of this should make them blessed which did heare it and keepe the things herein contained Further it is commended in regard of the time wherein it was deliuered to Iohn to wit when he was exiled for the Gospell sake into the I le of Pathmos which argueth that it was a notable thing seeing it was to be a matter of great comfort to him in such a distresse And more particularly that it is said to be reuealed on the Lords day wherein God vseth to deliuer more excellent things concerning his will and counsell then at other times And as the Sabbath giueth commendations and credit and authority vnto the Reuelation so this Reuelation also giueth authoritie to the Sabbath And first Iohn beginneth with a Salutation that it might draw attention and be the more accepted of the hearers In the salutation hee wisheth Grace and peace from the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The Father is set out to be Hee that was is shal be that is euerlasting The holy Ghost is set down next by the name of seauen Spirits as hauing relation vnto the seauen Churches making as it were a conformity of the Spirit with those seauen Churches hereafter mentioned wherein his Mistery most especially lay The cause wherefore he did chuse seauen Churches and no other number it is for the number of perfection for seauen is a perfect number and therefore he saith the holy Ghost is as seauen Spirits to poure out his grace effectually in all the Churches because he is as effectuall in all as in one for his strength is not diuided And by seauen Churches he also vnderstandeth all the rest Next the holy Ghost is set downe the Sonne of God The reason why the second Person is set after is first because the Scripture is wont to set that in the last place which it vseth to intreate longest of now therefore the Apostle Saint Iohn being here principally to speake of our Sauiour Christ setteth him in the last place In the Salutation he wisheth grace vnto the Churches with the fruit thereof which is peace which are set downe by their end to wit that God might be glorified Christ is here described by his offices first in that he is called the faithfull Witnesse signifying that hee is a Prophet to testifie the truth to his people Secondly he is described by his Priest-hood in that he is called the first begotten of the dead shewing thereby that he was offered vp in sacrifice for his Church and was risen from the dead Thirdly by his kingdome in that he is called Prince of the Kings of the earth that is he to whom all power belongeth and to whom all Princes are subiect as of whom they receiue their Scepters Afterward the Apostle shewes that he did not set downe this Reuelation by himselfe but by the calling of Christ and therefore bringeth in the author of his calling which was Christ whom he setteth downe by his comming in the clouds which he saith shall be so glorious that euery one shall see him and that this authority may be more effectuall he bringeth in Christ speaking in his owne person saying I am Alpha and Omega And lastly the Apostle bringeth in himselfe describing himselfe to be a Brother that is a member of Christ and one that waited for deliuerance by him And againe that hee was a Labourer in the Church and therefore was persecuted for the Truths-sake for which cause hee was now driuen into the Isle of Pathmos And heere hee saith hee was rauished in the spirit and heard a voice as of a Trumpet In that he saith he was rauished in the spirit he signifieth that his minde was withdrawne from all worldly cogitations and was addicted and bent vnto those holy meditations which it pleased the Lord to minister vnto him Where we see that hee with-held himselfe from all other things to the end hee might better attend vpon all good occasions to learne any thing concerning the will of God Which teacheth vs in holy exercises especially which concerne the will of God to separate our selues from any thing that may hinder vs or withdraw our mindes from the same and more principally ought the Ministers so to doe when they are to be occupied in the study of the word of God and in deliuering the will of God vnto the people And hee looked to see the Voice Not that the voice could be seene but he looked from whence it should come and who should speake it Then hee sheweth what hee saw which is the preparation of the two Chapters following that which he saw was seauen Candlestickes which note the seauen Churches for the Candlestickes are of Gold signifying the glory and puritie of them so that wee see that albeit the Church in the world seemeth to be contemptible yet with God it is most precious Afterward the Apostle doth notably describe Him whom he saw and first by his apparell in that hee had a long Garment noting that hee was a great Councellor for amongst the Iewes Councellors vsed to weare such manner of Garments This noteth that Christ is infinitely wise and therefore able to giue counsell to his Church Secondly his paps girded noting that as he is wise so he is ready to helpe his seruants speedily with his counsell A similitude taken from the custome of those Countries of the East who when they would make hast in doing any thing they would gird vp their Cloathes to their breasts lest they should be any hinderance vnto them that they might more speedily doe that they went about His head white declaritg his grauity as gray haires are signes of age His eyes flaming that is piercing and entring into the hearts of men laying open and seeing all things whatsoeuer though neuer so secret His feete Brasse shewing his power and maiestie as being able to tread his enemies and all that is contrary to his will or that opposeth it selfe to him in peeces vnder his feete After follow his effects and first by his voice which is said to be like the sound of many waters setting down thereby the maiestie of his voyce noting how terrible Christ is to his enemies Then hee is said to haue seauen Starres in his hand which signifieth the Ministers who are the lights of the Church And whereas they are said to be in his hand it noteth that the Ministers of the Word are in the custody of Christ being vpheld maintained and gouerned by him Out of his mouth went a sharpe two-edged sword Which is his Gospell And whereas it is said to haue two edges it declareth the double vertue of the word of God which either cutteth and healeth vnto life or woundeth to death His face shining as the Sunne either setting forth the fulnesse of his Maiestie or else his enlightning of the earth with the light of the Gospell like as the Sunne with his beames Afterward Iohn saith that he fell downe at the sight hereof which he did partly in
hinder him hauing for a time set aside all worldly things and cogitations to the end all the powers of his soule might be lifted vp and be more intent and that so hee might hearken more diligently to those things that were ready to be told him Which teacheth vs when wee goe about holy and heauenly matters wee must be as it were in a new world and we must separate our selues from all worldly things and worldly cogitations though otherwise at other times lawfull and addict and addresse our selues wholly to those holy things of our God Then he commeth to the vision it selfe Where first is set down the preparation and preface of that which is to come contained in this and in the next Chapter In the preface is described and set forth vnto vs the person of God the Father and that diuersly first by a Throne and one sitting thereon comparing him in likenesse to a Iasper and Sardy Stone that is very glorious to behold and of most exceeding valour not describing him by any forme or portraicture but by the glory which those most precious Iewels that can be doe represent This glory is declared by the reflection which was so great that it made all that was round about the Throne to be like a Rainbow that is glorious and excellent for as the brightnesse of the Sunne causeth those notable colours which wee see in the Rainbow so the glory of God maketh all round about him glorious After he is described by his Assistants to wit foure and twentie Elders that is the Church of God the chiefe whereof are in the Scripture twelue Patriarches in the old Testament and the twelue Apostles in the New vnder which number all the rest are comprehended These are said to haue white Robes and Crownes and to sit vpon Thrones in forme of Kings for all these are things belonging properly vnto Princes signifying that in Christ we are all Kings being made partakers of his Kingdome Afterward God is described by the effects which proceeded from the Throne to wit thunders and lightnings and voices and their immediate cause in that they came from the seauen Lamps which are the seauen spirits of God namely the holy Ghost whereby God doth all things that he doth This teacheth that seeing the thunders lightenings c. come from the Throne of God that therefore nothing can come by chance or fortune as men vainely suppose but onely by the direction and counsell of God and from him who is the Ruler and Disposer of all things in the world By lightnings thunders and voices seemeth to be meant the iudgements and anger of God to be executed on the wicked which doe follow in the next Chapters viz. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. for it is not vnmeet that in these the iudgements should be set forth seeing they are the fearefull workes of God And here God the Father is described to be a Iudge and to fit like a Iudge as being Iudge of all the world as he is called Gen. 18. 25. Then he is described by foure Beasts in the middes of the Throne and round about to wit the chiefe Angels of God wayting for to execute Gods will at all times And as Sargeants attend on their Iudge so are they being alwaies ready to receiue any commandement he enioyneth them So also our Sauiour Christ in Iohn is said to waite still on the will of his Father namely as he is Mediator In that these are said to be foure it is not to be thought that there were no more in number but hee vnderstandeth by foure a competent and sufficient number able to execute any thing which God will haue fulfilled in all the world in the East West South and North. These Beasts are also described to be full of eyes signifying their prouidence and singular direction they goe withall Then they are seuerally described the first of them is like a Lyon declaring their courage the second like an Oxe signifying their strength the third like a Man noting their wisedome the fourth like an Eagle shewing their swiftnesse and speedinesse in doing Gods will Their sixe wings expresseth their readinesse to goe to all places their wings full of eyes shew that they goe not at all aduentures These were about the Throne Vnder it was a Sea of Christall whereby seemeth to be meant the earthly creatures and all things in this present world compared to a Sea because of the vnconstancie of them likened to Christall because God seeth clearely into them and through them for as one may see easily into Glasse and Christall so these are euidently seene and discerned of God as being continually in his sight and presence hauing beene made by him and being gouerned by him After the foure Beasts are said to fall downe and praise him day and night for all his Power Glory and Maiestie and especially as it seemeth for those thunders that is for those iudgements to bee executed on the world acknowledging that they were iust and right And albeit they were sealed vp as appeareth in the next Chapter yet by these thunder-claps of Gods anger they could vnderstand that there were iudgements to come The like is in Esay the sixth Chapter where the Angels also glorifie God for his iudgements And albeit it may seeme to man to be a very hard and grieuous thing that God should harden the hearts of the people to the end hee may more fully expresse his iudgements on them yet neuerthelesse the Angels cease not to magnifie him for the same and so they doe here in this place And not onely they but the Elders the Church and Children of God do also ioyn with the Angels to praise the Lord as for all other his works in his Creatures so also for his iudgements they doe pronounce that God is worthy to haue glory in his iudgements as vnto whom alone all fulnesse of Honour Glory and Power doth belong and therefore they themselues fall downe and cast their Crownes before him acknowledging thereby that all their glory is due vnto the Lord and is his as hauing receiued it by him alone and that they themselues are altogether vnworthy of any such dignity Apoc. Cap. 5. 1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sate vpon the Throne a Booke written within and on the backside sealed with seauen Seales c. IN the former Chapter is set forth the person of God the Father in his Maiesty as principall from whom all things come Here in this Chapter is set downe God the Sonne the second Person who is Mediator and meane betweene God and man of the manifestation of these iudgements to follow Which teacheth vs that through Christs intercession alone all good knowledge commeth to Gods children First in that Iohn saith he saw a Booke in the right hand of him that sate on the Throne that is of God the Father by his right hand is meant his Strength Power and Force whereby he so keepeth it that no
power whatsoeuer can winne it or wrest it out of his hand nor can be partaker of it vnlesse hee himselfe will giue it This Booke is written within and without signifying that the multitude of the plagues which were to come on the world were so many that the Booke could not containe them The subiect of these plagues vpon whom they should be executed is the world according as the Psalmist speaketh Lord poure out thy wrath vpon the Gentiles In that it is sealed it noteth that it is separate from all men and Angels so that none could attaine to the knowledge of it but God himselfe According to that which the Apostle speaketh who hath beene his Councellor Rom. 11. 34. that is who hath beene partaker of Gods counsell In the Gospell of Saint Iohn Christ answereth The Sonne hath reuealed it which came out of the bosome of his Father After hee heareth the voice of a strong Angell which saith Who can open the Booke Who is worthy to do it Which sheweth that the Angels themselues stoope to looke into these iudgements that is haue an earnest desire to behold the things of the Church and the misteries of God concerning the same as the Apostle Peter saith In that there was none found that could open the Booke no not so much as looke vpon it It sheweth that none can haue so much as the least measure of knowledge thereof Then Iohn wept for that none was found worthy It teacheth vs that when wee see our ignorance of those things which concerne vs wee are to weepe and be grieued at the same especially in those things which concerne our saluation After it is said one of the Elders comforted him bidding him not to weepe for the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah had performed this so called by reason of his courage through which hee had ouercome all lets which might hinder the reading of it namely sinne and this he had taken away by his death and so had obtained this fauour at Gods hand for vs. The root of Dauid That is the cause and creator of Dauid and the begetter of his faith in regard of his God-head as in other places hee is called the seed of Dauid in regard of his man-hood which proceeded of the linage of Dauid After he is represented in another forme that is to say of a Lamb that had been slain as it seemeth bloudy which appeared in the midst of the Throne And he is said to haue seauen horns seauen eyes which are the seauen spirits that is the holy Ghost which is his spirit proceeding from him By his eyes meaning his infinite knowledge wherby he seeth into all things By his seauen hornes is signified his infinite power And he commeth to his Father taketh the Booke of his Father to open it and to vnloose the seales who would giue it to none else Then followes the effect of this his taking the Booke to wit a Song of thankesgiuing First of the chiefe and principall Angels who say that the Lambe onely is worthy to receiue this honour as to haue the Booke and to open it And as the foure Beasts being principall of the Angels and the Archangels begin so also the Elders which were the principall of the Church doe ioyne with them in praysing Christ And after as the chiefe of the Angels and of the Saints begin so the rest of the Angels follow euen thousand thousands viz. all the other Angels And in their Song they praise the Lambe attributing to him all Power and Riches and Wisedome and Strength which are causes and then the effects thereof Honour and Glory and Praise that all these belong vnto him Then followeth the praise and thankesgiuing of the rest of the Church and of all the Creatures which praise first God the Father for vouchsafing to giue the Book vnto his Son secondly God the Sonne for obtaining it at his fathers hands Lastly the chiefe Angels the foure and twenty Elders are brought in saying Amen to the thankesgiuing of the inferiour Angels and of the rest of the Creatures As they began the Chapter so they as it were make an end and answere to the rest in prayses shewing vs that they neuer cease continually to sound forth the praises of God Apoc. Cap. 6. 1 After I beheld when the Lambe had opened one of the seales and I heard one of the foure beasts say as it were the noyse of thunder Come and see HAuing heard before in the former Chapters of the preparation to the declaring of the things to come he now speaketh of the things themselues that were to follow and he speaketh of them as of great Misteries And first it seemeth in this Chapter is shewed to the Apostle rather a warning what things are to befall then any declaration of the befalling of those Iudgements as the execution of the things themselues set downe in the eight and ninth Chapters doe manifestly declare And also it appeareth because in the seauenth Chapter as it is familiar with the Scripture before the things doe come he sheweth matter of comfort to the Children of God to prepare arme them against those iudgements to be executed So here in this Chapter is contained a denunciation of the iudgements to come to passe on the wicked vnlesse there were speedy repentance as in the next Chapter a consolation to arme and strengthen the godly in that they should not be touched nor hurt with these iudgements And then last of all followeth in the eight and ninth Chapters the declaration of the very execution of the iudgements themselues In that he saith he heard one of the foure Beasts speaking to him as it were with the noise of a thunder it sheweth that though it were in the same vision yet hee is faine to be raised vp by this mighty voice of the Angell so that one stirring vp was not sufficient Which teacheth vs that in the same Sermon we are often to be raised vp if not by the Angell that is by the Minister yet by our selues We are as it were to renew our attention to receiue instruction reproofe correction or any other thing which the Lord would haue vs to know Come and see that is attend diligently and carefully with greater attention Not onely exhorting him to continuance but also to heare more fruitfully and profitably After that the first Seale is opened by the Lambe Christ the Apostle Saint Iohn saith he saw a white horse and a man sitting thereon In that he is said to sit on a white horse and to haue a Crowne giuen him it noteth victory By the Man is vnderstood the Ministers of the Sonne of God Christ Iesus sent forth to declare the iudgements of God to come vpon the wicked for the neglect of the word And whereas it is said for victory it signifyeth that the iudgements which they threatned should haue euent vnlesse they repented speedily The Bow which he hath signifieth the easinesse of the
against them God was therefore with them on their side to defend them and take their part And to the end they might be the more confirmed hereof hee comforteth them with an argument drawne from the hope of their Resurrection that howsoeuer here in this life they should be persecuted and should suffer euen vntill death yet they perseuering vnto the end should not be hurt at all with the latter death And for this cause also he vseth in the Title an argument drawne from his owne person in that he is first and last and therefore able to deliuer them As also that he was dead and is aliue and therefore howsoeuer they might suffer temporary death yet they should rise againe as he did and liue with him eternally Verse 12. After followeth the Epistle to the Church of Pergamus where hee findeth some good things which hee commendeth namely their constancie in professing of religion and their patience which he commendeth by two circumstances both in regard of the place and of the time wherein they liued Verse 13. Concerning the place it was there where the Diuell erected his throne that is where hee seemed at his pleasure to raigne as Prince in his Subiects Neuerthelesse they were constant and kept their profession of the Gospell For the time it was when the faithfull man Antipas was put to death that is in such a time wherein persecution was very hot against the Children of God and yet notwithstanding they started not from their profession Verse 14. Yet for all this hee hath certaine things against them which he reprehendeth namely that they permitted certaine false Prophets amongst them and did not withstand them as the Church of Ephesus did but suffered them to teach dangerous doctrine of Balaam which taught and maintained bodily whordome and fornication whereby the people were brought to Idolatry of which sort were those amongst them which held the doctrine of the Nicolaitans to wit that spirituall and bodily whoredome The reformation whereof hee exhorts them to in bidding them repent and this hee doth by these reasons to wit first if they would repent they should be partakers of the hid that is spirituall Manna in the wildernesse which was hidden in the Arke in a pot By Manna is meant as Iosh 6. the grace righteousnesse and holinesse of Christ imputed vnto vs and that Iustification by him which came downe from heauen which none know but those which haue it Secondly another reason that he that did ouercome he would giue him a white stone Which phrase of speech is a similitude taken from the manner of the Gentiles as in times past the Prophets vsed to take borrowed speeches from the custome of the Iewes in the Law because now the Church was communicated with the Gentiles the Gospell being now spread among them This custome was especially amongst the Grecians The manner of it was that when any one was accused of some criminall matter he was straight-way put to his triall if hee were found cleare hee had a white stone giuen him if otherwise he was found guilty and was to be condemned hee had giuen him a blacke stone or some other colour So that now in that it is said that hee which ouercommeth should haue a white stone giuen him hee meaneth that hee shall haue nothing laide to his charge but shall be freed from all his sinnes Verse 18. Lastly hee commeth to the Church of Thyatira where he findeth many good things which he commendeth as their loue contrary to the Church of Ephesus and the fruits thereof their seruiceablenesse their faith also and their patience and their workes to haue beene more at the last then at the first Verse 20. Yet hee hath somewhat against them to wit that they suffered Iezabel albeit they themselues maintained her not whether one of that name or such a one as Iazabel was it is vncertaine yet such a one as calling her selfe a Prophetesse did seduce the people with her whordomes and Idolatries and therefore he chargeth the Church because they did let her alone for it is not enough for the Church of God to doe well themselues and to refraine from those that are euill-doers in the same but if it lye in them the Church of God is to refraine others from those euils and to punish the offenders so farre as they may Verse 22. Now therefore the Lord saith that hee wil execute iudgement vpon her by casting her into a Bed that is laying a most grieuous and heauie affliction vpon her and not onely vpon her but vpon all that committed fornication with her that is which were partakers with her in her sinnes of whoredome and idolatrie namely those that were her vpholders maintainers And not onely on them but this iudgement should also be manifested vpon her Children by Children meaning either her Schollers which learne of her or her posteritie and then he saith he will kill that is cleane roote them out of the earth And howsoeuer they would pretend great Misteries and Reuelations as to be guided by the spirit of Prophecie as the Anabaptists in our times also doe and to haue Reuelations yet seeing their manners and actions are filthie abhominable and detestable therefore the Lord will execute iudgement vpon them And hee will doe it vpon the transgressors themselues but as for the Church albeit they had thus suffered them yet he would not punish them after this sort but hee would hereby namely by the punishment inflicted on the euill doers be content to call them to repentance for that sinne of theirs in suffering them Verse 26. Lastly he saith to those that ouercome hee will giue authority first to be Kings ouer the Gentiles and to beare rule ouer the wicked and to subdue them being ioyned with Christ in his Kingdome And secondly he would make them partakers of his glory in making them Priests vnto God which hee sets downe by the morning Starre which Starie as it commeth next to the Sunne so it is next vnto it most glorious signifying that the righteous should come neare vnto Christ and be euen ioyned with him in his glory at his glorious comming Apoc. Cap. 3. l. And write vnto the Angell of the Church which is at Sardis These things saith he that hath the seauen Spirits of God and the seauen Starres I know thy workes for thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead c. OF the things that were already done there remaineth onely that which is contained in this Chapter Where first he writeth to the fift Church to wit the Church of Sardis where he getteth authoritie by vsing the same title which he did to the Church of Ephesus addeth another to wit that it is hee which hath also the seauen Spirits wherby he noteth the fulnesse and exceeding measure of his spirit the abundance of his power and grace by the which hee doth also vphold and gouerne the Starres that is the Ministers of his Church