we understand it of Christ himselfe or of his Angel mentioned Chap. 1.1 22.16 However it seems rather to be meant of Christ in that it is said he ascends from the east For Christ is the sun of righteousnes arising from on high and he it is that hath the seale of the living God for he is the Image of the invisible God the brightnesse of his glory the Character of the person of the Father Sealing the elect because in him wee are chosen before the foundation of the world Also hee sealeth because he giveth faith unto the Elect justifies regenerates sanctifies them sealing in their hearts the witnesse of the spirit that they may not be seduced by the guile of Antichrist Now forasmuch as these things are proper unto God I rather understand this to be spoken of Christ then of any created Angel The seale which he imprints on the Elect What the seale of the living God is the Apostle explaineth 2 Tim. 2.19 the foundation of God standeth sure having this seale the Lord knoweth who are his Moreover that this is to be understood of Christ it may be probablie gathered because this vision is like unto that in Ezech. 9. where the Prophet saw six men every one having a slaughter weapon in his hand for to destroy Ierusalem He saw also one man among them clothed in linnen with a writers inkhorn by his side to mark such with the signe Thau on the forehead as mourned for all the abomination committed in the city that is all the godlie who were not polluted with idolatrie Now here all interpreters understand Christ the mediatour Neyther doth it any way contradict what we say in that Christ is sayd to be the Lambe opening the seale for as we have shewed Chap. 5.2 it is not strange that he should be represented in diverse formes in this visionall Revelation He cryed with a great voyce This angel doth two things First with a great cry he forbids the evil Angels to hurt the earth sea and trees adding a limitation untill he had sealed the servants of God the sence is seeing those that were to be sealed are the servants of God therefore power of hurting is not given unto them till this sealing be finished least they should bee promiscuously wrapt in the danger of seducement and so be destroyed with the rest Secondlie he sealed an hundred fourtie and four thousand of the twelve tribes of Israel This great cry denotes Christ power over Antichrist and his instruments whose madnesse he so bridleth as that they cannot by their tyrannie proceed further then what is permitted them And therefore it is said to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea Hence it appeareth in the first place why they held the windes from blowing towit that they might hurt the earth and the sea that is destroy the Churches by pestilent doctrine Secondly that the devil howsoever he doth forciblie stirre up Antichrist unto crueltie against the Gospel and endeavours to blot the elect out of the booke of life yet he can do no more then is given unto him that is no more then what is graunted him by Christ the Angel of the East Now the Apostle teacheth us 2 Thessa 2. that the power which is given him is over them that perish 8. Hurt not the earth what is meant by the earth sea trees I have already shewed The enemies of the windes are commanded not to hurt these so that we see they cannot rage dominere as they list Antichrist hath taken possession of the Churches of Christ neyther is Antichrist stronger thon Christ although he hath invaded his Churches For it was don by permission onely Now the reason thereof we must not too curiously search into But acknowledg that the security ungodlinesse and ingratitude of Christians deserved the same as the Apostle shewes 2 Thess 2.11 For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a lye because they received not the love of the truth Till we have sealed to wit I and my ministers For Christ is not without his ministring spirits But whither he had now more Angels with him as Ezech. 9.2 or not the same is not expressed He doth not simplie forbid them to hurt but limits the time and untill that prefixed time these destroyers could do nothing Thus Antichrist hath not hurt the earth sea and trees that is by his Angels brought the particular Churches of the West under his yoke eyther against the will or knowledge of Christ but by his sufferance neyther could he hurt them sooner then Christ would nor shall he be able to doe it any longer then it seems good unto him Now touching this sealing we are briefly to consider who were sealed when with what signe wherefore and how manie Who they are he shewes saying untill we have sealed the servants of our God Who are these sealed ones these are the elect in Christ who worship not idols or Antichrist but God in faith and true obedience This sealing is partly eternal partly accomplished in time What this sealing is From eternity God hath sealed all them that shall be saved in the counsell of praedestination which is made founded on Christ Ephes 1.3 In time he sealed his when now for a thousand yeeres he stirred up many witnesses of his truth faith beeing indued with true knowledge excellent gifts heroick boldnes who stoutlie opposed the impostures of Antichrist by their preaching and writing preserved very many faithfull ones from his idol worship But chiefly he hath and doth seale in these last times in restoring almost in all the provinces of the Christian world the lost truth of the heavenlie doctrine by his servants and excellent divines who have dissipated the mist of popery by the light of the Gospell and purged many Churches in Germanie France England Denmark Poland Bohemia Moravia Hungarie from Antichristian pollutions plucking them as a prey out of the jawes af the devill I confesse indeed that all the members of these Churches are not elected neverthelesse they are all separated from Antichrist so that he cannot hurt them yea we doubt not but that a great number of them appertain unto the election of grace In Ezech. 9.4 Wâ— haâ—â— manner of seale this is we read that all which were to be preserved from the common destruction were marked with the signe Thau but here no certaine mark is expressed Ribera will have it to be meant of the signe of the crosse Now we know that many who are signed with the popish crosse are the bondslaves of Satan but none of these here sealed shall perish seeing they are marked to this end that no man should hurt them Alcasar saith wel that this is no external signe which may bee discerned with corporal eyes neyther is it made by any created Angel but immediatelie by the holy Ghost who himself marketh such with the signe of
onely of the inchoated spirituall renovation which is in this life but also of the consummated litterall and proper renovation which we look for at the comming of Christ Now the Heaven and the Earth shall not bee new in Substance How heaven and earth are new but in Qualities as puritie brightnesse and glory for that which is added The first heaven and the first earth are passed away and before Chap. 20.11 From whose face the heaven and the earth c. doth not signifie that they should bee brought to nothing but that they are to be purifyed by fire from all present vanity and defilement So Peter interpreteth the same The heavens burning shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat Whence the Apostle gathers this weighty instruction seeing that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of men ought yee to bee in all holy conversation and godlinesse And indeed to meditate and doe this tends more to Salvation then curiously to search after the manner of the Renovation Now if any one should say These things John saw but the Heavenly glory Eye hath not seene Eare hath not heard c. therefore the Vision speakes not of this glory The answer is easie Iohn saw not the thing it selfe but he saw certaine representations and types of the things to come Therefore it remaines true that Eye hath not seene c. especially seeing Iohn saw not the same with his eyes but in the spirit And the Sea was no more AVGVSTINE thinkes that the Sea may be understood of the turbulent world 1. Cor. 7.31 which then shall no more bee for the world passeth away with the fashion thereof yet hee retaines the proper sense also but doubteth whither the Sea shall be dryed up by that fervent heat or whither that also shall be changed and purged Indeed we read that the Heaven and the Earth shall bee renewed but I remember not that I have read of a new Sea save onely what is said in this Booke touching the Sea of glasse like to Chrystall Rev. 4.6 but there he speakes not of this world Andreas Caesariensis supposeth that then there shall bee no Sea The renovation of the Sea for what use should there be of it seeing then men shall saile no more Schoole-men thinke that the Sea shall so bee renewed as indeed it shall not retaine its substance because the water is to be consolidated into the globe of the Sphere remaining no longer flowing But these curiosities we leave unto themselves By the New Heaven BRIHGTMAN understands a new worship and puritie in godlinesse By the new earth new Israelites which then shall joyne unto the Church of Christ By the former heaven that passed away the Iewish worship which they shall no longer exercise By the former earth the Iewes themselves who of Iewes shall become Christians By the Sea which was no more corrupt doctrine which shall have no place among the new people for then the Iewes shall cast off their errours touching the Messias which now they maintaine tooth and naile c. What manner of Allegories these are I passe by certainely they depend upon a very improbable conjecture viz. that the Easterne Iewes after the overthrow of the Turkish Empire and burning of Rome should be added unto the Church of Christ 2. And I Iohn saw the holy City Now also the glory of the renewed Church is exhibited to the view of Iohn under the Type of a most beautifull Citie as it were a Bride most curiously adorned The Kings Bible omitting the name of Iohn reads it And I saw which John inserts for certainety sake For Iohn was an Apostle an Evangelist and witnesse of the truth therefore he writeth a thing that is certaine Furthermore the Scripture generally calleth the Church of the Elect Ierusalem because Ierusalem was the Seat of the Church and worship of God according to the Psalme This is my rest for ever here I will dwell because I have chosen her Ps 132.14 But because that Old Ierusalem polluted with the blood of Christ and his Apostles was at length overthrowne He distinguisheth this new Ierusalem from the other by divers Titles He cals it a Citie because of the beauty of its building and afterward addes holy because it shall shine with Heavenly purity and perfect holinesse Here indeed it begins to bee holy Eph. 5.27 Christ sanctifying her unto himselfe with the washing of water in the word but as yet she is not without spot and wrinkle but then he will present her unto himselfe gloriously holy without spot or wrinkle or any such thing He cals it New to difference it from the old and because of its new brightnesse For then the righteous shall shine in glory as the Sunne Mat. 13.43 Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 19 COMING DOWNE FROM GOD OVT OF HEAVEN Because saith AVSTIN It is heavenly grace by which God hath made her Therefore it is said to descend from God out of heaven because God hath chosen her from all eternitie therefore originally she comes downe out of Heaven so Chap. 3.12 Vpon him that overcommeth I will write the name of the Citie of my God the new Ierusalem that commeth downe from my God And Hebr. 12 22. it is called the Heavenly Ierusalem Gal. 4.26 Ierusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is above How the new Ierusalem comes down from heaven But this Epithite seemes to be contrary to our opinion for the Heavenly Ierusalem shall never come downe but remaine firm in Heaven I ANSWER First it may be said that the Vision is to bee distinguished from the thing it selfe The Image of the Heavenly City which Iohn saw in the Spirit came downe or if the Citie it selfe came downe it is visionally to be understood But Secondly this comming downe as above Chap. 3.12 must be taken not of a locall motion but of the originall beginning of the new Ierusalem for whither her existence be said to be above or here below as God from Heaven hath chosen so hath he called justifyed and gloried her Prepared as a Bride By another metaphor he amplifies the dignitie and glory of the Triumphant Church Unto her dignitie belongs that hee saw her as a Bride to wit of the Lambe ver 9. To her glory that he saw her adorned for her husband that is in full beauty now delivered into the hands of Christ her Husband For then shall bee the eternitie of the Heavenly Wedding Above in Chap. 19.7 The Bride made her selfe ready while as yet she was absent from the Lord But now she is prepared because the Wedding Feast is at hand But hence BRIGHTMAN He saw her saith he prepared adorned not as yet delivered Therefore shee was not as yet glorified Answ The participles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prepared adorned argue the contrary Now she is a preparing and adorning her selfe But then she shall bee prepared adorned that is fully beautified with
he bee deprived of understanding deny that these things are couched in the Text. And if credit be given unto their fiction Ribera in Apoc. c. 12. Num. 11. c. 13. Num. 10. there shall at Antichrists comming be no more then ten Kings in the whole world signified by the hornes of the Beast and of these three being slaine seven shal fight for Antichrist Therfore either these shal be Christian Kings or else there shall then be no Christian Kings under the Sun the falsitie whereof the Revelation doth shew Chap. 21.24 Now tel me what harshnesse or dishonour is there in it that as Paul confesseth he was sometime a blasphemer a persecutor and injurious but ignorantly and so obtained mercy the ten Kings have given their power unto the Beast against the Lamb but of ignorance and being overcome by the Lambe have repented God putting it into their hearts to hate the whore Tell me I say should this be to the dishonour of Kings which is to their great glory to have sinned indeed through ignorance but repented through the mercy of God Or is not rather the fiction of these Prophets very reproachfull scandalous and fatall who say that toward Antichrists rising there shal be no where any Emperor or Romane Empire that there shal be no King in any place save those seven that remaine of the ten fighting for Antichrist And seeing they every hour expect their Antichrist to arise as they say out of the tribe of Dan what do they but threaten an utter destruction both to the Emperor Romane Empire and all Christian Kings For according unto these mens doctrine as then there shal bee no Emperor no Empire so neither King of France Spain England Poland Hungary c. or if there be any they shall be Antichrists Life-gard and vassals Now tell me who they are that cast reproaches upon Christian Kings set their Crownes awry and menace them with eternall damnation Wherefore blessed shall ye be if ye hear and keep the Commandements of this Prophesie that ye may have right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the City But he that wil hurt let him hurt still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still Amen Even so come Lord Iesus and sanctifie us in trueth Thy word is trueth Amen PROVERB 27.6 Better are the wounds of a friend then the deceitfull kisses of an enemy The Authours PREFACE UPON THE REVELATION OF THE APOSTLE AND EVAGELIST IOHN HAPPILY BEGVN AND PROPOVNDED VNTO HIS AVDITORY IN THE VNIVERSITY Ann. 1608. IF any of you my Hearers admire wherefore after the Exposition of Pauls Epistle unto the Hebrews I should passe by so many excellent Bookes of the New Testament and take in hand the Interpretation of the last viz. the Revelation the Authour and Canonicall authority whereof hath long since variously bin disputed of and which being replenished with great secrets types and darke sentences is scarcely intelligible unto any The Objections against the Revelation and though it be entitled a Revelation yet seemeth not in the least to be a Booke revealed but rather shut up and sealed which seemeth also to bee the reason that it is placed at the end of the New Testament from the interpretation whereof because of its obscurity not a few of the ablest Divines have hitherto abstained and lastly seeing it hath long since bin held that it doth contain some things contrary to Apostolicall Faith and favour the heresie of the Chiliasts If I say any man wondreth at this my purpose such a one I would have with me to acknowledge that these very objections besides other causes which now are not requisite to be related with which this most Heavenly Book is injuriously charged offereth occasion unto me to interpret the same that ye might understand that the Revelation of John is so farre from the guilt of these accusations which do not a little weaken the Canon of our Faith that we rather may say of it what Jerome most truly said of the Prophesie of Isaias Whatsoever is in Holy Writ whatsoever can bee uttered by the tongue or received by the senses of mortall man is contained in this Booke which least it might seeme to be spoken by me without ground Prooem in Isa I thought good to praemise a few things in way of Preface in which I will handle somethings more briefly by other Interpreters more largely handled and somethings properly belonging to our purpose I shall more diligently explicate CHAPTER I. Of the Authour of the Revelation WHo was the Authour of this Booke Lib. 7. hist c. 25. Haer. 51. would never in our times have beene questioned unlesse Eusebius and Epiphanius had left in writing that some of old time did scruple the thing For Eusebius recordeth that in his time it was diversly on both parts disputed touching the Revelation Afterward he saith there were some who supposed from the Bookes called De Repromissionibus of one DIONYSIUS an Alexandrine Bishop and also from one Caius an old Writer that the Revelation was not written by John the Apostle but forged by the Hereticke Cerinthus who feined an earthly Kingdome to Christ in which the Saints should have their fill of corporall pleasures a thousand yeeres into which sense some whom they called Chiliasts men in other respects of note in the Church drew the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation But other Divines and worthy Fathers have alwayes demonstrated that there is no such thing in that Chapter and we also will shew it on the place But so farre is it from trueth The Revelation not written by Cerinthus that the blasphemous Heretick Cerinthus could be the Author of this Booke as nothing is lesse credible or more unlikely For Cerinthus blasphemously maintained that Christ was not before Mary But the Revelation throughout teacheth and proveth the Eternall Deity of Christ by such evident Arguments against Cerinthus Ebion Photinus and such like enemies of Christ as almost no Scripture affirmeth the same more clearly However therefore it is no marveile Lib. 4. adversus Mar. that the Marcionites as Tertulian recordeth as also the Alogian and Tatian Heretickes as Epiphanius Augustine and Philastrius testifie did reject the Revelation as being contrary to their heresie Yet the Grecians of old had no reason neither to this day hath any man a just or probable cause Iohn the Apostle author of the Revelation to call into question the Authour or Canonicall Authority of this most Sacred Booke That John the Apostle whose Gospell and three Canonicall Epistles are extant is the Author may be proved by solid and undoubted reasons First the Title it selfe sheweth that he is the Author 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Revelation of John the Divine But thou wilt say it is not said John the Apostle or Evangelist Lib. 3. hist cap. 13.
of Gods providence namely his vertue charity justice wisdom patience threatnings and wrath Which is a mysterie bringing along with it an inconvenience which he desireth to avoid for he makes question whither sound divinitie wil admit that grace and peace be asked from the seven vertues rather then from the seven created angels yea how grace and peace can be prayed for from menacings and wrath so he And from Jesus Christ In that he wisheth grace and peace from Christ in the the third and last place is neither against the former exposition nor any way derogateth from the dignity of Christ for as the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.14 doth not derogate from the order of the persons in the trinitie though he put Christ in the first place so here our Apostle for waighty causes sets downe the holy Ghost before Christ because he treateth of him not simply as being the son of God but also as he is the mediatour redeemer and revealer of this prophesie Notwithstanding great reason it is that he should pray for grace and peace from Christ Ephes 2.14 because it cometh by him Iohn 1.17 and he is our peace Who is the faithfull witnesse The following titles are so many reasons wherefore grace and peace is prayed for from Christ and they set forth as hath been shewed in the analysis both his threefold office with the benefit thereof as also declare his eternall Godhead The first title respects his propheticall office that faithfull witnesse which seemeth to be taken from Psal 89.38 witnesse because he hath brought forth out of the bosome of his father the testimonie that is the glad tydings of the redemption of man through his death and from heaven hath opened to us the true knowledge of God and way of salvation faithfull Because he not onely confirmed the heavenly truth by preaching by miracles meekly calling of sinners to repentance to the faith of the Gospel but also sealed the same by suffering on the crosse and by instituting the ministry he gave to the churches Apostles prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers who perpetually should be his witnesses Eph. 4.12 preach the Gospell to after ages for the perfecting of the saincts for the edifying of the body of Christ according to these scriptures Ioh. 17 6. I have manifested thy name to the men thou gavest me out of the world and 18 37. For this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnes unto the truth Io. 1.18 the son which is in the bosome of the father he hath revealed God unto us Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession The father and holy Ghost are also said to be witnesses 1. Io. 5.7 Ioh. 5.37 there are three that bear record in heaven the father the word and the holy Ghost The father saith Christ himself hath borne witnes of me And of the holy Ghost he saith when the comforter is come c. He shall testifie of mee the Apostles are called witnesses Act. 1.18 And Antipas Rev 2.12 and two witnesses are mentioned called Martyrs for sheadding of their blood for the testimonie of Christ Revel 11.3 But Christ onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of prerogative is called that faithfull witnesse because he first brought with him the witnesse of the truth downe from heaven he first and he onely hath shead his blood for his owne testimonie whereas all other martyrs suffered not for their owne but for the testimonie of Jesus Christ Yea also the witnesse which the father and the holy Ghost gave of him was declared by himself and therefore Christ as by a speciall and proper right is called the faithfull witnes that is the true and constant revealer of the doctrine of our salvation whoever therefore hearkens not to him Deuteron 18.19 can not be saved but who so heareth him shall have life eternall This also confirmeth the authoritie of the revelation because it was revealed to John by Jesus Christ that faithfull witnesse who can notly nor deceive therefore this booke is trulie divine and we may safely trust and beleeve all things contained in it It serveth also to instruct us that if Christ onely be the true witnesse then those are not to be heard but avoyded as Liars which teach the Church such things as dissent from the testimonie of Christ It may also comfort us because Christ the faithfull witnesse will not forsake them who suffer for the cause of his truth but will at length reward them faithfully according to his promise The first begotten of the dead This title concernes Christ his priestly office who died for our sins and was raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 For the word dead shewes that he died and being the first begotten of the dead it teacheth us that he was raysed from the dead And the whole scripture testifies that the end and use of his death and resurrection was not a bare witnesse as Socinus blasphemeth but chiefly a propitiation to purge us from our sins and to justifie us before God Paul calleth him likewise the first begotten of the dead 1 Collo 1.18 1 Corinth 15.20 and sheweth that Christ is become the first fruits of them that sleep But how can Christ be the first fruits of the dead seeing the scriptures testifie that Elias and Elisha raysed up two persons from the dead before the time of Christs manifestation in the flesh Lazarus also with the widows son and Centurions servant were restored from death to life Answer First Christ is the first begotten or first fruites of the dead because he was the first that raysed up himself from the dead by his owne power whereas all before Christ were raysed not by their owne power but Christs alone Secondly Christ was raysed up to an immortall life not to dy any more but the other to an earthly life and became subject to death again He is said to be the first begotten or the first that did rise again Matt. 19.28 Act. 13.13 Rom. 1 4. because the resurrection is a kinde of new birth and so Christ calleth the last resurrection a regeneration And Paul applieth that in Psal 2. of the father eternally begetting the son to his resurrection from the dead and hence he is declared to be the eternall and omnipotent son of God This should greatly comfort us that though we are borne and brought forth in a corruptible condition yet when we rise again we shall be regenerated unto a state incorruptible even while we are in this life we are regenerated but it is spiritually onely and in part but when we shall by the spirit of God be restored to eternall life then we shall be regenerated both corporally and fully to wit when our mortall bodies shall be made conformable to the glorious body of Christ let us not fear therefore though we should suffer death for the testimony of Christ because he who is the first begotten of the dead
all times should continually read it for their comfort and instruction which also is the end and use of the whole scripture Rom 15 4. 2 Tim. 3.16 Vers 20. The mystery of the seven starres After that the Son of man had shewed who he was whom Iohn saw he comes to unfold the mystery of the starres and candlesticks viz. that the seven starres are the seven angels or ministers the seven candlesticks the seven churches of Asia to whom he was commanded to write vers 11. The mistery The vulgar hath it the sacrament of the starres that is the thing figured by them so again chap. 17.7 I will tell thee the sacrament of the woman but it is improperly used for the mysticallsfignification of the same Bishops So he caleth the starres because they ought to shine before others in purity of doctrine and integrity of life like unto starres shining in the firmament they are said to be angels because they are Gods messengers to the Churches and the Churches are compared to candlesticks because like as the candle or light is set up into the candlestike even so the Church ought to hold forth and preserve the shining light of true doctrine that all may behold it least being in darknesse they stumble and perish thorow their ignorance Hence we learn in the first place that the scripture best interpreteth it self for what was before more darkly spoken is now clearly unfolded So Christ opened the parables to his disciples Matth. 13 in like maner this vision which at first seemed obscure is now made plain by its own interpretation For albeit the scripture doth not make clear every thing that is darkely spoken not withstanding if we diligently observe it that of Austin will appeare most true that there is all most nothing abscure in scripture which is not in some other place plainly expounded Furthermore we are to take notice of these figurative and sacramental phrases The starres are Angels that is they signifie the Angels the candlestiks are the Churches Gen. 41 27. 1 Cor. 10 4. Cont. adim c. 12. that is they signifie the Churches according to that in Genesis the seven kine are seven years that is do signifie seven years And the rock was Christ for it signified Christ as Augustine expoundeth it For there is nothing more familiar in scripture then to name signes by the things which they signify which maner of speech is not darke but plaine in regard of the analogie betwixt the signe and the thing signified wherefore it was not obscure but familiar to the scripture that Christ called the bread which was broken at the institution of the supper his body which was crucifyed for us seeing it was a sacrament or holy signe of the same Hence Augustine opening the etymologie or signification of a sacrament applies it to the Lords supper saying that the Lord Iesus doubted not to say this is my body when he gave the signe onely thereof And this is so cleare a truth that even Aloasar a Iesuite confesseth it saying that in the phrase of scripture touching dark sentences and sacraments the word which is used is to be referred to the signification of it and that the bread and wine in the Eucharist which they call the species doth signify the body and blood of Christ because Christ saith this is my body c. Indeed he supposeth there are two sorts of signes some instituted onely for doctrin and signification as in parables and darke sentences the other such as really include and containe the things which they signifie as in baptisme and the supper in which saith he is truly and properly contained as the cleansing of the soule from sinne so the body and blood of Christ and he proveth it First because Christ instituted these signes to that end Secondly the Church so teacheth And lastly because it were an easy thing for any one to institute meere and naked signes wheras it is in the power of Christ alone to appoint such signes as are full of efficacy I answer first Alcasars arguments answered that in the institution either of baptisme or the Lords supper there is no mention made of any including of the things signified in the signes Secondly the primitive Church taught no such inclusion but the new popish Church in so teaching is departed from the institution and doctrin of the primitive times Lastly though it be true that the sacraments are not meere signes yet it followeth not that they are signes including the thing signified For there is in scripture another kinde of signes which as they are signes so they are seales confirming to the faithfull the grace of Christ signified by them For properly the sacraments are signes and seales of the promise of grace which no creature could institute or bring into the Church but God alone Another expositor denieth Hoe in the Revel chap. 1. that these are figurative speeches and why because saith he those candlesticks doe not signify but are really the Churches and the starres doe not denote but are in truth the angels But both is false first because then there should be no mystery in the candlesticks or starres Secondly if the candlesticks and starres were truly Churches and Angels then would not Christ have required Iohn to write his Epistles as being absent from them but he should have delivered his message unto them as there present with him in Patmos Thirdly because then the words the candlesticks are Churches the starres are Angels should be regular expressions But this he denies and truly For they are termes of disparity What then the metaphor saith he is in the subject which doth not import that the copulative IS should be taken for the word signifieth And though it were granted here yet would it not follow that the words of Christ at the institution of the supper were of the same significatiō because Christ did not expound to them a vision but institute asacrament Now howsoever both be true yet doth not this take away the metonymical expression for in typical Sacramental assertions the tipes signes are said to be the antitypes or things signified partly indeed by a metaphor because of the analogie or likenesse that is betwixt the signes the things themselves but chiefly by a metonymia Epist 23. ad Bonif. because of the sacramentall signification For as Augustine saith if sacraments had not some likenesse with the things they represent they should not at all be sacraments for in regard of that likenesse they have the name of the things themselves Therefore as in some sort the sacrament of the body of Christ is Christ the sacrament of the blood of Christ is Christs blood even so the sacrament of faith is faith Againe that is called the soule In Levit. lib. 3.4.5 Genes 41.26 1. Cor. 10.4 which signifies the soule for it is usuall that the thing signifying be called by the name of that which it doth signifie as it is written
however we need not alter the signification of the candlesticke forasmuch as it is not unusuall or contradictorie to divine justice that God should punish a whole congregation for the sinnes of a few yea for one particular person in the same as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 5.6 11.30 And the reason hereof is because oftentimes the multitude followes the examples of their governors like priest like people as is the king such is the subject wherefore it is probable that the Church had lost her first love as well as her reachertand hence the threatning is directed against him as chiefe and against the congregation as being corrupted also To the second I answer by distinguishing the Church which is either particular or universal The universal is perpetual unshaken and built upon the rock But we beleeve otherwise of particular Churches which oftentimes the Lord for their security removeth by overthrowing whole cities countries as the Easterne Greek Churches of Asia and Africa doe plainly witnesse But although particular congregations are dissipated and the candlesticke removed either for publick or private sinnes so that where formerly the light of Gods word did shine there afterwards Paganisme or Antichristianisme doth reigne not withstanding the church it selfe is not alwaies removed for the abode of the Church is uncertaine Heb. 13.14 the Lord sometime causing the faithful to wander as strangers exiles from place to place not having a continued city in this world That which is spoken 1 Tim. 3.15 as it is most true of the universall Church so was it likewise true of these Ephesians yea of every particular congregation I say in right though not alwaies in fact for indeed every congregation ought to be a pillar and ground of truth though it be not so still in truth according to that of Mala. 2.7 The priests lips preserve knowledge that is they ought so to doe though they did it not therefore are reproved by the Prophet vers 8 But ye are departed out of the way c. so the Church is the pillar that is ought to be the pillar according to that in Tit. 1.6 Mat. 5.13 a Bishop is that is ought to be the husband of one wife Ye are the salt of the earth the light of the world viz. ye should be so c. Hence we first observe seeing the abode of the Church is uncertain we must not promise to our selves a continuance in one place in regard we are citizens of the Church For it is in the power of Christ to remove the candlesticks from one place to another and many times he doth so for the sinnes either of the teachers or of the whole congregation Now in this we must acknowledge our own faults as deserving it Psal 2â— 1 yet ought we not to be altogether discouraged because the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof For if the outward prosperity of the Church be disturbed and taken away yet our inward graces as faith and charity remaine for ever Let us therefore stedfastly persevere in our first faith and amend the evils whither in pastors or Church that so the candlesticke be not removed Secondly hence we learn that true repentance is the onely way and means to escape publick punishment and Church dissipation For Christ saith I will remove thee unlesse thou repent meaning if thou repent I will not remove thee Thirdly observe that in scripture the threatnings of punishment are still with a condition either expressed or understood viz. except men repent And therefore when the condition of repentance is declared and the punishment followes not there is no change at all in the decree of God Lastly hence we may learn how such as go astray are to be brotherly reproved and corrected for their evils and brought to true repentance the obstinate are to be terrified with threatnings and the repentant raised up with comfort the which Christ doth to this Church as knowing this to be a most effectuall means to bring them to amendment of life 6. But this thou hast that thou hatest The fift part of the narration containeth a further commendation of them for their hatred of the Nicolaitans and this he brings in after the reproofe and threatning as it were powring oyle into the wound and to draw them the sooner to repentance and to shew that they were not in a desperate condition Three things before he praysed in them here he addeth a fourth Thus we see none shall want praise with God for any thing that is prayse worthy now they are commended for their encouragement not as doing works of merit but as exercising the gifts and grace received of God in obedience unto him The deeds of the Nicolaitans In vers 15 their doctrine is mentioned Lib. 1 cap. 27. but not fully expressed what they taught Irenaeus writeth that they held it no sinne to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed to idols And most are of this opinion But in vers 14 it is said Act. 6 5. that this was the doctrine of Balaam and not of the Nicolaitans However it be it is certain they were a pernicious and most wicked sect both in life doctrine Lib. 3 hist cap. 2â— Some will have Nicolas one of the seven deacons to be the author hereof Eusebius Epiphanius and Nicephorus do write of him that being accused as jealous of his wife who was very beautifull he forlooke her and left her as common to all But Clement Alexandrine as themselves testify doth commend this Nicolas for his piety and continency Heres 25. cap. 15. having daughters who remained virgins and a sonne which lived holily And therefore it is more probable that some other Nicolas was the author of this filthy sect and that these hereticks abused the name of this man as a cloake for their abominable wickednesse Of these men Augustine writeth largely in his booke of heresies A certaine writer hence gathereth Hoe in Apoc. seeing Christ calleth these men Nicolaitans after the name of the first author that he also may justly name such men Calvinists who have alvine for their author to the end his hearers may the more carefully avoid them Behold here a notable imitator of Christ But let him first prove that the doctrine which he falsly termeth Calvines hath its original from him or to be as this was of the Nicolaitans filthy impious and damnable Neither of which he shall ever be able to prove Wheras we might easily retort the very same fault upon himself For Christ calleth these sectaries Nicolaitans because they so named themselves the better to make way for their wicked errours like as in the Church of Corinth some said they were of Cephas some of Apollo and some of Paul very few being contented to be named after Christ For our parts we count it an evil to be named after Calvin and not rather Christians of Christ our Lord wheras this Clawback himself delighteth to be
he not doe the like The Church preserved in the papacie though the Romish Papacie for a thousand yeares and upward hath been the throne of Satan and the seat of Antichrist and under the name of Christianitie abounds in all ungodlinesse idolatrie and barbarous crueltie against Christ They object that the Church of Pergamus was visible and separated from the Pagans But in the papacie it was not so I answere unlesse there had been in some sort a visible Church among the Papists the Romish Clergie had not been so renowned as they are for their killing and martyring of the saintes But be it granted were not the seven thousand in Israel who worshipped God a Church because they were not a visible congregation seperated from the Balaamites but for fear of persecution kept themselves close and were not known no not to Elias himself Even in those days Here he further amplifies their constancie by shewing the crueltie of the adversaries who continually drew forth the Christians to most cruel and barbarous torments as appeares by Antipas a faithfull martyr of Christ who undoubtedly not long before was put to death by those of Pergamus and so is named instead of many others who also suffered It is not certain by historie who he was Arethas supposeth that he was the teacher of this Church who in the days of Domitian for his constant profession of the truth was as some say put into a Brazen bul and by fyre tortured to death Andreas writeth that he had read sometime the hystory of his martyrdom But it is certain that Christ honoureth him with the title of his faithfull witnesse It is probable that this Epistle was directed to the successour of Antipas least he should be drawen aside from performing his charge for fear of the like punishment who as it seemeth was at this time in bonds and threatned to be tortured to the end he might denie Christ and therfore he is worthily commended for keeping the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. And is to be rendred even or also in those days which amplifies the former persecution during which time he remained constant although Antipas had already suffered death for it cohereth with the foregoing words hast not denyed even in those days wherin Antipas my faithful martyr to which we must ad who was or who denied me not for otherwise the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who would seem to be superfluous Where Satan dwelleth The fourth amplification is from the danger of the place or a further declaring of what was before spoken of Pergamus as if he should say Pergamus is not onely the seat of Satan in which he remaineth somtimes or for a season but it is his proper nest and where he continually inhabiteth for as Arethas witnesseth Pergamus was more given to Idolatrie then any other place in Asia Hel indeed properly is Satans dwelling place notwithstanding he also dwelleth and reighneth in the harts of the children of disobedience who by their filthie and abominable actions doe inslave themselves unto him Thus the hart of Judas was as a house for Satan after he was entred into him O what a miserable condition is it to live there where Satan dwelleth how hard a matter is it to worship Christ where the Divel ruleth Let us therefore intreat the lord to dwel in the midst of us and to make us the temples of his holy spirit that so Satan may not have any abode amongst us 14. But I have a few things against thee This second part of the narration is a reproofe of the Bishop of Pergamus And here again we are taught that the best in the Church are not without their faylings the which Christ seeth though men perceive them not neither are we here to expect a Church perfect and altogither free from errours and the mixture of evill men and good togither for which infirmities albeit the lord doth not condemne us but in mercie passeth them by notwithstanding he disaloweth and reproveth them and requireth an amendement thereof He calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a few things comparitively not as being few or smal in themselves but eyther as respecting the evils of ungodly men or in regard of his owne clemencie he accounting them but as few Thus the Lord lessens as it were our evils yet so not that we should flatter our selves in them but the rather amend them for a few evils are sooner reformed then many lesser vices are more easilie corrected then greater Now the evil for which they are blamed is their remisnes in not exercising Church discipline against such persons as were infected with the venemous doctrine of the Balaamites and Nicolaitans Now whether these were divers sects or but one it is not certaine The common opinion is that the Nicolaitans followed the wicked way of Balaam mentioned in Numb 22.23.24.25 permitting Christians to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication For that false prophet being hired by Balack king of Moab to curse the Israelites gave him counsel by his Moabitish woemen to entise them to worship Baal-peor or their God Priapus by which meanes it came to passe that the Israelites having so don fel to feastings and dancings with them and afterwards committing fornication drew upon themselves horrible plagues from the Lord. 15. So hast thou also them Because he had before reproved the Church of Ephesus for the deeds of the Nicolaitans therefore here he saith so hast thou also c. By which it appeareth that this sect whatever it were was crept into many Churches Hence we note two things concerning the dutie of Churches and their officers touching notorious-sectaries First that it is meet to call them by the name of their authors For Christ nameth the Nicolaitans after Nicolas to distinguish them from such as were sound in the faith This I speak of vile sectaries such as these were overthrowing the very foundation Yet it followes not that the Lutherans do wel to call themselves after Luther unlesse they would be accounted notorious sectaries rending Christ asunder as in 1. Cor. 1.10 of which thing se more v. 6. Secondly notorious sectaries ought to be seriously reproved by the Church convinced if it may be regained as for the obstinate they are not to be suffered but to be cast out of the Church otherwise we provoke the Lord to wrath against our selves But here behold the great ungodlines of the Romish Antichrist who to bring in his divelish doctrine of forbidding marriage accounts all such Bishops and Priests which do marrie guiltie of the haeresie of the Nicolaitans this he doth if we wil beleeve him to preserve the puritie of the Church See Sigon de regno Ital. lib. 8. 9. 16. Repent or otherwise The third part of the narration is an exhortation to repentance with a threatning of the obstinate unlesse they left their errour For it seemeth that the Nicolaitans were not secretly but openly retained in
to them of the houshould of faith 3. his faith that is his sincere preaching of the truth received from the Apostles And lastly his patience in suffering of afflictions for the cause of Christ for this Church also if it be true which Epiphanius writes was persecuted by the Pagans Jewes and Cataphrygians notwithstanding this Bishop remained still constant in the truth And thy workes and the last The first and is declarative for chiefly thy workes the latter and seemeth not necessarie and the text may thus be read thy last workes are more then thy first as the vulgar Complutensis and Andreas read it It seemeth that the Pastor of this Church had with much courage lately undergone some great persecution for the which Christ here much commends him as adding this exellent work to his former or otherwise because in the general course of his life he daylie became more excellent for his latter workes were more that is more manifest proofes of his constancie and more worthie of praise then the first So that he is commended for his holie progresse in the duties of piety which is an example unto us that we also should labour to increase in the like workes of faith and love 20. But I have a few things against thee The second part is a reproofe of few things so the like in v. 14. not as if his evils were of no great corcernment but Christ like a good physitian lessens the disease that the patient may the sooner admit of the cure and not despaire of amendment His evil was in permitting the false prophetesse Jezabel to teach and seduce many to commit fornication and be present with idolaters at their worship and Idol feastings for it seemeth this woman was one of the Sect of Nicolaitans whose doctrine she maintained For these deceivers under pretext of libertie and Christian charitie taught that women were to be accounted common that it was lawful for them to communicate with the heathen in their services and feastings now howsoever these things were scandalous and dangerous yet of them thought indifferent and in the liberty of Christians and this verie practice some libertines at this day doe imitate This was a great neglect of zeale and courage in the Pastor in not seeking to redresse and free the Church of so pestilent an instrument but to suffer her amongst them to the destruction of many Shee is called Jezabel by a similitude as being equal in craft and malice to Jezabel the wife of Ahab for as this vilde woman by false witnesses caused Naboth uniustly to be put to death and cruelly oppressed many of Gods prophets so this lying Prophetesse boasting of divine revelations led aside many from the waye of God to her filthinesse and devilish worship of Idols Interpreters doe differ whither this was one woman or many and whither there were a whole Sect and nation of them Epiphanius as we have already shewed supposeth this to be spoken of Priscilla Maximilla and Quintilla false Prophetesses of Montunus who blasphomously boasting himself to be the comforter seduced these women to commit fornication with him and to Prophesie in his name But on the contrarie the text sheweth that it is spoken of Jezabel who at that time bore sway in the Church of Thyatira and not of any to come afterward neither is it likely that onely this Epistle should reprove vices to come when as all the other speak of things present Andreas understandeth it by a figurative speech as meant of the heresie of the Nicolaitans But wherfore should that sect be here darkned with such a kind of speech which twife before was manifestly named and treated of Alcasar coniectureth that by her the Iewish Synagogue is to be understood But there is no reason to transform the Iewes into the woman Iezabel who were before v. 9. comdemned by name and again in cha 3. v. 9. Besides the whole description tends to set forth in special some one particular wicked woman seing therfore there is no necessarie reason leading us to depart from the literal sence it is probable that this woman was verie famous in the city of Thyatira for her wealth authoritie and shew of pietie but in truth for her uncleannesse deceit and ungodlines was equal with Iezabel of old seducing many to forsake the truth and participate with her in horrible wickednes But touching this woman and her mentioned chap. 17. who is called a great citie there is no agreement betwixt them For there it is expressly said that by her is signified a great multitude yea Rome it self whereas here no such thing is intimated 21. And I gave her time This sheweth Christs patience and the obstinacie of this woman who made no use of his long sufferance in giving her time to repent Thus the wicked grow secure because of Gods forbearance and seeing Iudgment is not speedilie executed they rejoyce and thinke to go unpunished But what their reward shall bee is plain both from this place and Rom. 2.4.5 22. I will cast her The third part of the narration is a threatning of judgment which men by their inpenitencie bring upon themselves The punishment denounced is threefold 1. Against the woman herself 2. Against her lovers And 3. against her children Jezabel is threatned with a foule disease for so God commonly punisheth impure harlots to make them lothsome to others and publick exampels of dishonest courses Into a bed The antecedent is explained by the consequence Sick persons keep their bed the sence is the bed which she hitherto had abused to lasciviousnes luxurie and pleasure should be changed into languishing and sorrow But the Godly man the Lord wil strongthen him upon the bed of languishing Psal 41.3 make all his bed in his sicknesse And them that commit adulterie with her Her lovers shall also be punished eyther externally by the sword of the magistrate or some others or internally by torments of conscience But I rather take it to be meant of outward shame and punishment Vnlesse they repent Behold the mercie and patience of God he wil not destroy a most wretched harlot with her adulterers before he cal them to repentance being ready to forgive such as amend their wayes thus we see how repentance is the onely means to escape punishment Some times indeed the Lord inflicts temporall chastisement upon the repentant but the same is both mitigated and turned to their good besides none of them are eternallie punished 23. And kil her children with death He threatneth death to the children of this harlot which some take properly for such as were borne in fornication whom the Lord would suddenlie destroy by a heavie judgment that such an adulterous generation might not be spread among men Others take it metaphorically for her companions and lovers who defyled themselves with her I rather approve the former sence for otherwise the difference between the adulterers and their children would be taken away Hence we may learn 1.
persecutions yet the Gospell was spread with happie successe far and neere But I rather extend it to the whole time in which Christ by the successors of the Apostles namelie many syncere Bishops and faithfull teachers victoriously set up his kingdome throughout the whole Romane Empire not withstanding the tyrannie of persecutors the wickednesse of hereticks and Apostates untill by little and little the Church decayed in this her puritie And this I take containes the space of almost six hundred years The white horse therefore first comming out of the seales is the primitive Church white and bright in puritie of doctrine and discipline The Apostles were like horses running strongly and with great speed propagating the faith of Christ in the whole earth as their Acts and Epistles testifie after them God raised up Apostolicall men Bishops teachers and Fathers both Greek Latine who firmlie maintained propagated the purity of doctrine delivered unto them against tyrants apostates and hypocrites untill the time of Gregorie the first although even before his dayes the whitenesse of this horse was somwhat changed black spots began to appeare that is corruptions in doctrine discipline and worship The which Egesippus in Eusebius complaines of in these words Lib 3. hist cap. 32. that soon after the death of the Apostles and them which had received the word at their mouth the Church remained not long a pure and unspotted virgine notwitstanding the godly held the foundation of faith and salvation entire viz. Christ the head And he which sate on him This rider is Christ He that sate on the white horse is Christ Act. 9.15 see Chap. 19.11 This rider was caried to and fro in the ministerie of the Apostles and other faithfull pastors and teachers who suffered for the truth this metaphor Christ himselfe useth to Ananias concerning Paul he is a chosen vessell unto me to beare my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel On these Christ rode gloriously entring through their sincere preaching into the verie hart of the faithfull propagating and defending his owne kingdome according to that of the Psalmist And in thy comely honour prosper Psal 45.4 ride on word of truth and of meeknes of justice And he had a bow Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a bow arrowes and somtimes a quiver The word of God is Christ bow The Law and Gospell is Christ bow from whence he sends forth arrowes that is the efficacie of his spirit wounding the harts and minds of the Elect that he may heale and restore them to life but to terrifie and kill the wicked as it is in the same Psalm thy arrowes are sharp peoples shall fall under thee in the hart of the kings enemies And a crowne was given unto him to wit Christs crowne a regal crowne For he is a king crowned with glorie and honour at the right hand of God in the heavens or rather a crowne of triumph because it followeth And he went forth conquering and to conquer The doubling of the words notes his present and future victorie His victory By his death he overcame sin and by his resurrection death hell and satan yea the world also according as he saith in the Gospel be of good cheere Ioh. 16.33 I have overcome the world This is the first victorie with which he went forth conquering It is true indeed he was crucified as he was meere man but he lived againe and overcame by the power of his Godhead Now he went forth to overcome the world and the tyrants thereof diverse wayes His second victorie was in converting the gentiles by the preaching of the Apostles for in that he drew all nations and brought them unto the faith of the Gospel he conquered the world And tyrants in his Apostles confessours martyrs convincing them by the power of the truth For the death of the martyrs is Christs victory seeing in their blood the truth was sealed and the Church propagated The destruction of tyrants was Christs victorie As Julian the apostate blaspheming in his extreme madnesse confessed Thou hast overcome O Galilean Christ overcame when Nero Domitian Diocletian Trajan Maximinus Lycinius Valens and others who had put to death many thousands of Christians thinking thereby to take away the name of Christ were destroyed and brought to miserable perdition while Christ raigned and his Church increased Christ went forth as a conquerour when by the preaching of the Gospel the Idol gods of the gentiles were rejected their worship and temples abolished and overthrowen all men beeing drawen after Christ He overcame when the swarmes of hereticks as Valentinus Basilides Praxeas Manes Martion Photinus Samosatenus and other most bitter enemies of Christ were beaten downe overcome and destroyed by the sword of the spirit To be short Christ overcame when all the East and Westerne Churches were in danger to perish and come to nothing by the pestilent doctrine of Arius two sound ministers beeing then hardlie found in the whole Christian world no not in Rome except Paulinus Hilarius and Athanasius And indeed he that would understand the victories of Christ here intimated must have as in a table before his eyes the histories of the Apostles and the Churches after them written by Irenaeus Clemens Tertullian Eusebius Hierom Theodoret Socrates Sozomenus Evagrius Nicephorus and others for no better commentarie then their histories can be given upon the opening of the first seale And herein I thinke not to passe this by in silence we are more happie then Iohn himself for those events which he saw a far of in types we now by the helpe of former histories and our own experience doe clearely see them written out livelie expressed before our eyes And thus much concerning the first seale Now here perhaps a question will be moved seeing Christ is the Lamb opening the booke how also he can be sayd to goe forth out of the seale For the answere hereof we are to minde what I have already spoken viz. that oftentimes one and the same thing is represented in differing types in a diverse respect Now as Christ sits reignes gloriously with the Father and holy Spirit as God so he is the Lion of the tribe of Iudah beeing the offpring of Iudah according to the flesh He is the immaculate Lamb as he is man and as he was slaine and put to death for us He stands in the midst of the Throne as he is the mediatour he opens the booke and the seales as he is the chiefe Prophet and teacher of the Church the revealer and author of all heavenlie doctrine And to be short he also sits on the white horse as king and conquerour propagating his kingdome by the preaching of his word through the whole earth by which also he reigneth even unto this day in the midst of his enemies Psa 110.2 The opening of the second seale The red horse and his rider having a
afterward fell from the hight of the Catholick faith unto the herefie of Arianisme To him was given the key of the bottomlesse pit that is power to set up the Arian heresie by which meanes the Sunâ—â— became dark for he denied Christs divinity By the are he understands the Church beeing enlightened by Christ as the aire takes its light from the visible sunne The Locusts are the Vandales Gothes who beeing infected with Arianisme much afflicted the Churches in the East c. The opinion of Rupertus I am ashamed to relate The strange opinion of Rupertus who applies this to the apostasie of the Israelites and to their punishment by the Mâ—abitas Philistinas after the death of Iosuah Now we know that such things as were past are not here revealed unto John but that which should afterwards shortly come to passe Alcasare opinion is yet worse who will have this starre to be the Law of Moses Alcasars opinion the which saith hee as comming down from above so presseth men that thereby concupiscence and evill desires the which he makes to be the Locusts are accidentally wrought in their hearts Ad calcem tomi tertis in prima editione Bellarmine confesseth that he dares not rashly pronounce any thing concerning this dark prophesie And yet in the mean while in a long oration or rather a satyrical invective consisting almost of as many lies as words he most rashly pronounceth Luther to bee this starre The smoake ascending out of the pit to be the doctrine of Luther and that the innumerable multitude of these horrible Locusis doe most lively expresse his disciples But this whole fiction is so ridiculous as indeed Alcasar himself derides it I wonder saith hee that he did not also referre it to the fall of Judas But how should Luther a poore and obscure Augustine Monke bee this great starre he saith though he were poore yet hee became rich though at first he professed abstinencie from marriage yet afterward hee tooke a wife of a Monke became a states-man I answer by great falling starres none can properly bee signified but great and mighty praelates and therefore I wonder why be upbraideth Luther with his riches seeing he neyther had nor left any behinde him now although it be true he was poore but no worldlie politician onely aprofessour of divinitie yet indeed he had many rich adversaries and among the number Bellarmine himselfe was not the least who of a Monke became a mightie Politician famous Cardinal If Luther therefore fell from heaven because according to the Apostles Cannon he was married then Bellarmine may as well say that the Apostle in commanding a Bishop to be the husband but of one wife doth thereby throw down the starres from heaven But the very truth is Bellarmine by this his wantonnesse of wit indeavours to darken this vision that so he may preserve the Popes reputation as if by this falling star he were not typed out besides he would dissipate this hellish smoake if he could from popery least hee himself should be accounted as in truth he is a leading and chiefe locust among the rest These things I thought good to rehearse that I may not seem to despise the opinions of other interpreters and that the reader among the variety of expositors may take what he liketh best and the rather because this prophesie is somewhat darke notwithstanding if all things bee well considered it will easilie and undoubtedly appear that by the fal of this great starre nothing else is praefigured but the apostasie of the Romish Bishop who makes himself head of the Church together with his devised Hierarchie I will therefore not out of any sinister affection but truely as the things are according as the Lord hath made me to see now come to expound everie particular leaving it unto the judgement of the reader It is plaine that by starres in the Revelation are noted not Emperours or earthly kings but Bishops and teachers of Churches by great starres therefore are meant not the inferiour ministers or Bishops as they are called but prelates of higher note and ranke Now the reason of the analogie I have shewed on Chap. 1.20 Mat. 5.14 to wit because Bishops ought to shine like starres in sinceritie of doctrine and holinesse of life they ought I say to bee the light of the world And hence it is that with the Catholick Glosse Morelius Alphonsus Bullinger and other learned interpreters I understand this great starre fallen from heaven to signifie some chiefe and eminent Bishop By his fall from heaven into the earth is signified his apostasie from the heavenly truth unto earthly doctrines of humane traditions But who should this bee In the third trumpet the great star falling from heaven was the Bishop of Rome who beeing accounted by Constantine as a God on earth and enriched with wealth and power above measure began to swell with great pride whereupon the successours of Sylvester by meanes of the Emperours decree began to fall upon the third part of the rivers and fountaines of waters that is leaving the studie of heavenly things affected an earthly dominion and power over the Churches and Bishops of all Europe which hitherto was the third part of the world and by bringing in pernicious superstitions and worship of idols made the waters bitter to the destruction of the Eastern Churches Now this great starr fallen from heaven is not another but the verie same For it is to be observed that Iohn saith not as before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fell from heaven neyther saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I saw to fall although the Latine version and Beza also so render it but he saith I saw the starre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fallen or which did fall at the sounding of the third trumpet Now here he sees the adjuncts and effects of the same Star beeing far more grievous then before At first he saw it to fall upon the third part of the rivers and waters making them bitter with wormewood so as they became mortal to many Yet was not the same a total corruption and Apostasie But now he sees this starre fully fallen neither vanished away nor perished in the waters but sticking fast like filth unto the earth as doe slimy and thick vapours which fall from heaven He saw also the key of the bottomlesse pit given unto him to open therewithall the bottomlesse pit c. by which was represented unto Iohn a worse shape or condition of the Romish chaire The rising of the Romish Antichrist described viz. it s total apostasie and monstrous corruption By which it is plaine that in this place the rising of the great Romane Antichrist is described For to what other Ecclesiastical person I pray you can these things possibly be applied And indeed Gregorie makes him to bee the Antichrist who should affect the title of an universall priest the which thing Boniface the third did three
king of locusts and impudently professing himself to bee Christs vicar Besides he hath not the key of hell absolutely but of the bottomlesse pit or of the sinke of hel and thence to raise the smoak of his pestilent lies deceit to the damnation of the inhabitants of the earth 2. And hee opened the bottomlesse pit Now John expoundeth the pestilent effects of this power The bottomlesse pit was shut up by the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles who pluckt men out of the snares of Satan by leading them unto the living fountaines of Israel it was shut up I say almost untill these times For hetherto the faithfull teachers took heed that this pestilent smoake might not spread it self over their Churches But now Antichrist having gotten the key into his hand unlocked as it were the verie gate of hell which before was shut But what is this surely nothing else but the Popes universal power by which he laboured not to open unto men the kingdome of God but on the contrarie to unloose the verie barrs of hell that so the world might rush headlong into the same Now the Pope opened this bottomlesse pit when by his authority hee established his filthy errours superstitions idols c. and tooke out of the Church the certainty of faith perseverance tormenting infusing into the consciences of men feares doubtings c. This was the porch or entrie into hell he opened therefore the bottomlesse pit for the destruction of all men like as hunters open caves pits whereinto the unwarie deere might fall and be taken This was the first effect of the key And there arose a smoak out of the pit This second effect is an exhalation of a pestilent smoake which necessarily followes the former as when an house of office is uncovered there ariseth a filthy stinke And it is called a smoake because it ascendeth out of hell as smoake doth from fire Moreover it is not a thinne but a verie thick smoke as of a great furnace like to bakers brickmakers smiths or the like This smoake is nothing els but the blacke and smoaky divinity of the Pope His wicked decrees touching images and idol worship his taking upon him to purge sins by masses penance satisfactions pilgrimages almes purgatorie jubilees pardons c the primacle of his Romish chaire his power in heaven and hell to be short the whole volumes of their Canons Decretals together with the inextricable toyes of Scholastick divinity by all which the Pope hath in very deed brought a thick smoake upon the Christian world establishing a mingle mangle of Iudaisme Paganisme in stead of Christianity oppressing the truth of Christ with most grosse darknesse Now the doctrines of Antichrist are compared to smoake from the effects thereof For as the smoake obscures the ayre hurts the eyes causeth such a darknesse that things cannot bee seen as they are and he which walketh in it is in danger to be stiffled or to fall down headlong even so is it with Antichrists smoake therefore it followeth And the Sun and the aire was darkned The Revelation expounds it self The fourth trumpet sounding the third part of the Sun Moon and Stars was smitten But here the whole Sun is darkened and so consequently the aire which is enlightned by the same This signifies the same evil with the former but more grievous For before onely a third part but here a totall defect of the light appeareth Nothing is more sad to behold then totall eclipses as happened in Aegypt at Christs passion For all things then are in darkenesse the day beeing turned into the night Now as Christ is the Sun of righteousnesse so nothing can be signified by this total darknesse but that universall Apostasie from the faith which the Apostle foretold should come to passe under Antichrist Vntill the times of Gregorie the third part of the Sun was smitten that is much darkenesse was brought into the Church by Bishops hereticks hypocrites hermites and monkes as we have before shewed upon the going forth of the black and pale horse as also at the sounding of the the third and fourth trumpet But after Gregorie Boniface at length and his successours sitting on the chaire of VNIVERSAL pestilence a horrible night darkened Christ the Sun in the Church for all places were filled with most grosse darknesse of Popish decrees traditions superstitions ceremonies lies fraud and Sophistrie The summe of all is this The darkening of the Sun which the Apostaticall Star brought in by his hellish smoake of Popish divinity doth exactly answer to that obscurity which happened at the opening of the sixt seal For the Sun was made black like sackcloth of haire the Moon was turned into blood the Stars fell from heaven unto the earth c. by al which as we there shewed is mystically set forth that horrible night of blindnesse which Christ suffered during Antichrists reigne But thou wilt say how can this darkenesse bee applied unto the Papacy seeing they professe the name of Christ beleeve him to be the saviour receive the Apostolicall faith and to be short acknowledge the holy Scriptures of God unto this day Now here I desire the reader to consider what I have before answered unto this faire pretence And what the Apostle said unto the hypocritical teachers of his time who under a shew of preaching Christ brought into the Church Iewish ceremonies and a flagitious licentiousnesse of life they professe that they know God but in workes they denie him The which how fitlie it agreeth to Antichrist the fathers of old as Hilarie Austin and others have wel observed It is true indeed in word hee professeth Christ but in workes he denies him For had he come as an open enemie of Christ he could never have invaded the kingdome of the Church but his comming was as the Apostle hath foretold with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse Thus we see that Antichrist under the name of Christ should oppose Christ and labour to destroy the faith of Christ out of the harts of men The proprietie of Antichrists name saith HILARIE is to be contrarie to Christ the which is now effected under the opinion of fained pietie This is now preached under shew of preaching the Gospell And indeed Christ while hee seems to be preached is denyed So AVSTIN Hee also is to bee esteemed the SON OF PERDITION who under the NAME OF CHRIST which is the name of God that is making shew of beeing a Christian extolles himself above Christ whence it appeareth that these fathers were of opinion that Antichrist under the name of Christ the faith of Christ should deny both But how is this don by the Papists This hath fully been manifested long agoe They pray unto the images of Marie made of stone wood gold c. Holy Marie queene of heaven heare us save us O thou our onely hope c. In thee O Ladie I trust Into thy hands O Ladie I commend my spirit The
signes lying wonders in them that peerish The 2 Thes 2.9.10 explained that they should beleeve a ly because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved By which words the Apostle gives us to understand First that Antichrist shall establish his power by cunning and diabolicall deceit Secondly by his tyranny he shall oppresse the greater part of men in the Christian world as not beeing sealed Thirdly that Antichrists followers shall inevitably perish run into destruction Fourthly that their destruction shall be voluntarie and just because they cast off or receive not the love of the truth rather delighting in Popish dreames and Lyes Lastly that under Antichrist there shall be alwayes some sound teachers of the truth who shall suffer grievous contradiction as in Chap. 11.4 5. And it was given them that they should not kill The first limitation of the Locusts power we have heard here is added a SECOND that they should not kill men but torment them also a third limitation not allwayes but for five monthes Behold the wonderfull lenitie of God even in suffering the wicked limiting and moderating their plagues who deserve to be destroyed all at one instant The elect under Antichrists kingdom he altogether preserves from the mortall biting of these scorpions insomuch as wee doubt not but that there are still some godly groaning under his tyrannie in the heart of Popery as in Rome Italie Spaine c. The other idolatrous troop he will not suffer the Locusts suddenly to kill to the end they may have time to repent But onely to torment them that thereby they might be stirred up to seek remedie for their sowles Notwithstanding it seems that not so much a mitigation as an exasperation is signified by the foresaid limitation This torment notes the Ecclesiastical Locusts For it is far worse to bee tormented with a lingring disease then suddenly to perish neyther may we doubt but that by this kinde of hurting is designed not a civill but an Ecclesiastical kinde of Locusts because they shall not kill mens bodies as did the Vandales Gothes and other open tyrants but they shall torment mens soules and consciences torturing them continually as on a rack by their deceitfull doctrines of penance satisfactions purgatorie c. Now what I pray can be spoken more openly against the impostures of that false and Antichristian clergie by which indeed for the present they kill not the bodie but torment the wretched conscience by shewing them remission and explation of sin not in the faith of the Gospell in the mercies of God and in the blood of Christ but in the merits of good workes auricular confessions numbring of sins imposed penance poenal satisfactions going in pilgrimage to the sepulchre of our Lord S. Iames the ladie of Lauretta in travels by sea and land in fasting and abstinence in masses in almes and legasies building of Closters in Moncks coules in whippings in going barefoot lastlie in the Popes jubilees indulgences bought for mony Now what are all these things but the sinful devises of men altogether tending to the wounding of mens consciences and no way serving for the healing and helping of the same Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.9 For in vaine is the Lord worshipped with the doctrines of men This is the miserable rack of the conscience none greater then it nor more dangerous Let the historie of the Romish Church and Emperours be read and there it will appeare that many through the furie and rage of the Locusts have been so stirred up and brought to such madnesse as to quiet their consciences they have of their own accord layd down the government of the Empire and kingdomes put themselves into religious Covents or monasteries built Cloisters and Colledges for Monks with great liberallity thereby to redeeme soules have taken upon themselves religious orders for the expiation of sins have woren either dead or living the cowles or hoodes of begging Fryars but in all these things what could they find or hereby receive but a perpetual torture trouble of conscience a dreafull feare doubt of beeing deceived We need not therefore seek these Locusts among the Vandales Gothes Hunnes Saracens Mahumetans c. For these did promiscuously rage and tyrannise by fire sword against the persons both of the just unjust Besides it is verie cleare by the matter it selfe that Ecclesiastical religious deceivers are here meant who torment indeed continually the fearfull consciences of men with the terrours of hell purgatorie but send them not for releife to Christ by faith but to the Popes lawes that is in stead of Phisick administer poyson and precipitate their soules into the gulfe of finall desperation Moreover we are againe to take notice of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was given which I find to be twenty times repeated in this booke about Antichrists tyranny that so we may understand that he doth not thus rage by chance but as beeing Gods scourge to punish the ingratitude of the Christian world as also that he is bound limited by God and cannot goe bejond the same The which serves for our great comfort Five monthes This is the third limitation of their power serving also for our singular consolation Seeing God hath prefixed a certaine time to these Locusts bejond which they shall not longer rage torment Interpreters discourse diversly about these five monthes Some take it properly for five Aegyptian monthes or an hundred fifty dayes the time that the waters of the flood increased upon the face of the earth some take it for so many yeares Notwithstanding they are much troubled how so short a time should agree to the tyranny either of the Vandales Saracens or Popish clergie Bullingers exposition best agrees with the nature of the place viz. that the mitigation is taken from the age of Locusts which ordinarily is no more then five monthes making the sense to be thus that as the Locusts continew not hurting the whole yeere thorow but sing leap and feed upon the grasse scarsly during the five summer monthes that is from April unto September even so a certaine time is defined to Antichrists seducers after which they shall torment men no more But this seems not to agree with histories For the Pope hath now for a thousand yeeres more sent forth his Locusts to spoile the field of the Church neyther doth the end as yet appeare Yea he shall continue devouring untill he bee consumed by the brightnesse of Christs comming But this no way contradicts what we have before said for what are five monthes with the Lord seeing with him a thousand yeeres are as one day The time therefore of the Locusts is hereby designed not as if it should be no longer then an hundred and fifty dayes or yeeres but because it should be short a definite time being put for an indefinite And thus also Alcasar expounds it indefinitely although contrarie
to the scope he applie it to the plagues and conversion of the Iewes But we are taught however Antichrist shall remaine with his Locusts yet when he shal be revealed his tyranny the power of the Locusts shal be so weakned that they shall not torment men any more or at least not so much as before they did The truth whereof we see through Gods mercie these hundred yeeres accomplished both in Germanie other kingdomes For now the biting of these Locusts is not so forcible but everie where that ancient power of those scorpions lies under contempt because the five monthes are ended And as Polydore Virgil writes perswades in his seventh booke Chap. 3. It would bee very profitable that these dregs of men as superfluous members of Christian religion were cut off utterly consumed that so they might no longer with their filthinesse staine the puritie of Gods worship And their torment He amplifies their torments from a similitude before spoken of ver 3. for as the power of Scorpions was given to the Locusts so their biting and torment is like unto that of Scorpions The paine at the beginning is indeed not great but suddenly so increaseth that if remedie be not had it will kill the person wounded within four and twenty houres even so howsoever at first men little regard the biting of these Locusts but give way to carnall reason and licentiousnesse yet at the houre of death all things appeare horrible and mortal 6. And in these dayes men shall seek death Another amplification of the torment taken from the most lamentable effect thereof by which mens lives are not onely made bitter but so detestable as that they shall preferre death of which all men stand in feare before life they shall I say desire to change life for death and good for evill Now this is not the property of men sober but mad noting how this biting shall infatuate and besott people no otherwise then as it ordinarily happens to such as are bitten by mad dogs Even so these little beasts with their stings have befooled the greatest kings and wise men of the earth as that they have suffered themselves to be dwawen lead set on work and sent wherever they would yea to be perswaded that black was white that life eternal was comprehended under the hood of Monkes that holie water purgeth sin quencheth the flames of purgatorie that so at least they might find some ease for their consciences the which notwithstanding they obtained not It is well knowen that such was the Germanes devotion to the Papacy and in their devotion such madnesse and in their madnesse such brutish obedience as that they would doe any thing how absurd soever so it were imposed by the Locusts in the Popes name for to redeem soules out of hell and purgatorie Insomuch that the Cardinal CAIETAN said as it is reported that if Luther had not been the Germanes at the Popes beck would have eaten like oxen hay for their provender And shall not finde it but death shall flee from them A further increase of sorrow they shall not finde remedie for their torments no not in death For there is no man but would rather once suffer death then to be tormented with perpetual fear and expectation eyther of purgatorie or the flames of hell fire Then shall that saying be in force Mors optanda magis sed enim sua funera passis Major ab extremo restat agone dolor Death wish'd is rather but her funerals beeing over From extreme torments felt Remaines a greater dolor Death shall flee from them because eyther through superstition or feare they be shall hindered from laying violent hands upon themselves The trembling therefore of these shall not be unlike the anguish of the reprobates mentioned in Chap. 6.16 who cried to the mountaines fall upon us and hide us from the face of him that sits on the Throne from the face of the Lamb. Notwithstanding the judgement of the last day is not here as yet treated of but thereunto are compared the torments with which the Locusts tortured men that were not sealed Now the Lord Iesus keep us from the venome of such Locusts Their forme now follows 7. And the shapes of the Locusts The reason why they are thus lively expressed before our eyes as in a table is to the end we might the better take notice shun these pestilent creatures Their figure is so monstrous horrid not like the natural Locusts that the verie sight of such a monstre would affright a man neither may we imagine the description of this monstre to bee like unto that which Flaccus jestingly describeth in the beginning of his art Humano capiti cervicem pistor equinam Iungere si velit varias inducere plumas Vndique collatis membris ut turpiter atrum Desinat in piscem mulier formosa superne Spectatum admissi risum teneatis amici If to a humane head a painter should thus doe A horses shoulder joyne and sundry feathers too And that the members all did represent in show A woman faire above an ugly fish below The friends which came to see would laugh at it I trow But this monstre is formed of diverse those the crueller sort of shapes The whole form at the first appearance represents a fiery warlike horse having a mans face and hair of a woman but Lions teeth strong to rend asunder a breastplate of iron to bear off blowes the sound of his wings terrible the taile stinging as a Scorpion ready to hurt every one to be short not unlike to the Chimera or monstre in Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Lion before a dragon behinde and a goat in the middle Now certaine it is that these similitudes are not to bee taken properly but mystically as wee have distinguished the forme of them in the analysis partly by their outward proportion as members body partly by their habit and armour and partly by their head by all which is signifyed the power and force of these beasts And it doth so fully agree with the Antichristian clergie as that nothing can bee more evidently spoken But now let us consider the particulars Like unto horses prepared unto battel Horses prepared for warr are wel fenced armed fatted having fierce riders on their backes thereby become very cruel with a blinde force rush terribly upon the enemy With the like cruelty these Locusts beeing fatted and pampered in their cloisters strengthened with the power of Abaddon their rider they furiously oppose the Gospell of Iesus Christ some by railing in their Pulpits by disputations pasquils c. Others by cruel counsels bloody designes as the histories of Emperours but chiefly of the Henries Fredericks Othoes have testified long agoe namely that they more frequent stables then temples better know how to handle bridles then bookes more fitted prepared to occasion and wage warre to the destruction of the Christian common
For heaven is the throne of God wherefore they that sweare lift up their hands to heaven as calling upon God to bee a witnesse and judge of the truth Hence also comes the received custome amongs us to lift up the right hand and put forth the three first fingers in signe of the blessed trinity whom we call for a record upon our souls 6 And sware by Gr In him that liveth by two adjunctes he denotes the true God The first internall that liveth for ever and ever The other externall who created heaven earth sea and the things that are therein The former is a most proper note of the true God because he alone is of himself and shal be from eternitie unto all eternitie not receiving life from any but giving unto all life moving and beeing Hence with the Hebrewes the Lord is called Jehovah that is subsisting living of himself And by this Epithite generally in scripture he is distinguished from the false gods or idols of the Gentiles In him that is by him that liveth beeing an Hebraisme for they that take an oath are to sweare in that is by Jehovah as Jonathan said to David 1. Sam. 24.22 What it is to sweare by the living God sweare unto me in Jehovah Now to swear by Johovah or by the living God is to require and cal him who is the alone searcher of the hart to give testimony unto the truth and to punish him that sweareth in case he wittingly take his name in vaine Here then we see in the first place that an Oath is a kind of invocation upon God and therefore often in scripture swearing is put for invocating and so againe invocation for the other As Isa 19.18 The nations shall sweare by Iehovah It is lawfull for Christians to sweare in some cases that is shall call upon the true God and 2. Cor. 1.23 I call God saith Paul to record upon my soule so that an Oath is a kinde of worship and therfore lawfull and acceptable to God no way prohibited unto Christians as some phantasticall men have affirmed Secondly that no Oath is laflul except it bee taken in the name of God For hee alone knowes the hart and only i◠able to reveale secrets to punish hidden perjurie to resolve doubtfull things confirme the whole truth for he is above all and in him alone in the last place all faith is setled Thirdly hence we see that to sweare by Angels It is a great wickednesse to sweare by the creature Saintes or any other creature is a horrible wickednesse both because they cannot search the hart reines in which regard they are vainly called upon as also because religious invocation is a worship onely proper to God cannot without sacriledge bee given unto any other They therefore who sweare by Mary the Saintes doe as much offend the Lord deceive themselves and others as SOCRATES who was wont to sweare by his dog or any stone whatsoever But here it may bee demanded if this Angel be Christ himself how then doth he sweare by him that liveth for ever For hereby it seems either that he is not Christ or els that Christ is not true God but inferiour unto him because he sweares by the living God as by one greater then himself To this I have given somewhat in answer before and sufficiently shewed that Christ is this Angel He sweareth by him that liveth for ever as hee is man and the mediatour so he acknowledgeth God to be above him according as he speaketh Io. 14.28 The Father is greater then I. Or els as he is God and then he sweareth by him who liveth for ever not as by a superiour or by another but by himself according to that in Heb. 6.13 because God could sweare by no greater he sware by himself But that Christ is he that liveth for ever appeares by his owne testimony Chap. 1.18 I live saith he was dead VIII Arg of Christs deity confirmed to wit as man and behold I live for ever and ever This therefore as we have before noted yeeldeth us a worthy argument to prove the deity of Christ Who created heaven By this other Epithite he also distinguisheth the true God from idols as beeing the onely creatour of all things in heaven in earth c. gave them I say at first a beeing of nothing the which was a worke of omnipotencie not to be effected by false gods or any creature Therefore the true God every-where in scripture as also in the common creed is celebrated as the creatour of all things Ier. 10.11 but the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth even they shall perish from the earth from under these heavens Neither doth this make any thing to the contrarie but that this Angel is Christ for he sweareth by the creatour of all things Ioh. 1.3 Heb. 1.2 that is by himself For by him all these things were made and without him was not any thing made that was made By whom also God the Father made the worlds This Epithite therefore doth also confirme the truth of Christs divinity That there should be time no longer Now followes what Christ sware and to what end Both which are to the same purpose for the latter adversitively expounds the former viz. that there should bee no more time but that the accomplishment of the mystery of God was at hand under the seventh trumpet The former is taken diverse wayes ANDREAS he sweareth there should bee no time after or in the world to come or not long after the sixt trumpet the latter part of whose opinion is agreable to the scope but not the former notwithstāding Ribera foolishly approves therof there shal be no time saith he because this variety of time as dayes nightes moneths yeeres shal be no more but an unchangable eternity shall follow in the dayes of the seventh Angel But what use was there to confirme that with an Oath which no man is ignorant of viz. that after the consummation of this world time shall be swallowed up by eternity Alcasar wresteth it unto the Iewes to whom there shal be no more time as beeing threatned of God to be forsaken But what need was there that Christ should signifie a thing by vision and Oath which long before was clearly declared Behold your house is left unto you desolate Matt. 23.28 BRIGHTMAN there shal be no more time that is no longer delay but a verie little time shal be remaining untill the consummation of the mysterie the which is agreable unto the scope of the place for Christ by a fift consolation would encourage the faithfull taken from the brevity of the time remaining least they beeing dishartned in regard of the long continued calamities of the six trumpets should be out of hope as if there should never be an end of their miseries but that Antichrists rage should allwayes continue in the world But
events of the Church For it was written within and without as we heard Chap. 1.7 and Ezech. 2.10 This little booke Christ both opened and held open teaching us that as Iohn so all the teachers of the word must ask of Christ and receive out of his hand the doctrine of salvation which they are to propound unto the Church but not from the hand of Satan or Antichrist Now he exhibiteth a booke open because the holy scriptures doe open and manifestly set forth the mysteries of our salvation Thus we see the decrees of the Romish Antichrist the traditions of Popes and Councils the humane Philosophie and subtilties of Sophisters are to be quite banished out of the Church It is expressely added Of the Angel that stood upon the earth and sea that we might confidently rest on the power of Christ and acknowledge him alone to be the revealer of the heavenly truth and so desire nothing as necessarie to salvation but what we take out of his hand 9. Take it and eat it up This is the other commandement Bookes of paper or parchment are not to be eaten properly as not beeing fit food for man but they are said to be eaten up metaphorically when they are so carefully read and throughly taken notice of that we are able promptly to rehearse and discourse of the contents thereof So a man is said to have devoured Virgil Cicero who is fullie acquainted with them and hath them as it were by heart So Cicero called M. Cato a devourer of bookes because he was an insatiable reader Thus as the Prophet in Ezech. 3. so John here is commanded to eat up the booke he received of Christ that is well to understand and as it were hide the same in the bowels of his heart that so he might deliver no other doctrine unto the Church but what hee had received from Christ Now whether this booke were eaten up trulie or in a vision onely makes little to the purpose the latter is most probable For all these things were don by a vision Here the ministers of the word are taught earnestly to devoure or eat up the doctrine of salvation divinely written received from Christ that is diligently to read understand search meditate as it were to turne it even into their verie moisture blood For such onely can faithfully instruct the Church in the knowledge of the truth who after this manner meditate in the law of the Lord day night On the contrary their sluggishnesse is condemned who though they love to be called Bishops Archbishops Patriarchs of the Church yet in the mean while are little or nothing acquainted with the scriptures of God And it shall make thy belly bitter He preadmonisheth Iohn of a double effect of the booke sweet in the mouth bitter in the belly Sweet things are delightfull to the palate bitter things provoke to vomit Hereby signifying that one effect thereof should be sweet the other troublesome the nature whereof is expounded in the following verse He fore shewes it should be sweet to stir him up the more earnestly to eat up the booke he tels him also that it should be bitter that he might not afterward bee offended thereat but know that this bitternesse should bee recompensed with much sweetnesse Then I tooke the booke He shewes his readinesse in eating the book for neither the difficulty of the command nor the bitternesse of the book dishartens him shewing us that we are readily to submitt unto the command of God not to be dismayed at any hardships or difficulties whatsoever Now he ate the booke not really but in vision onely as I said before signifying that he most readily accepted the worke imposed upon him of which it followeth And it was sweet in my mouth Here the foresaid effects follow This booke being eaten was sweet in the mouth and bitter in the belly the first signifies the sweetnesse of the word as Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter then hony to my mouth Ierem. 15.16 Thy words were found I did eat them thy word was unto mee the joy rejoycing of myne heart This is the proper effect of the word it brings joy to the heart comfort to the conscience yea by how much faithfull teachers doe feel this sweetnesse by so much the more they preach the Gospell chearfully But the effect thereof is bitter by accident because the preaching of the word occasioneth most painefull grypings of the belly as the hatred of the world persecutions banishments martyrdomes This effect Christ foretold unto his disciples They shall put you out of their synagogues Ioh. 16.2 whosoever killeth you will thinke that he doth God service But what use was there to reveale this in a type unto John seeing it was long before plainely foretold in the written word It was altogether needfull considering that this bitternesse doth not properly denote the calamities already past under the four trumpets but to come in the end of the fift sixt under the kingdome of Antichrist the which we shall heare in the following Chapter namely the combats of the third Act of this Vision He foretold them therefore unto Iohn that he might not bee offended for he had already experience hereof beeing sent into exile by Domitian notwithstanding Christ doth not properly intend this here but praefigures in his person the future calamities of the witnesses of the truth 11. And hee said unto me To wit the former voyce from heaven Thou must againe prophesie This commandement is taken diversly Lyra thou must write downe more prophesies to wit those which follow in this booke But to write more things is not againe to prophesie c. Thomas Rupertus and some others understand it historically of Iohns beeing restored unto his Church as if he had said Thou must after the death of Domitian returne from Patmos the place of thy exile unto Ephesus and preach againe the Gospell or as if it were a promise of writing his Gospell after the Revelation The which Ribera refuteth This saith he I approve not of for to put prophesying in stead of preaching the Gospell is new which reason is not solid he adds another that seeing John was gifted with the fulnesse of the holy Ghost therefore he needed not to eat up the booke eyther for to preach or to write the Gospell wherefore he saith the sense is thus that although Iohn hitherto had prophesied many things concerning the last times notwithstanding there remained as yet many things of the same nature which he was to prophesie of against the gentiles c. The which is one with the opinion of Lyra which Alcasar also with his subtilties doth at last come unto But hee needed not to eat up the booke in this respect seeing before he had received a commandement to write the whole Revelation allthough I grant that Lyras opinion touching the promise of Iohns restitution is
remain after the witnesses are slain But according to their supposition the Beast shal be no more but killed after three yeeres an half Now we have shewed that the 1260 dayes of their prophesie is put indefinitely by an allusion unto the historie of Elias who by prayer shut heaven from raining for so many dayes Therfore also the end of their testimonie is to be taken indefinitely for the time appointed by God therein to fulfill their ministerie And so the sence seemes thus The Beast indeed shal raise up war so soon as they begin to prophesie yet he shal not overcome them before they have finished their testimonie according to the will of God The which serves for the great comfort of the witnesses For as the high-priests could not hurt Christ before his houre was come although they never ceased to lay wait for his life so likewise Antichrist shall not be able to overcome Christs witnesses before the course of their ministery be finished Therfore the words when they have finished are not to be referred to Antichrists rage against them spoken of in the first place but to the two latter hee shal overcome kill them For he shall alwayes war against the witnesses but shal not kill and overcome them before they have finished their testimony This also serves to prove that Antichrist shall have power indeed to kill overcome the witnesses but not their testimony in the least for it is said they shall accomplish their testimonie And therfore the preaching of the Gospel shal endure unto the end Thus we see who the Beast is what time is to bee understood It remaines now to be handled what manner of warre it is what the effect therof shal be Touching the war it is said He shall make war against them Before he had sufficiently declared what the witnesses should doe and effect against the Beast now on the contrarie he shewes what the Beast shall doe and effect against the witnesses for Antichrist will not sit still and suffer his kingdome to be destroyed but with all his power wil fight for the same And therefore as soon as the witnesses shal begin to prophesie against his kingdom he wil prepare himself to war against them and by how much their prophesie is powerfull by so much the warr shall be the greater But what manner of war and victorie shall this bee Rupertus saith such as is usually betwixt truth and falshood The war shal be both ecclesiasticall and civill and therefore such also shall the victorie be His Ecclesiastical war shal be three manner of wayes The manner of the beasts war against the witnesses First by the seditious sermons of the Locusts their venemous writings and sophistical disputations in the behalfe of Apollyon against the witnesses of Christ branding them for most pestilent hereticks They shall preach with great applause to the multitude that the Beast is head of the Church Christs Vicar and armed as with the key of Peter so with the sword of Paul and Caesar crying out with full mouths that his kingdom is the Catholick Church Secondly through the Councils of Locusts by whose decrees the Beast shall establish his kingdom and anathematize as heretical the truth of Christ For it is true Aene. Syl. in histor concil Basil pag. 79. as Julian the Cardinal freely wrote from the Council of Basil unto Pope Eugenius that by the meanes of Councils the libertie and power of Ecclesiastical persons hath alwayes been strengthened and augmented To be short by the bulles and excommunications of the Romish court by which he shall condemne Christes witnesses with their testimony for heresie and delivering them over to the secular power destroy them by fire and sword to wit as unworthy to breath or live in the world Moreover the beast will raise up civill warres and by his subtiltie cause the kingdomes and provinces of the Christian world to fight against the Gospell that so the witnesses of Christ may bee overcom and killed Therfore it followeth The beast shall overcome them and kill them The latter declares the former This very thing doth sufficientlie shew that these witnesses cannot be literallie taken for Enoch and Elias For what godly man will beleeve that those holy prophets whome the scriptures testifie to have been tranflated from death to life eternal should again return into the earth to be cruelly killed by Antichrist Furthermore the Beast shall kill the witnesses in the like manner he overcame them partly by ecclesiastical censure partly by the secular sword so then not by the goodnesse of his cause nor by the holie scriptures for by these the witnesses shall overcome and consume Antichrist but he shall overcome them by outward force and tyranny by the authority of Councils by thundring out his bulles by cruel warre and his hangmen Thus I say he warreth against the Saintes overcoms kills them not by arguments scriptures but by sword fire excommunications So also my Anonymus 260 yeers past wrot concerning the Popes victorie He shall overcome them in reputation of his friendes kill them some corporally eyther by burning or murdering them with the sword other kinds of death others civilly by adjudging them to perpetuall imprisonment against these whom he cannot torment in this manner he will at least thunder out his excommunications insomuch as they shall not be accounted otherwise then dead men in the Church so far as concerneth a spiritual life What would not this author have written had he seen the histories of our time the foregoing age when the Beast anathematized the two witnesses of England John Wickleffe that excellent teacher and opposer of Poperie and his protectour John Earl of Leicestre whose carkeise not long after being taken up out of the grave he caused to be burnt When he overcame burnt contrarie to the publick faith of the Empire the two witnesses of Bohemia John Husse and Ierom of Prage prophesying that the Ecclesiasticall court of priests should he cast forth When by the bloodie inquisition he delivered unto death many thousand martyrs in Italie Spain France England Belgia when he enwrapt almost all the provinces of Europe in cruell warres to suppresse the Gospell when at length in Germanie God restored the slaine witnesses unto life The Iesuites I doubt not may find this litle commentarie of Anonymus in their publick libraries speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainely impartially not respecting persons And thence let them judge whither the Pope of Rome were by us of late first accounted that Beast and Antichrist as Bellarmin falsly affirmeth Lib. 3. de P. R. cap. 21. And their carkeises The particle spirituallie here mentioned shewes that this also is not literallie to be understood as we shall further see by that which followes The cruelty therefore of the Beast against the witnesses falsly condemned for heresie is hereby noted forasmuch as they shall not be satiated by cursing and putting of
inhabitants of the earth grosse and earthly men superstitious maintainers of Antichristian idolatry obstinate adversaries from whom they shall suffer grievous contradiction Secondly the successe of their doctrine is noted not to be very great They shall labour indeed to reforme the Papacy Caecis sabulam canent Aethiopes lavabunt to call the blinde unto the light but according to the proverb they shall sing to the deafe and wash Black-moores because Antichrist will resist them by all meanes possible and labour to keep his kingdome in peace And indeed it shall be so by the just judgement of God For because the world rather loveth lies then truth God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a lie that they all might perish who have not received the love of the truth 2 Thes 2.11 The consideration hereof serves both to illustrate the goodnesse of God who graciously caused the everlasting Gospel to be preached unto the inhabitants of the earth that is the sworne vassals of Antichrist drowned in superstitions and idolatry As also to lessen the scandall that we be not offended at the small successe the Gospel then had at that time For what wonder was it that the inhabitants of the earth received not the same who were accustomed to heare and beleeve nothing but the dreames and lies of Antichrist And to every nation and tribe This partition is taken from Chap. 13.7 signifying that the fame of this Gospell should be spread as farre as the Papacy did extend For however those teachers should remaine in their places yet their doctrine by their writings was made knowne every where and found adversaries in all places Before I goe further let us here take notice of one thing touching the devils subtilty Cyrillus feineth a new gospell We finde by history that a little before God raised up this Angell in England the devill had begun to spread abroad his eternall gospell through one Cyrillus a carmelite Monke consisting of most foule errours and monstrous opinions pretending that it was the everlasting gospell of this Angell And indeed the Monkes under pretext of this prophesie did readily imbrace the same because he confirmed their monasticall rites rules superstitions and fables He taught that the Gospell of Christ was to remaine unto this time but thence forward his new Gospel was to take place in the Church This was a wicked depravation of this prophesie 1 Pet. 1.25 Rom. 10.8 Rev. 2.25 Gal. 1.8 and blasphemie against the expresse word of God The word of the Lord remaineth foe ever This is the word of faith which we preach Hold fast that which yee have till I come If an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospell let him be accursed To this ungodly fiction many learned of that age opposed themselves insomuch that Pope Innocent himselfe was forced by the Lateran Council to condemne this impudent assertion because it also touched the Popes kingdome Some say Joachim the Abbot was the broacher hereof but it is false See Centur. Ecclesiast 13. cap. 5. To discover therefore the imposture of the Devill the Lord began to bring to light in the same age the everlasting Gospell here prophesied of by Wickleffe in England and by other teachers in other places We may easily Iudge which of these two was that everlasting and true Gospell For the one abolished the Gospel of Christ and writings of the Apostles The other brought forth the same out of darknesse The former therefore was false the latter true Saying with a great voice The zeale of the Angell in publishing the Gospell is commended And indeed the foresaid teachers performed their office with unwearied labour and paines both in teaching preaching disputing for when they came into the world the world was in a deep lethargie of superstitions drunken buried in the wine of the wrath of Babylonish fornication So that they were forced to cry aloud so mightily to the end that they might be heard of the drowzy or rather deafe inhabitants of the earth This voice is to be understood not onely of their preaching but writings also by which they manifested the doctrine of the everlasting Gospell Feare God The argument of his preaching hath three parts yet the whole is doctrinall and hortatory The first part is the feare of God which is the beginning of wisdome Here rightly the teachers begin Sometimes by it the whole worship but here properly is signified that part of worship which consists in the true knowledge and reverence of God and it is opposed both to the carnall security of the whole world whence ariseth prophanenesse and the wicked contempt of God as also to the preposterous feare by which Antichrist hath along time kept the world under his yoake Both these I will briefly now expound The Papacy did abound with security and feare Security feare in the Papacy This carnall security was fostered by their bewitching confessions absolutions satisfactions Masses indulgences c. No wicked act how great soever but by money and such remedies might be expiated Hence Gods judgement neither was or to this day is feared in the Papacy as having present remedy for their sins in their confessions satisfactions and indulgences Hence springeth that bruitish security and liberty to sin So againe the feare of Antichrist hath and still doth vex the world because it is held a greater offence to neglect the edicts of the Pope then to violate the commandements of God So that they were easily frighted with the feare of excommunication poenall satisfactions purgatory c. insomuch as Emperours and Kings were forced to kisse the feet of Antichrist yea all both great and smal did tremblinglie submit to his beck Now this Angell recalling the world both from this prophane security as also from their preposterous feare bids them FEARE GOD not the Beast for it is not the Beast but God that can cast both soule and body into hell fire Math. 10.28 And give glory to him Secondly he requires faith and obedience unto the Gospell for then is the glory of Gods truth goodnes and power truely attributed unto him when his word is received by faith and performed in obedience In the former member the Angel prepared the world for the Gospell because without the feare of God that is so long as prophanesse and contempt of God doth reigne there the Gospell findes no place By this other member he instructs them thus prepared to give glory to God by receiving his word in faith and conforme their life according to his commandements And indeed this is all God requires of us So Moses And now O Israel what doth Jehovah thy God require of thee Deut. 1.12 save that thou feare Jehovah thy God and walke in all his waies and love him with all thy heart For the houre of his judgement is come A reason confirming what he had said is taken from threatning of judgement at hand the serious consideration whereof
wicked common-wealth of old Rome Now the truth is nothing can be more vainely spoken And I wonder that the Iesuite when he wrote these things had not considered that he himselfe lived in Spaine where the ancient Moores formerly inhabited IV. He addes from Chap. 16.19 That Great Babylon came in remembrance before God 18.5 Babylons sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities Therefore saith he towards the end of the world her old sins which hitherto for religion sake seemed to be forgotten shall againe be remembred and punished because of the new and like transgressions added to the former But first not onely things done long agoe are said to come in remembrance before God but also such things as are newly done by an Anthropopatheia for so in Act. 10. The prayers and almes of Cornelius which he daily performed are said to come up for a memoriall before God Secondly albeit his glosse were granted yet there were no need that new Rome should be punished for the sinnes of the old for as much as Popish Rome for these thousand years and more hath abounded in all manner of villanies for which the Lord most justly may take vengeance on her Lastly he flees unto the Oracles of the Sybills But they speak nothing touching the Popes ejection or apostacy of the Romanes from the faith of Christ unto Heathenisme but only touching the destruction of Rome therein agreeing with the prophesie of this booke By all which things it appeareth that whatsoever the Iesuite alledgeth for the upholding of the credit of the Pope it is nothing but a frivolous dotage of a dreaming writer The summe of the place is this That Babylon here threatned with destruction is Rome not of the Pagans which ceased in Constantines time Nor new heathenish Rome the which as the Iesuite feineth shall thrust out the Pope But Popish Rome which a long while hath boasted her selfe to be the Mother of Churches and from whose breasts all the nations and kings of the earth have sucked their errours superstition and idolatry Thus our insoluble argument is no way weakned by the Iesuite but stands firme against the Romish Antichrist But now when we speak of Rome we understand not simply the walled city or palaces towers and stately walkes thereof but chiefly the Pope himselfe with his whole kingdom and power over the Westerne Churches of which afterward in Chap. 17.18 Now why is Rome named Babylon Why Rome is called Babylon lib. 2. cap. 3. hist The cause may be the likenesse that is between them of which OROSIUS Behold saith he the rising of Babylon and Rome is alike their power is alike their greatnesse times good things and also evill But I rather thinke the reason is their likenesse in tyrannny and destruction The old Babylon afflicted the ancient Church Rome the new Babylon hath oppressed the new Church The Old is fallen The New shall fall Babylon is fallen is fallen The doubling of the threatning denotes the certainty and hastning of the destruction Therefore also it is said in the preterperfect tense hath that is is fallen because it shall certainely and suddenly fall like as we say of a dying man that he is dead or the like Neither did the Angell prophesie vainely For even during the preaching of this Angell while Luther I say yet taught a great part of Babylon fell both in Saxony Germany and other neighbouring Countries But touching the destruction of Babylon it followes in Chap. 18. Alcasar againe by his consequence is forced to make blacke white applying the ruine of Babylon to the conversion of heathenish Rome to the faith of Christ making the sence of the words Babylon is fallen is fallen that is is converted to Christ Now who ever heard so great an absurdity The whole context and consent of all interpreters evinceth that the ruine of Babylon signifies not mercy but punishment And therefore so impudent a depravation of holy Scripture is to be rebuked Because she made all nations drinke This reason evidently refutes Alcasars absurdity The cause of Babylons destruction shall be her fornication by which she hath most foully defiled her selfe with the Kings and Inhabitants of the earth for she is the Mother of all whoredomes This fornication as before was shewed is idolatry by a propheticall and metaphorical phrase for idolaters like harlots do by spirituall uncleannes perfidiously violate their faith to God prostrate themselves before their Idols and run headlong into utter destruction as we have largely expounded in our Commentary on Hosea Chap. 1.2 Of the wine of her fornication For the Pope obtrudes his idols on all nations who therefore are said to drinke of the wine of his wrath because idolatry through the corruptnesse of mans nature is more pleasing to all then the true worship of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a figure when with a little change of a word the sence is wholly altered In the Greeke is an elegant * parenomasia in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as Antichrist gave all to drinke of the wine of his fornication so shall all drinke of the wine of Gods wrath because they suffered themselves universally to be drawne aside to the worship of Idols by the pretended authority of the Catholick Church Idolatry is compared to wine because by its sweetnesse and outward lustre it is pleasing unto the flesh and much desired Also from the effect for it makes idolaters madde furious and blinde like as wine takes away the sence of a drunkard The wine of wrath so named from the effect because it stirres up Gods wrath and drawes downe his judgements As also from the efficient cause because God in his anger doth justly inflict blindnesse on the worshippers of Antichrist according to that of Paul 2 Thes 2.11 For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a lie that they might be damned who received not the truth It might seem the words here should thus be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the wine of her fornication as in Chap. 17.2 The inhabitants of the earth are said to have been made drunke with the wine of her fornication c. because the wine of fornication is opposed to the wine of Gods wrath vers 10. The same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God But all copies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the wine of the wrath c. Not here onely but also in Chap. 16.19 18.23 The use of this preaching The use of this Angels preaching doth plainely respect both the godly and the wicked The godly are exhorted to the duty before published by the former Angell To feare God and not the Beast To give glory to God not to Antichrist And lastly to worship God the Creator of heaven and earth not the Beast or his Image Also in Chap. 18.4 he admonisheth all such as desire to be free of Babylons
the Sea with many waves and confusions It is of glasse Why the sea is said to be glasse so said first because it is clear as glasse that is perspicuous and open to the eyes of God for God sees the secret counsells and hidden endeavours of the world and Antichrist secondly because it is bright like Chrystall for the pompe and lustre of the world bewitcheth Antichristians Thirdly because its weak and brickle as glasse for the world passeth away with the lust thereof The favour and prosperity of the world is glassie for when it most shineth it is then broken Lastly The sea for the most part is like glasse in colour hence the Poets call the Sea Mare vitreum undas vitreas the glassie Sea and glassie waves It is mingled with fire viz. of afflictions and calamities in which the godly also are often involved however they stand as conquerours upon this sea because they trample the world with the delights and baites thereof under feet neither are they of the world nor removed from their station by the fire of affliction but persist constantly in the faith unto the end This indeed the Saints triumphant have fully attained unto and we who are yet in the body in part for it is our duty also to stand on the sea that is to trample the world under our feet Or they stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nigh or besides the sea because they are not part of the sea or world but separated and redeemed from the world as in Chap. 14. ver 4. And this sense I like best because by the following verse it appears here is an allusion to the red sea by which the Israelites standing saw the Egyptians drowned and rejoicing over their destruction sang songs of praises to God Having the harps of God By an hebraisme the harps of God are put for such as are rare and of a most sweet sound The harps of God for with the Hebrews whatsoever are said to be the things of God are excelling things worthy his high Majesty so the mountaines of God the Caedars of God the City of God that is very high and great It is opposed to the harpes of David and of other Saints by which they sometimes praised God These are infinitely sweeter in sound for these harpers sang a new song which none could learne but they that were marked with the seale of God unknown also to the former Saints viz. touching the weakning and ruine of Antichrists kingdome by these harpes that is by the preaching Prayers and sweet confessions of these Champions 3. And they sing for they sang viz. with their harpes together with their voyces like to joyfull harpers But what sing they The song of Moses the servant of God We have a twofold song of Moses One of thanksgiving which he sang with the Israelites by the red sea for the overthrow of Pharaoh and the Egyptians I will sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed glorioussy the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea Exodus 15.1 The other of praises celebrating Gods wonderfull benefits unto the Israelites Deut. 32. Both may bee here understood but cheifly the former because of the similitude for as then the Israelites standing by the red sea sang with Moses their leader a triumphant song unto God for the drowning their adversaries under whose bondage they had a long time groaned so the saints being brought thorow the vast sea of this world do joyntly sing praises to God and blesse him for their deliverance from the most cruell bondage of Antichrist And hereby they intimate not obscurely that Pharaoh and the Egyptian servitude was a figure of the Churches bondage under Antichrist And the song of the Lambe that is praising the Lambe for his benefits bestowed on the Church Divers songs we have already heard In Chap. 4.11 The songs of the Revelation The elders sing to him that sate on the throne Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory Chap. 5.9 The Elders againe sing a new song to the Lambe Thou art worthy to take the Booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood and hast made us Kings and Priests to our God c. Vnto which song the Angells and all creatures do there by mutuall accord sing Amen Chap. 11.17 they likewise sing to God Wee give thee thankes Lord God Almighty c. A like song wee heard Chapter 2. ver 10. Now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God c. Againe in Chap. 14. the company of harpers sang a new song to the Lambe standing on Mount Sion This therefore is the song of the Lamb by which the triumphant Church or the heavenly companies celebrate the Lambes victory and their own over Antichrist Now this title affords a cleer argument to prove the divinity of the Lambe 34. Argument of Christs deity considering that to him this wonderfull worke of the conquest over the beast is attributed by the Saints But now let us hear the song It seemes to be collected out of divers places of the Psalmes and Prophets by which these divine singers commend unto us the authority and dignity of the Scriptures As from Psal 86.10 they publish the great and wonderfull workes of God Great because they fill heaven and earth Wonderfull because they are unsearchable and beyond humane reason such are the works of creation and the government of the world our redemption and preservation of the Church in this life from Psal 25.10 they celebrate the true righteous wayes of the Lord for all his paths are mercy and truth Gods wayes are his counsells and judgements about the Church and the enemies thereof And though he suffers the godly to be afflicted and fore troubled and the enemies to bear sway and flourish which indeed seems unjust to flesh and blood yet the wayes of Jehovah are righteous for he knowes wherefore he doth the same and the event shews that his wayes are all right and good for in the end he performes his promise to the Saints in preserving and delivering the Church and in punishing and destroying the adversaries by which he declareth that he is constant in his promises true and omnipotent in his threatning Lord Almighty King of Saints Thou onely art holy By these Epithites the Saints extoll God above all adversaries and stirre up their own confidence and joy for seeing he is omnipotent he can easily cast downe his enemies If King of Saints then he can strongly defend his holy Church If onely holy or most pure then he alone not the creatures is to be served and cleaved unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O King of Saints so all greek copies read it excepting Montanus who reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King of the Nations and also Andreas from Ierem. 10.7 Who would not fear thee O King of nations The old Latine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King of
kingdomes Here is treated of such Kings as shall receive their power from the Beast Antichrist Their proofe therefore is nothing to the purpose Neither doth Jerome helpe the matter in applying the Oracle of Daniel to Antichrist Ierom helps not the Iesuits fiction For first Jerome acknowledgeth that the same was in some measure fullfilled in Antiochus Now however we will not contend whither or no Antiochus were a Type of Antichrist but willingly grant it because of their likenesse in Tyranny Notwithstanding it is not necessary to apply all things strictly to the antitype which are spoken of the type for if so there would be no difference betwixt the one and the other Neither is it of necessity that similitudes agree in all particulars Certainely what there is recorded of the three hornes that were plucked up can with no shew of reason be applyed unto Antichrist because the Angell is silent of it which he would not have omitted if the same should have come to passe For why should Christ conceale that from Iohn which before was revealed to Daniel Besides we may not give credit to Jerome in this without the Testimony of Scripture Lib. 1. contra Iovin Rom. 8. no more then to his argument by which he condemned his own parents in their mariage estate They that are in the flesh cannot please God My parents being married are in the flesh Therefore they cannot please God Or to his inconsiderate depriving of such as are twice married from the Grace of Christ where he saith The first Adam was once married The second Adam was unmarried Let such therefore as are twice married shew a third whom they should follow what more unworthy so great a man But he appeales unto the tradition of all Ecclesiasticall writers In cap. 23. Mat. the which we have not and although we had the same yet ought we as the said Jerome otherwhere speaketh hold to this certain truth That whatsoever hath not authoritie in the Scripture may as â—asily be rejected as approved The which is most true touchching this Fiction for a is not taken out of the Seriptures but first delivered by one Papiaâ— a man of small parts as Enschius writeth and afterward with many other uncertain things taken up and divulged by other Fathers as if they were certain Lib. 3. histor cap. 39 In speciall that Fiction is very unsavoury touching the Kings of Egypt Lybia and Ethiopia to be slain by Antichrist for nothing here of is spoken by Daniel but he saith that the little horne shall subdue three Kings not that he shall kill them neither doth he say that they shall be the Kings of Egypt Lybia and Ethiopia But thus be shall rule over the treasures of gold and silver of Misraim and the Lybians and Ethiopiand shall be in his steps as Pagninus renders it but Tremellius the Lybians and Ethiopians shall follow his steps which was accomplished in Antiochus for when he had vanquished Egypt then the Lybians and Ethiopians neighbouring Nations to Egypt who before served Bâ—olomaeus Philometor fell to Antiochus and warred under his banners This Fiction being now sufficiently refuted which Alcasar also likes not we come to his opinion no lesse false then the other Aleasars fable The ten hornes saith he denote the Senatours and chiefe men of the Romane Empire figured out in the Beast himselfe namely ten being put for a great multitude These as he feineth were to fight with the Lamb untill Constantines Empire and then being converted unto the faith they should hate whorish Rome burne her with fire and root out the heathenesse idolatry thereof Onuphr Com in Lib 1 Fastor This is a new glosse false and repugnant to the Text for who taught him to make of the Ten kings two hundred Senatours for so many by Romulus were appointed to be chosen out of Romanes and Sabines besides if the Senatours be the Kings how then could it be said that they had not yet in Iohns time received their kingdom Lastly the lamentation made in the following Chapter will most clearly refute the absurdity of this Fiction viz. that the burning of the whore cannot be understood of her Conversion to the Faith Letting passe therefore both these Fables we will now labour to find out the true meaning And here againe I propound two undoubted truths One that the hornes of the beast are not the heads of the beast The other that the hornes are something growing out of the heads The first appeareth The ten kings are to be distinguished from the seven former because the heads and hornes differ in forme and number hence it followes that these ten Kings are not Christian Emperours viz. Constantine the Great with nine of his Successours as some do thinke for these Emperours do necessarily belong to the sixt or to the seventh head because they reigned before the beast came to be the Eight King or Antichrist and they were true Emperours of the East and West neither received they their power with the beast But these Ten shall receive their power in one houre with the Beast neither shall they be such Kings as the heads formerly were but shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were Kings neither of so great nor of so absolute power and therefore these ten Kings denoted by the hornes may not be mingled with the seven Capitall Kings As for the second supposition that the hornes as they are not the heads so they are something or some part of the heads we know that the horne is an excrementall matter of the creatures skull The hornes sprang out of the seventh head growing hard into a crooked horne hence with Priscian Cornu a horne is quasi curuor crookednesse These hornes therefore did grow out of the heads yet not out of all but in my opinion out of the seventh as springing from the Christian Caesars in place of whom succeeded the Emperours and Kings of the West for after that the Beast had devoured the seventh head belonging unto the Christian Emperours and came to be the Eight King he reserved the Prerogative of Monarchicall power unto himself yet not under the title of a Romane Emperour for this as Bellarmine confesseth Antichrist was not to do so Lib. 3. de P. R. â— 15 least hereby he should seem not to be Christs Vicar but under the Title of Saint Peters Successour Vniversall Bishop Head of the Catholicke Church he createth Emperours and Kings who must as his creatures and Vassalls compose themselves to his pleasure making them the Actors and Ministers of his Monarchicall power The first Parents of which generation as Histories manifest were Steven II. and Leo III. Ten hornes I do not thinke that we are here precisely tyed to the number Ten seeing as Bellarmine confesseth either 10. 100. 1000. Gen. 31. Num. 14.22 or any perfect number in Scripture may be taken indefinitely Therefore by Ten is meant some certaine number of Kings arising out
this Prophesie it is to be hoped that as these kings have begun already to make the whore naked so they shal also in due time most certainly perfect the same And shall eat her flesh Not in love as some have thought but in hatred By eating her flesh Now this cannot also be understood according to the letter for the kings which shal do this work are no Canibals or men-eaters of Brasilia Therfore most expound the flesh of the whore not corporally but mistically of the whores kitching fat revenues anuities vacancies commendums tithes and holy rents hitherto brought to Rome from all parts of Christendom with which the whore being fatted grew to such fleshinesse and great strength This flesh the kings shall eat by denying these revenues to the whore appropriating the same to their own provinces kingdoms churches schools hospitals and almes-houses So Bullin Illyr Chyt Artop Napier and others This sense agrees with the uncovering of the whore or certainly it notes the last degree of the same However it be this phrase of Scripture doth also in other places signifie great hatred persecution wounding and killing Iob 19.22 Psal 27 2 being taken from Beasts tearing the flesh of their prey as in Iob Why are yee not satisfied with my flesh When the wicked came upon me to eat my flesh they stumbled and fell on which place Augustine thus They eat our flesh saith he that persecute us Shall burn her with fire Rome I say that whorish seat and nest they shal take By burning destroy and burne This prophefie is so open and cleare touching the overthrow of Popish Rome as the Iesuites dare no more deny the same And therefore we here see that Papall Rome shall be made desolate not by the Turkes but by Christian KINGS the definite or certaine time thereof we know not yet by what goes before it may be gathered without obscurity that the time is near for some Kings have already begun to hate and forsake the whore making her naked and eating her flesh some of the Ten yet remain with her into whose hearts what the LORD will put for them to do himself knoweth Perhaps more shall forsake the whore And though some Kings of the Earth may remain to make war still against Christ Neverthelesse these also will not spare her flesh no more then others as the present times do witnesse for do they not equally gape after the holy Revenues Neither will they any more fight gratis for the Whore but sell their protection of her for filthy lucre emptying her Purse as much as they can Here by the way to gratifie the Reader I thinke good to set downe a prophesie taken out of an Ancient Munuscript found in the House of Salezianus and lately sent to mee which every one may credit so far as it likes him Certainly so much of it as concerns the destruction of Rome doth not aberre from the present Prophesie of his Booke Now the words are these There shall arise a King out of the Nation of the most Illustrious Lilie having a long Fore-head high Brows great Eyes and an Eagles Nose He shall gather a great Army and destroy all the Tyrants of his kingdome and slay all that flye and hide themselves in Mountaines and Caves from his face For righteousnesse shall be joyned unto him as the Bridegroome to the Bride with them he shall wage warre even unto the fourtieth yeere bringing into subjection the Ilanders Spaniards and Italians Rome and Florence he shall destroy and burne with fire so as Salt may bee sowed on that Land The greatest Clergy-men who have invaded Peters Seat he shall put to death and in the same yeere obtaine a double Crowne At last going over Sea with a great army he shall enter Greece and be named King of the Greekes The Turkes and Barbarians hee shall subdue making an Edict that every one shall die the death that worshippeth not the Crucified one And none shall be found able to resist him because an holy arme from the Lord shall allwayes be with him And he shall possesse the Dominion of the Earth These things being done he shall be called the rest of holy Christians c. Thus far the Prophesie Now to return to the Kings Whether these kings be ten in succession Brightman understands by the hornes Ten Kings not reigning all at one time in so many kingdoms but so many Emperours succeeding each other in the Romane Empire and thinks that Charles V. was the first of those who taking Rome by force Anno 1527. did not a little shake it Foure followed none of which received their Crown from the Whore after the manner of their Ancestours or came to Rome to kisse his Holinesse feet yea all of them according to their clemency and prudencie gave freedom to publish the Gospell in the Romane Empire and by their example invited neighbouring Kings to the like clemency God is to be intreated that he will further put into their hearts to do what his pleasure is As for the succession the Angell made the same most plain in the seven heads but of the seven hornes not so for these Kings shall receive power together in one houre with the Beast and shall have one minde togither first in defending afterward in opposing the Whore Therefore they shall be together some space of time onely excepted Neverthelesse Riberas fiction which before I touched hath no place of Ten Kings Riberas fiction is inconsistent who suppressing the Romane Emperour shall reigne thorowout the whole world towards Antichrists comming and destroy Rome before Antichrist begin to reigne For first in this he agrees not with himself in Apocal. 17. Sect. 18 19. When saith he Antichrist is risen They indeed shall have the names of kings but in truth Antichrist shall reigne and they shall obey him Here he will have that the Ten kings shall obey Antichrist And afterward The devill saith he and Antichrist his chiefest limb assisted with the helpe and power of these kings will be able to doe all the things which are foretold by God Now it cannot be questioned but that the things he speakes of are the same which the Angell foretold ver 16. viz. of consuming the whores flesh and her burning by the kings How therefore should Rome be burnt by the Ten kings before Antichrists comming if the Devill and Antichrist shall do this very thing by the helpe and power of the Ten kings and how doth the fable confist that three of them shall be wholly extinguished by him if all ten shall give their faithfull assistance unto him Secondly it is an assertion altogether unprobable that these ten shall then rule the whole universe nay rather it is refuted by evident reason For when Antichrist whom they expect doth come certainly there shall be some Christian Kings to burne the whore There shall also be some kings of the Earth who shall lament her and gathering themselves into
committed fornication with the whore Vntill the words of God that is his decree touching the rising of Antichrist revealed in the words of the Prophets and Apostles be fulfilled After the fullfilling whereof God put into their hearts to hate the Romish Strumpet that is detest Popish Idolatry embrace the Gospell of Christ forsake yea and oppose the Whore Why therefore should we wonder that so many great Emperours so many religious Kings of Germany France Spaine England c. have with such zeale defended Popish Idolatry the Romish Church and Antichrist the Pope almost these 800. years in defence of whose magnificence and glory they have made so great wars and shed so much Christian blood We hear that God did put it into their hearts that they should do so and not otherwise so that the Angell wills us to rise from the events and secondary means unto the secret yet just judgement of God Here againe we have cause greatly to admire that after so long fornication some of the Kings as of England Scotland Denmarke Sweethland Many powerfull Princes also of Germany Bohemia France Poland and Hungary having laid down their armes against the Lambe and embraced the heavenly Doctrine of salvation brought to light by the Two Witnesses in the ages of our predecessours do at this day hate the Romish Adultresse and make her naked We have cause I say to admire the Fact and extoll Gods judgement to Heaven Certainly the Kings did not repent either rashly or by their own understanding God put it into their hearts that they should repent of their whoredome hate the whore and make her desolate The LORD is to be intreated that he will put the same into the hearts of the rest of the KINGS that is to take knowledge shun and hate the Whore and to give their power no longer unto the Beast but unto the Lambe Some Textuall scruples do here offer themselves which I shall explain after I have opened what yet remains in the Text. 18 The woman which thou sawest is the City The Angell openeth the whole mysterie of the whore This woman is popish Rome see chap. 11.8 14.8 16.19 that we might not think the woman sitting upon the waters to be an Asian or Vtopian Nymph It is saith he that great City before he often calls it Babylon Now he sets it forth by a more remarkeable note Having dominion over the Kings of the Earth Now what is this Is it the whole multitude of ungodly men in the world as some of the fathers wanting the experience which we have now have thought Nay it is Rome yea Popish Rome For the Writers saith Ribera In cha 17 sec 20.22 who have otherwise interpreted it are forced by the truth it selfe to yeeld unto us that Rome is that whorish City to be destroyed and overthrowne Again The foregoing words God put it into their hearts belong to the desolation and burning of Rome for they shew the cause of so great desolation effected by them who rather were thought should have proved friends With this sense which is certainly true c. Thus we have the interpretation of one sworn Iesuite Let us hear another Lib. de P. R. cap. 2 Babylon saith BELLARMIN that great City standing on Seven Mountaines and having dominion over the Kings of the Earth is ROME Neither was there any other City which in Johns time had dominion over the Kings of the Earth then ROME and it is most notorious that ROME is built upon seven Mountaines Let us hear a third Vest pag. 817 This Verse saith ALCASAR causeth no small difficulty to them who expound it otherwise then of ANGIENT ROME But in our exposition nothing is more cleare What can we desire more The great City is Rome both because the same is built upon seven Mountaines As also because it onely in Iohns time had dominion over the Kings of the Earth But now perhaps it hath not yea but it hath For whatsoever it possesseth not by force Quicquid non possidet armis Relligione tenet it holds by Religion Wherefore the two latter Iesuites do in vain seek an evasion that not Popish but Heathenish Rome is this City for they are confuted by Ribera their own companion ingeniously confessing that Heathenish Rome long agoe burnt to ashes by the Gothes and Vandalls hath no place here but that it is Popish Rome that now is yet notwithstanding he saith that it is to be burnt before Antichrists comming which latter refutes the former It remains therefore that the whore sitting on the Beast is Papast Rome O Rome hearken to Clemanges De corrup Eccle statu Cap 26 What saith he dost thou thinke of thy Prophesie to wit of John in the Revelation Dost thou not beleeve that it belongs at least in some measure unto thee Thou hast not so lost shame and sense to deny these things Wherefore looke on it and read the damnation of the great whore sitting upon many Waters and there contemplate thy worthy actions and what shall befall thee Again therefore we gather this argument Babylon that Great City standing on seven Mountaines is the Seat of Antichrist Popish Rome is Babylon that Great City standing on seven hills Therefore Popish Rome is the Seat of Antichrist Furthermore He which ruleth in the Seat of Antichrist is Antichrist The Pope of Rome ruleth in Antichrists Seat Therefore the Pope of Rome is ANTICHRIST There remains three scruples to be discussed from ver 17. I. How God puts into the hearts of Kings that is worketh in the hearts of men without impeachment of their liberty II. Seeing God is said to put three things into the hearts of the Kings One in its owne nature good viz. The hatred of the Whore Two things in themselves evill viz. Their agreement with the Beast and fight with the Lambe Whither he puts this after the same manner into their hearts and whither it will not hence follow that hee is the Authour of sinne III. In granting which thing some maintaine that these Kings were not converted how then are they said in spoiling of the whore to doe the will of God seeing they were ignorant of it Neither spoiled they her so much out of affection to piety as of desire to the prey Now first how God workes in the hearts of men the liberty of their will remaining Of this Question both in the Hypothesis and in the Thesis the explication is the same being not a little difficult For if God workes in the hearts of men he seemeth to determinate or limit their wills to one thing Now if God limit the wil then man seems not to act freely seeing that is said to be free which is unlimited in respect of a thing Furthermore God seems to move and bend the wills of men according to his own will or pleasure But that which is moved and bent by anothers will seems not to act freely Now the Scripture on the
refuted as Eusebius writeth Lib. 7. Hist C. 10. TERTVLLIAN Lib. 3. Cont marcion Lactantius lib. 7. instit Cap. 23. disputes at large of this Fable VICTORINVS PICTAVIENSIS in his Commentary on the Revelat. How uncertain the antiquity of tradition and the authority of the fathers is Austin also himselfe in the aforesaid place confesseth that hee sometime held the same Hence all men may see how little is to be ascribed to antiquitie of TRADITIONS and the authority of the FATHERS For antiquity without truth What is it but the oldnesse of errour Who more ancient then Irenaeus Hee writeth that he was the hearer or Disciple of Papias and Papias of the Apostles Papias on the contrary denyes that he heard or ever saw the Apostles with his eyes Behold antiquity without truth The said Papias received the Chiliasts Fable by tradition of the Elders and drew many to embrace this errour by his authority The fable of Antichrists four yeeres reigne And without doubt from the said Author Irenaeus sucked another fable which by this means was generally received touching Antichrist that hee should reigne not fully foure yeeres in the end of the world for the most ancient Writers were ignorant thereof IVSTIN the oldest Writer extant affirmeth that Antichrist the man of sinne was already at the doore Dialogo cum Tryphone CLEMENT who wrote next to IVSTIN hath not one word of Antichrists three yeers reigne Tertullian who lived at the same time affirmed that Antichrist was neare at hand Cyprian also next to the former writeth Lib. 5. Epist 7. yee ought to know hold Libro Defuga persecut and certainly beleeve that the day of triall is begun already and that the decay of the world and the time of Antichrist draweth on Ibid Antichrist commeth Wherefore the Fables of Papias were not taken on till at length in latter Ages Furthermore the Chiliasts Fable occasioned many which dis-approved the same but were not able to refute it to fall into another errour worse then the former affirming that the Revelation was to bee rejected as written by the Hereticke CERINTHVS Among these were Cajus and others touching whom in EVSEBIVS DIONISIVS ALFXANDRINVS speaketh who opposed NEPOS the Egyptian Others on the contrary to keep up the authority of the Revelation laboured to divide the opinion of Cerinthus and the Fathers as if Cerinthus indeed maintained a voluptuous Millenary kingdom full of lust and riot But the Fathers the spirituall delights of the Saints But Ribera affirmeth Comm in Apoc. 20. N. 26. that there was no difference betwixt the opinion of Cerinthus and the Fathers because Irenaeus Tertullian Lactantius c. wrote the same things about the Millenary Kingdome which are contained in the opinion of Cerinthus And this Dionysius and Caius also an old Writer affirmeth Euseb Lib. 3. Hist Cap. 28. however it be the Chiliasts opinion was by the Christians condemned for ascribing to Christ contrary to the Scriptures a voluptuous and earthly Kingdome and for bringing in contrary to the Apostolicall Faith one and so making a two-fold Resurrection after another the which opinion how improbable it is hath I suppose bin sufficiently shewed so as I trust that such who think it ought again to be renewed as far as concernes the latter part thereof will after the due consideration of these things in the fear of God with Austin change their opinion Now for the refuting of this old Fiction of the Chiliasts which Jerome in the life of Papias calleth a Jewish tradition we may briefly observe that it consists neither with the present Vision nor with it selfe nor with other Scriptures nor Christian beliefe Now this besides what formerly hath bin spoken I will shew by foure clear Arguments First I have made it manifest already that the thousand yeers of Satans binding A refutation of the Chiliasts errour by experience and the Kingdom of the Martyrs with Christ in Heaven beginning from the overthrow of Ierusalem unto Gregory VII that Romish Beast are now past above 548. yeers And yet there hath not bin any corporall Resurrection of Martyrs or Golden Kingdom of Christ on earth The experience therefore which we now see but the fathers could not refuteth this Fiction Secondly 2. From the text That Millenarie Kingdom is expresly ascribed unto the soules of the Martyrs and Confessours when as Austin well observeth they were not restored to their bodies Then I say their soules sate upon thrones lived and reigned with Christ in those thousand yeeres this therefore is not to be applied unto the Resurrection of the body Thirdly This errour as arising from a false Chronologie is plainely refuted 3. From the erroneous chronologie For the Chiliasts following the erroneous computation of the Greekes affirmed that Christ was born in 5199. yeer of the world since which are past 1621. yeers which number being added unto the former would make 6820. yeers from the Creation But thus not onely the sixt Millenary or the thousand yeers which they ascribe to the binding of Satan should bee past but also there should but a few yeers of the seventh Millenary and their voluptuous Kingdome of the Saints with Christ should already have dured above eight hundred the which is refuted by History and experience so that if Irenaeus Tertullian Lactantius c. did now live they should bee necessitated to confesse that they much erred from the truth Lastly the whole Scripture holds forth IV. From the difficulties of the last times Ioh. 18.36 Ioh. 18.20 Mat. 24.21 Luk. 18.8 2. Tim 3.1 that the last times shall not be voluptuous in the least but difficult and sorrowfull unto the Church in this world Besides Christ did often foretell that his Kingdom should not be earthly My kingdome is not of this world The world shall rejoyce but yee shall mourne In the world yee shall have tribulation Then shal be great tribulation such as was not from the beginning of the world unto this time Watch therefore that ye may be found worthy to escape all these things When the sonne of man commeth shall he finde Faith on the earth Through manifold tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven This know that in the last dayes perilous or difficult times shall come c. These and such like testimonies of Scripture which speake of the afflicted state of the last times doe abundantly refute the Millenaries Fiction Now wee goe forward with the Text. 6. Blessed and holy is hee that hath part By an Exclamation he extolleth and commendeth unto us the felicity and necessity of the first Resurrection or spirituall living againe by which of old those Rest of the dead in Paganisme and Antichristianisme obstinately refused to live againe by which all and they onely shall be blessed and holy Act. 8.21 Ioh. 13.8 What it is to have part in the first Resurrection The profitablenesse necessity of the first resurrection who have part in the first
of the same thing asserting to us the certainty of the Prophesie by the testimonie of his senses because he heard and saw al things to be so Now an Eye-witnesse is worthy of credit especially he being a good man yea an Apostle whom the Character also here doth not obscurely shew to be the Writer for thus also he confirmeth the truth of his Gospell by professing himselfe to be an Eye-witnesse and Faithfull Disciple of Iesus Christ And he that saw it Ioh. 19.35 21.24 bare record and his record is true And afterward This is that Disciple which testifieth of these things and wrote these things and we know because his testimony is true And when I had heard and seene Againe hee recordeth his failing about worshipping of the Angell and that the Angell reproved him for the same commanding him to worship God onely The same thing fell out Chapter 19.10 see the Exposition there Some may wonder how an Holy Apostle should so suddenly twice stumble at the same stone For a little before he heard that the Angell was his fellow servant unto whom to ascribe the honour of adoration due unto God alone was sacriledge notwithstanding forgetting both his failing and reproofe he againe falleth into the same errour of vitious worship Now what should this teach us but that such is the infirmitie and inconsideratenesse of the Saints oftentimes in this life that except they bee sustained by God they fall not once but many times even into the same error In speciall it sheweth the pronenesse of our nature unto Idolatry For if it happened unto the Apostle Iohn that he could not as it were abstaine from unlawfull worshipping of the creature what wonder though the Christian world be wholly fallen to worship Angels and Saints yet least the world should abuse Johns example to maintaine their Idolatry he not onely ingenuously confesseth his failing but also sets downe the Angels reproofe attributing adoration to God onely that such as fall into the same sin might likewise repent 9. Worship God By this thunder-bolt the whole Idol-worship of Papists is dash't who not content after Iohns evill example to worship Angels fall down also before dumbe Idols Religious adoration is simply demed unto creatures and religiously adore the creature As for the frivolous cavil of Idolaters that the Angell refused not the worship of Duleia but only of Latreia it is altogether false for absolutely without any distinction hee removeth religious adoration from himself saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adore God Brightman thinkes that John did not fall downe againe to worship the Angell but telleth what happened before Chap. 19. ver 10. But the order of the narration argues the contrary For John seemeth as it were to bid the Angell now farewell and so in a way of thankfullnes would againe thus reverence him The words also of the Angell ver 9. somewhat differing from his former do argue that Iohn would have worshipped him the second time For before hee said I am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Iesus But here I am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren the Prophets and of them which keep the sayings of this Booke However it be it is observeable that he saith I fell downe to worship him therefore he did not yet worship him but composed his bodie to do it wherefore also his unseemly gesture is by the Angell reproved Whence it appears that Idolaters falling down before Idols sin grievously not onely in adoration but also in their idolatrous gesture it selfe 10. And he saith unto me Seale not Before Chap. 10.4 he was commanded to Seale the voyces of the thunders here hee is forbid by the Angell for the word SAITH belongs to the Angell to seale the words of this Prophesie which commands seeme to be repugnant but are not because they respect divers times and objects He was commanded to Seale the voyces of the thunders and not to write them to signifie that the Gospell should bee despised in Antichrists Kingdome as there we expounded Here he is forbid to Seale that is conceale this Prophesie but to publish the same that it might be read and known of all least any man under pretence of ignorance should not beware of Antichrist Now it is a metaphor taken from Notaries who seale Letters that every one may not read them Or from Book-sellers who keepe such Bookes shut with claspes as they will not have read as above wee said touching the Booke that was shut and sealed For Letters and Books that are sealed and shut cannot bee read and understood Now God used to command the Prophets to Seale their Prophesies when the accomplishment of them should be a long while after so as it was not so needfull for the present to be read Thus Isaias is commanded to Seale the Testimony Isa 8.16 Dan. 8.26 Dan. 12.4 And Daniel to shut up the Vision but thou saith he shut up the Vision because it shall bee for many dayes And afterward But thou Daniel shut up the words and seale the Booke even to the time of the end signifying that the Iewish people should not see those things which were a long while after to come to passe under Antichrist Iohn on the contrary is forbid to shut up his Prophesie because the time is at hand to wit in which the Prophesie shall begin to be fullfilled touching the persecutions of the Christian Church and the remedies thereof as wee observed ver 6. and therefore this Prophesie was to be spread abroad that all men might know the same If then the Angell commandeth that this Book be published and made known to all it followeth that it ought to be read understood and observed by us and that we in the diligent reading and meditating on the same doe obey the Angels praecept But Antichrist on the contrary commandeth that this Prophesie The reading of holy Scripture ought not to be prohited and all the rest of Holy Scriptures remaine sealed and shut up saying that they cannot be understood and forbids all excepting a few of his Clergy the reading thereof that hee may the more securely impose his vile impostures upon the common people 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that doth injury c. He alludes unto the words of the Angell Dan. 12.10 Many shall be purified but the wicked shall do wickedly c. some take the words as a free permission unto every one to doe and live according to his liking as if he should say Let every one do what pleaseth him best I will force the will of no man Andreas Ribera In the meane while let every one expect an issue according to his deeds the latter indeed of which is agreeable to the scope but the former brought in to establish free will is altogether contrary to the scope and to the nature of God who doth not freely permit but
us to cast that which is holy Of the rest whose portion shall bee in the Lake of Fire wee have treated on Chap. 21. ver 8. He expresly puts lyars both here and before in the last place understanding perjured double-hearted and deceitfull persons mockers of religion that we might understand that this kinde of men is most hurtfull to the Church and Common-wealth because by adulterating and falsifying all Divine and Humane Truths they with divelish craft overthrow and teach others to weaken all the sinewes of Ecclesiasticall and Politicall society Of this sortof men the Jesuites are the most emminent at this day in Schooles and Churches And the Machivellians in Courts Polities and Campes For RIBERA doth rightly observe that Christ in speciall mentioneth those vices which should most reigne in Antichrists time Now wee know that these evils are most rife in Popery See Chap. 21.8 16. I Jesus have sent my Angell Least it should be uncertaine what person it was that said Behold I come quickly I am Alpha and Omega he tels his name I Jesus and professeth himselfe to bee the Author of this Revelation and the more to commend the dignity thereof to our care and studie hee sheweth that for our sakes he imployed and sent his Angell to testifie the same unto us Wherfore let it not be irksome reverently to read continually to meditate and carefully to observe the same with all readinesse of mind Here therefore the Lord Jesus confirmeth what the Angell before said in ver 6. The Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angell as if he should say It is so I Iesus have sent my Angell XLVI Argument of Christs Deity Eph. 1.21 Phil. 2.9 Hebr. 2.9 Mat. 18.10 Act. 12.15 Heb. 1.14 hereby professing himselfe to be the Lord God of the holy Prophets What Hereticke dares gain-say this He also makes himselfe Lord of the Angels for saith he I have sent my Angell viz. as being my owne by subjection He is Lord of the Angels as God and as man he is lifted up above all power as Lord and head over all things The Angels also are said to be ours not by naturall subjection but voluntary service because they are sent by the Lord Jesus for our service and preservation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to testifie That is to reveal Before ver 6. and Chap. 1.1 he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie in the same sense Andreas refers this to the publishing of the Prophesie that Iohn might not keep it secret but make it knowne unto all To you This apostrophe is directed in the first place to the seven Angels of the seven Churches unto whom he before had sent seven Epistles as hee sheweth by the Addition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To you who are in or over the Churches But consequently also unto all the servants of Christ who are set over or are Members of the Churches that is unto all the Faithfull for this Prophesie was not revealed for them only who then were the servants of Christ but for us chiefly upon whom the ends of the world are come when the greater part of the Oracles was to be fulfilled 1. Cor. 10.11 First let us observe that seeing the Prophesâ—e is revealed by the Lord Iesus it was a great impiety for the Church of old to question the Trueth and Divine Authority thereof Secondly seeing the Lord Iesus sent his Angell therefore he is Lord of the Angels and true God because it is proper to God alone to have and send the Angels as his Ministers Thirdly seeing the Lord Iesus vouchsafed to reveal this Prophesie not onely to those Seven Churches but to all that should come after therefore it belongs unto the profit and salvation of all of us and all are seriously to meditate in the same I am the root and the off-spring of David These glorious Titles commend the majesty of the Author and of the Prophesie as also it confirmes our Faith Above cha 6 5. How Christ is the root of David Who is this Iesus The root and off-spring of David Before hee was called the root of David He confirmeth that he is the Messias promised to come of the seed of David For the root of David is the Son of David according to the flesh Rom. 1.4 Andreas thinkes he is the root of David according to his Divinity For the root beares the tree but Christ saith he not as man but as God upholdeth and saveth David But without doubt it belongs to the flesh which the Messias tooke of Marie the daughter of David It s true the root beareth the tree but this metaphor respects the originall So that Christ is the root of David sustaining David by his divinity and sprouting from David in his humanity Off-spring Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Genus or Familie of David out of which arose Joseph and Mary the Parents of our Lord Iesus Churist Luk. 1.27 The bright and morning star As the former Title confirmes the verity of Christs manhood so this the majesty of his Deity It signifies that most excellent light and glory whereby the Lord Iesus doth excell all men and Angels like as Lucifer or the Morning-Star excels all other Stars in brightnesse In Num. 24.17 Balaam prophesieth that a Star shall come out of Jacob. BRIGHT Most glorious in himselfe by his brightnes dispelling the darknesse and ignorance of our hearts and minds Morning Because saith Andreas How Christ is called the morning-Starre by his beames he not onely drives away the night or darknesse of this life but also in the morning light of the common Resurrection hee will exhibit himselfe to be seen of all the Saints Or because arising in our hearts he dispels the blindnesse of our mind as Lucifer exceeding other starres in clearnesse and rising before the Sunne shewing that by and by it will be day dispelleth the night-darknesse So Peter calleth Christ the Day-starre arising in our hearts 2. Pet. 1.19 when as hee enlightneth our hearts and mindes with the true knowledge and confidence of himselfe by the light of the divine Scriptures Aristotle to prove that justifice is the chiefe of vertues saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Neither Hesperus nor Lucifer that is the Evening or Morning Starre is not so admirable as knowing nothing more glorious whereunto to compare this excellent vertue Now Hesperus and Lucifer is the same Star first appearing after Sun-setting and first foretelling the rising of the Sunne in the Morning What Aristotle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ here calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dawning or break of day in the same sense If then Aristotle doth rightly compare created righteousnesse unto the Morning Star with more right doth the Increated Righteousnesses viz. Christ the Son of God call himselfe the Morning-Star Hereby we understand the meaning of Christ in Chap. 2.28 To him that overcommeth
sworn vassals of the Romish Church By the said name and Character is manifested the Image of the Beast that all were to adore viz. that mad worship of stocks and stones by which every one is constrained at the sound of the Cornet Flute Harpe Sackbut Psaltery Organ Dulcimer and al kinds of Musick to adore the image or idol that is nearest to him Lastly by the name Character and image of the Beast appeareth what was both the land and Sea-Beast exercising the same power and eccasioning all the evils which hitherto have been spoken of But what is the reason Why the holy Ghost doth not expresse the Pope of Rome See the notes on vers 1. that the spirit doth not more clearely expresse this name Why doth he not openly say the name of the Beast shall be the Latine or Romane chiefe Priest It might also be demaunded why he doth not plainely say that the Beast is Antichrist Touching this we are to know that typicall oracles of future things are not wont to be plainly set down till they be fulfilled Now it pleased the spirit thus to manifest these mysteries even by darke expressions that the faithfull hereby might be stirred up to diligent searching after them and lest that hence disturbances should be occasioned before the time and the Church endangered The Apostle 2 Thes 2. might have said more openly that the son of perdition should sit in the Church of Rome and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that did let was the power of the Romane Empire the which in the appointed time should be weakned and assaulted with the citie it selfe by the Romish Pope But it was usefull to the Church to speak more closely of the mystery of iniquity as then secret And if John had openly written that the Pope of Rome should be Antichrist c. Certainly either the Popes themselves would have laboured long ago to take away this Revelation out of the sight and memory of men that they might not be bewrayed Or else the mystery of iniquity which was a growing should never have broken forth because the Romane Emperours would soon have cast down the Popes out of their seat lest they should be forced to kisse their feet and try by experience their great tyranny Now thus the counsell of God a thing impossible to be done should have been hindred and this prophesie never fulfilled But Bellarmin disputes much against these things Lib. 3. de P. R. cap. 10. Bellarmins subtilties answered I. He saith that Irenaeus onely applieth the name Lateinos probably to Antichrist but that to him the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems more probable which signifies the Sunne I answer That which to Irenaeus seemed onely probable is unto us most certaine both by history and experience The things we see Irenaeus indeed was ignorant of and saw them not but undoubtedly had he lived to see the state of the Romish Church as now it is he would have judged as we now doe Yea it is not without admiration that Irenaeus did even then suspect and feare that Antichrist should sit at Rome Perhaps the arrogancy of Victor might occasion the same Euseb lib. 5 hist c. 24. who was not ashamed to excommunicate all the Churches of Asia for a difference about Easter certainely he mightily blamed him for it It is true indeed he did not affirme the thing as certaine touching the name of Antichrist because he either could not as wanting sufficient arguments which now we have or else he durst not because of the scandall and danger that thence might befall the Christians by the Romanes notwithstanding his words there added are not without a propheticall mystery though perhaps few have observed them BUT IN THIS WE WILL NOT GLORY What is this but to shew that that name of the Beast should be the greatest infamie of the Church of Rome as if he should say in this we have no great cause of boasting but rather of shame I beseech the prudent reader well to weigh this feare of Irenaeus II. He saith that the Latines possesse not now that most potent kingdome which they held in the times of Irenaeus I answer It sufficeth that the Pope hath a long time held under him the kingdome and seat of the Romanes in Italie the rest of the Christian world also being subject to his power and beck III. He saith that Latinus is not written with ei but simply with an i. I answer This cavill is too childish for who is ignorant that the Ancients were wont to write their j longum by ei as queîs for quis so queîbus preîmus capteîvi usuall to Plautus And thus the Englishmen to this day pronounce the i as if it were ei IV. He saith that the word Latinus is not the proper name of any Pope And that onely one was called Romanus who lived no more then foure moneths and therefore could not be the Antichrist I answer It is a frivolous evasion for it appeareth that the spirit speakes not of a personall but nationall name and profession for he will have the numerall name to be the marke whereby it might be known where Antichrist should reign as it shall further appeare on Chap. 17.18 to wit in Italie at Rome Now personall names are common to many Therefore the holy Ghost intends here no such name V. He saith that innumerable other names besides Lateines make up the same number and therefore hence nothing can be concluded And he alleadgeth out Hippolitus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deny out of Arethai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illustrious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a conquerour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evill guide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truely hurting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invying of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wicked lamb Out of Primasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrary Out of Rupertus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the two Latine words DIC LUX Out of Lindanus Martin Lauter Out of the Cronologie of Genebrard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lulther so himself addes two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all which words faith he make the same number I answer most of the old words he alledgeth are wrested for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which makes onely 664. and therefore must be written barbarously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make 666. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is 672. abruptly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make 666. Neither have the other words the like evidence with these two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Romanus The new are allfoolishly feined The Germanes write Luthers name Martin Luther not Martin Lauther or Lauter But put the case they did who ever hath heard that the Germane letters are all numerall or used in stead of ciphers according to the manner of the Hebrew and Greek Certainly he that feineth that this agrees to the proprietie and truth of the Germane tongue is altogether foolish But Genebrard saith he hath
noted that Luthers name in Hebrew makes 666. by writing it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lulther O subtil heads What Devil I wot taught that Monk this mysticall ciphering If we write the true name of Luther whether in Hebrew or Greek it will not make the number 666. If in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s 908. If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 717. If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 847. If in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 637. If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 703. To be short as often as you change the letters you shall finde an excesse and falsity As touching the name of David Chytraeus if we write it in Greek so as it ought to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it makes the number 1698. which is more then twice the number of the Beast If in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it will be 709. and what way so ever you alter the letters you may see the excesse and foppery Bellarmin besides the other wresting of the name doth also cut of the last letter ο that so he might extort 666. which shewes his unfaithfulnesse neither is there any great cunning in it Alcasar not much unlike him labours ridiculously to forge the number 666. out of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written faulty for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither can the last vowel saving one being short in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as much as ni in Saxonius if pronounced long is barbarous The name Bellarminus Jesuita doth more elegantly by farre yield us the number of the Beast thus written in Hebrew × ×˜ ×™ × ×• ס ×¢ ×™  ס ו × ×™ מ ר × ×œ ל ×¢ ב  1. 9. 10. 1. 6. 60. 70. 10.  60. 6. 50. 10. 40. 200. 1. 30. 30. 70. 2. 666. For so the Germane Iews write רעד der and so in holy writ is rendred by e as in ןועדג Gideon ל××•× ×ž×¢ Emmanuel רצע ×™×‘× Abi ezer c. Notwithstanding I confesse Bellarminus is not the Beast as yet though perhaps he cleave to his horne Some also observe the number of the Beast in the name Ι Ï„ α λ ι κ ά  Ε κ κ λ η σ ί α  10. 300. 1. 30. 10. 20. 1.  5. 20. 20. 30. 8. 200. 10. 1. 666. Or thus one letter being taken out Ἐ κ λ η σ ι α  λ α Ï„ ὶ ν α  5. 20. 30. 8. 200. 10. 1.  30. 1. 300. 10. 50. 1. 666. To which I adde a name most convenient to the Beast Ï€ α Ï Î¬ δ ο σ ι σ  80. 1. 100. 1. 4. 70. 200. 10. 200. 666. For what is the Papacy save a kingdome παÏαδόσεων of traditions Thus with more likelihood the jest might be retorted upon Bellarmin then as Alcasar foolishly feineth it in the words ἡ ά λ α ξ ο ν ί α  β ί ο Ï…  8. 1. 30. 1. 7. 70. 50. 10. 1.  2. 10. 70. 400. 665. in which one is wanting and the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is cut off which alone maketh 770. But here we may not passe by the Embleme of Pope Paulus V. so as it is in many Books dedicated unto him printed at Rome and Bononia which expresly conteine the number of the Beast P A V L O  V.  V I C E  D E O    5. 50.   5.  5. 1. 100   500.   666. Besides what may be the meaning also of his Ensigne a Dragon flying under an Eagle I leave to them that can understand it about which if you please read Alcasar vestigat pag. 372. for it belongs not to me to declare such great mysteries Now to returne to the matter Although Bellarmin should feine six hundred such like numerall names yet it will no way weaken the force of our argument For we doe not goe about to prove who is Antichrist by the numerall name onely but by the name joyned with other markes of the Beast For example although it would be no sound reasoning thus to reason he that is borne at Bethlehem is the Messias But the Son of Mary is borne at Bethlehem Ergo he is the Messias Yet thus it doth most firmly follow He that is borne at Bethlehem and hath all other propheticall notes of the Messias he is the Messias But the Son of Marie hath them all Therefore he is the Messias So touching Antichrist it will not altogether firmely follow by the numerall name alone but yet it follows most firmely from the numeral name joyned with the rest of the notes of the Beast all concurring in the Pope of Rome as hitherto hath been shewed The Latine Papa Latinus vel Romanus habet nomen numerale bestiae or Romane Pope hath the numerall name of the Beast he hath also the other Apostolicall markes of the Beast or Antichrist Therefore he is the Antichrist V. He saith that Irenaeus professeth himselfe ignorant of Antichrists name and that this the truest opinion I answer he falsyfies Irenaeus words For he saith not that Antichrists name cannot be known But because there are many names of this number therefore he saith it is more certaine and without danger to stay till the prophesie be fulfilled then to suspect and gesse at severall names Now this makes for us against Bellarmin for Irenaeus giues us to understand that the prophesie being fulfilled we may more certainely and safely judge of the name But long agoe the fulfilling of this prophesie began to be accomplished in the Pope of Rome as the comparing of histories and times with this prophesie doth evidently manifest The which if Irenaeus had seen he would undoubtedly have concluded with us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lateinos was not onely probably but of a certainty the name of the Beast Bellarmin therefore doth here deceitfully require ignorance feining that both he and the generality of men are ignorant of Antichrists name hence concludeth that he is not yet come thereby to turne away the eyes of the simple from the Romish Antichrist As if forsooth that which he will not know or the rude multitude is ignorant of cannot therefore neither be nor be known of others If so then Irenaeus indeed had added in vaine viz. that John sheweth this number of the name that we might avoide him when he commeth knowing who he is Therefore by the number of the name it may be known who he is and so consequently the name it self also VI. At last to draw a vaile over his pretended ignorance he saith that after Antichrist is come his name shall be most manifestly known like as the name of Christ Iesus after Christ was come began to be openly knowne unto all where as before it was unknown unto the Iewes although the Prophets had foretold many things of him as also a certain Sybill in verses had declared the number