seuocate their mindes from their bodies the function of the soule being suspended toward the body that she might intend all her powers toward the Lord. So did hee with Ezechiel and Daniel Yea euen in our daily Christian conuersation we find that as the fish Remora when it cleaues to the side of the ship vnder saile retardeth the course thereof so is it with the body when the soule would ascend and mount vp to the Lord the body drawes it backe and holds it downe therefore Caro animae est Remora said Nazianzen flesh is the stay and hinderance of the soule And this may be best seene in the exercise of prayer when the spirituall life is strongest then is the naturall weake If the desires of the soule be feruently intended toward God the eye sees not those obiects the eare heares not those sounds which are neere vnto them But when againe naturall necessity forces the soule to returne to a familiarity with the body then her familiarity with the Lord relents and is interrupted This lets vs see first that heauenly Mysteries transcend the capacity of man till God make vs able to conceiue them aboue any ability that is in nature if S. Iohn had not beene rauished in the spirit after a diuine manner he could not haue vnderstood these diuine things And againe we may perceiue the truth of that No man can see the Lord and liue This should make vs well content in the day of death to lay aside our bodies that we may ascend to the Lord for as S. Luke said of the death of Christ it is true of all Christians The day of our death is the day of our assumption vp into heauen And behold a Throne Before Godspake to the eare of S. Iohn now hee offers a Vision to his eye This is the Lords order and we must obserue it Wouldst thou see the Lord bee content first to heare him Auditus gradus est ad visum hearing is a step to seeing As we haue heard so haue wee seene If first we heare as we should no doubt but next we shall see what we would They who delight not now to heare the Lord shall not be delighted hereafter with the sight of his ioyfull face And this for the order now to the matter We haue here in a Vision represented the glorious Maiestie of the Ruler of the world gouerning all things therein according to his gracious pleasure And first S. Iohn sees a Throne figuring Kingly Power and Authority Next a Throne in heauen expressing the supremacy and height of his Gouernment his Throne is aboue all the Thrones of Kings in the world By him the decrees of men are established hee ratifies or reuokes them at his pleasure and is countable vnto none His Holinesse also hereby is expressed God will not do wickedly neither will hee peruert iudgement hee renders the worke of a man vnto him and causes euery man to finde according to his wayes said Elihu The Iudge of all the world cannot do vnrighteously said Abraham Thirdly aboue the Throne is a Raine-bow like a stately seeling Fourthly about the Throne are twenty and foure Elders figuring the Church of the liuing God a glorious Court wherein there are none but Seniors and Kings farre surmounting in glory all the Courts of the world Fiftly between the Throne and the circle of Seniors in the midst of the Throne and round about the Throne were foure liuing creatures full of eyes all hauing wings shadowing the company of innumerable Angels Salomon his Throne was of Iuory vnderpropped with carued Lyons but nothing comparable to these liuing vnderstanding and speedily flying Cherubims which execute the will of this great and euerliuing King Sixthly before the Throne there is a glassie Sea like Christall representing this sragill and waltring world which as it was made by the Lord so also is it ruled and gouerned by him hee sees all things in it and gouerneth all the incident mutations and changes thereof vnto his owne determinate end This is the summe of the Vision Which as I said is a preparatoire vision for the subsequent visions of prediction wherein because the Lord is to foreshew sore troubles many changes greâ—…uous accidents that were to fal out in the world for the exercise of his poore Church In the entry he drawes vs vp to looke to himselfe as vnto a glorious King sitting on his Throne ruling the world which is before him with great power and wisedom so that nothing falls out in it by chance but according to his prouidence neither is it satans malice nor man his vvit that carries sway in the world to drawe the euent of things which way they wil. No no satan and men in all their purposes plots are ouer-ruled by the Lord and he worketh all things according to the good pleasure of his owne will for his owne glory and comfort of his Church Thus in the beginning haue wee a strong confirmation of our faith and are conueniently prepared to receiue the Prophecie following vvith faith and reuerence assuring our selues that according to it the euent of things will be because it comes and is reuealed from him who rules the world And doubtlesse if our eyes were opened to see that glorious sight of the supreme Maiesty ruling all things at his will as here saint Iohn saw it or at least if we will looke into it with the eyes of faith it would dissipate all these doubtings and feares which come in our minds arising from the greatnesse of Mahomet the power of the Pope and of blinded Princes enemies to the Gospel of Christ banding and confederating themselues against the Lord and his anointed When the seruant of Elisha was afraid at the huge Army of Aramites which compassed Dothan his Master comforted him Feare not said he there are moe with vs then are against vs. And when according to the prayer of Elisha the Lord opened his eyes then hee saw that the Mountaines were full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha stronger to defend him then the Aramites were to pursue him No lesse should wee be comforted against all terror of flesh if our eyes were opened to see this glorious Maiestie that saint Iohn saw for what are all Kings of the earth compared with him When he pleases he cuts off the spirit of Princes and is terrible vnto them Let vs rest in him God is our hope and strength and helpe in trouble ready to be found Wee will not feare though the earth should be mooued and Mountaines fall in the middes of the Sea For the Throne of our God stands stable It is a pittifull blindnes that wormes of the earth should take vp a banner against him whose Throne is in heauen Their Propositions are proud Let vs cast off the yoke of the Lord. And againe Let vs build a
the last breath of the Spirit wherewith he inspired the Writers of holy Scripture No Scripture is to be expected after this It is the last Loue-token of our Lord and louing Husband after which he will write no more vnto vs but will come himselfe he hath sent it to vs with the Disciple whom he loued best and who was the last and longest liuer of all the Disciples Kinde children remember best the words spoken by their fathers on their death-bed and if it were possible that after death they could receiue any information from them O in what estimation would they haue it All the words of our Lord should be laid vp in our hearts but specially these which hee vttered in the time of his death and Passion and most of all these by which now after his Resurrection Ascension he speaketh vnto vs. There are many now a daies companions to the rich Glutton and his brethren they will not beleeue Moses and the Prophets but if one came from the dead then would they amend their liues This is a Prouerbe frequent in their mouthes but now this excuse also is taken from them Our Lord Iesus is risen from the dead and after his resurrection witnesses vnto vs what fearefull wrath is reserued for the wicked what vnspeakable ioy prepared for the godly if for all this they will not beleeue nor amend their liues are they not worthy of the greater condemnation In the eighteenth yeere of the Emperour Tyberius our Lord suffered for our sinnes hee rose againe from the dead ascended on high and led captiuity captiue About the foureteenth yeere of Domitian gaue he this Reuelation to S. Iohn in the I le Pathmos so witnesses Irenaeus Non multunâ—… ante temporis Apocalypsin vidit Ioannes sed poene sub nostro saeculo ad finem Domitiani imperii It is not long said he since S. Iohn saw this Reuelation but almost in our owne daies about the end of the Domitian Empire fiftie daies after his Ascension he sent downe that promised Spirit the Comforter So fiftie yeares and tenne after that he sent down this comfortable Booke of Prophecie containing a generall proiect and view of all the estates of his Church vntill the worlds end Doubtlesse this hath proceeded of his louing kindnesse toward his poore Church hee fore-saw the great and manifold troubles that were to befall her he knew it was to be a long time in respect of vs betweene his Ascension and second comming that therefore his Church should not faint our Lord and Loue hath sent vs this Present and Loue-letter that we may runne vnto it as Aaron and the Church of old did to the Oracle to know what shall be the end of all these battels of Saints militant heere on earth specially of these perturbations raised this day against the Church by Mahomet in the East and Antichrist in the West We are not then to suffer our selues to be spoiled and defrauded of the comfort contained in this book by these instruments of the Serpent who either disclaime the authority of this booke or then would scarre vs from it by a pretence of the obscurity thereof for these are the two scandals which offend many and make them if not vtterly to reiect at least too lightly mis-regard this heauenly Present As for the first albeit there need no testimonie of man where Diuine Authority giues out the decree Blessed is he who reads and they who heare the words of this prophecie yet man may very well be brought in against man and what hath beene said by any against it is easily disproued by that which others more ancient and more worthy credit haue spoken for it Iustinus Martyr Reuelationem hanc Ioanni qui vnus erat Apostolorum Christi factam esse testatur Iustine Martyr who wrote about an hundred and fiftie yeares after Christ witnesses that this Reuelation was made to S. Iohn who was one of Christ his Disciples Irenaeus ten yeares after him in the place cited before affirmeth the same With them S. Ambrose and S. Augustine do concurre Nec illud mediocre quod de throno Dei exire sluuium legimus sic enim habes dicente Ioanne Euangelista that which is written Reu. 22. of a riuer of the water of life flowing from the Throne Ambrose takes it vp plainely as written to S. Iohn the Euangelist Augustine as I haue said hath the like But this point I leaue as being sufficiently handled by the Writers of our time namely and at greatest length by Cotterius The other scandall of obscuritie is easily remoued if the exposition of the prophecie runne not before the execution thereof It was hard to the Fathers of the first ages to vnderstand this booke so cleerely as now by Gods grace his seruants may No maruaile though S. Ierome in his time said of it that the Apocalypse had tot Sacramenta quot verba as many mysteries as words for Prophecies before they be accomplished are Aenigmata that is riddles or darke and obscure sentences but when they are fulfilled Tunc liquidam habent certam expositionem then haue they a cleare and sure exposition Yet S. Augustine mitigates that difficulty alledged by S. Ierome and leaues vs some better hopes he grants this In Apocalypsi multa obscurè dicuntur vt mentem legentis exerceant that in the Reuelation many things are difficult whereby the mindes of those who reade it may be exercised yet to encourage vs hee subioyneth Pauca tamen in co sunt ex quorum manifestatione indagentur caetera cum labore that there are some things in it so plainly manifested as that they may leade vs to the vnderstanding of the rest if we take paines to learne them Victorinus Primasius and others who wrote aboue a thousand yeares since vpon this book are indeed to be praised for their paines Glory be to God out of all their labours some light ariseth to this prophecie but let the Reader remember that they are not alwaies to be followed in their sense Certius est sine periculo sustinere adimpletionem prophetiae quà m diuinare It is more sure to await the accomplishment of the prophecie then to diuine of it before-hand What made Iohn the Baptist a greater Prophet then Esay or any other that went before him Nothing but the difference of times for he saw that present and perfected which Prophets before told was to be done and would bee accomplished And the same is the reason why the meanest now in the Kingdome of God is greater then the Baptist And why men now in the holy Calling are able to shew more clearely the meaning of this prophecie then others more famous and worthy Lights could haue done before But to conclude this point In the entry of this booke as I said a blessing is pronounced vpon them that
reade or heare the words of this prophecie and in the end of it a speciall command is giuen to S. Iohn Seale not the words of the Prophecie of this booke for the time is at hand wherein the Lord euidently declares that hee will not haue this booke conceiled and hid but handled and reueiled This is sufficient to stop the mouthes of all them who vnder whatsoeuer pretence giue out that this booke should not be meddled with at all What else is this but to close that which Christ hath opened to conceale that which God hath reuealed and in a word to seale vp the Prophecie which the Lord expresly hath commanded not to be sealed Yet is it to be obserued that many both of the ancient and moderne Writers expounding this booke do rather obscure it then open it forcing it violently to follow their conceits not submitting themselues humbly to follow it The Iesuites of Rhemes haue commented vpon it In like manner the Iesuites Franciscus Ribera and Blasius Viega but as none of them agree one with another so all of them are strangers from the right sense of this Prophecie Neither is it possible that such as are possessed with the spirit of Antichrist can see the true meaning of this Reuelation for our Lord sends it to bee reuealed to his seruants As the Iewes loued the name of Christ but hated himselfe not knowing him when he was among them For if they had knowne him they would not haue crucified the God of glory And euen vnto this day in reading Moses and the Prophets who beare witnes of Christ their most learned Rabbines cannot see Christ For as saith the Apostle their mindes are couered with a vaile So the Papists notwithstanding they hate the very name of Antichrist yet do they honour himselfe they reade and interprete this prophecie which pointeth out Antichrist plainely in all his markes and designeth his Chaire and Seate of Residence to bee Rome the Citie situate vpon seuen Hilles and ruler of the earth when S. Iohn wrote this Reuelation yet do not the most learned among them rightly conceiue it but labour all they can to couer and obscure it Yea by the same arguments Popish Doctors defend their Antichrist by which Rabbins or Iewish Doctors impugned Christ for was not this their great reason which they vsed against our Lord Do any of the Rulers or Pharises beleeue in him But this people who know not the Law are cursed And truely strange it is among all the Noble-men of the Iewes wee reade of none who did beleeue in him but Ioseph of Arimathea and of all their learned Pharises we reade of none who beleeued in him but Nicodemus Was this a good argument then that Christ could not be the Christ because Rulers and Pharises beleeued not in him What better I pray you is the argument of Papists now The Pope cannot be Antichrist Why Do Kings or great men do Doctors or learned men of their Church beleeue so But let not vs be deceiued with such shadowes Shall wee haue the faith of Christ in respect of persons Shall we iudge of truth and vntruth by the multitude greatnesse and learning of them who are with it or against it Or shall the naked name and vsurped title of a Church be sufficient to impugne the Church There are many great in the world of small account with the Lord there are many learned in Humanity meere ignorants in Diuinity The doctrine of Christ is called A mysterie of godlinesse the doctrine of Antichrist is also called A mysterie of iniquity Both are mysteries and great Doctors in respect of humane literature and reputation may be ignorant of both I thanke thee O Father that hast hid these things from wise men and hast reuealed them to babes and sucklings But to returne where these Romish Doctors in exposition of this booke fall vpon any point of truth we shall do with them as Primasius professeth he had done with Ticonius the Donatist who wrote vpon this booke of the Reuelation before him hee made choice of the good and reiected the euill for these are his words Sicut enim pretiosa in stercore gemma à prudente debet colligi curari dignitati ingenuae restitui ita vndecunque veritas clareat catholicae deferenda est vnitati huic enim soli competit quicquid veritas etiam foris personârit iustè namque fides à perfidis colligit quod sui iuris esse cognouerit For as a precious pearle in a dunghill if a wise man see it hee will take it vp purge it and restore it to the former beauty so verity wheresoeuer is to bee referred vnto catholike vnity for to the Church onely belongeth all that which truth hath sounded euen by these who are without and iustly may faith gather from Infidels any thing which shee knoweth to be her owne And this for Hereticall Writers vpon this booke As for other orthodoxe Writers concerning the faith I acknowledge that the Church hath beene greatly benefited by their godly labours Euery one of them brings by course some measure of light to cleare this Prophecie where they are miscarried it is for not perceiuing the method and order which the Spirit of God vseth in it but inforcing vpon it a method of their owne haue in many things rather expressed their owne minde then opened the meaning of this Prophecie as shall God willing be declared hereafter To whom lest I do any wrong I will in one view present to the Reader a short abridgement of euery one of their workes that haue come in mine hands and thereafter set downe that which it hath pleased God to communicate vnto me and in all humility will submit it to the iudgement and correction of the Church The greatest difference will bee about the method which as it seemes to me the very naturall course of the Prophecie and threed of the Text it selfe proposeth vnto vs. As for the matter it selfe and substance of the Prophecie all the Doctors of the Churches reformed agree in one sweet harmony All their pennes are like the Pitchers of Gâ—…deon his three hundred souldiers ratling sounding yea importing present terrour and destruction to their enemies the Midianites and Amalâ—…kites who were without number All their tongues are like the Trumpets of Rammes Hornes blowing with one consent the downefall of the walles of Iericho contemptible meanes in the eyes of their enemies yet the power of God was with them Some of their Trumpets are shriller and some of them softer but all sound out one thing The Pope is Antichrist Rome is Babel the Popish Church is the Whore of Babel whom the Lord shall make desolate euen by temporal iudgements here vpon earth The Writers vpon this Prophecie which I I haue seene are these THe eldest is Victorinus Episcopus Pictaniensis Bishop of Poytiers He liued after our
this I saw seuen golden Candlestickes and in the middest of the seuen golden Candlestickes one like the Sonne of man c. This serued to prepare both S. Iohn and the Church to receiue this Reuelation reuerently and certainely to beleeue it considering that hee receiued this Vision not from one who knew not the state of the Church for hee who giues the warning walkes in the middest of the seuen Candlestickes and hath eyes like vnto flames of fire which by no couering can bee holden out from looking and piercing into the heart of euery man And no lesse conuenient is this Preparatory Vision premitted before the second Prophecie if we consider both the parts thereof For in the fourth chapter there is a Vision of the Maiestie of God the Creator who as he made the world so is he heere described sitting vpon his Throne and the glassie Sea figuring the world before him which hee rules and gouerneth at his good pleasure directing all the changes and troubles thereof to his owne determinate end for which the whole Church giues vnto him the praise of a powerfull faithfull and prouident Creator and Conseruer Angels go before and Saints redeemed follow after Thou aâ—… worthy O Lord to receiue glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are aâ—…d were created Againe in the fifth chapter there is a Vision of the Maiesty of Christ the Redeemer exercising his Propheticall Office to the comfort of the Church for hee takes the sealed Booke out of the hand of him who sits on the Throne hee opens it and reueales to his Church such things as in the wise counsell and prouidence of God were concluded to be done concerning her for which the whole Church both of Angels and Men renders vnto him the praise of a glorious Redeemer Thou art worthy to take the Booke and open the Seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed vs to God by thy Bloud In the first Song which is sung to the praise of God the Creator Angels begin and Saints redeemed follow In the second which is sung to the praise of God the Redeemer Saints redeemed go before and their Song is seconded by Angels and all creatures Now these two being ioyned together it shall appeare easily how this preparatorie Vision prepares a way to the Prophecie and renders a complete comfort to the Church He is to speake in the Prophecie following of fearefull troubles tentations and battels by violent Persecutors and fraudulent Heretiques but that the Church should not be discouraged therewith this Vision is permitted wherein first is declared that howsoeuer the world be a turbulent Sea yet all the waltrings and mutations thereof are gouerned by him that sits vpon the Throne Nothing fals out by accident or by the will of man and all these as they are ruled by the Father so are they reuealed to the Church by the Sonne and we are told of them before-hand that when they come to passe wee should not be offended The iudicious and indifferent Reader may cleerely perceiue this to bee the very naturall order and method of these two chapters they containe an Introduction to the Prophecie but they are farre mistaken who seeke a propheticall prediction in them VERSE 1. After this I looked and behold a dore was opened in heauen and the first Voice which I heard was as it were of a Trumpet talking with me which said Come vp hither and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter AFTER this This is to be referred to the order of the Visions not to the interuall or long distance of time for all these Visions S. Iohn saw them in one day I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day and I heard behind me a great Voice and yet Quaelibet visio suam habuit morulam euery Vision had the owne space of time by order one after another are they reuealed vnto him yet so that vpon one day and in one trance he saw all and this hee signifies in the entry As to the manner of his sight what way S. Iohn saw these Visions because frequent mention is made of it in this Prophecie it is expedient that once for all we speake of it There is a three-fold sight 1. Naturall 2. Propheticall 3. Spirituall The Naturall sight is common both to good and euill this is that sight we haue by the eye of God seene in his workes For the inuisible things of God that is his eternall Power and God-head are seene and vnderstood by the things he hath made The second sight is Propheticall yet common also both to good and euill I meane not to all but some of euery one of them for Balaam had it this is a sight of things to come made by Reuelation Representation or both A sight of things to come by Representation was offered to Pharaoh and to Nabuchadnezzar but they wanted the reuelation of it they could tell what they saw but could not tell what it signified till it was declared to the one by Ioseph to the other by Daniel Sometime againe there is a sight of things to come shewed to the seruants of God by Reuelation without Representation such a sight many of the Prophets had But here to Saint Iohn things to come are shewed both the waies first by Representation next by Reuelation In the manner of his Vision three things must be obserued that it was Interna Imaginaria Intellectualis It was first Internall by the minde for his bodily senses were now asleepe his spirit for a time hauing after a sort derelinquished his body Next it was Imaginary for by types similitudes resemblances and figures of corporall and materiall things formed in his minde were they represented to him Thirdly it was Intellectuall for by heauenly illumination S. Iohn was taught and informed to vnderstand truely what these Types Similitudes and Figures did represent and signifie otherwise hee had not beene a Prophet nor able to shew to the Church that which hee vnderstood not himselfe I marke this to stop the blasphemous mouthes of some Atheists who in disgrace of this Prophecie haue beene bold to say that S. Iohn vnderstood not what he wrote to the Churches The third sight is Spirituall and singular pertaining to Saints onely called and chosen This is a sight of Gods fatherly and mercifull Face shining vpon vs in Christ bringing with it to our foules ioy vnspeakeable and glorious And this sight we haue in this life but in the least degree for now wee see that glory of God but in a mirrour through a vaile darkely so that in comparison of that sight which we shall haue hereafter the Spirit of God accounts this sight to be no sight We walke not by sight but by faith And S. Peter affirmes Wee haue not yet seene him but S. Iohn
saith When hee shall appeare wee shall see him as hee is Yet euen the sight that now we haue by faith sustaines vs that wee faint not yea makes vs to reioyce in him with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious The first sight is no comfort without the third For oh How pittifull is the estate of that man who hath an eye to see the Sunne and hath not an eye to see Him that made the Sunne Yea the second is not comfortable without the third What auailes it to fore-see and fore-tell things to come and not to fore-see that Wrath which is to come that thou maist eschew it Balaam was a great Prophet to point out Iesus Christ vnto others in whom he had no part himselfe Hee fore-saw that the death of righteous men was happy and wished it to himselfe but hee had not true Light to leade him in that life which might bring him to a happy death Thus in the third sight onely stands the comfort of Christians Simeons sight maketh Simeons Song and sendeth away Saints out of the body reioycing in the middest of the dolours of death All these three sights had Saint Iohn but here hee sees these Visions by the second sight Now this sight is relatiue to the sight hee saw before After this I looked and it renders this lesson S. Iohn hauing vsed well the Reuelation hee receiued in the first Vision and hauing deliuered it faithfully to the Church as he was commanded gets now another Vision reueiled to him Two things increase heauenly reuelations in a Preacher First if he vse well the talent receiued already Nec enim alimonia haec distribuendo minuitur sed potius augetur ministrando For heauenly food is not diminished by the distribution thereof but rather is augmented Next if hee looke vp to God by feruent prayer and seek more as here S. Iohn doth hee shall neuer want comfortable matter to deliuer in God his Name to the Church But alack where men come out Prompt◅ docere quod non didicerunt ready to teach that which they haue not learned looking downe to giue vnto people not first looking vp to seek from the Lord what hope of a blessing is there to such a Ministerie And behold a dore was opened By this Metaphoricall speech S. Iohn will signifie vnto vs that an entrance and cleere sight of these heauenly Mysteries was made vnto him by the calling of God which otherwise were hid and locked vp from him like excellent things in the Palace of a King whereof no sight is gotten till the dore be opened and men licensed to enter in So S. Paul by the Opening of a dore of faith to the Gentiles will expresse that entrance to the faith which Gentiles had gotten by his Ministerie and by the great doore and effectuall opened to him at Ephesus and at Troas and by the opened doore of vtterance to speak the Mysterie of Christ for which hee willes the Colossians to pray hee vnderstands that a cleere and easie entrance to these Mysteries may bee made to him by the Lord and a ready way prepared in the hearts of people to conuay these Mysteries as it were in by a doore vnto them In Heauen Hugo Carthusian and others of that sort by the Doore vnderstand Christ and by heauen the Church it is a truth that Christ and his Church sometime are so figured but it is not the truth of this place I maruell what should haue moued Cotterius a iudicious and learned Writer to follow them This Heauen saith hee is Ecclesia in qua Deus habitat the Church wherein God dwels and the Voice which spake vnto S. Iohn Verbum est quo vocamur in Ecclesiam It is the Word by which wee are called to the Church All by purpose for was S. Iohn now in Pathmos to bee called to the communion of the Church But leauing this when wee shall come if the Lord please to such places of this Prophecie where the Heauen is a type of the Church Militant or Triumphant we shall shew the reason thereof But here that we may vnderstand with sobriety let vs consider how Saint Iohn speakes as hee saw He saw not this Vision in the Earth nor in the Aire but in the heauen was it represented to him It is true most part of things prophesied here were to be performed on the earth but they are fore-shewed in the heauens to tell vs that the earth and all things which fall out therein are ruled by the Decree of Heauen To make this yet more cleere let vs be remembred that in holy Scripture Heauen is sundry waies taken First for the Church Triumphant their place and their persons are both exprest by the name of Heauen as when it is said the two Witnesses were taken vp into heauen Next for the Church Militant in the Gospell in this Reuelation cōmonly called Heauen But in this and many other places of this Prophecie Heauen is taken for that typicall representation of heauen made to him in this Prophecie For it is to bee noted and obserued as a necessary rule that in these Visions S. Iohn speakes of things according as hee saw them represented in types as we haue spoken before yet so that euery type hath a truth correspondent to it and it requires great discretion to accommodate euery Type to the owne truth Which is not done by them who in this place expound heauen to be the Church Militant for S. Iohn saw not nor learned not these Mysteries in the Church nor yet from the Church hee saw them represented to him in heauen to be reuealed to the Church In a word he got it indeed for the Church Militant but not from it Neither is there any more reason to say that heauen here is the Church Militant then to say that these things which S. Paul saw when hee was rauished to the third heauen hee saw them in the Church for at this time also was S. Iohn rauished and transported in Spirit Alway we learne here that wee can haue no knowledge of heauenly things vnlesse the Lord open the doore and discouer them vnto vs. The Iewes euery Saturday read in their Synagogues a part of Moses and the Prophets these point with the finger vnto Christ but they cannot see him for a Vaile couereth their mindes till the Lord illuminate them Wee doe therefore pray the Lord our God who opened the doore to S. Iohn through which hee saw these Visions to open a doore to vs also by which we may haue entrance to vnderstand them for the glory of his name and comfort of his Church And the first Voice which I heard c. Vpon this place Victorinus obserues that it was one Spirit which spake in the Prophets of old and in the Apostles now Cotterius in the first Vision saith hee Iohn heard a Voice speaking
vs and bids vs come but causes vs to come Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to come to thee Now blessed bee the Lord who hath giuen vs mercy after wee had sinned which hee hath denyed to reprobate Angels and men and after we had fallen hath raised vs vp againe to inherite heauenly places where hee hath condemned them vnto vtter darkenesse And the Lord who euery day cals vs to come to him draw vs vpward and cause vs to come according as he cals And I will shew thee things which must be c. Prediction of things to come made by God are vndoubted arguments that they fall not out by hap but as they are ruled by his Prouidence who fore-tels them therefore the Lord vendicates this praise to himselfe that hee onely can tell things which are to come Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may knew that yee are gods thereby also declaring that none but the Lord can truely fore-tell things to come As for Satans Predictions they are either out of experience which hath taught him by the collection of naturall causes to fore-see the effects arising of them or else he hath them by reuelation from God It was easie for Satan to fore-tell the death of Achab in the battell against the Aramites for he heard the decree of his destruction giuen out in the Court of heauen and himselfe was directed as a Burrio to execute it They are miserably blinded who consult with Satan to know things to come from so cursed and wicked a spirit as he is good tydings came neuer vnto any nor neuer shall When his Responses are peremptory then are they deadly like that which he gaue vnto Saul To morrow at this time thou shalt bee with mee Otherwise they are deceitfull like that which he gaue Heraclius Gentem circumcisam ipsius Imperium vastaturam That a circumcised Nation should destroy his Empire Wherupon Heraclius persecuted Iewes and Christians but had no minde that Mahumetists were circumcised also who were indeed the destruction of the Empire But to returne it is not so with the Lord his knowledge is not acquired by experience nor deriued from any other For who was his counsellour In the volume of his booke are all things written that euer tooke fashion hee knowes with one looke all his creatures what and when they were are or will bee what they can do or what shall bee done with them He is all Vnderstanding and of himselfe and by himselfe Hee sees all things as they are hath beene or shall bee Which must be done This is for our comfort that the things prophecied in this Booke must bee done Scornefull men thinke it impossible the power of Antichrist and his Confederates is so great and they aske how it can be But where the Lord sayes that hee will do a thing it sets not man to enquire How shall it bee done O but now saith the mocking and faithlesse Papist God workes no miracles this was the word of one of that sort when the Spanish Armado approached to our Coasts not content to triumph ouer men but ouer the very heauens as though the Lords Arme were shortned The Lord now a daies said he workes no miracles But how then was that Armado destroyed Inuincible marrowlesse matchlesse in their iudgement was it in respect of man Who did it then Was it not the hand of God from heauen which ouerthrew them Be silent therefore O yee blasphemous mouthes aske not how can these things be done It is sufficient the Lord hath said They must be done None of the words of the Lord shall fall to the ground As himselfe is vnchangeable so are his decrees figured therefore to Zacharie by Mountaines of Brasse Babylon assuredly shall fall Rome shall bee ruined the Whore shall be condemned the Kings of the earth which now giue their Kingdomes to the Beast shall ere it be long hate the Whore and strip her naked God shall put it in their hearts to do so This is fore-told in this Prophecie and here the Lord saies They must be done Here then we haue the generall matter of this Prophecie it is a prediction from this fourth chapter of things which shortly must bee done hereafter here we haue Persecutiones tribulationes Ecclesiae postea consolationes remunerationes maiores first the persecutions and tribulations of the Church afterward consolations and large remunerations thereof They are farre mistaken therefore who expound this Prophecie of the foure Monarchies and referre it to things done in the old Testament VERSE 2. And immediately I was in the Spirit and behold a Throne was set in heauen and One sate on the Throne AS the Lord called vpon his seruant S. Iohn 〈◊〉 him come vp namely to the sight of greater Visions then bad bene reuealed to him in the first Vision so now he carries him vp and the calling of God is effectuall in him Thus the Lord worketh that in his children which he craues of them and what he commands he causeth them do it How this was done hee declares when hee saith I was in the Spirit that is Alienatus ab omni exteriorum sensuum vsu atque ecstasi mentis raptus in intensissimam eorum quae mihi ostendebantur considerationem diuorced from the vse of the externall senses I was rauished to an inward consideration of these things which were shewed vnto mee Hee saies he was in the Spirit Non quod esset absque corpore sed quia nihil per corpus vidit audiuit sensit Not that hee wanted a body but because in all these Visions he heard and he saw and he felt nothing by the body Spiritus eius docendus à spiritu docente assumptus est vt alta mystica posset intueri his spirit that was to bee taught is assumed and carried vp by the Spirit of the Lord that taught him to the contemplation of higher and more diuine Mysteries then could be learned by bodily sense In a word his body being relinquished for a time and left senselesse the Visions are presented to his spirit it being vnable at one time both to animate the earthly and inferiour body and to conceaue heauenly and superiour mysteries reuealed vnto it This hee meanes when he saith I was in the Spirit not that the soule as yet was dissolued from the body but because in respect of operation it did not animate the body after the wonted manner The body is a great impediment to the familiar conuersation of the soule with the Lord. The soule cannot at one time exercise her ordinarie office in the body and feele the Lords extraordinary presence also and therefore the Lord when he would reueale his secrets to his seruants in most familiar manner hath beene accustomed to cast them for a time into a trance as we speake to
followes a larger description of them who sit on the Seats they are called Elders they are said to be clothed in white Rayment and to haue Crownes of gold vpon their heads See what a glorious Court the Court of Heauen is all the Courtiers there are Seniors Kings and Priests first they are said to be Seniors not for their number of yeeres but for the ripenesse of their iudgement Here we are Infants and the little Babes of Iesus but his grace makes vs to grow till we become Seniors by this grace children now die as if they were an hundred yeeres old and the efficacie of his blessing shall complete vs there none ignorant through yong age none impotent through old age shall be there all shall attaine to the fulnesse of Christs age and be perfect in him Clothed in white rayment Their garments declare them to be Priests also This white Rayment is afterward called Finelynnen and is there expounded to be the Righteousnesse of Saints and this is two-fold one imputed by which Saints are iustified and this is perfect for it is the righteousnesse of Christ giuen vnto Saints by the free gift of God and apprehended of them by faith and in this sense it is not aliena as Papists tauntingly and ignorantly call it but propria sanctorum iustitia it is not the righteousnesse of another but their owne by as good right as any other good they haue may be called their owne namely by the free donation of God The other righteousnesse is inherent in Saints and this in such as are Triumphant is perfect as concerning their soules wherein no spot nor wrinkle remaines but in such as are Militant is imperfect yet growing and encreasing daily to perfection More concerning this white linnen and where from the similitude seemes to be borrowed see chap. 15. ver 6. And on their heads Crownes of gold This betokeneth their Royall or Kingly dignity all the Saints are Kings to their God Such as haue foughten the battell do now enioy the Crowne such whose war-fare is not yet accomplished are sure of the victorie for we runne not as vncertaine but certaine and we know that through him who loued vs we are more then Conquerors VERSE 5. And out of the Throne proceeded lightnings and thundrings and Voices and there were seuen Lampes of fire burning before the Throne which are the seuen Spirits of God HEre is shadowed to vs a two-fold operation of the Maiestie of God sitting on the Throne the one terrible to his enemies the other gracious and comfortable to his Saints his iudgements vpon the aduersaries are exprest by three names Lightnings Thundrings Voices they are compared to Lightnings because they are speedy and incuitable for this same cause also they are compared to Arrowes â—…ee sâ—… out his â—…rrowes and scattered them and hee sent out Lightnings and discoâ—…sited them Next they are compared to Thundrings because they terrifie and afray men The Lord thundred in the heauens and the Highest gaue his voice haiâ—…e-stones and coales of fire Hee proclaimed his Law with Thunder and Israel was afraid yea Moses trembled for feare If the Proclamation be so terrible what will the execution thereof be For this cause Amos speaking of God comming to iudgement vseth these words The Lord shall reare from Sion and vtter his voice from Ierusalem The two sonnes of Zebedeus Iames and Iohn were called Boanerges the sonnes of Thunder for their dreadfull and powerfull deliuery of the fearefull iudgements of God It is a beastly stupidity in man not to humble himselfe when the God of glory thundreth It is recorded of Caligula albeit he despised all Diuinity yet was hee afraid of the Thunder and that hee was wont Ad minima fulgura caput obuoluere ad maiora vero proripere se ex strato sub lectum se condere at the least Thunder to couer his head and at the noise of the greater to hurle out of his resting place and hide himselfe vnder his bed but the wrath figured heere by Thunder is much more to be feared Thirdly they are called Voices namely such voices whereby hee speakes to the wicked in displeasure Then shall hee speake to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure The other operation is figured by seuen burning Lampes of fire expounded to be the seuen Spirits of God Thus are represented the working of God in communicating by his seuenfold Spirit grace to his Saints to illuminate to quicken and to purge them That grace is compared to fire is plaine in holy Scripture One commeth after mee who shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire At the feast of Pentecost the holy Ghost descended vpon the Apostles in the similitude of firie clouen tongues And this Spirit beeing one is said to bee seuen or seuen-fold to expresse that fulnesse and perfection of grace which is in him to Saints communicat by him And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest vpon him the spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsel and of might the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord. There are diuersity of graces but flowing all from one Spirit Againe they are expressed by seuen to note the continuall influence and communication of grace by the Spirit vnto Saints VERSE 6. And before the Throne there was a Sea of glasse like vnto Christall and in the midds of the Throne and round about the Throne wâ—…re foure beasts full of eyes before and behind HItherto we haue heard a description of those creatures ouer whom and in whom GOD ruleth as King of Saints Now followes a description of another sort of creatures ouer whom hee rules for this Glassie sea figureth not Angels as saith Arethas nor yet Baptisme as Victorine Beda and Haymo say nor yet the holy Scripture as thinks Ioachimus Which two last opinions are followed by many late Writers but it figures this World all creatures therein who like a round Christall Globe are before the Throne That waters in this Prophecie figure people see in that place The waters which thou sawest are people Nations multitudes and tongues Sometime the Lord figureth the world by the Moone which is subiect to continuall changes The woman representing the Church is clothed with the Sunne but hath the Moone vnder her feete to shadow vnto vs how all true-hearted Christians are contemners of the world they trample vpon it contenting themselues with Iesus Christ and resting in him as in their glory Sometime also the world is figured by the Sea as here and in the fourteenth chapter the sea is alway tumbling and waltring it stands neuer stable in one estate the waues thereof which now are highest are incontinent lowest ouercome as it were with the force and furie of others thus they dash one against another
but shadowes of those better which are aboue The Lord strengthen our faith to beleeue Alway this I haue spoken out of this ground that the Spirit of God not finding one creature on earth meete to represent that variable good which is in Angels doth ioyne foure of the best together which yet all do come farre short of the excellency of Angels VERSE 8. And the foure beasts had each of them six wings and they were full of eyes within and they rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God almighty who was and is and is to come THE last of their properties they are said to haue sixe wings euery one of them To what end wings are ascribed to them Esay doth tell vs With two they couer their face with two they couer their feete and with two they flye The wings wherewith they coâ—…er their face are first an humble estimation of themselues next a reuerent and great estimation of the glorious maiestie of the Lord their GOD. They acknowledge his glory greater then that they can behold it they are neerest the throne but fardest from pride Among men we vse to say that Familiaritie engendreth contempt it is not so with the Lord they who are most familiar vvith him doe most of all reuerence and feare him The onely cause why men are so bold to dishonor the Lord and to vse his Name without any reuerence is for that they are strangers from him they know him not and are not acquainted with his Maiestie Hitherto tends that similitude of Saint Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For euen as the quicker our sight is the better we learne and perceiue how farre wee are distant from the heauen whereas to a dimme eye the heauen seemes to be neere-hand and hard vpon it euen so the more we excell in vertue and holinesse the more we perceiue what a great difference is betweene the Lord and vs yea his best creatures are nothing in comparison of his glorious Maiesty Let this serue for a warning to these presumptuous Pharisaicall spirits Semipelagian Papists who dare stand before the Lord and glory of their fastings of their almes of their merits of their iustification by their workes and of their perfit obseruance of the Law The holy Angels couer their faces and acknowledge their insufficiencie in comparison of the Diuine Maiestie and thou vile worme of the earth wilt glory of thy sufficiencie Vae generationi huic miserae cui sufficere videtur insufficientia sua Wo be to this miserable sort of people to whom their insufficiencie seemes sufficient It is not the least part of true Philosophy for a man to knowe himselfe and onely hee knoweth himselfe best who esteemeth himselfe to be nothing Abraham called himselfe dust ashes and Dauid esteemed himselfe to be but a vvorme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Saints saith Saint Chrysostome after this same manner abase and cast downe themselues But they vvho with the Apostat Angels will exalt themselues wil contend with Michael and presume aboue that which indeed they are let them here see of what spirit they are The two wings wherewith they flye note first their sublimitie they are no creeping but flying creatures Vnder the Lawe profane worldlings were figured by vncleane beasts that creepe on the earth with all foure they are cursed with the curse of the Serpent they lick the dust of the earth but Christians should be like vnto Angels not creeping but flying creatures A bird so long as it is flying aboue is in no danger of the snare Many snares hath Satan that crafty Hunter layd for vs the best way to eschew them is that our hearts frequently flie vpward toward the Lord. Next their willing readinesse to execute the will of the Lord without delay S. Bernard makes the two wings of these Angels to bee Knowledge and Deuotion these are also good for vs to flie withall Leuat cognitionis ala sed sola non sufficit the wing of knowledge lifts vs vp but it alone is not sufficient As the bird that hath but one wing the more it striues to flie the more it falleth Ruit citius quae vna tantum ala volare contendit So he that hath knowledge without deuotion the more he seekes to ascend the more he faileth Naturall Philosophers may stand for an example who knowing God did not glorifie him but vanished in their owne cogitations and became fooles And let deuotion againe be neuer so zealous and feruent yet without knowledge it cannot carry vs vpward Zelus absque scientiâ—… quo vehementius irruit eo graâ—…ius corruit for zeale without knowledge the hotter it is the more hindersome it is The two wings wherewith they couer their feete figures their sanctity and modesty they are conuersant with men according as God employes them but communicate not with the sinnes of men they defile not their feete with our pollutions but haue them alwaies couerd As the Sun giueth his light to most filthy places but participates not of their vncleannesse so is it with Angels But alas farre are we from this perfection it is a difficill thing to liue in the company of profane men and not be infected by them If we be not burnt with their fire hardly shall we escape vnblacked with their smoke The other wing for couering their feete is their Modesty whereby they dimit themselues to our capacity they appeare with bodies and colours white sprickled and red hauing indeed neither bodies nor colours yet are men astonished and confounded at their lowest apparitions So farre are we degenerate from our first estate that wee cannot now abide the most modest and base apparition of an Angell And they ceased not day nor night saying In the last place wee haue their function described which is a continuall and vncessant praysing of God they are not weary being alway delighted with new matter of ioy flowing from the sight of God for as many eyes as they haue they can neuer comprehend that infinite goodnesse which is in him new sights make them alway to renew praises vnto God and in this they stand as paterns vnto vs teaching vs to practise these precepts Reioyce euermore Pray continually In all things giue thanks We should alway pray for we neuer want cause we should alway giue thanks for if we can obserue it we neuer want matter Prayer praise are two excellent parts of Diuine worship but of the two praise is the most heauenly and Angelike vertue In prayer a man respects himselfe seeking from GOD that which he cannot want but in praise man respecteth God giuing vnto the Lord that which is due to him Againe prayer pertaines to this life principally et est egâ—…ntium ac miserorum praise pertaineth to the life to come et est beatoruÌ„ ac gloriâ—…icatorum Let vs therefore learne of Angels to
mundi veniet in me nihil invenâ—…et de sâ—…o dici poterat qui non nouerat peccatum Onely Iesus could say Behold the Prince of this vvorld commeth and findeth nothing in mee It could bee said of none but of him vvho knevv no sinne Againe Licet Christi conceptio sit munda absque carnalis delectationis peccato Virgo tamen ipsa vnde assumptus est in iniquitatibus concâ—…pta est quia ipsa in Adamo peccauit in quo omnes peccauerunt Albeit the conception of Christ was cleane and without all sinne of carnall delectation yet the Virgin of whom he came was herselfe conceiued in sinne begotten and borne a sinfull woman of sinfull Parents And who can bring a cleane thing out of silthinesse there is not one to wit among men This is the onely prerogatiue of Iesus that he was conceiued of the holy Ghost VERSE 6. Then I beheld and loe in the midst of the Throne and of the foure liuing creatures and in the midst of the Elders stood a Lambe as if hee had beene killed which had seuen hornes and seuen eyes which are the seuen Spirits of God sent into all the world AS before S. Iohn heard of Christ by the eare so now he sees him by the eye Information of the Church by the Word is necessary to goe before but then get we sure comfort when God openeth our heart and our eyes to see to feele those things which we haue heard but in this age there are many Christians by outward information who as yet haue not beene taught of God by by inward inspiration these heare the Testimony of God but it is not confirmed in them Now the place where S. Iohn sees the Lord Iesus is the midst of the throne O what a comfort is heere for vs that our Sauiour and elder brother clothed with our nature sitteth now in the midst of the throne Hee hath sent his Spirit downe into the earth and carried our flesh vp into heauen and thereby hath possessed vs in our heauenly inheritance And againe since wee haue him there an Aduocate an Agent for vs what should we feare or what neede is there to seeke any other to intreate for vs A Lambe Vnder the Law was our Sauiour figured oftentimes by a Lambe and the Paschall Lambe and the Lambe offered in the daily sacrifice morning and euening these were types of Christ Iesus and according thereunto is He heere represented to S. Iohn and by this type first his meekenesse in patient suffering is expressed vnto vs for as a Lambe he was dumbe before the shearer And next the great profit and vtility redounding to vs by him is declared vnto vs for all the good that is in him is imparted and communicate vnto vs Lacte eius pascimur vellere tegimur sanguine purgamur By his milke we are nourished by his bloud wee are purged by the fleece of his wooll we are couered wee put him on as the garment of our righteousnesse Sith Iason and his Argonautâ—…e endured such trauailes for obtaining that golden fleece at Colchis so did fabulous writers call it what shame is it for vs to refuse greater paines that wee may be made partakers of this golden and indeede most precious fleece of the Lambe in whom we may haue all good things whereof we stand in need As if hee had beene slaine This speech renders no patrocinie to those phantastick men who thinke Christ was not slaine but some other for him for in the ninth verse following the chiefe reason why Saints acknowledge praise to be due to the Lambe is Because thou wast killed We are therefore to obserue that these articles do not alway import a similitude but the very certainety and truth of the thing it selfe as when Saint Iohn saith We saw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning is we saw him shining in such glory as is competent to the onely begotten Sonne of God And againe when the Apostle saith Wee are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is according to the powerfull operation of the Spirit of the Lord. And so here when he saith I saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lambe as if hee had beene killed the meaning is I saw a Lambe who indeed and verily was killed And this manner of speech imports these things first that albeit our Lord was slaine and that Satan and his Instruments thought that by death they had vtterly vndone him yet was it far otherwise for by his resurrection on the third day Hee was declared mightily to bee the Sonne of God and not vnder the power of death and therefore in this Vision hee is represented rather like vnto one that was slaine then vtterly slaine indeed Next as our Sauiour after his resurrection appeared to S. Thomas with the scarres of his wounds in his blessed Body so may wee religiously thinke he appeareth in this Vision to S. Iohn yea euen in the last Day hee shall shew his Body which was pierced to the great terrour of his enemies and comfort of his owne Neither is this to bee thought any dishonour to Christ or impotency that hee appeares in the similitude of a wounded man but rather the high praise of his loue in that for his Church her sake hee was content to be wounded to the death And no lesse great commendation of his power who ouercame his enemies by that same death by which they thought to ouercome him Serpens mortuus viâ—…os Serpentes superabat Christus mortuus Serpentem in corde viuentem superauit That Serpent which had no life ouercame those liuing Serpents which stung the Israelites and Christ by dying ouercame that Serpent the deuill who liued in our heart Magna quidem infirmitas mori sed planè sic mori virtus immensa est It is indeed a great infirmity to die but so to die as by dying to destroy death is an exceeding great power Which had seuen Hornes Hornes in holy Scripture oftentimes signifie power fortitude and Empyring they are taken both in good and in cuill part for to the wicked are ascribed Hornes whereby they push the Saints and here seuen Hornes are ascribed to Christ figuring the perfection of his strength and power and absolute authority whereby he protects his Saints Sometime there is attributed to him onely one Horne for so the Kingdome of the Messia and his exaltation to it is compared by Dauid to the lifting vp of the Horne of the Vnicorne Thou shalt exalt my Horne like the Vnicornes and I shall be anointed with fresh oile Naturalists write of the Vnicornes Horne that of all other it is the most firme and solid secondly the most pleasant and thirdly the most profitable as being
a soueraigne preseruatiue against all poyson The Beasts of the field as they record attend till the Vnicorne dip his horne in the water then come they and drink Properly therefore is the Kingdome of Christ expressed by the Vnicornes Horne of all other the most firme and durable the most beautifull the most profitable Hee hath changed the bitter waters of Marah and made them sweete neither is there any thing so deadly which his Horne healeth not and makes it to serue for the saluation of his owne And seuen eyes As in his seuen Hornes his complete power is signified so in his seuen Eyes his complete Wisedome These two do greatly commend the royall authority of our King Hee is wise and will do nothing that he should not for hee sees all and knowes perfectly the quality of euery creature the estate of euery cause Againe he is strong and able to do whatsoeuer he will His Eyes are of two sorts Eyes of Prouidence and Eyes of Grace by his eyes of Prouidence hee lookes vnto all things and there is no place nor people in the world to whom these Eyes are not extended but by the Eyes of his Grace hee lookes to his owne as hee did to Ierusalem restored and sends them this blessing Grace Grace be vnto it And heerein hath the Lord magnified his mercy toward vs aboue many other more mighty Kingdomes in the world that where by the Eyes of his Prouidence hee lookes vnto the rest he hath cast the Eyes of his Mercy and Grace vpon vs The Lord hath not dealt so with euery Nation Yet more plainely In the Text these seuen Eyes are expounded to be the seuen Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth Seuen is the number of perfection noting that fulnesse of grace which is in the Lambe for hee receiued not the Spirit by measure and what hee hath receiued hee retaines not to himselfe but as here is said hee sends it out that of his fulnesse we might all receiue grace for grace And hereof commeth the continuance and conseruation of the Church vpon earth because it is continually furnished with grace frō the Lamb hee hath the seuen Starres in his hand and holds them out to such parts of the world as pleaseth him he furnishes graces of his Spirit to his seruants the Preachers according to the times wherein they liue yea and to euery one of his Saints in particular This same Lord who once according to his promise sent downe the holy Spirit in a visible manner vpon his Apostles in the similitude of fierie clouen Tongues doth daily send him from the Throne of Grace in an inuisible manner And this was properly figured in a Vision to Zacharie wherein hee saw a golden Candlestick with seuen Lampes euery Lampe hauing a seuerall pipe through the which Oyle for intertainement of the light in euery Lampe is conueied from the two Oliues which stand before the Ruler of the world Let therefore Satan and his instruments rage as they list let them labour what they can to put out the light of the Candlestick yea let them presume that it is possible for them to roote out the very name of Israel from vnder heauen yet it cannot be for the stability and continuance of the holy Ministerie in the Church with light and grace in it stands in this that it is furnished from heauen the Eyes of the Lamb looke on his Saints and he sends downe his Spirit vpon them and from the Ruler of the world the oyle of Grace is by secret pipes and conduits conueied to his Candlesticke on earth And who is able to interrupt the course thereof VERSE 7. And he came and tooke the Booke out of the right hand of him that sitteth vpon the Trone HEre in effect no other thing is represented then that which was openly proclaimed from heauen first at Iordan next vpon Mount Tab◅ This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him For by this Type the Lord Iesus is declared to bee the onely Doctor of his Church who receiues the Booke from the Father and out of it reueales to his Church the counsell of God which neither Angell nor man was able to doe As Moses went vp to the Mount and receiued the Tables of the Law and gaue them to Israel so our Mediator who came from the bosome of the Father hath brought downe to vs the knowledge of his Will Let vs not presume to go vp to the Mountaine to enquire any thing which our Moses hath not taught vs left wee die let vs remember our place and stand low wee are disciples bound by diuine Proclamation to heare him whom the Father hath sent vnto vs if we would be saued VERSE 8. And when hee had taken the Booke the foure liuing creatures and the foure and twenty Elders fell downe before the Lambe hauing euery one harps golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints NOw followes the third part of this Chapter containing a three-fold thanksgiuing for the benefit of this Reuelation The first song is sung by Angels and redeemed Saints coniunctly in the eight ninth and tenth verses The second is sung by Angels seuerally in the eleuenth and twelfth verses The third by all creatures in their kind in the thirteenth verse whereunto Angels againe and redeemed Saints say Amen in the last verse Cotterius confesseth that this place did trouble him greatly and no maruell for the foure beastes he expounds to be Veritas Euangelit quadri◅ormis the fourefold verity of the Gospell No maruell therefore as I haue said that both he and others who expound the foure and twentie Elders to be foure and twenty bookes find themselues straited with this place wherin the Spirit of God plainly expoundeth himselfe that the foure and twenty Elders are they whom God hath redeemed by his bloud out of euery kindred tongue people and Nation But leauing them this comes heere first to bee obserued that as before they fell downe and worshipped the Ruler of the World that sits vpon the Throne so now they fall downe and worship the Lambe Saint Paul vseth this as an argument to proue the diuinitie of Christ Iesus taken out of the 97. Psalme Consider how great is hee of whom it is said Let all the Angels of heauen worship him Let Heretiques therefore be silent sith the vvhole Congregation of Angels and Saints redeemed worship him as GOD. In this thanksgiuing these foure circumstances are to be considered First who are the Musicians that sing Next with what gesture Thirdly what are their musicall instruments And lastly vvhat is their song The Musicians are foure liuing creatures representing the principall order of Angels neerest vnto the Throne and foure and twenty Elders representing the whole Church and companie of Saints redeemed By nature Angels and men were at
variance for man hauing become by sin an enemy vnto God had the Angels enemies vnto him a figure whereof wee haue in that Angel who stood with a sword in the entry of Paradise to hold Adam out of it but now man beeing reconciled to God by Iesus Angels are also reconciled with man For it pleased the Father to set at peace through the bloud of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen so that now they agree in one harmony to praise the Lord. Yea strange it is that they who before were figured by Lyons Bullocks Eagles and men are now brought in singing one song This is to magnifie the effectuall vertue of the Redeemer who hath reconciled God and man Angel and man yea man with man so that most sierce and barbarous natures are now made peaceable meeke and louing one to another by the power of his grace And this is it which was foretold by Esay of the kingdome of the Messia The Wolse shall dwell with the Lambe the Leopard shall lye with the Kidde the Calfe and the Lyon shall feede together Therefore Clemens Alexandrinus speaking of Christ Iesus calls him Nouum quendam Citharaedum What the Grecians spake of their Orpheus that by the sweet harmony of his musike he did mitigate and tame the most wild and furious beasts is onely and in truth done by our Christ Solus ipse feras mansuefacit for wild beasts of all sorts are tamed by him Volucres flying fowles that is wicked men carried aloft vpon the wings of vanitie them he makes solid and establisheth their hearts by grace Serpentes creeping things figuring deceiuers with their subtill wiles them he makes vpright Hee tameth Leones Lupos Lyons rauening wolues cruell and bloudy men he turneth into meeke and mercifull men Such a rauening Wolfe was S. Paul of the Tribe of Beniamin but Christ Iesus of a Persecuter conuerted him to a Preacher Yea lapides et ligna such as worshipped stocks and stones and had no more spiritual life in them then stones haue hath he raised quickned and made them children to Abraham What then shal we say of these men who for small offences by no means can be reconciled to their brethren Surely they are yet strangers from this grace in conceit they flye higher then Angels in stubbornnesse harder then stones in fiercenes of nature more barbarous then beasts are they who by the grace of Iesus are not tamed and made louing to their brethren The second circumstance is their gesture in worshipping noted in these words They fel down before the Lambe for still Saint Iohn speaketh of these things as they appeared to him in the Vision Alwaies by their example they learne vs with humbled hearts and bodies to praise the Lord which as it is a dutie whereunto we are bound for so saith the Apostle Yee are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and spirit for they are Gods so it renders to our selues very great cōfort for the time is at hand wherein our bodies must be committed to the graue then the tongue will be silenced the eye closed and no member of the body will be able to doe as now it may So long therefore as we haue the vse of them let vs make them vveapons of righteousnesse for the seruice of our God let the eye mourne for sinne and looke vp for mercy let the hands be lifted vp as an euening sacrifice let the tongue speake to his praise let the knees bow vnto him that made thē Thus if we vse them so long as wee haue them to his honor we may rest assured that he will honor them sith his promise is I will honour them that honour me Euen in the graue shal the Lord watch ouer them to keepe the very dust of them And howsoeuer the body be sowne in dishonour yet shall it be raised in glory it was the temple of the holy Ghost and he will not faile to restore and reedifie it If the Spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies because that his Spirit dwelleth in you The third circumstance is of the instruments which they vse in his praises It is said Euery one of them had Harps and golden Vials full of odours none of them wants euery one of them haue It contents them not that their companions prayse God beside them euery one of them haue their owne Harpe and praise God for themselues Let vs learne of them how we should behaue our selues in the assembly of Saints Vnder the Law no man might appeare emptie before the Lord it is now a greater sinne vnder the Gospell to come to the House of God and no sacrifice in our heart to offer vnto the Lord. Let vs take heede to our selues the Lord knowes his owne Israelites in whom there is no guile when they sacrifice then hee smelleth a sweet sauour hypocrites he knoweth also that sit in the seate of sacrificers but offer no sacrifice to the Lord they may maske themselues but the Lord cannot be deceiued for hee knowes them as they are and wil deale with them as they deale with him With the vpright thou wilt shew thy selfe vpright and The Lord will doe well to those that be good and true in their hearts But those that turne aside by their crooked waies the Lord will lead with the workers of iniquitie Their Harps note two things first the great ioy they haue in praysing GOD. There is no ioy on earth comparable to that vvhich is found in the praysing of GOD and praying vnto him When our Sauiour prayed then was his countenance changed when Dauid played vpon the Harpe the euill spirit that troubled Saul departed from him and when wee get hearts to pray or praise the Lord doe we not find by experience that then our troubles are mitigated our perturbations pacified then Satan is confounded and we our selues are comforted these are the sweet effects of the soules harping vnto God Againe it noteth the sweet harmonie and concent that is among them They are many and haue seuerall Harpes but all agree in one sound and Song O how good and how comely a thing it is for brethren to dwell together O how great is the glory of Saints when they all speake one thing and all minde one thing This was the happinesse of the Primitiue Church the multitude of beleeuers was of one heart but shortly after were they diuided by an vnnecessarie schisme Some said I am Pauls and some I am Apollos The like preposterous zeale makes a great distemperature and discordant sound in many Professors of our time without any cause The euill is more then we can mend at least let vs mourne for it and pray
and people and Nation THe fourth point to be considered here is their Song which now followeth It is called a new Song not as some Diuines thinke because it is an Euangelike song for euen vnder the Law they had their new songs Sing vnto him a new song sing cheerefully with a loud voice And againe He hath put in my mouth a new song of praise to our God And againe Sing vnto the Lord a new song and his praise from the ends of the earth Both before the Law and vnder it they had the Gospel yea their ceremoniall law was Euangelium inuolutum a Gospell inclosed in ceremonies and figures It is therefore called a new song first in comparison of the preceding song which wee haue in the end of the fourth chapter there they praysed him for the benefit of Creation heere they prayse him for the benefit of Redemption Secondly it is called a new song as his Maiesty hath well obserued because our Redemption ought to be new and fresh in the hearts of all them that would be accounted thankfull Thirdly it is called a new song in respect of the new affection wherwith Saints praise God and this new affection ariseth of new sight of mercies which are discouered to Saints so oft as they looke into the worke of Redemption the height the depth the length and breadth of this loue of God cannot bee comprehended But as the redeemed Saints get new sight and sense of it so out of renewed affections doe they sing a new song to the Lord. But because Angels also sing their part of this new song wee must see how it is competent to them what benefit they haue by the Redemption of Iesus wee shall heare shortly onely now wee touch the new song they and redeemed Saints glorified in heauen cannot but sing a new song because they find alway in GOD new matter of ioy which mooueth them with renewed affections to praise him So infinite a Good is the Lord that they finde alway new good comming from the Lord to refresh them not that at any time they haue wearinesse but for the variety of ioyes wherewith they are continually delighted for in his face is the fulnes of ioy He satisfies his Saints with the fatnesse of his house and giues them drinke out of the Riuer of his pleasure Properly here is a Riuer of pleasure ascribed to the Lord for his ioyes flowe continually they neuer dry vp nor decay after present ioy succeeds other ioy like water in a liuely Riuer succeeding to water there is change of ioyes without want of ioyes they are not weary of that vvhich they haue and yet by looking on his face are comforted with that which they had not How can they then but sing alway a new song O happy life wherein Angels and the spirits of iust and perfect men are satiate and satisfied by looking to that Image whereunto once they were made and here is our onely comfort that when we awake wee shall be satisfied with that Image O Lord hasten that day There is nothing on earth so excellent but continuall looking on it breeds a lothing and disdain of it Truth it is many are the pleasures vvhich God hath placed in the creatures for the comfort of man euen vpon earth but wee may knowe by experience that the greatest pleasures here and the most beautifull and delectable sights the creature can render if they be perpetuall they become painfull It is not so with the ioyes of heauen it is not so with the sight of the Creator the Angels who for their continuall beholding of his face are called Aphnim are neuer weary to behold him because as wee haue said euery new sight brings with it new delight and new pleasure Thou art worthy The tenor of their song followes wherein as before they cast their golden Crownes before him that sits vpon the Throne so now they ascribe all worthinesse to the Lambe the Angels of heauen acknowledge it Saints militant and triumphant confesse it no other voice is heard in the true Church but Thou art worthy both Angel and man emptie themselues of all praise yea of all opinion or conceit of worthines or merit the contrary voice heard in the Popes Church proueth it Antichristian The chaire of merit is proper to Christ none without Laesae Maiestatis may sit down in it but himselfe The benefit of his merit belongs to all his Saints the praise of worthinesse and meriting is reserued onely to himself eand this appeares more euidently by the reason which they subioyne Because thou wast killed To whom should the praise of a Redeemer be giuen To him onely that was killed for vs. Saint Paul asketh a question of the Schismatiques of Corinth Was Paul crucified for you Hee could not abide that some of them should be called Paulists some Petrists and some Apolimists he would not haue them named from any other but Christians from Christ because neither Paul nor Peter nor Apollo was crucified for them but Christ Iesus onely And this same were good to aske of the Papists of our time Was Franciscus or Dominicus or Bernardus crucified for you How is it then that you will be called some of you Franciscans Dominicans and Bernardins But this is a small thing in respect of these greater iniuries done to him they will haue other Mediators ioyned with Christ other merits mixed with his merits but I pray them answer S. Paul his question Was any other crucified for you And poâ—…der this reason of the Saints Thou art worthy because thou wast killed Why then ioyne ye others in the worke of Redemption with him Sure it is He alone troad the Wine-presse of the wrath of God for vs. When he entred into the Garden to his agonie hee tooke his three Disciples with him Peter Iames and Iohn but did they help him No hee craued no more of them but that they should watch and pray with him yet when hee was sweating bloud for anguish they were sleeping and when he went to the Crosse did they not all forsake him yea did not Peter deny him Sith he onely suffered for vs to whom should wee giue the praise of a worthy Redeemer by whose merits we are saued but to him onely This is the Song of the whole Church Worthy is the Lambe because hee was killed and the worthinesse of another shall we neuer acknowledge Super omnia amabilem te mihi reddit bone Iesu calix quem bibisti opus nostrae Redemptionis amorem nostrum totum facile vindicat sibi Aboue all sweete Iesus the cup which thou drankst makes thee worthy to be loued of me And the worke of our Redemption challenges vnto it selfe all our whole loue no part of it being reserued to our selues or vnto any other Yea when wee haue giuen him our whole loue and all that wee
and praise THe fourth circumstance in this second thanksgiuing made by Angels onely is the song it selfe wherein we haue to consider two things the matter and the manner For the manner of their singing it is said to be with a loud voice How voices are ascribed to them they being spirits we haue spoken before onely now the loud voyce noteth their intention readinesse and great feruencie in praising the Lord. The matter of their song is subioyned Worthy is the Lambe Where still it is to be remembred how both Angels and elect Men denude themselues of all worthinesse and ascribe it to the Lambe to the great shame of these wretched wormes vpon earth who dare vsurpe to themselues the praise of worthinesse and glory in the merite of their works These Angels differ in place and order from the first company but all agree in one song Worthy is the Lambe And againe that Angels worship the Lambe but refuse to be worshipped of men condemnes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the blind Papists who will inforce a worship on Angels which they refuse and acknowledge onely to be due to the Lord. As before the Lambe appeared with seuen Eyes and seuen Hornes so now a seuen-fold praise doe Angels giue vnto him 1. Of power 2. Riches 3. Wisedome 4. Strength 5. Honour 6. Glory and praise They vnderstood the types which they saw they make their song respondent to his apparition In his Eyes they acknowledge his wisedom in his Hornes power and strength and riches and for these praise and honor and glory they giue vnto him Hee is a full and complete Sauiour woorthy of seuen-fold praise because of his seuen-fold that is his manifold yea his full and complete grace which superabounds in him and is powred forth abundantly vnto vs. He hath not loue but hee hath also power what craue we more but that he is most willing because of his loue He was killed for vs and most able because of his power to helpe vs in all our necessities Againe this redundant speech in praysing of God naming one thing many manner of waies is to teach vs how Saints inflamed with the loue of God cannot find words enow nor satifie themselues in praysing of God And this was shadowed before when it was said They sung with a loude voice for what is the loud voice of a spirit but â—…ruens desâ—…erium the feruent desire of it et tantò maioreÌ„ voceÌ„ in aureÌ„ incircumscripti spiritus exprimit quantò se in eius desiderium plenius â—…undit And here that one thing is named many manner of waies as power and strength praise honour and glory their like feruent desire in praysing God is declared And all this may most iustly rebuke our coldnesse in praysing God we discharge all that whole seruice many a time with one word which were yet tolerable if our affections were greater though our words are few but in these exercises how readily faint we we pray as if we desired not to preuaile and wee praise as if wee were not carefull whether the Lord heare or not and therefore wee send our thanksgiuing away but our feruent affection goes not with it such a prayer cannot pierce the cloudes farre lesse bring downe an answere Is there any thing thou shouldest thinke more vpon in prayer then that thou art speaking vvith God or is there any thing thou shouldest desire more then to finde thy selfe accepted of him Quomodo te à Deo audiri postulas cùm te ipse non audias How canst thou desire the Lord to hear thee in praying when thou hearest not thy selfe Vis Deum memorem esse tui cùm rogas cùm tuipse memor tui non sit wilt thou haue the Lord mindfull of thee when thou requestest him and thou in requesting him hast no mind of thy selfe This is a common sin of this age the Lord remoue it VERSE 13. And all the creatures which are in heauen and on the earth and vnder the earth and in the sea and all that are in them heard I say Praise honour and glory and power be to him that sits on the Throne and vnto the Lambe for euermore THe third part of the thanksgiuing is sung by creatures and that of all sorts and vvith one common consent for this distribution of the creatures in these which are in heauen in earth vnder the earth and in the sea is a propheticall amplification frequently vsed in Scripture to shew the coÌ„course of all creatures to praise God in their kind as ye may see Psalme 148. Now these creatures here are such as are without sense or reason to wit the Sunne the Moone the Fire the Aire the Water the Earth and all that in them is after their sort doe praise the Lord and they haue a voice of their owne which is well enough vnderstood by him that made them As they grone for the bondage vnder which our sin hath subdued them so long they to see the sonnes of God restored to their liberty for then shall they be restored also and for this benefit the creatures haue by our Redemption as they were cast into bondage by our transgression they haue their owne reioycing and praysing of God But for this we referre the willing Reader to that which we haue written on the eighth to the Romanes and now proceed to the conclusion of this Song VERSE 14. And the foure liuing creatures said Amen And the foure and twenty Elders fell downe and worshipped him that liueth for euermore NOw are wee come to the conclusion of the Song they who beganne it to wit Angels and redeemed Saints coniunctly doe also conclude it In all this heauenly action we still see that the example of one prouokes another to prayse God teaching vs our dutie not to be silent when others beside vs are praising the Lord. If we cannot with our mouthes at least let vs with our harts make melodie to the Lord and say Amen to the song of our brethren The Angels ratifie the praises giuen to God by saying Amen This particle is sometime a note of affirmation as when our Sauiour saies Amen Amen I say vnto you all these things shall come vpon this generation that is certainly and without doubt they shall come Sometime againe it is a note of confirmation or comprecation as when the Apostle reproues preaching or praying in an vnknown language he vseth this reason How shall hee that occupies the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy giuing of thanks seeing he knowes not what thou saist Of this it is cleare that in the Primitiue Church after preaching and prayer the custome of the people was to say Amen in token that not onely they consented but also wished from God the same good things which hee before had either mentioned in the Preaching or desired in the Prayer But this many of our
righteousnesse c. So the Horse whereupon this Conquerour is carryed through the world is the Ministerie of the Word Primasius by the Horse vnderstands Apostles and Preachers Ministers without the Word are not to be receiued and the Word without a Minister able to preach it is not profitable These two the Lord in his most wise dispensation hath ioyned together For it hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of Preaching to saue them who beleeue The Horse then is the Ministerie of the Word The Gospell preached is the Chariot and Horses whereby this King is carried through the world As in the gouernement of the world hee vseth the Ministerie of Angels so in the gathering and gouerning of his Church hee vseth the Ministery of Preachers Who can heare but by Preaching and who can preach except they be sent These are figured by Horses first for the courage wherewith they are endued This is obserued by the Lord himselfe as a speciall property of the Horse He mocketh at feare and is not afraid hee turneth not back from the sword And doubtlesse Preachers in whom Christ is and vpon whom hee rides are valiant and couragious men Their fore-head is like the Adamant and harder then the Flint They feare no death they faint for no trouble that can follow them in the seruice of Christ. Notable was that answer of Andrew the Apostle when Egeas Gouernour of Patris vpbraided him with the death of the Crosse hee answered that he would neuer haue preached the honour and glory of the Crosse if he had feared it And as the seruants of God are farre from that timiditie which makes men vnfaithfull in the cause of God so are they as farre from temerity whereby men ignorantly zealous are precipitate and carried head-long to accelerate for euery light conceite of their braine trouble on themselues Their zeale is like a fire kindled of stubble or straw which makes a faire blaze for the time but because it hath no matter to maintaine it vanisheth incontinent and endeth in vngracious smoaking I wish we had no example of any such among vs it is a shame to the Gospell to speake the one day and retreate the other A wrong cause will neuer furnish strength in trouble wisedom requires that men before-hand should ponder and consider well the cause for which they will resolue to suffer affliction Againe Preachers are figured by Horses and Christ going forth to conquer appeares riding on a Horse to note the speed and celerity which hee was to vse in propagation of the Gospell And indeed it is wonderfull to see how in a short time the Lord Iesus ranne through the world by the Ministerie of his Word ouercomming and subduing to his obedience most mighty Kingdomes by most weake Instruments This is well obserued by Cyprian Bishop of Carthage and Martyr Ecce à Domini Redemptâ—…ris temporibus anni effluxerunt plus minùs 240. iamque huius vitis palmites latiùs se sparserunt quà m Romanum Imperium It is little more or lesse saith he of two hundred and forty yeares since the daies of Christ the Redeemer and yet in this time the Church hath spred out her Branches larger then the Romane Empire Et quâ—…s nulla ferri vis domare potuit emollit sanguis Agni candidi and they whom no power of the sword was able to daunt are made peaceable and tame by the bloud of the vnspotted Lambe Among many of that sort how the Lord hath beene mercifull to Scotland in that about sixteene hundred yeares this Conquerour with his white Horse entred in among vs and subiected vs to himselfe whom the Romanes could neuer subiect to their Empire I haue at large declared in that Treatise Intituled Six daies conference betweene a Catholike Christian and a Catholike Romane And againe as the Horse is bridled and ruled and turned here or there by him that rides vpon it and is not left to himselfe to wander where-away he will so is it with Preachers of the Gospell they are directed to Countries Kingdomes and Cities at the good pleasure of Christ they neither come nor go by accident but by the prouidence of God A notable example hereof we haue in S. Paul hee was of purpose to go to Bithinia but the Spirit suffered him not yea commanded him to go to Macedonia And albeit now the Lord doth not informe his seruants by such extraordinary reuelations yet doth he still worke with them in the same manner appointing them to such places and people as in his Wisedome hee thinkes most expedient Take heed to the flocke ouer which the Holy Ghost hath made you Ouerseers and they are as starres in the right hand of Iesus they shine not but where hee holds out his hand and sends them This is a warning to Preachers if they looke to haue their Ministry blessed of the Lord let them not goe where the calling of God leades them not Other riders are helped by their horses but heer the horse is helped by the rider for what is a Preacher if Christ bee not with him and worke in him he is like a Pen without a hand it can write nothing a tongue without a heart it can speake nothing a musicall instrument without one to touch it can make no sound at all We are not able of our selues sufficiently to thinke a good thought all our sufficiency is of God Sith it is so our care should be to carry our Lord alway in our Conscience how should we wait vpon him how should wee most carefully keepe him sith without him wee are able to doe nothing It is written of Bucephalus the horse of Alexander that hee would suffer none to ride vpon him but his owne master whether that be true or not sure it is this is most true Preachers should not be Asses like Issachar couching downe to receiue euery burden that any man will lay vpon them but they are horses for Christ onely to ride vpon Yea all other Christians in their callings are also to looke vnto this that the commandement and direction of their waies bee reserued onely to Iesus Christ Beatae animae quae dorsum suum curâ—…arunt vt suscipiant SessoreÌ„ verbum Dei fraenacius patiuntur vt quocunque ipse voluerit flectat eas quia non iam propria voluntate incedunt sed ad omnia ducuntur reducuntur voluntate Sessoris Blessed are the soules which bow their backes to receiue The Word of God to ride vpon them who are content to be bridled by him and turned where-away hee will these walke not after their owne will but are turned hither and thither at the good pleasure of him who rides vpon them But to returne and conclude this second point As there is no horse which needeth not the spurre and the bridle the one to stirre him forward the other to gouerne him in
first arrowes of iudgement against the wicked these he fastneth so deeply in the soules of his enemies and bodies also that repine as they will they cannot shake off the sense of his wrath but are confounded therewith Such an arrow shot hee at Iudas he might not abide but desperately hanged himselfe which yet helped not to release him of his paine Such an arrow directed he in the battell against Iulian as forced that scornfull Apostate to confesse that hee fought against an inuincible Conquerour Vicisti tandem Galilaee Next hee hath arrowes of mercy which hee shootes at his owne and wherewith hee vvounds them that he may cure them and these are of two sorts the one worketh a sense of sinne with feare of wrath for so he works with his children to terrifie them with the sense of wrath that he may waken them to eschew the wrath to come Such arrowes shot he at Dauid Thine arrowes haue light vpon me and thy hand lyeth vpon me He expounds himselfe incontinent For mine iniquities are gone ouer my head and as a waighty burden they are too heauy for me Such arrowes also shot he at Iob. The arrowes of the Almighty are in me the venim whereof doth drinke vp my spirit and the terrors of GOD fight against me These are sharp and fearfull and heauy for the present but healthfull and profitable in the end I note it for this cause that the children of God should not suffer themselues to be ouercome with griefe when they are exercised with such terrors of mind The other sort of his arrowes worketh in his Saints a sense of mercy which ingendreth loue he fastneth their harts knits them to himselfe that they vvander no more from him Of these speaketh the Church Vulnerata sum amore I am wounded and sick vvith loue By these arrovves Amor excitatur interitus non cōparatur loue is vvakened destruction is not procured In a vvord these are the two operations of the Spirit vvhereby GOD vvorks the saluation of his children Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father He beginneth to feare terrifie vs these are his first arrowes but in the end hee comforts vs these are his second arrowes many of them may the Lord shoote at vs. The fist point touched here is his ornament A crowne was giuen vnto him Two sundry wayes find we Christ crowned They platted a Crown of thorns and put vpon his head Thornes are the fruite of our sinnes Cursed is the earth for thy sake thornes thistles shall it beare vnto thee These are the best flowers vvhich the earth could giue were it not that by Iesus the curse is remoued and of these cursed fruits of the earth our sinnes procured a garland to be set vpon the head of our Lord. Quale oro sertum pro vtroque sexu subiit ex spinis opinor tribulis in figuram delictorum nostrorū we should neuer thinke of that thornie and pricking crowne set vpon the head of the God of glory but our soules should be humbled and our hearts pricked vvith sorrow for our sinnes which procured it The other is a crowne of glory But now we see Iesus crowned with glory and honour Except wee be content to beare the first with him we shall not be partakers of the second No man is crowned except hee strine as he ought The last point is his errand Hee went foorth conquering that he might ouercome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here are two wordes one in the present time the other in the future declaring that from the beginning he hath been victorious and so will be to the end and herein stands his victory to deliuer his Saints from the hand of their enemies till at length he make his enemies his footstoole This is his errand and hee shall continue riding and fighting vpon his white horse till he haue fully finished and done it They are therefore much mistaken as wee said before who bound the course of the white horse within certaine yeeres some to the destruction of Ierusalem and some to the dayes of Constantine They who so limit him spoyle the Church of great comfort but say they what they will we say with this Prophecie Our Conqueror is stil riding on his white horse and so shall continue vntill he ouercome And we haue yet here this further comfort that where other Warriers goe out to battell vvith a carnall considence which often faileth them as we may see in Senacherib Antiochus and many such our Captaine Conqueror comes out not to a doubtfull battell the euent whereof is vncertaine but as a crowned victorious King sure at the last to ouercome Many of his enemies hath he put downe by his hand already and couered their face with shame Where are now the first Persecuters no better successe shall the remanent haue The enmity was proclaimed in Paradise and therewith the euent foretold The seed of the Woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent Victorie is sure for we fight not as men vncertain but certain Great opposition in all ages hath bin made to this crowned King yea many times would it seem his white horse hath been slaine vnder him The Baptist beheaded Steuen stoned Peter executed Preachers martyred but he hath still others in readines Paul may be bound the Word of the Lord cannot be bound This King shall furnish horses armor all needfull for the battell till he obtaine the victory It should greatly animate vs to the battell that we are sure before-hand Iesus Christ in the ministery of his Word shall preuaile oppose who will VERSE 3. And when he had opened the second seale I heard the second liuing creature say Come and see AT the opening of the second seale the second Vision is exhibited to the Church warning them that the happy successe of the Gospel foretold in the first seale will not be without bloudie persecution for Sathan shall stirre vp the bloudy beasts on whom he rides to afflict such as carrie the Name and testimonie of Christ through the world but what they intend by way of persecution against the Church the Lord shall turne it into a plague by which they themselues shall be punished and therefore are the Saints forewarned of it that they may be prepared for patient suffering when the Persecution shall come In this verse the preparation goes before and in the next verse the Vision followes In the preparation Saint Iohn is warned by the second of the liuing creatures to attend the opening of the second seale They who expound the foure liuing creatures to be the Preachers of the Word as by the first they vnderstand Quadratus and Aristides Athenienses so by the second they vnderstand Iustinus Martyr and Melito Sardensis by the third
into swine till the Lord giue him licence he is reserued in chaines which hinders and restraines his malice There are two chaines vpon him which bind him and other two which torment him but of these we haue spoken Rom. 8. To take peace from the earth I maruell vvhat moued Brightman to say that in the second seale Non agitur de persecutione Ecclesiae sed de tempestate bellorum qua orbis terrarum concutietur There is no mention of the persecution of the Church but of troublesome warres wherewith the world shall be shaken His reason is from this word The Rider on the red horse hath power to take peace from the earth that is frō the men of the world figured by the earth not from the Church which is figured by heauen as if commotions of Kingdomes imported not a disturbance of the peace of the Church yet in few lines after hee cleane forgets himselfe for thus he writes Marcus Aurelius Antoninus grauem in Christianos persecutionem mouit quam vt compesceret secundum Animal Iustinus scilicet vocem suam edidit that Marcus Aurelius Antoninus mooued a heauy persecution against the Christians to pacifie and stay it Iustine Martyr vttered his voice but it was the bullocks voice it preuailed not as did the first Voice to wit of the Lyon It is a pittie to see learned men miscarried with such idle speculations and Commentaries which neither agree with the Text nor with their owne words but leauing him This peace which the first executor of Gods wrath takes from the earth is peace externall and the Spirit of God purposely so speakes that most cruell persecutors can do no more but take peace from the earth that is peace externall for as for that inward peace of God worldly men neuer had it and so it cannot be taken from them Our Lord hath left it in Legacie to his Church My peace I leaue you and that with assurance that none can take it from them Yet the breaking of peace externall brings in with it persecution of the externall estate of Christians so our Sauiour witnesseth himselfe I came not to bring peace but the sword What shall ensue hereof See of that which he subioynes Brother shall betray the brother to the death and the father the son and children shall rise against their parents and cause them to die Of this it is cleere how the disturbance of externall peace by the sword imports a persecution of the Church As true Religion binds vs to God so it diuorces vs from them were they neuer so neerly bound to vs in respect of nature who are enemies to the Truth of God therefore is Leui praised that in the cause of God he said to his father and mother I know you not And of this it is euident that to procure externall peace in a Kingdome by granting as they call it liberty of conscience is an vnwise policie the Arke of God and Dagon will not both stand in one Temple Iacob and Esau will not agree in one wombe Diuersitie of Religion puts Fathers Brethren and Children by the eares euery one of them against others How then can it make peace And that they should kill one another Persecuters are profitable to them whom they persecute but indeed pernicious to themselues They are as the coales which melteth and sineth the gold but consume themselues they are compared by the Psalmist to a Rasor Nouacula quae non admittitur nisi ad supers◅ua nostra which onely cuts away our superfluities but euen in so doing they are hurtfull and pernicious to themselues which our Sauiour properly expressed when hee said to S. Paul a Persecutor It is hard for thee to kick against the prick Durum calcitranti non stimulo by persecuting my Saints thou procurest hurt to thy selfe Stories of all ages proue this that the wicked drawing their sword against Saints haue turned it in the end either on themselues for the cruelty of the wicked shall fall vpon his owne pate or else one of them against another So Eusebius witnesseth of Pilate Factus est suiipsius iudex vindex he was made both his owne Iudge and his owne Burrio Nero after he had persecuted many Christians to the death is pursued by Galba and sticketh himselfe Galba is slaine by Otho and shortly after Otho is slaine by Vitellius Domitian who banished S. Iohn and employed his seruants and subiects to persecute Christians was murthered by two of his owne Domesticks not without the counsell of his wife Maximinus and his sonne rent asunder by his owne suddarts they all crying with one voice Ex pess◅mo genere ne catu◅um quidem esse seruandum Looke to Valerian and Dioclesian and all the rest of that sort and yee shall see the sword of persecuters in Gods righteous iudgements turned vpon themselues VERSE 5. And when he had opened the third Seale I heard the third liuing creature say Come and see Then I beheld and loe a Black Horse and he that sate on him had Ballances in his hand IN the opening of the third Seale we haue first the Preparation the same which was premitted before the opening of the former two then wee haue the Vision it selfe wherein the Lord threatneth the world with the plague of famine for contempt of the Gospel This plague is first propounded in a type ver 5. next expounded in a plaine speech ver 6. In the Type there is a black Horse and the Rider thereupon hauing Ballances in his hand This is a Vision farre different from the first the white Horse commeth into the world and a crowned Conquerour riding vpon him hee is not receiued but on the contrary persecuted to punish their sinne now comes in the black Horse for sure it is black and dolefull tydings are abiding them who will not receiue the ioyfull tydings of the Gospell This plague of famine is figured by a blacke Horse from the effect thereof for it blackneth the most beautifull countenances of men The Nazarites of Ierusalem which were purer then the snow whiter then the milke their visage is blacker then the coales If the Lord with-draw from man the comfort of his creatures his courage strength countenance and all failes him Alas that foolish man cannot consider this Sith he cannot endure to want the comfort of the least of God creatures how is he able to endure the want of God his own fauourable face If the Sunne refuse to shine vnto thee if the Aire deny thee respiration or breathing if the Earth deny thee her fruits doth not vaine man turne into nothing How then can he be but vtterly confounded if the Lord shall cast downe his countenance vpon him according to that of the Psalmist When thou with rebukes dost chastise man for iniquitie thou as a moth makest his beauty to consume Yea the comfort of all creatures
though thou hadst them were not able to vphold thee if the Lord in his anger look downe vpon thee A fearfull example hereof we haue in Baltasar the last of the Assyrian Monarches who hauing about him all worldly comforts that the heart of man could craue yet when the Lord wakened his conscience and wrote his doome with three fingers of an hand vpon the wall ouer against him his countenance changed his flesh trembled his knees smote one against the other his spirit was perturbed and none of his comforts could comfort him Sith it is so that we cannot endure to want his creatures farre lesse can we liue if wee want himselfe will we still prouoke the Lord to wrath by our sinnes Are we stronger then hee that any way we should be able to beare the force of his indignation Why then are we not more carefull to make peace with him Thou canst not resist him why wilt thou not bee reconciled with him God giue vs wise and vnderstanding hearts that in time wee may consider of it This plague of famine comes in into the third roome and is not to be limited within any definite time for as the course of the white Horse shall continue to the worlds end so where he is reiected the Black and the Pale shall follow ac-according as it pleaseth the Lord to appoint them Cotterius who assigneth seuen yeares and no more to euery Seale confesseth hee cannot proue that this plague of famine threatned heere should be restrained to seuen yeares onely and so it is indeed for where the red Horse followes the White to persecute the Preachers and Professors of the Gospell it is a righteous thing with God to send in the Blacke and the Pale Horses to plague them They who despise the Bread of Life are iustly punished when bread needfull for the body is taken from them Seek first the Kingdome of heauen all other things shall be ministred vnto you And on the contrary where men will not receiue the Kingdome of God offered vnto them all other things which they would haue shall be taken from them They shall not enioy the comforts of the earth who despise the pleasures of heauen proclaimed and preached by the Gospell The blind world blameth the Gospell most wrongfully as if it were the cause why men are plagued with famine and pestilence but we see the true cause is the persecution and contempt of the Gospell So the Iewes of old ignorantly gloried as the Papists do now that there was wealth enough when they worshipped the Queene of heauen And Infidels in the Primitiue Church imputed Famine Pest and such like to the Christians But heere the true causes of wealth and of want are discouered to vs. And yet still they obiect that Famine and Pestilence cannot be plagues sent vpon the world for contempt of the Gospell because Preachers and Professors of the Gospell are not exempted from them But this is easily answered for good men and euill as in one and the selfe-fame action so also in one and the selfe-fame passion are farre different one from another Cain and Abel sacrificed yet was the one accepted the other reiected their hands wrought alike but not their hearts Iudas said I haue sinned in betraying Christ Peter I haue sinned in denying Christ Alike in confession but not in contrition and confidence Two Malefactors crucified with Christ the one continuing in his sinne blasphemed him the other by grace conuerted from his sinne blessed him There yee haue in like action and like passion an vnlike disposition Quicunque boni malique pariter afflictâ—… sunt non ideo ipsi distincti non sunt quia distinctum non est quod vtrique perpessi sunt manet tamen dissimilitudo passorum etiam in similitudine passionum licet sub eodem tormento non est idem virtus vitium Good and euill men are not therefore not distinguished because it is not distinguished which they suffer There is a great dissimilitude of the sufferers euen in the similitude of suffering and vnder one and the selfe-fame torment yet are not vertue and vice one and the same The same answer before him gaue Cyprian to the Ethnickes when they obiected the like to Christians Thinke not saith he that yee and wee because we both suffer in the like afflictions are therefore alike when we are stricken like you yet are we not like Ne putes participem esse poenae tuae quem non vides participem doloris tui thinke him not partaker of thy punishment whom thou seest not partaker of thy paine Now the Rider on this blacke Horse is said to haue a Ballance in his hand first in token of penurie and scarcity he giues bread vnto men not by measure but by weight which is according to the curse threatned in the Law When I shall break the staffe of your bread then ten women shall bake your bread in one Ouen and they shall deliuer your bread againe by weight and yee shall eate and not bee satisfied A token of great scarcity when in one Ouen as much bread is baked as must serue seuen Families and which yet is worse They shall eat and not be satisfied Secondly the Ballance in the hand of him who brings this plague of Famine notes the equity of God in the execution of his Iudgements hee makes his plagues proportionall to the sinnes of men and in punishing them doth nothing vnrighteously Hitherto tend these borrowed speeches of Lines Measures and Cups vsed in holy Scripture to expresse the moderation and equity of God euen in punishing hee keeps a measure a rule and order But in the execution of mercy it is farre otherwise for our best seruice is not worth the least of his mercies our recompence is not by lines nor measures but as our Sauiour speaketh A good measure pressed downe and shaken together and running ouer shall bee giuen vnto you The Lord shall doe to vs aboundantly aboue all wee can aske or thinke Much more aboue all that we haue done VERSE 6. And I heard a Voice in the midst of the foure liuing creatures say A measure of Wheate for a peny and three measures of Barly for a peny and Oile and Wine hurt thou not NOW followes the exposition of the former Type wherein by a Proclamation from the Throne or the Lamb that sits thereon the plague threatned here is declared to be famine dearth The Choenix in the iudgement of all Interpreters is such a measure of dry corne as might serue to be bread for a day vnto one man The penie againe was the ordinary wages of a common Labourer for a day as is cleere out of the Parable of the Vineyard and those who laboured in it So great then shall the Dearth be that a man labouring all the day long shall be able to gaine no more bread
signifies the Lord Iesus in whose happy fellowship and societie now they liue sub Altari id est in secretario laudis aeternae quod est sublime Altare triumphantis Ecclesiae vel sub Christi custodia et quiete This Altar is in heauen not in earth it is the high Altar of the Church triumphant their soules are in custody and quiet rest with Christ. Againe another of their owne so expounds it Sub Altari id est sub protectione et confortio Christi Vnder the Altar that is vnder the protection and fellowship of Christ. This Altar is otherwise called Paradise This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and The bosome of Abraham and the hands of the Lord Into thine hands O Lord I commend my spirit It is also called A place before the Throne where the Lord and the Lambe and the seuenfold Spirit is Of it speakes our Sauiour Father I will that those whom thou hast giuen mee be where I am This is the place of glorified soules Neither doe those Diuines reason very diuinely who say Christ cannot be this Altar because he is the Sacrifice for he is both the Sacrifice the Sacrificer and the Altar For he offred himselfe by his eternall Spirit There it is plaine that hee is the Sacrifice or thing offred and the Sacrificer also The Altar in like manner hee must be for the Altar sanctifies the Sacrifice Now by none other was our Sauiour sanctified but by himselfe none other Altar could commend him or make him acceptable to his Father his Diuinitie sanctified his humanity and his humanity was offred by his Diuinitie and vpon it Therefore to say that another not himselfe can sacrifice him or that he can be sacrificed vpon any other Altar but vpon himselfe is as great blasphemy as to bring in another sacrifice whereby the iustice of God may be satisfied Let presumptuous blinded Masse Priests consider this That were killed that is he sawe the soules of those bodies that were killed for the Word of God Death then wee see strikes but the body Feare not them who kill the body and can do no more It is like to Nebuchadnezzar his fire which burnt the cords wherewith the three children were bound but burnt not their bodies so death can do no more but loose our bands and set our soules at liberty What shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or perill or sword No in all these things wee are more then Conquerors through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded neither death nor life can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ. Let it come and disioyne the soule from the body that it may conioyne vs with Christ. For the Word of God There is no Religion so false but it hath its own Patrones who will defend it yea and dare die for it Satan as he hath his owne Apostles so hath he also his owne Martyrs Martyres Satanicae virtutis wee must alway take heed to the cause of suffering Non poena sed causa facit Martyrem therefore he ioynes these two For the Word and testimonie which they maintained It is nothing to stand to a testimonie nay though thou shouldst die for it vnlesse thou iustifie by the Word that thy testimony is true VERSE 10. And they cryed with a lowd voice saying How long Lord Holy and True Dost thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth NOW followes in this Verse the supplication which these soules of Martyrs send vp to God in the next verse the answer which is giuen thē The voice by which they send vp their supplication is called a crying not vocall but spirituall noting the feruencie of their desires for the words of soules whereby they speake vnto God are their feruent desires Magnus eorum clamor magnum est desiderium tum Resurrectionis tum Iudicii Their great cry is their great desire both of the Resurrection and of the Iudgement to come A small desire makes but a small voice in the Lords eares but a seruent desire causes a lowd voice Animarum igitur verba ipsa sunt desideria si desiderium sermo non esset non diceret Propheta Desiderium cordis eorum andiuit auris tua that is If the desire of the soule were not a speech vnto God the Prophet would not haue said Thou hast heard the desire of their heart How long Lord It is here demanded How is this that Saints cry for vengeance Are we not commanded to loue our enemies and to pray for them To this some Diuines answer that it is not they but the sinnes of the wicked done to them that cryes for a vengeance And they obserue that there are foure crying sinnes first the filthy sin of Sodome Because the cry of Sodome and Gomorah is great I will go downe now and see whether if or not they haue done altogether according to the cry which is come vnto me Next the oppression of the widdow and fatherlesse Thou shalt not trouble any widdow nor fatherlesse childe if thou trouble such and he cry vnto me I will heare his cry Thirdly the detaining fraudulently of the wages of worke-men is also a crying sinne Thou shalt giue an hired seruant his hire for his day for hee is poore and therewith sustaineth his life lest he cry against thee vnto the Lord and it be sinne vnto thee And againe The hire of the labourers holden back by fraud cryes and enters into the eares of the Lord of Hosts Fourthly innocent bloud cryes to the Lord for vengeance against them that shed it The voice of thy brothers bloud cryes to me from the ground And so here the bloud of Martyrs cryes But there is here further to be added that this cry of theirs is their own and proceeds not of any passion or desire of their priuate reuenge but onely of a zeale to the glory of God whose holinesse and truth they desire to be manifested as may be perceiued by the titles they giue the Lord in their prayer Non carnali sensu credendum est eos animositate vltionis accendi sed manifestum est contra potestatem regnum peccati or asse Adueniat regnum tuum Wee are not with carnall sense to beleeue that they were kindled with any heat of reuenge it is manifest they pray against the kingdome of sinne And in effect the summe of their prayer is Lord let thy Kingdome come Quid est animas vindictae petitionem dicere nisi diem extremum Iudicii resurrectionem corporum desiderare What else is it that Saints are said to cry for to be auenged but that they earnestly desire the day of Iudgement and Resurrection of their bodies Hoc dicunt non poenam malis optando sed voluntati Dei
se conformando de cuius impletione gaudent ita enim sunt coniuncti Deo vt de omni volito Dei gaudeant etiam in poenis parentum iuxta illud Laetabitur iustus cùm viderit vindictam so they pray not wishing punishment to euill men but conforming themselues to the will of God for they are so conioyned vnto God that they reioyce in euery thing which is his will yea and it were the punishment of their parents according to that The righteous shall reioyce when he sees the vengeance and men shall say Verily there is fruit for the righteous and there is a God that iudges in the earth They giue vnto the Lord two Titles Holy and True It is customable to Saints in their prayers vnto God to giue vnto the Lord such stiles as in effect containe arguments both to moue the Lord to heare them and to confirme themselues in the assurance of a fauourable answer and so do they here Because thou Lord art Holy thou canst not let iniquity escape vnpunished for euer The Lord will not take the wicked by the hand neither hath his Throne any fellowship with iniquitie And because thou art True thou canst not but performe thy word of Mercy promised to thine owne and of Iudgement threatned against the wicked How long Is the voice of them who want something which they would earnestly haue and assuredly expect they want their bodies they want their brethren for these they cry as we haue shewed before They haue now peace and ioy in heauen but not perfect so long as they want these two God hauing so prouided that they without vs should not be perfected Neque enim praestari decâ—…t integram beatitudinem dâ—…nec sit homo integer cui detur nec perfectione donari Ecclesiam imperfectam For it was not seemely that complete felicitie should be giuen till the man be complete to whom it is to be giuen nor yet that an imperfect Church should bee gifted with perfection But because the Iesuite Ribera sees this sentence to destroy the Inuocation of Saints he will haue it Hereticall and spareth not to charge Irenaeus Teytulltan Origen Ambrose Bernard with Luther and Caluin as Heretiques because according to the manifest truth of holy Scripture they maintaine with the Apostle that Saints departed howsoeuer they be glorified yet are not perfected till the day of Iudgement and resurrection come Now concerning prayers made by them who are in heauen wee haue spoken before Iudge and auenge These are two workes proper to the Lord first he iudges this pertaines to Cognition then he auenges this pertaines to Execution This order of processe the Lord alwaies keepes as yee may see in his first Iudiciall Court against Adam Euah Satan Serpent as likewise in his proceeding against Sodome learning all Iudges to try before they giue sentence Abraham called him The Iudge of all the world who cannot do vnrighteously The Psalmist againe stileth him O God the Auenger It is a sacrilegious violation of his glory for any flesh to vsurpe these offices Iudge not lest yee be iudged saith our Sauiour Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant he stands or fals to his Master saith the Apostle And as for vengeance It is mine saith the Lord and I will repay Yet proud flesh will presume to iudge where it cannot auenge and oft-times is stirred vp to auenge if not with the hands at least with the tongue where they cannot iudge These know not they offer strange fire to the Lord with Nadab and Abihu which at length will not faile to returne and consume themselues On them that dwell in the earth Oftentimes in this Booke are the wicked described to be indwellers of the earth Non solum corporis habitatione sed mentis affectione not onely in regard of their corporall habitation but much more for their affection which is altogether set vpon earth it is their Iericho pleasant for situation but let them remember the waters thereof are deadly their ground barren their diuitiae and deliciae will both deceiue them at length But of this see VERSE 11. And long white Robes were giuen vnto them and it was said vnto them that they should rest for a little season vntill their fellow seruants and brethren that should be killed euen as they were were fulfilled IN the last Verse we heard the prayer of Saints now followes the answer which the Lord giueth them Their prayer is not powred out in vaine when the Lord disposeth the heart to pray it is a sure token of a fauourable answer to follow this is the Lords praise Thou preparest the heart and bendest thine eare vnto them The answer of their supplication is two waies giuen first by a signe long white Robes were giuen vnto them next by plaine speech it was said vnto them that they should rest till their fellow seruants were fulfilled The white Robe is sometime a type of the righteousnesse of Christ and sometime a type of the reward thereof Hee that ouercommeth shall be clothed in white Aray no darkenesse nor sorrow in heauen all is full of light ioy and happinesse and these Robes are said to be giuen vnto them What before they knew by faith now they know by feeling that promised reward is now put in their hand and possession here they had it in spe there they haue it in re and more particularly it is said that the Robes were giuen to euery one innumerable Saints shall be gathered together into heauen euery one of them shall haue a Crown euery one of them shall haue a white Robe none of them all shall be ouerseene but all shall be filled with ioy and glory And it was said vnto them Dictum est id est inspiratum est for the Voice whereby the Lord speakes vnto the soules of his Saints is the inspiration of his Spirit This for the manner of the answer The matter or effect is that they should rest for a little season The whole time from the daies of S. Iohn to the Lords second Comming is called a little Season and by this same Euangelist in his Epistles The last Time it was little then and short it must needs be far lesse now The number of Saints sealing the testimonie of Christ with their bloud hath beene greatly augmented since the daies of Domitian euery Kingdome and Nation that hath receiued the Gospell hath rendred their Witnesses and Martyrs in confirmation of the truth thereof The day of the Lord is not now farre of God prepare vs for it Againe it is cleere out of this place that the onely cause why Christs second Comming is delayed is because the number of his Saints is not yet accomplished The blind world vnderstands not this and therefore persecute they the Saints of God and would haue them cleane rooted out of
Lord. But consider the end let all flesh looke into this Mirror and in time learne to embrace the counsell of God Be wise now therefore ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth serue the Lord in feare and reioyce in trembling kisse the Sonne lest he be angry and ye perish in the way when his wrath shall suddenly burne Blessed are all that trust in him VERSE 16. And said to the Mountames and Rocks Fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe TWo things here we haue first to whom doe the Reprobates runne in this desperate estate next what doe they craue They run to the creature Rocks and Mountaines But haue they eares to heare or can they protect when the Lord pursues This is their blindnesse they loued the creature more then the Creator In their necessitie they seeke comfort in the creature but can finde none a iust recompence of their error But why doe they not cry to the Lord Surely because they dare not they see nothing in him but vvrath vvhich their owne consciences tell them they haue most iustly deserued they find within themselues a condemnatorie sentence which they knowe cannot be recalled Let vs in time seeke mercy so long as it may be found the day before the Trumpet blowe mercie will be preached vnto men but they who receiue it not yet then shall neuer find it afterward By their folly let vs learne wisedome The onely rocke of our refuge is the Lord Iesus Christ if wee runne to him in time hee shall hide vs and saue vs from that fearefull vvrath which is to come The Romane Doctors vpon this place build vp as they thinke a sure ground for their inuocation of creatures they said to the Mountaines that is to the Saints and to the Rocks that is to the confirmed Angels Hide vs from the Lambe And hitherto they abuse that place of the Psalmist I lift mine eyes to the Mountaines from whence commeth mine helpe that is to the Saints VVhat a grosse ignorance is this Will Saints and Angels goe between the Lord and the wicked when they shall be iudged Shall they not rather assist the Lord in iudging them Know ye not that the Saints shall iudge the world Or what doe they meane to propose that vnto them for imitation vvich is here condemned in the wicked as vttered by them in their desperation These and such like are the sundry foundations vvhereupon stand the pillars of Papistry A twofold error in them is here manifest They lay another foundation then that vvhich is layd vvhich is Iesus Christ. And againe pretend of Christ what they will sure it is they build not vpon him gold and siluer but stubble and hay which will not abide the triall of the fire But now what craue they that the Rocks and Mountaines would fall vpon them and hide them from the presence of him that sits vpō the throne O desperate folly can Mountaines hide thee from the Lord Are they not a part of that Chrystall Globe which is before the Throne and is transparent to the Lord they liued all their dayes out of Gods presence not that his eye did not behold them and marke them in all their waies but their eyes looked not vp to him and therefore now may they not abide his presence Let vs leaue them and learne at Dauid when he had considered with himselfe that there was no flying from the Lord Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy Presence He betooke him to this resolution I set the Lord alway before me hee is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide Sith we cannot flee from the Lord let vs flee to him there is no defence against his vnsupportable wrath but to hide vs vnder the mantle of his mercy There are two feares which trouble two sorts of men the feare of Sin and the feare of Death which is the punishment of sinne the godly in their life feare nothing so much as sinne they fight continually against it they desire nothing more then to be quit of it O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death And therefore is it that hauing ouercome sinne they feare not death when it commeth more then a Serpent that wants a sting The wicked on the contrarie in their life feare nothing but death they flie it as the center of their sorrowes because they cannot eschew it all their care is to prolong it as for sinne they feare it not It is a pastime to a foole to doe wickedly But when their Terme-Day commeth and conscience wakens against them to pursue them for their sinnes and lets them see wrath due to their sinnes then seeke they Death as a remedy of their sorrowes but shall not find it yea they would vndergoe the most painefull death euen to bee pressed quicke to the death by the weight of Mountaines that they might bee freed of the heauie burthen of their sinnes VERSE 17. For the great Day of his wrath is come and who can stand THe day of Iudgement is called A great Day of wrath First because all the children of wrath shall be iudged in that Day none excepted Next because all the Vialls of Gods wrath shall then be powred vpon them an vniuersall deluge of all the plagues of God shall then ouerflow them The wicked put the euill day farre from them the vnfaithfull seruant thinkes his Master will not come Mockers will say Where is the promise of his comming As the kinsmen of Lot regarded not his praediction of Sodoms destruction ab vno dicebatur à multis ridebatur it was spoken by one and scorned by many but they felt the force and fury of that scorching fire shortly after so no lesse assuredly shall all the wicked who repent not feele the weight of that terrible wrath both on their soulos and bodies they shall confesse at length The great Day of his wrath is come that Day which wee despised that Day which we scorned that Day which we thought would neuer be That Day of the Lord is now come Two things perturbe and confound the wicked The one is without them the terrible presence of the Iudge or wrath of the Lambe Hee that is a Lambe to his owne lookes to the wicked like a deuouring Lyon And not without cause is the name of a Lambe here attributed to the Iudge for sure it is that iudgement iustly inflicted will not torment the wicked so much as mercy wilfully despised Terrible will it be to them when they looke to the Lambe who hath giuen mercy to so many and so many times offered mercy to themselues and now see him refuse all mercy to them because they despised it iustly shall the meek face of
fore-heads and for confirmation thereof they cite Augustine What vse the signe of the Crosse had among the Ancients wee are not now to dispute but to say that the signe of the Crosse is this Seale of the liuing God is a childish and ridiculous folly for the Seale of God here spoken of is proper to Gods Elect and so cannot be the signe of the Crosse wherewith many Reprobates may be marked Qui malè operatur si se emendare noluerit quando se signat peccatum illius non minuitur sed augetur He who liueth euill and amendeth not when he signeth himselfe his sinne is not diminished but augmented And againe Nesciunt miseri quod dum se signant de malo opere se non reuocant includunt in se daemones magis quà m excludunt Those miserable men who will not recall themselues from doing of euill and yet will signe themselues with the signe of the Crosse they know not that by so doing they rather include Deuils within them then exclude them So that the signe of the Crosse cannot bee this Seale of God wherewith none but the seruants of GOD are marked Now that we may know what it is let vs consider that a Seale is a note of appropriation whereby a man marketh that which is his own with his owne marke that it may bee discerned from that which is not his Thus Marchants put their marke on their owne Wares in a Ship and Sheepe-heards likewise put their marke on their owne sheepe to distinguish them from others of the Flock which are not theirs It imports also a conforming of the thing sealed vnto the scale wherewith it is sealed as we shall heare Hitherto tends that of Saint Augustine Signare quid est nisi proprium aliquid ponere Ideo rei ponis signum ne res cum aliis confusa à te non possit agnosci What is it to seale a thing but to put something or some note of thine owne vpon it whereby it may be discerned from others The Father is said to haue sealed the Sonne the Sonne againe is said to seale his Saints and Seruants by the holy Spirit The first is cleere for him hath the Father sealed that is Proprium quiddam dedit ne caeteris comparetur hominibus Hee gaue him something of his owne to distinguish him from other men It is true the Lord Iesus is a Man indeed yet such as hath an incomparable note of super-excellence aboue other men For this Seale of the liuing God Christ hath it first Essentially then Ministerially Essentially hee hath it for hee is the Image of the inuisible God and ingrauen character of his Person Hee hath life in himselfe as the Father hath life in himselfe Hee hath it also as Mediator ministerially to communicate it vnto others not in that degree whereby hee possesseth it himselfe that is impossible but in a certaine similitude for hee giueth life to whom hee will as the Father quickneth whom hee will And thus hee sealeth his owne by imprinting in them his owne similitude and image by the holy Spirit What then is the Seale of the liuing God but the Image of the liuing God which the Lord Iesus by his holy Spirit stampes and engraues in the soules of his Saints This the Apostle tels vs plainely It is God who stablisheth vs with you in Christ and hath anointed vs and hath sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts And againe After that yee beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise And yet againe Grieue not the holy Spirit of God by whom yee are sealed vnto the day of Redemption Of all these it is cleere that as I haue said The Seale of God is the Image of God stamped in the soules of his children by the holy Spirit This was our first glorie that we were created to the Image of our God Satan and our selues did miserably deface it but now by the grace of Iesus in our Redemption it is againe graciously restored They who want this Seale the Lord will not acknowledge them to be his Away from mee yee workers of iniquitie I know you not And if wee our selues would know whether this Seale hath stamped vs or not let vs looke to our owne disposition for euery seale leaues such an imprinted forme in that which it sealeth as it hath in itselfe The Lord is holy hee is light hee is iust mercifull meeke long-suffering if hee hath communicated his Image to vs then will hee make vs some way to resemble our Father we shall become holy light in the Lord righteous toward all men mercifull meeke long-suffering and readie to forgiue for what else is Christianisinus but imitatio diuinae naturae Christianity but an imitation of the Diuine Nature In a word looke the fruits of the Spirit and of the flesh as they are reckoned out and opposed to other by the Apostle If the Lord haue sealed vs with his Seale then shall the fruits of the Spirit be manifest in vs if otherwise the fruits of the flesh be predominant sure it is thou are not sealed by the holy Spirit for such as are sealed by him hee maketh them like vnto himselfe Now this Seale they are said to haue it in their fore-heads because it emboldeneth them to stand to the publike confession of Christ First as I haue shewed hee sealeth them in their hearts and next in their fore-heads No terrour no intreatment can moue them to deny the Lord Iesus Hee that denyes me before men I shall deny him before my Father in heauen I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Iesus said S. Paul Innumerable proofes hereof we haue in Confessors and Martyrs of all times There is a notable example giuen hereof by Sanctus the Martyr in the persecution vnder Commodus when it was demanded of him what his name was Hee answered Christianus sum and to all questions demanded of him of his Countrey and Parents he gaue onely this answer Christianus sum Let vs try our selues whether we haue this seale or not where wee find a beginning thereof let vs carefully conserue it that the lineaments of that image be not defaced by the deepnesse of Satan and deceit of our owne sinfull corruption for the want of this seale will make the Lord deny his owne creature in that Day Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not The siluer which is not strucken with the Kings stampe is counted adulterous and not receiued in his treasure Sic anima que imaginem Christi non habet in coelestes thesauros non ingredietur so the soule which hath not the image of Christ shall not be layd vp in the heauenly treasures And he cryed By his crying with a loud voice nothing else is noted
the will and the deed And hereby may yee know that the Lord in mercy is working your saluation when hee worketh in you both a will and a deed to doe all that yee can that yee may be saued sorrowing for sins past euer fearefull for sinnes to come continuall in prayer feruent in thanksgiuing and euery way carefull to keepe your selues in your spirit and so to be at peace vvith GOD and vnder the sence of his loue Their garments or their robes here come to be considered Seeing the garments of Saints is the righteousnesse of Christ according to that Put ye on the Lord Iesus and againe Christ is made vnto vs righteousnes how is it that their garments neede washing Truth it is indeed the righteousnesse of Iesus imputed to vs by which wee are iustified is perfit holy like vnto himselfe without all spot or blemish but our inherent righteousnes which by his Spirit he worketh in vs and whereby we are sanctified in this life is imperfit not without spot but all the defects thereof are destroyed in death by the clensing vertue of the bloud of Iesus and we then shall bee presented blamelesse to the Lord. Our Lord hath fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law for vs but he shall also fulfill it in vs and this is it which heere is to bee vnderstood by the washing of their garments And made them white in the bloud of c. The Lambe as we haue spoken before is the Lord Iesus who takes away the sinnes of the world his Disciples are also called Lambs Behold I send you forth as Lambs in the middest of Wolues yea all Christians are so called Peter louest thou mee feede my Lambs they are also called the Light of the world but not that true Light which lighteth euery maÌ„ that commeth into the world and so he is called a Lamb in a speciall respect Agnus singulariter solus sine macula non cuius maculae abstersae sunt sed cuius macula nulla fuerit onely without spot not because they are washt away but because he had none to wash away Agnus quem lupi timent qui lâ—…onem occisus occidit a Lambe of whom Wolues are afraid and who being slaine slew the Lyon But of him we haue spoken before As to his bloud the efficacy thereof appeares in this that it is medicinall to them who shed it the same Iewes of whom S. Peter saith that they crucisied Christ by the preaching of his Crosse were conuerted to the faith of Christ three thousand of them at one Sermon Ipsoredempti sanguine quem fuderunt redeemed by the same bloud which theÌ„selues shedde Sic enim Christi sanguis in remissionem peccatorum Iesus est vt ipsum etiam peccatum delâ—…re possit quofusus est For the bloud of Christ was in such sort shed for the remission of sinnes that it is able to put away that same sinne by which it was shed What a wonder is this the Physician comes to cure a frantique patient the frantique slayes the Physician and yet the Phisician of his bloud makes a sufficient medicine to cure the frantique qualis insania eius qui medicum occidit quanta verò bonitas potentia medici qui de sanguine suo insano interfectori suo medicamentum fecit O how great was his madnesse who slewe his mediciner and how great is the goodnes and power of the mediciner who of his owne bloud hath made a healing medicament to him that shed it Yea the very manner of phrase vsed by the Seignior or Elder le ts vs see how the worke of our redemption wrought by the bloud of Iesus is full of miracles for is not this strange that where all other bloud defiles and pollutes that wherevpon it lights this bloud purifies and cleanses them on whom it lighteth Other bloud maketh the whitest linnen vgly vnpleasant and lothsome to behold but this bloud makes a menstruous cloth pleasant white Though your sinnes were as crimson they shal be made white as snow though they were red as scarlet they shall be made white as wooll But to this cleansing of vs there is no need of the naturall or corporall sprinkling of that bloud vpon vs No the sprinkling of that bloud that purifies vs is spirituall Let vs drawe neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience No word here is as we see of any Papall purgations Indulgences or fire of Purgatorie or holy Water these are the Merchandize and wares of whoorish Babel such trumperie is not knowne in heauenly Ierusalem onely the bloud of Iesus must wash thee All other washing pollutes and defiles thee Though thou wash thee with â—…itre and take thee much Sope yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord God But the bloud of Iesus cleanseth vs from all sinne With Scripture Fathers are consonant to cry out against this blasphemous purgation of sin by any infernall fire Piorum animâ—… recta in beatas seâ—…es impiorum in gehennam abeunt the soules of godly men goe the high way into heauen the wicked straight vnto hell Anima vbicunque eâ—…olauerit è corpore aut à daemonibus in infernum aut ab Angelis in coelum abripâ—…tur the soule so soone as it fleeth out of the body is either reft and carried to hell by Diuels or to heauen by Angels Sinne they grant is forgiuen here but the punishment of it must be sustained there Against this let them mark what S. Cyprian saies Quando istine excessum fuerit nullus iam poenitentiâ—… locus nullus satisfactionis effectus vita hic aut tenetur aut amittitur from the time we go out of this life there is no more place of repentance nor effect of satisfactioÌ„ by suffering here life is either kept or lost Qualem te inuenit Deus cum vocat talem pariter indicat such as God findes thee when by death he cals on thee such he iudges thee Vnusquisque cum causa sua dormit cum causa sua resurget euery man sleepeth with his cause and with his cause shall he rise againe there is no changing nor bettering of it betweene his death and his resurrection PostquaÌ„ discesserimus non est in nobis situm poenitere neque commissadiluere From time we goe out of this life wee are not able to repent nor to wash away the sinnes which we haue done It were tedious to rehearse all And therfore I returne conclude this point In the bloud of Christ there is a threefold vertue First a purging vertue next a protecting vertue thirdly a pacifying vertue What need haue we theÌ„ of any other thing or to seeke any other merit or bloud beside his Of his purging vertue we haue spoken already His protecting