sweet raine of healthâ—ome doctrine and spirit of Christian lenity the fire of contention and frosty hailestones of destruction ruled all Yea so farre heerein were the Bishops carried one against other as it is monstrous what malice falshood and cruelty they practised so as in the times of Constans Constantius and Valens the fire and haile were mixed with bloud This made still a decay of true religion both in small and great 7 Vpon sounding of the second trumpet a mountaine of fire is cast into the Sea whereupon the third part thereof becommeth bloud c. Mountaines in Scripture are put for high and proud States Then a burning mountaine is the fire of ambition as the first was of contention For albeit contention ariseth of pride yet at first the debate was not directly for prerogatiues and places as now in this second euill is meaned Remember alwaies as I touched Chap. 6. Sect. 10. and 15. that so these euils are ordered for course of time as both the first holdeth on with the succeeding and the succeeding in time of the formers height is begun to worke This is cast in the Sea whereas the first was on the earth to note a decay in a higher degree then the first as the sea is a higher and purer Element then the grosse earth The first decay was of religion in the hearts and liues of men This second is in the ordinary worship which in great part now becommeth corrupted and thereby a great part both of common professours and Pastors become dead in superstition The creatures liuing in the Sea are common Christians The ships are the occupiers therein designing Church-men as is plaine Chap. 18. where shipmasters marriners and occupiers in the Sea bewaile the fall of the Whore The first death was different from this That was in life and manners obiected to the widowes 1. Tim. 5. and to the Church of Sardis Chap. 3. 1. This is of another kinde obiected to Ephraim by the Prophet When Ephraim spake there was trembling but he is dead in Baal The allusion is to Exod. 7. 19. c. When the waters are healthsome all things in them liue Ezech 47. The loue of riches and honor is the root of all euill which while men lust after they erre from the faith To this euill Constantine his preposterous zeale to indew the Church with riches and pompe much helped As the voice then vttered if their stories say true did verifie Hodie seminatum est virus in Ecclesia The common saying is well knowen Ecclesia peperit diuitias filia deuorauit matrem And that of golden Bishops and treen Chalices and golden Chalices and treen Bishops This fire of ambition was much kindled in the hearts of Pastors before the Councell of Nice they beginning to sauor thereof as saith Eusebius before Dioclesian his time but there was laid a ground of ambitious contention by ordering the seates and prerogatiues of Patriarchs Ante Concilium Nicenum ad sedem Romanam paruus habebatur respectus saith Aeneus Syluius eftsoones a Pope What shamefull digladiations followed about dignity and priority of place what bitter contentions about limits of Diocesses would make any sound hearted christian blush for shame to reade them Iulius Bishop of Rome albeit topping a good cause yet seeking therein the aduancement of his owne seate is so checked by the Bishops of the East as faine to yeeld to time saith Sabelliâ—us the whole sway and maiesty of religion remained with the Bishops of the East till Phocas the Emperor restored it to Rome It is shame to heare how Leo Bishoppe of Rome otherwaies a learned and wiseman did chafe at the act of the Councell of Chalcedon in fauours of the Bishop of Constantinople How hardly did the Bishops of Rome take it that it should be inacted in Affricke that no appellation were made to them what a stirre they made thereabout impudently bold to falsifie the act of the Nicene Councell for maintenance of their ambition till by authentike copies from Greece their fraud was detected and they but too meekly admonished to beware they labored not to bring into the Church famosum typhum seculi The contentions of the Bishops of Rome and Rauenna of Milain and Papia would euen amongst secular Princes bee counted detestable The Patriarch of Constantinople first vsurping the title of vniuersall Bishop is worthily taxed of Gregorie Bishoppe of Rome Thus then while men were ambitiouslie seeking themselues and carelesse of religion corruption entred into the worshippe in manifold rites and superstitious ceremonies as euen diuers godly men in that same time heauily regreated 8 Vpon the third blast falleth a great starre c. Stars are Pastors of Churches This great Starre is the type of great and learned Pastors men of high account yea and of great shining but who fall from the heauen from the truth and true Church and so their shining which ought to haue beene cleare gentle and comfortable light becommeth like a burning Torch noting fiery contentions and burning despite as a blazing flame in place of a pleasant calme cleare light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2. 8. For this disposition in it selfe and working the like in others This starre hath the name of Wormewood as being in the gall of bitternesse and making bitter Simon Magus is said to bee so Act. 8. 23. the Holy Ghost in that one Arch-Heretike shewing the common disposition of all as full euer of contentions and burning despite which manner the Church of God hath not The effect here wrought is that this starre falling in the riuers and fountaines the third part c. Here is yet a higher degree of corruption working on to the great euill For Riuers and Fountaines are in a degree of purity and subtle Nature aboue the Sea as the Sea is aboue the earth Now as there may bee a decay of Religion in the hearts and liues of men which is the burning of grasse and trees the ordinary worshippe yet abiding pure and vnmixed with superstition so may both Religion in men decay and great corruption enter in the ordinary worship the sea becoÌ„ming in a part bloudy and yet the fountaines and riuers that is the Scriptures and interpretation thereof abide sound as experience teacheth how many abuses will creepe in with custome take place while yet both the word and interpretation thereof is vncorrupted The teachers who are also Wels and Riuers bringing waters to the common Sea teaching more purely then is the practise in ordinary worshippe But when not onely corruption entreth in the common worship but euen the Scriptures are corrupted with false glosses and hereticall interpretations the fountaines being poysoned and the riuers which should carrie douce waters to purifie the common Sea bringing thither bitter waters and turning the sweet water of life to bee like these of Ierico of Mara then is the euill growne to a high and dangerous degree and their multitudes who for
lector arenam Liba neu â—icco rade profunda pede Hic sulcanda via est huic te duce numine oportet Etpoteris placiâ—ae credere tutus aquae The Summe of the Booke THis Booke is that written record of the things in Vision heard and seene by Iohn in Patmos which according to the commandement giuen him hee sent to the seuen Churches of Asia Whereof it is that besides the inscription in the first three verses the whole is an Epistle hauing a salutation to the ninth of the first Chapter a valediction in the last verse of all and the body of the matter in the rest This body hath for the most part a propheticall narration to the sixt of the last Chapter and thence the generall conclusion The narration hath two parts the first is of things which partly then were and partly were also to bee done thereafter And this part hath first a goodly vision of Christs presence operation and dispensation in and towards these seuen Churches and which in common concerneth them all And secondly a particular accommodation thereof to each one according to their proper condition good or euill or mixed at that time In which respect this part is said to be of things which were then existent as it is also of things to be done thereafter because of the future good or euill promised or threatned The second part of the narration is of things which were to be done thereafter concerning first and properly the whole militant Church Like as the whole euents thereof were to fall out after the time of this trance how soeuer for cleering the working on of these euents some circumstances and beginnings are in one or two places deduced higher And this second part hath a generall introduction to the speciall Storie Chap. 4. and 5. and the story of speciall euents thenceforth The introduction hath two parts first a goodly type of the true Church militant according to that constant and inuariable condition shee euer holdeth in all her changes wrestlings sufferings victories kythings and eclipses For expressing accordingly of all which as diuers and conuenient types thorow this Prophecie are taken so alwaies in all cases this of the Throne Beasts and Elders euer holdeth thorow all This constant condition hath God his constant presence as King and Lord fixing his habitation and ruling in the midst of his Church her gracefull state herethrough as which is a royall priesthood to him his generall and constant dispensation to this end terrible for her and gracious towards her and her dutifull worship of him againe Chap. 4. In the second part of the Introduction is shewed by whom and in whom it is that shee hath all this presence protection and graces and specially thus artificially to bring on the story of speciall euents by whom it is that she hath this singular benefit of this reuelation The dignitie whereof is shewed first in the retired eminencie of the matter and secondly in the worthinesse of the Person reuealer Chap. 5. The speciall storie is thence of which the abstruse secrecie locked vp in God his counsell as by a sealed Booke in God his right hand it was figured so the manifestation thereof to vs is typically expressed by opening of the seales in which the whole Story being comprehended six of them opened yeeld also many types of these first sorrows wherewith God plagued the world for reiecting the Gospel I hâ— seuenth yeeldeth 7. Trumpets whereof the first six haue the second euils and the seuenth vpon induration against all former punishment affordeth seuen vials of the last wrath for full and recurelesse destruction of the enemies and the Church her constant gracefull and quiet state thereupon The beginnings of sorrowes are first the powerful preaching of the Gospell in it selfe properly the first blessing yet to the world â—adly impugning that which must Conquer and Ouercome becomming the sauor of death is the first and mother plague begetting bloudy warres strange famines greeuous pestilences and not some beasts God his foure great plagues seuerally and iointly Against all which notwithstanding the rage and induration of enemies still groweth and that to so huge and cruel effusion of the bloud of Saints as in God his iustice cried for no lesse then the full and finall destruction of that afflicting state Which neuerthelesse in God his wise dispensation is reiourned till the accomplishment of the rest of Martyrs in that honour of suffering And that the Church might attend this the more patiently she getteth in the time relaxation from open persecution and the sufferings of Martyrs become honourable Thereafter that bloudy state through inuasion of barbarous and vncoâ—th nations suffereth such strange alteration as the whole face thereof is turned and it receaueth a deadly wound so farre as might make way for the succeeding huge mischiefe in the seuenth Scale Chap. 6. Before the opening whereof to a particular manifestation of the euils therein for more cleering of the matter and in a diuine artifice to imply that this second mischiefe was hatching euen in time of the first sorrowes a summary view of the whole sequell thereof is giuen in a deadlie euill to ouergoe all the face of the visible Church worship and professors therein Against which the care of Christ for preseruing his true Church is shewed and her double condition first vnder and in time of the mischiefe by a mystical number of sealed ones and of whome and how that number is made vp to the ninth verse and secondly her condition victorius ouer the euill as the same condition is offered to Iohn his perception first by seeing and hearing and secondly by information to the end of the seuenth Chapter For particular explication of that which in the seuenth Chapter was summarily portended the seuenth Seale is opened and yeeldeth seuen Trumpets as also many signes giuen of diuers degrees of iudgements whereby God was as it were to charge vpon the World these in coÌ„parison are lighter or heauier The first foure are lighter first through cold showers of selfeloue and fierie contention mixed with crueltie in the visible Church followeth a destruction in part of true spirituall life and religion both in weake and in such as appeared strong Christians Secondly through the fire of ambition amongst Church-men a corruption in part of the common worship and a death in superstition Thirdly through hereticall prauity arising vpon despitefull pride bitternesse and presumption of great knowledge the very grounds and chiefe Doctours are poisonablie infected to the death of many therein Fourthly darke ignorance and a decay in part of true light and learning both in diuine and humane sciences Chapter 8. Now these foure lighter euils were but alse many steppes to the fift and first of three great woes in the fift Trumpet When not in part onely but through the fall of great Pastours from Heauen to the loue of the Earth and thus losing the Key of knowledge and of the Kingdome of Heauen
turned to mee how soone would I haue humbled their enemies His second action is a signe giuen to his trumpeters who stand attending it from him to set too to particular execution The signe is Hee filleth the Censer with fire c. In token of burning wrath and with fire of the Altar For as the acceptation and sanctification of all the Samts and their offerings is of him who is the true golden Altar so all his wrath on the world is from him in whom all men in God his predestination are ordered to their diuers ends according as they are either giuen to him and builded on him or passed by and stumble at him This fire is also from the Altar for the spiritual iudgements that it worketh For the fire of this Altar hath double effects It is gracious nourishing purging renuing and strengthning to the elect Isai 6. And it is a fire deuouring the aduersaries burning vp the world as stubble for our God euen a consuming fire Christ comming into the world brought both the one and the other though the one improperly Thus from one and the same Censer and one and the same Altar one and the same fire both sendeth vp a sweete perfume and downe a consuming wrath As the praier of Elias brought both fruitfull raine and deuouring fire and as the two witnesses Chapter 11. are to the godly candlestickes and refreshing oliues but with fire out of their mouthes slay their aduersaries If I bee the man of God saith Eliah let fire come downe from heauen c. Vpon this fire cast on the earth follow Lightnings Thundrings Voices and Earthquakes euident types of horrible iudgements and commotions Chapter 4. And so heereby the attending Trumpeters get signe to blow the alarum and denounce particularly the iudgements whereby God was now to plague the blind and obstinate world And vpon the signe thus giuen them they set too in order to blow See Ezech. 10 for this casting of fire in signe of wrath and God his departing from his sanctuarie 5 Thus farre is the generall preparation The particular execution hath in each the denunciation by the trumpet and the effect insuing And are diuided in lighter or lesse woes and heauier and greater The first soure in degree of comparison are lighter and are in this Chapter The three other are heauie whereof two are thorowout the 9 10. and a good part of the 11. Chapt. The last holdeth to the end of the whole narration The first foure are al 's many degrees of the mystery of iniquity working on to that fearefull height which is in the fifth trumpet accompanied with a no lesse deadly euill for iust punishment thereof in the sixt trumpet which being ineffectuall to worke repentance commeth on the last wrath in the seuenth trumpet 6 Vpon the first sound are seene haile and fire mingled with blood which cast on the earth that is in the visible Church Chap. 7 Section 2. Produce then a terrible effect That all greene grasse c. The iudgements of God in Scripture are ordinarily expressed by haile fire and stormy tempest God borrowing speeches from naturall things to set foorth his terror But this speech heere hath a speciall allusion to that plague on Egypt Exod. 9. and Psal 105. Now then to finde the analogy as heere the burning vp of grasse and trees is to expresse the decay of spirituall life and moisture in all true Christianity and that not onely in weake ones as grasse but in the strong as trees so heere we are to search agreeably to this effect what is answerable to haile and fire It is the fire of God his spirit begetting in vs faith and loue which maketh vs Christians weaker or stronger according to the measure of grace giuen vs and our grouth therein and that by the watering moistening of sweet showers of grace as dew vpon the mowne grasse or raine on the thirsty ground For of heate and moisture commeth all flourishing greennesse Hereof it is that so often in Scripture we are exhorted to edifie on another in loue This burning heat did eat vp our Lord and in it the Apostle burnt this fire of loue is the band of perfection whereby we grow vp as one man in Christ And hereupon are in Scripture so many attestations to be like minded and detestations of debate and diuision Now when this fire of loue is turned into the fire of contention then they from whose mouthes should droppe wisdome and refreshing showers send out the could haile of their owne affections and frosty showers of selfe-loue which in place of comforting and nourishing the hearbes and trees by wholesome word and sound example of life in contrary burne them quite vp as doth haile and fire This was the first euill which entred into the Church for the first degree whereof the Church of Ephesus was taxed Which degree betime growing not only to coldnesse in loue but also to fiery contention and mixed with frosty haile wrought this fearefull effect and first step to antichristianisme euen want of true religion and of the life of God in a great part This fire and haile is said to haue beene mixed with blood for that not onely this euill of firie debate beganne euen while as yet hot persecutioÌ„ lasted against the Church by heathen Emperours but also for that it entred in the Church in such degree as proceeded to cruelty and bloodshed This euill Satan laboured to bring in from the first times of the Gospell but that the fire of loue sweet showers held things greene The first that greatly kindled this flame was Victor Bishop of Rome whose fiâ—ie headines in a friuolous matter had it not beene repressed by the graue rebukes of Irenaeus Bishoppe of Lions and Policrates of Ephesus had made a great burning Eusebius recordeth Lib. 8. of the persecution by Dioclesian that it was a necessary correction of the Church which had fallen to ouer great a custome of sin see how greennesse was burnt vp whose pastors were begun to sauor of pride and tyranny see the step to the next euill Thus wee see how the fire was euen mixed with bloud but soone after how farre this fire brake out vpon the first relaxation vnder Constantine it is wonderfull so as if the prudent care of that Prince had not bene the greater that first and famous Councell of Nice had beene a miserable proofe of this fire which beeing but restrained there for the time how vehemently to the disgrace of christianity and burning vp of all true religion in the hearts of men it brake out thereafter is manifest in the story So as Constantine in his Epistle to the Synod of Tyrus exprobrateth to them that he saw nothing in Bishops dealings but an ouerthrow of all religion This made Nazianzen to vtter that hard speech That hee neuer did see a good effect of any Synod because in steade of the fire of loue mixed with the
The shifts of the Papists for exempting the Pontificality from this blot 183 Whence he arriseth 175 His fall irrecouerable 78. 89. 165. 177 His presumption obstinacie and vnexpected foile 218 Aplaine crossing of all Popery 54 An incouragement to Praier 60 The false Prophet all one with the Beast and for what cause they be distinguished 121. 177. 178 The Lord God of the holy Prophets 254. 265 R RAine twofold 62 The Rainebowe about Christ his head 86 All Religion 19 The first Resurrection 224 Who they are that are said Chap. nineteenth to rise the first Resurrection 224. 225 The Reuelation worthy of our study 11. 265 The dignity thereof shewed in two great points 21 The course thereof 32 Riches and authority without wisdome are but the weapons of a foole 30 The Riches of Christ 30 Riders on Horses 33 Christ his Riding on a white horse 212 White Robes in Scripture haue a triple signification 38 Rome her presumption 192. 218 The Renting of her in three 171 By whom shall her fall bee 152. 163. 182 The first and second degrees of her fall 157 The third degree of her fall 158 The fourth 160 The fifth 161 The sixth 163 What her fall shall be 181 It is irrecouerable 165. 177 And vnexpected 192 The certainety and greatnesse thereof 188. 191. 198 The equity thereof 189. 198. 205 Yet in considering the equity a diffeerence is to bee put betwene the state euery particular mēber of that state 193 S TO the Saints is giuen a kingdome euen heere 107 Satan his twofold dealing against the Church 105. 106 What is his first attempt alwaies 106 How he is said to be in heauen to fight there to bee cast downe out of heauen into the earth 107 The Scripture is onely to bee heard and no voice else in the Church of God 25 In what respect it is a little Booke 86 It is kept secure by the Pope Ibid. It must be eaten 91 In the Scripture all is reuealed requisite for light or manners 266. 267. 268 To couplerightly the parts thereof 268 The glassie Sea a type of the Word 15. 149 The Sea for the common worship 49. 64 For that which is below 120 The Red Sea and pillar of fire types of the Word and Spirit 150 For what reason the Sea is said Chap. 15 to be mingled with fire 150 There was no more Sea 120. 250 Seamen 196 The Seale of God 51 Seducing of two sorts 228. 233 The twofold Seed of the Church 130 Seuen Lamps 15 Seuen hornes and seuen eies of the Lambe 26 Seuen points of his praise 30 Seuen heads 118. 175 Seuen Seales Seuen Trumpets Seuen Vials 153 Seuen diuers times recorded in all this booke and concerning this number Seuen 232 The Shining of the Bride her attire 208 Showers twofold 62 Two great Signes in heauen 100 The Signe of the Dragon 102. 147 The Signe of the Sonne of Man 147. 212 To Sit. 191 The Slaughter of the Lambe the reason of his worthinesse and in what sense must thinke so 24 Sobriety 88. 211 Example of Sobriety in the Author 12. 232. 258 Solitary places 188 The Holy Spirit his procession and name of Comforter signified by the Rainebow diffunded about the Throne 12 In a diuers consideration he both sitteth in the throne and also is before the throne set foorth in Seuen burning Lamps 13 Starres for great men of the earth 40. For Pastors 67 And in that case how they are to be considered 68 To stand in the Sunne 216 T The Tents of Saints 233 Theodoricus the Ostrogoth the seuenth head of the Beast 122 Thrones 161 Thrones Beasts and Elders 202 Thrones set for saints 228 Christ his white Throne 235. 240 Seuen Thunders 87 Why their speeches were vttered and yet not written 88 The Times recorded in the Reuelation 73 A refutation of Propheticall yeeres as they call them 74. 96 How to vnderstand the Times of the Reuelation 76 The Time of tenne daies 76 The Time of fiue monthes 77 How the Trumpets beginne and ende in respect of time 80. 89. 90. The Time of fourty two monthes and of 1260 daies and of Time Times and halfe a Time 96. 231 The Time of three daies and a halfe 97 Which also is the space that the Dragon is let goe loose after his first binding 222 The effects of that his loosing 203 The Time of a thousand yeeres 226 It is the onely Time in all this prophesie to be taken definitly 230. The Thighi to put the hand vnder the thigh Christ his name written on his thigh 216 Tragicall times of some Emperours 43 Treasons of Papists by whom they are atchiued how good and worthy works they doe esteeme them 72 And what setteth them so madlings a worke 165 The Tribes of Israel 53 Why they are recorded but to be twelue seeing they were thirteene 127 Trumpets 58 Twelue 120. 128 Turkes their heades terrible Army the great desolation they make V GOlden Vials types of faithfull and pure hearts 27 Golden Vials cups of wrath 153 The reason why they come in place after the trumpets 154 On whom they are powred out 156 Vintage 146 Of the Visibility of the Church 138. 139 The Vnity of the Church of Rome 180 The Voice of Christ is bold as a Lion and powerful as thunder How to know if the Ministers speake his voice Pope Vrbane the second and his successors kindlers of the holy warre for recouery of Ierusalem 229 W LOue of the Wages ofvnrighteousnes 196 The Warre proclaimed in Paradise 102. 105 Christianity is a Warfare against whom it is and how to fight it out 108 And ouercome 180 Counsel and strength are for the Warre 213 The holy Warre 229 Waters of two sorts 67 Many Waters 162 The drying vp of many Waters 162. 173 White colour White horses 33. 145. 212 White robes 38 White linen apparell 153 A White throne 240 Windes for influence of spirituall graces 49 Deepe Wisdome 204 The Whoore described 174 Who shee is 182 How the restoring of Prophesie and dispelling of darkenes is a Woe 98. 160 Two great Wonders in Heauen 100 Wondring of two sorts 174 The Word compared to water figured by the Lauer in the Tabernacle and by the brasen Sea Temple and in this booke Chap. 4. set foorth vnder the type of a glassie Sea before the throne 15. 16 The Word contemned of a blessing becommeth the first of plagues 34 The Word is the weapon of Christ his victorie 86. 88. 215 Three degrees of operation which the Word of God hath in the hearts of his owne 132 Our Worship to God must proceed of knowledge 20 The Wound of the Beast in his sixth head 117 How Works doe follow the dead 142 FINIS Faults escaped Page 8 Line 1 Fault Affliction that Correction Affliction them that Page 8 Line 29 Fault sex Correction step Page 27 Line 12 Fault three Harps Correction their Harps Page 31 Fault last Correction of ingratitude Correction of our ingratitude Page