may be acceptable in the sight of God And anoint thine eyes with eye salve This is opposed to their fourth evil of blindnes Eye salve Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which physitians call the dregges wherout an oyntment is strayned helping the blearednesse of the eyes He commands them to aske of God the illumination of his spirit by which their darke harts may be inlightned and stirred up unto the true knowledge and love of God through faith that so seeing their owne miserie and Christs benefits they might cease to be blinde 19 As many as I love I rebuke This fift part of the narration or exhortation to repentance is mixed with comfort least that heavy foregoing sentence I will spue thee out of my mouth might have occasioned them to cast of all hope of pardon as thinking that now there was no more remedie for them But Christ teacheth them that this sharpe reproofe proceeds not from any hatred but from his love towards them and to the end that they might repent hee beeing herein like unto a father who more severely punisheth that childe whom he best loveth The words are taken out of Prov. 3.12 and againe repeated Heb. 12.5 where we have given the meaning of them Whom I love I rebuke As if he should say for thy good I rebuke thy hypocrisy and indeed there is great need thou shouldest be sharpely reproved that so I may shew how greatly I love thee And chasten For stubborne children must be kept downe by the rod. And therfore thou mayest not thinke by hypocrisy or lukewarmnes to escape the crosse Here we may note the difference between the afflictions of the godlie and of the wicked The godlie are chastised like children but the wicked are judged and condemned to hell This is the first reason of the following exhortation beeing as it were a token of his love towards them Be Zealous therefore and repent Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza be fervent he requireth fervencie and zeale of faith and sincerity in signe of true repentance for their former hypocrisie and lukewarmnes For he is said to be truely zealous who is fervent in that which is good Gal. 4.18 It may also be understood transitively that is be a Zealous follower of thy fellow teachers of Philadelphia Smyrna and others who walke faithfully before me Moreover seeing lukewarme hypocrites are here called upon to repent we are taught that no true repentance comes ever to late 20 Behold J stand at th◠doore and knock The other reason of his exhortation is taken from the effects of his love namely pardon and grace to all that repent before he recompared himself to a Marchant and Phisitian freely selling the marchandises and salves of salvation Here he likens himself to a rich way faring man entring in to them that open unto him and vouchsaving to feast with them By which allegory he testifyeth his philantropy as using al maner of wayes meanes for our salvation And this is the last part of the narration beeing a promise of pardon and grace directed not onely to these of Laodicea but unto all that hearken unto the heavenly vocation Behold this particle is added to stirre up our eares and hearts unto the more attention He saith not I come or I sit but I stand at the door hereby signifying his continuall presence and daylie care for our salvation I stand at the door like as a stranger who doth not presently goe away but if the door be not opened at his first knocking yet still standeth and knocketh untill the same be opened unto him The door here signifyes our heart which by nature is shut hard and stonie excluding God and Christ but in v. 8. it is taken in another signification as we have there shewed Now Christ knocketh and bids us open unto him diverse wayes 1. He knocketh outwardly by the preaching of the law threatning destructiō if we open not 2. By the preaching of the Gospel promising pardon of sin and all kind of heavenly blessing unto them that open unto him 3. By laying the crosse of afflictions on them that delay And lastly he knocks inwardlie by his spirit illuminating our blinde hearts and minds making us in some measure to see and know him who is life eternall and so openeth the door of our hearts by making us willing to receive and entertaine him Thus he opened the understanding of the Apostles Luk. 24.45 Act. 16 14 that they might understand the scriptures and the heart of Lydia that shee attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul If any man hear my voyce and open Having shewed by what means he outwardlie works our repentance and salvation he now comes to that which is to be don by us that is to hear and hearken unto his knock or call to open the door that he may enter in Outwardly we hear Christs knocking when we attend upon the word preached by his ministers and inwardlie when by faith we embrace the same We open unto him when we savingly applie the promises of the Gospel for then Christ with all his benefits enters into our hearts and dwelleth in us when by true obedience we consecrate our selves as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto him And in deed happie are they that thus worke out their owne salvation for Christ will not leave them but perfect that which he hath begun to their eternal comfort as here he promiseth I will come in to him and sup with him Now he sheweth what he will doe for them that hear his knocke to the end we might open the more willingly and readily unto him Three excellent mercies are here promised 1 He will come in to us 2 sup with us and 3 receive us to sup with him First he saith I will come in to him that is he will with the Father and holy Ghost dwell in our hearts by faith Io. 14.23 as it is written Jf any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Serm. 144. de Temp. A dignitie far greater then if an earthly king should be pleased to dwel with us and make our house his pallace Jt is more saith Austin to have Christ in the hart then in the house for our hart is nearer to us then our house Hence we are called the temples of God and of the holie Ghost and of Christ who by his spirit dwelleth in us XXV Argument of Chr. Deity and wee in him Which againe clearely proveth the Godhead of Christ And I will sup with him This is a second benefit Christ sups with us when by faith he makes us partakers of the word and sacraments takes away our sins covers our infirmities and meekly stoopes to our weake capasitie As when some great monarch comes into the cottage of a poor man How Christ is said to sup with us not disdaining to sup with him
persecutions yet the Gospell was spread with happie successe far and neere But I rather extend it to the whole time in which Christ by the successors of the Apostles namelie many syncere Bishops and faithfull teachers victoriously set up his kingdome throughout the whole Romane Empire not withstanding the tyrannie of persecutors the wickednesse of hereticks and Apostates untill by little and little the Church decayed in this her puritie And this I take containes the space of almost six hundred years The white horse therefore first comming out of the seales is the primitive Church white and bright in puritie of doctrine and discipline The Apostles were like horses running strongly and with great speed propagating the faith of Christ in the whole earth as their Acts and Epistles testifie after them God raised up Apostolicall men Bishops teachers and Fathers both Greek Latine who firmlie maintained propagated the purity of doctrine delivered unto them against tyrants apostates and hypocrites untill the time of Gregorie the first although even before his dayes the whitenesse of this horse was somwhat changed black spots began to appeare that is corruptions in doctrine discipline and worship The which Egesippus in Eusebius complaines of in these words Lib 3. hist cap. 32. that soon after the death of the Apostles and them which had received the word at their mouth the Church remained not long a pure and unspotted virgine notwitstanding the godly held the foundation of faith and salvation entire viz. Christ the head And he which sate on him This rider is Christ He that sate on the white horse is Christ Act. 9.15 see Chap. 19.11 This rider was caried to and fro in the ministerie of the Apostles and other faithfull pastors and teachers who suffered for the truth this metaphor Christ himselfe useth to Ananias concerning Paul he is a chosen vessell unto me to beare my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel On these Christ rode gloriously entring through their sincere preaching into the verie hart of the faithfull propagating and defending his owne kingdome according to that of the Psalmist And in thy comely honour prosper Psal 45.4 ride on word of truth and of meeknes of justice And he had a bow Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a bow arrowes and somtimes a quiver The word of God is Christ bow The Law and Gospell is Christ bow from whence he sends forth arrowes that is the efficacie of his spirit wounding the harts and minds of the Elect that he may heale and restore them to life but to terrifie and kill the wicked as it is in the same Psalm thy arrowes are sharp peoples shall fall under thee in the hart of the kings enemies And a crowne was given unto him to wit Christs crowne a regal crowne For he is a king crowned with glorie and honour at the right hand of God in the heavens or rather a crowne of triumph because it followeth And he went forth conquering and to conquer The doubling of the words notes his present and future victorie His victory By his death he overcame sin and by his resurrection death hell and satan yea the world also according as he saith in the Gospel be of good cheere Ioh. 16.33 I have overcome the world This is the first victorie with which he went forth conquering It is true indeed he was crucified as he was meere man but he lived againe and overcame by the power of his Godhead Now he went forth to overcome the world and the tyrants thereof diverse wayes His second victorie was in converting the gentiles by the preaching of the Apostles for in that he drew all nations and brought them unto the faith of the Gospel he conquered the world And tyrants in his Apostles confessours martyrs convincing them by the power of the truth For the death of the martyrs is Christs victory seeing in their blood the truth was sealed and the Church propagated The destruction of tyrants was Christs victorie As Julian the apostate blaspheming in his extreme madnesse confessed Thou hast overcome O Galilean Christ overcame when Nero Domitian Diocletian Trajan Maximinus Lycinius Valens and others who had put to death many thousands of Christians thinking thereby to take away the name of Christ were destroyed and brought to miserable perdition while Christ raigned and his Church increased Christ went forth as a conquerour when by the preaching of the Gospel the Idol gods of the gentiles were rejected their worship and temples abolished and overthrowen all men beeing drawen after Christ He overcame when the swarmes of hereticks as Valentinus Basilides Praxeas Manes Martion Photinus Samosatenus and other most bitter enemies of Christ were beaten downe overcome and destroyed by the sword of the spirit To be short Christ overcame when all the East and Westerne Churches were in danger to perish and come to nothing by the pestilent doctrine of Arius two sound ministers beeing then hardlie found in the whole Christian world no not in Rome except Paulinus Hilarius and Athanasius And indeed he that would understand the victories of Christ here intimated must have as in a table before his eyes the histories of the Apostles and the Churches after them written by Irenaeus Clemens Tertullian Eusebius Hierom Theodoret Socrates Sozomenus Evagrius Nicephorus and others for no better commentarie then their histories can be given upon the opening of the first seale And herein I thinke not to passe this by in silence we are more happie then Iohn himself for those events which he saw a far of in types we now by the helpe of former histories and our own experience doe clearely see them written out livelie expressed before our eyes And thus much concerning the first seale Now here perhaps a question will be moved seeing Christ is the Lamb opening the booke how also he can be sayd to goe forth out of the seale For the answere hereof we are to minde what I have already spoken viz. that oftentimes one and the same thing is represented in differing types in a diverse respect Now as Christ sits reignes gloriously with the Father and holy Spirit as God so he is the Lion of the tribe of Iudah beeing the offpring of Iudah according to the flesh He is the immaculate Lamb as he is man and as he was slaine and put to death for us He stands in the midst of the Throne as he is the mediatour he opens the booke and the seales as he is the chiefe Prophet and teacher of the Church the revealer and author of all heavenlie doctrine And to be short he also sits on the white horse as king and conquerour propagating his kingdome by the preaching of his word through the whole earth by which also he reigneth even unto this day in the midst of his enemies Psa 110.2 The opening of the second seale The red horse and his rider having a
of Gods providence namely his vertue charity justice wisdom patience threatnings and wrath Which is a mysterie bringing along with it an inconvenience which he desireth to avoid for he makes question whither sound divinitie wil admit that grace and peace be asked from the seven vertues rather then from the seven created angels yea how grace and peace can be prayed for from menacings and wrath so he And from Jesus Christ In that he wisheth grace and peace from Christ in the the third and last place is neither against the former exposition nor any way derogateth from the dignity of Christ for as the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.14 doth not derogate from the order of the persons in the trinitie though he put Christ in the first place so here our Apostle for waighty causes sets downe the holy Ghost before Christ because he treateth of him not simply as being the son of God but also as he is the mediatour redeemer and revealer of this prophesie Notwithstanding great reason it is that he should pray for grace and peace from Christ Ephes 2.14 because it cometh by him Iohn 1.17 and he is our peace Who is the faithfull witnesse The following titles are so many reasons wherefore grace and peace is prayed for from Christ and they set forth as hath been shewed in the analysis both his threefold office with the benefit thereof as also declare his eternall Godhead The first title respects his propheticall office that faithfull witnesse which seemeth to be taken from Psal 89.38 witnesse because he hath brought forth out of the bosome of his father the testimonie that is the glad tydings of the redemption of man through his death and from heaven hath opened to us the true knowledge of God and way of salvation faithfull Because he not onely confirmed the heavenly truth by preaching by miracles meekly calling of sinners to repentance to the faith of the Gospel but also sealed the same by suffering on the crosse and by instituting the ministry he gave to the churches Apostles prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers who perpetually should be his witnesses Eph. 4.12 preach the Gospell to after ages for the perfecting of the saincts for the edifying of the body of Christ according to these scriptures Ioh. 17 6. I have manifested thy name to the men thou gavest me out of the world and 18 37. For this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnes unto the truth Io. 1.18 the son which is in the bosome of the father he hath revealed God unto us Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession The father and holy Ghost are also said to be witnesses 1. Io. 5.7 Ioh. 5.37 there are three that bear record in heaven the father the word and the holy Ghost The father saith Christ himself hath borne witnes of me And of the holy Ghost he saith when the comforter is come c. He shall testifie of mee the Apostles are called witnesses Act. 1.18 And Antipas Rev 2.12 and two witnesses are mentioned called Martyrs for sheadding of their blood for the testimonie of Christ Revel 11.3 But Christ onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of prerogative is called that faithfull witnesse because he first brought with him the witnesse of the truth downe from heaven he first and he onely hath shead his blood for his owne testimonie whereas all other martyrs suffered not for their owne but for the testimonie of Jesus Christ Yea also the witnesse which the father and the holy Ghost gave of him was declared by himself and therefore Christ as by a speciall and proper right is called the faithfull witnes that is the true and constant revealer of the doctrine of our salvation whoever therefore hearkens not to him Deuteron 18.19 can not be saved but who so heareth him shall have life eternall This also confirmeth the authoritie of the revelation because it was revealed to John by Jesus Christ that faithfull witnesse who can notly nor deceive therefore this booke is trulie divine and we may safely trust and beleeve all things contained in it It serveth also to instruct us that if Christ onely be the true witnesse then those are not to be heard but avoyded as Liars which teach the Church such things as dissent from the testimonie of Christ It may also comfort us because Christ the faithfull witnesse will not forsake them who suffer for the cause of his truth but will at length reward them faithfully according to his promise The first begotten of the dead This title concernes Christ his priestly office who died for our sins and was raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 For the word dead shewes that he died and being the first begotten of the dead it teacheth us that he was raysed from the dead And the whole scripture testifies that the end and use of his death and resurrection was not a bare witnesse as Socinus blasphemeth but chiefly a propitiation to purge us from our sins and to justifie us before God Paul calleth him likewise the first begotten of the dead 1 Collo 1.18 1 Corinth 15.20 and sheweth that Christ is become the first fruits of them that sleep But how can Christ be the first fruits of the dead seeing the scriptures testifie that Elias and Elisha raysed up two persons from the dead before the time of Christs manifestation in the flesh Lazarus also with the widows son and Centurions servant were restored from death to life Answer First Christ is the first begotten or first fruites of the dead because he was the first that raysed up himself from the dead by his owne power whereas all before Christ were raysed not by their owne power but Christs alone Secondly Christ was raysed up to an immortall life not to dy any more but the other to an earthly life and became subject to death again He is said to be the first begotten or the first that did rise again Matt. 19.28 Act. 13.13 Rom. 1 4. because the resurrection is a kinde of new birth and so Christ calleth the last resurrection a regeneration And Paul applieth that in Psal 2. of the father eternally begetting the son to his resurrection from the dead and hence he is declared to be the eternall and omnipotent son of God This should greatly comfort us that though we are borne and brought forth in a corruptible condition yet when we rise again we shall be regenerated unto a state incorruptible even while we are in this life we are regenerated but it is spiritually onely and in part but when we shall by the spirit of God be restored to eternall life then we shall be regenerated both corporally and fully to wit when our mortall bodies shall be made conformable to the glorious body of Christ let us not fear therefore though we should suffer death for the testimony of Christ because he who is the first begotten of the dead
the seven eares are seven years with many the like places hence it is said that rock was Christ the Apostle saith not the rock signifies Christ but as if he were that indeed which in substance he was not but by signification onely In like maner the candlesticks are called the churches and the starres are said to be Angels the bread in the Lords supper the body of Christ not in substance but in regard of their analogie and signification For Christ doubted not to say Chap. 12. cont Adrm Dist 1. de consec this is my body when he gave the signe of his body saith the same Austine and more clearly the bread is the body of Christ not in the truth of the thing but by a mysticall signification The Argument Analysis parts of the second Chapter CHrist walking in the middest of the Candlesticks delivers to Iohn the seven Epistles to be sent to the seven ministers of the Churches of Asia commanding him to commend the diligence of some to reproove the negligence of others and in the rast place by promises and threatnings to exhort all of them to their duty and constancy therein so also he is commanded to write those things which he had seen and which were and which should come to passe by which threefold distinction Christ in the former Chapter declared in generall the arguments of these Epistles For in commanding Iohn to write those things which he had seen he was to declare the glorious vision of Christ unto the Churches that so they might receive the writing with reverence and due respect In bidding him to write those things which were it shewes how he was to manifest the qualification of the Churches and Teachers and whatsoever was either good or evil in every one of them that so they might perceive how Christ our Lord taketh notice of all our actions And lastly in bidding him to write those things which should come after Iohn was to propound to the godly a promised reward and to the wicked judgement to come that all might acknowledge Christ to be the glorious just and omnipotent judge of the world But it is better to extend the three forenamed heads to the whole revelation To return to the Epistles they are all exhortatory and not much differing in matter one from the other The sixt to the Church of Philadelphia seemeth to be the excellentest next to which is that unto Smyrna But the seventh unto Laodicea is the sharpest A common inscription is prefixed before all taken from the foregoing glorious form of Christ A generall Epiphonema is added in the conclusion provokeing them to attention by a speciall promise by which is understood the end of that glorious and magnificent apparition of Christ This Chapter doth contain the first fower Epistles namely to the pastours of the Churches of Ephesus Smyrna Philadelphia and Thiatyra The common argument of the Epistles And therefore the Chapter hath fower parts The Analysis of them all is plain and almost one and the same For they consist of a Preface Narration Exhortation and acclamation of promises annexed or that I may speak more plainly they contain three things First A description of Christ the author of the Epistles Secondly The praise or dispraise of each Angel Thirdly Good things are promised to those that overcome and destruction to such as fall away The first Epistle to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus 1 Vnto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write These things saith hee that holdeth the seven starres in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks 2 I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience how thou canst not bear them which are evill and thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast sound them liars 3 And hast borne and hast patience and for my Names sake hast laboured and hast not fainted 4 Neverthelesse I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlesticks out of his place except thou repent 6 But this thou hast that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate 7 Hee that hath an ear let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches To him that ouercommeth will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God THE COMMENTARIE VNto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus So he calleth the pastor of the Church for they are Gods ambassadors to the church A messenger is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one sent which properly is the name of those heavenly spirits which doe the commandements of the Lord. With this title Christ here honoreth the pastors of the Churches yet not so much to commend their dignity as to set forth the weightinesse of their spirituall function Heb. 2 14 It is the honour of the Angels that they are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of falvation Wherefore the Angels of Churches ought not to be puffed up because of this dignity but faithfully to demit themselves to their pastorall ministries Moreover touching these Epistles they concerne not the pastors alone but also as appeareth by their conclusions all the Churches it being usuall that such things as were to come to the whole were directed to the pastors and by them afterwards to be brought unto the congregation The Church of Ephesus He is commanded in the first place to write to this Church either because it lay neerest Patmos as Abraham Ortelius in his ancient description of Grecia sheweth or els for the eminency greatnesse thereof being better knowen unto Iohn then the rest Whither Timothy were then Bishop of Ephesus Histories mention not who at this time was the Angel of that church not indeed doth Christ name him to the end it might appear that he had not respect so much to any one particular teacher as to all others which should succeed Some thinke that it was Timothy the disciple of Paul but it is not probable that Timothie so much commended by Paul in his Epistles should lye under so heavy a censure besides it is a received opinion Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus that Timothie suffered martyrdome before the time of Iohns exile But if it were hee as Alcasar maintaineth against Lyra Ribera and Pererius it is an example of the general rule that sometime the verie best doe faile admonishing us of our infirmity and whereunto the saints are subject Again it serves to stirre up all teachers to care and vigilancy But now whither the fault in this Bishop for which Christ threatneth destruction be not mortal but venial as Aleasar pretendeth let himselfe look to it Write Christ tels Iohn word for word what he should write
and is not communicable to any creature no not unto the Angels Which further confirmeth the X. and XVIII argument before mentioned Secondly we are taught that all who professe the truth and make a shew of holines are not truely faithful and regenerate persons but many of them are hypocrites and deceivers as being farre otherwise then they are accounted of for hypocrisie is an outward shew of inward holinesse or a profession of faith with the mouth beeing in the mean time destitute thereof in the heart And hence we may conclude that a bare profession argues not true faith as the patrones of hypocrites affirme whereby they oftentimes delude themselves others Act. 8.13 Simon Magus is said to beleeve Therfore say they some who professe have true faith may fall away and perish But this place shewes us that many are inwardly dead who outwardly seem to be alive being with Ananias the hie Priest whyted walls Act 23.3 Matt. 23.27 Mat. 8.22 1 Tim. 5.6 with the Pharises painted sepulchres spiritually dead as Christ spake to the yong man let the dead burie the dead And Paul speaketh of some wanton widowes who are dead while they live yea all men considered in their natural condition are dead in trespasses and sinnes To be short many have faith without love which is dead a faith which the Devils also have Thus we se in scripture how they are said not onely to be dead who are deprived of naturall life but also not beeing regenerated to a spirituall or who are sincere in appearance onely and not in truth Let us therfore take notice that all are not godly who seem so to be neyther shall all they who say Lord Lord enter into the kingdome of God for the Church consisteth of a mixture of saintes and hypocrites and this difference is not onely in the laitie but chiefly in the Clergie as they call it that is many who in sheeps cloathing seem to be true Pastors teachers are in truth but mercenarie wolves and howsoever these may deceive men yet Christ knowes them And therfore let not the Bishops of Antichrist thinke to blinde the eyes of Christ with their titles mitres and royal robes The consideration of this informeth us in the first place of the divers condition of the Church in this world For many are called to be members of the Church whereof some are good others bad some saintes others hypocrites like as the net takes in al manner of fishes But howsoever the faintes elected are not knowen of men yet God Christ doe discerne them For the Lord knoweth who are his Therefore let every one try and examine himself whether he be dead or alive for hypocrites deceive not God but man their owne soules Wherfore let us shun hypocrisie even as a pest remembring what Ambrose admonisheth not to rest contented with a bare name in the mean while to be greevously guilty or with the hight of honour while we abound in sins or with a profession of Godlinesse while our actions are devilish For otherwise we should onely have a name to live when in deed we are but dead Lastly observe that the efficacie of the ministry doth not depend upon the goodnes of the minister For God doth sometime vivifie and governe his Church by dead officers as we have here an example which serves to confute the Donalists and Popish Sophisters who maintaine that there was not any Church of the elect untill the time of Luther in the Papacie but themselves except we wil acknowledge their Bishops for other there were none to have been approved of by the Lord. 2. Bee watchfull The second part of the narration is an exhortation admonishing the Angel in Sardis of divers things to the end he might purge himself from the crime of hypocrisie and withal he is threatned to be punished except he doe repent First he is commanded to shake of that hypocritical drowsines into which he was fallen Be watchful that is stirre thy self up for he is not onely required to be more faithfull and careful over the Church then formerly he had been but also called upon as it were to live againe for so faith Christ but thou art dead Now death in scripture is frequently compared to a sleep so that this place and that of the Apostle speaking unto men fallen into a deep sleep of sin is of the like interpretation Ephe. 14 A wake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Not as if wee could of our selves arise from the death of sin for this is a worke of Grace but because the Lord by his precept powerfully worketh in us that which he requireth of us and by the operation of his owne spirit rayseth us up beeing asleep in sin unto newnes of life And strengthen the things Or rather strengthen the rest that is such dying members of the Church as are committed unto thy charge who because of thy negligence decay both in faith and holinesse For it is no wonder that a Church should fal into a deadnesse and securitie while the officers therof are asleep Christ therfore commâ—ndeth him to strengthen them that is to labour by a holie life and doctrine to bring them againe into the way of life That are ready to dy in Gre. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that shall dy that is which are near unto death like as in Luk. 7.2 it is said of the centurions servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he should dy that is was ready to dy So these here were near unto death though not altogither dead and therfore the Pastor is exhorted carefully and speedily to put to his helping hand for their recoverie This care the Apostle recommendeth unto all the faithful Rom. 14.2 namely to receive them that are weake in the faith And therfore it is a speciall dutie of the ministers of God who are spirituall physitians to applie to Christs weaklings the holesome medicines of Gods word 1 Tim. 2.9 for otherwise God saith unto them by the prophet forasmuch as ye have not strengthened the diseased Ezec. 34.4 nor healed that which was sick nor bound up that which was broken nor sought that which was lost c. Behold I am against the shepheards and I will require my flock at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding my flock Montanus reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which thou art ready to lose that is destroy by thy negligence which is a more heavie expression For I have not found thy workes perfect These words containe a reason wherfore God requires him to be watchfull But it may seem that this reproofe is not equal just 1 Cor. 13.9 considering that no mans workes on earth are perfect before God if he should enter into Iudgment with us for we know but in part we prophesie in part and there is not a just man on earth that doth good Eccle. 7.20 and
sinneth not I answer Christ speakes not here of the common infirmities of the saintes but accuseth this Bishop for his notable hypocrisie and condemnes him not for not beeing fully and absolutely perfect but because he found him not upright in his wayes before him for he was onelie an eye servant outwardly shewing a Zeal to pietie and in the mean-while secretlie a selfe-seeker and one who fulfilled his owne lust not at all caring what became of his flock Now forasmuch as Christ knew this his close and wicked deceit it proves againe that he searcheth the heart so is true God se arguments X and XVIII Before God Montanus Arethas and the old version read it before my God hence some hereticks thus reason If Christ have a God then he is not God himself I answer all other copies read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before God and it seemeth that these by some oversight here added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my taking it from v. 12. But be it granted Io. 20.17 that the text should so be read yet it helpes them not for Christ as he is man hath a God I ascend to my God and to your God now howsoever in this respect he is not God yet as he is the Sonne he is true God and life eternal and coessential with the Father But here we se how manie things approved of by men are indeed verie vile before God who sees all things with eyes of flaming fire Blessed therfore is he Rom. 2.29 who approveth himself sincere not before men onely but especiallie before the Lord. Remember therfore how thou hast received How that is what In the third place he is exhorted to be mindful of the faith delivered and committed to him by the Apostles to preserve the puritie therof in the Church and leave it incorrupt to posteritie For it seemeth that this Bishop was unmindful of the trust committed unto him and named aside from the holie doctrine and way of the Lord. But all our Bishops forsooth and especiallie the Romish are altogether infallible yea incorrigible because unto them alone and not to any other belongeth that promise The spirit shall lead you into all truth Here we are taught that the onely way to redresse the corruptions both of life and doctrine is to have recourse to the rule of Gods word and to set it alwayes before our eyes Thus Paul reproving the Corrinthians for their abuse about the Lords supper 1. Cor. 11.23 cals them back to the first institution therof Cyprian writing to Pompie against the Epistle of Stephen Bishop of Rome illustrates the matter by an excellent similitude If saith he the conduites which before did plentifullie afforde water to the citie should suddenly be stopt would they not go to the fountaine there to take notice of the defect whither the fountaine were dried up or the conduites stopped or the water drawen some other way that so the conduit pipes being mended the citie may enioy the former benefit of the water Even so it becommeth Gods ministers when the truth of God in any thing hath been changed men have been unconstant therin to returne to the first original and Apostolical tradition that the reason of our actions may flow from whence they had their first spring and original And repent The last and chiefest thing required in him is repentance that is to forsake his hypocrisie and sincerely to performe the dutie of his place For then indeed we repent when leaving our evil wayes we order our steps aright and seriously turne to the Lord the which I confesse is not in our owne power to doe but God gratiously effecteth the thing which he commandeth in whomsoever he pleaseth Howbeit they are inexcusable in whom he worketh it not because they willingly disobey the commandement But it may be objected they cannot doe it of themselves It is true indeed but from whence doth this arise for have they not of their owne accord brought this inabilitie uppon themselves and also by a voluntarie obstinacie augmented it wherby they have made themselves inexcusable and self guiltie before God If therfore thou shalt not watch That he might be the more awakened Christ adds to the exhortation a sharpe commination threatning him except he be watchfull to come on him as a thiefe that is suddenlie and unawares to take vengeance on him for his hypocrisie by some horrible Iudgment On thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon thee or to thee not in a good sence as that saying thy king coâ—â—eth to thee to wit for thy good but in an evil sence that is to thy destruction and therfore Beza more significantly renders it Against thee Thus Christ also speakes of himself Mat. 24.43 and Reve. 16.15 Behold J come as a thiefe blessed is he that watcheth c. so Paul 1 Thes 25. which comparison as it is not dishonorable unto Christ in using it so doth it no way countenance or alow thievish courses for the similitude respects not the evil practice of theeves but their sudden breaking and entring in upon men while they sleep securely Math. 24.43 and thus the Lord himself expoundeth it but know this that if the good man of the house c. so here And thou shalt not know what houre J wil come upon thee to wit to inflict punishment on thee for thy securitie Ribera understands it of death when thou least thinkest of it thou shalt dy and be called to judgment The use Christ shewes in the place before cited Therfore be ye also ready for in such an houre as you thinke not the Son of man commeth 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis The third part of the narration is a commendation of some that were faithful in this Church For howbeit through the negligence of the Pastor most of them were dead or ready to dy yet the Lord stil reserved some unto himself who were upright according as he is accustomed to doe even in such Churches as are most corrupt For example when the ten tribes were fallen away and had publickly set up the idolatrous worship of their Calves and Baal and withall so oppressed the godlie as that Elias verelie thought that al the Lords prophets except himself had been slaine by the sword yet even then God had left unto himself seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal 1 King 19 18. Rom. 11.4 In Pauls time the whole nation of the Iewes seemed to be rejected and destitute of the grace of Christ yet at that present time there was a remnant according to the election of Grace as the Apostle sheweth The like may be said touching the papacie for though in many ages togither both the grace of Christ and his true Church hath been as it were trampled under foot and the same overspread with horrible idolatrie in all kinds yet as the histories of the martyrs doe witnesse the Lord had some few names among them continually who resisted
are allegorically to be understod Lyras opinion rejected that this vermine is not to bee understood properly but mystically of the troopes of most hurtfull enemies Who they bee it is hard to define saith Ribera And so it is because as Papists so also our interpreters are of diverse opinions about them Lyra interprets it of the Vandales Gothes and Hunnes most cruell enemies of the Church who beeing infected with the Arian pest spread themselves by mighty troopes in the East and in Africa and like devouring Locusts miserably afflicted the Christian world This opinion seems probable to Tossanus although he follow it not Ribera also understands it of cruell and Barbarous men afflicting the Church Riberaes opinion such as were of old the Gothes and Vandales But their description here seems not fitly to agree to these natione For these Locusts are raised and spread over the earth by the key of the Apostaticall Star that is by Antichrists power they come out of the bottomlesse pit but Antichrist did neither raise up nor send forth the Vandales Gothes unlesse it were by accident that is as occasioning by his idolatrie the Lord to punish men by these adversaries besides they did not torment but miserably murther many not the wicked alone but the godly also this not for five monthes but many yeeres together Junius interprets it of evill spirits molesting the world Iunius interpretation but the description little agrees therewith besides it was needlesse that any such thing should be typed out unto Iohn seeing it is well knowen to all that they never cease troubling and tempting the sons of men Moreover sensible events are undoubtedly here signified as working upon mens sences Whereas the evil spirits doe insensiblie rage and hurt the world Gagnaeus and some others with whom our Tossanus agrees apply it to the swarme of hereticks Gagnaeus opinion which in Constantines time and after with a mighty force prepared the way for Antichrist For those hereticks beeing come forth from the hellish smoake of arrogancie and presumption like Locusts far and wide devoured the pastures of the Church Now howsoever these things are true in themselves Yet as Ribera wel observeth the locusts here spoken of may not be understood of hereticks because that which followes in vers 5. seems not to agree unto them It was given that they should not kill them but that they should be tormented Now hereticks torment not their disciples and favourers but such as are sound in the faith who have the seale of God whereas the locusts are commanded not to torment those which have the seale of God in their foreheads to which we may also adde that the state of hereticks was before described in the third fourth trumpet as also in Chap. 6. at the opening of the third and fourth seale whereas it is manifest that here the rising and kingdome of Antichrist is prefigured I therefore leaving all these doe in this ascent unto the Ecclesiasticall Glosse to the Glosse also of Illyricus and Bullinger who following Bede and Anonymus understand by these Locusts the disciples of Antichrist The application of the Locusts to Antichrists disciples vindicated that is the innumerable troope of the Popish clergie neyther is there any weight in what is objected to the contrarie First they say that Antichrists kingdom is described hereafter in Chap. 13. Now howsoever this be true yet is it not a sufficient ground to prove the thing they bring it for For as it is both there and here described so also as we have shewed it was before prefigured in the second vision at the opening of the sixt seale yea it shall be also againe described in the fift sixt visions For in every one of these prophetical visions the same is repeated and more clearly illustrated Secondly they object that these Locusts shall onely rage for the space of five monthes whereas the power of the Romish clergie hath already continued much longer But neyther is this to the purpose For the time of five monthes is not here precisely to be understood according to the letter for in this sence it would as little agree with the Vandals and hereticks whose time of rage cruelty lasted many yeeres But the words allude to that space of time in which the Locusts are in their chiefe vigour strength as we shall heare hereafter Thirdly they object that the power given to the Locusts is not over the servants of God but them that were not sealed Wheras Antichrist hath power over the sealed ones for he shall kill the witnesses of the truth But it is one thing to kill and another thing to hurt He shall indeed kill the two witnesses yet not hurt them for the spirit of life from God shall enter into them Chap. 11. vers 11. therefore properly he onely shall hurt them that are not sealed by seducing and leading them to destruction 2 Thess 2.10 Lastly they object that the Locusts had power grievously to torment men the which say they cannot be truly said of them in the Papacy who have lived in all kinde of carnal licenciousnesse But we are to distinguish betwixt the outward condition of the flesh and the inward state of the conscience Outwardly indeed idolaters rejoyce greatly abound in all pleasures But inwardly when conscience comes to worke they feel secret torments because seeking life and salvation out of Christ they never finde any rest for their soules but are tormented with perpetuall anguish feare and torture of hell or purgatorie of which more hereafter Notwithstanding therefore all the foresaid objections we understand by the Locusts the Romish clergie unto whom the whole description all the effects therof doe fitly agree I. The Locusts remaine skipping on the ground and fly not up into the aire Application of the Locusts to the Romish clergie So this wicked clergie savours nothing but earthly things seekes only after them and not the things that are above II. The Locusts goe forth in great troopes so in the Papacy there are seen innumerable swarmes of religions orders in so much that one of their Generals as Sabellicus recordeth promised sometime unto the Pope to send a compleate armie of thirtie thousand souldiers consisting onely of Franciscane Friers to warre against the Turks without any interruption of divine service unto their cloisters III. The Locusts sing and skippe in summer and delight in ease What doth this sinfull clergie But perpetually sing dance and delight in pride and luxuriousnesse beeing in the meane time serviceable neither to God or men IV. The Locusts though but litle yet are gorbellied creatures fall upon consume and destroy most pleasant feilds gardens The false Romish clergie loves to bee in the greatest and chiefest cities possesse the pleasantest vallies insinuate themselves into great mens favour families spoile devoure widowes howses build their cloisters colleges and palaces in places most commodious gather infinite
4. 3. From the efficacie and authority of their office v. 5. 6. II. Their warre with the beast where 1. we have the description of the beast his hostile invasion and victorie ver 7. 2. The martyrdome of the prophets and place of reproach v. 7. 8. 9. 3. The joyes of the wicked for the slaughter of the prophets with the cause of this their great rejoycing vers 10. III. The avengement of the prophets where 1. we have their restoring to life vers 11. 2. The astonishment feare of the wicked ibid. 3. Their glorious ascending up into heaven v. 12. 4. The shaking and ruin of Antichrists kingdome IV. An acclamatory conclusion of the end of the Churches calamities of judgement at hand v. 14. The latter part the seventh trumpet sounding declares the change of the Churches warfare in three particulars 1. An heavenly triumph because the kingdomes of the world were become Gods and Christs ver 15. 2. A triumphant song of the first companie viz. of the four and twenty Elders whose reverend cariage gratulatorie hymne is recited in which 1. they give thankes to Christ for freeing his Church and kingdom from the tyrannie of the adversaries v. 17. 2. They declare the vain fretting wrath of the wicked hereat v. 18. 3. They proclaime the resurrection of the dead with the last judgement ibid. 4. They denounce rewards unto the godly and punishment unto the wicked ibid. The excecution of judgement on the godly ungodly To the godly heaven is opened that they might see Iesus Christ the Ark upon the wicked are sent lightnings thunders eternal haile The first part of the Chapter Of the reformation of the Church by the two witnesses under the Westerne Antichrist 1. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod and the Angel stood saying Rife and measure the Temple of God the Altar them that worship therein 2. But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles the holy City shall they tread under foot fourtie and two moneths 3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes clothed in sakcloth 4. These are the two Olive trees and the two candlestickes standing before the God of the earth 5. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies if any man will hurt them he must in this manner be killed 6. These have power to shut heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecie and have power over waters to turne them to blood and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shal make warre against them shall overcome them and kill them 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified 9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues nations shall see their dead bodies three dayes and an halfe shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth 11. And after three dayes and an halfe the Spirit of life from God entred into them they stood upon their feete great feare fell upon them which saw them THE COMMENTARIE ANd there was given mee a reed This is a generall prophesie touching the restoring of the Church beeing declyned under Antichrist Before Iohn was commanded againe to prophesie But now to measure the temple of God with a measuring reed that is to prophesie of the measuring of the temple of God which should be afterwards in the times of Antichrist The measuring of the temple is the reformation of the Church The measuring of the temple signifies the building repairing thereof as appeares if this prophesie bee compared with that in Ezech. 40.41 c. unto which this place doth allude The Temple of God signifies the Church as almost all interpreters both ancient moderne understand it and indeed the words here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temple of God are so taken 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Cor. 6.16 2 Thess 2.4 They who apply this to the temple of Jerusalem are refuted by the time it self for when these things were spoken unto John that temple with the city beeing utterly destroyed was never any more to be restored Lyra Lyras frivolous interpretation doting as his manner is applies it to the festivitie of the dedication of temples instituted by Pope Felix about the yeere 525. at which time the Bishop holding in his hand a sprinckling reed goes about the outward walles of the temple as if he were to measure the same and within on the floore from one corner thereof unto another he thwartwise writes downe the letters of the Greek alphabet and so measures the space within The words therefore Rise and measure he will have to be meant of Pope Felix speaking to every Bishop about the dedication of temples the court leave out or cast forth because masse may not be celebrated except the place be consecrated But I passe by these fopperies For Ribera and Alcasar themselves acknowledge that the Temple here signifies the Church of God Now let us see what instrument hee is to use what to doe with it wherefore and when First hee shewes the instrument A reed like unto a rod was given mee to wit by the Angel who before commanded him to eat up the booke and againe prophesie that is by Christ Ribera wel observeth that it was not a writing pen but a measuring reed because it is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like to a rod that is a great measuring staffe with which Architects use to mete plats of ground and buildings a measure of six cubites and a handbreth Ezech. 40.5 The Rod wherewith the Church is measured What is meant by the measuring rod of the Church is nothing else but the word of God the most perfect rule of faith and Church discipline Rupertus acknowledgeth it to be the authoritie of the Evangelical scripture So that this reed is indeed the same little booke which Christ gave unto John to eat it up the which is here againe delivered to him under the type of a reed or rule in regard of the measuring worke here enjoyned Thus also my Anonymus above 260 yeeres agoe The rod saith he is the sense of the scripture because as a rod of diverse colours it chastiseth sinners Rise and measure the Temple of God First he must measure the Temple Altar Worshippers therein Secondly leave or cast forth the inward court The reading of both is somewhat
under foot the two witnesses shall prophesie because during Antchrists reign Christ shall never want two witnesses least he might seem to be overcome and thrust out of his possession by Antichrist now without al doubt this is the safest opinion sufficeth for the consolation of the godlie If thou demand what is the reason of the change of moneths into dayes Why the moneths are changed into dayes We have nothing here to answer precisely except that the same time the same thing is set forth by diverse expressions as it is familiar with the prophets By two dreames God signified the same thing unto Pharaoh so generally throughout this whole prophesie the same events are prefigured by diverse types Notwithstanding it is not a misse to observe as some have done that the lesser number is attributed to the treading down to denote the shortnes of afflictions the greater to the witnesses to signifie the during and invincible power of the Gospel both which serve to comfort the godly Furthermore what we said before concerning the 42 moneths seems here againe to bee repeated of the 1260 dayes it may be to the end that the time both of the moneths and dayes might hereby be defined For why should the spirit of God rather attribute 42 moneths unto Antichrists treading down then 10 20 60 or 100 and why should 1260 dayes be rather appointed then more or lesse If therefore it might be lawfull to gesse at the termes of the moneths and yeeres from histories past and present then I should thinke that as Antichrist began to tread down the Church when Boniface the third was set on the Chaire of universal pestilence anno 606. and that the Church hath now from that time unto this been troden down 34 moneths and an half so the prophesie of the two witnesses against Antichrist hath continued 1036 dayes and so are not yet ended And as the Churches oppression was not all at one time or instant neyther was the sorest in the beginning but it increased by little little untill at length the holy citie was troden wholie under foot by Antichrist so the preaching of the two witnesses was not alwayes alike perspicuous powerful against him but manifested it self in severall ages by manifold martyrdoms untill at length the mysterie of iniquitie beeing unfolded it most manifestly brake forth in these latter ages For it appeareth by histories that the Bishops of France Germanie yea also of Italie but especially they of Ravenna Mediolanum and Aquileia did often times most stronglie oppose the successours of Pope Boniface As also Synods not a few have condemned the tryannie and idols of the Popes of Rome moreover among these witnesses were John Scottis Bertramus the Abbat Berengarius a priest Waldus in France Wickleffe in England as also Nicolaus Clemanges Marsilius of Patavia Besides many of the Emperours as Henry IV. V. Frederick I. II. Ludowick IV. c. have with all their might suppressed Popish tyrannie Now the reason why I reckon these Emperours among the witnesses I will shew in the following verse See also the Catalogue of witnesses published in two volummes who by prophesying have opposed the Romish Hierarchie A little before the Council of Constans anno 1409. the holy citie was most miserably troden down by Romish beasts Tom 11. concil Constant sess XL. art 67. at what time three Antipopes laid claime and by tyrannie possessed the Antichristian chaire viz. Gregorie XII Benedicte XIII Alexander V. after his death Iohn XXIII who denied that there was any hell or resurrection of the flesh At this time the Antichristian Church was a horrible three headed monster the which schisme dured above seventy yeeres Then Christ raised up two witnesses in Bohemia Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prage to prophesie against those Beasts Who beeing called appeared before the Councill Sigismund the Emperour having swoorn safe-conduct unto them and laid down their testimonie in the assemblie of the Locusts condemning the Antichristian tyrannie of Popes But the thing here foretold happened unto them The Beast overcame and slue them Husse was cruelly burnt anno 1415. 8 of the ides of Iulie Hierom anno 1416. 3 of the Calends of Iune Now however Iohn Husse taught publicklie at Prage in the beginning of the yeere 1400. not withstanding he begane first to maintaine the opinions of Wicleffe and opposed the Beast in the yeer 1412. from which time untill his martyrdom were precisely 42 moneths or 1260 dayes So that the Prophesie may seem to have been fulfilled according to the letter in these two witnesses Now Husse while he was in the fire foretold that the adversaries after an hundred yeeres should give an account to God and to him which also came to passe for an hundred yeeres after the Lord stirred up other couples of Prophets against the beast In Saxonie Luther and Melanchthon at Argentine Buâ—â—er and Cariton In Helvetia Zwinglius and Oecolampadius In France Farellus and Calvin who beeing divinely armed with the spirit and power of Elias be gane with the reed of the holie Scriptures to measure the temple reforme the Church purge the doctrine of the Gospell and cast out the court of priests these beeing dead the Lord raysed up other maintainers of the truth in diverse Kingdoms Provinces Commonwealthes Churches Academies of Europe who unto this day both by word and writing have stronglie opposed themselves against the Beast treading the holy citie under his foot Clothed in sackcloth The titles of the witnesses now follow about which we are in a generall way to observe that what ever of old was attributed in holie scripture as memorable excellent unto the Prophets chiefe servants of God that is here applied unto these not indeed in a litteral sense which in many things can not hold but by a certaine similitude They shal be clothed in sackcloth like unto the Prophet Daniel Chap. 9.13 Two Olive-trees before God as Zerubbabel Iehoshua Zach. 4.11 Fire shall proceed out of their mouth as out of the mouth of Ieremie Ier. 5.14 With it they shall devoure their enemies as Elias 2 King 1. They shall shut heaven that it raine not as the said Elias 1 King 17. They shall turn waters into blood and smite the earth with plagues as often as they will as Moses Aaron Exo. 4.5.6.7.8.9.10 By which we may more clearly perceive First Against the fabulous opinion of Enoch and Elias that the two witnesses are not rightly applied to Enoch Elias seeing nothing of Enoch is here referred unto them The miracles indeed of Elias are attributed unto them but not his alone so that if we should judge by the attributes one of them should no more be Elias then Moses Aaron Ieremie Daniel Zerubbabel or Iehoshua Secondly that two individuals are not onely noted but a few at severall times yet many successively who shall prophesie against the Beast For those prophets unto whom they are likened
oppression for to purge the doctrine of the Gospel from the filth of poperie These are said to be two not individuallie for what can be more absurd then to thinke that Christ should have onely two witnesses Antichrist having in the mean while many thousands of Locusts But two that is a few who should suffice to hold forth the truth in all times even as in judgement by the testimonie of two or three every thing is established Secondlie two definitely because as God of old was wont to use the ministerie of two worthies in the execution of his singular and special workes one of them commonly being a civill the other an ecclesiastical person Thus he sent Moses Aaron to Pharaoh Ioshua Caleb to spie the land Elias Elisha unto Ahab Zerubbabel and Ioshua to bring back the people out of Babylon to restore the worship temple of Ierusalem unto whom there is here a manifest allusion in v. 4. so he raised up under Antichrist for the most part two speciall instruments among his witnesses for the maintenance of his truth as Iohn Husse Ierome of Prague whom the Locusts of the Councill of Constans most cruelly burnt against the publick faith In our Fathers dayes Luther and Melanchthon in Saxonie At Argentine Bucer and Cariton In Helvetia Zwinglius and Oecolampadius In France Farellus and Calvin and so others in other places Furthermore he described the power of the witnesses by many excellent and wonderfull phrases taken out of the historie of the chiefe prophets viz. Their enemies that would hurt them they shall devour by the fire of their mouth as did Elias and Ieremie shut heaven that it raine not for three yeeres and sixe moneths as did the said Elias Turn waters into blood and smite the earth with all manner of plagues as Moses and Aaron smote Aegypt by which allegories is signified that at length the preaching of the Gospell should goe forth with such force efficacie as that no opposite power or threatnings should be able to hinder the same Notwithstanding however they shall finish their testimony yet they shall prevaile little against the Beast for the Beast shall warre against them overcome and kill them by drawing out both swords as we have declared Neither shall the Beast be satiated by oppressing the witnesses but shall cast forth their dead bodies as dung to the scorne of the common people into the streetes of Rome the great citie which is spirituallie that is allegorically called Sodome because of Sodomiticall filthinesse reigning therin Aegypt because of their Aegyptian idolatrie darknesse and obstinacie against Christs ambassadours and Ierusalem because of their wicked cruelty daylie crucifying the Lord Iesus Christ both in his members as also as much as in them is destroying him now glorified in the heavens in their daylie sacrifice of the Masse Thus far we formerly went in our interpretation Now we goe forward 9. ANd they of the kinreds shall see The publick rejoycing of the Christian world in the contumelious oppression of the witnesses of Christ is here signified for they are so far from commiserating of them as on the contrarie they altogether approve the Beasts cruelty in sulting triumphing over their dead bodies as conquered enemies This is the summe of the two verses in which is aggravated both the cruel inhumanitie of the Beast his followers and the ignominious condition of the witnesses But wherefore To the end that seing it to come so to passe we should not be offended as if some strange thing happened unto us For the spirit here foretelleth it as Christ also said unto his disciples yee shall mourn but the world shall rejoyce Ioh. 16.1.2 Yea the time commeth that whosoever killeth you will thinke that he doth God service But the comfort by which the witnesses should raise up themselves is annexed Let us consider the words And shall see to wit the men of this world for Antichrists rage shall not be secret but he will publickly oppose warre against the witnesses of Christ neither shal a few onely see it But they of the people and kinreds and tongues and nations to wit all people c. Which Ribera rightlie interprets of all those nations which shall cleave unto Antichrist And therefore it is false that the Iewes onely shall cleave unto him For his kingdom shall be spread over all peoples nations and tongues that is the whole Christian world shal close joyne with him Let us not therefore be moved with the vain boasting of the Papists because of the largenesse of their Church that all kings princes great men and peoples of the Christian world follow the Pope a few poore and obscure men onely excepted who professe the Gospell As if the multitude of strayers could excuse errour or that it had not been foretold by the spirit that so it should come to passe The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall see here used is changed in 11 vers into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to contemplate diligently with pleasure So that they shall see the dead bodies of the Saintes with great delight joy for all shall applaud their king as if his tyranny were just and righteous yea and that in killing of hereticks he did a divine worke But how long shal they see them Three dayes and an halfe For so long their carkeises shal lie unburied Romish writers doe not agree about this time What is meant by the three dayes and an halfe Lyra applies this whole historie of the witnesses unto Iustinian an Eutychinian Emperour who by Belizarius banished Pope Sylverius imprisoned Mena the Bishop and this he will have to be the three yeeres and an half Rupertus doth scarselie agree with himself for one while he takes it definitely for three yeeres and an halfe another while indefinitely for a short time Ribera understands it properlie of three dayes and an halfe Alcasar applying it to the Iewish persecution leaves it indifferently to be taken either for so many yeeres or moneths But to take it in any of these wayes The fable of Antichrists reigning three an half yeere refuted the fiction of Antichrists three and an halfe yeeres reigne is thereby refuted For if Antichrist even after that the witnesses are slaine who had prophesied during the three yeeres and an halfe of his kingdom shall see rejoyce three dayes or yeeres and an halfe over their dead carkeises then it must needs be false tha the is precisely to reigne three yeeres and an halfe for by that account he shall either reigne seven yeeres or at least more then 1260 dayes Our interpreters also are not of one minde about it yet agree in the maine argument scope Io Foxe applies it to the councill of Constans which precisely dured three yeeres and an half So long therefore the carkeises of the two witnesses Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague did lie in the streetes of the great city that
that unto us a certaine deliverance is here shewed but confusion to the adversaries Let us therfore patiently suffer his tyrannie for it shal neither dure long nor hinder our salvation For being overcome we conquer Euseb lib. 4. histor cap. 12. This caused Antoninus the Emperour to forbid the governours of Asia to draw the Christians before their tribunals and punish them because saith he by dying they overcome for they rather choose to die for Christ then to live After three dayes That is as Rupertus saith well After a little while although it seem long see v. 9. First the miraculous vivification glorification of the witnesses is described Secondly the effects following upon the enemies For the first The spirit of life That is their vital spirit by an Hebraisme or life that is the soule or ghost which they gave up at the hour of death is said to enter into them from God that is by a divine miracle and that they stood upon their feet which phrases seem to be taken out of Ezech. 37 and shew both Gods omnipotencie by which he restores the dead to life as oft as he pleaseth as also the immortalitie of the soule which though separated from the bodie yet is not killed by tyrants but doth live with God shal return from him into its own bodie againe Now to the sense The Papists take it for the miraculous restauration of the two witnesses Enoch and Elias from death to life after three dayes Papists opinion touching the vivification of the two witnesses And Ribera disputeth how the raising and glorification of the witnesses agrees with that of Hebr. 11. That without us they might not be consummated or perfected But their fabulous opinion touching Enoch Elias hath often been refuted the which is here also manifestlie contradicted in that the two witnesses are said to have tormented the inhabitants of the earth Now it is absurd to imagine that two poore prophets should torment all the tribes peoples nations and tongues of the whole earth in the space of three yeeres So that this dualitie of the witnesses so to speak cannot be restrained to two individuals or unto two precisely Now however the vivification of the witnesses shall literallie come to passe in the end of the world yet unto that the spirit here hath no respect at all But by this vivification is signified a perpetuall restoring of witnesses unto the Church militant viz that in stead of such whom Antichrist puts to death the Lord will raise up others to hold forth the testimonie of Christ and strongly oppose the Beasts kingdome For when Antichrist shal thinke that all Christs witnesses are suppressed then others restored to life shall renew againe the battle against him As therfore Elias is said to have lived againe in John Baptist not by a Pythagorean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transmigration of the sowle out of one bodie into another but in condition or nature of office because John came in the power and spirit of Elias preparing the way for Christ So the two witnesses As for example John Husse and Jerome of Prague being killed by the Beast they lived againe after three dayes an half in Luther Melanchthon others c. And to this purpose that of Husse being led to his martyrdom doth excellently serve At the end said he of an hundred yeeres which before God are scarsly three dayes yee shall answer to God and to mee He said also now indeed ye burn a Goose for Husse in the Bohemian tongue signifies a goose but out of his ashes shal arise a swanne which yee shall not be able to rost Foretelling that which afterward came to passe for just so many yeeres after Husse was burned Luther begane to oppose Popish pardons which was the beginning of reformation and bringing down of Popery This restoring of the witnesses to life serves for the consolation of the Church militant feeing there shall alwayes notwithstanding all Antichristian persecution be some faithfull professours of the truth who shall strongly fight for the glorie of Christ So then if Antichrist kill the two witnesses God will againe vivifie them and make them to stand upon their feet by raising up others in their place That which is added touching the Glorification of the witnesses serves also to comfort us For to whom Antichrist shall deny the fellowship of men to them God will vouchsafe a heavenly fellowship such as he shal exclude out of the world God wil receive them up into paradise they whom here he will not admit to be honourablie buried them God will crown with the glory of everlasting life This is that which followeth v. 12. 12. And they heard a great voyce from heaven saying unto them Come up hither And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them 13. And the same houre was there a great eartquake and the tenth part of the citie fell and in the earthquake were slaine of men seven thousand and the remnant were afrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven 14. The second woe is past and behold the third woe commeth quickly 12. And they heard a great voyce Not the enemies but the witnesses restored to life heard this voyce This shall be Christs voyce who according to his promise will call his witnesses unto him into glorie It shal be Great because of the power thereof for it shal bring the witnesses to glorie and strike a terrour into the adversaries Come up hither To me into my glory that where I am yee may be also Ioh. 17.24 And they ascended up into heaven in a cloud After Christs example who ascending into heaven was taken up and received by a cloude 1 Thess 4.17 And often the cloudes are called Gods chariot Christ also shall return in a cloude to judgement And we shall be caught in the cloudes to meet the Lord in the aire Now to seek for other allegories in this cloude is needlesse Moreover this glorification of the Martyrs begins presently at their departure out of this life when their spirit goes unto the Lord but shall be comsummated in the last day the which was shadowed out before in Chap. 6. under the fift seale Moreover this also serves for the honour credit of the witnesses that the Lord will wonderfully preserve their doctrine though condemned by Antichrist as hereticall and propagate the same far and neere in spite of all adversarie power whatsoever Thus the world shall know that they were no deceivers but the true witnesses of Iesus Christ And therefore in this place the spirit doth animate the professours of the Gospel least being terrifyed by the tyrannie of Antichrist they should prophesie the more remissely If he labours to put them to death God wil restore them to life If he cast reproach on them in this world God will crown them with glorie in heaven For blessed are yee when men persecute you rejoyce for great is
your reward in heaven saith Christ Matt. 5.12 And great fear shall fall upon them He rehearseth sixe kindes of effects touching the enemies First 1 The feare of the adversaries a great fear fell on them On whom Vpon the beholders A paraphrase of the adversaries before they beheld the dead witnesses with delight but suddenly they shall tremble at their vivification What is the cause of this great fear because they shall feele but to late that they warred not with poore man but with God himselfe And therefore they shall stand in fear of their kingdome treasures praebends and kitchins They shall dread the judgement of God but not escape it This is wonderfull in our eyes The wicked when they most rage do then tremble are forced even to fear them whom they prosecute with all manner of hatred Thus the Scribes persecuting Christ were afraid Ioh. 11.47 What shall we doe for this man doth many miracles If we let him thus alone all men will beleeve on him and the Romanes shall come c. Thus likewise the chiefe Priests feared the Apostles whoÌ„ they persecuted What shall we doe say they to these men for that indeed a notable miracle hath been don by them is manifest neither can we denie it c. Thus therefore howsoever convinced in their consciences yet they beleeve not the Gospel but hate it the more by how much they are affraid because they see that their lyes and impostures are discovered and confuted by the truth and light of the Gospel Therfore why should we feare the Antichristians who though they seem outwardly to carie forth the matter with a high spirit yet inwardly they tremble and are tormented with the wound of an evill conscience Now such fears are not prolonged For what the wicked fear that comes suddenly upon them And their enemies beheld them The second effect of the witnesses glorification The astonishment of the adversaries is the astonishment of their enemies For seeing them restored from death to life and their reproach turned into glory they stand amazed alluding as some thinke to that in Wisd 5.1 The just man shall stand with great boldnesse before the wicked who seeing it shall be troubled with terrible feare and shall be amazed at the strangenesse of his salvation saying is this he whom we had sometimes in derision and a proverb of reproach How is he numbred with the children of God and his lot is among the Saintes Thus the wicked shall see Christ whom they have crucified with amazement because beeing convicted of their ungodlines and confounded with shame they shall feel his revenging hand Hitherto the Romish Antichrists have seen the martyrs whom they burnt at Constance to be againe restored to life in Luther Melanchthon Martyr Calvin They see them with amazement at this day glorified in their doctrine the which is both lifted up they in vain resisting the same and dayly propagated far and neere to the honour and glory of God through diverse provinces of the Christian world 13. And there was a great earthquake the same hour The third fourth and fift effects doe shew the great destruction which Antichrists kingdome receiveth by the restauration of the witnesses as also declare the cause of the feare and trembling of the wicked They are afraid least that should come to passe which already is viz. that the prophesying beeing renued a ruin should befal their kingdom as it is at this day The same houre Some copies have it the same day to wit the witnesses were vindicated that is a little after the witnesses were suppressed by Antichrist God restored them again A great earthquake In Chap. 6.12 at the opening the sixt seal Antichrist raysed a great earthquake against Christ A great earthquake when Pope Boniface the third being declared VNIVERSAL Bishop of the Church by Phocas the tyrant caused an horrible shakeing of the Christian world by bringing all Bishops and Churches under his yoak For thereupon followed an universall change and miserable deformitie of the Church But in the last times Christ likewise will raise a great earthquake against Antichrist when by the preaching of the Gospell he shall so shake his kingdome as that it shall totter and come to ruin howbeit he had by his deceit and tyrannie formerly so established it as if it had been invincible To this earthquake appertaine the seditions warres tumults disputations alterations of opinions great contentions raised up about religion throughout the whole Papacie after the restitution of the Gospel And indeed suddenly after the Councill at Constance an earthquake grievously shooke the Papacy For the Bohemians to revenge the cruel death of their two witnesses fell in a hostile manner upon the Popish Clergy suppressing the armies of the Empire sent against them and obtained many singular victories over their adversaries It is true the earthquake ceased a little while after the Councill of Basil by the COMPACTATA as they called them graunted unto the Bohemians But not long after by the preaching of Luther in Saxonie of Zwinglius in Helvetia of Viret in France there followed a more grievous shaking accomplishing that which here followeth And the tenth part of the great citie fell This Ribera purposely passeth by The ruin of the tenth part of the city for he would not expound that which evideÌ„tly happened unto the Papacy by the preaching of the Gospel For the great city is the kingdome of the Romane Antichrist wherof Rome Babylon Sodome is the head the which indeed was not wholy overthrown by the preaching of Luther other ministers of the Gospell but the tenth part thereof fell that is the jurisdiction religion and tyranny of the Pope was much diminished through Germany together with his revenues annuities Commendums holy tribute For Germany by embracing the Gospel returned from Antichrist to Christ hence worthily is accounted the tenth paâ—â— of the great city But thou wilt say Germany is not wholy fallen off from the Pope For it yet hath very many Archbishops Bishops others of the hierarchy sworn Vassals of Antichrist What then seing som other whole kingdoms as Great Brittain Denmarck Sweden or in part as France Poland Pannonia have supplyed that defect by rejecting the Pope and embracing the faith These things are so cleare as that they cannot be denyed The fift effect followeth Alcasar here understands this great earthquacke to be the conversion of Ierusalem unto the faith But indeed he rightly laughs at the fiction of the ruin of the tenth part thereof at Antichrists comming And there were slaine seven thousand names of men Names are here put The slaughter of Antichristian for persons as Chap. 3.4 A definite number for a great many for the number seven is perfect as in the history of Elias God saith he had reserved to himself seven thousand who had not bowed their knees to Baal that is very many Now these names are the Antichristian
doubt whither Austin ever saw that Platonick Chapter and doe beleeve it was foisted into the Enchiridion by some body else my reason is because Austin in other places doth expresly speak but of two conditions of them that die and of two places after this life altogether denying a third As through one saith he all go to condemnation Lib 1. de peccat Mâ—rit c. 28. Lib. 5. hypogn circa medinm so all by one to justification Neither is there any middle place for any but he that is not with Christ must needs be with the Divell More clearely in another place The faith of Catholicks doth by divine authority beleeve that the first place is the kingdome of heaven from whence as I said the unbaptized are excluded The second GEHENNA or hell where all apostates or infidels shall feele eternall torments A third we are altogether ignorant of for we finde it not mentioned in the Scriptures of God And againe Serm. 14. de verb. Apostoli I have given no divisions of places save ONELY OF TWO c. So likewise There is left no middle place between the right hand and the left To returne to the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 henceforward although it be not applyed in the least to the houre of death yet the assertion of the Saints happinesse remains certaine and true even from the very instant of death not onely by many Scriptures before alleadged but from this place Purgatories fiction resuted for it is not said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that were dead but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that die in the present tense Therefore so soone as the godly are dead they are blessed Thus Purgatorie is hence notwithstanding excluded But what then is meant by henceforward We are to observe that the time of this Third Act is the time of the reformation and deliverance of the Church from Popery by the three Angels from henceforward therefore that is The Authors opinion touching the particle hence forward from the time the three Angels published the everlasting Gospell against Babylon and Antichrist Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord that is they not onely are or shall be so but the three Angels shall publish and preach the same refuting the heathenish fiction of Purgatory Satisfactions and Indulgences For these Angels shall not onely teach that Antichrists Bulls are vaine but also prove by the Scriptures of God that the paine of Purgatory is a wicked and feined imagination there being no such place And as hereby the godly shall be freed from that errour and vaine feare so Antichrists gaine shall be much lessened Yea saith the spirit that they may rest This is the third The holy Ghost seems to adde two reasons of their blessednesse ONE is because they rest from their labours to wit which they have suffered in this life for they have attained the end of their labours and combats henceforward enjoying everlasting rest The other because their workes follow them by a metalepsis for because they now have the fruit or reward of their workes which was laid up in heaven for them The merit of workes is not here established but refâ—ted It appeares that both reasons are taken from runners in a race who having attained the marke enjoy a twofold benefit rest and reward So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here put for the causall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they rest c. Their workes are said to follow them or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with them as it is in the text being as it were the followers of faith in this life Hence the merits of workes are rather overthrown then established For seeing they follow therefore they merit not otherwise they should goe before as causes Rom. 6.23 Now they draw with them a free reward because the gift of God is eternall life The third Part of the Chapter Of the Harvest and Vintage of the last iudgement 14 And I looked and behold a white cloud and upon the cloud one sate like unto the Sonne of man having on his head a golden crowne and in his hand a sharpe sickle 15 And another Angel came out of the Temple crying with a loud voice to him that sate on the cloud Thrust in thy sickle and reape for the time is come for thee to reape for the harvest of the earth is ripe 16 And he that sate on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth and the earth was reaped 17 And another Angell came out of the Temple which is in heaven he also having a â—harpe sickle 18 And another Angell came out from the Altar which had power over fire and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharpe sickle saying Thrust in thy sharpe sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth for her grapes are fully ripe 19 And the Angell thrust in his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and cast it into the great winepresse of the wrath of God 20 And the winepresse was troaden without the city and blood came out of the winepresse even unto the horse-bridles by the space of a thousand and sixe hundred furlongs THE COMMENTARY ANd I looked and behold a white cloud Hither to we have handled three Acts of the fourth Viston The first briefly to repeat them againe comprehends the condition of the Church in its beginning and growth with her many combats under the Romane Emperours both Pagan and Christian untill Antichrists rising in the first 600 yeeres Chap. 12. The second opposed to the former contains the consolation of the godly under the foresaid conflicts in the same Chapter The third having two parts represents 1. Antichrists persecutions which from his first rising till now have continued more then a thousand yeeres Chap. 13. 2. The Churches preservation under the same and also her future purging from the dreges of Antichrist in the last times Chap. 14. The fourth Ast here followeth describing the joyfull Catastrophe or change of all the Churches afflictions in the day of judgement the forme whereof is figured out in two parables viz. of the Harvest and Vintage in the rest of this Chapter Furthermore The consent of â—nterpreters about the last judgement I see all interpreters a few onely excepted unanimously to agree that the last judgement is here treated of And I wonder that any should dissent in a matter so cleare and evident For by types and words not much unlike the judgement to come is described in Dan. 7. touching the Sonne of man comming in the clondes of heaven to judgement and Mat. 3. 13. of the harvest of the tares and wheat They agree also in the scope that these types serve to comfort the godly and terrifie the wicked For the godly doe groane under their afflictions troubles desiring to know what end at length shall be put to their evils On the contrary Tyrants and Antichrist
Spirits Ribera understands them to be Three Devills whom they call familiar spirits such as Magicians send forth at their pleasure But they shall be men properly because they go speake and have to do with Kings in a civill way all which little suites with Devills Notwithstanding they are said to be spirits because by profession they shal be Spirituall Fathers And Three because there shall be many of them sufficient for to performe what they shall undertake for a threefold number denotes perfection as before in Chap. 11. the two witnesses were indefinitely put for a few yet sufficient for the Testimony of the truth Yet here it seemes they are said to be three rather then seven which number the Scripture more frequently useth because they shall be the choisest and subtlest out of the flockes of Locusts who ordinarily are not very many Notwithstanding they shall be of the true kind of the Locusts however they differ in forme and office Impure Spirits Not onely being of an impure originall but nature and manners also labouring to staine both divine and humane things even as the Locusts who came out of the filthy bottomlesse pit did defile all things with their venemous mouths and tailes Like to Frogs They shall not be Frogs nor in the forme of Frogs for so they should be unfit messengers to be sent to Kings but like to Frogs in filthinesse impudencie and loquacitie because like as Frogs with their continuall croaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are most irkesome to our eares Aristoph in Ranis so these Emissaries of Antichrist living a most impure life within their Covents and being taught much to bable do fill the eares of Kings with their cries untill they induce them unto their holy Warre Neither are they much unlike to the Locusts for Locusts skip like Frogs besides they resemble the foure square heads of Frogs by their geometricall hoods 14. For they are the Spirits of Devills He further describes them by their nature and craft they are instructed in the Schoole not of the holy Ghost but of the evill one and therefore they shall have the nature and disposition of their master yet will some of them make a fairer shew and thereby prove more hurtfull and are the more carefully to be avoided Working miracles They shall gaine credit to their Ambassage not so much by words as by signes and miracles and thereby allure and deceive the Kings of the earth But by what signes and whose by lies and the efficacie of Satan from whom they originally proceed for the wonders they worke are delusions of Satan which are spoken of in 2. Thessa 2.9 Rev. 13.14 19.20 Which go forth unto the Kings of the earth Thirdly he declares their office they shall leave the function of teaching unto others of their order and shall be imployed in Warlike Messages Here Ribera erreth in thinking that these Kings are the same unto whom the way was prepared by the drying up of Euphrates for they were Kings of the East spoiling the beast But these are the Kings of the earth and of the whole world The former were against These shall be for Antichrist The Kings of the earth Thus he calleth as before the sworne Vassalls of the Beast and therefore they are said to be of the earth however by profession they would seeme to be Christians And of the whole world That is all Forraigne Kings whatsoever for at last the beast will labour to have the friendship and assistance of them all For in regard he shall see that they of his owne profession are more remisse and negligent then he would have them therefore by Ambassages he will stirre up Forraigne Princes and by all meanes labour to draw them on his side Now if thou demaund who these Legates are I answer Who these three spirits are that are sent forth howsoever undoubtedly they shall manifest themselves so much the more by how much Antichrists fighting against God shall appeare and the nearer we come to the day of Iudgement yet it seems not to be obscure in the least both by history and experience For it is plaine that the chiefe of these Messengers are the Legates a latere who are sent with full power unto the Kings of the earth to negociate for Babylon next to them are the Bishops who order and direct the affaires of the Court In the next place are the Monkes and Iesuites who insinuate themselves into the clossets of women dive into counsells and are Architects of dissention These as their own Epistles witnesse are daily sent as Legates to the kings of India America and Africa to bring them into the fellowship of this warre that is a preparing And now of late if I be not deceived they have made the king of Persia bounden to the Sea of Rome And indeed without the religious interposition of these men scarse any counsells of peace or warre can be handled in Court as experience teacheth Moreover this Type doth very fitly agree to Frogs They are Spirits viz. spirituall fathers but uncleane like Frogs Because saith my Anonymus they remain in the mire of riches prating and tatling against the truth of the Gospell Spirits of devills because saith the same Authour they are inspired by the Devill onely so to doe Working miracles or doing signes that is making shew of outward holinesse though in truth they be the greatest hypocrites having their affections set on the earth and wordly Pompe and therefore howsoever they be the truest Proctours of Antichrist yet being outwardly cloaked with so many signes of Sanctitie they captivate as it were all men so that they are esteemed of them more holy then the rest of men These things Anonymus but we are further to consider that by prodigious and false miracles they shall gaine credit to their Ambassage viz. such by which the beast himselfe is said to seduce the Inhabitants of the earth Chap. 13.14 Now it is notorious that there are none at this day in the world who arrogate to themselves the glory of working signes and miracles but the Popes Emissaries Thus we see who the Legates are and to whom they go forth To gather them to the Battell They will not professe to make warre against God for then they should never induce any but mad men unto it but pretend that it is a warre undertaken for Gods glory and against hereticks for the safetie of the Catholicke Church although in very deed it shall be against the God of Heaven they shall I say prepare a great Dyet to cut off at last all the heririckes in one battell and at once restore the affaires of the Romish Sea But O great folly for it shall not be the day of Hereticks but of God Namely Of God Almighty Whereby the faithfull should be stird up to consider the wonderfull judgements of God The Frogs indeed shall gather the Kings of the earth to Warre thereby to root out the Gospell of Almighty God
how they lived and reigned with Christ and how long But the matter is not obscure if the words be rightly considered and not wrested against the Scope and mind of the Spirit as the Chiliasts did rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lived againe that is How the Chiliasts corrupted the text they rose up out of their Sepuichres and what the Spirit speaketh of the soules of the Martyrs they wrested to their bodies and so feined a corporall Resurrection of the Martyrs a thousand yeers before the last day This first Falshood was the ground of the Millenaries errour against which we must firmely hold too and urge the simple word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived in stead whereof The ground of the Chiliasts error they evilly suborned the compound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived againe For here is spoken of the soules of Martyrs living in Heaven which as being immortall Spirits could not die with their bodies or be slain on Earth therefore cannot bee said to live againe but as it is in the Text they lived with Christ They object to the contrary that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived again as before in Chap. 2. ver 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But both is denyed because these two words doe much differ in sound and in sense and therefore may not be confounded neither here nor in the place alledged Not here because this confusion imports two absurdities ONE Physicall or naturall that the soules of the Martyrs were flaine The OTHER Theologicall that a Corporall Resurrection of an infinite number of the dead shall be before the last Day contrary to the Faith of all Christians taught by Christ himselfe The houre is comming Ioh. 5.28 in the which all that are in the Graves shall heare his voyce and shall come forth They which have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they which have done evill unto the Resurrection of death Neither before in Chap 2. because Christ in saying which was dead and lived gives us to understand not onely that he was dead and raised againe but also that he lived even while he was dead in the flesh or that he was living in his Divinity to demonstrate his two-fold nature as before we shewed Chap. 1.18 and Chap. 2.8 Adde to this that although it ought there so to bee taken yet here it cannot because of the Arguments following which admit not the same Moreover they urge the Antithesis of the following Verse But the rest of the dead lived not againe By which say they it seemes to bee plaine that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thence the contrary doth plainely follow viz. that the Holy Ghost by a different word noteth a diverse sense for the Antithesis is not of a contradiction in Synonymaes but of a metaphoricall contrarietie both in the subject and attribute because the same thing is not denyed touching the Remnant of the dead which was affirmed touching the soules of the Martyrs properly that they lived and reigned with Christ But another thing contrary to a happy life Metaphorically that they lived not againe in the first Resurrection for that they repented not which as by and by I shall clearely shew is the proper and genuine fense To returne to the Question The soules of the Martyrs live with Christ How the soules lived and reigned with Christ not onely a Naturall Life for this after death is common to the soules of the Godly and ungodly being immortall Spirits neither onely a Spirituall Life of Regeneration which the Martyrs had before they were slaine on Earth but a blessed and glorious Life which Iohn saw them enjoying with Christ in Heaven They reigned also with Christ not in the Kingdome of Grace which is in this Life but in the Kingdome of Glory which is in Heaven according to the promise I appoint unto you a Kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me And To him that overcometh Luk. 22.29 Rev. 3.21 will I grant to sit with mee in my Throne even as I overcame and sit with my Father in his Throne But they do wholly erre who suppose that we interpret this clause of the life of Regeneration and of the Kingdome of Grace and thence draw Sophismes for the Chiliasts opinion which shall be treated of in the following Verse Iohn therefore saw the Soules of the Martyrs that were beheaded here on Earth living blessedly and reigning gloriously with Christ in Heaven But how long Those thousand yeers viz. How al the Martyrs lived a thousand yeeres with Christ in which Satan was kept bound in the bottomlesse Pit not that the Martyrs were all slaine together about the beginning of the thousand yeeres and so all of them lived the whole thousand yeers with Christ But he speaketh of a continuall succession that none during the said yeeres in which they were slaine for the Testimony of Iesus or for refusing to worship the Beast did miserably perish but lived blessedly and reigned with Christ in heaven Wherefore in the thousand yeers is a Synecdoche familiarly used in our ordinary speech and in Scripture as before I said For example A man is said to come to day though hee come not in the Morning but at Noone or Evening or A man is said to live or die in this yeer not onely if he live or die at the beginning but also towards the middle or end of the yeer so the Martyrs are said to live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeeres although all of them were not slaine at the beginning but some towards the middle others towards the end thereof Mat. 12.39 Ioh. 2.19 By a like Synecdoche the Son of man was three dayes and three nights in the heart of the Earth and in three dayes raised up the Temple of his body although hee lay not much longer then one day and two nights in the Sepulchre The Iewes were Lxx. Iere. 29.9 yeers in the Captivity of Babylon although Daniel was longer Zerubbabel and they that were born in the Captivity were Captives fewer yeers Gen. 6.3 So God granted from the five hundreth yeere of Noah unto the flood an hundred and twenty yeers unto men although all they that were born within the 120. yeers had a shorter time of repentance c. Away therefore with their scoff of 400. The Martyrs shall also reigne after the thousand yeers Crownes in stead of a thousand Neither is this Synecdoche any way derogatorie to the happinesse of the latter Martyrs slaine by Antichrist for we are not to thinke that they ceased to live and reigne with Christ after the thousand yeeres were ended for they shall reigne with him for ever and ever as wee are taught Revelat. Chapter 22.5 It was enough for Iohn to shew what condition the blessed Spirits should be in those
Heavenly glory The same thing the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe import not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for her husband not for her spouse Then therefore she shall bee delivered unto her Husband for before the Marriage-Feast the Bride is preparing for her Bridegroome but the Feast being ended for her Husband For he who was before the Bridegroom is then a Husband 3. And I heard a great voyce Thus much touching the things he saw a new heaven and a new earth and the Heavenly Ierusalem adorned like a Bride Now he recordeth what he heard a two-fold voyce one unknowne the other of one that sate on the Throne both confirme the happinesse of the Bride The former voyce comes from heaven Therefore it sheweth joyfull and true tidings unto the Bride It was GREAT vehemently piercing Iohns eares that he might give good heed because the matter delivered is weighty But what was it Behold the Tabernacle of God with men As if he should say the Marriage-Feast is ended Hence forward the Bridegroom and Bride shall dwel together under one roofe for ever And he wil dwell with them An allusion unto the Bridegroomes abode with the Bride after the Marriage-Feast Now he fully comprehends the happinesse of the Bride as above Chap. 7.15.16 in two parts the fruition of all manner of good things and freedom from all evill The chiefe good is God To enjoy his presence and the sight of his face is the chiefest felicitie This hee seems to describe by a two-fold reason his presence and his communion with men Touching his presence he saith the Tabernacle of God is with men The which Tabernacle least it might be thought to be emptie and transitorie he addes And he will dwell with them Rev. 7.15 intimately and unseparably as above 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seemeth to sound His Tabernacle shall be upon them namely thereby to refresh and preserve them from the heat of the Sunne By an allusion unto places subject to the Sun where men in respect of the heat hide themselves in Tabernacles or Caves under the Earth But here he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will dwell with them be in one house as it were constantly and perpetually with them Therefore they shall enjoy the perpetuall sight and presence of God By Men he understandeth not al The habitation of Gods grace and glory but the Elect acquitted in Iudgement Now he speaketh of no personall habitation like as God the Word dwelleth in the temple of his flesh but of grace and glory But doth not God now also dwell with his Church Yea verily according to the promise in Levitic 26.11 whence this whole place seems to be taken and is repeated by Paul 2. Cor. 6. but he shall then dwell with us after another manner then now hee doth For here he hath dwelt with us 1. Personally in Christ 2. By his gratious presence in the Church bestowing on her the benefits of the Gospell and first fruits of the Spirit Then he will dwell with us through his glorious presence fully enriching the Saints with Heavenly brightnesse and glory and he shall be all in all and we shall see him as he is face to face Touching his communion with us it is added And they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God Now also he is our God and we are his people but this communion is onely by inchoated grace for now he bestoweth grace upon every one of us but in part 1. Cor. 13.9 Eph. 4.7 1. Cor. 12.11 2. Cor. 3.18 Phil. 3.21 Mat 13.43 1. Ioh. 3.2 according to the measure of the gift of Christ as he will Then shall be the consummated communication of glory when with open face we shall all behold the glory of the Lord and be changed into the same image from glory to glory when he shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like unto the glorious bodie of his Sonne they shall shine as the sunne we shall be like unto â—im the proportion notwithstanding being kept that is between the head and the members The summe is Then the promise made unto the Church Lev. 26.11 shall be most fully perfected I will set my tabernacle amongst you and my soule shall not abhorre you I will walke in the midst of you and ye shall be my people and I will be your God Now God dwelleth with us by communication of grace then hee shall dwell in us by communication of glory the which eye hath not seen nor eare heard 1. Cor. 2.4 neither hath it entred into the heart of man 4. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes The second part of felicity is that we shall be subject to no miseries vexation or troubles of this life To be free from evill is a great happinesse of which also God is Author For he will free his people from all evill Now he reckons up five kinds of evill making this life bitter under which the opposite good things are to be understood The evils accompaning this life Teares Teares are expressed by the feeling of evill Now this life what is it but a vale of teares But then God will wipe away all teares from our eyes that is he will make it that we shall weepe no more by taking away all cause of teares turning our teares into joy according to the promise They which sow in teares Ps 126.6 shall reape in joy The phrase is taken out of Isa 25.8 and is an allusion unto the naturall affection of a mother to her child which useth to flatter the crying babe and wipe away the teares thereof And death shall be no more Neither the first nor second Isa 25.8 for it shall bee cast into the Lake of fire and utterly abolished according to the promise Hee will swallow up death in victory But hath not Christ by his death overcome death long agoe True but not as yet swallowed it up Notwithstanding although we now remaine subject unto corporall death yet whatsoever in it belongs to punishment that Christ hath taken away But then he shall abolish death wholly In the meane while he converteth the corporall death of the Saints into a resting from sinne and a passage to life for whither we live Rom. 14.8 Col. 3.4 Rom. 8.38 or whither we die wee are the Lords Christ is the life of the dead neither can death separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Now death being taken away what shal then follow but life everlasting Neither mourning As now we do for the death of friends and losse of such as are deare unto us This shall not bee then because there shall bee no death Our friends departed shal be restored unto us to see salute and rejoyce for ever with them Nor cry Which ariseth out of the evills turmoyles disturbances of this life For there shall bee everlasting peace and tranquilitie all tumults
they are the more apparent Therefore he could not more effectually set forth the excellency and worth of Heavenly good things erewhile promised unto the Conquerours viz. eternall abode with God his everlasting amitie absence of all evill abundance of all good things the Eternall and Heavenly refreshing and last of all the coinheritance with Christ in the new Heaven and the new Earth and of all things that are then by giving a touch on the contrary of the miserable and unhappy portion of the ungodly But the fearefull saith he and unbeleevers shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone whose horrible judgement hee repeateth from the end of the foregoing Chapter Whosoever was not found written in the Booke of Life was cast into the Lake of fire This part of the judgement he expoundeth more fully that the godly may the more contentedly beare the troublesomnesse of their warfare and miseries in this life which shall shortly be turned into joy and the lesse be grieved at the successe and delights of the ungodly who shortly shall be cast into the torments of Hell fire Furthermore he reckons up eight rankes of reprobates whose names are not written in the Booke of Life unto which all the wicked belong in speciall the worshippers of the Beast and his Zealots are set forth in their colours For of these chiefly it is said Chapter 13.8 That their names are not written in the Booke of Life And truely these wickednesses have notoriously born sway in the Papacy Fearefull These he opposeth to Christs strong champions and Conquerours Fearfull understanding indeed generally those delicate professours who for feare of danger would have nothing to do with Christ nor suffer any trouble for his sake But chiefly noteing those most base Vassals of ANTICHRIST unto whom a servile dread and spirit of fearfullnesse is proper For they are never taught certainely to trust in the mercy of God touching the remission of sinnes of faith and salvation but torment themselves with perpetual doubting false conjectures and feare of beeing deceived all their life time standing in dread of Purgatory and Hell fire Vnbeleeving Such indeed bee all that are Alients from the Faith of Christ Vnbelievers Iewes Pagans barbarous Infidels of whom it is said Hee that beleeveth not in the Sonne of God Ioh. 3.36 the wrath of God abideth on him Yet none are more bitter enemies of justifying faith then Antichrists Zealots for these both by Arguments and force of armes furiously oppugne free justification by Faith They therefore are principally these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnbeleeving seeing the Scriptures of the new Testament usually call other faithlesse men The abominable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disobedient and obstinate Abominable Both actively who abhorre God and Christ and passively who because of their abominable wickednesses are odious to God and men Andreas reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abominable sinners such indeed are blasphemers out of the Church But principally it agrees to the worshippers of the Beast for they imitate the nature of the Beast and his blasphemous mouth against God his Tabernacle and those that dwell in Heaven But what more cursed abomination can there be Cha. 13.6 then for Popish Priests really to sacrifice and kill the Sonne of God under the species of bread in the Masse mortifying destroying and offering him unto the Father if they be beleeved Murderers Such indeed have been all the robbers from Cain Murderers and Nimrod the Tyrants time cruelly spilling mans blood but none are more cruell man-slayers then Antichrists zealots and actors in the Inquisition who for many Ages have indeed by fire and sword killed innumerable bodies of the Martyrs but infinite soules of men by their devilish doctrine Whoremongers Such indeed are all impure adulterers and fornicatours whom God will judge Notwithstanding the Romane Clergy are the chiefe Adulterers and whoremongers who under pretence of vowed chastitie have long agoe polluted the Christian world with whoredomes adulteries sodomie and filthy secret lusts Sorcerers Or such as mingle poysoned cups Sorcerers or serving the devil by magical Art and so are hurtfull unto men Many Popes and Monks have excelled in this kind of wickednesse never was Magicke more used or esteemed of then in the Papacie Never were Kings and Princes in such danger of beeing poysoned as by these men Idolaters Among these indeed are comprehended Pagans who worship false Gods Idolaters for the true Govetous men whose Mammon is there God Epicures who make a god of their belly For all these are Idolaters but no Idolatry is so horrible as is in the Papacie where under the Image of God and Christ and of the Saints Idols of wood stone gold and silver are religiously worshipped and adored All Lyars That is Lyars Pro. 12.12 Iohn 8 44. all Liars and framers of lyes in generall adversaries of trueth of whom it is said Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord Every lyar is of the devill the father of lyes But the Papacy is as the very sinke of falsehood Their head the Pope is a lyar falsely affirming himselfe to be Christs Vicar Peters Successour Monarch of the Christian world Head of the Church and Lord of Kings and Emperours Their Religion and whole worship is false Their doctrine of meritorious works of Purgatory of satisfactions is false Their Doctors are lyars To bee short their blasphemies and calumnies by which they continually defame the Gospell of Christ are most false Thus we see whom the threatning respects Now for the punishment They shall have their part in the Lake An Hebrew Phrase Psa 11.6 Psa 16.5 Psa 63.10 Act. 8.21 Fire and brimstone is the part or portion of their cup Jehovah the part of my portion and of my cup. They shall be the portion of Foxes So PETER to Simon Magus Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter By an Allusion unto Heires among whom the inheritance is divided into certaine parts that every one may have his due portion Now because he had said that such as overcame should inherit all things Here on the contrary he saith the portion of the wicked shall be in the Lake of fire that is this shall be the inheritance of the ungodly Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the part of them The Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them is after the manner of the Hebrews a redundance or over-plus And the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is or shall be is wanting Beza rightly Is assigned to wit the sentence being now pronounced For erewhile he said all that were not written in the Booke of Life were cast into the lake of fire The lake of fire Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 14 Touching this Lake of fire and brimstone we need not with idle Sophisters dispute what kind of Lake it is and where and what kind of fire Elementary or not AVGVSTINE This fire saith he in what
worship hee sheweth that God himselfe and the Lambe shall bee for a temple unto it However therefore it hath no Temple of stone Marble or gold yet it shall not be destitute of a temple or performe no worship unto God for God himselfe and the Lambe shall be the temple of it And as now God is worshipped and praised with Hymnes and spirituall Songs in Temples So then all the Saints shall exult in God himselfe and in the Lambe himselfe with eternall praises Iubilees and Songs For then God shall be all in all because hee shall fill all things with joy and with his majesty Then shall the Saints worship before God and rejoyce in him without ceasing from one Sabbath unto another Isa 66.23 Rev. 7.25 as above he said They shall stand before the throne serving God day and night in his temple which temple is here shewed not to be materiall but God himself the meaning is In his temple for in God himselfe who shall be a temple unto them Mention also was made of the Coelestiall Temple in Chap. 11. ver 1. Chap. 15. ver 5. But that temple was onely visionall shadowing out the Church-Militant Notwithstanding that in Chap. 11. ver 19. And the temple of God was opened in Heaven we applied not unfitly to the Triumphant-Church because it was the end of the third Vision touching the Catastrophe of all calamities In that he joyntly makes God and the Lambe to bee that one temple of the Saints XLIII Argument of Christs Deity it is a cleare Argument of Christs Deity For if Christ be the temple of all the Saints of necessity He must be immense omnipotent and infinitely good as God himselfe Now hence againe their opinion is overthrowne who interpret these things of the glory of the Church-Militant For neither the Church during her warfare in this life can no more be without a Temple or Church gathering then to want the outward ministerie it selfe 23. And the Citie had no need of the Sun neither of the Moone He expoundeth what in ver 11. he had said touching the light of the Citie In this life no Citie can subsist without the light of the Sunne and Moone But our Citie shall need neither because it shall enjoy a farre greater light the glory of God himselfe and of the Lambe that is that unapprochable light in which God dwelleth He doth not say that it shall have no Sun 1. Tim. 6.16 nor Moon but that it shall not need them to shine in it closely intimating that then indeed these lights shal be for neither shall the New Heaven be deprived of the ornament of the brightest stars which are now so glorious in this present Firmament yea according to that of Isaias Isa 30.26 the light of the Moon shal be like the light of the Sunne that now is and the light of the Sun shal be seven times more bright but then they shall not serve for use of light as now For there shal be no need of a created light when the increated light Gods immense majesty shall enlighten us Wherefore even as now the greater light doth obscure the lesser so then the glory of God shall darken the light of the Sunne and Moone Therefore the whole Citie shall shine continually with the immense light of divine majesty being subject to no change of dayes and nights which now the continuall risings and fallings of the Sun and Moone doe effect so as there is no Citie in the whole world no not under the Pole which hath alwayes light For although the Polarie Regions have the light of the Sun six months yet afterward the Sun going under the Horizon they are as many months in darknesse And the Lambe is the light thereof In the light also he joynes the Lambe unto God to shew that the majesty and glory of both is equall For however the Lambe in respect of his most glorious flesh shal bee under God Notwithstanding in the majesty of his Deity he shal be that one light of the Citie with the Father and the Holy Ghost Furthermore this place cannot be applied unto the Church Militant For she shall need and enjoy the light of the Sunne and Moone all the time of her warfare in this life But the contrary opinion appeares rather to be confirmed Isa 24.23 because al this seems to be taken out of the Prophesie of Isaias touching the illumination of the New Church under Christs Kingdome in this Life Then the Moone shall be confounded Isa 60.19 and the Sun ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shall reigne in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem And afterward The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall bee upon thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory Thy Sun shall no more goe downe neither shall thy Moone with-draw it selfe for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light and the dayes of thy mourning shal be ended I ANSWER We must indeed confesse that the Prophet speaketh of excellent graces and of a glorious light of doctrine and knowledge that shal be under Christs Kingdome in the Church of the New Testament which light shal excell the shadowes of the types of the Old Testament like as the glory of God himselfe surpasseth the Sun and Moone so it is said figuratively The Sun shall shine no more in thee nor the Moone give light any longer unto thee because Iehovah shall be thy light for ever for the shadowes and types of Sacrifices and Burnt-Offerings shal be no more because Christ being exhibited who is as it were the Sunne of righteousnesse the New Church shall shine most gloriously beyond the Old in the knowledge of the Gospell and the mysteries of God by the pouring forth of the light of Gods Spirit upon all flesh But we deny that this is the full sense of these Prophesies For the Prophets almost in all their Oracles touching Christs Kingdome prophesie not onely of the Inchoation but also of the Consummation of the glory thereof Otherwise the fulfilling but of very few of them could bee shewed in this Life And this chiefly bewitcheth the Iews in that they seeke and expect a literal accomplishment of the Prophesies touching the Kingdome of the Messias in this world not observing that the Prophets with the beginnings of this Life in which the glory of Christs Kingdome is onely begun joyne also the full accomplishment which shal be at last in the life to come Therefore the Oracles of Isaias touching the abolishing of the light of the Sunne and Moone although they bee now figuratively fulfilled yet the literal accomplishment thereof shal be at last in the Church gloriously reigning in Heaven And therefore they are rightly applied unto the illumination of this City in Heaven Neither are the Arguments for this opinion obscure in the Prophesies themselves For saith the Prophet Iehovah shall be upon thee an
they cause troublesome vapours and smoake neither doe they give light any great distance Therefore we stand in need of the Sunne or Day-light But the servants of God shall not then want any of these things For there shall be no night and therefore no use of lights no not of the light of the Sunne it selfe because the Lord God shall enlighten them with the brightnesse of his majesty as before he said Ch. 21.23 The glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof and the Nations which are saved shall walke in the light of it And they shall reigne for ever and ever This shall be the very height of our glory in Heaven that wee shall reigne with God and the Lambe for ever more Now indeed Christ hath made us Kings and Priests to God and the Father but our Kingdome is yet hid in Christ But then the Kingdome of God shall be manifested in our selves Now is the Kingdome of grace then it shal be of glory Before in Chap. 20. ver 4. they that were beheaded reigned with Christ a thousand yeeres Then we shall all of us reigne with Christ for ever and ever and this is that which he there added in ver 6. touching the rest having part in the first Resurrection They shall reigne with him a thousand yeeres See the exposition there Now we shall so reigne as that God and the Lambe shal be the head of the Kingdome But shall not the Son then deliver up the Kingdome to the Father 1. Cor. 15.28 and be subject to him Yea verily but this he shall not do by laying downe the Kingdome and so cease to reigne For how should the King of kings and Lord of lords of whose Kingdome there is no end Luk. 1.33 ever cease to reigne but by changing the present and mediate forme of the Kingdome into an immediate and by abolishing all the adversaries of the Kingdom as we have elsewhere declared The Second Part of the CHAPTER The Conclusion asserting the profitablenesse and Authority of the whole Prophesie 6. And he said unto mee These sayings are faithfull and true And the Lord God of the Holy Prophets sent his Angell to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly bee done 7. Behold I come quickly blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the Prophesie of this Booke 8. And I Iohn saw these things and heard them And when I had heard and seene I fell downe to worship before the feet of the Angell which shewed me these things 9. Then saith he to mee See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren the Prophets and of them which keepe the sayings of this Booke worship God 10. And hee saith unto mee Seale not the sayings of the Prophesie of this Booke for the time is at hand 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still 12. And behold I come quickly and my reward is with mee to give every man according as his worke shal be 13. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning the end the first the last 14. Blessed are are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the Citie 15. For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye 16. I Iesus have sent mine Angell to testifie unto you these things in the Churches I am the root and the off-spring of David and the bright and morning Starre 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come And let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this Booke if any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke 19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of Life and out of the holy Citie and from the things that are written in this booke 20. Hee which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Iesus 21. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen THE COMMENTARY AND he said unto mee Thus farre of two Parts of the Booke the Preface and the Visions The third or Conclusion remaineth in which somethings respecting the Authority of the Booke are taken out of the Preface and some other things added by which the great utilitie and sacred Authority thereof is further commended as we shewed in the Analysis After the concluding of this Revelation an Angell saith unto John to wit one of the Seven pouring out the Vials who before shewed him the judgement of the whore and the Beast and afterward the magnificence of the Heavenly Ierusalem These words are faithfull and true That is not only what was last spoken but the whole Prophesie as Chap. 19.9 This is the Proposition unto the confirmation whereof the whole Conclusion respecteth that wee might beleeve the Prophesie to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divine true profitable and saving unto the Church and so bee stirred up unto the continuall meditation thereof The Holy Ghost was not ignorant that many would call into Question the divine authority of this Booke for it was a long while rejected as being composed by the hereticke Cerinthus which errour we have before confuted in the Prologue But they ought to have beleeved the Angell saying These words are faithfull and true Faithfull to which we may safely give credit True which shall certainly be accomplished And indeed so it is for we who are now more then fifteen hundred yeers after the Revelation do if not see with our eyes yet certainly feel as it were with our hands the manifest accomplishment almost of all the Visions Here therefore wee have an evident note of divine authoritie and truth imprinted on this Prophesie against the most impudent assertion of BELLARMINE Lib. 4 de verb. cap. 1. which is that it can no way be gathered from the Scripture it selfe that some Scripture is divine What I pray is this but to give the Angell the lie who saith These words are faithfull and true But the liar condemneth himselfe in saying elsewhere that besides other arguments Lib. 1. cap. 2. de verbo the divine authority of Canonicall Bookes of Scripture may be proved from the scripture it selfe The Sophisters and adversaries of Scripture object that this Argument is not sufficient to Faith unlesse it be before proved and beleeved that the Angell or Writer uttering these things spake truth ANSWER First principles are not proved but laid
rendred 75. Benevenutus Rambaldus a worthy historian 128. Bernhardus Clarevallensis his invectives against the Pope and Clergie more then 464 years agoe 318. Beryl growing in the Indies 565. Bellarmin touching the libertie of the will either to admit or exclude God knocking and perswading refuted 81 c. Bellarmins arguments answered 222. Bellarmins subtilties answered 321. Brightmans coniecture touching the time of the Turks power considered 188. His opinion of the flood of waters 278. His allegoriall exposition 541. Bishops why called stars and Angels 27. Bishops have no Apostolicall power 20. Bishops or teachers of Churches how they are said to be in the hand of Christ 31. Bishops must flee ambition and covetousnesse 33. many Bishops though in appearance pious are meer hypocrites 55. The Bishops did augment the sicknesse and palenesse of the Church above measure 117. 118. Romane Bishops ever since Pope silvester have striven to Lord it over their fellowes 126 127. Blasphemie what it is 290. Blasphemie of the Romane Beast 299. Blasphemie against Marie 300. Blasphemous verses of Carolus scribanius touching the milke of Marie and the blood of Christ 301. Whither the Black horse denotes hereticks 112. It denotes the Church made black with heresies ibid. The Black horse hath Christ with a ballance on him ibid. The Blasphemous title of Pope Paulus V. doth expresselie contain the number of the Beast 297. 323. Blood in the moon whence 128. The Booke of Gods providence 60. and of vniversall Iudgement ibid. The Book containing the matters which Christ revealed unto Iohn touching the last times is the Revelation it selfe 96. The open book is that which was shut before 199. The book eaten up by Iohn 207. what it meaneth ibid. The book of life 60 302. 544. Books how attributed to God in scripture 60. The books of the Ancients were rolled up 97. Bondmen and free men denote all adversaries of inferiour ranck 132. Boniface III. first established monarchicall tyrannie 118. being declared vniversall bishop by Phocas 127. 244. Boniface VIII a loftie tyrant 129. The Bow of Christ is the Law and the Gospell 108. Brimstone and hell fire 352. Bullingers opinion of the flood 278. To Buy white raiment what it is 79. C. CAlamities why foretold 126. Calling of Evangelicall preachers 378. Candidati Romans so called and why 79. Carkeyses of the witnesses what they are and how they shall lie in the streets of Rome 233. Carkeyses of the witnesses unburied 240. The Campe of the saints is the Christian world 537. Catastrophe of the Churches calamities under Antichrist 106. The Cause of Gods connivence is both his benignitie leading the wicked to repentance as also his counsell for the completing of the number of Martyrs 121. 122 Catholick Character 312. Character of the Beast 315. 314. his two fold Character ibid. Character and Charagma how they differ 312. The proper and common Character how they differ 315. Causes of Babylons ruine 455. Chaenix a measure containing a dayes provision for one man 114. Certaintie of the saintes salvation 527. Chalcedonie 564. Chalcolibanum or fine brasse 24. Chiliarchi are captains of thousands 123. Chiliasts or millenaries their ancient opinion 524. the author of it Papias ibid. the refutation thereof 525 531. The ground of their errour 515. their corrupting of the text ibid. The Chore or company of Patriarchs Prophets saints Iudges and kings represented by the four and twentie Elders 90. Chore of the 24 Elders 248. Christ why called Amen 75. Hath future things revealed unto him as he is man 3.4 is Lord of the Angels 5. his dietie more expresselie testified by no canonicall writer then by the Evangelist Iohn 5. his three fold office and benefits 10.13 His comming why promised 15. He appeared in an humane shape in the middest of the seven candlesticks 22. He opens and no man shutteth 64. How he is like to the Son of man 23.24 How he attributes the simile of a thief unto himself 57. Is called a Lambe in respect of his humility and office 100. Is our fine linen and wedding robe 482. He is the faithfull witnesse and so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10.11 Is the first begotten from the dead 11. and Prince of the kings of the earth 12. He cleanseth us from our sinnes two manner of wayes 13. His body doth not lie hid invisibly under the host 15. He is the onelie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or merchant offering unto us spirituall wares of salvation 78. His philanthropie 80. His righteousnesse is the white robe 79. How he suppeth with us 80. His proper titles 88. Is represented to Iohn under divers figures 88. By his spirituall scepter he forceth the adversaries unto obedience 103.104 He is the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah 109. Hath the seven spirits in his hands 54. Js author of the ministrie ibid. He attributes life to himself 26. Is divided by the Lutherans 44. How he shall deliver up the kingdome to the father and reigne for ever 248. He is alpha and omega 587. The root of David the morning star 593. Is compared to a traveller knocking at our dore 80. How he is heard and let in with the benefit thereof ibid. He is the beginning of the creation of God actively and passivelie 75. Why he would rather have men cold then Lukewarm 76. What is meant by the open booke in his hand 199. Christ and Antichrist have the key of the bottomlesse pit in different respects 172. 502. Christians miscalled by the Romanes 17. Church Church discipline in its vigor in the primitive times 32. the Churches adversaries sometimes converted 67. Whether the Church may be removed 35. her abode uncertain 36. she was preserved in the Papacie 43. she sometimes lies hid in the world ibid. she must reprove notorious and scandalous sectaries 44. The Church of the called and the Elect doth differ 55. The Church abounding in idlenesse and riot heathenish and Iewish rites were brought in 76. The Churches condition in this world was alwayes red with persecution 111. She became black in the first 200 yeeres 112. And pale even to death 117. was preserved in the midst of the Papacie 139. Where she was before Luther 142. she could erre for she needed measuring 213. Why she is represented by the figure of a woman 257. her variable condition in this world 258. How she changed her sun-like clothing into purple 259. Vanishing as the moon 265. The Church triumphant her song 268. How long the Church was in the wildernesse 276. Whether there were no Church vnder Antichrist 329. Her condition at first 358. Before Luther the Church was in Babylon 459. The Church is the bride of the Lamb and citie of God 560. Why Compared to Candlesticks 27. and sometime to a vineyard 363. Chrysolite 565. Chrysoprasus whence it takes its name ibid. Chrystal what it signifies 506. Cities of the nations what they are 400. the beloved city is the Church 537. Clemanges his speech of Rome 4â—4 Clement