dead childe and reserue nothing for the other Si melioricuncta dare nolueris diuide saltem ex aequo If thou wilt not giue all to the best and eldest at least diuide it equally between them Thy two children are thy two liues the one temporall the other eternall the eldest is life eternall it was ordained for vs before the foundations of the world were laid this childe is liuely neither subiect to death nor any kinde of disease the yonger childe is life temporall a languishing life deadly diseased is this childe and will not liue Shall wee therefore be so foolish as to care for that which cannot be conserued and neglect the other which endureth for euer and is able if it be ours to conserue vs also in a most happie and immortall fellowship with our God in Christ for euer and euer The Lord make vs wise in time to consider this that we may make choise of the best AMEN FINIS A Table of the principall points of Doctrine handled in this Treatise A ABsolute Authority due to God p. 281 Adam knew the creature by the Creator Now his sonnes are sent to the creature to learne the Creator 88 Eternity is God his proper praise and of the comfort by it cōming to the Church 106 Affliction makes a Christian stronger 302 Altars honoured with reliques of Martyrs 238. Altar vnder which soules rest what it is 239 Amen what it signifies and how vsed in the Primitiue Church Angels described 109. Why they are said to compasse the Throne 103. Their properties 105. their nature and number 104. 105. Why represented by Men Lyons Bullockes and Eagles 107. Their three-fold Eyes 105. Their sixe wings what they are 111. 112. Their function 112. Angels and men were at variance but now they sing one song 151. Angels stand and neuer fell Man fel and is raised vp to stand 180. How they praise God for Redemption 179. What benefit they haue by it Ibid. Their Order 181. Their Place 182. Their Song 183. They are our Patterns 249. Foure Angels at the foure corners of the earth what they signifie 271 Antichrist defended by Papists by such arguments as wherewith the Iewes impugned Christ. 10. He is not to come from Dan. 290. His name hated by Papists but himselfe honored 9. Then shall Iesuites get another Antichrist then the Pope when Iewes get another Christ then Iesus 290 Arrowes of iudgement and mercy 206. 207 Aire a necessary Element for all liuing creatures 273. Angustine his memory how it failed him in a Sermon 203 Atheists answered who cry for one from the dead 4. Their mouthes stopped 104. B BAnquet in heauen 334 Beasts foure signifie not Preachers nor yet the foure Euangelists 193. Two Beasts by which Satan ◅ights against the Church 50. Why the first Beast is described with seuen heads sith two of them onely persecuted the Church 51 Deuouring Beasts a plague and examples thereof 234. 235. The foure Beasts cannot be the foure Euangelists 103. 104. But are Types of principall Angels 103 Bloud of Christ medicinall ◅20 All bloud pollu◅ but the bloud of Iesus cleanseth 321. It hath a three-fold vertue 323 Bodie a burden depressing the soule 76 Booke two waies taken in holy Scripture 126. The opening thereof a ioy to Christians a griefe to Antichristians 136 Booke written within and without what it meanes 128 How God is said to haue a Booke 124. Strange opinions concerning it 125. What it is 126. Two scandals laid on the Booke of the Reuelation 6. Vse Author and time of it 2. 3. 4. 5 Booke of the Reuelation authentike 5. Obscurity thereof 6. A proper methode thereof taken out of it selfe 35. 36. 38 Bread of life 222 Brother-hood Christian. 248 C CAndlestick of gold what it sigureth 148 Catalogue of Writers on the Reuelation 13 Christ his name loued by the Iewes but himselfe hated 10 his Office◅ 133. From him commeth all comfort none from the creature 137. Why a Lyon and a Lamb. 138. 139. His description 137. Hee is the root of Iesse Iesse the roote of Christ. 139. He was made man of the seed of man once sinfull 140. Hee i◅ on the Throne with the Father 143. Christ was really slaine 194. yet liued againe Ibid. Hee hath seuen Eyes 146. Why he appeared with scarres of his wounds 145. No impotencie but power shewed therein Ibid. His Eyes of Prouidence and Eyes of Grace 147. His Diuinity 146. Hee receiued full grace that he might giue it 147. Hee is the great Doctor 149. Christ Angels and Saints redeemed are all in one fellowship 282. How he is an Angell 274 Christ keepes his Fathers priuy Seale 276. How hee commeth from the East 269. His feruent loue 281. Hee repaires euery losse that Satan hath inflicted by sinne 260. Hee is the Sacrifice the Sacrificer and the Altar 239 Christ many waies figured 205. A good Archer and what are his Bow and Arrowes 206. Two waies crowned 208 Christians by information not inspiration 142. None should ride on a Christian but Christ. 201. Hee should make sure his owne saluation 249 Christians are Lambes but Christ is a Lambe in another sense 320. They are Kings and Priests and should not serue sinne 174. 175 Church cannot be consumed by the Crosse. 215. nor hurt by her enemies Ibid. It is not bound to one place 296. 297. Churches professing Christianity in the world 298. The Church is a circle 92. Compared to the Moone 94. Prosperity thereof deare to true Christians 135. The true Church worships no creatures 119. Church on earth conserued from heauen 184 Come and see 192 Comforts and crosses intermixt 212 Corrections 229 Conscience corrupted dare not runne to God 265. 266 Condition of good and euill men contrary in this life and after it 270 Con◅ntine the Great made too great 274 Court of heauen encreaseth daily 313. The comely order of it 89. 314 Conuersion 1 Contrition 160 Concord by Christ made among creatures of most contrary kinds 152 Consolation 2. It followes mourning 137 Confirmation 2 Couenant temporall and common 86 Creatures declare that God is but define not what he is 87. They teach more then man can learne 88. What a voice the insensible creature hath 185. All creatures concurre to punish the wicked 256 Creation is a short Prouidence 120. Creation is common not so the comfort of Creation Ibid. How it bindes vs to serue God 121 Crosse a way to the Crowne 306 Crying sinnes 242 D DAN why omitted 291. 292 Day of Iudgement 247. 248. 264. Scorned by the wicked 266. Delayed vntill Saints be perfected 269. Terrible to the wicked 266 Death figured by an Horseman and why 228. His Page Ibid. 231. It is double Ibid. Comfort against it 236. It is compared to Nebuchadnezzars◅e ◅e ◅40 It ends our misery 331 Doctrine of Christ and Antichrist two Mysteries 10 Doctors of the reformed Church agree all in the matter differ onely in the Methode of the Reuelation 11 Dwelling of God
the last breath of the Spirit wherewith he inspired the Writers of holy Scripture No Scripture is to be expected after this It is the last Loue-token of our Lord and louing Husband after which he will write no more vnto vs but will come himselfe he hath sent it to vs with the Disciple whom he loued best and who was the last and longest liuer of all the Disciples Kinde children remember best the words spoken by their fathers on their death-bed and if it were possible that after death they could receiue any information from them O in what estimation would they haue it All the words of our Lord should be laid vp in our hearts but specially these which hee vttered in the time of his death and Passion and most of all these by which now after his Resurrection Ascension he speaketh vnto vs. There are many now a daies companions to the rich Glutton and his brethren they will not beleeue Moses and the Prophets but if one came from the dead then would they amend their liues This is a Prouerbe frequent in their mouthes but now this excuse also is taken from them Our Lord Iesus is risen from the dead and after his resurrection witnesses vnto vs what fearefull wrath is reserued for the wicked what vnspeakable ioy prepared for the godly if for all this they will not beleeue nor amend their liues are they not worthy of the greater condemnation In the eighteenth yeere of the Emperour Tyberius our Lord suffered for our sinnes hee rose againe from the dead ascended on high and led captiuity captiue About the foureteenth yeere of Domitian gaue he this Reuelation to S. Iohn in the I le Pathmos so witnesses Irenaeus Non multunâ—… ante temporis Apocalypsin vidit Ioannes sed poene sub nostro saeculo ad finem Domitiani imperii It is not long said he since S. Iohn saw this Reuelation but almost in our owne daies about the end of the Domitian Empire fiftie daies after his Ascension he sent downe that promised Spirit the Comforter So fiftie yeares and tenne after that he sent down this comfortable Booke of Prophecie containing a generall proiect and view of all the estates of his Church vntill the worlds end Doubtlesse this hath proceeded of his louing kindnesse toward his poore Church hee fore-saw the great and manifold troubles that were to befall her he knew it was to be a long time in respect of vs betweene his Ascension and second comming that therefore his Church should not faint our Lord and Loue hath sent vs this Present and Loue-letter that we may runne vnto it as Aaron and the Church of old did to the Oracle to know what shall be the end of all these battels of Saints militant heere on earth specially of these perturbations raised this day against the Church by Mahomet in the East and Antichrist in the West We are not then to suffer our selues to be spoiled and defrauded of the comfort contained in this book by these instruments of the Serpent who either disclaime the authority of this booke or then would scarre vs from it by a pretence of the obscurity thereof for these are the two scandals which offend many and make them if not vtterly to reiect at least too lightly mis-regard this heauenly Present As for the first albeit there need no testimonie of man where Diuine Authority giues out the decree Blessed is he who reads and they who heare the words of this prophecie yet man may very well be brought in against man and what hath beene said by any against it is easily disproued by that which others more ancient and more worthy credit haue spoken for it Iustinus Martyr Reuelationem hanc Ioanni qui vnus erat Apostolorum Christi factam esse testatur Iustine Martyr who wrote about an hundred and fiftie yeares after Christ witnesses that this Reuelation was made to S. Iohn who was one of Christ his Disciples Irenaeus ten yeares after him in the place cited before affirmeth the same With them S. Ambrose and S. Augustine do concurre Nec illud mediocre quod de throno Dei exire sluuium legimus sic enim habes dicente Ioanne Euangelista that which is written Reu. 22. of a riuer of the water of life flowing from the Throne Ambrose takes it vp plainely as written to S. Iohn the Euangelist Augustine as I haue said hath the like But this point I leaue as being sufficiently handled by the Writers of our time namely and at greatest length by Cotterius The other scandall of obscuritie is easily remoued if the exposition of the prophecie runne not before the execution thereof It was hard to the Fathers of the first ages to vnderstand this booke so cleerely as now by Gods grace his seruants may No maruaile though S. Ierome in his time said of it that the Apocalypse had tot Sacramenta quot verba as many mysteries as words for Prophecies before they be accomplished are Aenigmata that is riddles or darke and obscure sentences but when they are fulfilled Tunc liquidam habent certam expositionem then haue they a cleare and sure exposition Yet S. Augustine mitigates that difficulty alledged by S. Ierome and leaues vs some better hopes he grants this In Apocalypsi multa obscurè dicuntur vt mentem legentis exerceant that in the Reuelation many things are difficult whereby the mindes of those who reade it may be exercised yet to encourage vs hee subioyneth Pauca tamen in co sunt ex quorum manifestatione indagentur caetera cum labore that there are some things in it so plainly manifested as that they may leade vs to the vnderstanding of the rest if we take paines to learne them Victorinus Primasius and others who wrote aboue a thousand yeares since vpon this book are indeed to be praised for their paines Glory be to God out of all their labours some light ariseth to this prophecie but let the Reader remember that they are not alwaies to be followed in their sense Certius est sine periculo sustinere adimpletionem prophetiae quà m diuinare It is more sure to await the accomplishment of the prophecie then to diuine of it before-hand What made Iohn the Baptist a greater Prophet then Esay or any other that went before him Nothing but the difference of times for he saw that present and perfected which Prophets before told was to be done and would bee accomplished And the same is the reason why the meanest now in the Kingdome of God is greater then the Baptist And why men now in the holy Calling are able to shew more clearely the meaning of this prophecie then others more famous and worthy Lights could haue done before But to conclude this point In the entry of this booke as I said a blessing is pronounced vpon them that
vnder the type of another Beast hauing two Hornes like the Lambe but speaking like the Dragon The plaine and particular Prophecie of Antichrist or Apostate Popes in their Kingdome opponing themselues coueredly and by a consequent for hee as a Mysticall enemy is described from the thirteenth verse of the eleuenth chapter to the end thereof hee is described from his originall from his qualities from his working power from his great successe and from his mysticall name His beginning was base but by degrees he grew to that heighth that He caused all both small and great rich and poore free and bond to receiue his marke in their right hand or in their forehead And that vnder no lesse paine then the losse of life or liberty Here the Pope is at his heighth and in the very top and ruâ—…fe of his pride But from the end of the thirteenth chapter to the end of the twentieth commeth in a Prophecie of the fall and destruction of the Pope In the thirteenth chapter the Beast looking like a Lambe with his two Hornes seemed to ouer-rule all a few excepted whose Names are written in the Lambs booke of Life there wee saw him in such grandeur that all the world followed him wondered at him and worshipped him But in the foureteenth there appeares a party against that counterfeit Lambe to wit the true Lambe of God The Lord Iesus standing on Mount Sâ—…on with his Warriours fewer by many then the followers of the two horned Beast but more worthy And this Prophecie of the Pope his destruction we haue it first in typicall or figuratiue speech to the end of the sixteenth chapter Next in more plaine and simple speeches from the end of the twentieth to the one and twentieth inclusiue for the first the true Lambe enters into battell with the counterfeit and ouercomes him Before the battell there goe first foure Proclamations made by heauenly Heraulds in the foureteenth chapter After them in the foureteenth verse hee who before appeared like a Lamb commeth out a crowned King armed with iudiciarie power against his enemies Then in the fifteenth chapter before hee proceed to iudgement Saints in most comfortable manner are secured first and Angels Messengers and Executors of Gods wrath vpon the Beast are called prepared and furnished for that worke All this preparation being made before then in the sixeteenth followes the execution the Vials of Gods wrath according to the tenour of his proclamation are powred out vpon the Beast and them that worship him There by degrees a man may see the Kingdome of Antichrist to decay as he grew by degrees The seuenth Trumpet brings with it the consummation of all and concludes the first Prophecie of Antichrist his destruction fore-told vnder typicall and figuratiue speeches The other Prophecie of his destruction is in speeches more simple plaine and more pungent then the other and this reacheth from the seuenteenth chapter to the end of the one twentieth It pleaseth the Lord Iesus to double this Prophecie because it concernes vs most in these last times that hee might leaue this comfort with his Church and assure his seruants that Babylon shall fall yea is fallen Rome the Seat and Throne of the Beast shall be ouer-turned and made desolate euen in this present life Naturall men and blinded Papists make a scorne of this when they heare it yea they thinke it impossible considering that the Whore of Babel hath so many confederates euen the mighty Kings and Monarches of the earth who haue deuoted themselues to defend and maintaine the Church of Rome Vpon these hopes the Church of Rome is confident and contemneth this Prophecie In her owne minde she sitteth as her Grand-mother in the East Old Babel did like a Queene and thinks with her selfe I shall neuer be moued But the Lord â—…re hath said the contrarie and not onely hath said it but confirmes it for a mighty Angel taketh vp a stone like a great Milstone and casteth it into the Sea saying Thus with violence shall the great Citie Babylon be throwne downe and shall bee sound no more at all When they raise that Milstone againe out of the Sea then shall I thinke it possible that they may repaire the ruines of their Babel but that can neuer be If they will consider how within these hundred yeeres the Waters of their Euphrates haue beene dryed and how the Lord hath darkened the Throne of the Beast they might learne of that which is past what they may looke for in the time to come Their Dagon is fallen before the Arke they do what they can to set him vp againe but he shall fall more and more and his last fall shall be the greatest Certaine it is that this Babel spoken of in the Reuelation is Rome which the greatest Doctors of the Romish Church are forced to acknowledge and themselues see it will be made desolate and the Pope cast out of it but this Babel is the whoorish Church of Rome which God willing shall be made plaine hereafter They glory in their new conquest of Romane Catholiques among the Indians and our Antipodes they do well in time to prouide a Temple for their Dagon and a new Palace for their Pope sith Rome cannot retaine him If Wickednesse should haue a house it is meetest she build in Shinar not in Sion Their Pope will be most honoured where he is least knowne Not in these parts where the light of the Gospell hath discoured his hypocrisie and declared him to bee a rauening Woolfe vnder Sheeps clothing Let not them therefore flatter themselues in their riches in the multitude of their friends and blind followers or in their confederate Kings and Princes Let them not vpon these motiues put the euill day farre from them For her plague shall come in one day death mourning and famine and she shall bee vtterly burnt with fire Let Papists priding themselues in the power of flesh marke what followeth Strong is the Lord who iudges her Where the Lord pursues is the strength of man able to protect or defend This is the summe of the third Prophecie which wee pray the Lord hasten to performe for the glory of his Name and comfort of his poore afflicted Church THE FOVRTH AND FIFT CHAPTERS HAVE A TWO FOLD Vision of Preparation The sixt and seuenth haue the first Vision of Prediction CHAP. IIII. LEAVING the Interpretation of the first three chapters which are plaine we begin at this fourth and in the entry lay this for a ground that in the fourth and fifth chapters there is no Vision of Prediction but onely a Vision of Preparation for the subsequent Predictions As the first Prophecie of the present estate of the Church described in the seuen Epistles had a conuenient Preparatorie Vision going before it so hath the second in like manner The Preparatorie Vision going before the first Prophecie was
seuocate their mindes from their bodies the function of the soule being suspended toward the body that she might intend all her powers toward the Lord. So did hee with Ezechiel and Daniel Yea euen in our daily Christian conuersation we find that as the fish Remora when it cleaues to the side of the ship vnder saile retardeth the course thereof so is it with the body when the soule would ascend and mount vp to the Lord the body drawes it backe and holds it downe therefore Caro animae est Remora said Nazianzen flesh is the stay and hinderance of the soule And this may be best seene in the exercise of prayer when the spirituall life is strongest then is the naturall weake If the desires of the soule be feruently intended toward God the eye sees not those obiects the eare heares not those sounds which are neere vnto them But when againe naturall necessity forces the soule to returne to a familiarity with the body then her familiarity with the Lord relents and is interrupted This lets vs see first that heauenly Mysteries transcend the capacity of man till God make vs able to conceiue them aboue any ability that is in nature if S. Iohn had not beene rauished in the spirit after a diuine manner he could not haue vnderstood these diuine things And againe we may perceiue the truth of that No man can see the Lord and liue This should make vs well content in the day of death to lay aside our bodies that we may ascend to the Lord for as S. Luke said of the death of Christ it is true of all Christians The day of our death is the day of our assumption vp into heauen And behold a Throne Before Godspake to the eare of S. Iohn now hee offers a Vision to his eye This is the Lords order and we must obserue it Wouldst thou see the Lord bee content first to heare him Auditus gradus est ad visum hearing is a step to seeing As we haue heard so haue wee seene If first we heare as we should no doubt but next we shall see what we would They who delight not now to heare the Lord shall not be delighted hereafter with the sight of his ioyfull face And this for the order now to the matter We haue here in a Vision represented the glorious Maiestie of the Ruler of the world gouerning all things therein according to his gracious pleasure And first S. Iohn sees a Throne figuring Kingly Power and Authority Next a Throne in heauen expressing the supremacy and height of his Gouernment his Throne is aboue all the Thrones of Kings in the world By him the decrees of men are established hee ratifies or reuokes them at his pleasure and is countable vnto none His Holinesse also hereby is expressed God will not do wickedly neither will hee peruert iudgement hee renders the worke of a man vnto him and causes euery man to finde according to his wayes said Elihu The Iudge of all the world cannot do vnrighteously said Abraham Thirdly aboue the Throne is a Raine-bow like a stately seeling Fourthly about the Throne are twenty and foure Elders figuring the Church of the liuing God a glorious Court wherein there are none but Seniors and Kings farre surmounting in glory all the Courts of the world Fiftly between the Throne and the circle of Seniors in the midst of the Throne and round about the Throne were foure liuing creatures full of eyes all hauing wings shadowing the company of innumerable Angels Salomon his Throne was of Iuory vnderpropped with carued Lyons but nothing comparable to these liuing vnderstanding and speedily flying Cherubims which execute the will of this great and euerliuing King Sixthly before the Throne there is a glassie Sea like Christall representing this sragill and waltring world which as it was made by the Lord so also is it ruled and gouerned by him hee sees all things in it and gouerneth all the incident mutations and changes thereof vnto his owne determinate end This is the summe of the Vision Which as I said is a preparatoire vision for the subsequent visions of prediction wherein because the Lord is to foreshew sore troubles many changes greâ—…uous accidents that were to fal out in the world for the exercise of his poore Church In the entry he drawes vs vp to looke to himselfe as vnto a glorious King sitting on his Throne ruling the world which is before him with great power and wisedom so that nothing falls out in it by chance but according to his prouidence neither is it satans malice nor man his vvit that carries sway in the world to drawe the euent of things which way they wil. No no satan and men in all their purposes plots are ouer-ruled by the Lord and he worketh all things according to the good pleasure of his owne will for his owne glory and comfort of his Church Thus in the beginning haue wee a strong confirmation of our faith and are conueniently prepared to receiue the Prophecie following vvith faith and reuerence assuring our selues that according to it the euent of things will be because it comes and is reuealed from him who rules the world And doubtlesse if our eyes were opened to see that glorious sight of the supreme Maiesty ruling all things at his will as here saint Iohn saw it or at least if we will looke into it with the eyes of faith it would dissipate all these doubtings and feares which come in our minds arising from the greatnesse of Mahomet the power of the Pope and of blinded Princes enemies to the Gospel of Christ banding and confederating themselues against the Lord and his anointed When the seruant of Elisha was afraid at the huge Army of Aramites which compassed Dothan his Master comforted him Feare not said he there are moe with vs then are against vs. And when according to the prayer of Elisha the Lord opened his eyes then hee saw that the Mountaines were full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha stronger to defend him then the Aramites were to pursue him No lesse should wee be comforted against all terror of flesh if our eyes were opened to see this glorious Maiestie that saint Iohn saw for what are all Kings of the earth compared with him When he pleases he cuts off the spirit of Princes and is terrible vnto them Let vs rest in him God is our hope and strength and helpe in trouble ready to be found Wee will not feare though the earth should be mooued and Mountaines fall in the middes of the Sea For the Throne of our God stands stable It is a pittifull blindnes that wormes of the earth should take vp a banner against him whose Throne is in heauen Their Propositions are proud Let vs cast off the yoke of the Lord. And againe Let vs build a
descripta qui soli quid in Deo sit viderunt True Religion is described in the writings of the Apostles and Prophets who onely did see what is in God Credere debemus quod Scripturae perfectae sunt quippe à verbo Dei Spiritu eius dictae Wee ought to beleeue that the Scriptures are perfect as being endited by the Word and Spirit of God His niti firma est Petra his derelictis alijs niti quibuslibet doctrinis est in effusa arena aedisicare To depend on the holy Scripture is to build on a sure Rock but to leaue them and depend vpon any other doctrine is to build vpon sand Si fidelis est Dominus in omnibus sermonibus suis fidelia omnia mandata eius manifesta est elapsio à side superbiae crimen aut reprobare quid ex his quae scripta sunt aut superinducere quid ex non scriptis Sith God is faithfull in all his words and all his commandements are true it is a manifest falling from the faith either to reiect any thing that is written or to receiue any thing that is not written Many more might be added but that it were tedious But their other assertion is much more blasphemous Is the satisfaction that Christ hath made to the Father for vs imperfect Must it be supplyed by humane satisfactions Did not the Cup which our Sauiour dranke for our sinnes in the Garden make his Soule heauy and his Body to sweat bloud Who is it that dare drinke out that which our Sauiour hath left vndrunken If the brimme of the cup so troubled him who is able to drinke out the bottome Certainely none at all If the most holy man that euer liued were appointed to beare the punishment that is due to one of his smallest sinnes it would vtterly confound him If they knew this and were touched with the smallest sense of the wrath of God they would close their blasphemous mouthes from speaking of the insufficiency of Christ his satisfaction or of any help or supply to be adioyned to his merits VERSE 3. And no man in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth was able to open the Booke nor to looke thereupon THE answer of the Angels Proclamation is here subioyned in a strong negation that none in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth could open the Booke This speech hath in it a Propheticall amplification which makes the amplification the stronger to exclude all creatures from this dignity that it may be reserued to Iesus Christ alone hee onely is worthy to open the Booke The Iesuites of Rhemes shew themselues ridiculous in the exposition of this place these are their words Hee speakes not of the damned in hell of whom there could be no question but of the faithfull in Abrahams bosome and in Purgatorie I pray you is there any question at all when he had said None in heauen could do it what needed him to subioyne Nor in earth Was there any question that could be found on earth worthy to open the Booke sith none in heauen could do it Is this spoken by way of question No but as I haue said it imports a strong negation Now as to your faithfull that you bring in here to be in Limbo which wrongfully yee call Abrahams Bosome was Abraham or any of the faithfull at this time in Limbo According to your doctrine when Christ descended to hell then hee harried hell hee left not a soule there but loosed them all out of that prison This Proclamation was more then fifty yeeres after Christs resurrection and will yee now haue any faithfull soules to bee still there euen contrary to your owne doctrine No better is your other allegation of your faithfull in Purgatorie Sith none in heauen could open this Booke I am sure it was neuer the Angels purpose to seeke any in any house of hell to do it It is your shame that in so impudent a manner against so cleere light yee abuse and deceiue the world with your forgeries VERSE 4. Then I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to reade the Booke neither to looke thereon IN this is declared the louing affection of S. Iohn toward the Church hee mournes for that shee should be depriued of the comfort of this Reuelation all that are true and feeling members of the Church are grieued for the troubles of the Church her wants her losses and the least obscuring of her glorie is the matter of their mourning and of all losses they apprehend this most the want of the comfort of the Word for where no Vision is there the people perish Eli was not so much moued at the report of the death of his two sonnes as when he heard that the Arke of the Lord was captiued Then hee fell from his seate backeward and died And his daughter in Law when she in like manner heard that the Arke was captiued brake her heart through displeasure notwithstanding they comforted her because she had born a son yet she answered not nor regarded it but named the childe Ichabod No glorie saying The glory is departed from Israel Nehemiah was for himselfe in a good estate in the seruice of King Artashaste but when Hanani told him of the desolation of Ierusalem the sorrow of his heart made his countenance sad before the King the welfare of Ierusalem was dearer vnto him then the welfare of his owne estate But now the Church is full of bastard children who haue no compassion of her estate if they as the Prophet speakes of carnall Israelites be at ease themselues they sorrow not for the affliction of Ioseph Againe here is a plaine difference betweene such as are inspired with the Spirit of Christ and others possessed with the spirit of Antichrist the opening of the Bible to the one is a matter of their ioy to the other a matter of their griefe Iohn weepes because the Booke was closed Antichrist and his crue grudge and rage this day because the Booke is opened These are the brood of these Heretiques whom Tertullian of old called Lucifugae they hate the light because it conuinceth them of darkenesse VERSE 5. And one of the Elders said vnto me Weepe not behold the Lyon which is of the Tribe of Iuda the Roote of Dauid hath obtained to open the Booke and to loose the seuen Seales thereof VVE haue heard before S. Iohn mourning now we heare him comforted This is God his order Blessed are they who mourne for they shall be comforted Mourning must go before consolation sorrowfull teares are the seed of plentifull ioy No man putteth new wine into old bottels The consolations of the Lord are better then wine they comfort they refresh they strengthen the soule but the old heart is not capable of them we must therefore by mourning empty our hearts of our old sinnes before
are yet stand wee debt-bound to him in so much more as hee that died for vs is more then we are What then shall we talke of any worthinesse but his And hath redeemed vs. There is the effect of Christs death to wit our Redemption We were vnder a most fearefull seruitude and bondage of Satan and sinne we sold our selues to them most foolishly now hath our Lord bought vs againe and redeemed vs Not with any corruptible thing as gold or siluer but by the precious bloud of the Lambe of God vnspotted The greatnesse of the price giuen for vs may tell vs how great his loue was toward vs who hath redeemed vs as also how desperate our danger was from which wee could not bee any other way deliuered Other Kings make conquest by sheading the bloud of their people but Iesus Christ hath conquered for vs by the sheading of his own bloud A most rare and maruellous thing and such as hath not beene heard of before The Physician drinkes the bitter potion and the Patient is cured But of this and many notable maruels to bee marked in the worke of our Redemption wee haue spoken in that Treatise on the eighth to the Romanes and elsewhere Vnto God We are loosed from the bondage of Satan that wee should be bound seruants to our God So Zacharie in his Song God hath shewed mercy toward vs that wee being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies should serue him without feare Let Libertines marke it who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse liuing a loose and dissolute life in as much as they are not bound vnto God they manifestly declare that they are not as yet loosed from the Diuell Si Christianus es vt nominaris sicut particeps es nominis eris etiam particeps vnctionis If thou beest a Christian as thou art named one as thou art partaker of the name so wilt thou also be of the vnction If thou be a Christian then Put on the Lord Iesus and study to be like vnto him For Christianisâ—…nus imitatio est Diuinae Naturae True Christianity is an imitation of the Diuine Nature Out of euery kindred There is the amplitude of this Redemption it is not limited within any Kingdome not within Canaan Now of a truth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons Yet vniuersality is here excluded They say not Hee hath redeemed euery Nation and Tribe but some out of euery Nation and Tribe The secret Decree of God his ElectioÌ„ is executed by his Calling wherby out of the whole lumpe and masse of lost mankinde hee separateth culleth and chuseth out to himselfe so many as in his secret counsell hee hath chosen to saluation But to eschew repetition the Reader who pleaseth may looke concerning this purpose that which is written of the golden Chaine on the eighth to the Romanes verse thirty VERSE 10. And hath made vs vnto our God Kings and Priests and we shall raigne vpon earth THE benefites we haue by our Redemption are two-fold for not onely are we deliuered from that euill and miserable estate wherein wee were but are also aduanced to an high and glorious estate whereof here is mention made hee hath saued vs from wrath we iustly deserued and hath aduanced vs to grace and glory which we could neuer deserue Pharaoh his Baker would haue thought it great fauour if the King had but spared his life but the Butler was not onely deliuered from death but aduanced to the seruice of his King Not vnlike is our case God make vs thankfull for it And hath made vs. What we are in goodnesse the Lord hath made vs Wee made not our selues wee helped nothing to our first creation farre lesse to our second It is folly to dreame of a power in Nature by which man of his owne free-will is able to do good and make himselfe congruous for the receiuing of grace Noli te extollere supra Deum Confitere illi qui fecit te Extoll not thy selfe aboue God but giue glory to him that made thee Nam si ille nos fecit homines nos autem ipsi nos fecimus saluos aliquid maius illo fecimus For if hee made vs men and we haue made our selues righteous men then haue wee done somewhat more then hee Nâ—…mo recreat nisi qui creat nemo reficit nisi qui fecit None can create ouer againe but hee who created vs first none can renew vs but he who made vs. Deus est qui operatur in nobis velle perficere It is God who worketh in vs the will and the deed that thou mightst haue a will inclined to good his Calling went before thee to worke it and his Mercy did preuent thee To thinke otherwise is as Augustine said Superbus error A proud errour Firmiter rene nâ—…llam tibi facultatem inesse posse voluntatis aâ—…t operis nisi id gratuitò munere diuinae miserationis accipias Hold this for certaine that there can be in thee no power either to will or worke any thing that good is vnlesse thou receiue it freely of the mercy of God I conclude all with the testimony of that famous Councell Si quis per naturae vigorem bonum aliquod quod ad salutem pertinet vitae aeternae cogitare aut eligere se posse confirmat absque illuminatione inspiratione Sp. Sancti haereticâ—… fallitur spiritu If any man affirme that by the strength of Nature he is able to thinke or chuse any good pertaining to eternall saluation without the illumination and inspiration of the holy Spirit he is deceiued with an hereticall spirit Ab eo quod formauit Deus mutauit Adam sed in peius per iniquitatem suam Adam changed himselfe from that which God made him but he changed himselfe to the worse by his iniquity Ab â—…o quod operatur iniquitas mutatur fidelis sed in melâ—…s per gratiam Dei from that which iniquity worketh the Christian is changed but to the better by the grace of God Illa mutatio fuit praeuaricatoris primi haec secundum Psalmistam mutatio dexterae Excelsi The first change from good to euill was made by the first Transgressor the second change as the Psalmist saith from euill to good is made by the right hand of the most High And so in this Hymne redeemed Saints confesse it Thou hast made vs. Kings and Priests There is the dignity whereunto we are called inclosed in two the most honorable Offices that euer were in the world to wit the Kingdome and Priest-hood S. Peter ioynes them both in one when he cals vs A Royall Priesthood As Kings we should fight the battels of the Lord against Satan and Sinne. And here fortitude especially is required with spirituall wisedome Non enim viribus sed prudentiâ—… Diuina vincitur serpens So long as we are wise in God
then may suffice his owne belly And yet it is to be marked that the famine threatned here is not in the highest degree wherwith afterward the sins of men prouoked the Lord to punish them For here Wine and Oile are spared which in greater famines haue been altogether taken away for except smaller iudgements be contemned the Lord proceedeth not vnto grèater Mercie pleaseth him rather then iudgement but if mercy be despised the iudgement is doubled according to that threatning If ye will not for all these things obey me I will punish you seuen times more according to your sinnes and if yee walke stubbornely against me and will not obey mee then will I walk stubbornely against you in mine anger and yee shall eate the flesh of your sonnes and daughters Such was the famine inflicted vpon Samaria and Ierusalem that tender women haue beene forced for hunger to eate their children not of a span long A horrible thing to heare that the Infant new come out of the wombe should bee deuoured at the mouth and sent into the wombe againe yet as I said Ieremie records it to haue beene done at the first destruction of Ierusalem by the Caldeans and Iosephus records the same at the second destruction thereof by the Romanes But since this Prophecy and the time thereof this plague hath increased aboue that which here is denounced Among many others fearefull was that Famine which fell out in the daies of Iustinian hunger ouercomming humane affection forced man to feed vpon the flesh of man It is recorded that two women were found to haue slaine and eaten seuenteene men and men debilitat weakened with famine bowing themselues to creep on their knees and armes that with their teeth they might pull any greene fruit of the earth after the maner of beasts fell downe and tumbled ouer for lack of strength and so died there being none to bury them When we reade of the like of these fearefull iudgements it should stirre vs vp to praise the Lord for his great indulgence and patience toward vs who notwithstanding our great sinnes against his Maiestie yet hath hee not visited vs with the like plagues his holy Name be praised therefore and the Lord giue vs grace that his patience may leade vs to repentance VERSE 7. 8. And when he had opened the fourth Seale I heard the Voice of the fourth liuing creature say Come and see And I looked and behold a Pale Horse and his name that sate on him was Death and Hell followed after him and power was giuen vnto him ouer the fourth part of the earth to kill with Sword and with Hunger and with Beasts of the earth AS the sound of the Trumpet when the Lord by it proclaimed his Law on Mount Sinai waxed louder and louder so here the denunciation of his iudgements waxeth greater and greater for his wrath increaseth like a fire where it is not slackned and quenched with the teares of repentance Hitherto the plague of the sword and famine hath bene threatned to take vengeance on man for contempt of the Gospell now followes the plague of pestilence and deuouring Beasts Yet is it to be marked that mercy is first offered before iudgement the Rider on the White Horse comes with the message of mercy grace peace if men receiue it not then the Lord proceedeth to iudgement Vnder the Law as the people passed ouer Iordan there were six of their Tribes or principal men chosen out of theÌ„ appointed to stand on Mount Gerizzim to blesse the people if they shuld obey other sixe againe to stand vpon Mount Ebal to curse them if they should rebell Vnder the Gospell our Sauior began his preaching first with blessings but after proceeded to denuntiation of woes The Apostle to the same purpose saith We are not come to the Mount that might not be touched But we are come to Mount Sion c. As the Lord allures by mercy so he terrifies by iudgement if mercy cannot moue vs iudgement shall confound vs and that so much the more because mercy was first offered and we refused it In the opening of this Seale we haue first the Preparation Secondly the Vision it selfe and Thirdly an exposition both of this Vision and the proceeding The preparation contained in the seuenth verse is coincedent with the former and I passe it In the Vision it selfe we haue three things first the Horse his colour is pale next the Rider his name is Death thirdly his Page or foot-man following him is called Hell The Pale Horse is a Type of Pestilence and all other strange and vncouth diseases so is it expounded in the vvords following vvhich giue vs a sufficient vvarrant to exclude all other interpretations Pestilence is one of the Lords ordinary iudgements wherby he huÌ„bleth the pride of man When I send my foure sore iudgements vpon Ierusalem the Sword Famine the noisome beast and Pestilence Heere it is threatned afterwards at diuers times executed as the Historie records which iustifies this Prophecie In the yeere of our Lord foure score Vespasian being Emperour such a Pest plagued Rome that for many daies ten thousand people died in a day In the yeere two hundred three fifty Decius a vile Persecuter there was no Prouince in all the Romane Empire no Citie no House which Pestilence pursued not In the yeere two hundred six and fifty Valerian another bloudy Persecuter being Emperour such a Pest inuaded Alexandria that famous Citie of Egypt that in so populous a Towne there were not so many Citizens to be found as before the Pest it had Canos senes ancient men of white haires It were tedious to repeate all we want not domestick warnings the Light of the Gospell hath come among vs but for our vnthankefulnesse the Red Horse the Black and the Pale now and then haue visited vs though we must confesse to the glory of God his mercy that in most gentle manner the Lord hath chastised vs yet haue we need to remember that warning of the Gospell Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee for certainely our forgetfulnesse of the Lords by-past gentle corrections our vnthankfulnesse for his present mercies may iustly feare vs that the Lord is to enter in a sharper course against vs if we amend not And this for the Pale Horse Now he who rides vpon him is named Death we haue here then Death brought in riding on Horseback to signifie the celerity and speed wherewith hee posteth vpon the wicked howsoeuer they sleep in carelesse security and put the euill day fâ—…r from them yea and thinke with themselues that they are in couenant with death and hell yet goe where they will ride where they will go and ride as they please Death goes and rides with them he posteth after them and
many a time hee spurreth before them and preuents them in the midst of their purposes and resolutions which they thinke without doubt to accomplish he cuts them away An example whereof we haue in that rich man who resolued with himselfe that hee would enlarge his Barnes foolishly conceiting hee had good enough for many yeeres but it was told him O foole this night they will take away thy soule from thee There is no remedie against this but to prepare our selues in time to preuent death leâ—…t he preuent vs. Let vs mount on Horse-backe in time go before him Our Conquerour and Captaine Christ Iesus rides on a White Horse all his followers walke in his colours for they are all said to ride vpon White Horses If we ride on the white Horses be in fellowship with Iesus the Rider on the Pale shall not be able to hurt vs for there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Iesus he may bite our heele and lick the dust of our earth but the Lord shall preserue the soule of his seruants Let vs ascend in our affection let vs cast the anchor of our soules within the Vaile and fasten it vpon the Rocke Christ Iesus so shall we be sure that this Death which hath Hell following him shall not come neeâ—…e vs. For now this is the third point to be considered in the Type that this Rider on the Pale Horse named Death hath a Page following him called Hell The word Hades in the Greeke and Sheol in the Hebrew signifies sometime the Graue and sometime the place of the damned where there is vtter darkenesse and no light at all The learned Interpreter Beza retaineth the word Infernus or Hell it followes Death said Victorine waiting for the deuouring of many soules For if in this place the word should onely signifie the Graue the iudgement were not great sith the Graue followes the death both of good men and euill And sure it is nothing common to them both can be called the proper punishment of sin Here then is the greatnesse of this Plague that the contemners of the Gospell shall bee punished with such a Death as hath Hell following it For as there is a double Death first and second so there is a double Pit or Hell one for the body to wit the Graue this is Temporall another for the soule and body also most properly called Hell the place of the damned this is Eternall Of it speakes the Psalmist The wicked shall turne into Hell and all Nations that forget God Peccatorum mors mala est the death of sinners is euill said Bernard First for the losse of the world they loued it well and cannot without great sorrow want it but it is Peior in dissolutione carnis it is worse in regard of dissolution of soule and body yet is it Pessima in tormentis inserni worst of all in respect of the torments of hell which follow it But the soules of the righteous are in the hands of the Lord and no torment shall touch them This for the Type it selfe Now followes the exposition of it And power was giuen to them c The relatiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plurall shewing that we haue here an exposition not onely of the Pale but of the Red and Black also This is made plaine by the words following Power was giuen them to wit to the Red Horse and his Rider to kill with the Sword to the Black Horse and his Rider to kill with Famine to the Pale Horse and his Rider to kill with Pestilence and deuouring Beasts The Spirit of God so plainely expounds himselfe that it is a wonder how men out of their owne conceits can forge another exposition not taking heed to the Text which expoundeth it selfe All these Executors of wrath come out we see with a limited commission he who executes the plague of Famin is licenced to smite the wheate the Barley but not the Wine and Oile this Rider on the pale Horse is not permitted to smite all the wicked but onely a fourth part thus are all the temporall iudgements of God mitigated for as I haue said neither are all the wicked punished here neither yet is the ful measure of wrath executed on such as are punished NaÌ„ si nunc omne peccatuÌ„ manifesta plecteretur poena nihil vltimo iudicio reseruari putaretur rursus si nullum peccatum nunc puniret apertè Diuinitas nulla esse prouidentia Diuina crederetur Some iudgements God executes now to witnesse to the world that there is a God who iudges righteously in earth and some he spares now to tell vs that there is a iudgement to come But in the last Iudgement it shall not be so none of the wicked shall be spared there and none of their iudgements shall be mitigated there but the vials of full wrath due to their sinnes shall bee powred vpon them Now if it be so that in punishing the vvicked in this life the Lord vseth a mitigation how much more may wee be assured that in correcting his children with the same roddes the Lord will vse moderation and measure And this should serue for an answere to the wicked who thinke the lesse of these externall iudgements because godly men are subiect to the same Let them heare what the Prophet saith Hath the Lord smitten Israel as hee smote those who smote him in measure in the branches thereof will he contend with it after that he hath corrected his owne yet Iacob shall take roote and Israel shall flourish He onely cuts away the superstuitie of their branches but conserues themselues to immortalitie and life In death they renew their youth like the Eagle but he strikes the wicked at the roote and cuts them away from all hope of life light ioy Yea these same afflictions which the godly doe suffer at the hands of wicked men Deus summè bonus ad suorum redigens vtilitatem oportunitatem nobis praebet spiritualium triumphorum the Lord turnes them so to the good of his owne that they become to them the matter and causes of their spirituall tryumphes And to this same purpose notable is that speech of Augustine Placuit diuinae prouidentiae praeparare in posterum bona iustis quibus non frâ—…entur iniusti et mala impiis quibus non excruciabuntur boni It hath pleased the Diuine prouideÌ„ce to prepare for good men in the time to come good things whereof the wicked shall not be partakers as also to prepare euill things for the wicked with which the godly shall not be tormented Ista verò temporalia bona et mala vtrisque voluit esse coÌ„munia But concerning the good euill things of this temporal life God will haue them alike common both to good men and euill that such good as wicked men haue should
the will and the deed And hereby may yee know that the Lord in mercy is working your saluation when hee worketh in you both a will and a deed to doe all that yee can that yee may be saued sorrowing for sins past euer fearefull for sinnes to come continuall in prayer feruent in thanksgiuing and euery way carefull to keepe your selues in your spirit and so to be at peace vvith GOD and vnder the sence of his loue Their garments or their robes here come to be considered Seeing the garments of Saints is the righteousnesse of Christ according to that Put ye on the Lord Iesus and againe Christ is made vnto vs righteousnes how is it that their garments neede washing Truth it is indeed the righteousnesse of Iesus imputed to vs by which wee are iustified is perfit holy like vnto himselfe without all spot or blemish but our inherent righteousnes which by his Spirit he worketh in vs and whereby we are sanctified in this life is imperfit not without spot but all the defects thereof are destroyed in death by the clensing vertue of the bloud of Iesus and we then shall bee presented blamelesse to the Lord. Our Lord hath fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law for vs but he shall also fulfill it in vs and this is it which heere is to bee vnderstood by the washing of their garments And made them white in the bloud of c. The Lambe as we haue spoken before is the Lord Iesus who takes away the sinnes of the world his Disciples are also called Lambs Behold I send you forth as Lambs in the middest of Wolues yea all Christians are so called Peter louest thou mee feede my Lambs they are also called the Light of the world but not that true Light which lighteth euery maÌ„ that commeth into the world and so he is called a Lamb in a speciall respect Agnus singulariter solus sine macula non cuius maculae abstersae sunt sed cuius macula nulla fuerit onely without spot not because they are washt away but because he had none to wash away Agnus quem lupi timent qui lâ—…onem occisus occidit a Lambe of whom Wolues are afraid and who being slaine slew the Lyon But of him we haue spoken before As to his bloud the efficacy thereof appeares in this that it is medicinall to them who shed it the same Iewes of whom S. Peter saith that they crucisied Christ by the preaching of his Crosse were conuerted to the faith of Christ three thousand of them at one Sermon Ipsoredempti sanguine quem fuderunt redeemed by the same bloud which theÌ„selues shedde Sic enim Christi sanguis in remissionem peccatorum Iesus est vt ipsum etiam peccatum delâ—…re possit quofusus est For the bloud of Christ was in such sort shed for the remission of sinnes that it is able to put away that same sinne by which it was shed What a wonder is this the Physician comes to cure a frantique patient the frantique slayes the Physician and yet the Phisician of his bloud makes a sufficient medicine to cure the frantique qualis insania eius qui medicum occidit quanta verò bonitas potentia medici qui de sanguine suo insano interfectori suo medicamentum fecit O how great was his madnesse who slewe his mediciner and how great is the goodnes and power of the mediciner who of his owne bloud hath made a healing medicament to him that shed it Yea the very manner of phrase vsed by the Seignior or Elder le ts vs see how the worke of our redemption wrought by the bloud of Iesus is full of miracles for is not this strange that where all other bloud defiles and pollutes that wherevpon it lights this bloud purifies and cleanses them on whom it lighteth Other bloud maketh the whitest linnen vgly vnpleasant and lothsome to behold but this bloud makes a menstruous cloth pleasant white Though your sinnes were as crimson they shal be made white as snow though they were red as scarlet they shall be made white as wooll But to this cleansing of vs there is no need of the naturall or corporall sprinkling of that bloud vpon vs No the sprinkling of that bloud that purifies vs is spirituall Let vs drawe neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience No word here is as we see of any Papall purgations Indulgences or fire of Purgatorie or holy Water these are the Merchandize and wares of whoorish Babel such trumperie is not knowne in heauenly Ierusalem onely the bloud of Iesus must wash thee All other washing pollutes and defiles thee Though thou wash thee with â—…itre and take thee much Sope yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord God But the bloud of Iesus cleanseth vs from all sinne With Scripture Fathers are consonant to cry out against this blasphemous purgation of sin by any infernall fire Piorum animâ—… recta in beatas seâ—…es impiorum in gehennam abeunt the soules of godly men goe the high way into heauen the wicked straight vnto hell Anima vbicunque eâ—…olauerit è corpore aut à daemonibus in infernum aut ab Angelis in coelum abripâ—…tur the soule so soone as it fleeth out of the body is either reft and carried to hell by Diuels or to heauen by Angels Sinne they grant is forgiuen here but the punishment of it must be sustained there Against this let them mark what S. Cyprian saies Quando istine excessum fuerit nullus iam poenitentiâ—… locus nullus satisfactionis effectus vita hic aut tenetur aut amittitur from the time we go out of this life there is no more place of repentance nor effect of satisfactioÌ„ by suffering here life is either kept or lost Qualem te inuenit Deus cum vocat talem pariter indicat such as God findes thee when by death he cals on thee such he iudges thee Vnusquisque cum causa sua dormit cum causa sua resurget euery man sleepeth with his cause and with his cause shall he rise againe there is no changing nor bettering of it betweene his death and his resurrection PostquaÌ„ discesserimus non est in nobis situm poenitere neque commissadiluere From time we goe out of this life wee are not able to repent nor to wash away the sinnes which we haue done It were tedious to rehearse all And therfore I returne conclude this point In the bloud of Christ there is a threefold vertue First a purging vertue next a protecting vertue thirdly a pacifying vertue What need haue we theÌ„ of any other thing or to seeke any other merit or bloud beside his Of his purging vertue we haue spoken already His protecting