the blowing of the seven trumpets that is all notable things which were to fall out from the Apostles times unto the end of the whole world CHAP. XII NOw having finished the second vision we are come unto the third contained in all the chapters following even unto the end of this book Wherein divers things which were obscurely and darkly set down 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 Chap. 6. But especially of the persecuting Roman Empire mentioned in the opening of the second seal and also of the Papacy mentioned at the blowing of the first trumpet Chapt. 9. But the generall sum of this third vision is a lively painting out of the malignant Church and the great upholders thereof the Divell the Roman Emperor and the Pope It sheweth also the rising and falling of the Roman Empire and the rising and falling of the Papacy It sheweth also the utter overthrow of both together with the eternall condemnation of the Divell which set them all awork to fight against the Church Last of all it sheweth the eternall felicity of the Church and the unconceivable happinesse of all Gods chosen in the heavens for evermore The principall drift of this twelfth chapter is to set forth the nature of the true visible and militant Church here on earth whose head is Christ Jesus and also the false malignant Church whose head is the Divell together with the continuall enmity and war which is alwayes betwixt them This chapter may very fitly be divided into five parts The first is a description of the Church The second is a description of the Divell the Churches enemy The third containeth the Churches battel with the Divell and her victory The fourth sheweth the joy and triumphs of the godly in the Churches victory over Satan The fifth and last sheweth the fury and malice of Satan who although he was foiled in battel by the Church yet would not give over but continued persecuting the Church in her members and making war against the remnant of her seed And there appeared a great wonder in heaven Verse 1. A woman clothed with the Sun and the Moon was under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars First the holy Ghost calleth the matters of this chapter a great wonder to stir us up to attention for men are much moved with wonders and a wonder indeed it is in the literall sense to see a woman clothed with the Sun c. but a far greater wonder in the spirituall sense as we shall hear and the greatest wonder of all that a poor weak woman should encounter with a great red Dragon and overcome him It is said to be a wonder in heaven because the Church here in vision appeareth not upon the earth but in heaven in as much as her birth is from heaven her inheritance in heaven and her conversation in heaven 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 weak and feeble and in law can doe nothing of her selfe without her husband so wee of our selves are weak and feeble and in matters of Gods law and worship can doe nothing without our husband Christ as hee saith Without me yee can doe nothing Secondly as a woman through the company of her husband is fruitfull and bringeth forth children so the Church by her conjunction with Christ and his word doth bring forth many children unto God Thirdly as the love and affection of a woman is to her husband as Genesis chapter 2. verse 16. so the love 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 righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 as the Prophet speaketh The Moon was under her feet Whereby is meant that the Church treadeth under her feet all worldly things which are compared to the Moon for their often changes waxings wainings and increasings decreasings continuall mutations and uncertainties The Church treadeth all transitory things under her feet that is shee maketh light account of them she regardeth them not in comparison of heavenly things For he that is clothed with the Sun careth little for the light of the Moon Shee hath upon her head a crown of twelve starres which signifieth that the Church is adorned and beautified with the doctrine of the twelve Apostles that is the doctrine of the Gospel as it were with a crown of gold of pearl and precious stones For the doctrine of the Gospel is the crown of the Church And shee was with child Verse 2. and cryed travelling in birth and was pained ready to be delivered The Church is said to be with child after shee hath conceived the immortall seed of the Word by the ministery of the Gospel as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.15 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel And to the Galatians O ye little children of whom I travell in birth againe till Christ be formed in you It is not onely said that this woman waâ— with child but also that she was very neeâ— her time ready to bring forth and to be delivered and that she cryeth in travell Now the child which she bringeth forth is Christ Jesus Gal. 5.19 as appeareth in the fifth verse for there it is said of him that he should rule all nations with a rod of iron Now although Christ was born but of one member of the Church which is the Virgin Mary yet may it be said that the whole Church which was before his coming did even travell with paine to bring him forth because they had through faith in the promises a longing and fervent desire and expectation of his coming For from the first promise made to Adam and afterward renewed to Abraham and his posterity the Church stood in a continuall expectation of the promised Messias looking wishly every day when hee should be actually exhibited to the world For which cause here she is said to cry travelling in birth And not unfitly also may the Church be said to cry travelling in birth when through many persecutions and afflictions shee bringeth forth children unto God by the ministery of the Word For the Church bringeth forth no children at ease but with hard travell and much ado having so few friends to help her and so many enemies against her as anon we shall hear And there appeared another wonder in heaven Verses 3.4 For behold a great red Dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon his head And his taile drew the third part of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth And the Dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered Now
presence of the Throne of God c. to hunger and thirst no more c. to have all teares wiped from their eyes and to bee led by the Lambe unto the Fountaines of living waters All which doth very plainely and plentifully expresse that infinite glory and endlesse felicity which is prepared for all the true and faithfull worshippers of God Many good lessons and observations might be gathered out of all this But I do of purpose omit them because in this work I do chiefly and almost altogether aime at interpretation therein also studying brevity soundnesse and plainenesse CHAP. VIII VVE have heard out of the seventh Chapter how the divels and their instruments the Romane Emperours did stoppe the course of the Gospell Now in this Chapter we are to heare the wofull effects of the stopping thereof which was the springing up and prevailing of manifold errours and heresies in the World So that the principall scope and drift of this Chapter is to shew that God for the contempt of his Gospell and great indignities offered to the true professors thereof did give up the World to blindnesse to errour to superstition and heresie and as the Apostle sayth Because they received not the love of the truth 2. Thes 2. therefore God sent them strong delusions that they should beleeve in lies For as before we have heard how the world was most fearfully punished with externall plagues and judgements So heere we are to understand how the same was punished with judgements spirituall and internall as formerly hath beene sayd upon the stopping of the foure winds For although that spirituall plague was very great yet these spirituall plagues which follow upon the opening of the seventh seale are far greater For now we are to heare and understand 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 up into his cursed chaire and to take possession thereof but also we are to understand of his very tyranny and Kingdome it selfe and also of the Kingdome of the Turke and the last judgement For the things contained under the opening of the seventh Seale do reach unto the end of the world For the booke sealed with seven seales containeth all the whole matters which were to be revealed This Chapter containeth foure principall things as it were the foure parts thereof ver 1.2.3.4.5 6 c. First the reverent attention and silence with admiration which was in the Church at and upon the comming forth of this most horrible vengeance Secondly before the execution of these most execrable plagues the Church is remembred and set in safety with all her Children by her great Mediator Christ Jesus Thirdly the execution of this vengeance which commeth forth at the blowing of the seven trumpets by seven Angels Fourthly the vengeance it self contained in the prevailing of errour and heresie the falling away of the Pastors of the Church and the universall darkenesse that followed thereupon And when hee had opened the seventh Seale there was silence in Heaven above halfe an houre By Heaven in this place he meaneth not the Kingdome of glory after this life but by Heaven is meant the Church heere upon earth as it is so taken Chap. 12. Verse 1. and Chap. 14. Verse 2. There may be three reasons yeelded why the Church is called Heaven First 1. Joh. 5.1 because the birth thereof is from Heaven for it is borne of God Secondly because the inheritance thereof is from Heaven and therefore is called Col. 1.12 Phil. 3.20 The inheritance of the Saints Thirdly because the conversation thereof is in Heaven as the Apostle sayth To this may be added that our Lord Jesus in his Gospell doth so often call his visible Church the Kingdome of Heaven by a Trope Mat. 13. 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 at hand For now upon the opening of the seventh Seale far greater matters are threatned then any before and therefore the Church doth listen unto them in deepe silence and as it were in horror and trembling through admiration for now there appeare such dreadfull judgements of God to be executed upon the earth that all the heavenly company are astonished and amazed to behold it and do as it were quake and tremble to thinke upon it For as when heavy newes commeth down from the Prince to be proclaimed in open markets all good subjects do listen and give eare with silence and trembling so it fareth in this case By halfe an houre he meaneth that short time wherin the minds of the godly were prepared fitted and disposed wisely to consider of these matters and to make good use of them I know right well that this Verse is far otherwise interpreted of some but I take this to be most sound and simple and best agreeing to all that followeth for the next Verse is joyned unto this by a conjunction copulative to note a coherence of the matter and to draw the sence together for he sayth And I saw seven Angels which stood before God verse 2. and to them were given seven Trumpets These seven Trumpets signifie that God would proceed against the World in fearefull hostility and come against it as an open enemy unto battell proclaiming open warre against it as it were with sound of Trumpet and Drumme setting up the flag of defiance against it And hereupon groweth this silence and trembling in the Church which only mooved with the signes of Gods wrath when as all others sit still in security as the Prophet Zachary saith in a like case To stand in this place signifieth to administer as it is said of the Priests and Levites that they stand before God and before the Altar that is minister So heere the Angels doe stand before God as ready to administer and execute these Judgements For they are ministring spirits and heere they do sound the alarum at the commandement of God These Angels are popounded as seven in number because it pleased God at once to powre down his wrath upon the rebellious World but at divers times and by piece-meale Whether these were good or bad Angels it is not materiall to dispute seeing God executeth his judgements both by the one and the other 2 Sa. 24.16 Moreover it is specially to be observed that the blowing of these seven Trumpets do all belong to the opening of the seventh seale are as it were the seven parts thereof for the things which fall out upon the blowing of these seven Trumpets do reach even unto the last Judgement as the Angell sweareth Chap. 10.6.7 Then another Angell came and stood before the Altar ver 3. having a golden Censor and much odours was given unto him that he should offer with the prayers of
as it were a little before the blowing of the seventh trumpet which presently hereupon is sounded as in the next verses appeareth many should repent and give glory to God The second woe is past behold Vers 14 15. the third woe will come anon And the seventh Angel blew the trumpet and there were great voyces in heaven saying The kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and he shall reigne for evermore Now cometh the third the last and the greatest woe which is the woe of eternall death upon all the ungodly both in their soules and bodies for ever in the last judgment The second woe was Turcisme and this third wo is the last judgment For it now followeth that the seventh Angel bloweth the last trumpet as our Lord Jesus sware before that when the seventh Angel should blow the trumpet there would be no more time Chap. 10.6 Therefore when we see all things fulfilled which do belong unto the sixth trumpet it remaineth that we should every hour expect and look for the blowing of the seventh trumpet and the end of the world For the holy Ghost telleth us that when the kingdome of the Pope and the Turke shall fall and the Gospel be preached in many nations and kingdomes that then the third woe will come anon that is the last judgment followeth presently upon it Now at the blowing of this seventh trumpet there were great voyces in heaven saying The kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and hee shall reigne for evermore These voyces in heaven are triumphing voyces of Gods elect who doe exceedingly rejoyce and triumph that the kingdome of Satan and Antichrist is overthrown and that the kingdome of God and of Christ is set up and shall stand for evermore For now all adversary power being overthrown Christ doth deliver up a peaceable kingdom to his Father as it is written Then shall be the end 1 Cor. 1.15 24. when he hath delivered up his peaceable kingdome to God the Father For hee must reigne over the Church militant till he have trod downe all his enemies under his feet and when the Son of God hath subdued all things to himselfe then shall hee be subject to his Father as hee is the Mediator of the Church and yet reign with his Church triumphant for evermore Then the four and twenty elders which sate before God on their seates fell upon their faces Verse 16. and worshipped God Saying Wee give thee thankes Verse 17. O Lord God Almighty which art which wast and which art to come for thou hast received thy great might and hast obtained thy kingdome These four and twenty elders do signifie all the elect both of Jewes and Gentiles Chapt. 4. as wee have heard before which all in most suppliant manner doe worship the onely everlasting God even in the Church triumphant and doe greatly rejoyce and give all praise and glory unto him because now he hath received the kingdome the power and the glory both Pope and Turk and Emperor and all his enemies being subdued under his feet Verse 18. And the Gentiles were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the Prophets and to the saints and to them that fear thy name and to small and great and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth Now he mentioneth the wrath and vengeance which is to be powred forth upon all the wicked at the last day and also the reward of the godly For whereas he saith The Gentiles were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged the sense and meaning is that all the profane enemies of the Church which had their time in which they were angry with Gods people and in their wrath did afflict and vexe them very sore should now be judged and condemned in Gods wrath for now the day of his wrath and vengeance is come wherein hee will destroy them that destroyed the earth and seemed to carry all before them and where also he will give a full recompence of reward to all his faithfull worshippers both small and great both preachers and professors of his Gospel Then the Temple of God was opened in heaven Verse 19. and there was seen in the Temple the ark of his covenant and there were lightnings and voyces and thundrings and earth-quakes and much haile This is a further amplification of that which is set down in this former verse For now hee saith that the Temple of God should be opened in heaven that is an open door and passage should be made through Christ for all the elect to enter into Gods everlasting kingdome and reigne with him and his Angels for evermore By the arke of the Covenant is meant Christ who is said here to be seen in the Temple or kingdome of glory because through his mediation onely in whom the covenant of peace is established with his Church the twenty four elders are made partakers of their crownes and enter in with him and his Angels into the everlasting Temple made without hands and eternall in the heavens But on the contrary here is said that there were lightnings thundrings c. that is most horrible vengeance and wrath powred down upon all reprobates in hell-fire for evermore For when it shall be said to all the faithfull Come yee blessed c. then also shall it be said unto all unbeleevers Goe ye cursed into hell-fire c. Now for warrant of this exposition of the last verse that the Temple in heaven is to be understood of the kingdome of glory look chapter 15. verse 5 6 8. chapt 16. verse 1. The reason hereof is that as the doors of the Temple of Jerusalem being set open Gods people entred in and worshipped so the everlasting gates of the new Jerusalem and celestiall Temple being set open by Christ all the elect do enter in and worship God without wearinesse even as the Angels for evermore That the ark of the covenant is taken for Christ see 2 Sam. 6.2 Psal 78. vers 61 62. This ark of the covenant that is Christ is here seen in the Temple because Christ hath already taken possession of heaven as Mediator and Head of the Church and now doth set open the kingdome of heaven to all beleevers that through him they may have free accesse thereunto as it is written that through him onely we have an entrance unto the Father Eph. 2.28 That by thundrings lightnings earthquakes hail is meant that horrible vengeance and wrath which is powred forth upon all the ungodly see Psal 11. verse 6. Let this briefly suffice to satisfie the conscience of the reader And thus much concerning the second vision contained in these eight chapters going before wherein we have heard all things expounded that doe belong unto the opening of the seven seales and
this chapter is most fully to describe that infinite glory and endlesse felicity to the which all the 144000 that is all the elect of God shall be advanced when both the beast and all that have received his mark shall be cast downe into the infernall lake This chapter may very fitly be divided into four parts The first is Verse 1. a description of the renovation of the world and the restauration of the creature The second is Ver. 2 3 4. a laying forth of the most glorious estate of the Church when it shall be freed from all misery The third is Vers 5 6 7 8. a protestation from God himselfe concerning the renovation of all things the felicitie of the elect and the endlesse paine and torment of all reprobates The fourth is Ver. 9 10.11 12 13 14 c. a lively description of the very kingdom of God and the unspeakable joyes of heaven under the figure of a great city called the holy Jerusalem which citie is here most gloriously described in her walles gates foundations streets height length bredth brightnesse matter forme persons and inhabitants The TEXT Verse 1. AND I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea Verse 2. And I John saw the holy city new Jerusalem come downe from God out of heaven prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband Verse 3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be their God Verse 4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine For the first things are passed By a new heaven and a new earth is meant the renewed estate of heaven and earth after this life in their quality not in their substance For wee do beleeve according to the Scripture that this visible heaven and this visible earth shall continue for ever as touching their matter and substance but shall be greatly altered and changed in condition and quality 1 Pet. 3. For Saint Peter saith Wee look for new heavens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse that is such heavens and such an earth as is free from all corruption and sin Which thing also the Apostle Saint Paul doth plainly teach saying Rom. 8.19 that the creature doth fervently expect when the sonnes of God shall be revealed that is when Gods children shall be made known to be as they are the very heires of infinite glory which in this life doth not appear And hee yeelded two reasons of this desire of the creature one is because in the meane time it is subject to vanity and corruption the other is that then it shall be free from both And for this cause the Apostle saith that the creature groaneth with us and earnestly desireth and longeth after that day wherein it shall be set free from the bondage of corruption Rom. 8. and redintegrated and restored to that pristine estate wherein it was before the fall But whether this is to be understood of heaven and earth onely or of heaven and earth with their adjuncts and particular creatures I will not here goe about to discusse howbeit I doe greatly incline to their opinion which hold that heaven and earth with all their furniture being redintegrated and restored to their first estate shall remaine for ever to set forth the glory of the Creator and for that use of glorified men which now the Angels have of them Chap. 4.6 Chap. 8.8 Chap. 13.2 Now whereas Saint John added that there shall be no more sea Hee meaneth that there shall be no more any troublesome and confused estate of this world no more broyles waves tempests and storms as it falleth out in this life For the word sea is so taken twice or thrice before By the holy city new Jerusalem hee meaneth the Church triumphant which therefore it is said to come downe from God out of heaven Verse 2. because it hath all his newnesse and holinesse from God and from heaven whereby it is now prepared and made ready to be married unto Christ even as a Bride tricked and trimmed up for her Husband And for this cause Saint John heareth a voice from heaven Verse 3. saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shall be his people and hee will be their God Meaning thereby that Jesus Christ will keep house with his glorified Spouse and be at bed and boord with her for ever in the heavens at what time shee shall be freed from all teares Verse 4. woe and misery as the next verse declareth yeelding also a reason hereof which is that the first things are passed that is the state wherein the world is now being subject to many afflictions temptations vanities and corruptions And hee that sate upon the Throne said Verse 5. Behold I make all things new And he said unto mee Write for these words are faithfull and true And hee said unto mee It is done Verse 6. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will give to him that is athirst of the well of the water of life freely Hee that overcometh shall inherit all things Verse 7. and I will be his God and hee shall be my Sonne But the fearfull and unbeleeving Verse 8. and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and lyers shall have their parts in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Here the omnipotent God which sitteth upon the most glorious throne doth protest that hee will make all things new that is restore the world to that excellent estate wherein it was before Adams fall and his elect to a state and condition farre more excellent in heaven for the greater certainty and assurance of it willeth and commandeth John to write it Verse 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 councell 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 unchangeable and immutable God Verse 6. And addeth that hee will give freely to every one that is athirst of the well of the water of life that is without all regard of our deserts hee will give to every one that earnestly seeketh after heaven and heavenly things his fill thereof And moreover Verse 7. that whosoever overcometh in the spirituall battell shall have the full fruition of all good things both in this life and the
Booke heere are to be found very large and lively descriptions of the most glorious Person of Christ Chap. 1. Chap. 2. Chap. 3. 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 necessity passe through in the World Also of Gods mercifull providence for his Church and most vigilant care over it in the middest of all extremities Here are set before our eyes very lively descriptions of the Churches deadly enemies both of Satan himselfe and his three great instruments the Roman Emperour the Pope and the Turke Here are set down all their cruell persecutions of the Church and their utter overthrow in the end Here are described Hell Death the resurrection and the last judgement Here also the very Kingdome of Heaven is at large described with all those great rewards infinite glory and endlesse felicity 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 use and necessity of it must needes be very great And for this cause Iohn is willed and commanded by Alpha and Omega to write the things which he 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 wherein Jesus Christ did appeare unto him in the middest of the seven golden Candlesticks â—erse 13. â—4 15.16 in most glorious manner as is there described And all this was in the Isle of Pathmos where Iohn was first called and authorized to this worke and therefore he is willed first of all to record this vision which hee had already seene By the things that are hee meaneth the present state of the seven 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 shall be he meaneth all the prophesie of this booke which were to be fulfilled in their time and all those strange accidents which should come to passe in processe of time and the severall ages of the Church even unto the end of the world Thus we see how Iohn received a precise commandement from the Sonne of God to write things past present and to come that they might stand in record unto all posterities from generation to generation Thus much touching the fift circumstance which is the end and use of this booke Now followeth to speake of the last circumstantiall point which is the authority of this Prophesie which is strongly confirmed from the Author of it which is JESUS CHRIST and therefore it is called the Revelation of Jesus Christ which GOD gave unto him And againe it is written I Jesus sent mine Angell to testifie these things in the Churches Here wee see plainly Chap. 22.16 that Jesus Christ the very Sonne of God the Alpha and Omega is the Author of this booke for he subscribes his name unto it and set his hand and seale unto it Needs therefore must the authority of it be very great which commeth from so great a personage for looke what dignity and auâ—hority he is of from whom the booke commeth of the same dignity and authority is the book it selfe Another strong argument to confirme the authority of this book may be taken from the protestation of Jesus Christ in these words I protest unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this Booke Cha 22.18 if any man shall adde unto those sayings God shall adde unto 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 Heere we see how Jesus Christ maketh the authority to this Booke equall to all other the Oracle of God to the which it is not lawfull for any man to adde or detract under paine of condemnation It maketh much also for the authority of this booke that S. John doth so often repeat reiterate and inculcate his owne name I John I John I John I John the Apostle I John the Evangelist I John the Divine shewing by all these repetitions how needfull a thing it was that the faithfull should bee throughly instructed who he was even one of the Lambs twelve Apostles and therefore to be void of all suspition and doubt concerning the authority of this booke and not once to imagine it to bee any invention of man or feigned device sith it was penned by so great an Apostle Moreover the authority of this Prophesie is confirmed by foure reasons in the last Chapter The first is the affirmation of the Angell who saith The words are faithfull and true Chap. 22.6 7 8. The second is the authority of the most high GOD himselfe in these words The Lord GOD of the holy Prophets sent his Angell to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be fulfilled The third is the testimony of Jesus ver 6 7. who pronounceth them blessed which keepe the words of this Prophesie For saith he Behold I come shortly Blessed is he that keepeth the words of this Prophesie The fourth and last is the witnes of John in these words I am John which heard and saw these things Now it may bee demanded what is the cause that here are so many things heaped up for the confirmation of the authority of this Booke Surely we must thinke there is some speciall cause and reason of it For the Holy Ghost doth not use to deale so much and so earnestly in a matter but upon great cause Wee may easily gather what the cause is The Booke painteth out the Whore of Babylon and the whole Kingdome of the great Antichrist together with all Sathans cunning and fleight therein and for this cause Sathan hath laboured especially to weaken the credit and authority of this Booke He by some meanes in old time prevailed thus farre that even among some Churches of true Christians the authority and truth of it was doubted of The Holy Ghost did well foresee the practice of Sathan and therefore bringeth the more reasons for the confirmation thereof If the credit and authority of this Booke should never have been impugned there needed not any such speciall confirmation But now God be thanked there is no question or controversie concerning the authority of this Prophesie It is received as authenticall by the common consent of all the Churches Almost all the ancient Fathers doe acknowledge it to be canonicall The new Writers doe with one voyce give their consent and approbation unto it The Papists themselves doe acknowledge it to be the sacred and undoubted Word of God though of all Scriptures they cannot endure it should be medled withall
hand lest they smart for it The world is very busie this way they thinke to wring them out of his hands but alas poore souls they are not able he holdeth 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 peradventure pull an old house over their heads Another reason why CHRIST is said to hold the seven Starres in his right hand is because he worketh by them and their ministery as an artificer with his toole in his right hand The things which Christ hath done by these instruments are glorious and admirable For by the Ministery of the Gospell he hath converted many sinners and saved many souls then the which nothing can be more honourable and wonderfull and therefore the Word of GOD which is the Ministers weapon is compared to a sharpe two edged sword which came out of CHRISTS mouth Now unto all this may be added that Christ saith He was dead but now alive because he dyed and rose again And also that he saith He had the keyes of Hell and Death that is authority and power over Hell and damnation For he hath absolute power over Hell and damnation For he hath absolute power to open and shut bind and loose and therefore it is written Hee hath the key of David which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth All this setteth forth the great power and glory of Christs Person and all aymeth at this marke and end to commend unto us the authority of this Booke because it commeth from a person of so great dignity and excellency Last of all it remaineth to shew how John was affected with this vision wherein Christ did so gloriously appeare unto him for he saith When I saw him I fell at his feet as dead Wherein he sheweth how greatly he was amazed and daunted with the sight of Christs most glorious personage He was stricken with such an astonishment and feare that there was almost no life or spirit left in him and all this was to humble him and to strike him downe even to the ground in as much as by it he findeth his owne weaknesse 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 Servant of God should thus be humbled and made fit to receive this Revelation with the greater reverence from his great Lord and Master And also it maketh much for our profit as appeareth in that every part of this vision is rehearsed in the Epistles to the Churches But to conclude John being thus humbled and cast downe in himselfe is comforted and raised up by Christ who laid his right hand on him and willed him to fear nothing For saith Hee I am the first and the last and am alive but I was dead behold I am alive for evermore In which words Hee doth greatly cheare up Johns heart and telleth him plainly 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 glory might and Majesty is wholy and altogether for the good of his Church Wherein we may all cleerely see and know to our great comfort that the same Arme of God which casteth downe the wicked raiseth up the Godly the same power which woundeth them healeth us the same hand which destroyeth them saveth us the same might and Majesty which hurteth them helpeth us For whatsoever is in GOD is wholy for his and wholy against those that are none of His. And thus much concerning the first Chapter shall suffice Chapter 2. and 3. I Have thought good to handle these two Chapters together and in a generall and compendious manner to set downe the most speciall matters contained in them both not meaning to insist upon every particular both because these two Chapters are plaine and easie to understand and also because they have been sufficiently beaten upon by many These two Chapters doe generally containe seven Epistles written to the seven Churches of Asia wherein the present estate of the Churches of Asia is very lively described and in them the estate of all other Churches then militant upon the face of the earth Every one of these seven Epistles containeth foure things First an Exordium or entrance into the matters Secondly a generall proposition Thirdly a narration Lastly a conclusion The Exordium or entrance of every 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 and the same in all these Epistles contained in these words I know thy works The narration containeth the matter of each Epistle and consisteth of commendations and discommendations of admonitions reprehensions threats and promises The conclusion of every Epistle is one and the same in these words Let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches First concerning the person to whom these Epistles are sent he is named in the beginning of every Epistle To be the Angel of such and such a Church By this word Angel he meanes not the invisible spirits which we call the Angels of heaven for the things attributed to these Angels can in no wise agree to the invisible Spirits as to the Angels of several Churches to be neither hot nor cold to leave their first love to repent and amend sundry such like attributes through all these Epistles But by the word Angel he meaneth the Minister or Pastor of every Church which therefore is called an Angel because he is the Minister of GOD as the word signifieth As also because every faithfull Minister ought to be received and regarded as an Angell of God as the Apostle witnesseth of the Galathians that they received him as an Angell of God yea as Christ Jesus And he giveth many admonitions in his Epistles to this effect for he would have all faithfull and painfull Ministers to bee greatly reverenced and had in double honor to be acknowledged and had in singular love for their works sake to be cared for to be made much of and to want nothing For indeed a good Minister is a Jewell of price A good Minister is a friend in Court which we say is better then penny in purse A good Minister is like a candle which spendeth it selfe to give light to others A good Minister is like a Cocke which by the clapping of his wings awaketh himself and by his crowing awaketh others For a good Minister by his private studies prayers and meditations awaketh himselfe by his publick preaching awaketh others The Scriptures affirmeth a good Minister to be the very glory of Christ And again that a good Minister is a singular blessing of God 2 Cor. 8.23 Jer. 3.14 For the Lord himselfe faith I will take you
other place but not destroyed For God doth remove but not destroy his Candlesticks Pergamus is threatned that unlesse they did speedily repent Jesus Christ should come shortly and fight against them with the sword of his mouth Thyatyra is threatned that except they repent them of their workes they should be cast into a bed of affliction and all their favorites should be slain with death Sardis is threatned that if they did not watch and awake CHRIST would come suddenly upon them as a Thiefe and they should not know what houre hee would come Concerning promises they be very great and large for everlasting joy and the very fulnesse of glory is promised to all that fight the good fight of faith and overcome in the spirituall battle against the flesh the world and the Divell Ephesus is promised that if they fight it out couragiously and constantly to the end 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 to have the white stone of victory given them Thyatira is promised to have power given them to rule over Nations and to be lightned with heavenly brightnes like the morning Star Sardis is promised to be cloathed with white array that is with heavenly glory and to have their name continued in the booke of life Philadelphia is promised to have a piller made in the Temple of God that is a firme and unmoveable place of eternall glory Laodicea is promised to sup with Christ and to sit with him upon his throne for evermore Thus we see what great and precious promises are made to all Churches that fight and overcome in this their spirituall battell and conflict Concerning the conclusion it is one and the same to all these seven Churches Wherein they are exhorted that such as have eares to heare should heare ponder and consider all the aforesaid praises and dispraises admonitions reprehensions threats and promises And it is therefore said such as have eares because they are very few to be found that have circumcised and sanctified eares to heare and understand heavenly things This is proper to the elect this is but to whom it is given And thus briefly and generally we see what was the present state of every one of the Churches of Asia unto which this Prophecie was to be sent so that by them we may see in what estate the universall Church militant was at that time For as some of these seven 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 Johns salutation to the Churches Johns new calling The excellency 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 eight Chapters to the twelve wherein is shewed what should be the future estate of the Church in all ages even unto the end of the world CHAP. 4. THe principall thing contained in this fourth Chapter is a description of the person of God the author of this booke who is most gloriously described of that excellent glory that is in himselfe and of his royall throne which hee sitteth upon and of his goodly retinue and troopes of Saints and Angels attending about his most glorious throne Whereunto is added the diverse qualities both of Angels and Saints both in themselves 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 I will come to the words of the text and open them as they lie in order After this I looked and behold a doore was open in Heaven and the first voice I heard Verse 1. was as it were of a Trumpet talking with mee saying Come up hither and I will shew thee the things which must bee done hereafter These words After this have relation to the first vision spoken of before as if he should say after I had received the former vision concerning the present estate of the Church now I had another vision concerning the future estate therof and therfore he saith a doore was opened in Heaven that he might come in and see all these things which should be revealed to him For the opening of the doore in Heaven doth here signifie the unlocking of heavenly things unto 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 he is called up with a loud voice like a Trumpet saying Come up hither for although the doore was opened yet durst he not enter in till he was called and commanded to come in For in these cases he doth not presume in any thing as of himselfe without speciall warrant and direction As the Scripture saith No man taketh this honour unto himselfe Heb. 5.4 but he that is called of God as Aaron was The voice that calleth him is like a Trumpet that is loud and shrill that he might be stirred up more diligently to attend unto the contemplation of these great secrets which should be revealed unto him This voice commandeth him to come up hither which sheweth that Iohn was rapt up in the Spirit unto the Heavens to see this vision This voice promiseth to shew him things which must be done hereafter that is that he should be made acquainted with the future estate of the Church as already he was with the present estate thereof And immediately I was ravished in the Spirit Verse 2. and behold a Throne was set in Heaven and one sate upon the Throne Upon this suddaine and extraordinary calling by so heavenly and loud a voice Iohn was forthwith ravished in Spirit For as the Prophet Ezechiel was by the spirit in the visions of God carried from Caldea to Ierusalem So this holy Apostle is carried by the Spirit in the visions of God into Heaven and by the same Spirit is made fit and capable of all these heavenly visions which should be shewed him So that in all this we do plainely and cleerely see that Iohn hath as it were a further calling and admittance from Heaven to to behold and see these wonderfull secrets which now are to be imparted unto him Behold a Throne c. Here beginneth the description of the most high and glorious majesty of God who is described after the manner of earthly Kings and Judges sitting upon their thrones and judgement seats For he is King of Zion and Judge of all the world And he that sate was to look upon like unto a Jasper stone Verse 3. and a Sardine and there was a Rainebow round about the Throne like an Emeraud God for his admirable glory and beauty is
to cover their faces two to cover their feete and two to flye withall And they have two wings to cover their faces withall because they are not able to endure the unconceiveable brightnesse and glory of God for he dwelleth in unapproachable light They have two wings to cover their feete withall because mortall then are not able to looke upon the brightnesse that is in Heaven For we reade that many have beene astonished and dazled with the glory and brightnesse of Angels so glorious creatures are they They have two wings to flie withall to note their prompt obedience and readinesse to execute the commandements of God as formerly was shewed Moreover the Angels are said to have wings and to flye swiftly because God by them doth speedily dispatch many purposes actions and services here below and for this cause the Scripture affirmeth that he rideth upon the Cherubins that hee dwelleth betweene the Cherubins and that hee maketh the Clouds his Chariots and walketh upon the wings 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 weighty affaires within their dominions so the Visions in Ezechiel do shew 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 over-rule all actions under the Sun Moreover these Angels are said to be full of eyes within Verse 8. to note not onely their fulnesse of knowledge but also their inward sight into all heavenly things yea even 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 heere said to prayse God uncessantly Verse 8. day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was which is and which is to come where we may cleerely see that the Angels prayse 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 wearinesse in Gods worship but they do alwaies serve him with infatigable desires and therfore are called Seraphins because they burne in the zeale of God and Cherubins because their delight is to approach neare unto him and to be alwaies about his Throne yea even in his chamber of presence They doe double and treble this word holy and warble much upon it because they know full well that he is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his works and that all his proceedings and judgements are even then weighed in the ballance of Justice and equity when to mans sense and the judgement of reason they seeme nothing lesse For his judgements are as a great depth which mans reason cannot sound Further wee see that when these beasts that is the Angels gave glory and honour and thanks to God c. the 24. Elders also fell downe before him and worshipped him that liveth for evermore Where we may see that both Saints and Angels doe joyntly prayse and magnifie God and him alone Even that GOD that liveth for evermore even that GOD which was which is and which is to come that is the eternall and everlasting God For the Scripture sayth Praise him O yee Saints and praise him O yee Angels that excell in strength And the 24. Elders cast their Crownes before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour c. Wherein we see that all the Elect do empty themselves of all worthinesse to have any glory acknowledging that their Crownes of glory are Gods free gift and that the praise thereof belongeth only to him and nothing to themselves And this in very deed is the right manner of worshipping God frankly to ascribe all glory to him and all shame to our selves to give all to him to whom all is due and nothing to our selves which have nothing for nothing can be given or taken out of nothing Now then to conclude and winde up this 4. Chapter we do clearely see the summe and drift of all is that Heaven doore was opened unto John and that he was let in and called up into the Chamber of presence by a very loud voice there to take notice of the future estate of the Church and that the person which thus called him up was the very immortall God himselfe who is so gloriously described of his Throne his troopes and traines of Saints and Angels as we have heard And all this is to commend and set forth the authority of this booke whose Authour is so excellent yea super-excellent CHAP. V. AFter this Vision containing the glory of the divine Majesty was shewed unto John that he might know from what fountaine this Prophesie was derived now in this fift Chapter is taught and shewed by what meanes and by whose mediation the knowledge of such hidden mysteries were revealed unto the Church namely by the meanes and mediation of Jesus Christ in whom onely the counsels and secrets of God the Father are opened and made knowne unto men For he is the great Prophet and Doctor of the Church which is come down from the bosome of his Father and hath made knowne unto us whatsoever he hath received of his Father as he himselfe testifieth And the Church is commanded by a voice from Heaven to heare him and him alone This fifth Chapter containeth three things generally Ver. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. First a description of the booke which was in the right hand of God Secondly a description of Jesus Christ which receiveth it at the hand of his Father and openeth it Thirdly a description of those most glorious praises which are given to Christ by the Angels Saints and all the creatures in Heauen and earth I saw in the right hand of him that sate upon the throne a book written within Verse 1. and on the backe side sealed with seaven seales By this booke here mentioned is meant this present booke of the Apocalyps or Revelation as it shall plainely appeare in the next chapter when we come to the opening of the seaven seales thereof For the things which fall out upon the opening of the severall seales do plainely declare that all is meant of the particular matters contained in this present booke This book is said to be in the right hand of him that sitteth upon the throne because all the secrets revealed in it come from the counsell and decree of the most high God and are ordered by his meere direction providence It is called a written booke to shew that the things contained in it are so firmely decreed in the counsell of God that none of them shall faile but come to passe and be fulfilled â—n their season They are such as we may write of as we use to say and therefore for the cerâ—ainty of them they are here said to
blessed for ever For otherwise the Angels of Heaven both Cherubins and Seraphins would not thus fall down and worship him ascribing unto him both deity and divine honour Consider then how great he is of whom it is said Let all the Angels of God worship him Psal 97.7 Moreover these Angels and Saints are sayd to have every one Harpes and golden Vials Verse 8. full of Odours which are the prayers of the Saints These Harpes doe signifie the sweet consent and harmony both of men and Angels in sounding forth the praises of the Lambe for herein the whole Church both militant and triumphant do accord and tune together as many harpers harping upon their harpes Apo. 14.2 as is written also in another place Hereby also they do plainly testifie that inward peace and spirituall joy which all the faithfull have through Christ which is more sweet and delightsome to the soule then any musick is unto the eares The Vialls full of Odours are expounded to be the prayers of the Saints which are therefore compared to odours because they smell sweet in the nostrils of God and are more fragrant then any nosegay or perfume whatsoever for he taketh great pleasure in the prayers of his people especially when they came out of golden vials that is sanctified hearts and consciences for every sanctified heart is a golden heart in the sight of God and every regenerate conscience is a Jewell of price guilt with gold and enameled with pearle For this cause the holy man David wisheth earnestly that his heart might be so renewed and cleansed inwardly that his prayer might be directed as incense in Gods sight Psal 14.1 and the lifting up of his hands as a sweet smelling sacrifice Furthermore these Saints and Angels do sing a new song That is they do sing to the prayses of the Lambe with renued affections and unwearied desires Their inward joy continueth alwaies fresh and greene as the Bay-tree They never wither or waxe weary of the service of God Their song is evermore new and therefore evermore delightsome For the more new any thing is the more pleasant and delactable for men are not affected with old but altogether with new things Now then Jesus Christ having taken this booke into his hand to open and expound is applauded unto by the generall consent and voyces of the whole Church for say they Thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof Wherein they do all with common consent give their voyces unto Christ acknowledging him to be the onely fit person in Heaven or earth to take upon him the function 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 us unto God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Meaning hereby that he was put to death to pay the price of our redemption in whom all beleevers both Jewes and Gentiles are saved Their reason then is this he that hath died and risen againe and is now exalted farre above all principalities and powers c. is the most fit instrument to open and interpret this booke but thou O Christ the Lambe of God art such an one therefore thou of all others art most meete to take the matter upon thee and to enter into this businesse Further they amplifie their reason thus Verse 10. that he hath made us of slaves and servants Kings and of prophane persons Priests unto the most high God And last of all that we shall raigne upon the earth Not meaning hereby that we shall raigne as earthly Kings or onely enjoy an earthly Kingdome For out of all doubt the Saints shall raigne with Christ in the Heavens for evermore But heere is mention made of raigning in the earth because after this life Gods Children shall have the fruition and inheritance both of Heaven and earth that is to say that new Heaven and new Earth 2 Pet. 3.12 wherein dwelleth righteousnesse for the Heavens and the earth being redintegrated and purged from corruption shall be the portion of the Saints and the habitation of the Elect for evermore After all this Ver. 11. John heareth the voice of innumerable Angels besides the foure Beasts That is the Cherubines and Seraphins or chiefe Angels that is Angels deputed to chiefe offices round about the throne which all with a loud voice doe acknowledge the Lambe which was killed Ver. 12. to bee worthy of all honour glory and praise c. And not only these innumerable Angels being 20. thousand times ten thousand but also all other creatures both in Heaven and Earth As the Sun Moone and Starres the fishes in the Sea and the beasts in the earth do all in their kinde sing the same song acknowledging all honour and glory praise and power to belong unto him that sitteth upon the throne Ver. 13. and unto the Lambe for evermore For although the creature is as yet subject to the bondage of corruption and therefore groneth and travelleth in paine waiting when the Sonnes of God shall be revealed yet it standeth in assured expectation of restitution to liberty and incorruption and therefore here all the creatures do praise the Lambe for that restauration which they had so lovingly and wishly looked for And the foure beasts said Amen That is they do subscribe to those prayses which the creature yeeldeth to their Creator And not onely the Angels do subscribe and consent unto it but the foure and twenty Elders also that fall downe and worshp him that liveth for evermore So that the Lambe is praysed and worshipped of all hands both of men and Angels and all other creatures as God everlasting and blessed for evermore CHAP. VI. IN the fourth Chapter wee have heard the description of God the Father which holdeth the sealed booke in his right hand In the fift Chapter we have also had the description of Jesus Christ the opener and interpreter of this seven sealed Book Now in this sixth Chapter wee are to understand of the mattter and contents of this Booke and of the strange accidents and events which followed upon the opening of every severall Scale For in this Chapter sixe of the Seals are opened by the Sonne of God and the Mysteries thereof disclosed unto John that he might declare them to the Church for the comfort and instruction thereof This Chapter containeth sixe principall things arising from the severall opening of the sixe seales and they are these The spreading of the Gospell Great persecutions following therupon Famine Pestilence Complaints of the Martyrs Ver. 1.2.3.4 c. Fearefull revenge upon the world for shedding the blood of Gods Saints After Verse 1. I beheld when the Lambe had opened one of the seales and I heard one of the foure beasts say as it were the noise of thunder Come and see Now after all these former
all the former judgements For now after the cry of the Martyrs for vengeance God the avenger of the bloud of the Righteous doth shew himselfe from Heaven and declare his wrath in more fearefull manner then before even to the great astonishment of all the creatures in Heaven and Earth So horrible a thing is the shedding of the blood of the Christians For now we see plainely that God heareth the cryes of his Martyrs and commeth as a Gyant or an armed man to take vengeance of all their enemies For Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and he is much mooved with the cry of their blood as here we see And therefore now threatneth to hold a generall Assize wherein he will make inquisition after blood and arraigne and condemne all such as are found guilty 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 above 300. yeares after Christ there were many great and fearfull Earth-quakes in divers nations and Cities of the World yet it is apparant that the Earth-quake here spoken of cannot bee taken litterally nor any of the rest here mentioned For there was never any time neither is it mentioned in any Chronicle that ever the Sunne was as blacke as sack cloth of haire or the Moone turned into bloud or the Starres fell from Heaven or the Heavens rolled together like a scrole or that Mountaines and Ilands were moved out of their places Therefore of necessity all this must be understood metaphorically that is that God did in so strange and fearfull a manner manifest his wrath from Heaven by tumults commotions seditions and alterations of Kingdomes as if these things of the Sunne Moone and Starres had been 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-wealths troubles tumults uprores and great alterations of States and Kingdomes The darkning of the Sunne Moone and Starres and rolling together of the Heavens do by a metaphor in the Scripture signifie the wrath of God which they being not able to endure are said here to blush at to cover themselves to hide themselves to be ashamed of themselves to remove out of their places no more to do their office c. For as birds do hide themselves and thrust their heads into bushes when the Eagle commeth abroade And as all Beasts of the Forrest doe tremble and couch in their dennes when the Lyon roareth And as the subject doth hide himselfe and dare not shew his head with whom the King is displeased So here it is said that the whole earth doth tremble and all the celestiall creatures are amazed and confounded with beholding the angry face of God against the world in so much that they do as it were draw a canopy over them hide themselves under a cloud and surcease to do their offices The darkning of the Sunne and Moone is taken in this sense in the second or Joel 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 upon all flesh which is to be understood of the plentifull preaching of the Gospell in the Apostles time and the abundance of grace that was given with the same addeth that for the contempt of so great grace and mercy he would shew wonders in Heaven above and tokens in the earth beneath Blood and fire and the vapour of smoke the Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come The meaning of the Prophet is as Peter also doth expound it Acts 2. that God from Heaven will shew such apparant signes of his wrath against the World that men should be no lesse amazed then if the whole order of nature were inverted And this was performed when as the Jewes for the contempt of Christ and his Gospell were most miserably destroyed by the Romanes Even so here under the opening of the sixt seale God doth threaten That for the murdering of his Sonne Christ and his Apostles and innumerable Christians he would bring strange judgements and extraordinary calamities upon the world according as all stories do shew that those times were full of bloodsheds commotions famine pestilence and miseries of all sorts I am not ignorant that the darkning of the Sunne and Moone and the falling of the Stars from Heaven are sometimes in this booke put for the obscurity and corruption of pure doctrine and the falling away of the Pastors of the Church from their sincerity and zeale But in this place the circumstances will not beare that sense First because here the darkning of the Sun and Moone c. is joyned with an Earth-quake the rolling together of the Heavens and the moving of Mountaines and Islands out of their places which argueth a most horrible confusion of all things Secondly because afterward in the eight chap. he doth of purpose speake of the corrupting of pure doctrine and 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 immediately mentioned would never have been cast into any such perplexities and horrors upon any corruption of doctrine and the ministery as here we reade of For commonly men are not any whit touched or moved with that or such like things Last of all because the scope and drift of the holy Ghost under the opening of this sixt Seale is to describe corporall not spirituall visible not invisible judgements For he doth orderly and of purpose handle them in the next Chapter Now whereas it is sayd in the last three verses that the Kings of the earth and the chiefe Captaines Ver. 15.16.17 and the mighty men and every bond-man and every free-man hid themselves in dennes and amongst the rockes of the mountaines and said to the rockes and mountaines Fall on us c. the sense and meaning of all is this that these visible judgements should be so horrible and extraordinary that all sorts of men then living upon the face of the earth should even wish themselves buried quicke or that they might run into a mouse-hole or awger hole to hide themselves from the wrath of the Lambe For being both outwardly terrified with the sensible judgements and inwardly griped and tormented with the fury of their owne consciences they are at no hand able to endure it CHAP. VII THis Chapter doth wholly appertaine unto the opening of the sixt Seale It sheweth generally how God in the middest of all the broyles which hapned under the opening of the sixt seale yet did preserve his owne Church and mercifully provide for his owne people This
seventh Chapter may very fitly be divided into three parts First it sheweth that as God did most fearefully punish the World with visible and sensible Judgements as we have heard before So now he would set upon them with invisible and spirituall plagues which are of all other most grievous and intolerable Secondly it sheweth the state and condition of the Church militant here in earth as before was shewed under the opening of the fift Seale Verse 2 3 4 c. the state of the Church triumphant in the Heavens namely that it is sealed and set in safety from all dangers Thirdly it sheweth the blessed and happie estate of all Gods elect and their fervent prayses and zealous worship of God who thus mercifully did provide for their security in the middest of greatest perils and extremities Ver. 10 11 c. And after that I saw foure Angels stand on the foure corners of the earth Verse 1. holding the foure windes of the earth that the windes should not blow on the earth neither on the sea neither on any greene tree These foure Angels are Angels of darknes or foure divels which is proved by this reason that they hold the 4. winds from blowing on the Earth that is stoppe the course of the Gospell which is a spirituall plague They are sayd to stand upon the foure corners of the Earth because power was given them to plague not some one or two Countries but the Universall World both East West North and South The blowing of the winds doth very fitly represent the preaching of the Gospell and that heavenly inspiration and breathing of the Holy Ghost which goeth with it Wind is so taken Joh. 3. where our Lord Jesus sayth The wind bloweth where it listeth c. So is every man that is borne of the Spirit And againe in the fourth of the Cantic in these words Arise O North and come O South and blow on my garden that the spices thereof may flow out Where it plainely appeareth that the Church craveth the inspiration of the Spirit that her fruits may abound For what can be meant by these winds which she wisheth to blow upon her garden but the breathings of Gods Spirit and Word It followeth then that if the blowing of the winds in the Scriptures do signifie the breathing of Gods grace and holy Spirit that the stopping of the winds by a reason of the contraries doth here signifie the stopping of the same and the deprivation of all heavenly blessings So that it is cleare that a spirituall plague is heere represented which also is the more apparant because heer is such a speciall proviso and care had for the Churches safety that it might not be infected with this spirituall contagion Now all this doth plainely fore-prophesie not only the stopping of the course of the Gospell but even the utter taking of it away from the World for their great contempt thereof and the horrible murthering and massacring of all the true professors of it according as it came to passe afterward in the prevailing first of Heresies and afterward of the Popish and Mahometish Religion as in the two next Chapters following shall plainely appeare And I saw another Angell come up from the East Ver. 2.3 which had the Seale of the living God and he cried with a loud voyce to the foure Angels to whom power was given to hurt the earth and sea saying Hurt ye not the earth neither the sea neither the trees till we have sealed the servants of God in their foreheads This Angell is Jesus Christ who by the Prophet is called the Angell of the covenant That Angels do represent and sustaine â—he person of Christ their head is so common and usuall a thing in the Scriptures that I sâ—â—ll not need to stay in it That this Angell is Christ it doth â—â—â—nely appeare by the things heere â—â—â—ibuted unto him which can agree to â—o â—â—her First in that he hath the Seale of â—â—e living God which is the Spirit of adoption to set upon all the elect for he is thâ—â—â—ely keeper of this great Seale and â—â—is privy Seale He onely hath authority to set it upon whom he will Secondly because he is said to come up from the East that he is the only Sun of righteousnesse which ariseth upon his Church every 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 Luke 1.70 the day spring from on high hath visited us Thirdly because he holdeth a soveraignty and command over the Divâ—ls for he chargeth them heere to stay their hands from doing any hurt till he had provided for his elect Whereas it is said verse 2. that power was given to these Divels to hurt the earth the Sea and trees that is the number of Reprobates we may note that the divels have no absolute Power but only by permission as appeareth in this that they could neither â—ouch Job nor enter into the heard of Swine without licence Job 1. Whereas it is said Verse 3. â—ill we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads it doth plainely shew that the punishment of the wicked are deferred till provision be made for the Elect. The floud came not upon the old World till Noah and his family were received into the Arke The Angels destroyed not Sodom till Lot was set in safety The plaguing Angell spared the first borne of Egypt till the posts of the Israelites houses were sprinkled with the blood of the Paschall Lambe Ezec. 9. The sixe Angels sent to destroy Jerusalem are charged to stay the execution till the servants of God were marked in their foreheads All these examples do manifestly declare what tender care the Lord in all ages hath had of his owne people that they might be delivered and set in safety in the midst of all extremities Even so heere we see that God is very carefull that his owne children might not be infected with those damnable heresies which now already upon the stopping of the course of the Gospell began to be hatched and afterwards did spring and grow up in the Church both thicke and three-fold Verse 4. And I heard the number of them that were sealed and there were sealed an hundred forty and foure thousand of all the Tribes of the children of Israel Of the Tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand c. Now John heareth the number of them that were sealed and he reckoneth up the whole Church militant consisting both of the Jewes and Gentiles He saith that of the Church of the Jewes there were sealed 144000. Wherein he putteth a certaine number for an uncertaine and a definite number therewithall also for an indefinite for his meaning is not that there were just so many and neither moe nor lesse sealed but this number doth arise of 12. times 12. in that he saith of every
Tribe twelve thousand for twelve times 12. thousand make an hundred forty and foure thousand Neither yet may we thinke that of every Tribe there were an equall number sealed not moe nor lesse of one Tribe then another but this number of twelve is used as the perfect and full number in as much as the Church of the Jewes was founded upon the twelve Patriarkes unto which our Saviour had respect when for to gather the dispersed and lost sheepe of the house of Israel he chose twelve Apostles Now heere we are to observe that notwithstanding the horrible persecutions and calamities which fell out upon the opening of foure of the Seales yet God had his Church even of the Jewes which in the judgement of reason a man would have thought long ere now had been utterly extinct and abolished But the Apostle sayth Rom. 11. God hath not cast off his people which he had chosen that is utterly cast them off It is therefore a most sure and certaine position in divinity that God hath alwaies his that is in all ages in all times in all places in all Countries even in the midst of all troubles and flames of perscution yet God hath his hid and invisible Church even upon the face of the earth As it was in the dayes of Elias As was in Christs time 1 Kin. 19.18 when the Shepheard was smitten and the sheepe scattered And as it was in the dayes of the great Antichrist as afterward we shall see Moreover it is to be observed that in the enumeration of the 12. Tribes the Tribe of Dan is left out and the Tribe of Levi taken in The cause of the omission and skipping of the Tribe of Dan was their continuance in Idolatry from the time of the Judges at what time they first fell into it even unto the Captivity This Tribe is also omitted in the Catalogue of the Tribes mentioned 1. Chr. chap. 2 3 4 5 6 7. Then the reason of this omission is first their unworthinesse And secondly that there might be a place and roomth for the Tribe of Levi to be taken in which in this Catalogue for singular reason and a speciall mystery might not be omitted For although the Tribe of Levi had no portion or inheritance amongst the other Tribes in the earthly Canaan and now the Priesthood being transferred unto Christ the Holy Ghost doth expresly affirme that the Tribe of Levi as well as others hath his part and portion in the heavenly inheritance and the celestiall Canaan Ver. 9.10 After these things I beheld and loe a great multitude which no man can number of all Nations and Kindreds and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lambe clothed with long white Robes and Palmes in their hands and they cryed with a loud voice saying Salvation commeth of God c. This is to be understood of the Church of the Gentiles and they are said to be an innumerable multitude of all Countries and Nations For although the Church of God in respect of the Reprobates is very small and as an handfull upon the face of the earth yet in it selfe simply considered it is very great and large for even out of Adams cursed race God hath chosen many thousands to life And here still we are to observe the great goodnesse and mercy of God that notwithstanding former persecutions and the great blindnesse which afterward did invade the Church in the prevailing errors and heresies yet John heareth and seeth such an huge number sealed up to salvtion through Christ both of the Jewes and Gentiles The Church of the Gentiles exceeding in number the Church of the Jewes are here said to have long white Robes in token of their purity and innocency and Palmes in their hands in signe of their victory over the world flesh and the divell For Palmes in ancient time were ensignes and badges of victory After this is set downe how the whole Church of the Gentiles do praise and worship God freely Ver. 10 11 12. acknowledging salvation to be only of him through Christ And all the Angels of Heaven do applaud subscribe and say Amen to the same as we have heard before in the fourth Chapter The foure beasts are heere mentioned againe whereby is meant the Angels both because they are sayd to have wings Chapter 4. which agreeth to none but Angels Esay 6. and also because they are expressely named and interpreted to be the Cherubins Ezec. 10. If any man muse why the Angels should be called Beasts let him be resolved with these foure reasons First because they are compared to beasts before as the Lyon Calfe Ezec. 1. c. Secondly because Ezechiel called them so in as much as they draw Gods Chariot of triumph Thirdly because the Prophet Zachary compareth them to red speckled Zach. 1.8 and white Horses Fourthly because the same Prophet calleth them Gods Coach-horses and the multitudes and societies of them he calleth Gods Chariots which came out of two mountaines of brasse that is they went forth at his decree which standeth as fast and unremoveable as a Mountaine of Brasse to comfort and deliver his Church out of the captivity of Babylon and also to succour and helpe the remnant which were left behind in Judea Now in the Prophets these Chariots and Chariot-horses are sayd to carry the Almighty most swiftly throughout all the world And therefore in Zachary it is said of the Angels Zac. 1.10 These are they which goe thorow the whole world In Ezechiel it is said that the beasts ran Eze. 1.14 verse 7. and returned like lightning And againe that they sparkled like the appearance of bright brasse and the wheeles of Gods Chariots were mooved with inconceiveable swiftnesse even as fast as the Angels did flye Let these reasons and Scriptures then satisfie us touching this that the Angels are called beasts After all this one of the 24. Elders asketh John what they were and from whence they came Ver. 13. which were thus arraied in long white Robes Which question is asked of the Elder not as being ignorant thereof but to stirre up John being ignorant to enquire of the matter that he might instruct him therein And therefore when John confessed his ignorance desiring to be instructed therein the Elder telleth him the whole matter namely that they were such as were come out of great tribulation Verse 14. 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 Ver. 15.16 for they are heere spoken of as if they were already in the possession of Heaven and that for the infallible certainty and assurance thereof Therefore the Apostle sayth that even already they doe sit together in heavenly places Verse 16.17 And here they are sayd to be in the
wee are come to the description of the Churches great and capital enemy which is the Divell who because he studieth and laboureth continually to impeach the good estate of the Church in heavenly things to deject her from her dignity and dispossesse her of her inheritance therefore here in a vision he is said to appear in heaven for he meddleth with the Church in and about heavenly things practising to pull her out of heaven from whence shee came and whither she must return even to cast her into hell and condemnation with himselfe if it were possible The Divell is compared to a Dragon for his fury and felnesse to a great Dragon for his power and might and a red Dragon for his bloudy cruelty malice and madnesse against Christ and all hiâ— members His seven heads signifie his manifold sleights and subtilties wherein he is a crafts-master His ten horns signifie his dreadfull power For who knoweth not that hee is stronger then any other creature having not lost his strength by his fall but remaineth as strong as an Angel of light His seven crowns upon his heads do signifie his manifold victories over the world For he 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 reigneth as king over them The Dragon hath a monstrous tail both for length and strength for it is so long that it reacheth up to heaven and so strong that it brusheth down many stars from thence That is the Divell through ambition and covetousnesse and other fleshly lusts doth pull down many ministers which shined in doctrine and life as the starres of heaven even unto the earth where they have lost their brightnesse and glory and shine as much as the Moone in a mist Moreover it is said Verse 4. that the Dragon stood before the woman in travell to devoure the child as soon as it was born Wherein wee are to observe the malice and fury of Satan in that he watcheth so narrowly to devour the blessed Seed even the Saviour of the world so soon as he was born And for this cause he stirred up Herod the king subtilly to seek him out by the wise men that hee might kill him and afterward most cruelly practised the same by murdering so many innocents But this is alwaies a generall truth Matth. 2. that Satan seeketh to smother not onely Christ but every member of his in the cradle yea to blast them in the bud before ever they come to fruit or flower So shee brought forth a man-child Verse 5. which should rule all nations with a rod of iron and that her child was taken up to God and his throne Notwithstanding the malice and watchfulnesse of Satan yet the Church bringeth forth Christ which should rule and over-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 rod of his mouth as the Prophet speaketh Isa 11.4 Moreover it is said that this child was taken up unto God and his throne That is Christ by his resurrection did take possession of his chaire of estate in despight of Herod Pontius Pilate the Priests the Pharisees and all other his enemies which sought to keep him down and now he being ascended unto heaven doth draw all his members unto him in despight of the Divell and all his imps Verse 6. And the woman fled into the wildernesse where shee hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Now after the womans child was set in safety here is shewed what became of the woman her selfe to wit that shee was so sore pursued by the Scribes and Pharisees and by the Priests and Elders that shee was fain to fly into the wildernesse The naturall sense and meaning of this place is that when the Church began to grow after Christs ascension and the number of the Disciples to increase exceedingly as wee read in the second of the Acts Satan did so greatly maligne it and began to be in such a rage that he would have eaten them up all at a bit and rooted them out at once that so the woman might have no more being in the earth And therefore we read Acts 8. that after the stoning of Stephen there was such a persecution raised up against the Church by the high Priests the Princes of the Jewes the Pharisees all that cursed crew that all the Apostles and Disciples of Christ were scattered and dispersed here and there in the heathen countries and amongst the heathen people which here are called the wildernesse that is to say a ground untilled desolate and barren of all fruits of godlinesse But now may some man say How shall the Church do in the wildernesse how shall she live how shall she be sustained There is no tilling no sowing no planting there groweth no corn 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 took up an inn for her shee wanted neither food nor raiment in her persecutions and troubles Which teacheth that God doth alwaies provide for his own even in great miseries scarcities famines banishments and persecutions as sometimes hee 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 chap. 11. verse 2. Vers 7 8. And there was a battell in heaven Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon and his angels fought But they prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven Now wee are come to the third part of this chapter which is the battell betwixt Christ and the Divell For whereas the Dragon could not smother Christ in the cradle as hee endeavoured and so deprive the Church of all her happinesse for ever now he proclaimeth open war both against Christ and all his members plotting and purposing to oppugne the very salvation of the Church though it be founded in Christ Wherein hee sheweth both his impudency and furious madnesse Michael here signifieth Christ as in Daniel chap. 10. verse 13. This name is given to Christ in Daniel because hee is the first of the chiefe Princes that is hee is the head of the Angels Col. 1.16 who are chiefe Princes as the Apostle affirmeth That Christ hath his Angels joyned with him is not to note any weaknesse or want of strength in Christ alone to overcome his enemies but to shew that as Christ effecteth great wonders in the world so for the most part he doth it by instruments and meanes as sometimes Angels sometimes
men But here specially it meaneth the Apostles and their successors yea and at this day all Christian kings princes and potentates of the earth and all others which take part with Christ against the Divell and his instruments Well here wee see that these two Generals and grand Captains Michael and the Dragon doe muster both their armies joyn battell and fight a pitched field the event and successe whereof is this that the Dragon and his Angels goe downe O blessed successe may wee say For if the Divell had prevailed it had been woe to us sith this battell was about and concerning the very salvation of mankind by Christs death and resurrection We know how the Divell set upon Christ alone to tempt him unto sinne that so hee might overthrow the worke of our redemption supposing in this combat or monomachie to have got the day but he prevailed not Afterward how strongly did hee oppugne him by his Angels I mean the Scribes and Pharisees the high Priests and Elders of the people yea all the Divels in hell and his whole infernall army not only in murthering and crucifying his naturall body but also in using all forcible and cunning meanes to keepe him downe that hee might never rise up again as the great stone upon his tomb the sealing of it the watch set to keep it For the Divell knew right well that if Christ rose againe he should lose the field For the resurrection of Christ is our actuall justification And Christ was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by his resurrection from the dead Rom. 4.25 Well doe the Dragon and his angels what they can yet Christ is risen again and hath spoiled principalities and powers yea all the infernall army and hath made a shew of them openly and hath led them all in triumph upon his crosse so that we see in this first and greatest battell the Divell hath the foyle And it is further said that this Divell and all his angels were cast out of heaven and their place was no more found which is not to be understood of their first casting out of heaven immediately after their creation for at that time they were no Divels nor enemies to the Church but Angels of light but now since their fall and since they were Divels they are said to be cast out of heaven not because they ever came in heaven since they were Divels but because they can no longer impeach the Church touching her blessed estate in heaven They are without all hope to dispossesse her of her inheritance for that is ratified made sure unto her in the death and resurrection of Christ And for this cause it is said that the Divell hath no more to doe in heaven that is hee cannot for his heart overthrow the salvation of Gods children Rom. 8.33 For who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth who shall condemn 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 heaven that is about heavenly things yea about the highest points of heaven which is salvation or damnation for the Divell upon this very point hath from the beginning mightily wrestled and struggled with the Church and doth even untill this day but blessed be God that hee cannot nor shall not prevail against any one of Gods elect For our Lord Jesus saith I give unto them eternall life John 10.28 and they shall never perish neither shall any take them out of my hand my Father which gave them mee is greater then all Neither shall any pluck them out of my hand Againe All that the Father giveth mee shall come unto me And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which hee hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up againe at the last day Now further wee are to observe that as Christ in his own person hath once prevailed in the main battell against the Divell so his Church militant shall likewise alwaies prevail through him For it is written The gates of hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16. Verse 9. And the great Dragon that old serpent called the Divel and Satan was cast out which deceived all the world He was even cast into the earth and his Angels were cast out with him Now because the divel cannot overthrow the salvation of Gods elect he is said to be cast out of heaven into the earth that is amongst earthly and carnall men that he may exercise his tyranny and wreak his malice upon them For he hath power given him to tyrannize over them at his pleasure and the Apostle saith Ephes 2. he worketh in the children of disobedience and taketh him captive to do his will Then I heard a loud voyce in heaven saying Verse 10. Now is salvation and strength and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before God day and night Here is the triumphant song of victory which all the Saints and Angels do sing unto God praising and magnifying his power and the power of his Son Christ for overcoming the Dragon and giving the victory to the Church through Christ For now with great joy and loud voices they sing and say that the Churches salvation is sealed and made sure unto her for ever It can never be shaken The divell is foiled and cast down into the earth These songs of joy after great victories are of great antiquity in the Church as we read of the children of Israel after the overthrow of Pharaoh and his army in the red sea of Deborah after the great victory over Sisera of the women that sung after the victory of Goliah by David The Divell is called the accusey of the brethren for two causes First because hee accuseth Gods elect of much sinne and calleth for justice against them day and night at Gods hands that they might be condemned upon such articles as he is able to prove against them for hee knowing right well that the Judge of all the world is a just God and must needs deale uprightly doth daily urge him to doe justice unto sinners being willingly ignorant that all Gods people though sinners are cleared and discharged in Christ Another reason is because of the calumniations reproaches and slanders which in all ages at all times and in all places and countries he hath alwayes unjustly raised up against the true worshippers of God Verse 11. But they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Here is shewed that the Churches victory over Satan and hell is not through any power or might of her owne but by the blood of the Lamb and the word of the testimony that is the word of God
which they witnesse professe love and stick unto even unto death Verse 12. Therefore rejoyce ye heavens and ye that dwell in them Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the Divell is come downe unto you which hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time Here againe the Saints and Angels and all the blessed company of heaven are called upon and exhorted to rejoyce because the Divell and his angels are cast out and the elect have the victory over him through the blood of the Lamb and because the salvation of the Church is sealed up and God onely reigneth through Christ Which all are matters of so great moment that not onely the Church militant is stirred up to rejoyce herein but even the Church triumphant also that is the spirits of just and perfect men But on the contrary here is fearfull woe denounced against the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea that is all Papists Atheists worldlings and reprobates For sith hee cannot have his will of the Church yet hee will have his will and wreak his malice upon them by hardning their hearts and blinding their eyes and making them his slaves and vassals to fight for his kingdome against Christ against his Church against all goodnesse and all good men Therefore is added why the Divell is in such a rage with the world and cometh upon them in so great wrath and fury to wit because hee hath but a short time that is because his kingdome draweth to an end therefore he doth so bestir him Verse 13. And when the Dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth he persecuted the woman which had brought forth the man child Now the Divell seeing himselfe cast out of heaven so as he cannot impeach the salvation of the Church he raiseth up horrible persecutions against her by his instruments here in the earth labouring to root her out if it were possible for being overcome of the head he doth now with might and main set upon the body and what horrible storms he hath in all ages specially in these last daies raised up and daily doth raise up against the Church both the Scriptures and all Church-stories do abundantly declare Verse 14. But to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might flye 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 all the waies and means of evasion which God gave to his Church when he delivered her from the hands of her pursuers and persecuters and also her swift flight from them and all their malicious practises For although the Church cannot absolutely fly from the presence of the Divell with her Eagles wings being so unspeakably 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 persecuters which he raised up cannot overtake her to murder and kill her But as touching her flight to the wildernesse and her lodging and nourishment there by Gods providence in the middest of all penury and extremity wee have sufficiently heard before in the sixth verse and therefore here I surcease to speak any further of it As concerning the space and continuance of her nourishment in the wildrenesse which is here set downe to be a time and times and halfe a time it is the same with the thousand two hundred and threescore dayes mentioned in the sixth verse and the twenty four moneths mentioned chap. 11. verse 2. and the three dayes and an halfe mentioned chap. 11. verse 6. as before hath been shewed And the Serpent cast out of his mouth water after the woman like a floud Verse 15. that he might cause her to be carried away of the floud Now the Church being secretly hid and nourished by Gods providence in the wildernesse so as the Divell and his instruments cannot find her out or come at her hee taketh another course and casteth about another way to annoy her and that is by casting a floud of water after her to drown her withall whereby is meant the innumerable lies reproaches and slanders which hee raised up by sundry hereticks against her in all ages as the Arrians Donatists Papists and such like and all to bring her into the hatred of Princes Potentates and all that were in love with her that sith otherwise he could not prevaile against her yet at least he might utterly sink her in this gulf of reproaches Verse 16. But the earth holp the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the floud which the Dragon had cast out of his mouth The same God which first delivered the Church from the violence and fury of Satan and afterwards cast him out of heaven and gave her victory over him and after that again miraculously hid her and preserved her in the wildernesse doth not now at a dead lift forsake her nor suffer her to be drowned in this floud of reproaches and unjust calumniations which the Dragon cast up after her but causeth the earth to help her and to swallow up the floud That is he useth all creatures in the earth to help his Church and not only so but also he stirreth up many earthly and carnall men to defend the Church and to take part with her against her enemies as sometimes hee did Cyrus Ebedmelech Nebuzaradan Gamaliel and sundry others whose power and policie hee used for the good of his Church and for the drying up of that floud of reproaches which Satan hath in all ages cast up against her And God be thanked we see at this day that this floud of slanders and calumnies which Papists and Atheists cast out against the Church and her particular members doe dry up daily and shall dry up more and more being drunk in by the earth And the Church doth stand still unmoveable and shall stand and continue even unto the end of the world Then the Dragon was wroth with the woman Verse 17. and went and made warre with the remnant of her seed which kept the commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ Here we see there is no end of the Divels malice he is infatigable in mischief though he have never so many foiles yet he will never give over but begin again For whereas he could not prevaile against the woman to cast her out of heaven by impeaching her election and salvation in Christ nor yet root her out of the earth by persecutions being hid in the wildernesse and locked up in the privie chamber of Gods providence as sometimes young Joash was locked up in the Priests chamber from the fury of Athalia 2 King 11.2 now hee goeth another way to work and setteth upon her in her seed and posterity which remain in the earth unto this day So that now sith he cannot do what
above all things in this world but also did reach even to heaven and hell For they imagined that the Pope might carry to heaven whom hee would and whom he would he might cast down to hell And therefore who could warre with the beast And thus we see the reason of their wonderment and of their speech All stories and experience it self do shew that there was never any power in the world so wondred at as the usurped power and majestie of the Pope after hee came to bee the head of the Roman Monarchy For then the world supposed that hee had power even as God and that he might depose and set up Kings and Emperors at his pleasure Then it is clear that under the dominion of the Popes Rome hath been in her highest exaltation and glory For the Papacy was the seventh head of the beast whereby the Whore of Babylon was supported in her most magnificall pomp and pride Verse 5. And there was given unto him a mouth that spake great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to doe fourty two moneths And hee opened his mouth unto blasphemy against God to blaspheme his Name Verse 6. and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven Here are set down the proud and blasphemous speeches both of the old and new Roman Empire and of the old and new Roman Emperors For this beast as I said before comprehendeth all the Roman Empire both under the heathen Emperors and the Popes Touching the great things and blasphemies which the old persecuting Emperors have belched out against the God of heaven it would require a volume to set them down in particulars I will therefore onely mention two or three for examples sake As first that of Caius Caligula which would have his image set up in Temples to be worshipped as God and that the people should swear by his name Nero also did openly blaspheme the Name of Christ required divine honour to be given unto him Domitian commanded that hee should be called God and Lord. Many others required the like things and so all the world wondred and worshipped this blasphemous beast Now as the sixth head which was the old Empire of Rome was full of the names of blasphemy so the seventh head which is the new Empire under the dominion of the Popes which he here chiefly speaketh of did most of all blaspheme For the Pope did challenge to himself all power both in heaven and earth hee would be worshipped as God hee usurped authority over the Word of God hee did take upon him to forgive sins hee did most blasphemously incroach upon all the offices of Christ as King Priest and Prophet he hath commanded the Angels hee hath erected blasphemous images and caused pictures to be made of the Godhead he boasteth and cracketh great things of his papall power of Peters keyes of Peters chair of Peters succession of his miracles of his two swords and of his manifold prerogatives royall One of the Popes poysoned his god another cast his god into the fire another would eat his peacock in despite of God Some of them counted the religion of Christ a tale or fable some drank to the Divell some said they could do as much as God It were infinite to set down all their blasphemies for it is said of the whore of Babylon that she was full of the names of blasphemy Let this suffice for the understanding of this text that as the old heathenish Emperors did blaspheme so the Popes being heads of the Empire did most of all 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 company of hereticks schismaticks apostates and such like and also against them that dwell in heaven that is the spirits of just and perfect men which are in heaven as Luther Calvin Melancthon and such like Moreover it is to be noted that this mouth was given unto this monstrous beast thus to blaspheme and speak great things But this is to be understood that it was given in the wrath and just judgment of God upon the world to plague them withall because they regarded not the knowledge of the truth But it is added that this power of the beast thus to work his actions was limited to 42 moneths so that although he rule and rage for a time yet shall he not long continue And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them Verse 7. and power was given unto him over every kindred and tongue and nation Verse 8. Therefore all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb which was slain from the beginning of the world These two verses doe set forth the great power which was given to this beast both in fighting agaiâ—st Gods people and also overcoming of them and murthering of them by heaps As we read of thousands murthered in the first ten persecutions and ten thousands by the Popes since they came to exercise the civill authority and jurisdiction of the Roman Empire and that in all countries and kingdoms of Europe as it is here said that power was given unto him over every kindred and tongue and nation And it is added that all that dwell upon the earth that is all the subjects of the Roman Monarchy shall worship the beast and make a God of him as we read they have done And the chiefe motive thereof was his blasphemous mouth boasting and threatning great things if any did withstand him and also his mighty power and authoritie whereby hee bare down all before him For if any did mutine against him hee was sure to smart for it And thus through his tyrannicall power hee subdued all nations under him and made them stoup and fall downe and worship him But it followeth that for all this none of Gods elect did worship him or submit themselves to his religion and authority but only those that dwell upon the earth that is earthly men as Papists Atheists and Reprobates and all such whose names are not written in the book of life Christ is called the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world because the saving power of his death was from the beginning of all beleevers although he was not actually exhibited untill the fulnesse of time If any man have an ear let him hear Vers 9 10. If any lead into captivity hee shall goe into captivity if any kill with a sword hee must be killed by a sword Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints Here is shewed that the things spoken of this great beast are very secret and mysticall and can be understood of none but those only whose eares and eyes God openeth to hear and see and understand that is the very elect of God as for all papists and
it up at their hands but will up and maintain the womans cause and bear her out against them all nay he will make ready his bow that he may shoot off and make his arrows drunk in the bloud of her and his enemies and wil whet his glittering sword that he may sheath it in the heart of Antichrist and all his adherents Therefore now let both the great beasts and their fire look to themselves for here comes in one that will knock them all down and lay them in the dust that they shall never rise up again For this cause now at length S. John in a vision seeth a Lamb stand upon mount Sion that is Christ present with the Church For mount Sion was an antient figure of the Church as it is written Mount Sion lying north-ward is faire in situation Psal 48.2 it is the joy of the whole earth and the city of the great King And again The law shall goe forth of Sion Mich. 5.2 and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Moreover Saint John seeth here with the Lamb an hundred fourty and foure thousand that is the particular members of the Church putting a certain number for an uncertain and specially alluding to the sealing of the twelve tribes of Israel as before hath been shewed For it might be demanded where the Church was when all the world wondred and followed the first beast And also when all Chap. 7 4. both small and great rich and poor received the mark of the second beast Saint John answereth that even then in the midst of the heat of persecutions God had his hid and invisible Church whom Jesus Christ did protect and preserve even in the very flames of persecutions being alwaies present with them and amongst them as he said to his disciples a little before his bodily departure from them Loe I am with you even unto the end of the world And here he is said to stand upon mount Sion with his hundred fourty and four thousand And it is added that this number of Gods faithfull elect children had his Fathers name written in their foreheads that is they did professe and practise the doctrine and religion of God their Father only utterly renouncing and abhorring the worship religion of the beast For the Fathers name in this place is set opposite to the mark of the beast to signifie that as the worshippers of Antichrist received his mark so the true worshippers of God received his brand which is his Spirit and the fruits therof whereby they were perfectly discerned from those which had the beasts mark So then it cleerly appeareth from this place that God preserved many thousands of his true worshippers even in the daies of the great Antichrist when there seemed to be very few or none remaining upon the earth as it was in the dayes of Elias In vain therefore do the Papists ask us where our Church was before Luthers time sith the holy Apostle here stoppeth their mouth and telleth us plainly that Christ had his little flock in the wildernesse even then when it was in greatest streights and as we say driven to the walls And therefore visibility is no sound note of the Church as the Papists do 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 appear as if a man should reason that there is no moon in the heavens because sometimes there is none seen as in the change And I heard a voice from heaven as the sound of many waters and as the sound of a great thunder Verse 2. and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps Here is set forth how his company of true worshippers doe magnifie and praise God for his great mercies towards them First John heareth a voice from heaven that is an heavenly voyce or the voice of the Church praising and glorifying God For we have heard before Chap. 8.1 that Heaven in this booke is sometimes put for the Church upon the earth and the reasons thereof Wheresoever therefore the Church is assembled to hear the word and to pray and give thanks there is a voice from heaven or an heavenly voice Now this voice is compared to three things first to the sound of many waters Secondly to the sound of a great thunder Thirdly to the voyce of harpers harping with their harps It is likened to many waters because it proceedeth from sundry sorts of people of sundry nations countries and kingdoms as the word waters is taken afterwards in this Prophecie Chap. 17.1 Chap. 17.25 It is compared to thunder because the prayers and invocations of the true Church are as loud in the eares of God as any thunder-crack It is compared to harpers harping with their harpes both because their spirituall worship and service is as sweete unto God as any musick unto men as also because all Gods faithfull people doe tune together among themselves and in their worship as the strings of a wel-tuned instrument of musick or as many musicians playing together which make a sweet harmony and most melodious ditty Verse 3. And they sang as it were a new song before the throne and before the four beasts and the Elders and no man could learn that song but the hundred fourty and foure thousand which were brought from the earth Now it sheweth how this holy society of the faithfull do continue their praying and glorifying of God they are not weary of well doing but hold on constantly in the course of Gods worship having new songs of thanksgiving in their mouthes and serving God daily with renewed affections as men inflamed with the zeale of Gods glory and all this they do 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 learn that song but the hundred fourty and four thousand that is none of the reprobates and ungodly worldlings could inwardly feel and understand this spirituall worship but only the elect to whom it is given to understand the secrets of God and the mysteries of his Sons kingdome These are they which are not defiled with women Verse 4. for they are virgins these follow the Lamb wheresoever hee goeth these are bought from men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouthes was found no guil Verse 5. for they are without spot before the throne of God This holy company are not defiled with women that is with grosse and divers sins or rather with idolatrous pollutions For they are virgins that is chast worshippers of God which are not polluted with the defilements of Antichrist These follow the Lamb Christ whithersoever hee goeth They hear his voice they professe his worship and obey his doctrine they abhor Antichrist they follow not the beast nor receive his mark They are bought from
Pope Emperor and as it were the whole world and yet die in his bed in a good old age What likelyhood was there that King Henry the eighth of famous memory should renounce Rome oppose himsefe against the Pope and suppresse the Abbeyeâ— Priories and Monasteries in this kingdom and take their lands and livings into his owne hands Therefore I conclude that when God hath decreed the utter overthrow of Rome wee must not ask this question How can it be or which way shall it be brought about For the Scriptures do teach that God in all ages hath done the greatest exploits either by himselfe alone without means or else by weak means or contrary to all means 2 Chron. 20. By himselfe without meanes hee overthrew the Moabites Amorites and them of Mount Seir which made war against good king Jehosaphat Exod. 14. By himselfe he destroyed Pharaoh and his army in the red sea Josh 6. By himselfe hee overthrew Jericho that great city 2 King 19. By himselfe he slew the huge army of the Assyrians that made war against Ezekias 2 Chro. 14. By himselfe he smote the great and dreadfull army of the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah 2 King 6. By himselfe hee smote the Syrians which besieged Dothan the citie where the Prophet Elisha was Judg. 7. By weak meanes he overthrew the innumerable army of the Midianites even by Gideons three hundred By weak meanes hee slew a garrison of the Philistims 1 Sam. 14. even by Jonathan and his armour-bearer By weake means hee overthrew the kings of Sodom and thereabouts Gen. 1â— even by Abraham and his family He overthrew Goliah by David 1 Sam. 17. Judg. 4. Judg. 6. Sisera by Jael Abimelech by a woman Contrary to means hee saved the three children Dan. 3. from burning being in the fire Contrary to means Jonas 2. he saved Jonas from drowning being cast into the sea Contrary to means Dan. 6. he preserved Daniel from devouring being cast into the lions den Contrary to means Exod. 14. hee kept the Israelites from drowning being in the bottome of the sea Contrary to meanes and all expectation Josh 1â— hee caused the Sun to stand still at noon day whilest hee overthrew the five kings of Canaan by Joshua Therefore I conclude that forasmuch as God in aâ—l ages hath effected the most strange and admirable things The 〈◊〉 overthrow of Rome concluded of either by himself without means or by very weak means or contrary to all means â—herefore it is in vain to ask this question How or by what means shall Rome be destroyed For it is enough for us to know that it shall be destroyed and come to utter desolation And in my judgment the holy Ghost hath so often and plainly affirmed this that no man should any more make any doubt of it or once call it into question For what can be more plain Chapt. 14.8 Chapt. 16.2 Chapt. 17.8 Chap. 17.11 Chap. 18.21 Chap. 18.8 then to say Rome is fallen Rome shall fall Great hail-stones like talents shall fall upon it It shall goe to perdition It shall fall to destruction It shall be cast downe like a great mil-stone into the bottome of the sea It shall be burnt with fire Chap. 17.16 Chap. 18.22 It shall be made desolate and naked It shall be without inhabitants All the Popish sort Chap. 18.9 both high and low shall with great mourning and lamenting bewaile the desolation thereof Chap. 16.16 Their armies shall come to Armageddon Chap. 19.28 The beast and the false prophet shall be taken and their Captains and souldiers slain by infinite heapes and their carcasses made meat for the fowles of the air If all this be not plain enough I cannot tell what can be plaine enough True it is indeed the holy Ghost doth not name Rome but it is apparant by the circumstances that all these places must needs be understood of Rome of Romish power and of thâ—â—omish armies For there can no other sound sense be given of them as all divine writers and interpreters doe affirme both new and old And therefore I conclude that Saint John in this prophecie could not speak more plainly except hee should have named Rome for hee nameth Babylon he nameth the great city which then reigned over the kings of the earth he nameth the city situate upon seven hils he nameth the city which had seven severall governments And therefore out of all doubt he meaneth Rome Well then sith it is so that Rome and all Romish power and authority shall fall flat down and come to utter destruction and desolation in this life let all men take heed how they joyn with Rome how they joyn with the Romish Church and how they receive the beasts mark for assuredly they shall all be destroyed together both in this life and that which is to come as wee shall hear by and by Let all the wise men therefore and all such as have any care of their salvation follow the wholesome counsell and advice of the holy Ghost which saith Chap. 18.4 5. Go out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues for her sins are come up to heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities Our only wisdome then will be to separate our selves from the whore of Babylon that is from the Church of Rome and to joyne our selves with all speed unto the Church of God that is the Church of the Protestants for this shall stand and flourish the other shall fall down and perish But what then shall we be sorry for the fall of Babylon Gods people are to rejoice in the overthrow of Rome Chap. 18.20 and the ruine of Rome No no the holy Ghost counselleth us greatly to rejoyce in her destruction and overthrow saying O heavens rejoyce over her and ye holy Apostles and Prophets because God hath given you judgement on her Wee are therefore to be so far from mourning and lamenting for the desolation of Rome the kings merchants mariners and other her friends as that it ought to be the very joy and rejoycing of our hearts For Saint John saith that not onely the holy Angels Prophets Apostles and Martyrs shall rejoyce at the destruction of Rome but also all the Saints and all the whole body of the Church And therefore he saith that after the utter overthrow of Rome Chap. 19.1 2. Hee heard a great voyce of a great multitude in heaven saying Hallelujah that is praise yee the Lord for hee hath condemned the great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath avenged the bloud of his servants shed by her hand And againe saith Saint John they said Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah thrice together thereby expressing the great joy and thanksgiving for the destruction and overthrow of the great whore and even so ought all that love
Mesech he meaneth Arabia and by Tubal Italy and Spaine noting thereby the countries and kingdomes from whence the great persecuters of the Church from the return out of the captivity of Babylon untill the coming of the Messias should arise for assuredly their enemies were collected of divers nations but served chiefly under the Princes of Asia the lesser of Syria and of Scythia Now then to conclude Gog and Magog in Ezekiel are put for the Princes of those countries which were the chiefe Captains in gathering great and mighty armies unto battel against the children of Israel after they were come out of the captivity of Babylon And the Prophet there in one summe under the armies of Gog and Magog comprehendeth all the enemies that fought against them from time to time after the captivity unto the coming of Christ And now for the application of this unto the enemies of the Church under the Gospel wee must first note that through this booke the figures and phrases of speech are taken out of the Law and the Prophets Now therefore when the Lord would set forth in one summe all the enemies of the Church which Satan mustereth after the time of his loosing out of prison before the coming of Christ to judgment there is no one place more fit to set forth all these armies then those armies of Gog and Magog and therefore the names even Gog and Magog are here brought in to set forth these huge armies of the Turk and of the Pope and of all the enemies of the Church in these last dayes which should gather themselves to battell being in number as the sand of the sea as Saint John saith yea did cover the whole face of the earth with their multitudes and compasse the tents of the Saints about and the beloved 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 mark what followeth and consider the issue of the battell The holy Ghost saith expressely that fire came downe from God out of heaven and devoured them which doth plainely shew that the armies of Gog and Magog though never so huge shall be destroyed by the fire of Gods wrath Now from this I gather that as the armies of the Pope shall goe downe still more and more as formerly hath been shewed and as experience in many yeeres good successe both in Ireland Netherland and against Spain also hath partly proved Gods most holy Name be praised so also the armies of the Turk shall be overthrown so far forth 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 we see and feel this day God be thanked And the Divel that deceived them Verse 10. was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are and shall be tormented even day and night for evermore Here is set down the Divels doom to wit that he shall be cast down into the infernall pit as well worthy both for his seducing all nations and stirring up the armies of Gog and Magog against the Church even to rooâ— it up if it were possible Therefore Saint John telleth us that forasmuch as hee is the authour of all mischiefe and he that hath set all the rest a work therefore both hee and his instruments the beast and the false Prophet Gog and Magog shall all drink of the same cup of Gods eternall wrath and be all thrown down together into one close prison which is that gaping gulfe and infernall lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever Lo then what shall be the end of the Divell the Turk the Pope the Emperour the King of Spain the Cardinals and all other the Divels instruments which here on earth have persecuted the Church and compassed the tents of the Saints and the beloved city Now after all this in the five last verses Saint John entreth into a lively and cleere description of the last judgment first noting the terror and majesty of the Judge himself Verse 11. in this that from his face both heaven and earth fled away that is no creature shall be able to endure his angry countenance in that day and yet withall setting downe the purity and uprightnesse of his judgment and judgment-seat calling it a white Throne And after this the generall citing and personall appearing of all men before him of what degree estate or condition soever For both death and hell Verse 13. sea and grave did deliver up their dead and all without exception came to judgement and the bookes of their consciences were opened for every mans work is ingraven upon his conscience as it were in letters of brasse or with the point of a diamond as the Prophet speaketh Jer. 17.2 Verse 12. And they were judged of those things which were written in the books according to their works and according to the testimony of their own consciences Verse 14. And death and hell that is all the heires of death and hell even all the society of reprobates both Papists Atheists and all unbeleevers yea whosoever were not found written in the book of life Verse 15. were cast into the lake of fire which is the second death Now here I would have it diligently observed that the holy Ghost hath three severall times in this book described the last judgment to wit in the latter end of the eleventh chapter in the latter end of the fourteenth chapter and now in the latter end of this chapter And moreover I would have the order and causes of these descriptions well weighed For in the eleventh chapter having before described the kingdome of the Pope and the Turk with their overthrow and also the preaching and prevailing of the Gospel in these last dayes hee cometh to describe the last judgement In the fourteenth chapter having set downe that the everlasting Gospel should bee plentifully preached in this last age and the overthrow of Babylon immediately following forthwith hee proceedeth to the description of the last day In this chapter having before concluded of the utter overthrow of Rome and of the beast and false prophet of Gog and Magog and all adversary power at length he proceedeth to this description of Christs second coming which wee have heard of And out of all this I do gather that the utter overthrow of the Pope and all his adherents shall be in this life a little before the coming of Christ to judgment CHAP. XXI AS wee have heard before the utter overthrow of the beast and the false prophet and all their adherents and also of the everlasting condemnation of the Dragon that old Serpent which set them all awork So now in this chapter we are to hear of that most happy and blessed estate which the faithfull shall dwell in for evermore so that the maine drift of
with him in the eternall triumph which is the sense of these words The Spirit and the Bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come For it is proper and peculiar only to the Bride to hear wait and long for the coming of Christ And let him that is athirst come That is all such as thirst after righteousnesse may truely say Come sweet Jesus For they are allowed freely to drink of the water of life The plain meaning of all this is that the Church being directed by the holy Ghost most vehemently prayeth and longeth for the coming of Christ that shee may have her top-full happinesse and full fruition of all those super-excellent things which are provided and purchased for her through him And therefore to satisfie her desire Jesus Christ the heavenly Bridegroom saith I come shortly To the which the Bride saith Amen Amen Even so be it Come Lord Jesus come quickly and make an end of these sinfull and conflicting daies that all thy daer ones may have and enjoy their long looked for happinesse and felicity in the heavens for ever and ever FINIS An Epitome of Mr. Brightman his Exposition upon the REVELATION Shewing or Prophesying what shall befall Germany Scotland Holland and the Churches adhering to them Likewise what shall befall England and the HIERARCHIE therein LEarned Mr. Brightman in his Booke of the exposition on the Revelations seriously considering and resolving himselfe that the 7 Epistles Saint John wrote to the 7 Churches in Asia were also written and directed to the 7 succeeding Churches among the Gentiles of which those 7 were a type or counterpane omitting for brevity what he saith concerning the other 4 Churches we present you with a briefe of what he more immediately applies to our selves In generall he saith that there was a terrible storme to be expected and it would be such an horrible tempest that it would terribly shake the Christian Churches First for Germany there was the bitterest scourge for it that ever had fallen upon it and that it was to come shortly Germany should be like a house that is robbed by furious mad and cruell spoylers that would have no mercy of neither Sex nor Age and the comming thereof should be suddain and unexpected like a thiefe in the night which we may see he truly fore-told it being fulfilled in our years and the inhabitants thereof have found it by sad experience let England take warning considering what he said was the cause that would bring all this misery because saith he they tooke no care for a full and through Reformation therefore by the just judgement of God they should loose their Citizens and Inhabitants and they with other Churches should come to nothing and shortly it would appeare he calls Germany by the name of Sardis Secondly for Scotland and Holland and the other Churches adhering to them typified by godly Philadelphia he saith thaâ— they shall shut and none shall open and they shall open and none shall shut a Virgin Church chaste not so defiled with Rome superstitions as others and speaks of a Covenant and Society they should be joyned in and bids them not to be perplexed nor discouraged at what the world spitefully prateth of them as if he had heard men in our times call them Traytors Rebells Seditious and bids them not regard the scoffes of the wicked who will despise them because they are godly little lowly and weake in visible power in comparison of their enemies For saith he no enemy shall be able to provaile against them and they shall set up a token of victory shortly and every one shall be compelled to say that they are dearly beloved of God they shall be seen to prosper so exceedingly and so marvelously promoted and advanced beyond all mens expectation and when that storme and horrible tempest shall come upon the Christian Churches these Churches shall stand fast like a pillar and be preserved from wasting when the other Churches which did not take care for a full Reformation as they did shall by the just judgement of God come as it were to nothing there shall be saith he such a miserable hurly burly of all things that there shall scarce be the forme of a Church perceived but only with holy Philadelphia Though their enemies whet their blasphemous tongues against heaven and God himselfe they shall not carry it away scotfree let them clatter as much as they will no endeavours of their adversaries shall be wanting by slandring railing and all despitefull wrongs to bolt up this doore others shall with force and arms strive to stop it up as if they would breake this Church all to peeces but Christ will faithfully performe his word to them if they keep covenant with him and their enemies shall lose all their toil and sweat and get nothing but shame and reproach the praise of this Churches courage shall be so much the greater because being but little and her adversaries so potent she yeelds not nor stoops not for all their proud threats nor forsakes the truth as terrified with the vaine feares of men And their enemies should boast and flourish as if they alone were the people of God creaking and cracking of nothing so much as the good of the Church but they doe but deceive themselves and the world with glozing and goodly words when they reject Christs government and sticke to the abrogated Ceremonies of the Law and of Rome and thrusting a worship on Christ he hath not appointed whereby they make themselves the Synagogue of Satan and not a Congregation of Saints notable and famous at last shall the triumph of the Church be over Papists and Popery hitherto they have fought against them with quils and ink but the time shall come ere long when they shall quite be rooted out with weapons and that with the helpe of this Church and let the experiences of this Church stablish their mindes against all future feares And for her reward she shall remain to see the restoring of the new Church wherein the new Jerusalem shall come downe from heaven and be joyned with it in covenant and society and enjoy the same felicity then men shall acknowledge that her Reformation was right and not a device of mens braines as contentious bablers now affirme when they shall see the same ordinances to flourish in the new Jerusalem then Christ shall arise with triumph and deface his enemies and give triumph to his Spouse Here therefore O holy Philadelphia thou art little and lowly but God shall exalt thee regard not the scoffes of the wicked who shall by this meanes pull wofull plagues upon themselves but they shall bring thee a Crowne of glory and the end of thy welfare is comming shortly 3. For England whose counterpane he takes to be Laodicea tearming it luke-warm vain-glorious Laodicea concerning it he saith he that gathereth the teares of his children into his bottle knoweth right well that I could never with dry eyes