet haue not beene taught of God by by inward inspiration these heare the Testimony of God but it is not confirmed in them Now the place where S. Iohn sees the Lord Iesus is the midst of the throne O what a comfort is heere for vs that our Sauiour and elder brother clothed with our nature sitteth now in the midst of the throne Hee hath sent his Spirit downe into the earth and carried our flesh vp into heauen and thereby hath possessed vs in our heauenly inheritance And againe since wee haue him there an Aduocate an Agent for vs what should we feare or what neede is there to seeke any other to intreate for vs A Lambe Vnder the Law was our Sauiour figured oftentimes by a Lambe and the Paschall Lambe and the Lambe offered in the daily sacrifice morning and euening these were types of Christ Iesus and according thereunto is He heere represented to S. Iohn and by this type first his meekenesse in patient suffering is expressed vnto vs for as a Lambe he was dumbe before the shearer And next the great profit and vtility redounding to vs by him is declared vnto vs for all the good that is in him is imparted and communicate vnto vs Lacte eius pascimur vellere tegimur sanguine purgamur By his milke we are nourished by his bloud wee are purged by the fleece of his wooll we are couered wee put him on as the garment of our righteousnesse Sith Iason and his Argonautâ—…e endured such trauailes for obtaining that golden fleece at Colchis so did fabulous writers call it what shame is it for vs to refuse greater paines that wee may be made partakers of this golden and indeede most precious fleece of the Lambe in whom we may haue all good things whereof we stand in need As if hee had beene slaine This speech renders no patrocinie to those phantastick men who thinke Christ was not slaine but some other for him for in the ninth verse following the chiefe reason why Saints acknowledge praise to be due to the Lambe is Because thou wast killed We are therefore to obserue that these articles do not alway import a similitude but the very certainety and truth of the thing it selfe as when Saint Iohn saith We saw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning is we saw him shining in such glory as is competent to the onely begotten Sonne of God And againe when the Apostle saith Wee are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is according to the powerfull operation of the Spirit of the Lord. And so here when he saith I saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lambe as if hee had beene killed the meaning is I saw a Lambe who indeed and verily was killed And this manner of speech imports these things first that albeit our Lord was slaine and that Satan and his Instruments thought that by death they had vtterly vndone him yet was it far otherwise for by his resurrection on the third day Hee was declared mightily to bee the Sonne of God and not vnder the power of death and therefore in this Vision hee is represented rather like vnto one that was slaine then vtterly slaine indeed Next as our Sauiour after his resurrection appeared to S. Thomas with the scarres of his wounds in his blessed Body so may wee religiously thinke he appeareth in this Vision to S. Iohn yea euen in the last Day hee shall shew his Body which was pierced to the great terrour of his enemies and comfort of his owne Neither is this to bee thought any dishonour to Christ or impotency that hee appeares in the similitude of a wounded man but rather the high praise of his loue in that for his Church her sake hee was content to be wounded to the death And no lesse great commendation of his power who ouercame his enemies by that same death by which they thought to ouercome him Serpens mortuus viâ—…os Serpentes superabat Christus mortuus Serpentem in corde viuentem superauit That Serpent which had no life ouercame those liuing Serpents which stung the Israelites and Christ by dying ouercame that Serpent the deuill who liued in our heart Magna quidem infirmitas mori sed planè sic mori virtus immensa est It is indeed a great infirmity to die but so to die as by dying to destroy death is an exceeding great power Which had seuen Hornes Hornes in holy Scripture oftentimes signifie power fortitude and Empyring they are taken both in good and in cuill part for to the wicked are ascribed Hornes whereby they push the Saints and here seuen Hornes are ascribed to Christ figuring the perfection of his strength and power and absolute authority whereby he protects his Saints Sometime there is attributed to him onely one Horne for so the Kingdome of the Messia and his exaltation to it is compared by Dauid to the lifting vp of the Horne of the Vnicorne Thou shalt exalt my Horne like the Vnicornes and I shall be anointed with fresh oile Naturalists write of the Vnicornes Horne that of all other it is the most firme and solid secondly the most pleasant and thirdly the most profitable as being
Song they are euerie one of them as I said by themselues beautifull and glorious but so much the more beautifull as they are many and diuers agreeing all in one vnitie As in a Musicall Instrument the sound is sweeter if the strings be many yet concordant Nam sâ—…nus sâ—…auissimus â—…it ex diuersis non aduersis sonis ita sancti habebunt tune differentias suas consonantes non dissonantes So is it with Saints howsoeuer different in regard of many sorts of people whereof they consist yet agree they all in one sweete consonance and harmonie among themselues Saluation In this one word of saluation they comprise the whole benefits of our Redemption the greatnesse of this saluation will best be knowne by looking to that three-fold condemnation from which God hath deliuered vs and whereof wee haue spoken Rom. 8. ver 1. All the glory of our saluation they ascribe to the Lord and to none other they look neither to Angell nor man but giue the glorie of saluation to the mercies of God and merites of the Lamb. The discordance of Popish Hymnes from this Song of Saints shewes them to be Antichristian for in all their songs prayers there soundeth an vncouth voice of the merits of men yea in their Masse-booke they are not ashamed to pray that they may come to heauen by another bloud then the bloud of the Lambe Their distinction of principally and secondarily will not free them of blasphemy Our saluation say they principally is from God and the Lambe but secondarily it must be helped by our owne merites and the merites of others No such word haue we in this heauenly Song If they would sing this Song with vs and say Amen to it as Angels do in the next verse Controuersies betweene Christian Catholiques and them that will be called Catholiques Romane were the more easily ended But heresies must be that such as are approued may be tryed VERSE 11. And all the Angels stood round about the Throne and about the Elders and the foure liuing creatures and they fell before the Throne on their faces and worshipped God THE former thankes-giuing of Saints is here seconded by Angels not onely saying Amen and so approuing that which redeemed Saints haue said before but also v. 12. subioyne to this same purpose a new Thankes-giuing of their own where first we haue to obserue the order of the heauenly Court first we haue the Throne vpon which sitteth the blessed Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the seuen-fold Spirit proceeding from both O what a coÌ„fort is it in the sight of Angels and Saints redeemed the Man Iesus Redeemer of Saints sitteth on the Throne with the Father next to the Throne are the soure liuing creatures representing the chiefe and principall order of Angels as we haue shewed chap. 4. Then about them stand the foure and twenty Elders representing the whole Church of Saints redeemed and then in a circle about them stands the whole companie of other Angels What great comfort wee haue of this hath beene declared in the 4. chapter Stood round about the Throne In the ninth verse it hath beene said that redeemed Saints stood before the Throne now Angels are also said to stand about the Throne They stand neuer fell grace preserued them wee fell and were in the transgression but grace raised vs vp againe and makes vs now to stand before the Throne O what a mercy hath the Lord shewed vpon vs If wee would know it let vs looke to the Reprobate Angels Of them so saith S. Iude The Angels who kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation hee hath reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darkenesse vnto the iudgement of the great Day To this same purpose also saith Saint Peter God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them into chaines of darkenesse to be keps vnto damnation yet man that sinned the Lord hath spared hee fell from his first estate as the Angels did yet did not the Lord cast him downe to hell nor deliuer him to Chaines of darkenesse as hee did them but mercifully hath raised him vp againe and made him to sit in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus And now hee stands before the Throne in the company of these blessed and elect Angels that stand and neuerfell Let vs meditate vpon this mercy which our narrow hearts can neuer sufficiently vnderstand Oh that we were as we should thankefull for it And they fell on their faces Before the Angels were said to couer their faces with wings now againe they fall on their faces noting no other thing then their humble reuerence in praysing God and recommending the reuerence of bodily humiliation to vs in the worshipping of God It is written of S. Iames the Apostle that his knees with frequent kneeling and his fore-head with often bowing it to the ground in the time of prayer obduruisse callo were become so hard vt nihil ferè à Cameli pedibus si duritiem spectes discreparent that they differed not in hardnesse from the knees or feete of a Camel But now men are become so delicate that they thinke it reuerence enough to discouer the head to fall on their face they will not yea scarse bow the knee to the ground to honour the Lord. Now when they fall on their face it is said They worshipped God In all this Court of heauen there is no worshipping of Angels Patriarches or Apostles all the sound of their voices is for to giue the Lord the glory of saluation and all the gesture they vse is to giue worship to the Lord onely and none other VERSE 12. Saying Amen Praise and glorie and wisedome and thankes and honour and power and might be to our God for euermore Amen THE former Song of Saints is now approued by Angels and they say Amen vnto it they will giue no part of the glorie of saluation to any man they will take none of it to themselues The consent of the Catholike Church consisting of Men and Angels we haue in the preceding confession Papists glory in their multitude and call this confession Hereticall which reserues the glory of saluation to God onely but there are more with vs then with them all the Angels of heauen say Amen vnto it Let vs keep the tenor of the heauenly Song choosing rather to be falsly named Heretiques with Saints and Angels then falsly named Catholiques with Papists who can neuer praise the Lord freely and fully but reserue a part of his glory to the creature Concerning the vse of the particle Amen we haue spoken before Praise and glory It contents them not by saying Amen to approue the Song of Saints but they will also praise God by theÌ„selues A warning to many of our cold Professors who will sit in the Church to heare God praised but not
vertue may be learned froÌ„ the Paschal Lambe which was a type of Christ Iesus When God slew all the first-borne in euery house of Egypt by his destroying Angell such houses as had the posts of their doores sprinkled with bloud were spared The Lord Iesus shal be a couering to his Saints to saue them from that wrath wherein the wicked shall perish His pacifying vertue is touched by the Apostle Being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God And againe The bloud of Christ cryeth for better things then the bloud of Abel But let vs take heed vnto our selues vnlesse we feele his purging vertue who naturally are vnclean the comfort of his protecting and pacifying vertue cannot be ours VERSE 15. Therfore are they in the presence of the Throne of God and serue him day and night in his Temple and he that sits on the Throne will dwell among them THe Sâ—…ignior hauing declared to Saint Iohn what these were whom he saw clothed in white garments with palmes in their hands to wit redeemed Saints not militant but hauing ended their warrefare and gotten the victory not vnder tribulation but come out of tribulation Hee now proceedeth and shortly describes their felicitic and happy estate wherein now they are and that in two points First in the affluence aboundance which they haue of al good next in their freedom and exemption from all euill In this verse three things are set downe concerning them First where are they In the presence of the Throne of God Next what doe they there they serue him day and night Thirdly what get they for that He that sitteth on the Throne will dwell among them By this phrase the vnspeakeable ioy communicated to them by the Lord is figured This can not be vnderstood of any estate of the Church militant here on earth neither of Iewes conuerted nor other Christians deliuered from the tyrannic of Antichrist as some Interpreters will haue it These words are not competent to Saints militant they hunger no more they thirst no more God shall wipe away allteares from their eyes In this valley of teares when shall we when shuld we be without teares Blessed are they who hunger thirst now for righteousnesse they shall be satisfied Now we hunger are blessed there they hunger no more but are fully satisfied The Millenaries of old had an opinion somewhat like this that Saints after Christ his comming for a thousand yeeres should possesse the earth by themselues without all tribulation but neither before his comming nor after is any such quiet estate of the Church here vpon earth warranted by the holy Scripture Therefore This is relatiue to the words immediatly preceding They haue made their robes white in the bloud of the Lambe therefore are they in the presence of God There is no fellowship vvith God but by the Lord Iesus Euery man in this presumptuous age saith that he hath Iesus but Iesus is a Physician of great value If thou haue him he will cleanse thee from the filthy leprosie of thy sinnes Art thou not cleansed then hast thou not Iesus and without him thou canst not be admitted into the comfortable presence of God The last Chapter was concluded with the tragicall and fearfull end of the wicked The day of the Lords wrath is come who can stand said they The wicked shall not stand in iudgement but shall bee banished from the presence of his glory But here wee see how the godlystand before the Throne are in the presence of God As their courses in their life are coÌ„trary to other so shal their ends be God giue vs grace to make choice of the best For we see before vs the way wherein they walked and the order which they obserued who now are in the kingdome of heauen first they are washed in the blood of Christ and then they are in the presence of God if we would come where they are let vs keepe the course wherein they walked Before Ioseph was presented vnto Pharao his head was shauen his nailes were pared his garments changed and must not wee cut away from vs our superfluities before wee be admitted into the presence of God Esther was six moneths purified with oile of myrrhe and other six moneths with sweet odors before she was married with Ahasuerus And shall wee thinke to be where the Lord is without a similitude with him Or what similitude can wee haue with that holy One except that first we be washed and cleansed from our naturall vncleanenes In the presence of God There is a threefold presence of God First a presence of his goodnesse next a presence of his grace and thirdly a presence of his glory whereof here is spoken The presence of his goodnesse he grants vnto all men in the vtter Court of his Palace for he maketh the Sunne to shine and the raine to fall vpon the iust and the vniust Who may not see the goodnesse of the Lord in the manifold good creatures which hee hath created The earth is full of his goodnesse yea the inuisible things of God that is his eternall power and godhead are seene in the creation of the world The light of this presence hath learned natural men many things concerning God by it the Platonies saw Deum omnia ista fecisse à nullâ—… fieri potuisse that God had made all these things and could not be made of any other himselfe yea they ascended farre higher to vnderstand much more coÌ„cerning the nature of God as more at large is set down in that same place by Saint Augustine And yet all this knowledge gotten in the court or schoole of the creature did but make them to be without excuse because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God The presence of his grace hee giueth to his Saints specially in their holy assemblies there by the preaching of his Word and operation of his holy Spirit hee sheweth himselfe a gracious mercifull and reconciled God to them in Christ they seeke him and worship him in Spirit and truth and he speakes peace vnto them and secretly by his holy Spirit witnesses vnto their hearts that hee is their Father that is his little Sanctuarie I meane his Church narrower by much then the vtter great court as I haue called it in that wherein all men see his goodnesse in this hee is familiar with his Saints and they onely see and feele his grace Of this presence speaketh Dauid for in his banishment hee longed for it My soule thirsteth for GOD euen for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God and what presence he meanes of he expounds himselfe That he might goe with the multitude and lead them into the house of God with the voyce of singing and praise for God in a speciall manner appeares in
the assembly of his Saints according to his promise but this presence is not perceiued but of his owne secret ones who seeke his face The presence of his glory is giuen to Saints triumphant in the heauen The Lord giueth grace and glory but first grace and then glory from grace in earth yea and by it he leades them vp to glory in heauen Of this presence of glory this place is to be vnderstood according to that In thy face is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore And againe O how excellent is they mercy O God! therefore the children of men trust vnder the shadow of thy wings they shall bee satisfied with the fatnesse of thine house and thou shalt giue them drinke out of the riuers of thy pleasure Here not onely haue we pleasure but riuers of pleasures yet such as can neuer be exhausted for it is subioyned With thee is the well of life So long as the fountaine or spring lasteth the riuer cannot decay God is that great fountaine or bottomlesse deepe from him comes the riuers of pleasures to all that stand about him The Queene of Sheba said of Salomon his seruants Happy are thy men happy are these thy seruants which stand euer before thee and heare thy wisedome but much more truly may it bee spoken of the seruants of our God who stand about his Throne Blessed are they who dwell in thine house Now followes They serue him night and day in his Temple We haue heard of the place wherein they are the second part of the verse shortly describes their exercise They serue God and that without all fainting wearying or intermission night and day This imports no vicissitude but a continuance and perpetuitie Dies nox vicissitudâ—…nem sed perpetuitatem significant Because all our time turneth vpon day and night therefore many a time vseth the Spirit of God this phrase Day and night to expresse as much as for euer and euer In the heauens there is nothing but a Day no change of their glorious and lightsome estate by time In the Hell there is nothing but a Night perpetuall darkenesse no change of their horrible and comfortlesse estate by time In the Earth there is a day and a night and a vicissitude and change of euery estate by time That mention is made of a Temple wee are not to thinke there is any materiall Temple in heauen but an allusion is made to the Temple of Ierusalem wherein his seruants serued him day and night And this word of seruice noteth that they are now fully become the Lords they haue resigned themselues altogether to do his will there is not now in them any deed nor desire of any thing that may offend him they waite vpon him they looke stedfastly to him they delight in him they praise him without ceasing this is their seruice Non est laborâ—…osa sed amabilis optanda haec seruitus It is not a painefull seruice or laborious but to be loued and longed for Seruitus hâ—…c dulcissima merces est seruitutis praesentis laboriosae this seruice is a most sweet reward of our present laborious seruice Among men the name of a seruant is counted vnhonorable and a base thing thinke they it to serue another but sith the most honourable creatures elect Angels and Men delight to serue him let vs not be ashamed to professe ourselues his seruants Dauid was a great King yet hee counteth more and reioyces oftner in it that hee was a seruant of God then a King ouer his people And S. Paul was a Chosen vessel vnto God yet his ordinarie stile is Paul the seruant of Iesus Christ. And indeed it is more honorable to be a seruant of Christ then to be a Monarch of the world without him Seruire Deo est regnare In very deed hee is a free-man yea and a King who is Gods seruant Hee trampleth vnder feete the deuill the world and the flesh hee is Lord of his affections yea and of all creatures hee can vse them but will not come vnder the power of any of them and yet so blind are worldlings that they account Christ his seruice to be bondage his Law a yoke whereas in truth it is the Law of Liberty and men without it not subiect to it are in most miserable bondage For he that will not serue the Lord shall bee like cursed Cham a seruant of seruants He shall serue many masters instead of one O quam multos Dominos habet qui vnum non habet and that in a seruice wherein there is no comfort for which there is no reward and after which no time set for manumission or liberty Any other seruant that hath an euill Master sometime may bee sold to another and he will be glad of it But the seruant of sin is so blinded that albeit of all slauâ—… he be the most miserable yet he is content with it and desires not to change his Master And againe any other seruant oppressed with the tyrannie of a Master sometime will deliuer himselfe by flying from him But the seruant of sinne where-away shall hee flee Secum trahit Dominum suum quocunque fugerit non fugit seipsam mala conscientia hee draweth his oppressor with him flee where hee will an euill conscience cannot flee from it selfe And as for a reward of his seruice where is it Voluptas transitâ—… peccatum manet praeterit quod delectabat remansit quod pungat the pleasure passeth the sinne abideth still that is gone which delighted him and for which hee sinned that remaines which disquiets him and torments him to wit guiltinesse the fruit of his sinne that is the worme which gâ—…aweth his conscience what shall we then do but cry out and confesse with the same Father O miserabilis seruitus peccatâ—… O miserable and vnprofitable and euery way comfortlesse seruice of sinne And on the contrarie O happy ioyfull fruitfull and euery way most comfortable the seruice of Iesus Christ our Sauiour Yet concerning this point there is but one question to be moued Said not our Sauiour to his Disciples Henceforth I call you not seruants but friends How then are redeemed and glorified Saints called seruants I answer This noteth their aduancement to a new and high dignity but derogates not from their old debt-bound duetie Familiarity with God takes not away reuerence It it engenders not as our Prouerbe is contempt no there is none who reuerenceth him more then they with whom hee is most familiar and noâ—…e more readie to serue him then they who haue found him most mercifull to them so these two stiles Friends and Seruants are not repugnant the one to the other And againe if it be demanded How serue they him for euer in his Temple Said not our Sauiour The seruant abides not in the
nakednesse And againe that in great necessities and distresses hee approued himselfe the Minister of God And in that notable gloriation that nothing is able to separate vs from the loue of God hee would not haue made mention of persecution famine nakednesse if in this life the Saints of GOD were not subiect vnto them But all these miseries end with our mortall life no relike of them shall remaine in the heauen Ibi non est paupertatis metus non â—…gritudinis imbecillitas no feare of famine no sense of sickenesse there nullum cibi desiderium no desire of meate there and how can there bee a want of that whereof there is not so much as a desire Ibi est vita sine morte ibi iuuentus sine senectute lux sine tenebris gaudium sine tristitia voluntas sine iâ—…iuria regnum sine commutatione There we shall haue life without death youth without olde age light without darkenesse ioy without sadnesse will without all wrong a kingdome without any kind of exchange In this life hunger and thirst commeth not of want onely but of wealth also let there bee giuen thee such abundance as thou desirest yet can it not keepe thee from hunger and thirst and in this appeares the vanity of our life present that it hath need of daily helpe and supply feed as thou wilt now thou becommest hungry ere it be long drinke as thou wilt thou shalt thirst againe yea the abundance of drinke rather increases then quenches thy thirst The same creatures which we daily vse for the helpe of our silly life tell vs if we would heare them that we cannot liue long such a life as they haue they must lose it before they can nourish ours if wee vse them not they putrifie and corrupt of their owne accord and when wee haue vsed them most abundantly yet as I said can they not keepe vs from hungring and thirsting againe Thus the helpes of our life proclaime to vs the vanity of our life it is a vanishing shadow and cannot continue All our life is but a course of exchanges for a time and be sure a very short time a man may say hee hath enough but comes short of that which here is spoken that hee willeth No more If vvcc looke to the Sea it ebbeth and floweth euery day If wee looke to the Moone it waxeth and waineth euery Moneth If wee looke to the Sunne it commeth and returneth euery yeare all creatures teach vs that in our life there is a flowing and an ebbing a waxing and a waining a comming and a going all by a continual change are turned in their course but after this life it shall not bee so any more They shall hunger and thirst no more Hic omnes morbâ—… laboramus qui tandem ad mortem diducit Wee haue in all estates heere a sickenesse which at length leadeth vnto death sanitas immortalitas erit our sanity or health shall be our immortality there we shall be sicke no more Yet should it warne vs so long as wee liue heere to walke circumspectly It is a point of true Wisedome and Valour inter transeuntia stare Neyther shall the Sunne light vpon them c. That is true which some of the Interpreters haue that the Sunne and heat thereof in holy Scripture is vsed many times to signifie the heat of persecution And it is indeede out of all question that Saints in heauen haue past all danger of persecution but because they expound this of the estate of the Church militant I do but remit them to their owne warrants The simple meaning is that Saints glorified in the heauen shall neither need the commodity of the creature nor feele the incommodity thereof The Sunne is a very excellent creature yea a Mother and Nurse of the creatures by the heate and warmenesse thereof but there wee shall haue no benefit by it we shall surmount the spheare of the Sunne and leaue it vnder our feet yea the face of euery Saint there shall shine like the Sunne in the noone-day That Citie hath no need of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine into it for the glory of God doth light it and the Lambe is the light thereof Ibi iugis est splendor non is qui nunc est sed tantò clarior quanto foelicior In heauen there is a perpetuall splendor not such as we haue now but so much more bright then this as it is more happy then this Nor any heat They feele no incommodity of the creature the heat of the Sunne intended parches burnes them who are vnder Torrida Zona and to many other people extreme heate of the Sun engendreth many diseases for this cause the Lord prouided for Israel in the wildernesse not to guide them onely but to guard them also from the heate of the Sunne So also hee prouided a Gourd for Ionas to shadow him from the burning heate of the Sunne but no such thing shal be there to trouble vs. VERSE 17. For the Lambe which is in the midst of the Throne shall gouerne them and shall lead them to the liuely fountaines of waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes HE proceedes in the description of their felicity sets downe the great cause thereof to wit that the Lord shal feed them illuminate them gouern coÌ„fort them not by his creatures as he doth now but by himselfe Now great coÌ„fort haue we by the creature we shall not need them there the Lord shall be all in all vnto vs he shall giue vs vitaÌ„ aternam non de his quae condidit sed de seipso life eternall not of things which hee hath made but of himselfe Qâ—…icunque hic varia quaeris ipse tibi vnus erit omnia whosoeuer thou art that here seekes many and diuers things remember that there thou shalt haue one for all who shall aboundantly satisfie and content thee The Lambe shall gouerne them The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports that hee shall do the duty of a Sheepe-heard vnto them and gouerne them as a Sheepe-heard gouerneth his Flock Strange is the manner of speech but comfortable is the matter itselfe that the Lord is here brought in to be a Sheepe-heard or Pastor of Lambes for our Lord hath none in his Flocke but Lambs indeed Feed my Lambes Hee tameth and maketh meek all that are his were they before fierce and cruell like Lyons were they rauening Wolues such as S. Paul was answerable to the bloudy badge of his Tribe Beniamin A rauening Wolfe Before his conuersion it was said of him that he breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord yet from the time that hee became one of Christs he laid aside his cruell nature and became meeke peaceable and patient like a Lambe Take heed aboue all things that we be partakers of
are called Elders 1. Ioh. 2. 1. Esay 65. 20. The white rayment of Saints is their two-fold righteousnesse 1 One imputed 2 Another inherent Their Crowns note their Royall Dignity 1. Cor. 9. 26. Rom. 8. A two-fold operation of God here is figured 1 One terrible to his enimies compared to lightning Psal. 18. 14. 2 To Thundring Psal. 18. 13. Exod. 20. Amos 1. 2. Mark 3. Psal. 29. 3. Suâ—… ca. 5. 3 To Voices Psal. 2. 5. The other gracious comfortable to his own children Mat. 3. 11. Acts 2. Esay 11. 2. 1. Cor. 12. 4. The glassie Sâ—…a is a figure of this world Reuel 17. 15. The world sometime figured by the Moone And sometime by the Sea which is euer waltring and neuer standeth in oâ—… estate Ester 7. 2. King 7. It is christalline transparent because all things in it are manifest to the Lord. Heb. 4. 13. Iob. 22. Psal. 139. A dehortation from the loue of this world 1. Cor. 7. 31. ☜ The best pleasures thereof are like the salt waters of the Sea Angels described 1. From their place 2. From their nature 3. FroÌ„ their number 4. From their properties 5. From their function How by the foure beasts some vnderstand the four Euangelists But in truth they figure the company and order of principall Angels This Vision coÌ„pared with the like in Ezechiel will be the more easily vnderstood Ezech. 1. The foure Beasts in the originall are foure liuing creatures And are expounded by the Spirit of God to be Cherubims Ezech. 10. 20. The place of these holy Angels they are in the midst of the Throne and round about it The Throne of God is coÌ„passed wâ—…th Angels not for any need but to shew his glory and to comfort his Church 1. King 10. 20. Esay 37. 36. What Angels are as concerning their nature Psal. 104. 4. Numb 16. 22. August Enchirid cap. 18. Of the number of Angels Dan. 7. 10. Psal. 68. Heb. 12. 22. The properties of Angels Nazian orat 2. de Thâ—…o How they are said to haue eyes before eyes behind and eyes within them ☞ Gregor Moral Lamentable is our estate for the want of this three-fold sight Why Angels are represented by Men Lyons Bullocks and Eagles Ezech. 1. The manifold wisedome of God appeares in the variety of his creatures Not in the great onely but in the smallest also What assurance we haue of good things prouided for vs hereafter Heb. 11. 3. Six wings are ascrybed to euery one of these Angils Esay 6. 2. With two wings they couer their facâ—… these are 1 An humble estimation of themselues 2 A reuerent estimation of the Lord. Chrysost. in Mat. hom 26. Heauenly creatures are most humble Hereby are condemned Pharisaicall and Popish spirits who dare stand vp with vncouered face and glory of their merits Ber. Ser. cont vitium ingratitud Gen. 18. Chrysost. in Mat. â—…om 26. The two wings wherewith they flye 1 Their sublime disposition they are no creeping things 2 Their willing readinesse to obey By the two wings Bernard vnderstands knowledge and deuotion Bern. de verbis Esaiae Serm. 4. To striue to flye with one wing is the ready way to fall Rom. 1. The wings wherewith they couer their feet are sanctity and modesty zach 1. In the last place they are described froÌ„ their function they are not weaâ—…y in praysing God 1. Thes. 5. 16 16 17 18. Prayer and prayse are good parts of diuine worship but praise the most excellent of the two Three things in their song doe they ascribe to the Lord. Esay 6. Ang. de side ad Pet. cap. 1. 1 Holinesse which is so proper to him that there is none so holy as the Lord. 2 Omnipotency consisting in these two 1. That he can do what hewil 2. That against his nature and truth hee can doe nothing Mouthes of Atheists who cal Gods power in question bound vp 2. King 7. 2. Weakenesse of Saints helped by the consideration of God his omnipotency Gen. 18. Numb 11. 22. Esa. 50. 3. Papists abuse the omnipotency of God in making it militant against his truth Psal. 78. 41. 3 They ascribe to him the praise of eternity Bern. in Cont. Scrm. 31. What great comfort commeth to the Church by the consideration of God his eternity Eccles. 1. Heb. 1. 11. The song of Angels is soconded by the song of redeemed Saints 2. Cor. 9. 2. Thus one of vs should prouoke another to plety In their song they giue three things to the Lord. Rom. 11. 35. Great difference betweene these two man his giuing to God Gods giuing to man Heb. 13. 1. Chro. 29. 14. No dishonour to the most honourable creatures to kneele to the Lord. Psal. 95. 6. The true Church worships no creature neither Angell not man Gal. 4. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But giueth to the Lord all the glory of their saluation Psal. 115. 1. Creation was a short Prouidence and Prouidence a long creation Heb. 1. 3. Creation coÌ„mon to all creatures not so the comfort of creation What reason we haue to serue God for our creation Ephes. 2. Loth should we be to displease the Lord who made vs for his owne pleasure Psal. 104. 31. Gen. 1. Gen. 6. The second part of the Preparatoâ—…ie Vision containing a description of God the Redeemer Reuealing things to come for the comfort of his Church Psal. 76. 10. The parts of this Chapter The familiarity of God with his Saints once begun stil encreases Numb 22. Gen. 39. Reu. 1. 9. Gen. 27. 33. We walke not here by sight but by saith 2. Cor. 5. 7. How the Lord is said to haue a Booke Ester 6. 1. In it allusion is made to the manner of Kings who haue their Registers This booke cannot be the old Testament Other strange opinions concerning this Booke But in truth the booke is this same book of the Reuelation Bookes in holy Scripture are of two sorts 1 Metaphorical and these are either vniuersall or special Psal. 139. 16. Vniuersall are two Speciall are al. so two Gen. 32. 32. Malach. 3. 16. 2 The other sort of bookes are materiall The forme of bookes vsed among the Ancients different froÌ„ ours Plin. lib. 3. epist. Ezech. 2. 9. Carthus What meanes the writing of this book without within The booke is sealed for surety and secrecie Dan. 6. 8. Obscurity of Scripture pretended by Papists They looke to the seales wherewith the book is closed but not to the Lambe who opened them Psal. 119. 130. In bookes of Scripture written for our instruction in the faith God speaks plainly Aug. de doct Chr. lib. 2. c. 9. Lactant. l. 6. c. 21. This pretext of obscurity of holy Scripture is but a couering of their misliking Chrysost. hom 3. de Lazaro It is Christ his singular glory none but hee can open this booke The offices of Christ are 3 Kingly Priestly and Propheticall The last and least of the 3. can be done by none but by himselfe Papists derogate from