the mightiemen and euery bond-man and euery free-man hidde themselues in dennes vers 16 and amongst the rockes of the mountaines and said to the rockes and mountaines vers 17 fall on vs c. the sense and meaning of all is this that these visible iudgements should bee so horrible and extraordinarie that all sorts of men then liuing vpon the face of the earth should euen wish themselues buried quicke or that they might runne into a mouse-hole or awger-hole to hide themselues from the wrath of the Lambe For being both outwardly terrified with these sensible iudgements and inwardly griped and tormented with the furie of their owne consciences they were at no hande able to endure it CHAP. VII THis chapter dooth wholy appertaine vnto the opening of the sixt seale It sheweth generally how God in the middest of all the broiles which happened vnder the opening of the sixt seale yet did preserue his church and mercifully prouide for his owne people This seuenth chapter may very fitly bee deuided into three parts First it sheweth that as God did most fearefully punish the world with visible sensible iudgemēts as we haue heard before so now he would set vpon them with inuisible and spirituall plagues which are of all other most grieuous and intollerable vers 1 Secondly it sheweth the state and condition of the Church militant here in earth as before was shewed vnder the opening of the fift seale the state of the Church triumphant in the heauens vers 2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9 namely that it is sealed and set in safetie from all daungers Thirdly it sheweth the blessed and happie estate of all Gods elect vers 10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17 and their feruent praises and zealous worship of God who thus mercifully did prouide for their securitie in the middest of greatest perils and extremities vers 1 And after that I saw foure Angels stand on the foure corners of the earth holding the foure winds of the earth that the windes should not blowe on the earth neither on the sea neither on any greene tree These foure angels are angels of darknesse or foure diuels which is proued by this reason that they holde the foure windes from blowing on the earth that is stop the course of the Gospell which is a spirituall plague They are said to stand vpon the foure corners of the earth because power was giuen them to plague not some one or two countries but the vniuersall world both East West North and South The blowing of the windes doth very fitly represent the preaching of the Gospell and that heauenly inspiration and breathing of the holy Ghost which goeth with it Winde is so taken Ioh. 3. where our Lord Iesus saith The wind bloweth where it listeth c So is euery man that is borne of the spirit And again in the 4. of the Cantic in these words Arise ô North and come ô South and blowe on my garden that the spices thereof may flowe out Where it plainly appeareth that the Church craueth the inspiration of the spirit that her fruites may abound For what can be meant by these windes which she wisheth to blow vppon her garden but the heauenly breathings of Gods holy spirit and word It followeth then that if the blowing of the windes in the scriptures doo signifie the breathing of Gods grace and holy spirite that the stopping of the windes by a reason of the contraries doth here signifie the stopping of the same and the depriuation of all heauenly blessings So that it is cleare that a spirituall plague is heere represented which also is the more apparant because here is such speciall prouiso and care had for the churches safetie that it might not be infected with this spirituall contagiō Now all this doth plainly fore-prophesie not only the stopping of the course of the Gospell but euen the vtter taking of it away from the world for their great contempt thereof and the horrible murthering massacring of all the true professors of it according as it came to passe afterward in the preuailing first of heresies and afterward of the Popish and Mahometish religion as in the two next Chapters following shall plainly appeare And I sawe another Angell come vp from the East vers 2 which had the seale of the liuing God and he cried with a loud voice to the foure angels to whome power was giuen to hurt the earth and the sea saying Hurt yee not the earth neither the sea vers 3 neither the trees till wee haue sealed the seruants of our God in their foreheads This Angell is Iesus Christ who by the Prophet is called the Angell of the couenant That Angels do represent sustaine the person of Christ their head is so common vsuall a thing in the scriptures that I shall not neede to staie in it That this Angell is Christ it doth plainly appeare by the things heere attributed vnto him which can agree to none other First in that he hath the seale of the liuing God which is the spirit of adoption to set vpon all the elect for hee is the onely keeper of this great seale and this priuie seale Hee onely hath authoritie to set it vpon whom he will Secondly because hee is saide to come vp from the East that is hee is the onely sonne of righteousnes which ariseth vpon his Church euery morning and with his bright beames expelleth all darknesse from it According to that of Zacharias in his propheticall song Through the tender mercy of our God the day spring from an highe hath visited vs. Thirdly because he holdeth a soueraigntie and commaund ouer the diuels for he chargeth them here to staie their hands from doing any hurt till he had prouided for his elect vers 2 Whereas it is saide that power was giuen to these diuels to hurt the earth the sea and the trees that is the number of reprobates we may note that the diuels haue no absolute power but only by permission as appeareth in this that they could neither touch Iob nor enter into the heard of swine without leaue and licence vers 3 Whereas it is said Till we haue sealed the seruants of our God in their foreheads it doth plainely shewe that the punishments of the wicked are deferred till prouision be made for the elect The floud came not vppon the olde worlde till Noah and his family were receiued into the Arke The Angels destroyed not Sodome till Lot was set in safetie The plaguing Angell spared the first borne of Egipt till the postes of the Israelites houses were sprinkeled with the blood of the paschall Lambe The sixe Angels sent to destroy Ierusalem are charged to staie the execution till the seruaunts of God were marked in their fore-heads All these examples do manifestly declare what tender care the Lorde in all ages hath had of his owne people that they might be deliuered and set in safetie in the midst of all extremities Euen so heere we see that God
signifieth Christ as Dan. 10.13 Iude v. 9. This name is giuen to Christ in Daniel because he is the first of the chiefe Princes that is he is the head of the Angels who are chiefe Princes as the Apostle affirmeth That Christ hath his Angels ioyned with him is not to note any weakenesse or want of strength in Christ alone to ouercome his enemies but to shew that as Christ doth effect great wonders in the world so for the most part hee doth it by instruments and meanes as sometimes Angels sometimes men But here he specially meaneth the Apostles and their successours yea and at this day all christian kings princes and potentates of the earth and all others which take part with Christ against the diuel his instruments Well here wee see that these two Generals and grand captaines Michael and the Dragon do muster both their armies ioyne battel and fight a pitched field the euent and successe whereof is this that the Dragon and his Angels goe downe Oh blessed successe may we say For if the diuel had preuailed it had beene woe to vs sith this battel was about and concerning the verie saluation of mankind by christs death and resurrection We know how the diuel set vpon Christ alone to tempt him vnto sinne that so he might ouerthrowe the worke of our redemption supposing in this combate or Monomachie to haue got the day but he preuailed not Afterward how strongly did he oppugne him by his Angels I meane the Scribes and Phariseâ—â— the high Priests and Elders of the people yea all the diuels in hel and his whole infernal armie not onely in murthering and crucifying his natural bodie but also in vsing all forcible and cunning meanes to keepe him downe that he might neuer rise vp againe as the great stone vpon his tombe the sealing of it the watch set to keepe it for the diuel knew right wel that if Christ rose again hee should lose the field For the resurrection of Christ is our actuall iustification And Christ was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by his resurrection from the dead Wel do the dragon and his Angels what they can yet Christ is risen againe and hath spoiled principalities and powers yea al the infernall armie and hath made a shew of them openly and hath led them all in triumph vpon his crosse So that we see in this first and greatest battell the diuell hath the foile And it is further said that the diuell and all his Angels were cast out of heauen and their place was no more found which is not to be vnderstood of their first casting out of heauen immediately after their creatioÌ„ For at that time they were no diuels nor enemies to the church but Angels of light but nowe since their fall and since they were diuels they are said to be cast out of heauen not because they euer came in heauen since they were diuels but because they can no longer impeach the church touching her blessed estate in heauen They are without all hope to dispossesse her of her inheritance for that is ratified and made sure vnto her in the death and resurrection of Christ And for this cause it is said that the diuell hath no more to do in heauen that is he cannot for his heart ouerthrow the saluation of Gods children For who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe c. True it is indeed that this battell is said to be in heauen that is about heauenly things yea about the highest points of heauen which is saluation or damnation for the diuel vpon this very point these very termes hath froÌ„ the beginning mightily wrestled and strugled with y e church doth euen vntil this day but blessed be God that he cannot nor shall not preuaile against any one of gods elect For our lord Iesus saith I giue vnto theÌ„ eternal life they shal neuer perish neither shal any take them out of my hand my father which gaue theÌ„ me is greater then all Neither shal any pluck theÌ„ out of my hand And againe All that the Father giueth me shal come vnto me And this is the fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath giuen me I should lose nothing but should raise it vp againe at the last day Now further we are to obserue that as Christ in his owne person hath once preuailed in the maine battell against the diuell so his church militant shal likewise alwayes preuaile through him For it is written The gates of hell shall not preuaile against it And the great Dragon that old serpent called the diuel and Satan was cast out which deceiueth al the world vers 9 He was euen cast into the earth his Angels were cast out with him Now because the diuel cannot ouerthrow the saluation of Gods elect hee is said to be cast out of heauen into the earth that is amongst earthlie and carnall men that he may exercise his tyranny and wrecke his malice vpon them For he hath power giuen him to tyrannise ouer them at his pleasure and the Apostle saith he worketh in the children of disobedience and taketh them captiue to do his will Then I heard a loud voice in heauen saying vers 10 now is saluation strength and the kingdom of our God the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before God day and night Here is the triumphant song of victorie which al the Saints Angels do sing vnto God praysing and magnifying his power and the power of his Sonne Christ for ouercomming the dragon and giuing the victory to the church through Christ For now with great ioy and loude voices they sing and say that the churches saluation is sealed and made sure vnto her for euer It can neuer be shaken The diuel is foiled and cast down into the earth These songs of ioie after great victories are of great antiquity in the church as we read of the children of Israel after the ouerthrow of Pharaoh and his army in the red sea of Deborah after the great victory ouer Sisara of the women that sung after the victory of Goliah by Dauid The deuil is called the accuser of the brethren for two causes First because he accuseth Gods elect of much sinne and calleth for iustice against them day and night at Gods hands that they might be condemned vpon such articles as he is able to proue against them for he knowing right well that the iudge of al the world is a iust God and must needs deale vprightly doth daily vrge him to doe iustice vnto sinners being willingly ignorant that al Gods People though sinners are cleared and discharged in Christ Another reason is because of the calumniations reproches and slaunders which in
Which question is asked of the Elder not as being ignorant thereof but to stirre vp Iohn being ignorant to enquire of the matter that he might instruct him therein And therfore when Iohn confessed his ignorance desiring to be instructed therein the Elder telleth him the whole matter namely vers 14 that they were such as were come out of great tribulation For none can enter into life but through many afflictions as the Apostle saith After this againe the militant and visible church is described and set forth not according to their present state but according to that which is to come vers 16 vers 15 for they are here spoken of as if they were alreadie in the possession of heauen and that for infallible certaintie and assurance thereof Therfore the Apostle saith that euen already they do sit together in heauenly places And here they are said to be in the presence of the throne of God vers 16 c. to hunger and thirst no more c. to haue all teares wiped from their eyes vers 17 and to be ledde by the Lambe vnto the fountaines of liuing waters All which dooth very plainely and plentifully expresse that infinite glory and endlesse felicitie which is prepared for all the true and faithfull worshippers of God Many good lessons and obseruations might be gathered out of all this But I do of purpose omit them because in this worke I do chiefly and almost altogether aime at interpretation therein also studying breuitie soundnesse and plainenesse CHAP. VIII WE haue heard out of the seuenth Chapter how the diuels and their instruments the Romaine Emperors did stop the course of the Gospel Now in this chapter we are to heare the woeful effects of the stopping thereof which was the springing vp preuailing of manifolde errors heresies in the worlde So that the principall scope and drift of this chapter is to shewe that God for the contempt of his Gospel and great indignities offered to the true professors thereof did giue vp the worlde to blindnesse to errour to superstition and heresie and as the Apostle saith Because they receiued not the loue of the truth therefore God sent them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies For as before we haue heard how the worlde was most fearefully punished with externall plagues and iudgements So here we are to vnderstand how the same was punished with iudgements spirituall and internall as formerly hath bene said vpon the stopping of the foure windes For although that spirituall plague was very great yet these spirituall plagues which follow vpon the opening of the seuenth seale are farre greater For now we are to heare and vnderstand not onely of the errours and heresies whereby a way and passage was made by degrees as it were by certaine staires for Antichrist to climbe vp into his cursed chaire and to take possession thereof but also wee are to vnderstand of his very tyrannie and kingdome it selfe and also of the kingdome of the Turke and the last iudgement For the things contained vnder the opening of the seuenth seale do reach vnto the ende of the worlde For the booke sealed with seuen seales containeth all the whole matters which were to bee reuealed This chapter containeth foure principall things as it were the foure parts thereof First the reuerent attention and silence vers 1 with admiration which was in the Church at and vpon the comming forth of this most horrible vengeance Secondly before the execution of these most execrable plagues vers 2.3.4.5 the Church is remembred and set in safetie with all her children by her great mediator Christ Iesus Thirdly the execution of this vengeance vers 6 which commeth forth at the blowing of the seuen trumpets by seuen Angels Fourthly the vengeance it selfe contained in the preuailing of errour and heresie vers 7.8.9.10.11.12.13 the falling away of the Pastors of the Church and the vniuersall darkenesse that followed therevpon And when hee had opened the 7. seale there was silence in heauen about halfe an houre By heauen in this place he meaneth not the kingdome of glory after this life but by heauen is meant the Church here vpon earth as it is so taken chap. 12. verse 1. and chap. 14. verse 2. There may bee three reasons yeelded why the church is called heauen First because the birth thereof is from heauen for it is borne of God Secondly because the inheritance therof is from heauen and therefore is called the inheritance of the Saints Thirdly because the conuersation therof is in heauen as the Apostle saith To this may be added that our Lorde Iesus in his Gospell dooth so often call his visible Church the Kingdome of heauen by a trope because Christ beginneth his raigne in the faithfull therein whom afterward he translateth actually into the very kingdome of glory By silence here is meant the great attention of the church because great things were now in hand For now vpon the opening of the 7. seale farre greater matters are threatned then any before and therfore the Church doth listen vnto them in deepe silence as it were in horror and trembling through admiration for now there appeare such dreadfull iudgements of God to be executed vpon the earth that all the heauenly company are astonished and amazed to behold it and do as it were quake and tremble to thinke vpon it For as when heauie newes commeth downe from the Prince to bee proclaimed in open markets all good subiects doe listen and giue eare with silence and trembling so it fareth in this case By halfe an houre hee meaneth that short time wherein the minds of the godly were prepared fitted and disposed wisely to consider of these matters and to make good vse of them I know right well that this Verse is farre otherwise interpreted of some but I take this to bee most sound and simple and best agreeing to all that followeth for the next Verse is ioyned vnto this by a coniunction copulatiue to note a coherence of the matter and to draw the sense together for he saith And I saw 7. vers 2 Angels which stood before God and to them were giuen seuen Trumpets These seuen Trumpets signifie that God would proceede against the worlde in fearefull hostilitie and come against it as an open enemie vnto battell proclaiming open warre against it as it were with sound of Trumpet and Dromme setting vp the flag of defiance against it And hereupon groweth this silence and trembling in the Church which onely is mooued with the signes of Gods wrath when as all others sit still in securitie as the Prophet Zachary saith in a like case To stand in this place signifieth to administer as it is said of the Priests Leuites that they stand before God and before the Aultar that is Minister So here the Angels doo stand before God as readie to administer and execute these iudgements For they are ministring spirits and here
the sense that is and not the sense which is not as hath beene said before But I will giue power vnto my 2. witnesses vers 3 and they shall prophesie 1260. dayes cloathed in sackcloth Hauing set down how Antichrist his company being those Gentiles which possesse y e outward court should tread downe the holy citie that is the true churh of God for a short time now he commeth to shew that euen in the height and pride of the Popes power and gouernment yet the Church was not vtterly extinct God did neuer vtterly forsake it but in all ages and at all times God did raise vp one or other to withstand all Popish proceedings which is here meant by the two witnesses For assuredly these two witnesses do not signifie Enoch and Elias as the Papists and some others do dreame but they signifie all the faithfull Preachers and professors of the truth which in all ages both former and later haue opposed themselues against the Pope his Cleargie his doctrine his religion and all his abhominable proceedings They are called Witnesses because they should beare witnesse vnto the truth They are said to be two in number for three reasons First because they were very fewe in those dayes when Popery did so generally preuaile for two is the smallest number Secondly because the law of God doth admit of no lesse number in witnesse-bearing as it is written In the mouth of two or three witnesses shal euery word stād Thirdly it is an allusion to Zorobabel and Iehoshua which were the two restorers and builders of the temple after the captiuitie Christ saith here that hee will giue power to his two witnesses for no man hath any power in heauenly things except it be giuē him from aboue and especially to stand fast to the truth in the heate of persecutions and troubles It is said that these two witnesses shall Prophesie that is Preach declare and speake For so Prophesie is taken in the former Chapter and last verse so also in other places of the scripture The time of their prophesieng being 1260. daies hath bene expounded before These two witnesses are cloathed in sackcloth which signifieth that they should lead a sorrowfull life here in this world For in old time when men did fast and mourne they did vse to put on sackcloth It followeth then that these faithfull Preachers and witnesses of the truth did not spend their daies in mirth iolitie and worldly pompe and brauery as did the Popes Cleargie and pompous prelates of Antichrist Now if any man wil demaund how this may appeare that there haue beene alwaies some raised vp of God to write preach declare and speake against the whoore of Babylon euen then when she was aloft and raigned as the Queene and Lady of the world I answere that Histories are verie plentifull in this point which at large do shewe that in all countries and kingdomes of Europe there were euer some stirred vp to impugne and resist the whoore of Babylon As In England Robert Grosted Bishop of Lincolne Anno. dom 1293. Iohn Wickliffe supported by Edward 3. and diuers of the Nobilitie in England An. 1400. In Germany Taulerus a Preacher An. 1354. Franciscus Petrarcha 1356. Iohannes de rupe scissa 1357. Conradus Hager 1359. Cerhardus Rhidor 1359. Petrus de Corbona 1360. Iohannes de Poliaco Iohn Zisca 1420. In Bohemia Iohn Husse An. dom 1414. Ierome of Prage 1416. Mathias Parisiensis 1370. In Spaine Arnoldus de noua villa An. 1250. In Italy Ierome Sauonarola a Monke An. 1500. Siluester a Friar In France Waldus of whome came the Waldenses or poore men of Lions in France An. 1160. Guilienus de sancto amore An. 1252. Robertus Gallus An. 1292. Laurentius An. 1290. In Ireland Armachanus an Archbishop An. 1362. In Sueuia Many Preachers at once An. 1240. In Grecia All the Churches of Grecia renounced the Church of Rome for their abhominable Idolatry An. 1230. It were too tedious to recite all which the stories do report to haue withstood both Pope Popery euen when it did most of all beare the sway these may suffice for the vnderstanding of the Text. As for those which haue bene raised vp since the decay and fall of Popery I meane since Luthers time they are so many and so well knowne that I need say nothing These are two Oliue trees vers 4 and two candlestickes standing before the God of the earth Here the two witnesses are compared to two Oliue trees because that as the Oliue tree doth drop down his Oile and fatnesse so the faithfull Ministers doe drop downe vpon the Church the sweet oile of the spirit which is all heauenly and spirituall graces as the Metaphor of Oile is often so taken in the scriptures They are also compared to two candlestickes because that as the candlesticke beareth vp the candle set vpon it so the Ministers of the Gospell beare vp and hold forth the light of Gods word euen in the greatest darknesse These candlestickes are said to stand before the God of the earth because God beareth rule not onely in heauen but in earth also euen then when all things in the earth seem to be most troubled the church militant vnder greatest persecutions as now it was vers 5 And if any will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouthes and shall deuoure their enemies for if any will hurt them so must he be killed vers 6 These haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the daies of their prophesying and haue power ouer waters to turne them into blood and to smite the earth with all maner of plagues as oft as they will Here is shewed that if any despise the simplicitie of these two witnesses and offer them wrong because of their basenesse and contempt in the world that there is a fire cōmeth out of their mouth that is the firy mighty power of the word of God vttred out of their mouthes which ouerthroweth ouerturneth their enimies nay as fire it consumeth them to ashes for the Ministers of the Gospell are armed with ready vengeance against all disobedience Therfore they be starke madde and know not what they do which oppose themselues against the true Ministers of Christ For the sword which they fight with slaieth the reprobates in their soules though not in their bodies for the ministery of the word is the sauour of death to all vnbeleeuers That which is here spoken of shutting the heauens that it raine not and turning the waters into blood is an allusion to Elias and Moses Whereof the one by his praier shut the heauens the other by his rodde turned the waters into blood Now the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell are compared to these two not because they should worke such outward miracles as they did but because they should be furnished with spirituall power which is farre greater For most sure it is that the inuisible spirituall power
that through him they may haue free accesse thereunto as it is written that thorough him only we haue an entrance vnto the Father That by thundrings lightnings earthquake haile is ment that horrible vengeance and wrath which is powred forth vpon al the vngodly see Psal 11. verse 6. Let this briefely suffice to satisfie the conscience of the reader And thus much concerning the second vision contained in these eight chapters going before wherein we haue heard al things expounded that doe belong vnto the opening of the seuen seales and the blowing of the seauen trumpets that is al notable things which were to fal out frō the Apostles times vnto the end of the world CHAP. XII NOw hauing finished the second vision we are come vnto the third contained in al the chapters following euen vnto the end of this book Wherin diuers things which were obscurely and darkely set downe in the former vision are more plainly and fully opened and expounded So that this third vision is as it were a commentary or more cleare exposition of sundry things contained in the second vision chapter 6 But especially of the persecuting Roman Empire mentioned in the opening of the second seale and also of the papacy mentioned at the blowing of the fift trumpet But the general summe of this third vision chapter 9 is a liuely painting out of the malignant Church and the great vpholders thereof the diuel the Romane Emperour and the Pope It sheweth also the rising and falling of the Romane Empire and the rising and falling of the papacy It sheweth also the vtter ouerthrow of both together with the eternal condemnation of the diuel which set them al a worke to fight against the Church Last of al it sheweth the eternall felicity of the Church and the vnconceiueable happines of al Gods chosen in the heauens for euermore The principal drift of this 12 Chapter is to set forth the nature of the true visible and militant Church here in earth whose head is Christ Iesus And also the false malignant church whose head is the diuel together with the continual enmitie and war which is alwaies betwixt them This Chapter may very fitly be diuided into fiue parts The first is a description of the true Church vers 1.2 The second is a description of the diuel the Churches enemie ver 3.4.5 The third containeth the Churches battaile with the diuel and her victorie ver 7.8.9 The fourth sheweth the ioy and triumphes of the godly in the churches victory ouer Sathan ver 10.11.12 The fift and last sheweth the fury ver 13.14.15 16.17 and malice of Sathan who although he was foiled in battell by the Church yet would not giue ouer but continued persecuting the church in her members and making war against the remnant of her seede Text. ver 1 And there appeared a great wonder in heauē A woman clothed with the sunne and the moone was vnder her feete and vpon her head a crowne of 12 starres First the Holy-ghost calleth the matters of this chapter a great wonder to stir vs vp to attention For men are much mooued with wonders and a wonder indeede it is in the literall sense to see a woman clothed with the sunne c. but a farre greater wonder in the spiritual sense as we shal heare and the greatest wonder of al that a poore weake woman should encounter with a great red dragon and ouercome him It is said to be a wonder in heauen because the church here in vision appeareth not vpon the earth but in heauen in asmuch as her birth is from heauen her inheritance in heauen and her conuersation in heauen The Church is here compared to a woman as in the 45 Psalme and the whole booke of the Canticles and that for three reasons First as a woman is weake and feeble and in lawe can do nothing of herself without her husband so we of our selues are weake and feeble and in matters of Gods lawe and worship can doe nothing without our husband Christ as he saith without me ye can do nothing Secondly as a woman thorough the company of her husband is fruitful and bringeth forth children so the Church by her coniunction with Christ and his word doth bring forth many children vnto God Thirdly as the loue and affection of a woman is to her husband as Gen. 2.16 so the loue and affection of the Church is altogether to Christ and Christ to her This woman is clothed with the Sunne that is the Church is clothed with Christ the Sunne of righteousnes as the Prophet speaketh The Moone was vnder her feete Whereby is meant that the church treadeth vnder her feete al worldly things which are compared to the moone for their often changes waxings wanings increasings decresings and continual mutations and vncertainties The church treadeth al transitory things vnder her feet that is she maketh light account of them she regardeth them not in comparison of heauenly things For he that is clothed with the sunne careth little for the light of the moone She hath vpon her head a crowne of 12 starres which signifieth that the church is adorned and beautified with the doctrine of the twelue Apostles that is the doctrine of the Gospel as it were with a crowne of gold of pearle and pretious stones For the doctrine of the Gospel is the crowne of the church And she was with child and cried trauailing in birth ver 2 and was pained readie to be deliuered The church is said to be with child after she hath conceiued the immortal seede of the word by the ministery of the Gospel as the Apostle saith In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell And to the Galatians O ye little children of whom I trauaile in birth againe till Christ bee formed in you It is not onely said that this woman was with child but also that she was very neere her time ready to bring forth and to be deliuered and that she crieth in trauaile Now the child which she bringeth forth is Christ Iesus as appeareth verse 5. for there it is said of him that he should rule all nations with a rodde of iron Now although Christ was borne but of one member of the church which is the Virgin Marie yet may it be said that the whole church which was before his cōming did euen trauaile with paine to bring him forth because they had through faith in the promises a longing feruent desire expectatiō of his comming For from the first promise made to Adam and afterward renewed to Abraham and his posterity the church stood in a continual expectation of the promised Messias looking wishely euery day when he should be actually exhibited to the world For which cause here she is said to cry trauailing in birth And not vnsauerly also may y e church be said to cry trauailing in birth when through many persecutions afflictions she bringeth forth children vnto God by the
al ages at al times and in al places and countries hee hath alwaies vniustly raised vp against the true worshippers of God ver 11 But they ouer came him by the bloud of the Lamb and by the worde of their testimony and they loued not their liues vnto the death Heere is shewed that the churches victory ouer Sathan and hel is not thorough any power or might of her own but by the bloud of the Lamb and the word of their testimony that is the worde of God which they witnesse professe loue stick vnto euen vnto death Therfore reioice ye heauens and ye that dwel in them ver 12 Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the diuel is come downe vnto you which hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time Here againe the saints and Angels and al the blessed company of heauē are called vpon exhorted to reioice because the diuel and his Angels are cast out and the elect haue the victory ouer him thorough the bloud of the Lamb and because the saluation of the church is sealed vp and God onely reigneth through Christ Which al are matters of so great momēt that not onely the church militant is stirred vp to reioice herein but euen the church triumphant also that is the spirits of iust and perfect men But on the contrary here is feareful woe denounced against the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea that is all Papists Atheists worldlings and reprobates For sith he cannot haue his wil of the church yet hee wil haue his will and wite his malice vpon them by hardening their hearts and blinding their eyes making them his slaues and vassals to fight for his kingdom against Christ against his church against all goodnesse and all good men The reason is added why the diuel is in such a rage with the world and commeth vpon them in so great wrath and furie to wit because hee hath but a short time that is because his kingdome draweth toward an end therefore he dooth so bestir him ver 13 And when the Dragon saw that he was cast vnto the earth he persecuted the woman which had brought forth the man child Now the diuel seeing himselfe cast out of heauen so as he cannot impeach the saluation of the church he raiseth vp horrible persecutions against her by his instruments here in y e earth labouring to root her out if it were possible for being ouercome of the head he doth now with might and maine set vppon the body and what horrible stormes and tempests he hath in al ages speciallie in these last daies raised vp and daily doth raise vp against the church both the scriptures and al church stories do abundantly declare ver 14 But to the woman were giuen two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wildernesse into her place where she is nourished for a time and times and halfe a time from the presence of the serpent These two wings do signifie al the waies meanes of euasion which God gaue vnto his church when he deliuered her from the hands of her pursuers and persecutors and also her swift flight from them and al their malicious practises For although the church cānot absolutelie fly from the presence of the diuel with her Eagles wings being so vnspeakably swift as he is yet after a sort shee is said to fly from him and his presence when the power of the tyrants and persecutors which he raiseth vp cannot ouertake her to murder and kil her But as touching her flight into the wildernesse and her lodging and nourishment there by Gods prouidence in the middest of al penury and extremity wee haue sufficiently heard before ver 6. and therefore here I surcease to speake any further of it As concerning the space and continuance of her nourishment in the wildernesse which is heere set downe to bee a time and times and halfe a time it is the same that the thousand two hundred and threescore daies mentioned in the sixt verse and the 42 monethes mentioned Chap. 11. verse 2. and the three daies and a halfe mentioned Chap. 11. ver 9. as before hath bin shewed And the serpent cast out of his mouth water after the woman like a floud vers 15 that he might cause her to be caried away of the floud Now the church being secretly hid and nourished by Gods prouidence in the wildernesse so as the diuel and his instruments cannot find her out nor come at her he taketh another course and casteth about another way to annoy her that is by casting a floud of water after her to drowne her withal Whereby is meant the innumerable lies reproches slaunders which he raised vp by sundry hereticks against her in al ages as the Arrians Donatists Papists and such like and al to bring her into the hatred of Princes Potentates and al that were in loue with her that sith otherwise he could not preuaile against her yet at least he might vtterly sinke her in this gulfe of reproches But the earth holpe the woman ver 16 and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp the floud which the Dragon had cast out of his mouth The same God which first deliuered the church from the violence and fury of Sathan and afterward cast him out of heauen and gaue her the victory ouer him after that againe miraculously hid hir preserued her in the wildernesse doth not now at a dead lift forsake her nor suffer her to be drowned in this floud of reproches vniust calumniations which the dragon cast vp after her But causeth the earth to help her to swallow vp the floud That is he vseth al creatures in the earth to helpe his church and not onely so but also he stirreth vp many earthly and carnal men to befrend the church and to take part with her against her enemies As sometimes he did Cyrus Ebedmelech Nebuzaradan Gamaliel and sundry others whose power and policy he vsed for the good of his church and for the drying vp of that flood of reproches which Sathan hath in al ages cast vp against her And God be thanked we see at this day that this floud of slaunders and calumnies which papists atheists cast out against the church and her particular members do dry vp dayly and shal dry vp more and more being drunk in by the earth And the church doth stil stand vnmooueable and shal stand and continue euen vnto the end of the world ver 17 Then the dragon was wroth with the woman and went made war with the remnant of her seede which keep the commandements of God and haue the testimony of Iesus Christ Here we see there is no end of the diuels malice He is infatigable in mischief though he haue neuer so many foiles yet he wil not giue ouer but begin againe For wheras he could not preuaile against the woman to cast her out
all the cursed helhounds that barke and bite and take their part shall euer bee able to stand in his hands For rage they neuer so much hee will hamper them all well enough For though he haue giuen them the reine a long time and let them alone and suffred them to play the tyrants with the woman his spouse yet now he will no longer put it vp at their hands but will vp and maintaine the womans cause and beare her out against them all nay hee will make readie his bow that he may shoote off and make his arrowes drunke in the bloud of her and his enemies and will whette his glittering sword that hee may sheath it in the heart of Antichrist and all his adherents Therefore now let both the great beasts and their Sire looke to themselues for heere comes in one that will knocke them all downe and lay them in the dust that they shall neuer rise vp againe For this cause now at length Saint Iohn in a vision seeth a Lambe stand vpon mount Sion that is Christ present with his Church For mount Sion was an ancient figure of the Church as it is written Mount Sion lying Northward is faire in situation it is the ioy of the whole earth and the citie of the great king And againe The law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Moreouer Saint Iohn seeth heere with the Lambe an hundred fortie and foure thousand that is the particular members of the Church putting a certaine number for an vncertaine and specially alluding to the sealing of the twelue tribes of Israel as before hath beene shewed For it might bee demaunded where the Church was chapter 7.4 when all the world wondred and followed the first Beast and also when all both small and great rich and poore receiued the marke of the second Beast Saint Iohn answereth that euen then in the middest of the heate of persecutions God had his hid inuisible church whom Iesus Christ did protect and preserue euen in the verie flames of persecutions being alwayes present with them and amongst them as he said to his Disciples a little before his bodily departure from them Lo I am with you euen vnto the end of the world And heere hee is said to stand vpon mount Sion with his hundred fortie and foure thousand And it is added that this number of Gods faithfull elect children had the Fathers name written in their foreheads That is they did professe and practise the doctrine and religion of God their Father onely vtterly renouncing and abhorring the worship and religion of the Beast For the Fathers name in this place is set opposite to the marke of the Beast to signifie that as the worshippers of Antichrist receiued his marke so the true worshippers of God receiued his brand which is his Spirit and the fruits therof whereby they were perfectly discerned from those which had the beasts marke So then it cleerely appeareth from this place that God preserued many thousands of his true worshippers euen in the daies of the great Antichrist when there seemed to bee verie fewe or none remaining vppon the earth as it was in the dayes of Elias In vaine therefore doe the Papists aske vs where our Church was before Luthers time sith the holy Apostle heere stoppeth their mouth and telleth vs plainely that Christ had his little flocke in the wildernesse euen then when it was in greatest streightes and as wee say driuen to the wals And therfore visibilitie is no sound note of the Church as the Papists doe most ignorantly dispute For it is a fond and absurd kind of reasoning to say there is no Church at all because it doth not visibly appeare as if a man should reason that there is no Moone in the heauens because sometimes there is none seene as in the change And I heard a voice from heauen vers 2 as the sound of manie waters and as the sound of a great thunder and I heard the voyce of Harpers harping with their harpes Heere is set forth how this companie of true worshippers doe magnifie and praise God for his great mercies towards them First Iohn heareth a voyce from heauen that is an heauenly voice or the voice of the Church praising and glorifying God For wee haue heard before chapter 8.1 that heauen in this Booke is sometimes put for the Church vppon the earth and the reasons thereof Whersoeuer therfore the Church is assembled to heare the word and to pray and giue thanks there is a voice from heauen or an heauenly voice Now this voice is compared to three things first to the sound of manie waters Secondly to the sound of a great thunder Thirdly to y e voice of harpers harping with their harps It is likened to manie waters because it proceedeth from sundrie sorts of people of sundrie nations countries and kingdomes as the word Waters is taken afterwards in this Prophesie It is compared to Thunder because the prayers and inuocations of the true Church are as loud in the eares of God as any thundercracke It is compared to Harpers harping with their harpes both because their spirituall worship and seruice is as sweete vnto God as any musicke vnto men as also because all Gods faithfull people doe tune together among themselues and in their worship as the strings of a well tuned instrument of musicke or as manie musitians playing together which make a sweete harmonie and most melodious dittie vers 3 And they sung as it were a newe song before the throne and before the foure beasts and the Elders and no man could learne that song but the hundred fourtie and foure thousand which were bought from the earth Now is shewed how this holy societie of the faithful do continue their praising and glorifying of God They are not weary of well doing but hold on constantly in the course of Gods worship hauing new songs of thanksgiuing in their mouthes and seruing God dayly with renewed affections as men inflamed with the zeale of Gods glory and all this they doe performe before the throne before the foure beasts and the Elders that is in the presence of God and his Angels and his holy congregation And no man could learne that song but the hundred fortie and foure thousand that is none of the reprobates and vngodly worldlings could inwardly feele and vnderstand this spirituall worship but onely the elect to whom it is giuen to vnderstand the secrets of God and the mysteries of his sonnes kingdome These are they vers 4 which are not defiled with women for they are virgins these follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth these are bought from men being the first fruits vnto God and to the Lambe And in their mouthes was found no guile vers 5 for they are without spot before the throne of God This holy cōpany are not defiled with women that is with grosse diuers sins or rather with idolatrous pollutions
againe and the Papists looke for a day It stands vs then all vpon which loue Christ and his Gospell that wee should be well appointed and throughly armed against them And for this purpose the Reuelation of S. Iohn is of great vse necessitie As I said before so I say againe that it is the Prophesie of our time written to this speciall ende that by it wee might bee both fore-warned and fore-armed If wee doo consider the whole matter of this booke wee shall easily finde out the vse and end of it For the excellent matter of it doth argue the excellent ende and vse of it Now then as concerning the generall matter of this booke here are to bee founde very large and liuely descriptions of the most glorious person of Christ chapter 1 and all his excellent offices both of King Priest and Prophet and also most notable descriptions of the Church and of the Ministers of it and of the persecutions and afflictions which it must of necessitie passe through in this world Also of Gods mercifull prouidence for his Church and most vigilant care ouer it in the middest of all extremities Here are set before our eyes very liuely descriptions of the Churches deadly enemies both of Sathan himselfe and his three great instruments the Romaine Emperour the Pope and the Turke Here are set downe all their cruell persecutions of the Church and their vtter ouerthrowe in the ende Here are described hell death the resurrection and the last iudgement Here also the very kingdome of heauen is at large described with all those great rewards infinite glory and endlesse felicitie which remaine for all the faithfull worshippers of God I conclude therefore that for as much as this Prophesie is of such excellent contents therefore the vse and necessitie of it must needes bee verie great And for this cause Iohn is willed and commaunded by Alpha and Omega chapter 1.19 to write the things which hee had seene the things that were and the things that shall come hereafter By the things which he had seene is meant that glorious vision mentioned in the first Chapter vers 13 14 15 16. wherein Iesus Christ did appeare vnto him in the middest of the seuen golden Candlestickes in most glorious manner as is there described And all this was in the I le of Pathmos where Iohn was first called and authorised to this worke and therfore he is willed first of all to record this vision which hee had alreadie seene By the things that are hee meaneth the present state of the seuen Churches of Asia which were then the most flourishing Churches in the world as they are described in the second and third Chapters and in them the estate of all other Churches By the things that shal be he meaneth all the prophesies of this booke which were to bee fulfilled in their time al those strange accidents which should come to passe in processe of time and the seuerall ages of the Church euen vnto the end of the world Thus we see how Iohn receiueth a precise commandement from the sonne of God to write things past present to come that they might stand in record vnto all posterities from generation to generation Thus much touching the fift circumstance which is the ende and vse of this booke Now followeth to speake of the last circumstantiall point which is the authoritie of this Prophesie which is strongly confirmed from the Author of it which is Iesus Christ and therefore it is called the Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him chapter 1.1 And againe it is written I Iesus sent mine Angell to testifie these things in the Churches chapter 22 16. Here wee see plainely that Iesus Christ the very sonne of God the Alpha and Omega is the Author of this booke for hee subscribes his name vnto it and sets his hand and seale vnto it Needes therefore must the authoritie of it bee very great which commeth from so great a personage for looke what dignitie and authoritie he is of from whom the booke commeth of the same dignitie authoritie is the booke it selfe An other strong argument to confirme the authoritie of this booke may be taken from the protestation of Iesus Christ in these words I protest vnto euery man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this booke chapter 22 18. if any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any shall diminish of the words of the booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life Here wee see how Iesus Christ maketh the authoritie of this booke equall to all other the Oracles of God to the which it is not lawfull for any man to adde or detract vnder paine of condemnatiō It maketh much also for the authoritie of this booke that S. Iohn doth so often repeate reiterate and inculcate his owne name I Iohn I Iohn I Iohn I Iohn the Apostle I Iohn the Euangelist I Iohn the Diuine Shewing by all these repetitions how needfull a thing it was that the faithfull should bee throughly instructed who he was euen one of the Lambes twelue Apostles and therefore to be voide of all suspition and doubt concerning the authoritie of this booke and not once to imagine it to bee any inuention of man or faigned deuice sith it was penned by so great an Apostle Moreouer the authoritie of this Prophesie is confirmed by foure reasons in the last chapter The first is the affirmatiō of the Angell who saith chapter 22.6 7 8. These words are faithfull true The second is the authoritie of the most high God himselfe in these wordes vers 6 The Lorde God of the holy Prophets sent his Angell to shewe vnto his seruants the things which must shortly bee fulfilled The third is the testimonie of Iesus who pronounceth them blessed which keepe the words of this Prophesie For saith he Behold I come shortly vers 7 Blessed is hee that keepeth the words of his Prophesie The fourth and last is the witnesse of Iohn in these words I am Iohn which heard and sawe these things vers 8 Now it may bee demaunded what is the cause that here are so many things heaped vp for the confirmation of the authoritie of this booke Surely wee must thinke there is some speciall cause and reason of it For the holy Ghost dooth not vse to deale so much and so earnestly in a matter but vpon great cause We may easily gather what the cause is This booke painteth out the whore of Babylon and the whole kingdome of the great Antichrist together with all Sathans cunning and sleight therein and for this cause Sathan hath laboured especially to weaken the credit and authoritie of this booke Hee by some meanes in olde time preuailed thus farre that euen among some Churches of true Christians the authoritie and truth of it was doubted
state of his church but one that continually worketh out the good thereof Concerning his prouident care ouer his faithfull Ministers he is said to carry them in his right hand for hee had in his right hand seuen starres that is vers 16 vers 20 the Ministers of the churches As Christ saith the seuen starres are the Angels that is the Ministers of the seuen churches Ministers are compared to starres because they should shine as bright starres in this darke world both by life and doctrine Christ is said to hold them in his right hand because he alwaies defendeth them against the malice fury of the world which of all others is most outragiously bent against them and their fauorites But let men take heed of ouer bold presuming to pul the starres out of Christs right hand least they smart for it The world is very busie this way they thinke to wring them out of his hands but alas poore soules they are not able he holdeth them too fast who can pull them out of his right hand If they continue bold and busie this way they may hap at last take a beare by the tooth and peraduenture pull an olde house vpō their heads An other reason why Christ is said to holde the 7. starres in his right hand is because he worketh by them and their ministrie as an Artificer with his toole in his right hande The things which Christ hath done by these instrumēts are glorious and admirable For by the ministery of the Gospell he hath cōuerted many sinners saued many soules then the which nothing can be more honorable wonderfull and therfore the word of God which is the Ministers weapō is compared to a sharpe two edged sword vers 16 which came out of Christs mouth Now vnto all this may be added that Christ saith he was dead but now aliue because hee died and rose againe And also that he saith Hee had the keyes of hell and death that is authoritie and power ouer hell and damnation For he hath absolute power to open and shut binde and loose and therefore it is written chapter 3.7 He hath the key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth All this setteth forth the great power glory of Christs person and all aimeth at this marke end to commend vnto vs the authoritie of this booke because it commeth from a person of so great dignitie excellēcy Last of all it remaineth to shewe how Iohn was affected with this vision wherein Christ did so gloriously appeare vnto him vers 17 for he saith When I sawe him I fell at his feete as dead Wherein hee sheweth how greatly hee was amazed and daunted with the sight of Christs most glorious personage Hee was striken with such an astonishment feare that there was almost no life or spirit left in him and all this was to humble him euen to the ground in as much as by it he findeth his owne weakenesse and imperfection not capable of such a sight so farre as to endure it It was no doubt profitable or rather necessary that this holy seruant of God should thus be humbled and made fit to receiue this reuelation with the greater reuerence from his great Lorde and maister And also it maketh much for our profit as appeareth in that euery part of this vision is rehearsed in the Epistles to the Churches But to conclude Iohn being thus humbled and cast downe in himselfe is comforted and raised vp by Christ who laid his right hand vpon him and willed him to feare nothing For saith he I am the first and the last vers 17 and am aliue but I was dead behold I am aliue for euermore In which wordes hee dooth greatly cheare vp Iohns heart and telleth him plainely that this might and terrour of his person is bent onely against the wicked enemies of his Church nothing at all against the friends thereof but contrariwise that all this power and glorie might and maiestie is wholy and altogether for the good of his Church Wherein wee may all clearely see and knowe to our great comfort that the same arme of God which casteth down the wicked raiseth vp the godly the same power wich woundeth them healeth vs the same hand which destroieth them saueth vs the same might and maiestie wich hurteth them helpeth vs. For whatsoeuer is in God is wholly for his and wholy against those that are none of his And thus much concerning the first Chapter CHAP. II. and III. I Haue thought good to handle these two Chapters together and in a generall and compendious maner to set downe the most speciall matters contained in them both not meaning to insist vpon euery particular both because these two chapters are plaine and easie to vnderstand also because they haue bene sufficiently beaten vpon by many These two Chapters doo generally containe seuen Epistles written to the seuē Churches of Asia wherein the present estate of the Churches of Asia is very liuely described and in them the state of all other churches then militant vpon the face of the earth Euery one of these seuen Epistles containeth foure things First an Exordium or entrance into the matter Secondly a generall proposition Thirdly a narration Lastly a conclusion The Exordium or entrance of euery Epistle containeth two things namely the person to whom the Epistle is written and the person from whom the Epistle is written The proposition is one the same in all these Epistles contained in these words I know thy workes The narration containeth the matter of each Epistle and cōsisteth of commendations and discommendations of admonitions reprehensions threats and promises The conclusion of euery Epistle is one and the same in these words Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith to the Churches First concerning the person to whom these Epistles are sent he is named in the beginning of euerie Epistle To be the Angel of such a Church By this word Angel he meaneth not the inuisible spirits which we call the Angels of heauen for the things attributed to these Angels can in no wise agree to the inuisible spirits as to be Angels of seueral churches to be neither hotte nor cold to leaue their first loue to repent and amend and sundry such like attributes throughout all these Epistles But by the word Angell he meaneth the Minister or Pastor of euery church which therefore is called an Angell because he is the Minister of God as the word signifieth As also because euery faithfull Minister ought to be receiued and regarded as an Angell of God as the Apostle witnesseth of the Galathians that they receiued him as an Angell of God yea as Christ Iesus And he giueth many admonitions in his Epistles to this effect for hee would haue all faithfull and painfull Ministers to be greatly reuerenced and had in double honour to be acknowledged had in singular loue for their workes sake to
thought their state good inough being puft vp with conceitednes yet are they charged to be poore naked and blinde and therevpō counselled admonished to buy spiritual gold that they may be rich and spirituall garments to hide their nakednesse and spirituall eye-salue to annoint their eyes that they might see Concerning reprehensions Ephesus is reproued for going backward Pergamus and Thyatira for suffering and maintaining corrupt doctrine as formerly hath bene shewed Sardis for dulnesse deadnesse and vnsoundnesse in their manner of worshipping God Laodicea for lukewarmnesse and conceitednes Touching threats Ephesus is threatned that except they repent and do their first workes their candlesticke should be remoued out of his place that is the Church should bee translated to some other place but not destroied For God doth remoue but not destroy his Candlestickes Pergamus is threatned that vnlesse they did speedily repent Iesus Christ would come shortly and fight against them with the sword of his mouth Thyatira is threatned that except they repent them of their workes they should be cast into a bed of affliction and all their fauourites should be slaine with death Sardis is threatned that if they did not watch and awake Christ would come suddenly vpon them as a thiefe and they should not knowe what houre hee would come Concerning promises they be very great large for euerlasting ioy and the very fulnesse of glory is promised to all that fight the good fight of faith and ouercome in the spirituall battell against the flesh the world and the diuell Ephesus is promised that if they fight it out couragiously and constantly to the ende they should eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the paradise of God Smyrna is promised in like case that they should not be hurt of the second death Pergamus likewise is promised to eate of the Manna that is hid and to haue the white stone of victorie giuen them Thyatira is promised to haue power giuen them to rule ouer Nations to be lightned with heauenly brightnesse like the morning starre Sardis is promised to be cloathed with white aray that is with heauenly glorie and to haue their name continued in the booke of life Philadelphia is promised to haue a pillar made in the Temple of God that is a firme and vnmoueable place of eternall glory Laodicea is promised to sup with Christ and to sit with him vpon his throne for euermore Thus wee see what great and precious promises are made to all Churches that fight and ouercome in this their spirituall battell and conflict Concerning the conclusion it is one the same to all these seuen churches Wherein they are exhorted that such as haue eares to heare should heare ponder and consider all the foresaid praises and dispraises admonitions reprehensions threates promises And it is therefore said such as haue eares because there are very fewe to be found that haue circumcised and sanctified eares to heare and vnderstand heauenly things This is proper to the elect this is but to whom it is giuen And thus briefly and generally we see what was the present state of euerie one of the Churches of Asia vnto which this Prophesie was to be sent so that by them we may see in what estate the vniuersall Church militant was at that time For as some of these seuen as yet stood firme and others had much declined so was it with all other churches Hitherto concerning the first vision containing generally the inscription of this booke Iohns salutation to the Churches Iohns new calling The excellencie of Christ which called him And the present estate of the Church Now we are to proceed to the second vision contained in the next 8. chapters to the 12. wherein is shewed what should be the future estate of the Church in all ages euen vnto the ende of the world CHAP. IIII. THe principal things contained in this 4. chapter is a description of the person of God the Author of this booke who is most gloriously described of that excellent glorie that is in himselfe and of his royall throne which he sitteth vpon of his goodly retinue and troupes of Saints and Angels attending about his most glorious throne Wherevnto is added the diuerse qualities both of Angels and Saints both in themselues and their owne natures as also in their manner of praising and worshipping of God This is the generall summe and sense of this chapter But for the better clearing and more full opening of it I will come to the words of the text and open them as they lie in order vers 1 After this I looked and beholde a doore was open in heauē and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me saying Come vp hither and I wil shew thee the things which must be done hereafter These words After this haue relation to the first vision spoken of before as if hee should say after I had receiued the former vision concerning the present estate of the Church now I had an other vision concerning the future estate therof and therfore he saith a doore was open in heauen that he might come in and see al these things which should be reuealed vnto him For the opening of the doore in heauē doth here signifie the vnlocking of heauenly things vnto Iohn or his entrance into them for so the word doore is taken 2. Cor. 3.12 Apoc. 3.8 After the opening of the doore hee is called vp with a loude voice like a trumpet saying Come vp hither For although the doore was opened yet durst hee not enter in till hee was called and commanded to come in For in these cases he doth not presume in any thing as of himself without speciall warrant and direction As the scripture saith No man taketh this honour vnto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron The voice that calleth him is like a trumpet that is loude and shrill that he might be stirred vp more diligently to attend vnto the contemplation of these great secrets which should be reuealed vnto him This voice commandeth him to come vp hither which sheweth that Iohn was rapt vp in the spirit vnto the heauens to see this vision This voice promiseth to shewe him things which must bee done hereafter that is that hee should be made acquainted with the future estate of the church as alreadie he was with the present estate thereof vers 2 And immediately I was rauished in the spirite and beholde a Throne was set in heauen and one sate vpon the Throne Vpon this suddaine and extraordinary calling by so heauenly and loude a voice Iohn was forthwith rauished in spirit For as the Prophet Ezechiel was by the spirite in the Visions of God carried from Chaldea to Ierusalem So this holy Apostle is carried by the spirite in the Visions of God into heauen and by the same spirite is made fit and capable of all these heauenly Visions
flye a very high pitch we are giuen to vnderstand that the heauenly spirits are much in celestiall contemplation and do receiue the knowledge of hid secrets and counsels for they are much aloft about the throne of God and many high and deepe secrets are opened vnto them And the foure beasts had each of them sixe winges about him and they were full of eyes within c. vers 8 This maketh it very plaine that by these beasts are vnderstood the sixe Angels because he ascribeth vnto euery one of them sixe wings a piece For the Angels are described with winges both in the first and tenth of Ezechiel before mentioned and also in the sixt Chapter of the prophesie of Isaias where the Seraphins are saide to haue sixe wings a piece two to couer their faces two to couer their feete and two to flie withall because they haue two wings to couer their faces withall because they are not able to endure the vnconceiuable brightnesse and glory of God for he dwelleth in vnapproachable light They haue two wings to couer their feete withall because mortall men are not able to looke vpō the brightnes that is in them For we read that many haue bin astonished dazeled with the glory brightnes of Angels so glorious creatures are they They haue two wings to flie withall to note the prompt obedience and readinesse to execute the commandements of God as formerly was shewed Moreouer the angels are saide to haue winges and to flie swiftly because God by them doth speedily dispatch many purposes actions seruices here below and for this cause the scripture affirmeth that he rideth vpon the Cherubins that he dwelleth betweene the Cherubins and that he maketh the cloudes his chariots and walketh vpon the winges of the winde For as earthly Kings are in their progresses carried in their most sumptuous coaches drawne by the most excellent coach-horses to dispatch great businesses and many waightie affaires within their dominions so the visions in Ezechiel doo shewe that the immortall king is carried most swiftly in his chariot of triumph drawne by the Cherubins as it were by beasts to direct and ouerrule all actions vnder the Sunne Moreouer these Angels are said to be full of eies within vers 8 to note not only their fulnesse of knowledge but also their inward sight into all heauenly things yea euen such as are most secret and hid for they are of all other creatures most inward with God None of his children know so much of his counsell as they Furthermore the Angels are here said to praise God vncessantly vers 8 day and night saying holy holy holy Lord God almightie which was which is and which is to come Where wee may clearely see that the Angels praise and worship God in a burning zeale without wearinesse For they are not as men which through their great corruption are full of dulnesse and wearines in Gods worship but they do alwaies serue him with infatigable desires and therefore are called Seraphins because they burne in the zeale of God and Cherubins because their delight is to approach neer vnto him and to be alwaies about his throne yea euen in his chamber of presence They do double and treble this word holy and warble much vpon it because they know full well that hee is righteous in all his waies and holy in al his workes and that all his proceedings iudgemēts are euen then waighed in the ballance of iustice and equitie when to mans sence the iudgement of reason they seeme nothing lesse For his Iudgements are as a great depth which mans reason cannot found Further wee see that when these beastes that is vers 9 the Angels gaue glory and honour and thankes to God c. vers 10 the 24. Elders also fell downe before him and worshipped him that liueth for euermore Where we may plainely see that both Saints and Angels doo iointly praise and magnifie God and him alone Euen that God that liueth for euermore euen that God which was which is and which is to come that is the eternall and euerlasting God For the scripture saith Praise him ô yee Saints and praise him ô yee Angels that excell in strength And the 24. Elders cast their crownes before the throne saying Thou art worthy ô Lord to receiue glory and honour c. Wherein wee see that all the elect doo emptie themselues of all worthinesse to haue any glorie acknowledging that their crownes of glorie are Gods free gift that the praise therof belōgeth onely to him and nothing to themselues And this in very deede is the right manner of worshipping God frankely to ascribe all glorie to him and all shame to our selues to giue all to him to whome all is due and nothing to our selues which haue nothing for nothing can bee giuen or taken out of nothing Now then to conclude and winde vp this fourth chapter wee doo clearely see the summe and drift of all is that heauen doore was opened vnto Iohn and that hee was let in and called vp into the Chamber of presence by a very loude voice there to take notice of the future estate of the church and that the person which thus called him vp was the very immortall God himselfe who is so gloriously described of his throne his troupes and traines of Saints Angels as we haue heard And all this is to commend set forth the authoritie of this booke whose Author is so excellent yea superexcellent CHAP. V. AFter this Vision containing the glory of the diuine maiestie was shewed vnto Iohn that hee might knowe from what fountaine this Prophesie was deriued now in this fift chapter is taught and shewed by what meanes and by whose mediation the knowledge of such hidden mysteries were reuealed vnto the church namely by the meanes and mediation of Iesus Christ in whom only the counsels and secrets of God the Father are opened and made knowne vnto men For hee is the great Prophet Doctor of the church which is come downe from the bosome of his Father and hath made knowne vnto vs whatsoeuer he hath receiued of his Father as hee himselfe testifieth And the church is commaunded by a voice from heauen to heare him and him alone ver 1.2.3.4 This fift Chapter containeth three things generally First a description of the booke which was in the right hand of God ver 5.6.7 Secondly a description of Iesus Christ which receiueth it at the hande of his Father and openeth it Thirdly a description of those most glorious praises which are giuen to Christ by the Angels vers 8.9.10.11.12.13.14 Saints and all the creatures in heauen and earth I sawe in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne vers 1 a booke written within and on the backe side sealed with seuen seales By this booke here mentioned is meant this present booke of the Apocalyps or Reuelatiō as it shall plainely appeare in the
Church should be full of eies to looke out for the good of his Church and to giue light to all others for hee is the life and light of the world And he came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne vers 7 Here Iesus Christ taketh the booke out of his Fathers hand purposing both to open it and expound it For he is the onely expounder of the law and the best interpreter of his Fathers will vers 8 Herevpon it is said that the foure beastes and 24. Elders fell downe before the Lambe to testifie their thankfulnesse and inward ioy and reioycing that the Son of God would take vpō him this office which none other would or could performe Moreouer by their falling downe and worshipping him they doo plainely testifie that hee is God ouer all to be blessed for euer For otherwise the Angels of heauen both Cherubins and Seraphins would not thus fall downe and worshippe him ascribing vnto him both deitie and diuine honour Consider then how great hee is of whom it is said Let all the Angels of God worship him Moreouer these Angels and Saints are said to haue euery one harpes and golden viols full of odours which are the praiers of the Saints vers 8 These harpes doo signifie the sweete concent and harmony both of men and Angels in sounding forth the praises of the Lambe For herein the whole Church both militant and triumphant doo accord and tune together as many harpers harping with their harpes as it is written also in an other place Hereby also they do plainely testifie that inward peace and spirituall ioy which all the faithfull haue through Christe which is more sweete and delightsome to the soule then any musicke is vnto the eares The viols full of odours are expounded to bee the praiers of the Saints which are therefore compared to odours because they smell sweete in the nosthrils of God and are more fragrant then any nosegay or perfume whatsoeuer for hee taketh great pleasure in the praiers of his people especially when they come out of golden viols that is sanctified hearts and consciences for euerie sanctified heart is a golden heart in the sight of God and euerie regenerate conscience is a iewell of price guilt with golde and enameled with pearle For this cause the holy man Dauid wisheth earnestly that his heart might bee so renewed and cleansed inwardely that his prayer might bee directed as incense in Gods sight and the listing vp of his handes as a sweete smelling sacrifice Furthermore vers 9 these Saints and Angels doo sing a new song That is they do sing to the praises of the Lambe with renued affections vnwearied desires Their inward ioy continueth alwaies fresh and greene as the Bay-tree They neuer wither or waxe wearie of the seruice of God Their song is euermore new and therefore euermore delightsome For the more new any thing is the more pleasant and delectable for men are not affected with olde but altogether with new things Now then Iesus Christ hauing taken this booke into his hande to open and expounde is applauded vnto by the general consent and voices of the whole church For say they Thou art worthy to take the booke vers 9 and to open the seales thereof Wherein they doo all with cōmon consent giue their voices vnto Christ acknowledging him to be the only fit persō in heauē or earth to take vpō him this functiō of opening a booke so closed so clasped so shut so sealed and they do yeeld a reason of their proceedings because say they thou wast killed and hast redeemed vs vnto God by thy blood out of euery kindred and tongue and people and nation Meaning hereby that he was put to death to pay the price of our redemptiō in whom all the beleeuers both of the Iewes and Gentiles are saued Their reason then is this he that hath died and risen againe and is now exalted farre aboue all principalities and powers c. is the most fit Instrument to open and interpret this booke But thou ô Christ the Lambe of God art such a one therefore thou of all others art most meete to take this matter vpon thee and to enter into this businesse Further they amplifie their reason thus that hee hath made vs of slaues and seruants vers 10 Kings and of prophane persons Priests vnto the most high God And last of all that we shall raigne vpon the earth Not meaning heereby that we shall raigne as earthly kings or only enioy an earthly kingdome For out of all doubt the Saints shall raigne with Christ in the heauens for euermore But heere is mention made of raigning in the earth because after this life Gods children shall haue the fruition and inheritance both of heauen and earth that is to say that new heauen and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse for the heauens and the earth being redintegrated and purged from corruption shall be the portion of the Saintes and the habitation of the elect for euermore After all this vers 11 Iohn heareth the voice of innumerable Angels beside the foure beastes That is the Cherubins and Seraphins or chief Angels that is Angels deputed to chiefe offices round about the throne which all with a loud voice do acknowledge the Lambe which was killed to be worthy of all honor glory praise c. vers 12 And not onely these innumerable Angels being twentie thousād times ten thousand but also all other creatures both in heauē and earth as the Sun Moone Starres the fishes in the Sea and the beastes in the earth do all in their kinde sing the same song vers 13 acknowledging all honour and glory praise and power to belong vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euermore For although the creature is as yet subiect to the bondage of corruption and therefore groneth and trauelleth in paine waiting when the sonnes of God shal be reuealed yet it stādeth in assured expectation of restitution to libertie incorruption and therefore here all the creatures do praise the Lambe for that restauration which they doo so longly and wishly looke for And the foure beasts said Amen That is they do subscribe to those praises which the creature yeeldeth to their Creator And not onely the Angels do subscribe and consent vnto it but the 24. Elders also who fall downe worship him that liueth for euermore So that the Lambe is praised and worshipped of all hands both of men and Angels and all other creatures as God euerlasting and blessed for euermore CHAP. VI. IN the fourth chapter we haue heard the description of God the Father which holdeth the sealed booke in his right hand In the fift chapter wee haue had the description of Iesus Christ the opener and interpreter of this seuen sealed booke Now in this sixt chapter wee are to vnderstande of the matter and contentes of this booke
away as a scrole when it is rolled and euery mountaine and I le were moued out of their place Vpon the opening of this sixt seale very dolefull and fearefull things which doo followe As earthquakes the darkening of the Sunne the obscuritie of the Moone the falling of the Starres the rolling together of the heauens the remouing of mountaines Iles out of their places the howlings and horrors of kings and captaines other great potentates of the earth which all are things very terrible and fearefull to beholde and all these do represent and figure out vnto vs the most fearefull tokens of Gods high displeasure and most heauie indignation against the wicked world Very grieuous things fell out vpō the opening of the 2.3 4. seales but they are farre more grieuous which followe vpon the opening of this sixt seale for this sixt seale containeth an aggrauation and encrease of all the former iudgements For now after the crie of the Martyrs for vengeance GOD the auenger of the bloude of the righteous doeth shewe himself from heauen and declare his wrath in more fearefull manner then before euen to the great astonishment of all the creatures in heauen and earth So horrible a thing is the sheading of the bloud of the Christians For now we see plainely that God heareth the cries of his Martyrs and commeth as a Giant or as an armed man to take vengeance of all their enemies For Pretious in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his Saints and hee is much mooued with the crie of their bloud as here wee see And therefore now threatneth to holde a generall Assises wherein hee will make inquisition after bloud and arraigne and condemne all such as are founde guiltie thereof according as the persecuting Emperours and many others did finde and feele by wofull experience For if God be angry but a little who may endure it Now although the Stories do report that in those dayes which was aboue 300. yeares after Christ there were many great and fearefull Earthquakes in diuers nations and cities of the world yet it is apparant that the Earth-quake here spoken of cannot bee taken literally nor any of the rest here mentioned For there was neuer any time neither is it mentioned in any Chronicle that euer the Sunne was as blacke as sacke-cloth of haire or the Moone turned into bloud or the Starres fell from heauen or the Heauens rolled together like a scrole or that Mountaines and Ilandes were mooued out of their places Therefore of necessitie all this must bee vnderstood metaphorically that is that God did in so straunge and fearefull a manner manifest his wrath from heauen by tumults commotions seditions alteratiōs of kingdomes as if these things of the Sun Moone and Starres had bene visibly represented to the eye An earth-quake in this booke and other bookes also of the scriptures doth by a borrowed speech signifie commotions of common-wealth troubles tumults vprores and great alterations of states kingdoms The darkning of the Sun Moone and Starres rolling together of the Heauens do by a metaphor in the scriptures signifie the fearefull wrath and angrie face of God which they being not able to endure are said here to blush at to couer themselues to hide themselues to be ashamed of thēselues to remoue out of their places no more to do their offices c. For as birds doo hide themselues and thrust their heads into bushes when the Eagle commeth abroade And as all the beastes of the forrest doo tremble and couch in their dennes when the Lyon roareth And as that subiect doth hide himselfe and dare not shewe his head with whom the King is displeased So here it is saide that the whole earth doth tremble and all the celestiall creatures are amazed and confounded with beholding the angry face of God against the worlde in so much that they do as it were drawe a canopie ouer them hide themselues vnder a cloude and surcease to do their offices The darkning of the Sunne and Moone is taken in this sense in the second of Ioel and also in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles For there God promising and foretelling that in the last dayes he would abundantly powre forth of his spirit vpon all flesh which is to be vnderstood of the plentifull preaching of the Gospell in the Apostles time and the aboundance of grace that was giuen with the same addeth that for the contempt of so great grace and mercie he would shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath Bloud and fire and the vapour of smoake the Sunne shall bee turned into darkenesse and the Moone into bloud before that great and notable day of the Lord come The meaning of the Prophet is as Peter also dooth expound it that God from heauen will shewe such apparant signes of his wrath against the worlde that men should bee no lesse amazed then if the whole order of nature were inuerted And this was performed when as the Iewes for the contempt of Christe and his Gospell were most miserably destroied by the Romanes Euen so here vnder the opening of the sixt seale God dooth threaten that for the murdering of his sonne Christ and his Apostles and innumerable Christians hee would bring straunge iudgements and extraordinarie calamities vpon the worlde according as all stories do shewe that those times were full of bloud-sheads commotions famines pestilence and miseries of all sortes I am not ignorant that the darkening of the Sunne and Moone and the falling of the Starres from heauen are sometimes in this booke put for the obscuritie and corruption of pure doctrine and the falling away of the Pastors of the Church from their sinceritie and zeale But in this place the circumstances will not beare that sense First because heere the darkening of the Sunne and Moone c. is ioyned with an Earth-quake the rolling together of the Heauens and the mouing of Mountaines and Ilands out of their places which argueth a most horrible confusion and concussion of all things Secondly because afterward in the eight chapter hee doth of purpose speake of the corrupting of pure doctrine the falling away of the Ministers referring it to that chapter as his proper place Thirdly because the kings and captaines of the earth here immediatly mentioned would neuer haue bene cast into any such perplexities and horrours vpon any corruption of doctrine and the ministrie as here we reade of For commōly men are not any whit touched or moued with that or such like things Last of all because the scope and drift of the holy Ghost vnder the opening of this sixt seale is to describe corporall not spirituall visible not inuisible iudgements For he doth orderly and of purpose handle them in the next chapter Now whereas it is said in the last three verses that the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men vers 15 and the chiefe Captaines and
is verie carefull that his owne children might not be infected with those damnable heresies which now alreadie vppon the stopping of the course of the Gospell beganne to be hatched and afterward did spring and growe vp in the Church both thicke and three-folde And I heard the number of them that were sealed vers 4 and there were sealed an hundred fortie and foure thousande of all the Tribes of the Children Of the Tribe of Iudah were sealed twelue thousand c. Now Iohn heareth the number of them that were sealed and hee reckeneth vp the whole Church militant consisting both of the Iewes and Gentiles Hee saith that of the Church of the Iewes there were sealed 144000. Wherein he putteth a certaine number for an vncertaine and a definite number for an indefinite for his meaning is not that there were iust so many and neither moe nor lesse sealed but this number doth arise of twelue times twelue in that hee saith of euery Tribe twelue thousande for twelue times twelue thousande make an hundred fortie and foure thousand Neither yet may we thinke that of euery Tribe there were an equall number sealed not moe nor lesse of one Tribe then an other but this number of twelue is vsed as the perfect and full number in as much as the Church of the Iewes was founded vpon the twelue Patriarkes vnto which our Sauiour had respect when for to gather the dispersed and lost sheepe of the house of Israel he chose twelue Apostles Now here we are to obserue that notwithstanding the horrible persecutions and calamities which fell out vpon the opening of foure of the seales yet God had his Church euen of the Iewes which in the iudgemēt of reason a man would haue thought long ere now had bene vtterly extinct and abolished But the Apostle saith God hath not cast off his people which he had chosen that is vtterly cast them off It is therefore a most sure and certaine position in diuinitie that God hath alwaies his that is in all ages in all times in all places in all countries euen in the middest of all troubles and flames of persecution yet God hath his hidde and inuisible Church euen vpon the face of the earth As it was in the daies of Elias As was in Christs time when the shepheard was smit and the sheepe scattered And as it was in the daies of the great Antichrist as afterwarde wee shall see Moreouer it is to be obserued that in the enumeration of the 12. Tribes the Tribe of Dan is left out and the Tribe of Leui taken in The cause of the omission and skipping of the Tribe of Dan was their continuance in Idolatrie from the time of the Iudges at what time the first fell into it euen vnto the captiuitie This Tribe is also omitted in the Catalogue of the Tribes mentioned 1. Chron. chap. 2.3.4.5.6.7 Then the reason of this omission is first their vnworthinesse And secondly that there might be a place and roomth for the Tribe of Leui to be taken in which in this Catalogue for singular reason a speciall mysterie might not be pretermitted For although the Tribe of Leui had no portion or inheritance amongst the other Tribes in the earthly Canaan yet now the Priest-hood being transferred vnto Christ the holy Ghost doth expressely affirme that the Tribe of Leui as well as others hath his part and portion in the heauenly inheritance and the celestiall Canaan After these things I behelde and loe a grat multitude which no man could number of all nations vers 9 and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lambe cloathed with long white robes and palmes in their hands vers 10 and they cried with a loude voice saying Saluation commeth of our God c. This is to bee vnderstood of the Church of the Gentiles they are said to bee an innumerable multitude of all countries natiōs For although the church of God in respect of the reprobates is very small and as an handfull vpon the face of the earth yet in it selfe simply considered it is very great and large for euen out of Adams cursed race God hath chose many thousands to life And here still we are to obserue the great goodnes and mercie of God that notwithstanding former persecutions the great blindnes which afterward did inuade the Church in the preuailing of errours and heresies yet Iohn heareth and seeth such an huge number sealed vp to saluation through Christ both of the Iewes and Gentiles The Church of the Gentiles exceeding in number the Church of the Iewes are here said to haue lōg whiterobes in token of their puritie and innocencie and Palmes in their hāds in signe of their victorie ouer the world flesh and the diuell For Palmes in auncient time were ensignes and badges of victorie After this is set downe how the whole Church of the Gentiles do praise worship God freely vers 10 acknowledging saluation to be onely of him through Christ vers 11 vers 12 And all the Angels of heauen do applaude subscribe say Amen to the same as we haue heard before in the 4. chapter vers 11 The 4. beasts are here mentioned againe whereby is meant the Angels both because they are said to haue wings chap. 4. which agreeth to none but Angels Esa 6. and also because they are expressely named interpreted to be the Cherubins Ezech. 10. If any man muse why the Angels should bee called beasts let him be resolued with these 4. reasons First because they are compared to beastes before as the Lyon Calfe c. Secondly because Ezechiel calleth them so in as much as they draw Gods charriot of triumph Thirdly because the Prophet Zacharie compareth them to red speckled and white horses Fourthly because the same Prophet calleth them Gods coach-horses and the multitudes and societies of them hee calleth Gods chariots which came out of two mountaines of brasse that is they went forth at his decree which standeth as fast vnmoueable as a mountaine of brasse to comfort and deliuer his Church out of the captiuitie of Babilon and also to succour and helpe the remnant which were left behinde in Iudea Now in the Prophets these chariots and chariot-horses are saide to carrie the Almightie most swiftly throughout all the world And therfore in Zacharie it is said of the Angels These are they which goe through the whole world In Ezechiel it is said that the beastes ranne and returned like lightning And againe vers 7 that they sparkled like the appearance of bright brasse and the wheeles of Gods chariots were moued with vnconceiueable swiftnesse euen as fast as the Angels did flye Let these reasons and scriptures then satisfie vs touching this that the Angels are called beastes After all this one of the 24. vers 13 Elders asketh Iohn what they were from whence they came which were thus araied in long white robes
now God be praised for it many doo repent euery day and turne from dumbe Idols to serue the liuing God And therefore although the times wherein we liue bee sinfull and troublesome yet are they golden times and daies in comparison of former ages wherein Antichrist did raigne and rule ouer all Moreouer from this place may plainly and strongly be concluded that the Gospel shal preuaile more and more in all the kingdomes of Europe euen vntill the ende of the world For here we see it foretolde and prophesied that in this very last age of the world euen as it were a litle before the blowing of the seuenth trumpet which presently herevpon is sounded as in the next verses appeareth many should repent and giue glory to God vers 14 The second woe is past behold the third woe wil come anon vers 15 And the seuenth Angell blew the trumpet and there were great voices in heauen saying The kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and he shall raigne for euermore Now commeth the third the last and the greatest woe which is the woe of eternall death vpon all the vngodly both in their soules and bodies for euer in the last iudgement The first woe was the Papacie The second woe was Turcisme And this third woe is the last iudgement For it now followeth that the seuenth Angell bloweth the last trumpet as our Lord Iesus sware before that when the seuenth Angell should blowe the trumpet chapter 10.6 there should bee no more time Therefore when we see all things fulfilled which do belong vnto the sixt trumpet it remaineth that wee should euery houre expect and looke for the blowing of the seuenth trumpet and the end of the world For the holy Ghost telleth vs that whē the kingdome of the Pope and the Turke shall fall and the Gospell bee preached in many nations and kingdomes that then the third woe will come anon that is the last iudgement followeth presently vpon it Now at the blowing of this seuenth trumpet there were great voices in heauen saying the kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and he shall raigne for euermore These voices in heauen are the triumphing voices of Gods elect who do exceedingly reioyce and triumph that the kingdome of Sathan and Antchrist is ouerthrowne and that the kingdome of God and of Christ is set vp and shall stand for euermore For now all aduersary power being ouerthrowne Christ doth deliuer vp a peaceable kingdome to his father as it is writtē Then shal be the ende when he hath deliuered vp his peaceable kingdome to God the Father For he must raigne ouer the Church militant till hee haue troade downe all his enemies vnder his feete and when the Sonne of God hath subdued all things to himselfe then shall he be subiect to his Father as he is the mediator of the Church and yet raigne with his Church triumphant for euermore Then the 24. vers 16 Elders which satte before God on their seates fell vppon their faces and worshipped God Saying Wee giue thee thankes ô Lorde God almightie vers 17 which art which wast and which art to come for thou hast receiued thy great might and hast obtained thy kingdome These 24. Elders doo signifie all the elect chapter 4 both of Iewes and Gentiles as we haue heard before which all in most suppliant manner doo worshippe the onely euerlasting God euen in the Church triumphant and do greatly reioyce and giue all praise and glorie vnto him because now he had receiued the kingdome the power and the glory both Pope and Turke and Emperor and all his enemies being subdued vnder his feete ver 18 And the Gentiles were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be iudged and that thou shouldest giue reward vnto thy seruants the Prophets and to the Saints to them that feare thy name and to small and great and shouldest destroy thē which destroy the earth Now he mentioneth the wrath and vengeance which is to bee powred forth vpon all the wicked at the last day and also the reward of the godly For whereas he saith The Gentiles were angry thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be iudged the sense and meaning is that all the prophane enemies of the Church which haue had their time in which they were angrie with Gods people and in their wrath did afflict and vexe them very sore should now bee iudged and condemned in Gods wrath for now the day of his wrath and vengeance is come wherein he wil destroy them that destroied the earth and seemed to carrie all before them and where also hee will giue a full recompence of rewarde to all his faithfull worshippers both small and great both Preachers and professors of his Gospell Then the temple of God was opened in heauen there was seene in the Temple the arke of his couenant and there were lightnings and voices and thundrings ver 19 and earthquakes and much haile This is a further amplification of that which is set downe in the former verse For now he saith that the temple of God should be opened in heauen That is an opē doore and passage should be made through Christ for al the elect to enter into Gods euerlasting kingdome and raigne with him and his Angels for euermore By the arke of the couenant is meant Christ who is saide heere to be seene in the Temple or kingdome of glory because through his mediation only in whom the couenant of peace is established with his church the 24 Elders are made partakers of their Crownes and enter in with him and his Angels into the euerlasting Temple made without handes and eternall in the heauens But on the contrary heere is said that there were lightnings thundrings c. That is most horrible vegeance and wrath poured downe vpon al reprobates in hel-fire for euermore For when it shal be said to al the faithful Come ye blessed c. then also shal it be said to al vnbeleeuers Goe ye cursed into hell fire c. Now for warrant of this expositiō of the last verse that the Temple in heauen is to be vnderstood of the kingdome of glory looke Chap. 15. ver 5.6.8 Chap. 16. ver 1. The reason hereof is that as the doores of the Temple of Ierusalem being set open Gods people entred in and worshipped so the euerlasting gates of the new Ierusalem and celestial Temple being set open by Christ al the elect do enter in and worship God without wearinesse euen as the Angels for euermore That the arke of the couenant is taken for Christ see 2. Sam. 6.2 Psal 78. ver 61.62 This arke of the couenant that is Christ is here seene in the Temple because Christ hath already taken possession of heauē as mediator and head of the Church and now doth set open the kingdome of heauen to al beleeuers
ministery of the word For the church bringeth forth no children at ease but with hard trauaile and much adoe hauing so few friends to helpe her and so many enemies against her as anon we shal heare And there appeared another wonder in heauen For behold a great red dragon ver 3 hauing seuen heads and ten hornes and seuen crownes vpon his heades ver 4 And his taile drew the third part of the starres of heauen and cast them to the earth And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be deliuered Now we are come to the description of the Churches great capitall enemie which is the diuel who because he studieth and laboureth continually to impeach the good estate of the Church in heauenly things to deiect her from her dignitie and dispossesse her of her inheritance therefore here in vision hee is said to appeare in heauen For he medleth with the Church in and about heauenlie things practising to pull her out of heauen from whence she came and whither she must returne euen to cast her into hell and condemnation with himselfe if it were possible The diuell is compared to a dragon for his furie felnesse to a great dragon for his power might and a red dragon for his bloudy crueltie malice and madnesse against Christ and all his mmbers His seuen heads signifie his manifold sleights and subtilties wherein he is a crafts-maister His ten hornes signifie his dreadful power For who knoweth not that he is stronger then anie other creature hauing not lost his strength by his fall but remaineth as strong as an Angell of light His seuen crownes vpon his heads do signifie his manifold victories ouer the world For hee hath from time to time and from age to age got so many conquests of the world through his sleights and power that now he is the god of the world as the Apostle saith and raigneth as king ouer them This dragon hath a mōstrous taile both for length and strength For it is so long that it reacheth vp to heauen so strong that it brusheth downe the starres from thence That is the diuel through ambition and couetousnesse and other fleshly lusts doth pul down manie Ministers which shined in doctrine and life as the starres of heauen euen vnto the earth where they haue lost their brightnesse and glorie and shine as much as the Moone in a mist vers 4 Moreouer it is said that the dragon stood before the woman in trauaile to deuoure her child as soone as it was borne Wherein we are to obserue the malice and furie of Sathan in that he watcheth so narrowly to deuoure the blessed seed euen the Sauiour of the world so soone as he was borne And for this cause he stirred vp Herod the king subtilly to seeke him out by the wise men that he might kill him and afterward most cruelly practised the same by murthering so manie innocents But this is alwayes a generall truth that Sathan seeketh to smother not onely Christ but euerie member of his in the cradle yea to blast them in the bud before euer they come to fruit or flower vers 5 So she brought forth a man child which should rule all nations with a rod of iron and that her child was taken vp vnto God and his throne Notwithstanding the malice and watchfulnesse of Sathan yet the Church bringeth forth Christ which should rule and ouer-rule all nations with a rod of iron that is the scepter of his word as it is in the second Psalme and with the rodde of his mouth as the Prophet speaketh Moreouer it is said that this child was taken vp vnto God and his throne That is Christ by his resurrection did take possession of his chaire of estate in despite of Herod Pontius Pilate the Priests the Pharisees and all other his enemies which sought to keepe him down and now he being ascended into heauen doth drawe all his members vnto him in despite of the diuel and all his imps And the woman fled into the wildernesse vers 6 where shee hath a place prepared of God that they should feede her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Now after the womans child was set in safetie here is shewed what became of the woman her selfe To wit that she was so sore pursued by the Scribes and Pharisees and by the Priests and Elders that she was faine to flie into the wildernesse The naturall sense plaine meaning of this place is that when the church began to grow after Christs ascensiō the number of the Disciples to increase exceedingly as we reade in the 2. of the Acts Sathan did so greatly maligne it and began to bee in such a rage that he would haue eaten them vp all at a bit and rooted them out at once that so the woman might haue no more being in the earth And therefore we reade Act. 8. that after the stoning of Steuen there was such a persecution raised vp against the Church by the high Priests the Princes of the Iewes the Pharisees and all that cursed crue that all the Apostles and Disciples of Christ were scattered and dispersed here and there in the Heathen countries and among the heathen people which here are called the wildernesse that is to say a ground vntilled desolate and barren of all fruits of godlinesse But now may some man say how shal the Church doe in the wildernesse how shal she liue how shall she be sustained There is no tilling no sowing no planting there groweth no corne there is nothing to be had either for food or raiment Here it is answered that God prepared a place for her where she should be fed God tooke vp an Inne for her She wanted neither food nor raiment in her persecutions troubles Which teacheth that God doth alwayes prouide for his owne euen in greatest miseries scarsities famines banishments and persecutions As sometimes he did for Elias in the time of dearth and for the children of Israel in the wildernesse The time wherein the Church was fed in the wildernesse was a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes that is during the time of her persecutions as before hath been shewed chapter 11.2 chap. 11. vers 2. vers 7 And there was a battell in heauen Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought vers 8 But they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen Now we are come to the third part of this chapter which is the battell betwixt Christ and the diuel For whereas the dragon could not smother Christ in the cradle as he indeuoured so depriue the Church of all her happinesse for euer now he proclaimeth open warre both against Christ and all his members plotting and purposing to oppugne the very saluation of the church though it bee founded in Christ Wherein he sheweth both his impudencie and furious madnesse Michael here
Papacie was aloft and the Roman Empire ioyned with it so that the eyes of the world were dazeled with the pompe and magnificence thereof and they said What is like vnto it or who is comparable to the Pope the seuenth head thereof For then the blinde worlde thought that the power of the Popes was not onely aboue all things in this world but also did reach euen vnto heauen and hell For they imagined that the Pope might carie to heauen whom hee would and whom he would he might cast downe to hell and therefore who could warre with the beast And thus wee see the reason of their wonderment and of their speech All stories and experience it selfe doe shew that there was neuer anie power in the world so wondred at as the vsurped power and maiestie of the Pope after he came to bee the head of the Roman monarchie For then the world supposed that hee had power euen as God and that he might depose and set vp kings and Emperours at his pleasure Then it is cleere that vnder the dominion of the Popes Rome hath beene in her highest exaltation and glorie For the Papacie was the seuenth head of the beast whereby the whoore of Babylon was supported in her most magnificall pompe and pride vers 5 And there was giuen vnto him a mouth that spake great things and blasphemies and power was giuen vnto him to do 42. moneths ver 6 And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwel in heauen Here are set down the proud and blasphemous speeches both of the old and new Romane Empire and of the old and new Romane Emperours For this beast as I said before comprehendeth al the Roman Empire both vnder the Heathen Emperours and the Popes Touching the great things and blasphemies which the old persecuting Emperours haue belched out against the God of heauē it wold require a volume to set them downe in particulars I wil therfore only mention two or three for exampels sake As first that of Caius Caligula which would haue his image set vp in temples to be worshipped as God and that the people should sweare by his name Nero also did openly blaspheme the name of Christ and required diuine honour to be giuen vnto him Domitian commanded that he should be called God and Lord. Many others required the like things and so al the world woondred and worshipped this blasphemous beast Now as the sixt head which was the old empire of Rome was ful of the names of blasphemy so the seuenth head which is the new Empire vnder the dominion of the Popes which he here chiefely speaketh of did most of al blaspheme For the Pope did challenge vnto himselfe al power both in heauen and earth he would be worshipped as God he vsurped authority ouer the worde of God he did take vpon him to forgiue sinnes He did most blasphemously incroach vpon all the offices of Christ as king priest prophet He hath commāded the Angels He hath erected blasphemous images and caused pictures to be made of the Godhead He boasteth and craketh great things of his Papal power of Peters keies of Peters chaire of Peters succession of his miracles of his two swords and of his manifold praerogatiues roial One of the Popes poisoned his God another cast his God into the fire another would eate his peacocke in despite of God Some of thē counted the religiō of Christ a tale or a fable some drank to the diuel some said they could doe as much as God It were infinit to set downe al their blasphemies for it is saide of the whoore of Babylon that she was full of the names of blasphemy Let this suffice for the vnderstanding of this text that as the olde heathenish Emperours did blaspheme so the Popes being heades of the Empire did most of al blaspheme And as it is here said they did not only blaspheme the name of God but also did open their black and blasphemous mouthes against his tabernacle that is his church calling it a cōpany of heretickes schismatickes apostataes and such like and also against them that dwell in heauen that is the spirits of iust and perfect men which are in heauē as Luther Caluin Melancthon and such like Moreouer it is to be noted that this mouth was giuen vnto this monstrous beast thus to blaspheme and speake great things But this is to be vnderstood that it was giuen in the wrath and iust iudgement of God vpō the world to plague them withal because they regarded not the knowledg of the truth But it is added that this power of the beast thus to worke his actions was limited vnto 42. monethes so that although he rule and rage for a time yet shal he not long continue ver 7 And it was giuen vnto him to make war with the Saints and to ouer come them and power was giuen vnto him ouer euery kindred and tongue and nation ver 8 Therefore all that dwell vpon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the Lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the world These two verses do set forth the great power which was giuen vnto this beast both in fighting against Gods people and also ouercomming of them and murdering of them by heapes As we reade of thousands murdered in the first ten great persecutions and ten thousands by the Popes since they came to exercise the ciuill authority and iurisdiction of the Romane Empire and that in al countries and kingdomes of Europe as it is here said that power was giuē vnto him ouer euery kindred and tongue and nation And it is added that all that dwell vpon the earth that is al the subiects of the Roman monarchy shal worship the beast and make a God of him as we read they haue don And the chiefe motiue therof was his blasphemous mouth boasting threatning great things if any did withstand him and also his mighty power and authority whereby he bare downe al before him For if any did but mute against him he was sure to smart for it And thus through his tyrannicall power he subdued al nations vnder him and made them stoupe and fal downe and worship him But it followeth that for al this none of Gods elect did worship him or submit themselues to his religion and authority but only those that dwell vpon the earth that is earthly men as papists atheists and reprobates and al such whose names are not written in the booke of life Christ is called the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world because the sauing power of his death was from the beginning to all beleeuers although hee was not actually exhibited vntil the fulnesse of time Yf any man haue an eare let him heare Yf any lead into captiuity he shall goe into captiuity ver 9 ver 10 yf any kill with a sword he must be killed by a
conclude that when God hath decreed the vtter ouerthrow of Rome wee must not aske this question how can it be or which way shall it be brought about For the scriptures doe teach that God in all ages hath done the greatest exploits either by himselfe alone without meanes or else by weake meanes or contrary to all meanes By himselfe without meanes hee ouerthrew the Moabits Ammonites and them of mount Seir which made warre against good king Iehosaphat By himself he destroied Pharaoh his army in the red Sea By himselfe hee ouerthrew Iericho that great citie By himselfe hee slew the huge army of the Assyrians that made warre against Ezechias By himselfe hee smote the great and dreadfull army of the Ethiopians before Asa and before Iudah By himselfe hee smote the Syrians which besieged Dothan the citie where the prophet Elisha was By weake meanes hee ouerthrew the innumerable army of the Midianites euen by Gedeons three hundred By weake meanes he slew a garrison of the Philistines euen by Ionathan and his armour-bearer By weake meanes he ouerthrew the kings of Sodome thereabouts euen by Abraham his family He ouerthrew Goliah by Dauid Sisera by Iael Abimilech by a woman Contrary to meanes hee saued the three children from burning being in the fire Contrary to meanes hee saued Ionas from drowning being cast into the sea Contrary to meanes hee preserued Daniel from deuouring being cast into the Lions denne Contrary to meanes hee kept the Israelites from drowning being in the bottome of the sea Contrary to meanes and to all expectation hee caused the Sunne to stand still at noone day whilest he overthrew the fiue kings of Canaan by Iosuah Therefore I conclude that forasmuch as God in all ages hath effected the most strange and admirable things either by himselfe without meanes or by very weake meanes or contrary to all meanes therefore it is in vaine to aske this question how or by what meanes shall Rome bee destroyed for it is inough for vs to know that it shall be destroyed and come to vtter desolation And in my iudgement the holy ghost hath so often so plainely affirmed this that no man should any more make any doubt of it or once call it into question For what can bee more plaine then to say Rome is fallen Rome shall fall Great hailestones like talants shall fall vpon it It shall goe to perdition It shall fall to destruction It shall bee cast downe like a great milslone into the bottome of the sea It shall be burnt with fire It shall bee made desolate and naked It shall bee without inhabitants All the popish sort both high low shall with great mourning lamentation bewaile the desolatiō therof Their armies shall come to Armageddon The beast the false prophet shall bee taken their captaines souldiours slaine by infinit heapes their carkases made meate for the foules of the aire If all this be not plaine inough I cannot tell what can bee plaine inough True it is indeed the holy Ghost doth not name Rome but it is apparant by the circumstances that all these places must needes bee vnderstood of Rome of Romish power and of the Romish armies For there can be no other soūd sense giuen of them as all diuine writers and interpreters doe affirme both new olde And therefore I conclude that S. Iohn in this prophesie could not speake more plainly except hee should haue named Rome For hee nameth Babylon He nameth the great citie which then raigned ouer the kings of the earth He nameth the citie situate vpon seauen hils Hee nameth the citie which had seauen seuerall gouernments And therefore out of all doubt hee meaneth Rome Well then sith it is so that Rome and all Romish power and authoritie shall fall flat downe and come to vtter destruction and desolation in this life let all men take heed how they ioine with Rome how they ioyne with the Romish Church and how they receiue the beasts marke for assuredly they shal al be destroyed together both in this life in that which is to come as wee shall heare by and by Let all wise men therefore and all such as haue any care of their saluation follow the wholesome counsell and aduise of the holy ghost which saith Goe out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that yee receiue not of her plagues for her sins are come vp to Heauen and God hath remembred her iniquities Our onely wisdome then wil be to seperate our selues from the whore of Babylon that is from the Church of Rome and to ioyne our selues with all speed to the true Church of God that is the Church of the Protestants for this shall stand and florish the other shall fall downe and perish But what then shall wee bee sory for the fall of Babylon and the ruine of Rome No no. The holy Ghost counselleth vs greatly to reioyce in her destruction and ouerthrow saying O Heauens reioyce ouer her and ye holy Apostles Prophets because God hath giuen your iudgement on her We are therefore to be so far from mourning lamenting for the desolation of Rome as the kings merchants mariners other her friends as that it ought to be the very ioy and reioicing of our hearts For S. Iohn saith that not onely the holy Angels Prophets Apostles Martyrs shall reioyce at the destruction of Rome but also all the Saints and the whole bodie of the Church And therfore he saith that after the vtter ouerthrow of Rome He heard a great voice of a great multitude in Heauen saying Hallelu-iah that is praise yee the Lord for hee hath condemned the great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath auenged the bloud of his seruants shed by her hand And againe saith S. Iohn they said Hallelu-jah Hallelu-jah Hallelu-jah thrise together therby expressing the great ioy thāksgiueing for the destruction and ouerthrow of the great whore and euen so ought all that loue God that loue the Church and that loue the truth greatly to reioyce in the destruction of Rome because this monster shall no longer oppresse the Israell of God And sure it is that the more zealous godly that a man is the more he will rejoice at the destruction of Popery for a man cannot loue God and his church that doth not laugh in the destruction of that Antichristian and bloudy kingdome Let no man heere say this is crueltie this is want of charitie and want of pittie to laugh in the destruction of any or to reioice at other mens harmes But the most wise God saith Reward her euen as she hath rewarded you and giue her double according to her works and in the cup that shee hath filled to you fill her the double In asmuch as shee glorified her selfe and liued in
yea did couer the whole face of the earth with their multitudes and compasse the tents of the Saints about and the beloued citie that is did make warre against the Church and people of God which in comparison of them were but as a few tents or some little citie But marke vvhat followeth and consider the issue of the battaile The holy ghost saith expressely that fire came downe from God out of Heauen and deuoured them Which doth plainely shew that the armies of Gog Magog though neuer so huge shal be destroyed by the fire of Gods vvrath Now from this I gather that as the armies of the Pope shall goe downe still more and more as formerly hath bene shewed and as experience in the last yeeres good successe both in Ireland Netherland and against Spaine also hath partly prooued Gods most holy name be praised so also the armies of the Turk shal be ouerthrowen so farre foorth as they fight against the true Church or at least be so kept back that they shall not be able to compasse the tents of the Saints as vve see and feele this day God be thanked ver 10 And the Diuell that deceiued them was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone where that beast and that false prophet are and shal be tormented euen day and night for euermore Heere is set downe the Diuells doome to vvit that he shal be cast downe into the infernall pit as vvell vvorthy both for his seducing all nations and stirring vp the armies of Gog and Magog against the Church euen to roote it vp if it vvere possible Therefore Saint Iohn telleth vs that forasmuch as he is the author of all mischiefe and he that hath set all the rest a vvork therefore both he and his instrumens the beast and the false prophet Gog and Magog shall all drinck of the same cup of Gods eternall vvrath and be all throwne downe together into one close prison vvhich is that gasping gulfe and infernall lake that burneth vvith fire and brimstone for euer Loe then vvhat shal be the end of the diuell the Pope the Turk the Emperour the King of Spaine the Cardinall and all other the diuels instruments vvhich heere in earth haue persecuted the Church and compassed the tents of the Saints and the beloued Cittie Now after all this in the fiue last verses Saint Iohn entreth into a liuely and cleere discription of the last iudgement First noting the terror and maiestie of the Iudge himselfe in this ver 11 that from his face both Heauen and earth fled away that is no creature shal be able to endure his angry countenance in that daye and yet vvithall setting downe the puritie and vprightnesse of his iudgement and iudgement seate calling it a white Throne ver 12 And after this the generall citing and personall appearing of all men before him of vvhat degree estate or condition soeuer For both death and hell sea and graue did deliuer vp their dead And all vvithout exception came to iudgement And the bookes of their consciences vvere opened for euerie mans vvorke is engrauen vpon his cōscience as it vvere in letters of brasse or vvith the point of a Diamond as the Prophet speaketh And they were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes and according to the testimonie of their owne consciences And death and hell ver 14 that is all the heires of death and hell euen all the societie of reprobates both papists Atheists and all vnbeleeuers yea whosoeuer were not found written in the booke of life were cast into the lake of fire ver 15 which is the second death Now heere I would haue it dilligently obserued that the holy ghost hath three seuerall times in this booke described the last iudgement to wit in the latter end of the 11. Chapter in the latter end of the 14. Chapter and now in the latter end of this Chapter And moreouer I would haue the order and causes of these descriptions well waighed For in the 11. Chapter hauing before described the kingdome of the Pope and the Turk with their ouerthrow and also the preaching and preuailing of the Gospell in these last daies hee commeth to describe the last iudgement In the 14. Chapter hauing set downe that the euerlasting gospell should be plētifully preached in this last age the ouerthrow of Babylon immediately following forthwith hee proceedeth to the discription of the last day In this Chapter hauing before concluded of the vtter ouerthrow of Rome of the beast and the false prophet of Gog and Magog and all aduersary power at length hee proceedeth to this description of Christs second comming which wee haue heard of And out of all this I do gather that the vtter ouerthrow of the Pope all his adherents shall be in this life a little before the comming of Christ vnto iudgement Chap. 21. AS wee haue heard before of the vtter ouerthrow of the beast and the false prophet and all their adherents and also of the euerlasting condemnation of the dragon that old serpent which set them all a worke So now in this Chapter wee are to heare of that most happy and blessed estate which the faithfull shall dwell in for euermore so that the maine drift of this Chapter is most fully to describe that infinit glory and endlesse felicitie to the which all the 144000 that is all the elect of God shal be aduanced when both the beast and all that haue receiued his marke shall be cast downe into the infernall lake This Chapter may very fitly bee deuided into foure parts The first is a description of the renouation of the world and the restauration of the creature ver 1 The second is ver 2.3.4 a laying foorth of the most glorious estate of the Church when it shall bee freed from all misery The third is a protestation of God himselfe ver 5.6.7.8 concerning the renouation of all things the felicitie of his elect and the endlesse torment of all reprobates The fourth is ver 9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27 a liuely description of the very kingdome of God and the vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen vnder the figure of a great citie called the holy Ierusalem Which citie is heere most gloriously described of his walles gates foundations streets height length breadth brightnesse matter forme persons and inhabitants The text ver 1 AND I saw a new heauen and a new earth for the first heauen and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea ver 2 And I Iohn saw the holy city new Ierusalem come downe from God out of heauen prepared as a bride trimmed for hir husband ver 3 And I heard a great voice of heauen saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shall bee his people and God himselfe shall bee their God ver 4 And God shall wipe all teares from their eies and there shall bee no
more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there bee any more paine For the first things are passed By a new heauen and a new earth is meant the renued estate of heauen earth after this life in their qualitie not in their substance For wee doe beleeue according to the scripture that this visible heauen and this visible earth shall continue for euer as touching their matter and substance But shall bee greatly altered and changed in condition and qualitie For S. Peter saith wee looke for new heauens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse that is such heauens and such a earth as is free from all corruption sinne Which thing also the Apostle S. Paul doth plainely teach saying that the creature doth feruently expect when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed that is when Gods children shall be made knowen to be as they are the very heires of infinit glory which in this life doth not appeare And hee yeeldeth two reasons of this desire of the creature one is because in the meane time it is subiect to vanitie and corruption the other is that then it shall bee free from both And for this cause the Apostle saith that the creature groneth with vs and earnestly desireth and longeth after that day wherein it shall bee set free from the bondage of corruption and redintigrated and restored to that pristinate estate wherein it was before the fall But whether this is to be vnderstood of heauen earth onely or of heauen and earth with their adiuncts particular creatures I wil not heere goe about to discusse howbeit I do greatly incline to their opinion which hold that heauen and earth with all their furniture being redintigrated restored to their first estate shall remaine for euer to set foorth the glorie of the creator for that vse of glorified men which now the Angels haue of them Now whereas Saint Iohn addeth that there shall bee no more Sea Hee meaneth that there shall bee no more any troublesome and confused estate of this world no moe broiles waues tempests and stormes as it falleth out in this life For the word Sea is so taken twise or thrise before By the holy citie new Ierusalem hee meaneth the Church triumphant which therefore is said to come downe from God out of heauen because it hath all his newnesse and holinesse from God and from heauen whereby it is now prepared and made ready to bee maried vnto Christ ver 3 euen as a bride tricked and trimmed vp for her husband And for this cause S. Iohn heareth a voice from heauen saying the tabernacle of God is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shall bee his people and hee will bee their God Meaning therby that Iesus Christ will keepe house with his glorified spouse and be at bed and bourd with hir for euer in the heauens at what time shee shall bee freed from all teares woe and miserie ver 4 as the next verse declareth yeelding also a reason heereof which is that the first things are passed that is the state wherein the world is now being subiect to many afflictions temptations vanities and corruptions ver 5 And hee that sat vpon the throne said Behold I make all things new and he said vnto mee Write for these words are faithfull and true ver 6 And hee said vnto mee it is done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will giue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely ver 7 Hee that ouercommeth shall inherit all things and I will bee his God and hee shall bee my sonne ver 8 But the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all liers shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Heere the omnipotent God which sitteth vpon his most glorious throne doth protest that hee will make all things new that is restore the world to that execellent estate wherein it was before Adams fall and his elect to a state and condition farre more excellent in heauen and for the greater certainely and assurance of it willeth and commandeth Iohn to write it ver 5 and record it as a thing most certaine and infallible and to set it downe as a thing already done For things to come which are decreed in the counsell of God are as certaine as if they were past for God cannot erre alter nor change and therefore he saith I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last the vnchangeable and immutable God And addeth ver 6 that hee will giue freely to euery one that is a thirst of the well of the water of life that is without all regard of our desarts hee will giue to euery one that earnestly seeketh after heauen and heauenly things his full fill thereof And moreouer that whosoeuer ouercommeth in the spirituall battaile shall haue the full fruition of all good things both in this life and the life to come as hauing speciall right and interest therein through Christ God being his father and hee his sonne and heire ver 7 But on the contrary hee willeth it to bee written and recorded as a thing most certaine and sure that all reprobates all Atheists worldlings ver 8 and all vnbeleeuers shall haue their part an portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for euer And there came vnto mee one of the seauen Angels ver 9 which had the seauen vials full of the seauen plagues and talked with mee saying I will shew thee the bride the Lambs wife ver 10 And he carried mee away in the spirit to a great and an high mountaine and shewed mee that great Citie that holy Hierusalem discending out of Heauen from God ver 11 Hauing the glory of God and her shining was like vnto a stone most pretious as a Iasper stone clere as Christ all Heere one of the Angels mentioned in the 16. Chapter which had a Viall full of Gods vvrath Talketh vvith Iohn and telleth him that he will shew him the bride the Lambs wife that is the triumphant Church or the Church in her glorified estate beeing vnited and married vnto Christ in the kingdome of glory And therefore Saint Iohn saith that this Angell carried him away in the spirit to a great and high mountaine and shewed him that great Citie holy Ierusalem c. chapter 17.1.2.3 Wee reade in the 17. Chapter that when this Angell shewed Iohn the great whore of Babylon he carried him away into the wildernesse in the spirit because the vvhore of Babylon should make the Church barren and desolate as a vvildernesse But now that he is to shew him the spouse of Christ in her glory and to describe the euerlasting Ierusalem he carrieth him in the spirit vnto a very high mountaine that he might take a sight of it as