vs the assurance of the end of the things of the world And further for the comfort of the children of God against those troubles which were to be endured by them for that speedily there should be an end of their troubles when that time should end In that hee saith the Misteries of God declared by his Seruants and Prophets were finished he rendreth a reason why God stayeth and commeth not speedily to end the world to wit as for the fulfilling of the number of the Elect so also for the accomplishment of his word by his Prophets Apostles and Ministers The first reason why God delaieth the consummation of the world Saint Peter rendreth in that he saith The Lord is patient towards vs that none should perish 2 Pet. 3. 9. whom he would haue to be saued so that we see it is by Gods great patience because hee would haue none lost which belonged vnto him but would haue them to haue the meanes of knowledge and repentance and therefore till all that belong to Gods election be called there should be no end of the world The other reason why the world is not finished is here expressed because all these things which the Prophets Apostles haue spoken of this Prophecie especially which was deliuered to Iohn is not yet fulfilled for one iot or title of the word of God shal not fal After the description of Christ hee comes to the calling of himselfe that it might be more surely sealed and confirmed to vs and that so wee might be more assured of the certainty of his Prophecie And to this his calling there commeth a double authority to wit of God the Father which was before described in the fourth Chapter and hee is here brought in bidding Iohn to goe to the Angell and to take the Booke at him Whereby we haue to vnderstand that the Ministers are taught to haue authority and warrant from God and out of the word of God for all those things they doe especially which concerne the matters and holy things of God This then Iohn doth for he presently goeth to take the Booke and when he commeth to the Angell hee also bids him take the Booke hauing thereby a double warrant not onely of the Father but euen of the Sonne also The Angell bids him eate it vp meaning that he should settle it as it were in his belly and euen let it settle into the very bottome of his heart and namely that he should rightly conceiue it and that hee should haue a full capacity and perfect comprehension of the things herein contained by hauing a sound knowledge of the things to be reuealed and therefore that he should with diligence obserue and marke them The like thing we haue in Ezechiel who Ezech. 3. 23. is also bidden to eate a Booke giuen him by an Angell But whereas it is here said it should be bitter in his belly and sweet in his mouth one of these onely is set downe in Ezechiel namely the sweetnesse of it in his mouth Hereby the Lord seemeth to set forth that this Prophecie as it was bitter to the Apostle who was the Minister of it in regard of the iudgements therein contained so it should be also sweet vnto him to deliuer it as it is expounded in the words following in the next Verse whereas hee must Prophecie againe among People and Nations c. signifying that hee should not be able to hold it in his belly that is to keepe it in but haue a care and delight also to publish it and to deliuer it faithfully and in that regard it should be sweet vnto his mouth for howsoeuer the things themselues were sad and heauy and vnsauory to deliuer yet in regard that God bids him to speake it he must take delight to doe the will of God in the deliuery thereof Here is set out the duty of the Ministers in this case that howsoeuer the denouncing of the iudgements of God against the people be very grieuous and sorrowfull vnto them yet they are not to spare to deliuer them faithfully bouldly and cheerefully if the Lord command them And indeed it is requisite that they should feele the calamities and miseries of others and therefore should be grieued at Gods iudgements against others as the Apostle saith Who is offended and I burne not Euen so should the Children of God haue compassion and a fellow-feeling of the miseries of their Brethren but the Ministers especially because as all so especially the Ministers are oftentimes interessed in the same troubles Apoc. 〈…〉 Then was giuen me a 〈…〉 vnto a Rodde and the Angell stood by saying Rise and mete the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein c. WEe haue heard in the former Chapter the preparation to the Prophecie concerning the things that should befall vnto the Church Now he commeth to the Prophecie it selfe And first hee saith there was giuen to him a Reede and with it hee was bidden to measure the Temple Whereas we are first to consider that by this speech borrowed from the fortieth of Ezechiel the Lord setteth downe a determination to set forth and to measure out his Church For as Arch-builders first in building haue a draught in their heads and after draw it out and measure the place where they build and then haue inferiour builders to finish it euen so the Lord doth both in that place of Ezechiel as also here For there the Lord after the destruction of Ierusalem and of the Temple when hee would haue it restored againe sheweth vnto the Prophet the measuring of it signifying that the Temple should be re-edified and that the people should worship againe in the same And in like manner in this place whereas now indeed Ierusalem and that Temple which was in it were ready to be destroyed and ouerthrowne the Lord notwithstanding bids the Apostle to take a strait and smooth Reede like vnto a Rod to wit fit for that purpose and to measure the Temple therewithall Noting that albeit Ierusalem should bee laide waste yet 〈◊〉 gather to himselfe a Church and that by 〈◊〉 And whereas he bids him measure it with 〈…〉 he meaneth that hee should vnderstand and comprehend the right and full way whereby the Church of God should be builded This teachth vs that vnlesse God prescribe and giue vnto the Ministers the order and manner of building his Church they are not of themselues to vndertake the building of the same And againe vnlesse he put the measure which he appointeth that is his Word into their hands they cannot neither ought they in any case to begin and therefore not to vndergoe that function vnlesse they be called of the Lord. And further being called they must build with that measure and meanes onely which God appointeth and setteth downe Hee biddeth him to measure the Temple the Altar and the Worshippers but to let alone the outward Court and to cast it out Where the Lord alludeth
victory to wit noting that the Lord wil ouercome a farre off because men with a Bow vse to strike a farre off their enemies without any labour euen so would the Lord doe in the execution of his iudgements In the opening of the second Seale there appeareth a red Horse which together with the sword that was giuen him that sat thereon signifieth the great bloudshed that should come on the world by fighting of one nation with another or of nations within themselues as oft times it commeth to passe Then the third Seale is opened whereupon appeareth a black Horse which noteth great famine to come vpon the earth because that famine vseth to make men looke blacke as the holy Ghost interpreteth and declareth it afterward namely when he saith that the man that sat on that Horse had Ballances in his hand noting that they should not eate and drinke as much as they listed but they should haue their meate and drinke giuen by measure as it commeth to passe in the time of dearth A measure of Wheate The word vsed in the originall signifieth such a measure as containeth the eight part of a Strike of Corne the price is said here should be a penny to wit of Romane money being between foure and fiue pence with vs which then was the stipend of a dayes labour signifying that a man should be constrained to bestow that in bread alone which should serue him and his houshold both for bread and all other kinde of sustenance noting thereby the grieuousnesse of the dearth Whereas it is said that they should not hurt the Wine or Oyle It signifieth that it should be as deare as the bread should be and therefore hee counselleth them to take heede that they vse it not ill either by mispending it wastfully or else selling it ouer-deare and therfore would not haue them to set too great a price of it thereby to oppresse the poore buyers but that they should sell as they might noting therby a dearth of all other things as well as of bread After is set forth the opening of the fourth Seale where there comes a pale Horse noting Death which is he that sits vpon him and this shall befall to the wicked And Hell is said to follow him not Purgatory as the Papists dreame signifying that Hell accompanieth the death of the wicked to wit those that disobey Gods commandements And this death commeth not onely by the meanes of famine alone and the sword alone as in the former Seales hath appeared but by them ioyned together and other meanes ioyned with them as namely the euill Beasts Which teacheth vs as we may also see in the fourteenth of Ezechiel that when particular afflictions profit vs Ezech. 14. 13. 15. 17. 19. 21. nothing at all and when by particular iudgements we cannot be brought to repentance then the Lord must needs send manifold iudgements yea hee will ioyne them all together as in that place of Ezechiel and he will adde more vnto them as here he addeth the wilde beasts vnto the famine and sword Afterward followeth the fift Seale where there is no mention of any voice calling vnto him to stirre him vp as before for no doubt the Apostle was well prepared to heare whatsoeuer And here it seemeth the Apostle rendreth a reason of the iudgements to come namely that it was by reason of the cry of the soules of the Saints which were slaine for the truth on the face of the earth And these hee saith are vnder the hollow of the Altar which Heb. 13. is interpreted to be Christ and therefore they are in the custody of Christ These Soules cry for vengeance saying How long Lord holy and true c. Which teacheth vs what is the exercise of the soules departed being slaine for the truth to wit they cry for vengeance and iudgement not that they doe it for desire of reuenge for their owne deaths nor hauing any regard to themselues and the iniuries they haue receiued as our corrupt nature being vnregenerate vseth But as their owne words declare it is for the glory of God which appeareth in that they call him Lord which is as if they should say as thou art Lord ouer all so shew thy selfe to be and be not Lorded by them but manifest thy selfe to haue power ouer all and shew thy selfe one that will repay their rebellion against thee In that they say holy and true they desire that herein he will expresse himselfe to be holy and true in doing that which is right concerning reuenge against the wicked as hauing promised reuenge In that they say how long This they doe in regard of the care not onely of themselues but that they haue of the oppressed children of God on earth Not that there is any such care that hindreth their felicity but onely a desire of the helpe and deliuerance of those on earth as also of the consummation of their felicity This doth not confirme that opinion of the Papists that the Saints in heauen doe know the particular estate of men on the earth but this onely they haue remaining of that generall knowledge of the will of God which they had euen before their dissolution which they loose not thereby yet they see no further into mens actions then by that knowledge they did before Now these are bidden to stay till their fellow seruants should be accomplished that is till the number of the Elect be fulfilled and accomplished and then should their glory be perfected Lastly it is spoken of the sixt Seale therein are contained terrible things of Earth-quakes the rowling of the heauens the falling of the Starres like Figs from the Fig-trees when they are full ripe the Sunne darkened c. This sheweth the execution of the vengeance of God on the wicked at the prayers of the Saints departed So that wee see that the children of God did not take it as a full execution of iudgement vntill the last day when the Sunne should thus be changed c. And then by reason of the wrath of the Lambe the wicked should be glad to hide themselues from the sight of God and the Lambe and desire the mountaines to fall vpon them where the Lord teacheth vs that at the cry of the Children of God all this should be executed on the wicked Apoc. Cap. 7. 1. And after that I saw foure Angels stand on the foure corners of the earth holding the foure windes of the earth that the windes should not blow on the earth neither on the Sea neither on any tree c. BEtweene the declaration and manner of the execution of the iudgements to come on the world as a snare to betrap them here is this story interlaced containing the argument of the mercies of God in sauing the Godly as before in the former Chapter were set downe the arguments of his iudgement and iustice on the wicked First Iohn saith that he saw foure Angels holding the foure windes They are
said not to haue beene heard in the streets This is the first Woe the two other woes are to come The other Trumpet followeth to be blowne And first to declare the certainty of it hee saith there came a Voice from the corner of the Altar which was in the holy place which commanded that they should loose the foure Angels by foure is meant a sufficient and competent number as before wee haue heard to execute Gods iudgements And these are said to be bound in the Riuer Euphrates which was that Riuer that runneth through Babilon where the people of Israel were held in captiuity And it is vsed to set forth that spirituall captiuity of the Church of God whereby the Whore of Babilon keepeth in bondage both their soules and also their bodies Now these foure Angels the Executers and Ministers of Gods fearefull iudgements were prepared to goe at an houre at a day at a moneth at a yeare noting their readinesse and promptnesse to execute any iudgement that God sets them about yea though they should be sent forth for a whole yeare long they would be willing to doe it declaring that they did it without wearinesse Their effects be farre otherwise then the former for they haue authority to kill the bodies of men This seemeth to bee in the time of Gregory the ninth when the Church of Rome had gotten the Kings and Princes of the world and the Emperours to assist them and to take their part and therefore now those that would not worship the Beast and yeeld to their spirituall Whoredome and Idolatry should be killed and put to death by the wicked Magistrates whereas before they had not power to hurt the Bodies but only to sting the Consciences of men These are described to haue heads like Lyons noting that they were fierce and cruell Their Tayles like Serpents signifying their craft Which sheweth that the Church of Rome should promote her Kingdome both by violence and also by their craft and subtilty Lastly is set downe a conclusion wherein is shewed that for all these fearefull iudgements the people of the earth whereas they should haue feared and haue beene bettered by these iudgements and learned to turne vnto God by repentance yet they continued vnrepentant in their Idolatries Murthers Witchcrafts and all other their abhominable wickednesses Apoc. Cap. 10. 1. And I saw another mightie Angell come downe from heauen cloathed with a Cloude and the Rainbow vpon his head and his face was as the Sunne and his feet as pillars of fire c. VVEe haue heard after the Preface of this Booke the diuision of it into those things already executed and which were after to be executed Those which were to come are either touching the iudgement of God vpon the world or those things which more especially did concerne the Church Hitherto we haue heard of the world now the things that more especially belong to the Church doe follow to the which in this Chapter is as before a Preface wherein the holy Ghost prepareth and fitteth the Apostle Saint Iohn and in him all vs to the diligent hearing and obseruing of all those things which concerne the Church The whole drift of this Vision is to giue credit to the history following and this credit is drawne first from the Author of the prophecie which is Christ and secondly from the Instrument to wit Iohn In the first part that the thing it selfe might be the better esteemed the credit drawne from the Author is set forth by the glory and excellencie of him In the second part Iohn is set foorth by what meanes he came to this Prophecie and from whom hee receiued it to wit that hee had it by commandement from God the Father and from God the Son who commanded him to publish this history which after is set downe in this Booke For the first part he saith first he saw another Angell to wit as we haue heard before our Sauiour Christ being of another nature of other offices and of another glory then any other Angell as being the Angell of the Couenant that is hee in whose hand the Couenant is established betwixt God and his Church This Angell is said to come downe from heauen viz. not that Christ came downe bodily for the Scriptures say euidently that the heauens must hold him till the restoring of all things that is till the end of the world but here it was onely represented vnto Iohn in a vision For in that wee say that Christ is in heauen it is not that wee tye or lincke him there as the Papists charge and slander vs wrongfully for wee hold that as there is in the heauens infinit roome for him to execute his will so hee hath the heauen as an incomprehensible place and is not tyed and kept in as it were like a Prisoner but is at his owne pleasure to doe what he will himselfe And this which wee say is proued out of the word of God in the Acts Acts. 1. where we are taught that he must stay there till the latter day So that this sight was onely a representation of the minde wherin it was giuen to see Christ thus Strong a proper title vnto the Lord to be the strong God signifying that hee was the mighty God and therefore this Angell is of another nature then the other Angels Clad with a Cloud that is to set out the glory of our Sauiour Christ euen so in the last day hee shall come attended vpon compassed with the clouds A Rain-bow about his head the Rain-bow about his head seemeth to expresse and to note vnto vs the gracious countenance of our Sauiour Christ towards his Church for the Rain-bow in the Scripture is a signe of the fauour of God as it is in Genesis namely in that he will neuer drowne the world againe Or Chap. 4. 3. else to the further setting forth of his Glory and Maiestie for as before in the fourth Chapter wee haue heard that God the Father is described to haue had a Rain-bow about his Throne whereby the glory of the first Person in the Trinity was represented so that may be here noted of Christ in that he is said to haue a Rain-bow about his head and therefore Christ is of equall glory with his Father His face as the Sunne whereby his further glory is set forth in his excellent and al-seeing prouidence in that as the Sunne beholdeth all the earth so hee at one instant and with one eye as it were seeth all things on the face of the earth He had in his hand a little Booke open In this Booke Chap. 5. 1. is contained those things which were to follow and to come vpon the Church it selfe As in the fift Chapter wee haue heard of a Booke in the hand of God the Father which containeth the iudgements which were generally to fall vpon the whole world The difference betweene this Booke and that other is very plaine for first wee
to the building of the Ceremoniall Temple in the building of the Church after Christ in the Gospell For first there was the outward Court being the greater part which should bee cast out and then the Temple the inner place where the people were and the Altar and the holy place and the holyest of all which were very small in comparison of the others So likewise in the Church the smaller number should be referred the greater number should fall away So that here he is bidden to take measure of the Temple and not onely of it but of the worshippers which were in it to wit of the members of the Church of God Which teacheth that the Ministers are not onely to regard the Church in generall but also to haue a care of the good of euery particular person in the Church By the altar is meant all the meanes seruing to the furthering of the seruice and worship of God whereof a speciall regard is also to bee had in the building of the Church In that the great Court is not measured but east out to be troden of wicked and prophane men and the Temple only that which was in the midst of it left being but a very little in comparison of the outmost Court it noteth the narrow roome the Church should bee comprehended in and the small number to be gathered in regard of those which should be cast out For the Temple and the Altar in regard of the great Court were as it were the Center in regard of a great Circle Which teacheth vs how great a number should be bandoned from God and from the seruice of God and how few and small a number saued Whereas the Apostle is bidden onely to meddle with the Temple and not with the outward Court but to cast it out This agreeth first with that doctrine of Paul 1 Cor. 5. 12. Where he saith What haue we to doe with those that are without We are to haue respect to those that are within So that here wee are to obserue this point that the Ministers are first and principally to attend vpon those diligently carefully which are committed to their charge and to endeauour and exercise themselues onely in those things which God hath enioyned them Secondly concerning those things whereof they haue receiued no charge from God they are not in any case to meddle in them nor to deale at all with them Which condemneth the sinne which now adayes is vsual when they will take vpon them those offices which God hath not appointed them and which they are not able to performe The outward Court is to be cast out to be troden vnder foot of the Gentiles for the space of forty two moneths whereof we haue heard the meaning both as it is vsed by Iohn and expounded by Daniel viz. to be one thousand two hundred and sixty yeeres for a day is referred to a yeere a weeke of dayes is seauen yeares so that hereby it appeareth that the time of this great hauocke of the Church was to continue one thousand two hundred and sixty yeeres Which as by account that falleth out appeareth to begin after the assention of our Sauiour Christ when the Apostles began to preach counting from that time it shall appeare by the miserable times that befell afterward vnto the Church of God in that space namely when the beasts that rose vp out of the earth set vpon the people and Church of God and persecuted and oppressed them grieuously Here also in regard of the small number to be reserued we may easily vnderstand how vaine a thing the Papists brag of when they brag of their generallity and multitude for we see here that the great Court that is the multitude onely is cast out to the wicked and prophane men and the Temple with the worshipers onely and the Altar noting a small number is reserued Againe in regard of the circumstance of time in that it is said that the wicked should preuaile for the space of one thousand two hundred and sixty yeares we are to obserue against them that whereas they obiect against vs and say that this new Gospell of ours began in the time of Luther or Wickliffe we answere that it appeareth manifestly out of this place that there should be a maruellous contempt of the Word from the Apostles time vntill these one thousand two hundred and sixty yeeres were expired Now for the further declaration of this it is said the Lord raised vp two witnesses in these yeeres betweene the Apostles time and the time expressed to preach the Gospell By the number of two may be meant not to preiudice better expositions the small number of faithfull witnesses yet such a number as should be able to proue any cause sufficient for the testifying of any truth or ouerthrowing any falsehood though they seemed to be but two that is a few in number yet they should be able enough for that purpose and sufficient to conuince them of their wickednesse and to beare witnesse of the truth In sackcloth meaning that they should be heauy sorrowfull and grieued at the troubles strife and hard-dealing which they should haue at the hands of the wicked which would not yeelde vnto the truth lamenting also for that they had no better successe of their Ministery and further by reason of the pride of Antichrist when as they did behold how many euen of those which should haue beene the starres of the Church and faithfull Ministers did striue and heaue for preheminence without any care of Gods Church as it was in the daies of Gregory the 7. and Gregory the 9. These are the two Oliue trees and the two Candlestickes A speech borrowed from the Prophet zacharie where it is said that being returned from captiuitie the Lord gaue them Ministers which as O liues should Minister Oyle for the light of the Church Euen so in the wretched cursed dayes albeit the Church of God waxed fewer and fewer yet there should be some Oliue trees to giue Oliues that is some Ministers to preach peace vnto the children of God the Oliue being a signe of peace as also to drop in Oyle as Zachary saith into the Candlesticks alluding to the vse of the Candlesticks in the Temple which hauing Oyle put in them did giue light in the Temple burning before the Lord continually euen so he saith that euen in those dark times there should notwithstanding be some which should be able to giue light vnto the Church by the Ministery of the Gospell Afterward it is said that these two Prophets that is this little number of Ministers should haue fire goe out of their mouthes whereby they should deuoure all their enemies Which sheweth vnto vs the power of the Word of God which is like a fire by the light wherof the godly should be enlightned by the heat whereof the wicked should be consumed so that sith they would not be enlightned by it to their saluation it should
send them to the darknes of hel to their deeper condemnation So that here we see the Word hath a contrary effect in regard of the godly and the wicked And therefore it is compared in the first Chapter to a two edged Sword which on the one side cutteth and healeth to life and on the other side woundeth and killeth to death According as the Apostle saith in the Epistle to the Corinthians We are the sauour of God vnto your saluation that beleeue vnto others vnto condemnation By this deuouring then of their enemies is meant the destroying and conuincing of those that would not yeeld vnto their preaching to their further destruction and deeper condemnation Where wee see that the Prophet here setteth forth that howsoeuer the Ministers of God should haue great strife in those dayes and grieuous enemies yet they should not preuaile against the truth These should haue power to shut the heauens to make the heauens brasse that it should not raine in the dayes of their Prophecie to restraine the fruit of the earth to turne the waters into bloud c. Where hee alludeth partly to the Ministery of Elias at whose prayer the earth was barren and there 1 Kings 17. was no raine for the space of three yeares And partly to the Ministery of Moses who brought bloud in al the land Exod. 7. 17. of Egypt by turning the water into bloud signifying that where the Ministery of the word in the denouncing of iudgements was contemned there the Lord would send Plagues and Pestilence and Flouds and such like vpon them In that which remaineth of the sixt Plague there is first set forth that the two Prophets these two Oliues and Vines should make an end of their Ministery and the Beast should ouercome them Before it was said that at their pleasure and at their owne liking they ouercame others and restrained the dewe of heauen and did execute and bring to passe whatsoeuer they had to doe by the direction by the word and will of God Here now it is said that after the accomplishing of their worke and finishing of their testimony the Beast ouercommeth them To teach vs that the Lord doth so maintaine his Ministers and seruants that vntill they haue finished and accomplished the worke of their Ministery which he hath appointed them to execute they shall not be hurt by Sathan or any of his Ministers or wicked Instruments Which may be a singular comfort to the Ministers and children of God that howsoeuer they be hated of many men in the world yet they shall haue no power to hurt them till the time God hath limited them be expired And here wee are also to consider that in regard of their Ministery these two Prophets did ouercome but in regard of their liues onely they are ouercome herein had their enemies leaue to hurt them they were able to doe nothing else vnto them The time of this appeareth by limitation of this one thousand two hundred and sixty yeares to befall about the dayes of Boniface the eight who was a wretched and cruell persecuter of the Saints of God for by the account of the history it selfe it fals iustly on the one thousand two hundred and sixty yeare after Christ the very yeare of that Beast Boniface who after he had killed the Saints of God would not suffer their bodies to be buried which thing the history particularly witnesseth making mention that the bodies also of the Saints were carried about the City of Rome in triumph and might not be suffered to be buried After it is said that the wicked ones in the token of their ioy make great feasts and sent presents one to another which manner of speech seemeth to bee taken from the Booke of Hester wherein commandement is giuen that for their victory and deliuerance a Feast should be celebrated for euer And of this also the history maketh mention that in regard of their ioy and gladnesse for the destruction and death of Gods Seruants and faithfull Martyrs there was a Feast of Iubily celebrated which afterward they continued wherein also as much as in them lay they did annihilate the comming of Christ who gaue an end of all these ceremonies And this is said to be done in the great City spiritually called Sodome and Egypt where the Lord was crucified whereby the Apostle most plainely describeth Rome as being the greatest City then in the world there being none at that time for fame and greatnesse to be compared to it In that it is called Sodome and Egypt it is spiritually as he saith to be vnderstood It is called Sodome in regard of the filthinesse and abhominations therein by reason of their Sodomitrie their whoredomes and abhominable vncleannes of men with men and all manner of all other such like wretchednesses Egypt in regard of the persecutions of Gods Children alluding to the persecutions whereby the Egyptians kept the Children of Israel in bondage The place where Christ was Crucified to wit Ierusalem so called and attributed to Rome in that Rome brags of it selfe as Ierusalem did to be the most excellent professor of Christs religion the onely Sion the Church and beloued of the Lord albeit indeed it be nothing lesse nay it is rather hated of God as Ierusalem was crucifying the Lord Iesus So that these things doe notably agree with Rome the great City that Sodomiticall persecuting Church yet pretending to be the true Church of God After it is said that their bodies lying three dayes and an halfe that is three yeares and a halfe vnburied that is a mocking-stocke and triumphed-ouer by the wicked they are then raised vp by the Lord to wit not those that were slaine but others in their spirit As Iohn is said to be Elias because he came in the spirit of Elias as it is said to wit with the same boldnesse and zeale that Elias did They are taken into heauen that is separate themselues from the rest of the Sonnes of men which were wicked and worshipped the Beast going into such places where they might serue the Lord. Then followeth immediately a fearefull Earthquake by which the great City was shaken and the tenth part of it ouerthrowne The second Woe being past the third insueth which followeth after the blast of the next Agell The last Angell blew the Trumpet which shall be fulfilled at the dissolution of the world in the latter day when all shall be raised from the dead when all the Kingdomes of the world are committed into the hands of Christ then shall be the accomplishment of his Kingdome when hee shall giue reward vnto his seruants the Prophets to his Saints and to all that feare his name and shall render destruction vnto his enemies and then shall hee giue vp his power vnto his father and God shall be all in all And after this there shall be time no more Then we shall haue Sunne no more that is we shall haue no neede of the Sunne
gaue speciall authority vnto them commanding them to poure out their Vials That they came forth of the Temple it noteth their full authority and strength to doe that worke they were called vnto and also that the iudgements which they executed were irreuocable And whereas the Vials being giuen them before yet they would not poure them out before they were commanded more particularly it sheweth the great and singular obedience of the Angels One would haue thought that hauing the Vials once giuen them they should presently haue proceeded to execution but they would not till they had speciall commandement Teaching vs not to doe any thing without speciall authority commission and commandement from God Euen as a sword being committed into the hand of a Souldier by the Captaine generall hee is not to smite before he be commanded to fight and before the Trumpet be sounded to battaile so though a man haue excellent graces giuen him yet he is not to execute any function especially publiquely before he receiue a particular warrant and calling from God thereunto Sampson though hee had strength giuen him that he was able to haue defended the Israelites and reuenged them of their enemies yet he could not take vpon him the gouernement of the people before the Lord had called him vnto it In like manner the Ministers of the word albeit they haue neuer so notable gifts of Knowledge Vtterance c. yet they are not in any case to intrude themselues into the Ministery vnlesse they haue a particular calling from the Lord. These Angels are bidden first in generall to cast their Vials vpon the earth that is on the whole frame of all the Heauen Earth Sea and all in them in the execution yet some are more specially commanded to be poured on the earth because these iudgements are intended against the wicked on the earth The first Angell is said to haue poured his Viall vpon the earth whereupon there fell an exceeding great sore of Biles on them that had the marke of the Beast and which worshipped his Image The Plagues of this Chapter haue great agreement with the Plagues set downe in the eight and ninth Chapters they being like in the matter of the plagues so also in the number the difference is that these were headed with more fierce tokens of Gods wrath and with a more heauie indignation because those were executed on all the earth not on the Persons onely these on the Persons and that on the principall offenders onely namely on the worshippers of the Beast So that here wee see the Lord executes his iudgements by degrees first by Biles not killing them but vexing them outwardly if happily thereby they might be brought to repentance The second Angell poured his Viall on the Sea whereupon the colour of it was turned so that it looked like black blood of death So that God proceeded in iudgement they not profiting hee now goeth on forward to punish with death The third Angell poured his Viall on the fresh waters to declare that God left notes of his wrath on all the creatures of the world so that the earth and waters themselues being thus iudged did beare witnesse of their sinnes against them On these two latter executions the Angels of the Waters take occasion to acknowledge and confesse that Gods iudgements against the wicked are true and holy and iust as after followeth For as they had shed the bloud of Gods Saints so their bloud also was shed and they are faine as the Egyptians did to whom they were alluded to drinke of the bloud of the Riuers for so say they are they worthy as before hauing taken delight in the bloud of the Saints Another Angell that is the third Angell which was in the Sanctuary doth approue that which the other two had confessed for their office was ouer the Waters noting that the Angels of God haue their particular places of gouernment wherein they execute their functions enioyned them of God And lest the wicked should seeme to thinke that God was too sharpe and seuere in iudgement against them therefore not onely the Angels of the Waters that is of the fresh and salt waters doe acknowledge that the sinnes of those wicked men had deserued this and more and therefore the iudgement was iust insomuch as that they might see their very sinnes in the same as it were in capitall letters but euen also that other Angell out of the Sanctuary doth affirme that which these two had said and acknowledgeth Gods righteous iudgement herein The fourth Angell casts his Viall on the Sunne noting that the iudgement was not onely on the earth but in the heauen by the distemperature thereof through the intemperate weather as namely the extreame heat which should proceed from it which should scorch the earth and the men that were in it wheron should come dearth famine c. And here the Euangelist notes that these worshippers of the Beast whether they had receiued the marke of the Beast vpon the foreheads that is were open professors of the worship of the Beast or receiued it in their hands that is were priuate fauourers of the Beast and his Idolatries namely whether they did openly or priuately or any way yeeld to the Idolatry of the Beast of Rome yet they repented not signifying that whereas as yet Gods iudgements were in his hand to remoue them if they repented or to double them if they did not repent They notwithstanding for all these degrees of Plagues doe still continue obstinate yea they proceed to blaspheme God so farre are they from repenting and glorifying God And hitherto it seemes God began with the common people for as in his Plagues he vseth to begin first with his Church then with the wicked so in the wicked hee begins first with the lower and inferiour sort and then followes with the more grieuous and principall offenders The fift Angell poures out his Viall on the seate of the Beast which is to be vnderstood of the Church of Rome whereupon followes darkenesse to wit anguish and trouble and paine which appeared in that they are said to bite their tongues as the malignant and enuious persons vse to doe who being troubled or crossed any way will for anguish vexe themselues more The sixt Angell poures out his Viall on the Riuer Euphrates viz. that defence wherewith this spirituall Babilon is enuironed and compassed about for by Babilon is vnderstood Rome for as in Babilon the children of Israel were kept both in spirituall and bodly seruitude so by the sinnes and Idolatries of the Church of Rome it hath beene shewed that the Church of God should be tormented with spirituall bondage And this Riuer Euphrates was a riuer which compassed and defended Babilon from their enemies and therfore by Euphrates here seemeth to be meant the fort strenght and munition of the City and Church of Rome Whereas then he poureth his Viall vpon Euphrates whereby it was dried vp it noteth that the
Beast was the same but in other families as is said before Then it is said here is the minde that hath wisedome that is here is matter wherein those that are wise should occupie their wits and vnderstandings After he declareth what the seauen heads are to wit seauen hils namely that place where the City of Rome is situated and amongst all writers both Latine Greek which speake of it it is called the City of the seauen hils and none but it is so named in any either old or new Latine or Greeke Author And therefore howsoeuer the Papists would post it ouer to Constantinople where the Turke is as hauing thirty hils yet that was of no account in the dayes when this was written Againe that was neuer gouernour of the world as this is called and as it was in those dayes The seauen heads haue another exposition giuen them by the Angell to be seauen Kings that is seauen Gouernours and Emperours of the City whereof it is said fiue are fallen that is were dead one was then that is Domitian who at that time had banished Iohn into Pathmos and he that was to come was the next after Domitian and he should indure but a small time and therefore those that liued in those dayes might easily see the truth of it And this therefore set forth thus that men prouing and seeing this to be true might giue the more credit to the rest And the Beast that was and is not that is is not of the same sort as he was being now changed by another family is the eight to wit in number which was the seauenth also for hee was admitted by the seauenth while the seauenth was aliue for the other being aliue this eight in his dayes was chosen Emperour and was ioyned in gouernement with him as was the custome of Kings when that Kingdomes were doubtfull the Kings tooke their Successors whom they would to haue raigne next in their roome and would in their owne life establish them in their Kingdomes as did Dauid with Salomon who while he yet liued setled his Sonne in the Kingdome taking him as it were and ioyning him in societie with him and setting him by him as it were on the Throne Hauing thus expounded the seauen heads hee comes to tell what is meant by the tenne Hornes which are said to be tenne Kings which had not as yet receiued their power which should ioyne with the Beast to wit should not raigne there where the Beast did but should onely lay their power and authority with his but while he had the ciuill authority alone in the rule of the Emperour as also afterward when the Pope arising should ioyne the spirituall iurisdiction with the temporall gouernement and these tenne Kings it is said should ioyne with this Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall Beast By these tenne it is no great matter whether wee vnderstand a certaine or vncertaine number but it seemeth rather to note an vncertaine number Howsoeuer it were true it is that these the Beast should ioyne with him to take his part to wit they should giue their power to him to ride and runne at his pleasure And these fight against the Lambe who should ouercome them by the power of his word for hee must needes being King of Kings and Lord of Lords and therefore cannot but breake those Hornes that set themselues against him for they receiue of him and hold but of license their Kingdomes from him The Waters are plainely expounded by the Angell to be the great multitudes of people and diuers Countries that should be subiect to that City and Church of Rome Further he declares that as there was a time that the Kings of the earth should ioyne themselues with the Beast to maintaine it so time should come that those Kings and Gouernours as they had suffered themselues to be as it were trodden on by the Beast and to be subiect to the Whore so they should fight against the Beast and against her and most bitterly venter themselues in fight against her yea they shall eate her flesh that is be in mortall hatred with her to consume her and should burne the Harlot that is destroy her vtterly and so punish her as a Harlot for burning was the vsuall death for a Harlot Lastly in that hee saith the woman is the great City that had dominion ouer the Kingdomes of the earth hee sheweth plainely that it is the City of Rome seeing there was no such great Monarch as that since the time of Iohn but onely Rome and Shee was euen then the chiefe Citie in the world Apoc. Cap. 18. 1. And after these things I saw another Angell come downe from heauen hauing great power so that the earth was lightened with his glory c. THe Prophet hauing entred into the description of the City of Rome as of the spirituall Babilon doth on that occasion dispute what shall be done of her for notwithstanding the destruction of the Beast should come before and the ouerthrow of the City should follow yet the ouerthrow of the City is handled in the first place of the Beast is set after vnto the end that he might more fully set down the destruction and notable ruine of the same And first hee declareth the destruction of the City and that it may haue the more authority the Angell that describeth it is said to come from heauen declaring the certainety thereof namely in that this message came from heauen euen from God himselfe and therefore the City of Rome should certainely be destroyed and razed vtterly from the face of the earth And this authority is more fully set forth in that the Angell is described to haue come with such glory that the earth was enlightned therewith and therefore that should be a most euident and vndoubted matter which also appeareth in the mightinesse of his voice Hee saith it is fallen and the second time it is fallen which repetition hee vseth first to raise vp men from their drowsinesse which cannot at the first conceiue of Gods iudgements nor consider them as they ought and therefore they must haue diuers repetitions of the same thing concerning the iustice of Gods iudgements Secondly to shew the certainty of it as before Chap. 14. 8. According as Ioseph interprets Pharaohs dreames of the seauen leane Kine which did deuoure the seauen fatte and the seauen thinne eares of Wheate that did consume the seauenfull that they both did signifie one thing and that the dreame was therefore doubled to shew that that which was signified thereby should certainly come that speedily Euen so the repetition of the denouncing of these iudgements is for this cause namely as to waken the drowsinesse of man so to shew the certainty and speedinesse of the iudgements to be executed Then is set forth the state of this Babilon the City of Rome in that it is said it should become an Habitation of Diuels and of vncleane Birds signifying the great desolation of
power whatsoeuer can winne it or wrest it out of his hand nor can be partaker of it vnlesse hee himselfe will giue it This Booke is written within and without signifying that the multitude of the plagues which were to come on the world were so many that the Booke could not containe them The subiect of these plagues vpon whom they should be executed is the world according as the Psalmist speaketh Lord poure out thy wrath vpon the Gentiles In that it is sealed it noteth that it is separate from all men and Angels so that none could attaine to the knowledge of it but God himselfe According to that which the Apostle speaketh who hath beene his Councellor Rom. 11. 34. that is who hath beene partaker of Gods counsell In the Gospell of Saint Iohn Christ answereth The Sonne hath reuealed it which came out of the bosome of his Father After hee heareth the voice of a strong Angell which saith Who can open the Booke Who is worthy to do it Which sheweth that the Angels themselues stoope to looke into these iudgements that is haue an earnest desire to behold the things of the Church and the misteries of God concerning the same as the Apostle Peter saith In that there was none found that could open the Booke no not so much as looke vpon it It sheweth that none can haue so much as the least measure of knowledge thereof Then Iohn wept for that none was found worthy It teacheth vs that when wee see our ignorance of those things which concerne vs wee are to weepe and be grieued at the same especially in those things which concerne our saluation After it is said one of the Elders comforted him bidding him not to weepe for the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah had performed this so called by reason of his courage through which hee had ouercome all lets which might hinder the reading of it namely sinne and this he had taken away by his death and so had obtained this fauour at Gods hand for vs. The root of Dauid That is the cause and creator of Dauid and the begetter of his faith in regard of his God-head as in other places hee is called the seed of Dauid in regard of his man-hood which proceeded of the linage of Dauid After he is represented in another forme that is to say of a Lamb that had been slain as it seemeth bloudy which appeared in the midst of the Throne And he is said to haue seauen horns seauen eyes which are the seauen spirits that is the holy Ghost which is his spirit proceeding from him By his eyes meaning his infinite knowledge wherby he seeth into all things By his seauen hornes is signified his infinite power And he commeth to his Father taketh the Booke of his Father to open it and to vnloose the seales who would giue it to none else Then followes the effect of this his taking the Booke to wit a Song of thankesgiuing First of the chiefe and principall Angels who say that the Lambe onely is worthy to receiue this honour as to haue the Booke and to open it And as the foure Beasts being principall of the Angels and the Archangels begin so also the Elders which were the principall of the Church doe ioyne with them in praysing Christ And after as the chiefe of the Angels and of the Saints begin so the rest of the Angels follow euen thousand thousands viz. all the other Angels And in their Song they praise the Lambe attributing to him all Power and Riches and Wisedome and Strength which are causes and then the effects thereof Honour and Glory and Praise that all these belong vnto him Then followeth the praise and thankesgiuing of the rest of the Church and of all the Creatures which praise first God the Father for vouchsafing to giue the Book vnto his Son secondly God the Sonne for obtaining it at his fathers hands Lastly the chiefe Angels the foure and twenty Elders are brought in saying Amen to the thankesgiuing of the inferiour Angels and of the rest of the Creatures As they began the Chapter so they as it were make an end and answere to the rest in prayses shewing vs that they neuer cease continually to sound forth the praises of God Apoc. Cap. 6. 1 After I beheld when the Lambe had opened one of the seales and I heard one of the foure beasts say as it were the noyse of thunder Come and see HAuing heard before in the former Chapters of the preparation to the declaring of the things to come he now speaketh of the things themselues that were to follow and he speaketh of them as of great Misteries And first it seemeth in this Chapter is shewed to the Apostle rather a warning what things are to befall then any declaration of the befalling of those Iudgements as the execution of the things themselues set downe in the eight and ninth Chapters doe manifestly declare And also it appeareth because in the seauenth Chapter as it is familiar with the Scripture before the things doe come he sheweth matter of comfort to the Children of God to prepare arme them against those iudgements to be executed So here in this Chapter is contained a denunciation of the iudgements to come to passe on the wicked vnlesse there were speedy repentance as in the next Chapter a consolation to arme and strengthen the godly in that they should not be touched nor hurt with these iudgements And then last of all followeth in the eight and ninth Chapters the declaration of the very execution of the iudgements themselues In that he saith he heard one of the foure Beasts speaking to him as it were with the noise of a thunder it sheweth that though it were in the same vision yet hee is faine to be raised vp by this mighty voice of the Angell so that one stirring vp was not sufficient Which teacheth vs that in the same Sermon we are often to be raised vp if not by the Angell that is by the Minister yet by our selues We are as it were to renew our attention to receiue instruction reproofe correction or any other thing which the Lord would haue vs to know Come and see that is attend diligently and carefully with greater attention Not onely exhorting him to continuance but also to heare more fruitfully and profitably After that the first Seale is opened by the Lambe Christ the Apostle Saint Iohn saith he saw a white horse and a man sitting thereon In that he is said to sit on a white horse and to haue a Crowne giuen him it noteth victory By the Man is vnderstood the Ministers of the Sonne of God Christ Iesus sent forth to declare the iudgements of God to come vpon the wicked for the neglect of the word And whereas it is said for victory it signifyeth that the iudgements which they threatned should haue euent vnlesse they repented speedily The Bow which he hath signifieth the easinesse of the