approacheth to inlarge and decke with his graces his Spouse the Church which shall bee vpon the destruction of Rome that the number of the elect being fulfilled Christ may come to iudgement and exalt vs vnto his eternall glory And because the more neere the Diuell seeth his time of eternall torments to approach the more hee rageth against Gods Children therefore this flaming starre must certifie vs that euen now the Diuell by his priuie Counsellors the Iesuites is most busily plotting and practising the destruction of all Protestant Kings and Countries and it ought to prouoke vs to earnest prayer vnto our chiefe Captaine Iesus Christ to confound their enterprises and to destroy them in the same suare which they haue laid for others To the Prince of the Kings of the earth that loued vs and washed vs from our finnes and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God to him bee all honour glory and power now and for euermore Amen A REVELATION of the Reuelation CHAP. I. EVen as GOD so much loued faithfull Abraham that hee would not destroy Zodome vntill hee had foretold him thereof and likewise his chosen Children Israell that he would doe nothing but he would foretell them therof by his Prophets Likewise as Christ so loued his Disciples that hee foretould them his Sufferings Death Resurrection Ascension and the comming of the holy Ghost their troubles that they should suffer for his name the successe of the Gospell the destruction of Ierusalem the glory that they the faithful should haue with him in Heauen such immeasurable riches of his loue hath God shewed vnto his faithfull ones in these last ages in shewing vnto them what shall happen vnto his Church from the blessed Ascension of his Sonne Iesus Christ vntill his glorious comming to Iudgement And because he hath exalted Iesus Christ on his right hand and giuen all power vnto him in Heauen and earth and made him the onely saluation of all that are or shal be saued hee hath likewise giuen vnto him this Reuelation and because Angels be his ministring spirits for our saluation Christ hath sent it by an Angell and because the Lord will not vse the ministry of Angells immediatly for our instruction the Angell brought it to Iohn to conuey it to the seauen Churches of Asia and although it is directed of God onely to the seauen Churches of Asia it doth as properly belong to all Churches people of God as vnto them In that it is said to bee of things that shall shortly come to passe a thousand yeares with the Lord is but as one day with vs In that they are pronounced blessed that read heare and keepe the things of this Prophecie it should stirre vs vp neuer to be weary of knocking asking and seeking vntill the true vnderstanding here of be giuen vs and this as the onely meanes S. Iohn by his example commends vnto vs in that hee beginneth with Prayer to the Father Son and holy Ghost for grace and peace for them In that he calleth the holy Ghost which is one Spirit seauen Spirits it is in respect of the seauen folde operation therof in the 7. churches And hauing now seene Iesus Christ in heauen hee cannot passe by him by barely naming him but declareth what hee hath seene of knowne of him That he is a faithfull witnesse the first begotten of the dead Prince of the Kings of the earth that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes with his bloud and made vs Kings Priests vnto God he commeth with clouds and euery eye shall see him yea they that pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wayle before him euen so Amen In that by persecutions hee was faine to leaue his Churches and to saue himselfe in a desolate place he might think that God had forsaken his faithfull Churches and him his faithfull seruant but wee know that all things work for the best for Gods children now euen now in this desolate place he seeth more comfort then euer he did and receiueth the greatest Reuelation that euer was and most beneficiall to the comfort and direction of the Church to the end of the world and fends this vnto his Churches farre passing the comfort of his presence In that the seauen golden Candlestickes which by Christ is interpreted the seauen Churches the gold thereof sheweth the puritie of their Religion without any drosse of humane traditions or Iewish ceremonies The office of a Candlesticke is to hold vp the candle that it may lighten all the place where it is whereby is noted vnto vs their care and loue of the Gospell and the conuersion of others vnto the same by holding vp and maintaining their Ministers to edifie themselues and to bee a light to them that be in darknesse And as Christ walked amongst these golden Candlesticks so wil he neuer be absent from such golden Candlestickes No man as he is flesh and blood can see Christ as he is therefore he appeares vnto S. Iohn by vision and so no doubt hee did vnto S. Stephen when he saw the heauens open and Christ sitting at the right hand of God Christs long garment golden girdle was after the manner of Kings and Priests declareth that he is the King of kings and Lord of lords and the onely Ruler of all things in heauen and earth and our onely high Priest In his haire he resembles auncient Senators which sheweth his wisedome and that he is the first and the last Alpha and Omega hee that was and that is and that is to come His flaming eyes sheweth that hee is the searcher of all reynes and hearts and that nothing is hid from his eyes with whō we haue to doe His brasen feet declare that hee shall stampe the diuell and all his instruments his and our enemies vnder his feet His loud voyce manifesteth that hee shall be heard vnto the end of the world how forcible his Gospel is to conuert the elect how it shall be able to awake to life all that are dead and to make the elect to meet him in the ayre and to follow him vnto glory and to cast the diuell and all the wicked into hell His two-edged Sword out of his mouth sheweth his wrath and indignation vnto the enemies of his Church and their destruction His shining face sheweth his louing fauour vnto his children and assureth them of his saluation In that the Ministers of the seauen Churches are called Stars they are shewed their office euer to bee inlightning those that are in darkenesse with the bright beames of the Gospell and to shew forth their loue vnto God and his children by their good workes that men may glorifie their Father in heauen In that he holds them in his hand whereas hee is said but to be in the middest of the Candlestickes it assureth vs if wee be such Starres he will haue a speciall care ouer vs he will hold vs in his hand and none shall be able to hurt
A REVELATION OF THE REVELATION Wherein is contayned a most true plaine and briefe manifestation of the meaning and scope of all the Reuelation and of euery Mystery of the same Whereby the Pope is most plainely declared and proued to bee Antichrist BY THOMAS MASON Preacher of the word of God at Odyham in the County of South Printed at London by G. Eld. 1619. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY KING IAMES by the especiall Grace of God of Great Britaine France and Ireland King and in all causes whether Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill next vnder CHRIST supreme Head and a most faithfull Defender of the true Catholique and Apostolique Faith in all his Realmes and Dominions Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplyed Most Excellent Soueraigne HAuing attained vnto some certaintie of the scope and meaning of the Reuelation and of the Mysteries thereof by earnest prayer pervsing of Expositors and conference of the Prophesies therof with the Ecclesiasticall Histories and being desirous to inlighten others I haue cōpiled in as briefe and easie manner as I could deuise the true scope and meaning of the same and of euery Mysterie thereof And being well assured that as God gaue vnto the Kingly Prophet Dauid a rich measure of his Spirit so he hath bequeathed vnto your Highnesse most abundantly his holy Ghost so that none more knoweth the minde of Christ then you Maiesty doth Which imboldened me to dedicate this my Worke vnto your Highnesse most humbly crauing that this little shew of my dutifull loue vnto your Maiestie may obtaine pardon for my too much boldnesse so as it is my bounden dutie I will neuer cease to offer vppe supplications vnto God and vnto Iesus Christ for the dewe of his Spirit to be daily distilled into your Royall heart for your direction and that God would alwayes charge his holy Angels for the preseruation of your Maiesties person and of our most gracious Queene our most Royall Prince and all your Highnesse Kingly Progenie Your Maiesties most faithfull and dutifull Subiect THOMAS MASON THE EPISTLE to the Reader FOr the better vnderstanding of the Reuelation Christian Reader I would haue thee to obserue in the three first Chapters the then present estate of the seauen Churches and in the fourth and fifth Chapters the vision of Saint Iohn in Heauen in what manner hee receiued the generall Reuelation from Christs ascension vntill his comming vnto iudgement in the sixt and seauenth Chapters the estate of the Church vnder the Idolatrous Emperours vntill the Christian Emperour Constantine his time and the flourishing of the estate thereof by him and in the eighth ninth and tenth Chapters the estate of the Church vnder the Emperors that were after Constantine and the Popes how men became as cold as hayle in true Religion and as hot as fire to maintaine superstitions to the shedding of blood and how the Emperours signified by the great Mountaine tooke part with the superstitious with a burning zeale persecuting those that would not consent to their superstitions The great Starre that fell from Heauen as bitter as worme-wood was the falling of the Bishop of Rome from Christ and his word to mainetaine superstitions and for that purpose was exalted of the Emperours aboue all other Bishops The second Starre is the Popes which exalted themselues aboue all the Emperours and Kings and filled the world with their mighty Locusts that is Cardinalls Popish Bishops and their officers Abbots Friers and such like and when these were multiplied as the sands of the sea the Diuell that was bound for a thousand yeares from Constantine his time is let loose obtaineth these innumerable company of Locusts to take his part and persecuted the Saints by these Antichristian Locusts martyred more then euer hee did by the idolatrous Emperours yet Christ and his Saints obtaine the victory And from the beginning of the eleuenth Chapter vnto the end of the Booke are prophesied againe the very same things of Antichrist but much more largely and with other similitudes In the eleuenth Chapter the superstitious are called the Courts and the faithfull the temple and Saint Iohn is commanded not to mete the Courts but to cast them out and it is prophesied that they shall tread the holy Citty which is the faithfull vnder their feete 1260. yeares In the twelfth Chapter the Emperours which before are called a great mountaine are heere called a great red Dragon and are prophesied to be they which shall be the greatest cause of the treading vnder foote the Children of God all this time of the 1260. yeares In the thirteenth Chapter the Popes that were called two Starres before are called two beasts the first Beast the Emperours shall set aboue all other Bishops of purpose to maintaine superstitions and to tread the faithfull vnder their feete all the said time of 1260. yeares and for this purpose the Dragon shall giue him his power and authority The second Beast which had two hornes like the Lambe is the second Starre as before which is the Pope when hee tooke vpon him not onely to bee the whole ruler in spirituall matters but to bee King of all Kings as Christ is and exalted himselfe aboue the Emperours All the other Chaptors vnto the end declare the manner of the destruction of Antichrist and of Rome and the flourishing of the Gospell after Rome shall be destroyed vntill Christs comming to iudgement As Christ foretolde the destruction of Ieausalem and truely at his time appointed performed it so surely bath Christ Prophesied and as truely in his time will accomplish the destruction of Rome and as a whole yeare before the destruction of Ierusalem there was seene an extraordinary Blazing Starre so the Blazing Starre that now so strangely appeareth seemeth to manifest Gods fiery indignation against Rome which shall shortly destroy it and to bee a forewarning vnto all men that they flye from her false Doctrines lest they be pertakers of her punishments and that all Kings and the Children of God should haue their hearts inflamed like the flaming Starre against that abhominable Strumpet to gather themselues to battell against her and burne her with fire And because euery one of Gods Children must claime by a liuely faith as perticular vnto himselfe all the generall promises of Christ so we ought to apply the generall iudgements of God euery one vnto his owne soule Let vs therefore examine our hearts whether wee retaine there any Poposh superstition or sinne against any of Gods commandements vnrepented of for against such that will not repent the Lords anger burneth like the blazing Starre But if wee flie by true repentance and a liuely faith and catch hold of the blood of Iesus Christ to wash away our sinnes and of his righteousnesse to couer our imperfections then may wee with ioy looke vpon this blazing Starre and prayse God for declaring his fierce wrath against Antichrist and sinners and for hastening to reuenge the blood of his Saints and that the time
of the destruction of Antichrist and such like and that whatsoeuer is written by his commandement we may be bold and ought to begge of Christ by prayer and by all meanes seeke for the vnderstanding thereof Saint Iohn his eating of the booke was his certaine vnderstanding of the things contained therein and the knowledge thereof was sweet to him at the first but when hee had well considered how the Diuell should haue such great power to persecure the Saints and to spill their blood in such aboundant manner the knowledge heerof was most bitter vnto him then St. Iohn is commanded of Christ to prophesie againe amongst the people Nations and Tongues and to many Kings according to which in the next Chapter Saint Iohn beginneth a new Reuelation of all things that hath beene reuealed touching Antichrist in a more large and ample manner then in this Reuelation already is declared CHAP. 11. IOseph telleth Pharoah Gen. 41 32. therefore the Dreame was doâ—bled vnto Pharoah the second time because the thing is established before God euen so because the Prophesies in this Reuelation are established and sure to be performed and to make them the more certainely and manifestly of vs to bee vnderstood beleeued all things that haue beene reuealed touching Antichrist are from this Chapter vnto the end of the Booke reuealed againe but farre more amply and plainely delared then in the former but in this is nothing prophisied but the things concerning Antichrist In the 8. Chapter Christ offereth the prayers of the faithfull to God and then filleth the Censor with coales of the Altar and threw them vpon the earth and there fell vpon the earth hayle and fire mingled with blood and it burnt the third part of Trees and greene grasse Wherein I shewed the great peace the Church enioyed by Constantine in which prosperity the Romish Church fell to superstitions and anger'd God wherefore hee gaue them ouer to their owne lustes vntill the Romane Church became the Synagogue of Sathan and Antichrist and they became as colde as hayle in true religion and as hot as fire euen to the shedding of blood to maintaine their superstitions In this Chapter they that trusted only vnto the blood of Christ by an allusion vnto the temple of Salomon are said to be the temple of God and Saint Iohn is commanded to measure them to God and the superstitious Romanes and those that tooke their parts are said to be the Courts because they make a shew of Religion but with superstitions prophane the truth therefore Saint Iohn is commanded to cast them out and not to mete them and these shall tread the holy Citty that is the Children of God vnder their feete 42. moneths this time is likewise set forth in this Chapter to bee 1260. dayes and also 3. dayes and a halfe these times are all one the three dayes and a halfe signifie three yeares and a halfe and in three yeares and a halfe there is iust 42. moneths and in so many moneths at 30. dayes to the Moneth which was the Iewes Computation there is 1260. dayes and it is common with the Holy ghost in Prophesies to set downe a day for a yeare so Antichrist must raigne 1260. yeares The two witnesses are the olde and new Testaments and all that preach and teach them all the time of Antichrist these shall bee two oliue trees spiritually to feede the soules of the Elect and to conuey the oyle of the holy Ghost into them and they shall be two lamps to lighten them in the wayes of saluation and they shall stand before the Pope the God of the earth and if any hurt the Preachers of them the Lord will send plagues from heauen vpon such In that they are said to be cloathed in Sackcloth it sheweth that the Professors of them shall be nothing regarded and shall haue all this time great cause to mourne for the little regard that the Gospell had and for the superstitions and sinnes of the people In the seauenth verse when they haue finished their testimony the Beast out of the bottomlesse pit shall make warre against them and ouercome them and kill them this is after the loosing of Sathan Their corpes shall be dead and vnburied in Rome that is as a dead carcasse long vnburied is noysome to bee seene or smelt euen so noysome was the word of God and the preaching thereof vnto them all the time of their superstitions yet they could not bury their corpes all this while that is they could not quite pur downe the preaching of the word but the Lord still stirred vp some yea though they dyed for it to tell them of their idolatries superstitions murther sorcery fornication and theft It sheweth what great power the Diuel hath ouer the vnregenerate that hee can make them reioyce and bring gifts one to another for ioy that the preaching of the word is supprest and the bookes of the word it selfe as the Papists haue done these many ages reioycing that their meanes of Saluation is taken from them and that they are not hindred from going headlong vnto eternall damnation Rome is called spiritually Zodome because they exceed Zodome in the sinnes therof and it is called Egypt because they haue oppressed the Children of God more then the Egyptians did the Israelites and Christ was slaine in Rome in that Pilate a Romane Iudge condemned him and the Romane officers crucified him That after the 1260. yeares God sent the spirit into the two witnesses wee see the truth of this Prophesie performed and we see them stand vpon their feet and the feare of them is vpon the Pope and all his Clergie and God hath taken them vp into Heauen and exalted and preserued them in the sight of their enemies and the Popedome by them hath beene shaken as with a mighty Earthquake that the tenth part haue become Protestants long agoe and dayly his Kingdome hath decayed and the Protestants increased In that it is said that 7000. were killed with this earthquake and the rest glorified God it sheweth that when Rome shall bee destroyed all the Papists that then remaine shall become Protestants When the seauenth Angell shall blow his trumpet the Pope shall bee quite destroyed and the Kingdomes of the world shall bee our Lord Christs and hee shall raigne for euermore and all in Heauen shal reioyce and say We giue thee thanks Lord God Almighty for thou hast receiued thy great power and obtained thy Kingdome the Gentiles were angry and thy wrath is come and the time that the dead shall bee iudged and that thou shouldest giue reward vnto thy Prophets and Saints and them that feare thy name and that thou shouldest destroy them that destroy the earth In that it is said then the temple of God was open and the Arke of the Couenant was seene and that there were lightenings and voyces thunder and great hayle it sheweth Gods anger against the disobedient to his word that then there shall
hee was called faithfull and hee that iudgeth and fighteth righteously his face like a flame of fire and vpon his head many Crownes hee had a name written that none knew but himselfe hee was cloathed in a garment dipped in blood and his name was the word of God and the warriers in Heauen followed him vpon white hories these are the Preachers of the Gospell their pure white linnen is the righteousness of Christ out of his mouth wenâ— a sharpe sword that he might smite the Heathen for hee shall rule them with a rodde of Iron for hee it is that treadeth the wine-presse of the fiercenes of Gods wrath and hee hath a name written the King of Kings and Lord of Lords all these figuratiuespeeches haue beene sufficiently declared heeretofore And an Angell cryed to the fowles of Heauen these are the tenne Kings and their armies to gather themselues vnto the supper of the great God to eate the flesh of Kings Captaines and of mighty men and of horses and of them that sit on them and of free-men and of bond-men and of small and of great And the Pope and Kings and Warriours gathered themselues together to make Batraile against Christ that sate vppon the Horse and his Soldiours but the Pope the false Prophet that deceiued them that receiued his marke and worshipped him these were aliue cast into the Lake burning with fire and brimstone and the remnant were slaine with the sword that came out of Christs mouth and all the foules were filled with their flesh that is the tenne Kinges and their Captaines and Soldiours had a most rich and full booty of the destruction and sacking of Rome When Rome was destroyed Saint Iohn heard a great voyce of a great multitude in Heauen saying Halaluiah that is Praise the Lord saluation and glory and honour and power bee to the Lord our God for true and righteous are his iudgements for hee hath condemned the great Whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath auenged the blood of the Saints shed by her hand And againe they said Halaluiah and her smoke rose vp for euermore and the Elders and foure Beasts said Amen Halaluiah Then came a voyce out of the throne saying Praise our God all yee his seruants and a great voyce as of many waters and as thunder said Halaluiah for our Lord God Almighty hath reigned let vs bee glad and reioyce and giue glory to him for the marriage of Christ is come and his wife that is the faithful hath made herselfe ready This sheweth that the Gospel shall flourish more when Rome and the Popedome is destroyed then euer it did And to Christs wife was granted that shee should bee cloathed in pure fine and shining linnen that is in Christs righteousnesse and Saint Iohn was bid to write blessed are they that are called vnto the Lambs supper saying These words are true Saint Iohn was so rauished with the ioy of this vision that hee worshipped the Angell that shewed it but hee forbad him and bad him worship God saying I am but one of your brethren which haue the spirit of Prophesie which is the testimony of Iesus CHAP. 20. IN this Chapter is declared the history of Sathan the Authour of the first tenne persecutions but when as Constantine had ouercome those persecuting Idolaters Saint Iohn seeth in a Vision that God bound the Diuell for a thousand yeares that is from generall martyring and deceiuing of the elect and chosen Children of God Yet in this time Sathan brought in all popish blasphemies Superstitions and Idolatries and grieuously persecuted those that stood to the puritie of the word against Antichrist The Seates that Saint Iohn saw and them that sate vpon them was Christ and the faithfull and gaue Iudgement and condemned the idolatrous and superstitious Papists who these thousand yeares persecuted the faithfull And Saint Iohn saw the soules of them that were persecuted for the witnesse of IESVS and the word of GOD and did not worship the Pope nor had taken his marke on their fore-heads or on their hands and they liued and reigned with Christ To arise from popish errours sinnes and superstitions is the first resurrection on such the second death shall haue no power but they shall bee the priests of God and Christ and reigne with him for euer After the Diuell had bin bound a thousand yeares from the time of Constantine as an Angell in the first Verse had the key of the bottomlesse pit and bound Sathan then the Pope had the key of the bottomlesse pit to loose the Diuell as appeareth in the ninth Chapter and when hee was loose hee went out to deceiue the people in the foure quarters of the earth Gogge and Magogge that is the open and the secret enemies of the faithfull which are in the ninth Chapter shewed to bee the Locusts and their tayles that is the popish Cardinals Bishoppes Abbots Fryers and such like to gather them together to battell against the faithfull and the number of them was infinite as the sands of the Sea but as they compassed the beloued Citie that is the faithfull fire came downe from heauen and deuoured them that is the Lord in his wrath destroyed the popedome and the Diuell that deceiued them and the Pope the false prophet were cast into a Lake of fire and brimstone where they shall bee tormented day and night for euermore After all these things it is prophesied that Christ shall come vnto iudgement sitting vpon a great white throne from whose face fled away both the earth and the Sea and their place were no more found And Saint Iohn saw the dead both great and small before God the Bookes were opened and another Booke was opened which is the Booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the Bookes this is a Vision according to our capacitie for Gods wisedome is his Booke whereby hee alwayes seeth all things that euer were are or shall bee and Death and Hell that is the Diuell the cause of them were cast into the Lake of fire which is the second death and so were all that were not found written in the Booke of life CHAP. 21. IN these two last Chapters is declared how flourishing the Church shall be after the destruction of the Popedome vnto the end of the world This is declared in the tenth Chapter and the second Verse In that Christ is said to set one foote vpon the sea and the other vpon the land that all Countries shall confesse Christ and hee shall haue of his elect in all places As Mahomet rose iust with Antichrist in the yeare 666. so no doubt but the example of the destruction of Rome and the Popedome shall make the Turkes Iewes and them of other Nations to become Christians This is declared likewise in the 19. Chapter Let vs be glad and reioyce for the destruction of Rome because then the Lambs wife shall be made ready and