Brightman It is spoken according to the metaphor of a whore here taken vp Pareus whom loathsome diseases doe oftentimes seize vpon and make her more miserable than if she were presently slaine Those that commit adultery with her are the chiefe vpholders of that Heresie consenting together with her in subtill inuentions to the same purpose Her children were the seduced by them thus labouring together to propagate their filthy heresie though some vnderstand rather children properly so called Pareus but the adulterers being expounded so as they are I see no reason for this It is not therefore a lesse punishment which is threatned to Iezabel and her louers than to her children but rather a greater because they should haue a longer lingring and so a more miserable death The seduced shall all perish but seducers shall be more punished for example that all may behold it and feare Quest 4. How is it said that hereby all the Churches shall know that I am the searcher of the hearts and reines Vers 23. Answ The reason of this is plaine because Iezabel is said to be masked vnder the Visour of a Prophetesse so that men could not discouer her but when the Lord should thus make her a spectacle of his iudgements it should appeare that all her faire pretext was but dissimulation and that shee had a vile heart coloured ouer with sanctity They then which are the Church of God ought to make this vse of Gods iudgements vpon the aduersaries of the truth to take notice and to be confirmed hereby that God abhorres the wickednesse lying hid in their hearts with how good words soeuer they colour ouer their heresie whatsoeuer extraordinary thing they doe for confirmation thereof And generally when any are thus discouered we are to take notice of Gods omniscience from which no wickednesse though most secretly acted can bee hidden no nor the inwardest euill thoughts of the heart Quest 5. Why is it promised to this Church peculiarly to reigne ouer nations and to haue the morning starre Vers 26. and what is meant by these things Answ For the distinct title of the reward here set forth different from those to other Churches I finde nothing amongst Expositors but it is plainly according to the argument of the Epistle wherein mention is made of Iezabel who was sometime a Queene and reigned ouer the people of God exercising much tyranny against them Wherefore as it was needfull they are comforted with a promise of reigning and subduing all their enemies at the last when for a time they had held out in their encounters with them without shrinking away from the truth for feare Againe for the morning starre it fitly answereth to their not knowing of the depth of Satan as they call it for which it is likely they were counted shallow and weake of vnderstanding in that they could not see into such a profound point of the liberty of Idolathites c. For though they were in this regard for a time contemned as void of that light which was in others of Iezabels Sect yet they should haue a farre brighter light bestowed vpon them namely the morning Starre as a token of the true light wherein they then were when as the other indeed had no more light than could come from Satans darke dungeon So that if there be any thing to discourage those that bee in the right either of violence or derision the comfort to come will hearten and encourage against them all because if they be reigned ouer now by persecutors they shall reigne then ouer them if they be insulted ouer and disparaged they shall be honoured by being declared of a farre more excellent condition than their aduersaries For the meaning of these things it is not vnusuall to set forth our reigning in Heauen by saying They shall sit vpon twelue Thrones and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel and the Saints shall iudge the world from which here is no great variation shall haue power ouer nations which is further amplified by saying and shall rule them with a rod of iron and breake them in peeces like a Potters vessell a speech taken out of the second Psalme to shew that they shall partake of the same honour of reigning with Christ whose reigne is there described according to Bullenger and Pareus c. So that the word nations setteth forth wicked enemies of the truth as of old the Gentiles or Nations alwaies were But euen as Christ ouercame ruleth ouer all so shall the faithfull reigne with Christ and as a Potters vessell is not able to stand against a bar of iron no more shall they be able euer againe to stand against Gods people but shall irreparably be crusht in pieces through the weight of Christs anger as an earthen vessell being broken can neuer be made whole againe all which is a great glory vnto Christ and because the godly shall coumunicate with him in all his glory all this is ascribed vnto them also Thus Ierome and Gregory vnderstand this passage Psal 2. But others of the conuersion of the Gentiles as Chrysostome Augustine Theodoretus Beda Euthym. and so they expound the rod of iron to be a Scepter of equity but this can by no meanes stand Some also vnderstand this place of rule and dominion here ouer enemies of the truth as Beda and Primasius but seeing the victory is not till the end and this reward is not giuen till the victory bee obtained it is plaine that the reward to come in Heauen must needs be meant Touching the morning Starre Primasius some vnderstand hereby the resurrection of the body because the night of this world shall then haue an end and the Day of glory shall beginne to appeare Richard de Sancto victore Some the glorification of the soule because as the morning Starre goeth before the Sunne so the soule shall be glorified before the whole man Some the light of vnderstanding in spirituall things Ioachim which is thus set forth Bullinger 2 Pet. 1.19 and should more and more increase in their hearts Bullinger Some the glory of the world to come which is compared to the glory of a Starre Beda Rupertus Dan. 12.1 And lastly some vnderstand Christ so stiled cap. 22.16 I am the root and the stooke of Dauid the bright morning Starre hee doth therefore promise to giue them himselfe either as a foreteller of the resurrection and life to come which is done in his resurrection for as much as it doth fore-demonstrate our resurrection Greg. Moral lib. 19. cap. 30. euen as the morning Starre the rising of the Sunne as Gregory speaketh or else he will giue himselfe by communicating his glory to them Of all these I preferre that which is for light of vnderstanding Pareus as I haue partly touched already it agreeing most fitly with the precedents for so much as they had not knowne the depth of Satan and
to be in heauen also And how is this childe taken vp to God and to his throne from out of his danger Answ Some Popish Expositors by this woman vnderstand the Virgin Mary Ribera Viegas Methodius Primasius Bullinger Fox Pareus c. Hos 1.2.3 but the learned of their owne side Ribera and Viegas and others reiect this as not agreeing if the following circumstances of being pained and hauing other seed which is afterwards persecuted be considered The common streame of Interpreters is for the Church of God which is the spouse of God whom he is said to haue married vnto himselfe And thus without all doubt wee are to conceiue of this woman Quest But how is she said to be in heauen Answ Pannonius To this Pannonius answereth well that howsoeuer the Church hath her being in this world yet she is but a stranger here heauen is her countrey to which she aspireth and from whence commeth her election and being Tertui apolo c. 1. Scitgens Christiana se peregrinā in terris agere inter extraneos facile inimicos inuenire Caelerū genus spem sedem gratiam dignitatem in coelis habere as Tertullian doth excellently declare saying The Christian nation knoweth that she is a stranger vpon earth and doth easily finde enemies amongst strangers but shee hath her stocke seat grace hope and dignity in heauen Touching her apparell here set forth The Sunne is most bright and shining of all the lights in heauen to shew therefore the exceeding great glory of the Church shee is said to bee cloathed with the Sunne A speech much like to this is that of our Sauiour Christ The iust shall shine as the Sunne But this is for her future condition Matth. 13.43 Pannonius Bullinger Parcus Forbs c. for the present Christ the Sun of righteousnesse is her glory for so he is called Mal. 4. hee by faith is put on as a garment couering her round about and beautifying her so all Expositors generally agree except Fox and Brightman who stand and specially Fox for a most illustrious glory hereby generally set forth but hold that it is not intended that this figure should be strained any further by applying all the particulars And indeed for so much as the child in her wombe is Christ as by and by shall be declared I cannot see how it can so well agree in the same figure to hold that hee is both set forth as the cloathing of the Church and the fruit in her body at the same time though in diuers respects he is euer hath been so I hold therfore rather that her glorious estate before God only in generall is here set forth And therefore as worldly glory consisteth in glorious apparell and a crowne of gold beset with pretious stones and an high elated throne that place where all inferiour persons stand being vnder the seet so the Church is said to be cloathed with the Sun to weare a crowne with twelue starres and to haue the Moone which is aboue all this world vnder her sect so high is shee mounted But why twelue starres in her crowne neither more nor lesse Herein I take it it is alluded to the twelue pretious stones in the brest-plate of the high Priest according to the number of the twelue tribes which made this number of twelue familiar in this Prophecie as appeareth by the twice twelue thrones round about the throne Chap. 4. the twelue thousand sealed of the twelue Tribes Chap. 7. the twelue pretious stones in the wals of the new Ierusalem and the twelue gates Chap. 21. Many will haue these twelue starres to set forth the twelue Apostles and the Moone vnder her seet the mutablethings of this world but if that which hath beene already said bee considered I thinke the Reader will not bee of that minde Touching that which shee trauaileth withall there is great difference some vnderstand it of the godly in all ages Andreas Viegas Ribera Parent Forbs with whom the Church trauaileth and is euer at the point of bringing forth but when any are brought forth the enemy is ready to deuoure them in spight of whom they are finally glorified in heauen which is set forth by this phrase hee shall rule all nations with a rod of iron according to that promise Chap. 2.27 And they say that the off-spring of the Church is called a childe in the singular number because though they bee many yet they are but one mysticall body and a male childe as being the more perfect and the heire and of more courage and constancy And of this exposition applied specially to the last times doe the Papals most greedily lay hold as making for them in their doctrine about their supposed Antichrist For the Churches being pained and crying out setteth forth the straits wherein she should be at that time And thus they seeke to draw the Reader from looking at any time past or that now is and to hold him in expectation of the time of Antichrist yet for to come But against this exposition maketh both the distinction afterwards following in the end of this Chapter where it is spoken of the rest of her seed and the description of this childe He shall rule ouer all nations with arod of iron For if all the faithfull bee the seed of the woman here set forth they being taken vp to heauen how can she yet haue a seed remaining vpon earth to be persecuted still And touching this large reigning howsoeuer the faithfull are promised in the place before alleaged that they shall rule ouer the nations yet it is not said as here ouer all nations nor is it spoken of as a dignity to which they were borne but as conferred vpon such as ouercome whereas here the man-childe mentioned is so spoken of as comming to it by right and inheritance The male childe therefore here must be one singular person most remarkable as the first-borne for this his extraordinary power and authority ouer all to which hee is borne Most therefore seeing that there is none other such to bee found in all the world Bullinger Fox Gorian and Pareus deliuereth this first applying it anagogically to the faithfull resolue vpon the Lord Iesus Christ for the history of his birth and ascension doth so answer this description in euery particular as that all things doe most excellently agree if it be vnderstood of him And so the prophecie Psal 2.7 agreeth also I will giue thee the nations for thine inberitance and the vttermost parts of the earth for thy possession thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron c. Thus also there will be a good construction of the rest of her seed after mentioned seeing hee is said to bee the first-borne amongst many brethren Whereas it may seeme absurd that the Church is said to haue Christ in her wombe and to bring him forth when as he is her husband and she hath rather her originall from him for
City in this light they walke that enioy it as all the saued of the Gentiles shall doe and by the Kings of the earth they vnderstand all Regents temporall and spirituall politicke and Ecclesiasticke who bring their glory and honour hither when hauing drawne many by their care and industry in their places to piety they present them before the Lord in Heauen For this is immediatly after set forth to bee the glory here spoken of when it is added Vers 26. Vers 26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it for the nations and peoples who haue embraced the faith by their meanes are their glory as Saint Paul calleth the Corinthians his glory 2 Cor. 1. 1 Thes 2. Pareus Napier and likewise the Thessalonians Others agreeing in the light here spoken of yet differ a little about the Kings bringing of their glory hither for they say that they bring their glory hither when as they referre their power and authority to the honouring of the Church so comming at the last to enioy this glorious light for thus the Prophet Esay speaking of the same setteth it forth in words a little different from these Esa 60.3 The nations shall walke in thy light and the Kings in the splendour of thy rising It is againe obiected here that it cannot bee meant of the Church triumphant in heauen but of the flourishing Church of the Iewes that shall be vpon earth because the nations are distinguished here-from so as they shall not bee in heauen in the participation of that light for all shall enioy it immediatly not the nations by the meanes of the Iewes as they are set forth here to doe Againe all earthly kingdomes being in the end destroyed what glory shall the kings of the earth haue to bring into heauen They may indeed be rightly said to bring their glory to the Church when as they come in with their subiects to the embracing of the faith of Christ but otherwise there can be no good exposition of this passage I answer that the nations are not spoken of for distinction but for necessary resolution that the faithfull amongst them should enioy this glorious light as well as the faithfull of the Iewish nation who might easily bee vnderstood by the generall type here represented the new Ierusalem now lest any man should doubt whether the faithfull amongst the Gentiles should not partake of this light also he resolueth it by saying And the Gentiles that are saued shall walke in the light of it for as much as they concurre to the making of this holy City Touching the Kings bringing of their glory to it I take it that nothing else is meant but their accession vnto this building so many of them as haue beene wise and haue serued the Lord against the Whore as it was declared that they should Chap. 17.16 though at the first there were not many Noble yet the truth should so preuaile in time as that the Church should not only consist of the vulgar sort but of Kings and Princes also who are the glory and the most magnificent amongst the nations and as they helpe to constitute the spirituall building in this world so shall they be a part of this new Ierusalem in the world to come when all their worldly glory shall seeme nothing to them to the glory which they shall then partake of for which sense that of the Prophet Esay before alleaged maketh notably Esa 60.3 The nations shall walke in thy light and Kings in the splendour of thy rising And so it is no more than as if it had been said As this City shall be infinitely rich for gold and all the costly pretious stones and glorious like vnto the glory of God so they which seeme most glorious in this world the Kings of the earth that be of the faithfull and not the common sort of people shall ioy to bee made partakers of this glory bringing in as it were and laying at the Lords feet all their temporall honour and glory as nought worth in comparison of this as the faithfull in the Primitiue Church brought in their goods and laid them at the Apostles feet willingly depriuing themselues thereof that they might enioy their blessed and heauenly society in comparison of which they counted all this world as nothing All this then serueth onely to expresse yet more fully the glory of the new Ierusalem The gates of it shall not be shut Vers 25. It is the manner of citizens to shut their gates in the night to preuent danger because the world is full of euill disposed persons by reason of whom they may iustly feare to haue them stand open then but this state here described enioyeth perpetuall day here is no night neither is there any feare of enemies for they that are in heauen dwell most securely in this respect and therefore the gates are set forth to be continually open Yet whatsoeuer is vncleane is not permitted to enter for the Angels stand at the gates to keepe it out O thrice and foure times happy are they which shall partake of this estate Dost thou loue to be rich to be glorious to bee safe from danger to bee for euer free from the assaulâ—s of enemies and the vexation of such as be of corrupt and filthy conditions then loue the truth and walke according to it and abandon errour for such onely as cleaue to the truth and are constant against all temptations haue a part in this admirable City CHAP. XXII IN this Chapter it is proceeded in the description of other commodities of this City keeping to the allegory of a City wherein as a riuer of cleare water running thorow the midst of it is very pleasant and comfortable to the inhabitants and trees by the riuers side alwayes greene springing and fructifying doe yet adde vnto the pleasantnesse of the place so the heauenly city is set forth For hee proceedeth saying He shewed me a pure riuer of water of life Vers 1. as cleare as Crystall proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. And in the midst of the street Vers 2. and on either side of the riuer was there the tree of life which bare twelue manner of fruits and yeelded fruit euery moneth and the leaues of the tree were for the healing of the nations There is a place not much vnlike to this in Ezechiel where waters were shewed vnto the Prophet Ezec. 47. â— 3.5 increasing to a great riuer that issued out from the Temple Vers 7. many trees growing on the bankes on the one side of the riuer and on the other and it was told him that euery thing Vers 9. where these waters should come should bee healed and liue and that the trees should bee all sorts of trees for meat Vers 12. whose leaues fade not and they should bring forth fruit according to their moneths their fruit being for meat and
hereby shew that in the time of light for a long time the Pope should haue the most followers still By treading vnder foot is meant their subiection to the Papacy and the maintainers of Popery are called Gentiles because in their idolatries and ceremonies most like vnto them One hath a singular opinion by himselfe touching this Court and these Gentiles for hee vnderstandeth the Turkes Fox and the nations subiect vnto them these are left out because when the Church should be reedified in these latter dayes this reedifying should not extend vnto them but they should be vnder the heathen Turkes For mine owne part I am much affected with this last but so as that I thinke the Papists are not to be excluded who keepe a great part of the Christian world vnder their superstitions also as the Turke doth vnder his wherefore I resolue that both are here meant the Turkes are Gentiles because out of the Israel of God the Papists are Gentiles because idolatrous and superstitious like the Gentiles They together then tread vnder foot the court of Gods house by holding vnder the greatest part of the world which formerly hath beene Christian euen still in these dayes of light the one in the East the other in the West 3. Touching the time of two and forty moneths some vnderstand a short time Bullenger Pareus c. Centur. Mag. deburg Iunius but indefinite 1. Some vnderstand the time when the outer Court should thus be troden vnder foot by the Pope and so they count from the beheading of Iohn Baptist resoluing these moneths into dayes 1260. and reckoning them for yeeres vnto Boniface the eight ann 1294. out of which foure and thirty being deducted being the age of Christ not long before whom Iohn suffered there will remaine 1260. 2. One reckoning these moneths by dayes Brightman and taking the dayes for yeeres not according to the Iulian account whereby two and forty moneths make 1278. dayes but according to the Aegyptian falling short in this summe eighteene dayes of the Iulian will haue the time accounted so much short of 1260. as it exceedeth by the Iulian account and so vnderstandeth here 1242. Iulian yeeres which time hee beginneth in the dayes of Constantine ann 304. and extendeth it to the Councell of Trent ann 1546. All this time the outer Court was troden vnder foot through the heresies that preuailed and the two witnesses the old and new Testament prophesied in sackcloth but then they were killed by the authorizing of one corrupt translation onely and falsifying their Expositors who had anciently giuen life vnto them by their sound expositions 3. Another vnderstandeth the time of the Turkes tyrannizing Fox from Ottoman to the last that shall be which he reckoneth by Sabbaths of yeeres making euery month such a Sabbath as Daniel doth a weeke and so the whole summe of yeeres 294. But experience sheweth this to be but a coniecture because the Turkish tyranny continueth still it being now farre past the time thus calculated For Ottoman was ann 1300. vnto which adde 294. and it will amount but to 1594. As for that of Brightman it were to bee wished that it were so for according to his account we should soone bee deliuered both from Turke and Pope who I feare haue a longer time to continue than he imagined But here is both a difference of eighteene yeeres and the two and forty moneths of the Popish Gentiles doe not thus agree much part of this time the Church being put to it and the Scriptures wronged by the Aâ—rians and other Heretikes and not by this Antichristian sect who are not obserued to haue gotten such an head till about Ann. 600. Of the second opinion there is lesse probability seeing it is not set downe when this treading vnder foot should be but how long it should endure And as for the first exposition it were strange that no certaine time should be meant here being measured out thus by so many moneths and dayes when as both in Daniel and Ieremie and other Prophets it hath alwaies beene found that a certaine number named hath noted out a certaine time Pareus mentioneth this as being followed by some and most approued by himselfe if a certaine time be here determined There is another exposition therefore onely remaining whereby so many yeeres are meant as there are daies in 42. moneths that is as the Spirit of God immediatly directeth vs 1260. according to the Egyptian account reckoning thirty daies to a moneth for by this account it is most probable also that the Lord would haue vs goe because Egypt is afterwards here mentioned The time then of the Turkes tyranny must be 1260. yeeres and as Turke and Pope haue the same beginning and continuance for History sheweth that they beganne together and as 42. moneths setting forth thus long a time are here iointly ascribed to the Gentiles treading the Lords holy City vnder foot so Chap. 1â— 42 are particularly ascribed vnto the Pope Now the time of both their beginnings is notoriously known to be ann 606. then Mahomet broched his Alchoran and Boniface the third obtained of Phocas to be vniuersall Bishop If then we reckon from hence by adding to 1260. the end of their time will fall out ann 1866. The Locusts were a plague but of fiue moneths but by these the Church is exercised more than foure times double thus much onely the comfort is the Temple c. is measured to signifie the preseruation of the Church especially after the opening of the Booke so that there shall still be certaine Nations so defended from them as that the truth shall be there maintained during this whole time The Lord Iesus vnder whose Banner we fight and for whose honour we stand suffer not his Temple to be any more by Pope or Turke inuaded or lessened in the number of those that worship in it till the full time of the destruction of these deadly enemies shall come and of the Lords taking of all the Kingdomes into his owne hands but rather increase this number taking pity vpon the infinite multitude of poore seduced soules and giue vs all faith and patience whatsoeuer he hath appointed vs to suffer for his truth and if the time of this affliction be yet appointed thus long to come he shorten it for his Elects sake Mat. 24. as he promised to doe touching the time of the siege of Ierusalem Touching the two witnesses vers 3. of whom it is said I will giue vnto my two witnesses and they shall prophesie I see no reason why Beza should reade as he doth I will giue it vnto my two witnesses as if he meant to giue the City vnto them for the sense is plaine as most agree I will giue the gift or spirit vnto them and they shall prophesie The greatest doubt is who are meant by these two witnesses I haue already touched the common tenent of the Papists holding them to bee Enoch and
was crucified Here the Papals triumph as if by no meanes the Pope could be counted an instrument from the bottomlesse pit killing the Lords Witnesses and exposing their bodies without buriall seeing it is plaine they thinke from hence that these things shall be done at Ierusalem and not at Rome for Ierusalem is the great City where Christ was crucified and which the Prophets were wont to vpbraid by the name of Sodome and Egpyt for their vncleannesse and idolatries there But who so shall attentiuely consider the whole passage here shall easily finde that by Ierusalem must be vnderstood necessarily a farre larger place than that City seeing that vpon the entrance of this prophesie that which shall be trodden vnder foot by the Gentiles is called the holy City which no man can deny to be the Christian Church in all parts of the world whereof that holy City was a type and therefore according to the vsuall phrase of holy Scripture it is set forth by that name This then being taken for granted the same prophesie still continuing about that which should befall the seruants of God in this City being a long time at the will of their enemies it cannot with any probability be denied but that this spirituall Egypt and Sodome where the Lord was crucified is the same holy City of the vniuersall Church destined yet to the treading vnder foot of the Gentiles this being one most tyrannous act executed by them to expose the murthered bodies of Gods faithfull seruants vnburied euen here But this Church becommeth first another Sodom for vncleannesse an Egypt for idolatries and yet is old Ierusalem for crucifying and putting to death the Lord Iesus in his members This great City then is the vniuersall Church before called the holy City trodden vnder foot by wicked enemies not in respect of all the parts for the Temple and the Altar are exempted but in respect of those parts which are oppressed by the enemies of the truth both Turke Pope and chiefly the Pope whose iurisdiction is most infamous for vncleannesse and therfore called Sodom and for idolatry being therefore called Egypt and for murthers being therefore here set forth by a Periphrasis Where the Lord was crucified Ierusalem I grant is properly the City where our Lord was crucified but seeing all that hath beene said hitherto of the place is allegoricall this cannot be in any reason taken properly but allegorically also the City where our Lord was crucified that is Ierusalem imbrued in the most innocent bloud for the Roman Church so full of innocent bloud Ierusalem another Sodom and Egypt for the Roman Church a very Sodom and Egypt for the vncleannesses and idolatries as much reigâ—ing here as euer they did in those two cursed places Our Diuines doe all generally in effect say the same for they agree vpon the popish Church here meant But that some apply it vnto Rome Brightman as from whence the authority to crucifie Christ was deriued and so the great City where the Lord was crucified setteth forth the Roman Empire for which cause it is not only called Sodom a City but Egypt a Country and whole dominion which is now vnder the Pope as it was then vnder heathen Emperours Pareus Bullinger Some repeating the word spiritually say that it is meant where the Lord was crucified spiritually in his members neither can it be meant properly of Ierusalem because all nations and tongues shall see these dead bodies which could not be in one City againe this is doubtlesse the same City ruling ouer the Nations afterwards more amply described which the learned amongst the Papists themselues cannot deny to be Rome Touching their rising againe whereupon a great feare fell vpon those that saw them vers 11. and their being called vp into Heauen and ascending in a Cloud their enemies beholding it vers 12. Some vnderstand hereby other men of the same zealous spirit that they were of which were slaine Bullinger whom God stirreth vp to abate the ioy and to strike new terrour into the Antichristian Sect who are finally receiued vp into Heauen at the last day in the sight of their enemies the Kingdome of Antichrist being first much ruined by their meanes great warres being stirred vp called an Earth-quake by which many thousands are shine here called 7000. and the state in a great part commeth to ruine here said to bee the tenth part of the great City whereupon men suruiuing who were formerly deluded returne vnto God giuing all glory to him alone not making others partners with him any more as in their ignorance they had before done With this consenteth Pareus Paâ—â— but that he will haue their ascending to bee the honour and esteeme which the Teachers of the truth come into when their true doctrine is againe reuiued and preuaileth by meanes of such as God stirred vp in the roome of those that were formerly slaine by the enemies of the truth for thus Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague being killed and their tenents condemned for hereticall liued againe in Luther and Melancthon and Caluin c. and were highly honoured and esteemed of together with their doctrine as also these and other their successors maintaining the same wherby great terrour was stricken into the Papals and that state being much ruined many were turned to the truth Brightman Brightman will haue this ascending to be of their doctrine concerning which a decree was made by Cesar Ferdinand and other Princes Sleid. lib. 26. that the Religion of the Augustane confession should bee free for all men ann 1555. sept Calend. Octobris Hereupon followed a great change in the state called here an Earth-quake the Pope loseth a great part of Germany the tenth part of his reuenue and the religious lose their meanes whereupon their life depended But these are said to be but 7000. the generall losse the fall of the tenth part of the City because this losse by the supressing of superstitious houses was not so great extending but to particular persons as the vilifying of the Pope for hereby the state in generall was greatly shaken For mine own part I consent with these learned Authors in that wherein they all agree that by the two Witnesses reuiued is not meant properly the raising againe of two particular persons Enoch and Elias as the Papists hold for this hath beene sufficiently confuted already but the stirring vp of others in the roome of such witnesses of the truth as haue been slaine during the reigne of Antichrist Yet I doe not thinke that this is to be brought within the compasse of the 1260. daies as already accomplished but that this shall be in the last declination of Antichristianisme at what time the enemies of the truth shall haue no more power to persecute and destroy as yet they haue For within the compasse of that time of their power as any haue beene stirred-vp they haue not stood still as affrighted hereat but they haue
which cause she is called his body some resolue this by applying this womans trauailing with childe and bringing forth to the conception and birth which is by faith For the old Church by faith longed for and was pained in expecting his comming so long a time and euery man may bee said to trauaile with Christ and to bring him forth when through many inward troubles and much sorrow for sinne he commeth to be regenerate and to leade a new life for then hee liueth not any more but Christ liueth in him Gal. 2.20 Bullinger Gorran as Saint Paul speaketh and this according to Bullinger and Gorran But because this is daily done and here is rather an allusion to Christs corporall birth from which time that which is here figured out beginneth to take place it doth not seeme to mee to agree so well and therefore I vnderstand it rather of his corporall birth by the Virgin Mary as Bullinger doth at the first For although shee were but one particular member of the Church yet that for the effecting of which she was vsed as an instrument herein may well be ascribed to the whole body whereof she was a member and therefore St. Paul speaking of the whole Iewish nation saith Rom. 9.5 of whom Christ came according to the flesh As for other circumstances of being pained and crying out to be deliuered I hold them to be meerely allegoricall and not to be strained to a particular signification but as when a woman is neere her time of being deliuered it appeareth by these signes so they are here mentioned to signifie the neere approaching of the time when the Church of the Iewes should corporally in Mary a vessell chosen to this purpose bring forth our blessed Sauiour And this is one reason also why the Church is set forth by a woman because the head and the chiefe vpon whom all the rest depend was promised by the name of the seed of the woman If there shall seeme to bee a disagreement in the time because the things set forth here were not already past but altogether such as should happen afterwards I answer with Pareus Pareus Bullinger that the intent of this vision is to set forth things to come but for more orderly proceeding if it be begun a little higher euen at the birth of Christ there is no going from the matter propounded viz. to set forth things to come sith it is done onely to illustrate them them the better as was also done before in the opening of the first seale when a white horse issued out that he might the more orderly and with better light proceed vnto the red and blacke and pale horses c. It is said that hee should rule all nations with a rod of iron to expresse his terriblenesse to his enemies and such as rebell against him which are commonly expressed by the name of Nations or Heathen because they knew him not One expoundeth this of Constantine the great but neither was he watched at his birth to be deuoured Brightman but after that hee came to the Empire at what time the childe here spoken of is past all danger if it be vnderstood of his spirituall birth when he became Christian it were preposterously set down for so his birth should follow his being taken vp into the throne neither did he rule ouer all nations Chap. 4. neither can the throne of God be fitly applied vnto him here vpon earth seeing this throne is before described so as that no man can bee said to bee taken vp to it till he be glorified in heauen One will haue Heraclius the Emperour Lyra. who destroyed and succeeded the vsurper Phocas vnderstood here but there is no colour for it Touching the great red Dragon he is set forth plainly v. 9. that he is the Deuill but is called a Dragon in alluding to his first appearance vnto Eue in a serpent when he tempted her he is red through fury and cruelty Ioh. 8.44 hee was a murtherer from the beginning Viegas He is said to be in heauen here according to some for the like reason that the woman is said to be there because he persecuteth her who is said to be in heauen or rather because he had his abiding sometime in heauen and though hee be excluded because he kept not his first standing yet a long time hee had the liberty of appearing there before God amongst the good Angels for hee appeared amongst them to accuse Iob and that it was his common practise is here afterwards plainly intimated Iob 2. vers 10. how hee commeth to bee quire excluded and when we shall see further by and by but still he is said to be Principalities and powers in heauenly places Eph. 6.12 Pareus because hee hath the liberty of the Aerean heauen to this day His seuen heads with crownes vpon them set forth by the common consent the many kings of the earth who are ready as his instruments to execute his will the number of seuen being vsuall in this booke to set forth many his ten hornes his great power by meanes of other states of people who also serue him who are more in number Certainly the largenesse and multitude of his dominions and his manifold power is hereby figured out and how great a Potentate hee is to expresse the more the danger wherein this childe was that the power whereby he was preserued might be the more magnified His taile drawing the third part of the starres and casting them to the ground doth yet more illustrate his stupendious power By these starres I vnderstand the Angels that fell together with Lucifer who as the chiefe drew them after him and therefore hee is said to draw them with his taile because they followed him in sinning and were throwne downe to the ground which was by being depriued of their place and dignity in heauen For there is one Deuill as the chiefe and ringleader set forth the rest of the infernall spirits followed him And this though done long before is brought in here as auailing to a perfect description of him that it might the better appeare how formidable he was Some by the starres vnderstand Parous Viegas as in Chap. 1. the Churches which are seduced vnto Popery and some the Doctors who by worldly preferments and respects are fawned vpon Bullinger Forbs and so drawne away from the truth vnto errour and so by heauen they vnderstand the Church of God by earth the world of the wicked who are set vpon earthly things into whose society they come being thus drawne away But for so much as heauen is a distinct thing here from the Church if the woman be the Church for shee appeareth in heauen I cannot see how by heauen should be vnderstood the Church here and consequently how by the stars should be meant the Doctors and therefore I rest in the first exposition as most naturall and the rather because
time a phrasevsed to shew that the time is certaine with the Lord but concealed from vs. Somereferre it to the dayes of Constantine Pareus Bibliander Brightman when the Church through wealth and liberty began to grow corrupt by pride contentions and errours holding that the Church in the wildernesse is opposed to the Church in heauen before described with her heauenly glory which she had all the time of persecution but now being in peace corruption and superstition commeth on making her like a woman in the wildernesse yet the time which shee is said to bee in the wildernesse they distinguish from the time of her flight holding that shee began to take her flight in the dayes of Constantine and was flying three hundred yeeres euen vntill Phocas who established the Bishop of Rome for vniuersall ann 606. from that time forward she was in the wildernesse a time and times and halfe a time before described by one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes being either so many yeeres or a long time vnknowne to vs and therefore thus set forth that wee might not be troubled though we see this persecution continued still for it is not onely for a time but times after that and then halfe a time more And to make the time of this flight to bee three hundred yeeres the more probably they obserue that not a Doues but Eagles wings are giuen vnto her arguing a flight strong and of long continuance Forbs Some referring it also to Constantines time will haue him to bee the great Eagle giuing wings to the woman to flie into the wildernesse by enduing the Church with so much worldly wealth whereupon much corruption soone crept in and she became like a woman in the wildernesse but extend the time here set forth no further but till the rising of the beasts in the next Chapter vnto which a way is hereby made Some referring this time to the Apostles dayes Fox hold two times of persecution the one of the Primitiue Church set forth ver 6. the other of the Church vnder Antichrist towards the end of the world set forth here Either time is the same one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes that which time and times and halfe a time is and the same with the two and forty moneths before described Chap. 11. which if they bee reckoned as Daniels weekes seuen yeeres to a moneth they make two hundred ninety and foure yeeres And such a time was the Church vnder persecution vntill Constantine from whence one thousand yeeres being counted of Satans binding mentioned Chap. 20. together they amount to one thousand three hundred yeeres at what time this persecution by Papists and Turkes began the vttermost end thereof being 1594. But experience hath already confuted this it being now 1625. and yet these persecutions holding out There are other computations made here by others also as of three yeeres and a halfe which hath beene sufficiently refuted already Grasserus and of so much time as maketh this to fall vpon the beginning of the sixteenth century when Popery began to decline But I will not trouble the Reader with more varieties If I may put in my coniecture amongst others I take it this time is not to begin in the Apostles dayes because it is the same with the 42. moneths of Ierusalems being trodden vnderfoot Chap. 11. and the one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes of the two witnesses prophecying in sackcloth which beginneth not till the sixt trumpet as hath beene already shewed and it seemeth to be too general by a time thus many wayes so often described to vnderstand onely a time without any certaine determination seeing experience of former Prophecies teacheth that when time is thus set forth by a certaine number of daies or weeks or months a certaine proportion of time to be hereby counted is meant Neither would I begin it in the dayes of Constantine the great because the Church was not then persecuted but maintained though there were some stirres by meanes of Arrius whereas a persecution here is intimated putting the Church so hard to it as that she is faine to flie into the Wildernesse for safety And it is strange that if this time were meant and thence forward till Phocas which was 300. yeeres wherein they say she was fleeing that any mention should be made of wings to flie with which in cōmon reason argue swiftnesse I thinke therefore that this time is to be referred to the yeeres following the destruction made by the Goths Vandals when they were expelled out of Italy which was betweene the yeere 500. and 600. for not long after this the Popes of Rome in the West hauing climbed vp into the chaire of supremacy great troubles beganne about images by their meanes they being bitter against those that would haue no Images in diuine worship daring to anathematize euen Emperours that withstood them and Mahomet in the East persecuted all that would not receiue his damnable Alcoran as hath beene already shewed to haue beene done about ann 606. Here was now a new kind of persecution begun not by Heathen Idolaters to bring in the worship of Deuils againe but of such as were Christians in shew but indeed pleading for Baal vnder a new name and of such as reuiued Iudaisme againe in part in somewhat a different manner vnder pretence of another Moses or Prophet of God Mahomet Then the Church hath two wings of an Eagle giuen her to flie into the Wildernesse as sometime the people of Israel are said to haue beene brought out of Aegypt vpon Eagles wings Exod. 19.4 and they are two because by faith patience they are borne out of this danger as is said in the Chapter following Chap. 13.10 By this flying into the wildernesse then is meant that after such time as the Pope and Turke thus inuaded the Church of God she held no visible state any more by ruling in all Countries and Nations by possessing Cities and Townes but as the people of Israel being carried out of Aegypt into the Wildernesse wandred a long time vp and downe in vnknowne places being fed with Manna from Heauen and so preserued yet from perishing so the Church of God all this time lieth hid such as hold the truth still being of ignoble condition in worldly respects and so not taken such notice of in the most and greatest Kingdomes of the world but yet she is prouided of such spirituall food though in secret places as that she is miraculously preserued from perishing And the time of this her solitarinesse is before said to be 1260. daies as in chap. 11. here time and times and halfe a time time being put for a mysticall yeere times for two yeeres halfe a time for halfe a yeere which together are three yeeres and an halfe wherein are 1260. daies which set forth here so many yeeres as was proued chap. 11. If it be demanded why this variety is vsed in
most against the professours of the truth assuring our selues that they are neerest their vtter ruine CHAP. XVII IN this Chapter and that which followeth the great City before said to bee diuided into three parts is more particularly described together with her vtter ruine and ouerthrow in respect of the head and fountaine Rome from whence all the abominations of idolatry and superstition haue flowed In the exposition of the particulars there is no great difference nor difficulty so much light hauing beene already giuen and therefore I will the more briefly only touching the diuersity of interpretations come to open euery passage as it lieth in order Quest 1. Which of the seuen Angels is it that sheweth Iohn these things Vers 1 2 c. who is the great Whore whom he saith he will shew vnto him what are the waters called also a beast vers 3. strangely described that she sitteth vpon And why was hee led into a desart place to behold this and touching the more particular description of this Whore and the word Mystery written in her forehead what is meant hereby Answ The Angell is held by some to bee the fift Brightman who powred out his Viall vpon the throne of the beast Pareus Napier But others more rightly hold him to bee the seuenth Angell vpon the powring out of whose Viall the great City was diuided into three parts which is againe more particularly vndertaken here that by the relation of this Angell it might be more fully vnderstood both what this City is and how and by what meanes she commeth to be destroyed Others indefinitely take this Angell for one of the seuen Bullinger c. Touching the great Whore it is agreed almost by all that it is Rome Bellar. lib. 3. de Rom. pont fice cap. 13. yea euen by Romanists themselues Bellarmine saith Wee may say and that better in my iudgement that by the Whore Rome is vnderstood so likewise Ribera and Viegas the Iesuites vpon this place Tertullian of old spake to the same effect Tertul. contra Iudaeâ—s Babylon in Saint Iohn doth represent Rome being as great and as proud of her dominions and as tyrannizing ouer the Saints as euer Babylon was Ieronim 11. qu. ad Algasiam And Ierome saith According to the Reuelation of Saint Iohn in the sorehead of the queane clad in purple there was a name of blasphemy written to wit Rome the euerlasting See more touching this before Chap. 14. vers 8. and how that shift of heathen Rome being meant here is confuted whereunto wee may adde that heathen Rome cannot be meant because then Rome subdued the Kings of the earth by force and not by subtill inticements as this Babylon doth and because the Rome here spoken against shall bee vtterly destroyed for the sins found then therein when the time of destruction commeth but heathen Rome was not so destroyed and if Rome should at the last be destroyed for the idolatries of the Heathen this destruction must come for idolatries put downe many hundred yeeres agone which is contrary to the course of the Lords proceedings against sinfull places As for their last refuge to an apostasie yet to bee expected in Rome in regard of which it is thus spoken of here see also Chap. 14. vers 8. Touching the many waters whereupon this woman sitteth they are interpreted vers 15. to be peoples and Nations and tongues ouer which Rome ruleth by the power residing there And this circumstance of her sitting is varied euery time that it is spoken of Vers 3. Vers 3. She is shewed sitting vpon a beast of a purple colour full of names of blasphemy hauing seuen heads and ten hornes and vers 9. the seuen heads being spoken of are said to be seuen hills whereupon the woman sitteth Vers 9. She is shewed sitting thus diuersly for diuers respects shee sitteth vpon many waters because she ruleth ouer many peoples and Nations vpon a purple coloured beast because the Senators and Rulers of this State vnder the Emperours did weare purple and skarlet clothing ascribing diuine titles of honor vnto their Emperours in a blasphemous manner as the Cardinals by whom the Pope ruleth now doe vnto him being also likewise apparelled and vpon seuen hils because the City was anciently seated vpon seuen hills And this variation maketh it so plaine as that nothing can bee plainer than that Rome is meant by this Whore seeing no City in the world is so seated but Rome onely neither doth that periphrasis whereby this City is described vers 18. agree to any other This is the great City that hath rule ouer the Kings of the earth And this name Whore is chosen to expresse Rome the head of the Antichristian Sect for continuation of the allegory of a woman in the similitude of whom the Church appeared chap. 12. The true Church is a chaste and holy woman who keepeth her selfe only to the Lord to whom shee is married refusing to worship any other or to make any other partaker with him in his diuine titles and attributes The Antichristian Sect is a whorish woman together with the Lord worshipping Images and Saints departed and attributing that vnto the Pope which is proper to the Lord only wherein truly spirituall whoredome doth consist Touching the place the Wildernesse Vers 3. Brightman into which hee was led to see this sight some take Iohn carried hither for a type of such as should be able to see Rome to be the beast and the Pope to be the Whore tiding this beast they should bee obscure persons and such as in whom this light should be little expected euen as in a man liuing and brought vp in the Wildernes there is expected no great matter of learning knowledge Some expound the Wildernesse of Gentilisme wherein Popery indeed appeareth Bullinger for so much as the idolatries and superstitions of the Gentiles barren of good men as the Wildernesse is without people are the very attire wherein Popery marcheth Pareus Some hold that reference is had here to the woman before spoken of Chap. 12. flying into the Wildernesse in the time of heathen persecution being then chaste and beloued of God but now become an Whore by her manifold idolatries Lastly Forbs some hold that hee is carried into the Wildernesse as the fittest place for contemplation and he that will diue into any deepe mysteries must retire himselfe from all worldly incumbrances I hold with this my last Author that there is no mystery in this passage but as vpon other occasions it hath beene vsed Mat 4. Christ was carried by the Spirit into the Wildernesse to be tempted so here Iohn is carried into the Wildernesse to see this mystery onely that in so solitary a place there might be no interruption by the comming in of any man or any occurrence which vnusually hapneth in places more frequented whereunto if we adde that the Wildernesse is in