all times should continually read it for their comfort and instruction which also is the end and use of the whole scripture Rom 15 4. 2 Tim. 3.16 Vers 20. The mystery of the seven starres After that the Son of man had shewed who he was whom Iohn saw he comes to unfold the mystery of the starres and candlesticks viz. that the seven starres are the seven angels or ministers the seven candlesticks the seven churches of Asia to whom he was commanded to write vers 11. The mistery The vulgar hath it the sacrament of the starres that is the thing figured by them so again chap. 17.7 I will tell thee the sacrament of the woman but it is improperly used for the mysticallsfignification of the same Bishops So he caleth the starres because they ought to shine before others in purity of doctrine and integrity of life like unto starres shining in the firmament they are said to be angels because they are Gods messengers to the Churches and the Churches are compared to candlesticks because like as the candle or light is set up into the candlestike even so the Church ought to hold forth and preserve the shining light of true doctrine that all may behold it least being in darknesse they stumble and perish thorow their ignorance Hence we learn in the first place that the scripture best interpreteth it self for what was before more darkly spoken is now clearly unfolded So Christ opened the parables to his disciples Matth. 13 in like maner this vision which at first seemed obscure is now made plain by its own interpretation For albeit the scripture doth not make clear every thing that is darkely spoken not withstanding if we diligently observe it that of Austin will appeare most true that there is all most nothing abscure in scripture which is not in some other place plainly expounded Furthermore we are to take notice of these figurative and sacramental phrases The starres are Angels that is they signifie the Angels the candlestiks are the Churches Gen. 41 27. 1 Cor. 10 4. Cont. adim c. 12. that is they signifie the Churches according to that in Genesis the seven kine are seven years that is do signifie seven years And the rock was Christ for it signified Christ as Augustine expoundeth it For there is nothing more familiar in scripture then to name signes by the things which they signify which maner of speech is not darke but plaine in regard of the analogie betwixt the signe and the thing signified wherefore it was not obscure but familiar to the scripture that Christ called the bread which was broken at the institution of the supper his body which was crucifyed for us seeing it was a sacrament or holy signe of the same Hence Augustine opening the etymologie or signification of a sacrament applies it to the Lords supper saying that the Lord Iesus doubted not to say this is my body when he gave the signe onely thereof And this is so cleare a truth that even Aloasar a Iesuite confesseth it saying that in the phrase of scripture touching dark sentences and sacraments the word which is used is to be referred to the signification of it and that the bread and wine in the Eucharist which they call the species doth signify the body and blood of Christ because Christ saith this is my body c. Indeed he supposeth there are two sorts of signes some instituted onely for doctrin and signification as in parables and darke sentences the other such as really include and containe the things which they signifie as in baptisme and the supper in which saith he is truly and properly contained as the cleansing of the soule from sinne so the body and blood of Christ and he proveth it First because Christ instituted these signes to that end Secondly the Church so teacheth And lastly because it were an easy thing for any one to institute meere and naked signes wheras it is in the power of Christ alone to appoint such signes as are full of efficacy I answer first Alcasars arguments answered that in the institution either of baptisme or the Lords supper there is no mention made of any including of the things signified in the signes Secondly the primitive Church taught no such inclusion but the new popish Church in so teaching is departed from the institution and doctrin of the primitive times Lastly though it be true that the sacraments are not meere signes yet it followeth not that they are signes including the thing signified For there is in scripture another kinde of signes which as they are signes so they are seales confirming to the faithfull the grace of Christ signified by them For properly the sacraments are signes and seales of the promise of grace which no creature could institute or bring into the Church but God alone Another expositor denieth Hoe in the Revel chap. 1. that these are figurative speeches and why because saith he those candlesticks doe not signify but are really the Churches and the starres doe not denote but are in truth the angels But both is false first because then there should be no mystery in the candlesticks or starres Secondly if the candlesticks and starres were truly Churches and Angels then would not Christ have required Iohn to write his Epistles as being absent from them but he should have delivered his message unto them as there present with him in Patmos Thirdly because then the words the candlesticks are Churches the starres are Angels should be regular expressions But this he denies and truly For they are termes of disparity What then the metaphor saith he is in the subject which doth not import that the copulative IS should be taken for the word signifieth And though it were granted here yet would it not follow that the words of Christ at the institution of the supper were of the same significatiō because Christ did not expound to them a vision but institute asacrament Now howsoever both be true yet doth not this take away the metonymical expression for in typical Sacramental assertions the tipes signes are said to be the antitypes or things signified partly indeed by a metaphor because of the analogie or likenesse that is betwixt the signes the things themselves but chiefly by a metonymia Epist 23. ad Bonif. because of the sacramentall signification For as Augustine saith if sacraments had not some likenesse with the things they represent they should not at all be sacraments for in regard of that likenesse they have the name of the things themselves Therefore as in some sort the sacrament of the body of Christ is Christ the sacrament of the blood of Christ is Christs blood even so the sacrament of faith is faith Againe that is called the soule In Levit. lib. 3.4.5 Genes 41.26 1. Cor. 10.4 which signifies the soule for it is usuall that the thing signifying be called by the name of that which it doth signifie as it is written
the bosome of the Church by the indulgence of the Pastor so publickly maintained their wicked doctrine to the scandall of the faithful and danger of the whole Church For a little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe Besides because of this 1 Cor. 5.6 the unbeleeving Gentiles spake evil of the Christians as if they committed fornication each with other Thus we see that their sinne was of a high nature and therfore great reason had Christ to require repentance for the same I wil come against thee shortly The like phrase of threatning is in v. 6. and the same kind of punishement is applied to the discription of Christ v. 12. as if he should say It is not in vain that I have a two edged sword in my mouth for therewith I wil strike and wound the unrepentant I wil fight against them Christ then fighteth against us with the sword of his mouth when he reproveth our evils threatneth punisheth obstinate sinners For Gods threatnings are never without effect But as it is written unlesse ye repent Luk 13.3 ye shall all likewise perish Christ fighteth with a sword to convince wound condemne and cast off the irrecoverable Against them To wit the Nicolaitans notwithstanding he includeth the Pastor also with the Church it self except they repented so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with or against them is put in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against you 17. He which hath an eare He endeth the Epistle with his wonted Epiphonema or acclamatorie conclusion wherin though the promise differs in words yet the sence is the same with the former To him that overcommeth this is put by a change of the number for all that overcome that al in hope of a recompence might be incouraged to the good fight of faith For rewards much prevaile to harten us unto duties By them that overcome he meaneth such as stood fast in the faith were not polluted with the filthines of the Nicolaitans To these by an allegorie he promiseth a threefold benefit To eat of the hid Manna This is the first Manna was that heavenly bread sweet in tast with which God fed his people in the wildernes who being pressed with hunger found in the morning without the camp an heavenly dew like to Coriāder Exo. 16.15 1 Cor. 10.3 at which they wondring said man-hu what is this And hence it was called Manna It was a sacrament shadowing out Christ the true bread of life Of this Christ will give him that overcommeth to eat that is I wil feed him with the pleasant food of my owne bodie give unto him eternal salvation for he which eateth the Flesh of Christ Io. 6.54 drinketh his blood hath life eternal By hidden Manna he alludeth to the Omer of Manna which was laid up in a golden pot into the Arke for a remembrance according as God commanded Moses which signified that Christ indeed is hidde to the prophane of this world yet seene of the godly not with bodilie eyes but by the eye of their faith Ribera saith wel that it is called hidden Manna because eternall happines is not bestowed on all alike but is reserved onely for the elect in the world to come And wil give him a white stone This is the second benefit about which interpreters much differ in opinion Some understand by it the pretious bright shining Carbuncle Rupertus interpreteth it of the glorious bodies of such as doe overcome whom Christ wil rayse at the last day and make them shine like the Sun in his brightnes Others understand it of an allusion taken from runners in a race to whome was given a white stone in signe of victorie when they overcame the which thing if it were confirmed by historie it were then a cleare opening of the text Sixtus Senensis saith that the ancient heathens caused their festival dayes to be ingraved on their publick tables and noted with a white stone that they might the better discerne them from other dayes But they seem to come neerest to the litterall meaning who thinke that Christ in this respecteth the manner of judgments where there were two sorts of stones or counters white and blacke cast into a basen By the white the innocent was absolved by the black the guiltie condemned lib. 15. Metamor and hence they were named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acquitting or condemning stones Of which the Poet speaketh Mos erat antiquis niveis atrisque lapillis His damnare reos illis absolvere culpa In ancient times with stones they did In Iudgment seat proceed By blacke the guiltie were condemnd The Iust by white were freed Thus Christ wil give to him that overcommeth a white stone that is absolve him in the day of Iudgement Io. 5.24 according to the promise he that heareth my words and beleeveth in him that sent me hath eternal life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life And in the stone a new name written This is the third benefit and the phrase is taken from the forenamed custom where the names of such as were absolved were ingraven on white stones but on blacke the condemned A new name That is an excellent and honorable name for so much the scripture in many places doth set forth by the word New Psa 33. Reve. 3.12 14.3 as sing unto the Lord a new song I wil write upon him my new name They sung as it were a new song before the throne c. This undoubtedly is the name of Gods children whereof the Lord speaketh Isai 56.5 J wil give unto them a name better then of sonnes and daughters meaning the adoption of the sonnes of God which infinitely surpasseth the name of carnall sonnes and daughters For what is there more glorious then to be the sons of God surely such shall never be condemned But some may say how can he give them that Io. 1.12 which they have already for as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God I Answer now we are sons and heires in hope but in the world to come we shall fully enioy the right of children and really then posses the promised inheritance and be like unto the angels of God Luk. 20.36 for they that shall be counted worthy to enioy that world neyther marrie wives nor are married for they can die no more forasmuch as they are equall unto the Angels and are the sons of God Thus we se that the third benefit promised to them that overcome is a full possession of the inheritance of Gods children Which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth is What this meaneth which is also spoken of Christ who hath a name that no man knoweth but himself I will shew in a word Reve. 19 12. namely it is a name which can not be uttered because the happines of Gods children can not be expressed for eye hath
God with censers but these with vials Which are the prayers of the saintes Their prayers are called vials by a twofold trope First by a Synechdoche for the odours in the vials And secondly by a metonymical denomination or els a metaphorical translation as signifying the prayers of the saintes For as persumes ascend upward and give forth a sweet smell so the saints in prayer seeke after heavenly things and the same is acceptable unto God They are golden vials because as gold excels in puritie so prayers proceeding from a pure hart are precious to the Lord what their prayers are now followes 9. And they sung a new song Both Companies of the Church triumphant with a most sweet accord prayse the Lamb the redeemer which proveth that these beasts and Elders are not Angels but men redeemed by the blood of Christ It shewes also unto us the consent of both covenants in the point of salvation For all the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles together acknowledge the Lamb their redeemer Act. 10.43 According to that of the Apostle To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins And againe Act. 15.11 we beleeve that through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ we shall be saved as the fathers For in him all the promises are yea and Amen 2 Corinth 1.20 Furthermore those prayers of the saintes Psal 40.4 96.1 97.1 144.9 149.1 caried here by the Elders in their golden vials are to be understood as their owne and not the prayers of others It is called a new song that is most singularly setting forth the great rare and excellent benefits of the Lambe For generally in the Psalmes a new song is taken in this sence The former Hymne Chap. 4.8 was sung unto him that sate on the throne but this is a song unto the Lamb. So Chap. 14.1 the saintes in heaven sing a new song unto the Lamb which none could learn but these hundred fourty and four thousand which had his fathers name written in their foreheads The argument therefore of this song is new because it is most excellent and containes the new benefits of Christ Thou art worthy They acknowledge him alone worthy to take the booke and to open the seales because they both know and confesse with all reverence that he is the onely mediatour of the Church and that the cause of this his great worthinesse is in the preciousnes of his blood For thou wast slaine that is by dying for the sins of the world thou declarest thy self to be the Messias Chap. 53. whoÌ„ Isaiah foretold should be led as a sheep to the slaughter to take away the sins of the world Here we are taught that the mediatour ought both to be slaine for us that is to merit and also to take the booke that is meritoriously to bestow life and righteousnes upon others Seeing therefore he onely merited by his sacrifice it must necessarily follow that none else could take the booke that is reveale the counsell of God to the Church and by his power give salvation unto her And thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood Now the Church triumphant prayseth the Lambe and applyeth the price of her redemption with the effects thereof unto her self Thus we ought so to acknowledge the benefits of Christ as to make them our owne not onelie in beleeving that he hath redeemed others by his blood and made them kings and priests to God but our selves also for true justifying faith is accompanied with a certaine perswasion of our own salvation I live saith the Apostle by the faith of the son of God who loved me Gal. 2.24 and gave himself for me Hence we observe two things First that the death of Christ is truly a ransome satisfactorie for our sins and that our redemption by it is not metaphorical as the new Samosatenians blasphemouslie affirme but proper for the redemption which is made by a price is proper But such is ours by Christ because by the shedding of his blood he hath paid a full ransome and satisfied the justice of God as the scripture witnesseth Matt. 20.28 and 1 Tim. 2.6 beeing the same with what is here said thou hast redeemed us by thy blood and â—hap 1.5 who hath washed us in his blood and Heb. 1.3 purged our sins by himself unlesse that by the word redemption is properly signified the whole worke of our salvation by washing and purging a part thereof viz. our justification or sanctification This place therefore and many others proving Christs satisfactorie ransome are to be opposed against Socinian blasphemies Secondlie that the redemption made by Christs blood is truely universal as sufficient and propounded not onely to one nation or a few but to all nations tongues and peoples yet not so as if all promiscuously should be saved but those of everie tribe people and language who beleeve in Christ And thus much the Elders teach us Thou hast redeemed us out of every tribe We adde in the third place XXX Argument of Christs deity that this redemption proves the Lamb to be God omnipotent For to redeem the Church from sin death and satan is a worke of divine power Psal 130.8 Hence the Apostle Act. 20.28 saith that God hath redeemed the Church by his owne blood 10 And made us to God They magnifie the Lambe for three other benefits 1. That he hath made us kings 2. priests 3. given us a kingdome on the earth The two former we have expounded Chap. 1.6 beeing meant of our spiritual kingdome and priesthood See Rom. 14.17 1 Pet. 2.5 But how shall we raigne on the earth seeing Christs kingdome is not of this world besides earthly things perish in their use and lastly the Church in this life is to expect nothing but tribulation Andreas saith that the Church shall reigne not in this present thick and cloudie world but in that new one which is promised unto the meek Matth. 5.5 But the saints may truly be said to reigne here on earth diverse wayes First by mortifying their earthly desires and trampling them under their feet Secondly as Christ raignes on the earth not by a secular but spirituall power by which he forceth the adversarie unto obedience Even so the faithfull doe raigne with Christ in the earth For the head raigning the members raigne also to be short the saintes with Christ shall judge the world and therefore shall rule the same however we are to understand this not of an earthlie but a spirituall dominion 2 Cor. 10.4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God c. But thou wilt say how shall the saints who now triumph in heaven raigne on the earth I answer after the same manner as they shall judge the world and the Angels 11. And I beheld and round about the throne The third apparition is of Angels who sing the new
The opening of the fift seale The soules under the Altar crying to have their blood avenged 9 And when he had opened the fift seale I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the word of God and for the testimony which they held 10 And they cried with a loud voyce saying How long O Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season untill ther fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled THE COMMENTARIE ANd when he had opened the fift seale Hitherto we have heard the exposition of the preparation to the second vision viz. the majestie of God with the attendance about the throne And the Lamb taking the booke sealed with seven seales c. We have heard also the first Act of the vision viz. the opening of foure seales with the wonders following thereupon namely the white red black and pale horse prefiguring as we have shewed the future state and face of the Church unto the rising of Antichrist First white in faith then red in blood afterwards black with heresies and at last pale through hypocrisie and apostacie Now followeth the second Act of the vision in the opening of the fift seale which signifies not as some have thought new persecutions but the comforts of the Church both militant and triumphant It is not improbable that here should beginne a new Act seeing Iohn is not now bidden by any one as before he was to behold the wonder of this fift seale In it three things are recorded first what he saw at the opening of the seale the place where namelie the soules of the martyrs under the altar v. 9. secondlie what they said v. 10. and lastlie the answere which they received v. 11. The summe of al is to comfort the Church against the scandal of the crosse specially shadowed out under the red horse For least Iohn should have been to much daunted at the effusion of the martyrs blood or any of the faithfull so offended thereat as might have weakened their faith and pietie but rather in hope of a more happie state with a Christian courage might indure the furie and force of their adversaries therefore the blessed condition of the martyrs in heaven is here exhibited beeing full of many comforts to the godlie for they who in this world had been before cruellie murdered for the sake of Christ are now seen of Iohn under the protection of Christ as glorious conquerours clothed with white robes The soules under the altar The soules departed out of the bodies are invisible to the bodilie eye but Iohn saw them in the spirit By which we learn that the soule is separable subsisting in it self immortal and dies not with the bodie Of which matter Aristotle albeit an heathen yet thus writeth and thus the soule is an essential power separable pure and free from passion and againe as it is separable so also immortal and eternal Neverthelesse some have been found not onelie Epicures but even teachers in Israel as the Saduces by name who have denied it Now these brutish men Christ plainelie refuteth in the Gospel Mat. 10.28 where he bids us not to fear them which kill the body and are not able to kill the soul but him which is able to destroy both c. The soules of them that were slaine that is of the martyrs But wherefore were they slaine not for any evill committed but for the word of God and for the testimonie viz. of the Gospel that is for their faith in Christ which they openlie professed and sealed with their blood here we see that not suffering but the cause of suffering makes a martyr By the slaine are meant not as Alcasar supposeth those that were put to death by the Iewes neither they onelie who suffered under Domitian untill Diocletian as Lyra affirmeth but the soules of all the martyrs even from Nero unto Boniface the third the first Antichrist whose blood had been shed for the testimonie of Christ beeing as some call them the twelve persecutions Ribera renders it which had the testimonie passivelie that is of them it was testifyed that they were true Christians as 1 Tim. 5.10 a widow having a testimonie for good works but in the Greeke it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore to be taken activelie And are called martyrs in giving testimonie unto Christ and to the word of God So that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here in the original signifies to professe defend and holdfast Whereby is shewed the great constancie of the martyrs who were terrified with no manner of torments but still held the testimonie that is the profession of Christs name Thus in Chap. 12.17 the dragon is said to make war with them which keep the commandements of God have that is constantly maintaine the testimonie of Christ. But now where were the soules of the martyrs not under the robe of Marie Where the soules of the martyrs were as painters foolishlie represent it but under the altar which was in heaven before the throne of God as we shall see Chap. 8.3 Ribera here is to be hissed at who affirmes that Iohn in this speech hath respect to the ancient custome of Christians laying up the relicks of saints under the altars For when saith he an altar is builded there is made under it a sepulchre for to keep the relicks and the priest dipping his finger in the Chrisme makes the signe of the crosse upon the foure corners of the sepulchre saying This sepulchre is consecrated and sanctified in the name of the Father the Son and the holie Spirit peace be unto this house c. But this custome is meerelie superstitious and grosse idolatrie idlie invented manie ages after For Iohn saw not any relicks of bones or garments but the soules of martyrs not in a sepulchre or under an altar of stone but under the heavenlie altar of which the Apostle speaketh Heb. 13.10 We have an altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle This altar is Christ as Anselmus and Haymo doe acknowledge under which he saw as in a type the soules of the martyrs that is under the safegard and protection of Christ This beeing the first happinesse which the martyrs enjoy in the heavens is for the comfort and encouragement of them who are yet to be slain For however tyrants kill their bodies yet their soules immediatelie upon their departing are received of Christ according to the prayer of Steven the first martyr Lord Jesus receive my spirit and as Christ promised the thiefe This day thou shalt bee with me in paradise The which benefit Riberas glosse doth both deminish and wholie take away Moreover here we are plainlie
of supererogation or a purgatorie fire and so ascribe salvation which is obtained by Christ alone unto their owne inventions Thus therefore the Sun in Popery is made black as sackcloth of hair The Apostolical doctrine of faith and salvation by them is darkned and changed into Philosophical precepts Christs sacraments are darkned and turned into a stage-playing Pompe or shew The invocation and worship of God is darkned and turned into adoration of idols and of the creature To be short the Church it self is darkned scarslie retaining any thing of Christianity except the bare name Now the black sackcloth of hair doth signify the humane traditions their hetheanish and Iewish ceremonies mingled with Christianisme of which Augustine complaines Epist 119 19.20 that even in his time the Church began to be more burdened with them then the Israelites were with theirs to be short it signifies the decrees and canons of Synods and Popes by which the Church was turned into a secular kingdom the presbyteny into a civil court and their temples into very brothel houses And the moon became as blood The third wōder followeth by the moon is meant the Church as Cant. 6.9 Fair as the moon Rev. 12.1 The Sun is Christ as we shewed before Now what marveile is it if the Moon be turned into blood when the Sun is darkned In Eclypses the Moon appears black and reddish and sometimes of a bloodie colour having in it selfe but little light But as the Moon doth receive its light from the Sun so all light puritie righteousnes and salvation or whatever else the Church enjoyes shee receiveth it all from Christ the Sun of righteousnes The sence therefore is that the Church shall be turned into blood by the commotion of Antichrist The like phrase the Lord useth in Joel 2.31 But whence comes this blood into the Moon I answer by the cruel tyrannie of Antichrist making the Church red with the blood both of the nations and of the Saintes For this blood was powred on her partly by wars and partlie by martyrdoms For the Pope not beeing content to usurp the title of Peter the prince of the Apostles under that pretence to terrify the world with his spirituall lightnings he hath also drawn out the temporall sword against Emperours kings princes and Christian nations filling all places with bloodie warres As we may see in the extravagant of Boniface VIII touching superiority and obedience where it is expressely said that the Church hath two swords the spirituall and civill and it is further added that the spirituall is excercised by the Church the materiall by the hand of kings and souldiers according to the pleasure and patience of priests If this be true then what are kings and souldiers but the Popes vassals And is not then that blood certainlie shed by the Pope which is spilt at his pleasure and command by kings and their souldiers And is it not the Pope that causeth the Moon to become blood but in this also there is deceit and fallacie for the Romish Bishops have not onelie used the civill sword in the hands of princes but also in their own having these many yeeres together turned the Moon into blood by the many cruell warrs occasioned and made by them Beneven de Rambal lib Augustali Benevenutus de Rambaldis a noted historian thus writeth concerning Boniface the eight above two hundred and thirtie yeares agoe that Albertus Duke of Austria beeing by the Electors chosen king of the Romanes desired of Boniface that famous Pope the blessing and coronation to whom this loftie tyrant answered that he was unworthie of the Empire because he had traiterouslie killed his Lord Adolph in warre and having the crowne on his owne head and a sword girt to his loines he said I AM CAESAR Julius II. the predecessor of Leo a better souldier then a priest beeing borne rather for Mars then for Christ going forth with an army as Wicelius witnesseth in the yeere 1513 against the king of Navarre threw Peters Key into Tyber saying If the Key of Peter cannot let the sword of Paul prevaile Of which Mantuan thus singeth Ense potens gemino cujus vestigia adorant Caesar aurato vestits murice reges Great Caesar with victorious kings Who golden crownes doe wear They doe adore his footsteps who the double sword doth bear To be short the most cruel wars which continually have been and at this day are among Christian princes to the shedding of exceeding much blood in France the Nederlands Livonia Poland Muscovia Hungarie have alwayes been raysed fomented by the Popes buls and armies by this meanes ever since the death of Priscillian they have continnallie murdered the saints and made the Moon red with their blood For Priscillian beeing declared an heretick by the Pope although Sulpitius Severus describing his sect doth not charge him with any hereticall doctrines contrarie to the analogie of faith but onely for unlawfull conventicles was by the instigation of Ithacius Bishop of Triers put to death about the yeere of Christ 380 contrarie to the mind of Martine Thuronensis a Maximo the Emperour the murderer of Valentinian the yonger From that time forward the Bishops went on to have the like punishment inflicted on all such as were condemned by them of haeresie And at length the Popes adjudged to death as hereticks all that opposed their tyrannie and idolatrie under which pretence what a multitude of Christians have been most cruellie murdered the bookes of martyrs testifie yea whosoever reads those histories shall see clearely enough that by their meanes the Moon was wholle turned into blood The massacre at Paris committed on Bartholomewes day in the yeere 1572 is yet fresh in memorie at what time within the space of eight dayes there were more then a hundred thousand by the means of Gregorie XIII most barbarously put to death in France making all the streets rivers and prisons in the land red with the blood of martyrs Thus I doubt not but we understand what is meant by this change of the Moon into blood touching which also I will rehearse a verie memorable example in the end of this booke 13. And the starres of heaven fell unto the earth The fourth wonder is taken out of Isai 34.4 and Mar. 13.25 We have heard what the stars doe signifie and wherfore they are so called Rev. 1.20 the seven stars are the seven Angels or Bishops of the Churches And Rev. 12.1 The woman or Church hath twelve stars on her crowne signifying the pastors and teachers of the Churches These stars which fell are apostates who forsooke Christ for fear of Antichrists cruell persecution they are I say principall Bishops and teachers who by embracing the kingdom of Antichrist fall from heaven unto the earth among whom the Bishop of Rome was chiefe and with him all others who acknowledged him for their head They fell unto the earth by forsaking their pastoral charge of preaching the word and
high majestie Saying Amen The like thanksgiving of the heavenly inhabitants we see Chap. 4.10.11 Chap. 5.14 Cha. 19.1 In saying Amen they joyfully ascent to the hymne of this innumerable multitude as if they should say worthilie indeed yee doe celebrate God and the Lambe the author of your salvation glorie For hee is worthy as Chap. 4.11 They adde also more glorious prayses as blessing glorie c. In which as we before noted they doe not so much pray and wish that God may have the same as by approbatiō shew forth that which is dew unto him Blessing that is celebration is dew unto God from all creatures Glorie Or a thankfull publishing of the powerfull works of God Wisdom For hee is the author and fountain of all wisdom And thanksgiving For the exceeding great benefits of their creation redemption and glorification Honour Reverence with subjection Power Above all the power of Satan Antichrist all adversaries Might by which he sustaineth all things overcomes al things is overcome by none By repeating Amen they confirm and desire that these his prayses may remaine for ever and ever This is a most sweet harmonie of the Saintes in heaven allwayes praysing the Lord now wee who for the present remaine here on earth are hereby stirred up to the like affections Moreover we are taught after what manner the Saintes in heaven pray before God and the Lamb namely by perpetual praysing of them but we hear them not supplicating to God neither interceeding before Christ The Saints in heaven pray not for the Church on earth eyther for the whole Church on earth or any particular member thereof for this honour is dew to Christ alone And therfore to affirme that eyther they pray for us or that wee ought to pray unto them is an hypocritical invention contrarie to the Scripture and true religion greatly derogating from the glorie of God and the Lambe making the glorifyed Saintes to be tutelar idols And one of the Elders answered saying to mee Now one of the Elders by way of conference shewes Iohn who this multitude of thanksgivers are as did the Angel to Zacharie Chap. 1. v. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answered for asked by a metalepsis of the consequent for the antecedent usual to the Hebrewes who frequently For answer use ask for hear speake c. because ordinarilie questions are answered they that speak are heard c. One Lyra laugheth at such who make this Elder to be Pope Silvester Who this Elder was indeed wel he might for Iohn could not learn any thing of him but he himself is as ridiculous in making Peter the Apostle to be this One. Now where hath he this but from his owne foolish invention Others therefore say more probablie that it was Isay the Prophet who speakes in the words of this Elder Chap. 1.18 Chap. 19.10 but whosoever he were it seemes he sate neere unto Iohn was perhaps the same who bade him Chap. 5.5 not to weep Hee asketh who they are whence they came not as if he knew it not but hence to take occasion for to instruct him therein as if he should say knowest thou not who these are clothed in white I will shew thee these are c. Thus he stirs up Iohn diligently to observe and mind this multitude as beeing matter full of comfort both for him and us For if we make white our garments in the blood of the Lamb we may then be certainly perswaded that after the troublesome warfare of this present life we shall be partakers of the like victorie happinesse with them in heaven Now he describeth the multitude by two notes The first is taken from their former afflicted condition which came out of great tribulation this is a paraphrase of the martyrs induring with patience most cruel persecution and all kinde of torments for the sake of Christ as also of all other faithfull professours who through the manifold troubles of this wretched life have attained the port of eternall happines For howsoever some mens afflictions are greater then others yet of necessity all that will live godly in this world must through manifold tribulations enter into the kingdome of God Came out that is obtained a glorious victory by the power of God howbeit to the world they seemed as lost which is partly to teach us that we should not dream of delights and pleasures in this world but prepare our selves for the crosse of Christ And partlie to comfort us least we should faint under the same for howsoever our tribulations are great yet we shall come out and be conquerours And have washed their robes It is strange that Erasmus should rather read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enlarged then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have washed seeing al our most approved copies so have it the analogie of this place and that in Rev. 1.5 1 Ioh. 1.17 doe necessarily lead unto it for a reason is here given how they came to have their garments white viz. by washing them in the blood of the Lambe And this is the second signe or note of the godlie taken from their faith constancy Their white robes set forth their righteousnes and purity see Chap. 6.11 This they have not by their owne blood that is by the merit of martyrdom or sufferings but by the blood of the Lambe that is by the alone merit of Christ For this whitenes comes by faith by which the godlie apply the merits of Christs blood unto themselves as Rom 3.25 God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnes for the remission of sins that are past Whosoever therefore seeks to wash their robes in their owne merits satisfactions popish masses purgatorie or indulgences they appertaine not to this multitude for they cast of the blood of the Lambe He saith in the preterperfect tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have washed and not in the present tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they wash to signifie that if by faith wee are not washed in this life there shall not be afterward any more a washing or purging from sin And made them white All other blood makes red and staineth How we are made white by the blood of the Lambe but the blood of Christ purgeth us from all sin 1 Ioh. 1.7 makes white as snow Isai 1.18 therefore this is a washing and whiting not of nature but of grace not of art but of the spirit 15. Therefore are they before the Throne Here the Elder declares unto Iohn the happines both of the martyrs and all other true beleevers The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore notes the cause of this felicity that is how it flowes not from the whitenesse of their robes but because they are washed in the blood of Christ so that nothing hence can be gathered for to establish the merits of Saints Now he describeth this coelestiall
signes lying wonders in them that peerish The 2 Thes 2.9.10 explained that they should beleeve a ly because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved By which words the Apostle gives us to understand First that Antichrist shall establish his power by cunning and diabolicall deceit Secondly by his tyranny he shall oppresse the greater part of men in the Christian world as not beeing sealed Thirdly that Antichrists followers shall inevitably perish run into destruction Fourthly that their destruction shall be voluntarie and just because they cast off or receive not the love of the truth rather delighting in Popish dreames and Lyes Lastly that under Antichrist there shall be alwayes some sound teachers of the truth who shall suffer grievous contradiction as in Chap. 11.4 5. And it was given them that they should not kill The first limitation of the Locusts power we have heard here is added a SECOND that they should not kill men but torment them also a third limitation not allwayes but for five monthes Behold the wonderfull lenitie of God even in suffering the wicked limiting and moderating their plagues who deserve to be destroyed all at one instant The elect under Antichrists kingdom he altogether preserves from the mortall biting of these scorpions insomuch as wee doubt not but that there are still some godly groaning under his tyrannie in the heart of Popery as in Rome Italie Spaine c. The other idolatrous troop he will not suffer the Locusts suddenly to kill to the end they may have time to repent But onely to torment them that thereby they might be stirred up to seek remedie for their sowles Notwithstanding it seems that not so much a mitigation as an exasperation is signified by the foresaid limitation This torment notes the Ecclesiastical Locusts For it is far worse to bee tormented with a lingring disease then suddenly to perish neyther may we doubt but that by this kinde of hurting is designed not a civill but an Ecclesiastical kinde of Locusts because they shall not kill mens bodies as did the Vandales Gothes and other open tyrants but they shall torment mens soules and consciences torturing them continually as on a rack by their deceitfull doctrines of penance satisfactions purgatorie c. Now what I pray can be spoken more openly against the impostures of that false and Antichristian clergie by which indeed for the present they kill not the bodie but torment the wretched conscience by shewing them remission and explation of sin not in the faith of the Gospell in the mercies of God and in the blood of Christ but in the merits of good workes auricular confessions numbring of sins imposed penance poenal satisfactions going in pilgrimage to the sepulchre of our Lord S. Iames the ladie of Lauretta in travels by sea and land in fasting and abstinence in masses in almes and legasies building of Closters in Moncks coules in whippings in going barefoot lastlie in the Popes jubilees indulgences bought for mony Now what are all these things but the sinful devises of men altogether tending to the wounding of mens consciences and no way serving for the healing and helping of the same Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.9 For in vaine is the Lord worshipped with the doctrines of men This is the miserable rack of the conscience none greater then it nor more dangerous Let the historie of the Romish Church and Emperours be read and there it will appeare that many through the furie and rage of the Locusts have been so stirred up and brought to such madnesse as to quiet their consciences they have of their own accord layd down the government of the Empire and kingdomes put themselves into religious Covents or monasteries built Cloisters and Colledges for Monks with great liberallity thereby to redeeme soules have taken upon themselves religious orders for the expiation of sins have woren either dead or living the cowles or hoodes of begging Fryars but in all these things what could they find or hereby receive but a perpetual torture trouble of conscience a dreafull feare doubt of beeing deceived We need not therefore seek these Locusts among the Vandales Gothes Hunnes Saracens Mahumetans c. For these did promiscuously rage and tyrannise by fire sword against the persons both of the just unjust Besides it is verie cleare by the matter it selfe that Ecclesiastical religious deceivers are here meant who torment indeed continually the fearfull consciences of men with the terrours of hell purgatorie but send them not for releife to Christ by faith but to the Popes lawes that is in stead of Phisick administer poyson and precipitate their soules into the gulfe of finall desperation Moreover we are againe to take notice of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was given which I find to be twenty times repeated in this booke about Antichrists tyranny that so we may understand that he doth not thus rage by chance but as beeing Gods scourge to punish the ingratitude of the Christian world as also that he is bound limited by God and cannot goe bejond the same The which serves for our great comfort Five monthes This is the third limitation of their power serving also for our singular consolation Seeing God hath prefixed a certaine time to these Locusts bejond which they shall not longer rage torment Interpreters discourse diversly about these five monthes Some take it properly for five Aegyptian monthes or an hundred fifty dayes the time that the waters of the flood increased upon the face of the earth some take it for so many yeares Notwithstanding they are much troubled how so short a time should agree to the tyranny either of the Vandales Saracens or Popish clergie Bullingers exposition best agrees with the nature of the place viz. that the mitigation is taken from the age of Locusts which ordinarily is no more then five monthes making the sense to be thus that as the Locusts continew not hurting the whole yeere thorow but sing leap and feed upon the grasse scarsly during the five summer monthes that is from April unto September even so a certaine time is defined to Antichrists seducers after which they shall torment men no more But this seems not to agree with histories For the Pope hath now for a thousand yeeres more sent forth his Locusts to spoile the field of the Church neyther doth the end as yet appeare Yea he shall continue devouring untill he bee consumed by the brightnesse of Christs comming But this no way contradicts what we have before said for what are five monthes with the Lord seeing with him a thousand yeeres are as one day The time therefore of the Locusts is hereby designed not as if it should be no longer then an hundred and fifty dayes or yeeres but because it should be short a definite time being put for an indefinite And thus also Alcasar expounds it indefinitely although contrarie
effusion of much Christian blood about the yeere 1300. the which opinion doth well agree to the vision yet it seemeth we are to ascend higher even to Mahumet himself the first author of the Eastern apostasie as Bullinger Illyricus doe rightly in my opinion interpret it For about the same time that the Romane Bishop was created by Phocas VNIVERSAL king of the Locusts and so according to Gregories opinion declared to be the Antichrist there arose in the East a new Mahumetan sect by this occasion Heraclius the Emperour Phocas successour having ended his warre against the Persians The originall of Mahumetanisme dismissed without pay his Saracene souldiers whom he had in his armie under their captaine Homar these beeing returned into Arabia asked counsell of Mahumet the false Prophet at that time famous by a new kind of doctrine patched together of Judaisme Christianisme and Gentilisme For of the Iewes he borrowed circumcision and some other rites of the Christians the doctrine of love and duties between man and man of the Pagans militarie discipline c. Mahumets answer to the Saracens who gave them this for answer My will saith he is that yee executing the commandements of the Law doe in mutuall love and charitie stick close to each other both in riches and provertie that ye pollute not other mens wives by adulterie that yee abstaine from evill your selves and hinder others also doe good and perswade others thereunto wage warre in the name of God by feare and force impose lawes on the disobedient in dooing whereof I certainlie promise paradise unto you This doctrine which Mahumet afterward put into his Alcoran the Saracens with their captaine Homar received and drawing the rest of the Arabians into a societie of warre with them in short time they subdued and brought under their power the neighbouring provinces of the Romane Empire as all Arabia Palestina Syria Aegypt Africa Cypresse and many cities of Asia the lesse even unto Byzantium withall propagating and establishing the impieties and blasphemies of Mahumet and on the contrarie rooting out Christian religion which indeed at that time was every where much corrupted at length they entred into Spaine and held it in their possession untill in the yeere 1488 at which time after most cruell warres and with great difficulty they were driven thence by Ferdinand king of Castile grandfather to Charles the fift To these Arabians and Saracens the Tartars Turks professing the same Mahumetan religion joyned themselves who at length all of them by mutuall consent became one Empire whereof Ottoman a Turk by nation was the first Emperour in the yeer 1300 as hath been said and hence it is called the Ottoman or Turkish Empire unto this day since which time they have by cruell wars praefigured in this trumpet enlarged their borders through Asia Affrica and almost whole Europe even into the very hart of Hungarie Now these things thus briefly premised in an historicall way we may the more easilie understand the types of the following trumpet Aâ—bâ—h◠〈◊〉 Angel sounded In the person of the Angel I seek for no mysterie By his sounding hâ—e gives us a signe well to observe the future events which shall here be represented First he notes the author of the Revelation viz. Christ whose voyce he heard from the four hornes that is out of the midst of the golden or perfulâ—â—tory altar mentioned Chap. 8.3 which under the Law was a type of Christ The hornes thereof are mentioned in Exod. 30.10 where the high priest is commanded once every yeere to make an atonement with the blood of the sinne offering upon the hornes of the golden altar for the sinnes of the people to signifie that their sins should be at length truely expiated by the blood and intercession of Christ It was before God Not as if there were in heaven a golden altar but it is an allusion to the ceremonial type For the golden altar stood before the vaile by the ark of Jehovah The allegory betwixt the four Evangelists and these foure hornes I referre to its place But here it is an allusion to the ancient type as before in Chap. 6.9 Christ is said to be the Altar protecting the soules of the Martyrs XXXIV Argum. of Christs deity Iohn therefore sets forth the author and matter of this Revelation namely that he heard Christs voyce commanding four Angels to be loosed as actors of the future tragedies And here the divine authoritie of Christ appeares who commands as the Angels in heaven beeing Lord of them so in earth stirreth up wicked and tyrannicall men to punish the ingratitude of the world by them 14. Saying to the sixt Angel which had the trumpet This also may literally bee understood that Iohn truely heard the thing here mentioned committed to the sounding Angel that is having ended he should speedily unloose the Babylonian Angels Loose the four Angels He shewes how hitherto they were there bound that they might not exercise their cruelty but now by Gods commandment are loosed to execute his judgements in punishing the Christian world for their idolatry and other wickednesse Here is an argument of the Lords divine providence who holds in and le ts out the enemies of the Church as he pleaseth Hence we should both feare the Lord and pray to him that the enemies bee not loosed for our destruction as also to trust in him seeing against us they can doe nothing contrary to the will of God or without his permission and sufferance This worke of loosing is committed to an Angel because Angels are Gods ministring spirits to execute his judgements whither good or evill Now let us consider who these Angels are Who are these foure Angels bound at the river Euphrates what is meant by the great river Euphrates I have shewed you what other mens opinion is concerning these things Some also take these foure Angels to be the same which in Chap. 7.1 Held the foure windes of the earth from blowing c. But to this I can no way assent True it is as they there so these here are evill and not good Angels as the circumstances shew Notwithstanding neyther the one nor the other are devils For the former were the temporall and spirituall instruments of the Western Antichrist hindring as much as they could the preaching of the Gospell from the Christian world But these are onely secular ministers of the Eastern Antichrist who hindred not so much the preaching of the Gospell In what they differ from the four Angels Chap. 7.1 as by murdering of Christians brought a lamentable destruction upon them They are clearly differenced from the other by the circumstances of the place beeing loosed at the great river Enphrates so that hitherto they were there bound not as devils confined to a certaine place but as cruel barbarous people kept in by the hand of God that they could no sooner break forth to destroy the Christian world Euphratâ—â— I take
oppression for to purge the doctrine of the Gospel from the filth of poperie These are said to be two not individuallie for what can be more absurd then to thinke that Christ should have onely two witnesses Antichrist having in the mean while many thousands of Locusts But two that is a few who should suffice to hold forth the truth in all times even as in judgement by the testimonie of two or three every thing is established Secondlie two definitely because as God of old was wont to use the ministerie of two worthies in the execution of his singular and special workes one of them commonly being a civill the other an ecclesiastical person Thus he sent Moses Aaron to Pharaoh Ioshua Caleb to spie the land Elias Elisha unto Ahab Zerubbabel and Ioshua to bring back the people out of Babylon to restore the worship temple of Ierusalem unto whom there is here a manifest allusion in v. 4. so he raised up under Antichrist for the most part two speciall instruments among his witnesses for the maintenance of his truth as Iohn Husse Ierome of Prague whom the Locusts of the Councill of Constans most cruelly burnt against the publick faith In our Fathers dayes Luther and Melanchthon in Saxonie At Argentine Bucer and Cariton In Helvetia Zwinglius and Oecolampadius In France Farellus and Calvin and so others in other places Furthermore he described the power of the witnesses by many excellent and wonderfull phrases taken out of the historie of the chiefe prophets viz. Their enemies that would hurt them they shall devour by the fire of their mouth as did Elias and Ieremie shut heaven that it raine not for three yeeres and sixe moneths as did the said Elias Turn waters into blood and smite the earth with all manner of plagues as Moses and Aaron smote Aegypt by which allegories is signified that at length the preaching of the Gospell should goe forth with such force efficacie as that no opposite power or threatnings should be able to hinder the same Notwithstanding however they shall finish their testimony yet they shall prevaile little against the Beast for the Beast shall warre against them overcome and kill them by drawing out both swords as we have declared Neither shall the Beast be satiated by oppressing the witnesses but shall cast forth their dead bodies as dung to the scorne of the common people into the streetes of Rome the great citie which is spirituallie that is allegorically called Sodome because of Sodomiticall filthinesse reigning therin Aegypt because of their Aegyptian idolatrie darknesse and obstinacie against Christs ambassadours and Ierusalem because of their wicked cruelty daylie crucifying the Lord Iesus Christ both in his members as also as much as in them is destroying him now glorified in the heavens in their daylie sacrifice of the Masse Thus far we formerly went in our interpretation Now we goe forward 9. ANd they of the kinreds shall see The publick rejoycing of the Christian world in the contumelious oppression of the witnesses of Christ is here signified for they are so far from commiserating of them as on the contrarie they altogether approve the Beasts cruelty in sulting triumphing over their dead bodies as conquered enemies This is the summe of the two verses in which is aggravated both the cruel inhumanitie of the Beast his followers and the ignominious condition of the witnesses But wherefore To the end that seing it to come so to passe we should not be offended as if some strange thing happened unto us For the spirit here foretelleth it as Christ also said unto his disciples yee shall mourn but the world shall rejoyce Ioh. 16.1.2 Yea the time commeth that whosoever killeth you will thinke that he doth God service But the comfort by which the witnesses should raise up themselves is annexed Let us consider the words And shall see to wit the men of this world for Antichrists rage shall not be secret but he will publickly oppose warre against the witnesses of Christ neither shal a few onely see it But they of the people and kinreds and tongues and nations to wit all people c. Which Ribera rightlie interprets of all those nations which shall cleave unto Antichrist And therefore it is false that the Iewes onely shall cleave unto him For his kingdom shall be spread over all peoples nations and tongues that is the whole Christian world shal close joyne with him Let us not therefore be moved with the vain boasting of the Papists because of the largenesse of their Church that all kings princes great men and peoples of the Christian world follow the Pope a few poore and obscure men onely excepted who professe the Gospell As if the multitude of strayers could excuse errour or that it had not been foretold by the spirit that so it should come to passe The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall see here used is changed in 11 vers into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to contemplate diligently with pleasure So that they shall see the dead bodies of the Saintes with great delight joy for all shall applaud their king as if his tyranny were just and righteous yea and that in killing of hereticks he did a divine worke But how long shal they see them Three dayes and an halfe For so long their carkeises shal lie unburied Romish writers doe not agree about this time What is meant by the three dayes and an halfe Lyra applies this whole historie of the witnesses unto Iustinian an Eutychinian Emperour who by Belizarius banished Pope Sylverius imprisoned Mena the Bishop and this he will have to be the three yeeres and an half Rupertus doth scarselie agree with himself for one while he takes it definitely for three yeeres and an halfe another while indefinitely for a short time Ribera understands it properlie of three dayes and an halfe Alcasar applying it to the Iewish persecution leaves it indifferently to be taken either for so many yeeres or moneths But to take it in any of these wayes The fable of Antichrists reigning three an half yeere refuted the fiction of Antichrists three and an halfe yeeres reigne is thereby refuted For if Antichrist even after that the witnesses are slaine who had prophesied during the three yeeres and an halfe of his kingdom shall see rejoyce three dayes or yeeres and an halfe over their dead carkeises then it must needs be false tha the is precisely to reigne three yeeres and an halfe for by that account he shall either reigne seven yeeres or at least more then 1260 dayes Our interpreters also are not of one minde about it yet agree in the maine argument scope Io Foxe applies it to the councill of Constans which precisely dured three yeeres and an half So long therefore the carkeises of the two witnesses Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague did lie in the streetes of the great city that
from the Dragons fury would also adde something touching the womans preservation from the same Hee by beeing caught into heaven The woman by flight into the wildernesse howbeit not together at one time for betwixt these things there happened a cruel battel in heaven betwixt Michael and the Dragon as also the Dragons new enterprise against the woman on earth upon this John returns unto the flight and persecution of the woman Therfore we will reserve the interpretation of this verse till we come to v. 14. Now onely let us take notice of the summe and drift FIRST the flight of the woman into the wildernes signifies the invisibility of the Apostolical Church after she had fought many battels with tyrants hereticks and hypocrites For as the Moon comming so low as the shadow of the earth gives noe light neither for the present is more seen then if it were not in the skie so the Church that chast mother through the shadow of worldly ambition The Church vanished as the moon covetousnes luxurie power of prelates and carnal priests lost her light by little and little and at length vanished away insomuch as she never appeared any where in the world in her primitive beauty The Papists affirme that their Church never fled or vanished away contend that she allwayes shined in her full light by which they deny that their Church is this chast mother Histories indeed shew that Rome of old was a chast mother but ceased so to be by changing the government of Christ instituted by his Apostles into the Ecclesiastical and secular kingdom of the Pope the which when and how it came to passe hath already been shewed several times shall further be spoken of afterward Secondly in that there is a place prepared for her in the wildernesse where she is nourished it signifies that however the puritie of the Church shall then fade away and the outward face thereof appear wholy discrepant from the primitive state yet God will reserve and feed some remnants Of the rest in verse 14. 7. And there was warre in heaven Which happened not after the womans flight into the wildernesse but after the manchild was caught up into heaven For the Dragon beeing disappointed of one prey he thirsted after the other that is seeing he could not destroy the child he attempts to devoure the mother But Michael is present in her behalfe provoking the Dragon to combat and thrusting him beeing overcom with his followers out of heaven whence arose a shout among the heavenly spirits What is meant by this battel and when it was is not easie to be expounded What the war was between Michael and the Dragon Riberas fiction There are some who refer it to the first fall of the devill when Lucifer with his Angels was cast down out of heaven This Ribera rightly rejects yet puts in the place thereof a strange fiction of his own viz. of a battel that shal be betwixt Antichrist and the Saintes about the last four yeers before the end of the world But without all doubt this battel is already fought and the Dragon cast into the earth because the woman long agone is fled into the wildernesse Others take it as an allusion to the battel of Michael with satan about the bodie of Moses mentioned in Jude vers 9. But the cause of the war there is other then here Brightman thinkes that Constantines victory over Maxentius Maximinus and Licinius heads of the Dragon is here set forth But the effects of the victorie celebrated with songs by them in heaven vers 10.11 Seem to be more glorious then can possiblie be restrained to Constantines temporall victorie As therefore in the signe of the woman her deliverie and the child there was a double sense One Historicall fulfilled in the person of Marie and Christ The other Allegoricall in the Church and members of Christ so we may rightlie interpret this combat in a twofold sense first spiritually of the conflict of Christ and Satan the which went before in order of time Secondly Historicallie of Constantines and the enemies battles which happened afterward For as Christ caught up into the throne of God thrust Satan out of his kingdome and brought eternal peace and saftie unto the Saintes by his intercession So Constantine beeing advanced on the throne of the empire did manfullie suppresse all enemies of Christianitie and brought in a breathing time unto the Church after her former long continued afflictions This is the summe Now let us consider the battell of which 1. the place 2. the Captaines and armies 3. the event lastly the effect and benefit therof is explained The place of the war was heaven But heaven is a place of peace not of war of quietnesse not of dissention The war in heaven is visional not reall It is so indeed This is therefore to bee attributed onelie unto the Vision the which Iohn saw in the heaven above The Captaine and armie fighting on the one side were Michael and his Angels On the other side the Dragon with his Angels As the Dragon is Satan So Michael is Christ the Manchild caught up into heaven MICHAEI beeing interpreted is Who is like God Now who is like God save Christ his onely begotten son So Daniel also brings in Christ under the name of Michael Chap. 11. and 12. Propheticallie pointing at this battel At that time Michael the great prince shal stand up for the children of his people viz. having finished the worke of our redemption in the flesh But what manner of battel is it The first conflict consisted in Satans temptations The first conflict of this war the which Christ did offten most stronglie sustaine and suppresse The soorest conflict was his bloodie sweating in the garden that which hee suffered in the high priests hall and on the crosse at his death Then Michael indeed seemed to have bin overthrown but a while after the adversaries power was broken for by death Michael overcame and rising again he bruised the Dragons heades and beeing lift up unto the throne of his father he triumphed over all principallities and powers Col. 2 15 Then as a conquerour hee ascended with his bodie on which he had born and by his blood purged the sins of men into heaven and by the efficacie of his eternall intercession repressing the accusations of the adversarie hath made up our everlasting peace with God This mysterie of our salvation is shadowed out under the type of this battel as plainlie appeares from vers 10.11 The which typicall representation did verie much serve for the consolation of the Church seeing she should be shaken with most cruell stormes of persecutions for the space of three hundred yeers least the faithfull beeing unmindful both of this fight victorie might faint under the long continuance of the crosse But how are the Angels joyned with Michael in the fight Why the Angels are joyned with Christ and who they are
royall Priesthood to God and Christ c. 5. And in their mouth was found no guile The sixt title is their integrity they are without hypocrisie both in faith Their integrity word and manners This indeed is truely said of Christ alone Isay 53.9 But attributed to the sealed by participation with Christ their head August hom 11 in Apoc. and by imputed righteousnesse He saith not saith Austine there hath not been but there is no guile found c. for such as the Lord findes a man when he cals him hence such also he judgeth him to be c. For they are without fault before the throne of God These words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings bible hath not Innocency yet the old Latine and the other Greeke copies have them The last commendation is their innocency and full perfection before God The cause both of this and the former commendation is shewed before viz. because they have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb Therefore they all are without guile and spot The which if it be referred to the state of this life we must againe understand it that they are such by imputation and and inchoation And then the words before the throne of God signifie not the place but their esteem in Gods judgement as if he should say They are without fault not in themselves and before men but in the eyes judgement of God freely absolving the faithful from all pollution and accounting them as without fault because of the blood of the Lamb If unto the state of the life to come then before the throne not onely signifies the place but also the cause of the blessednes of the sealed ones in heaven for being without fault they shal enjoy the perpetual sight of God which shall be their persect blessednesse And this is that which he said Chap. 7.15 Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve them day and night The second Part of the Chapter Of the three Angels publishing the everlasting Cospell against Antichrist 6 And I saw another Angell flee in the midst of heaven having the everlasting Gospell to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people 7 Saying with a loud voice Feare God and give glory to him for the houre of his judgement is come and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters 8 And there followed another Angell saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that great citie because she made all nations drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication 9 And the third Angell followed them saying with a loud voice if any man worship the Beast and his image and receive his marke in his forehead or in his hand 10 The same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred out without mixture in the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoake of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever And they have no rest day nor night who worship the beast and his image and whosoever receiveth the marke of his name 12 Here is the patience of the Saints Here are they which keep the Commandements of God and the faith of Iesus 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them THE COMMENTARY ANd I saw another Angel Here followes the second part touching the Angels preaching against Antichrists kingdome Who these are and to what times the prophesie appertaines is much questioned All agree in this that these Angels represent the Preachers of the Gospell in the times of Antichrist But Popish expositours referre the same to the last foure years of the world in which time they absurdly imagine that Antichrist shall beare the sway For how should all those things which are treated of touching the Beast and the Whore from the 13. Chap. unto the end almost of the whole Book be accomplished in so short a space Ribera supposeth they are three renowned Preachers of the Gospell in the time of Antichrist But Alcasar by his consequence is forced to reject this interpretation of the Papists And therefore he feineth that these are the three principall writers of holy Scripture Peter Paul and John The which foolish fiction is refuted by the very naming of it Our interpreters doe generally acknowledge that these things appertain to the times of the reformation of the Church but by what occasion this vision is here againe demonstrated seeing it was before foretold in Chap. 11. touching the measuring of the temple they expound not By our Method it is plaine seeing here we handle the Third Act of this vision that these things are to be compared with the Third Act of the foregoing vision In the second vision indeed there was nothing answering to this because there onely the preservation of the sealed or elect under Antichrist was manifested to Iohn the which is here also treated of in the first part of this Chapter But in the third vision we have the measuring of the temple and the prophesie of the two witnesses Chapter 11. representing unto us the reformation of the Church that should be in the last times unto which therefore we are to returne for the two that is a few prophesying witnesses there mentioned are here said to be three preaching Angels that is they are more then before And this very thing Anselmus as Ribera reports acknowledgeth taking the first Angell to be Elias the second another Prophet and companion of him rightly indeed according to the scope but he erres in the persons But as before we shewed that the measuring of the temple began about the time of the Councell of Constance or a little before so without doubt these three Angels began to preach from that time forward whose ministery no sooner shall be ended but the Beast shall be thrust into utter destruction I saw another Angell flying No Angell had gone before Therefore he was not one of the Harpers or of the multitude of sealed ones Which signifies that from this time another state of the Church was to be looked for An Angell that is a Preacher of the Gospell as before in Vision first the singular number by an enallage being put for the plurall for there should not be one onely but more although at the first but few should zealously set themselves upon the worke of reformation The first Angell is Wickleffe One therefore is named because one should excell and with an heroicall spirit begin the worke This Angell is John Wickleffe Professour of the Vniversity of Oxford a man noted throughout the whole world For when the whole West admired and followed
that is of all the wicked from the beginning of the world to the end thereof who being together cast and miserably crushed in the Wine-presse there shall on all sides flow forth so much blood as it shall encrease to such a wide and deep Lake or Sea A Furlong containes an Hundred twenty and five Paces Eight Furlongs make an Italian or English mile Thirty two a Germane so then a Thousand six hundred Furlongs make fifty Germane miles Why the holy Ghost doth assigne precisely this number to the lake needs not to be known by us Andreas thinkes it is to signifie the consummated iniquity of those men and the greatnesse of their punishment seeing a millinary number is most perfect and most consummate And in the sixe hundred yeer of Noah we read that sin was overwhelmed by water But it is more safe to say that a great definite number put for an indefinite But what is meant by the Horse bridles I thinke it serves to upbraide the adversaries who being mounted on stately horses were wont to behold the Martyrs in their sufferings and proudly to trample their blood under their horses feet But then those proud horses shall swim in blood not of the Martyrs but of their owne Lords and Riders Also I do not disaprove that some suppose it to be an Allusion unto Conquerours who after the fight and great slaughter of their adversaries usually go forth to behold the carcasses of the slain and because the fields do flow with blood they go not a foot but ride on horses Now if the blood shall ascend even to the bridles of the horses certainly hereby is signified the slaughter of infinite adversaries Isâ— 66.24 and a most horrible effusion of blood by a like figurative Speech Isaiah describeth the destruction of the wicked and the victory of the Saints They shall go forth and looke upon the Carcasses of men that have transgressed against me for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire bee quenched and they shall be an horror to all flesh The PREFACE of the Fift VISION Touching the seven Vialls contained in Chap. XV. XVI IOhn points at a new Vision in saying And I saw another great signe for so he began the fourth Vision Chap. 12. This Vision therefore is the Fift more short indeed for it is comperhended ended in Chapters 15 16. But not much plainer then the former therefore it is called a Marveilous Signe He saw seven Angells going forth out of the heavenly Temple with seven Vialls full of Gods wrath pouring out the seven last plagues upon the worshippers throne of the beast on divers elements whence there follow dreadfull events Now it manifestly appeareth that grievous punishments are hereby denounced to the Kingdome and followers of Antichrist But it is very obscure to define what manner of plagues and what the effects are whether they are properly or tropically to be understood and to what times they belong Lyra applyes all these things Metaphorically unto the Acts of the Romane Popes Hadrian Leo Hildebrand c. against the Emperours Constantine the Image Breaker and Henry IV. and others untill the Holy Warre raised by Peter the Hermite that is from the yeere 742. untill the yeer 1094 But his grounds are insufficient for if so then these plagues should have been ended long agoe whereas they are called the last filling up the wrath of God Ribera applying it litterally to the foure yeers of Antichrist supposeth that there shall be reall plagues like the Egyptian unto which there is here a plain allusion But it will manifestly appeare in its place that the litterall sense cannot generally stand Yea even hence it appeares that the Kingdome of Antichrist is absurdly straitned to the time of foure yeers because the History of the seven plagues requires a far greater time We will collect from such things as are plaine the darke and obscurer matters Two things seem to be cleer First that the beginning of these plagues belong to the time when the beast was allready ascended out of the sea and earth and when the whole world worshipped his image Yea when the beast began to be overcome by some that is after Popery had stood a long while in its flourishing estate and began now again somewhat to decline This appears by the first and fift Viall poured out upon the worshippers throne of the beast Chap. 16. ver 2.10 as also by the song for the victory over the beast Chap. 16.2 The Second is that the plagues shall end in the fall of Babylon when the Islands shall flee away and the mountaines shall not be found that is in the end of the world which appears by the seventh Vial see also Chap. 20.11 The fift vision is not universall By which first it is manifest that this Vision is not universall neither doth it contain the whole History of the Church as did the three foregoing but is particular and restrained to Antichrists Kingdom Therefore it doth not consist of the four Acts which we shewed were in the former but onely of the two latter so that the seven Vials answer not to the seven Seales and Trumpets as some have thought because of their likenesse in some effects for the beginning of the Seales and Trumpets extended it selfe even to the times of the Apostles and first birth so to say of the Christian Church as before appeared whereas the pouring out of the Vials only shadowes out the last plagues of the Kingdom of the beast Secondly It belongs to the last times It is manifest that this Vision belongs to the last times and shall be finished indeed at the end of the world but takes its beginning about the time that the measuring of the Temple treated of in Chap. 11. was already begun that is about the time of the Churches Reformation in Doctrine and maners whereby the throne of the beast was grievously shaken and the Popes Kingdom much weakned by Luther and other evangellicall Preachers Thirdly It plainly appears that the seven Vials of these angels answer to what was published by the three or more clearly by the two latter Angels for the preaching of the first took no great effect of which before in Chap. 14. verse 8 9 10 11. Teaching us that the thundrings of those crying Heraulds Babylon is fallen is fallen And If any one worship the beast he shull drinke of the wine of the fury of Gods Wrath c. shall not passe away without effect but be very terrible and mortall to Antichristians what ever they attempt to the contrary by fire and sword because from that time forward they shall receive one plague upon another untill they be utterly destroyed For as the Gospell is the savour of life unto life 2. Cor. 2.16 to them that are saved so a savour of death unto death to them that perish The scope therfore and use of this Prophesie is Doctrinall and Consolatory
councels by whose authority chiefly after the sixt age the Monarchicall power of the Romish chaire was established thus it should be the same Therefore Brightman doth not unfitly as it seemes determine that this sea is the Councell of Trent into which from the yeer 1545. unto 1563. under five Popes viz. Paulus 3. Julius 3 Marcellus 2. Paulus 4. and Pius 4. the Rivers and Fountaines out of all parts of the Antichristian world did unburthen themselves as it were into a Sea that is thither were gathered 9. Cardinalls 3. Patriarchs 33. Archbishops 233. Bishops 7. Abbats 8. Generalls 4. Counsellours at Law 149. Divines 11. Vicars of Bishops in all 467. together with an infinite number of servants Pages and Scullions out of every Nation Tribe and tongue For the Angells going forward to pour out Gods Vialls that former grievous ulcer compelled the Antichristians to flow to the Latine Sea to get remedy for their disease But what was done The waters of the sea became as the blood of a dead man that is corrupted and mortall hence every soule living in the sea dyed for the Decrees of Trent were bloody that is written and so indeed generally they were with the blood of hereticks But being false and destructive by their filthy and deadly savour they killed the soules of all living creatures swimming or seeking for life in this sea CHAP XVI The pouring out of the Third Viall on the Rivers and Fountaines of Waters 4 And the third Angell poured out his Viall upon the Rivers and Fountaines of waters and they became blood 5 And I heard the Angell of the waters say Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast judged thus 6 For they have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them blood to drinke for they are worthy 7 And I heard another out of the Altar say Even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy judgements THE COMMENTARY 4. ANd the third Angell poured out This Angell poures out the wrath of God on the Rivers and Fountaines of Waters which became blood Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the old version renders and blood was made but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to bee referred to the Rivers and Fountaines of Waters They to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Waters became blood The sense of this effect the Angel will declare verse 6. Thou gavest them blood to drinke for thou didst shed their blood because they shed the blood of thy servants The turning therefore of the waters into blood denotes a bloodie vengeance on bloodthirsty adversaries Hence it appeareth that this plague is divers from the former although in both there be an allusion unto the first Egyptian plague Now we are to see who these wicked are here signified by the Rivers and Fountaines Lyra thinkes Charles the Great to be this Angell Lyras opinion who poured out the Viall that is the vengeance of God upon the Rivers and Fountaines of Waters that is on the Moores or Hunni who anciently inhabited neer the Poole Maeotis where there are many bublings of waters after the manner of fountaines And they became blood because Charles his army killed many of the Hunni But he erres from the scope Ribera also here urgeth the letter but absurdly For have ever the Rivers and Fountaines shed the blood of the Saints according to the Letter Rib. opinion Or hath God given blood to drinke to the Fountaines Gagnaeus therefore doth more rightly apply it metaphorically to the persecutors of the godly Gagnaeus opinion because rivers and flouds of waters do often in Scripture denote grievous persecutions Now it may bee demaunded who these Persecutours are Foxe understands it of the Romane tyrants Foxe his opinion who by Ten persecutions shed the blood of Saints in abundance to whom likewise God gave blood to drinke because scarcely one of them dyed a naturall death But neither is this to the scope for it is certaine this place intends not the punishment of the adversaries of the primitive Church but the last plagues of Antichristians Others of our Interpreters come neerer to the scope understanding the rivers and fountaines of Waters the fâ—â—se Prophets and false teachers of Antichrist Bullinger Marlorate because Peter calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fountaines or wells without water that is deceivers for as dry wells frustrate the hope of the Traveller 2. Pet. 2.17 who thinkes to find water in them and doth not so false Prophets deceive such who looke for sound doctrine and consolations from them whatsoever they promise or make shew of Notwithstanding these also shew not who are here meant nor do they sufficiently unfold the kind of the plague here signified but keep for the most part to the thesis that to Antichristians the waters become blood that is unprofitable yea deadly to drinke of for as to the godly all things yea even their sinnes do work â—â—gether for their salvation so to the ungodly the good creatures of God â—â—come a curse and are turned to their destruction This indeed is true but expresseth not the meaning of the prophesie because that which followeth Thou gavest them blood to drinke doth not cohere with this sense for God gave not blood to drinke to these rivers and fountaines that is layd not a cruell punishment on them in regard they had shed the blood of the godly Therefore such false Prophets are not here simply to be understood who onely by their false doctrine kill the soules which the Sea of Trent did by its filthy and corrupt blood killing all that tooke in the same which was the second plague But such cruell false prophets who either with their owne hands or by their bloody counsells and condemnatory sentences shed the blood of innocent Christians But who are they We must keep to the Allegory of the Sea Rivers and Fountaines The sea hath its continuall course and is nourished by the flowing waters of rivers and fountaines so likewise the fountaines and rivers have their moistnesse from the vapour of the Sea hence they are rightly called the breasts of the Sea because they both suck for themselves and give nourishment to the Sea The Sea was the gathering together of Bishops and Doctors in Councill The Rivers therefore and fountaines of Waters who are they but Bishops and Doctors not indeed belonging to the Councell yet chief Antichristian Pillars and Champions for Popery Thus also in Chap. 8.10 the Rivers and Fountaines were Bishops and Doctors of the Church viz. the successours of Pope Sylvester whom he being corrupted through the favour and liberality of Constantine drew with himselfe from Heaven into the Earth and made bitter the wholsome and sweet Doctrine of Christ by the wormewood of humane traditions as there I declared Therefore here also the Rivers and Fountaines are Bishops and Teachers but in time diverse from them Those were made bitter before Antichrists
is observeable it properly signifies gilded Now Instruments are commonly gilded thereby to deceive outwardly appearing to be gold when as inwardly they are scarse Copper It notes the hypocrisie of this whore shewing that with vaine and idle shaddows she shall deceive the world Here Ribera sends us backe unto the Ancient Romanes Conquerours of all Nations who brought the riches of the world into their City Notwithstanding he acknowledgeth that these things are also to be referred to future times Indeed be had said more rightly if to the time some while past and present for as yet the woman hath not put off her whorish habit Secondly the Instrument in her hand is a golden Cup which she presented to the Kings and Inhabitants of the earth The whorish inticemants of Antichrist are noted much like the description in Proverbs 7. for cups serve to stir up lust This golden cup are the golden titles of the Pope by which hitherto he hath perswaded the world to drinke the wine of his fornication namely that he is Pope the Father of Fathers the Pastor of Pastors the most holy father Holinesse Christs Vicar Peters Successour the head of the Church Spouse Foundation Prince of priests Apostolicall Bishop lib 2 de P R cap 13. Vniversall Ruler of the Citie and world c. from all which Bellarmine labouring to demonstrate that the Pope is an Ecclesiasticall Monarch of the whole world what doth he but hence uncover the whores nakednesse But now what was within her Full of abominations and filthinesse of her fornication Outwardly she is gold inwardly poyson he understands the filthy blasphemous doctrines and detestable Romish abominations and wickednesses with which the whore hath made drunke the Christian world The Prophets call the worshipping and trusting in Idols and creatures which God abhorreth Abomination because it is the foulest fornication drawing with it all kind of impurity and wickednesse And indeed the Romish Strumpet hath poured these deadly poisons out of her bewitching cup. Ribera doth againe send us backe to heathenish Rome who induced the nations under them to serve their Idols Euseb lib 2 histor cap 2 Tertull. in Apol ca 5 But the contrary is true for the Romanes were so far from forcing the Nations they conquered to forsake the worshipping of their own Gods and embrace theirs as that they would have all strange gods erected set up at Rome lest any of them should not be there worshipped Christ onely excepted whose worship the Senate rejected at the perswasion of Tiberius because he had not first approved of the same Popish Rome therefore it must needs be which to this day holdeth this Circean cup in her hand 5 And upon her forehead a name written The third note openly setting forth the filthinesse of the woman is her name which she carries written upon her forehead that by the very sight thereof she may allure every one shee meetes with to commit folly with her It sheweth that this publicke Strumpet is most impudent as shewing her name openly to the world MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF FORNICATION c. It is a question whither or no the word MYSTERY be spoken of the name If it be it bewrayes the profession of the whorish kingdome which chiefly is imployed about Mysteries Sacraments Ceremonies Pompes it shall be I say an ecclesiastical Monarchie having both swords Notwithstanding Andreas joynes Mysterie with the name written as it were appositively A name written Mystery that is having a mystery in it or beeing mysticall for Rome is Babylon the great not properly but mystically as before it was called Sodome Egypt Hierusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a spirituall Allegory because of likenesse in idolatry blasphemies abominable filthinesse and tyranny against the Saints Thus Anonymus 260. yeers agoe Babylon the great the city Rome or the Papall Court This woman is called a Mother in imitation of the former but very unlike in respect of issue for the first was mother of the man-child caught up unto God or of blessed Confessours and Martyrs This is the mother of fornication and abomination of the earth for all the abominations that have reigned these thousand yeeres in the Christian world have by this mother beene sowed and brought forth and propagated And therefore Rome doth to this day glory in the name of Mother of Churches neither is it to be admired that her daughters as heires of their mothers abominations and fornications should be followers of her steps But as for the reformed Churches in Germany France Brittane Poland and Hungary who in these latter ages worship God and Christ the onely Saviour without Idols they are so farre from acknowledging this whore for their mother as that they detest her abominations with all their hearts and flee from them 6 And I saw the woman drunken We have seen the habit and forehead of the woman Now he shewes us her belly also swollen not with wine but with blood which againe is very monstrous for as it was unnaturall for a woman to ride on the backe of a cruell beast so it is no lesse horrid to consider the cruell mind of this woman her belly full of blood by which nothing undoubtedly is signified but her unsatiable cruelty and bloodthirstinesse Of this drunkenesse thus my Anonymus because saith he Antichrists Church being finally condemned for her wasting and abusing the goods of the Church shall suffer so great vengeance as through paine she shall be past feeling like a drunken man Therfore he thinkes that she is said to be drunke because of her astonishment beeing like a drunken man without sense or feeling of her punishment But because she is expresly said to be drunken with blood it is certainely to bee understood of her cruelty against the Saints and Professours of the Gospell Which Anonymus adding in the following words Of the blood saith he of them who feare not to professe the doctrine of the Gospell in spite of the whole Colledge of Antichrist Therefore she is said to be drunke that is full of blood The belly of the woman filled with blood by a metaphor usuall to the scriptures taken from men drunken and enraged with strong wine But with whose blood Of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus Against whom the Beast made war Chap. 13. and whom he slew Chap. 11. Ribera acknowledgeth that this agrees to no City so well as to Rome yet hee labours againe to send us to Nero Domitian Diocletian and other Persecutors of Christians but absurdly for how should the Emperours be the woman Or how should this woman drunken with blood whose judgement is next joyned with the judgement of the Beast and shall be accomplished at the end of the world be Ancient Rome which hath not for thirteen hundred yeeres shed any blood of the Saints but hath ceased to be What Mystery also should be applyed to old Rome certainely this mysticall name is as absurdly written by the
silence their blasphemous mouthes by confessing that the Lord in punishing of them is not tyrannicall in the least but a most righteous Iudge For it is just to give every one his own but in order of justice punishment for wickednesse is due to the ungodly When therefore God punisheth them his judgements are righteous And true that is certainely to be accomplished for though God doth a long while delay the punishments threatned against the wicked yet at length he truly executes the same So Psal 9 v. 9. Jehovah judgeth the world in righteousnesse he ministers judgement to the people in uprightnesse For he hath judged the great whore Specially they celebrate two examples of Gods righteousnesse as it were the neerest matter of their joy the condemnation of the great whore and the vindicating of the servants of God Both being manifestly worthy to be celebrated For that Great whore hath corrupted the earth by her fornication Now what is more agreeable to justice then that such a pest which hath defiled the inhabitants of the earth with her most filthy whoredome should be adjudged unto eternall damnation Moreover with her hand that is tyranically with fire and sword she hath oppressed killed the servants of God Now it is a righteous thing to avenge the innocent blood and such as are uniustly oppressed But God hath avenged the blood of his servants on the whore by rendring unto her such like punishments as she had before exercised For the destruction of the adversaries is the vindicating of the Saints Furthermore who this great whore is what her whoredoms what earth and how she hath corrupted the same need not on this place to be repeated Let us learne to acknowledge and celebrate Gods righteous judgements in destroying the adversaries And continuallie labour to walk with fear and trembling intreating the Lord that the like judgements fal not upon us 3. And again they said They conclude the thankesgiving by repeating the exhortation of Halleluiah to testifie the greatnesse of their joy They adde further And her smoake AND hath here an adversative sense as if he had said Yee praise God But the whore shall burne for ever and Ever Ribera interpreteth the smoake more coldly of the remembrance of the burning which saith he is alwaies to remaine and shall never be forgotten But they amplifie Gods judgement on the whore because the smoake of her burning and torment shall have no end but remaine for ever from Chap. 14. v. 11. And the smoak of their torment shall ascend up for ever and Ever signifying the everlasting torments that attend Antichrist and his followers in hell fire If perhaps the miserable Romanists by feare thereof might bee deterred from their Idolatrie Rose up for ever The present flame of her burning which they shall see with their eyes yeelds matter of joy Now the smoake ascendeth up Therefore Babylons condition is altogether deplorable 4 And the foure and twentie Elders The former Chore desisting another comes in singing that so God might be praised with a most sacred Symphonie of all the heavenly dwellers This was the company of Elders and Beasts often before mentioned Chap. 4.14 and Chap. 5.8 and Chap. 7. 11. and 11. 16. Here they serve as it were for a heavenly senate reverend in gravitie and majesty unto the former promiscuous multitude of the heavenly inhabitants whose joy and celebration of Gods judgements they approue of by their most grave acclamation closing up and as it were sealing the same in two words Amen Halleluiah as if they should say It is so as ye have before sung salvation and glory is truely due to our God His judgements are truely righteous Iust indeed is the condemnation of the whore and the vindicating of the innocent blood of the saints for Amen with the Hebrews is a particle confirming the truth and signifies Truely certainly God therefore is to be truely celebrated with praises Now who these Elders and Beasts are hath been largely declared on Chap. 4. and Chap. 5. The Elders represented the Company or Chore of Patriarchs and Prophets The Beasts the Apostles although as hath bin before shewed these may also be understood of the stationary Angels before the throne of God Whoever they bee certaine it is they are a more honourable company of the Church triumphant what the adoration of the heavenly inhabitants is For the Elders weare golden crownes on their heads and are clothed in white raiment holding harpes and golden vials in their hands c. And they sit upon foure and twenty thrones being as it were honorable administrators of the judgements and counsels of God But for reverence sake in this solemne assemblie they fall downe from their thrones on their faces before the feete of the divine Majesty casting off undoubtedly their crowns also as before Chap. 4.10 and religiously worship and adore God togither with the Beasts This adoration was an admiration of the powers of God a celebration of his judgments and workes a ready publishing of his mercies and lastly a testimony of their religious subjection In which they afford us an example of religious worship and thankesgiving For if the Saintes in heaven who are come to their journeyes end praise God incessantly how much more ought wee poore traveillers to worship the Lord without intermission Neither doe they adore one another but God sitting on the throne And therefore such as direct their worship unto others shall never come to this Chore of which thing the Angell will by and by instruct us 5 And a voyce came out of the throne Both companies had finished their Halleluiah notwithstanding the song of praises was not as yet ended Therefore another Chore is invited unto a new gratulation by another voyce A new voice out of the throne not of God sitting on the throne as before Chap. 14.13 A voyce from heaven and Chap. 16.17 A voyce out of the Temple The author of this voyce is not shewed being uncertaine yet we may easily gather that it was divine because it proceeds out of the throne yet not of God sitting but of the Lambe standing on the throne because he saith Praise our God Now Christ acknowledged God to be his and ours because he is the Lamb and Mediatour as if he should say The prayses of God touching his righteous judgements are not yet ended There remaine other works and benefits farre exceeding these judgements to be celebrated What these are the following Hymne shall teach us Now whom doth he invite All ye his servants The servants of God are all that are and shall be saved both Angels men For also the good Angels are preserved by grace in their integrity hence throughout the Scripturs they are named the servants of God as being spirits most ready to execute the ministries of God But as for men they are Gods servants both such who continually serve him with praises in heaven viz the saints triumphing with Christ as also who yet
viz heaven opened and Christ Comming thence with his holy Angels under the likenesse of a Captaine and troups of horsemen as horsemen use to rush forceably through the gates of a citie being opened And behold a white horse To wit Went worth The Maiesticall description of the Captaine figureth the glorious comming of Christ from heaven to judge Antichrist and the ungodly Therefore we are not to imagine that it is meant of corporall horses or horsemen or swords or any such thing But under the allegorie of military forces that brightnes of Christs comming spoken of 2. Thes 2.8 is here represented For Generals use not to goe on foot but to be mounted on brave horses that with facilitie and swiftnesse they may be here there in the army to put forward the battle the more hotlie So Christ sits on a white-horse by which is signifyed the divine majesty power and glory of the judge For the white colour here denotes excellency Before at the opening of the first seale came forth a white horse with his rider c. The rider indeed is the same both there and here namely CHRIST but the white horse is diverse For the former signifyed the Apostolicall Church pure and white on which Christ riding obtained the first victory over Paganisme Here he comes forth on a white horse of majesty and heavenly glory to obtaine the last victorie over Antichrist And that the world might know him to be that Great Pontife of Rome he himself causeth his God as often as he takes on a journey to be carried on a white horse with a silver bel and to be sent a day before him with his servants and scullions Was called faithfull and true The General for our consolation is set foorth by diverse titles illustrating his divine Majestie and power Other Generals indeed use to goe forth with great warlike furniture but are ignorant of the event For it is not in their hands to dispose of the doubtfull successe of battles but instead of conquering they are often overcome or slain But the titles of this Generall do al tend to certifie us that he shall undoubtedly and certainely obtaine the victorie bee the power of the adverse partie never so great Faithfull In authorising and maintaining his forces TRVE in rendring wages and rewards to such as have fought stoutly This sentence is enough for the allegorie For faithfullnes in preserving and trueth in rewarding souldiours doth much commend a General And in righteousnesse he doth judge and make warre This Captaine comes not onely as a warriour but also as a judg both offices he administreth in righteousnesse that is righteously He will execute Judgement righteously because to the upright he will render the promised reward of life and glory to the wicked the wages of death eternal according to the declaration of the Gospel Rom. 2. v. 6.16 And â—â—o he shal fight the battle altogether in military equity No man shal be injuriously spoiled or hurt by his forces which otherwise is customarie in warre The adversaries onely shall suffer by this conflict beeing either slain or taken Which againe is no obscure argument to proove that here is intended that righteous judgement spoken of Rom. 2.5 12. And his eyes as a flame of fire Like to the eies of the Sonne of man walking in the mids of the Candlesticks Chap. 1.14 Flame gives light Fire burneth It signifies mightie quicknesse in sight and fervencie of this General The which vigilancie of Christ for his Church was before also set forth But here it denotes his quicknes in perceiving al things For he shal Iudg even the secrets of the heart It signifyes also the providence and valour of this warriour who not onely lookes to the necessities of his armie but knows also the hidden plots and counsels of the adversaries bringing the same to nothing like as fire consumes the stubble And on his head were many crownes Our General weares a royall diadem on his head The Beast also had ten crownes on his heades or three upon one But Our Captaine hath many more And therefore is not lesse in Dignity but in Power farre exceeds Antichrist his pretended Vicar A name written that no man knew This name Iohn himself doth by and by expresse The word of God The King of kings And Lord of lords This is the name of the Sonne of God Ephes 1.21 Philip. 2.10 The which name the Father hath giuen him farre above every name That in the name of Iesus every knee should bow of things in heaven In earth and under the earth But how is it that none knowes it but himself seeing Iohn wrote and revealed the same unto us I answer he saith truely No man knowes it because no man knowes the Sonne but the Father and to whom the Sonne will reveale him Now this name he revealed to Iohn How no man knows the name of this General and by him to us Therfore all are excluded from the knowledge therof except it be by Revelation and faith We know him because he hath revealed himself unto us and because we haue beleeved on the Sonne of God The wicked know him not Either because it is not revealed unto them Or because being revealed they beleeve not the same Before to him that overcame was promised a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth Chap. 2.17 saving he that receiveth it This is the name of the children of God which none know but such as apprehend their adoption in Christ like as no man knoweth the sweetnesse of hony but he that tasteth it Therefore the Papists are prophane and wicked in requiring us to proove our adoption by arguments and because they apprehend not the same in themselves therefore they make a mock of it tormenting themselues and others with doubting and despare of salvation 13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipt in blood His bloody vesture sheweth that he was to returne victoriously from the slaughter of his adversaries For he is sprinkled with blood as if he had already fought the battle to signify the certainty of the victory The reason will more clearly appeare in v. 15. Now that which some doe here bring in touching Christs body appearing bloody and his wounds yet remaining is not to the purpose in hand And his name is called The Word of God This name Iohn in his Gospel and Epistles gives to the Son of God Whereby we know that this Captaine is Christ the Sonne of God As also it gives us a mark to note of the writer of the book For it is the peculiar Phrase of the Apostle and Evangelist Iohn to cal the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word of God either in respect of his person Because he is the wisdome of his Father Ioh. 1.18 Or of his office because he is the spokesman of the Father through whom he revealeth unto us his wisedome and counsell 14. And
the comforter 49. The Moon red with blood what it signifies 128. It is the Church ibid. The Moon receives its light from the Sun ibid. The Moon under the feet of the woman 259 The Morning Star 52. 53. Moses his twofold song 368. The Mother of fornications who 41◠Mountains removed 130. They denote Emperors and Christian kings ibid. The Mountain cast into the sea what it noteth 160. MYRIAS what 189. Mysteries of the faith whither four 92. The Mystery of the Angel with the Golden Censer expounded 154. Mysticall famine proclaimed 114. N. NAturall misery of all men 78. The Name of God written on the faithfull 73. The Name of the City of God ibid. The Name of Christ ibid. The Name of God the Father Son and holy Ghost is seldom absolutely expressed in the Revelation 8. The Names of the Elect written in the book of life shall never be blotted out 61. The new Name no man knoweth but he that hath it 46. The Name of the Generall how known unto no man 490. why he hath his name written on his thigh 492. The Names of the Apostles why written on the foundations of the city 561. The Nations that were saved how they are both the city and the citizens 569. The nations possessing the inward court 215. New heaven and the new earth whither taken allegorically or properly 549. 550. The New Jerusalem how it descends from heaven 551. It s originall ibid. Etymologie 560. walles and gates 561. foundations ibid. foursquare figure 562. quantity ibid. it glitters with gold 563. the matter of the gates 566. court ibid. temple 567. light 568. citizens 569. her peace and tranquility 570. glory 571. pleasantnesse 574. puritie and majesty 576. her governour ibid. her felicity 577. The New opinion of some learned brethren touching the thousand yeers examined 510. 511. Nice taken by the Turks 192. Nicolaitans their doctrine 36. 44. What their heresie was according to Antichrists opinion 45. The Nicolaitans openly tolerated in the Church of Pergamus ibid. Number of the Beast what it is 315. The Numeral letters denoting Antichrist whither Greek or Hebrew letters 317. O. OAthes how lawfull 203. Occasion of rejoyceing over Babylons destruction 475. Old and new Romes cruelty against the Godly 471. 472. The Old and new Gogish warre 536. One and the same thing why oftentimes represented under diverse types 109. Open books denote judicial proces 544. Opinion of the Fathers about the said books ibid. Opening of the book what it signifies 98. Opening of the seales 106. Open door what it signifies 65. Christ Opening no man can shut 64. The Open door in heaven what it is 86. OPinions of the Fathers without scripture prove nothing 223. Opinion of the authour touching the book that was closed or shut 96. 97. Opinions about the star fallen from heaven 168. 169. Opinions about the sea-beast 282. 283. Opinions about the book written within without 95. 96. Opinions about the womans flight 275. Opinions touching the trumpet of the sixt Angel 185. Oppression of the Church under Antichrist 106. It came not all at once but by degrees 225. Oracles of the Revelation why for the most part taken out of the old testament 596. Apollos oracle to Augustus 503. Oracles of the Devill wholy ceased at Christs suffering on the Crosse 502. 503. Order of existence betwixt the Father and the Son 7. Order of the tribes not observed 143. Ottoman the Turks first Emperor 186. The Out-spread firmament how created 130. Out of every tribe of Israel how to be understood 142. 143. P. PAngs of the Church in travell 259. The Pale horse diversly interpreted 116 It denoteth the Church being sick even to death toward Antichrists rising 117. The Papacy a filthy sinck of all manner of lies 361. Papacy established in the West and Mahumetisme in the East 124. 125. How Christ the Son of righteousnesse is darkned in the Papacy 127. The Papacy acknowledgeth not Christ for the onely Mediatour 128. The Papacy must be left separated from 484 Papists by their Idolatry draw the armies of the Turks upon Christendome 194. the Papists fable of the two witnesses 221. refuted 222. their opinion of the 2660 dayes refuted 224. the true and safest opinion 225. the Papists crucifie Christ 320. their glosse refuted 356. Papists glory in their multitude objecting to us the paucity of Orthodox Christians 58. Parabolicall declaration of the harvest 361 Parallel of the third and fourth Act 145. Pastors duty 56. They are spirituall Physicians ibid. Patmos where 18. 19. Paul hath set forth Antichrist in his colours 288. The feined Epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans is Apocrypha 74. Peace what it is 7. The Pleasantnes of the caelestial city 574. The Pelagian Heresie 82. 83. Pergamus a city of Troas 22. A Periphrasis of Hell 495. Persecution The first persecution of Christians under Tiberius Nero 5. 19. the second under Domitian ibid. the nine persecutions under the Romane tyrants 110. A new persecution 272. by the ambition and riot of Bishops 273. A new civill persecution by Emperours 273. 274. Antichristian persecution how long it dured 358. Perseverance commended unto us by a consolatory argument 61. Perseverance under the Crosse is to overcome 72. The Pharises being hypocrites were worse then if they had been blinde 70. Philadelphia a city of Mysia 22. 64. Phocas gave the key of the bottomlesse pit unto the Pope of Rome 171. A Piece of Ordnance of incredible bignesse 190. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what kinde of garment it was 24. Polycarpus Iohns disciple 38. The Pope is Antichrist 63. 320. 346. He lifts up himself above Christ 63. Arrogates the title of Vniversall contrary to their own Canons ibid. He impudently assumes to himself what is proper to Christ 64. He deceitfully selleth pardons and heaven for money 78. How he causeth fire to come down from heaven 310. Why he is not expresly named by the holy Ghost 321. He causeth his God to be carried on a white horse 489. The Popes pride 63. He is author of most cruell warres among Christians 129. He not content with his spirituall lightnings draws the temporall sword also against Kings and Emperors 128. His cruelty against the Martyrs 129. He vaunts himself to be Christs Vicar and Monarch of the Church on earth and will be worshipped as God 174. The Pope long since called Antichrist 318. 319. He is the Babylonish Strumpet 320. How he came to be the Eight King 428. He assumed the Augustall title of Pontifex Maximus Which of old was the title of heathenish Emperors 428. 429. He condemneth all for hereticks who oppose his tyrannie and Idolatry 129. Why he would never be present at the Eastern Councils but by Legates 289. His Latine Church 317. Pope Silvester 163. Pope Zachary deposeth Childerick King of France 130. He condemnes married Bishops and Priests as Nicolaitans 45. Popish heathenisme 215. Popish excommunication is that evil ulcer 379. Diverse opinions about the same ibid.
understood 226. Their contemptible habit 227. Their dignity ibid. Their power to turn water into blood 230. Topaze a precious Gemme 565. Torments of Hell 353. To Tread under foot signifies to destroy and wast in hostile manner 215. The Tree of life 37. It is in the middest of the street 575. and on either side ibid. It is one onely viz. Christ ibid. What fruit it alwayes beareth ibid. Trees denote the Apostles and chief teachers 158. The Tribes of Israel not reckoned according to their naturall order 143. The Tribe of Dan why lest out 144. Turkes cruelty 188. Their horses are excellent 189. With what forces the Turks Emperors commonly do ride a hunting ibid. Their successe in Graecia Thracia Hungary 191. The Vetians gave them a great overthrow 190. They notwithstanding took Cyprus from the Venetians ibid. The Two witnesses whither the two Testaments 223. They are indefinitely taken 224. How they shall smite the earth 230. They lived not again Pythagorically 242. Vnder the two witnesses and olive trees are comprehended Godly Princes 228. Two Eagles wings given to the woman 274. The Twofold garments of the Saints 60. Two rancks of such as shal be judged 249 Tyrants can do no more then what is permitted them 111. Why God suffers them ibid. V. VBiquitie of Christs flesh refuted 15.23 It is a burden not imposed by Christ 52. Vials by a double trope are the prayers of the Saints 102. Vials in the Greeke whence derived 372. Victorie of the Saints fourfold 366. The Virginitie spoken of in Chap. 14. is not to be understood of carnall virginitie 334. Visions are threefold 19. Visions why so often iterated 364. Volumina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were bookes written within and without 97. Voyces and thunders what they note 156. Voyces of great rejoycing 247. The Voyce of Christ the revealer of the Revelation 86. Voyce of the Herauld touching the opening of the book 98. Vrbs and Civitas how they differ 560. Vse of examples in punishments 50. Vse of the rejoycing over Babylons ruine in the Thesis and in the Hypothesis 475. The Vse of the Saints sealing 142. W. WAlles called moenia a muniendo 561. The Walles of Romish Babylon 392. VValking in the middest of the Candlesticks what 31. The Warre of Michael with the Dragon 266. The Waters east out after the woman by the Dragon are Heresies 278. Waters signifie peoples 130. Waters of Euphrates 392. The most deep Waters of the Romish Babylon 393. The Way to amend errours of Doctrine and corruption of manners 57. What things the Church may appoint 20. Which is which was and which is to come expounded 8. VVhite raiment of fine linnen belonging to whom 58. What White robes Iohn intendeth 79. How we are made White in the blood of the Lamb 148. VVhitenesse what it noteth 79. Whitenesse of the horse what it noteth 489. the VVhite horse whence it came forth 107. 108. It figureth out the first face and purity of the Primitive Church ibid. It hath Christ for his rider ibid. It was made black in the first 200. yeers 112. The White stone what it is 45. 46. Whither the Church built upon the Rock can be removed out of its place 35. Whither the Church may suffer for the sinne of her Governour ibid. VVho are blessed after death 355. Whoredome punished with filthy diseases 49. Whoredomes and luxuriousnesse of Popes 411. The Whore how she sitteth upon waters the beast and upon peoples 438. The VVhore hated forsaken made naked and burnt 439. VVho they were that lived and reigned with Christ 514. VVhy the 1260. yeeres are not reckoned from Constantines time 277. VVicked men abuse the long suffering and benignitie of God unto carnall securitie 49. VVindes withheld from blowing what it denoteth 139. The VVildernesse signifies Popish desolation 275. VVings of the 4. beasts why full of eyes 93. VVings of the locusts 183. VVine and oyl what they signifie 115. The VVine of fornication 407. The VVoman clothed with the sun 256. A difficult question about it ibid. The Woman is a tipe of the Church in its beginning ibid. an Historicall comparing of this type with Marie and Christ 256. 257. The VVoman sitting on the beast is Rome 409. This woman sitteth upon waters upon the beast and upon the mountaines 420. The VVomen of Susia beastlie strumpets 407. VVonderful copulation of the woman and the beast 420. VVonders litterallie to be understood 125 and allegorically ibid. The diverse kinds of wonders as particular universal Ominous c. 126. VVonders in the aire and in the earth 399. In the Sea and on men 401. The VVord of patience is the Doctrine of the Gospell 69. VVormwood not naturally but theologically taken 163. The VVorship of the Heavenly inhabitants what it is 478. VVorship due to God belongs not to Angels 486. VVorshippers in the temple who they are 213. A VVorthy observation of the Authour 276. All our VVorthinesse is from God 59. Y. YEares with a numerall Epithete are never indefinitely taken 507. Z. ZEale Or to be Zealous what it is 79. The end of the Table ERRATA PAge 17. Line 3. blot out Onely p. 21. l. 45. for perished read was reckoned among p. 44. l. 23. for comparitively read comparatively p 49. l. 38 for consequence read consequent p. 56. l. 28. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 59. l. 7. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 67. l. 32. for which sheweth read He addeth p. 62. l. 14. for more of this in its place read this conjecture we leave p. 80. l. 4. for philantropie read philanthropie p. 87. l. 13. for manificent read Magnificent Page 115. lines 20.21 Read He is bidden not to hurt the wine and the oyl That is not to overthrow certain fundamentall heads of the faith in which is founded the faith hope and consolation of the Church touching the person and office of Christ makeing the sence thus Howsoever Hereticks shall involve all things with their darknesse and shall also draw the Orthodox teachers either by force or deceit on their side yet they shall not be able to hurt the wine and oyl of the Catholick Faith but there shall be some to maintain the same that the whole be not obscured with Hereticall blacknesse And such c. p. 122. l. 8. for His read Antichrist p. 131. l. 31. After the words Diocletian persecution adde but as throughout in the Scriptures of the day of judgement p. 285. l. 20. for war read And the holy war p. 186. l. 40. for Cypresse read Cyprus p. 189. l. 21. for Vailachia read Walachia p. 145. l. 5. for behold read beheld p. 194. l. 17. for Mutters read Muttering p. 323. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and adde in the line following under the Gr. 1. the figure 5 which will make just 665. p. 324. l. 10. IS is left out p. 360. l. 14. for judicary read judicatory p. 363. l. 9. for apparations read apparitions p. 476. in the margent for Second vision read Sixt vision p. 490. l. 39. for despare read despaire p. 492. l. 48. for worship read worshipped Number of Folioes mistaken 17. for 19. 64. f. 62. 66. f. 68. 188. f. 196. 185. f. 285. 378. f. 379. After Page 408. 4 leaves and an half are amisse quoted Pages twice quoted 360. 361. 362. 363. These and other like defaults through the mistake of the Printer the Courteous Reader is intreated to correct FINIS