here all true Christians are counted as before chap. 1.6 Therefore when Constantine came to the Kingdome the Church began to hide it selfe in a secret place by going froÌ„ the sight of the world into a certen more inward roome Whereunto perteineth that sealing chap. 7. Wherby a fewe of many were severed by some privie marke Neither ought it to seeme mervailous that this separating of themselves from others was made in so great glory of peace and desire to advance the Christian name For when some raised up contentions others coveted much to get honours many travailed with heresies and brought them forth all did bend themselves with all their power to heape up superstitions was it easy in that state of things for any pure syncere and sound thing to abide in his place But the obscurity of the Saincts indeede grew more every day by how much more those foure mischiefes increased The which thing Rome also her selfe granted unwares For doest thou demaÌ„de where our Church was before Luther Therefore thou knowest not But understand thus where thou Rome wert not to wit in the hidden holy place of our God whither shee had runne for succour with all the rest of the Saincts from thyne infection But when thou boastest that thou art a Citie set on a hill which never was hidden but hath flourished with a continuall and manifest succession confesse also that thou art not the true Church and that thou hast founde noe place in that covert of protection ¶ And them that worshippe in it Mete is a common verbe and of a continuall quantity but here figuratively it signifyeth also number thou as if he should say put into the number of nine those fewe who in trueth worship me secretly for there was a certen number in sealing the elect chap. 7. which same thing is declared here in other wordes when he biddeth him to meete the worshippers All the Saincts are sayd to worship on the Altar because they put all their hope and trust in the death of Christ which kinde of sacrifices perteineth not to the Tribe of Levi alone to offer but to everie true godly man likewise And this onely is that thing which discerneth the true Christian from the false and counterfait But that the most in those times worshipped not so on the altar wee must thinke not without cause when it is to be seene clearly from their writings that many who ought to have shined before others in all knowledg attributed to much to their voluntary workes and to their owne holinesse 2 But the court that is without the Temple So Aretas and the Complutent edition doe reade but some bookes have which is within the Temple to wit the court of the Priests in which was the altar of burnt offrings which he mentioned even nowe which court some time is called by the name of the temple Neither is this reading to be reiected rashly For Iohn is not biddeÌ„ to mete this court but onely the Altar of this court And it may be that it agreeth more fitly with that which followeth if the inward court be cast out then if that be cast out which was already without before But both have respect to the same ende that it is nothing to be esteemed whatsoever is more then those foresayd Temple Altar Worshippers For the court is given to the Gentils that is to the Christians as for a name neither this onely but also the holy City which they should tread under foote not by spoiling it like an enemie but in frequenting it daily under a colour of worshipping as in Isaiah 1.12 and that for the space of fourtie two moneths These things shewe clearly what should be the condition of the false Church in those times wherein the trueth should be hidden First it should noe lesse exceed in number and multitude then the people which once dwelt at Ierusalem and was wont when the holy things were done to be in the utmost court exceeded the number of them who executed their office in the Temple Good God howe great difference was there Exceeding great was the coÌ„pany of the inhabitans and of them that continually flocked to the temple howe in the meane time few Priests were there within in comparison of that great multitude which was exercised without There should be the same quantitie of fained Christians in respect of the true and naturall Citizens Secondly it should have her counterfait worshippers dwelling very neere the Temple For they should possesse Ierusalem and the whole court should be theirs How neerly was the court ioyned to the Temple How did it compasse the same round about Ezech 40.5 Good God how nigh was this society Who durst have condemned the court of prophanenesse unlesse the Angell himselfe had commanded it And the event surely was altogither answerable For in those first times when the foure first trumpets sounded what was Athanatius alone unto so greate assemblyes of Bishops What afterward was Basil the Greate or Gregorie Nazianzene unto almost the whole East Yf thou shouldest respect the multitude who would not have contemned one or two in coÌ„parison of so great a rable But if you would respect holines were they not all Bishops Did not all desire to be esteemed valiant defenders of the trueth How easy was it therefore here either by the number or likenes to be deceaved In the last times also there is the same boasting of the holy citie and of the outmost court against the Temple Is not the Church of Rome spread through the whole earth Have the Lutherans heresies as they clatter ever passed over the Sea Have they seene at any time eyther Asia or Afrique or Egypt or Grecia Who can doubt of the Holy Catholike Church which counteth her Bishops even from Peter himselfe by a most certen succession But Rome nowe boasteth of her multitude by how much in time past shee hath flourished in greater number by so much the more is shee nigher to the great assembly treading under foote Hierusalem and further of from this small number lying hid in the Temple wee see in this place the whorish Church most furnished both with multitude and neighbourhood Yf these things shal be sufficient to get the victory thou hast overcome o Rome so well in populous City as in proximity But let them looke to it that are carâ—ied away with the name of the Catholike Church how easily here they may be deceaved of the whore which possesseth the holy City and the very outward court next to the Temple Let them in the name of God weigh the matter in earnest and diligently and not suffer themselves to be beguiled with vaine boasting Let them minde that unto them that looke but of a farre off they seeme all to be in the Temple it selfe who are but within yea the outmost part of the walles but let them come nigher and they shall see most cleerly that those whom even now they thought to be in the most inward roomes
times was as concerning vittailes And although the untēperatnes of the Heaven had not ben there was calamity enough from the continuall warres to spende up all the store seeing it must needes be that the fieldes and country were forsaken the tillage of the earth was neglected that the cattel were not regarded the corne layed up was burnt with fire and that all succour of life was destroyed From whence the sword hath Famine ioined with it as an unseparable companion The third weapon of death was the Pestilence then which noe mā will say easily I thinke whether at any time there hath ben any more sharpe and grievous either for continuance of time or for multitude of those that perished It arose first under Gallus Volusianus beginning at Aethiopia it was spread almost through all the East and Weast it made many cityes wholy empty of cityzens and continued whole 15. yeeres as Zonaras in Gallo and Dionysius of Alexandria in an Epistle to the brethren doe describe lamentably the cruell fiercenesse of it and togither also maketh mention of the former calamityes giving a most cleare testimony of the fulfilling of this Prophecy in those times After the persecution which he spake of a little before there followed both warres and famine which wee endured togither with the Gentiles bearing alone the thinges wherewith they oppressed us yet even alike partakers of those thinges which both they brought upon them selves and suffered and againe wee reioyced in the peace of Christ which he gave to us alone But when both wee and they had ben cased a very short time that pestilence entered a thing more terrible to them then any terrour and more lamentable then any calamity and as one of their owne History-writers sayd which alone exceeded the hope of all men yet not such to us but an exercise and tryall inferiour to none of the rest for it absteined not in deede frō us but it came on with farre more violence against them These thinges hath he in Euseb Hist booke 7.22 Cyprian from this sorrowfull and unwonted evill tooke the argumēt of his booke touching mortality As for the Beasts if they be taken properly I remember not that I have read any notable dāmage and hurt done of them at this time although it is noe light coniecture that they did much harme in the Easterne and Southerne countryes In some ages coming after when also the famine and pestilence became worse and worse men were afraid of the dogges least being accustomed to eate their carkases cast forth abroade afterward they should desyre thē alive for meate whereupon they set themselves to kill the dogges Euseb booke 9.8 neither could it be but when foode fayled in the fieldes and men were lesse able to defend themselves that many were devoured of the Beasts But if wee referre them to cruell men and tyrants in noe mans remembrāce at any time were there so great troupes of Beasts in every place spoiling and renting men in pieces For when Gallienus was Emperour who after Valerian was taken reigned alone so many tyrants arose who tooke to themselves the name of Emperour as there were not so many since Cesar was Dictator to that time in so long a row and continued ranke of EMPEROVRS Thirty are recorded by Trebellius who at one time in divers coūtryes invaded the Empire in which also certeine women scoffed at the name of Romane How great a dismembring of men must there needes be whē so many Beasts strove at once about the Empire Such then are the three Seales every one notable for their scourges the two former for their speciall the last for all these kindes of punishements wherewith the world was to be punished for despising and vexing the trueth For when the milder correction prevailed nothing with their stubburne hartes almost all the hostes of death are sent in upon them even as also the event hath most fully approved Neither yet are these evills so proper to this one age that they can agree to noe other but they are the common punishements of the contemners of godlines Lev. 26. Ezech. 6.11 c. And afterward after these times of Gallienus one may see the Famine and Pestilence did consume all whē Maximinus raigned in the East Euseb booke 9. 8. But there is so solemne a Prophecy of them in this place both because the next times after Iohn should be famous for these punishements which men should procure to themselves for despising the Ghospell and also because they should be faithfull hostages pledges and seales of the future events that were to be expected many ages after 9 And when he had opened the fift Seale I sawe under the Altar the soules c. Of the fifte seale there is noe Beast by whose voice Iohn is invited to see And that not without cause but because this secret should passe over men being not stirred up by any publike solemne crie to observe the event as was done in the former neither certenly doth the History reporte that any man performed any such labour in which respect such an office might be attributed unto him worthily Furthermore this Seale consisted partly in rehearsing thinges past partly in reporting an evēt of that kinde which is wont to glaunce by without perceaving especially seeing our natures ar so disposed that adversities doe abyde more surely in our mindes then prosperityes Wherefore seeing the Seales are made like unto the events it is no mervayle that noe type is set forth here to which noe event should be answerable ¶ J sawe under the altar the soules The fifte type is the soules of the Martyrs lying under the altar in this verse requiring vengeance against their enemies ver 10 receaving answere ver 11. Which three members doe respect three times to wit the time past present and to come The soules lying under the altar declare most finely from the consequent what wente before that is to say in what cōditiō the Church was during those former seales and with howe great cruelty of men she contended Wee have heard in deede the trueth overcoming wee have learned also that warre famine and pestilence with their cōpanions possessed and spoiled all thinges but there was noe mention yet in what state the true worshippers of Christ were in the meane time allthough from the victory of the trueth their conflict may be gessed frō those calamities anoying the world that great wronge was done to the godly for which cause the enemies were so sharpely punished But the thinge is made manifest nowe by this complainte of the Martyrs killed that is to say that an infinite quantity of blood was shed of men that worshipped the Sonne of God frō that time in which John wrote unto the ende of the raigne of Galienus whither the former seales have brought us And what place is there that have not heard of these horrible massacres all this space of time Tratan Hadrian Antonin Ver Maximin Severe Decie the rest
nothing concerned thē Hereunto is added that the nomber of seaven is an universall nomber by whose revolution all times are made all times being winded upon this Pole even as the whole heavenlie frame is turned upon the seaven starres Wherefore as being full of mysterie it is used afterward the whole booke through in describing of all things Yet all Churches are not so to be considered as yf nothing indeede had bene sent to them which by name are afterward noted but togither with the signification of the misterie the truth of the historie is to be reteined Seing therefore these seaven Churches stretch further than their names declare whether in them the estate of all times even to Christes comming is to be considered No verily but onely of that time wherein the Church shal be among the Gentiles Which thing shal be manifest by those things that follow and also so plaine a desciphering of the Churches of Asia seemes to grant that the Synagogue of the Iewes is not to be mixt with them Which thing hath caused that in the resolution we have distinguished the whole Propheticall narration into that which is proper to particular Churches and into that which is common to all Churches ¶ Grace be to you and peace from which is He commeth to the praier wherby the third person of the Inscription is declared And he setteth downe the fountaine of grace and peace to be one true God three in person whos 's first person these words declare Arethas thinkes that these three times doe specially bolong to the three persons Because the Father saith he is otherwhere called which is Exod. 3.14 the Sonne which was Iohn 1.1 the Holy Ghost which cometh Iohn 16.8.13 Act. 2. But the distinction so cleare which forthwith followeth gainsaies it which challengeth this description of that J will be Exod. 3.14 common to the whole Deitie here to the alone person of the Father Wherby also we are given to understand that this threefolde difference of time belonges to the unchangeable and stedfast truth of God concerning his promises For there is the same force of this circumlocution as of that abreviation Exod. 3.4 which we know was used that he might teach Moses that the time was come that he woulde perfourme the promise once made to Abrahā of delivering his seed out of Egipt From whence is also that name of Iehova wherby God was not knowne to the Fathers Exod. 6.2 because they had not yet obteined that promise Certaine minde that this is a name of being no portion of which a created spirit can understand as yf God should take to himselfe such names onely for his owne sake and not for ours Wherefore these things are as yf he should say From God the Father most true and constant in all his things which presently giueth most plentifull experiments of his truth by sending at length his Sonne into the world who in former times never failed in any one of those things which he had promised who lastly so hath caused hope of things as yet to come that daily he endevoureth the performance of them and hasteneth the acomplishment of his whole truth For which cometh hath this force as a present future that I may so say For that which cometh is not yet present nor yet altogether absent Therefore it is much more significant then if he had said which will come or which is about to come as commonly it is turned For this which cometh declareth that he will no further deferre his promises but that now forthwith he is imploied in fulfilling of them an excellent confort for them which through wearines of delay doe fainte But thou wilt say is truth attributed to the Father onely Verilie it is common alike to all of them but seeing the partes of the Sonne and Spirit are chiefly imploied in executing the decrees it is mentioned as proper to him alone whome order of doing maketh to be the Authour of promising and the fountaine of goodnes Gentile impietie hath imitated this division with their tripos which they report that Apollo used for three commodities of things which he had very much tried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saw things to come to be before they were as in the Scholiaste of Aristophanes on Plut. ¶ And from the seauen spirites The second welspring of peace is the Holy Ghost most plentifully enriching replenishing his Church with every kinde of giftes for which cause such a circumlocution is used For he which togither with the Father the Sonne is the giver and causer of peace and grace cannot be counted amongst the creatures Of which matter see that most learned man Francis Iunius Neither proves it that this is a creature as the Iesuite will have it because he is saide to stand in the sight of the throne after the maner of those that rather serve God himselfe than that he is God himselfe Wheras by this reason neither the Sonne should be God which being a lambe came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate on the throne hereafter chap. 5.7 And more plainely in Daniell 7.13 and before him that is setting in his throne they presented him to wit the Sonne of man What then is the Sonne to be beteft of his Godhead Wherfore we must know that the words mentioned thorough this booke both here and else where both universally of God as the chiefe and highest Governour in which regard a throne is attributed to him and also of the Sonne Holy Ghost as ministers By whose more neare working all things are done Wherfore they are sayd to stand as in a readines before the throne and as it were expecting the commaundement and becke of the Chiefe Governour So was the Revelation given to the Sonne ver 1. and therefore the Spirit seemeth in this place to be noted more by his giftes by which he workes in his saints then by his proper name But the things onely of order are not to be drawne to destroy the natures 5 And from Jesus Christ which is that faithfull witnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from Jesus Christ that faithfull witnes that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is that faithfull witnes the want of the relative being supplied very often used in this booke after the manner of the Hebrewes These things apperteine to the thirde fountaine Christ which we call the thirde in regard of the place which here he susteines not in order of person Hitherto hath bin differred the describing of him because it was more at large to be insisted upon and frō him to be derived the thankesgiving by whose alone merite we are made partakers of all good things And first he mentioneth his Propheticall Office calling him the faithfull witnes that is which hath faithfully truly and fully taught the whole will of God as farre as appetaines to mans salvation For the whole doctrine of the Gospell is wont to be called a testimony as Iohn 3.11
grievous calamityes of this life and also those that shall be endlesse 23 And J will kill her children with death The third punishement is of her children These are the Popes Cardinals Archbishops Bishops Priests Iesuites and the rest of the whole troupe of this Hierarchie Christ will destroy by death all those not onely by this first but also unlesse they repent by the second This is yet to come begun after a sorte but nowe shortly to be accomplished as after shal be declared ¶ And all the Churches shall know The Churches testimony of the iust and severe iudgement of God For at length the other multitude of Christians shall have experience that Christ is such a one as he hath declared himselfe alwayes in his word His long patience hath almost taken away credit from his holy threatnings but in very deede he shall shewe at length that they were not vaine terrours of wordes but which shall bring most certen vengeance in their time and this partly begun partly is yet to come What reformed Church doth not see the long coÌ„tinued languishing of Rome and prayse the iust God and celebrate him crying out O the deepnes of his iudgements But there shall be a more plentifull argument of his prayse in her last and full destruction And wheras he saith that he searcheth the reynes hartes in the same he sheweth to what end his eyes were like a flame of fyre ver 18. to wit because not onely his servants should approve themselves to be sharpe sighted in searching out the deceits of this whore but also Christ should shewe him selfe such in administring of things laying open the impiety of Rome howsoever coloured with many coverings 24 And to you J say the rest Now he commeth to the Consell as we have noted in the Analysis teaching how they should defende themselves against this wickednes of Iezabell And it is given to you and the rest of Thyatira that is to thee the Angell with the company of thy colleges and the rest of the Church which have abode in sounde doctrine as Theod. Beza hath expounded very well The comon translation the Complutent Edition and others doe put out the particle and but to you I say the rest of Thyatira But Aretas doth reade the same whith whom other written copies doe agree From which particle it is evident that not onely the last clause doth perteine to the Church but also the whole narration although it respecteth chiefly the Angell and speaketh to him by name The same iudgement is to be holden of the rest for there is the like reason of each one ¶ And who have not known the deepnesses of Sathan as they say But who are they which say As farre as seemeth to me the teachers of this heinous wickednes asthough they should bragge that they alone did knowe the deepnesses of Sathan to perceive all his cunning and subtilityes and togither also to knowe the way wherby they may resist his mischievous devises and therfore that they permitted confused lust and buggery or at least whoredome for to avoid a greater evill that the other teachers which the comon sort holde true Ministers are simple men and unskâ—lfull altogither ignorant of Sathans entreprises The name of Sathan seemeth not to be cast in their teeth of Iohn in reproch but to have bin used of theÌ„selves willingly in that sence which I have said So ungodlines is wont to vaunt it selfe challenging to her selfe alone the power to loose and deliver others when her selfe is on every side bound with the snares of the Devill Wherefore the greeke worde is more fitly translated by the olde Interpreter who have not knowne For the Spirit doth rather checke the boasting of the wicked then praise the integrity of the faithfull ¶ J will lay no other burden upon you That is I will denounce no more grievous thinge against you as well expounde it Theod Beza A burdeÌ„some Prophecy was wont to be called Massa that is a Burden These words then shew that noe notable calamity should invade this Church Which ought to be beleeved so to have fallen out in the city of Thyatira Wee know that it hath come to passe in our parte of the world there having happened no other notable mutation besides that which was spoken from the yeare 1300. by the space of 200. yeares after and somewhat more For froÌ„ that time the Turke waxed strong but this perteined to the affliction of Kings that committed adultery with the whore as wee have shewed at ver 22. The true Church getteth no great losse therby but that it is a griefe to hear that men of Christian name should be trode under foote so cruelly of a most wicked enemy Otherwise while the Turk vexed the Romane whore and her adulterers the trueth springing up againe got leave to grow 25 Yet that which yee have hold till I come He exhorteth to constancy that they keepe faithfully the things gotten Neither is this exhortation onely a precept what they ought to doe but a Prophesy what should be done as often else where Therefore they should goe forward in the light of the trueth neither should suffer themselves to be driven from the right way And the comming of which he speaketh is a fuller reformation wherby Christ being banished from us as long as superstitions and errours doe reigne when they are taken away doth come to us and giveth the confort of his presence Therefore this sparkle of truth should continue alive while at length it should breake out into a flame to wit even to the times of Luther as by and by wee shall see 26 For if any shall overcome c. And he that overcometh and keepeth to the ende my workâ—s I will give to him c. in steade of and to him that overcomeâ—h and keepeth J will give c. an Hebraisme such as is also in the chap. following ver 12.21 where the nominative case is put absolutely by defect of the preposition lamech as in Psal 11.4 Iehova in the heaven is his seate that is of Iehova or as touching Iehova his seate is in heaven So Psal 18.31 God himselfâ— his way is upright for Leel Deo that is for God or as touching God that of Paul is like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Rom. 8.3 which doth so trouble the Interpreters not marking this Hebraisme whether to adunaton be the nominative absolute the sense whereof is for as touching the impossibility c. But the end which he here mentioneth is not of this life but of this period which should then cease when a perfiter reformation should come ¶ I will give him power over the nations The reward is double of power over the nations and of the morning starre We have said that the rewards are applyed to the times and doe signify those good things which the saints enioy in this life howsoever they be also pledges of future things Power then over the nations is power over the
notable errours that there hath bin scarce at my time any other more foule and deadly Lamentable in deede is the fall of the famous men whose labour was once courageous and no lesse profitable against the comon enemyes And what a crowne had they received if they had continued in the same warrefarre and had not as cruell Elephants turned back of the enemyes wasted their owne friendes But my office is of an Interpreter and not of a quereller and therefore I leave of these things This death invaded not onely some perticalar men but also many whole cityes and provinces as may appeare by the booke of Concorde published in the yeare 1580. which is not of so great force to stablish the errour with the consent of so many as to testify this miserable calamity of the brethren And to this errour touching the Supper of the Lord and person of Christ were many other also added to wit of Originall sinne of Free will of Iustification of Good workes of the Lawe and Gospell of Indifferent things and of Predestination Therefore death assaileth with a manifoulde dart how great must the slaughter be seing shee casteth to ground even with one great troupes of men ¶ For J have not founde thy workes perfit The reason why so many fell into death The Church of Sardis as farr as it seemeth admitted not the syncere truth of God but reteined some Ethnike superstition The Church of Germany did indeede cast away many Popish errours yet in the Sacrament of the supper shee sticke still as it were in the clay of bodily presence not as Rome dreaming of a changed substance of bread and wine into a true and reall flesh and blood but no lesse contrary to and disagreeing from the trueth conioining the true flesh and blood togither with the outward signes affirming that he is present here on earth This leaven Luther never cast out but contended fiercely with Zuinglius Oecolampadius for to defend retaine the same Neither would God which afflicted so grievously the Corinthians for the prophanation of this sacred mystery so as many were weake and sicke and many slept 1 Cor. 11.30 have goe away unpunished the neglect of amending in this point Of which punishement to come some proofe was made whâ—n Luther was constrained for the defense of an uniust cause to fly for succour to Vbiquity and to confirme many other things touching the manhood of Christ which are contrary to the truth But for the heat of contention he could not so well consider and minde that froÌ„ those beginnings and flourishes he should understand God to be angry How did he not beware of that errour which did draw with it so great a multitude of wicked opinions Why feared he not what might have happened to others having tryed in himselfe into what case he himselfe was brought in disputing But his eyes were holden that he could not forsee for the time to come and turne away this so grievous punishment froÌ„ his people Wherfore their workes were not perfit because a full reformatioÌ„ was not used but onely one errour chaunged into an other noe lesse grievous And God is wont often times to punish sinne with sinne 3 Remember therefore c. The second remedy is to remember and repent Theod. Beza translated thus remember what thou hast received And so indeede some time the worde pos seemeth to be taken For that of Mark take heed what thou heare chap. 4.24 Luke hath it thus take heed how you heare chap. 8.18 But when he saied even now that theire workes were not full before God he seemeth not so much to exhorte that they would reteine those thinges which they had received for so they should have continued in their former errours as that they should remember the manner of receaving So as pos in this place ought to remaine in his owne proper signification denoting rather the quality then the substance of the thing He warneth therfore the Sardenses that they goe backe to the first institution and amende things fallen into decay after the rule of that alone Even as also the Germane Church that they minde what Luther propounded to himself at the beginning and make their reformation according to that rule But he regarded noe other thing at the first then that all humane inventions driveÌ„ away onely the divine truth revealed in the scriptures inspired of God might prevayle For so in the preface of his assertion of the artickles coÌ„demned by the Bulle of the Pope Leon x. First saith he J will that they beare mee witnesse that I will not be compelled with the authority of any at all how holy a father soever unlesse as farre as he shal be approved by the iudgement of divine scripture Againe Let the first principles then of Christians be none other but the word of God but all men conclusions be fetched from hence and againe to be reduced thither and tryed therby Those first of all ought to be knowen of every one not sought out by men but men to be iudged by them Whereupon also he rehearseth that of Augustine in his 3. booke of the Trin. be not bound unto my Epistles as unto the Canonicall Scriptures c. Therefore wee may not cleave in the bookes of Luther as the Vbiquitaries doe and they which corrupt the Sacrament by the late devised consubstantiation but as he thought he must be wise onely out of the scriptures so all his writings are to be brought backe to these holy balances Why doe wee give greter authority to his bookes then either he to the bookes of others or himselfe would have to be given to his owne A matter indeede of great moment and in which alone consisteth the turning away of the eminent evill Vnlesse men turne their eyes to these things and have their eares bent to heare their voice and also those things performed which they shall commande an other scourge remayneth for Germany more bitter then that which even hitherto hath afflicted her not lightly What godly man taketh not great griefe minding the destructioÌ„ of so many brethren by a pernitions errour so long conteÌ„tions of minds so sharpe battels both of wordes and weapons But he must needes be more vexed when he considereth with himselfe that there is not yet an end of these evills but some greater thing to hang over their heads unlese they repent betimes I could not but warne the brethren of the danger least I should heare with my great griefe them to be afflicted and full of calamity whoÌ„ I desire in Christ Iesus to flourish And I hope that howsoever my iudgment shal be troublesome yet my good will shall not be ungrate ¶ Yf thou shalt not watch I will come c. The perill that he threatneth is his coming as a thiefe and that in an unexpected time He doth not expressely mention what kinde of evill shall come although in some parte it may be gathered from the similitude which often times is
are not rehearsed expressely in the vision of the first Chapter They doe greatly helpe to declare the administration of this Church Touching the city Philadelphia it selfe we finde no other thing but that in the age following there abod in that place a famous congregation of the faithfull over which Demas had the charge as is gathered from the Epistles of Jgnatius In the Antitype a divine power specially shineth forth sanctifying the Church by kindling the desyre of godlines and in making it in Christ Iesus fit and cheerfull to every good worke Let my wordes be without envy the true doctrine soundeth no where purer the worship lesse corrupted more flourisheth the faithfull diligence of the Pastours is performed more willing obedience of the people nor greater reverence of all religion among all degrees But this holines seemeth chiefly to respect manners In which thing is not to be passed over that famous testimony of Iohn Bodin speking of them of Geneva Of whom that thing saith he is prayse worthy if any thing any where in the earth and which maketh a comon wealth to flourish if not in riches and greatnes of Empire yet certenly in vertues and godlines namely that censure of the Popes then which nothing greater and more divine could be devised to bridle mens lusts and to represse those vices which by no meanes could be amended by any humane lawes and iudgements How be it that this restraint is directed after the rules of Christ first privatly and friendly after some what more sharply then if thou obey not there followeth an heavie grave and effectuall prohibition from the holy things after the interdiction is the punishement of the Magistrate And so it cometh to passe that those things which are punished no where by the lawes are there restrained without any force and sturre or great adoe Therefore noe whoredomes no drunknesses noe daunâ—ings noe beggars noe idle persons are found in that city Those are his wordes in Meth. of History chap. 6. Worthyly is the sanctifyer of the Church to be praysed who hath wrought that they should will and effect these things according to his free good will There is the same care and fruit also of the rest according to the measure which Christ vouchsafeth to every congregatioÌ„ of them Neither is his trueth lesse excellent both in as much as he is a Propheâ— in teaching and also a Surety in promising Wee shall see this double trueth in the following Church to be distinguished by their proper wordes both which the Greeke worde true seemeth to containe when it is put absolutely and by it selfe And as touching trueth of doctrine wher is it more pure and more sincere in the whole earth The whole Papacy hath here his throate cut The Anabaptists Antitrinitaries Arians and such like monsters raysed up againe from hell partly in Germany partly in Transylvania have founde no where a fiercer enemy What also hath it not assayed that shee might pull away from the Germane Churches their errours Neither doth shee keepe onely the doctrine of salvation uncorrupt but also shee both delivereth and teacheth in writings and exerciseth in practise a syncere maÌ„ner of administring wherby salvation is bestowed Certenly the whole will of God is communicated with his saints so as Christ taketh to himselfe not undeservedly this prayse of true in governing this Church He doth also performe plenteously that which he promised that he would keepe safe and sound those that seeke him with an upright heart What have not endevoured the Franch man the Spuniard the SavoyaÌ„ the Pope to roote out them of Geneva a small people and environed on every side with enemyes and shut up from all ayde of friends Neverthelesse it flourisheth yet still thankes be to God and shall flourish hereafter while all her adversaryes burst with envy as long as shee shall continue in this holy order The French Church hath ben preserved hitherto no other wise then the three children in the fornace Who would have beleeved that the Lowe Countryes had ben able to resist and withstande the raging Philip the cruell Duke d'Alve and so many bloudy Tyrants But true is he who hath promised this honour to his saints that they should binde the Kings with chaines and their nobles with fetters of iron Psalme 149.8.9 And that I may not speake of every each one they can be safe onely by thy protection o most high God who art constant in all thy promises whom both enemyes almost infinite doe persecute with deadly hatred and also to whom many of their freindes through envy wish not very well ¶ Who hath the key of David The third property perteineth also to the same administration Christ openeth and shutteth to whom he hath thought it good the entrance into the kingdome of Heaven by his regall power Which faculty in deede he bestoweth upon all his which doe declare and preach the worde purely and syncerely but which is principally to be seen in that part of governement wherby obstinate sinners which will not yeilde to admonitions are delivered to Sathan by the Ecclesiasticall censure and are cast out of the Church which is the Kingdome of Heaven according to that Whatsoever yee shall binde on earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoever yee shall loose in earth shal be loosed in heaven For where two or three are gathered togither in my name there am J in the middes of them Mat. 18.18.20 By these therefore is shewed that the power of opening and shutting of binding and loosing is very effectuall in these congregations and more over also the whole administration of the censures And what godly man doth not thanke God from his heart and extolleth not with worthy ptayses the holy paines of this Church which restored discipline fallen into decay and brought it backe to the rule of trueth and use of the primitive Church But it is to be observed that this key was sayd before to be the key of Death and Hell in the first Chapter and 18. verse by one part denoting the whole force of them Therefore that key is to be feared which locketh up the gate upon the wicked being thrust into Hell howsoever they despise the same with security And yet notwithstanding no lesse pleasant to them that feare God because it unlocketh to them the dores by which they may enter unto life But why is it called of David seeing it is of Aaron rather whose office was to keepe away the leprous and uncleane from the holy things and to shut up the Temple against them Certenly the Priest onely could pronounce men uncleane he was not wont by an ordinary proper power to use force to compell the disobedient Christ both King and Priest is very mighty in both facultyes and powers and ioineth togither both in this Church who not onely rayseth up Pastours that they should denounce men uncleane but also together adioyneth the civile Magistrate that he should give his ready and diligent labour
gathereth the teares of his children in his bottle knoweth that I have not viewed round about this Laodicea with dry eyes I could not but morne from the bottome of myne heart when I beheld in her Christ lothing us and very greatly provoked against us Wherfore let no man blame me for that which not so much my wil as the duty of a faithfull Interpreter compelleth me to bring forth And I hope that the lovers of the truth will not despise and refuse so equall and reasonable request with which hope supported but especially with his ayde who is the leader of my way and life I will gird and make my selfe ready unto the thing it selfe The Antitype I say is the third reformed Church that is ours of England For all the purer Churches are comprehended in this threefolde difference For either they presist and continue in those steppes which Luther hath traced out such as are the Churches of Germany especially of Saxony and those next bordering of Suerland and Danemarke or they abhorre that errour of Consubstantiation as all the rest with one consent which yet doe not agree in all things but follow a differing manner of governing and administring the French and their companions one our English another a certen propre and peculiar one Whereupon there are three distinct severally unto which the three types Sardis Philadelphia Laodicea after that Iezabell was overthrowne that is the yoke of the Romish tyranny shaken of doe answere And to the last Laodicea the English doth agree whose last original taketh her beginning at the yeare 1547. when Edward the King of most famous memory came to the rule and governement of the common wealth but then at length shee was confirmed and stablished when 11 yeares after our most peaceable Queene Elisabeth begā the kingdome Most mighty King Henry her father had expelled the Pope but reteyned the Popish superstition And before he began to stirre any whit even against the Pope the Churches of Germany and Helvetia were founded The Scotish Church is later in beginning then ours yet by right it is numbred with them with which it agreeth in ordinances into whose times shee is cast which is to be esteemed rather from the agreement of things then alone from the difference of time Wherfore our English Church alone constituteth the Antitype answering to Laodicea as shee which began last of those in which there appeareth noe difference of any moment ¶ These things saith that Amen Amen is used as a proper name and unchāgeable as before he that is he that was he that cometh This threefoulde property perteineth therto that it may teach what manner of one Christ would shew him selfe in governing this Church The first is fetched out of the first chap. ver 18. although Amen there wanteth the article neither is it read at all of the comon Interpreter yet notwithstanding this place giveth coniecture that it ought to be read The second is taken not out of the vision of the same chapter but from the inscription of the comon Epistle ver 5. Neither is the third found in expresse wordes but in the 8. ver he is called the beginning and the end from whence this seemeth to proceed the beginning of the creature The two first propertyes perteine to the double truth one of promising the other of teaching in respect of that he is called that Amen according to that of the Apostle In him are all the promises of God yea and amen 2 Cor. 1.20 in respect of this a faithfull true witnesse As touching that Christ taketh this name upon him now because he should shew himselfe very cleare famous in performing his promises But what are they All blessings of heaven of earth of cattell of children of peace of warre of good health the like to them that obey the voyce of the Lord but all cōtrary things to thē that refuse Deut. 28. Which how they were performed to the Laodiceans is not plainly apparent to us being destitute in this point of the light of the History As touching our England nothing can be more cleare then the excellent goodnes of God in this thing For the space of these 42. yeares more what aboundance of all good things hath ben powred forth upon our Iland He hath given us a most peaceable Queene excelling so in all prayse as no age hath seene the like Togither with her he hath given peace What good thing hath not issued frō thence Frō hēce the lawes are in force iudgemēts are exercised every one ēioyeth his owne iniuries are restrayned wātonnes is repressed the nobility is honoured the comon people goeth about their worke with all diligence arts doe flourish handicraftes are used cities are built excellently riches increased infinite youth groweth up the fieldes abunde with corne the pastures with cattel the moutaines with sheepe What should I use many words hence is a porte place of refuge opened to the banished for Christs sake affoardeth ayde to them that are oppressed by tyrants neither have wee almost any other labour thē that wee may helpe thē that neede all this even while our eares doe ringe of the noise tumulte of the nations round about us no lesse then as the waves of the sea England never had so long quietnesse of dayes At which our felicity strangers are astonished our enemies are grieved wee our selves almost knowe it not But prayse be to thee most true Amen who hath given us this ease and rest In bestowing largely upon us so many good thinges thou hast shewed truly to the world that thy Gospell is a guest not going away scot free which dot so aboundantly blesse those that receive entertaine it Keepe continue these good thinge unto us yea thou wilt keepe them which art Amen if wee shall keepe and defende thy trueth ¶ That faithfull witnesse true The second property is of trueth in teaching For these thinges perteine to the propheticall office of Christ as hath bin said in the first verse of the first chap. where he is called faithfull because of the diligence of labour wherby he is exercised in his office with very great faithfulnes to whom the FATHER hath well commited a businesse of so great momēt true for the soundnes and syncerity of speach without all even the least spot of falshood In this kinde of trueth he should manifest him selfe in wonderfull manner in this Church But touching the city of LAODICEA we have noe more then before In the Antitype those former riches of his grace are in this thing if it may be surmounted and excelled And to what end were all the good thinges if wee could not have the wholesome doctrine of trueth But ever since the first times of our most peaceable Queene he hath raysed up continually diligent and learned Pastours and Teachers who have preached the worde purely and syncerely Neither at this day are many wanting by his infinite mercy who bestowe
all their labour in imperting to his people the whole will of God and that pure and uncorrupte from all leaven of falshood Although not without cause in deede one may mervayle howe in so disorderly custome licence to doe all things that they will excepting the diffaming of the dignityes the doctrine hath continued so long whole and sounde But he that is a faithfull and true witnesse sanctifyeth the Pastours with the truth beyonde all hope in whose lippes he dwelleth even hitherto allthough by many not obscure tokens he threatneth that shortly he will go away unlesse betime he be met with ¶ The beginning of the creature of God The last property which is of power For whether we interprete the greeke worde for t begâ—â—ning or for dominion it cometh to the same end seeing it is necessary that all things be subiect to his gouvernement who in the beginning made them In which respect Christ hath shewed himselfe wonderfull also among us What hath not the Pope of Rome endevoured and undertaken that he might trouble our peace partly by execrations excommunications and bulles sounding an alarme to open rebellion partly attempting privily Iesuites being sent by stelth and other privy murtherers who should kill the sacred Princesse with sword poyson torments divelish artes or any other way Wee knouwe that not long agoe the Prince of Orenge was set upon with desire to kill him by a popish cut throate and was killed Late is the memory of Henry King of France whose murther Iacobus Clemens a monke attempted accomplished And Henry the fourth who nowe enioyeth the soveraignty escaped hardly the bloody handes of Iohn Castell the Iesuite being stricken through the iawe bone with a knife and two of his teeth dashed out But our Queene assailed of many at many times with sundry treasons hath ben kept whole and sounde from the least harme From whence was this I pray Was oportunity wanting to these wicked men The alone Prince of the creature to whose becke all things obey hath laughed to scorne deluded the counsells of the wickel repressed the endevours of the ungodly and made frustrate their subtill devising and restrained them least they should touch his annointed nor hurt the nurce of his Prophets His power is noe lesse famous in briddling the Spaniard with whom wee make warre nowe so many yeares What is ther that he doth not thinke to effect by his riches who alone procureth trouble almost to all Europe and other parts of the world The invincible navie of the yeare 1588 swallowed up in hope our whole country our lives and goods But good God howe was he disapointed without any labour of ours through all the seas cost asunder scatered here and there and broken in pieces He came out one way against us and fled seaven wayes from before our face This is thy prayse alone o most mighty Governour whom the windes the waves the harts and hands of men will they nill they doe obey O ye Kings why doe ye not regard Why doe you not learne ye that iudge the earth Will ye fight yet still against the Prince of the creatures to your owne destruction Yf yee shall goe on to be so made wee in the meane time will betake us under his winges by whose defense alone wee stande safe against all your assaults Such is then the threefoulde property wherby Christ sheweth him self to be seene in this our Laodicea to wit constancy in promising syncerity in teachting then an invincible power in defending 15 I knowe thy workes that thou art neither colde nor hotte In declaring the greatnes of their sinne he maketh no mention of any good thing contrary to that of the other Churches none of which was of so desperate estate noe not Pergamus neither Sardis as to be voyde of all prayse But this evill as though it could not endure the fellowship of any good thing heareth nothing but reprehension without confirmation of any honesty Not but that there were many singular men whose faithfulnes and diligence the Spirit might approve for it can not be but that where Christ is a faithfull and true witnesse there some should take singular paines but because he respecteth the comon forme and outward face of the Church namely of what quality it is not so much for her owne sake as for the administration of the Angels which was such as he that considered the matter but with indifferent eyes he shall iudge her worthyly to be voyde and empty of all vertue It is an horrible evill which refuseth all fellowship with goodnes And althoug by this silence wee may be able to coniecture how grievous the disease is neverthelesse afterward it is described more plainly of what quality it is and first for more perspicuity and clearnes by a denyall of contraries I know saith he that thou art neither colde nor hotte but some thing compact and ioyned togither of both Whereupon this evill consisteth of a temperature and mixture of certen contraryes Now he called him colde who with a quiet minde can endure that the dutyes of godlines should be neglected and despised little or nothing at all regarding what manner of worshipping eyther he himselfe or other doe holde him hotte who doe boyle with a right affection and desire through vehement heate and fervency as scalding water seething in the potte with a certen restlesse motion for so the Greeke worde zestos doe signify of which sorte are they which can by no meanes suffer superstitions and ungodly religions but doe try all lawfull meanes that there may be an amending For hotte is not here sinnefull as is a rash zeale as it cometh to passe in habites in which both extreames doe swerve from the right but it is of prayse As Apollos being fervent in Spirit Act. 18.25 And Paul exhorteth that they be fervent in Spirit Rom. 12.11 Yf by excesse he should degenerate from the trueth lukewarmnes holding the middes there were some consideration of honesty But fervency or Zeale is an affection following the love of holines with a great and earnest affection of minde whose defect whether that more removed of coldnes or this nigher of lukewarmnes is blamed And lukewarmnes placed in the middes of these extremes in that wherby a man staying himselfe from committing grievous sinnes embraceth godlines so farre as may be enough to maintayne the reputation of an honest prudent and civile man The College then of the Laodicean Pastors was as it were a Senat of prudent and moderate men in the matter of religion Even as at this day the lukewarme have the report comonly in every place Yet it is not playnly mentioned from what mixture of thinges this lukewarmnes did arise Before these times of Iohn Paul biddeth the Collossians that they should say to Archippus who then was the Pastor of the Laodicean Church that he would looke to fulfill in the Lord the ministery which he hath received Col. 4.17 From which things appeareth
that the Pastorall faithfulnes began then to shake and leane which afterwardes fell most shamefully when the Spirit sent these Epistles to the Angels In our England the matter is more cleare where there is such a forme of Church established as is neither colde nor hotte but set in the middes and made of both It is not colde in as much as shee professeth the helthfull pure and entire doctrine of salvation wherby wee have bidde fare well and forsaken the Romish Antichrist and have rysen from that cold death wherein wee lay before time Hotte in deede shee is not whose outward government for the most parte is yet still Romish In the degrees of their Clergie in Elections and Ordinations and whole administration of the Censures Which mixing of the pure doctrine and Romish regiment togither maketh this lukewarmnes wherby wee stande in the middes betweene cold hotte betweene the Romish Reformed Churches of both which wee are compact as Martin Bucer of godly memory complayneth in a certen Epistle sent to a most beloved friend of his at Cambridge written in Ianuary 12. in the yeare 1553. He in the tymes of King Edward the VI. was used amonge other who should determine the reforming of our Church But in what thinges both his owne and Peter Martyr his authority prevayled he himselfe manifesteth in that Epistle even nowe spoken of for so he writeth Whereas thou puttest mee in minde of the purity of the rites and ceremonies know thou that there noe stranger is asked concerning those things yet of our selves when wee may wee fayle not to doe our duty by writtings and in presence and chiefly that the people may be provided of true Pastors after also of the most purity both of doctrine and ceremonies And in an other place There be some who by most humane wisdome and vanishing cogitations would ioyne togither God and Beliall by the leaven of Antichrist These things he did write which wee at this day finde by experience too true ¶ J would thou wert colde or hotte I would to God that thou wert either wholy Romish or at lenght admitte a full reformation He sheweth the horrible greatnes of the evill by comparison wherein he preferreth a wicked and noe religion before this mingled lukewarmnes But doth not lukewarmnes come nearer too good From whence then hath it more fautie Certenly sinne is more sinfull where grace is more plentifull The fall of the Angels in heaven left to themselves noe way to obtayne pardon The sinne of our first parents was more wicked being committed in paradise most foule was the Idolatry of the five twenty men committed be tween the gallery and the Altar it selfe Ezech. 8.18 God wil be sanctifxed in them that approch unto him and suffereth more easily his grace not to be knowne then to be despised The servant that knoweth his maisters will doeth it not shal be beaten with many stripes Wherefore if Baal be God follow him why halt ye betweene both As though it were hard to iudge whether were better God abhorreth to come into this tryall There is more sound iudgement in him who not knowing the trueth continueth in his superstition then in him who being somewhat inlightned is tossed this way that way uncerten still what to follow Therefore a meane here is worst of all which under a shew of prudent moderation and tranquility is honoured of the world which God esteemeth lesse then his next extreemes on both sides It is then better to fall away to Rome Be it farre from us For in this place Christ preferreth the blinde Papists before those Angels who bewitched with ambition and covetousnes doe refuse holy reformation He saith not that the condition of the whole Church is worser to which the true foode of salvation is ministred whereof noe power is granted in the Romish Church 16 Therefore because thou art lukewarmne c. The aygernesse also of the punishement discovereth the horriblenes of the sinne which seemeth to be confirmed with an othe For the greeke worde which Theod. Beza translateth therefore the comon Interpreter hath but and it is of one swearing and confirming by othe in this place as though he should say So or thus let this or that be done to mee as it is certen that I will vomite thee out of my mouth After which manner the word So is used by the Latynes as in that Ode of Horace So the mighty Godesse of Cyprus c. as it hath ben observed by Henry Steven And with the Heb. Aeen is the same with sic as in Isa So he bare our sorowes that is certenly cha 53.4 Eccl. ch 8.10 and in so J saw the wicked buried that is truly certenly as some would And such silence is often used in execrations Therefore I sware in my wrath if they shall enter into my rest Heb. 3.11 ¶ It shall come to passe that J will vomit thee As it cometh to passe in meates which either hotte or cold are reteined of the stomache because of the exceeding quality which causeth feeling and exciteth the stomacke to embrace it but that which is lukewarme because of his nigh and familiar heate neither in entring is felt neither being entred is it for that cause digested but remaining idle and bringing at length trouble by his tarying there is thrust out of dores with vomiting as an unprofitable guest But we must beware that similitudes be not wrested beyond that which they doe intende as though naughty and wicked men should remayne constantly in Christ as cold meates in the stomacke For such were never in Christ neither doth he tell what he doth approve simply but what he preferreth Furthermore the thinges are referred to his externe administration wherby he beareth longer with the notably negligent or rather all togither strangers then lukewarme as the experience of all times proveth at this day wee see in the Romish Church which although shee hath forsaken utterly the trueth hath flourished a longe time when in the meane time God rebuketh forthwith the true neither differreth chastisment unto any long time if he shall see them slacking a little their earnest affection and to leane more to lukewarmnes But what is it to be vomited out of his mouth Will Christ in whose mouth and lippes the very trueth resteth and abideth take away his trueth from this Angell delivering him up into absurde opinions and that he should beleeve lyes againe The itching desyre of many men at this day to give againe to the people monstrous reiected opinions maketh this interpretation probable Wee knowe what is taught within these fewe yeares in the Schooles is preached usually in the assemblyes is disputed at the publike Comices and was published in print the last sommer But this should be the punishement as well of the people as of the Angels to whom it seemeth to be proper Therfore I have noe certenty touching this matter Surely the event will declare shortly In the
Tertullian I say sent a most learned Apologie written against the Gentiles to the Nobles of Rome by which at least secretly as writeth Franciscus Zephyrus they might have knowledge of the common cause of Christians seeing that openly they might not Neither did he thinke that onely the Princes of the Romane Empire were to be called upon of him generally but also by name Scapula the President of Cartage if peradventure he might tame by these meanes his cruell minde He sheweth him the true cause of the publike calamityes to wit that the wicked world by persecuting the trueth did bring upon themselves those sterilities that after sowing time the harvests were lost that deluges arysing from showers of raine and fearfull tempests marred all thinges For so he speaketh Yet wee must needes be grieved because noe city shall carry away scotfree the shedding of our blood and also as under Hilarianus the President when concerning the floores of our burials thy cried togither they shall not be treshing floores they were not their floores For they have not done their harvests Which wordes shew plainly that there was great barrennes in those times when as there were noe harvests and therefore as it seemeth those floores were given to the Christians wherin they might bury their dead when through the great barrennes they were to noe use for to lay up corne And why should wee not acknowledge here the blacke horse seeing the Sunne in the assembly at Vtica had almost quite lost his light and that not by an extraordinary eclipse but being placed in his high and exaltation as witnesseth the same Tertullian to Scapula Neither did this want of sustenance torment onely the wicked Gentiles but also did troble the Christians for God will have wordly goods to be common to the prophane and afflictions to his owne children that all of like fellowship might proove both his lenity and severity Tertul. in his Apol. So then the event doth agree with the Prophecy punishing the world with an other scourge even famine which could not be raysed from their drowsines with that great sword and destruction of warres The Iesuite will have the blacke horse to be understood of Heretiques although according to his wonted errour he hath noe regard of the time For he referreth these thinges to the fortieth yeere of the Lord when Mathewe wrote the Ghospell wherein he passeth over the boundes set of the Angell I will shewe thee the thinges which must be done hereafter chap. 4.1 Many Heretiques indeede arose in the time of that respit which the Church enioyed under Commodus as Montanus and others of that sorte but seeing the former Horse that which followeth doe note bodily calamityes inflicted upon the world for iniuryes and violence offerred to the trueth it were unmeete to transferre this which is placed between them into an other kinde especially seeing there is a manifest consent of the History Neither must wee thinke that a famine belonging to the common people is a lighter matter then that it should be meete that men should be forewarned of it For it was the purpose of the Spirit to appointe these first calamities as pledges of the following Prophecy from whence they are called Seales as it were confirmations of the other thinges which are to be delivered that the trueth of these predictions being perceived which should follow in the next times the faithfull might be noe lesse without doubt touching those thinges which are to be expected in the last ages Therefore these Seales are as the three kiddes three loaves of bread a bottell of wine Likewise a Viole a Tymbrell a Pype and a Harpe with which men meeting Saule made a more undoubted persuasion in him touching the promised Kingdome 7 And when he had opened the fourth seale I heard the voice of the fourth Beast The fourth Beast is an Eagle flowing on high and little esteeming the thinges that are on earth chap. 4.7 He standeth in equall degree with the last former Beasts and doe not attaine that power of the first whose roaring sounded out like thunder Yet neverthelesse by his Eagles cry he instructeth the faithfull touching the evill to come whom he biddeth come and see howe great destruction should come upon the world by and by 8 And beholde a pale horse The fourth type is a pale Horse the Sitter on whō is described by his Name Follower and the busines committed to him The colour of the Horse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifyeth being greene a thing so greene as grasse Some time it is taken for the deformity of herbes waxing dry which have lost their colour from whence it is taken for palenes which is the colour of a thing withered as pale feare because feare maketh men pale and Constance the Father of Constantin the great was called Chlorus for his palenes as saith Zonaras in Diocletian That sickly colour doth very well become the Horse on whose backe sitteth Death himselfe where he that sate is used for to him that sate Which kinde of speaking is according to the Hebrewes as was observed chap. 2.26 Although least any should thinke it to be against the rule of Grammar and through his owne ignorance impute barbarisme to the holy writer wee have also examples in other tongues of most eloquent authours Livius speaketh thus The learned saith he in religions and common lawe when duo ordinarij Consules two ordinary Cōsuls of that yeere one perished by the sword the other by sicknes denyed that the substituted CONSVLL could have an assembly of people to chuse officers Where duo ordinarij Consules is put for duorum ordinariorum Consulum that is of two ordinary cōsuls So Salust Therefore in the beginning Kings for that was the first name of Governement on the earth being diverse part exercised their wit part their body Many thinges of this sort are noted of learned men of whom also it is observed that this manner of speaking is very usuall with the Grecians First to the rider the name Death is given From the proportion whereof names also be given to the former so as he that sitteth on the white horse may be called trueth on the red horse warre on the blacke horse famine Which I doe mentione because I see that some little to the purpose doe faine here the Devill and I knowe not what others to be the Sitters Nowe the Sitter is named Death for excellency sake both because the plague of this seale should bring more swifte destruction and also because it should annoy with moe kindes of killing The third scourge of God is wonte to be the Pestilence as in Ezechiel That they shall fall by the sword by famine and pestilence chap. 6.11 The which notwithstanding is not here made the captayne of the ranke but onely mustered into the place of an ordinary souldiour as wee shall see by and by The cōpanion or rather waiting made of Death is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in latine
place ¶ Holding the foure windes of the earth Wee have seene the Angels their standings their endevour is to take away the winde from the earth the foure saith Iohn windes of the earth which yet is one by nature but divers according to the countryes from whence it bloweth But this winde is not properly to be understood seeing such a calamity hath never befallen albeit many ages now are past since this Prophecy was accomplished For if it were proper howe should not the stopping up hurt as well the sealed as the reprobate who dwelt togither and one with an other I therefore understand the winde to be the force and faculty of the Holy Ghost whom Christ coÌ„pareth to the winde Iohn 3.8 the winde saith he bloweth whither it listed so is every one that is borne of the Spirit For as of olde that disordered Chaos and seed of this our world could not otherwise consist then as it was quickened of the Spirit who moved himselfe upon the waters Gen. 1.2 So neither doth this earth nor sea nor trees come to the feeling of any vitall strength unlesse that sanctifying winde doth lye upon them from whose breathing they doe as it were drawe their life It is not indeede in the power of any creature to restraine the force of the heaveÌ„ly Spirit yet the trueth being stopped which he used as his chariot not without cause the passages may be sayd to be stopped wherby he should blowe to our good ¶ That the winde should not blow upon the earth nor upon the sea c. Nowe the thinges are reckoned up from which they would had restrayned the winde to wit from the Earth the Sea the Trees The Earth before were the Heathen Nations as chap. 6.4.15 Afterward it seemeth to signify alway not men wholy repugnant to the name of Christ but the common sorte mixt company of the corrupt Church which hath succeeded in the place of the Gentiles as chap. 8.13 12.9.12.13.16 13.11 c. The Sea signifyeth the doctrine sometime true and then it is placed before the Throne within the coÌ„pas of the Elders where it is of glasse like to Chrystall most cleare most pure as chap. 4.6 More often it is brought to shew false doctrine in which sense it resteth and is quiet as in his channell in the bosome and embracing of this earth which it doth fasten togither with his humidity though grosse and brinish through secret passages least being by nature easy to be reduced in powder and not cleaving togither it should be dissolved through her atidity For unlesse there were some bande of consent amonge the counterfeit citizens even the wicked assemblyes could not stande The trees wee understaÌ„de to be meÌ„ froÌ„ ch 9.4 wher coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t is giveÌ„ to the Locusts that they should not hurt any tree but onely the meÌ„ that hav not the seale of God in their foreheads Now the exception is alway of the same kinde of which that is froÌ„ wheÌ„ce the exception is made therefore when as men are excepted it must needes be that the trees also are men not indeed of the basest sorte condition but who shewe theÌ„selves above others with their high dignityes and lift up their heades among the rest being more famous in the Christian Assemblyes But if the Angels would have hurt onely this earth sea and trees why was there not free leave graunted them Because in that vile heape many of the elect lay hidden who were to be provided for for their sakes the Angell from the East would have the confused multitude to be spared neither any hurt to be done to any untill order was taken for them for whom it was necessary The wicked gaine the deferring of punishment for those fewe good whom they have dwelling among theÌ„ ¶ And I sawe an other Angell which was come up from the East in greeke which did ascend some copyes doe reade coming up the Hebrewes figuratively doe take these wordes to ascende and descende for to departe to goe forth to goe to returne as he went up from Ierusalem that is he returned and left of to assault it 2. King 12.18 But it is well ioyned with the rysing of the Sunne because the Sunne seemeth to ascende from the East untill he be come to the middes of heaven The first occasion of sealing being declared there is now described by what Minister it was done Whom both the respect of the time and all circunstances doe proove to have ben Constantine the Great He succeeded in the Empire after that the Lambe had thrust out Diocletian and the other Jdolatrous Tyrants But he came up from the rising of the Sunne having come from the Easterne countryes to receive the Empyre For being a yong man he served in warre under Diocletian in Syria But after his vertu had procured him envy so as often through secret trecheries he was in perill of his life he was compelled to get himselfe out of the East as speedily as he could and to goe to his Father So Eusebius writeth he was provoked to flight for his safety in the life of Constantin orat 1. Zonaras saith that he was given of his father for an hostage to Galerius of whom when he sawe that he was hated through envy and that in the battell at Sarmatia he was cast forth of set purpose to danger and againe for the same intente commaunded to fight with a Lion both which battells he executed with good successe by flight at length he escaped away to his Father togither also by these meanes avoided the danger and obtayned his Fathers Empire the seate whereof afterward he placed at Bizantium Therefore whether wee respect his first returne from the East or minde the decrees which after the Empire was established touching the worshipping of the true God by Christ did fly often from thence into that part of the world that was under Rome the History agreeth very well with the Prophecy but that former seemeth to come nigher to the meaning of the Holy Ghost because of those thinges that follow ¶ Having the Seale of the living God Both himselfe instructed in the true knowledge of God and endued with very great authority to spread abroad the same unto others whom while by his owne exemple and zeale he provoked to embrace the trueth he is sayd to marke them with the seale of the living God and to take them for Gods chiefe treasure He cryed with a lowde voice promoting the trueth by Edicts published removing farre of to his power all that which might hinder the amplifying of it He did represse for a time according as it was appointed of God those foure Furies of Hâ—ll which were prepared to hurt whereof wee have heard at the first verse He restreined the Ambition of other men by his owne maiesty Howe great labour did he take to pull up by the rootes all contentions who esteemed nothing more excellent then to seate peace among the Bishops
is purer theÌ„ the greennesse waxing to an hearbe For they that are first converted doe heare onely of faith and the way of salvation by Christ but waxing more growen they are wont to be corrupted and marred by the superstitions of their teachers Last of all the end nowe of those that were to be sealed approaching true citizens were chosen out from the middle regions as it were out of the Tribes of Beniamin and Ioseph For about the yeere a thousand two hundreth arose the Waldenses at Lion in Fraunce who making separation froÌ„ the Church of Rome professed a more pure doctrine with the losse of their riches and lives FroÌ„ hence did spring the Albingenses about the city of Toulouse who afterward were spread through all Germany and Bohemia whose lot did not fâ—ll neither about the furthest South nor to the utmost North part of the world but a middle place of dwelling was given them among their brethren I runne over these thinges briefly rather disâ—losing then throughly handling the matter but they that plainely perceive the History from these fewe thinges I knowe will admire and reverence the mervailous wisdome of God togither with mee 9 Afterward I behelde and loe a great multitude which noe man could number Wee have spoken of the sealed and comprehended them in a certen number the indefinite multitude can neither be declared by the number neither is sayd to be sealed not that any of the elect perteining to the king dome of God is in the meane while without the seale for this is necessary to every one of the faithfull as though there were a way opened for any man to goe to heaven without faith as a certaine great man of blessed memory seemeth to interprete mooved of a good affection but not very warily nor truly but because by reason of the huge multitude which should professe Christ openly and syncerely there should be noe neede of a privie marke of distinction wherby they might be discerned from other men For sealing belongeth to the Church lying hidde when a disordered multitude of superstitious and wicked men beareth sway in which there ar a fewe good men known to God regarded of him as in Ezech. 9.2.3 but where the godly worshippers are sufficiently manifest in their number multitude there is no use of this sealing These thinges therefore teach that after that darkenes wherewith for a time the Church should be oppressed it should rise up againe at length into the light furnished with very great multitude of true Christians which out of all nations should embrace the trueth and professe the same openly and without feare And this plentifull harvest began about the yeere 1300. at which time the sealing ceased Not that this huge multitude was apparent so suddenly at once but because the first fruites were brought forth with which continuall increase aâ— length should yeelde this great company not to be numbred as wee have shewâ—d in his place ¶ Of all nations not by every Tribe as before out of certen separated couÌ„tryes but from all in common Germanie Fraunce Britannie Italie c. For he alludeth to to the auncient manner of the Church As long as the time of sealing remained the elect were fewe as in time past the Israelites while they alone were the chiefe treasure of God above all nations of the world but after that time was ended then true Christians were in greater number as also the former people of God was encreased very greatly when the Gentils were taken into the Church Surely this repairing should be like to the first calling of the Gentiles even as wee knowe it came to passe after the Waldenses and Albingenses when many learned and faithfull men rose up who defending the trueth boldly gathered togither many lovers of true godlines ¶ And they stoode before the Throne gathered into the Church and acknowledging Christ truly as chap. 4.3.4 c. ¶ Clothed with white robes see chap. 3.4 and 6.11 ¶ And Palmes in their handes which cannot yeelde under any burden A fit marke of them who at length doe lift up their heades against the wills of all their enemies They should get the victory of Antichrist which afterward is sayd to get the victory of the Beast and of his image and of his marke chap. 15.2 By this one word he noteth their fight and triumphe 10 And they cryed with a lowde voice word for word and crying and so the verbe were must be understoode Also the participle is put collectively with the nowne multitude as before the participle standing The great admiratioÌ„ of Gods bounteousnes in restoring his Church should drawe from the Saints crying and showting for ioy who should not hold it sufficient to acknowledg the exceeding mercy of God with their accustomed voice Al though that crying may signify also a bolde professioÌ„ of the truth which durst scarse mutter in former ages but at leÌ„gth should despise the enemyes obtaine perfit boldnesse Wee our Fathers have seene with our eyes this thing brought to passe There is no maÌ„ which hath tasted of true godlines but he giveth God thaÌ„kes froÌ„ his heart for the light of his truth restored in these last times And although the Romish Antich doth gnashe his teeth togither for aÌ„ger yet we cesse not to praise boldly the great name of G. so as the world ringeth with the saints voices And why should not wee as ioyfull victours cry a loude who have palmes in our haÌ„des by the grace of God the neckes of our enemyes put under our feete God graunt that wee may extoll him alwayes with meet prayses for his infinite goodnesse least making small account of so unmeasurable grace wee bring upon our selves some lamentable trouble wherby the ioy of our triumphe may be distained 11 And all the Angels stoode see chap. 5.11 The auncient mirth of the Church shall returne at which the Angels shal be glad both themselves consenting to the ioyfull showting of the Saincts and also lauding God apart in their behalfe 12 And power and might that is let the prayse of power and might be given un to him For God sheweth a mervaylous power in delivering his Church The Saincts indeede doe beare Palmes but the victory is gotteÌ„ by the streÌ„gth of God alone Howe mercifull is our God who will have the paines to be his in consuming the enemyes and the triumphe to be ours 13 They which are arayed in longe robes Hitherto this multitude was described by those thinges which may be perceaved by the sense now he cometh to the more perfit instruction by communing with an Elder And first he convinced Iohn of ignorance wherby the knowledge received might be the more acceptable togither also teaching that the faithfull people whose person Iohn nowe representeth shal be as ignorant of the trueth of this type when the time of fulfilling it shall come as Iohn in this place untill they be taught of the learned Ministers after which
translation and some other Copies and so it seemeth that it should be read both that the greatnes of the evill may be the more perceived and also that those thinges which follow may be understood the more easily this first being set downe which is the chiefe He commeth nowe to the second effect which was hurtfull onely to the wicked the sealed being well defended from the evill of it For saith he they were cast into the Earth which wee have taught to signify Earthly men wholy addicted to the thinges of this life But this showre rained not upon the whole earth but onely upon the third part But he calleth it the third after the common manner the whole being distributed in to three parts Which third part was the East to wit Asia and the bordering places EVROPE and AFRIKE understood it rather by hearing then in very deeded VALENS and VRSATIVS Bishops the one of the city Mursia in the country of Pannonia the other of Singidon a city in the Superior Mysia did endevor and laboured much to fill those parts with this poison But God who is mercifull did in his kindnesse restrayne and represse this mischiefe within the boundes of the third part of the world least that in overwhelming the whole Church it would at length destroy and overthrowe the same utterly ¶ And the third part of the trees was burnt The trees are the foster children of that Earth of which I spake even nowe and those more stronge tall then any of the rest as after in the 7. chap. but the Greene grasse signifyeth the newe borne Infants of the Church and the common multitude But the tēpest seemeth to rage more grievously against the Grasse then against the trees for of these the third part onely is on fire but all the grasse is burnt up But this whole grasse belongeth to that third part onely even as that third part of the trees are all trees of the East from whence the condition of the trees is nothing better then of the grasse These things teach that all of the Christian name as well the highest as the lowest who lived in those countryes of the third part of the world and were not in trueth grounded and built upon Christ should be so miserably smitten with this storme that they should make shipwracke of their salvation But you will say that they were destroyed before that is true doubtlesse in Gods councill yet it often cometh to passe that reprobate men doe flatter themselves for a time with a certaine false hope and doe with very great care delight to followe some outward religion which afterward the time doth prove manifestly to have ben meere hypocrisy and a vaine appearance of holines so those burnt trees grasse should make shipwracke of their counterfait god lines dashing themselves against the rockes of so great ungodlines of the Bishops And howe could it be but all in whose hartes the trueth hath not taken deepe roote either should be carryed into errour or which is worse should contemne all religion should revolte from Christ himselfe should hate the worshippers of him whom they should see to be bent to this onely thing that they may rayse up strifes contentions and troubles Well wrote Constantine in an Epistle to the Councill gathered togither at Tyrus he upbraided the Bishops in that they did nothing else but sowe dissentions and hatreds and those things which did tende to the utter ruine of man kinde Socrat. booke 1. 34. But there needeth noe witnesses in a matter not doubtfull The exceeding great mercy of God is rather to be praysed which kept a fewe safe from this storme 8 Afterward the second Angell blewe the trumpet as it were a burning moūtaine The first effect of the sounding of the trumpet of the second Angel is a great mountaine burning with fire cast into the Sea The second effect is the death of the third part of the creatures that lived in the Sea As touching the first Mountaines in the scriptures are Princes States of a Realme Loftie minded all of that sorte as Isaiah saith that the day of the Lord shal be upon all the high mountaines and upon all the hilles that are lifted up and upon every high tower and upon every stronge wall chap. 2.14.15 From whence it seemeth here to note Kingdomes Principalities Honours Dignities the Pompe of the world and Traine folloing great men and the Ambition of such thinges This Mountaine burneth with fire as Vesuvius or Aetna because the desyre of honour and riches is fervent neither are men wont to be occupyed coldly in getting such thinges It is throwne into the Sea because the ambition of these things is cast into the doctrine a newe decree of the Councill being made touching order and honour of which their Ancesters never had a thought For wee have shewed before the Sea to be the most pure doctrine of the true and heavenly Church chap. 4.6 but of the earthly and false the foule and grosse chap. 7.1 Seeing then that this is the meaning of the words wee shall finde that the second Angell by and by after the first sounded the trumpet among the same Nicene Fathers For after that sentence was given touching the coessentiall nature of the Sonne of celebrating the Easter upon one and the same day of Miletium they turned themselves unto the making of Canons by which the Ecclesiasticall Discipline should be ruled Amonge other Canons they make a Decree touching the Primacy of the Metropolitanes that the Bishop of Alexandria should have authority over all the Churches in Egypt or Lybia and Pentapolis because the Bishop of Rome had the like custome Likewise as in Antioch and the other Provinces let the honour of every Church be reserved And that no man ordained without the will and knowledge of the Metropolitane should be counted a Bishop that honour also be given to the Bishop of Ierusalem and consequently that he may receive honour the dignity neverthelesse proper to the Metropolitane City remaining Surely this burning Mountaine was cast into the Sea when from this beginning there was strife among the Church men about dignity and honour as for the maintenance of religion and their private sustenance Indeede the obscurer Churches were wont in former times to goe to the learned and skilfull Bishops of more famous cityes and to aske their advise if any doubtfull thing had fallen out and to crave their aide to whom the excellency of the place procured more authority but that which they did before of their owne accord nowe must be done necessarily and those whom lately they saluted as their brethren and felowes in office they were now to be acknowledged by higher titles From hence came into the Church exercising of authority and having dominion by which in a short time after all thing were turned up sidowne Constantinople thought that shee was regarded nothing according to her worthines by this Nicene Decree wher fore a fewe yeeres
seventh whose Analysis shal be after ver 14. Scholions 1 A reede was given mee After the preparation made as wee have heard in the first times of the trueth springing a fresh and many excellent men bending themselves diligently to the study of good letters whose fervency was such that for the space of two hundreth yeeres after one thousand three hundreth they might seeme to eate up bookes After I say this preparation at length about the ende of the sixt trumpet the matter came to this conclusion proposed in these wordes That is the Prophecy did shine more plainly and a more plentifull knowledge of the times both past and present the learned men sawe by the booke which they had received of the Angell that the Church nowe many yeeres had bin much afflicted so as it could not be seen of the world then also at that present to be wonderfully vexed of Antichrist For this Prophecy is a repeating of a long time past as Moses wrote Prophetically the first beginning of the world which name howe great estimatiō procureth it to the History But to com to the matter this Prophecy I say calling to minde the time past containeth all the space of the former trumpets as it appeareth from the specifying of the time which is added in the next third verse For if will coūt backe the two and fourty moneths in which the Church should be in the temple they conteine not onely that houre day moneth and yeere of the sixt trumpet of which wee have spoken in chap. 9.15 but also beside the five moneths of the fift Trumpet in the same place ver 5. those foure times repeated to all which neverthelesse there remaine yet nine moneths reckened over and besides which to what other thing cā they be referred then to those foure first trumpets of the eight chapter But peradventure thou wilt say these fourtie two moneths take their beginning at the end◠of that houre moneth and yeere of the foure Angels chap. 9.15 both thes◠spaces togither may perteine to the sixt Trumpet which thing cannot be by any meanes For the whole sixt trumpet is troubleous to the wicked in which respect it is called the second woe chap. 9.12 11.15 But if the times be disposed in this manner it hath little misery for them who by the space of two and fourty moneths triumphed in all mirth when in the meane while the Godly are afflicted What so great hurt should the sixt trumpet bring them if after that short trouble of one yeere moneth day and houre they should have a threefolde longer felicity and more It is most certen therefore that this Prophecy reacheth backe even to the first beginning of the trumpets but that it is set in this place because the whole race of this time could not be perceived before that it should be brought to an ende And nowe indeede God raised up learned men Philippus Bergomensis Franciscus Guicciardinus Martin Luther John Carion Philip Melancthō Gaspar Peucer Henry Bullinger Iohn Sleidan John Functius others who linking togither the histories of things that were done represented this face of the Church in their writings Which Prophecy doubtlesse was to be added at lēgth necessarily For not without cause some might aske what was done with the true Church when the Haile smoke the third part of the grasse the burning Mountaine turned the Sea into blood the Locusts and the other fiendes tyrannized In all these Trumpets hath ben a wonderfull silence concerning it Nowe therefore the Spirit sheweth by this Prophecy revived of what sorte the condition of that time was in the meane while least that alone should be passed over for whose sake this writing was undertaken Therfore this chapter is to be ioyned with the seaventh where the Prophecy touching the Saincts ceased To the same perteineth that sealing and this that I may so say Temple measuring and it is the same wholly and all one thinge except that that belongeth to every severall cityzen this to all iointly and to some chiefe members Nowe as touching the wordes the reede given is the power graunted of the trueth wherby the Saincts should measure the length and breadth of the true and lawfull worship least in a wonderfull confusion of things they should swerve from a due proportion In so much as it is like a rod it teacheth that the trueth shal be much holpen and borne up by the authority of head rulers For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very often taken for an ensigne of honour the Scepter which Kinges beare in their handes by which name also are called the roddes which are carried before the Magistrates likewise an instrument of exercising power as in the Poete Circe accomplished her charmes with a rod and Mercure with his white wande The Temple therefore was to be measured by the labour of some chiefe man as wee heard it came to passe in the seventh chapter where Constantine the Great was the Minister of scaling For while he provided for the peace of the Church and maintained the trueth carefully he procured a safe place of refuge for a fewe holy men from the contagion of the times ¶ And the Angell stood by which wordes are wanting in Aretas and by that meanes he maketh the reed it selfe the bidder arise and mete But the labour of Angels conioyned elsewhere where the like businesse is done seemeth also to require here that nothing should be done but in the presence of the Angell see Ezech. 40.3 and after Revel 21.16 Wherefore Theod. Beza hath well restored this place from the Complutent Edition ¶ Mete the Temple The true Christian Church is shadowed by the type of the olde temple every severall part of which was described once most exactly and measured by the commaundement of God himselfe to the ende that men should knowe that this house is framed of God that it is not of humane building and therefore they should not take ought upon them in changing things at their pleasure as though the celestiall wisedome had not sufficiently provided for the most convenient maner of every thing The things to be measured are the Temple the Altar and the Ministers of the worship The Temple was devided into the most holy and the holy place which had the altar of the burnt offring set at the doore He biddeth him to mete these onely of the whole building small partes of the whole and onely the more secret roomes For the tabernacle before time being thirtie cubits long and twelve broad was sixteen times and more lesser then the court Afterward the temple enlarged by Salomon and by the Angell in Ezechiell had farre more spatious courts The temple then alone being measured sheweth that the true Church shal be brought into very narrowe straights limited with small boundes and remooved wholly from the sight of men For the holy place was not opened to the people but the Priests alone ministred in that place of which sorte
seven to wit so many as are the branches of one after the similitude of the candlesticke in the temple which representing the Church had one shafte onely but seven branches coming out of the sides Exod. 25.31 c. For there is one Catholique Church as one shafte but the particular congregations are many which comming forth out of that one and abiding in the same as the divers branches of one shafte do stay as it were upon the same base Where those first seven Candlestickes shewed that there was then a most flourishing Church as long as the Apostles and their next true successours did burne as it were candles in the same But at this time wherein the PROPHETS should goe clad in mourning apparell the Candlestickes are but two which lacke five to make up their full number because the dignity of it was much diminished and almost brought to an extreme condition Neverthelesse the elect should have some fatnesse as it were of the olive trees wherby they should cherish the celestiall flame in their hearts neither should a candlesticke be wanting from whence the Ministers should give light aboundantly howsoever the companies of the faithfull should be most rare and very small These thinges yet hitherto doe not peradventure content our mindes especially seeing in this space of a thousande two hundreth and three score dayes which wee have shewed to be so many yeeres and to have their beginning in the yeere 304 wee have taught that sixe Antitype candiestickes did shine chap. 2.3 So then I thinke that the three last the Sarden Philadelphien Laodicen were not kindled but after a thousande two hundred and almost twenty yeeres and therefore worthily not to come into any accounte to which so small a number of those dayes agreeth But as touching the other three the Smyrnen belonged to the Church decaying the Thyatiren to the same rising againe but the Pergamen lying in a most deepe pit of all corruption from it is neither of any reckening but of set purpose passed over Not that there should be none at all in that state of things but because none should be greatly in sight at that time 5 And yf any will hurte them Nowe followeth the power to destroy the enemies But why are they clothed in sackcloth but for iniurie received Doe they then destroy the worlde with fire doing wronge daily unto theÌ„ Iniurie is double one more grievous done advisedly eyther by open force or fraude an other lesse of ignorance and lacke of heed taking They seeme to have worne sackecloth because of this second kinde in the meane while continually punishing their more deadly enemies with this devouring fire It is said to come out of their mouth by whose threatning prayers such a iudgement is exercised Even as in olde time at the signifying before of Moses a fire comming from the Lord consumed the two hundred fifty men which rose up against him with Corah Numb 16. Or as at the prayers of Eliah fire came from heaveÌ„ consumed the Captaine his 50 men which Achasia sent to kill him 2 Kings 1. God defendeth these Prophets after the same maner that he did those auncient ones yea rather he will have these provided for in a more notable manner by how much he regardeth more his owne trueth and whole assemblyes of the Saincts then singular persons The Holy SCRIPTVRES therefore pronouncing most certen punishments against all ungodlines and transgression doe sende as it were fire out of their mouth whereby they doe utterly consume and devoure the unrepentant For it cannot be that one tittle of Gods word should perish Mat. 24.35 But chiefly they doe vomit fire upon them who will hurt them that is who dare corrupt their most syncere trueth by humane inventions patched unto it threatning that Jf any man shall adde unto this Prophecy that God will lay upon him the plagues that are written in that booke chap. 22.18.19 Not because they doe estime the sacred authority of the Revelation onely ratifyed by so great a punishement but because there is the same regard of the whole trueth inspired of God as Yee shall put nothing to this word which I speake unto you neither shall yee take away therefrom Deut. 4.2 Put nothing to his wordes least thou be reproved founde a lyar Pr. 30.6 FroÌ„ heÌ„ce in time past came the horrible slaughter of the Baalites 1 Kings 18.40 2 King 10.25 and so many most grievous calamities which did come with force upon the world all these two and fourty moneths because almost nothing was done according to the true meaning of the scriptures but now the whole world was taught by traditions despising Gods trueth either altogither or wresting it onely for the confirming of their fables and trifles Therefore these Prophets being so evill intreated burnt up the third part of trees and all green grâ—sse with fire mingled with haile killed the third part of the creatures which were in the Sea by a burning mountaine cast into it turned the rivers and fountaines into worme wood by a starre that fell and did burne like a torch yea they gave power to sende the Locusts and the Euphratean Angells as hath ben declared already in the truÌ„pets from every one of which either fire or hellish smoke did issue forth All which evils wer no other thing then the flame going out of the mouth of the Prophets sorely punishing the wicked contemners of the trueth There is the same reason of the Candlestickes that is of the assemblies of the Saincts For God sufferreth not the Churches to be oppressed without rewarding the wicked but moved with the prayers of it requireth meete punishements of the oppressours Diocletian giving over the Empire determined to spende the rest of his life quietly But he escaped not so For his house being wholly consumed with lightning and bright burning fire that fell from heaven he for feare of the lightening hiding himselfe dyed shortly after So Constantine the Great himselfe hath writen in his booke commonly called the fift booke of Eusebius of the life of Constantine leafe 168. Although Eusebius Nicephorus and others doe tell of a farre more horrible death Maximinian Hercule his conpartner died his wezand being broken with an halter Maxentius his sonne was drowned in the river Tiber Galerius is destroyed by horrible torment of diseases Maximinus also is taken away in the same manner Lucinius often overcome and often put to flight at length is killed What should I recite others Valens fighting against the Gothes in fortunately flying into a base cottage was burnt togither with the house it selfe by a fire throwne upon it by the enemies But these were but alone persons but also the whole multitude were ofteÌ„ and very sorely punished by famine pestilence and warre as might be declared plenteously but that it would be longe and not greatly needfull These thinges may shewe sufficiently that howsoever these Prophets might then seeme to be wretched raged and
him before that he recovered health from his wounde which he had He was of great authority before he received the wounde as wee have shewed but of farre greater after the hurt was amended VVhich order the Spirit observed before in the 3. and 4. ver adding after his head was cut and healed both admiratioÌ„ and also adoration And that adoration is this same which is now gotten by the labour of this But why seeing the second is no other then then first revived urgeth he not worship in his owne name but onely in the name of that This is a singular cunning of the most crafty hypocrites to wit a fained name of antiquity wherby he might get estimation to himselfe in the world For in this onely he should wholly labour that the first might be worshipped as though he chalenged no new thing to himselfe but that onely which his Ancetours had left unto him by succession From hence the Epistles of most auncient Popes were corrupted most impudently coÌ„terfait put in the place of true and true wholly chaunged with strange additions and detractions for their owne profit From the same shop came the feigned donation of Constantine Likewise the Decrees which in their title have a shew of greater antiquity then trueth and sixe hundred of that sorte Neither is any other thing at this day so greatly laboured for as that the auncient honour may be given to the Pope that is that the first Beast may be worshipped it would be an unpleasant ambition openly to endevour to get honour to himselfe though the Pope is not ashamed of this wherefore he obiecteth the first Beast under whose name he may serve himselfe more secretly 13 And he doeth great wonders Now is shewed by what way he deceiveth men and obtaineth that worship for which he fighteth as for heaven earth to wit by working Miracles in the which Antichrist should be wonderfull whose comming is by the effectuall working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders as Paul hath forwarned 2 Thes 2.9 Which thing if Ireneus had observed in his 5. booke chap. 28. he would not have called this Beast so much the Armour bearer of Antichrist as Antichrist himselfe No miracles of the former are rehearsed but onely power great authority of which there may be a distinct force from signes It is manifest to all men how this Beast is commended for a notable fine worker of miracles by and by after he waxed whole of his wound Beholde one or two for it were an infinite thing to recite every one The Christians have ben protected wonderfully from the Devill in the Temple Pantheon after that Boniface the 4. had consecrated it to all Saincts Theodorus the next healed with a kisse one diseased with the leprosy No man in the whole army of Eudo to whom but even a very small piâ—ce of the blessed Spongie had come from the POPE Gregory 2. was either killed or wounded in the battell against the Saracenes The body of Formosus brought from the river Tiber into the Church of S. Peter is saluted and worshipped with great reverence of the Images of the Saincts in the entrance of the teÌ„ple A white dove like snow whose necke was shining as Gold sate upon the right shoulder of Gregory the 6. whiles he celebrated Masse WheÌ„ the same was to be buried in the Palace of Peter the doores of the Temple taried not the comming of the doore keeper but of their owne accord leaped backe at the bringing of his dead body A certen lame woman by drinking the water wherewith Vrbain 2. had washed his handes after the Masse was healed Infinite are the things of this sorte in which the Romane Pope glorieth both olde and newe For both are of like force to coÌ„firme his authority Which Zacharias knewe well who translated into the Greeke tongue the foure bookes of Gregory the Great concerning the miracles of the Fathers that the miraculous power of the Popes might be come knowen as well to the Grecians as to the Latines But wilt thou say the miracles of other men are not fewe That is true in deede but who ar all the slaves of the same Pope of whom whatsoever wonders are done they are referred to the defending preserving and increasing of his dignity as to the centre From whence all these done of his servants are worthily said to be his for whose honour alone they make ¶ So that he maketh fire to come downe from heaven His power to doe miracles being shewed summarily now he descendeth to some certen kindes which the Papists will have to be three the first whereby Antichrist shall seeme to rise from the dead the second wherby he shall make fire to descende from heaven the third is the power of speaking given to the Image which things seeing they are not founde in the Pope of Rome as Bellarmine will have it in his third booke of the Romane Pope chap. 15. it followeth saith he that he is not Antichrist His rising from the dead is gathered from his head deadly wounded and healed againe ver 3 of this chapter and from that which is said after in the 17. chap. ver 18. he was and is not and ascendeth out of the bottomelesse pit Which rising againe wee have shewed to be found most plainely in the Pope of Rome when he was eased and delivered from those miseries wherwith by the invasion of the Barbarians he lay overwhelmed and buried in mens opinion For that it cannot agree to the death of one man fained for some fewe dayes it shal be manifest from the person of Antichrist which the seventeenth chapter after will proove evidently to be a long succession of many not any certen and singular man Especially also seeing that this wound was very sorrowfull not inflicted on himselfe willingly and in jest but made by his enemies where could be no place for counterfaiting Which faining of death was brought in by a false coniecture of men and besides the trueth of the matter and the very wordes of the scripture Therfore the Rom. Pope is famous for the first miracle which if they please they may call a resurrection to which it is not unlike Now what manner of one is he in regard of the second CerteÌ„ly those miracles seeme to be very great which are done from heaven or in the very heavens wheÌ„ as men have very little power over these bodies as when a fire of the Lord falling from Heaven consumed the burnt offring of Eliah 1 King 18.38 Likewise also when the Captaine over fifty men with his whole bande was destroyed by fire from Heaven at the prayers of the same Eliah 2 King 1. Therefore Antichrist that he might not seeme inferiour to the famous Prophets would set foorth himselfe by this sort of miracles Gladly doe the Iesuites heare this from whence they judge for a surety that the Pope is not Antichrist of whom say they not such miracle is read But
Hildebrand granteth otherwise who in his Epistle to the Germanes said that Henry the fourth being smitten with his excommunication was blasted with lightening And not at all adventures the Spirit doubtlesse ruling his tongue as before time of Caiphas wherby the world might understand how the Beast should make fire to descende from heaven But there is no neede that wee should seeke a metaphoricall sense when the History ministreth most plaine demonstrations Of which sort was that thing that Pope Zacharias in the moneth of Iune journeying twards Ravenna in the day time was covered with a cloude against the heate of the Sunne in the night time armies of fire went before him in cloudes Centur. 8. from Polych booke 5. 25. In the same place is rehearsed that a Songe of Felix Archbishop of Ravenna placed by the Pope Constantine in the most sacred confession of blessed Peter the Apostl after a fewe dayes was souÌ„d blacke and burnt with fire see it in the booke of Pontifical they would make men beleeve that it was blasted from heaven But that is more cleere that a certaine Biâ—hop shaking up with many taunts Hildebrand for his privie grudge against Henry was destroyed with lightening and dying cryed Alas I miserable wretch bâ—und with a chaine of fire am drawne to Hell goe yee shâ—we the Emperour that he may repent and make amendes by duties for his hâ—inous offense committed agâ—iâ—st â—od against S. Peter and against his Vicar unlesse he had leiffer follow after mee going before to everlasting punishments The same day also the Bishop of Spira bearing some evill will to Hildebrant gave up the Ghost CeÌ„t. 11. from Avent booke 5. of Chronicles Did not the Ambassadours of Armenia see upon the head of Pope Eugenius while he celebrated the Masse at Viterbium a beame of the Sunne shining with most cleare brightnes and in it two doves ascending and descending Centur. 12. In the City Barra when Innocentius was saying the Masse and Lotharius the Emperour being present there appeared a golden crowne wheron sate a white Dove under the crowne hanged a smoaking Câ—nsâ—r and beside it two burning firebrands In the same place from the Chron of Saxe What can be more cleare then these thinges Wherefore now I thinke that the Iesuites will not deny how that nothing doth here hinder but that the Pope of Rome may well be the Antichrist Concerning the third miracle wee shall see in his place in the 15. verse afterward 14 And he seduceth the inhabitans of the earth Therefore these wonders ar not true but false and lying such as are Antichrists according to that of Paul with all power and signes and lying wonders 2 Thess 2.9 Although they are not called lying therefore because they are meere delusions in which there is nothing beside a bare shewe onely but partly because they differ very much from true howsoever they shal be wonderfull as which exceede not the powers of Nature done by the power of the Devill by a way unknowne to us whereupon they affect the beholders with great admiration partly for that they pertaine to the establishing of errour and lying For whatsoever belongeth to the commendation of any thing what soever which is contrary to the sacred trueth of the Scriptures it is that lying signe howsoever it is permitted of God to be very marveilous both for to try the elect and also to delude the wicked whom God by his just judgement giveth over that they should beleeve lyes which would not receive the love of the trueth as in the second Epistle to the Thess secoÌ„d chap 10.11 To which rule that cannot deceave if wee examine those apparitioÌ„s which are said to have bene done at Spandavia Birthinum other places in Germany in the yeere 1549. those glorious Angels shal be Devils traÌ„sformed into Angels of light as 2 Cor. 11.14 Let it therefore be true which the Papists boast of their miracles and admit that it were done in very deede which is put in writing by their men Yet neverthelesse while all those things doe carry away men from the trueth to errours and superstitions they are wicked they are lying wholly of the same kinde of which is this fire that the Beast bringeth from heaven ¶ Saying to the inhâ—bitans of the earth that they should make the image of the Beast These wordes as they are in the Greeke may be referred to the Beast himselfe as thou he should say speaking to the inhabitants of the earth that he had made an image of the Beast c as though he would render a wonderfull reason of his workes declaring that he had done all thinges for this intent that the former image of the Beast might be revived Or they may be referred to the people as all Interpreters doe translate saying to the inhabitants of the earth that they should make c. as though it were written saying that they should make c. Which is the ende of all these miracles that the first Beast might be placed in honour with men and it is in the power of the people to make this Image For unlesse they give honour there should be no glory for this Beast But to make an Image to the Beast is with the Greekes spoken in the third case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is this difference that a man maketh an image of some body as a Painter or Carver of Images who fashioneth an Image for gaine or for his minde sake but he maketh an Image to some body who maketh it for the sake or honour of some body But this Image is not any coloured picture or image made of any matter For all must be slaine that will not worship this in the next verse but an Image made cannot come unto all men unlesse either it be carried through all countries or if it shall have a fixed place all leave their dwelling places for to goe thither into a straÌ„ge country Furthermore this Image shall effect by his owne strength that whosoever shall refuse this worship he may be killed as in the next verse But this power is greater then can agree either to a picture or Image howsoever wee have read that some have spoken at some time by the cunning of the Devill Neither are the Images of living men wonte to be thrust upon the people to be worshipped Images indeede may be set up for living men but onely for civill honour not religious worship Therefore this Image is not any picture of the body but a lively and expresse figure of honour Kingdome power which the second Beast should carry of the former For this is that which the second striveth for that in his person the first may be revived VVhich his wicked ambition is declared most significantly in this kind of speaking For first when he desireth earnestly an image to be put to the first Beast by the same he sheweth that he doth require no newe thing but onely
even from this part also for the Beast before time did pursue the GreciaÌ„s with so great hatred that although he sawe them miserably spoiled of all their neighbours would suffer no aide to be carried to them from the VVest untill Michaell Paleologus about the yeere 1273. at Lions in Fraunce agreed with Gregory the X. to make himselfe and all his people subiect to the number of the name of the Beast that is promised that all his people hereafter should give all soveraigntie to the Latine Pope Therefore of the three markes the Character pertaineth to great States and the Clergy as Sonnes The name to the people and common sort as boundmen But the number of his name to the Grecians being strangers 18 Here is wisedome he that hath understanding c. Now he exhorteth us to number this name From which exhortation if wee shall consider it diligently some things may be learned by which wee shall be lead into the true knowledge of the name For first why should he require diligence rather in the number of the name then eyther in the marke or in the name of the Beast It is manifest that this exhortation belongeth to the third member But the Character or name of the Beast had served for a more certaine knowledg and made more plaine VVherefore their affection was to be stirred up rather to the searching out of these things from which they might hav hope of a greater fruit The reason why these are omitted and that alone is set before us to be considered seemeth to be this because the number of the name might beginne at what time Iohn wrote The Character and the name had not yet taken beginning even as neither the Beast himselfe as wee have shewed from whence they came under no accounte or understanding The names indeede of Bishops were common even in those first ages but the state of them then was of an other sort then after that they were turned into a name proper to a certen man The exhortation hath respect to the same ende Here is wisdome let him that is endued with understanding count the number How great a torment had it ben to learned meÌ„ of that age to assay a thing altogither impossible VVould they not for just cause have abstained from the labour of seeking of that thing to finde out which they could have no hope The eÌ„devour of divers of them sheweth that this opinion prevailed not in time past as though this wisdome should belong to the time to come in no wise to their time Let this then be the first property That the number of the name might be knowne even to that age in which Iohn lived not onely to himselfe by revelation but also to another by searching out and study Secondly it is expressely delivered that it is the number of a man that is such a name of a man from whose letters of number ariseth this number VVhich yet is not the proper name of the Beast For it was the number of a man before the Beast was Neither could it remaine in one person of a maÌ„ flourishing at that time when Iohn was For then the counting had bene uncertaine doubtfull and impossible But it is the name of a nation passing from one man unto some whole people Thirdly the number shewed obscurely and darkely declareth that it was dangerous at that time to publish this name before all the world For to what purpose is this darke shewing of the matter but to avoide an unnecessary offense Whereunto Paul agreeth but now yee know what withholdeth 2 Thes 2.6 From which it appeareth that the Apostles taught secretly the Churches coÌ„cerning Antichrist the which was not expedient for to be carried foorth into the wicked world Not because through feare of danger they thought it were to be concealed cowardly but because before the Beast rose up when his name yet was not necessary they would have the Church to be without needlesse troubles A fourth common property ought to be added from the former verse to these three which are taken out of this verse to wit that this number doth loose them from the bond of prohibited entercourse of marchandise who doe suffer themselves to be marked with the same All which now being ioyned togither have this summe That the number of name is a numeral name of some mâ—n making the number of sixe hundred three score sixe that might be numbred at that time when this Prophecy was first set out in writing yet neverthelesse shewed but darkely for to avoide unnecessary perill by which at length they ar delivered from the prohibition of buying and selling who doe receive the marke therof Which description will not suffer any more this name to be wandering and uncertaine but shall distinguish some one certaine and true from all the rest For assoone as the names shal be examined by this rule of certaine trueth which are brought of Interpreters wee shall finde how all beside one are absurd Some by a certen property doe resemble this number of which sort I have knowne two The first which Franc. Iunius a most famous man and a great light of the Church bringeth who will have this number to be the Popish learning and the Canon lawe as he calleth it especially in the sixt booke of Decretales added to the five former by Boniface the eight For this number is perfect and divers times rebounding perfectly from his partes neither is there any part of the Popish lawe which is not referred to his head or contained therein The Beast teacheth this name also and maketh it as it were a marke of his people Yet notwithstanding seeing this name belongeth to the Beast farre spent and very olde and not that auncient one which was before his beginning neither the name of any man it seemeth lesse to agree especially seeing here is no danger why a covert speaking of it should be necessary neither lastly doth this name appertaine to theÌ„ who least doe cleave to the Beast of which sorte is the nuÌ„ber of the name above ver 17 but to the Beasts darlings the Canonists whoÌ„ the Pope setteth much by The other is of our most learned couÌ„trey man H. Broughton Adonikam God is riseÌ„ up the name of a maÌ„ in Ez. 2.13 whose posterity ar couÌ„ted there 666. as though Iohn did say there is the same name of the Beast which is of that maÌ„ whose posterity are read to be 666. that is Adonicam A name surely very fit seeing Antichrist vaunteth himselfe above every name on earth But seeing this name signifyeth no more then that which Paul had taught before evidently saying exalting himselfe above all that is called God 2 Thes 2.4 It is not likely that that now should be concealed by a darke speach which before was noised through all the Church VVhat troubles also were to be feared if this name had ben published that in the meane time I may say nothing of this that the posterity of
in this time for these are most sweet harps that of God whose strings he hath tuned and with whose melody he is much delited Whiles the Temple was shutt the voice of the Harpers sounded with sweet harmonie when the Churches testifyed their consent of doctrine by the writings published and offred to Cesar as we have shewed on chap. 14.2 But now after the yere 1558. a much sweeter symphonie is made by the accession of the French English later Helvetian Belgian Bohemian and Scottish Confessions Al these agreeably singing one tune togither doo make a most grateful song to godly ears but drive the enemies out of their witts 3 And they sung the song of Moses Such a triumphal song as Moses and the Israelites sung of old when they were delivered from the Aegiptians Exod. 15. For this deliverance out of the jawes of Antichrist is of no lesse power and good will of God towards his then was that from Pharaoh No marvel if the same benefit be celebrated with the same song It did not playnly appear before these times what yssue things should have the people was indeed gone out of Aegipt but camped as yet before the jawes of Chiroth and was perplexed in the country closed round about with the wildernes The Pope Emperour made ready their charrets and thought to bring them back agayn to their ancient bondage but after that the sea had given way to the Protestāts in Germany the Emperour being by death drowned with his charrets and that their strength was more confirmed by the coming of England Scotland Netherland unto them now was the time of singing to Iehovah that he hath excelled gloriously the harse and him that rode upō him he hath overthrown in the sea ¶ And the song of the Lamb The same as I think which was mentioned before chap. 4.3 wherin they celebrated God the Father for the grace of adoption in Christ This joy of hart which figuratively is called a song ariseth from the beleef of Christs justice imputed unto us and the feeling of that fatherly love wherewith God loveth us for this cause Which alwayes hath been the song of al the elect in every time place and namely of them that lay hidd for 1260. yeres chap. 14. but now at length is cōmunicated with many moe about the beginning of the last period shall no more be muttered in corners but be sung without fear in al streets opē places No song doth the Pope of Rome more hate he curseth it with al direful execrations but the wretch never tasted the sweetnes of it neither can any of his servants whiles so he persisteth learn the same ¶ Great marv c. In deed great beyōd al exspectatiō Luther whē he begā thought nothing lesse thē such an innovatiō not without cause For who durst ever hope that the least part of his dignity could be thrown down unto whose feet so many Emperours of old subiected their necks A wonderful work verily farr exceding the straigfhts of the mind of mā Lord God almighty God for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O God or by want of a word to be supplyed which art God which art almighty ¶ Iust and true c. Just they are for he hath done vengeance on the wicked True because that is now performed which was promised For in his holy word he hath taught that it shal be wel with the good evil with the wicked According to which general promises threats he governeth the world manifesting unto all his truth in performing the same 4 For al nations shal come By this deliverance ther should arise to the faithful a more ample hope of the universal caling of the whole world A thing not now first signifyed but wheras a more plentiful knowledge should increase dayly in the later times in the ages before because of the long delay great difficulty of the thing at the expectation therof lay quite dead But the thing is here but generally touched is after more largely to be handled in due place ¶ For thy judgments c. By these which thou hast begun it may be manifest ynough to every one what thou wilt doo at last O Rome why lookest thou not to thy selfe in time Wilt thou not yet be wise before thy last destruction come when it wil be too late Doe not these documents of the wrath of God make manifest unto thee what he iudgeth of thee Remēber Pharaoh to whō Gods iudgments were manifested but he would not be instructed Take heed least thou walking in the same stepps fal not at last into the same pit The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides that signification of ceremonies which the Greek Interpreters give unto it denoteth also an argumēt or example of iustice see Th. Beza on Luk 1.6 Which signification agreeth fitly to this place as if he should say Arguments of thy iustice are manifested thou hast opēly declared to al the world that thou art a most iust iudg 5 And after these c. He now beginneth in special a more large declaratiō of the Angels first of the place frō whēce they come namely the Tēple opened Which was opened ch 11.19 wherof mentiō is here made againe as oft times cometh to passe because of the lōg commemoration of things past which came between in 3 whole chapters The temple before was shutt as long as the woman was in the wildernes Sometimes ther came Angels out frō thence but but the veil being hāged at the dore suffred none to look in wherupō it remained stil hidd to them that were without But now being open they which are in the court may look in if they will ¶ The Temple of c Hereby is meant the most holy place The two tables of stone are caled the Testimony because of the law written in them which testifyed the wil of God Hereupon the Ark hath the same name because unto it these tables were put And then the name more largely was ascribed to the whole tabernacle in the inner place wherof the Ark did reside Num. 17.23 Moreover that which is here sayd the temple of the tabernacle of testimony was opened is the same in effect with this the Ark of his covenant was seen in his temple chap. 11.29 The Tabernacle seemeth to be ioyned with the Temple not because the law was alwayes kept in the Tabernacle which continued not to the ende in the Temple as neyther did the Ark after the overthrow of Ierusalem by Nabuchodonosor as the Iesuite supposeth for did not the Tabernacle also loose the law when it lost the Ark wherein the law was kept especially when the Ark was never after placed in that Tabernacle 1 Sam. 4.21 This therfore is no sufficient cause But there two seem to be ioyned togither for to shew that this Temple was yet a pilgrim and the Angels that came out frō thence were burgesses of the militant Church But some man
rivers but for to give them a kind of force and edge wherby they may prick the sharper and peirce the deeper How notable the goodnes of God is in this respect towards these last times ther is no man unlesse he be shamefully unthankfull and envious but doth acknowledge For by the paynes of some very excellent for why may I not so cal those learned men which have so greatly holpen Christian religion with their studies many things are made unto us most easy and playn in which the ages past have been much deceived Neither is this a vayn boasting of our times but a true preaching of the bounty of God Notwithstanding ther shal be a time at lēgth whē the light of the Moone shal be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shal be seven fold like the light of seven dayes in the day that the Lord shall bind up the breach of their wound Isa 30.26 as partly by the things that folow wil appeare more manifest Many things ther are in the Scriptures not yet sufficiently explayned but the neerer we come unto that day the more copiously wil the light increase dayly by the neer beams of the rising Sun That I may tel the very thing Antichrist is in deed layd open now long agoe through the grace of God in marvelous manner but seing in these yeeres wherin now we live and wherunto the order of time hath brought us the wayting men of the seat of Rome have felt nothing heavier then that their Iesuits should be put to death which was the sentēce of the vial next before this burning heat of the Sun is to be expected ere long even some greater perspicuity of the Scriptures wherby the man of sin may be more vehemently scorched His filthines shal be discovered yet more wherupon men will the more hate him which wil drive him and his unto such intemperance that he wil gnash and rage against the Sun which hath manifested to the world his so horrible hiew that himselfe shal not indure to behold the same Wherfore I am to exhort you yee learned men whom God hath adorned above others with a singular facultie of perceiving and illustrating the truth that ye would diligently employ your selves in this noble work for the Church You hear what a garlond God hath reserved for these last times Great is the prayse of our Ancestors which first plucked off Antichrists vizar no lesse will theirs be which shal utterly hysse him and drive off the stage Yea they are wont in special to make the triumphe which doo make an end of the battel This onely conflict seemeth to be left for learned men the more are they to be styrred up to apply their studies That which further dooth remayn fyre and soword shal performe and shall not be accomplished by ynk and pen. ¶ And it was given unto him to torment men by fyre The first event it shall torment men with heat But what men why is nothing here added as the mark of the Beast or some such like wherby we may know unto what flock it perteyneth Shall others also be burned with this Sun besides the houshold of Antichrist verily so it seemeth Hypocrites and all others that ar not indued with true godlines whatsoever religion they professe cannot endure that their wickednes should be manifested and reproved by the light of the heavenly truth Wherupon it is no marvel if many other earthly men also which are not of the Popes profession be molested by this heat of the Sun But the words of the next verse which hath power over these plagues seem to be of those men as I sayd which have felt the former scourges also But to what ende is this added by fire seing the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 burn doth sufficiedtly expresse the burning of the Sun It is that wee may know that the heat wherwith they shall boyle shall not be heavenly but earthly such as is fire to weet envy contention strife and al bitternes of minde For fire is here metaphorical which playnly sheweth that this is not the proper Sun seing it worketh not by it own but by an others vertue Such then shal be the first event that men shall boyl in heat not onely by a secret exacerbation of their mindes but even by open brawles and reproches But shal the Angel of the Sun receave such a reward It had bin better for him to have stopt his vial that it might not distill such trouble unto him But let him not be discouraged God will prepare him a secret place with himselfe to keepe him from the virulence of tongues The same hath been the condition of al the Prophets alway so it is with the holy book that being tasted it is sweet in the mouth as honey but being eaten it maketh the belly bitter chap. 10.9 Wherfore let ungratious men reproch freely so as the manifestation of their wickednes doo move their choler 9 And men boyled with great heat The second effect shal be marvelous unusual vexations when ther shal be no shelter no not in the thickest forrest that men can use to alay their heat Therfore they blaspheme the name of God that hath power over these plagues like the men of Atlas which curse the Sun with al execrations because it parcheth them with too much heat as Herodotus relateth These last words seem to make this plague peculiar unto them that were vexed also with soates and whose fountains were turned into blood Notwithstanding we are not to think that it shal be open blasphemy against God so as his holy name shal be manifestly violated after the manner of the Hethens and them that know not God but that then men doo also commit this wickednes when they difame his truth and use cursed speaking against it such manner of indirect blasphemy it seemeth it shal be ¶ And they repēted not to give him glory A defective speech which is more full in chap. 9.20 as if he should say And they repented not of their workes to give him glory and so after in ver 11. Now therfore see what this greater light and heat shal effect it shal drive men to blasphemy but they shal persist in their wickednes no lesse then before Least perhaps thou shouldst look that they being convicted in conscience should submitt themselves to so manifest truth This therfore take thou knowledge of before that thou be not offended at the obstinacy of men 10 And the fift Angel powred out his vial upon the throne This vial upon the Beasts throne hath for the first event the darkning of his kingdome for the second rage blasphemy darkning of the Beasts brood ver 11. VVho this Angel is we shal see in the next chapter upon ver 17. wher the declaration of this thing is purposed What the Throne is the things that wee have heard before doo sufficiently teach us for it is the City which the Dragon gave to the Beast
wealty in former times then at this day but to what ende should he cast in her teeth now her immoderate decking of which he spake nothing when it exceeded by many degrees but also to be tokens to whose riches shee should leane in these last times for wee shall see after in the eighteen chapter and two and twentith verse that this Purple Skarlet Gold Pretious stones Pearles consist in those wares wherby Spaine is signified Therefore let this braverie be to this end to shew that Rome shal most of all glory in the aide of the Spaniards at what time the vial shal be powred out on the Throne of the Beast Otherwise the Spirit would have mētionned the former ages when her cloathing was more sumptuous and exquisite And whither is not SPAINE at this day and hath not bene also since CHARLES the fift the cheife upholder of Rome leaning as readie to fall If any peradventure knoweth not these things let him know at length the things to be so by the testimony of the Pope Clement the eight governing at this day the Romish Church who of late in the yeere one thousand five hundred and nintie sixe being about the creating of some newe CARDINALS protested openly before that although he did this creation of his owne proper motion yet that he had not ben able to deny this duty to the King of Spaine but that he should create some Spanirads because he is the stay of Catholike religion to whom in this decrepite age that was not to be denyed but rather we ought to gratify and content him in this thing as Iansonius doth relate en his Italiques This therfore is the reason of the adorning proper to this time whereat Iohn wondreth as if it were new as after in ver 6. ¶ Shee had a golden cup in her hand Now the fowlenesse of her dishonesty is revealed which is twofold one which shee useth towards men known more famous whom shee speaketh to as it were by name and reacheth thē the cup of her fornication the other regardeth those that are unknowne whom shee allureth by the name written in her forehead in the verse following For shee desireth that no man should avoide her snares Shee commeth forth with a cup as a fit instrument of her lust as once at Rome everie one carryed a token of that trade which he practised For the Spirit hath made mention before of the wine of her fornication and drunkenesse gluttony are most apt stirrers up of lust From whence the whore in Salomon extolleth her prepared dainties Proverb 7.14 Shee hath therfore this cup in her hand reached out to most famous Kings and Princes to whom shee sendeth Ambassadours Cardinals Iesuits and other uncleane Spirits of that sorte who may draw them in and retaine them in the fellowship of the Romish Idolatry In which thing the most vehement desire of Rome is known which spareth no either labour or coast so that shee may by flattery allure them to this wicked society with her Which that shee may be able to doo the more easily the cup is golden very pretious without and in the estimation of men the Romish impietie being set forth with all pōpe of wordes by consent multitude antiquity perpetual succession the very Chaire of Peter and such faire painting wherby it may seeme more pretious then any gold to the unskilfull But within this cup is full of abominations and filthines of fornications that is if the doctrine be tryed and examined and cut to the quicke nothing is so filthy but the fowlenesse of this will surmount it For to expresse this horrible filthines the Spirit hath chosen that kinde of dishonesty which blushing suffereth not speake In one word this whore is of this kinde of Heretiques called Borboritae of whom see Epiphanius in Panario and Oecumenius on Inda 5 And in her forehead a name written An other kinde of filthines wherby shee carrieth written in her forehead most impudently that shee is a common harlot Shee would not have any man to passe by unknown and uncalled but from the inscription to know where he may turne into a whore It can scarce be spoken of how monstrous lust those little sacring belles and sance belles of the stewes were instruments which this same whore Rome used long since as Socrates declareth in book 5. chap. 18. But this name written passeth that impudency For they were silent some time and sufferred the sense to rest from the foule provoquer this inscription giveth no rest to the eyes alwayes running upon them and provoking unto dishonesty Therfore apparell is not inough for her to declare her profession ūlesse also this signe on the forehead be joyned with it which Ivie bush should make her wine vendible O impudency The whores before time were covered with a vaile thou in thy forehead discovereth a tittle written upon it manifesteth thy dishonesty But what is this name Not this word Mysterie as it seemeth which Aretas joyneth with the word written without any distinction of a comma in this manner And upon her forhead a name written a Mysterie great Babylon c. As if the word a Mysterie were the abstract instead of the concrete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mysticall as though he should say and upon her forehead a mysticall name written Babylō c. Surely this syntaxe requireth that a noune ioyned with a noune without an article should passe into the place of the predicate as they speake As and in the forehead a name written which is a mystery From which it is manifest that the word Mysterie is not to be written with a great letter in the beginning as if it were a part of the name and the marke of the forehead but to be read togither with those thinges which goe before But the meaning is all one teaching that a certaine mysterie lyeth hid in this name which is otherwise to be expounded then it sheweth outwardly Wherfore the name written on the forehead is the whole period of these words Babylon that great that mother of fornications and abominations of the earth But thou wilt say that no City doth vaunt so to be in expresse words Neither doth the Spirit say so but declareth that this is her true name which Iohn saw written on her forehead in so many letters and syllables howsoever the true Babylō should have a name writtē on it which should signify this same thing in other words by a mystery to wit the Empresse Rome the Pillar of trueth a looking glasse and paterne of all Churches from whose statutes whatsoever shee ordaineth wee must by no meanes departe Distinct 19. Enimvero This is that name painted with great letters on the whores forhead whose meaning if thou shalt search diligently thou shalt see that by a mystery it cometh to the same end to which that did which Iohn saw For whatsoever auncient corruption either hath ben long agoe or is yet left in these our Westerne and
they which of late triumphed as conquerers now the case being altered were overcome Mauritius put to flight the Emperour and at length compelled him to graunt liberty to true religion as we said in chapter 11 11.12 This free profession of the trueth is this victory which the Lambe wrong from the Emperour against his will And not from him alone but also from the rest which followed Ferdinandus Maximilianus Rodulphus who seeing that they kicked in vaine against the pricke caused noe trouble to the reformed religion I would to God at lēgth the Emperour would set forth the victory of the Lambe not onely by resisting but also by detesting the Romish impostures and by embracing the wholesome trueth it selfe Why mindeth he not that he now followeth unwares the Lambes charriot For it happeneth not by chance but belongeth to a mighty conquerer to make great states of a realme favourable to his Church But whether were it not better to accompany the triumphant charriot a fellow and partaker of the victory then a prisoner and miserable spectacle of the disconfiture received God open his eyes that in rewarding the whore from his vertues he first of the hornes may receive the price of that victory which if hee shall not regard neverthelesse some other shall have it shortly ¶ And they which are with him called and chosen faithfull The Christian sauldiers Mauritius and the armies of the Protestants by which the Lābe got the victory For it pleased him not by sending fire from heaven to overcome the enemies by his owne power alone but by the labour of his faithful servants So then we have these hornes declared by this warre no lesse notable marke toward their ende then the number of tenne was at their beginning so the beginning and ende being known here can be noe doubt of the other race that commeth betweene 15 And he sayd unto mee the waters which thou sawest Hitherto the exposition of the Beast that of the whore followeth and first in respect of the whole dominion the same flourishing in this verse Waters which he mentioneth in the first verse he expoundeth to be people multitudes nations and tongues that is nations of every tongue obeying Rome the Empresse So the Prophets are wonte to signify a great multitude of people as waters doo come up from the North and become a swelling flood Ier. chap. 47.2 And of right doo they attribute this name unto them because of the notable varietie inconstancy and often chāging of their opinions as of waves tossed with the wind whose troublous motions are greater then of any arme or straigth of the sea as saith the Oratour These therfore are the waters of the whore ruling farre and neere what kinde of dominion shee had once while her age favour was flourishing in the last times when olde age should disfigure her forehead with wrinkles they should become farre more shallow narrower as followeth in the next verse ¶ Where the whore sitteth That is upon which the whore sitteth as in the first verse But nations tongues are said two for one as though he should say nations of divers tongues 16 And the tenne hornes which thou sawest on the Beast Now he commeth to the afflicted condition of the whore declaring by whom it shal be brought upon her and how to which he addeth a common cause the will of God in the next verse As touching the words in stead of upon the Beast the Compl. edition which Montanus and Plantine followeth doth reade and the Beast as if the Beast himselfe at length should hate the whore contrary unto Aretas reading the vulgar Latine and Theod. Beza from the authority of very many copies and in very deed contrary to the manifest trueth for by the desolation of the whore which he foresheweth here the Spirit understandeth that calamity that shal be brought upon the Kingdome of the Beast by the vial poured out upon his Throne chap. 16.10.11 Therefore how can the Beast shew himselfe a helper for to abolish and roote out the whore as it followeth from the false reading whose fall he shall take so grievously and immoderately that he shall gnawe his tōgue for exceeding great griefe Furthermore Iohn saw the woman sitting upon the Beast at what time shee commeth forth to condemnation and punishment When then shal be this separating of company which they would have when so great a concorde remaineth even to the last destruction VVherfore it is a vaine thing which Bellarmine endevoureth to stablish from this place that Rome is not the seate of Antichrist because Antichrist shall hate the whore which he granteth to be Rome For he shall not hate saith he his owne seate But the whole assumption is manifestly false and leaneth upon no other thing then a corrupt reading But why dareth he now depart from the vulgar Latine which with so great praises hee extolleth elsewhere and the Councill hath decreed to be authenticall alone The force of the trueth hath compelled him to seeke all corners which if by any meanes he could avoide he knew pardon would easily be gotten of the Councill VVherefore they which shall hate the whore are the tenne hornes not the Beast together with them For the relative of the neuter antecedent is masculine because by these hornes men are to be understood But as in the warre against the Lambe that was attributed to the tenne Kings which was done onely by the labour of one ver 14. So all are said to hate the whore and at length to torment her with the last slaughter which neverthelesse is peradvēture the commendation of one of these For there are not wonte to be many Emperours togither of the same dominion And it may be that even at the rising of the Beast the tenne first Emperours were famous for good will toward the Pope so contrariwise nigh his ende the tenne last shal be for a certaine peculiar hatred to the whore the last whereof shall burne her with fire But I say the last not as though they should cease when the Pope ceaseth but because they shal be no longer his hornes whose nowe they are counted from which it is manifest that the Turke is not hee by whom Rome shall utterly perish but one of the Emperours to whō these hornes agree in beginning progresse and end Neither indeede would the Turke if he knew to provide for himselfe attempt any thing against Rome as long as shee shal cōtinue safe our armies shall doo him no harme Take yee an example o Christians from that victory at Karesta a few yeeres since to wit in the yeere 1596. What was the cause that overcomming ye ranne away headlong by a sudden terrour Why when the Turks sled and left their campe and tents three whole dayes in the fieldes without any keeper on the other side you should runne with violence into a most desperate flight Some men in time past knew not to use doubtfull victory but after the
while the Apostles lived The Apocalypse speaking of Antichrist under that seventh head saith and the other is not yet come cha 17.10 which manner of words we are wont to use in things so neer as they may seem to be come though as yet they are not come and not of things that are to fal out fifteen hundred yeres after Idle therfore are all those things that you gather of Peter and Paul to be Antichrists and of Simon and Nero to be Christs Why prove you not I pray you that the rising of Antichrist was not then neer Is not this ynough to refell his singular person if he were to beginn a few ages after Paul But you like a rude fenser bear off with your bukler from the part which you ar not layd at but where you are beaten even unto death you leav your self unfensed and bare The second argument of Th. Beza is that by the singular names of Beasts the Bear the Lion the Libbard in Daniel chap. 7. ar not meant singular Kings but singular Kingdomes wherof one did conteyn even many Kings After the same manner therfore Paul 2 Thes 2. who marvelously agreeth with Daniel by the man of syn and son of perdition meaneth not one singular person but a certen body as it were of many tyrants You answer two things First denying that Daniel alwayes by singular Beasts dooth mean singular Kingdomes for in the 8. chapter by the Ram he meaneth Darius the last King of the Persians by the Goat-buck Alexander the Great Secondly you deny the consequence of the argument because Paul by the man of sin meaneth not any of the 4. beasts described by Daniel but onely that litle horn I answer to the first It is false that which you say of the Ram and the Goat-Buck For by the Ram is meant the whole Kingdome of the Medes Persians and which ended in Darius by the Goat-Buck the Kingdome of the Greeks which began by Alexander For so saith he ver 3. there stood bâ—fore the river one Ram with two hornes and his two horns were high but one was higher than an other and the highest came up last These two hornes at the two Kingdomes of the Medes and Persians of which that was first smallest this last and largest Have these things place in Darius onely or in the whole Kingdome Then it foloweth in the next verse I saw the Ram pushing against the West against the North against the South so that no Beasts might stand before him neyther did any deliver out of his hand but he did what he listed and that very great things What did Darius of these things who in the second yere of his reign being provoked unto warr by AlexaÌ„der weÌ„t to ruine dayly Last of al explayning this vision in the 20. verse he saith The Ram which thou sawest with two horns are the Kings of Media and Persia he saith the Kings not Darius onely So also the Goat-Buck is the Kingdome of the Greeks not Alexander alone He is caled in deed King of Graecia ver 21 but it is playn that King there is taken collectively as in other places namely for Kingdome as in the end of the verse it is taken partitively when he saith the horn between his eyes is the first King namely Alexander who seing he is the horn he is not the whole Goat Wherfore no where in Daniel is a singular person designed by a Beast but a whole Kingdom Vnto the second I say By the Man of Syn is not meant the litle horn but the Beast For Antichrist is the seventh head which also is a Beast as Apoc. 17.8.11 And although this Beast be none of those that ar in Daniel yet the argument from the like is firm For by the same reason that it is a whole Kingdome in Daniel it is so likeweise in the Apocalypse Our third argument is Io. Calvins who thus gathered that Antichrist is no singular person because the head of the universal Apostasie which dureth moe yeres than can be fulfilled under one King is not one certain man and Antichrist is the head of such an Apostasie You answer five waies that Calvins impudencie as you say may the more appeare First that by the Apostasie may rightly in Paul be understood the Antichrist himselfe Secondly that by the same may be meant the defection from the Roman Empire Thirdly that ther is no need it should be of many ages Fourthly that it requireth not one head Fiftly that it is yet a question who have departed from the faith and religion of Christ whither the Papists or the Lutherans I answer to every of these and first where by the Apostasie you unnerstaÌ„d by a metonymie Antichrist himselfe you confirm the same thing that Calvin saith so is your wont to represse his impudency Vnto the second I say that the Apostasie is not a defection from the Roman Empire but froÌ„ the true faith to weet from the love of the holy truth as Paul openeth it and as shal be made playn after chap. 5. and 14. Vnto the third concerning the durance of the Apostasie we have already learned by the Apocalypse that it hath prevailed more than a thousand two hundred sixtie yeres and this more evidently than that any of your subtil reasonings caÌ„ elude the thing Vnto the fourth if you can find any other multitude besides that of the whole earth which foloweth the Beast I wil not hinder you from setting up as many heads of the Apostasie as you wil Apoc. 13.3.8 Vnto the fift namely that the question is not yet decided as you say whither Papists or Lutherans have made defection we make this offer let al holy men be iudges With whom ther is found Idolatry let them be condemned of defection as the Scriptures every where teach But if any credit be to be giveÌ„ unto the most holy oracles of the Scriptures al that your worship of Images invocation of Saincts adoration of the feighned body in the sacrament veneration of reliques and many such like things is horrible Idolatry and therfore Apostasie But Idolatry is spiritual whoredome and therfore as the way of the whorish woman which eateth and then wipeth her mouth and sayth I have doon no iniquity Prov. 30.20 so is the way of Idolaters by no means can they be brought to acknowledge their impiety This Bellarmine shal be the true trial both of you and of us before God his holy Angels The things that you propouÌ„de are ridiculous You wil have it that we have made defection because we have departed froÌ„ the superstition of our predecessours both in doctrine and rites ful of Idolatry as though we were not bidden goe out of Babylon and to have no communion with her at al. We have made defection from the whore defection from Antichrist namely defection from your Pope of Rome but thanks be to God we have made defection unto the one true God who of his infinite mercy wil
world for a testimonie to al nations from which an argument is thus framed which let me I pray you bring into form that we of the ruder sort may more easily observ the art of demonstration He that is to come after the preaching of the Gospel in al the world he is not yet come Antichrist is to come after the preaching of the Gospel in al the world therfore he is not yet come This is your demonstration wherin we find manie strange and new points never delivered by any Demonstrating Masters namely that principles are used for demōstration which be neither true nor first For as touching truth the proposition is eyther manifestly false or at least doubtful as after more plainly shal appear and therfore not meet for a demonstration Moreover if any would doubt of the minor what strēgth hath it from Mathew what one word is ther in him of Antichrist to come after a general preaching How is this an immediate principle which if it have any credit must borow it from elsewhere Pardon I pray you this my morositie I thought it necessary to make trial of some one of your demonstrations of al which seing we have now a pattern in this first wee shal not need to deal so exactly in the rest but may judge of what sorte al are by the nature of this But your selfe saw how trifling and unworthy a demonstration this was and therfore you flee unto a probable reason which as a propp you put under that readie to fall To cōfirme the Minor that Antichrist is to come after the general preaching leaving now Matthew whole name at first was vainly obtruded Jt may be proved you say by reason because in Antichrists time the cruelty of the last persecution wil hinder al publick exercises of true religion I answer how truly this is said of the publick ceasing of religion we shal see after in the chapter of Persecution In the mean while I avouch that you dispute not so much unskilfully as in deed falsly For time is threefold past present and to come neyther can anie thing be concluded that it is to come unlesse it be before proved that it is neither present nor past Wil you then infer that Antichrist shal come after the general preaching because he cannot be togither with the same But why I pray you may he not be before it Yea what if by this your demonstratiō he must needs be before it Surely neither can he be togither with the general preaching for the crueltie of persecution as you say neither can he come after because Christ saith when the Gospel is preached in the whole world then shal come the end You see nothing to come between the universal preaching the end Therfore by this your reason he must needs come before the universal preaching This is not the least vertue of this undoubted demonstration that it maketh more for your adversaries cause than for your own But say you the adversaries admitt not of this reasō Surely nor your freinds I beleev unlesse it be some foxes that prayse the crow for his sweet singing But I am glad for you that at last your selfe are weary of this demōstration Furthermore you say Neither is there time now to deduce it from the principles therof and therfore you wil prove the thing by testimonies of the Fathers What Have not you time which undertake the most copious handling of all controversies And which bring not forth one argument of anie weight in this cause I know your Iesuitical cunning what you can not doo for needynes that you may not doo for hast unto other matters But let us goe forward and see how you folow both parts of the former argument For the new as it seemeth affordeth nothing but the old nest was to be trimmed that some shew of building might appear First therfore you bring Hilarie Cyrill Theodoret Damascen affirming that Antichrist shal not come til after an universal preaching I answer ther is now no need curiously to inquire into their sayings seing in this thing they teach agreably to the scriptures For Antichrist was to come because the love of the truth was refused 2 Thes 2. And the punishment is not inflicted before the fault Neither could the fault be committed before there was the use of the truth Here therfore I contradict nothing Moreover in some sort I doo grant your proof from the text For the Gospel was to be preached before that great tribulation spoken of Mat. 24.21 But herein you err that you think this is both the last tribulation and the persecution of Antichrist For it is no other than the destruction of Ierusalem as Chrysostome also dooth acknowledge though typically he would hav it referred unto Antichrist Let Antichrist therfore come after the universal preaching of the Gospel But what Hath not the Gospel been noised as yet through al the world In deede so you say though the thing it self be otherweise Christ being to ascend into heaven bade the Apostles to goe into al the world Mark 16.25 And promised that they should be his witnesses unto the utmost end of the earth Act. 1.8 It can not be eyther that the Apostles should neglect that which was commanded or that our Lord should not performe that which he promised Neither wanted the thing an issue as the Apostle teacheth saying that the faith of the Romanes was published through the whole world Rom. 1.8 and that the Gospel was come unto the Colosseans even as unto al the world Col. 1.6.23 You answer that the whole world in these places is not properly and simply taken but figuratively but the Gospel should be preached in everie nation properly and simplie before Antichrist come Which you prove by testimony of Fathers and by three reasons The Fathers are Augustine Origen and Ierom besides those fore-alledged I answer Ther is no doubt but the Fathers doo accommodate their words unto the words of the Scriptures and therfore they often say that the Gospel should be preached in al the world through the whole earth in al lands c. but whither they speake more expressely or no doo signify by name that these kind of speeches are to be taken simply not figuratively may wel be doubted Ierom in his Epistle to Ageruchia saith He that held is taken out of the way and doo we not understand that Antichrist is neer By which it is playn that he understood no other preaching through the whole world than such as was in his time for otherweise how could Antichrist be neer So Gregorie as is before mentioned saith Al things that were fore-told are come to passe the King of pride is nigh Therfore this universal preaching was then doon but not properly as you would have it which as you say is not performed to this day Turn over the Fathers therfore and weigh their words more diligently perhaps though these things were very dark unto them you shal finde no such preaching
love of the truth that they might be saved therfore God wil send them the operation of errour that they may belpev lyes c. This place you say the ancient Interpreters doo expound of the Iewes I answer as touching the ancient Interpreters you know their mind being possessed with some preiudice inclined all their cogitations therunto Wherupon it came to passe that those holy men when once they had conceived in mind that Antichrist should be a Iew taking it so rather one from another than weighing the thing it self whatsoever anie where was delivered about this matter they applyed for the most part therunto But say you the thing it self without the Fathers commentaries proclaymeth that the Apostle speaketh of the Iewes This in deede is worthy to be considered for from hence we shal have wherby we may judge of those Fathers testimonie First therfore you say Antichrist should be sent unto them which would not receive Christ And who are they which more ought and would not receiv Christ than the Jewes I answer rhat which you first propound is not firm ynough For the Apostle saith not that Antichrist should be sent unto them which would not receive Christ but because they received not the love of the truth And ther is a great difference between these two as much surely as is between Iewes Gentiles For this manner of speaking which the Apostle useth properly belongeth to the Gentils who shal bring as he saith this evil upon themselves not for that they altogither refused the truth but because outwardly professing it they cary not that studie zele desire towards it that was meet Even as the Angel of Ephesus is blamed that in the name of the whole Church of the Gentiles as there we shewed for that he had left his first love Ap. 2 4. From these words therfore I conclude most firmly against you that the Apostle speaks of them which acknowledging professing the truth did not love the same as became them which agreeth certes to the Gentiles onely not to the Iewes who refusing the whole truth are not blamed for want of love seing the lesser crime is not wont to be obiected nothing said of the greater Secondly you say the Apostle speaketh not in the time to come they wil not receive but in the time past they have not received which agreeth to the Iewes that would not beleeve when Christ and his Apostles preached when in the mean while the Gentiles received the Gospel most desirously I answer the Apostle speaketh in respect of the time of Antichrist of whom he treateth God wil send Antichrist because before Antichrist came men studiously folowed not the truth as became them Neither could he speake otherweise unlesse he had set the punishment before the offense For if he had sayd because they wil not receive the truth it might seem that Antichrist should come upō thē for the obstinacie that should be after his coming These ar your reasons which you say doo proclaym that the Apostle speaketh of the Iewes but if you diligently mark you wil confesse that this is not so much as a soft whispering unto the lowd crie on the other part For hear what the Apostle saith in the beginning of the chapter ver 3. Vnlesse ther come a departure first and the man of sin be reveled c. Wherby he teacheth that the departure or Apostasie shal goe before Antichrist and the Revelation of Antichrist before the coming of the Lord. And whose departure shal this be not the Iewes for they received not the truth at all And defection is from a thing which one embraced before Moreover these mens defection could not be to come seing they from the first preaching of the faith did resist the truth Therfore it should be the defection of the Gentiles and not passed but to come For if it had been past the Thessalonians had seen Antichrist who had not yet shewed himselfe being restreyned by some impediment as the Apostle after teacheth But you wil say this departure was from the Roman Empire But let the Apostle I pray you interpret himselfe who afterwards expresseth that which here he caleth a departure by other words for that they received not the love of the truth ver 10. And what other departure could bring forth this mischeevous evil Was the Roman Empire which crucified the Son of God so regarded of God as for departure from it he would send Antichrist into the world These are the dreams of Romish men that abound with excess and surfetting not of such as with true desire doo folow the truth Therfore whatsoever hitherto you have said it is clear ynough that they be not Iewes which should receive this Antichrist but Gentiles and that for iust causes Calvin of blessed memorie and others whom yoy cal Heretiks did depart from the ancient Fathers interpretation also did expoūd these things of you and such like from whom certaynly so farr as it seemeth God hath taken away al iudgement of right and wrong in matters of salvation because you more esteme the honour and pleasures of this world than the simplicitie of the Gospel But by reason also you would persuade that the Jewes are they which shal receive Antichrist who should joyn himselfe first unto them For they be ready to receav him which expect the Messias to be a tēporal King I answer they are readie in deed to receive Antichrists and oft-times they have received them according to that which Christ foretold but what is this unto the Antichrist of whom we speak For inquisition is made of Antichrist properlie so caled who because he hath two horns like the Lamb Apoc. 13.11 they which hate the Lamb doo hate him also that is somewhat like him and therfore eschew him as much as they can Let the Iewes therfore cal the Pope of Rome Heghmon that is tail and give him what reprochful names so ever yet foloweth it not therupon that he is not the great Antichrist seing it is no where said that he should be honoured by this people in anie peculiar sort For wheras you say Antichrist shal in like manner come from the Iewes to the Gentiles as Christ came from the Iewes to the Gentiles surely you either ghesse or dream Yow prove nothing unlesse perhaps you would make Christ to be a tipe of Antichrist which impious divinitie of yours we heard once before in the ch of Antichrists durance That which you bring therfore of Antichrist properly so caled to be received of the Iewes is altogither vayn The second which you said was also most certayn is that Antichrist shal be a Jew and circumcised and this you say is deduced from the things forespoken I answer those things alreadie spoken from which this is deduced we have sufficiently shewed to be most absurd and therfore this which is builded upon them is of like strength and authoritie For that which you annex in sted of confirmation that the
Iewes wil never receive a man that is not a Jew and uncircumcised it makes against you For hence it foloweth that they wil never receive Antichrist properlie so caled whom by necessarie reasons wee have evinced to be a Gentile and uncircumcised Secondly you say Antichrist feynenth himselfe to be of Davids familie because such a one the Jewes doo expect I answer either Antichrist shal fein it or you now feyn it of him VVhere I pray you dooth the holy Ghost amoÌ„g al other notes of the true Antichrist describe him unto us by this But it is Gods just iudgmeÌ„t that you which turn the truth into shadows should be deluded by shadowes in stead of the truth And so as your custome is being destitute of al scripture and probable reason you flee to the patronage of humane authoritie wherunto besides the other things already fore mentioned I oppose this reason in sted of a conclusion The Iewes shal have no dominion before they return unto Christ and therfore the Antichrist shal not be of them who should be the highest ruler and as you feighn by help of the Iewes should subdue the Gentils The first part of the reason is plainly confirmed by manie scriptures some of which I wil set down not so much for your sake Bellarmine though for yours also if so be at last you shal affect the truth as for my brethrens whom I would have to be stirred up by this iudgment unto a more diligent serch of manie places which being commonly counted plain and evident are yet altogither unknown The first is Lev. 26.39.40 c. Where the last plague of the chapter is this greevous casting of of the Iewish nation in which they lye for despising Christ from the time he was crucified unto this verie day whose solution and deliverance at last is conjowned with the extreme miserie wherin they shal be at the time when this deliverance shal happen unto them But if that Antichristian glorie which you doo feyn doo come between how shal this bounteousnes of God finde them so miserably afflicted The second is out of that excellent song of Moses Deut. 32.36 c. When the Lord shal have judged his people then wil he repent towards his servants when he shal see that their power is gone and that the shut up with the left abroad is nothing and he wil say wher are their Gods the Rock in whom they trusted There Moses singeth of the same times tâ—â—cheth that they shal be brought unto the lowest ebb when God shal arise to avenge his people The third is that of Esay 49.14 And if Sion say the Lord hath forsaken me c. Vnto these shal be adioyned Ier. 30.8 c. Ezek. 37. Dan. 12.1 Hos 3.4.5 Which few places may suffice to open the meaning of many From which I conclude although the Bishop of Rome be neither at any time a Iew nor by the Iewes received for the Messias but rather be by them hated yet this is no cause why he should not be the great Antichrist yea and unlesse these things were he should be farr from being the principal Antichrist as in their places we have declared Chapt. 13. Of Antichrists seat IN expounding the words of the Prophesie we concluded by most firm arguments taken therfrom that Rome is the seat of Antichrist and that forthwith after the Empire is taken from the Hethen Emperours For the heads of the Beast abide fixed to Rome where are both those Hills and Kings that the Angel speaketh of And wher these heads abide fixed there must the seat of Antichrist needs be Moreover seing Antichrist then also shewed himselfe when Constantine began to reign as before is proved at large he hath no other seat than Rome For wheras he abode a few yeres at Avenion he did that with purpose to sojourn for a time not with a mind to change his seat But on the contrarie you Bellarmine doo contend that Antichrists seat shal be Ierusalem not Rome and Solomons Temple and Davids Throne not S. Peters Temple or the seat Apostolical Which you endevour to prove two wayes First by an argument unto the man then by the Scriptures and Fathers The argument is this If the Pope of Rome be Antichrist sitting in the Church of Christ then the Lutherans and Calvinists and as manie as are aliens from the Church which is under the Pope doo live out of the true Church of Christ For Christs Church can be but one as Christ is one And our men doo affirm the Pope of Rome to be Antichrist therfore our men all doo live out of the Church I answer the Proposition is false and relyeth onely upon the Churches unitie misunderstood For the Church is both commonly so caled and properly The first hath pietie corrupted the word adulterated the Sacraments depraved is ful of superstition and humane devises reteyning Christs name onely and boasting in the title therof and also commonly so accounted whiles any whit of the foundation is remaining The other is chast pure entire clean hearkning to Christs voice in al things and not departing from his praescribed rule any whit at all so farr as mortal infirmitie suffereth and this alwayes is the onely and true spouse of Christ how ever the whore also taketh this name to her selfe So before the Temple Altar was proper to the elect and mesured by the Angel but the Court was not set forth with any description but cast out and permitted to the Gentils to weet the prophane multitude which for their neernes falsly chalenged the name of the Temple To whom the holy city also was given which having their seat in the sayd court they trode under foot at their pleasure during the appointed time Apoc. 11.1.2 More plainly in the 7. Churches which all ar Christs though Sardis lived but in name onely and the Angel of Laodicea was neither hot nor cold forthwith to be spued out unlesse he repented chap. 3.1.16 Therfore that is not rightly transferred unto the common Church which perteineth unto it properly so caled One may be an alien from the Church commonly so caled and yet be a true citizen of the true Church If you could shew that the Pope of Rome hath his chair in this which properly inioyeth this name you might rightly conclude us all to be fugitives and very miserable But whiles you shuffle togither things disjoined and contrarie and dally as your manner is with a playn aequivocation the absurditie which you thought to throw against us is lighted upon your own head So your argument unto the maÌ„ is lying like him whose cause you have in hand Secondly you prove it from three Scriptures the first wherof is Apoc. 11.8 where you say John saith that Henoch and Elias shal fight with Antichrist in Ierusalem and there be killed I answer that which is spoken of Henoch and Elias to come and fight with Antichrist is altogither vain as I have proved in the 6.
chapter against your third Demonstration But because it skilleth nothing for the force of this argument what the names of these Prophets be we let that passe for the present and doo say that that which you tell us how they are to be killed in Jerusalem is false For the Spirit designeth not Ierusalem by name but onely by this circumlocution where our Lord was crucified which agreeth as wel unto Rome seing Christ was crucified by the sentēce of Pilate the Romā Deputie By which fact he made his Citie guilty of this bloud which was shed by this cities authoritie as we have shewed on chap. 11.8 This argument therfore is worthlesse and weak assuming that which cannot be proved yea the contrary wherof is plainly evident by the Scriptures Neither was ther anie cause why either Chytraeus should purposely passe by these words as you feyn where the Lord also was crucified or why you should so trouble your selfe to prove against Ierom that Ierusalem may be caled Sodome which we acknowledge to be so caled otherwhere Although in the Apocalypse your Rome onely is Sodom you should rather have streyned your sinewes to acquitt your selves of this than have spent your strength in a matter for which ther is no fight The second place is Apoc. 17. where Iohn saith that the ten Kings which shal divide the Roman Empire to themselves and in the time of whose reign Antichrist should come shal hate the purpled whore that is Rome and make her desolate and burn her cke with fire How then say you shall it be Antichrists seat if at the self same time it must be overthrown and burnt I answer the Apocalypse easily taketh from you this scruple You ask how Antichrists seate can be burnt he being alive and seing it The Apocalypse telleth that the fift vial shal be powred out on the Beasts throne and his kingdome shal be made dark so that they shal gnaw their tongues for so row chap. 16.10.11 which vial verily is no other thing than this burning wherby the ten Kings shal consume the whore to ashes For you see that this citie which is to be consumed with fire is Queen of the nations which agreeth not to Ierusalem that hath been laid even with the groūd now manie ages since And if you doubt how the ten Kings should be inflamed with such hatred who so dearly loved the whore before hear how the Angel saith that for a time they would yeild themselves wholly to the Beast but should at length be stirred up of God to destroy her whom they most honoured before ver 16.17 This hatred therfore wil afford your Rome no comfort The other things which you heap up to exaggerate this argument are of no weight at all For that Antichrist the Iewe we have chased away in the former disputation and those things that are mentioned of the Kingdome of Asia are some smal peeces of truth shining clearly in the fabulous heap of confuse earth Certayn it is that the Empire shal return thither again but which Antichrist shal not constitute but Christ himselfe shal build taking pitie on his people and declaring himselfe in his Church to be King of al nations The third place is in those words so that he sitteth in the Temple of God 2. Thess 2.4 wher you bring four expositions of the Temple The first is theirs that by the Temple understand the minds of the faithfull The second is Augustines who interpreteth the Temple to be Antichrist himselfe with his whole people which wil have himselfe and his to be thought the true spiritual Temple of God The third is Chrysostoms that takes the Temple for Christian Churches The fourth is theirs that understand it of Salomons Temple Of these four expositiōs you chose this last worst and furthest from the truth even as women when they ar troubled with the green sicknes doo long for coles lether more then for wholsome meats The Temple in this place must needs be that peoples whose the apostasie is for which Antichrist is sent and this we have shewed to be the Gentiles onely which came in deede unto Christ but served him not with such affection as was meet and that it can not by anie means agree to the Iewes who never would be writtē citizens of this Kingdome Moreover neither did Antichrist come while the old Temple stood neither shal he sit therin afterwards seing it was overthrown long since never to be reedified more as the Angel teacheth And the desolatiō shal continue even to the consummation and end Dan. 9.27 Besides how could the Apostle cal that Gods temple which God would detest and which shal not be founded by anie authoritie of his but by Antichrists commandement alone as you wil have it vaūting himselfe for the onely God These and many other things doo teach that it is least of al to be understood of Salomons Temple Yet you say this opinion is the more common probable and learned But by what reason I pray you Beeause say you in the Scripture of the New Testament by the Temple of God is never meant the Christian Churches but alwayes the temple of Jerusalem VVhich short sentence conteineth two notable falshoods The first is that you say by the temple of God is never meant in the Apostles writings the Christian Churches For Paul in Ephes 2.21.22 speaketh thus of the Christian Church Jn whom al the building fitly coupled togither groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord in whom ye also are built togither to be the habitation of God by the Spirit And what other thing dooth the Apocalypse mean by that so often name of the temple but the holy Christian assemblies Arise and measure the temple of God chap. 11.1 Then was the temple of God opened chap. 11.9 And they came out of the temple neither could any enter into temple chap. 15.6.8 The temple of Ierusalem was destroyed before this Revelation was made least perhaps yow should think that that is meant by these words This is the first falshood The second is wher you say the temple of God evermore signifieth the temple of Jerusalem in the new testament For what Are ther so manie Ierusalem temples as ther are faithful persons Vnto the Corinthians Paul speaketh in words commō to everie Christian Know you not that ye are the temple of God And if anie destroy the temple of God c. 1 Cor. 3.16.17 Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 To let passe the things I mentioned a litle before You certes are a more speedy builder than Salomon which can build so manie temples in so short a space but what cā not you doo which make a Christ everie day of Bread But this is a smal matter you say that the Scriptures doo so speak Therfore you bring some greater thing namely that the ancient Fathers Latin and Greek for manie ages never caled the Churches of Christians temples but Oratories
Antichrist hath reigned Whiles the woman lived in the wildernes and the Saincts lay hid in the temple ther was in deed a lamētable fewnes of true worshipers and so great darknes and obscuritie possessed al things more store of smoke bursting forth daily out of the bottōless pit that the truth commōly could not be seen Yet in the mean time Antichrist dominered in the holy citie and in the utmost court wherupon by counterfeit religion he deceived egregiously whiles al mē almost thought because of his neernes unto the Temple that he did sit in the true Temple The second chief point of doctrine you say is that he shal openly and by name cal himselfe the Christ not his Minister and Vicar as appeareth by those words of our Lord Jf an other shal come in his own name him ye wil receive And those words in his owne name you wittily warne to have been purposely added against the Lutherans and Calvinists which would say that Antichrist should not come in his owne name but in the name of our Christ as if he were his Vicar I answer you understand Christs words verie perversely For name in this place is not an appellation as you would have it but a mission and authoritie as we hav shewed in the 2. chapter touching Antichrists singular person By which it may appear that his own name and the Vicar of Christ doo not so contrary one an other but the Bishop of Rome may boast himselfe to be this vicar and doo it also in his own name to weet his own authoritie having no such right given him of God Moreover if name be an appellation Antichrist shal come in his own name and his appellation properly is not Christ how I pray you dooth he openly by name cal himselfe Christ See you not that you speak contraries Can any come in his own name openly cal himselfe an other whose name he beareth not Besides wee have often answered that this place perteins nothing to Antichrist properly so caled but to those whom the Iewes should submitt themselves unto who what manner of persons so ever they were they doo not in al points expresse the great Antichrist The third chief point of doctrine is that he shal affirme himself to be God and wil be worshiped for God as it is written so that he sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself as if he were God 2. Thes 2.4 not onely say you by usurping some of Gods authoritie but the very name of God And here because your vulgar authentik Latin text is too weak to defend the Pope you flee to the Greek not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as God say you but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he is God The Argument is this Antichrist shal in words acknowledge himselfe to be God the Pope of Rome dooth not acknowledge himselfe to be God therfore he is not Antichrist Let Oecumenius make answer to the proposition who thus interpreteth that word of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith not saying but shewing that is by works signes and miracles endevouring to shew that he is God According to his interpretation therfore a manifest publishing is not necessarie Yea let the Holy Ghost expound himselfe who by a like manner of speech in Ezek. 28.2 teacheth how this is to be taken Thus he saith of the King of Tyrus Because thy hart is lifted up so that thou sayest J am God No man I trow requireth that this Tyriā should pronoūce the self same verie words False therfore it is that Antichrist should in word professe himselfe to be God Notwithstanding because your Pope had liefer abound with tokēs than barely and slenderly to be furnished with such as are necessarie onely we forgive you the proposition and pray you to think with your selfe whither the verie thing proclaimeth not quite cōtrarie to that which you deny in the assumption For what I pray you did P. Sixtus acknowledg himselfe and the other Popes of Rome to be when he said Whosoever accuseth the Pope it shal never be forgiven him because he that sinneth against the holy Ghost it shal not be forgiven him neither in this life nor in that which is to come Concil Tom. 1. in Purgat Sixti What did Boniface the 8 when he said We declare define and pronounce that it is absolutely necessarie to salvation for everie creature to be subiect to the Bishop of Rome Extrav de Major Obed. unam sanctam I forbear to cite more witnesses I appeal to your selfe why doo you dissemble Doo not such speeches often sound in your ears But say you he dooth not acknowledge himselfe God because he acknowledgeth himself his servant I am ashamed of your proofs as if out of the same mouth ther could not come blessing and cursing horrible blasphemie and counterfeit obedience You know that in words he is sometime servant of servāts but again when he list he is King of Kings The fourth point is that he shal extol himself above al that is caled God or that is worshipped 2 Thes 2.4 that is say you he shal not suffer anie God neither true nor false nor anie Jdols To this argument we have answered in part before in handling Antichrists name wher we shewed that the Apostle meaneth not the heavenly God but the earthly that is the civil Magistrates which are venerable as also that in Daniel 11.37 And he shal not esteeme the God of his Fathers nor care for anie God because he shall rise up against all Ierom interpreteth this sacrilegious pride to be a kind of immoderate power over al religion for thus he saith And Antichrist shal warre against the Saincts and overcome them and shal be pufft up with so great pride as he shall attempt to change Gods lawes and ceremonies subiecting al religion to his owne power Com. in Dan. cap. 7. In which words he finely painteth out Antichrist the Pope of Rome although he was farr from this your comment For shal a false Prophet lift up himself above everie God A Prophet is always the Prophet of some God needs therfore must he professe himself subiect to some God whom the Scriptures note out by the name of a False Prophet Again when he shal sit in the temple of God whither shal this be in the tēple of an other God or in his own If of an other then he acknowledgeth a superiour but if in his owne then the Apostle speaks unproperly and should not have said so that he sitteth in the tēple of God as God but rather so that he sitteth in his owne temple as God But by this māner of speaking what fruit had redounded to the Saincts For what manner of sign had this been of this Monster when it was no where known what manner of Temple he should have or where But thus ar they wōt to erre from the right which reverence their lusts for truth As touching the Idols which you say Antichrist shal
as they neither could nor durst move anie thing against the faith established Socrates lib. 2. cap. 2. But the Ariminine synod abundantly testifieth in an Epistle to ConstaÌ„tine his son that he persisted constant in the true Nicene faith even to his last end We have judged it absurd say they even then so soon as he being baptised is departed from men and gone unto his due rest after him to mind for to goe about a new thing and to contemn such holy Confessours and Martyrs These things agree not to a man fallen from the truth And after that agayn And this moreover we intreat you that nothing be eyther taken away from the things which were before ordeyned nor anie thing added but that al things may remayn intyre unviolated which through the pietie of your Father are kept unto this very day Theod. lib. 2. 19. Sozom lib. 4. 18. Farre be it therfore that we should think he made shipwrack of faith and desired a second baptisme of an Arrian Zonaras mentioneth but one Baptisme and that by Sylvester but his tale agrees not with the truth For he wil have it that Constantine theÌ„ first forsook the worshiping of Idols and was clensed from his leprosie by the Baptisme of Sylvester after that Licinius being slayn he alone had the soveraignty But Eusebius a witnesse then living telleth how straight after that miraculous sight in heaven he caled the Christians to him and by them was taught the whole way of salvation that he gave himselfe to the reading of holy Scriptures had the Preists in great estimation promised that he would worship no other God thenceforward Euseb in vita Constant lib. 1. and his promise he indeed performed as appeareth by those Edicts in the behalfe of Christians which he togither with Licinius that reigned with him caused to be promulgated Euseb lib. 10. ca. 5. And was not he made a Christian until Sylvester entred him into that profession when he made warr with Licinius because he uncourteously and yll intreated the Christians And wheras he relateth that Peter Paul by night appeared in his sleep and bade him send for Sylvester and that he asked of him whither Christians worshipped the Gods caled Peter and Paul it is very ridiculous Who are witnesses I pray you that Peter and Paul appeared unto him by night To whom did Constantine report this Was it to Sylvester and not to Eusebius Or how could he be ignorant of the Christians God who had before now so exactly learned of Christians and himself read the holy Scriptures and also vowed that he would have no other God beside Christ as we shewed even now from Eusebius And strange it is that he should not send for Sylvester but when he was bidden by revelation who from his first conversion so familiarly used the holy Ministers as he had them for companions even making the Preists of God assistants to him Euseb in the same place Rashly therfore did Zonaras preferr the Romish Legends before the more ancient faithful Historie Nicephorus was moved by the authority of the Church of Rome the Font which Constantine is sayd to have made at Rome as also for that the Emperour was admitted into the Nicen Synod which the Fathers he thinketh would not have doon unlesse he had been before baptized But as coÌ„cerning the authoritie of the Church of Rome and the Font they shall be of some moment and have their weight when the Church of Rome shal have proved that she feighneth not in verie many other things And that third thing of place in the Synod it is too leight for to discredit so sufficient witnesses For why should they not admitt him into the Synod whoÌ„ they ought to admitt unto publik prayers and the preaching of the word A synod is as it were an assemblie of Prophesiers from which by the Apostles rule even infidels ar not to be excluded But if all saith he prophesie and ther come in one that is an unbeleever or an unlearned one he is rebuked of al he is iudged of al and so the secrets of his hart are made manifest and so he wil fal down on his face and worship God saying plainly that God is in you in deed 1. Cor. 14.24.25 But Constantine had obteyned like precious faith with the other Saincts therfore also might be partaker of the Spirit as they on whom it fell before Baptism Act. 10.44 c. And wheras he delayed his Baptisme the Fathers knew he did that not of coÌ„tempt but of a kind of religion of what manner I dispute not They might also think that neither Moses counted his children aliants from the covenant though they were not circumcised at the apointed day neither were the Israelites forbidden to offer sacrifices and doo other service of the Tabernacle although they were not circumcised in the wildernes Wherfore ther was no cause why entrance should be denied him into the Synod seing al deferring of the outward sign taketh not away from the faithful the right of children either with God or with men in the common duties of godlines Forasmuch then as it is certayn that Constantine was not baptised til the last part of his life it is a lying fable that Sylvester should clense him of his Leprosie by fotce of baptisme administred 20. yeres before at the least And in deed so Iacobus de Voragine freely acknowledgeth in the Legend of the finding of the holy Cross speaking of Constantines baptism It is doubtful saith he whither he deferred his baptism or no wherupon ther is likeweise more doubt of the Legend of Sainct Sylvester And a litle after It is evident that ther are manie things in the Historie which are recited in the Churches which are not consonant to the truth He speaketh of the invention of the Cross but ther is the same respect of al Legends This therfore is a lying miracle which is not confirmed by anie sufficient witnesse and is contrary to the true Historie The second miracle is of a Bull raysed up againe by Sylvester which ZaÌ„bres a Iew the last of the twelv which disputed against the truth of Christ by mumbling some words in his ear made fall down dead suddenly This fable is like the former None of the ancient writers that either lived in those times or succeded next doo speak any one word of this thing Surâ—ly he was not yet born that should forge this tale from Iustin Martyrs disputation with Trypho Moreover Zonaras telleth the thing as if Helena the mother of Constantine were togither with her son at Rome The Legend wil have her to be absent at the conversion of her son in Iudea stomaking that he was made a Christian she hastened thence to Rome with 149. learned Iewes to make trial of the truth by disputing Agayn the Legend is not onely contrarie to Zonaras but even to it selfe For in the life of Sylvester it saith that Helena went into Judea before her
shal come to passe between that signe given this thankesgiving The first gratulation is of a great multitude in heaven that is of the mixed multitude of the Church conversant on earth for we keepe in the common signification of this word which beareth not that these things should be referred to any knowledge which the heavenly soules have of things done with us The citizēs therfore of this militant Church in every countrey where the fame shal come they shal leape for ioy and shal breake forth into this grateful commemoration ¶ Hallelujah Halleluiah is an Hebrew word praise ye the Lord wherby the faithfull exhort one an other to give thākes and prepare their minds as it were with this preface True joy suffereth not it selfe to be contained in the bosome of any one but taketh to her selfe fellowes to whom shee may both impart her selfe and also may be more stirred up by the joint affection of others This one word containeth large matter of very great ioy But why doth the heavenly multitude speake now in Hebrew Is ther more holinesse in these lettres and syllables than in other They ar toyes Are then some Hebrew words kept as Osanna Amen Abba and the like which we shal use as tokens of our cōcord with the ancient Church that both wee beleeve in the same God and invocate him alone This indeed is a profitable cause of retaining these words but especially this seemeth to be the reason in this place that the Church of the Gentiles after Rome be overthrown shal provoke their brethrē the Iewes to the faith that impediment being taken away which most of all hindred their conversion it could not be that the crucifyers should acknowledge the same Lord while this flourished or was at all which gave leave to crucify him This is the cause why the Hebrew word now soundeth againe so often Praises were not in these words before time but whē the conversion of the Iewes is at hand ioyned next to this reioycing for iust cause now the Saincts doe speak with the tongue of one sheepfold ¶ Salvation and honour and glory That is the prayse of salvation honour and glory and praise of power be given to our Lord. Glory is a certaine very excellent opinion which a man hath of any ones excellency therfore called of the Grecians doxa Wherfore in this destruction of Rome so bright a beame of Gods goodnes and power shal shine forth that al the faithful shal admire it and be astonied Honour is that worship both inward and outward wherby we doo reverence so great excellency It is ought alwaies to be ioyned with glory otherweise vaine is that estimation of one which no dutie accompanieth the vulgar latine readeth prayse glory and powr be to our God The Complut and the Kings Bible have Salvation and power and glory of our God 2 Because true and righteous The truth in iudgments respecteth the promise righteousnes rewarding according to their deserts The credit of both these falleth into utter decay with the world because of delaying frō whence now for good cause God is praised of his people in both these respects wheras he hath proved sufficiently to the world that he dooth punish naughty acts and that he neglecteth not the iniuries which are done to his 3 And againe they said An other thankes giving the thing being more certenly known The first tidings of the taking of the city shal cause the first as it seemeth but when the faithful shal have learned that the same is utterly overthrown without al hope of renewing they shal renew their ioy and shal give new thankes a fresh The second is done in fewer words than the former peradventure according to our disposition whose first brunt is most vehement ¶ And her smoke rose up That is now is shee delivered up to eternal punishment to be tormented For an everlasting fyre is shewed by the smoke ascending for evermore by which kind of speaking is signifyed that the continual remembrance of her punishment shal be with al the godly alwayes A token wherof they shal have continually before their eyes the smoke ascending without intermission least perhaps they should forget it He alludeth to the eternal torment of the wicked Therfore the eternity of the punishment shal give a new cause of gladnesse And not without cause when they knowe that the insolency of the wicked whore shal not onely be restrained for the present but also that none shal have any feare of her for the time to come 4 And those fowr and twenty Elders fell down Such was the reioycing of the mixed multitude ther followeth the assembly of the faithfull gathered togither solemly which doo labour openly and ioyntly to the same duty of thankes giving For this multitude of Elders and Beasts giveth a shew of an Ecclesiastical assembly which God the Father for his sonnes sake coūteth such as this most holy company representeth And therfore as oftē as any thing is performed by a common name that is shewed by this sacred Senat as we have shewed in chap. 4. Such therfore shal be the order of giving thankes that the end and conclusion of the common thankes giving be reserved to the publike congregations And so it hath come to passe that private reioycing alwayes goeth before the common publik Any blast of report is wont to stirr up that first this is not undertakē but when the things are throughly known and undoubted But the foure and twenty Elders fall down when the Beasts give glory and thankes to him that sitteth on the throne It belongeth to these to moderate the whole action in the publike assembly the rest of the congregatiō ought to ioine their praiers and to testify their consent by a common voyce in the ende According to this custome there are rehearsed here onely two words Amen Allelujah As though that former were of the Elders this latter the summe of the thankes giving which the Beasts utter in conceived words But this order hath bin declared more fully in chap. 4. from whence this ought to be understood the same which now is shewed briefly But observe that the last songs of the Church of the Gentiles shal be gratulatory which yeeld no other song then Halleluiah Even as the book of the Psalmes is concluded with songs of praises Shee sunge in time past many lamentable songs and hymnes of a mixt kinde but the last part of the Comedy shal be doubtlesse a most joyful tryumph And these are the funerals of the city of Rome and the rites by which her burial shal be celebrated The day and yeere cannot certenly be set downe in which her funeralls shal be yet from other scriptures I think it to be clear that they shall not be differred at the furdest beyond three score yeeres The sixeteenth chapter hath taught that next after that the vial is powred out upon the throne Euphsates shal be dryed up that is after Rome destroyed
which so solemne commandement he teacheth that there is in it a great and strange matter We commit to writing things the credit wher of we will have to be confirmed unto all posterity for which cause lawes were graven once in Brasse and set up in a publike place Also God speaking to Ieremy concerning this same thing Write saith he for thy selfe all the words which I speake unto thee in a book chap. 30.2 As if God providing for our infirmity should give us sealed writings from which wee might cal upon him for helpe more freely and boldly if peradventure he should seem to forget his promise But not onely Iohn is confirmed hereby but also the event is respected as we have seen from the like places before as if it should come to passe that by the authority of some holy man some publike writing should be set forth which most plainly should cōfirme this thing not to be new but foreshewed of God from the furthest times and that therfore the goodnesse and truth of God is to be acknowledged and praised in the same But the time wil manifest what at length is to be thought concerning this matter But what is it which he is commanded to write That they are blessed which ar called to the marriage supper of the Lābe a thing indeed wonderful never heard off before that al should be blessed which are called Before time this rule was in force many are called few chosen which thing example also hath prooved true when the calling fell not out prosperously to the auncient ghests who being called refused to come But now it shal be otherweise Al the called shal come gladly neither shal alledge for their excuse things of smal importance as did those former Mat. 22. So great now shal be the efficacy and grace of the Spirit that they shal obey at the first hearing Before saith Isaiah shee travailed she brought forth and before her paine came shee was delivered of a man childe Who hath heard such a thing Who hath seen such things Shal the earth be brought forth in one day Or shall a nation be borne at once For assoone as Zion travailed shee brought forth her children c. So Psal 110.3 Thy people most voluntary of all men in the time of thine armies in the beautiful places of thy holinesse frō the wombe of the mourning shal be to thee dewe of thy youth Many such things might be brought and peradventure it would be profitable at least weise that occasion might be given to our men to consider diligently of those places from the true meaning wherof I feare that wee erre by interpreting the things that are to come as if they were past This sentence therfore which is commaunded to be written taketh away al scruple frō Iohn He might have minded the former obstinacy of the nation and for that cause have doubted of their conversion But the Angel commandeth this care to depart There shal be so great diligence of the people that it shal be sufficient for them to be called away It is to be observed that the Iewes both here and elsewhere in many places are called keclemenous in the preterperfect tence by a certain prerogative of calling as it seemeth as who were called ever since the first times of the world Mat. 22.3.4.8 But the Gētiles kletous Mat. 22.14 because they were first called at Christ coming or rather after his death Which difference seemeth to be observed in this revelation from whence chap. 17.14 they who the Lambe being their Captaine doo subdue the tenn Kings are named called and chosen whom it is manifest to be the faithfull among the Gentiles ¶ These words are true The second confirmation taken from the principal authour as though he should say respect not mee as reporting any thing of mine owne but be so perswaded that this is the decree of the most High God as thou thy selfe heardest even now with thyne own ears ver 5. but the natural placing of the words hath an emphasis as it is in the Greek which by the displacing is lost these are the true words of God himselfe that is of most divine most excellent and most certen truth True are also some words of men but there is some infirmity in our most true things Wee alwayes speake from the earth Iohn 3.31 Therfore some preferment is attributed to this truth which appeareth not if we change the order of the words It is no strange thing that the words of God should be true 10 And I fell down before his feet VVhy now more then before VVas he abashed with the maiesty of the Angel But he had bin accustomed now a long time to wonderful sights Or was it for ioy of the conversion of his nation so in deed it seemeth For Iohn being ravished as it is clear frō the answer of the Angel with the sweetnesse of this Prophecy for sudden ioy wherwith he was carried away would give more worship then was meet to so welcome a messenger ¶ See that not to weet that thou worship mee not a defective speach noting out the grievousnesse of the naughty act for he maketh speed and finisheth not the sentence for hast Even as wee are wont to prohibit a thing eyther by sudden crying out or by the hand when the thing permitteth not any time for words He confirmeth the prohibition by two reasons first from the equal dignity of the Ministers of Christ J am saith he thy felow servant and not onely of the Apostles but also of thy brethrē which have the testimony of Iesu Al our office is equal they who preach Christ salvation by him are in equal dignity with them which reveale things to come The office of preaching is equal to the office of revealing this is the meaning of that which is said in the ende of the verse For the testimony of Iesu is the Spirit of Prophecy The second reason is because adoration belongeth to God onely Worship him saith he to whom alone such worship is due Doo not ye ô Popish Idolaters tremble at these words Ye take great paines about devising reasons why the Angel prohibited adoration as though he himselfe hath not rendred most cleare ones in his own words But what reasons bring yee To weet that after our flesh taken of Christ the Angels are greatly afraid to see the same prostrate before them as Gregory the Great wil have it Moreover because beside this dignity men are also Ministers of Christ Prophets and messengers of the Evangelical doctrine and Martyrs for the same Be it so doo ye not perceive that you are killed with your owne swords If they feare much to see our nature prostrate to them after the same taken of Christ why do ye cast down your nature to stones and painted Images and put the holy Angels in feare If they wil not be worshipped of the Ministers of Christ either at length cease to doo wickedly or at least confesse
your selves not to be Ministers of Christ And in this weise is the first calling of the Iewes that shal be now shortly which Daniel describeth by a certen pointing out of the time chap. 12.12 c Ezechiel saw it shadowed out by the dry bones moving themselves with an exceeding great noise shaking and by and after covered with sinewes flesh chap. 37.78 as wee shal heare afterward God willing more fully 11 Then J saw heaven open It being declared how Euphrates must be dried up or rather to what ende that is to say that nothing may be an impediment to the Iewes returning into their owne countrey now he proceedeth to the other part of the sixt vial the preparation for warre the Captaine wherof is first described And such a forme of him is exhibited not onely as is needful for this warre but also which declareth the whole state of things from that instant moment even to the end of al things It is no new thing that under the person of Christ a short and brief Prophecy of the whole state of his spouse should be delivered He is not chāged unlesse in so much as it is convenient for his Church Therfore in this new shape as in a glasse we ought to behold the face of the spouse by how much it is to be considered the more diligently This wonderfull sight is seen in heavē open that is in the holy Church whose most bright glory now most of all shal be made manifest to al men as before by a dore open in heaven the notable dignity and excellency of the first Church as it was in the Apostles daies and by and by after chap. 4.1 But this is more ample glory that heaven is opened not by some little dore but by a whole gate ye whole walles that I may so say nothing letting but that her full maiesty now may be seen of men as farre as is granted on earth ¶ And behold a white horse We may not suppose that Christ shal come forth in any visible shape these things are farre from his last comming as those things which follow wil manifest but he wil shew forth openly and evidently such a force in the administration of things as this figure representeth The whole description consisteth of foure parts In every one of which is to be considered the preparation and name In this first part the furnishing is a white horse the name faithful and true The similitude of which things with that in chap. 6.2 hath caused that some did thinke this to be the same vision by which errour they confound all things They differ much in times and in argument That white horse belonge to the first lists But this to the last goale That former went forth by and by after Iohn when Traiane flourished and his next successours This last is not seen but after the destruction of Rome There the confused multitude of all the beleevers was respected Here the conversion of the nation of the Iewes onely is intreated off Yet herin they agree that the white horse in both places signifyeth Christ triumphing by his truth but thē the Gentiles being subdued now at length a stubburne people being reconciled unto him To which thing he carried a name fitted wherby he sheweth that he wil now at last manifest to the whole world how faithfull true he is in performing his promises and that not any thing even the least shal be frustrate which once he foreshewed by the Prophets concerning the restoring of this nation in the last times Such a one therfore shal Christ be notable by these marks when he shal beginne the conversion of this people His promise shal seeme to have bin forgotten through long delay which at length he shal performe with most plentiful increase of new joy ¶ And who jugeth and fightest iustly So Theod. Beza translateth a relative being put between as though these things togither with the former should constitute the name it selfe which in the rest is wonte to be shorter but the sense is al one seing it is in likeweise whither a man be counted such by his name or found to be of this sort in very deed The worde have this force properly and he iudgeth and fighteth in righteousnesse where the coniunctiō copulative may be a causal as though these words should render a reason both of the white horse and also of the name should be added to the same in stead of an interpretation He sitteth upon a white horse because he fighteth righteously His name is faithful and true because he iudgeth righteously Which words are spoken in respect of his own people taken as they seem out of Psal 96.10.13 where to iudge in truth and righteousnes signifyeth to rule and moderate his people in framing and ordering their life according to truth and righteousnes that not onely as touching their outward actions but also in respect of inward newnesse of the heart which dependeth upon the regeneration of the Spirit wherby we are reformed after the Image of God as Calvin hath written very wel These words therfore declare the effectual power of calling which Christ shal now bestow aboundātly upō his and moreover safety from their enemies with whom he wil make warre and render them a reward meet for their deserts 12 And his eyes The second part of the description where his eyes are as it were a flame of fyre and on his head are many crownes but a name unknowne to all men but to himselfe alone As touching his eyes they are most sharpe pearsing al things which as flames of fyre consume whatsoever letteth the sight make lightsome the darkenesse it selfe and set most hidden things in the light What cā hide it selfe from such eyes Such an one shal Christ shew himselfe in drawing out his people into the light of truth from the hidden dennes and darkenesse whersoever they lurked so as this sharpnes of sight shal be very admirable to the world I wil say to the North saith the Lord give and to the South keepe not backe bring my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the endes of the earth Isay 43.6 The crownes are many because of the many singular victories which the Iewes shal get when first they shal give their name to Christ from those sundry nations among which they live dispersed striving as much as they can against their conversion But why is his name unknown that here we may know that great mystery to be wherat Paul cryed out O the deepnesse of the richesse both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how unsearcheable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Rom. 11.33 c. There he speaketh of this same thing of the hardening of the Iewes for a time calling at length in their time which whole matter he concludeth with an admiratiō of Gods wisdome affirming that no wit of any creature can comprehende the infinitnesse of the mystery So this vision foreshewing in the
crown our defection with eternal glory and your constancie if you speedily repent not with sempiternal ignominie among them which obey not the truth Now therfore cast up your accounts and gather the summ then see forasmuch as Antichrist is an impious and Apostatical Kingdome and the Popes of Rome have been principal Apostates and many whither Antichrist be a singular person or no. Chapt. 3. which sheweth that Antichrist is come OF Antichrists coming we gave demonstrations in the beginning of this refutation which serve to moderate al the questioÌ„s in this cause that they may manifest the truth of every of them Yet least this place where the thing is purposely handled should complayn that it is naked empty it shal not be unprofitable to add unto the former one reason or two in sted of th' advantage And these we draw from 2 Thes 2. and first from the 3. verse wher it is sayd except ther come a departing first and that the man of syn the son of perdition be disclosed In which words the Apostle setteth down that both of these shal goe before the coming of our Lord also that the departure or Apostasie shal come before the disclosing of Antichrist For that former is the cause of this latter drawing this evil with it as afterwards he teacheth that Antichrist shal therfore come because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved ver 10.11 Neither should the disclosing stay long after the defection wherunto it is straight annexed the Apostle saying except ther come a departing first and the man of syn be disclosâ—d c. but the impediment being taken away which we hav shewed to have been doon shortly after forthwith came this mischief to light But this departure began secretly even in the Apostle time which is not a defection from the Roman Empire but a neglect and contempt of the truth received as the same Apostle there interpreteth it and it hath prevailed now through many ages to be seen in the veneration of reliques the invocation of Saincts and worship of Images as was said erewhile For by such manner of Idolatry the Lord is forsaken and men fal from him unto other Gods as Ieremie saith chap. 16.11 where he is biddeÌ„ to speake thus to the people Then shalt thou say unto them because your Fathers have forsaken me saith the Lord and have walked after other Gods and have served them and worshiped them and have forsaken me and have not kept my law After which manner the other Prophets also speake continually Needs therfore must Antichrist be come long a goe seing the conioined signe cause of his coming hath reigned now in the world many ages Secondly that impediment is now long since taken away which onely hindred in the Apostles time that the man of sin was not reveled ver 7. Which was not the Roman Empire but the sixt head of that Empire which had the supreme government of things whiles Iohn lived for thus speaketh the Apocalypse chap. 17.10 Five are fallen one is the other is not yet come That one which the Angel saith was then was the sixt King with whom the Roman Empire should not fall because a seaventh King head should after succeed Neither did many reign togither with one head wherupon the seventh should as wel susteyn the Empire for his part as any one other of the former Therfore so soon as that present regiment should be changed which fel out about two hundred yeres after Iohn then that weighty burden which hitherto did restreyn being removed Antichrist should come forth and converse in al mens sight Thirdly if the mysterie of iniquity wrough whiles the Apostles lived of necessity the birth could not be farr of wheÌ„ the paynes of bringing forth did vex so betimes 2 Thes 2.7 Otherwise what a monstrous thing is this that one should be a breeding in the body these fifteen huÌ„dred yeres and yet the yongling is not brought forth and when at last he shal come forth he shal be but a King for three yeres and six moneths But these ar dreams If the Apostles scarsely repressed him much lesse did they keepe him in which came after and which had lesse piety knowledge studie diligence whose gifts also decaying daylie more and more made way for the speedy rising and increasing of the Man of syn These things being thus layd down now come we unto yours which is but one onely argument about this matter Long inough in deed it is for it reacheth from the beginning of the chapter to the end but it is no lesse weake and feeble then long and tedious Thus it goeth Antichrist is not yet come because he came not at the time which some both of the ancient later men have supposed The ancient men you mention are the Thessalonians Cyprian Ierom. Gregorie one Iudas Lactantius and a Bishop of Florence the later are the Samosatenians of Hungarie and Transilvania Jllyricus Chytreus Luther Bulinger Musculus And in folowing this matter is the whole chapter spent I answe twofold first false it is that he which cam not in the times spoken of by the sayd authors is not yet come It was not necessary that they should know the first rising original of Antichrist The Beast remayneth a Mysterie after his disclosing Apoc. 17.7 whose person was manifest but not his wickednes and original Eor the Mysterie were taken away if that which lay hidd within should lye open unto al men And as Gods Kingdom though foretold by the Prophets came not with observation Luk 17.20 so neyther dooth Antichrists Kingdome The tares are sowen whiles the husbandmen sleep Mat. 13.25 neither were they perceived in the first springing but were they not therfore because the husband-men knew not which way they grew Shal we not acknowledge the motion of the sun because we perceive it not as it moveth Doubtlesse the craftie enemy of his ingenious disposition had much rather that his Vicar should invade men privilie wherby he might oppresse the moe unwares than that rushing upon them with noise and tumult he should give men a sign for to looke to themselves Moreover when you conclude that he is not yet come you should have comprehended al the other times and not those few onely which the said ancient and later men doo mention Is not one come in some day because he is not come in the first or second or third houre therof It is a fault in reckning up the parts to passe by anie one and seing you have omitted manie your proposition is made diverse wayes absurd and the whole argumentation that hangeth thereon Secondly I answer severally to the rest and first concerning the anciÌ„et Fathers from whose words we doo more then probably conclude that Antichrist is come For thus saith Cyprian lib 4. Epist 6. You ought to know and for certayn to beleeve and hold that the day of vexation is begun to be upon our heads and