frō the Prophets with whō it is ordinarily in this sense 7 Now against this woman according to the old warre proclaimed in Paradise is set in apparance a very vnequall match but that Michael fighteth the battell This aduersary is Satan for so the spirit interpreteth verse 9. Hee is a great Dragon for great malice force and subtilty He is red for his cruell and bloudy disposition as who was a murtherer from the beginning Hee hath seuen heades and tenne hornes the armes of Rome because of this the Diuell his fury against the Primitiue Church the Emperours of Rome were the instruments and executors And therefore to shew Rome in that state of persecuting Emperours the heades are crowned for an euident distinction of Rome then from Rome thereafter in the beast The heads and hornes are put in both that we may know what state the spirit designeth but by the different note of these heades and hornes To take vp the different time and condition in time Against the Primitiue Church the Diuell albeit working by Rome is made the direct enemie because then Christianity was directly oppugned and open rage practised against the name of Christ Heathenisme and worship of Diuels plainely maintained From which open dealing and licentious murthering Satan being tyed vp afterwards by power of the Gospell hee dealt more couertly by the beast of his authority vnder name and profession of Christianity and pretence of Christ his power deceiuing men of the world till after a thousand yeeres the reuiued light of the Gospell breaking out a fresh and discouering the deceit of the beast hee is so chafed as hee falleth to murthering of Saints In which respect the Dragon is said to be loosed the second time Chap 20. and thereby the beast falling to open murther becommeth of his colour Chapter 17. Of these heades and hornes see vpon the 13. and 17. Chapters 8 This Dragon then imployeth head and taile that is cruelty and lies for hee was a lier and murtherer from the beginning By his taile that is by his alluring deceit whether effectuall error or deceitfulnesse of honours riches and worldly lusts hee insinuateth himselfe amongst these who seeme shining starres of heauen and draweth them to fall from light and grace and to become earthly such as goe out of the Church that is heauen but were not of it Marke alwaies that Satan his first attempt against the Church is with his taile amongst the starres Thus he stirreth his taile With his heads that is his power and force hee setteth himselfe first against the childe to deuoure him in the bearing Whereby the fury and rage of Satan by the Romane Emperours to keepe the Church of Christ from rising is signified notwithstanding whose malice and cruelty the childe and a man childe alluding to the story of Aegypt and also for that as Christ was in person and as the paschall Lambe and other expiatory sacrifices of the flocke so all Christians in Christ Iesus are consecrated as males for perfection of strength and spirituall vigor is borne that is the Church is brought foorth to the partaking of the honour first proper to Christ and in him to all his members To rule all Nations with a rod of iron Chapt. 2. 27. And not onely thus brought foorth but in euident presence and power of God ruling in and amongst them established here in earth against all Satan his fury and visibly separated to God from the rest of the world becomming Kings and Priests to God in Christ so as according to Christ his owne prediction the sonne of man was seene come in his Kingdome with power by his Church raised in the world The throne as the iron rod is first and properly Christ his right but it is also the honour of the Saints in him to whom hee giueth a Kingdome as he hath receiued one of the father and to whom he giueth to sit in his throne as he ouercame and sitteth in his fathers throne For euen here we sit with him in the highest places So the taking vp of the childe is the erection of the Church amongst men visibly in that same sense that the two Witnesses were bid come vp hither Chap. 11. And the casting of the Dragon from heauen is all one thing with this For the exalting of the childe is the deiecting of the Dragon from heauen and the deiection of the Dragon is the vptaking of the child Satan is said to be in heauen when so by lies and error he hath preuailed in the visible Church as no apparant or very small face thereof is seene Like as the Church is in the earth euen where Satan his throne is when it is so compassed with error and ignorance as it appeareth not till it be said come vp hither that is till God by purity of worship and open profession thereof make his true Church visibly separated from the contagion of the worldy sort And euen in this case Satan is deiected from heauen and sent amongst his owne earthly ones He is said to fight in heauen when by slight and might he laboreth to keepe downe so the true Church as it can not bee discerned from his company and is deiected thence when truth openly in the Church is maintained so as he can haue no place for dominion but amongst the children of disobedience For beeing cast out of men hee goeth madlings in the swine of the world and shut out of God his house he furiously mistrāmeth his owne putting forth his rage where hee may seeing hee cannot where hee would Woe to the Inhabitants of the earth This is it which maketh that where euer the Gospell is purely preached there immediately by Sathan are raised stirres and tempests For while hee brooketh all peaceably hee is at ease but when that stronger commeth who spoileth his house then hee chafeth and becommeth mad in his Instruments This euent Christ in these same words foretelleth so as we need not doubt of the right sense Now is the iudgement of this world now shall the Prince of this world bee cast out And in another place speaking of the effect of the Gospell truely preached I saw Sathan fall from the heauen like lightning 9 This victory is by Michael and his Angels fighting in heauen that is by Christ who is Michael our Prince and the Angels of the Churches Apostles and faithfull Pastors fighting by the powerfull preaching of the Gospell against Sathan his Ministers of darkenes heathen Philosophers heretikes and all such for Christianity is a warfare against Principalities and powers against beasts wherin we must all fight the good fight of faith and striue for that victory which standeth in saluation of the elect from God in Christ and in the foile of Sathan and that by the bloud of the Lambe apprehended by true faith in the word of Iesus his Testimony with perseuerance and a ready offering of liues for his
honour 10 Now Sathan so deiected in rage that thus against all his endeauors the Church riseth setteth himselfe to cruelly persecute the same For except in distinct considerations the woman and child are all one but that the holy Ghost will thus expresse how Sathan first by craft and cruelty laboured to destroy the Church in the rising that it should not spread whereof misgiuing and shee multiplying wonderfully hee inforceth still thereupon ragefull persecution The first and second both are more then cleare in the persecuting Emperours and state of the Church in that time Now this second endeuour against the Church is eluded and the woman retired from his fury but yet so as shee goeth to the wildernesse this is to shew how by the protection maintenance of Constantine the Great and his Successors becomming Christians and who according to the Phrase of the Prophets are called that great Eagle as the doubled Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Constantine his peculiar surname 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proue clearely this open and furious persecution was stayed the soules receiuing long white robes Chapter 6. but yet so as the great honour and riches wherewith as with wings hee vpon good intention endowed the Church as an occasion to make her flie to the wildernesse all true and sincere religion by degrees decaying in the visible Church And so by Sathan his craft who now is bound vp a thousand yeers the beast stealeth in and sitteth in the Temple of God The true Church in the meane time lurking in the wildernesse as Elias in the time of famine and no more any face of true worshippe appearing then was in Israell that while or then when the dayly sacrifice was remoued and the abhomination of desolation erected in place thereof for a time times and halfe a time Now this flight was not in an instant but by long and yet sensible degrees And therefore wee haue an other degree of Sathan his fury against the woman after he seeeth her so furnished with wings as he being now chained Chapter 20. could no more persecute openly or come at her Hee casteth a great floud out of his mouth after her to drowne her in her flight This must bee a filthie floud which springeth from so foule a fountaine Hereby then is meaned not onely that inundation of barbarous Nations which in Sathan his intention no doubt were set forth to drowne the woman but also all these poisonable heresies whereof vpon this restraint he spued out an Ocean both which by God his prouidence turned to the destruction and punishment of the earthly sort For the bloody Romane Empire was ouerturned by these Nations and the wicked of the worlde poisoned with these heresies Thus then Sathan misgiuing of all his attempts against the woman and her first seed and finding so little successe in open dealing from which also hee is now bound vp hee prepareth a beast of strange working to deceiue the world and to make warre against the seed of succeeding times Whereof Chapter 13. So as the whole summe of this Chapter is this Sathan seeing the Primitiue Apostolike Church by the cleare light of the sunne of righteousnesse ministred by the Apostles whereby all borrowed spotted transitory light was trod vnder like to bring Nations to the obedience of faith and so to bring forth a church in the world as hee who had long miscarried all men was now by the light of the Gospell to be deiected from his place hee vseth all both craft and violence to impede the successe of the Gospel and notwithstanding it is so fruitfull through Christ his power and endeauour of faithfull Ministers that the sonne of man commeth in his Kingdome with power and Sathan is dethroned This maketh him in ragefull despite not onely to raise terrible broiles in the world to the earthes great woe but to enforce also cruell persecution against the Church against which shee is armed with that great Eagle his wings so as Sathan is restrained from open rage His next endeauour therefore against her thus protected is by inundation of barbarous nations and poisonable heresie to drowne her but this the Lord turneth on the world yet so as the Church goeth to the wildernes and lurketh Where-through the Beast in the next Chapter stealeth in to occupie City and Court Chap. 11. CHAP. XIII THus was the open rage of the Dragon against the Woman her first seed now followeth his couered dealing against her seed of succeeding times by the Vicar of his power described in this Chapter from his quality that hee is a beast origine that hee riseth out of the sea and earth in distinct consideration shape exceeding monstrous hauing seuen heades and ten horns as had the Dragon but other wayes busked as hauing his hornes crowned and on his head the name of blasphemy in body like a Pard footed like a Beare and mouthed like a Lion Besides this hee hath for right discerning of him two notes of great marke The first is his great power and authority as Vicegerent to Sathan in his power throne and authority The second is that one of his heads hauing beene deadly wounded was cured againe where-through all the world astonished at the beast of so great maiesty and vnmatchable power worship him and the Diuell his aduancer 2 These two notes and effect thereof thus summarily proponed are from the fift verse throughout the chapter exponed more largely and first this his authority practised in two mischieuous effects the one of speaking blasphemies and the other of doing what hee list vncontrolled This double authority is cleared first by the time thereof forty two moneths and next by the practise of it his speaking of blasphemies against God his Church and members thereof In his doing are noted what it was making warre against whom the Saints with what successe that hee ouercame them Thirdly how largely this power was extended Ouer euery Tribe Tongue Nation Through al which he obtaineth that al follow and worship him â—he elect onely excepted a case so dangerous and fearefull as a warning is Epiphonematically set downe to all of attention and therewith a consolation vpon two reasons First that according to the generall law of God his iustice whereby euery oppressour is oppressed and the slaier slaine this beast should come to destruction Next that it pleased God thus to trie the faith and patience of his Saints 3 His second note of his deadly wound cured againe how it was is shewed by a new vision of an other Beast rising from the earth in all outward semblance like to the Lambe and pretending simplie his power but that his speech was like the Dragons This Beast his actions and end thereof are first summarily proponed in that he did all that the first beast could doe before him and to this end that all the earth might worship the first Beast in the state of the cured wound Then is exponed how he
efsectuateth this great point To wit by signes and wonders which were permitted him to doe and thereby to deceiue the earth wherein he seemed to match Moses and Elias in master points That whereto by all this deceite hee induceth the earth and men thereof is to make vp the image of the Beast which had the deadly wound and liued Which he worketh so luckily that hee giueth spirit and speech to the Image and obtaineth thereto worship of Nations vnder paine of death and subiection to receiue the Beast his marke in worke or profession as his proper good and and vnder paine of confiscation of goods and interdiction of all humane commerce that all of all estates rankes and conditions should receiue his marke or beare his name or at least be accounted of his number so making vp the whole body and frame of his Kingdome Which in respect of the number of his name comprehending all the sorts of his followers will appeare to any who is not indued with heauenly wisdome to count it so large so faire so perfectly and proportionably builded and stablished as he will vndoubtedly bee ouercome thereby And yet who is wise to count it will find it to be but a man his number and none of God his building And the number to be counted is 666. 4 That these beasts are the state of Rome all sound Interpreters agree But in what time and of what policy there is great disagreement That which hath bred greatest difficulty in accommodation is because that the two Beasts heere set foorth are taken of all men to bee diuers or at least of diuers time and condition whereas they are both one And are heere distinctly and diuersly set downe by the spirit onely for cleere explication as in the deduction shall be made plaine The common opinion that the first Beast is the heathen state of Rome vnder persecuting Emperours and the second the Popedome cannot consist with the cleare notes of this first Beast proper to Popedome The first note is the attire of his heads and hornes Rome in the persecuting Emperours as they were the ministers of Satan his open wrath is noted by seuen heads and tenne hornes of the Dragon but so as the heads onely are crowned The hornes that is the Prouinciall gouernments vnder them and wherein was their strength hauing no Crownes because the roiall and soueraigne gouernment was then onely in the heads of the state so designing the Emperours of that time But this Beast heere hath his hornes Crowned to shew that the proppes of his power are crowned Kings as Chapter 17. is exponed plainely that they are Kings which had not as then receiued a Kingdome Whereby is manifest that the tenne hornes as they are crowned were not in Iohn his time neither this beast as it hath crowned hornes The beast indeed was before in the fiue heads who were fallen he was not in the state heere described for he was to rise out of the bottomlesse pit and yet euen then he was in the state of the sixth head that is the Caesars by curing of whose deadly wound in the Pontificalitie erected the Popedome afterward became the liuely image that is the state of Rome vnder the Popes a liuely image of the state of Rome before And therefore in distinct consideration The Pontificality is the eight head of the Beast and yet one of the seuen And whereas the former heads were crowned now the heads arise to a higher presumption hauing hornes crowned to attire themselues with the name of blasphemy 2. Thess 2. 5 The next note heere proper to the Popedome is that the Dragon hath giuen him his power throne and authority The Dragon in his openrage vsed Emperours but for the Ministers of his furie but the Popes are the Vicars of his power and therefore are properlie the Sonne of perdition King Apollyon and the Angell of the bottomlesse pit whose comming is in all effectuall working of Satan For albeit the Dragon bequeateth not vtterly his Kingdome yet finding that his open rage had not the desteined successe hee substracteth himselfe in a sort and substituteth this viceroy of his kingdome the most effectuall promoouer of darkenesse that euer was Satan offered to Christ this bargen but was repulsed heere he findeth his Merchant who accepteth of it and both himselfe worshippeth and maketh all the world to worshippe the Dragon That the Popes haue Satan his throne in a peculiar manner is plaine by their practise and by their challenge Their practise for that it is not onely as of all the former heads or other tyrants whatsoeuer instruments of Satan his rage to subdue to themselues bodies goods and states of men to dispose thereof at their pleasure but hee further will impire ouer the conscience and all his administration as the proper angell of the bottomlesse pit is to plunge men in darkenesse Wherein the Dragon as almost in all things is an Ape of God his dealing For as God hath giuen to Christ his throne and authority all power in heauen and earth for conquering a kingdome to him so hath the Dragon giuen all his power to his annointed Antichrist the man of sinne for setting forward his kingdome of darkenesse Their challendge also argueth this For albeit great Monarches for the largenesse of their dominion are said to haue the kingdomes of the earth and the Romans to magnifie their Empire would call it Imperium orbis terrarum yet neuer King or Monarch challenged euer any further right then either by apparent iust title hee might claime or by Armes he had subdued But the Pope challengeth right ouer all as whereof hee may dispose at his pleasure And that yee may cleerely discerne the Dragons mouth he onely of all men since the beginning of the world stoutly affirmeth All the Kingdomes of the world are mine and I giue them to whom I will 6 The third note here put is the time of his working 42. mouethes The very time of Antichrist his obtaining place in the visible Church Chap. 11. of the Temple closed and witnesses preaching in Sackcloath and of the womans abode in the wildernesse Chap. 12. An infallible argument that heere Antichrist is described 7 The fourth note is clearest of all For as the description of the Beast his heades and hornes sheweth him to be the Romane state or Kingdome so heere a speciall note is giuen whereby to discerne of what time policy state and condition of Rome this Beast is to bee taken namely in the state of the wounded head cured againe And because this beingshortly touched might be obscure therefore to make it plaine a speciall vision is giuen of the curer and manner of the cure whereby this Beast in this state is made vp so as if it may not be esteemed absolutely the fame which it was before the deadly stroke yet at least it is a liuely image thereof The Curer is a Beast like the Lambe and simply pretending his power in
two hornes like to his but speaking like the Dragon Heere two hones like the Lambes are not put for any answerable number of Kings but to shew a humble and simple pretence of the Lambe his power not out wardly of that ferity and strength of the Beast like a Pard footed like a Beare and mouthed like a Lion For that to the Lambe Chap. 5. we attributed seuen hornes and seuen eies was to shew his perfection of power and wisdome Heere the Lambe is put according to the naturall verity of such a beast so to expresse liuely the simulate hypocrisie and affectation of simple humility in this Beast so masking himselfe while yet vnder this pretence he but animates againe the beast with seuen heads and tenne hornes c. That so vnder himselfe the eight head in number and order and one of the seuen that is the sixth by cure of the wounded head the beast that was in the fiue heads fallen before Iohn his daies and in the sixth head was euen then in his time but was not in the condition heere meaned might arise in the owne time out of the bottomelesse pit and deceiuing the world by the cup of fornication may perish for euer The meanes how hee worketh this cure are by deceit of signes and wonders 2. Thess 2. The manner of cure is that by these signes and wonders the world is induced to make vppe the image of the Beast which had the deadly wound and liued And this is nothing else but that the Kings and States of the earth should so submit themselues to the Popes of Rome by signes and force of the cup of fornication bewitching them and faining of himselfe to bee the Lambe his Vicar whereas hee is the Dragons as the state of Rome which in ouerthrow of the Caesars had receiued a deadly wound should rise to the same or greater dignity then it had in the Emperors and the kingdome thereof reerected in the pontificality should bee as it were a liuely and speaking image of the beast before it was wounded and all men should worship al 's farre or more the Popes as they had the Emperours the Beast that is the kingdome or state of Rome becomming in the head cured againe that is in the Pontificality al 's famous and wonderfull as it was before the wound And in this respect the Pontificality is both the eight head in number and order of that kingdome or beast and also is one of the seuen as in which the sixth head is reuiued or rather the kingdome which in the sixth head got a deadly wound according as Chap. 17. the Beast hath his denomination from the eight head For cleare vnderstanding of all this matter reade that Chapter The sixth head was wounded when by incursion of Barbars many greate and famous Prouinces were taken from the Empire Yet more deepely when not onely Italie was trode vnder foot but Rome it selfe was spoyled and burnt by Athalaricus after by Athaulphus and their Gothes miserably rifled by Gensericus and his Vandales The wound yet was more deepe when Odoacer and his Heruls flew Augustulus and seised vpon Italie fourteene yeres But then it became deadly when the Emperour and Senate dispairing to keepe Italie and Rome any more willingly bequeathed them to Thcodoricus who thereupon defeating Odoacer was receiued in Rome as their lawfull Prince Where he raigned by himselfe and his successors Ostrogothes in peace and flourishing state many yeeres This deadly wound Iustinian afterward by the valor of Belisare and Narset laboured to haue cured but it auailed not by new inuasions the wound still remaining deadly But the Popes by signes and cup of fornication bewitching euen all these Kings who had risen by the fall of the Empire to submit their crownes to them and that dignity and glory which Rome had lost by fall of the Empire the Popes recouering the same to it by the authority of the Apostolike seat and keies of Peter then the image of the Beast was so made vp as for liuely resemblance it seemed to haue spirit and speech Euen in a manner to be the same and so getteth worship and slauish subiection of the world For the liuelinesse of this image reade the donation of Constantine and Steuchus in defence of it His words are these Euerso Imperio nisi Deus Pontificatum restituisset futurum erat vt Roma nullo tempore excitata ac restituta inhabitabilis posthaec faedissima boum porcorumque futura esset habitatio At in Pontificatu etfi non illa veteris Imperij magnitudo species certe non longe dissimilis renata est qua gentes omnes ab ortu occasu haud secus Romanum Pontificem venerantur quam omnes Nationes olim Imperatoribus obtemperabant And thereafter to shew the resemblance An non amnia quae Romae quondam profana erant sacra effect a sunt quemadmodum omnia Templa deorum facta sunt Eoclesiae sanctorum ritus item profani coperunt esse ritus sacri Nonne Pantheon Templum omnium idolorum effectum est Templum sanctae virgiris nonne in Vaticano Templum Apollinis vbi condita erant corpora Apostolorum conuersum est in Ecclesiam ipsorum Apostolorum vt superius demonstratum est totque alia This made Prosper to say Sedes Roma Petri quae pastoralis honoris Facta caput mundo quicquid non possidet armis Relligione tenet And Roma per Sacerdotij Principatum amplior facta est arce religionis quam solio potestatis But this seemeth greatly to withstand our interpretation that heere are put not onely two beasts but also hauing diuers origine the first from the sea the second from the earth Whereby some learned men seeing that clearely the Pontificality was meaned in both were brought to thinke the same to be in them differently expressed as it is to be taken vp in diuers times and conditions in time and so esteeme the Popedome to bee both the seuenth and eight head Chap. 17. But as in this in my iudgement they haue mistaken so this difference imposeth no necessity to thinke so For the vision of the second beast is onely brought for more cleare explication of that last note of the Beast â—ouching the eure of the wouÌ„ded head In the first beast the Antichrist is expressed but so as we may take vppe of what kingdome and state hee is head namely of the kingdome of Rome And therefore in the beast that kingdome is so painted foorth to vs as to know it rightly she hath all her heads attributed to her which ruled in her from her first rising to her last fall yet so as here the beast is to be considered onely in the condition and state of the last head arising by cure of the deadly wound As to the Dragon all the heads were attributed to make cleare what state he wrought by yet so as his rage then is considered onely in the sixth head He hauing seuen but
are to holy writ As this speech is plainely from Ieremy And the Prophets who in respect of Media by whose forces specially Babel was taken denounce her ruine from the North shew the weakenesse of that coniâ—cture And this Prophesie cleereth euidently that her destruction shall be by Westerne Kings euen the hornes of the Beast who hauing long drunke of her cup and giuen their Kingdomes to the Beast at last haue their hearts turned by God to hate the Whore eate her flesh make her naked and burne her with fire and so shall make way for the Kings of the East that is whole States that particular persons be not thought heere to bee designed as were the Sages who at the natiuity of Christ vpon sight of his star came from the East to worship him whil Priests and Phariseis abode in blindnesse which by Babels fall the cleare starre of Christ shall bring to bowe vnto him Whereat Herod and all Ierusalem shall bee troubled As their endeauour heereupon well sheweth Now heere a great wisdome and delightfull congruity in the order of God his working is to be obserued and admired By Antichrist his vsurpation and darkenesse preuailing on the fifth trumpet as by the swelling of Euphrates the East was alienated debarred from the Kingdome of Dauid God in his iustice losing thereafter in the sixth Trumpet from Euphrates these Armies of desolation poisoning error So heere in the fifth Viall the kingdome of Antichrist becomming darke and contemptible and in this sixth Viall all beauty strength and fortification being dried vp the East shall come againe to the Gospell and Iewes â—epent from their obstinate blindnesse and induration God thus wonderfully and to the high praise of his wise grace bringing a more ioâ—full effect from Euphrates in Antichrist his fall then hee brought a heauy woe in his rising And consider how wonderfully heereupon the case varieth In the sixth Trumpet out of the mouthes of these destroiers from Euphrates came Three things Fire Brimstone and Smoake By which three the third part of men were destroied Here to disturbe al 's ioifull an effect from the East â—uâ— Of the mouthes of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet three foule spirits euen spirits of Deuils That is men led with the spirit of Satan lyers and murtherers like their Father and accompanied with the effectuall deceiuablenesse of his working authorised by Antichrist his state and in speciall by the false Prophet head thereof are sent abroad as crouting froggs to bestirre themselues Who these are the state of our time and practise of Iesuites and Seminary Priests compassing Sea and Land specially busie about Kings maketh more then manifest They beginne to see their waters drinking in and Euphrates earst so great a riuer now running in a narrow channell and this setteth them madlings a worke Besides their origine they haue a speciall note of distinction whereby to discerne them that they are workers of miracles so to shew them false Prophets to whose begetting authorizing and setting a worke all the power of the kingdome of darkenesse Dragon Beast and false Prophet haue iointly bended all their malice force and intising hypocrisie as to the last puffe of Satan his mouth and of the Vicar of his throne for vnderpropping Babilon But shee can not be cured For the Beast goeth to destruction Heere the Beast and false Prophet are distinguished as the first and second Beast Chap. 13. That heere may bee shewed a ioyned endeauour of the head and whole body of the state See vpon the next Chap. Sect. 11. 18. and vpon the 19. Sect. 27. 10 The vnlucky euent of this their endeauour to themselues and happy to the Church specially these to whom by this viall the way is prepared is shewed in these words that they gathered them to a place called in Ebrew Armageddon Wherein much matter is comprised and offered to our consideration partly in the name of the place but specially in that it is so called in Hebrew The place is Armageddon a word composed of Har a Mountaine and Mageddon a plot of ground in the of lot Manasse famous in Scripture for two notable euents the one of great ioy the other as sorowful The first is in the 5. of Iudges where a great victory is obtained against Iabin and Sisera at the waters of Mageddo when the Kings fought and were swept away This was so noble a victory to the Church as the Psalmist maketh it the measure of his wish against the enemies The other al 's mournfull is when Iosias by Necho is slaine at Mageddo Whereupon to the Iewes insued most bitter mourning To both these euents the spirit heere alludeth yet with this remarkable point of difference that where the first of them was at the waters the second in the valley of Mageddo Heere the place is Armageddon that is the mountaine of Mageddon This difference is purposelie put of the spirit to shew that the enemies heere should bee in some great indeauour against the Church of God in all the old Testament bearing the name of a Mountaine Not onely for God stablishing her against all assailers and for her eminencie but also in respect of her type in Mount Sion and land of promise which is a land of Mountaines and for the Church her abode therein called of Daniel Hartsebikadosh This is the Mountaine of Mountaines wherein the Lord will destroy death and thresh Moab as straw is threshed in Madmena in which the Lord will destroy all that rise against her Heerein then is implied that this great destruction of Antichrist and his aiders by perswasion of the frogges shall bee in a high enterprise against the true Church as God foiled Gog vpon the Mountaines of Israel And the King of the North entring in the pleasant Land and planting the Tabernacles of his Palace in the glorious and holy Mountaine Now as for this their purpose causing their destruction the place is called Har a Mountaine So to expresse a double euent of this their enterprise it is called Megiddon by allusion to the two stories before mentioned To that in the 5. of Iudges to shew that the same shall befall all these enemies assembled by the frogges which did befall Iabin and Sisera at the waters of Megeddo And thereupon such a like song of ioy to the Church as is that of Deborah and Barak To the other story of Iosias slaughter the allusion is to shew that vpon this victory should arise such a mourning and that proper to the Iewes as they had for the slaughter of Iosias in the valley of Mageddo but of a much different kind Euen that mourning whereof Zachary prophecieth in his 12. Chapter When by this victory the way beeing prepared for them to come and see him whom they pearced they shall bee sorry for him as one is sorry for his first borne and when in that day there shall bee a great mourning in Ierusalem as the mourning of
was that Chapter 13. of them who admire and follow the Beast and that hereafter verse 8. but no the lesse hauing mixed with it some such infirmity as required a wakening of him from a vanishing astonishment wherein many lie benummed in these our dayes who yet wonder not the first wondring This effect of the vision occasioneth the Interpretation First of the Beast who is summarily described ver 8. and after more plainly exponed in the interpretation of the heads and horns His summary description is by his stable and yet variable condition which in those who are not written in the booke of life worketh such admiration as was that Chapter 13. This Beast then in some sort and respect had beene before that time wherein Iohn seeth him and in some respect and condition was euen then albeit not as it was before neither as it should be thereafter and was yet to come in a different respect condition from either And as it was yet to come which is the condition and time wherein here it is to bee taken and considered it hath two remarkeable notes One is that it should arise out of the bottomlesse pitte which albeit in some sort it may bee said of all wicked powers yet it is in a singular manner proper to Antichrist Chapter 9. and 13. the Vicar of the Dragon his kingdome the Angell of the bottomlesse pitte the aduersary the man of sin and sonne of perdition His other note is that hee goeth to destruction whereof hereafter 8 This description so obscurelie proponed as in a ridle the Angell most clearely openeth in the interpretation of the heads and hornes so as it is maruell why any should seeke after any other sense of the Angels words then that which himselfe giueth 9 First then the heades are both seuen hilles on which the woman sitteth and also seuen Kings The first is so cleare a note of Rome as Grammarians know it and both are put here iointly for cleare demonstration what state hee pointeth at as also to shew that the heads of that state as they are Kings must onely bee taken of such as alwayas held that City and not of such as are or were heades in bare title neither abiding in that City nor making it great and glorious by their power such as were the Grecian Emperours after the fall of the westerne Empire And much more ridiculously since the Kings of Germany bearing the title of Romane Emperours while they haue not one foot within Italy yea of all Princes who now domine within the compasse of the olde Romane dition brooke the smallest portion thereof and whatsoeuer either now be or before was the Title of other yet seeing the Beast bearing vppe the woman maketh her glory and grandeure none can bee esteemed for heades now but these by whome shee retaineth her credite lustre and pompe Neither are Kings here to bee taken for so many persons but for so many kinds of soueraign gouernments in course ruling that state according to the knowne frame of Hebrue speech Now in exponing these seuen Kings hee doth interprete the former darke speech and leadeth vs euen by the hand to the time and that state and condition of Rome in time which here properly is the Beast bearing the Whore 10 The Beast had been in a sort in the fiue heades who were fallen It was euen then in respect of the policy at that time ruling but as the Beast here is discribed and specially to bee vnderstood that is as by him Rome becommeth the great whore hee was yet to come The fiue fallen were Kings Consuls Dictators Decemuirs and Tribunes Caesars the sixt head ruled in Iohn his dayes A seuenth was to come which notwithstanding is not the Beast or head making this beast as here it is set downe For that head was soone to euanish but the eight head in number and which in a sort is one of the seuen hath here peculiarly the name of this beast 11 Of this head three things are noted First that hee is the eighth in number and order Secondly that yet in a sort hee is one of the seuen to shew how notwithstanding that eight are here counted it standeth yet true that the Beast had but seuen heads Not that it was one and the same properly but for viue resemblance Chapter 13. As making vp the image of the Beast by cure of the deadly wound and bringing kingdomes prouinces in al 's great subiection to Rome by the cup of fornication thus bearing vp the Whore as did earst the former heads by force of Armes so it is both the eight and in a sort the sixt wherein the Beast had got a deadly wound which this head cureth For the liuely resemblance in Monarchie state lawes rites vestments c. Read the donation of Constantine and Steuchus in defence of it This eighth head then is the Pontificality by which Rome is extolled and borne vp to be a Queene and Lady of Kingdomes bewitching the world and because in the summarie speech he had said that the Beast was to come and seeing seuen heades had onely beene attributed to the Beast whereof none of the sixe could be hee as he is here proponed lest hereby we should thinke that of necessity the next head after Caesars being the seuenth behoued to bee this Beast the Antichrist the Angell in great wisdome and plainnesse pulleth vs from that thought in shewing that one was then to come who yet was not hee for that should soon bee gone but the eighth and last should bee this Beast I shewed on the 13. Chapter that the seuenth head was the Kingdome of the Ostrogothes to whose King Theodoricus the Emperour of the East with aduise of Senate willingly bequeathed Rome and Italy sacro texit velamine in Signum reiab imperio concessae and who of the Romans was receiued as their lawfull Prince and by himselfe and his Successors raigned ouer it many yeeres during which was both peace and friendshippe betwixt them and the Emperours of Constantinople all the dayes of Zeno Anastasius and Iustinus The third note of this eighth head called peculiarly the Beast bearing the Whore is that hee goeth to destruction And in this hee is also singular from all former heads who albeit they all did fall yet the beast in some sort remained For the State and credite of the Kingdome abode in some degree in the subsequent heades But this eighth head shall draw that whole state with him to vtter and euerlasting ruine and this is that which Chapter 19. is meaned where it is said that the Beast and false Prophet are taken and both cast in the Lake Whereupon many fondly imagine that the Beast and false Prophet bee two diuers But this is it which the spirit would shew vs that the false Prophet who is the head shall so fall as the body of the state and Kingdome shall perish with him For none shall bee able to
cure his wound or reuiue any image of that state againe as he did the wound of the sixth head So then taken absolutely this Beast is Antichrist that is the Pontificality raigning ouer Rome or the Kingdom of Rome vnder the eighth head the Pontificality When the Beast and false Prophet are distinguished it is but for explication to shew the state or Kingdome and who is head of it And thus I shew that Chapter 13. were the first and second Beast to bee vnderstood as by this place is euident where the first Beast is onely mentioned and peculiarly called the eighth head who is also one of the seuen and not the seuenth as most part make him for so the spirit had more easily called him the eighth and seuenth then one of the seuen but that hereby hee would lead vs to know which of the seuen hee is said in a sort to be How farre Theodoricus and his wise daughter after him laboured that Rome might both recouer and hold her ancient glory and magnificence albeit hee seldome made refidence there the Stories giue cleare Testimony From the fall of the Gothike Kingdome the growth pompe and estimation of that City hath onely been by the Pontificality bearing it vp and by semblance of the Lambe his hornes procuring to it worshippe of Nations For otherwaies saith Steuchus it had remained foedissima boum porcorumque habitatio So as since that time to make any other the head or King of Rome whereby shee had growth or honour it is ridiculous and against all euidence of story The Grecian Emperours except an idle title neither made any abode in that City neither euer durst openly attempt any further power therin then it pleased the Popes to allow them And such of them as at times did exercise any therein it was not onely by surprise vnder false semblance presence of peace but their dealing also with it was in plaine hostility as strangers So as in effect they were rather spoilers and rifelers then bearers vp of her The French and Germane Emperours aduanced her but as hornes of the Beast who beareth her vppe Who that hee might the better push with them at his pleasure hath ridiculously fed them with idle titles as hee doth his other hornes whom he crowneth and decrowneth as he listeth But hee himselfe is this Beast bearing vp this harlot 12 Thus are his heads The hornes haue many distinct and cleere notes to shew the Beast who and of what time he is Of their number see vpon Chapter 13. Section 8. First then these hornes are crowned Kings that inferiour Rulers as Liuetenants or Presidents of Prouinces bee not heere imagined According to the condition of this Beast vnder the former heads who themselues only were crowned and not their hornes Secondly their time of being is noted that they were not as yet risen but were to come Thirdly they are not so many persons in succession of one Kingdome but so many Kingdomes which all at one time should raigne euen with the Beast vnder the eight head The Beast Daniel 7. with tenne hornes hath no mention of heads For that there the hornes haue the consideration of the heads of that Kingdome wherein successiuely should raigne so many Kings Heere which some Interpreters should haue better obserued this Beast hath both so many heads and besides tenne hornes by allâ—sion to that because heere the hornes are not to bee considered as heads of the state signified by this Beast or soueraigne Kings ruling it Which if the spirit had minded he had not attributed thereto heads also more then to that in Daniel But the soueraigne policies being expressed by heades the hornes are put to expresse the strength of this Kingdome in so many props of her power and that so cleerely is vttered by the Angell as it is wonder what should make men to misse of his meaning while he telleth plainely that they are Kings Which shall receiue a Kingdome at one houre with the Beast Which cannot consist with the making them Kings of that same state which by the Beast is signified so confounding heads and hornes which the holy Ghost hath distinguished so clearely Fourthly their subiection to the Beast should bee voluntary and with vniforme and free consent not inforced by Armes as was the seruitude of Nations to the Empire but by the bewitching power of the cup of fornication and these deceiueable signes and wonders Chapter 13. This is the vnity of the Church of Rome This note also euinceth cleerely that these hornes are kingdomes voluntary subiecting themselues to the pontificality and Roman Kingdome vnder him and not so many successiue Kings of any much lesse of that kingdome to which they gaue their Kingdomes Fiftly they with the Beast should fight against the Lambe But to their owne confusion for two reasons One in the Captaine who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords The other in his Army who are called chosen and faithfull Not that he needeth any army orforces to ouercome these hornes but it is to shew that their fighting against the Lambe should bee in his members Who yet should ouercome in the strength of their King by whom they are effectually called so as their calling confirmeth to them their election and that by true faith wrought in them which is the victory wherewith they ouercome the world resting on their Lord and being faithfull to him euen to the death and this is not repugnant to that which was said Chapter 13 7. For that ouercomming of Saints was not absolute either in degree or time but onely the slaying of their bodies and bearing downe of truth for a space Chap. 11. 14. 12. Which with them notwithstanding reuiued againe not onely to the terrour of their aduersaries but also to their ouerthrow 13 Thus is the Beast bearer vp of the woman Euen the same whereof Chapter 13. but that processe of time in the progresse of iniquity giueth him now two notes somewhat different from that The one is scarlet colour for increase of cruelty wherein by this time hee hath come to such height as for that he hath now the Dragon his owne colour Who before this a space was let loose the thousand yeeres of his restraint being expired so as for bloody rage now this suffragant of his throne â—arst like a Pard is all of a bloody colour and the Whoore is drunke with the blood of Saints The other note is that where first he had but his head busked with the name of blasphemy he is now for growth of impiety and of sacrilegions vsurpation of diuine honour full of names of blasphemy The head which at first was busked therewith both waxing therein and defyling also all the body So as now it is high time to come out of her The Beast was first like a Pard a cruell yet a fraudulent beast and lesse horrible to behold But afterward more violent and raging The Whoore borne vp by this beast
is shewed here first by her great dominion touched in the beginning of this Chapter and heere now interpreted This dominion shee hath through the Beast her bearer Secondly her iudgement is heere summarily foretold which at length is handled in the next Chapter And thirdly in proper and plaine termes is told who shee is Euen The City which ruleth ouer the Kings of the Earth So plaine a circumscription of Rome as the Aduersaries are ashamed to denie it 14 In her iudgement are three things First by whom it is Secondly what it is 3. How it commeth on It is by the hornes of the Beast who shall worke her ouerthrow What it is is shewed by a naturall order They shall hate her they shall leaue her desolate by defection from her vpon sight of her impiety and abominations they shall make her naked pulling from her her ornaments rents and clothing they shall eate her flesh feeding on her spoile as she was facted and growne great with the spoile of Nations lastly they shall burne her with fire Now here we must not imagine that all these kings who haue giuen their Kingdomes to the Beast shall at one instant reuolt many still cleauing to him till his last foile after the Whore is burnt and so made pertakers of his iudgement Chap. 18. and 19. But the holy Ghost will tell vs that her destruction shal be by these same kingdomes and states which haue drunken of her cuppe and had beene the staies of the Beast his kingdome and so of her magnificence And what is done of any of these is said indefinitely of all For her destruction must bee by Westerne Princes that so a way may bee prepared for the East to embrace the Gospell Heereof in no small degrees we see the execut on begunne and well farre aduanced and the last degree is comming on quickely How this so strange a case falleth that who were the hornes of her power and her darlings committing fornication with her should now turne to be her haters and destroiers is shewed that it commeth by God his disposition and all-ruling prouidence who as in his iustice hee gaue ouer these Kingdomes to the efficacy of error to beleeue lies for not beleeuing the truth 2. Thess 2. So in his owne time when his iudgement therein was fulfilled for hir iust destruction who had so bewitched the world hee should turne their hearts to hate her who had so long and vildely abused them Conferre heerewith the 16. Chap. of Ezechiel 15 Lastly as I touched before is told in so plaine termes who this Whoore is that the Romans are forced to confesse it Bellarmine lib. 3. de Pontifice cap. 13. Ribiera vpon this booke The Rhemishe doctours are so straited that seeking shifts they against a cleere light bewray an euill conscience See their annotations on this place 16 So then by all the course of this Prophesie yea and the Romans owne confession this is manifest that Rome is the Whoore. And so by necessary consequence the seat of Antichrist his kingdome Whereby it is that shee is the mother of Whootedomes and Lady of Kingdomes through herexaltation and being borne vp by the Beast Neither shall euer the Iesuites bee able confessing once Rome to be this Whoore but of necessitie to grant also that the Beast must be the kingdome of Rome Whereof many of themselues perceiuing the ineuitable consequence fall next for exepting the Pontificality from this blot to despute of the time Some making Rome vnder the persecuting Emperours to be the Whoore as Bellarmine in the place aboue cited But she is so the Whoore and then the Whoore as and when shee is borne vp by this Beast which foolishly he diuideth Others reiourne this to a future time when as Antichrist arising forsooth shall possibly expell the Pope out of Rome and sit there So forgetting the long boasted priuiledge of Peter his Chaire and while they seeke to escape snaring themselues more by granting that to be possible vpon the alleaged impossibility whereof they long agoe builde al defence But the holy Ghost euidently here spoileth them of all shift by cleare demonstration Whereby as Rome is cleared to be the Whore and the kingdome of Rome to be the Beast so are we led as it were by the hand to the time when and particular state of that kingdome wherein it is to be taken for the Beast heere and Chapter 13. described and that by three infallible tokens First by a full and perfect enumeration of al the heads that is soueraigne sorts of Rulers from the first beginning of that state to the last and vtter fall thereof and therewithall telling vs that in none of the fiue fallen before Iohn his time is that state the Beast as he is heere vnderstood or consequently Rome the whoore neither in the head then ruling namely Caesars neither in the seuenth head which vpon the deadly wound of the Beast in the sixth head should arise and soone euanish But in the eight head arising by cure of the wound and in that respect one of the seuen which was to come out of the bottomlesse pit that kingdome is the beast vnder that head the false Prophet And therefore the Beast heere is peculiarly denominate by that head 17 The second infallible taken is the singular and different manner of working of the Beast and Whoore in that state and head wherein properly the Beast is to bee holden for Antichrist from all the former and so properly competent to the last head as can in no way agree to ame of the other For the hornes in time of that head vnder which that kingdome is peculiarly this Beast are crowed Kings and such as are not subdued by violence or force of Armes but willingly and with one consent giue their Kingdomes to the Beast being bewitched by the cup of fornication and deceiued by lying signes and wonders vnder pretence of the Lambe his hornes Chapter 13. So as then only the kingdome of Rome is to be holden by this beast when it is vnder such a head as by whose domination Rome be commeth the Whoore that is the bewitcher of the world by superstitious and idolatrous worship signes and myracles and pretence of Christian power and holinesse Not hauing or pretending so much a power to slay mens bodies as by poisonable errour to sting and forment their consciences Chap. 9. and bringing Kingdomes in subiection more by feare of conscience then force of Armes Which is properly to be the whoore For vnder al the former heads Rome was rather a murthering furie then an inticing harlot drinking more the superstition of al other Nations thē propining any to them Neither were any people 's subiected to her willingly but by compulsion and Armes But then she became the harlot when vnder pretence of Christ his power and by deceit of the cup of fornication she made Kings voluntarily and with one consent submit their Crownes to her so making vp the
with excessiue ioy of so good newes that hee was for a notable document of humane infirmity in so great an Apostle about to haue worshipped this Angell Which attempt how vnlawfull it is in it selfe and how vnpleasant to the Angell First his interdiction well sheweth in such haste and concise forme of speech as commonly men vse vpon care to preuent some instant and detestable euill When feare and solicitude â—uffer not to speake at length or a full sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Next hee strengthneth his interdiction with strong reasons one taken from his owne condition to whom this worship was offered as which was not capable thereof being but a seruant and not onely his left some prerogatiue might be imagined in the Apostle to stay that which of an other mighthaue bin offered but euen a fellow seruant of his brethren who had the testimony of Iesus his greatest honour and chiefe scope of al his seruice being Christ and his knowledge to minister the same without which he were nothing and therefore albeit of different nature from Iohn and other Christians yet in condition and end of calling but their fellow-seruant they hauing the spirit of Prophesie as he had The other reason is from the person of him who onely is to bee worshipped and serued according to the law alleadged by our Lord against Sathan Now it might probably appeare that herein yet some further thing were implyed For this Angell being the type of these ministers who shall bee the shewâ—◠〈…〉 paâ—sators of this huge meaâ—ure of powerfull lig◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 for so wonderfull effects and Iohn here baâ—â—â—g the person of common Christians of that time 〈◊〉 may seeme that the rare and excellent graces of the Ministers who shal then bee furnished with a golden 〈◊〉 would so farre miscarrie weake Christians in admiâ—â—tion of their gifts and working as to attribute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto them if their owne fidelity and holinesse 〈◊〉 not lâ—t it And as this giueth vs to expect yet goodly things so herein is a close warning of humility in the one and circumspectnesse in the other to giue all glory to God But hereof I dare determine nothing fearing still to bee curious in so diuine an Argument wherein I haue choosed rather to hold vp coniecturall suggestions then appeare vnreuerently to handle such mysteries 12 Thus wee haue heard the song of Saints first vpon the Whoreâ— destruction and next more mightily and of moe intended higher vpon preception of full victorie ouer the other enemies and the Church her graceful state thereupon which so rauished the Apostle as hee had almost miscarried Now are the other victories shewed and goodly state of the Bride thereupon And first through the rest of this Chapter is the foile of the Beasâ—bearer vp of the Whore and no question but now highly chafed with her fall 13 In the victory ouer the beast are the description of the parties and the euent of the battell The party victorious is magnifickly described first in his person army weapons of war and his working by them and next in his Herauld His person by great properties and many agreeable to his many and great names First his comming forth declareth him a heauenly personage for hee is from thence Of great maiesty comming forth in abundance of light as to whose outmarching the heauens are cast wide open A greater degree of light then hitherto hath been mentioned so as the signe of the son of man is clearly seen in heauen Oh that thou woldest breake the heauens and come downe His administration at this time in Antichrist his full ouerthrow shall bee in exceeding great euidency of light and power 14 Hee sitteth on a white horse for fidelity and truth and namely for these points of his administration wherin his fidelity and truth are now specially to bee shewed in iudging and fighting for all which respects he rideth and on a white horse according to the state of a Iudge and triumphing glory of a victorious VVarrious He is also a faithfull and true witnesse Chapter 1. And a faithful High Priest Hebr. 3. But here hee is to shew his fidelity and truth in iudging and fighting Now the time of his redeemed is come and the time of the dead that they bee iudged and such destroyed who destroy the earth In all which hee both iudgeth and fighteth righteously for he is pure when hee iudgeth and iust when hee speaketh This indgement is not that last and generall but here the speciall of these enemies of his Church is meaned whom he is now to ouerthrow so as they shall neuer bee any more able to trouble Sion but their ruine shall hold on till at last they be for euer adiudged to endlesse torment Hee rode on a white horse from the first outgoing of the Gospell to conquere Chapter 〈◊〉 and to deiect the Dragon from heauen Chapter 12. when hee and his Armie fought to that effect but this is the last and noblest act of his riding for the Dragon and his Vicars vtter destruction 15 Now to iudge righteously is requisite not onely a righteous disposition but also a wise heart to discerne for often Iudges who are in mind set to doe righteously yet ignorantly giue wrong iudgement But no such thing can befall him whose eyes are as a flame of fire Pure piercing purging and searching hearts and reines from whom nothing can bee hid for euen the darkenesse is light before him And as for iudging so also for fighting as Rabsace though prophane yet pertinently sayeth in that Counsell and strength are for the warre This Captaine then who seeth the thoughts of his enemies before they bee hatched in their hearts hath no perill to bee deluded or circumuented with stratagems or as often befalleth otherwise expert warriours through want of intelligence to slippe opportunities If Elisha by a ray of the light of this Captaines flaming eies was able to discouer and so disappoint what the King of Aram consulted in his secret Cabinet what may this Lord doe who formeth the heart 16 With wisdome hee hath also great authority as hauing on his head many Crownes Both for that hee is King of Kings and also for his many victories specially in this his last warre Which how peculiarly is respected his Crownes are all on his head For hee standeth not by crowned hornes as the Beast but all his authority and strength is in himselfe and of himselfe and hee in this his strength power now commeth to take the Crowne from the head of the King of Ammon to set it on Dauid his head The Beast now must forgoe his Triple Crowne Christ his proper honour wherewith hee hath blasphemously attired his head 17 Being thus able to see all and of authority to conquere all hee hath yet a name written which none knoweth but himselfe And this name is so much the more maruailous and hath the more cleare note of his
and the light of the Sunne seuenfold 23 The tenour of the proclamation in a figuratiue speech from Ezechiel sheweth so certaine and an exceeding great destruction of the Beast and his aiders as they their states great roomes rents and substance should bee a prey and that in such degree of hauocke as all giuen to reiffe or seeking after prey should bee filled I shewed Chapt. 17. what it is to eat the flesh of the Whore but heere is such a strange ranuersing of the state of the world as no doubt falleth by that earth-quake of the seuenth Viall And out of all question the totall ruine of that state must change the face of the world in so great endeauors of hell and heauen for it and against it 24 Thus is the party victorious Followeth the aduersary and his foile The aduersary to any that seeth not him who iudgeth and fighteth righteously will appeare great Euen that wonderfull Beast Chapt. 13. bearing vp the Whore Chapt. 17. and now in great chafe at her fall by his frogges gathering the Kings of the earth Armageddon The first party was from heauen and his host heauenly Heere the leader is the Beast of the bottomlesse pit which was opened for his out-comming as were the heauens for the others and his hosts are all earthly For albeit many of his hornes haue fallen away from him ere now and ioyned to the host of heauen yet hee is euen at this point through the diligence of his frogges strengthened with many Kings 25 So are the parties The euent of the battell in the Beast his foile is declared in few words without any mention of a conflict but of a proud and obstinate purpose to fight against the rider on the white horse For they shall be blind and obdured to the end as is cleare by the effects in them of the Vials Chapt. 16. And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee was intrapped or snared Implyeth in it as an easie victory for the part of him that rideth the white horse so a sudden and vnexpected foile to the Beast and his followers For he dreameth of perpetuity as also staying vpon him the Whore I sit beeing a Queene and am no widdow and shall see no mourning Chap. 18. 7. 26 Their iudgement is distinct according to the diuers qualitie of the parties The Head Beast and false Prophet are cast in the lake of fire and brimstone and that a liue to shew a most horrible and recurelesse iudgement by allusion to that of Sodome and of Core Dathan and Abiram who went downe aliue in the pit Euen eternall destruction and torment The followers are slaine by the sword of the Lord his mouth to the losse of all their glory and worldly state which is made a prey to others Onely by this difference to shew how this great Captaine iudgeth and fighteth righteously giuing to each according to the degree of their sinne For no doubt but euen at this point many shall follow the Beast and fall from their estates by his fall whom yet by destruction of their flesh the Lord may reclaime from the full degree of his punishment in lightning them to see the truth As many also shall drinke with him of the cup of endlesse wrath 27 That the Beast and false Prophet are heere made two is only to shew the ruine of the Head and State with him For as the false Prophet ruling ouer the State is the Beast so being distinctly considered from the State he is the false Prophet As the first and second Beast are Cha. 13 distinguished but for explication So this is put to shew in such sort the fall of the false Prophet the eight heade and one of the seuen the beast with hornes like the lambe making the image of the Beast by cure of his deadly wound as state and all shall perish eternally For as this Beast hath some note from all the foure in Daniel so in the destruction of this the spirit alludeth to that of these Who all so fell as yet in the destruction of the last which was burnt with fire the finall ouerthrow was of thē all the state of the former in some sort remaining in the succeeding Beast as this Beast here falling in the first heads yet still continued in the subsequent till in this last head the Beast going to destruction it vtterly perished In Babels fall by Persia and Media yet in them the Kingdome in a sort continued Darius of the Medes taking the Kingdome Dan. 5. 31. And in their ouerthrow by Alexander who despising Macedon setled both in their places and to their fashions as also in his successors after his fall the domination of the former beasts in some sort abode But the fourth Beast falling al vtterly perished See and weigh Dan. 7. 11. 12. for there is the allusion One thing here is worth the marking that in the false Prophets working which maketh his guiltinesse and is heere recorded both to know the party and his iust punishment his deceit in making men receiue the Beast his character and to worship him is only mentioned and no word of his name or number as neither are they euer spoken of in his iudgement either denounced or spoken of The reason see vpon Chap. 14. Sect. 8. Now we must not imagine here one certaine place or one point of time of all this the Beast his endeauor and foile as neither in the next Chapter of the Dragons For their we see how Gog and Magog are from the foure quarters of the earth all Satan his instruments of his last fury and in all places As for the name attributed to the place of foile Chapt. 16. Armageddon wee shewed the reason there And it is wheresoeuer the Lambe fighteth and ouercommeth Albeit out of doubt their last endeauors shall be strange and their fall conioined with such wonderfull broiles and alterations of the State of the world as was not since men inhabited the earth And then the fattest karkasse shal be the finest prey Blessed are they who come to the supper of the Lambe his marriage For who come not are made a supper And who will not feede on the Lambe are iustly made foode to the fowels of heauen CHAP. XX. WEe haue heard the iudgement of the Whore and the Beast her aduancer but for a perfit victory is requisite also the destruction of the Dragon that great and Master enemie as of whose Kingdome and authority the Beast who made all the Whores credit was onely the suffragant That is in this Chapter set foorth in two degrees of his captiuity whereof the last is absolute to eternall destruction Now as captiuity implyeth euer a fore-going liberty whereof it is the priuation so heere a twofold liberty or loosing is to bee taken vp according to the two degrees of restraint The first liberty it was not needfull that heere it should be recorded beeing largely declared in the 12. Chapter From which liberty
Temple of God could no longer beare out the rod now being applyed to measure and his mouth found out whose it is by the Beast he maketh warre with the Saintâ— and ouercommeth them Falling to open and cruel murther the Dragon Beast and false Prophet all iointly bending their whole endeauours to seduce the Kings of the earth enemies of all sorts to compasse the tentes of Saints and beloued City The City and Court of the Temple trod vnder foot and occupied of the Beast albeit called holy for that the Temple was within them yet were cast out Here the Tents of Saints and beloued City are besieged The foure Angels from Euphrates were instruments of God his wrath against the world and for the sinnes specified Chapter 9. 20. 21. from which the sealed ones were free Here the endeauour of Gog and Magog is directly against the Saints Gog and Magog then are the instruments whatsomeuer of Sathan his last fury against the Church whom for vpholding of Antichrist or at least for keeping downe the full preuailing light oâ— the Gospell and gracefull state of the true Church he stirreth vppe of what Nation soeuer Turks or others 29 The whole course of this Prophesie framed to the dispensation in the old Testament and condition of the Church then openeth clearely the reason of the allusion This is certaine that in the condition of the Church of Israel as I haue said wee are not onely to looke vpon things in propriety but also to consider them as stampes of things to come Hereof it is that as all the deliuerances promised from their enemies and afflictions then had a further respect as the measure of their present deliuerances nothing answerable to the high promises easily brought the godly to consider and waite for better so also were their troubles and troublers types of other and more dangerous enemies and the destructions denounced against them which in the first properly taken were not seene fulfilled in the degree threatned raised the hearts of the faithfull to waite in the end for a more absolute victory and constant peace The first great affliction of Israel was in Egypt by Pharao that great dragon as Chapter 12. Itouched The next great affliction and captiuy was by Babel and these Beastes in Daniel Now after the peoples deliuery from Babel City and Temple being reedified the last cruell oppressing enemy and stayer of true worshippe before Christ his comming in the flesh was Gog and of Gog specially Antiochus Epiphanes as Daniel Ezechiel and bookes of Machabees shew clearely For the Romans were not long before Christ but drawne in as sequestres by the Iewes owne partialities whereto pride brought them after they had beene helped by a little helpe and albeit the stronger yet so farre suffered and maintained the liberty both of state and religion as at Christ his birth Herod was a mighty King and the state and religion for freedome from any forraine oppression flourishing Hence it is that as for expressing the first troubles and troubler of the Christian Church and her deliuery there from allusion is to Egypt c. And for expressing the next huge euill of Antichrist the allusion is to Babel and that in a Beast carrying a note of all the foure in Daniel so here to expresse the last enemies who after her comming out of Babel and Sion reedified shall be instruments of Sathan his last puft the holy Ghost alludeth to Gog and Magog For whose destruction as a great white throne was set vp that at the first comming of Christ the saints might get the Kingdome so here to shew that these last Ministers of Sathan his rage shall fall still to finall destruction in the Lord his last comming a great white throne is erected And as vpon the full ouerthrow of Gog and Magog Ezech. 38. and 39. Thereafter the state of City and Temple are set down most goodly so by allusion thereto here vpon the vtter foile ofher enemies the new Ierusalem is magnifickly described That of Ezechiel is of the state of the Church of Christ vnder the Gospell generally in relation to the Church before Christ and vnder the law This here in the subsequent Chapters is of the Church specially now victorious ouer these enemies and gracefull through the conuersion of the Iewes and Easterne Kingdomes to the faith enioying plenty of light and peace in relation to the Christian Church before in her wrestlings and sufferings by these enemies now ouerthrowne 30 By the course of this Prophesie it would appeare that first the Whore shall bee destroyed next that the Kingdome in the head thereof the false Prophet shall be done away and that thereafter Sathan for his last endeauour stirring vp Nations against the Church shall bee in these his instruments so absolutely foiled as the Church from thence shall enioy quiet state For whither things shall thus fall out in course or if thus by parte the ouerthrow of all the enemies be set downe to shew a perfect victory I dare not determine And if as possibly and very probably it may fall after the burning and sacke of the City of Rome by Christian Princes and next afteâ—â—he ruine of the Kingdome and head thereof the false Prophet that the Dragon by some residue of the Frogges shall stirre vp nations and perhaps of them the Turkes that so God may destroy all them who haue destroyed the Church yet wee see cleerely what shall be the euent For both the inward enemy and traitor the beast shall be destroied and all outward enemies who by Satan his instigation now madly furious that his time is so short shall rise against Sinn shall finde it a cup of poison The Turk hitherto hath been God his scourge against the world and false Christianity and therefore hath preuailed But if hee rise against the true Church fire from heauen shall deuoure him Yet that heere specially the Turkes are meaned I see no reason And as I can take vp the drift of the Holy Ghost in this Prophesie it would rather appeare and my heart inclineth so to thinke by the fall of the Beast and conuersion of Iewes thereupon to the faith that the Turkes and other states of the East shall bee brought to embrace the Gospel albeit perhaps first taught thereto by some noble foile For no question but as the euent of the seuenth Viall maketh cleere the whole estaâ—e of the earth shall suffer such alteration as was not since men first inhabited the same 31 Now for the different measure of iudgement vpon the Army and vpon their Captainâ— the Dragon whose iudgement is according to that of the Beast and false Prophet besides the reasons aboue touched vpon the end of the 19. Chapter wee must further consider that the Dragon is such an enemy as no foile of him can secure vs till he be sealed vp in euerlasting torment And for the Beast and false Prophet signifying a Kingdome and order of succeeding heads ouer it and
not designing any one particular person as the head of impiety a perfect and vnrecouerable destruction of them both both in God his iustice and for the Churches full security was requisite To the Reader HEere should haue followed the like Commentary vpon the two last Chapters 〈◊〉 vpon the former but for some speciall reasons they are omitted Vse that which heere thou hast with an vpright heart and giue glory to God A TABLE CONTAIning the most notable things in this booke A Rule for right Accommodation of Story to the seuen seales of this booke 41 The wrong ground whereby men marre the Accommodation 46 How farre time must bee lookt to in the Accommodation 89 The Aire 170 Our Altar Christ 37. 60. 81 The Ambition of the Romane Bishops 65 Angels are about the Church for two respects to protect her and to learne wisdome by her 29. 30 Angels are not to be worshipped 210. Angels put for the name of office not of nature 59. The Angel of the couenant 50 59 Antichrist his beginning 70 Whence and in what manner hee arriseth 118 119. 120 175. The mischiefe comming by him compared with the floud of Noah 77. His name 79. The number of his name 124. What sort of enemie he is 137 140. That he is the Pope 113 183 185. Acommon deceiuer of alboth Iewes and Gentiles 80. How he hath not power to slaie men and yet with him is found all the blood shed on the earth 72. 84. How farre he did preuaile 139. How to iudge of his followers 136 137 141. The first and second degrees of his fall 157. The third degree of his fall 158. The fourth 160 The fift wherein is a wise and iust retribution 161. The sixth 163. His destruction irrecouerable and vtter ruine 78 89 165 177 218. His vnexpected foile 218. His irrecouerable fall compared with the fals of the Beasts in Daniel 219. Armageddon 165 Christ his Arrowes kill all but differently 34 A diuine Artifice of the spirit 160 The Attire of the Bride 208 B BArbarous nations ouerturners of the Romane Empire although Satan his intention in spewing them out of his mouth was farre other 110 A great Battell in heauen 103 108 Why men are named Beasts 123 That the first Beast is the state of Rome not vnder the persecuting Emperours as the common opinion is but of the same time and condition with the second Beast that is vnder the Popedome it is prooued by foure cleere notes of the first Beast proper to the Popedome The first note 113. The second the third and the fourth note cleerest of all 114. How the same Antichrist to wit the Popedome is set fourth in both the Beasts 118. 121. What reason the Beast and false Prophet be distinguished seeing they are but one 121. 177. 178 â—18 What the wound in the sixth head of the Beast was and the curing of it 116. 117. In what respect but seuen heads are attibuted to the Beast albeit in number they bee eight 118. 176. Who is the seuenth head of the Beast 122. 177. The Beast is the eight head and one of the seuen to wit the sixt 116. 122. 176. Who the Beast is 123. 178. His seuen heads 175. How he had beene and then in Iohn his daies was and how hee was to come and what bee the Kings called his Heads 176. The hornes of the Beast 179. Why to this Beast is attributed not only hornes as to that in Daniel 7. but further also heads 179 The Beast in comparison set against Christ 217 Beasts throne and elders 20. 202 Christ his garment dipt in Blood 214 Pope Boniface the eight 231 The Bookes opened in the last iudgement 235. 236 The Bride her preparation 206. Her attire 207. 208 C THe degrees of a true inward Calling to the ministry 91 The length of the Land of Canaan 144 The Captaine of the Lord his Host 214 His power to doe all things 213 The Character of the Beast 124. 136. 219 Christ in diuers respects is both God sitting on the throne and also the Lamb standing betweene the throne and the Beast and Elders 13. He is dispenser of all both mercy and wrath 60. His comming downe from heauen 85 He is Lord of Sea and Land 87. Hee commeth in his Kingdome with power 107. 110. His garments dipt in blood 214. He is our Garment 162 The Church her constant gracefull state in the presence of God in her 12. In her goodly state heerethrough 13. In God his dispensation terrible for her 14. And gracious towards her in three graces 15. Her happinesse by this state 20 Without the true Church is neither saluation nor any true knowledge 24 The true Church preserued euen vnder Antichrist 53. 71 Her case vnder him 93. 137. And it is shewed in three distinct speeches 138 The Church her enemies and sufferings after what manner they be described in this Prophecie 104 The primitiue Church her habit and her trauelling in birth 105. Her flight to the wildernesse 190. Why she is called a mountaine 166 The Church her estate in the last daies 261 That the last two Chapters of the Reuelation must bee vnderstood of the Church militant 264 The Roman Clergy 70. 196 Their properties 78 A Cloud a note of diuine maiesty 86 A delightful CoÌ„gruity in the order of God his working 164 Conscience the twofold state thereof the intollerable torment thereof comming by Popish Doctrine 72. 73 Constantine the great 44. 109 Contention set foorth by fire the effects thereof 62 How it was among the Churchmen 63 The Course of the Reuelation 32. 101. 142. 153. 232 And of the Trumpets 61 The Artifice thereof noted 84. 90. 100. 101 The Cry of soules of Martyrs 37 The Dragon his Crownes are vpon his heads but the Beast his vpon his hornes 113 Christ hath many Crownes 213 The Cup. 135. 136 D THe Day of Iudgement shall come on a secure world 169 Death of two kinds 64 Of a third kiâ—de 67 Death first and second 223 224 To Dye in the Lord. 142 Desire of further kâ—owledge 49 The threefold Dignity of God his Saints 14 Dioclesianus a cruel persecuter 43 What Disposition is requisite for the perception of Diuine Mysteries 173 A Doore open in heauen 9. How wee must enter thereat and the necessity and fruit of entring 10 Our Doore to God is Iesus Christ 259 The Dragon who and of what time he is 105 His binding and to whom he is bound 222. 228 E THat great Eagle 109 The Earth in opposion to heauen for the earthly sort 10 For the place of the visible Church 49 The Earth in an other third sense 156 The loue of the Earth the effect thereof 70 A great and strange Earthquake 170 The East a pleasant discourse vpon the comming of the Angel from the East 50 The occasion of the falling away of the East from the truth and their conâ—ersion againe 163 To Eate the word of God 91 To Eate the flesh of the
and becomming Ministers of the Keyes of darkenesse and of Gehenna so great a smoake ouergoeth the whole face of the visible Church as all light therein is eclipsed And out of this darkenesse ariseth that huge mischief of Antichrist in the abominable army hellish head thereof for punishment whereof if so be they could haue beene cured the Mahometan armies are loosed from the East after they had beene a space in God his patience tied vp from their first ranging now againe with Turkish furie to make desolate both by sword and poysonable doctrine the third part of the Earth This sixth euill and second great woe working no repentance but rather further induration in Antichristian workes Chap. 9. A preparation is for Antichrist his full recurelesse certaine and neere approaching ouerthrow Christ in a sort returning with the weapon of his warfare the little booke now open and the bold and powerfull preaching thereof setting thereto fit instruments who by diligent study of scriptures are inablâ—d to preach the Gospell widelie Chap. 10. And being instructed with faculty thereto by assistance of Christ they apply the right rule of examination and thereby find that Antichrist hath long obteined the place and title of the visible Church The true Church all the while larking within the compasse thereof and being secretly intertained with a hid but powerfull dispensation of grace by few vnknowne and albeit afflicted Ministers yet preaching long without great bloodshed till at â—ength Antichrist perceiuing them to apply the rule they are for a space cruelly murthered and barbarously intreated euen with applause thorowout all Antichrist his domination but God stirring vp others in the same spirit who vigorously oppose themselues a visible separation by diuine warrant is made from Antichrist his fellowship and contagion feare taketh him and his followers great commotions ensue thereupon and his Kingdome is in a part weakened This farre preparation and beginnings of his fall hauing wrought on euen in the height of the sixth euill and second great woe vpon men of the Earth then the seuenth Trumpet soundeth to his vtter fall by seuen Vials which it yeeldeth of the last Wrath. The summary effect whereof in a preconceiued ioy vpon the signe giuen is in a gratulatory song of the Church denounced in the end of the 11. Chapter Before the particular explication whereof for more cleering the reason of so huge a ioy of the Church and the equitie of so determinate a iudgement against the enemies according to that cleere sight which the Tabernacle of Testimony now opened in Heauen yeeldeth to God his seruants of the enemies and their dealings a large narration thereof is incerted and thereafter their great and iust destruction summarily aboue denounced is exponed at length Both which parts of story the holy Ghost setteth forth vnder the names of two great signes seene in Heauen The first in the 12. 13. and 14. Chapters the other to the end of the narration The first signe is double in the party assailed and the assailer the assailed party is the Church in her first seed and in her seed of succeeding times The assailing enemy against boâ—h is the Diuell that old Serpent but in different manner Against the Primitiue Church or first seed directly in open rage by his instruments thereof the Roman Emperors first labouring to keepe downe the Church from rising next cruelly persecuting her being raised thirdâ— being restrained from open persecution through that protection the Church got by Constantine the Great Whereby as by wings she was freed from his open rage labouring to drowne her by that inundation of barbarous Nations which neuerthelesse in God his wise disposing prouidence turned to the defacing of that persecuting Empire Yet so as in the time the true Church by degrees passed to the Wildernesse whereto the wings gaue occasion and lurking there was fed as was Israel and Elias no more any true visible face thereof appearing then those three yeeres and an halfe of famin in the daies of Elias or the same space when Antiochus Epiphanes abolished the daily sacrifice and set vp the abomination of desolatioÌ„ in place therof Ch. 12. Satan highly incensed for his misgiuing endeuors against the first seed tak th occasion of this flight of the Church to the Wildernes to bring in roome the Beast of his working and authority by him to make warre against the Church in her seed of succeeding times This Beast is the same kingdom of Rome but vnder the pontificality by lying signes wonders and false pretence of Christ his power so bewitching the world as through voluntary submission of the â—en of the earth thus deceiued the kingdome of Rome vnder it recouereth that ancient glory lustre estimation subiection of Prouinces which it had lost in the deadly wound it got in the fall of Caesars all the earth wondering and following the Beast Chap. 13. All the time of this preuailing euill euen in the greatest height thereof Christ had still his true Church first lurking and albeit not perceptible to the world yet inioying the presence of her head hauing powerfull and plentifull dispensation of grace from him and worshipping him heartily and truly Secondly by degrees breaking out and contesting with Antichrist in great suffering and much bloodshed to the 14. verse of the 14. Chapter Where the Story falling in againe to the same point of time and matter whereat for incerting this interiected narration at blowing of the seuenth Trumpet Chap. 11. it had left off what there in a gratulatory song was summarily denounced the summary execution thereof is here propounded so to bring in the large narration of the effect of the seuenth Trumpet in the seuen Vials thereof to the end of the 14 Chapter This summary proposition is at length handled in the 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. and 20. Chapters and thereupon the gracefull estate of the Church shewed Chap. 21. and 22. And this whole matter is that other great signe seene in heauen hauing the greatnesse of the errand and the disposing of the instruments for execution thereof Chap. 15. The execution in seuen degrees first by discouerie of the filthinesse and hypocrisie of the Beast his characterized followers their persons are despised Secondly their common worship becommeth ahominable Thirdly euen their grounds and chiefe Doctors are seen corrupted deadly and therewith in God his iustice because they had been bloudy murtherers of the Saints they in their course get bloud to drinke Fourthly the still waxing light of the Gospell as the Sunne discouering their darke works burneth them vp with indignation and despite 5. Thus Antichrist his kingdome becommeth contemptible losing much of the wonted lustre and magnificence to the great torment of their minds they euen gnawing their tongues for sorrow Sixthly Peoples tongues and Nations falling from the obedience thereof it is left naked and weake whereby a way is prepared for the Esterne kingdomes and most specially the Iewes sparsed amongst them
of scarsity which the godly who were men for that is all the man Eccles 12 13. â—oted to bee in punishment of the Gospell reiected See Tertullian in his Apology and to Scapula and Cyprian contra Demetrian 13 As induration grew and cruelty against the Gospell how God sent out all his foure great plagues on these persecutors consider the tragicall time of Antoninus surnamed the philosopher a most bloudy persecutor and the record thereof in story Ab Armis nusquam quies erat perque omnem Orientem Illiricum Italiam Galliamque bella feruebant terra motus non fine interitu ciuitatum inundationes fluminuns lues crebrae locustarum Species agris infestae prorsus vt nihil prope quo summis angoribus anteri mortales soleant dici seâ— cogitariqueat quod Antoniâ— imperante non seuierit The times of Gallus and Volusianus were more miserable and yet more that of Valerianus and Galienus but most of all that of Maxentius Maximinus and Licinius all these foure plagues raging mightily their Stories will make any Reader agast and comparing therewith these praedictions to wonder at God his both wisdome and iustice 14 Now all these plagues working no amendment but stirring them to further rage against christians whom they tooke to bee causers of all these euils the fiercenes of persecution was more intended Dioclesian set himselfe to roote out Christianity his Collegue Herâ—uleus no lesse bloudy Hereupon a great and loud cry of martyred soules ascendeth which till the appointed time of full vengeance obtaine long white robes Thus God in some degree had comforted them before by imprinting his terror in the hearts of cruellest persecutors The Edict of Traiaâ— spake for them when he was forced to put forth that no Inquisition should bee made for Christians much more the Edicts of Adrian and Antonius Pius who vnder paine of death commanded that none should bee delated for Christianitie except guiltie of some other crime Antonine the Philosopher whom no Apologie could mitigate yet in the Marcoman wars is conuinced of Christ his power when in confession that hee and his Army were saued at the prayers of Christians hee called that Legion Fulminatrix the terrors affrighting so Dioclesian and Maximianus as wearie of Massacring Christians being ouercome by their constant sufferings they bequeth their states and seeke secret corners wherein to hide themselues what was it else but a quiet confession of Christians innocency Maximinus at his tragicall end setting himselfe to blaspâ—eme Christ yet is forced to confesse him and to acknowledge himselfe iustly punished for persecuting the Saints Licinius is faine to connterfet Christianity But then it was that the soules got the long white robes when Constantinus embracing Christianity by publike edicts Christian Religion is approued and established and heathen worship abrogated The Church so becomming glorious and of high account and all former horrible accusations now seene and knowne to the world to bee lies At this point of time Satan is bound a thousand yeeres seats are set vp and they sit on them Chapter 20 The commemoration of Martyres was alwaies honourable amongst Christians and laudably of them vsed at first howbeit it turned afterward to foule Idolatry but that the heads of that same bloody state should submitte themselues to Christ his name and the Church thereupon to haue so goodly free and peaceable state as wee see ensued that was indeed to receiue long white robes 15 The promised vengeance yet behoued to come vpon that bloody Empire whiâ—â— in the sixth seale commeth in a high degree when the whole state thereof is shaken and in a manner defaced by the Gothes and other barbarous nations whose names had beene till then not heard of who occupying the fairest and goodliest Prouinces of the Empire erecting new kingdomes and states and changing the names of countries euery part almost receiuing new inhabitants altered as it were the face of the world and eclipsed the glory of that pompous and bloody Empire And this out of all doubt is meaned by the sixt seale and is that deadly wound which the beast getteth in his sixth head which wound beeing afterward cured that state in the cured head continueth the enemy and murtherer of Saints the rest of the brethren albeit in an other sort till for the full finall and recurelesse ouerthrow thereof we expect a greater earthquake then this or any since the beginning of the world by powring out the seuenth V all of the last wrath That some enterpret this seale of these sturres whereby the heathen persecuters were deiected about Constantines time who preuailing against them maâ—e at it were a new face of an Empire by abrogating heathenisme it hath no conuenient analogy with this type and lesse cleare accommodation to the signification heere set downe by the spirit The slaughter and deiection of diuers Emperours from their states so long as in the succeeders the Empire retained the lustre and strength as in Constantine it was more confirmed and enlarged was no such vncouth or strange thing in that state which was but a very stage of Tragedies as that in such speeches as the spirit vseth in this type it should haue beene expressed It is true that the coincident case of Christianity established and heathenisme abrogated was a great and vncouth thing but which in all mens confession cannot by these speeches of darkening the sunne and fall of starres c. bee signified For that aduancement of Christianty was in the fifth seale by long white robes expressed whereby the soules were the more patiently to attend the vengeance promised which is heere in a great measure but then fully shal be executed when the rest of the brethren euen the rest of the womans seed against whom the Dragon maketh warre by the Vicar of his throne being slainâ— the kingdomes of the world shall become our Lords and all both first and last dead shall be iudged and aduenged by the finall ouerthrow of that bloody state which first and last is the murtherer of Saints Which now in this sixth seale receiueth a deadlie wound but hauing it cured againe in the eighth head therefore called one of the seuen recouereth glory and worship of nations and holdeth on the aduersary still till out of the tabernacle of testimonie open in heauen at the seuenth trumpet seuen ministers of the last wrath come against it whereof the last bringeth a greater earthquake then this to vtter destruction of that state for euer That which hath ledde exceeding learned men in this errour of accommodation both heere and in other parts of this Prophecie is that wrong conceiued ground whereof I spake before that these seales and trumpets are sections of time and finding that at the opening of the seuenth seale such effects ensue as are anterior in time to this fall of the Westerne and great weakening of the Easterne Empire they drawe backe the accommodation But as the euils of the sixe seales which
in such height as the former in comparison is not so much felt the first is said to bee gone and that wee may take vp this course and reason of God his working the sixt Trumpet hath this singular in it that vpon the sounding thereof commandement is giuen to loose the foure Angels c. and accordingly the Ministrie of the fixt Trumpet performeth onely to shew that the plague therein was in God his iust indignation the punishment of Antichristian Idolatry if so be therby men could haue been moued to repent before effuâ—ion of the last wrath but they persisting notwithstanding in obstinate impenitency the great Angell in the next Chapter sweareth finall ouerthrow And this is the reason of that which this sixt Trumpet hath in it singular from the former so wisely is this prophesie penned 9 In this sixt Trumpet then are the euill and the euent In the euill are noted how it is brought on and the particular description of the mischiefe It is brought on by commandement from Christ who is the golden Altar to the Angell of the sixt Trumpet the tenor wherof is to loose the Ministers of this woe for working of it The reason hereof we touched The Ministers of the woe are the heades and the destroying armie In the heades are noted their number condition place and end of loosing In number they are foure as a number competent yet not for that respect which is of the foure Chapter 7. for the foure corners of the earth for this plague goeth not so wide being but against the third part of men a cleare distinguishing note of Mahometisme from Antichrist but here they are foure for all occasions as the other were for all places and therfore foure times are put an howre a day a moneth a yeere not to designe the space of this woes durance but to shew that these were ordained and in number competenr to execute God his wrath at all occasions short or long as God should bee stirred to indignation and send them forth Agreeable hereto the commandement commeth from the foure hornes of the Altar to shew Christ his sufficiencie of power to raise vp instruments of his iustice according as by the sinnes of men he is prouoked For from this Altar both the prayers of Saints goe vp before God and the fire of vengeance is powred downe on the world Chapter 8. this maketh the allusion and conueniency in number of foure Angels foure hornes foure times 10 The condition of these heades is that they are bound whereupon is the commandement of loosing this sheweth the seuerity of these foure Angels of wrath in that they are bound vp as ragefull beasts and giueth certaine expectation of cruell effects they being loosed God his patience is here also noted restraining his iudgements till the wickednesse of men extort them from him These foure Angels are the heades of the Mahometane and Turkish Armies Not for so many heades in proprietie as many vainely vexe themselues to finde out but for the reason aboue touched who how they were tied vp at Euphrates that is restrained in the East parts about Babell and Persia partly by their owne intestine discords wars partly by some great victories of Christians from working this horrible desolation which now vpon this their loosing ensueth is cleare in the story Mahomet arose soone after the open and auowed beginnings of Antichrist and spred his poyson aduancing it so with fire and sword that in short yeers his Successors ouerranne all Arabia Egypt Africa Spain and Persia This swift course was after tied vp as the commandement of loosing them from their binding necessarily implyeth shewing that both before this they were and from raging tied vp for a good space till at length Turkes ioyned with Saracens and becomming one people and of one poisonous religion vpon huge encrease of Antichristian impiety they gotte free scope from Euphrates in God his iustice to slay the third part of men from which kind of working the Locusts were restrained 11 Thus are the heades their army is described from their number kind disposition horrible effects and power of working their number is huge to shew their innumerable forces wherein the Story is cleare Their kind is that they are horsemen both because their chiefe forces consist of such as also to shew their fiercenes and irresistable inuasion Their cruell disposition is expressed in that their habergeons were of fire brimstone Iacinth For when the Scripture describeth horrible executions it is ordinarily by fire and brimstome and ascending smoake as in the Psalmes and Prophets often Now brimstone inflamed yeeldeth both a flame and a smoake of a Iacinth colour and accordingly they are here put to shew in these a bloudy disposition to worke vtter desolation like that of Sodome For this their horses also are said to haue heads of Lions to designe open rage and professed cruelty whereas the Locusts couered their Lions teeth with faces of men and haire of women Fire smoake and brimstone are said to come out of their mouths not onely to amplifie this their cruell disposition as breathing nothing but vtter desolation but also to shew their facility of destroying all thinges as with a breath or word The third part of men are said to be destroyed by them to shew according to the Phrase aboue in the first foure Trumpets that this plague should not ouergoe al as did that of the Locusts but yet should worke a horrible and great vastation conueniently to their cruell disposition set forth in three things this effect is most euident for neuer any conquering people before them wrought such desolation as they in the parts which they haue ouerrunne so as in the most plentifull and best peopled parts of the earth they haue scarse left so many villages as were sometime famous Republikes These are their effects Their power of working is both in their heads tails for they haue also tails like Serpents stinging all the power of the Locusts was in their tailes at least by them they wrought all that is by poisonable doctrine therefore they pretended no power of open murthering men of the world but these haue power both in heades and tailes that is both by their policy and gouernement they vse and professe plaine hostility and practise of the Sword and also by their false Prophets they sting as did the Locusts poisoning also with false doctrine so manifest a note of distinction is put here betwixt these woes as they could not haue beene mistaken if forelaid preiudices had not forced the wresting of cleare things to wrong accommodations 12 Thus hath beene the euill the euent is obstinate impenitency and induration of men in Antichristian workes which are here so plainely set downe as any hauing eyes may see whose impietie hath loosed these Angels and whose obstinacy still maketh them to preuaile and so by iust consequence albeit to them directlie was not permitted to bee open murtherers of men yet
destruction of enemies and Church her victory is largely exponed and in the twenty one and twenty two as touching her gracefull and peaceable state thereupon 2 The first wonder or signe is double according as therein the enemies inuaders and partie assailed are expressed The party assailed is the woman and her seed first and last The assailing enemy is the Dragon by himselfe openly and by his Lieutenant the beast of his power couertly Against the woman and her first seede is set the Dragon directly in this Chapter Against her in her other seed the beast of his power throne and authority in the next Chapter This is that warre proclaimed in Paradise In this Chapter are first the description of the parties by their habit and disposition to doe Secondly the euent which maketh way to the next enemy in the next Chapter The party assailed is the woman in habit clothed with the Sunne treading the Moone crowned with twelue Starres In disposition of present endeuour big with child trauelling pained and crying through paine The assailing party for habit is a great redde Dragon hauing seuen heads crowned tenne hornes and a taile His endeauour to doe is he casteth stars from heauen with his taile and standeth before the woman to deuoure her child with his heads 3 The euent hereof is according to the ordinary forme of Scripture first Summarilie proponed in the 5. and 6. verses And next thenceforth more largely cleered And this euent is double The childe is borne and exalted and the woman flieth In the summarie proposition of this double euent the childe his quality dignity and exaltation to high estate is proponed and the womans flght by the place whither her condition in it and time of this her condition is described 4 Hauing thus summarily in the 5. and 6. verses proponed this double euent he sheweth after how it fell out and by what meanes And first how it came that the childe so narrowly watched and by so strong an enemie yet not onely escapeth but is exalted to great honour This of the childe commeth by a great battell in heauen wherein are the Captaines of either side their Armies and the euent of the conflict The Generall Captaine of the one side is Michael his Armie are his Angels The Captaine and Army opposite are the Dragon and his Angels The euent of their conflict is the Dragon is foild and the degree of the foile is that he and his Angels are so deiected as they haue no more place in heauen This is cleared by two contrary effects The one in the heauenlie Citizens of ioy the other in the Dragon of rage The ioy of the heauenly Citizens is set foorth in their song of victory which victorie is amplified by the greatnesse cruelty subtiltie maliciousnesse enmity and peruerse diligence of the Dragon who is ouercome by the noblenesse of the victorie for the price of it by the Souldiers constant suffering to attaine it which endeareth it the more and lastly by the miserable condition of the earthlie sort through this his foile Thus is declared how the child escaped and was exalted Next is shewed how the second part of the generall euent that is the womans flight did come The Dragon his rage for his foile and misgiuing endeauour against the Childe stirreth him to peisecute the woman Thereupon shee flieth being healped thereto by the meanes giuen her of two winges Of that great Eagle And her flight heere as before in the summarie proposition is cleered by the place of her retrait her condition there and the time thereof This rage of the Dragon against the woman hath two degrees The first is hee persecuteth her wherethrough shee is brought to flie by the meanes giuen her of the winges The second degree is his endeuour for her ouerthrow in her flight the floud cast out against her This double rage is eluded the first by the wings the second by the helpe of the earth which swalloweth the flood This generall euent of all this misgiuing endeauour against childe and woman worketh in the Dragon increase of rage whereby he is stirred to make warre against the rest of her Seede Against these hauing misgiuen in his open dealing against her first seede he stirreth vp that beast whose rising and working to behold Iohn standeth on the Sea shoare 5 I haue ioined together and at length the resolution of this Chapter the mistaking whereof in my iudgement hath marred all the accommodation heere and much obscured all the rest of this Prophesie The right accommodation shall yet bee the more cleare if wee obserue after what manner in this Prophesie the holy Ghost describeth the enemies of the Church and whence the whole frame of speech in this Chapter is taken First then the course of the Church her sufferings and her enemies by whom is framed to the course of the old Testement wherein the first great enemie was Phaaro The second great foe was Babel and these Beastes in Daniel Of which the last extreme enemy was Gog and Magog euen the Kings of Syria and of them most of all Antiochus Epiphanes To these their enemies and the old Churches sufferings by them that heere in the story of the Christian Church her foes and sufferings the Spirit alludeth it is most cleare To moue vs to compare and finde not onely light heere but to see also that these former were stamps of greater things to come Now all the speech of this Chapter is from the state of the Church in Egypt which in her infancy there was as a woman big with childe and crying through cruell burdens Pharao that great Dragon euen that great Leniathan first wrought wisely with them as with his taile and next stood cruelly ready to deuoure all her Male Children But Michael fought for them and in the blood of the lambe they ouercame and all the first borne of Egypt are slaine The Church flieth as carried vpon Eagles winges to the wildernesse where she is fed with Manna In her flight the Dragon Pharao minded to haue drowned her in the redde Sea but the earth helped her for earthlie Pharao and his earthly Army dranke vp that floud And all this is to make vs vnderstand by conformity of case that here the first great enemie and sufferings of the Christian Church in her infancy are set forth 6 The woman is the Primitiue Apostolike Church glorious in the cleare light of the sunne of righteousnesse whom she put on for her wisdome and iustification Treading all borrowed spotted changeable transitory and light things vnder foot glorying onely in the light ministred by the twelue Apostles which is her crowne Shee is big with childe of all peoples whom she was begetting to God through obedience of faith in Christ For her great troubles and sufferings she is said to be in trauelling and to cry of paine trauelling in birth of all nations till Christ should be formed in thē The speech is
for discerning the kingdome fiue hauing ere then fallen and two not as yet risen The second beast is put onely for cleare explication of the condition nature quality and working of this last head considered a part and by it selfe and how this great worke of quickning that mortally wounded kingdome or beast is wrought by it so as vnder it the Beastreuiueth and now howsoeuer for discerning the kingdome all the heads be mentioned commeth only to bee considered in that state and respect in which for great diuersity from the former condition before the wound yea and before the the cure this head is in a sort a different beast as hauing this singular in shape that it is like the Lambe in working that it doth by signes and wonders in condition that the beast vnder it is rather an image of the former then the same and yet a liuely image therefore called the eight head and one of the seuen In which respect but seuen heads are attributed to the beast albeit in number there be eight That the first riseth out of the sea and the second out of the earth it is but to note the different manner of rising of the last head and state vnder it from the rising of the Beast in all his former conditions and heades They both in their distinct manner of rising haue this common that they are from below For albeit the earth and sea in degree of account with other creatures as the fountaines sunne moone starres Chap. 9. and. 16. according to the effects wrought in them and that wherof they in these degrees are the types are to bee taken so as agreeth with the course of the mystery as in these places is declared Yet when Sea and Earth are set in opposition to heauen as heer and Chapter 10. when the Angell descending from heauen for ouerthrow of this beast setteth his feet on the sea and earth whence in distinct consideration the beast ariseth And Chapter 12. reioyce O heauens woe to the Inhabitants of sea and earth then things arising from sea and earth must bee taken as Christ speaketh to the Iewes Yee are from below I am from aboue And euen the foure beasts in Daniel whose whole ferity cruelty fraud and destroying power is in this one whom in the beginning of his seuenth Chapter hee seeth rise out of the sea are said in that same chapter verse 17. to arise out of the earth as all one thing except that as the earth sheweth the origine to be earthly and from below so the sea sheweth their rising to bee of the troubles tossings and alterations of the earth whose commotions are compared to the stormy sea and according to this to shew the peaceable and calme estate of the Church vpon vtter destruction of this Beast it is saide Chapter 21. that there was no more sea Then this second Beast is said to rise out of the earth not onely for that it was from below for so is the whole beast first last throught the star falling from the heauen chap. 9 But because this last head howsoeuer the beast or kingdome of Rome considered absolutely riseth out of the sea in the particular consideration thereof by it selfe and apart arose in a farre different manner from all the former which all arose by great commotions and sensible alterations but this last head arose slily subtlely and almost insensibly by slow degrees as things that grow through the earth and so became head of that Kingdome which vnder it is the beast going to destruction See Steuchus against Valla. Paulatim imperare incipiebat religio habenas imperij caperâ— ius suum acquirere nihil subitum nihil tumultuarium Where the second beast is said to worke before the first beast it is not to bee taken for impudent or violent vsurpation but according to the Phrase of Scripture as Iohn Baptist to goe before Christ And this is onely for clearenesse of explication of him and his manner who maketh the Image as trauelling with all sedulous endeauour by lying signes to conciliate authority honour and submission to that state vnder himselfe as head thereof Neither hereupon must wee thinke the second beast working to bee an other from him before whom hee worketh except so farre as the spirit so will distinguish betwixt the Kingdome wholly and absolutely and this last head peculiarly considered in comparison to the former and as after a deadly wound hee quickneth so that state again as hee procureth to it worship of Nations In one word the first beast is the Kingdom of Rome vnder the Pontificality the second beast is the Pontificality wonderfully quickning the wounded beast to that estate therfore Chapter 17 but one beast euen this first is put and called the eighth head so euidently telling vs that both are one and the same except in consideration as I haue said According to this it is that hereafter the beast is distinguished from the false Prophet not that they are two as many fondly imagine but onely to take vp so the State and Kingdome as the false Prophet is heade therof so the false Prophet as he is head of that state See vpon Chapter 17. Sect. 11. 18. and 19. Sect. 27. These two beasts then are to expresse one and the same state euen Antichrist in his Kingdome and in himselfe head thereof both for condition and time For from the Pope his first degree of rising hee neuer got any such crossing as for which it might bee said of him that hee should abide a short space Chapter 17. For euen in the most miserable times of Rome by the Gothes hee not onely retained his old got account but was still labouring to aduance the credite of his Chaire as his supercilious dealings in these selfe times with forrain Churches sufficiently proueth And whatsoeuer hinderance bee had by Gothik tiranny from rising to the height hee after attained to it is too weake a ground to say of him that hee abode a short space thus to make him both the seuenth and eight head against cleare Text which maketh the seuenth to bee soone gone and if such had beene the meaning of the holy Ghost he might much both clearelier and easier haue called him the eight and seuenth then the eight and one of the seuen thus clearely implying which of the seuen hee meaned to wit that whose deadly wound by his arising hee cuâ—ed and made vppe thus so liuely an Image of the beast as hee may iustly therefore be counted one and the same with it that is with the sixth whome for glory account worship of Nations and Monarchike state hee resembleth liuely and the Kingdome vnder him the Kingdome then The mistaking of the seuenth head maketh all the errour and in such light of Storie agreeing fitly with this Prophesie it is wonder that all should haue erred This is certaine that Caesars are the sixth head that which then was and before which fiue Kings Consuls Dictators Decemuirs
and Tribunes had fallen And seeing that in the fall of Caesars that state receiued a deadly wound the curing whereof maketh the beast here and Chapter 17. the eight and one of the seuen out of all doubt the head rising by the wound must bee the seuenth as the Pontificality rising by the cure thereof is the eight and sixt in a sort The seuenth head then of Rome was Theodoricus the Ostrogothe and his Successors who were not yet come and when they came abode but a short space For their kingdome endured not aboue 70. yeeres or thereby from Theodoricus beginning to Teias his fall The inuaders before him were but riflers none setling there a Dominion Odoacer who onely of them all aimed at it yet was neuer fully and solemnly acknowledged But Theodoricus pleaded for his right which by the Emperour his consent and decree of Senate was bequeathed to him and whom accordingly the Romans receiued for their lawfull Prince as before I touched The Emperour Zeno Theodoricum sacro texit velamine in Signum rei ab imperio coucessae saith Sabellicus Enn. 8 2. And as hauing in nothing wronged the Empire hee raigned peaceably ouer Rome and all Italy Sicilie Sardinia Illirium Dalmatia Narbone and Pannonia many yeeres all which time he had both peace friendshippe with the Emperours of the East Zeno Anastasius and Iustinus This beast then is the great Antichrist working forty two monethes in the holy City and Court of the Temple and treading down all true worshippe therein who is the eighth and last head of the Kingdome of Rome or the Kingdom of Rome vnder the last head and in whom and with whom it shall haue an eternall ruine His quality forme and origine is by allusion to the foure Kingdomes troublers of Israel as I shewed Chapter 12. typically expressed Dan. 7. by foure beasts a Lyon a Beare a Leopard and a best with tenne hornes This beast hath a note from each as in whom all is compacted what soeuer was mischieuous in them all to expresse the height of impiety now come to the full euen the man of sinne Men falling from piety and righteousnesse are beasts and most of all Tyrants set ouer great States as hauing most liberty and least restraint from wickednesse A man in honour if hee vnderstand not is like to the beastes that perish 8 As for the number of hornes attributed to this state of Rome both in the Dragon and now in this beast albeit som thing may bee said probably and pretily both for the first state out of Strabo his last booke of Geographes And for this last out of Steuchus making neer this same count as by some learned enterpreters hath been noted yet according as I can take vp the manner of all this Prophesie I acquiesce in this that this number is indefinitely put by allusion to Daniel 7. wherein yet what singular difference is betwixt the hornes here of this beast and of that beast in Daniel See more Chapter 17. They shew the great power of this beast and so much greater as these hornes are not Kings in succession but all raigning together as receiuing a Kingdom at one houre with the beast 9 Wee haue yet to cleare one point of all men widely mistaken wherin yet the holy Ghost placeth wisdom The counting of the number of the beast his name The most receiued opinion hereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so childish an Egypticall toy as I maruell much how euer any solide minde could propound it for a rare point of diuine wisdome the other opinions that I haue heard or seene are in my opinion little or nothing more solide The words mistaken haue led men infinitely aside while they seeke what different things are the Character the name the number and because it is called the number of the name of the beast and the number of a man seeking to finde it in his name they so to finde it out giue to him thereupon a man his name which neither Scripture giueth him neither hee taketh to himselfe and then forsooth to find out this deepe wisdome of the holy Ghost they will picke out of the letters of that name which themselues haue forged this number 666. But why doe they not labour as much to find in the letters of this name his Character as his number seeing the Character is the Character of the name al 's well as the number is the number of the name as is euident Chapter 14. 11. Neither sayeth the Text here that the Beast his name is a man his name but the number of his name is a man his number But thus it is All that follow Antichrist haue his name but in diuers manner Some haue the Character thereof that is the name imprinted and are his proper good as hauing his burne-yron and marke a familiar Phrase from the manner of men Some haue his name yet so as they haue not his Marke who haue not learned the deepenesse of Sathan neither are Antichrists sworne bondmen And yet some haue but the number of his name that is are so farre from being his sworne and marked slaues as they are no otherwise his but in so farre as they are counted to bee so and numbred amongst his For he is such a tyrant as will haue all men in one of these sorts and because within these who haue the number of his name both the former sorts are comprehended the number of his name sheweth the whole body and frame of his Kingdome For albeit many haue his name and moe haue his number which haue not his Charecter yet all that haue either Character or name are of his number The man then to whom God giueth wisdome to count his number that is the whole frame and building of that Antichristian Kingdome by counting of it shall finde it but the number of man and none of God his building As God numbred and weighed Baltasar King of Babell and found him light Now here is wisdome indeed which to finde out the Lord hath left to vs in this prophesie not obscure traces as he ordinarily in Scripture doth of things obscurely deliuered The very next words in the beginning of the 14. Chapter being rightly marked will ridde all the way In them wee haue the Lambe set against the Beast his Character against his a name against the Beast his name and a number against the Beast his number The Character of the Lambe his followers is the Seale of God whereof Chapter 7. The name which they haue is the name of the Lambe his father and the number characterized with this name is 144000. which number herefore may wel bee called the number of the name of God or God his number as 666. is called of the name of the beast or the Beast his number Now these numbers are not set down for the exact count of persons followers of Christ or Antichrist but are taken of the holy Ghost as fit
large explication Chapter 15. As is most cleere by comparing the Angell stirring this to execution with that one of the foure beasts furnisher of the Vials to the seuen Angels Chapter 15. This last inciter hath this common note with the former two Angels that he commeth out of the Temple but this he hath singular that he came from the Altar So then he is a minister of the Altar by allusion still to the Temple and Legal worship Next he hath power ouer fire as Christ who came to send fire in the earth as the two Witnesses Cha. 11. and Elias out of whose mouthes fire proceeded to deuoure their aduersaries and who had power to plague the earth with all manner of plagues al 's often as they would as hauing vengeance in readinesse against all disobedience Now then as by the Angell out of the Temple armed with the sikle are expressed heere generally and summarily in this summary propositiō all faithfull Christians of whatsoeuer calling instructed with power from God to execute his wrath against the enemies which executors are more largely expressed in the seuen Angels Chapter 15. So this comming from the Altar is the type of true pastours by whose plaine and powerful preaching the other are informed and stirred to consecrate their hands to the Lord. Euen to serue Babel as shee hath serued vs. As accordingly Chapter 15. The seuen Angels receiue the vials of wrath from one of the foure beasts Of whom Chapt. 4. CHAP. XV. HEnce is the story of the last wrath for finall destruction of the enemies to the peace of the Church that the kingdoms of the world may be Gods and Christs Vpon obstinate impenitency against sixe trumpets Chapt. 9. 21. The fulfilling of this wrath was sworne to come in the daies of the seuenth trumpet Chap. 10. Vpon sounding of the seuenth trumpet summarily denounced Chap. 11. And summary executing thereof proponed Chap. 14. in the end Whereof here the larger narration hath the executers Chap. 15. Their execution in order Chapt. 16. Cleared more largely Chapters 17. 18. 19. and 20. Whereupon the gracefull condition of the Bride victorious is magnifickly set downe Chapt. 21. and 22. This whole matter is that other great signe seene in heauen to distinguish this part of story from the preceding in the last three Chapt. called also a signe in heauen This is that which Mat. 24. is called the signe of the sonne of man For hee and his iudgements now are made manifest As not inconueniently the other might be called the signe of the Dragon 2 In this Chapter from the beginning to the fifth verse is set downe the greatnesse of the erand thence to the end the disposing of the instruments for execution thereof the greatnesse of the matter is first summarily proponed in this that hee saw a signe a great yea a maruellous signe and in heauen That Chap 12. was a great signe but this is both great and wonderfull euen the signe of the sonne of man in heauen This great wonderfulnesse is shewed in the Ministers Angels their number seuen their imployment to bee executors of God his last wrath for finishing of the mysterie Chapt. 10. For his spirit would no longer striue with men vers 1. Next in the effect and end of their worke to the 5. verse Which are the destruction of Antichrist that the Saints victorious ouer him may praise God and by the greatnesse equity and truth of his iudgements manifested all men may feare glorifie and worship him who onely is holy For expressing of this effect and end the Church and her condition in and vpon this execution to follow ioyfully vpon sight of the instruments prepared precōceiuing the certaine euent is set down in the victory and song thereof In the victory are the meanes whereby and the party ouer whom The meanes are a glassie Seamingled with fire the pure word of God mingled with the vertue of the holy Ghost Chap. 4. The victory is ouer the Beast his image his marke and number of his name to shew it now full and perfit In their song are first the quality that it is a song of praise for a maruellous deliuerance and ouerthrow of a great enemie such as Moses vpon such a case did sing at the red Sea Exod. 14. Secondly it is in praise of the Lambe through whom they obtaine this victory and in whom the Father is glorified and not in praise of Moses who is the seruant of God Heb. 3. 3. Chapt. 22. 9. and 19. 10. Thirdly their disposition is noted in that they haue the harpes of God giuen by him for his praise that is well tuned hearts filled with ioy and loue in conscience of his benefits and bursting out in thanksgiuing For hee onely putteth a new song in the mouthes of his seruants Lastly the tenor of their song is in two the praise of God his works and waies and the sequell therof The praise of his workes is that they are great and maruellous according whereto hee hath a competent title Lord God almighty The praise of his waies is that they are iust and true and competently thereupon he hath the title of King of Saints In infinite authority and power yet to hold euer a iust and true way is a great praise Now the sequell hereof is that he onely be feared glorisied and worshipped of all And that for two reasons First because he onely is holy and not the Beast who sacrilegiouslie busketh his head with that blasphemie Next his iudgements are now made manifest to all so as who before worshipped and wondered after the Beast as hauing none equall or able to fight with him now in his iust and manifest ouerthrow may know and praise God only holy For Christ now sitteth on a white cloude iudging him Compare this 4. verse with the 7. of Chap. 14 and see what wisdome 3 Before wee enter in the second part in the disposing of the instruments for this great execution the interpretation giuen of the glassie Sea mingled with fire is to be cleared 4 That the glassie Sea is the type of the pure word and pure worshippe according thereto see vpon the 4. Chap. Heere the allusion is to that storie Exod. 13. and 14. When Moses and Israel with him hauing past the red Sea standing on the shore thereof and seeing Pharao and his host drowned therein they praise God singing the song of Moses c. Of this allusion while men marke not narrowlly all the points of conueniencie the place is diuersly mistaken Some taking this Sea mingled with fire to be but the type of great troubles thorow which the Church now hath escaped according to the speech Psalm 66. Thou hast brought vs thorow water and fire But this is not all whereto heere the spirit will lead vs. Others take it for the treasure of meanes which God hath euer in readinesse as before his throne to destroy his enemies But this is too generall For
Hadadrimmon in the valley of Mageddon When euery family shall mourne apart and when they shall iudge themselues worthy to haue bene destroied God powring on them to true repentance the spirit of grace and compassion And for this double effect of the Iewes common ioy with the Church and proper mourning the place is called in Hebrew Armageddon To expresse that the Iewes conuerted to the Gospell shall celebrate this victory both with ioy and also with godlie sorrow causing repentance for their by-gonne induration and pearcing of their Sauiour In the first Chapter speaking of that sight of Christ whereby all families should mourne before him euen they who pearced him thorow for this same purpose are put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Amen for Grecian and Iew who iointly should see him and mourn vpon sight of the signe of the Sonne of man in heauen Mat. 24. The same which heere is shewed in the vials as vpon Chapt. 15. Sect. 1. was declared In like manner Chap. 9. to shew how both Iew and Grecian should at length know and detest Antichrist he is called in Hebrew Abaddon and in Greeke Apollyon But in this place that we may take vp the spiritual drift of the holy Ghost in these who shall come vpon this victory from the East hee telleth vs that the place shall bee called in Hebrew Armageddon Not but it shall bee â—o called also in Greeke that is the Gentils Christians shall also celebrate this victorie but to stirre vs to the vp-taking of a speciall effect heereof in the Iewes of common ioy with vs and proper mourning for their owne induration against the common Sauiour so the place is called in Hebrew The conuersion of the Iewish people by cleare warrant of Scripture wee looke for And that not onely of certaine persons now and then heere and there but assuredly that the body of that people shall solemnedly turne to the great admiration of the world and praise of God his both wisdome and mercy This the Prophets foretell clearely the Apostle Paul most plainely yea the Lord himselfe in the prediction of their ouerthrow Luke 21. limitteth the time of their being trode vnder till the fulnesse of the Gentils bee brought in Which selfe words the Apostle vsing Rom. 11. he exponeth clearely the Lord his meaning It is a wonderfull prouidence that the Iewes fifteene hundreth yeeres not possessing one foot of property in the earth yet are kept a separate people that in his owne time the Lord may be magnified in his mercy and truth towards them to the astonishment of all the world That the great deliuerances promised them in the Prophets haue all their performance in Christ it is certaine but whereof that the full accomplishment commeth not til their solemne conuersion it is euident by the Prophecies cited and applyed by the Apostle to that purpose Now whether they shall be brought to inhabite againe their owne Land albeit I dare not determine because it beeing typicall all promised theranent may be performed in their coniunction to the Church which is the true Ierusalem from heauen yet certainely my heart inclineth to thinke so Because their solemne conuersion must bring with it the remoouing of their reproach and so of necessity a gathering from their dispersion to brooke a state in the eies of the world And the Lord his owne words limitting their beeing trode vnder foote seeme to implie no lesse O the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! The Iewes misconceiuing the Prophets are strengthened in their error of Messias yet to come because they thinke that before his comming the Roman Empire must be vtterlie destroyed which now standeth onely in the Pontificality Whereby any may well know how great a way his fall and of all that state with him shall open vnto them So much the more as in place of his idolatrous superstition whereat they now stumble done away they shall see the purity of true worship erected 11 The seuenth and last Viall is poured in the Aire The effect whereof is summarilie in one word denounced and then typically declared The denunciation is great first for the authority as beeing not onely from the Temple but also from the throne in it euen God his owne voice And next for the weight of the matter that now all is done Not as if in that instant all things were accomplished but by pouring out of this Viall the signe beeing giuen to shew that in the daies thereof all should be finished according as Chap. 10. was sowrne Neither is this to bee taken for the last consummation as neither is the great day of God almighty in the former Viall for the last day any time of God his great execution beeing in Scripture speech so called ordinarily But heere it is said to be done Because now at last God is by this plague to destroy all enemies of his Church and beautifie her with peace liberty and plenty of grace so as all whatsoeuer by the Prophets hath bene foretold and promised of either shall now haue the full accomplishment The Church beeing freed of all troubles and hauing but to expect her bridegroome for whom now shee shall bee prepared This Christ himselfe foretold When yee therefore see all these things come to passe then lift vp your heads These words then it is done are all one with these now all is come to passe so as yee may lift vp your heads See this same speech in this same sense Chap. 21. They are as I thinke much deceiued who interpret the commotions heere subioyned of the last consummation which shall not come thus but as a theefe in the night vpon a peaceable secure and sleeping world when all these broiles and whole effects of the seuen Vials called of Christ Matth. 24. the signe of the sonne of man shall haue past before 12 This great effect thus summarily in one word denounced is declared by continuall allegorie When the Aire is cleere and quiet all both sea and land riuers fountaines and heauenly lights are calme and shine cleere But the Aire beeing troubled all heere below is troubled and for their vse toward vs the heauenly lights are also darkened and these fearefull effects of thundrings lightnings voices c. ordinarily do follow Hereby the spirit will expresse an vniuersall and horrible commotion and alteration of the state of the earth which in one word hee calleth an earth-quake yea and that so strange and huge as the like was not since men inhabited the same It was a great earth-quake that is alteration and vicissitude of things when vpon opening of the sixth seale the state of the Roman Empire was shaken and in the sixth head receiued a deadly wound But in the ouerthrow of Antichrist the Beast going to destruction when the cured head and Beast quickned therein againe shall be slaine and destroyed there shall be another kind of commotion and alteration of the states of the
image of the Beast 18 The third proper note and token is this Beast goeth to destruction For vnder this last head that state and Kingdome must be vndone for euer and shall not bee as in the fall of the former heads when in the next succeeding it held place but this head shall so fall as with him he shall draw that state to eternall ruine In which respect it is said Chapter 19. that the Beast and false Prophet are both taken and cast into the fire Thus for a most cleare opening of all this Prophesie the Holy Ghost heere in this Chapter hath ioined the Beast Head and Whoore and exponed so euidently in a huge wisdome To make vs see that what Chapter 13. hee spake of two beasts what through the booke hee speaketh distinctly of the Beast and the VVhoore Babylon of the Beast and false Prophet is all but for cleare explication of Antichrist VVhat a King hee is of what Kingdome of what time and manner of working cleering the Kingdome by the head and both Kingdome and head by the head City of their power with euident and infallible notes to take vp the right time and condition of all So as the Romans mocking our incertainety as they thinke whether the Beast the VVhoore or the falfe Prophet bee Antichrist bewray but their owne ignorance or malice or both For the Beast is Antichrist but so and then as and when the head is a false Prophet vnder presence of the Lambe his power making Rome the VVhoore and bewitcher of the world In which respect the false Prophet is the Beast the eight head and one of the seuen And thus the Beast is onelie Antichrist as the Beast is the eight head euen the false Prophet And the false Prophet is Antichrist but as he is the Beast that is head of the kingdome of Rome And Rome is the VVhore but as she is borne vp by this Beast the false Prophet How plainely the holy Ghost telleth this take vp in this argument 19 That soueraigne policy ruling in and ouer the City situated one seuen hils and in Iohn his daies bearing rule ouer Nations which in number and order is the eighth head or soueraigne policie after the fiue fallen before Iohn the sixth then ruling and a seuenth to come but soone to euanish which eight head recouereth to the state hee ruleth the luffâ—e estimation and subiection of Prouinces which by a deadly wound in one of the former heades it had losed thus reerecting if not the same properly yet a liuely image of the decaied state and for this respect as he is the eight in course so is hee in a sort one of the seuen heads and is peculiatlie the Beast and which soueraigne pollicie and eight head peculiarly the Beast worketh all as a Porphet and vnder pretence of Christ his power and thus induceth the Kings of the earth voluntary and with free and vnanime consent to submit their Crownes vnto him so procuring to his seat such account and credit as the whole earth drinketh her superstitious and idolarrous worship wherethrough shee becommeth a great and mother harlot And which eight soueragne policy or head shall bee the last head of that kingdome for that in the fall thereof that state shall be destroied for euer That souerainge policy oâ— head is the Antichrist 20 But the Pontificality is the soueraigne policy or head thus for place order and number in succession manner and effect of working heere peculiarly called the Beast and which as hee is from the bottomlesse pit and angell thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so he and with him that state goeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ergo c. Wee speeke not of coniecture but as it is written I beleeued and therefore I spake Wee beleeue and therefore speake 2. Cor. 4. 13. CHAP. XVIII THe great Whore was described in the former Chapter Her iudgement followeth in this shewed by three heauenly voices in each whereof the same is magnifickly amplyfied by the certainty the instant performance greatnesse and equity thereof And peculiarlie in the last by that her ruine is irreparable The first voice is to the 4. verse The second to the 21. And the third to the end 2 In the first voice are the person denouncer and the point denounced The denouncer is an Angell remarkeable for gesture and dignity His gesture is that hee commeth downe from heauen His dignity in that hee hath great authority which is cleared by the effect in that all the earth was lightened with his glorie At the second degree of the out-breake of the light of the Gospell from vnder Antichristian darkenesse Chapt. 14. an Angel denounced the same which this doth but that did flee thorow the midst of heauen that is albeit swiftlie and in the publike view of men yet the cleare perception of what he denounced was farre remoued aboue their reach the preaching of the Gospell not hauing then for cleare euidence the authority which since it hath and daily more and more shall obtaine through the Angel no more fleeing farre aboue as these Chap. 14. in the reuerting and that Chapt. 8 in the last degree of decay of light but now in plenty of glorious light as it were comming downe from the heauen and lightning the earth with a neer and euident sight of that which before was reuealed but farre oft This Angel then is the type of the cleare light and powerfull ministery of the Gospell now in a neere degree both shewing clearely and working powerfully Antichrist his fall The ministers of lightâ— are of Christ the true light called the light of the world and their ministerie is glorious euen glorified as concerning the exceeding glory For how beautifull on the Mountaines are the feete of them that preach good tidings c. The description of this denouncing Angel implyeth not only the certainty of what hee proclaimeth as from heauen and with great authority and euidence but also the instant performance thereof in that he commeth downe in such aboundance of glorious light as Babel can stand no longer no more then could Sodome after the Angel his downe-comming to see iâ— For Babel the glory of Kingdomes shall bee as the destruction of God in Sodome and Gomorrha Therefore the point denounced albeit it bee the same in substance which Chap 14. was threatned yet here it commeth in another degree of cleare manifestation certaine performance in the perswasion of hearers and neere approaching execution God now beeing to passe by her no more for shee is come in remambrance before him 3 Of this denounced point is shewed also the greatnesse and equity The greatnesse in these words and she is become c. So to shew a horrible desolation such as should not onely make her waste and solitarie but also detestable and abominable as are ghostly and Elphrish places full of Panike terror and the ordinarie retrait of all these things which both flee humane society
The shifts of the Papists for exempting the Pontificality from this blot 183 Whence he arriseth 175 His fall irrecouerable 78. 89. 165. 177 His presumption obstinacie and vnexpected foile 218 Aplaine crossing of all Popery 54 An incouragement to Praier 60 The false Prophet all one with the Beast and for what cause they be distinguished 121. 177. 178 The Lord God of the holy Prophets 254. 265 R RAine twofold 62 The Rainebowe about Christ his head 86 All Religion 19 The first Resurrection 224 Who they are that are said Chap. nineteenth to rise the first Resurrection 224. 225 The Reuelation worthy of our study 11. 265 The dignity thereof shewed in two great points 21 The course thereof 32 Riches and authority without wisdome are but the weapons of a foole 30 The Riches of Christ 30 Riders on Horses 33 Christ his Riding on a white horse 212 White Robes in Scripture haue a triple signification 38 Rome her presumption 192. 218 The Renting of her in three 171 By whom shall her fall bee 152. 163. 182 The first and second degrees of her fall 157 The third degree of her fall 158 The fourth 160 The fifth 161 The sixth 163 What her fall shall be 181 It is irrecouerable 165. 177 And vnexpected 192 The certainety and greatnesse thereof 188. 191. 198 The equity thereof 189. 198. 205 Yet in considering the equity a diffeerence is to bee put betwene the state euery particular mēber of that state 193 S TO the Saints is giuen a kingdome euen heere 107 Satan his twofold dealing against the Church 105. 106 What is his first attempt alwaies 106 How he is said to be in heauen to fight there to bee cast downe out of heauen into the earth 107 The Scripture is onely to bee heard and no voice else in the Church of God 25 In what respect it is a little Booke 86 It is kept secure by the Pope Ibid. It must be eaten 91 In the Scripture all is reuealed requisite for light or manners 266. 267. 268 To couplerightly the parts thereof 268 The glassie Sea a type of the Word 15. 149 The Sea for the common worship 49. 64 For that which is below 120 The Red Sea and pillar of fire types of the Word and Spirit 150 For what reason the Sea is said Chap. 15 to be mingled with fire 150 There was no more Sea 120. 250 Seamen 196 The Seale of God 51 Seducing of two sorts 228. 233 The twofold Seed of the Church 130 Seuen Lamps 15 Seuen hornes and seuen eies of the Lambe 26 Seuen points of his praise 30 Seuen heads 118. 175 Seuen Seales Seuen Trumpets Seuen Vials 153 Seuen diuers times recorded in all this booke and concerning this number Seuen 232 The Shining of the Bride her attire 208 Showers twofold 62 Two great Signes in heauen 100 The Signe of the Dragon 102. 147 The Signe of the Sonne of Man 147. 212 To Sit. 191 The Slaughter of the Lambe the reason of his worthinesse and in what sense must thinke so 24 Sobriety 88. 211 Example of Sobriety in the Author 12. 232. 258 Solitary places 188 The Holy Spirit his procession and name of Comforter signified by the Rainebow diffunded about the Throne 12 In a diuers consideration he both sitteth in the throne and also is before the throne set foorth in Seuen burning Lamps 13 Starres for great men of the earth 40. For Pastors 67 And in that case how they are to be considered 68 To stand in the Sunne 216 T The Tents of Saints 233 Theodoricus the Ostrogoth the seuenth head of the Beast 122 Thrones 161 Thrones Beasts and Elders 202 Thrones set for saints 228 Christ his white Throne 235. 240 Seuen Thunders 87 Why their speeches were vttered and yet not written 88 The Times recorded in the Reuelation 73 A refutation of Propheticall yeeres as they call them 74. 96 How to vnderstand the Times of the Reuelation 76 The Time of tenne daies 76 The Time of fiue monthes 77 How the Trumpets beginne and ende in respect of time 80. 89. 90. The Time of fourty two monthes and of 1260 daies and of Time Times and halfe a Time 96. 231 The Time of three daies and a halfe 97 Which also is the space that the Dragon is let goe loose after his first binding 222 The effects of that his loosing 203 The Time of a thousand yeeres 226 It is the onely Time in all this prophesie to be taken definitly 230. The Thighi to put the hand vnder the thigh Christ his name written on his thigh 216 Tragicall times of some Emperours 43 Treasons of Papists by whom they are atchiued how good and worthy works they doe esteeme them 72 And what setteth them so madlings a worke 165 The Tribes of Israel 53 Why they are recorded but to be twelue seeing they were thirteene 127 Trumpets 58 Twelue 120. 128 Turkes their heades terrible Army the great desolation they make V GOlden Vials types of faithfull and pure hearts 27 Golden Vials cups of wrath 153 The reason why they come in place after the trumpets 154 On whom they are powred out 156 Vintage 146 Of the Visibility of the Church 138. 139 The Vnity of the Church of Rome 180 The Voice of Christ is bold as a Lion and powerful as thunder How to know if the Ministers speake his voice Pope Vrbane the second and his successors kindlers of the holy warre for recouery of Ierusalem 229 W LOue of the Wages ofvnrighteousnes 196 The Warre proclaimed in Paradise 102. 105 Christianity is a Warfare against whom it is and how to fight it out 108 And ouercome 180 Counsel and strength are for the Warre 213 The holy Warre 229 Waters of two sorts 67 Many Waters 162 The drying vp of many Waters 162. 173 White colour White horses 33. 145. 212 White robes 38 White linen apparell 153 A White throne 240 Windes for influence of spirituall graces 49 Deepe Wisdome 204 The Whoore described 174 Who shee is 182 How the restoring of Prophesie and dispelling of darkenes is a Woe 98. 160 Two great Wonders in Heauen 100 Wondring of two sorts 174 The Word compared to water figured by the Lauer in the Tabernacle and by the brasen Sea Temple and in this booke Chap. 4. set foorth vnder the type of a glassie Sea before the throne 15. 16 The Word contemned of a blessing becommeth the first of plagues 34 The Word is the weapon of Christ his victorie 86. 88. 215 Three degrees of operation which the Word of God hath in the hearts of his owne 132 Our Worship to God must proceed of knowledge 20 The Wound of the Beast in his sixth head 117 How Works doe follow the dead 142 FINIS Faults escaped Page 8 Line 1 Fault Affliction that Correction Affliction them that Page 8 Line 29 Fault sex Correction step Page 27 Line 12 Fault three Harps Correction their Harps Page 31 Fault last Correction of ingratitude Correction of our ingratitude Page