Beast was the same but in other families as is said before Then it is said here is the minde that hath wisedome that is here is matter wherein those that are wise should occupie their wits and vnderstandings After he declareth what the seauen heads are to wit seauen hils namely that place where the City of Rome is situated and amongst all writers both Latine Greek which speake of it it is called the City of the seauen hils and none but it is so named in any either old or new Latine or Greeke Author And therefore howsoeuer the Papists would post it ouer to Constantinople where the Turke is as hauing thirty hils yet that was of no account in the dayes when this was written Againe that was neuer gouernour of the world as this is called and as it was in those dayes The seauen heads haue another exposition giuen them by the Angell to be seauen Kings that is seauen Gouernours and Emperours of the City whereof it is said fiue are fallen that is were dead one was then that is Domitian who at that time had banished Iohn into Pathmos and he that was to come was the next after Domitian and he should indure but a small time and therefore those that liued in those dayes might easily see the truth of it And this therefore set forth thus that men prouing and seeing this to be true might giue the more credit to the rest And the Beast that was and is not that is is not of the same sort as he was being now changed by another family is the eight to wit in number which was the seauenth also for hee was admitted by the seauenth while the seauenth was aliue for the other being aliue this eight in his dayes was chosen Emperour and was ioyned in gouernement with him as was the custome of Kings when that Kingdomes were doubtfull the Kings tooke their Successors whom they would to haue raigne next in their roome and would in their owne life establish them in their Kingdomes as did Dauid with Salomon who while he yet liued setled his Sonne in the Kingdome taking him as it were and ioyning him in societie with him and setting him by him as it were on the Throne Hauing thus expounded the seauen heads hee comes to tell what is meant by the tenne Hornes which are said to be tenne Kings which had not as yet receiued their power which should ioyne with the Beast to wit should not raigne there where the Beast did but should onely lay their power and authority with his but while he had the ciuill authority alone in the rule of the Emperour as also afterward when the Pope arising should ioyne the spirituall iurisdiction with the temporall gouernement and these tenne Kings it is said should ioyne with this Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall Beast By these tenne it is no great matter whether wee vnderstand a certaine or vncertaine number but it seemeth rather to note an vncertaine number Howsoeuer it were true it is that these the Beast should ioyne with him to take his part to wit they should giue their power to him to ride and runne at his pleasure And these fight against the Lambe who should ouercome them by the power of his word for hee must needes being King of Kings and Lord of Lords and therefore cannot but breake those Hornes that set themselues against him for they receiue of him and hold but of license their Kingdomes from him The Waters are plainely expounded by the Angell to be the great multitudes of people and diuers Countries that should be subiect to that City and Church of Rome Further he declares that as there was a time that the Kings of the earth should ioyne themselues with the Beast to maintaine it so time should come that those Kings and Gouernours as they had suffered themselues to be as it were trodden on by the Beast and to be subiect to the Whore so they should fight against the Beast and against her and most bitterly venter themselues in fight against her yea they shall eate her flesh that is be in mortall hatred with her to consume her and should burne the Harlot that is destroy her vtterly and so punish her as a Harlot for burning was the vsuall death for a Harlot Lastly in that hee saith the woman is the great City that had dominion ouer the Kingdomes of the earth hee sheweth plainely that it is the City of Rome seeing there was no such great Monarch as that since the time of Iohn but onely Rome and Shee was euen then the chiefe Citie in the world Apoc. Cap. 18. 1. And after these things I saw another Angell come downe from heauen hauing great power so that the earth was lightened with his glory c. THe Prophet hauing entred into the description of the City of Rome as of the spirituall Babilon doth on that occasion dispute what shall be done of her for notwithstanding the destruction of the Beast should come before and the ouerthrow of the City should follow yet the ouerthrow of the City is handled in the first place of the Beast is set after vnto the end that he might more fully set down the destruction and notable ruine of the same And first hee declareth the destruction of the City and that it may haue the more authority the Angell that describeth it is said to come from heauen declaring the certainety thereof namely in that this message came from heauen euen from God himselfe and therefore the City of Rome should certainely be destroyed and razed vtterly from the face of the earth And this authority is more fully set forth in that the Angell is described to haue come with such glory that the earth was enlightned therewith and therefore that should be a most euident and vndoubted matter which also appeareth in the mightinesse of his voice Hee saith it is fallen and the second time it is fallen which repetition hee vseth first to raise vp men from their drowsinesse which cannot at the first conceiue of Gods iudgements nor consider them as they ought and therefore they must haue diuers repetitions of the same thing concerning the iustice of Gods iudgements Secondly to shew the certainty of it as before Chap. 14. 8. According as Ioseph interprets Pharaohs dreames of the seauen leane Kine which did deuoure the seauen fatte and the seauen thinne eares of Wheate that did consume the seauenfull that they both did signifie one thing and that the dreame was therefore doubled to shew that that which was signified thereby should certainly come that speedily Euen so the repetition of the denouncing of these iudgements is for this cause namely as to waken the drowsinesse of man so to shew the certainty and speedinesse of the iudgements to be executed Then is set forth the state of this Babilon the City of Rome in that it is said it should become an Habitation of Diuels and of vncleane Birds signifying the great desolation of
continuance of those yeares which in the next verses hee setteth downe particularly and seuerally And first he setteth downe the particular persecution of the Church of the Iewes in the thirteenth and fourteenth verses and then of the Gentiles in the seauenteenth Verse For the Church of the Iewes the persecution thereof is expressed in that it is said that he persecuted her that brought forth the man-childe but the Lord deliuered her from being deuoured of the Dragon In that it is said she being thus pursued hath for her deliuerance wings giuen her to flye away into a Desert for two times a time and halfe a time it notably describeth that strange deliuerance of the Children of God which were in Ierusalem before the ouerthrow of it who as the story witnesseth being warned by the voice of God from heauen did withdraw themselues for a time into a City called Pella beyond Iordan in the Wildernesse where they did continue for the space of three yeares and a halfe vntill Ierusalem were destroyed Whereas the Dragon is said to cast out waters against the Church it noteth the great multitudes of people for so it is often vsed in the Scriptures as also afterterwards Cap. 17. 1. 15. which afterwards the Diuell raised vp to deuoure and consume the Church of Christ in the infancie of it But in that the earth is said to helpe the woman it noteth that howsoeuer the Lord suffereth the Diuell to raise and stirre vp many enemies and aduersaries against his Church yet also hee hath his meanes for the deliuerance of his children by the ouerthrow of their enemies destroying them in the middest of their fury and casting them into their graues And lastly the Dragon hauing done the worst he could against the Church of the Iewes against Christ himselfe his Apostles and Disciples he followeth and proceedeth with mortall enuie and indignation to pursue their seed that is the Church of the Gentiles who were called by their ministery and are also of the seed of Abraham though not according to the flesh Apoc. Cap. 13. 1. And I saw a Beast rise out of the Sea hauing seauen heads and tenne hornes and vpon his hornes were tenne crownes and vpon his heads the name of blasphemie c. THe Prophet hauing spoken before that the seed of the woman to wit the Church of the Gentiles was persecuted of the Dragon hee now declares the manner and meanes of the persecutions and the troubles which befall the Church The instrumentall cause is here set out to be the Beast which is the Emperour of Rome who is set forth by him comming out of the Sea whereby is meant the great stormes troubles and tempests that the Beast should raise vp By which tempests are expressed and meant the great tumults which should arise both betweene the wicked themselues as it came to passe in the Empire of Rome for they had amongst themselues many and long warres and grieuous troubles and dissentions as appeareth in the histories as also it noteth the troubles and afflictions which the Church should receiue by them for the Church must needs be partaker of this misery though peraduenture it be not immediately alwaies tended against them yet they liuing vnder the Empire where these troubles were principally could not but needs also feele the smart thereof Afterwards the troubles are also immediately directed against the godly themselues particularly by the sword by fire and by sore persecutions which are declared to arise and come from the Beast A Beast so he is tearmed being here described and represented vnder the forme of a Beast because of the furiousnesse and madnesse of the Empire of Rome and the Emperors signifying that there was nothing almost of humanity in him but that hee was euen estranged from all courtesies of men Secondly hee is more particularly noted what manner of Beast he was like vnto to wit he was like a Leopard noting his marueilous swiftnesse and readinesse to doe mischiefe to the Church and to destroy it as also shewing his cruelty towards the people of God The Pawes of a Beare noting his rauenousnesse as being ready so able to catch to apprehend and lay hold of the things he desired The mouth of a Lyon shewing that he was cruell and strong to deuoure and to destroy He had the power of the Dragon giuen him that is of the Diuell signifying the greatnesse of his crueltie for as it is in the twentieth Chapter the Lord that he might saue his people being now in their cradle from being ouer-runne and deuoured of Sathan had first shut vp the Diuell into the bottomlesse pit that hee might not practise that hee would against the Church which thing the Diuell perceiuing and seeing himselfe thus shut vp that as it were in his owne person hee could not as hee desired be employed in the deuouring of the Church at his pleasure hee casts as much of his owne power as he can vpon an other to wit vpon the Romane Emperour who was as it were his deputy to the end he might doe that iniury he could in prosecuting the Christ Seauen heads signifying his exceeding wisedome and pollicie to doe hurt which should be very great according to his authority whereby hee ruled ouer the whole world His hornes signifie his power to doe that hurt And his Crownes signifie that great effect which that great wit and power of his should take in preuailing against men to wit that hee should vanquish and ouercome in his mischiefes Notwithstanding there is great difference betweene his Crownes and the Dragons for the Dragon had them on his heads that is the Diuell hath this power of himselfe properly to doe hurt exercising it as from himselfe the Beast hath them vpon his hornes that is the Emperour doth not exercise his authoritie and power against the Church immediately from himselfe but doth borrow his power from the Dragon Which is spoken after the custome and manner of those Kings and Princes which hauing absolute authority weare their Crownes on their bare heads those that be Viceroyes and haue an absolute authoritie weare Coronets indeed but on their Caps as it is vsed in forraine Countries and as it was the practise in those dayes After he is said to haue the name of Blasphemie declaring that the Emperours should be such as should blaspheme God in calling themselues Gods and taking the worship of God vnto themselues as Caligula and others most wretchedly and blasphemously did like to Alexander the great in the Monarchy of the Grecians which did arrogate this title to himselfe to be called God In that hee saith he had vpon his head the name of blasphemy written hee opposeth to that contrary custome of the Priest who had written vpon his head honor to the Lord so contrariwise this Beast had written on his head blasphemy against God And hee did not onely blaspheme the name of God but also his Tabernacle that is did speake euill of the Church of
hinder him hauing for a time set aside all worldly things and cogitations to the end all the powers of his soule might be lifted vp and be more intent and that so hee might hearken more diligently to those things that were ready to be told him Which teacheth vs when wee goe about holy and heauenly matters wee must be as it were in a new world and we must separate our selues from all worldly things and worldly cogitations though otherwise at other times lawfull and addict and addresse our selues wholly to those holy things of our God Then he commeth to the vision it selfe Where first is set down the preparation and preface of that which is to come contained in this and in the next Chapter In the preface is described and set forth vnto vs the person of God the Father and that diuersly first by a Throne and one sitting thereon comparing him in likenesse to a Iasper and Sardy Stone that is very glorious to behold and of most exceeding valour not describing him by any forme or portraicture but by the glory which those most precious Iewels that can be doe represent This glory is declared by the reflection which was so great that it made all that was round about the Throne to be like a Rainbow that is glorious and excellent for as the brightnesse of the Sunne causeth those notable colours which wee see in the Rainbow so the glory of God maketh all round about him glorious After he is described by his Assistants to wit foure and twentie Elders that is the Church of God the chiefe whereof are in the Scripture twelue Patriarches in the old Testament and the twelue Apostles in the New vnder which number all the rest are comprehended These are said to haue white Robes and Crownes and to sit vpon Thrones in forme of Kings for all these are things belonging properly vnto Princes signifying that in Christ we are all Kings being made partakers of his Kingdome Afterward God is described by the effects which proceeded from the Throne to wit thunders and lightnings and voices and their immediate cause in that they came from the seauen Lamps which are the seauen spirits of God namely the holy Ghost whereby God doth all things that he doth This teacheth that seeing the thunders lightenings c. come from the Throne of God that therefore nothing can come by chance or fortune as men vainely suppose but onely by the direction and counsell of God and from him who is the Ruler and Disposer of all things in the world By lightnings thunders and voices seemeth to be meant the iudgements and anger of God to be executed on the wicked which doe follow in the next Chapters viz. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. for it is not vnmeet that in these the iudgements should be set forth seeing they are the fearefull workes of God And here God the Father is described to be a Iudge and to fit like a Iudge as being Iudge of all the world as he is called Gen. 18. 25. Then he is described by foure Beasts in the middes of the Throne and round about to wit the chiefe Angels of God wayting for to execute Gods will at all times And as Sargeants attend on their Iudge so are they being alwaies ready to receiue any commandement he enioyneth them So also our Sauiour Christ in Iohn is said to waite still on the will of his Father namely as he is Mediator In that these are said to be foure it is not to be thought that there were no more in number but hee vnderstandeth by foure a competent and sufficient number able to execute any thing which God will haue fulfilled in all the world in the East West South and North. These Beasts are also described to be full of eyes signifying their prouidence and singular direction they goe withall Then they are seuerally described the first of them is like a Lyon declaring their courage the second like an Oxe signifying their strength the third like a Man noting their wisedome the fourth like an Eagle shewing their swiftnesse and speedinesse in doing Gods will Their sixe wings expresseth their readinesse to goe to all places their wings full of eyes shew that they goe not at all aduentures These were about the Throne Vnder it was a Sea of Christall whereby seemeth to be meant the earthly creatures and all things in this present world compared to a Sea because of the vnconstancie of them likened to Christall because God seeth clearely into them and through them for as one may see easily into Glasse and Christall so these are euidently seene and discerned of God as being continually in his sight and presence hauing beene made by him and being gouerned by him After the foure Beasts are said to fall downe and praise him day and night for all his Power Glory and Maiestie and especially as it seemeth for those thunders that is for those iudgements to bee executed on the world acknowledging that they were iust and right And albeit they were sealed vp as appeareth in the next Chapter yet by these thunder-claps of Gods anger they could vnderstand that there were iudgements to come The like is in Esay the sixth Chapter where the Angels also glorifie God for his iudgements And albeit it may seeme to man to be a very hard and grieuous thing that God should harden the hearts of the people to the end hee may more fully expresse his iudgements on them yet neuerthelesse the Angels cease not to magnifie him for the same and so they doe here in this place And not onely they but the Elders the Church and Children of God do also ioyn with the Angels to praise the Lord as for all other his works in his Creatures so also for his iudgements they doe pronounce that God is worthy to haue glory in his iudgements as vnto whom alone all fulnesse of Honour Glory and Power doth belong and therefore they themselues fall downe and cast their Crownes before him acknowledging thereby that all their glory is due vnto the Lord and is his as hauing receiued it by him alone and that they themselues are altogether vnworthy of any such dignity Apoc. Cap. 5. 1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sate vpon the Throne a Booke written within and on the backside sealed with seauen Seales c. IN the former Chapter is set forth the person of God the Father in his Maiesty as principall from whom all things come Here in this Chapter is set downe God the Sonne the second Person who is Mediator and meane betweene God and man of the manifestation of these iudgements to follow Which teacheth vs that through Christs intercession alone all good knowledge commeth to Gods children First in that Iohn saith he saw a Booke in the right hand of him that sate on the Throne that is of God the Father by his right hand is meant his Strength Power and Force whereby he so keepeth it that no
named foure in regard of the foure windes that they haue in charge to keepe yet so to be meant as before of the foure Beasts to wit a competent number for that worke And these Angels hauing receiued their charge put themselues in array for execution of that they had in hand And they are said to haue the windes in their hand that is in their power and gouernement So that albeit the windes be a very subtile Creature yet the Angels appointed to that end haue them in their hand and power to withdraw them from doing any hurt to restraine them from blowing on the earth on men or on the trees themselues signifying that there should not be the least winde at all no not so much as would shake a little sprigge of a Tree which of all things will soonest be moued by the windes Which noteth vnto vs what a great stroke and authority the Angels haue ouer the vnder-creatures Then there was another Angell to wit of another manner namely not created but hee which was the Angell of the couenant being another in regard of his natures both of his man-hood as also of his God-head And whereas he is said to come from the rising of the Sunne the most probable interpretations seeme to be these that either the returning againe of the Lord toward the Sanctuary from whence hee was flitted for the sins of the people as appeareth in Ezechiel Ezech. 11. 23. Or else here is also set forth the declaration of his Maiestie that albeit the same be a most glorious creature yet Christ comming from it could not be shadowed or his glory any whit diminished by the brightnesse of the Sunne Againe in that hee hath the Sealt to seale the Elect it setteth downe his office that hee onely as he alone knoweth the heart and who are elected and none else neither man nor Angell so he alone Sealeth and Marketh the children of God to his Kingdome And further the Angels of iudgement are commanded not to execute iudgement vpon any vntill the Children of God were Sealed the like wee haue in Ezechiel 9. hauing as it seemeth relation to the deliuerance out of Egypt where it was commanded that there should be a marke set on the Doore-posts of the Children of Israel which when the Angell that was to strike the first borne of the Egyptians should see he should passe by and not smite them euen so here the Children of God are marked that when the Angels should goe forth to execute iudgement they should see and euidently discerne the marke on them as euidently as if it were on their Foreheads whereby they should be warned to take heed that they did not annoy them with the iudgements which were to be laide vpon the earth After it is set forth who are thus Sealed and Marked that they might be deliuered from this destruction to come vpon the earth And these are either Iewes or Gentiles And first of the Iewes the number is set down to be a hundred and foure and forty thousand The Gentiles are said to be without number Which giueth vs to vnderstand that albeit this be not the perfect and full number of the Iewes which were to be saued yet that their number was such as that it might be attained vnto and numbred by men But the Gentiles howsoeuer with God their number was well enough knowne yet they are said to be so many as that they could not be numbred by men According as God promised Abraham touching his seede that they should be as many as the starres of heauen and as the sands of the Sea in multitude In the particular numbring the Tribe of Iuda is set first because of him Christ the promised Messiah came Secondly we obserue that the Tribe of Dan is here left out not as the Papists dreame because that Antichrist should come from thence but it is partly because it is not an vsuall custome of the Scriptures in the numbring of the Tribes to set downe twelue Tribes only as a fit number But a greater reason seemeth to be because as it is in the Booke of the Iudges the Danites did withdraw themselues from the seruice of God and from the other Tribes and ioyned themselues with the Gentiles which Iacob also maketh mention of in his Prophecie And therefore in the Chronicles there is no mention made of Dan but hee is left out as one that disabled himselfe of that fauour to be accounted in the number of the Church of God Here hauing spoken of the Iewes which could be numbred and of the Gentiles that they were without number he commeth to the execution of their marking whereby they should be kept from the iudgements to be laid on the earth and that so they might be reserued vnto the Kingdome of God They are first described to stand before the Throne of God that is in his sight there to minister vnto the Lord and to execute his will in his seruice and it is the custome of the Scriptures so to speake and therefore the Ministers of the word are said to stand before the sight of God that is to minister vnto God so also Daniel is said to stand before the King that is to minister vnto him In that they are said to haue vpon them white robes it noteth the royall estate they shall be in in the kingdome of God The Palmes in their hands signifie their victory ouer all their troubles and ouer all their enemies and Persecutors After all this is set downe a thankesgiuing which they giue vnto God whereby the Saints acknowledge that saluation belongeth onely vnto God in deliuering them from wicked men and from all their miseries wherein they confesse that in themselues there is no difference betweene them and other men but that it was the onely good-will and fauour and mercy of God whereby hee had chosen them and vouchsafed them this honour To this the Angels answere and say Amen signifying also their consent thereunto that it is truely performed and they themselues reply with another song vnto God for the deliuerance of his people and they further giue all Praise Glory Wisedome Honour Thankes vnto God which are effects of his power Lastly those that were Sealed are more manifestly set forth by a Dialogue betweene one of the Elders and Iohn where the Elder is said to aske Iohn first What be these that are thus arrayed in white and secondly from whence they came which hee doth not because he himselfe was ignorant therof but to stirre vp Iohn the more to the consideration of them And he himselfe answereth to both the questions To the last he answereth first according to the manner of the Scriptures to wit These are they saith hee that are come out of great tribulation and afflictions and he saith that these afflictions had not made their robes so white that is had not brought them to that honour they were in but it was the bloud of the Lambe that brought them
said not to haue beene heard in the streets This is the first Woe the two other woes are to come The other Trumpet followeth to be blowne And first to declare the certainty of it hee saith there came a Voice from the corner of the Altar which was in the holy place which commanded that they should loose the foure Angels by foure is meant a sufficient and competent number as before wee haue heard to execute Gods iudgements And these are said to be bound in the Riuer Euphrates which was that Riuer that runneth through Babilon where the people of Israel were held in captiuity And it is vsed to set forth that spirituall captiuity of the Church of God whereby the Whore of Babilon keepeth in bondage both their soules and also their bodies Now these foure Angels the Executers and Ministers of Gods fearefull iudgements were prepared to goe at an houre at a day at a moneth at a yeare noting their readinesse and promptnesse to execute any iudgement that God sets them about yea though they should be sent forth for a whole yeare long they would be willing to doe it declaring that they did it without wearinesse Their effects be farre otherwise then the former for they haue authority to kill the bodies of men This seemeth to bee in the time of Gregory the ninth when the Church of Rome had gotten the Kings and Princes of the world and the Emperours to assist them and to take their part and therefore now those that would not worship the Beast and yeeld to their spirituall Whoredome and Idolatry should be killed and put to death by the wicked Magistrates whereas before they had not power to hurt the Bodies but only to sting the Consciences of men These are described to haue heads like Lyons noting that they were fierce and cruell Their Tayles like Serpents signifying their craft Which sheweth that the Church of Rome should promote her Kingdome both by violence and also by their craft and subtilty Lastly is set downe a conclusion wherein is shewed that for all these fearefull iudgements the people of the earth whereas they should haue feared and haue beene bettered by these iudgements and learned to turne vnto God by repentance yet they continued vnrepentant in their Idolatries Murthers Witchcrafts and all other their abhominable wickednesses Apoc. Cap. 10. 1. And I saw another mightie Angell come downe from heauen cloathed with a Cloude and the Rainbow vpon his head and his face was as the Sunne and his feet as pillars of fire c. VVEe haue heard after the Preface of this Booke the diuision of it into those things already executed and which were after to be executed Those which were to come are either touching the iudgement of God vpon the world or those things which more especially did concerne the Church Hitherto we haue heard of the world now the things that more especially belong to the Church doe follow to the which in this Chapter is as before a Preface wherein the holy Ghost prepareth and fitteth the Apostle Saint Iohn and in him all vs to the diligent hearing and obseruing of all those things which concerne the Church The whole drift of this Vision is to giue credit to the history following and this credit is drawne first from the Author of the prophecie which is Christ and secondly from the Instrument to wit Iohn In the first part that the thing it selfe might be the better esteemed the credit drawne from the Author is set forth by the glory and excellencie of him In the second part Iohn is set foorth by what meanes he came to this Prophecie and from whom hee receiued it to wit that hee had it by commandement from God the Father and from God the Son who commanded him to publish this history which after is set downe in this Booke For the first part he saith first he saw another Angell to wit as we haue heard before our Sauiour Christ being of another nature of other offices and of another glory then any other Angell as being the Angell of the Couenant that is hee in whose hand the Couenant is established betwixt God and his Church This Angell is said to come downe from heauen viz. not that Christ came downe bodily for the Scriptures say euidently that the heauens must hold him till the restoring of all things that is till the end of the world but here it was onely represented vnto Iohn in a vision For in that wee say that Christ is in heauen it is not that wee tye or lincke him there as the Papists charge and slander vs wrongfully for wee hold that as there is in the heauens infinit roome for him to execute his will so hee hath the heauen as an incomprehensible place and is not tyed and kept in as it were like a Prisoner but is at his owne pleasure to doe what he will himselfe And this which wee say is proued out of the word of God in the Acts Acts. 1. where we are taught that he must stay there till the latter day So that this sight was onely a representation of the minde wherin it was giuen to see Christ thus Strong a proper title vnto the Lord to be the strong God signifying that hee was the mighty God and therefore this Angell is of another nature then the other Angels Clad with a Cloud that is to set out the glory of our Sauiour Christ euen so in the last day hee shall come attended vpon compassed with the clouds A Rain-bow about his head the Rain-bow about his head seemeth to expresse and to note vnto vs the gracious countenance of our Sauiour Christ towards his Church for the Rain-bow in the Scripture is a signe of the fauour of God as it is in Genesis namely in that he will neuer drowne the world againe Or Chap. 4. 3. else to the further setting forth of his Glory and Maiestie for as before in the fourth Chapter wee haue heard that God the Father is described to haue had a Rain-bow about his Throne whereby the glory of the first Person in the Trinity was represented so that may be here noted of Christ in that he is said to haue a Rain-bow about his head and therefore Christ is of equall glory with his Father His face as the Sunne whereby his further glory is set forth in his excellent and al-seeing prouidence in that as the Sunne beholdeth all the earth so hee at one instant and with one eye as it were seeth all things on the face of the earth He had in his hand a little Booke open In this Booke Chap. 5. 1. is contained those things which were to follow and to come vpon the Church it selfe As in the fift Chapter wee haue heard of a Booke in the hand of God the Father which containeth the iudgements which were generally to fall vpon the whole world The difference betweene this Booke and that other is very plaine for first wee
a more fierce destruction And when he had cut them he is bidden he should presse them in the Vine-presse of Gods wrath A similitude taken from the vse of those who when they haue gathered their Grapes cast them into the Vine-presse to be trodden and pressed out euen so should they be trodden downe and crushed with the iudgement and wrath of God And this must be done hand by hand and one Cluster by another which signifieth a more notable iudgement In reaping Corne men vse to gather many together but these Grapes must be gathered one by one shewing the fiercenesse of this iudgement to be exalted vpon euery one of them particularly Troden out of the City that is among the wicked out of the Church alluding to the custome in those Countries where they had their 〈…〉 presses to tread their Grapes without the City And here hee alludeth also to the execution of offenders which vseth to be done without the City so this iudgement should be done without the Church Noting that this onely was to be executed vpon the vngodly contemners The greatnesse of this iudgement is aggrauated in that the bloud should be in such abundance and so deepe that a man riding in it it should reach to the bridles of the Horses for the distance of one thousand and sixe hundred furlongs which is about three hundred of our miles or more Noting the exceeding great wrath of God vpon those offenders and the fearefull iudgement which they should suffer Apoc. Cap. 15. 1. And I saw another signe in heauen great and marueilus seauen Angels hauing the seauen last plagues for by them is fulfilled the wrath of God c. THere hauing beene set before in the former Chapters as well the fauour to Gods Children as iudgements against the contemners of the Gospell hee proceedeth here in the declaration of the same And first of the iudgements against the Beast and his worshippers in the first Verse the executioners whereof are in that Verse said to be seauen Angels to wit a perfect number to performe that worke they are said to haue the seauen last plagues that is authority and power was giuen them to execute that full number of iudgements which remained to be poured on the earth And hauing spoken of the Ministers of Gods iudgements he speaketh also of the furniture and armory of the iudgements of God which he hath as it were in store against them And he calleth it a Sea mingled with fire alluding to the Lauary of the Priests in the Temple whereto he seemeth to compare this which was called a Sea in regard of the greatnesse of it And it is called a Sea of Christall or a glassie Sea because it might be throughly looked into and euidently discerned of the Children of God through Christ In the Sea is fire which is the wrath and curse of God the matter of Gods fierce indignation and the iudgements which should be taken out of this Lauer of Gods wrath for as in the Lauer in the time of the Law there was water to wash the Priests and to make them cleane noting the cleanenesse and vprightnesse that should be in the Priests and which all that should be Priests vnto God should receiue from Christ euen so in this Lauer and Sea of Gods wrath fire is said to be noting that from hence should come matter of iudgement to consume and destroy the enemies of God After it is said that the Children of God which had gotten the victory ouer their enemies did stand by this Sea namely to see and behold these fearefull iudgements of God against the wicked and thereupon to wit on this occasion are stirred vp to praise the Lord and they sing the Song of Moses and of the Lambe namely a Song of thankesgiuing for their deliuerance by the Lambe saying Great and marueilous are thy workes c. as if they should say who is it that would not magnifie so mightie a King so holy and so iust a God who for the glory of his name and the reuenge of his Saints hath such a treasury of iudgements against his enemies which now in Christ he had made manifest vnto them After it is said that these seauen Angels come out of the Temple that is out of the presence of God declaring that they come by the authority and commandement of God and therefore that their ambassage was certainely and necessarily to be accomplished And they are cloathed with white signifying their integrity and vprightnesse shewing that there was nothing which they executed vniustly or wrongfully but that it was right and iust howsoeuer it might appeare vnto the sonnes of men They were girded that is prompt sit and ready to execute their message whereunto they were appointed for as the custome was in those dayes those that had their cloathes girded vp to them were fitter for any worke or businesse they went about To these Angels are giuen Vials signifying that as these inferiour Angels are innocent and holy spirits vprightly performing that which is inioyned them and as they are ready thereunto so they doe nothing without the speciall calling or commandement of God and without a particular Ordinance from God for their charge and function is laid vpon them either immediately from God himselfe or else by the Arch-Angels and those which are the chiefe Angels Further it is said that the Temple was filled with smoake that none could enter in vntill the seauen Plagues of the seauen Angels were accomplished The glory of God so filled that place that the Angels themselues could not enter into it for by this smoake is meant the fulnesse of Gods presence and the full and perfect glory and maiestie of the same as was in the Temple in the time of the Law when that it was first finished the glory of the Lord so filled the Temple with a smoake that none were able to abide therein noting that he was well pleased with the building of it euen so here the Angels being sent forth to execute the presence of God was so exceeding glorious that the Angels could not be able to returne thither till they had finished and fulfilled the iudgements which they were sent forth to doe noting also that this execution of these iudgements of God was acceptable vnto him as also that they were irreuocable and altogether inauoideable Apoc. Cap. 16. 1. And I heard a great voice out of the Temple saying to the seauen Angels Goe your waies and poure out the seauen Vials of the wrath of God vpon the earth c. IN the setting forth of the iudgements of God vpon the Beast and his worshippers wee haue heard in the former Chapter that mention was made of the Ministers and Executioners of these iudgements as also of the matter of the same In this Chapter followeth the Execution of the Ministery of these seauen Angels And first it is said by the Apostle that hee heard a voice out of the Temple to the seauen Angels which
all the people also of their Nations and all the inhabitants of the earth should also take part in her filthy abhominations and therefore Shee must needs be a notable Strumpet with whom all the Princes of the world with their people and subiects must commit adultery vncleanenesse and all kinde of villany In that Iohn was carried againe by the spirit into the Wildernesse is meant that albeit hee had receiued all these things which were reuealed to him before by the spirit yet for the further assurance of the things now to be deliuered he saith that he is carried againe in the spirit that is hee is lift vp by a more singular hand of God that he might the more notably vnderstand and attend by the speciall direction of Gods spirit to the things now to be reuealed And he saith he saw a woman sit vpon a Beast By the woman is meant the City of Rome the Beast signifieth first the Emperours only which were ciuill gouerners and secondly the Pope which tooke vpon him both ciuill and ecclesiasticall gouernement so that vpon this Beast shee is said to fit and therefore whereas he saith he sees the Harlot sitting on the Beast it is meant that the honour of the City and Church of Rome was to be maintained and vpheld by the Emperours the gouernours ciuill and by the Pope which had both Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall authority for both these are in this place set downe to be but one Beast The Beast is said to be coloured like Scarlet signifying either he was aduanced to great honour or else nothing his crueltie in murthering the Saints but this thing afterward Saint Iohn more notably setteth downe in that the Whore her selfe is said to be red with the bloud of the Saints noting that as this was her Liuery so the chiefest colour wherin this Church and this Beast delighteth is Scarlet as appeareth by their vsage for they vse to weare this that they might be knowne to be bloudy and cruell It is further said that this Beast is full of names of blasphemie it is meant that whereas before it was said that the first Beast had a name of blasphemy that is was very cruell very blasphemous when he first rose out of the Sea which was verified by the example of Caligula and others that tooke on them the honour of God yet this doth farre exceede him for he is full of the names of blasphemie viz. blasphemous throughout signifying an high degree of blasphemie He speakes also of the Harlot her selfe whom hee saith to be arrayed in Purple and Scarlet signifying that she was clad royally purple being a most costly and Princely apparell her Scarlet bedecked with gold precious stones and Pearles note the exceeding great riches of that Church of Rome Then followes that which shee did viz. Shee had a cup of Gold in her hand but within full of abhominations and filthy whoredomes and fornications noting that without she had a gorgeous shew was beautifull to behold but within full of al vncleanenes as our Sauiour Christ said of the Pharisies that they cleanse the out side of the cup but are all filthy within which we see in the Church of Rome that without they haue most faire shewes to looke to but looke into them and into their actions there is nothing but vncleanenesse Shee had in her forehead a name written a Mistery signifying that the chiefe thing shee professeth is a Mistery namely that shee hath the Misteries and secrets of God yea shee professeth that all knowledge and vnderstanding of Gods will is shut vp onely in her breasts as in a closet and therefore say they the Pope can change the Articles of the faith yea that he can alter the Scriptures and make them no Scriptures and that he can make the Euangelists to be no Euangelists and those that are not to be She is called great Babilon because of the resemblance of that Babilon in the East to this in the West principally in regard of her great cruelty against Gods Children The Mother of Harlots that is the chiefe Harlot of all setting out her abhominable fornications both spirituall and bodily After in that she is said to be drunke with the bloud of the Saints is set forth her cruelty and barbarousnesse against the witnesses of Gods truth in that she is defiled bespotted and embrued with the bloud of the Saints As Christ is said to come out of Edom coloured with the bloud of his enemies noting thereby the reuenge he should take of the Edomites euen so the Whore of Babilon is dyed with the bloud of Gods children yea she is said to be drunke with their bloud as with drinke shewing that she makes no more account of shedding the bloud of the seruants of God then the drunken man makes of pouring in drinke or the fishes water Iohn wonders at her to wit not after that sort which those doe which follow after whose names were not written in the Booke of life but hee wonders after another manner namely at the strangenesse of the thing and at the strangenesse of her abhominations But the Angell askes him wherefore marueilest thou at it I will saith hee tell thee the mistery viz. the meaning of the Harlot and of the Beast And taking in hand to handle and declare the mistery of them both hee begins after the manner and custome of the Hebrewes with that which hee named last viz. the Beast and saith that he was and is not It is said he is not which hath been declared by the wound he receiued accomplished in the time of Nero after whose time the manner of gouernement in regard of the familie which then ruled was no more all that family being worne out and therefore the gouernement was ceased and yet notwithstanding should rise againe out of the depth out of the bottomlesse pit viz. out of hell by the subtiltie and pollicie of Sathan and his craftie instruments and should goe to destruction that is should for all this suddenly be destroyed and not haue a continuall gouernement And it is said that at the Beast all should wonder not as Iohn did but with an admiration of it the reason is because it was and is not and yet is that is albeit it should haue so many changes and alterations in that the Emperours should be so often put downe and slaine as appeareth by the histories and others raised vp neuerthelesse the gouernement should continue still wherfore the men of the world not knowing Gods prouidence in the ordering of these things should hereby be drawne with admiration of the Beast to cleaue vnto it considering that albeit hee had receiued so many wounds and so great pushes as it were to destroy him and ouerthrow him and yet did continue and was able to stand and thinking that it was by his own power they should therefore say who is like to the Beast So that wee see that this Empire which is here vnderstood by the
it according as it is the vse of the Prophets who to expresse the exceeding desolations of any place say that those Birds which flye most farre from all resort of men as the Shrike-Owle and the Pelican c. should continue there To Diuels noting that those places that haue bin abused to the dishonour of God are giuen by Gods iust iudgement to be not onely desolate but euen haunted of Diuels themselues as wee see oft times it commeth to passe in Abbyes and such like superstitious houses The cause is set downe to wit by reason of the persecution of the Saints and her pride who vaunted of her riches and good estate saying that shee was Queene and should neuer be Widdow that is should neuer be desolate but should alway haue her louers and maintainers to take her part And a principall cause is this that she had played the Harlot through her Idolatrie with the Princes of the earth Then he setteth downe the markes of her destruction both which goe before and which come after Before that God would giue his children that were there warning before whereby they might know of it that so they might come forth lest they should fall in that great destruction as before we heard hee did to the Saints in Ierusalem by giuing them warning to auoide from thence which they did flying into the City of Pella in the wildernesse The markes following the destruction generally the lamentation of the friends of the City of Rome and principally the Kings of the earth when they shall see the smoake of her mount vp to heauen by smoake is meant the continuall remembrance of that destruction for albeit after it is said by the Angell that threw the stone into the Sea that it should neuer be remembred any more hee meaneth not that it should be cleane forgotten to haue beene but onely so forgotten as it should neuer haue place again by which it might be remembred like as it came to passe in Sodom howbeit the memory thereof should otherwise be perpetuall Afterward is reported more particularly the lamentation of the Merchants which had serued for the pleasure of her by Land and by Sea The Merchants by land which had serued her with sine meates purple silke gold siluer precious stones c. for their Vestiments namely for the apparell of their Priests Prelates Cardinals c. which vsed to be most gorgeous and costly And they should also bring to her soules of men that is bond-slaues meeting with that which should come to passe be performed of the Church of Rome as we see experience of Then the Merchants by Sea the Ship-masters and Ship-men also make their lamentation ouer her For the more certainty of this destruction of the City there is brought in an Angell taking a great stone and casting it into the bottome of the Sea saying that in like manner Babilon that great City should be throwne downe with violence and should be found no more noting that it should be so vtterly destroyed that it should neuer be recouered neither should it be built any more neither should the light of a Candle be seene in it neither the voice of a Bridegroome heard therein signifying that it should not be againe inhabited of any because shee had deceiued all nations and because in her was found the bloud of the Saints and Prophets Apoc. Cap. 19. 1. And after these things I heard a great voice of a great multitude in heauen saying Hallelu-iah saluation and glory and honour and power be to the Lord our God c. THe Apostle hauing spoken of the destruction of the City of Rome noted by the name of an Harlot he now comes to set forth the destruction of the Beast and of the false Prophet which are the vngodly Emperours and the Popes succeeding in that power hauing gotten not onely ciuill iurisdiction but Ecclesiasticall power also ioyned therewith And first of al before he handleth that he bringeth in all the children seruants of God praising magnifying God for the notable works he had shewed vpon the earth And herein especially doe the Angels Saints of God in heauen the Saints in earth magnifie and praise the Lord namely for the iudgement and destruction of the Whore which is the City of Rome The causes of her destruction are set downe to be first because she had made all the Kings of the earth and their people to goe a whoring after her filthy abhominations And secondly for that shee had murthered the Saints of God After that they had sung this song of thankesgiuing for that mercy receiued in the destruction of the City of Rome the Lord calleth them and citeth them as it were by a voice from the Throne to a further thankesgiuing for the mercies to come in the destruction of the Beast and of the false Prophet and for particular benefits which the Church it selfe was to be partaker of and therefore he doth call all the seruants of the Lord by name as it were which did feare the Lord both small and great to praise the Lord. Then he shewes how this voice was obeyed in that he saith there was a voice as of a great multitude and like the voice of many waters and like the noise of a thunder which signifie both the consent and zeale and earnestnesse of the Saints in praising God Which teacheth vs that we are so to beleeue and be assured of Gods promises and mercies to come as that wee doe praise him for them as for those which we haue receiued and as if wee had receiued them already The mercies for which they praise God are two first the marriage of the Church to the Lambe because the Church in this life being made the Spouse of Christ yet separated in part from him shall at length inioy and haue the full fruition of Christ and of his glorious presence And also for that she is arrayed with pure fine linnen noting either the righteousnesse of Christ wherewith she is cloathed or else that sanctification which being in part begun in this life in Gods children shall be perfected in Gods kingdome when that spirituall marriage of Christ with his Spouse shall be celebrated And further it is shewed that such is the happinesse of the Church of God in this marriage that not onely the Bride and the Bridegrome shall be partakers of his happinesse as vsually commeth to passe in our marriage feasts the married persons onely not the guests being counted happy but also those are blessed and happy that are bidden to this feast for by the Bride is to be vnderstood in generall the Church vniuersall by the persons called is meant the particular persons in the Church Another cause of thankesgiuing for the things to come is in regard of the iudgement vpon the wicked and the execution thereof And first he saith to execute this hee seeth Christ comming with his army hee being the chiefe for as the Beast gathers his