shelter because he changeth not with the world but whom he once loveth he loveth to the end Ioh. 13 1. Before I proceed further here take notice that some subtile ones are displeased because of a soloecisme against the rule of Grammer for it should not have been writ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the text but as they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But what are these men so sharp sighted as to set rules to God Let them construe if they can that expression of God Exod. 3.14 I am hath sent me to you Or is the spirit of God tyed to speak as is pleasing to Priscian Let them therefore suffer God to pronounce his owne names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without declination who himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeclinable immovable 1 exposition And from the seven spirits Who should be these spirits hath so troubled interpreters that some for this very cause have blotted this whole prophesie out of the canon of holy writ Some refer it to the person of the son in this sence peace be to you from the son of God sitting on the throne before whom are the seven spirits which he holdeth in his hand chap. 3.1 But they observe not what followeth vers 5. And from Iesus Christ For indeed Iohn prayeth for grace not from him that holdeth the seven spirits but from the seven spirits expresly Andreas Lyra and Ribera whom others follow understand by the seven spirits seven angels ministring before the throne of God and they take seven eyther indefinitely for innumerable because the number seven is perfect So Lyra from the seven spirits that is from all the angels which are ministers of our salvation or definitely supposing there are seven great Angels which chiefly care for the safety of man So Clemens Alex. Lib. 6. Strom. there are seven of greatest power the first borne princes of the angels through whom God doth provide for all man kinde Which seemeth to be backt with a place in Tobie 12.15 I am Raphael the Angel one of the seven which stand before the Lord. This opinion seems to agree with the letter of the text Because the seven spirits before the throne of God are often mentioned as in chap. 4.5 5.6 8.2 c. as if they were Gods speciall ministring angels But Iohn in praying to the seven spirits for grace confutes this opinion for it is contrary to scripture and Christian religion to pray for grace unto created angels Besides none but God is the fountain giver of grace and peace from whom and through whom and for whom are all things Ro. 11.36 Therefore we finde that the Apostles pray for and desire grace from none but God alone Alcasar saith wel sound divinity admits not that the grace and peace of the Gospel be demanded of the Angels For such praying is a part of that worship spoken of Matth. 4.9 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve And concerning grace that of Iames is most true every good gift Iam. 1 17. and every perfect gift is from above and cometh downe from the father of lights And therefore we may not understand the seven spirits to be seven angels in regard of the divine attributes given unto them Neither will the subtilitie of Ribera helpe the matter we expect saith he the grace peace of our sanctification from the angels as from the ministers of God for the text speaketh not of exspecting but of a religious praying for grace which for to direct the same unto the angels were great impietie Collo 2.18 Because the religious worship of angels is expresly condemned in scripture and the angels themselves forbid John to fall downe before them or to worship them chap. 19.10 and 22.9 To be short the Apostle maketh his prayer for grace jointly both from him that is and from the seven spirits and from Iesus Christ as working causes or rather as from one onely cause to wit from one God three in persons Neither is that equivocation of Andreas to be allowed who saith the seven spirits are not as equall in power joyned with the most hie God and blessed trinity But are named onely as Gods chiefe servants according to that of the Apostle I charge thee before God 1 Tim. 5.21 and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect angels But the particle from three times repeated doth plainly shew that the seven spirits are joyned with God as the giver of Grace Whereas to call God Christ the angels and man together to witnes is neither repugnant to scripture or sound divinity For Christ himself ch 3.5 saith I will confesse his name before my father and before his angels And therefore that place in 1 Tim. 5.21 alleaged by Andreas is not of the same nature with this here treated of For the literall sence seemeth not fully to agree with the following places as I my self have formerly minded neither to confirme ought to angels as by and by I will it make to appear The third and most common exposition 3 Exposition both of ancient and moderne writers understand by the seven spirits the holy Ghost which onely is agreable to the scripture Isa 42.8 analogie of faith according to that of the prophet I will not give my glorie to another But according to the letter it seemeth to be otherwise for these are said to be seven spirits and the holy Ghost is but one but we are to minde the nature and prerogative of this prophesie is such as if every thing should be strictly urged according to the letter we should of necessity misaply divers things So that by seven being a perfect number he speaketh of the holy Ghost who is but one powring forth seven that is sundrie gifts and graces upon the Church which is a figurative speech or metalepsis when the effects are put for the cause Or else John wishing grace to the seven Churches attributes to each one and the same spirit as if there were seven in all Neither is it of waight that in some other places of this booke there is mention made of seven spirits as of seven angels for if the phrase be well observed we may perceive that they are noted as diverse from these here spoken of who are absolutely called the seven spirits which are before the throne of God by which the unitie of essence with him that sitteth on the throne Revel 4.5 and 5.6 and 8.2 is set forth by a divine attribute the other are called the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth the seven angels which stand before God not having any divine attribute by which it is plain that these latter places speak of created angels who are Gods ministring spirits Alcasar maintaineth against Ribera according to the truth that here the holy Ghost is spoken of and not as the other affirmeth that these seven spirits should denote the seven powers
he bee deprived of understanding deny that these things are couched in the Text. And if credit be given unto their fiction Ribera in Apoc. c. 12. Num. 11. c. 13. Num. 10. there shall at Antichrists comming be no more then ten Kings in the whole world signified by the hornes of the Beast and of these three being slaine seven shal fight for Antichrist Therfore either these shal be Christian Kings or else there shall then be no Christian Kings under the Sun the falsitie whereof the Revelation doth shew Chap. 21.24 Now tel me what harshnesse or dishonour is there in it that as Paul confesseth he was sometime a blasphemer a persecutor and injurious but ignorantly and so obtained mercy the ten Kings have given their power unto the Beast against the Lamb but of ignorance and being overcome by the Lambe have repented God putting it into their hearts to hate the whore Tell me I say should this be to the dishonour of Kings which is to their great glory to have sinned indeed through ignorance but repented through the mercy of God Or is not rather the fiction of these Prophets very reproachfull scandalous and fatall who say that toward Antichrists rising there shal be no where any Emperor or Romane Empire that there shal be no King in any place save those seven that remaine of the ten fighting for Antichrist And seeing they every hour expect their Antichrist to arise as they say out of the tribe of Dan what do they but threaten an utter destruction both to the Emperor Romane Empire and all Christian Kings For according unto these mens doctrine as then there shal bee no Emperor no Empire so neither King of France Spain England Poland Hungary c. or if there be any they shall be Antichrists Life-gard and vassals Now tell me who they are that cast reproaches upon Christian Kings set their Crownes awry and menace them with eternall damnation Wherefore blessed shall ye be if ye hear and keep the Commandements of this Prophesie that ye may have right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the City But he that wil hurt let him hurt still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still Amen Even so come Lord Iesus and sanctifie us in trueth Thy word is trueth Amen PROVERB 27.6 Better are the wounds of a friend then the deceitfull kisses of an enemy The Authours PREFACE UPON THE REVELATION OF THE APOSTLE AND EVAGELIST IOHN HAPPILY BEGVN AND PROPOVNDED VNTO HIS AVDITORY IN THE VNIVERSITY Ann. 1608. IF any of you my Hearers admire wherefore after the Exposition of Pauls Epistle unto the Hebrews I should passe by so many excellent Bookes of the New Testament and take in hand the Interpretation of the last viz. the Revelation the Authour and Canonicall authority whereof hath long since variously bin disputed of and which being replenished with great secrets types and darke sentences is scarcely intelligible unto any The Objections against the Revelation and though it be entitled a Revelation yet seemeth not in the least to be a Booke revealed but rather shut up and sealed which seemeth also to bee the reason that it is placed at the end of the New Testament from the interpretation whereof because of its obscurity not a few of the ablest Divines have hitherto abstained and lastly seeing it hath long since bin held that it doth contain some things contrary to Apostolicall Faith and favour the heresie of the Chiliasts If I say any man wondreth at this my purpose such a one I would have with me to acknowledge that these very objections besides other causes which now are not requisite to be related with which this most Heavenly Book is injuriously charged offereth occasion unto me to interpret the same that ye might understand that the Revelation of John is so farre from the guilt of these accusations which do not a little weaken the Canon of our Faith that we rather may say of it what Jerome most truly said of the Prophesie of Isaias Whatsoever is in Holy Writ whatsoever can bee uttered by the tongue or received by the senses of mortall man is contained in this Booke which least it might seeme to be spoken by me without ground Prooem in Isa I thought good to praemise a few things in way of Preface in which I will handle somethings more briefly by other Interpreters more largely handled and somethings properly belonging to our purpose I shall more diligently explicate CHAPTER I. Of the Authour of the Revelation WHo was the Authour of this Booke Lib. 7. hist c. 25. Haer. 51. would never in our times have beene questioned unlesse Eusebius and Epiphanius had left in writing that some of old time did scruple the thing For Eusebius recordeth that in his time it was diversly on both parts disputed touching the Revelation Afterward he saith there were some who supposed from the Bookes called De Repromissionibus of one DIONYSIUS an Alexandrine Bishop and also from one Caius an old Writer that the Revelation was not written by John the Apostle but forged by the Hereticke Cerinthus who feined an earthly Kingdome to Christ in which the Saints should have their fill of corporall pleasures a thousand yeeres into which sense some whom they called Chiliasts men in other respects of note in the Church drew the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation But other Divines and worthy Fathers have alwayes demonstrated that there is no such thing in that Chapter and we also will shew it on the place But so farre is it from trueth The Revelation not written by Cerinthus that the blasphemous Heretick Cerinthus could be the Author of this Booke as nothing is lesse credible or more unlikely For Cerinthus blasphemously maintained that Christ was not before Mary But the Revelation throughout teacheth and proveth the Eternall Deity of Christ by such evident Arguments against Cerinthus Ebion Photinus and such like enemies of Christ as almost no Scripture affirmeth the same more clearly However therefore it is no marveile Lib. 4. adversus Mar. that the Marcionites as Tertulian recordeth as also the Alogian and Tatian Heretickes as Epiphanius Augustine and Philastrius testifie did reject the Revelation as being contrary to their heresie Yet the Grecians of old had no reason neither to this day hath any man a just or probable cause Iohn the Apostle author of the Revelation to call into question the Authour or Canonicall Authority of this most Sacred Booke That John the Apostle whose Gospell and three Canonicall Epistles are extant is the Author may be proved by solid and undoubted reasons First the Title it selfe sheweth that he is the Author 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Revelation of John the Divine But thou wilt say it is not said John the Apostle or Evangelist Lib. 3. hist cap. 13.
not when men are degenerated and forsake the truth The same may be said of the title of the Church which the Papists so much boast of we say they are the Church the Church we grant indeed they are so but not a Church of Christ but of Satan who worship not God but the divel in their Idols Now wheras Christ is said to know these things as it serves againe to confirme the tenth argument of his deity So to comfort those of Smyrna and all the godly in their affliction for it is as much as if he thus said Although I may seem to be afar of ignorant of your condition in that I take not away your poverty and punish the blasphemers yet nothing is hid from me but all things are naked and bare before mee he patient therefore until the time of your deliverance come And this may be added to Argum. 11. proving the Godhead of Christ namely his immensitie and providence 10 Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer The other part of the narration is a praemonition of their troubles at hand for howsover they had already suffered much yet he foretelleth that they must indure greater things not in the least to disharten them but that they might prepare themselves before hand for the same For darts foreseen are the lesse hurtful as also least they should be secure and imagine that after their former sufferings they were to looke for no farther combats but on the contrarie to fore arm themselves for them None of those things Signifying that they were to expect not one but many forts of trialls for through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdome of God one soit of affliction be nameth viz. that the divel should cast some of them into prison In this persecution he maketh Satan the Author who in hatred of Christ and mans salvation doth stir up the wicked to persecute the godly with reproches imâ—risonment yea and with fire and sword Shall cast some of you He shall not be able to bring all into his snare For I will cast a bridle upon him Which is for the great comfort of Gods people The Prison notes by a Synecdoche the adjuncts and consequences as namely torments banishments and martyrdoms With which not long after under the Emperors M. Aurelius Verus Antoninus and Commodus Satan most cruelly persecuted the Churches at which time also Polycarpus the Bishop laid downe his life for the testimonie of Christ Hence briefly we gather three things 1. In this we may behold the afflicted condition of the godly in this world all that wil live godly must prepare themselves for it but if it so be that we have a more peaceable portion let us account it as a great mercie of God enioy it with thanckfulnesse XIII Argum of Chr. denie for owne edification and the setting forth of the glorie of Christ 2. Again Christs Godhead is here confirmed in that he fore shewes the future sufferings of the saintes now certainly this knoweth no one but God onely So that this is the XIII argument of Christs deity 3. The divel is the author of all persecution as for tyrants and their executioners they are but his instruments Whose furie though God permit for a season yet will he not suffer his to be tempted above what they are able to bear but at last will cast the Divel with his instruments into the lake of fire and brimstone Revela 19.20 That ye may be tryed He ads a twofold consolation the one from the ende use of afflictions as being tryalls that our faith and constancie may be the more approved and we the patienter in our sufferings this end is generally propounded that so we knowing our selves to be tryed of God may approve our selves sincere and unblameable in his sight Be tryed viz. of God who both knoweth us and also his owne gifts and graces bestowed upon us Yet he tryeth us that thereby the faith of his saintes should be manifested both to them that are within and without the Church For to confesse Christ in times of prosperitie is not difficult but when troubles doe arise then is our sinceritie made manifest according to that in the philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is true vertue doth shine forth in adversity And howbeit the Divel is said to cast us into prison Yet it is God that tryeth us for Satan is Gods bayleffe or Serieant so that the action of God concurres with the work of Satan yea God and the Divel are said to doe one and the same thing but in a different maner and end For God doth it as using his right and power over us But Satan usurpinglie God doth it to try us and make us apâ—â—â—ved the Divel to afflict and destroy us Howsoever therfore they doe the same thing yet is not their action all one for the worke of God is good but that of the Divel is most vile And ye shall have tribulation The other consolation is taken from the brevitie of the affliction being to continue but a few days In Cael. sub fine Now all things of short continuance though they be heavie yet ought to be tollerable faith Cicero Ten days Some take this properly for so many dayes Others prophetically for ten years in which the persecutions dured under the afore said Emperors Others referre it to the ten yeares persecution under Trajane which was the twelf persecution of the Christians To be short some take it indefinitely for many years affirming with Augustine Lib. 8. de doctrin Christ cap. 35. that sometime in scripture a certaine number is used for an uncertaine As we may se not onely in this place but also in Chapt. 11.12.13 but again others with Ribera suppose that a long time of persecution is hereby fignifyed because the number ten containes all other numbers as in Gene. 31.7 Laban changed Jacobs wages ten times for many times so 2. Sam. 19.43 Job 19.3 so Ribera But this were rather to terrifie then to comfort them by fore shewing so long during persecution Wherfore with Andreas I understand that by ten days in this place is meant the shortnes of their trouble which should soon passe away as a cloud for thus the scriptures encouraging us to constancie are wont to expresse our light afflictions which are for a moment 2. Cor. 4.17 Be faithfull unto the death The third part of the narration is an exhortation to constancy in the faith unto the death which is to be understood inclusively and not exclusively according to that in Heb. 12.4 Ye have not as yet resisted unto blood Wherfore we must not be afraid to lay downe our lives for Christs sake and to cleave unto the truth notwithstanding all the cruelty of Satan and his instruments but stand fast unto the shedding of the last drop of blood that so we may obtain the crown of eternal life For he that shall endure into the End
into the sea of this world causeth the same tumultuously to rage against Christ Or into the sea that is among peoples nations princes kings inforcing them to shed much innocent blood and dissipate many Churches This interpretation I confesse in it self is pious and true but doth not as I judge agree with the purpose of this vision my reason is because the devil from the beginning hath been a murderer seeking to devour the Church in which respect there was no use that this thing should be represented unto Iohn in obscure types I therefore doe again with the Catholick glosse compare the sounding of the second trumpet with the opening of the second seal The interpretation of the Catholick Glosse and understand it of the cruel persecutions of Romane tyrants and the remnant of the Church which was preserved from utter destruction For as at the opening of the second seal went forth a red horse that is the Apostolical and following Church appeared red with the blood of the martyrs so there by the founding of the second trumpet is shewed unto Iohn 1. Whence this bloody condition of the Church arose 11. How great evils she should suffer thereby 111. Wherein she ought to be comforted For the first a great mountain burning with fire should be cast into the sea The Scripture familiarly by mountaines notes kingdomes kings and tyrants because of their highnes that is their power and pride as Zach. 4.7 the Prophet thus speaketh concerning the Persian kingdom Who art thou O great mountain before Zerubabel Let us therfore understand this great mountain to be some powerfull kingdom having other kingdoms in subjection as at that time the Romanes had He saw this mountain burning with fire that is their Emperours in wrath cruelly raging against Christian religion This mountain was cast into the sea Now what is the meaning hereof The sea is a gathering of many waters The waters are peoples Chap. 17. by the sea therefore I understand all nations in subjection to the Romane Empire and among which the Christian Churches were here and there dispersed This mountain was cast into the sea that is violently nished upon the world not indeed of unbeleevers but of true belevers that is the Christian Church when as the Romane Emperours as Domitian Trajan Severus Diocletian Maximianus and others imitaring the tyranny of Nero persecuted the saintes even untill Constantines time What followed hereupon The third part of the sea became blood that is as we heard before at the opening of the second seale the Church was made red with the blood of martyrs so here this mountaine with a fierie rage oppresseth many thousands of saintes 9 The third part of the creatures died These are the slaughters Martyrdoms of infinite Christians put to death by the Romane tyrants for the confession of the name of Christ And there is an allegorical analogie betweene the sea and creatures in it the Church and faithfull living in the same And the third part of the ships were destroyed by ships we understand the Churches with their pilots or teachers for by ships Churches are signified many wherof were then lost and destroyed with the Apostles Bishops their worthy teachers these I say were crushed through the weight of this great mountaine not indeed eternally but corporallie onely Now touching this we are to consult with the Ecclesiastical histories of the Churches persecutions of which we have spoken somewhat on Chap. 6. which wil serve for an excellent commentarie on this place Certainely the ship or Church at Rome was in a special manner made red with blood for all her bishops or teachers as it is recorded unto Melchiades suffered Martyrdome under those tyrants Thus therefore this trumpet allegorically explaineth the efficient cause of the second horses rednesse and further amplifies the grievous outragiousnesse thereof But what reason is there Why onely one third of the sea was made blood that the whole sea was not turned into blood and that all creatures ships died perished not but onely a third part I have shewed that this manner of speech is taken out of Ezech. 5.2 Now there the Prophet is commanded not onely to destroy one third part of his hair but the three thirds thereof thereby signifying a totall destruction But here the mountaine shall only make red one third part of the sea and kill the third part of creatures cause the third part of ships to perish which undoubtedly was for the comfort of Iohn and the faithful for however this mountaine were great and rushing with a mighty violence labours to fill all places with fire and blood yet should he be able to hurt but one third part of the Christian Church For two thirds shal bee preserved in safety And the truth hereof is confirmed by histories The fulfilling of this type for both in Rome and all other kingdomes the greater part of Christians were safely kept in the midst of the most dangerous cruel persecutions yea the blood of the martyrs was as it were the seed of the Church for the more Christians were put to death by tyrants the more their number increased in so much that many times even the executioners themselves beholding the confession courage constancie of martyrs became Christians and obtained the same crown of martyrdom with them Moreover it is for the Churches comfort that this burning mountain is cast into the sea for by water the fire is extinguished However therefore tyrants doe much rage for a time yet at length they shall perish the victory shall remain on the Churches side for by faith we overcome the world 1 Ioh. 5.5 The Catholick Glosse interprets this mountain not unfitly of the Romane Empire great indeed yet thrown into the sea which is much greater The sea swallowed up this great mountain and so consumeth and deitroyes the same By the sea he understandeth Christs kingdom of far greater power then the Romane signifying that the Romane tyranny should be swallowed up by Christs kingdome for however Christ seems to bee overcome in his afflicted members yet in truth he conquereth all his tyrannical adverlaries for the gates of hell shall not prevaile against the Church Matt. 16.18 Thus sad and joyfull things are here mixed together by which we see that the iteration of this vision touching the bloody condition of the Church is not in vain Moreover I understand the sounding of this trumpet to be from Domitians time under whom Iohn was banished untill Constantine who repressed the tyranny of his Copartners in the Empire and restored peace unto the Church about the yeere of our Lord 312. The sounding of the third trumpet 10 And the third Angel sounded there fell a great Star from heaven burning as it were a lampe and it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountaine of waters 11 And the name of the Starre is called Wormewood and the third part of the
to other Locusts much more prudent having set over them a king under whose protection they may safely creak skippe and destroy the fieldes This king is here called the Angel of the bottomlesse pit beeing that apostated starre to whom in v. 2. was given the key of the pit Now least we might have thought it was the Angel who Chap. 1.18 20.1 is said to have the key of the bottomlesse pit that is Christ he expresseth his name Abaddon which is Hebrew with the Greek or Chaldie termination we finde the word in Iob. 28.22 Prov. 27.20 signifying destruction of Abad perished in Piel destroyed Iohn adds the Greek interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destroying or rooting out that is the destroyer of the Church Here with out doubt by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or destroying king is meant that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or son of perdition spoken of a Thess 2. so called by an Hebraisme both passively and actively to be destroyed by Gods judgement destroying himself his followers Moreover it is manifest to all that the son of perdition is Antichrist giving us a most certaine proofe that both this king Abaddon the apostated starre is meant of Antichrist Because in both places he is said to be the Angel of the bottomlesse pit in an evill sence Now seeing it hath been proved that the great star fallen from heaven typed out the greatest Bishop that is the Bishop of Rome who after Gregories time was set in the chaire of Vniversall postilence it must necessarily follow that hee also is this Abaddon king of Locusts 12. One woe is past A transitory clause to the following trumpet One viz. of the three woes which were yet to sound Chap. 8.13 Thus we see the woe of the fift trumpet signifies the most sad calamities under the kingdome of the Locusts not killing men bodily but torturing them with spiritual torments more bitter then death it selfe Is past It is said to be past not as beeing accomplished but respecting the apparition for these calamities were not as yet past but to come to passe afterward Yet they were past inasmuch as they appeared no more to Iohn were fully written by him the meaning is The wofull state of the Church hitherto under the Westerne Antichrist or king of Locusts is past that is hath appeared is written down And behold two more The first of which representes the calamities of the Easterne Churches under Mahumet at the sounding of the sixt trumpet The latter shadowes out the last judgement at the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet Come hereafter For are yet to be written downe after the first because men remaining in their sinnes God goes on with further punishments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hereafter appertaines not to the time of the events but to the order of the visions because the fift and sixt trumpet founded both at one time For both the Westâ—ne and Easterne Antichrists begane together to tyrannise over diverse parts of the Christian world by different wayes or weapens Therefore the fift sixt trumpets are parallels as sounding at one time The second part of the Chapter The sound of the sixt trumpet 13. And the sixt Angel sounded and I heard a voyce from the foure hornes of the golden Altar which is before God 14. Saying to the sixt Angel which had the trumpet Loose the foure Angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates 15. And the foure Angels were loosed which were prepared for an houre and a day and a moneth and a yeere for to slay the third part of men 16. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand and I heard the number of them 17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision and them that sate on them having breast-plates of fire and of Iacinct brimstone the heads of the horses were as the heads of lyons and out of their mouthes issued fire and smoake and brimstone 18. By these three was the third part of men killed by the fire and by the smoake and by the brimstone which issued out of their mouthes 19. For their power is in their mouth and in their tailes for their tailes were like unto Serpents and had heads and with them they doe hurt THE COMMENTARIE 13 ANd the sixt Angel sounded The second woe now followeth the which in outward appearance is more dreadfull then the former for whereas the former was a spirituall affliction of the Christian world by monstrous Locusts miserably deceiving tormenting the consciences of men under the Western Antichrist or apostated starre This on the other hand is corporal shewing how the third part of the Eastern world shal cruelly be murdered by sauvage nations that is under the Mahumetane Antichrist in the East Now there are diverse opinions about this trumpet these Angels Andreas whom Ribera and some of ours follow takes these Angels let loose The interpretation of Andreds Ribera to be foure evil spirits Onely herein they disagree for first the Papists suppose they were really bound in the river Euphrates by the comming and passion of Christ yet at length loosed for to hurt the sons of men as in Tob. 8.3 the Angel Gabriel is said to bind the evil spirit in the utmost parts of Aegypt c For they thinke it not contrarie to the analogie of faith to hold that some evill Angels are by the Lord sometimes confined to certaine places to the end they might not so freely rage as others doe But the other understand the river Euphrates here mystically of the spirituall Babylon because the armies here described go forth to a spirituall warre under the Popes kingdome but I doubt whither this agree to the truth of the vision and histories Lyraes opinion Lyra interprets it of the Abettors of haereticks in Gracia Italie about the yeer of our Lord 493. when Anastasius an Entychinian reigned at Constantinople Theodorick an Arian in Italie there beeing then elected in Rome two Antipopes SYMMACHVS LAVRENTIVS by whose contention a horrible warre was occasioned to the destruction of many thousands of men according therefore to his opinion the foure Angels let loose at the river Euphrates are two Kings and two Popes raised up in the Romaine Empire By the sixt Angel that sounded he understands Paschasius the Cardinall who assisting Laurentius the Antipope against Symmachus was the trumpet of those trumpets But this seems to bee to straight an interpretation of so waighty a vision Neither would it bee a hard thing with as much colour to applie many particular histories hereunto But here undoubtedly is intended an universall and durable persecution against Christians Brightman a learned interpreter applies all this to the rising of the Ottoman Empire which at first begane about Euphrates by the Saracens who conspiring with the Turks at length by degrees enlarged their Empire over a great part of the world to the
the superstitions inchantments magical devilish arts which have been spread by Bishops Monkes among the common sort of Christians Nor of their fornications The fourth is their fornications adulteries all manner of filthinesse wherein the Clergie lived under their impure unmaried estate Nor of their thefts The fift is their thefts sacrilege rapine not so much committed by civil as ecclesiastical persons who by pious deceits that is most foule impostures and pretence of religion devour widowes houses exhaust the treasuries of Princes and great men draw into their hands by hook and crook this worldly wealth These were the sinnes for which the Lord by Saracens and Turkes punished them of the East to the end that their bretheren of the West guilty of the same sinnes might take warning by their example repent But what followed They repented not He foreshewes by the spirit and reproveth not to speak of them in the East still remaining in their filthinesse the obstinacy of the Papists who openly pollute themselves with the like idolatrie mâ—rthers sorceries fornications thefts even unto this day insomuch that whosoever opposeth and reproveth these things in them is accounted an haereticke and enemy of the Church Their idolatrie is manifest for in all their temples highwayes The idolatrie of Papists porches and corner of streets they set up idols the workes of mens hands images of God of Christ Marie and the Saintes before which whoever will not fall downe and religiously worship is accounted an haeretick condemned to the fire They cannot abide to have them termed idols but images set up in and by them to worship God Christ and the Saintes But in truth herein they worship the devill for God will not be worshipped by images Now whatsoever is externally worshipped in a religious way is an idol and all idol worship is don not unto God but unto the devill indeed the description here of idolaters doth plainly convince them for doe they not serve idols of gold silver stone c. which can neither hear see nor walk an egg is not more like unto an egg then the idols of Papists and of the heathens resemble each other And touching their murthers we need goe no farther then to consider the innumerable companie of Martyrs put to death by them As for sorceries and all magicall arts to whome may these things be applied but to the Papists for in the reformed Churches now of a long time the impostures of the devill and magicians are rooted out For fornication adulterie pollutions sodomy they are beyond measure committed by the Popish clergy for howsoever marriage is honourable among all men yet to them it is not permitted But sodomie hath publickly been disputed for yea commended in rime by Iohannis de Casa Archbishop of Benevent what multitudes of whores and strumpets are there at Rome how great is the gaine which thence comes unto the Pope It appeares by records that by them his treasurie hath of late been augmented fourty thousand ducats To be short who is ignorant of the thefts rapines and simonie of the Romanists or who is able possiblie to describe them Their taxes and annales which are in print doe openlie shew the same so that the Papists are altogether guilty of the same evils for which they of the East were destroyed what remaines then but that a like punishment will surely befall them Thus in the conclusion of this Chapter wee are taught First what was the cause of the great calamities befalling the Eastern world and how the greater part of the Romane Empire was brought under the Turkish yoake namely their idolatrie and much other wickednesse going along with it for as the idolatrie of the Balaamites and of Jeroboam the sonne of Nebat caused the overthrow of the two powerfull kingdomes of Israel and Iudah by the Assyrians Chaldaeans So it is manifest that idolatrie other sinnes thereon depending have occasioned the destruction of whole Empires and many mighty kingdomes and provinces of the Christian world as Aegypt Palaestina Damascena Syria Asia Cyprus Thracia Armenia Mysia and part of Hungarie So that it is not come to passe by chance that the Tuâ—kes have and still doe afflict Christians but the Lord in his just judgement useth as a strong rod in his hand to punish their impiety Secondly what is the end of the calamities inflicted not as if God would destroy the Church but rather to provoke both the idolaters thus punished and others also guilty of the same sinnes unto repentance For the Lord desidereth not the death of a sinner but that he repent live Thirdly The Papists draw the Turkes armies on Christians here we are plainly taught who they are that hitherto have and still doe draw the Turkes upon the neckes of Christians to wit the worshippers of idols of gold silver wood and stones But who be they are they Iaponians Canibals or Brasilians I affirme no For howsoever it be granted as these say that these are worshippers of devils yet not they but ours are threatned to be punished by the Turck Tattarian forces but it may be demanded Are not they of the reformed religion worshippers of idols I answere no but rather they have quite banished the same shanning all manner of idolatrie as the pest But your temples oye Papists your Cells Altars and Highwayes abound with images of gold silver wood stone there is no corner but ye may se one or other-beeing prostrated before the image of Marie Peter or Paul thus mutters holie Marie 5. Peter S. Paul pray for mee have mercie on me save me c. Will yee deny that you have not been the cause that the Turkes for these sixteen yeeres have wasted the borders of the Christian world what madnesse is this that ye should stirre up Christian Princes to conquer the Turke having drawen him on your neckes by your idolatrie and made him invincible unto this day It is time therefore that at length yee seriously thinke of these things repent of your sorceries thefts fornication before the revenging hand of God destroy both you and the rest of the Christian world for these your abominations Fourthly we are taught that probablie the rest of the Christian world shall suffer the like judgement because the Papists are so farre from repenting of their idols and other wickednesse as on the contrarie they strongly maintaine the same and whosoever opposeth them therein they condemne as heretickes persecute them with fire and sword what remaineth therefore but that the same armies who by Gods commandement have killed the third part of Christians for their wickednesse should at length also come into these parts to kill the rest for the like evils For it is a constant rule that they that commit like evills are worthy of like punishment So that without doubt the horrible idolatrie of Papists will in short time draw the Turkish armes on the rest of the Christian
hereticks Antichristian Locusts or the devouring armies of Mahumet but alwayes kept the same open in the world His right foot The feet of Christ are said before to be like pillars of fire Many and among the rest my Anonymus understand this of the preachers of the word The right to be some eminent ones The left inferiour ministers for the left foot is weaker then the right By the sea they understand the world by the earth worldly men Now he sets his right foot upon the sea his left on the earth that is by his ministers both of high lower degree he reproved earthly minded people Brightman much to the same purpose understands the right foot to be Christs faithfull servants whom he raised up against Antichrist out of the sea that is out of the viperous brood of the Popish clergie as William Ockam John Wickleffe c. his left foot of secular princes as Ludovick of Bavaria the Emperour Marsilius of Padua Dante 's c. who with all their might strongly opposed the monstrous inventions of Antichrist But we need not make use of so subtile an allegorie This part of the Vision is taken out of Dan 12.7 where Michael the great prince standing for his people is said to have set his feet on the waters of the river In which place no doubt is signified the great armies of the Babylonians at the River Euphrates whom the Lord so restrained kept down by his providence as that they could not destroy his people according to their own pleasure So Christ here sets his feet upon the sea and the earth for so Iohn saw him truely standing in a vision but to what end To set the foot anywhere is to challenge the possession and dominion thereof to himselfe How Christ set his feet on the earth sea The earth and sea denotes the whole world with all that is therein In this place therefore is signified that when Christ shall seem to have lost his possession in the earth sea yet then he shall set one foot upon the sea that is the sea-coast provinces Ilands And his other foot upon the earth that is the mediterranean regions of the Christian world as preserving in all places some remnants of a Church unto himself But when Here now we are to have regard unto the times of the six trumpets for howbeit in Iohns time Domitian and after him Aurelius Commodus Diocletian Maximian other tyrants persecuted the Christians both by sea land and indeavoured to root out the verie name of Christ Notwithstanding Christ set his foot on the sea and on the earth for the Christian Church dispersed throughout the whole earth increased the more by how much it was persecuted Hee set his foot on the sea and earth by the Christian Emperours Constantine and others at what time the whole world seemed to be in subjection to Christ Afterward again when Christ in outward appearance seemed to be thrust out of his possession by the Arian Macedonian Nestorian Eutychinian Manichean Pelagian hereticks yet then he still held his foot fast upon the earth sea for he preserved continually some faithful Teachers Bishops who being zealous of his glory kept alwayes his possession But chiefly when the Bishops of Rome fell from heaven unto the earth turning the doctrine of Christ into wormwood opening the bottomlesse pit whence came out the pestilent smoake of their abominations with those devouring Locusts which tormented men for five moneths as also when the Mahumetane Saracen Arabian Turkish armies horribly destroyed and overthrew all the Christian Churches in the East to the great hazard as it seemed of Christs government and kingdom yet behold even then Christ set his foot upon the earth and sea For he had during al the time of Antichrists reigne in the West alwayes some remnants in the midst of Poperie and raised up verie many witnesses of his truth In the East also some Churches however burthened with the Turkish tyrannie were preserved professed the name of Christ This therefore is a third consolation for the godly that they might not being under the calamities of the six trumpets be discouraged For neyther tyrants nor hereticks nor Antichrists shall ever put Christ so out of his possession as not to have his feet still standing upon the earth upon the sea 3. And he cryed with a great voyce This cry and roaring of Christ serves also to comfort the godly and declares the two former acts For as he will hold a booke open and set his foot upon the earth sea so he will not be silent or mute but have the Gospell to be preached The saving efficacie whereof unto the faithfull is signified by the great voyce but the dreadful effect applied unto the wicked by the roaring of a Lyon Now here againe we are to returne to the times of the six trumpets For the more that tyrants laboured to suppresse the Gospell the louder greater was the voyce the Lyon of the tribe of Juda as he is called Cha. 5.5 roared and prevailed that is Christians embraced the Gospel and joyfully suffered marty rdome for the same It is true the enemies did mightily rage yet were they tormented with a secret dread fearing they knew not what like as of old the Scribes Pharisees chiefe Priests taking counsell against Christ were sore dismayed What doe we say they for this man doth many miracles Io. 11.47 If we let him alone all men will beleeve on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation And againe what shall we doe to these men Act. 4.16 for that indeed a notable miracle hath been don by them is manifest and we cannot denie it Thus tyrants albeit they stand in feare yet consult together how to suppresse the truth Even so howsoever both these Antichrists are terrified at the Lyons roaring notwithstanding as formerlie they have so still they rage unto this day but all in vaine for at length this Lyon wil consume all his adversaries As when a lyon roareth The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the propriety of the word signifies to roar or bray like an oxe asse or camel Lyons properly are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bellow but it seems the Greeks doe not alwayes observe this difference Some will have that the mildenesse of this Lyon is here noted as giving forth a voyce like an oxe which is a milde or tame creature But this seems to bee too curious and contrary to the scope of the matter What he cryed is not by John set down yet a part thereof seems to be noted in v. 5.6.7 where the Angel sweareth lifting up his right hand c. so that the things next following touching the voyces of the thunders are inserted as it were by a parenthesis Seven thunders uttered their voyces This circumstance is obscure Twise before mention is made of seven thunders In Chap.
Testament is the multitude of them that professe the faith of Christ in every place In the former sense the Woman or Church is and alwayes shal be the onely spouse of Christ and never so degenerate as to become Antichrists strumpet neither did this Church appeare unto John 2 Tim. 2.19 for God knowes who are his But she appeared in the latter sense here indeed in this place like unto a chast matrone but in Chapter 17 as a great whore But how then is she the same I answer she is the same in name but not in deed in profession but not in faith in appearance but not in truth In the same sense that Ierusalem is called a holie city as in Psal 122.3 and a harlot as Isai 1.21 At the first in the Apostles time a while after the whole Christianity of the East and West was as a chast matrone clothed with faith holinesse as with the starres just so as she here appeared But after the decease of the Apostles and Apostolical men she keept not long the chastitie of an undefiled matron Lib. 3. hist cap. 32. as in Eusebius is testifyed by Egesippus a most ancient writer untill at length possessing the mountaines of Rome changing her starlike habit into scarlet she sate on the Beast and degenerated into a common strumpet as she appeared Chap. 17. Indeed the Romish parasites stronglie cry out to the contrary that the true Church of Christ such as was Rome according to the Apostles testimonie cannot fall away that the spouse of Christ cannot degenerate The which is true of the Church of the first borne the onely and true spouse of Christ but of every Church of the called or of every particular Church it is false as besides very manie testimonies the particular Churches of Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi c. confirme for howsoever every one of them of old was a true Apostolicall Church and spouse of Christ Yet at this day where are they or what manner of Churches are they become Now what wonder is it though the same hath happined to Rome although in a different condition but let us return to the text The woman therefore or Church appeares as a chast mother in heaven although she warreth here on earth Phil. 3.20 yet her conversation Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 administration is through faith with Christ in heaven Clothed with the sun For by faith and baptisme she puts on Christ the sun of righteousnes as a wedding garment Gal. 3.17 The brightnes of the sun is now indeed darkned with the cloudes of the infirmities and calamities unto which the Church is subject during her warfare in this life but at last this clothing of hers shall fullie shine as it is in Matt. 13.43 The righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdome of the Father Ephes 5.27 and the Church shal be presented to Christ her husband glorious in the heavens and purged from every spot and wrinkle Having the moon under her feet This denotes the variable state of the Church in this world Heca lib. 4. c. 8. Aug. Epist 48. ad Vincent as also her high mindednesse For the Church saith AMBROSE hath her often defects and risings like the moon having not her own brightnes but borrowes her light from Christ as the moon doth from the sun So AVSTIN The Church is sometimes darkned and as it were clothed with the multitude of scandals sometimes she appeares quiet and free by the tranquillity of the time otherwhile shee is covered and troubled with the floods of tribulations and temptations In Psal 10 And againe The moon increasing decreasing signifies the Church because so far as the Church is spirituall she shineth but so far as she is carnal she is obscure As therefore the moon appeares in diverse formes in the firmament The condition of the Church is variable in this world so is the Churches condition diverse in this life sometimes shining in ful light otherwhile she is scarcely to be seen and sometimes not at all untill again her light break forth as out of darknes This serves for the confutation of that Popish fiction which is that the Church shall alwayes be as visible in the world as is the kingdome of Naples or the like Moreover in that the Woman hath the moon under her feet what is it but that she despiseth all sublunary earthlie things as vaine and perishing The moon under the feet of the woman seekes after possesseth in Christ the thinges that are above And a crown of twelve stars on her head This denotes the faith of the Apostolicall Church the profession whereof was as a crown unto her head For the Apostles being twelve in number did like bright shining stars spread forth the light of Gods truth over the world 1 Cor. 5.11 Ephes 2.10 For however Paul and Barnabas were afterward added unto them yet the number of 12 remained even after Iudas fell away These by their ministery did set a crown upon the Church by laying the foundation upon which she is builded Or in the head that is in the beginning of the Church they did shine like stars and principal members thereof And thus a certaine interpreter expounds it Others make the twelve stars to be the heads of the Creed because faith is the crown of the Church and in them are contained the cheife points of Christian religion Thus much of her clothing Hence we are to observe while the woman did shine clothed with the Sun The church hath changed her sun like clothing into purple had the Moon under her feet and a crown of stars on her head so long she remained the undefiled spouse of Christ but after she put on in stead of the Sun purple and scarlet then she left off from trampling the moon under her feet begane to follow after earthly things changed her crown of stars into a crown of gold pearls precious stones In a word then she played the harlot sate on the Beast and became the mother of fornications which things are afterward described in Chap. 17. Let the reader diligently compare the description And she being with child cryed Most Greek copies have it in the present tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cryeth so also Andreas and the greater lesser copies of Robert Stephanus But Montanus and the old version have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cryed and so Beza in his latter edition The sense is one But I rather take it in the present tense because the proprietie of the stile denotes the Evangelist John to be author of this booke unto whom this kind of Enallage or change of tenses is verie familiar both in his Gospel and Epistles For paine Our Wafer-worshippers cannot tell how to applie this to the Virgine mother for they hold that Marie was delivered without paine grounding this on another false opinion viz. that she was free from the stain
will recall a man from his carnall security to the feare of God and working of righteousnesse except he have a heart of steele for as much as in the day of Gods judgement a most exact account of what hath been done in the flesh must be given by all the greatest Kings and Potentates not excepted When without any respect of persons they that have done well shall possesse life eternall They that have done ill shall be cast into everlasting fire The Angell therefore could not use a more forcible reason to deterre men from the contempt of God and his word To this purpose is that in Sirach Chap. 7.40 In all things that thou sayest or doest remember thy end and thou shalt not sin Now if any aske how this prophesie is true and accomplished seeing it is so long since John said 2 Pet. 3.9 Gods judgement was at hand Let him heare Peter answering the mockers of his time The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some count slacknesse but is long suffering towards us not willing that any should perish but that all should come unto repentance The Angell saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is come for shall certainly come by an usuall Enallage of the preterperfect tense instead of the future so a little after is fallen for shall certainely fal noting the immutability of the events decreed by God so formerly he often said he will come shortly that is sooner then we are aware of that the deepe fleepe of security might be driven out of us and lest with the wicked servant we should say Luke 12.45 My Lord deferreth his comming But rather let us consider seeing the Apostles did presage the day of judgement to be then at hand how much nearer is it now unto us after so many ages And worship him that made In the third member he recalls the world from popish idolatry unto the service of the true God alone whom he notes by a periphrasis from the worke of the creation of heaven and earth the sea and fountaines of waters The Old version ads and of all things that are in them which words are not in the Greeke but seem to be taken out of Psa 146.9 unto which place the spirit here alludeth The fountaines of waters are reckoned up among the chiefe works of God because the continuance of the fountaines is indeed a very wonderfull worke of the Lord concerning which Phylosophers have much disputed with great admiration Psal 104.10 114 8. And it is also celebrated in the Psalmes He sendeth the springs into the valleyes which run among the hills Which turneth the rock into a standing water the flint into a fountaine of waters Furthermore that religious worship is onely due to God both the Scripture and nature it selfe teacheth For God alone is omnipotent knowes all things and is present in all places He is able to heare and helpe all that call upon him wheresoever they be He alone is the Author of nature governour and Lord of the world wherefore all ought to depend upon him onely in him alone we must beleeve and put our considence Ier. 17.5 But cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme Hence faith and prayer are in Scripture coupled by an individuall tye as the cause and effect Rom. 10.14 Mat. 4.10 How shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved Therefore it is an expresse commandement Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Now howsoever this be an undeniable and manifest truth yet the world forsaking the Lord followed and wondred after the Beast all I say both great and small bond and free worshipped the Beasts image kissed his feet and attributed divine honour unto him as though he were God on earth And this the worshippers of the Pope doe not denie according to that of the Poet before mentioned Ense potens gemino cujus vestigia adorant Caesar aurato vestiti murice Reges Nay all have not the priviledge to worship before the Beast and kisse his feet this onely is permitted to Kings and Emperours Others must be content devoutly to worship his image and call upon the Saints that are canonized by the Beast and adore his Crosses Crucifixes Altars set up by him in temples groves and highwaies c. From this beastly worship of idols the Angel here dehorteth the world as calling them to the worship of the true God Neither will he any whit esteeme their vaine pretenses That the Pope is not worshipped as God but as Gods and Christs Vicar for they falsely affirme him to be that which he is not That they call not on the Saints with a worship of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this is a false distinction the religious worship both of Latreia and Douleia being in Scripture onely attributed to God and signifie both one thing That they worship not graven images but God in them this also is false for Images are no gods neither will God be worshipped in or by them Thou shalt not doe so unto the Lord thy God Deut. 12.31 Thus far of the everlasting Gospel published by the first Angel or reformer of Popery The summe of which is in these three things I. That God is to be feared and Antichristianisme to be repented of II. That glory is to be ascribed to God by beleeving in his sonne III. That God is to be worshipped by fleeing the Image of the Beast and performing obedience to God 8 And another Angel followed because the former Angell although he cryed with a great voice did little profit unto the inhabitants of the earth who were drowned with the wine of Babylonish whoredome for after Wickleffe Husse and Jerome of Prague were burnt the Papacy remained stil in its vigour furie Therefore another Angell followed who more forcibly assailing Antichrist weakened his kingdome in many Provinces And here againe by an Enallage One Angell is put for Angels for there shall be divers succeeding each other in divers places But One shall excell and continue the ministery of the former Angell who was a while interrupted Now this Angel if we looke into histories who can he be save Luther This second Angell is Luther who followed 130. yeeres after Wickleffe and 100. after Husse and Jerome he first began in Saxony by word and writing to thunder against the Popes Pardons publikely put to sale soon after against the whole Papacy anno 1517. To him was joyned Philip Melanchton as a most faithfull assistant and soone after many other excellent men who by little and little restored the everlasting Gospell in divers parts of Germany and expelled Popery About the same time Zwinglius and Oecolampadius began together to oppose Popery and 〈…〉 Gospell in Helvetia But let us heare what this Angell publisheth Babylon is fallen is fallen He threatens ruine to Babylon for her wicked fornication by which
the wedding guests ver 9. Blessed are they that are called c. The certainty whereof is ratined 1. by the Angels command to write it Write Blessed are c. 2. By asserting the truth of the sayings of God Ibid. In the second what both Iohn and the Angell did Iohn doth two things 1. he falls downe 2. with intention to worship the Angell verse 10. The Angell forbids it See thou do it not with a twofold reason 1. From the person to whom worship is not dew I am thy fellow servant 2. From Gods peculiar property Worship God Ibid. In the third What he saw 1. CHRIST comming with his Elect to Iudgement 2. The casting of Antichrist and his followers into hell under the Type of two warlike Armies Of which Type there are two parts 1. A description of each Army from ver 11. unto 20. 2. The event of the Battle ver 20. 21. Touching the former army is noted 1. The originall place whence it came from heaven being opened ver 11. 2. Christ the Captaine of these Forces and the Forces themselves The description of the Captaine is magnificall and divine I. By the placing of his body Sitting on a white horse II. His nature or disposition True and faithfull III. Office He judgeth and makes war in righteousnesse ver 11. IIII. His fiery eyes seeing all things His eyes weke as a flame of fire v. 11. V. The Royall Ornaments of his head Many Crownes ver 12. VI. The Majesty of his Name ver 12. 13. 16. VII His bloody Vesture verse 13. VIII His armour A two-edged sword proceeds out of his mouth ver 14. IX A reason both of his Vesture and Armour by changing the order The latter because he rules the Nations with an iron red the former because he treadeth the Wine-presse of the fiercenesse and wrath of Almighty God Of which Chapter 14.20 His Armies are noted to bee two First His Attendants of honour who follow the Captaine on white horses not to fight but for office sake Therefore they are not armed but clothed in fine linnen verse 14. Secondly His ministring servants whom God will send against the adversaries Of these is noted 1. By whom they are to be enrolled and called ver 17. I saw an Angell 2. Who they are All the foules flying in the midst of Heaven Ibid. 3. Their assembling Come and gather your selves together c. Ibid. 4. To what first figuratively Vnto the Supper of the great God ver 17. secondly properly That ye may eat the flesh of Kings as if he should say not to beat downe the adversaries for that Christ will doe by the word of his omnipotencie but to eat up the slaine Of whom he reckons up divers orders verse 18. Hitherto of the former Army Of the hostile army is noted 1. the Captain the Beast-Antichrist 2. His auxiliarie Vassalls the Kings of the Earth with their forces 3. Their Counsell to suppresse Christ and his Army ver 19. Lastly the Event of the Battle the adversaries are overthrowne which is aggravated by certaine degrees 1. By apprehending or taking of the Beast the False-prophet and them that were sealed with his Character and all his worshippers 2. The casting of them all into the lake of fire that is into hell ver 20 3. Slaying the rest viz. all that fought for Antichrist The Authour of this slaughter is Christ mounted on a white horse The Instrument his sword The Ministers the Foules filled with the flesh of the Adversaries Verse 21. The first part of the Chapter The Gratulation of the heavenly Inhabitants for the righteous Judgements of GOD and the marriage of the LAMBE drawing neere 1. And after these things I heard a great voyce of much people in heaven saying Alleluia salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God 2. For true and righteous are his judgements for hee hath judged the great whore which did corrupt the Earth with her fornication and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand 3. And again they said Alleluia and her smoak rose up for ever ever 4. And the four and twenty Elders and the four Beasts fell down and worshipped God that sate on the throne saying Amen Alleluia 5. And a voyce came out of the throne saying praise our God all ye his servants and ye that feare him both small and great 6. And I heard as it were the voyce of a great multitude and as the voyce of many waters and as the voyce of mighty thunderings saying Alleluia for the Lord our God omnipotent reigneth 7. Let us be glad and rejoyce and giâ—â— boâ—â—ur to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her selfe ready 8. And to her was granted that shee should bee arrayed in sine linnen clean and white for the fine linnen is the righteousnesse of Saints 9. And he saith unto mee Write Blessed are they that are called unto the Marriage Supper of the Lambe And hee saith unto mee These are the true sayings of God THE COMMENTARY 1. ANd after these things I heard a great voyce Now comes forth the joyfull Company which celebrate the righteous Iudgements of God and as other things so in speciall such plagues as before were mentioned to be inflicted on the Romish Babylon In the words is no difficulty therefore we passe them over and come to the Coherence The use of this rejoycing in the thesis and hypothesis They who say in the Hypothesis that the ruine of Babylon shall affoard unto the Saints a most delightfull argument of rejoycing and praising God and in the Thesis that the Saints however they bee many times offended in regard of the prosperity of the wicked in this life and complaine as if God dealt hardly with them yet at length they shall perfectly know and openly confesse that the Iudgements of God are true and righteous in the whole government of the world They draw indeed a true and profitable doctrine from this place which is worthy of observation Notwithstanding in my opinion they doe not sufficiently touch the occasion and cause of the renewing of the Vision by this Chore or Company The occasion indeed Gagnaeus and Brightman do rightlie observe in their notes The occasion of the rejoycing from ver 20. Chap. 18. where the Angell exhorted the Saints to rejoyce over the judgement of Babylon Rejoyce over her thou Heaven and ye holy Apostles c. whereupon Heaven and all the Saints do now rejoyce and joyfully applaud the Iudgement of God But what is the reason that not here onely but formerly also the Company of Rejoycers are so often brought in For the Company of the foure and twenty Elders and foure Beasts singing to God sitting on the Throne and to the Lamb made entrance to the second Vision touching the Booke sealed with seven Seales Chap. 4. 5. The said Company of Elders closed up the third Vision with praising God and his
refuted as Eusebius writeth Lib. 7. Hist C. 10. TERTVLLIAN Lib. 3. Cont marcion Lactantius lib. 7. instit Cap. 23. disputes at large of this Fable VICTORINVS PICTAVIENSIS in his Commentary on the Revelat. How uncertain the antiquity of tradition and the authority of the fathers is Austin also himselfe in the aforesaid place confesseth that hee sometime held the same Hence all men may see how little is to be ascribed to antiquitie of TRADITIONS and the authority of the FATHERS For antiquity without truth What is it but the oldnesse of errour Who more ancient then Irenaeus Hee writeth that he was the hearer or Disciple of Papias and Papias of the Apostles Papias on the contrary denyes that he heard or ever saw the Apostles with his eyes Behold antiquity without truth The said Papias received the Chiliasts Fable by tradition of the Elders and drew many to embrace this errour by his authority The fable of Antichrists four yeeres reigne And without doubt from the said Author Irenaeus sucked another fable which by this means was generally received touching Antichrist that hee should reigne not fully foure yeeres in the end of the world for the most ancient Writers were ignorant thereof IVSTIN the oldest Writer extant affirmeth that Antichrist the man of sinne was already at the doore Dialogo cum Tryphone CLEMENT who wrote next to IVSTIN hath not one word of Antichrists three yeers reigne Tertullian who lived at the same time affirmed that Antichrist was neare at hand Cyprian also next to the former writeth Lib. 5. Epist 7. yee ought to know hold Libro Defuga persecut and certainly beleeve that the day of triall is begun already and that the decay of the world and the time of Antichrist draweth on Ibid Antichrist commeth Wherefore the Fables of Papias were not taken on till at length in latter Ages Furthermore the Chiliasts Fable occasioned many which dis-approved the same but were not able to refute it to fall into another errour worse then the former affirming that the Revelation was to bee rejected as written by the Hereticke CERINTHVS Among these were Cajus and others touching whom in EVSEBIVS DIONISIVS ALFXANDRINVS speaketh who opposed NEPOS the Egyptian Others on the contrary to keep up the authority of the Revelation laboured to divide the opinion of Cerinthus and the Fathers as if Cerinthus indeed maintained a voluptuous Millenary kingdom full of lust and riot But the Fathers the spirituall delights of the Saints But Ribera affirmeth Comm in Apoc. 20. N. 26. that there was no difference betwixt the opinion of Cerinthus and the Fathers because Irenaeus Tertullian Lactantius c. wrote the same things about the Millenary Kingdome which are contained in the opinion of Cerinthus And this Dionysius and Caius also an old Writer affirmeth Euseb Lib. 3. Hist Cap. 28. however it be the Chiliasts opinion was by the Christians condemned for ascribing to Christ contrary to the Scriptures a voluptuous and earthly Kingdome and for bringing in contrary to the Apostolicall Faith one and so making a two-fold Resurrection after another the which opinion how improbable it is hath I suppose bin sufficiently shewed so as I trust that such who think it ought again to be renewed as far as concernes the latter part thereof will after the due consideration of these things in the fear of God with Austin change their opinion Now for the refuting of this old Fiction of the Chiliasts which Jerome in the life of Papias calleth a Jewish tradition we may briefly observe that it consists neither with the present Vision nor with it selfe nor with other Scriptures nor Christian beliefe Now this besides what formerly hath bin spoken I will shew by foure clear Arguments First I have made it manifest already that the thousand yeers of Satans binding A refutation of the Chiliasts errour by experience and the Kingdom of the Martyrs with Christ in Heaven beginning from the overthrow of Ierusalem unto Gregory VII that Romish Beast are now past above 548. yeers And yet there hath not bin any corporall Resurrection of Martyrs or Golden Kingdom of Christ on earth The experience therefore which we now see but the fathers could not refuteth this Fiction Secondly 2. From the text That Millenarie Kingdom is expresly ascribed unto the soules of the Martyrs and Confessours when as Austin well observeth they were not restored to their bodies Then I say their soules sate upon thrones lived and reigned with Christ in those thousand yeeres this therefore is not to be applied unto the Resurrection of the body Thirdly This errour as arising from a false Chronologie is plainely refuted 3. From the erroneous chronologie For the Chiliasts following the erroneous computation of the Greekes affirmed that Christ was born in 5199. yeer of the world since which are past 1621. yeers which number being added unto the former would make 6820. yeers from the Creation But thus not onely the sixt Millenary or the thousand yeers which they ascribe to the binding of Satan should bee past but also there should but a few yeers of the seventh Millenary and their voluptuous Kingdome of the Saints with Christ should already have dured above eight hundred the which is refuted by History and experience so that if Irenaeus Tertullian Lactantius c. did now live they should bee necessitated to confesse that they much erred from the truth Lastly the whole Scripture holds forth IV. From the difficulties of the last times Ioh. 18.36 Ioh. 18.20 Mat. 24.21 Luk. 18.8 2. Tim 3.1 that the last times shall not be voluptuous in the least but difficult and sorrowfull unto the Church in this world Besides Christ did often foretell that his Kingdom should not be earthly My kingdome is not of this world The world shall rejoyce but yee shall mourne In the world yee shall have tribulation Then shal be great tribulation such as was not from the beginning of the world unto this time Watch therefore that ye may be found worthy to escape all these things When the sonne of man commeth shall he finde Faith on the earth Through manifold tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven This know that in the last dayes perilous or difficult times shall come c. These and such like testimonies of Scripture which speake of the afflicted state of the last times doe abundantly refute the Millenaries Fiction Now wee goe forward with the Text. 6. Blessed and holy is hee that hath part By an Exclamation he extolleth and commendeth unto us the felicity and necessity of the first Resurrection or spirituall living againe by which of old those Rest of the dead in Paganisme and Antichristianisme obstinately refused to live againe by which all and they onely shall be blessed and holy Act. 8.21 Ioh. 13.8 What it is to have part in the first Resurrection The profitablenesse necessity of the first resurrection who have part in the first
from Heaven Satans punishment therefore is described by the place companions and eternity of his torments The place of his punishment shall not bee simply the Pit in which he was before shut up a thousand yeers but the very sinke of the bottomlesse Pit the Lake of fire and brimstome into which he shall be cast by Christ the Iudge It is a Periphrasis of hell which the Scripture sets forth by the place of torments unquencheable fire the worme that dies not utter darkenesse weeping and gnashing of teeth and such like horrible Epithites to terrifie the wicked signifying that the torments of Satan and the ungodly in hell shall be unutterable like as the glory of Christ and the Saints in Heaven shall bee unspeakeable Now of the Lake of Fire and Brimstone hath beene spoken Chap. 19 20. unto which place Iohn sends us backe saying Where the Beast and the False-prophet are For hee there saith that these were cast into this Lake The devill therefore shall find them there as his companions in torments The Romane Antichrist I say with his Cardinals Vassals and Followers These shall bee cast into the Lake before the devill for he shall finde them there yet both shall be done in the last Iudgement as Christ expounds it in the Gospell depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the devill and his Angels Mat. 25.41 And they shall bee tormented To wit the devill the Beast and False-Prophet for they shall all alike suffer everlasting torments of which see Chap. 14.11 Chap. 19.20 Night and day Not as if there should be an enterchange of dayes and nights in Hell for in utter daakenesse it is alwayes night but thus he sheweth the eternall continuation of their torments for that which is continued day and night is perpetuall The same he saith Chap. 14. of the torments of all the worshippers of the Beast and his Image By the same phrase Chap. 7.15 he sheweth the continuall joy of the Saints in Heaven Who are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple Now that the punishment of the devill and wicked men shall be perpetuall Lib. 21. de C. D. c. 23. Ps 77.10 The punishment of the damned eternall Augustine doth largely prove against such as pretending Gods mercifullnes from the Psalme Will God forget to be gracious will he in anger shut up his tender mercies did imagine that the devill and wicked men after most grievous and long during punishments should be purged and pardoned thereby to patronize their owne and other mens wickednesses But he demonstrates from this and such like places that the torments of Satan and the ungodly shall simply be eternall First because here it s expresly said The devill which deceived them was cast into the Lake of fire and brimstone there to bee tormented with the Beast and the False-Prophet day and night for ever and ever which altogether signifies eternitie But it were false if at sometime or other they should be redeemed out of their torments Secondly Mat. 72.3 Mat. 25 4â— What is meant by Eternall because the divine sentence cannot bee made voide or weakened which Christ will pronounce at the day of Iudgement depart from mee ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his Angels what here is said to be for ever and ever in the place alledged is said to be eternall or everlasting by which the Scripture denotes time without end Lastly because the life and glory of the blessed Saints shall simply be eternall Therefore on the contrary the death and torments of the damned shall also bee eternall for Christ in the same sentence pronounceth to the wicked eternall torments Mat. 25.46 and to the godly life everlasting And these shall goe into everlasting punishment but the righteous into eternall life 11. AND I SAW A THRONE The Type of the universall Iudgement followeth in which all the wicked being cast into eternall torments the Church shall bee crowned with everlasting glory and joy Now that this is a description of the last Iudgement is so manifest from the words that I judge it needlesse to demonstrate the same It is proved that here the last judgement is typically set forth Mat. 25.46 1. Cor. 15.16 Dan. 7.10 Mat. 25 41 Iohn saw the Iudge on a Throne he saw the dead to be judged before the Throne and them that were judged out of the books being opened according to the phrase of the Prophet Dan. Chap. 7.10 where without all controversie the Type of the last Iudgement is described Lastly he saw the Devill Death and Hell which are the last Enemies to be cast with all reprobates into the Lake of Fire which certainely shall not come to passe but in the last Iudgement when the Iudge shall say unto all these Goe ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his Angels Neither ought we to seek an Allegorie in circumstances so manifestly agreeing with the Evangelicall History because it cannot here have place forasmuch as all things are sutable unto the proper description of the last Iudgement expressed in both Testaments Besides our method confirmes the same by which it hath hitherto bin shewed that every one of the Visions the first excepted which was speciall doth end in the description of the last Iudgement either openly or covertly the which why it should so often be iterated in this Booke cannot be explicated by them who give no heed unto the distinct Acts of the severall Visions Adde to this that all Interpreters whom I have seen both old and new are unnanimously minded that here is figured out the casting of all the adversaries into eternall punishment and the placing of the godly in everlasting glory which shall be accomplished in the last Iudgement Brightman alone leaving this exposition interprets the whole Brightmans Allegorie Allegorically of the full restitution of the Iewish Nation which he thinkes shall come to passe after the Dragon is cast into the Lake of fire that is after the destruction of the Turkish Emperour and Empire This hee supposeth shall be about the yeere 1690. moved hereunto by a conjecture too obscure and uncertaine from a place in Dan. 12.12 the which how far different a sense it beareth I shall not at this time for brevity sake stand to demonstrate But the reasons which he opposeth to the received and manifest trueth to me indeed seem to have little or no waight in them He saith that the following description agrees not unto the New Jerusalem in Heaven but to that on Earth only in that the Holy City is said to descend from Heaven that the Bride is prepared and adorned for her Husband not yet delivered that in ver 7. the reward is put off till afterward Whether the description of the new Ierusalem agrees to the Church Militant that one of the seven Angels sheweth all these things to Iohn whereas
and witnesse of the Conscience Rom. 2 5. which shal suggest to every one the exact memory of his Actions whether good or bad the sentence pronounced shall be most just according to the same and Gods judgements shall bee righteous for the Holy Scriptures containe a most exact written rule of righteousnes unto which most righteously all are obliged and whosoever hath conformed himselfe unto the same shall most righteously be acquitted whosoever hath swarved from it Orat. in Plag gran shall most righteously in the day of Iudgemen bee condemned The Booke also of every mans conscience is of such exact righteousnes as it deceives no man doth injury to no man for the conscience saith NAZIANZENVS is a domesticke and true Tribunall And the Poet siath well Prima haec est ultio Iuven Sat 13. quodse Iudice nemo nocens absolvitur improba quamvis Gracia fallacis prae oris vicerit urnam This vengeance takes if judge it bee None that are guilty quitt doth hee Though that the Praetor through falle Grace Sometimes puts wicked men in place How much more therefore shall the conscience in the day of Iudgement bee a righteous rule to judge by The holy Scriptures are the rule of truth righteousnesse By the way observe If God will then judge according to the written word how much more doth he require that faith and our works be now done according to the said rule of Holy Writ According to their workes Good or evill This shall be the other infallible rule of righteousnesse for it is a righteous thing with God to render rewards to the righteous and tribulation to the wicked Every one therfore shall righteously receive either good or evill according to what he hath done It is observeable that here and every where in Scripture it is said Iudgement shall be according to workes we shall be judged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our workes no man therefore shall be saved for good workes notwithstanding the wicked shall be damned for their evill workes because there is a different reason between good and evill workes Evill workes are the wages of or merit death Eze. 184. Rom 1.28 Good works merit not life eternal for the Soule that sinneth shall dye And It is the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death Good workes merit not life because all are due to God the Creator and Redeemer But no debt comes under the notion of merit I passe by that the best workes of the Saints are imperfectly good polluted with many blemishes so that if God did judge them to his severity they would be found to be nothing but unrighteousnesses as the Church of old confesseth Isa 6.46 We are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Therefore we pray forgive us our trespasses Wherefore least Hypocrites should be bold to inferre if the wicked shall be condemned for evill workes therefore the Iust are saved for good workes The Holy Ghost would have it no where written that the judgement shal be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for workes which might signifie the meritorious cause but alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes which signifies the condition But why not according to Faith or infidelity Why the Iudgement shal not bee according to faith infidelitie because Faith and infidelity are hid to the eyes of men But workes whither good or evill flowing from the same shall be conspicuous and open unto all Therefore in that open judgement Christ the Iudge shall alledge the cleare rule of righteousnesse that it may appeare unto all that the wicked are justly condemned having done evill and the Godly righteously acquitted who have done good this is a great encouragement to good workes that we follow after them and touching evill workes that we should shun them because according to them we shall all be judged 13. And the Sea gave up her dead AVGVSTINE by the Sea doth not unproperly understand the world Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 15 which like to the tempestuous Sea is alwayes tossed with waves By the dead is meant wicked men dead in sinnes as is the greater part in the world or all men having mortall bodies Notwithstanding I thinke it is more proper to the sense to understand it of such as perished or were drowned in the Sea or Rivers or whose burnt bodies and ashes were cast into the same in times of persecution For humane reason judgeth it very absurd that the bodies of such as have been devoured by the fishes of the Sea or torne by wild Beasts and eaten by wormes on land should be restored John therefore saw what shall come to passe when all the Elements through the power of God shall render up the consumed Carkeises The Sea shall vomit up as it were out of a Sepulchre the dead she swallowed up The same Death and Hell shall doe that is the Earth which hath received in Sepulchres all the bodies of the dead as it were in her lap or bosome and opening her mouth hath swallowed downe some alive also By death here AVSTIN understandeth the dead bodies of the Godly which the Earth shall render up By hell the damned soules of the wicked which thence shall be brought forth to Iudgement Ribera extends it unto the bodies of such as Hell swallowed downe alive as Corah Dathan and Abiram The summe is by what kind of death soever they perished in this life whatever became of their soules after death all are seen by John as brought forth to Iudgement The Soules therefore of the Saints shall return from Heaven with Christ the Iudge the wicked shall be called forth out of Hell to Iudgement All mens bodies shal be raised up to life and being restored to their own soules shall stand before Christ to be judged 14. And death and hell In a few words hee toucheth the execution of the sentence pronounced against the ungodly The state of the Godly he more largely Treats of in the following Chapters First he sees hell and death to bee cast into the Lake of fire and soone after all that were not found written in the Booke of Life that is reprobates in which again is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inversion for first the wicked shal bee cast into torments Afterward the last enemies viz. death and hell by which names AVGVSTINE thinks here is signified the devill himselfe as being the Author of death and hellish punishments and the whole company of devils which very thing he had said before by an Anticipation And the devill was cast into the Lake c. So death should be put for the devill causing death 1. Cor. 15.54 1. Cor. 15.26 Hell for the devill drawing men to Hell As by a like metonymia it is said Death is swallowed up in victory And The last enemie that shall be destroyed is
us to cast that which is holy Of the rest whose portion shall bee in the Lake of Fire wee have treated on Chap. 21. ver 8. He expresly puts lyars both here and before in the last place understanding perjured double-hearted and deceitfull persons mockers of religion that we might understand that this kinde of men is most hurtfull to the Church and Common-wealth because by adulterating and falsifying all Divine and Humane Truths they with divelish craft overthrow and teach others to weaken all the sinewes of Ecclesiasticall and Politicall society Of this sortof men the Jesuites are the most emminent at this day in Schooles and Churches And the Machivellians in Courts Polities and Campes For RIBERA doth rightly observe that Christ in speciall mentioneth those vices which should most reigne in Antichrists time Now wee know that these evils are most rife in Popery See Chap. 21.8 16. I Jesus have sent my Angell Least it should be uncertaine what person it was that said Behold I come quickly I am Alpha and Omega he tels his name I Jesus and professeth himselfe to bee the Author of this Revelation and the more to commend the dignity thereof to our care and studie hee sheweth that for our sakes he imployed and sent his Angell to testifie the same unto us Wherfore let it not be irksome reverently to read continually to meditate and carefully to observe the same with all readinesse of mind Here therefore the Lord Jesus confirmeth what the Angell before said in ver 6. The Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angell as if he should say It is so I Iesus have sent my Angell XLVI Argument of Christs Deity Eph. 1.21 Phil. 2.9 Hebr. 2.9 Mat. 18.10 Act. 12.15 Heb. 1.14 hereby professing himselfe to be the Lord God of the holy Prophets What Hereticke dares gain-say this He also makes himselfe Lord of the Angels for saith he I have sent my Angell viz. as being my owne by subjection He is Lord of the Angels as God and as man he is lifted up above all power as Lord and head over all things The Angels also are said to be ours not by naturall subjection but voluntary service because they are sent by the Lord Jesus for our service and preservation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to testifie That is to reveal Before ver 6. and Chap. 1.1 he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie in the same sense Andreas refers this to the publishing of the Prophesie that Iohn might not keep it secret but make it knowne unto all To you This apostrophe is directed in the first place to the seven Angels of the seven Churches unto whom he before had sent seven Epistles as hee sheweth by the Addition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To you who are in or over the Churches But consequently also unto all the servants of Christ who are set over or are Members of the Churches that is unto all the Faithfull for this Prophesie was not revealed for them only who then were the servants of Christ but for us chiefly upon whom the ends of the world are come when the greater part of the Oracles was to be fulfilled 1. Cor. 10.11 First let us observe that seeing the Prophesâ—e is revealed by the Lord Iesus it was a great impiety for the Church of old to question the Trueth and Divine Authority thereof Secondly seeing the Lord Iesus sent his Angell therefore he is Lord of the Angels and true God because it is proper to God alone to have and send the Angels as his Ministers Thirdly seeing the Lord Iesus vouchsafed to reveal this Prophesie not onely to those Seven Churches but to all that should come after therefore it belongs unto the profit and salvation of all of us and all are seriously to meditate in the same I am the root and the off-spring of David These glorious Titles commend the majesty of the Author and of the Prophesie as also it confirmes our Faith Above cha 6 5. How Christ is the root of David Who is this Iesus The root and off-spring of David Before hee was called the root of David He confirmeth that he is the Messias promised to come of the seed of David For the root of David is the Son of David according to the flesh Rom. 1.4 Andreas thinkes he is the root of David according to his Divinity For the root beares the tree but Christ saith he not as man but as God upholdeth and saveth David But without doubt it belongs to the flesh which the Messias tooke of Marie the daughter of David It s true the root beareth the tree but this metaphor respects the originall So that Christ is the root of David sustaining David by his divinity and sprouting from David in his humanity Off-spring Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Genus or Familie of David out of which arose Joseph and Mary the Parents of our Lord Iesus Churist Luk. 1.27 The bright and morning star As the former Title confirmes the verity of Christs manhood so this the majesty of his Deity It signifies that most excellent light and glory whereby the Lord Iesus doth excell all men and Angels like as Lucifer or the Morning-Star excels all other Stars in brightnesse In Num. 24.17 Balaam prophesieth that a Star shall come out of Jacob. BRIGHT Most glorious in himselfe by his brightnes dispelling the darknesse and ignorance of our hearts and minds Morning Because saith Andreas How Christ is called the morning-Starre by his beames he not onely drives away the night or darknesse of this life but also in the morning light of the common Resurrection hee will exhibit himselfe to be seen of all the Saints Or because arising in our hearts he dispels the blindnesse of our mind as Lucifer exceeding other starres in clearnesse and rising before the Sunne shewing that by and by it will be day dispelleth the night-darknesse So Peter calleth Christ the Day-starre arising in our hearts 2. Pet. 1.19 when as hee enlightneth our hearts and mindes with the true knowledge and confidence of himselfe by the light of the divine Scriptures Aristotle to prove that justifice is the chiefe of vertues saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Neither Hesperus nor Lucifer that is the Evening or Morning Starre is not so admirable as knowing nothing more glorious whereunto to compare this excellent vertue Now Hesperus and Lucifer is the same Star first appearing after Sun-setting and first foretelling the rising of the Sunne in the Morning What Aristotle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ here calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dawning or break of day in the same sense If then Aristotle doth rightly compare created righteousnesse unto the Morning Star with more right doth the Increated Righteousnesses viz. Christ the Son of God call himselfe the Morning-Star Hereby we understand the meaning of Christ in Chap. 2.28 To him that overcommeth