wherin a Dragon was painted thrust thorough with a dart and layd under his and his peoples feete see Euseb upon the life of Constantine in the third oration leafe 137. a. 9 And that Dragon was cast into the earth That is beiond the boundes of the true and holy Church not onely among the prophane nations but also all other people altogither without true godlines howsoever peradveÌ„ture they pretended a shewe of it and are marked with the names of Christians That which is here called the heaven and the earth was in the former chapter called the Temple and the Court. In that the Church lay hid in this the Gentiles ruled a people who because of their vicinitie did take to themselves the name of the Church Therefore the Devill being cast unto the earth he is thrust out togither with his Angels into this court having receaved power to vexe the whore who lately exercised all his strength against the true spouse 10 And J heard a great voice The Song of triumphe of the Saincts celebrating God for his great benefit which first of all is declared by those things wherein the benefit it selfe consisted in this verse afterward it is set forth by his causes ver 11. by his effects ver 12. The benefit it selfe in respect of men is safety the tyrants being destroied who did labour to satisfy their hatred with the destruction of the Christians in respect of God it is the glory of his might of the Kingdome and power of Christ For then his power doth appeare when he utterly destroyeth abolisheth his enemies Also his visible Kingdome is seen after a sort when he placeth godly Princes in the governement of the common wealth from hence likewise the power of Christ was much declared which before seemed weake being so troden under soote by the enemyes neither punishing them according to their deserts But Christ now by taking unto him the Kingdome declared sufficiently that the former want of punishement and sufferance came not from imbecillity but onely from patience In respect of the Devill this benefit was a iust reward of his ungodlines who coÌ„tinually accuseth the godly before God But we must observe that the servants are noted with the same names wher with the Pâ—â—â—câ— himselfe is named because there is an equall good will to hurt in both although hiâ— power be greater But this accusation are those taunts reproches railings with which the spitefull enemies overwhelmed the Saincts continually obiecting unto them the suppers of Oedipus incests adultery mutuall lusts murders conspiracies against Princes pestilences famine burnings and whatsoever publike calamity there was of which and the like things the auncient History is full Surely the children learned of their father the Devill that auncient false accuser so as it is not to be wondered at if wicked men doe excell in the same arts 11 But they overcame Who The Angels of Michaell for now the streÌ„gth of the souldiers is commended the praise of the Emperour being celebrated in the former verse But as touching the causes of the victory the principall is the blood of the Lambe the instrumentall is the synceritie of the faith and a very great constancy even unto death The blood of the Lambe is the fountaine of all the benefits which the elect enioy either in this life or in the life to come For his sake alone God both delivereth his people from all the miseries of this life and at length will make them ioyfull with eternall felicity The integrity of faith is shewed in the next wordes by the word of his testimony that is by the truth of the Ghospell which they professed freely boldly Before it was alwaies called the testimony of God or of Iesus as in ch 1.2.9 ver c. here it is called the testimony of themselves which kinde of speaking neverthelesse commeth to the same ende For it doth not respect the subiect of which but in which In the last place is their constancy because they esteemed more of the truth and faith in Iesus then of their owne life It seemeth to be a comparative speach as if he should say they loved not their soules even unto death more then God But this last member of the comparison is wanting uÌ„lesse perhaps they loved not be put for they despised But even so the force of the comparison remaineth to with they despised in comparison of the truth This is a notable constaÌ„cy of the Saincts that by no tormeÌ„ts they could be remooved froÌ„ faith in Christ For which cause at leÌ„gth God gave uÌ„to them the reward of victory But observe how this soÌ„g of tâ—iumphe addeth those things which were wanting to declare the coÌ„dition of the first Church we have seen by the description of the woman that shee was famous for souÌ„dnes of faith purity of actions sincerity of the teachers also we have understood that she was destitute of a pâ—tron for because that in great sorow and griefe shee brought forth a sonne Adde to al these from this triumphant song that the enemies of the truth heaped all reproches upon the Saincts they used a great violence to their power yet the faithfull could not be remooved eveÌ„ with the losse of their life froÌ„ their holy profession wherby it came to passe that those times were made famous by almost an infinite number of most couragious Martyrs 12 Therefore reioice yee heaven c. The fruict of this benefit is the ioy of the Saincts the sorrow of the wicked For why should not they triuÌ„phe having attained safety seeing the glory of God so notably amplified But many calamities doe remaine true but these shall not touch the Saincts whome God hiddeth in his tabernacle And therefore he seemeth to say yee which dwell in them because this is heaven that the temple or tabernacle wherein the Church lyeth hid from whence at length it shall goe into the holy mountaine to an everlasting habitatioÌ„ before in chap. 11.7 c. 2 Cor. 5.1.2 c ¶ Woe to the inhabitans c. The effect in respect of the wicked is a very great sorrow for these are the inhabitans of the earth and the sea And from heÌ„ce may be confirmed this metaphoricall signification of these wordes For if the earth be properly taken the Devill should be in like sorte trobelsome to all the Saincts who dwell togither with the wicked and unseparated Moreover who are the inhabitans of the sea besides men The Devill doth not spit out his poison upon the whales Neither doe good and bad men dwell togither lesse in Ilands then in the continent land Thus therefore we doe distinguish that the inhabitans of the earth are every wicked multitude either of Heathen or Christians who have onely a counterfait shew of religion But the inhabitans of the sea are the Church men as they call them who profer to their false Christians grosse foule saltish and bitter doctrine which doeth rather bring to the
that the Dragon cast out of his mouth after the woman so great abondance of waters into Europe and Afrike it is also apparant enough that the woman fled from the East into these countries And certenly during those troubles concerning Christ to be of the same substance with the Father the state of the Church was here more quiet But that wee may not thinke that it was any happy condition the Spirit calleth our Europe expressely a desert place and wildernes For the woman going into the west fled into the wildernes For superstitions did so growe in use in those times that assemblies of the faithfull rightly established were no more ordinary in this part of the world then there are frequent habitations of men in a wildernes here and there some more apparant marke was left but very rare as is the meeting of men in a desert 16 But the earth holpe the woman Not â—his earth which we treade on but a counterfait and earthly religion and the lovers thereof as alwayes before This such as it was then every where in the world called the Church while the true was not in the sight of men but was hidden in privie places brought much helpe to the woman For those Barbarous nations the which at home practized the impietie of the Gentiles bred and brought up in the same after that they had come into these more learned couÌ„tries yeelded to that religion which thy sawe to be there received of the greatest number The Vandals Gothes abiding first about Thracia where the ArriaÌ„ plague had disteined all things were converted in name unto Christ but in very truth to that fained and counterfait one whom Arius had fashioned The other route of Barbarians in Germany Italy Fraunce Spaine followed the Romanes in all things Which did much tame and softeÌ„ their cruell mindes For while they gave their names even to this religion and suffer themselves to be enrolled citizens of the same they were not so spite full against the Christian nation that they would purpose to roote it out Wherby it came to passe that when they ceased their anger for a newe professions sake and were at quiet in those countries which they had possessed this flood at length was swalowed up and the expectation of the SerpeÌ„t notably deluded This good the earthly Church brought once to the heavenly being afterward about to heape upon the same infinite evils 17 Then the Dragon was wroth c. Thus farre the persecution which when the Dragon seeth to have ben in vaine yet he will not desist but attempteth an other way to hurt He purposeth to assaile the remnant of her seed with warre But why moved he warre against them and persecution against the woman Because persecution is as wee have said when the one party sufferreth wrong and repelleth it not of which sorte was the womaÌ„s condition as from her first beginnings so after Constantine for some space for whose safety no man did fight nor maintaine her purity against superstitions springing up But warre is when violence is repelled by violence which at length the seed of the woman should undertake that it may defende the selfe against manifest tyranny But if the woman be the Church what is this her seede Even nowe wee said that the woman was the holie assemblies of the faithfull which publikely doe worship God himselfe by his word sacraments prayer discipline as he alone hath appointed Therfore her seed are the faithfull being of a right iudgement who by reason of the daungerousnesse of the times caÌ„not meete togither openly to worship God but apart doe bend themselves to those studies by which every one privately may cherish godlinesse Against them the Dragon prepareth warre when as there should be congregations in open place which did professe pure and syncere godlines as long as the woman was absent in the wildernesse And so at length it came to passe For after that overflowing of the Northerne barbarous people that the flood was swalowed up by the helpe of the earth the Devill raised up about the yeere 630 the nation of the Saracens which should make a most grievous warre upon the remnaÌ„ts of the Church lying hidde here and there in the confused multitude Malice suffeâ—red him not to graunt them any breathing time but assoone as he had pâ—rceiued that this former entreprises were of noe effect he turneth himsâ—lfe to an other purpose coveting rather that he should be alwayes miserable through continuall labours then that the fewe elect that were remaining should be without miseries even for a small time Therefore first he mooved the Saracens to fall away from the Romaines Secondly he ordained Mahumet their Captaine then he sent him into the whole world to destroy all Who can declare the Iliad of miseries which flowed from thence From that time there was continuall warre for a whole seven huÌ„dred yeeres untill the Turkes a viperous breede a generation worse then their parent destroyed utterly the Saracens their mother This warre was farre and large such a there was never the like in any other time It exteÌ„ded from Persia even to the furthermost Iles of Gades and almost from Lybia into Fraunce And how grievous was it that in fewe yeeres was subdued Arabia Syria Mesopotamia Persia Aegypt the Iles of the Sea Afrike and Spaine Surely the Christian world was very greatly afflicted her by For the Devill spared not his owne so that he might destroy that lurking seed in the common calamity This warre was shewed before partly by the Locusts as wee have expounded in ch 9 partly by the Euphratean Angels that is the Turkes who in these dayes accomplished that which the Saracens had begunne Neither ought it to seeme a strange thing that so cruell a name is now given to the thing which long agoe was an armie of small vermine other is the outward face of a thing already accomplished such as is mentioned in this place and other of a thing in hand yet to be finished of which sorte it is there Nowe therefore wee may see froÌ„ the persecution in the East the overflowing of the barbarous people in the West and the warre of the Saracens common to both by which miseries the Dragon troubled the world after that he had lost heaven and howe iust cause there was to denounce a woe to the inhabitans of the earth as wee have heard at the seventeenth verse And this whole Chapter may be in stead of a Commentarie shewing howe that the Prince that ruleth in the aire is the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience as wee have it in the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians chapter second and second verse Such then is the History of the Dragon so farre as he assaileth with open force for this office he taketh to himselfe The other of fraude and craftines hee giveth to his Vicar the Beast of the which enemy wee shall speake in the Chapter nex following The whole Prophecy
chapter against your third Demonstration But because it skilleth nothing for the force of this argument what the names of these Prophets be we let that passe for the present and doo say that that which you tell us how they are to be killed in Jerusalem is false For the Spirit designeth not Ierusalem by name but onely by this circumlocution where our Lord was crucified which agreeth as wel unto Rome seing Christ was crucified by the sentēce of Pilate the Romā Deputie By which fact he made his Citie guilty of this bloud which was shed by this cities authoritie as we have shewed on chap. 11.8 This argument therfore is worthlesse and weak assuming that which cannot be proved yea the contrary wherof is plainly evident by the Scriptures Neither was ther anie cause why either Chytraeus should purposely passe by these words as you feyn where the Lord also was crucified or why you should so trouble your selfe to prove against Ierom that Ierusalem may be caled Sodome which we acknowledge to be so caled otherwhere Although in the Apocalypse your Rome onely is Sodom you should rather have streyned your sinewes to acquitt your selves of this than have spent your strength in a matter for which ther is no fight The second place is Apoc. 17. where Iohn saith that the ten Kings which shal divide the Roman Empire to themselves and in the time of whose reign Antichrist should come shal hate the purpled whore that is Rome and make her desolate and burn her cke with fire How then say you shall it be Antichrists seat if at the self same time it must be overthrown and burnt I answer the Apocalypse easily taketh from you this scruple You ask how Antichrists seate can be burnt he being alive and seing it The Apocalypse telleth that the fift vial shal be powred out on the Beasts throne and his kingdome shal be made dark so that they shal gnaw their tongues for so row chap. 16.10.11 which vial verily is no other thing than this burning wherby the ten Kings shal consume the whore to ashes For you see that this citie which is to be consumed with fire is Queen of the nations which agreeth not to Ierusalem that hath been laid even with the groūd now manie ages since And if you doubt how the ten Kings should be inflamed with such hatred who so dearly loved the whore before hear how the Angel saith that for a time they would yeild themselves wholly to the Beast but should at length be stirred up of God to destroy her whom they most honoured before ver 16.17 This hatred therfore wil afford your Rome no comfort The other things which you heap up to exaggerate this argument are of no weight at all For that Antichrist the Iewe we have chased away in the former disputation and those things that are mentioned of the Kingdome of Asia are some smal peeces of truth shining clearly in the fabulous heap of confuse earth Certayn it is that the Empire shal return thither again but which Antichrist shal not constitute but Christ himselfe shal build taking pitie on his people and declaring himselfe in his Church to be King of al nations The third place is in those words so that he sitteth in the Temple of God 2. Thess 2.4 wher you bring four expositions of the Temple The first is theirs that by the Temple understand the minds of the faithfull The second is Augustines who interpreteth the Temple to be Antichrist himselfe with his whole people which wil have himselfe and his to be thought the true spiritual Temple of God The third is Chrysostoms that takes the Temple for Christian Churches The fourth is theirs that understand it of Salomons Temple Of these four expositiōs you chose this last worst and furthest from the truth even as women when they ar troubled with the green sicknes doo long for coles lether more then for wholsome meats The Temple in this place must needs be that peoples whose the apostasie is for which Antichrist is sent and this we have shewed to be the Gentiles onely which came in deede unto Christ but served him not with such affection as was meet and that it can not by anie means agree to the Iewes who never would be writtē citizens of this Kingdome Moreover neither did Antichrist come while the old Temple stood neither shal he sit therin afterwards seing it was overthrown long since never to be reedified more as the Angel teacheth And the desolatiō shal continue even to the consummation and end Dan. 9.27 Besides how could the Apostle cal that Gods temple which God would detest and which shal not be founded by anie authoritie of his but by Antichrists commandement alone as you wil have it vaūting himselfe for the onely God These and many other things doo teach that it is least of al to be understood of Salomons Temple Yet you say this opinion is the more common probable and learned But by what reason I pray you Beeause say you in the Scripture of the New Testament by the Temple of God is never meant the Christian Churches but alwayes the temple of Jerusalem VVhich short sentence conteineth two notable falshoods The first is that you say by the temple of God is never meant in the Apostles writings the Christian Churches For Paul in Ephes 2.21.22 speaketh thus of the Christian Church Jn whom al the building fitly coupled togither groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord in whom ye also are built togither to be the habitation of God by the Spirit And what other thing dooth the Apocalypse mean by that so often name of the temple but the holy Christian assemblies Arise and measure the temple of God chap. 11.1 Then was the temple of God opened chap. 11.9 And they came out of the temple neither could any enter into temple chap. 15.6.8 The temple of Ierusalem was destroyed before this Revelation was made least perhaps yow should think that that is meant by these words This is the first falshood The second is wher you say the temple of God evermore signifieth the temple of Jerusalem in the new testament For what Are ther so manie Ierusalem temples as ther are faithful persons Vnto the Corinthians Paul speaketh in words commō to everie Christian Know you not that ye are the temple of God And if anie destroy the temple of God c. 1 Cor. 3.16.17 Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 To let passe the things I mentioned a litle before You certes are a more speedy builder than Salomon which can build so manie temples in so short a space but what cā not you doo which make a Christ everie day of Bread But this is a smal matter you say that the Scriptures doo so speak Therfore you bring some greater thing namely that the ancient Fathers Latin and Greek for manie ages never caled the Churches of Christians temples but Oratories
Church yet is in warre liveth in tents fighteth with many adversaries But after this warre is finished shee shal keep a most ioyful triumph and shal reioyce with perpetuall mirth So as they swerved not much from the truth who commended the holy pleasures of this raign unlesse in this that some supposed that these thinges should be after the last resurrection wherin they greatly failed when they added any earthly thing to the eternal happines of the saints which cannot be expressed or declared by any earthly thing which here we doo enioy But let us observe how greatly they are deceived who almost doo determine a certaine yeere and day of the last iudgement The truth shal yet raigne among the Gentils for seven hundred yeeres how long afterward amōg the Iewes no calculation doth declare as farre as I can find out but this is in the power of God alone altogither uncerten and unknown to every creature as Christ expresly teacheth Mar. 13.32 7 But when the thousand yeeres are expired Such then was the condition of the godly in the beginning and during the third period Now he relateth partly what troubles Satan wrought being loosed and partly what troubles he will yet cause First he sheweth his loosing in this verse for he rageth and is quiet at the commandemēt of God which loosing was done after those thousand yeeres were accomplished Not those wherof he spak last in the end of the former verse but those of which he made mention in the 2.3.4.5 verses of the beginning and end of which we spake at the second and third verses ¶ Satan shal be loosed out of his prison The open enemy shal then again invade the Church as it came to passe in the rising of the Turks as we shewed at the third verse 8 And shal goe out to deceive the nations His first labour being loosed shal be in preparing an army in this verse the endevour wherof is afterward propounded to be threefold in the verse folowing The huge army shal be gathered from many and sundry countreys as is shewed by the sower corners of the earth South North East West In which foure quarters seing the whole compasse of the earth is contained least any should think that this Empire doth extend even as farr amply he comprehendeth those foure corners within the limits bōds of two nations Gog and Magog as though he should say thinke yee not that the whole earth shall minister souldiers to make this wicked army so much of the South other parts of the earth as ther are Provinces in the possession of Gog and Magog shal helpe to the preparing of these hosts Therfore this power of enemies shal consist chiefly of these two sortes of people But what natiōs they are can not be unknown the Captaine being known To the finding out of whom the time doth lead as by the hand For he riseth up after the thousand yeeres of the Divels imprisonment which time we hav prooved both often and in many words to come out at the yeere 130. And what other Divell open enemy of the Church came ther into the world than that terrible Turke who farr passed all the former in all cruelty who notably executeth the fiercenes of the Divell who knoweth that but a litle time remaineth for him of this loosing Wherfore the Divell seemeth to rage even visibly in the person of the Turke whom he hath ordained for his Vice-Captaine Therfore Gog and Magog are the nations that ar subject to the Empire of the Turk or at least those that minister armes unto him for to performe his wicked entreprises But yet so as that Gog be the chiefe nations and proper to the dominion of the Turk as we learne from Ezechiel who draweth his Prophecy chiefly against Gog chap. 38. and 39. But Magog are perhaps the nations of an other jurisdiction yet alwaies at hand to helpe the Turke For Ezechiel inveigheth more lightly against him as it were against a confederate rather thē the chiefe authour As touching Gog a Reubenite is rehearsed by this name 1 Chron. 5.4 But who besides the name hath not likenesse to this as is cleare frō these places of Ezechiel and the Revelation in which onely he now spoken off being excepted mention is found of him The most learned Tremelius Iunius doo think that this name came of Gyge who killed Candaules the Lydian and raigned in his stead from whence the lesser Asia was called Gog even as afterward Croesus enlarging the boundes of his Kingdome unto Syria a certaine towne nigh Libanus was called Gygarta for that which is Gog karta that is the City of Gog for in the time that Ezechiel prophecied eyther Halyartes or Croesus both the nephewes of Gyge raigned in Asia minor Neither is it a new thing that the countre is should be signified by their chiefe Princes especially in the scriptures which declare that every nation toke their names from hence at the first Yet this perhaps hath place rather in the first Princes then in their successours albeit that these also gave names to the countreies But it was sufficient for the Prophet to note the nation by the name of her first stock which at that time bare rule in the same place howsoever perhaps that countrey was not so called every where These things doo make this sense very probable Yet notwithstanding seing Ezechiel with whom this place being wholly taken from thence doth wel agree maketh this Gog the chiefe Prince of Meshech and Tubal in chap. 38.3 that is of the Capadocians and Iberians of Asia as Iosephus teacheth lib. 1. chap. 6. of the Antiq. Neither was any of the posterity of Gyge no not Croesus who raigned last and farthest ever Prince of these countreies whose dominion was limited by the River Halys as Herodote relateth in Clio ther is perhaps an other reason of this name Which seemeth to be such that Gog is not an usuall name of any nation but a name made of Magog that both it may note the great union of both peoples and also that Gog doth spring frō Magog For Magog is the chiefe name of one of the sonnes of Iaphet who are reckoned to be Gomer and Magog and Maday and Javan c. Gen. 10.2 And Gog is made therof by taking away the first syllable that wee may know him to be a brāch of the same stocke But the countreys which Ezechiel attributeth unto him were not subiect at that time to any such Prince but at length they were to be under the power of some such at which time that Prophecy should be performed from which that Gog going out with violence as from the lifts should make his first assault for the subduing of the other countreyes As though he should say behold I come against thee o people having thyne ofspring from Magog but who abidest in the countreyes of Meshech and Tubal By which he noteth out most fitly the Turks in their first originall
are the names of the twelve tribes of the childrē of Israell 13 On the East part there were three gates on the North side three gates on the Southside three gates on the Westside three gates 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations in which were the names of the Lambes twelve Apostles 15 And he that spake with mee had a golden reed for to measure the citie withall and the gates therof and the wall therof 16 And the city lay foure square whose length is as large as the breadth of it the length and the bredth and the hight of it are equall 17 And he measured the wall therof a hundreth fourty foure cubits by the measure of man that is of the Angel And the building of it was of Iasper 18 And the city was pure golde like unto cleare glasse And the foundations of the wal of the city were garnished with all manner of pretious stones 19 The first foundation was of Iasper the second of a Saphyr the third a Chalcedonie the fourth an Emerande the fift a Sardonix 20 The sixt a Sardius the seventh a Chrysolite the eight a Beryll the ninth a Topaze the tenth a Chrysoprasus the eleventh a Jacynth the twelft an Amethyst 21 And the twelve gates were twelve Pearles every gate is of one Pearle the street of the city is pure gold as shining glasse 22 Neither saw I any temple therin for the Lord God almighty and the Lambe are the temple of it 23 And this city hath no need of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God doth light it and the Lambe is the light of it 24 And the Nations which are saved shall walke in the light of it and the Kings of the earth shal bring their glory and honour unto it 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut by day for there shal be no night there 26 And the glory and honour of the Gentils shal be brought unto it 27 And ther shal enter into it no uncleane thing neither whatsoever worketh abomination or lyes but they which are written in the lambes book of life Analysis HITHERTO hath bin the maner of gathering the Church afterward is declared what shal be the condition of it being gathered Which is shewed to be most happy first generally from the things seen a new heavē earth ver 1. the holy city ver 2. also from things heard partly in common touching the presence of God with men ver 3. Of the removing of calamities ver 4. a new restoring of al things ver 5. partly in private concerning the certainty of the Prophecy ver 5. of the mystery now fulfilled v. 6. and the rewarding both of the godly ver 6.7 and also of the ungodly ver 8. And such is the generall declaration The particular relateth the revealing cause an Angel ver 9. 10. And the thing revealed universally ver 10.11 By parts in respect of the wall and city and essentiall parts as the forme of the wall ver 12.13.14 The forme of the city ver 15.16.17 Afterward of the common matter ver 18. Speciall of the wall ver 19.20.21 Speciall of the city ver 21. The externe arguments by which the glory of this city is set forth is first God himself who is both the temple ver 22. and the light of the city ver 23. Secondly the Gentiles which shal bring their glory to it ver 24 both free from all feare and suspicion ver 25. also from any defiling by contagion ver 27. Thirdly a mervailous aboundance of things necessary the continuance of this glory in the chap. following Scholions 1 After J saw a new heauen The opinion of the resurrection from the ende of the former chapter hath mooved very many to interpret al these things of the Church as it shal be at length in heaven But wee have shewed that neither the last resurrection is intreated of there neithe doth the Spirit describe here to us the Angelical blessednesse of the Saincts after this life but of them yet conversing upon the earth as the thinges which are mentioned doo manifest in their places Neither perhaps is it needfull that the heavenly inheritance should be adorned with words which all know wel ynough to surmount any praises whatsoever even they also in whose eyes the Church on earth is otherweise despised but concerning this her estimation is lesse with mortall men then ought to be because shee is a stranger wherupon ther may hav bin a necessary reason to set forth more largely the glory and dignity of it The descriptron wherof notwithstanding maketh a way to comprehende in minde that celestial happinesse For if the magnificence of the spouse be so great on earth of what sort are those things which God hath prepared for his with himselfe But the mind is weakened at the thinking of this let us therfore turne our eyes aside to this earthly pleasantnes greater indeed then all words can set forth yet more capable to our senses and which within a few yeeres shal be made clare to the world The interpretation of the new heaven and earth may be taken out of that to the Hebrewes chap. 12.26 whose voice then shooke the earth but now hath declared saying yet once more will I shake not onely the earth but the heaven where to shake heaven and earth by the interpretation of the Apostle himselfe is to abolish the old manner of worship and people For heaven by trāslation is the temple and whole legal worship wherof that temple was the seate and place where it abode long as Heb. 8.5 From whence to shake heaven is to abolish that worship The earth are men and more properly the Israelites a people to whom that legal worship did belong Therfore to shake the earth is to shake the Israelites to remove them out of their place Neither hath the common use of speaking through this book digressed any whit from this signification of the words where heaven is the more pure Church the earth the degenerate citizens as we have seen in their places Even as God therfore in the first comming of his sonne shooke the heaven and the earth in reiecting that old both worship and people and ordaining and choosing a new so againe when it shal please him to have mercy on the forsaken nation and to bestow upō it salvation by Christ he shal darken the former glory of heaven earth making the dignity and honour of his new people so famous as if he had created all things a new Vherunto belongeth that of Isaiah For behold I will create a new heaven and a new earth as thoug he should say I will appoint a most pure manner of worshiping mee and wil take unto mee a new people in whose assembly I wil be honoured chap. 65.17 Of which sort is that of the Apostle If any be in Christ he is a new creature old
playnly to Christians al coverings being removed as on whom the noone Sunne of truth shineth and all things are naked and open And indeed he openeth most significantly in one word that long obscure description in Ezechiel saying that that temple so magnifically gloriously prepared is in truth none at all not as though the Prophet had uttered so many words vainly but to shewe that we must not stick in the bark of the lettre but that the kernell of the Spirit is to be found out Let the Iewes heare neither let them expect a renewed temple as hitherto they doo amisse and obstinately but let them with minds and harts aspire in that right way which shal need no temple Let them look for the omnipotent God and the Lamb to dwel among them in comparison of which glory whatsoever can be built of men shal be vile 23 Neither hath this city any need of the Sunne or Moone For in very deed the Moone shall be ashamed and the very Sunne shall blush when the Lord of hosts shall reigne in mount Sion and Hierusalem and shall be glorious before his auncients Isaiah 24.23 And why may it not be ashamed of her former darkenesse when the light of the Moone shal be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne seven folde as the light of seven daies Isay 30.23 Which thinges are not spoken to that ende as though there should be no use then of the Scriptures but because all shall so understand Gods will as if they had no need to learne wisdome from books Full saith the Prophet shall this land be of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters covering the chanell of the Sea Isay 11.9 Neither shall they anie more teach everie man his friend and everie man his brother saying know yee the Lord for they shall all know mee from the least of them even to the greatest of them saith the Lord that J doo forgive their inquity and remember their sinne no more Ier. 31.34 From hence let us observ that that Church is most glorious in which the sunne of righteousnesse shineth with most open face covered with no cloudes of ceremonies therfore let them see in how great errour they are whom bring in a pompous shew of ceremonies to procure authority to religion with the people Furthermore let us note to what times Iohn applyeth the sentences of the Prophets that we may know the things are yet to come which we interpret commonly to be past and not onely in the heavenly countrey whose happinesse needeth the words of no man but here in earth in that restoring wherof we have spoken ¶ And the Lambe is the light therof Therfore this light the most bright of all godly times shal not yet be perfit as it shal be after this life but a candle onely in respect of that least peradventure wee should rest in our iourney as if we had come to the last ende 24 And the Gentiles that shal be saved The second outward argument is glory from the Gentils Before time the Iewes have alwayes found the GeÌ„tiles most hatefull who left no meanes unattempted to doo them hurt now contrariweise ther shal be no cause to feare that they will doo them any harme yea rather why should they not expect all good at their hands who shal apply al their forces to the advancing of them But these Gentiles are not al generally but are limited with a certain kinde which saith he shal be saved which word is inserted for an exposition The place is taken out of Isaiah 60.3 where it is thus and the Gentiles shall walke to thy light which Iohn draweth to the elect by putting in of one word least any should think it was spoken of every one generally And see how Iohn traÌ„slate that seÌ„teÌ„ce they shal walke to thy light thus they shal walke in the light of it the senteÌ„ce being well expressed For to walke at the light is not to come only to the light which one may doe depart again by by being at once both seen despised but to walke after or according to the light as to walke at the feete is alone with to follow serve one 1 Sam. 25.42 Neither-hath this place in the heavens that the people should walke at the light of the Church when Prophecyings shal be abolished and tongues shall cease and God shal be all in all 1 Cor. 13.8 and 15.28 But it may be doubtful how it can have place on earth For shal this difference remaine of some people which are saved and of other that are lost in this most happy government of the Church It seemeth indeed that there shal be many which yet still shal contemne the truth obstinately for the day of the Lord shall come cas a share upon all that dwell on the face of the earth Luke 21 35. But the children of the Church are not in darkenesse that that day should take them as a thief in the night 1 Thess 5.4 Moreover it was said before that the haile of a taleâ—t weight of the last vial shall drive men to blasphemy chap. 16.21 Neverthelesse those despisers shal be of so feeble strength that wil they nil the they shal be compelled to yeeld their necks The Complut edition and the Kings bible doo omit these words which are saved and so doth Aretas and the vulgar Latine neither doo they reade in the light of it but by the light ¶ And the Kings of the earth shal bring their glory unto it Then the Kings borderers on the Ocean and of the Yles shall bring a present the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring a gift finally all Kings shall worship him and all nations shall serve him Psal 72.10.11 And Isay The labour of Aegypt and marchandize of Aethiopia and of the Sabean Princes shall come unto thee and they shall be thine and shall follow thee they shall come in chaines and shall fall down before thee and shall make supplications unto thee saying onely the strong God is in thee there is none besides no where else is God chap. 45.14 Againe Kings shal be thy nurcing fathers and their Queenes shal be thy nurces they shall worship thee with their faces toward the earth and shall lick the dust of thy feet chap. 49.23 For then shal be given unto Christ a dominion and glory and Kingdome that all people nations and tongues should serve him whose dominion is an everlasting dominion which passeth not away his KingdoÌ„ a KingdoÌ„ which shall not be destroyed Dan. 7.14 It shal not also be from the purpose to add here in what words the Sybille hath described this same thing that at least wee may help tthe Iesuite if he will who in expounding the same is cleane out of the way thus therfore shee Prophecyed in the 3. book of the oracles of Sibyll And then the world by womans hands shall rul'd be and obey But when the widow over all the world
it were lawfull to departe froÌ„ the common edition Thou seest then that those faultes must be made good by thee and the fidelitie of the old Interpretour very ignorantly I will not say impudently boasted of though in deede so it was needfull for thee by reason of that dutifulnes wherby thou art bounde to Rome 6 And hath made that is and which hath made by a want of the relative as but now we have said All those things tende hereunto that they may teach that Christ hath not these good things for himselfe alone wherwith we have heard by the wordes last handled he is endued but doth poure them on the elect wherby they may be blessed thorough the participation of them ¶ Kings and Priests to God Some reade A Kingdome and Priests as also the common translation hath It makes not much for the meaning yet it is more likely that there is a conioining of persons betweene themselves than of things and persons The elect are Kings by participating of Christs Kingdome through which we have overcome the law death and sinne and doe daiely triumphe over the world treading under foote the same by faith 1 Ioh. 5.4.5 By him also we are Priests who being dead in him we have God mercifull to us and a waie opened to call boldly on him But he addeth wariely that we are made Kings and Priests to God that we maie not thinke that this honour is given to us eyther to trouble civill matters or to confound Churches politie ¶ To him be glory This is all that we can render for his exceeding benefits namely to wish that by his righteous praises he be celebrated amoÌ„gst all men And this thankesgiving seemes to be undertaken for Gods present gift thorough the knowledge of Christ poured forth on the GeÌ„tiles Beholde he commeth with the cloudes A benefite to come to be expected at his glorious coming To come with the cloudes is to manifest himselfe with a storme and tempest and wonderfull terrour of vehement and great lightening to be avenged on the wicked and to deliver his After which maner Daniell also speaketh of his coming J saw in the visions of the night that behold one like to the sonne of man came with the cloudes of heaven chap. 7.13 For so the notable iudgements of God ar wont to be described by which he poureth forth his fervent wrath on his enemies that we maie thinke that all creatures doe fight for God also he will use the heaveÌ„ the earth to helpe his people and furthermore that the reprobate shall have no meanes to escape After the like maner the Psalmist being delivered out of the handes of his enemies praiseth God for his power shewed from heaven in delivering of him Ps 18.13.14.15 In Mathew it is saide he will come on the cloudes chap. 24.30 but it may be in the same sence which is in Ps 18.11 and he sate on the Cherubins and did flie c. But the Angels affirme that he will come as they had seene him going into heaven Act. 1.11 And no feare was there onely the cloude tooke him awaie out of their sight but without any stricking of terrour But the similitude seemeth to be referred to the truth of the humane nature in which he shall returne to be seen of all men after which sorte he went into heaven not for the pompe and maiestie of his coming or the Angels speake in regard of the Godly to whom his coming shall be most ioyfull for which the reprobate shall in vaine desire that the mountaines should cover them All be it it shall be manifest by those things that follow that here these wordes are not spoken of his last coming but onely allude unto it because of the similitude ¶ And they shall waile over him Here the wailing is of repentance not of desperation as is plaine out of Zachary from whence these wordes are fetched and they shall looke saith he to him whom they have perc d and they shall lament over him as a lamentation for their onely begotten chap. 12.10 But seeing that when men shall stand before the throne of the universall iudgement their repentance shall be to late by no meanes these things seeme that they can be uÌ„derstood of the last iudgemeÌ„t neither of that his coming with the cloudes which but now he spake of but rather of that his excelleÌ„t glory which shall be manifest in the world in the calling of the Iewes Those are they which once perced him but at length they shall beholde him all the Tribes of the earth that is the whole nation of the Iewes shall with aboundaÌ„ce of teares bewaile the wickednes of their ancestours for delivering Christ to death And in deede the Revelation staies her narration upoÌ„ their conversion as hereafter God willing it shall be manifest And because then the glory of Christ shall be very great in the earth a most lively patterne of that which shall shine in the last daye a preparation unto this is brought for the beautifying of it Neither alone in this place but as it seemeth also in many other ¶ All Tribes These things are proper to the Iewes to whom once tribe by tribe the promised land was divided The thing could not in more exquisite wordes be declared Sometime the tribes are taken metaphorically but in no wise here seeing that Zachary mentioneth by name the Iewish tribes The land saith he shall lament every family apart the family of the house of David â—part the family of the house of Levy apart all the rest of the families every familie apart The lamenters here are those which were percers and the tribes are of those that lamented therefore of them which perced him to wit of the Iewes to whom properly this sinne belongs Therefore these wordes of the Apostle are thus as if he should saie Beholde he comes with the cloudes all men of all sortes shall see him also those which perced him to wit the Iewes whose predecessours crucified Christ and perced his side with aspeare these being scatered every where thorough all nations shall at length be convertâ—d to the true faith for earnest grief shall morne both for the detestable iniquity of their forefathers and also for their so long hardening yea Amen And so finally this is the summe of all that the benefite of Christ partly present is here celebrated in the calling of the Gentiles for that which he before spake of Kings and Priestes is referred to the seaven Churches of Asia that is to all the Gentiles embracing Christ at that present for which cause there is attributed to him the praise of glory power partly to come in the calling of the Iewes which we have declared to us both by their repentance and also by the desire and wishe of all the Godly ¶ Yea Amen The fervent desire of the Godly desiring this coming is expressed in greeke and hebrew for this shall be the wishe of all nations The
gathereth the teares of his children in his bottle knoweth that I have not viewed round about this Laodicea with dry eyes I could not but morne from the bottome of myne heart when I beheld in her Christ lothing us and very greatly provoked against us Wherfore let no man blame me for that which not so much my wil as the duty of a faithfull Interpreter compelleth me to bring forth And I hope that the lovers of the truth will not despise and refuse so equall and reasonable request with which hope supported but especially with his ayde who is the leader of my way and life I will gird and make my selfe ready unto the thing it selfe The Antitype I say is the third reformed Church that is ours of England For all the purer Churches are comprehended in this threefolde difference For either they presist and continue in those steppes which Luther hath traced out such as are the Churches of Germany especially of Saxony and those next bordering of Suerland and Danemarke or they abhorre that errour of Consubstantiation as all the rest with one consent which yet doe not agree in all things but follow a differing manner of governing and administring the French and their companions one our English another a certen propre and peculiar one Whereupon there are three distinct severally unto which the three types Sardis Philadelphia Laodicea after that Iezabell was overthrowne that is the yoke of the Romish tyranny shaken of doe answere And to the last Laodicea the English doth agree whose last original taketh her beginning at the yeare 1547. when Edward the King of most famous memory came to the rule and governement of the common wealth but then at length shee was confirmed and stablished when 11 yeares after our most peaceable Queene Elisabeth begā the kingdome Most mighty King Henry her father had expelled the Pope but reteyned the Popish superstition And before he began to stirre any whit even against the Pope the Churches of Germany and Helvetia were founded The Scotish Church is later in beginning then ours yet by right it is numbred with them with which it agreeth in ordinances into whose times shee is cast which is to be esteemed rather from the agreement of things then alone from the difference of time Wherfore our English Church alone constituteth the Antitype answering to Laodicea as shee which began last of those in which there appeareth noe difference of any moment ¶ These things saith that Amen Amen is used as a proper name and unchāgeable as before he that is he that was he that cometh This threefoulde property perteineth therto that it may teach what manner of one Christ would shew him selfe in governing this Church The first is fetched out of the first chap. ver 18. although Amen there wanteth the article neither is it read at all of the comon Interpreter yet notwithstanding this place giveth coniecture that it ought to be read The second is taken not out of the vision of the same chapter but from the inscription of the comon Epistle ver 5. Neither is the third found in expresse wordes but in the 8. ver he is called the beginning and the end from whence this seemeth to proceed the beginning of the creature The two first propertyes perteine to the double truth one of promising the other of teaching in respect of that he is called that Amen according to that of the Apostle In him are all the promises of God yea and amen 2 Cor. 1.20 in respect of this a faithfull true witnesse As touching that Christ taketh this name upon him now because he should shew himselfe very cleare famous in performing his promises But what are they All blessings of heaven of earth of cattell of children of peace of warre of good health the like to them that obey the voyce of the Lord but all cōtrary things to thē that refuse Deut. 28. Which how they were performed to the Laodiceans is not plainly apparent to us being destitute in this point of the light of the History As touching our England nothing can be more cleare then the excellent goodnes of God in this thing For the space of these 42. yeares more what aboundance of all good things hath ben powred forth upon our Iland He hath given us a most peaceable Queene excelling so in all prayse as no age hath seene the like Togither with her he hath given peace What good thing hath not issued frō thence Frō hēce the lawes are in force iudgemēts are exercised every one ēioyeth his owne iniuries are restrayned wātonnes is repressed the nobility is honoured the comon people goeth about their worke with all diligence arts doe flourish handicraftes are used cities are built excellently riches increased infinite youth groweth up the fieldes abunde with corne the pastures with cattel the moutaines with sheepe What should I use many words hence is a porte place of refuge opened to the banished for Christs sake affoardeth ayde to them that are oppressed by tyrants neither have wee almost any other labour thē that wee may helpe thē that neede all this even while our eares doe ringe of the noise tumulte of the nations round about us no lesse then as the waves of the sea England never had so long quietnesse of dayes At which our felicity strangers are astonished our enemies are grieved wee our selves almost knowe it not But prayse be to thee most true Amen who hath given us this ease and rest In bestowing largely upon us so many good thinges thou hast shewed truly to the world that thy Gospell is a guest not going away scot free which dot so aboundantly blesse those that receive entertaine it Keepe continue these good thinge unto us yea thou wilt keepe them which art Amen if wee shall keepe and defende thy trueth ¶ That faithfull witnesse true The second property is of trueth in teaching For these thinges perteine to the propheticall office of Christ as hath bin said in the first verse of the first chap. where he is called faithfull because of the diligence of labour wherby he is exercised in his office with very great faithfulnes to whom the FATHER hath well commited a businesse of so great momēt true for the soundnes and syncerity of speach without all even the least spot of falshood In this kinde of trueth he should manifest him selfe in wonderfull manner in this Church But touching the city of LAODICEA we have noe more then before In the Antitype those former riches of his grace are in this thing if it may be surmounted and excelled And to what end were all the good thinges if wee could not have the wholesome doctrine of trueth But ever since the first times of our most peaceable Queene he hath raysed up continually diligent and learned Pastours and Teachers who have preached the worde purely and syncerely Neither at this day are many wanting by his infinite mercy who bestowe
is commonly translated Hell but it would be more fitly translated Grave which also the greeke word signifyeth so it ought to be understood in this place especially seeing many holy men should die togither with the rest whom it were a wicked thinke to iudge to be swallowed up of the Hell of the damned For as touching that the Jesuite doth thinke that Hell doth follow to devoure Traiane whom he will have to be this Sitter wee shall see in the applying howe fond a thing it is that I may not say how carelesly he mixed and confouÌ„deth all thinges who bringeth againe to Traiane the Prophecy which was passed beyond Severus Secondly power is given to the Sitter and togither also is limitted with his boundes and there was given them where some bookes doe read the order being changed and power was given to him over the fourth parth of the earth and the common Latine translation for the fourth part of the earth readeth over foure parts of the earth by these meanes the whole world being made subiect to their dominion against the consent of all the Greeke copies But nowe it is a detestable thing to thinke after the Tridentine Decree that the commoÌ„ traÌ„slatioÌ„ was not corrected according to the best Greeke copies Although a good sense in deede may be drawne from the wordes that the foure partes of the earth may note the largenes of the countryes in which the destruction should go on with rage even as the fourth part of the earth the multitude of men which should perish by this death The Power is defined with a foure folde kinde of destroying with Death sitting on the horse which he useth as his Ministers Warres Batells leade the first army whose weapon is a Sword Want of foode guideth the second hoste the third the Pestilence for by death he meaneth it to whom is attributed the name of the gender because it taketh men away with a most quicke destruction and setteth before our eyes a most lively image of death and theÌ„ also it is wont to be alwayes the follower of Famine And in many mother tongues it is called Mortality The last scourge is of Beasts a scourge much used in former times as I will sende upon you the Beasts of the field Levit. 26.22 So Aâ—so when I shall send my foure sore iudgements upon Ierusalem even the sword and famine and noysome Beasts and Pestilence Ezech. 14.21 An exeÌ„ple whereof wee have when the Lord sent Lions among the newe dwellers who succeeded the ten tribes carried away 2 King 17.25 or it may be that Beasts be taken metaphorically for men mighty on earth and made like Beasts a frequent name in the scriptures of Tyrants and wicked Princes as of Pharaoh Thou art like a yong Lion among the nations Ezech. 32.2 And famous in Daniell is the nothing of foure Kinges by so many Beastes that is a Lion a Beare a Leopard and the fourth terrible Beast to wit a Centaure compact of many chap. 7.4.5 These are then the bandes of Death which nowe ioyned togither he would spread abroade into the world when the gates and wayes were opened which before were severall plagues And that it is also so come to passe the coherence of things doe teache it After Severus the state of the Church was quiet untill at length the Empire came to Decius Maximinus troubled somewhat but he being killed a while after his madnes and life was short But Decius neither feared with the calamity of warres nor any whit moved with the scarsity of victualls both which he might easily perceive the slaughters of the innocents to have brought into the world commanded that rigour should be shewed toward the Christians with all kinde of torments Then the fourth Beast spake for Cyprian being indeede an Eagle a contemner of the world and of the thinges that are very much esteemed of other men who at his first conversion bestowed all his goods upon the poore who earnestly reproved the covetousnes of other men in heaping up patrimonies sharply rebuked the pride of them that preferred themselves before others reprehended swelling insolency and immodest boasting of confession by all meanes openly avouched that these scourges were provoked by such sinnes This Eagle I say flying so much the more higher by howe much the more he did abase himselfe in writing against Demetrianus Ethnicus shewed playnly that this was the chiefe cause of all evills wherewith the world was tormented that the GeÌ„tiles did persecute so barbarously the harmelesse worshippers of Christ whom the world after their manner through envy charged for to be the cause of the commoÌ„ calamityes but that holy man did put away those calumnies and declared manifestly the true fountaine of all the evils Neither was his voice false God forthwith approving it by sending into the world divers and sundry sortes of horrible destruction Decius himselfe was swallowed up in a golfe-mire of a marsh not bequeathing himselfe to death for his country after the example of the olde Decius but going downe as it were quicke into Hell for a iust terrour of all mercilesse Tyrants Gallus Volusianus by and by after felt the wrath of God who are famous for noâ— remembrance of their notable acts but onely for the destruction of mankinde For first when these reigned the sword slewe an infinite sorte of men For the Scythians when Decius was gone when first the yoke of tribute was layed upon the Româ—nes which howe much blood it cost any man may easily coniecture altering forthwith their act did make invasions did drive away spoiles did violently enter in often times by a very great army by land and by sea did wast Dardania Thracia Thessalia Macedonia and the country Hellas part did molest Asia with the spoiling rasing and destroying of many cityes on every side By whose example also other enemyes did aryse the Parthians did take and hold by force Armenia and did passe through into the parte of Syria which mischiefes when Gallus Volusianus make ready to withstand they are both killed of the souldiours Aemilianus a three-moneth Emperour was chosen of the same into their place and of them killed Valerianus cometh alive into the enemyes power and is made a footstoole to Sapores for to get upon his horse The sword then played his part greatly leaving scarse any part of the world free from slaughters The famine gave occasion both to Demetrianus of calumniating the Christians and to Cyprian of defending them Doest thou sayth he speaking to Demetrianus marvayle and complaine in this your obstinacy and contempt if the earth be foule with the standing of dust if the barren clotte bringeth scarse fainte yellowish and wanne herbes and grasse if seldome raine descende from above if the beating haile maketh the wine feeble if a subverting whirlewinde doe breake in pieces the olive trees if drought doe stoppe up the fountaine c From which it is cleare howe grievous the coÌ„dition of those
place ¶ Holding the foure windes of the earth Wee have seene the Angels their standings their endevour is to take away the winde from the earth the foure saith Iohn windes of the earth which yet is one by nature but divers according to the countryes from whence it bloweth But this winde is not properly to be understood seeing such a calamity hath never befallen albeit many ages now are past since this Prophecy was accomplished For if it were proper howe should not the stopping up hurt as well the sealed as the reprobate who dwelt togither and one with an other I therefore understand the winde to be the force and faculty of the Holy Ghost whom Christ coÌ„pareth to the winde Iohn 3.8 the winde saith he bloweth whither it listed so is every one that is borne of the Spirit For as of olde that disordered Chaos and seed of this our world could not otherwise consist then as it was quickened of the Spirit who moved himselfe upon the waters Gen. 1.2 So neither doth this earth nor sea nor trees come to the feeling of any vitall strength unlesse that sanctifying winde doth lye upon them from whose breathing they doe as it were drawe their life It is not indeede in the power of any creature to restraine the force of the heaveÌ„ly Spirit yet the trueth being stopped which he used as his chariot not without cause the passages may be sayd to be stopped wherby he should blowe to our good ¶ That the winde should not blow upon the earth nor upon the sea c. Nowe the thinges are reckoned up from which they would had restrayned the winde to wit from the Earth the Sea the Trees The Earth before were the Heathen Nations as chap. 6.4.15 Afterward it seemeth to signify alway not men wholy repugnant to the name of Christ but the common sorte mixt company of the corrupt Church which hath succeeded in the place of the Gentiles as chap. 8.13 12.9.12.13.16 13.11 c. The Sea signifyeth the doctrine sometime true and then it is placed before the Throne within the coÌ„pas of the Elders where it is of glasse like to Chrystall most cleare most pure as chap. 4.6 More often it is brought to shew false doctrine in which sense it resteth and is quiet as in his channell in the bosome and embracing of this earth which it doth fasten togither with his humidity though grosse and brinish through secret passages least being by nature easy to be reduced in powder and not cleaving togither it should be dissolved through her atidity For unlesse there were some bande of consent amonge the counterfeit citizens even the wicked assemblyes could not stande The trees wee understaÌ„de to be meÌ„ froÌ„ ch 9.4 wher coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t is giveÌ„ to the Locusts that they should not hurt any tree but onely the meÌ„ that hav not the seale of God in their foreheads Now the exception is alway of the same kinde of which that is froÌ„ wheÌ„ce the exception is made therefore when as men are excepted it must needes be that the trees also are men not indeed of the basest sorte condition but who shewe theÌ„selves above others with their high dignityes and lift up their heades among the rest being more famous in the Christian Assemblyes But if the Angels would have hurt onely this earth sea and trees why was there not free leave graunted them Because in that vile heape many of the elect lay hidden who were to be provided for for their sakes the Angell from the East would have the confused multitude to be spared neither any hurt to be done to any untill order was taken for them for whom it was necessary The wicked gaine the deferring of punishment for those fewe good whom they have dwelling among theÌ„ ¶ And I sawe an other Angell which was come up from the East in greeke which did ascend some copyes doe reade coming up the Hebrewes figuratively doe take these wordes to ascende and descende for to departe to goe forth to goe to returne as he went up from Ierusalem that is he returned and left of to assault it 2. King 12.18 But it is well ioyned with the rysing of the Sunne because the Sunne seemeth to ascende from the East untill he be come to the middes of heaven The first occasion of sealing being declared there is now described by what Minister it was done Whom both the respect of the time and all circunstances doe proove to have ben Constantine the Great He succeeded in the Empire after that the Lambe had thrust out Diocletian and the other Jdolatrous Tyrants But he came up from the rising of the Sunne having come from the Easterne countryes to receive the Empyre For being a yong man he served in warre under Diocletian in Syria But after his vertu had procured him envy so as often through secret trecheries he was in perill of his life he was compelled to get himselfe out of the East as speedily as he could and to goe to his Father So Eusebius writeth he was provoked to flight for his safety in the life of Constantin orat 1. Zonaras saith that he was given of his father for an hostage to Galerius of whom when he sawe that he was hated through envy and that in the battell at Sarmatia he was cast forth of set purpose to danger and againe for the same intente commaunded to fight with a Lion both which battells he executed with good successe by flight at length he escaped away to his Father togither also by these meanes avoided the danger and obtayned his Fathers Empire the seate whereof afterward he placed at Bizantium Therefore whether wee respect his first returne from the East or minde the decrees which after the Empire was established touching the worshipping of the true God by Christ did fly often from thence into that part of the world that was under Rome the History agreeth very well with the Prophecy but that former seemeth to come nigher to the meaning of the Holy Ghost because of those thinges that follow ¶ Having the Seale of the living God Both himselfe instructed in the true knowledge of God and endued with very great authority to spread abroad the same unto others whom while by his owne exemple and zeale he provoked to embrace the trueth he is sayd to marke them with the seale of the living God and to take them for Gods chiefe treasure He cryed with a lowde voice promoting the trueth by Edicts published removing farre of to his power all that which might hinder the amplifying of it He did represse for a time according as it was appointed of God those foure Furies of Hâ—ll which were prepared to hurt whereof wee have heard at the first verse He restreined the Ambition of other men by his owne maiesty Howe great labour did he take to pull up by the rootes all contentions who esteemed nothing more excellent then to seate peace among the Bishops
wounding of the whole Popish nation was reserved to this time Which after they heard of our England and Queene overthrowing the Romish impiety burst out altogither devising for us by what meanes soever they could a finall destruction And many wordes are not needfull in this matter Known to the whole world are the Popes curses against us our people being stirred up often to rebellion the bloody Iesuites sent privily daily hired traitours privie murtherers sorcerers the Popes armies set out in Ireland the Spanish navie then which there was never any stronger and better appointed Neither yet with weapons and armour more for fight then with scourges and haltars and things of that sort for torment the desirous inquiry of Philip the Father lately wakened almost from very death concerning our England as though he were to goe by by into that place where the teller of our evill should be noe lesse pleasant to others then to himselfe Rages certenly meete for wicked mindes For these are onely the beginnings of furie although famous notable then chiefly the Papists shall storme when Christ shall enter upon his full Kingdome as after more at large The Pope and Turke shall purpose the last desolation of the whole Church for which cause they shall gather very great armies But the rage of men shall turne the greater glory of God as the Psalmist singeth For by how much the danger shal be greater by so much his honour shall shine the more in delivering his As touching the second Gods punishement begun which these wordes signify and his wrath is come that conteineth the summe of the Vials which therefore are called the last plagues as shall be said in his place The full reward and first of all goods as great as can be on the earth is found in these wordes and the time of the dead that they should be iudged Which things perteine to the Iewes yet strangers from Christ and therefore without salvation and dead in deede but at length they shall be iudged and shall come to the trueth Which Interpretation I have taken out of Daniell Ezechiel and some places of this Prophecy following of which how great is the weight it shall appeare after more clearly The recompensing of the evill in the last wordes and shouldest destroy them that destroy the earth To wit The Pope and Turke and all their servants yet mighty robbers of the whole earth And so is the short summe of the things to be declared afterward more plenteously 19 Then the Temple was opened Therefore it was shut before when it was measured in the beginning of this chapter and because the elect were sealed But now it should be opened noe more to be used to the receaving of a fewe faithfull but that is should extende to an huge multitude of Saincts Neither onely should the Temple be opened but also the most holy place in which was set the Arke of the covenant Into this once it was lawfull for the High Priest onely to enter and that but once in a yeere Now it should be gone into of all Saincts in likewise all the mysteries of salvation being as plaine cleere and manifest to every one as before time they were to the learned and skilfull men all whose study was bestowed in them And who but a very envious anthankefull man acknowledgeth not a most rich encrease of trueth which is come to passe in these last times since the yeere 1558. in which the seventh Trumpet sounded The doctrine was made lightsome in many points more clearly known delivered more distinctly then hath happened in many ages past Neither doe I speake this to boast but to praise Gods bounteousnes and to shewe forth the trueth of the Prophecy Surely God hath begun to consume in his mountaine the forme of that veile which covereth all people and that covering which is spread upon all nations Isay 25.7 He began I say because it shal be taken away more fully when it shal be taken from the Iewes also ¶ And there were lightnings The third part of the signe which declareth what should follow after the opening of the Temple great evils should fall upon the world from the Church increased and abounding with so great riches of divine knowledge The world waxeth leane throug her prosperity and by howe much the Sunne shineth more brightly upon it so much the more are the sicke eyes of it grieved Therefore it desireth that this were abolished and endevoureth as much as it can but prevaileth nothing by endevouring unlesse to call forth lightnings upon it selfe and those evils which are rehearsed But this is onely a briefe foreshadowing of the things the patterne shal be mote lively set forth afterward CHAP. 12. AND there appeared a great wonder in heaven a woman clothed with the Sunne under whose feete was the Moone and upon her head a crowne of twelve starres 2 And being great with childe shee cryed traveiling in birth was pained that shee might bring forth 3 And there appeared an other wonder in heaven for beholde there stood a great red Dragon having seaven heads and ten hornes and upon his heads seaven crownes 4 Whose taile drewe the third part of the starres of heaven which he cast to the earth And that Dragon stood before the woman being ready to bring forth that when shee had brought foorth he might devoure her childe 5 And shee brought foorth a man childe which should rule all nations with a rod of iron and her childe was taken up unto God and his throne 6 But the woman fled into the wildernes where shee should have a place prepared of God that they should feede her a thousand two hundreth and three score dayes 7 And there was a hattell in heaven Michaell and his Angels fought with the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels 8 But they prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven 9 And that great Dragon that olde serpent which is called the Devill and Satan was cast out which deceaveth all the world he was cast I say into the earth his Angels were cast out with him 10 And I heard a loude voice saying in heaven nowe is salvation and strength and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ because the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God day and night 11 But they overcame him by the blood of the lambe and by the word of their testimony and they made no accounte of spending their life even unto death 12 Therefore reioice ye heavens and ye that dwell in them woe to the inhabitans of the earth and of the sea for the Devill is come downe unto you full of great wrath as who knoweth that he hath but a little opportunity 13 When therefore the Dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth he persecuted the woman which had brought forth the man childe 14 But to the woman were given two winges of a
had graunted of his owne accord Italy to the Gothes which he had no hope to be able to retaine VVhat could he expect from the VVest every country wanting helpe so farre off were they from being able to succour others Therefore O Pope thy wouÌ„d was deadly whereof no remedie appeared from any place ¶ But this deadly wound was healed The third condition of the Beast coÌ„sisting in his dignity recovered by the healing of the head VVhich began at the yeere 555 when Iustinian being Emperour the Gothes were destroyed in Italy bâ— the valiantnesse of 〈◊〉 Nâ—râ—â—â—â—â— The Emperour played the Physitian maniâ—estly for first he tooke away the noxious humours by â—â—pressing yea rather utterly abolishing the Barbarians afterward he powred in wine oyle That Decree of Iustinians new constitution 131 wâ—s a most pleasant ointemeÌ„t Wee ordaine that according to the Decrees of the holy Counâ—â—lls the most holy Bâ—shop of auncient Rome shall be the chiefe of all Priests Hâ—â— much was the wound amended hereby But Phocas the Parricide afte◠〈◊〉 yeeres more or lesse that is in the yeere sixe hundreth and sixe finiâ—hâ—â— the cure bound up the wound healed it up into a skarre Hee did gâ—aunt unto Bonifâ—ce the third that the Romane Bishop should be counted Vniversâ—ll not onely that he should goe before the rest in order honour as Iustâ—nian decreed limitting the Primacy with the bounds of holy Concills bâ—t who should have the whole world for his Diocesse the Bishop of CoÌ„stantinople strove afterward in vaine from whom the Primacy was given by the sentence of the Emperour Now he perceived that the wound was healed and that therefore it was superfluous to pleade any more for this matter And certenly not very long after the Pope Leo second shewed that he had recovered health when about the yeere 680. by the warres of the Emperour he compelled Felix the Bishop of Ravenna to acknowledge the Bishop of Rome for his Lord and that the Bishop of Ravenna should not rise up any more it is ordained by the authority of the Pope That afterward the election of the Clergie of Raâ—enna should not be of force unlesse the consent of the Romane Pope were added to it Sabellic Ennead 8. book 7. Thus was the wounded head cured which being healed did more hurt the Christian world then before he received the wounde ¶ And all the world wondred followed the Beast Now he declareth how great the recovered dignity should be first by the honour which the worshippers of the Beast should give to him this honour is in admiring in this verse also in worshipping both the Dragon the Beast in the following And he speaketh significaÌ„tly after the Hebrewes manner to wonder after the Beast which is as much as in wondring to follow the Beast that is to give up theÌ„selves wholly to be ruled by his Empire as the Israelites going a whoring after their Idols forsooke the true God coÌ„secrated theÌ„selves to the worship of them They who so admired the Beast are the earth that is men savouring the earth altogither straÌ„gers froÌ„ the heaveÌ„ly city But how many is the nuÌ„ber of them All without exception For he saith the whole earth Therefore it should come to passe that the Beast after the head was healed should rule with farre larger boundes then before Prosper said that Rome was more ample at the first receiving of this dignity by the tower of religion then by the throne of power Which seemeth to be understood rather of the consent of the trueth then of the dominion of the Citie of Rome although then it was doubtlesse large The trueth was propagated further then the Romane Empire But Britanny had not yet acknowledged the authoritie of Rome in the matter of religion till under the Pontificate of Gregory the fift that is after some hope that the wound should be cured Augustine the Romish Munke forced our countriemen to take upon them the yoke neither did France Friseland Denmarke Germanie Sclavonia depend much of Rome before Bonifacius or Venefride an Inglishman about the yeere 720. brought these countries or the chiefe parts thereof unto the obedience of the Pope of Rome Now therefore was the time when the whole earth should admire the Beast when besides these and other Princes of Europe countries also most remote Ireland Scotland Norway Gothia Sueveland Luten and other nations of Sarmatia honoured the same as some God Let therefore the Pope glory in his universality by how much he hath the greater multitude by so much a surer argument is he that Beast But as touching the admiration it was indeede great some ages before and that of the most famous lights of the Church who carryed away with the too much honour of the Beast and not regarding sufficiently to what mischiefe at length the matter would growe did exalte too proudly the preheminence of the Apostolike Chaire Yet did they not wonder after the Beast so as they thought they must embrace all whatsoever he should ordaine but they had one rule of godlinesse and duty to it the sacred trueth Neither were the commendations of those times any thing to that admiration which followed the healing of the wounde Heare Bernard Thou saith he speaking to the Pope art the great Priest the chiefe Pope thou art the Prince of Bishops thou art the heire or the Apostles thou art in Primacy Abel in governing Noe in Patriarchat Abraham in order Melchisedec in dignity Aaron in authority Moses in iudgement Samuel Peter in power Christ in an-annointing c. in the 2. booke of Considerat Verily o Bernard thou hast played the foole through admiratioÌ„ Yet neverthelesse I dare not put thee among those who wonder after the Beast considering that I heare thee else where reprooving boldly and sharply the wickednesse of the Popes Cardinals Bishops and other Clergie men The times deceaved thee but there was in thee I thinke somewhat borne of God which at leÌ„gth did overcome the world But of what sorte was the wouÌ„dring of other men who were more blinded lesse fearing God Heare what the Ambass of the Emp. of Sicilia being prostrated on the grouÌ„d cry which takest away the sinnes of the world hav mercy on us which takest away the sinnes of the world give us peace P. Ae. b. 7. VVhat also Simo Begnius Bishop of Modrusium speaking to the Pope Leon in the Councill of Lateran sess 6. Beholde here cometh the Lion of the tribe of Iuda the roote of David thee o most blessed Leo wee have expected for Saviour Adde unto these Cornelius the Bishop of Biponte who shewed his astonishmeÌ„t in the CouÌ„cill of TreÌ„t in these words The Pope being the light is come into the world and men have loved darknes more then the light for every one that doth evill hateth the light and commeth not to the light O Blasphemous Fooles is it not enough for you to adorne the Man of Sinne with the praises of the Saincts
the same Adonikam afterward in Nehemiah are numbred sixe hundred three score seaven in the 7. chap. ver 10. The rest of the names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Aretas in the later writers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like partly are not the names of any man or at the least not of a people partly nothing was to be feared from them to whose knowledge soever they should come Romiâ—th or Romagnus Romane come nighest of all but the fourth property reiecteth this also which could not be of force inough to recover the favour of the Beast The Grecians willingly acknowledged themselves to be Romanes and of a long time boasted of this name Constantinople was commonly called New Rome yet in the meane time they were greatly hated of the Beast untill at length they did shew their consent with the Latines and yeelded the Primacie to the Latine Pope Therefore all accounts being cast I thinke that Lateinos is the name which the Spirit here biddeth us to number Which is a name whose letters after the account of the Grecians doe accomplish this number and unto which all the other properties doe agree and so much the more because from the Apostles times it hath ben extended to us and the event hath so confirmed it that it is now more cleare then the light at noonetyde which was darke before For so Ireneus in his 5. book chap 29. against heresies But saith he the name Lateinos conteineth the number sixe hundred threescore and sixe and it is very like to be true because the most substantiall Kingdome hath this name for they are Latines who now doe raigne But wee will not boast of this Such are his wordes As though this were not the opinion of him alone but he had received it froÌ„ another but from what other man is it likely then from Polycarp whose scholar he was and he Iohns scholar Such therefore are these Beasts whose lively image wee see in the Romane Pope who according to the plaine interpretation of the wordes the events of the times and agreablenes of all things so fitly without any violence casteth himselfe into every part of this first paterne and that even to the least appearances and likenesses that I thinke the very Papists themselves cannot doubt any more who is Antichrist And thus farre coÌ„cerning the Dragon and the Beast according to the consideration of knowledg encreased which should come under the blowing of the seventh trumpet for Hitherto doe the thirteene Centuries extend ending in the yeere 1300. to wit in the number of the name of the Beast that is a little after that the matter was brought to a point with the Grecians who submitted themselves to the Latine Pope with which number of his name the Spirit also coÌ„cludeth this Prophecy of the Beast shewing a very great consent of the issue in every part CHAP. 14. THEN I beheld and loe a Lambe stood on mount Sion and with him an hundreth fourty and foure thousande having his fathers name written on their fore heads 2 And I heard a voice from heaven as the sounde of many waters and as the sounde of a great thunder and J heard the voice of Harpers harping with their harpes 3 And who did sing as it were a new song before the throne and before those foure Beasts and those Elders and no man could learne that song but those hundreth fourty and foure thousande to wit those which were bought from the earth 4 These are they which are not defiled with women for they are virgines these follow the Lambe whither soever he goeth these are bought from men being the first fruites to God and to the Lambe 5 And in whose mouth was founde no guile for they are without spot before the Throne of God 6 Then I saw an other Angell flying in the middes of heaven having an everlasting Ghospell to preach to them that dwell on the earth and to every nation tribe and tongue and people 7 Saying with a loude voice feare God and give glory to him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worship him which made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters 8 And there followed an other Angell saying it is fallen it is fallen Babylon that great Citie because shee gave the wine of the wrath of her fornication to drinke to all nations 9 And the third Angel followed them saying with a loude voice if anie man shallworship the Beast and his image and receave his marke in his forehead or in his hande 10 The same shall drinke also of the winne of the wrath of God of the pure wine I say which is powred into the cuppe of his wrath and he shal be tormented in fire brymstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe 11 And the smoke of their torment shall ascende evermore neither shall they hav anie rest day and night which worship the Beast and his image and whosoever receiveth the printe of his name 12 Here is the patience of the Saincts here are they that keepe the commandemeÌ„ts of God and the faith of Iesus 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying unto mee write blessed are the dead which dye for the Lords sake from henceforth even so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them 14 And I looked and beholde a white cloud and upon the cloude one sitting like unto the Sonne of man having on his head a golden crowne and in his hande a sharpe sickle 15 And an other Angell came out of the Temple crying with a loude voice to him that sate on the cloude thrust in thy sickle and reape for thy time is come to reape for the harvest of the earth is ripe 16 Then he that sate on the cloud did thrust his sickle on the earth and the earth was reaped 17 Then an other Angell came out of the Temple which is in heaven having also a sharpe sickle 18 And an other Angel came out from the Altar having power over the fire and cryed with a loude voice to him that had the sharpe sickle saying thrust in thy sharpe sickle and gather the clusters of the vineyard of the earth for her grapes are ripe 19 Then the Angel did thrust in his sharpe sickle on the earth and cut downe the grapes of the vineyard of the earth and cast them into that greate wine presse of the wrath of God 20 And the wine presse was troden without the citie and blood came out of the wine presse unto the horses bridles by the space of a thousand sixe hundred furlongs Analysis VVEE have spoken of the thinges done by the enemies it followeth in this chapter concerning the vertue of the citezens declaring what was the condition of the true Church since the time that the battell was ended in heaven the Dragon cast foorth into the earth chap. 12.9 and the Beast began to come out of the Sea chap. 13.1 Which
Heaven but also the throne it selfe the description wherof was in chap. 4.2 The Temple is the dwelling place of the Saincts as we have seen before this Throne is the seat of the highest Maiestie which being placed in midds of the company of the faithfull shineth with the incomprehensible brightes of the most holy Trinity Wherfore this voice commeth immediatly from God in respect of the Ministery of the Church Wherby is signifyed that God under this vial wil in extraordinary manner and almost beyond exspectation provide for his shewing forth his power from heaven for the destruction of al the enemies which were gathered as even now we heard unto the place Armagedon which interpretation we shal see more fully cōfirmed by that which foloweth where a larger explication of this vial is hādled The voice uttered is It is doon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most fitt for the finishing of things as we know it was used in the creating of them Gen. 1. it hath this meaning as if he should say Al things now have bin which I decreed to be doon neyther remayneth any more of my promises the complemēt wherof should be exspected on earth For this same Is doon hath referēce unto that in chap. 10.7 In the dayes of the voice of the seventh Angel when he shal sound the trompet the Mysterie of God shal be finished Now shal ther be an end of al prophesies when both al the enemies are utterly extinguished there is one sheepfold made throughout the earth of al the elect Iewes and Gentiles under the one Pastor Iesus Christ It is certain that this kingdome of Christ thus begunn shal be eternal never to be interrupted agayn and shall at last be translated from earth into heaven But of the time wherin this translation shall fall out which is to be performed at his second coming I find no mention in this book This prophesie proceeds no further then to the last destruction of al the enemies and ful restitution of the Iewish nation the estate of which people so restored and of the whole Church of al nations he telleth shal be most happy but setteth down no moment of time when they shal leav the earth and goe to their heavenly heritage These things shal be made manifest by the interpretation folowing some tast wherof was here to be given least any perhaps too much attending unto the whole order of things should slip into that errour of setting down the certain time of the last day which thing I see some godly and learned men to busy themselves about as if by this vial some very neer moment therof mought be assigned Which thing upon more diligent examination we find to be wholly layd up in exspectation of hope and not at al put in any comhrehension of sense Now the agreement of the seventh vial with the seventh trompet is that in this Christs Kingdome is begunn the enemies being in part abolished as chap. 11.15 wherupon a voice there sayd the Kingdome of the world is become Christs but in the other Christs Kingdome is consumate al enemies being quite taken away wherfore the voice of this is It is doon 18 And there were noyses and lightnings c. Of the second event ther are three branches first by what things the execution of the judgement was doon in this vers secondly upon what in verse 19.20 Thirdly what effects in respect of the reprobates verse 21. Lightnings thonders voices shall come from heaven the earth shal be moved shaken wherby is taught that both heaven earth shal cōspire for vengeance on the impious both which shal powr out whatsoever direful-punishment it hath upō the wicked crew And this not after the usual manner of former times but with such horrible terrour as never was since the world was made For nowe ther shal be a visible semblance of the infernal punishment which it shall feel at length in the last judgement Moreover these kinds of punishmēts doo declare that the enemies shal be destroyed rather by the extraordinary power of God than by any work and endevour of men which after appeareth more clearly in chap. 19.20 and 20.9 19 And the great City was rent into three parts The second branch of the second event upon what this iudgement shal be exercised which partly are places partly men The places be cities nations The cities are three in this verse the great city the cities of the Gentiles Babylon But what is this great City We have heard before that a city signifieth not onely some towne cōpassed with walls which many cityzens dwell in conioyned togither by the bonds of the same lawes and right but also the whole dition empire of any city as the tenth part of Rome fell when Germany withdrew it self from the yoke of the servitude therof chap. 11.13 Is it then the Romane Empire onely In deed so this was caled before the great city chap. 11.8 but forasmuch as in this place the ful destruction of al the wicked is handled for the vial is powred into the aier as we sayd it compriseth whatsoever Dominion and Empire the foes and enemies of the Church have in any place It comprehendeth therfore the Turkish tyranny also which togither with the Romish constituteth this great city as is more evident by the destruction of this city For it is rent into 3. parts proportionable to the three Princes by whom it is ruled namely the Dragon the Beast the False Prophet before in ver 13. Wherfore by this three fold declaration ther falleth togither al the Turkish and Mahumetish tyranny that is the Dragons al the power of the Beast that is of the Caesarean Bishop all the authority of the False Prophet that is of Pope Balaam for this man of syn after the ruine of his throne remayneth even unto this last overthrow The first vial was but a preparative for the warr this seventh is of the last destruction ¶ And the cities of the Gentils fell VVe heard of the universal Empire of the impious But not this onely shall fal in common but also in particular al the confederate cities and provinces both Turkish Mahumetish Popish For Gentils be al they that are aliants from the truth whither they be farther of from the same as the Barbarous nations or neerer as the Papists who by a false title are counted Christians For we have seen before how to the Gentiles was given the Court which was ioyned to the Temple as also to them was given the holy city which were the places of that rowt which boasted to be Christians by a vayne tytle without substance ¶ And that great Babylon The third place which shal utterly perish is that great Babylon But did not that perish before under the fift vial when Rome the Beasts throne did fall verse 10 For so we saw it caled before Fallen Fallen is Babylon the great city chap. 14.8 In deed Rome did perish before but it
but that the Preists as being proud prepared him an armie Vnto this I say that now the matter is past danger the Popish Preists cā not be proud I trow when Antichrist shal come the Preists then wil be either Popish or proud What Shal pride make a new order of Preists Or if this haughtines be required in Antichrists soldiers wil ther be anie natiō under the Sun prouder than Popish Preists Cardinals doo excel Kings Archbishops and Bishops are superiour to Barons and Earls al in their order doo goe before the civil honours neither is ther anie of the basest rowt of shavelings that wil be under the civil Magistrate Let Antichrist therfore seeke him soldjers otherwhere he shal finde none in this lowlie flock of Popish Preists Gregorie notwithstanding verie expressly biddeth that Antichrist be looked for as cheif Captain Emperour of the Preists And other Preists ther are none on earth by their own vaunting besides the Popish Preists By his iudgment therfore the Bishop of Rome should necessarilie be Antichrist and not farr from his time seing by his confession armies were then prepared for him Surely as Gaiphas prophesied that which himselfe knew not so Gregorie semeth unwares to have told the truth not by anie power of his seat but by the mercy of God so governing his tongue that men might take heed by this admonition the wicked world be made inexcusable as is observed Apoc. 8.13 Vayn therfore is that which is affirmed of Antichrist to sit in the temple of Ierusalem and so farr is it off that the Pope is not Antichrist because he continually tarieth at Rome as so much the more he may therupon be concluded to be Antichrist Chapt. 14. Of Antichrists doctrine THE doctrine of Antichrist we togither with the holy Ghost doe teach from the scriptures to be ful of hypocrisie fraud trecherie which may deceiv even the most prudent whom the Spirit inlightneth not with his truth For one had need of singular prudēcy to know this Beast which hath two horns like the Lamb and is a false Prophet seducing the earth Contrariweise the Papists wil have this same doctrine to be so openlie impious and blasphemous that none is so blockish but he may perceive it forthwith and detest it Which that you Bellarmine may make playn you reduce this all unto four heads First that he shal deny Jesus to be the Christ and therupon shal oppugn al our Saviours ordinances as Baptism Confirmation c. and shal teach that Circūcision the Sabbath and other ceremonies of the old law ar not yet ceased Secondly he shal affirme himselfe to be the true Christ promised in the Law and Prophets Thirdly he shal affirme himselfe to be God and wil be honoured as God Lastly he shal say that himselfe is the onely God and shal oppugn al other Gods that is both the true God and also false Gods and Idols And from hence you take four arguments that the Pope is not Antichrist because he denyeth not Iesus to be the Christ neither bringeth he in Circumcision or the Sabbath neither dooth he make himselfe Christ nor God and least of al the onely God but honoureth even Images and dead Saincts Which what force they have for this thing we shal afterwards see in the confirmation which you bring The first point therfor you confirm by this that Antichrist by nation and religion shal be a Jew be received of the Iewes for the Messias wherupon he shal openly oppugn our Christ I answer this foolish opinion of Antichrists stock we have sufficiently refuted before chap. 12. and 13. for he shal sit in the temple of God and not in Ierusalems Temple which Christ foretold should be demolished and never built again but in Christian assemblies as is declared at large and therfore that he shal not be by religion a Iew neither shal restore the ceremonies of the old Law which were tyed to the Temple and had no place out of it And how dooth it agree that Antichrist the general plague of the whole earth should be sent into the world for the syn of one natiō of the Iewes in not receiving the truth as ye would have it Surely it were meet that he which should come for the wickednes of one natiō should be restreyned within the limits of that one nation but ther is no need of new arguments for this matter Secondly you say it is proved from 1 John 2.22 Who is a lyar but he that denyeth Iesus to be the Christ From whence you gather that Antichrist shall surpasse al Heretiks and therfore he shal deny Christ al manner of wayes which is confirmed you say because by Heretiks the Divil is said to work the Mysterie of iniquitie because they privilie doo deny Christ But Antichrists coming is caled a Revelation because he shal openly deny Christ I answer as touching that of Iohn I have shewed before that this denyal which he speaketh of is not open but secret and trecherous to weet by men named Christians which had privily crept in and of whom the faithfull had need to be warned being otherweise in danger to be surprised by them unwares And though Antichrist surpasse al Heretiks yet is it not therfore necessarie that he should deal more openly than the rest seing the cheif reward of wickednes is not to be given to the outward work but to the power of doing hurt For otherweise men should surmount the Divil himselfe who are so foolish in respect of him as they doo that in the light which he dooth most covertly Moreover Antichrists coming is a Revelation but to the elect onely the others which beleev not the truth he shal beguile by his crafty shewes 2 Thes 2.11.12 The Angel requireth no common wisdome to know the Beast and the whores name is mystical as before wee have been taught Thirdly you prove it by the sentences of certain Fathers but no equal judge wil not confesse that they are rather to be heard anie where ells than in the matter of Antichrist Our Lord should consume him with the Spirit of his mouth and by his bright coming wherupon the neerer the Lord should approch the more was this man of syn to be discovered I proceed therfore ūto the ceasing of publik offices and divine sacrifices as you speak which you say shal be in Antichrists time for vehemencie of the persecution and that therfore he shal not deprave Christs doctrine under the name of Christianisme but openly shal oppugn Christs name and Sacraments and bring in Jewish ceremonies as you have shewed in chap. 7. I answer at the same chapter I have proved that all these are most false and that you hav not brought forth any thing which hath so much as any likelihood of truth And therfore that no other ceasing of publik religion is to be looked for thā such as hath been these manie ages to weet from Constantine the Great unto this day in al which time
of the earth Apoc. 17.18 These and the like doo truly prove him a Monarch But this say you dooth no way agree to the Bishop of Rome for he was never King of the whole world But were the Romans I pray you ever Kings of the whole world I think you wil not deny it as these words usually are wont to be understood or if you like to stand curiously herupon Daniel teacheth that the fourth Kingdom to weet the Roman shal consume the whole earth shal crush it and break it in peeces chap. 7.23 Remember therfore what a litle before you alleged out of Prosper Rome by Principality of the Preisthood was made more ample with the towr of religion than with the throne of power And what Leo saith Serm. 1. de Natal Apostol Rome that art made the head of the world by the holy Seat of S. Peter thou rulest more largely by divine religion than by earthly domination And what els meaneth the triple crown but the principalitie over al the three parts of the world The Popes crown hath more tops than the Emperours Egle hath heads It may be that shortly it wil be quadruple by the accession of the Indians that nothing may escape the Popes almightines though something for a time hath been hidd from his all skilfulnes Wherfore the streights of his dominion neither stand you in anie stead to acquitt the Pope of this wickednes neither is this remembrance grateful unto him who dooth so contemn honours and Empire as he had liefer with large limits of ruling to be counted Antichrist than to be defended by an argument of his Kingdome lost or diminished The fourth branch is the battel of Gog and Magog Apoc. 20. And when the 1000 yeres are ended c. Jn this battel you say he shal with an armie innumerable persecute Christians through the whole world I answer we have observed already from these words the wonderful expedition of Antichrist into the whole world properly so caled before in the 7. chapter of his persecution And there we allowed for this expedition three yeres and a halfe but here now it seemeth that this whole space shal not be speÌ„t in the iourney but then it shal be taken in hand after the three Kings and the seven Kings be subdued There also we marveled if he should goe such a iourney himselfe alone not hindred with anie troup of wayting men but here furder comes the impediment of an armie and the same neverthelesse an universal persecution Surely whatsoever you said before against Hippolitus you seem plainly to think that Antichrist is no man but the Divil him selfe But to let these monsters passe let us come to the battel which I marvel you saw not that it should be by the Dragon not by the Beast Between which two ther is in deed a great societie of wickednes but no less difference of persons and of things than is between an open foe and a secret enemie Add hereunto that the Beast and false Prophet are both destroyed before this warre is taken in hand or at least before it is finished if that move you not that both of them are mentioned to be slain in the end of the former chapter yet consider that the Divil that is the DragoÌ„ was cast into the lake of fire wher the other have their place before that the Divil comes thether Apoc. 20.10 Although therfore Antichrist be a Martial felow and a great warrier yet shal he wage no warrs after he is dead But it is one of his miracles to rise againe Be it so when he counterfeyts a death as you feign of him but when he is slayn by that hand of God and deeply drowned in the lake of fyre he shal not find it so easi to rise again and when he lay under a coverlet Separate you therfore those things which touch not Antichrist and deal not so as if you would prove one not to be a man either because he hath not four feet or because he wanteth wings you shal see the rest so to agree togither among themselves in al points as nothing more Surely the things which you hav disputed of this Kingdome and warr are farr from every part eyther of the Kingdome or of the warr of Antichrist but such stuff as this are al the things that your men are either wont or able to bring for to defend the Pope and to free him from this most greevous crime Therfore you toyl in vayn the thing is manifest it can not be hidd by anie subtilties Why goe ye about to cast a myst before the Sun Why frame yee arguments against the Spirit of God Purge rather with flames those writings of yours wherwith yow have laboured his defense and flee out of his denn as speedily as you can Here ends the Refutation of Antichrist Against Bellarmine Chap. 18. AFTER these things I saw an Angel come down from Heaven having great Power so as the earth was bright with his glorie 2 And he cryed out mightilie with a lowd voice saying It is fallen it is fallen Babylon that great and is become the habitation of Divils and the hold of all fowl Spirit and a cage of every uncleane and hateful bird 3 For al nations have drunken of the wine of the wrath of her fornication the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and the marchants of the earth are waxed rich of the aboundance of her pleasures 4 And J heard an other voice from heaven saying goe out of her my people least yee be partakers of her sinnes and receive of her plagues 5 For her heaped sinnes are come up to heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities 6 Reward her even as she hath rewarded you and give her double according to her works and in the cup that she hath filled you fill her double 7 Jn as much as she lifted up her selfe and lived in pleasure so much give yee to her torment and sorow for she saith in her heart J sit being a Queen and am no widow and shal see no mourning 8 Therfore shal her plagues come at one day death and sorow and famine she shal be burnt with fire for that God which condamneth her is a strong Lord. 9 And the Kings of the earth shall bewaile her and lament for her which have committed fornication and lived in pleasure with her when they shall see the smoke of her burning 10 And shal stand a farr off for feare of her torment sâ—ying alas alas thâ—t great citie Babylon that mighty citie for in one houre is thy iudgment come 11 And the Marchants of the earth shal weepe and waile over her for no mâ—n byeth their ware anie more 12 The ware of golde and silver and pretious stones and pearles and of fine linnen and of purple and of silke and of skarlet and of al manner of thynewood and of al vessels of yvorie and of al vessels of most pretious wood and of brasse
and of iron and of marble 13 And of cinnamon and odours and oyntment and frankincense and wine oyle and fine floure and wheate and beasts and sheep and horses and charets and servants and soules of men 14 And the fruits that thy sowl lusted after are departed from thee and al things that were fatte and excellent are departed from thee neither shalt thou finde them anie more 15 The Marchants of these things I say which were made rich by her shall stand a farr off from her for fear of her torment weeping and wailing 16 And saying alas alas that great citie that was clothed in fine linnen purple and skarlet and gilded with gold and precious stones and pearles for in one houre so great richesse are come to desolation 17 And everie shipmaster and all the troupe that converseth in shippes and mariners and whosoever traffike on the sea shal stand a farr off 18 And they shal crie seing the smoke of her burning and shal say what citie was like unto this great citie 19 And casting dust on their heads they shal crie weeping and wailing and saying alas alas for that great citie wherin were made rich al that had shipps on the sea by her costlinesse in one haure is made desolate 20 O Heaven reioice of her aend ye Holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath punished her to be revenged of her for your sakes 21 Then a certain mightie Angel tooke up a stone like a great milstone cast it into the Sea saying with such violence shall Babylon that great Citie be cast and shal be found no more 22 And the voice of harpers and musicians and of pippers and trumpeters shal be heard no more in thee and no craftesman of whatsoever craft he bee shal be found anie more in thee and the sound of a milstone shal be heard no more in thee 23 And the light of a candle shal shine no more in thee and the voice of the bridgrome and the bride shal be heard no more in thee for thy marchants were the great men of the earth and with thine enchantments were deceived al nations 24 And in her was found the blood of the Prophets and of the Saincts and of all that were slaine upon the earth The Analysis HITHERTO what and of what sort is the throne of the Beast as it were the first sprinkling of the fift vial now foloweth a more copious powring out ioyned with the verie ruine of the throne Which we distinguish into those things which goe before the destruction and the things which follow it those that goe before are performed by the ministerie of three Angels two of which declare the ruine by bare word The first a glorious Angel ver 1 more succinctly ver 2 3. The second namelesse more fully both in exhorting the godly to fly out of Babylon ver 4.5 and also in stirring up the ministers of this destruction to use deserved severitie ver 6.7 afterwards in describing partlie the mourning of wicked Kings ver 9.10 of marchants ver 11.12.13.14.15.16 of Watermen and mariners ver 17.18.19 partly the ioy of the godly ver 20. Such is the ministerie of the two Angels The third beside his word useth also a signe which both is propounded ver 21. and also expounded summarily in the same verse severally in ver 22.23.24 Hitherto the things that goe before the ruine that which followeth is a thankesgiving which the Saincts performe chap. 19.1 2. 3 4. Scholions 1 And after these things J saw an Angel come down In destroying the Citie of Rome God wil manifest to the world his admirable long suffring who beside al his former warnings so many and so divers cometh not to the last destruction before three Angels be used by whose voice men should be warned to avoid the plague coming violently upon it The first of these is an Angel descending from heaven that is some excellent and singular mā who shal come suddenly and not looked for even as things which fall down from heaven The things which are borne with us give some shew of themselves before they wex ripe but things that come from heaven may be present in a moment without anie perceiving taken before they come So in the tenth chapter and Angel came down from heaven of a sudden when many couragious deffendours of the truth were risen up of whom before there was no suspicion VVhich thing other places cōfirm which may be taken from the former interpretation This Angel seemeth that by a sudden converting to the truth he shall manifest to al men that he cometh from heaven Such was that coming down in the tenth chapter where men brought up in superstition became suddenly nourrissons of true godlines This Angel hath great power But to what end For no excellent great acte of his is mentioned it may be he is that man to whom is committed wholly the throwing down of this throne who shal not so much bring a new Propphecy concerning the ruine of Babylon as shew himselfe prepared to performe the verie thing which the divine oracles prophecied often should come Thirdly the earth is lightened with his glory because evē they which are strangers from the true Church shal honour and admire the glory of his godlinesse and excellent maiestie He shal be wel reported off even of them that are without as speaketh the Apostle The like use of words in the things past doth give us this knowledge of this Angel though yet to come VVhich is the onely way to pearse into these things otherwaies hidden from us But it is to be observed that this Angel as farr as it seemeth shal not come forth by and by after that manifestation of the throne which we have spoken of in the former chapter but at length after some certain and meet time set between And therfore this vision is divided from the former by that usual stile in writing of a distāce of time somwhat farther of and after these things I saw 2 And he cryed out mightily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in strength that is strongly valiantly and vehemently The Complutent edition and the Kings Bible have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a strong voice so also Aretas but the sense is al one This mighty crying out signifyeth the efficacy and immutability of the things to be done as Aretas noteth Although peradventure no such denuntiation to be made in words is not to be expected but even the very attemting of the thing shall stirre up in the mindes of men that opinion as if they did heare this voice sounding in the eares of men But seing this crying out is of one Angel to whom the businesse is committed as is like of destroying and burning Rome it may confirme somewhat that which we have sayd in the former chapter that some one of the tenne hornes to whom the rest of the multitude is figuratively adioyned not that whole number shal bring upon it this last desolation He cryeth out
which so solemne commandement he teacheth that there is in it a great and strange matter We commit to writing things the credit wher of we will have to be confirmed unto all posterity for which cause lawes were graven once in Brasse and set up in a publike place Also God speaking to Ieremy concerning this same thing Write saith he for thy selfe all the words which I speake unto thee in a book chap. 30.2 As if God providing for our infirmity should give us sealed writings from which wee might cal upon him for helpe more freely and boldly if peradventure he should seem to forget his promise But not onely Iohn is confirmed hereby but also the event is respected as we have seen from the like places before as if it should come to passe that by the authority of some holy man some publike writing should be set forth which most plainly should cōfirme this thing not to be new but foreshewed of God from the furthest times and that therfore the goodnesse and truth of God is to be acknowledged and praised in the same But the time wil manifest what at length is to be thought concerning this matter But what is it which he is commanded to write That they are blessed which ar called to the marriage supper of the Lābe a thing indeed wonderful never heard off before that al should be blessed which are called Before time this rule was in force many are called few chosen which thing example also hath prooved true when the calling fell not out prosperously to the auncient ghests who being called refused to come But now it shal be otherweise Al the called shal come gladly neither shal alledge for their excuse things of smal importance as did those former Mat. 22. So great now shal be the efficacy and grace of the Spirit that they shal obey at the first hearing Before saith Isaiah shee travailed she brought forth and before her paine came shee was delivered of a man childe Who hath heard such a thing Who hath seen such things Shal the earth be brought forth in one day Or shall a nation be borne at once For assoone as Zion travailed shee brought forth her children c. So Psal 110.3 Thy people most voluntary of all men in the time of thine armies in the beautiful places of thy holinesse frō the wombe of the mourning shal be to thee dewe of thy youth Many such things might be brought and peradventure it would be profitable at least weise that occasion might be given to our men to consider diligently of those places from the true meaning wherof I feare that wee erre by interpreting the things that are to come as if they were past This sentence therfore which is commaunded to be written taketh away al scruple frō Iohn He might have minded the former obstinacy of the nation and for that cause have doubted of their conversion But the Angel commandeth this care to depart There shal be so great diligence of the people that it shal be sufficient for them to be called away It is to be observed that the Iewes both here and elsewhere in many places are called keclemenous in the preterperfect tence by a certain prerogative of calling as it seemeth as who were called ever since the first times of the world Mat. 22.3.4.8 But the Gētiles kletous Mat. 22.14 because they were first called at Christ coming or rather after his death Which difference seemeth to be observed in this revelation from whence chap. 17.14 they who the Lambe being their Captaine doo subdue the tenn Kings are named called and chosen whom it is manifest to be the faithfull among the Gentiles ¶ These words are true The second confirmation taken from the principal authour as though he should say respect not mee as reporting any thing of mine owne but be so perswaded that this is the decree of the most High God as thou thy selfe heardest even now with thyne own ears ver 5. but the natural placing of the words hath an emphasis as it is in the Greek which by the displacing is lost these are the true words of God himselfe that is of most divine most excellent and most certen truth True are also some words of men but there is some infirmity in our most true things Wee alwayes speake from the earth Iohn 3.31 Therfore some preferment is attributed to this truth which appeareth not if we change the order of the words It is no strange thing that the words of God should be true 10 And I fell down before his feet VVhy now more then before VVas he abashed with the maiesty of the Angel But he had bin accustomed now a long time to wonderful sights Or was it for ioy of the conversion of his nation so in deed it seemeth For Iohn being ravished as it is clear frō the answer of the Angel with the sweetnesse of this Prophecy for sudden ioy wherwith he was carried away would give more worship then was meet to so welcome a messenger ¶ See that not to weet that thou worship mee not a defective speach noting out the grievousnesse of the naughty act for he maketh speed and finisheth not the sentence for hast Even as wee are wont to prohibit a thing eyther by sudden crying out or by the hand when the thing permitteth not any time for words He confirmeth the prohibition by two reasons first from the equal dignity of the Ministers of Christ J am saith he thy felow servant and not onely of the Apostles but also of thy brethrē which have the testimony of Iesu Al our office is equal they who preach Christ salvation by him are in equal dignity with them which reveale things to come The office of preaching is equal to the office of revealing this is the meaning of that which is said in the ende of the verse For the testimony of Iesu is the Spirit of Prophecy The second reason is because adoration belongeth to God onely Worship him saith he to whom alone such worship is due Doo not ye ô Popish Idolaters tremble at these words Ye take great paines about devising reasons why the Angel prohibited adoration as though he himselfe hath not rendred most cleare ones in his own words But what reasons bring yee To weet that after our flesh taken of Christ the Angels are greatly afraid to see the same prostrate before them as Gregory the Great wil have it Moreover because beside this dignity men are also Ministers of Christ Prophets and messengers of the Evangelical doctrine and Martyrs for the same Be it so doo ye not perceive that you are killed with your owne swords If they feare much to see our nature prostrate to them after the same taken of Christ why do ye cast down your nature to stones and painted Images and put the holy Angels in feare If they wil not be worshipped of the Ministers of Christ either at length cease to doo wickedly or at least confesse
your selves not to be Ministers of Christ And in this weise is the first calling of the Iewes that shal be now shortly which Daniel describeth by a certen pointing out of the time chap. 12.12 c Ezechiel saw it shadowed out by the dry bones moving themselves with an exceeding great noise shaking and by and after covered with sinewes flesh chap. 37.78 as wee shal heare afterward God willing more fully 11 Then J saw heaven open It being declared how Euphrates must be dried up or rather to what ende that is to say that nothing may be an impediment to the Iewes returning into their owne countrey now he proceedeth to the other part of the sixt vial the preparation for warre the Captaine wherof is first described And such a forme of him is exhibited not onely as is needful for this warre but also which declareth the whole state of things from that instant moment even to the end of al things It is no new thing that under the person of Christ a short and brief Prophecy of the whole state of his spouse should be delivered He is not chāged unlesse in so much as it is convenient for his Church Therfore in this new shape as in a glasse we ought to behold the face of the spouse by how much it is to be considered the more diligently This wonderfull sight is seen in heavē open that is in the holy Church whose most bright glory now most of all shal be made manifest to al men as before by a dore open in heaven the notable dignity and excellency of the first Church as it was in the Apostles daies and by and by after chap. 4.1 But this is more ample glory that heaven is opened not by some little dore but by a whole gate ye whole walles that I may so say nothing letting but that her full maiesty now may be seen of men as farre as is granted on earth ¶ And behold a white horse We may not suppose that Christ shal come forth in any visible shape these things are farre from his last comming as those things which follow wil manifest but he wil shew forth openly and evidently such a force in the administration of things as this figure representeth The whole description consisteth of foure parts In every one of which is to be considered the preparation and name In this first part the furnishing is a white horse the name faithful and true The similitude of which things with that in chap. 6.2 hath caused that some did thinke this to be the same vision by which errour they confound all things They differ much in times and in argument That white horse belonge to the first lists But this to the last goale That former went forth by and by after Iohn when Traiane flourished and his next successours This last is not seen but after the destruction of Rome There the confused multitude of all the beleevers was respected Here the conversion of the nation of the Iewes onely is intreated off Yet herin they agree that the white horse in both places signifyeth Christ triumphing by his truth but thē the Gentiles being subdued now at length a stubburne people being reconciled unto him To which thing he carried a name fitted wherby he sheweth that he wil now at last manifest to the whole world how faithfull true he is in performing his promises and that not any thing even the least shal be frustrate which once he foreshewed by the Prophets concerning the restoring of this nation in the last times Such a one therfore shal Christ be notable by these marks when he shal beginne the conversion of this people His promise shal seeme to have bin forgotten through long delay which at length he shal performe with most plentiful increase of new joy ¶ And who jugeth and fightest iustly So Theod. Beza translateth a relative being put between as though these things togither with the former should constitute the name it selfe which in the rest is wonte to be shorter but the sense is al one seing it is in likeweise whither a man be counted such by his name or found to be of this sort in very deed The worde have this force properly and he iudgeth and fighteth in righteousnesse where the coniunctiō copulative may be a causal as though these words should render a reason both of the white horse and also of the name should be added to the same in stead of an interpretation He sitteth upon a white horse because he fighteth righteously His name is faithful and true because he iudgeth righteously Which words are spoken in respect of his own people taken as they seem out of Psal 96.10.13 where to iudge in truth and righteousnes signifyeth to rule and moderate his people in framing and ordering their life according to truth and righteousnes that not onely as touching their outward actions but also in respect of inward newnesse of the heart which dependeth upon the regeneration of the Spirit wherby we are reformed after the Image of God as Calvin hath written very wel These words therfore declare the effectual power of calling which Christ shal now bestow aboundātly upō his and moreover safety from their enemies with whom he wil make warre and render them a reward meet for their deserts 12 And his eyes The second part of the description where his eyes are as it were a flame of fyre and on his head are many crownes but a name unknowne to all men but to himselfe alone As touching his eyes they are most sharpe pearsing al things which as flames of fyre consume whatsoever letteth the sight make lightsome the darkenesse it selfe and set most hidden things in the light What cā hide it selfe from such eyes Such an one shal Christ shew himselfe in drawing out his people into the light of truth from the hidden dennes and darkenesse whersoever they lurked so as this sharpnes of sight shal be very admirable to the world I wil say to the North saith the Lord give and to the South keepe not backe bring my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the endes of the earth Isay 43.6 The crownes are many because of the many singular victories which the Iewes shal get when first they shal give their name to Christ from those sundry nations among which they live dispersed striving as much as they can against their conversion But why is his name unknown that here we may know that great mystery to be wherat Paul cryed out O the deepnesse of the richesse both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how unsearcheable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Rom. 11.33 c. There he speaketh of this same thing of the hardening of the Iewes for a time calling at length in their time which whole matter he concludeth with an admiratiō of Gods wisdome affirming that no wit of any creature can comprehende the infinitnesse of the mystery So this vision foreshewing in the
seeing see not being by the iust iudgemēt of God altogither blinded 6 O Blessed and holy is he They are blessed who doo embrace from their heart the truth restored againe to the world For this is to have part in the first resurrection As Christ saith to Peter thou shalt have no part with mee Iohn 13.8 as though he should say unlesse thou suffers these things to be done which I will have thou art not indeed partaker of mee Therfore no man hath part in this resurrection which either embraceth the truth with a dissembling hart or hath obtained some certain knowledge therof but onely he in whose hart it taketh roote bringing forth fruit unto eternal life For al that is borne of God overcometh the world 1 Iohn 5.4 and Christ loveth his even to the end Iohn 13.1 suffering none of them to be lost Iohn 17.12 For who shall ravish them out of his hands Iohn 10.28 Which most certen salvation of the faithful sealed up to them in their harts by the Spirit being unknowen to the Iesuit he findeth this blessednes which the Spirit speaketh off no where but in heaven But he erreth as his manner is This blessednesse is of the life present necessarily to be published chiefly at the new appearing againe of the light of the Ghospel seing it should come to passe that they who should ioine themselves to the truth should both be striken with the lightning of excommunication of the Beast and also should be cōdemned of the world as most wicked men Who would not tremble to be banished from the onely holy Catholike Church as the Romish vaunteth her selfe to be unlesse the Spirit had confirmed those to be blessed and holy who should receive with a syncere affection the truth raising again◠and therewithall had taught that that Romish Church calling her selfe Catholique by a true name is a most impudent horlot This resurrection is onely of those who forsaking the Romish Synagogues doo become the true citizens of the reformed Churches they which still abide in the Popish corruptions have no part in the first resurrection neither shal have any in the second unlesse they repent ¶ He that hath part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 melaq A metaphore taken from portions distributed once by lot to this ende that we might acknowledge Gods mercy and providence in every one converted without attributing any thing to chaunce and fortune ¶ On such the second death hath no power The second death is destruction in the lake of fire burning with brimstone before in chap. 19.20 But why doth he onely exempt them frō the second death because the partakers of this resurrection have not yet finished the first to weet the death of the body which being inflicted upon them by the Beast yet shal they be altogither free from the second which ought to be a comfort to them in their sufferings Surely ther is no need of this consolation in the last resurrection wher we shall no longer live by faith but shall behold the very inheritance hoped for Therfore this is the comfort of men warring on earth which are sure of the victory but have not yet got the crowne ¶ But they shal be the Preists of God and Christ chap. 1.6 and 5.10 It is said in the dative case Preists to God but this explaneth the other All the faithfull are Priests Kings in Christ that is partakers of these dignities and in some sorte also endued of the faculty and power of them but here some greater thing seemeth to be spoken after the manner of the Hebrewes who attribute the name of God to those things which are most excellent in their kinde as a Prince of God c. as was noted before After which sort they seem to be called Priests Kings of God for that which is most excellent Priests ¶ And they shal raigne with him a thousand yeeres These thousand yeeres doo beginne where the former ended to weet in the yeere 130. In which is promised a cōtinuing of the truth by the space of a thousand yeres frō that restoring of it wherof wee have spoken in these our nations of Europe to which also this first resurrection belongeth But whither then againe it shal cease security possessing men until Christ shal come as a thiefe in the night as it is foreshewed in the Ghospel he to whom all things are known knoweth We find nothing wherby to determine any certēty touching this matter Onely wee have seen three hundred yeeres now to have passed since this first resurrection and that every day thankes be to God the truth groweth mor in use We must also yet tary som short space before that our brethren the Iewes shal come to the faith But after that they are come and Christ shal have raigned some ages most gloriously on earth by his servants in advancing his Church to most high honour abov all Empire then also the Nations shal embrace true godlinesse according to that saying And the Gentils shal walke in the light therof and the Kings of the earth shal bring their glory and honour unto it the glory and the honour of the Gentils shal be brought unto it see chap. 21.24.26 For which cause it was promised to the Church of Philadelphia that shee should be a pillar in the temple of God and that shee should goe out no more chap. 3.12 that is that it should have a firme stable abiding in the new glorious Church VVhich Church of Philadelphia we have shewed in the same place to be of the Gentils From which it is proved that the truth shal remaine for a long time yet among the Gentiles For this is the Kingdome of Christ when by the Scepter of his word he ruleth among any people And this is the most true raign of any people when it is subiect to the government of Christ alone and is ruled by his onely disposition Now at length we perceive of what sort that millenarie raigne is of which we are a part thākes be to God concerning which almost al the Fathers Papias Irenaeus Iustin Tertullian Lactantius and Augustine also in some part spake so many things and so highly VVithout doubt they would have this Kingdom to be spiritual whose unmeasurable pleasantnes they expressed by corporall things after the manner of the Prophets Yet neverthelesse I wil not deny that perhaps some leaned too much in their opiniōs to the delights of the body but was it to this end to overfill themselves with them as men altogither lost in riots and given over to all dishonest pleasures It cannot be that any such thing should ever come into the minde of learned and holy men but because they knew that under this raign of Christ his Church should enioy very great felicity also of this life they made mētion of the abondance of such pleasures VVhich we shortly expect when the Romish Antichrist and the Turke shal be utterly abolished Vntill this victory be gotten the
for so great mirth ¶ And the beloved City The third endevour so farre as which hath proceeded the repetition of the former Prophecy This third is altogither to come For howsoever the holy city was above granted to the Gentiles to be troden under foote a thousand two hundred three score dayes chap. 11.2 and the same againe was renewed after that time was past in the CHVRCHES which in these last times are reformed according to the rule of the divine truth yet it is not to be doubted off but that the beloved city is for excellency sake that multitude of the beleeving Iewes who now at length shal shortly be ioyned to the company of the true beleevers in Christ The iudgment that followeth doth require it should be so wherby the Turk endevouring to conquere this city shal upon a sudden be overwhelmed But where and when this siege shall happen may be gathered from those things which have bin spoken before The place shal be Hartsebhi the mountaine of beauty the Oriental armagedon the very land of Iudea So Daniel chap. 11.45 and elegantly Ezechiell chap. 38.8 After many dayes thou shalt be visited For in the latter yeeres thou shalt come into the land that is come home safe from the sword and is gathered out of many peoples thou shalt invade the mountaines of Israel which have long bin wast with it being brought out of the peoples all shal dwel safe The time shal be at the end of a thousand three hundred thirty five yeeres of which Daniel speaketh in chap. 12.12 when the houre day moneth and yeere of the Turks tyranny shal come out to weet at the yeere a thousand sixe hundred ninetith more or lesse But of these things now briefly perhaps occasion shal be given at an other time to declare them more at large ¶ But fire came down from God The last destruction followeth and first of the army in this verse which God by some extraordinary way shal destroy utterly For from heaven he shal powre out his wrath upon the armyes of the Turkes as before chap. 16.21 and more largely in Ezechiel chap. 38.18.19 c. 10 And the Divill that deceived them The Emperour himselfe the Turk not onely in respect of his owne person but also of the whole state succession of his Empire For ther shal not be any more either Emperour or name of Turke But the word Divil is used by a figurat if kind of speach of the principal cause for the instrumental which is very significant in this place shewing that not onely this one enemy the Turk shal be destroied but that no opē enemy shall arise ever after For the Divell by whose labour they are raysed up shal not be thrust into prison againe for some time but for ever he shal be cast into the lake of fire never to goe out for to raise up any such new troubles ¶ Where was also that Beast and that false Prophet Therfore all ar in a like condition which are punished with the like punishment The name of Christian maketh no difference between the Turke and the Roman Antichrist unlesse perhaps for to encrease his punishment for asmuch as he had a greater meanes of truth and grace But observe that the Beast the False Prophet were already destroied as also their destruction hath bin declared before to whom at length that Divell is added a partaker of the same punishment ¶ And they shal be tormented The vulgarlatine translation omitteth the copulative coniunction and ioyneth the verbe shal be tormented next with Beast and False Prophet but amisse considering tha it is no lesse necessary to understand that the common punishment of them all shal be eternall then that the punishment shal be one and the same 11 Then I saw a great white throne Thus farre concerning the destruction of the enemies the happines followeth which the Church shall enioy after all these stormes are driven away The first part of it is the gathering togither of the Saints in the rest of this chapter Which gathering is represented by the resurrection of the dead and the iudgement given touching them For by the most learned mens leave I doo think that this resurrection commonly beleeved so farre as I see of all men to be that last resurrection of the bodies of all men who since the death of the first Adam doo sleepe in the graves perteineth to no other thing then to the full restoring of the Iewish nation Not that I desire to set a broach new opinions profer them to the world or because it delighteth mee to goe against the consent of al men I hope that such proud impudent rashnes is farr from mee and God is my witnes how I detest that itching desire of searching out forging new errours through a loathing of auncient truth but onely because the whole order of things the merveilous consent of the rest of the scriptures doo compell mee to follow this interpretatiō Which thing I have thought good to relate in a few words that it may appeare to all men by what meanes I am brought into this opinion that if they shall have any weight for the truth wee may gaine the knowledge of a thing not sufficiētly known before but if they shal not be firme and sound they may be thrust through by the censures of the godly and I my self at lēgth may be freed from this errour of what sorte soever it be First therfore when I diligently weighed those things which in the next chapter following are rehearsed to be after this resurrection I saw that they agreed by no meanes to the heavēs properly so called but to have place onely on earth Of which sorte are that this holy city commeth down from God out of heaven that shee is a spouse prepared onely and adorned for her husband not yet givē that the hope of reward is put off unto the time to come ver 7. that one of the seven Angels sheweth her to John ver 10. of which sorte of ministery ther shall be none in heaven The very name also of which Angel being but heard seeing that he is one of those seven which ar appointed chiefe actours in the last plagues ch 15. may declare within what bounds we ar conversant VVhither also shal the Apostles make the foundation of the wall of the holy city in heaven when Christ delivereth up the Kingdome to his Father Or whither shall the Kings of the earth bring their glory to the Church in heaven Or shal any thing redound from hence to the health of the nations These things therefore and many other of the like sorte considering that they shal be after this resurrection drove mee to another interpretation and chiefly to that which the natural force of the words manifested For I remembred that the calling of the Iewes openly and often in the scriptures is called the resurrection of the dead as in Paul for if the casting away be the
reconciling of the world what shall the receiving be but life from the dead that is as Oecumenius saith among other interpretations what shal the receiving of them be but tha◠wee say that he quickeneth them being dead in sinnes which receiveth to weet God VVell and agreably to the Apostles mind iudging that the very receiving of the Iewes should be life from the dead Most learned Theod. Beza so interpreteth as if the Apostle should say after a proverbial manner of speaking that it shal come to passe that when the Iewes shall come to the Gospel the world shal be as it were revived by an argument of things cōpared But I forbeare to heape togither interpretations The very words of the Apostle are plaine ynough of themselves The second place is out of Isay chap. 26.19 Thy dead men shal live againe my dead bodies shal rise againe awake ye that dwell in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of hearbes and the earth shall cast out the dead In the former chapters the Prophet hath foreshewed the desolation of the whole earth severally of certaine nations from the twelft chapter and of al togither in the chap. 24. But seeing this renewing of the Iewes which he speaketh of shal be after that Babylon is overthrowne and the same such as wherby the Lord will swallow up death into victory and wipe away teares from all faces as chap. 25.8 it must needes be that this ful restoring is yet looked for to be fulfilled and not to be esteemed past in those smaller deliverances which came to this people lōg agoe Especially considering that ther is a more expresse noting of the time in those things which follow next where the Lord saith that in that day he shall visit Leviathan that long and crooked SERIENT and the DRAGON which is in the Sea in Isaiah chapter 27. ver 1. by which words he signifyeth not the Babylonian for he was farre remooved from the sea◠but without all doubt the Turke whom likeweise our holy Apostle Iohn agreably unto it calleth a SERPENT and DRAGON This is worthyly called a long SERPENT the boundes and limites of his Empire being spread and extended so farre abroad and no lesse instly said to be crooked if an◠doo consider well the Provinces of his Iurisdiction For we may consider the knob head to be in Greece Macedonie Thracia and the other nations of Europe his some what stretched out body to be in Asia the lesse called at this day Anatolie afterward his belly bowed going in circuit by Syria Phoenicia as Dionysius writeth most elegantly of the Gulfe Issicus As a Dragon cruell in lookes is wrapped about round creeping slowe Last of all his tayle following with a long train through Aegypt and the coast of Lybia and gathering it selfe as it were into a circle This Serpent goeth not with straite passes but bowing himselfe into many crooked circuits thrusteth forward his very body Who is he that beholding this Empire not so much stretching it selfe in length as going forward with a crooked winding may not perceive the lively image of the crooked serpent It is not my purpose to hunt after vaine subtilties but to bring onely the truth as farr as I see that figure of the Serpent which the Spirit hath represented to us There is added the habitation of this serpent to be in the Sea for which cause he is called Leviathan or Whale How wonderfully doth this agree to the Turk who hath fixed the seate of his Empire in the very mouth of the Sea Pontus and Propontide to weet Cōstantinople Therfore when God shal call to an account this Serpent Leviathan that is when he shal utterly abolish the Turkish name then shall this resurrection be For the Prophet ioyned togither these two things saying thy dead shall live againe and at that time the Lord shal visit Leviathan with his most sharpe sword the next chapter beginning by an opposition of the time in which he will bestow that benefit which he mentioned in the end of the former So Iohn in this place next after the destruction of the Turks addeth this resurrection The third place is in the 37. chap. of Ezechiel where what other thing are the dry bones the slaine and the graves thē the Iewes afflicted and overwhelmed with all kind of miseries and calamities Who should have no greater ability to deliver themselves from that ruine than have the dead and buried to rise out of their graves And what other thing are the sinewes flesh skinne Spirit than a future restoring at length Which shal be no lesse acceptable an wel come as almost is a new life of a sleep in the graves Behold saith the Lord Iehovah I will open your graves and draw you out of your sepulchres my people and bring you backe into the lād of Israell that you may know that J am the Lord when I doo open your graves bring you out of your sepulchres ô my people ver 12.13 To what end should they be brought againe into the land of Israel after the last resurrection our dwelling place shal then be in heaven not in earth Moreover that resurrection which Ezechiel speaketh of shal be by degrees and by little and little ver 8.9.10 But the general resurrection shal be in a moment in the twinckling of an eye 1 Cor. 15.52 Furthermore these bones are the whole house of Israell ver 11. and now shal be the uniting togither of Iudah Ephraim which those two peeces of wood ioyned togither into one doo declare Which things belong properly to the Israelites neither also past but to come as that happines sheweth which is mentioned in the ende of the chapter greater then any that the dayes past can chaleng But how doth that agree that togither with this resurrection is conioyned the cōquering of Gog and Magog chap. 38. and 39 unles that here the resurrection goeth before in Iohn in this place it followeth the cause wherof wee will shew by and by Neither doo I doubt but Daniel hath meant the same thing by those many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth awoking some to everlasting life some to shame and perpetual contempt chap. 12.23 For many are not all but this word seemeth to have bin used of set purpose that a difference might be set between the generall and this resurrection He attributeth also the chiefe honour to them that teach and iustify others not so much for labours past in their life time as for their present travell and industry For they that teach saith he shall shine not they which taught long a goe None of which things wee know shal be after the resurrection For brevity sake I will not examine how that of Hosea 13 14. belōgeth also to this Seeing therfore the scriptures doo so freely use so expres a similitude of the resurrection to signify the restoring of the Iewes neyther doo wee find a thing of so great moment
things ar passed away all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 ¶ For the first heaven and earth were passed away Shal the Church then faile utterly among the Gentiles For heaven noteth out more pure godlinesseâ— as we said even now How this should be abolished it may be doubtfull because of those things which wee have mentioned before As concerning the earth it is not so doubtfull considering that the Spirit hath already taught sufficieÌ„tly that the Pope of Rome with his whole falsely so called Catholique flock shal be rooted out utterly before this day As then touching the reformed Church shal the receiving of the Iewes cause the alienation of the Gentils as before time the casting away of them was the reconciling of the world Rom. 11.15 It may seem so in deed especially considering that the Apostle affirmeth in the same place that a certain fulnesse of the Gentils shal be accomplished as is like at the calling of the Iewes ver 25. but yet notwithstanding in this very chapter the Revelation teacheth otherweise to weet that the Gentils which shal be saved shall walke in the light of it and the Kings of the earth shal bring their glory and honour to the new Ierusalem ver 24. Yea Paul in the place before said plainly avoucheth that the Church shal be very flourishing amoÌ„g the Gentils when the Iewes are called For saith he if the casting away of the Iewes be the reconciling of the world what shall the reconciling be but life from the dead This is as if he should say what shall the receiving be but as it were a general resurrection wherby they that are dead in sinns among all nations comming at length to the truth shal be made partakers of eternall life by faith in Christ From which wee gather that the fulnesse of the GeÌ„tils is not a certaine ende of beleeving at the calling of the Iewes so that faith among the Gentiles afterward should utterly perish eveÌ„ as no more can be powred into a full vessell but a more aboundant accesse of all nations of the earth toward what part soever their countreyes doo extend obeying the Kingdome of Christ according to that saying the Lord shal be King over the whole earth in that day shall ther be one Lord and his name shal be one Zach. 14.9 And the Lord will destroy in this mountaine the figure of this vaile that is spred upon all nations and the cover wherwith all nations are covered he will swallow up death it selfe into victory and the Lord Iehovah shal wipe away the tears from all faces and will take away the reproach of his people out of all the earth Isaiah chap. 25.7.8 For then they that dwell in the wildernesse shall kneele before him and his enemies shall licke the dust The Kings of the Ocean sea and of the Ilands shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts Finally all Kings shall worship him and all nations shall serve him Psal 72.9.10.11 How then in this celebrating shall the new heaven passe away that is the more pure Church among the Gentils Must we distinguish concerning the GeÌ„tils wherof some are yet strangers from Christ othersome are named Christians now by the space of many ages as we of Europe first of all Shal they come to the Chuâ—ch as the Prophecies even now alâ—â—adged declare and many others agreeing with them Shal these depart and fall away as the vision seemeth to shew which these words doo set forth The fiâ—st heaven saith he passed away What other heaven is then among 〈◊〉 according to the sense of this Prophecy then among us of Europe for the most part Certainly the promise made to the Chuâ—ch of Philadelphia increaseth the suspition to weet that it should be a pillar in the temple of God never to be cast forth chap. 3 12. Why is this attributed as proper and peculiar to it if all the rest enioy the same benefit alike It seemeth therfore that as once the unfruitfull fig tree was cut up and the ill husbanded vineyard being taken from the old farmers was let out to other Luke 13.6 Mat. 21.41 So the Church now a long time evill entreated among them of Europe doo purpose to trusse up bag and baggage and to forsake them at length who have long since forsaken the purity and love of it What though now it be called heaven the heaven themselves are impure in the eyes of our God Iob. 15 15. And the more in deed at this time our heaven which rather enioyeth such nam in respect of the Popish infernal gulfe thaÌ„ for any heaveÌ„ly clearenesse of his own But that seemeth to be repugnant to this calamity of Europe that after the first resurrection there are a thousand yeeres of reigne with Christ chap. 20.6 that is ther shal be among those nations to whoÌ„ this resurrection hath befallen a continuance of the truth by the space of so many yeeres from the beginning of the restauration therof But wee know that this was proper to our countreyes But it may be answered that perhaps this reigne shal be such as was that of the thousand yeeres before that resurrection when the Divell was bound chap. 20.4 when the Kingdome was of a few elect in whose hart was the love of the onely salvation-bringing truth howsoever the Antichristian impiety savoured better to all the rest of the multitude Certenly other scriptures seeme to leane more this way threatning that al religion shal be so defiled with so many corruptions that fearce any wholesome footstep of it shall remaine entire And who is so ignorant of things that hath not iust causes inough to feare much especially when he seeth the word of God to be despised every where new errours to spring up daily old to be brought back again from hell al godlinesse to be converted into gaine and ambition Many indeed are the arguments that the glory of God wil depart from us shortly as once from the temple at Ierusalem Ezech. 9.3 Vnlesse peradventure some comfort ariseth from hence that this departure of the first heaveÌ„ and earth may be understood not of the utter decay of the truth among the Europeans but of such a renewing among the Iewes in comparison of the excellency wherof whatsoever was excellent before may be said to have passed and vanished away when the light of the moone shal be as the light of the sunne and the light of the Sunne sevenfold as the light of seven dayes the Sunne shall blush when the Lord shall reigne in Sion as wee have heard out of Isaiah or finally unlesse it hath some weight that the Spirit here speaketh so exquisitely not saying the former heaven and former earth were passed away but the first heaven and the first earth as though these words respected not the Gentiles at all but onely the legall worship which rightly one may call the first heaven ordained at the first of God himselfe But the Christian people