that the lord is greatly offended with the defilements both of our soules and bodies for he is a pure and holy spirit and requireth the same in them that worship him Hebr. 12.14 And without this no man shall see him 2. The corrupters of the truth shall be grievously punished howsoever they may for a time by subtiltie cover their deceit and draw many into their snares 3. That God is ready to forgive most vile sinners if they truelie repent XVII Arg. of Chr. deity Lastly here we have the seventeenth argument of the deitie of Christ in that he threatneth to punish these wicked deceivers for none but God onelie is able to doe it and therfore it manifesteth his divine omnipotencie That which the hereticke objects concerning Moses striking the Aegyptians with plagues is of no waight neither of Peter his slaying of Ananias Nor Pauls striking Elymas with blindenesse For we know that the Prophets and Apostles wrought miracles not of themselves but by the power of God Wheras Christ threatens to doe this by his owne power Io. 5.19 Mat 10.1 16.17 For whatsoever things the Father doth these also doth the Son likewise Yea the Son giveth power unto others to doe the like things And all the Churches shall know The end and use of Gods vengeance on sinners is to declare both his omniscience of the hidde things of the hart as also his omnipotencie and Iustice in rendring to evry one according to his workes Even as God said to Pharoah Exo. 9.16 Rom. 9.17 And in very deed for this cause have I raysed thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth Thus the lord by threatning cals sinners to repentance by Iudgments punisheth the obstinate and hereby declareth his wisedome power and Iustice unto all Now it is not without cause that Christ attributes to himselfe the knowledge of hidden things for seeing this wicked woman beguiled many by couveringe her uncleane actions under a pretence of holinesse Christ therefore here declares that none of her wayes were hidden from his eyes Hence we observe in the first place that one principal end of Gods exemplarie punishing of the wicked is that all the Churches may acknowledge declare the wisedome power and Iustice of God Thus we se how profitable it is that publike examples are propounded before our eyes to the end we may take notice of the judgments of God beware least by the like wickednesse we stirre up his wrath against our owne soules XVIII Argu of Chr. deity Secondly here is offred unto us the eighteenth argument excellently proving the divinity of Christ For here Christ will be acknowledged to be the searcher of the heart and reynes which the scripture ascribeth unto God alone For the righteous God trieth the heart and reynes Psa 7.9 1. King 8.39 1 King 16 7. Give unto every man according to his wayes whose heart thou knowest Thou alone knowest the hearts of all the sonnes of men see also 1. Chro. 28. Iere. 11.20 and 17.10 and 20.12 Eniedinus the Samosatenian objecteth in the first place that the searching of the heart and reines doth not here signifie a knowledge of the thoughts But rather a most equal and just administration of judgment by Christ and so it proveth not that he is true God I answer The antecedent is a manifest and bold corrupting of the text For the divine attribute which elsewhere is ascribed to Jehova is here without any limitation and in the verie same words applied unto Christ not onely in regard of the administration of his righteous judgments but also as he is the searcher of the heart and therefore must necessarily be taken in one and the same sence But again he objecteth That Christ hath received all his knowledge judgment yea and himself too from the Father as he confesseth Io. 5. Rev. 5.11 here v. 27. as I have received from my Father so that he is not the same God with the Father I answer he deceiveth by an equivocation For Christ receiveth all things from the father two maner of wayes Io 1.14 Prov. 8.25 God the sonne hath received his divine essence from the Father by eternal generation for he is the onely begotten of the Father before the mountaines were setled So that with his divine essence he received his divine omniscience But as he is man he received all his power and glorie in time by his reall exaltation so far forth as consisted with the nature and perfection of his manhood in this latter respect we confesse he is not God notwithstanding it is false to affirme that he is not God in the former for howsoever in this respect he hath received all things from the Father yet whatsoever is divine the Sonne hath it by his owne essence even as the Father Because the Father hath given to the Sonne to have life in himself as the Father hath life in himself See Damascenus lib. 4. Orth. fid cap. 19. Thirdly he objecteth that many Prophets and Apostles knew the hearts of men also Io. 5.26 I answer Eyther this or that of Salomon is false Thou onely knowest the hearts of all men 1 King 8.39 God indeed did reveal some things not al things unto Elisha Peter and Paul but not the knowledge of the hearts To be short none of them did or could say that he was the searcher of the reynes and heart as Christ here saith And all the Churches shal know that I am the searcher of the reynes hearts 24. But unto you I say The fourth part of the narration is an exhortation and here he turnes aside from the Pastor before commended and reproved and from the deceivers threatned and speakes to the rest of the Church in Thyatira and exhorts such as were godly among them and had not harkened unto the false teachers to go foreward and continue in the Apostles doctrine And hence again it appeareth that these Epistles were written not to the officers alone but to all the Churches The Vulgar as also Andreas and Montanus read it without the copulative but to you the rest but the other Greeke copies have it to you and to the rest as if he had said to thee o Pastor and to thy fellow officers and to the resâ—â—f the Church But the sence is the same For the Pastor also was one of those which held not the doctrine of Jezabel although indeed he was to negligent in repressing of the same This doctrine To wit of Jezabel and the Nicolaitans concerning fornication and communicating with Idolaters And which have not knowen This is an Hebrue phrase and signifies who have not approved The depth of Satan So these deceivers called their blasphemies as being deep mysteries and hidden wisedome and things more excellent then ever the Apostles taught Now Christ graunteth they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 depths but such as had their original
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
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
For heaven is the throne of God wherefore they that sweare lift up their hands to heaven as calling upon God to bee a witnesse and judge of the truth Hence also comes the received custome amongs us to lift up the right hand and put forth the three first fingers in signe of the blessed trinity whom we call for a record upon our souls 6 And sware by Gr In him that liveth by two adjunctes he denotes the true God The first internall that liveth for ever and ever The other externall who created heaven earth sea and the things that are therein The former is a most proper note of the true God because he alone is of himself and shal be from eternitie unto all eternitie not receiving life from any but giving unto all life moving and beeing Hence with the Hebrewes the Lord is called Jehovah that is subsisting living of himself And by this Epithite generally in scripture he is distinguished from the false gods or idols of the Gentiles In him that is by him that liveth beeing an Hebraisme for they that take an oath are to sweare in that is by Jehovah as Jonathan said to David 1. Sam. 24.22 What it is to sweare by the living God sweare unto me in Jehovah Now to swear by Johovah or by the living God is to require and cal him who is the alone searcher of the hart to give testimony unto the truth and to punish him that sweareth in case he wittingly take his name in vaine Here then we see in the first place that an Oath is a kind of invocation upon God and therefore often in scripture swearing is put for invocating and so againe invocation for the other As Isa 19.18 The nations shall sweare by Iehovah It is lawfull for Christians to sweare in some cases that is shall call upon the true God and 2. Cor. 1.23 I call God saith Paul to record upon my soule so that an Oath is a kinde of worship and therfore lawfull and acceptable to God no way prohibited unto Christians as some phantasticall men have affirmed Secondly that no Oath is laflul except it bee taken in the name of God For hee alone knowes the hart and only i◠able to reveale secrets to punish hidden perjurie to resolve doubtfull things confirme the whole truth for he is above all and in him alone in the last place all faith is setled Thirdly hence we see that to sweare by Angels It is a great wickednesse to sweare by the creature Saintes or any other creature is a horrible wickednesse both because they cannot search the hart reines in which regard they are vainly called upon as also because religious invocation is a worship onely proper to God cannot without sacriledge bee given unto any other They therefore who sweare by Mary the Saintes doe as much offend the Lord deceive themselves and others as SOCRATES who was wont to sweare by his dog or any stone whatsoever But here it may bee demanded if this Angel be Christ himself how then doth he sweare by him that liveth for ever For hereby it seems either that he is not Christ or els that Christ is not true God but inferiour unto him because he sweares by the living God as by one greater then himself To this I have given somewhat in answer before and sufficiently shewed that Christ is this Angel He sweareth by him that liveth for ever as hee is man and the mediatour so he acknowledgeth God to be above him according as he speaketh Io. 14.28 The Father is greater then I. Or els as he is God and then he sweareth by him who liveth for ever not as by a superiour or by another but by himself according to that in Heb. 6.13 because God could sweare by no greater he sware by himself But that Christ is he that liveth for ever appeares by his owne testimony Chap. 1.18 I live saith he was dead VIII Arg of Christs deity confirmed to wit as man and behold I live for ever and ever This therefore as we have before noted yeeldeth us a worthy argument to prove the deity of Christ Who created heaven By this other Epithite he also distinguisheth the true God from idols as beeing the onely creatour of all things in heaven in earth c. gave them I say at first a beeing of nothing the which was a worke of omnipotencie not to be effected by false gods or any creature Therefore the true God every-where in scripture as also in the common creed is celebrated as the creatour of all things Ier. 10.11 but the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth even they shall perish from the earth from under these heavens Neither doth this make any thing to the contrarie but that this Angel is Christ for he sweareth by the creatour of all things Ioh. 1.3 Heb. 1.2 that is by himself For by him all these things were made and without him was not any thing made that was made By whom also God the Father made the worlds This Epithite therefore doth also confirme the truth of Christs divinity That there should be time no longer Now followes what Christ sware and to what end Both which are to the same purpose for the latter adversitively expounds the former viz. that there should bee no more time but that the accomplishment of the mystery of God was at hand under the seventh trumpet The former is taken diverse wayes ANDREAS he sweareth there should bee no time after or in the world to come or not long after the sixt trumpet the latter part of whose opinion is agreable to the scope but not the former notwithstāding Ribera foolishly approves therof there shal be no time saith he because this variety of time as dayes nightes moneths yeeres shal be no more but an unchangable eternity shall follow in the dayes of the seventh Angel But what use was there to confirme that with an Oath which no man is ignorant of viz. that after the consummation of this world time shall be swallowed up by eternity Alcasar wresteth it unto the Iewes to whom there shal be no more time as beeing threatned of God to be forsaken But what need was there that Christ should signifie a thing by vision and Oath which long before was clearly declared Behold your house is left unto you desolate Matt. 23.28 BRIGHTMAN there shal be no more time that is no longer delay but a verie little time shal be remaining untill the consummation of the mysterie the which is agreable unto the scope of the place for Christ by a fift consolation would encourage the faithfull taken from the brevity of the time remaining least they beeing dishartned in regard of the long continued calamities of the six trumpets should be out of hope as if there should never be an end of their miseries but that Antichrists rage should allwayes continue in the world But
inhabitants of the earth grosse and earthly men superstitious maintainers of Antichristian idolatry obstinate adversaries from whom they shall suffer grievous contradiction Secondly the successe of their doctrine is noted not to be very great They shall labour indeed to reforme the Papacy Caecis sabulam canent Aethiopes lavabunt to call the blinde unto the light but according to the proverb they shall sing to the deafe and wash Black-moores because Antichrist will resist them by all meanes possible and labour to keep his kingdome in peace And indeed it shall be so by the just judgement of God For because the world rather loveth lies then truth God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a lie that they all might perish who have not received the love of the truth 2 Thes 2.11 The consideration hereof serves both to illustrate the goodnesse of God who graciously caused the everlasting Gospel to be preached unto the inhabitants of the earth that is the sworne vassals of Antichrist drowned in superstitions and idolatry As also to lessen the scandall that we be not offended at the small successe the Gospel then had at that time For what wonder was it that the inhabitants of the earth received not the same who were accustomed to heare and beleeve nothing but the dreames and lies of Antichrist And to every nation and tribe This partition is taken from Chap. 13.7 signifying that the fame of this Gospell should be spread as farre as the Papacy did extend For however those teachers should remaine in their places yet their doctrine by their writings was made knowne every where and found adversaries in all places Before I goe further let us here take notice of one thing touching the devils subtilty Cyrillus feineth a new gospell We finde by history that a little before God raised up this Angell in England the devill had begun to spread abroad his eternall gospell through one Cyrillus a carmelite Monke consisting of most foule errours and monstrous opinions pretending that it was the everlasting gospell of this Angell And indeed the Monkes under pretext of this prophesie did readily imbrace the same because he confirmed their monasticall rites rules superstitions and fables He taught that the Gospell of Christ was to remaine unto this time but thence forward his new Gospel was to take place in the Church This was a wicked depravation of this prophesie 1 Pet. 1.25 Rom. 10.8 Rev. 2.25 Gal. 1.8 and blasphemie against the expresse word of God The word of the Lord remaineth foe ever This is the word of faith which we preach Hold fast that which yee have till I come If an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospell let him be accursed To this ungodly fiction many learned of that age opposed themselves insomuch that Pope Innocent himselfe was forced by the Lateran Council to condemne this impudent assertion because it also touched the Popes kingdome Some say Joachim the Abbot was the broacher hereof but it is false See Centur. Ecclesiast 13. cap. 5. To discover therefore the imposture of the Devill the Lord began to bring to light in the same age the everlasting Gospell here prophesied of by Wickleffe in England and by other teachers in other places We may easily Iudge which of these two was that everlasting and true Gospell For the one abolished the Gospel of Christ and writings of the Apostles The other brought forth the same out of darknesse The former therefore was false the latter true Saying with a great voice The zeale of the Angell in publishing the Gospell is commended And indeed the foresaid teachers performed their office with unwearied labour and paines both in teaching preaching disputing for when they came into the world the world was in a deep lethargie of superstitions drunken buried in the wine of the wrath of Babylonish fornication So that they were forced to cry aloud so mightily to the end that they might be heard of the drowzy or rather deafe inhabitants of the earth This voice is to be understood not onely of their preaching but writings also by which they manifested the doctrine of the everlasting Gospell Feare God The argument of his preaching hath three parts yet the whole is doctrinall and hortatory The first part is the feare of God which is the beginning of wisdome Here rightly the teachers begin Sometimes by it the whole worship but here properly is signified that part of worship which consists in the true knowledge and reverence of God and it is opposed both to the carnall security of the whole world whence ariseth prophanenesse and the wicked contempt of God as also to the preposterous feare by which Antichrist hath along time kept the world under his yoake Both these I will briefly now expound The Papacy did abound with security and feare Security feare in the Papacy This carnall security was fostered by their bewitching confessions absolutions satisfactions Masses indulgences c. No wicked act how great soever but by money and such remedies might be expiated Hence Gods judgement neither was or to this day is feared in the Papacy as having present remedy for their sins in their confessions satisfactions and indulgences Hence springeth that bruitish security and liberty to sin So againe the feare of Antichrist hath and still doth vex the world because it is held a greater offence to neglect the edicts of the Pope then to violate the commandements of God So that they were easily frighted with the feare of excommunication poenall satisfactions purgatory c. insomuch as Emperours and Kings were forced to kisse the feet of Antichrist yea all both great and smal did tremblinglie submit to his beck Now this Angell recalling the world both from this prophane security as also from their preposterous feare bids them FEARE GOD not the Beast for it is not the Beast but God that can cast both soule and body into hell fire Math. 10.28 And give glory to him Secondly he requires faith and obedience unto the Gospell for then is the glory of Gods truth goodnes and power truely attributed unto him when his word is received by faith and performed in obedience In the former member the Angel prepared the world for the Gospell because without the feare of God that is so long as prophanesse and contempt of God doth reigne there the Gospell findes no place By this other member he instructs them thus prepared to give glory to God by receiving his word in faith and conforme their life according to his commandements And indeed this is all God requires of us So Moses And now O Israel what doth Jehovah thy God require of thee Deut. 1.12 save that thou feare Jehovah thy God and walke in all his waies and love him with all thy heart For the houre of his judgement is come A reason confirming what he had said is taken from threatning of judgement at hand the serious consideration whereof
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