THE SEVEN VIALS Or A briefe and plaine Exposition vpon the 15 and 16 Chapters of the Revelation very pertinent and profitable for the Church of God in these last times By H. B. Rector of Saint Matthews Friday-street Reve 19.19 20. And I saw the Beast and the Kings of the Earth â—nd their armies gathered 〈◊〉 to make warre against him that sate on the Horâ—◠〈◊〉 against his army And the Beast was takeâ— and with him the False Prophet that wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had the Marke of the Beast and them that worshipped his Image Thâ—se both 〈…〉 into a Lake of fire burning with 〈…〉 LONDON Printed by William Jones dwelling 〈◊〉 Red-crosse-street 1â—28 TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES KING OF GREAT Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. Dread Soveraine DIOGENES the more he was by Antisthenes the Philosopher threatned beaten from his schoole the more ardently he frequented it saying to his Master Do you but beat I will find you a head nor shall you find so hard a club as therewith to driue me away from your Philosophy What hee did suffered for Philosophy's sake the like or more am I ready to sustaine for the service and honour of Your Majesty No discouragements can beat me from this resolution no not death it selfe So prevalent iâ— my affection as my insufficiencies best knowne to my selfe cannot restraine it Yea though I was told Your Majesty was lately offended with me But I answered No J had no reason to belieue it For first J knew well the gentle disposition of your royall breast guided by such a dextrous iudgment is not easily incensed where there is no iust cawse And J am sure I daily inioy the influence of your favour though not the gratious aspect of your face for even the feet doe liue moue though remote by the Heads breathing You are the breath of our Nostrills And as J told my Lord of London at my first examination about Israels Fast All that I had done was for Gods glory the service of my King Country the Church of England whereof wee were members and for which I was ready if need were to lay downe my life And now gratious Soveraine J am bold to present Your Maiesty with such a peece as no Prince in Christendome but Your selfe can iustly challenge the dedication of it if the meannesse of the Presenter doe not extenuate the worth of the Present Jt containes a most divine Prophecy of the pouring out of the seven Vialls Revel 16 which according to that ability vouchsafed me of Christ the least and last of all his servants J haue indeavoured to open Jt pertaineth to Your Maiesty by a proper right The full accomplishment of this Prophecy is like to fall in Your gratious Raigne which God prolong to make it glorious to posterity And surely when J compare the fulfilling of this Prophecy with those many Princely indowments which Your God hath inriched Your Royall Person with J am so much the more confirmed in this my perswasion Such a zeale such loue of the truth such a peerelesse and Princely wisdome such a magnanimous spirit were not planted in Your noble breast for nothing So as I dare boldly conclude as was said to David Your Maiesty shal do great things and prosper Nor speake J by coniecture This Prophecy will clearly evidence the same Cleare it is though for the present it seeme cleane contrary that the destruction of Antichrist with his whole power and confederacy is now neere at hand And for proofe and perswasion thereof J wish it stood with Your Maiesties good pleasure and leisure to read over this Prophecy It is but the expense of a few howers but may exercise Your best meditations and noblest thoughts for many dayes many yeares after This whole booke of the Revelation is a Propheticall Chronologie tâ— the end of the world Of it Christ pronounceth Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this Prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand How much more is this verified of this last and most famous Prophecy in this booke towards the full consummation whereof these our present and last times draw on â—amaine Your Royall Father of blessed memory even in his youth wrote a most exquisite Paraphrase of this whole booke from whose bright torch all along I haue beene bold to borrow light for my dimme candle But me thinks I heare some suggest O Sir this booke is not licensed But whose fault is that The Authors Or the Licensers I could wish that such suggesters would confesse the true cawse why Orthodox bookes are so borne downe as they may not be licensed For Popish Arminian bookes are licensed but the contrary such as are writen in confutation of them are according to Gods word the doctrine of the Church of England may not be allowed So that I humbly submit it to your Maiesties vnpartiall iudgement to determine whether the Printer for printing such a booke as this without license or he that should license such Orthodox bookes will not according to authority in that behalf be more worthy of censure And certainly they that suppresse Orthodox bookes would they not also stop Preachers mouthes that they should not speake the truth Yes certainlyâ— For may it please your Majesty to vnderstand how even your Majesties honour suffers in this case For whereas vpon a Proclamation published in your Highnesse name Iune 14. in the second of your Raigne expressely forbidding any preaching or printing of such Doctrines as were repugnant to the Doctrine of the Church of England established we all hoped that all Arminian Popish Doctrines would be husht silenced wee by experience find it quite contrary for the Arminians shamelesly alledging that all their doctrines are according to the Church of England vnder this pretence they wold suppresse all truth as forbidden by your Royall Proclamation Which if it were true it should not be lawfull any more to preach the Gospell then to print books in defence of it So that some are neither affraid nor ashamed to say in plaine termes that they must license no bookes against Arminius Good God what pittifull times doe we liue in how different from former as I was bold to tell my Lord of London But I trust your Maiesty will vindicate your honour herein Gods truth exprest in Scripture is no changeling This is that which wee call the Doctrine of the Church of England and no other This hath beene sealed by the blood of so many Martyrs witnessed by so many Worthies of our Church for almost this fourescore yeares without intermission whose writings no time shall blot out ratified by so many Acts of Parliament as not all the Devills in hell nor all the Arminians on earth shall be able to disanull it The Gospell shall flourish maugre all
the foundation 〈◊〉 professe that God is man for then the society of Devils might claime to be a Church but directly to hold Iesus Christ so to be come in the flesh as therein to suffer and satisfie for our Salvation becoming our Christ our Iesus Redeeming vs from our sinnes by imputing his merits to vs that our sinnes might not be imputed to vs which were imputed to him by whose stripes we are healed by whose Righteousnes imputed we are perfectly iustified in the sight of God Doth the Church of Rome directly hold this foundation Nothing lesse Yea she directly not by consequence only directly I say she denyeth and destroyeth this foundation How or where In the Councell of Trent Sess. 6. Canon 10. Si quis dixâ—rit homines per ipsam Christi iustitiam formâ—liter iustâ—s esse anathema sit If any shall say that men are formerly iust by the righteousnes of Christ let him be accursed Is not this a direct and flatt expresse deniall of the foundation And in the 11 Canon If any shall say that men are iustified by the solâ— imputation of Christs Righteousnes or by sole â—emission of sinnes otherwise then by inhereâ—t righteousnesse in vs obtained thereby or also that the grace whereby we are iustified is only the favor of God let him be acoâ—rsed What more direct denyall of the foundation Is not this the foundation That Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners And how Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree that we being dead to sinnes should liue vnto righteousnes by whose stripes we are healed Nay saith the Councell of Trent directly We are iustified by our inherent righteousnes and so our stripes are healed and not by the righteousnes of Christ simply imputed Therefore come out of her my people least ye be partakers of her sinnes Fourthly Let not antiquity in the holding of an opinion prescribe against Truth Opinions ancient O that Saint Ambrose words alledged by our Reverend Author might here take place Nullus pudor est ad meliora transire then I hope he will be otherwise minded then to say He that demeth the Church of Rome to be a true Church or a true visible Church shall 〈…〉 to his cause then to his adversary Then he will no longer 〈…〉 the iudgement of particular person 〈…〉 wherin our Reverend Mother Church of England hath in her publicke doctrine resolved the contrary while she denyes to the Church of Rome the true markes of a visible Church those very markes which the Church of Rome her selfe disclaimeth So shall our Divine Seneca partake also of great S. Augustines prayse while by an humble and ingenuous Retractation he shall both purge away the stâ—ine and put a more glorious luster to his most sweet pious and for their kind vnparalleld workes And for me a poore vnworthy Minister I hope his meek and sweet spirit having well waighed my reasons and pitied my weaknesses will be pleased to excuse me of any transportation of zeale vnlesse herein I haue exceeded the bounds in presuming so farre vpon the patience of such a Reverend Antistes of our Church But I trust he will not impute this to any arrogancy of spirit when it shall appeare it is to vindicate Christs truth and glory against the Synagogue of the proud Antichrist Thus having shewed the Church of Rome or rather the Synagogue of Antichrist to be no true Church nor a true or truely visible Church nor a Church but a Sea whose doctrines as waters are turned all into the blood of a dead man so that every living creature therein dyeâ—h no Salvation no life to be found in Babylon proceed we to the next Viall The Third Vial powred out V. 4. And the third Angel poured out his vial vpon the Riuers and fountaines of waters and they became blood And I heard the Angel of the waters say Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast iudged thus For they shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast giuen them blood to drinke for they are worthy And I heard another out of the Altar say even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy iudgements All Riuers saith the Preacher come from the 〈◊〉 and thither returne Rivers then sent out from the Sea doe here signifie all Romes Emissaries as all Seminary Priests and Iesuites who as Rivers doe convey and diffuse the Sea-waters of Romes doctrines to all Countries and parts of the earth And this Viall holds the like proportion to the third Trumpet as the second Viall did to the second Trumpet For the third part of the sea blood here all and for the the third part of the Rivers imbittered here all are turned into blood for the same reason alledged in the former Viall Only here seemeth to be a little difference between the Seas blood and this of the Rivers for that is as the blood of a dead man this blood only without other addition Yet at the best blood it is Here then are meant not only all those that haue written large Commentaries vpon the Councell of Trent as Vega Soto Catharinus Andradius Bellarmine c. who with their Philosophycall and Aristotelian Divinity and Schoole-nicities and quaint distinctions haue laboured to giue a fairer luster to the blacke gore-blood thereof and to propine it to the simple and subtile both in Babylons golden cup as Doctors ministring poysoned pills guilded over but as I said all Priests and Iesuites whom King Iames calls the last brood of the Divell who by their actiue motion as Rivers the voluminous workes of their Rabbies being but as great vnwealdy ponds and standing lakes in comparison run more currâ—ntly through the world And in this one particular note how the Councell of Trent it selfe hath turned the Rivers of Romes doctrine I meane her writers which before the Councell were but as it were a third part blood now all into blood namely by their Index Expurgatorius cancelling and letting out what purer waters they find in their writings as might â—e shewed by many famous instances so that now all their Rivers must run nothing but blood And these may well be resembled to Rivers for sundry respectâ— For first as all Rivers haue their originall from and finall course to the Sea for all Romish Emissaries must divulge no other doctrine but such as they derive from the Sea of Trents doctrinesâ— and their course must tend to the inriching of the Sea of Rome Secondly as Rivers like Fame are small in the beginning but running along grow greater and greater till they powre their full channells into the Sea so all Iesuites though at first they arise like poore brookes yet by their long current they come to returne full streames of commodities to the Sea of Rome Thirdly as Rivers are of an incessant and indefatigable motion Labituret labetur in
the imitation of their inveterate hatred to the truth of the Gospell and to those that preach and professe it they become thereby guilty of all the blood of those Martyrs who were slaine for the selfe same faith and truth which we of the Church of England at this day professe and avow and consequeâ—tly ye are found to be worthy to drinke the most bainfull blood of Romes deadly doctrines the fearfullest plague that ever could befall you to your eternall perdition without speedy repentance and conversion to the truth Nay which my pen trembleth to set downe Papists are found to be copartners with the Iewes in crucifying even of Christ himselfe whom they so persecute in his truth and in his members for which cause saith the royall Paraphrast they are partners with Iudas in the death of Christ. Read for this purpose the 11. chapter of this booke together with King Iames his Paraphrase vpon it Nor can any Papist though never so full of subtile shifts shift this Scripture off from himselfe and all those of the Church of Rome There is nothing more cleare no not the Sun when it shineth brightest in the Summer Meridian then that the Pope of Rome is that Beast Rev. 13. and the Church of Rome that Babylon drunke with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Iesus Chapter 17 all Iesuiticall sophistry cannot avoid it And if Papists durst but looke vpon this Scripture it would make their haire stand on end to see in what a deplored state they are 〈◊〉 vpon them mainly the Beast-marked his Image-worshippers all these seaven Vialls one in the necke of another poure forth their plaguâ—s never ceassing till they haue fulfilled the wrath of God in the finall and fatall ruine and desolation of that whole Synagogue of Rome which now approacheth and hastneth on apace It is added And I heard another out of the Altar say Euen so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy iudgementâ— These wordâ— are a confirmation of the former This voice is but inculcated and ingeminated to rowse vp the Infidell and Atheisticall world to take notice of Gods truth and righteousnesse of his truth concerning all those Prophecies in his word denouncing destruction to the enemies of his Church which we haue in a good part seene and for the rest shall be no lesse certainly in their due time accomplished also of his divine exact vnpartiall justice by recompensing legâ— Talionis like for like like punishments and judgements for like sinnes like spirituall thirst after the blood of the Saints who follow the truth to their salvation with like spirituall drinke of the bainfull blood of pestilentiall doctrines and lies which all Papists drinke in to their damnation But why Another from the Altar Surely I cannot conceiue the reason hereof vnlesse it be this We all know what infinite havock the Church of Rome hath of a long time and dayly doth make of the blood of Christ vpon their Popish Altar Haue they not even stopped and dryed vp that fountaine of his blood set open for Israel and Iuda for sinne and for vncleanesse haue they not robbed the poore people of the Sacramentall Cup which should bee a fresh memoriall and effectuall application of that sinne purging blood to every faithfull receiver Haue they not hereby evacuated that covenant of the New Testament which was ratified and sealed with the blood of Christ without which is no remission Haue they not thus torne away the seale from the Testament of grace Haue they not in stead thereof erected a new vnbloody sacrifice of a fantasticall inchanted body which they notwithstanding moâ—â— blasphemously and senselesly call their Propitiatory sacrifice for the quick 〈…〉 and a 〈…〉 all soreâ— Doe they not thus account the bloud of the covenant which should sanctifie them an vnholy thing Doe they not thus trample vnder foote the Sonne of God And â—hat even then when they would seeme most of all to elevate him in their fained Host vpon their Altar Their very Alltar as holy as they would make it 〈◊〉 be â—o deeply stained with the guilt of Christs bloud spilâ— vpon it Therefore here is one sent from the Altar of God even from Iesus Christ our only Alâ—ar on whom we offer vp the Calues of our lips who mightily magnifieth the truth and iustice of Godâ— in giving spirituall deadly blood to them to drinke who haue â—pon their Idoll-Altar taken away and disanulled that only Propitiatory blood of Christ. which he hath left to his Church for every faithfull man to drinke spiritually by faith to the consolation of his conscience the confirmation of his faith and the salvation of his soule Thus iust and true is God every way at every turne to meet with his enemyes and to pay them home with their owne coyne The Fourth Vial powred out Our Country-man M. Brightman in his Commentary comming to this fourth vial saith Hactenus â—â—c ipsa tempâ—ra in quibus praesâ—â—tes vâ—â—mus Ad â—anâ— enim â—â—que 〈◊〉 nostra sâ—cula processâ—runt reliquâ— quatuor sunt nobis expectand◠〈◊〉 diffâ—ciâ—â—â—r est indagatio Hitherto saith he come these tâ—mes wherein we nâ—w liue For even vnto this Vial haue our ages reached the other foure behind 〈◊〉 to expect whereof 〈◊〉 disquisition will be more difficult So he Yet himselfe not only attempts the opeâ—ing of the subsequent vials but â—â—imates and excites 〈◊〉 faithfull Ministers to imploy their best paines and studies therin as in a work most behoâ—â—full for the Church of God in these lâ—st times But that he should say he lived not to see this fourth Viall powred out 〈…〉 somewhat strange Was it because living 〈…〉 the Cataracts of Nâ—bis â—â— could not heare the noyse of it Or because his eye was so neare the object as he could the worse discerne it Or as Paules eyes at his conversion were so 〈◊〉 with the glorious light that for a time his sight was wholly suspended So haply Mr. Brightmans eyes overcome with the Sunnes bright beames shining so full vpon him whereon this fourth Viall is powred could noâ— discerne what it meant or transported with the beauty and glory thereof as Peter was with that excellent glory in the Mount in saying Thus farre are our times come wist not what he said And as it is vsuall we can better and more safely behold the Sun wiâ—h ouâ— backes towards it in a vessell of cleare settled water then by daring to looke or staâ—e vpon that goodly glorious body with opposite and open â—ace And many times for want of due consideration in making a right vse of the resplendent prosperity of things present either by too much doting vpon it or by vnkindly envying of it or by some discontented humour in a fickle affectation of change â—e come to loose the due estimate and so the true fruitâ—on of them But to our fourth Viall Indeed I must acknowledge that for a few dayes I was not a little puzzeled and
of singing sate them downe and wept Nor haue we lesse cause to expresse all thankfulnâ—sse to God for our deliverance from Babylons captivity then Moses and Israel had for theirs from Aegypt ourâ—-being no lesse miraculous if we consider the weake meanes whereby it was wrought then that was For what was one poore Luther and â—hose few that seconded him to the whole world of Pontiâ—icians 〈◊〉 Papall power where with he was to incounter Others vnderstand by this glassy Sea mingled with fire the pure Christalline word of God which in the ministry therof is mingled with the fire and efficacie of the Holy Ghost by the means whereof the spirituall Babylonians are overthrown as the Aegyptians werâ— in the red Sea which was a type of Baptisme Let the Reader â—ake his choyce or rather both sith 〈◊〉 are agreeable to the analogy of the Prophecy And if we vnderstand it of the world we may note all so how though Gods servants be compassed about with flames of fire as it were standing vpon this glassy sea yet they do with all their chearfulnesse sound forth the praise of God in the Gospell the Lambes song while Popish fire and faggotts haue prevailed no more vpon Gods servants but to inflame them with greater zealâ— to sing the song of the Lambâ— It followeth ver 5. And after that I looked and behold the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in heauen was opened And ver 6. the seuen Angels came out of the Temple hauing the seauen plagues cloathed in pure and white Linnen and hauing their breasts girt with golden girdles And ver 7. one of the foure Beasts gaue vnto the seaven Angels seven golden Vialls full of the wrath of God who liveth for ever and ever and ver 8. the Temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power and no man was able to enter into the Temple till the seaven plagues of the seaven Angells were fulfilled In these words the Holy Ghost descends more particularly to set forth the full equipage and addressemenâ— of the insuing Prophecy and that in a manner full of maiesty First the Place whence the seaven Angels come namely the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in heaven which vpon their going forth is opened This ought to be well marked as pointing vs to the very particular time wherein these seaven Vials began to be powred out which is a matter of speciall moment Now for the meaningâ— we know that the Temple of Solomon and Tabernacle of Moses were both types of Christ and of his Church but the Tabernacle more properly of the Church Militant the Temple of the Triumphant here â—oyned together the Temple of the Tabernacle of Testimony to note the Church of Christ Militant whose part is triumphant in the eternall Temple in heaven or else to note the heavenly and triumphant-like estate of Christs Church on earth now vindicated from and made victorious over the Beast The opening of this Temple sheweth a more cleare manifestation of the Testimony of God now revealed in the powring out of these Vials in the Ministry of the Gospel as we shall see anon Well out of this Temple come the seuen Angels hauing the seven plagues being adorned and furnished with all requisite graces indowments fitting for so sacred a ministration They receiue their seven golden Vials at the hands of one of the foure Beasts This referres vs to the Fourth Chapter of this booke which place alludes to the first chapter of Ezechiels Prophecie to the foure Beasts there And it is commonly received of the Auncients that these foure Beasts were a type of the foure Evangelists According to this sense we are to vnderstand that these 7. Angels the Ministers of the Gospell powering out their Vials received their Vials to wit their authoritie and power from the Gospell of Christ whereon all our Ministry is grounded Some vnderstand by these foure liuing creatures or Beasts the ministers of the Gospell who in all ages deliver and propagate the word of their ministry from hand to hand to the succeeding ages Nor wanted there even before Luther euer appeared against the Pope sufficient witnesses in all ages that opposed the man of sin and stood vp for the truth And among many other famous was that Prophecy of Iohn Huss when he was burned at the Counsell of Constance for witnessing the truth against the Church of Rome enough by the way to stopp the clamorous mouthes of Papists who obiect where was your Religion before Luther who at the stake vttered these words That of the ashes of this Goose saith he shall rise a Swan which they should not burne as they wasted the poore Goose adding moreover Post 〈…〉 after a hundreth yeares you shall answer God and 〈◊〉 Now in the Bohemian tongue Huss signifieth a Goose and Luther a Swan And iust a hundred yeares after the end of that Counsell of Constance began Luther publikly to preach against the Popes Indulgences So that here we may note how Luther received his Viall as it were from the hand of Iohn Huss a witnes of the Gospell of Christâ— and that by a remarkable Prophecy And were not Iohn Wicklifes works also burned at the same Councell â— and two other worthy Bohemian Martyrs And did not Iohn Wicklife our Country man by whose meanes the Bohemians received the Gospell instruct his schollar Iohn Huss therein and Huss others as Zizca and so downewards And was not Luther himselfe made Doctor by Andreas Carolostadius at Wittenberge Thus we could goe vp by every Century and age all a long even from Luther to the Apostles times to proue the lineall and vninterrupted descent of that Gospell and truth which we professe The obstrepeâ—ous Iesuits knowe it well enough and might well spare vs that labour but only least they should be drawne so dry as to seeme to be able to say nothing for themselues or against vs. But we build not our doctrines vpon genealogies but vpon expresse and authenticall Records of Scriptures aboue all exception So that from this booke of Scriptures do these 7 Angels take their seaven Vials But what is ment by Vials They are vessells bigger then ordinary drinking cupps such as we call Goblets some take them to be as bigg as Kettles But I take it the Holy Ghost here alludeth to those incense-cups Exod. 23.29 translated Phialae in the vulgar latine which were made of pure gold as here And in chapter 5.8 is mention of Vials full of the odours of the Saints To which comparing the Vials full of plagues here we may note their two fold use one for the benefite of the Church another for the punishment of her enemies as we read of the Censers Chap. 8.3 4 5 out of which went first the odours of the Saints prayers and after that thence were powred forth of the hot coales of the Altar vpon the earth whereupon insued sundry plagues vpon the wicked In
Alexander Farnesius his nephew of his base sonne Petrus Aloisius Guido Asâ—anius Fran. Fâ—rza another Nephew of his base daughter Constantia the one sixtene yeares of age the other 14 two tall striplings I wis his fatherhood creates for Cardinals answering those that obiected their tender yeares that himselfe now in his decrepite agâ— would easily recompense in his olde yeares what was therein wanting to them And so to this goodly issue came all this solemne Reformation But perforce at length all is devolved vpon the Councell of Trent an Assembly of many learned Doctors sufficient if any to invent some salue for Babylons sores And they say pretily to it for in that Councell you shall find no lesse then eleven or twelue very solemne and formall Decrees de Reformatione And when all is done nothing is Reformed Thus is verified that of the Prophet Ieremy Wâ— would haue cured Babylon but shee would not be cured Nay to shew her case is desperate that Councell comes with her Index expurgatorius wherewith to expunge and purge out all such bookes as either descry the nature of her diseases or prescribe remedies for the same Thus to this day from the time of Luther we see grievous sores stick close to that whole Pontifician body Although the corruptions of the Church of Rome were not altogether vndiscovered before Luthers time God still raising vp some from time to time to cry out against Babylon as Iohn Wickliffe in his workes writt against her manifold errors and abuses for which they merited the fire at the Councell of Constance but they never came so to be ransacked and ript up as by Luther and since his time He began to search their sores to the quick and laide them open with a witnes that it is impossible so much as ever to drawe the least skin over them to hide or cover them much lesse to cure them As for the bodily sores which fell vpon those of the Church of Rome vpon the pouring forth of this first Viall I list not to touch them Erasmus complaineth of Luther for two things that he touched too much the Bishops Myters and the Monks bellyes And surely a â—rievous sore fell vpon many of them in this kind maâ—y a Bishop lost his Miter and many a Monks fatt belly â—egan now to pinch for it Nor are we willing to touch â—hose Cardinals sore backs being beaten and pitifully 〈◊〉 vp and downe the streets of Rome by the Caesareanâ—ouldiers â—ouldiers who then had surprised it while their head â—as beating his braines how to get out of prison where 〈◊〉 was now pent and all this done within the time â—f the powring out of this Vial. I list not I say bee a â—aile in such sores Enough is said to cleare the powring â—ut the first Viall both when and how by whom and â—pon whom it began to be poured The second Viall powred out out And the second Angell poured out his Viall vpon â—he Sea and it became as the blood of a dead man and â—uery living soule died in the Sea As in the former Viall we haue seene Romes spirituall â—ores so here we are to search for spirituall seas It is vâ—all in Scripture to which for interpretation this Proâ—hecy all along sends vs to shadow out the doctrins of 〈◊〉 word of God by waters As Eze 47.3 4 5. The waters 〈◊〉 the Sanctuary by degrees became a huge OceaÌ„ Esay applies and expounds it Chapter 11.9 speaking of the light of the Gospell in Christs time he sayth The earth shall beâ— full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters couer the Sea So Abac 2.14 And Esay 55.1 In Exod. 15. Yee haue 12. fountaines typing the doctrine of the 12. Patriarchs and 12. Apostles Now as seas are in the good part taken for the doctrines of Christ in the forecited places so here in the evill part for the corrupt doctrines of Antichrist At the blast of the second Trumpet the third part of the sea is turned into blood here the whole Sea Which notes the difference betweene the state of Romes doctrines before the Councell of Trent while as yet they were in their growing and as now they became in and after the Councell of Trent Before the Councell of Trent there was some fresh water to be found in the doctrines of that Church some truth some meanes of â—alvation left for those that could search and find it out and follow it seperating the fresh and cleare water of truth from the blood of her abominable idolatries and other impious doctrines while as yet the rule of faith to wit the Scriptures remained intire but in and after the Councell of Trent wherein the Rule of faith is altered humane Traditions and inventions comming in for an equall share with the Scriptures and shouldering them for the wall and driving them into the very Kennell now the Sea is turned altogether into blood In this Councell the whole doctrine of the Gospell is turned vpside downe The iustifying and saving faith is vtterly excluded abandoned and accursed Iustification by workes takes place The Masse a new propitiatory vnbloody sacrifice for all sinnes for quicke and dead foysted in for Christs onely sacrifice once made yea humane satisfactions in stead thereof All Idolatries are ratified The Sacramentall Cup the liuely resemblance of Christs blood shed for our sinnes without which is no redemption no lifâ— in vs is for ever most sacrilegiously cut off from Christs sacred institution No man must read the Scriptures but the sworne vassalls and that according to the sense of the Church of Rome whose Oracle is the Popes brest and that variable as may best sute to the present occasion and commodity of that Church The vulgar Latine Translation though in comparison but a blundered streame is preferred before the pure originall fountains the Hebrew and Greeke though it containe many absurdities and falsities which may not be corrected The Index Expurgatorius established in that Councell is to quench all truth Therein mans free will is established and Gods free grace abolished Predestination and Election vndermined and overthrowne And the â—ike Thus is that Sea altogether blood yea as the blood of a dead man corrupt filthy gore whereof every living soule in that Sea dieth So that vpon the powring out of the second Viall vpon the Sea of Romes doctrines â—oncluded vpon in the Councell of Trent they are beâ—ome altogether mortall and deadly bainefull to the â—oule yea whereof every living soule in that Church diâ—th This began euidently to appeare by the Learned Chemnitius his Examen and other learned Ministers of â—he Gospell since that time by whose preaching and writings and opening of the word of God that Church 〈◊〉 convinced to be now altogether Apostaticall as King â—ames calls her For in that Councell she hath altogeâ—her denied the faith and that with Anathema so as she 〈◊〉 become worse then an Infidell vtterly excluded from â—ll communion with Christ for
vpon the Hill of Mageddon as here Har and Mageddon the Hill of Mageddon But now in such a variety of opinions where shall we pitch Surely we may safely take direction herein from the Royall Paraphrast who saith I condemne not others but rather allow them to interprete this booke diversly so being it agree with the analogy of faith with the method of the text et cum serie temporum for these three being observed it may fall out that diverse diversly expound one place and yet all be according to the truth and meaning of the spirit of God An excellent rule well beseeming that Pacifique Prince to reconcile diversity of opinions so they bound themselues to the analogy and confines of faith So that in all these differences of derivations of this word Harmageddon finding none of them to swerue from the Analogy of the text we may safely imbrace all Only two are most pregnant and may seeme to challenge the most certaine credit afore all the rest First that this great battell shall be vpon the Hill of Gods delight to wit his Church and especially there where the Gospell is most conspicuous and shineth most clearely against which the envy of the Antichristian army shall advance the Standard Paralell hereunto is that battell of Gog and Magog chapter 20 the secret and open enemies of Gods Church wherein they shall compasse the tents of the Saints about and the holy City even the Church of Christ. And we haue a notable type hereof in the Prophecy of Daniell where the great Antiochus a liuely type of Antichrist is said in that his fatall battaile to his owne confusion to pitch the Tents of his Pallace between the Seas in the glorious holy Mountaine This may prefigure Antichrists assaulting the people of God in Armageddon to wit the glorious holy Mountaine the Church And doth not the glorious Church in England stand betweene the Seas The second is that of the royall Paraphrast though no way second but rather may challenge precedency before all the rest for the singular allusion of it Destruction by deceit Which doth highly make for the honour of that Lord of Hosts who by his wisdome and power shall wind and turne all the wiles and stratagems of the old Dragon and false Prophet all the power and puissance of the Beast to their owne destruction And for this cause it is said here He to wit God shall gather them together into a place called Harmageddon But this may seeme strange that God should lead this potent and proud army even to his owne Mountaine of Delights his Church No not strange Did not the Holy spirit lead Christ into the wildernesse to be temped of the Devill And hath not God power over all these plagues And was it not he that brought that daring Assyrian Host against the holy Citty in Ezechia's raigne as even that blasphemous Rabsache seemed to vaunt and all to daâ—nt poore Iuda Aâ—d was it not He that said to Barak I will draw out vnto thee to the River Kishâ—n Sisera c. Iudg. 4.7 Read also Ioel 3 where the Lord being about to deliver his people from the Babylonian bondage he saith ver 2. I will gather all Nations and will bring them downe into the valley of Iehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people c. And ver 11. Thither cause thy mighty ones to come downe O Lord that is Gods enemies as ver 12. Read the whole chapter It is a notable type of this in the seventh Viall But what was the event of all How sped the Devill How sped Rabshache with his mighty Host How Sisera How I pray you should they speed when a more potent a more politicke Adversary even the Lord of Hosts takeâ— their conduct into his owne hand and puts his bridle into their nostrills Can an enemy though never so powerfull looke to prosper in any great attempt when his adversary hath a secret disposing hand to direct and sway all his designes which way himselfe pleaseth The King of Syria's Counsells and his words spoken in his bed chamber against Israel could they take place when both there was a faithfull Elisha to warne the King of Israell of them and a prudent King willing to be directed by his good counsell What shall become of Pharaoh and his huge host when as God hardeneth his heart making him foolhardy to pursue Israell and that even through the red Sea on whose dry channell when he first set his proud foot he might easily haue read his owne fatall wrack from those watery mountains on each side like swelling walls ready to burst so soone as once Gods people were safely arrived Iust so is it here He the Lord assembleth Antichrists forces into the place called Harmageddon And can they then looke for any better successe then such as Pharaoh and his Aegyptians found Surely no. Be confounded then with feare ô ye Antichristian adversaries of Christ and his Church Against whom doe you confederate and band your forces together â— Of vpon what presumption Hath not the Virgin the Daughter of Sion despised thee O enemy Hath not the daughter of Ierusalem shaken her head at thee Whom hast thou reproched and blasphemed And against whom hast thou exalted thy voice Is it not against the holy one of Israell Esa. 57.22 Is it not He that puts his hooke in thy nose leading thee to the place of thy perdition where thou notwithstanding in the beastly-wide throat of thy false confidence hast already swallowed downe the destruction of Gods people as at a morsell Oh that this might sinke into the hard skull of thy senslesse Beastly-head to be better advised and without feare oâ— witt to enter the lists where the Almighty takes vp the quarrell against thee But now it is hid from thine eyes Thou wilt needs try thy Triarian forces in one maine battell wherein thy Pontifician Omnipotency dare cope with divine Omnipotency if haply the triple-crowned Godhead on earth may dethrone the God of heaven as often he hath done the petty Gods on earth Nor can the time of this Vialls full accomplishment for the bringing of this maine battell to a head be farre off from the first pouring out The iniquity raigning in this Viall and the mad malice of the enemy and Gods fatherly care for his Church least it should be swallowed vp doe all conspire and concurre to hasten this great Day of God Almighty The time of this Viall comprehending those dangerous last dayes whereof Christ saith For the Elects sake those dayes shall be shortened Mat 24.22 And this seemeth to be spoken not so much in regard of outward pressures and persecutions of the Church as of intestine false doctrines very potent and prevalent in this Viall By which the Church of God being so mightily oppugned and assaulted not without good reason may the battell of the great day be said in the spirituall part to be already begun Begun say I