the same shall be saved Mat. 24.13 And I will give thee He propoundeth the reward for their greater incouragement unto constancie Souldiers will fight unto the death for a corruptible crowne much more ought we to doe the like for an heavenly crowne which fadeth not away The crown of life here as also in Jam. 1.12 2. Timot. 4.8 1. Pet. 4.5 noteth eternal life and happines It is otherwhere called the crown of justice the crown of glorie by a metaphor taken from runners in a race where there is a crown proposed as a reward to the conquerours Hence let us observe in the first place that the crowne of life is promised onely to such as are faythfull to the death 2. That one the same crowne is promised to all that are faythful no mention being made of any diversitie of reward 3. That the crown is promised not of desert but of grace as a reward freely bestowed on them that are constant in the faith 4. That Christ is the giver therof Which is the fourteenth argument proving his Godhead XIV Argu. of Chr. deity Io. 10.28 For God alone gives eternall life Now Christ saith I give unto my sheep eternall life therfore Christ is God 11. He which hath an eare The acclamatorie conclusion is again repeated He that overcommeth shall not be hurt of the second death The sence is one with the former promises though different in words What is meant by the second death is explained chap. 20.14 Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death 21.8 Murtherers c. shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Which is the second death The first death is a separation of the soule from God through sin and was the cause of corporall death Hebr. 9.27 which is common to all as the Apostle speaketh It is appointed unto all men once to dy but after this the Jugement The second death is the casting of soule body into the lake of everlasting fire wherein the wicked onely shall be tormented for to the godly Christ hath promised deliverance for he that overcommeth shall not be hurt c. Some take the first death to bâ—â—neant of the dissolution of the soule from the body and then the meaning is thus he that continues faithful unto the first death needs not to fear the second for he shall not be hurt therewith but enioy eternall filicity but of this more hereafter This great and gracious promise should stir us up with courage to persevere in the fight untill we overcom for then we shall be free from the second death and be partakers of life eternall through Christ Jesus our Lord to whome be glorie for ever and ever Amen The third Epistle to the Bishop of the Church of Pergamus 12. And to the Angel of the Church in Pergamus write These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges 13. I know thy workes and where thou dwellest even where Satans seat is and thou houldest fast my Name and hast not denyed my faith even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth 14. But I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrin of Balaam who taught Balac to cast a stombling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed unto Idols and to commit fornication 15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate 16 Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth 17. He that hath eare let him heare what the spirit saith unto the Churches To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the hidden Manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it THE COMMENTARIE TO the Angel in Pergamus The third Epistle to the Pastor of Pergamus or Troy containes two things first they are commended for their constancie in the faith Secondlie reproved for maintaining amongst them the inpure Balaamites and Nicolaitans by threatning are exhorted to amendment of life It consisteth of an inscription narration and conclusion The inscription describeth Christ by an Epithite taken from chap. 1.16 that he hath viz. in his mouth the sharpe-sword with two edges The reason of this attribute appeares from vers 16. where he threatneth to destroye the sinners of the Church of Pergamus with the sword of his mouth that is by the power of his divine word For this sword is the word of God sharper then any two edged sword piercing and dividing asunder of soule and spirit c. Heb. 4.12 Here we have the fifteenth argument of Christs Godhead XV Argu. of Chr. deity For the word of God doth properly proceed out of his mouth and therefore he is God Because the word of God proceedeth from Christ not as the word of another or as it was in the mouth of the Apostles Prophets and other teachers but in speciall as his owne hence he saith v. 16. I will fight with them with the sword of my mouth 13. I know thy workes and where thou dwellest In the narration are three things he commendeth what is prayse-worthy reproveth what is amisse and lasty exhorteth them unto repentance First he saith in Generall that he knew their workes to the end they might take notice that they had to doe with him who trieth and searcheth the hearts and reynes of which se v. 2.2 In particular he commends their constancie in the faith which with courage they maintained and confidently trusting on Christ overcame all such tentations as might any way occasion them to forsake him The prayse whereof is amplified from the danger of their abode I know where thou dwellest namely in a most vicious and wicked city being ful of cruel enemies both Iewes and Gentiles and where Christians like sheep are continually exposed to the danger of devouring wolves Now to live Godly in such a place and constantlie to cleave unto the profession of Christs name is a verie hard thing though it be not so where the condition of the place affords us freedom and libertie the which benefit God of his exceeding mercie hath hitherto granted unto us Where Satans seat is A further amplifying of their constancie is taken from the infamie of the place Pergamus is the throne of the Divel Who in Hebr. is called Satan that is an adversarie so that this citie was full of naughtie and vile persons haters of Christ and his members among whom Satan raigned both in the pallace for it was the abode of king Attalus and in their senate temples forcibly drawing the magistrates and cityzens to horrible Idolatrie and to commit all manner of outrage and wickednes against the Christians Nevertheles Christ had a Church in this evill citie And could
not corporall Therefore it is spirituall The assumption is proved If this Resurrection should be corporall then it could not be called the First because many Corporall Resurrections are spoken of in Scripture before I. The Resurrection of the Son of the Widow of Sarepta corporally raised up by Elias 1. King 17.22 which is the first resurrection mentioned in Scripture II. The Resurrection of the son of the Shunammite raised up by Elisha 2. King 4.35 III. The Resurrection of one put into the grave by touching the bones of Elisha 2. King 13.21 IIII. The Resurrection of a Widows son raised by Christ Luk. 7.15 V. Of the daughter of Jairus Luk. 8.55 VI. Of Lazarus Iohn 11.44 VII The Resurrection of many of those Saints who came forth out of the Sepulchre when Christ suffered on the Crosse Mat. 27.52 VIII The Resurrection of Tabitha raised by Peter Act. 9.41 IX The Resurrection of Eutychus brought from death to life by Paul Act. 20.10 c. And therfore if the Resurrection here spoken of were corporall it should not be called the first but at least the tenth Neither helps it to object that the foresaid Resurrections were onely of a few but that this shall be of very many for the Question is not touching the number of them that are to be raised up but of the Qualitie and Order of the Resurrection and it followeth seeing that is not the first of the same Genus which hath many other before it either that this cannot be called the First Resurrection before which there were many other or else that it is not of the same kind with the other Resurrections that is it is not corporall Secondly This Resurrection being taken corporally and properly must be understood either of the Soules of the Martyrs or of the rest of the dead or of none Of the soules of the Martyrs it cannot be understood both because it is not said of them that they were raised or lived againe But that they sate on thrones lived and reigned with Christ as before was shewed As also because properly a corporall Resurrection is not agreeable to Soules seeing Soules properly die not as not being bodies neither of the nature thereof nor can it be understood of the rest of the dead because of these it is expresly said that they lived not againe Therefore this first corporall Resurrection cannot be true of any at all Thirdly The whole Scripture testifies that ALL I say ALL the dead shall in one Resurrection at the last day be raised by the Trumpet and Voyce of the Archangell some indeed unto eternall Life others unto eternall shame Iohn 5.28 The houre commeth in which ALL that are in the Graves shall hear his voyce and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evill unto the Resurrection of damnation Iohn 11.24 I know that my brother shall rise againe in the Resurrection at the last day Iohn 6.48 This is the will of him that sent mee that every one that seeth the Sonne and beleeveth in him should have Eternall Life And I will raise him up at the last day From this universall the Martyrs cannot be excepted because they beleeved on the Sonne of God 1. Cor. 15.52 We shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trumpe for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall bee raised 1. Thess 4.16 At the comming of the Lord they that dyed in Christ shall rise first Therefore the Martyrs also who dyed in Christ shall rise at the comming of the Lord. Iohn also toward the end of this very Chapter describeth the Second Resurrection which shall bee at the last day so universall as that all the Elements shall give up their dead a great part whereof shall bee Martyrs being destroyed by Fire and Water By all which I suppose that no Godly man can or ought to gather any other thing then that all the dead shall be raised together in one Resurrection at the last day but that many millions of Saints should be raised before the last day cannot without errour be beleeved Fourthly the Apostle Paul most exactly describing the whole History and what we ought to beleeve of the Resurrection opens indeed a Mysterie unto us 1. Cor. 15.51 viz. That all shall not die but in a moment in the twinkling of an eye all shal be changed Yet not a word touching the mysterie of the Millinarie Resurrection of the Martyrs before others If thou say that it was not revealed unto him Consider that the Apostle was caught up into the third heaven 2. Cor. 12.4 and heard unspeakable words that is all kind of mysteries especially such as were to bee revealed unto the Church And therefore undoubtedly hee should have heard that also for to reveale the same unto us and would have revealed it if it were true Fiftly from the nature of Opposites So as is the first death so on the contrary is the first Resurrection to be understood For I suppose none will deny but that these two are privatively opposites as being contrary-wise affected about the same subject But the first death was not of the body or corporall The first death what it is but the death of the Soule or Spirituall through fin by which man was first separated from God made mortall and deprived of Life Eternall For by this death Adam was dead in Soule although in the body he lived nine hundred yeeres after But the death of the Soule drew with it corporall death as it were by a necessary consequence and so perpetually drawes the same with it on all the Posterity of Adam by the threatning of God Thou shalt die the death Of this first Spirituall death the Apostle speaketh Through sinne death entred into the world Rom. 5.12 and so death passed upon all men for all have sinned including indeed the Sequell of a corporall death but especially shewing the deliverance from spirituall death through the death and life of Christ Of this death also Austine The soules also saith he have their death in impietie and sinnes according to which death they are dead of whom the Lord saith Let the dead bury their dead and according to this first Death wee are all dead in sinnes no man excepted because it is said of all men when ye were dead in sinnes c. Seeing therefore the First Death was a Spirituall destruction and alienation of the Soule from God and eternall Life through sinne certainely the first Resurrection being an opposite medicine to the first death must bee a Spirituall conversion and restoring of the Soule from sin to God Sixtly If the First Resurrection were corporall and properly belonging to the Martyrs then onely the Martyrs should bee blessed but all others that rise at the last Day should be excluded from happinesse But this is very absurd And therefore the other also The reason of the consequence is because in
of Gods providence namely his vertue charity justice wisdom patience threatnings and wrath Which is a mysterie bringing along with it an inconvenience which he desireth to avoid for he makes question whither sound divinitie wil admit that grace and peace be asked from the seven vertues rather then from the seven created angels yea how grace and peace can be prayed for from menacings and wrath so he And from Jesus Christ In that he wisheth grace and peace from Christ in the the third and last place is neither against the former exposition nor any way derogateth from the dignity of Christ for as the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.14 doth not derogate from the order of the persons in the trinitie though he put Christ in the first place so here our Apostle for waighty causes sets downe the holy Ghost before Christ because he treateth of him not simply as being the son of God but also as he is the mediatour redeemer and revealer of this prophesie Notwithstanding great reason it is that he should pray for grace and peace from Christ Ephes 2.14 because it cometh by him Iohn 1.17 and he is our peace Who is the faithfull witnesse The following titles are so many reasons wherefore grace and peace is prayed for from Christ and they set forth as hath been shewed in the analysis both his threefold office with the benefit thereof as also declare his eternall Godhead The first title respects his propheticall office that faithfull witnesse which seemeth to be taken from Psal 89.38 witnesse because he hath brought forth out of the bosome of his father the testimonie that is the glad tydings of the redemption of man through his death and from heaven hath opened to us the true knowledge of God and way of salvation faithfull Because he not onely confirmed the heavenly truth by preaching by miracles meekly calling of sinners to repentance to the faith of the Gospel but also sealed the same by suffering on the crosse and by instituting the ministry he gave to the churches Apostles prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers who perpetually should be his witnesses Eph. 4.12 preach the Gospell to after ages for the perfecting of the saincts for the edifying of the body of Christ according to these scriptures Ioh. 17 6. I have manifested thy name to the men thou gavest me out of the world and 18 37. For this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnes unto the truth Io. 1.18 the son which is in the bosome of the father he hath revealed God unto us Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession The father and holy Ghost are also said to be witnesses 1. Io. 5.7 Ioh. 5.37 there are three that bear record in heaven the father the word and the holy Ghost The father saith Christ himself hath borne witnes of me And of the holy Ghost he saith when the comforter is come c. He shall testifie of mee the Apostles are called witnesses Act. 1.18 And Antipas Rev 2.12 and two witnesses are mentioned called Martyrs for sheadding of their blood for the testimonie of Christ Revel 11.3 But Christ onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of prerogative is called that faithfull witnesse because he first brought with him the witnesse of the truth downe from heaven he first and he onely hath shead his blood for his owne testimonie whereas all other martyrs suffered not for their owne but for the testimonie of Jesus Christ Yea also the witnesse which the father and the holy Ghost gave of him was declared by himself and therefore Christ as by a speciall and proper right is called the faithfull witnes that is the true and constant revealer of the doctrine of our salvation whoever therefore hearkens not to him Deuteron 18.19 can not be saved but who so heareth him shall have life eternall This also confirmeth the authoritie of the revelation because it was revealed to John by Jesus Christ that faithfull witnesse who can notly nor deceive therefore this booke is trulie divine and we may safely trust and beleeve all things contained in it It serveth also to instruct us that if Christ onely be the true witnesse then those are not to be heard but avoyded as Liars which teach the Church such things as dissent from the testimonie of Christ It may also comfort us because Christ the faithfull witnesse will not forsake them who suffer for the cause of his truth but will at length reward them faithfully according to his promise The first begotten of the dead This title concernes Christ his priestly office who died for our sins and was raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 For the word dead shewes that he died and being the first begotten of the dead it teacheth us that he was raysed from the dead And the whole scripture testifies that the end and use of his death and resurrection was not a bare witnesse as Socinus blasphemeth but chiefly a propitiation to purge us from our sins and to justifie us before God Paul calleth him likewise the first begotten of the dead 1 Collo 1.18 1 Corinth 15.20 and sheweth that Christ is become the first fruits of them that sleep But how can Christ be the first fruits of the dead seeing the scriptures testifie that Elias and Elisha raysed up two persons from the dead before the time of Christs manifestation in the flesh Lazarus also with the widows son and Centurions servant were restored from death to life Answer First Christ is the first begotten or first fruites of the dead because he was the first that raysed up himself from the dead by his owne power whereas all before Christ were raysed not by their owne power but Christs alone Secondly Christ was raysed up to an immortall life not to dy any more but the other to an earthly life and became subject to death again He is said to be the first begotten or the first that did rise again Matt. 19.28 Act. 13.13 Rom. 1 4. because the resurrection is a kinde of new birth and so Christ calleth the last resurrection a regeneration And Paul applieth that in Psal 2. of the father eternally begetting the son to his resurrection from the dead and hence he is declared to be the eternall and omnipotent son of God This should greatly comfort us that though we are borne and brought forth in a corruptible condition yet when we rise again we shall be regenerated unto a state incorruptible even while we are in this life we are regenerated but it is spiritually onely and in part but when we shall by the spirit of God be restored to eternall life then we shall be regenerated both corporally and fully to wit when our mortall bodies shall be made conformable to the glorious body of Christ let us not fear therefore though we should suffer death for the testimony of Christ because he who is the first begotten of the dead
called a Lutherane from Luther Therefore let him take heed least he be found with the Nicolaitans among the number of the sectaries Vers 7. He that hath an eare let him heare He shutteth up the Epistle with a singular promise and an exhortation common with the rest of the Epistles by which he stirreth them up to observe the things which formerly were written unto the teacher of the Church of Ephesus But chiefly to mind the reward promised to him that overcometh The like advertisement Christ giveth us Matth. 13.9 And again chap. 19.12 He that is able to receive it let him receive it By the eare he understandeth the eare of the hart not so much intending the outward hearing as to teach us to lay up in our hart and sowle the meaning of the holy Ghost in these prophesies What the spirit saith to the Churches That is speaking unto us by the prophets for though Christ speaketh yet he calleth it the voyce of the spirit because the son worketh by the spirit From whence we gather that the holy Ghost is properly called the spirit of Christ as proceeding from him and the Father XI Argu. of Chr. deity Which is the Eleventh argument to prove the Godhead of Christ Saith to the Churches So then these things were not written to the Bishops alone but to all the Churches likewise To him that overcommeth will I give to eat This promise is left out in the fower latter Epistles He is said to overcom who manfully unto the End hath fought the good fight of faith against the Flesh the World and Satan As it is written Mat. 24.13 2. Tim. 4.7 He that indureth unto the End the same shall be saved that is they who have kept the faith finished their course shall have with the Apostle a crowne of righteousnesse which is laid up for them in the heavens But here is nothing promised to Hypocrites to time servers apostates who though they at first fight wel yet afterward doe faint cast away their weapons turne their backs leave the field and forsake the battles of the Lord. To eat of the tree of life Christ is this tree for he is the way the truth and the life Io. 14.6 He typically alludeth to Paradise in the midst wherof stood the tree of life of which if our first parents had eaten they had lived for ever It signified also Christ our Lord who was to restore us beeing fallen from death unto Eternal life So then by giving us to eat of the tree of life is meant his communicating himself unto us Io. 6.14 raysing us from death to life everlasting according to the promise Who so eateth my Flesh hath life eternall for my Flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drinck indeed XII Argu. of Chr. deity This is a twelfth argument of Christs deity for God alone doth bring forth the faithful into the battle and giveth to them that overcom eternall life but all this doth Christ and therfore he is God blessed for ever They who plead for free wil infer from these promises To him that overcommeth that it is in our owne power to overcom But to conclude from the thing conditionall unto the condition it self is absurd The promise onely teacheth what Christ will give unto the doers of his will but sheweth not by what power it is performed The like also they vainly gather from these words he that hath an eare let him heare as if men had some power in themselves to heare Nay rather the contrary is true for where as he calleth upon us to heare it shewes that we are deafe Ephe. 2.2 unlesse he himself open the eares of our harts for such as are dead in sinnes are also deafe and blinde by nature and so remaine until by the grace of Christ they are made able to heare and perceive the things of God The 2. Epistle to the Bishop of Smyrna 8. And to the Angel of the Church in Smyrna write these things saith the first and the last which was dead and is alive 9. I know thy works and tribulation povertie but thou art rich and I know the blasphemie of them which say they are Iewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan 10 Feare none of these things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Divel shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes Bee thou faithful unto the death and I will give thee a crowne of life 11. He that hath an eare let him heare what the spirit saith unto the Churches he that overcommeth shall not be hurt of the second death THE COMMENTARIE VNto the Angel of the Church in Smyrna Of Smyrna se chap. 1.11 The second Epistle is directed to the pastor of this place being neerest to Ephesus and it is probable that it was written to Polycarpus Iohns Disciple lib. 3. c. 3. lib 4. hist c. 14. for as Irenaeus and Eusebius write the Apostles did ordaine Polycarpus Bishop of this Church for seeing all the Apostles except Iohn dyed before Domitians time it is likely that Polycarpus was pastor of Smyrna even so long as that Emperour reigned it seemeth the rather to be true because Christ reproves nothing in this Bishop onely incourageth him to be constant and foreshewes the persecution which should be raysed against him by the Iewes by whom also he was put to death And indeed histories testifie that the Iewes with others were the principal agents in preparing the fire wherin he was burned in the dayes of the Emperor Antoninus Verus Now however the troubles in Asia in which Polycarpus was taken away happened sixtie-and-seven years after the writing of the Revelation which was in the 14 year of Domitian yet doth not this any way contradict what we said for Polycarpus when he suffered testifies of him self that he had served Christ eighty and six years This Epistle howsoever it be the shortest yet is it much more exellent then any of the rest in as much as the others are mixed with reproofes but Christ here justifies this Bishop in all things both in commending comforting of him It consisteth of an inscription a narration and Conclusion The Inscription describes Christ by two attributes before spoken of chap. 1.17 18. Thus Iohn goes forward to make knowen to the Churches what he had seen These things saith the first and the last se chap. 1.8 11 17. As there so here also Christ taketh to himself an essential propertie of God viz. Eternitie Esai 41.4 44.6 48.12 thus he repeateth and againe confirmeth the seventh argument of his Godhead Eniedinus the Samosatenian confesseth that without doubt Christ is here called the first and the last but not absolutely for saith he that belongs to God the Father alone wheras Christ is called the first and the last not in regard of essence but as respecting his office and because he was the
Lord that is who lay downe their life for the glory of Christ But undoubtedly the consolation is more largely to be extended even unto all whosoever die godly who as they are said to be and abide in Christ so also they are said to die in the Lord that is To be and to die in Christ to depart out of this life in true faith and invocation on the Lord and so to goe unto him For to be in Christ is to cleave unto Christ by true faith Rom. 8.1 16.7 Who were before me in Christ To abide in Christ is to persevere in the faith of Christ unto the end Ioh. 15.4.7 Abide in me c. If yee abide in me c. So to die in Christ is to fall asleep in the faith 1 Cor. 15.18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished The consolation belongs as wel to professors as to martyrs that is in the faith of Christ and in the hope of the blessed resurrection unto eternall glory In this sence the consolation belongs not onely to the Martyrs but to all true professours also which exposition in my judgement doth best agree with the drift of the place For here he speakes not of those sad times of Antichrist when he raged in his full furie against the Saints but of the more happy age of reformation when the power of Antichrist shall in many places be broken neither shall the martyrdoms of the Saints be so frequent as before Hence therefore we are taught who after this life are translated from death into eternall happinesse Not such as die in the faith of the Beast Act. 4.12 Ioh. 14.6 Antichrist the Pope or Mahumet c. But that die in the Lord. For there is no salvation in any other neither is there given any other name whereby we must be saved c. He is the way truth and life no man commeth to the Father but by Christ. All that goe out of him are deprived of blessednesse and shall be tormented with the plagues beforeâ— described But when shall they be blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from henceforward This particle in all Greek copies save in that of Montanus closeth up the sentence But the old Latine makes it to cohere with the following words a modo jam dicit spiritus rendring the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also or yea viciously and sencelesly jam now as Ribera confesseth For what sence is it to say from this time now saith the spirit that they may rest Beza joynes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 henceforward with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessed henceforward But it matters not where it be put in the sentence so that it be not taken from it Commonly it is understood of the terme or beginning of happinesse and the question is what that terme is Some referre it to the time when this voice was heard What is the terme or beginning of happinesse as if he should say from the very instant of this revelation the dead in the Lord are blessed But the question will be whether the dead in the Lord were not blessed before the time of the revelation It is cleare that all the Apostles and many of the Saints were departed in the Lord before this time Now Christ extends blessednesse unto all the faithful Mat. 5.11 Ioh. 5.24 And seeing in this place is treated of the last times of the Church to be reformed by the three Angels I see not by what way he should goe back to those former times of John Others therefore referre henceforward to the houre of every ones death in a sence I confesse true and godly but scarcely native or proper It is true they that depart hence in the faith doe presently passe from death to life for so Christ teacheth Ioh. 5.24 This opinion also is pious and becomming charity not to deny that blessednesse to them that die in the Lord which is promised them in Gospell Ioh. 3.36 Ioh. 5.14 He that beleeveth in the Sonne of God hath everlasting life He that beleeveth in me comes not into judgement but is passed from death to life The which also the carrying of Lazarus soule into the bosome of Abraham doth plainely confirme Yet I know not whether henceforward can here properly be understood of the houre of every ones death And this indeed the Papists deny The Papists Glosse to confirme their fiction about Purgatory in which as they feine even they that die in the Lord are first to be tormented and purged both from the pollution of veniall sins as also from the guilt of temporall punishment in which they died before they can obtaine blessednesse in heaven And they will have henceforward to denote the time of the last judgement making the sence thus Blessed are the dead c. a modo jam from the time now that is from the end of the last judgement they shall eternally rest from their labours So Anselmus and Lyra Lâ—b 1. de purg c. 13. The Glosse refuted the which BELLARMIN confirmes because saith he this whole Chapter treats of the last judgement But first this last is false for the last judgement being the fourth Act of this vision is not handled through the whole Chapter but in the end onely viz. from the 14. verse for undoubtedly the three Angels publishing the everlasting Gospell with the ruine of Babylon future torments of idolaters go before the last judgement And therefore henceforward cannot be applyed to the time of judgement Secondly it is false that men dying in the Lord carry with them any pollution to be purged thereof Ioh. 3.36 Rom. 8.1 1 Ioh. 1.7 Act. 15.9 for this crosseth the Gospell He that beleeveth in the Sonne of God hath everlasting life There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus The blood of Christ purgeth us from all sinne Purifying their hearts by faith Therefore whosoever die in the Lord are without any mortall sinne cleaving unto them much lesse veniall and so being purged through faith in the blood of Christ from the guilt both of eternall and temporall punishment they are translated into everlasting happinesse Neither is this their wicked fiction confirmed by Austins authority he saith rightly Lib. 3. con duas epist. Pelag. c. 3. that the faithfull in this life are partly the children of God partly the children of this world for so the Apostle affirmeth Rom. 7.15 Gal. 5.17 for all of us are spirit and flesh in part But he saith not that we die such for before we depart by faith in the blood of Iesus Christ we are purged from all sin I know that the 110. Chap. of Austins Enchiridion is objected touching the threefold condition of the soules departing Augustine vinaicated that some goe hence very evill some very good but others betwixt both and so according to their merits are kept in hidden receptacles either in rest or paine unto the resurrection But I
noted but the gainfull hunting of the Romanists their Bulls of indulgence and spirituall tributes by which they have emptied the treasuries of the Kingdomes Provinces and Cities of Christendom Buyeth them no more For these things shall be discovered to be but bastardlie wares meere impostures which the Pope falsly claiming to be Successour of Peter and Paul had obtruded on the world to be beleeved as necessarie to salvation ANONYMVS Their wares By which they merchandized with the goods of the Church No man shall buy them any more Because all simonie and covetousnesse shall then eternally cease from the Church And by these Merchants are meant hypocrites also who sell great holinesse for a temporall reward 12 The merchandize of gold and silver This whole Catalogue of wates is taken by a certain allusion from Ezechiel 27. where the destruction of Tyrus then a most noble Mart-Towne is likewise described for like riot and pride There the neighbouring Nations and Peoples are reckoned up who all of them brought both their own and forraine merchandize unto Tyrus The Edomites brought Caedars and Firre trees from Lebanon The Macedonians Ivorie The Aegyptians fine linnen and broidered worke They of the Isles of Elishah silke and purple They of Tarshis silver iron tin lead Tuball and Meshech slaves horses mules c. So here the Holy Ghost would have us to understand the diversitie of peoples who have brought those wares to Rome that is enriched the Romane Sea with treasures and rich tributes In vita sylvestri Vnto this royall Court saith Platina flowes the encrease of Tarshis in Cilicia from the possession of Tyrus comes Oyle Spices Cassia Baulme also from the places where it growes with Saffron Salt Peper Cynnamon c. Here the conjecture of most learned Brightman is verie propable The merchandize of gold silver pearles the Spaniards by their Navigations bring to Rome Italy furnisheth her with Cinnamon Frankincense Ointment Wine Sicilia Sardinia Corsica with fine floure and wheat Germanie with beasts England with sheep France with horses and chariots Helvetia with men And all of them together with soules of men all of them being forced to beleeve that it is of necessitie to salvation to be subject to the Pope all alike are affrighted with feare of Purgatory from whence they cannot bee redeemed but by meanes of gold and silver To be short through covetousnesse and feined speeches the Romane False-Prophet makes merchandize of the souls of all men Now to dispute of the qualitie of each sort of this merchandize I think it needlesse some are known and in use amongst us Others being out-landish are anknowne to these parts the descriptions whereof may be sought in Plinie Dioscorides and other Writers of naturall things Fine linnen called Byssus a most excellent sort of linnen Of Purple and Scarlet See Chap. 17. ver 4. Silke Or silken cloth spun of the finest silken threed being of a great price Fine flowre being made of the flowre of wheat And all thyine wood Or odoriferous wood as the Cypresse Juniper Caedar the word comes from the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THUOO to send foorth a smell And of horses viz. the merchandize of horses And slaves Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bodies from Ezechiel 27.13 Meshech and Tuball traded with the souls or persons as most translate it of men and vessels of brasse c. the which all do expound of selling slaves But here the Holy Ghost doth distinctly put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bodies and souls of men The Old Version Of slaves and the soules of men Therefore this merchandize of souls is different from that of slaves neither can we otherwise understand it then of that spirituall trade which is exercised about the redemption of soules out of Purgatory For hence comes up their Courts Temples Altars Masses Monasteries Cloysters Legacies Pilgrimages Annuities Waxe-candles and all other gainfull workes in Popery All I say was done to redeem soules Therefore RIBERA on this place doth vainly feine two sorts of slaves of whom some were sold to serve Others to be slain that is to fight with beasts in the Circle The which although it be true yet no reason can be given why these latter should be called soules The soule saith he signifies the life with the Hebrews indeed but not so with the Greeks and it is against him For thus soules should signifie slaves appointed not to death but life 14. And the fruits that thy soule lusted after Gr. The harvest of thy lust is gone from thee The Old Version Apples of thy desire because the Autumne is Apple-time It is an Hebraisme for the desirable fruits of thy palate shall faile thee namely their delicious Banquets delicate Iunckets with which though the Romane Clergy glut themselves twice or thrice in a day yet they fast And all dainty and goodly things He understands the variety of dainty dishes with which the riotous Fathers use to fill their tables now all this shall cease The fire will put an end wholly to these delights The change of the construction is here observeable For whereas before the Heavenly voice declared the mourning of Merchants and their severall wares here he suddenly directs an Apostrophe to Rome it selfe and so it is againe in the third voyce ver 22.23 Therefore BEZA conjectures that this verse is here inserted from the Apostrophe there Which opinion is the more probable because it is certaine that this Booke of old was greatly neglected and the authority questioned by the speciall subtiltie of Satan least these mysteries should in time be manifested yet he leaves the verse in his place because of the consent of Copies Now we know that such an Enallage or change of persons is not unusuall to the Prophets and to John in this Prophesie as we had it in the beginning of Chap. 1. verse 7.8 Are departed from thee Montanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are perished from thee Andreas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sense being all one 15. The Merchante of these things He returnes to the mourning of the Merchants and describes the cause thereof with the manner Which were enriched The cause of their mourning shal be in regard of the losse of their gainfull wares by which they gathered abundance of wealth insomuch as one Canonship was worth by the yeer ten or twentie thousand florines One Bishoprick or Cardinalship an hundred yea three hundred thousand At so high a rate hath the Pope sold these Places Now by the destruction of Rome all the hope of gathering wealth this way shall be cut off yea the riches which they have gathered shall expose them to danger because the Annuities Legacies Tithes c. shall be ceazed on This therefore is no small cause of sorrow They shall stand a far off Namely for feare least they be hurt by the flames thereof And indeed how should her Merchants any way helpe her seeing her Kings stand a far off trembling for fear 16. Alas
giving us to understand these soules were slaine for that Essentiall word of God who in the foregoing Vision Chap. 19 13. sate on a white horse that is the eternall Son of God for whose sake many thousands laid downe their lives in the Arian Macedonian and Nestorian tempests c. in the three hundred following yeers Wherefore he saw both the soules of these and of the other Martyrs resting on thrones in Heaven And them that worshipped not the Beast Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever The Ellipsis or defect is to be supplied from the foregoing part Thus I saw also the soules of such sitting as had not worshipped c. These he distinguisheth from the former because they are latter in time which the adjuncts shew They worshipped not the Beast and his Image c. Perhaps also all were not Martyrs but some of them Professours onely though but few seeing the Beast caused all to be slaine that worshipped him not and his Image Chap. 12.15 These therefore had to doe with the Beast Now the Beast began to reigne rage and to be worshipped in the last Ages of the thousand yeers viz. from the six hundred and sixt yeer as we shewed in Chap. 13. 17. whosoever therefore from that time even unto the end of the thousand yeeres did constantly oppose the Beast and got the victory over him which was said of the multitude of Harpers standing on the Sea of glasse Ch. 15.17 and unto which multitude these also belong are here spoken of and commended for their constancy in banishments torments and all manner of punishments which they suffered in maintaining the Faith of Christ against the Beast Whence we gather these certain conclusions I. That the Beast his Image and his Character were within these thousand yeers because there were then some who worshipped the Beast to wit all the Inhabitants of the Earth Chap. 13.8 and they that would not worship him were either Martyrs or Confessours II. That Antichrist was again to rage within the said thousand yeers because the Beast then was and would be worshipped Now the Beast is Antichrist as appeared Chap. 13. 17. and Ribera confesseth Cap. 13. Numb 1. Cap. 19. Num. 31.32 III. That these yeers are not indefinitely the whole time from the Vision untill the end of the world or untill the comming of Antichrist because Antichrist began to rage between them or while they were running on IV. And lastly that the Papists Antichrist who as they feine shall come and beare sway in the last foure yeeres of the world is but a vaine Skare-crow by which they deceive themselves and the world because Iohn foretold that the true ANTICHRIST should bee manifested within the first Thousand yeeres after CHRISTS descension Ribera saw this knot in Apocal. Cap. 20. Num. 33. therefore to untye the same he saith that which followeth And lived and reigned is not to be referred to those that worshipped not the Beast but onely unto the soules of them that were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus But this subtilty is too repugnant to the Text and sheweth that here the Papists are at a Non-plus for John saith of the very same they lived and reigned Of whom he had before said they sate upon thrones Now these were not onely such as were beheaded but also the Conquerours of the Beast But saith RIBERA he saith not that these were dead or slaine What of that It is enough that he maketh the Confessours also Conquerours of the Beast and saith that they sate with the Martyrs or certainly he meaneth that these also were slaine because before in Chap. 13.15 he had said that all that worshipped not the Beast and his Image were slaine but these worshipped not the Beast and his Image therefore they were either slaine or Confessours that were Conquerours of the Beast and it remaineth that they sate with the Martyrs It remaineth that they lived and reigned in these thousand yeers It remaineth that the Beast was within the said first thousand yeeres for betweene this time Iohn saw the soules of the slaine for the Testimony of Jesus and of them that denyed to worship the Beast but the worship of the Beast could not be refused before he was Lastly it remaines that the Papists Fiction touching the Beasts coming in the last four yeers of the world is as repugnant as the opinion of the Chiliasts to this most manifest place of Scripture And they lived and reigned with Christ these thousand yeeres Now comes as it seemes the inextricable knot which of old drove the Millenaries into by-wayes while they did not sufficiently consider neither the Scope nor the words of the Prophesie nor the Analogie of Christian beleefe The which least it happen to us also let us well ponder the sense of the words directing the same to the scope before declared Let us therefore I say consider of these things in order I. Who they were that lived and reigned with Christ II. How and how long they lived and reigned with him III. Who were the rest of the dead and how they lived not againe IV. What the first Resurrection may bee V. LASTLY What the opinion of the Chiliasis or Millenaries was and how to bee refuted What concernes the first Beza renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived and reigned which are Preterperfects by the Futures shall live and reigne because he saw ver 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall reigne is in the Future But here the Preterperfects are to be retained because they answer to the Preterperfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sate notwithstanding the difference in respect of the sense is very little for John speaketh of things to come as past by a Propheticall manner for the certainty thereof but the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Christ belong in common to both They lived with Christ Who they are that lived reigned with Christ and with him they reigned But who To wit They which sate on Thrones also reigned and lived with Christ namely the Soules of them that were slaine by Romane Tyrants and by the Hereticks for the witnesse of Iesus and the Soules also of the slaine or tormented for denying to worship the Beast as erewhile I shewed against Ribera's subtilty For John declareth the condition of those whom he saw sitting on thrones what it was during the thousand yeeres both corporally on Earth already spoken of and spiritually in Heaven which here he declareth They lived and reigned with Christ to wit contrary to the foolish opinion of the world touching them which is for the consolation of the Godly The world indeed judged these slaine to have miserably perished but death to them was life Oppression a Kingdom with Christ This is the First that the soules of the slaine not restored to their bodies but being out of them as before wee shewed did live and reigne with Christ The Second seems more difficult to be expounded viz.
how they lived and reigned with Christ and how long But the matter is not obscure if the words be rightly considered and not wrested against the Scope and mind of the Spirit as the Chiliasts did rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lived againe that is How the Chiliasts corrupted the text they rose up out of their Sepuichres and what the Spirit speaketh of the soules of the Martyrs they wrested to their bodies and so feined a corporall Resurrection of the Martyrs a thousand yeers before the last day This first Falshood was the ground of the Millenaries errour against which we must firmely hold too and urge the simple word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived in stead whereof The ground of the Chiliasts error they evilly suborned the compound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived againe For here is spoken of the soules of Martyrs living in Heaven which as being immortall Spirits could not die with their bodies or be slain on Earth therefore cannot bee said to live againe but as it is in the Text they lived with Christ They object to the contrary that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived again as before in Chap. 2. ver 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But both is denyed because these two words doe much differ in sound and in sense and therefore may not be confounded neither here nor in the place alledged Not here because this confusion imports two absurdities ONE Physicall or naturall that the soules of the Martyrs were flaine The OTHER Theologicall that a Corporall Resurrection of an infinite number of the dead shall be before the last Day contrary to the Faith of all Christians taught by Christ himselfe The houre is comming Ioh. 5.28 in the which all that are in the Graves shall heare his voyce and shall come forth They which have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they which have done evill unto the Resurrection of death Neither before in Chap 2. because Christ in saying which was dead and lived gives us to understand not onely that he was dead and raised againe but also that he lived even while he was dead in the flesh or that he was living in his Divinity to demonstrate his two-fold nature as before we shewed Chap. 1.18 and Chap. 2.8 Adde to this that although it ought there so to bee taken yet here it cannot because of the Arguments following which admit not the same Moreover they urge the Antithesis of the following Verse But the rest of the dead lived not againe By which say they it seemes to bee plaine that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thence the contrary doth plainely follow viz. that the Holy Ghost by a different word noteth a diverse sense for the Antithesis is not of a contradiction in Synonymaes but of a metaphoricall contrarietie both in the subject and attribute because the same thing is not denyed touching the Remnant of the dead which was affirmed touching the soules of the Martyrs properly that they lived and reigned with Christ But another thing contrary to a happy life Metaphorically that they lived not againe in the first Resurrection for that they repented not which as by and by I shall clearely shew is the proper and genuine fense To returne to the Question The soules of the Martyrs live with Christ How the soules lived and reigned with Christ not onely a Naturall Life for this after death is common to the soules of the Godly and ungodly being immortall Spirits neither onely a Spirituall Life of Regeneration which the Martyrs had before they were slaine on Earth but a blessed and glorious Life which Iohn saw them enjoying with Christ in Heaven They reigned also with Christ not in the Kingdome of Grace which is in this Life but in the Kingdome of Glory which is in Heaven according to the promise I appoint unto you a Kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me And To him that overcometh Luk. 22.29 Rev. 3.21 will I grant to sit with mee in my Throne even as I overcame and sit with my Father in his Throne But they do wholly erre who suppose that we interpret this clause of the life of Regeneration and of the Kingdome of Grace and thence draw Sophismes for the Chiliasts opinion which shall be treated of in the following Verse Iohn therefore saw the Soules of the Martyrs that were beheaded here on Earth living blessedly and reigning gloriously with Christ in Heaven But how long Those thousand yeers viz. How al the Martyrs lived a thousand yeeres with Christ in which Satan was kept bound in the bottomlesse Pit not that the Martyrs were all slaine together about the beginning of the thousand yeeres and so all of them lived the whole thousand yeers with Christ But he speaketh of a continuall succession that none during the said yeeres in which they were slaine for the Testimony of Iesus or for refusing to worship the Beast did miserably perish but lived blessedly and reigned with Christ in heaven Wherefore in the thousand yeers is a Synecdoche familiarly used in our ordinary speech and in Scripture as before I said For example A man is said to come to day though hee come not in the Morning but at Noone or Evening or A man is said to live or die in this yeer not onely if he live or die at the beginning but also towards the middle or end of the yeer so the Martyrs are said to live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeeres although all of them were not slaine at the beginning but some towards the middle others towards the end thereof Mat. 12.39 Ioh. 2.19 By a like Synecdoche the Son of man was three dayes and three nights in the heart of the Earth and in three dayes raised up the Temple of his body although hee lay not much longer then one day and two nights in the Sepulchre The Iewes were Lxx. Iere. 29.9 yeers in the Captivity of Babylon although Daniel was longer Zerubbabel and they that were born in the Captivity were Captives fewer yeers Gen. 6.3 So God granted from the five hundreth yeere of Noah unto the flood an hundred and twenty yeers unto men although all they that were born within the 120. yeers had a shorter time of repentance c. Away therefore with their scoff of 400. The Martyrs shall also reigne after the thousand yeers Crownes in stead of a thousand Neither is this Synecdoche any way derogatorie to the happinesse of the latter Martyrs slaine by Antichrist for we are not to thinke that they ceased to live and reigne with Christ after the thousand yeeres were ended for they shall reigne with him for ever and ever as wee are taught Revelat. Chapter 22.5 It was enough for Iohn to shew what condition the blessed Spirits should be in those
the following verse onely such are said to be blessed who have part in the first Resurrection of which we shall there speak Seventhly from the same verse If the First Resurrection were corporall and proper to Martyrs then all the dead at the last Day should bee raised unto the second death or unto eternall damnation none of them unto life eternall But the latter is false and contrary to Scripture Ioh. 5.24 Dan. 12.2 c. Therefore the former also The consequence of the Major is grounded on the following Verse where the Second or Eternall Death is said to have power onely over them that have no part in the First Resurrection as there wee shall see Lastly in the same Verse it is said that they onely shall be Priests of God and of Christ which have part in the first Resurrection as shall be shewed Whence againe it would follow that the Martyrs onely should be the Priests of God and of Christ in case that the first Resurrection were corporall and proper to Martyrs But Peter teacheth the contrary 1. Pet. 2.5.9 And Iohn Rev. 1.6 c. These things I suppose may satisfie the Godlie minded and such as are not contentious unto which I will onely adde this one thing touching the Etymologie of the First Resurrection that as the first death is so called because it first seazed on man Why the first Resurrection is so called according to the soule as soon as he had sinned so the first Resurrection is so called because it first vivified man according to the Soule as soone as he repented by hearing the promise in Paradise Or also which comes all to one thing because it is the vivification of the first or more noble part that is of the soule as also because it is wrought in the First that is in this naturall life and lastly because it must goe before the Second resurrection which shall be the resurrection of the bodyes to glory or if the first went not before unto condemnation Here I could adde the Authorities of ancient Divines But it 's needlesse Let Augustine suffice for all the rest who most diligently searched into this prophesie The first Resurrection saith he most truely is to Grace the second to Glorie Lib. 20. de Civ Dei C. 7.18 Him Ribera unjustly reproveth restraining the First Resurrection unto the immortality of soules that the Martyrs though esteemed as if they had utterly perished yet according to their better part they live Then which nothing is more unsavoury for in this hee attributes nothing more to Martyrs then to the worshippers of the Beast who themselves also after the death of their bodies lived in their better part and yet never lived in the first Resurrection Objections against the First Spirituall Resurrection cleared IT remaineth that I briefly answer the Objections of the Chiliasts about their Corporall Resurrection of the Martyrs OBJECT I. That which falleth not neither dyeth is not raised again The soules fall not neither dye but the bodies Therefore the First Resurrection is not of soules but of bodies Austine moving this cavill denyes the minor Lib. 20. de C. D. cap. 10. Rom 14.4 1. Cor. 10.4 Ephe. 2.2 Mat. 8.22 that soules fall not nor rise againe dye not nor live againe For it is said He standeth or falleth to his own Master When ye were dead in sinnes Let the dead bury their dead which things are certainely spoken not of the fall or death of the body but of the soule The soule of man therefore fell through sinne and lies dead in sinne liveth againe through Faith and riseth againe by repentance Therefore there is a Resurrection of the Soules also but not the Second for this shall be of the Bodie Therefore the First Object II. The Soules of Martyrs lived againe either in respect of themselves or in respect of their bodies or in respect of other men who professed the same Doctrine But they lived not againe in respect of themselves because they were never dead Neither in respect of other men because it would follow that the rest of the dead should likewise live againe which is false Therefore they lived againe in respect of their owne bodies I answer I do not well understand whether this be in earnest or in jest The whole is so frivolous and hangs no more together then if they should say The Soules flie either in respect of themselves or in respect of their bodies or in respect of other men c. Not in respect of themselves because they have no wings neither in respect of other men because they also should flie which is false Therefore in respect of their bodies The Hypothesis is false the distribution vaine and lame the consequence nothing for this is wanting or they flie in no respect So here the consequence is to be denyed because they take up a falsehood viz. that the soules did live again for in the Text it is said they lived not that they lived againe Hence the distribution is vaine and imperfect for a fourth is wanting viz. that the Soules lived not againe in any respect to wit corporally which is the Question here in hand For a false attribute divideth not but overthrowes the subject by its falsitie neither is it truely affirmed of the same but denyed Adde that the first clause with the reason thereof is ambiguous for howsoever soules dye not neither live againe in respect of themselves that is in respect of their essence yet they do dye and live againe in respect of themselves that is in respect of Grace and Salvation as hath been shewed The other is superfluous and figurative For no man liveth againe in respect of others except metaphorically as for example A father liveth again in his children in likenesse of nature and manners The two Witnesses Chap. 11.11 lived againe in their Successours in likenesse of doctrine And therefore in this also is an aequivocation or ambiguitie The third which is concluded is also a figurative Synecdoche or is false For as properly not the Soules but the Martyrs were dead in respect of their bodies so properly not the soules but Martyrs shall live againe in respect of their bodies at the last day Therefore ingeniously and without Sophistrie the Object should thus have bin formed The Martyrs lived againe either in respect of their soules or in respect of their bodies Not in regard of their soules therefore in respect of their bodies But thus also the whole major is false the minor ambiguous the Consequence nothing for then the Martyrs lived not againe but lived according to their Soules but they shall live at the last day according to their bodies Therefore properly there are as many faults as words Ob. III. From the Antithesis ver 4. ver 5. If the word LIVED in the former part of the Antithesis must be understood of a Spirituall Resurrection then by the like reason the words LIVED AGAINE in the latter clause must be understood
Resurrection To have part in a thing is to become partaker of that thing as appeares from the contrary Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter saith Peter to Simon the hypocrite And Christ to Peter refusing to be washed by him If I wash thee not thou bast no part with me for thou shalt not have no communion with me Therefore to have part in the first Resurrection is to be partaker of the first Resurrection that is through faith and repentance to rise from the death of sinne unto newnesse of Life with Christ For we clearly shewed erewhile that this first Resurrection is not of the body but of the soule By which we see the great benefit and excellency of the first Resurrection because in it consisteth true blessednesse and holinesse The necessity also because no man shall bee blessed and holy without the same But is it the cause of blessednesse yea verily not indeed the meritorious for that Christ onely is for he hath merited blessednesse for us but causa sine qua non a cause without which it is not for without holinesse which the first Resurrection bringeth Heb. 12.14 no man shall see God yea it is also the formall cause inchoated or begun For the first Resurrection is inchoated holinesse and part of the future blessednesse which shall be perfected in heaven Hence first it followeth that all having part in the first Resurrection that is being truly born again in this life shal be blessed and holy with Christ in the other Life and on the contrary that none which rise not againe with Christ unto newnesse and holinesse of life on Earth shall be blessed and holy with Christ in Heaven Lib. 20. de C. D. ca. 6. For none can belong unto this first Resurrection but such as shal be blessed for ever saith Austin They therefore which have no part in the first Resurrection shall not bee partakers of blessednesse for wee shall bee clothed upon with our house if so bee that beeing clothed we shall not bee found naked 2. Corinth 5.3 Secondly it followeth as before we proved that the First Resurrection is not corporall but spirituall for if it were corporall then by this Exclamation all that shall be raised at the last day should be excluded from blessednesse because none of them should have part in the first Corporall Resurrection But this is absurd because in the last day some shall rise unto blessednesse others unto eternall death The reason of the consequence is because all and they onely that have part in the First Resurrection shall be blessed All indeed thou wilt say but not they onely Yea because all therefore onely for in an enunciation of the property touching the subject or of the effect touching the cause without which it is not or else an Antistrophe such as this is not only a simple conversion and contraposition will hold but a contrary sense also which begets exclusives Blessed are they that have part in the first Resurrection therefore they that have no part in the first Resurrection are not blessed which is of like force with the exclusive Onely they that have part in the first Resurrection are blessed Ps 119.1 Psal 32 1. Rom. 4.7 Rev. 12.14 Rev. 19.9 like as it followeth Blessed are the pure therefore the impure are not blessed Blessed are they whose sinnes are forgiven They therefore are not blessed whose sins are not forgiven Blessed are they that keep his Commandements They therefore that do not keep them are not blessed Blessed are they that are called to the marriage Supper of the Lambe therefore they who are not called are not happy and a thousand such like places are found in Scripture But perhaps thou wilt say it will not hold because as in Chap. 1.3 a speciall blessednesse is promised to the keepers of the words of this Booke so here also some speciall and eminent felicity of the Martyrs is commended by which notwithstanding other beleevers are no way deprived of their blessednesse THIS is nothing for they that keep not the words of this Booke shall be deprived both of speciall and common blessednesse Therefore they onely who keepe the words and Commandements of this Booke are blessed and so are they alone who have part in the First Resurrection Lastly either they onely that have part in the first Resurrection shall be blessed or not they onely If they onely it confirmes what we sayd If not onely then Blessednesse shall not be a speciall priviledge of the Martyrs agreeable to the justice of God viz. that they who have suffered more then others for the Confession of Christ should bee longer in joy and glory as before they said For either there shall be some other Martâ—â—rs on earth in these thousand yeers who shall suffer as much or more also for the Gospell at the hands of Antichrist regaining as they say his strength or of other enemies then the former suffered by Romane Tyrants for the witnesse of Jesus or else there shall be none If some then either these shal enjoy shorter happinesse and glory in Heaven which stands not according to their opinion with Gods justice Or else it was not agreeable to his Iustice that those other should enjoy longer happinesse and glory If there shal be no Martyrs but that the Church Militant during the THOVSAND YEERS shall be free from all hostile invasion of the ungodly living in peace and security as they promise then it followes 1. Cor 2.18 that the Gospell shall cease to be the word of the Crosse and the true Oracles of Christ and his Apostles touching the difficulties of the last times Luk. 18.8 Mat. 10.34 Act. 14.22 2. Tim. 3.1 c. shall cease Thirdly we learne the certainty of the Salvation of all that are borne againe for if all and they onely that have part in the First Resurrection are blessed and that none can belong unto the First Resurrection but such as shall be blessed for ever then certainely all and they onely that are borne againe shall infallibly obtain eternall blessednesse Ribera objects that very many rise againe from sinne and yet die againe In cap. 20. N. 49.50 by their relapse into sinne and so depart out of this life in their sinne Answ This is true of dogs and swine returning to their vomit and wallowing in filthinesse that is of hypocrites who in appearance indeed rise againe from sinne and seem to others to be truly purged from the defilements of the world but yet are not truly purged before God which for the most part the event sheweth but of such as are truly regenerate and rise againe from sinne it is said 1. Ioh. 3.9 Ps 37.24 Whosoever is borne of God commits not sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is borne of God And Though the righteous fall he shall not be utterly cast downe for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand On such the second
and witnesse of the Conscience Rom. 2 5. which shal suggest to every one the exact memory of his Actions whether good or bad the sentence pronounced shall be most just according to the same and Gods judgements shall bee righteous for the Holy Scriptures containe a most exact written rule of righteousnes unto which most righteously all are obliged and whosoever hath conformed himselfe unto the same shall most righteously be acquitted whosoever hath swarved from it Orat. in Plag gran shall most righteously in the day of Iudgemen bee condemned The Booke also of every mans conscience is of such exact righteousnes as it deceives no man doth injury to no man for the conscience saith NAZIANZENVS is a domesticke and true Tribunall And the Poet siath well Prima haec est ultio Iuven Sat 13. quodse Iudice nemo nocens absolvitur improba quamvis Gracia fallacis prae oris vicerit urnam This vengeance takes if judge it bee None that are guilty quitt doth hee Though that the Praetor through falle Grace Sometimes puts wicked men in place How much more therefore shall the conscience in the day of Iudgement bee a righteous rule to judge by The holy Scriptures are the rule of truth righteousnesse By the way observe If God will then judge according to the written word how much more doth he require that faith and our works be now done according to the said rule of Holy Writ According to their workes Good or evill This shall be the other infallible rule of righteousnesse for it is a righteous thing with God to render rewards to the righteous and tribulation to the wicked Every one therfore shall righteously receive either good or evill according to what he hath done It is observeable that here and every where in Scripture it is said Iudgement shall be according to workes we shall be judged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our workes no man therefore shall be saved for good workes notwithstanding the wicked shall be damned for their evill workes because there is a different reason between good and evill workes Evill workes are the wages of or merit death Eze. 184. Rom 1.28 Good works merit not life eternal for the Soule that sinneth shall dye And It is the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death Good workes merit not life because all are due to God the Creator and Redeemer But no debt comes under the notion of merit I passe by that the best workes of the Saints are imperfectly good polluted with many blemishes so that if God did judge them to his severity they would be found to be nothing but unrighteousnesses as the Church of old confesseth Isa 6.46 We are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Therefore we pray forgive us our trespasses Wherefore least Hypocrites should be bold to inferre if the wicked shall be condemned for evill workes therefore the Iust are saved for good workes The Holy Ghost would have it no where written that the judgement shal be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for workes which might signifie the meritorious cause but alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes which signifies the condition But why not according to Faith or infidelity Why the Iudgement shal not bee according to faith infidelitie because Faith and infidelity are hid to the eyes of men But workes whither good or evill flowing from the same shall be conspicuous and open unto all Therefore in that open judgement Christ the Iudge shall alledge the cleare rule of righteousnesse that it may appeare unto all that the wicked are justly condemned having done evill and the Godly righteously acquitted who have done good this is a great encouragement to good workes that we follow after them and touching evill workes that we should shun them because according to them we shall all be judged 13. And the Sea gave up her dead AVGVSTINE by the Sea doth not unproperly understand the world Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 15 which like to the tempestuous Sea is alwayes tossed with waves By the dead is meant wicked men dead in sinnes as is the greater part in the world or all men having mortall bodies Notwithstanding I thinke it is more proper to the sense to understand it of such as perished or were drowned in the Sea or Rivers or whose burnt bodies and ashes were cast into the same in times of persecution For humane reason judgeth it very absurd that the bodies of such as have been devoured by the fishes of the Sea or torne by wild Beasts and eaten by wormes on land should be restored John therefore saw what shall come to passe when all the Elements through the power of God shall render up the consumed Carkeises The Sea shall vomit up as it were out of a Sepulchre the dead she swallowed up The same Death and Hell shall doe that is the Earth which hath received in Sepulchres all the bodies of the dead as it were in her lap or bosome and opening her mouth hath swallowed downe some alive also By death here AVSTIN understandeth the dead bodies of the Godly which the Earth shall render up By hell the damned soules of the wicked which thence shall be brought forth to Iudgement Ribera extends it unto the bodies of such as Hell swallowed downe alive as Corah Dathan and Abiram The summe is by what kind of death soever they perished in this life whatever became of their soules after death all are seen by John as brought forth to Iudgement The Soules therefore of the Saints shall return from Heaven with Christ the Iudge the wicked shall be called forth out of Hell to Iudgement All mens bodies shal be raised up to life and being restored to their own soules shall stand before Christ to be judged 14. And death and hell In a few words hee toucheth the execution of the sentence pronounced against the ungodly The state of the Godly he more largely Treats of in the following Chapters First he sees hell and death to bee cast into the Lake of fire and soone after all that were not found written in the Booke of Life that is reprobates in which again is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inversion for first the wicked shal bee cast into torments Afterward the last enemies viz. death and hell by which names AVGVSTINE thinks here is signified the devill himselfe as being the Author of death and hellish punishments and the whole company of devils which very thing he had said before by an Anticipation And the devill was cast into the Lake c. So death should be put for the devill causing death 1. Cor. 15.54 1. Cor. 15.26 Hell for the devill drawing men to Hell As by a like metonymia it is said Death is swallowed up in victory And The last enemie that shall be destroyed is
part of the world or things it shall be is I think known to no man Ludovicus his jest on Sophisters disputing of this fire On which place Ludovicus Dives pleasantly jesting and deriding the vanitie of Sophisters what saith he to no man O Augustine thou hast not heard our Scholasticall Swash-bucklers of whom the least in degree is not ignorant that it shall be that Elementary fire whose abode is between the Ayr and the Globe of the Moone namely it being to descend But if thou approve not this there will not some be wanting to swear religiously that this fire shall proceed from the heat of the beams of the Sunne raised in the middle Climate of the Aire most thicke and ardent beames closing there together as it were into an hollow glasse or mirrour But it is no wonder In thy time O Austine there was no such use of fire as now seeing not to speake of Divines our Philosophers whither it be in the middle of December or in the middle of July they with mouth hands and feet handle and treat of nothing but fire Of Philosophers they become Divines and so transferre this kind of Philosophy into the more sacred Schooles They therefore can more casily define the fire then either Thou thy equals or Praedecessours Thus hee These delights therefore we leave unto incendiary Monkes who from the fire of Purgatory and Hell doe daily warme their Kitchins and daily threaten the Evangelicall Heretickes with fire and fagots The Holy Ghost himselfe interprets this Lake and this Fire not by the place or matter but by the miserable condition thereof Which is the Second Death Of which Chap 20.6 The first death They that have part in the First Resurrection on such the Second that is Eternall Death hath no power which shall be the casting of the damned with the devill and the Beast into everlasting torments For the first death is the falling away of the Soul from God The remedie whereof is the First Resurrection which is a raising of the Soule from the death of sinne through Faith and Repentance in this Life These are not in danger of the Second death because they shall have part in the Second Resurrection which is a raising up unto life and eternall glory See what was said before Chap. 20.5.6 The Second Part of the CHAPTER Beeing a Speciall VISION and Type of the Heavenly Jerusalem 9. And there came unto mee one of the seven Angels which had the seven Vials full of the seven last plagues and talked with me saying Come hither I will shew thee the Bride the Lambes wife 10. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high Mountaine and shewed me that great City the Holy Ierusalem descending out of Heaven from God 11. Having the glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most pretious even like a Iasper stone cleare as Chrystall 12. And had a wall great and high and had twelve gates and at the gates twelve Angels and names written thereon which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel 13. On the East three gates on the North three gates on the South three gates and on the West three gates 14. And the wall of the Citie had twelve foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. 15. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the City and the gates thereof and the wals thereof 16. And the City lyeth foure square and the length is as large as the breadth and he measured the Citie with the reed twelve thousand furlongs the length and the breadth and the height of it are equall 17. And he measured the wall thereof an hundred and fourty and four cubits according to the measure of a man that is of the Angell 18. And the building of the wall of it was of Iasper and the Citie was pure gold like unto cleare glasse 19. And the foundations of the wall of the Citie were garnished with all manner of pretious stones The first foundation was Iasper the second Saphir the third a Chalcedony the fourth an Emerauld 20. The fifth Sardonix the sixt Sardius the seventh Chrysolite the eight Beryl the ninth a Topas the tenth a Crysoprasus the eleventh a Iacinct the twelfth an Amethyst 21. And the twelve gates were twelve Pearles every severall gate was of one Pearle and the street of the City was pure gold as it were transparent glasse 22. And I saw no Temple therein For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it 23. And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof 24. And the Nations of them which are saved shall walke in the light of it and the Kings of the Earth doe bring their glory and honour unto it 25. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shall bee no night there 26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it 27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie but they which are written in the Lambes booke of life THE COMMENTARY 9. AND there came unto me one of the seven Angels Hitherto of what John saw and heard generally Now followes a speciall Vision and Type of the Heavenly Ierusalem in which is allegorically shadowed out not so much the pleasantnesse and magnificence of the place in which we shall bee in blessednesse in the highest Heaven as our future unspeakable blessednesse it selfe For this Citie is not Heaven it selfe but the glorified Church in Heaven for bee calleth the Citie here described the Bride and Wife of the Lambe But the Bride and Wife of the LAMBE is not Heaven but the glorified Church Now he recordeth as we shewed in the Analysis first the occasion of the Vision secondly the manner and place of the Vision lastly the Vision it selfe The occasion is in this verse Hitherto Iohn stood in the desert where he was carried in the spirit by one of the seven Angels pouring forth the Vials Chap. 17.3 to see the judgement of the great whore sitting upon the Beast What things he there saw and heard he hath declared at large Now that same Angell being one of the seven Pourers forth of the Vials for I understand it of the selfe same who seemed as above I said to be the seventh pouring out the last Viall into the Aire and proclaiming the end of the world comes unto Iohn that is returnes unto him for undoubtedly he had turned aside and as before he had said Come hither Chap. 17.1 I will shew thee the judgement of the great whore So now he saith I will shew thee the Bride the Lambes wife A wonderfull affabilitie of the Angell touching which above without being
justly question whither it were greater blindnesse in the Jews not to beleeve in Christ then for these to deny the Pope of Rome to be Antichrist Wherefore I shall seeme to have performed my function sufficiently not if I discusse all the obscurities of mysteries so irresutably that all do applaude mee but if so farre as God hath enabled me by the helpe of my Method laid down I shall congruously perspicuously and without deceit according to scope and experience explicate both the other Aenigmaes of this Prophesie and especially that part which containes the amplification and Catastrophe of the Combats of the Church and properly respects these last times Now by doing hereof if I have not kindled a Torch to take off the darkenesse with which it seemes to be covered yet verily I have laboured and if I be not deceived have lighted a Candle by the light and guidance whereof as by Ariadne her threed other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Godly Divines shall after me dive more deeply into these hidden mysteries and more neerly point at that Son of perdition sitting in the Temple of God as god and exalting himselfe above all that is worshipped shewing himselfe that hee is God And they shall say This is he O Romanist beware of him AMEN THE APPARITIONS AND PERSONS MAKING UP THIS PROPHETICAL DRAMA REVEALED IN SEVEN VISIONS In Vision I. Chapters 1.2.3 IOHN THE EVANGELIST Actor and interlocutor throughout Christ in a glorious form walking amongst the seven Candlestickes The authour of the Revelation and maker of the prologue In Vision II. Chapt. 4.5.6.7 The majesty of God sitting on the throne The first Chore of the foure and twenty Elders The 2. Chore of the foure Beasts The Book sealed with seven Seales in the hand of the sitter on the throne A strong Angell desiring the booke to be opened The Lambe as it were slaine opening the booke The 3. Chore of Angels The 4. Chore of all creatures A white horse with his Rider comming forth out of the first Seale A red horse and his Rider out of the second Seale A blacke horse and his Rider out of the third Seale A pale horse with death on him hell following him out of the fourth Seale The soules of the Martyrs under the Altar in the fift Seale A great Earth-quake out of the sixt Seale Four Angels holding the foure winds that they should not blow An Angell from the East with the Seale of God The multitude of Sealed ones and Martyrs In Vision III. Chapt. 8.9.10.11 Seven Angels with seven trumpets out of the seventh Seale An Angell with a golden censer at the Altar An Angell sounding the first trumpet An Angell sounding the second trumpet An Angell sounding the third trumpet An Angell sounding the fourth trumpet An Angell sounding the fift trumpet Locusts comming up out of the bottomlesse pit into the earth An Angell sounding the sixt trumpet Four Angels bound and loosed at Euphrates A strong Angell cloathed with a cloud and having a Book in his hand Iohn eating up the Booke and measuring the temple with a reed The two witnesses prophesying The Beast out of the pit killing the witnesses An Earth-quake overthrowing a tenth part of Babylon An Angell sounding the seventh trumpet The first Chore of the foure and twenty Elders In Vision IV. Chapt. 12.13.14 A woman clothed with the Sunne bringing forth a Man-child flying into the Wildernesse The son of the woman taken up into Heaven The red Dragon persecuting the woman Michael fighting for the woman against the Dragon The fift uneertaine Chore. The seven-headed Beast ascending out of the sea The two-horned Beast ascending out of the earth The Image of the Sea-beast A company of Sealed-ones standing with the Lambe on the Mountaine A sixt Chore of Harpers An Angell flying with the everlasting Gospell An Angell publishing the ruine of Babylon An Angell denouncing punishments to the worshippers of the Beast Christ on the cloud with a sharpe sickle An Angell proclaiming the last harvest and vintage In Vision V. Chapt. 15.16 The seven Angels with seven Vials The sixt Chore of Harpers upon the sea of Glasse An Angell pouring forth the 1. Viall on the Earth An Angell pouring forth the 2. Viall on the Sea An Angell pouring forth the 3. Viall on the Rivers and Fountaines An Angell pouring forth the 4. Viall on the Sunne An Angell pouring forth the 5. Viall on the throne of the Beast An Angell pouring forth the 6. Viall on Euphrates Three unclean Spirits like frogs out of the mouth of the Beast c. An Angell pouring forth the 7. Viall into the aire The rupture of Babylon by an Earth-quake In Vision VI. Chapt. 17.18.19 The whore riding on the seven-headed Beast The seven-headed Beast with his description The ten Kings waging war with the Lamb afterward burning the whore An Angell publishing the fall of Babylon An uncertain voyce calling the Godly out of Babylon Kings Merchants Sea-men bewailing the ruine of Babylon An Angell casting a milstone into the sea A fift uncertaine Chore. The first Chore of the 24. Elders and the second Chore of the 4. Beasts Iohn intending to worship the angell Christ with an heavenly armie rushing upon the Beast and the Kings of the Earth An Angell standing in the sun calling the birds unto the prey The judgement of the Beast False-Prophet Kings of the earth and worshippers of the Beast In Vision VII Chapt. 20.21.22 An Angell with the key of the bottomlesse Pit and a great Chayne The old serpent bound a thousand yeers The martyrs and conquerours of the beast reigning with Christ a thousand yeeres Satan let loose seducing the Nations and raising Gog and Magog against the Holy Citie The casting of Satan into the Lake of fire The raising of the dead and the last judgement The new Ierusalem coming down from Heaven the Bride of the Lambe God in the throne publishing the judgement Iohn seeing all these things and intending to worship the angell The Conclusion the Lord Iesus putting an end to the Drama A TABLE OF THE Principall QUESTIONS which are expounded in this COMMENTARIE In the Preface 1. OF the Authour of the Revelation Page 5. 2. Of the Canonicall authority of the Revelation Page 8. 3. Of the obscurity of the Book what it is and whence with the remedies thereof Page 9. 4. Of the Interpreters of the Revelation both Ancient and Modern and of the manner of interpreting observed by them Page 11. 5. Of the dignity time profit and scope of this Prophesie Page 13. 6. Of the argument of the Book Page 16. 7. Of the Partition of the Revelation Page 19. 8. Of the form of the Revelation ibid. 9. Of the generall Method of the Revelation Page 20. 10. Of the speciall Method of the Revelation Page 26. 11. Of the manner of interpretation observed by Pareus Page 27. In Chapter I. 12. Of the word Apocalyps Pag. 3. 13. A disputation about the words from him which is which was and
hands even so doth Christ lift up Iohn who was sore amazed first by laying his hand upon him and afterward speaking comfortably unto him Hee toucheth Iohn with the same right hand in which hee held the seven starres For by his divine power and love which never faileth hee upholdeth all the Churches with their teachers and every one of the faithfull Fear not I am the first and the last Hee biddeth him not to fear because feare disturbeth the minde unfits men for instruction and therefore the admonition at this time was very seasonable And that he might comfort Iohn the more and lift him up hee expoundeth in order unto him the whole vision First who he is Secondly what he would have him to do And thirdly unfolds the mystery of the starres candlesticks He sheweth him who hee is to the end he might know that he saw no fancie or spirit but Iesus Christ his redeemer He again calleth himself the first and the last that is God eternal as in vers 8 11 which is a seventh argument of Christs divinity Isay 41 40 44.6 48 12. as wee have already expounded For that which the prophet ascribeth to God alone Christ in this chapter three times assumeth unto himself But some heretikes object that Christ is called first as being the first of the Church under the new Testament But I answer that all the adjuncts disproove this glosse For Christ doth absolutely call himself the first and the last by which very words the prophets declare the eternity of Iehovah God Yea Christ saith that hee was not onely before the Church of the new Testament but also before Abraham Ioh. 8 58. 18. I am hee that liveth and was dead These words do clearly manifest that neither man nor Angel but Christ alone is represented here in this vision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living or he that liveth Christ taketh unto himself not onely the glorious life of his humanity Ioh 5.26 but the essential also of his divinity of which hee speaketh in the Gospel as the father hath life in himself so hath he given to the son to have life in himself For chiefly he calleth himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that liveth because even then whe he was dead he lived Therefore he saith not I did live and afterwarddy for then there would not have been any thing remarkeable in such an expression for no man can bee said to be dead who formerly hath not been alive but hee saith J living and was dead that is both together for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was is but once in the text is referred to both words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living and dead In which great and admirable expression he doth openly declare his twofold nature affirming that he lived 1 Pet. 3 18. as he was God was dead as he was man at one time According to that of Peter Christ was mortifyed in the flesh but vivifyed in the spirit that is both dead in the flesh and alive in the spirit together And this is the true meaning of that place which is the same with that common tenet that Christ being dead in the flesh raysed up himself by the power of his divinity This is also confirmed by the following words Behold I am alive for evermore Hee saith not and I lived again but behold I am living or alive by the particle behold hee attributes to himself an admirable divine and everlasting life to distinguish it from that life which he received again after his suffering in the flesh Therefore he saith hee liveth for evermore that is both before his death in his death and after his death which I have expressed in these verses Vivus eram sed eram crudeli morte peremptus En vitam sine fine per omnia secula duco J was alive and did a sore death suffer Yet lo I live and so I shall for ever This is the eight argument 8 Argument of Chr. deity of the Godhead of Christ because he was dead and liveth for evermore Eniedinus the heretike objecteth that Christ is not God because he died and so ceased to be whereas God dieth not neither can he cease from being God But it is a childish objection For though God cannot die as hee is God yet Christ as is he God â—â—nlfested in the flesh 1 Pet. 3 18. suffered death according unto the scriptures mortifial in the flesh Again God hath pâ—â—â—sed the Church with his owne blood Wherefore this onely doth follow that Christ is not God according to the flesh in which hee sunffered which indeed it true although it bee opposed by the Vbiquitisis who therefore have need to consider how they wil answer to what is here by the hereâ—ike objected Further more all this that Christ doth attribute to himself is for the comfort of the Godly For Christ liveth yea is life it selfe that wee also might live through him according unto the promâ—â— Joh. 6 he that eateth me even he shill live by me and again Ioh. 16 28 I give lowy sheep eternall life and they sâ—â—ll never preish And have the keyes of hell and of death That is I have power to cast the enemies into hell Keyes are a signe of power the which Christ Matth. 10.28 doth ascribe unto God fear not them which kil the body c. but rather fear him to wit God which is able to destroy both soule and body in hel This power Christ here assumeth by which he declares himself to be God and Lord of hell and death 9 Argument of Chr. deity This therefore in order is a ninth argument proving the Godhead of Christ Vers 19. Write the things which thou hast seene If this commandement be restrained to the first vision by a threefold division of the things which he had stene which were and which should come to passe then by it the arguments of the seven following epistles are signifyed but I rather refer it to the whole revelation for he is required to write some things already past which he had seene and somethings present the things which are and some things which shall be heerafter So that the matter of the revelation is distinguished inâ—â— a threefold order by Christ himself some things he had seen already from the beginning of the Gospel under Nero and the following Emperors unto Domition some things he now saw but the greater part he was yet to see namely the things that were to come afterward To these three heads we must have regard all most in every one of the following visions The Latine version hath which must be in stead of which shall bee But the Gr. constantly readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which shall come to passe Moreover this proveth again the divine authority of the revelation forasmuch as it is written by the commandement of Iesus Christ But why did he commande it to bee written questionlesse that the whole Church at
song together with the beasts and Elders for howsoever the Angels are not redeemed by the blood of Christ as men yet in Christ they are gathered together in one Eph. 1.10 beeing subject unto him as to the head of the Church whereof they are members and therefore they also prayse the Lambe as their Lord and blesse him in regard of the redemption of man-kind The number of Angels he saw are said to be ten thousand times ten thousand thousands of thousand that is infanite for so the Hebrewes speaking of time without end expresse it by ages of ages This number seems to be taken out of Dan. 7.10 where many millions of Angels stood before the fiery throne of God which is for the exceeding great comfort of the godly for seeing so many thousands of Angels are ready to doe the commandement of God and of the Lambe why then should we feare any adversary power which lifts it self up against God and his Church Saying with a loud voyce worthy is the Lambe This company of Angels with songs and prayses set forth seven divine titles of the Lambe all which he is most worthy to receive not as if he received them from the creatures but because all creatures are bound to render the same as most due unto him seeing he hath obtained all these things by eternall generation and by his exaltation at the right hand of God his Father And it is worthy our observation that however all these titles are most divine yet the Vbiquitie of his flesh is not reckoned amongst them Power because he is omnipotent Chap. 1.8 and all power is given unto him Matth. 28.18 Riches For in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom Col. 2.3 knowledge Wisdom For he is the eternall wisdome of the Father and of him is made wisdome unto us that is the teacher and author thereof Strength Because by his divine strength and power he hath overcome satan the world and all other enemies Glorie because he gloriously raigneth at the right hand of his father Blessing he is worthy indeed to be blessed for ever because in and through him all nations are made partakers of all blessings 13 And every creature The fourth apparition is of all reasonable creatures in heaven and in earth and of unreasonable both in the sea and under the earth And all that are in them viz. whither in heaven or in the earth or in the sea Ribera understands by the creatures under the earth the soules in purgatorie But this fiction Alcasar approves not of Others understand it of the evill spirits which will they nil they are compelled to acknowledge to stand in fear of the power glorie of Christ not because they love him but hate him and murmure against him But the true meaning is that not onely men but all creatures yea even the divels themselves doe shew forth the prayse of God XXXI Argum. of Christs deity because in some sort they serve to illustrate and set forth his glorie Here again we may note that Christ is adored with religious worship by all creatures the which evidentlie proves that he is God and this is to be added to the former arguments The exception of the Samosatenians is frivolous who will have a created divinity to be communicated unto Christ But God himself saith that he will not give his glory that is the glory of religious worship to any creature But the Idolatrous Papists doe more shamefully dishonour God and the Lamb in attributing religious worship to Angels to the spirits of men deceased to Images c let them therfore looke to it how they wil answer the foresaid hereticks nay rather how they will answere the Lord when he shall call them to account for it 14. And the foure beasts As the beasts and Elders were first in manifesting their joy so here againe they joyne with the Angels and other creatures in praysing the Lamb conclude the thanksgiving by saying Amen thereunto of which see Chap. 1.6 The Elders by falling down worship him who liveth for ever and ever that is Christ Chap. 1.18 CHAP. VI. THE PREFACE ARGVMENT PARTS and Analysis of the Chapter THe Lamb opening six seales of the booke wonderfull sights are shewed to Iohn in this Chapter At the opening of the first seale comes forth a white horse and his rider having a bow and a crowne At the second a red horse and his rider being girt with a sword taking peace away from the earth At the third a blacke horse with his rider having in his hand a ballance and proclaiming famine At the fourth a pale horse having death sitting on him and hell following threatning a horrible slaughter throughout the foure corners of the earth The fift being opened the soules of the martyrs appeare under the altar crying for vengeance to God against their enemies At the sixt there followes a great earth quake the sun is darkened the moon turned into blood the stars fall downe to the earth and the last signes doe follow Now this is an amplification of the second vision continued in the following Chapter beeing not a little obscure For who doubts but that many darke mysteries lie hid under these seales the opening whereof was indeed greatly desired by all creatures but by them not possible to be don precisely therefore to define as some doe of the certaine events prefigured in such darke types in my judgement doth surpasse the power of humane wit notwithstanding from the scope and circumstances I thinke we may and ought without any controversie in a generall way gather that wherein most interpreters agree in one viz. that in them is shadowed out the condition of the Church from the time of Iohn unto the end of the world The prosperous successe of the preaching of the Gospel at first by and by the rage of the adversaries The crosse and martyrdome of the Godly as also the increase of troubles at last the destruction of the ungodly with the glorious deliverance of the Church consisting both of Iewes and gentiles Furthermore we will speak of particular events following as by rule our former method where we shewed that the generall visions of which this is the first are distinguished into foure Acts or parts of which as the second is opposed unto the first so allwayes the fourth unto the third The vvhich Acts now follow The first to repeate a few things is a representation of the state of the primitive Church both in prosperity and adversity under the foure first seales unto v. 9. unto this belongs the history of the Apostolical Church of the following persecutions both under the Romane tyrants and Arian hereticks untill the rising of Antichrist in the first 600 years The second is a comforting of the martyrs whose soules were safely kept under the heavenlie altar to bee fullie glorified a little while after v. 9.10.11 The third sets forth a new oppression more grievous troubles to
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
taught that the soules of the martyrs and other saintes departed are not in the paines of purgatorie but enjoy the presence of Christ their saviour in the heavens But touching this sight of Christ how and after what manner they see God and Christ I leave it to Sophisters to dispute of If they bee under the altar that is Christ then undoubtedlie they doe behold him Ioh. 14.9 And if Christ why not God also Forasmuch as Christ himself saith He which seeth mee seeth my Father the fulnesse of whose sight we shall enjoy at the last day 1 Ioh. 3.2 as the scripture teacheth For when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as hee is In the mean while the blessed vision here spoken of sufficeth for the present degree of happinesse unto the soules of the faithfull 10. And they cried with a great voyce Now he sheweth what the soules doe under the altar namely cry mightilie to God that their blood may be avenged which argues that their soules were not killed or died with their bodies but live eternally neyther are they asleep but watch But this we are not to understand of any vocal crying with the tongue which the soules cannot doe but of a visionall crying by which is signifyed their earnest desire represented here unto Iohn in the spirit under the forme of a great cry The phrase alludes to the death of Abel Gen 4.10 whose blood is said to cry for vengeance to God from the earth O Lord Now he comes to rehearse what their crying was and in what manner they implored him that sate on the throne and the Lamb. Holie that is pure hating the crueltie of tyrants True alwayes constant in performing thy promises and threatnings and just also both in rewarding and in punishing of men How long doest thou not judge c. Seeing thou art holy true why doest thou suffer tyrants to rage so long against thy saintes On them that dwell on the earth A paraphrase of tyrants and their instruments beeing unworthy to be named onely approbriously they are called inhabitants of the earth that is earthlie and foolish men presuming to rebell against heaven to their owne destruction closelie also implying their own present happy condition as free from the furie of wordlings How long They desire the hastening of Gods judgements But here it may be demanded how the soules of the saintes in heaven can be said to be thus impatient and desirous of revenge I answer their words import no impatient desire For the glorified saintes are altogether free from all corruption this way and therefore here is signifyed their earnest desire that Gods glorie be vindicated and the Church finally delivered from the tyrannie of implacable adversaries neyther doe they praescribe unto God any time touching his judgements or the deliverance of the Church but closelie submit unto the same as unknown to them when it shall be onely they intimate that to them it seems just equal that he should deliver his Church and no longer suffer the blasphemies and cruelty of persecutors And therefore not desiring to avenge themselves they commit vengeance unto the Lord How long O Lord doest thou not avenge not thristing after it themselves but desire that God in righteousnesse will administer the same as knowing the just God will not suffer the crueltie of the wicked to be unavenged and passe without punishment yet they leave the manner and time to the Lords own disposing desiring it no otherwise then as it may stand with his pleasure and will Thus we also here on earth pray to be delivered from that evill one in which we contradict not the counsell of God neither sin against him in praescribing the time and manner thereof but shewing our desire wee attribute unto God the prayse of his justice faithfulnes and omnipotency beleeving that he both can at length will assuredly deliver us Much lesse therfore doe the soules of the saintes in praying for the same thing sin against the Lord. Vide August serm 11. de Sanstis 11. And white robes were given to every one of them God heard the request of the martyrs and answers them according to their desire both in word and deed In deed for white robes were presently given unto everie one of them In word for a speadie vengeance is promised After a little season The cause of this delay is added not that the sins of bloodthirstie tyrants are not ripe and worthie of vengeance but because the number of the martyrs is not yet complete And this is the summe White Robes This notes out the beginning of their celestial glorie Were given them to wit by him that sate on the throne or by the Lambe Not as if the soules under the altar were naked before seeing even in this life they had put on Christ For as manie as have been baptised unto Christ Gal. 3.27 2 Cor. 5.5 5. have put on Christ and if we be not found naked here we shall be cloathed with our house which is from heaven and being purged from all filthinesse we shall stand before God and live with Christ in eternall happinesse Now I disaproove not their judgement touching the twofold robe after this life While we are here our robe remaines stained with the spots of the flesh August tom 10. serm 11. de sanct though covered with the blood of Christ to the end they may not appeare before the face of God After our departure a robe is given to everie one perfitly white indeed yet but one that is a new degree of happines in heaven But after the full deliverance of the saintes that is at the day of judgement the other robe shal be also given that is the saintes shal be fully and perfectly glorified This then is another comfort namelie that to the martyrs in stead of the bloodie robe with which tyrants here cloathed them there shall be given them a white robe of joy and glorie in heaven And it was said unto them to wit by him that sate on the throne or by the Lambe under whose shadow they rested neyther is it strange that Christ is represented as a Lamb in regard of his death and as an Altar in regard of his propitiation Here are manie things touched in few words First it is a mild admonition that the soules for the present should be contented with their white robes and cease crying expecting the time of Gods appointed judgement It is also a close commination of revenge after a litle season for however God for a while deferres punishment yet he certainly heares the request of the godlie and at last will be fullie avenged on their adversaries It is also a prophesie of the future condition of the saintes under Antichrist by whose tyrannie manie martyrs are to brought to their end with fire and sword And lastlie it is consolation for the godlie under this antichristian tyrannie seeing their afflictions shall
different yet the sense is al one After 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rod some bookes read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying rise as if the reed it self had said it The old version seems to read after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he renders it And it was said to mee to wit by the Angel We here and so our translation follow the reading of Montanus who after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Angel stood or stood by saying c. He is commanded therefore to measure the temple c. beeing a plaine allusion as before I shewed unto the prophesie of Ezech. Chap. 40. where the Angel is commanded to measure the new temple with a reed The prophesie of Ezech. touching the measuring of the temple is spirituall in which vision God promised the restauration of the temple destroyed by the Babylonians not indeed materially but spiritually under the Gospel For the outward temple built by Zerubbabel after their returne doth not at all answer to the dimensions of that vision neither shall any one be like unto it and therefore that measuring was a prophesie of the future reformation of the spirituall temple by Christ By the like metaphor the restoring of Ierusalem is promised in Zach. 1.16 My house shall be built in it saith the Lord of hostes a line shall be stretched forth upon Ierusalem So here by the like reason in that Iohn is bid to measure the temple is signified that the same should be so wasted rent and overthrowen as that of necessitie it must be measured that is reformed built againe This worke Iohn is commanded to set himself upon that is by this type to foretell what should come to passe viz. that after Antichrist had taken possession wasted oppressed the temple of God then Christ by giving the measuring reed unto his two witnesses would againe measure repaire wholy renew the same Thus we se that this commandment of measuring the Temple is a propheticall promise of the reformation of the Church wasted and ruinated by the Westerne Antichrist Hence the Papists fiction is refuted that the visible Church can never degenerate The visible Church could erre seeing it had need of measuring erre fal from her integrity But the thing it self shewes the vanity hereof The old Temple according to Ribera was a type of the Church Now we know that might be was laid wast destroyed yea the old Church it self very often degenerated The new Church also shal be possessed troden under foot by Antichrist so need a new measuring or reparation Wherefore it cannot be denied but that the Church may be destroyed degenerate from the faith of Christ unto Antichrist Furthermore it is manifest that the Church dissipated by Antichrist neither can be nor shal be measured by any other instrument then by the reed of the word contained in the holy Scriptures as being indeed the onely true infallible rule Psal 45 7. according to that of the Psalmist The scepter or rod of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnes Let us therfore wholy cast of all other adulterate false rules as humane traditions decrees of councils Popes unto which the foolish builders giving way have destroyed the Temple of God from whose corruptions it shal be restored as from death to life by the reed of Gods word Measure the Altar also For the understanding of this we must have recourse to the structure of the old Temple for the spirit of God is pleased in this prophesie to shadow out the state and worship of the new Church by the type and service of the Old not as if such types were to remaine under the Gospell but because the things signified by them are fitlie applied unto the new Church We have the description of the tabernacle in the latter part of Exodus of Solomons temple in some Chapters of 1 King from Chap. 4. unto 8. The Apostle also Hebr. 9. rehearseth the parts of the tabernacle To be short we have a worthy portraiture of the Temple in Ezech. Chap. 40.41.42 divided into foure parts I. There was an outmost court in which the people were conversant II. A more inward or middle court for the keeping of the Leviticall instruments making ready of the sacrifices III. The most inward or court of the Priests in which was the great brazen Altar for burnt-offerings IV. The Temple it self in the entrie wherof stood the golden Altar of perfumes with the golden candlestick table within behinde the vaile was the sanctuary in which was the Ark of the covenant This Temple was a type of the Church we have shewed wherfore he was commanded to measure the same He must also measure the Altar to wit the golden Altar from the foure corners whereof hee heard a voyce Cha. 9.13 This was a type of Christ But how Is he commanded to measure Christ yea verely For Christ under a pretence of his name was thrust out of his possession by Antichrist who suppressed the faith turned Christian libertie into miserable servitude The Altar therefore of Christ shal be measured when as the faith of Christ shal be freed from the perfidiousnes of Antichrist Christian liberty from his tyranny The Altar indeed by a synecdoche may be taken for the whole worship of God But we shal see by by why it is rather to be understood of the golden perfumatory then of the brazen Altar of burnt-offering The building of the old temple Thus also my Anonymus the Altar that is Christ And them that worship therein He meaneth the residue of sincere worshippers in the midst of Antichristian defilements These he is commanded to measure that is as Ribera wel expounds it to number and sever as chosen members of the true Church and not to be delivered unto Antichrist he therefore acknowledgeth that God will reserve some true worshippers of Christ in the midst of Babylon that is the Papacie So then these worshippers are the same who in Cha. 7. are said to be 144000 sealed in the foreheads out of every tribe and nation tongue Which serves for to comfort the godlie to refute that daylie irksome song of the Papists viz. if the Papacie were not the Church then Christ before Luther had neither body nor members Although true it is this measuring of the Temple and Altar leads us to a farther thing promising moreover a purging of doctrine discipline as we have seen the same accomplished in our times Therein No man did worship in the Temple properly so called except the high-priest alone all other worshippers stood in the court turning their faces onely towards the sanctuary Yet here the faithfull are said to worship in the verie temple of the sanctuarie because they are the true members of the temple yea the temple of God it self 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Cor. 6.6.16 as the Apostle saith Know yee
no miracles can verifie false and blasphemous doctrines Adde to this that Alcasar the Iesuite contrary to the common opinion acknowledgeth that a litterall sence doth not at all agree with the stile of this aenigmaticall sentence which undoubtedly is most true although he brings in a most idle glosse taken not from the Scriptures but out of the conception of his own braine Antichrist therefore by an allusion unto the litteral history of the Scripture causeth fire divers waies to descend from heaven In the likenesse of fire rushing from heaven the Apostles received the holy Ghost How the Pope causeth fire to descend from heaven so Antichrist boasteth that he by power given him from above doth confer the grace of the holy Ghost in consecration confirmation confession and absolution to wit by a great and miraculous working In the likenesse of lightning the devill made fire to descend from heaven and devoured the sheep and servants of Job And doth not the Pope boast that he fulminates against Emperours Kings and Princes by his excommunications for so Gregory VII said that the Emperour Henry IV. whom he excommunicated was stroken with lightning And therefore in excommunicating the Pope casteth down burning torches or firebrands from on high that even hence we might understand that it is he who causeth this dreadfull fire to descend from heaven by which the sheep and servants of Job are devoured to wit by a marveilous wonder In that it is added In the sight of men it signifies that he gaines authority to himselfe and his deceitfull working by striking great amazement feare and delusion in the hearts of men For he bewitcheth the eyes and mindes of the people and so terrifies the conscience with his signes and lightnings as that the simpler sort are held in false devotion and the more prudent in feare and obedience 14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by those miracles Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the miracles Seducing by his signes and it seems to be put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by or by means of those miracles as Chap. 4.11 12.11 This is the third effect of his power he drives wretched men from Christ to Antichrist from the truth to a lie and from the path of salvation to the way of destruction For to seduce is properly to bring out of the right way and lead into errour It is a metaphor taken from travellers ignorant of the right way for so Antichrist seduceth the inhabitants of the earth that is earthly minded men ignorant of God and of their salvation to wit as casting all care of religion upon their spirituall fathers and hence being bewitched and terrified with the signes and lightnings of the Beast they devoutly swear obedience unto his lies For as by true signes being the seales of true doctrine the Elect are helped and moved to believe that it is divine For God who is true and the authour of miracles gives no testimony save to the truth so the lying miracles of the Beast are the seales of his lying doctrine which earthly men embrace for true because of his miracles thinking that they are divine signes and so his doctrine also But thus thinking they are deceived and seduced What therefore are our workers of miracles but seducers And in this sence it is truely said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for or because of the signes as being the formall cause of his imposture Now they work their signes in the sight of the Beast that is by the Popes authority because the miracles of these deceivers must of necessity be Canonized by the Pope that they may be authentick to the faith that is to the seducement of men Saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make Observe how often the holy Ghost doth reiterate the dwellers on the earth The image of the beast lest the faithfull should be offended with the multitude and readinesse of them that follow the Beast against Christ And this is the fourth effect of his power he commands the inhabitants of the earth to make an Image to the Beast which was wounded by the sword and did live With which cohereth the first that he gave life to the Image of the Beast and also that the Beasts image should speake and cause that whosoever would not worship the image of the Beast should be slaine Ribera in c. 13.32 For these two verses agree together by which indeed most interpreters amongst the Papists will have the third miracle of the Beast to be described viz. that he should perswade men to make an Image to Antichrist and worship him in their temples Lib. 3. de P. R. c. 15. to which image he would give life and speech c. Whence againe it followeth saith Bellarmin that the Pope is not Antichrist because none of them have made an Image to speake c. But first this fable touching Antichrists image placed in temples speaking and to be worshipped Alcasar refutoth Bellarmine Aleasar himselfe refuteth and expounds it of heathenish idols which they imagined by an heavenly miracle should receive and give answers This opinion is far more tollerable although not agreeable unto the text which openly speaketh not of Satans delusions among the Gentiles already past but of the future impostures of Antichrist sitting in the temple of God Secondly to let passe the fable do not the images in the Papacy speak and hath not the Pope caused and commanded them to be worshipped on paine of death Such of ours who understand the former Beast of the old Romane Empire interpret this Image of the Beast sometime wounded and again healed of the Romane Empire re-established by the Pope Which they think was done when Steven II. and Leo III. transferred the decayed Empire of the West on Charles the Great and as it were repaired the same The which was no more then a certaine image or rather a shadow of the old Empire comming short both in the majestie largenesse and power thereof But we have before shewed that the former Beast denotes not the Romane Empire but Antichrist Neither doe the circumstances of the text agree to it The Pope say they made the image of the Romane Empire But the second Beast or the Pope made not the image of the former but the inhabitāts of the earth did it by the commandement of the Beast That also which is added touching the worshipping of the image doth little agree For as much as none of the Germane Emperours commanded either themselves or their Empire to be worshipped on paine of death The participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying referred to that which goes before makes the sence cleare to wit that to the two former waies of power and seducing being his false doctrine and great miracles now are added two more to wit worshipping of Images and outward violence And the spirit doth plainely allude to Daniels History where the King set up a golden image Hebr.
not simply disapprove of this propheticall sense especially seeing the Iesuits themselves begin to prophesie of the destruction of Rome and banishment of the Pope as before in Chap. 14. I shewed out of Ribera For though the Turke sit still yet certainly Christian Kings and Princes will put their hands to this worke of God for to thrust the Pope out of his nest as Iohn Chap. 17.16 doth not obscurely intimate Notwithstanding if it be thought more agreeable not to restraine the Throne of the beast to the City Rome but rather to understand the same of his whole Kingdome which is said to be darkened because in the Egyptian Type for it is a plain Allusion unto the ninth plague of Aegypt not onely Pharaohs royall Court Ex. 10 23 but the whole land except the dwellings of the Israelites was overwhelmed with most thick darknesse three dayes together I see not to whom I should rather assent then to our foresaid interpreters who expound it of the darkening or totall darknesse in which Antichrist hath deeply involved and plunged the Christian world these thousand yeers which shall wholly be dissipated by the cleare light and preaching of the Gospell How the beasts king dome is darkened The darkening therefore of Antichrists Kingdome is not a bringing in of a new darkenesse for his kingdom was never inlightned with the light of true doctrine But began to be darkened even from the first after that the smoake of the bottomlesse pit had filled all parts and places thereof with a most grosse myst or blindnesse although the world in regard of its externall lustre thought it to be most bright and shining But the full manifestation of the darkenesse and dispelling of the smoak shall be a fatall darkning unto Antichrist when the most cleare light of the Gospell shall breake forth and shine in all parts of the world for then the beasts abominations shall be layd open to the view of all men whereupon many shall desert him his glory shall be obscured his authority despised and his Kitchin grow cold This plague shall be more grievous then the former or certainly an extreame encreasing thereof for then the beast shall be neerest to utter ruine of which more afterward And they gnawed their tongues Now follow three secundary effects of this Viall on the Vassalls and Worshippers of Antichrist First they gnaw their tongues By which proverbiall Speech is noted the extreame rage they shall fall into And the cause is added to wit for the paine or griefe in which they shall be because of the fatall declining of the Popish Kingdome for mad or furious persons use to bite their lips tongues and fingers and gnash their teeth as beasts not able to revenge themselves It may also be an Allusion to such as have the Falling-Sicknesse who by the sharpe sits of their disease are wont to bite their lips and fingers with the like madnesse or phrensie the Papists shall then be vexed when they see the Popes Kingdome to be darkened exposed to contempt and the authority thereof taken away when Kings Princes and the Vulgar sort shall deny obedience unto the same Secondly They shall blaspheme the God of Heaven As before for because they goe on to condemne the Gospell of Christ as divelish heresie and wickedly accuse the same as the cause of all the Commotions and troubles which themselves have raised Thirdly They repented not of their deeds viz which we have expounded verse 9. and before in Chapter 9. ver 20.21 The pouring out of the Sixt Viall on Euphrates 12 And the sixt angell poured out his Viall upon the great River Euphrates and the Water thereof was dryed up that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared 13 And I saw three uncleane Spirits like Frogges come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet 14 For they are the Spirits of Devils working miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battell of that great day of God Almighty 15 Behold I come as a theefe Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walke naked and they see his shame 16 And he gathered them together to a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon THE COMMENTARY 12 AND the sixt Angell poured out The sixt Viall is poured out on that great River Euphrates which as histories testifie runneth through Babylon is the bound of the Eastern Palestina Two events do follow The drying up of the waters of Euphrates And the sending forth of three uncleane Spirits unto the Kings of the earth to make Warre against God c. By the former the plague it selfe by the latter the last endeavour of the Beast to keepe off the plague is signified The drying up of Euphrates is by some properly by others mystically expounded Andreas expounds it properly Andreas opinion touching the drying up of Euphrates yet doubtingly Perhaps saith he Euphrates by Gods permission shall be shallow as that it will be easie for the Kings of the Nations and other men to passe over for to kill each other Now these Kings of the East for whom the way shall be prepared he guesseth to be Gog and Magog who shall come out of the region of the Scythians Or Antichrist with other Kings out of the eastern Persia where the Tribe of Dan shall inhabit of which Tribe Antichrist is to be borne and passe over Euphrates to the destruction and death of the soules and bodies of very many The first clause of which sentence touching the litterall drying up of Euphrates Ribera approveth but the latter hee rejecteth viz. of Antichrists comming out of the East with other kings over the River Euphrates being dryed up because saith he Antichrist shall sit in Jerusalem on this side of Euphrates and therefore shall not come out of the East which is beyond it but supposeth that the seven Kings of the East shall be called forth by the three impure spirits to joyne themselves with Antichrist in that generall battell against Christians Wonderfull darknesse and fabulous toyes no token of any plague doth appeare in these things whereas it is certaine that the beasts last plague save one is here denounced Here also I see our Brightman to keep to the Letter about the drying up of Euphrates but in a diverse sence and end Euphrates in this place as in Chap. 9.14 in the sixt Trumpet he understands to be the River of Mesopotamia which made the passage of the Easterne People into Judea very difficult The waters whereof he thinkes after the overthrow of Rome shall be dryed up by a like miracle as of old it happened at the red Sea and the waters of Iordane To what end That the way of the Kings that come from the rising of the Sun might be prepared that is that the Iews dwelling in the East
this Type the thing in hand doth very well answer for the Antichristian Babylon hath chiefly by two Monuments stood unmoveable Outwardly in stead of walles The walles of the Romane Babylon she hath Emperours kings and nations who as Vassals to the Pope do at his becke take up Armes in defence of Babylon Within her is Euphrates drawing to Rome as through a deep channell the treasures of the world in so much as the Churches Eschequer doth far surpasse the Treasures of all Monarchs in the earth It hath bin observed that in most Provinces Clergie-men have had Two-thirds of all rents scarcely one third remaining to the Prince and people Thus as Babylon gloried because of her deep waters so Rome boasteth of her excessive riches but like as the waters of Euphrates being diverted the River was dryed up The deepe waters of the Romish Babylon and thereby an easie passage was prepared for the kings of the East who tooke Babylon in one night Even so Romes holy tribute being intercepted and derived otherwhere there will be an easie way made for faithfull kings and teachers to passe as through dry Foordes Rev 18.8 that new Babylon may fall in one day and bee destroyed If thou aske who shall make the ditches and turne these Tributes of Rome another way See the History of Cyrus his army wrought day and night till at length the worke being finished Cyrus himselfe opened the Sluces and drew the waters from the City so the continuall labours and endeavours of Gods ministers shall prepare the ditches and Cyrus the Lords anointed Isay 54.1 that is faithfull kings and princes shall themselves open the more thus prepared draw backe the Rivers of Babylon and convert her Tributes to better uses as in Chap. 17. ver 16. is plainely taught unto us Thus we have heard the meaning of the sixt Viall which without doubt is proper and true for Babylon shall receive no plague more grievous then this before the totall destruction thereof Neither is this interpretation new or lately thought of by us but even my Anonymus hath exprest the same 260. yeers agoe in these words He dryed up that is The preaching of the Gospell doth and shall cause men to take away all temporall things that is Possessions and earthly Dominion from the Clergy and they shall no more be given unto them Neither are the waters of Euphrates onely begun to be dryed up a little but almost a hundred yeers the way hath bin a preparing for the kings of the East to invade Babylon Thus Bohemia in a great measure is fallen off from Antichrist and long agoe hath denied to encrease Babylons waters The like we see in England Scotland Denmarke Swethland with a great part of Germany France Poland and Hungarie And what would ye thinke if at last the waters of Italy and Spaine should be dryed up also But let us see the industry of the Beast in keeping off this plague While Cyrus of old prepared the motes and built Turrets before the walles of Babylon they scorned him and therefore it was no wonder they perished on a sudden because of their securitie But the Romish Babylon will more carefully stand on her watch and make the siege of the Easterne kings tedious and difficult as it followeth 13. And I saw come out of the mouth of the Dragon The internall effect of the sixt Viall we have heard spoken of The drying up of Euphrates being the sixt plague of the Beast The externall effect now followeth viz. the Beasts Ambassage unto the Kings of the earth to make Warre for to keepe off the plague The Connexion is to be considered By six Plagues the beast is almost wasted I. By the venemous ulcer on such as had the marke of the beast II. By the death of every living soule in the corrupted Sea III. By the blood of the Rivers and Fountaines IIII. By scorching of men by the heat of the Sunne V. By the darkenesse of the Beasts kingdome VI. By the drying up of the River of Euphrates Now because the Beasts kingdome shall seem by all these plagues to be brought to a most desperate condition he on the contrary will leave nothing unattempted for to uphold the same And as the Poet speaketh Flectere cum nequeat superos Acharonta movebit And therefore to advance his throne againe and bring backe the waters of Euphrates into the Channells of Babylon he will not feare to lift up his hand against Heaven but by an unheard of fury will move warre against God and by his Legates sollicite and draw the kings of the earth into the Confederacie of this warre But with what event Here indeed it is not mentioned but shall be declared in the following Vision Chap. 19. Namely that this his last rage shall expose the Beast his kingdom and the kings his Associates unto utter destruction This is the summe But because this last tumult shall be raised by the Beasts Legates Iohn here expoundeth in order from whom they are sent and to whom who and what manner of Messengers they are wherefore they are sent together with the successe of their Message all which things we will briefly consider The Authours of the Ambassage are The authors of this war ambassage the Dragon Beast and False Prophet Of the Dragon and Beast we spake in Chapter 13. The false Prophet is here first mentioned Now there we shewed that he is the same Land-beast who by great signes caused the Sea-beast to be worshipped and this will more clearly appeare in Chap. 19.20 where the same effects are attributed to the False Prophet which before were spoken of the beast rising out of the earth Moreover we there made it appeare that both Beasts do represent one and the same Antichrist under a divers shape The former as a King The latter as a deceiver Out of the mouth therefore of these three goe forth these three Messengers that is they are sent by their invention counsell commandement and authority for this is meant by the Type of going forth out of the mouth How the three Legates proceed out of the mouth of these three seeing Satan properly hath no mouth Neither is the sense as if one should proceed out of the mouth of the Dragon another out of the mouth of the Beast and the third out of the mouth of the False Prophet for thus their originall and authority would seem not to be equall But that they all three go forth as it were out of one mouth by the common conspiracy of the three aforesaid parties for to performe their interprize viz with lies in behalfe of the Dragon who is the father of all lies and by tyranny in the behalfe of the Sea-beast who represents Antichrist as he is a secular Monarch and withall deceit of unrighteousnesse in behalfe of the Land-beast that is Antichrist as he is a spirituall Impostor Now let us consider the Messengers themselves Three impure
the profits and delights of Babylon had rather remaine in her and perish then obey the commandement of God Yea such also who being ensnared by her baites fall from Christ to Antichrist returning with the dog unto their former Vomit Like to the Israelites who loathing the Heavenly Manna in the Wildernesse desired to returne to the onions and flesh-pots in Egypt but remembred not their former miserable bondage Taskmasters Scourges Brick-ovens c. So these indeed greedily embrace the fat Kitching of the Papacy but thinke not upon the miserable slavery of the Conscience and Tyranny of Antichrist But as they lusting after their flesh-pots and onions at last miserably perished in the wildernesse and entred not into the promised Land So let these looke to it how in regard of their Apostacy they will satisfie their wounded consciences at the hour of death and what answer they will give Christ the Iudge at the last day Least ye be partakers Some weighty causes of the Commandement are added The first is least they be defiled with her sins for he which dwels near a cripple learns to halt and he that rubs a scabby person may easily be infected Our admirers of Rome plead indeed that they can without wounding of the conscience be conversant there and behold the Masse Idols and Pompe of Babylon But their pretence is false because God forbids the same and experience proves the contrary for they are forced at the least to uncover the head bow the knee to the Masse Idols Pope and by outward shews to give approbation to Babylons Idolatry except they would endanger themselves But that this is to participate in their sins cannot be denyed by any sound reason for to shun sinne is to avoid the occasion thereof Let such therefore call to mind that true saying Esto procul Roma qui cupis esse pius And of her Plagues Another cause Lib. 8. cap. 28. least being overthrowne by the fall of Babylon we suffer justly for our rashnesse and backwardnes Mice as Plinie writeth depart out of the house when it is ready to fall and the Spiders first fall downe with their webs A little before the Siege of Jerusalem by Titus there was heard a voice in the aire Let us depart hence whereby the Christians were induced to go over Iordan to Pella Having therefore these examples why should not the Godly depart from Rome being near to destruction that they be not partakers of her plagues for when a house falls all that are under the roofe must of necessity perish 5. For her sinnes have reached A third reason is taken from the revenging justice of God which although it sometimes deferre yet at length it requires the punishment of wicked deeds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath a revenging eye This reason is amplified two wayes First in respect of the sins which are said to have reached unto Heaven Generally all greek Copies have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They followed each other one begetting another so that like chaines fastned together with many rings What is meant by sins to reach to Heaven they reached as it were up to Heaven Andreas and Montanus have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glued together or as it were with lime or morter raised up to so great an heape as it reached even to Heaven This signifies the abominable heaping up and filthinesse of sins which is said to reach up to Heaven that is by excessive guilt to draw down vengeance from God By a like metaphor God makes Kains parricide detestable Gen. 4 10. The voice of thy brothers blood cryeth to me from the earth And the filthinesse of Sodom Gen. 18 20.21 The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great the cry of their sinne is very grievous which is come unto mee RIBERA on this place saith well That there is no sinne though never so little but it comes even to Heaven that is unto the knowledge of God although the scripture useth so to speake onely of greatest sinnes ripe for punishment Now hence is refuted the distinction of veniall and mortall sins for to reach to heaven is not onely to come unto the knowledge of God seeing he takes knowledge even of the least that are committed but so to take knowledge of them as being a sinfull violation of the Law and therefore deserving the punishment prescribed in the Law If therefore all even the least of sins do reach and come unto the knowledge of God it followeth that all deserve the punishment of the Law namely death eternall and that none in their kind are veniall that is do deserve pardon not punishment yet indeed by accident they become veniall to the faithfull through the mercy of God Secondly the grievousnesse of her sins are aggravated on Gods behalfe who is said to have remembered them by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or humane affection often in Scripture applyed to God by which is signified not any forgetfullnesse but Gods goodnesse and lenity he is said to forget sinners when he differs their punishment and affords time of repentance and wholly forgiveth them that repent And he is said to remember when the time of punishment is at hand Thus in Chap. 16. ver 19. Babylon is said to come in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the fury of his wrath which is repeated in this place Hence three things are briefly to be noted the consideration whereof ought to recall us from sin and stir us up to repentance First that all our sins even the least are taken notice of by God and deserve to be fearfully punished especially if they be heaped up without repentance Let no man therfore think to escape unpunished as if his evills were forgotten or hid from the eyes of the Lord for all the actions of men as well evill as good are open and bare unto him with whom we have to do Secondly If we have a long time gone on in sin without punishment it is to be ascribed to the patience of God by which he leads us to repentance Let us therfore take heed that we abuse not his long suffering and forbearance unto security Rom. 2.3 Lastly that at last sins being heaped up God doth call them to remembrance and will certainly punish them the more grievously by how much he hath forborn the same Let us therefore not persevere in sin in hope to go allwayes unpunished but while God calls not our sins as yet to remembrance let us forsake them Now it may be demanded what is that chain of sin reaching to Heaven Ribera here is silent being conscious to himself that they are the abominations of Papall Rome for either they are of Old Rome or else of Popish Rome Of Ierusalem they cannot be forasmuch as this Babylon by the Iesuits own confession is Rome not Jerusalem though before he falsly and against his knowledge so seined in Chap. 16.19 Neither can they be sins of Old Rome seeing the chaine
he was not able to seduce the Nations any longer or uphold Paganisme But that was in the yeer of our Lord LXXIII This yeare therefore we make the beginning of the thousand yeers of Satans binding From hence unto the Yeer of our Lord 1073. The end of the thousand yeeres are a thousand yeers at which time Pope Gregory VII a Celtiberian Monke and diabolicall Iugler poysoning Alexander II. invaded the Papacy by most wicked arts who sitting on the Papall Chaire the devill began againe to be loosed and to rage tumultuously filling the Christian world in a horrible manner with wars and slaughters by the means of this his cursed instrument But thou wilt say Whether the Dragon were bound in the first thousand yeers Did not Satan in the first three hundred yeers after the descension of the Angell most cruelly afflict the Church by the Romane Tyrants and in the three hundred following yeers defiled the Christian world with most grosse heresies and in the four hundred succeeding yeers raised up the Romane Antichrist out of the bottomlesse Pit giving unto him his Throne and great power working with all manner of unrighteousnesse and cruelty in the very heart of the Church How then could Satan be said to be bound these thousand yeers in which he raged so outragiously I answer The binding of Satan as before I said may not be absolutely understood as if he then could not or did not hurt the Church at all but restrictively unto the cause expressed in the Text so farre as he was then restrained from seducing the Nations any longer that they should not embrace the Faith of Christ To this binding of Satan it is sufficient that then he could not by the Tyrants Iewes or Philosophers hinder any longer the propagation of the Gospell among all Nations And therefore howsoever in great number the Gentiles were converted to Christ and Paganisme every where decayed yet no marvaile though Satan did rage in his principall members and breathed out threatnings by the Tyrants of the Romane Empire and by Hereticks in the Church it selfe Hence arose so many persedutions of the Saints and such great conflicts of the Church with Hereticks during sixe hundred yeers neither is it strange that Antichrist was then raised up by Satan for seeing hee was bound himself he gave his throne and power to Antichrist that the Beast might be the Vicar of the Dragon while he was in bonds and the more furiously exercise all his power Hence the Dragon is said to have given his Throne to the Beast Revelat. 13.2 By which it plainely appeareth how far these thousand yeers do agree with The comparing of the thousand yeers with the 1260. dayes 42. months or differ from the 1260. dayes and the 42. moneths in which the Holy City is said to be troden vnder foot by the Gontiles Chapter 11.2 and the Beast was to rage Chap. 13.5 In some part they agree for in the last foure Ages of these thousand yeers those 1260. dayes and 42. moneths began to run on because in them the Beast began to tread the Church under foot But they differ in that these thousand yeers are referred to Satans binding the 1260. dayes and the 42. moneths to Antichrists tyrannicall reigne They are already ended more then five hundred yeeres these are not fully ended because the Beast hath as yet scarcely reigned a thousand yeers Now those things that are brought against this our opinion Objections taken away are easily taken away FIRST the Order of the Prophesie is objected viz. that the Dragon shall at length after the Beast is cast into the Lake of fire be bound a thousand yeers in the bottomlesse Pit but the casting of the Beast shall bee the ruine of the Papacy Therefore the thousand yeers shall not be begun till at length after the ruine of the Papacy But the major is denyed because the casting of the Beast into hell praecedes indeed the binding of the Dragon in order of the Vision but not in order of time Before I say Iohn saw the Beast to be cast into the lake in the foregoing sixt Vision being as it were the last Act of that Vision but not in this last Vision in which is now afterward related the binding of the Dragon the which notwithstanding praeceded the casting of the Beast or ruine of the Papacy many Ages being as it were the first Act of this last Vision The plaine and forcing reason hereof is that the Beast and False-prophet shall not be abolished but by the brightnesse of Christs comming to judgement But it is absurd to imagine that Satan should be bound a thousand yeers after the last Iudgement The cause therefore of the errour is that the diversitie of that and this Vision is not observed Secondly they object That if the thousand yeers must begin from the destruction of Jerusalem then that time in which Satan shall be again loosed cannot be called a SHORT SEASON because it containeth above five hundred yea about sixe hundred yeeres But the consequence is denyed for although the time of Satans loosing hath now bin for these five Ages and perhaps shall continue an Age or two more even untill the end of the 1260. dayes the which thing the Lord knoweth Notwithstanding we have a little before clearly demonstrated that it is rightly called a LITTLE SEASON both in respect of God as also in respect of the Dragon and of the Ages past and lastly and that indeed principally in respect of the thousand yeeres of Satans binding then which that time shall be shorter because God will shorten those dayes for the elects sake Thirdly they object that such as have not worshipped the Beast nor received his Character should not then reigne with Christ those thousand yeeres But this is denyed for the thousand yeers were ended in Gregory VII unto the time of which filthy Beast more then 460. yeeres of Antichrists reigne were run on during all which time very many Martyrs and Professours worshipped not the Beast and his Image All these therefore after death did according to their soules live By the figure called Synecdoche a part is taken for the whole and reigne with Christ in blessednesse those thousand yeeres by a Synecdoche because they lived with Christ in the last foure hundred yeers of the said thousand Now in verse 4 I will plainly shew that this Synecdoche is neither unusuall in common speech nor in Scripture or that it derogates any thing from the happinesse of the latter Martyrs As therefore the Martyrs lived not altogether or were all put to death at one time but successively so also they began not altogether to live and reigne with CHRIST in Heaven but successively during those thousand yeeres Lastly It is objected that the devill was not bound in those first thousand yeers because he seduced very many But this was resolved in the first Question for neither are we to imagine that Satan was so bound
of that spirituall Resurrection But this cannot bee for it would follow that none did spiritually live againe that is were converted in the thousand yeeres but the Martyrs alone Secondly this absurditie would also follow that the thousand yeeres being finished all which Spiritually dyed did or shall spiritually rise againe the which thing is contrary to manifest experience I answer 1. Again they take up a false Antecedent viz. that in the former member a spirituall Resurrection ought to be understood for the former clause speaketh of no Resurrection whither Spirituall or Corporall but of the happy living of the blessed Soules with Christ for he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they lived again but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they lived with Christ which two we deny to be of like force and signification Now from a false Hypothesis or supposition the consequences which are thence drawn are also false Hence 2. the whole conclusion is false because the diverse words lived and lived again make both members or clauses to be of a diverse sense neither are they truely Opposites as was shewed in opening of the Text. III. The Assumption is also denyed that the latter member cannot be understood of a Spirituall Resurrection for a little before we shewed that it ought so to be taken IV. The former absurditie followes not both because to the Martyrs are added the Professours also which received not the Character of the Beast that is who refused to embrace and professe the Papists Religion verse 4. Hence Ecclesiasticall Histories testifie that besides the Martyrs there were alwayes some other professing Christians As also because the Speech is indefinite and usuall in Scripture The rest of the dead were not converted not as if none at all were converted but very few as appeares from a like place Chap. 9.18.20 where at the sounding of the sixt trumpet it is said that the third part of men being slaine the rest repented not the which unlesse it bee indefinitely understood a greater absurditie then this should follow viz. that not one man in the whole world did then repent LASTLY the latter absurditie that the thousand yeeres beeing ended all Spiritually dead should also spiritually rise againe which were much to be wished doth no more follow then that the said yeers being ended the soules of Martyrs and Professours should neither live nor reign any longer with Christ Objec IV. From the same Antithesis If the latter member ver 5. speaketh of the Resurrection of bodies then the former in ver 4. speaketh of a Resurrection of bodies also where it s said of the Soules of the Martyrs And they lived that is lived againe The reason of the consequence is because in every lawfull distribution as this is for who should taxe the Holy Ghost of absurditie members are set downe under the same Genus or generall word Now the Genus here is the Resurrection of the dead I answer The falsitie both of the Antecedent and Consequent of this Objection hath already bin so fully demonstrated that there needs no more be added The reason of the consequence is not solid neither can hence the Holy Ghost be taxed of absurdity both because often a Genus of one and the same name is taken in a diverse signification so the living againe of the dead in this place As also because it were wickednes to deny that to the Spirit especially in this aenigmaticall Prophesie which Philosophers Poets and Orators frequently take to themselves viz. in distributions to oppose things metaphoricall to things proper or proper to figurative for the thing it self Now in v. 4. was shewed that this Antithesis is such Objec V. They who so live againe or rise as they begin to reigne with Christ that is by Christ in Heaven they certainely rise in their bodies But the Soules of the Martyrs are so to live againe or rise in the beginning of those thousand yeeres as that they begin to reigne with that is by Christ in Heaven for John saith They lived and reigned with Christ Therefore c. Answer I. The major is denyed a non causa for to the end that the Soules of Martyrs and Confessours should live blessedly and reigne with Christ in Heaven before the last day a corporall Resurrection is not necessary But at the last day it shall be necessary to the end that the Martyrs both in body and in soule may gloriously live and reigne with CHRIST for ever according to the promise of the Gospell II. The assumption is refuted by the proofe it selfe or by Iohns owne words for he saith not that the Soules lived againe or were raised but they lived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The difference whereof children in schooles do understand and hath bin demonstrated ver 4. Therefore the first falsehood so often repeated is a continuall begging of the Question They insist To live and reigne with Christ is to live and reigne after the similitude of Christ or so to live and reigne as Christ now reigneth in Heaven But Christ liveth and reigneth in soule and bodie Therefore the Martyrs not onely lived and reigned with him in soule but in body also I answer I. This glosse overthrows the former for if to live with Christ be to live after the likenesse of Christ in Heaven then it is false that it is to live againe or be raised from the dead on Earth II. The major shall be true after the Resurrection of the dead at the last day when all the Martyrs Professours and Beleevers being raised from death shall in soule and body be allwayes with the Lord 1. Thes 4.17 1. Ioh. ◠2 and see him as he is But before the Resurrection of the dead this is false Otherwise the Soules of such as die in the Lord should not goe unto Christ nor live with him but the Apostle testifies the contrary touching himselfe Philip. 1.23 and of all the faithfull 2. Cor. 5 8 c. Ob. VI. It is agreeable to the justice of God that such as suffered more grievously then others for the confession of Christ should also enjoy longer delight and glory Therfore the Martyrs are to be raised from the dead before the rest of the Faithfull to enjoy the Kingdom of Heaven all those THOVSAND YEERS before the other Answ The major not being universall is false for God doth not all what is agreeable to his justice now or before the Day of Iudgement but will doe the same at that Day See 2. Thess 1.6.7.8.10 Neither is every thing agreeable to divine justice which seemes so to us but whatsoever is revealed in the Scripture otherwise indeed it might seeme to us to bee more agreeable to the justice of God that the Martyrs should presently be raised after their sufferings and be carried with their bodies into Heaven that so they might longer and before others enjoy the Kingdom of glory Objec VII The two Martyrs Rev. 11.11 were
death He addes three causes or parts of their blessednesse that have part in the first Resurrection 1. Because the second death hath no power on them 2. Because they shall be Priests of God and Christ 3. Because they shall reigne with Christ a thousand yeers These are either the effects or consequents of the first Resurrection and as it were the priviledges of the regenerate first indeed they are to be referred to the Martyrs but secondly also unto all others that are partakers of the first Resurrection or spirituall living againe For least we should say shall the Martyrs alone live and reigne with Christ in blessednesse he extends the blessed life the Priesthood and Kingdome of Christ unto us also pronouncing us blessed and that indeed by a three-fold name not the Martyrs I say alone but whosoever have part in the first Resurrection that by so many spurs as it were he might stirre up all men unto the desire and studie of the First Resurrection Therefore the first blessednesse of them that live againe shall be an immunitie or security from the second death for they that have part in the First Resurrection on such the second death hath no power that is they can never perish For the second death is the casting of the wicked both in soule and body into hell fire which shall be at the last day as appeares ver 14. Of which our Saviour in the the Gospell Mat. 10.28 Feare him that can destroy both soule and body in hell This otherwhere is called Eternall death because it shall be an eternall losse of life eternall and an everlasting torment in everlasting fire Here it is called the Second to difference it from the First because as the second doth next and certainly follow the first so the second death shall follow the first in order and certainly unlesse the First Resurrection come in between and that deliverance from the First death be obtained by Christ Now before we shewed that the first death is a spirituall perdition of the Soule in sinne drawing with it temporall death as its necessary sequell Rom. 5.12 This death entred into the world through sin and passed upon all men for that all have sinned Therefore it hath power over all men and it is universall yet mutable through the First Resurrection that is true repentance and faith in Christ But the second death shall not have power over all but them only whom it findes lying in the First death for these shall be throwne head-long from death into death or rather the Second death shall be unto them an everlasting continuation of the First death and a horrible increasing in eternall fire But such as through faith and true repentance have risen with Christ from the First death on them the second death shall have no power because according to promise of the Gospell Ioh. 3.36 Ioh. 5.24 they that beleeve on the Sonne of God do not come into condemnation but are passed from death to life Therefore the second death shall not be universall because the First resurrection shall make the particularitie yet it shall be immutable for ever because there can be no redemption from hell but the smoake of their torment shall ascend up for ever and ever Psal 49.8 Rev. 14.11 Cont Demetr For after the departure out of this life there shall be no more place of repentance no effect of satisfaction Here life is either lost or kept saith Cyprian These things ought to awaken and raise up such as lie in the death of sinne And on the contrarie to confirme the assurance of their salvation that are risen with Christ For if the second death hath no power over them that have part in the First resurrection then certainly they need not fear condemnation but may and ought to be certainlie perswaded of their salvation But some may say It is uncertaine who truely have and alwayes unto the end shall have part in the First Resurrection Answ If it be uncertain to thee who hast not tasted hony whether it be sweet or not it is not therefore uncertaine to them who have tasted the same So likewise If the First Resurrection be uncertaine to them which neither have nor know the same it is not therefore uncertaine to them which have it and feele it in their hearts for some apprehend not faith in their hearts Lib. 13. de Trin. C. 2. but others do which have the same saith Austin And how should such be uncertaine of their new birth who dayly endeavour and desire to die unto sin and to live unto Christ They certainely who run on in all wickednesse and as Peter saith walke in laciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine revellings banquettings and abominable Idolatry know that they doe such things yet out of an evill conscience commit the same with great delight And therefore why should not such who by an earnest desire of minde resist the concupiscence of the flesh and labour by good workes to make their election sure know feele and be perswaded the Holy Ghost witnessing the same to their Spirits that they are children of God and have part in the first Resurrection Furthermore they which now have part in the First Resurrection shall allwayes have part of the same unto the end because To him that hath shall bee given Luke 8.18 Otherwise Iohn should have done ill in saying that they are blessed who have part in the first Resurrection which to thinke were blasphemy from the part therefore of the new birth which we have in this life we may and ought certainly to beleeve we shall have part in the life to come that is be eternally blessed Here again by this first priviledge of them that rise againe is ouerthrowne the Chiliasts opinion touching the first Corporall Resurrection as before wee touched For if it should be Corporall and proper to the Martyrs it would follow that the Martyrs alone should bee free from the second death and that all the rest in the Second Resurrection should remaine subject to the same for as much as by this priviledge they alone are exempted from the power of the Second death who have part in the First Resurrection But this is wholly contrary to Faith and Charity But shall be Priests of God and of Christ The second part of blessednesse and the second priviledge of the regenerate is that they shal be Priests of God and Christ XLI Argument of Christs deity Beza in the DATIVE To God and to Christ as it is Chap. 1.6 5.10 in the same sense He distinguisheth God and Christ not to seperate Christ from God or to deny that he is God but because Christ the Mediatour hath made us Priests to God the father Chap. 16. 5.10 Yea hereby he plainely affirmeth Christ to be God in that hee saith wee shall bee Priests both to God and to Christ Now we shall be Priests to none but to God But what manner of Priests Of this
VI. excommunicated Ludovick IV. 130. The Colour of the Beast and the woman is one 411. Purple colour proper to the Romane court ibid. Communion of the Saints in heaven with us on earth 122. Comfort of the faithfull under Antichrist 121. Of the Saints under the Altar 106. Of the professours and Martyrs 355. Conquerers are such as keep faith and a good conscience 52. Consent of Interpreters about the last judgement 358. Condition of the Godly under Antichrist 134. 135. Constant profession of the truth the cause of Johns banishment 17. The Constestation or protestation in the last chapter of the Revelation belongs to the whole body of the Scripture 596. Conversion of the Iewes described 67 conversion of the adversaries is the worke of grace ibid. Conversion of many unto the faith 245. Conversion why commanded and attributed to us 82. Council of constance caused wickleffe to be digged out of his graue and burnt 241. Condemned Iohn Husse and Iâ—rome of Prague to the fire 226. 241. Former councils for the most part condemned by the latter 273. Corporal resurrections in scripture 518. Corrupters of the trueth shal be grievouslie punished 50. Court within to be cast forth 214. Coveteousnesse in bishops abominable the root of all evill 33. Crowne crowne of life 41. promised not of merit but grace 42. It signifies life and eternal glory 72. A greater degree shall be given to such as have converted many 71. Crownes of gold why worne by the saints 90. Crown of life and righteousnesse ibid. Proposed unto all the faithfull 250. The crowne of Christ 108. Crowns of gold an ensigne of royall majesty 360. How far the crown may be taken from the elect and how it can not be taken 72. Cubit common and royall of what greatnesse 562. Cup of Gods wrath 352. Cyprians excellent simile declaring the word of God to be the onely rule of faith 57. D. THe Darkning of the sun 127. Death compared in scripture to sleep 56. Christs death a full satisfactorie price for sin 103. Death of the martyrs is Christ victorie 108. The first death why so called 519. 557. Death of the soule 519. The second death eternall 528. The dead shall all rise together 518. 519. To die in Christ 355. Dead faith uncapable to obtaine spirituall riches 77. Demonstration against Alcasars dream 481. The Description and nature of Locusts 175. Description of the new Ierusalem whither it agree to the church militant 549. The Desert or wildernesse is Rome and the Papacie 408. Description of the beast 290. denoteing the old Romane Empire 291. 292. Description of the heavenly Ierusalem 560. c. Description of the last Iudgement 488. Description of Gods maiesty and glory on the throne 87. Determination whither repugnant to the will 446. Dignitie proceeds not alwayes from vertue 59. Difficultie about the thousands years 506. Difference of a gemme and a pearl 566. Dionysius Alexandrinus refuted 18. Distribution of the second vision 84. The Dragon Beast and false Prophet authours of the Ambassage of the unclean spirits 394. Drying up of Euphrates 390. diverse opinions about it 391. Dutie of the Church and her officers to notorious sectaries 44. E. EArth Sea trees what they signifie 139. Earth swallowing down the flood of the Dragon 279. Earth-quakes proper and figurative 126. 127. A great earth-quake at the opening of the sixt seal 244. an earth-quake shaking the papacie after the councill of constance 245. Easterne people girded up their long garments in travelling 24. Eberhardus Salisburgensis invectives against the Pope 318. Effect of the word of God 207. Of the Gospel in the latter times 370. Egyptian Idolatry darkenesse and bondage 234. 235. The Elder comforting Iohn 99. The Emerauld a most pleasant gemme 87. 565. The End of Gods punishment 50. The Eight king not like unto the other 429. 430. Eniedinus the Samosatenian refuted 17. 21. 26 27. 28. 39. 50. 51. 437. 587. Who shall Enter into the Caelestial city 571. Ephesus the head citie of Ionia 21. Epiphanius refutes the Alogians 47. Epiphanius corrected touching Iohn 19. The Eternall Gospell cannot be suppressed 339. the Eternall Gospell of the Monster Cyrillus 340. Events contingent in themselves how changed 4. Event of the Gogish war 536 c. The Evils accompaning this life shall be no more in the life to come 553. Euphrates a great river 187. The Eyes of IEHOVAH signifie Angels 90. The eyes of the Lamb his all seeing providence â—00 Eye-salve what it is â—9â— Ezechiels Prophesie of the measuring of the Spirituall Temple 212. His and Iohns Prophesie of Gog and Magog 535. F. FAlse distinctions of worship 484. 485 The Fable of Enoch and Elias refuted 226. the Fable of Antichrists foure yeares reigne refuted 231. 240. Fable of Maries assumption 256. The False Prophet 394. He and the two horned Beasts are the same 495. Famine thirst and heat what they note by a Synecdoche 149. Famine of Samaria 114. Mysticall famine when proclaimed ibid. The Fathers why they termed not the Pope Antichrist 167. The Father how he judgeth no man 7. 8. The Feare and amazement of the Churches adversaries 244. The fearing of Antichrist hath troubled the whole world The First Vision not universall 361. 362. it belongs unto the last times ibid. Its scope and use of comfort ibid. Free-will not simply denied but in respect of spirituall good 68. Diverse interpretations of the same 444. 445. Figs signifie carnall Bishops 129. Figure of he city just four-square 562. Finall punishment of the wicked 131. Fine linnen how clothing both for the Bride and the Whore 482. how it is righteousnesse ibid. Fire proceeding out of the mouth of the witnesses 228. The fire on which the Angel had power 362. Fiery eyes signifie heroicall motions 24. Fire from heaven consuming Gog and Magog 539. First death 42. 519. Why so called ibid. First resurrection is not corporall but spirituall 518. It is opposed unto the first death 519. It s profitablenesse and necessitie 526. Objections about the same cleared 518. 520. First trumpet answereth to the first seale 158. What is meant by the hayle fire and blood that fell at the sounding thereof ibid. First viall chieflie poured out upon Germanie 380. Fight of the woman when it began and how long it dured 277. Floud of waters what it is 277. Foxe his opinion about it 278. Forme or shape of the beasts diverse and why 92. Forgetfullnesse and memory how said to be in God 460. Foundation of the Church how but one and twelve 561. 562. Fountaines what they denote in the Revelation 163. the fountaines of Waters are to be reckoned among the chief works of God 342. The fountain of true joy is in the Lord 480. The Four Beasts whither they type out the four Evangelists 91. They represent the Apostolicall Church 92. Why they are full of eyes ibid. The Four and twenty Elders are the first Chore 89. The Four periods of the Church of the Gospel 365. The Four Angels