But they are all overcome and destroyed and that old Serpent himselfe is caught and together with his instruments the beast and the false prophet is cast into hell-fire to be tormented for ever And this is the summe and principall drift of this Chapter It containeth five principall things as it were five parts thereof The first is the binding and chaining up of Satan by our Lord Jesus Verses 1 2 3. for the space of a thousand yeers Ver. 4 5 6. The second is the flourishing of the Church during the time of Satans captivity Verses 7 8 9. The third is the loosing of Satan after the thousand yeers expired and the woful effects thereof Verse 10. The fourth is the casting of the Divell into a lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet were Vers 11 c. The fifth is a glorious description of the last judgment wherein every man shall be judged according to his works The TEXT Verse 1. ANd I saw an Angel come down from heaven having the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chain in his hand Verse 2. And he took the dragon that old serpent which is the Divell and Satan and bound him a thousand yeers Verse 3. And cast him into the bottomlesse pit and hee shut him up and sealed the door upon him that hee should deceive the people no more till the thousand yeers were fulfilled so after that he must be loosed for a little season This Angel here spoken of is our Lord Jesus who is therefore said to have the key of the bottomless pit because he hath power and authority over hell and death as we have heard before By the chain in his hand is meant the doctrine of the Gospel The time when Satan was thus taken and bound was when Christ first preached the Gospel and his Apostles after him to all nations The cause why he was bound and chained up was for that he had a long time seduced all nations and reigned as king and lord over the Gentiles and greatly seduced the Jewes also The time of his imprisonment is set down to be a thousand yeers that is all the time from the preaching of Christ and his Apostles untill Gregory the seventh and other monstrous Popes which did let Satan loose againe Which space of time is ghessed by the learned to be a thousand yeers or thereabouts But here it is to be observed that this binding of Satan is not to be taken simply and absolutely as though Satan was so bound and chained up for this thousand yeers that he could not seduce at all or do no mischiefe at all after the preaching of the Gospel by Christ and his Apostles I say this is not to be taken simply but after a sort that is that he could not so generally and universally seduce all nations as hee had in former time before the coming of Christ For otherwise it is well knowne that even after Christs time he did greatly persecute the Church bring in many errors and heresies and harden and blinde many mens hearts but yet all this was nothing in comparison of that which hee had wrought in former ages when he was even as it were the god of the world and the Gentiles worshipped him as god as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 10. That all the worship of the heathen nations was the worship of Divels And againe Acts 14.16 That God in times past suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne wayes And then was Satan a great prince indeed But now cometh a chaine for him For Christ preacheth the Gospel and sendeth forth his Disciples with power and thereupon saith Luke 18.10 I saw Satan fall downe like lightning For the preaching of the Gospel beateth downe the kingdome of Satan and sinne Moreover it is to be noted that notwithstanding all Satans power and might craft and subtilty yet this Angel which hath the key of the bottomlesse pit doth apprehend him and shut him up and seale the doore upon him that hee cannot get abroad to seduce so generally as in former time But Saint John saith that after a thousand yeers hee must be loosed for a little season that is the time wherein the great Antichrist should beare the sway which was some four or five hundred yeers For the Gospel did prevaile in some measure in the world a thousand yeers after Christ and the principles and grounds of true religion continued in the Church untill the first loosing of Satan though with many blots corruptions and abuses For after the first 600 yeers the cleer sincerity of the truth was much dimmed with errors and heresies but yet the main grounds did remain till the full expiration of the thousand yeers Now wee know that the Gospel hath been preached in these last dayes above threescore yeeres Therefore it followeth that the strength of Popery continued not much above five hundred yeers which here the holy Ghost for our comfort calleth a little season of which wee have heard before Chap. 11.2 and therefore I doe here omit it And I saw seats and them that sate upon them Verse 4. and judgement was given unto them and I saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the word of God and which did not worship the beast neither his image neither had taken his mark upon their foreheads or on their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeer Verse 5. But the rest of the dead men shall not live again untill the thousand yeers be finished this is the first resurrection Verse 6. Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power but they shall be the Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand yeers Here now is set forth the estate of the Church militant for the space of the thousand yeeres wherein Satan was chained up For it is said here that the Church did grow and flourish yea and greatly exercise her power and authority during the time And therefore Saint John saith that he saw seats and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them Whereby hee meaneth that the Apostles and their successours had their chairs seates and consistories wherein they did both preach the word and execute the Churches censures as the Scribes and Pharisees before did sit in the chaire of Moses and I take it the latter part of the fourth verse is to be referred to the first clause to wit that the Church did live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeeres Which is not to be understood of the Church triumphant as some do take it and all the rest of the fourth verse but of the flourishing estate of the Church militant during the time of Satans captivity for all the faithfull do after a sort live and reigne with Christ even here
and receive a greater largnesse of supernaturall things for Daniel in prison Peter in a Tanners house Paul in a broken ship received a superabundant measure of grace more to bee esteemed then all the Gold of India Some write that this Isle of Pathmos is accounted amongst the Islands called Sporados which lie over against Asia and the City of Ephesus and was in the sight both of Europe and Affrica so that it sâ—emed to bee as it were a middle seat or Holy chaire out of the which CHRIST preached by John from heaven to the whole world And indeed the counsels of God are wonderfull and his goodnesse unspeakeable which revealeth so great mysteries to his faithfull as it were out of the Romish prison and Babylonicall captivity Moreover John declareth the cause of his comming into the same Iland for he sayth he was there for the word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ that is for the preaching and constant profession of the Gospell of Christ Histories do report that John was apprehended in Asia and by Souldiers led to Rome that he might pleade his cause before the Emperour Domitian who most savagely and cruelly condemned the innocent and caused him to be put into a cauldron of hot boyling Oyle out of the which when he by miraculous providence escaped without harme he was carried and conveied into the Isle of Pathmos But immediatly after Johns banishment God met well enough with this persecuting Emperor Domitian For in the fifteenth yeare of his raigne he was cruelly and most shamefully murdered by his owne Servants And thus much for the third circumstance Now it followeth to speake of the fourth circumstance which is the persons to whom this prophesie is written and that is set down in the first Chapter and first verse to be all the servants of God As many therefore as be the servants of God must attend unto this booke heare it reade it and remember it for to all such it is dedicated by the holy Ghost to all such it belongeth for all such it is written and recorded Some do falsely and foolishly imagine that it was given onely to John and that it might likewise bee given to some speciall men as to some great Scholers or deepe Divines which could tell how to use it and how to weild it But wee see how grossely they erre for the holy Ghost saith it belongeth to all the Servants of God And moreover John is willed and commanded to write all the things which hee saw in sundry visions in a booke together Cha. 1.11 and to send it to the seven Churches which is in Asia be-because the Lord would have it remaine in perfect record unto the use of the whole Church both that the Church might have the custody of this booke and allso that it might be a faithfull witnesse unto the end of the world that this booke was written and penned by Iohn the Apostle of whose truth sincerity the church had sufficient experience True it is indeed that there are but seven Churches named but under these 7. Churches all others are comprehended It had bin an infinite matter to reckon up all the particular Churches which were then in the world to have opened their severall estates therefore under these seven Churches of Asia and their particular severall estates the state of the universall Church militant is layd open I conclude therefore that the whole doctrine of Saint Iohns Revelation appertaineth to the Universall Church of Christ throughout all the World and in all times and ages since it was written and recorded And that as all Scripture is written for our instruction and comfort Rom. 15.4 2 Ti. 3.16 and as all Scripture given by divine inspiration is profitable to teach and convince c. so this booke of the Apocalyps is written for the speciall comfort and instruction of the Church in these last dayes And so I doe conclude this fourth point The fift circumstantiall point is the end and use of this prophesie Chap. 1.1 which is to publish and blaze abroad the things which must shortly come to passe that is all things prophesied in this booke and to be fulfilled even to the end of the World and whereas hee saith that these things must come to passe he doth us to understand how great the stablenesse and assurednesse of Gods determination is For looke what things are fore-appointed by Gods determinate purpose they are altogether unchangeable for the Lord is God and hee is not changed And he saith My determination shall stand Mal. 3.6 Esay 45 1â— Ma. 24.35 And Christ sayth Heaven and earth shall passe away c. It is therefore most certaine that every particular thing contained in this prophesie shall be fulfilled in Gods appointed time For GOD hath disclosed these things to hâ—s Sonne CHRIST not to the end he should shut then up againe in himselfe but that he should shew them forth to the Godly that the whole Church might fare the better by them It doth then stand us all upon to enquire and search into these things which must so shortly come to passe that thereby we may be strengthned and comforted against all future dangers And Christ saith Behold I come shortly Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the Prophesie c. Apo. 22.7 But how shall wee keepe them except wee know them And how shall we know them except we reade them and studdy them If therefore wee meane bee partakers of this blessednesse we must not onely esteeme this booke to bee very profitable but absolutely necessary for all the servants of God to be exercised in And if ever there were any time wherein it behoved to set forth to urge and to beare in this Doctrine to all the people of God then it is chiefly necessary to be done in this our time For this age of ours hath in the Popes Kingdome many sharpe and quicke wits which commend with marvellous praises both the Pope and the popish Church and buzze into the eares of the common people and unlearned sort many things cleane contrary to the Doctrine of the Scriptures The Jesuites and Priests are growne exceeding crafty and cunning The Papists are rich wealthy and full of armour and munition Popery seemeth to make a head againe and the Papists looke for a day It stands us then upon which love Christ and his Gospell that we should be well appointed and thorowly armed against them And for this purpose the Revelation of Saint John is of great use and necessity As I said before so I say againe that it is the Prophesie of our time written to this speciall end that by it wee might be both fore-warned and fore-armed If wee doe consider the whole matter of this booke we shall easily finde out the use and end of it For the excellent matter of it doth argue the excellent end and use of it Now then as concerning the generall matter of this
because it cutteth them so neere the bone Moreover it may not be omited that God is called the Lord God of the holy Prophets which proveth that this Prophesie is of equall authority with the Prophesies which were of old in as much as the same God is the Author of it And this Book is to be held in the same account with the Books of Moses and of the Prophets for all things contained in it shall as certainly be fulfilled in their times as theirs were In Esay in Jeremy in Ezechiel in Daniel and in the rest we finde many things which the Lord shewed by them long before they came to passe Even so there bee many things fore-shewed and fore-prophesied in this Booke which in their time shall be assuredly fulfilled Nay we see and know that many things here fore-told are already fulfilled and some things are come to passe even in these our dayes He that shall look into the times that are past since this Prophesie was given shall finde that all things have fallen out agreeable to the Prophesie of this Booke And surely if there were none other thing to perswade us touching the authority thereof this might suffice that every thing hath fallen out just and jumpe as the Prophesie did fore-shew It is our great negligence that wee doe not cleerly see so much And I doe humbly entreat all the people of God to looke more diligently and narrowly into it in all time to come And thus much as concerning the circumstances Now as concerning the Booke it self it may very fitly be divided into three visions as it were into three generall parts The first vision is contained in the three first Chapters The second vision is contained in the next eight Chapters following from the fourth to the twelfth Chapter And the last vision is contained in all the Chapters following from the twelfth to the end As concerning the first vision my purpose is not to stand much upon it because it is plain and easie to understand and because it containeth no Prophesies of things to come but only openeth the present state of the Church at that time and also because I have already touched the summe of it in handling the circumstantiall points I will therefore content my self with a very briefe opening and resolution of it beginning at the first Chapter CHAP. I. The summe of the first Chapter THe first Chapter containeth foure principall things The Title of the Book The salutation of the Churches The manner of Johns calling to receive this Prophesie The description of Christ the person that called him The Title of the Book is set downe in these words The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him It containeth three things First the Author of the Booke which is Jesus Christ receiving it from God the Father Secondly the end and use of this Booke Ver. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. which is to shew unto all the Servants of God the things which must shortly bee done Thirdly the singular fruit and benefit which the Church shall receive by it in these words Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this Prophesie c. The salutation is in these words John to the seven Churches which are in Asia Grace be with you and peace c. It containeth a description of the Trinity or three Persons in the Godhead The Father is described of his eternity namely to be Hee which is which was and which is to come The Holy Ghost is described of his divers gifts and operations and therefore is called the seven Spirits which are before the Throne or which proceed from the Throne but S. John speaketh here of the holy Ghost according to the vision shewed him in the fifth Chapter where Christ is said to have seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God sent into all the world Of the which afterward Jesus Christ is described of his three great offices of King Priest and Prophet and also of his glorious power and eternity First touching his Kingly office he is called the Prince of the Kings of the earth that is King of Kings for he is King of Sion He is a King to rule and governe his Church He must reigne over the house of Judah for ever Hee must reigne over all his enemies and in the middest of his enemies even till hee have trode them all under his feet And this benefit wee have by it that we are made Kings in him in this life to reigne over our corrupt affections and after this life to reigne as crowned Kings for ever with him in infinite glory and endlesse felicity Secondly touching his Priest-hood Ver. 5. he is said to love us and wash us from our sinnes in his bloud For he is our only high Priest which by his owne blood hath once entred into the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for us Hee onely it is Heb. 9.12 which through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God to purge our consciences from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 So then by vertue of his Priesthood and sacrifice we are reconciled unto God have free accesse unto the Throne of Grace and are made Priests in him to offer us spirituall sacrifices acceptable to GOD through him Verse 6. For he hath made us Kings and Priests unto God even his Father Thirdly Veâ—se 5. concerning his Propheticall Office he is called that faithfull witnesse For He is said to Pilate John 18.37 For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the World that I might beare witnesse unto the Truth And the Apostle saith Hee witnesseth under Pontius Pilate a good confession Tim. 9.13 So then Jesus Christ is one of those three great witnesses which beare record in Heaven Jesus Christ is the Prince of Prophets even that great Prophet that should come into the world through whom all the counsells of God are revealed to us He is that only begotten Sonne which is come downe from the bosome of his Father and hath made knowne unto us whatsoever he hath received of his Father Hee both by his Doctrine Life and Miracles hath borne witnesse unto the truth and by the vertue of his Propheticall Office the whole will of God is made knowne unto us For GOD hath sent him as the great Prophet to instruct the world in Righteousnesse and hath revealed himselfe to us in him and therefore he is called the Image of GOD the brightnesse of his Glory Col. 1.15 Heb. 1.3 and the ingraven forme of His Person And therefore Hee said to Philip Hee that hath seene Mee hath seene my Father also John 14.7 And if you had knowne Mee you should have knowne my Father also Mat. 11. â—7 And againe No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and hee to whom the Son will reveale him Thus we see that Jesus Christ is that faithfull witnes and Prince
little strength and hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name that is thou art very constant in the profession and practice of Christian Religion and thereupon Christ promised to blesse his labours For saith hee I will make them of the synagogue of Sathan which call themselves Jewes and are not but doe lie Behold I say I will make them that they shall come and worship before thy feete and shall know that I have loved thee Here we doe plainly see how Christ promiseth to blesse this mans Ministery for his painfulnesse and diligence although he was not of the greatest gifts For men of greatest gifts are not alwayes most blessed in their labours For God doth commonly worke the greatest things by weake meanes that all glory might redound unto him and no flesh might boast in his sight For otherwise if men of greatest gifts should alwayes bee most blessed in their labours and win most soules unto God then wee would be ready to ascribe that to men and their gifts which is proper to God and so his praise and glory should be somewhat ecclipsed Thus we see what excellent men the Ministers of Smyrna and Philadelphia were and what excellent people they had in their charges But on the contrary the Pastor and the people of Sardis and Laodicea are discommended for all things and commended for nothing Indeed the Minister of Sardis had a great name for learning and other good gifts but he was grown very idle and negligent and did little good with his gifts Of whom it is said Thou hast a name that thou livest but thou art dead That is there was no spirit in him no life of grace his gifts waxed rusty for want of use he was fallen asleepe he was fallen away from the grace of God he was nothing the man which he had been Therefore he is admonished to awake and strengthen the things which remaine which were ready to dye The Minister of Laodicea and the people also were growne luke-warme neither hot nor cold they were become carelesse and secure not caring greatly which end went forward in GODS matters so they might enjoy the present profits and pleasures of this life Concerning the Pastors and people of Ephesus Pergamus and Thyatyra they are partly commended and partly discommended These three were reasonable good Ministers and had many good parts in them and tooke paines in their charges although there be some faults found with them For the Minister of Ephesus is commended for six things for labour for patience for zeal for wisdome for sincerity and for courage but discommended for leaving his first love that is for revolting or somewhat going backe or rather indeed for cooling in the love and zeale of God The Minister of Pergamus and people also are greatly commended for their constant profession of the truth in the middest of manifold troubles and the very heat of persecution For the rage of the enemies grew so fierce against the profession and professors of the Gospel that Antipas the Pastor of Pergamus as some suppose was put to death For Christ saith thus of his Church Thou dwellest where Satans throne is and yet thou keepest my name Apo. 2.13 and hast not denyed my faith even in those dayes when Antipas my faithfull martyr was slaine among you where Satan dwelleth But yet notwithstanding this Church is found fault withall for some few things that is two grosse faults the one for suffering the doctrine of Balaam to be broched there by the instruments of Satan the other that they maintained the doctrine of Nicolaitans The doctrine of Balaam did uphold the lawfulnesse of eating things sacrificed to Idols Apo. 2.14 and of committing fornication for he taught Balac the King of Moab thus to put a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel The doctrine of the Nicolaitans did uphold the common use of women that is that women might be made common These two most grosse and absurd doctrines were suffered and maintained in the Church of Pergamus As concerning the Church of Thyatira they are greatly commended for theiâ— love and service to the Church for theiâ— faith patience and manifold workes anâ— especially for their constant proceeding iâ— Religion and Godlinesse and that with increase Apo. 2.19 For of this Church it is said I knoâ— thy love and service and faith and thy patience and thy workes and that they are moe aâ— the last then at the first But this Church iâ— discommended for suffering the wicked woman Jezabel that is a false Prophetesse who was craftily crept into this Church to teach and seduce the people of God in that congregation teaching the same false doctrine that Balaam did at Pergamus which was Apo. 2.10 that it was lawfull to commit fornication and to eat meats sacrificed unto Idols Hitherto concerning the praises and dispraises of the Churches Now followeth to speake of the admonitions First the Church of Ephesus having fallen from their first love is admonished to remember from whence they were fallen to repent and to doe their first works Also the Church of Smyrna is admonished and exhorted to stand fast in the midst of those persecutions and troubles which should be raised up against it by the Emperor Trajanus and continue for the space often yeare They are therefore exhorted incouraged by our Lord Jesus not to feare the things which they should suffer for although the Divell and his Instruments should have scope to persecute and imprison them for ten dayes that is ten years according to the Propheticall account yet if they had continued faithfull to the death they should have had the Crowne of life The Church of Pergamus suffering and maintaining the doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitans is admonished to repent and amend The Church of Thyatyra which suffered the false doctrine of Jezabel is admonished to look to her selfe and to hold fast the truth of Religion Sardis being dull and dead is admonished to awake and strengthen the things which remain that were ready to dye Philadelphia is admonished to hold that which they had that no man take their Crowne Laodicea being neither hot nor cold but luke-warme is admonished to be zealous and amend And although they thought their state good enough being puft up with conceitednesse yet they are charged to bee poore naked and blinde and thereupon counselled and admonished to buy spirituall Gold that they may bee rich and spirituall garments to hide their nakednesse and spirituall eye-salve to anoint their eyes that they may see Concerning reprehensions Ephesus is reproved for going backward Pergamus and Thyatyra for suffering and maintaining corrupt doctrine as formerly hath beene shewed Sardis for dulnesse deafnesse and unsoundnesse in their manner of worshipping God Laodicea for luke-warmenesse and conceitednesse Touching threats Ephesus is threatned that except they repent and doe their first workes their Candlesticke should be removed out of his place that is the Church should be translated to some
upon the blacke Horse so here death and hel are said to be upon the pale Horse for pestilence and death maketh men look pale but being dead he saith Hell followed For assuredly Hell doth alwayes follow the death of the body excepting those onely whom Christ hath delivered from hell and damnation by the power of his death Thus then it is the red Horse with bloud the black Horse with famine the pale Horse with pestilence have power given over the fourth part of men to murther kill and slay as all Stories doe shew that for the rejecting of Christ and his Church and his Gospell these plagues were carried as it were on horse-back over a great part of the world Now as touching this famine and pestilence which fell out upon the opening of the third and fourth seales they are to be referred unto those times especially wherein the Hunnes Goths and Vandals and other barbarous Nations which were the wasters of the world did waste and decay the Romane Empire both farre and neere Whereupon grew this famine scarsitie and pestilence and strange diseases heere spoken of about some 300. yeares after Christ and somewhat more And when he had opened the fift Seale I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were killed for the word of God and for the testimony which they maintained c. Here is discovered the state of the Martyrs after this life and the condition of the spirits of all just and perfect men For whereas it might be demanded what became of all those heapes and multitudes of men which were slaine for the testimony of Jesus in the ten persecutions it is here answered That they were under the Altar John in a vision seeth them under the Altar That is under the mercifull protection of Christ in Heaven who for them and for us all was made both Altar Priest and Sacrifice This Altar Christ is afterwards called the golden Altar which is before the Throne of God Chap. 8.3 So then it is cleare that the soules of the Martyrs were with Christ in glory For he saith to his disciples Where I am there shall you be also Joh. 14.3 And in another place he sayth John 12.32 If I were lift up from the earth I should draw all men unto me that is all beleevers Then it followeth that the soules of these just and righteous men were in Paradise and in Abrahams bosome which is the very Port and Haven of salvation For although the persecuting Emperours and other tyrants of the earth had power to kill their bodies yet had they no power over their soules as our Lord Jesus affirmeth And they cryed with a loud voice saying How long Lord holy and true verse 10. doest not thou judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth Heere we see plainely that the soules of the Martyrs doe very vehemently cry for vengeance upon these cruell Tyrants which shed their blood Moreover they cry for it speedily and seeme to be impatient of delay But it is to be observed that they do not this in any hatred or private desire of revenge in respect of any wrong or cruelty shewed to them but in a very love and burning zeale of the Kingdome and glory of Christ and whatsoever desire they have it is wholly to that end Wherefore they are here under a figure brought in crying for vengeance rather to expresse what judgement of God tarrieth for the cruell persecuters then to shew what minde they beare towards them For it is indeed their cause that cryeth for vengeance And as Abels bloud so their bloud cryeth aloud in the eares of the Lord of Hoasts for revenge Moreover we may not imagine or gather out of this loud crying of the Martyrs in Heaven that they have any disturbance impatience disquietnesse or any discontentment there But this they doe in a fervent desire of that fulnesse of glory which they assuredly hope for and looke for in consummation of all things when both their souls and bodies shall be joyned together Ver. 11. And long white robes were given unto every one and it was said unto them That they should rest for a little season untill their fellow servants and their brethren which should be killed even as they were were fulfilled These white robes doe signifie that honour glory and dignity whereunto not only the Martyrs but also all other faithfull beleevers are advanced in the chambers of peace for so white Robes are to be understood in sundry other places of this booke And this doth plainly prove that the martyrs were now in glory with Christ Now as concerning the answer to their complaint and cry it was this That they should be content and have patience for a little season for the time remaining to the end of the World was but as a day with God and as a moment in comparison of eternity and the reason of the delay is yeelded which is this that there were numbers of others their brethren in the World which should bee martyred and slaine for the truth as well as they under the great Antichrist of Rome and the bloudy Turke at and upon the opening of the seventh seal And therefore in consideration that the most wise God had decreed and fore-determined with himself in most secret and hid counsell to bring multitudes of others to glory by the same way and meanes that themselves were brought that therefore in the meane time being so short a time they should rest satisfied and contented And here by the way we see what stayeth the comming of Christ unto judgement namely this that the number of the Martyrs and Saints and al such as he hath chosen unto life are not yet accomplished And behold when he opened the sixt Seale and loe there was a great Earth-quake ver 2.13.14 and the Sunne was as blacke as sacke-cloth of haire and the Moone was like blood And the starres of Heaven fell unto the earth as a fig-tree casteth her greene figges when it is shaken of a mighty winde And Heaven departed away as a scrole when it is rolled and every Mountaine and I le were moved out of their place Upon the opening of the sixt Seale very dolefull and fearefull things doe follow As earth-quakes the darkning of the Sun the obscurity of the Moone the falling of the Starres the rolling together of the Heavens the remooving of mountaines and Iles out of their places the howlings and horrors of Kings Captaines and other Potentates of the earth which are all things very terrible and fearefull to behold and all these doe represent and figure out unto us the most fearefull tokens of Gods high displeasure and most heavy indignation against the wicked World Very grievous things fell out upon the opening of the second third and fourth seales but they are farre more grievous which follow upon the opening of this sixt seale for this sixt Seale contayneth an aggravation and increase of
presence of the Throne of God c. to hunger and thirst no more c. to have all teares wiped from their eyes and to bee led by the Lambe unto the Fountaines of living waters All which doth very plainely and plentifully expresse that infinite glory and endlesse felicity which is prepared for all the true and faithfull worshippers of God Many good lessons and observations might be gathered out of all this But I do of purpose omit them because in this work I do chiefly and almost altogether aime at interpretation therein also studying brevity soundnesse and plainenesse CHAP. VIII VVE have heard out of the seventh Chapter how the divels and their instruments the Romane Emperours did stoppe the course of the Gospell Now in this Chapter we are to heare the wofull effects of the stopping thereof which was the springing up and prevailing of manifold errours and heresies in the World So that the principall scope and drift of this Chapter is to shew that God for the contempt of his Gospell and great indignities offered to the true professors thereof did give up the World to blindnesse to errour to superstition and heresie and as the Apostle sayth Because they received not the love of the truth 2. Thes 2. therefore God sent them strong delusions that they should beleeve in lies For as before we have heard how the world was most fearfully punished with externall plagues and judgements So heere we are to understand how the same was punished with judgements spirituall and internall as formerly hath beene sayd upon the stopping of the foure winds For although that spirituall plague was very great yet these spirituall plagues which follow upon the opening of the seventh seale are far greater For now we are to heare and understand not onely of the errours and heresies whereby a way and passage was made by degrees as it were by certaine staires for Antichrist to climbe up into his cursed chaire and to take possession thereof but also we are to understand of his very tyranny and Kingdome it selfe and also of the Kingdome of the Turke and the last judgement For the things contained under the opening of the seventh Seale do reach unto the end of the world For the booke sealed with seven seales containeth all the whole matters which were to be revealed This Chapter containeth foure principall things as it were the foure parts thereof ver 1.2.3.4.5 6 c. First the reverent attention and silence with admiration which was in the Church at and upon the comming forth of this most horrible vengeance Secondly before the execution of these most execrable plagues the Church is remembred and set in safety with all her Children by her great Mediator Christ Jesus Thirdly the execution of this vengeance which commeth forth at the blowing of the seven trumpets by seven Angels Fourthly the vengeance it self contained in the prevailing of errour and heresie the falling away of the Pastors of the Church and the universall darkenesse that followed thereupon And when hee had opened the seventh Seale there was silence in Heaven above halfe an houre By Heaven in this place he meaneth not the Kingdome of glory after this life but by Heaven is meant the Church heere upon earth as it is so taken Chap. 12. Verse 1. and Chap. 14. Verse 2. There may be three reasons yeelded why the Church is called Heaven First 1. Joh. 5.1 because the birth thereof is from Heaven for it is borne of God Secondly because the inheritance thereof is from Heaven and therefore is called Col. 1.12 Phil. 3.20 The inheritance of the Saints Thirdly because the conversation thereof is in Heaven as the Apostle sayth To this may be added that our Lord Jesus in his Gospell doth so often call his visible Church the Kingdome of Heaven by a Trope Mat. 13. because CHRIST beginneth his raigne in the faithfull therein whom afterward he translateth actually into the very Kingdome of glory By silence here is meant the great attention of the Church because great things were now at hand For now upon the opening of the seventh Seale far greater matters are threatned then any before and therefore the Church doth listen unto them in deepe silence and as it were in horror and trembling through admiration for now there appeare such dreadfull judgements of God to be executed upon the earth that all the heavenly company are astonished and amazed to behold it and do as it were quake and tremble to thinke upon it For as when heavy newes commeth down from the Prince to be proclaimed in open markets all good subjects do listen and give eare with silence and trembling so it fareth in this case By halfe an houre he meaneth that short time wherin the minds of the godly were prepared fitted and disposed wisely to consider of these matters and to make good use of them I know right well that this Verse is far otherwise interpreted of some but I take this to be most sound and simple and best agreeing to all that followeth for the next Verse is joyned unto this by a conjunction copulative to note a coherence of the matter and to draw the sence together for he sayth And I saw seven Angels which stood before God verse 2. and to them were given seven Trumpets These seven Trumpets signifie that God would proceed against the World in fearefull hostility and come against it as an open enemy unto battell proclaiming open warre against it as it were with sound of Trumpet and Drumme setting up the flag of defiance against it And hereupon groweth this silence and trembling in the Church which only mooved with the signes of Gods wrath when as all others sit still in security as the Prophet Zachary saith in a like case To stand in this place signifieth to administer as it is said of the Priests and Levites that they stand before God and before the Altar that is minister So heere the Angels doe stand before God as ready to administer and execute these Judgements For they are ministring spirits and heere they do sound the alarum at the commandement of God These Angels are popounded as seven in number because it pleased God at once to powre down his wrath upon the rebellious World but at divers times and by piece-meale Whether these were good or bad Angels it is not materiall to dispute seeing God executeth his judgements both by the one and the other 2 Sa. 24.16 Moreover it is specially to be observed that the blowing of these seven Trumpets do all belong to the opening of the seventh seale are as it were the seven parts thereof for the things which fall out upon the blowing of these seven Trumpets do reach even unto the last Judgement as the Angell sweareth Chap. 10.6.7 Then another Angell came and stood before the Altar ver 3. having a golden Censor and much odours was given unto him that he should offer with the prayers of
all Saints upon the golden Altars which is before the throne We heard before that when the course of the Gospell was stopt by the divell and his instruments yet God was very carefull for the safety and sealing up of his owne servants so likewise we are now to hear of the like care and providence for now that errours and heresies were to be sowne in the World whereby many were corrupted and that He himselfe from Heaven doth proclaime open enmitie against the despisers of his Gospell by giving them up to blindnesse and errour he doth double his care and providence to all his faithfull worshippers For heere we do plainely see that the Church hath a mediator and that he which keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth And therefore when the wrath of God doth most of all breake forth upon the world for the contempt of his graces yet the Church is remembred and set in safety with all her Children For her prayers come up before God and are accepted through the mediator And this is the sence and drift of this third verse By this Angell is meant Jesus Christ the Angell of the covenant as we have heard before who is not an Angell by nature but by office It is manifest that in the old law there was a golden Altar and a golden Censor on which the Priest did burne sweet incense before the Lord which did figure the mediation of Christ in whom the prayers of the Saints are accepted Now heere the holy Ghost alludeth to that sacrificing Priest-hood of the old Testament where incense was offered at the Altar which now is the sweet savour of the death of Christ through whom both we and all our sacrifices are seasoned and sweetned Who therefore is this Angell but Christ What are the sweet odours with the which the prayers of all Saints come before God but the most sweet mediation of the Lord Jesus What is meant by the smoake of the odours which with the prayers of the Saints went up before God out of the Angels hand Surely the sweet incense of Christ mediation wherewith our prayers are spiced and perfumed that they might be as sweet incense of Christs mediation wherewith our prayers are spiced and perfumed that they might be as sweet smelling sacrifices in the Nostrils of God For as water cast into a fire raiseth a smoake so the teares of the faithfull besprinkled in their prayers make them as sweet incense acceptable to God through Christ The summe of all is this that in the middest of all these heresies and those hellish troubles which should be raised up by the Pope and his Clergy the Turke and his armies as in the next Chapter we shall see the elect have their prayers heard for their preservation by the merits of CHRIST verse 5. And the Angell tooke the Censor and filled it with the fire of the Altar and cast it into the earth and there were voyces and Trumpets thundrings and lightnings and earthquakes Heere we see how Jesus Christ taketh the Censor and filleth it with the fire of the Altar that is the graces and gifts of the Spirit for so the fire of the Altas is taken in Esay In this sense it is sayd that our Lord Jesus should baptize with fire and the holy Ghost that is the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost In this sense also the holy Ghost did rest upon the Disciples in the likenesse of cloven tongues like fire whereupon they were all filled with gifts and graces The holy Ghost is compared to fire because he burneth out our drosse purgeth the hearts of the faithfull and setteth them on fire with the burning love and zeale of Gods glory So then it followeth that as before there was provision had for the safety of the Church by her Mediator so heere many heavenly gifts and graces are bestowed upon her For Christ casteth this fire of the Altar upon the earth that is upon his dwelling in the earth Hereupon it is sayd that there were voyces and thundrings c. that is all manner of broyles tumults uprores slaughters and divisions For after the Gospell was sounded forth in the Church by the power of the holy Ghost the divell is disturbed and the World molested And hence spring all these broyles and tumults thundring and lightning and we must looke for such stirres after the preaching of the Gospell whilest there is a world and a divell Therefore our Lord JESUS saith he came not to bring peace into the Earth Mat. 10.34 but fire and Sword and to set a man at variance against his Father and likewise the Daughter against her mother c. For divisions and civill dissensions do alwayes follow the preaching of the Gospell which thing is not yet simply in the nature of the Gospell of peace but accidently through the frowardnesse and corruption of mans nature which will not yeeld unto it but most stubbornely rebelleth against it Then the seven Angels which had the seven Trumpets verse 6. prepared themselves to blow Now beginneth this open warre to be proclaimed against the World for their great ungodlinesse and rebellion against the truth So the first Angell blew the Trumpet verse 7. and there was Haile and Fire mingled with blood and they were cast into the earth and the third part of trees was burnt and all greene grasse was burnt It were absurd to imagine that any thing in this Verse is to be taken literally seeing in the literall Sense there was never any such matter Therefore of necessitie it must be expounded mystically and allegorically Therefore by this Hayle and Fire mingled with blood is meant Errors and Heresies For as Hayle doth beate downe Corne and destroy the fruits of the Earth Fire doth consume and blood doth corrupt and putrifie So false doctrine and Heresie doth annoy consume and corrupt the soules of men For it is sayd that all these things mingled together were cast upon the earth that is the inhabitants of the earth and the third part of the trees that is the numbers of men or a very great part of the World was corrupted For trees in the Scripture signifie men and all greene grasse was burnt that is Esa 61. the fresh fruits of grace did wither apace and dry up for as error and heresie did prevaile so truth and godlinesse did decay All this hath relation to the Heresies of Sabellius Manicheus Marcion Fotinus Paulus Samosatenus Nestorius Novatus Diodorus Apolinaris Pelagius and many others which about this time being foure hundred yeares after Christ began to spring up and grow apace And the second Angell blew the Trumpet and as it were a great Mountaine burning with fire was cast into the Sea and the third part of the Sea became blood c. Upon the blowing of the second Trumpet by the second Angell heere appeareth a great Mountaine burning with fire whereby is meant some great and notable heresies as that of Arrius which
notwithstanding the rage and fury of the World ver 11.12.13 in persecuting them to death God should not only receive their soules to glory but also raise up others endued with the same spirit which should preach professe and witnesse the same truth constantly and continually even unto the end of the World Lastly it sheweth ver 14. c. that after the preaching of the Gospell some good time in this last age the seventh Angell should blow the trumpet and the world should end And there was given unto me a reed like unto a rod and the Angell stood by saying Arise verse 1. and measure the Temple of God and the Alar and them that worship therein Here Jesus Christ giveth a reed unto John like unto a rod and hereupon he is commanded by an Angell to goe about the measuring of the Temple the Altar c. By this measuring with a reed like a rod is signified the restoring and building up of Gods house which now was greatly ruinated and runne into decay through the long prevailing of Popery Measuring with a reed is taken for the building up of Gods Church after the decaied estate thereof both in Ezekiel Zachary and this Prophesie John in the persons of all faithfull Ministers hath this measuring rod given him because the Church was to be restored and built up by the Ministers and Ministery of the Gospell The thing to be measured is the Temple the Altar and them that worship therein This is an allusion to the legall worship whereby our spirituall worship is represented For by the materiall Temple is meant the spirituall Temple or Church of God By the Altar of stone is meant the spirituall worship By them that worship therein with carnall sacrifices is meant all the true members of the Church which worship God in spirit and truth Now then both the Church the true worship and worshippers were all to be measured repaired and built up by Ministry of the Word which all were decayed and almost laid waste by the Popes tyranny But the Court which is without the Temple cast out and measure it not verse 2. for it is given to the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under their foot two and forty moneths John is here forbidden to measure and build up the Court which is without the Temple Whereby is meant all Heretickes Hypocrites worldlings and all such as have a place in the Church but are not of the Church This phrase of speech is taken from the old shadowish worship as the rest before For in the Temple of Jerusalem there was an outward Court which was common to all good and bad the holy place which was proper to the Priests and Levites and the holy of holiest or most holy place where none might come but the high Priest only Here is a reason added why the Lord God refuseth all Papists and Hypocrites and all such as belong to the outward Court only and it is this that this outward Court is given unto the Gentiles that is to all false Christians and counterfeits in religion which are members of the visible Church but have nothing to do with the invisible These are compared to Gentiles in two respects First in regard of prophanesse for they are as prophane as the Heathen Secondly in respect of persecuting the truth for Hypocrites and Atheists are as forward in persecuting the people of God as the Heathen Emperours which persecuted the Church by the space of 300. yeares All comes in this that when the Church should be gathered and built by the preaching of the Gospell God would have all Papists Atheists and Hypocrites shut out Moreover here is the second reason yeelded why the outward Court should be cast out and not measured to wit because they should tread the holy City under foot forty and two moneths that is they should persecute the Church all the time of Antichrists raigne For forty two moneths in this Verse and 1260. dayes in the next Verse and three dayes and a halfe Verse 9. and time times and halfe a time in the twelfe Chapter the foureteenth Verse and 1260. dayes the twelfe Chapter the sixth verse do signifie all one thing which is the short raigne of Antichrist for these moneths these dayes and these times do every one of them make three yeares and an halfe For who knoweth not that forty two moneths make just three yeares and an halfe and that 1260. dayes maketh even so much also and by time he meaneth a yeare bytimes two yeare and by halfe a time halfe a yeare Now the reason why Antichrists raigne is numbered by dayes moneths and halfe times and all amounting but to three yeares and a halfe is to note the short continuance thereof for the comfort of the Church as appeareth more fully and plainely in sundry places of this Prophesie where it is set down in plaine words that Antichrist should raigne but a short time for what is five or six hundred yeares in comparison of eternity But here the Papists do shew themselves most sottish and ridiculous in that they would gather from hence that the Pope is not Antichrist for say they Antichrist shall raigne but three yeares and an halfe but the Pope hath raigned many yeares therfore the Pope is not Antichrist Now to answere the proposition of their argument taken from this place First it may be answered that this place is not to be understood literally but mystically as many other things in this booke Secondly here is a certaine number put for an uncertaine a definite number for an indefinite which also is usuall in this booke as we heard before concerning the sealing of the Tribes of every Tribe 12000. which maketh 144000. Now no man is so mad as to thinke there were just so many sealed and neither more nor lesse Thirdly here is an allusion to Daniels weekes and other propheticall computations wherein somtimes a day is put for a yeare a weke for seven yeares as in Daniels sevens and a moneth for thirty yeares So then I conclude that it is extreme folly to interpret this place litterally The curious and frivolous interpretations of this place and such like in this booke by some writers I do of purpose omit as matters untrue unsound and unjudiciall for I only in this book seeke the sense that is and not the sense which is not as hath been said before verse 3. But I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesie 1260. dayes cloathed in sackcloth Having set down how Antichrist and his company being those Gentiles which possesse the outward Court should tread downe the holy Citty that is the true Church of God for a short time now he commeth to shew that even in the height and pride of the Popes power and governement yet the Church was not utterly extinct God did never utterly forsake it but in all ages and at all times God raised up one or other to withstand
all Popish proceedings which is here meant by the two witnesses For assuredly these two witnesses doe not signifie Enoch and Elias as the Papists and some others doe dreame but they signifie all the faithfull Preachers and Professors of the truth which in all ages both former and later have opposed themselves against the Pope his Clergy his doctrine his religion and all his abhominable proceedings They are called witnesses because they should beare witnesse unto the truth They are said two in number for three reasons First because they were very few in those dayes when Poperie did so generally prevail for two is the smallest number Secondly because the law of God doth admit of no lesse number in witnesse-bearing as it is written In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand Thirdly it is an allusion to Zorobabel and Jehoshua which were the two restorers and builders of the Temple after the captivitie Hag. 2.5 Christ saith here that he will give power to his two witnesses for no man hath any power in heavenly things except it be given him from above and especially to stand fast to the truth in the heat of persecutions and troubles It is said that these two witnesses shall prophesie that is preach declare and speake For so Prophesie is taken in the former chapter and last verse so also in other places of the Scripture The time of their prophesying being 1260 dayes hath been expounded before These two witnesses are cloathed in sackcloath which signifieth that they should lead a sorrowfull life here in this world For in old time when men did fast and mourne they did use to put on sackloath It followeth then that these faithfull Preachers and witnesses of the truth did not spend their dayes in mirth jollity and worldly pompe and bravery as did the Popes Clergie and pompous Prelates of Antichrist Now if any man will demand how this may appeare that there have been alwaies some raised up of God to write preach declare and speake against the whore of Babylon even then when shee was aloft and raigned as the Queene and Lady of the world I answer that Histories are very plentifull in this point which at large doe shew that in all countries and kingdomes of Europe there were ever some stirred up to impugne and resist the whore of Babylon As In England Robert Grosted Bishop of Lincolne An. dom 1293. An. 1400. John Wickliffe supported by Edw. the 3. and divers of the Nobility in England In Germany Taulerus a Preacher An. 1354 1356. 1357. 1359. 1359. 1360. Franciscus Petrarcha Johannes de rupe scissa Conradus Hager Gerhardus Rhidor Petrus de Corbona Johannes de Poliaco 1420. John Zisca In Bohemia John Husse An. dom 1414. 1416. 1370. Jerome of Prague Mathias Parisiensis In Spaine An. 1250. Arnoldus de nova villa In Italy An. 1500. Jerome Savanarola a Monke Silvester a Frier In France An. 1160. An. 1252. An. 1290. An. 1290. Waldas of whom came the Waldenses or poore men of Lyons in France Guilielmus de sancto amore Robertus Gallus Laurentius In Ireland An. 1362. Armachanus an Archbishop In Suevia An. 1240. Many Preachers at once In Grecia An. 1230. All the Churches of Grecia renounced the Church of Rome for their abominable Idolatry It were too tedious to recite all which the Stories doe report to have withstood both Pope and Popery even when it did most of all beare the sway these may suffice for the understanding of the Text. As for those which have been raised up since the decay and fall of Popery I meane since Luthers time they are so many and so well knowne that I need say nothing These are two Olive trees and two Candlesticks standing before the God of the earth vers 4. Here the two witnesses are compared to two Olive trees because that as the Olive tree doth drop downe his oyle and fatnesse so the faithfull Ministers doe droppe downe upon the Church the sweet oyle of the Spirit which is all heavenly and spirituall graces as the Metaphor of oyle is often so taken in the Scriptures They are also compared to two Candlesticks because that as the candlestick beareth up the candle set upon it so the Ministers of the Gospell beare up and hold forth the light of Gods word even in the greatest darknesse These candlesticks are said to stand before the God of the Earth because God beareth rule not only in heaven but in earth also even then when all things in the earth seeme to be most troubled and the Church militant â—nder greatest persecutions as now it was And if any will hurt them ver 3. fire proceedeth out of their mouthes and shall devoure their enemies for if any will hurt them so must he be killed vers 6. These have power to shut heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their prophesying and have power over waters to turne them into bloud and to smite the Earth with all manner of plagues as oft as they will Here is shewed that if any despise the simplicity of these two winesses and offer them wrong because of their basenesse and contempt in the world that there is a fire commeth out of their mouth that is the fiery and mighty power of the word of God uttered out of their mouthes which overthroweth and overturneth their enemies nay as fire it consumeth them to ashes for the Ministers of the Gospell are armed with ready vengeance against all disobedience 1 Cor. 10. Therefore they be starke mad and know not what they doe which oppose themselves against the true Ministers of Christ For the sword which they fight with slaieth the reprobates in their soules though not in their bodies for the ministry of the word is the savour of death to all unbeleevers That which is here spoken of shutting the heavens that it raine not and turning the waters into bloud 1 King 17. is an allusion to Elias and Moses whereof the one by his prayer shut the Heavens the other by his rod turned the waters into blood Now the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell are compared to these two not because they should worke such outward miracles as they did but because they should be furnished with spirituall power which is farre greater For most sure it is that the invisible and spirituall power where with the Ministers of the Gospell are armed is very great and glorious though the world see it not nor know it not For the Apostle saith The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall 2 Cor. 10.6 mighty through God to cast downe holds casting downe the imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God c. And when they have finished their testimony ver 7. the beast that commeth out of the bottomlesse pit shall make warre against them and kill them Here is set downe the greater cruelty
and bloudy tyranny which Antichrist should use against these faithfull witnesses of our Lord Jesus For although they overcome him with the spirituall sword which is the fire that commeth out of their mouthes yet for a time power was given to this Beast that commeth out of the bottomlesse pit that is the Pope and his adherents to murther Gods Saints with the materiall sword but yet note that Antichrist can doe nothing till the two witnesses have finished their testimony such is Gods care and providence for all his faithfull servants And their corps shall lie in the streets of the great City which spiritually is called Sodome and Aegypt where our Lord also was crucified By the great City here is meant Rome and yet not the City onely of Rome but all the Romane Empire power and jurisdictions as afterward shall be made manifest Now the corps and dead carkasses which were murthered and massacred in all Nations by Antichrists tyranny are here said to lie in the streetes of Rome that is to bee cast forth into the open fields as not worthy the honour of buriall in all places countries and kingdomes within the Roman Empire or jurisdiction of Rome as we read to have been in England Scotland France Ireland Germany and Spaine And as the Holy Ghost saith The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat to the fowles of the heaven and the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth Moreover it is to bee observed that Rome is here compared spiritually or by a trope to Sodome and Egypt To Sodome for filthines for what City ever was or is more filthy than Rome Chap. 12. the mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth And to Egypt for Idolatry and keeping Gods people in spirituall bondage Last of all it is here said That our Lord Jesus was crucified at Rome which may seem strange sith all men know that Christ was crucified at Jerusalem But to answere this doubt we are to understand that in respect of the place our Lord Jesus was crucified at Jerusalem but if we respect the power and Authority that put him to death he was crucified at Rome for Christ was put to death by a Roman Judge by Roman lawes by Roman authority by a kind of death proper onely to the Romanes and in a place which then was within the Romane Empire And for this cause is here said that Christ was crucified at Rome And they of the people and kindreds tongues ver 9. and Gentiles shall see their corps three dayes and a halfe and shall not suffer their corps to be put in the grave Hitherto we have heard of the rage of Antichrist against the two witnesses Now further we are to understand of the malice and fury of all his adherents that is all Papists Atheists and the rest of the blinde people and seduced multitude which did allow the Popes cruelty in shedding the bloud of the Martyrs and they doe testifie the allowance and approbation of the Popes fact and also their owne malice and madnesse against them in this that they will not vouchsafe them the honour of buriall but cast out their dead bodies as carrion or as the dead bodies of Dogges or Swine thereby shewing that they esteemed them no beter than so Nay we read that their hellish rage and madnesse was so great and outragious that they wreaked their malice upon the dead bones and carkasses of Gods Saints and Martyrs For their bloudy and most malicious mindes could not be satisfied except they digged up the bodies of Gods witnesses out of their graves and burnt them to ashes Whereas it is said They shall see their corps the meaning is that all the blinde people within the Romane Empire should bee eye-witnesses of these things and not only so but even great Agents also in the slaughter of Gods people By three dayes and a halfe which is halfe a weeke he meaneth all the time of Antichrists raigne and tyrannicall goverment as before hath been shewed For these three dayes and a halfe being in propheticall computation three yeeres and a halfe signifie the same things that the two and forty moneths and a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes before And they that dwell upon the Earth shall rejoyce over them and be glad vers 10. and shall send gifts one to another for these two Prophets vexed them that dwelt on the Earth Here we see how the inhabitants of the Earth that is the seduced multitude and blinde people in the time of ignorance doe greatly insult and triumph over the death of the Lords witnesses and they doe expresse their joy by sending gifts and presents one to another as if they had received some great benefits or had heard the most joyfull newes in the world And the reason is added because they vexed and tormented them meaning thereby that the preaching of the truth and the reproving of their errors Idolatries and manifold impieties was a dagger and a corsey unto them they could at no hand endure it for the preaching of the Gospell is the torment of the World and the Preachers the tormenters These few Preachers thundring against their superstitions and abhominable service of Antichrist did vex every veine in their heart and inwardly so wound and lance their consciences that they could have no rest till they had rid them out of the world But now having dispatched them and made riddance of them they are very crank and jocund vers 11. But after three dayes and a halfe the spirit of life comming from God shall enter into them and they shall stand upon their feet and great feare shall come upon them which saw them Notwithstanding the rage and savage fury of the Pope and his followers yet here is shewed that they could not prevaile as they desired for within three dayes and a halfe that is when the date of Antichrists raigne was expired and the time come that Popery must be disclosed by the light of the Gospell breaking forth there followeth a great alteration For these two Prophets or witnesses are raised up againe For he saith the Spirit of life which came from God shall enter into them and they shall stand upon their feet This may seeme somewhat strange but it is not to be understood that they should be raised up bodily in their persons till the last resurrection but that God would raise up others endued with the same spirit which should mightily defend both the doctrine cause and quarrell which their Predecessors had maintained and sealed with their bloud in whom they should after a sort revive and live againe even as Elias did revive and as it were live againe in John Baptist who is said to be endued with the power and the spirit of Elias as it was foretold by the Prophet and as our Saviour himselfe doth avouch Now blessed be God that we live in these dayes wherein we see with our eyes all
wee are come to the description of the Churches great and capital enemy which is the Divell who because he studieth and laboureth continually to impeach the good estate of the Church in heavenly things to deject her from her dignity and dispossesse her of her inheritance therefore here in a vision he is said to appear in heaven for he meddleth with the Church in and about heavenly things practising to pull her out of heaven from whence shee came and whither she must return even to cast her into hell and condemnation with himselfe if it were possible The Divell is compared to a Dragon for his fury and felnesse to a great Dragon for his power and might and a red Dragon for his bloudy cruelty malice and madnesse against Christ and all hiâ— members His seven heads signifie his manifold sleights and subtilties wherein he is a crafts-master His ten horns signifie his dreadfull power For who knoweth not that hee is stronger then any other creature having not lost his strength by his fall but remaineth as strong as an Angel of light His seven crowns upon his heads do signifie his manifold victories over the world For he hath from time to time and from age to age got so many conquests of the world through his sleights and power that now he is the god of the world as the Apostle saith and reigneth as king over them The Dragon hath a monstrous tail both for length and strength for it is so long that it reacheth up to heaven and so strong that it brusheth down many stars from thence That is the Divell through ambition and covetousnesse and other fleshly lusts doth pull down many ministers which shined in doctrine and life as the starres of heaven even unto the earth where they have lost their brightnesse and glory and shine as much as the Moone in a mist Moreover it is said Verse 4. that the Dragon stood before the woman in travell to devoure the child as soon as it was born Wherein wee are to observe the malice and fury of Satan in that he watcheth so narrowly to devour the blessed Seed even the Saviour of the world so soon as he was born And for this cause he stirred up Herod the king subtilly to seek him out by the wise men that hee might kill him and afterward most cruelly practised the same by murdering so many innocents But this is alwaies a generall truth Matth. 2. that Satan seeketh to smother not onely Christ but every member of his in the cradle yea to blast them in the bud before ever they come to fruit or flower So shee brought forth a man-child Verse 5. which should rule all nations with a rod of iron and that her child was taken up to God and his throne Notwithstanding the malice and watchfulnesse of Satan yet the Church bringeth forth Christ which should rule and over-rule all nations with a rod of iron that is the scepter of his Word as it is in the second Psalme and with the rod of his mouth as the Prophet speaketh Isa 11.4 Moreover it is said that this child was taken up unto God and his throne That is Christ by his resurrection did take possession of his chaire of estate in despight of Herod Pontius Pilate the Priests the Pharisees and all other his enemies which sought to keep him down and now he being ascended unto heaven doth draw all his members unto him in despight of the Divell and all his imps Verse 6. And the woman fled into the wildernesse where shee hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Now after the womans child was set in safety here is shewed what became of the woman her selfe to wit that shee was so sore pursued by the Scribes and Pharisees and by the Priests and Elders that shee was fain to fly into the wildernesse The naturall sense and meaning of this place is that when the Church began to grow after Christs ascension and the number of the Disciples to increase exceedingly as wee read in the second of the Acts Satan did so greatly maligne it and began to be in such a rage that he would have eaten them up all at a bit and rooted them out at once that so the woman might have no more being in the earth And therefore we read Acts 8. that after the stoning of Stephen there was such a persecution raised up against the Church by the high Priests the Princes of the Jewes the Pharisees all that cursed crew that all the Apostles and Disciples of Christ were scattered and dispersed here and there in the heathen countries and amongst the heathen people which here are called the wildernesse that is to say a ground untilled desolate and barren of all fruits of godlinesse But now may some man say How shall the Church do in the wildernesse how shall she live how shall she be sustained There is no tilling no sowing no planting there groweth no corn there is nothing to be had either for food or raiment Here it is answered that God prepared a place for her where she should be fed God took up an inn for her shee wanted neither food nor raiment in her persecutions and troubles Which teacheth that God doth alwaies provide for his own even in great miseries scarcities famines banishments and persecutions as sometimes hee did for Elias in the time of dearth and for the children of Israel in the wildernesse The time wherein the Church was fed in the wildernesse was a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes that is during the time of her persecutions as before hath been shewed chap. 11. verse 2. Vers 7 8. And there was a battell in heaven Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon and his angels fought But they prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven Now wee are come to the third part of this chapter which is the battell betwixt Christ and the Divell For whereas the Dragon could not smother Christ in the cradle as hee endeavoured and so deprive the Church of all her happinesse for ever now he proclaimeth open war both against Christ and all his members plotting and purposing to oppugne the very salvation of the Church though it be founded in Christ Wherein hee sheweth both his impudency and furious madnesse Michael here signifieth Christ as in Daniel chap. 10. verse 13. This name is given to Christ in Daniel because hee is the first of the chiefe Princes that is hee is the head of the Angels Col. 1.16 who are chiefe Princes as the Apostle affirmeth That Christ hath his Angels joyned with him is not to note any weaknesse or want of strength in Christ alone to overcome his enemies but to shew that as Christ effecteth great wonders in the world so for the most part he doth it by instruments and meanes as sometimes Angels sometimes
above all things in this world but also did reach even to heaven and hell For they imagined that the Pope might carry to heaven whom hee would and whom he would he might cast down to hell And therefore who could warre with the beast And thus we see the reason of their wonderment and of their speech All stories and experience it self do shew that there was never any power in the world so wondred at as the usurped power and majestie of the Pope after hee came to bee the head of the Roman Monarchy For then the world supposed that hee had power even as God and that he might depose and set up Kings and Emperors at his pleasure Then it is clear that under the dominion of the Popes Rome hath been in her highest exaltation and glory For the Papacy was the seventh head of the beast whereby the Whore of Babylon was supported in her most magnificall pomp and pride Verse 5. And there was given unto him a mouth that spake great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to doe fourty two moneths And hee opened his mouth unto blasphemy against God to blaspheme his Name Verse 6. and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven Here are set down the proud and blasphemous speeches both of the old and new Roman Empire and of the old and new Roman Emperors For this beast as I said before comprehendeth all the Roman Empire both under the heathen Emperors and the Popes Touching the great things and blasphemies which the old persecuting Emperors have belched out against the God of heaven it would require a volume to set them down in particulars I will therefore onely mention two or three for examples sake As first that of Caius Caligula which would have his image set up in Temples to be worshipped as God and that the people should swear by his name Nero also did openly blaspheme the Name of Christ required divine honour to be given unto him Domitian commanded that hee should be called God and Lord. Many others required the like things and so all the world wondred and worshipped this blasphemous beast Now as the sixth head which was the old Empire of Rome was full of the names of blasphemy so the seventh head which is the new Empire under the dominion of the Popes which he here chiefly speaketh of did most of all blaspheme For the Pope did challenge to himself all power both in heaven and earth hee would be worshipped as God hee usurped authority over the Word of God hee did take upon him to forgive sins hee did most blasphemously incroach upon all the offices of Christ as King Priest and Prophet he hath commanded the Angels hee hath erected blasphemous images and caused pictures to be made of the Godhead he boasteth and cracketh great things of his papall power of Peters keyes of Peters chair of Peters succession of his miracles of his two swords and of his manifold prerogatives royall One of the Popes poysoned his god another cast his god into the fire another would eat his peacock in despite of God Some of them counted the religion of Christ a tale or fable some drank to the Divell some said they could do as much as God It were infinite to set down all their blasphemies for it is said of the whore of Babylon that she was full of the names of blasphemy Let this suffice for the understanding of this text that as the old heathenish Emperors did blaspheme so the Popes being heads of the Empire did most of all blaspheme And as it is here said they did not only blaspheme the Name of God but also did open their black and blasphemous mouthes against his tabernacle that is his Church calling it a company of hereticks schismaticks apostates and such like and also against them that dwell in heaven that is the spirits of just and perfect men which are in heaven as Luther Calvin Melancthon and such like Moreover it is to be noted that this mouth was given unto this monstrous beast thus to blaspheme and speak great things But this is to be understood that it was given in the wrath and just judgment of God upon the world to plague them withall because they regarded not the knowledge of the truth But it is added that this power of the beast thus to work his actions was limited to 42 moneths so that although he rule and rage for a time yet shall he not long continue And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them Verse 7. and power was given unto him over every kindred and tongue and nation Verse 8. Therefore all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb which was slain from the beginning of the world These two verses doe set forth the great power which was given to this beast both in fighting agaiâ—st Gods people and also overcoming of them and murthering of them by heaps As we read of thousands murthered in the first ten persecutions and ten thousands by the Popes since they came to exercise the civill authority and jurisdiction of the Roman Empire and that in all countries and kingdoms of Europe as it is here said that power was given unto him over every kindred and tongue and nation And it is added that all that dwell upon the earth that is all the subjects of the Roman Monarchy shall worship the beast and make a God of him as we read they have done And the chiefe motive thereof was his blasphemous mouth boasting and threatning great things if any did withstand him and also his mighty power and authoritie whereby hee bare down all before him For if any did mutine against him hee was sure to smart for it And thus through his tyrannicall power hee subdued all nations under him and made them stoup and fall downe and worship him But it followeth that for all this none of Gods elect did worship him or submit themselves to his religion and authority but only those that dwell upon the earth that is earthly men as Papists Atheists and Reprobates and all such whose names are not written in the book of life Christ is called the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world because the saving power of his death was from the beginning of all beleevers although he was not actually exhibited untill the fulnesse of time If any man have an ear let him hear Vers 9 10. If any lead into captivity hee shall goe into captivity if any kill with a sword hee must be killed by a sword Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints Here is shewed that the things spoken of this great beast are very secret and mysticall and can be understood of none but those only whose eares and eyes God openeth to hear and see and understand that is the very elect of God as for all papists and
God that love the Church and that love the truth greatly to rejoyce in the destruction of Rome because this monster shall no longer oppresse the Israel of God And sure it is that the more zealous and godly that a man is the more hee will rejoyce at the destruction of Popery for a man cannot love God and his Church that doth not laugh in the destruction of that Antichristian and bloudy kingdome Let no man here say This is cruelty this is want of charity and want of pity to laugh in the destruction of any or to rejoyce at other mens harmes But the most wise God saith Chap. 8.6 Reward her even as shee rewarded you and give her double according to her works and in the cup that shee hath filled to you fill her the double In as much as shee glorified her selfe and lived in pleasure so much give yee to her torment and sorrow And therefore I affirme that no man ought to be moved with any compassion or pitie for the overthrow of Rome But herein that saying of the Prophet is true Psal 137.9 Blessed is hee that taketh and dasheth her children against the stones And again Bend thy bow Jer. 50.14 shoot at her sâ—are no arrowes for shee hath sinned against the Lord. Moreover wee are to observe that forasmuch as the Lord willeth and commandeth all men to reward Rome as she hath rewarded us and to give her double according to her works therefore we ought every one of us as much as in him lieth and as his calling will bear to doe his uttermost to pull down Rome the Magistrate by the sword the Minister by the word and the people by their prayers For even Christian Kings and Princes and all the Nobles of the earth must not be negligent to fight against Rome For herein that saying is true Jer. 48.10 Cursed is hee that doth the work of the Lord negligently and cursed is hee that keepeth back his sword from bloud For this cause I doe upon my knees night and day most humbly and instantly intreat the God of heaven that as he hath put into the heart of our most gracious and excellent King to hate the whore of Babylon and to be his greatest instrument in the whole world for the weakning and overturning of Rome and the defence of his most glorious Gospel which is his crowne and glory in all the Churches and his great renown in all Christian kingdomes so hee may constantly continue and never cease drawing out the sword of justice till he have utterly rooted out of his dominions all the cursed crew of Popish Jebusites and all such as have received the beasts mark and especially the Jesuites and seminary Priests which are the Divels brokers the Popes agents and the King of Spaines factors in all kingdomes Here also I do most humbly even upon my knees with dropping eyes yea if it were possible with tears of blood beseech and intreat the learned and reverend Fathers of our Church that they would bend all their power and authority with all their might and maine against the Romish strumpet and the rather because in these daies she seemeth to make a head again having so many and great favourers that she and her complices dare perk with their nebs and very boldly and confidently prate of a toleration Here also I doe most humbly and earnestly intreate all my learned and godly brethren the Ministers and Preachers of this Church of England that in all their publick teachings and private proceedings they would make strong opposition against Rome and Romish religion And I beseech the God of gods that we may all joyn together with united forces to march on valiantly against the armies of Antichrist and to spread the everlasting Gospel far and neer to the utter overturning and beating down of this western Babylon and that howsoever wee may amongst our selves differ in judgement in some things yet that there might be no breach of love nor alienation of affection amongst us but that wee may all goe together hand in hand and arme in arme to preach Gods everlasting truth and to set our selves against the common adversaries For if that we will not set our selves against them yet they will be sure to set themselves against us And thus much concerning the third main point which is the finall fall and destruction of Rome even in this world Now it followeth to speak of the fourth main point which is By whom and when Rome shall be overthrowne But for the better understanding of this point concerning the persons that shall overthrow Rome wee are to observe that Saint John describeth the whore of Babylon sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast Chap. 17.4 having seven heads and ten horns whereby is meant the Roman Monarchy as hath been shewed before After this the Angel expoundeth unto John what the heads and horns of the beast mean and saith that the ten horns are ten kings Verse 12. or kingdomes which yet have not received a kingdome but shall receive power as kings at an houre with the beast The sense is that these ten kingdomes had not received such power and authority under the Emperors as they should under the Popes for there was great difference in these kingdoms under the Popes from that which they had been under the Emperors For they received far greater power and they carried another mind toward the Papacy then the nations did before toward the Empire for they did submit themselves to the Papacy for conscience and love even as to the holy Church which they never did to the Empire And this is the reason why the holy Ghost saith They had not received a kingdome but should receive power as kings at an houre with the beast Which is not to be understood simply but after a sort for they had received kingdomes under the Emperors but not in such sort as afterward they did under the Popes For the Roman Monarchy under the dominion of the Popes was in his greatest height and altitude and the Kings of Europe grew up together with the Papacy in power might and dominion And Saint John addeth Chap. 17.13 that these ten kings or kingdomes were all of one mind and did give their power and authority unto the beast that is they did with might and main labour to uphold the Babylonicall strumpet But the Angel telleth John flatly that the ten horns that is the ten kingdomes of the Empire which before had given their names their power and authority to the beast to uphold her and defend her should now in these last dayes all change their mindes and turne against her For saith the Angel to John Chap. 17.36 The ten hornes which thou sawest upon the beast are they which shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat up her flesh and burn her with fire Here then it doth plainly appeare who they be that shall overthrow Rome