following Chapter is attributed to the Beast to whom it was given to make warre with the Saints They who there are called Saintes Who are the rest of the womans seed here are named the rest of the seed of the woman Now these are the faithfull who seeing all the publick congregations in the Papacy corrupted withdrew themselves and privately worshipped the Lord according to his institution in their owne families of whom also some openly opposed the Beast even from the first rising of the Papacy until this day against these what manner of warr the Dragon hath made by the Romane Beast the books of Martyrs plentifully declare as also the Spanish and Popish inquisition which hath drawen many thousands of Saintes unto the gibbet fire and other exquisite torments besides the warres of Popes against diverse Emperours Kings for the upholding of their tyranny the which for the present I wil not speak off At that time indeed the Dragon could not warr against the woman that is against whole congregations of the Saintes because such were not visible therfore he strives by al meās possible to extirpate the rest of her seed which was scattered here there But more of this war in the following Chapter By two Epithites the womans seed is set forth that they keep the commandements of God have the testimony of Jesus Christ The former notes the life piety of the Saints conformable to the word of God The latter the sincerity of their faith according to the tenour of the Gospel So that these should not pollute themselves with the superstitions idols abominations of Popery but holily unblamably passe the time of their dwelling here according to the rule of Gods law neither should they receive the traditions lawes decrees of the Pope for articles of faith but constantly maintain the sincerity of Christian belief for the sake wherof they were to undergoe the contradictions war of the Dragon through the Beast 18. And I stood upon the sea A transition to the following Act touching the Beasts All Greek copies have it in the first person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I stood that is I John noting the opportunity of the place where then he stood to behold the Beast that arose out of the sea Notwithstanding the vulgar reads it in the third person And he stood as if the Dragon had stood on the sand of the sea that is as some interpret it on a weake foundation for a sandie station is not to be trusted too Or as others on the multitude of wicked men But in this there is no use of a mysterie Neyther is there gold under everie stone The former reading is proper and natural the which Andreas also followes and from this transition doth rightly begin the following Chapter touching the Beasts Rupertus also I stood upon the sand of the sea and I saw to denote saith he the difficult doubtfull and dangerous state of that time when the elect standing shall waver and wavering shall stand the which allegorie I leave to its own strength Ribera approves not the Latine but the Greek reading though Alcasar doth mightelie labour to defend the Latine version against all opposers CHAPTER XIII The Argument Parts Analysis THis Chapter is a declaration or an exposition of the 17 verse of the foregoing Chapter For it describeth the warre of the Dragon with the seed of the woman that is with the Saints and faithfull worshippers of Christ managed through Antichrist whose rising nature kingdome power deeds successe character and lastly his name and number or numberal name the Prophet sets forth as by lively colours under the type of a double beast For he saw Antichrist comming forth on the theater first under the figure of a Beast having seven heads presently after under the figure of a Beast having two hornes in which is signified the twofold person of Antichrist viz. as he is a secular Monarch and a spiritual seducer or false prophet of which is spoken Chap. 16.13 and Chap. 19.20 Here therfore begins the Third Act of the fourth Vision touching the last and most grievous Antichristian persecution which shall endure unto the end of the world THe parts of the Chapter are two according to the number of the Beasts treated of in the same The description of the first Beast is contained in 10 verses And it is diverse I. The Beasts rising is noted to be out of the sea v. 1. II. His monstrous figure or shape seven blasphemous heads ten crowned hornes ibid with the skin of a Leopard feet of a Bear and mouth of a Lion verse 2. III. His state he hath a throne and kingly power of which is noted 1. The efficient cause the Dragon gives him his seat and power ibid. 2. The degree and variation of the power it is great v. 2. One of his heads beeing deadly wounded is againe healed ver 3.3 His divine authority the whole earth admires and adores him in prayses making him equal with God yea lifts him above God ver 3.4 IV. His deeds both with his mouth he speaketh great things and blasphemies the outragiousnesse whereof is figured out by the time it dured viz. fourty two moneths v. 5. and by the objects which he blasphemeth 1. God 2. His nacle 3. The inhabiters of heaven v. 6. then with weapons hee makes warre with the Saintes the event of which is twofold 1. The victory over the Saints 2. an encrease of universal power v. 7. and of worship v. 8. V. It is shut up with an exclamatorie and hortatorie conclusion unto the godly that they should attend v. 9. comminatory against the Beast that he should suffer like for like v. 10. But consolatory to the Saintes shewing them what was don was for the exercise of their faith and patience ibid. The description of the latter Beast is from v. 11. unto the end of the Chapter and it containes diverse particulars I. His originall is noted to be from the earth v. 11. II. A threefold similitude or likenesse 1. With the Lambe having hornes like his 2. With the Dragon speaking as he did ibid. 3. With the former Beast whose whole power he exerciseth ver 12. III. Sixe effects of his power 1. He establisheth the worship of the former beast v. 12. 2. He doth great wonders v. 13. 3. By miracles he seduceth the inhabiters of the earth v. 13.14 4. He commands an image to be made to the former Beast ibid. 5. He gives life to the image makes it to speak causing all them that will not worship the image to bee slaine ver 15. 6. He imprints the character name and the number of the Beast on the right hands and foreheads of the worshippers thereof giving them a priviledge to buy and sell the which is prohibited all others ver 16.17 IIII. It is ended with an exclamatorie conclusion amplifying the mystery of the Beast and stirring us up to the searching out the mysterie thereof both
out of the bottomlesse pit and shall goe into perdition The three former seeing they so cohere together doe argue that the beast is not simple or single but to be considered in a divers respect and forme Ribera takes this beast to be the devill reigning Riberas opinion of the beast false as in Chap. 3. but it is absurd for the devill never ceaseth to reigne in the children of unbeleefe and even in Iohns time the Apostle Peter wrote that the devill is allwayes going about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devoure and therefore the Angell could not say to Iohn The devill reigning IS NOT. Neither is it of waight what he pretends of Christs Victory Satan indeed is overcome according to his spirituall power that he cannot exercise the same over the elect but not according to his civill violence by which in Iohns time he mightily raged in the Romane Tyrants against the godly And what need was there I pray that Satan of whose continuall rage the holy Ghost had so often advertised us without any figure should now be represented unto Iohn under an obscure type as if it were an unknowne Mystery This colour is too slender to hide the truth The beast therefore is not the devill The common opinion of our Interpreters is The commonopinion of our expositers touching the beast That the beast is the old Romane Empire as before Chap. 13. That WAS viz. most powerfull and largely extended while it was heathenish AND IS NOT to remaine so because it shall bee destroyed by the Vandalls Goths and Hunni which happened under Theodosius when Rome in a short space being foure times taken destroyed and burnt the Empire of the West seemed whollie as it were overthrowne And ascended out of the bottomlesse pit The new Papall Empire which the Pope of Rome by an hellish ambition erected in the West seditiously thrusting the lawfull Emperours of the East out of Italy Not as if the Empire of the West were from the Devill as some do wickedly calumninate us for all Empires are of God but when Empires are corrupted which the Pope caused in the West then those corruptions doe not descend from Heaven but ascend out of the bottomlesse pit And shall goe into perdition For by Christ comming he shall bee cast into the pit of eternall damnation Touching this opinion thus farre it may seeme to be imperfect viz. that it distinguisheth not sufficiently the Romane Empire from Antichrist as also that it draweth the second terme IS NOT unto the future destruction of the Empire whereas the Angell denyeth that the Beast was in his time lastly that the third terme HE SHAL ASCEND OVT OF THE BOTTO MLESSE PIT is most properly to be interpreted of Antichrists rising Brightman somewhat varies from the common opinion Brightmans opinion The Beast is Antichrist He was to wit after publick persecutions were taken away by Constantine And is not to wit when the Pontificacie was so weakned by the incursions of the Barbarians in Italy that men might truly say that the Beast was no more And is to ascend out of the bottomlesse pit to wit when by Iustinian and Phocas the pope of Rome was restored and as it were recalled out of Hell that thence forward with the Empire hee might bee Chiefe Dictator and Vniversall Bishop And shall go into perdition to wit when the renewed dignity and power of the Pope began to be weakened by the Gospel and by little little consumed away This exposition in the fourth term is true How farre true or not true but in the three former he confounds the times which the Angell hath accurately distinguished not by saying The beast shal be and shall not be and shal againe ascend out of the bottomlesse pit But by distinguishing expresly the time past present to come He was in the preterperfect tence is not in the present And shal ascend in the future which differences of time can no more be here confounded then in v. 10. Five are fallen and one is and the other is not yet come and when he commeth c. where the said differences are necessarily to be observed Notwithstanding he seemes to hold that the beast soone after Constantine did ascend out of the Pit which agrees not to the Visions and Histories For although the Church as soone as Christ left off riding on the red horse under Constantine began to be blacke with heresies and with divers diseases grew miserablie pale even unto death neverthelesse the Dragon had not as yet with his taile cast downe that great Starre from Heaven unto the Earth neither had the smoake out of the bottomlesse pit wholly filled the Church with Antichristian Cloudes That was the time of the secret conception generation of Antichrist in the womb of the Romane Church being about 296. yeeres In Vita Sylv namely from Sylvester on whose head Constantine if Platina lie not set a Crowne of gold beset with most pretious Gemmes untill Gregory I. who as a most cleer-seeing Prophet shewing as with the finger Antichrists Birth-day then at hand said Lib 4. Eph 30. I confidently affirme that whosoever calleth himselfe universall Priest or desireth to be so called he in his loftinesse is the Fore-runner of Antichrist because by pride he sets himselfe before others Lib 4 Eph. 38. And again The King of pride is neere and that which is unlawfull to bee uttered an Army of Priests is prepared for him But Antichrist came forth fully ten yeeres after when Sabian caused the writings of Gregory publickely to be burned pretending that he affecting popular praise by his munificence and profuse gifts had wasted the Patrimony of the Church but it was indeed out of hatred because he had declared the Vniversall Priest to be Antichrist After him at length Boniface III. having obtained the title of Vniversall Bishop from Phocas manifested the Beast unto the world I will therefore lay downe what the Lord hath suggested unto mee The Authors judgement touching the Beast touching this darke matter not new neither much contrary to the foresaid opinions but yet comming neerer to the scope I shewed before that the Beast is Antichrist not absolutely but in respect of the three latter states neither is he simple or single but having two bodies neither naked but clothed with the skin of the Romane Empire armed both with the ecclesiasticall and imperiall sword as some ages have seen in the Romish Popes According therefore unto the prodigious and different state of Antichrist So he is said prodigiously to have bin and not to be and to come afterward The Beast was or hath bin viz. formerly according to the monarchicall and secular power which before Iohns time was in Kings Consulls Decemviri Dictators Tribunes Caesars as in verse 10. for although that power was not then as yet the power of Antichrist yet it began afterwards to be his when he by force tooke the same
of government viz. Kings Consuls Dictators Decemviri Tribunes and Princes or Emperours neither is there any more as Eudaemon the Iesuite cavills against Brightman for betweene the power of Tribunes and Princes Tacitus puts no ordinary government save onely civill discords The seventh he saw not because it came after him Now of these in Iohns time Five were fallen to wit Kings Consuls Dictators Decemviri Tribunes because these formes of government were put down at Rome before Iohns time for the Consuls which then were wanted Monarchicall power and their power was limited within the City ONE IS The sixt government of Princes or Emperours which then was Now in this Expositours varie Difference about the sixt sevent kind of goverment Some make the sixt kind of government which Domitian held in Iohns time to be of such Caesars as descended of Iulius that is home-borne Princes but the seventh of Forraigne Caesars which say they the Angell intendeth in the words One is not yet come to wit Vlpius Traianus the Spaniard after whom thenceforward Forraine Emperors governed Rome That which followes And the Beast is the eight and is of the seven They understand of the French and Germane Emperours at length created by the Pope Which opinion unto me seemes to have little ground first in that they divide domesticke and forraine Emperours into two orders or rankes seeing both held the same Empire at Rome Secondly that they passe by Nerva before Traiane Lastly that they observe not how the eight is the whole Beast or Antichrist Verse 10. Brightman herein consenteth touching the five that were fallen but the sixt hee understands of the Emperours who in Iohns time and thencefore held the Empire The other not yet come that is the seventh he makes to be the Pope for howbeit there was a Bishop at Rome while Iohn lived Neverthelesse hee did not Lord it nor take any Papall jurisdiction on him The Epithite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Other he understands not of the number but quality of the kingdome because the seventh should have a kingdome far divers from the former who all had been politicall Kings but this should bee of a mixt kinde viz. Ecclesiasticall and Politicall The following words When he commeth hee must remaine a short space He thus expoundeth After that the Popish kingdome takes its beginning under Constantine the pontificall authority shall remaine in safety but a little while viz. about an hundred yeers for then Rome by the incursions of Barbarians shall bee taken and so wasted and ruinated as that it shall appeare to bee wholly destroyed The which thing was done by the Gothes Vandals and Hunni That which followeth The beast was and is not even he is the eight hee thus expoundeth The beast that is the Pope which was the seventh king already manifested or come and yet is said not to be by reason of the discomfiture the Barbarians brought upon him shall be the Eight that is againe recover himself after his overthrow and attaine his former strength which saith he happened in Gregory II. and his next Successours by the helpe of their two hornes Pippine and Charles And is of the seventh that is the Pope the Eight being againe restored will be of the same disposition manners and regiment as he was before his overthrow while he was the seventh so that he makes the seventh and Eight to be al one viz. the Romish Pope with this difference that the seventh signifies the Pope before he was discomfited by the Barbarians seeming then to have bin wholly extinguished But the Eight to signifie the Pope againe restored to his ancient dignity by Pippin and Charles This as I take it is the sum of his words The which things I confesse are wittily and probably written according to histories But yet this hath no small difficulty in it how the same Pope can bee both the seventh and Eight seeing Iohn doth distinguish them as the part and whole for he names the seventh one of the Beasts heads but the Eight the whole beast himselfe The Beast saith he which was and is not he also is the eight Neither can the two states of the beast repeated verse 11. which was and is not be drawne vnto the rising and overthrow of the seventh head seeing Iohn in verse 8. makes them to be the states not of one head but of the whole beast The Authors opinion To untie this knot I understand as before I proved that the beast is Antichrist whence it followeth that the seventh head is not Antichrist because the seventh head is not the beast but a part thereof Now a part of the beast and the beast are not the same Furthermore the heads are the strength of the Beast Therefore the seven kings are the strength that is the Monarchicall power of the beast which before was in the seven kings or regiments but at last shall be in the beast himselfe as it were in the eight king or Antichrist so then the seventh king is not the same with the eight because the former is but one head of the beast The other is the beast it selfe or Antichrist But what then Five Regiments Five kings are fallen That is the five Regiments of kings Consulls Dictators Decemviri and Tribunes were already in Johns time put downe from the mountaines of the woman that is in Rome One is The sixt order of Pagane Emperours which in Iohns time and thenceforward unto Constantine did in Domitian and his successours sway the Scepter on the mountaines of the beast and woman that is at Rome The other is not yet come The seventh order of Christian Emperours which was not yet in Iohns time being to come after in Constantine the great But it may be said that these held the same Empire with the former The sixt viz of pagan emperours and had no new Regiment These therefore are not distinguished from the sixt I answer The face of the Empire began to be altogether new and fit for the conception of Antichrist For this seventh head reigned not as did the former on the mountaines of the beast and woman Constantine the great is the seventh that is at Rome but out or from the same viz. in the East when Constantine either because he was hated of the Gentry and Commons of Rome for his Christian Religion as Baronius feineth for what needed he to feare the Citizens who had blotted out the names of so many Tyrants or to encrease the greatnesse of his name Why the Empire of Constant is distingu◠shed from his predecessours leaving Rome removed to Bizantium and would have it to be called after his owne Name Constantinople An. 19. of his Empire and of his conversion 12 and of Christ 324. Now this is that which the Angell saith When he is come hee must remaine a short space that is he shall not reigne long at Rome in the mountaines of the beast and woman but onely
began to be or shall be as in the following words Is of the seventh for shall be Goeth into perdition for shall goe by an enallage of the Tence usuall to Iohn for he speaketh of the rising and future destruction of the Beast the Eight King The Eighth King that is the eighth Regiment consisting of an Ecclesiasticall and Politicall Monarchy Thus the sense is plaine Then the Beast shall be the Eighth King that is the eigth Regiment or Romane Pontificacie being Ecclesiasticall and Politicall much differing herein from the seven heads because they onely had a politicall Monarchy which the Pope shall joyne with the Ecclesiasticall having in his bands the Empire and Pontificacie together armed with both swords and saying Behold here are two swords EGO SVM PONTIFEX EGO SVM CAESAR I am the High Priest I am Caesar Therefore hee is much unlike to the other Kings for they all of them were politicall onely but this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall and secular or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living and having a twofold originall out of the Earth and Sea exercâ—â—ng under pretence of Ecclesiasticall power his secular Monarchy by translating Kingdomes setting up and casting downe Kings and Emperours at his pleasure rightly therefore hee shall be named the Eight That which is added And is of the seven for shall be is not to bee taken as if the Beast were also the head or one of the heads which hath deceived some Expositours for there is a difference betweene the whole and a part the Beast and the head but it implies that the Beast shall himself exercise the Monarchicall power which before had bin in the seven heads yet in another forme and under another title to wit by his hornes touching which it followeth And goeth into perdition for shall goe In the former member the Angell intimated the three states of the Beast before expounded in verse 8. First in which he had bin The second in which he was not The third in which he came to be the Eight King Here he addes the fourth in which he shall goe into perdition Now as he ascended not all at once out of the bottomlesse pit but by degrees and was almost five hundred yeers ere he came to his full height of both Monarchies so he shall goe into perdition not on a sudden but by little and little Therefore he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he goeth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 runneth but step by step and as it were by the same degrees that he ascended out of the pit so shall he descend into the same The Beast began to goe into perdition in the age of our predecessours when the Gospell being againe restored The beast begins to go into perdition his fraud was manifested and his impostures laid open to the view of the world viz. his lies as that he is Christs Vicar Peters Successour Moâ—arch Head Spouse of the Church and the rest of his proud and foolish Titles when as also the waters of Euphrates began to be dryed up and the Tributes and Revenues of the Romish spirituall wares were forbidden in Germany France England Scotland Denmarcke Sweethland and Bohemia And he daily goes forward the divine judgement pressing him more and more unto destruction by revealing the light of the Gospell to divers kingdomes Provinces and Cities who shall detest the Beast untill he come to his last period the time whereof the LORD knoweth and so set his last foot into destruction 12 And the ten hornes We have seen the heads of the Beast Now let us view his hornes Touching which first the false opinion is to be refuted and in the next place the true sence to be sought out Ribera In Apoc. Chap. 10.11 Lib. 30 de p. R. Cap 16. and Bellarmine feine that towards the end of the world ten Kings shall divide the Romane Empire between them Woe therefore to our Emperour and reigne thorowout the whole earth one houre that is a very short time before Antichrists comming but that Antichrist when hee is come shall kill three of these Kings viz. of Egypt Lybia and Aethiopia making the other seven to yeeld unto him And least this fiction should not bee beleeved they labour to prove the same by the oracle of Daniel Chapter 7.24 And the ten bornes out of this kingdome are ten Kings that shall arise and another shall rise after them and hee shall bee greater then the first and shall subdue three Kings And Chapter 11.43 Hee shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver and over all the pretious things of Egypt and the Lybians and Aethiopians shall be at his steps That these things are spoken of Antichrist they prove by the authority of Jerom who in his Commentary on that place saith that all Ecclesiasticall Writers affirme that neer the end of the world when the Kingdome of the Romanes shall be destroyed ten Kings shall arise and divide the Romane World among them and that an Eleventh a lâ—tlâ— out shall stand up Antichrist who is to overcome three of thâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Kingâ—â— viz. of Egypt Lybia Aethiopia Who beeing overcome the otâ—â—â— also sâ—all submit unto the Conquerour But surely it is not the propertie of a good Interpreter to expound one darke thing by another and that as darke as the other for this is as the saying is Daniels Oracle most divers from this to beg the Question The type in Danâ—el is no lesse obscure then this of Iohn what will they then prove by that Besides the Type there is unlike to this in every particular so that we cannot but wonder considering the present light of doctrine and helpe of histories at the impudencie of these Interpreters The Fathers whom they pretend are to be excused though they delivered some things amisse of matters so remote seeing they had not the meanes which wee have now The dissimilitude I spake of appeareth The dissimilitude There the ten hornes are of the fouâ—â—h Beast which according to the received opinion was the Romane Empire according to others the Asian kingdome of the Seleucians erected by Selâ—â—cus Nicanor one of Alexanders foure Princes Here the ten hornes are of the Beast who according to Ribera is the devill Now are the hornes of the Romane Empire the hornes of the devill There between the â—â—n hornes did arise a little horâ—e Here nothing is spoken of that little horne There the little horne plucked up three hornes Here the plucking up of the three â—â—ornes is not mentioned There the Angell expoundeth that the little horne is a king arising from a meane estate who was to suppresse the other three Kings Nothing of this in the whole Revelation But the spirit of God would not certainely have passed all this by if any such thing should have happened in the end of the world There the little horne was Artiochus Epiphanes who expelled Ptolomaeus Philopator Seleucus and Demetrius these three Kings out of their
venture or onely at the lust and will of the adversaries but by the ordering hand of God for the exercise of the Church neither yet should they be perpetuall or continue too long but at length bee changed with the heavenly glory of the Saints all the wicked being by the power of Christ the Conqueror cast into the lake of fire and brimstone for ever and ever This Booke also is doctrinall and hortatorie mixing here and there with oracles excellent doctrines exhortations and reproofes both particular unto the seven Churches of Asia which were committed to the care of John being banished into Patmos as also universall unto all Christians even untill this day for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse These things suffice touching the generall Argument The upstart Interpreter of the Revelation before mentioned having thought upon a new Stratagem I know not whether to curry favour with the Pope Alcasar perverteth the argument or the more to harden him to his destruction doth hence forge to himself new Oracles touching the Church and the Monarchicall Empire of the Pope of Rome and with his Hypotheses doth wholly stray from the Scope of this Prophesie and to speake the truth doth foully deprave the Argument thereof His Hypotheses or Positions are principally four One general Three speciall Vestig nota 6. preoe The generall is of the Argument of the whole Revelation that it describes a two-fold warre of the Church one with the Synagogue the other with Paganisme and a two-fold victory and triumph over both adversaries But the former warre with the Synagogue was already fought before the Prophesie was revealed and the Synagogue with the Temple lay in ashes To what purpose then should this warre have been shewed unto John as being to come afterward Like as saith he things done are represented in a Comoedie As if forsooth Christ would represent unto John things done and not rather which were to come to passe afterward As for the latter warre with Paganisme although it was then on foot very hot already and was further to lie more heavy upon the Christians notwithstanding a more fierce conflict by farre with Antichrist was to befall them not to speake of the Gogish Warre by whom the Church as is praefigured in the Apocalyps should grievously be oppressed unto the very last times and against whom victory and triumph is promised unto the Saints the which all Interpreters the Papists not excepted do confesse Of his speciall hypotheses the first is that in the first eleven Chapters is represented the rejection of the Jewish Nation and the desolation of the City Jerusalem by the Romanes The SECOND That in the nine following Chapters is portended the Empire of the Romane Church over Rome and the whole world and the overthrow of Paganisme the which forsooth should bee that horrible judgement of the Great Whore and destruction of Babylon effected by Constantine the Great and his Successours The THIRD That in the two last Chapters under the Type of the Lambes Bride and the New Jerusalem is set forth the glorious and triumphant state of the Romane Church in Heaven But these most idle vanities will soon vanish away if thou doest but even put them to the Touch-stone that is the very Text of the Prophesie Vestig nota 14. prooem for Christ did reveale those things to Iohn which should shortly bee done Chap. 1.1 and afterward Chap. 4.1 whereas therefore the destruction of Ierusalem and rejection of the Iewes by Alcasars owne confession was fulfilled XXV yeeres before the Revelation was given Who then should believe that Christ would have revealed unto Iohn for a great mysterie a History so generally known under such obscure Types Iohns Revelation prophesieth of things present and to come And. in Apoc cap. 12. saith Andreas out of a Treatise of Methodius intitled SYMPOSIUM or Banket Therefore the first Hypothesis is undoubtedly false Neither is the second more true For the judgement of the Great Whore and the ruine of Babylon is represented not as a grace of conversion but as a punishment of whoredom to be inflicted on the kingdom seat of Antichrist in the last times Therefore to interpret this of the conversion of Rome and Paganisme unto the Faith of Christ which came to passe three hundred yeers after Christ under Constantine and his Successours is to make a mooke of reason The third is no better then the rest The Spouse of the Lambe and the New Jerusalem is the whole Church of Christ gloriously triumphing in Heaven from whom God hath wiped away all teares in which shall bee nothing that is defiled and abominable as shall be afterward shewed in its place but that the now Romane Apostaticall Church worshipper of Idols mother of fornications and driver not of Christs asse but of the Beast of Antichrist while she remains such on earth should also belong unto the Spouse of Christ in Heaven shall then be true when that of the Apostle is false Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters 1. Cor. 6.9.15 nor Adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankinde nor thieves nor drunkards nor revilers nor blasphemers nor extortioners shall enherit the Kingdom of God Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot which shall be ad Calendas Graecas that is never But what need I trouble my self This new fiction of the Inquirer is abundantly refuted by the judgement of Ribera Bellarmine and other most acute Doctors of his owne order although scarcely there be any one of them whom he doth not most freely censure But of late a certaine learned and judicious Divine seemeth to have set forth in lively colours the argument of that painfull and most polished INQUIRY in an Epistle which I shall here annexe Vnto thy two Letters the Post hasting away thus in a few lines What was my opinion perhaps thy father hath heard long since what now it is I will not easily say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FOR I GROW OLD LEARNING MANY THINGS The Argument of Alcasars Vestigation or Inquirie Lately one Alcasar a Iesuite hath published an INQUIRY upon the Revelation in which he rejoyceth himself and gratulates the Pope of Rome affirming that the dedication of this Aenigma was of old made to the Romane Church touching the future principallity of this Church over all Churches and the majesty of the Pope which others should submissively worship and humbly adore so as he first hath out of the darkenesse of the Apocalyps shewed a light by which the old Prophesies hitherto by others not understood may be enlightned namely of the authority of the Romane Church over all others that she alone is the Spouse of Christ Cant. 6. Psal 45. at his right hand and married to the Lambe Chap. 21. Rev. 19. whose founders were Peter and Paul whom Isaias sets forth by a couple of horsemen one sitting on an Asse the
Prophesie of future events concerning the Christian Church even from the time of the Revelation which as before I shewed was about the 14. yeer of Domitian or the ninety sixth of Christ unto the last deliverance of the Church and utter destruction of Antichrist with all the wicked For therefore it is called a Revelation and a Prophesie which is onely of future things and Christ commands John to write those things which must be done afterward The which notwithstanding is not to bee taken so precisely as if there were nothing at all of things past intermingled For almost in three places the argument of the Visions so requiring it could not be avoided but some things past should be mixed with things to come The first place is in Chap. 12. touching the woman in travaile with the Man-Child c. where the beginning or originall of the Christian Church is plainly figured out by the Type of Christs Nativity and Ascension which Vision therefore is more perfect then all the rest as we shall see in its place The second place is in Chap. 17. where the Beast on which the whore sitteth is said to have been in the five Kings before the Revelation Lastly in Chap. 20. touching the thousand yeers of Satans binding that he might no more seduce the Nations a few yeers to wit twenty five from the destruction of the Temple and Iewish Nation went before the Revelation for Satan did not cease through the Iewes to deceive the Nations and keepe them from the Gospell of Christ untill the Synagogue and the Iewish Nation was dissipated as shall be shewed in its place Secondly we must remember That howsoever the Revelation may seeme to be one continued Vision The Revelation is not one continued vision but distinct yet indeed it is not one neither revealed at one time but are many distinct Visions to wit Seven as it were so many sights exhibited to Iohn in the Spirit as was erewhile shewed in the Partition of the Booke in which least I should goe too farre from other Interpreters I retained the seven-fold number which is familiar and as it were peculiar unto this Prophesie neither have I varied save onely in the seventh Vision to which why I rather joyned the twentieth Chapter then to the sixt I will shew hereafter Evident traces of distinction do sufficiently appear throughout in the Text as shall be shewed Chap. 1.10 whither Iohn saw them in seven times and ecstasies or in fewer This is certaine that hee was not once onely but oftentimes ravished in the Spirit neither saw he all in one place but somethings in Patmos somethings in Heaven somethings at the Sea-shoare somethings in the Wildernesse and lastly somethings in a high mountain which is to be observed partly against the new faigned consequence of the Inquirer partly against that received errour as if one continuall Historie of the Church from the beginning even unto the end were observed in this Booke from which supposition many things will necessary be confusedly explicated and contrary to the scope Thirdly it is to be noted what Austin hath observed That the Revelation speaks the same things after a diverse manner The Revelation saith the same things in a diverse manner that is that divers Visions by changed types do represent the same period of the Ecclesiasticall History Of which thing that often iterated description of the last Iudgement is a most cleare Argument which is annexed unto every one of the Visions not by anticipation as commonly it is imagined but in a right order of Historie Now least this so often repetition of the same things might bee thought to bee idle or unprofitable the following observations are to be added Fourthly therefore it is to be noted the same things are so diversly spoken as which Collado hath well observed the former Visions are for the most part more obscure The latter Visions are clearer then the former the latter bring clearer light to the darkenesse of the former if you rightly observe them The opening of the seven Seales seem to be obscure in the second Vision But the seven Trumpets especially the five latter touching the great stars falling from Heaven to the Earth the Locusts tormenting and yet not killing men the Armies of the foure Angels of Euphrates c. are more cleare in the third Vision The measuring of the Temple and the Prophesie of the two Witnesses seems to be obscure in the third Vision but it is illustrated by the preaching of the three Angels against Antichrist in the fourth vision The Historie of the Beast is obscure Chap. 11. 13. but most cleare Chap. 17. The last Judgement is more darkely shadowed out towards the end of the second and third Visions but more clearely towards the end of the fourth by the Type of the Harvest and Vintage and of the fift Vision by the Type of a great Earthquake but most clearely towards the end of the sixth and most properly in the seventh The periods of the visions are the same but not the same histories Fiftly it is to be noted that the same things are diversly spoken not because the same individuall events are again iterated but because the selfe same period of the Church according to different Histories more known sometimes also the same are shadowed out by more manifest Types For example In the second vision the blacke-horse denotes the Church made black with heresies after Constantines time The pale-horse having death fitting on and drawing Hell after him the Church sicke even unto death towards Antichrists rising In the third vision by the sounding of the third fourth and fift Trumpets the same state of the Church is indeed represented yet more specially the declining corruption and lastly the apostacy of the Sea of Rome In the fourth vision her Tyranny and Idolatry In the fift and sixt vision is exhibited her ruine and judgement and so of the rest as we shal see in the Exposition Sixtly Also it is to be noted that all the visions doe figure out the same period of the Church yet not all the whole but some indeed the whole The period of the church is not whole in all the visions others some certaine distances For the whole period of the Ecclesiasticall Historie from the Revelation unto the end is principally distinguished by foure distances afterward I call them foure periods in the same sense for the four remarkeable distances or state of the whole period There are four distances of the period of Christs Church The first distance was of the Church flourishing and groaning under the Romane Tyrants untill the peace brought in by Constantine The second distance was of the Church reigning and rioting under Christian Emperours untill the rising of the Westerne Antichrist in Boniface III. Pope of Rome and of the Easterne in Mahumet sixe yeers after Of which distance HIEROM after saith he the Church came under Christian Princes Tom. 2. in
are for the most part to bee fully accomplished neer the very last times which is distant from the time this was revealed more then 1500 years some extend this to the whole time of the new Testament which though it were to continue more then a 1000 of yeers yet is called short both in regard of the age of the world then alâ—ready past Iohn 2 18. 1 Cor. 10 12 Psal 90 4. 1 Thess 5.3 as also in regard of eternitie in which shall bee neither shortnesse nor length of time For this cause the whole time of the new Testament is in scripture called the last hower the last times the ends of the world For the whole time and age of the world is but a moment in the eyes of God or as yesterday when it is past and as a watch in the night Which is the reason that Christ saith chap. 21. 12 that he will come to judgement quickly or shortly that is sooner then men imagin suddenly in which sence the words following come to passe were of necessitie to bee restrained to the full accomplishment of this prophesie which may not bee for it is to bee extended to the whole time and currant of those things which were foretold So that by shortly is meant the beginning and progresse of the fullfilling thereof Shall shortly come to passe that is shall begin for things are said to come to passe shortly not which are eyther already past or else are to come a long while after but which are beginning to bee effected are even in doeing Signifying that the stormes of afflictions were not to bee differred to the last times but that they were suddenly while the Apostles yet lived to rush in by heaps upoÌ„ the Churches Ioh. 16.12 the which Christ also foretold his disciples and histories manifest the accomplishment of it For the first persecution of Christians began straightways under Tiberius and Nero which tooke away Paul and Peter the other under Domitian in whose time Iohn was banished Wherefore hee foretels them not to terrify but to animate the godly against the dangers at hand that it might not come upon them unawares as Christ saith Iohn 16 1 these things have I spoken unto you that ye should not bee offended for the darts which are foreseen are the lesse hurtfull withall hee teacheth what is the portion of the Church in this world namely to suffer afflictions least wee should fayn delights unto our selves So likewise hee comforteth us from the brevitie of the afflictions and certainty of the promised deliverance For as afflictions must shortly come so also shall deliverance shortly and certainly come because Christ foretold the one as wel as the other unto Iohn Lastly it appeareth that the revelation treateth not of things past but to come wherefore they misse of the scope who apply a great part of the types to the state of the Iewish occurrences and Roman Empire then allready past And signifyed it by his angel that is Christ signified it He declareth the faithfulnesse of Christ in executing the charge committed to him of God and shewing this revelation to Iohn his servant and dear Apostle by sending his angel who instructed him in every particular of it And signified that is who also signified the same c. for so it is expressed in vers 6 16 of chap. 22 where the Lord Iesus saith that he sent his angel to shew these things to Iohn to his servants in the Churches So wee see that the scriptures compared together interpret themselves Wee need not restrain the word signified to a typical and dark manner of revelation but rather it noteth a plain and manifest discoverie made unto Iohn because that which is here said to bee signified is in the fore alledged place expounded by the words shewing and testifying c. And hee sent Gr. sending this whole verse retaineth the Hebrewe phrase 3 Argument of the deity of Christ and is as if it were read thus who also sending his angel signified the same to his servant Iohn Hence wee gather a third proofe of the God-head of Christ much like to the second for as Iohn is a servant so also is the angel and both are imployed by Christ as his proper servants who is Lord of them both and therefore God for the angels are servants to none but to Iehovah God of whom it is said Psal 104.4 who maketh his angels spirits c. it is true Christ is Lord of the angels in that hee is the mediator but unles hee were God hee could neither bee mediator or Lord of the angels by this argument Hebr. 1.6 the Apostle proveth the God-head of the son because the angels of God adore him Vers 2 Who bare record of the word of God hence it appeareth Iohn the Euangelist the writer of the revelation that the Euangelist Iohn is the writer of the revelation for hee bare record of the word of God in the very entrance of his Gospel saying in the beginning was the word this is the testimonie of Iohn when the Iews sent unto him and ye sent to John and he bare witnesse which things though spoken of Iohn the Baptist yet were written by Iohn the Euangelist who bare record to the word in setting downe of the testimonies of the word of God besides none of the writers of holy scripture have more expresly testified the divinity of Christ then the Euangelist Iohn For who but Iohn nameth of the person office and benefits of Christ Of the ministries of Angels happines of the triumphant church with the crosse and comfort of the militant withall teaching us to imbrace Godlinesse to bee constant in afflictions to hold fast faith and love to take heed of false prophets to Go out of Babylon and beware of Antichrist c. To be short it containes many worthy comfortable sentences as blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. c. Promises also of the deliverance of the Church of the mariage of the Lamb with threatnings of destruction to the enemies All which things how profitable and usefull they are it is manifest unto all For the time is at hand A reason to stir up a diligent care in us to read hear and keepe this prophesie Because the time both of the furie of the adversarie against the Godly as also of the deliverance of the Church is at hand The knowledge of evill and Good things even at the dore is not to bee neglected but the diligent reading of this prophesie causeth us to know both evill and Good things at hand therefore it is not to be neglected It admonisheth us therefore to watch lest unawares we be overwhelmed with the present troubles It comforteth us also that we be not disheartned for feare of the present battles but with full assurance of the presence of God and promised victorie we hold out manfullie unto the end That the time was then at hand histories
the Church with Antichrist with the issues thereof as the fift and sixt notwithstanding in the conclusion of every one of them a description of the last judgement with the punishments of the wicked and reward of the Godlie are expressed eyther literally or figuratively as I have allready shewed in the preface The reason of which repetition is wondred at but cannot be declared by such interpreters who judge that the historie of the Church is described in these visions without any intermission whereas the observation of our method doth clearly manifest the same The second vision is contained in Chap. 4.5.6 7. And it consisteth first of a preparation unto the vision in which Iohn saw the majestie of God sitting on the throne and the great attendance given unto him chap. 4. And in his hand a booke sealed with seven seales chap. 5. At length opened by the Lambe The fower Acts of the second vision Secondly it containes the vision it self representing in fower distinct acts the historie of the Church from that time unto the end of theworld In the first Act is propounded the different state of the Church from the time of the Romane tyrants untill the rising of Antichrist in the first 600 yeares prefigured in the opening of the first foure seales Chap. 6. v. 8 The second Act is an opposition of the foregoing proposition for the comfort of the martyrs and especially those who suffered under the pale horse at the opening of the fift seale Chap. 6. v. 9.10.11 The third Act is an amplification of the calamities of the Church under the Easterne and Westerne Antichrist after the revolution of the first thousand years and thence forward revealed at the opening of the sixt seale Chap. 6. v. 12.13.14 And in the last place the fourth Act containes the final end of all the combats of the Church fearfull indeed and tragicall unto the wicked but happie and glorious unto the faithfull martyrs and Christs sealed ones Chap. 6. v. 15.16.17 Chap. 7. unto the end Now this is the true state or distribution of the second vision And so we come to handle the interpretation thereof THE ARGVMENT and parts of Chap. IV. THis chapter is a preparation to the second vision and containes a description of the divine majestie of him that sate on the throne the scope and drift thereof is to let the faithfull understand that however they are pressed with afflictions in this life yet they have a glorious and omnipotent judge in the heavens to revenge their cause The Chapter hath two parts In the first appeareth the glory and majestie of God sitting on the Throne v. 1.2.3 The second containeth a twofold description 1. Of the companie of the foure and twenty Elders And 2. Of the foure beasts with their thanksgiving from v. 4. unto the end of the Chapter The first part of the Chapter The Majestie of God sitting on the Throne 1 After this I looked and behold a door was opened in heaven the first voyce which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me which said come up hither and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter 2 And immediately I was in the spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven and one sate on the throne 3 And he that sate was to look upon like a Iasper and a Sardine stone and there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an Emerald THE COMMENTARIE AFter these things I saw That is after I had seen the first vision for however Alcasar supposeth that the foregoing Chapters are as a prologue to the booke Yet Ribera and that groundedly doth acknowledge here a second vision because John saith After these things I saw that is after those things alreadie related I saw yet other visions And behold a door was opened in heaven As formerly I have shewed so here againe I would have it to be observed That we are not to search for mysteries in every particular of the visions but onely in those circumstances which doe concern the quality and scope of them Let others if they pleas by heaven understād the Church by the door opened the sence of the scriptures there interpreted by which we search and find out the mysteries of God But for my owne part I understand it simplie of the place where these things were seen of Iohn to wit not as formerly in Patmos but in heaven where as upon a larg and ample theatre the Acts of this vision were represented unto him And thus the following visions are differenced from the first as beeing of a higher nature He therefore saw a door opened in heaven that is he saw heaven opened within the heavens an open Pavilion or stage alluding to the custome of commoediants Act. 7.56 Steeven also the first Martyr saw the heavens opened towit corporally but John saw this in the spirit as it is in v. 2. however we may hence truely conclude that neither the perspicuity of the mind nor bodelie eyes of man can reach to heavenlie things except the Lord doe open heaven unto him And the first voyce The positive is here by an enallage or change of words put for the comparative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 former as Chap. 2.4 thou hast left thy first The voyce of Christ revealing the revelation that is thy former love And 1 Tim. 5.12 They have cast of their first that is their former faith he meaneth that great voyce as of a trumpet speaking unto him Chap. 1.10 For as there v. 1. it is said that Christ shewes unto his servants things that must shortelie come to passe So here this great voyce saith come up hither and I will shew thee c. So then both this and that is the voyce of Christ the revealer of the revelation Which must bee hereafter That is the hidden things of Gods secret counsell concerning the future condition of his Church in the world from this present time untill the end thereof Thus he brieflie openeth unto Iohn the argument of the following prophesie not for the satisfying eyther of his or our desire after the knowledge of novelties but to arme the Godlie with comfort against the approching troubles 2 And immediatelie I was in the spirit that is in a traunce as Chap. 1.10 he ascribes it unto the spirit least he might be thought to relate a dreame for he saw these things waking by which it appeareth that he was come to himself after the first vision and beeing again ravished he saw another vision although it is not manifest what distance of time there was betwixt them and ascended from Patmos by the commandement of Christ up into heaven not indeed by any locall motion but inward illumination the holy Ghost representing these things unto his understanding and revealing the mysteries thereof unto him which kinde of visions are called intellectual as we noted on Chap. 1.10
song together with the beasts and Elders for howsoever the Angels are not redeemed by the blood of Christ as men yet in Christ they are gathered together in one Eph. 1.10 beeing subject unto him as to the head of the Church whereof they are members and therefore they also prayse the Lambe as their Lord and blesse him in regard of the redemption of man-kind The number of Angels he saw are said to be ten thousand times ten thousand thousands of thousand that is infanite for so the Hebrewes speaking of time without end expresse it by ages of ages This number seems to be taken out of Dan. 7.10 where many millions of Angels stood before the fiery throne of God which is for the exceeding great comfort of the godly for seeing so many thousands of Angels are ready to doe the commandement of God and of the Lambe why then should we feare any adversary power which lifts it self up against God and his Church Saying with a loud voyce worthy is the Lambe This company of Angels with songs and prayses set forth seven divine titles of the Lambe all which he is most worthy to receive not as if he received them from the creatures but because all creatures are bound to render the same as most due unto him seeing he hath obtained all these things by eternall generation and by his exaltation at the right hand of God his Father And it is worthy our observation that however all these titles are most divine yet the Vbiquitie of his flesh is not reckoned amongst them Power because he is omnipotent Chap. 1.8 and all power is given unto him Matth. 28.18 Riches For in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom Col. 2.3 knowledge Wisdom For he is the eternall wisdome of the Father and of him is made wisdome unto us that is the teacher and author thereof Strength Because by his divine strength and power he hath overcome satan the world and all other enemies Glorie because he gloriously raigneth at the right hand of his father Blessing he is worthy indeed to be blessed for ever because in and through him all nations are made partakers of all blessings 13 And every creature The fourth apparition is of all reasonable creatures in heaven and in earth and of unreasonable both in the sea and under the earth And all that are in them viz. whither in heaven or in the earth or in the sea Ribera understands by the creatures under the earth the soules in purgatorie But this fiction Alcasar approves not of Others understand it of the evill spirits which will they nil they are compelled to acknowledge to stand in fear of the power glorie of Christ not because they love him but hate him and murmure against him But the true meaning is that not onely men but all creatures yea even the divels themselves doe shew forth the prayse of God XXXI Argum. of Christs deity because in some sort they serve to illustrate and set forth his glorie Here again we may note that Christ is adored with religious worship by all creatures the which evidentlie proves that he is God and this is to be added to the former arguments The exception of the Samosatenians is frivolous who will have a created divinity to be communicated unto Christ But God himself saith that he will not give his glory that is the glory of religious worship to any creature But the Idolatrous Papists doe more shamefully dishonour God and the Lamb in attributing religious worship to Angels to the spirits of men deceased to Images c let them therfore looke to it how they wil answer the foresaid hereticks nay rather how they will answere the Lord when he shall call them to account for it 14. And the foure beasts As the beasts and Elders were first in manifesting their joy so here againe they joyne with the Angels and other creatures in praysing the Lamb conclude the thanksgiving by saying Amen thereunto of which see Chap. 1.6 The Elders by falling down worship him who liveth for ever and ever that is Christ Chap. 1.18 CHAP. VI. THE PREFACE ARGVMENT PARTS and Analysis of the Chapter THe Lamb opening six seales of the booke wonderfull sights are shewed to Iohn in this Chapter At the opening of the first seale comes forth a white horse and his rider having a bow and a crowne At the second a red horse and his rider being girt with a sword taking peace away from the earth At the third a blacke horse with his rider having in his hand a ballance and proclaiming famine At the fourth a pale horse having death sitting on him and hell following threatning a horrible slaughter throughout the foure corners of the earth The fift being opened the soules of the martyrs appeare under the altar crying for vengeance to God against their enemies At the sixt there followes a great earth quake the sun is darkened the moon turned into blood the stars fall downe to the earth and the last signes doe follow Now this is an amplification of the second vision continued in the following Chapter beeing not a little obscure For who doubts but that many darke mysteries lie hid under these seales the opening whereof was indeed greatly desired by all creatures but by them not possible to be don precisely therefore to define as some doe of the certaine events prefigured in such darke types in my judgement doth surpasse the power of humane wit notwithstanding from the scope and circumstances I thinke we may and ought without any controversie in a generall way gather that wherein most interpreters agree in one viz. that in them is shadowed out the condition of the Church from the time of Iohn unto the end of the world The prosperous successe of the preaching of the Gospel at first by and by the rage of the adversaries The crosse and martyrdome of the Godly as also the increase of troubles at last the destruction of the ungodly with the glorious deliverance of the Church consisting both of Iewes and gentiles Furthermore we will speak of particular events following as by rule our former method where we shewed that the generall visions of which this is the first are distinguished into foure Acts or parts of which as the second is opposed unto the first so allwayes the fourth unto the third The vvhich Acts now follow The first to repeate a few things is a representation of the state of the primitive Church both in prosperity and adversity under the foure first seales unto v. 9. unto this belongs the history of the Apostolical Church of the following persecutions both under the Romane tyrants and Arian hereticks untill the rising of Antichrist in the first 600 years The second is a comforting of the martyrs whose soules were safely kept under the heavenlie altar to bee fullie glorified a little while after v. 9.10.11 The third sets forth a new oppression more grievous troubles to
Austine Jerome and Chrysostome had suckt in some of their dregs mingling with the pure Apostolicall doctrine many errours touching matrimonie single life grace freewill praying to and for the dead purgatorie about fasts difference of meâ—ts c. with which things as with black spots the white horse of Christ was much stained To be short in the following two hundred yeares till the time of Gregorie the first the heresies of the Pelagians Nestorians and Eutichinians succeeded the Arrians which had before overspread the whole Church By little and little also the rites of the heathens crept in a new worship was devised by the Bishops with many beastlie vanities and superstitions Then began hot disputations and contentions about holy orders and seats of Bishops about the primacie of the chaire of Rome about righteousnes of workes merits and humane satisfactions and the like by which the doctrine of faith and free grace was much oppressed and a way made for Antichrist who shortlie after came into the temple of God when Boniface the third obtained the primacie and dominion over all other Churches from Phocas the usurper Thus we have heard how at length the white horse became black Vpon which notwithstanding Christ sate with his ballance that is How Christ sate on hereticks with his ballanct Lib. 2. de bapt cont don cap. 6. as I also assent too the holy scripture for as the ballance is the triall of a just or unjust weight so the holie scripture is the rule of doctrine whether true or false As Augustine wel noteth Let us bring saith hee not deceitfull ballances wherein we may put what and how we will saying according to our owne pleasure this is waightie this is light But let us bring the divine ballance out of the holie Scripture as out of Gods treasurie And put into it that which is waightie nay let not us put in any thing our selves but onely acknowledge what is put in by the Lord. But thou wilt say how doth Christ sit on hereticks doe these beare him up or doe they not rather denie him and cast him off I answere both is true Now these though in truth they denie him by their blasphemies yet Christ is said to ride on them with his ballance in a twofold way First in profession and appearance for the worst and grossest hereticks professed Christ and accounted themselves his Church And would pretend to weigh their errours in the ballance of the scripture but by them abused and miserablie depraved For the truth is most of them drew their heresies out of adulterat and apocrypha bookes corrupting some places of holie writ for a cloake unto the same but rejecting such canonical bookes as refuted their heresies And thus we see how in this respect Christ rides on hereticks But secondlie he doth it also by his providence because even in the greatest confusion of heresies he was not wanting unto his Church Neyther have or doe heresies at any time come rashlie or unawares but by Gods wise ordering hand for the triall of the Church For there must be heresies saith Paul that those which be approved may be made manifest And therfore he hath caused such heresies as sprung up to bee continually examined confuted by the ballance of his word as histories abundantly testifie 6. And I heard a voyce in the midst We have heard what he saw at the opening of the third seale he addes that he heard a voyce in midst of the beasts saying the old version hath it As the voyce of foure beasts saying But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is not in the Greek neyther is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying in the plural number but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular The voyce came forth out of the midst of the beasts as chap. 9.13 I heard a voyce from the foure hornes of the altar It is not said whose voice it was But without doubt it was the Lambs standing in the midst of the throne and foure beasts Chap. 5.6 He cryeth the price of food but whither at a deare or cheap rate it is uncertaine for the words following may be taken both wayes In that it is said A measure of wheat viz. shal be sould for a penny and three measures of barly for a penny that is shal be put into the ballance We will first consider the words afterward the sence A measure the Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a measure of dry things containing a halfe peck or as some wil have it so much food as would suffice a man for the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Choenix is a measure of a dayes provision hence came the proverb of Pythagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to sit on the measure Choenix intimating though a man had gotten so much as was sufficient for the day yet should he not therfore give himselfe to idlenes but still goe forward in his labour calling A Choenix according to Bude containes two sextaries or foure pound a sextarie containes 24 ounces or two pound by which we see that the old interpreter did erre in rendring Choenix two pound wheras it coÌ„taines foure For a penny Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called from the number beeing worth ten pence So much as was given for a dayes wages as appeares by the parable of the labourers in the vineyard Of wheat a more daintie and dearer corne then barly for that was for the poorer sort of men beasts other uses I doubt not but he alludes to the famine in Samaria which was besieged untill an asses head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver 2 Kin. 6.25 the fourth part of a cab of doves dung for five pieces of silver but soon after a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel and two measures of barlie for a shekel Notwithstanding I take it that here not a cheapnesse but a dearth rather of food is foretold seeing the measure of a dayes allowance could hardly be obtained by a dayes wages which must needs cause scarsity both to man and beast But wherefore doth he prophesie of a famine under the black horse the same shadowing out as we have shewed the corrupt state of the Church under haereticks If we take it according to the letter it seems not to cohere For what need was there to foretell a dearth which we know comes ordinarily to passe Wherefore the prophesie seemes mystically to be understood He proclaimes a mysticall famine not a famine of bread but of the word of God threatned here to be sent upon the despisers therof according to that in the prophet they shall wander from sea to sea from the North even to the East and run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord but should not finde it Amos 8.11.12 Therefore in these words viz. by scarsitie of wheat barly the Church is threatned with a spirituall famine that is the Gospel
and terrible not much unlike unto the Dragon He hath seven heads Therefore he is a monster and not unlike to the Poets Hydra Lernea A naturall beast hath but one head Antichrists kingdom therefore is monstrous and unnatural having Emperors and Kings lying under its feet It hath also ten hornes like to the Dragon Wherein the beast differeth from the Dragon yet differing from the Dragon for the Dragon had seven crowns upon his heads but the Beast weares his ten crownes on his hornes and on his heads the name of blasphemie being in his spotted skin like to a Leopard in his feet to a Beare in mouth to a Lyon all which the Dragon had not What is meant by the heads and hornes we need not here labour to expound Hornes by an Hebraisme very usually signifie strength because the strength of horned Beasts is in their head and hence are called Cornupite strikers with the horne The Angel Rev. 17.10 teacheth us that the seven heads are seven Kings and the seven mountaines of Rome and the ten hornes so many Kings and therefore for the present I purpose to speak no more about them But let us carefully take notice of the gradation which the spirit useth first he named the Beast Chap. 11.7 Here he disciphers him out and in Chap. 17. gives the interpretation thereof And upon his heads the name of blasphemie The Kings Edition of Montanus for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 name Antichrists kingdome holy in title but really worldly hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 names Afterward in Chap. 17.5 the woman sitting on the Beast hath on her forehead a name written Mysterie by both signes noting the same thing because there shall be a mystery in her secret blasphemies and the kingdom of the Beast being indeed secular shal mystically be called Sacred Therefore the Beast himselfe shall not weare his crownes on his heads but set them on his hornes to wit the Kings being his vassals but in stead of them he shall have on his head written mystery that is his mysticall or spirituall kingdom shall be in shew employed about holy things as doctrines lawes traditions religions sacrifices and worship Blaspemie is rayling against God What blasphemy is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 babling or dissolute and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fame or name and reputation or as others will have it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were a hurting of the reputation and name This he shall have in his forehead not by open profession for he would not be accounted a blasphemer but in works and in very deed as bringing in and defending blasphemous doctrines religion and worship Yet he will cloak the same with the name of Mysterie as being divine and holy worship instituted by the fulnesse of his power as if he could not erre Therefore his pretended title shall be mystery but his true title blasphemie 2 And the Beast which J saw here follows the rest of his description being monstrously compounded of a Leopard Beare and a Lyon three most cruell wilde Beasts It is a manifest allusion unto the Beasts in Daniel the first whereof being a Lyon represented the Babylonish Empire the second a Beare the Persian the third a Leopard the Macedonian the fourth having no name was more terrible then the rest to whom this Beast seems to answer as having something of the nature and property of the three former The which mixture denotes the monstrous disposition of Antichrist because he shall be as mercilesse to the servants of Christ as Beares Lyons and Leopards are to flocks of sheep Like to a Leopard The Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a she Leopard For this beast is called a Woman although it hath the outward forme of a man The she-Leopard hath a skin speckled giving forth an odoriferous smell being swift subtile and most hurtful to man It signifies first that Antichrists kingdom is spotted and garnished with diverse colours And indeed his policie state is as it were a mingle-mangle of diverse heresies superstitions idols traditions parched together of the spots of Iudaisme Paganisme Christianisme hence their whole hierarchie consists of diverse and different colours of religions sects Monks Clergiemen even from their Arch-flammins unto the Porter or Sexton yea the whole hide is spotted with heresies errours superstitions and blasphemies Secondly it is very odoriferous for by the sweet smelling enticement of dignities superfluities honour wealth and pleasure it hath so allured the Christian world as no man but would desire the voluptuous life of Clergiemen as if they were gods Furthermore it is most crafty for through subtilty and under a shew of piety by feined wonders lying signes superstitious impostures or seeming pious deceits he hath gotten the dominion and riches of the world It is also most swift for after that the Christian world was once perswaded that Rome was the seat of Peter the Prince of Apostles the Pope Christs Vicar and Apostolicall heire of Peter and universall Bishop c. it cannot be spoken with what swiftnesse this Apostolicall sea not onely subjected unto it all the Bishops and Churches of the west but also Emperours themselves Kings Princes Common-wealths and communities were brought under that yoke To be short it is most hurtfull to the eyes of men to their purses I say estates and soules which hitherto Rome hath with no lesse perill ravished devoured and destroyed then if a Leopard had fixt his nayles into the eyes of a man And his feet as the feet of a Beare the Beares feet denotes the stability of his kingdom for the feet of a Beare are flat large and having sharp nayles which he fixeth in the ground and therefore goes and stands the firmer so Antichrists kingdome hath large feet insomuch as it cannot easily be shaken The feet are Grants of Emperours the Canons of Councils and Decrees of Popes against which whosoever doth but mutter he is presently crushed with the Beares feet witnesse the Histories of the Ottoes Henries and Fredericks Emperours who if at any time they assayed to bridle the insolencie of the Beast were soon smitten with the Capitoline thunder and deposed from the Empire Not to speak of others of lower rank thus then the Beast stood with the feet of a Beare And his mouth as the mouth of a Lion A Lyon is a generous creature but the Beast hath nothing of a Lion save the mouth being terrible and roaring and of a horrible devouring nature and what I pray you is more outragious then the Papacie For Quic quid non possidet armis religione tenet What he by armes cannot get Doth by religion hold fast it What is more terrible then the Pope whose footsteps are adored by Kings and Emperours What is more devouring then Rome into whose Courts there are brought great summes of money for all flagitious facts and vile wickednesse committed wheresoever where no Priesthood is given to any but the first revenues must
John Husse and Jerome of Prage the two witnesses of the Gospel to be burnt and displacing the three Antipopes Gregory Benedict and Iohn it substituted Martin V. and so the deadly wound of the Beast was at length as it were healed by a divine Aesculapius or Chirurgion one onely Pope being againe set on the Romish Chaire Notwithstanding the ulcer burst forth in divers places first in Spaine and France for Benedict XIII dying Anno 1424. the Cardinals by his commandement and authority of King Alphonsus created Aegidius Munyos a Canonist named Pope Clement VIII Afterward in Bohemia where in the Hussian warres it is wonderfull to consider how much Christian blood was shed for the wound of the Beast untill at last Pope Martin regaining the favour of Alphonsus Aegidius was forced at the commandement of the King to lay down his Popedom And to the Bohemians the Councill of Basil permitted marriage to their Priests to have the Liturgie in the vulgar tongue the use of the Cup in the Eucharist and some other things which they called Compactata on this condition that they should acknowledge the Romane beast to be head of the Church Now I suppose there is no man but sees that these things do very wel suite with this prophesie touching the deadly wound and healing of the Beast Notwithstanding I leave it to the judgement of the Reader for whose sake I here briefly set down a rype of the Antipopes during the wound of that scisme ANTIPOPES During the schismaticall vvound of the Romane Beasts At Avinion  At Rome Clement VII dieth Anno 1392.  Vrban VI. dieth 1390. Benedict XIII deposed at Pise 1410. and at Constance 1417.  Boniface 9. dieth 1404.  Innocent VII dieth 1407 Gregory XII deposed at Pise 1410. and at Constance 1415. Alexander V. dieth 1411 Clement VIII giving place to Martine at Constance 1421.  Iohn XXII deposed at Constance 1415. Martine V. created Pope at Constance 1417. But if so be we are to understand the wound and the healing thereof in the latter sence Alphonsus his opinion touching the deadly wound of the Beast then I should altogether embrace the opinion of Alphonsus Mantuanus a learned Italian Interpreter One of the Beasts heads saith he as it were wounded to death seemes to me to denote that age of impiety in which the Gospell began to be preached and the Popish kingdom opposed through the ministery of the Gospell and the abomination thereof so manifested as it is even known to the ignorant themselves that the Pope who hath on his heads written names of blasphemy is the Beast and a most wretched man who presumes to be esteemed a god For then the Beast was seen to have received a deadly wound when those impious doctrines by which hitherto the Popes kingdome hath remained in its strength were reproved as meere lyes and Diabolicall deceits by the free preaching of the Gospell of Christ. Thus far he By the mortall wound of the Beast therefore he understands the separation of the Professours of the Gospell from Popery whence first a deadly disease befell the Papists in Germany and soon after in the neighbouring Kingdoms of France Poland Hungary and England Like as the ach of a wound ordinarily is irksome to the parts adjoyning This wound could not be inflicted on this powerfull Beast but by God himself who at last taking compassion on Germanie confounded the deceits of Rome by raysing up Anno 1516. Luther Melancthon and other excellent Divines as the instruments and organes of his grace and favour The sword wounding the Beast was the preaching of the Gospell by which in a short space the props of Popery were so sore shaken throughout Germany as it was not far from an utter ruine Notwithstanding our sins so deserving we see this wound now healed the Papacie again prevailing and reassuming her strength and vigour But by what medicines or potions This is cleared by Histories And as Alphonsus well writeth this deadly stroke began to be healed When the Kings and Princes of the earth began through fire and sword to force men unto the Popes obedience To this end was raised the Smalcaldick war against the Protestants The wars of the Spaniard in the Low-countries and the Massacres in France that the mortall stroke of the Beast might be healed But the false prophet ver 11. seems to have made the true medicine The Beasts Chyrurgians by his Chyrurgians Campegius Caietane Polus Faber Prierates Eckius Latomus Staphylus and the like Physicians who excelling in art fraud and sophistrie have held up the tottering state of the Papacy Notwithstanding the Councill of Trent acted the part of chiefe Physicians as applying with great skill wonderfull potions for to heal this wound To these we may adde the Popish Academies and especially that of the Sorbonnists at Paris The last are the jugling Iesuites by whose industrie boldnesse and craft the Head of the Beast is daily more and more restored to its former health And I could wish that the unhappy contentions of the Professours of the Gospell were not as oyle and wine powred into this wound for I verily believe that our own dissentions have more strengthened the Beast then all his own force and policy whatsoever Thus much concerning the wound and the healing thereof And all the whole earth wondred after the Beast First I desire the reader to take notice of the anticipation even now laid down For we are not to think that the world admired not the Beast till he was wounded and healed again for the Beast never was without his followers and people wondring at his throne and great power and therefore by way of a parenthesis the stroke and cure was spoken of before which came to passe afterward Now the authority of the Beast and the besotted stupidity of men to worship him doth immediately cohere with his seat and great power for although this be not so plaine in the verse yet is it clear by the following For wherefore is the Beast so much wondred at was it because he was healed certainly it is a matter of no great admiration that a wound should be cured by a Chyrurgian and therefore this cure could not be the cause of so great an admiration as the Glosse imagineth in applying it to the feined death and resurrection of Antichrist the which thing even the chiefest of the Iesuites are ashamed of The true cause of the worlds wondring is the seat and great power given to the Beast by the Dragon as we shall see in the following verse for as the Philosopher saith admiration begets Philosophie so here the worlds admiring the Beast Aristot lib. 1. Metap c. 2. begets Antichristianisme At first men admiring the Keyes and pretended seat of Peter together with the majestie of ancient Rome did easily attribute to the Romane bishop primacie of honour and agreed that every Church should bring their cases to the Church of Rome because of
that of the Apostle In all these things we are more then conquerours through him who loved us This victory in overcomming the world and the Beast is the faith of the Saints against which the Beast shall never prevaile The same thing speaks Daniel touching the little horne and the issue of the war made with the Saints He prevailed against them saith he untill the Ancient of daies came and judgement was given to the Saints of the most high And therefore the Beast shall not alwaies prevaile against the Saints but at length they shall judge the Beast for his power shall endure no longer then XLII moneths which serves for the comfort of the godly lest fainting under their long-during calamities they should cast away their hope of victory If thou enquire after the time of the warre When the war began it began to be made of old when the Beast first trod down the holy city and tyrannically persecuted al opposers by fire and sword In speciall the warre was at the height after the measuring of the temple which through the great mercy of God was effected in these last times By this warre the Councill of Constance tooke away the two witnesses Iohn Husse and Jerome of Prague and was afterward strongly prosecuted against the Saints by the Councill of Trent and yet is to this day And power was given him over all kindreds and tongues We have heard the declaration and usurpation of the power The universal power of the Beast Now he addes the largenesse and greatnesse thereof for that which in vers 3. was generally spoken The whole earth wondred after the Beast is now distributively spoken Power is given him over every tribe and tongue and nation It is therefore an amplification of his power from the largenesse of the territories in subjection to the Beast His power is universall so as none whither high or low in the Christian world but do either desire or are forced to submit to the Romish yoke Behold here again whither the spirit of God doth not point at the Catholike state of Rome that so Antichrist Christs adversary might be known even by the largenesse of his kingdom Psal 2.6 Psal 72.8 Hebr. 1.2 Rev. 5.9 For as CHRIST is appointed by the Father to be heire of all things from sea to sea He it is that hath redeemed us to God by his blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation so on the contrary the DRAGON hath given power to the Beast over every tongue and kinred and nation c. Yet lest we should think that Christ was wholly thrust out of his possession by Antichrist a limitation is annexed 8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him He much amplifies the dignity and worship of the Beast but withall limits the same He shall be worshipped as God in vers 4. it is said in preterperfect tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have worshipped Here in the future 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall worship So that the Beasts maiestie shall not be for a short time but shall long endure untill it be fully manifested Notwithstanding the holy Ghost comforts the godly by a twofold restriction first in that he calleth the worshippers of the Beast inhabitants of the earth And therefore none but earthly men shall worship him for the Elect are not the inhabitants of the earth Phil. 3.20 but Citizens of Heaven in regard that their conversation is there So that Gods chosen shall not adore the Beast neither shall their salvation or Christs Kingdom be in jeoperdie but theirs onely who follow the Beast for they shall all of them be cast with him into the lake Chap. 19.20 The other restriction is more expressely set downe viz. that they onely shall worship the Beast Whose names are not written in the Book of life c. that is who were not elected in Christ unto salvation but reprobated unto death before the foundations of the world THEREFORE NO MAN CAN BE SAVED IN THE ANTICHRISTIAN CHURCH because all who are not written in the Book of life shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone Chap. 20.15 Let all therefore who love their salvation forsake the Popish Church The names of the Elect are said to be written in the Book of life The Booke of life by an usuall metaphor for we commonly write down the names of such who are deare unto us that we may continually remember them so God having in his eternall counsell elected some to salvation hath written their names in the Book of life so saith Christ Rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven The metaphor also may be understood of the Sonship of the Elect so that to be written in the Book of life shews that they are heires of glory for we know that such are to inherit whose names are written in the last will or testament of men The Booke of life is Christ for in him God hath elected us Therefore it is called the Booke of life of the Lamb that is of Christ because election is made in Christ hence none shall obteine eternall salvation but such who are ingrafted in him through faith the Lamb also is said to be slaine because election includes the blood and death of Christ for the sins of all true beleevers for God hath so decreed to save the Elect as that Christs satisfaction comming in as a ransome for their sinnes his justice might stand with his mercy From the foundation of the world This may be referred either to the next foregoing word slaine or else to the words before who are not written And so Aretas How the Lamb is slaine from the beginning of the world Ephes 1.3 Rupertus and some others take it because of another place not unlike to this Cha. 17.8 They that dwell on the earth shall wonder at the Beast whose names are not written in the Booke of life from the foundation of the world And Paul saith that we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the World Notwitstanding the spirit doth not without cause immediately joyne the words from the foundation of the world with the Lamb slaine For he would commend unto us the sufficiencie and largenesse of Christs sacrifice in as much as the efficacie of his death and passion is extended to the very first beginning of the world and so unto all the faithfull from Adam untill the end thereof to shew that no man living shall obtaine eternall life except he be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. But how could the Lamb be slaine before he was I answer 1. Pet. 1.19.20 Gen. 3.15 Heb. 11.1 Act. 9.4 It is true he was onely slaine once on the Crosse some sixteen hundred yeares ago by a reall suffering yet he is in divers respects said to be slaine before 1. in Gods eternall preordination viz. that he should be slaine in the appointed time 2. by promise that the seed of the woman should
I am that they may behold my glory We shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord and so ever be with the Lord. Therefore we shall all follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth not onely virgines or unmarried persons according to the flesh but all the faithfull who live chastly whither in a conjugall or unmarried life for in Christ there is neither male nor female but a new creature The same the old Church professeth in their hymne Gal. 3.28 6.15 O how glorious is the kingdome in which all the Saints rejoyce with Christ and clothed in white robes follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Away therefore weith the Hieracites who beleeve that onely unmarried virgines shall follow the Lamb. What then It is certaine the chastity of the sealed is commended The chastitie of body and minde is praised And it is twofold viz. of body and spirit and both may be here understood If of the outward the sence will be These are not defiled with women that is by unlawfull copulation for no man appertaines to the company of the sealed but such as are chaste whither in widdowhood married or unmarried estate not that none of the sealed have ever beene defiled as may be seene in Lot Judah David Magdalene c. but because through faith they have purged themselves in the blood of the Lambe before their departure out of this life But if it be understood of spirituall Chastity the sealed are said not to be polluted with women that is with idolatry which is spirituall fornication but they are virgines to wit in spirit and faith Thus Austin interpreteth it They have not defiled themselves with women that is have renounced carnall lusts nor cleaved to idols strange gods heresies errours and wicked workes but are spirituall virgines of whom Christ is the Bridegrome So Ambrose on the words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.2 I have prepared you for one husband that I may present you as a chast virgine to Christ he will have them saith he to be virgines in faith such undefiled ones as Iohn in the Revelation doth assigne to Christ in the day of judgement These are they who have not defiled themselves with women for they are virgines these follow c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with women he interprets metaphorically with errours or heresies By women saith he he signifieth errour because errour began by the woman As before in Cha. 3. by the woman Iesabel he understood idolatry by which the manners and verity of faith are corrupted for if thou so understand women to thinke that therefore they are said to be Virgines because they have kept their bodies untouched thou excludest the Saints from this grace who all of them had wives the Apostles Iohn and Paul onely excepted By which he directly refutes Tertullian Jerom and Riberas depravation of this place as being absurd and wicked To whom Alcasar also consenteth understanding virginity here metaphorically of the integrity of life and doctrine and all such to be virgines who defile not themselves with an inordinate love of the creature But the observation of our Tossanus doth much delight me that here is an antithesis betwixt the faithfull and the inhabitants of the earth who have committed fornication with the Babylonish Whore making the sence to be thus These signed ones are not defiled with women that is they have not committed fornication with the great Whore but are virgines persevering in the faith and sincere worship of Christ To all these I adde which notwithstanding comes all to one thing that this title is to be compared with that in Chap. 7. These are they which have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. He speakes I say the same thing here in other words These are they which have not defiled themselves with women for they are virgines Our robes are carnall concupiscences these must be washed and made white in the blood of Christ through the remission of sinnes and white robes put on by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and sanctification of the Spirit The signed therefore are said not to be defiled with women that is with carnall concupiscence and other sinnes because they have washed and made white their defiled robes in the blood of the Lamb. For they that are washed from their filthines are not defiled And they are virgines because they are made white in the blood of Christ that is justified and sanctified by the merit and spirit of Christ The sence as we see is all one And I doubt not but that the spirit had respect unto that which the Apostle expresseth more clearely And such were some of you but now yee are washed 1 Cor. 6.11 but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God They follow the Lamb whethersoever he goeth The fourth title is their individuall society with the Lamb Their inseparable communion with the Lambe which being referred to the state of their warfare notes the sincerity and constancy of their faith and obedience under Antichrist And it is an antithesis of that which is said Chap. 13.4 The whole earth wondred and followed after the Beast and vers 8. All the inhabitants of the earth worshipped the Beast These sealed I say have not followed the Beast but FOLLOW THE LAMB WHITHERSOEVER HE GOETH that is exactly walke in the precepts and steps of the Lambe whithersoever he leadeth them Now he leadeth them unto the fountaines of living waters Chap. 7.17 These therefore suffer not the decrees and idols of the Beast to be obtruded upon them but wholly cleave to Christ their guide But if we understand it of the sealed in the state of glory then this title must be expounded by that in Chap. 7. vers 15.17 These serve him day and night And the Lambe will feed them and lead them unto the living fountaines of waters In which words the most holy and blessed communion of the faithfull with God and the Lamb and their unspeakable happinesse is noted as we there observed These are bought from among men being the first fruits to God and the Lambe The fift commendation is an amplification of the second Their prerogatives they are the first fruits he said before that they were redeemed out of the earth here from among men the sence is one that is out of the multitude of vile and earthly men perishing under the captivity of Satan sin and death Now he addes to what they are redeemed The first fruits to God and the Lamb for that they may be the first fruits c. It is an allusion unto the first fruits under the Law the first of their ripe fruits being then consecrated to God in the feast of weekes These were most holy so the sealed are most deare to God and the Lambe The first fruits were peculiar to the Priests so these are a peculiar and elect nation a
royall Priesthood to God and Christ c. 5. And in their mouth was found no guile The sixt title is their integrity they are without hypocrisie both in faith Their integrity word and manners This indeed is truely said of Christ alone Isay 53.9 But attributed to the sealed by participation with Christ their head August hom 11 in Apoc. and by imputed righteousnesse He saith not saith Austine there hath not been but there is no guile found c. for such as the Lord findes a man when he cals him hence such also he judgeth him to be c. For they are without fault before the throne of God These words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings bible hath not Innocency yet the old Latine and the other Greeke copies have them The last commendation is their innocency and full perfection before God The cause both of this and the former commendation is shewed before viz. because they have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb Therefore they all are without guile and spot The which if it be referred to the state of this life we must againe understand it that they are such by imputation and and inchoation And then the words before the throne of God signifie not the place but their esteem in Gods judgement as if he should say They are without fault not in themselves and before men but in the eyes judgement of God freely absolving the faithful from all pollution and accounting them as without fault because of the blood of the Lamb If unto the state of the life to come then before the throne not onely signifies the place but also the cause of the blessednes of the sealed ones in heaven for being without fault they shal enjoy the perpetual sight of God which shall be their persect blessednesse And this is that which he said Chap. 7.15 Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve them day and night The second Part of the Chapter Of the three Angels publishing the everlasting Cospell against Antichrist 6 And I saw another Angell flee in the midst of heaven having the everlasting Gospell to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people 7 Saying with a loud voice Feare God and give glory to him for the houre of his judgement is come and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters 8 And there followed another Angell saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that great citie because she made all nations drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication 9 And the third Angell followed them saying with a loud voice if any man worship the Beast and his image and receive his marke in his forehead or in his hand 10 The same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred out without mixture in the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoake of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever And they have no rest day nor night who worship the beast and his image and whosoever receiveth the marke of his name 12 Here is the patience of the Saints Here are they which keep the Commandements of God and the faith of Iesus 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them THE COMMENTARY ANd I saw another Angel Here followes the second part touching the Angels preaching against Antichrists kingdome Who these are and to what times the prophesie appertaines is much questioned All agree in this that these Angels represent the Preachers of the Gospell in the times of Antichrist But Popish expositours referre the same to the last foure years of the world in which time they absurdly imagine that Antichrist shall beare the sway For how should all those things which are treated of touching the Beast and the Whore from the 13. Chap. unto the end almost of the whole Book be accomplished in so short a space Ribera supposeth they are three renowned Preachers of the Gospell in the time of Antichrist But Alcasar by his consequence is forced to reject this interpretation of the Papists And therefore he feineth that these are the three principall writers of holy Scripture Peter Paul and John The which foolish fiction is refuted by the very naming of it Our interpreters doe generally acknowledge that these things appertain to the times of the reformation of the Church but by what occasion this vision is here againe demonstrated seeing it was before foretold in Chap. 11. touching the measuring of the temple they expound not By our Method it is plaine seeing here we handle the Third Act of this vision that these things are to be compared with the Third Act of the foregoing vision In the second vision indeed there was nothing answering to this because there onely the preservation of the sealed or elect under Antichrist was manifested to Iohn the which is here also treated of in the first part of this Chapter But in the third vision we have the measuring of the temple and the prophesie of the two witnesses Chapter 11. representing unto us the reformation of the Church that should be in the last times unto which therefore we are to returne for the two that is a few prophesying witnesses there mentioned are here said to be three preaching Angels that is they are more then before And this very thing Anselmus as Ribera reports acknowledgeth taking the first Angell to be Elias the second another Prophet and companion of him rightly indeed according to the scope but he erres in the persons But as before we shewed that the measuring of the temple began about the time of the Councell of Constance or a little before so without doubt these three Angels began to preach from that time forward whose ministery no sooner shall be ended but the Beast shall be thrust into utter destruction I saw another Angell flying No Angell had gone before Therefore he was not one of the Harpers or of the multitude of sealed ones Which signifies that from this time another state of the Church was to be looked for An Angell that is a Preacher of the Gospell as before in Vision first the singular number by an enallage being put for the plurall for there should not be one onely but more although at the first but few should zealously set themselves upon the worke of reformation The first Angell is Wickleffe One therefore is named because one should excell and with an heroicall spirit begin the worke This Angell is John Wickleffe Professour of the Vniversity of Oxford a man noted throughout the whole world For when the whole West admired and followed
it selfe ver 3.4.5 III. The interpretation of the Vision in the rest of the Chapter In the first Iohn is invited by the Angell to contemplate a new Vision ver 1. The Argument thereof being the judgement or condemnation of the great whore ibid. Whose person is described generally by two adjuncts 1. Of her seat or throne upon many waters 2. Of her abominable fornication as the cause of her condemnation v. 2. with whom the kings have committed fornication c. In the second is noted 1. The place of the Vision in the wildernesse 2. The Vision it selfe A woman sitting on a beast ibid. 3. The monstrous shape of the beast ibid. 4. The attire of the whorish woman ver 4. The name on her forehead ver 5. and her cruelty ver 6. In the third is shewed a twofold occasion of the interpretation Iohns great admiration ver 6. and the readinesse of the Angell to interpret ver 7. The interpretation followeth 1. Of the Beast ver 8.9.10.11.12.13.14 2. Of the woman ver 15. unto the end The beast is unfolded first in the whole secondly according to his parts Of the whole Beast is shewed 1. The fourefold state also his authority among the inhabitants of the earth ver 8. to which is annexed an exclamation stirring up to attention ver 9. The parts of the beast are unfolded 1. The seven heads that they are so many mountainâ—s and so many kings ver 9.10.11 2. The ten hornes that they also are so many kings ver 12. 3. The conspiracy of the kings with the Beast against the Lambe ver 13. 4. The fight of the kings with the Lambe ver 14. To 〈◊〉 the woman here is shewed 1. her seat on many waters ver 15.2 her 〈◊〉 desertion and burning ver 16. The secondarie causes whereof shall be the hornes of the beast ibid. The first and chiefe the divine motion ver 17. 3. The surname of the woman the great city reigning over the kings of the earth c. that is Rome ver 18. CHAPTER XVII The first Part of the Chapter The Preface of the VISION 1 And there came one of the seven Angels which had the seven vials and talked with me saying Come hither I will shew unto â—ee the judgement of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication and the inhabiters of the earth have bin made drunke with the wine of her Fornication THE COMMENTARY AND there came one of the seven Angells The occasion of the Vision is the invitation of the Angell unto a new Vision Now whether this Angell were the first of the seven by an hebraisme it matters not Brightman takes him to be the fift who poured out the Viall on the throne of the Beast But it may be as well any one of the other for every of them did poure out the last plagues on the beasts kingdom Notwithstanding it seems to be the seventh or last who with his Viall raised an earthquake whereby Babylon was destroyed for this shal be the judgement of the great whore to which Iohn is now invited to behold the same he had heard indeed by the preaching of the second Angell in Vision fift chap 14 8 the fall of Babylon and even now in the earthquake he saw the division or rent thereof chap 16.19 but the Type was something obscure here therefore in a more evident vision the tragical judgement of Babylon is manifested to him Come hither I will shew unto thee The sense is not I will reveal or expound unto thee in words but I will bring thee to the very beholding of the thing it selfe as if he should say I will no longer describe Antichrist in words but will now set him forth plainely before thy eyes Now as this was a Vision so it was a mentall transportation as appeares verse 3. The scope or drift was that Iohn should wrire these tragicall apparitions to the terrour of Babylon and comfort of the godlie The friendly manner of speaking Come hither and the whole matter teacheth us what the Apostle speaketh Heb. 1.14 that the Angells as ministring Spirits are with alacrity imployed about these things which serve for our consolation and salvation not to the end that we should worship them for thus Iohn is prohibited to do but that we might rejoyce and give thankes to God chap 19 10 22.9 who so careth for us as for our sakes to send forth the Angels as ministring spirits The judgement of the whore In one word he shews the Argument of the Vision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the judgement of the whore for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Condemnation which is not meant of a temporall spoiling and burning which the whore shall suffer by her lovers but to be cast for ever into the lake of fire and brimstone the which Christ the Iudge shall himselfe execute at the last day Of the great â—hore Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a double Article Regula articulorum non semper perpetua as if he spake of a whore before known whereas indeed there was nothing formerly mentioned of her And therefore the rule will not alwayes hold that articles are never put but before things that are knowne Vnlesse perhaps he denotes this Whore by a double article because she was knowne to the Angell as if hee should say I will shew unto thee that famous Harlot or Strumpet well knowne to all the heavenly inhabitants and what her end shall be seeing as yet thou knowest it not She is not that woman Jezabell which seduced some of the Church of Thiatyra by her fornication Chap. 2.20 For the description shews that here a far more famous whore is noted For this Strumpet sits not in Thiatyra but upon many waters and upon the beast the meaning whereof shal be opened on ver 3. ver 15. By calling her a whore and a great one that is insatiable and far exceeding other Strumpets in lust and filthinesse he teacheth us that the guilt and cause of her horrible judgement shall be her fornication and not simply fornication the punishment whereof might happily not have bin so capitall but joyned with detestable perfidiousnesse namely her loathsome adultery as when a Bride forsaking her Bridegroome or a wife her husband shamefully prostitute themselves unto strangers which sin both by humane and divine lawes is punished by death This may not be taken of corporall fornication for this harlot is afterward called a Citie and fornication could not be committed with the walles or houses thereof Therefore it is rather to be understood of spirituall fornication viz. apostacy from God perfidiousnesse and Idolatry Now wherefore the scripture doth so often compare this to Fornication I have shewed in my Commentary on Hosea Chapter 1. and Chapter 2. Betwixt Christ and the Church is a spirituall mariage Eph. 5 32 Hose 2 18 He as the Bridegrome hath espoused the Church as his
Papists on the foreheads of Romane Tyrants as if they made Alexander the Great Priest of Cybele The cruelty therefore of Papall Rome horriblie exercised above six hundred yeeres hath made the whore drunke But here they will demaund which of the Saints the Popes have killed with their own hands or with whose blood they have bin made drunke As if forsooth the woman be not therefore drunke with blood because shee her selfe hath not with her owne hands made the gallowes swords fires and other deadly weapons wherwith the Saints have bin taken away Histories do witnesse by what cunning endeavours the Romish Antichrist hath stirred up Christian Kings and Princes to rage even against their owne bowells and those chiefly whom under the name of Waldenses Albigenses Leonists Wiclevists Hussites Lutheranes and Hugonots they condemned as Heretickes because they refused to take in the vemone of her whorish cup. Read the bookes of Martyrs of the French Germanes and English and principally the Acts of the Spanish Inquisition and not to be tedious See Abbat demonstra Antichri Chap. 7. where Bellarmines subtilties touching the future persecution of the Church under Antichrist are refuted Read I say these and thou shalt sufficiently understand the bloody surfet of this whore which to this day wherever she hath any footing doth vomit and breath out cruelties and still thirsteth after more blood and so will untill the heavenly Iudge put an end to her fury And I wondred with great admiration Hitherto the Vision the interpretation followes occasioned by Iohns admiration He wondred with great admiration that is very much But at what was it at the monstrous beast nay this he had seene before At what then Is it at the woman riding on the beast yes verily as at that so also at all other wondrous things in the woman viz. her attire whorish luxury the title on her forehead and bloody drunkennesse Iohn wonders not with an admiration of worship as did the inhabitants of the earth Chap. 13.3 but it was an humane astonishment at so horrid a sight and desire to know the mystery for as yet he knew not what was meant by the woman neither by her riding on the beast The third Part of the CHAPTER The VISION Interpreted 7 And the Angell said unto me Wherefore didst thou marveile I will tell thee the mysterie of the woman and of the beast that carrieth her which hath the seven heads and ten hornes 8 The Beast that thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit and goe into perdition and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the booke of life from the foundation of the world when they beheld the beast that was and is not and yet is 9 And here is the minde which hath wisedome The seven heads are seven mountaines on which the woman sitteth 10 And there are seven kings five are fallen and one is and the other is not yet come and when he commeth he must continue a short space 11 And the beast that was and is not even he is the eight and is of the seven and goeth into perdition 12 And the ten hornes which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdome as yet but receive power as Kings one houre with the beast 13 These have one minde and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast 14 These shall make war with the Lambe and the Lambe shall overcome them For hee is the Lord of lords and King of kings and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithfull 15 And he saith unto me the waters which thou sawest where the whore sitteth are peoples multitudes and nations and tongues 16 And the ten hornes which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire 17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and give their kingdome unto the beast untill the words of God shall bee fullfilled 18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the earth THE COMMENTARY AND the Angell said to mee Here we have fullfilled the promise hee that seeketh findeth To him that desireth wisedome it shall be given Of old admiration begate Philosophy here it begets prophesie The Angell observing Iohns desire by his countenance doth of himselfe open the mystery to him Why didst thou marveile He blames him not Mat 7 8 Iames 2.5 but shewes his desire to reveale the secret as if he should say I see thou art astonished at the wondrous sight but go to I will open the whole mystery now unto thee The mystery of the woman The old Version The sacrament which Ribera approveth because both words signifie somewhat that is secret and lies hid in another thing And the Church saith he hath seven such Sacraments But why then do they not also reckon the purple and cup of the whore among their sacraments And why did they not render also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mystery in ver 5. by the word Sacrament that so Babylon herselfe might become a sacrament unto them 8. The Beast which thou sawest was and is not The Interpretation of the Beast followeth first of the whole secondly of the parts that is of the seven heads and ten hornes lastly of the woman but aenigmatically touching which perhaps thou maist say as Aristotle said of riddles or deepe sentences Gel lib 20 cap. 4 that they are so published as if they were not at all published so this Vision is so expounded as if it were not in the least expounded And so it is neither did it otherwise beseeme the Prophesie Why the explication of the beast is darke It was enough that the spirit did declare the future events by such signes as might not provoke the wicked And by which the godly through continuall searching might attaine some knowledge of the Mysterie Vnto the wicked the matter ought certainely to remaine obscure least foreknowing the events they might furiously presume to hinder the same and their rage bee the more encreased But as for the godly the holy Ghost would stir them up by an aenigmaticall interpretation to the end they should the more carefully attend to the events and histories of their times Notwithstanding all things are not ininvolved with such darke sentences but that he doth bewray with Characters evident enough to such as do not willingly shut their eyes both the beast that his seven heads are the seven hills of the City Rome and the woman that she is the Romane City and Church These Characters therefore are as it were the Touchstone of our interpretation because they will point out unto us as with the finger the beast and the woman To the Beast he ascribes foure conditions or states according to the times He was and is not and shall ascend
unto himselfe And therefore he is said to have bin then because then something of him was and hee was then according to that power although in another respect he were not as yet And is not To wit in this time of the Revelation when the Romane Bishops had not yet so much as dreamt of a Monarchicall Spirituall or Secular power but all of them for the space of 300. yeers untill Melchiades suffered Martyrdome for the Name of Christ Although Bellarmine foolishly boasteth that Clemens received the Ecclesiasticall Monarchy from Peter And is to ascend out of the bottomlesse pit To wit 510. yeeres after the Revelation of this Prophesie when Sabian attempted to invade the ecclesiasticall Monarchie Boniface III. really invaded it and so transmitted the same unto the Popes his Successours And about 649 yeers from this Prophesie Steeven II. also laid hold on the secular power who first thrusting the Greeke Emperours out of Italy possessed the chiefe government He was the first that deprived the French King Hildericke of his kingdome He was the first that admitted Pipine upon whom by his Antichristian power he bestowed not his own but the kingdome of France to kisse his feet 〈◊〉 he first would be pontificallie carried with great triumph in the midst of the people on mens shoulders as it were another Alexander or Iulius unto the Lateran Palace which thing hath ever since bin very religiously observed of his Successours namely being men as Balaeus recordeth not worthy that the Earth should beare Not long after also the beast in Gregory VII and Boniface VIII ascended to the highest step of Monarchie when the Pope said I AM CAESAR for he ascended not in a moment but by divers degrees of which see Chap. 13. He shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit As Chap. 11.7 or out of the Sea as Chap. 2 Thes 2 9 13.1 the sense being one understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either properly of the pit of hell to denote the procreating cause of which the Apostle speaketh that his comming should be after the working of Satan with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse and signes and lying wonders or metaphorically of the deep of the Sea that is the sincke of Bishops in Papall Councills by which under praetext of establishing the faith and routing out of heresies the priviledges of Emperours and kings were overthrowne the monarchy of the Pope established the power of the Clergy augmented and confirmed the which Julian the Cardinall alledging thereby to allure Pope Eugenius unto the Councill of Basil It is a wonderfull thing saith he I find that the power of the Church and Ecclesiasticall Libertie hath alwayes bin strengthened defended and augmented by Councills and now doe we feare it should be taken away And shall goe into perdition Here I assent to Brightman for the clearnesse therof for this going of the beast into perdition foretold by the Angell is by the wonderfull judgement of God begun in our age and now the beast goes on in the way of destruction so that he is not now far from his end And this Bellarmine himselfe confesseth who thus writeth From that time you made the Pope to be Antichrist his Empire is not onely not encreased but more and more decreased The time therefore is neere at hand in which the Church of Christ shall sing with the rest of the Heavenly Companies HALLELVJAH Salvation and Honour and Glory and Power be to the Lord our God because his judgements are true and righteous Revelat. 19.1 And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder Thus much of the fourefold state of the beast his authority followes which hath largely before been expounded in Chap 13. here it is briefly touched Shall wonder Not at the monstrous sight as Iohn did verse 6. but shall adore and worship the woman Queen that rides on the beast as a Goddesse so Chap. 13. verse 3.4 And the world woâ—dred after the Beast and worshipped him saying Who is like unto the beast who is able to make war with him And verse 8 And power was given him over all kinreds and tongues and Nations and all the Inhabitants of the earth shall worship him But what then shall none remaine with Christ I answer Least we should thinke so in both places the inhabiters of the earth are onely comprehended in this number Whose Names are not written in the Booke of life from the foundation of the World by which limitation is intimated first the chiefe cause of this great madnesse of men to worship so monstrous and execrable a thing it is because they shall be children of the earth and not of God Reprobates not Elect secondly the Elect are freed from the Impostures of the beast for it is impossible they should be seduced Mat. 24.24 Whose Names are not written See Chap. 13.8 Beholding the beast that was and is not He reckons up some titles of the beast and not in vaine for it shall bee one cause of the worlds wonderment that the beast having divers shapes like unto another Proteus WAS AND IS NOT AND YET IS Whence the Admirers of him shall conceive in their minds something divine touching him Now these things are evident by what wee said before Was viz. before Iohns time so far as concerned the monarchicall secular power Is not viz. in Iohns time because the Romane Bishops had not assumed this no nor as yet the Ecclesiasticall monarchy And yet is viz. in Iohns time in respect of the Imperiall power which then the Caesars had and afterwards should be usurped by the Popes Thus we must reconcile these seeming contradictions Is not and yet is according to the different state of the beast least we might imagine a repugnancy to be in the words which to avoid the old Version hath wholly ommitted the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet is But Andreas and Arethas whom Montanus followes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is at hand or is to come which agrees with the third terme shall ascend out of the bothomlesse pit for he saith that he shall come that is in his time ascend out of the bottomlesse pit The fourth terme is not here mentioned because that served not for admiration but belongs to the future wayling of which in Chapter 18. 9 Here is the minde having wisedome This is added that none might complaine and say Why are all these darke expressions what may be the meaning of the heads and hornes of the beast he cryes out as before Chap. 13.9 at the rising of the first beast If any one hath eares let him heare And after the second verse 18. Here is wisedome let him that hath understanding count c. so now Here is understanding to wit hid above mans reach Here may be understood of the divers states of the beast euen now mentioned but I rather referre it to the following matter Here for in these things which yet remain to be expounded touching the heads
nineteen yeeres not that the seventh head was then presenly to perish for then the beast also having lost all his heads must have perished but that he was not to remaine in the mountaines of the beast and woman that is Rome where the other heads of the beast had remained with the Empire 1078. yeers This exposition is illustrated by the following verse 11 And the beast that was and is not the same is also the Eight First here I propose that this beast is the same with the former verse 3.8 of which there is no Question seeing the Angell repeats the three states of the beast in the same words One that is Emphatically declares the third that it may be made manifest Whence I conclude that this Beast is Antichrist because the other was Antichrist but the seventh head was not Antichrist Furthermore let it be observed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the first word of the verse is not simply copulative but a note of order and opportunity as Beza renders it almost in all the Chapters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then I saw then he came c. so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the Beast Let the opportunity I say be noted by which the Beast came to be the Eight King that is usurped the mountaines of Rome The beast the eight king is Antichrist and tooke the Monarchicall power of the seven heads unto himselfe as his owne for after the seventh king Constantine with his Successours leaving Rome had taken up his Seat abroad The Pope remaining at home upon the mountaines of the Beast that is at Rome thought it now a fit time to take this occasion How the Pope came to bee the eight king under the pretext that he was Bishop of old Rome the Imperiall Seat And first indeed by reason of the superfluous devotion of Emperors they being allo wearied through the continuall invasions of Barbarians he by wonderfull cunning and rapine drew from them great gifts especially from Constantine who because of his unreasonable prodigality to Bishops was commonly called Nepos and Pupillus as Egnatius witnesseth by little and little also he begged Kingly priviledges And not contented to be called Bishop of the chiefe Seat a while after he made himselfe Greatest or chiefe Priest which dignity till then was proper to the Romane Emperours For after Augustus all the Romane Princes Lib 5 Fastor who governed the Romaine affaires under the name of Emperors either took on them as Onuphrius writeth the chiefe pontificacie or else suffered themselves to be called Greatest Priests as Constantinus Constantius Valentinianus Valens and Gratianus Who although they detested the Function of Chiefe Priesthood being addicted to the Christians Neverthelesse they despised not nor rejected the title thereof Gratianus the Emperour being the first as Zosimus teacheth who forbade by proclamation that the title of GREATEST PRIEST should bee given unto him and so that dignity of the Priesthood first failed in the Emperours Thus he Now these Augustall titles despised and condemned by the Emperours The Pope assumeth the Augustall title because of the impiety thereof the Pope assumed unto himselfe as being the first Character of the Empire and so by this prophane title and function made himself the greatest Priest and soon after Oecumenicall Catholick and Vniversall Bishop being stiled Prince of Priests head of Churches from whom all the Bishops of the world were to receive lawes that is hee was acknowledged Ecclesiasticall Monarch Thus was borne the Eight King though not in full growth Wherefore not long after the Pope finding an occasion when the Lombards grievously disturbed Italy as if he had bin deserted by the Greeke Emperours whom he notwithstanding by his Antichristian Anathema thrust out of Rome and whole Italy seditiously stirring up the Romanes to thrust their Governour out of the City and put out his eyes and them of Ravenna to kill their Prince or Vice-Roy he sent for Pipin with an Army out of France by whose helpe he suppressed the Lombards and thrust the Greeke Magistrates out of Ravenna and all Italy usurping the principallity of Ravenna which at that time did represent the seventh head or imperiall power in the West by the gift of Pipine the Conquerour unto whom in recompence thereof a thing never heard of before hee gave the Kingdome of France thrusting Childericke the lawfull King into a Monastery or Câ—vent Notwithstanding as yet the Pope sate not in the mountaines of the Beast and woman with full power Anno 773 wherefore a few yeeres after Charles the son and heire of Pipine comming with an Army out of France suppressed the Lombards who againe had raised great tumults confirming and augmenting the Donation of Pippine to Pope Hadrian I. And afterwards the Romanes making insurrection against Leo III. because of his detestable pride the said Charles comming againe with his Army into Italy and taking knowledge of the cause absolved the Pope Hereupon the Pope not to be ungratefull out of the fullnesse of his power gave unto Charles the Title of the Romane Empire the which belonged unto the Greekes and therefore was not his to dispose of crowning him Emperour of the West On the other hand Charles the new Emperour to gratifie the Pope forced the Citizens of Rome to sweare fidelity unto Leo and appointed him Lord of Rome the which donation Ludowicke son of Charles afterwards confirmed and encreased Then was the Beast at length fully ascended out of the earth and came to be the Eight King Then Anno 800. the Pope of Rome together with the Ecclesiasticall Monarchy which he got from Phocas obtained also the secular power of the seven heads of the Beast with the mountaines of the great City for alwayes from that time the Pope usurped the power of translating Kingdomes and casting downe Kings and creating Emperours hereby declaring to the world that hee was the true Beast the Eight King or Antichrist These things thus observed wee may easily understand what in verse 11. is spoken of the Beast And or Then when Constantine the seventh King with his successours shall place the seat of the Empire not in Rome but otherwhere The Beast which was that is before Iohn the Monarchicall power had bin in Five Kings which were fallen And is not that is In Johns time neither the secular nor the Ecclesiasticall Monarchie was as yet in the Pope for the Bishops of Rome that then were medled not with either of them Even he is the Eight The relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee according to the sense is referred to the antecedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beast but according to the construction to the following word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eight hence the Old Version hath it The beast himself is the eight king Bestia est ipsa octava for octavus Rex for in Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eight to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 KING IS for is made or
of the Ancient Romane Empire onely as in these expressions He changed my wages ten times This people hath tempted me ten times for many times or often Now this could not be said of the seven former heads because the Angell did distinctly number them Thus it cannot be obscure who these Ten Kings are Vndoubtedly they are all such as hitherto have held the Christian world at the appointment and command of the Romish Pope Of which read Angustinus Steuchus touching Constantines donation against Valla Sect. 94.97.103 where he maintaines that all kingdoms in Christindome as Hungarie Spaine France England c. are subject and tributary to the Pope Which have received no kingdome as yet We have shewed who the Ten Kings are now of their originall when and with what successe they should reigne At the time of the Revelation they had not as yet received the kingdome for hitherto the sixt head reigned in the Romane tyrants The seventh head also was to reign a short space on the mountaines of the woman in Rome and afterward some while out of these mountaines at Constantinople in the Christian Emperours before this also the beast having swallowed up the seventh head was to be made the Eight king The word therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as yet notes the time from the revealing of this Prophesie which was Anno 14. of Domitian and of Christ 96. untill the Empire of the West taken from the Greeks by Pope Leo and given to Charles anno 800. being I say 704 yeers But receive power For shall receive by an ennallage usuall to Iohn which the Particle not yet sheweth for if they had not then as yet received the same it shews that they should receive kingly power afterward But when In one houre with the beast Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One houre and so rendred it signifies the little time their kingdom should continue But the Angell sheweth not how long their power should continue but when they should receive the same For what kind of kingdom would that be to continue but one hour Therfore the old Version and Beza do more rightly render it In one houre as in Chap. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what hour I will come that is in or at what houre And Iohn 4.52 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yesterday at the seventh houre Now here an houre is not astronomically taken for the twelth part of the day 1. Ioh. 2.18 but metaphorically for an indefinite article of time as Iohn in his Epistle little children it is the last houre that is the last time so here in one houre is to be understood at one and the same time they shall receive their power with the beast namely when the beast shall come to be the Eight king usurping the Empire of the West and armed with both Monarchicall swords Thus undoubtedly the holy Ghost points as with the finger vnto the history of Leo III. that when he began to create Emperors and Kings then also he began to be the Beast and the Eight King With the Beast The old Version After the Beast as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Beast Neither do I find it otherwise in any Copy though Alcasar saith he hath but alledgeth no Author The sense comes much to one for whither they shall receive power one houre after the Beast or at the same houre with the beast yet shall they reigne together but we are rather to keep to the Greek reading and sense They receive power in one houre that is at one and the same time with the Beast They receive From whom from the Beast who out of the fullnesse of his power shall give kingdoms unto them not so for the Angel saâ—th not from the beast but with the beast for how soever they shall receive it through the wicked means of the beast yet they receive it from God to whom onely it appertains to give and transfer kingdomes and from whom is all power But the holy Ghost thus speaketh that they are to receive their power with the beast for two causes First The kings received power from God because although the translation of the Empire under which the welfare of other kingdomes is contained was brought to passe by the rashnesse and boldnesse of the Beast Notwithstanding God himself intending to punish the intestine dissentions and other sins of the Eastern nations did by means of a necessary and lawfull war of Charls against the Lombards the destroyers of Italy and the Empire justly translate the Imperial state from the Greeks unto the French seeing it is God that ruleth in the kingdoms of men Dan. 4.25 and giveth them to whomsoever he will And therefore the kings here received their power not from the Beast but from God although the perfidiousnesse of the Beast came in between like as in the Schisme of the ten tribes notwithstanding the sedition of Ieroboam yet that alteration of the kingdome is ascribed to God Return ye every man unto his house because this thing is of Iehovah 1. kings 12 2. Therefore by this circumstance the spirit again points unto the history of Leo that when he began to create Emperors and kings Then also he began to be the Beast and Eight king Whence it is manifest that when the Romane Pope boasteth of the translation of the Empire from the Greeks unto the French and Germanes he glorieth in nothing but in his owne wickednesse and seditious perfidiousnesse Secondly because the kings were so to receive power as to have the same with the Beast that is to reigne with his favour they should have it I say for his advantage not without the Beast but with him that so the Beast might reign with them and by them For the Pope will not be accounted an Emperor or king but will have with and under him other Emperors and kings of his own inauguration and making as his vassals Therefore are they said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As it were kings which indeed shall bear the title and ensignes of kings yet shall they not be absolute kings as the seven heads were and therefore Ribera saith most truly They shall have indeed the name of kings But in truth Antichrist himself shall reignt and they obey him For they shall onely be intrusted by the Pope and hold their kingdomes from him evther directly as Fee-Farmes or Coppy-holds or indirectly as sworn to the Church of Rome Thus I rather take the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As because of the following matter which confirms this sense then of the obscurity of these kings who in comparison of the former Mouarchy shall be but the shadows of kings as it were although this sense be also true and agrees with the former Notwithstanding that which is spoken of one hour is not so to be taken as if all these kings received their power together but with some
denounced the ruine of Babylon Therfore those Angels were preachers of the Gospell But these here come down from heaven long after viz. when now the destruction of Babylon was at hand and they declare onely prophesies revealed unto them in speciall by God touching particular future events Therefore they signifie not ordinary Preachers who now know not nor foretell things to come but are reall Angells publishing new Oracles in the Name of God Yea the middlemost seems to have bin either God himselfe or Christ ver 4. Having great power What he was is shewed by two Epithites by which generally the Angells in Scripture are commended viz. strength and glory The Angells indeed are not omnipotent Spirits yet they have great power insomuch as One was able in one night to destroy an Hundred and Eighty Thousand of the Assyrian Army Hence they are called strong mighty Psal 103.20 Blesse the Lord ye his Angells mighty in strength c. The third also of these Angells is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mighty ver 21. as before Chap. 5. ver 2. and Chap. 10.1 which we there interpreted of Christ because of the circumstances which are not here Great power therefore is attributed to this Angell for the comfort of the Godly that they might not thinke that the power and glory of Babylon should be invincible The power of one Angell shall suffice to overthrow the same Notwithstanding in the Greek it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great power by which the greatnesse of the businesse committed by God to this Angell seems to be noted And indeed the overthrowing of Babylon shall be a work more then ordinary And the Earth was lightned with his glory This Majesty shews that he was a heavenly Ambassadour of God to terrifie the Adversaries and strengthen the Godly The Angells have not allwayes appeared with such glory but onely when there was occasion as at the publishing of the Birth of Christ The Angell of the Lord came on the shepheards Luk. 2.9 Act. 12.7 and the glory of the Lord shone round about them At Peters deliverance the glory of the Angell that delivered him filled the prison So here With the glory of this Angell the Earth was lightned that men should the more carefully receive his Message I like well what Ribera addeth that hereby is noted that the judgement of Romes desolation should not be secret but manifest to all He confesseth therfore that here is treated of Romes destruction 2. And he cryed with a great voyce Now follows what he did Hee cryed mightily Most Greek Copies have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He cryed in a strong great voyce The Old Version Cryed in strongth The sense is the same The voyce of this heavenly Herauld was vehement and most strong so as he might be heard of all that none through ignorance of the judgement at hand should remaine in Babylon The stupidity also and deep security of Babylon is noted which shall so lie drowned in pleasure that while her judgement shall sound thorow the whole world she alone shall not be able nor willing to hear the same Babylon is fallen is fallen He proclaimes the ruine of Babylon as did the second Angell Chap. 14.8 Now it is an Enallage and propheticall Anadiplosis for it shall fall it shall certainly shortly utterly perish the Proclamation of the former hath bin and still is dayly published for the Preachers of the Gospell have above an hundred years denounced ruine to Babylon And not altogether without effect for Babylon is fallen in many Provinces of Europe Popery being overthrown and dissipated by the preaching of the Gospell But the words here Babylon is fallen is fallen are not yet fulfilled because she is not as yet wholly brought to nothing And therefore the time of this Angell is not yet come but shall be a little before the desolation of Rome Now the forme of the Exclamation as before we said on Chap. 14. ver 8. is taken out of Isai 21.9 Ierem. 51.8 speaking of the Typicall ruine of Babylon In the like forme Isaiah foretold the destruction of old Assyrian Babylon which had oppressed Gods ancient people about an hundred years before it happened After the same manner perhaps an Angell now may foretel an hundred years before it come to passe the ruine of the new Italian Babylon which hath suppressed the Church of Christ Now who this Babylon is there is no question about it for before on Chap. 14.8 we have shewed it to be Rome And Chap. 17. the Angell makes the seven Mountaines of Rome to be Antichrists Seat Lastly the adversaries themselves confesse it And therefore the desolation of the Roman City is here proclaimed and it is indeed to happen before the last judgement as the whole following matter sheweth And is become the habitation of divells From the horrible consequences he aggravates the desolation of new Babylon by such as of old the Prophets described the overthrow of ancient Babylon They are also taken out of Isai 13.21 14. 21. Ier. 50.51 Ezechiel also Chap. 26.27 describeth the desolation of Tyrus almost by the same threatnings Now three things are threatned It is made or become For it shall be the habitation of devils Isa 34.14 Isaias names these devills SEGNIRIM that is rough and rugged as hairy Goats because in such shapes they sometime appeared likes the Satyres of which the Poets speak The Germanes call them FELD-TEVFEL Field Devills unto whom the Heathens of old sacrificed and is forbidden by God Levit. 17.7 They shall not offer their sacrifices any more to SEGNIRIM rough or hairy devills And the hold of every foule Spirit Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 custody that is receptacle Before he noted a speciall kind of devils hanting the deserts called Fayries or Satyres unto whom he now joyneth other devills or by every foule Spirit he meanes diabolicall apparitions Night-spirits and the like terrours such as often appeared unto Antony the Hermit in the deserts of Egypt Hieron in vitae Antonij and yet to this day are wont to appeare in desert places And Gage of every uncleane and hatefull bird Not only such as by the Law were unclean and might not be eaten Lev. 11. But dreadfull to the sight of men or which in nature are hatefull and hurtfull to men as Scrich-Owels Kites Vulturs Gripes Ravens c. All these denote horrible desolation for experience teacheth that old Castles Townes and unhabited places are for the most part the abode of Devills Ghosts Beasts Harpies and hatefull birds for such kind of creatures delight in deserts and desolate places remote from the company of men so that the Angell proclaimeth a horrible change of the Babylonish state For where before stood the stately walles Royall places high towers and Chappels of Romish Saints there shall lie broken walls rubbish and ashes where before the most holy Father the Pope with his Purple
by the Kings a long time or many years but be suddenly taken because of her security like as in one night Cyrus suddenly tooke carelesse Babylon being forsaken of her friends and driven to despair having no power to defend her self The grievousnesse of the punishment is aggravated by enumeration of four Plagues Death Mourning Famine Fire every one of which shall answer to her sins she promised her self perpetuall happinesse but Death shall cut her off she delighted in all kind of pleasures therefore sorrow shall overthrow her She continually gave her self to gluttony riot c. Therefore Famine shall kill her she burnt the godly Martyrs as Heretickes therefore with Fire shall she be utterly consumed by the Kings sometimes her lovers who shall fall from her and turne their swords which they formerly imployed for her against the Godly into her own bowels See Chap. 17. ver 17. For strong is the Lord He prooves that her lot and portion shall be irrecoverable from the omnipotencie of the Iudge the which he opposeth to the Romane power that we might not think the thing foretold impossible the which immagination hath beguilded many even to this day Stapleton hath writ a Booke of the admirable greatnesse of the Romane Church which he saith shall so remaine for ever Lipsius also had no other end then to flatter Rome in his Book which he published about the same time touching the admirable greatnesse of the Romane City Iohan. Paul Windek About this time also a certaine Parasite of the Romish Seat spread abroad a Prognostication about the future state of the Church wherein he affirmed that the Evangelicall Doctrine and Christian Churches should shortly perish The Romane Seat remaine stable and constant so is this opinion settled in the mindes of Papists that it is impossible the Romane Power should be overcome through any Plots or devices or the Romish Hierarchy linked and fastned together with iron bonds as it were should ever be overthrown by any But 2. Strong is the Lord which judgeth her Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judging in the present tence Andreas and Montanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath judged because in his unchangeable decree he hath devoted her to condemnation some thinke because this shall happen in one day and suddenly that like Sodom she shall be burnt with fire from Heaven but because it was said before that the Kings should burne her it seems rather to be meant of fire suddenly thrown into the City by the Victorious army Hitherto the Exhortation the Lamentation followes 9. And the Kings of the Earth shall bewaile her The wicked lament the wretched condition of Rome First Kings then Merchants Lastly Shipmasters Now what and how great their mourning shall be and the cause thereof common to them all is shewed to be the losse of their former riot and gaine And therefore there is the lesse difficulty and reason to insist upon it This generally is to be noted from the lamentation that a temporall judgement on Rome is here described not the last judgement in the end of the World for wicked Kings Merchants and Shipmasters shall see and bewaile the same In the first place the Kings of the Earth are brought in mourning as being more worthy and powerfull who were chiefe in committing filthines with the Romish Strumpet They shall bewaile and lament for her That is because of her sudden and miserable destruction who these are is noted by two Epithites they are Kings of the Earth committing fornication and living deliciously with her By both we may understand that they shall be enemies of the Gospell Vassalls Sonnes Spirituall Lovers of the Romish Seat For the first Epithite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Earth is allwayes in this Prophesie taken in an evill sense for Kings Nations and worldly men given to earthlie worship By the latter Epithite the cause also of their mourning is shewed they shall lament excessively because they are deprived of their sweet converse with the whore by means of her unexcepted destruction What that converse was we have opened on verse 3. and divers times before It may be demanded who these Kings of the Earth shall be Ribera feineth that they shall be the same Ten Kings who burned her with fire who these Kings of the Earth are repenting and bewailing the destruction of the most renowned City like as Titus is said to have mourned for the burning of Ierusalem and the Temple But it is a vaine Fiction for those Kings shall be converted unto the faith These shall be Kings of the Earth Enemies of the Gospell Ioseph lib 7 de bell Iud. c. 24. The cause also of the mourning is different These shall lament because they can no longer commit fornication and riot with her But the former Kings after they had once by the divine mercie of God repented of their sinne refused any longer to commit fornication with her for it is said They shall hate the Whore and make her desolate Therefore we affirme that these Kings of the Earth shall be such of the Ten as still remaine with the Pope 10. Standing a farre off for feare The gesture and voice of these Mourners is noted standing a farre off and crying Alas alas In which he prevents an objection Why shall they not rather take up Armes and succour the distressed Citie Feare and trembling shall hinder them signifying that the Lord will so astonish them as that they shall not so much as thinke upon armes or succour for the feare of the divine judgement will make them to seeke shelter for themselves For in one houre Before In one day Her judgement shall be so sudden that before the report of her Siege be far spread the Citie shall lie in ashes Thus high things are on a sudden brought to nothing Trees of great height are long in growing but rooted up in one houre They call it judgement to wit of God the just Iudge whose vengeance shall be so manifest that the very enemies shall be forced to confesse that so great a Citie was thus suddenly overthrowne not by humane force but by the judgement of God being angry 11. And the Merchants of the Earth shall weepe Merchants succeed the Kings in mourning the Merchants I say of the Earth whom we have shewed to be spirituall Traders Treasurers of the Popish Court Paenitentiaries and Granters of Pardons c. The which plainely appeares by the adjunct cause of their sorrow and kind of Merchandize Because no man buyeth her merchandize any more But gold silver and pretious stones shall not be out of esteem because of the destruction of one Citie For by the overthrow of one Mart-Towne trading is not taken away from other places but the fall of one is rather the rising of another as not long ago in the low Countries Antwerpe sometime a noble Mart-Towne decaying was the flourishing of Amsterdam Therefore it is manifest that here properlie merchandable wares are not
thousand yeers in the mean while not denying that both they and other Martyrs should further live and reign with Christ But thou wilt say Why the thousand â—â—ers are â—â—fined to what end was it to define a thousand yeers if the Martyrs were to reign longer I answer It was meet they should be defined because of the wonderfull events that were to come to passe in those first thousand yeeres bringing as it were a new face on the whole Earth for Ierusalem being destroyed Iudaisme was to be overtâ—â—owne Satan being bound Paganisme was to decay and on the contrary Christianisme established in the whole Romane Empire not without shedding of very much blood lastly in the midst of Christianisme Antichristianisme was to bee erected and toward the end of the thousand yeeres confirmed and brought to its height with no lesse spilling of Christian blood in Gregory VII that cruell Beast 5. But the rest of the dead lived not againe Having expounded the state of the Godly what it was in those thousand yeers first on Earth afterward in Heaven now he addeth the state of the wicked during the said time on Earth that they lived not againe in the first Resurrection that by this Antithesis he might the more set forth the happinesse of the Martyrs and withall teach us that Satan was not so bound but that he still held very many even all the time of the said yeers in Paganisme and Antichristianisme who would not embrace the testimony of Iesus and live againe or be raised from the death of sin least we should imagine that the thousand yeers should be altogether a Golden-Age or that the Church were to expect the applause of the whole world This is the summe By the Rest therefore are understood all others the Martyrs and Confessours excepted who embraced not the Testimony of Iesus in all this time but were either professed enemies of Christ as Iewes and Pagans without the Church or false Christians or Antichristians in the Church These hee saith are DEAD not by a corporall but a spirituall death in sin of which death the Apostle speaketh Ephe. 2.1 1. Tim. 5.6 Mat. 8.22 Ioh. 5.25 When ye were dead in sinnes And she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth so Christ Let the dead bury the dead The dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of man for he speaketh of the state of the ungodly living on Earth whom he opposeth to the Martyrs not as then living with Christ in Heaven but as formerly embracing and professing the witnesse of Iesus on Earth Therefore in the words The rest of the dead the distinction is not betwixt the dead but after the Greeke Phrase the Genitive is put for the Nominative The rest of the dead for the rest being dead so in Chap. 9.20 the rest of men that is other men or at least it is a distinction of such as of old were living on Earth but dead spiritually for of old the Martyrs also before they repented and embraced the Testimony of Iesus were dead spiritually as the rest but because they lived againe spiritually on Earth therefore after death they lived and reigned gloriously with Christ in Heaven But the rest lived not again To wit from the death of sin through Faith and Repentance but despising the Testimony of Iesus remained in Paganisme Or repented not of their Idolatry Hypocrisie and other sinnes in Antichristianisme as in Chap. 9.20 The rest of men which were not killed by these plagues repented not of the workes of their hands that they should not worship devils and Idols of gold c. which place doth excellently interpret this But that he speaketh not of a corporall living againe as the Chiliasts did interpret it shall by and by appeare by Iohns Declaration Vntill the thousand yeers were finished That is during the whole thousand yeers wherein Satan was bound for againe he addes the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These thousand yeers But did they live againe afterward no certainly for they which live not againe in this life shall never live againe in the life to come Therefore the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vntill limits not a time of living again but simplie denyeth the same they lived not againe untill for never As Thou shalt not come forth untill thou hast paid the very last mite for never Hee knew her not untill shee had brought forth her first borne for never The Chiliasts said They lived not within but after the thousand yeeres but by the same reason they should say that the Soules of the Martyrs lived in but not after those thousand yeers Both is false for the Martyrs have never ceased to live and reigne neither have the rest of the dead ever lived againe It therefore noteth their voluntary contumacie in Paganisme and Antichristianisme that however Satan was bound in a speciall manner and could not deteine them in Infidelity yet they would not after the example of the Martyrs repent and embrace the witnesse of Iesus so as the fault of their destruction was onely in themselves The fourth thing followeth touching the first Resurrection This is the first Resurrection In the Greeke IS is left out but the Ellipsis is expressed ver 6. This is the second death By this Addition Iohn doth expresly declare what kind of living againe he meant that the rest of the dead lived not namely in that which is the first Resurrection as if he should say they lived not again in the first Resurrection the meaning is thus This is the first Resurrection for This living again in which I said the rest of the dead lived not is to be understood of the first Resurrection for the monstrative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is not to be referred to the soules of the Martyrs which he said LIVED but onely to the rest of the dead who he said lived not again which the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived againe and repeated in the Noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resurrection doth intimate The Declarat oâ— also of the contrary sheweth the same ver 14. This is the Second Death where likewise the Demonstrative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is not to be referred unto all that were judged ver 13. but only to them that were cast into the Lake of Fire and were not found written in the booke of Life Now it followeth to speake of the manner of this Resurrection and what it is The Chiliasts said it was corporall but here is solidly demonstrated that a corporall raising up of the Martyrs out of their Sepulchres is not proper unto the Martyrs but that it must be understood of a Spirituall living again from the death of sin in all that shall be saved THE DEMONSTRATION That the first Resurrection is not to be understood corporally but spiritually First from the differences dividing the whole Subject This first Resurrection is either corporall or spirituall But it is