write vpon it It is plaine here that the Saints in heauen offer vp the prayers of faithfull and holy persons on earth and that they haue knowledge of our affaires and desires But this Text offereth not any such thing as we shall shew at length These Saints represent the whole Church Militant and Triumphant euery one of them is said to haue their own Viall and no word here of any prayers made by any of them for others beside that the knowledge of our desires appertaineth to none but the Lord who searcheth the reines and the heart This doubt cannot be loosed by saying that the Saints departed offer vp thanksgiuing for the word vsed here is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some make this answere but indeed it taketh not away the doubt for vnderstanding therefore of this place we must know that there are foure sorts of prayer reckoned here by the Apostle the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer for auerting of euill the second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer for some good that is lacking the third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer whereby one of vs prayes for another and the fourth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer whereby we giue thanks to God All these foure sorts are vsed by Saints militant two of them onely are ascribed to Saints triumphant namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanksgiuing and supplication for the good which they want Where if it be asked What good want they who are in heauen for which they haue need to pray The answer is They want a two-fold good which God hath promised and they long to enioy First they want their bodies without which the soules in heauen cannot haue full ioy for by their first creation they were ioyned together as inseparable companions not to be diuided if they had not fallen in the transgression therefore it is that the one cannot be fully contented wanting the other for which to fulfill their ioy they pray for restitution of their bodies Secondly they want their brethren the remanent mēbers of Christ his mysticall body requisite necessarily to their perfection for God hath so prouided that they vvithout vs should not be perfected Abraham Isaac Iacob haue great ioy in heauen but not full ioy because they will not be perfected without their brethren That therefore the mystical body of Christ may be cōplete and so their ioy fulfilled they pray for Christ his second comming which cannot be till the last and youngest of the sonnes of God be borne and brought to the fellowship of Iesus Christ. And this is made cleare heereafter when the soules vnder the Altar are brought in crying How long O Lord how long c For this is the voice of them who want something they would faine haue and yet are sure to enioy it Thus we see then that the prayers of Saints triumphant are generall they pray for their bodies and brethren but to gather of this that they know our necessitios our particular tentations farre lesse our secret desires is but a doting dreame and if we shall a little insist in this same metaplior of Odour or Incense it shall discouer their error more clearely For first Incense offred to God might not be made but in such a manner and with such ingredients as God himselfe commanded teaching vs that prayer vnto God should be made not as we fansie to our selues but as hee hath commaunded vs. Now if wee shall looke to this cōmandement it directs vs to pray vnto God and to none other there is the voice of God the Father Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me There againe is the instruction of God the Sonne When yee pray pray in this manner Our Father which art in heauen and there is the direction of God the holy Ghost hee teacheth vs in our prayer to cry Abba Father No word heere of any prayer to Abraham Moses or Esay to Cherubim or Seraphim to Angels or Saints departed Secondly Incense might not be burnt but vpon the golden Altar onely whereof there was but one figuring the Lord Iesus teaching vs that our prayers may not be offered to God in the name of any other but Iesus Christ onely For there is not any other name vnder Heauen by which wee may be saued and In him onely is the Father well pleased Thirdly it was not lawfull for any man to make an odour for his owne pleasure or priuate vse of those gummes whereof the Lord commanded his Incense to be made and that vnder a most strait penaltie for so stands the Law Yee shall not make vnto you any composition like to this Perfume it shall be holy for the Lord whosoeuer shall make like vnto that to smell thereof euen hee shall be cut off from his people And this doth plainely teach vs that no creature should smell the sauour of our Prayer it is the Incense holy to the Lord and appertaines to our God onely Thus we see how Papists when they seeke patrocinie for their errors from holy Scripture doe it with no better successe then Ioab did when hee made his refuge to the hornes of the Altar hee fled vnto it to seeke the safety of his life but hee was pulled from it and executed to the death so they when they bring in Scripture to defend their errors doe in effect bring it to destory themselues But to leaue them let vs consider for our comfort how our prayer is compared to a perfume All the spices of Myrrhe Cynamon and what is most excellent on earth cannot make such a perfume from heauen it commeth and vnto heauen it returneth O what a great mercy is this wee are not yet able to ascend our selues and yet haue we this liberty and priuiledge as to send our Embassadors in our name before vs which are so welcome to the diuine Maiestie that hee accounts of them as of sweet odour and perfume sent vp vnto him Let vs marke this for many times the weake Christian faints and becomes remisse in prayer because he disesteemes of his own prayer This is a policie and tentation of the old Serpent to make thee neglect that which hee knowes to be most hurtfull to himselfe most helpfull to thee most acceptable to thy God but doe it not Noli vilipendere or ationem tuam quoniam ille ad quem or as non vilipendit Doe not vilipend thine own prayer for he to whom thou prayest vilipends it not it is a sweet odour vnto the Lord. VERSE 9. And they sung a new Song saying Thou art woorthy to take the Booke and to open the scales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed vs to GOD by thy bloud out of euery kindred and tongue
the perfection of Christ his prophetical office Concil Trident. Ses. 2. But let them tell who can 〈◊〉 that which Iesus hath not 〈◊〉 Iustin. â—…xord in Tryph. Irâ—…n lib. 2. c. 47. Antiquitie pleads the perfection of holy Scripture Ibid. Basil. in Ser. de Fidei consâ—…nsit But most blasphemous are they in affirming that he hath not perfectly done the Office of an High Priest The negatiue answer excludes all creatures Iesuits contrary to their own doctrine expound this of Limbus patrum And no lesse ridiculous are they in expounding these vnder the earth of their Purgatorie How all kinde Christians are affected with the least losse and troubles which befall the Church Pro. 11. 14. Examples hereof in old Eli. 1. Sam. 4 18. In his daughter 1. Sam. 4. 20 21 In Nehemiah Nehem. 1. 2. Nehem. 2. 1. Amos 6. 1 6. To Christians the opening of the Bible is a ioy to Antichristians a griefe Consolation commeth to the godly after their mourning Math. 9. 17. Cant. 1. 1. Psal. 126. 6. All comfort is in Christ none without him in the creature The description of Christ is taken out of holy Scriptures Tertul. de praescrip 〈◊〉 Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 2. cap. 2. Hilar. lib. 7. de trinit â—…om Why Christ is called a Lion 1. Pet. 5. 8. Rom. 16. 20. Iosua 5. 9 10. And yet such a Lyon as is also a Lambe Why Christ is called the Roote of Dauid Esa. 11. 1. 10. How the Messia was the roote of Iesse and Iesse the roote of the Messia Math. 22. 43. Psal. 110. 1. What comfort we haue that our Lord was made man of the seede of man once sinfull Theodoret. dialog 1. cap. 26. Cap. 25. It assures vs that at length he shall separate our nature from all sinne Ephes. 5. 27. Papists not vnderstanding this do foolishly affirme that the Virgin Mary was without all sinne Bern. 〈◊〉 174. Ibid. A new doctrin and a false flatly conuinced by antiquity Psal. 51. 5. Iohn 14. Aug. tract in Ioan. 41. cap. 8. Anselm lib. 2. cap. 16. Iob 14. 4. Many Christians by information not by inspiration 1. Cor. 1. 6. Great coÌ„fort that our elder brother clothed with our nature is in the midst of the throne Christ figured by a Lambe to expresse his meekenesse patience in suffering Esa. 53. 7. And next to expresse the great benefit that from him redounds to vs. Christ was indeed and really slaine The manner of speech as if he had beene slaine imports that hee was surely slaine Ioh. 1. 14. â—… Cor. 3. 18. Christ was slaine but so that hee liued againe Rom. 1. 4. Why hee appeared after his resurrection with the scarres of his wounds This is no argument of impotency in him but rather prooues his mighty power Macar hom 11. Bern. de passione Domini Hornes in Scripture signisie power For these seâ—… Hornes are ascribed to Christ. Zach. 1. Sometime one Horne is attributed vnto Christ. Psal. 92. 10. Three properties of the Vnicorne his Horne Seuen Eyes ascribed to Christ to shew his most perfect wisedome He hath Eyes of Prouidece these looke to all and Eyes of Grace these looke to his own children Zach. 4. 7. Psal. 147. 20. Christ receiued fulnesse of grace that he might giue to his Church Ioh. 3. 34. Hereof commeth the conseruation of the Church on earth because It is furnished from the heauen Reu. 1. 16. â—…ach 4. 2 3. This is figured in Zachary his Vision of the Golden Candlesâ—…lcke Psal. 83. 4. Christ onely authorized to bee the great and publike Doctor of his Church Math. 17. Exod. 32. The third part of the chapter contayning a threefold thanksgiuing 1 Of Angels 2 Of Saints redeemed 3 Of all creatures This verse vexeâ—…h them who expound the some and twenty Elders to be foure and twenty bookes The diuinitie of Christ proued in that Angels doe worship him Heb. 1. 5. Foure circumstances to bee considered in this song of Angels 1 Who are the Musicians figured by foure beasts Gen. 3. 24. Angels and men at variance before now sing one song Colos. 1. 20. Yea creatures of most contrary kind by Christ are made to concord This is that wonderfull peace foretold by Esaiah fulfilled by Messia Esa. 11. 6. Clemens Alex. in exbor ad Gâ—…es Miserable are they who now vnder the Kingdome of Christ cannot be moued to peace 2 The second circumstance notes their gesture in praysing God as it was represented to Saint Iohn 2. Cor. 6. 20. Rom. 6. Bodily humiliation required in the seruice of our God how it is comfortable for our selues so to doe 1. Sam. 2. 30. 1. Cor. 15. 43. Rom. 8. 11. 3 The instruments wherewith they praise God 1. Harpes 2. Vials Euery Angel hath his instrument for Gods praise learning euery man to do the like Ioh. 1. Gen. 8. 21. Psal. 18. Psal. 125. 5. Their harpes doe note two things 1 The great ioy they haue in praysing God Mat. 17. 1. Sam. 16. 23. 2 The sweet harmony concent that is among them Psal. 133. 1. Act. 1. 1. Cor. 1. Sinne of this age that the bond of loue is broken by them who prosesse one faith The right Harpe of a Christian is his Heart Psal. 57. Then is the Heart well tuned when it answers the Lord in obedience to his Law This a Christian doth in perfection of parts not of degrees Bastard Professors reproued Iam. 2. 10. They answer the Lord as the Eccho doth a mans voice With their Harpes they haue also golden Vials The heart should be like a Viall and wherein Cant. 4. 12. It should bee golden that is holy and pure 2. Tim. 2. 8. 2. Tim. 2. 20. Prayers of Saints figured by sweete Odours Psal. 141. 2. Gen. 8. 21. Both the Bride and Bridegroome haue their owne Odours Reuel 8. 3. Christ hath two-fold Odours One that ascends to God his Father Cant. 1. Another that descends to his brethren How the smell of these Odours should allure vs. Bernard How the Church hath also two-fold Odours 1 Odours of Contrition and what are the ingredients thereof 2 Odours of Thankesgiuing and what are the ingredients thereof This place abused by Papists to defend prayer vnto Saints departed Rhemists Foure sorts of prayer mentioned in holy Scripture 1. Tim. 2. Of these foure two only are ascribed to Saints triumphant Saints triumphant want two things for which they pray 1 They want their bodyes 2 They want their brethren Heb. 11. 40. Without these they cannot be perfected Reue. 6. They cannot pray for our particular necessities This same place by three arguments improues praier to Saints Exod. 30. 1 Incense might be made no other way then God commanded so prayer c. Psalm 50. Math. 6. 9. Rom. 8. 2 Incense might not be burnt but vpon the golden Altar so prayer may not be offred to God in the name of any but Iesus Math. 17. 5. 3 Incense made for the Lord might not be applyed to any but to the
Corn 〈◊〉 Bitâ—…n in 〈◊〉 Trident. The South Church a famous Church albeit no Romane Christian Churches in the North East such like The reformed Churches of Europe are not Romane yet neither new nor Hereticall See Fulke on the Reuel c. 17 Standing of Saints noteth two things 1 Their stability in glory 2 Their gracious acceptance and fauour which they haue of God Esay 28. 5. The white Robe noreth first their purity Ephe. 5. 25 26 27. Reâ—… 14. 5. Secondly their immortality and glory Gregor in Psal. Aug. scr 11. de Saâ—…ct Godâ—… Spirit borrowes similitudes from most excellent things in Nature Linum asbestiâ—…um A rare sort of linnen recorded by Panâ—…irol Pancirol And by Plinius also Plin. lib. 19. c. 1. Palme Tree a signe of victorie Gregor hom 17. in Ezech. Aul. Gell. nâ—…ct Attic. li. 3. ca. 6. Plin. lib. 13. c. 4. lib. 16. c. 24. Christians are made stronger by afflictions Rom. 8. An. bâ—…os epist. lib. 2. epist. 7. ad Sâ—…plicianum The Palme is not without the white garment 2. Tim. 2. 5. And victorie comes not without fighâ—… in a good conscience Ver. 6. Reu. 21. 27. In their thankesgiuing see first the manner next the matter Praises of God should be with feruencie Prayers lowd not for the voice but the affection Aug. ad ProbaÌ„ Amb. sâ—…r 46. de poenit Pet. In prayer teares ate better then talk Leuit. 6. The heart must bee the Altar of Burnt Offering before it can be the Altar of Incense 3 Their variety with vnity makes a pleasant harmonie Aug. in Psal. 148. All the glory of saluation Saints ascribe to the Lord. Popish Hymns are discordant from the song of Saints 1. Cor. 11. 19. Song of Saints is seconded by Angels The comely comfortable order of the Court of heauen Angels stand and neuer fell Man fell and of mercy irraised vp againe to stand Iude 6. 2. Pet. 2. 4. Ephes. 1. 6. Bodily humiliation required in Diuine worship The practice of S. Iames in prayer Chrysost. in Mat. hom 5. Worship belongs to God onely Angels approue the Song of Saints Papists account vs heretiques for singing with Angels and Saints Not enough to heare God praised by others thou must also by thy selfe praise him Sith Angels giue God thankes for our saluation much more should we giue thankes for our owne Luke 15. 7. Babbling in prayer reproued Eccles. 5. 1. How and why God is said to demand any thing Gen. 3. 9. Gen. 4. 10. Most heauenly and holy creatures are most humble 2. Cor. 5. 7. 2. Cor. 3. 18. Psal. 25. 9. Conceite of knowledge a sore enemie to knowledge Glorified Saints are indeed Kings and Lords Rom. 8. How the Lord speakes to a soule Carthus This cannot be vnderstood of Militant Saints they are not yet come out of tribulation Iob. 5. 7. Neither can it be meant of Martyrs onely Primas in Apoc. How the Court of heauen encreases continually Ioh. 14. By the crosse God brings his children to the crowne Tribulation coÌ„pared to the surâ—…ace of Aegypt and Nebuchadnezzar his ouen How it is the Lords Flayle and his Wine-presse Primas in Apoc. Tribulation as it hath an ingate so it hath an outgate Psal. 34. 19. After the bitter station of Marah commeth a sweetâ—… station in Helim Tribulation of Saints is measured by the Lord. Iob. 28. 25. Psal. 89. 9. Patience in in affliction recommended Man by nature two waies is vncleane 1 In respect of conception Psal. 51. 5. Iob 14. 4. Ezec. 16. 6 8 9. 2 In respect of conuersation Prou. 20. 9. Zach. 12. Sin is a lothsome vncleannesse Leuit. 13. 27. 39 Esay 64. 6. Delicate men can abide no vncleannesse in any thing that serues them And yet are not gricued to carry an vncleane soule Reuel 21. 27. Ioh. 13. 8 9. Threefold washing needfull for vs 1. of the feet 2. of the head 3. of the hands Felicity of man beginnes at the forgiuenesse of sinnes Nazi orat 26. in plagam grandâ—…s Psal. 32. 1. How Saints are said to wash themselues Psal. 51. 2. Phil. 2. 12. In all the work of saluation we must be doers Acts 3. Acts 16. God is the principall worker of our saluation Phil. 2. 13. Hereby wee know that he is working our saluation when he worketh in vs both the will and the deede Mal. 2. 15. What neede haue the robes of Saints of washing sith Christ is their garmenâ—… Rom. 13. Our impured righteousnesse needes no washing but the inherent onely Rom. â—… 3. Christians are all Lambes Mat. 10. Ioh. 1. 9. But Christ is a Lambe in another sense Aug. in Ioan. tract 7. Ibid. The bloud of Christ is medicinall to them who shed it Act. 2. 36 4. Aug. in Ioan. tract 92. How all the workes of our redemption are wonderful Aug. de verb. Apostoli Ser. 8. Other bloud desiles the bloud of Christ cleanseth Esay 1. 18. Thâ—… sprinkling of his bloud is spirituall Heb. 10. Papall purgations are filthy pollutions Ier. 2. 22. 1. Iohn 1. 7. Purgatorie expurgat out of the Bible by the Fathers Optat. Milcuiâ—…inus Macar hom 22. Cyprian ad Deâ—… Câ—…p-Ser de immort Aug. in Ioan. Tract 49. Chrysost. hom 2. de â—…azaro Christs bloud hath a threefold vertue 1 A purging vertue 2 A protecting vertue 3 A pacifying vertue Rom. 5. Heb. 12. 24. Felicitie of Saints glorified is two waies described 1 They haue aboundance of all good 2 They haue deliuerance from all euill Three things touched concerning Saints glorified Why this can not bee vnderstood of any state of the Church here on earth Mat. 5. 6. A warning to presumptuous professors Life of the godly and wicked haue different courses and different ends Psal. 1. Without sanctification we cannot stand before the Lord. Gen. 41. 14. Hest. 2. 12. A threefold presence of God 1 A presence of his goodnesse this is granted to all men Mat. 5. 45. Rom. 1. 20. Aug. de ciu Dei lib. 8. ca. 6. Rom. 1. â—…1 â—… A presence of his grace this is granted to none but his Saints Psal. 85. 9. Ezech. 11. 16. And that especially in the holy asseâ—…blies Psal. 42. 2 4. 3 A presence of his glory granted to Saints in heauen Psal. 84. 11. Psal. 16. 10 11. Psal. 36. 7 8 9. There are riuers of pleasure flowing from an euerlasting fountaine 1. Kings 10. 8. Psal. 84. 4. Exercise of Saints glorified is to serue God without intermission Aug. ser. 11. dâ—… Sanct. No change neither of time nor state in heauen Their seruice is sweet no way laborious Aug. Ibid. Carthus Seruants of God are most honorable creâ—…turos Act. 9. 15. For hee is a King a freeman who is Gods seruant Psal. â—… A seruant of seruants is he who is not a seruant of God Ambros. The seruant of sin desires not to change his Master He gets no leaue to rest him Aug. in Ioan. tract 41. And hee may look for a miserable reward Familiarity with God encreases a reuerence of God Ioh. 15. 15. Ioh. 8. 25. How are Saints said to serue God for euer seeing Christ said that seruants abides not in the house for euer Aug. in Ioan. tract 41. They are in such sort seruants that they are also sonnes Ibid. Ioh. 8. 36. The reward of Saints is that God dwels among them Where Kings dwell there is aboundance of all good that is in the Kingdome Est. 1. 4 5. The Banquet made by King Ahasuerus was very glorious But not comparable to the Banquet which the Lord shall make to his Saints How God dwelleth with his Saints on earth 2. Cor. 6. 16. Carthus How he dwelleth with his Saints in heauen The good of all seruice that Saints make to God redoundeth to themselues Psal. 16. 1. 1. Chro. 29. 14 Iob 22. Our seruice is not profitable to the Lord and can doâ—… him no good Iob 35. 6. Yet hee seekes it that hee may doe vs good for it Mal. 1. 10. Felicity of Saints still described Many are the wants and miseries of this life 2. Cor. 11. 37. â—… Cor. 6. 4. Rom. 8. 35. But they all take an end at death Aug. in fesâ—…o â—…mnium Sanct. ser. 37. Aug. ad frat in eâ—…mo ser. 49. The vanity of this present life wherein may it be perceiued All our life is but a course of exchaÌ„ges like the Sea and Sunne Aug. dâ—… temp sâ—… 74. The life to come is not so Ephes. 5. 15. Sun here signifies not heat of persecutioÌ„ Saints glorified feele neyther the commodity nor incommodity of the creature Reuel 21. 23. Aug. in sesto omniâ—… Sanct. sâ—…r 37 Heat of the Sun hurtfull to many people In that life we shall need no helpe of the creature for God shall be al in all vnto vs. Aug. 〈◊〉 Dei lib. 10. 〈◊〉 28. Aug. Sâ—… 4. What a Pastor Christ Iesus is He hath none in his Flocke but Lambes Gen. 50. Act. 9. 1. Yea hee turneth Wolues and Lyons makes them Lambes Ioyes of heauen figured by water Ioh. 4. 14. Ioh. 10. 10. Psal. 36. Reuel 22. 1. How God shall leade vs in heauen we cannot now vnderstand Psal. 43. 3. Ber. in Cant. sâ—…r 47. A comfortable change of our state from misery to immortall glory 2. Cor. 1. 15. The glorious change of Saints in the life to come illustrated by similitudes Ber. Ser. de diligendo Deum Mourning here is meetest for Saints Math. 5. 4. Mourning for sin pleases the Lord. Psalm 6. What great cause of mourning haue we Ber. in cap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Hardnes of heart the Mother-sinne of this age Gen. 4. The heart of man would be laboured continually Life to come should be longed for Psal. 137. Folly to neglect the life to come for loue of this Basil. Ser. 3. in diuitâ—…s auaros
Thy will O Lord be done in earth as it is in heauen And let euery man take heed vnto himselfe hee is a sacrilegious renter of the Church who breakes the bond of loue with his brother in whom hee sees no rupture of the vnity of faith But for our further instruction let vs know that the Harpe of a Christian wherewith he praises God is his Heart the strings of the Harpe are the affections of the Heart which must be well tuned and prepared before they can make any melodie to the Lord My heart is prepared and I will sing said Dauid Then is the heart like vnto a ten stringed Instrument when it is inclined to the obedience of God his ten commandements for as a Musicall Instrument makes no pleasant complete sound if any string thereof be broken so the heart of man if it be possessed and thralled with any vice cannot rightly praise the Lord. The truth is we can keepe no commandement of the Law as we should this is the perfection of degrees which in this life no man can attaine vnto yet hath the Christian a begunne obedience to all the commandements of God which is the perfection of parts Both these are true the most perfect Christian cannot keepe one of the Lords commandements as hee should and so we deny vnto him the perfection of degrees and yet hee keepes all the commandements of God by a begunne obedience and so wee grant to him the perfection of parts for there is no grace needfull to saluation but euery true Christian hath some part and measure thereof Bastard Professors cannot make this melodie they flatter themselues because they are free of some sinnes when notwithstanding they are captiued by other great sinnes which raigne in them and command them The commandements of the Law are so linked together that he who transgresseth one transgresseth all If one string of this Instrument be broken all the rest are distempered and therefore do tehy farre deceiue themselues who diuide the Law In some things they are content to subiect themselues vnto it in others vsurpe a liberty to breake it which will neuer be allowed These answer the Lord as an Eccho doth the voice of a man it resounds in part but not wholly or like Naaman are content to serue God but with an exception or reseruation of some sinnes which they cannot nor will not cast siom them There is no man so euill but in some things he will seeme to bee good but this is not the good which the Lord requireth such euill diuiders can make no concord of spirituall Musick to the Lord. Now with their Harpes they are said to haue golden Vials full of Odours and those Odours are expounded by the Lord to be the Prayers of the Saints which openeth a cleere entrance to these words which otherwise had beene more obscure A Viall is a vessell narrow beneath wide aboue now this Viall being also a figure of the Heart sheweth how the heart of man should be inlarged toward things which are aboue but contracted beneath open towards God but closed towards the world and things therein Therefore the Church is compared to a Garden enclosed wherein nothing can enter but that which comes from aboue And the Vials are said to bee of gold because the Heart that praises the Lord should be holy and pure I will that men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands As also to shew that a pure heart praysing the Lord is precious and honourable in the eyes of God For vessels of gold and vessels of honour are put by the Apostle for one and the same These Vials are said to be full of Odours which are expounded to bee the prayers of Saints So were they figured vnder the Law by sweete Incense and such as were spirituall among the Iewes vnderstood this very wel that it was not the externall sweet Odour wherein the Lord delighted they vsed the Ceremoniall Incense but neglected not the Spirituall Incense figured thereby as is euident out of Dauid his prayer Let my prayer be directed before thee as Incense And properly is prayer figured by Incense Quia sursum fertur oratio coelestia quaerit for the fume thereof ascends and seeks heauenly things As also because it is sweete and pleasant to the Lord. The prayers of Saints are odoriferous and pleasant smels vnto the Lord as when Noah sacrificed the Lord smelled a sweet sauour of rest But the Bride and the Bridegroome haue their owne Odours which either of them presents to other The Perfumes and sweet Ointments of Christ are two first his Merits for hee is the Angell hauing a Golden Censor full of Odours and these ascend to his Father secondly his Compassions are called sweet Ointments and these descend vpon his brethren Thy Name is as an Ointment powred out saith the Church to her Sauiour His Compassions are not locked vp in his Treasurie like precious Ointment enclosed in a Boxe but they are compared to Ointment powred out the fragrant smell whereof should allure vs to loue him and runne after him His sweete mercies declared vpon so many stand for examples to vs to confirme vs in assurance of the like mercy if repenting of our sinnes we turne to the Lord. The Lepers came to him and were cleansed the Blind cryed to him and receiued their sight the Paralitique was carried to him and was healed the Adulteresse was brought to him and was absolued the Persecutor of Saints was pardoned his owne disciple that denyed him yea the Iewes who crucified him were conuerted and receiued to mercy In odore horum curremus post te There are sweet Ointments powred out and in the sauour of them will we run after thee Wee are more then senselesse if the sweet smell of them allure vs not also to come that we may be refreshed by them The Church hath in like manner her two-fold Odours First the Odour of Contrition next of Thankes-giuing the ingredients whereof the Odour of Contrition is made are our sinnes and a godly sorrow for them euery childe of God gathers together in one handfull his sinnes not sparing any that he knowes or can remember and in the Mortar of a sorrowfull heart he brayes them with the Pestell of Contrition and with the Publican beateth on his brest whereof a sweete and pleasant sauour ascendeth to the Lord. The other Perfume hath no ingredients but Gods sweet Mercies with a godly reioycing in them Now these Mercies are so many that none can count them in order yet the Saints so farre as of weaknesse they may gather them together in one masse by diligent meditation of them they are stirred vp to thankes-giuing and this is a sweete smelling sacrifice vnto the Lord. The Iesuites of Rhemes abuse this place to proue the lawfulnesse of their prayers vnto Saints departed for so they
to men Who can patiently heare this that the Angel hauing the seale of the liuing God is Constantine the Great Or that the Angel who offers vp the prayers of all Saints is Constantine the Great This is as it seemes to put violent hands in the booke and force it to follow the phantasie of man as hereafter by this and many other more shall bee God willing at greater length declared I reserue â—…o the man that Christian loue and reuerence that becommeth in the Lord but hee must giue me leaue to pleade for this prophecie which as a most precious pearle our Lord in these last times hath presented in a Loue-token to his Church It is a griefe to see how the comfort giuen therein is empaired the maiestie and amplitude thereof restrained by binding it to particular persons and times Peter du Mouline Minister of the reformed Church in Paris his booke printed at Oxford in the yeere 1613. intreates and shewes the accomplishment of the Prophecie from the twelfth chapter to the eighteenth Piscator printed Herbornae in the yeere 1613. diuides this booke into three parts first a preface or preparation to the seuen Epistles in the first chapter Next a Narration of the estate of the Church first Militant present then and that was after to follow then Triumphant Thirdly a conclusion from the sixt verse of the two and twentieth chapter to the end Patrike Forbes Laird of Corse our Countrey-man a godly and learned Pastor his book printed at London in the yeere 1613. layes downe a plaine and easie method of this prophecie Beside the Inscription and conclusion the body of the booke consists for the most part saith hee of a propheticall Narration and it is two-fold First of things which then were Next of things to be done thereafter And this Prophecie of things to be done hath first a generall Introduction in the fourth and fifth chapters then a speciall Storie in the rest In the Seales are types of the first sorrowes wherewith God shall plague the world for reiecting the Gospell the sixe Trumpets denounce second sorrowes and the seuenth affoordeth seuen Vials of the last wrath for full and finall destruction of the enemies Piscator hath a short Analysis with Notes on euery chapter printed Herbornae Nassouiorum anno 1613. Cotterius a learned Writer his booke printed at Somer in the yeere 1615 makes this Reuelation threefold 1. Apocalypsis expansa 2. Contracta 3. Restricta A Reuelation extended contracted restrained The large or extended Reuelation containes a cleere Exposition of all things this continues from the fourth chapter to the ninth verse of the nineteenth and it is diuided into ten Classes The Reuelation contracted repeats these same things more shortly and is contained in the rest of the nineteenth chapter this he diuides into three Classes The Reuelation restricted is yet more narrow then the preceding this hee places in the one and twentieth and a part of the two and twentieth chapters and this containes but one singular Classe Petrus Artopaeus hath first a short Introduction for vnderstanding this Prophecie after a short explication of euery chapter in order The summe of all hee comprises in these few words Christus quia olim discedens in coelos promisit se semper Ecclesiae suae adfore consolabundus apparens reuelat ei suae Ecclesiae formam fortunam successionem ad finem mundi vsque Because Iesus Christ when hee ascended to heauen promised that hee would bee with his Church at all times in comfortable manner he appeares here vnto her and reueales her forme fortune or accidents to befall her her succession vnto the worlds end And this he doth vnder seuerall types images or representations partly particular as in the first second and third chapters partly generall as in the fourth fifth sixt and seuenth c. whereof some figureth heretiques some tyrants some the Church and some the Monarchie His booke is printed at Frankford in the yeere 1549. Ioannes Auentrotus a Gentleman as it seemes of good credit hath some discourses vpon this Prophecie by way of an Epistle sent to the King of Spaine and presented as he writes by the Duke of Lerma and graciously receiued of the King hee seemes to restraine it somewhat strictly to the Belgic Battell the blame whereof hee casts on the Pope not sparing to affirme that these wars shall hasten the end of Antichrist his grandeur Hee witnesseth of himselfe that hee liued a long time in the Canarie Iles plunged in the puddle of Papistry at length by reading the Councell of Trent and conferring it with holy Scripture he found a direct discordance of the one from the other and thereupon resolued to transport his house into the Low Countries By the way hee visited the Court of Spaine where he spared not to communicate his minde to the Duke of Lerma and Andreas de Prada the Kings Secretarie not onely concerning matters pertaining to State but Religion also these concerning Religion the Duke of Lerma willed him to communicate by himselfe to the King the King for that cause appointed Andreas de Prada to conferre with him for his better information As the Authour reports this Secretaric was a man who feared God loued truth and was not far from the knowledge thereof In the conference hee was twice moued to confesse By your Arguments saith he it is not impossible but that the Pope must be Antichrist yet did he counsell him rather to write his minde in his owne Countrey then there whereupon the Authour went forward in his iourney and hauing accomplished it he writes from England in the yeere 1610. Octob. 12. another pithic Epistle against the Kingdome of Antichrist which as he saith the fore-said Secretary according to his promise presented to the King of Spaine In it he boldly affirmes Romanam Religionem falsam esso doctrinam Papam Antichristum Bellum Belgicum regni Antichristi sinem suturum esse In this last point onely as I said he seemeth too strictly to restraine this Prophecie I haue written this at the greater length that we may remember how in all parts of all sorts of persons God hath his owne yea euen there where Satan hath his Throne and that it is not a difficill thing to the Lord to open a dore for the Reuelation of his Gospell among the most desperate enemies thereof when his appointed time shall come Let the Pope and his Tulipantic Frogges assure themselues that they who this day are their greatest friends shall ere it be long become their most fearefull foes for so long shall the Kings of the earth giue their Kingdome to the Beast vntill the words of God be fulfilled That being done They shall hate the Whore and make her desolate By the course of things to naturall men it may seeme to bee farre otherwise but let vs waite vpon the word of the Lord which is most sure and cannot faile His Epistle
is printed at Amsterdam in the yeere 1615. Richard Barnard Englishman his Treatise printed at London in the yeere 1617. containes some generals which he Intitulates A Key of Knowledge for the opening of the secret Mysteries of S. Iohns mysticall Reuelation The first of his Contents is that the Booke of the Reuelation is to be diligently studied of all sorts in these last times The second that it is an Apocalypsis and not an Apocrypsis but a Mysterie made manifest The third is what hath made this Booke till these latter times so obscure wherein the obscurity lyeth and to whom chiefly it becommeth so hard to bee vnderstood The fourth what is to be done to come to the vnderstanding thereof to remoue the obscurities and so rightly to expound the same Lastly he sets downe an interpretation of all the most difficult things in the chapter throughout the whole Prophecie Iohn Balâ—… Englishman in his Preface hath a short method and summe of the first ten chapters from the eleuenth to the end a larger Commentary which hee intulates The Image of both Churches Where and when his booke was printed is not expressed D. Broughton printed at London In the end of his learned Treatise intitulat Consent of Scripture hath a short discourse vpon this Prophecie wherein hee cleareth the chiefe doubts and difficulties thereof IAMES King of Great Britaine c. was the last of them that came in my hands but with all reason may be reckoned in among the first and the best Among many other his Highnesse workes no lesse Rare then Royall there is a learned Paraphrase vpon this booke of the Reuelation Beside that in his Praemonition to Christian Kings and Princes his Maiestie hath handled the Controuersies of this time concerning Religion like a profound and sound Theolog and by inuincible reasons hath proued out of this Prophecie that the Pope is Antichrist Thus stands his Highnesse in the fore-front of Iehoâ—…ah his battell fighting for Israel like another Dauid he hath giuen that Romish Goliah with Arguments like flinty stones slung out of the Word a deadly wound whereof he shall neuer recouer His Maiestie hath begunne to make naked the Whore and to discouer her filthinesse masked before with the veile of hypocriticall holinesse Hee hath sounded the Trumpet in the eares of the Emperour Kings Princes and Free Estates through all Christendome The Lord waken their hearts to execute the determinate iudgement fore-prophecied in this Booke vpon the Beast and his Babel Pareâ—…s his learned and iudicious Commentarie on the Reuelation came in my sight after that I had neerely absolued this first Prophecie Two Necessarie Cautions or Caueats to bee considered in the exposition of this Booke The first Caution VVEE must beware of two extremities in the handling of this Prophecie first that we limit not these Visions so particularly vnto times and persons as many doe whereby they haue greatly empaired the Maiestie and Amplitude of this Reuelation For example one among many is the first Seale which sheweth our Lord riding on his white Horse like a Conquerour no larger in respect of time then from the Baptisme of Christ to the destruction of Ierusalem I know Forthaeus and others extend it larger and will haue it reach from the daies of Christ to the daies of Constantine but this also is too narrow counting The Church should be depriued of great comfort if the Conquerour riding on the white horse were pinched and bounded within so short a time But the certaine truth is Our Lord Iesus mounted by the opening of the first Seale vpon his white horse shall so continue riding through the world at his owne pleasure till he haue gathered in his Saints till hee Ouercome and make his enemies his foote-stoole This will be manifest if we compare the end of this Prophecie with the beginning thereof In the entry of this Prophecie at the opening of the first Seale The Rider on the white Horse appeares in the end of it there he appeares againe I saw heauen opened and behold a white Horse and hee that sate vpon him was called Faithfull and True and in righteousnesse hee doth iudge and make warre c. Hee was clothed in a Vesture dipt in bloud and his Name is called The Word of God All the time of the battell hee is not knowne vnder this Type shall we therefore thinke he was not sighting nor shooting his Arrowes No his Vesture in the second apparition is a witnesse of his victorie and slaughter of his enemies This might haue told them that the Lord Iesus who comes out in the first Seale riding on a white horse and of whom it is so expresly said that Hee went forth conquering that he might ouercome was to continue so till hee had done the worke for which hee commeth forth that is perfected his Saints and subdued his enemies Wee must not limit so short a time to so great a worke they who do so defraud the Church as we haue said of a great and ample comfort For euen in our owne daies and among our selues blessed be his name for it this Conquerour is riding and shall so continue to the worlds end yet the time of the first Seale lasteth as also of the subsequent Seales following it which shall God willing hereafter be declared that the Seales openeth vp the generall course of things till the day of Iudgement and within narrower bounds should they not be restrained What shall I speake of other grosser interpretations whereunto many are driuen by binding this Prophecie to particular persons Can the foure Beasts be foure Euangelists Then S. Iohn behooued to be one of the foure or else yee must make them fiue Euangelists for euery one of the foure prepareth him Or shall the first Beast bee Quadratus Shall the second be Iustinus c. Shall the Angell comming from the East who hath the Seale of the liuing God be Constantine the Great Or shall the Angell that offers vp the prayers of all Saints be Constantine the Great also He was great indeed but this is to make him too great Shall the Angell comming out of the Temple be Thomas Cromwell Lord of Essex Or the Angell hauing power ouer the fire be Thomas Cranmer Or shall the type of the Haruest and Vintage bee appropriate to England Why hath Brightman broached such opinions without all hope or help of verity I know the persons whom he hath named are famous and honourable and that the Lord hath a flourishing Church in England his name bee praised therefore But I am assured the reuerend Bishops the learned Doctors and Diuines there will not vindicate that to themselues which is common to the whole Church It were tedious to repeat all of this sort whereby common types are accomodate vnto priuate persons which is not the fault of Brightman onely though most part of them be forged in his owne braine but of
a soueraigne preseruatiue against all poyson The Beasts of the field as they record attend till the Vnicorne dip his horne in the water then come they and drink Properly therefore is the Kingdome of Christ expressed by the Vnicornes Horne of all other the most firme and durable the most beautifull the most profitable Hee hath changed the bitter waters of Marah and made them sweete neither is there any thing so deadly which his Horne healeth not and makes it to serue for the saluation of his owne And seuen eyes As in his seuen Hornes his complete power is signified so in his seuen Eyes his complete Wisedome These two do greatly commend the royall authority of our King Hee is wise and will do nothing that he should not for hee sees all and knowes perfectly the quality of euery creature the estate of euery cause Againe he is strong and able to do whatsoeuer he will His Eyes are of two sorts Eyes of Prouidence and Eyes of Grace by his eyes of Prouidence hee lookes vnto all things and there is no place nor people in the world to whom these Eyes are not extended but by the Eyes of his Grace hee lookes to his owne as hee did to Ierusalem restored and sends them this blessing Grace Grace be vnto it And heerein hath the Lord magnified his mercy toward vs aboue many other more mighty Kingdomes in the world that where by the Eyes of his Prouidence hee lookes vnto the rest he hath cast the Eyes of his Mercy and Grace vpon vs The Lord hath not dealt so with euery Nation Yet more plainely In the Text these seuen Eyes are expounded to be the seuen Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth Seuen is the number of perfection noting that fulnesse of grace which is in the Lambe for hee receiued not the Spirit by measure and what hee hath receiued hee retaines not to himselfe but as here is said hee sends it out that of his fulnesse we might all receiue grace for grace And hereof commeth the continuance and conseruation of the Church vpon earth because it is continually furnished with grace frō the Lamb hee hath the seuen Starres in his hand and holds them out to such parts of the world as pleaseth him he furnishes graces of his Spirit to his seruants the Preachers according to the times wherein they liue yea and to euery one of his Saints in particular This same Lord who once according to his promise sent downe the holy Spirit in a visible manner vpon his Apostles in the similitude of fierie clouen Tongues doth daily send him from the Throne of Grace in an inuisible manner And this was properly figured in a Vision to Zacharie wherein hee saw a golden Candlestick with seuen Lampes euery Lampe hauing a seuerall pipe through the which Oyle for intertainement of the light in euery Lampe is conueied from the two Oliues which stand before the Ruler of the world Let therefore Satan and his instruments rage as they list let them labour what they can to put out the light of the Candlestick yea let them presume that it is possible for them to roote out the very name of Israel from vnder heauen yet it cannot be for the stability and continuance of the holy Ministerie in the Church with light and grace in it stands in this that it is furnished from heauen the Eyes of the Lamb looke on his Saints and he sends downe his Spirit vpon them and from the Ruler of the world the oyle of Grace is by secret pipes and conduits conueied to his Candlesticke on earth And who is able to interrupt the course thereof VERSE 7. And he came and tooke the Booke out of the right hand of him that sitteth vpon the Trone HEre in effect no other thing is represented then that which was openly proclaimed from heauen first at Iordan next vpon Mount Tab◅ This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him For by this Type the Lord Iesus is declared to bee the onely Doctor of his Church who receiues the Booke from the Father and out of it reueales to his Church the counsell of God which neither Angell nor man was able to doe As Moses went vp to the Mount and receiued the Tables of the Law and gaue them to Israel so our Mediator who came from the bosome of the Father hath brought downe to vs the knowledge of his Will Let vs not presume to go vp to the Mountaine to enquire any thing which our Moses hath not taught vs left wee die let vs remember our place and stand low wee are disciples bound by diuine Proclamation to heare him whom the Father hath sent vnto vs if we would be saued VERSE 8. And when hee had taken the Booke the foure liuing creatures and the foure and twenty Elders fell downe before the Lambe hauing euery one harps golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints NOw followes the third part of this Chapter containing a three-fold thanksgiuing for the benefit of this Reuelation The first song is sung by Angels and redeemed Saints coniunctly in the eight ninth and tenth verses The second is sung by Angels seuerally in the eleuenth and twelfth verses The third by all creatures in their kind in the thirteenth verse whereunto Angels againe and redeemed Saints say Amen in the last verse Cotterius confesseth that this place did trouble him greatly and no maruell for the foure beastes he expounds to be Veritas Euangelit quadri◅ormis the fourefold verity of the Gospell No maruell therefore as I haue said that both he and others who expound the foure and twentie Elders to be foure and twenty bookes find themselues straited with this place wherin the Spirit of God plainly expoundeth himselfe that the foure and twenty Elders are they whom God hath redeemed by his bloud out of euery kindred tongue people and Nation But leauing them this comes heere first to bee obserued that as before they fell downe and worshipped the Ruler of the World that sits vpon the Throne so now they fall downe and worship the Lambe Saint Paul vseth this as an argument to proue the diuinitie of Christ Iesus taken out of the 97. Psalme Consider how great is hee of whom it is said Let all the Angels of heauen worship him Let Heretiques therefore be silent sith the vvhole Congregation of Angels and Saints redeemed worship him as GOD. In this thanksgiuing these foure circumstances are to be considered First who are the Musicians that sing Next with what gesture Thirdly what are their musicall instruments And lastly vvhat is their song The Musicians are foure liuing creatures representing the principall order of Angels neerest vnto the Throne and foure and twenty Elders representing the whole Church and companie of Saints redeemed By nature Angels and men were at
signifies the Lord Iesus in whose happy fellowship and societie now they liue sub Altari id est in secretario laudis aeternae quod est sublime Altare triumphantis Ecclesiae vel sub Christi custodia et quiete This Altar is in heauen not in earth it is the high Altar of the Church triumphant their soules are in custody and quiet rest with Christ. Againe another of their owne so expounds it Sub Altari id est sub protectione et confortio Christi Vnder the Altar that is vnder the protection and fellowship of Christ. This Altar is otherwise called Paradise This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and The bosome of Abraham and the hands of the Lord Into thine hands O Lord I commend my spirit It is also called A place before the Throne where the Lord and the Lambe and the seuenfold Spirit is Of it speakes our Sauiour Father I will that those whom thou hast giuen mee be where I am This is the place of glorified soules Neither doe those Diuines reason very diuinely who say Christ cannot be this Altar because he is the Sacrifice for he is both the Sacrifice the Sacrificer and the Altar For he offred himselfe by his eternall Spirit There it is plaine that hee is the Sacrifice or thing offred and the Sacrificer also The Altar in like manner hee must be for the Altar sanctifies the Sacrifice Now by none other was our Sauiour sanctified but by himselfe none other Altar could commend him or make him acceptable to his Father his Diuinitie sanctified his humanity and his humanity was offred by his Diuinitie and vpon it Therefore to say that another not himselfe can sacrifice him or that he can be sacrificed vpon any other Altar but vpon himselfe is as great blasphemy as to bring in another sacrifice whereby the iustice of God may be satisfied Let presumptuous blinded Masse Priests consider this That were killed that is he sawe the soules of those bodies that were killed for the Word of God Death then wee see strikes but the body Feare not them who kill the body and can do no more It is like to Nebuchadnezzar his fire which burnt the cords wherewith the three children were bound but burnt not their bodies so death can do no more but loose our bands and set our soules at liberty What shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or perill or sword No in all these things wee are more then Conquerors through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded neither death nor life can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ. Let it come and disioyne the soule from the body that it may conioyne vs with Christ. For the Word of God There is no Religion so false but it hath its own Patrones who will defend it yea and dare die for it Satan as he hath his owne Apostles so hath he also his owne Martyrs Martyres Satanicae virtutis wee must alway take heed to the cause of suffering Non poena sed causa facit Martyrem therefore he ioynes these two For the Word and testimonie which they maintained It is nothing to stand to a testimonie nay though thou shouldst die for it vnlesse thou iustifie by the Word that thy testimony is true VERSE 10. And they cryed with a lowd voice saying How long Lord Holy and True Dost thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth NOW followes in this Verse the supplication which these soules of Martyrs send vp to God in the next verse the answer which is giuen thē The voice by which they send vp their supplication is called a crying not vocall but spirituall noting the feruencie of their desires for the words of soules whereby they speake vnto God are their feruent desires Magnus eorum clamor magnum est desiderium tum Resurrectionis tum Iudicii Their great cry is their great desire both of the Resurrection and of the Iudgement to come A small desire makes but a small voice in the Lords eares but a seruent desire causes a lowd voice Animarum igitur verba ipsa sunt desideria si desiderium sermo non esset non diceret Propheta Desiderium cordis eorum andiuit auris tua that is If the desire of the soule were not a speech vnto God the Prophet would not haue said Thou hast heard the desire of their heart How long Lord It is here demanded How is this that Saints cry for vengeance Are we not commanded to loue our enemies and to pray for them To this some Diuines answer that it is not they but the sinnes of the wicked done to them that cryes for a vengeance And they obserue that there are foure crying sinnes first the filthy sin of Sodome Because the cry of Sodome and Gomorah is great I will go downe now and see whether if or not they haue done altogether according to the cry which is come vnto me Next the oppression of the widdow and fatherlesse Thou shalt not trouble any widdow nor fatherlesse childe if thou trouble such and he cry vnto me I will heare his cry Thirdly the detaining fraudulently of the wages of worke-men is also a crying sinne Thou shalt giue an hired seruant his hire for his day for hee is poore and therewith sustaineth his life lest he cry against thee vnto the Lord and it be sinne vnto thee And againe The hire of the labourers holden back by fraud cryes and enters into the eares of the Lord of Hosts Fourthly innocent bloud cryes to the Lord for vengeance against them that shed it The voice of thy brothers bloud cryes to me from the ground And so here the bloud of Martyrs cryes But there is here further to be added that this cry of theirs is their own and proceeds not of any passion or desire of their priuate reuenge but onely of a zeale to the glory of God whose holinesse and truth they desire to be manifested as may be perceiued by the titles they giue the Lord in their prayer Non carnali sensu credendum est eos animositate vltionis accendi sed manifestum est contra potestatem regnum peccati or asse Adueniat regnum tuum Wee are not with carnall sense to beleeue that they were kindled with any heat of reuenge it is manifest they pray against the kingdome of sinne And in effect the summe of their prayer is Lord let thy Kingdome come Quid est animas vindictae petitionem dicere nisi diem extremum Iudicii resurrectionem corporum desiderare What else is it that Saints are said to cry for to be auenged but that they earnestly desire the day of Iudgement and Resurrection of their bodies Hoc dicunt non poenam malis optando sed voluntati Dei
se conformando de cuius impletione gaudent ita enim sunt coniuncti Deo vt de omni volito Dei gaudeant etiam in poenis parentum iuxta illud Laetabitur iustus cùm viderit vindictam so they pray not wishing punishment to euill men but conforming themselues to the will of God for they are so conioyned vnto God that they reioyce in euery thing which is his will yea and it were the punishment of their parents according to that The righteous shall reioyce when he sees the vengeance and men shall say Verily there is fruit for the righteous and there is a God that iudges in the earth They giue vnto the Lord two Titles Holy and True It is customable to Saints in their prayers vnto God to giue vnto the Lord such stiles as in effect containe arguments both to moue the Lord to heare them and to confirme themselues in the assurance of a fauourable answer and so do they here Because thou Lord art Holy thou canst not let iniquity escape vnpunished for euer The Lord will not take the wicked by the hand neither hath his Throne any fellowship with iniquitie And because thou art True thou canst not but performe thy word of Mercy promised to thine owne and of Iudgement threatned against the wicked How long Is the voice of them who want something which they would earnestly haue and assuredly expect they want their bodies they want their brethren for these they cry as we haue shewed before They haue now peace and ioy in heauen but not perfect so long as they want these two God hauing so prouided that they without vs should not be perfected Neque enim praestari decâ—…t integram beatitudinem dâ—…nec sit homo integer cui detur nec perfectione donari Ecclesiam imperfectam For it was not seemely that complete felicitie should be giuen till the man be complete to whom it is to be giuen nor yet that an imperfect Church should bee gifted with perfection But because the Iesuite Ribera sees this sentence to destroy the Inuocation of Saints he will haue it Hereticall and spareth not to charge Irenaeus Teytulltan Origen Ambrose Bernard with Luther and Caluin as Heretiques because according to the manifest truth of holy Scripture they maintaine with the Apostle that Saints departed howsoeuer they be glorified yet are not perfected till the day of Iudgement and resurrection come Now concerning prayers made by them who are in heauen wee haue spoken before Iudge and auenge These are two workes proper to the Lord first he iudges this pertaines to Cognition then he auenges this pertaines to Execution This order of processe the Lord alwaies keepes as yee may see in his first Iudiciall Court against Adam Euah Satan Serpent as likewise in his proceeding against Sodome learning all Iudges to try before they giue sentence Abraham called him The Iudge of all the world who cannot do vnrighteously The Psalmist againe stileth him O God the Auenger It is a sacrilegious violation of his glory for any flesh to vsurpe these offices Iudge not lest yee be iudged saith our Sauiour Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant he stands or fals to his Master saith the Apostle And as for vengeance It is mine saith the Lord and I will repay Yet proud flesh will presume to iudge where it cannot auenge and oft-times is stirred vp to auenge if not with the hands at least with the tongue where they cannot iudge These know not they offer strange fire to the Lord with Nadab and Abihu which at length will not faile to returne and consume themselues On them that dwell in the earth Oftentimes in this Booke are the wicked described to be indwellers of the earth Non solum corporis habitatione sed mentis affectione not onely in regard of their corporall habitation but much more for their affection which is altogether set vpon earth it is their Iericho pleasant for situation but let them remember the waters thereof are deadly their ground barren their diuitiae and deliciae will both deceiue them at length But of this see VERSE 11. And long white Robes were giuen vnto them and it was said vnto them that they should rest for a little season vntill their fellow seruants and brethren that should be killed euen as they were were fulfilled IN the last Verse we heard the prayer of Saints now followes the answer which the Lord giueth them Their prayer is not powred out in vaine when the Lord disposeth the heart to pray it is a sure token of a fauourable answer to follow this is the Lords praise Thou preparest the heart and bendest thine eare vnto them The answer of their supplication is two waies giuen first by a signe long white Robes were giuen vnto them next by plaine speech it was said vnto them that they should rest till their fellow seruants were fulfilled The white Robe is sometime a type of the righteousnesse of Christ and sometime a type of the reward thereof Hee that ouercommeth shall be clothed in white Aray no darkenesse nor sorrow in heauen all is full of light ioy and happinesse and these Robes are said to be giuen vnto them What before they knew by faith now they know by feeling that promised reward is now put in their hand and possession here they had it in spe there they haue it in re and more particularly it is said that the Robes were giuen to euery one innumerable Saints shall be gathered together into heauen euery one of them shall haue a Crown euery one of them shall haue a white Robe none of them all shall be ouerseene but all shall be filled with ioy and glory And it was said vnto them Dictum est id est inspiratum est for the Voice whereby the Lord speakes vnto the soules of his Saints is the inspiration of his Spirit This for the manner of the answer The matter or effect is that they should rest for a little season The whole time from the daies of S. Iohn to the Lords second Comming is called a little Season and by this same Euangelist in his Epistles The last Time it was little then and short it must needs be far lesse now The number of Saints sealing the testimonie of Christ with their bloud hath beene greatly augmented since the daies of Domitian euery Kingdome and Nation that hath receiued the Gospell hath rendred their Witnesses and Martyrs in confirmation of the truth thereof The day of the Lord is not now farre of God prepare vs for it Againe it is cleere out of this place that the onely cause why Christs second Comming is delayed is because the number of his Saints is not yet accomplished The blind world vnderstands not this and therefore persecute they the Saints of God and would haue them cleane rooted out of
the will and the deed And hereby may yee know that the Lord in mercy is working your saluation when hee worketh in you both a will and a deed to doe all that yee can that yee may be saued sorrowing for sins past euer fearefull for sinnes to come continuall in prayer feruent in thanksgiuing and euery way carefull to keepe your selues in your spirit and so to be at peace vvith GOD and vnder the sence of his loue Their garments or their robes here come to be considered Seeing the garments of Saints is the righteousnesse of Christ according to that Put ye on the Lord Iesus and againe Christ is made vnto vs righteousnes how is it that their garments neede washing Truth it is indeed the righteousnesse of Iesus imputed to vs by which wee are iustified is perfit holy like vnto himselfe without all spot or blemish but our inherent righteousnes which by his Spirit he worketh in vs and whereby we are sanctified in this life is imperfit not without spot but all the defects thereof are destroyed in death by the clensing vertue of the bloud of Iesus and we then shall bee presented blamelesse to the Lord. Our Lord hath fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law for vs but he shall also fulfill it in vs and this is it which heere is to bee vnderstood by the washing of their garments And made them white in the bloud of c. The Lambe as we haue spoken before is the Lord Iesus who takes away the sinnes of the world his Disciples are also called Lambs Behold I send you forth as Lambs in the middest of Wolues yea all Christians are so called Peter louest thou mee feede my Lambs they are also called the Light of the world but not that true Light which lighteth euery maÌ„ that commeth into the world and so he is called a Lamb in a speciall respect Agnus singulariter solus sine macula non cuius maculae abstersae sunt sed cuius macula nulla fuerit onely without spot not because they are washt away but because he had none to wash away Agnus quem lupi timent qui lâ—…onem occisus occidit a Lambe of whom Wolues are afraid and who being slaine slew the Lyon But of him we haue spoken before As to his bloud the efficacy thereof appeares in this that it is medicinall to them who shed it the same Iewes of whom S. Peter saith that they crucisied Christ by the preaching of his Crosse were conuerted to the faith of Christ three thousand of them at one Sermon Ipsoredempti sanguine quem fuderunt redeemed by the same bloud which theÌ„selues shedde Sic enim Christi sanguis in remissionem peccatorum Iesus est vt ipsum etiam peccatum delâ—…re possit quofusus est For the bloud of Christ was in such sort shed for the remission of sinnes that it is able to put away that same sinne by which it was shed What a wonder is this the Physician comes to cure a frantique patient the frantique slayes the Physician and yet the Phisician of his bloud makes a sufficient medicine to cure the frantique qualis insania eius qui medicum occidit quanta verò bonitas potentia medici qui de sanguine suo insano interfectori suo medicamentum fecit O how great was his madnesse who slewe his mediciner and how great is the goodnes and power of the mediciner who of his owne bloud hath made a healing medicament to him that shed it Yea the very manner of phrase vsed by the Seignior or Elder le ts vs see how the worke of our redemption wrought by the bloud of Iesus is full of miracles for is not this strange that where all other bloud defiles and pollutes that wherevpon it lights this bloud purifies and cleanses them on whom it lighteth Other bloud maketh the whitest linnen vgly vnpleasant and lothsome to behold but this bloud makes a menstruous cloth pleasant white Though your sinnes were as crimson they shal be made white as snow though they were red as scarlet they shall be made white as wooll But to this cleansing of vs there is no need of the naturall or corporall sprinkling of that bloud vpon vs No the sprinkling of that bloud that purifies vs is spirituall Let vs drawe neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience No word here is as we see of any Papall purgations Indulgences or fire of Purgatorie or holy Water these are the Merchandize and wares of whoorish Babel such trumperie is not knowne in heauenly Ierusalem onely the bloud of Iesus must wash thee All other washing pollutes and defiles thee Though thou wash thee with â—…itre and take thee much Sope yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord God But the bloud of Iesus cleanseth vs from all sinne With Scripture Fathers are consonant to cry out against this blasphemous purgation of sin by any infernall fire Piorum animâ—… recta in beatas seâ—…es impiorum in gehennam abeunt the soules of godly men goe the high way into heauen the wicked straight vnto hell Anima vbicunque eâ—…olauerit è corpore aut à daemonibus in infernum aut ab Angelis in coelum abripâ—…tur the soule so soone as it fleeth out of the body is either reft and carried to hell by Diuels or to heauen by Angels Sinne they grant is forgiuen here but the punishment of it must be sustained there Against this let them mark what S. Cyprian saies Quando istine excessum fuerit nullus iam poenitentiâ—… locus nullus satisfactionis effectus vita hic aut tenetur aut amittitur from the time we go out of this life there is no more place of repentance nor effect of satisfactioÌ„ by suffering here life is either kept or lost Qualem te inuenit Deus cum vocat talem pariter indicat such as God findes thee when by death he cals on thee such he iudges thee Vnusquisque cum causa sua dormit cum causa sua resurget euery man sleepeth with his cause and with his cause shall he rise againe there is no changing nor bettering of it betweene his death and his resurrection PostquaÌ„ discesserimus non est in nobis situm poenitere neque commissadiluere From time we goe out of this life wee are not able to repent nor to wash away the sinnes which we haue done It were tedious to rehearse all And therfore I returne conclude this point In the bloud of Christ there is a threefold vertue First a purging vertue next a protecting vertue thirdly a pacifying vertue What need haue we theÌ„ of any other thing or to seeke any other merit or bloud beside his Of his purging vertue we haue spoken already His protecting
with his Saints in earth and in heauen 334 E EArthquake 255 Elders twenty foure cannot signifio Bookes 90. 91. 150. What they are 90. Primasius iudgment concerning them 92. Why they are so called 90. 91. Their Crownes 93. 94 Ephraim why omitted 292. 293 Examples of deuouring Beasts 235 Executors of wrath haue all a limited Commission 232 F FAmine 229. 220. 221. Horrible examples of it 226 Fathers not to be followed in all thingâ—… 92. The Fathers of the first age could hardly vnderstand the Reuelation 7. They are falsly charged for Heretiques by Iesuites 244. Feare a bulwarke against it 80. What good and what euill men seare most 265 Free-will 172 G GOD workes in his children that which hee craues of them 77. Why sometimes hee is put without a name 182. His Eternity Iustice and Mercy 84. 85. His operation terrible 96. Gracious 97. His manifold wisedome seene in the variety of his workes 107 God giueth to man and man to God but in different manners 118. Hee is a liuing Lord. 188. How he is said to demand any thing 310. Hee iudgeth and hee auengeth 245 God how hee speakes vnto soules 247. 310. 311. Hee workes both by good and euill Angels 271. Hee doth what he saith 283 Go to God we cannot except we go out of our selues 69 Gospell hath a speedy course 199. It is a ioyfull message 205. Wrongfully blamed by the world 222 Good men and euill vnder the like crosses the one vnlike the other 223. Good euill temporall is common to good and euill men 234. But good things are to come to good men which the wicked shall neuer see Ibid. Glory of Saints how increased 296 Glorified Saints are Kings indeed 312 H HAnds linked and hearts locked in this age 175 Harpe of a Christian is his heart 154. 156. when is it well tuned 155. 156 Hardnesse of heart 345 Heart resembled by a golden Viall 158. Heart disposed to pray a fore-runner of grace 246. It must be the Altar of Burnt-offering before it can be the Altar of Incense 304 Helim after Marah what it is 315 Hell 231 Heauen three waies taken in holy Scripture 65. Heauenly things how to be learned 64. Heauen departing like a scroll 259 Holinesse proper to God 114 Hornes what they signifie in Scripture 145. 146 Horse white a type of Preachers 204. The white Horse continueth to the end of the Battell 209 Humility 109. 110 Hymnes of Papists discordant from songs of Saints 305 Hiding from God cannot bee 265 Hearing of God must go before seeing 77 Heauy wrath abides the wicked 233. 234. 256 I IAsper stone 83. 84 Idolatry destroyes Kingdomes and houses 297 Iewes first in the Couenant 284 Their Tribes not alway reckoned in order 286. 287 Iesuites do well to enquire for a new Seat for their Pope 55 Image of God is our first and last glory 279 Ioy of heauen how exprest 166 Iudge and reuenge belong to God 245 Iudgements of God righteous 224 K KIngs earthly not like the Lord. 87. 88 Kneeling due to God 119. And comfortable for our selues 153. Kneeling in prayer recommended by S. Iames his example 308 Knowledge that Saints haue in heauen 247. Conceite of knowledge is a sore enemy to true knowledge 312 L LEui his comfort 288 Liberty of conscience 217 218 Liberty Christian abused by Libertines 170 Limbus patrum â—…lumbat 134 Linnen of a rare sort 300 Loue broken by them who professe one faith 155. 156 Life to come affoords good things 108. Life threefold giues the Lord. 188. Life of good and euill men haue different courses and ends 325. Life present vaine 338. and miserable Ibid. Life to come 325. Happy state of Saints there 334. Felicity of it 336. How God shall leade vs in it 342. How wee shall be changed 343 How to be preferred to this life 346. M MAN vncleane both for conception and conuersation 316. He hath proud Propositions weake Assumptions vaine and fruitlesse Conclusions 80. How weake he is in his strongest estate 258. Man cannot consist without Gods creatures how can hee then want himselfe 220 Marie not without sinne 141. 142 Mercy first offered yer iudgement be executed 227. Contempt of mercy a sore sinne 292. Mercy of God to this I le 275 Meriting vertue is personall and proper to Christ. 164 Mirrour for man to looke into 262 Ministers of the Word should be farre from timidity as farre from timerity 198. 199 Millinaries errour 176 Mourning is good now 347. Iust causes thereof Ibid. N NEw Song 150. 151. 165 Number of elect 286 O OBedience of bastard Christians iâ—…perfect 157. compaâ—…d 〈◊〉 Echo Ibid. 〈◊〉 the Bride Bridegroome and sundry sorts which both of them haue 158. 159 Omnipotencie of God wherein it consists 114. Great help of our faith 106 abused by Papists Ibid. P PAtience 316 Papists admonished 55. Reproued by Angels 110. Their prayer to creatures well warranted 264. They count vs Heretiques for singing with Angels and Saints 309. Papall Purgations are possutions 314 Palme-tree a signe of victorie 301 Peace maruellous in our time 213. 222. 152. 153 Persecutors may take away peaâ—… 〈◊〉 not internall 217. They are profitable to Saints but pernicious to themselues 218. and foolish 248 Persecution followes Preaching 210 Perfection of parts wee haue not of degrees 156 Pestilence 228 Prayer and praise compared 113. Prayers are sweete Odours 158. 159. They should not be made vnto Saints 160 161. Foure sorts of prayer Ibid. Comfort against weake prayer 164. What stiles to God should be vsed in prayer 244. Force of prayer 255. In prayer teares are better then talke 304. Babbling in prayer reproued 310 Praises of God should bee feruent 185. Coldnesse in praysing God rebuked â—…bid In praysing of God euery Christian should haue his part 153. 154 Preachers grace how it groweth 63. A warning to Preachers 70. They are compared to horses sadled and bridled by Christ 202. can doe nothing without Christ 202. 203. The vertue of their touÌ„g 200. They need both bridle and spur 202. How they are transported by Christ both in respect of place and preaching 202. 203. Christ worketh by them that which themselues know not 204 Preachers should be holy 204. Their comfort 288 Preaching and â—…all Peace seldome goe together 210 Predictions diuine arguments of diuine prouidence 72 Presence of God is threefold in goodnesse in grace in glory 326. terible to the wicked 261 Prophecie is of things past present and to come 35. Prophecie of the Reuelation not to bee limited to particular times and persons 29. It goeth not by one interrupted course of time 32. but is sundry times sundry waies repeated 33. It consists of three prophecies which cannot be confounded 34. 37. 38 39. 44. 48. 49. it is not to be vnderstood of things past in the old Testament 71 Professors not to bee discouraged for that they are not Preachers 209. Presumptuous professors warned 325 Prerogatiues carnall not to be respected in heauen 287 Pope is
Lord. So prayer c. Exod. 30. 37 38 What patrocinie Papists find in Scripture Why prayer is compared to perfume Comfort for a Christian wheÌ„ he faints in prayer Bern. The fourth circumstance is their song Psal. 33. 3. Psal. 40. 3. Esa. 42. 10. For three causes is their song called a new song 1 2 3 New matter of ioy ministred to Saints and Angels maketh alwayes a new song Psal. 36. 8. Change of ioy in heauen without wearinesse or want of ioy exprest by riuers of pleasure Heb. 12. 23. Psal. 17. 15. Earthly pleasure if it bee perpetuall becomes painful In the tenor of their song they giue all worthinesse to Christ. None but hee should sit in the chaire of merit For hee onely was killed for vs. A proper question for Papists He suffered him alone not helped nor comforted by by any of his disciples Esa. 63. 3 Math. 26. Why then should not the praise of a redeemer be reserued to him onely Ber. in Cant. ser. 20. The worke of our redemption makes vs debtors to Iesus in more then we are worth By the death of Iesus wee haue liberty and life 1. Pet. 1. 18 19. The worke of our Redemption most maruellous Christian liberty how abused by Libertines Luke 1. 74. Ber. in Cont. Scr. 15. Rom. 13. Basil bexam hoâ—… 10. The benefit of Redemption is very ample Act. 10. 34. Yet is not Vniuersall By Christ we are not onely deliuered froÌ„ euill but aduanced to vndeserued good Gen. 40. What we are in goodnesse the Lord hath made vs. Aug. de verb. Apos Scr. 10. Popish presumption of man his free-will by nature to doe good confuted by Fathers and Councels Aug. de temp Ser. 123. Fulgent ad Gallam epist. 2. Concil Aurisia caâ—… in Gallia cont 〈◊〉 cap. 7. Papists by this Decree discerned heretikes Ibid. The good estate whereunto wee are aduanced by Christ is comprised in two benefits 1. Pet. 2. 9. 1 In this that we are made Kings vnto our God Basil. hexam â—…om 10. Our first Cretion our present Vocation our future Glorification tels vs wee should not be seruants to sinne c. Bern. de perseqâ—…t sustinenda cap. 11. Reu. 3. 21. 2 In this that we are made Priests vnto our God Pro. 23. 26. Three sacrifices offer we to God Roâ—… 12. 1. Cor Corpus Bona Heart Body and Goods Rom. 6. 13. Pro. 3. 9. Heb. 13. But locked hearts and linked hands haue the men of this Geneâ—…ation Gregâ—… Nysseâ—… orat de paâ—…peribus 〈◊〉 Nazian orat 43. in nouâ—… dominicam 1. Tim. 6. 19. The errour of the Millenaries hath no warrant here Psal. 37. 11. Math. 5. 5. By the earth here we may vnderstand the wicked dwellers on earth Psal. 17. 14. They now account Saints the off-scourings of the earth but Saints at last shall raigne ouer them 1. Thess. 4. 17. Wisd. 5. 2 3 4 5. Orby the earth we may vnderstand this same earthly element 2. Pet. 3. Rom. 8. How Saints may be said to raigne in it or to what vse can it serue in that Day A pretty answer of Photinus to the Proconsull A doubt moued how Angels praise God for Redemption answered 1 By distinguishing the Thankesgiuing from the Reason Reuel 19. 10. Heb. 12. 21. 2 Angels wee are of one incorporation and for our Redemption thâ—… giue thankes to God Luke 15. 7. 3 They haue their owne benefite by Redemption Col. 1. 16. 20. For that grace of Christ which raised man when he fell kept Angels that they fell not Ber. in Cant. Ser. 22. Cyril Catech. 2. Fulgent ad Trasim lib. 2. The second song is sung by Angels onely and in it are foure circumstances 1 The first circumstance who sings this Song to wit Angels inferior to the first company 1. Cor. 4. 6. Elias presumes to set downe the order of Angels Elias in Nazian orat 2. de Theolo Nazianzen and Augustine speake more sparingly and modestly Nazian Ibid. Aug. cap. 11. cont Priscilian 2 The second circumstance is of the place in which they appeare Dan. 7. 10. About the Throne to serue the Lord Psal. 34. 7. But about Saints to figure they are our gard Carthus 3 The third circumstance is of their number 4 The fourth circumstance is their song Wherein wee haue 1 The manner 2 The matter Before they gaue him seuen stiles and now they giue him a seuenfold praise Saints inflamed with the loue of God cannot satisfie themselues in praysing him Gregor moral 2. cap. 6. This may make vs ashamed of our coldnesse in praysing God Cyprian de orat Domini The third part of the song is sung by creatures of all sorts What voyce creatures without sense or reason can haue Rom. 8. The Song is concluded by them who beganne it Amen Is a note of affirmation Mat. 23. 36 As also of confirmation 1. Cor. 14. 16. Vsed by people in the Primitiue Church after preaching or prayer A liuing Lord is Gods proper stile Carthus And of the three-fold life which flowes from him At the sixth chapter begins the Visions of prediction which are three The first in the sixt and seuenth chapters The second froÌ„ the eighth to the twelfth The third froÌ„ the 12. to the 21. The first Prophecie is a generall Prognostication of the estate of things to the worlds end Whereof the summe is Christ will go by his Gospell thorow the world till hee ouercome The world will persecute the Gospell For contempt of it God shal plague the world In these persecutions and plagues Saints may be exercised but the Lord shall secure them The Day of Iudgement shall conclude all 2. Thess. 1. 6 7. The seuenth Chapter containes a larger explication of the fift and sixt Seale Three things noted in S. Iohn his preparation before the opening of the Seales 1 What was S. Iohn doing at this time to wit Beholding what his beholding imports By whom is S. Iohn prepared for the receiuing of this Vision These foure Beasts who prepare S. Iohn cannot bee Preachers why Neither yet can they bee the foure Euangelists for S. Iohn was an Euangelist himselfe Ribera perceiues the reason and yet against his light pursues it not willing to quit the coÌ„mon phantasie of his fellowes The first Voice that wakened S. Iohn was like a Trumpet the next like Thunder Great need haue we to be wakened wheÌ„ God speakes to vs. 3 The warning it selfe Come and see Ioh. 1. 39. This notable sentence vsed also by Christ hath in it two things 1 A precept for this life Come 2 A promise for the life to come And see But in this place it is not to be taken so largely Six points considered in the opening of the first Seale 1 The Rider he is no Romane Emperour as blinded Romane Doctors do imagine Reu. 19. 11 12. But that he is the Lord Iesus is proued by Scripture Christ is so infinite a Good that it is no maruell if in one Vision he be many
Why some wicked mâ—… are plagued now and some spared Psal. 58. 11. Corrections of Gods children are with measure Esay 27. 6 7 8. He dealeth not so with the wicked Pâ—…imas in Apoc. Good thingâ—… prepared for good men whereof the wicked shall not be partakers Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 1. c. 8. But the temporall good and euill of this life is common to both Deuouring beasts one of Gods ordinary plagues Hos. 2. 18. Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. Ezech. 14. 2. Kings 17. 25. Plin. lib 8. ca. 29. Examples of base beasts punishing the pride of man One thing God offers to men and men wil not haue it Three things that men would haue from God and God will not giue them A iust recompence Psal. 16. 4. Psal. 32. 10. Comfort to Saints suffering death is brought in by the fift seale A sight which Saints out of the body haue of God and of themselues An answere to them who ask if Saints shall know one another in heauen Mat. 5. 8. 1. Iohn 3. 3. Two examples prouing probably that it will be so Gen. 2. 23. Mat. 17. But our knowledge there shall be far different from that which we haue now An argument for the immortality of the Soule Athanas. Altars honored with relikes of Martyrs haue no warrant here This Altar vnder which soules rest is the Lord Iesus Carthus in hunc locum Hugo Cardinal Luke 23. Luke 16. Psal. 30. Reuel 7. Iohn 17. 24. How Christ is both the sacrifice the sacrificer and the Altar Heb. 9. 14. Death compared to Nebuchadnezzars fire Mat. 10. 28. It burnes our bands but hurts not our selues Rom. 8. 35. 36. No religion so false but it hath some to defend it and dye for it The crying of Saints notes their feruent desire Greg. lib. 2. Moral cap. 6. Ibid. Psal. 10. 17. How Saints cry for vengeance Foure sorts of crying sinnes Gen. 18. 20 21 Exod. 22. 22 23 Deut. 24. 14 15 Iam. 5. 4. Gen. 4. 10. They cry not out of passion or priuate reuenge but out of zeale vnto God his glory Primas in hunc locum Greg. Moral 2. cap. 6. Manuscript Saints are so conioyned to the Lord that to his will and not their own they conforme themselues Psal. 58. 10 11. In prayer Saints giue God such Stiles as may best mooue him and assure them of a good answer Psal. 94. 20. Felicity of Saints Triumphant is not yet complete and why Heb. 11. 40. Bern. in sesto omnium sanct ser. 2 3. Ribera in hunc locum Some worthy Fathers charged by Ribera for Hereticks falsly God first iudges then hee auenges In al his processe cognition goeth before execution Gen. 18. 25. Psal. 94. 1. To iudge and reuenge appertaines to the Lord. Math. 7. 1. Rom. 14. 4. Rom. 12. 19. Why worldly men are called Inhabitants of the earth 2. King 2. A heart set to pray is a forerunner of a fauourable answer Answer to Saints is giuen here first by a signe of white Robes secondly by Speech What their white Robe signifies Reu. 3. 5. Saints know that in heauen by sight and feeling which heere they know by faith God speakes vnto soules by inspiring them Aug. ser. 1. de Sanct. 1. Ioh. 2. 18. Last Day now is not farre off Last day delayed till Saints be accomplished Foolish are the wicked who persecute Saints Iudg. 16. 30. Gen. 19. Saints called brethren for three causes 1 They haue all one Father Ephes. 3. 15. 2 They are all quickned by one Spirit Galat. 4. 26. 3 They are all borne to one inheritance How all Saints are fellow-seruants Reuel 22. 9. Angels are not our patrons but our patterns of whom we should learne Number of Saints is known to God 2. Tim. 2. 19. 2. Cor. 13. 5. Yet should cuety Saint make sure to himselfe that he is of that number 2. Tim. 2. 19. 2. Pet. 1. 1. 10. The summe of the sixt seale In the fist seale 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for iudgement in the sixt God answereâ—… them Iaco. Rex â—…rit For the cry of Saints moueth the Lord much Luk. 18. Gen. 18. 25. Psal. 116. 15. The sixt seale should not bee expounded allegorically for two reasons 1 Because the prophecy of apostasy comes not in here but in the subsequent ptophecy 2 Apostasie could not terrify great men as here themselues being authors and actors of it Neither is this sixt seale to be vnderstood of a temporall iudgement Esay 13. 10. Ezech. 32. 7. Hos. 10. 7. Luke 23. 30. Arguments mouing some Interpreters to thinke that the sixt seale cannot import the Day of Iudgement are answered Arguments prouing that it is to be expounded of the Day of Iudgement 1 The seuenth seale for etels nothing as the rest doc but introduces seuen trumpets to foretell 2 The sixt seale brings an vniuersall change of al creatures 3 All the wicked vniuersally are iudged in it 4 It is plainly said to bee the great Day of the Lord. 5 Collation of this place with the words of our Sauiour proues that it is so Mat. 24. 29. Luke 21. 25. Marke 13. 24. Who can deny this to point out the Day of Iudgement Terrour of the last Day two wayes described 1 From the effects thereof on the insensible creature 2 Vpon reasonable creatures but reprobates of all sorts Earthquake is either ordinary or extraordinary Darkning of the Sunne likewise is either naturall or supernaturall Marke 15. 33. The bloudy Moone what it meanes All creatures conspire to serue the Lord in punishing his enemies Now the wicked are vnder wrath but hauing the comfort of the creature they feele it not Rom. 1. But at last the creature also shall forsake them Psal. 73. Sith comfort of creatures will faile all flesh let vs in time seeke the Creator Cypria de mortal Heb. 12. 28. Starres falling like figges Teaches vs that no state can stand when God shakes it Nahum 3. 12. The world shal fall yet it come to a ripe age Heauen departing like a scrole expounded These creatures shall not perish in their substance but be changed in their qualities Rom. 8. 21. They like seruants shall receiue a new liuery when the Kings sonne shall marry his Spouse Psal. 102. 25 26 This is cleared by the Psalmist and Saint Peter 2. Pet. 3. 10. 2. Pet. 3. 13. Euery losse which man hath receiued from sinne Satan shall be repaired by Iesus This is not to be extended to Reprobates and excrements of the earth The terrour which the last day shall work in the reasonable but reprobate creature Seuen ranks of men contayning all combinations wherein flesh can haue confidence Rom. 2. 11. Yet when they are all ioyned they cannot resist iudgement Exod. 5. 2. 2. Chro. 32. 14. A glasse for proud flesh to looke into Psal 2. 10 11 12 The wicked in their distresse crie to the creature For their conscience they dare not run to their Creator What a sure ground is here for Papists to build their inuocation of creatures