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
vs or take vs from him S. Iohn at the first sight did think him to be like Christ but lest hee should be deceiued Christ telleth him that He is he that was dead is aliue and bade him behold him and told him that he liued for euer and had the keyes of hell and of death In that Iohn is commanded to write these things it sheweth how necessary they are to be read of his Children and in that Christ interpreteth the hardest things to be vnderstood in these visions it certifieth vs that wee may attaine vnto the meaning of all the rest by earnest prayer CHAP. 2. 3. IN that Iesus Christ commands Iohn to write seauen Letters vnto the seauen Churches and indites euery Epistle with the words of his owne mouth wee are assured that hee is the only head of the Church and that his care and loue vnto the Church is no lesse then when hee was vpon earth and that hee seeth whatsoeuer is done whether it be good or bad Therefore let euery one of vs in his calling serue the Lord Iesus as walking alwayes before his face for such an high Priest it behooued vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled seperated from sinners and made higher then the heauens and which once hath offered himselfe a sufficient sacrifice for all the elect and is consecrated for euermore All Ministers must striue to serue Christ in those things which hee commends in the Ministers for they concerne all Ministers to the end of the world The Minister of Ephesus is commended for his workes his labour his patience his zeale that he cannot forbeare the euill but examines false Apostles findes them lyars and for suffring patiently for his name and not fainting for hating the workes of Seducers as the Nicholaitans Hee saith to the Angell of the Church of Smyrna I know thy workes and thy labour and pouerty but thou art rich He saith vnto the Angell of the Church of Pergamus I know thy workes and where thou dwellest euen where Sathans throne is and thou keepest my name and hast not denyed my faith when Antipas my faithfull Martyr was slaine amongst you He saith to the Angell of Thyatyra I know thy workes thy loue and seruice and faith patience and thy works are more at last then at the first If we follow these things vnto the end we shall ouercome then shall wee eat of the Tree of life in the midst of Paradice which is Christ wee shall eate the Manna that is hid which is the ioy of the holy Ghost and peace of conscience wee shall haue a white stone and a new name that wee are Christs written on it which none can read but them which haue it that is the Spirit shall assure vs that wee are Gods Children and none but our selues can know the assurance of our hope then shall we haue power to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron that is we shall ouercome the Diuell and sinne and his instruments and in the world to come breake them in pieces like a Potters vessell As Christ receiued the morning starre of his father so he will giue it vs that is the spirit of wisdome wee shall be clothed in white that is with his righteousnesse and not bee put out of the booke of life but Christ will confesse our names before his father and his Angells we shall be made pillars in the temple of God and goe out no more and wee shall haue the name of our God and the Citty of our God and Christs new name written vpon vs Christ will grant vs to sit in his throne as hee sits in his fathers throne In that the aduersaries vnto the truth vnto Gods Ministers are in the letter vnto the Smyrnians in that to Philadelphia called the synagogue of Sathan in the letter to Pergamus their dwelling is called the dwelling of Sathā the throne of Sathan and in the letter to Thiatyra their false doctrine is called the deepenesse of Sathan let all such know of whom they are and call to God for his grace in Christ that they may repent with Saint Paul and be translated from the power of Sathan into the Kingdome of Christ neither needs Gods Ministers and Children bee afraid of them their lies subtile practises or persecutions for he that is with vs is greater then he that is against vs. Likewise let all Gods Ministers and Children marke what things the Ministers are blamed for that they may be wary not to offend in the same Christ remembers the Angell of Ephesus that hee is fallen from the loue he had at the first belike because hee reaped vnthankfulnesse and ill will for his labour this must not discourage vs wee must looke for our reward of God and if wee had neuer so many afflictions they are not worthy of the great glory wee shall haue in Christ Christ threatneth him to come against him shortly and remoue his Candlesticke out of his place if he amend not and surely this want of loue was it that remoued all these Candlestickes out of their places and long time these places haue beene inhabited of Idolaters See what a many of commendable vertues euen of Christ himselfe the Minister of Ephesus had and lost the reward of them all by loosing his loue if hee did not amend Christ findes fault with the Angell of Pergamus for suffering the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicholaitans to be maintained there and threatneth to come against him for it this must make vs wary not to suffer false doctrines to bee maintained The Angell of Thiatyra is found fault with for suffering Iesabel to intise Christs seruants to sinne we must take heed of such Christ findes fault with the Angell of Sardis that hee had a name that he liued but he was dead let vs therefore examine our selues well whether wee liue in the spirit or be dead in any sinne and let vs awake and repent else Christ will come vpon vs suddenly and destroy vs. Christ findes fault with the Angell of Laodicea because hee was neither hot nor colde and threatens to spue him out and in that he boasted of his riches and trusted in them saying that hee lacked nothing and telleth him that hee was poore and councelleth him to buy heauenly treasure and that hee was blinde and willeth him to buy the eye salue of the spirit that he might see the riches of Christ and therefore for the want of Christs righteousnesse imputed vnto him was naked and miserable Christ telleth him that as many as hee hath he rebuketh and chasteneth and telleth him that he stands at the dore and knocks that is at the heart and if any heare and open hee will come in and suppe with him and he shall suppe with Christ that is Christ will reioyce to saue him and hee will reioyce that he is saued of Christ In that Christ from heauen stileth the seauen Ministers and in them all other Minsters
by the name of Angels it sheweth that he vseth them the onely meanes to call the elect to grace and it teacheth Ministers to looke to God and his word onely for their Doctrine and hearers to receiue the word preached as of God and not of man CHAP. 4. 5. NOw this Vision concerning the present estate of the seauen Churches being ended S. Iohn is taken vp into Heauen in the spirit to receaue a Reuelation from Heauen touching the whole affaires of the Church vnto the end of the world but this was likewise directed to the seauen Churches and therefore here the spirit is said to be seuen spirits Christ is said to haue seuen hornes that is his power in euery Church As St. Paul when hee was taken vppe into the third Heauen could not vtter that which hee saw and heard there so no doubt it was with St. Iohn but this vision was shewed him for our intelligence The things in summe which hee saw was the inspeakeable glory of God and Christ all Angells and Saints praising God for their saluation and hee saw Gods anger against the damned by the voyces thunders lightenings and earthquakes which hee saw in the vision God seemes to him like a King sitting in Parliament in his chaire of estate with a Raine-bow compassing him to glorifie him his face like a Iasper stone and a Sardine But the glory of God is the truth of his promises which is signified by the Raine-bow which was giuen to certifie vs of the truth of his promise that hee would neuer drowne the World againe and the face of the Lord is his louing kindnesse vnto his children in Christ which is signified in these most beautifull stones the Sardine and the Iasper The 24. Elders are the bookes of the law and the Prophets the foure Beasts are the foure Gospells these set forth his glory and declare the truth of his promises more then the Raine-bow and the brightnesse of his loue vnto his Children more then the Iasper and Sardine stones The Elders are cloathed in white to shew the purity of their doctrine they haue Crownes to shew how powerfull they are to conuince sin and error these and the beasts are about the throne because none come to God but by them they sit as Iudges because at the ende of the world all shall bee iudged by them These comforted Saint Iohn when he wept so will they all of vs if wee seeke comfort of them and if any bee ignorant of any thing touching their saluation they will certifie vs thereof One of the foure Beasts had the face of a Man this seemeth to bee Saint Mathew because the beginning and face of his Gospell declareth the generation of the humanity of Christ from Dauid The Beast like the Eagle signifieth Saint Iohn because he mounts like an Eagle into Heauen speaking of the Diuinity of Christ the other two are Marke and Luke one like a Lyon because hee speakes more largely of the resurrection of Christ wherein he rose like a Lion from death and conquered sinne death and hell the other was like a Calfe because hee spake more largely of the offering of Christ vpon the Crosse which was prefigured by the sacrifice of Calues in the old Law Their sixe wings a peece sheweth the speedy flying of the Gospell about the world In that they are full of eyes it sheweth that by the new Testament wee may see Christ more plainely then by the old there we see but the types of him heere wee see Christ himselfe In that Saint Iohn saw thousand thousands of Angells it sheweth what an innumerable number there be the office of these bee to preserue the faithfull in this world what need we then to feare The Angell interprets the waters where the Whore sitteth Reu. 17.14 to bee people so this glassie Sea before the throne signifies the soules of the faithfull so it doth in the beginning of the 14. Chapter The faithfull of the old Testament are called Heb. 12. so great a Cloud of witnesses signifying that there was as many of them as droppes of raine in a great cloud so the soules in Heauen are called a Sea to signifie vnto vs that there bee such a number as droppes of water in a Sea according to Gods promise vnto Abraham that his seed that is the faithfull should be so many in number as the sands on the Sea shore or the starres in the Element In that it is a glassie Sea though heere afflictions may tosse our mindes as the windes the waues yet as no winde can stirre a glassie Sea so all sorrow is parted from them nothing can disturbe their mindes but they alwayes reioyce in the Lord. In that this Sea is of glasse an intire substance it sheweth how the soules in Heauen be vnited together in loue reioysing euery one at anothers saluation as at their owne In that the Sea is like Christall it sheweth how holy they are neuer offending their louing God but are all crowned with Crownes of righteousnesse In that the Angells and they did especially reioyce when Christ obtained to open the seales to shew vs this Reuelation it declareth how dearly they loue the elect vpon earth and how profitable this Reuelation is to vs. CHAP. 6. IN that one of the foure Beasts calleth Saint Iohn vnto the opening of euery seale to see what followes and his voyce was as thunder it sheweth that the way to come to Christ and to obtaine any thing at his hand is to hearken vnto the Gospell and that it is as forcible to the heart as thunder to the eares The white Horse signifieth the Apostles Preachers of the Gospell anone vpon the sending of the holy Ghost the Rider is Christ his bow whereby hee conquers the preaching of the Gospell his Crowne sheweth that the Gospell so preuailed that it got him a Kingdome In that the Apostles are called Horses it sheweth their swiftnesse in publishing the Gospell that white Horse Saint Paul what a number of Countries did he plant the Gospell in Ioseph of Arimathia and Philip brought the Gospell into England Saint Paul in the tenth to the Romanes affirmeth that then the sound of the Gospell had gone through all the earth and into the ends of the World The red Horse signifies the idolatrous Emperours of Rome which raised the tenne persecutions against the Christians the rider was the Diuell prouoking them thereto for he had permission of God to take peace from the earth and to kill with the sword and he had a great sword giuen him which sheweth that the Diuell doth nothing vnto Gods children but by Gods permission the causes why God will suffer the Diuell to persecute his children are best knowne vnto his wisdome Nero Domitius caused the first Persecution He regarded neither sexe condition or age the streets were spred with dead bodies of Christians he indeuored vtterly to abolish the name of Christians and his Successors followed his steppes for
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