and 5. It containes a thanksgiving a prayer They give thankes to the Lord God almighty which is which was and which is to come that is either to Christ or unto the holy Trinity as before on Chap. 1.8 But for what benefit Because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned But what good comes hereby unto the Elders indeed they have great cause to rejoyce for these benefits considering that they serve to the eternal felicity of the Church triumphant Hitherto the Lord in suffering the fury of the adversaries did seem not to exercise his great power that is his omnipotencie and Christ to be overcome by Antichrist but at length by taking that is by exercising and shewing forth his power in casting down the adversaries he delivered the afflicted Church out of all her trouble and by reigning blesseth her with eternal happinesse Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God is righteousnes peace and joy in the holy Ghost And God shall then perfectly reigne when as he shall give to his elect eternal righteousnesse peace and the joy of the spirit Of this see the description in the end of the second Vision Chap. 7. v. 15.16.17 18. And the nations were angry Now followes their wish or prayer For by putting God and Christ as it were in minde of the time of judgment they humbly beseech him that he would most justly execute the same according to the prophesies of the scripture The nations were angry This is as it were a former reason Because the nations are angrie as if he should say they have bin angry that is raged long enough against Christ and the Church It is time therefore that thou also be angrie that is represse the angrie nations Thus he calleth all adversaries whatsoever whither Jewes Turkes or Christians falsly so named Thy wrath That is thy vengeance and judgement or wrath for punishments by a metalepsis as Rom. 2.5 Is come For let it come And the time namely is come the which thou hast defined in ty eternal counsel Vnknown indeed unto mortal men but then revealed by Christ unto them in heaven For without a speciall revelation no man knoweth that day save God alone But what time Of the dead That is to be raised Some take it of the wicked onely dead in sins But the following distribution of them which are to be judged comprehends all both good and bad For it is added That they should be judged But the godlie shall not come into judgement Jo. 5.24 He that beleeveth on him that sent mee hath eternal life and shall not come into judgement But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgement is there put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemnation and therfore Beza hath so rendred it So then the elect shall come to judgment for all must stand before the tribunall seat of Christ however they shall come to be absolved and not condemned And therefore the Elders further adde Two companies of them that are to be judged That thou shouldest give reward They make two sorts of people of such as shal be judged some to be rewarded the other to be destroyed as Christ in Matth. 25. Joh. 5. The reward of their faith shal be given them and of their obedience constancie patience labours and miseries What reward eternal life glorie Vnto whom They make three sorts of such as shal be rewarded Three rankes of such as are to be rewarded First they place Gods servants the prophets thereby comprehending the faithfull of more special note whither under the Law or Gospel as Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Evangelists c. who were Gods servants by a more then orninary vocation Secondly the Saintes to wit confessours and martyrs who eyther by sincere preaching or constant martyrdome have held forth the glory of Christ against Antichrist Vnder whom are comprehended all faithfull teachers and preachers of the word called Saints by an Hebraisme as separated to some special work In the third place they add the fearers of Gods name that is all other faithful ones besides the two former companies who from the beginning of the world unto the end therof have worshipped the Lord in sinceritie What it is to feare the name of God For to fear the name of God is to worship him sincerely to call upon him and love him above all because the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome godlinesse Great and small They shew that the reward is common unto all without any difference of merit either of greater or lesser condition and state to the end that neyther the great ones should promise unto themselves a greater reward or the others despaire of the same recompence Popish Sophisters dispute much touching the degrees of glorie which rather proceedeth out of their own braine from a false supposed foundation of humane merits then from the Scriptures of God But whither the Lord wil crown his servants with equal or unequal glorie it shal not be according to their merit but merely of his own grace And this is all Jovinian against whom Jerom wrote pleaded for except I be deceived viz. that unto all who kept their baptisme there should be one recompence in the kingdome of God For he seems not to disapprove of a degree of reward but of merit The crown of righteousnes propounded unto all the faithfull Paul the Apostle who was taken up into the third heaven and inferiour to none of the Saintes shewes us that for him was laid up a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge would give him at that day and not unto him onely but unto all that love his appearing This same crown of righteousnesse the Elders doe promise unto the Prophets and Saintes and all the fearers of the name of God This sufficeth for our faith and consolation Let us leave disputing in this life touching the differences of the crowne and rather indeavour so to walke as that we may be made partakers therof in the life to come That thou shouldest give reward Here fals in a question For a reward is given of merit and debt Therfore say some the reward of eternall life is given unto the Saintes as a due debt otherwise it would not be called a reward Now it is not onely here so called Mat. 5.12 20.8 1 Cor. 3.8 Rom. 4.4 but in many other places Great is your reward in heaven Give unto them their reward or hire Every one shall receive his own reward according to his own labour But to him that worketh the reward is not given of grace but of debt Thus the mercenarie adversaries of grace dispute But how eternal life is said to be a reward appeares by the words of the Apostle The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is life eternal Rom. 6.23 Ephes 2.9 It is the gift of God not of workes least any man should glorie Now all gifts are gratis and not due debts Forasmuch
silence their blasphemous mouthes by confessing that the Lord in punishing of them is not tyrannicall in the least but a most righteous Iudge For it is just to give every one his own but in order of justice punishment for wickednesse is due to the ungodly When therefore God punisheth them his judgements are righteous And true that is certainely to be accomplished for though God doth a long while delay the punishments threatned against the wicked yet at length he truly executes the same So Psal 9 v. 9. Jehovah judgeth the world in righteousnesse he ministers judgement to the people in uprightnesse For he hath judged the great whore Specially they celebrate two examples of Gods righteousnesse as it were the neerest matter of their joy the condemnation of the great whore and the vindicating of the servants of God Both being manifestly worthy to be celebrated For that Great whore hath corrupted the earth by her fornication Now what is more agreeable to justice then that such a pest which hath defiled the inhabitants of the earth with her most filthy whoredome should be adjudged unto eternall damnation Moreover with her hand that is tyranically with fire and sword she hath oppressed killed the servants of God Now it is a righteous thing to avenge the innocent blood and such as are uniustly oppressed But God hath avenged the blood of his servants on the whore by rendring unto her such like punishments as she had before exercised For the destruction of the adversaries is the vindicating of the Saints Furthermore who this great whore is what her whoredoms what earth and how she hath corrupted the same need not on this place to be repeated Let us learne to acknowledge and celebrate Gods righteous judgements in destroying the adversaries And continuallie labour to walk with fear and trembling intreating the Lord that the like judgements fal not upon us 3. And again they said They conclude the thankesgiving by repeating the exhortation of Halleluiah to testifie the greatnesse of their joy They adde further And her smoake AND hath here an adversative sense as if he had said Yee praise God But the whore shall burne for ever and Ever Ribera interpreteth the smoake more coldly of the remembrance of the burning which saith he is alwaies to remaine and shall never be forgotten But they amplifie Gods judgement on the whore because the smoake of her burning and torment shall have no end but remaine for ever from Chap. 14. v. 11. And the smoak of their torment shall ascend up for ever and Ever signifying the everlasting torments that attend Antichrist and his followers in hell fire If perhaps the miserable Romanists by feare thereof might bee deterred from their Idolatrie Rose up for ever The present flame of her burning which they shall see with their eyes yeelds matter of joy Now the smoake ascendeth up Therefore Babylons condition is altogether deplorable 4 And the foure and twentie Elders The former Chore desisting another comes in singing that so God might be praised with a most sacred Symphonie of all the heavenly dwellers This was the company of Elders and Beasts often before mentioned Chap. 4.14 and Chap. 5.8 and Chap. 7. 11. and 11. 16. Here they serve as it were for a heavenly senate reverend in gravitie and majesty unto the former promiscuous multitude of the heavenly inhabitants whose joy and celebration of Gods judgements they approue of by their most grave acclamation closing up and as it were sealing the same in two words Amen Halleluiah as if they should say It is so as ye have before sung salvation and glory is truely due to our God His judgements are truely righteous Iust indeed is the condemnation of the whore and the vindicating of the innocent blood of the saints for Amen with the Hebrews is a particle confirming the truth and signifies Truely certainly God therefore is to be truely celebrated with praises Now who these Elders and Beasts are hath been largely declared on Chap. 4. and Chap. 5. The Elders represented the Company or Chore of Patriarchs and Prophets The Beasts the Apostles although as hath bin before shewed these may also be understood of the stationary Angels before the throne of God Whoever they bee certaine it is they are a more honourable company of the Church triumphant what the adoration of the heavenly inhabitants is For the Elders weare golden crownes on their heads and are clothed in white raiment holding harpes and golden vials in their hands c. And they sit upon foure and twenty thrones being as it were honorable administrators of the judgements and counsels of God But for reverence sake in this solemne assemblie they fall downe from their thrones on their faces before the feete of the divine Majesty casting off undoubtedly their crowns also as before Chap. 4.10 and religiously worship and adore God togither with the Beasts This adoration was an admiration of the powers of God a celebration of his judgments and workes a ready publishing of his mercies and lastly a testimony of their religious subjection In which they afford us an example of religious worship and thankesgiving For if the Saintes in heaven who are come to their journeyes end praise God incessantly how much more ought wee poore traveillers to worship the Lord without intermission Neither doe they adore one another but God sitting on the throne And therefore such as direct their worship unto others shall never come to this Chore of which thing the Angell will by and by instruct us 5 And a voyce came out of the throne Both companies had finished their Halleluiah notwithstanding the song of praises was not as yet ended Therefore another Chore is invited unto a new gratulation by another voyce A new voice out of the throne not of God sitting on the throne as before Chap. 14.13 A voyce from heaven and Chap. 16.17 A voyce out of the Temple The author of this voyce is not shewed being uncertaine yet we may easily gather that it was divine because it proceeds out of the throne yet not of God sitting but of the Lambe standing on the throne because he saith Praise our God Now Christ acknowledged God to be his and ours because he is the Lamb and Mediatour as if he should say The prayses of God touching his righteous judgements are not yet ended There remaine other works and benefits farre exceeding these judgements to be celebrated What these are the following Hymne shall teach us Now whom doth he invite All ye his servants The servants of God are all that are and shall be saved both Angels men For also the good Angels are preserved by grace in their integrity hence throughout the Scripturs they are named the servants of God as being spirits most ready to execute the ministries of God But as for men they are Gods servants both such who continually serve him with praises in heaven viz the saints triumphing with Christ as also who yet
A COMMENTARY UPON THE DIVINE REVELATION OF THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST IOHN BY DAVID PAREUS Sometimes Professour of Divinity in the Universitie of HEIDELBERG And specially some things upon the 20th Chapter are observed by the same Authour against the MILLENARIES Translated out of the Latine into English By ELIAS ARNOLD AMSTERDAM Printed by C. P. ANNO. MDCXLIV To the Christian Reader IT is an usuall saying A good thing cannot bee too common the worth and profitablenesse of this Booke is well knowne of the learned every where being and indeed deservedly esteemed one of the best and choisest Commentaries that is now extant upon the Revelation And if we consider the perillous times wherein wee are I know no worke more seasonable for our instruction and comfort touching the present Commotions and uproares in the world For here we shall find that it is necessary that such things come to passe to the end the words of this Prophesie may be fulfilled we have all need as the Apostle saith of patience now what will more perswade us to be quiet contented comforted then to looke into the Revelation of Iesus Christ where we shall find all the conflicts and combats of the Godly against the Dragon Beast and False-prophet most clearly set forth and none of our sufferings in any way or kind to be otherwise then what was fore-appointed in the unchangeable decree of God Moreover here we have set downe with the finger of God the certaine event and issue of the whole warre namely Antichrists destruction and the glorious and happy victory of the Saints A man of a weake and cowardly Spirit will cheerfully fight if he know before hand that he shall surely overcome This assurance all true Beleevers have that they shal be more then Conquerors through him that loveth them and therefore they have cause enough to stand fast hold their owne fight the good fight of faith seeing it is without question that they shall overcome in the blood of the Lambe But of this I need not here speake considering how largely and sweetly this matter is treated of in this Commentary It is not my purpose to speake any thing in the behalfe of the Translator or in the praise of his worke least that in the Proverbs Chap. 27.14 should be applied to me Wherefore what is here done I leave to the triall and judgement of all sober and godly minded Readers Onely I must needs say that it would be a singular benefit to our Nation if there were more of Pareus his workes translated into our English tongue And for ought I do perceive the Translator of this hath some purpose so to do if this which is the first doe finde a faire and friendly acceptance And I have no reason to thinke otherwise Considering how well Mr. Brightman on the Revelation is approved of Now howsoever I will not speake any thing in the least to his disparagement notwithstanding seeing Pareus was a later Writer an Interpreter one among a thousand a man of an acute and deepe judgement and one that had his thoughts and meditations on the worke 30. yeares in these and other respects the Reader may well make account to meete here with many things more for his satisfaction then hitherto he hath ever had and that he may the sooner see with his owne eyes the trueth of what I speake I shall advise him in the first place carefully to read Pareus his Preface for it will much helpe him to the better understanding of the following Commentary And thus committing the worke to the favourable acceptance of religious and judicious mindes beseeching the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to blesse and prosper it for his glory and for the consolation and edification of all those that seek his favour and desire to feare his Holy Name I rest Thine in IESVS CHRIST J. C. THE AUTHOURS ADVERTISEMENT TOUCHING THE Publishing of this COMMFNTARY I Had thought indeed never to have set forth this Commentary upon the Revelation long since expounded in the Academie in CLXXXVIII Lectures but to have left the same unto my children for their proper use and this for divers causes especially finding that as yet I had not touched the height of the mysteries neither should easily satisfie others having in many things not satisfied my selfe In the meane while I thought it requisite with all diligence to search out the judgements of more learned Interpreters in the harder matters and not to neglect whatsoever might seem in the Commentaries of ancient and modern Interpreters to conduce for the polishing of the work as not being ignorant of the admonition of Horace Membranis intus positis delere licebit Quod non edideris nescit vox missa reverti That a man may alter or blot out his private writings which are not made publicke but the word that is out cannot be recalled Notwithstanding it happened of late I know not by what providence that at length I assented to the publishing thereof at the earnest request of friends who judged it a thing unfit that the Church no weighty reason hindering the same should any longer be deprived of this treasure be it whatsoever it be perswading themselves that by me something more would be published touching these mysteries then as yet was extant And that the things yet hid are perhaps of that nature which either God hath reserved unto his own power or are better not to be known then known by us of which kind some things are Enchir. cap. 17. according to Austin They added that now there was speciall use to vindicate this Prophesie it being publickly depraved by new feigned Oracles and false Glosses as if it did establish Romish Idolatry and Patronize Popish Tyranny from which notwithstanding it portendeth nothing but sad evils unto the Godly and most miserable calamities unto the Church the which the Revelation setteth forth by lively colours as it were the very Kingdome of Antichrist himselfe under the type of a Beast and False-Prophet All which they affirme is made appeare throughout this Commentary by which reasons being over-swayed I gave way to the publishing thereof yet so as this Sacred and last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or gratefull Gift should be dedicated unto none save unto my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ If therefore so it be that in the opening of these mysteries I may seem unto some in any place to come short these I lovingly desire to supply my defect with their greater diligence pardoning in the mean time what is not yet attain'd to being thākfull for what is found out But if there shal be any who wrest my expositions touching the beast or his head or horns or the like mysteries unto the offence and injury of any mans person to these I testifie that I have written nothing to the reproch or scandal of any man but truly and candidly expounded what our Saviour Christ reveald unto Iohn not to the injury but rather instruction and Salvation
Gog and Magog Lib. 20. de C. D. à cap. 7. usque ad 18. touching the thousand yeeres of Satans binding and loosing of the first and second Resurrection of the Saints reigning with Christ a thousand yeers of the fire falling from heaven and devouring the ungodly of the casting of the devill and his followers into the lake of fire of the dead which the Sea Death and Hell shall give up to be judged and lastly touching the New Heaven and the New Earth c. Wee have also some what upon the Revelation under the name of Ambrose but it may plainely bee gathered from the worke it selfe that it is later then Ambrose In the latter Ages among Monkes and Schoolemen almost no Booke hath had so many Interpreters as the Apocalyps seeing no man but thought it a fine thing to exercise his wit in the opening of such dark Aenigmaes either for ostentation sake or to delight himselfe with Allegories a long Catalogue of which even above an hundred as well of such as are extant as not Alcasar Vestigat Not. 26. Prooem that upstart Interpreter before mentioned hath reckoned up And among these hee commends foure Manu-scripts which he found in the Libraries of Spaine Vndoubtedly our Germany hath more I have seene a compendious Exposition of Iohns Revelation written in the yeere 1486. by Iohannes Hilten a Franciscane who also as they say foretold many other things At Heidelberg in the Librarie of WISEDOMS Colledge is extant a Commentarie of two big Volumes written a little before that time by Richard Faber of Laudenburg an Augustinian Luther also published a short Commentary upon the Apocalyps at Witeberg Anno. 1528. sent unto him out of Livonia having no name unto it the which Conr. Gesnerus in his Bibliotheca ascribeth unto Iohn Husse But it plainly appeareth to be more ancient The Postill of Lyra ascribes the prologue of that namelesse Authour which beginneth thus All that will live godly c. unto Gilbertus Pictaviensis who flourished under the Emperour Cunradus about the yeer 1140. But by the 20th Chapter it appears not to be so ancient for the Authour there disputing touching the thousand yeeres testifies that hee wrote in the yeer from the Incarnation of Christ 1357. Which saith he is our present date He often expresly interpreteth the Papacy for Antichrists kingdom the Pope for Antichrist which therefore I rehearse least any might imagine that wee were the first Authours of this opinion Yea Pope Gregory above a 1000. yeers ago doubted not confidently to say that that Priest should be Antichrist or his Forerunner who should arrogate the Title of VNIVERSAL unto himself which a while after as is knowne the Bishops of Rome themselves did doe But of this more in its place Alcasar also hath raked together many latter Writers upon this Booke of his owne order But of ours not a few Divines of excellent learning Protestant Interpreters of the Revelation have in the foregoing age put their hands to this Prophesie among whom notwithstanding in my judgement Henry Bullinger of Helvetia is most eminent whom almost all do follow as David Chytraeus Alfonsus Cunradus Franciscus Lambertus Sebastianus Meyerus Nicolaus Collado Johannes Foxus Benedictus Aretius Matthias Illyricus Augustinus Marloratus Petrus Artopoeus Franciscus Iunius Daniel Tossanus And of late in this our age Iohn Napier a Scotchman Thomas Brightman an Englishman Raphaël Eglinus Conradus Graserus a Germane Iohannes Piscator Matthias Hoë Matthias Cotterius a French man with others whom I have not seene But thou wilt say to what end are all these named To wit to shew what I purposed that nothing of the authority of this Booke is hereby diminished because as hath bin objected some worthy Divines have abstained from interpreting the same Touching the manner of interpretation which every of them hath followed and whether being so many they have effected what they desired and ought to have done would be too long to explicate neither is it to the purpose in hand This one thing perhaps may be affirmed without injurie to any of them all that to this Booke hath happened what the Evangelist Marke writeth of the woman diseased with an issue of blood Mar. 5.26 that shee had suffered many things of the Physitians and it availed her nothing but she became much worse perhaps not so much by reason of the Physitians unskilfullnesse as the incurablenesse of the disease namely the healing thereof being reserved for to illustrate the glory of Christ For while so many every one following the force and reason of his own wit have uttered such various things touching these aenigmaticall Visions piously indeed as I suppose yet little cohering with themselves or with the scope or meaning of the Holy Ghost it is come to passe that indeed there are extant an heap of Commentaries upon this Booke every of which promiseth a new light unto the Prophesie The different manner of interpreting whereas the obscurity thereof is not onely not lessened thereby but in some places also more darkened For some applie the Aenigmaes of the Revelation unto the History of the Ancient Church Others diversly unto the continued period of the New Church Others in every particular have imagined unto themselves mysticall meanings thinking as the saying is that under every stone gold lay hid Others turned all things into tropes and morall Allegories Others have laboured prophetically to praesage and find out future things even more then was lawfull for men to know yea hardly among so many which commonly is said of Chronicles thou shalt find two or three agree which disagreement verily argues that the difficultie of the Booke is not yet by so great variety of Authours wholly taken away but rather encreased not so much by a blame-worthy ignorance of Interpreters as in regard of the incomprehensible wisdome of the Prophesie it selfe the full revelation whereof is undoubtedly reserved unto the manifestation of Christ our Lord. Notwithstanding I write not these things touching Interpreters as if I would detract any thing from the labours of so many learned men or thought that by their labour nothing of these mysteries were brought to light or explicated and that I at length in all these Aenigmaes had as the saying is hit the naile on the head Far be it for I doubt not in the least but that a great part of these Types by foregoing and present events are so manifestly brought to light that the trueth of them may daily bee seene and felt of such who as the Holy Ghost requireth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have understanding Yea I ingeniously professe that I have bin very much helped by the Commentaries of most of them especially Bullingers and Brightmans Now what I further judge touching the whole form method and manner of interpreting the Revelation I will by and by shew CHAPTER V. Of the dignity time profit and scope of this Prophesie I Have spoken of the Authour and authority of the obscurity
saying of Christ Render not evill for evill Pag. 461. 82. How it stands with justice to render double Pag. 462. 83. Whether God in commanding to render the double according to Babylons workes doth command rapines theft wickednesse c. Pag. 463. In Chapter XIX 84. Whether Alcasar hath sufficiently demonstrated that properly the Church of Rome is the wife of the Lamb. Pag. 481. 85. Whether Iohn did well in proffering to worship the Angell and whether the Angell did well to prohibit him Pag. 484. 582. In Chapter XX. 86. Of the binding and loosing of Satan what when and how it was Pag. 502. 87. A disputation touching the thousand yeeres of Satans binding 506. whether they be definitely to be understood 507. where they take their beginning and ending 508. what was the condition of the godly in the thousand yeeres 511. 88. Who were the living and reigning with Christ 514 89. After what manner and how long they lived and reigned with Christ 516. 90. Who are the rest of the dead and how they lived not againe 517. 91. Of the first Resurrection how it is to be understood 518. 520. 92. Of the Chiliasts opinion the Authors thereof and its refutation 520. 521. 93. Of the first and second death 519 526. 527. 94. What Satan is said to do the thousand yeers being ended and when he was loosed 530. 95. A disputation with Bellarmine and Ribera about Gog and Magog 539. 96. Of the old and new Goggish war its occasion and beginning 536. 97. Of the perpetuall torments of the damned 540. In Chapter XXI 98. The description of the new Ierusalem whether it bee agreeable to the Church-Militant on earth or to the Romane onely 541. 99. Of the new Heaven and the new Earth 549. 100. Ludovicus his jest on Sophisters about the Lake of Fire 557. In Chapter XXII 101. A Disputation against Sophisters for the authority and perfection of the divine Scriptures 580 c. 102. Of the doctrine of Iustification by Faith 584. 585. A COMMENTARIE Vpon the REVELATION OF IOHN THE APOSTLE The argument parts and analysis of Chap. 1. After the title and Apostolical salutation to the seven Churches of Asia Iohn rehearseth the first vision namely the seven golden candlesticks and Christ his glorious walking in the middest of them and how hee was affected with the vision and received from Christ commandement for to write the same both concerning things present and to come The parts of the chapter are two the former containes the preface to v. 9. The latter the vision of Christ gloriously walking in the middest of the seven candlestickes from vers 9 unto the last THe preface containes the title and thâ—â—postolical dedication of the booke The title shewetâ— first the argument of the booke that it is a â—â—velation of things to come Christ the â—uthoâ— of it as also the ministerie of the Angel vers 1. Secondly it notes the person of the author by a periphrasis or description vers 2. Thirdly it commendeth the profitablenes of the booke from the necessitie of it vers 3. The dedication containes the prosopographie or description of the persons who and to whom he writeth vers 4. Secondly the Apostles wish viz. grace from God and from the seven spirits as also from Iesus Christ whose threefold office he declareth v. 5. Thirdly the celebration of the prayses of Christ and giving of thanks for a threefold benefit received from him v. 5 6 His comming to Iudgement is promised by the words of Zacharie vers 7 and in the last place bringeth him in testifying his eternall Godhead and omnipotencie vers 8. The vision containes the preparation vision it self In the preparation Iohn sheweth the name how hee was affected the place of his banishment and the cause vers 9. Secondly the time and manner of the vision vers 10. Thirdly a command to write the vision and to send it to the seven Churches by name vers 11. Fourthly his Gesture vers 12. In the vision are three things first the form secoÌ„dly the effects thirdly the things following The form of the vision which hee saw is twofold first the seven Golden candlestickes Secondly the form of the Sonne of man in the middest of them whose habit and clothing hee describeth vers 13 His head Hair and eyes v. 14 His feet and voice vers 15 His right hand holding the seven starres his mouth armed with a two edged sword and his face shining like the sun vers 16. The effects are first Iohns Great amazement secondly his falling to the ground v. 17. The things following are first a twofold comforting of Iohn first by Gesture the laying on of the right hand vers 17. Secondly by speech bidding him not to fear and the reason is taken from the person adjuncts of the speaker viz. because hee is eternall God the Lord of life of death of hel vers 11 2 The command of writing the present vision following prophesies 3 The unfolding of the mysterie first of the seven starres that they are the seven pastors and secondly of the seven candlestikes to bee the seven Churches of Asia THE FIRST PART OF THE CHAPTER CONTAINING THE PREface title and dedication of the booke THe Revelation of Iesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to passe and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant Iohn 2 Who bare record of the word of God and of the testimony of Iesus Christ and of all things that he saw 3 Blessed is he that readeth Exod. 3.14 1 Cor. 15.21 Col. 1.18 and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand 4 Iohn to the seven churches in Asia Grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seven spirits which are before his throne 5 And from Iesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen 7 Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall waile because of him even so Amen 8 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty A COMMENTARIE VPON THE REVELATION Chap. 1 vers 1. THe revelation this prophetical title doth expresse the argument of the booke called in Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning the meaning of which word there is extant in a colledge called wisdom colledge of which I have before spoken a manuscript in way of commentarie on this booke which Giveth us an
Trinity But the coherēce sheweth it is Christ that speaketh who is described in the foregoing words and the epithite Lord is to be understood of Christ as appeareth also from the 11 and 17 verses and more clearly chap. 22 13 so that without all question Christ saith of himself I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending Furthermore to be α and ο is a proverbiall speach and meant of one that is first or chiefe in any thing as in Martial one Codrus is called the Alpa of poore men that is poorest of men Alpha is the first letter of the Greeke alphabet Omega the last Christ therefore in calling himself Alpha and Omega the beginning and end and that absolutely therein doth assume unto himself absolute perfection power dominion eternity and divinity The beginning and ending The Latine version hath not these words neither Montanus but all other Greeke copies have them Besides they are also read in Chap. 21.6 and 22.13 whereby it appeareth that they were not taken from the margent and put into the text as some have thought Which is and which was and which is to come Christ assumeth all those epithites here to himselfe by which Iohn vers 4. described God Ribera understandeth it of the trinitie as formerly but it hath been shewed that Christ speaketh of himself and so the fathers Nazianzene Ambrose and Athanasius interpret the place And what marveile is it if Christ who is God doth take to himself what ever is dew to God The Almighty Another epithite proper to God which Christ also taketh to himself shewing that he is the true eternall and omnipotent God in all things equall and coessentiall with the father and the holy Ghost and here we see who and how great hee is which must come to judge the world For the adversaries must stand before Christ the judge 7 Argument of Chr. deity not as he is simply man but before Christ the judge as he is the eternall and omnipotent God This being the seventh argument of Christs divinity is three times repeated He is the first the last which is was and is to come and the Almighty and therefore surely hee is God eternall For so Iehovah saith of himself Isay 41 4 44 6. Genes 17 I the Lord the first and the last I am hee I am the first and I am the last and besides mee there is no God I am God almighty But Christ doth chalenge as dew to him all these divine attributes therefore hee is Iehova that one eternall and omnipotent God with the father and the holy Ghost Eniedinus samosatenianus denieth these words to be Christs but will have them to be the fathers onely speaking of himself First because it is not onely said of Christ that hee is to come but of many others also as Matth. 17.11 Elias must first come God the father is said to come Matth. 21.40 When the Lord of the vineyard commeth what wil be do to those husbandmen Christ saith of himself and the father Ioh. 14.23 We will come to him and make our abode with him Secondly because that description which is was and is to come is attributed vers 4 to the father alone Thirdly because that which Iohn before spake of Christs comming he afterward confirmes the same by the testimonie of God himself after the maner of the prophets who used to adde in the end of their sentences thus saith the Lord. Answer though some interpreters yea Lyra also Ribera Iesuites referre these things to God absolutely that is to the trinity as speaking in this place not withstanding I have already sufficiently proved the contrary As for the hereticks reasons they proove nothing For first we insist not upon the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to come whence he vainly goes about to deceive but on grounds formerly spoken off neither can it be denied with any shew of reason but that Christ speaketh of himself in vers 11 J am Alpha and Omega the first and the last and therefore the shift in this place is idle For the strength of our argument standeth not in this viz. that every one who is to come is God as the heretick foolishly imagineth but thus that he is God to whom all these divine attributes doe appertain Secondly though that description of God which is c. do in vers 4 note out the person of the father from whom John first of all desireth grace yet forasmuch as the essential attributes respecting eternity are common to the three persons therefore they are rightly attributed to Christ the second person in the trinity Thirdly howsoever we acknowledge that the stile is propheticall yet it will necessarily follow that Christ here speakes these things of himself both to confirme Iohns testimony of him as also that the godly might be comforted in having so great and glorious a judge And lastly it is for the the terror of all wicked and ungodly men And thus much of the preface The other part of the Chapter the preparation to the first vision with the vision it self 9 I Iohn who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Iesus Christ was in the Isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Iesus Christ 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lords day and heard behinde me a great voice as of a trumpet 11 Saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last and what thou feest write in a book and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna and vnto Pergamos and unto Thyatira and unto Sardis and Philadelphia and unto Laodicea 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me And being turned I saw seven golden candlesticks 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man clothed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a golden girdle 14 His head and his hairs were white like wooll as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire 15 And his feet like unto fine brasse as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword and his countenance was as the Sun shineth in his strength 17 And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead and he laid his right hand upon me saving unto me Fear not I am the first and the last 18 I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am a live for evermore Amen and have the keyes of hell and of death 19 Write the things which thou hast seen and the things which are and the things which shal be hereafter 20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden candlesticks The seven stars
hands even so doth Christ lift up Iohn who was sore amazed first by laying his hand upon him and afterward speaking comfortably unto him Hee toucheth Iohn with the same right hand in which hee held the seven starres For by his divine power and love which never faileth hee upholdeth all the Churches with their teachers and every one of the faithfull Fear not I am the first and the last Hee biddeth him not to fear because feare disturbeth the minde unfits men for instruction and therefore the admonition at this time was very seasonable And that he might comfort Iohn the more and lift him up hee expoundeth in order unto him the whole vision First who he is Secondly what he would have him to do And thirdly unfolds the mystery of the starres candlesticks He sheweth him who hee is to the end he might know that he saw no fancie or spirit but Iesus Christ his redeemer He again calleth himself the first and the last that is God eternal as in vers 8 11 which is a seventh argument of Christs divinity Isay 41 40 44.6 48 12. as wee have already expounded For that which the prophet ascribeth to God alone Christ in this chapter three times assumeth unto himself But some heretikes object that Christ is called first as being the first of the Church under the new Testament But I answer that all the adjuncts disproove this glosse For Christ doth absolutely call himself the first and the last by which very words the prophets declare the eternity of Iehovah God Yea Christ saith that hee was not onely before the Church of the new Testament but also before Abraham Ioh. 8 58. 18. I am hee that liveth and was dead These words do clearly manifest that neither man nor Angel but Christ alone is represented here in this vision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living or he that liveth Christ taketh unto himself not onely the glorious life of his humanity Ioh 5.26 but the essential also of his divinity of which hee speaketh in the Gospel as the father hath life in himself so hath he given to the son to have life in himself For chiefly he calleth himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that liveth because even then whe he was dead he lived Therefore he saith not I did live and afterwarddy for then there would not have been any thing remarkeable in such an expression for no man can bee said to be dead who formerly hath not been alive but hee saith J living and was dead that is both together for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was is but once in the text is referred to both words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living and dead In which great and admirable expression he doth openly declare his twofold nature affirming that he lived 1 Pet. 3 18. as he was God was dead as he was man at one time According to that of Peter Christ was mortifyed in the flesh but vivifyed in the spirit that is both dead in the flesh and alive in the spirit together And this is the true meaning of that place which is the same with that common tenet that Christ being dead in the flesh raysed up himself by the power of his divinity This is also confirmed by the following words Behold I am alive for evermore Hee saith not and I lived again but behold I am living or alive by the particle behold hee attributes to himself an admirable divine and everlasting life to distinguish it from that life which he received again after his suffering in the flesh Therefore he saith hee liveth for evermore that is both before his death in his death and after his death which I have expressed in these verses Vivus eram sed eram crudeli morte peremptus En vitam sine fine per omnia secula duco J was alive and did a sore death suffer Yet lo I live and so I shall for ever This is the eight argument 8 Argument of Chr. deity of the Godhead of Christ because he was dead and liveth for evermore Eniedinus the heretike objecteth that Christ is not God because he died and so ceased to be whereas God dieth not neither can he cease from being God But it is a childish objection For though God cannot die as hee is God yet Christ as is he God â—â—nlfested in the flesh 1 Pet. 3 18. suffered death according unto the scriptures mortifial in the flesh Again God hath pâ—â—â—sed the Church with his owne blood Wherefore this onely doth follow that Christ is not God according to the flesh in which hee sunffered which indeed it true although it bee opposed by the Vbiquitisis who therefore have need to consider how they wil answer to what is here by the hereâ—ike objected Further more all this that Christ doth attribute to himself is for the comfort of the Godly For Christ liveth yea is life it selfe that wee also might live through him according unto the promâ—â— Joh. 6 he that eateth me even he shill live by me and again Ioh. 16 28 I give lowy sheep eternall life and they sâ—â—ll never preish And have the keyes of hell and of death That is I have power to cast the enemies into hell Keyes are a signe of power the which Christ Matth. 10.28 doth ascribe unto God fear not them which kil the body c. but rather fear him to wit God which is able to destroy both soule and body in hel This power Christ here assumeth by which he declares himself to be God and Lord of hell and death 9 Argument of Chr. deity This therefore in order is a ninth argument proving the Godhead of Christ Vers 19. Write the things which thou hast seene If this commandement be restrained to the first vision by a threefold division of the things which he had stene which were and which should come to passe then by it the arguments of the seven following epistles are signifyed but I rather refer it to the whole revelation for he is required to write some things already past which he had seene and somethings present the things which are and some things which shall be heerafter So that the matter of the revelation is distinguished inâ—â— a threefold order by Christ himself some things he had seen already from the beginning of the Gospel under Nero and the following Emperors unto Domition some things he now saw but the greater part he was yet to see namely the things that were to come afterward To these three heads we must have regard all most in every one of the following visions The Latine version hath which must be in stead of which shall bee But the Gr. constantly readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which shall come to passe Moreover this proveth again the divine authority of the revelation forasmuch as it is written by the commandement of Iesus Christ But why did he commande it to bee written questionlesse that the whole Church at
the seven eares are seven years with many the like places hence it is said that rock was Christ the Apostle saith not the rock signifies Christ but as if he were that indeed which in substance he was not but by signification onely In like maner the candlesticks are called the churches and the starres are said to be Angels the bread in the Lords supper the body of Christ not in substance but in regard of their analogie and signification For Christ doubted not to say Chap. 12. cont Adrm Dist 1. de consec this is my body when he gave the signe of his body saith the same Austine and more clearly the bread is the body of Christ not in the truth of the thing but by a mysticall signification The Argument Analysis parts of the second Chapter CHrist walking in the middest of the Candlesticks delivers to Iohn the seven Epistles to be sent to the seven ministers of the Churches of Asia commanding him to commend the diligence of some to reproove the negligence of others and in the rast place by promises and threatnings to exhort all of them to their duty and constancy therein so also he is commanded to write those things which he had seen and which were and which should come to passe by which threefold distinction Christ in the former Chapter declared in generall the arguments of these Epistles For in commanding Iohn to write those things which he had seen he was to declare the glorious vision of Christ unto the Churches that so they might receive the writing with reverence and due respect In bidding him to write those things which were it shewes how he was to manifest the qualification of the Churches and Teachers and whatsoever was either good or evil in every one of them that so they might perceive how Christ our Lord taketh notice of all our actions And lastly in bidding him to write those things which should come after Iohn was to propound to the godly a promised reward and to the wicked judgement to come that all might acknowledge Christ to be the glorious just and omnipotent judge of the world But it is better to extend the three forenamed heads to the whole revelation To return to the Epistles they are all exhortatory and not much differing in matter one from the other The sixt to the Church of Philadelphia seemeth to be the excellentest next to which is that unto Smyrna But the seventh unto Laodicea is the sharpest A common inscription is prefixed before all taken from the foregoing glorious form of Christ A generall Epiphonema is added in the conclusion provokeing them to attention by a speciall promise by which is understood the end of that glorious and magnificent apparition of Christ This Chapter doth contain the first fower Epistles namely to the pastours of the Churches of Ephesus Smyrna Philadelphia and Thiatyra The common argument of the Epistles And therefore the Chapter hath fower parts The Analysis of them all is plain and almost one and the same For they consist of a Preface Narration Exhortation and acclamation of promises annexed or that I may speak more plainly they contain three things First A description of Christ the author of the Epistles Secondly The praise or dispraise of each Angel Thirdly Good things are promised to those that overcome and destruction to such as fall away The first Epistle to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus 1 Vnto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write These things saith hee that holdeth the seven starres in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks 2 I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience how thou canst not bear them which are evill and thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast sound them liars 3 And hast borne and hast patience and for my Names sake hast laboured and hast not fainted 4 Neverthelesse I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlesticks out of his place except thou repent 6 But this thou hast that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate 7 Hee that hath an ear let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches To him that ouercommeth will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God THE COMMENTARIE VNto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus So he calleth the pastor of the Church for they are Gods ambassadors to the church A messenger is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one sent which properly is the name of those heavenly spirits which doe the commandements of the Lord. With this title Christ here honoreth the pastors of the Churches yet not so much to commend their dignity as to set forth the weightinesse of their spirituall function Heb. 2 14 It is the honour of the Angels that they are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of falvation Wherefore the Angels of Churches ought not to be puffed up because of this dignity but faithfully to demit themselves to their pastorall ministries Moreover touching these Epistles they concerne not the pastors alone but also as appeareth by their conclusions all the Churches it being usuall that such things as were to come to the whole were directed to the pastors and by them afterwards to be brought unto the congregation The Church of Ephesus He is commanded in the first place to write to this Church either because it lay neerest Patmos as Abraham Ortelius in his ancient description of Grecia sheweth or els for the eminency greatnesse thereof being better knowen unto Iohn then the rest Whither Timothy were then Bishop of Ephesus Histories mention not who at this time was the Angel of that church not indeed doth Christ name him to the end it might appear that he had not respect so much to any one particular teacher as to all others which should succeed Some thinke that it was Timothy the disciple of Paul but it is not probable that Timothie so much commended by Paul in his Epistles should lye under so heavy a censure besides it is a received opinion Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus that Timothie suffered martyrdome before the time of Iohns exile But if it were hee as Alcasar maintaineth against Lyra Ribera and Pererius it is an example of the general rule that sometime the verie best doe faile admonishing us of our infirmity and whereunto the saints are subject Again it serves to stirre up all teachers to care and vigilancy But now whither the fault in this Bishop for which Christ threatneth destruction be not mortal but venial as Aleasar pretendeth let himselfe look to it Write Christ tels Iohn word for word what he should write
the same shall be saved Mat. 24.13 And I will give thee He propoundeth the reward for their greater incouragement unto constancie Souldiers will fight unto the death for a corruptible crowne much more ought we to doe the like for an heavenly crowne which fadeth not away The crown of life here as also in Jam. 1.12 2. Timot. 4.8 1. Pet. 4.5 noteth eternal life and happines It is otherwhere called the crown of justice the crown of glorie by a metaphor taken from runners in a race where there is a crown proposed as a reward to the conquerours Hence let us observe in the first place that the crowne of life is promised onely to such as are faythfull to the death 2. That one the same crowne is promised to all that are faythful no mention being made of any diversitie of reward 3. That the crown is promised not of desert but of grace as a reward freely bestowed on them that are constant in the faith 4. That Christ is the giver therof Which is the fourteenth argument proving his Godhead XIV Argu. of Chr. deity Io. 10.28 For God alone gives eternall life Now Christ saith I give unto my sheep eternall life therfore Christ is God 11. He which hath an eare The acclamatorie conclusion is again repeated He that overcommeth shall not be hurt of the second death The sence is one with the former promises though different in words What is meant by the second death is explained chap. 20.14 Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death 21.8 Murtherers c. shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Which is the second death The first death is a separation of the soule from God through sin and was the cause of corporall death Hebr. 9.27 which is common to all as the Apostle speaketh It is appointed unto all men once to dy but after this the Jugement The second death is the casting of soule body into the lake of everlasting fire wherein the wicked onely shall be tormented for to the godly Christ hath promised deliverance for he that overcommeth shall not be hurt c. Some take the first death to bâ—â—neant of the dissolution of the soule from the body and then the meaning is thus he that continues faithful unto the first death needs not to fear the second for he shall not be hurt therewith but enioy eternall filicity but of this more hereafter This great and gracious promise should stir us up with courage to persevere in the fight untill we overcom for then we shall be free from the second death and be partakers of life eternall through Christ Jesus our Lord to whome be glorie for ever and ever Amen The third Epistle to the Bishop of the Church of Pergamus 12. And to the Angel of the Church in Pergamus write These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges 13. I know thy workes and where thou dwellest even where Satans seat is and thou houldest fast my Name and hast not denyed my faith even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth 14. But I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrin of Balaam who taught Balac to cast a stombling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed unto Idols and to commit fornication 15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate 16 Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth 17. He that hath eare let him heare what the spirit saith unto the Churches To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the hidden Manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it THE COMMENTARIE TO the Angel in Pergamus The third Epistle to the Pastor of Pergamus or Troy containes two things first they are commended for their constancie in the faith Secondlie reproved for maintaining amongst them the inpure Balaamites and Nicolaitans by threatning are exhorted to amendment of life It consisteth of an inscription narration and conclusion The inscription describeth Christ by an Epithite taken from chap. 1.16 that he hath viz. in his mouth the sharpe-sword with two edges The reason of this attribute appeares from vers 16. where he threatneth to destroye the sinners of the Church of Pergamus with the sword of his mouth that is by the power of his divine word For this sword is the word of God sharper then any two edged sword piercing and dividing asunder of soule and spirit c. Heb. 4.12 Here we have the fifteenth argument of Christs Godhead XV Argu. of Chr. deity For the word of God doth properly proceed out of his mouth and therefore he is God Because the word of God proceedeth from Christ not as the word of another or as it was in the mouth of the Apostles Prophets and other teachers but in speciall as his owne hence he saith v. 16. I will fight with them with the sword of my mouth 13. I know thy workes and where thou dwellest In the narration are three things he commendeth what is prayse-worthy reproveth what is amisse and lasty exhorteth them unto repentance First he saith in Generall that he knew their workes to the end they might take notice that they had to doe with him who trieth and searcheth the hearts and reynes of which se v. 2.2 In particular he commends their constancie in the faith which with courage they maintained and confidently trusting on Christ overcame all such tentations as might any way occasion them to forsake him The prayse whereof is amplified from the danger of their abode I know where thou dwellest namely in a most vicious and wicked city being ful of cruel enemies both Iewes and Gentiles and where Christians like sheep are continually exposed to the danger of devouring wolves Now to live Godly in such a place and constantlie to cleave unto the profession of Christs name is a verie hard thing though it be not so where the condition of the place affords us freedom and libertie the which benefit God of his exceeding mercie hath hitherto granted unto us Where Satans seat is A further amplifying of their constancie is taken from the infamie of the place Pergamus is the throne of the Divel Who in Hebr. is called Satan that is an adversarie so that this citie was full of naughtie and vile persons haters of Christ and his members among whom Satan raigned both in the pallace for it was the abode of king Attalus and in their senate temples forcibly drawing the magistrates and cityzens to horrible Idolatrie and to commit all manner of outrage and wickednes against the Christians Nevertheles Christ had a Church in this evill citie And could
the bosome of the Church by the indulgence of the Pastor so publickly maintained their wicked doctrine to the scandall of the faithful and danger of the whole Church For a little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe Besides because of this 1 Cor. 5.6 the unbeleeving Gentiles spake evil of the Christians as if they committed fornication each with other Thus we see that their sinne was of a high nature and therfore great reason had Christ to require repentance for the same I wil come against thee shortly The like phrase of threatning is in v. 6. and the same kind of punishement is applied to the discription of Christ v. 12. as if he should say It is not in vain that I have a two edged sword in my mouth for therewith I wil strike and wound the unrepentant I wil fight against them Christ then fighteth against us with the sword of his mouth when he reproveth our evils threatneth punisheth obstinate sinners For Gods threatnings are never without effect But as it is written unlesse ye repent Luk 13.3 ye shall all likewise perish Christ fighteth with a sword to convince wound condemne and cast off the irrecoverable Against them To wit the Nicolaitans notwithstanding he includeth the Pastor also with the Church it self except they repented so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with or against them is put in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against you 17. He which hath an eare He endeth the Epistle with his wonted Epiphonema or acclamatorie conclusion wherin though the promise differs in words yet the sence is the same with the former To him that overcommeth this is put by a change of the number for all that overcome that al in hope of a recompence might be incouraged to the good fight of faith For rewards much prevaile to harten us unto duties By them that overcome he meaneth such as stood fast in the faith were not polluted with the filthines of the Nicolaitans To these by an allegorie he promiseth a threefold benefit To eat of the hid Manna This is the first Manna was that heavenly bread sweet in tast with which God fed his people in the wildernes who being pressed with hunger found in the morning without the camp an heavenly dew like to Coriāder Exo. 16.15 1 Cor. 10.3 at which they wondring said man-hu what is this And hence it was called Manna It was a sacrament shadowing out Christ the true bread of life Of this Christ will give him that overcommeth to eat that is I wil feed him with the pleasant food of my owne bodie give unto him eternal salvation for he which eateth the Flesh of Christ Io. 6.54 drinketh his blood hath life eternal By hidden Manna he alludeth to the Omer of Manna which was laid up in a golden pot into the Arke for a remembrance according as God commanded Moses which signified that Christ indeed is hidde to the prophane of this world yet seene of the godly not with bodilie eyes but by the eye of their faith Ribera saith wel that it is called hidden Manna because eternall happines is not bestowed on all alike but is reserved onely for the elect in the world to come And wil give him a white stone This is the second benefit about which interpreters much differ in opinion Some understand by it the pretious bright shining Carbuncle Rupertus interpreteth it of the glorious bodies of such as doe overcome whom Christ wil rayse at the last day and make them shine like the Sun in his brightnes Others understand it of an allusion taken from runners in a race to whome was given a white stone in signe of victorie when they overcame the which thing if it were confirmed by historie it were then a cleare opening of the text Sixtus Senensis saith that the ancient heathens caused their festival dayes to be ingraved on their publick tables and noted with a white stone that they might the better discerne them from other dayes But they seem to come neerest to the litterall meaning who thinke that Christ in this respecteth the manner of judgments where there were two sorts of stones or counters white and blacke cast into a basen By the white the innocent was absolved by the black the guiltie condemned lib. 15. Metamor and hence they were named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acquitting or condemning stones Of which the Poet speaketh Mos erat antiquis niveis atrisque lapillis His damnare reos illis absolvere culpa In ancient times with stones they did In Iudgment seat proceed By blacke the guiltie were condemnd The Iust by white were freed Thus Christ wil give to him that overcommeth a white stone that is absolve him in the day of Iudgement Io. 5.24 according to the promise he that heareth my words and beleeveth in him that sent me hath eternal life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life And in the stone a new name written This is the third benefit and the phrase is taken from the forenamed custom where the names of such as were absolved were ingraven on white stones but on blacke the condemned A new name That is an excellent and honorable name for so much the scripture in many places doth set forth by the word New Psa 33. Reve. 3.12 14.3 as sing unto the Lord a new song I wil write upon him my new name They sung as it were a new song before the throne c. This undoubtedly is the name of Gods children whereof the Lord speaketh Isai 56.5 J wil give unto them a name better then of sonnes and daughters meaning the adoption of the sonnes of God which infinitely surpasseth the name of carnall sonnes and daughters For what is there more glorious then to be the sons of God surely such shall never be condemned But some may say how can he give them that Io. 1.12 which they have already for as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God I Answer now we are sons and heires in hope but in the world to come we shall fully enioy the right of children and really then posses the promised inheritance and be like unto the angels of God Luk. 20.36 for they that shall be counted worthy to enioy that world neyther marrie wives nor are married for they can die no more forasmuch as they are equall unto the Angels and are the sons of God Thus we se that the third benefit promised to them that overcome is a full possession of the inheritance of Gods children Which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth is What this meaneth which is also spoken of Christ who hath a name that no man knoweth but himself I will shew in a word Reve. 19 12. namely it is a name which can not be uttered because the happines of Gods children can not be expressed for eye hath
that the lord is greatly offended with the defilements both of our soules and bodies for he is a pure and holy spirit and requireth the same in them that worship him Hebr. 12.14 And without this no man shall see him 2. The corrupters of the truth shall be grievously punished howsoever they may for a time by subtiltie cover their deceit and draw many into their snares 3. That God is ready to forgive most vile sinners if they truelie repent XVII Arg. of Chr. deity Lastly here we have the seventeenth argument of the deitie of Christ in that he threatneth to punish these wicked deceivers for none but God onelie is able to doe it and therfore it manifesteth his divine omnipotencie That which the hereticke objects concerning Moses striking the Aegyptians with plagues is of no waight neither of Peter his slaying of Ananias Nor Pauls striking Elymas with blindenesse For we know that the Prophets and Apostles wrought miracles not of themselves but by the power of God Wheras Christ threatens to doe this by his owne power Io. 5.19 Mat 10.1 16.17 For whatsoever things the Father doth these also doth the Son likewise Yea the Son giveth power unto others to doe the like things And all the Churches shall know The end and use of Gods vengeance on sinners is to declare both his omniscience of the hidde things of the hart as also his omnipotencie and Iustice in rendring to evry one according to his workes Even as God said to Pharoah Exo. 9.16 Rom. 9.17 And in very deed for this cause have I raysed thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth Thus the lord by threatning cals sinners to repentance by Iudgments punisheth the obstinate and hereby declareth his wisedome power and Iustice unto all Now it is not without cause that Christ attributes to himselfe the knowledge of hidden things for seeing this wicked woman beguiled many by couveringe her uncleane actions under a pretence of holinesse Christ therefore here declares that none of her wayes were hidden from his eyes Hence we observe in the first place that one principal end of Gods exemplarie punishing of the wicked is that all the Churches may acknowledge declare the wisedome power and Iustice of God Thus we se how profitable it is that publike examples are propounded before our eyes to the end we may take notice of the judgments of God beware least by the like wickednesse we stirre up his wrath against our owne soules XVIII Argu of Chr. deity Secondly here is offred unto us the eighteenth argument excellently proving the divinity of Christ For here Christ will be acknowledged to be the searcher of the heart and reynes which the scripture ascribeth unto God alone For the righteous God trieth the heart and reynes Psa 7.9 1. King 8.39 1 King 16 7. Give unto every man according to his wayes whose heart thou knowest Thou alone knowest the hearts of all the sonnes of men see also 1. Chro. 28. Iere. 11.20 and 17.10 and 20.12 Eniedinus the Samosatenian objecteth in the first place that the searching of the heart and reines doth not here signifie a knowledge of the thoughts But rather a most equal and just administration of judgment by Christ and so it proveth not that he is true God I answer The antecedent is a manifest and bold corrupting of the text For the divine attribute which elsewhere is ascribed to Jehova is here without any limitation and in the verie same words applied unto Christ not onely in regard of the administration of his righteous judgments but also as he is the searcher of the heart and therefore must necessarily be taken in one and the same sence But again he objecteth That Christ hath received all his knowledge judgment yea and himself too from the Father as he confesseth Io. 5. Rev. 5.11 here v. 27. as I have received from my Father so that he is not the same God with the Father I answer he deceiveth by an equivocation For Christ receiveth all things from the father two maner of wayes Io 1.14 Prov. 8.25 God the sonne hath received his divine essence from the Father by eternal generation for he is the onely begotten of the Father before the mountaines were setled So that with his divine essence he received his divine omniscience But as he is man he received all his power and glorie in time by his reall exaltation so far forth as consisted with the nature and perfection of his manhood in this latter respect we confesse he is not God notwithstanding it is false to affirme that he is not God in the former for howsoever in this respect he hath received all things from the Father yet whatsoever is divine the Sonne hath it by his owne essence even as the Father Because the Father hath given to the Sonne to have life in himself as the Father hath life in himself See Damascenus lib. 4. Orth. fid cap. 19. Thirdly he objecteth that many Prophets and Apostles knew the hearts of men also Io. 5.26 I answer Eyther this or that of Salomon is false Thou onely knowest the hearts of all men 1 King 8.39 God indeed did reveal some things not al things unto Elisha Peter and Paul but not the knowledge of the hearts To be short none of them did or could say that he was the searcher of the reynes and heart as Christ here saith And all the Churches shal know that I am the searcher of the reynes hearts 24. But unto you I say The fourth part of the narration is an exhortation and here he turnes aside from the Pastor before commended and reproved and from the deceivers threatned and speakes to the rest of the Church in Thyatira and exhorts such as were godly among them and had not harkened unto the false teachers to go foreward and continue in the Apostles doctrine And hence again it appeareth that these Epistles were written not to the officers alone but to all the Churches The Vulgar as also Andreas and Montanus read it without the copulative but to you the rest but the other Greeke copies have it to you and to the rest as if he had said to thee o Pastor and to thy fellow officers and to the resâ—â—f the Church But the sence is the same For the Pastor also was one of those which held not the doctrine of Jezabel although indeed he was to negligent in repressing of the same This doctrine To wit of Jezabel and the Nicolaitans concerning fornication and communicating with Idolaters And which have not knowen This is an Hebrue phrase and signifies who have not approved The depth of Satan So these deceivers called their blasphemies as being deep mysteries and hidden wisedome and things more excellent then ever the Apostles taught Now Christ graunteth they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 depths but such as had their original
Epistle to the Bishop in Sardis 1. And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis write these things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God and the seven starres I know thy workes that thou hast a name that thon livest and art dead 2. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remaine that are readie to dye for I have not found thy workes perfect before God 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent If therefore thou shalt not watch I will come on thee as a thiefe and thou shalt not know what hower I will come upon thee 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments and they shall walke with mee in white for they are worthy 5. He that overcommeth the same shall be cloathed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the booke of life but I will confesse his name before my father and before his Angels 6. He that hath an eare let him heare what the spirit saith unto the Churches THE COMMENTARIE VNnto the Angel of the Church in Sardis By the name Angel as we have formerlie shewed is noted the Pastor of the Church and not him onely but the rest of the officers yea and the whole Church for it seemeth they were all alike faulty according to that of Iesus the Sonne of Sirach As the judge of the people is himselfe so are his officers and what manner of man the ruler of the citie is such are all they that dwel therein Sirac 10.2 And therefore whatsoever is amisse in the people is imputed to the negligence of the Pastor and what is good in them to his prayse and commendation Some old writers affirme that Melito was Bishop in Sardis of whom Eusebius maketh mention lib. 4. hist cap. 26. But neyther the argument of the Epistle nor time when it was written doth agree hereunto For Melito is commended for his sanctitie martyrdome this teacher is accused of hypocrisie negligence Moreover Melito was Bishop of Sardis in the raigne of Antoninus Pius unto whom Iustine Martyr dedicated his second Apologie in behalf of the Christians This Anton raigned more then sixty yeeres after Domitian in whose time John being banished into Patmos wrote the Revelation Now it is not probable that Melito should so long continue pastor in Sardis although in al likelihood Polycarpus all this time was teacher in Smyrna see cha 2.8 Therfore howbeit it be uncercaine who he was not beeing named yet Christ sharply reprooves him for his hypocrisie and negligence Hence observe how vainly the Romish Parasites boast as if the Pope and his adherents can not erre in matters of faith seing two onelie of the seven teachers of Asia are commended for their sinceritie in life and doctrine the rest accused by Christ eyther of foule hypocrisie Hor in Epist quid concinua samos quid Craesi regia Sardis or of the haeresie of the Nicolaitans In Sardis The famous and sometime royal citie of Croesus seated as Plinie writeth on the side of the mountaine Tmolus of which I have before spoken but here again repeat it least some might be mistaken as those who thinke that the Synod called Sardicensis held in the eleventh yeare of Constantine was in this citie For Sardica was a towne in Illyria to which place came all the easterne westerne Bishops by the commandement of Constans Constantius Emperors But this Epistle was not written to the Angel in Sardica but in Sardis It consisteth of a preface a narration and a conclusion The preface by two epithites declareth the majestie of Christ the author of this epistle and his care for the Church he is said to have the seven spirits of God and the seven starres to wit in his right hand as in chap. 2.2 from whence it might seeme that the words the seven starres were taken and here misplaced but the consent of all copies is to be allowed By the starres the teachers are signifyed as chap. 1.20 But in the description of Christ cha 1.20 there is no mention made of the seven spirits therfore some have thought that they are the seven spirits mentioned cha 1.4 but seing these spirits are joyned with the seven starres that is the Bishops of the Churches I therfore judge that these seven spirits are Angels properlie so called because Christ imployeth them together with the ministers of the Churches for the welfare of them that are heires of salvation see cha 1.4 Neyther doth the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the seven spirits contradict this exposition for in cha 17.1 the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also put before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wil shew thee the Iudgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whore of whom notwithstanding there was no mention before see our exposition on that place Thus we see that Christ hath the seven spirits of God in his hand that is all the Angels who readilie doe his commandements and judgements both in defending of the godly and punishing of the wicked he hath also in his hand the seven starres that is all the ministers officers of his Church that so through his grace they may shine like starres in sinceritie of life and puritie of doctrine before their flockes For as Christ is the author of the ministry so hath he given it unto the Church worketh so powerfully in by the same that hereby he both gathereth preserveth continually a Church among men according to that of Ioh. 15.6 I have ordained you that you should goe bring forth fruit that your fruit should remaine Now touching the ordaining governing of the starres whither it be taken properly or improperly XIX Arg. of Chr. deity it is onely the powerful worke of God And therfore these Epithites doe plainly yeild unto us a nynteenth argument to prove the deity and omnipotencie of Christ our Lord. J know thy workes The first part of the narration is a reproofe of the secret hypocrisie in the heart life of this teacher Thy works that is I see al the indeavours cariage both of thy private life publick ministry I know thy hidden hypocrisie for so he explaineth it thou hast a name that thou livest art dead that is thou art generally reputed to be a faithful godly teacher but thou art an hypocrite as beeing destitute of faith and true holines so dead that is as a painted sepulchre before the Lord guiltie of death although thou seemest to be alive holy before men Hence we learne three remarkeable pointes The first is an evident argument of Christs divinitie For if Christ so knowes all our workes as that he discerneth betwixt true godlines and hypocrisie the dead and living members of the Church true pastors and hypocrites then certainly he tryeth the heart of man which is onely proper to God
and is not communicable to any creature no not unto the Angels Which further confirmeth the X. and XVIII argument before mentioned Secondly we are taught that all who professe the truth and make a shew of holines are not truely faithful and regenerate persons but many of them are hypocrites and deceivers as being farre otherwise then they are accounted of for hypocrisie is an outward shew of inward holinesse or a profession of faith with the mouth beeing in the mean time destitute thereof in the heart And hence we may conclude that a bare profession argues not true faith as the patrones of hypocrites affirme whereby they oftentimes delude themselves others Act. 8.13 Simon Magus is said to beleeve Therfore say they some who professe have true faith may fall away and perish But this place shewes us that many are inwardly dead who outwardly seem to be alive being with Ananias the hie Priest whyted walls Act 23.3 Matt. 23.27 Mat. 8.22 1 Tim. 5.6 with the Pharises painted sepulchres spiritually dead as Christ spake to the yong man let the dead burie the dead And Paul speaketh of some wanton widowes who are dead while they live yea all men considered in their natural condition are dead in trespasses and sinnes To be short many have faith without love which is dead a faith which the Devils also have Thus we se in scripture how they are said not onely to be dead who are deprived of naturall life but also not beeing regenerated to a spirituall or who are sincere in appearance onely and not in truth Let us therfore take notice that all are not godly who seem so to be neyther shall all they who say Lord Lord enter into the kingdome of God for the Church consisteth of a mixture of saintes and hypocrites and this difference is not onely in the laitie but chiefly in the Clergie as they call it that is many who in sheeps cloathing seem to be true Pastors teachers are in truth but mercenarie wolves and howsoever these may deceive men yet Christ knowes them And therfore let not the Bishops of Antichrist thinke to blinde the eyes of Christ with their titles mitres and royal robes The consideration of this informeth us in the first place of the divers condition of the Church in this world For many are called to be members of the Church whereof some are good others bad some saintes others hypocrites like as the net takes in al manner of fishes But howsoever the faintes elected are not knowen of men yet God Christ doe discerne them For the Lord knoweth who are his Therefore let every one try and examine himself whether he be dead or alive for hypocrites deceive not God but man their owne soules Wherfore let us shun hypocrisie even as a pest remembring what Ambrose admonisheth not to rest contented with a bare name in the mean while to be greevously guilty or with the hight of honour while we abound in sins or with a profession of Godlinesse while our actions are devilish For otherwise we should onely have a name to live when in deed we are but dead Lastly observe that the efficacie of the ministry doth not depend upon the goodnes of the minister For God doth sometime vivifie and governe his Church by dead officers as we have here an example which serves to confute the Donalists and Popish Sophisters who maintaine that there was not any Church of the elect untill the time of Luther in the Papacie but themselves except we wil acknowledge their Bishops for other there were none to have been approved of by the Lord. 2. Bee watchfull The second part of the narration is an exhortation admonishing the Angel in Sardis of divers things to the end he might purge himself from the crime of hypocrisie and withal he is threatned to be punished except he doe repent First he is commanded to shake of that hypocritical drowsines into which he was fallen Be watchful that is stirre thy self up for he is not onely required to be more faithfull and careful over the Church then formerly he had been but also called upon as it were to live againe for so faith Christ but thou art dead Now death in scripture is frequently compared to a sleep so that this place and that of the Apostle speaking unto men fallen into a deep sleep of sin is of the like interpretation Ephe. 14 A wake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Not as if wee could of our selves arise from the death of sin for this is a worke of Grace but because the Lord by his precept powerfully worketh in us that which he requireth of us and by the operation of his owne spirit rayseth us up beeing asleep in sin unto newnes of life And strengthen the things Or rather strengthen the rest that is such dying members of the Church as are committed unto thy charge who because of thy negligence decay both in faith and holinesse For it is no wonder that a Church should fal into a deadnesse and securitie while the officers therof are asleep Christ therfore commâ—ndeth him to strengthen them that is to labour by a holie life and doctrine to bring them againe into the way of life That are ready to dy in Gre. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that shall dy that is which are near unto death like as in Luk. 7.2 it is said of the centurions servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he should dy that is was ready to dy So these here were near unto death though not altogither dead and therfore the Pastor is exhorted carefully and speedily to put to his helping hand for their recoverie This care the Apostle recommendeth unto all the faithful Rom. 14.2 namely to receive them that are weake in the faith And therfore it is a speciall dutie of the ministers of God who are spirituall physitians to applie to Christs weaklings the holesome medicines of Gods word 1 Tim. 2.9 for otherwise God saith unto them by the prophet forasmuch as ye have not strengthened the diseased Ezec. 34.4 nor healed that which was sick nor bound up that which was broken nor sought that which was lost c. Behold I am against the shepheards and I will require my flock at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding my flock Montanus reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which thou art ready to lose that is destroy by thy negligence which is a more heavie expression For I have not found thy workes perfect These words containe a reason wherfore God requires him to be watchfull But it may seem that this reproofe is not equal just 1 Cor. 13.9 considering that no mans workes on earth are perfect before God if he should enter into Iudgment with us for we know but in part we prophesie in part and there is not a just man on earth that doth good Eccle. 7.20 and
the publick abuses of the times even unto blood Moreover as this commendation was comfortable to the Godly so it did tend to the great shame of the Pastor Therfore least the faithful should have thought that Christ also was wroth with them they are by name to the others disgrace much commended for their constancie Now what is more dishonorable then that the disciples should in doctrine excel their teacher and the sheep the Pastor in sinceritie of life Names That is persons as Act. 1.15 there were a hundred and twentie names So Reve. 11.13 there were slaine 7000 names A few For manie are called but few are chosen almost in everie congregation We ought not therefore to be offended at the paucitie of the faithfull and the multitude of the ungodly The Papists indeed glory in their multitude and write volumes in praise of the largenes of the Romish Church upbraiding us because of our fewnesse but here we see how in Sardis there were many hypocrites a few names onely who were not defiled Here againe we have a cleare proofe of Christ divinitie in that he is said to know these few names in Sardis the truth is he knowes all the faithful and discerneth them from hypocrites 2. Tim. 2.19 which is a worke onely proper to God for the Lord knoweth who are his see arguments X. and XVIII Who have not defiled their garments Their constant sinceritie is set forth by this Metaphor and by Garments is meant thus much as their bodies were not polluted with the filthie manner and lusts of the Nicolaitans so neither were their soules stained with their impious doctrine Alike Metaphor the Apostle useth 1. Thessa 4.4 That every one should know how to posses his vessel that is his soule and bodie in sanctification and in honour not in the lust of concupiscence for this is the will of God He. 12.14 even your sanctification and without this no man shall see him Now Christ acknowledged them holy and undefiled not as if they were altogither unreprovable but because they persevered in faith and holinesse of life not withstanding the neglect of the Pastor and the manifold evil examples round about them And they shall walke with mee As hypocrites are threatned with punishment so the Godly are incouraged with promises of reward In white What may this bee by this Metaphor is signified a heavenlie triumph a kingdome and glorie to come It is taken from the state of kings the great honour given unto mightie conquerours With such royal apparell Herod was cloathed when he sate on his throne Act. 12.21 and God smote him dead for his pride So in scorne they clothed Christ the king of Glorie Lu. 23.11 It also was ancientlie a custome to cloath the Conquerours with a white garment To be short white garments for their brightnesse were signes of Glorie here then Metaphorically the glorie of the saintes is promised Thus it is said v. 5. He that overcommeth the same shal be cloathed in white raiment Rev. 7.11 White robes are given unto the elect standing before the throne and chap. 19.14 the armies of Christ are cloathed in fine linnen white and cleane But it may be said seeing their garments were now already pure undefiled 2. Cor. 5.2 therefore they needed not to be cloathed in white To this the Apostle answereth we groane earnestly desiring to be cloathed that we be not found naked For the puritie and righteousnesse of the saintes on earth can not abide the judgment of God therefore they must be cloathed with the perfect robes of absolute innocencie ere they can stand before his majestie With me They shal be partakers of my glorie If the raiment of Christ Mat. 17.2 on the mount was white as the light how much more doth he now shine beeing exalted Yet so wil he cloath the saintes for they shall shine as the sunne according to that proportion which is betwixt the head and the members And hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with me may also be translated after me as if he should say ye shal be cloathed in white next unto mee And they shal walke Beza translates it and therfore they shal walke which indeed expresseth the sence but not the words of the text For they are worthie To wit to walke with me in white the argument is taken from the equitie of it Thus doe the messengers of the Centurion beseech Christ to heal his servant because he was worthie Luk. 7.3 But this seemeth to establish the doctrine of merits for dignitie comes by vertue For if we shall walke in white because of our worthinesse then we deserve the same for our workes sake I answer the assumption is false for the scripture no where saith because of our worthines or workes but when soever it mentioneth the judgement of God we are said to receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of workes least we should conceive any opinion of meriting by them which Christ expresly denieth Luk. 17. v. 10. When ye have done all those things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our dutie to doe We therfore shal walke in white not because of our worthinesse but according to it for the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for doth not signifie any cause of merit but a qualitie agreeing with the justice of God that is shewing not why but who they are that shall walke with Christ according to that in Mat. 5.3 blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven c. as if he had said because unto such the kingdome of heaven is freely promised But againe though the assumption were granted yet would not the proposition be universally true For dignitie in its kinde doth not alwayes proceed from vertue but somtimes from dutie without vertue So Nero had honour and was worthie of honour in regard of dutie but not in regard of any vertue in him So in particular our worthinesse before God is not because of the worthinesse of our workes but of grace by which he maketh us worthy by calling justifying and glorifying of us As the Apostle plainly teacheth us 2. Thess 1.5 where after he had said that the tribulations of the Godly were a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God that they might be counted worthy of the kingdome of God least this should be misaplyed to a worthynesse of merit he prayeth v. 11. that God would count them worthy of this calling As none therfore deserve or are worthy to be called of God so neyther doth our worthinesse prove any thing for the doctrine of merit If they object from chap. 16.6 For they are worthy that as there the deserved cause of punishment is of themselves so here the meritorious cause of reward The consequence wil not follow from the rule of contraries for the comparisons are not alike
workes And this he doth to stirre them up to a cheerfull going foreward in wel dooing for the prayse of vertue increaseth it and honour provokes men to vertuous enterprises Ovid. li. 4. de pont As the Poet speaketh Secondly in special because he had kept his word and not denyed his name Thus as in the first he is commended for his sinceritie in doctrine so in the latter for his constant profession of the same before the adversarie These two things are required of all Christians but Especiallie of Gods ministers namely to keep the faith of Christ entire and not to corrupt the same by humane inventions and 2. not to forsake the profession thereof in any estate or condition Ro. 10.10 For with the hart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation But least this holie teacher should be lifted up to thinke he did these things by his owne strengeth Christ therfore ascribes both the first constitution of this Church as also the constancie of Pastor and people therin to his grace alone behold I have set before thee an open doore that is It is not by thy own power that the congregation over which thou art embraceth the truth taught by thee or that thou thy self standest fast in the faith against all the threats of the adversaries who dayly labour to shut this open doore for thou hast little strength that is little or no outward help and assistance but it is I who have set an open doore before thee It is I who have opened it by my own power and hence the enemies neither have nor ever shall be able to shut the same Thus we se that which before was indefinitely spoken of Christs shutting and opening is here in perticular applyed to the Philadelphians J have set before thee an open doore I am not ignorant how these words for thou hast a little strength may be taken in another sence And some indeed doe expound them adversitivelie as if they deserved the greater commendation for their constancie in their affliction seing they had but a little strength that is destitute of humane protection But then the causal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for should bee a reason of the latter that is wherfore he had kept the word which is repugnant to the scope of the commendation for it is manifestly a reason of the former namely wherfore Christ had opened a doore unto him which no man should bee able to shut Others again understand it as spoken for his comfort as if Christ had said I have gathered unto my self a Church in this citie in the midst of many adversaries over which I have appointed thee a Pastor and howsoever thou hast but a little strength to resist them notwithstanding I will so protect both thee and thy congregation as that no man shall bee able to shut that is to subvert the same or expell the faithfull out of this place Which interpretation I confesse containes much excellent comfort both for the Pastor and people but considering that the Epistle as yet treates not of consolations I therfore allow rather the first exposition Now touching this manner of speech An open doore by a Metaphor is signified an occasion offered of wel dooing that is an opportunitie of preaching and propagating the Gospel for as a man goes into the house the doore being opened even so when the Lord gives passage to the Gospel Churches are planted propagated according to that of the Apostle When I came to Troas to preach the Gospel 2 Cor. 2 12 a doore was opened to mee of the Lord and 1. Cor. 16.12 a great door and effectuall is opened to me c. Hence chiefly we are taught two things First this again proves the divinitie of Christ for whereas he both knoweth the workes of the faithful and openeth a doore to his Church as also restraines the power of the adversaries that notwithstanding all their malice and rage yet can they not shut the same it clearelie shewes that he is God onely wise and omnipotent And therfore as Christ our Lord by his mightie workes XXII Arg. of Chr. deity proved against the blasphemous Jewes that he was God Joh. 10.38 so are we bound from his powrful gathering and preserving of this Church to beleeve the same The cavill of some hereticks is of no waight who pretend that Christ doth these workes by a power communicated unto him of the father I answer he doth it by his divine and essentiall omnipotencie which he hath received from the father by eternall generation for whatsoever the father hath is Christs Ioh. 16.15 Io. 5.9 and whatsoever things hee doeth these also doth the son likewise Not as if the power of the Father were uncreated Christs created but both the Father and the Son worke by the same divine and uncreated power For the Son doeth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alike with the Father Secondly as Christ of old opened a doore for the passage of the Gospel and no power of malice of men nor Devils could any way hinder the same so considering at this day that among so manie enemies a doore is opened unto the Churches in Germanie England Poland Hungarie c. we ought to acknowledge that this happeneth not by chance nor ascribe it to the industrie of teachers prudencie of politicians or the power of princes but unto the grace efficacie presence and power of Christ alone for certainly the strength of Christians hath been little or nothing to resist the tyrannical persecution cruell edicts and horrible torments by which Antichrist hath laboured but in vain utterlie to deface our Christian faith but by how much they have sought to presse it downe by so much like unto the palme tree it hath flourished more and more because Christ by his divine power having opened this doore Antichrist was not able to shut the same And indeed it is a thing admirable in our eyes that some few Monkes and despised teachers should by the contemptible preaching of the Gospel so shake the kingdome of the Beast howbeit supported with the aid and power of the kings and Emperors of the earth on all sides as that whole nations of the Christian world should turne from Antichrist to Christ our Lord. Now this beeing come to passe we may not thinke that either teachers kings or princes have opened the doore but because Christ powerfullie reigning at the right hand of God hath so effected the same as that none was able to hinder it Let us therfore bee truelie thankful unto Christ for so great a mercie and divine miracle humbly beseeching him to keep this doore still open unto us not suffering it to be shut for our unthankfulnes or his sheep to be scattered by the enemies but that hee graciously preserve his Churches by dwelling among them 9. And I wil make them of the Synagogue of Satan Gr. I give them The second part is a
are left in their unwillingnesse is the free mercie and grace of Christ by which we are differenced and made better then others according as it is here said I wil make them to come c. 1. Cor. 4.7 Rom. 9.18 and again who hath made thee to differ for he hath mercie on whom he will have mercie and whom he will he hardeneth Here fals in a question how Christ makes us to come to worship The Sophisters who plead for free-will confesse indeed that this is a worke of grace and without which no man can come notwithstanding they affirme that a man before hee is in the state of grace hath a free-wil to doe good although weak and sleepie which will say they by grace is awakened and strengthened and so it cooperates with grace yea prevents it in the verie act of conversion beeing as it were a co-working cause as when two horses draw a chariot or two men togither carie some waightie burden Moreover they affirme that free-will is like a seeing man who albeit in the darke he discernes nothing by reason of the indisposition of the means yet beeing brought into the light he presentlie discerneth every thing So likewise they discourse much though differing among themselves of the sympathie or agreement betwixt grace and the will The Scotists will have grace to worke nothing on the will but to have its influences on the effects But the Iesuites with Thomas affirme the contrarie that grace workes upon the will yet so as by an indifferent influence and so is distinguished from it according as the will is eyther good or evill But herein they all agree that grace is onelie perswasive such as is the motion of Orators unto their auditorie unto which the will if it will eyther doth or doth not give efficacie and entertainment Ephes 2.1 Ier. 13.23 1 Cor. 2.14 which was the heresie of Pelagius Now on the contrarie the scripture teacheth that the naturall man lies dead in sinne and is like unto an Ethiopian who cannot change his skin or a Leopard which cannot cast off his spots hee receives not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him Everie imagination of the thought of his heart is onely evil continually Gen. 6.5 8.21 Rom. 8.6 thus we see that mans free wil is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be For his blinde and erroneous minde cannot bring spirituall things savinglie unto the will neyther can his corrupt wil refuse that which is evil as evil but on the contrarie chooseth and delighteth in it as if it were good And therfore seeing that such is the corruption of our will and faculties as that it is Christ who makes us to come unto him and the Father drawes unto Christ none can affirme that the grace of conversion is onely an indifferent influence or mâ—â—all perswasion but with blasphemie against God But they further object that free-will makes man to differ from the beast that perisheth and therfore sin could not take it away without the destruction of nature wherby man should become an unreasonable creature I answer It is true if it be meant of free-will absolutely But what is that to the purpose we deny not free-will absolutely for without it a man should bee no more a man but a verie beast But we deny that a natural man hath a free and understanding will unto that which is good in things appertaining to God because the scripture in this pronounceth man blinde and a servant to that which is evil yea to be dead in sinnes and altogither disobedient unto God And therfore that we may come unto Christ wee have need not onely of perswasive motions but also of an effectuall worke of grace by which the Lord illuminateth draweth and regenerateth us that so we may become new creatures but what need have we to use many words the sum of all is this The natural man is dead in sin and God gives us both the will and the deed Christ makes us to come unto him what now is there left unto free will they therfore which establish it against grace doe rob God and Christ of their honour precipitate man by pride into extreem danger and renew the herifie of the Pelagians whatsoever they pretend to the contrarie 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience Now he comforts him in regard of the persecutions at hand of which wee might discourse more fullie if we had the histories of the Church of those times Some understand it of the persecution under the Emperour Trajane Who though he prohibited that Christians should be drawen before the Iudgement seats yet such as were accused he commanded to be put to death as Plinie witnesseth in his epistles Lib. 10. Epist 97. Others applie it to the persecutions of Antichrist wherwith not onely these of Philadelphia but all the saintes upon the face of the whole earth were greevously afflicted but the former opinion is more probable This consolation is also threefold The first is an approbation of their constancie in their former afflictions because thon hast kept my word It is a great comfort unto us to hear that our actions are approved of by men but we ought much more to rejoyce if God approve thereof for this worketh in us an assurance of a good conscience and of the goodnesse of the cause for which we suffer as suffering not as evil doers but as Christians He calleth the doctrine of the Gospel the word of his patience and Paul cals it the word of the crosse because we must take up the crosse of Christ and suffer afflictions patientlie for the profession therof He cals it his patience or sufferance because he first suffered beeing an example unto all them that beleeve in him for through manifold tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God And I will deliver thee a second consolation is a promise of deliverance in the houre of temptation that is of affliction which figuratively is called the temptation of the Godly Now hope of deliverance out of evil causeth constancie because hope maketh not ashamed Unto this hope we are stirred up by laying hold on the promises of God concerning our certaine deliverance which the Lord not onely promiseth here unto this teacher but unto all such as are in the like temptation that is unto all the saintes dispersed throughout the whole earth And therefore it teacheth us to be constant in the day of tryal to expect a ful and perfect freedome by Christ our Lord. But this seemeth to establish the doctrine of merits seeing Christ promiseth deliverance because we keep his word I answer when the scriptures speake of workes reward they usually thus expresse it as because thou hast don this I will multiply thy seed Now we are to know that this argues no mercenary reward due for desert sake But a fatherly though undeserved promise annexed unto the condition of
sufficient for the attaining of spirituall riches And this kind of faith we willinglie graunt to Ribera who here cavils against us Christ therefore mentioneth their pride as another cause for which he will spue them out as appeareth by the causal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because thou sayest that is proudlie boastest therefore I will spue thee out my mouth And knowest not that thou art wretched Here he refuteth their vanity and foolishnes by a contrarie judgement of them For as it is a vaine and foolish thing for a beggar to boast of the riches which he hath not even so is it for men to be lifted up with any confidence of spiritual riches before God seeing in this respect they are altogether destitute And though we may abound in outward goods yet to glorie therin is vanity for they are transitory perish in their use And knowest not Here he sheweth that ignorance is the cause of the pride of hypocrites indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know thy self is a verie hard lesson And therfore there is no better remedie to beat downe our pride then to examine and know our selves That thou art wretched He sheweth us in five epithites what hypocrites are yea what all of us are by nature Wretched Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The natural miserie of all men that is oppressed with calamitie and sicknesse such a thing is hypocrisie and pride before God And miserable Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deprived of mercie without which men must perish for ever And poore Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as destitute of righteousnesse true holines before God as the poore beggar which hath not any thing to supply his necessity And blinde Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one ignorant of his miserable state and condition hypocrites ordinarily are sharpe sighted in wordly matters yea many times they have a large knowledge of divine mysteries not withstanding touching the knowledge of themselves they are as blinde as beetles And naked Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wanting Christ the wedding garment For hypocrites though they be partakers of the Sacraments yet beeing destitute of true faith put not on the Lord Iesus Thus Christ in reproving of these men stirres us up to the knowledge of our owne miserie and the seeking after of Gods mercie for knowledge is the first steppe to salvation 18 J counsell thee to buy of me Gold In the fourth place he prescribeth to such as are desirous of salvation remedies against their evils In which he metaphorically describeth faith and true repentance with the fruit thereof The first is to buy Gold this remedy is opposed to three evils But what can a begger buy without mony with a price indeed not any thing but according to the manner of beggars onely by intreaty prayer to God alluding undoubtedly unto the prophesie of Isay Isai 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters he that hath no money come ye buy eat yea come buy wine milke without mony without price Wherfore doe ye spend mony for that which is no bread Where the Lord teacheth us first that the means necessary to salvation are attained by free grace Secondly he reproveth their hypocrisie who thinke to obtaine it by the merit of workes Lastly the Simonie both of the old Pharisees and new Romanists who sell heaven for mony also their foolishnes who bestow gold on such trash is here condemned But on the contrarie he commandeth them to buy Gold tryed in the fire by which some understand the word of God Psa 12 7. 119.127 1 Pet. 1.7 purer then silver tryed seven times in a fornace to be desired above gold yea above most fine gold Others understand it of faith by which onely we are made partakers of all heavenly blessings The which being tryed by the fire of afflictions is much more precious then gold that perisheth Both these interpretations are sound For Christ sends hypocrites to the law the Gospell by which we come to know our owne misery want which causeth contrition uncovers the maske of hypocrisie stirres up earnest desire for grace workes in us confidence in the mercie of God And by faith the forgivenesse of our sins righteousnes sanctification eternal salvation is obtained through Christ Iesus Buy of me A worthy sentence Christ is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or merchant who alone dealeth in the heavenlie merchandise of our salvation offering the same unto us in the Gospel not for a price or in regard of workes sake but freely to be obtained by faith prayer Here is that Monopolie of Christ our lord without which there is no salvation They therfore who look to be saved by saintes shall misse of their expectation and so shal all who give credit to the indulgences of Antichrist setting heaven to sale for mony XXIV Argu. of Chr. deity This therfore is a XXIV argument proving the Godhead of Christ For that which is here ascribed to Christ is by the prophet attributed to Iehovah God That thou mayest be made rich They who posses much gold are accounted rich in the world now it is not gold but faith by which we posses Christ with all his treasure that makes us rich in Gods account And white raâ—â—ent This is opposed as a remedie to the fift evill having bought gold of Christ we must also buy white raiment For he saith that we are both poore and naked and therfore as we stand in need of gold to supply our poverty so likewise raiment to cover our nakednes What is meant by raiment appeares by the effects namely the covering of our filthie nakednes that is the deformitie and guilt of sinne the which cannot be covered by any righteousnes or merit of our own Isai 64.6 Because all our righteousnes is as filthie cloutes in the sight of God Now Christ with his righteousnes is this white and impolluted garment which is put on by faith and in a speciall manner received of the faithfull in the sacraments Thus we see that to buy white raiments is by faith to seek for appropriate unto our soules righteousnes and salvation in and through the alone merit of Christ It is called white because it is purified in the blood of Christ that immaculate and undefiled lambe for whitenes doth denote puritie And he seems to allude to the manner of the Romanes called candidati who seeking for any office or dignity in the common wealth Vide Cicer. pro Mur. came clothed in white apparel to the place of election by their garments testifying the integrity which becommeth magistrates The white garments spoken of in v. 5. denote our being made partakers of heavenly glorie but not so in this place for the former place hath respect to the reward of victory after this life but here he speakes of white raiment with which we must be cloathed in this life that so we
endure but for a moment neyther shall Antichrist rage according to his full desire but he shal be be limited according to the decree and purpose of God who hath determined the number of martyrs which number beeing once accomplished not one drop of blood shall more be spilt by him And last of all their fellow servants and bretheren which should be killed shall also be gathered under the same Altar to pertake with them of the same blessednes Now Antichrists time is said to be short or for a little season after the maner of the scripture which speaking of the last times compare them as it were unto an houre in comparison eyther of eternitie or the age of the world alreadie past We are taught therefore in the first place that God doth alwayes heare the prayers of his children although touching their deliverance hee reserve the time and manner thereof unto himselfe as best knowing when and how to dispose of all things for their good Secondlie the blasphemies outragious cruelties of the wicked are never forgotten of God but vengeance certainlie is prepared for them however he forbeares them for a time Thirdly the goodnesse of God is the cause of this forbearance Rom. 2.4 As to lead men unto repentance so also that the full number of martyrs may be accomplished And for this cause no doubt the Lord suffered the Romanes Vandales Gothes and other tyrants by the space of six hundred years to shed much blood though no more then was appointed of the saintes for the confirmation of the Christian religion And no otherwise he decreed but from that time unto the end of the world many should suffer under Antichrist for the same causet that so the judgement of the whore might be the more intollerable Hence we may not thinke that either the Churches sufferings under Antichrist were unknown unto the Lord or happened against his will but rather came to passe by his most wise counsell in which we ought to rest never to be scandalised at his fury nor rage of any of his instruments but to rest in the worke of God if so be he have appointed eyther thee or mee to be among the number of the martyrs To be short here we see that there is a communion between the saints in heaven those on earth For we are brethren fellow servants neyther are they our lords Chap. 19.10 22.9 and patrones as Idolaters imagine And beeing fellow servants they no lesse refuse divine worship then did the Angel who forbade Iohn to worship him saying See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow servant Worship God But say they they pray for us therfore we may pray to them I answer were this true yet it would not follow The reason is because there is a great difference betwixt praying for others and to be prayed unto To pray one for an other is a dutie of charity and common unto all the faithfull But to be religiouslie invocated upon is a worship due to God alone according unto the commandement Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God Mat. 4.10 him onely shalt thou serve And the reason is because God alone is omniscient omnipotēt present in al places hearing understanding onely able to fulfil the desires of his people But now the heavely Angels glorified spirits are neyther omniscient to behold all our actions nor omnipotent as able to helpe us nor can they be present with us in all places Besides it is uncertaine The intercession of saintes is here not proved but condemned yea false that the saintes doe at al intercede for us neyther can any such thing be proved from this place For the soules of these martyrs pray not for their fellow servants but to have their owne blood avenged nay they knew not who they were for else they would not have desired a hastening of divine wrath neyther at the instant was their request granted but deferred to the time appointed of God To all which we may adde that from visions allegories no doctrines can or ought to be drawen repugnant to the word of God as this is concerning praying to the saintes 1 Tim. 26. 1 Ioh. 2.2 Rom. 8.34 for it is derogatory unto the honour of Christ who according to the scriptures is our onely advocate in heaven There is one mediatour betwixt God Man the Man Christ Jesus And we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Iust And he maketh request for us Now if the saintes were also our advocates then should not Christ be the onelie mediatour betwixt God Man In deed we doubt not but the soules of the saintes in a general way doe know the afflicted condition of the Church here and desire her deliverance But in speciall to know our affaires they doe not nor cannot They see say they in God as in a glasse or by a reflection all our affaires here but this is a mere fiction Isai 63.16 contrarie to the scriptures Abraham knowes us not Israel is ignorant of us But thou Jehovah art our God and Father But they further object They love us therefore they pray for us I answer It is true yet they love Christ more then us and therfore they will not intercede for us to derogate from Christ as if his intercession were insufficient or that he were asleep while he is called upon But say they the saints in praying for us derogate not frō Christ seeing the prayer of the saintes each for other on earth is no way derogatorie unto him I answer the reason is not alike for the glorified saints cannot intercede in Christs presence without great dishonour to him but the others beeing yet in the bodie are bound having a commandement to pray one for an other Iam. 5.16 which the saintes in heaven have not yea say they they have for Paul bids the Hebrewes to pray for him Heb. 12.28 I answer The Hebrewes of whom this duty of love is required were not in heaven but here in an earthly warfare Besides if this commandement did tie the saintes in heaven then also are they bound to pray each for other which is absurd and false To be short who doth not understand that those whom the Pope canonizeth for saintes are as they say spokesmen before God for others and howsoever they may not be worshipped as Gods yet as Advocates that is with a lesse kinde of worship Now who I say doth not see that all this is taken from Apuleius and the followers of Plato who fained that their daemons whom they called Gods were Lib. 8. de civit Dei cap. 22. Ibid. cap. 23. as it were messengers between the upper Gods and men carying up their petitions to them and bringing downe aide and succour from them to men So that they pretended not to worship them as Gods which subtilty of theirs Augustine thus refuteth Apuleius saith he denies them to be Gods But in
the living God to whom he graciously communicates himself Let us therefore understand it of the seale spoken of 2 Tim. 2.9 The foundation of God standeth sure having this seale the Lord knoweth who are his and let every one that calleth upon the name of God depart from iniquity This seale Chap. 14.1 is said to be the fathers name written in the foreheads of the saintes First therefore this seale imprinted in the elect is Gods eternal purpose to save them the which however it is not seen by the eye of man yet the elect both discerne and feel the same in their hearts Secondly it is a saving vocation unto faith and wrought externally by the word sacraments internally through the earnest of the spirit Thirdlie it is a true invocation on the name of God that is a sincere profession of the truth by forsaking and detesting al the known wayes of Antichrist To be short it is a true conversion unto the Lord constancy perseverance in the faith of Christ By these notes the sealed ones separate themselves from the dregs of Antichrist and are easily known from all other men therefore they are said to be marked in their foreheads because they are not at all ashamed of their holy profession But wherfore is this marke put upon them The use of their sealing I answere to the end that they may not be hurt by the evil Angels nor seduced by Antichrist led into errour so made partakers of his plagues That Antichrist I say may have no interest in them for beeing sealed they are secure certaine of their salvation in middest of all confusions and ruins This is matter of singular comfort to the elect in that their salvation is certaine that the Lord careth for them Agreeable hereunto is that in Ezec. 9. where the marked ones are preserved while the city in the mean time is destroyed And Rahab having her house marked according to the covenant with the spies escapeth So the Israelites sprinkling their posts with the blood of the Paschal Lamb were delivered while the first born of Egypt perished therfore it is said Rev. 9.4 that the locusts only hurt them which had not the seal of God in the forehead For Antichrist also doth mark his servants with his character as we see Chap. 13. but not to the end they should be preserved but to have power to buy sell his holy wares make marchandise of mens soules trade in his kingdom Now this Character shall not secure them that are marked therwith from destruction but rather draw down Gods judgements upon them for the beast the false prophet all that have received his mark shall be cast into the lake of fire brimstone Rev. 19. 20. And I heard the number of them that were sealed their number is great yet lesse then the number of locusts such as had the mark of the beast in their forehead right hand Nevertheles much greater then men imagine judge a definite for an indefinite For alwayes there have are shall be more witnesses of the truth then Antichrist or the world knowes of a Church I say of sealed ones preserved by thy Lord unto himself as in the time of Elias seven thousand in Israel were reserved who had not bowed the knee to Baal albeit the Prophet then complained that he was onely left The Papists inquire who where the Church was before Luthers time let them receive here an answer from Iohn that when Antichrist thought he had brought al to stoope under him yet then the Lord hath 144000 sealed ones We affirme therfore that a Church of sealed ones was hid in the midst of popery even when the Angels stood on the four corners of the earth to hinder the windes from blowing that is to hinder the course of the Gospel to subject all particular Churches under the power of Antichrist Moreover the number here specified is most perfect twelve ten beeing by the rule of Arithmeticke put together For twelve beeing multiplied by ten makes a hundred twentie ten times a hundred and twentie makes twelve thousand which is the number that was sealed out of each tribe this againe beeing multiplyed by twelve makes a hundred fourtie four thousand which is the compleet number of all them that were sealed For other mysteries I let them passe Out of all the tribes of Israel Ribera understands it literally of the conversion of so many Iewes out of every tribe about the last times under Antichrist proving it from that of the Apostle Rom. 11.26 and so all Israel shall be saved But in this he agrees neyther with himself nor yet with the oracle of Paul For if so bee that all the Iewes shall receive and follow Antichrist as the Messias as the Papists themselves imagine how then shall so many thousand cleave unto Christ And againe if all Israel shall be converted how then shall there bee onely 144000 sealed ones the prophesie of the Apostle I will not here speake of as not appertaining to this place and the rather because in my commentarie on the Romanes I have expounded the same Lyra speakes of the conversion of so many Iewes under Constantine but yet he dares not affirme that such a thing was then accomplished therfore he approves of a mysticall interpretation and applies it to the spirituall Israel that is to such as were converted to the faith of Israel of Christ under Constantine But I have already proved that these things may not be tyed to that time but belong to the ages after under Antichrist There are also some of our interpreters who expound this number 144000 of beleeving Iewes and applie the great multitude spoken of v. 9. to the Church of the gentiles But leaving such mens opinions I follow the exposition of my Anonymus of all the tribes of the children of Israel that is of all nations imitating the faith of Israel because God hath elected some to salvation out of every part of the world Christ also shall have his sealed ones in all places where Antichrist reigneth Besides the beleevers of the Gentiles are often in the new Testament called by the name of Israel as following Israels Abrahams faith Rom. 4. 9.6 For they are not all Israel which are of Israel c. Now these are compared to the twelve tribes of Israel because they succeeded in their place therefore it is said they shall sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel who were apostated from God and Christ The distribution therefore of these sealed ones according to their tribes is not to be taken litterally but by a certaine similitude because God hath substituted other special nations in stead of those apostatical tribes in which he hath a certaine number of sealed ones that is ordained to life eternal And the reason hereof is apparent because the twelve carnall tribes of Israel before the
signes lying wonders in them that peerish The 2 Thes 2.9.10 explained that they should beleeve a ly because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved By which words the Apostle gives us to understand First that Antichrist shall establish his power by cunning and diabolicall deceit Secondly by his tyranny he shall oppresse the greater part of men in the Christian world as not beeing sealed Thirdly that Antichrists followers shall inevitably perish run into destruction Fourthly that their destruction shall be voluntarie and just because they cast off or receive not the love of the truth rather delighting in Popish dreames and Lyes Lastly that under Antichrist there shall be alwayes some sound teachers of the truth who shall suffer grievous contradiction as in Chap. 11.4 5. And it was given them that they should not kill The first limitation of the Locusts power we have heard here is added a SECOND that they should not kill men but torment them also a third limitation not allwayes but for five monthes Behold the wonderfull lenitie of God even in suffering the wicked limiting and moderating their plagues who deserve to be destroyed all at one instant The elect under Antichrists kingdom he altogether preserves from the mortall biting of these scorpions insomuch as wee doubt not but that there are still some godly groaning under his tyrannie in the heart of Popery as in Rome Italie Spaine c. The other idolatrous troop he will not suffer the Locusts suddenly to kill to the end they may have time to repent But onely to torment them that thereby they might be stirred up to seek remedie for their sowles Notwithstanding it seems that not so much a mitigation as an exasperation is signified by the foresaid limitation This torment notes the Ecclesiastical Locusts For it is far worse to bee tormented with a lingring disease then suddenly to perish neyther may we doubt but that by this kinde of hurting is designed not a civill but an Ecclesiastical kinde of Locusts because they shall not kill mens bodies as did the Vandales Gothes and other open tyrants but they shall torment mens soules and consciences torturing them continually as on a rack by their deceitfull doctrines of penance satisfactions purgatorie c. Now what I pray can be spoken more openly against the impostures of that false and Antichristian clergie by which indeed for the present they kill not the bodie but torment the wretched conscience by shewing them remission and explation of sin not in the faith of the Gospell in the mercies of God and in the blood of Christ but in the merits of good workes auricular confessions numbring of sins imposed penance poenal satisfactions going in pilgrimage to the sepulchre of our Lord S. Iames the ladie of Lauretta in travels by sea and land in fasting and abstinence in masses in almes and legasies building of Closters in Moncks coules in whippings in going barefoot lastlie in the Popes jubilees indulgences bought for mony Now what are all these things but the sinful devises of men altogether tending to the wounding of mens consciences and no way serving for the healing and helping of the same Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.9 For in vaine is the Lord worshipped with the doctrines of men This is the miserable rack of the conscience none greater then it nor more dangerous Let the historie of the Romish Church and Emperours be read and there it will appeare that many through the furie and rage of the Locusts have been so stirred up and brought to such madnesse as to quiet their consciences they have of their own accord layd down the government of the Empire and kingdomes put themselves into religious Covents or monasteries built Cloisters and Colledges for Monks with great liberallity thereby to redeeme soules have taken upon themselves religious orders for the expiation of sins have woren either dead or living the cowles or hoodes of begging Fryars but in all these things what could they find or hereby receive but a perpetual torture trouble of conscience a dreafull feare doubt of beeing deceived We need not therefore seek these Locusts among the Vandales Gothes Hunnes Saracens Mahumetans c. For these did promiscuously rage and tyrannise by fire sword against the persons both of the just unjust Besides it is verie cleare by the matter it selfe that Ecclesiastical religious deceivers are here meant who torment indeed continually the fearfull consciences of men with the terrours of hell purgatorie but send them not for releife to Christ by faith but to the Popes lawes that is in stead of Phisick administer poyson and precipitate their soules into the gulfe of finall desperation Moreover we are againe to take notice of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was given which I find to be twenty times repeated in this booke about Antichrists tyranny that so we may understand that he doth not thus rage by chance but as beeing Gods scourge to punish the ingratitude of the Christian world as also that he is bound limited by God and cannot goe bejond the same The which serves for our great comfort Five monthes This is the third limitation of their power serving also for our singular consolation Seeing God hath prefixed a certaine time to these Locusts bejond which they shall not longer rage torment Interpreters discourse diversly about these five monthes Some take it properly for five Aegyptian monthes or an hundred fifty dayes the time that the waters of the flood increased upon the face of the earth some take it for so many yeares Notwithstanding they are much troubled how so short a time should agree to the tyranny either of the Vandales Saracens or Popish clergie Bullingers exposition best agrees with the nature of the place viz. that the mitigation is taken from the age of Locusts which ordinarily is no more then five monthes making the sense to be thus that as the Locusts continew not hurting the whole yeere thorow but sing leap and feed upon the grasse scarsly during the five summer monthes that is from April unto September even so a certaine time is defined to Antichrists seducers after which they shall torment men no more But this seems not to agree with histories For the Pope hath now for a thousand yeeres more sent forth his Locusts to spoile the field of the Church neyther doth the end as yet appeare Yea he shall continue devouring untill he bee consumed by the brightnesse of Christs comming But this no way contradicts what we have before said for what are five monthes with the Lord seeing with him a thousand yeeres are as one day The time therefore of the Locusts is hereby designed not as if it should be no longer then an hundred and fifty dayes or yeeres but because it should be short a definite time being put for an indefinite And thus also Alcasar expounds it indefinitely although contrarie
have prophesied either alone two or few but succeeded one another at severall times in the work of the Lord. Thirdlie The titles of the witnesses are not to be taken literally that these titles are not literally but spiritually accommodated by a certaine similitude unto them because of some proportionable effects between the foresaid prophets and these witnesses For what the former did literallie these later shall doe spiritually Now that all these things are thus to be taken John himselfe shew eth v. 8. calling Rome the seat of Antichrist spiritually Sodome Aegypt Jerusalem As therefore the seat of the beast is to be taken spiritually so also the titles of these witnesses are spiritually to be understood And that especially because these things taken according to the letter for the most part would appear to be eyther absurd or miraculous New miracles the markes of Antichrist But God will not work new miracles because he hath foretold us that new miracles shall be the markes of Antichrist Furthermore the honourable titles given to these witnesses before their martyrdome are chiefly five declaring partly their dignitie partly their prophetical power The which we will briefly consider Clothed with sackcloth The first title declares their contemptible condition in the eyes of worldly men Sackcloth was the habit of mourners as the Ninevites Title of the witnes is their conttemptible habit Daniel Mordecai are said to have mourned in sackcloth Christ speaking of them of Tyre and Sidon saith that they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes It was also the habit of the prophets and now is of poore and despised men Some therefore by their wearing of sackcloth will have the argument of their prophesie to be noted metaleptice Metalepsis is a figure by which a word is put from its proper signification because they shall denounce unto the world mourning and punishments at hand in regard of Antichrists abominations and are to call men unto repentance And indeed rightly may it be thus taken for their prophesie shall consist in preaching of repentance Others interpret it of their own mourning because by their base and mean habit they shall manifest the bitternes and griefe of their mind for the destruction of the Church and horrible blindnesse of the world even as such in old time were in bitternes of spirit who cloathed themselves in sackcloth This also may well stand Notwithstanding I rather take it of the neglected condition of the ministers of the Gospell For sackcloth undoubtedly is opposed to the pompe and luxurie Antichrist and his Locusts These glorious praelates with their soft silken broidered garments of gold and silver bewitch the world whereas on the contrarie these witnesses shal be vile and despised scarsly having whereon to live or cloathe themselves And indeed allmost all the servants of Christ who hitherto have waged warre with the Beast have been abject poor and despised in the eye of the world Bellarmin upbraides us with this sackcloth as beeing an argument of the falsitie of our religion The Patrones of our opinon saith he have been great and worthie men and followed by the whole world but BERENGARIVS was a Deacon a man neglected and having for his followers a few poore Schollers But for our parts wee need not be offended thereat for how contemptuously soever the world judgeth thereof yet the excellencie of the same before God we shall hear by by Neither is Bellarmins taunting worth the answering Lib. 5. de P. R. c. 6. that he never as yet saw any minister of the Gospell clothed in sackcloth For the two witnesses shall no more be literallie cloathed in sackcloth then they shall be literallie two Olive-trees two candlestickes or breach out of their mouth fire therewith to devour the adversaries c. 4. These are those two Olive-trees The other title is the dignitie of the two witnesses opposed to their contemptible condition The dignity of the witnesses They shall not bee therefore neglected of God because the world despiseth them For they are two Olive-trees candlesticks wherby mystically the dignitie of the ministerie of the word is noted as serving in stead of Olive-trees and candlesticks unto the Church An Olive-tree is allwayes green bringing forth most wholesom fruit A candlestick beares up the light by which darknesse is expelled and the whole house enlightned so the ministerie of the witnesses shal be lively efficacious because the Oyle and anointing of the Spirit is powred forth through it on the elect It is known that the grace of the spirit is verie often compared unto Oile especiallie by Iohn in regard of a like efficacie These witnesses therefore shal be Olive-trees powring forth by prophesy spirituall oyle that is they shall be profitable instruments for the salvation of true beleevers They shall also be candlesticks as holding forth the light of Gods word by which they shall drive away Antichristian darknesse and kindle againe the lost light of the Gospell in the Church I said before that this is an allusion unto the type Zach. 4.14 where God saith of Zerubbabel and Iehoshua the two captaines that brought his people back againe These are the two sons of oyle or anointed ones standing before the ruler of the whole earth by which commendatorie title the authority of these two is set forth The two witnesses therefore are two Olive-trees not litterally But first by a certaine metonymia for they are two restorers of the Church from under the bondage and yoke of Antichrist signifyed by these two Olive-trees of old of the Babylonish captivity And secondly by a metaphor for as they rebuilded Ierusalem beeing formerly wasted by the Babylonians repaired the temple and typicall worship so these shall restore the Lords spirituall worship and repaire the holy citie troden under foot by Antichristian Gentiles Now hence it appeareth Vnder the two witnesses and Olive-trees godly princes are also to be understood The dignitie of the witnesses that under these two witnesses godly Kings Princes reformers maintainers of the true religion being nursing fathers to the Church are likewise to be understood For as one of the two Olive-trees was Jehoshua the Priest the other Zerubbabel a civill magistrate or prince who rebuilded the temple and holy citie So God in these last times will raise up besides the teachers and preachers of his word some godly and zealous kings and princes to defend the orthodoxe religion against Antichrist and his followers Standing before the God of the earth By the words of Zacharie chiefly the dignity of the witnesses is set forth In the eyes of the world their sackcloth is vile and contemptible but with God they are in great esteem as most sweet Olive-trees and golden candlesticks or els their fidelitie is noted as performing their ministery faithfullie with great constancie as it were in the sight of God whom no man can deceive Antichrist to mans thinking gloriously reigneth
therfore as eternal life is a gift Eternal life is mercy not merit it is of mercy and not of merit And it is called a reward not due but freely given such a reward as a father gives to his son not as a master unto his hired servant Neither is it contradictorie that the Apostle denies that a reward is given of grace For he denies it of a reward of workes To him that worketh saith he the reward is not imputed of grace but of workes Now we denie that life eternal is said to bee such a reward For not to workers but to beleevers is this reward given They insist out of Thomas Thom. 1. secundae quaest 114. ad 1. that it is not indeed given of debt in order of justice but yet that it is given of debt by divine ordination in as much as every promise becomes a debt I answer That the divine appointment is not that we should by our merits obtaine eternal life or that eternall life should be given to any of merit but Gods appointment according unto the Gospell is this that eternall life bee given not to them that worke but to them that beleeve not of debt but of grace for the gift of God is life eternall Faith works indeed because it is operative through Charitie but it doth not therefore worke that it may merit but to the end that due obedience may be performed to the Lord. For no debt can be said to be a merit But thou wilt say Howfar a promise becomes a debt every promise becomes a debt This is true amongst men with whom there is a natural and legal obligation But that Gods promise should come under the nature of a debt it is false Both because their is no proportion between God who is infinite and a finite creature neyther any obligation on Gods part as also because as wel the promise as the thing promised is of mere grace For it is of grace I say that he promiseth to give whatsoever he doth give he gives it of grace But they say God by promise becomes indebted unto us This Aquinas himself denies saying It followes not that God simply becomes a debtor to us but unto himself Se Bellarm. castigat lib 5. in prooem cap. 3.14.16 de justif And destroy them that destroy the earth The other sort to be judged are such as shal be destroyed with unquencheable fire and eternall torments For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to corrupt is not so to destroy them as if they should cease to be like as it is in naturall corruption the which is motus ab esse ad non esse a dissolution from a beeing to nothing but to thrust them into punishment so as they shal not be blessed but miserable for ever Who destroy the earth A paraphrase of such as are to be destroyed among the number of whom chiessy are tyrants hereticks and both Antichrists The sonne of perdition destroyes the earth who in a speciall manner destroyed the earth that is the inhabitants of the earth by fire sword by destructive lawes and doctrines by wicked manners and examples This is a most proper note of Antichrist who therefore is called the sonn of perdition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because being lost himselfe and devoted to destruction he destroyes the earth like a robber killing soules and drawing men by all deceiveablenes of unrighteousnes and lying signes with himself into eternal destruction So Chap. 19.2 The whore is said to corrupt the earth with her fornication And therefore as Antichrist is a destroyer so he shal be rewarded with a final destruction Hitherto is the description of the last judgement the which by no shew of reason can be applyed to any other thing neyther is it here put by way of anticipation but repeated in a right order as beeing the last Act of the third Vision the which order they who observe not in this book doe vainly weary themselves with many subtilties 19. And the temple of God was opened in heaven Here some begin the following Vision But these things cohere with that which went before For John shewes allegorically the execution of the last judgement viz. the reward of the Saintes and punishment of the wicked The temple of God in heaven That is the Church triumphant in which God dwelleth as in a temple It shall then be opened when the heavenly glorie thereof shal fullie appeare For now indeed it is inward and hid and therefore the magnificence of the temple beeing as it were shut is not perspicuous But then the temple of God shal be opened when the Church shall appear most glorious And the Ark of the testament was seen He persists in the allegory of the ancient temple In the inmost part whereof was kept the Ark of the covenant a type of Christ beeing not to be seen of any save once a yeere by the High priest signifying that Christ of old was hid and as through a lattice the people then had but a smal glimpse of him Vnder the New Testament he appeared in the flesh but in a lowly way neither is his glory yet seen in the Gospel but by faith But after the judgment the Ark of the covenant shall be seen in heaven that is Christ shall so appeare as he is in heavenly glory unto his elect Now we see through a glasse darkly but then we shall see him face to face The sight of God is the Saintes felicity This Vision shal be the Saintes happines viz. when Christ shall present himself to be perfectlie beheld enjoyed and fullie perfect the grace of his covenant And there were lightnings Before Chap. 4.5 in the praeparation of the second Vision there proceeded out of the throne lightnings thundrings voyces and Chap. 8.5 in the praeparation of the third Vision the Censer beeing cast into the earth there were voyces and thunders and lightnings and an earthquake The wickeds pitnishment but in sense far different then it is in the catastrophe or change of this Vision For now John in the description of the last judgement as he shewed the felicity of the Saintes allegorically so he represents the punishments of the wicked metaphorically by the lightnings thunders voyces earthquakes and great haile oppressing them These things shal be the terrible signes of the wrath to come when the heaven earth all the elements shall conspire together to take vengeance on the wicked according to that in the Psalmist Psal 11.6 he will raine upon the wicked snares fire and brimstone wind of burning storms shall be the portion of their cup. Our Tossanus to the same purpose understands here the shaking of the whole frame of this world melting of the elements of which Peter speaketh together with the destruction of the wicked The like is spoken Chap. 16.18 at the powring forth of the seventh Viall in Vision the fift Thus much touching the third Vision
inquisitours all men to worship the first Beast But thou wilt say how is this Beast said to cause the inhabitants of the earth to do that thing now He causeth all to worship the first Beast which they did before and that of their own accord The reason hereof is intimated in the following words Whose former wound was healed that is howsoever the Beasts authority began not a little to be lessened by that wound Neverthelesse by the unwearied endeavours of this Beast which here the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causeth or doth signifies together by his subtilty eloquence and violence it was effected that all men remained constant in adoring the Apostolicall sea But who are these worshippers The earth and the inhabitants thereof Now who and what these are see v. 8. We need not to envie this worship of the Beast seeing that not the salvation of the Elect but only of reprobates shal be in jeoperdy thereby But are al in the Papacy reprobates damned God forbid for even in the midst of Babylon God hath his people Rev. 18. v. 4. The spirit therefore speaketh this onely of those who persevere to worship the Beast and do not renounce his blasphemies 13. And doth great wonders Another effect of his power are Great signes or wonders He doth great wonders by which he shall perswade and induce the inhabitants of the earth to worship the Beast For as the devill is Gods Ape so is Antichrist Christs as God and Christ therefore confirmed the doctrine of Moses the Prophets and Apostles by many wonders and miracles so Satan shall establish the Beasts great words and Antichrist his great power by wonderfull signes Signes that is miracles or workes either really or in appearance surpassing the strength of nature Great that is wonderfull and terrible These he shall both do himself as also cause his agents to do the like as Bellarmin well observes Not onely Antichrist saith he Lib 3. de P. R c 15. but also his ministers shall do wonders The same thing Christ foretold us Mat. 24. vers 24. There shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders in so much as if it were possible they shall seduce the very elect Now what signes they are the Apostle tells us 2 Thes 2.9 What Antichrists miracles are with all the causes thereof Whose comming is after the effectuall working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse in them that perish c. The efficient cause is Satans efficatious working The materiall the prodigious events beyond nature The formall the deceits and subtill illusions of the devill by which the sences of men are bewitched The small How they differ from true miracles his lies and deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse that the world may be seduced And indeed in all these causes false miracles differ from the true which are works truely surpassing the order and strength of nature and are done by the power of God to the manifesting of his omnipotency and confirmation of doctrine divinely revealed such the Lord sometimes wrought by the Prophets under the Law Yet not by all nor at all times lest they might have been little regarded or else that the world should depend upon them In the New Testament also Christ and his Apostles with many other of the faithfull wrought great miracles for the confirmation of the Gospell of Christ De vera relig c. 5. de util cred lib. 6. in 1 Cor. 2. Hom. 6. ca. 49. in mat But these as Augustine and Chrysostome in many places witnesse ceased in the third age after Christ And therefore Austin admonisheth that we are not rashly to beleeve miracles because Christ foretold such things of deceivers and bids us to beware of them Whereby we see how soundly the Jesuites quit themselves and their Pope from the impostures of Antichristianisine in glorying of the many signes and wonders that every where are to be seen in the Papacy Not perceiving in the mean time that in this very thing they discover Antichrist seeing the Scriptures do make great wonders and miracles to be the proper marks of him So that he maketh fire come down he rehearseth one of the great signes of the Beast namely that he makes fire to fall down from heaven in the sight of men Antichrists miracles according to the Iesuites The Iesuites reckon up three miracles of Antichrist One is that he shall feine himself to be dead and rise againe But in ver 3. we have shewed how this fable is without all probability The second that he shall bring down fire from heaven The third that he shall put life into the image of the Beast and cause it to speak 1 King 13 38. 2 King 1.10 of this we shall treat on vers 15. The second he shall do by a certaine imitation of Elias who by fire from heaven consumed the sacrifice and also devoured the Captaines with their fifties to shew that he was a man of God To which it is probable the spirit here alludeth for Antichrist will be accounted a man of God But it seems rather to allude to that wicked action of Satan who with fire from heaven consumed the sheep and servants of Job For whatsoever he doth Iob. 1 16 he shal do by the effectuall working of Satan unto the destruction of men Now hence it followeth saith Bellarmin that the Pope is not Antichrist for neither any Pope himselfe or any of his ministers did ever make fire to come down from heaven The consequence is not good for it is apparent the species or one great wonder is put for the whole genus But the species being denied the genus is not denied As therefore it will not follow that none of Christs Disciples were true Apostles Mat. 17.20 because none of them removed mountaines according to the letter of the text the which notwithstanding Christ promised unto his Disciples for it was enough that they did other great miracles so neither doth it follow that the Pope is not Antichrist although he hath not according to the letter brought down fire from heaven For it is enough that many Popes of which Bellarmin boasteth have been renowned for working great signes and wonders and that the whole Papacy is full of miracles to wit false and lying ones such as the holy Ghost here and in 2 Thes 2. do ascribe to Antichrist and of which Christ himself forewarned us Mat. 24.24 beleeve them not Now the spirit rather attributes this species of wonders unto him then any other as respecting the manner of speech then common to the Hebrews and still is to this day for the Iews say If a man cause fire to descend from heaven for if any one with a heavenly miracle would prove himself to be a man of God and deny the Law of Moses let him be accursed Vestigat pag. 701. Because
ο σ  30. 1. 300. 5. 10. 50. 70. 200. 666. This numerall name of the Beast is not of my invention neither was it of late thought upon by our Interpreters But Irenaeus a most ancient writer 1400. yeeres ago by a divine insight found out and discovered the same unto us as being very agreeable unto this mystery his words are these The name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lateinos containes the number six hundred sixty six and it is very likely because the truest kingdom hath this name For they are Latines that now reigne but in this we will not glory Now who possibly can be marked out unto us by this name except the Latine or Romane high Priest for he long ago hath possessed the kingdome of the Latines and Rome the seat of the Latine kingdome The Popes Latine Church His Church the Graecians call the Latine Church and indeed it is altogether Latine for their Letanies Masses Prayers Exorcismes Indulgences to be short their whole service is in Latine insomuch as with them it is unlawfull to performe the same in any other language but the Latine Wherefore undoubtedly this is that numerall name of the Beast which here the holy Ghost bids us number after the computation of the Greekes But if the Spirit would have us to count the same not in Greeke but rather in Hebrew Characters we are again by the like name led as by the hand unto the Pope of Rome for as John Fox a most diligent searcher into this mysterie hath found out the Latine name Romanus expressed in the Hebrew letters ×©×•× ×¢×ž×¨ doth represent the number of the Beast 666. after this manner ש ו × ×¢ מ ר 300. 6. 50. 70. 40. 200. In this nothing is forced or obscure for who these many ages hath been this Romanus that is Lord and head of Rome but the LATINE MONARCH possessing the kingdom and the royall Metropolis of the LATINES viz. the Pope of Rome of which thing if any be ignorant or doubt let them read the history of Carolus Sigonius who either by entreaty or for lucre sake was hired to set forth the affaires of the Romish Popes touching the kingdome of Italy Carol. Sigo de regno Ital. after the Lumbards and Graecians were expelled out of Italy in his third and fourth booke unto the end Certainly it is not without the singular counsell of God and intention of the spirit that both the Hebrew and Greek reckoning should aime at one and the same thing and point out by the finger as it were him onely who is LATINUS and ROMANUS the Latine and Romane Monarch Him therefore we cannot but confidently judge to be the Antichrist for as much as in him all the markes of Antichrist do evidently concurre and agree together Neither are we the first who have held this opinion but many in the ages before us and indeed in the midst of grosse darknesse have observed and constantly affirmed the Papacy to be Antichrists kingdom and the Pope Antichrist Gregory surnamed the Great The Pope long agoe called Antichrist Lib. Regist Epist 8. Lib. 6. Epist 30. perceiving that Antichrist was at hand brake forth into these words a thousand yeeres agoe The king of pride is neare and that which is not lawfull to be uttered an army of PRIESTS is prepared for him because the CLERGIE who should goe before others in humility fight or strive for mastery Gregory therefore foresaw that Antichrist should be a King of Priests that is some Bishop or Pope who should call himself or desire to be called UNIVERSALL prophetically as it were pointing at Boniface the third Successor of Sabianus who manifested himself to be the Antichrist by arrogating the wicked foolish idle perverse proud vaine-glorious for by these Epithites it is there set forth title of Vniversall Bishop Arnulphus Bishop of Orleans spake these words 600. yeeres agoe in the Rhemish Council What thinke ye him to be who sits in his lofty throne glittering in purple and embroydered garments Verily if he be destitute of Charity and onely puffed and lifted up by knowledge he is the ANTICHRIST Bernardus Clarevallensis an Abbot above 464. yeers agoe wrote such invectives against the luxuriousnesse of the Pope Bishops and Clergie of his time that if any man now did the like he should be accounted as an Arch-heretick Anno 1240. a Councill of the Princes and Bishops of Germany was held at Ratisbon where Eberhardus Archbishop of Salisburg spake these words We feele saith he except we be blinde under the title of the highest Priest a most cruell wolf cleathed in the skin of a Pastor The Romane Popes warre against all Christians and being become great by their bold attempts deceits and sowing wars they kill the sheep c. HILDEBRAND 170. yeeres agoe and more first laid the foundation of ANTICHRISTS Empire he first began this wicked warre which is continued to this day by his Successours And a little after Babylons highest Priests desire to reigne alone cannot endure to have an equall beleeve me who am taught by experience they will not cease untill having brought under the Emperour and loosed the honour of the Romane Empire oppressed true Pastours they by this way extinguish all things tread all things under their feet and sit in the temple of God and are lift up above all that is worshipped He that is servant of servants desires as if he were God to be Lord of Lords This wretched man daily meditates how to set up an Empire proper to himselfe he alters the lawes establisheth his owne sinfull devices robs spoiles and defraudeth every one him they usually call the ANTICHRIST in whose forehead is written I am god I cannot erre he I say sits in the temple of God ruling far and near c. These things he See Aventinus lib. 7. annal fol. 685. About those times lived the Abbat Joachin Calaber who affirmed that the Pope was Antichrist and illustrates the Revelation with propheticall pictures and short expositions in the Italian tongue My Anonymus in his Booke written 260 yeers agoe doth many times in expresse words call the Pope of Rome Antichrist Page 78. The first Angel saith he whosoever he were did first of all declare the Pope of Rome to be Antichrist And a little after It came to passe by great boldnesse that euery one durst declare the Pope who is called Apostolicall to be apostaticall and Antichrist Page 108. No man except he become a spirituall temple of the holy Ghost in evangelicall conversation and doctrine hath received grace to interpret the mysteries of Christ and Antichrist his adversary or to understand that that great Praelate the Pope of Rome should be the great Antichrist And page 115. In Pope Vrban VI. all the mysteries of Antichrist are fulfilled And page 117. Antichrist is a Libard spotted with divers heresies also because he saith he is Christs Vicar on earth although he oppose Christs Law more then any and so is an adulterate
mongrill as being Apostolicall in name but apostaticall in deed Like as a Libard and a Lion comming together engender an adulterate Leopard Page 119. he saith that the worshippers of the Beast worship the Divell in the Pope And againe That the Pope hath it from the Dragon that he is a sacrilegious and tyrannicall person wasting on himselfe and his creatures the goods of the poore and destroying men for his filthy dung sake And whereas he is the greatest hypocrite and calleth himself Apostolicall yet he despiseth Apostolicall conversation above all men living Ibidem Who was able to fight with the Beast or resist his will in regard of his twofold supreme power viz. Imperiall and Priestly which be pretendeth to have ever the Church Militant And page 120. It appeareth therefore when the Pope sitting in the Temple of God extols himselfe above all that is called God or is worshipped that he boasteth as if he were God and so consequently bewrayes himselfe to be that son of perdition who commonly is called Antichrist With many like places Franciscus Petrarcha a most eloquent Philologer of Italy in his time wrote such things Anno 1370. against the Pontificall sea as almost Luther never spake worse In his 15. Epistle lamenting the oppression of the Catholick Church That worthy Court saith he of Jesus Christ that excellent Tower of divine worship is now at length because of our sins being destitute of divine helpe become a den of cruell theeves And of the Popes tyranny I see indeed saith he afar off but not being able to hinder it I refuse to see nigh at hand It is a cruell and infamous guile by which this ecclesiasticall Dionysius vexeth and spoileth our Syracusaes And Epist 16. I speak not what I have heard but seen I know it by experience that there is no charity there no faith no piety no reverence or feare of God nothing that is holy just equall laudable or humane as for love shamefasinesse and purity it is banished thence Touching the truth indeed I am silent for what place is it where all things are so full of lies The aire earth houses townes sireets court-yards porches halls beds roofes of houses clefts of walls the secret and close roomes of houses and temples the seats of Judges and Popes yea in the last place the very mouthes of men their becks gestures voices and countenance And Epist 19. Behold now thou touchest with thy hands and seest with thine eyes what that last Babylon is viz. angry raging dishonest and terrible To which neither that Egyptian Babylon the worke of Cambyses nor the more ancient royall Assyrian Babylon built by Semiramis is equall c. Behold thou seest a people not onely adversary to Christ but that which is worse under Christs Ensigne rebelling against him and fighting for Satan c. For what else I pray you is daily practised by Christs enemies and the pharisees of our age doe they not buy and sell and make merchandise of Christ himselfe whose name notwithstanding they seem day and night to extoll with most high prayses whom they cloath with purple and gold whom they load with pretious stones salute and worship him I say they put to sale and make merchandise of here on earth and as if his eyes were covered and saw not they crown with the bryars of wicked treasures defile him with the spittle of a most impure mouth and inveigh against him with viperous hissings strike him with the dart of venemous actions what in them lies The Papists crucifie Christ doe again and again deridingly drag him as naked poore and scourged on mount Calvary and wickedly consent to naile him to the crosse And O shame O griefe O indignity even such the Romanists are at this day as it is reported Whereupon one merrily made these pithy verses Roma tibi fuerant servi domini dominorum Servorum servi nunc tibi sunt domini Once Lords of Lord O Rome thy servants were But servants now of servants thy Lords are Petrarcha goes on Epist 20. touching the Pontificall Babylon In the kingdom of covetousnesse nothing is counted as lost so that mony be safe there the hope of life to come is but a vaine fable and what is spoken of hell is all fabulous The resurrection also of the flesh the end of the world Christs comming to judgement are esteemed as fopperies c. O Babylon the worst of things situated on the fierce bancks of the river Rhone thou famous or rather infamous whore cōmitting fornication with the kings of the earth in very deed thou art the same whom the holy Evangelist saw in the spirit Thou art I say the same and no other sitting upon many waters c. The woman clothed with purple and scarlet and glittering with gold pearles and precious stones having a golden cup in thy hand full of the abomination and filthinesse of thy fornication Babylon knowest thou thy selfe Certainly that which followeth onely agrees to thee and not to any other BABYLON THE MOTHER OF FORNICATIONS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH Hear the rest And I saw a woman drunken with the blood of the Saints and the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus Why art thou silent Either shew some other that is drunken with this blood or else if thou canst deny that thou art not this drunken woman And Epist 21. against the Popes the Princes of darknesse Let the gods and goddesses nay rather the God of gods destroy them all both living and dead with their treasures and wicked works who being fatted with the blood of the heavenly Lamb doe spurne and rebell c. But why or to what end that we may see the good overwhelmed the wicked raysed up Eagles to creep and Asses to flie to see Foxes on chariots Kites on towers Doves on the dunghill Wolves at liberty Lambs in fetters to be short Christ banished ANTICHRIST to be Lord and Beelzebub judge c. These things wrote Petrarcha and more also Besides more then 230. yeeres agoe lived Michael Cesenas chiefe of the Minorite Friers The Pope Antichrist who openly accused the Pope to be ANICHRIST and called the Romish Sea the Babylonish harlot drunken with the blood of the Saints But for brevity sake I refer the Christian reader unto the Catalogue of witnesses of the truth where it is most clearly proved by innumerable witnesses of Christ Catal. testium verit Tom. 2. p. 79. before Luther was borne that the Pope of Rome was Antichrist Now let us consider the wisdome that is in the number of the Beast of which John cryes out Here is wisdome From the number laid down 666. he closely bids us to search our al the other mysteries for here we have the name of the Beast Latinos Romanus This name both the Greek and Hebrew number doth declare By the name also we have the Character for all that will buy and sell must professe the Latine service or Romane faith and be
the Beast he Anno 1371. thundred out the everlasting Gospel in England both in his Sermons and Writings against Antichrist Wickliffes doctrines against Antichrist Balae Cent. 6. c. 6. viz. That in Christs Church there ought not to be any supreme Bishop That the Pope is not the Vicar of Christ but Antichrist that is his priviledges bulls dispensations and indulgences were idle fruitlesse and wicked that ecclesiasticall officers ought not to have civill authority That the Pope and his Clergie had violently taken the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and that neither themselves entred into the same nor suffered others to enter he disproved transsubstantiation Masses offices canonicall houres and other vaine bablings he disallowed the Chrisme in Baptisme and taught that the faithfull were to be baptized simply with water according to Christ example he condemned auricular confession as also the Popish doctrine of poenitence satisfaction and worship of relicks teaching that the Saints ought not to be called upon because they also are servants he utterly rejected the Romish rites new shadowes and traditions he denyed that it was lawfull for any to adde any thing in matters of religion which was not comprehended in holy writ or to make the same more difficult which he complained that the Pope had done He thought that the glorious temples and all the pompe and worship of the Papacy together with the diverse degrees of the Clergie ought to be taken away condemning the orders of Monkes as superstitious impious and very hurtfull to true religion and therefore ought speedily to be forsaken he maintained that the Lords supper ought to be administred in both kindes He wrote as Aeneas Sylvius witnesseth more then two hundred volumes most of them against the Papacy and the wicked life traditions and abuses of Monkes c. To Wickleffe were joyned many excellent instruments in England Richard Killington Robert Langland and others Many in Italy also as Dante 's Marsilius Patavinus Franciscus Petrarcha began to take notice of the Romish Antichrist Wickleffe also left many disciples behind him who after his death which was Anno 1387. manfully opposed Popery A while after the the two witnesses in Bohemia John Husse and Jerome of Prague began more forcibly to oppose Antichrist and plant the everlasting Gospell in the Churches of Bohemia which yet flourish and grow to this day About the same time Nicolaus de Clemangis a man as Trithemius witnesseth excelling in divine and morrall discipline in many Books opposed the Papacy Trithe de scriptor eccles but chiefly in his book of the corrupt state of the Church of yeerly pensions not to be paid to the Pope of the Simony of Praelates c. Adde to these all the witnesses of the truth which are recorded in the Catalogue of witnesses Tom. 2. lib. 19. Now let us consider the actions of this Angell He flyeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the middest of heaven Like to the Angell who Chap 8.13 proclaimed woe to the world but this here is more prosperous for he publisheth not woes but the everlasting Gospell Middest of heaven that is say some through the middest of the Church Others openly so as he might be seen and heard of al like as such things are conspicuous which appear in the middle of heaven For however the foresaid preachers remained in their places and Churches yet their doctrine and writings were spread through the whole Church Brightmans conjecture I dislike not that by this flying betwixt both is signified the imperfection of the doctrine first published by these teachers for however they saw and reproved the grosser sort of errours in Popery yet in many things they clave unto the dregs of earthly rudiments so as they could not with full flight soare up into the highest heaven for as a man being on a sudden brought forth into the light who along while was in darkenesse lookes upon all things with dazeling eyes so they who many ages together were kept in the darkenesse of Popery could not behold the light of the Gospell but with dimme eyes Having the everlasting Gospell The message or thing published by this Angell he sets forth by an excellent title calling it the everlasting Gospell by which is declared the authority effect and constancie thereof Antichrist indeed will condemne this his preaching and writings as haereticall and full of poyson and labour by the authority of Councils to represse and refute them not by arguments but by fire and sword So did he to Wickleffe whom first he greevously vexed by the Masters of Schooles and afterward thrusting him out of England into Bohemia though he were againe recalled by the King he miserably persecuted him untill his dying day Neverthelesse he went on constantly in teaching and writing And after his death the Councill of Constance caused his body to be taken out of the grave and together with his Writings to be consumed with fire The like they did to the two witnesses John Husse and Ierome of Prague condemning oppressing burning them as haereticks with their books and doctrines Now howsoever the Beast affrighted the world with this tyranny and kept the same a while under his yoke neverthelesse he gained nothing by it For there remained some remnants in England and Churches in Bohemia who constantly maintained the doctrine of those Martyrs untill this day The everlasting Gospell could not be suppressed For it was the Gospell brought by the Son of God out of the bosome of the everlasting Father to wit glad tidings of the remission of sin righteousnes and life eternall freely to be given through the faith of Christ The Gospell I say not of yesterdayes rising as Antichrist calumniates but everlasting revealed indeed from the begnining to the Fathers and Prophets but at length fully manifested and consummated by the Son of God and henceforward shall remaine eternally Whatsoever therefore the Beast and his sophisters indeavour and bable to the contrary yet they shall never be able to overthrow and suppresse the same To preach unto the inhabiants of the earth The effects and lawfull calling of these teachers is here maintained The lawful calling of Evangelicall teachers Gal. 1.7 touching which if Antichrist shall plausibly moue any question as from whom they received this new Gospell what Church before them held this faith by what miracles they can prove their calling c The holy Ghost answereth They have the everlasting Gospell The which is one onely received from Christ and the Apostles and of old abundantly confirmed by miracles so that there is no use of new And they have it to evangelize the same that is to declare and preach it to the inhabitants of the earth They have therefore a lawfull calling to teach in the Church To them that dwell on the earth Thus the followers and worshippers of the Beast the adversaries of Christ are continually called First then the difficulty of their charge is intimated they must have to doe with the
will recall a man from his carnall security to the feare of God and working of righteousnesse except he have a heart of steele for as much as in the day of Gods judgement a most exact account of what hath been done in the flesh must be given by all the greatest Kings and Potentates not excepted When without any respect of persons they that have done well shall possesse life eternall They that have done ill shall be cast into everlasting fire The Angell therefore could not use a more forcible reason to deterre men from the contempt of God and his word To this purpose is that in Sirach Chap. 7.40 In all things that thou sayest or doest remember thy end and thou shalt not sin Now if any aske how this prophesie is true and accomplished seeing it is so long since John said 2 Pet. 3.9 Gods judgement was at hand Let him heare Peter answering the mockers of his time The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some count slacknesse but is long suffering towards us not willing that any should perish but that all should come unto repentance The Angell saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is come for shall certainly come by an usuall Enallage of the preterperfect tense instead of the future so a little after is fallen for shall certainely fal noting the immutability of the events decreed by God so formerly he often said he will come shortly that is sooner then we are aware of that the deepe fleepe of security might be driven out of us and lest with the wicked servant we should say Luke 12.45 My Lord deferreth his comming But rather let us consider seeing the Apostles did presage the day of judgement to be then at hand how much nearer is it now unto us after so many ages And worship him that made In the third member he recalls the world from popish idolatry unto the service of the true God alone whom he notes by a periphrasis from the worke of the creation of heaven and earth the sea and fountaines of waters The Old version ads and of all things that are in them which words are not in the Greeke but seem to be taken out of Psa 146.9 unto which place the spirit here alludeth The fountaines of waters are reckoned up among the chiefe works of God because the continuance of the fountaines is indeed a very wonderfull worke of the Lord concerning which Phylosophers have much disputed with great admiration Psal 104.10 114 8. And it is also celebrated in the Psalmes He sendeth the springs into the valleyes which run among the hills Which turneth the rock into a standing water the flint into a fountaine of waters Furthermore that religious worship is onely due to God both the Scripture and nature it selfe teacheth For God alone is omnipotent knowes all things and is present in all places He is able to heare and helpe all that call upon him wheresoever they be He alone is the Author of nature governour and Lord of the world wherefore all ought to depend upon him onely in him alone we must beleeve and put our considence Ier. 17.5 But cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme Hence faith and prayer are in Scripture coupled by an individuall tye as the cause and effect Rom. 10.14 Mat. 4.10 How shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved Therefore it is an expresse commandement Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Now howsoever this be an undeniable and manifest truth yet the world forsaking the Lord followed and wondred after the Beast all I say both great and small bond and free worshipped the Beasts image kissed his feet and attributed divine honour unto him as though he were God on earth And this the worshippers of the Pope doe not denie according to that of the Poet before mentioned Ense potens gemino cujus vestigia adorant Caesar aurato vestiti murice Reges Nay all have not the priviledge to worship before the Beast and kisse his feet this onely is permitted to Kings and Emperours Others must be content devoutly to worship his image and call upon the Saints that are canonized by the Beast and adore his Crosses Crucifixes Altars set up by him in temples groves and highwaies c. From this beastly worship of idols the Angel here dehorteth the world as calling them to the worship of the true God Neither will he any whit esteeme their vaine pretenses That the Pope is not worshipped as God but as Gods and Christs Vicar for they falsely affirme him to be that which he is not That they call not on the Saints with a worship of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this is a false distinction the religious worship both of Latreia and Douleia being in Scripture onely attributed to God and signifie both one thing That they worship not graven images but God in them this also is false for Images are no gods neither will God be worshipped in or by them Thou shalt not doe so unto the Lord thy God Deut. 12.31 Thus far of the everlasting Gospel published by the first Angel or reformer of Popery The summe of which is in these three things I. That God is to be feared and Antichristianisme to be repented of II. That glory is to be ascribed to God by beleeving in his sonne III. That God is to be worshipped by fleeing the Image of the Beast and performing obedience to God 8 And another Angel followed because the former Angell although he cryed with a great voice did little profit unto the inhabitants of the earth who were drowned with the wine of Babylonish whoredome for after Wickleffe Husse and Jerome of Prague were burnt the Papacy remained stil in its vigour furie Therefore another Angell followed who more forcibly assailing Antichrist weakened his kingdome in many Provinces And here againe by an Enallage One Angell is put for Angels for there shall be divers succeeding each other in divers places But One shall excell and continue the ministery of the former Angell who was a while interrupted Now this Angel if we looke into histories who can he be save Luther This second Angell is Luther who followed 130. yeeres after Wickleffe and 100. after Husse and Jerome he first began in Saxony by word and writing to thunder against the Popes Pardons publikely put to sale soon after against the whole Papacy anno 1517. To him was joyned Philip Melanchton as a most faithfull assistant and soone after many other excellent men who by little and little restored the everlasting Gospell in divers parts of Germany and expelled Popery About the same time Zwinglius and Oecolampadius began together to oppose Popery and 〈…〉 Gospell in Helvetia But let us heare what this Angell publisheth Babylon is fallen is fallen He threatens ruine to Babylon for her wicked fornication by which
R. 1. Rib. in Apoc 14. s 39. A lca pag. 721. nay the Iesuites themselves Alcasar not excepted do not now oppose the same Yet lest they should any waies prejudice their Pope they feine that by Babylon here is meant not Christian Rome as it hath been more then a thousand yeers under the government of holy Popes But heathenish Rome as of old it was under Emperours But it will easily appeare that this is a vaine evasion For first Heathenish Rome was not the seat of Antichrist touching which seat as all consent Iohn here prophesieth off Neither was Antichrist come so long as Rome remained heathenish Therefore the former Rome is not this Babylon Secondly It cannot be understood of the Old but Popish Rome Babylon is no Pagan but Popish Rome that she indeed it is who hath made drunke all the inhabitants of the earth with the wine of her fornication and that all the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her For Old Rome however it did abound with most foule idolatry Yet she alwaies gave liberty to all nations subjected to her for to exercise their owne religions and superstitions yea suffered the gods of all other people to be set up and worshipped even in Rome Christ onely excepted as Eusebius records out of Tertullian Neither can it be proved by any history that ancient Rome forced their worship on forraine people whereas on the contrary Popish Rome compelleth and imposeth on all nations and kings her superstitious and idolatrous worship on paine of excommunication seeking to be esteemed the Mother of Churches and in very deed the whole East lucked their abominations and idolatries from her as from the paps of a mother Thirdly In the time of the Fathers before alledged Tertullian excepted Rome was no longer heathenish being under the power of Christian Emperours and yet they call her Babylon Therefore they understood it not of heathenish Rome such as it was not but of Christian Rome such as then it was Fourthly That Rome is Babylon of which it is here said It is fallen it is fallen and which was to be destroyed in the latter times But the ruine of heathenish Rome is not here published as Alcasar vainely feineth for that Rome is ceased long agoe but the destruction of Popish Rome is yet to come for it is foretold to be in the last times These things therefore belong to Popish Rome Fiftly that Rome is Babylon which makes merchandise of the soules of men Revel 18.13 Now this beastly trade was not driven by heathenish Rome but by the Popish Rome as we shal fee heareafter Lastly that Rome is Babylon out of which in the last times Gods people are commanded to goe forth Now they are not bid to depart out of heathenish Rome which hath ceased to be long agoe Neither doe we read that ever any Christians by vertue of this commandement did forsake heathenish Rome but did alwaies constantly there persevere even in the times of most cruell persecutions Gods people therefore are commanded to goe out of Popish Rome Thus we see Rome is this Babylon which must be destroyed Ribera the Iesuite not daring to deny so evident a truth changeth himselfe into divers shapes to salve the Pope First he propoundeth a weighty scruple the which he saith is not yet unfolded by the Patrons of his opinion viz. wherefore John doth foretell so many evills to befall this city which although of old it were the chiefe seat of idolatry yet now is the head of sanctity and defender of the Catholick faith and the proper seat of him that is head of the Church c. But O Ribera Riberas defence of Popish Rome thy doubt is here clearely unfolded by the Angell viz. that this shall be the cause of all these evills because Babylon-Rome makes drunke all the nations of the earth with the wine of her fornications And that which thou speakest of the seat of holinesse in this very thing thou unwittingly accusest the Pope The Pope Antichrist and makest him to be Antichrist For he that possesseth the sea of Antichrist is Antichrist The Pope sits in the seat of Antichrist For Rome which is to be overthrown is the seat of Antichrist 〈◊〉 that is to be destroyed is the seat of the Pope The seat therefore of the Pope is the seat of Antichrist And so consequently the Pope is Antichrist Secondly Riberas evasions touching Popish Rome confuted he objects that it cannot be understood of Papal Rome First because John here describeth a most potent and wealthy city which was the Queen of the world But Papall Rome neither is so now nor ever is likely so to be Secondly because in Chap. 18.20 The heaven and holy Apostles and Prophets are bid to rejoyce over her because God had avenged them on her but whom saith he of the Apostles or which of the Prophets hath the Romish Church or Popish Rome persecuted What injurie hath she done unto them that they should rejoyce at her punishment Therefore he concludeth that Babylon here spoken of is to be understood of heathenish Rome which persecuted the Apostles and Prophets But in vaine he seekes for pretenses in so cleare a matter For he granted before that the future state of Rome is here spoken of therefore he is contradictory to himselfe And as for his objections they are easily answered To the first it sufficeth that Rome did then Lord it over all nations when John wrote this booke The same Rome the Pope now holdeth And besides this even Papall Rome is a most wealthy and powerfull city and the Queen of the world for all the treasures and delights of the Christian world have now long agoe by thousand enticements been drawn unto Rome alone She challengeth the Empire of the world unto herselfe for she boasteth that the Emperours and Kings of the earth doe reigne by her favour and benefit All must be vassals of Popish Rome yea if we beleeve the Iesuits even in temporall things Papall Rome therefore is Lady of all and Empresse of the world according to the verses Roma caput mundi quicquid non possidet armis relligione tenet To the second I say that which he pretends is ridiculous as if because Papisticall Rome had not persecuted the Apostles and Prophets therefore they ought not to rejoyce at her destruction for then also the heaven ought not to rejoyce for was heaven I pray you slaine by Papistical Rome Nay how could heathenish Rome kill the Prophets which never saw Rome Notwithstanding the Apostles and Prophets and heaven it selfe are worthily bid to rejoyce for the destruction of her both because in persecuting the Saints she persecuteth the Prophets and Apostles as also because all creatures ought to rejoyce for the vindicating of Christs glory and destruction of Antichrist whether they have been hurt by him or not Lastly if Popish Rome the which Ribera was not afraid to write shall be punished
7.15 They serve God day and night But in a contrary sence for there is noted the continuance of the Saints their joy in heaven here the perpetuall torment of the damned In the meane while it appeares that by the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 day and night is signified alwaies perpetually and without intermission for however there be no light or day in hell but a perpetuall night or darknesse yet the holy Ghost speaketh after the manner of men who have dayes and nights interchangeably Who worship the Beast That the worshippers of the Beast might leave of to say that these torments are prepared for hereticks whom they so terme the holy Ghost doth expresly repeat that they are prepared for them that worship the Beast and his image Touching whom we have before treated And whosoever receiveth the marke of his name This is that large and Catholick symbole of the Romanists for as we heard Chap. 13. the Beasts name in Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lateinos in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romanus 12. Here is the patience of the Saints An hortatory and consolatory exclamation unto the Saints to stir them up to patience under the trials of Antichrist not to decrease in faith and obedience under the crosse but looke up to the promised reward in heaven This is the summe of the two following verses The first member here is the patience of the Saints is taken out of Chap. 13.10 yet the scope is something different For there it was spoken in respect of Antichrists tyranny the sence therefore was thus seeing Antichrists tyranny is so great the Saints ought to prepare themselves patiently to endure lest falling from their constancy they make shipwrack of salvatiō Here it is spoken with respect unto the torments of the Antichristians Hence therefore the holy Ghost suggesteth an argument of patience to the Saints that seeing so tragicall an end is certainely to befall Antichrist and his followers therefore they ought quietly to endure his tyranny knowing the other are to suffer eternall punishment for the same which horrible destruction of the adversaries ought to provoke the Saints to constancy Here are they that keep A periphrasis of the Saints for they are called Saints not who are canonized in Antichrists Calender but the observers of the commandements of God and faith of Jesus and both is opposed to the false worship of the Beast The faith of Jesus is our confidence in Christ the alone Saviour The keeping of the commandements of God is obedience to the Gospell not according to Antichrists decrees but according to Gods Commandements Both these cohere for without obedience faith is hypocrisie here saith he are they that keep for henceforward they shall or let them keep that is we are exhorted to persevere constantly in the faith of Iesus and obedience of Gods commandements that we may be free from Antichrists punishments 13. And I heard a voice Thus much of the exhortation The consolation of the Saints followeth It is an argument stirring up to constancy taken from the reward of heavenly felicity for to use Brightmans words the last evill which the wicked could bring upon them is the meanes of the present felicity of the faithfull It is opposed to the temptation of anathemaes by which the Pope shall strike the three Angels accusing them as broaching a new Gospell That they were enemies of the Catholick Church and damnable hereticks On the contrary the heavenly voice pronounceth them Blessed c. this is the connexion and scope let us now see the words The particle and is continuative for Then as Beza renders it or causall for therefore be constant in the faith of Jesus and obey God against the Beast because or for I heard a voice The words are Johns declaring with what comfort the Saints should raise up themselves to constancy And whence he hath it I heard a voice from heaven Therefore being proclaimed from heaven it is certaine and true he saith not whither it were a voice of God or an Angell But it is the voice of Christ Ioh. 5.24 Ioh. 8.51 who published the same in the Gospell He that heareth my word and beleeveth in him that sent me hath life eternall and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life And If a man keep my word he shall never see death The heads of the voice are three I. a commandement to write II. The argument of the writing III. The proofe and declaration of the argument Write Before in Ch. 1.19 he had a general commandement to write the Revelation This is a speciall commandement to write the heavenly voice Bel l. 4. de verb. c. 4. touching the blessednesse of such as die in the Lord. Both places teach against the Iesuites that the Apostles were commanded by Christ not onely to preach but to write their doctrine Now wherefore is he bid to write That we might understand the dignity of this doctrine the which the holy Ghost would not have to vanish in the aire but to be set down in tables that it might perpetually serve for the consolation of the Church and that Antichrist might not in any wise be able to deny deprave or suppresse the same Write to wit to comfort the Saints and refute the monstrous judgement of Antichrist touching the godly that they are damnable hereticks to refute also the wicked fiction of Purgatory in which they say that the soules of them that die in the Lord are first to be tormented before they can enjoy felicity Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforward By the second argument of this most comfortable writing the dead in the Lord are declared to be blessed by which is refuted the prophanenesse of Epicures who say that death is the end of things and that the dead are wholly brought to nothing And the wicked opinion of Antichrist touching the unhappy estate of the godly by him accursed as hereticks But the heavenly voice pronounceth them blessed in death Therefore Antichrists beastly thunder-bolts should not terrifie us But let us see who are said to be blessed and when Of the former it is said Who being dead are said to be blessed Mat. 5.11 What it is to die in the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dead who die in the Lord. Beza renders it which die for the sake of the Lord or because of the Lord according to the saying Blessed are ye when men shall say all evill against you falsly for my sake The which Ribera also approves And so indeed the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lord do sometimes signifie as Rom. 16.1 Receive Phebe our fister in the Lord as becommeth Saints that is for the sake of the Lord. Salure Amplius my beloved in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis which laboureth much in the Lord that is for the cause of Christ Thus taken the consolation should onely belong to Martyrs that die in the
The scope and use of this vision For First it teacheth that after the beasts kingdom hath flourished and vexed the Saints a long time it shal be weakened by preaching of the Gospell Secondly It shall allwayes notwithstanding remaine in some power not ceasing to make War with the Saints untill the end Thirdly Howsoever it shall tyrannically rage against the Reformation of Evangelicall doctrine yet it shall never be able again to suppresse the same but there shal be many Angels to poure out the vials of Gods wrath on the throne thereof Lastly as the Gospell shal be pleasing and saving to the elect because by it they overcome the beast for which they shall celebrate God with perpetuall praises so to Antichristians it shall be grievous and mortall because being turned into rage in regard of the successe thereof they shall fret and grieve to see their kingdom which seemed immoveable to be weakened lessened and go to ruine untill being wasted with the last plagues they shal be cast according to the threatning of the third Angell Chap. 14.10 into everlasting torments of fire brimstone Now hence the spirit suggests a twofold comfort unto us The first from the often renewed plagues of the beast whose power wealth luxuriousnesse and oftentation was great as we heard Chap. 13. But we need not be offended at those shadowes for she shall receive and feel inward torments and gnawings by the preaching of the Gospell and in the middest of her delights be tormented by Gods wonderfull judgements and severe plagues The second from the finall fall of Babylon the Popes parasites affirm that the seat of Saint Peter shall endure for ever that the Catholick Romane Church being founded and strengthened by God shall stand c. That the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against her but Babylon shall come in remembrance before God and in a moment be cast down by an earthquake so she shall cease to vexe the Church and persecute the Saints We have heard the Argument Scope and Vse of the Vision now it is partly dramaticall partly propheticall The Dramaticall part containes certaine preparatory apparatitions serving for the Order and preparation of the vision Chap. 15. The Propheticall part foretelleth the kinds and encreasing of the seven plagues on the worshippers of the Beast Chap. 16. CHAP. XV. The Argument Parts and Analysis This vvhole Chapter is a preparation to the follovving Vision for Iohn declares here vvhat vvhat manner of things he savv before the pouring out of the seven Vials The parts here are three I. THe seven Angells with so many plagues ver 1. II. A company of Harpers ver 2 3 4. III. The clothing of the Angells vers 5 c. In the First he expoundeth what he saw I. generally A great and marveilous signe in Heaven II. specially seven Angells with their Instruments having seven plagues The which he describeth by the Epythite Last with the reason hereof because in them is filled up the wrath of God verse 1. In the second he expoundeth I. The place of the harpers A sea of glasse II. The harpers themselves whom he describeth 1. by the effect They had gotten the Victory c. 2. By their station standing on the sea of glasse 3. By the Instrument having the harpes of God vers 2 4. By another effect And they sang verse 3. III. The Argument of the song generally from the Author and subject The Song of Moses and of the Lamb. And specially so far as concerneth the words and the sense consisting of a Preface Proposition and Reasons The Preface is laudatory figured out by an exclamation to God I. They declare his power and Majesty Lord Almighty King of Saints II. His workes by the adjuncts of quantity and quality They are great and marveilous III. His Iudgements by the adjunct qualitie of Iustice and Constancy Just and true are thy wayes ver 3. The Proposition The Lord is to be feared and glorified It is figured out by an Interogation Who shall not feare c. The reason is threefold 1. From the Property of God for thou onely art holy 2. From the worship due to him All nations shall come 3. From the moving cause Thy Iudgements are made manifest v. 4. In the third he rehearseth 1. The receptacle of those Angells The Temple of the Tabernacle opened in Heaven ver 5. 2. Their gesture They went out 3. Their habit having seven plagues 4. Their ornament clothed in white and pure linnen ver 6. 5. The Instruments given them he gave them golden Vialls which he describeth by the number seven And what they contained full of the wrath of God c. verse 7. 6. Two effects 1. The smoake of Gods Majesty filling the Temple 2. A shutting out of all persons from entring into the Temple during the time of the plagues verse 8. The first Part of the CHAPTER The Argument of the Vision seven ANGELS with so many PLAGUES 1 And I savv another signe in Heaven great and marveilous seven Angells having the seven last Plagues for in them is filled up the vvrath of God THE COMMENTARY I. Why the Visions are iterated AND I saw another Signe Iohn is not informed by one Vision but by many touching future things that so by comparing the obscurer types with the plainer the Revelation might the better be manifested The iteration therefore of the Visions is not in vaine Now it is to be observed The following things doe all belong to Antichrists judgement after that the Beast that is Antichrist was once mentioned his tyranny and pompe plainly described in the foregoing Vision the remainder of this whole Prophesie containes descriptions of the judgements by which God will restraine and destroy Antichrist but deliver the Saints from his Tyranny and bestow the rewards of Victory on them both to the end to meet with the scandall of desertion of the godly And to the terrour of the wicked and comfort of the godly least it should be thought that Christ neglects his under the Crosse or to be a sleep or want power to suppresse Antichrists rage as also that in hope of Victory and glory to come they might with the more alacrity resist Antichrist and persevere constant under their long during troubles To this end tend the seven last Plagues which God in the last times will poure out on the Throne and followers of the Beast Let us henceforward keep this use in memory Iohn therefore saw another signe What a signe is that is another Vision signifying events divers from the former for a signe is that which makes something divers from it selfe to come into the cogitation Austin lib. 2. de doctr Christi cap. besides the shape or forme it suggesteth to the senses But as signes are not the things themselves so the things themselves are not to bee sought in the signes as if they were included according to the common errour now adayes touching the Sacramentall signes which
except thou affirme them to be changed into the things they represent or really to containe them presently they are reputed as vaine and empty things But it s enough for the Sacramentall use of signes if they make spirituall things to come into our minde and beleefe But this by the way In Heaven That is as most interpret it in the Church But there is no need of an Allegory for these are heaveny Visions And Iohn saw these sights acted on the heavenly Theatre Great A great signe as Chap. 12.1 shadowing out great things It requires attention as also the following Epithite Admirable representing things worthy of admiration to wit the great wonderfull judgements of God in delivering his Church and casting down Antichrist for it is a thing indeed to be wondred at that the powerfull Kingdom of the Romane Antichrist should be only weakned by such a contemptible and weak meanes as the preaching of the Gospell It is also admirable that the faithfull men despised should fight against and overcome the Beast Thus these Epithites serve to comfort us knowing that the Church shall certainly overcome Antichrist Seven Angells He summarily propounds the whole Vision which he expoundeth afterward Therefore we will not stay long upon it Of seven Angells mention is made in Chap. 1. ver 4. and Chap. 8. verse 2. 16. 1. 17.1 21.9 In all which places they are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seven with the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excepting in this place whence it might be questioned whether these seven be the same with the former that sounded the Trumpets Brightman thinkes they are not the same neither do I dislike his opinion if we take the Angells for the Ministers of the Gospell because the time of the six former Trumpets and these Vialls is different Yet we may rightly understand they are the same because the said seven Angells that is many for a septenary number doth indefinitely signifie perfection doe type out divers persons in sundry Visions The last plagues Having the seven Plagues That is as we have it expounded in ver 7. Seven golden Vialls full of the wrath of the living God c. The Plagues which God in wrath will inflict on Antichristians are said to be the last because they shall happen in the last times For the christian Church hath four periods One under the Rome tyrants The second from Constantine under Christian Emperours untill the times of Phocas The third under Antichrist swaying in his full vigour from Pope Boniface III. unto Leo X. in whose time Antichristian power began to decline The fourth under Antichrists declining from Luthers time to the end Unto this last period belong the last plagues The foure periods of the new Church Thus John himselfe expounds it because in them is filled up the wrath of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is filled up for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be filled up by an Enallage of the Preterperfect for the Future usuall with John because of the certainty of the events he signifies therefore that the plagues should continue unto the end One Plague following another till the last did put an end to Antichrists rage and the Churches troubles They are said to be seven for the number of the Angells that is divers and continuated as we shall see hereafter Ribera moves a Question how Iohn should returne from the Harvest and Vintage of the last judgement even now described A question about the order unto the seven Plagues which are to be before the judgement neither indeed is it a frivolous Question yea insoluble to Ribera and all such who make the Revelation a continued History he himself hath nothing to answer save his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying that the Prophets do not alwaies observe the order of things as they are done that it was needfull the plagues of the wicked should often be inculcated of which the last indeed is true but for the other there is no reason viz. why the last judgement should so often be anticipated unlesse we observe that all the Visions the first excepted do end in the last judgement because every of them do represent either the generall History of the Church as the three former universall Visions Or else the last times of Antichrist and of the Church as doe the three following speciall ones The second part of the Chapter The Fift Company of Harpers 2. And I saw as it were a sea of glasse mingled with fire and them that had gotten the Victory over the beast and over his Image and over his marke and over the number of his name stand on the sea of glasse having the harpes of God 3. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lambe saying Great and marveilous are thy workes Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints 4. Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou onely art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy Indgements are made manifest THE COMMENTARY II. ANd I saw as it were a sea of glasse Before the Angells pour out the plagues a company of Harpers come forth on the Theatre celebrating the power judgement of God And why so to prevent the thoughts of the godly lest they might think that the following plagues were repugnant to the goodnesse and justice of God and the blasphemies of the wicked that they might not accuse God of cruelty and complaine of injury done unto them It serves also to the decency of the Vision for as in Commoedies musicall interludes are againe and againe iterated at the ending of their Acts to delight the beholders and drive away tediousnesse so in this apparitionall Revelation are heard almost in every Vision a company of singers as it were in distinct Acts least either Iohn in the contemplation of so long a Revelation or we in the meditating thereon should be over wearied We have heard the scope of this apparition Now let us see who these singers are where they were how and what they sang First the place is noted A Sea of glasse mingled with Fire the meaning whereof we shall the better understand when we know what this company of singers is I saw them that had gotten the victory If they got the victory over the Beast then the beast had fought with them Who these harpers are to wit the same who made war with the Saints Chap. 13. verse 7. These Harpers therefore are those Saints there mentioned The successe of the war is not prosperous to the Beast he sought to devour them but on the contrary he himselfe was vanquished though indeed it was a bloody victory to the Saints This divine miracle ought to animate the godly cheerfully to fight against the Beast But how do the Saints overcome the Beast seeing in Chap. 13.15 the second beast caused all that would
the Sea with many waves and confusions It is of glasse Why the sea is said to be glasse so said first because it is clear as glasse that is perspicuous and open to the eyes of God for God sees the secret counsells and hidden endeavours of the world and Antichrist secondly because it is bright like Chrystall for the pompe and lustre of the world bewitcheth Antichristians Thirdly because its weak and brickle as glasse for the world passeth away with the lust thereof The favour and prosperity of the world is glassie for when it most shineth it is then broken Lastly The sea for the most part is like glasse in colour hence the Poets call the Sea Mare vitreum undas vitreas the glassie Sea and glassie waves It is mingled with fire viz. of afflictions and calamities in which the godly also are often involved however they stand as conquerours upon this sea because they trample the world with the delights and baites thereof under feet neither are they of the world nor removed from their station by the fire of affliction but persist constantly in the faith unto the end This indeed the Saints triumphant have fully attained unto and we who are yet in the body in part for it is our duty also to stand on the sea that is to trample the world under our feet Or they stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nigh or besides the sea because they are not part of the sea or world but separated and redeemed from the world as in Chap. 14. ver 4. And this sense I like best because by the following verse it appears here is an allusion to the red sea by which the Israelites standing saw the Egyptians drowned and rejoicing over their destruction sang songs of praises to God Having the harps of God By an hebraisme the harps of God are put for such as are rare and of a most sweet sound The harps of God for with the Hebrews whatsoever are said to be the things of God are excelling things worthy his high Majesty so the mountaines of God the Caedars of God the City of God that is very high and great It is opposed to the harpes of David and of other Saints by which they sometimes praised God These are infinitely sweeter in sound for these harpers sang a new song which none could learne but they that were marked with the seale of God unknown also to the former Saints viz. touching the weakning and ruine of Antichrists kingdome by these harpes that is by the preaching Prayers and sweet confessions of these Champions 3. And they sing for they sang viz. with their harpes together with their voyces like to joyfull harpers But what sing they The song of Moses the servant of God We have a twofold song of Moses One of thanksgiving which he sang with the Israelites by the red sea for the overthrow of Pharaoh and the Egyptians I will sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed glorioussy the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea Exodus 15.1 The other of praises celebrating Gods wonderfull benefits unto the Israelites Deut. 32. Both may bee here understood but cheifly the former because of the similitude for as then the Israelites standing by the red sea sang with Moses their leader a triumphant song unto God for the drowning their adversaries under whose bondage they had a long time groaned so the saints being brought thorow the vast sea of this world do joyntly sing praises to God and blesse him for their deliverance from the most cruell bondage of Antichrist And hereby they intimate not obscurely that Pharaoh and the Egyptian servitude was a figure of the Churches bondage under Antichrist And the song of the Lambe that is praising the Lambe for his benefits bestowed on the Church Divers songs we have already heard In Chap. 4.11 The songs of the Revelation The elders sing to him that sate on the throne Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory Chap. 5.9 The Elders againe sing a new song to the Lambe Thou art worthy to take the Booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood and hast made us Kings and Priests to our God c. Vnto which song the Angells and all creatures do there by mutuall accord sing Amen Chap. 11.17 they likewise sing to God Wee give thee thankes Lord God Almighty c. A like song wee heard Chapter 2. ver 10. Now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God c. Againe in Chap. 14. the company of harpers sang a new song to the Lambe standing on Mount Sion This therefore is the song of the Lamb by which the triumphant Church or the heavenly companies celebrate the Lambes victory and their own over Antichrist Now this title affords a cleer argument to prove the divinity of the Lambe 34. Argument of Christs deity considering that to him this wonderfull worke of the conquest over the beast is attributed by the Saints But now let us hear the song It seemes to be collected out of divers places of the Psalmes and Prophets by which these divine singers commend unto us the authority and dignity of the Scriptures As from Psal 86.10 they publish the great and wonderfull workes of God Great because they fill heaven and earth Wonderfull because they are unsearchable and beyond humane reason such are the works of creation and the government of the world our redemption and preservation of the Church in this life from Psal 25.10 they celebrate the true righteous wayes of the Lord for all his paths are mercy and truth Gods wayes are his counsells and judgements about the Church and the enemies thereof And though he suffers the godly to be afflicted and fore troubled and the enemies to bear sway and flourish which indeed seems unjust to flesh and blood yet the wayes of Jehovah are righteous for he knowes wherefore he doth the same and the event shews that his wayes are all right and good for in the end he performes his promise to the Saints in preserving and delivering the Church and in punishing and destroying the adversaries by which he declareth that he is constant in his promises true and omnipotent in his threatning Lord Almighty King of Saints Thou onely art holy By these Epithites the Saints extoll God above all adversaries and stirre up their own confidence and joy for seeing he is omnipotent he can easily cast downe his enemies If King of Saints then he can strongly defend his holy Church If onely holy or most pure then he alone not the creatures is to be served and cleaved unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O King of Saints so all greek copies read it excepting Montanus who reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King of the Nations and also Andreas from Ierem. 10.7 Who would not fear thee O King of nations The old Latine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King of
the first of the three angels flying through the midst of heaven evangelized to the inhabitants of the earth saying with a great voyce Fear God c. Chap. 14. ver 6. And the pouring out of the vials should be the preaching of the Gospell which worketh indeed in the elect the fear of God joy and life 2 Cor 2.15 but to the marked ones of the Beast it occasioneth sores diseases and death as the Apostle foretold That the Gospell should be a savour of death unto death to them that perish This sense Ribera the Iesuite likes not of Because it is not the worke of Preachers to inflict plagues but to foretell and denounce them Riberas opinion examined and to deterre men from their evills But these Angells saith he do not foretell the plagues but inflict them Therefore they are true Angells by whom the Lord inflicts plagues with he doth not by the Ministers of the Gospell But these things are not solid For first these Angells are not said to cause the plagues but to poure out the vialls of Gods fury Therefore properly the plagues were caused by the wrath of God The angels were onely ministers of the pouring out which lets not but that it may metaphorically be understood of the publishing and denouncing of the wrath of God As God therefore by his ministers saves some and condemnes others so also he inflicts these plagues by their preaching Secondly How farre ministers of the word are said to cause plagues it is not absurd to say that the Preachers of the Word do inflict plagues because they communicate in the worke of God which he executes by them Therefore they are said to beget and to save them that heare them because in this worke they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Co-workers with God They are said to forgive sinnes because in the name of God they declare and confirme the remission of sinnes to them that repent 1 Cor. 4.15 1 Tim 2.16 1. Cor. 3.9 Ioh. 20.21 Why then may they not also be said to strike the wicked with plagues and condemne them as being Co-workers with God that doth the same certainly in Chap. 11. ver 5. the two witnesses slew their enemies with fire that came out of their mouth and they had power to smite the earth with all manner of plagues as often as they would And therefore the Iesuites reason doth not weaken the former opinion that they are preachers of the word neither doth he solidly prove the contrary that they should be reall Angells forasmuch as God doth equally dispense his judgements as well by the preachers of the Gospell as by Angels although in a divers manner What then Who the Angells of the seven trumpets of the seven vialls are I so judge touching these seven Angells of the Vialls as of the seven Angells of the trumpets The six former might denote preachers because at the sounding of their Trumpets the temporall events there described did happen But the seventh could not because he openly denounced the last judgement as present Chap. 10.7 Chap. 11.15 he therefore was that Archangell by whose voice and Trumpet the dead shall rise up at the comming of Christ 1. Thes 4.16 1. Cor. 15.52 now this no preacher can do So likewise these six former may signifie ministers of the Word because during their Vialls the marked ones of the beast shall be smitten with these plagues in this life But the seventh proclaiming the consummation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is done cannot be any other but that Archangell the chief Herauld of Christ the judge neverthelesse as before I noted there is no necessity to fasten on this exposition for the angells which Iohn saw were so in appearance and ministers of the plagues in a Vision by which representations God shewed to Iohn what he was about to doe what kinde of plagues he would inflict on antichristians towards the time of the measuring of the Temple and Reformation of the Church But there is no necessity urging us to affirme that he precisely shewed unto him the manner and persons that is how and by whom he would accomplish the same III. Touching the Plagues that followed the pouring out of the VIALS LAstly touching the plagues it is demaunded whether they are properly or allegorically to be understood and whether they are to fall universally on all antichristians or on some onely and in what time every one of them is to be inflicted and after how long time one is to follow the other The two latter of these questions touching the time are more curious then profitable seeing they can hardly be defined by the understanding of man further then hath been formerly spoken of the beginning and end of the vialls Whence it is most certaine that Antichrist shall reigne much longer then foure Yeeres For the other question on whom they are to be inflicted whether universally on all or on some onely we shall learn by the severall vialls Lastly it were in vaine generally to dispute touching the quality of the plagues seeing we shall more rightly understand every of them apart in their places Ribera indeed thinkes that all of them are to be taken litterally because these plagues are like to those of the Aegyptians which happened not metaphoricallie but litterally him Alcasar refutes and interprets the plagues mystically yet however it sufficiently appears there is an allusion unto the plagues of Aegypt notwithstanding neither are they all alike nor would a litterall sense hence follow for the history it self is one thing and a Vision alluding to the history another In the History all those things happened really to the sense in the Vision all these things are aenigmaticall as the Angells Vials pouring out c. And therefore wee may not doubt that the plagues also are aenigmatically set forth Now we will speake of every of them in order CHAP. XVI The first Part of the Chapter A Command touching the pouring out of the Vialls 1 And I heard a great voice out of the Temple saying to the seven Angels Go your vvayes and poure out the seven Vials of the vvrath of God upon the earth THE COMMENTARY I. ANd I heard a great voyce The Angells having received the Vialls full of Gods wrath in Heaven do not hasten to poure them out but wait for a heavenly Commandement to doe the same for the ministers of God neither do nor indeed may do any thing against the wicked of private affection but in all things are to containe themselves within the limits of their vocation that so they may righteously execute the judgements of God John therefore heard A great voyce that is vehement and terrible like as he heard Chap. 1. ver 10. and Chap. 6. ver 1. Chap. 11. ver 12. and doubtlesse it was the Lamb or of God sitting on the throne as chiefe moderator of the plagues Out of the temple which ere while was filled with the smoake of the
this Type the thing in hand doth very well answer for the Antichristian Babylon hath chiefly by two Monuments stood unmoveable Outwardly in stead of walles The walles of the Romane Babylon she hath Emperours kings and nations who as Vassals to the Pope do at his becke take up Armes in defence of Babylon Within her is Euphrates drawing to Rome as through a deep channell the treasures of the world in so much as the Churches Eschequer doth far surpasse the Treasures of all Monarchs in the earth It hath bin observed that in most Provinces Clergie-men have had Two-thirds of all rents scarcely one third remaining to the Prince and people Thus as Babylon gloried because of her deep waters so Rome boasteth of her excessive riches but like as the waters of Euphrates being diverted the River was dryed up The deepe waters of the Romish Babylon and thereby an easie passage was prepared for the kings of the East who tooke Babylon in one night Even so Romes holy tribute being intercepted and derived otherwhere there will be an easie way made for faithfull kings and teachers to passe as through dry Foordes Rev 18.8 that new Babylon may fall in one day and bee destroyed If thou aske who shall make the ditches and turne these Tributes of Rome another way See the History of Cyrus his army wrought day and night till at length the worke being finished Cyrus himselfe opened the Sluces and drew the waters from the City so the continuall labours and endeavours of Gods ministers shall prepare the ditches and Cyrus the Lords anointed Isay 54.1 that is faithfull kings and princes shall themselves open the more thus prepared draw backe the Rivers of Babylon and convert her Tributes to better uses as in Chap. 17. ver 16. is plainely taught unto us Thus we have heard the meaning of the sixt Viall which without doubt is proper and true for Babylon shall receive no plague more grievous then this before the totall destruction thereof Neither is this interpretation new or lately thought of by us but even my Anonymus hath exprest the same 260. yeers agoe in these words He dryed up that is The preaching of the Gospell doth and shall cause men to take away all temporall things that is Possessions and earthly Dominion from the Clergy and they shall no more be given unto them Neither are the waters of Euphrates onely begun to be dryed up a little but almost a hundred yeers the way hath bin a preparing for the kings of the East to invade Babylon Thus Bohemia in a great measure is fallen off from Antichrist and long agoe hath denied to encrease Babylons waters The like we see in England Scotland Denmarke Swethland with a great part of Germany France Poland and Hungarie And what would ye thinke if at last the waters of Italy and Spaine should be dryed up also But let us see the industry of the Beast in keeping off this plague While Cyrus of old prepared the motes and built Turrets before the walles of Babylon they scorned him and therefore it was no wonder they perished on a sudden because of their securitie But the Romish Babylon will more carefully stand on her watch and make the siege of the Easterne kings tedious and difficult as it followeth 13. And I saw come out of the mouth of the Dragon The internall effect of the sixt Viall we have heard spoken of The drying up of Euphrates being the sixt plague of the Beast The externall effect now followeth viz. the Beasts Ambassage unto the Kings of the earth to make Warre for to keepe off the plague The Connexion is to be considered By six Plagues the beast is almost wasted I. By the venemous ulcer on such as had the marke of the beast II. By the death of every living soule in the corrupted Sea III. By the blood of the Rivers and Fountaines IIII. By scorching of men by the heat of the Sunne V. By the darkenesse of the Beasts kingdome VI. By the drying up of the River of Euphrates Now because the Beasts kingdome shall seem by all these plagues to be brought to a most desperate condition he on the contrary will leave nothing unattempted for to uphold the same And as the Poet speaketh Flectere cum nequeat superos Acharonta movebit And therefore to advance his throne againe and bring backe the waters of Euphrates into the Channells of Babylon he will not feare to lift up his hand against Heaven but by an unheard of fury will move warre against God and by his Legates sollicite and draw the kings of the earth into the Confederacie of this warre But with what event Here indeed it is not mentioned but shall be declared in the following Vision Chap. 19. Namely that this his last rage shall expose the Beast his kingdom and the kings his Associates unto utter destruction This is the summe But because this last tumult shall be raised by the Beasts Legates Iohn here expoundeth in order from whom they are sent and to whom who and what manner of Messengers they are wherefore they are sent together with the successe of their Message all which things we will briefly consider The Authours of the Ambassage are The authors of this war ambassage the Dragon Beast and False Prophet Of the Dragon and Beast we spake in Chapter 13. The false Prophet is here first mentioned Now there we shewed that he is the same Land-beast who by great signes caused the Sea-beast to be worshipped and this will more clearly appeare in Chap. 19.20 where the same effects are attributed to the False Prophet which before were spoken of the beast rising out of the earth Moreover we there made it appeare that both Beasts do represent one and the same Antichrist under a divers shape The former as a King The latter as a deceiver Out of the mouth therefore of these three goe forth these three Messengers that is they are sent by their invention counsell commandement and authority for this is meant by the Type of going forth out of the mouth How the three Legates proceed out of the mouth of these three seeing Satan properly hath no mouth Neither is the sense as if one should proceed out of the mouth of the Dragon another out of the mouth of the Beast and the third out of the mouth of the False Prophet for thus their originall and authority would seem not to be equall But that they all three go forth as it were out of one mouth by the common conspiracy of the three aforesaid parties for to performe their interprize viz with lies in behalfe of the Dragon who is the father of all lies and by tyranny in the behalfe of the Sea-beast who represents Antichrist as he is a secular Monarch and withall deceit of unrighteousnesse in behalfe of the Land-beast that is Antichrist as he is a spirituall Impostor Now let us consider the Messengers themselves Three impure
by the Kings a long time or many years but be suddenly taken because of her security like as in one night Cyrus suddenly tooke carelesse Babylon being forsaken of her friends and driven to despair having no power to defend her self The grievousnesse of the punishment is aggravated by enumeration of four Plagues Death Mourning Famine Fire every one of which shall answer to her sins she promised her self perpetuall happinesse but Death shall cut her off she delighted in all kind of pleasures therefore sorrow shall overthrow her She continually gave her self to gluttony riot c. Therefore Famine shall kill her she burnt the godly Martyrs as Heretickes therefore with Fire shall she be utterly consumed by the Kings sometimes her lovers who shall fall from her and turne their swords which they formerly imployed for her against the Godly into her own bowels See Chap. 17. ver 17. For strong is the Lord He prooves that her lot and portion shall be irrecoverable from the omnipotencie of the Iudge the which he opposeth to the Romane power that we might not think the thing foretold impossible the which immagination hath beguilded many even to this day Stapleton hath writ a Booke of the admirable greatnesse of the Romane Church which he saith shall so remaine for ever Lipsius also had no other end then to flatter Rome in his Book which he published about the same time touching the admirable greatnesse of the Romane City Iohan. Paul Windek About this time also a certaine Parasite of the Romish Seat spread abroad a Prognostication about the future state of the Church wherein he affirmed that the Evangelicall Doctrine and Christian Churches should shortly perish The Romane Seat remaine stable and constant so is this opinion settled in the mindes of Papists that it is impossible the Romane Power should be overcome through any Plots or devices or the Romish Hierarchy linked and fastned together with iron bonds as it were should ever be overthrown by any But 2. Strong is the Lord which judgeth her Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judging in the present tence Andreas and Montanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath judged because in his unchangeable decree he hath devoted her to condemnation some thinke because this shall happen in one day and suddenly that like Sodom she shall be burnt with fire from Heaven but because it was said before that the Kings should burne her it seems rather to be meant of fire suddenly thrown into the City by the Victorious army Hitherto the Exhortation the Lamentation followes 9. And the Kings of the Earth shall bewaile her The wicked lament the wretched condition of Rome First Kings then Merchants Lastly Shipmasters Now what and how great their mourning shall be and the cause thereof common to them all is shewed to be the losse of their former riot and gaine And therefore there is the lesse difficulty and reason to insist upon it This generally is to be noted from the lamentation that a temporall judgement on Rome is here described not the last judgement in the end of the World for wicked Kings Merchants and Shipmasters shall see and bewaile the same In the first place the Kings of the Earth are brought in mourning as being more worthy and powerfull who were chiefe in committing filthines with the Romish Strumpet They shall bewaile and lament for her That is because of her sudden and miserable destruction who these are is noted by two Epithites they are Kings of the Earth committing fornication and living deliciously with her By both we may understand that they shall be enemies of the Gospell Vassalls Sonnes Spirituall Lovers of the Romish Seat For the first Epithite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Earth is allwayes in this Prophesie taken in an evill sense for Kings Nations and worldly men given to earthlie worship By the latter Epithite the cause also of their mourning is shewed they shall lament excessively because they are deprived of their sweet converse with the whore by means of her unexcepted destruction What that converse was we have opened on verse 3. and divers times before It may be demanded who these Kings of the Earth shall be Ribera feineth that they shall be the same Ten Kings who burned her with fire who these Kings of the Earth are repenting and bewailing the destruction of the most renowned City like as Titus is said to have mourned for the burning of Ierusalem and the Temple But it is a vaine Fiction for those Kings shall be converted unto the faith These shall be Kings of the Earth Enemies of the Gospell Ioseph lib 7 de bell Iud. c. 24. The cause also of the mourning is different These shall lament because they can no longer commit fornication and riot with her But the former Kings after they had once by the divine mercie of God repented of their sinne refused any longer to commit fornication with her for it is said They shall hate the Whore and make her desolate Therefore we affirme that these Kings of the Earth shall be such of the Ten as still remaine with the Pope 10. Standing a farre off for feare The gesture and voice of these Mourners is noted standing a farre off and crying Alas alas In which he prevents an objection Why shall they not rather take up Armes and succour the distressed Citie Feare and trembling shall hinder them signifying that the Lord will so astonish them as that they shall not so much as thinke upon armes or succour for the feare of the divine judgement will make them to seeke shelter for themselves For in one houre Before In one day Her judgement shall be so sudden that before the report of her Siege be far spread the Citie shall lie in ashes Thus high things are on a sudden brought to nothing Trees of great height are long in growing but rooted up in one houre They call it judgement to wit of God the just Iudge whose vengeance shall be so manifest that the very enemies shall be forced to confesse that so great a Citie was thus suddenly overthrowne not by humane force but by the judgement of God being angry 11. And the Merchants of the Earth shall weepe Merchants succeed the Kings in mourning the Merchants I say of the Earth whom we have shewed to be spirituall Traders Treasurers of the Popish Court Paenitentiaries and Granters of Pardons c. The which plainely appeares by the adjunct cause of their sorrow and kind of Merchandize Because no man buyeth her merchandize any more But gold silver and pretious stones shall not be out of esteem because of the destruction of one Citie For by the overthrow of one Mart-Towne trading is not taken away from other places but the fall of one is rather the rising of another as not long ago in the low Countries Antwerpe sometime a noble Mart-Towne decaying was the flourishing of Amsterdam Therefore it is manifest that here properlie merchandable wares are not
and quarrels shall be farre from thence but on the contrary we shall sing to God everlasting Songs of joy Nor paine Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labour which may be taken for any kind of trouble and metaphorically for Griefe as BEZA renders it after the Greeke Phrase Sophocl in Antig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 griefe by griefe brings griefe But then there shall be no labour trouble paine or griefe of body or mind occasioning teares death sorrow or crying There shal be no cause of evill but on the contrary everlasting joy and pleasure at Gods right hand For the former or first things are passed away That is the miserable state of this present life in which all those evils doe abound because of sinne Then they shall passe or vanish away There shal bee a new heaven and a new earth A new state full of joy and happinesse Vnto the illustration of this place that in Chap. 7.15 helps very much where in the end of the second Vision one of the foure and twenty Elders explicated the Heavenly felicity of the Saints almost in the same words They are saith he before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them they shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them nor any heat for the Lambe that is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountaines of waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes This place doth plainly confute their opinion who hold that here is treated of the state of the Church Militant in this world for it is certaine that this removall of all evils from the Church neither is nor shall be in this world neither is any such happinesse to be hoped for in this life but it is reserved for the Church in the world to come These things therefore cannot be applied unto the state of the Church on earth gathered of Iewes and Gentiles Neither do the Futures will dwell will take away contradict what wee say For these are retained emphatically out of the Prophesie as if he should say the things which Isaias foretold should come to passe shall bee then fulfilled the which the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are passed away in the Praeter Tense doth easily evince 5. And he that sate upon the throne Here followeth the voyce of the Sitter on the Throne of whom above Chap. 4. where wee shewed it was either the Holy Trinitie or the Son of God gloriously reigning at the right hand of God in Heaven because he saith I am Alpha and Omega which above in Chap. 1 8. was the voyce of Christ I am Alpha and Omega the First and the Last Now he confirmeth unto Iohn the things before seen and heard All things were new a New Heaven a New Earth a New Ierusalem Least we should doubt or aske whence this innovation should come Behold saith hee I make all things new This innovation of things shal be effected by the divine power Neither speaketh he of the spirituall renovation of the Church which began long agoe by the grace and power of Christ but of the super-naturall change of the whole universe which shal be at Christs last coming 2. Pet. 3.13 as Peter sheweth And hee saith to mee write The Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith in the present Tense being the proper stile of the Evangelist Iohn argues that he was Authour of this Booke He is commanded to write this Vision of the future renovation and in speciall the most sweet voyce of Gods eternall abode with men and the future blessednesse of the godlie that it might allwayes remaine extant to future times for the Churches consolation for Christ knew that the Churches condition should unto the end be mournefull by teares death sadnesse paines c. Least therefore she might faint in her warfare the Lord would have this most joyfull Catastrophe of all evils to be set down in Holy Writ For these words are true and faithfull Above Chap. 19.9 after a like Commandement of writing Write blessed c. He annexed a like reason These words are true Here he addeth faithfull that none should doubt of the future happinesse Hee understands by WORDS here Gods future dwelling with men as also the eternall rewards of the faithfull and everlasting punishments of the wicked 6. And he said to mee It is done Above Chap. 16.17 the Angell of the seventh Viall in the same phrase proclaimed the end of Babylon and the whole world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IT IS DONE It is a weighty asseveration that the thing is as certaine as if it were already accomplished I am Alpha and Omega As above Chap. 1.8.11 I will give unto him that is a thirst Hee confirmes eternall rewards unto the faithfull out of the Gospell For this is the voyce of Christ Ioh. 7.37 whence he that sate on the throne is knowne to bee Christ the Author of this Prophesie To them that thirst he promiseth the water of life freely that is everlasting joy without any desert of ours But then no man shall thirst any more But these Future Verbes I will give shall inherit and as before shall wipe away seeme to make against our opinion but they doe not as erewhile I shewed For because it is a Prophesie of future things he rightly useth Verbes of the future Tense He therefore that thirsteth to wit after righteousnesse in this life to him Christ will give the water of Life now in a beginning onely then fully as if hee should say then I will truely fulfill the Evangelicall promise of which I now grant a tast to the faithfull He that overcommeth shall inherit all things Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive it by inheritance Not therefore of merit but freely All things As it were an only Heire that possesseth all the substance of his Parents But all the Elect are heires and yet every one shall receive the whole inheritance Therefore this shall not be after the manner of other inheritances Now the inheritance is promised to him that overcommeth to wit the world the Beast and Satan because before the victory there must needs be a fight Therefore the Faithfull are here exhorted to fight couragiously against all their Adversaries See Chap. 2.10 And I will bee his God From 2. Sam. 7.14 He then at last promiseth to them that overcome the fulfilling of the promise of adoption which now by faith they possesse in hope Now are wee the sonnes of God but it doth not yet appeare what we shall bee but we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as hee is This is Johns owne most true interpretation of this divine voyce 1. Ioh. 3.2 8. But the fearfull and unbeleeving From the contrary he extols the felicity of the Godly because contraries being set one by another
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still doth in this Prophesie rather signifie continuation of time then the encrease of a thing as in ver 3. There shal be no more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 curse or henceforward and Chap. 10.6 The Angel sweareth that there shal be no longer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time and Chap. 3.12 He shall goe no more out where RIBERA himselfe noteth that the Adverbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more doth onely with the negative respect the future not the time past Thirdly though we should wholly grant it to be understood of the encrease of justification neverthelesse it would not make for their second meritorious justification through workes For it will not follow Let him bee justifyed yet more Rom. 8.1 Therefore through workes meritoriously for he may also be more and more justified by Faith through the grace of God For although we that are justified by faith have the forgivenesse of all our sinnes Lam 3.23 and so are perfectly justified by Faith before God so as there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus yet this Iustification may be said to admit encrease two manner of wayes FIRST in respect of Continuation For seeing we sinne daily wee have need continually of pardon and so Iustification which consists in the remission of sins is daily continued unto the Faithfull being as it were renewed and augmented for the mercies of Iehovah are new every morning therefore Gods children doe daily pray forgive us our sinnes that is quit us and justifie us from our sinnes How farre justification of Faith doth admit encrease Some therefore of our Writers say well that justification is effected in an instant because it comes not by a successive motion as Sanctification but it is to bee understood of an instant flowing or daily renewed through the mercy of God Secondly in respect of our sense for we have indeed Iustification with God by Faith but wee feele it in our hearts through the effects viz. Peace of Conscience Newnesse of Life and desire of New obedience By how much therefore thâ—se do encrease in us by so much also the feeling of our Iustification hath its greater encrease LASTLY this place cannot be understood of actuall Iustification by works for such a Iustification through workes is Sanctification it selfe as the Papists confesse Now of Sanctification it distinctly here followeth And hee that is holy let him be sanctifyed still Wherefore they either accuse John of vaine Tautologiâ— by repeating the same thing twice ore else they must confesse that Iustification here is no actuall Iustification so to speake or Sanctification 12. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me These are the words of our Lord Iesus unto the midst of the twentieth verse BEZA supposeth that these two verses are transplaced and should come after ver 16. But we shewed in the Analysis that after the manner of Dramaticall Representiations three persons the Angell John and the Lord Iesus speaâ— by course so that an exact coherence is not to be required but the alteration or variation observed Once already the Lord Iesus had promised his sudden comming ver 7. Behold I come quickly to confirme the words of the Angell which must shortly bee done Here again he promiseth the same to confirme the next words of the Angell He that is unjust let him bee unjust still c. And the sense is the Prophesie is not to be sealed neither in respect of the wicked nor of the godly because the former shall goe forward to hurt and to be filthy to their harme the latter shall further be confirmed in their desire after righteousnesse and holinesse to their owne good For behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every one c. The reason is taken from the righteous judgement neer at hand in which every one shall receive of him his reward The righteous and holy keeping the Commandements of this Prophesie blessednesse in the New Ierusalem The unjust and filthy dogs sorcerers fornicatours murderers liars c. torments in the lake of fire and brimstone This is the coherence and sense of the foure following verses My reward Not passively which should be given unto me but actively which I will give as appeares by the Infinitive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give for that I may give With mee That is in my power and right for the Father hath given to the Sonne all judgement Ioh. 17.2 that is power to judge all men That his judgement shall be righteous he sheweth in that he will reward every one both the unjust and impure as also the righteous and holy as their worke shall be In other places it is said he shall judge men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his worke shall be The reward of good workes shall be good of evill evill because in order of justice good things appertaine to the good to evill men evill things Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According and As do not signifie the meritorious cause of reward but the rule of righteous judgement For although evill workes shall truely be the meritorious cause of damnation yet the Scripture saith no where except perhaps in some particular that the wicked shall be damned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their workes Rom. 6.23 Eph. 2.8 but alwayes circumspectly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes least on the contrary good workes should bee thought the meritorious cause of Salvation The gift of God is eternall life By grace wee are saved through Faith not of our selves it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast Wherefore the reward of evill workes shall properly be called reward that is a due damnation de jure But the reward of good workes shal not bee called a reward properly Reward due not due that is not due of right but blessednesse gratis Now wherefore the Lord will rather judge men according to their workes then faith XLVI Argument of Christs deity hath been declared above Chap. 20.13 Futhermore this place doth also most clearly prove the eternal deity of Christ who attributes here unto himselfe that which Isaias ascribeth unto Iehovah Behold the Lord Iehovah will come with a strong hand and his arme shall rule for him Ch. 40.10 his reward is with him and his worke before him And Chap. 62.11 Say yee to the daughter of Sion behold thy salvation commeth behold his reward is with him Psal 9.9 and his worke before him It is proper to Iehovah to judge the world in righteousnesse and the people in uprightnesse For none but God can render to the Righteous life and eternall blessednesse none but God can inflict eternall punishment on the ungodly But the Lord Iesus will doe both for he shall render both to the one and to the other a just reward sutable to their workes
as it is said Ioh. 10.78 Ioh 11.25 Mat 25.34 I will give unto my sheep eternall life I am the Resurrection and Life He will say unto the righteous Come ye blessed inherit the Kingdom prepared for you And to the unrighteous Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his angels c. Therefore he is truely God-Jehovah 13. XLVII Argument of Christs Deity confirmed I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end Hee confirmes and illustrates what he said touching his righteous judgement He confirmeth it from his eternity and constancy I am Alpha that is the beginning the First from whom all things had their first existence I hold the primacy of justice and power in all things I am Omega that is the end for which all things do exist and the last unto whom all things are directed in the last place And therefore why should I not render to every man righteous rewards according to his worke The same hee said of himselfe a little before in Chap. 21.6 and in Chap. 1.8 the which hereticks indeed Question whither they are the words of God or of Christ saying I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is which was and which is to come But here they cannot question but that he who saith I am Alpha and Omega and a little after I Iesus have sent my Angell is one and the same Notwithstanding Eniedinus the Samosatenian that he might put a samous conclusion of blasphemies unto his Explications that is Explicat locor p. 400 depravations bendeth all his wits in this place besides what formerly Chap. 1.8 he had disputed against this attribute of Christ to overthrow the Deity of the Sonne of God helping himselfe with most frivolous cavillations taken out of prophane Authors as Plinie Martiall and Homer Wherefore I thought it worth the labour diligently to examine all his particulars least the heretickes wickednesse might deceive the more simple Reader First These things saith he are spoken either by Christ himselfe or by an Angell representing the person of Christ yea he denyeth that Christ spake them but a representative Angell But why and how Christ should bee and is called the First and the Last he saith that he hath explicated Chap. 2. Answer That these things are spoken by Christ himself the foregoing verse doth evidently shew But if an Angell representing Christs person should say I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last certainly he should lie like as an Ambassadour representing the person of God or Caesar if he should say I am God I am Caesar verily he should bee as great a liar as was Boniface VIII in saying I am Caesar For Ambassadours indeed speake or treat in the Name of God or of Caesar but cannot without treason assume unto themselves the names or titles of their Lord. But how well the Hereticke hath above declared or indeed deceitfully handled why and after what manner Christ is said to be the first and the last we have there made knowne unto the Reader Secondly he saith that this kinde of speech I am Alpha and Omega is proverbiall by which the first and the last yet not absolutely may be signifyed forasmuch as Alpha and Omega are not absolutely the first and the last but only of the letters and Greek Elements neither alwayes and every where but onely in that order or course in which the Letters of the Alphabet are now set downe Lib. 7. c. 56 the which notwithstanding that it was not alwayes the same we may learn out of Plinie for Omega hath not alwayes bin the last Letter of the Alphabet and that therefore this forme of speech signifies neither an absolute nor naturall prioritie and finality but rather temporarie and arbitrarie ANSVVER 1. Whatsoever might be said touching the Phrase I am Alpha and Omega yet the explication annexed stands firme I am the beginning and the end the first and the last the which Christ speaketh absolutely of himselfe nor can it be applied to any save unto God alone as not signifying an arbitrarie or temporarie prioritie and finallitie but that which is absolute simple and naturall This alone sufficeth to confirme our faith and refute the heretick II. What concernes the order of the Greeke Letters Plinie indeed writeth that Omega was added unto the Greek Alphabet by one Simonides Melicus after the Trojane Warre notwithstanding the said Author affirmeth out of Aristotle that Alpha with the Ancients was alwayes the first or beginning of the Letters whatsoever therefore may be said touching Omega yet if Christ be Alpha the beginning not of the Letters but absolutely of all things then verily he is God Eternall But neither shall the Hereticke thus shift it off touching Omega Lib. 19 c. 14. For Gellius affirmeth out of P. Nigidius a most ancient Writer that A. and O. were alwayes the principle Letters Besides it is sufficient that Alpha and Omega were the first and the last Letters of the Greek Alphabet in Johns time Therefore the reasoning of the hereticke taken from the Greeke Letters is vaine being grounded upon a most false hypothesis or supposition viz. that Christ is called and is Alpha and Omega the first and the last no otherwise then as Alpha and Omega are the first and last Letters of the Alphabet Thirdly he objecteth Lib. 11. hist cap. 30. that these words Alpha and Omega doe sometime signifie time as in Nicephorus the Emperours Valentinian and Gratian write in their Epistle We indeed have used patience from Alpha it selfe unto Omega that is from the beginning unto the end But that this signification is not agreeable to Iesus Christ because many things are more ancient and later in age then he ANSWER First Epiphanius Scholasticus who translated the Historie called Tripartita Trip. hist. lib. 7 cap. 9 following another reading as the most learned Langus Interpreter of Nicephorus hath observed hath rendred the words of the Emperours otherwise viz. We indeed are subject to him who is the first and the last that is unto God the which sense the antithesis there following but ye do arrogate to your selves c. doth altogether require For the Emperours by their humilitie in submitting themselves to God reproved the arrogancy and high-mindednesse of the Bishops who by their continuall brawlings and contentions abused their Imperiall majesties Let the place be looked into Wherefore these words A. and O. doe signifie not time but Eternall God or Eternitie II. Whatsoever may be said touching the place of Nicephorus the Emperors say not We are Alpha and Omega the first and the last so as Christ said I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending the first and the last Therefore that place makes nothing against the words of Christ III. Although those words in the place alledged might signifie time and continuance yet the reason for which the adversarie
VI. excommunicated Ludovick IV. 130. The Colour of the Beast and the woman is one 411. Purple colour proper to the Romane court ibid. Communion of the Saints in heaven with us on earth 122. Comfort of the faithfull under Antichrist 121. Of the Saints under the Altar 106. Of the professours and Martyrs 355. Conquerers are such as keep faith and a good conscience 52. Consent of Interpreters about the last judgement 358. Condition of the Godly under Antichrist 134. 135. Constant profession of the truth the cause of Johns banishment 17. The Constestation or protestation in the last chapter of the Revelation belongs to the whole body of the Scripture 596. Conversion of the Iewes described 67 conversion of the adversaries is the worke of grace ibid. Conversion of many unto the faith 245. Conversion why commanded and attributed to us 82. Council of constance caused wickleffe to be digged out of his graue and burnt 241. Condemned Iohn Husse and Iâ—rome of Prague to the fire 226. 241. Former councils for the most part condemned by the latter 273. Corporal resurrections in scripture 518. Corrupters of the trueth shal be grievouslie punished 50. Court within to be cast forth 214. Coveteousnesse in bishops abominable the root of all evill 33. Crowne crowne of life 41. promised not of merit but grace 42. It signifies life and eternal glory 72. A greater degree shall be given to such as have converted many 71. Crownes of gold why worne by the saints 90. Crown of life and righteousnesse ibid. Proposed unto all the faithfull 250. The crowne of Christ 108. Crowns of gold an ensigne of royall majesty 360. How far the crown may be taken from the elect and how it can not be taken 72. Cubit common and royall of what greatnesse 562. Cup of Gods wrath 352. Cyprians excellent simile declaring the word of God to be the onely rule of faith 57. D. THe Darkning of the sun 127. Death compared in scripture to sleep 56. Christs death a full satisfactorie price for sin 103. Death of the martyrs is Christ victorie 108. The first death why so called 519. 557. Death of the soule 519. The second death eternall 528. The dead shall all rise together 518. 519. To die in Christ 355. Dead faith uncapable to obtaine spirituall riches 77. Demonstration against Alcasars dream 481. The Description and nature of Locusts 175. Description of the new Ierusalem whither it agree to the church militant 549. The Desert or wildernesse is Rome and the Papacie 408. Description of the beast 290. denoteing the old Romane Empire 291. 292. Description of the heavenly Ierusalem 560. c. Description of the last Iudgement 488. Description of Gods maiesty and glory on the throne 87. Determination whither repugnant to the will 446. Dignitie proceeds not alwayes from vertue 59. Difficultie about the thousands years 506. Difference of a gemme and a pearl 566. Dionysius Alexandrinus refuted 18. Distribution of the second vision 84. The Dragon Beast and false Prophet authours of the Ambassage of the unclean spirits 394. Drying up of Euphrates 390. diverse opinions about it 391. Dutie of the Church and her officers to notorious sectaries 44. E. EArth Sea trees what they signifie 139. Earth swallowing down the flood of the Dragon 279. Earth-quakes proper and figurative 126. 127. A great earth-quake at the opening of the sixt seal 244. an earth-quake shaking the papacie after the councill of constance 245. Easterne people girded up their long garments in travelling 24. Eberhardus Salisburgensis invectives against the Pope 318. Effect of the word of God 207. Of the Gospel in the latter times 370. Egyptian Idolatry darkenesse and bondage 234. 235. The Elder comforting Iohn 99. The Emerauld a most pleasant gemme 87. 565. The End of Gods punishment 50. The Eight king not like unto the other 429. 430. Eniedinus the Samosatenian refuted 17. 21. 26 27. 28. 39. 50. 51. 437. 587. Who shall Enter into the Caelestial city 571. Ephesus the head citie of Ionia 21. Epiphanius refutes the Alogians 47. Epiphanius corrected touching Iohn 19. The Eternall Gospell cannot be suppressed 339. the Eternall Gospell of the Monster Cyrillus 340. Events contingent in themselves how changed 4. Event of the Gogish war 536 c. The Evils accompaning this life shall be no more in the life to come 553. Euphrates a great river 187. The Eyes of IEHOVAH signifie Angels 90. The eyes of the Lamb his all seeing providence â—00 Eye-salve what it is â—9â— Ezechiels Prophesie of the measuring of the Spirituall Temple 212. His and Iohns Prophesie of Gog and Magog 535. F. FAlse distinctions of worship 484. 485 The Fable of Enoch and Elias refuted 226. the Fable of Antichrists foure yeares reigne refuted 231. 240. Fable of Maries assumption 256. The False Prophet 394. He and the two horned Beasts are the same 495. Famine thirst and heat what they note by a Synecdoche 149. Famine of Samaria 114. Mysticall famine when proclaimed ibid. The Fathers why they termed not the Pope Antichrist 167. The Father how he judgeth no man 7. 8. The Feare and amazement of the Churches adversaries 244. The fearing of Antichrist hath troubled the whole world The First Vision not universall 361. 362. it belongs unto the last times ibid. Its scope and use of comfort ibid. Free-will not simply denied but in respect of spirituall good 68. Diverse interpretations of the same 444. 445. Figs signifie carnall Bishops 129. Figure of he city just four-square 562. Finall punishment of the wicked 131. Fine linnen how clothing both for the Bride and the Whore 482. how it is righteousnesse ibid. Fire proceeding out of the mouth of the witnesses 228. The fire on which the Angel had power 362. Fiery eyes signifie heroicall motions 24. Fire from heaven consuming Gog and Magog 539. First death 42. 519. Why so called ibid. First resurrection is not corporall but spirituall 518. It is opposed unto the first death 519. It s profitablenesse and necessitie 526. Objections about the same cleared 518. 520. First trumpet answereth to the first seale 158. What is meant by the hayle fire and blood that fell at the sounding thereof ibid. First viall chieflie poured out upon Germanie 380. Fight of the woman when it began and how long it dured 277. Floud of waters what it is 277. Foxe his opinion about it 278. Forme or shape of the beasts diverse and why 92. Forgetfullnesse and memory how said to be in God 460. Foundation of the Church how but one and twelve 561. 562. Fountaines what they denote in the Revelation 163. the fountaines of Waters are to be reckoned among the chief works of God 342. The fountain of true joy is in the Lord 480. The Four Beasts whither they type out the four Evangelists 91. They represent the Apostolicall Church 92. Why they are full of eyes ibid. The Four and twenty Elders are the first Chore 89. The Four periods of the Church of the Gospel 365. The Four Angels