one that hath originally erred for such are not lightly brought home by repentance and they are commonly most infest enemies to the truth and therefore as a relapse into a great sicknesse so their case is most dangerous CHAP. III. 2 PETER Chapter 3. Verse 5. They are willingly ignorant of this that the Heauens were of old and the earth set out of the water and by the water by the Word of God Vers 6. Whereby the world that then was being ouerwhelmed with water was destroyed Vers 7. But the heauens and the earth that now are are by the same word treasured vp being kept for the fire to the Day of Iudgement IN the History of the Creation it appeareth Oecumen in 2 Pet. 3. how the Heauens and the Earth were set out of the waters for God commanded that a Firmament should be in the midst of the waters that is a more firme existence of waters and this he called Heauen and when as the earth was ouerwhelmed with waters he likewise commanded the waters to gather together that it might appeare and thus the earth was set out of the waters the materiall cause being hereby designed and by the waters noting out the finall and as the earth came out of the waters at Gods command so likewise the Heauens For both are made out of the waters the aire called Heauen out of their exhalation and the earth out of their concretion The earth therefore is out of the water because made out of it and by the water because hereby as by a kinde of glue is as it were cemented and made to hang together which otherwise would dissolue and vanish into dust and aire And as the Heauens and Earth had their beginning at the first from waters so the force whereby vnder God commanding groweth the concretion of the one and the exhalation of the other is fire Wherefore as from these two all things had their beginning so for sinne they haue beene destroyed by water and shall againe be destroyed by fire as not only Christians teach but also Hyraclitus Ephesius and Empedocles Etneus The Heauens and the Earth c. that is such things as are vsefull for the sustentation of mans life as Corne Grasse Trees and Beasts c. and not the substance of the Heauens and Earth For man hauing grieuously sinned the world is said to haue beene destroyed therefore by water yet it was not consumed so hauing beene replenished againe and both by Law and Gospell men being dealt withall to walke in obedience to God but yet few profiting hereby it is kept to be destroyed by fire yet that as when a man purgeth things in the fire to fine them or buildeth his house anew by vsing still the former materials so when the Lord saith that he will make a new Heauen and a new Earth and that this world shall be burnt vp with fire it is meant only that the vtensils hereof which serue for a corporall life shall be consumed by fire of which there shall be no further vse seeing we shall all then be spirituall and thus a new face of all things shall appeare in which regard it is called a new Heauen and a new Earth because those growing things which would then be superfluous being taken away whatsoeuer auaileth to the adorning and beautifying of this world and is needfull to the incorruptible life to come shall be added That these outward things are corruptible and subiect to destruction appeareth by their daily increasing and dying againe The reason why the world made in an excellent manner at the first hath beene and shall bee againe destroyed is the sinne of man whereby the creatures become subiect vnto vanity Whereby the world that then was being ouerwhelmed with water perished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by which Heauen and Earth for the windowes of Heauen were opened and the fountaines of the deepe were broken vp and so the world was drowned Th. Aquinas in 2 Peter 3. By the Heauens here is to be vnderstood the aire for thus the Fowles are called the Fowles of Heauen they are said to haue beene of old because they were amongst the first of the creatures and in another manner then now that is calme and free from cold winds and tempests and so was the earth more plaine and fertill consisting out of the water that is by being discouered when at the Word of God the waters were gathered together and by the water that is as Beda hath it Beda because by the diuine disposition it is all full of veines of water euen as a mans body is full of bloud otherwise it could not stand but would be reduced into dust according to Philosophy in regard of the great drinesse thereof Or else the earth is said to be out of the waters as the matter thereof and by the waters because without water it could not be fruitfull By which that is in which parts of aire and earth the world that then was perished that is in respect of the inhabitants and the outward forme of the aire which by reason of the waters long occupying the place thereof was made grosser and the earth more muddy and the water thicker by reason of the long commixion of the earth and water together But the heauens and earth that now are that is not differing in substance from that those were before but in quality are reserued that is restored to their proper place and condition for the vse of the creatures And the aire is here still called the Heauens in the plurall number in respect of the diuers Regions and Hemispheres thereof These are to be purged by fire This they are willingly ignorant of that is Luther in 2 Pet. 3. though they cannot but know it yet they wilfully shut their eyes against it for hereby they could not but learne the power of God supporting the world which would otherwise bee ouerwhelmed with waters and the iustice of God against sinne destroying by water plainly intimating another most fearefull destruction to come at the last day seeing it is so plainly threatned as that was The Heauen and Earth that then were stood out of the water and by the water that is the Heauen out of the water because it was made of water and the earth by the water because it standeth in the waters by the Word and command of God or else it could not so doe but haue long agoe beene drowned yet neuerthelesse the world that then was perished Vers 6. and so vpon the sudden all things in Heauen and Earth shall perish by fire all being turned into a fiery flame and burnt to ashes as then all things were changed by the waters The exposition of this place is easie enough in all other things but onely for these words the Heauens were of old Mayer and the Earth set out of the waters and by the waters by the Word of God August de Ciuit Dei l. 20. c. 18.
Many vnderstand the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set out as equally belonging to the Heauen and the Earth and so expound out of the waters and by the waters of them both as you may see in the exposition of Oecumenius Erasin Beda and Luther and Erasmus alleageth Beda reading it thus The Heauens were constituted of old out of the water and by the water But Thomas Aquinas referreth these words Out of the water and by the water onely to the earth Beza and Beza making the distinction at these words The Heauens were of old and then adding and the Earth consisting out of the waters c. affirming that in the most ancient Copies consenting in one it is thus and our new Translation That by the Word of God the Heauens-were of old and then after a point of distinction and the Earth standing out of the waters Piscator c. Beza and Piscator for by the waters reade in the waters Gagneus as also 1 Pet. 3.20 Gagneus a iudicious though a Popish writer although he be altogether against that reading of Erasmus as being contrary to all Greeke Copies yet he saith That the Greekes generally vnderstood the matter out of which the Heauens were made to be here intimated and hee saith that he verily thinketh nothing else to be meant heare but that the Heauens and the Earth were made of water for saith he if his drift touching the Heauens should be onely to teach that they were of old Caietan who knoweth not that Caietan saith That the Heauens and the Earth are said to be out of the water because these creatures which are of the aire and they which liue vpon the earth also haue their beginning from water but this is forced I subscribe to Beza for the reading as indeed none can deny it but with Gagneus and the Greeks I hold that as the earth was set out of the waters and consisteth by the waters because at the first no earth appeared but all was couered with water but the waters being commanded to gather together the earth appeared and it is by the waters as it were cemented and conglutinated as Oecumenius speaketh which is in short here expressed so because in the History of Genesis to which this place hath reference the making of the Heauens is so set forth as that we may easily gather how they are out of the water and by the water I cannot hold this to be also intimated here For the Firmament betweene the waters and the waters is called Heauen this was out of the waters because before the diuision betwixt the waters aboue and the waters beneath it appeared not but after it came out betwixt them both it is by the waters because in the midst of them by being as much as in So that when he saith The heauens were of old it is to be vnderstood constituted out of the teaters by or in the waters quod enim subint elligitur non deest Whereas it is obiected by some that though by the Heauen the Aire bee vnderstood yet by Heauens in the plurall number it is neuer so taken I answer that it may well be set forth in the plurall number in respect of the diuers Regions neither is there any word in the Hebrew signifying Heauen but in the plurall number Touching the drift of the Apostle here thus mentioning the first originall of the Heauens and the Earth it is very aptly and pertinently done for as by the power of God and according to his Word the Heauens and the Earth were made at the first and wonderfully separated from the waters being no lesse miraculously preserued in that estate so by waters all things were drowned againe and once more by the same diuine appointment shall all things be destroyed by fire for he that by his Word hath done these things already how shall it be doubted but hauing said it he will burne vp the world with fire also Touching the next words vers 6. whereby Vers 6. Beza readeth it wherefore Luther neuerthelesse Piscator followeth Beza But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie whereby or by which things and that exposition pleaseth me best which referreth it to the Heauens and the Earth because from Heauen aboue and from the earth beneath the waters flowed and the world of creatures both terrestriall and aeriall were drowned and perished euen all that were out of the Arke For by the world cannot be meant the substance of the Earth and Aire seeing this remained still and so it shall after the next and last destruction by fire as Oecumenius hath well set it forth but reade more of this Rom. 8.19 For the words vsed are reserued for fire being treasured vp by the same word Vers 7. Tho. Aquin. Thomas Aquinas will haue them meant of the restitution of all things to their forme againe after that drowning by water till that they shall againe be destroyed by fire Th. Aquinas but others vnderstand them as wicked men are said to treasure vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.4 subiected vnto Gods power vntill this time of burning shall come which is the most probable Touching that fire destroying the wicked mention is made in some other places also as 2 Thes 1.7 8. Psal 50.3 Psal 96.3 but there is a question amongst Expositors whether it shall be at the time of the iudgement before or after If at the iudgement time it should seeme to bee an hinderance to the proceedings if before then the godly shall bee yet mixed together with the wicked and feele the paine of burning which is improbable and after it is not likely because the wicked are immediatly sent into hell fire Yet some of great note hold that it shall be after August Prosper Anselm as August lib. 20. de Ciuit. c. 16. Prosper in dimid temp c. 19 20. and Ansel in elucidat c. but the words imply that it shall be before reserued to the fire vnto the day of iudgement and 1 Cor. 3.11 it is set forth as the case of euery one that hee must passe thorow the fire and 2 Thes 1.7 the Lord is said to come in flaming fire so that the beginning of the iudgement is by fire hereby the wicked shall be first destroyed that is burnt and tormented but he that could cause a flame of fire to bee in the bush without burning it can and will prouide that the godly though in the midst of the fire shall feele no burning for they shall at that instant be changed becomming of naturall spirituall so that a materiall fire shall not affect them at all Then there being in all likelihood some cessation of this burning the iudgement shall succeed after which the wicked shall goe into euerlasting flames and therefore though they be said to be destroyed yet they are not so destroyed but they remaine still to endure further torment Martin
Polon in Chron. Martinus Polonus saith that the teaching of this burning of the world by fire was the cause that Nero so hotly persecuted the Christians commanding them to bee burnt in the fire and Paul the teacher of this as guilty of treason by the Roman Lawes Minutius in Octauio to be beheaded Minutius saith that this was commonly obiected by the Gentiles against the Christians that they threatned burning and destruction to the whole world Aug. de Ciuit. Lact. l. 7. c. 18. And yet many of themselues haue written of this burning as Augustine and Lactantius shew Note Note that the destroying of the world by fire is no such strange thing but that they that doe not willingly winke with their eyes may see that as strange an act hath beene already done in drowning the world yea in the very Creation Gods power did appeare to be so great as that there is nothing but by his word shall be brought to passe And therefore let not vs doubt but assuredly expect that horrible destruction threatned in his word by fire against all vngodly persons Note againe that it is a signe of a wicked man Note that is almost come to the state of a scorner that he careth not for knowing that which maketh against him that hee may be reformed herein CHAP. 3. VER 8. But I would not haue this one thing hidden from you that one day is with the Lord as 1000. yeares and 1000. yeares as one day Vers 9. not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance c. Here are sundry doubts Mayer but yet Expositors are very briefe vpon all this passage vnto verse 14. First in what sense one day is said to be with the Lord as 1000. yeares and so on the contrary side Secondly how he is said not to be willing that any should perish when as he destroyeth most men in hell fire and of old did passe them by to this end for the glory of his iustice Thirdly what heauens shall passe away and how at the last day and whether the earth shall be consumed Fourthly what new heauens and earth shall be and for what vse because he saith We expect a new heauen and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse To the first I finde that most of the Fathers anciently held that one day is said to be as 1000. yeares and reciprocally 1000. yeares as one day because as in six dayes the world was in making so it shall stand 6000. yeares Ierom saith that both in the Psal 90.2 from whence this is taken and in this of Peter Hieron Epist 139. ad Cyprian Ego arbitror ex that therfore 1000. yeares are said to be as one day because the world shall endure so many thousand yeares as it was dayes in making hoc Psal ex Epist quae nomine Petri inscribitur 1000. annos pro vna de solites appellari vtse quia mundus in 6. diebus fabricatus 6000. tantuÌ„ annorum â—redatur subsistere postea venire septenarium numerum octonarium in quo verus exercetur Sabbatismus circumcisionis puritas redditur and afterwards commeth the number of seauen and eight wherein the true Sabbath is exercised and the purity of circumcision restored Iustin Martyr lib. qu. ad gentes qu. 17. Ex plerisque Scripturae verbis intelligere licet verum pronunciare eos qui 6000. annorum esse tempus nunc ab orbe condito tradunt Iustin Martyr saith we may by many places of Scripture gather that they say truly who deliuer that the time from the beginning of the world is 6000. yeares Jren. lib. 5. aduers haeres cap. vlt. Lact. lib. 7. institut cap 7. Ireneus also saith the same and Lactantius writing to the Philosopher speaketh largely of it and Hilary Can. 17. in Matth. and Germanus Episcopus Constantinopolitanus de Theoria ecclesiast rerum And as Christian Fathers so Heathen Writers haue deliuered the same as Lactantius sheweth both Hydaspes Mercurius Tresmegistus and the Sybills And amongst the Hebrewes there is a most antient tradition of Elias the Prophet Talmud ordine 4. Tract 4. cui titulus est sanedrin which is in their Talmud in these words The world shall be 6000. yeares and then it shall be destroyed 2000. of inanity 2000. of the Law and 2000. of the Messiah But Ambrose oppugneth this opinion because euen in his time he saith that 6000. yeares were expired but he was deceiued in the account by following the Greekes Ambros lib. 7. in Lâ—c. as almost all Ecclesiasticall Writers then did and yet he did not follow the Septuagints exactly for by their account Christ was borne anno Mundi 5099. so that in his time liuing anno Domini 400. there remained yet 500. yeares to come according to the former reckoning Lactantius also who was for the 6000. yeares before spoken of was plainly hereby deceiued for hee held that there were not aboue 200. yeares from his time to the end of the world For according to the Hebrew account which is the truest Christ was borne anno Mundi 3962. so that if the world shall be determined at the end of 6000. yeares 382. yeares are yet to come But I finde that most Expositors now a daies both Protestant and Popish doe censure that opinion of 6000. yeares Aug. de Ciuit. lib. 20. cap. 7. and Augustine also though sometime he seemeth to speake for it as where about the 1000. yeares of Satans being bound he saith Mille anni duobus modis intelligi possunt aut qua in vltimis annis 1000. ista res agitur i. sexto annorum trillenario tanquam sexta die secutoro dein Sabbato quod non habet vesperam aut 1000. annos pro omnibus huins saeculi annis pusuit August in Psal 90. Nec attenderunt quod dictum est tanquam dies vnus qui praeterijt non enim quando hoc dictum est soli 1000. anni praeterieraut quod eos debuit maximè admonere illud est aut vigilia in nocte neque enim fient de 6. diebus aliquid veri simile videntur opinari propter 6. dies primos quibus Deus perfecit opera sua sic etiam 6. vigilias i. horas 18. possuntilli opinationi coaptare this 1000. seemeth to me to be the last of the 6000. answering to the 6. dayes after which a Sabbath shall follow that shall neuer haue end Yet vpon Psal 90. where hee speaketh of it purposely hee saith Some men presuming vpon the knowledge of times haue defined that this world shall haue an end in 6000. yeares as it was made in 6. dayes when as Christ said to his Disciples it is not for you to know the times and seasons There is no ground here for this opinion for the comparison is not betwixt 6. dayes and 6000. yeares but between a day that is past and 1000. yeares yea betweene a watch in the night
a notable place for satisfying that question Note what became of the Church all the time that the Pope preuailed if the Roman Catholike Church bee not the true Church As in the dayes of Elijah there were seuen thousand scattered thorowout the tribes of Israel who were vnknowne 1 King 19. so in these times there were many thousands some in one countrey and somein another that did distaste the idolatries and superstitions of Rome preserued by the care of the Lambe when the roaring Lion the Deuill deuoured most Touching this company with the Lambe and the harpers whose musicke is heard and the found in heauen as of many waters there are some that vnderstand the seruants of God vpon earth by them all Bullinger Napier Fox the multitude of whom is set forth by the voyce of many waters their bold threatning of iudgements against sinne by thunder and their ioy in the middest of trouble by singing and playing vpon harpes that new song of redemption by the bloud of Christ set forth in the Gospell not an old song such as was wont to bee sung vnder the Law though this song be also to be applied vnto the Saints in heaueÌ„ And one more particularly vnderstaÌ„deth the noise as of many waters Brightman of the teaching of the Doctors that liued in the time of the womans first beginning to be in the wildernesse such as Augustine Ambrose Ierom c. who made a confused noise like to that of many waters not distinctly setting downe the points of faith the noise of thunder of Wickliffe Iohn Husse Ierom of Prague Luther c. who stirred vp men in diuers parts as the cracking thunder and the harpers singing of the reformed Churches after obtaining a liberty of the true religion in Heluetia Sueuia Geneua c. where God was praised for the light breaking out amongst them Lyra. One telleth a tale of an hundred forty and foure thousand Monkes slaine by the Hagarens in Syria and Antioch about the end of Heraclius his reigne Ribera Some vnderstand such a number of the Iewes which shall be conuerted when Antichrist shall come or part Iewes and part Gentiles But Pareus is of the same minde and agreeth with this our exposition distinguishing the company with the Lambe and those of whom the noise is heard and indeed to vnderstand it otherwise is to confound things distinguished seeing after the hundred forty and foure thousand spoken of vpon mount Zion with the Lambe this noise is heard from heauen and these vpon earth still learne their song which none else could doe because as none but the faithfull haue the Spirit of God and feele that ioy which is in the grace of God so none but they can produce the true effects of this ioy by heartily magnifying Gods holy Name Heartily to praise God then being affected with his mercy in Christ Note is a propriety of such as belong vnto Christ the praises of others are but the harsh sounding of the instruments of an orall voyce without the grace of the consent of the animall voyce wherein onely is life and sweetnesse Touching the description of these hundred forty and foure thousand Bullinger Tossanus Pareus Fox Aug. non polluerunt se mâ—l cribuâ— l. â—â—â—uâ—ciauâ—raÌ„t carnal cupiditat bus nec adhascrunt idolis dâ—js alients lâ—aeâ—â—â—ius aut eiâ—oriâ—us sed sunt virgines spirituales quorum spoasus Christus est These haue not defiled themselues with women c. most of our new Writers consent to that which hath beene said that whoredome committed with the great whore is specially meant from which they haue beene free though some apply it vnto chastity also in respect of the body both in the single and married estate And not onely our new Writers but the ancient Fathers vnderstand spirituall pollution by idolatry here as Augustine saying They haue not defiled themselues with women that is they haue renounced carnall concupiscences neither haue they cleaued to idols to strange Gods heresies or errours but are spirituall Virgins whose husband is Christ And Ambrose saith vpon that speech of the Apostle I haue prepared you for one man that I might present you a pure Virgin vnto Christ He will haue them to be virgins in faith such as Iohn doth describe being with Christ in the Reuelation where he saith these are they that haue not defiled themselues with women It is most absurd to hold here with the Hieracite a sort of Heretikes of old who condemned marriage as ioyned with pollution and many Popish Writers now adayes that apply this vnto votaries that leade a single life and therefore one of them Alcasar being ashamed of this Alcasar consenteth with vs that they are the Virgins here meant who haue not corrupted themselues by an inordinate affection towards the creature And indeed if Virgins properly vnderstood should be meant many absurdities would follow thereupon 1. None of the Patriarkes could be followers of the Lambe because they were all married as were diuers of the Apostles also 2. Gods owne ordinance should be an hindrance to the following of the Lambe 3. All that are truly religious must needs be single because all that are redeemed and saued are here set forth c. It is the praise of those that haue beene separate from Popish abominations they as pure virgins are of the society Note and make the Spouse of Christ others that are corrupted by error haue nothing to doe with him no more than impure with pure darkenesse with light Belial with God Touching their following of Christ whithersoeuer he goeth it is well expressed further by some Bullinger Brightman that if hee will haue them goe after him to the losse of their goods of their good name yea of their life by any kinde of most cruell death yet they are ready thus to follow him They are a first fruits vnto God that is most holy and but a few in comparison of the great multitude that shall come in as the truth shall further inlarge it selfe Antichrist being more and more consumed and confounded euen as the first fruits of corne are consecrated vnto God and are but a little quantity in comparison of the whole crop This allegory is most significant to set forth the small number of those that shall be saued and their praise before going Note which is also their happinesse serueth notably to shew the Christian resolution of this number they are ready bent to follow Christ thorow the greatest troubles and worldly miseries so that if any will be a follower of him but onely so farre forth as may stand with his ease profit or preferment he is excluded out of this number Quest 2. And I saw another Angeli flying thorow the midst of heauen Vers 6 c. hauing an eternall Gospell to preach to all the inhabitants of the earth and to euery nation tongue and people c. What is set forth by this Angell and
and 1000. yeares vnto which this conceit can no way be fitted It is a thing generally agreed vpon by all that these words of Peter seeme to proue that it is not such a long time before the day of Iudgement since it was spoken of vnder the Gospel as being at the doores for though according to mans account it be long thus many hundred yeares being already past yet according to God it is a very short time with whom 1000 yeares are but as one day I would not rashly affirme any thing in a matter so doubtfull but yet it seemeth probable especially considering the times computed in the Reuelation that about the expiration of 6000. yeares from the Creation the world shall haue an end To the second doubt it is generally answered that Gods will is either voluntas signi or voluntas bene-placiti the one reuealed the other secret by the first he would haue all men come to repentance be saued not by the secōd But so there should be a contrariety betwixt the will of God reuealed secret which I thinke ought not to be admitted There is therefore another distinction God is said to will any thing Anthropopathôs after the manner of men as he is said to repent to be grieued or to be angry because hee doth as man is wont to doe when he repenteth c. so hee is said to will the saluation of all because he affordeth vnto them the meanes of saluation and doth earnestly inuite them to repent and beleeue that they may be saued and in this his willing hee is serious and not deluding though in the end he damneth many euen as the Mariner seriously desireth the sauing of the goods in his ship and yet vpon extremity casteth them out into the Sea and this his willing is not vaine but effectuall because by the setting forth thus of his grace such as are appointed vnto life are conuerted and saued the louing kindnesse of the Lord mouing them to repentance To the third doubt some haue deliuered strange coniectures hereabout Ambros Compsae Episc in 2 Pet. cap. 3. as that the very starry heauens shall be dissolued and not the acrean heauen onely because after mention made of the heauens hee speaketh of the Elements that is the aire c. whereby it appeareth certainly that the heauens here are one thing and the aire another Neither can the words which are vsed here and verse 10. and in sundry other places without forcing be otherwise expounded as Heb. 1.11 Psal 90. Reuel 21. Esa 65. and 51. The heauens shall passe away as smoake and Matth. 5. Heauen and earth shall passe away And touching the earth likewise they hold that it shall be burnt vp and then formed anew as after these heauens dissolued there shall be a new heauen and because in vaine there should be a new earth if there were none to inhabit it they hold that this new earth shall be inhabited by Infants dying before Baptisme who haue neither done any thing worthy of hell nor receiued the Faith of Christ that they might attaine Heauen Hitherto Ambros Comps who saith that many were of the same minde but yet acknowledgeth that there is need of a reuelation to know this and that it is but a pious coniecture But Clement bringeth in this our Apostle Peter disputing with Simon Magus Clem. Recognit 3. and speaking almost to the same effect Simon Tell me if this Heauen shall bee dissolued as thou teachest why was it made at the first Peter It was made for this present life of men that there might be a distinction lest men vnworthy should see the Throne of God which is to be seene onely by those that are pure in heart Simon But if God be good and the Heauens which hee hath made are good how shall it come to passe that a good God will dissolue them but if hee dissolueth them as euill how shall he seeme to be good who hath made euill Peter If the Heauens had beene made for themselues but not for another vse it were true indeed that thou sayest but they were made to hide from the sight of mortall men the Throne of God which yet must necessarily one day appeare and then they must be dissolued for this end as the shell of an Egge though it bee curiously made yet must be broken that the forme of the Chicken within for which it was made might appeare and the Chicken come forth a Hil. cant 4. in Mat. Enar. Psal 122. Coelum hoc quod visui nostro subiacet quod tanquam fumum solidatum firmamenti naturam nomen accepit praeteribit non erit sedes autem domini coelum sc in quo Deus habitat manet in aeternum Hilary also saith This Heauen which we see with our eyes as a solid fume obtaining therefore the name and nature of a Firmament shall passe away and be no more but the Seat of the Lord that is the Heauen in which God dwelleth remaineth for euer Of this opinion also b Hieron lib. 14. in Esa Ierome speaketh affirming that it was followed by many and proued by this place of Peter and where by Paul it is said c 2. Cor. 4.18 That those things that are seeue are temporall but those that are not seene eternall Hee also saith that it was the opinion of some Philosophers And d Euseb praeparat Euang. li. 15. Aug. de Ciuit lib. 20. cap 24. Eusebius that it was the Doctrine of the Stoicks amongst whom the most ancient Zeno Cleanthes and Chrysippus held that all visible things after a long circuit of time should be resolued into fire What others hold wee may see in the Text before going for Augustine as Oecumenius holdeth that by the Heauens and Earth are meant onely this inferiour world consisting of the Earth and the Aire which were once before destroyed by the Floud and what others follow either opinion I haue declared at large vpon Rom. 8.19 where I haue shewed If the Heauens and the Earth shall be destroyed yet it shall not be to their abolition but that they may be restored to more splendor and glory according to that passage Rom. 8.19 and seeing it is hereabout agreed amongst those that follow this opinion there needeth to be no great difference about the particulars that shall be destroyed whether the starry or the aerean Heauens or both But vpon further consideration I doe now rather incline to the opinion of those that hold that this Earth and all the Heauens which we see shall be quite consumed for they shall be changed as a vesture which is not to be renued vnto better but to be vtterly destroyed neither if they should remaine can it be conceiued to what vse when there shall be no inhabitants And so I come to the fourth doubt To what end these new Heauens and Earth shall serue when there shall be no inhabitants remaining for men which are good
shall goe into Heauen the wicked into Hell the creatures shall be consumed with the fire Vers 13. It is said We looke for a new Heauen and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Beza that is as Beza hath it either which are the habitation of the iust or an immunity from iniustice and iniquity whereas the Heauens and the Earth that now are are stained with all manner of sinne or lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may haue reference to vs in whom the righteousnesse of Christ dwelleth by Faith This last is too much strained but the first is most genuine the Author of all holinesse and righteousnesse dwelleth there and none with him but his Saints and holy Angels These and all such shall dwell in this new Earth and Heauens and because hee speaketh of them in the present tense wherein dwelleth righteousnesse and it is certaine that the new heauen the abode of God and of his Angels is now it is probable that the new earth is now also but as the one so the other lyeth hid from our eyes vntill the time shall come when these visible heauens and earth being done away they shall appeare being rightly called a new heauen and a new earth because neuer appearing before Luther in 2 Pet. 3. Coelum terra in vnum Paradisum cessura sunt in qua Deus habitabit electicum eo Aug. de Ciuit. lib. 20. cap. 16. Illa conflagratione mundana elementorum corruptibilium qualitates quae corruptibilibus congruebant ardendo penitùs inter ibunt Atque ipsa substantia eas qualitates habebit quae corporibus immortalibus mirabili mutatione conuenient vt sc mundus in melius innouatus aptè accomodetur hominibus etiam carne in melius in innouatis And if the heauens and the earth to come be such eleuated farre aboue all these heauens which we see it may easily be conceiued to what vse the new earth shall be viz. together with the new heauens for the habitation of the Saints the one not being remote but contiguous to the other as shall be vsefull for the incorruptible life to come as Oecumenius hath partly touched before And Augustine more fully saith By that burning of the world the qualities of the corruptible elements which did agree with our corruptible bodies shall be quite consumed by burning and the substance it selfe shall haue such qualities which shall agree with immortall bodies by a wonderfull change that the world being renued vnto better may fitly agree vnto men being renued vnto better in their bodies In these words that learned Father acknowledgeth such a condition of the earth to come as shall agree to immortall and incorruptible bodies though hee seemeth to hold that this same earth shall be the new earth when it is thus altered and changed and therefore that the Saints shall haue it for their habitation But because it is said 1 Thes 4. that wee shall be taken vp and euer remaine with the Lord and the habitation of the Saints is aboue I thinke that this earth shall not be their habitation but rather a new Heauen and a new Earth aboue which comming in stead of this Earth and Heauen which we now see Rom. 8. the whole creation is said to be restored to the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God because in the whole world that then shall be there shall be no generation and corruption no vanity as now That conceit of those that hold that Infants dying without Baptisme shall inhabit here I leaue to the Authors of it the Pelagians as Augustine sheweth Aug. de haer c. 88. Ambros de statu puer orum sine baptis mort neere vnto which is that of Ambrose holding that they shall enioy an earthly Paradise followed by Catharinus Albertus and Pighius For this is a meere humane inuention without any ground in the Word of God because they could not conceiue how otherwise this Earth should be inhabited Note hence Note that it is neuer a whit the more improbable that the Lord will come to iudgement because it hath beene so long a time since it hath beene spoken of as being at hand and yet is not come for 1000. yeeres are but as a day yea as a watch in the night all this delay therefore is but as it were of a day or two and so that time is neuerthelesse to be expected to the terrour of wicked men that contemne it and tremble not at the hearing of it Note againe that though the Lord damneth many to hell Note yet he is not willing so to doe his desire is rather that all should repent and be saued as he declareth by sending the meanes amongst them Note lastly Note how vaine all these things are which we see the time shall come when they shall be made but fuell for the fire and therefore let vs not set our hearts vpon them but be lifted vp in our desires to those things aboue and be iust and righteous in all our dealings for so much as nothing but righteousnesse shall inhabit there CHAP. 3. VERS 15. And count the long suffering of our Lord saluation as our beloued brother Paul hath written vnto you as also in all his Epistles speaking in them of these things wherein or amongst which some things are hard to be vnderstood c. There is nothing betwixt this Text and that before going Mâ—yâ—r but an exhortation Study to be found vnspotted and vnblameable before him in peace Vers 14. Tho. Aquinas Lyran. the first of which some referre to outward pollutions of the body the second to the inward defilements of the minde but I subscribe rather to those that hold them to be synonima two words vsed to expresse one and the same thing a freedome from all inquination of sinne and vnrighteousnesse seeing the righteous only shall inhabit the new Heauen and Earth Th. Aquinas In peace that is hauing peace with God he being reconciled vnto you vpon your true conuersion so as that when this terrible time shall come ye may with comfort looke vp vnto him Rom. 5.1 or else it may be vnderstood of a peaceable and quiet life without taking part with those that contentiously oppose the truth of Gods Word as the scoffers before spoken of for the true Christian preferreth peace and vnity and without any opposition doth quietly rest in the receiued doctrine of the Christian Religion not hauing any hand in making strife and brangles hereabout Or lastly a respect may here be had to the time of the Lords comming which should be full of tumult and trouble the wicked then running hither and thither and being at their wits end by reason of that terrible burning but such as leade an holy and blamelesse life shall stand as in a time of peace without such terrour hauing a minde within them resolued of Gods loue and fauour and so that all the appearing terrors shall turne to their comfort According
that the vertues of this Lambe should be thankfully commemorated It is called a new song in respect of that in the former Chapter there are the praises of the creation which was of old here the praises of the redemption which was new Quest 3. Vers 9. And wee shall reigne on the earth How shall the Saints reigne vpon earth or how is it that being Kings in Heauen they ioy in thinking vpon a future reigning here Answ Forbs Brightman Some vnderstanding all of the Church militant say That reigning vpon earth is nothing else but being in the Kingdom of grace whilst we liue here Others vnderstanding it of the Saints in Heauen Bullinger Pareus say That the reigning vpon earth shal be when at the last day the Iudge descending they shall come together with him in great glory and shall appeare to be the Kings and Priests of God with Christ iudging this wicked world Arethas Mat. 5. Others againe vnderstand by earth that new earth which is promised to the meeke when it is said Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth And vnto this as the most probable doe I subscribe for there shall be a new Heauen and a new earth Chap. 21.1 and here shall the godly reigne in glory not as the Chiliasts and Turkes hold liuing in earthly pleasures for that is grosse neither is it to be thought that such pleasure is affected by such as are heauenly and spirituall but after the consummation of all at the Day of Iudgement the Saints shall reigne in another world which in allusion to this consisting of Heauen and Earth is called a new Heauen and a new Earth Or else consider whether it may not be vnderstood of the vpper hand which the Christian Religion should get of all false religions when Emperours and Kings should become Christian for being all of one mysticall body when the Christian Church getteth the principality the Saints in Heauen may reioyce to foresee it and say We shall reigne vpon earth that is our company which belong vnto the Lambe and admire and praise him as we doe And it was no small comfort to know this then when as all Empire and dominion was in the hands of heathen men and persecutors it must needs cheare vp the heart greatly to vnderstand what power Religion should haue ouer the Thrones and Scepters of this world and the ancient seruants of God may well be said to reigne vpon earth also because their dictates and instructions are generally receiued and obeyed vpon earth Quest 4. Vers 13. And I heard euery creature in Heauen and in earth vnder the earth and in the sea and all in them saying blessing and honour c. What are the creatures vnder the earth and how doth euery thing speake the praises of God when as all cannot speake Answ Ribera The Papists will haue the soules in purgatory meant by those vnder the earth some the Deuills who are compelled to giue glory to Christ But the best exposition is of the creatures which dwell in subterranean places for both they that are without and within the holes of the earth are called vpon to praise God Psal 148. and doe praise him and the Lord Iesus Christ in their kinde by whom a restauration of the world is attained when the faithfull shall be glorified as is declared Rom. 8.21 and for this cause they serue his prouidence which is their praising of him It is generally signified hereby what a consent there is amongst all things which are in expectation of benefit from Christ in celebrating his praises that we may doe likewise CHAP. VI. HEre is shewed how the Lambe beginneth to open the Seales in order and what followeth vpon the opening of each of them by such things as appeared future euents concerning the Church of God being emblematically set forth as the opening of euery Seale succeedeth one another and after the Seales follow the Trumpets Eullinger Forbs Brightman Lyâ—a Antonin Ambros lib. adulterinus Fox and after the Trumpets the Vials so some will haue the euents hereby set forth to succeed one another in order in diuers ages to the end of the world And some begin the computation from the beginning of the world by the seuen Seales vnderstanding the seuen ages Some from the foure Monarchies of the Assyrians Medes and Persians Grecians and Romans which they will haue set forth by these foure horses which beginnings cannot stand because Iohn is not taken vp to see things past but to come by which reason also that opinion reckoned vp by Andreas is confuted expounding the first Seale of Christs Birth Andreas ex Methodio the second of his Baptisme the third of his Miracles the fourth of his Arraignment the fift of his Buriall the sixt of his Descent c. The rest which speake more probably beginne the time at the Apostles going out to preach the Gospell in all nations and so apply euery thing to some notable accident as one happened after another from age to age Yet because at the opening of the sixt Seale mention is so plainly made of the last day of Iudgement as that it is but a wresting of the words to expound it any other way and againe at the sounding of the seuenth Trumpet it is so confidently affirmed that time was no more chap. 11. and the time is said to be come of iudging the dead vers 18. which cannot be meant but of the day of Iudgement and againe Chap. 14. the Vintage is cut downe and the Wine-presse trodden and againe Chap. 20. the dead arise and come to iudgement I cannot see how that computing of all things in order to the end can stand because the day of Iudgement which is last of all commeth so often in the way There are therefore that beginning the time at the propagation of the Gospell abroad in the world make diuers periods in these visions holding that within euery period most notable things which should happen to the end of the world are set forth Parcus in the first more obscurely and in euery following period more plainly and yet not alwaies the same but if any thing of note hath beene omitted in the former it is supplied in the periods following neither is euery one so vniuersall as another for some set forth the estate of the Church persecuted by Tyrants flourishing vnder Christian Emperours persecuted by Antichrist shaking off his yoke as the vision of the seuen Seales of the seuen Trumpets of the woman with childe cloathed with the Sunne and of the Angell binding the Dragon being afterwards loosened againe but some set forth that part of the estate of the Church only which was in Antichrists reigne and ouerthrow as the seuen Vials and the vision of the great whore and her destruction And vnto this as being most without exception doe I subscribe the rather because S. Augustine long agoe gaue some light to this method saying
that is he stirreth vp the Pope a secret enemy in the West and the Turke an open enemy in the East by fire and sword to destroy the company of those that stand for the truth which howsoeuer it hath beene in a great part fulfilled already yet the most remarkable time is to come wherein being gathered together in greatest multitudes they shall be by the immediate hand of God destroyed as with fire from Heauen so that they shall neuer be able to make head againe as was before set forth vnder the sixt Viall Chap. 16.16 by the place called Harmageddon into which they should bee gathered Which time the Deuill being concluded in hell should not in such manner seduce any more till the comming of the Lord to iudgement which is next set forth And I hold with those that say the phrase here is borrowed from Ezâ—echiel because of the similitude of that which was then done and now Then the people of God being returned from the captiuity were assaulted by Seleucus and Nicanor and Antiochus c. out of Asia Minor and Syria but were mightily deliuered by Iudas Machabeus and his brethren being extraordinarily stirred vp and assisted from Heauen Ezech. 38.22 Ezech. 29.6 and therefore their ouerthrow that came against them is set forth by fire and brimstone and againe by a fire which the Lord threatneth to send vpon Magog For in like manner the people of God in these latter daies being come out of the captiuity of Popery are assaulted with innumerable enemies but the Lord doth mightily preserue them and disappoint their enemies of their purpose and will we doubt not when greatest need shall be at the last yet more miraculously saue his by destroying their enemies both Turkes and Papists when they shall be in an highest attempt against them That the Scythians came of Magog who are the present Tukes and Tartars is agreed by all Writers and that Meshech and Tubal ouer which Gog is said to be the chiefe Prince are Iberia that is Spaine and Cappadocia Ieron de inter Heb. nom Ierome sheweth De interpr nominum Hebr. Touching other exposiâ—ions and first for that of enemies in generall it is too large and taketh away from the light giuen here to see more particularly into this matter for that which restreineth it to the Turkes onely seeing two names are here vsed I see no reason why both should be referred to one sort of enemies especially there being two that continually infest the Church of God so aptly figured out by them Touching the fire and the casting of the Deuill into the lake of fire and brimstone I cannot thinke it is to bee meant of the last iudgement and of the fire of that great day of the Lord because when that day shall come there shall be a generall security eating and drinking marrying and giuing in marriage and not warring and sighting for if an end of these warres should be made by the Lords comming to iudgement how should the faithfull haue time here to reioyce and to giue thankes vnto to God for their greatest enemies ouerthrowne It is true there may be some relikes of the Antichristian Sect after this 2 Thess 2.8 in regard of which it is said that Antichrist shall bee abolished by the brightnesse of the Lords comming but that hee shall stand to be able to make so great a power as is here described is most improbable The Turkes haue had hitherto great successe in their warres against Christians but they whom they haue fought against haue beene as bad as themselues or worse and therefore they haue beene armed to become a scourge vnto them as was shewed chap. 9. But when they shall come in their greatest power against the true Christians of the Reformed Religion though the Papists shall ioyne with them to make their Armies innumerable God will from Heauen fight against them and confound them In confidence whereof let vs be resolute and comfort our selues if we should see greater preparations of warre made by all our enemies for we shall vndoubtedly triumph ouer them all at the last Quest Vers 11. 4. What is meant by the appearance of a great white Throne and the comming together of all before him that sate vpon it and the fleeting away of Heauen and Earth from before him what are the Bookes and the other booke called The Booke of life according to the contents whereof all were iudged and according to their workes and how are death and hell cast into the lake of fire Answ Brightman There is no great difference amongst Expositors here onely some turne all that is said into an allegory of the conuersion of the Iewes holding that by the dead here set forth to rise together they are meant who haue beene all this time dead as it were in infidelity But the place is so plainly of the generall resurrection at the last day and the arguments so sleighty to cause vs to vary from the common receiued exposition which is of the generall resurrection and the exposition which applyeth it to the Iewes in the particular passages here is so wrested and forced Pareus as one a learned Writer hath well noted as that this may by no meanes be admitted The chiefe reason of this interpretation is drawne from that which followeth Chap. 21.22 because the Authour of it conceiueth that the description of the new Ierusalem with the circumstances cannot agree to the state of the Church triumphant in heauen and therefore a famous Church to come vpon earth must needs be pointed at there but how these may be applied to the state of the Church triumphant in heauen shall appeare in their proper place In the meane season I follow the common exposition of all Writers holding that the generall resurrection and proceedings which shall bee at the last day are here set forth for euery place of Scripture is properly to be vnderstood vnlesse there be a necessity of admitting a figure because otherwise either some absurdity will follow or it will not agree with the analogy of faith neither of which can be iustly said here He that sitteth vpon a great white Throne is the Lord Iesus who appeareth thus to shew his glory for white is a signe of glory Mat. 17.1 the heauen and earth are said to fly away from before him to declare the fiercenesse and intolerablenesse of his anger at that day which is such that neither earth nor heauen are able to beare it a circumstance very vnfit to bee applied to that most notable worke of grace in bringing the Iewes home to the faith They shall fly away in regard of their externall forme and figure for they shall be changed as a vesture the heauens melting with heat and the earth flaming with fire but their substance shall still remaine after this called a new heauen and a new earth as most hold The dead that stand before the Iudge are both great and small
to shew both the vniuersality of the iudgement that shall be Note and the terriblenesse of the Iudge to the wicked so that nothing shall be able to abide his presence and the iust proceedings according to which all shall bee sentenced because they shall be by bookes and according to mens workes and lastly the wofull estate of all that haue done euill after this time they shall be cast into the lake of fire and the ioyfull estate of those that haue done well death and hell is abolished vnto them so that they shall stand in feare of these enemies no more What is written in the booke of life is kept so secret that wee cannot know it but they whose workes are euill may be sure that they are not therein written the booke of life and the register of mens workes doe parallel one another Wouldest thou then see into this great secret goe to thy workes and consider them if they be good thou art assuredly written in the booke of life otherwise thou mayst bee sure that thou art not and then the lake of fire gapeth for thee Psal 34.12 Be not deceiued therefore by thy faith but wouldest thou liue long and see good dayes refraine thy tongue from euill and thy lips that they speake no guile cease to doe euill seeke peace and ensue it Attend to that direction of our blessed Sauiour giuen to him that asked what he should doe to be saued 1 Tim. 6.7 keepe the Commandemâ—nts and if thou be rich forget not to distribute of thy goods to the poore and so lay vp to thy selfe a good foundation CHAP. XXI IN this and the Chapter following vnder the figure of the new Ierusalem the state of the Church triumphant in heauen is set forth as it shall be after the day of iudgement according to the opinion of all Expositors Brightman Forbs except two of ours who vnderstand it of a flourishing Church vpon earth after the Pope and Turke destroyed and the Iewes conuerted and some Popish Writers who expound it of the Church of Rome whom Alcasar a Iesuite mentioneth and confuteth But that it cannot possibly bee vnderstood of the Church vpon earth in any time or age is most plaine first because this vision followeth after the vision of the last great day of iudgement and therefore in order should represent somewhat after that 2. Because the condition of the Church is such here as that it can neuer be free from suffering and sorrow All that will liue godly must suffer persecution Rom 8.17 wee shall bee glorified with Christ if we suffer with him Ioh. 16. 1 Pet 5.8 and In the world ye shall haue trouble and if at any time there bee outward peace yet the Deuill like a roaring Lion goeth about continually seeking whom he may deuoure and there are bodily pangs and sicknesses and other occurrences that doe afflict whilest this life lâ—steth Heb. 12.10 for if wee should bee without chastisement wee should be bastards and no sonnes And lastly there is sinne euer here in the best which maketh them to sorrow Matth. 5.5 according to that Blessed are they which mourne for they shall be comforted But the new Ierusalem here described is without all sorrow and paine vers 4.3 Because the Church here described hath the glory of God which is all one with being glorified in heauen so as cannot said of any vpon earth vers 11.4 Because this Church is without a Temple needeth no light of the Sunne c. vers 22 23. whereas the Church vpon earth must alwayes haue a place to resort vnto and must be enlightened and vpheld in grace by meanes and shall euer need the light of the Sun and Moone 5. Because no vncleane thing is in this Church vers 27. whereas in this world the kingdome of heauen is euer like a corne field with tares in it like vnto ground with thornes and briars and stones in it and such as that it may be said alwaies Many are called but few are chosen Lastly to put vs out of doubt that no state of the Church here is meant but in heauen he saith that they shall see his face Chap. 22.4 for this shall neuer be till we come in heauen 1 Cor. 13. then shall we see as we are seene and herein standeth the perfection of blessednesse 1 Ioh. 3.3 for now we are the sonnes of God but it doth not yet appeare what we shall be for we shall see him as he is To say nothing of the new heauens and the new earth 2 Pet. 3.13 which Saint Peter speaketh of when he hath shewed how the world shall bee destroyed by fire but wee saith he looke for a new heauen and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse These reasons I thinke may satisfie any reasonable man against the probabilities that are that it should not be meant of the Church triumphant in heauen except the phantasticall Chiliast who may thinke to reconcile all these to his imagined ioyfull time of a thousand yeeres vpon earth after the first resurrection of the Martyrs onely for they apply all this to that imaginary condition But that hath beene sufficiently confuted already and whereas any thing may seeme to make against the common tenent of the glorified estate of the Church here set forth it shall be answered in the proper place And so I hasten to the exposition of the difficulties here as they offer themselues in order And I saw a new heauen and a new earth Vers 1. for the first were passed away neither was there any more sea By the new heauen and earth here most Expositors vnderstand not any new creation but so great an alteration in the heauens and the earth as if they were made new For these heauens and earth say they shall not cease to bee in regard of their substance but become more glorious as is taught Rom. 8.19 being no more subiect to corruption Neither shall they be renewed that we might again haue a dwelling here for we shall ascend 1 Thess 4. and euer remaine with the Lord aboue but to intimate the new glorified estate of the faithful if the creatures which were made to serue them shall come now to a new glorious condition then much more they for whose seruice they were made as Bullinger speaketh Bullinger But I haue already deliuered my coniecture vpon 2 Pet. 3.8 for the first heauen and earth were passed away This was shewed before Chap. 20.11 and because no mention was there made of the sea here it is added the sea was no more that we might not conceiue but that all the parts of the world fled from the Lords angry presence Bullinger Some thinke that nothing else is meant but that the sea was altered to a more glorious estate euen as the heauen and the earth but it is to be noted that he speaketh onely negatiuely of the sea but both affirmatiuely and negatiuely of the
c. pag. 79. Text 16. Chap. 2. Vers 13. Be ye subiect to euery humane ordinance for the Lord whether to the King as to the chiefe or to the Rulers c. pag. 92. Text. 17. Chap. 3. Vers 3. Whose apparell let it not bee any outward thing of the broidring of the haire or of putting gold about or the ornaments of apparell c. pag. 97. Text 18. Chap. 3 Vers 13. And who will hurt you if ye be followers of that which is good but if ye suffer for righteousnesse ye are blessed c. pag. 102. Text 19. Chap. 3. Vers 18. Being put to death in the flesh but quickned in the spirit wherein he went and preached to the spirits in prison c. pag. 106. Text 20. Chap. 4. Vers 1 2. Christ therefore hauing suffered in the flesh for vs put vpon you the same minde also c. pag. 117. Text. 21. Chap. 4. Vers 12. Estrange not your selues from the fiery triall which is amongst you to proue you pag. 121. Text. 22. Chap. 5. Vers 13. The Church that is at Babylon saluteth you greet ye one another with a kisse c. pag. 127. Text 23. 2 Peter 1. Vers 4 5. Whereby are giuen to vs exceeding great and precious promises that by them ye might be partakers of the diuine nature pag. 131 Text 24. Chap. 1. Vers 19. We haue a more sure word of prophesie to which yee doe well that yee take heed pag. 139. Text 25. Chap. 2. Vers 1. Which shall bring in Heresies that destroy denying the Lord that bought them c. pag. 145. Text 26. Chap. 2. Vers 11. The Angels being greater both in might and power beare not blasphemous iudgement against them c. pag. 150. Text 27. Chap. 2. Vers 20. For if escaping the filthinesse of the world in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ c. pag. 152. Text 28. 2 Pet. 3. Vers 5. They are willingly ignorant of this that the Heauens were of old and the earth set out of the waters by the waters c. pag. 155. Text 29. Chap. 3. Vers 8. I would not haue this one thing hidden from you that 1000 yeeres is with the Lord as one day and one day as a 1000. yeeres c. pag. 161. Text 30. Chap. 3. Vers 15. And count the long suffering of our Lord saluation as our beloued brother Paul hath written to you c. pag. 168. Text 31. 1 Iohn 1. Vers 1. That which was from the beginning which we haue heard seene c. p. 156 Text 32. Chap. 2. Vers 2. He is the propitiation for our sins not for ours only but for the whole world vers 7. I write no new Commandement c. p. 182. Text 33. Chap. 2. Vers 12. I write vnto you children because your sinnes are forgiuen you through his name Vers 13. I write to you fathers c. p. 186. Text 34. Chap. 2. Vers 18. Little children it is the last houre as ye haue heard that Antichrist commeth there are now also many Antichrists c. pag. 189. Text 35. Chap. 3. Vers 1. For this the world knoweth vs not because it knoweth not him Beloued now ye are the sonnes of God c. pag. 198. Text 36. Chap. 3. Vers 5. Ye know that he was manifested to take away our sinnes who so abideth in him sinneth not c. pag. 200. Text 37. Chap. 3. Vers 21. If our heart condemne vs not we haue boldnesse towards God c. pag. 203. Text 38. Chap. 4. Vers 2. Euery spirit that confesseth Iesus Christ to haue come in the flesh is of God c. pag 206. Text 39. Chap. 4. Vers 8. He that loueth not knoweth not God for God is loue c. pag. 208. Text 40. Chap. 5. Vers 2. Hereby we know that wee loue the children of God when wee loue God c. pag. 212. Text 41. Chap. 5. Vers 6. This is hee that came by water and bloud euen Iesus Christ c. pag. 214. Text 42. Chap. 5. Vers 16. If any man seeth his brother sinne a sinne vnto death let him aske and hee shall giue life c. pag. 217. Text. 43. 2 Iohn 1. The Elder to the Elect Lady p. 224. Text 44. Iude Vers 4. For certaine men are crept in which of old were proscribed to iudgement p. 232. Text 45. Vers 8. Likewise also these dreamers doe defile the flesh they set light by authoritie and blaspheme glories c. pag. 236. Text 46. Vers 14. Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophesied of them saying Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints c. pag. 241. THE CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF THE Apostle IAMES THis Epistle together with the six following haue gone vnder the name of Catholike Epistles amongst the Greekes and of Canonicall amongst the Latines a long time but vpon what reason it is vncertaine saith Pareus Pareus in Iac. Epist Lyra Oecum Gorran The reason which is yeelded by Lyra Oecumenius and Gorran that they haue the name of Catholike from the vniuersality of those to whom they are directed either to all the Iewes dispersed into all countries or to all Christian people in all Countries of the world whereas Saint Pauls Epistles are directed to particular Countries seemeth vnto him to be no good reason because so the Epistle to the Hebrewes being written to all the Iewes wheresoeuer should haue beene intituled Catholike likewise and the two latter Epistles of Saint Iohn being to particular persons could not by this reason be called Catholike And touching the name canonicall it is more disliked by Beza also Beza because not these seuen Epistles but all the rest are canonicall alike But the reason of the name Catholike seemeth to me to bee good notwithstanding the exceptions alledged for the Epistle to the Hebrewes haply was sent to Ierusalem the proper place of the Hebrewes where they still offered their Sacrifices as seemeth by the Argument of the Epistle and therefore might not so well be intituled Catholike but onely The Epistle to the Hebrewes as that to the Romans The Epistle to the Romans but this of Iames is named to the Iewes scattered in all parts And touching the two latter Epistles of Saint Iohn although they are directed to particular persons yet the Argument of them is Catholike or Vniuersall alike concerning all Christians and not particular as the Arguments of the Epistles of Paul for the most part of euery of them are For although euen in them generall duties concerning all are set forth yet each of them is principally directed to particular points to dispute of which particular occasion was ministred by the Christians of that place to which the Epistle was sent This Epistle in order is the first not because Iames is to be preferred before Peter who was the first â—â—d chiefe of the Apostles Gorran if there were any such but as some haue well noted because this Epistle is to all Iewes in
his Epistle should come to any of their hands Verse 2. he comforteth them in their troubles first by resoluing them what these troubles are viz. the triall of your faith vers 3. Secondly by shewing the effect of this triall patience Thirdly the benefit of this patience perfection when a man being tried is found to haue patience indeed Fourthly how we may be so wise as for the good that is in trouble being considered to vse such constant patience verse 5. Aske wisdome of God Fiftly by shewing what vaine and inconstant things riches are for which there is no cause but to ioy notwithstanding the losse of them vers 10 11. Sixtly by propounding the Crowne of life as the reward of troubles bein-borne patiently vers 12. Touching the first of these temptations are the triall of our Faith whether wee will beleeue in God when hee seemes to neglect vs or to bee against vs. Touching the second and third Verse 3 4. trying of a man worketh patience if he hath faith because then he quietly beareth the Crosse laid vpon him which to doe is Patience and this patient bearing with constancy is the next thing to be lookt vnto which who so doth neuer being weary is a perfect wise man and wanteth not the spirituall wisdome to see into the benefit of temptations Vers 5. And for the fourth the words are plaine and easie there must be no wauering through vnbeliefe in our seeking vnto God but wee must firmely beleeue that God is and that hee can supply all our wants hee that doubteth of this is a wauering minded man who is vnconstant in all his waies and therefore such constant holding on in time of temptation cannot be expected at his hands Touching the fift there is some more difficulty in the words and therefore I will set downe the diuersity of Expositions herevpon IAMES Chapter I. Verse 9 10. Let the brother of low degree reioyce in his exaltation But the rich in his humiliation because as the flower of the grasse he passeth away Tho. Aquin. in Iac. Gorran HEre is shewed the manner of perfect patience namely when a poore deiected man glorieth not onely inwardly and in himselfe but outwardly in respect of others through the hope that he hath of future exaltation for it is promised that he which humbleth himselfe shall be exalted That which followeth of the rich man glorying in his humiliatiō is expounded by the Glosse as spoken ironically Let him reioyce in his humiliation and fall to come for his pride and loue of worldly riches Or else it may be vnderstood of a voluntary humiliation in doing dutie to the poore through humility Oecum in Iac. The Apostle hauing shewed who is fluctuating like the Sea in his prayers now teacheth how a man may be stable and steddy viz. if being poore that is deiected in a sense of his owne spirituall pouerty he perseuereth in this his humiliation which indeed will produce all good vnto him By the rich hee meaneth the proud and supercilious to whom he ascribeth humility because whilest he exalteth himselfe hee is in a lowe and base estate his meaning is that hee should be confounded herein though hee would not vse the word left hee should seeme too harsh The Apostle doth not here as some thinke enter vpon a new argument touching the rich and the poore but repeateth in other words what he propounded before vers 2. about reioycing in temptations adding some new reasons after that of faithfull prayer brought in as it were by a parenthesis Hee that is vnder temptations is humbled by the Lord and this the Lords humbling of him is ioyned with exaltation in his fauour to be his sonne and an inheritour of his heauenly kingdome which none aduersity can depriue him of Let the poore therefore that is the deiected reioyce in this his spirituall exaltation by adoption and grace as Paul did Rom. 8.35 Pareus in Jac. Let the rich man c. I doe not thinke with some that this is an exhortation of the rich to humility for that is done afterwards Chap. 5. But the rich here is he that is not humbled by reason of his prosperous estate in willing him to reioyce in his humiliation he meaneth that he should prepare himselfe and be ready to suffer for Christ when hee should be called thereunto and herein seeke matter of true ioy that in minde he was humbled to beare Christs crosse and to follow him whensoeuer it should come and in that he had a fellow-feeling of the miseries of others in their sufferings And that they who were for the present in prosperity might be the rather moued to this humiliation he sheweth their fleeting estate and condition euen like the flower of the field The poore here is the poore in spirit whose exaltation is that his is the kingdome of heauen Math. 5. The rich made lowe is he that suffereth the losse of his goods being made herein like vnto Christ who being of heauenly glory became poore and abased himselfe and his followers wee are when wee shew patience in the losse of worldly wealth Vt à terrenis depressio est ad Deum exaltatio ita ad diuitias exaltatio est à Deo depressio Pugnant ex opposito Coelum terra paupertas diuitiae aeterna caduca Deus mundus exaltatio ad mandum exaltatio ad Deum depressio à mundo depressio à Deo reioycing in this conformity vnto him For to be depressed in the world is to be exalted to God-ward and to be exalted in the world is to be depressed to God-ward For these are contraries heauen and earth pouerty and riches eternall and fading God and the world exaltation to God exaltation to the world depression from the world depression from God if thou louest the earth thou losest heauen if riches the pouerty of Christ if fading things eternall if exaltation to the world exaltation to God * Mayer 1 Cor. 4.17 Though the Expositours alleaged differ in words yet the sense rendred by them all is almost one and the same By the poore I vnderstand with Pareus and Piscator a man vnder affliction according to that which was spoken before vers 2. he is bidden to reioyce in his exaltation that is the glory to come for the momentany afflictions of this life doe worke vnto vs a surpassing weight of glory The rich must ioy in his humiliation that is according to Piscator if hee hath an humble minde in the middest of his riches whereby he maketh himselfe equall to the poore For contrary to the manner of the world he ascribeth exaltation to the poore and humiliation to the rich who hath good cause yet to humble himselfe by reason of the vanity of his riches being like vnto the flower of the field That of Oecumen followed by Faber applying it to the poore in spirit doth not agree so well here because poore is opposed to rich which is meant of worldly
it a thing indifferent whether we haue communion with him or no for the bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth such from all sinne And lest when we endeuour to be holy we should depriue our selues of so great a benefit of Christs bloud through conceitednesse by imagining that now we liue not in grosse sinnes as others doe we are altogether free from sinne he preuenteth this by shewing that so we should deceiue our selues c. vers 8 9 10. 1 IOHN Chapter 1. Verse 1. That which was from the beginning which wee haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes which wee haue beheld and which our hands haue handled of the Word of Life c. THe Iewes and Greekes both did tax the Mystery of the Gospell as a nouelty Oecumen in 1 Ioh. 1. and therefore to approue the antiquity thereof he beginneth with these words That which was from the beginning that is either before the Law or before the creation of all things for Heauens and Earth and all were in the beginning the word Christ before the beginning So that the word was doth not set forth a temporary existence but the substance foundation and beginning of all things that haue a being without which nothing can exist as is further declared in the Gospell of Iohn Which wee haue heard that is by the Law and Prophets being spoken of before Which wee haue seene and beheld that is when Christ liued here in the flesh we saw him and in seeing admired him for those admirable things that were in him But hee doth not meane that they saw that which was from the beginning for that is inuisible but his taking flesh Which we haue handled hereby either it is meant that he was so familiarly made knowne vnto them as that hee was made as it were palpable or else he pointeth at that handling of him by Thomas who was bidden to put his hand to his hands and side and feele the print of the nailes and speare and not to be incredulous but beleeuing After these things thus set forth hee maketh a reddition hereof againe vers â— not so plainly as we would doe but more obscurely to make vs the more attentiue lest perceiuing the matter at the first looking into it with ease we should become negligent and diuine Mysteries being made manifest to prophane eares should thus come to be abused as pearles being cast before swine This one Author hath so well expounded all things here Mayer as that I shall not need to adde others there being little difference in any from this Exposition Onely because the sense is imperfect without some supply It is to be vnderstood that the Syriake readeth it thus Syrus interp Lyra. Vatabl. We preach vnto you that which was from the beginning And Lyra and Vatablus vnderstand Wee declare vnto you But this supply commeth in well enough v. 3. after that which we haue seene and heard repeated againe because of the Parenthesis comming betweene That which hee saith was from the beginning is that word of life which he declareth here to be eternall which was is and shall be for to be eternall includeth all times That which wee haue seene heard looked vpon and handled Faber Stapul de hoc auditu hoc visu his oculis hoc tactu his mauibâ—s nequaquaÌ„ haec incolligenda putem sed potius de spiritualibus sic spiritu inâ—â—s qui eum receperunt mentes eleuante ad arcanorum diuinorum auditum contuitum contactum quibus supra omnem sensum agnouerunt quod à principio erat verbum c. Pluris est onus oculatus testis quam auriti decem Lyra. Beda Clem. Alexand. some will not haue by any meanes to be expounded of hearing seeing or handling with the bodily eares eyes and hands but with the spirituall the Spirit of God lifting vp those that heard and saw Christ to the hearing beholding and teaching of diuine secrets so that aboue all sense they knew and acknowledged that the word was from the beginning Of this Exposition also Oecum maketh mention but I preferre the other seeing what is spoken here tendeth not so much to the declaring of what S. Iohn and the rest of the Apostles saw spiritually as corporally for the confirming of others seeing one eye-witnesse is more than ten that goe by heare-say And this being bodily present with Christ is vsed elswhere as an argument to proue that which is taught of him vnto others as Acts 4.20 Iohn 3.11 Iohn 15.27 Acts 1.21 chap. 10.40 2 Pet. 1.16 Luke 1.2 That which he saith he heard and saw with others some referre onely to those things that were done after Christs resurrection as Didymus sheweth but there is no reason of this restraint Besides the hearing of Christ by the Prophets they heard of him also by Iohn the Baptist saith Lyra but chiefly the hearing of himselfe is meant here according to Beda and others The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added vnto this we haue seene signifieth a more intent and diligent looking into a thing to be able to iudge the better of it being duely considered Which we haue handled This with Oecumenius some thinke was done by Thomas onely who before beleeued not his resurrection Ambros lib. 5. in Luc. Hieron epist de error Iohan. Hierosolym Athan. orat contra Arrian Ignat epist 10. Euseb Hist l. 3. c. 36. Theodoret. dial 2 c. Acts 2. But many more hold that all the Disciples did likewise feele him with their hands because they thought him to be a spirit for to manifest that hee was not the Lord called for something to eate which needed not to haue beene done had they beleeued before And this saying will indeed best agree with that handling and feeling of the side hands of Christ being thus vnderstood Of the word of life is no more but as if he had said the word of life as when it is said I will powre out of my Spirit it is but as much as I will powre out my spirit And the life was made manifest Vers 2. c. These words come in by a Parenthesis being added to shew how they came to see and handle the word viz. because lying hid before now hee appeared in the flesh As for the rest of the Chapter it is easie to be vnderstood especially by the helpe of the Analysis before going The eternall life which hee declareth is Christ who must needs therefore be God Vers 3. That ye might haue fellowship with that is ye which haue not seene by knowing and beleeuing these things by our publishing of them might enioy together with vs the benefit hereof that we altogether might enioy God Vers 4. That your ioy may be full Lorinus readeth it that our ioy may be full affirming it to be so in the Greeke Copie but our Greeke Copies haue it that your ioy c. Full ioy is opposed here to the vaine and empty ioyes in wordly
of iudgement and our delight standeth firme in Gods Commandements To the naturall man the Law is an heauy burthen but to the spirituall such as all the faithfull are it being spirituall is a delight through the Spirit that is in them Note Note that the loue of God is not but in him that keepeth his Commandements the wicked man that tradeth daily in sinne whatsoeuer he boasteth of his louing of God yet he hath not one dramme of true loue in him Note againe Note that there is not that vnpleasant life which the world imagineth to the godly that make conscience of keeping Gods Lawes not daring to aberre here-from in any thing for Gods Commandements are not grieuous vnto them as all Iaacobs paines were not vnto him for the loue which he bare to Rachel as the Brides putting on of all her ornaments though it be some trouble yet it is not painfull but delightfull and so for any man to lay off his old vndecent clothes and to put on a faire new suit of apparell CHAP. 5. VER 6. This is he that came by water and bloud euen Iesus Christ c. and the Spirit witnesseth that the Spirit is the truth Vers 7. For there are three that beare witnesse in Heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one Vers 8. And there are three that beare witnesse in earth the Spirit the Water and the Bloud and these three agree in one Hauing spoken of our regeneration and adoption to be the Oecumen in 1 Ioh. sonnes of God here he proceedeth to 5. set forth the Author of it Christ Iesus and by what meanes it is effected namely by water and bloud and therefore to shew this he declareth by what meanes he as he was man came to be adopted through whom we partake of the same dignity namely by water and bloud And indeed there was a threefold testimony Matth. 3. that hee is the Sonne of God First in the time of his baptisme by water Secondly a little before his bloudy passion when that voice came again from Heauen like thunder Iohn 13. I haue glorified my name and will glorifie it Thirdly after his death when he arose againe which could not be but by a diuine Spirit in him In that these three the Water the Bloud and the Spirit are said to agree in one the meaning is that they agree in testifying the same thing that Christ is the Sonne of God and that wee by him are made so likewise yet some Fathers thinke that the Father testifying of him in his baptisme is meant by the Spirit Concerning the Bloud and Water Mayer wherein the chiese difficulty of this place lieth I finde no difference almost in others from this of Oecumenius Th. Aquinas Thomas Aquinas vnderstandeth the Water of our Baptisme and the Bloud set forth hereby for the washing away of our sinnes and so doth the Glosse Glos â—rd Beza Beza addeth also the Bloud represented in the Lords Supper But for so much as the Water and Bloud by which Christ came is spoken of I rather assent to Oecumenius But for that which is added It is the Spirit that witnesseth that the Spirit is truth I doe not thinke that the Spirit here setteth forth his resurrection but the Spirit descending at the feast of Pentecost as hee had promised When as the speech may seeme to be strange as we reade it according to the Greeke the vulgar Latine rendreth it The Spirit testifieth that Christ is truth but for so much as here a word is plainly altered that ought not to bee we must rather cleaue to the originall and so the words will carry a good sense if we vnderstand them as Faber doth Faber Stapul because the Spirit is truth these last words seruing to illustrate the former as if he should haue said It is the Spirit that giueth restimony vnto Christ and his testimony ought to bee receiued because the Spirit is truth For that which followeth of the three that beare record in Heauen and the three in earth these things being thus premised it hath no difficulty in it Beza by the Spirit will haue the vinifying vertue of the Spirit vnderstood shewing it selfe in the faithfull who are by Baptisme ingraffed into Christ but I rest vpon that which hath beene already deliuered The Water and Bloud which are said to be vpon earth and the Spirit Aug contr Maxin inum c. 22. Th. Aquinas Gorran Gagneus are expounded by some of the Water and Bloud that flowed out of his side vpon the Crosse and of the water of his teares when he wept ouer Ierusalem and of the bloud which hee sweat in the Garden Bloud came from him at other times also testifying the truth of his humanity as at his circumcision and when hee was scourged Mat. 27. By the Spirit they vnderstand the Spirit that he gaue vp when in his Passion he said Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit And so they make these three the witnesses of his humane nature the preceding three of his diuine which doth not seeme improbable to me but let the Reader consider Touching the words following Vers 9. wherein the diuine testimony from heauen is further vrged comparatiuely by the consent of all Expositors the testimony of men there is the testimony of the Prophets who spake of the Messiah to come if this be receiued then much more the Testimony immediatly from Heauen ought to be receiued it being beleeued that this is the Messiah who hath already come Or it may be an allusion more particularly as some will haue it to that Law of witnesses at the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word shall stand For if humane testimony must be beleeued much more the diuine He that beleeueth Vers 10. Oecumen hath the testimonie in himselfe that is by being made the sonne of God such as hee beleeueth Christ to be for it is by the Spirit of Christ that he beleeueth this Note Note that if vpon testimonie we beleeue things then there is great reason that without all doubting we should beleeue in Christ touching whom there hath beene so ample testimonie the Father from heauen pronouncing him to be his dearely beloued Sonne the Spirit by comming downe and resting vpon him and his owne declaring of himselfe by signes and miracles for hereby it plainely appeareth that he was the Sonne of God Then the water and bloud that flowed from him which could not come from a phantasticall but a true naturall bodie and his giuing vp of the ghost for hereby he is manifested to haue beene man If any be incredulous and doe not beleeue Note it is because they haue no part in Christ for had they interest in him they should then haue him by his spirit dwelling in them and so they could not but turne witnesses of the same themselues The vnbeleeuing and doubtfull herein are guiltie
touching sundry of which we read expressely that Saint Paul preached there as at Ephesus Acts 19. to which place also hee wrote an Epistle and Pergamus which was otherwise called Troy for Paul is said to haue beene at Troas seuen dayes Acts 20.6 and Thiatyra where Lydda dwelt Acts 16.14 and Laodicea for the Epistle to the Colossians is appointed to bee read to them of Laodicea Col. 4 16. Quest Why are the Churches set forth by golden Candlestickes Veâ—â—â—â— for so the seuen golden Candle-stickes are expounded in the last verse Answ Candle-stickes they are called because as lights stand vpon candle-stickes to giue light to all the roome so the light of truth is vpheld in the Church in that the truth only is there maintained and suffered to be taught In that they are said to be golden it is alluded to the Candle-sticke in the Tabernacle and withall it is set forth how pretious the Church is in Gods account Whereas it is said The seuen Candle-stickes are seuen Churches that is signifie them Note that it is the common phrase of the Holy Ghost to call a thing signified by the name of the signe which if it be so in all other passages why not when he saith This is my body Quest Vers 13. How is Christ said here to bee like the sonne of man and in the midst of the Churches Is hee now in his humanitie wherein we beleeue that he is in Heauen at the right hand of God vpon earth also amongst the faithfull If not how is this a true representation Answ Some haue thought that this is not Christ Gorran but some man or an Angell but it is most plaine because hee is said to haue beene dead and aliue againe that it was Christ Iesus Neither doth it hinder that he is said to be like the sonne of man for so it is spoken of Christ Phil. 2.7 that he was in shape like vnto a man that is like one of vs not in externall appearance but in substance of bodie Heb. 2.15 for he tooke flesh and bloud This phrase seemeth to be borrowed from Daniel 7.13 Touching his presence in the midst of the Churches Fox Some vnderstand it of his spirituall presence whereby he doth viuifie gouerne and preserue his Some foolishly conclude from hence the vbiquitie of his humane nature Brightman but one saith well that what was here exhibited to be seen was not the substance of Christs bodie but a figure taken vp for the time to represent his person in the parts and garments described befitting the condition of the Church then and therefore as occasion serueth another figure and another is afterwards exhibited of which minde it seemeth Ireneus was Iren. l. 4. c. 37. who saith The word of God hath alwayes as it were the lineaments of future things and did shew vnto men as it were the shape of the dispositions of God the Father teaching vs hereby the things that are of God Christ therefore both God and man is here represented in the midst of the Churches who though hee be not to be seene with bodily eyes yet is alwayes present in the midst of his to behold their carriage and doings that they may walke circumspectly and to enlighten sanctifie and protect them that they may be of good comfort against all their enemies And it was necessarie that he should be in the shape of a man represented because no type of God can be giuen Quest What is set forth by the garments and parts of this figure here appearing Vers 13 14 15 16. his long garment and girdle his head haires eyes c Answ I will not mention all the significations that I finde amongst Writers hereupon but only the chiefe and most likely Long garments were wont to be worne by Kings and Priests called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they came downe to the feet wherefore his Kingly and Priestly office are hereby signified according to most Brightman but some vnderstand also the long robes of his righteousnesse concerning the faithfull but that agreeth not here where not the faithfull but Christ is described Others vnderstand his humane nature Gorran being taken and put as it were vpon the Diuinitie but what needeth this when as his humane nature is intimated before Like to the Sonne of man His golden girdle also is after the manner of the high Priest for when as the other Priests were girt with girdles Exod. 23.39 curiously wrought with the needle in diuers colours Ioseph Antiq. l 3. c. 8. the high Priest only had gold in his girdle wherefore this tendeth further to set him forth as the high Priest of his Church Pareus Some vnderstand his diligence and strength and because it was about his paps his loue Some apply this also to the Church Brightman assumed as a Consort in this high office some to chastitie c. but certainly here is nothing meant but his dignitie A phrase much like to this is vsed of the Lord Esa 11. Righteousnesse shall bee the girdle of his loines and faith the cinctarie of his reines Pareus His white head and haire signifie his reuerend antiquitie Chrisium vidit conitie venerandum prudentia suspiciendum puritate innecuum aetate aeternum wisdome and eternitie So God the Father is described Dan. 7.9 * Brightman Gorran Some vnderstand by the head the chiefe in Christian Congregations by the haires the rest all are made white in the bloud of Christ as snow for the simplicitie and as wooll because that is not so white of it selfe but being washed Others by the head vnderstand Christ the head of the Church by the haires the Saints white as wooll for the heat of loue and as snow for the coldnesse of feare c. but seeing the person of Christ is here set forth all these things are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the purpose Pareus His flaming eyes set forth how terrible hee is to his enemies for so much as the eyes seeme to sparkle in furious anger Dan. 10.6 His face was as lightning and his eyes as lamps of fire Gorran Some vnderstand it of the inlightning and inflaming of vs. Brightman Some of the cleere eye-sight of the Primitiue Church His feet like shining brasse as if they burned in a furnace set forth his great glorie shining from top to toe for when the Prophet would expresse the glorie of the Ministers of the Gospell he speaketh of their feet How beautifull are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of peace c. The like is Dan. 10.6 This brasse was a kinde of brasse in colour comming next vnto gold and in price accordingly Some will haue it to be a kinde of hard frankincense like brasse Others brasse to bee digged in mount Libanus Pareus Mason Some vnderstand Christs power to stampe his enemies vnder his feet but why then are his feet set
all earnestnesse in that hee is said first to haue ouercome which argueth thus much CHAP. IIII. IN this and the fifth Chapter the Lord being about to reueale things to come vnto Iohn to the end of the world taketh him vp into Heauen in the Spirit because from hence only can the knowledge of these things bee attained vpon earth it is knowne what is past and present but not what is to come no not by Astrologians or Sooth sayers or idols wherein Deuils spake For let them tell what shall come and say they are gods as speaketh the Prophet Esay Here is first declared in what great state and maiesty the God of heauen reigneth and the Lambe of God the Lord Iesus Christ Quest 1. Who was it that sate vpon the throne Vers 3. and why is he like vnto a Iasper and Sardin stone and what meaneth the rainebow about the throne like to an Emrald Answ It is agreed by all that hee which sate vpon the throne was God the King of all but for the likenesse here mentioned there is great difference Some considering the colour of the Iasper to be greene of the Sardin to be red Ioachim Forbs Brightman and of the Emrald to be a pleasant bright green will haue the holy Trinity here set forth the Father in whom all haue their being and growth by the Iasper the Sonne who was all red by that bloudy death which he suffered for our sinnes by the Sardin the Spirit who is the comforter by the Emrald This doth not so well agree because so the Spirit should not be one with the Father and the Sonne as the rainebow round about the throne and he that sitteth in the throne are notall one Others will haue the two natures of Christ set forth here the diuine by the Iasper and the humane by the Sardin Ambros Amâ—ber Pareus and the grace and mercy of God towards man in him by the rainebow which was first appointed for a signe hereof but against this maketh that which followeth of the Lambe Cha. 5. for if he were in the same vision sitting vpon a throne in this similitude he could not bee at the same time in the similitude of a Lambe also Others will haue the Father and Sonne set forth by these two precious stones Bullinger and the holy Ghost by the thunder and lightnings proceeding out of the throne but for so much as these are things of terrour and the Spirit the comforter wee cannot vnderstand it thus Others will haue the deluge of water set forth by the Iasper and the fire of the last iudgement by the Sardin Tyconius Beda Primasius Rupertus and the interim of peace and grace between these times by the Rainebow but how the greene Iasper should set forth water I cannot see nor why the Lord should carry a similitude whereby these things may be expressed seeing in heauen he appeareth as he is in himselfe most and not so much as he is in his works and iudgements Lastly not to reckon vp all the expositions but these which may seeme most probable Pareus followeth this though he defendeth that of the Son of God also some vnderstand by these precious stones the excellency of God both in respect of his glory and that singular vertue that is in him which nothing can more fitly expresse than precious stones for colour and appearance admirable no lesse admirable in vertue and operation Viegas And more particularly they may well set forth his mercy by which all things liue and are in their vigour greene and flourishing and his iustice through which hee becommeth fiery red in his anger against sinne Confer Ezech. 1.27.28 The life of all vegetable things is declared by greene and life of sensitiue things by red arising froÌ„ bloud it may be that God is here shewed to be the Author of all life Vers 4. Tyconius Beda Primasius Bullinger The rainebow like an Emrald is the reflexion of these colours further declaring the brightnesse of his glory and is a setled signe of peace to all the inhabitants of heauen who shall neuer bee cast out any more as the ambitious Angels sometime were so that it is good being there and great reason there is why our hearts should bee alwayes thitherward that we might behold this glory and be out of that mutable condition wherein we now stand Quest 2. And round about the throne there were foure twenty thrones and foure and twenty Elders c. Who were these Elders sitting vpon thrones round about Answ Some vnderstand the twelue Patriarkes and Apostles as Fox and Pareus relate some the whole Church represented by them seeing the Church vnder the old Testament sprang from the Patriarkes and the Church vnder the new from the Apostles and the Church now is twice as great as of old when it was in twelue Tribes and therefore this number is well doubled Fox some vnderstand nothing but a shew of the dependancy and subiection of all principalities vpon and vnto God because they cast downe their crownes which they haue of gold some the foure twenty books of canonicall Scriptures in the old Testament Grasserus Lastly some vnderstand the most excellent of those which haue beene set vp in the Church of God Richard de Sancto Victore Rupertus Pannonins Ioacbimus both vnder the old and new Testament who sit now as Senatours about the great Emperour in heauen not that there are no more but iust thus many but because a counsell amongst the Iewes did anciently consist of foure and twenty this certaine number is put for an vncertain as the Priests appointed also to serue in the Temple by course in the dayes of Dauid were foure and twenty And this is most probable because to the twelue Apostles are promised twelue thrones and so likewise without doubt all Apostolicall persons shall be likewise most highly aduanced in the kingdome of glory being placed as Counsellers of State neerest about the King As for the other Expositions first it were a great wrong to others more worthy than many of them to hold that they are not as neere vnto God as the twelue Patriarks Secondly it were improper here to vnderstand the whole company of the Church triumphant who are spoken of more particularly Chap. 5. v. 13. Thirdly it doth not agree by Senatours appearing in heauen to set forth all Princes whereof many shall neuer come there And for that of the foure and twenty bookes I cannot conceiue any ground for it at all Quest 3. And out of the throne went thunders Vers 5. and lightnings and voices And seuen lamps of fire burning c. What is meant by these lightnings thunders and voices and what are these lampes Answ I haue already shewed that though these proceeded out of the throne yet the holy Ghost cannot be meant hereby Some obseruing three and three things mentioned here together Forbs Brightman lightnings
times being brought in speaking to tell of a Lion and of the root of Dauid according to the Prophesies that then went of him but when he appeareth to Iohn it is most fit that hee should appeare as a Lambe bearing a signe of being killed because he was so lately crucified and by the name of a Lambe he was spoken of by the Prophet of the new Testament Iohn the Baptist There are many reasons rendred why he was spoken of as a Lion and as a Lambe He was called a Lion first Ioh. 1.29 for his strength in ouercomming all his enemies secondly for his principality whereby he is King of all as the Lion is of the beasts thirdly for his courage whereby hee feareth nothing but maketh all afraid of him fourthly for his vnderstanding euen in his child-hood as the Lion alone of all beasts that haue clawes seeth as soone as he is whelped And whereas it may seeme strange that a Lion is spoken of for the opening of a Booke for which such a creature is vnfit one resolueth it well that sinne and the Deuill hindring from the sight of the mysteries of God Brightman a Lion of power to breake the force of these is fitly mentioned because this hindrance being taken away the seales that kept them fast in closed are as it were loosed The root of Dauid he is called according to Esay 53.2 whereas he is said to be a branch out of the root Esay 11.1 because although he be but a branch according to the flesh for so much as he came of Dauid yet hee is a root according to his Diuinity Rupertus Pannonius whereupon Dauid and all the godly are borne by faith partaking of his grace as of sap comming from him and consequently of saluation by him He is called a Lambe because he was offered vp in sacrifice for our sinnes at what time as a Lambe is dumbe and complaineth not so he opened not his mouth Orig. Hom. 24. in Num. He is in the midst of the Throne because taken vp to the same glory with God in his humane nature he standeth to set forth his resurrection Hee hath seuen hornes to shew his kingly power for hornes set forth strength and Kings seuen being a number of perfection that he hath the power of all Kingdomes Seuen eyes set forth the fulnesse of spirituall light comming from him as all Expositors agree If it shall seeme strange that Christ should appeare as a Lambe with seuen hornes to declare his kingly power seeing the Lambe is a weake creature and hath little strength in the hornes I answer that it was necessary he being set forth as a Sacrifice for our sinnes whereby they were taken away being otherwise an obstacle to the perception of diuine mysteries hornes in great number should be ascribed vnto him to declare his might yet remaining when hee had suffered lest his enemies should contemne him as a weakling And although two hornes which Lambs vsually haue were vnfit to set forth this yet seuen hornes doe fitly set forth an extraordinary Lambe mighty beyond the nature of that beast And the seuen eyes answer to the seuen Seales so that he hath eyes enow to see what is vnder euery seale Note that sinne hindreth from vnderstanding the mysteries of God they must be first expiated or else the Booke of God will still remaine sealed it is in vaine to diue into the knowledge of these things for an vnregenerate person that hath no part yet in the sacrifice of this Lambe whereby only his sinnes may be done away Quest 2. The Elders are said to haue Harpes and golden Vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints What Saints prayers are meant here the Saints in Heauen haue no need to offer prayers for themselues bee not these then our prayers and if they be is not here a ground to entreat them to further vs in our prayers seeing they must needs know what we pray otherwise they cannot offer the odours of our prayers And why doe they addresse themselues thus to celebrate the praises of the Lambe vpon the taking of this book to open it Ans The popish sort will haue their presenting of our prayers before God here vnderstood or at the least the prayings of the Saints in Heauen for vs which if it be so then they are Mediators of intercession and to be sought vnto by vs. Our Writers on the other side will haue nothing else but the praises of the Lambe which follow in this Chapter vnderstood because a thanksgiuing is a kinde of prayer It is most cleare that the prayers of Gods people vpon earth are not meant because they are odours in the golden Vials of these glorified Elders something proceeding from them and the â—est of the Saints in Heauen euen as the incense offered by the Priests vnder the Law was a sweet fume kindled by them that offered it But whether they were properly prayers petitioning for something or praises it is a question Forbs Brightman Some will haue this a representation of the Church vpon earth singing and offering vp the sweet odours of prayer but this cannot stand because things in earth are brought in praising the Lambe afterwards Neither can I see how the following praises should bee meant by the prayers of the Saints for that was the song which they sung to their Harpes from which the odours in their Vials are a distinct thing It must needs then be yeelded that Prayers are here properly to be vnderstood and the prayers of these foure and twenty together with all the rest of the Saints in Heauen for the Church vpon earth And so it cannot be denied but that they intercede for vs only their intercession is for vs all in generall not knowing the particular case of any seeing as the Prophet saith Abraham knoweth vs not Esa 63.16 Israel is ignorant of vs. And therefore to apply our selues to them in our praying that we may be holpen by their mediation as we are directed to doe vnto Christ is absurd and superstitious yea for so much as this honour belongeth to Christ only it is from him derogatory and so in a high degree impious It is comfort enough to vs in respect of the Saints in Heauen that they beare still an intire loue towards vs and by soliciting the Lord for vs seeke to further our happinesse and that their prayers in this kinde are gratefull as odours and so are all our owne godly prayers Also comming out of golden Vials that is hearts purified and made precious by Faith For their disposing of themselues to these praises after the taking of this sealed Booke to open the reason is plaine it is no small part of blessednesse to vnderstand the mysteries of God herein contained this blessednesse wee cannot attaine vnto but by the Lambe that hath died for vs wherefore when the Booke of these mysteries commeth to the opening there is great reason
it as a comfort in suffering seeing when a man hath suffered death for Christ he is receiued vnder his wing being conformable to him in being sacrificed they rest and are safe with him for euer Some expound the Altar of Christs humanity Bernard serm 4. Omnium sanct which the faithfull are receiued vnto now it being reserued till the last day to giue them the full fruition of his diuinity also Some by the Altar vnderstand the places of the martyrs buriall or sufferings Ribera Viegas because Altars were wont to be built vpon them and the crying of their soules they will haue to be none other but as the crying of Ables bloud where it was spilt and soules are spoken of by a phrase vsuall so many men being called so many soules But this is a meere Iesuiticall imagination seeing Altars vpon martyrs sepulchres were of a later edition and though so many men be often called so many soules yet when the soules of any that are slaine are named it cannot bee so taken Whereas most stand for Christ meant by the Altar I should willingly incline to thinke so to but that Christ yet standeth as a Lambe and therefore I cannot see how he can at the same time bee represented by an Altar also I conclude therefore as I began that by the appearance of an Altar is represented their sacrificing when they suffered the place wherein they now are being heauen the common receptacle of all faithfull soules but said to bee vnder the Altar to denote the manner of their death neither doth Iohn see them with his bodily eyes but being in the spirit And fidy doe the soules of the martyred appeare after such a number slaine by cruell enemies crying for vengeance not vocally for soules doe not vtter voyces but vertually the destroying and murthering of them hauing a loud cry in the eares of God so that a desire of reuenge in them is amisse surmised to bee from hence who being in the flesh had so much loue as that they prayed for their persecutors and were farre from the spirit of reuenge But they are brought in crying aloud for the terrour of persecutors seeing the cryes of such shall without doubt bee regarded though in respect of many more yet in these times of corruption to bee crowned also with martyrdome a delay to bemade Whereupon it is that their answer is also set forth in this manner And thus I haue briefly resolued the rest of the doubts without delaying the reader by the diuersity of expositions Pareus Brightman Chrysost Hom. in Psal 9. August Serm. 30. detemp some interpreting their cry for reuenge to be onely for deliuerance of the Church from persecutors hauing beene already so long oppressed and some for the taking away of this malice out of mens mindes that there may bee no more persecuting by confounding such Kings and Potentates that they may bee brought to turne vnto Christ The white robes giuen vnto them Bullinger Brightman howsoeuer some contend that they were signes of some comfort and breathing time which the Church should haue and had about this time according to their exposition yet both the plaine speech which is vsed in answering them is against it for they are told of their brethren that must be slaine also and white robes are neuer spoken of in this sense Pareus but to set forth heauenly glory which is not to be thought now first to haue been giuen vnto them but immediatly vpon their departure out of this life when their deaths began first to cry though it was not represented in vision till now so that euen when they cry they are in the midst of heauenly ioyes and without all passion of sorrow onely they are not perfectly glorified till the whole company being made vp at the day of iudgement being reunited to their bodies they shall reigne in heauen for euer wherefore they are bidden rest till their fellow seruants were slaine also And well doth this cry come in after the fourth seale representing the corruptions in the Church fighting against the truth because this persecution hath beene longer than any before it and therefore needfull it was to tell of martyrs which had beene already made crying out and of such as should yet bee made when it might seeme to bee full time to put an end to these miseries that expecting so long a continuance wee might arme our selues with patience Quest 3. The sixt seale being opened Vers 12. there was a great earthquake and the Sunne became blacke as haire cloth and the Moone as bloud c. What is meant by these things and whether the day of iudgement or no Answ Most Expositors hold that the day of iudgment is here described Fox Richard de Sancto victore Pannonius Primasius Beda Rupertus Arethas c. when the reuenge before cryed for is taken vpon all sorts of persecutors of the Church and the words here vsed are nothing else but a periphrasis vpon this day for thus the Lord setteth forth the day of iudgement Luk. 21.11 There shall be great earth-quakes in diuers places Vers 25. There shall be fignes in the Sunne Moone and Starres and vpon the earth distresse of nations with perplexity Vers 26. Mens hearts failing them for feare c. and more expresly Mark 13.24 The Sun shall be darkened the Moone shall not giue her light 25. The starres of heauen shall fall and the powers of heauen shall be shaken The Sun shall be darkened because it shall no more giue light to this world the Moone shall be turned into bloud to shew the great destruction that then shall be the stars shall fall there being no further vse of them when men shall cease to bee here euen as the leaues of the figtree fall off when there is no further need of them to couer the figs. The heauens are as a booke folded vp when they lofe all their light being as it were clapt together whereas now it standeth open That which followeth of the mountaines and ilands remouing out of their places is to shew the greatnes of this earth-quake euen to the destroying of the earth Then all wicked men how great soeuer they haue beene in this world shall quake and feare being vnable to beare the wrath to come vpon them set foorth in their calling to the mountaines to fall vpon them c. Blas Viegas Who also saith that many Doctors expound this thus Brightman Grasser Others will haue these things vnderstood allegorically the great earth-quake of the great persecution vnder Dioclesian being in all parts of the earth at once then say they the Sun of righteousnesse Christ was darkened in his members the Moone the Church appeared like bloud being all bloudy with slaughters the starres the ministers of God many of them fell for feare from Christianity to idolatry the heâ—uen the Church was folded vp as a booke hiding it selfe for feare at that time and the inhabitants of
mountainous places and Ilands were sought out to be destroyed which is expressed in saying the mountaines and Ilands were remoued out of their place then all professours of the Christian religion sought to hide themselues from the anger of him that sitteth vpon the throne thinking God and the Lambe to bee angry with them set forth in the last words Bullinger Pareus Others will haue the corruption in the time of Antichrist meant which time say they began when Constantine aduanced Syluester the Bishop of Rome and his successours and continueth in the Papacy to this day then began a great earthquake by the change of the state of the Church into Pontificall then the Sunne the doctrine touching Christ was darkened through the interposition of traditions the Moone the Church was turned into bloud either by murthers committed by Antichrist or by the corrupt worshipping of God the starres the ministers of God fell from heauen by apostatising from the truth the heauen the Church was folded together as a booke when it appeared not any where or the holy Scriptures were shut vp from the people the mountaines Emperours and Kings were remoued by Popes the Ilands the people were remoued out of their place by being made beleeue vpon paine of damnation that the Pope is the head of the Church And being brought to this estate of corruption as there can be no sound peace but terrors of conscience out of the truth so all estates are set forth as terrified by a conscience of Gods iudgement and some indeed fulfilled this according to the letter going into wildernesses and Monasteries seeking by applying themselues to perpetuall deuotion to quiet their consciences accusing them for former offences but could not effect it But herein Pareus differeth from Bullinger for hee applieth this of the generall feare of all estates and degrees to the last day of iudgement which shall follow after that the world hath beene so corrupted in the time of Antichrists reigne Lastly some vnderstand by this earth-quake Forbs c. the great alteration that came vpon the Romane Empire by meanes of the Gothes and other barbarous nations which was so great as that the whole world seemed to be changed But I subscribe to the first exposition because most agreeable to the letter and where the literall sense may stand there is no vse of allegories And indeed without straining no time but the day of iudgement can be rightly called the great day of Gods wrath wherein all the wicked of all estates and degrees are filled with terrour at Gods presence If it bee taken as an allegory there are so great differences that there will bee no certainty of truth Besides that it doth no way answer the precedent cry for vengeance so fitly as being literally vnderstood of the last day for whatsoeuer commotions there be in states and kingdomes yet euery one is not at such times so seuerely animaduerted against but many escape whereas here euery one is said to tremble and feare Whereas Pareus includeth both the persecution vnder Antichrist and the day of iudgement also I cannot see how that can stand for the fleeing away of all estates and degrees for feare is an effect of those stupendious accidents in heauen and in earth as in reason it is likely when such things shall come to passe no lesse can be expected but horrible feare Let vs then study to pacifie Gods anger before this day commeth by true repentance and humiliation that wee may not finde it a day of wrath but of euerlasting mercy to vs. CHAP. VII THE dreadfull manner of Gods comming to iudge and to take reuenge vpon the enemies and corrupters of his truth hauing beene set forth in the sixt Chapter lest there should arise anxiety in the minds of the faithfull about the Lords care touching them in the midst of all the miseries before described for that it hath not yet appeared how they are prouided for when all things shall be so full of dread feare he doth apart here set forth Gods care ouer them during all those troubles and affrighting apparitions they were marked in the forehead that no hurt might hereby seize vpon them but these tribulations might be to them a way to future glory and the inuestment with white robes washed in the Bloud of the Lambe at what time all teares shall be wiped from their eyes for euer For the meaning of the particular passages here Quest 1. Vers 1. After this I saw foure Angels standing vpon the foure corners of the earth holding the foure winds that they might not blow vpon the earth c. What is meant by these things Rupertus Caelius Pannon Answ Most Expositors vnderstand by these winds the Spirit of God in the Preachers of his Word diffusing it selfe in all parts of the world but the euill angels the Deuils which rule in the Antichristian Sect seeke to hinder these winds by suppressing the pure preaching of Gods holy Word in all places Dionys Bullinger Pareus Brightman to the corrupting and decay of all true Religion They keepe the winds from blowing vpon the earth that is the vulgar sort the sea that is Doctrine the trees that is men of more eminency or by the earth they vnderstand men dwelling in any part of the earth by the sea the inhabitants of Ilands by trees such as lurked in woods or they take the earth for earthly ones the sea for the worship of God and trees for people good and bad which professe to worship God Againe there is difference also about these foure Angels for some vnderstand the foure Monarchies Primas Haimo Ambrose Amsbert Lyra. in the time whereof the truth was hindred Some foure persecuting Emperours who after that Dioclesian and Maximianus had forsaken the Empire did together persecute the Christian Religion in the foure parts of the world viz. Maximianus in the East Seuerus in Italy the west Licinius in Alexandria in Egypt the South Maxentius at Rome and whereas all others vnderstand Christ by the Angell with the seale he vnderstandeth Constantine the great who suppressed these tyrants And some againe by the Angell in the East vnderstand the Mahumetans in the West the Pope in the North the Germane Empire in the south Spaine For mine owne part when I consider the premises of great and horrible miseries to come vpon the world I cannot but thinke as I intimated before in generall that comfort against these euils is here intended to the godly and therefore I subscribe rather to those that vnderstand these things literally of foure Angels appointed by God as his Ministers herein for it is said To them it is giuen to hurt c. to destroy all things Arethas Ribera Fox and this is fitly set forth by holding the foure winds because in wind and breath consisteth the life of euery thing in this world things of the earth as men and beasts of the sea as fishes and fowles and the trees
and plants of the earth therefore these things are mentioned in particular Neither can I see why by the strong Angell out of the East should bee meant Christ who stood yet as a Lambe in the midst of the Throne and this is not the first time that a strong Angell is spoken of for Chap. 5. a strong Angell proclaimeth Who can open the Booke c. Wherefore as I take it he is an Angell indeed who is said to be strong for so is euery Angell and hee commeth vp out of the East that being the rising place of all heauenly bodies the Sunne Moone and Staries and the lightning is said by our Sauiour to come out of the East and the old manner of worshipping and so their expectation of comfort was from the East as for his commanding these Angels it was not through his owne power ouer them but hauing commission from the highest so do doe and as he had a commission to come with the seale so they were fellow Ministers of God with him which is intimated in that he biddeth them not to hurt any thing till we haue sealed the seruants of God in their foreheads speaking in the plurall number as ioyning them with himselfe I conceiue then that by these foure Angels holding the foure winds are set forth those Ministers of Gods iudgements who for the sinnes of the world should destroy all things euill angels I cannot thinke them to be no more than the Angels destroying Sodome especially because as I haue already said they are associated vnto the Angell with the seale of God Now being appointed to this seruice they beginne to doe accordingly but euen when they put their hands to it they are stayed for a time as those warriors Ezech. 9. Till the seruants of God were sealed in their foreheads in token of Gods singular care ouer them in the midst of those common calamities so as that their saluation should not be hereby hindred though outwardly they did participate with others in worldly miseries yet there was a difference in that they haue the comfort of Gods Seale vnto saluation which others want being left void of all true comfort to the rage of these grieuous troubles And thus one obiection against this exposition is answered that if outward destructions be meant here then the seruants of God are in vaine sealed because they had their share in these as deeply as any other no it is not in vaine but for their comfort and assurance of safety in respect of their best good As for the time when this destruction of things should be made it is not onely at the last when there shall be an end put to all things here but also in all the tract of time from hence till then for by reason of persecutions and sinnes there haue beene many times mortalities and destructions brought vpon the world so that it is not necessary that all must presently be destroied so soone as the seruants of God were sealed because they are bidden to forbeare till they were sealed for hereby rather is set forth that though the Lord being much prouoked is fully bent to execute his iudgements yet the prime and chiefe thing in his care is to preserue his Elect and then secondarily he will see to the taking of due reuenge vpon the wicked world and thus another obiection against this exposition is also answered that it cannot stand because the seruants of God doe reigne with Christ after their sealing a thousand yeeres before the day of iudgement commeth which how should it be if the destroying of all be stayed but till the sealing be past for neither is this destruction to be restrained to the last nor yet doth it necessarily follow because the seruants of God are first sealed and no execution must bee done till then that this execution must needs be done immediatly after but onely it is first prouided for their safety against this time whensoeuer it commeth And whereas it is further obiected that it is not likely that this booke being so mysticall should set forth things so plainely as that by winds should be meant winds c. against Viegas whose obiection this is I oppose the reason of Ribera that yet we must not goe from the letter but in case of necessity when the place cannot beare the literall sense as here we haue shewed that it well may And yet this is not without mystery neither generall calamities in the world being set forth by the holding of the foure winds from blowing Quest 2. And I heard the number of them which were sealed 144000. of the children of Israel Vers 4. c. Is this to be vnderstood of the Isaelites properly and why are not the tribes set left out the number of twelue being yet made vp in Leui and Ioseph and what is this sealing Answ Some vnderstand this of the Israelites properly Ribera Viegras Lyra. Bullinger holding that a great number of euery tribe shall be conuerted to the faith of Christ euen in the dayes of Antichrist but a certaine number of twelue thousand of euery tribe is put for an vncertaine or else they will haue this conuersion in the dayes of Constantine or at some other time vnknowne vnto vs. And they say no order is obserued the elder being preferred before the younger because before God and in respect of their spirituall estate there is no such preeminence in outward regards and Dan they say is left out because Antichrist should come of that tribe and Ephraim because Ieroboam who was of that tribe was the Authour of idolarry and Leui not wont to be numbred when temporall things are spoken of yet now is reckoned for one of the twelue because when the spirituall estate commeth to be spoken of he is alwayes one and the tribe of Ioseph Ephraim and Manasseh is not set forth as two but one viz. the tribe of Ioseph as Deut. 27.12 13. in blessing and cursing and Exod. 28.10 in the brest plate of Aaron the names of the twelue tribes are appointed to be set according to their birth Others vnderstand the children of Israel spiritually and so all the faithfull are called Israel in sundry places Forbs Pareus Brightman Grasserus Fox c. and whereas it may seeme to make against this exposition that the rest of the seruants of God in other countreys and nations are expresly distinguished from these vers 9. It is answered that they are not said to be sealed as these are but onely they stood before the throne so that in them wee are to vnderstand the multitude of Saints glorified in heauen by these sealed ones the Church militant vpon earth To this exposition vnderstanding Israel spiritually doe I subscribe for it cannot bee taken otherwise because these onely follow the Lambe from which God forbid that the faithfull of the Gentiles should be excluded and if it should be vnderstood properly it were against the tenure of all Euangelicall history wherein the
ancients before named and Origen Hom. 6. in Numeros and August Serm. 98. de tem others vnderstand his precious passions as Bullinger c. The odours which were giuen vnto him they expound of the sights and groanes of Gods seruants or of his graciousnesse which is as sweet odours added to our prayers to make them the more acceptable One hath a strange conceit Brightman that Constantine is meant by this Angell who was the Author of gathering together that famous Councell of Nice wherein that confession of saith so acceptable to God was concluded vpon but it became an occasion of much contention by reason of Arrius and his sect Lyra. Another more strangely vnderstandeth Pope Damasus ann 384. who instituted Psalmodies and glory to the Father c. which were added to the common prayers Rupertus Ribera Some vnderstand it properly of an Angell such as he that was present to Iaacob in his iournying or Gabriel that appeared to Mary For mine owne part I see so much against the most common vnderstanding of this of Christ as that I cannot thinke him to bee meant here For first he appeareth still as a Lambe secondly this is said to be but another Angell thirdly Odours are giuen vnto him as Trumpets to the rest intimating an equality betwixt them fourthly that the Priest the Altar and the Censer should be all one it seemeth very improbable fiftly the prayers of the Saints are spoken of by the same phrase that Chap. 5. where the foure and twenty Elders are said to haue golaon Vials full of Odours which are the prayers of the Saints Where by the prayers of the Saints their praising of God in Heauen and praying for our good in generall being vnderstood and not the prayers of the godly vpon earth why should it not be vnderstood here likewise I thinke then that nothing else is here meant but as before any vision of future things a preparation was made thereunto by a representation of Gods Maiesty and of the Lambe delighted in the deuotions of his seruants as in a sweet persume but terrible to the wicked and therefore issued thunders lightnings and voices from before him so now the second particular vision being prepared vnto it is set forth in the figure of this Angell standing at the Altar and offering Odours with the prayers of the Saints which come vp before God how acceptable the seruice is which by the godly is done vnto God and in the fire taken and cast vpon the earth producing voices thunders c. how terrible he will be to the wicked of this world For the Altar and Censer it is beyond the intent of this place particularly to descant vpon them the seruice which is done vnto God being doubtlesse thus set forth in allusion to the old manner of worshipping In the former representation Prayers are called Odours here Odours are added vnto them Odours to Odours to shew yet further their extraordinary sweetnesse their voices and thunders c. issue forth here is shewed by what meanes viz. coales taken from the Altar signifying that howsoeuer the holy fire with sweet Odours maketh a pleasant smell yet without Odours it yeeldeth a thundring and terrifying noise the wicked that pray not can expect nothing but terrour and affrighting from the Lord who is most comfortable to the godly frequenting him with their prayers As for that exposition of some Beda Haimo Bullinger Pareus c. vnderstanding the sending downe of the holy Ghost in the likenesse of fiery tongues whereupon some were terrified as by thundring some instructed as by voices some conuerted as the earth is moued in an earthquake I cannot see how it agreeth to the terrible things following Fox some way whereunto is made in this passage I assent therefore to those rather who expound it of terrour as I haue already said neither is it strange that the prayers of the Saints comming vp before God the fire of his anger should be stirred vp against the wicked world occasioning so many sighs and grones to come from them Quest 3. And the first Angell sounded Vers 7 c. and there was haile and fire mingle with bloud c. Because there is a noted distance betwixt the foure first Trumpets and the other three and these foure doe immediatly follow one after another it will be fittest to handle these together What therefore is figured out by the things appearing at the sounding of these foure Answ Some will haue these seuen Angels to represent the Ministers of the Gospell at seuerall times and ages of the world for as they sounded forth the Word of truth aduersaries soone sprung vp who sought by their fierce oppositions to suppresse it Haime Caelius Pannonius Richard de Sancto Victore Zeger c. The first were the Apostles at whose preaching there was great tumult in the world to the shedding of the bloud of many set forth by haile and fire and bloud mingled with them the trees grasse burnt vp were such as for feare fell frō the Religion which they had imbraced or else by the haile c. they vnderstand a mixed company of good and bad Christians gathered together from the rest of the world of which the bad which are the third part are burnt vp that is perish by Gods iust iudgement and are called trees because of their instabilitie in times of winds and grasse for their frailtie The second ranke of Preachers set forth by the second Angell where the successours of the Apostles in the next age against whom the Deuill as a great burning mountaine falleth and the third part of the sea is turned into bloud by the destruction of the faithfull the fishes die by the reuolting of the wauering and many teachers who as ships had carried on others through the greatnesse of the persecution fall away The third ranke set forth by the third Angell are the Preachers of the next age to trouble whom Heretikes rise vp these are the Star falling from Heauen giuing light in times past but now making bitter by their hereticall doctrine the fountaines of holy Scriptures and the riuers of the Fathers by corrupting them to maintaine their heresies thereby The fourth ranke set forth by the fourth Angell are the Preachers of these last times who are troubled by Hypocrites and false Prophets that vnder a pretext of holinesse broach new opinions whereby it commeth to passe that a good part of the true knowledge of Christ is obscured which is the darkning of the Sunne to the third part and the true Church which is the Moone much distminished and the Doctors which are the Starres giue not so cleare light through this meanes as before Lyra. Bullinger Aretius Some vnderstand Heretikes and heresies of seuerall ages to encounter with whom the faithfull are stirred vp by these Trumpets sounded For first Arrius infected the third part of the world with his heresie Secondly Macedonius infected the Sea with
apparitions agree to these iudgements being almost euery one alike the Sword Famine and Pestilence where as in the figures first there is haile and fire and bloud vpon earth then a burning mountaine in the sea c. euery one differing greatly from another I answer that the Lord did not respect so much the diuersity of euils to come as the number of them and the greatnesse able to make all men to turne their eyes to behold and bee amazed at them And more particularly these are made choise of to set them forth after the manner of the Prophets who are wont to allude vnto some remarkable History of things past in foretelling of things to come though they be not of the very same kinde for vpon the Egyptians these things were done almost according to the letter there was haile and fire mingled together their Riuers were so smitten as that they could not drinke of them without dying there was darknesse of three dayes and three nights and finally the red Sea like bloud falling vpon them as a huge mountaine became their destruction being like fishes tumbled vp and downe in the deepe To shew then that these professed enemies and persecutors of Christianity should be destroyed by Gods Iudgements as Pharaoh and the Egyptians were these figures are taken vp and because they had many waies to torment Christians the Lord sheweth that they also should be plagued many waies and be destroyed with strange iudgements before vnheard of For it is Gods manner to punish sinners in their kinde the Sodomites who burnt with strange lusts with a burning fire from Heauen the builders of Babel who sought them a name with confusion and the enemies of the Christian Religion who sought out strange tortures with a burning mountaine and worme-wooddy Starre c. iudgements strange and terble And the third part of the Sea and the third part of trees c. are said to bee affected with these iudgements as I thinke because it was but a third part of the whole world where these tragedies were acted if the parts vnknowne till of late and yet vnknowne be considered Quest 4. And I saw and heard an Angell flying thorow the midst of Heauen saying with a loud voice Woe Vers 13. c. What Angell was this and why is this cry interposed here Answ The vulgar Latine and Arias Montanus for Angell reade Eagle I saw an Eagle flying but in all other Copies it is an Angell Lyra. Petr. Damas Viegas Ribera Hereupon some stand to finde out why an Eagle should be vsed to cry thus and resolue that it was one of the foure animals like an Eagle and some Iohn himselfe who was hereby figured out and some the Preachers of the last times or some singular Preacher who should foretell the iudgements of those daies Beda Arethas and Ticonius follow the vulgar but there is the like passage againe afterwards Reuel 14.6 where it is spoken of an Angell putting it out of doubt that it is an Angell here also Forbs Brightman Pareus Some will haue this Angell to be Gregory the great who gaue warning of the Antâ—christ not aboue three yeeres before lib. 4. Epist 34. The king of pride is at hand and which is horrible to speake an army of Priests is prepared Epist 38. He iterateth the same and addeth He is Antichrist that shall challenge to himselfe to be vniuersall Bishop Not much aboue three yeeres after Boniface the third tooke vpon him this title and his successors likewise to this day plainly declaring the Pope to be Antichrist euen by their owne rule which is That the Pope cannot erre And therefore Pope Gregory erred not in thus saying but it was truth which he so seriously and often affirmed Hee that will be vniuersall Bishop is Antichrist This howsoeuer it be true yet it hath no place here for the woes proclaimed are not against the Church but the inhabitants of the earth by which name wicked shedders of the innocent bloud of Christians are complained against vnder the fift Seale It is more genuine therefore by this Angell to vnderstand an Angell properly as in speaking of other Angels who flyeth thorow the midst of the Heauen that the sound of his denunciation might bee heard euery where hee giueth warning of greater plagues yet to come Hitherto terrible iudgements against professed enemies of Christianity riding vpon the red horse had beene represented now the case of heretikes and of corrupters of Religion in the Papacy commeth to bee described in the fift and sixt Trumpets and the finall destruction of all the wicked in the seuenth and because these indgements should yet be more grieuous than the former it is cried Woe woe woe as there were three times of execution yet to come that if it were possible mens hard hearts might be pierced and many being brought to repentance might escape these euills For it is Gods vsuall manner to giue warning before hee striketh which if it be not taken the heauier will the iudgements bee when they come CHAP. IX ANd the fift Angell blew his Trumpet Quest 1 and I saw a Starre fallen from Heauen to the earth and to him was giuen the key of the bottomlesse pit c. What is meant by this Starre and by the Locusts comming out of hell together with the circumstances of their description in their forme time manner of tormenting and King which is set ouer them Many Writers by this Starre vnderstand the Bishops of Rome in their succession Answ when they fell from being heauenly and seeking after the saluation of mens soules to be earthly and to seeke more after honours and riches here for then they had keyes indeed but of the bottomlesse pit Brightman And some more particularly referre this Trumpet to Boniface the third who obtained of the Emperour Phocas to bee vniuersall Bishop for then the fall appeared being indeed before as is intimated in the word fallen not falling but now the fall was made more sensible Darknesse arose when ignorance preuailed and in these times of ignorance an innumerable company of religious persons of diuers orders who like Locusts eat vp the fat and best things euery where They sting like Scorpions when they seeme least to intend any hurt but only such as are not marked for God hath his Church in the midst of Popery others which are misled by them are not proceeded against as by persecutors before described but vnwittingly receiue such Doctrine from them as turneth to a sting of conscience more grieuous than the bodily death viz. the doctrine of Purgatory and of vncertainty of saluation and of the merit of workes and of superstitious orders and tedious pilgrimages and bloudy whippings more grieuous than present death The time of fiue moneths limited vnto them some vnderstand indefinitely Bibâ—â—an â—â—r Arto â—â—us Rullinger Chytraeus this being the whole time of the Locusts which lay their egges in Autumne and being kept all winter in a
and minaciously than hee hath beene wont to doe Their powers are in their mouthes and in their tailes The Locusts power was in their tailes onely for they spake not against Christianity in generall but were ready though in a corrupt manner to entertaine it but these as professed enemies defie Christianity and make war against it and by cruelty and deceiueablenesse seeke to draw as many to Mahumetisme as they can and thus they destroy both soules and bodies And because they are said to haue lions heads as the Locusts Lions teeth and it is the property of a lion to kill with his taile they kil also with the taile as they did being first called vpon for aid but turning to be destruction to such as called them as the serpent proueth to him that receiueth it Vers 20. The rest neither repented that they should not worship Deuils nor images of gold c. Vers 21. Neither repented they of their murthers c. In these words is set forth the obstinacy of the Papists and it is made yet more euident that the Turkes were sent for a plague of their superstitions and corruptions And the euent answereth the prediction for they are as great worshippers of images as great murtherers fornicators as euer they were Neither can this be applied to any but them seeing they onely of late dayes haue beene notorious for their idolatries and massacres and whoredomes also which haue beene obserued by all the world And whereas Deuils are mentioned the worshipping of whom it seemeth cannot be charged vpon them let their delusions by apparitions and voyces vttered at the Sepulchres of Saints and by images be considered and I doubt not but the indifferent arbiter will acknowledge that these things come from Deuils who are worshipped vpon an imagination that they are the Saints Againe an idoll is nothing saith the Apostle but what is sacrificed to idols is to Deuils Wherefore let not vs that haue repented and so are spared from the Turkes inuasion make a relapse againe but praise God for this mercy and pity their obstinacy and blindnesse which know not the time of their visitation CHAP. X. ANd I saw another strong Angell comming down from heauen compassed with a cloud Vers 1. and a rainbow vpon his head c. Who is this Angell What little booke open is it that he holdeth in his hand Why doth he stand so strangely one foot vpon the sea and another vpon the land What meaneth his loud cry and the seuen thunders vttering their voices thereupon which must not be written And why doth hee sweare so seriously that time shall be no more but during the sounding of the seuenth Angell And what is meant in that Iohn is bidden to eat that little booke c. for all these things doe so hang together that they must needs be expounded together Answ It is to be vnderstood that all these things come vnder the fixt trumpet and therefore are to bee referred to the same times though perhaps beginning somewhat after the iudgements before declared Hitherto hath beene nothing but matter of terrour by fierce enemies in infinite multitudes destroying a world of people for idolatry murthers fornications c. Now because the Lord had some people in these most corrupt times which read and cleaued vnto the Scriptures and impugned hereby those grosse corruptions though with danger of their liues and prospered in respect of their cause in so doing it seemed good vnto the Spirit of God by some figure to shew this also and the figure is an open booke in the hand of a strong Angell eaten vp by Iohn which was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his belly And againe in the next Chapter a reed giuen vnto him to measure the temple the outward Court being left vnmeasured as being trampled vâ—der foot by the Gentiles two and forty moneths in all which time the two witnesses of God prophesie in sackecloth c. Câ—yâ—raeâ—s Bullingâ—r Aretâ—â—s Augâ—st c. Brâ—ghtman Forâ—s c. This being thus generally premised I come now to the particular Quaeres This strong Angell by the consent of most Expositors is the Lord Iesus who hath a rainebow about his head to shew the security brought vnto men by him is cloathed with a cloud that is the nature of man his face shineth as the Sunne because he is the light of the world his feet like pillars of fire to shew that his ministers propagating the Gospell kindle a fire of feruent loue where they come one foot being set vpon the earth and the other vpon the sea set forth his dominion ouer sea and land Lyâ—a Lyra vnderstandeth the Emperor Iustinus and his Nephew Iustinianus about the yeere 518. who held a little booke open when he wrote his Epistles against the Arrians in fauour of the Orthodox Lastly some vnderstand an Angell properly either Gabriel or some other perhaps the same that was before so desirous to haue the booke opened Chap. 5. but all the seales now being opened and men not being moued to repentance it is precisely noted in the Chapter before going he commeth againe roaring as a Lion so loud as that thunders Eccho-like are heard Arethas Andreas Abbas Ioach. Fox and protesteth that time shall be no more c. that men might hereby at the least be awakened made to repent And vnto this doe I subscribe because I see no necessity of vnderstanding Christ by an Angell here but rather as the word soundeth for it is expressed in none other termes but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Angell that is another such as the Angels blowing the trumpets When Christ is set forth by this name it is alwayes with some addition as the Angell of the Couenant c. Moreouer what need was there that Christ should now leaue his royall throne in heauen to come downe to the earth when hee had many ministers fit for this seruice and indeed this cannot well be applied vnto Christ seeing it is expresly said Act. 3. The heauens must containe him till the time of restoring all things Whereas the apparatus of a cloud rainebow c. may seeme not to agree to an Angell indeed let it bee considered that the Angels in heauen doe partake with Christ in his glory as the Saints doe and then it will not seeme absurd that an Angell should bee set forth thus descending all making for the honour of God and of Christ to whom they are ministers being glad with so great glory The little booke opened Pareus some will haue to be the same which before was said to be sealed Some the holy Scriptures the opening and right vnderstanding whereof Aretius after that they had beene long kept shut in the time of Popery is here figured out And this seemeth to mee to agree best for the other booke must needs be very great out of which so many horses issued and other things appeared this of the Scriptures
and after him ann 670. Fannanus and Colmanus then Adelbertus Gallus Clemens Scotus and Samson Scotus ann 714. and with them Virgilius and Sidorius c. who so desireth to see more of the witnesses of the truth may looke into my Catechisme vnder the title The Church is Catholike or into Catalogus testium veritatis Thus the Lord hath euer had his witnesses hitherto and wee doubt not but as Antichrist shall consume more and more so their number shall hence forward rather increase than be diminished Whereas these witnesses are further called Two Oliues and Candlestickes vers 4. the same phrase almost is found touching Iehoshua and Ierubbabel Zach. 4.11 vnto which place therefore it is generally held that it is alluded Golden Candlesticks the Churches were called before chap. 1. and therefore the same appellation is giuen to these witnesses for holding out the light of truth And Oliues they are for their participating with the Lord Iesus the true Oliue Rom. 11. 5 Touching their miracles they are the very same which were wrought by Moses and Elias Exod. 5. for Moses turned the waters into bloud and smote the earth with many plagues in Egypt 2 King 1. and Elias destroyed his enemies by fifty in a company with their Captains by fire from Heauen 1 King 17. and at his prayer the Heauen was shut vp from raining three yeeres and a halfe But how these things are performed by the holy Scriptures and the Preachers of the truth against Turke and Pope there is great question It seemeth to me to be spoken onely by way of allusion and that the meaning is nothing else but as before at the sounding of the Angels fire rained downe and waters were turned into bloud chap. 8. setting forth such terrible iudgements as were executed vpon Egypt as hath already beene expounded so here the wicked enemies of the truth are terrified by commemorating what Moses and Elias did to the confusion of their enemies for they may bee well assured to drinke of the same cup whosoeuer they be at any time that dare to oppose the truth and to persecute the Preachers of it though no such visible miracles bee wrought as then yet strange iudgements being executed to their destruction as hereby many enemies of Moses and Elias were destroyed This Fox doth particularly apply to the iudgements executed vpon the enemies of Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague but it may be obserued that there haue beene many remarkable iudgements at sundry times against the Papals for their tyranny against such as haue withstood their superstitions for which I referre the reader to other Histories lest I should dwell too long vpon this place Brightman Gorran Some say that fire commeth out of the mouth of the Scriptures because they denounce fire and brimstone against the wicked which shall indeed come vpon them And the waters are turned into bloud in that they are carried away with errors because they receiued not the truth And the Heauens are said to be shut from raining in that there was a long time so little dew of heauenly Doctrine distilled from the lips of learned Preachers because there were no such Pareus Or because the enemies of the truth were void of all dew of grace whereby they should haue been mollified still continuing hardened in their superstition And by the fire going out of their mouthes is to be vnderstood the consuming of corrupt Doctrines as of stubble by fire through the setting forth of the truth And for the waters turned into bloud wars and plagues other iudgements wasting so many people since that heresie was opposed may be vnderstood and they may be said to turne the waters into bloud because it was an effect of their preaching the truth Bullinger Bullinger vnderstandeth altogether the denouncing of iudgement and condemnation for the wicked resisters of the truth shall bee destroyed by fire Heauen is shut against them that they cannot enter there and whereas they might haue reaped comfort by the truth preached if they would haue embraced it set forth by waters their waters are turned into bloud because this is turned into their destruction and all this these two witnesses are said to doe because they denounce them and they follow vpon their preaching according to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 2.16 We are a sweet smelling sauour in those that perish of death vnto death Here is no great difference from that which I haue already said for all agree that iudgements are here set forth following vpon the opposing of the truth preached but that some referre them only to spirituall some to temporall and some to both to which I subscribe holding that the fire comming out of their mouthes is the fire of hell threatned by them to the wicked the shutting vp of the heauen famines the turning of water into bloud warres the smiting of the earth with plagues strange diseases Let the Reader consider and follow which of these he pleaseth But certaine it is that the literall sense is not to be held for then men should Chimera-like vomit fire out of their mouthes to destroy such as were neare vnto them and then there should be no raine all the time of this prophesying and of the Gentiles treading the Court and holy City vnder foot a very vnlikely thing when as Antichrist must as they suppose that follow the letter leade so great armies to destroy Christians Touching the beast out of the bottomlesse pit that killeth them when they haue finished their testimony and exposing their dead bodies in the streets of the City spiritually called Sodom and Egypt where the Lord was killed three daies and a halfe here is such a world of darknesse yet as that it is most hard to resolue what is meant hereby It is agreed by all that Antichrist is this beast afterwards more amply described Chap. 9.11 and many will haue the King of the Locusts called Abaddon or Apollyon whom also they take to be Antichrist to bee the same and that he is here spoken of as already well enough knowne by his preceding description I grant that this beast is the same there described but as I said vpon that place so I hold still that the generall great Antichrist the Deuill is meant by Apollyon and Abaddon and not a succession of Antichristian men for their opposing of Christ in his truth called that Antichrist And so here the beast comming out of the bottomlesse pit is the Deuill in his instruments whatsoeuer they be that impugne the truth whether Mahumetans or Papals for both fight against and kill the seruants of God for giuing testimony and standing to his truth and because herein they follow the Deuills instigation and doe his worke he is said to doe it for hee doth it in them vsing their hands and weapons thus to fight and to destroy When any instrument of the Deuill is spoken of in particular he is said to come vp
to be in heauen also And how is this childe taken vp to God and to his throne from out of his danger Answ Some Popish Expositors by this woman vnderstand the Virgin Mary Ribera Viegas Methodius Primasius Bullinger Fox Pareus c. Hos 1.2.3 but the learned of their owne side Ribera and Viegas and others reiect this as not agreeing if the following circumstances of being pained and hauing other seed which is afterwards persecuted be considered The common streame of Interpreters is for the Church of God which is the spouse of God whom he is said to haue married vnto himselfe And thus without all doubt wee are to conceiue of this woman Quest But how is she said to be in heauen Answ Pannonius To this Pannonius answereth well that howsoeuer the Church hath her being in this world yet she is but a stranger here heauen is her countrey to which she aspireth and from whence commeth her election and being Tertui apolo c. 1. Scitgens Christiana se peregrinā in terris agere inter extraneos facile inimicos inuenire Caelerū genus spem sedem gratiam dignitatem in coelis habere as Tertullian doth excellently declare saying The Christian nation knoweth that she is a stranger vpon earth and doth easily finde enemies amongst strangers but shee hath her stocke seat grace hope and dignity in heauen Touching her apparell here set forth The Sunne is most bright and shining of all the lights in heauen to shew therefore the exceeding great glory of the Church shee is said to bee cloathed with the Sunne A speech much like to this is that of our Sauiour Christ The iust shall shine as the Sunne But this is for her future condition Matth. 13.43 Pannonius Bullinger Parcus Forbs c. for the present Christ the Sun of righteousnesse is her glory for so he is called Mal. 4. hee by faith is put on as a garment couering her round about and beautifying her so all Expositors generally agree except Fox and Brightman who stand and specially Fox for a most illustrious glory hereby generally set forth but hold that it is not intended that this figure should be strained any further by applying all the particulars And indeed for so much as the child in her wombe is Christ as by and by shall be declared I cannot see how it can so well agree in the same figure to hold that hee is both set forth as the cloathing of the Church and the fruit in her body at the same time though in diuers respects he is euer hath been so I hold therfore rather that her glorious estate before God only in generall is here set forth And therefore as worldly glory consisteth in glorious apparell and a crowne of gold beset with pretious stones and an high elated throne that place where all inferiour persons stand being vnder the seet so the Church is said to be cloathed with the Sun to weare a crowne with twelue starres and to haue the Moone which is aboue all this world vnder her sect so high is shee mounted But why twelue starres in her crowne neither more nor lesse Herein I take it it is alluded to the twelue pretious stones in the brest-plate of the high Priest according to the number of the twelue tribes which made this number of twelue familiar in this Prophecie as appeareth by the twice twelue thrones round about the throne Chap. 4. the twelue thousand sealed of the twelue Tribes Chap. 7. the twelue pretious stones in the wals of the new Ierusalem and the twelue gates Chap. 21. Many will haue these twelue starres to set forth the twelue Apostles and the Moone vnder her seet the mutablethings of this world but if that which hath beene already said bee considered I thinke the Reader will not bee of that minde Touching that which shee trauaileth withall there is great difference some vnderstand it of the godly in all ages Andreas Viegas Ribera Parent Forbs with whom the Church trauaileth and is euer at the point of bringing forth but when any are brought forth the enemy is ready to deuoure them in spight of whom they are finally glorified in heauen which is set forth by this phrase hee shall rule all nations with a rod of iron according to that promise Chap. 2.27 And they say that the off-spring of the Church is called a childe in the singular number because though they bee many yet they are but one mysticall body and a male childe as being the more perfect and the heire and of more courage and constancy And of this exposition applied specially to the last times doe the Papals most greedily lay hold as making for them in their doctrine about their supposed Antichrist For the Churches being pained and crying out setteth forth the straits wherein she should be at that time And thus they seeke to draw the Reader from looking at any time past or that now is and to hold him in expectation of the time of Antichrist yet for to come But against this exposition maketh both the distinction afterwards following in the end of this Chapter where it is spoken of the rest of her seed and the description of this childe He shall rule ouer all nations with arod of iron For if all the faithfull bee the seed of the woman here set forth they being taken vp to heauen how can she yet haue a seed remaining vpon earth to be persecuted still And touching this large reigning howsoeuer the faithfull are promised in the place before alleaged that they shall rule ouer the nations yet it is not said as here ouer all nations nor is it spoken of as a dignity to which they were borne but as conferred vpon such as ouercome whereas here the man-childe mentioned is so spoken of as comming to it by right and inheritance The male childe therefore here must be one singular person most remarkable as the first-borne for this his extraordinary power and authority ouer all to which hee is borne Most therefore seeing that there is none other such to bee found in all the world Bullinger Fox Gorian and Pareus deliuereth this first applying it anagogically to the faithfull resolue vpon the Lord Iesus Christ for the history of his birth and ascension doth so answer this description in euery particular as that all things doe most excellently agree if it be vnderstood of him And so the prophecie Psal 2.7 agreeth also I will giue thee the nations for thine inberitance and the vttermost parts of the earth for thy possession thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron c. Thus also there will be a good construction of the rest of her seed after mentioned seeing hee is said to bee the first-borne amongst many brethren Whereas it may seeme absurd that the Church is said to haue Christ in her wombe and to bring him forth when as he is her husband and she hath rather her originall from him for
which cause she is called his body some resolue this by applying this womans trauailing with childe and bringing forth to the conception and birth which is by faith For the old Church by faith longed for and was pained in expecting his comming so long a time and euery man may bee said to trauaile with Christ and to bring him forth when through many inward troubles and much sorrow for sinne he commeth to be regenerate and to leade a new life for then hee liueth not any more but Christ liueth in him Gal. 2.20 Bullinger Gorran as Saint Paul speaketh and this according to Bullinger and Gorran But because this is daily done and here is rather an allusion to Christs corporall birth from which time that which is here figured out beginneth to take place it doth not seeme to mee to agree so well and therefore I vnderstand it rather of his corporall birth by the Virgin Mary as Bullinger doth at the first For although shee were but one particular member of the Church yet that for the effecting of which she was vsed as an instrument herein may well be ascribed to the whole body whereof she was a member and therefore St. Paul speaking of the whole Iewish nation saith Rom. 9.5 of whom Christ came according to the flesh As for other circumstances of being pained and crying out to be deliuered I hold them to be meerely allegoricall and not to be strained to a particular signification but as when a woman is neere her time of being deliuered it appeareth by these signes so they are here mentioned to signifie the neere approaching of the time when the Church of the Iewes should corporally in Mary a vessell chosen to this purpose bring forth our blessed Sauiour And this is one reason also why the Church is set forth by a woman because the head and the chiefe vpon whom all the rest depend was promised by the name of the seed of the woman If there shall seeme to bee a disagreement in the time because the things set forth here were not already past but altogether such as should happen afterwards I answer with Pareus Pareus Bullinger that the intent of this vision is to set forth things to come but for more orderly proceeding if it be begun a little higher euen at the birth of Christ there is no going from the matter propounded viz. to set forth things to come sith it is done onely to illustrate them them the better as was also done before in the opening of the first seale when a white horse issued out that he might the more orderly and with better light proceed vnto the red and blacke and pale horses c. It is said that hee should rule all nations with a rod of iron to expresse his terriblenesse to his enemies and such as rebell against him which are commonly expressed by the name of Nations or Heathen because they knew him not One expoundeth this of Constantine the great but neither was he watched at his birth to be deuoured Brightman but after that hee came to the Empire at what time the childe here spoken of is past all danger if it be vnderstood of his spirituall birth when he became Christian it were preposterously set down for so his birth should follow his being taken vp into the throne neither did he rule ouer all nations Chap. 4. neither can the throne of God be fitly applied vnto him here vpon earth seeing this throne is before described so as that no man can bee said to bee taken vp to it till he be glorified in heauen One will haue Heraclius the Emperour Lyra. who destroyed and succeeded the vsurper Phocas vnderstood here but there is no colour for it Touching the great red Dragon he is set forth plainly v. 9. that he is the Deuill but is called a Dragon in alluding to his first appearance vnto Eue in a serpent when he tempted her he is red through fury and cruelty Ioh. 8.44 hee was a murtherer from the beginning Viegas He is said to be in heauen here according to some for the like reason that the woman is said to be there because he persecuteth her who is said to be in heauen or rather because he had his abiding sometime in heauen and though hee be excluded because he kept not his first standing yet a long time hee had the liberty of appearing there before God amongst the good Angels for hee appeared amongst them to accuse Iob and that it was his common practise is here afterwards plainly intimated Iob 2. vers 10. how hee commeth to bee quire excluded and when we shall see further by and by but still he is said to be Principalities and powers in heauenly places Eph. 6.12 Pareus because hee hath the liberty of the Aerean heauen to this day His seuen heads with crownes vpon them set forth by the common consent the many kings of the earth who are ready as his instruments to execute his will the number of seuen being vsuall in this booke to set forth many his ten hornes his great power by meanes of other states of people who also serue him who are more in number Certainly the largenesse and multitude of his dominions and his manifold power is hereby figured out and how great a Potentate hee is to expresse the more the danger wherein this childe was that the power whereby he was preserued might be the more magnified His taile drawing the third part of the starres and casting them to the ground doth yet more illustrate his stupendious power By these starres I vnderstand the Angels that fell together with Lucifer who as the chiefe drew them after him and therefore hee is said to draw them with his taile because they followed him in sinning and were throwne downe to the ground which was by being depriued of their place and dignity in heauen For there is one Deuill as the chiefe and ringleader set forth the rest of the infernall spirits followed him And this though done long before is brought in here as auailing to a perfect description of him that it might the better appeare how formidable he was Some by the starres vnderstand Parous Viegas as in Chap. 1. the Churches which are seduced vnto Popery and some the Doctors who by worldly preferments and respects are fawned vpon Bullinger Forbs and so drawne away from the truth vnto errour and so by heauen they vnderstand the Church of God by earth the world of the wicked who are set vpon earthly things into whose society they come being thus drawne away But for so much as heauen is a distinct thing here from the Church if the woman be the Church for shee appeareth in heauen I cannot see how by heauen should be vnderstood the Church here and consequently how by the stars should be meant the Doctors and therefore I rest in the first exposition as most naturall and the rather because
they are not only said to be stars but starres of heauen as he himselfe at the first was and therefore is called Lucifer Esa 14.12 Hee standeth ready to deuoure this childe so soone as hee should be borne for he stirred vp Herod to send his executioners to kill all the male children in Bethlehem of two yeeres old and vnder and from the time that he shewed himselfe after his baptisme he neuer left persecuting him and plotting his destruction till that at length he was crucified but euen then in stead of being deuoured nothing befell him but what hee did voluntarily vndergoe and he was soone raised vp againe and taken to the throne of the Father and therefore he is spoken of as missing his purpose herein for so much as Christ by his death gat the dominion Heb. 2.15 Col. 2.14 and euen vpon the Crosse triumphed ouer the Deuill Learne we from hence both of how excellent a condition the Church of God is heauen is her countrey and her glory is heauenly and most magnificent that we may preferre to be members of the Church before all worldly honours and also what a terrible enemy we haue of the Deuill so that we can no sooner become Christians but hee is at hand to deuoure vs neither doth he want power so to doe but he shall not be able to hinder our saluation that we may put vpon vs the armour of God neuer being secure but alwayes making account that we stand in the midst of greatest dangers and therefore continually seeking to the highest power by prayer and out of a confident expectation of being taken vp out of all danger to glory at the last becomming strong in the faith to beare all oppositions without shrinking howsoeuer we be assaulted Quest 2. The woman fled into the wildernesse Vers 6. where she hath a place prepared of God that they may nourish her one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes c. To what time is this fight to be referred what is this wildernesse and how long is this time of one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Answ This relation commeth in here by way of anticipation as most consent for this very persecution and flight into the wildernesse is more largely described vers 13. and this time is the same onely by a prolepsis it is in short here propounded to satisfie such as would bee ready to inquire what became of the mother after that the sonne was taken vp shee was persecuted and fled c. but in order of time somewhat happened before this and therefore before a full declaration of this persecution that is set forth in the next words And there was a great battell in heauen Vers 7 8. Michael and his Angels fought c. of which we are to consider before we answer this the proper place for this comming in afterwards viz. vers 13. Quest 3. Where is the fight here said to be in heauen what is Michael and the deuils casting out of heauen c. Answ No man doth hold that this is to bee vnderstood according to the letter for it were absurd that there should be a fight in heauen being a place of all peace and comfort and not for any variance Heauen therefore is to be vnderstood as before when the woman is said to appeare in heauen and the great red Dragon against her which was all done here below but represented in heauen as the proper place of the Church which is but a stranger in this world and the place where the Deuill first had his abode and where he was wont to appeare to accuse the godly For so a great fight is said to bee in heauen when as indeed it was in this world because they which doe instigate and stirre vp vnto it are on the one side the holy Angels of God whose abode is in heauen Eph. 6.12 and on the other side the troupe of vncleane spirits who are in heauenly places that is the vpper part of the aire Many stand for the Church that by heauen here the Church is meant but seeing the woman is the Church who is persecuted after this fight and casting down of the Deuill from heauen to the earth I cannot see how heauen should bee put for the Church also But being vnderstood as hath beene before deliuered all things following will excellently agree Michael the Archangell with his Angels fight that is that principall good Angell who is superiour to all the rest as the Deuill is the principall of the euill Angels he with the other good Angels I say standing for the truth stirred vp Christian Emperours and Gouernors to fight for the truth and the Deuill on the other side with his infernall rabble stirred vp Heathen Emperors and Gouernors to fight against the truth Forbs Brightman Mason And thus almost doth Forbs and Brightman vnderstand it for they make Constantine the great and his assistants in his battels Michael and his Angels and Licinius with his assistants the Deuill and his Angels Many will haue Christ meant by Michael Bullenger Grasserus Pareus both here wheresoeuer else this name occurreth because he is said to be the Archangell that is the Prince of Angels and Michael one as God But why may not one Angell bee chiefe amongst the good Angels as well as one Deuill is chiefe amongst the euill Angels And if so it is no whit absurd to say that he is like God being so eminent an image of his maiesty and excellency And therefore some hold Michael to be an Angell indeed Fox as hath beene already said and by the ancients it hath beene generally held to be so onely some question hath beene of what Angels Michael is the chiefe and herein most following Dionysius who wrote of the orders of Angels haue held him to bee the chiefe of the lowest order onely I cannot approue so well of expounding Michael the Archangell of Constantine or of any man or the Deuill of Licinius because there is none other place of Scripture which giueth light vnto such an exposition and the following circumstances agree not seeing Licinius perished when he was ouercome of Constantine neither did hee persecute the Church any more and afterwards this Deuill said here to haue but a short time is also said to be bound vp a thousand yeeres and then to rage as hauing but a short time which can no way agree to that Tyrant Michael therefore fighteth by his pupils Constantine Theodosius Valentinian and other godly Emperours the Deuill by the heathen Emperours before Constantine and Licinius and Iulian and Eugenius who sought to beat downe the Christian religion This fight began soone after Christs ascension and continued till ann 394. in three hundred of which yeeres the Deuill fought so as that by his agents the Heathen Emperours the truth was put in great hazzard but then Michael began his battell so fiercely as that errour and idolatry was put to the worse but by
expressing the same time Pareus resolueth it well Pareus This phrase is borrowed from Daniel 7.25 and c. 12.7 where it setteth forth the time of Antiochus his rage who was the forerunner of Antichrist Brightman that this is done that we might not faint vnder this persecution when we shall see it last long for though being set forth by 1260. daies it may seeme short yet the Spirit of God would haue vs know that it is a long time as we account there being first a certaine space of time and when that is expired times and last of all halfe a time more and Brightmans conceit herein is excellent that haply the Lord by this distinction would haue vs vnderstand that in this time of Antichrists reigne and the Churches being vnder there are three distinctions one of Antichrists rise wherein was the beginning of this womans solitude to bee vnderstood by a time for in this space he came to his height and the Church was brought to the lowest ebbe the second of his holding in that state which is twice as long the third of his declining when the Church shall grow towards her deliuerance which is effected in halfe a time Thus he But I hold me rather to the former resolution as more agreeable to that which I haue before deliuered touching the determination of this time which in all probability will not be till ann 1860. And then the declining time of Antichrist and the rising time of the Church will bee 360. yeeres And thus I haue deliuered what I conceiue touching the time when this persecution beginneth for when we come to expound the time of continuance in the Wildernesse I hold the same with diuers learned Writers on our side before mentioned who make the Cities conculcation when the Witnesses prophesie and the time of this lying hid in the Wildernesse all one Let the Reader consider and iudge of all Touching the floud cast out of the Dragons mouth after the woman Brightman which was by the earth swallowed vp in succour of the woman some vnderstand it of the ouerflowing of Africa and part of Europe by the Goths Vandals Heruls and Longobards by whom the whole Church was endangered as by a floud of being vtterly extinct but these earthly and barbarous people set forth by the earth comming into these parts were brought to the embracing of the Christian Religion though corruptly and so became more milde towards Christian people which is the earths swallowing vp of the floud I cannot see how this doth any way agree both because this incursion by these Barbarians was made about ann 400. long before the Churches desolation here described and if the Church had beene succoured by their growing more gentle it would haue beene said rather but the floud dried vp and not as here the earth swallowed it vp noting some reliefe that came to the Church aliundè Some by the floud vnderstand the Popes endeuours to bring the Roman Catholike Princes into a league Grasser to root out with their ioint forces the reformed Religion which they could neuer effect by reason of the differences amongst them in respect of their earthly possessions this made Clement the eighth of late to excommunicate the Councellors both of Spaine and France and this variance of theirs about earthly things is said to be the earth helping the woman by Gods prouidence who turneth it to the good of the Church Some will haue this Floud to bee the edicts of heathen Emperours against Christians to root them out Fox and the Earth the Famines and Pestilences and Warres that still happening hindered the execution of these decrees but these things being in former times are misapplied here Bullinger And likewise whereas some vnderstand it of the Scismes and Heresies hapning in the primitiue Church and of the troubles and persecutions stirred vp by Satan when the Church was fled amongst the Gentiles against which they were succoured vnexpectedly the earthly ones themselues being oftentimes a meanes to appease these tumults as the Towne Clerke in Ephesus was Act. 19. Pareus reckoneth vp other Interpretations made by some Parcus that this floud is the troubles and afflictions of the Church in all times but this is too generall and more specially the heresies and blasphemous opinions held in the daies of Christian Emperours whereby the Deuill as by a floud sought to drowne all true Religion for the space of 300. yeeres after Constantine which before hee set forth to be the time of the womans fleeing away and herein he resteth The earth hee saith some interpret to be Christ for his stability some generall Councels called from all parts of the earth for the condemning of heresies which is not likely seeing such Councels do rather resemble Heauen Ioh. 3. Christ is said to be from Heauen heauenly in opposition to such as be from the earth earthly He therefore expoundeth it onely in generall of a miraculous preseruation Numb 16. in allusion to the earths opening the mouth and swallowing vp Chorah and his company holding that wee ought not to search any further into any particular meaning But for so much as I haue already gone from the ground of this exposition viz. the reckoning of the time of the womans fleeing to be 300. yeeres and this floud was cast out after her vpon her fleeing and being come into the wildernesse which was in a short time for she was soone chased thither and when she abode there this floud was sent out after her I must needs rather subscribe to them which hold that the time of casting out this floud was in the time here described Grasserus said to bee a time and times and halfe a time and so some great warres attempted by the Popes instigation for the vtter rooting out of the reformed Religion are figured out by the floud And of such warres we shall finde there haue beene many euer since the breaking out of the light in the time of Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague and before that against the Waldenses and Albingenses and afterwards against the Lutherans in Germany and the Caluinists in France where diuers great men entred a league to root them out But the earth holpe the woman The History of the Bohemian warres is most famous for the illustrating of this for Sigismund the Emperour being stirred vp by the Pope to persecute the Bohemians for cleauing constantly to the Doctrine of Iohn Husse after that it and they were condemned in the Councell of Constance inuaded Bohemia with a great power but his army being ouerthrowne and much wasted by a few scattered troupes of the Hussites Henrici Mutij Chron. lib. 27. the Emperour departed home much discouraged But soone after greater forces are sent against them being led by the Princes of Germany the Duke of Saxony the Marquesse of Brandenberge and the Archbishop of Treuers by the instigation of Pope Martin the fifth They entered in three
earthly things the honours and preferments of this world they cry out Who is like vnto the beast or who can warre with him Beda Primas Richard de Sancto Victore Haimo Ansel Tho. Aquin. Many Ancients who are commonly followed by the Papals say that Antichrist shall feine himselfe to bee dead three daies and then reuiuing againe he shall strike all men into an admiration c. But Viegas himselfe doth sufficiently confute this because it is not said hee seemed to be dead but was wounded deadly and therefore he rather holdeth that one of the seuen Kings which shall fight against Antichrist but afterwards submit vnto him shall before such his submission bee wounded but after be cured againe but this is as absurd as the former for not an opposite but an head of this beast is wounded and therefore no King fighting against him Let them tremble that reade this passage who admire after any man and extoll and magnifie him as if he were a God as the Papists doe the Pope for in thus doing they worship the Dragon and shew themselues plainly to be such as haue not their names written in the booke of life as it followeth vers 8. Quest 5. Vers 5. How can the speaking of blasphemies be applied vnto the Pope the blaspheming of God and of his Tabernacle and of such as dwell in heauen when as he doth worship them all And what time is this two and forty moneths of which it is said Power was giuen him to make warre two and forty moneths Answ I hold herein with those Pareus P. du Moulin Brightman that expound this blaspheming of God of the Popes arrogating to himselfe such titles and abilities as belong vnto God onely the titles of the head and husband of the Church King of kings the Lord of heauen earth and hell that hath all mysteries and lawes in the closet of his brest Iudge of all and to be iudged of none who hath all power in heauen and in earth shutteth and no man openeth openeth and no man shutteth yea and the Lord God the abilities are to make something of nothing to make God to make the word to be free from all possibility of erring to make decrees of the like certainty and authority with the Canonicall Scripture to be such a vniuersall Soueraigne as that all vpon paine of damnation must be subiect vnto him to giue the kingdomes of the earth c. for all these are maintained properly to belong vnto the Pope and accordingly he doth take vpon him Now that this is a blaspheming of God it hath beene a tenent so ordinary and common as that when our Sauiour Christ did take the like vpon himselfe as to be the Sonne of God and so God the Iewes cryed out hee hath blasphemed neither can a man speake greater things of himselfe and more blasphemous against God than these He blasphemeth his Tabernacle which is his Church by vaunting that the Church whereof he is the head is the onely true Catholike Church arrogating thus vnto his Apostaticall Synagogue that which is proper to the true Church of God and as for the true Church indeed he ladeth it with most ignominious names of hereticall schismaticall infidell deuillish and damned The Church is called the Tabernacle in allusion to the Tabernacle of the Iewes wherein God sometime dwelt in the middest of them Hee blasphemeth the Saints in heauen by making idoll Gods of them affixing them to certaine Temples where the old idols of the heathen sometime dwelt and assigning them such offices some to be ouer hogs some ouer horses some ouer this particular disease some ouer that c. P. du Moulin Pareus Brightman These expositors doe also mention another inter pretation of heauen being taken for the Church and so the Saints there for the godly here whom the Pope blasphemeth by imputing vile names vnto them and laying to their charge vile actions but certainly wee must make a distinction betweene the Tabernacle of God here mentioned and heauen otherwise the word should not haue beene varied but as it was spoken of blaspheming the Tabernacle so it should haue been added and the Saints that dwell in this Tabernacle but it is the Saints in heauen which may wel be properly vnderstood and therefore this sense is the rather to be preferred They make also the blaspheming of them the ascribing of diuine properties vnto them as when the Virgin Mary is prayed vnto by the name of Queene of heauen our Lady our onely hope our saluation and mediatrix and when of her and other Saints is begged helpe comfort deliuerance from sinnes and from damnation This is indeed a blaspheming of God by ascribing that vnto his seruants which is peculiar to his maiesty but how it should be termed a blaspheming of them I cannot see for it is rather an ouer-honouring of them Some vnderstanding all of the old Roman Emperors Bullinger Fox say that they spake great things when they boasted of their great victories and blasphemed by preferring their idols before the God of Israel the Tabernacle which was amongst the Iews by vilifying it and the Saints by speaking vily of the holy Prophets and other seruants of God But seeing this is after the wound giuen and healed in the Popes arising to the Imperiall State as hath beene already shewed the order will not permit this exposition Andreas Some by the Tabernacle of God vnderstand the body of Christ which is blasphemed by the Popes taking vpon him to make it in the Masse affirming that the Bread is his true substantiall body and therefore to be adored as Christ himselfe Gagnaeus Gorran Blas Viegas Beda Haimo c. As for the expositions of those that apply all things here to Antichrist yet for to come holding that hee shall blaspheme God by saying that he is no God that himselfe is God that he shall blaspheme his name in speaking against the life Doctrine of Christ his Tabernacle that is the Church militant dwelling here as it were for a time in Tabernacles and the Saints in heauen by saying that they are all damned These I say and the like whereby the ancients haue beene carried away in times past I omit to confute as falling together with that tenent of Antichrists reigning but three yeeres and an halfe reiected long before in this our exposition As for the time wherein it is giuen him to doe Vers 5. or to make warre for in some copies it is read the one way and in some the other viz. two and forty moneths this is the same time which was mentioned before Chap. 11.2 Chap. 11. and is to bee computed likewise the reader therefore may haue recourse thither Some expound it of the continuance of the Roman Empire Beard as it was gouerned by Emperours and Kings c. till the comming in of the Gothes and Vandals for from the building of Rome till the
therefore doth set forth the Popes when they came to an Imperiall dignity thus putting life againe into that state altogether ruined by the irruptions and preuailings of the Barbarians That which is here represented doth serue to declare how by what meanes the deadly wounded head was healed after that preuailed so wonderfully for something hauing beene shortly spoken of the Roman State as it was from the beginning thereof that Antichrist whose description is chiefly intended might be the better vnderstood it is shewed first that after this head wounded he sprang vp by the healing of it againe vers 4.5 c. and then more at large this Antichrist the Authour of so great a cure is described and what powerfull meanes he vsed to effect it Ribera Pareus The Pope who is this Antichrist is said to rise out of the earth because from a poore and meane beginning he attained to such an height of dignity being but lately a poore Bishop and subiect to Emperours Kings and Princes hee suddenly rose vp aboue them all He hath two hornes like the Lambe because the Lambe the Lord Iesus is his pretence he boasteth himselfe to bee his Vicar but hee hath onely two of his seuen hornes to intimate his weaknesse in comparison of the fulnesse of Christs power Hee speaketh like the Dragon that is like the Deuill for the Dragon hath been before shewed to be the Deuill concerning whom howsoeuer we reade nothing before of his speaking yet that he had a mouth to speake is intimated in that the first beast being reuiued to whom he gaue his throne and power is said also to haue giuen vnto him a mouth to speake great things and blasphemies vers 5. His speech then is added that he might bee the better discouered as the Asse of Cuma marching in the Lions skin was discouered by his braying If a man should looke at nothing but his hornes like the Lambes that is his goodly pretence of setting forth Christ and the right gouerning of his Church he might easily be deceiued but attend his speech so full of pride arrogancy and blasphemy whereof it hath beene spoken before Brightman and thou mayest easily discerne him to bee Antichrist Some expound his rising out of the earth of his rise by the helpe of secular powers aboue them all and his two hornes of Charles and Pipin subduing the Longobards and other enemies vnto him applying this his rise vnto those times wherein he did so much differ from that which hee was before that he is as it were another beast for the accession of more authority He speaketh like the Dragon also say they in that as the old Emperours Nappier so hee deposeth and setteth vp for Kings whom he willeth Some by the two hornes vnderstand the double power of the Pope spirituall and temporall But I rest in the former exposition as most simple and agreeing to the drift of this vision which is to shew the faire pretence vnder which the Pope should ascend to his height of honour Note that this is a certain marke of one which hath no cōmunion with Christ how much soeuer he pretendeth him if he be of an arrogant speech magnifying himselfe aboue others for this sheweth a proud heart sith out of the abundāce of the heart the mouth speaketh whereas the humble only haue communion with Christ and with such the Lord dwelleth Esa 66.2 Quest Vers 12 13 14 c. 6. How doth the Pope exercise all the power of the beast and how doth he cause all to worship the first beast How doth he make fire to come downe from heauen What image is it that hee causeth the inhabitants of the earth to make to the first beast and how doth hee giue life vnto it to speake that it might bee worshipped hee destroying all that refuse to worship it and not suffering any to buy or sell that had not his marke c. Answ They that by the first beast vnderstand the Roman Emperours expound these things thus Bullinger Arethas Vers 12. Grasserus He exercised all the power of the first beast before him that is as the Roman Emperours who were before the Popes made account that all kingdomes were their owne to dispose of as they thought good so the Popes represented by this beast doe both challenge and vsurpe a power ouer all kingdomes Witnesse Steuchus the Popes Library-keeper who put out a booke wherein hee sheweth out of the Register of Gregory that the kingdomes of Spaine England France Denmarke and Pannonia c. are held of the Sea of Rome that the kings holding them are but vassals of that Sea And as the old Emperours made warre vpon all that refused to be subiect vnto them filling all parts with slaughters and bloud-shed so doe the Popes as all the world knoweth He maketh all the inhabiters of the earth to worship the first beast that is either the Roman Empire now swayed by the Pope in that they haue brought it to passe that this Empire is now euery where accounted sacred and diuine and accordingly reuerenced or idols whereby the Roman religion being receiued by their subiects the Emperors are said to be worshipped and so now the Popes by their images which are the same in effect constituting in a great part the Roman Catholike religion And doth great wonders Vers 13. so that hee maketh fire to come downe from heauen in the sight of men that is many lying signes either by the fraud of Monkes and Priests or by some euill art The fire is spoken of in allusion to Elias 2 King 1. who called for fire from heauen to consume the Captaines with their fifties who were sent to fetch him Popes haue caused fire to come downe from heauen partly by pretending to giue the holy Ghost who is compared to fire Act. 2. and once came so downe from heauen and partly by their excommunications like lightnings in that vnto them are added fire-brands and candles burning which together are throwne downe from an high as if fire came downe from heauen to smite the excommunicated This is said to be done first in the sight of men then vers 14. in the sight of the beast which is all one for most men yea and the beast himselfe that is the Empire wherein the Pope doth this is deceiued by these signes Saying to them that dwell on the earth Vers 14. Napier that they should make an image to the beast c. The image of the first beast was the new re-erected Empire in Charles the great ann 800. being crowned Emperour by Leo the third when as the Empire had beene void from the time of Augustulus by the space of three hundred yeeres and vpward And it is significantly spoken he said to the inhabitants of the earth or to the earthly minded men who were ruled by him that they should make this image because the Pope did no act towards it but spake and
Greg. lib. 4 regist Epist 38. Rex prepe est quod diâ—â— est neâ— as saceâ— dâ—tum ei paratur exercitus quia ceruici militant elationis qui ad hoc positi sunt vt ducatum praeberent humilitatis about ann 600. plainly foretold of his being at hand saying the King is at hand and which is horrible to speake an army of Priests is prepared for him because they warre for the maintenance of pride who were set to leade the way of humility Herein he spake most truly and significantly when Antichrist was euen at the doores for the very next Pope to him after Sabinianus namely Boniface the third beganne to fulfill this prediction when hee obtained the title of vniuersall Bishop Arnulphus Bishop of Aurelia in the Councell of Rhemes about an 900 brake out into this speech touching the Bishop of Rome What thinke ye of him that fitteth in his high Throne Concil Rhemens clad in Scarlet and glittering with gold what thinke ye him to be Verily if he be destitute of charity he is Antichrist Ann. 1340. a Councell was held at Ratisbone against the tyranny of the Roman Bishops wherein Eberhardus Archiepise Salisburg rising vp said Vnder the title of the high Priest we may perceiue if we be not blinde a Wolfe in the coat of a Shepheard Hildebrand Auentin annal lib. 7. like an Antichrist 170. yeeres agone laid the foundation of this Empire and beganne the warre which hath beene continued by his successors euer since These high Priests of Babylon desire to reigne alone they cannot beare an equall Beleeue me they will not cease till that all powers being put downe they sit in the Temple of God and exalt themselues aboue all that is worshipped He changeth Lawes and establisheth his owne that wretched man whom they are wont to call Antichrist doth contaminate kill and destroy c. Abbas Ioachim who also liued about the same time called the Pope Antichrist Ann. 1158. Gerhardus and Dulcimus taught the Pope to bee Antichrist and Rome with the Clergy there to be Babylon Ann. 1160. was Waldus who taught the same Ann. 1370. Francis Petrarch an eloquent Italian wrote many inuectiues to the same effect Who so desireth to see more let him looke into Catelogus testium veritatis He that doth not wilfully blindfold his eyes cannot chuse but see the Pope to bee Antichrist here described by the second beast for he hath all the power that euer the Roman Empire had whereunto the Deuill gaue his Throne setting vp Kings and deposing Kings ruling and reigning farre and wide and all this is done before that beast or in his sight that is before the people of this Empire in whom it consisteth for vers 13. that which is said to be in the sight of the beast is said to bee in the sight of men He causeth the first beast to be worshipped that is his owne greatnesse to be admired and reuerenced which is the same with the ancient maiesty and dominion of this Empire for in the state ouer which the Pope doth now rule set forth by the first beast there were two things the peoples of diuers Countries and Nations and the imperiall authority exercised ouer them in respect of the first hee is said to doe these things in the sight of the first beast in respect of the second to cause all men to worship the first beast by being obedient to this authority now translated to himselfe Touching the great wonders and fire brought downe from Heauen Vers 13. I subscribe to Pareus and Brightman who haue sufficiently illustrated this passage Touching the image of the beast which he causeth the inhabiters of the earth to make I cannot approue of that exposition which applyeth it to Images deceitfully inclined Vers 14. because this image that he speaketh of here hath power to put to death all that will not worship it so as a Popish Image hath not neither doe I thinke that the present Emperours are meant who are but Images in comparison of the old Emperours for the Pope is not so eager to haue them worshipped by the people but rather to debase them that he alone may goe away with all the honour but it is a religious kinde of worship which is here meant and the Pope himselfe is this Image and he doth say vnto men That they should make this Image by teaching it to bee necessary vnto saluation to haue the successor of Saint Peter in the Sea of Rome for vniuersall Emperour of the world for this is in effect to reare vp an Image of the first beast that is of the old Imperiall authority and because that if the Pope had no more but this title without any liuely Imperiall power hee should be but as it were a dead Image and exposed to contempt he bringeth it about by his bewitching doctrine that he is thus esteemed in the hearts of men who are all ready to fight for his honour as for the diuine Maiesty and to suppresse all oppugners and thus he putteth life into this Image c. For this beast is both a beast and a false prophet as he is set forth by the name of a beast his authority is intimated that he is a great ruler and commander as he is a false prophet hee raiseth vp his Empire and command by his delusions to such an height as that he becommeth a very liuely Image of the supreme Roman Maiesty not suffering himselfe to be neglected any more than the old Emperours did The wofull experience of these times doth shew the truth of this prophesie there being nothing whereof the Pope is so tender as of this Vniuersall honour not sparing sex or age but killing all that will not giue it vnto him Touching the marke which all are caused to receiue on their forehead or right hand Vers 16. Pareus though Bullinger and some others hold the marke the name the number of the name to be all one yet some distinguish them expounding the marke of the indelible Character which Priests and religious persons are said to receiue in their ordination when lifting vp their right hand they sweare fidelity to the Pope and by anointings and rasures they are marked in the forehead for his and the name and number of his name of the marke which all others of that Religion receiue which is to be called Roman Catholikes Some a little diuers from this Brightman by the marke vnderstand the oath and publike profession of such as are in holy orders and of Princes and great persons to defend the Roman Catholike Church and Pope and by the name the title whereby the common sort of the Papals are knowne as Pontificians Catholikes or Papists from the Pontifex Catholike Bishop or Pope by the number of the name such as are more remote from the Pope and yet dare not renounce all obedience to his sea Napier as the Grecians Napier consenteth vnto Bullinger that the
hereafter CHAP. XIV AND behold a Lambe standing vpon mount Zion Quest 1 Vers 1. and with him an hundred forty and foure thousand hauing his Fathers name written on their foreheads c. Who are these and to what time is this to be referred What is that musicall voyce which commeth from heauen and the new song sung there which none could learne but these one hundred forty and foure thousand And what is meant by saying that they are virgins and follow the Lambe and that they are the first fruits vnto God and that no guile is found in their mouth c. Answ I will not delay the Reader much here with diuersity of expositions for this place as I take it is parallel to that in the seuenth Chapter so that as there after much violence and bloud-shed of the seruants of God spoken of before it is added as a comfort that of euery tribe were sealed twelue thousand making vp all together this number of one hundred forty and foure thousand In calling him the Lambe he taketh vp the speech vsed Chap. 7.8 All worship the beast whose names were not written in the booke of life of the Lambe which stood fast vnto the truth of God notwithstanding the danger of those persecuting times solikewise here after the beasts bloudy proceedings against all that would not worship him spoken of in the fore-going chapter this comfort is added that the Lambe Christ Iesus all the time of Antichrists reigne standeth vpon mount Zion that is is vigilant ouer his Church to preserue it from perishing and hee hath still with him euen in these times of greatest streights and hundred forty and foure thousand followers that is many thousands thorowout the twelue tribes of his whole Church dispersed ouer the world set forth thus in allusion to the old Church of God vnder the Law And these followers of his are vnmoueable as mount Zion that is most fixedly adhering to his truth for so the firme standing of the faithfull is described by the Psalmist saying Psal 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion that can neuer be remoued And they haue Gods name in their forehead to set forth their constant confident professing of the truth of God all superstitions of Popery which are a marke vpon the forehead of those that follow the beast being vtterly abandoned And as after the sealing there an infinite multitude are brought in with white robes and palmes praising God with whom the Angels ioyne making a most sweet consent it being a representation of the ioyfull condition in heauen of such as haue suffered for Christ in this world but now are triumphing there that the languishing spirits of such as are yet militant vpon earth might be recreated the more cheerefully to beare the terrible brunts of hottest persecutions who were before set forth by the sealed ones so here is an intimation of an infinite multitude already reioycing in heauen in that he saith that hee heard the voyce as it were of many waters and of a great thunder and of harpers which sung a new song for these speeches may well set forth an infinite multitude whose noise is as the noise of great waters and great thunders but this seemeth to be spoken of their congregating together to this heauenly harmony which is performed as it were by harpes and singing of a new song that is a most rare and excellent song of the praise of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ which song the faithfull here doe learne but none else because none but they doe praise God all others magnifie the beast but these by their praising of God from honest and sincere hearts sanctified by the truth begin euen now to come into the quite of heauen to which they and none but they shall be vndoubtedly ioyned at the last praising God for their deliuerance perfected as now they doe for the fountaine and beginnings hereof the Lord Iesus Christ and his spirituall graces and the ioy of the holy Ghost resulting here-from whereby they doe euen now as it were sit together in heauenly places And as there an Angell is brought in questioning with Iohn and telling him who these were and of their perfect holinesse through the bloud of the Lambe set forth by white robes washed therein and of the Lambes being in the midst of them and leading them forth to the waters of life so here Iohn is directly informed that these one hundred forty and foure thousand of the Church militant are most excellent and worthy persons all immaculate and vnspotted before God both for that he imputeth no sinne vnto them being iustified by faith in the bloud of the Lambe and for that they haue kept themselues virgins vnto God not hauing committed fornication with the beast by idolatry who is afterwards called also the great whore and haue a simple honest heart like Nathaneel who is said to be without guile so that they could not be blamed either for the common vice of others by fornicating in such manner nor for hypocrisie and double dealing in professing the truth as aiming at some sinister end or by yeelding in shew vnto those idolatries thinking that as long as their hearts were right they might in shew be such for the safeguard of their liues These were not too blame any of these wayes for they were ready in giuing witnesse to the truth to lay downe their liues And they are said to be redeemed from the earth and from amongst men to note the power from whence they were inabled vnto this in what a most happy condition different from other men they are when others as men of the earth perish at the destruction of the earth and earthly things these are by the Lambe deliuered and made partakers of that fulnesse of ioy that makes their fellow seruants who went into heauen before to play and sing in such an admirable harmony And these are led forth by the Lambe for they follow him whither soeuer he goeth they follow him in suffering and they follow him into glory that where he is they may alwayes be Napier Pareus Brightman Fox c. That this is parallel to that in Chap. 7. most consent and it setteth forth the number of such as were not carried away with the common streame of corruptions preuailing in the time of Popery and the Lord Iesus appeareth most significantly as a Lambe because he yet suffered his enemies in their persecuting but he standeth to shew his vigilant care ouer his Church Arethas Some thinke that this is a diuers thing from that in Chap. 7. there being set forth the sealed amongst the Iewes here the sealed amongst the Gentiles some hold Alcasar that the faithfull vnder the persecuting Emperours are set forth but all things so fitly agreeing and this comming immediatly after the description of the beast as a thing contemporanean with him I can see no ground of such opinion It is
long with Harpe and song she praiseth God as Moses then did And it is called the song of the Lambe also because containing his praises as Chap. 5.9 Here God is praised for his power already shewed and the comming in of all the Gentiles is prophetically mentioned in these words Vers 4. And all the Gentiles shall come and worship before thee Here is matter of comfort to all the faithfull Note that in purity study to serue God without admitting any popish corruption although there be opposition and much trouble to them still yet they may reioyce as Victors ouer the Pope being assured that he with all his adherents shall goe downe more and more and the number of the pure worshippers of God shall increase till that euen all the Gentiles come to ioyne with them popish corruptions being quite abolished in all places And out of our ioy herein we ought to be thankfull to the Lord singularly praising him for this incstimable blessing wherein wee of the Church of England haue shared with the first and in the largest measure Quest Vers 5. 2. After these things I looked and behold the Temple of the tabernacle of the testimony was opened in Heauen c. What is meant by this and in that the seuen Angels which come forth are so cloathed and haue seuen golden Vials giuen vnto them by one of the foure Animals and what is meant by the smoke of the glory of God filling the Temple and hindering that none could enter till the seuen Angels had powred out their Vials Answ Brightman Some by the opening of the Temple wherein was the Tabernacle of the two Tables being the Holy of holies vnderstand a greater measure of knowledge in the most mysticall and recondit things of God which now should bee in the Church Antichrist falling Forbs or the Church comming to light which had hitherto a long time lien hid through persecution Napier yet some that parallel these Vials and the Trumpets together apply it to the primitiue Church in this sense Some vnderstand nothing but iust proceedings Bullinger Fox because they come out of the Temple where the Law of righteousnesse was kept Some without any mysticall signification hold Pareus that as in a Stage-play the Actors come out of diuers places and the beginning of a Scene is set forth by the opening of the place from whence they come so here these Angels are set forth comming out of the Temple in Heauen We reade of the Temple being opened Chap. 11.19 that the Arke of the testimony might appeare but here the same Temple is opened for another purpose that the Angels with their plagues might come forth and powre them out vpon the earth I thinke therefore that they are mistaken which confound these two as one mystery of diuine reuelations now made more than in times past There is no need to presse this passage any further than that the Temple is set open for them to come out being seuen in number whereas no opening is spoken of in the foregoing Chapter because there one Angell came forth alone here seuen together but they come all out of the Temple that is from Gods presence who is the Author of the ensuing plagues and so are apparelled accordingly in a glorious manner as becommeth the seruants of so great a maiesty and haue golden Vials giuen them by one of the foure Animals before described to bee round about the Throne Chap. 4. who as a chiefe Officer in the Court of Heauen is appointed to giue them Commission and a charge to execute his wrath to shew that it is not left to the will of any creature to plague the world when hee listeth but at the time appointed by the Lord and such iudgements as happen are not casuall but by him determined and appointed in respect of all circumstances Touching the smoke from the glory of the Lord some expound it of the anger of the Lord the effects whereof were these Vials Some of the inscrutability of these iudgements holding that hereby it is signified that none can finde them out what they are till they be fulfilled Primasius Bullinger Some that nothing else is hereby meant but that none can enter into Heauen to liue there in body and soule for euer Ambros Andâ—eas Gagneus till these iudgements be executed Some that it is alluded here vnto the Cloud resting vpon the Tabernacle at the dedication Pareus Exod. 40.34 1 King 8.10 Gorran consenteth to the blinding of the reprobate here signified so that Moses could not enter in and likewise at the dedication of Solomons Temple the blinding of the eyes of the greatest Doctors in the Papacy being figured out so that they shall not be able to see into the errours by them maintained till they haue smarted by all these following plagues that is neuer Some expound this smoake as a signe of Gods presence in the Church but darkly in comparison of that light which shall be Brightman when the full number of the faithfull shall be made vp at the time of the Iewes conuersion which is intimated shall not be till these Vials be powred all out when it is said no man could enter into the Temple till the seuen Angels had done powring out their Vials In the meane season they which embrace the truth shall be but a few and the light shall be hold by the aduerse part to be but a fume or smoake because they shall not see into it Some expound it of Gods powerfull presence vnto these executioners of his wrath Forbs euen till the emptying out of all these Vials so as that none could hinder them all the time in their proceedings Some will haue the darkning of the truth by errours set forth by this smoake Napier so as that till the powring out of these Vials finished there should be no pure Church cleansed from all corruptions Of all these expositions Forbs that seemeth to me to bee most genuine and least streined which applyeth this vnto GODS powerfull presence so that nothing can hinder the executing of these plagues till the full end thereof for out of the Temple the Angels with these plagues are said to come intimating that the Lord who dwelleth there hath decreed them now because haply there might bee some hope that he might be intreated and alter this decree it is added that none could enter into the Temple till that all these vials of wrath were powred out the Temple was so full of smoake from the glory and power of the Lord being exceedingly angry for the blasphemies and outrages of Antichrist that is none of the Antichristian sect could turne to the Lord and by humbling themselues before him seeke to auert his anger till it had had the full course and to this agreeth the first and fourth exposition and it is further confirmed Chap. 9.20 The second exposition cannot stand because so it would
a secret place and so properly chosen to manifest this great secret in Vers 4. Pet. du Moulin Lib. 3. Sanct. Ceremon c. 5. sect 3. Ruber color proprie ad papaÌ„ pertinet lib. 1. cap. 1. sect 9. Planum totuÌ„ cum magno scabello coopertuÌ„ erit panno coecineo Caligis rubeâ—s sanda leis rubeis aurea cruceornatis lib. 1. cap. 6. sect 1. it will not bee impertinent And hence wee may note that it is not the case of all men to vnderstand this mystery but it is a long time shewed but vnto a few taken apart from others Touching the aray of this Whore in purple and skarlet colour and gold and precious stones and pearles and vpon her forehead a name written Mystery Babylon the great c. We shall not need to seeke farre for the fitting of these things to the Hierarchy of Rome For the Pope according to the orders set downe in his Booke of Ceremonies ought to be cloathed in Skarlet and his Chaire is to be couered all ouer with cloth of Skarlet yea his very stockings and shooes are appointed to be red adorned with a golden Crosse And his very Mule by the ordinance of Paul the second is to be cloathed with Skarlet as Platina reporteth He is also apparelled with a long Albe a Girdle and a Stole hanging about his necke all imbost with Pearle She hath in her hand a golden Cup full of abominations to set forth the Pope of her state and secretly to intimate the very name of him that is here meant the first letters of these words in Latine Poculum aureum plenum abominationibus put together making Papa As for the word Mystery in her forehead this doth most notably agree for in the Castle of Saint Angelo in Rome Brocard Scaliger are certaine old plaine Miters which haue the name Mâ—sterium ingrauen vpon them as both Brocard affirmeth vpon this place and Ioseph Scaliger that being at Rome with Mounseur de Abin the French Kings Embassadour amongst other things they were shewed vnto him Moreouer a mystery in the forehead doth argue a profession of mysteries for all things in their Sacraments and seruice they say are full of mysteries But chiefly it is thus written because being so abominable a strumpet it should be hidden from the eyes of most men honouring in stead of loathing her Babylon the great the mother of harlots Rome is called Babylon because so like to old Babylon in tyranny pride power and dominion ouer the world The mother of harlots because they that seeke to draw the world to spirituall whordome by idolatries haue their authority from thence These things being so plaine let vs be ashamed still to continue so blinde as that wee should not see them the Pope of Rome could not more plainly haue beene described than he is in this place for what would one haue more to know the party meant by than a description by his apparell and manner of going and his very name Quest 2. How are these words to be vnderstood Vers 8. The beast which thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit by and by rendred thus againe The beast that was and is not and yet is Answ The words immediatly following vers 10 11. serue to explaine this Riddle There are seuen Kings fiue are fallen one is and the other is not yet come And againe The beast that was and is not euen hee is the eighth and is of the seuenth All this then is spoken of the Pope with his imperiall power declaring the order and manner of the comming on thereof This highest power vpon earth which hee doth exercise was in the old Rulers of the Roman state during the time of Kings Consuls Tribunes Decemuirs and Dictators but is not when the sixt head of Emperours was deadly wounded by the Goths and Vandals Heruls and Longobards for then the beast as quite destroyed ceased to bee for many yeeres as hath beene already shewed Chap. 9. vnder the sounding of the fifth Angell And in speaking of this in the present tense when as it was to come long after he doth but proceed in a propheticall stile as he plainly speaketh also of that which was to be long after this of which he had immediatly before spoken in the future tense for comming to repeat was and is not and yet shall ascend he rendreth it thus was and is not and yet is Whereas in regard of this sixt it is by and by said one is but here is not the reason is because that being explanatory is but an historicall narration and so reporteth things so farre as they had beene and at that time of Saint Iohn were but here seeming to speake of a thing present he prophetically setteth forth that which should be afterwards So that in respect of the same head of Emperours it might bee truly said one is not and one is now to speake historically one is now prophetically one is not and so for the time the beast is not because put downe by a forreigne power That which is added but shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit or but yet is setteth forth the rise of the Pope in Rome after this by a diabolicall inuention as if he had beene plainly seene rising out of Hell He is the seuenth but yet is the eighth for he is a like powerfull with his predecessors the rulers of that state and hath another kinde of singular gouernment by the spirituall sword different from them all And hereby it is plaine that the tearme beast and head or King are coincident one with another P. du Moulin Pareus c. because he which is called the beast vers 11. is said to bee one of the seuen heads which are expounded to bee Kings Almost to this effect speake some of my most iudicious Authors Brightman and Brightman not much different will haue this saying the beast is expounded of the Pope vnder Constantine is not of him in the daies of the Goths and shall be of him restored to his dignity by Iustinian and Phocas after him But some hold that the vanancy of the Empire in Saint Iohns time by the decease of Domitian is here meant Nopier Bullinger for thus it might be said that it was before but is not and yet is because Nerua Cocceius of base linage succeeded and departed shortly againe for he died at the end of a yeere three moneths and nine daies But being thus taken that which followeth cannot bee applyed as explaining this nay it cannot be reconciled how it should be said one is not and yet of the same is now Quest 3. Vers 12. Who are the ten Kings which are said not to haue receiued any Kingdome as yet but receiue power as Kings at one houre with the beast and afterwards againe grow to hate the whore and make her desolate and naked Vers 16. and eat her flesh and burns her with
world shall vilitate Great gifts and goods then shall he impetrate Huge heapes of gold he shall haue into treasure With siluer hid and money without measure Discouered things he shall loose and remit Of Magicke Art well shall he know and wit The mysteries and secret sorcery The mighty God he makes a Babe to be Downe he shall tread all true worshippin And at chiefe heads of error first begin His mysteries to all he shall expone Then comes the time of mourning and of mone c. These bookes of the Sybils were much esteemed of and kept in the Capitoll at Rome during the Ethnicisme thereof the prouidence of God ordering it so that from Rome wee might learne that he whose Sea is there is the childe of perdition and after the Popes triple crowne for he is most plainly here described much corruption should be in the worship of God and after that should come vpon that state ineuitable destruction Touching Romes rise at the fall of the Grecian Empire no learned man is ignorant it fell again by means of the Goths Vandals and Heruls and Longobards But touching the time of the new kinde of Empire in him that weareth many crownes it may iustly be doubted seeing many fifteene Emperours haue beene before the Pope came to this height of honour which was not till the dayes of Phocas It is therefore necessary to distinguish betwixt Heathen and Christian Emperours for this being applied to the first sort will in no case stand but to the other it doth very well agree for from Constantine the first Christitian Emperour to Phocas are but fifteene if Iulian the Apostata be cast out who was no Christian and Mauritius by the murthering of whom Phocas attained the Empire be not reckoned as there is no reason to reckon him seeing another vsurped that dignity and tooke it from him The second to Constantine was Constantius and his brethren together the third Iouinianus the fourth Valentinianus and Valens together the fift Gratianus Valentin and Theodosius the sixt Arcadius and Honorius the seuenth Theodosius and Valentin the eighth Martianus the ninth Leo the tenth Zeno the eleuenth Anastatius the twelfth Iustinus the thirteenth Iustinianus the fourteenth Iustinus the younger the fifteenth Tiberius Next to Tiberius Phocas gate the Empire from Mauritius his Master in whose dayes this new kinde of Empire began which from Ponti may iustly be called Pontificiam These things thus consenting to make plaine the mysterie of iniquity in the Popedome doe not harden your selues O ye Papists but be wise in time and come out of Romish Babylon that ye come not with her to perpetuall most horrible destruction CHAP. XIX AFter the vtter destruction of Babel represented here followeth a representation of the great ioy which should hereupon bee amongst the faithfull triumphing ouer her in heauen together with the cause of her destruction and of her partakers and the description of the King by whom shee is destroyed Brightman Vers 1. Some will haue the Church of God vnderstood by heauen which hearing of the destruction of Babel praiseth God for it lest if heauen bee properly vnderstood it should follow that the Saints there know of the things done vpon earth Bullinger Pareus Grasserus But I subscribe rather to those that vnderstand heauen properly as they in heauen were exhorted before Chap. 18.20 to reioyce ouer Babel fallen for howsoeuer they are ignorant of particulars yet it is not vnlikely but that they vnderstand either by the relation of Angels or by reuelation from God what ingenerall is the state of the Church in this world else how could the soules of the slaine lying vnder the Altar cry out for reuenge vpon persecutors as not being yet taken Reuel 6.10 Moreouer there went before a particular exhortation to reioyce for this which argueth the notification of it in heauen by diuine reuelation Touching the song Hallaluiah Vers 3. it is compounded of Hallalu praise yee and iah the Lord Hebrew words It is a question amongst Expositors why they are exhorted to praise God by an Hebrew word To this some answer Brightman that mystically the ioyning of the Iewes who should now be conuerted to the faith is intimated but most without any such mystery hold that a word of this language is chosen as in many other passages in alluding to the old manner of praising God in his Church that first was Bullinger Pareus for Halleluiah in prefixed before many of the Psalmes as a word then ordinarily vsed to praised God And for the same cause the Arke of the Testimony the Altar and Censers with incense are mentioned before because what was and was done in the Temple of God of old amongst the Hebrewes did serue to figure out what should be Vers 4. and be done afterwards in heauen Touching the foure and twenty Elders and foure beasts who haue hitherto stood by as spectatours of all that hath beene done and now giue their applause and approbation it hath beene already shewed what they are Vers 6. Chap. 4.4 c. The voice of all the multitude that stirre vp to praise God compared to the sound of many waters and of thunder is so compared to set forth the greatnesse of the company for they must needs bee very many from whom such a loud sounding voyce must come Vers 7. The matter of this ioy next vnto the ruine of Babel is the marriage of the Lambe approching and the adorning of his wife for the marriage This wife is the woman before spoken of Chap. 12. that fled into the wildernesse from the face of the Dragon but her enemies that sought her life being destroyed shee is brought in now againe her weeds of mourning and sorrow being laid away and garments of ioy and gladnesse as of a Bride going to be married being put vpon her For after the ouerthrow of Popery there shall be no enemies any more to cause mourning and wearing of sack cloth but a most flourishing estate of the Church begun here and soone after perfected in heauen For I doe not thinke that the ioyfull time of this marriage here set forth is to be vnderstood onely of the flourishing estate of the Church in this world after so long a time of persecution but because here is both a preparation and a marriage Supper both the time of the Churches ioyfull condition for a time here where it is prepared and hereafter in heauen where the marriage is perfected and the supper held are included for here the Church is prepared for the Bridegroome Christ by sanctification through the word and Sacraments which haue now their course more freely than in times past there she is presented vnto him and they being really ioyned a feasting supper is held of heauenly comfort and ioy euerlastingly And this is the apparelling of sine linnen granted to the Church here spoken of which is said to be the righteousnesse of the Saints but
heauen and the earth as doth also Saint Peter 2 Pet. 3.13 and therefore I doe not thinke that any sea shall haue a being any more but the glassie sea before the throne Chap. 4. the sea that now is being consumed with the heat of that fire as the Schoole-man speaketh And indeed the sea is such an huge depth and so hideous to behold when it worketh and the waues thereof are tossed to and fro that there is in it some representation of hell that bottomlesse pit boiling with fire and brimstone and therefore for comfort it is added that there was no sea Chap. 9. The Locusts before were noted to come out of the bottomlesse pit and the beast as terrible as they out of the sea Chap. 13. the sea therefore is as another bottomlesse pit against which there is need we should be comforted There shall bee no more sea then for any such beasts to arise out of againe for the terrour of the faithfull and this I take to be the very meaning without any further curious enquiring with the Schoole-men what shall become of the sea then and determining that it shall be changed into an heauenly spheare Saint Augustine by the sea here vnderstandeth the troubles of the world Aug. lib. 20. de Ciu. Dei cap. 17 the aduersities persecutions and great mutations of states which are alwayes here but then shall be no more And I saw the new Ierusalem comming downe from heauen Vers 2. c. This new Ierusalem is the Church glorified and so adorned like a Bride in all her best array Whereas it is obiected that the Church glorified is in heauen and therefore cannot be said to come down from heauen Pareus I answer with Pareus that she is said to come downe from heauen not in respect of locall motion but of her originall which is from God and from heauen for the Saints are begotten of God Iam. 1.18 and therefore may well be said to descend from him yea the Church of God being spoken of elsewhere by this name of Ierusalem is said to be from aboue in this sense Gal 4.26 Ierusalem which is from aboue is the mother of vs all Whereas it is further obiected that shee is spoken of as a Bride prepared for her husband which is by the ornaments of grace in this world I answer it is true the Church indeed is in preparing for Christ in this life but shee is not fully prepared till the accession of glory that shall bee at the last day which is the day of her marriage and therefore to intimate this time the Lord is spoken of not by the name of a Bridegroome but of an husband for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We may gather then from hence that the glorified estate of the Church must needs be meant here because till that time she is not fully adorned and prepared for the marriage as she is set forth here to bee for shee is not without some imperfections vntill this time but here she is described as most compleat and perfect in euery respect The Tabernacle of God is with men Vers 3. c. that is with the faithfull he will hence-forth make his abode being vnder the same roofe as it were perpetually as the Bridgegroome liueth with his Bride after the marriage consummated and then it is shewed how happy this estate shall bee by the freedome from all misery and the fruition of all good things which happy condition of the faithfull that it might be made yet more illustrious the contrary estate of the wicked is described The fearefull and vnbeleeuing Vers 8. c. shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone By the fearefull vnderstand such as in the time of persecution are faint hearted so as that rather than they will come into any bodily danger they will fall from their profession of the truth They and all other wicked persons whether they be such as are here particularly reckoned vp or in any other kinde which is set forth by vnbeleeuers and abominable shall burne for euer in hell where they shall weepe and waile and gnash their teeth when as all sorrow and crying shall be done away to the godly Let the wicked therefore tremble at these things and turne and so many as feare God comfort themselues in the assured hope and expectation to be comforted farre beyond all the sorrowes that they doe or can endure in this world From hence-forward the Church reigning in heauen is described vnder the name of the new Ierusalem Hauing the glory of God Vers 11. and her light was like vnto a stone most precious euen like a Iasper stone cleare as crystall c. The Church doth communicate now with God in the brightnesse of his glory which before was represented by a Iasper stone Chap. 4.3 which is of incomparable brightnesse and so is the Crystall From hence it is proceeded to the wall great and high Vers 12. and the twelue gates The wall of a city serueth for defence that the inhabitants may be safe from the incursions of enemies and therefore the new Ierusalem is said to haue a great high wall to set forth the safety thereof Touching the gates whereof three are towards the East Vers 13. c. this is plainly borrowed from Ezech. 48.31 The gates towards all parts shew that this Church is gathered out of all parts of the world which is also plainly taught Luk. 13.29 They shall come out of the East West North South Luk 13.29 Andreas Napier sit down in the kingdom of God Neither do I dislike of the mystery of the Trinity hereby intimated according to some for why else should the number of three be set down rather than any other number The names of the twelue tribes of the childreÌ„ of Israel are written vpon these gates to shew that vnto the true Israelites only this city doth appertaine consisteth of such only Twelue Angels stand at the gates to shew how by the conduct and guidance of the Prophets Bullinger Pareus Napiâ—r Apostles and Ministers of God they are brought in according to some but me thinkes that Angels are rather properly to be vnderstood who are placed as a guard vnto the city at each gate Psal 34. for the Angels of God pitch their tents about those that feare God and they conduct the faithfull into heauen for the Angels at the last day are sent out to gather the wheat into Gods barne The Apostles are expresly mentioned in the next place Vers 14. in speaking of the foundations of this city whereupon their names are written And it is set forth to haue foundations because strong buildings haue foundations well laid and the twelue Apostles names are inscribed vpon them according to the place which they had in the Church in this world Yee are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets
City in this light they walke that enioy it as all the saued of the Gentiles shall doe and by the Kings of the earth they vnderstand all Regents temporall and spirituall politicke and Ecclesiasticke who bring their glory and honour hither when hauing drawne many by their care and industry in their places to piety they present them before the Lord in Heauen For this is immediatly after set forth to bee the glory here spoken of when it is added Vers 26. Vers 26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it for the nations and peoples who haue embraced the faith by their meanes are their glory as Saint Paul calleth the Corinthians his glory 2 Cor. 1. 1 Thes 2. Pareus Napier and likewise the Thessalonians Others agreeing in the light here spoken of yet differ a little about the Kings bringing of their glory hither for they say that they bring their glory hither when as they referre their power and authority to the honouring of the Church so comming at the last to enioy this glorious light for thus the Prophet Esay speaking of the same setteth it forth in words a little different from these Esa 60.3 The nations shall walke in thy light and the Kings in the splendour of thy rising It is againe obiected here that it cannot bee meant of the Church triumphant in heauen but of the flourishing Church of the Iewes that shall be vpon earth because the nations are distinguished here-from so as they shall not bee in heauen in the participation of that light for all shall enioy it immediatly not the nations by the meanes of the Iewes as they are set forth here to doe Againe all earthly kingdomes being in the end destroyed what glory shall the kings of the earth haue to bring into heauen They may indeed be rightly said to bring their glory to the Church when as they come in with their subiects to the embracing of the faith of Christ but otherwise there can be no good exposition of this passage I answer that the nations are not spoken of for distinction but for necessary resolution that the faithfull amongst them should enioy this glorious light as well as the faithfull of the Iewish nation who might easily bee vnderstood by the generall type here represented the new Ierusalem now lest any man should doubt whether the faithfull amongst the Gentiles should not partake of this light also he resolueth it by saying And the Gentiles that are saued shall walke in the light of it for as much as they concurre to the making of this holy City Touching the Kings bringing of their glory to it I take it that nothing else is meant but their accession vnto this building so many of them as haue beene wise and haue serued the Lord against the Whore as it was declared that they should Chap. 17.16 though at the first there were not many Noble yet the truth should so preuaile in time as that the Church should not only consist of the vulgar sort but of Kings and Princes also who are the glory and the most magnificent amongst the nations and as they helpe to constitute the spirituall building in this world so shall they be a part of this new Ierusalem in the world to come when all their worldly glory shall seeme nothing to them to the glory which they shall then partake of for which sense that of the Prophet Esay before alleaged maketh notably Esa 60.3 The nations shall walke in thy light and Kings in the splendour of thy rising And so it is no more than as if it had been said As this City shall be infinitely rich for gold and all the costly pretious stones and glorious like vnto the glory of God so they which seeme most glorious in this world the Kings of the earth that be of the faithfull and not the common sort of people shall ioy to bee made partakers of this glory bringing in as it were and laying at the Lords feet all their temporall honour and glory as nought worth in comparison of this as the faithfull in the Primitiue Church brought in their goods and laid them at the Apostles feet willingly depriuing themselues thereof that they might enioy their blessed and heauenly society in comparison of which they counted all this world as nothing All this then serueth onely to expresse yet more fully the glory of the new Ierusalem The gates of it shall not be shut Vers 25. It is the manner of citizens to shut their gates in the night to preuent danger because the world is full of euill disposed persons by reason of whom they may iustly feare to haue them stand open then but this state here described enioyeth perpetuall day here is no night neither is there any feare of enemies for they that are in heauen dwell most securely in this respect and therefore the gates are set forth to be continually open Yet whatsoeuer is vncleane is not permitted to enter for the Angels stand at the gates to keepe it out O thrice and foure times happy are they which shall partake of this estate Dost thou loue to be rich to be glorious to bee safe from danger to bee for euer free from the assaulâ—s of enemies and the vexation of such as be of corrupt and filthy conditions then loue the truth and walke according to it and abandon errour for such onely as cleaue to the truth and are constant against all temptations haue a part in this admirable City CHAP. XXII IN this Chapter it is proceeded in the description of other commodities of this City keeping to the allegory of a City wherein as a riuer of cleare water running thorow the midst of it is very pleasant and comfortable to the inhabitants and trees by the riuers side alwayes greene springing and fructifying doe yet adde vnto the pleasantnesse of the place so the heauenly city is set forth For hee proceedeth saying He shewed me a pure riuer of water of life Vers 1. as cleare as Crystall proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. And in the midst of the street Vers 2. and on either side of the riuer was there the tree of life which bare twelue manner of fruits and yeelded fruit euery moneth and the leaues of the tree were for the healing of the nations There is a place not much vnlike to this in Ezechiel where waters were shewed vnto the Prophet Ezec. 47. â— 3.5 increasing to a great riuer that issued out from the Temple Vers 7. many trees growing on the bankes on the one side of the riuer and on the other and it was told him that euery thing Vers 9. where these waters should come should bee healed and liue and that the trees should bee all sorts of trees for meat Vers 12. whose leaues fade not and they should bring forth fruit according to their moneths their fruit being for meat and