honour 10 Now Sathan so deiected in rage that thus against all his endeauors the Church riseth setteth himselfe to cruelly persecute the same For except in distinct considerations the woman and child are all one but that the holy Ghost will thus expresse how Sathan first by craft and cruelty laboured to destroy the Church in the rising that it should not spread whereof misgiuing and shee multiplying wonderfully hee inforceth still thereupon ragefull persecution The first and second both are more then cleare in the persecuting Emperours and state of the Church in that time Now this second endeuour against the Church is eluded and the woman retired from his fury but yet so as shee goeth to the wildernesse this is to shew how by the protection maintenance of Constantine the Great and his Successors becomming Christians and who according to the Phrase of the Prophets are called that great Eagle as the doubled Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Constantine his peculiar surname 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proue clearely this open and furious persecution was stayed the soules receiuing long white robes Chapter 6. but yet so as the great honour and riches wherewith as with wings hee vpon good intention endowed the Church as an occasion to make her flie to the wildernesse all true and sincere religion by degrees decaying in the visible Church And so by Sathan his craft who now is bound vp a thousand yeers the beast stealeth in and sitteth in the Temple of God The true Church in the meane time lurking in the wildernesse as Elias in the time of famine and no more any face of true worshippe appearing then was in Israell that while or then when the dayly sacrifice was remoued and the abhomination of desolation erected in place thereof for a time times and halfe a time Now this flight was not in an instant but by long and yet sensible degrees And therefore wee haue an other degree of Sathan his fury against the woman after he seeeth her so furnished with wings as he being now chained Chapter 20. could no more persecute openly or come at her Hee casteth a great floud out of his mouth after her to drowne her in her flight This must bee a filthie floud which springeth from so foule a fountaine Hereby then is meaned not onely that inundation of barbarous Nations which in Sathan his intention no doubt were set forth to drowne the woman but also all these poisonable heresies whereof vpon this restraint he spued out an Ocean both which by God his prouidence turned to the destruction and punishment of the earthly sort For the bloody Romane Empire was ouerturned by these Nations and the wicked of the worlde poisoned with these heresies Thus then Sathan misgiuing of all his attempts against the woman and her first seed and finding so little successe in open dealing from which also hee is now bound vp hee prepareth a beast of strange working to deceiue the world and to make warre against the seed of succeeding times Whereof Chapter 13. So as the whole summe of this Chapter is this Sathan seeing the Primitiue Apostolike Church by the cleare light of the sunne of righteousnesse ministred by the Apostles whereby all borrowed spotted transitory light was trod vnder like to bring Nations to the obedience of faith and so to bring forth a church in the world as hee who had long miscarried all men was now by the light of the Gospell to be deiected from his place hee vseth all both craft and violence to impede the successe of the Gospel and notwithstanding it is so fruitfull through Christ his power and endeauour of faithfull Ministers that the sonne of man commeth in his Kingdome with power and Sathan is dethroned This maketh him in ragefull despite not onely to raise terrible broiles in the world to the earthes great woe but to enforce also cruell persecution against the Church against which shee is armed with that great Eagle his wings so as Sathan is restrained from open rage His next endeauour therefore against her thus protected is by inundation of barbarous nations and poisonable heresie to drowne her but this the Lord turneth on the world yet so as the Church goeth to the wildernes and lurketh Where-through the Beast in the next Chapter stealeth in to occupie City and Court Chap. 11. CHAP. XIII THus was the open rage of the Dragon against the Woman her first seed now followeth his couered dealing against her seed of succeeding times by the Vicar of his power described in this Chapter from his quality that hee is a beast origine that hee riseth out of the sea and earth in distinct consideration shape exceeding monstrous hauing seuen heades and ten horns as had the Dragon but other wayes busked as hauing his hornes crowned and on his head the name of blasphemy in body like a Pard footed like a Beare and mouthed like a Lion Besides this hee hath for right discerning of him two notes of great marke The first is his great power and authority as Vicegerent to Sathan in his power throne and authority The second is that one of his heads hauing beene deadly wounded was cured againe where-through all the world astonished at the beast of so great maiesty and vnmatchable power worship him and the Diuell his aduancer 2 These two notes and effect thereof thus summarily proponed are from the fift verse throughout the chapter exponed more largely and first this his authority practised in two mischieuous effects the one of speaking blasphemies and the other of doing what hee list vncontrolled This double authority is cleared first by the time thereof forty two moneths and next by the practise of it his speaking of blasphemies against God his Church and members thereof In his doing are noted what it was making warre against whom the Saints with what successe that hee ouercame them Thirdly how largely this power was extended Ouer euery Tribe Tongue Nation Through al which he obtaineth that al follow and worship him â—he elect onely excepted a case so dangerous and fearefull as a warning is Epiphonematically set downe to all of attention and therewith a consolation vpon two reasons First that according to the generall law of God his iustice whereby euery oppressour is oppressed and the slaier slaine this beast should come to destruction Next that it pleased God thus to trie the faith and patience of his Saints 3 His second note of his deadly wound cured againe how it was is shewed by a new vision of an other Beast rising from the earth in all outward semblance like to the Lambe and pretending simplie his power but that his speech was like the Dragons This Beast his actions and end thereof are first summarily proponed in that he did all that the first beast could doe before him and to this end that all the earth might worship the first Beast in the state of the cured wound Then is exponed how he
efsectuateth this great point To wit by signes and wonders which were permitted him to doe and thereby to deceiue the earth wherein he seemed to match Moses and Elias in master points That whereto by all this deceite hee induceth the earth and men thereof is to make vp the image of the Beast which had the deadly wound and liued Which he worketh so luckily that hee giueth spirit and speech to the Image and obtaineth thereto worship of Nations vnder paine of death and subiection to receiue the Beast his marke in worke or profession as his proper good and and vnder paine of confiscation of goods and interdiction of all humane commerce that all of all estates rankes and conditions should receiue his marke or beare his name or at least be accounted of his number so making vp the whole body and frame of his Kingdome Which in respect of the number of his name comprehending all the sorts of his followers will appeare to any who is not indued with heauenly wisdome to count it so large so faire so perfectly and proportionably builded and stablished as he will vndoubtedly bee ouercome thereby And yet who is wise to count it will find it to be but a man his number and none of God his building And the number to be counted is 666. 4 That these beasts are the state of Rome all sound Interpreters agree But in what time and of what policy there is great disagreement That which hath bred greatest difficulty in accommodation is because that the two Beasts heere set foorth are taken of all men to bee diuers or at least of diuers time and condition whereas they are both one And are heere distinctly and diuersly set downe by the spirit onely for cleere explication as in the deduction shall be made plaine The common opinion that the first Beast is the heathen state of Rome vnder persecuting Emperours and the second the Popedome cannot consist with the cleare notes of this first Beast proper to Popedome The first note is the attire of his heads and hornes Rome in the persecuting Emperours as they were the ministers of Satan his open wrath is noted by seuen heads and tenne hornes of the Dragon but so as the heads onely are crowned The hornes that is the Prouinciall gouernments vnder them and wherein was their strength hauing no Crownes because the roiall and soueraigne gouernment was then onely in the heads of the state so designing the Emperours of that time But this Beast heere hath his hornes Crowned to shew that the proppes of his power are crowned Kings as Chapter 17. is exponed plainely that they are Kings which had not as then receiued a Kingdome Whereby is manifest that the tenne hornes as they are crowned were not in Iohn his time neither this beast as it hath crowned hornes The beast indeed was before in the fiue heads who were fallen he was not in the state heere described for he was to rise out of the bottomlesse pit and yet euen then he was in the state of the sixth head that is the Caesars by curing of whose deadly wound in the Pontificalitie erected the Popedome afterward became the liuely image that is the state of Rome vnder the Popes a liuely image of the state of Rome before And therefore in distinct consideration The Pontificality is the eight head of the Beast and yet one of the seuen And whereas the former heads were crowned now the heads arise to a higher presumption hauing hornes crowned to attire themselues with the name of blasphemy 2. Thess 2. 5 The next note heere proper to the Popedome is that the Dragon hath giuen him his power throne and authority The Dragon in his openrage vsed Emperours but for the Ministers of his furie but the Popes are the Vicars of his power and therefore are properlie the Sonne of perdition King Apollyon and the Angell of the bottomlesse pit whose comming is in all effectuall working of Satan For albeit the Dragon bequeateth not vtterly his Kingdome yet finding that his open rage had not the desteined successe hee substracteth himselfe in a sort and substituteth this viceroy of his kingdome the most effectuall promoouer of darkenesse that euer was Satan offered to Christ this bargen but was repulsed heere he findeth his Merchant who accepteth of it and both himselfe worshippeth and maketh all the world to worshippe the Dragon That the Popes haue Satan his throne in a peculiar manner is plaine by their practise and by their challenge Their practise for that it is not onely as of all the former heads or other tyrants whatsoeuer instruments of Satan his rage to subdue to themselues bodies goods and states of men to dispose thereof at their pleasure but hee further will impire ouer the conscience and all his administration as the proper angell of the bottomlesse pit is to plunge men in darkenesse Wherein the Dragon as almost in all things is an Ape of God his dealing For as God hath giuen to Christ his throne and authority all power in heauen and earth for conquering a kingdome to him so hath the Dragon giuen all his power to his annointed Antichrist the man of sinne for setting forward his kingdome of darkenesse Their challendge also argueth this For albeit great Monarches for the largenesse of their dominion are said to haue the kingdomes of the earth and the Romans to magnifie their Empire would call it Imperium orbis terrarum yet neuer King or Monarch challenged euer any further right then either by apparent iust title hee might claime or by Armes he had subdued But the Pope challengeth right ouer all as whereof hee may dispose at his pleasure And that yee may cleerely discerne the Dragons mouth he onely of all men since the beginning of the world stoutly affirmeth All the Kingdomes of the world are mine and I giue them to whom I will 6 The third note here put is the time of his working 42. mouethes The very time of Antichrist his obtaining place in the visible Church Chap. 11. of the Temple closed and witnesses preaching in Sackcloath and of the womans abode in the wildernesse Chap. 12. An infallible argument that heere Antichrist is described 7 The fourth note is clearest of all For as the description of the Beast his heades and hornes sheweth him to be the Romane state or Kingdome so heere a speciall note is giuen whereby to discerne of what time policy state and condition of Rome this Beast is to bee taken namely in the state of the wounded head cured againe And because this beingshortly touched might be obscure therefore to make it plaine a speciall vision is giuen of the curer and manner of the cure whereby this Beast in this state is made vp so as if it may not be esteemed absolutely the fame which it was before the deadly stroke yet at least it is a liuely image thereof The Curer is a Beast like the Lambe and simply pretending his power in
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
it might bee presumed that no true Church could bee before seeing that where no prophesie is the people perish and this doubt might greatly trouble the resolution of a godly soule for clearing this doubt and shewing how alwaies euen in the midst of Antichristian darkenesse when no such thing appeared to the eies of men yet the rodde rightly applyed made the applyers to see that God alwaies had a true Church in which was a dispensation of grace though vnseene And this Church breaking out first in few and outwardly weake persons albeit it receiued so hard entertainement by Antichrist as it seemed euen vtterly extinguished in the rising yet still it preuailed by euident degrees till manifestly at last the Temple was opened in heauen and the Arke of the Testimony seene The accommodation hereof sheweth it self and the two last cases are so much the more cleare as they were seen and are of recent memory To cleare the first state and secret dispensation of grace and light when it appeared impossible a speech is taken from Zacharie and hauing allusion to the Temple of Ierusalem as hath all this Allegory For as light in the Temple by burning lampes of the Candlesticke was ordinarily entertained through bringing in oyle dayly to keepe them burning so the Temple being closed and not onely the City but euen the Court of the Temple except through which no passage was thereto being possessed and trod downe so long of the Gentiles it might appeare impossible that any light could hee preserued in the Temple thus closed and compassed Therefore in this estate God compareth the Ministers of grace to two oliue trees growing vp by the sides of the Candlesticke within the Temple and letting drop from their branches oile in the lamps Oh how sweetly the spirit expresseth that which the foolish world can neuer learne while still they cry where was your Church Neither by an Armie neither by strength but by my spirit saith the Lord. 3 For more clearing of this matter as before Chapter 9. in the time of fiue Monethes the state of the Locusts and their working was much cleared so here to the whole rage of Antichrist during which the Lord had still his owne witnesses a time is attributed that by comparing the places and cases from which this time is taken and to which the holy Ghost here purposely allâ—â—â—th wee may learue great wisdome And to leade vs hereto wee haue not onely the like time but also the like speeches the spirit as it were pointing to vs whither hee will haue vs to goe The time then attributed to Antichrist his whole rage is forty two monethes all one with the 1260. dayes of the two Witnesses prophesying to shew that all that time God had them and continually therefore is the time counted by dayes and all one with the time times and halfe a time of the woman her abode in the wildernesse Chapter 12 all alike making vp halfe a weeke of yeeres or three yeeres and a halfe And thus the spirit counting one and the same time by all the spaces of time yeeres monethes and dayes to shew euidently that the yeeres are of monethes and both yeeres and monethes are of dayes as also that the dayes are properly to be taken it is wonder how learned men could haue so farre mistaken them Now in all the Scripture wee shall not find a condition of the Church with any circumscription of time answerable in condition and points of Antichrist his dealing here pointed at that is wherin the true worship is so defaced as in place thereof a false worshippe is erected and truth trod vnder foot but the two here alluded to as in the speeches brought hither from both is more then manifest of treading vnder the holy City prophesying in sacke killing with fire shutting of heauen that it raine not c. The one is of the time of Elias his lurking and famine vpon Israel three yeeres a halfe when God his worshippe was ouerthrowne his Prophets killed and worshippe of Baall erected no true Church appearing to bee left in Israel euen to the Prophet who yet all the while tormented the aduersaries no rain comming but at his word The other is that of remouing the dayly sacrifice by Antiochus Epiphanes and the abhomination of desolation set vp in place thereof for a time times and halfe a time Dan. 7. 25. so long our Sauiour vnder great affliction and contempt preached in the dayes of his flesh euen halfe a weeke and was â—ast out of the Synagogue the Priests Scribes and Pharisees all the while obtaining the name and account of the true Church To the second condition of these witnesses in this whole rage of Antichrist are attributed three dayes and a halfe that is halfe a weeke of dayes as the whole is of yeeres onely to keepe thus the allusion to the halfe weeke but so as therein to imply this consolation that howsoeuer the whole time of Antichrist were long which yet should haue an end as had these miserable times of Iezâ—bel and Antiochus and that all that long time the true witnesses should bee in affliction and heauinesse yet that time of cruell and open murthering and barbarous ferity should bee but short as is halfe a weeke of dayes in comparison to half a week of yeeres And this in story is most cleare For as their cruell and open murthering beganne with the reuiuing and new breaking out of the Gospell what time Sathan was loosed the second time Chapter 20. And the beast became of his colour Chapter 17. So as the truth preuaileth by increase of light they are faine to relent though nothing in malice and rage which groweth more and more they euen blaspheming and gnawing their tongues for sorrow yet from vnbrideled libertie in murthering the Saints in this degree To the last condition is attributed no circumscription of time because it is the beginning of that victory to the Saints fall to Babell which shall haue no end of time For right vnderstanding of these times see more Chapt. 9. Sect. 5. as likewise for this that here is said The second woe is past see there Sect. 8. Now here is well to bee considered that what in this Chapter is shewed of Antichrist his rage against the Church and her suffering by him is here handled but by the way and not of purpose to shew that Story which commeth in the 12. 13. and 14. Chapters but onely so farre as was requisite for clearing the story of the witnesses how the world is plagued by them which is here the scope of the spirit See vpon Chap. 14 Sect. 10. 4 Thus was the sixth Trumpet and the second great woe followeth the seuenth to which we see how faire a way is made in the sixth to make vs vnderstand that euen in time of the second woe and greatest height thereof by the Mahometanes let loose againe from their binding this last woe was working in such
this is that prerogatiue which the Lambe hath the third point which I shewed was to bee obserued in the Elder his information in these words Hee hath obtained c. And great reason is there why his slaughter should bee of such merite For the onely begotten sonne of God died and none tooke his life from him but hee willingly gaue it as who had power to lay it downe and take it againe The effect and fruit of his slaughter is our Redemption which is amplified first by that which buying implyeth albeit not put here expresly that is our wretched state from which hee redeemed vs for Redemption of necessity presumeth bondage and miserable was our bondage Secondly to whom wee are redeemed to God Thirdly by what price neither gold nor siluer nor any corruptible thing no bloud of Goates or Bullockes but by his owne that is God his bloud Fourthly is the large extension of his benefit euen to all peoples kindreds tongues and nations not as that of the Paschall Lambe in Egypt to Israel onelie Neither thus for that all of all peoples c find the fruit but the elected of all Therefore it is said thou hast redeemed vs out of all c. The fift and last point amplyfying the effect of the slaughter is to what condition estate wee are redeemed euen to be Kings and Priests to raigne euen here vpon earth where we haue the kingdome of grace vnder hope of that of glory Now by all these consider if his slaughter be not of great worth why hee onely should obtaine to take the booke c. and therefore alone to haue the praise of it In all this song and tenor of it are diuers infallible Arguments that these foure beasts bee no Angels but Saints redeemed as this whole type is euidently of the Church militant and not of any state in heauen 7 Thus was the song of the foure beasts and twenty foure Elders the Angels in course sing the next part in whom are notable three things Their place their number and their song Their place is about the throne beasts and elders for two respects one of protection and defence The Angels of the Lord pitch round about them who feare him as ministring Spirits for the good of the Elect. The other respect is in the Church and by the Church to behold and learne the manifold wisdome of God For they desire to looke in these thinges And this is one maine point of the mysterie of godlines that God in the flesh is seene of Angels To whome the Church for God his wonderfull dispensation in and towards her is the clearest looking glasse of God his infinite wisdome Whereupon that reason is brought by Paul for women their modest carriage in the church For the Angels This should much stirre vs to a carefull beholding of that whereby euen the Angels are made wise and to a deepe consideration of our dignity and care of our wayes whom God hath made looking Glasses to the Angels Their number first is set downe indefinite in the word many Next in a definite but huge number to shew innumerable Angels and God the onely Lord of hostes all set for defence of his Church for both their place and number consider the story of Elisha and his seruant In their Song is shewed their earnest affection to the Lambes praise as which they sing with a loud voice Next is the Lambe his worthinesse to receiue all praise whereof they giue him seuen points as he hath seuen horns and eyes First power or authority for hee hath all in heauen and earth With authority are requisite riches These hee hath as who is abundantly rich towards all that beleeue is the riches of God in vs and onely hath gold tried by fire to enrich the poore Now authority and riches without wisdome are but the weapons of mischiefe in the hands of a foole But hee hath also all wisdome with wisdome strength so as nothing is lacking to him or can let him to performe what him pleaseth therefore of all to bee honoured in all things to haue the glory of all things to report the praise Next to the Angels all Creatures sing their part of whom a perfect enumeration is put as verse 3. and in their song they affirme what the Angels had sung before them This they haue singular that to the Lambe they ioyne him who sitteth on the throne to shew that they are one and their praise one That singing of praise is attributed to vnreasonable and insensible Creatures it is the ordinarie frame of Scripture speech to shew that all things in their owne kind praise God and that not onely for that the glory of God Creator and Administrator of all is in them set forth but also for that after a sort they reioice for the redemption of the sonnes of God hoping therby to bee freede from the vanity whereto they are subiect through the sin of man and vnder which they groan together with vs. The last passage is sung by these who first raised the song wherin as the angels ioined him who sitteth on the throâ—e with the Lambe so these to shew the vnity and that in praising both they praise but that one eternall liuing God they giue all praise to him who liueth for euermore Now in this course and order of singing wee haue to obserue that as the benâ—fite belongeth first and properly to the beasts and elders that is the Church so they beginne the song The Angels who gather matter of praise out of beholding the church succeed in singing Hereupon all Creatures in their kind reioyce for certainely this type hath a true relation the Church lastly closeth the song to shew that as from them it ought to be ginne whereby all the rest may magnifie God so the singing of the rest should serue the Church for a new vpstirring to insist in his praise And truely it is a great shame that all both Angels and other Creatures should ioy at our good and wee remaine senselesse and that the very senslesse creatures should groane vnder the burden of our sinne longing for our full redemption and wee bee nothing moued And a huge sinne is it in place of raising the song of God his praise and stirring all both Angels and other Creatures to the same duty when we marre all that heauenly melody grieue the good spirit of God contrist the Angels who ioy at the conuersion of one sinner and in place of gladnesse make all both senselesse and sâ—ikelesse Creatures to groane for griefe of ingratitude CHAP. VI. THe generall introduction was in the two preceding Chapters hence is the story of speciall euents prophetically foretold and that by proponing the same vnder goodly and conuenient types of all which as they are closed vp from the knowledge of all creatures the sealed book in the right hand of God was the type like as the reuelation
destruction of enemies and Church her victory is largely exponed and in the twenty one and twenty two as touching her gracefull and peaceable state thereupon 2 The first wonder or signe is double according as therein the enemies inuaders and partie assailed are expressed The party assailed is the woman and her seed first and last The assailing enemy is the Dragon by himselfe openly and by his Lieutenant the beast of his power couertly Against the woman and her first seede is set the Dragon directly in this Chapter Against her in her other seed the beast of his power throne and authority in the next Chapter This is that warre proclaimed in Paradise In this Chapter are first the description of the parties by their habit and disposition to doe Secondly the euent which maketh way to the next enemy in the next Chapter The party assailed is the woman in habit clothed with the Sunne treading the Moone crowned with twelue Starres In disposition of present endeuour big with child trauelling pained and crying through paine The assailing party for habit is a great redde Dragon hauing seuen heads crowned tenne hornes and a taile His endeauour to doe is he casteth stars from heauen with his taile and standeth before the woman to deuoure her child with his heads 3 The euent hereof is according to the ordinary forme of Scripture first Summarilie proponed in the 5. and 6. verses And next thenceforth more largely cleered And this euent is double The childe is borne and exalted and the woman flieth In the summarie proposition of this double euent the childe his quality dignity and exaltation to high estate is proponed and the womans flght by the place whither her condition in it and time of this her condition is described 4 Hauing thus summarily in the 5. and 6. verses proponed this double euent he sheweth after how it fell out and by what meanes And first how it came that the childe so narrowly watched and by so strong an enemie yet not onely escapeth but is exalted to great honour This of the childe commeth by a great battell in heauen wherein are the Captaines of either side their Armies and the euent of the conflict The Generall Captaine of the one side is Michael his Armie are his Angels The Captaine and Army opposite are the Dragon and his Angels The euent of their conflict is the Dragon is foild and the degree of the foile is that he and his Angels are so deiected as they haue no more place in heauen This is cleared by two contrary effects The one in the heauenlie Citizens of ioy the other in the Dragon of rage The ioy of the heauenly Citizens is set foorth in their song of victory which victorie is amplified by the greatnesse cruelty subtiltie maliciousnesse enmity and peruerse diligence of the Dragon who is ouercome by the noblenesse of the victorie for the price of it by the Souldiers constant suffering to attaine it which endeareth it the more and lastly by the miserable condition of the earthlie sort through this his foile Thus is declared how the child escaped and was exalted Next is shewed how the second part of the generall euent that is the womans flight did come The Dragon his rage for his foile and misgiuing endeauour against the Childe stirreth him to peisecute the woman Thereupon shee flieth being healped thereto by the meanes giuen her of two winges Of that great Eagle And her flight heere as before in the summarie proposition is cleered by the place of her retrait her condition there and the time thereof This rage of the Dragon against the woman hath two degrees The first is hee persecuteth her wherethrough shee is brought to flie by the meanes giuen her of the winges The second degree is his endeuour for her ouerthrow in her flight the floud cast out against her This double rage is eluded the first by the wings the second by the helpe of the earth which swalloweth the flood This generall euent of all this misgiuing endeauour against childe and woman worketh in the Dragon increase of rage whereby he is stirred to make warre against the rest of her Seede Against these hauing misgiuen in his open dealing against her first seede he stirreth vp that beast whose rising and working to behold Iohn standeth on the Sea shoare 5 I haue ioined together and at length the resolution of this Chapter the mistaking whereof in my iudgement hath marred all the accommodation heere and much obscured all the rest of this Prophesie The right accommodation shall yet bee the more cleare if wee obserue after what manner in this Prophesie the holy Ghost describeth the enemies of the Church and whence the whole frame of speech in this Chapter is taken First then the course of the Church her sufferings and her enemies by whom is framed to the course of the old Testement wherein the first great enemie was Phaaro The second great foe was Babel and these Beastes in Daniel Of which the last extreme enemy was Gog and Magog euen the Kings of Syria and of them most of all Antiochus Epiphanes To these their enemies and the old Churches sufferings by them that heere in the story of the Christian Church her foes and sufferings the Spirit alludeth it is most cleare To moue vs to compare and finde not onely light heere but to see also that these former were stamps of greater things to come Now all the speech of this Chapter is from the state of the Church in Egypt which in her infancy there was as a woman big with childe and crying through cruell burdens Pharao that great Dragon euen that great Leniathan first wrought wisely with them as with his taile and next stood cruelly ready to deuoure all her Male Children But Michael fought for them and in the blood of the lambe they ouercame and all the first borne of Egypt are slaine The Church flieth as carried vpon Eagles winges to the wildernesse where she is fed with Manna In her flight the Dragon Pharao minded to haue drowned her in the redde Sea but the earth helped her for earthlie Pharao and his earthly Army dranke vp that floud And all this is to make vs vnderstand by conformity of case that here the first great enemie and sufferings of the Christian Church in her infancy are set forth 6 The woman is the Primitiue Apostolike Church glorious in the cleare light of the sunne of righteousnesse whom she put on for her wisdome and iustification Treading all borrowed spotted changeable transitory and light things vnder foot glorying onely in the light ministred by the twelue Apostles which is her crowne Shee is big with childe of all peoples whom she was begetting to God through obedience of faith in Christ For her great troubles and sufferings she is said to be in trauelling and to cry of paine trauelling in birth of all nations till Christ should be formed in thē The speech is
Greatnesse that being written as both a sure and permanent name and also exposed to bee read yet none knoweth it but himselfe And what is he not able to doe who seeing and by matchlesse authority ouerruling all yet is set aboue the reach of all his state counsels and wayes being knowne to himselfe onely as whereof no flesh is capable So insearchable are his wayes and his iudgements past finding out according as in consideration of one speciall euent of this his iudging and fighting at this time Paul exclameth and the sealed Booke no creature was able to looke on 18 That none imagine these to be idle Titles in name onely hee is also a practised warriour and now specially come forth to shew how mighty hee is to saue For this his garment is dipt in bloud euen the bloud of his enemies to note a huge slaughter Hee is now to tread the Wine-presse of God his wrath He hath long looked if any would helpe but there was none to helpe none to vphold therefore his owne arme now shall helpe him and his owne wrath sustaine him the day of vengeance is now in his heart and the time of his redeemed is come And accordingly as he who speaketh iustly and is mighty to saue hee is called the word of God Not onely for that hee is that word which was in the beginning with God and was God but also and here specially because hee is that true one who speaketh and performeth as who both speaketh iustly and is mighty to saue For this redde garment and name agreeable to it See Isai 63. and weigh the place 19 Such is the Captaine of the Lord his hoast The inhabitants of the earth following the Beast Chapter 13. Wondered and in wonder exclamed Who is like the beast who is able to fight with him Heere I thinke hee hath his match and more But these earthly ones see not the Heauens and so goe on blindfolded to their owne destruction His army is in his owne Liuery Hee needeth no armie but his army hath need of him For he is their glory their strength their armour their victory and all In his strength they fight and ouer come They are all horsed as who for dignity are Iudges and warriours like their Captaine They are also faithfull and true in and by him They are all kinges and priestes clothed in pure and shining silke This is a blessed Captaine who conformeth all his followers in glory and dignity to himselfe Alexander was foolish to glorie in his Argyraspides here is a Captaine of high note In opposition to the earthly ones on the other party they are called the host of heauen where there conuersation is euen while they are in the world but not of the world 20 The weapon of this great Captaine whereby he worketh and fighteth is the sword of his mouth With it he smiteth the Heathen enemies of his Church treaders downe of the holy City crushing them in peeces with an iron Mace And hee treadeth the winepresse of God almighty Heere now the treaders are troden downe Thus with mouth and hand hee fighteth and with feet downe-trampleth all How so strange effects of bloud-shed and ouerturning the whole state of the earth are attributed to the sword of his mouth is cleare Chapt. 14. 17. 18. where an Angel armed with a sickle commeth out of the Temple and is stirred to cut downe the grapes of the earth by one comming from the Altar hauing power ouer fire And Chapt. 15. where the Angels of the last wrath receiue their Vials from one of the foure Beasts and come to execution out of the Temple like as the voice commanding it is from the Temple By the breath of this Lord his mouth Antichrist must bee consumed 21 This his fighting to the foile of all his foes maketh him yet a name The King of Kings and Lord of Lords This he was at all times And euen from the day of his ascention was alwaies seene of his owne crowâ—ed with glory and honour God hauing exalted him aboue all name that is named so as all knees must bow and euery tongue confesse him to bee the Lord. Yet hee getteth this name at this time in a speciall manner written on his garment and thigh So as now it becommeth manifest to the view of all his power and strength kything clearely in this victory and wonderfull sequels of it This is that same which in the song was said the Lord God almighty hath raigned And Chapt. 11. The kingdomes of the world are our Lord his and his Christs This is his sitting on a white cloude Chap. 114. euen the manifestation of his iudgements Chapt. 15. 4. Rome in great derision when they crucified him set ouer his heade in three Languages This is the King of the Iewes And the Iewes counting it scorne and high disgrace to haue him called their King intreated the alteration of the words in that he so called himself But now by the finall and euerlasting ouerthrow of the Kingdome of Rome and by conuersion of the Iewes to mourne for him whom they pearced hee shall gloriously manifest himselfe and bee acknowledged not onely King of the Iewes but also King of Kings and Lord of Lords This name hee hath written on his garment as great Kings and high Captaines haue their imperiall garments whereby they are discerned On his thigh not so much for that ordinarily the sword weapon of the victory is girded on the thigh but for that in Scripture speech a man his strength is placed commonly in his losnes and thighes now it is his owne strength that helpeth him and therefore it was a token of subiection and seruitude to put the hand vnder the thigh Which custome Aben-Ezra witnesseth to haue continued still amongst the Indians and Ethiopians till his time And therefore his name is also written on his thigh because all the world now haue to put their hands vnder it and sweare him homage This Captaine wrestling with Iacob to make him know he was his Lord and that all his strength was of him hee did strike him with a note of infirmity in the thigh 22 Thus was the description of the great Captaine of the heauenly host in himselfe his armie armour and manner of fighting Now followeth his herauld or trumpet Who is remarkeable for his standing place and for the tenor of his proclamation Hee standeth in the Sunne To note exceeding great light now of the Gospell and preaching therof wherein the preachers should clearely see and confidently proclaime Antichrist his ruine For great measure of light the Apostolike Church in the woman Chapt. 12. was clothed with the Sunne Wee see to the praise of God and euidence of this Prophesie light already growen in great degree as no doubt but for this sight and great effect it shall yet grow more so as the light of the Moone shall bee as the light of the Sunne
close the count of these thousand yeeres the end heere mentioned and degrees of the Dragon his restraint doe clearely lead vs. Wee must not thinke that Sathan in an instant was eyther tyed vp from his rage or againe in a precise point of time let loose But both fell out by degrees From the first out going of the Gospell hee beganne in some degree to bee bound as hee complaineth of Christ that hee had come to torment him before the time And as the Gospell preuailed hee was still the more made fast But seeing the end here specified of his binding and the condition of the Church heere described vpon his restraint Make euident that this his Captiuity is not absolute but in some speciall consideration and the degrees here mentioned shew that then his vptying is to bee counted when in that consideration he is perfectly made fast as taken shut vp locked on sealed we haue to take vp that point of time when according to this end he was fully fastned I shewed before on the 12. Chapter that the Dragon his proper rage is taken for open and cruell persecuting of Christians from which he was then fully tyed vp when by Constantine his conuersion to the faith open persecution ceased and Christianity was by lawes established the Church became glorious in the eyes of all men the soules of Martyres got long white robes and seates were set vp and the Saints did sit on them c hauing iudgement giuen them For both the commemoration of Martyrs was honourable and the estate of the Church flourishing in peaceable and goodly condition and glorious account And albeit in the meane time Sathan was working by his Lieutenant the Beast whom vpon this his restraint from open rage hee sent forth then in the first sensible degrees to deceiue by false semblance and who from this point of time mightily preuailed though at first by slow scarse perceptible degrees as rising out of the earth in bringing Nations to make vp the image of the Beast which at the end of these thousand yeeres came to the top of impiety yet they liued and raigned all the while who receiued not his Character The end then here mentioned of the Dragons restraint that hee should not seduce c. must not bee taken absolutely for hee was neuer busier seducing nor with greater successe then during these thousand yeeres but seducing here must be vnderstood according as wee see hee worketh vpon his lousing againe when hee falleth to that same kinde of seduction from which first hee was bound vp that is to seduce Nations to compasse the Tents of Saints and the beloued City Euen to set them againe vpon violent and furious persecution by sword and fire as he was a murtherer from the beginning and as in that men most bewray themselues to bee the children of their father the Diuell From this rage hee was bound vp when by the two wings of that great Eagle the woman escaped to her place from the presence of the Dragon he beeing chained from comming at her now extolled with wings And the degrees here set downe of binding inclosing shutting vpon and sealing shew euidently that the count is to be taken vp from the full and perfect point of his Captiuity For from that time hee had no louse chain for open rage In Iulian he was not so much loused as biting the chain Who besides his short abode neuer durst fall directly to murthering of Christians the persecutions of Constantius and Valens were partiall heates vnder profession euen that bloud that was mingled with haile and fire Chapter 8. 10 Now as wee haue the point of time of his perfect fermance which is the 300. yeere of Christ or therby so this leadeth vs to the point of his loosing the 1300. yeere or thereby and the conueniency of story is cleare for although as by degrees hee was fastned so by degres hee was loosed againe yet wee shall find as at the first point the full degree of his binding so at this time him fully loosed In the Pontificality of Gregory the seuenth he had a long chaine which yet was further raxed in that of Vrban the second and his Successors kindlers of that tragicall and superstitious warre for recouery of Ierusalem But for the end here spoken of open cruelty against Saints hee was fully loused in the Pontificality of Boniface the eighth and his successors from whose times haue beene bloudy persecutions and cruell rage Then the woman beganne to returne from the wildernes the witnesses to steppe out of the Temple the little booke eaten to giue hearts and eyes to apply the reede and so to discerne the Temple from the Court then the first of these three Angels Chapter 14. beganne to breake out through the midst of Heauen and the other two in course followed so as then they were blessed who died in the Lord and then was the patience of Saints The Beast his mouth then being perceiued and so the semblance of the Lambs horns no more able to beare him out the Dragon behooued come againe in roome to maintaine his owne throne to represse by rage what by hypocrisie could not be kept downe Then the two witnesses lay slaine in the streetes of the great City all Nations being seduced to slay them and reioyce ouer them Then the Beast which was carst spotted like a Pard becommeth of the Dragons colour and the Whore born vp by him is drunke with the bloud of Saints from that time what cruell murther of Christians was vnder the odious names of Waldenses Albingenses Fraterculi Beghardi c. And since what fiers what bloud sheds what monstrous complots for extirpation of the truth haue beene practised is too well known 11 In this rage though for a time the Dragon deborded yet praised bee God by successe of the Gospell and fire from heauen hee is in making fast the second time in an euerlasting chaine Therefore it is said that hee should be loused but a short space For they are faine to relent of their open murthering and burning are now in God his iustice getting measure for measure 12 The time then of these thousand yeeres is from the first open and sensible steppes of the mystery of iniquity working on to the quickning of the Beast which fell together with this binding vp of the Dragon to the toppe of that impiety when it came to the highest degree And this is the onely time in all this prophesie to bee taken definitely because of Antichrist his whole working which was in way euen from the Apostolike times first by hid and insensible and next by open steppes towards the height from which height againe as by degrees it arose so by degrees it must vanish no precise or exact time could be set downe but yet to giue vs sufficient clearenesse the holy Ghost putteth the time from the first beginning of open working to the
in respect of her state before a new world The full and perfect degree whereof shall then bee when vpon the Lord his last comming the heauen shall depart with a noise and the elements shal melt with heat what time wee shall get new heauens and a new earth wherin righteousnesse no more soiourneth as in Tents but stably dwelleth for euer as in a mountaine 26 So farre then is this discription of the last iudgement to bee properly vnderstood as yet wee must not imagine it to bee here set downe either for the point of time when it shall fall out for that it shall haue this coincident case of the ouerthrow of Gog and Magog but onely for the cause aboue explaned Neither is there in all this Prophesie or as I thinke any where in scripture any ground whereon to gather determinately the yeere or age of that day whereof to inquire after the Lord his own answere it is in my iudgement excuselesse temerity and to determine ought is high presumption That some otherwaies godly and learned men excuse their scanning hereat by that Christ foreclosing al Creatures from the knowledge of the day and houre leaueth so place to search the yeere or age besides that in such cleare euidence of the ordinary frame of Scripture speech this shift is both childish and ridiculous in my opinion it is also too bold and grosse dallying with the Lord his words 27 Now yet for bringing minds to acquiesce in this our interpretation the Nations seduced their notes iudgement and names are more to be cleared The allusion is partly to Sodome wherein all young and old from al quarters compassed Lot his house And Sodome was a City of the plaine and they were deuoured by fire from heauen It is also to the 7. of Iudges where the Midianites like Grashoppers in multitude and whose Camels were as the sand of the sea in number pitched against Israel in the plaine and were destroyed by three hundreth but holding forth burning Lampes and blowing Trumpets for the yoake of their burthen and the staffe of their shoulder and the rod of their oppressor are now to be broken as in the day of Midian an exceeding fitte type of this foile which must be by fire from heauen but such as then shineth when wee learne to breake the earthy piâ—cher that hideth it and to blow the Trumpet of God his word loudlie This fire came out of the mouthes of the two witnesses This is the breath of the Lord his mouth The word of God in the mouthes of his seruants is fire and the wicked are stubble before it But the allusion here chiefly both in the names and manner of iudgement is to Ezechiel 38. and 39. where diuers learned men thinke one and the same matter to be handled accommodating both that and this place to the Turkes as whose destruction both there and here in their iudgement is meaned and accordingly with Abenezra interprete the little horne Dan. 11. mistaking as I thinke these places and here yet going further aside in thinking there and here one and the same matter properly to bee deliuered Whereto the names of Gog and Magog giue no more reason of proper interpretation then could before the name of Babylon and the whole frame and leading of this Prophesie by continuall allusion to the old Testament might haue taught another sense to be sought for and that here Gog and Magog are to be taken Spiritually as before Sodome and Egypt 28 By Gog and Magog in Ezeehiel the Kings of Syria cruell oppressors of the Church of Israel are meaned as by the little horne in Daniel Antiochus Epiphanes the worst of all Wherof see Tremellius and Iunius vpon these places Iunius vpon this and the learned Commentarie of Hugh Broughton vpon Daniel That the attempt of Gog and Magog and their iudgement thereupon is said to be in the latter yeeres it will not trouble the resolution of any who seeth the rage of the Goates foure hornes of the Prophet plainely interpreted and of all men confessed to be that of Alexander his successors namely of the succressing little horn Antiochus Epiphanes called the last wrath Both Ezechiel and Daniel so speaking not absolutely but respectiue of the last cruell troublers of the Church of Israel before the first comming of Messias and accordingly of their destruction Wherein if much more appeare to bee spoken then in the measure of God his iudgement against them can bee seen fulfilled we haue to consider not only the Hyperbolike stile of the Prophets in such cases but as I haue already touched that these Prophesies besides the first proper accommodation had a further but a typicall relation And truly it were strange to imagine how the Turke his Kingdome standing the Israelites shall so recouer their owne land as they dwelling therein securely and without feare hee should plot to inuade them That here the names of Gog and Magog should bee meaned or at least restrained to the Turkes is very improbable seeing the two witnesses slaine at this lousing of the dragon lie dead in the street of the great City and all Nations reioyce ouâ—r them seeing the Whore is drunke with the bloud of Saints and in her is found all the bloud shed on the earth seeing it is the Beast that maketh warre with the Saintes and ouercommeth them and therupon whereas he was first like a Pard in course of time when the dragon is loosed becommeth of his colour Seeing also that out of the mouth of the dragon Beast and false Prophet came these frogs instruments of this seduction and seeing they are described to be false Prophets working miracles and authorised thereto by the Beast and false Prophet thus euidently designed to bee the Popish Clergy and by experience chiefly the Iesuites Lastly seeing here by Gog and Magog clearely are designed all the instruments of the dragon his last fury from the foure quarters of the earth the Turkes particularly cannot bee meaned Like as herein is an euident Argument why here Gog and Magog are not properly to bee vnderstood as in Ezechiel who bringeth them specially from the North. It is true that at this point of time when the dragon is loused the Turke his greatnesse beganne without resistance to vndoe all God his iustice in them lousing the foure Angels from Euphrates But these Angels so loused for punishment of false Christians their idolatry witchcraft murther c. more then direct enemies of the true Church are not to bee esteemed one with the dragon here loused Who as at his first misgiuing against the woman and her first seed hee stirred vp the Beast of his authority to deceiue first like Balaam and a fraudulent Pard so here againe being loused for maintaining the credite of his Vicar whom the semblance of the Lambe his hornes false miracles occupying of the holy City Court of the Temple and his fitting as God in the