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A68061 An exquisite commentarie vpon the Reuelation of Saint Iohn VVherein, both the course of the whole booke, as also the more abstruse and hard places thereof not heretofore opened; are now at last most cleerely and euidently explaned. By Patrik Forbes of Corse. Forbes, Patrick, 1564-1635. 1613 (1613) STC 11149.3; ESTC S102414 192,912 300

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first two For the voice of the Lord is mighty the voice of the Lord is glorious it breaketh the Cedars and maketh the wildernesse to tremble But in his Temple only men speake of his glory Psalm 29. This gracious dispensation incredible and vnseene to the world which could not therefore learne the song of praise thereupon was in the 11. Chap. expressed by two witnesses which for dispensing grace and light were two oliue Trees and two Candlestickes in the Temple while it seemed impossible that any such could bee Antichrist brooking City and Court and for force and power fire went out at their mouths and they did strike the earth with all manner of plagues Now these comparisons of the voice of waters thunder and harping as they expresse fitly what I haue told so in them is implyed a sure prognostick and argument of the next insuing estate in the Angels breaking forth and crying For albeit this sound of water thunder and harping the world in this lurking condition of the Church perceiued not yet they could not still remaine vnheard Who can restraine the breach of great waters what congealed cloude can keepe in thunder and excessiue ioy a heart of any thing can least hold vp Forth therefore this hid Church behoued to come The bellies made bitter with eating the little booke behoued to burst or breake out according as we see in the three Angels following who come forth like the swelling of Iorden like sonnes of thunder according as Christ Chapt. 10. preparing for this outbreake his roaring voice was seconded with seuen thunders and like the bursting out of a blythe heart which cannot hold vp a surfet of ioy 4 This second condition of the Church breaking forth hath the velitation or skirmish and a coincident case with it The velitation I call it so in comparison to the great battell in the seuenth trumpet and seuen vials thereof summarily proponed in the end of this Chap. and exponed largely thenceforth according to the first degrees of the light of the Gospell reuiuing is set downe in three Angels types of these Ministers whom God stirred vp to bee the first open contesters with Antichrist to the 12. verse The coincident case is in the 12. and 13. verses 5 The first ranke of Preachers are expressed by an Angel fleeing thorow the mids of heauen c. for open and swift course which notwithstanding was yet farre remoued aboue the perception of men of the earth whereof few vnderstood or imbraced the first warnings and light arrising it being but yet obscurely preached like as few vnderstood the warning of Antichristian darknesse comming on Chap. 8. and in respect of that Angel there it is that this is called an other Angel as who is the next vsing his forme See a contrarie dispensation to this which cleareth this sense Chap. 18. His doctrine is set downe first in generall and to whom he preached and secondly the speciall points thereof In generall it is an euerlasting Gospell euen that truth which was from the beginning and which when heauen and earth passeth away shall abide for euer the immortall seede and begetting to immortality So it is called against the calumnies of nouelty and in opposition to the doctrine of men Hee preacheth to them who dwell on the earth euen in Antichrist his darkenesse aboue whose reach it is lesse maruell that this first light was yet farre remoued as a fleeing flash thorow the mids of heauen He preacheth to all Nations Kinreds Tongues and Peoples who had worshipped the Beast and of whom by restored light of the Gospell an infinite number was now to be brought out of great tribulation to sing with Palmes in hand and hauing washed their garments in the bloud of the Lambe Saluation is of our God and of the Lambe and to be made partakers of the first resurrection the thousand yeeres being expired Chap. 20. Now the hid ones beginne to breake out and the song vnheard to bee tuned vp loudlie in the eares of all the earth therefore this Angel is said to cry loude In his speciall doctrine is the substance thereof and his manner of teaching The substance is that all feare glory and worship bee giuen to God onely and that both for auoiding his iudgements neere to bee executed and because he is creator of all things A doctrine exceeding fite for that time His manner is to bee marked in that hee vrgeth onely true worshippe not bold yet to challenge directly the Antichrist as the succeeding Angell doth roundly but more the third so wisely and plainely as the Spirit sheweth the course and the accommodation of Story is euident Now as this was the first degree of the conflict with Antichrist so accordingly in the song of victory God is praised for these same points Chapter 15. 3. 6 The second Angell roundly denounceth the fall of Rome that spirituall Babell Sodome and Egypt and that because shee had not onely beene an Idolatresse her selfe but as Ieroboam made Israel to sinne shee is the mother of Whoredomes through the world making men drinke vp superstitious worshippe greedily as wine and so to be besotted therewith To the which God both gaue ouer the world iustly in his wrath that they who would not beleeue the truth should be taken with deceiueable illusions and for which now againe the world iustly feeleth the cuppes of the last wrath As hee gaue to Israel Kings in his wrath and tooke them away in his displeasure 7 The third Angell yet more vehemently toucheth neerer Warning all to leaue the Beast his worshippe and character either in worke or profession vnder paine of eternall damnation Wherein they against whome the iudgement is denounced are exactlie noted and twise set downe in the beginning and in the end of the denunciation for speciall purpose and the quality durance and continuance of their iudgement expressed In the quality of iudgement are two First as they dranke greedily the Whores Wine so get they to drinke the pure vnmixed wine of God his wrath and next they get it in the cup of his wrath God sometimes giueth a bitter cuppe to his owne children but as strong wine for mitigation is tempered with water or sugar so are all God his chasticements to his owne mixed with mercy but to the wicked is powred out mercilesse iudgement Next the Cuppe propined to the Saints is not the Cup of wrath but of loue and medicinall but the wicked drinke out of the cuppe of wrath Lord reproue mee not in thy wrath Psal 6. 8 Now this iudgement is denounced against such as worshippe the Beast and receiue his Character c. And they are twice repeated as I haue said wherein is no Tautologie but diuine wisdome for to make vs take vp a great point In the 13. Chapter all the Beast his followers haue his Character or his name or his number whereof as I shewed there the difference is ill obserued For many haue his
of Scripture Ego Scriptur is non crederem nisi me ecclesiae commo●eret authoritas Yet in this degree albeit of great moment the soule resteth not but hath next to aduert not onely what but also whence the Church speaketh neither in this yet canst thou acquiesce till besides both these degrees God by his spirit open thine eies to see and behold so as now thou beleeuest not onely for that the Church so saith but because by her testimony out of the word God hath lightned thy minde to see and know Non iam hominibus sed ipso Deo i●trinsecus mentem nostram firmante atque illuminante as saith the same Augustine In the sight then of this person priuiledged aboue all creatures as Iohn seeth him are first his place and gesture in it and next his description The place is betwixt the throne and the foure beasts and twenty foure elders his gesture is that hee stood In both which is expressed his administration betwixt God and his Church towards both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His description is that he is a lambe but of strange note Hee is the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world and our true passeouer His notes are first that he stood as though he were killed not that so it was in apparance and not in truth but this form of speech is put to shew the continuall recent vertue of his death eternally effectuall before God as whereby once for all hee hath purchased eternall redemption His second note are his seuen eyes and seuen hornes the seuen spirits of Iehouah euen that full perfection of wisdome and power wherewith hee is annointed aboue his fellowes hauing receiued the spirit without measure to rule all things according to the high authority giuen him of the Father of whom hee hath receiued all power in heauen and earth ab●●dantly so instructed with all that serueth for perfect execution of his royall priestly and Propheticall offices Thus is the knowledge which Iohn had of this personage followeth his fact which is that hee went and tooke the booke out of the hand of him who sate vpon the throne c. for as by him onely wee haue all blessing from the Father whom none knoweth but the Sonne so particularly this diuine reuelation 5 Thus is his fact and performance of that which no Creature was able to looke vpon Followeth the euent ensuing hereon in all which the dignity of this Reuelation appeareth clearely And this euent is much different from that which despaire of getting the book opened wrought in Iohn For now vpon cleare sight and assurance of one taking the booke and worthy to open the same is raised an excellent ioyfull song of praise wherein fall to bee marked first the occasion 2. The Singers 3. The quality and tenor of the song And 4. the order of singing That they see the Lambe take the Booke it occasioneth the song The Singers are the 4. Beasts the twenty foure Elders the Angels And lastly all Creatures Of these the foure beasts and with and following them the twenty foure Elders raise the song the Angels in course succeed and sing their part then all Creatures Lastly these who raised the song sing the last passage and so close it The quality and tenor will appeare through all in the parts thereof In the foure Beasts and twenty foure Elders who are Precantors are noted first their disposing of themselues to sing 2 the quality of their song and 3. the tenor or substance of it They dispose themselues by conuenient gesture by fitte instruments of praise Their gesture is falling downe and that before the Lambe as before they did before the throne for hee is to bee honoured as the Father and such is the Father his will that who honoreth the Father they honour the Sonne also Their Instruments of praise are th●●● Harpes golden Vialls full of odours and voice ioyned therewith Harps are known Instruments of praise through all the Psalmes The Odours are interpreted praiers of Saints powred out of golden Vials that is faithfull and pure hearts the speech is from the Leuiticall Ministery wherein Incense was offered on the golden Altar and had a typicall relation to our Christian sacrifices of prayer and thanks giuing which Dauid sought that they might bee directed before God as incense the golden Vials of the Legall worship being types of faithfull and cleane hearts for faith is more precious then gold and our prayers are odors and smell sweetely through Christ the golden Altar Now with both these the voice is ioyned to shew all earnest endeuour to magnifie the gift of God in this benefite euen with instrument heart and voice as Dauid in the Psalmes often For God will haue all outward and inward Here is no ground for praier to Saints departed an Idolatrous errour fondly builded here on Scripture mistaken and yet euen in their sense giuing thereto no warrant for giue that here the Saints departed were said to offer vp praises to God as no doubt they doe alwaies what reason is that for vs to pray to them but as I haue shewed all this is of the Church Militant here spoken Thus they dispose themselues to sing The quality of their song is that it is a new song which sort ordinarily is of most account the destruction of Sathan his workes ●estitution of all things redemption of man is a new worke Behold I make all things new In Christ Iesus wee must all become new Creatures for old things are past away These same Chapter 4. did sing a song to him that sate on the throne but it was the old song for the old worke of Creation here is a new song so much the more magnifically set forth and sung as the worke of Redemption that is the new work in all degree of comparison passeth the old 6 The tenor or substance of their song hath first the praise of the Lambe his worth●nesse to take and open the booke and next the reason thereof The praise for the forme whereby in ●maeb●an manner they answere to the Proclamation of the strong Angell is exceeding delightfull shewing now al 's triumphing ioy as before the sight of impotency in all creatures bred to ●ohn a dumpish sorrow For where the Angell proclamed Who is worthy to take the booke and loose the seuen Seales thereof These now in exulting ioy answer Thou art worthy to take the Booke and loose the seuen seales thereof The reason of this the Lambe his worthinesse and merite is his slaughter and the great effect fruit thereof Where take heed wee esteeme not this to bee the reason of his worthinesse absolutely but in relation onely to this fact and all grace procured to his Church For that we haue any accesse to God or that any blessing is obtained to vs from God it is through the slaughter of the Lambe and merite thereof
name and are content to be called his being so farre deceiued with his shew as yet they receiue neuer his Character as his mancipate slaues And yet moe haue the number of his name that is are counted and numbred to bee of his body who yet in effect neither haue his name nor his Character This hath deceiued men that they haue imagined the Character to be some other thing then of his name But as is cleare by this place his Character is of his name and they receiue his Character who so haue his name as they are characterized therewith and vpon his marke A speech from common vse Hereof it is that in Mount Sion all haue the Character that is all who are of the true Church elected according to the purpose of grace But as in the visible Church many haue the name of God moe haue the number that is are accounted Christians who yet are not of the number sealed so in Antichrist his Church are many hauing his name and moe hauing his number and so are tolerated to haue commerce and trade with men who yet neuer receiued his Character Therefore it is that the iudgement is denounced onely against those who worshippe him and receiue his Character and accordingly the Vials of wrath Chapter 16. are powred onely vpon these Who are here twise repeated that wee may bee wakened to aduert how here the holy Ghost teacheth vs not to iudge so hardly of all that follow the Beast as that eternall damnation abideth them but onely such as haue receiued his Character For no question but many haue beene and are still named his and counted of his number who learned neuer the deepenesse of Sathan as simple sheepe fallen into that slocke of his because they saw there the publike Ensigne and the Lambe his horns in semblance because hee brooked the holy City and Court of the Temple Euen like these two hundreth who in simplicity of heart followed Absolom from Ierusalem knowing nothing of his treason For we must consider what sort of enemy Antichrist is That hee is no fortaine inuader but an inward Traitor None directly fighting against the name and Ensigne of Christ but by pretence of the name and Ensigne deceiuing And sitting euen in the Temple of God as if a hid Traitor pretending the King his Masters seruice and commission would summon all true Subiects to follow him while hee were but minding vsurpation euen good Subiects might bee thus far deceiued as to follow the publike Ensigne till the treason were detected Further consider that the true Church in Antichrist his greatest preuailing was alwaies within his compasse within which all were euer accounted to bee his owne but yet were not As within the compasse of the holy City and Court of the Temple were the Temple and witnesses in it Chapter 11. besides as no way could bee to the Temple but through the City and Court so no way euer was or shall bee to become a member of the true Church but by comming through the visible Church wherein Antichrist fortie two moneths working and obtaining without controlment all behoued to ioyne to that body where was the Ensigne and seek in through the City and Court to com to the Temple Now no maruell though many in the passing through were taken in admiration of the City Court before they got sight of the Temple And the prouidence of God was wonderfull in this that in greatest corruption he reserued alwayes a sure way through Antichrist to the Temple the Sacrament of Baptisme in substance remaining and the doctrine of the Trinity abiding sound So thus all comming through him had his name or his nūber of whom yet many neuer receiued his Character but espying the pollution of City and Court stepped into the Temple Where still though quietly God preserued two Candlestickes and two Oliues till at length his impiety came to that height by murthering the Saints that it was said to them Come vp hither and so a visible separation was made not from the Church but from the thiefe and Traitor in the Church his mouth bewraying it selfe to bee the Dragons And certainely this holdeth true so as we neede not so much iangle with the Romans thereabout that the Church hath and euer shall bee visible because alwayes the common Ensigne is seene But this Ensigne the Traitor craftily tooke vpon him to beare and thereby deceiued Here is the fallacy that by aequiuocation they conclude if the Church hath alway beene visible then are wee the true Church Here more is added For albeit the church be alwayes visible yet the truth and true professors in it are not alwayes so For the witnesses were closed in the Temple the woman lurked in the wildernesse and the sealed ones were albeit singing yet vnseene and vnheard vpon Mount Sion Three distinct speeches vsed of the Spirit for great purpose The first to shew that howsoeuer the true Church was hid yet where shee was to witte within the compasse of the visible where Antichrist ruled and where Sathan his throne was The second to shew that albeit shee lurked yet she was fed as was Israel in the wildernesse and Elias in the dayes of famine The third that in that great preuailing of Antichrist when all the earth followed the Beast yet she was stablished on Mount Sion so as against her the gates of hell could not preuaile The true Church is in some sort euer vlsible though not in her selfe yet in her infallible Ensignes as who seeth the Citie and Court hee seeth in a sort the Temple because albeit hee see it not distinctlie yet seeing the City and Court hee is certaine that the Temple is there So seeing the visible Church within whose compasse though no eye see them yet God hath his true worshippers one seeth also the true Church For within the Church are truth and lies Christ and Antichrist and either of them now and then obtaine in it and hold place communiter in toto but neuer vniuersaliter in singulis From the Apostolike times as witnesse Paul and Iohn Antichrist was in the Church but hee appeared not some ages after In his time hee riseth and obtaineth all the holy City and Court of the Temple erecteth a throne in Pergamus and domineth as Iezabel in I hyatira Truth is hid and true Professors till the noise of many waters the voyce of thunder and sound of well tuned Harpes breake out of Sion and the Temple and the woman returne from the wildernesse It is a great Sophisme to conclude from the Church visible to the Church absolutely or true Church or againe from these to that or to reason a toto communiter ad vniuersum singulariter Albeit Antichrist was commonlie acknowledged of all yet neuer vniuersally of each one For he neuer set his foot in the Temple nor vpon Mount Sion The Romans presse sore vpon vs to shew who in former ages haue been of our Religion