that is he stirreth vp the Pope a secret enemy in the West and the Turke an open enemy in the East by fire and sword to destroy the company of those that stand for the truth which howsoeuer it hath beene in a great part fulfilled already yet the most remarkable time is to come wherein being gathered together in greatest multitudes they shall be by the immediate hand of God destroyed as with fire from Heauen so that they shall neuer be able to make head againe as was before set forth vnder the sixt Viall Chap. 16.16 by the place called Harmageddon into which they should bee gathered Which time the Deuill being concluded in hell should not in such manner seduce any more till the comming of the Lord to iudgement which is next set forth And I hold with those that say the phrase here is borrowed from Ezâ—echiel because of the similitude of that which was then done and now Then the people of God being returned from the captiuity were assaulted by Seleucus and Nicanor and Antiochus c. out of Asia Minor and Syria but were mightily deliuered by Iudas Machabeus and his brethren being extraordinarily stirred vp and assisted from Heauen Ezech. 38.22 Ezech. 29.6 and therefore their ouerthrow that came against them is set forth by fire and brimstone and againe by a fire which the Lord threatneth to send vpon Magog For in like manner the people of God in these latter daies being come out of the captiuity of Popery are assaulted with innumerable enemies but the Lord doth mightily preserue them and disappoint their enemies of their purpose and will we doubt not when greatest need shall be at the last yet more miraculously saue his by destroying their enemies both Turkes and Papists when they shall be in an highest attempt against them That the Scythians came of Magog who are the present Tukes and Tartars is agreed by all Writers and that Meshech and Tubal ouer which Gog is said to be the chiefe Prince are Iberia that is Spaine and Cappadocia Ieron de inter Heb. nom Ierome sheweth De interpr nominum Hebr. Touching other exposiâ—ions and first for that of enemies in generall it is too large and taketh away from the light giuen here to see more particularly into this matter for that which restreineth it to the Turkes onely seeing two names are here vsed I see no reason why both should be referred to one sort of enemies especially there being two that continually infest the Church of God so aptly figured out by them Touching the fire and the casting of the Deuill into the lake of fire and brimstone I cannot thinke it is to bee meant of the last iudgement and of the fire of that great day of the Lord because when that day shall come there shall be a generall security eating and drinking marrying and giuing in marriage and not warring and sighting for if an end of these warres should be made by the Lords comming to iudgement how should the faithfull haue time here to reioyce and to giue thankes vnto to God for their greatest enemies ouerthrowne It is true there may be some relikes of the Antichristian Sect after this 2 Thess 2.8 in regard of which it is said that Antichrist shall bee abolished by the brightnesse of the Lords comming but that hee shall stand to be able to make so great a power as is here described is most improbable The Turkes haue had hitherto great successe in their warres against Christians but they whom they haue fought against haue beene as bad as themselues or worse and therefore they haue beene armed to become a scourge vnto them as was shewed chap. 9. But when they shall come in their greatest power against the true Christians of the Reformed Religion though the Papists shall ioyne with them to make their Armies innumerable God will from Heauen fight against them and confound them In confidence whereof let vs be resolute and comfort our selues if we should see greater preparations of warre made by all our enemies for we shall vndoubtedly triumph ouer them all at the last Quest Vers 11. 4. What is meant by the appearance of a great white Throne and the comming together of all before him that sate vpon it and the fleeting away of Heauen and Earth from before him what are the Bookes and the other booke called The Booke of life according to the contents whereof all were iudged and according to their workes and how are death and hell cast into the lake of fire Answ Brightman There is no great difference amongst Expositors here onely some turne all that is said into an allegory of the conuersion of the Iewes holding that by the dead here set forth to rise together they are meant who haue beene all this time dead as it were in infidelity But the place is so plainly of the generall resurrection at the last day and the arguments so sleighty to cause vs to vary from the common receiued exposition which is of the generall resurrection and the exposition which applyeth it to the Iewes in the particular passages here is so wrested and forced Pareus as one a learned Writer hath well noted as that this may by no meanes be admitted The chiefe reason of this interpretation is drawne from that which followeth Chap. 21.22 because the Authour of it conceiueth that the description of the new Ierusalem with the circumstances cannot agree to the state of the Church triumphant in heauen and therefore a famous Church to come vpon earth must needs be pointed at there but how these may be applied to the state of the Church triumphant in heauen shall appeare in their proper place In the meane season I follow the common exposition of all Writers holding that the generall resurrection and proceedings which shall bee at the last day are here set forth for euery place of Scripture is properly to be vnderstood vnlesse there be a necessity of admitting a figure because otherwise either some absurdity will follow or it will not agree with the analogy of faith neither of which can be iustly said here He that sitteth vpon a great white Throne is the Lord Iesus who appeareth thus to shew his glory for white is a signe of glory Mat. 17.1 the heauen and earth are said to fly away from before him to declare the fiercenesse and intolerablenesse of his anger at that day which is such that neither earth nor heauen are able to beare it a circumstance very vnfit to bee applied to that most notable worke of grace in bringing the Iewes home to the faith They shall fly away in regard of their externall forme and figure for they shall be changed as a vesture the heauens melting with heat and the earth flaming with fire but their substance shall still remaine after this called a new heauen and a new earth as most hold The dead that stand before the Iudge are both great and small
to shew both the vniuersality of the iudgement that shall be Note and the terriblenesse of the Iudge to the wicked so that nothing shall be able to abide his presence and the iust proceedings according to which all shall bee sentenced because they shall be by bookes and according to mens workes and lastly the wofull estate of all that haue done euill after this time they shall be cast into the lake of fire and the ioyfull estate of those that haue done well death and hell is abolished vnto them so that they shall stand in feare of these enemies no more What is written in the booke of life is kept so secret that wee cannot know it but they whose workes are euill may be sure that they are not therein written the booke of life and the register of mens workes doe parallel one another Wouldest thou then see into this great secret goe to thy workes and consider them if they be good thou art assuredly written in the booke of life otherwise thou mayst bee sure that thou art not and then the lake of fire gapeth for thee Psal 34.12 Be not deceiued therefore by thy faith but wouldest thou liue long and see good dayes refraine thy tongue from euill and thy lips that they speake no guile cease to doe euill seeke peace and ensue it Attend to that direction of our blessed Sauiour giuen to him that asked what he should doe to be saued 1 Tim. 6.7 keepe the Commandemâ—nts and if thou be rich forget not to distribute of thy goods to the poore and so lay vp to thy selfe a good foundation CHAP. XXI IN this and the Chapter following vnder the figure of the new Ierusalem the state of the Church triumphant in heauen is set forth as it shall be after the day of iudgement according to the opinion of all Expositors Brightman Forbs except two of ours who vnderstand it of a flourishing Church vpon earth after the Pope and Turke destroyed and the Iewes conuerted and some Popish Writers who expound it of the Church of Rome whom Alcasar a Iesuite mentioneth and confuteth But that it cannot possibly bee vnderstood of the Church vpon earth in any time or age is most plaine first because this vision followeth after the vision of the last great day of iudgement and therefore in order should represent somewhat after that 2. Because the condition of the Church is such here as that it can neuer be free from suffering and sorrow All that will liue godly must suffer persecution Rom 8.17 wee shall bee glorified with Christ if we suffer with him Ioh. 16. 1 Pet 5.8 and In the world ye shall haue trouble and if at any time there bee outward peace yet the Deuill like a roaring Lion goeth about continually seeking whom he may deuoure and there are bodily pangs and sicknesses and other occurrences that doe afflict whilest this life lâ—steth Heb. 12.10 for if wee should bee without chastisement wee should be bastards and no sonnes And lastly there is sinne euer here in the best which maketh them to sorrow Matth. 5.5 according to that Blessed are they which mourne for they shall be comforted But the new Ierusalem here described is without all sorrow and paine vers 4.3 Because the Church here described hath the glory of God which is all one with being glorified in heauen so as cannot said of any vpon earth vers 11.4 Because this Church is without a Temple needeth no light of the Sunne c. vers 22 23. whereas the Church vpon earth must alwayes haue a place to resort vnto and must be enlightened and vpheld in grace by meanes and shall euer need the light of the Sun and Moone 5. Because no vncleane thing is in this Church vers 27. whereas in this world the kingdome of heauen is euer like a corne field with tares in it like vnto ground with thornes and briars and stones in it and such as that it may be said alwaies Many are called but few are chosen Lastly to put vs out of doubt that no state of the Church here is meant but in heauen he saith that they shall see his face Chap. 22.4 for this shall neuer be till we come in heauen 1 Cor. 13. then shall we see as we are seene and herein standeth the perfection of blessednesse 1 Ioh. 3.3 for now we are the sonnes of God but it doth not yet appeare what we shall be for we shall see him as he is To say nothing of the new heauens and the new earth 2 Pet. 3.13 which Saint Peter speaketh of when he hath shewed how the world shall bee destroyed by fire but wee saith he looke for a new heauen and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse These reasons I thinke may satisfie any reasonable man against the probabilities that are that it should not be meant of the Church triumphant in heauen except the phantasticall Chiliast who may thinke to reconcile all these to his imagined ioyfull time of a thousand yeeres vpon earth after the first resurrection of the Martyrs onely for they apply all this to that imaginary condition But that hath beene sufficiently confuted already and whereas any thing may seeme to make against the common tenent of the glorified estate of the Church here set forth it shall be answered in the proper place And so I hasten to the exposition of the difficulties here as they offer themselues in order And I saw a new heauen and a new earth Vers 1. for the first were passed away neither was there any more sea By the new heauen and earth here most Expositors vnderstand not any new creation but so great an alteration in the heauens and the earth as if they were made new For these heauens and earth say they shall not cease to bee in regard of their substance but become more glorious as is taught Rom. 8.19 being no more subiect to corruption Neither shall they be renewed that we might again haue a dwelling here for we shall ascend 1 Thess 4. and euer remaine with the Lord aboue but to intimate the new glorified estate of the faithful if the creatures which were made to serue them shall come now to a new glorious condition then much more they for whose seruice they were made as Bullinger speaketh Bullinger But I haue already deliuered my coniecture vpon 2 Pet. 3.8 for the first heauen and earth were passed away This was shewed before Chap. 20.11 and because no mention was there made of the sea here it is added the sea was no more that we might not conceiue but that all the parts of the world fled from the Lords angry presence Bullinger Some thinke that nothing else is meant but that the sea was altered to a more glorious estate euen as the heauen and the earth but it is to be noted that he speaketh onely negatiuely of the sea but both affirmatiuely and negatiuely of the
City in this light they walke that enioy it as all the saued of the Gentiles shall doe and by the Kings of the earth they vnderstand all Regents temporall and spirituall politicke and Ecclesiasticke who bring their glory and honour hither when hauing drawne many by their care and industry in their places to piety they present them before the Lord in Heauen For this is immediatly after set forth to bee the glory here spoken of when it is added Vers 26. Vers 26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it for the nations and peoples who haue embraced the faith by their meanes are their glory as Saint Paul calleth the Corinthians his glory 2 Cor. 1. 1 Thes 2. Pareus Napier and likewise the Thessalonians Others agreeing in the light here spoken of yet differ a little about the Kings bringing of their glory hither for they say that they bring their glory hither when as they referre their power and authority to the honouring of the Church so comming at the last to enioy this glorious light for thus the Prophet Esay speaking of the same setteth it forth in words a little different from these Esa 60.3 The nations shall walke in thy light and the Kings in the splendour of thy rising It is againe obiected here that it cannot bee meant of the Church triumphant in heauen but of the flourishing Church of the Iewes that shall be vpon earth because the nations are distinguished here-from so as they shall not bee in heauen in the participation of that light for all shall enioy it immediatly not the nations by the meanes of the Iewes as they are set forth here to doe Againe all earthly kingdomes being in the end destroyed what glory shall the kings of the earth haue to bring into heauen They may indeed be rightly said to bring their glory to the Church when as they come in with their subiects to the embracing of the faith of Christ but otherwise there can be no good exposition of this passage I answer that the nations are not spoken of for distinction but for necessary resolution that the faithfull amongst them should enioy this glorious light as well as the faithfull of the Iewish nation who might easily bee vnderstood by the generall type here represented the new Ierusalem now lest any man should doubt whether the faithfull amongst the Gentiles should not partake of this light also he resolueth it by saying And the Gentiles that are saued shall walke in the light of it for as much as they concurre to the making of this holy City Touching the Kings bringing of their glory to it I take it that nothing else is meant but their accession vnto this building so many of them as haue beene wise and haue serued the Lord against the Whore as it was declared that they should Chap. 17.16 though at the first there were not many Noble yet the truth should so preuaile in time as that the Church should not only consist of the vulgar sort but of Kings and Princes also who are the glory and the most magnificent amongst the nations and as they helpe to constitute the spirituall building in this world so shall they be a part of this new Ierusalem in the world to come when all their worldly glory shall seeme nothing to them to the glory which they shall then partake of for which sense that of the Prophet Esay before alleaged maketh notably Esa 60.3 The nations shall walke in thy light and Kings in the splendour of thy rising And so it is no more than as if it had been said As this City shall be infinitely rich for gold and all the costly pretious stones and glorious like vnto the glory of God so they which seeme most glorious in this world the Kings of the earth that be of the faithfull and not the common sort of people shall ioy to bee made partakers of this glory bringing in as it were and laying at the Lords feet all their temporall honour and glory as nought worth in comparison of this as the faithfull in the Primitiue Church brought in their goods and laid them at the Apostles feet willingly depriuing themselues thereof that they might enioy their blessed and heauenly society in comparison of which they counted all this world as nothing All this then serueth onely to expresse yet more fully the glory of the new Ierusalem The gates of it shall not be shut Vers 25. It is the manner of citizens to shut their gates in the night to preuent danger because the world is full of euill disposed persons by reason of whom they may iustly feare to haue them stand open then but this state here described enioyeth perpetuall day here is no night neither is there any feare of enemies for they that are in heauen dwell most securely in this respect and therefore the gates are set forth to be continually open Yet whatsoeuer is vncleane is not permitted to enter for the Angels stand at the gates to keepe it out O thrice and foure times happy are they which shall partake of this estate Dost thou loue to be rich to be glorious to bee safe from danger to bee for euer free from the assaulâ—s of enemies and the vexation of such as be of corrupt and filthy conditions then loue the truth and walke according to it and abandon errour for such onely as cleaue to the truth and are constant against all temptations haue a part in this admirable City CHAP. XXII IN this Chapter it is proceeded in the description of other commodities of this City keeping to the allegory of a City wherein as a riuer of cleare water running thorow the midst of it is very pleasant and comfortable to the inhabitants and trees by the riuers side alwayes greene springing and fructifying doe yet adde vnto the pleasantnesse of the place so the heauenly city is set forth For hee proceedeth saying He shewed me a pure riuer of water of life Vers 1. as cleare as Crystall proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. And in the midst of the street Vers 2. and on either side of the riuer was there the tree of life which bare twelue manner of fruits and yeelded fruit euery moneth and the leaues of the tree were for the healing of the nations There is a place not much vnlike to this in Ezechiel where waters were shewed vnto the Prophet Ezec. 47. â— 3.5 increasing to a great riuer that issued out from the Temple Vers 7. many trees growing on the bankes on the one side of the riuer and on the other and it was told him that euery thing Vers 9. where these waters should come should bee healed and liue and that the trees should bee all sorts of trees for meat Vers 12. whose leaues fade not and they should bring forth fruit according to their moneths their fruit being for meat and
times being brought in speaking to tell of a Lion and of the root of Dauid according to the Prophesies that then went of him but when he appeareth to Iohn it is most fit that hee should appeare as a Lambe bearing a signe of being killed because he was so lately crucified and by the name of a Lambe he was spoken of by the Prophet of the new Testament Iohn the Baptist There are many reasons rendred why he was spoken of as a Lion and as a Lambe He was called a Lion first Ioh. 1.29 for his strength in ouercomming all his enemies secondly for his principality whereby he is King of all as the Lion is of the beasts thirdly for his courage whereby hee feareth nothing but maketh all afraid of him fourthly for his vnderstanding euen in his child-hood as the Lion alone of all beasts that haue clawes seeth as soone as he is whelped And whereas it may seeme strange that a Lion is spoken of for the opening of a Booke for which such a creature is vnfit one resolueth it well that sinne and the Deuill hindring from the sight of the mysteries of God Brightman a Lion of power to breake the force of these is fitly mentioned because this hindrance being taken away the seales that kept them fast in closed are as it were loosed The root of Dauid he is called according to Esay 53.2 whereas he is said to be a branch out of the root Esay 11.1 because although he be but a branch according to the flesh for so much as he came of Dauid yet hee is a root according to his Diuinity Rupertus Pannonius whereupon Dauid and all the godly are borne by faith partaking of his grace as of sap comming from him and consequently of saluation by him He is called a Lambe because he was offered vp in sacrifice for our sinnes at what time as a Lambe is dumbe and complaineth not so he opened not his mouth Orig. Hom. 24. in Num. He is in the midst of the Throne because taken vp to the same glory with God in his humane nature he standeth to set forth his resurrection Hee hath seuen hornes to shew his kingly power for hornes set forth strength and Kings seuen being a number of perfection that he hath the power of all Kingdomes Seuen eyes set forth the fulnesse of spirituall light comming from him as all Expositors agree If it shall seeme strange that Christ should appeare as a Lambe with seuen hornes to declare his kingly power seeing the Lambe is a weake creature and hath little strength in the hornes I answer that it was necessary he being set forth as a Sacrifice for our sinnes whereby they were taken away being otherwise an obstacle to the perception of diuine mysteries hornes in great number should be ascribed vnto him to declare his might yet remaining when hee had suffered lest his enemies should contemne him as a weakling And although two hornes which Lambs vsually haue were vnfit to set forth this yet seuen hornes doe fitly set forth an extraordinary Lambe mighty beyond the nature of that beast And the seuen eyes answer to the seuen Seales so that he hath eyes enow to see what is vnder euery seale Note that sinne hindreth from vnderstanding the mysteries of God they must be first expiated or else the Booke of God will still remaine sealed it is in vaine to diue into the knowledge of these things for an vnregenerate person that hath no part yet in the sacrifice of this Lambe whereby only his sinnes may be done away Quest 2. The Elders are said to haue Harpes and golden Vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints What Saints prayers are meant here the Saints in Heauen haue no need to offer prayers for themselues bee not these then our prayers and if they be is not here a ground to entreat them to further vs in our prayers seeing they must needs know what we pray otherwise they cannot offer the odours of our prayers And why doe they addresse themselues thus to celebrate the praises of the Lambe vpon the taking of this book to open it Ans The popish sort will haue their presenting of our prayers before God here vnderstood or at the least the prayings of the Saints in Heauen for vs which if it be so then they are Mediators of intercession and to be sought vnto by vs. Our Writers on the other side will haue nothing else but the praises of the Lambe which follow in this Chapter vnderstood because a thanksgiuing is a kinde of prayer It is most cleare that the prayers of Gods people vpon earth are not meant because they are odours in the golden Vials of these glorified Elders something proceeding from them and the â—est of the Saints in Heauen euen as the incense offered by the Priests vnder the Law was a sweet fume kindled by them that offered it But whether they were properly prayers petitioning for something or praises it is a question Forbs Brightman Some will haue this a representation of the Church vpon earth singing and offering vp the sweet odours of prayer but this cannot stand because things in earth are brought in praising the Lambe afterwards Neither can I see how the following praises should bee meant by the prayers of the Saints for that was the song which they sung to their Harpes from which the odours in their Vials are a distinct thing It must needs then be yeelded that Prayers are here properly to be vnderstood and the prayers of these foure and twenty together with all the rest of the Saints in Heauen for the Church vpon earth And so it cannot be denied but that they intercede for vs only their intercession is for vs all in generall not knowing the particular case of any seeing as the Prophet saith Abraham knoweth vs not Esa 63.16 Israel is ignorant of vs. And therefore to apply our selues to them in our praying that we may be holpen by their mediation as we are directed to doe vnto Christ is absurd and superstitious yea for so much as this honour belongeth to Christ only it is from him derogatory and so in a high degree impious It is comfort enough to vs in respect of the Saints in Heauen that they beare still an intire loue towards vs and by soliciting the Lord for vs seeke to further our happinesse and that their prayers in this kinde are gratefull as odours and so are all our owne godly prayers Also comming out of golden Vials that is hearts purified and made precious by Faith For their disposing of themselues to these praises after the taking of this sealed Booke to open the reason is plaine it is no small part of blessednesse to vnderstand the mysteries of God herein contained this blessednesse wee cannot attaine vnto but by the Lambe that hath died for vs wherefore when the Booke of these mysteries commeth to the opening there is great reason
that the vertues of this Lambe should be thankfully commemorated It is called a new song in respect of that in the former Chapter there are the praises of the creation which was of old here the praises of the redemption which was new Quest 3. Vers 9. And wee shall reigne on the earth How shall the Saints reigne vpon earth or how is it that being Kings in Heauen they ioy in thinking vpon a future reigning here Answ Forbs Brightman Some vnderstanding all of the Church militant say That reigning vpon earth is nothing else but being in the Kingdom of grace whilst we liue here Others vnderstanding it of the Saints in Heauen Bullinger Pareus say That the reigning vpon earth shal be when at the last day the Iudge descending they shall come together with him in great glory and shall appeare to be the Kings and Priests of God with Christ iudging this wicked world Arethas Mat. 5. Others againe vnderstand by earth that new earth which is promised to the meeke when it is said Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth And vnto this as the most probable doe I subscribe for there shall be a new Heauen and a new earth Chap. 21.1 and here shall the godly reigne in glory not as the Chiliasts and Turkes hold liuing in earthly pleasures for that is grosse neither is it to be thought that such pleasure is affected by such as are heauenly and spirituall but after the consummation of all at the Day of Iudgement the Saints shall reigne in another world which in allusion to this consisting of Heauen and Earth is called a new Heauen and a new Earth Or else consider whether it may not be vnderstood of the vpper hand which the Christian Religion should get of all false religions when Emperours and Kings should become Christian for being all of one mysticall body when the Christian Church getteth the principality the Saints in Heauen may reioyce to foresee it and say We shall reigne vpon earth that is our company which belong vnto the Lambe and admire and praise him as we doe And it was no small comfort to know this then when as all Empire and dominion was in the hands of heathen men and persecutors it must needs cheare vp the heart greatly to vnderstand what power Religion should haue ouer the Thrones and Scepters of this world and the ancient seruants of God may well be said to reigne vpon earth also because their dictates and instructions are generally receiued and obeyed vpon earth Quest 4. Vers 13. And I heard euery creature in Heauen and in earth vnder the earth and in the sea and all in them saying blessing and honour c. What are the creatures vnder the earth and how doth euery thing speake the praises of God when as all cannot speake Answ Ribera The Papists will haue the soules in purgatory meant by those vnder the earth some the Deuills who are compelled to giue glory to Christ But the best exposition is of the creatures which dwell in subterranean places for both they that are without and within the holes of the earth are called vpon to praise God Psal 148. and doe praise him and the Lord Iesus Christ in their kinde by whom a restauration of the world is attained when the faithfull shall be glorified as is declared Rom. 8.21 and for this cause they serue his prouidence which is their praising of him It is generally signified hereby what a consent there is amongst all things which are in expectation of benefit from Christ in celebrating his praises that we may doe likewise CHAP. VI. HEre is shewed how the Lambe beginneth to open the Seales in order and what followeth vpon the opening of each of them by such things as appeared future euents concerning the Church of God being emblematically set forth as the opening of euery Seale succeedeth one another and after the Seales follow the Trumpets Eullinger Forbs Brightman Lyâ—a Antonin Ambros lib. adulterinus Fox and after the Trumpets the Vials so some will haue the euents hereby set forth to succeed one another in order in diuers ages to the end of the world And some begin the computation from the beginning of the world by the seuen Seales vnderstanding the seuen ages Some from the foure Monarchies of the Assyrians Medes and Persians Grecians and Romans which they will haue set forth by these foure horses which beginnings cannot stand because Iohn is not taken vp to see things past but to come by which reason also that opinion reckoned vp by Andreas is confuted expounding the first Seale of Christs Birth Andreas ex Methodio the second of his Baptisme the third of his Miracles the fourth of his Arraignment the fift of his Buriall the sixt of his Descent c. The rest which speake more probably beginne the time at the Apostles going out to preach the Gospell in all nations and so apply euery thing to some notable accident as one happened after another from age to age Yet because at the opening of the sixt Seale mention is so plainly made of the last day of Iudgement as that it is but a wresting of the words to expound it any other way and againe at the sounding of the seuenth Trumpet it is so confidently affirmed that time was no more chap. 11. and the time is said to be come of iudging the dead vers 18. which cannot be meant but of the day of Iudgement and againe Chap. 14. the Vintage is cut downe and the Wine-presse trodden and againe Chap. 20. the dead arise and come to iudgement I cannot see how that computing of all things in order to the end can stand because the day of Iudgement which is last of all commeth so often in the way There are therefore that beginning the time at the propagation of the Gospell abroad in the world make diuers periods in these visions holding that within euery period most notable things which should happen to the end of the world are set forth Parcus in the first more obscurely and in euery following period more plainly and yet not alwaies the same but if any thing of note hath beene omitted in the former it is supplied in the periods following neither is euery one so vniuersall as another for some set forth the estate of the Church persecuted by Tyrants flourishing vnder Christian Emperours persecuted by Antichrist shaking off his yoke as the vision of the seuen Seales of the seuen Trumpets of the woman with childe cloathed with the Sunne and of the Angell binding the Dragon being afterwards loosened againe but some set forth that part of the estate of the Church only which was in Antichrists reigne and ouerthrow as the seuen Vials and the vision of the great whore and her destruction And vnto this as being most without exception doe I subscribe the rather because S. Augustine long agoe gaue some light to this method saying
it as a comfort in suffering seeing when a man hath suffered death for Christ he is receiued vnder his wing being conformable to him in being sacrificed they rest and are safe with him for euer Some expound the Altar of Christs humanity Bernard serm 4. Omnium sanct which the faithfull are receiued vnto now it being reserued till the last day to giue them the full fruition of his diuinity also Some by the Altar vnderstand the places of the martyrs buriall or sufferings Ribera Viegas because Altars were wont to be built vpon them and the crying of their soules they will haue to be none other but as the crying of Ables bloud where it was spilt and soules are spoken of by a phrase vsuall so many men being called so many soules But this is a meere Iesuiticall imagination seeing Altars vpon martyrs sepulchres were of a later edition and though so many men be often called so many soules yet when the soules of any that are slaine are named it cannot bee so taken Whereas most stand for Christ meant by the Altar I should willingly incline to thinke so to but that Christ yet standeth as a Lambe and therefore I cannot see how he can at the same time bee represented by an Altar also I conclude therefore as I began that by the appearance of an Altar is represented their sacrificing when they suffered the place wherein they now are being heauen the common receptacle of all faithfull soules but said to bee vnder the Altar to denote the manner of their death neither doth Iohn see them with his bodily eyes but being in the spirit And fidy doe the soules of the martyred appeare after such a number slaine by cruell enemies crying for vengeance not vocally for soules doe not vtter voyces but vertually the destroying and murthering of them hauing a loud cry in the eares of God so that a desire of reuenge in them is amisse surmised to bee from hence who being in the flesh had so much loue as that they prayed for their persecutors and were farre from the spirit of reuenge But they are brought in crying aloud for the terrour of persecutors seeing the cryes of such shall without doubt bee regarded though in respect of many more yet in these times of corruption to bee crowned also with martyrdome a delay to bemade Whereupon it is that their answer is also set forth in this manner And thus I haue briefly resolued the rest of the doubts without delaying the reader by the diuersity of expositions Pareus Brightman Chrysost Hom. in Psal 9. August Serm. 30. detemp some interpreting their cry for reuenge to be onely for deliuerance of the Church from persecutors hauing beene already so long oppressed and some for the taking away of this malice out of mens mindes that there may bee no more persecuting by confounding such Kings and Potentates that they may bee brought to turne vnto Christ The white robes giuen vnto them Bullinger Brightman howsoeuer some contend that they were signes of some comfort and breathing time which the Church should haue and had about this time according to their exposition yet both the plaine speech which is vsed in answering them is against it for they are told of their brethren that must be slaine also and white robes are neuer spoken of in this sense Pareus but to set forth heauenly glory which is not to be thought now first to haue been giuen vnto them but immediatly vpon their departure out of this life when their deaths began first to cry though it was not represented in vision till now so that euen when they cry they are in the midst of heauenly ioyes and without all passion of sorrow onely they are not perfectly glorified till the whole company being made vp at the day of iudgement being reunited to their bodies they shall reigne in heauen for euer wherefore they are bidden rest till their fellow seruants were slaine also And well doth this cry come in after the fourth seale representing the corruptions in the Church fighting against the truth because this persecution hath beene longer than any before it and therefore needfull it was to tell of martyrs which had beene already made crying out and of such as should yet bee made when it might seeme to bee full time to put an end to these miseries that expecting so long a continuance wee might arme our selues with patience Quest 3. The sixt seale being opened Vers 12. there was a great earthquake and the Sunne became blacke as haire cloth and the Moone as bloud c. What is meant by these things and whether the day of iudgement or no Answ Most Expositors hold that the day of iudgment is here described Fox Richard de Sancto victore Pannonius Primasius Beda Rupertus Arethas c. when the reuenge before cryed for is taken vpon all sorts of persecutors of the Church and the words here vsed are nothing else but a periphrasis vpon this day for thus the Lord setteth forth the day of iudgement Luk. 21.11 There shall be great earth-quakes in diuers places Vers 25. There shall be fignes in the Sunne Moone and Starres and vpon the earth distresse of nations with perplexity Vers 26. Mens hearts failing them for feare c. and more expresly Mark 13.24 The Sun shall be darkened the Moone shall not giue her light 25. The starres of heauen shall fall and the powers of heauen shall be shaken The Sun shall be darkened because it shall no more giue light to this world the Moone shall be turned into bloud to shew the great destruction that then shall be the stars shall fall there being no further vse of them when men shall cease to bee here euen as the leaues of the figtree fall off when there is no further need of them to couer the figs. The heauens are as a booke folded vp when they lofe all their light being as it were clapt together whereas now it standeth open That which followeth of the mountaines and ilands remouing out of their places is to shew the greatnes of this earth-quake euen to the destroying of the earth Then all wicked men how great soeuer they haue beene in this world shall quake and feare being vnable to beare the wrath to come vpon them set foorth in their calling to the mountaines to fall vpon them c. Blas Viegas Who also saith that many Doctors expound this thus Brightman Grasser Others will haue these things vnderstood allegorically the great earth-quake of the great persecution vnder Dioclesian being in all parts of the earth at once then say they the Sun of righteousnesse Christ was darkened in his members the Moone the Church appeared like bloud being all bloudy with slaughters the starres the ministers of God many of them fell for feare from Christianity to idolatry the heâ—uen the Church was folded vp as a booke hiding it selfe for feare at that time and the inhabitants of
apparitions agree to these iudgements being almost euery one alike the Sword Famine and Pestilence where as in the figures first there is haile and fire and bloud vpon earth then a burning mountaine in the sea c. euery one differing greatly from another I answer that the Lord did not respect so much the diuersity of euils to come as the number of them and the greatnesse able to make all men to turne their eyes to behold and bee amazed at them And more particularly these are made choise of to set them forth after the manner of the Prophets who are wont to allude vnto some remarkable History of things past in foretelling of things to come though they be not of the very same kinde for vpon the Egyptians these things were done almost according to the letter there was haile and fire mingled together their Riuers were so smitten as that they could not drinke of them without dying there was darknesse of three dayes and three nights and finally the red Sea like bloud falling vpon them as a huge mountaine became their destruction being like fishes tumbled vp and downe in the deepe To shew then that these professed enemies and persecutors of Christianity should be destroyed by Gods Iudgements as Pharaoh and the Egyptians were these figures are taken vp and because they had many waies to torment Christians the Lord sheweth that they also should be plagued many waies and be destroyed with strange iudgements before vnheard of For it is Gods manner to punish sinners in their kinde the Sodomites who burnt with strange lusts with a burning fire from Heauen the builders of Babel who sought them a name with confusion and the enemies of the Christian Religion who sought out strange tortures with a burning mountaine and worme-wooddy Starre c. iudgements strange and terble And the third part of the Sea and the third part of trees c. are said to bee affected with these iudgements as I thinke because it was but a third part of the whole world where these tragedies were acted if the parts vnknowne till of late and yet vnknowne be considered Quest 4. And I saw and heard an Angell flying thorow the midst of Heauen saying with a loud voice Woe Vers 13. c. What Angell was this and why is this cry interposed here Answ The vulgar Latine and Arias Montanus for Angell reade Eagle I saw an Eagle flying but in all other Copies it is an Angell Lyra. Petr. Damas Viegas Ribera Hereupon some stand to finde out why an Eagle should be vsed to cry thus and resolue that it was one of the foure animals like an Eagle and some Iohn himselfe who was hereby figured out and some the Preachers of the last times or some singular Preacher who should foretell the iudgements of those daies Beda Arethas and Ticonius follow the vulgar but there is the like passage againe afterwards Reuel 14.6 where it is spoken of an Angell putting it out of doubt that it is an Angell here also Forbs Brightman Pareus Some will haue this Angell to be Gregory the great who gaue warning of the Antâ—christ not aboue three yeeres before lib. 4. Epist 34. The king of pride is at hand and which is horrible to speake an army of Priests is prepared Epist 38. He iterateth the same and addeth He is Antichrist that shall challenge to himselfe to be vniuersall Bishop Not much aboue three yeeres after Boniface the third tooke vpon him this title and his successors likewise to this day plainly declaring the Pope to be Antichrist euen by their owne rule which is That the Pope cannot erre And therefore Pope Gregory erred not in thus saying but it was truth which he so seriously and often affirmed Hee that will be vniuersall Bishop is Antichrist This howsoeuer it be true yet it hath no place here for the woes proclaimed are not against the Church but the inhabitants of the earth by which name wicked shedders of the innocent bloud of Christians are complained against vnder the fift Seale It is more genuine therefore by this Angell to vnderstand an Angell properly as in speaking of other Angels who flyeth thorow the midst of the Heauen that the sound of his denunciation might bee heard euery where hee giueth warning of greater plagues yet to come Hitherto terrible iudgements against professed enemies of Christianity riding vpon the red horse had beene represented now the case of heretikes and of corrupters of Religion in the Papacy commeth to bee described in the fift and sixt Trumpets and the finall destruction of all the wicked in the seuenth and because these indgements should yet be more grieuous than the former it is cried Woe woe woe as there were three times of execution yet to come that if it were possible mens hard hearts might be pierced and many being brought to repentance might escape these euills For it is Gods vsuall manner to giue warning before hee striketh which if it be not taken the heauier will the iudgements bee when they come CHAP. IX ANd the fift Angell blew his Trumpet Quest 1 and I saw a Starre fallen from Heauen to the earth and to him was giuen the key of the bottomlesse pit c. What is meant by this Starre and by the Locusts comming out of hell together with the circumstances of their description in their forme time manner of tormenting and King which is set ouer them Many Writers by this Starre vnderstand the Bishops of Rome in their succession Answ when they fell from being heauenly and seeking after the saluation of mens soules to be earthly and to seeke more after honours and riches here for then they had keyes indeed but of the bottomlesse pit Brightman And some more particularly referre this Trumpet to Boniface the third who obtained of the Emperour Phocas to bee vniuersall Bishop for then the fall appeared being indeed before as is intimated in the word fallen not falling but now the fall was made more sensible Darknesse arose when ignorance preuailed and in these times of ignorance an innumerable company of religious persons of diuers orders who like Locusts eat vp the fat and best things euery where They sting like Scorpions when they seeme least to intend any hurt but only such as are not marked for God hath his Church in the midst of Popery others which are misled by them are not proceeded against as by persecutors before described but vnwittingly receiue such Doctrine from them as turneth to a sting of conscience more grieuous than the bodily death viz. the doctrine of Purgatory and of vncertainty of saluation and of the merit of workes and of superstitious orders and tedious pilgrimages and bloudy whippings more grieuous than present death The time of fiue moneths limited vnto them some vnderstand indefinitely Bibâ—â—an â—â—r Arto â—â—us Rullinger Chytraeus this being the whole time of the Locusts which lay their egges in Autumne and being kept all winter in a
which cause she is called his body some resolue this by applying this womans trauailing with childe and bringing forth to the conception and birth which is by faith For the old Church by faith longed for and was pained in expecting his comming so long a time and euery man may bee said to trauaile with Christ and to bring him forth when through many inward troubles and much sorrow for sinne he commeth to be regenerate and to leade a new life for then hee liueth not any more but Christ liueth in him Gal. 2.20 Bullinger Gorran as Saint Paul speaketh and this according to Bullinger and Gorran But because this is daily done and here is rather an allusion to Christs corporall birth from which time that which is here figured out beginneth to take place it doth not seeme to mee to agree so well and therefore I vnderstand it rather of his corporall birth by the Virgin Mary as Bullinger doth at the first For although shee were but one particular member of the Church yet that for the effecting of which she was vsed as an instrument herein may well be ascribed to the whole body whereof she was a member and therefore St. Paul speaking of the whole Iewish nation saith Rom. 9.5 of whom Christ came according to the flesh As for other circumstances of being pained and crying out to be deliuered I hold them to be meerely allegoricall and not to be strained to a particular signification but as when a woman is neere her time of being deliuered it appeareth by these signes so they are here mentioned to signifie the neere approaching of the time when the Church of the Iewes should corporally in Mary a vessell chosen to this purpose bring forth our blessed Sauiour And this is one reason also why the Church is set forth by a woman because the head and the chiefe vpon whom all the rest depend was promised by the name of the seed of the woman If there shall seeme to bee a disagreement in the time because the things set forth here were not already past but altogether such as should happen afterwards I answer with Pareus Pareus Bullinger that the intent of this vision is to set forth things to come but for more orderly proceeding if it be begun a little higher euen at the birth of Christ there is no going from the matter propounded viz. to set forth things to come sith it is done onely to illustrate them them the better as was also done before in the opening of the first seale when a white horse issued out that he might the more orderly and with better light proceed vnto the red and blacke and pale horses c. It is said that hee should rule all nations with a rod of iron to expresse his terriblenesse to his enemies and such as rebell against him which are commonly expressed by the name of Nations or Heathen because they knew him not One expoundeth this of Constantine the great but neither was he watched at his birth to be deuoured Brightman but after that hee came to the Empire at what time the childe here spoken of is past all danger if it be vnderstood of his spirituall birth when he became Christian it were preposterously set down for so his birth should follow his being taken vp into the throne neither did he rule ouer all nations Chap. 4. neither can the throne of God be fitly applied vnto him here vpon earth seeing this throne is before described so as that no man can bee said to bee taken vp to it till he be glorified in heauen One will haue Heraclius the Emperour Lyra. who destroyed and succeeded the vsurper Phocas vnderstood here but there is no colour for it Touching the great red Dragon he is set forth plainly v. 9. that he is the Deuill but is called a Dragon in alluding to his first appearance vnto Eue in a serpent when he tempted her he is red through fury and cruelty Ioh. 8.44 hee was a murtherer from the beginning Viegas He is said to be in heauen here according to some for the like reason that the woman is said to be there because he persecuteth her who is said to be in heauen or rather because he had his abiding sometime in heauen and though hee be excluded because he kept not his first standing yet a long time hee had the liberty of appearing there before God amongst the good Angels for hee appeared amongst them to accuse Iob and that it was his common practise is here afterwards plainly intimated Iob 2. vers 10. how hee commeth to bee quire excluded and when we shall see further by and by but still he is said to be Principalities and powers in heauenly places Eph. 6.12 Pareus because hee hath the liberty of the Aerean heauen to this day His seuen heads with crownes vpon them set forth by the common consent the many kings of the earth who are ready as his instruments to execute his will the number of seuen being vsuall in this booke to set forth many his ten hornes his great power by meanes of other states of people who also serue him who are more in number Certainly the largenesse and multitude of his dominions and his manifold power is hereby figured out and how great a Potentate hee is to expresse the more the danger wherein this childe was that the power whereby he was preserued might be the more magnified His taile drawing the third part of the starres and casting them to the ground doth yet more illustrate his stupendious power By these starres I vnderstand the Angels that fell together with Lucifer who as the chiefe drew them after him and therefore hee is said to draw them with his taile because they followed him in sinning and were throwne downe to the ground which was by being depriued of their place and dignity in heauen For there is one Deuill as the chiefe and ringleader set forth the rest of the infernall spirits followed him And this though done long before is brought in here as auailing to a perfect description of him that it might the better appeare how formidable he was Some by the starres vnderstand Parous Viegas as in Chap. 1. the Churches which are seduced vnto Popery and some the Doctors who by worldly preferments and respects are fawned vpon Bullinger Forbs and so drawne away from the truth vnto errour and so by heauen they vnderstand the Church of God by earth the world of the wicked who are set vpon earthly things into whose society they come being thus drawne away But for so much as heauen is a distinct thing here from the Church if the woman be the Church for shee appeareth in heauen I cannot see how by heauen should be vnderstood the Church here and consequently how by the stars should be meant the Doctors and therefore I rest in the first exposition as most naturall and the rather because
they are not only said to be stars but starres of heauen as he himselfe at the first was and therefore is called Lucifer Esa 14.12 Hee standeth ready to deuoure this childe so soone as hee should be borne for he stirred vp Herod to send his executioners to kill all the male children in Bethlehem of two yeeres old and vnder and from the time that he shewed himselfe after his baptisme he neuer left persecuting him and plotting his destruction till that at length he was crucified but euen then in stead of being deuoured nothing befell him but what hee did voluntarily vndergoe and he was soone raised vp againe and taken to the throne of the Father and therefore he is spoken of as missing his purpose herein for so much as Christ by his death gat the dominion Heb. 2.15 Col. 2.14 and euen vpon the Crosse triumphed ouer the Deuill Learne we from hence both of how excellent a condition the Church of God is heauen is her countrey and her glory is heauenly and most magnificent that we may preferre to be members of the Church before all worldly honours and also what a terrible enemy we haue of the Deuill so that we can no sooner become Christians but hee is at hand to deuoure vs neither doth he want power so to doe but he shall not be able to hinder our saluation that we may put vpon vs the armour of God neuer being secure but alwayes making account that we stand in the midst of greatest dangers and therefore continually seeking to the highest power by prayer and out of a confident expectation of being taken vp out of all danger to glory at the last becomming strong in the faith to beare all oppositions without shrinking howsoeuer we be assaulted Quest 2. The woman fled into the wildernesse Vers 6. where she hath a place prepared of God that they may nourish her one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes c. To what time is this fight to be referred what is this wildernesse and how long is this time of one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Answ This relation commeth in here by way of anticipation as most consent for this very persecution and flight into the wildernesse is more largely described vers 13. and this time is the same onely by a prolepsis it is in short here propounded to satisfie such as would bee ready to inquire what became of the mother after that the sonne was taken vp shee was persecuted and fled c. but in order of time somewhat happened before this and therefore before a full declaration of this persecution that is set forth in the next words And there was a great battell in heauen Vers 7 8. Michael and his Angels fought c. of which we are to consider before we answer this the proper place for this comming in afterwards viz. vers 13. Quest 3. Where is the fight here said to be in heauen what is Michael and the deuils casting out of heauen c. Answ No man doth hold that this is to bee vnderstood according to the letter for it were absurd that there should be a fight in heauen being a place of all peace and comfort and not for any variance Heauen therefore is to be vnderstood as before when the woman is said to appeare in heauen and the great red Dragon against her which was all done here below but represented in heauen as the proper place of the Church which is but a stranger in this world and the place where the Deuill first had his abode and where he was wont to appeare to accuse the godly For so a great fight is said to bee in heauen when as indeed it was in this world because they which doe instigate and stirre vp vnto it are on the one side the holy Angels of God whose abode is in heauen Eph. 6.12 and on the other side the troupe of vncleane spirits who are in heauenly places that is the vpper part of the aire Many stand for the Church that by heauen here the Church is meant but seeing the woman is the Church who is persecuted after this fight and casting down of the Deuill from heauen to the earth I cannot see how heauen should bee put for the Church also But being vnderstood as hath beene before deliuered all things following will excellently agree Michael the Archangell with his Angels fight that is that principall good Angell who is superiour to all the rest as the Deuill is the principall of the euill Angels he with the other good Angels I say standing for the truth stirred vp Christian Emperours and Gouernors to fight for the truth and the Deuill on the other side with his infernall rabble stirred vp Heathen Emperors and Gouernors to fight against the truth Forbs Brightman Mason And thus almost doth Forbs and Brightman vnderstand it for they make Constantine the great and his assistants in his battels Michael and his Angels and Licinius with his assistants the Deuill and his Angels Many will haue Christ meant by Michael Bullenger Grasserus Pareus both here wheresoeuer else this name occurreth because he is said to be the Archangell that is the Prince of Angels and Michael one as God But why may not one Angell bee chiefe amongst the good Angels as well as one Deuill is chiefe amongst the euill Angels And if so it is no whit absurd to say that he is like God being so eminent an image of his maiesty and excellency And therefore some hold Michael to be an Angell indeed Fox as hath beene already said and by the ancients it hath beene generally held to be so onely some question hath beene of what Angels Michael is the chiefe and herein most following Dionysius who wrote of the orders of Angels haue held him to bee the chiefe of the lowest order onely I cannot approue so well of expounding Michael the Archangell of Constantine or of any man or the Deuill of Licinius because there is none other place of Scripture which giueth light vnto such an exposition and the following circumstances agree not seeing Licinius perished when he was ouercome of Constantine neither did hee persecute the Church any more and afterwards this Deuill said here to haue but a short time is also said to be bound vp a thousand yeeres and then to rage as hauing but a short time which can no way agree to that Tyrant Michael therefore fighteth by his pupils Constantine Theodosius Valentinian and other godly Emperours the Deuill by the heathen Emperours before Constantine and Licinius and Iulian and Eugenius who sought to beat downe the Christian religion This fight began soone after Christs ascension and continued till ann 394. in three hundred of which yeeres the Deuill fought so as that by his agents the Heathen Emperours the truth was put in great hazzard but then Michael began his battell so fiercely as that errour and idolatry was put to the worse but by
earthly things the honours and preferments of this world they cry out Who is like vnto the beast or who can warre with him Beda Primas Richard de Sancto Victore Haimo Ansel Tho. Aquin. Many Ancients who are commonly followed by the Papals say that Antichrist shall feine himselfe to bee dead three daies and then reuiuing againe he shall strike all men into an admiration c. But Viegas himselfe doth sufficiently confute this because it is not said hee seemed to be dead but was wounded deadly and therefore he rather holdeth that one of the seuen Kings which shall fight against Antichrist but afterwards submit vnto him shall before such his submission bee wounded but after be cured againe but this is as absurd as the former for not an opposite but an head of this beast is wounded and therefore no King fighting against him Let them tremble that reade this passage who admire after any man and extoll and magnifie him as if he were a God as the Papists doe the Pope for in thus doing they worship the Dragon and shew themselues plainly to be such as haue not their names written in the booke of life as it followeth vers 8. Quest 5. Vers 5. How can the speaking of blasphemies be applied vnto the Pope the blaspheming of God and of his Tabernacle and of such as dwell in heauen when as he doth worship them all And what time is this two and forty moneths of which it is said Power was giuen him to make warre two and forty moneths Answ I hold herein with those Pareus P. du Moulin Brightman that expound this blaspheming of God of the Popes arrogating to himselfe such titles and abilities as belong vnto God onely the titles of the head and husband of the Church King of kings the Lord of heauen earth and hell that hath all mysteries and lawes in the closet of his brest Iudge of all and to be iudged of none who hath all power in heauen and in earth shutteth and no man openeth openeth and no man shutteth yea and the Lord God the abilities are to make something of nothing to make God to make the word to be free from all possibility of erring to make decrees of the like certainty and authority with the Canonicall Scripture to be such a vniuersall Soueraigne as that all vpon paine of damnation must be subiect vnto him to giue the kingdomes of the earth c. for all these are maintained properly to belong vnto the Pope and accordingly he doth take vpon him Now that this is a blaspheming of God it hath beene a tenent so ordinary and common as that when our Sauiour Christ did take the like vpon himselfe as to be the Sonne of God and so God the Iewes cryed out hee hath blasphemed neither can a man speake greater things of himselfe and more blasphemous against God than these He blasphemeth his Tabernacle which is his Church by vaunting that the Church whereof he is the head is the onely true Catholike Church arrogating thus vnto his Apostaticall Synagogue that which is proper to the true Church of God and as for the true Church indeed he ladeth it with most ignominious names of hereticall schismaticall infidell deuillish and damned The Church is called the Tabernacle in allusion to the Tabernacle of the Iewes wherein God sometime dwelt in the middest of them Hee blasphemeth the Saints in heauen by making idoll Gods of them affixing them to certaine Temples where the old idols of the heathen sometime dwelt and assigning them such offices some to be ouer hogs some ouer horses some ouer this particular disease some ouer that c. P. du Moulin Pareus Brightman These expositors doe also mention another inter pretation of heauen being taken for the Church and so the Saints there for the godly here whom the Pope blasphemeth by imputing vile names vnto them and laying to their charge vile actions but certainly wee must make a distinction betweene the Tabernacle of God here mentioned and heauen otherwise the word should not haue beene varied but as it was spoken of blaspheming the Tabernacle so it should haue been added and the Saints that dwell in this Tabernacle but it is the Saints in heauen which may wel be properly vnderstood and therefore this sense is the rather to be preferred They make also the blaspheming of them the ascribing of diuine properties vnto them as when the Virgin Mary is prayed vnto by the name of Queene of heauen our Lady our onely hope our saluation and mediatrix and when of her and other Saints is begged helpe comfort deliuerance from sinnes and from damnation This is indeed a blaspheming of God by ascribing that vnto his seruants which is peculiar to his maiesty but how it should be termed a blaspheming of them I cannot see for it is rather an ouer-honouring of them Some vnderstanding all of the old Roman Emperors Bullinger Fox say that they spake great things when they boasted of their great victories and blasphemed by preferring their idols before the God of Israel the Tabernacle which was amongst the Iews by vilifying it and the Saints by speaking vily of the holy Prophets and other seruants of God But seeing this is after the wound giuen and healed in the Popes arising to the Imperiall State as hath beene already shewed the order will not permit this exposition Andreas Some by the Tabernacle of God vnderstand the body of Christ which is blasphemed by the Popes taking vpon him to make it in the Masse affirming that the Bread is his true substantiall body and therefore to be adored as Christ himselfe Gagnaeus Gorran Blas Viegas Beda Haimo c. As for the expositions of those that apply all things here to Antichrist yet for to come holding that hee shall blaspheme God by saying that he is no God that himselfe is God that he shall blaspheme his name in speaking against the life Doctrine of Christ his Tabernacle that is the Church militant dwelling here as it were for a time in Tabernacles and the Saints in heauen by saying that they are all damned These I say and the like whereby the ancients haue beene carried away in times past I omit to confute as falling together with that tenent of Antichrists reigning but three yeeres and an halfe reiected long before in this our exposition As for the time wherein it is giuen him to doe Vers 5. or to make warre for in some copies it is read the one way and in some the other viz. two and forty moneths this is the same time which was mentioned before Chap. 11.2 Chap. 11. and is to bee computed likewise the reader therefore may haue recourse thither Some expound it of the continuance of the Roman Empire Beard as it was gouerned by Emperours and Kings c. till the comming in of the Gothes and Vandals for from the building of Rome till the
world shall vilitate Great gifts and goods then shall he impetrate Huge heapes of gold he shall haue into treasure With siluer hid and money without measure Discouered things he shall loose and remit Of Magicke Art well shall he know and wit The mysteries and secret sorcery The mighty God he makes a Babe to be Downe he shall tread all true worshippin And at chiefe heads of error first begin His mysteries to all he shall expone Then comes the time of mourning and of mone c. These bookes of the Sybils were much esteemed of and kept in the Capitoll at Rome during the Ethnicisme thereof the prouidence of God ordering it so that from Rome wee might learne that he whose Sea is there is the childe of perdition and after the Popes triple crowne for he is most plainly here described much corruption should be in the worship of God and after that should come vpon that state ineuitable destruction Touching Romes rise at the fall of the Grecian Empire no learned man is ignorant it fell again by means of the Goths Vandals and Heruls and Longobards But touching the time of the new kinde of Empire in him that weareth many crownes it may iustly be doubted seeing many fifteene Emperours haue beene before the Pope came to this height of honour which was not till the dayes of Phocas It is therefore necessary to distinguish betwixt Heathen and Christian Emperours for this being applied to the first sort will in no case stand but to the other it doth very well agree for from Constantine the first Christitian Emperour to Phocas are but fifteene if Iulian the Apostata be cast out who was no Christian and Mauritius by the murthering of whom Phocas attained the Empire be not reckoned as there is no reason to reckon him seeing another vsurped that dignity and tooke it from him The second to Constantine was Constantius and his brethren together the third Iouinianus the fourth Valentinianus and Valens together the fift Gratianus Valentin and Theodosius the sixt Arcadius and Honorius the seuenth Theodosius and Valentin the eighth Martianus the ninth Leo the tenth Zeno the eleuenth Anastatius the twelfth Iustinus the thirteenth Iustinianus the fourteenth Iustinus the younger the fifteenth Tiberius Next to Tiberius Phocas gate the Empire from Mauritius his Master in whose dayes this new kinde of Empire began which from Ponti may iustly be called Pontificiam These things thus consenting to make plaine the mysterie of iniquity in the Popedome doe not harden your selues O ye Papists but be wise in time and come out of Romish Babylon that ye come not with her to perpetuall most horrible destruction CHAP. XIX AFter the vtter destruction of Babel represented here followeth a representation of the great ioy which should hereupon bee amongst the faithfull triumphing ouer her in heauen together with the cause of her destruction and of her partakers and the description of the King by whom shee is destroyed Brightman Vers 1. Some will haue the Church of God vnderstood by heauen which hearing of the destruction of Babel praiseth God for it lest if heauen bee properly vnderstood it should follow that the Saints there know of the things done vpon earth Bullinger Pareus Grasserus But I subscribe rather to those that vnderstand heauen properly as they in heauen were exhorted before Chap. 18.20 to reioyce ouer Babel fallen for howsoeuer they are ignorant of particulars yet it is not vnlikely but that they vnderstand either by the relation of Angels or by reuelation from God what ingenerall is the state of the Church in this world else how could the soules of the slaine lying vnder the Altar cry out for reuenge vpon persecutors as not being yet taken Reuel 6.10 Moreouer there went before a particular exhortation to reioyce for this which argueth the notification of it in heauen by diuine reuelation Touching the song Hallaluiah Vers 3. it is compounded of Hallalu praise yee and iah the Lord Hebrew words It is a question amongst Expositors why they are exhorted to praise God by an Hebrew word To this some answer Brightman that mystically the ioyning of the Iewes who should now be conuerted to the faith is intimated but most without any such mystery hold that a word of this language is chosen as in many other passages in alluding to the old manner of praising God in his Church that first was Bullinger Pareus for Halleluiah in prefixed before many of the Psalmes as a word then ordinarily vsed to praised God And for the same cause the Arke of the Testimony the Altar and Censers with incense are mentioned before because what was and was done in the Temple of God of old amongst the Hebrewes did serue to figure out what should be Vers 4. and be done afterwards in heauen Touching the foure and twenty Elders and foure beasts who haue hitherto stood by as spectatours of all that hath beene done and now giue their applause and approbation it hath beene already shewed what they are Vers 6. Chap. 4.4 c. The voice of all the multitude that stirre vp to praise God compared to the sound of many waters and of thunder is so compared to set forth the greatnesse of the company for they must needs bee very many from whom such a loud sounding voyce must come Vers 7. The matter of this ioy next vnto the ruine of Babel is the marriage of the Lambe approching and the adorning of his wife for the marriage This wife is the woman before spoken of Chap. 12. that fled into the wildernesse from the face of the Dragon but her enemies that sought her life being destroyed shee is brought in now againe her weeds of mourning and sorrow being laid away and garments of ioy and gladnesse as of a Bride going to be married being put vpon her For after the ouerthrow of Popery there shall be no enemies any more to cause mourning and wearing of sack cloth but a most flourishing estate of the Church begun here and soone after perfected in heauen For I doe not thinke that the ioyfull time of this marriage here set forth is to be vnderstood onely of the flourishing estate of the Church in this world after so long a time of persecution but because here is both a preparation and a marriage Supper both the time of the Churches ioyfull condition for a time here where it is prepared and hereafter in heauen where the marriage is perfected and the supper held are included for here the Church is prepared for the Bridegroome Christ by sanctification through the word and Sacraments which haue now their course more freely than in times past there she is presented vnto him and they being really ioyned a feasting supper is held of heauenly comfort and ioy euerlastingly And this is the apparelling of sine linnen granted to the Church here spoken of which is said to be the righteousnesse of the Saints but
A Catalogue of those Authors out of whom any thing is taken in the following Expositions AMbrosius Artopaeus Augustinus Anselmus Athanasius Aretius Adam Sasbout Alcasar Ambros Compsae Abbot Andreas Alphonsus Arethas Abbas Ioachim Basilius magnus Beda Brightman Beza Bernard Blasius Viegas Baronius Bibliander Bullinger Bellarmine Beard Brocardus Chrysostomus Clemens Alexand. Cicillus Alexand. Caietan Caelius Clemens 1. Chitreus Collado Catharinus Dydimus Dionysius Dent. Epiphanius Eusebius Erasmus Forbs Franciscus Breus Fox Fulke Faber Stapul Franc. Lambert Gregorius Magnus Glossa Ordin Glos Interlin Graeca Scholia Gagnaeus Giffard Gorran Grasserus Hieronymus Haimo Herodotus Hugo Irenaeus Iosephus Ioan. Leonard Illiricus Iunius Luther Lioy Lyranus Lorinus Methodius Marlorat Mason Nicephorus Napier Osiander Oecumenius Origen Orosius Petrus Aureolus Pareus Petrus Damascen Piscator Petrus du Moulin Pirkins Primasius Pannonius Prosper Aquitan Ribera Rupertus Richard de Sancto Victore Ruffinus Syrus Interpres Strabo Sebastianus Meyer Sixtus Senensis Scaliger Sabellicus Suarez Sleiden Surius Thomas Aquinas Tertullian Ticonius Tremelius Tossanus Turrianus Vict. Zeger Viterbiensis Victor Vticensis Victor Antioch Whitaker TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY CHARLES by the grace of God of great Britaine France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. Grace Mercy and Peace in Christ Iesus DRead Soueraigne for so much as J haue now a long time deuoted my selfe by writing to doe some seruice to this Church whereof the great God of Heauen hath made your Maiesty vnder his Sonne Christ supreme Head and Gouernour J haue thought it my duty now that by the Diuine assistance J haue finished this difficult Worke which is the first that J haue put forth since your Maiesties auspicious comming to the Crowne to present it to your Royall hands as being the best way that J haue to expresse my vnfained hearty loue and affection and exceeding great ioy for the happy Inauguration of another very Dauid againe for courage after such a Solomon for wisdome of another Iosuah after Moses after a Writer a Fighter of the Lords battels Onely J pray that he who alone moderateth the warres would likewise grant Victories to our Iosuah and to his Forces and Confederates that no idolatrous Amorites may be able to stand before him but now that their wickednesse is come to such an height they may be confounded and dissipated This must be their end as the Fountaine of all profound wisdome did long agoe reueale vnto Iohn neither can it bee long before they come to this end as the following expositions vpon Iohn I hope will make plaine to euery intelligent Reader The Reuelation the expounding of which is the chiefe part of this Worke was a Booke into the mysteries whereof your Maiesties Father of blessed memory delighted much to search as appeareth by that most worthy Monument which he hath left to all posterities hereupon and I doubt not but your Maiesty being Inheritor not onely of your Fathers Dominions but also of his Vertues is likewise affected with such holy Studies being indeed as a furtherance of courage and resolution so of true blessednesse as is peculiarly by the Spirit pronounced vpon this Booke saying Reuel 1.3 Blessed is hee that readeth and they that heare the words of this Booke The distractions of Kings I grant are great by reason of their manifold most important affaires yet it is the constitution of the King of Kings that they should haue his Word before them Deut. 17.18 and be reading therein all the daies of their liues that they might learne to feare God and not haue their hearts lifted vp aboue their brethren The marke at which he would haue them to aime is the feare of God and humility amidst so many and great temptations to pride and contempt the meanes to helpe to these glorious ornaments is daily reading My hope therefore is that my seruice tendred in this kinde though by the meanest amongst many will not be vnacecptable to your Royall Maiesty but that notwithstanding the great and diuers present distractions there shall be some times spared to meditate vpon these Expositions That speech of Chrysostome was notable to secular men Chrysost conc de Lazaro making their continuall worldly imploiments a Supersedeas to the reading of the Scriptures What sayest thou O man that thou hast no leisure by reason of thy worldly businesses to reade the Word of God the more thy distractions are the more need hast thou to reade that amidst the tossings of these tempestuous waues thou mayst enioy the perpetuall comforts and directions of the Scriptures Theodosius the second Theodos 2. though his distractions could not but bee great through the amplitude of his Dominions yet spared so much time in his priuate Closet to the Word of God that hee wrote the new Testament ouer with his owne hand and Alphonsus Alphonsus King of Spaine and Naples is said to haue read the Bible with the ordinary glosse fourteene times ouer Which things J mention not most Gracious Soueraigne but onely to adde fuell to your fire and oyle vnto your flame that the zeale which your Maiesty is well knowne to haue vnto the Word of God and to the truth therein set forth may bee yet increased till it commeth to be doubled as the spirit of Elijah was vpon Elishah For what seruice is there that wee the Ministers of Christs Gospell can doe comparable to this of seeking the through Sanctification of the Lords Anointed ouer vs and of polishing the rich Diamonds of grace vpon his Crowne that they be more and more resplendent and shining The bent of our Prayers both publike and priuate is daily this way and therefore let my Lord the King pardon the zeale of his seruants if when they can get any opportunity their exhortations bend this way also We reade of Gods blessings vpon the people of Israel vnder Dauid Solomon and Iosiah and generally how in the dayes of all the godly Kings and Gouernours that haue beene the Graces shining in them haue beene so acceptable as that the Lord hath delighted to doe good to the whole Kingdome for their sakes Your Maiesty is the very breath of our nosthrils and the light of our eyes that great Tree mentioned in Daniel vnder which we your Subiects as beasts and birds doe shroud our selues and make our nests being alone worth 10000. of vs. Jt is therefore the height of our ambition in our inward desires and outward endeuours that your Maiesty may be vpright hearted and valiant as Dauid wise as Solomon and of ardent zeale like vnto Iosiah And to this end doe we presse as into the Court of Heauen by our Prayers so into your Maiesties Court with Exhortations Treatises Discourses and Expositions not passing for any toile and labour any carping and cauilling of censorious Critikes or any enmity of Sycophants so that what we doe may be cordiall to him to behold whose vertues increase with his yeeres our eyes and hearts are all fixed The times are
touching sundry of which we read expressely that Saint Paul preached there as at Ephesus Acts 19. to which place also hee wrote an Epistle and Pergamus which was otherwise called Troy for Paul is said to haue beene at Troas seuen dayes Acts 20.6 and Thiatyra where Lydda dwelt Acts 16.14 and Laodicea for the Epistle to the Colossians is appointed to bee read to them of Laodicea Col. 4 16. Quest Why are the Churches set forth by golden Candlestickes Veâ—â—â—â— for so the seuen golden Candle-stickes are expounded in the last verse Answ Candle-stickes they are called because as lights stand vpon candle-stickes to giue light to all the roome so the light of truth is vpheld in the Church in that the truth only is there maintained and suffered to be taught In that they are said to be golden it is alluded to the Candle-sticke in the Tabernacle and withall it is set forth how pretious the Church is in Gods account Whereas it is said The seuen Candle-stickes are seuen Churches that is signifie them Note that it is the common phrase of the Holy Ghost to call a thing signified by the name of the signe which if it be so in all other passages why not when he saith This is my body Quest Vers 13. How is Christ said here to bee like the sonne of man and in the midst of the Churches Is hee now in his humanitie wherein we beleeue that he is in Heauen at the right hand of God vpon earth also amongst the faithfull If not how is this a true representation Answ Some haue thought that this is not Christ Gorran but some man or an Angell but it is most plaine because hee is said to haue beene dead and aliue againe that it was Christ Iesus Neither doth it hinder that he is said to be like the sonne of man for so it is spoken of Christ Phil. 2.7 that he was in shape like vnto a man that is like one of vs not in externall appearance but in substance of bodie Heb. 2.15 for he tooke flesh and bloud This phrase seemeth to be borrowed from Daniel 7.13 Touching his presence in the midst of the Churches Fox Some vnderstand it of his spirituall presence whereby he doth viuifie gouerne and preserue his Some foolishly conclude from hence the vbiquitie of his humane nature Brightman but one saith well that what was here exhibited to be seen was not the substance of Christs bodie but a figure taken vp for the time to represent his person in the parts and garments described befitting the condition of the Church then and therefore as occasion serueth another figure and another is afterwards exhibited of which minde it seemeth Ireneus was Iren. l. 4. c. 37. who saith The word of God hath alwayes as it were the lineaments of future things and did shew vnto men as it were the shape of the dispositions of God the Father teaching vs hereby the things that are of God Christ therefore both God and man is here represented in the midst of the Churches who though hee be not to be seene with bodily eyes yet is alwayes present in the midst of his to behold their carriage and doings that they may walke circumspectly and to enlighten sanctifie and protect them that they may be of good comfort against all their enemies And it was necessarie that he should be in the shape of a man represented because no type of God can be giuen Quest What is set forth by the garments and parts of this figure here appearing Vers 13 14 15 16. his long garment and girdle his head haires eyes c Answ I will not mention all the significations that I finde amongst Writers hereupon but only the chiefe and most likely Long garments were wont to be worne by Kings and Priests called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they came downe to the feet wherefore his Kingly and Priestly office are hereby signified according to most Brightman but some vnderstand also the long robes of his righteousnesse concerning the faithfull but that agreeth not here where not the faithfull but Christ is described Others vnderstand his humane nature Gorran being taken and put as it were vpon the Diuinitie but what needeth this when as his humane nature is intimated before Like to the Sonne of man His golden girdle also is after the manner of the high Priest for when as the other Priests were girt with girdles Exod. 23.39 curiously wrought with the needle in diuers colours Ioseph Antiq. l 3. c. 8. the high Priest only had gold in his girdle wherefore this tendeth further to set him forth as the high Priest of his Church Pareus Some vnderstand his diligence and strength and because it was about his paps his loue Some apply this also to the Church Brightman assumed as a Consort in this high office some to chastitie c. but certainly here is nothing meant but his dignitie A phrase much like to this is vsed of the Lord Esa 11. Righteousnesse shall bee the girdle of his loines and faith the cinctarie of his reines Pareus His white head and haire signifie his reuerend antiquitie Chrisium vidit conitie venerandum prudentia suspiciendum puritate innecuum aetate aeternum wisdome and eternitie So God the Father is described Dan. 7.9 * Brightman Gorran Some vnderstand by the head the chiefe in Christian Congregations by the haires the rest all are made white in the bloud of Christ as snow for the simplicitie and as wooll because that is not so white of it selfe but being washed Others by the head vnderstand Christ the head of the Church by the haires the Saints white as wooll for the heat of loue and as snow for the coldnesse of feare c. but seeing the person of Christ is here set forth all these things are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the purpose Pareus His flaming eyes set forth how terrible hee is to his enemies for so much as the eyes seeme to sparkle in furious anger Dan. 10.6 His face was as lightning and his eyes as lamps of fire Gorran Some vnderstand it of the inlightning and inflaming of vs. Brightman Some of the cleere eye-sight of the Primitiue Church His feet like shining brasse as if they burned in a furnace set forth his great glorie shining from top to toe for when the Prophet would expresse the glorie of the Ministers of the Gospell he speaketh of their feet How beautifull are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of peace c. The like is Dan. 10.6 This brasse was a kinde of brasse in colour comming next vnto gold and in price accordingly Some will haue it to be a kinde of hard frankincense like brasse Others brasse to bee digged in mount Libanus Pareus Mason Some vnderstand Christs power to stampe his enemies vnder his feet but why then are his feet set
forth to be as it were burning in a furnace which maketh more for the brightnesse of their splendour than any thing else Some vnderstand his humanitie which through the furnace of passions was aduanced to glorie Others apply it to an inferiour ranke of the faithfull Gorran which are not so perfectly purified or to Christians that shall suffer for Christ towards the end of the world Brightman Others apply it to the afflicted estate of the Church then in Smyrna and Pergamus His voice like as of many waters Pareus sheweth further his terriblenesse to his enemies as the voice of God is described by thunder Psal 29. and the maruellous operation of it none being able to restraine the sound of it Brightman Some vnderstand the voice of the Christian Religion sounding verie loud yet nothing being distinctly perceiued hereby by the Infidels which counted it a fond superstition The seuen starres in his right hand Marlor are expounded by the Lord himselfe to be the seuen Angels of the seuen Churches that is the chiefe Ministers or as some will haue it the Ministrie in these seuen Churches whereby as by starres the people are enlightned and the will of God is as it were by Angels from Heauen declared The Lord is said to hold them in his right hand to shew how deare and in what account they are with him Hereto most consent but Mr. Foxe hath a singular conceit here that by the Angels of the Churches are meant the Churches because they only are called to repentance This doth no whit arride mee because the Churches and Angels are expressely distinguished by the type of Candle-stickes and Starres And who knoweth not that the sinne of the Congregation against which warning is not giuen by the Minister is his sinne as Ezech. 3. and therefore to call him to repentance is to call them all because he will no longer suffer them to rest secure in their sinnes Thomas Aquinas hath elegantly and briefly set forth here the analogie betwixt Angels and Ministers Tho. Aquin. in Apocal. 1. Ratione charitatis sollicitudinis in diligendo 2. Prudentiae in eligendo 3. Sanctitatis in viuendo 4. Scientiae in cognoscendo 5. Informationis in instruendo 6. Medicationis in curando 7. Velocitatis in discurrendo 8. Officij in ministrando 9. Deuotionis in contemplando 10. Zeli in suffragando Pareus The sword with two edges going out of his mouth is afterwards expounded to bee that whereby he smiteth the Gentiles Reuel 19.15 and ruleth them with a rod of iron So fierce and terrible is he to vnbeleeuers as that with the very breath of his mouth he destroyeth them as with the sharpest sword Ephe 6.17 Heb. 4.12 Others commonly expound it of the Word of God which is called the Sword of the Spirit and is said to bee sharper than any two edged sword but seeing all this vision tendeth to the terrour of Christs enemies I preferre the first sense His faces shining like the Sunne is vnderstood by all of his exceeding great glory in respect of his humane nature now in Heauen to which we shall afterwards be conformed for so the Lord hath promised The iust shall shine as the Sunne Mat. 13. Vers 43. And all this glory and parts arguing power greatnesse and maiesty are here thus particularly described to procure reuerence to the Author of the things here contained for though hee were meane and base in this world yet now he doth excell in glory Quest Whereunto hath this command of writing Vers 19. the things which he had seene which are and which shall be hereafter relation whether only to the Epistles or to the whole body of the Prophesie Answ Some restraine them only to the Epistles Brightman wherein are things to come set forth as well as things then in being but this cannot be because so a superfluous iteration should bee made of a precept already giuen vers 11. and howsoeuer some things which he had seene are there mentioned and some things to come yet not all as he is here directed nor in that order so that if these Epistles onely had beene meant the diuine man had not fully done as was appointed him Others therefore vnderstand things past which Iohn had seene vnder Neroes Empire and Domitians Pareus and things present which now were exhibited to his sight and things to come which he should afterwards see and so they make the Reuelation to consist of three parts the one setting forth things past from the beginning of the Gospell the other the present state of things when these visions were had and the third the future to the end of the world For mine owne part mee thinkes it is plaine that the things which he had seene were nothing but the present type of the glory of Christ The things which are the present state of those seuen Churches and the Lords will concerning them The things to come what representations and passages propheticall of things to come hee should afterwards see for although the things to come bee thus taken yet this maketh not against the representing of some things past for more orderly proceeding and the full declaring of the whole matter together CHAP. II. and III. THese Chapters containe nothing but Epistles to the seuen Churches wherein are commended diuers good things and a finall reward is promised to such as ouercome and sundry vices are taxed and iudgements threatned or in a propheticall manner foretold to come vpon them therefore Forbs Brightman Some vnderstand these Churches as typicall figuring out the seuerall conditions of the Church of God in diuers ages of the world The Church of Ephesus figureth out the state of the Church in the daies of the Apostles and Apostolike men liuing next after them at what time there remained such a presence of Christ so painfull powerfull zealous watchfull patient and constant a ministery that albeit the mystery of iniquity was then working yet they were so watchfully marked and mightily resisted that sought to bring in error that it was borne downe and truth held the place but yet so as that by some declining a step was made to that next heauier degree in the Church of Smyrna The Church of Smyrna figureth out the state of the Church when heretikes got the vpper hand as in the daies of the Arrians and whereas hee comforteth them without any threaning hee hath respect vnto his poore persecuted people whom only he taketh for his Church omitting the rest as desperate but he reproued the declining in the age before as curable and not so hainous but that yet he made reckoning of them as of his Church Pergamus setteth forth that time wherein error had so much preuailed that Antichrist was in his Throne maintaining idolatry and spirituall fornication yet there was a Church then that kept it selfe pure though for want of strength and courage shee did not make such resistance
whites note their familiarity with this great and glorious Lord to which they shall be receiued Quest But how are they said to be worthy Answ Bullinger To set forth their excellency aboue others for those graces which did shine in them not for any merit which they had For when any speech is vsed wherein mans merit may come in question the best are said to be vnprofitable seruants He speaketh therefore as a Captaine giuing reward vnto his souldier and saying Thou art worthy which is spoken to incourage him not to set him on to plead his merit and to require it therfore Wouldest thou then be made partaker of this grace keepe thy garments from defilement flie whatsoeuer might disparage thy Christian profession in word or deed Quest 4. Vers 5. What is meant by the cloathing with white garments againe iterated to such as ouercome and by the booke of life out of which he promiseth not to blot their names and that he addeth I will confesse his name before my Father and before his Angels Answ About this there is little difference but Pareus doth most fully resolue all these doubts Here are three things promised First to be cloathed with white raiment which is againe iterated for the incouragement of all others besides those few of Sardis before commended and that this glory might be the more highly esteemed hee sheweth Secondly that it shall be eternall I will not blot his name out of the booke of life that is he shall liue thus glorified for euer and to set it yet forth the more he addeth Lastly and I will confesse his name c. that is this glory and bright shining shall bee accompanied with the praise of the Iudge declaring euery mans vertues and graces by name which is no small accession of honor especially being done before God and the assembly of all the holy Angels So that here is but one the same reward before propounded answerable to the vertue in some of Sardis commended but further amplified for the excellency thereof Touching the booke of life The Booke of life and blotting out of it reade at large in my second part Text. 20. Rom. 9.3 The sixt Epistle THe sixt Epistle is to the Church of Philadelphia in seuen verses viz. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 being altogether commendatory and consolatory against the pretended Iews the reward promised is to be a pillar in the Temple of God and to haue the Name of God of the City of God and of Christ Iesus written vpon him Quest 1. What is meant by this description of Christ Vers 7. Hee which is holy hee which is true he which hath the key of Dauid he which openeth c. and why is he thus propounded to this Church Answ This description is taken out of the first Chapter though not word for word yet in effect being the same which was there reuealed his pure white head set forth his holinesse and purity vers 14. He is said to be a faithfull witnesse and therefore hee which is true vers 5. and to haue the key of hell and of death which differeth not much from this of hauing the keyes of Dauid vers 18. There is no difficulty in the two first epithets but in that hee is said to haue the key of Dauid c. some vnderstand the key of knowledge which is ascribed vnto Dauid as a singular Prophet Ric. de Sancto victore Rupâ—rtus c. who had the knowledge of all points of diuine learning as appeareth in the Psalmes wherefore it is called Dauids key for the Prophets key hee being named for them all This howsoeuer it may seeme to haue some ground because our Lord speaketh elsewhere of the key of knowledge Matth. 23. yet because it is called Dauids key to whom singularly so much knowledge is no where ascribed but rather to Salomon and because the words following of opening and shutting doe not agree to knowledge it cannot be receiued as the true sense Beda Bullenger Pareus Brightman Others therefore by the key of Dauid vnderstand the power of a King such as Dauid was and to set forth the same Kingly office in Christ hee is often called by the name of Dauid the words seeme to be borrowed from Es 22.22 which place maketh it plaine for power and authority subiecting all things For thus the Lord Iesus ruleth ouer all receiuing into grace and so to glory whom he pleaseth neither can all the Deuils in hell hinder him and shutting out whom hee will and to such none can giue entrance And as he hath the keyes so he giueth them to his ministers not to haue his power but to become his instruments to declare who are admitted and who are shut out of the kingdome of heauen and to receiue by baptisme into the Church all the faithfull and to shut out by excommunication the obstinate sinners when he saith To you I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. Wouldest thou then not haue the kingdome of heauen shut against thee but opened vnto thee seeke it of Christ who onely openeth and shutteth and thou shalt not need to regard the Pope who taketh vpon him to be the keeper of this key for if hee or any minister of God shut out such as to whom Christ openeth or contrariwise he shall bee iudged as a vsurper but the godly are no whit the more shut out hereby There are other expositions of this key some vnderstanding it of Christ himselfe who as hee is sometimes said to be the doore so here the key some of Christs Crosse and some of repentance but for so much as I doe fully rest in the second exposition I omit to examine these Touching this title particularly directed to Philadelphia the contents of the Epistle an open doore being therein mentioned make the reason hereof so plaine that I shall not need to speake further of it He putteth them hereby in minde that that beginning of publishing the Gospel and opening the secrets thereof amongst them was by his power neither should any euer bee able to put it downe againe That when they should consider their owne small strength and the power of their aduersaries persecuting the Gospell they might not despaire of the proceedings thereof but confidently expect the continuance of it to the end of the world Quest 2. Whether was this Church of Philadelphia without all fault Vers 8. because here is no reproofe but altogether commendations and what Church at this day may most fitly bee compared vnto it Answ To the first Bullinger answereth well that a right and sound faith doth couer ouer and hide all infirmities in manners without which it is not to be doubted but this Church was yet not taxed because not imputed for there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus The word Philadelphia signifieth brotherly loue the situation of this towne was neere the sea in the countrey of
all earnestnesse in that hee is said first to haue ouercome which argueth thus much CHAP. IIII. IN this and the fifth Chapter the Lord being about to reueale things to come vnto Iohn to the end of the world taketh him vp into Heauen in the Spirit because from hence only can the knowledge of these things bee attained vpon earth it is knowne what is past and present but not what is to come no not by Astrologians or Sooth sayers or idols wherein Deuils spake For let them tell what shall come and say they are gods as speaketh the Prophet Esay Here is first declared in what great state and maiesty the God of heauen reigneth and the Lambe of God the Lord Iesus Christ Quest 1. Who was it that sate vpon the throne Vers 3. and why is he like vnto a Iasper and Sardin stone and what meaneth the rainebow about the throne like to an Emrald Answ It is agreed by all that hee which sate vpon the throne was God the King of all but for the likenesse here mentioned there is great difference Some considering the colour of the Iasper to be greene of the Sardin to be red Ioachim Forbs Brightman and of the Emrald to be a pleasant bright green will haue the holy Trinity here set forth the Father in whom all haue their being and growth by the Iasper the Sonne who was all red by that bloudy death which he suffered for our sinnes by the Sardin the Spirit who is the comforter by the Emrald This doth not so well agree because so the Spirit should not be one with the Father and the Sonne as the rainebow round about the throne and he that sitteth in the throne are notall one Others will haue the two natures of Christ set forth here the diuine by the Iasper and the humane by the Sardin Ambros Amâ—ber Pareus and the grace and mercy of God towards man in him by the rainebow which was first appointed for a signe hereof but against this maketh that which followeth of the Lambe Cha. 5. for if he were in the same vision sitting vpon a throne in this similitude he could not bee at the same time in the similitude of a Lambe also Others will haue the Father and Sonne set forth by these two precious stones Bullinger and the holy Ghost by the thunder and lightnings proceeding out of the throne but for so much as these are things of terrour and the Spirit the comforter wee cannot vnderstand it thus Others will haue the deluge of water set forth by the Iasper and the fire of the last iudgement by the Sardin Tyconius Beda Primasius Rupertus and the interim of peace and grace between these times by the Rainebow but how the greene Iasper should set forth water I cannot see nor why the Lord should carry a similitude whereby these things may be expressed seeing in heauen he appeareth as he is in himselfe most and not so much as he is in his works and iudgements Lastly not to reckon vp all the expositions but these which may seeme most probable Pareus followeth this though he defendeth that of the Son of God also some vnderstand by these precious stones the excellency of God both in respect of his glory and that singular vertue that is in him which nothing can more fitly expresse than precious stones for colour and appearance admirable no lesse admirable in vertue and operation Viegas And more particularly they may well set forth his mercy by which all things liue and are in their vigour greene and flourishing and his iustice through which hee becommeth fiery red in his anger against sinne Confer Ezech. 1.27.28 The life of all vegetable things is declared by greene and life of sensitiue things by red arising froÌ„ bloud it may be that God is here shewed to be the Author of all life Vers 4. Tyconius Beda Primasius Bullinger The rainebow like an Emrald is the reflexion of these colours further declaring the brightnesse of his glory and is a setled signe of peace to all the inhabitants of heauen who shall neuer bee cast out any more as the ambitious Angels sometime were so that it is good being there and great reason there is why our hearts should bee alwayes thitherward that we might behold this glory and be out of that mutable condition wherein we now stand Quest 2. And round about the throne there were foure twenty thrones and foure and twenty Elders c. Who were these Elders sitting vpon thrones round about Answ Some vnderstand the twelue Patriarkes and Apostles as Fox and Pareus relate some the whole Church represented by them seeing the Church vnder the old Testament sprang from the Patriarkes and the Church vnder the new from the Apostles and the Church now is twice as great as of old when it was in twelue Tribes and therefore this number is well doubled Fox some vnderstand nothing but a shew of the dependancy and subiection of all principalities vpon and vnto God because they cast downe their crownes which they haue of gold some the foure twenty books of canonicall Scriptures in the old Testament Grasserus Lastly some vnderstand the most excellent of those which haue beene set vp in the Church of God Richard de Sancto Victore Rupertus Pannonins Ioacbimus both vnder the old and new Testament who sit now as Senatours about the great Emperour in heauen not that there are no more but iust thus many but because a counsell amongst the Iewes did anciently consist of foure and twenty this certaine number is put for an vncertain as the Priests appointed also to serue in the Temple by course in the dayes of Dauid were foure and twenty And this is most probable because to the twelue Apostles are promised twelue thrones and so likewise without doubt all Apostolicall persons shall be likewise most highly aduanced in the kingdome of glory being placed as Counsellers of State neerest about the King As for the other Expositions first it were a great wrong to others more worthy than many of them to hold that they are not as neere vnto God as the twelue Patriarks Secondly it were improper here to vnderstand the whole company of the Church triumphant who are spoken of more particularly Chap. 5. v. 13. Thirdly it doth not agree by Senatours appearing in heauen to set forth all Princes whereof many shall neuer come there And for that of the foure and twenty bookes I cannot conceiue any ground for it at all Quest 3. And out of the throne went thunders Vers 5. and lightnings and voices And seuen lamps of fire burning c. What is meant by these lightnings thunders and voices and what are these lampes Answ I haue already shewed that though these proceeded out of the throne yet the holy Ghost cannot be meant hereby Some obseruing three and three things mentioned here together Forbs Brightman lightnings
mountainous places and Ilands were sought out to be destroyed which is expressed in saying the mountaines and Ilands were remoued out of their place then all professours of the Christian religion sought to hide themselues from the anger of him that sitteth vpon the throne thinking God and the Lambe to bee angry with them set forth in the last words Bullinger Pareus Others will haue the corruption in the time of Antichrist meant which time say they began when Constantine aduanced Syluester the Bishop of Rome and his successours and continueth in the Papacy to this day then began a great earthquake by the change of the state of the Church into Pontificall then the Sunne the doctrine touching Christ was darkened through the interposition of traditions the Moone the Church was turned into bloud either by murthers committed by Antichrist or by the corrupt worshipping of God the starres the ministers of God fell from heauen by apostatising from the truth the heauen the Church was folded together as a booke when it appeared not any where or the holy Scriptures were shut vp from the people the mountaines Emperours and Kings were remoued by Popes the Ilands the people were remoued out of their place by being made beleeue vpon paine of damnation that the Pope is the head of the Church And being brought to this estate of corruption as there can be no sound peace but terrors of conscience out of the truth so all estates are set forth as terrified by a conscience of Gods iudgement and some indeed fulfilled this according to the letter going into wildernesses and Monasteries seeking by applying themselues to perpetuall deuotion to quiet their consciences accusing them for former offences but could not effect it But herein Pareus differeth from Bullinger for hee applieth this of the generall feare of all estates and degrees to the last day of iudgement which shall follow after that the world hath beene so corrupted in the time of Antichrists reigne Lastly some vnderstand by this earth-quake Forbs c. the great alteration that came vpon the Romane Empire by meanes of the Gothes and other barbarous nations which was so great as that the whole world seemed to be changed But I subscribe to the first exposition because most agreeable to the letter and where the literall sense may stand there is no vse of allegories And indeed without straining no time but the day of iudgement can be rightly called the great day of Gods wrath wherein all the wicked of all estates and degrees are filled with terrour at Gods presence If it bee taken as an allegory there are so great differences that there will bee no certainty of truth Besides that it doth no way answer the precedent cry for vengeance so fitly as being literally vnderstood of the last day for whatsoeuer commotions there be in states and kingdomes yet euery one is not at such times so seuerely animaduerted against but many escape whereas here euery one is said to tremble and feare Whereas Pareus includeth both the persecution vnder Antichrist and the day of iudgement also I cannot see how that can stand for the fleeing away of all estates and degrees for feare is an effect of those stupendious accidents in heauen and in earth as in reason it is likely when such things shall come to passe no lesse can be expected but horrible feare Let vs then study to pacifie Gods anger before this day commeth by true repentance and humiliation that wee may not finde it a day of wrath but of euerlasting mercy to vs. CHAP. VII THE dreadfull manner of Gods comming to iudge and to take reuenge vpon the enemies and corrupters of his truth hauing beene set forth in the sixt Chapter lest there should arise anxiety in the minds of the faithfull about the Lords care touching them in the midst of all the miseries before described for that it hath not yet appeared how they are prouided for when all things shall be so full of dread feare he doth apart here set forth Gods care ouer them during all those troubles and affrighting apparitions they were marked in the forehead that no hurt might hereby seize vpon them but these tribulations might be to them a way to future glory and the inuestment with white robes washed in the Bloud of the Lambe at what time all teares shall be wiped from their eyes for euer For the meaning of the particular passages here Quest 1. Vers 1. After this I saw foure Angels standing vpon the foure corners of the earth holding the foure winds that they might not blow vpon the earth c. What is meant by these things Rupertus Caelius Pannon Answ Most Expositors vnderstand by these winds the Spirit of God in the Preachers of his Word diffusing it selfe in all parts of the world but the euill angels the Deuils which rule in the Antichristian Sect seeke to hinder these winds by suppressing the pure preaching of Gods holy Word in all places Dionys Bullinger Pareus Brightman to the corrupting and decay of all true Religion They keepe the winds from blowing vpon the earth that is the vulgar sort the sea that is Doctrine the trees that is men of more eminency or by the earth they vnderstand men dwelling in any part of the earth by the sea the inhabitants of Ilands by trees such as lurked in woods or they take the earth for earthly ones the sea for the worship of God and trees for people good and bad which professe to worship God Againe there is difference also about these foure Angels for some vnderstand the foure Monarchies Primas Haimo Ambrose Amsbert Lyra. in the time whereof the truth was hindred Some foure persecuting Emperours who after that Dioclesian and Maximianus had forsaken the Empire did together persecute the Christian Religion in the foure parts of the world viz. Maximianus in the East Seuerus in Italy the west Licinius in Alexandria in Egypt the South Maxentius at Rome and whereas all others vnderstand Christ by the Angell with the seale he vnderstandeth Constantine the great who suppressed these tyrants And some againe by the Angell in the East vnderstand the Mahumetans in the West the Pope in the North the Germane Empire in the south Spaine For mine owne part when I consider the premises of great and horrible miseries to come vpon the world I cannot but thinke as I intimated before in generall that comfort against these euils is here intended to the godly and therefore I subscribe rather to those that vnderstand these things literally of foure Angels appointed by God as his Ministers herein for it is said To them it is giuen to hurt c. to destroy all things Arethas Ribera Fox and this is fitly set forth by holding the foure winds because in wind and breath consisteth the life of euery thing in this world things of the earth as men and beasts of the sea as fishes and fowles and the trees
the rest of this Chapter it hath no great difficulty in it if by the innumerable multitude in white robes and palmes in their hands wee vnderstand the Saints already glorified who though compared with the rest of the world they be but a little flocke yet simply considered they are a great multitude they haue palmes in their hands in token of victory And whereas in speaking of the wicked Chap. 6 hee concludeth with their misery in respect of the wrath of the Lambe here answerably it is concluded with the felicity of the godly washed in the bloud of the Lambe and euerlastingly comforted by him the phrases of leading forth to waters and wiping away all teares being adaptated to set forth the same CHAP. VIII THE whole compasse of time from the beginning of the Gospell to the last end of the world hauing beene set forth with the most remarkable accidents in one kinde of vision Chap. 6 7. here followeth another vpon the opening of the seuenth seale which yet remained in this eighth and the ninth tenth and eleuenth Chapters Wherein after preparation to attention and a preludium of Gods gracious acceptance of the prayers of the Saints and of his terriblenesse to the wicked seuen Angels sound their trumpets to call on the hosts of Gods iudgements to waste both land and sea to infect their waters whereof they dranke and the aire wherein they breathed his hosts of hurtfull beasts comming out of the bottomlesse pit and of men brought from afarre vpon horses for their destruction the last of the seuen summoning all to iudgement and making the very dead to come forth for then the trumpet shall blow 1 Cor. 15. and the dead shall rise In the particular opening of the seuerall passages there is very great difficulty Quest 1. And when he had opened the seuenth seale Vers 1. there was silence in heauen as it were halfe an houre What is meant by this silence Answ Some that will haue these visions to set forth things done successiuely Brightman assigne the opening of this seale to Constantines time when the Church had peace and quietnesse for a short time being broken off againe by the Arrians Some referre it to the time after Antichrists destruction when they say the Church shall bee quiet fiue and forty dayes before the dry of iudgement Rupertus Beda Anfelm Richard de Sancto Victore Pannonius c. grounding vpon that of Daniel 12.11 where 1290. dayes hauing beene spoken of for the censing of the daily sacrifice hee is pronounced blessed that attaineth to 1335. Some referre it to the time of Iulians persecution which was not by fire and sword but by other subtill meanes Blas Viegas nameth thiâ— exposition yet they were debarred from all publike seruice of God and so there was silence in the Church but it was a very short time he reignâ—ng but two yeeres Others vnderstand this silence of attention Bullinger Pareus Forbs Viegas Fâ—x c. or a kinde of stupour making all silent for a time at the appearing of the seuen Angels with their trumpets the iudgements to come when they should blow being so great and strange as that the beholders were in some sort a stonied hereby and interrupted in their heauenly harmony as it is wont to be with vs when any strange thing happeneth and as it was with Iobs friends comming to visit him they sate downe in silence by him seuen dayes Lastly one addeth further Fox that the generall peace when Christ is borne is hereby signified To this of admiration and attention do I subscribe but I doe not thinke any other signification to bee in this silence The peace of the Chureh cannot be hereby meant for a time because the future troubles are not of the Church but of the wicked as is plainly expressed vnder the fift trumpet the Locusts hurt onely such as had not the marke of God in their forehead much lesse can it bee vnderstood of the quiet after Antichrist destroyed for then the day of iudgement should immediatly haue succeeded as it doth not but six trumpets first As for Iulians time it were too great a leape to come to that at the first of this vision all the time preceding being omitted Augustine Primasius Marlorat and whereas some expound it of the rest to come that being euerlasting it cannot be so taken Note that the iudgements against wicked persecutors of the Church and people of God are so stupendious that the very Saints and Angels in heauen stand amazed at them being but in figures represented vnto them Quest 2. And I saw the seuen Angels which stand before God Vers 2. Who are these Angels Answ There may seeme to be such an analogy betwixt this and that Chap. 1.4 Seuen spirits before the throne that these Angels and those spirits may seeme to be all one and that in the apocryphall book of Tobit soundeth likewise Tobit 12.15 I am Raphael one of the seuen Angels which present the prayers of the Saints c. But as I shewed there those seuen spirits are not Angels but them anifold gifts of the spirit and here by the seuen Angels wee are not to vnderstand such a number onely standing before God for thousand thousands stand before him and minister vnto him but seuen of them appointed now to this ministery and therefore they haue trumpets giuen vnto them It is contrary to plaine Scripture and derogatory from the Lord Iesus to hold that there are some Angels which haue an office as it were to receiue and present our prayers before God for Christ onely is our intercessour in heauen if the Angels and Saints doe any thing for vs it is out of their generall loue and affection to the Church a solliciting of the Lord for the good of vs all in common that aduersaries may be confounded the Gospell may enioy a free passage and the chosen of God may be gathered together till their number be made vp Quest 3. And another Angell came and stood by the Altar Vers 3. hauing a golden censer c. What Angell is this who is said so particularly to offer odours with the prayers of the Saints and what is meant by the thunders lightnings and voices following vpon his casting of fire vpon the earth from off the same Altar Answ Most Expositours agree that Christ is figured out by this Angell for he is called the Angell of the Testament Malac. 3. neither can it agree to any Angell as an high Priest thus alone to goe to the Altar and offer there for all the Saints the Altar some will haue also to be Christ as Bullinger and Pareus and Forbs Bullingers Pareus Forbs Beda Primasius Haimo some the Church of God well called an Altar because a spirituall sacrifice is herein daily offered to God as Beda Primasius Haimo c. The golden Censer some will haue to bee his humane nature wherein he offereth as both the same
to be in heauen also And how is this childe taken vp to God and to his throne from out of his danger Answ Some Popish Expositors by this woman vnderstand the Virgin Mary Ribera Viegas Methodius Primasius Bullinger Fox Pareus c. Hos 1.2.3 but the learned of their owne side Ribera and Viegas and others reiect this as not agreeing if the following circumstances of being pained and hauing other seed which is afterwards persecuted be considered The common streame of Interpreters is for the Church of God which is the spouse of God whom he is said to haue married vnto himselfe And thus without all doubt wee are to conceiue of this woman Quest But how is she said to be in heauen Answ Pannonius To this Pannonius answereth well that howsoeuer the Church hath her being in this world yet she is but a stranger here heauen is her countrey to which she aspireth and from whence commeth her election and being Tertui apolo c. 1. Scitgens Christiana se peregrinā in terris agere inter extraneos facile inimicos inuenire Caelerū genus spem sedem gratiam dignitatem in coelis habere as Tertullian doth excellently declare saying The Christian nation knoweth that she is a stranger vpon earth and doth easily finde enemies amongst strangers but shee hath her stocke seat grace hope and dignity in heauen Touching her apparell here set forth The Sunne is most bright and shining of all the lights in heauen to shew therefore the exceeding great glory of the Church shee is said to bee cloathed with the Sunne A speech much like to this is that of our Sauiour Christ The iust shall shine as the Sunne But this is for her future condition Matth. 13.43 Pannonius Bullinger Parcus Forbs c. for the present Christ the Sun of righteousnesse is her glory for so he is called Mal. 4. hee by faith is put on as a garment couering her round about and beautifying her so all Expositors generally agree except Fox and Brightman who stand and specially Fox for a most illustrious glory hereby generally set forth but hold that it is not intended that this figure should be strained any further by applying all the particulars And indeed for so much as the child in her wombe is Christ as by and by shall be declared I cannot see how it can so well agree in the same figure to hold that hee is both set forth as the cloathing of the Church and the fruit in her body at the same time though in diuers respects he is euer hath been so I hold therfore rather that her glorious estate before God only in generall is here set forth And therefore as worldly glory consisteth in glorious apparell and a crowne of gold beset with pretious stones and an high elated throne that place where all inferiour persons stand being vnder the seet so the Church is said to be cloathed with the Sun to weare a crowne with twelue starres and to haue the Moone which is aboue all this world vnder her sect so high is shee mounted But why twelue starres in her crowne neither more nor lesse Herein I take it it is alluded to the twelue pretious stones in the brest-plate of the high Priest according to the number of the twelue tribes which made this number of twelue familiar in this Prophecie as appeareth by the twice twelue thrones round about the throne Chap. 4. the twelue thousand sealed of the twelue Tribes Chap. 7. the twelue pretious stones in the wals of the new Ierusalem and the twelue gates Chap. 21. Many will haue these twelue starres to set forth the twelue Apostles and the Moone vnder her seet the mutablethings of this world but if that which hath beene already said bee considered I thinke the Reader will not bee of that minde Touching that which shee trauaileth withall there is great difference some vnderstand it of the godly in all ages Andreas Viegas Ribera Parent Forbs with whom the Church trauaileth and is euer at the point of bringing forth but when any are brought forth the enemy is ready to deuoure them in spight of whom they are finally glorified in heauen which is set forth by this phrase hee shall rule all nations with a rod of iron according to that promise Chap. 2.27 And they say that the off-spring of the Church is called a childe in the singular number because though they bee many yet they are but one mysticall body and a male childe as being the more perfect and the heire and of more courage and constancy And of this exposition applied specially to the last times doe the Papals most greedily lay hold as making for them in their doctrine about their supposed Antichrist For the Churches being pained and crying out setteth forth the straits wherein she should be at that time And thus they seeke to draw the Reader from looking at any time past or that now is and to hold him in expectation of the time of Antichrist yet for to come But against this exposition maketh both the distinction afterwards following in the end of this Chapter where it is spoken of the rest of her seed and the description of this childe He shall rule ouer all nations with arod of iron For if all the faithfull bee the seed of the woman here set forth they being taken vp to heauen how can she yet haue a seed remaining vpon earth to be persecuted still And touching this large reigning howsoeuer the faithfull are promised in the place before alleaged that they shall rule ouer the nations yet it is not said as here ouer all nations nor is it spoken of as a dignity to which they were borne but as conferred vpon such as ouercome whereas here the man-childe mentioned is so spoken of as comming to it by right and inheritance The male childe therefore here must be one singular person most remarkable as the first-borne for this his extraordinary power and authority ouer all to which hee is borne Most therefore seeing that there is none other such to bee found in all the world Bullinger Fox Gorian and Pareus deliuereth this first applying it anagogically to the faithfull resolue vpon the Lord Iesus Christ for the history of his birth and ascension doth so answer this description in euery particular as that all things doe most excellently agree if it be vnderstood of him And so the prophecie Psal 2.7 agreeth also I will giue thee the nations for thine inberitance and the vttermost parts of the earth for thy possession thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron c. Thus also there will be a good construction of the rest of her seed after mentioned seeing hee is said to bee the first-borne amongst many brethren Whereas it may seeme absurd that the Church is said to haue Christ in her wombe and to bring him forth when as he is her husband and she hath rather her originall from him for
time a phrasevsed to shew that the time is certaine with the Lord but concealed from vs. Somereferre it to the dayes of Constantine Pareus Bibliander Brightman when the Church through wealth and liberty began to grow corrupt by pride contentions and errours holding that the Church in the wildernesse is opposed to the Church in heauen before described with her heauenly glory which she had all the time of persecution but now being in peace corruption and superstition commeth on making her like a woman in the wildernesse yet the time which shee is said to bee in the wildernesse they distinguish from the time of her flight holding that shee began to take her flight in the dayes of Constantine and was flying three hundred yeeres euen vntill Phocas who established the Bishop of Rome for vniuersall ann 606. from that time forward she was in the wildernesse a time and times and halfe a time before described by one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes being either so many yeeres or a long time vnknowne to vs and therefore thus set forth that wee might not be troubled though we see this persecution continued still for it is not onely for a time but times after that and then halfe a time more And to make the time of this flight to bee three hundred yeeres the more probably they obserue that not a Doues but Eagles wings are giuen vnto her arguing a flight strong and of long continuance Forbs Some referring it also to Constantines time will haue him to bee the great Eagle giuing wings to the woman to flie into the wildernesse by enduing the Church with so much worldly wealth whereupon much corruption soone crept in and she became like a woman in the wildernesse but extend the time here set forth no further but till the rising of the beasts in the next Chapter vnto which a way is hereby made Some referring this time to the Apostles dayes Fox hold two times of persecution the one of the Primitiue Church set forth ver 6. the other of the Church vnder Antichrist towards the end of the world set forth here Either time is the same one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes that which time and times and halfe a time is and the same with the two and forty moneths before described Chap. 11. which if they bee reckoned as Daniels weekes seuen yeeres to a moneth they make two hundred ninety and foure yeeres And such a time was the Church vnder persecution vntill Constantine from whence one thousand yeeres being counted of Satans binding mentioned Chap. 20. together they amount to one thousand three hundred yeeres at what time this persecution by Papists and Turkes began the vttermost end thereof being 1594. But experience hath already confuted this it being now 1625. and yet these persecutions holding out There are other computations made here by others also as of three yeeres and a halfe which hath beene sufficiently refuted already Grasserus and of so much time as maketh this to fall vpon the beginning of the sixteenth century when Popery began to decline But I will not trouble the Reader with more varieties If I may put in my coniecture amongst others I take it this time is not to begin in the Apostles dayes because it is the same with the 42. moneths of Ierusalems being trodden vnderfoot Chap. 11. and the one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes of the two witnesses prophecying in sackcloth which beginneth not till the sixt trumpet as hath beene already shewed and it seemeth to be too general by a time thus many wayes so often described to vnderstand onely a time without any certaine determination seeing experience of former Prophecies teacheth that when time is thus set forth by a certaine number of daies or weeks or months a certaine proportion of time to be hereby counted is meant Neither would I begin it in the dayes of Constantine the great because the Church was not then persecuted but maintained though there were some stirres by meanes of Arrius whereas a persecution here is intimated putting the Church so hard to it as that she is faine to flie into the Wildernesse for safety And it is strange that if this time were meant and thence forward till Phocas which was 300. yeeres wherein they say she was fleeing that any mention should be made of wings to flie with which in cōmon reason argue swiftnesse I thinke therefore that this time is to be referred to the yeeres following the destruction made by the Goths Vandals when they were expelled out of Italy which was betweene the yeere 500. and 600. for not long after this the Popes of Rome in the West hauing climbed vp into the chaire of supremacy great troubles beganne about images by their meanes they being bitter against those that would haue no Images in diuine worship daring to anathematize euen Emperours that withstood them and Mahomet in the East persecuted all that would not receiue his damnable Alcoran as hath beene already shewed to haue beene done about ann 606. Here was now a new kind of persecution begun not by Heathen Idolaters to bring in the worship of Deuils againe but of such as were Christians in shew but indeed pleading for Baal vnder a new name and of such as reuiued Iudaisme againe in part in somewhat a different manner vnder pretence of another Moses or Prophet of God Mahomet Then the Church hath two wings of an Eagle giuen her to flie into the Wildernesse as sometime the people of Israel are said to haue beene brought out of Aegypt vpon Eagles wings Exod. 19.4 and they are two because by faith patience they are borne out of this danger as is said in the Chapter following Chap. 13.10 By this flying into the wildernesse then is meant that after such time as the Pope and Turke thus inuaded the Church of God she held no visible state any more by ruling in all Countries and Nations by possessing Cities and Townes but as the people of Israel being carried out of Aegypt into the Wildernesse wandred a long time vp and downe in vnknowne places being fed with Manna from Heauen and so preserued yet from perishing so the Church of God all this time lieth hid such as hold the truth still being of ignoble condition in worldly respects and so not taken such notice of in the most and greatest Kingdomes of the world but yet she is prouided of such spirituall food though in secret places as that she is miraculously preserued from perishing And the time of this her solitarinesse is before said to be 1260. daies as in chap. 11. here time and times and halfe a time time being put for a mysticall yeere times for two yeeres halfe a time for halfe a yeere which together are three yeeres and an halfe wherein are 1260. daies which set forth here so many yeeres as was proued chap. 11. If it be demanded why this variety is vsed in
long with Harpe and song she praiseth God as Moses then did And it is called the song of the Lambe also because containing his praises as Chap. 5.9 Here God is praised for his power already shewed and the comming in of all the Gentiles is prophetically mentioned in these words Vers 4. And all the Gentiles shall come and worship before thee Here is matter of comfort to all the faithfull Note that in purity study to serue God without admitting any popish corruption although there be opposition and much trouble to them still yet they may reioyce as Victors ouer the Pope being assured that he with all his adherents shall goe downe more and more and the number of the pure worshippers of God shall increase till that euen all the Gentiles come to ioyne with them popish corruptions being quite abolished in all places And out of our ioy herein we ought to be thankfull to the Lord singularly praising him for this incstimable blessing wherein wee of the Church of England haue shared with the first and in the largest measure Quest Vers 5. 2. After these things I looked and behold the Temple of the tabernacle of the testimony was opened in Heauen c. What is meant by this and in that the seuen Angels which come forth are so cloathed and haue seuen golden Vials giuen vnto them by one of the foure Animals and what is meant by the smoke of the glory of God filling the Temple and hindering that none could enter till the seuen Angels had powred out their Vials Answ Brightman Some by the opening of the Temple wherein was the Tabernacle of the two Tables being the Holy of holies vnderstand a greater measure of knowledge in the most mysticall and recondit things of God which now should bee in the Church Antichrist falling Forbs or the Church comming to light which had hitherto a long time lien hid through persecution Napier yet some that parallel these Vials and the Trumpets together apply it to the primitiue Church in this sense Some vnderstand nothing but iust proceedings Bullinger Fox because they come out of the Temple where the Law of righteousnesse was kept Some without any mysticall signification hold Pareus that as in a Stage-play the Actors come out of diuers places and the beginning of a Scene is set forth by the opening of the place from whence they come so here these Angels are set forth comming out of the Temple in Heauen We reade of the Temple being opened Chap. 11.19 that the Arke of the testimony might appeare but here the same Temple is opened for another purpose that the Angels with their plagues might come forth and powre them out vpon the earth I thinke therefore that they are mistaken which confound these two as one mystery of diuine reuelations now made more than in times past There is no need to presse this passage any further than that the Temple is set open for them to come out being seuen in number whereas no opening is spoken of in the foregoing Chapter because there one Angell came forth alone here seuen together but they come all out of the Temple that is from Gods presence who is the Author of the ensuing plagues and so are apparelled accordingly in a glorious manner as becommeth the seruants of so great a maiesty and haue golden Vials giuen them by one of the foure Animals before described to bee round about the Throne Chap. 4. who as a chiefe Officer in the Court of Heauen is appointed to giue them Commission and a charge to execute his wrath to shew that it is not left to the will of any creature to plague the world when hee listeth but at the time appointed by the Lord and such iudgements as happen are not casuall but by him determined and appointed in respect of all circumstances Touching the smoke from the glory of the Lord some expound it of the anger of the Lord the effects whereof were these Vials Some of the inscrutability of these iudgements holding that hereby it is signified that none can finde them out what they are till they be fulfilled Primasius Bullinger Some that nothing else is hereby meant but that none can enter into Heauen to liue there in body and soule for euer Ambros Andâ—eas Gagneus till these iudgements be executed Some that it is alluded here vnto the Cloud resting vpon the Tabernacle at the dedication Pareus Exod. 40.34 1 King 8.10 Gorran consenteth to the blinding of the reprobate here signified so that Moses could not enter in and likewise at the dedication of Solomons Temple the blinding of the eyes of the greatest Doctors in the Papacy being figured out so that they shall not be able to see into the errours by them maintained till they haue smarted by all these following plagues that is neuer Some expound this smoake as a signe of Gods presence in the Church but darkly in comparison of that light which shall be Brightman when the full number of the faithfull shall be made vp at the time of the Iewes conuersion which is intimated shall not be till these Vials be powred all out when it is said no man could enter into the Temple till the seuen Angels had done powring out their Vials In the meane season they which embrace the truth shall be but a few and the light shall be hold by the aduerse part to be but a fume or smoake because they shall not see into it Some expound it of Gods powerfull presence vnto these executioners of his wrath Forbs euen till the emptying out of all these Vials so as that none could hinder them all the time in their proceedings Some will haue the darkning of the truth by errours set forth by this smoake Napier so as that till the powring out of these Vials finished there should be no pure Church cleansed from all corruptions Of all these expositions Forbs that seemeth to me to bee most genuine and least streined which applyeth this vnto GODS powerfull presence so that nothing can hinder the executing of these plagues till the full end thereof for out of the Temple the Angels with these plagues are said to come intimating that the Lord who dwelleth there hath decreed them now because haply there might bee some hope that he might be intreated and alter this decree it is added that none could enter into the Temple till that all these vials of wrath were powred out the Temple was so full of smoake from the glory and power of the Lord being exceedingly angry for the blasphemies and outrages of Antichrist that is none of the Antichristian sect could turne to the Lord and by humbling themselues before him seeke to auert his anger till it had had the full course and to this agreeth the first and fourth exposition and it is further confirmed Chap. 9.20 The second exposition cannot stand because so it would
wanne Constantinople and made it the seat of his Empire seeking to draw the world of people which came vnder his iurisdiction from Christ vnto the impostour Mahomet which was ann 1300. And when corruptions in the Church being long in hatching were growne to that height that they which were seduced by them might as well be counted to be deceiued by the Deuill as the Gentiles of old were seeing the like idolatries with images Masses and Crucifixes were daily committed and a Queene of heauen was also set vp the blessed Virgin Mary c. which was also about the same time as I haue shewed more at large in my booke called An Antidote against Popery pag. 66. Since that time the Deuill hath notoriously raged againe by the Turkes in the East and the Pope in the West but for our comfort it is called but a short time wherein they shall thus proceed and then by the finall iudgement they shall all be cut off and receiue according to the deserts It is not to be taken for a short time according to man but according to the diuine phrase directed thus for consolation it being indeed but a short time with the Lord though in our account it be long 324. yeeres being already past since and God knoweth how long this rage shall yet endure If it be obiected that it seemeth contradictory in it selfe to hold that the Deuill was imprisoned and at the same time Antichrist his great Lieutenant was in the world the Pope and Turke it must be considered that their beginnings were so slender both of the Turke for want of that power and of the Pope whose mystery of iniquity was long in comming to a full height as it seemed not good vnto the Spirit of God to point at their first beings through the instigation of Satan but at such a state as wherein Satan might euidently appeare to haue broken out of hell againe to abuse the world as hee did in the time of Heathenisme Quest 2. And I saw thrones and them that sate vpon them c. Who are they which are said here to sit vpon thrones Vers 4. and to haue the iudgement committed vnto them What is the liuing againe of those that were slaine for the truth and their reigning with Christ a thousand yeeres and when shall this time be Who are the rest of the dead that arise not till after these thousand yeeres expired Vers 5. And why is this called the first resurrection and they pronounced blessed that haue part in it are there any more resurrections than one or are they only blessed that suffer death for the truth And are all the rest of the dead without this blisse Bullinger Pareus Arethas Answ Some will haue those that sate vpon thrones and had iudgement giuen vnto them to be all one with the soules spoken of immediatly after for these soules liue and reigne with Christ a thousand yeeres which is all one with sitting vpon thrones and hauing iudgement giuen vnto them for it is written Giue thy iudgements O Lord vnto the King because he that sitteth vpon the throne is wont to iudge and to haue the power of iudging from God is to rule and reigne They vnderstand this therefore of the glorified estate of the soules of the faithfull who either suffered vnder the heathen Emperors or in this time of a thousand yeeres For being considered altogether as one mysticall body they may bee said to reigne a thousand yeeres though some of them came so late into this blissefull condition as that they were not therein aboue a hundred fifty twenty or ten yeeres before the expiration of this time As a man may say of any family to which an estate hath remained from generation to generation fiue hundred yeeres this hath beene their inheritance fiue hundred yeeres though some of them came not to it till twenty or ten yeeres agone And it is to be noted that not they onely who suffered death came within the compasse of this number but also all those that keepe themselues in the midst of Popish corruptions vndefiled with them for it is added and whosoeuer haue not worshipped the beast nor his image c. For that which is further added the rest of the dead liued not againe till the thousand yeeres were expired Vers 5. They vnderstand it in a spirituall sense of all that were corrupted in religion that were void of true grace for they which are so are dead and these liue not againe till the thousand yeeres ended that is neuer for though they shall liue againe yet they shall not liue as the liuing of the faithfull is spoken of in ioy and glory for onely such as haue part in the first resurrection are thus blessed and happy that is they which receiue the truth into honest and beleeuing hearts and cleaue to it not hauing any tang of the leauen of the common corruptions in religion Some others agreeing in this Brightman Forbs that the soules here spoken of are they that sit in thrones yet differ in the exposition of this their sitting and liuing and reigning for they apply all to liuing and reigning by grace and cleaning to Christ in the acknowledgement and profession of his truth for this is truly to liue and reigne with Christ though outwardly they were poore despised and persecuted seeing by grace wee are made to sit together in heauenly places but withall they say that the flourishing estate of the Church is here set forth in this time the Deuill being put downe in remouing the rule and dominion from Heathen to Christian Emperours in whose time the soules of such as suffered in the dayes of the Heathen are said to liue and reigne because they were honourably esteemed of and reuenge was now in some part taken vpon their aduersaries And of these one in particular viz. Brightman seemeth to hold that the thousand yeeres here spoken of are a different time from the former thousand yeeres beginning soone after ann 2300. for he saith that of them three hundred yeeres are now expired And Pareus maketh mention of some that held the same Others expound this sitting vpon thrones Aug. de Cin. Dei lib. 20. cap. 7. Dent. of the Preachers of the word of God and Ecclesiasticall Gouernours now being lifted vp and exercising their discipline with authority Others holding two seuerall things here set forth Napier expound the sitting in thrones of the Popes dignity in the dayes of Pope Siluester ann 315. to whom Constantine the Great gaue the iudgement when he set him vp so high and his successors after him and the soules the soules of such as were by the Popes appointment afterwards put to death viz. all true hearted Christians They which stand for a different time from the thousand yeeres spoken of before are certainly in an errour because by all circumstances in the Text the time is all one For the Deuils being bound and loosed againe is also
here mentioned as the boundary of this time as it was of the former Moreouer here were a strange gap opened into an expectation of this world to last yet seuen hundred yeeres which is against all probability That exposition which referreth the thrones to the Pope cannot stand in reason for Satan being bound it is not to bee thought that his Lieutenants the Popes aduancement should be shewed but rather the aduancement of such as withstood him Neither can I subscribe to that of the glorified estate of the Saints departed vnto whom the rest of the dead are opposed who liued not againe till the thousand yeeres expired because some visible alteration is here doubtlesse set forth at the binding of the Deuill seeing otherwise the accomplishment of this Prophecy could not haue beene conceiued of by the faithfull vpon earth for their comfort when as it was without doubt set forth for this end and purpose And as for that exposition whereby these things are applied vnto the Prelates and Rulers of the Church the description of being set vpon thrones and hauing power of iudgement is too glorious to agree vnto them Wherefore I preferre that of the sensible most happy alteration in the state of the world in the dayes of Constantine the Great for then thrones were set for Christians and they had the power of iudging who before were iudged and in this time the soules of the faithfull who had beene put to death for the Christian religion in the time of persecution might well bee said to liue and reigne with Christ because they had beene set forth as lying vnder the Altar and crying for reuenge vpon those that shed their bloud Chap. 6. vers 9. all the time that the Heathen reigned And whosoeuer worshipped not the beast as they departed out of this life they had communion with them in this their erection all these thousand yeres that is the body of the Saints being considered as one but not euery particular member For they all and euery of them liued and reigned in this time of a thousand yeeres though some a longer some a shorter part of it Their liuing and reigning then here spoken of must needs haue reference to their lying and crying before mentioned and therefore as that was spoken of to set forth times of persecution without any appearance of a deliuerer that might reuenge that innocent bloud so here is nothing else set forth but a deliuerance of the Church and a putting of power into the hands of the faithfull to reuenge themselues vpon the heathen as was sometime giuen to the Iewes by thē meanes of Hester Ester 8. and Mordecai For although the soules of the faithfull did liue and reigne with Christ before mmediatly after their separation from the body yet because vnto perfect dominion it is not onely requisite to be in glory and ioy with the Lord but to haue our enemies beaten downe and destroyed they are not said to liue and reigne with the Lord till this accomplished Touching the rest of the dead who are said not to rise againe till these thousand yeeres ended I cannot thinke that it is meant of the dead in sinne and superstition who rise not till then that is neuer because they which were before spoken of are corporally dead for they were slaine and these are plainly a part of them for hee saith the rest of the dead and therefore corporally dead also I suppose then that by the rest of the dead the innumerable company of them that haue died since the beginning of the world are meant the time of whose resurrection is not to bee expected till after these thousand yeeres lest when we heare of some liuing and reigning with Christ and of thrones set and the iudgement giuen we should imagine the generall resurrection and Christs comming to iudgement to be here meant This is the first resurrection Vers 5. Vers 6. Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection c. This may seeme to bee plaine for a bodily resurrection maintained from this place by the Chiliasts because the liuing of the soules before spoken of being here reiterated is called a resurrection which cannot bee taken but for the rising againe of the body seeing the soule falleth not at all But it is to bee vnderstood that these words are metaphoricall and not proper the rising of the Church from vnder persecution to such an estate as wherein the truth is propagated with authority is as it were a resurrection from the dead and therefore is so called and because of the life that vniuersally came then into the world by meanes of the Gospell thus propagated it is called the first resurrection as the conuersion of the Iewes which shall be is called by the Apostle Rom. 11.15 Life vnto the world from the dead which is all one as if he had said with our Prophet here a resurrection They are said to be blessed and holy that haue part in this resurrection that is the faithfull of these times are aboue others blessed in this that they rule and reigne the world being now Christian and are not vnder the dominion of their enemies neither shall the second death seize vpon them as vpon none else that are in the like condition that is by the power of the Gospell and spirit raised vp from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse For of a bodily resurrection it cannot possibly be vnderstood as I haue already proued but being thus vnderstood all things will most excellently agree I saw thrones set and them that sate vpon them c. that is it was represented vnto me how in the time of Constantine the Great the faithfull should begin to rule and reigne in this world And I saw the soules c. that is and at that time it was shewed me by the altered condition of such as had giuen their liues for the truth who before were set forth as crying but now as ruling and reigning in token of an end put to those calamities and a beginning made of prosperity that the case of the Church was altered and this lasted a thousand yeeres This is the first resurrection c. that is this the faithfuls being aduanced to rule and reigne here being a meanes to conuert so many millions in all parts to the truth is as it were a generall resurrection going before that at the last day against which they are well prepared that haue their part in this by being quickened in grace for the second death shall neuer seize vpon such but they shall reigne with Christ a thousand yeeres by the prosperous and flourishing estate which the Church enioyeth here and afterwards for euer by being actually possessed of the kingdome of heauen in body and soule for euermore Note Note that the onely way to be safe from euerlasting destruction in hell is by making a resurrection before the last resurrection that is a resurrection vnto grace
heauen and the earth as doth also Saint Peter 2 Pet. 3.13 and therefore I doe not thinke that any sea shall haue a being any more but the glassie sea before the throne Chap. 4. the sea that now is being consumed with the heat of that fire as the Schoole-man speaketh And indeed the sea is such an huge depth and so hideous to behold when it worketh and the waues thereof are tossed to and fro that there is in it some representation of hell that bottomlesse pit boiling with fire and brimstone and therefore for comfort it is added that there was no sea Chap. 9. The Locusts before were noted to come out of the bottomlesse pit and the beast as terrible as they out of the sea Chap. 13. the sea therefore is as another bottomlesse pit against which there is need we should be comforted There shall bee no more sea then for any such beasts to arise out of againe for the terrour of the faithfull and this I take to be the very meaning without any further curious enquiring with the Schoole-men what shall become of the sea then and determining that it shall be changed into an heauenly spheare Saint Augustine by the sea here vnderstandeth the troubles of the world Aug. lib. 20. de Ciu. Dei cap. 17 the aduersities persecutions and great mutations of states which are alwayes here but then shall be no more And I saw the new Ierusalem comming downe from heauen Vers 2. c. This new Ierusalem is the Church glorified and so adorned like a Bride in all her best array Whereas it is obiected that the Church glorified is in heauen and therefore cannot be said to come down from heauen Pareus I answer with Pareus that she is said to come downe from heauen not in respect of locall motion but of her originall which is from God and from heauen for the Saints are begotten of God Iam. 1.18 and therefore may well be said to descend from him yea the Church of God being spoken of elsewhere by this name of Ierusalem is said to be from aboue in this sense Gal 4.26 Ierusalem which is from aboue is the mother of vs all Whereas it is further obiected that shee is spoken of as a Bride prepared for her husband which is by the ornaments of grace in this world I answer it is true the Church indeed is in preparing for Christ in this life but shee is not fully prepared till the accession of glory that shall bee at the last day which is the day of her marriage and therefore to intimate this time the Lord is spoken of not by the name of a Bridegroome but of an husband for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We may gather then from hence that the glorified estate of the Church must needs be meant here because till that time she is not fully adorned and prepared for the marriage as she is set forth here to bee for shee is not without some imperfections vntill this time but here she is described as most compleat and perfect in euery respect The Tabernacle of God is with men Vers 3. c. that is with the faithfull he will hence-forth make his abode being vnder the same roofe as it were perpetually as the Bridgegroome liueth with his Bride after the marriage consummated and then it is shewed how happy this estate shall bee by the freedome from all misery and the fruition of all good things which happy condition of the faithfull that it might be made yet more illustrious the contrary estate of the wicked is described The fearefull and vnbeleeuing Vers 8. c. shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone By the fearefull vnderstand such as in the time of persecution are faint hearted so as that rather than they will come into any bodily danger they will fall from their profession of the truth They and all other wicked persons whether they be such as are here particularly reckoned vp or in any other kinde which is set forth by vnbeleeuers and abominable shall burne for euer in hell where they shall weepe and waile and gnash their teeth when as all sorrow and crying shall be done away to the godly Let the wicked therefore tremble at these things and turne and so many as feare God comfort themselues in the assured hope and expectation to be comforted farre beyond all the sorrowes that they doe or can endure in this world From hence-forward the Church reigning in heauen is described vnder the name of the new Ierusalem Hauing the glory of God Vers 11. and her light was like vnto a stone most precious euen like a Iasper stone cleare as crystall c. The Church doth communicate now with God in the brightnesse of his glory which before was represented by a Iasper stone Chap. 4.3 which is of incomparable brightnesse and so is the Crystall From hence it is proceeded to the wall great and high Vers 12. and the twelue gates The wall of a city serueth for defence that the inhabitants may be safe from the incursions of enemies and therefore the new Ierusalem is said to haue a great high wall to set forth the safety thereof Touching the gates whereof three are towards the East Vers 13. c. this is plainly borrowed from Ezech. 48.31 The gates towards all parts shew that this Church is gathered out of all parts of the world which is also plainly taught Luk. 13.29 They shall come out of the East West North South Luk 13.29 Andreas Napier sit down in the kingdom of God Neither do I dislike of the mystery of the Trinity hereby intimated according to some for why else should the number of three be set down rather than any other number The names of the twelue tribes of the childreÌ„ of Israel are written vpon these gates to shew that vnto the true Israelites only this city doth appertaine consisteth of such only Twelue Angels stand at the gates to shew how by the conduct and guidance of the Prophets Bullinger Pareus Napiâ—r Apostles and Ministers of God they are brought in according to some but me thinkes that Angels are rather properly to be vnderstood who are placed as a guard vnto the city at each gate Psal 34. for the Angels of God pitch their tents about those that feare God and they conduct the faithfull into heauen for the Angels at the last day are sent out to gather the wheat into Gods barne The Apostles are expresly mentioned in the next place Vers 14. in speaking of the foundations of this city whereupon their names are written And it is set forth to haue foundations because strong buildings haue foundations well laid and the twelue Apostles names are inscribed vpon them according to the place which they had in the Church in this world Yee are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets
Eph. 2.20 Christ Iesus himselfe being the chiefe corner stone Not that Christ only is not the foundation of the Church but because they are the chiefe next vnto him and by them others are built vpon Christ This is therefore thus set forth for honours sake vnto them being the most eminent in this spirituall building The obiection which is made from hence that the Church triumphant in heauen cannot bee meant here because the faithfull shall not then depend vpon the Apostles as they doe in this life for so much as here they need their writings for instruction and direction this I say is most weake for they are not therefore said to be foundations in heauen because others depend vpon them but for the eminency of their glory which is in the highest degree as they haue beene instruments of greatest glory to God in this world And the city lieth foure-square Vers 16. and the length is as large as the bredth and he measured the city with the reed twelue thousand furlongs the length and the bredth and the height of it are equall This foure-square figure serueth to set forth the firme and vnmoueable standing of the faithfull in that glorious estate Bullinger the number of furlongs here mentioned is thought by some to be the length and bredth and height seuerally each of them being twelue thousand But I assent rather to them that account this to be the whole compasse of the city Pareus comprehending the bredth and length for they are plainly cast vp together so that there being foure sides to measure each is but three thousand furlongs that is three hundred seuenty and fiue of our English miles a city of wonderfull greatnesse farre exceeding old Babylon Herod lib. 1. which is also described by Herodotus to bee foure-square but in compasse onely foure hundred and fourescore furlongs the height was two hundred cubits and the thicknesse of the wall fifty cubits but the compasse of this is twelue thousand furlongs the height equall to the length or bredth that is three thousand furlongs and the thicknesse followeth one hundred forty and foure cubits It is set forth to be thus large because there is roome enough for all the faithfull and of an equall bredth and length and so each side equall to shew that it consisteth alike of people of all parts of the world for as much as the Gospell was sent to all the world It is of this extraordinary height and thicknesse to shew that there is no getting into it but by the gates and it is impregnable for strength That the thicknesse of the wall is meant when it is said Hee measured the wall thereof 144. cubits must needs bee yeelded because the height was described before And it is to be noted how all the numbers here goe vpon twelue according to the number of the twelue Tribes and the twelue Apostles for twelue being multiplied by twelue make one hundred forty and foure to shew that onely true Israelites such as are built vpon the holy Apostles are members and parts of this building The measure whereby the city is measured is said to be of a man which is the measure of the Angell Haime Some vnderstand this of the shape of a man wherein the Angell appeared and so it was the measure of a man that is of the Angell in appearance like vnto a man but this is ouerthrowne by that which went before at the first comming of the Angell to talke with Iohn where it is said one of the seuen Angels came vnto mee not one like vnto a man Some therefore thinke that it is meant Viegaâ— that man is an Angell in the estate here described according to that of our Sauiour Christ They shall be as the Angels for they come into the place of Angels but no such thing as I take it can be meant here because not man but man regenerate and sanctified shall be as an Angell and in this state he is not wont to be spoken of by the name of man but the faithfull or Saints Lastly the most genuine and most receiued exposition is Bullâ—nger Pareus Napier that the measures of furlongs and cubits here measured by are such as bee vsuall amongst men for this kinde of measure was the measure which the Angell vsed and he saith which is of the Angell that is which is the measure vsed by the Angell Whereas this is vsed as an argument to proue that the Church triumphant is not meant here but the Church militant vpon earth because the measure of a man is vsed it is very weake seeing the onely end of this explication of the measure is for our vnderstanding of the iust length breadth height and thicknesse of the wals of the city as this Prophecy is directed to vs and not to shew where this city is Hauing thus described the measures hee proceedeth next to the matter of the building And the building of the wall was of Iasper Vers 18. and the City was pure gold like vnto cleare glasse The Iasper stone is much celebrated in this booke he that sitteth vpon the throne is likened to a Iasper and when the glory of this city was said to be as the glory of God the light of it is immediatly said to be as of a Iasper here the wall is of Iasper and the prime stone of the foundation is Iasper This stone is of a most beautifull greene colour and so may well set forth a state like the Spring alwayes greene neuer withering or decaying by age such as is the glorified estate of the Saints in heauen The cleare crystall 〈◊〉 also spoken of before in describing her light vnto which pure gold is also added here these being things of greatest exâ—â—â—ency and most cleere and pure that hereby we might vnderstand what the excellency of this estate is and more eagerly ensue after it as worldly men doe after gold and pretious stones Vnto the foundations more particularly are ascribed particular pretious stones with which they are said to be garnished for vpon the foundations were inscribed the names of the twelue Apostles as representing them now in their glorified estate who as a foundation in a building are the chiefe parâ— of this â—â—â—â—uall edifice These foundations therefore are set forth thâ—â— garnished to shew that as all this building is glorious so the Apostles who haue beene the chiefest instruments â—â—orifying God vpon earth are most glorious The ornament of the first foundation is a Iasper stone Vers 19. the second a Saphire the third a Calcedony c. Some will haue these stones disposed vnto this order according to the order of the Apostles so that the first in the nature and vertues thereof is fitted vnto the first of the Apostles Peter and the other to the rest applying to each Apostle one Arethas Andreas but here some make Paul the second and some Andrew The Iasper stone they say doth well
their leaues for medicine Compare the particulars together and you shall finde an excellent agreement betwixt these places so that I doubt not but in this vision it is alluded vnto that there the graces of the Church militant being represented here the glory of the Church triumphant betwixt which there is a great analogy and correspondency The riuer here is the Spirit of God who is most pure and holy proceeding from the Father and the Sonne who is also as a riuer of liuing waters in the Saints refreshing and comforting them without end The tree of life is Christ for so much as he onely is food to them that liue for euer and hereby it appeareth that this is spoken of the glorified estate of the Church because when a reward in heauen is promised to him that ouercommeth it is vnder these termes To him that ouercommeth I will giue to eat of the tree of life Chap. 2.7 And both in the riuer and this tree it is plainly alluded vnto Paradise out of which a riuer arose and wherein was the tree of life This one tree was manifold both in the midst of the street and on either side of the riuer because there is no want of it to the infinite multitude of Saints but euer ready there to yeeld food vnto them all And to shew the multiplicity of delights that are herein twelue sorts of fruits and fruit-bearing euery of the twelue moneths in the yeere is ascribed vnto it which doth also imply a tree alwayes flourishing neuer fading and the leaues are healthfull to the nations that is not as if sicknesse were now incident vnto them and they needed healing for all sicknesse and paine is done away but to declare their euer healthfull condition there being no lesse vse of medicine to preserue health than to restore it From hence forward all things are easie and need no interpretation vntill v. 10. howsoeuer some expound Iohns falling downe at the feet of the Angell to worship him Vers 8. Brightman vers 8. as an act repeated from Chap. 19.10 and not done the second time but it is plaine that hee was againe to blame herein hauing so soone forgotten himselfe after that admonition whereby we may see what the weaknesse of the best and of the most holy is if they bee not continually propped vp by Gods grace that we all may continually craue it out of an humble acknowledgement of our weaknesse much more and not presume in any case vpon our owne strength Vers 10. But Vers 10. it may bee doubted why Iohn is bidden not to seale vp this Prophecy and what the Angell meaneth by bidding him that is vniust to be vniust still for he saith Vers 11. Let him that is vniust be vniust still c. The common answer here is that sealing being vsed to keepe close writings that they may not be lookt into and read the Lord would not haue this Prophecy sealed because he would haue all his people to looke into it and vnderstand it as setting forth things which were shortly to begin to take effect Whereas Daniel is commanded to seale vp his Prophecy Dan 12.4 it was because it should bee a long time before it should take effect a certaine argument that Antichrist being the chiefe subiect of this Prophecy came long agoe and is not still to be expected Touching the other words Let him that is vniust be vniust still c. they are not spoken as intimating a leauing of euery one to the liberty of his owne will as Popish Writers doe hence collect but come aptly in here after the leauing of this Booke vnsealed mentioned For if it should be thought this will doe more hurt than good the wicked enemies of the truth being rather prouoked against the faithfull professors of it by hauing these things applyed against them the Lord careth not for this for he will soone come to giue them their payment for all so that the faithfull may bee comforted and the more setled in righteousnesse and holinesse◠thus some Bullinger Pareus And this indeed doth very fitly agree seeing the Booke left vnsealed to the reading and considering of all sorts is by the wicked but contemned they being no whit the more moued to a reformation Andreas Tho. Aquin. Some will haue these words to be spoken prophetically as if the Lord expected none other euent but a neglect of this prophecie amongst the wicked who would not be reformed at all hereby for thus it is plainly spoken in a like case in the Booke of Daniel Many shall be purified Dan. 12.10 Napier Eccles 11.9 but the wicked shall doe wickedly Some hold it to be ironicall as that in the Preacher Reioyce O young man in thy youth and walke in the wayes of thy heart c. but know that for all this God will bring thee to iudgement It is not amisse to follow any of these Expositions but I preferre the second vnderstanding the words as propheticall and withall I thinke that they haue reference to the former words about leauing the Booke vnsealed sealed for the speech concerneth alike the godly and the wicked and therefore cannot be ironicall Whereas the righteous are bidden to be righteous still Popish Expositors turning it Let the iustified be yet more iustified thinke that they haue a ground here for the increase of iustification after that a man is by faith iustified he may by his good workes make himselfe more iust but for so much as the righteous here is opposed to the vniust spoken of before and the holy to the filthy such righteousnesse must needs be vnderstood as is contrary to vnrighteousnesse viz. righteousnesse in fact and not the righteousnesse which is by faith wherein a man may and ought to grow daily but neither is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus rightly expounded for it is still noting perseuerance herein and not an increase of it for thus this word is vsed Vers 3. There shall be no curse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Chapter 10. the Angell sweareth That time shall not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 3.12 After this the Lord Iesus being described and they which shall be shut out of this City againe mentioned and the contents of this booke confirmed there is an inuitation to drinke of the water of life made to all that will Vers 17. Vers 1◠17. I am the root and the off-spring of Dauid and the bright morning starre And the Spirit and the bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoeur will let him take the water of life freely Christ calleth himselfe the root of Dauid in respect of his Diuinity and his off-spring in respect of his humanity and the bright morning Starre for the light of comfort which wee haue by him before the Sunne of glory ariseth that shall bee reuealed The Bride is the Church the Spirit speaketh in the
Church making her to long after his comming for her full redemption he that heareth who is inuited to say likewise is euery one that heareth this Prophecie and what a ioyfull estate the faithfull shall be in in Heauen For he cannot but wish and desire for this day Let him that is a thirst come as he longeth after the comming of the Lord to the perfecting of his happinesse so let him come to the Lord by faith and obedience and let him that will this is added to note not that by the power of his owne will he can doe thus but that his will must be sanctified and of vnwilling he must become willing God working in him a new will and new desires before that he can come vnto Christ this Fountaine of liuing water That which followeth is added as a necessary muniment vnto this and to all the bookes of holy Scripture against forgers of the Word of God which the Spirit did foresee would bee in after times Vers 18. For I testifie to euery man that heareth the words of this Prophecie if and man shall adde to these things God shall adde to him the plagues that are written in this Booke c. Vers 16. These are the words of our Sauiour Christ who had before spoken of his Angell whom he sent to testifie these things and therefore in the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I witnesse together Touching the rationall particle for some omit it as redundant but it is of great force to argue a necessity of attending to and reuerently regarding what is here set forth For that must needs be of great consequence which is guarded with such a caution If testimonies be alleaged onely to proue the truth of a thing it doth not so much moue to consider of it but it being auerred to be such as that it is danger of death to depraue it any way all men will beginne to attend vnto it as handling matter of life and death And what is spoken of this Booke by the like reason is well applyed by our Diuines to all Bookes of holy Scripture for why is it so dangerous to take away or to adde vnto this Booke but because it is of God And is it not as dangerous then to intermeddle in this kinde with any other of the Bookes of God such as all the Bookes of Scripture are But it is well added to this as the last as the charge of not putting to or taking away from the Bookes of Moses is added in the last of his Bookes Bellarmine excepteth against this inference Deut. 4. holding that the threatning pertaineth only to the detractors from or adders to this Booke and necessarily for otherwise with what colour could they obtrude to the people of God vnwritten traditions as being of equall authority with the Word of God How durst they take away the Cup in the holy Communion and the second Commandement out of the Decalogue and with such audacity change our Lord in many places into our Lady with many the like corruptions With what face could they hold and maintaine that all things necessary to saluation are not set forth in the holy Scriptures when as they are so compleat as that there may be no addition made vnto them But this exception will doe them no good when God shall iustifie his care to be a like tender ouer all other Bookes of Scripture as ouer this diuine Booke And that these words may be certainly knowne to be the words of Christ Vers 20. Saint Iohn saith for conclusion Hee which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Euen so come Lord Iesus For whose comming that we may be the more fit let vs acquaint our selues with the things herein contained sith they are left vnsealed to vs to this end and purpose and being acquainted with these mysteries which being explained as through Gods assistance thou hast them here presented vnto thee doe so euidently shew the Pope to bee Antichrist and his estate together with all that follow him to bee damnable halt not betwixt two opinions but bee a resolute reformed Catholike nothing doubting but certainly expecting their finall ouerthrow and confusion and thine owne deliuerance and euerlasting saluation which let vs all pray with this our blessed Apostle that it may come quickly Amen Trinuni Deo gloria Errata In the Catalogue of Names for Cicillus read Cyrillus PAge 27. for doe reade to p. 31. wandring r. wauering p. 44. or r. 2. p. 60. Ioh. 24. r. 2. p. 78. his r. has in marg p. 92. aninū r. animū in marg p. 104. run r. cun p. 140. was r. as p. 163. Secutoro r. Secuturo in marg p. 177. onus r. vnus in marg p. 183. word r. world p. 434. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. X. p. 485. Pope r. pompe p. 493. vilitate r. venerate p. 5 14. which time r. after which time