seales at chap. 6. ¶ And hound him for a thousand yeeres He ordained that māner of ruling which being afterward extended to a thousand yeeres left no power to the open enemies to raigne over the Church as in former time And this is the second period in which the Dragon was bound that is the Heathē Emperours were repressed unto the yeere 130. But I say this period to be of the Dragon because it is not that full period which before the Spirit did set of the whole Prophecy to weet of the trumpets For this is of a longer time and exceedeth that of the Dragon about two hundred threscore yeeres and more The history of the Dragon hath some thing peculiar to it selfe neither is it strictly to be astrained to that rule The binding of him is more ancient then the blowing of the trumpets done under the sixt seale about the yeere 306 as was said in chap. 6.12 and 12.7.8 9. But the trumpets gave their first sound in the Nicene Councill chap. 8.7 and in their sixt sound brought to the Dragon a releasing from prison chap. 9.15 Wherfore wee now understand that this second period is proper to the Dragon agreeing with the trumpets neither in beginning nor ende The Iesuit Ribera measureth the times for the most part by the proper signification of the words as the five moneths of the locusts three yeeres and an halfe of the raigne of Antichrist yet neverthelesse he would have these thousand yeeres to be taken indefinitely for the whole space from the death of Christ even unto the time of Antichrist to which opinion at least as touching the beginning of the account very many both of the old and new writers doo condescende But why have they not considered that the Beast which is the very Antichrist raigned this whole thousand yeeres in which the Dragon was bounde Therfore his imprisonnement was not to be ended at the beginning of the raigne of Antichrist but this rather was to beginn togither with it That I may not now speak any thing of that barre which the Spirit hath put at chap. 4.1 I will shew thee those things which must be done hereafter which forbiddeth to looke back to the time past and warneth that all the folowing prophecy consisteth in things to come and latter then the age of Iohn Further more the agreement of the whole Prophecy which wee have seene hitherto cā not beare such a biginning to be made as troubleth all things with confusion which we cannot rid ourselves of But shal we thing that the Divell was bound when he raged most cruelly by the first Heathen Emperours When may we say that he was loosed if then he lay in prison and in the stockes That which the Iesuite alleageth out of the 12. chap. of Iohn Now the Prince of this world shal be cast forth belongeth nothing to this cause for so much as this is to be understood of the spiritual power thē forthwith to be utterly destroyed by the death of Christ but the binding which the Revelation speaketh of belongeth to his tyranny over the bodies of the Saints as frō the beginning of the fourth verse of this chapter it is manifest where the soules of the Saints raigning after the Dragō was cast into bondes pertaine to them who were beheaded by the same before his bondes raging most furiously Which calamity what other can it be than that of the cruelty of the Heathen Emperours Wherfore neither the beginning nor ende of these thousand yeers is set downe rightly by the Iesuite 3 And he cast him into the bottomlesse pit This bottomlesse pit is the earth as it is manifest from chap. 12.3 where it is said when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth which yet is not so called after the custome of the common speach but to note out earthly men who in name onely ar coūted citizens of the Church The woe also is denounced to the inhabitans of the earth and sea because the Divell is come down to them as in the same place verse 12. Now he must be conversant among these onely his fury must be exercised against these as hath bin declared in the said place ¶ And shut him up and sealed upon him To weet the doore or stone or some such thing as they made the sepulchre sure sealing the stone Mat. 27.66 by which is signifyed that the Devill was committed to most sure custody such as he should not have so much leave as to look out of doores Not because he should be vacant from busines altogither by the space of the whole thousand yeeres for he should cause huge sturres both by lād and sea as we learned even now from chap. 12.12 know to hav come to passe in very truth by those things which are mētioned in chap. 8.12 but because he should have no power at al over the holy Church against which he should undertake al his attempts in vaine He cast out a flood after the woman but he lost his labour For both the earth holpe her and shee fled into the wildernesse beyond the chaine wherwith the Dragon was bound as in chap. 12.15 c. ¶ That he should deceive the Gentiles no more The Gentiles are also the citizens of the false Church whose dwelling was in the exteriour court and in the holy city two and fourty moneths chap. 11.2 He speaketh not of these Gentiles now but of them that wer wholly repugnāt to the name of Christ such as were those fierce tyrants of Rome before Constantine This sorte of enemies should entreprise nothing against the holy Church by the space of those yeeres because they should not know wher it should be yet in the meane time some other cruell enemies should intreate the false Church most cruelly chap. 12.17 c. ¶ For afterward he must be loosed for a little season After those thousand yeeres are finished the Divell was to be loosed againe wherin is set the third time falling upon the beginning of the sixt trumpet when the most cruel Turke all feare of the Romane Empire being laid asyde which he saw to be forsaken of the Westerne armes and at home drowned with slouthfulnes riot and dissentions began an horrible tyranny also against the Church and not onely the false but also the true which then after a long distance of time began to shew it selfe at least beholding a farre off from the wildernes whither shee had fled although shee differeth her full returne until some ages after The Divill being then loosed graunted not so much as one houre of rest from warre but as soon as the truth began to come forth abroad about the yeere 130 straiteway he provoked the enemy to vexe the same by what meanes he could Therfore the Turke flyeth upon the dominions of the Empire he passeth over into Europe he increaseth his victories he rooteth out the maiestie of the Romane name he carieth away all things with him as a swift running
being conversaÌ„t on earth did seeme the basest among men Asthough he should say feare not at the sight of my glory which is augmented above that you caÌ„ think yet not for your destruction but salvation And as once yee have known me the most humble of all men so in this unmeasurable glory I reteine my former minde doe not despise or neglect you dust and earth Words full of confort but in this sense they were to be changed I am the last and first because the humility did goe before glory neyther now should that be placed in the latter place which hah bin swallowed up of the maiestie coming upon it unlesse peradveÌ„ture they have this sense I am now the first who of late was the last or the order of the wordes being kept I which was the first in the beginning being with God equall to the father at length taking upoÌ„ me the forme of a servant became in the account of the world the last Both which sentences make for the secoÌ„d interpretation make it more probable ¶ And who am alive Specially he maketh mention of his victory over death that he might erect his minde against the greatest feare in life These thinges confirmed that he was Christ that appeared to Iohn Never of any creature is any thing uttered in the person of God without all signification of ministery least peradveÌ„ture men should thinke him to be God and should give that to the creature which is proper to God ¶ Amen This is most certain which I say that I live for ever for confirmation whereof take not onely a naked affirmation but also a solemne word of sealing up Amen The comon translation readeth not Amen which neverthelesse is found in all the Greeke bookes and is found beneath chap. 3.14 To which wee must hearken rather then the Tridentine fathers establishing onely this edition authenticall and of authority ¶ And I have the keyes of hell and of death There is a transposition of the words in Aretas the Complutense and the vulgar and I have the keyes of death and hell And in the conioining of these words hell is wont to be put after death as death and hell did follow him chap. 6. ver 8. so death and hell were cast into the lake chap. 20.14 And so the order of things requireth seing that hell is the last stinge of death But seeing those keyes are as well to open as to shut for because he liveth that was dead he hath power to make others alive from the dead here hell is not of the damned which is wont never to be opened that any should be fetched from thence as neither in ch 20.13 For how can the hell of the damned be cast into a lake of fyre Therefore these two doe seeme thus to be distinguished that death be the very separating and sundring of the soule and body Hell the state and condition in which the body is after the sundring 19 Write those things that thou hast seen and which are c. The commandement of writing is repeated but explaned more at large In the eleventh verse it was commaunded onely write that which thou seest in a booke Now he teacheth wherto that perteined which he saw to wit to things both present and to come For these both ioined together doe expound that what thou hast seene And in every of the Epistles unto which the partes of this visioÌ„ are fitted according to the diverse condition of every one wee shall finde predictions of future things so as those words which thou hast seen can not be restrained to thinges onely present Seeing therfore the seaven Churchches conteine as well future things as things present the whole Prophecy is not rightly distributed into things present and future For these two meÌ„bers come together as after wee shall see in the singular explication and unfolding of the things Let us holde therefore that which the wordes plainly teach that this vision proper to the seaven Churches is touching things both present and future The observation of which small thing hath opened a way to me to understand as I thinke the particular Epistles which I will that the godly iudge 20 The Mystery of the seaven starres In the last place is the interpretation which onely teacheth of two things of the starres and candlestickes Why doth he give no expositioÌ„ of other pointes Because these few were ynough to open his counsell of the whole For after the same maner the rest are to be applyed to the condition of the Church And so will the Spirit helpe our weaknes that he may leave some parts of diligence to us Although the things that remaine of the vision shall easily be made manifest froÌ„ the Epistles which teach by the condition of every one whâ—t meaning the rest have which now are kept in silence as shall be shewed in their places As touching the words Mystery is of the fourth case folowing the verbe Write which is to be repeated asthough he should say write the mystery of the seaven starres And likewise in the member following and write the mystery of the seaven candlestickes For he interpreteth the starres to be the Angels The seaven starres saith he are the seaven Angels of the Churches that is signify the seaven Angels Which let them observe who hold fast as it were with the teeth the letter of the worde in other places Neither are these Angels spirituall substances but men Pastours and Bishops to whoÌ„ the scripture attribute this name as although the Angell of the Lord had come up from Gilgal to Bochim Iudg. 2.1 So in the Prophet Hagg. Then spake Haggai the Lords messenger ch 1.13 And Malachy speaking of the Priests For he is the Angel of the Lord of hostes chap. 2.7 How great therefore is the dignity of true Pastours who both are starres fixed in no other firmament then in the right hand of Christ and also Angels What skilleth it though the wicked skoffe at them with reprochfull names seeing they be in this reckoning and estimation with God ¶ And the seaven candlestickes are seaven Churches Very well compared to a candlestick wherein the everlasting light of trueth shineth kindled of Christ the Priest morning and evening continually This similitude is fetched from the candlestick of the Tabernacle which was made of pure golde of worke beaten with hammar of one shaft and seaven branches The multitude of branches signifieth the multitude of particular Churches as well of Iewes as of Gentiles The comon originall from one shaft the most strait coniunction of particular Churches all which come forth from that one of the Jewes as from the shaft Which shaft was more adorned then the other branches in one bolle knop and floure because as it seemeth the Iewes Church at leÌ„gth shall become more aboundant in the gifts of the spirit then this ours of the Gentiles Exod. 25.31 They are then the candlestickes of the Church but which by their most pretious matter doe
Devill of whose Synagogue they were the chiefe rulers ¶ Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer Now he instructeth them against the future evills which were apparent to be more grievous then those that were past Those thinges with which the Iewes did trouble them at the present then also those false accusations of the Bishops while Constātine lived were light skirmishes of a sharper battaile following by and by after Therefore he describeth diligently all the manner of this combate who should be the chiefe Captaine of it with what kinde of cruelty he should rage to what ende and how long The Prince is the Devill whom after we shall learne to denote the Heathen Emperours open enemies of the truth as chap. 12.9 This doth comprehende also the Heretiques Christians in name but in very truth wolves devouring the flocke The kinde of punishement is the prison under which as the history teacheth is comprehended proscriptions confiscation of goods banishmēt slaughters fires tortures With all these thinges the Devill should greatly torment to drawe men from the truth But this persecution should endure for ten daies onely And a day in this booke is taken for a yeare The nūber also of ten some time signifieth properly some time by Synecdoche noteth out some uncerten number I thinke that both are here used that certen number should be of the Type and uncerten of the Antitype Therfore as touching Smyrna it selfe this persecution fell out in the times of TRAIAN which Devill a professed enemy of the truth did reigne next after this writing very fierce against Christians delivering men into prison and death that he might make them to renounce the profession of Christ Smyrna could not be free from the comon calamity especially when Bythynia being nigh to it did altogether abounde with the murders of the Christians as the Epistle of Plinius Secundus to Traian doeth shew From whence also it may be gathered after a sorte of what continuance the persecution was For in the fourteenth yeare of Traian Plinie relating to him the multitude of those that were slaine was an occasion of staying that rage and of obtayning some breathing What yeare it began it is not plainly set downe by the History-writers Some suppose that it was at the very beginning of his reigne but in the fourth yeare triumphing over the Daces and Scythians he seemeth to have had first his Kingdome hindred so as he could not have leasure to afflict the Christians But it is certen that he exercised his cruelty ten yeares at least It is likely that the end of that warre gave the beginning of tormenting Christians Neither is it needfull that this affliction be referred to Smyrna onely but that it was that generall of which he maketh mention in the Church of Philadelphia which should come upon the whole world Chap. 3.10 As touching the Antitype Constance and Valence Emperours in name Christians in deede noe lesse fierce against the orthodoxe and true godly people then once the Ethnike Devills were In which account also are holden the inferiour ministers of that wickednes of the people Syrianus a Captaine and Sebastianus Governour of the armies Manicheus Of the Bishops Eusebius once of Nicomedia then of Constantinople Macedonius Georgius Alexandrinus and others of that sorte not Bishops but monsters whose barbarous cruelty was scarce matched by any Tyrant Of old the matter was handled with brawles chidings and calumnies of all sortes But after the death of Constantine the Devill was to come forth on the stage and what broiles were raised up It was a light thing to drive holy men into banishement to cast very many into prison to kill almost an infinite number They tyrannised with torments and all manner of contumelious punishments Some were beaten with stripes unto death some marked in the forehead with prints of hotte iron some tormented with other tortures Yea the brestes were cut of from holy women Vnto some they were burnt of with a hotte iron to many with egges rosted in the fire to an exceeding great heat Who would beleeve that any such thing could have bin inferred upō Christians from men of Christian profession It cannot be shewed in fewe wordes how full of calamity those times were but see Socrat. book 2. and 4. Theod. book 2. and 4. Sozom. book 3. 4. 6. And although this tyranny did continue above fourteene yeares yet notwithstanding it doth make those ten daies of the same manner that we have sayd ¶ Be faithfull unto the death He provoqueth unto fortitude the reward being propounded to be Eternall life It is a profitable losse which is recompensed with so great gaine What should nor the godly undergoe most willingly being sure of such a reward It is fitted to the times ministring comfort against the losse of this present life To which purpose he spake before that he was alive which had bin dead that by his exemple they should learne not to feare death which they should know to be a meane between God and them of eternall happines 11 He that hath an eare The wonted conclusion warning all men to hearken diligently to these instructions touching fortitude and courage of minde in afflictions We were instructed before against the sluggishnes which is inbread in us here we are armed against outward violence The reward which is added to the end He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death is common to the whole Church That which was before belonged properly to the Angell the knowledge whereof notwithstanding was very necessary to the people as hath bin said before But seeing that this conflict was to be undergone as well of the people as of the Pastours confort also is given them by name to the same purpose that the former was but in a divers respect For there are two things which are wont to kindle the desire unto every excellent acte hope of reward and contemning of the perill that first was proposed to the Postours whose courage is wont to be more ready and valiant by looking into the reward This second to the People whom the feare of danger chiefly withdraweth from their duty suffereth them not to undertake any thing worthy commendation He teacheth therefore that they must not feare to spend their life if need be for the truth sake for there shall be no feare of the second death by which the body and soule perish for ever according to that of Christ Feare not them that kill the body but cannot kill the soule but feare him rather who can destroy both soule and body in hell fyre Mat. 10.28 This in hell fyre is this same which he calleth second death By the which the whole man shal be no lesse deprived of all solace in God as the body is destitute of all helpe being separated from the soule by the first death This is that horrible death to be feared in deede from which he that hath overcome death doe deliver his from which he
times was as concerning vittailes And although the untēperatnes of the Heaven had not ben there was calamity enough from the continuall warres to spende up all the store seeing it must needes be that the fieldes and country were forsaken the tillage of the earth was neglected that the cattel were not regarded the corne layed up was burnt with fire and that all succour of life was destroyed From whence the sword hath Famine ioined with it as an unseparable companion The third weapon of death was the Pestilence then which noe mā will say easily I thinke whether at any time there hath ben any more sharpe and grievous either for continuance of time or for multitude of those that perished It arose first under Gallus Volusianus beginning at Aethiopia it was spread almost through all the East and Weast it made many cityes wholy empty of cityzens and continued whole 15. yeeres as Zonaras in Gallo and Dionysius of Alexandria in an Epistle to the brethren doe describe lamentably the cruell fiercenesse of it and togither also maketh mention of the former calamityes giving a most cleare testimony of the fulfilling of this Prophecy in those times After the persecution which he spake of a little before there followed both warres and famine which wee endured togither with the Gentiles bearing alone the thinges wherewith they oppressed us yet even alike partakers of those thinges which both they brought upon them selves and suffered and againe wee reioyced in the peace of Christ which he gave to us alone But when both wee and they had ben cased a very short time that pestilence entered a thing more terrible to them then any terrour and more lamentable then any calamity and as one of their owne History-writers sayd which alone exceeded the hope of all men yet not such to us but an exercise and tryall inferiour to none of the rest for it absteined not in deede frō us but it came on with farre more violence against them These thinges hath he in Euseb Hist booke 7.22 Cyprian from this sorrowfull and unwonted evill tooke the argumēt of his booke touching mortality As for the Beasts if they be taken properly I remember not that I have read any notable dāmage and hurt done of them at this time although it is noe light coniecture that they did much harme in the Easterne and Southerne countryes In some ages coming after when also the famine and pestilence became worse and worse men were afraid of the dogges least being accustomed to eate their carkases cast forth abroade afterward they should desyre thē alive for meate whereupon they set themselves to kill the dogges Euseb booke 9.8 neither could it be but when foode fayled in the fieldes and men were lesse able to defend themselves that many were devoured of the Beasts But if wee referre them to cruell men and tyrants in noe mans remembrāce at any time were there so great troupes of Beasts in every place spoiling and renting men in pieces For when Gallienus was Emperour who after Valerian was taken reigned alone so many tyrants arose who tooke to themselves the name of Emperour as there were not so many since Cesar was Dictator to that time in so long a row and continued ranke of EMPEROVRS Thirty are recorded by Trebellius who at one time in divers coūtryes invaded the Empire in which also certeine women scoffed at the name of Romane How great a dismembring of men must there needes be whē so many Beasts strove at once about the Empire Such then are the three Seales every one notable for their scourges the two former for their speciall the last for all these kindes of punishements wherewith the world was to be punished for despising and vexing the trueth For when the milder correction prevailed nothing with their stubburne hartes almost all the hostes of death are sent in upon them even as also the event hath most fully approved Neither yet are these evills so proper to this one age that they can agree to noe other but they are the common punishements of the contemners of godlines Lev. 26. Ezech. 6.11 c. And afterward after these times of Gallienus one may see the Famine and Pestilence did consume all whē Maximinus raigned in the East Euseb booke 9. 8. But there is so solemne a Prophecy of them in this place both because the next times after Iohn should be famous for these punishements which men should procure to themselves for despising the Ghospell and also because they should be faithfull hostages pledges and seales of the future events that were to be expected many ages after 9 And when he had opened the fift Seale I sawe under the Altar the soules c. Of the fifte seale there is noe Beast by whose voice Iohn is invited to see And that not without cause but because this secret should passe over men being not stirred up by any publike solemne crie to observe the event as was done in the former neither certenly doth the History reporte that any man performed any such labour in which respect such an office might be attributed unto him worthily Furthermore this Seale consisted partly in rehearsing thinges past partly in reporting an evēt of that kinde which is wont to glaunce by without perceaving especially seeing our natures ar so disposed that adversities doe abyde more surely in our mindes then prosperityes Wherefore seeing the Seales are made like unto the events it is no mervayle that noe type is set forth here to which noe event should be answerable ¶ J sawe under the altar the soules The fifte type is the soules of the Martyrs lying under the altar in this verse requiring vengeance against their enemies ver 10 receaving answere ver 11. Which three members doe respect three times to wit the time past present and to come The soules lying under the altar declare most finely from the consequent what wente before that is to say in what cōditiō the Church was during those former seales and with howe great cruelty of men she contended Wee have heard in deede the trueth overcoming wee have learned also that warre famine and pestilence with their cōpanions possessed and spoiled all thinges but there was noe mention yet in what state the true worshippers of Christ were in the meane time allthough from the victory of the trueth their conflict may be gessed frō those calamities anoying the world that great wronge was done to the godly for which cause the enemies were so sharpely punished But the thinge is made manifest nowe by this complainte of the Martyrs killed that is to say that an infinite quantity of blood was shed of men that worshipped the Sonne of God frō that time in which John wrote unto the ende of the raigne of Galienus whither the former seales have brought us And what place is there that have not heard of these horrible massacres all this space of time Tratan Hadrian Antonin Ver Maximin Severe Decie the rest
more theÌ„ enough This cry sheweth the manner of Gods iustice which cannot suffer uniust murders unpunished in which sorte the blood of Abell is sayd to have cryed Gen. 4.10 But how great is the patieÌ„ce of our God which is provoked by a cry to punishement before that he prepares to it But whither did the saints beare the former iniuries without speaking neither cryed out before this 5 seale Without doubt they did alwayes sigh under the crosse but nowe first of all mention is made of the crying because the time was not farre of when they should be delivered from those sorrowes For God is wont when he will bestowe any thing upon his children to stirre up their harts to fervent prayers both that they may more esteeme the good thing obtained and also that they may learne howe great a regard he hath of us that call upon him with sincere mindes ¶ How long O Lord which art holy true They set forth God with those titles wherby they may stablish increase their faith as it ought to be done in all right invocation For because he is holy he cannot let goe unpunished the ill deedes of the world especially seeing he is also true hath made large promises touching the blessednes of his people ¶ Doest thou not iudge avenge Iudgement perteineth to the knowledge of a matter vengeance to the performing executing of the thing iudged which signify punishement toward him that doth wronge yet chiefly I thinke the delivering of the innocent party from whence it is construed often with a preposition as in Luke avenge mee of my adversary ch 18.3 Where the widowe doth not so much desire fervently the punishement of the adversary as her owne deliverance So David 1 Sam. 13. and the Lord avenge mee of thee so hath Tremelius I would rather translate the wordes thus the Lord shall deliver mee from thee as also the Greeke Interpreters have it the Lord deliver mee from thee for he doth not wish evill to Saul to his face And such a thing is it which the Soules require to wit that God at length would after so long a tryall deliver the Church from the power tyranny of the enemyes that he would not suffer it to be oppressed alway with the yoke of the wicked That this is the summe of the request it is knowne from the graunt That is not denyed them which they desire earnestly but it is differred to some time which being accomplished they should receive the thing so much desired 11 Then longe white robbes were given to every one Montanus omitteth the white robes readeth it was given to them that they should rest Other copies reade in the singular number thus a white robe was given them so Aretas the coÌ„mon translation there were given to them every one severall white robes The answere made to the soules is evideÌ„t by a signe by a speech by both which is declared what should be the next coÌ„ming coÌ„ditioÌ„ of the saints The robes are giveÌ„ for a signe which are garmeÌ„ts haÌ„ging downe eveÌ„ to the heeles fitte for to hide all deformity in the body as Cyrus of the robe in Xenophon it seemed to hide if any should have any defect in his body Fitte vestemeÌ„ts for the saincts meete for Christ to give them But whereas the robes are white that perteineth to an ornameÌ„t used in time of ioy as wee hav shewed at ch 3.4 But now they ar giveÌ„ to every one not so much for the soules cause theÌ„selves in so much as they enioy gladnes in the heaveÌ„s but for to signify the things to be done on earth For waÌ„ted they robes all that time froÌ„ Traiane to Gallienus Christ promised that he that overcometh shal be clothed in white aray ch 3.5 How long is this promise differred It is not to be doubted but that the race being runne out there is some reward of the labour Therefore these robes are not they of which it was spoken before which ar given by and by after the labour is ended but of an other kinde signifying that the saincts should have merry dayes on earth for a time which they should celebrate as it were with white gownes as is the custome in the time of solemne mirth The answere made by worde cometh to the same ende which both commandeth them to rest and also sâ—tteth downe limits how long it should continue namely a very little time untill their fellow servants were fulfilled which should be killed even as they were In summe a ioyfull rest for a short time is fore shewed which at length a newe slaughter of the faithfull should follow which at length being finished that should come to passe which the holy soules desired The History witnesseth that the thing fell out after the same manner For after Galienus succeeded Claudius Quintilius Aurelianus Tacitus Florianus Probus Carus and his sonnes at length Diocletian through all which space of about fourty yeeres unto the ninetinth yeere of Diocletian there was a time of a white gowne and of ioyfull mirth free from the murders and spoiling of the saints the Emperours theÌ„selves being restrained of God that they might not interrupte and hinder the peace graunted Which calmnes Euseb describeth eloquently in the 8. booke and 1. and 2. chap. of his Hist For being about to write of the sorrowfull time of Diocletians cruelty he prepareth him selfe a way by the remembrance of the former happines He professeth himselfe unable to declare according to the worthines of the thing howe great every where amonge all men was the credit and liberty of the Christian trueth Howe great was the mildnes saith he of the Emperours towards ours to whom they committed authority and rule over the Gentiles whom they suffered without punishemeÌ„t and bouldly to professe their religion held in great estimation loved entirely and counted most trusty to them as that Dorotheus and Gregorius Also the Governours of the Churches founde noe lesse courtesie assemblyes were celebrated with very great coÌ„pany of people the accustomed houses were not able to receive the multitude but it was needfull to build newe and larger Certenly the whole narration casteth a savour of mirth most convenient to these white robes neither is there neede of any other comment and exposition of these garmeÌ„ts and of that rest which the holy soules are commanded to take But this felicity remained uncorrupted untill Diocletian disturbed it For this one onely conflict was remayning to their fellowe servants which at length being past they should enioy the thinge much desired neither should any rage of Tyrants afterward trouble them as before times 12 Afterward I beheld when he had opened the sixt seale and loe there was a great earthquake Neither hath the sixt Seale any Beast to make attention because men were attentive enough by the answere given to the Soules under the former seale For it was sayd that one onely strife remained
given two wings The avoiding of the assault which the Dragon made besides which none other was left namely to provide for her safety by flight as soone as possible can be to withdrawe her selfe from these sturres Whiles therefore the assemblyes of the faithfull are filled with superstitions the Bishops hate and contende one with another Constantius Valens shew rigour by fire and sword The auncient verity flyeth wholly away for loÌ„g since she had prepared her flight in some part neither is the true face of a Church seen any where For swiftnes of flight are given two wings yea that more is of that great Eagle God once de parting from the temple went away leysurely by little and little Ezech. 9.3 But the woman a little before delaying goeth not away slowly at leisure at this time but vanished away as it were at one moment Yet shee fled not because shee feared the cruelty eyther of Constantius or Valens or any other mans for shee had learned long since to contemne both sword and fire and also racke or any other most exquisite torments but when shee had seen Christ to be propugned under the preteÌ„ce of the name of Christian and not onely the bodies to be killed but soules also to be caryed into destruction shee thought that this was to be sufferred by noe meanes Shee flyeth away therefore for hatred of this indignity whom noe other dangers made afraid For shee is wont to dread heresie more then tormeÌ„t and to tremble more at wicked and obstinate errours then at bloody dismembrings in peeces Shee knoweth that the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of her fielde and that every droppe of blood so shed doth beget many other Christians but that absurde opinions doe as the sowing of salt make her land barren partly by killing that which flourished partly in letting that nothing may growe Wherfore it is not inough for religious Princes to procure peace by the name of Christian but chiefly they must regard that the syncerity of doctrine and purity of worship may be preserved least as it befell these Emperours the Church flie away which they desire to retaine they become miserable through the absence of her whom being present they neglected But when fled the Church away Were â—here no faith full now left in the whole East Wee ought to remember that the woman doth both generally represâ—nte the state of the whole Church and also the particular assemblies in which is found the same adorning which made the woman her selfe to be esteemed in the beginning of this chapter Her flight therefore is either the dissipation or depravatioÌ„ of particular assemblies in such wise that God is worshipped purely in none of them after his own will which when it hath come to passe the Church fled perceived now in no publike congregation not but that there be many apart among the multitude whom God doth acknowledge for his owne see in the sixt ver of this chapter The place whither shee flâ—d is the wildernes and her owne place that is prepared for her of God as before in ver 6. and wee have shewed that this wildernes is the temple But where this Desert or Temple was placed should peradventure be unknowne to us unlesse the Dragon being a most skilfull searcher out did bewraie it for that way and thither doâ—btlesse shee fled whither the Dragon converted his furie But into what region he turned his rage wee shall see from those thinges which follow in this next verse ¶ For a time and times and halfe a time These words set by themselves cannot be understood seing it is a number of time and there be infinite nuÌ„bers which may be devided into three or more whole ones an halfe But they are cleere from the former things For it is the same time which before the thousand two hundred and threescore daies did make in the sixt verse Or the two and fourty moneths of the eleventh chapter ver 2. FroÌ„ which it is manifest what is the time what the times and what halfe a time For the time of dayes are three hundred and threescore dayes times are twice so many to wit seven hundred and twenty halfe a time an hundred and fourescore So â—he time of moneths is of twelve moneths the times foure and twenty the halfe sixe he alludeth to that of Daniell in the seventh chapter ver 25. But it is not the same space for there it is spoken of the people of the Iewes here of the Church of the Gentiles as the whole intent of this Prophecy declareth But by the allusion peradventure Iohn sheweth that a limitted number is set downe somewhere froÌ„ wheÌ„ce that of Dan. might be expouÌ„ded But now I may not digresse thither Only let us remeÌ„ber that this flight of the womaÌ„ is the same thing with the sealing of the 7. ch the privie places of the temple in the 11. chap. Furthermore let us obsâ—rve that the same time is noted diversly according to the divers persoÌ„s In regard of the GeÌ„tils Beast alwaies by moneths in the 11. chap. and 5.13 15. ver In consideration of the Prophets by daies in chap. 11.3 In respect of the woman both by daies in chap. 12.6 also by times in this place to wit because in the woman all those daies should not passe away in one coÌ„tinuall tenour but a threefold mutation should come to passe of a neerer departing a way under the time farther of under the times drawing neere againe and returning under the halfe The event maketh this manifest as may be understood both from those things which have ben said before which shal be said hereafter 15 And the Serpent cast out The second persecution is against the woman now put to flight for the Dragon thought it not sufficient to make her flee but desired also to put out her name cleane For which purpose he powred out the barbarous nations after the manner of a flood spreading over all that in what corner soever shee should lye hidde shee might be overwhelmed by this deluge For as Herod to the ende that the childe Iesus might not escape commaunded all the children of Bethleem from two yeere olde and under to be killed so the Dragon that the woman alone might not remaine safe caused every place to be covered with a most violent flood where he could suspect that shee might be hid These peoples most unknowne unto her Francons Alemans Burgundes Gothes Vandals Hunnes Trebals Heruls Longobards and such like Northerne nations about the yeere 400 the dammes as it were being taken away did runne furiously over all Europe and overflowed as it were with waves a great part of Afrike And surely it is a thing to be wondred at that the Church was not utterly devoured of those most deepe gulfes unlesse this shippe had learned already long before in the universall flood to swimme in the Sea without being drowned But seing it is nowe evident
against all faithful evidence of other books An unhonest prank and an impious but not new with the Romists who shewed themselves such artizens long since in the Council of Nice But what doo they mean by adulterating the writings of the ancients Would they stop the mouth of this age They cannot ther are left thanks be to God true copies by which their sacrilegious impudency is coÌ„vinced Or as is more likely doo they provide for time to come Foolish Popelings which now get ancieÌ„t writers to succour you when shortly ther shal not a Papist be left for them to yeild succour unto Your cause within these few yeres shal be tried not by the Fathers but by fyre and sword as this Revelation wil manifest In the mean while we may observe both how daÌ„gerous it is to depend now on the Fathers imprinted by others and how ful of botches the Popish crew is which is so afrayd of nayles as it pareth them to the quick not herewith content wrappeth woll also about the Fathers fingers that they may the softlyer handle their scabby bodyes 3 And the second Angel powred out his vial upon the Sea The second vial puts forth his force against the sea to weet figurative as was the earth for ther is the same respect doubtlesse of every one And seing the overthrow of Antichrist is here in hand what great dammage should he suffer more then al other men by the sea properly so caled turned into rotten blood For this is the first effect of this vial neither would the second hurt him any whit more wherby al living things dye in this sea The earth affordeth him infinite daynties so that he may easily bear the want of fishes though they should dye every one Wherfore we must not stick in the native signification but take that which we have seen often used before It meaneth therfore Doctrine the notable change wherof should fall out under this vial of corrupt being made most corrupt In former ages verily it was turned into bloud but now it changeth into much more grosse and royled filthinesse then ever before until at length it becometh like the bloud of a dead man that is rotten clammy grosse black bloud not liquid and fresh such as floweth from a living body The first Council of Trent therfore is this sea being no lesse conpounded of a hotchpotch of al Popish errours then the natural sea is of the gathering togither of many waters VVhich Council was begun some yeres before as we have shewed chap. 11.7 but at length was made an end of and confirmed by the definite sentence of P. Paul the 4. at the request of the Cardinals Moronus and Simoneca in the name of the rest of the Council in the yeare 1564. Into this sea of errors the yere after and the eight next folowing the second Angel Martin Chemnitius powred out his vial who began and composed a Trial of this Tridentine Council and found it to be nothing but an horrible confused Chaos of many monstrous opinions But this occasion forthwith upstarted many doughty Papists to mainteyn the same who behaved theÌ„selves so fortunatly in this service that by defending the bloud they turned it into rotten bloud that is heaped up many more pestilent errors to theÌ„ that were before Among the rest there rose up handlers of controversies at Rhenes Doway Loven as frontier Captaynes by whose industrie it came to passe that al the durt which lay stinking about here and there in many ditches was scraped togither into one channel that therof at length mought exist this rotten sea But above al the heaping togither of waters most fowl with carrayn bloud was playn to be seen when P. Gregory the 13. in the yere 1571. procured two ample Colleges to be built at Rome for to corrupt youth beyond the Alpes and made Robert Bellarmine master of this worke that he should uÌ„fold the controversies of faith unto the students of those Colleges For he that he might the more provide for his auditors that is the sooner destroy them thought it not best to labour about any one point two or three as many others had doon before but to bring al controversies into one body as it were which he saw was yet waÌ„ting as himselfe confesseth in his Epistle to the Pope Wherby through Gods good providence it came to passe that an intyre and perfect body of Popish doctrine absolute in al points which never was before being largely disputed in these books of controversies did now come forth in publik that they which willingly shut not their eyes might see the Sea playnly turned into filthy bloud ¶ And every living soul dyed in the Sea But how can this be may some say seing every sowl liveth not in the sea This it may be caused Theod. Beza to transplace the words thus and whatsoever thing lived in the sea dyed But the natural order of the words hath a meaning agreable with al other of this book and of this kinde For we are to know that the whole crew of the malignant Church is divided eyther into the Clergie or into the rest of the Laitie Those clergie men are the proper living things of this sea these laie folk are cheifly earthly and denoted by the earth Now if he had sayd every sowl living in the sea dyed some would perhaps have gathered that this death was proper to the Clergie Doctours but when he sayth every living sowl dyed in the sea he teacheth that the popish lâ—itie people perish in this blood togither with the Clergie But thou wilt say the words perteyn alike unto al which any way live therfore this death seemeth to be common unto al. I answer al verily which before seemed to live so soon as they came down into this sea straight way were choked dyed But al the elect have their dwelling in the Temple and the Temple is placed in heaven chap. 15.6 so that they need not to be afrayd at al of this earthly sea whose rotten bloud shall kill onely the men of the same kind And here all unlesse they leave their earth that is unlesse they forsake the Popes religion shal finde destruction in this sea for no other waters shal they have to drink but these thus filthy nor be informed with any other doctrine then that is drawen out of the Council of Trent and controversal books of the Iesuites How can they then but dye presently if they drink of those waters wherin al the foundations of salvation are turned into deadly poyson Most miserable therfore is your estate ô yee Papists which drink in filthy bloud as most sweet heavenly liquour and settle your salvation in most certayn destruction But it is Gods just judgement that they which despise the pure waters of life should miserably perish in this bloud draw out ô highest God those whom thou hast destinate to the prayse of thy mercy But besides let us know that it is not safe
enemies slaine and disconfited and undoubted victory for the conquerrers to betake them to their heeles this exemple I beleeve may be the first not seen nor heard before A thing to be greatly wondered at but the reason wherof is not unknowne This rodde is not to be burnt untill both the Idolatry of the West be forsaken by repentance and Rome the fountaine beginning of this impiety be destroyed with the last punishment The cruel enemy was sent into the earth for this cause as wee learned from the ende of the ninth chapter Neither was any other fruit of the Hungary expedition to be expected when the standart of the chiefe Captaine Archduke Maximilian was marked on the one side with the Image of blessed Mary with the inscription of the Patronesse of Hungary Impiety doubtlesse drawen from the cup of the fornication of Rome but learne now by experience how litle it is to your profit the true Patrone of heaven and earth being left to take unto them other Patrones with exceeding great iniury to the Saincts Certenly this Patronesse made you conquerers to runne away Be ye wise at length and convert your wrath against Rome which maketh you a pray by this fraude This cuppe of fornication and shoppe of Idolatry being taken away there shal be no need of our armies to punish the cruel Turke but destructioÌ„ shal come to him froÌ„ some other place so as he shal cause no trouble even after to the Christian name Neither doo I speake these things of my selfe rashly but partly those things which have ben said before in chap. 16.13 in other places partly those things which folow declare to be most certaine Wherefore thou most High Emperial Maiesty to whom it shal be peradventure very profitable to be delivered from this enemy and you the rest of the Christian Princes understand at length by what way you may procure as to your selves honour and tranquility so quietnesse and ioy to the whole ChristiaÌ„ world You have failed hitherto in setting upon the enemy Draw your swordes against Rome and Constantinople shal never procure you any trouble Burne ye the whore and bring her to ashes then shall ye see the brethren to come from the East part whom the world yet litle or nothing mindeth of which the Turke shal be punished with the last universal slaughter for all their abominations and horrible cruelty The fift and sixt vial of the former chapter gave some tast of this thing of which the first declareth the desolation of Rome the second that the caling of the Iewes shal come by and by after Which what it availeth to that thing which I speake of shall appeare in his places more cleerly At length weigh diligently the things that are written I would not dare being unknowne and even at home of no fame speake unto most famous Princes the lights of the countries concerning a matter of so great moment unlesse confidence in the divine trueth had encouraged mee Which I submit to the ceÌ„sure of all equal iudges Wherfore if after diligent tryall ye shal find out that which is brought to be true certen deliver at length by the name of God the most afflicted Eupope both from the firebrand of civil warre which this whore carrieth about and also from the most iust matter of external warre Addresse your selves against Rome and destroy her as being a most certen destruction both of the bodies and soules of all those who are trained up in her wicked ordinances ¶ Shal hate the whore Hitherto by whom the whore is to be tormented now by what meanes wherof there be five degrees hatred forsaking nakednesse eating burning As touching hatred why should they not worthily detest the Sorceresse who hath made the Kings of the earth mad with her Circean cuppe Which is the butcheresse of the Saincts the onely fortresse of the Turkes very Sodome Aegypt and the City which crucified Christ our Lord Of all which things this Revelation hath convinced and condeÌ„ned her most evidently But they shall make her desolate and naked partly by forsaking her partly by ministring no aide against the assault of the enemy They shall eate her flesh by taking cleane away her yeerly revenues and in prohibiting afterward the Romish markets in thâ—ir countreys peradventure also by taking againe Romandiola the countrey Picenum now called Marca de Ancona and Sena commonly called Peters Patrimonie the rest of Italy being of the dominion of the Empire wherof the Beast once wiped the Emperours by fraud and subtilty The Venetians in the division of the Empire were left free by the consent of both the Emperours counted of neither of their iurisdictions They of the Citie Bononia they of Florence they of Genua they of Luca and some others bought their freedome with money but by what right doth Rome chalenge her territories Have the Emperours given them unto her In such wise as Constantine the Great gave to blessed Silvestre and his successours his Palace the Citie of Rome and all the Provinces places and Cities of Italy or of the Countries in the west part But graunt that Pipin Charles gave them through ignorance for the weale as they thought of Christian piety but after that it hath bene knowne by experience that nothing hath redounded more to the destruction therof why may they not take their owne againe and get froÌ„ the whore the wages of her whoredome But the Princes have no need to be taught what is their right if onely they would open their eyes that they might acknowledge the whore such as shee is in very truth And who seeth not that these things were begun ever since the time of Charles the V. whom I suppose to be the first of these tenne last hornes especially from that moment in which he was overcome of the Lambe by the armes of the Protestants Of him God would have that Rome though a fewe yeeres before should be taken and miserably sacked by the Prince of Borbon as it were for an example pledg of those things which at length shee should suffer at the hands of one of the tenne hornes of which he leadeth the ranke Ferdinandus Maximilianus Rodulphus who at this day enioy the Empire if they have done nothing more grievous against Rome they left her certenly forsaken naked Tooke they up weapons for her sake Suffered they not frely their subiects the Romish superstition being reiected to professe true religioÌ„ But now they shall succeede next who shall eate her flesh that is who shall not onely suffer her to lie naked and forsaken utterly but also shall deale with her by violence and shall no longer provide for her profits in their dominions but shall hold it sufficient for subiects to pay tributes to their lawfull Princes yea peradventure shal enter an action against her requiring againe the things that I made mention of even now And at length shall one rise up who shal consume her with fire as which
two Prophets doo come into the world clothed in sackcloth straightway after the Hethen Emperours for these are clad with sackcloth and the Tēple is mesured both at a time The mesured Temple is the womans shelter in the wildernes wherunto she fled at the rising up of the Beast The Beast the seventh Roman King succedeth next unto the sixt to weet that which reigned in Iohns time Therfore when the Beast sprung up straight way after the Hethen Emperours these sackcloth-Prophets began their mornful office and therfore they are not properly Henoch and Elias Now see if ther be any thing foolisher then your dotage of these two to come in their owne persons your dotage I say for the ancient holy Fathers might misse and be deceived but you continuing in open errour I see not what it differeth from madnes But let us goe on to the other reasons You prove that the Apocalyps speaketh properly of Henoch Elias because it is sayd they should be killed of Antichrist and their bodies remayn three dayes in buried in the street of the great Citie and that after three dayes they should rise agayn and ascend into heaven which things you say have never as yet happened unto any I answer that I have made it playn by the order of the time and agreement of al things that al these things are already performed namely when the Fathers of Trent killed the Holy Scriptures spoiling them of al authority and tying the meaning of them unto the Pope Thē that which Iohn saith of the death of these Prophets affordeth a necessary argument against this literal sense of those singular persons For Henoch shal not dye otherweise then of old by his taking away the Apostle saying by faith Henoch was taken away that he should not see death and he was not found because God tooke him away for before his taking away he had testimonie that he had pleased God Heb. 11.5 The like reason ther is also of Helias For God is alwaies like himselfe and giveth like things to like persōs for like ends Therfore they are not to be killed by Antichrist But Tertullian you say in his book De anima chap. 28. saith Henoch and Elias were taken away neither is their death found for it was deferred but they are reserved for to dye that by their blood they maie extinguish Antichrist I answer Tertullian hath nothing save a gesse that these whom the Apocalyps mentioned are Henoch and Elias but the Apostle evidently plainly teacheth that Henoch was taken away that he should not see death Now the choise is easy whom we should rather beleev It becomes not holy men to avouch their blind opinions against the open words of the Scriptures Hitherto hath been your first argument The second is from the consent of the Fathers unto all whom I oppose the consent of the Scriptures which had indeede been ynough for them if through darknes of the times they could have perceived them Ther is no need therfore to tary lōg in examining their opinions which they themselves if they were now alive would with their owne voices condemn Thirdly you prove it because otherweise ther can no reason be rendred why these two were taken away before death and doo yet live in mortal flesh being one day for to dye I answer that these last words being one day for to daye doo contradict the Apostle as we shewed even now and then that they convince the words next before of falshood For if Henoch be not for to dye it cannot be that he dooth yet live in a mortal body For that is not mortal which is not for to dye But whither they yet live in the flesh or no is not so manifest nor indeed necessarie to be known If it be lawful soberly to inquire about this thing they seem to be exempted from the common death of men as the Apostle speaketh of Henoch that he should not see death and not to live as yet in their bodies For they live not on earth For seing they are adorned of God with more excellent good than the rest they cannot be inferiour unto other soules in this thing And the soules in heaven have greater ioy and more ample felicitie than can be on earth Neither could they togither with their bodies enter into heaven the Apostle avouching that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God nor corruption inherit the nature uncorrupt 1 Cor. 15.50 But against this may be obiected that they had the same change that those which are aliv shal have at the coming of the Lord according to that which is written wee shal not al dye but we shall al be changed 1 Cor. 15.51 I grant that ther might have been this change though this would no way furder your cause if that saying of the Apostle hindred not And these al through faith obteyned goo report and received not the promise God providing a better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfit Heb. 11.39 40. For if they felt that change how obteyned they not the promise to weet glorification which is the felicity of the soule ioyned togither with the body immortall And if they obteyned the promise without us that is before us what cause can ther be why also without us they are not made perfit These two things seem openly to be repugnant unto the Apostle Those two therfore being cutt off namely their death to come and their present mortal body both which are manifestly false and that being let passe which is not sufficiently known whither they be at al as yet in their bodies if now you think ther is no other reason why these two were taken away before their death save that they might come againe to fight with Antichrist you are willingly blind The Apostle saith that Henoch was taken away because he pleaseth God walking continually with him Ecclus 44. that he might be an exēple of repentance that is that he might stirr up men uto repentance which look and think upon this notable example of Gods singular lov towards his And doo you think it a light matter that ther should be unto all ages of the world a most clear document of the immortality of the body and of the ascension therof at last into heaven Before the Law and the floud Henochs ascension confirmed this faith to the men of that age For unto men at least weise he ascended for he was not found as the Apostle sayth Heb. 11.5 Vnder the Law Elias ascended of whom ther is the same reason After the Law Iesus Christ the first fruits of al that ascend by whose merit power both those former in what manner soever it was did ascend and al the elect shal at length ascend Onely Antichrist did so stick in your eyes that you could see none of these things or any such like But deceive your self no longer with vayn exspectation of Henoch and Elias loose not your labour with
the men of Iericho seeking their bodies upon the earth what say I your labour yea a greater losse hangeth over your head namely be not you found in the number of them that folowing the Beast have not their names written in the book of life Ap. 17.8 Chapt. 7. Against the fourth Demonstration from the publik persecution AN other conioint signe you make to be the publik persecution which you say shal be most grievous notorious so that al ceremonies sacrifices of publik religion shal cease none of which things we yet see According therfore to the threefold marke of this persecution you make a threefold proof first that it shal be most grievous 2. most notorious 3. that it shal cause a ceasing of religion And you prove it shal be most greevous frō Ma. 24.21 ther shal be thē great tribulatiō such as was not frō the beginning of the world neither shal be frō Ap. 20.3 wher we read that thē Satā shal be loosed who until that time had been bound And you cōfirm it by testimonies of Aug. in the 20. b. de civit Dei ch 8. 9. of Hippolitus martyr of Cyril unto which you add at last that the persecutiō by the Pope is not the most greevous therfore he is not Antichrist I answer to al first as touching the greevousnes of the persecutiō frō the words of Mat. I say that you care not what you bring for confirmation Those words perteyn to the calamity of the Iewes which they felt in the desolation of their city by Titus within a few yeres after Christ Luke expresseth this people by name saying for ther shal be great distresse in this land wrath on this people Luke 21.23 So Mat. then let them that ar in Judea flee to the moūtayns ch 24.16 And what ells meaneth that prayer against flight on the Sabath but properly to note out this nation So farr verily is it that Antichrists persecution is from these words proved to be most greevous as the contrary may plainly be concluded for they evidently doo confirm that no tribulation shal be to be compared wit that of the Jewes therefore not that which Antichrist shal procure I know that Chrysostome referrs it typically unto Antichrist but not truly nor advisedlie for when Christ opēly saith none shal be like it he cutteth off al typical interpretation not obscurely forbidding the words to be further drawn for to signify any thing to come For the type must needs be inferiour to the truth of it a greater distresse must folow afterwards contrary to that Christ saith if so be the words should be expounded by a type Mathew therfore makes nothing for the vehemency of this persecutiō the Apocalyps dooth even as much Satan in deed shal rage when he is loosed but the outragiousnes which is mentioned in that place is nothing to that which he shewed before he was bound For Satan is the same that the Dragon Apoc. 12 9. and before his imprisonment he lived in heaven drawing with his tayl the third part of the starrs of heaven which he cast unto the earth until by Michael he was overcome and thrown down from thence That is to say the Hethē Emperours not only lived but also ruled in the midds of the Church which they vexed in most cruel māner til Christ put them out of the Empire as upon that place I have shewed From that time the Divil that is the open enemie was bound for a thousand yeres which being fulfilled his bounds should be loosed he should be styrrd up agayn but not with that abilitie to hurt as before for here he should have no place in heavē that is in the Church but should abide only in the utmost borders territories therof compassing the tents of the Saincts the beloved city as Ap 20.9 wherupō he should not so much raise persecution as warr neither should the saincts dye lik sheep but resist lik soljers How much therfore an inward noisom enemie is mor greevous than an outward so much greater is the afflictiō of the former times thā that when Satā is loosed in the last age Morover Antich reigneth a 1000 yeres whiles Satā lyeth in prisō Ap. 20.9 Wherupō if whē he is loosed this felow doo trobel al ther should be great trāquility whē he is boūd so the greatest part at least of his reign should be void of those turbulēt storms neirher should Antich hav an helper of his persecutiō in the other part of his reign seing he should abid within the Church Satā without as is manifest by the things forespokē also that now he was appointed for the scourge of Antic himself not for their hāgmā torturer whom he should use for the tormenting of others For the Divil being now loosed the four Angels at Euphrates are loosed whō God sendeth to punish the Angel of the bottomlesse pit with his infernall crew which came out of the pit Apoc. 9.20.21 all which things we hav made playn in their places Therfore wher Augustine saith that Antichr shal most rage when the Divil is loosed as though he were now first loosed and should be his helper unto crueltie he iudgeth not rightly of this loosing for he was loosed before in heaven Apoc. 12.3 c. which could not be a prison and pit unto him seing he took it heavilie to be cast from thence unlesse perhaps he went out of prison against his wil Apoc. 12.10 Neither is Hippolitus to be hearkened unto concerning this persecution when he teacheth that Antichrist is no man but the verie Divil that should take false flesh of a false virgin And no better account is to be made of Cyrill if he though that the Divil should personally range abroad making Antichrist to be a true man but one that should be a Divil also because as he thinks he should be made man by incarnation What sincere thing could they utter about this matter whose minds were possessed by such manner errours Wherfore this grievousnes of persecution which you speak of hath no confirmation at al from the Scriptures A very greevous persecution in deed ther should be but of an other sort then you mētion even such as should consist not so much in killing of bodies as in murthering of soules For Antichrist is Balaam who though it better to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel that they migh eate of things sacrificed to Idols and committ fornication then to folow thē with the sword Apoc. 2.14 He is that Beast wheron Iezebel the whore sitteth with the wine of whose fornication the inhabitants of the earth are drunken Apoc. 2.20 17.2 He is the Angel of the bottomlesse pit who opening the pit the Sun and aier is darkned with the smoke Apoc. 9.2 Finally he is that man of syn whose coming is with the efficacie of Satā with al power and signes and lying wonders and with al deceit
marchandise not so much by sea as by land from whence they are called the marchants of the earth Furthermore these are the Peres and great men of the earth ver 13. in a higher place and honour then they which sell marchandise Last of al we shal see that the soules also of men are amoÌ„g the wares of these men ver 13. which by no meanes wil not suffer us to stick to the proper nature of the words Therfore certaine common marchants are not here to be minded although these also shall suffer great losse but the stately Lords Cardinals Archbishops Popish Bishops who exercise a marchandise of soules and flourish by this marchandise with the glory of Noble men For we shal see after that Rome is compared to Tyrus because she is no lesse noble a marte town of spiritual things then once Tyrus of al those things which belong to the deligts of this life as we may see in Pope Alexander of whom was this sung common Alexander sels the keyes the Altars yee Christ also First of all he had bought them then by right he may doo so But Baptista Mantuan writeth more fully not of Alexandre alone but of the whole company and daily custome of the Romish court with us are to be sold The Temples Preists Altars the Holy things the Crown The fyre Jncens the Praies Heaven God is to sell Who can desire a better furnished market Neither mayest thou think this to be the overmuch libertie of railing Poets but a iust complaint of more holy reformers Bernard saith that the sacred degrees are given unto an occasion of dishonest luâ—re and that gaine is counted godlinesse in his first sermon of the conversion of Paul Budaeus in his Pandects saith the Popes decreâ—s are not profitable for the governement of manners but I had almost said doo seeme to give authority to occupie a banke for love Ludovicus Vives on August of the Citie of God book 18. chap. 22. saith though all things almost are sold and bought at Rome yet thou mayest doo nothing without a law and rule and also of a most inviolable authority But it were an infinite thing to sayle in this sea no shore of which thou canst see howsoever thou shouldest obtaine a prosperous winde for some few dayes Such therfore are both the marchants wares Although I wil not deny the huge excesse also of things which perteine to the body by conveying wherof thither many have waxed verie rich But here chiefly the marchaÌ„dise of soules seemeth to be understood than which no science hath been more gainful now for manie ages Augustine the Monk perhaps at home of no estimation yet because he had brought the Britaines into bondage under Rome was made Archbishop of Canterbury Venefride the English man called Boniface his name being changed by this way became Bishop of Mentz and togither also Governour of the Church of Coloine Who can recken up all who have made a way for themselves to verie great dignities by this same meane Alan an English man a traitour betraying the faith his countrey Prince to the Pope deserved by this trade of marchandise to be amoÌ„g the Peeres of the earth having gained the dignitie of a Cardinals hat Yea that this trafique might not be cold whom gaine and profits moved not those the crafty whore inflamed with honours and glory The King of Spaine was made the Câ—tholike King of France the moâ—t Christian King The Swissers the Defenders of the Church and furthermore endued with two great banners both the Cappe Sword Some reward is wanting to no man to the end that they may exercise the more diligently that profitable marchandise Threefold therfore is the cause of the destruction of Rome because â—he is the mother of Idolatry the corruptresse of Kings and nations and that may be sâ—ffered no longer for her arrogancy and pride and buying selling of soules By which things this right excellent Captaine being moved shal undertake this expedition against her 4 And I heard an other voice Such is the first Angel and the Prince as it seemeth of this warre the second as an under Captaine dooth his office in counselling and exhorting But here is no mention made of the Angel but onely of a voice from heaven as though this exhortation were without an authour his name being concealed from whom it commeth For which cause we have said in the Analysis that this Angel is namelesse It is in deed an odious argument which he handleth wherupon peradventure he will conceale his name which being known would bring no profit but might procure some danger the adversaries being of so spitefull minds His speech is continued even unto the one and twentith verse so copious shal be the admonition of some faithfull man which togither with the preparation to this warreÌ„ shal be spread abroad godly and truly warning men of the present punishment of Rome Notwithstanding that which wee have spoken of his name concealed is not of such necessity as that it must needs be so seeing the like voice from heaven did shew his author as the event declared chap. 14.13 But it is likely to be true that the name is to be concealed ¶ Goe out of her my people The exhortation consisteth of two parts the first part perteineth to them which live in Babylon warning them that acknowledging at the length the filthinesse of that citie they forsake the same and depart to an other place that they would no longer for her sake expose themselves to certain destruction Wherfore some elect lie hidd yet in the dreggs of the Romish impietie whom God remembreth in the coÌ„mon destruction of the wicked He will not suffer Lot to perish togither with the Sodomits and he used the like exhortation long since to his people when the mother of this Babylon was to be razed Ier. 51.45 And this commandement shal not be made in vaine to his people to whom alone it is proper to obey his voice Therfore even as the mises perceaving before hand that the house will fall doo runne away out of their holes so they being wakened out of sleep by the Angels voice shal convey them selves by and by out of this detestable city ¶ Least ye be partakers of her sinnes For of what sinners the felowship is not forsaken their guiltines is conveyed to men Therfore he saith not that ye be not partakers of her punishments but which is farr more greevous of her sinnes This feare wil provoke and inforce them to runne away who are convinced in their consciences of the Romish wickednes 5 For her sinnes are heaped up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one following an other as chained togither at length they hav reached eveÌ„ unto heaven But if through the whole Papistical Kingdome Rome be the holy city Peters chaire which cannot erre this chained row hath suffered a great interruption which as it much exceedeth the ages of the Heathen Emperours so much the more
God to depart from the felowship both of her wickednes and punishments ver 20. and chap. 19.1 c. Moreover after the time is finished of giving their Kingdome to the Beast the ten hornes with a constant minde shal detest the whore so farr off is it that they shal be greeved for her miserable condition chap. 17.16.17 Therfore that device falleth down concerning the ten Kings in whose power shal be the dominion of the whole earth who if with ioyned forces as the Iesuite wil have it they shal bring the last destruction upon Rome they should leave no King to bewayle her great miserie VVe have shewed by truer arguments that those x hornes pertaine to the onely degree of Emperours some one of which at length shal execute this destruction who yet keepeth the name of the whole number as it is done for the most part when speach is had of the mēbers or parts of some whole thing VVhile he shal spoile Rome some other Kings of Spaine Polonia and the like confederate with the whore shal make this miserable wailing 10 Standing a farr off for feare But what need shal there be then of lamentings VVhy shal they not rather make hast to help her They shal not dare to doo it for feare they shal be greatly afraid of their own safetie Therfore they shal behold a farr off her miserie taking heed that they thē selves burne not with the same fire if they shal come neere You therfore holy Princes take the matter in hande it shal not be a thing of so great trouble as peradventure you thinke Doo you think that Spaine France or other I know not what huge armies wil come to aide her These are altogither Goblins and vaine Scarcrowes Her friends shal stand a farre off with waitings testifying their love but taking no paines to deliver her from peril And who would expect that fornicatours wil undergoe anie dāger for a stale VVhore Therfore it is onely needful that you take upon you the matters valiantly the other things shal have prosperous successe Euphrates shal open away into Babylon for Cyrus if he cannot break through the walles ¶ Alas alas that great city A lamentable song of the Kings the often defect of which doth verie fitly expresse the truth of the affection The sentence shal be perfit in this wise Woe woe to us because that great city Babylon that mighty citie is overthrown and because in one houre thy iudgement is come They bewaile the ruine and the sudden comming of it 11 And also the marchants of the earth The marchants doo accord in the lamentations of the Kings but of the earth of which sort are the Kings we have shewed at the 3. verse that they were marchants rather of spiritual things then of those which respect the body For which thing there is an argument from hence Because saith he no man buyeth their wares anie more Therfore gold or silver is not here spoken of or sylke or fine linnen or spices or any such thing in the proper signification the estimatiō wherof dependeth not on Rome onely Vnlesse peradventure then they shall be of farre lesse price whē so greedy a buyer is taken away But the words are expresse neither is any such thing spoken of Tyre from whence this whole allegorie is taken out of Ezech. 27. VVhere the place no lesse required an amplification of the matter VVherfore these wares are labour study industry to adorne and enrich the city of Rome which thinges shal be most cheape and of no price after shee is fallen For who then wil give a rotten nut for them 12 The warrs of Gold and silver Even now we said that this whole allegorie was taken out of Ezech. 27. where it is spoken of the destruction of Tyrus Neither without cause as we have shewed in ver 3. when as at Rome there is no lesse famous a sale of soules then was at Tyrus of things necessarie for our use Ezechiel dooth so recken every nation that togither also he rehearseth the proper cōmodities of everie countrey in which both they abounded and carried to Tyrus According to which manner sundry kindes of wares seeme here to be reckened up to note out sundry nations to which either they belong or at least by whose travell they are brought to Rome Therfore although the names of the countries ar not expressed in plain words as in Ezechiel yet notwithstanding they may easily be understood according to that rule from the wares themselves The wares therfore of Gold and silver and the other outlandish things which are rehearsed in this verse may signify Spayne which fetched those things from the furdest Indies by whose travel they are to be sold in this part of the world Cinnamon Odours Ointments Frankincense wine doo note out Italy not because all these things doo grow in the same place but because as Spaine by the Ocean Sea so this by the intern sea affoardeth aboundāce of those things to Europe from Greece Cilicia Aegypt Africk Her selfe also being the most fertill in all delicious dainties of all the countries of Europe Fine floure and Wheate may signify the Ilands of the interne sea Cicilia Sardinia the garners and storehouses of Italy The Beasts Germanie abounding with them even as the Sheepe our England being greatly frequented with this kinde of cattel Horses Charets the French men who have great store of horses and from whence the use of charets have bene conveyed to others Bodies the Swisers who follow an externe and mercenary warfare and in which men Rome chiefly delighteth to make them her guard The soules of men are the common wares of all countries which Rome dooth hunte after by her marchants everie where desiring the same to be instructed in her superstitions which that so she may gaine and purchasse for hir owne proper goods she spareth no cost The makers of portsale of these wares are they that by their paines have brought these nations to be obedient to Rome Even as we know special provinces to have bin cōmitted to some Cardinals Iesuits whose care though it be bestowed in common yet it lyeth upon every one severally to declare his diligence in some certain nation Which if he can either retaine in their dutie or recall forsaking her by knitting it againe in friendship with Rome he bringeth wares of that sort to be sold wherby that nation is signified upon which he hath bestowed his labour As touching everie of the several wares by name Gold Silver Pretious stones Pearles they wer before in the whores apparell chap. 17.4 And it seemeth to be for that cause that Spaine in these last times shal be a special ornamēt to the whore And of fine linnen and Purple two for one the Purple of fine linnen which is a cloath made among the Indians of that kinde of flaxe so and of silke and of skarlet are spoken asunder for of skarlet silke Of skarlet we have spoken elsewher Silke
is cloath of most small threeds which the worme doo draw as it wer from a distaffe out of their own store It is not made of flowers as Dionysius singeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Series thus Neither the care of Oxen troubleth them Neither the flock of woole-bearing sheepe But in kembing the branches-bearing flowers Garments they make c. So Virg. in the second of his Georg. The thin fleeces from the leaves Doeth kembe the peoples Series Vnlesse peradventure the Poets because the wormes doo make silke in trees therfore doo say that this is kembed from thence not because it growes in them as cotton and the like See Iul. Caes Scal. Exerc. 108. 9. ¶ And all thynewood Thyne signifieth both universally all odoriferous wood also a special kinde as Eustathius noteth upon that of Dionysius of Arabia which he calleth wonderful Which by burning thynwoods a fragrant smel respire Eyther of thynewood or Myrrhe c. Wherein the first place thyne is generally called any spice in the secoÌ„d place a certaine kinde of odoriferous tree But it is used here not so much for perfuming as for finenes of buildings for there is mention of odours in the beginning of the verse folowing wherunto it serveth chiefly as Plinie sheweth out of Theophrastus Who saith he did give great honour to this tree rehearsing the famous boordings of the ancient temples to be of it and a certain everlastingnesse of the uncorrupted timber in houses against all faults book 13 chap. 16. of his natural History 13 And Cinnamon Italy useth such as is brough to them which shee fetched not from Spaine but from those places where it groweth so also she procureth for her selfe Odours Ointment Frankincense by her owne navigations The chiefe sale of these things is with the people of Syria Phoenicea Arabia Aegypt To these coastes Italy goeth with all speed possible while the Spaniard is occupied especially in forraine navigations she hath wine and oyle ynough of her owne She bringeth fine floure wheate from Sicilia ¶ And Beasts It were tolerable if Rome should note out Germanie with this marke onely for the richesse of cattel but the most proude whore scarce thinketh any otherwise of the most famous nation then of very Beasts Ambrosius Catharinus sheweth this plainly in his book against Luther whom that most foolish Asse calleth a Beast almost in every verse and that not so much for hatred of his Heresy as he calleth it as with a manifest reproch of the whole nation Rome indeed speaketh mor modestly at this time not daring to provoke the fiercenesse of men by so greate a contumely but secretly with her selfe she iudgeth no otherweise then before time and not onely of this people alone but of al other people of Europe all which her selfe onely excepted shee accounteth almost meere brutes But God hath chosen this foolishnes if thou wilt so hav it of our nations wherby he might throw to the ground thy vaine wisdom and at length by thy iust punishment might set forth thy pride to be derided of all men ¶ And sheep a sign of our own England whose fleece is of gold excelling in softnes finenes above the wool of other countreys Rome hath now a long time vehemeÌ„tly grieved that these wares are brought sparingly to her faires and therfore tryed everie way that she may enioy the former abouÌ„daÌ„ce of them For this purpose she maintaineth English youth and hath made Alan our countrey man a Cardinal She fitteth for her self these merchants besides troupes of Iesuits if peradventure she may be againe Lord of our sheepe But we thankes be to God know for a surety that Rome is a denn of wolves and other most cruel Beasts Let her chaÌ„t as sweetly and pleasantly as shee can we acknowledge her voice to be of strangers and robbers neither wil we be taken with the sweetnesse therof I hope that our people wil no more goe to visite but with this Angel to the destroying of her ¶ And Horses and charrets And of horses and of charets and of bodies to weet the wares The two first perteine to the French men renowmed for horses armed on al parts and for the invention of charrets this last of bodies is the ware of the Swissers of which very many villages persisting stil in the Romish superstition doo defend the Beast with their bodies He hath these for the ordinary and domestical yeomen of his garde also he may take up greater armies of them serving for wages as oft as necessity shal so require I would God they would learne of their brethren confederates not to yeeld their bodies to his pleasure with which being not content he also worketh certaine destruction to their soules neither to take wages for keeping of him whom if they would utterly destroy they should bring very great profit to all Christians But this marchandise shal have an end shortly Were it not better to forsake the wicked Mistres willingly then in short time to be forsaken of the same necessarily The voluntarie sorow of repentance is wholsome but that is deadly which stubburnes bringeth forth ¶ Aâ—d soules of men These wares are not proper to one country but coÌ„mon to all which Rome dooth not thing too dear bought for any gold whatsoever The like thing offers it selfe in Ezechiel chap. 27.13 They of Iavan Tubal and Meshech were thy merchants they used the marchandise of men and vessâ—ls of Brasse in thy marchandise bnephesch adham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soules of men Tremellius and Iunius translate of men and vessels declaring well the sense He meaneth doubtlesse slaves set to sale as in the same place they doe expound Therefore why should not the soules of men obtaine the same force in this place The Spirit seemeth to have changed the construction of set purpose to note the difference For these are not rehearsed in the second case with those that went next before and the wares of horses and of charets and of bodies and of the soules of men but in these last words he passeth to the fourth case and the soules of men as it is manifest in the Greek and as we have translated Wherin is signified that there is a separated and divers consideration of soules bodies in this place and that there is a farre other meaning then of that in Ezech. howsoever in wordes he alludeth to that 14 And the fruits lusted after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the autumne of thy desire for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemeth to be causal The Interpreter Aretas and the time of thy desire It is a manner of speaking of the Hebrewes for thy desired autumne as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fyre of flame for in flaming fyre 2 Thess 1.8 as though he should say thy desired harvest is lost By which proverbial manner of speakidg we signify that power to gaine is taken froÌ„ one Or the same hebraisme may be understood so as that
death 15 And who soever was not sound written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire The Analysis VVEE have spoken of the destruction of the Beast the destructiō of the Dragon followeth whose history seing it is the conclusion of the whole warrfare of the Church under the crosse first he repeateth briefly the things before spoken secondly by a new Prophecy he declareth the last ruine of him The repetition is framed according to three times the first in which the Divell was taken in the first verse The secōd how long he was bound in the second verse the third when and how lōg he should be loosed in the end of the third verse And all these thinges briefly which after are repeated more largely by mentioning therewithall the state of the Church of what sorte it was in the meane time through every of those periods In the first wherin the Dragon was taken the saints were beheaded at the beginning of the fourth verse In the second wherin the Divill or Dragon was bound there was an unlike conditiō of men for the saincts raigned a thousand yeeres which was the time of the prisōment of the Divill both in respect of the soules slaine in the former period and also in respect of them that were on earth who strove with the Beast neither did submit under his yoke by any meanes in the same verse The other lived not againe all that time but being deceived by the frauds and impostures of the Beast lay as it were dead and buried in their errors in the fift verse The third period which is of the Divill being loosed relateth both the condition of the elect and also the furie of the Dragon raging againe Those thousande yeeres being expired the elect lived not a few as in the second period but they rose againe in a farre greater multitude the errours of the Beast being left and themselves converted unto true godlines Which resurrection is called the first and blessed because of the Priestly and Kingly dignity long continuing of the raigne with Christ in the sixt verse The furie of the Dragon after a thousand yeeres prisonment shal be revived in the seventh verse He shall muster souldiers known by name Gog and Magog infinite in multitude in the eight ver He shall spoile all farr and neare and shal besiege the tents of the saincts in the beginning of the ninth verse and so farr proceedeth the repetition of the former ages That which dooth follow from thence is to come his attempt against the beloved City and utter overthrow both of the army in the ende of the ninth verse and also of himselfe in the tenth verse And thus farre is the destruction of the enemies afterward the happines of the Saints is handled wherby the Church shall shine having escaped all these calamities Which felicity is declared two wayes both by the gathering togither of the saincts in the rest of this chapter and condition of them being gathered in those that followe The gathering hath a preparation and execution The preparation is of the Iudge fitting upō a great throne in the eleventh verse The execution is partly summarily toward them that are to be iudged where the forme of iudgement is out of certē bookes according to the workes verse twelve and the māner of standind before the iudgement seate the resurrection in the thirteenth verse partly by name upon death and hell and those that were not founde in the booke of life in the fourteenth and fifteenth verse Scholions 1 After J saw an Angel come down How great paines the interpreters have taken in this chapter we may see it by their commentaries Especially the Papists torment themselves very much to whom this is a labyrinth out of which they cannot rid themselves no more then of all the other things in this booke in which they wander hither and thither and erre neither can finde any comming out any where as it must needs be where the truth is not for a guide The former exposition the rehearsall of a great part of which is here made will make I hope all things easy ready to us First then in repeating things past to the end that the thinges spoken of before here and there touching the Dragon being now proposed to be seen all at once may the better be understood he speaketh of his apprehension which briefly sheweth by consequent that he was loosed before in that time made those sturres which he is wonte when he hath the raines loose From which it may be gathered easily what was the cōdition of the primitive Church as long as this disturber might confoūde all things at his pleasure But at length his furie was bridled his power weakened by the Angel a description of whom is here made Who this Angel is we have learned from the former things to weet that it is Constantine the Great who being borne the manchilde of the Church making warre for his mothers sake against the Tyrants the Heathen Emperours the Dragon it selfe He is said to come downe from heaven bringing unexpected aide in chap. 12.6.7 c. So the Angel being to fight against the whore and to assaile her unwares was said to come down frō heaven in the eighteenth chapter and first verse He hath the keye of the bottomlesse pit power to open the same and shut up the Dragon but not to cast forth the hellish smoke in which respect onely the key was givē to the Angel of the bottomlesse pit chap. 9.1 There is therfore a great difference between these two keyes The great chaine are the foundations of the Christian liberty layd by him by which he held the Dragon bound as with chaines by a long succession of time that he could not move himselfe to make any trouble For now the way was stopped up against those Heathen to the chiefe soveraignty or if they attained to it by fraud as Iulian yet they were so bound tyed with this chaine that they could not exercise their former cruelty 2 Who took the Dragon Overcame him by open warr chap. 6.15 12.7 For whē those tyrāts were overcome the strēgth of the Dragō was takē away neither could he entreprise any such thing as he exercised before The Heathen Emperours are noted by the names of the very Divell as also in chap. 12.9 the articles being also added for the preheminence of the wickednesse because they may by right be esteemed by his name of whose poyson malitiousnes and wickednes they have bin the ministers Worthily doth a man beare his name whose manners and disposition he taketh upon him This apprehension signifyeth that whole first period frō the time of Iohn and before even unto Constantine the last part of it being put for the whole For saying that now the Dragō was takē he would have it to be understood that before he ran to and fro devising as much evill as he could as we learned in the
streame neither is ther at this day almost found any hold so strong that can withstand his furie But the time of this tyrāny is but short to weet onely for an houre a day a moneth a yeere that is about three hundred ninety yeeres if wee count the yeere by twelve moneths and every moneth by thirty daies after the account of two and fourty moneths and three dayes and an halfe chap. 11. If we follow the reckening of the Iuliā yeeres the impious kingdome shal not be prolonged beyond seven yeres more then utterly to be abolished without leaving so much as the footsteps of his name after him as shal be said afterward 4 Then I saw thrones Hitherto the brief History of the Dragon the same now is handled somewhat more fully there being added togither also the state of the Church wherin it was in every of those times The two first of which are shewed elegantly in the same words For when after the Dragon is bound the thrones set are seen and also the soules of them that were beheaded sitting upon them and iudgement given to them by these is signifyed that the primitive Church was miserably afflicted before that mortal enemie was cast into prison Then was ther no seat established for her no iudgement was given but she lay on the ground trode under foote every moment spending the life of many of her members for the truth whereunto belongeth the cry of the soules which desired vengeance of their most cruell enemies chap. 6.10.11 Therfore all that time from Iohn even until the binding of the Devill by Constantine was a time for the hatched for flaming fires for the racke and all manner of torments as is very wel shewed here Againe the same thrones and iudgement given after that the Dragon was delivered to prison by Constantin doo shew the notable felicity of the second distance of time which the Church enioyed having obtained Emperours for her Defendours For these thrones belong not to the saincts raigning in heaven as the Iesuite will have it intangling himselfe in many absurdities but they which dwell on earth in a better estate in regard of the open enemy then in former time For why should the raigne in heaven be limited with a thousand yeeres Or why should they beginne to raigne after the Dragon was bound as if the raigne in heaven wer not perpetual Moreover such ar counted in this raigne who ar dead a thousand yeeres agoe as in the next verse which can not be understood of the raign in heavē in which unlesse the soules of them that die fly forthwith they shal never afterward come thither But more plainly of this matter at the next verse ¶ And they sate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be put and perhaps better transitvely they did set So the order of construction runneth easily being reduced by the accusative cases which folow et animas and the soules et illos c. and them which worshiped not in the same sense vidi thronos I saw thrones and they did set on them to whom iudgement also was given both the soules of them which were beheaded and also those which worshipped not the Beast c. who all lived and raigned with Christ a thousand yeeres and iudgement was given them they were dealt with according to their righteousnes themselves being set at liberty and their enemies suffering the punishments of their cruelty Even as on the other side on s iudgement is said to be taken away when a man is oppressed with iniuries and the doers of them goe away scotfree as Iob complaineth God liveth who hath despised my iudgement c. chap. 27 2 and 34.5 Or iudgement to be given may belong to the raign as in the Psalmist O God give thy iudgements to the King thy righteousnes to the Kings sonne Let him iudge thy people iustly and thy poore with equity Psal 72.1.2 as though he should say the Church now is advanced to that dignity wherby shee should give lawes to others which but lately was accustomed to receive them being most abiect and obscure and of no estimation with the world ¶ And the soules of them that were beheaded If ekathison they sate be taken as a verbe neuter then these words are to be referred to the verbe eidon vidi animas and I saw the soules c. These are the soules of the godly Martyrs of the first period who under the Heathen Emperours laid downe their lives for Christs sake who now at length by meanes of Constantine obtaine glory and honour But how is this wilt thou say they not being on the earth Their soules were placed on thrones when they who tooke away their lives uniustly were iustly punished by Constantine that is whē the tyrants were killed and condigne punishment inflicted upon them for their cruelty The iust man shall reioice when he seeth the vengeāce of the wicked and shal wash his footsteppes in their blood as the Psalmist describeth And againe a two edged sword is in the hand of the Saincts to execute vengeance on the Heathen which honour shal be to all the Saincts Psal 149. It is a glorious thing for the Saincts that their iniuries are nor neglected but ar at length recōpensed with iust punishment This is it which the soules desired earnestly chap. 6.10 And these seats are that deliverance which they obtained a promise off in the same place ¶ And which worshipped not the Beast These also were placed or sate in the seates which are men then living in the second period wherupon he not onely mentioneth their soules as even now of the Martyrs which were in the age past but the whole man saying those which worshipped not c. From which we must observe seing the godly are described by those marks that they worshipped not the Beast neither suffered themselves to be noted with his marke either in the forehead or on the hand and that in the second period whē the Devill was bound which took the beginning at Constantine himselfe and continued from thence by the space of a thousand yeeres that the Beast was all this time Otherweise ther could have bin no praise of the Godly living in this time if there had bin no occasion and matter for them to get praise by Wherfore the Beast was bred togither with Cōstantine when the Dragon being thrust out of heaven and going into prison gave his power and his throne and great authority to the Beast chap. 12.13 and 13.2 He could not suffer that any truce should be granted to the Church but when he saw his open furie to be repressed he ordained the Beast his Vicar in his roome being absent by whose endevour at least he might satisfy his hatred Therfore the three yeeres raigne of Antichrist is a trifling toy a part wherof we see here manifestly to extende unto a thousand yeeres Secondly let the Papists consider what a vaine forgerie that Antichrist is whom they dreame off
else where fully declared in this book wee hope that wee doo no violence to the truth if that we shal ioyne this place unto the meaning of other the like But some man wil say that wee have made mention of this calling in the former chapter it is true but that of the sixt viall was but begun not perfit and absolute as that of the last viall shall be wheÌ„ all the enemies shal be destroyed VVhich distinction of calling the former words doo manifest when in that first Iohn was commanded to write blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lambe chap. 19.9 VVherby it is taught that the first was not perfit where need was of such confirmation the office wherof is to seale up a thing not yet sufficiently known and to come which all being called had bin superfluous But Daniel writeth most plainly who hath distinguished both the callings by their times He setteth the first at the ende of a thousand two hundred ninetie daies The second at the ende of a thousand three hundred and five The distance between both is of fourty five dayes that is of so many yeeres as in an other place with Gods helpe wee will shew Dan. 12.11.12 VVee shall see likeweise in Ezechiel in the place before spoken off that the dry bones being covered with flesh and skinne did move themselves alike and approach one to an other Moreover after some time during which they were destitute of Spirit at length being quickened by the same doo live a true life and doo performe all those offices of life peculiar unto bodies endued with soules That approaching of the dry bones is that first calling of the former chapter The comming to of the Spirit giving to those bones perfit life is the latter calling this resurrection to which nothing shal be wanting unto perfit salvation Both which though Ezechiel comprehendeth in the same chapter yet he handleth the more distinctly afterward For first before that warre with Gog and Magog he mentioneth the resurrection as also Iohn that which was begun in the former chapter afterward when Gog was destroyed he describeth a most glorious building of the temple in the 40. chapter c. which is this secoÌ„d and full resurrection Therfore the first resurrection of the Iewes of the Iewes I say for the first resurrection of this chapter ver 5. is of the Gentiles into which notwithstanding shal fall at length this first of the Iewes that every way it may be the first shal be by and by after the destruction of Rome The second shal be straite after the Romish Pope and the Turke be destroyed This resurrection is a power to enter into the temple which the smooke did hinder to all untill all the seven last plagues were accomplished ch 15. the which is spent in destroing the Pope of Rome and the Turke as was spoken sufficiently before If I seeme to any to weaken the gâ—neral resurrection by taking so notable a foundation from it let him understand that it taketh no dammage from hence This place hath yet left a most strong ground to confirme the same For the Spirit doth not deceiv with a fained similitude but of which ought to be a most certen persuasion among Christians Otherweise certenly he had lost his labour if he had brought any thing lacking credit Moreover he should have driven to defperation in propounding that which must not be done for they would have thought that even so they had bin past hope but using a tipe of a thing that should most certeÌ„ly come to passe in his time he both maketh the calling undoubted and also declareth the manner wherby at length the resurrection shal be accomplished And thus much of the true sense of this argument now we wil prosecute the rest ¶ Then I saw a great white throne The preparation of God the iudge setting his people at liberty taken from a similitude of the general resurrection For the power and mercy of God shal be no lesse cleare in the molifying of men hardened by so long a revolting and in bestowing salvatioÌ„ upon them so past recovery then at length shal appeare in raising out rotâ—en bodies out of the graves The throne therfore is white most pure most gratious most comfortable in the very forme having a demonstration of mercy Great to declare the most imperial maiesty of God which now shal be made evident in this assembly of his people he sitteth also upon a throne ready to iudge because ther shal be no more any delay of rewarding the stay wherof before brought men into that opinion as if God regarded not the earth there fled from the face of him that sitteth on the throne both earth and heaven a great alteration of al things being made both the false Church plucked up by the rootes and also the true augmented with so great fruitfulnes that her former sorrowful face may seem to have fled away 12 And J saw the dead both smal and great Such then was the iudgment now at described those that shal be iudged These smal and great ar Iewes who before hated the faith and were spent with such calamities that they might seeme to differ nothing from the dead Now al of them shal appeare before God every one to undergo the iudgement either of life or death For now it shal be made manifest who ar elect and who reprobate They which yet shal resist the truth obstinatly shal be numbred amoÌ„g the last sheepe No remedy shal be used afterward wherby their stubburne minds may be subdued But why saith he small and great Whit her in the last resurrection according to the maner wherof al things are here applyed shal every one appeare in that stature in which they departed this life For this cause some have affirmed too rashly that every one shal rise againe in that talnesse in which Adam was created Which opinion both resisteth evidently this place and also taketh away the truth of the restored body if ther shal not be that iust stature in which they dyed ¶ And the books were opened The forme of iudging by books opened which are the consciences endued with the true light of Gods wil with a lively feeling of all their actions These shal now openly manifest to all men them in whom there is a syncere minde given of God and in whom lay hid hitherto the seed of election ¶ Then an other book Of Gods decree and election these things ar spoken after the manner of men considering that it is our manner for the helpe of our memory to recorde in books things done and in iudgmeÌ„ts to give sentence according to the truth of them Therfore election is no new thing neither dooth it depend on our pleasure but is founded on the eternal decree of God ¶ And the dead wer iudged c. After or according to those things which wer writteÌ„ in the books as once in the return froÌ„ BabyloÌ„s captivity
God So Ieremy from whence these things are taken expoundeth them I will put my law in their minde write it in their harts and I will be their God and they shal be my people chap. 31.32 c. 4 And God shall wipe So is the presence of God now foloweth that which concerneth the remooving of the calamities The truth shal not be made to sorow againe nor be oppressed with the tyranny eyther of the Beast or Dragon or any such like plague but now being victour and conquerour of all enemies shall flourish He borroweth these words out of Isay chap. 25.8 that we may know of what times the Spirit speaketh Isaiah in the same place speaketh of the felicity of the Christian Church of the Iewes on earth as is evident from that vengeance which God wil take in his time on the Moabites ver 10. For the hand of the Lord shall rest in this mount and Moab shal be threshed under him even as straw is threshed for dunging He ioyneth togither both the singular goodnesse of God toward the Israelites and the final destruction of the Moabites And the Spirit using that Prophecy in this place shewe that it is not accōplished of old but that at lenght it shal be fulfilled when this restoring of the Iewes shal come So Iohn Isaiah give light one to another ¶ And death shal be no more The greevousnesse of punishments shal cease in which sense Isaiah saith he will swallow up death into victory chap. 25.8 and Hoseah I will redeeme them from the power of the grave I will deliver them from death O death I wil be thy death O grave I wil be thy destruction repentāce is hidden from myne eyes chap. 13.14 Which place Paul applyeth to the last resurrection 1 Cor. 15.55 as also the Spirit hath shewed by the same this renewing chap. 20.12 And so indeed shal be the ful overthrowing of death when the bodies shal rise againe But in the meane time in the felicity of the new people ther shal be seen a patern of the great weakening of the sam Not because the separatiō of the soules bodies shal thē cease wherby the saints are translated into the Kingdome of heaven but because the sting of death being quite taken away it shal not serve to the scourging of the Church any more ¶ Neither sorow neyther crying neither labour These things declare how farre death shal be taken away to weet in regard of punishment not of departing unto eternal life So also the ministers and sumners of it shal be taken away For what right have the servants where their maister hath no authority Most happy bride which shal then be freed from such disturbers A visible image of the blessed reigne in heaven shal be now with men on earth ¶ For the first things are past Peradventure having respect to the first cōdition of the Iewes troubleous times and ful of misery because of Gods wrath provoked by their own often rebelliōs as though he should say ther shal be no more place afterward for this stubburnesse therfore neither shall God be so angry as in former times 5 And he that sate upon the throne said The certenty of this renewing happinesse is confirmed by an other testimony of great authority It is of him that sitteth on the throne that is the most high and eternal God himselfe who openly testifyeth that he will make all things new that is that he wil so restore the doctrine worship people and whole administration of things that men may worthily counte them new ¶ And he said unto mee write Iohn commeth now to those thinges which were spoken to him particularly In that he is commaunded to write it is as if it had bin said this is determined and resolved with God and as it were registred in statute books so as it cannot be altered or doo thou put it into common writtings that the faithful may have to shew how they may call upon mee for right see the chapter 19 at the 9. verse The writing which is commanded is that these words are true and faithfull to be performed at length in their time though the world mindes nothing lesse 6 And he said to mee it is done The second thing which was said to Iohn in private concerning the Mystery accomplished which shall have an end in the restoring of the Iewes Which consummation is part of the seventh vial the proper of which is to finish the Mystery of God as in the 16. chap. and 17. verse For this it is done is the same that is there If this were after it could not rightly have bin said there it is done to which some thing even then should be left which had not yet obtained his ende Wherfore seing that there some things are said to be done after the mystery finished which belong to this earthly life it followeth that neither that former it is done is after the last iudgement as hath bin observed in the 16. chapter 21. ver neither this second is to be referred to any other thing but to this present life Aretas and Montanus doo reade otherweise And he said unto mee J am made Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ende The Complutent edition and the Kings Bible doo reade thus And he said unto mee ' it is done J am alpha and Omega But Aretas and Montanus doo wrongfully omit it is done seing this belongeth to the explication of the seventh vial the chiefe point wherof concern the finishing of the mystery which is not accomplished in destroying the enemies of whom onely mention was made in the 16. chapter and 17. verse c. but in that last choise accomplished to which it is done is attributed for this cause namely by reason that it is the last ende of all Prophecies ¶ I am Alpha and Omega I am the same who both in the beginning hav decreed al these things to be done also now at length have put an ende to the same ¶ J wil give to him that is a thirst This is the reward of the godly who are said to be thirsty that is fervently desiring those things as are all they who have a tast of heavenly good things Blessed saith Christ are they which hunger thirst after righteousnes for they shal be satisfied Mat. 5.6 But then especially shal the Iewes thirst who shal satisfy themselves with no desire wherby they may perceive a more ful sweetnesse of Christ Yet neverthelesse even to these which shal burne with an exceeding great desire shall be given of the well of water of life freely that is not for any merit of their desire though amōg al the gifts givē to men it excelleth but of the free grace of God A notable place against the blasphemous doctrine of the Papists touching merit The Iesuite laboureth to shift it off making the same sense of it as of that of the Rom 8.18 The sufferings of this time are not worthy of