notwithstanding the rage and fury of the World ver 11.12.13 in persecuting them to death God should not only receive their soules to glory but also raise up others endued with the same spirit which should preach professe and witnesse the same truth constantly and continually even unto the end of the World Lastly it sheweth ver 14. c. that after the preaching of the Gospell some good time in this last age the seventh Angell should blow the trumpet and the world should end And there was given unto me a reed like unto a rod and the Angell stood by saying Arise verse 1. and measure the Temple of God and the Alar and them that worship therein Here Jesus Christ giveth a reed unto John like unto a rod and hereupon he is commanded by an Angell to goe about the measuring of the Temple the Altar c. By this measuring with a reed like a rod is signified the restoring and building up of Gods house which now was greatly ruinated and runne into decay through the long prevailing of Popery Measuring with a reed is taken for the building up of Gods Church after the decaied estate thereof both in Ezekiel Zachary and this Prophesie John in the persons of all faithfull Ministers hath this measuring rod given him because the Church was to be restored and built up by the Ministers and Ministery of the Gospell The thing to be measured is the Temple the Altar and them that worship therein This is an allusion to the legall worship whereby our spirituall worship is represented For by the materiall Temple is meant the spirituall Temple or Church of God By the Altar of stone is meant the spirituall worship By them that worship therein with carnall sacrifices is meant all the true members of the Church which worship God in spirit and truth Now then both the Church the true worship and worshippers were all to be measured repaired and built up by Ministry of the Word which all were decayed and almost laid waste by the Popes tyranny But the Court which is without the Temple cast out and measure it not verse 2. for it is given to the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under their foot two and forty moneths John is here forbidden to measure and build up the Court which is without the Temple Whereby is meant all Heretickes Hypocrites worldlings and all such as have a place in the Church but are not of the Church This phrase of speech is taken from the old shadowish worship as the rest before For in the Temple of Jerusalem there was an outward Court which was common to all good and bad the holy place which was proper to the Priests and Levites and the holy of holiest or most holy place where none might come but the high Priest only Here is a reason added why the Lord God refuseth all Papists and Hypocrites and all such as belong to the outward Court only and it is this that this outward Court is given unto the Gentiles that is to all false Christians and counterfeits in religion which are members of the visible Church but have nothing to do with the invisible These are compared to Gentiles in two respects First in regard of prophanesse for they are as prophane as the Heathen Secondly in respect of persecuting the truth for Hypocrites and Atheists are as forward in persecuting the people of God as the Heathen Emperours which persecuted the Church by the space of 300. yeares All comes in this that when the Church should be gathered and built by the preaching of the Gospell God would have all Papists Atheists and Hypocrites shut out Moreover here is the second reason yeelded why the outward Court should be cast out and not measured to wit because they should tread the holy City under foot forty and two moneths that is they should persecute the Church all the time of Antichrists raigne For forty two moneths in this Verse and 1260. dayes in the next Verse and three dayes and a halfe Verse 9. and time times and halfe a time in the twelfe Chapter the foureteenth Verse and 1260. dayes the twelfe Chapter the sixth verse do signifie all one thing which is the short raigne of Antichrist for these moneths these dayes and these times do every one of them make three yeares and an halfe For who knoweth not that forty two moneths make just three yeares and an halfe and that 1260. dayes maketh even so much also and by time he meaneth a yeare bytimes two yeare and by halfe a time halfe a yeare Now the reason why Antichrists raigne is numbered by dayes moneths and halfe times and all amounting but to three yeares and a halfe is to note the short continuance thereof for the comfort of the Church as appeareth more fully and plainely in sundry places of this Prophesie where it is set down in plaine words that Antichrist should raigne but a short time for what is five or six hundred yeares in comparison of eternity But here the Papists do shew themselves most sottish and ridiculous in that they would gather from hence that the Pope is not Antichrist for say they Antichrist shall raigne but three yeares and an halfe but the Pope hath raigned many yeares therfore the Pope is not Antichrist Now to answere the proposition of their argument taken from this place First it may be answered that this place is not to be understood literally but mystically as many other things in this booke Secondly here is a certaine number put for an uncertaine a definite number for an indefinite which also is usuall in this booke as we heard before concerning the sealing of the Tribes of every Tribe 12000. which maketh 144000. Now no man is so mad as to thinke there were just so many sealed and neither more nor lesse Thirdly here is an allusion to Daniels weekes and other propheticall computations wherein somtimes a day is put for a yeare a weke for seven yeares as in Daniels sevens and a moneth for thirty yeares So then I conclude that it is extreme folly to interpret this place litterally The curious and frivolous interpretations of this place and such like in this booke by some writers I do of purpose omit as matters untrue unsound and unjudiciall for I only in this book seeke the sense that is and not the sense which is not as hath been said before verse 3. But I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesie 1260. dayes cloathed in sackcloth Having set down how Antichrist and his company being those Gentiles which possesse the outward Court should tread downe the holy Citty that is the true Church of God for a short time now he commeth to shew that even in the height and pride of the Popes power and governement yet the Church was not utterly extinct God did never utterly forsake it but in all ages and at all times God raised up one or other to withstand
was so great for his Church being in her ward-shippe and minority then much more now being come to her ripenesse and full age If then it was lesse glorious then much more now being farre more glorious Therefore now unto us he foretelleth by his servant John what shall be the estate of the Church unto the end of the world and therefore Blessed is he that heareth and readeth this booke sith it foretelleth of the Churches affliction in this age by the whoore of Babylon and of the full end and determination thereof It sheweth justly and precisely what the Church hath suffered since the Apostles time in severall ages and what it shall suffer and also how all the enemies thereof shall shortly bee troden under foote What can be more joyfull or comfortable to all the people of God then to know afore-hand that Babylon shall fall Rome shall downe Antichrist the great persecutor of the Church shall bee utterly confounded and consumed in this world notwithstanding all plots and policies crafts and devices to the contraâ—y notwithstanding all forces and armâ—es cunningly contrived and raised up against the Chuâ—ch by Seminary Priests Jesuites Pope Cardiâ—all and King of Spaine For all these in this age do very busily bestirre them and ransacke all corners of their wits to repaire the ruines of Rome and to make up the breaches which are made in the walles of Babylon their great City But alas all in vaine for it shall fall It shall fall it shall as Dagon before the presence of the Arke doe what they can spite of their hearts maugre their beards it shall without all hope of recovery For hath the Lord spoken it and shall it not come to passe or any word of his ever fall to the ground Sith therefore the Jesuites and Secular Priâ—sts do so fiske about and croake in every corner as greatly fearing the fall of their Babylon and the drying up of their Euphrates it stands us all in hand to bee of resolute for Christ as they are for Antichrist and as studious to uphold the Kingdome of God as they are to uphold the kingdome of the divell And for this purpose it is very requisite and necessary that all the Lords people should bee acquainted with this Booke and armed against them with the things revealed in this Prophesie For this booke is a most precious Jewell which God hath bestowed upon his Church in this last age and it is great pitty that all the servants of God are not better acquainted with it especially in these times for now in this age is and shall bee the very heat of the warre and brunt of the battle betwixt Papists and Protestants betwixt God and Belial betwixt the armies of Christ and the armies of Antichrist Now this Prophesie layeth all open and plainly telleth us what shall be the issue and successe in the day of battell which side shall have the victory and which side shall goo downe And therefore very needfull it is that it should be expounded againe and againe and all the Lords people made throughly acquainted with it For in this age wherein we live this Prophesie can never be enough opened and beaten upon that all good Protestants may bee armed with it against future times even as it were with an armour of proofe Saint John plainely telleth the people of his time even the Churches of Asia that they should be blessed by reading and studying this Booke because they should thereby bee fore-warned and fore-armed against many eminent troubles and future dangers For saith he The time is at hand that is to say some things were even then to bee fulfilled For some matters foretold in this booke did begin to bee fulfilled even presently after they were shewed unto John for the Mystery of iniquity did even then begin to worke The Church in the Apostles time had her conflictes The Tenne great persecutions began even then to bee raised up Heresies shortly after began to spring and sprout Afterwards by degrees the great Antichrist did aproach toward his cursed seat And after all this Saint John foretelleth how hee should take possession of his abhominable and most execrable seat and sea of Rome How hee should raigne and rule for a time as the Monarchy of the world How hee should prevaile against the Church and make warre against the Saints How he should raigne but a short time and afterward come tumbling downe as fast as ever he rose up and decrease as fast as ever he increased Therefore Blessed is he saith S. John that diligently readeth and peruseth this booke that thereby he may foresee all these things and be armed against them For as the heathen man saith Levius laedit quicquid previderis ante Foreseeing dangers doe least hurt Now to apply all this to our times I say they are twice happy that are studious and painefull in searching out the true sense and meaning of this Prophesie that thereby they may be strengthned against all the assaults of the Papists our professed enemies and the enemies of Gods Church and sticke fast to the everlasting truth of God knowing for a certainty that the sonnes of Belial shall not long prevaile Apo. 9.11 The date of their raigne is almost out and the time draweth on apace wherein both they and their King Abbadon shall bee laid in the dust But I will now proceed to a new reason to prove that this Booke of the Revelation ought not to be concealed but openly preached and published to the whole Church of God in this age My reason is taken out of the 22. Chapter of this Booke verse 10. in these words Seale not the words of the Prophesie of this Booke for the time is at hand Here is a flat commandement from God that this Booke and Doctrine of it may not bee sealed up that is to say kept close from the knowledge of Gods people but it must lie alwaies unsealed that all men may open it reade it and see what is in it for it is a borrowed speech taken from sealing of Letters For we all know that wooing Letters are sealed none may open them or reade them but onely those whom it doth concerne but if they bee of purpose left unsealed then any man may reade them without danger So the Lord willeth and commandeth that this Booke of the Revelation should of purpose bee left unsealed that all the people of God might reade it study it and know it If any man doubt whether the Metaphor of sealing be thus taken in the Scripture let him reade the places quoted in the Margent and in all those places hee shall finde it taken in this sense Whereby it doth evidently appeare that the mind and meaning of God is that this Booke should bee proclaimed and published in all the Churches And upon this ground Esa 29.11 Dan. 1â— 9 Apoc 4 1. Apo. 10.4 I hold that every Minister of the Gospell standeth bound as much as in him lyeth to
and receive a greater largnesse of supernaturall things for Daniel in prison Peter in a Tanners house Paul in a broken ship received a superabundant measure of grace more to bee esteemed then all the Gold of India Some write that this Isle of Pathmos is accounted amongst the Islands called Sporados which lie over against Asia and the City of Ephesus and was in the sight both of Europe and Affrica so that it sâ—emed to bee as it were a middle seat or Holy chaire out of the which CHRIST preached by John from heaven to the whole world And indeed the counsels of God are wonderfull and his goodnesse unspeakeable which revealeth so great mysteries to his faithfull as it were out of the Romish prison and Babylonicall captivity Moreover John declareth the cause of his comming into the same Iland for he sayth he was there for the word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ that is for the preaching and constant profession of the Gospell of Christ Histories do report that John was apprehended in Asia and by Souldiers led to Rome that he might pleade his cause before the Emperour Domitian who most savagely and cruelly condemned the innocent and caused him to be put into a cauldron of hot boyling Oyle out of the which when he by miraculous providence escaped without harme he was carried and conveied into the Isle of Pathmos But immediatly after Johns banishment God met well enough with this persecuting Emperor Domitian For in the fifteenth yeare of his raigne he was cruelly and most shamefully murdered by his owne Servants And thus much for the third circumstance Now it followeth to speake of the fourth circumstance which is the persons to whom this prophesie is written and that is set down in the first Chapter and first verse to be all the servants of God As many therefore as be the servants of God must attend unto this booke heare it reade it and remember it for to all such it is dedicated by the holy Ghost to all such it belongeth for all such it is written and recorded Some do falsely and foolishly imagine that it was given onely to John and that it might likewise bee given to some speciall men as to some great Scholers or deepe Divines which could tell how to use it and how to weild it But wee see how grossely they erre for the holy Ghost saith it belongeth to all the Servants of God And moreover John is willed and commanded to write all the things which hee saw in sundry visions in a booke together Cha. 1.11 and to send it to the seven Churches which is in Asia be-because the Lord would have it remaine in perfect record unto the use of the whole Church both that the Church might have the custody of this booke and allso that it might be a faithfull witnesse unto the end of the world that this booke was written and penned by Iohn the Apostle of whose truth sincerity the church had sufficient experience True it is indeed that there are but seven Churches named but under these 7. Churches all others are comprehended It had bin an infinite matter to reckon up all the particular Churches which were then in the world to have opened their severall estates therefore under these seven Churches of Asia and their particular severall estates the state of the universall Church militant is layd open I conclude therefore that the whole doctrine of Saint Iohns Revelation appertaineth to the Universall Church of Christ throughout all the World and in all times and ages since it was written and recorded And that as all Scripture is written for our instruction and comfort Rom. 15.4 2 Ti. 3.16 and as all Scripture given by divine inspiration is profitable to teach and convince c. so this booke of the Apocalyps is written for the speciall comfort and instruction of the Church in these last dayes And so I doe conclude this fourth point The fift circumstantiall point is the end and use of this prophesie Chap. 1.1 which is to publish and blaze abroad the things which must shortly come to passe that is all things prophesied in this booke and to be fulfilled even to the end of the World and whereas hee saith that these things must come to passe he doth us to understand how great the stablenesse and assurednesse of Gods determination is For looke what things are fore-appointed by Gods determinate purpose they are altogether unchangeable for the Lord is God and hee is not changed And he saith My determination shall stand Mal. 3.6 Esay 45 1â— Ma. 24.35 And Christ sayth Heaven and earth shall passe away c. It is therefore most certaine that every particular thing contained in this prophesie shall be fulfilled in Gods appointed time For GOD hath disclosed these things to hâ—s Sonne CHRIST not to the end he should shut then up againe in himselfe but that he should shew them forth to the Godly that the whole Church might fare the better by them It doth then stand us all upon to enquire and search into these things which must so shortly come to passe that thereby we may be strengthned and comforted against all future dangers And Christ saith Behold I come shortly Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the Prophesie c. Apo. 22.7 But how shall wee keepe them except wee know them And how shall we know them except we reade them and studdy them If therefore wee meane bee partakers of this blessednesse we must not onely esteeme this booke to bee very profitable but absolutely necessary for all the servants of God to be exercised in And if ever there were any time wherein it behoved to set forth to urge and to beare in this Doctrine to all the people of God then it is chiefly necessary to be done in this our time For this age of ours hath in the Popes Kingdome many sharpe and quicke wits which commend with marvellous praises both the Pope and the popish Church and buzze into the eares of the common people and unlearned sort many things cleane contrary to the Doctrine of the Scriptures The Jesuites and Priests are growne exceeding crafty and cunning The Papists are rich wealthy and full of armour and munition Popery seemeth to make a head againe and the Papists looke for a day It stands us then upon which love Christ and his Gospell that we should be well appointed and thorowly armed against them And for this purpose the Revelation of Saint John is of great use and necessity As I said before so I say againe that it is the Prophesie of our time written to this speciall end that by it wee might be both fore-warned and fore-armed If wee doe consider the whole matter of this booke we shall easily finde out the use and end of it For the excellent matter of it doth argue the excellent end and use of it Now then as concerning the generall matter of this
Booke heere are to be found very large and lively descriptions of the most glorious Person of Christ Chap. 1. Chap. 2. Chap. 3. and all his excellent offices both of King Priest and Prophet and also most notable descriptions of the Church and of the Ministers of it and of the persecutions and afflictions which it must of necessity passe through in the World Also of Gods mercifull providence for his Church and most vigilant care over it in the middest of all extremities Here are set before our eyes very lively descriptions of the Churches deadly enemies both of Satan himselfe and his three great instruments the Roman Emperour the Pope and the Turke Here are set down all their cruell persecutions of the Church and their utter overthrow in the end Here are described Hell Death the resurrection and the last judgement Here also the very Kingdome of Heaven is at large described with all those great rewards infinite glory and endlesse felicity which remaine for all the faithfull worshippers of God I conclude therefore that for as much as this Prophesie is of such excellent contents therefore the use and necessity of it must needes be very great And for this cause Iohn is willed and commanded by Alpha and Omega to write the things which he had seene the things that were and the things that shall come hereafter By the things which he had seene is meant that glorious vision mentioned in the first Chapter wherein Jesus Christ did appeare unto him in the middest of the seven golden Candlesticks â—erse 13. â—4 15.16 in most glorious manner as is there described And all this was in the Isle of Pathmos where Iohn was first called and authorized to this worke and therefore he is willed first of all to record this vision which hee had already seene By the things that are hee meaneth the present state of the seven Churches of Asia which were then the most flourishing Churches in the World as they are described in the second and third Chapters and in them the estate of all other Churches By the things that shall be he meaneth all the prophesie of this booke which were to be fulfilled in their time and all those strange accidents which should come to passe in processe of time and the severall ages of the Church even unto the end of the world Thus we see how Iohn received a precise commandement from the Sonne of God to write things past present and to come that they might stand in record unto all posterities from generation to generation Thus much touching the fift circumstance which is the end and use of this booke Now followeth to speake of the last circumstantiall point which is the authority of this Prophesie which is strongly confirmed from the Author of it which is JESUS CHRIST and therefore it is called the Revelation of Jesus Christ which GOD gave unto him And againe it is written I Jesus sent mine Angell to testifie these things in the Churches Here wee see plainly Chap. 22.16 that Jesus Christ the very Sonne of God the Alpha and Omega is the Author of this booke for he subscribes his name unto it and set his hand and seale unto it Needs therefore must the authority of it be very great which commeth from so great a personage for looke what dignity and auâ—hority he is of from whom the booke commeth of the same dignity and authority is the book it selfe Another strong argument to confirme the authority of this book may be taken from the protestation of Jesus Christ in these words I protest unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this Booke Cha 22.18 if any man shall adde unto those sayings God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this Booke And if any shall diminish of the words of the Booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life Heere we see how Jesus Christ maketh the authority to this Booke equall to all other the Oracle of God to the which it is not lawfull for any man to adde or detract under paine of condemnation It maketh much also for the authority of this booke that S. John doth so often repeat reiterate and inculcate his owne name I John I John I John I John the Apostle I John the Evangelist I John the Divine shewing by all these repetitions how needfull a thing it was that the faithfull should bee throughly instructed who he was even one of the Lambs twelve Apostles and therefore to be void of all suspition and doubt concerning the authority of this booke and not once to imagine it to bee any invention of man or feigned device sith it was penned by so great an Apostle Moreover the authority of this Prophesie is confirmed by foure reasons in the last Chapter The first is the affirmation of the Angell who saith The words are faithfull and true Chap. 22.6 7 8. The second is the authority of the most high GOD himselfe in these words The Lord GOD of the holy Prophets sent his Angell to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be fulfilled The third is the testimony of Jesus ver 6 7. who pronounceth them blessed which keepe the words of this Prophesie For saith he Behold I come shortly Blessed is he that keepeth the words of this Prophesie The fourth and last is the witnes of John in these words I am John which heard and saw these things Now it may bee demanded what is the cause that here are so many things heaped up for the confirmation of the authority of this Booke Surely we must thinke there is some speciall cause and reason of it For the Holy Ghost doth not use to deale so much and so earnestly in a matter but upon great cause Wee may easily gather what the cause is The Booke painteth out the Whore of Babylon and the whole Kingdome of the great Antichrist together with all Sathans cunning and fleight therein and for this cause Sathan hath laboured especially to weaken the credit and authority of this Booke He by some meanes in old time prevailed thus farre that even among some Churches of true Christians the authority and truth of it was doubted of The Holy Ghost did well foresee the practice of Sathan and therefore bringeth the more reasons for the confirmation thereof If the credit and authority of this Booke should never have been impugned there needed not any such speciall confirmation But now God be thanked there is no question or controversie concerning the authority of this Prophesie It is received as authenticall by the common consent of all the Churches Almost all the ancient Fathers doe acknowledge it to be canonicall The new Writers doe with one voyce give their consent and approbation unto it The Papists themselves doe acknowledge it to be the sacred and undoubted Word of God though of all Scriptures they cannot endure it should be medled withall
little strength and hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name that is thou art very constant in the profession and practice of Christian Religion and thereupon Christ promised to blesse his labours For saith hee I will make them of the synagogue of Sathan which call themselves Jewes and are not but doe lie Behold I say I will make them that they shall come and worship before thy feete and shall know that I have loved thee Here we doe plainly see how Christ promiseth to blesse this mans Ministery for his painfulnesse and diligence although he was not of the greatest gifts For men of greatest gifts are not alwayes most blessed in their labours For God doth commonly worke the greatest things by weake meanes that all glory might redound unto him and no flesh might boast in his sight For otherwise if men of greatest gifts should alwayes bee most blessed in their labours and win most soules unto God then wee would be ready to ascribe that to men and their gifts which is proper to God and so his praise and glory should be somewhat ecclipsed Thus we see what excellent men the Ministers of Smyrna and Philadelphia were and what excellent people they had in their charges But on the contrary the Pastor and the people of Sardis and Laodicea are discommended for all things and commended for nothing Indeed the Minister of Sardis had a great name for learning and other good gifts but he was grown very idle and negligent and did little good with his gifts Of whom it is said Thou hast a name that thou livest but thou art dead That is there was no spirit in him no life of grace his gifts waxed rusty for want of use he was fallen asleepe he was fallen away from the grace of God he was nothing the man which he had been Therefore he is admonished to awake and strengthen the things which remaine which were ready to dye The Minister of Laodicea and the people also were growne luke-warme neither hot nor cold they were become carelesse and secure not caring greatly which end went forward in GODS matters so they might enjoy the present profits and pleasures of this life Concerning the Pastors and people of Ephesus Pergamus and Thyatyra they are partly commended and partly discommended These three were reasonable good Ministers and had many good parts in them and tooke paines in their charges although there be some faults found with them For the Minister of Ephesus is commended for six things for labour for patience for zeal for wisdome for sincerity and for courage but discommended for leaving his first love that is for revolting or somewhat going backe or rather indeed for cooling in the love and zeale of God The Minister of Pergamus and people also are greatly commended for their constant profession of the truth in the middest of manifold troubles and the very heat of persecution For the rage of the enemies grew so fierce against the profession and professors of the Gospel that Antipas the Pastor of Pergamus as some suppose was put to death For Christ saith thus of his Church Thou dwellest where Satans throne is and yet thou keepest my name Apo. 2.13 and hast not denyed my faith even in those dayes when Antipas my faithfull martyr was slaine among you where Satan dwelleth But yet notwithstanding this Church is found fault withall for some few things that is two grosse faults the one for suffering the doctrine of Balaam to be broched there by the instruments of Satan the other that they maintained the doctrine of Nicolaitans The doctrine of Balaam did uphold the lawfulnesse of eating things sacrificed to Idols Apo. 2.14 and of committing fornication for he taught Balac the King of Moab thus to put a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel The doctrine of the Nicolaitans did uphold the common use of women that is that women might be made common These two most grosse and absurd doctrines were suffered and maintained in the Church of Pergamus As concerning the Church of Thyatira they are greatly commended for theiâ— love and service to the Church for theiâ— faith patience and manifold workes anâ— especially for their constant proceeding iâ— Religion and Godlinesse and that with increase Apo. 2.19 For of this Church it is said I knoâ— thy love and service and faith and thy patience and thy workes and that they are moe aâ— the last then at the first But this Church iâ— discommended for suffering the wicked woman Jezabel that is a false Prophetesse who was craftily crept into this Church to teach and seduce the people of God in that congregation teaching the same false doctrine that Balaam did at Pergamus which was Apo. 2.10 that it was lawfull to commit fornication and to eat meats sacrificed unto Idols Hitherto concerning the praises and dispraises of the Churches Now followeth to speake of the admonitions First the Church of Ephesus having fallen from their first love is admonished to remember from whence they were fallen to repent and to doe their first works Also the Church of Smyrna is admonished and exhorted to stand fast in the midst of those persecutions and troubles which should be raised up against it by the Emperor Trajanus and continue for the space often yeare They are therefore exhorted incouraged by our Lord Jesus not to feare the things which they should suffer for although the Divell and his Instruments should have scope to persecute and imprison them for ten dayes that is ten years according to the Propheticall account yet if they had continued faithfull to the death they should have had the Crowne of life The Church of Pergamus suffering and maintaining the doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitans is admonished to repent and amend The Church of Thyatyra which suffered the false doctrine of Jezabel is admonished to look to her selfe and to hold fast the truth of Religion Sardis being dull and dead is admonished to awake and strengthen the things which remain that were ready to dye Philadelphia is admonished to hold that which they had that no man take their Crowne Laodicea being neither hot nor cold but luke-warme is admonished to be zealous and amend And although they thought their state good enough being puft up with conceitednesse yet they are charged to bee poore naked and blinde and thereupon counselled and admonished to buy spirituall Gold that they may bee rich and spirituall garments to hide their nakednesse and spirituall eye-salve to anoint their eyes that they may see Concerning reprehensions Ephesus is reproved for going backward Pergamus and Thyatyra for suffering and maintaining corrupt doctrine as formerly hath beene shewed Sardis for dulnesse deafnesse and unsoundnesse in their manner of worshipping God Laodicea for luke-warmenesse and conceitednesse Touching threats Ephesus is threatned that except they repent and doe their first workes their Candlesticke should be removed out of his place that is the Church should be translated to some
matters John did very intentively fixe his eies upon the Lambe being now about to open and unclaspe the first Seale of the booke and all on the sudden he was admonished and stirred up by one of â—he Cherubins that he should draw neere and come up and take knowledge of these great â—nd important matters which were now to be revealed unto him And to the end that he might be throughly awaked and stirred up to attention in so waighty matters it is sayd that the voice of the Angell which spake unto him was like the voice of a thunder So that thereby Iohn was throughly rouzed fitted and prepared to receive these heavenly visions verse 2. Therefore I beheld and loe there was a white horse and hee that sate on him had a bowe and a Crowne was given unto him and he went forth conquering that he might overcome Iohn keeping his eye steady upon the Lambe having now opened the first seale doth in a vision see a white horse c. By this white Horse is meant the Ministery of the Word of God and the first preaching of the Gospell by Christ and his Apostles and the successors in the Primitive Church The white horse is taken in this sense in the nineteenth Chapter of this Prophesie where our Lord Jesus being upon this white Horse beateth downe all his enemies before him For who is able to resist his word and the ministery of it In the first Chapter of the Prophesie of Zachary our Lord Jesus purposing to build up his Church being in a very ruinous estate after the captivity is brought in by the Prophet on horse-backe both for the reedifying of his Church and also for the punishment of the Babilonians his enemies and the enemies of his people In the 45. Psalme the Church the Spouse saith thus to her beloved Husband Christ Gird thy sword upon thy thigh Psal 45. O thou mighty one the sword of thy glory and comely beauty and with thy comely beauty ride on prosperously for the businesse of truth and of meek righteousnesse c. Now in all these places of the Scripture we do plainely see that when Christ goeth about either to preach his Gospell or build up his Church or to be revenged on the enemies thereof he is brought in on horsebacke And this doth strongly confirme and warrant this exposition seeing it is not any imagined sense or new device of mans braine but such a sense as other places of Scripture will very fully beare out Moreover if we do seriously consider and deepely weigh the purpose and intendment of the holy Ghost in all this it will not a little helpe and further this exposition For the chiefe scope and drift of all is to describe the state of the Church from the Apostles time to the end of the World For this Prophesie serveth to shew unto John the things that must shortly come to passe Now we all know by blessed experience that the first estate of the Church did consist in the preaching of the Gospell by Christ and his Apostles and therefore this must needs be understood of that time and estate of the Church For Jesus Christ is he that sitteth upon this white horse that is by the Ministery of his Gospell he conquereth and subdueth the Nations under him There may be three reasons alledged why this Horse is sayd to be of a white colour First because the Doctrine of the Gospell which was preached by Christ and his Apostles was pure and sincere being without all spots and blots of errour and heresie For the white colour in the Scripture doth signifie purity sincerity innocency joy glory and beauty Secondly because the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles was full of joy and comfort As it is sayd of Samaria after Philip had set the Gospell abroach there that there was great joy in that City Thirdly because the Ministery of Christ and his Apostles was very glorious and beautifull as it written How beautifull are the feet of them which bring the glad tydings of peace c. And againe with thy comely beauty ride on prosperously Psal 45. for the businesse of truth c. If any man demand a reason of Christs sitting on horse-backe and riding forth on horse-backe I answer that it doth fitly represent that marvellous swiftnesse wherewith the light of the Gospell should be carried and spred not only throughout all Judea Samaria and Galile but also throughout all the Kingdomes of the world For it is not a wonder to consider how swiftly and as it were on horse-backe and also how far over the heathen nations within a few yeares after Christs ascension the doctrine of the Gospell was preached and of multitudes imbraced He rode forth indeed prosperously and swiftly upon this white Horse even the Ministery of the Gospell for the businesse of truth and of meeke righteousnesse and his right hand wrought fearfull things as saith the Psalmist Moreover it is here said that Jesus Christ hath a bow in his hand And in the 25. Psal from whence it seemeth all these phrases and speeches are borrowed he is said to have sharpe arrowes in his hand whereby he pierceth the heart of his enemies Now his bowe and arrowes do signifie the piercing power of the Gospell whereby the World hath been subdued unto Christ For all the arrowes of the Gospell which Christ shooteth out of his bowe which is even the tongue of his Ministers do stick in the hearts of men yea they pierce into all the secret places of the soule For the Ministery of the Gospell is lively and mighty in operation sharper then any two-edged sword and entreth through Heb. 4. even unto the dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit of the joynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart Heere is yet further mention made of a Crowne which was given unto Christ and that he went forth conquering that hee might overcome This Crowne signifieth the victory which he getteth over the World with his bow and arrowes For the Psalmist saith By thy sharp arrowes in the hearts of the Kings enemies thâ— people shall fall vnder thee We reade in the second of the Acts of the Apostles that 3000. of the Kings enemies were at once shot thorow with this bowe and these arrowes and did fall under him We read of many other at other times and in other places For the Apostle saith plainly 2. Cor. 10. that the weapons of our warrefare are not carnall but spirituall mighty through God to cast downe holds casting downe the imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Thus we see how Christ and his Apostles and all their true successors riding upon this white Horse which is the Ministry of the Gospell have gon over all the world conquering and overcomming I am not ignorant that some do
troubled and wasted the Church for the space of three hundred yeares being greatly favoured of sundry Emperours and other great Potentates in the Earth by meanes wherereof it continued and overspred so long Also this may be referred to other great and notable Arch-heresies as that of Donatus Macedonius Eutycheus Valentinus and such like which all are heere compared to a mountaine for their hugenesse and greatnesse and to a burning Mountaine because the Church was almost burnt up thereby For this word Mountaine is sometimes in the Scripture put for any let or hinderance to true Religion as is errour and heresie Zach. 4.7 Luke 3.5 Therefore it is sayd that it was cast into the Sea that is these great heresies are cast upon the World in Gods wrath and heavy indignation for the Sea is put for the World Chapter 4. Verse 6. Chapter 13. Verse 1. Chapter 12 Verse last for as the Sea is full of Rocks sands sirts waves stormes and tempests so it fareth with this present evill world Moreover it is sayd that the third part of the Sea became blood that is all Europe or some great part of the World was corrupted and infected with these great heresies And he saith in the next verse that the third part of the ships were destroyed that is ver 9. a great number of mariners and ship-masters as well as land-men were infected with these heresies and dyed of them and in them Then the third Angell blew the Trumpet and there fell a great Starre from Heaven verse 10. burning like a Torch and it fell into the third part of the Rivers and into the Fountaines of waters Starres in this booke are put for the Ministers of the Gospell as we have heard out of the first Chapter and the reasons why Then followeth that the falling of this Star from Heaven doth most fitly signifie and set forth the declining and fall of the Pastors of the Church and their corrupting of the true Doctrine which is meant by the fresh Rivers and pure Fountaines into which it fell This Starre hath his name of the elect For it is called Wormewood because through the fall of it the sweet waters into which it fell were turned into bitternesse and men dyed of them that is the doctrine was corrupted which turned to the destruction of many ver 12. And the fourth Angell blew the Trumpet and the third part of the Sunne was smitten and the third part of the Moone and the third part of the Stars so that the third part of them was darkned c. This darkning of the Sunne Moone and Starres doth signifie that great darkenesse which was brought upon the Church by such teachers as did daily more and more degenerate Three things are generally to be observed in the blowing of these first foure Trumpets First that the plagues here mentioned are specially to bee understood of spirituall plagues Secondly that there is a progression from lesser to greater in these plagues Thirdly that in every one there is mentioned but a third part destroyed which plainly sheweth that although the Church was greatly annoyed and pestred with these errours and heresies yet it was not destroyed and brought to utter desolation for the full setting up of Antichrist was not yet come All these errours and heresies which were cast upon the World and did spring and grow apace in all places did as it were make way for Antichrist and as it were by stirrops hoist and helpe him up into his cursed Chaire By the Stories of the Church and course of times it seemeth that the holy Ghost pointeth at those manifold heresies which sprung up in the Church after the first three hundred yeares especially after the death of Constantine the Great who procured peace to the Church destroyed idolatry and set up true Religion in his dayes Now after his raigne and the raigne of Theodosius that good Emperour Constantius Julianus Arcadius Honorius and many other wicked Emperours succeeded by whose meanes all things in the Church grew worse and worse yet this one thing is to be observed that all truth of Religion was not utterly extinct and put out till the full loosing of Satan which was a thousand yeeres after Christ as we shall plainely see when we come to the 20. Chapter concerning the binding of Satan for a thousand yeares For sure it is that the maine principles and grounds of Religion continued in the Church till this full loosing of Satan which was about the time of Silvester the second that Monster as afterward we shall heare But now in the meane time we see what heresies sprung up what corruption grew and increased more and more what darknesse beganne to over-spread a third part of the world and these things grew worse and worse even till by these meanes the great Antichrist came to be possessed of his cursed seat and Sea of Rome which was about some 600. yeares after Christ And I beheld and heard one Angell flying in the midst of Heaven ver 13. saying with a loud voyce Woe Woe Woe to the Inhabitants of the earth because of the sounds to come of the three Angels which were yet to blow the trumpets Because the judgements which were to be executed hereafter upon the blowing of the next three Trumpets were farre more dreadfull and horrible than any were before therefore heere is a speciall Angell or Messenger of God sent of purpose to give warning thereof and to proclaime openly in the Church three fearefull woes which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth that is all earthly minded men as wordlings Papists and Atheists at such time as the next three Angels should blow the Trumpets The first of these three great woes is to be understood of the Papacy The second of Turcisme The third of the last Judgement As if he should have sayd Woe unto the world because of Popery Woe unto the world because of Turcisme Woe unto the world because of the last Judgement Woe unto the world for Popery because thereby men should be punished in their soules Woe unto the World for Turcisme because thereby thousands should be murthered in their bodies by the Turkish Armies Woe unto the world because of the last Judgement for thereby all worldlings should be plagued both in body and soule in hell fire for evermore Sith then these three last plagues which were to come upon the world are more fearefull and terrible than any of the other foure no marvell though heere is sent of purpose a speciall messenger to give intelligence thereof that every man might looke to himselfe seeing such great dangers were at hand And for this cause also it is said before that there was silence in the Church for the space of halfe an houre CHAP. IX THe principall scope and drift of this Chapter is to paint out both the Pope and his Clergie and also the Kingdome of the Turke and his cruell Armies For having already set downe
God that love the Church and that love the truth greatly to rejoyce in the destruction of Rome because this monster shall no longer oppresse the Israel of God And sure it is that the more zealous and godly that a man is the more hee will rejoyce at the destruction of Popery for a man cannot love God and his Church that doth not laugh in the destruction of that Antichristian and bloudy kingdome Let no man here say This is cruelty this is want of charity and want of pity to laugh in the destruction of any or to rejoyce at other mens harmes But the most wise God saith Chap. 8.6 Reward her even as shee rewarded you and give her double according to her works and in the cup that shee hath filled to you fill her the double In as much as shee glorified her selfe and lived in pleasure so much give yee to her torment and sorrow And therefore I affirme that no man ought to be moved with any compassion or pitie for the overthrow of Rome But herein that saying of the Prophet is true Psal 137.9 Blessed is hee that taketh and dasheth her children against the stones And again Bend thy bow Jer. 50.14 shoot at her sâ—are no arrowes for shee hath sinned against the Lord. Moreover wee are to observe that forasmuch as the Lord willeth and commandeth all men to reward Rome as she hath rewarded us and to give her double according to her works therefore we ought every one of us as much as in him lieth and as his calling will bear to doe his uttermost to pull down Rome the Magistrate by the sword the Minister by the word and the people by their prayers For even Christian Kings and Princes and all the Nobles of the earth must not be negligent to fight against Rome For herein that saying is true Jer. 48.10 Cursed is hee that doth the work of the Lord negligently and cursed is hee that keepeth back his sword from bloud For this cause I doe upon my knees night and day most humbly and instantly intreat the God of heaven that as he hath put into the heart of our most gracious and excellent King to hate the whore of Babylon and to be his greatest instrument in the whole world for the weakning and overturning of Rome and the defence of his most glorious Gospel which is his crowne and glory in all the Churches and his great renown in all Christian kingdomes so hee may constantly continue and never cease drawing out the sword of justice till he have utterly rooted out of his dominions all the cursed crew of Popish Jebusites and all such as have received the beasts mark and especially the Jesuites and seminary Priests which are the Divels brokers the Popes agents and the King of Spaines factors in all kingdomes Here also I do most humbly even upon my knees with dropping eyes yea if it were possible with tears of blood beseech and intreat the learned and reverend Fathers of our Church that they would bend all their power and authority with all their might and maine against the Romish strumpet and the rather because in these daies she seemeth to make a head again having so many and great favourers that she and her complices dare perk with their nebs and very boldly and confidently prate of a toleration Here also I doe most humbly and earnestly intreate all my learned and godly brethren the Ministers and Preachers of this Church of England that in all their publick teachings and private proceedings they would make strong opposition against Rome and Romish religion And I beseech the God of gods that we may all joyn together with united forces to march on valiantly against the armies of Antichrist and to spread the everlasting Gospel far and neer to the utter overturning and beating down of this western Babylon and that howsoever wee may amongst our selves differ in judgement in some things yet that there might be no breach of love nor alienation of affection amongst us but that wee may all goe together hand in hand and arme in arme to preach Gods everlasting truth and to set our selves against the common adversaries For if that we will not set our selves against them yet they will be sure to set themselves against us And thus much concerning the third main point which is the finall fall and destruction of Rome even in this world Now it followeth to speak of the fourth main point which is By whom and when Rome shall be overthrowne But for the better understanding of this point concerning the persons that shall overthrow Rome wee are to observe that Saint John describeth the whore of Babylon sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast Chap. 17.4 having seven heads and ten horns whereby is meant the Roman Monarchy as hath been shewed before After this the Angel expoundeth unto John what the heads and horns of the beast mean and saith that the ten horns are ten kings Verse 12. or kingdomes which yet have not received a kingdome but shall receive power as kings at an houre with the beast The sense is that these ten kingdomes had not received such power and authority under the Emperors as they should under the Popes for there was great difference in these kingdoms under the Popes from that which they had been under the Emperors For they received far greater power and they carried another mind toward the Papacy then the nations did before toward the Empire for they did submit themselves to the Papacy for conscience and love even as to the holy Church which they never did to the Empire And this is the reason why the holy Ghost saith They had not received a kingdome but should receive power as kings at an houre with the beast Which is not to be understood simply but after a sort for they had received kingdomes under the Emperors but not in such sort as afterward they did under the Popes For the Roman Monarchy under the dominion of the Popes was in his greatest height and altitude and the Kings of Europe grew up together with the Papacy in power might and dominion And Saint John addeth Chap. 17.13 that these ten kings or kingdomes were all of one mind and did give their power and authority unto the beast that is they did with might and main labour to uphold the Babylonicall strumpet But the Angel telleth John flatly that the ten horns that is the ten kingdomes of the Empire which before had given their names their power and authority to the beast to uphold her and defend her should now in these last dayes all change their mindes and turne against her For saith the Angel to John Chap. 17.36 The ten hornes which thou sawest upon the beast are they which shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat up her flesh and burn her with fire Here then it doth plainly appeare who they be that shall overthrow Rome
But they are all overcome and destroyed and that old Serpent himselfe is caught and together with his instruments the beast and the false prophet is cast into hell-fire to be tormented for ever And this is the summe and principall drift of this Chapter It containeth five principall things as it were five parts thereof The first is the binding and chaining up of Satan by our Lord Jesus Verses 1 2 3. for the space of a thousand yeers Ver. 4 5 6. The second is the flourishing of the Church during the time of Satans captivity Verses 7 8 9. The third is the loosing of Satan after the thousand yeers expired and the woful effects thereof Verse 10. The fourth is the casting of the Divell into a lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet were Vers 11 c. The fifth is a glorious description of the last judgment wherein every man shall be judged according to his works The TEXT Verse 1. ANd I saw an Angel come down from heaven having the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chain in his hand Verse 2. And he took the dragon that old serpent which is the Divell and Satan and bound him a thousand yeers Verse 3. And cast him into the bottomlesse pit and hee shut him up and sealed the door upon him that hee should deceive the people no more till the thousand yeers were fulfilled so after that he must be loosed for a little season This Angel here spoken of is our Lord Jesus who is therefore said to have the key of the bottomless pit because he hath power and authority over hell and death as we have heard before By the chain in his hand is meant the doctrine of the Gospel The time when Satan was thus taken and bound was when Christ first preached the Gospel and his Apostles after him to all nations The cause why he was bound and chained up was for that he had a long time seduced all nations and reigned as king and lord over the Gentiles and greatly seduced the Jewes also The time of his imprisonment is set down to be a thousand yeers that is all the time from the preaching of Christ and his Apostles untill Gregory the seventh and other monstrous Popes which did let Satan loose againe Which space of time is ghessed by the learned to be a thousand yeers or thereabouts But here it is to be observed that this binding of Satan is not to be taken simply and absolutely as though Satan was so bound and chained up for this thousand yeers that he could not seduce at all or do no mischiefe at all after the preaching of the Gospel by Christ and his Apostles I say this is not to be taken simply but after a sort that is that he could not so generally and universally seduce all nations as hee had in former time before the coming of Christ For otherwise it is well knowne that even after Christs time he did greatly persecute the Church bring in many errors and heresies and harden and blinde many mens hearts but yet all this was nothing in comparison of that which hee had wrought in former ages when he was even as it were the god of the world and the Gentiles worshipped him as god as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 10. That all the worship of the heathen nations was the worship of Divels And againe Acts 14.16 That God in times past suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne wayes And then was Satan a great prince indeed But now cometh a chaine for him For Christ preacheth the Gospel and sendeth forth his Disciples with power and thereupon saith Luke 18.10 I saw Satan fall downe like lightning For the preaching of the Gospel beateth downe the kingdome of Satan and sinne Moreover it is to be noted that notwithstanding all Satans power and might craft and subtilty yet this Angel which hath the key of the bottomlesse pit doth apprehend him and shut him up and seale the doore upon him that hee cannot get abroad to seduce so generally as in former time But Saint John saith that after a thousand yeers hee must be loosed for a little season that is the time wherein the great Antichrist should beare the sway which was some four or five hundred yeers For the Gospel did prevaile in some measure in the world a thousand yeers after Christ and the principles and grounds of true religion continued in the Church untill the first loosing of Satan though with many blots corruptions and abuses For after the first 600 yeers the cleer sincerity of the truth was much dimmed with errors and heresies but yet the main grounds did remain till the full expiration of the thousand yeers Now wee know that the Gospel hath been preached in these last dayes above threescore yeeres Therefore it followeth that the strength of Popery continued not much above five hundred yeers which here the holy Ghost for our comfort calleth a little season of which wee have heard before Chap. 11.2 and therefore I doe here omit it And I saw seats and them that sate upon them Verse 4. and judgement was given unto them and I saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the word of God and which did not worship the beast neither his image neither had taken his mark upon their foreheads or on their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeer Verse 5. But the rest of the dead men shall not live again untill the thousand yeers be finished this is the first resurrection Verse 6. Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power but they shall be the Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand yeers Here now is set forth the estate of the Church militant for the space of the thousand yeeres wherein Satan was chained up For it is said here that the Church did grow and flourish yea and greatly exercise her power and authority during the time And therefore Saint John saith that he saw seats and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them Whereby hee meaneth that the Apostles and their successours had their chairs seates and consistories wherein they did both preach the word and execute the Churches censures as the Scribes and Pharisees before did sit in the chaire of Moses and I take it the latter part of the fourth verse is to be referred to the first clause to wit that the Church did live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeeres Which is not to be understood of the Church triumphant as some do take it and all the rest of the fourth verse but of the flourishing estate of the Church militant during the time of Satans captivity for all the faithfull do after a sort live and reigne with Christ even here
in the earth when they overcome the world by faith and subdue Satan and sin by the power of grace Now where it is said that John saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus c. It is to be understood of those which in the time of the persecuting Empire and growing of the Papacie were slaine for the truth For the second beast which is the dominion of Popes reigned not in those thousand yeers in the which Satan was bound but yet did grow by degrees towards their height and used great tyranny against the servants of God before Satans full loosing The Chiliasts or Millinaries doe fondly gather from this Scripture that after the overthow of Antichrist the Lord Jesus would come and reigne with the faithfull here a thousand yeers upon the earth and that in this time that Christ did so reigne as a great and glorious King upon the earth his subjects should enjoy all maner of earthly pleasures and delights This foolish error is confuted by the words that follow in the text as wee shall see afterwards Whereas hee saith The rest of the dead shall not live again It is to be understood of such as were spiritually dead that is such as despised the Gospel which was preached those thousand yeers and were not thereby revived and quickned unto eternall life but did still remain as men dead in sinnes and trespasses Therefore the meaning of Saint John is that as in the thousand yeers many that heard Christ and his Apostles and their successors were raised up from the death of sin to the life of righteousnesse so many others were not quickened by their doctrine but still dwelt in their sinnes whom hee calleth the rest of the dead and hee saith These shall not live again meaning the life of God or the life of grace And whereas he addeth untill the thousand yeeres be finished hee meaneth never or not at all for so the word untill is often taken in the Scriptures and it is sure that after the expiration of the thousand yeers they did not live the life of God and the life of the Spirit For then the Divell was let loose upon the world to work his pleasure and to seduce with all efficacy of error and iniquity Whereas it is said This is the first resurrection hee meaneth the rising from sin to the life of righteousnesse which was in the thousand yeeres of the Gospels preaching and therefore he addeth that he is blessed that hath part in the first resurrection c. and saith that all such shall reigne with Christ a thousand yeers Which is meant of the reigne of the faithfull even upon earth for the space of the thousand yeers in which Satan was bound but yet excludeth not their eternall glory in the heavens And when the thousand yeers are expired Vers 7.8 Satan shall be loosed out of his prison And shall goe out to deceive the people which are in the foure corners of the earth even Gog and Magog to gather them together to battell whose number is as the sand of the sea Verse 9. And they went up unto the plain of the earth and they compassed the tents of the Saints about and the beloved city But fire came downe from God out of heaven and devoured them Now Saint John telleth us that after the determination of a thousand yeares Satan shall be let loose upon the world for their unthankfullnesse and contempt of the Gospel to seduce and deceive even as much as ever he did No marvaile therefore that the two great and monstrous Heresies of Popery and Mahometry did now begin mightily to grow and increase in the world For what other thing can be looked for after this setting loose of Satan But we are to observe that as Satan was bound by degrees through the Ministry of Christ and his Apostles and in their immediate successors so also he was loosed by degrees by the prevailing of Heresies till the great Antichrist was hatched and brought into the possession of his cursed Chaire For Satan was not fully loosed till the yeare of our Lord 998. At what time Silvester the second came to be Pope who was in league with the Divell Stories doe report that at his death he called for the Cardinals and confessed that hee had familiarity with the Divell and how hee had given himself unto him body and soule so that he might come to the Papall dignity After him succeeded sundry other Popes which were notorious monsters some of them murtherers some poysoners some sorcerers some conjurers by whom the Divell was fully loosed all light of the Gospel and â—rue religion being in a manner cleane put out and most abominable idolatry and all manner of villany spreading over the face of the earth and hereof Saint John saith that Satan being fully loosed hee went forth to deceive the people which were in the foure corners of the â—arth even Gog and Magog c. This seducing by Satan here spoken of is the same with â—hat which is spoken chap. 13. onely this exâ—epted that this of Gog and Magog is more generall Wee read there how all nations â—indreds and tongues were made to worship â—he image of the beast and to receive his mark but that is to be extended no further â—hen to those kingdoms which were subject â—o the Papacy But here by these armies of Gog and Maâ—og are understood all the chiefe enemies â—f the Church in these last dayes since the loosing of Satan both open and secret both Turk and Pope for the Turk is an open enemy the Pope a more close enemy Gog signifieth covered Magog uncovered whereby is noted the Turk For the Pope cometh covered under the name of Christ and Christs Vicar Peters successor c. But the Turk cometh uncovered for hee openly denyeth and impugneth Christ Moreover the names of Gog and Magog are here set downe to note of what countries these chiefe enemies should spring to wit out of Scythia Syria Arabia Italy and Spaine for Magog was the son of Japheth Gen. 10. ver 2. of whom came the Scythians Gog was the name of a great Captaine in the lesser Asia which built a city and named it after his own name Gogkartah that is the city of Gog and it is put in the Prophecie of Ezekiel for the whole region of the lesser Asia and Syria whereby the Prophet did fore-tell that the great enemies of the Church should arise out of those coasts And in very truth they did for out of Egypt Scythia Syria and the lesser Asia did spring up Ptolomeus Seleucus Antigonus Cassander and the rest of Alexanders successors which vexed and oppressed the Jewes by the space of 294. yeers even untill the coming of the Messias at what time the divided Greek Empire was overthrown and translated to the Romans Furthermore it is to be noted that the Prophet Ezekiel saith That Gog is the chiefe Prince of Mesech and Tubal By
with him in the eternall triumph which is the sense of these words The Spirit and the Bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come For it is proper and peculiar only to the Bride to hear wait and long for the coming of Christ And let him that is athirst come That is all such as thirst after righteousnesse may truely say Come sweet Jesus For they are allowed freely to drink of the water of life The plain meaning of all this is that the Church being directed by the holy Ghost most vehemently prayeth and longeth for the coming of Christ that shee may have her top-full happinesse and full fruition of all those super-excellent things which are provided and purchased for her through him And therefore to satisfie her desire Jesus Christ the heavenly Bridegroom saith I come shortly To the which the Bride saith Amen Amen Even so be it Come Lord Jesus come quickly and make an end of these sinfull and conflicting daies that all thy daer ones may have and enjoy their long looked for happinesse and felicity in the heavens for ever and ever FINIS An Epitome of Mr. Brightman his Exposition upon the REVELATION Shewing or Prophesying what shall befall Germany Scotland Holland and the Churches adhering to them Likewise what shall befall England and the HIERARCHIE therein LEarned Mr. Brightman in his Booke of the exposition on the Revelations seriously considering and resolving himselfe that the 7 Epistles Saint John wrote to the 7 Churches in Asia were also written and directed to the 7 succeeding Churches among the Gentiles of which those 7 were a type or counterpane omitting for brevity what he saith concerning the other 4 Churches we present you with a briefe of what he more immediately applies to our selves In generall he saith that there was a terrible storme to be expected and it would be such an horrible tempest that it would terribly shake the Christian Churches First for Germany there was the bitterest scourge for it that ever had fallen upon it and that it was to come shortly Germany should be like a house that is robbed by furious mad and cruell spoylers that would have no mercy of neither Sex nor Age and the comming thereof should be suddain and unexpected like a thiefe in the night which we may see he truly fore-told it being fulfilled in our years and the inhabitants thereof have found it by sad experience let England take warning considering what he said was the cause that would bring all this misery because saith he they tooke no care for a full and through Reformation therefore by the just judgement of God they should loose their Citizens and Inhabitants and they with other Churches should come to nothing and shortly it would appeare he calls Germany by the name of Sardis Secondly for Scotland and Holland and the other Churches adhering to them typified by godly Philadelphia he saith thaâ— they shall shut and none shall open and they shall open and none shall shut a Virgin Church chaste not so defiled with Rome superstitions as others and speaks of a Covenant and Society they should be joyned in and bids them not to be perplexed nor discouraged at what the world spitefully prateth of them as if he had heard men in our times call them Traytors Rebells Seditious and bids them not regard the scoffes of the wicked who will despise them because they are godly little lowly and weake in visible power in comparison of their enemies For saith he no enemy shall be able to provaile against them and they shall set up a token of victory shortly and every one shall be compelled to say that they are dearly beloved of God they shall be seen to prosper so exceedingly and so marvelously promoted and advanced beyond all mens expectation and when that storme and horrible tempest shall come upon the Christian Churches these Churches shall stand fast like a pillar and be preserved from wasting when the other Churches which did not take care for a full Reformation as they did shall by the just judgement of God come as it were to nothing there shall be saith he such a miserable hurly burly of all things that there shall scarce be the forme of a Church perceived but only with holy Philadelphia Though their enemies whet their blasphemous tongues against heaven and God himselfe they shall not carry it away scotfree let them clatter as much as they will no endeavours of their adversaries shall be wanting by slandring railing and all despitefull wrongs to bolt up this doore others shall with force and arms strive to stop it up as if they would breake this Church all to peeces but Christ will faithfully performe his word to them if they keep covenant with him and their enemies shall lose all their toil and sweat and get nothing but shame and reproach the praise of this Churches courage shall be so much the greater because being but little and her adversaries so potent she yeelds not nor stoops not for all their proud threats nor forsakes the truth as terrified with the vaine feares of men And their enemies should boast and flourish as if they alone were the people of God creaking and cracking of nothing so much as the good of the Church but they doe but deceive themselves and the world with glozing and goodly words when they reject Christs government and sticke to the abrogated Ceremonies of the Law and of Rome and thrusting a worship on Christ he hath not appointed whereby they make themselves the Synagogue of Satan and not a Congregation of Saints notable and famous at last shall the triumph of the Church be over Papists and Popery hitherto they have fought against them with quils and ink but the time shall come ere long when they shall quite be rooted out with weapons and that with the helpe of this Church and let the experiences of this Church stablish their mindes against all future feares And for her reward she shall remain to see the restoring of the new Church wherein the new Jerusalem shall come downe from heaven and be joyned with it in covenant and society and enjoy the same felicity then men shall acknowledge that her Reformation was right and not a device of mens braines as contentious bablers now affirme when they shall see the same ordinances to flourish in the new Jerusalem then Christ shall arise with triumph and deface his enemies and give triumph to his Spouse Here therefore O holy Philadelphia thou art little and lowly but God shall exalt thee regard not the scoffes of the wicked who shall by this meanes pull wofull plagues upon themselves but they shall bring thee a Crowne of glory and the end of thy welfare is comming shortly 3. For England whose counterpane he takes to be Laodicea tearming it luke-warm vain-glorious Laodicea concerning it he saith he that gathereth the teares of his children into his bottle knoweth right well that I could never with dry eyes
take a survey of this Laodiceas lamentable condition but I powred out teares and sighs from the bottom of my heart when I beheld Christs loathing of us and were it not that out of duty as a watchman I dare not betray the salvation of this Church by not giving warning I would have held my peace but my hope is that those which love the truth will hearken and accept and thinke as the truth is I envy no mans person honour or greatnesse Yet when I perceived that these 7 Churches were propounded for a type of all the Churches among the Gentiles and withall saw the order time and marvellous agreeing of all things together I durst not perfidiously bury the truth in silence In that Christ saith of this Church I know thy workes that thou art neither hot nor cold he observeth that Christ maketh mention of no one good thing that it hath the worst of all the 7 although there were many faithfull in it yet not any so past hope in regard of the outward forme and government which comes to passe not so much through its owne default as by meanes of the faulty government of the Angels who have so ordered and governed it that it was tempered and blended together of strange contraries a Hoch-pot not so cold that wee would be all Romish and cleaving to Idolatry and superstition altogether nor yet so hot that we pursue and admit of a through Refâ—rmation abstaining from grosser sins well given in Religion and will serve God so far as they may keep the estimation of prudent men moderate in Religion just Statists or Protestants of State which are known commonly to be luke-warm professors This mediocrity saith he is worst of all which indeed is honoured of the world because it hath a certaine shew of moderation and peaceablenesse but Christ preferreth a blind Papist or no Religion at all before this hotch-potch lukewarmnesse And also whose outward government and regiment in the Church is for the most part Antichristian and Romish tempering pure doctrine and Romish regiment together broaching again monstrous opinions heretofore hissed out and through this government they have so filled the Church with such a corrupt Clergy like themselves to serve their owne turne ignorant drones profane Priests Sir John Lack-Latines to say prayers being so corrupt in their admissions to Church-livings that any starke foole or arrant knave may fulfill their conditions for admittance whereby they have filled and pestred the Church and Ministery with abundance of this kinde of vermin and vile-varlots And though they love riches and honour so dearly that they content themselves with the losse of a full Reformation yet that they might not seem to prefer any thing before the truth and good of the Church they doe with swelling words blazon the happinesse of this Church thus governed as it is therefore the Holy Ghost brings in this Angell boasting himselfe in vain-glory I am rich c. Pastors of other Churches are poore and of no preferment but our Bishops have lordly titles and revenews the Peers of the Realme equall to the greatest Earles in wealth attendance Pallaces statelinesse and all worldly pompe so also the next rankes Deanes Arch-deacons Prebends c. how mighty massie and pursie are they grown with wealth and boast thereof doth not this amplifie the honour of our Church to have our brave silken Ministers to glister and jet through the streets with troops like Noble-men so by this meanes to drive away contempt from the Ministery no saith he this hath brought it and this miserable lukewarmnesse what do you tell them of the Primitive times as if they were children still in blankets and swadling bands the Church is now growne up to peace and riches then it was poore and in persecution their rules then not fit for us now but he demonstrates that such kinde of dignities beseems not the Ministers of the Gospel Thou art therefore for all this a beggarly wretch O thou English Angel and Christ shall take a great pleasure in casting away and spewing out this Angel and his punishment shall be very dreadfull the land of Canaan once spewed out the inhabitants and they were utterly overthrowne and shall their punishment be lesse or lighter whom Christ shall vomit out Therfore from these words I would thou wert either cold or hot saith he I would thou wert either all Romish or admit of a through Reformation blaming those Angels only and those that cleave to them Priests and Laity who being bewitched with ambition and covetousnesse doe scornfully reject this holy Reformation not enduring the remedy but accounting that worse then the disease this Churches disease therefore is more desperate Therefore he saith in plaine tearmes that the Bishops which he calls no better then Lord-beggars because their riches and honours for the most part they get by fawning flattering bribing being ambitious to get under great men and so creep into the Court for preferment But saith he both they and their whole luke-warme Hierarchie shall quite bee overthrowne and never recover their dignity againe and at their overthrow they shall endanger the people by reason of their consenting to them Yet the people shall escape overthrowing but it is to bee feared the people shall feele some adversity But God will not suffer the Hierarchy to escape for they seeking honours and riches and not those thinges which are Christ's shall have reproachfull judgements few or none shall sigh or sob for them but they and their Priests shall be vile before the people and men shall read the reports concerning them with delight and they shall be cast out and spued up as vomit out of a corrupted stomack that no man will be willing to take up againe from these words Therefore because thou art luke-warme and neither hot nor cold It shall come to passe that I will spew thee out of my mouth For thou saist I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Therefore saith he purge out thy Romish leven dote not on thy riches and honours but minde his things and honour who for thy sake became poore and contemptible set up faithfull Ministers in every Congregation repent thee of the injury done to thy faithfull watchmen casting them into prison and out of their livings who have reproved thy superstition and contended for this Reformation We have need of zeale Princes Peeres Angels People earnestly to bend our selves with all our power to turne away this evill that hangeth over our heads by seeking a full Reformation for as yet we hang by Geometry as it were between heaven hell the steam of the Romish foggy lake doth deadly annoy us let us therefore saith he marke what hath been said and not like dogges gnash and gnaw our teeth at the stone that is cast at us but tremble at the dreadfull hand that cast it and hearken