close the count of these thousand yeeres the end heere mentioned and degrees of the Dragon his restraint doe clearely lead vs. Wee must not thinke that Sathan in an instant was eyther tyed vp from his rage or againe in a precise point of time let loose But both fell out by degrees From the first out going of the Gospell hee beganne in some degree to bee bound as hee complaineth of Christ that hee had come to torment him before the time And as the Gospell preuailed hee was still the more made fast But seeing the end here specified of his binding and the condition of the Church heere described vpon his restraint Make euident that this his Captiuity is not absolute but in some speciall consideration and the degrees here mentioned shew that then his vptying is to bee counted when in that consideration he is perfectly made fast as taken shut vp locked on sealed we haue to take vp that point of time when according to this end he was fully fastned I shewed before on the 12. Chapter that the Dragon his proper rage is taken for open and cruell persecuting of Christians from which he was then fully tyed vp when by Constantine his conuersion to the faith open persecution ceased and Christianity was by lawes established the Church became glorious in the eyes of all men the soules of Martyres got long white robes and seates were set vp and the Saints did sit on them c hauing iudgement giuen them For both the commemoration of Martyrs was honourable and the estate of the Church flourishing in peaceable and goodly condition and glorious account And albeit in the meane time Sathan was working by his Lieutenant the Beast whom vpon this his restraint from open rage hee sent forth then in the first sensible degrees to deceiue by false semblance and who from this point of time mightily preuailed though at first by slow scarse perceptible degrees as rising out of the earth in bringing Nations to make vp the image of the Beast which at the end of these thousand yeeres came to the top of impiety yet they liued and raigned all the while who receiued not his Character The end then here mentioned of the Dragons restraint that hee should not seduce c. must not bee taken absolutely for hee was neuer busier seducing nor with greater successe then during these thousand yeeres but seducing here must be vnderstood according as wee see hee worketh vpon his lousing againe when hee falleth to that same kinde of seduction from which first hee was bound vp that is to seduce Nations to compasse the Tents of Saints and the beloued City Euen to set them againe vpon violent and furious persecution by sword and fire as he was a murtherer from the beginning and as in that men most bewray themselues to bee the children of their father the Diuell From this rage hee was bound vp when by the two wings of that great Eagle the woman escaped to her place from the presence of the Dragon he beeing chained from comming at her now extolled with wings And the degrees here set downe of binding inclosing shutting vpon and sealing shew euidently that the count is to be taken vp from the full and perfect point of his Captiuity For from that time hee had no louse chain for open rage In Iulian he was not so much loused as biting the chain Who besides his short abode neuer durst fall directly to murthering of Christians the persecutions of Constantius and Valens were partiall heates vnder profession euen that bloud that was mingled with haile and fire Chapter 8. 10 Now as wee haue the point of time of his perfect fermance which is the 300. yeere of Christ or therby so this leadeth vs to the point of his loosing the 1300. yeere or thereby and the conueniency of story is cleare for although as by degrees hee was fastned so by degres hee was loosed againe yet wee shall find as at the first point the full degree of his binding so at this time him fully loosed In the Pontificality of Gregory the seuenth he had a long chaine which yet was further raxed in that of Vrban the second and his Successors kindlers of that tragicall and superstitious warre for recouery of Ierusalem But for the end here spoken of open cruelty against Saints hee was fully loused in the Pontificality of Boniface the eighth and his successors from whose times haue beene bloudy persecutions and cruell rage Then the woman beganne to returne from the wildernes the witnesses to steppe out of the Temple the little booke eaten to giue hearts and eyes to apply the reede and so to discerne the Temple from the Court then the first of these three Angels Chapter 14. beganne to breake out through the midst of Heauen and the other two in course followed so as then they were blessed who died in the Lord and then was the patience of Saints The Beast his mouth then being perceiued and so the semblance of the Lambs horns no more able to beare him out the Dragon behooued come againe in roome to maintaine his owne throne to represse by rage what by hypocrisie could not be kept downe Then the two witnesses lay slaine in the streetes of the great City all Nations being seduced to slay them and reioyce ouer them Then the Beast which was carst spotted like a Pard becommeth of the Dragons colour and the Whore born vp by him is drunke with the bloud of Saints from that time what cruell murther of Christians was vnder the odious names of Waldenses Albingenses Fraterculi Beghardi c. And since what fiers what bloud sheds what monstrous complots for extirpation of the truth haue beene practised is too well known 11 In this rage though for a time the Dragon deborded yet praised bee God by successe of the Gospell and fire from heauen hee is in making fast the second time in an euerlasting chaine Therefore it is said that hee should be loused but a short space For they are faine to relent of their open murthering and burning are now in God his iustice getting measure for measure 12 The time then of these thousand yeeres is from the first open and sensible steppes of the mystery of iniquity working on to the quickning of the Beast which fell together with this binding vp of the Dragon to the toppe of that impiety when it came to the highest degree And this is the onely time in all this prophesie to bee taken definitely because of Antichrist his whole working which was in way euen from the Apostolike times first by hid and insensible and next by open steppes towards the height from which height againe as by degrees it arose so by degrees it must vanish no precise or exact time could be set downe but yet to giue vs sufficient clearenesse the holy Ghost putteth the time from the first beginning of open working to the
in respect of her state before a new world The full and perfect degree whereof shall then bee when vpon the Lord his last comming the heauen shall depart with a noise and the elements shal melt with heat what time wee shall get new heauens and a new earth wherin righteousnesse no more soiourneth as in Tents but stably dwelleth for euer as in a mountaine 26 So farre then is this discription of the last iudgement to bee properly vnderstood as yet wee must not imagine it to bee here set downe either for the point of time when it shall fall out for that it shall haue this coincident case of the ouerthrow of Gog and Magog but onely for the cause aboue explaned Neither is there in all this Prophesie or as I thinke any where in scripture any ground whereon to gather determinately the yeere or age of that day whereof to inquire after the Lord his own answere it is in my iudgement excuselesse temerity and to determine ought is high presumption That some otherwaies godly and learned men excuse their scanning hereat by that Christ foreclosing al Creatures from the knowledge of the day and houre leaueth so place to search the yeere or age besides that in such cleare euidence of the ordinary frame of Scripture speech this shift is both childish and ridiculous in my opinion it is also too bold and grosse dallying with the Lord his words 27 Now yet for bringing minds to acquiesce in this our interpretation the Nations seduced their notes iudgement and names are more to be cleared The allusion is partly to Sodome wherein all young and old from al quarters compassed Lot his house And Sodome was a City of the plaine and they were deuoured by fire from heauen It is also to the 7. of Iudges where the Midianites like Grashoppers in multitude and whose Camels were as the sand of the sea in number pitched against Israel in the plaine and were destroyed by three hundreth but holding forth burning Lampes and blowing Trumpets for the yoake of their burthen and the staffe of their shoulder and the rod of their oppressor are now to be broken as in the day of Midian an exceeding fitte type of this foile which must be by fire from heauen but such as then shineth when wee learne to breake the earthy piâ—cher that hideth it and to blow the Trumpet of God his word loudlie This fire came out of the mouthes of the two witnesses This is the breath of the Lord his mouth The word of God in the mouthes of his seruants is fire and the wicked are stubble before it But the allusion here chiefly both in the names and manner of iudgement is to Ezechiel 38. and 39. where diuers learned men thinke one and the same matter to be handled accommodating both that and this place to the Turkes as whose destruction both there and here in their iudgement is meaned and accordingly with Abenezra interprete the little horne Dan. 11. mistaking as I thinke these places and here yet going further aside in thinking there and here one and the same matter properly to bee deliuered Whereto the names of Gog and Magog giue no more reason of proper interpretation then could before the name of Babylon and the whole frame and leading of this Prophesie by continuall allusion to the old Testament might haue taught another sense to be sought for and that here Gog and Magog are to be taken Spiritually as before Sodome and Egypt 28 By Gog and Magog in Ezeehiel the Kings of Syria cruell oppressors of the Church of Israel are meaned as by the little horne in Daniel Antiochus Epiphanes the worst of all Wherof see Tremellius and Iunius vpon these places Iunius vpon this and the learned Commentarie of Hugh Broughton vpon Daniel That the attempt of Gog and Magog and their iudgement thereupon is said to be in the latter yeeres it will not trouble the resolution of any who seeth the rage of the Goates foure hornes of the Prophet plainely interpreted and of all men confessed to be that of Alexander his successors namely of the succressing little horn Antiochus Epiphanes called the last wrath Both Ezechiel and Daniel so speaking not absolutely but respectiue of the last cruell troublers of the Church of Israel before the first comming of Messias and accordingly of their destruction Wherein if much more appeare to bee spoken then in the measure of God his iudgement against them can bee seen fulfilled we haue to consider not only the Hyperbolike stile of the Prophets in such cases but as I haue already touched that these Prophesies besides the first proper accommodation had a further but a typicall relation And truly it were strange to imagine how the Turke his Kingdome standing the Israelites shall so recouer their owne land as they dwelling therein securely and without feare hee should plot to inuade them That here the names of Gog and Magog should bee meaned or at least restrained to the Turkes is very improbable seeing the two witnesses slaine at this lousing of the dragon lie dead in the street of the great City and all Nations reioyce ouâ—r them seeing the Whore is drunke with the bloud of Saints and in her is found all the bloud shed on the earth seeing it is the Beast that maketh warre with the Saintes and ouercommeth them and therupon whereas he was first like a Pard in course of time when the dragon is loosed becommeth of his colour Seeing also that out of the mouth of the dragon Beast and false Prophet came these frogs instruments of this seduction and seeing they are described to be false Prophets working miracles and authorised thereto by the Beast and false Prophet thus euidently designed to bee the Popish Clergy and by experience chiefly the Iesuites Lastly seeing here by Gog and Magog clearely are designed all the instruments of the dragon his last fury from the foure quarters of the earth the Turkes particularly cannot bee meaned Like as herein is an euident Argument why here Gog and Magog are not properly to bee vnderstood as in Ezechiel who bringeth them specially from the North. It is true that at this point of time when the dragon is loused the Turke his greatnesse beganne without resistance to vndoe all God his iustice in them lousing the foure Angels from Euphrates But these Angels so loused for punishment of false Christians their idolatry witchcraft murther c. more then direct enemies of the true Church are not to bee esteemed one with the dragon here loused Who as at his first misgiuing against the woman and her first seed hee stirred vp the Beast of his authority to deceiue first like Balaam and a fraudulent Pard so here againe being loused for maintaining the credite of his Vicar whom the semblance of the Lambe his hornes false miracles occupying of the holy City Court of the Temple and his fitting as God in the
opposed to things aboue earthly or vnstable things to things heauenly and permanent so in this place as also in the first Trumpet it must bee taken as the order of arising degrees in comparison requireth for the first and lightest degree of iudgement as the earth is the lowest and lourdest of elements as the earth is taken in the first verse all the Vials are powred on the earth because all are on the earthly Antichristian Kingdome in this other sense of the earth the first particularly is powred thereon The effect thereof is that the filthinesse loose life hypocrisie auarice pride symony and other vices of the Clergy and Church of Antichrist breake out to the view of the world long blinded as filthy boiles The allusion is to the sixth plague of Egypt where-thorow the Enchanters were no more able to stand before Moses This was the first degree of the fall of Rome when God to make them detestable discouered their sores so as these enchanting bewitchers were confounded and could no longer abide the light The accommodation of Story is most cleare where by numbers their auarice pride and hypocrisie is highly exclamed against Few daring yet challenge their doctrine and worshippe yet their persons thus falling first in contempt it made way to the next Cup. Now as in the first Trumpet contention and selfe loue ioyned with cruelty like fire and haile mixed with bloud cast on the earth made the first great degree to Antichrist his rising by burning vp all true loue life and holy zeale of religion so the first open degree of his fall is by the cup of wrath powred on the earth euen the discouery of their hypocrisie and filthinesse whereby they were seen to bee void of all true Religion 4 The second Viall maketh a higher degree in that not onely the persons who worshipped the Beast and receiued his Gharacter are for their silthinesse odious but now euen their common doctrine and ordinary worshippe becommeth vile and corrupted as bloody worsum deadly to all that drinke thereof and abhorred of men who in the cleare glassie Sea before the throne perceine the stinking rottennesse of this Asphaltites How after the contempt of the persons for their abhominable filthinesse next all their worshippe and doctrine of pardons reliques indulgences holy water crossings soul-Masses pilgrimages processions inuocation of Saintes baptizing of bels magicall coniurations forged miracles foolish Legends of lies and the rest of that sea of rotten bloud beganne to stinke in the noses of men is more then euident their whole worshippe and common schoole Diuinity now standing as the Sea of Sodom Compare this Viall for kind and degree to the second Trumpet 5 By the third Viall their riuers and fountaines of waters are turned into bloud When by Moses the floud and al stanks ponds of Egypt were turned into bloud for thereto in this and the former Viall the spirit alludeth the Egyptians digged to themselues wels to drink of When in the dayes of Ahab through parching drought all other waters failed hee and Obadiah seeke to the riuers and fountaines So the common Sea of Popish worshippe and doctrine becommeth vile the last refuge for preseruing the liues of their Beasts is their riuers and fountaines whereby their Sea is inriched and which by kind should bee more cleare and sweet But these are also made bloud that in two respects Their riuers fountains are their great and learned Doctors and grounds whence these as riuers carry waters as frō springs to sweeten if it were possible that rotten sea But howsoeuer in some outward degree they apeare to haue some more freshnesse yet they are but bloud and to drinke of them it is deadly They labour much to excuse and maske the grosse rottennesse of their sea and to sweeten it with eloquence aide of Arts and Philosophy and yet all is bloud They busie themselues to bring warrands from the Fathers but almost all from that third part of that ancient sea which in the second Trumpet was made bloud and from these fountaines riuers which in the third Trumpet were for the third part made bitter and mortall And what cleare sweet water might both from Scripture Fathers be brought for cure of their Sea they by false glosses wrested interpretations cuttings and caruings turne all into bloud The second respect in which their riuers and fountaines are said to become bloud that wee should not misse to take vp the Angell executer praiseth God his iustice therein and another from the Altar a sure testimonie from Christ himselfe confirmeth his saying And this double testimony both of the executers and ministers of the Altar true Pastors encouraging to execution so warranteth the equity of this point that men need not bee remisse or stayed with any faint doubts from executing this iust worke And certainely the Spirit in this double proclamation of God his iustice herein seemeth in diuine wisdome to haue foreseene and foreshewed the faintnes of men in this so approued an errand The point is because their riuers and fountaines euen their head-Clergie men entertainers nourishers and vpholders of all that stinking sea haue beene bloody murtherers of the Saints and Prophets and occasioners of all bloud-shed in the earth the Whore Chapter 17. being drunke with the bloud of Saints and all the bloud of the earth being found in her Chapter 18. Therefore the Lord in his iustice now giueth them bloud to drinke euen measure for measure And the Cuppe that shee filled to vs shee now tasteth in her course Wherein is performed what for consolation was spoken Chapter 13. If any kill with a sword he must be killedby a sword The performance of this wee haue in some measure seene and dayly see in such Countries wherein the Lord hath raised the light of his Gospell while their continuall conspiracies and tteasons against the states and liues of Princes compell men otherwise but preposterouflie pittifull and for all this double denounced warrant of the equity of the worke but too slow to giue them the due recompence of their bloudy practises But the effect hereof will bee still more and more perceiued For there will be no end of their tragicall attempts till that bloudy state be destroyed for euer These are the Martyrs the Church of Rome can glorie of Here a diuiue artifice of the spirit is not vnworthy the marking that as in expressing the first suffetings of the church by the dragon Chapter 12. who giueth his power throne authority to the Beast allusion was to the condition of the olde Church in Egypt so here in the first degrees of finall wrath allusion is to the plagues there Like as in the Chapter 15. vpon preception of the last degree the song of Moses was sung at the glassie sea 6 The fourth Viall is on the sunne whereby the beast his marked ones are plagued the cleare light of the Gospell shewing Christ the sun of
cure his wound or reuiue any image of that state againe as he did the wound of the sixth head So then taken absolutely this Beast is Antichrist that is the Pontificality raigning ouer Rome or the Kingdom of Rome vnder the eighth head the Pontificality When the Beast and false Prophet are distinguished it is but for explication to shew the state or Kingdome and who is head of it And thus I shew that Chapter 13. were the first and second Beast to bee vnderstood as by this place is euident where the first Beast is onely mentioned and peculiarly called the eighth head who is also one of the seuen and not the seuenth as most part make him for so the spirit had more easily called him the eighth and seuenth then one of the seuen but that hereby hee would lead vs to know which of the seuen hee is said in a sort to be How farre Theodoricus and his wise daughter after him laboured that Rome might both recouer and hold her ancient glory and magnificence albeit hee seldome made refidence there the Stories giue cleare Testimony From the fall of the Gothike Kingdome the growth pompe and estimation of that City hath onely been by the Pontificality bearing it vp and by semblance of the Lambe his hornes procuring to it worshippe of Nations For otherwaies saith Steuchus it had remained foedissima boum porcorumque habitatio So as since that time to make any other the head or King of Rome whereby shee had growth or honour it is ridiculous and against all euidence of story The Grecian Emperours except an idle title neither made any abode in that City neither euer durst openly attempt any further power therin then it pleased the Popes to allow them And such of them as at times did exercise any therein it was not onely by surprise vnder false semblance presence of peace but their dealing also with it was in plaine hostility as strangers So as in effect they were rather spoilers and rifelers then bearers vp of her The French and Germane Emperours aduanced her but as hornes of the Beast who beareth her vppe Who that hee might the better push with them at his pleasure hath ridiculously fed them with idle titles as hee doth his other hornes whom he crowneth and decrowneth as he listeth But hee himselfe is this Beast bearing vp this harlot 12 Thus are his heads The hornes haue many distinct and cleere notes to shew the Beast who and of what time he is Of their number see vpon Chapter 13. Section 8. First then these hornes are crowned Kings that inferiour Rulers as Liuetenants or Presidents of Prouinces bee not heere imagined According to the condition of this Beast vnder the former heads who themselues only were crowned and not their hornes Secondly their time of being is noted that they were not as yet risen but were to come Thirdly they are not so many persons in succession of one Kingdome but so many Kingdomes which all at one time should raigne euen with the Beast vnder the eight head The Beast Daniel 7. with tenne hornes hath no mention of heads For that there the hornes haue the consideration of the heads of that Kingdome wherein successiuely should raigne so many Kings Heere which some Interpreters should haue better obserued this Beast hath both so many heads and besides tenne hornes by allâ—sion to that because heere the hornes are not to bee considered as heads of the state signified by this Beast or soueraigne Kings ruling it Which if the spirit had minded he had not attributed thereto heads also more then to that in Daniel But the soueraigne policies being expressed by heades the hornes are put to expresse the strength of this Kingdome in so many props of her power and that so cleerely is vttered by the Angell as it is wonder what should make men to misse of his meaning while he telleth plainely that they are Kings Which shall receiue a Kingdome at one houre with the Beast Which cannot consist with the making them Kings of that same state which by the Beast is signified so confounding heads and hornes which the holy Ghost hath distinguished so clearely Fourthly their subiection to the Beast should bee voluntary and with vniforme and free consent not inforced by Armes as was the seruitude of Nations to the Empire but by the bewitching power of the cup of fornication and these deceiueable signes and wonders Chapter 13. This is the vnity of the Church of Rome This note also euinceth cleerely that these hornes are kingdomes voluntary subiecting themselues to the pontificality and Roman Kingdome vnder him and not so many successiue Kings of any much lesse of that kingdome to which they gaue their Kingdomes Fiftly they with the Beast should fight against the Lambe But to their owne confusion for two reasons One in the Captaine who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords The other in his Army who are called chosen and faithfull Not that he needeth any army orforces to ouercome these hornes but it is to shew that their fighting against the Lambe should bee in his members Who yet should ouercome in the strength of their King by whom they are effectually called so as their calling confirmeth to them their election and that by true faith wrought in them which is the victory wherewith they ouercome the world resting on their Lord and being faithfull to him euen to the death and this is not repugnant to that which was said Chapter 13 7. For that ouercomming of Saints was not absolute either in degree or time but onely the slaying of their bodies and bearing downe of truth for a space Chap. 11. 14. 12. Which with them notwithstanding reuiued againe not onely to the terrour of their aduersaries but also to their ouerthrow 13 Thus is the Beast bearer vp of the woman Euen the same whereof Chapter 13. but that processe of time in the progresse of iniquity giueth him now two notes somewhat different from that The one is scarlet colour for increase of cruelty wherein by this time hee hath come to such height as for that he hath now the Dragon his owne colour Who before this a space was let loose the thousand yeeres of his restraint being expired so as for bloody rage now this suffragant of his throne â—arst like a Pard is all of a bloody colour and the Whoore is drunke with the blood of Saints The other note is that where first he had but his head busked with the name of blasphemy he is now for growth of impiety and of sacrilegions vsurpation of diuine honour full of names of blasphemy The head which at first was busked therewith both waxing therein and defyling also all the body So as now it is high time to come out of her The Beast was first like a Pard a cruell yet a fraudulent beast and lesse horrible to behold But afterward more violent and raging The Whoore borne vp by this beast
what kind of Merchants are here meaned the holy Ghost in a diuine Artifice closeth all with the Soules of men And that none thinke according to the frame of Hebrew speech the like words put in the cited place of Ezechiel that hereby bondslaues should bee meaned wee haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put before to expresse that and then the construction is altered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so giuing cleare note that such Merchants are here to bee vnderstoode as Peter speaketh of 2. Epist 2. and Panl 2. Cor. 2. 17. Successors of Simon Magus 12 The Seamen mourne for that by her fall their trade and life also faileth And first their astonishment with the reason thereof and next their desperate sorrow are distinctly set downe When Merchants haue no sale or change then of necessity shippes lie at a full sea for none fraught them more the life of Mariners dependeth on the trade of Merchants By these then are meaned the rablement of inferior orders of the Clergy which albeit not in a like degree with the Merchants yet liued all on this trade were nourished with the magnificence of the Whore And the holy Ghost to shew their swarming multitudes as Locusts of diuers kindes putteth a heape of words in a heauenly wisdome Ship-masters Occupiers in Shippes Mariners all Seamen This Allegorie cleareth what Chapter 8. is meaned by the sea things liuing therein and shippes They had indeed a large Sea and haue occupied both busily and with great gaine in it but now all must fall In all this this is seene how miserable and vnhappy is the condition of such as build their maintenance and moyen of life on such trade or course of liuing as agreeth not with godlinesse For there particular either pleasure or commodity maketh them enemies to God and their owne saluation Kings seeke to her for their pleasures Prelates for that by her they are rich honourable and made great in the earth Inferiour orders for that in her standing and magnificence is their life Thus the loue of the wages of vnrighteousnesse blindeth men in God his iustice to preferre lies to truth and to remain indured enemies against God and their owne saluation The Iewes crucified the Lord of glory for feare lest all belieuing in him the Romans should come and take their place Demetrius the Siluer-Smith for his particular gaine by vngodly Trade resisted the Gospell and put all Ephesus on an vproare Blessed is the man which liueth on godly meanes and loueth not the wages of iniquity 13 The third point whereto the second heauenly voice exhorteth the Saints is to reioyce for her fall specially Pastors and Teachers who as they felt most of her malice so God giueth them the greater measure of consolation This is the time denounced Chapter 11. When the Lord rewardeth his Seruants the Prophets c. Now they are destroyed who destroyed the earth Now the Dead are iudged and the bloud of Saints shedde first and last Chapter 6. 11. 16. is auenged on them that dwell on the earth by finall and full vengeance all being now perfected who should bee killed for Christ And by this reason they are stirred to ioy as accordingly in their song Chapter 19. they acknowledge Not that God pousseth his Children to any corrupt affection but with pure hearts to reioice for their owne deliuerance and God his honour in the ouerthrow of his and their foes as Dauid The righteous shall reioyce when hee seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the bloud of the wicked and men shall say verily there is fruit for the righteous doubtles there is a God that raigneth in the earth Thus the mourning of Saints is turned into ioy which neuer shall bee taken from them and the reioysing of the wicked porisheth and they mourne for euer 14 The last heauenly voyce for clearing and confirmation of an irreparable destruction hath a signe conioyned from the 5. of Ieremy whence and from his 50. much of all this speech is brought The signe is a great Milstone cast in the Sea the meaning wherof is shewed first in generall termes that so Babell shall be throwne away and neuer be found any more Next more at large in singular pointes declared concluding lastly in the reason and so the equity of her so great and irreparable ruine In the Signe almost each word hath a gradation in that an Angell a strong Angell taketh a stone and a great stone euen a Milstone which hee letteth not bairely fall but casteth and with impetuous force thrusteth in the bottome of the Sea whence nothing ordinarily is recouered much lesse a Milstone thrust from such a hand and with such force So the Lord casteth the sinnes of his Children in the bottome of the sea to bee buried for euer with Babel Thus is shewed the irreparable ruine of Rome And the same is amplified by pleasant speeches from Ieremie 25. to shew an eternall desolation as of her in whom neuer againe shall bee any thing for stirring vppe pleasure or shewing triumph no not any thing seruing for commodity of life as craftsmen no not for necessity of life as prouiding of necessary sustenance Nothing but desolate darkenesse with perpetuall and fearefull silence for as light is sowne to the righteous in darkenesse so the Candle of the wicked shall bee put out Finally no meane of propagation without which no state can endure 15 The reason of all is her bewitching of the whole earth with idolatrie for her owne pride and luxurie wherin she exalted her selfe and made all her Marchants rich and herewithall horrible cruelty being not only a Whore but a bloudy Whore as not onely the murtherer of Saints but the occasioner of all bloudshed in the earth So not onely in her selfe extreamely sinfull but as Ieroboam made Israel to sinne bringing sin on the world and making it sinnefull The bloud of Saints is euidently found in her and this if no more maketh her guilty of all the bloud in the earth in that almost all God his wrath is for the Sanctuary But besides this what bloudy warre hath been since the Beast his stealing vp out of the Earth whereof shee hath not beene the vpstirrer or which her sinne hath not brought vpon the world whose bewitching vanity and poisonable sting tormenting superstitious mindes for neere the space of two hundreth yeeres made the force and floure of the world to fall by Millions in the foolish Conquest of Ierusalem whose sinne loosed these foure Angels from Euphrates after they had beene a space in God his patience bound vppe at length by Turkish fury and poisonable Mahometane errour to make vtterly desolate the third part of the VVorld VVhat warre hath been in Europe which she hath not either raised or fostered and whose emissaries as Frogges by seditious and treasonable practises and suggestions presently disturbe the peace of the Earth therefore iust and righteous are thy iudgements O
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
was the ordinary stint of a bondslaue his daies allowance out of which at most foure bread could bee baked 6 To the perception of the fourth type vpon opening the fourth seale the fourth beast warneth like a flying Eagle to shew that albeit God now vpon continuance in rebellion and contempt of his former iudgements bringeth on heauier yet the induration of mens hearts should bee such as none should bee able to perceiue God his working but such as rising aboue the earth with sharpe sight looked on his dealing The type is a pale horse a deadlie colour and well fitting such a Rider as death and who is accordingly accompanied euen with the graue to expresse great mortality whereto the commission is large ouer the fourth part of the earth the executors many in respect that the iudgement chiefly here meaned pestilence which commonly followeth vpon famin as famin vpon war commeth seldom out single but accompanied with the former both sword and famine and moreouer with noysome beasts God his foure great plagues to shew here a heape of all iudgements iointly on the world for their induration 7 That to the perception of the two types following none of the foure beasts giueth warning it is because the fift type it selfe speaketh and the sixt bringeth so sensible a iudgement for greatnesse and strangenesse as all how endured soeuer are compelled in it to see acknowledge the day of the Lambe his wrath so in it Christ his dealing speaketh for it selfe and these who made the soules of Martyrs cry in the fift type in the sixt againe by iust recompence are made to cry in their course and that iustly to the confusion of such as would rather heare the beasts crying at God his first and gentler strokes than regard the pittifull cry of the slaine soules The fift type then vpon opening of the fift Seale are the soules of Martyrs lying vnder the Altar crying receiuing answere and White robes The speech opening the scope of the type is the tenor of their cry and answere made thereto Then to come by the right sense of this type wee must weigh the soules their demand and answere made vnto them In the demand consider first who cry secondly the place attributed to them and thirdly their demand or petition The Cryers are the soules of these who were slaine for the word of God as to which they gaue testimony held that testimony for it is the cause that maketh the Martyr and hee that perseuereth shall bee saued Their place is that they lie vnder the Altar by frame of speech from the Legal worship wherein no sacrifice was lawfull or accepted but at the Altar at the foot whereof round about which and vpon which the bloud and offering in diuers respects were powred sprinckled and offered For it is the Altar that sanctifieth the offering From thence hither a typicall speech is borrowed to shew that all our obedience and sacrifices of praise yea the offering of our liues and bloud for the honour of God and testimony of his truth is onely accepted in Christ who is our Altar and sanctifyer of all our oblations For properly neither soules lye nor cry nor haue robes so as the Romans grosenesse who hereupon build their superstitious laying of Saints Reliques vnder Altars is not onely ridiculous in that vpon things typically spoken they build Arguments of existence in propriety but also impious and idolatrous In their demand is first their affection or disposition in that they cry and with a loud voice and next the substance of their demand How long Lord c. This their demand is strengthned with an Argument from the Nature of God who is holy and true whereto it seemed very agreeable that speedy vengeance should bee taken vpon men of the earth for shedding their bloud so cruellie and aboundantly Now this cry is not here attributed to the soules for any such affection in them who are farre from that as resting from their labours free of all perturbation but by this frame of speech to shew that notwithstanding all God his preceeding iudgements against the world for cruelty against his Saints yet now it had come to such a height therein as it might well seeme that no longer it could stand with God his iustice to delay the finall ouerthrow of that bloody state by which the Martyrs suffered whose bloud now seemed to cry for no lesse and to cry loude as crying is attributed to the bloud of Abell as the cry of Sodome is said to haue come vp before God and as the earth is said to cry out of violence 8 Thus was their demand The answere hath in it a two-fold consolation against the reiourning of the sought vengeance First by word and next by signe The first hath two arguments of comfort one that the delayed punishment of their persecutors should bee but a space For the hope of the righteous shall not perish for euer And the iudgement of the wicked sleepeth not The second is the reason of the delay the perfecting of the number of their Brethren in the same honour of suffering whereby as the guiltinesse so the iudgement of the enemies behooued to grow Thus a great benefite it is to die for Christ and foolish is the world in troubling the Church but hastening on so their owne destruction from which it hath no respite but till the Saints bee fulfilled as had Sodome till Lot was in surety The other consolation by signe sheweth a present benefite giuen to the Church the more patiently to attend the reuenge of their bloud on the world The signe is long white robes which in Scripture haue a triple consideration First they are the note of our State towards God in which consideration Christ and his righteousnesse put on by faith is our white garment The second is our condition towards men where our inherent righteousnesse through Christ dwelling in vs and making vs to shine as lights in the middest of a froward generation to the conuiction of gain-sayers is our White robe God bringing forth our righteousnesse as the light and our innocency as the noone day The third respect is to our selues in which our garment of glory in heauen is vnderstood Of these three in this place The second is meaned as a most necessary consolation to the Saints of that time who were not onely murthered in heapes but also traduced with horrible calumnies to eclipse the glory of their sufferings whose innocency God now would bring to light euen in the consciences and confession of those who had persecuted them to the great glory of their sufferings and high account of Christianity which had beene so farre abhorred In summe the euent signified by this fifth type is that notwithstanding the former iudgements of sword famine and pestilence seuerally iointly executed against the world for resisting the victory of the white horse and his Rider whereby they ought beene terrified yet the furie of the
Of these beginnings ariseth the mischiefe wherein are two things the abhominable Army of darkenesse poisoning all and the head of so damnable a band the Army is described first summarily by their quality and their annoying power verse 3. Hereafter more at large this their annoying power is exponed and their properties whereby they are inabled to the harmeful execution thereof are declared In all which is a most liuely representation and most conuenient type of the Romane Clergy who are euidently this army of darkenesse whose monstrous swarmes nothing but hellish ignorance brought in the Church as earthlinesse of great Pastours brought the ignorance Their qualitie first is shewed in that they are Locusts both for their swarming multitudes and for their destroying and eating vp al green thing in earth as who not onely deuoure the best of things belonging to this life but also destroy all spirituall life in men For their grouth and successe in both see the Story and be amazed 4 Their annoying power is summarily set foorth in that they sting as Scorpions A venemous and bitter kind of Serpent walking waiwardly and stinging when it would appeare least to doe so This their power in the larger exposition thereof hath this generall note that it is limited and not absolute The first point of their limitation is of such as they are permitted to harme The next is in what degree they might doe it As for the first they are restrained wholly from hurting the sealed ones of whom Chapter 7. Which restraint is heere pertinentlie recorded both to shew that this euill is the height of that mischiefe portended in the 7. Chapter Against which the elect were sealed and also to shew heere the truth of their preseruation and so how it was that Christ in this totall eclipse of light by Antichrist his darkenesse yet preserued a Church Wherein yet be not so grosse as to thinke that one number still of the same persons continued all that time But it is to shew God his continuall course in helping his owne all the time of this mischeife on the world Obserue heere also that by grasse and trees men are meaned as I shewed Chapter 7. And as fitliest thus expressed in the euill of locusts Now of these in the first trumpet onely the third part was burnt heere all feele this plague except the sealed ones The second point in their limitation is the degree of hurting Wherein are two causions First the quality of the harme permitted them to practise and next the time limited to their working The quality of their harme is cleared by a diuers kind from which they are restrained For it is permitted them to torment men but not to slay This their tormenting againe is cleared by a comparison that it is such as ariseth vpon the sting of a Scorpion that is so painefull as death is more tollerable as the effect thereof well sheweth Now consider well that this torment and plague is on the inhabitants of the earth and heere to be taken vp as God his iudgement on the world whereof the true Church is free And so this army hath not power to slay as neither that way plague they the men of the world as doe the ministers of the sixth trumpet who both sting with poisoning tailes and slay with heads as hauing power in both But these haue their power in their tailes onely to torment with poisonable sting and not to murther openly For other waies as they are considered in their dealing against the Saints which is not in this place their blood is found with them yea and all the blood shed on the earth albeit not for direct professed power and practise of the sword but as on the Iewes came all the blood from that of Abel the righteous to the blood of Zachary who yet professed that it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death This is heere put for an euident note of Antichrist his dealing of purpose to discerne this euill from that of the sixth ttumpet and that so eleerely as it is wonder how men of learning and iudgement could confound things so notably distinguished and which can receiue no other accommodation Now that this their tormenting of men is lesse tollerable then death We know that no vexation is comparable to that of a conscience wherein is put the sense of God his terror and eternall wrath if therewith the true remedy be not applied For as Skin for skin and all that a man hath he will giue for his life so life and all a man wil giue for his soule and the peace thereof who once hath felt the terrour For a troubled spirit who can beare and a good conscience is a continuall feast But all the doctrine of the Church of Rome is such as putteth in this sting in the conscience whereby the torment is bred but neuer applieth the true remedy But such bastard cures as augment the anguish Heereof it is that superstition is most busie and restlesse For Hee multiplieth his owne sorrow which offereth to an other God Hence arose painefull pilgrimages deuoting to sacred wartes Kings bequeathing their Crownes husbands their wiues and children wiues their children Hence were so many erections and fond donations for soule Masses if so be after death they might finde that repose and comfort which they neuer felt in their life Heerefore is this vexation fitly compared to the stinging of a Scorpion most painefull of any How many strange policies and treacherous deuises as of walking spirits and forged miracles these Locusts haue practised and still doe to subdue to themselues the consciences of men and hold them in torment is more then manifest And by such as they haue stung deepely it is that ordinarily they acchiue all their desperate Treasons and murthers of Princes Acts forsooth of such merit as will obtaine heauen to a person otherwaies condemned And what is it that vpon this presumption the tormented spirit will not runne to what a strange practise is that amongst many moe of the Iesuits with their nouices in their chamber of meditations 5 Thus is the quality of their harme The time limited to them so to torment the world is Fiue monethes In which for ought I know the mind of the holy Ghost hath beene highly mistaken of all men For cleering then of an obscure matter In this whole booke are but seuen times recorded That of tenne daies Chapter 2. That of halfe an houre Chap. 8. This of fiue moneths heere Thatof a yeere moneth day and houre in the sixth Trumpet That of fourty two moneths Chapt. 11. and 13. with which that of 1260. daies Chapt. 11. and 12. And of a time times and halfe a time Chap. 12. are all one That of three daies and a halfe Chap. 11. 9. And that of a 1000. yeeres Chap. 20. Of these all sound interpreters for how maliciously the Romans to obscure cleere story doe expound
fully waken them from their deadnesse and pull perfitly the vaile from their hearts pouring on them the spirit of mercy and compassion and taking from them their stony hearts that they may see him whom they pearced And this is called peculiarly the voice from the Throne to note God his powerfull working of their illumination and full conuersion at this point whereto their hearts by the victory of the Christian Church and praise offered to God therefore were in some good degrees before prepared and mollified So as now all the seruants af God all that feare him both small and great shall raise vp a song to God for multitude maiesty and noise admirable for exceeding great power and motion of spirit full of thundering for newnesse of matter passing ioyfull For raising of this great Halleluiah a strange order of working as would appeare is heere set downe For where it might seeme that according to the ordinary dispensation of all grace the voice should from the Throne haue gone first to the Beasts and Elders and from them to the multitude in a heauenly wisdome the first motion is from the multitude next from Beasts and Elders and lastlie from the Throne to shew this great worke as I haue shewed at last by God his owne power fully effectuall The order is from I say A voice soundeth from the City a voice from the Temple the voice of the Lord who recompenseth his enemies Then Sion before she trauelled brought foorth her children and before her paine shee was deliuered of a man childe Then The earth was brought foorth in a day and a Nation was borne at once Conferre diligently and espie deepe wisdome This voice is to all Gods his seruant to all that feare him both small and great the time of whose reward is now come when God destroieth them who destroied the earth Chapter 11. Now Rachel barren while Lea bare children shall breake foorth in the thousands of Manasse and tenne thousands of Ephraim So by this voice from the Citie from the Temple and lastly from the Throne euen from him Who fully recompenseth his enemies is raised for multitude of singers for manner and matter of song an Helleluiah of a wonderfull note While not onely a great multitude euen all the sernants of God small and great Iew and Gentile doe sing it but also their song is like the voice of many Waters and as the noise of great thunders not as these Cha. 14. which none heard but the sealed ones but such as shall fill the world with astonishment and make the heauens resound So sweetely and mightily shall the Harpes of them whose receiuing shall bee life from the dead bee tuned vp with vs Gentiles to praiseour common Sauiour 5 Thus for cleering the mystery heere implied hauing shewed the forme in the singers vncouth manner order and course of this whole song Now let vs returne and first consider the matter of all and then the euent in Iohn 6 The matter of the song in the first three Halleluiah and two degrees of singers is all one In the last Halleluiah last singers when all small great sing it is larger The song of the first singers hath two parts and accordingly to shew the rising of their affection the word Halleluiah is doubled The first part hath the speciall points of praise and reasons thereof The speciall points are Saluation glory honour and power c. Thus in ioyfull song professing that the onely praise of their saluation the onely glory that is the estimation and high account they haue God in as onely author of all their good all the honour that is all dutifull worship which according to that estimation and account they owe are due to him onely Lastly they acknowledge his onely power and strength in all their deliuerance and ouerthrow of their foes This song is the same in argument with that Chap. 7. Saluation is of our God and of the Lambe The reasons of this their praise are first generally giuen and next specially accommodare to the present matter The generall is that his iudgements are true and iust in relation to his promises and nature and accordingly in the speciall case heere meaned the truth of his iudgements is cleere in that the Whoore is iudged and destroied as he promised not onely to destroy her but also all that doe euill to the Sanctuary The iustice and equity is manifest in her sinne who was a great Whoore and therewithal the corrupter of the whole earth being both her selfe extremely sinnfull and inducing others to sinne next extremely cruell as in whom all the blood of the earth was found and who specially was drunken with the blood of Saints Now God is a requirer of blood and singulary of his holy ones whose death is precious in his eies This both truth and iustice of God in this speciall act of the Whoores damnation is yet more cleered in the second part of their song whereto they are stirred by the consideration of her euerlasting fall so as they neuer feare her deceit or cruelty any more And this raiseth their affection to a new Halleluiab so vpon the more cleare sense of the greatnesse of the benefit doubling the praise The foolish knoweth it not and the vnwise man vnderstandeth not that the wicked flourisheth as the grasse but hee shall bee destroied for euer 7 The second order of singers affirme the same matter in the word Amen and sing the same praise in Halleluiah 8 In the third order as the singers are moe and the note higher so is the matter of their song somewhat larger as which hath not onely relation to the iudgement of the Whoore as the former parts of the song but also to the subsequent story both of the enemies ouerthrow and gracefull state of the Bride thereupon both which are heere summarily celebrate and largely after through the booke exponed The first in this that now the Lord raigneth for they are destroied who vsurped the Kingdome The other in that the Bride is prepared The destruction of the vsurpers is hencefoorth in this and the next Chapter the Bride prepared Chapters 21. and 22. Heereupon all are of other mutually exhorttd to ioy and gladnesse aswell as to the praising of God for that The Lambe his marriage is come c. Wherein as there is huge matter of Gods praise so of exceeding ioy to themselues in their owne good from him This marriage contracted of old was come in a great degree when the Bridegrome came into the world but they who were bidden refused to come and amongst those who were brought in to the wedding one wanted a wedding garment and thereupon is cast out into vtter darkenesse euen the lake of fire and Brimestone But now at this point heere celebrated the marriage shall come in a nobler degree when God by a voice from the Throne shall turne their hearts who refused now to come in that as their casting of