and witnesse of the Conscience Rom. 2 5. which shal suggest to every one the exact memory of his Actions whether good or bad the sentence pronounced shall be most just according to the same and Gods judgements shall bee righteous for the Holy Scriptures containe a most exact written rule of righteousnes unto which most righteously all are obliged and whosoever hath conformed himselfe unto the same shall most righteously be acquitted whosoever hath swarved from it Orat. in Plag gran shall most righteously in the day of Iudgemen bee condemned The Booke also of every mans conscience is of such exact righteousnes as it deceives no man doth injury to no man for the conscience saith NAZIANZENVS is a domesticke and true Tribunall And the Poet siath well Prima haec est ultio Iuven Sat 13. quodse Iudice nemo nocens absolvitur improba quamvis Gracia fallacis prae oris vicerit urnam This vengeance takes if judge it bee None that are guilty quitt doth hee Though that the Praetor through falle Grace Sometimes puts wicked men in place How much more therefore shall the conscience in the day of Iudgement bee a righteous rule to judge by The holy Scriptures are the rule of truth righteousnesse By the way observe If God will then judge according to the written word how much more doth he require that faith and our works be now done according to the said rule of Holy Writ According to their workes Good or evill This shall be the other infallible rule of righteousnesse for it is a righteous thing with God to render rewards to the righteous and tribulation to the wicked Every one therfore shall righteously receive either good or evill according to what he hath done It is observeable that here and every where in Scripture it is said Iudgement shall be according to workes we shall be judged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our workes no man therefore shall be saved for good workes notwithstanding the wicked shall be damned for their evill workes because there is a different reason between good and evill workes Evill workes are the wages of or merit death Eze. 184. Rom 1.28 Good works merit not life eternal for the Soule that sinneth shall dye And It is the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death Good workes merit not life because all are due to God the Creator and Redeemer But no debt comes under the notion of merit I passe by that the best workes of the Saints are imperfectly good polluted with many blemishes so that if God did judge them to his severity they would be found to be nothing but unrighteousnesses as the Church of old confesseth Isa 6.46 We are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Therefore we pray forgive us our trespasses Wherefore least Hypocrites should be bold to inferre if the wicked shall be condemned for evill workes therefore the Iust are saved for good workes The Holy Ghost would have it no where written that the judgement shal be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for workes which might signifie the meritorious cause but alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes which signifies the condition But why not according to Faith or infidelity Why the Iudgement shal not bee according to faith infidelitie because Faith and infidelity are hid to the eyes of men But workes whither good or evill flowing from the same shall be conspicuous and open unto all Therefore in that open judgement Christ the Iudge shall alledge the cleare rule of righteousnesse that it may appeare unto all that the wicked are justly condemned having done evill and the Godly righteously acquitted who have done good this is a great encouragement to good workes that we follow after them and touching evill workes that we should shun them because according to them we shall all be judged 13. And the Sea gave up her dead AVGVSTINE by the Sea doth not unproperly understand the world Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 15 which like to the tempestuous Sea is alwayes tossed with waves By the dead is meant wicked men dead in sinnes as is the greater part in the world or all men having mortall bodies Notwithstanding I thinke it is more proper to the sense to understand it of such as perished or were drowned in the Sea or Rivers or whose burnt bodies and ashes were cast into the same in times of persecution For humane reason judgeth it very absurd that the bodies of such as have been devoured by the fishes of the Sea or torne by wild Beasts and eaten by wormes on land should be restored John therefore saw what shall come to passe when all the Elements through the power of God shall render up the consumed Carkeises The Sea shall vomit up as it were out of a Sepulchre the dead she swallowed up The same Death and Hell shall doe that is the Earth which hath received in Sepulchres all the bodies of the dead as it were in her lap or bosome and opening her mouth hath swallowed downe some alive also By death here AVSTIN understandeth the dead bodies of the Godly which the Earth shall render up By hell the damned soules of the wicked which thence shall be brought forth to Iudgement Ribera extends it unto the bodies of such as Hell swallowed downe alive as Corah Dathan and Abiram The summe is by what kind of death soever they perished in this life whatever became of their soules after death all are seen by John as brought forth to Iudgement The Soules therefore of the Saints shall return from Heaven with Christ the Iudge the wicked shall be called forth out of Hell to Iudgement All mens bodies shal be raised up to life and being restored to their own soules shall stand before Christ to be judged 14. And death and hell In a few words hee toucheth the execution of the sentence pronounced against the ungodly The state of the Godly he more largely Treats of in the following Chapters First he sees hell and death to bee cast into the Lake of fire and soone after all that were not found written in the Booke of Life that is reprobates in which again is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inversion for first the wicked shal bee cast into torments Afterward the last enemies viz. death and hell by which names AVGVSTINE thinks here is signified the devill himselfe as being the Author of death and hellish punishments and the whole company of devils which very thing he had said before by an Anticipation And the devill was cast into the Lake c. So death should be put for the devill causing death 1. Cor. 15.54 1. Cor. 15.26 Hell for the devill drawing men to Hell As by a like metonymia it is said Death is swallowed up in victory And The last enemie that shall be destroyed is
take ought from the Scriptures but with the hazard of their Salvation If any man shall adde The contestation consists of two heads The first is that this Prophesie may not be adulterated by any Addition To adde What it is to adde to this Prophesie is not soberly and according to the Analogy of Faith to interpret the meaning of the Prophesie but to mixe other things besides what the Lord Iesus hath revealed by his Angell He addeth saith THOMAS which adjoyneth a lye for whatsoever is patched to the Scriptures of mens inventions that it might be accounted as divinely revealed is a lie Such are the Popes Traditions which seeing hee will make of like authority with the written word of God he addeth unto the Scriptures Therefore they are lies The other branch of the contestation is What it is to take away from this Prophesie that none may deprave this Prophesie by taking away from the words thereof He not onely takes away that derogates from the divine authority of the Booke which as Christ foresaw many would do but he also that any wayes changeth or maliciously perverteth or contradicteth any thing here written Of which offence such are not altogether free who obstinately deny that the manifest events of the Types touching the fall of the great Starre from Heaven into the Earth of the Beasts ascending out of the Sea and of the worshipping of his Image and Character of the Romane Babylon of the whore committing fornication with the kings of the earth the like are not yet manifestly fulfilled in the Papacy The summe of the contestation is that the integrity sincerity and sacred Authority of this Prophesie bee faithfully preserved in the Churches and that the contemners falsifiers and corrupters thereof be no way suffered under paine of Anathema or curse unto which as it followeth that man is liable that presumes to adde or take away ought therefrom for he saith Vnto him God shall adde the plagues This is the reason of the contestation the horrible curse of them that falsifie this Scripture by adding or detracting For if Falsifiers of Coine are liable unto the civill curse of the Law much more shall the Anathema of eternall damnation be inflicted upon the Corrupters of the Scriptures which are the word of God To them that adde thereto God will adde all the plagues of this Booke to wit the Seven last plagues and cast them into the Lake of fire and brimstone with the Dragon the Beast and the False-Prophet Chap. 19. 19. And if any man shall take away That the righteousnesse of Gods judgements may appeare he will punish the Corrupters of his word according to the quality of the offence To Impostors he will adde plagues To them that take away God will take away their part out of the Booke of life c. Their judgement shall bee much alike For as the former are threatned with plagues so the latter shall be deprived of all good His part Not what he hath but what he seemes to have He speaketh of the part or portion of eternall life which such shall have as are written in the Book of Life that blessednesse I say and Heavenly joy which the Inhabitants of the Holy Citie shall be partakers of And from the things which are written To wit which in the Epistles of this Prophesie especially Chap. 2. 3. are promised to them that overcome and from the things which in this Book are spoken touching the glorious state of the Saints in Heaven Chap. 7.9.20.21.22 Now they that shall be deprived of Heavenly blessings must of necessity lie under eternall plagues and punishment For betwixt these there is no medium This place is remarkeable against the Popish depravers of the Scriptures For two things are evidently proved First that the Holy Scripture is Authentique in it selfe and that it giveth testimony of its owne divine authority For what is truely said of this Prophesie is rightly by Expositers extended unto the whole Scripture Hence ANDREAS A fearfull curse saith he shall light on them who are not afraid to adulterate divine Scripture SECONDLY That the Holy Sriptures are so perfect in themselves as that the Romanists are to bee held for most damned falsifiers who deny that all Doctrines of Faith and Salvation are contained therein unlesse the traditions of Rome bee added Lib. 4. de ver 80. dei c. 10. Against this Bellarmine objecteth that only the integrity of this Book is established but not the perfection of the whole Scripture ANSWER Yea both this Booke and all the rest of Holy Scripture This appears because this Booke is the last and last written Therefore this threatning annexed is as the Seale of the whole Cannon or of all Bookes of divine Scripture For as God put too this Seal to the Bookes of Moses being the first Cononicall Bookes Deut. 4.2 12.32 Ye shall not adde unto the word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it So to this last Booke he puts the same Seale that nothing might be added made equall or taken away from this or any other part of Canonicall Scripture Bellarmine objecteth to the contrary that it is not said which I have written but which I have commanded But frivolously for Exod. 24.12 God saith expresly Which I have written that thou mayest teach them And Hose 8.12 I have written to him the great things of this Law Adde to this the former reason that all Interpreters do acknowledge this Anathema to be pronounced generally against all falsisiers of Scripture Why the oracles of the Revelation are most taken out of the old Canon and that most justly For the evident argument hereof is that the greatest part of this Prophesie is as it were taken word for word out of the Old Canon so as the Holy Ghost seemes purposely in every of the Visions to allude unto certaine Prophesies of the Old and New Testament Now the reason hereof without Question was First indeed really to demonstrate that there was nothing wanting in the Old Testament unto perfection Secondly that by this apparent imitation hee might shew that in the writings of the Old Testament is contained the state and condition of the Church of the New Testament Lastly he sheweth that the Revelation is as it were a recapitulation of both the Testaments and containeth the summe and agreement of all the Holy Scriptures By the which againe it is plaine that this present contestation or protestation belongeth unto the whole Body of Sacred Writ 20. He which testifieth these things saith Ribera will have these words to bee Johns because of the like sayings in his Gospell Iohn 21.24 But the words following shew that they are spoken by the Lord Iesus for he addeth Behold I come quickly Notwithstanding there is no great matter in it Hee calleth himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Testifier because he testified that is revealed this Revelation unto John by his Angell Hence
4. 3. From the efficacie and authority of their office v. 5. 6. II. Their warre with the beast where 1. we have the description of the beast his hostile invasion and victorie ver 7. 2. The martyrdome of the prophets and place of reproach v. 7. 8. 9. 3. The joyes of the wicked for the slaughter of the prophets with the cause of this their great rejoycing vers 10. III. The avengement of the prophets where 1. we have their restoring to life vers 11. 2. The astonishment feare of the wicked ibid. 3. Their glorious ascending up into heaven v. 12. 4. The shaking and ruin of Antichrists kingdome IV. An acclamatory conclusion of the end of the Churches calamities of judgement at hand v. 14. The latter part the seventh trumpet sounding declares the change of the Churches warfare in three particulars 1. An heavenly triumph because the kingdomes of the world were become Gods and Christs ver 15. 2. A triumphant song of the first companie viz. of the four and twenty Elders whose reverend cariage gratulatorie hymne is recited in which 1. they give thankes to Christ for freeing his Church and kingdom from the tyrannie of the adversaries v. 17. 2. They declare the vain fretting wrath of the wicked hereat v. 18. 3. They proclaime the resurrection of the dead with the last judgement ibid. 4. They denounce rewards unto the godly and punishment unto the wicked ibid. The excecution of judgement on the godly ungodly To the godly heaven is opened that they might see Iesus Christ the Ark upon the wicked are sent lightnings thunders eternal haile The first part of the Chapter Of the reformation of the Church by the two witnesses under the Westerne Antichrist 1. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod and the Angel stood saying Rife and measure the Temple of God the Altar them that worship therein 2. But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles the holy City shall they tread under foot fourtie and two moneths 3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes clothed in sakcloth 4. These are the two Olive trees and the two candlestickes standing before the God of the earth 5. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies if any man will hurt them he must in this manner be killed 6. These have power to shut heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecie and have power over waters to turne them to blood and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shal make warre against them shall overcome them and kill them 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified 9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues nations shall see their dead bodies three dayes and an halfe shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth 11. And after three dayes and an halfe the Spirit of life from God entred into them they stood upon their feete great feare fell upon them which saw them THE COMMENTARIE ANd there was given mee a reed This is a generall prophesie touching the restoring of the Church beeing declyned under Antichrist Before Iohn was commanded againe to prophesie But now to measure the temple of God with a measuring reed that is to prophesie of the measuring of the temple of God which should be afterwards in the times of Antichrist The measuring of the temple is the reformation of the Church The measuring of the temple signifies the building repairing thereof as appeares if this prophesie bee compared with that in Ezech. 40.41 c. unto which this place doth allude The Temple of God signifies the Church as almost all interpreters both ancient moderne understand it and indeed the words here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temple of God are so taken 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Cor. 6.16 2 Thess 2.4 They who apply this to the temple of Jerusalem are refuted by the time it self for when these things were spoken unto John that temple with the city beeing utterly destroyed was never any more to be restored Lyra Lyras frivolous interpretation doting as his manner is applies it to the festivitie of the dedication of temples instituted by Pope Felix about the yeere 525. at which time the Bishop holding in his hand a sprinckling reed goes about the outward walles of the temple as if he were to measure the same and within on the floore from one corner thereof unto another he thwartwise writes downe the letters of the Greek alphabet and so measures the space within The words therefore Rise and measure he will have to be meant of Pope Felix speaking to every Bishop about the dedication of temples the court leave out or cast forth because masse may not be celebrated except the place be consecrated But I passe by these fopperies For Ribera and Alcasar themselves acknowledge that the Temple here signifies the Church of God Now let us see what instrument hee is to use what to doe with it wherefore and when First hee shewes the instrument A reed like unto a rod was given mee to wit by the Angel who before commanded him to eat up the booke and againe prophesie that is by Christ Ribera wel observeth that it was not a writing pen but a measuring reed because it is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like to a rod that is a great measuring staffe with which Architects use to mete plats of ground and buildings a measure of six cubites and a handbreth Ezech. 40.5 The Rod wherewith the Church is measured What is meant by the measuring rod of the Church is nothing else but the word of God the most perfect rule of faith and Church discipline Rupertus acknowledgeth it to be the authoritie of the Evangelical scripture So that this reed is indeed the same little booke which Christ gave unto John to eat it up the which is here againe delivered to him under the type of a reed or rule in regard of the measuring worke here enjoyned Thus also my Anonymus above 260 yeeres agoe The rod saith he is the sense of the scripture because as a rod of diverse colours it chastiseth sinners Rise and measure the Temple of God First he must measure the Temple Altar Worshippers therein Secondly leave or cast forth the inward court The reading of both is somewhat
different yet the sense is al one After 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rod some bookes read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying rise as if the reed it self had said it The old version seems to read after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he renders it And it was said to mee to wit by the Angel We here and so our translation follow the reading of Montanus who after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Angel stood or stood by saying c. He is commanded therefore to measure the temple c. beeing a plaine allusion as before I shewed unto the prophesie of Ezech. Chap. 40. where the Angel is commanded to measure the new temple with a reed The prophesie of Ezech. touching the measuring of the temple is spirituall in which vision God promised the restauration of the temple destroyed by the Babylonians not indeed materially but spiritually under the Gospel For the outward temple built by Zerubbabel after their returne doth not at all answer to the dimensions of that vision neither shall any one be like unto it and therefore that measuring was a prophesie of the future reformation of the spirituall temple by Christ By the like metaphor the restoring of Ierusalem is promised in Zach. 1.16 My house shall be built in it saith the Lord of hostes a line shall be stretched forth upon Ierusalem So here by the like reason in that Iohn is bid to measure the temple is signified that the same should be so wasted rent and overthrowen as that of necessitie it must be measured that is reformed built againe This worke Iohn is commanded to set himself upon that is by this type to foretell what should come to passe viz. that after Antichrist had taken possession wasted oppressed the temple of God then Christ by giving the measuring reed unto his two witnesses would againe measure repaire wholy renew the same Thus we se that this commandment of measuring the Temple is a propheticall promise of the reformation of the Church wasted and ruinated by the Westerne Antichrist Hence the Papists fiction is refuted that the visible Church can never degenerate The visible Church could erre seeing it had need of measuring erre fal from her integrity But the thing it self shewes the vanity hereof The old Temple according to Ribera was a type of the Church Now we know that might be was laid wast destroyed yea the old Church it self very often degenerated The new Church also shal be possessed troden under foot by Antichrist so need a new measuring or reparation Wherefore it cannot be denied but that the Church may be destroyed degenerate from the faith of Christ unto Antichrist Furthermore it is manifest that the Church dissipated by Antichrist neither can be nor shal be measured by any other instrument then by the reed of the word contained in the holy Scriptures as being indeed the onely true infallible rule Psal 45 7. according to that of the Psalmist The scepter or rod of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnes Let us therfore wholy cast of all other adulterate false rules as humane traditions decrees of councils Popes unto which the foolish builders giving way have destroyed the Temple of God from whose corruptions it shal be restored as from death to life by the reed of Gods word Measure the Altar also For the understanding of this we must have recourse to the structure of the old Temple for the spirit of God is pleased in this prophesie to shadow out the state and worship of the new Church by the type and service of the Old not as if such types were to remaine under the Gospell but because the things signified by them are fitlie applied unto the new Church We have the description of the tabernacle in the latter part of Exodus of Solomons temple in some Chapters of 1 King from Chap. 4. unto 8. The Apostle also Hebr. 9. rehearseth the parts of the tabernacle To be short we have a worthy portraiture of the Temple in Ezech. Chap. 40.41.42 divided into foure parts I. There was an outmost court in which the people were conversant II. A more inward or middle court for the keeping of the Leviticall instruments making ready of the sacrifices III. The most inward or court of the Priests in which was the great brazen Altar for burnt-offerings IV. The Temple it self in the entrie wherof stood the golden Altar of perfumes with the golden candlestick table within behinde the vaile was the sanctuary in which was the Ark of the covenant This Temple was a type of the Church we have shewed wherfore he was commanded to measure the same He must also measure the Altar to wit the golden Altar from the foure corners whereof hee heard a voyce Cha. 9.13 This was a type of Christ But how Is he commanded to measure Christ yea verely For Christ under a pretence of his name was thrust out of his possession by Antichrist who suppressed the faith turned Christian libertie into miserable servitude The Altar therefore of Christ shal be measured when as the faith of Christ shal be freed from the perfidiousnes of Antichrist Christian liberty from his tyranny The Altar indeed by a synecdoche may be taken for the whole worship of God But we shal see by by why it is rather to be understood of the golden perfumatory then of the brazen Altar of burnt-offering The building of the old temple Thus also my Anonymus the Altar that is Christ And them that worship therein He meaneth the residue of sincere worshippers in the midst of Antichristian defilements These he is commanded to measure that is as Ribera wel expounds it to number and sever as chosen members of the true Church and not to be delivered unto Antichrist he therefore acknowledgeth that God will reserve some true worshippers of Christ in the midst of Babylon that is the Papacie So then these worshippers are the same who in Cha. 7. are said to be 144000 sealed in the foreheads out of every tribe and nation tongue Which serves for to comfort the godlie to refute that daylie irksome song of the Papists viz. if the Papacie were not the Church then Christ before Luther had neither body nor members Although true it is this measuring of the Temple and Altar leads us to a farther thing promising moreover a purging of doctrine discipline as we have seen the same accomplished in our times Therein No man did worship in the Temple properly so called except the high-priest alone all other worshippers stood in the court turning their faces onely towards the sanctuary Yet here the faithfull are said to worship in the verie temple of the sanctuarie because they are the true members of the temple yea the temple of God it self 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Cor. 6.6.16 as the Apostle saith Know yee
downe and beleeved because therefore the Holy Scripture is the principle of Christian beleefe with Christians it needs no proof but beliefe Secondly that the scripture is divine and these words of the Angell true and faithfull is beleeved either by divine or humane Faith That it may be beleeved by humane Faith it can bee made out by probable yea forcing Arguments as from the majesty of the matter and style from the consent of this Prophesie with other Propheticall Scriptures But especially from the truth of the Oracles which we know for the most part are fulfilled touching the woman in travell and fleeing into the Wildernesse also of the Beast deceiving the world of false miracles of the great whore making drunke the Kings of the Earth with the cup of her spirituall fornication c. For this is Bellarmines Argument in the foresaid place If the praedictions of Scripture touching future things are true as the event hath proved why should not the testimonies of things present be true And indeed this his saying is alwayes to be retorted against Popish Sophisters demaunding us How we know that the Scriptures are true and divine But that any man should beleeve this with divine Faith cannot possiblie bee effected by outward arguments unlesse God by his spirit doth inwardly perswade the heart For divine Faith is not wrought by humane Arguments but wrought in the heart by the testimony and power of God Lastly by such kinde of cavelling all Authority both of God and man is made a mocke of and all Faith both of God and men is taken away For thus Adam Abraham Moses and the Prophets who heard God to speake might have excepted Who knowes whither it be the voyce of God Thus the Apostles might have shifted off the authority of Christ and Ecclesiasticall men the authority of the Apostles And why then I pray may not we much more the Authority of the Pope Touching humane authorities of Histories and Writers what more easie then to object whence knowest thou that Cicero Aristotle Plinie or Livie wrote these things or ever had a being in nature Thus no Faith should be safe but a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or uncertainty shall reigne in divine and humane matters which Satan labours to effect by these his Instruments But we go forward And the Lord God of the Holy Prophets Hee confirmes the truth of the Prophesie from God the Author thereof the faithfullnesse and truth of whose words cannot be questioned The Copulative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hath the force of the causal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because He calleth Christ the Revealer of this Prophesie the Lord God of the Prophets as appeareth by the following words sent his Angell for this Christ did as in ver 16. I Jesus have sent my Angell See also Chap. 1.1 XLV Argument of Christs Deity This Argument of Christs Deity is beyond all exception the which Eniedinus the Samosatenian of whom mention hath often above bin made durst not meddle with For if Christ be the Lord God of the Holy Prophets then verily he is the same true and eternall Iehovah with the Father who by his spirit stirred up the ancient Prophets Moses David Isaias Jeremy c. by revealing his Oracles unto them therefore he was yea he was the God of all the Prophets of Moses and Author of the Law These things considered who can imagine that CERINTHUS should write this which he beleeved not but opposed with all his might The difference of the reading is also to be noted which notwithstanding lessens not but confirmes the Argument Andreas and the Kings Copie for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Holy Prophets read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the spirits of the Prophets and so the Old Latine Version hath it that is who of old inspired the Prophets that is Propheticall Revelations The sense comes all to one For therefore he is called the Lord God of the Prophets because by his divine power he moved them to Prophesie His Angell That is Mee For they are the words of the same Angell who hitherto did exhibit by Christs commandement divers Visions unto John That hee might shew to his servants These things have been expounded in the Preface whence they are taken And that in speciall how at the giving of the Revelation such things could be said shortly to come to passe which yet are not altogether fulfilled after so many ages In a diverse respect he saith they should shortly be done I. In respect of eternity unto which all times are but a moment which is short II. In respect of the beginning for the Prophesie began soone after it was revealed and yet is a fulfilling III. In regard of the security of men unto whom all these things have happened and yet daily do quickly that is suddenly and unawares Now thus the Scripture speaketh of all future things that they shall shortly bee done Luk. 12.45 2. Pet. 3.4 to stirre us up to watchfulnesse and care least with the wicked servant we should say My Lord delayeth his comming or with mockers where is the promise of his comming And therefore it followeth 7. Behold I come quickly It is the voyce of Christ the Lord God of the Prophets By this acclamation hee approveth the words of the Angell that the things revealed must shortly be done as if he should say Indeed they shall shortly be done for I come suddenly or I will come to wit unto judgement as in ver 12. For all these things must be done before I come but I will come shortly Therefore they must shortly be done They are no Prophesies which shal not begin to be fulfilled til after many ages even now they begin Therfore now even now there is need of comfort 1. Thes 5.3 or as before shortly that is sooner then men imagine For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction shall come upon them This variation of persons belongs to the forme of dramaticall representations in which divers persons use to be brought in speaking Blessed is he that keepeth He commends the Prophesie from its profitablenesse Now not onely they doe keep the sayings of the Prophesie which diligently search out the accomplishment of them but they much more who conforme their Faith and Life according to the same who worship not the Beast and his Image who detest the whoredoms of the whore flee out of Babylon and lastly who in faith adhere to God and the Lambe This Argument wee have more largely treated of in the Preface Chap. 1.3 whence it is taken Now let it suffice to note that blessednesse in vaine is promised unto the Keepers of the Revelation if it could in no measure bee kept But surely it is not promised in vaine and therefore the Visions of this Booke are not so intricate but that by diligent meditation and observation we may in some measure finde out the understanding of them 8. And I John John also speakes
VI. excommunicated Ludovick IV. 130. The Colour of the Beast and the woman is one 411. Purple colour proper to the Romane court ibid. Communion of the Saints in heaven with us on earth 122. Comfort of the faithfull under Antichrist 121. Of the Saints under the Altar 106. Of the professours and Martyrs 355. Conquerers are such as keep faith and a good conscience 52. Consent of Interpreters about the last judgement 358. Condition of the Godly under Antichrist 134. 135. Constant profession of the truth the cause of Johns banishment 17. The Constestation or protestation in the last chapter of the Revelation belongs to the whole body of the Scripture 596. Conversion of the Iewes described 67 conversion of the adversaries is the worke of grace ibid. Conversion of many unto the faith 245. Conversion why commanded and attributed to us 82. Council of constance caused wickleffe to be digged out of his graue and burnt 241. Condemned Iohn Husse and Iâ—rome of Prague to the fire 226. 241. Former councils for the most part condemned by the latter 273. Corporal resurrections in scripture 518. Corrupters of the trueth shal be grievouslie punished 50. Court within to be cast forth 214. Coveteousnesse in bishops abominable the root of all evill 33. Crowne crowne of life 41. promised not of merit but grace 42. It signifies life and eternal glory 72. A greater degree shall be given to such as have converted many 71. Crownes of gold why worne by the saints 90. Crown of life and righteousnesse ibid. Proposed unto all the faithfull 250. The crowne of Christ 108. Crowns of gold an ensigne of royall majesty 360. How far the crown may be taken from the elect and how it can not be taken 72. Cubit common and royall of what greatnesse 562. Cup of Gods wrath 352. Cyprians excellent simile declaring the word of God to be the onely rule of faith 57. D. THe Darkning of the sun 127. Death compared in scripture to sleep 56. Christs death a full satisfactorie price for sin 103. Death of the martyrs is Christ victorie 108. The first death why so called 519. 557. Death of the soule 519. The second death eternall 528. The dead shall all rise together 518. 519. To die in Christ 355. Dead faith uncapable to obtaine spirituall riches 77. Demonstration against Alcasars dream 481. The Description and nature of Locusts 175. Description of the new Ierusalem whither it agree to the church militant 549. The Desert or wildernesse is Rome and the Papacie 408. Description of the beast 290. denoteing the old Romane Empire 291. 292. Description of the heavenly Ierusalem 560. c. Description of the last Iudgement 488. Description of Gods maiesty and glory on the throne 87. Determination whither repugnant to the will 446. Dignitie proceeds not alwayes from vertue 59. Difficultie about the thousands years 506. Difference of a gemme and a pearl 566. Dionysius Alexandrinus refuted 18. Distribution of the second vision 84. The Dragon Beast and false Prophet authours of the Ambassage of the unclean spirits 394. Drying up of Euphrates 390. diverse opinions about it 391. Dutie of the Church and her officers to notorious sectaries 44. E. EArth Sea trees what they signifie 139. Earth swallowing down the flood of the Dragon 279. Earth-quakes proper and figurative 126. 127. A great earth-quake at the opening of the sixt seal 244. an earth-quake shaking the papacie after the councill of constance 245. Easterne people girded up their long garments in travelling 24. Eberhardus Salisburgensis invectives against the Pope 318. Effect of the word of God 207. Of the Gospel in the latter times 370. Egyptian Idolatry darkenesse and bondage 234. 235. The Elder comforting Iohn 99. The Emerauld a most pleasant gemme 87. 565. The End of Gods punishment 50. The Eight king not like unto the other 429. 430. Eniedinus the Samosatenian refuted 17. 21. 26 27. 28. 39. 50. 51. 437. 587. Who shall Enter into the Caelestial city 571. Ephesus the head citie of Ionia 21. Epiphanius refutes the Alogians 47. Epiphanius corrected touching Iohn 19. The Eternall Gospell cannot be suppressed 339. the Eternall Gospell of the Monster Cyrillus 340. Events contingent in themselves how changed 4. Event of the Gogish war 536 c. The Evils accompaning this life shall be no more in the life to come 553. Euphrates a great river 187. The Eyes of IEHOVAH signifie Angels 90. The eyes of the Lamb his all seeing providence â—00 Eye-salve what it is â—9â— Ezechiels Prophesie of the measuring of the Spirituall Temple 212. His and Iohns Prophesie of Gog and Magog 535. F. FAlse distinctions of worship 484. 485 The Fable of Enoch and Elias refuted 226. the Fable of Antichrists foure yeares reigne refuted 231. 240. Fable of Maries assumption 256. The False Prophet 394. He and the two horned Beasts are the same 495. Famine thirst and heat what they note by a Synecdoche 149. Famine of Samaria 114. Mysticall famine when proclaimed ibid. The Fathers why they termed not the Pope Antichrist 167. The Father how he judgeth no man 7. 8. The Feare and amazement of the Churches adversaries 244. The fearing of Antichrist hath troubled the whole world The First Vision not universall 361. 362. it belongs unto the last times ibid. Its scope and use of comfort ibid. Free-will not simply denied but in respect of spirituall good 68. Diverse interpretations of the same 444. 445. Figs signifie carnall Bishops 129. Figure of he city just four-square 562. Finall punishment of the wicked 131. Fine linnen how clothing both for the Bride and the Whore 482. how it is righteousnesse ibid. Fire proceeding out of the mouth of the witnesses 228. The fire on which the Angel had power 362. Fiery eyes signifie heroicall motions 24. Fire from heaven consuming Gog and Magog 539. First death 42. 519. Why so called ibid. First resurrection is not corporall but spirituall 518. It is opposed unto the first death 519. It s profitablenesse and necessitie 526. Objections about the same cleared 518. 520. First trumpet answereth to the first seale 158. What is meant by the hayle fire and blood that fell at the sounding thereof ibid. First viall chieflie poured out upon Germanie 380. Fight of the woman when it began and how long it dured 277. Floud of waters what it is 277. Foxe his opinion about it 278. Forme or shape of the beasts diverse and why 92. Forgetfullnesse and memory how said to be in God 460. Foundation of the Church how but one and twelve 561. 562. Fountaines what they denote in the Revelation 163. the fountaines of Waters are to be reckoned among the chief works of God 342. The fountain of true joy is in the Lord 480. The Four Beasts whither they type out the four Evangelists 91. They represent the Apostolicall Church 92. Why they are full of eyes ibid. The Four and twenty Elders are the first Chore 89. The Four periods of the Church of the Gospel 365. The Four Angels
and Interpreters of the Revelation and thus I have freed this Booke from a three-fold slander first as if it were not Canonicall secondly obscure as not to be understood thirdly of neglect as if for this cause the worthiest Divines had hitherto shunned the interpretation thereof There remaine two other scandals to be taken away one of the order that this Booke is the last of the New Testament the other of errour that it containes somethings not agreeable to Apostollical Faith both these clouds will be dispersed by the consideration of the dignity of this Prophesie which like the Morning Starre above the rest shineth most clearely among the other Bookes of the New Testament What therefore respects the Order so farre is it from diminishing the worth of the Booke in any kind as it the more commendeth the same For it is in very deed a divine Seale by which the Holy Ghost was pleased not without-reason to close up both the Old and the New Canon of the divine Scriptures which manifestly appeareth from that propheticall Protestation at the end of the Booke by which such are pronounced blessed who observe the words of this Prophesie the falsifiers on the contrary that presume to adde or take ought there-from are threatned with curses for unto them that adde Rev. 22.18 God shall adde the plagues that are written in this Booke to them that take away The Canonicall authority of the Revelation confirmed from the order thereof God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life and out of the HOLY CITY and from the things that are written in this Booke What could be expressed more honourable concerning this Prophesie for if it be unlawfull to adde ought therto then certainly in all respects it is absolute perfect divine and the word of God unto which nothing without impiety may bee added by men Againe if nothing may be taken away from the same then it is Sacred inviolable divine and the word of God which onely cannot bee broken Ioh. 10.35 Thus we see that the Canonicall dignity of this Booke is established by the order it selfe And hereby it is plainly made equall with the divine Bookes of Moses himself Deut. 4.2 12.32 the Prince of Prophets For as those because they are the first of the Sacred Canon are often confirmed with this Seale Ye shall not adde unto the word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it c. So this Booke as it were closing the Holy Canon is confirmed with the like Seale that nothing may bee added to it nothing taken away from it As Moses therefore was the Chieftaine of the Prophets leading the first rankes So John was chiefe of the Prophets closing up or leading the last rankes and here I willingly assent to Bezas opinion most solidly and truely affirming that it seemed good to the Holy Ghost to gather into this pretious Booke In praefat Apoc. those things which remained to be fulfilled after Christs comming of the praedictions of the former Prophets and also to adde some things so farre as concerned us to know Praefat. in Daniel A like honourable Title that worthy Divine JOHN OECOLAMPADIUS giveth unto this Booke That it is the best Interpreter of all the Prophets Neither will I speake more touching the order save this one thing that in it appeareth also a manifest reason of time When the Revelation was written For it is the last Booke of the New Testament not because it is last in dignity but in time For Ierome writeth that Domitian raising after Nero the second persecution against the Christians Iohn wrote the Revelation in the 14. yeer of his reigne in the I le called Patmos In vita Iohannis With whom Irenaeus a most ancient Writer doth agree affirming that John saw the Revelation not long before his time but almost saith hee in our age towards the end of Domitian his Empire Lib. 3. c. 25 Wherefore the Apocalyps was written in the ninety sixth yeer of Christ after all the other Bookes of the New Testament were written For Iohn out-lived all the Apostles and Canonicall Writers and lived as Sophronius records untill the third yeere of Trajane which from Christs birth was Anno 102 and after his passion as Ierome recordeth 68. In vita Iohannis and from the destruction of Jerusalem 25. Now whereas some affirme that Iohn wrote his Gospell after the Revelation it is without any probabilitie But we come to speake of the utility of the Revelation This Booke doth excellently shine forth in point of doctrine for it truely teacheth the Propheticall and Apostolicall Faith and much illustrates many articles of the Gospell The profitablenes of the Revelation or common places In speciall it proveth the eternall Deity of Christ with such weighty arguments as scarcely more excellent are to be found in any other part of Scripture absolutely ascribing unto Christ many attributes which are onely proper unto Iehovah viz. that he is Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the end the Almighty that the Lambe standing in the Throne of the Deity equall in majesty with the Father is worshipped by all the Heavenly Inhabitants that he judgeth the adversaries rules the Nations with an iron rod that hee is the King of kings and Lord of lords c. It plainely also maintaineth the Doctrine of Christs Mediatorship and work of our Redemption through his blood calling him the faithfull Witnesse the First begotten from the dead Redemption of christ the Prince of the kings of the earth the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world who hath washed us in his blood from our sins and made us Priests and Kings to God and the Father c. It sets forth the afflicted state and condition of the Church in this life especially in the latter times by evident types viz. that the woman bringing forth a Man-Child the Ruler of the Nations shall be driven into the Wildernesse by the Dragon and the Beast where she shall remaine hid from the sight of men when the two Witnesses shall prophesie against the Dragon and the Beast and shall indeed be slaine but being againe raysed to life they shall bee taken up into Heaven c. By which verily it is manifest that nothing else is signified then that the Church in Antichrists reigne shall bee obscure and secret in the wildernesse being oppressed in Babylon it selfe the Seat of Antichrist The flight of the Church into the wildernesse untill at length Babylon decaying shee being commanded to come out of her shall againe come forth and be seen of men By which that cavill is easily answered Where the Church was before Luthers time if the Papacy were not The Papacy indeed was the Apostaticall Church it was Babylon having nothing but the bare Name of the Holy Citie But the true Church lye hid as captivated and oppressed in the same
eyes Secondly spirituall when we behold the appearances of things either a wake or a sleepe yet understand them not thus did Phurao Nebuchadnezar and Peter The third they call intellectuall that is when the minde being illuminated by the holy Ghost understands the mysteries of those things which are presented Thus Ioseph understood the vision of Pharao and Daniel that of Nebuchadnezar this Iohn saw the visions of the revelation in the spirit that is the holy Ghost gave him to understand them Others expound these words in the spirit as opposite to the being present in the body not as if such which saw visions in the spirit did not still retain their real bodies but being ravished they seemed for the present to themselves as out of the body even as Paul in the 2 Corinth 12 3 caught up to the third heaven knew a man in Christ whither in the body or out of the body he knew not This kind of visions is one of the gifts of the new Testament which Christ ascending up on high poured forth upō the Church according to the oracle in Ioel. Ioel 2.28 Your young men shal see visions c. yet was this not given to all but a special grace and bestowed onely on such as the Lord pleased Neither was it perpetual but ceased with the gift of miracles after the doctrine of the Gospel was sufficiently propagated and confirmed in the world and hence we must beware of such who now a days boast of visions Isay 8 20. Luk. 16 29. Ioh. 5 39. as if they were inspired but they are deceivers to the law and testimonie For God hath tyed the church to the written word of the law and Gospel they have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them search the scriptures for though an angel from heaven preach any other Gospel let him be accursed On the Lords day He calleth the first day of the weeke on which Christ rose again the Lords day He saw the revelation on this day which Christians kept holy to God being by the authority of the Apostles set apart for Church meetings in stead of the Iewish sabbaths as we way gather from 1 Cor. 16.1 where the Apostle commandeth that on the first day of the weeke gathering be made in the Church for the brethren in Iudea So Acts 20.7 In one of the sabbaths that is the first day of the weeke the Christians are said to come together to break bread So then the observation of the Lords day is warranted by an Apostolicall tradition Hence Gagneus and Ribera infer that the Church besides yea and contrary to the scripture may impose some things to the observed as divine let no man thinck saith he that those things onely are to be observed which are contained in the scriptures but they do erre For first there is great difference betweene articles of faith and the Lord Mat. 15 9. Isay 29 13. day no man doubteth but the Church may lawfully appoint dayes and outward rites belonging to order and decencie so it be don◠without scandal opinion of worship and intruding upon the liberty and conscience But the question betwixt us and the papists is touching points of faith necessarie to salvation which they affirme that the Church or Bishops may ordaine without the authority of scripture the which thing wee denie For God is worshiped in vain by the commandements of men Besides the authority of the Apostles is one thing and the authority of Bishops and the Romish Church is another For they were not onely divinely inspired in their writings but also in whatsoever they instituted touching Church orders Wherefore they not onely appointed the Lords day to bee kept but also made it apart of scripture now as for other ministers they have not the same authority so that it cannot hence bee gathered that any thing should bee beleeved as necessarie to salvation besides what is contained in the holy scripture For though the Lords day is a matter not of faith but of fact yet the observation thereof is according to the word of God Here it may be demanded whether John saw the whole revelation upon one Lords day Indeed it may seem by the coherence of the matter so to be not withstanding I thinke that Christ did not at one time burden the minde of his servant with so many different and large visions neither is it probable because the like distinctions of time which other prophets had in their visions appears also to be in these visions of John as in Chap. 4. vers 1 2 is evident After this I looked c. and immediately I was in the spirit so that after he had seene the first vision he was come to himself ere he was again ravished saw other visions and in like-lihood this was upon another Lords day The like wee may gather from chapter 17.3 So he carried mee away in the spirit into the wildernesse and often it is said after these things But I doe not conceive all of them import a distance of time but the things which I specially minde are in Chap. 4.2 and 17.3 and 21.1 besides all things were not revealed to John in one place but some things he saw in Patmos some in the heavens some on the sea shore some things in the wildernesse But seeing we cannot certainly determine of the thing I will therefore leave it to the readers choise Heard behinde mee a great voice By this great voice Iohn whither sleeping or waking was stirred up to observe the visions least otherwise he should have neglected them as vain fansies The voice was great either in regard of the great mysterie of the visions or because it was the voice of the great God or lastly in regard of the lowdnesse and shrilnesse thereof As of a trumpet Whose sounde is high loud and heard a great way off signifying that those things which Iohn saw ought continually to sound in the eares and hearts of Gods people And hence the prophets were commanded to cry aloud not to spare but to lift up their voice like a trumpet that all might hear and have no pretence for their ignorance Alcasar untruely affirmes that this voice was altogether like unto the sound of a trumpet But the text saith it was the voice not of one founding but speaking Againe by this voice is signifyed how we should be stirred up to incounter with al our spiritual adversaries as souldiers by the found of the trumpet are imboldened to the battel In that hee heard the voice behinde him is signified that Iohn added nothing to these visions but that they were altogether divine for the things which are behind us we see not Or otherwise he heard a voice behind to denote how the things he heard were suddenly to come to passe even immediately upon Iohns departure 11. Saying I am Alpha Omega the first the last In this great voice are contained three things First the eternity of Christ is testified
it or amend the same The 2 is to eschew the evil and doe the good And 3 to manifest our repentance by workes of piety and love both to God and our neighbour From whence thou art fallen Hence it might seem to follow that the saintes may fall away wholy from grace and so perish eternally for if so holy a teacher fell from his first love why may we not then conclude the uncertainty of the grace of faith Whither the saintes may wholy fall away justification perseverance and salvation and why should we not doubt also of these things and stand in fear thereof I confesse had this Angel finally fallen away there had been just cause of such doubting For no man can assuredly beleeve the certainty of his faith and salvation who doubteth of the certainty of his perseverance The exposition of Ribera Alcasar in this place is sound namely that he had not altogether lost his love forasmuch as he indured so great things for the sake of Christ but that he lost much of his former zeal How farre forth the saintes may fall In this we agree with them For the saintes left to themselves will soon fall from their faith love perseverance and salvation if we onely have respect to secondary causes to wit the mutability of the will the weaknesse of man the scandals of the world and the subtilty and power of satan For how should we be able to withstand all these who are weak men and subject to the common frailties of others so long as we carrie about us this earthly tabernacle Rom. 11.10 Matth. 26 41. 1 Corinth 10 12. 1 Pet. 5 8. For what saith the scripture be not lift up but fear least thou also be cut of the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed least he fall for satan walking about as a roaring lion seeketh whom he may devour So that not onely the example of this pastor but also the manifold slips and complaintes of the saintes do witnesse that they may languish and fail in the act of faith charity greive the spirit of God to the present losse of a good conscience But if on the contrary we consider either the unchangeable counsell of God touching the salvation of the elect or the most effectuall intercession of Christ for their faith perseverance and salvation or lastly the power of God by which as the Apostle witnesseth the elect are kept unto the end 1 Pet. 1.5 then we may with the holy scriptures firmly conclude that the faithfull cannot wholy and finally fall from the habit and act of faith and love I say so to fall as to become Gods enemies 1 Ioh. 3 9. Matth. 24 24. and perish for ever because whosoever is born of God sinneth not to wit with his whole wil that unto death for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God for it is impossible the elect should be deceived to wit Ioh. 10 28 Luke 22 32. Se also Matth. 7 25. Psal 37 24. 1 Pet. 1 5 finally unto their damnation because no man can plucke Christs sheep out of his hand but he giveth unto them life eternall And therefore Christ said to Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not And God promised to put his fear into their harts that they may not depart from him which is as Augustine interpreteth it that they might alwayes cleave unto him for they are as mount Sion which cannot be moved c. These and many other such places of scripture as they doe plainly overthrow that Pelagian error of the saintes aposiasie and the fear of being finally drawen away and doubting about grace and salvation decreed by the counsell of Trent so also they doe confirme in regard of the free purpose of God the certainety of our perseverance in grace unto the end howsoever I denie not but the elect many times by their sinnes disturbe their peace and assurance having their mindes troubled with manifold doubtings for as men we are subject to humane frailties and shall bee so long as we are here in this life So then we expound From whence thou art fallen to be as if he had said in what thou art gon back from thy former zeal in godlinesse fervencie and love and art become unlike to what thou wast before So then Christ commends the teacher of the Church of Ephesus for his constancy in the truth and hatred of heresie but reproveth him for his languishing coveteousnesse and ambition Hence we so that it is not sufficient to professe the truth unlesse it be done in obedience of faith and humility Or else I will come unto thee quickly This threatning is the fourth part of the narration being a most vehement exhortation and sheweth the pernicious effects of security and coveteousnesse Two things are threatned 1 I will come to thee quickly that is thou shalt suddenly be punished before thou art aware of it Thus impenitent persons provoke Christ the judge against themselves whose wrath they are not able to bear for he is a consuming fire Do we saith the Apostle provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger then he So that the first reason why we should repent is because of the power and justice of Christ and our owne weaknesse The second thing threatned is the removal of the candlesticke that is Christ would not onely thrust him out of his office but also remove the candlesticke that is the Church it self by the enemies thereof Andreas I will cast the Church into a troublesome and tempestuous condition which punishment ordinarily followes security and contempt of the word And indeed Christ did not in vain threaten this Church for afterward they not repenting he removed their candlesticke and overthrew them by barbarous nations Here commeth in a twofold question first how it can stand with equity that the whole Church should be dissipated for the sinnes of the teacher secondly how the removing of this candlesticke is threatned seeing the Church is built on the rock against which the gates of hell cannot prevaile and the Apostle calleth this very Church of Ephesus the house of the living God the pillar and ground of the truth â— Tim. 3 15. Ribera saith that the first is a difficult question Because Christ threatneth not the pastor but indeed the whole Church whereas it seems unreasonable that the whole should be punished for the impenitency of the teacher Hence he supposeth that the candlesticke in this place imports not the Church but the Episcopal function and dignity unto which he was advanced to be a light before the flook so that by the removing of the candlesticke he understandeth a removal of the Episcâ—pal honour and those things in which he was wont to excell as in the word and doctrine and sundry other vertues and gifts with which he was indued This interpretation is not altogether incongruous
and is not communicable to any creature no not unto the Angels Which further confirmeth the X. and XVIII argument before mentioned Secondly we are taught that all who professe the truth and make a shew of holines are not truely faithful and regenerate persons but many of them are hypocrites and deceivers as being farre otherwise then they are accounted of for hypocrisie is an outward shew of inward holinesse or a profession of faith with the mouth beeing in the mean time destitute thereof in the heart And hence we may conclude that a bare profession argues not true faith as the patrones of hypocrites affirme whereby they oftentimes delude themselves others Act. 8.13 Simon Magus is said to beleeve Therfore say they some who professe have true faith may fall away and perish But this place shewes us that many are inwardly dead who outwardly seem to be alive being with Ananias the hie Priest whyted walls Act 23.3 Matt. 23.27 Mat. 8.22 1 Tim. 5.6 with the Pharises painted sepulchres spiritually dead as Christ spake to the yong man let the dead burie the dead And Paul speaketh of some wanton widowes who are dead while they live yea all men considered in their natural condition are dead in trespasses and sinnes To be short many have faith without love which is dead a faith which the Devils also have Thus we se in scripture how they are said not onely to be dead who are deprived of naturall life but also not beeing regenerated to a spirituall or who are sincere in appearance onely and not in truth Let us therfore take notice that all are not godly who seem so to be neyther shall all they who say Lord Lord enter into the kingdome of God for the Church consisteth of a mixture of saintes and hypocrites and this difference is not onely in the laitie but chiefly in the Clergie as they call it that is many who in sheeps cloathing seem to be true Pastors teachers are in truth but mercenarie wolves and howsoever these may deceive men yet Christ knowes them And therfore let not the Bishops of Antichrist thinke to blinde the eyes of Christ with their titles mitres and royal robes The consideration of this informeth us in the first place of the divers condition of the Church in this world For many are called to be members of the Church whereof some are good others bad some saintes others hypocrites like as the net takes in al manner of fishes But howsoever the faintes elected are not knowen of men yet God Christ doe discerne them For the Lord knoweth who are his Therefore let every one try and examine himself whether he be dead or alive for hypocrites deceive not God but man their owne soules Wherfore let us shun hypocrisie even as a pest remembring what Ambrose admonisheth not to rest contented with a bare name in the mean while to be greevously guilty or with the hight of honour while we abound in sins or with a profession of Godlinesse while our actions are devilish For otherwise we should onely have a name to live when in deed we are but dead Lastly observe that the efficacie of the ministry doth not depend upon the goodnes of the minister For God doth sometime vivifie and governe his Church by dead officers as we have here an example which serves to confute the Donalists and Popish Sophisters who maintaine that there was not any Church of the elect untill the time of Luther in the Papacie but themselves except we wil acknowledge their Bishops for other there were none to have been approved of by the Lord. 2. Bee watchfull The second part of the narration is an exhortation admonishing the Angel in Sardis of divers things to the end he might purge himself from the crime of hypocrisie and withal he is threatned to be punished except he doe repent First he is commanded to shake of that hypocritical drowsines into which he was fallen Be watchful that is stirre thy self up for he is not onely required to be more faithfull and careful over the Church then formerly he had been but also called upon as it were to live againe for so faith Christ but thou art dead Now death in scripture is frequently compared to a sleep so that this place and that of the Apostle speaking unto men fallen into a deep sleep of sin is of the like interpretation Ephe. 14 A wake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Not as if wee could of our selves arise from the death of sin for this is a worke of Grace but because the Lord by his precept powerfully worketh in us that which he requireth of us and by the operation of his owne spirit rayseth us up beeing asleep in sin unto newnes of life And strengthen the things Or rather strengthen the rest that is such dying members of the Church as are committed unto thy charge who because of thy negligence decay both in faith and holinesse For it is no wonder that a Church should fal into a deadnesse and securitie while the officers therof are asleep Christ therfore commâ—ndeth him to strengthen them that is to labour by a holie life and doctrine to bring them againe into the way of life That are ready to dy in Gre. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that shall dy that is which are near unto death like as in Luk. 7.2 it is said of the centurions servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he should dy that is was ready to dy So these here were near unto death though not altogither dead and therfore the Pastor is exhorted carefully and speedily to put to his helping hand for their recoverie This care the Apostle recommendeth unto all the faithful Rom. 14.2 namely to receive them that are weake in the faith And therfore it is a speciall dutie of the ministers of God who are spirituall physitians to applie to Christs weaklings the holesome medicines of Gods word 1 Tim. 2.9 for otherwise God saith unto them by the prophet forasmuch as ye have not strengthened the diseased Ezec. 34.4 nor healed that which was sick nor bound up that which was broken nor sought that which was lost c. Behold I am against the shepheards and I will require my flock at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding my flock Montanus reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which thou art ready to lose that is destroy by thy negligence which is a more heavie expression For I have not found thy workes perfect These words containe a reason wherfore God requires him to be watchfull But it may seem that this reproofe is not equal just 1 Cor. 13.9 considering that no mans workes on earth are perfect before God if he should enter into Iudgment with us for we know but in part we prophesie in part and there is not a just man on earth that doth good Eccle. 7.20 and
Because in order of justice al evil workes whatsoever deserve punishment for the soule that sinneth shall dy But good workes how great-soever beeing debts duties can-not merit at the hands of God 5. He that overcommeth the same shall be cloathed Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he but the old translator reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so shall he be cloathed The conclusion containes a promise with an Epiphonema as formerly The promise is extended not onely to those few in Sardis spoken of but to all who overcome the world Satan c. se chap. 2. v. 7.11.12.26 Thus by a threefold promise all are stirred up to hope for victorie the two former are metaphorically propounded the third properlie yet all seem to signifie one thing for what can be given to them that overcome more then the crowne of life eternal however in the reward promised we may note a certain gradation First He shall be cloathed with white raiments This by a metaphor signifies the heavenly glorie with which we shall be cloathed as with a royal garment What more I wil not blot out his name out of the booke of life This further notes the eternitie of glorie for not to have our names blotted out of the booke of life is to have them allwayes remaine therein that is to enioy eternal glorie What more I wil confesse his name A further degree promising to make knowen the constancie and faith of every one by name even before the throne of the blessed trinitie and in the presence of the holy Angels A glorie indeed surpassing mans opprehension For what is more honourable then when a general doth by name before the whole armie declare the valiant exploites of this or that souldiour But this Christ promiseth here to doe and in Mat. 10.32 Whosoever therfore shall confesse me before men him will I confesse also before my father which is in heaven but whosoever shall denie me before men him will I also denie before my father which is in heaven And before his Angels As beeing the most holie ministers of God and witnesses of our glorie Hence we note first that the saintes are said to have a two fould cloathing for as we heard before some in Sardis were commended for not defiling of their garments and yet promised besides to have other white garments given unto them the former are said to be ours not as proceeding from our selves but because we are enioyned to have them meaning both morall endowments of bodie and mind as also the grace of faith and love and other spiritual gifts which we must have and preserve cleane and undefiled 2. Cor. 5.3 that so we may be cloathed hereafter in white According to that of the Apostle If so be that being cloathed we shall not be found naked For no man shall be cloathed in white in the heavens who hath not been indued with faith and true repentance in this life Secondlie we are to take notice that in scripture God is said metaphorically to have a threefold booke The first is the booke of his providence which is the knowledge and counsel of God concerning the actions and events of all things first and last of this the prophet speaketh Psa 139.6.16 c. all things are written in thy booke The other is the booke of Gods universal judgment which is his knowledge concerning all those things which everie one hath don whither it be good or evil and to be judged accordingly in the last day as in cha 20.12 and the bookes were opened The third is the booke of life that is Gods praedestinating both of the elect and reprobates Ps 69.29 Isai 4.5 Dan. 12.2 Phili. 4.3 Reve. 18.8 17.8 22.19 the first are said to be written in this booke the other not but blotted out of this the scripture speakes in many places yet that in Rev. 20.12 then the bookes were opened may be understood of them all for in the same verse the booke of life is expresly mentioned Thus God is said to have bookes metaphoricallie Not as if eyther he hath or stood in need thereof for so it cannot bee but by an Anthropopatheia he speaketh to our capasitie For God doth all things without such help or meanes even by his eternal foreknowledge counsel government and judgment But thus men cannot doe for whatsoever is don in their counsels cities families contracts c. for memory sake is set down in writing that so as there is occasion they may looke it over and call to mind such things as they desire Now concerning the elect Luk. 10.20 two things here are spoken of them First that their names are written in the booke of life Phil. 4.3 or in heaven as Luk. 10.20 by which manner of speech we are taught that true beleevers doe not obtaine salvation by chance but were elected of God to life in Christ before the foundations of the world and known from them that perish Secondly their names are never blotted out of this booke as it is here testified J will not blot out his name out of the booke of life By which phrase is signifyed that the salvation of the Elect is certaine and sure and that they shall never perish according to the promise no man shall plucke my sheep of my hand It is impossible the elect should be seduced All which serves not for curiositie but for our comfort that we being certaine of our salvation might joyfullie persevere in weldoeing unto the end Of infidels and reprobates two things are also spoken First that their names are not written in the booke of life as appeares Rev. 13.8 Rev. 13.8 17.8 20.15 Secondly they are blotted out of the booke of life Ps 69.28 and cast into the lake of fire Let them be blotted out of the booke of the living and not be written with the righteous And whosoever was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire by which is signified that they who are not predestinated shall certainlie perish But this seems to imply a contradiction as not to be written yet to be blotted out I answer that this is taken in a double sence 1 Eyther of such who in the Eternal counsell of God are thus written and so are never blotted out Or 2 according to the appearance and boasting of hypocrites For thus they are said to be blotted out that is declared never to have been written therein we see there are many hypocrites in the Church who are taken for a while to be the elect of God whereas in truth they are not Therfore when their hypocrisie is discovered and they justlie cast out of the church then they are said to be blotted out As Ambrose Augustine have wel observed Matt. 24.24 Io. 10.28 Not withstanding it followeth not that any of the Elect shal be blotted out For this is contrarie to that promise of God It is impossible the Elect should perish none
accounts him to be neyther hot nor cold but lukewarme who neyther is a professed enemy of the Gospel nor yet a faithfull professor thereof but an hypocrite that is one as it were betwixt both And it may be referred eyther to their life or doctrine As for the mixture of heathenish and Iewish rites in the service of God it began first to increase immediately upon the cessation of the persecution of the Romane Emperors and when the Christian Church began to enjoye ease and tranquillity And therefore I judge that these Laodiceans were not as yet guiltie of this evill but they were lukewarme as concerning faith and manners in complying with the gentiles to the end that beeing the lesse offensive unto them they might quietly enjoy their trade in that noble mart-towne which abounded with all sorts of merchants for however they desired to be accounted good Christians yet did they not forsake their former frande and luxurie The summe of all is this They mingled Christ and the world togither and made use of religion no otherwise then might stand with their profit and trade Thus they were neither open enemies to Christ nor yet his true friends but as it were lukewarme and neutrals that is fained and lying hypocrites and soo worse in Christs esteem then his professed enemies I would thou wert eyther hot or cold He wisheth they were hot that is truely zealous in faith and godlinesse for the law requireth that men should love the Lord with all their hart and with all their soul c. Thus we see that to be hot is to be upright in hart ful of love to God and our neighbour Now Christ wisheth they were cold that is altogither without faith and godlinesse not absolutely but comparatively in asmuch as they who are cold seem to be more excusable then such as are lukewarme and more easily to be reformed better avoyded then others and in this respect are lesse hurtfull then they For the sin of hypocrites is greater then theirs who are open enemies because it is a worse thing not to follow the truth in sincerity which we know then to be ignorant altogether thereof for such are more easily wrought upon by the means and sooner brought to the truth wheras hypocrites having faith onely in shew doe imagine they see but are blinde and mantaine their false opinions hating persecuting in the mean time the truth of God For example the Lutherans who beeing wedded to their false opinions are the more hardlie drawen from them For they hate and persecute the orthodoxe doctrine concerning our spirituall communion with Christ more then the blinde Papists Againe a Iew who is a professed enemie of Christ will easier be brought to embrace christian religion then an hypocriticall Iesuite drowned in Antichristian superstitions And therefore with great reason Christ wisheth that this Church were rather cold then lukewarme not that it is good to be cold but because a lukewarme condition is more dangerous and hurtfull then the other We see also in natural things from whence the metaphor is taken that hot or cold things are more approved then those things that are lukewarme Hot meats in cold weather and cold drinkes in hot seasons agree best with the stomack but that which is lukewarme is lothsome and disposeth to vomit Hence Christ desired that the Pharisees had been blinde rather then hypocrites who are uncapable of reproofe Ioh. 9.41 1 King 18.21 If saith he yee were blinde ye should have no sinne but now yee say wee see therefore your sinne remaineth And the like Elias said unto the hypocriticall and idolatrous Israelites why halt ye betweene two opinions If Jehovah be God follow him but if Baal follow him Not as if he approved the worship of Baal but sheweth that there is such a contrariety betweene it the true worship of God as that they cannot possibly bee joyned togither And hence we are taught whom we are to esteem in these our dayes to be lukewarme not such as are weak in the faith whom the scripture commandeth us to receive with all meeknesse but those who labour to joyne Christ and Belial together in faith ceremonies and manners Such also who though they glory as if they were come out of Babylon and would faine be accounted good protestants neverthelesse strive tooth and naile to uphold the superstitions of Antichrist his tittles orders garments surplices miters crucifixes images and the like Babylonish stuff brought by him into the worship of God But let us here take notice what Christ judgeth of such men 16 So then because thou art lukewarme The second part of the narration containes a threatning with a repetition of the cause thereof because thou art luke-warme I will spue thee out of my mouth Hee goes foreward in the metaphor comparing hypocrites to lukewarme water which is so lothsome to the stomack as it cannot retaine it but casts it forth with lothsomnesse and paine Even so hypocrites are abominable to Christ for he spues them out of his mouth that is he rejects them as strangers unto him I will spue thee out of my mouth Here we se the lenity and patience of Christ in bearing a long time with hypocrites yea inviting of them unto repentance preadmonishing them of their punishment before he spues them out for their obstinacie Gods threatnings therfore are to be understood conditionally I will spue thee out viz. If thou repent not Out of my mouth Here it will not follow that such as are cold are in Christs mouth or that any of the faithfull may fall from grace As Ribera subtilly disputeth For Christ threatens this not against the cold but the lukewarme who by profession and appearance are in his mouth that is in the Church of Christ but indeed are hypocrites having a forme of godlines but denie the power thereof But hence we ought rather to observe that there are allwayes many hypocrites in the bosome of the Church and especially among the Clergie this mixture therfore should not offend us for the divell wil alwayes sow tares among the wheat neyther ought we to be moved with the loftie titles of hie-priests cardinals arch-bishops bishops prelates and the like rabble of Antichrist 17 For thou sayest I am rich The third part is a confutation of the vaine boasting of this Church in which were manie rich merchants fallen into securitie and riot for riches doe often times befoole the owners thereof occasioning in them pride and luxurie And this seems to be the reason why they thus boasted to weet because they were rich and having need of nothing But it may also be rightly understood that they gloried as if they had been rich in spirituall things for hypocrites imagine that they are just and holy and need not grace and remission of sins as other men Thus these gloried of their faith but it was dead and voyd of sinceritie and love as is the faith of all hypocrites and so not
sung unto the Lamb 1. By both companies representing the Church triumphant who celebrate the benefit of their redemption glorification obtained by the blood of the Lamb. v. 8.9.10 2. By a third apparition or companie of Angels celebrating the worthinesse power and divine glorie of the Lambe v. 11.12 3 By a fourth apparition of all creatures rendring prayses and blessings unto God on the throne and unto the Lambe v. 13. And last of all the two first apparitions of the 24 Elders foure beasts closing up the thanksgiving by a divine adoration v. 14. The first part of the Chapter A description of the booke sealed 1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sate on the throne a booke written within and on the backside sealed with seven seales THE COMMENTARIE ANd or then I saw I will not here repeat all the diverse opinions of interpreters concerning this book who rather obscure then unfold the obscurity thereof but onely will cite some of the most probable The common opinion about the booke Most interpret it either of the booke of the old Testament or els the whole volume of Gods booke both old and new which is in the right hand of God because it is inspired by the holy Ghost and the contents thereof are in the hands of God alone This booke is written within that is obscurely in the old Testament without that is openly in the new or within as respecting the mystical sence without the litterall It is sealed with seven seales because the mysteries thereof are hid from humane reason 1 Cor. 2.14 It cannot be opened by any creature because the naturall man receiveth not the things which are of God The Lambe alone is worthy to open it because he onely hath fulfilled the scriptures and he onely doth reveal unto us outwarly by his word and inwardly by his spirit the hid things thereof These things in themselves are true and according to godlines but I judge they serve little to the purpose in hand because here he treats not about the obscurity or manifestation of legal types neyther are the mysteries thereof revealed in this booke but things of another nature and which concerne the condition of the Church under the Gospel Neither can it be said that the old and new Testament was as a sealed booke unto all creatures untill the time of Iohn seeing it would then follow that both the Prophets and Apostles were ignorant of the writings of Moses and the Prophets Besides all the bookes of the new Testament were then already written and so not shut but knowen unto all such as had their sences exercised in the scriptures of God even as the preaching of the Apostles opened a doore unto the faith of the Gospell unto every creature And therefore this interpretation seems to be repugnant to the holy scriptures and injurious to the Apostolicall Churches They seem to come neerer the marke Another opinion of the booke who understand it of the booke of Gods providence For the scriptures attribute three sorts of bookes to God 1. Of his providence 2. of life and 3. of universall judgement of which we have treated Chap. 3.5 But these also differ in opinion Some take it in a generall way for the booke of Gods decree concerning the governement of the world which interpretation is to large seeing not all Gods secret judgements but onely such which concerne the state of the Church are here intended Therefore I rather assent to them The booke is the Revelation it self who understand it litterally of the booke in which all these things were contained which Christ was pleased to reveale unto Iohn concerning the last times the which he afterward penned and left the same unto the Churches This booke I say is the revelation it self not as if he saw a materiall booke but a visionall booke so to speak wherin was written Gods secret decree touching the future event of the Church and her enemies Thus also Andreas Ribera expound it For first this is the same booke which Iohn after it was opened is commanded to eat up that is fully and clearly to take knowledge thereof And which was sweet in his mouth like hony that is he was much delighted with the knowledge of so high mysteries but by and by it became bitter in his belly as gall that is he was much greeved in foreseeing the great calamities of the Church as we shall see Chap. 10. for the booke there mentioned is the Revelation given unto Iohn Furthermore the contents of the whole Revelation is taken out of this booke For at the opening of the seventh seale seven Angels are said to come forth sounding with trumpets signifying thereby the diverse changes of the Church in the third vision At the sounding of the seventh trumpet the Dragon and two beasts are raised up against the Church in vision the fourth Presently here upon follow seven Angels powring forth the vials of the last plagues upon the earth in vision the fift Afterward one of these seven Angels pronounceth with a mighty voyce the judgement of the great whore and ruin of Babylon in vision the sixt At length the new Ierusalem with the marriage of the Lamb is represented unto John in the last vision whence we see that the whole matter of the Revelation was comprehended in this booke not included in a few Chapters viz. from 6. to 11. as Alcasar supposeth To be short the circumstances of this booke doe altogether agree with the former preface For as Christ is there said to receive the Revelation of God and by an Angel to deliver it unto Iohn so this booke was in the right hand of him that sate on the throne taken out of his hād by the Lamb opened delivered unto the Angel who gave it to Iohn commanding him to eat it Chap. 10. Forasmuch therefore as all things thus agree together there is no question but this booke here spoken of is the revelation it self delivered unto the Apostle These things observed the three following circumstances will bee the lesse obscure 1. The booke is held in the right hand of him that sits on the throne because God is the author of the revelation in Gr. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the right hand and is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the hand as appeares v. 7. where the Lambe takes the booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of his right hand therefore it was In and not at his right hand as some will have it Now he is said to have it in his right hand to the end to give it unto Christ to open As men reach out with their right hands what they give unto others And I suppose we need not seek for any other mysterie in this expression 2. It is written within and without that is there was no place emptie in it For we are to understand this litterally This booke was not made as
threatned Andreas his general interpretatiō Rupertus his exposition lib 4. in Apoc. but this seems to be obscure to general Rupertus many others expound it of the teachers of the word whom Antichrists Angels or ministers held that is laboured to keep from blowing upon the earth sea or any tree that is from preaching the faith of Christ in any provinces or Ilands or unto any men of what condition or quality soever So hee Thus the windes denote the preachers of the Gospel by a metaphor oftē used in the scriptures For the holy Ghost whose ministers they are is compared unto the winde Ioh. 3. Act. 2. by reason of his vehement piercing efficacy These are said to be four indefinitely according to the 4 quarters of the Christian world that is some of them beeing in every place They blow that is sound forth the Gospel of Christ upon the earth sea trees that is unto al sorts of men To hold the windes that they blow not is to hinder these from preaching now in this all interpreters agree notwithstanding it is to bee applied more fully unto the times of Antichrist By the windes therefore I understand all the sincere teachers of the Gospell The authors judgmēt touching the four Angels hindering the blowing of the windes which for a thousand yeeres together have opposed Antichrists idols corruptions tyrannie such I say whom the Romane Bishops by their decrees buls have condemned as hereticks whose names are recorded among the witnesses of the truth in the bookes of Martyrs Among the number of these also besides such Emperours who by opposing the popes have caused the windes to blow I understand such Bishops Priests Doctors as have contradicted the tyrannie of the Romish court as Berengarius Iohn Scotus Bertramus c. who more then six hundred yeeres agoe have strongly in defence of the truth blown by their sermons writings against the diol of the masse transsubstantiation the chiefe prop of Antichrist kingdome also Bernard Waldus Wicklife Hus Ierom of Prage Clemanges others who by the winde of Gods spirit have maintained the faith of Christ against the pope partlie by word writings partly by sealing the same with their blood But chiefly amōg these are to be reckoned Luther Melanchthon Oecolampadius Zwinglius Farellus Bucer Hegio Martyr Viret Bullinger Calvin and as many as in Germanie France and the neighbouring kingdoms have in this last age begun so to blow the Gospell of Christ as thereby a great part of the Christian world hath been restored into the pretious libertie of the faith The earth sea and trees I understand allegorically not of the faithfull in particular or learned men onely but of distinct churches As the earth to denote the churches in the mediterranean provinces The sea the churches bordering neere the same or in Ilands The trees churches planted in wooddie and hillie countries as are generally those in the Northern parts The reason why I take this to be meant of whole churches is because the Angels are forbid to hurt them until such were sealed as the Lord had appointed and afterward they are permitted to doe it Therefore the sealed ones shal be in the earth sea trees that is in those Churches that are hurt neverthelesse they beeing sealed shal be preserved in safetie But how shall they hold the windes from blowing and to what end What is meant by holding the windes frō blowing This may bee understood by the following words It was given them to hurt the earth and the sea and again hurt not the earth sea nor trees So that they shall hold the windes from blowing when the Angels who professe themselves to be spirituall Bishops ought to blow shall neyther preach the Gospell nor suffer others but oppose them by their Popish decrees and edicts by their excommunications by cruell persecution with fire and sword as against hereticks forbidding the reading use of the holy Scriptures unto all men least the deceits and lyes of Antichrist should be made manifest Hence necessarilie followed the hurt of the earth sea trees for the wholesome blowing of the windes now ceasing all the churches were led into errours by the contrarie blowing of seducing spirits and lying prophets who brought al under the yoke of Antichrist to the destruction of the greater part of Christianity Thus we see the meaning of the vision now hence we observe two things First though Antichrist by violence and deceit hath horribly shaken the Christian world doing much harme unto the earth and sea yet God at all times raysed up some good windes that is faithfull teachers who taught the wholesome doctrin of Christ to the salvation of the elect as the histories of Popes bookes of martyrs testifie Yea the Lord did preserve unto himself a Church in the midst of Poperie which Antichrist could never altogether suppresse however he cruellie by fire and sword continuallie raged against the same And therefore it is false that God had no Church nor Christ any spouse because the Pope and his synagogue were not the spouse of Christ Secondly we see by what wayes Antichrist did invade Christs kingdome and establish his owne tyrannie to wit by holding the blowing of the windes in condemning for haereticks violently oppressing the witnesses of the truth as also by hurting the earth sea trees that is seducing all the particular Churches by false miracles with all deceit of unrighteousnes overthrowing them by his impious doctrines and superstitious worship of which the Apostle foretold 2 Thessa 2.9 saying whose comming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes lying wonders and with all deceiveablenes of unrighteousnesse in them that perish c. these things wee find in histories formerlie to have been don and we daylie see the further accomplishment thereof which serves for a cleare exposition on these words now let us hear the antidote or consolation opposed 2. And I saw another Angel First we will consider who what manner of Angel this was and secondly what he did One Angel having the seale of the living God ascendeth from the East against the four Angels standing on the earth Lyraes opinion in expounding this of Constantine we have already refuted Others suppose that Elias shall come towards the end of the world of whō Malachie speaketh Cha. 4.5 But their supposition is false as we shall see on Chap. 11. for the prophet there speaketh of Iohn the Baptist as Christ himselfe interpreteth Matt. 11.14 most understand it of Christ the great Angel of Gods counsell as Rupertus Haymo Bede others Ribera indeed denies it and will have him to bee one of the seven emissarie Angels spoken of Chap. 5.6 but he gaines nothing by his denial neyther need we to contend at all about it The Angel ascending from the East is Christ Luk. 1.78 Col. 1.15 Heb. 1.3 Eph. 1.4 For it is all one whither
yeere after his decease beeing declared in the yeere 606. by Phocas the intruder universall Pope chiefe Priest and Bishop of Bishops And therefore it must needs be that he was this starre here said to be fallen Neverthelesse it may not be understood of Boniface alone but of all his successors in that sea even as before the great falling star typed out not onely Sylvester but also his successours untill Gregorie It is true Boniface himself sate scarsly one yeere on the chair of universall pestilence notwithstanding the rest who succeeded him were so far from repairing the ruin beeing once made as on the contrary they continually proceeded from evill to worse I am not ignorant that some learned men doe think that Mahumet is here to be understood Mahumet cannot be here meant who about this time caused an open apostasie from the faith of Christ in most of the Eastern parts beeing esteemed by his followers a great Prophet and so is unto this day But I see no reason why in scripture he should be called a coelestiall star seeing it is certaine that from the very first he was a most wicked deceiver and a cruel murtherer setting up his owne dreames by magical art power of the sword Wherefore I judge that here is most plainely typed out the Romish Antichrist with his clergie but Mahumet in the following trumpet The sum of all is this that we may interpret the Revelation by it selfe the falling of this starre is that great earthquake which arose at the opening of the sixt seale of which you may see what we have observed on Chap. 6. v. 12. And to him was given the key of the bottomlesse pit The principall thing here shewed unto Iohn is the giving of the key of the bottomlesse pit unto this apostaticall starre And hence hee is called the Angel of the bottomlesse pit and Abaddon the king of the locusts v. 11. Al which may most fitly be applied unto the Popes of Rome who after their apostasie received this key Now we are briefly to consider what is meant by this bottomlesse deep what by the gulfe the key thereof as also when and by whom the same was given unto the Pope It is called in Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beeing derived from α 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a bottom as it were without bottom or from α and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cover for the deep is covered with waters The word in scripture is used first for the Chaos or disordered forme at the first creation darkenesse beeing upon the face of the deep Gen. 1.2 Secondly for the depth of the sea or waters Gen. 7.11 And the fountains of the great deep were opened Psal 42.7 deep calleth unto deep at the noyse of thy water spouts Thirdly for hell as Luk. 8.31 where the devils beseech Christ that he would not command them to goe out into the deep Rom. 10.7 Who shall descend into the deep so here and in many other places of this booke The bottomlesse pit This is not meant of the whole gulfe but as it were the deepest and narrowest receptacle filthie sinck of hell The key of the bottomlesse pit That is power to open and shut the same thrusting into and delivering out of it whomsoever he pleaseth For keyes doe signifie power Now who besides the Pope doth usurpe this power unto himselfe which plainely shewes that he is this apostaticall starre Was given to him by whom by Phocas who appointed by a solemne decree that the Pope as being universall Priest should have absolute and full power over all Bishops and Churches to call and dissolve Synods to confirme or abolish their decrees that nothing should be ratified but by the sole Authority of the sea of Rome And hence it is that the Pope hath power both in heaven and earth and hell in token whereof he weares on his head a triple crowne thus hath writen in one of his decrees if the Pope should send many thousands of men into hell no man may say unto him what doest thou hence he imposeth lawes on the consciences makes new articles of faith canoniseth bookes saintes images celebrates Iubilees sends forth innumerable indulgences or pardons for sinne emptieth purgatorie the which latter may not unfittly be applyed to this bottomlesse pit But in truth this key was given unto him by Satan that old serpent according to that of the Apostle The comming of Antichrist shall be after the working of Satan with all power c. 2 Thess 2.9 I confesse indeed that the first Bishop or pastor of the Christian Church at Rome received the key of the kingdom of heaven from Christ that is power to binde and loose the consciences of men according to the Law and Gospell But Satan contrarie hereunto gave unto the Pope this hellish key by which he hath thrust aside and made voyd Christs key And hence it is that the Pope hath two keyes crosswise in his ensignes Neverthelesse this came not to passe without Gods secret and unsearcheable judgement as the Apostle witnesseth 2 Thess 2. saying that the comming indeed of Antichrist is with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse Yet God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a ly because they received not the love of the truth Now this we must not understand onelie of a bare permission as if God did nothing but looke upon that which Satan Phocas Antichrist should doe but hee willingly granted this power unto him by his secret and righteous judgement that so both hee himself and all they might bee damned who beleeved not the truth Thus it is said also in v. 3. that power was given to the locusts to hurt men as the scorpions of the earth have power that is from their king the devill yet so as not without the ordering hand of God who wisely disposeth all things whither don by men or devils And thus in Chap. 13. v. 5.7.15 it is said that it was given to the beast to make warre with the Saintes to give life to the image of the beast c. Whence we may see how God righteously punisheth sinne with sinne in Antichrists kingdome And this thing we are to take notice of that so in the midst of these Antichristian confusions we may not look upon Antichrist and the devill onely but indeed cheifely consider and adore the presence and secret judgements of God But thou wilt say Rev. 1.18 20.1 how is the key of the bottomlesse pit which Christ hath given unto Antichrist I answer The difference how Christ and Antichrist are said to have the key of the bottomlesse pit Christ hath it one way Antichrist another Christ hath it truely and by right of his Godhead and mediation as beeing Lord of death and hell that he may redeem sinners out of the power thereof but Antichrist hath it falselie and by deceit as beeing
king of locusts and impudently professing himself to bee Christs vicar Besides he hath not the key of hell absolutely but of the bottomlesse pit or of the sinke of hel and thence to raise the smoak of his pestilent lies deceit to the damnation of the inhabitants of the earth 2. And hee opened the bottomlesse pit Now John expoundeth the pestilent effects of this power The bottomlesse pit was shut up by the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles who pluckt men out of the snares of Satan by leading them unto the living fountaines of Israel it was shut up I say almost untill these times For hetherto the faithfull teachers took heed that this pestilent smoake might not spread it self over their Churches But now Antichrist having gotten the key into his hand unlocked as it were the verie gate of hell which before was shut But what is this surely nothing else but the Popes universal power by which he laboured not to open unto men the kingdome of God but on the contrarie to unloose the verie barrs of hell that so the world might rush headlong into the same Now the Pope opened this bottomlesse pit when by his authority hee established his filthy errours superstitions idols c. and tooke out of the Church the certainty of faith perseverance tormenting infusing into the consciences of men feares doubtings c. This was the porch or entrie into hell he opened therefore the bottomlesse pit for the destruction of all men like as hunters open caves pits whereinto the unwarie deere might fall and be taken This was the first effect of the key And there arose a smoak out of the pit This second effect is an exhalation of a pestilent smoake which necessarily followes the former as when an house of office is uncovered there ariseth a filthy stinke And it is called a smoake because it ascendeth out of hell as smoake doth from fire Moreover it is not a thinne but a verie thick smoke as of a great furnace like to bakers brickmakers smiths or the like This smoake is nothing els but the blacke and smoaky divinity of the Pope His wicked decrees touching images and idol worship his taking upon him to purge sins by masses penance satisfactions pilgrimages almes purgatorie jubilees pardons c the primacle of his Romish chaire his power in heaven and hell to be short the whole volumes of their Canons Decretals together with the inextricable toyes of Scholastick divinity by all which the Pope hath in very deed brought a thick smoake upon the Christian world establishing a mingle mangle of Iudaisme Paganisme in stead of Christianity oppressing the truth of Christ with most grosse darknesse Now the doctrines of Antichrist are compared to smoake from the effects thereof For as the smoake obscures the ayre hurts the eyes causeth such a darknesse that things cannot bee seen as they are and he which walketh in it is in danger to be stiffled or to fall down headlong even so is it with Antichrists smoake therefore it followeth And the Sun and the aire was darkned The Revelation expounds it self The fourth trumpet sounding the third part of the Sun Moon and Stars was smitten But here the whole Sun is darkened and so consequently the aire which is enlightned by the same This signifies the same evil with the former but more grievous For before onely a third part but here a totall defect of the light appeareth Nothing is more sad to behold then totall eclipses as happened in Aegypt at Christs passion For all things then are in darkenesse the day beeing turned into the night Now as Christ is the Sun of righteousnesse so nothing can be signified by this total darknesse but that universall Apostasie from the faith which the Apostle foretold should come to passe under Antichrist Vntill the times of Gregorie the third part of the Sun was smitten that is much darkenesse was brought into the Church by Bishops hereticks hypocrites hermites and monkes as we have before shewed upon the going forth of the black and pale horse as also at the sounding of the the third and fourth trumpet But after Gregorie Boniface at length and his successours sitting on the chaire of VNIVERSAL pestilence a horrible night darkened Christ the Sun in the Church for all places were filled with most grosse darknesse of Popish decrees traditions superstitions ceremonies lies fraud and Sophistrie The summe of all is this The darkening of the Sun which the Apostaticall Star brought in by his hellish smoake of Popish divinity doth exactly answer to that obscurity which happened at the opening of the sixt seal For the Sun was made black like sackcloth of haire the Moon was turned into blood the Stars fell from heaven unto the earth c. by al which as we there shewed is mystically set forth that horrible night of blindnesse which Christ suffered during Antichrists reigne But thou wilt say how can this darkenesse bee applied unto the Papacy seeing they professe the name of Christ beleeve him to be the saviour receive the Apostolicall faith and to be short acknowledge the holy Scriptures of God unto this day Now here I desire the reader to consider what I have before answered unto this faire pretence And what the Apostle said unto the hypocritical teachers of his time who under a shew of preaching Christ brought into the Church Iewish ceremonies and a flagitious licentiousnesse of life they professe that they know God but in workes they denie him The which how fitlie it agreeth to Antichrist the fathers of old as Hilarie Austin and others have wel observed It is true indeed in word hee professeth Christ but in workes he denies him For had he come as an open enemie of Christ he could never have invaded the kingdome of the Church but his comming was as the Apostle hath foretold with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse Thus we see that Antichrist under the name of Christ should oppose Christ and labour to destroy the faith of Christ out of the harts of men The proprietie of Antichrists name saith HILARIE is to be contrarie to Christ the which is now effected under the opinion of fained pietie This is now preached under shew of preaching the Gospell And indeed Christ while hee seems to be preached is denyed So AVSTIN Hee also is to bee esteemed the SON OF PERDITION who under the NAME OF CHRIST which is the name of God that is making shew of beeing a Christian extolles himself above Christ whence it appeareth that these fathers were of opinion that Antichrist under the name of Christ the faith of Christ should deny both But how is this don by the Papists This hath fully been manifested long agoe They pray unto the images of Marie made of stone wood gold c. Holy Marie queene of heaven heare us save us O thou our onely hope c. In thee O Ladie I trust Into thy hands O Ladie I commend my spirit The
Lord said unto my Ladie sit thou at my right-hand c. And unto other images thus S. Peter S. Paul S. Nicolas S. Magdalene have mercie on us save us c. Is not this in workes to deny God and Christ the onely Saviour albeit in the words of the Creed they doe professe him They teach that the remission of sins righteousnesse and eternal life is to be sought for in the merits of humane workes as penance satisfactions Iubilees indulgences masses exorcismes processions pilgrimages purgatorie c. Is not this whatsoever they professe a denying of the blood and merit of Iesus Christ The Pope boasteth to be the Vicar of Christ the Head and Monarch of the Church on earth But Christ neyther appointed nor gave any such office unto the Church Read 1 Cor. 12.8 and Ephes 4.11 where the distinct orders and office which Christ gave unto the bodie are all reckoned up Now if any man takes upon him to bee a Kings Vicar without his appointment is not such a one the kings enemie Ioh. 19.12 as they said in the Gospell whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar The Pope therefore arrogating to himself the title of Christs Vicar doth thereby plainely prove that he is Antichrist Christs adversarie The Pope will be adored as God In Donat. Constant dist 96. taking divine honour unto himself Steuchus saith Constantine adored the Pope as God Bloudus saith all the Princes of the earth adore and worship the Pope as the chiefe God Mantuan thus writeth concerning the pope Great Caesar with victorious kings Who golden crownes doe weare They doe adore his footsteps Who the double sword doth beare The Fathers of the Lateran Council gave this blasphemous applause to the Pope Thou art all things and above all things To thee is given all power in heaven and in earth And another Poet thus Oraculo vocis mundi moderaris habenas Et merito in terris diceris esse Deus By thy unerring word thou rulest over all And fitt it is a god on earth men should thee call The titles of some bookes lately dedicated unto the Pope are thus PAVLO V. VICE DEO To Paul the fift in place of God The letters of which title in Latine doe pecisely expresse the number of the BEASTS name 666. doth he not therefore deny God and shew himself to be the very Antichrist seeing he thus presumptuously takes a deity to himselfe Touching mariage meats fasting c. He binds where God unlooseth looseth where God binds Now is not this in pride to lift up himself both against and above the Lord He will not that the scriptures should bee beleeved no neither God himselfe otherwise then he approves off Enchi de script de authorit scriptu lib. 1. cap. 10. sect 3. The scripture is not authentick saith Eckius but by the authoritie of the Church And Stapleton neyther doe we beleeve God but for the Church How therefore can he himself eyther beleeve in or call on the name of God He hath made himself to bee the GREATEST high-priest of the Church whereas Christ is called the GREAT High-priest thereof Heb. 4. 12. By how much therefore greatest is more then great by so much the Pope hath lift himself up above Christ To be short he not onely weakens but labours wholy to take away all faith out of the harts of the Godly not onely in making the scriptures which is the rule of faith to depend on his will but also in denying and comdemning all certainty and confidence of grace mercie and salvation and on the contrarie he will have the conscience to be in perpetuall trouble fear and doubtings I forbear to speake more these things are sufficient to shew how in the Papacie the Sun was darkened by the smoake of hell And the aire by reason of the smoake of the pit The Sun being darkned the aire of necessitie must be so likewise What is meant by the darkening of the aire For the aire darke in it self is enlightned by the Sun Lyra well understands by the aire the Church because the Church receives her light from Christ as doth the aire from the Sun Now the Church vanished out of the sight of men when she lay hid and buried as it were under the smoke of this pit beeing changed into the chaire and kingdom of Antichrist At first the state of the Church was oeconomicall wherein Christ as the onely father of his houshold taking a far journy even to heaven appointed many servants over his familie the Church and howsoever he gave unto them diversitie of talents or gifts yet equall power in the dispensation thereof But Antichrist having possessed the chaire of VNIVERSAL pestilence altered this oeconomicall state into a Monarchie and was acknowledged in stead of Christ to be the priest and head of the Church But thou wilt say was Christ now without a Church had he quite forsaken and lost his spouse These indeed are the objections of the Romish Parasites but they are idle and frivolous For in the midst of the confusions of Antichrist Christ as we heard before preserved unto himself out of everie tribe and nation tongue 144000 sealed ones So that there was a Church even in the bowels of Popery although it were not in the least the Papall Hierarchie which caried the title thereof We may also interpret the aire to be the holy Scriptures or the ministry of the Church for as the aire instrumentally brings the light of the Sun unto us so by the holy Scriptures and the opening of them the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ doth brightly shine in our harts But now this aire was darkened viz. by a fatal eversion of the word and the whole ecclesiastical order But I rather approve the former sence For touching the ecclesiasticall order how it began the historie of the locusts will shew 3. And there came out of the smoake Locusts We have heard three effects of this Apostaticall Star viz. the opening of the bottomlesse pit the smoake of the pit the darkening of the sun and aire Now the fourth followes a monstrous brood of Locusts came out of the smoake of the pit Locusts are a small kinde of vermine having weak wings The description and nature of Locusts lifting up themselves by flight so little from the earth that they seem rather to leap then to fly In Africa Syria and the Indies they are bigger of bodie and stronger of wings they are verie hurtfull to the herbs fruites and trees upon which they feed and by touching infect them in sommer time they leap make a creaking with their wings Among the ten plagues of Egypt the Locusts were the eight beeing brought by an East-winde over the whole land Exod. 10.13 Ioel. 1.6 In Ioel also the Lord threatneth the Israelites with Locusts having teeth like Lions alluding allegorically unto the Babylonians Here also the whole description argues The Locusts
all Christians so rashly yeeld assistance unto Antichrist so soon as he manifests himself O foolish vanities Thus we see this fiction is inconsistent It is also diverse wayes repugnant to the holie Scriptures For they teach us that Antichrist shall not come but by an universall apostasie from the faith 2 Thess 2.3 1 Tim. 4.1 the elect onely excepted who are sealed in their foreheads But who would say that al Christian Bishops with their highpriests could be led aside from the faith within lesse then four yeeres Besides the Scripture witnesseth that the day Mark 13.22 1 Thess 5.2 moneth and yeere of Christs last comming beeing hid from all creatures is onely knowen unto God and the Lord will come suddenly as a thiefe in the night when the world shall say Peace and safety But according to the opinion here laid down the day moneth and yeere of the last judgement should not bee unknown for from the rising of Antichrist unto his death there should remaine but three yeeres and an halfe and from his death unto the last judgement 45 dayes for so Bellarmin expresly writes Lib. 3. de P. R. c. 17. that after the death of Antichrist there shall be no more then 45 dayes unto the end of the world Seeing therefore that the opinion being granted there followes a falsity the opinion it self must needs be false This reason is so strong as that it forced Ribera to forsake that false opinion about the 45 dayes as we shall hear on Chap. 20. To be short this onely sufficeth that in Chap. 13.5 these 42 moneths are againe repeated touching the beast unto him power was given to continue fourty two moneths which cannot in any wise be understood of Astronomicall moneths or three yeeres and an halfe For that beast to Bellarmin Alcasar and others not a few is the Romane Empire the power whereof whither it be taken of the old or new continued far longer then three yeeres and an halfe For these causes therefore and many other absurdities this first opinion cannot possiblie stand And this errour is the rather to be excused in the Ancients who diverse wayes erred about Antichrist as Bellarmin himself confesseth because they saw not the histories of future ages Ibid. cap. 3. but is not in our dayes to be suffered in the least but banished out of the Church as a most pernitious errour For it hath brought both a securitie upon the world hitherto as also it keepeth the Papists to this day in their blindnes insomuch as they neither will nor can see and avoyd Antichrist raigning in the Church long agoe discovered by the light of the Gospell Concerning the divisions of the times in Dan we will speak in the following Chapter The other opinion understands these to be propheticall moneths The other opinion of fourty two propheticall moneths Ezech. 4 5 6. Num. 14.34 Cent. 1. lib. 2. c. 4. col 438. taking a moneth for thirtie dayes of yeeres or thirtie yeeres and so these 42 moneths make twelve hundred and sixtie yeeres like as Ezechiel was commanded to lie on his left side 390 dayes upon his right fourty dayes for fourty yeeres by taking a day for a yeere so the Israelites are commanded to wander in the wildernes fourty yeeres according to the dayes in which they searched the land counting a day for a yeere and so the Centurie writers of Magdeburg take it and our Junius on this place who begins the fourty two moneths or 1260 yeeres of this treading under foot from the passion of our Lord endeth it in Boniface the eight who was created Pope in the yeer 1294. from which the thirty foure yeeres of Christs life beeing deducted there remaine 1260 yeeres now concerning this determination I will speake afterward Bellarmins objections against this opinion are not solid He saith Ibid. cap. 8 that the scripture indeed speakes of weekes of yeeres Levit. 25. Dan. 9. but that we finde not dayes to be put for yeeres or moneths of yeeres Vnto which I answer it is not true that dayes are not put for yeeres for the two alledged places Num. 14.34 Ezech. 4.6 doe plainly shew the same That which he objects that yeeres are not taken for dayes according to the letter otherwise Ezechiel must have lien on his left side 390 yeeres is frivolous for dayes doe not signifie yeeres litterally but according to the pleasure of God so speaking fourty yeeres are imposed upon the Israelites for fourty dayes and on the contrarie for 390 yeeres 390 dayes are granted unto Ezech. so that it cannot bee denied but the scripture in a propheticall sense doth reciprocally put a day for a yeere and a yeere for a day Touching the moneths of yeeres he cavils in vaine For if the scripture allowes of dayes of yeeres weekes of yeeres why not also of moneths of yeeres seeing moneths are reduced into weekes and weekes into dayes The determination I leave to the authors notwithstanding it seems not to bee without some inconveniences For first as concerning the life of Christ In heresi 51 Alogian I rather thinke with Epiphanius that he lived 32 complete yeeres and 74 dayes then 34 yeeres of which I have spoken somthing otherwere So then the end of these yeeres would come short of Boniface VIII Secondlie it sufficiently appeareth by what we have spoken on Chap. 4.1 I will shew thee things which must bee hereafter that this account must not begin from Christs passion or any other time before this vision was exhibited unto John And therefore these yeeres are to begin after the Revelation so after the times of Domitian Thirdly although Boniface indeed most wickedlie trode under foot the holy city yet after him it ceased not for his successours no way inferiour to him in Antichristian tyrannie have gone foreward treading down the Church unto this day Now it is apparent that here is noted the time how long the holy city must be troden under foot by Antichristian Gentiles So that these XLII moneths shal not be ended untill the holie city be freed from this treading down And therefore this opinion also seems to have little soliditie in it The third The third opinion touching Sabbath-moneths is John Fox that excellent writer of the English booke of Martyrs in his conjectures on the Revelation who understands the XLII moneths of sabbaths weekes or yeeres of so many times seven yeeres which make 294. and so many yeeres he reckons from the death of Iohn Baptist unto Constantine the Emperour under whom the Christians first were freed from persecution as therefore saith he the times of the first persecution of Christians under the Jewes and Emperours increased unto 294 yeeres so likewise the last persecution treading down of the holie citie shall endure 294 yeeres beginning from the time that the power of the Turkes first began to increase viz. from the yeere of our Lord 1300. So these moneths should have been ended
will recall a man from his carnall security to the feare of God and working of righteousnesse except he have a heart of steele for as much as in the day of Gods judgement a most exact account of what hath been done in the flesh must be given by all the greatest Kings and Potentates not excepted When without any respect of persons they that have done well shall possesse life eternall They that have done ill shall be cast into everlasting fire The Angell therefore could not use a more forcible reason to deterre men from the contempt of God and his word To this purpose is that in Sirach Chap. 7.40 In all things that thou sayest or doest remember thy end and thou shalt not sin Now if any aske how this prophesie is true and accomplished seeing it is so long since John said 2 Pet. 3.9 Gods judgement was at hand Let him heare Peter answering the mockers of his time The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some count slacknesse but is long suffering towards us not willing that any should perish but that all should come unto repentance The Angell saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is come for shall certainly come by an usuall Enallage of the preterperfect tense instead of the future so a little after is fallen for shall certainely fal noting the immutability of the events decreed by God so formerly he often said he will come shortly that is sooner then we are aware of that the deepe fleepe of security might be driven out of us and lest with the wicked servant we should say Luke 12.45 My Lord deferreth his comming But rather let us consider seeing the Apostles did presage the day of judgement to be then at hand how much nearer is it now unto us after so many ages And worship him that made In the third member he recalls the world from popish idolatry unto the service of the true God alone whom he notes by a periphrasis from the worke of the creation of heaven and earth the sea and fountaines of waters The Old version ads and of all things that are in them which words are not in the Greeke but seem to be taken out of Psa 146.9 unto which place the spirit here alludeth The fountaines of waters are reckoned up among the chiefe works of God because the continuance of the fountaines is indeed a very wonderfull worke of the Lord concerning which Phylosophers have much disputed with great admiration Psal 104.10 114 8. And it is also celebrated in the Psalmes He sendeth the springs into the valleyes which run among the hills Which turneth the rock into a standing water the flint into a fountaine of waters Furthermore that religious worship is onely due to God both the Scripture and nature it selfe teacheth For God alone is omnipotent knowes all things and is present in all places He is able to heare and helpe all that call upon him wheresoever they be He alone is the Author of nature governour and Lord of the world wherefore all ought to depend upon him onely in him alone we must beleeve and put our considence Ier. 17.5 But cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme Hence faith and prayer are in Scripture coupled by an individuall tye as the cause and effect Rom. 10.14 Mat. 4.10 How shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved Therefore it is an expresse commandement Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Now howsoever this be an undeniable and manifest truth yet the world forsaking the Lord followed and wondred after the Beast all I say both great and small bond and free worshipped the Beasts image kissed his feet and attributed divine honour unto him as though he were God on earth And this the worshippers of the Pope doe not denie according to that of the Poet before mentioned Ense potens gemino cujus vestigia adorant Caesar aurato vestiti murice Reges Nay all have not the priviledge to worship before the Beast and kisse his feet this onely is permitted to Kings and Emperours Others must be content devoutly to worship his image and call upon the Saints that are canonized by the Beast and adore his Crosses Crucifixes Altars set up by him in temples groves and highwaies c. From this beastly worship of idols the Angel here dehorteth the world as calling them to the worship of the true God Neither will he any whit esteeme their vaine pretenses That the Pope is not worshipped as God but as Gods and Christs Vicar for they falsely affirme him to be that which he is not That they call not on the Saints with a worship of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this is a false distinction the religious worship both of Latreia and Douleia being in Scripture onely attributed to God and signifie both one thing That they worship not graven images but God in them this also is false for Images are no gods neither will God be worshipped in or by them Thou shalt not doe so unto the Lord thy God Deut. 12.31 Thus far of the everlasting Gospel published by the first Angel or reformer of Popery The summe of which is in these three things I. That God is to be feared and Antichristianisme to be repented of II. That glory is to be ascribed to God by beleeving in his sonne III. That God is to be worshipped by fleeing the Image of the Beast and performing obedience to God 8 And another Angel followed because the former Angell although he cryed with a great voice did little profit unto the inhabitants of the earth who were drowned with the wine of Babylonish whoredome for after Wickleffe Husse and Jerome of Prague were burnt the Papacy remained stil in its vigour furie Therefore another Angell followed who more forcibly assailing Antichrist weakened his kingdome in many Provinces And here againe by an Enallage One Angell is put for Angels for there shall be divers succeeding each other in divers places But One shall excell and continue the ministery of the former Angell who was a while interrupted Now this Angel if we looke into histories who can he be save Luther This second Angell is Luther who followed 130. yeeres after Wickleffe and 100. after Husse and Jerome he first began in Saxony by word and writing to thunder against the Popes Pardons publikely put to sale soon after against the whole Papacy anno 1517. To him was joyned Philip Melanchton as a most faithfull assistant and soone after many other excellent men who by little and little restored the everlasting Gospell in divers parts of Germany and expelled Popery About the same time Zwinglius and Oecolampadius began together to oppose Popery and 〈…〉 Gospell in Helvetia But let us heare what this Angell publisheth Babylon is fallen is fallen He threatens ruine to Babylon for her wicked fornication by which
even our faith Here also observe that election is put after vocation by a gradation from the effect to the cause as 2. Pet. 1.10 15 And he said to mee Hitherto of the Beast his heads and hornes Now followes the interpretation of the whore I. He declares her Empire II. Her destruction and the cause III. Her name or surname And he said for Then or moreover he said for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And belongs to the order as also in ver 11. and throwout hitherto Where the woman sitteth Least Iohn should scruple how here the woman sits on the waters How the where siâ—â—t◠〈◊〉 waters upon the beast and peoples which he saw before sitting on the Beast the Angell interprets the many waters to be many Peoples by which he might easily reconcile the matter for to sit upon Peoples is a known Phrase signifying rule or dominion over many People The sitting notes the largenesse of her Territory To sit upon the Beast is to hold the Monarchicall Power of the Empire in subjection or to rule the Empire by the Title of the woman that is of the Church which thing Antichrist doth The Waters are Peoples By a Metonymicall Phrase that is they represent Peoples The reason of the Metonymia is grounded on the similitude because peoples are like to waters in rage and unconstancy for as many waters by their forceable running carry down all things before them lying in the way So populous kingdoms and great armies wast and subdue all things And as waters filling still the stream with a perpetuall motion are unburdened into the Sea so peoples by continuall succession of each other are swallowed up one after another by the gulf of death Ier. 47.2 So saith God touching the army of the Chaldeans Behold waters rise out of the North. and shal be as an overflowing flood and shall overflow the Land c. Now by many Peoples we understand both the mighty Armis and Legions of the Romanes by which of old they obtained the Empire of the world for themselves As also the People themselves brought under their subjection These the Angell distinguisheth into multitudes nations and tongues because of the variety being of Europe Asia and Africa very different in Nation Tongue Nature and Manners Ribera well observeth that not onely those Peoples are signified which then obeyed the Romanes but such also as shall afterward obey Antichrist These Peoples therfore are principally such as are spiritually subject unto the Pope either directly or indirectly viz. all the Laity of what nation soever and Clergy who for number are thought not to be lesse then a third part of the Laity on whom he hath imprinted the Character of his name 16 And the ten hornes which thou sawest on the Beast Now he begins to declare the destruction of the whore which he promised to shew ver 1. The argument or scope whereof he will further shew in the following Chap. Now he expoundeth by whom it shal be inflicted how and the Author thereof The ten hornes which thou sawest that is the ten kings which thou heardest to be signified by the ten hornes ver 12. shall destroy the whore In the reading it is to be noted that Montanus in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Beast hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Beast as if the Beast also should hate Rome the which Bellarmin makes great use of denying that Rome shall be the Seat of Antichrist for if Antichrist shall hate Rome and make it desolate how then saith he shall Rome be the Seat of Antichrist will Antichrist make his own Seat desolate but he knowes the reading is false though he thus dallies for not the Beast but the hornes or Kings shall hate Rome as all Copies both Greek and Latine have it yea the Old Version also unto which the Iesuite is tyed and this reading the Relative These to wit Kings doth require And so Ribera holds against Bellarmine Ribera against Bellar that the Ten Kings shall overthrow Rome although he addeth that they shall do it before the comming of Antichrist which we erewhile proved to be false In the mean while out of Bellarmines reasoning against Ribera we gather that the Beast is Antichrist according as we truly expounded it but Ribera applying it to the divel doth grosly erre The Kings therfore shall labour to destroy the Whore yet not accomplish it in a moment but by five degrees They shall hate her And therefore they shall then cease to commit Whoredome with her The kings hatred of the whord But shall hate her which is the beginning of repentance For to hate sinne is to avoide the same which is the first degree of repentance Thus in regard of the following matter I expound this Hatred The occasion went before verse 14. viz. the Victory of the Lambe against whom these Kings had formerly unhappily taken up armes for they were and shall bee overcome yet so as with a different effect for some shall remaine still in their hostility beeing the KINGS of the Earth who will againe encounter with Christ and shall feele his sharpe sword Chapter 19.15 Others beeing overcome and convicted in Conscience shall give glory to God open their eyes unto the light of the Gospell and oppose the Tyranny of the Beast the Cup of the whore and Idolatry of the Pope Thus these Kings beeing converted to the Faith of the Gospell shall hate the Whore and bid Rome farewell But others shall remain Kings of the Earth Notwithstanding the Ten are said to do that which the most of them shall do by a Synecdoche familiar in Scripture And shall make her desolate The second degree and effect of repentance By deserting Leaving Rome they shall with their Kingdoms Provinces and Territories turn to Christ and restore the true worship of God according to the Gospell And naked This they shall doe both by publicke confessions and writings By making her naked in declaring and demonstrating the filthinesse of Romes Idolatry to make her detestable like as an harlot having her whorish attire puld off is odious to the view of all honest people As also by taking backe the gold pearles and pretious stones Purple Scarlet Manours Possessions Territories Taxes and Riches which the Whore had drawne from former Kings their Ancestours through seeming piety and with which like Aesops Crow she proudly adorned herselfe as with the feathers of another Now this they shall do not without but within their owne Territories doing herein injury to none nor violently take that which is anothers but with all right keep that which is committed to their Faith Custody and Government taking care that the same may be imployed for the maintenance of Churches Schools and Hospitals Out therfore with Sycophants who calumniate the making naked of the whore as if it were Sedition and Rebellion against Emperors Kings and Princes who are still adicted to the Romish Religion Nay verily from
refuted as Eusebius writeth Lib. 7. Hist C. 10. TERTVLLIAN Lib. 3. Cont marcion Lactantius lib. 7. instit Cap. 23. disputes at large of this Fable VICTORINVS PICTAVIENSIS in his Commentary on the Revelat. How uncertain the antiquity of tradition and the authority of the fathers is Austin also himselfe in the aforesaid place confesseth that hee sometime held the same Hence all men may see how little is to be ascribed to antiquitie of TRADITIONS and the authority of the FATHERS For antiquity without truth What is it but the oldnesse of errour Who more ancient then Irenaeus Hee writeth that he was the hearer or Disciple of Papias and Papias of the Apostles Papias on the contrary denyes that he heard or ever saw the Apostles with his eyes Behold antiquity without truth The said Papias received the Chiliasts Fable by tradition of the Elders and drew many to embrace this errour by his authority The fable of Antichrists four yeeres reigne And without doubt from the said Author Irenaeus sucked another fable which by this means was generally received touching Antichrist that hee should reigne not fully foure yeeres in the end of the world for the most ancient Writers were ignorant thereof IVSTIN the oldest Writer extant affirmeth that Antichrist the man of sinne was already at the doore Dialogo cum Tryphone CLEMENT who wrote next to IVSTIN hath not one word of Antichrists three yeers reigne Tertullian who lived at the same time affirmed that Antichrist was neare at hand Cyprian also next to the former writeth Lib. 5. Epist 7. yee ought to know hold Libro Defuga persecut and certainly beleeve that the day of triall is begun already and that the decay of the world and the time of Antichrist draweth on Ibid Antichrist commeth Wherefore the Fables of Papias were not taken on till at length in latter Ages Furthermore the Chiliasts Fable occasioned many which dis-approved the same but were not able to refute it to fall into another errour worse then the former affirming that the Revelation was to bee rejected as written by the Hereticke CERINTHVS Among these were Cajus and others touching whom in EVSEBIVS DIONISIVS ALFXANDRINVS speaketh who opposed NEPOS the Egyptian Others on the contrary to keep up the authority of the Revelation laboured to divide the opinion of Cerinthus and the Fathers as if Cerinthus indeed maintained a voluptuous Millenary kingdom full of lust and riot But the Fathers the spirituall delights of the Saints But Ribera affirmeth Comm in Apoc. 20. N. 26. that there was no difference betwixt the opinion of Cerinthus and the Fathers because Irenaeus Tertullian Lactantius c. wrote the same things about the Millenary Kingdome which are contained in the opinion of Cerinthus And this Dionysius and Caius also an old Writer affirmeth Euseb Lib. 3. Hist Cap. 28. however it be the Chiliasts opinion was by the Christians condemned for ascribing to Christ contrary to the Scriptures a voluptuous and earthly Kingdome and for bringing in contrary to the Apostolicall Faith one and so making a two-fold Resurrection after another the which opinion how improbable it is hath I suppose bin sufficiently shewed so as I trust that such who think it ought again to be renewed as far as concernes the latter part thereof will after the due consideration of these things in the fear of God with Austin change their opinion Now for the refuting of this old Fiction of the Chiliasts which Jerome in the life of Papias calleth a Jewish tradition we may briefly observe that it consists neither with the present Vision nor with it selfe nor with other Scriptures nor Christian beliefe Now this besides what formerly hath bin spoken I will shew by foure clear Arguments First I have made it manifest already that the thousand yeers of Satans binding A refutation of the Chiliasts errour by experience and the Kingdom of the Martyrs with Christ in Heaven beginning from the overthrow of Ierusalem unto Gregory VII that Romish Beast are now past above 548. yeers And yet there hath not bin any corporall Resurrection of Martyrs or Golden Kingdom of Christ on earth The experience therefore which we now see but the fathers could not refuteth this Fiction Secondly 2. From the text That Millenarie Kingdom is expresly ascribed unto the soules of the Martyrs and Confessours when as Austin well observeth they were not restored to their bodies Then I say their soules sate upon thrones lived and reigned with Christ in those thousand yeeres this therefore is not to be applied unto the Resurrection of the body Thirdly This errour as arising from a false Chronologie is plainely refuted 3. From the erroneous chronologie For the Chiliasts following the erroneous computation of the Greekes affirmed that Christ was born in 5199. yeer of the world since which are past 1621. yeers which number being added unto the former would make 6820. yeers from the Creation But thus not onely the sixt Millenary or the thousand yeers which they ascribe to the binding of Satan should bee past but also there should but a few yeers of the seventh Millenary and their voluptuous Kingdome of the Saints with Christ should already have dured above eight hundred the which is refuted by History and experience so that if Irenaeus Tertullian Lactantius c. did now live they should bee necessitated to confesse that they much erred from the truth Lastly the whole Scripture holds forth IV. From the difficulties of the last times Ioh. 18.36 Ioh. 18.20 Mat. 24.21 Luk. 18.8 2. Tim 3.1 that the last times shall not be voluptuous in the least but difficult and sorrowfull unto the Church in this world Besides Christ did often foretell that his Kingdom should not be earthly My kingdome is not of this world The world shall rejoyce but yee shall mourne In the world yee shall have tribulation Then shal be great tribulation such as was not from the beginning of the world unto this time Watch therefore that ye may be found worthy to escape all these things When the sonne of man commeth shall he finde Faith on the earth Through manifold tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven This know that in the last dayes perilous or difficult times shall come c. These and such like testimonies of Scripture which speake of the afflicted state of the last times doe abundantly refute the Millenaries Fiction Now wee goe forward with the Text. 6. Blessed and holy is hee that hath part By an Exclamation he extolleth and commendeth unto us the felicity and necessity of the first Resurrection or spirituall living againe by which of old those Rest of the dead in Paganisme and Antichristianisme obstinately refused to live againe by which all and they onely shall be blessed and holy Act. 8.21 Ioh. 13.8 What it is to have part in the first Resurrection The profitablenesse necessity of the first resurrection who have part in the first
they are the more apparent Therefore he could not more effectually set forth the excellency and worth of Heavenly good things erewhile promised unto the Conquerours viz. eternall abode with God his everlasting amitie absence of all evill abundance of all good things the Eternall and Heavenly refreshing and last of all the coinheritance with Christ in the new Heaven and the new Earth and of all things that are then by giving a touch on the contrary of the miserable and unhappy portion of the ungodly But the fearefull saith he and unbeleevers shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone whose horrible judgement hee repeateth from the end of the foregoing Chapter Whosoever was not found written in the Booke of Life was cast into the Lake of fire This part of the judgement he expoundeth more fully that the godly may the more contentedly beare the troublesomnesse of their warfare and miseries in this life which shall shortly be turned into joy and the lesse be grieved at the successe and delights of the ungodly who shortly shall be cast into the torments of Hell fire Furthermore he reckons up eight rankes of reprobates whose names are not written in the Booke of Life unto which all the wicked belong in speciall the worshippers of the Beast and his Zealots are set forth in their colours For of these chiefly it is said Chapter 13.8 That their names are not written in the Booke of Life And truely these wickednesses have notoriously born sway in the Papacy Fearefull These he opposeth to Christs strong champions and Conquerours Fearfull understanding indeed generally those delicate professours who for feare of danger would have nothing to do with Christ nor suffer any trouble for his sake But chiefly noteing those most base Vassals of ANTICHRIST unto whom a servile dread and spirit of fearfullnesse is proper For they are never taught certainely to trust in the mercy of God touching the remission of sinnes of faith and salvation but torment themselves with perpetual doubting false conjectures and feare of beeing deceived all their life time standing in dread of Purgatory and Hell fire Vnbeleeving Such indeed bee all that are Alients from the Faith of Christ Vnbelievers Iewes Pagans barbarous Infidels of whom it is said Hee that beleeveth not in the Sonne of God Ioh. 3.36 the wrath of God abideth on him Yet none are more bitter enemies of justifying faith then Antichrists Zealots for these both by Arguments and force of armes furiously oppugne free justification by Faith They therefore are principally these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnbeleeving seeing the Scriptures of the new Testament usually call other faithlesse men The abominable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disobedient and obstinate Abominable Both actively who abhorre God and Christ and passively who because of their abominable wickednesses are odious to God and men Andreas reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abominable sinners such indeed are blasphemers out of the Church But principally it agrees to the worshippers of the Beast for they imitate the nature of the Beast and his blasphemous mouth against God his Tabernacle and those that dwell in Heaven But what more cursed abomination can there be Cha. 13.6 then for Popish Priests really to sacrifice and kill the Sonne of God under the species of bread in the Masse mortifying destroying and offering him unto the Father if they be beleeved Murderers Such indeed have been all the robbers from Cain Murderers and Nimrod the Tyrants time cruelly spilling mans blood but none are more cruell man-slayers then Antichrists zealots and actors in the Inquisition who for many Ages have indeed by fire and sword killed innumerable bodies of the Martyrs but infinite soules of men by their devilish doctrine Whoremongers Such indeed are all impure adulterers and fornicatours whom God will judge Notwithstanding the Romane Clergy are the chiefe Adulterers and whoremongers who under pretence of vowed chastitie have long agoe polluted the Christian world with whoredomes adulteries sodomie and filthy secret lusts Sorcerers Or such as mingle poysoned cups Sorcerers or serving the devil by magical Art and so are hurtfull unto men Many Popes and Monks have excelled in this kind of wickednesse never was Magicke more used or esteemed of then in the Papacie Never were Kings and Princes in such danger of beeing poysoned as by these men Idolaters Among these indeed are comprehended Pagans who worship false Gods Idolaters for the true Govetous men whose Mammon is there God Epicures who make a god of their belly For all these are Idolaters but no Idolatry is so horrible as is in the Papacie where under the Image of God and Christ and of the Saints Idols of wood stone gold and silver are religiously worshipped and adored All Lyars That is Lyars Pro. 12.12 Iohn 8 44. all Liars and framers of lyes in generall adversaries of trueth of whom it is said Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord Every lyar is of the devill the father of lyes But the Papacy is as the very sinke of falsehood Their head the Pope is a lyar falsely affirming himselfe to be Christs Vicar Peters Successour Monarch of the Christian world Head of the Church and Lord of Kings and Emperours Their Religion and whole worship is false Their doctrine of meritorious works of Purgatory of satisfactions is false Their Doctors are lyars To bee short their blasphemies and calumnies by which they continually defame the Gospell of Christ are most false Thus we see whom the threatning respects Now for the punishment They shall have their part in the Lake An Hebrew Phrase Psa 11.6 Psa 16.5 Psa 63.10 Act. 8.21 Fire and brimstone is the part or portion of their cup Jehovah the part of my portion and of my cup. They shall be the portion of Foxes So PETER to Simon Magus Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter By an Allusion unto Heires among whom the inheritance is divided into certaine parts that every one may have his due portion Now because he had said that such as overcame should inherit all things Here on the contrary he saith the portion of the wicked shall be in the Lake of fire that is this shall be the inheritance of the ungodly Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the part of them The Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them is after the manner of the Hebrews a redundance or over-plus And the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is or shall be is wanting Beza rightly Is assigned to wit the sentence being now pronounced For erewhile he said all that were not written in the Booke of Life were cast into the lake of fire The lake of fire Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 14 Touching this Lake of fire and brimstone we need not with idle Sophisters dispute what kind of Lake it is and where and what kind of fire Elementary or not AVGVSTINE This fire saith he in what
will I give the Morning-Star for if the Morning-Star be Christ the sense is To him that overcommeth I will give my selfe or communicate my selfe with all my benefits unto him viz. joy and glory in part in this life but perfectly in the life to come 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come These kinde of abrupt sentences full of affection serve to stir up like affections desires and wishes in us Here the Lord Iesus commends unto us the studie of this Prophesie by the example of the Spirit and of the Bride They say Come that is from this Prophesie they long for my comming and that I fulfill the same Therefore ye also that heare the Prophesie ought to have the like desire And the Spirit and the Bride By the Spirit and Bride may be meant the spirituall Bride sanctified by the Spirit of God By the Bride I understand the Church especially the Triumphant She desires me to come that is to fulfill the Prophesie and to return to judgement that she might at length be glorified through a finall redemption like as the Soules of the Martyrs under the Altar did desire the full deliverance of the Church from all the miseries of this life Or we may understand the Spirit properly of the Holy Ghost Metalepsis is a figure whereby a word is put from his proper signification who above spake to the Churches in the Epistles of Christ in which it is often repeated Hee that hath eares let him heare what the SPIRIT saith unto the Churches In this sense the Spirit is said to wish the comming of Christ by a Metalepsis because it is the Spirit that makes the Bride to desire Christs comming in which sense also it is said Rom. 8.26 that the Spirit maketh intercession for us that is stirreth us up to make our requests and to cry Abba Father Come Namely to the full glorification of thy Bride This is the reason of the wish for the coming of the Lord shall be the full redemption of the Church the which seeing wee all doe expect wee must also wish for the comming of the Lord for as the Apostle intimates it is a note of Gods children to love his comming 2. Tim. 4.8 And let him that heareth This is the consequent of the former as if he should say If the Spirit and the Bride long for my comming then also let him that heareth the words of the Prophesie say COME that is ardently desire my comming for his redemption Thus hee would have us continually to pray Let thy Kingdome come by which we daily desire that the Lord Iesus by his comming would wholly destroy the Kingdome of Satan and perfectly set up his owne in us in eternall glory And let him that is athirst come He teacheth us what we ought to doe untill we obtaine our desire by a most large promise comforting us against the temptation of delay Let him saith he that is athirst that is that desireth full redemption and glory through my comming Come To wit unto me or unto the studie and meditation of this Prophesie It is an Answer unto the Churches wish as if he should say ye desire that I should come to your deliverance Yee therefore come unto me through Faith What it is to come unto Christ Mat. 11.28 Obedience and true Sanctitie being alwayes as it were girded with the same For to come to Christ is to receive his doctrine trust obey serve and wholly to give ones selfe unto him This is meant in the Gospell where hee saith Come unto mee all yee that are heavy laden AND VVHOSOEVER VVIL According to the promise Chap. 21.6 To him that is athirst I will give of the Fountaine of the water of life freely So here to them that come unto him he promiseth the living water of the pure Chrystalline River of the Heavenly Ierusalem This water is Christ himselfe the Fountaine of Life Or the Holy Ghost filling the Saints with Heavenly consolation This water is drawne or obtained by Faith and Prayer Therefore he saith Let him take That is by prayer beg and by faith obtaine the same It is not thrust into the hands of unwilling slothfull and drowsie persons therefore hee saith Whosoever will Hee saith not that it is in the power of free will but requires the will to receive it The will is ours but the will of receiving is not in us it is the gift of grace 1. Cor. 4.7 For what hast thou that thou hast not received Therefore the will and desire of grace is required to be in us that wee might bee quickned with the water of life Freely The Fountaine of grace which is open to all that desire the same is not to bee bought with the price of any thing but is freely bestowed by the merit and efficacie of the Lord Iesus Away therefore with the merits of Hypocrites 18. For I testifie These also are the words of the Lord Iesus not Iohns as appeares from ver 20. Before he said Blessed are they that keepe the words of this Prophesie Now he threatens a terrible curse unto all such as presume any wayes to adulterate this Prophesie For he foresaw that some would despise question and falsifie the same by their Additions Hee was not ignorant also that Antichrist with his false Prophets Falsifiers of Holy Writ would take liberty to falsifie the Faith yea usurpe to themselves absolute power over the very Scriptures of God Therefore he thought it necessary to defend the Authority of the Revelation and the whole Booke of Canonicall Scripture by this threatning as it were with a Seale that it might bee preserved entire unto the end for the Churches unto whose profit it was dedicated For I testifie The causall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For seemes an over-plus to Ribera by a Graecisme but as we shewed in the Analysis it is a seventh Argument commending the worthinesse of this Prophesie taken from the inviolable authority thereof Andreas for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I also testifie for so it is in the Text simplie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I testifie And so the Kings Copie hath it But all other Copies have it I also testifie neither is it without ground for the Lord Iesus assenteth to his Angell whom he had sent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to testifie these things to his servants as if he should say My Angell hath testified unto you and I also testifie with him For properly Summarturesai signifies to affirme a thing by a religious testimony or to urge it with serious contestation and so oblidge the Hearers upon pain of vengeance to obey the same But let us briefly consider to whom Christ doth testifie what it is and after what manner Vnto every man that heareth the words This Protestation belongs unto all that heare and read the same not one excepted And therefore neither Pope nor Councell have any right to adde or
they cause troublesome vapours and smoake neither doe they give light any great distance Therefore we stand in need of the Sunne or Day-light But the servants of God shall not then want any of these things For there shall be no night and therefore no use of lights no not of the light of the Sunne it selfe because the Lord God shall enlighten them with the brightnesse of his majesty as before he said Ch. 21.23 The glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof and the Nations which are saved shall walke in the light of it And they shall reigne for ever and ever This shall be the very height of our glory in Heaven that wee shall reigne with God and the Lambe for ever more Now indeed Christ hath made us Kings and Priests to God and the Father but our Kingdome is yet hid in Christ But then the Kingdome of God shall be manifested in our selves Now is the Kingdome of grace then it shal be of glory Before in Chap. 20. ver 4. they that were beheaded reigned with Christ a thousand yeeres Then we shall all of us reigne with Christ for ever and ever and this is that which he there added in ver 6. touching the rest having part in the first Resurrection They shall reigne with him a thousand yeeres See the exposition there Now we shall so reigne as that God and the Lambe shal be the head of the Kingdome But shall not the Son then deliver up the Kingdome to the Father 1. Cor. 15.28 and be subject to him Yea verily but this he shall not do by laying downe the Kingdome and so cease to reigne For how should the King of kings and Lord of lords of whose Kingdome there is no end Luk. 1.33 ever cease to reigne but by changing the present and mediate forme of the Kingdome into an immediate and by abolishing all the adversaries of the Kingdom as we have elsewhere declared The Second Part of the CHAPTER The Conclusion asserting the profitablenesse and Authority of the whole Prophesie 6. And he said unto mee These sayings are faithfull and true And the Lord God of the Holy Prophets sent his Angell to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly bee done 7. Behold I come quickly blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the Prophesie of this Booke 8. And I Iohn saw these things and heard them And when I had heard and seene I fell downe to worship before the feet of the Angell which shewed me these things 9. Then saith he to mee See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren the Prophets and of them which keepe the sayings of this Booke worship God 10. And hee saith unto mee Seale not the sayings of the Prophesie of this Booke for the time is at hand 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still 12. And behold I come quickly and my reward is with mee to give every man according as his worke shal be 13. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning the end the first the last 14. Blessed are are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the Citie 15. For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye 16. I Iesus have sent mine Angell to testifie unto you these things in the Churches I am the root and the off-spring of David and the bright and morning Starre 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come And let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this Booke if any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke 19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of Life and out of the holy Citie and from the things that are written in this booke 20. Hee which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Iesus 21. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen THE COMMENTARY AND he said unto mee Thus farre of two Parts of the Booke the Preface and the Visions The third or Conclusion remaineth in which somethings respecting the Authority of the Booke are taken out of the Preface and some other things added by which the great utilitie and sacred Authority thereof is further commended as we shewed in the Analysis After the concluding of this Revelation an Angell saith unto John to wit one of the Seven pouring out the Vials who before shewed him the judgement of the whore and the Beast and afterward the magnificence of the Heavenly Ierusalem These words are faithfull and true That is not only what was last spoken but the whole Prophesie as Chap. 19.9 This is the Proposition unto the confirmation whereof the whole Conclusion respecteth that wee might beleeve the Prophesie to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divine true profitable and saving unto the Church and so bee stirred up unto the continuall meditation thereof The Holy Ghost was not ignorant that many would call into Question the divine authority of this Booke for it was a long while rejected as being composed by the hereticke Cerinthus which errour we have before confuted in the Prologue But they ought to have beleeved the Angell saying These words are faithfull and true Faithfull to which we may safely give credit True which shall certainly be accomplished And indeed so it is for we who are now more then fifteen hundred yeers after the Revelation do if not see with our eyes yet certainly feel as it were with our hands the manifest accomplishment almost of all the Visions Here therefore wee have an evident note of divine authoritie and truth imprinted on this Prophesie against the most impudent assertion of BELLARMINE Lib. 4 de verb. cap. 1. which is that it can no way be gathered from the Scripture it selfe that some Scripture is divine What I pray is this but to give the Angell the lie who saith These words are faithfull and true But the liar condemneth himselfe in saying elsewhere that besides other arguments Lib. 1. cap. 2. de verbo the divine authority of Canonicall Bookes of Scripture may be proved from the scripture it selfe The Sophisters and adversaries of Scripture object that this Argument is not sufficient to Faith unlesse it be before proved and beleeved that the Angell or Writer uttering these things spake truth ANSWER First principles are not proved but laid